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Actually this was a New School Year's Resolution. I just haven't gotten around to blogging about it. Anyway....
I do hereby resolve to aspire to uphold the Three "C's" of parenting:
1. Calm - Ohhh, this is a toughie for me. But I can't expect the kiddos to keep their cool if I'm losing mine.
2. Consistent - Say what I mean and mean what I say. Why is this harder with #8 than with any of the others?
3. Caring - My children need to know that no matter what, I care deeply about them. This is easier to convey if I can remember #1.
Since I made this pledge months ago, how am I doing in achieving these goals? Well, some days are better than others, and God is still continuing a good work in me. :-)
I can't stand clutter. Clean surfaces make my heart sing! Unfortunately life gets in the way of my quest for junk-free areas. And a little stuff breeds more stuff.
I'm determined to de-clutter the different areas of my home that tend to be the catch-all for whatever we don't want to put away. First on the attack list: the top of the dresser in my bedroom.
This is keeping it real, folks - Here is the untouched "before" shot.
Let's see what we have here:
- unclaimed 4-H ribbons
- Hunter's nebulizer (which the bucket contained three butter knives purchased in September to spread peanut butter during a road trip, two batteries, and three acorns)
- a rock
- hospital bracelets from Hunter's birth (he's 3!!)
- a lonely puzzle piece
- everything Bryan carries in his pockets daily
- fabric from a skirt I completed weeks ago
- misc. papers, books, and junk, junk, junk!!
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I keep this out for my children's amusement.
This is Bryan and I twenty-one years ago.
Recognize the frame, Megan? |
And here's what it looks like at this very moment. Is that angels singing that I hear? The plate is for Bryan's keys and phone at the end of the day. That little basket for those mystery screws and buttons that need a home.
I love that this time of year, the retailers capitalize on everyone's good intentions to get organized by highlighting organizations products. Just bought some myself last night to hold some new Christmas toys, and it makes me pretty happy. (Emelie just shakes her head when I extol the joy of plastic totes!)
But I'm not alone in my passion for corralling the clutter...Cruise on over to OrgJunkie to check out her post on how to organize without breaking the bank. I especially love the suggestions of repurposing tea and tissue boxes. Now that's a green slice of happy!
I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday weekend. We were kept hopping with our favorite brand of busy - wonderful fellowship with great friends. Today we're resting up and trying to find the floor of the house, since we've just been "dumping and running" all weekend.
Being so busy with little ones can be a challenge. When we only had littles, our entire schedule revolved around their needs. Now we have to balance activites for the older ones with what the young ones require. The end result is that, on weekends like this past one, naps sometimes get skipped and meals can be at unsual times.
Anytime children are stretched in this way, their behavior can often become challenging (insert visual of Hunter screaming so loud at the Walmart checkout that he could be heard at the back of store).
As parents, when our little darlings (or big darlings) are being challenging, we need to remembers that we have a choice in how we respond. I try to remind myself that God is giving me a test. It is up to me if I pass or fail.
"A soft answer turns away wrath." When I lower my voice, get down on their level, and look the child in the eyes, it's almost like dumping water on the flame of their fit. I remind them of the appropriate words to use and have them repeat them back to me. A hug and a little tickle and fellowship is usually restored.
When the thermometer starts hitting 85 degrees consistently, it seems that it gets harder to convince the children to go outside to play. After dealing with cabin fever all winter, we want them out in God's creation all summer. Here are a couple ways to entice children outside:
- Fill a bucket (gallon ice cream tubs work great) with water and give them a cheap paint brush. Let them paint the house, porch, deck, etc.
- Put soapy water in those buckets and have them wash doll clothes or matchbox cars.
- Sidewalk chalk. Everywhere. Perhaps followed by the buckets of water?
- Fill a tub with cornmeal for a portable sandbox. Add scoops and they'll be busy for hours!
- Bubbles. In small containers so the gallon doesn't get dumped like ours did yesterday!
- Pull up a lawn chair and read a story to them on the porch or lawn.
- A picnic in the backyard can be as much fun as a trip to the park.
Here are some cooking tips that have saved my bacon (snicker) more than once!
