While spring is still months away, I’ve found myself lately yearning to do some spring cleaning. I think it started after we took our holiday decorations down at the beginning of the year. After everything was restored back to normal, things still looked a little cluttered. I can’t help but notice that the window blinds are in desperate of dusting and most of our rugs need cleaning. Not the fun stuff, but I know it would look and smell a lot fresher in here once they’re cleaned. Maybe we can paint some of the main rooms while we’re at it too.

I really need to address the kitchen and do something about the cluttered counter tops and cabinets. Once they’re decluttered we’ll probably need to do something about our outdated counter tops. If they can’t be cleaned up with some good scrubbing and brightening, I’m hoping we can get a reasonably priced replacement top and maybe resurface the cabinets. It would look like a whole new kitchen!

Do you find yourself cooking (and eating!) a lot more now that it’s so cold outside. I have! And it wouldn’t be so bad if I was getting more exercise in my schedule. But it’s too cold out lately and it’s a perfect excuse to sit on the couch and watch a movie while drinking hot cocoa and eating warm chocolate chip cookies. Of course there are some people that have gotten off to a better start on the New Year’s resolutions! Cooking and baking is fun though, and you can’t beat the taste of fresh baked goodies. If you’re planning something special at home for Valentine’s Day this year, check out this great Heart Shaped Aluminum Flan Pan.

Aluminum cake pans like this great flan pan from Kaiser are a great addition to any kitchenware collection. And flan is a really delicious treat that gets easier to bake the more often you make it. Some people create this delicious custard-style dessert quite often, though a heart-shaped flan would be a really unique twist on this old-world favorite.