I need your opinions: blog design question

I like my current blog design (come click through if you read by a FeedReader or through email!), but have been thinking about a different layout as well. There is not much on the different layout, but you can check it out right here.

So, I can't promise to go with the popular vote, but I would love to hear what you all have to say. Do you like the current design/layout better or the second one? And, if you have an opinion about them -- why do you like one design/layout better than the other?

Thanks a bunch!

I like them both, but may be leaning one particular way. (And, after writing this, I may be leaning toward the one my Mom likes best.) Eric likes one layout/design, and my Mom likes a different one than he does. So, I would just love to hear a few opinions.

(Love the comments so far! Just as a side note, there is actually a variation on the second choice. The columns are just in different spots, so the content is still in the middle.)

Bleach Solution for Disinfecting

I have a cleaning tip this week that is short, but sweet clean.

I don't know if things are going on near you like they are here, but it seems everyone is coughing and has the sniffles. One thing I like to do to try to disinfect things around the house is to use a bleach solution.

A perfect weaker mix that is great for toys and items that might find themslves in children's mouths is: 1 tablespoon of bleach added to 1 gallon of cool water.

This can be really great for playdates when little Penelope down the street spends the whole time sneezing on your Suzie's Weeble Wobbles.

For a stronger bleach solution (for use in areas like bathrooms and diaper changing areas), you can add 1/4 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of cool water (or 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart of cool water).

I like to keep a spray bottle of the weaker solution (which I have marked in bold letters BLEACH SOLUTION) all made up and ready to use as needed.

Good luck keeping those germs away this season with this great and frugal alternative to store bought santizers!

Be sure to check out Works for Me Wednesday and Frugal Fridays!



photo from google images

Many Little Links: The January Wrap Up Edition

I'm combining my monthly wrap up of top referrers along with my Many Little Links this week. Hey...you know, why not? Right?

So, first, let me give you the run down on the top ten sites that referred traffic to Many Little Blessings in January 2009.

Top 10 Referring Sites to Many Little Blessings for January 2009

1. Bloggy Giveaways

2. Rocks in my Dryer

3. Simple Mom

4. Ohdeedoh

5. I'm an Organizing Junkie

6. The Homeschool Classroom

7. Mom Advice

8. Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

9. Catholic Mothers Online (The Blog for the Blog Roll)

10. Five J's

Thanks to all of you on the top 10 list, as well as the many, many other sites that referred traffic to my blog during January!

Okay, so now we're on to my weekly installment of Many Little Links! Here are some links that I particularly enjoyed during this week...

(Note: An active link to the blog's name appears if the author's article appeared on a blog other than their own)

Arts and Crafts:

Watercolor Initials -- Let's Explore

Food and Recipes:

Shopping Care Essentials -- Happy to be at Home

Valentine's Day Sweet Swap -- Today's Housewife

Finances:

Talking about Money with Your Husband -- ZieglerZoo

Taming Your Inner Toddler -- The Finer Things in Life

Blogging and Writing:

Spread the Love with Memes -- Happy to be at Home (this is like the mack daddy listing of memes around the blogosphere)

5 Tips to Get Your Blog Earning -- Homemaker Barbi

Learning Activities and Homeschooling:

Li'l Navigators -- Oh My Stinkin' Heck

Weekly Vocabulary Words -- Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Fifty States Fridays -- Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Preschool at Home: Part Two -- The Mac and Cheese Chronicles

First Grade Language Lessons with Dr. Seuss -- Five J's

Miscellaneous:

Your Repair Kit: What's in It? -- Frugal Hacks

10 Minutes to a Room You'll Love: Part 1 Family Room -- Nesting Place

Wow! It's February!

Is it just me, or did January feel like it was about six months long? Hopefully February will feel a little bit closer to normal.

It's just hard to believe that it was only a month ago that we were driving to Florida. I don't know -- perhaps January felt like a year.

It's like my Mom has said before, the last month of pregnancy feels just as long as all the other months put together. Some months just feel longer than others, I guess.

I will be figuring out the winners of the drawings by the beginning of this week. I have several things to do on Sunday, but promise to get it all done by Tuesday at the latest!

Let's hope February is good and less stressful for everyone!