Too Much Salt
If you've added too much salt to a recipe, there are several solutions, 1) add a little sugar, 2)in soups or stews, a raw potato slice added to the mixture will absorb the salt, and 3) a second batch can be made, omitting the salt, and added to the first batch. Combine the two mixtures and freeze half for later.
Too Sweet
Add some salt, or, if the recipe is a vegetable or main dish, a teaspoon of vinegar.
Wilting Vegetables
Remove brown edges of vegetables and sprinkle with water. Wrap in a towel and pop into the refrigerator for about an hour. Or, dip quickly in hot water, then ice water with a small amount of cider vinegar added.
Chopped Onions
Peel and quarter. Place one layer deep in a small pan and freeze. Quickly pack in bags or containers while frozen Use as needed, chopping onions while frozen, with a sharp knife.
Hurry Up Hamburgers
Poke a hole in the middle of the hamburger patties while shaping them. The burgers will cook faster and the holes will disappear when done.
I had successfully gotten out of cleaning the bathrooms as my children got older. However, this last year I found myself back with the scrub brush since Emelie took over cooking dinner two nights a week. Not a bad trade off...
I am constantly amazed at how disgusting our bathrooms get. I want to get them really clean, but don't have hours to spend on the task. Here's a couple things I do to get the job done well and quickly.
- Clean your bathroom after a steamy bath or shower. The walls, fixtures, etc., will be much easier to clean, because the steam will have loosened the dirt
- Rub glass shower doors with a white vinegar dampened sponge to remove soap residue.
- Dip a cloth in kerosene or rubbing alcohol to remove scum and spots from your bathroom fixtures.
- Insert a sponge into the leg of an old nylon stocking and knot the end. Use it to scrub sinks, bathtub, tile, etc.
No, we're not making our yard birds do yoga. Although that is a great visual!
Around here, we treat meat more like a side dish. Which is how it is treated everywhere in the world -- except America. While my husband is a "meatatarian," he is fully supportive of the health benefits and economic considerations of having meat as part of the meal, rather than the centerpiece. He's happy to order a steak when we go out to eat!
Last week I made BBQ chicken for our family of 10 using only two chicken breasts. I cooked the meat ahead of time, shredded it, and then let it simmer in lots of BBQ sauce for about half an hour. Served with a big pile of mashed potatoes and lots of fresh veggies, it was yummy and child-friendly (no bones!). We even had enough for leftovers for lunch the next day.
When a casserole calls for chicken breasts, I substitute cubed chicken from a whole bird that I have roasted. Sauteing chicken tenders? Previously cooked cubes work just as well and throw in another handful of veggies. Fajitas? Try heating some shredded chicken in your pan with water and spices. Shredding the chicken helps it to go much further. That's why it's always shredded in Mexican restaurants.
I will often throw in some beans to keep the protein level up (white bean puree is usually unnoticeable in a sauce). Increase the sauce that can be sopped up with a carb. And don't skimp on the veggies (even if they are pureed into the sauce so no one knows they're there)!
A while ago I waxed eloquent on the frugality of the laundry soap available at Sears. While that is still a great deal if you can hit a sale, an equally good buy can be had at Walmart 24 hours a day.
Lately we've been buying big boxes of Purex for just under $3 a box. No coupon is going to make Tide that cheap! We can get away with using 1/2 to 3/4 of the amount listed on the box since we have soft water.
To anticipate a couple questions...We do have sensitive skin around here and have experienced no increase in itchies over the past 6 months of use. It is rated for H.E. washers. I have 2 front-loaders, and it works just fine. The clothes are just as clean as with other soaps I've used. The box states it's good for 30 loads, but I know we get more than that out of it. 4 boxes last us about 2 months doing about 18 large loads/week.
What do you use to make your laundry life easier or cheaper?
When I walk around my house, there are always those projects that nag at me. Those things on the to-do list that never seem to get done. That clutter that needs to go away.
Bryan and I have started to hire our children to take care of these things. They don't receive an allowance, so they're all pretty poor. Here are some examples of what the children have done for us lately:
- Match the overflowing sock basket (5¢ a pair)
- Clean out the crayon, marker, pencil drawers (25¢ a drawer)
- Clean out a messy kitchen cupboard ($1)
- Pick up trash in the yard (5¢ a piece)
- Pull weeds in front of the house ($5) a section
- Shred documents ($2 a pile)
These are above and beyond the everyday house and yard jobs that they are expected to do. And those everyday jobs must be done before they can do a money job.
