Spring Cleaning might not top the list of fun activities that you can share with your children, but in fact, involving the entire family in a spring cleaning weekend is a great way to share memories, collaborate and get the house in order, all at the same time. Rather than waste a weekend watching television or going your separate ways, spend a weekend together as a family. Spring cleaning offers the opportunity for toddlers and teenagers to get involved in your home and provides chances for family bonding, too.

Divide up the workload
Put everyone in charge of a task—be it a room they are responsible for cleaning, a closet they need to sort through, or the regular chores like vacuuming or ironing. Young children can get involved with Swiffer dusters and mops, while older children can pitch in with sorting toys and clothes for Goodwill or Children's Aid. Be specific with kids about what you hope to accomplish. For instance, if your son's room is fairly organized, but filled with clutter, talk about the importance of purging and make him responsible for selecting a few items to donate to charity. Giving everyone a task can help make the workload more manageable.

Get outside and welcome spring, too
Don't confine all of your spring cleaning to the inside, either. Head out and weed the garden, cut the lawn, or plant some spring buds. One teenager handling the garden and another cleaning the living room strikes a great balance. Plus, if the sun comes out on the weekend, it isn't necessary to spend it all cooped up. You can still get the house in order without wasting it inside when the sun comes out.

Stop for snacks and take out
If you are going to spend the weekend cleaning, be sure to break it up with family treats and the opportunity to sit around the table with the ones you love. My family loves monkey bread, made from Pillsbury biscuits mixed with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Start the morning off with a family favorite and break for snacks throughout the day. Finish off with pizza or Chinese food, whatever quick, easy meal your family loves the best. Or stop and make chocolate fondue for dessert. Find photographs of mom and dad when they got married? Or a toy that you'd completely forgotten about from your childhood? Be sure to share with your family now!

Spring has sprung and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious meal? A meal containing fresh ingredients with loads of flavor is just what you need to tackle all that spring cleaning. More importantly, the meal needs to be quick to prepare, while still being healthy. Never fear, I have just the recipe to satisfy your cravings and your needs. Plus, there's even a tasty dessert recipe included.

Chicken or Beef Stir Fry
Serves 4

Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound of chicken or beef stir fry meat
8 ounces of sugar snap peas
1 large green pepper, cut into strips
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 large onion, cut into strips
4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1. Heat the olive oil and garlic in a wok or large skillet. Be sure to keep the garlic moving though or it could burn.
2. Toss in the meat and cook until almost cooked through. It shouldn't take more than 5 to 10 minutes because the meat is thinly sliced.
3. Add the vegetables and cook until desired texture is achieved and the meat is cooked through. The vegetables should be crisp and not mushy to retain most of their nutrients.
4. Add soy sauce and toss to coat.
5. Serve with brown rice.

Mandarin Dessert Salad
Serves 8 to 10

8 ounce container of fat-free whipped topping, thawed
14 ounce can of fat-free sweetened condensed milk
2 (15 ounce) cans of mandarin orange segments, packed in water
8 ounces of slivered almonds

1. Fold together the whipped topping and sweetened condensed milk.
2. Drain the mandarin oranges and fold into the whipped topping and sweetened condensed milk.
3. Fold in the almond and refrigerator at least 2 hours.

With a little bit of prep time, and some fresh ingredients, you can prepare a meal that's healthy and satisfying. Best of all, you'll even have time to prepare dessert. What more could you ask for, besides a maid to do all that spring cleaning?