We've also had to make the rule that terms of work and payment must be decided on by employer and employee before work has begun. We've had children showing initiative (good thing!) by doing something that didn't needed to be done and expecting to be paid for it (bad thing!).
This has helped Bryan and I feel less overwhelmed and has put some coins in some empty pockets (and as a result, more Zhu Zhu pets in the house)!
In our ongoing quest to simplify that which we have control over, I've standardized our 8 or 9-week dinner menu plan. It seems to obvious - why didn't I do this long before now?
I actually enjoy browsing through cookbooks and picking out new meals. I'm always on the lookout for one that will become a family favorite. The reality is that I'm the only one in our family that is enthusiastic in this area. I probably have to cook 25 new dishes to find one that the family loves enough to want to see on a regular basis. Enter the new plan...
I made a table in Word for 9 weeks. For for six days a week I typed in our favorite dinners. I allowed one night a week for a convenience food meal (usually our AWANA night during the school year). I made a "brinner" night almost every week since eggs are a inexpensive source of protein. I left one night a week blank to try a few new recipes so keeps things a little fun for me.
When it's time to big grocery, I check the freezer and switch-out some meals to use up what we have on hand. After printing out the menu, I write the dates in the boxes to look more like a calendar. Then I pick which cookbook I'll be selecting the new recipes from and write them in the empty spaces.
We had a couple rough days at Stumpf University last week. It prompted the Stumpf Motto of 2011: "Do your duty!" Bryan coined last year's motto: "Keep it clean!" I'm hoping for more enthusiasm for this year's...
I also found myself crying out to God in how to help one of my dear students stay on task. This lovely, sweet child somehow "forgets" to do her schoolwork...everyday. Even though we do school...everyday.
She gets up to go to the bathroom. On the way back, she thinks of a project in the basement and disappears for two hours. When she's in charge of Buddy School, she prepares fun crafts and activities and the little ones have a fantastic time. Then 1:00 rolls around, and I find out she hasn't even started her work, most of which is overdue.
This is what God gave me:
After she's worked though her morning chorepack, she reports to me. I have cards in my chorepack representing each of her school subjects. She gets one card and puts it in her chorepack holder. After completing that assignment, she comes to me and we switch cards. If she needs help with a subject, she places the card on my planner as a reminder to me to go over it with her at our designated time.
We've done this for four school days so far. Every day she has completed her independent schoolwork before lunch (a far cry from when I would formerly find out at 4:00 that half her work wasn't done!). I no longer have to nag, but I'm always aware of what she's working on since I have cards around my neck. Likewise, the card around her neck reminds her of what she's supposed to be doing. And she has WAY more time for that project in the basement!
So far, this works for me!
I've been very impressed with the planners from Home Educating Family Publishing. The colorful planners are beautiful and have a place for every list and need that I have, plus many more!
I'm bummed that I just discovered The Well Planned Day in mid-December since the calendars run from July-June. I went ahead and ordered the download .pdf version to see how it would work for our family (it's only $8.98). Bottom line - I'm lovin' it! Meal planning, to-do list and school planning for the week all on one beautiful page.
Emelie ordered the 4-year Well-Guided Highschooler. She is now keeping track of her assignments, GPA, and attendance, and the planner has instructions on how SHE can translate that information into a transcript. Whoo Hoo!
The 2011-2012 editions are on a pre-release sale from the publisher right now, plus free shipping if ordered before Friday. Check out the bundle packages. I'm ordering mine tonight!
I joined Swagbucks about one year ago. In that time, Bryan (who joined separately) and I have redeemed over $130 in Amazon gift cards. I started hording cards in September and saved them for Christmas. We were able to take $65 off our Christmas order from Amazon (that's more than one LEGO General Grievous Starfighter in case you wanted to know!).
All we did was use the Swagbuck search rather than Google. And I search everything - my gmail, this blog, sites I know. You never know when the Swagbuck fairy will sprinkle her magic bucks. I could spend more time hunting for codes, but haven't really pursued it that heavy - yet...
Now I'm wanting a netbook. After all, I'll be able to blog so much more while our computers are tied up by children frivolously doing their schoolwork. Only 30,150 Swagbucks to go!
Swagbucks definitely work for me!
Hunter started wheezing again this afternoon. :-( He's had a slight cold, and that's enough to set the boy off. I think this makes his fourth asthma attack in the past three months including visiting the ER on our way home from Florida a few weeks ago. Not to mention his hospital stay last spring.
Time to get proactive! I've been surfing tonight trying to find some natural treatments that can keep him off the inhaler and steroids (a grumpy, amped-up two year old is never pleasant).
Here are some of the interesting things I've found so far:
- Increase intake of tomatoes, carrots and leafy vegetables
- High consumption of apples may protect against asthma (This one made me laugh because Hunter managed to take a two-bite sample from everyone's Christmas stocking apple!)
- Vitamin C, the major antioxidant present in the lining of the respiratory tract, appears to act immediately to combat inhaled oxidants (I gave Hunter and Brigitta some Emergen-C to drink and noticed reduced coughing in both!)
- Licorice as a potent anti-inflammatory that may have beneficial effect for asthmatics (I also made a tea from anise seed that I made them drink. Brigitta didn't like it, but even she said it helped.)
- Capsaicin, the active (hot) ingredient in hot peppers is a proven potent anti-inflammatory that may have application in asthma (Not sure I can get peppers down them, but I'd like that treatment!)
- Turmeric also has proven anti-inflammatory effects
A few years ago, the children began expressing the desire to give each other gifts. We thought it would be a great way to encourage giving rather than receiving.
Since only the oldest two have any real source of income, Bryan and I were looking for a way to keep the cost down and still let them have the fun of shopping and wrapping.
The children draw each other's names about a week before Christmas. We then all make a pilgrimage to the Dollar Tree where they can pick whatever they want for their intended recipient. This process requires much thought and deliberation because they take it so seriously. The juggling of who's in the store with whom can get quite comical in the gymnastics of the no-peeking game.
The anticipation and delight that these little gifts receive rival any others under our tree. I love that they can still tell who bought their gift the previous year. It's $8 very well spent!
I thought I'd give a quick shout-out to the free download program Homeschool Tracker.
We've used this program in our homeschool to keep track of attendance for several years. A couple years ago, I began entering our educational extra-curricular activities and field trips to count toward our school days. Now that Emelie is a freshman and we need to be thinking about a transcript, we track her grades as well.
I can easily update the information for all my students in about 10 minutes a week.
The program does much more than I use it for, and if you buy the deluxe program, I think it might make bread and brush your teeth for you. However, I use it as an easy-to-use organizational tool to help keep our homeschool on track!
I'm up to my elbows in boxes and piles of clothes. I've put it off as long as I can, but with temps going into below freezing tonight, it's time to bust out the fall and winter clothes. The little girls have almost all seersucker and sleeveless on their rack in the closet. "Pull a sweater over it" is sounding a little heartless now.
For a post I wrote a while back on how we handle the change, click here. My inspiration came from Kimberly over at Raising Olives. She really lays it out. I just re-read her article today to get me pumped up!
The biggest thing to remember is: Less is Best!! Less to fall on the floor. Less to end up in the laundry while with the hanger still attached. Less to fold and put away. The children are much more responsible about their clothes when there isn't an endless supply.
OK, time to attack it. Go Team!
Our weekly Bible Study has been reading through Gary Chapman's The Five Love Languages for Children
. It's an eye-opening read, that has made us try to be more purposeful in showing love to our children.
At least one of my older children's primary love language is "Words of Affirmation." Not always something I excel in. I can point out problems in a flash, but am rarely as quick to say positive things. My favorite humbling moment is when I'm barking at them for snapping at a sibling. No mixed message there!
I was most convicted when Dr. Chapman described how a child that feels love from positive words, feels the twice the pain from critical words. Ouch!
I am hereby resolving this week to speak to all my children with a soft voice, gentle words, and notice much more good than bad. Everyone, from the tall to the small, will receive "pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
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