3 Things Moms Can Do to Sabotage Their Lives This Year

 

 

1.  Take on too many commitments.

 

 

Say yes to any and every opportunity that comes your way.  When someone asks you to babysit their kids, teach a Sunday School class, or do them a favor, don't consider how it might affect your schedule or your family.  Join a gym, a couple of Bible studies, and a Mom's Playgroup and answer the phone every single time it rings.  Get involved with lots of ministries, home business opportunities, lots of friends, and let your kids be in several extracurricular activities each.  If you homeschool, try to do every craft project mentioned in your teacher's manual and read every book that literature experts recommend for your child's age bracket.  Attend every playdate, home sales party, Girl's Night, and event you are invited to.

 

 

On the other hand....if you want to experience a smooth and peaceful day with your children....

...be careful with your time.

 

Only you and your spouse know how much is too much for you.  We all have different abilities and personalities,so you will have to determine how many activities and commitments you can have in your week.  In our rushed society, it's all too easy to get over-committed, whether it's with volunteer work, home businesses, playdates, sports and kid's activities, church committments, etc.  Moms often try to do too much because they earnestly want their children to have as many enriching opportunities as possible.  It's freeing to say "No" to things that are not in line with your top priorities.

 

 

2.  Don't have a food plan.

 

 

What's for dinner tonight?  Stand at the fridge at 5pm, banging your head on the door while wishing there was a Dinner Fairy whom you could summon daily.  Order pizza....again.  Dig random, weird, ice-crystal-covered things out of the freezer and try to throw them together and pass it off to picky kids as an edible casserole.  Sigh everytime the kids ask for another snack and tell them they can chew on some old celery that's hiding in the back drawer of the fridge.  Start your day frustrated because you forgot you were out of milk and now you aren't sure what to make the kids for breakfast.  Go the store every day or so, with cranky kids in tow and purchase whatever sounds good.  Hit up the fast food drive-throughs routinely and blow your grocery budget.  Feed the kids Cheerios for supper.

 

On the other hand...if you like your hair and don't want to end up pulling it all out.....

...plan ahead for meals and snacks. 

 

I know it's difficult to juggle all of the responsibilities that come with running a home and being a wife and mother.  It's a lot of work to plan menus, stick to your budget, and cook healthy meals.  But, not having a plan only sets you up for disaster, because like it or not, kids have to eat.....every day.....several times a day.  Having a plan allows you to shop less and feel confident that when dinnertime rolls around, you know what you are having and you have the ingredients on hand to make it.  Some moms like to plan meal ideas in their head, others use paper or their phone, and some just buy their favorite items in bulk and keep a well-stocked food supply so they can "wing-it" knowing they have plenty of ingredients on hand to make a healthy meal each day.  However you do it, the point is that you have some kind of a plan in place so you aren't caught off guard by the inevitability of your family's hunger.

 

 

3.  Don't de-clutter regularly.

 

 

Refuse to get rid of anything because it all holds sentimental value.  Keep every birthday gift your children have ever gotten.  Let your kids go yard-saling and thrift-shopping with you.  Don't get rid of toys, dress-ups, craft materials, etc. because after all, you might need those someday!  Only go through the kids' toys and clothing once or twice a year.  Let them keep beading kits in their rooms and take legos outside.  Make sure they have at least 20 outfits each in their closets.  Don't limit the number of books in your home, after all books are educational...the more the better!

 

On the other hand...if you value your sanity and don't want to end up on Hoarders someday....

...have less stuff.

 

I absolutely love the blog Becoming Minimalist.  I have gained so much insight from reading Joshua's articles and have been inspired to continually pare down our family's possessions.  When we went and stayed in a friend's condo for a few days this spring on vacation I was stunned at how little housework there was to do when we had a small place, only 3 outfits each, one dish/cup per person, and just a few toys.  Homeschooled kids are in the house all day long, and that means EXTRA mess.  Having less means less to clean up and maintain.  The more you have, the more you have to manage.  My kids know that they have fewer chores when they have fewer toys so they often beg me to put most of the toys away in the shed so they have less work each day.  Thanks to grandparents, hand-me-down bags, birthdays, Christmas, carnival goodies, VBS prizes, Happy Meals, birthday party favor bags, and the kids buying toys with their own earned money, I need to ROUTINELY work on de-cluttering.  A one-time purge just won't cut it.  Going through the house weekly or monthly and finding things to throw in the Yard Sale or Thrift Store box makes my life much easier.

 

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While these three things aren't the only things moms can do to make life easier, they are a good place to start.  Guarding your time, planning your meals, and de-cluttering your stuff will go a long way toward helping you soar as a mom!

 

 

 

Summer Slumps?

Summer should be a time for fun, family, enjoying the outdoors, and some relaxation.

 

Yet, it seems that about 95% of the women I talk to are stressed, overwhelmed, and just plain exhausted.

 

While we can't escape the need to work in this life, whether it's parenting, a job, caregiving, home ownership, etc. we really have more choices than we think in regards to our schedules.  The thing that is hard is that there are soooo many good opportunities out there that it is beyond easy to get over-committed.  It's a downhill slide into too many activities, too much information, and too many friends and an uphill climb to live within our priorities.

 

My Mom always said, "If I can't get my dishes done, I'm doing too much."

 

 

Even though I do two dishwasher loads a day minimum, I don't know if I'll ever catch up 100% on dishes, so I've tweaked my mom's phrase for myself:

 

If I can't do our Bible verse memorization in the morning with the kids, then we're doing too much.

 

If we can't have read-aloud time every day then we're doing too much.

 

Ladies Bible Study and our mother/daughter Friday Bible study in Ali's room are more important than trips to the circus, the pool, the lake, or a friend's house.

 

Most days this summer I feel like we are having lots of "down time" and are not too stressed out.  Our kids aren't doing summer sports, and I've been evaluating each activity in our week and considering whether it is worth the effort involved or whether it will add stress to our family life.  I'm definitely not perfect at this though!  Sometimes, without even thinking, I will say yes to something only to realize it wasn't a good idea and I chose the good thing over the best thing.  Here are some guidelines that I jotted down to help me stay in line with my priorities of glorifying God as a wife and a mom when considering my children's activities/playdates:

 

 

1.  Ya Wanna?

 

Do I want to do this?  Does my child want to do this?

Sometimes we get asked to do things that we don't even want to do.  Sometimes we push our kids to live out our dreams instead of theirs.  Yes, there is a time and a place for sacrifice and selflessness, but if you hate babysitting why do you say yes every time someone asks you if you will do it?  It sounds like a no-brainer but so many gals I know are guilted or pressured, whether by friends or their spouse, into doing activities they hate.  Keep in mind, I'm speaking of chilren's activities and playdates here.  We will all have to do things we don't like to do (cleaning the bathroom, math homework, etc.) but in regards to things we have choices about, it is a question to consider.  Better to be honest and tell someone you don't like playing basketball, or hiking or taking care of their dog when they go away, etc. than getting roped into doing it and becoming bitter about it!

 

2.  Nighty-night!

 

Is it during my child's naptime?  Though only one of our children still naps, and usually doesn't sleep during naptime anymore, I still enforce rest time and feel it is a necessity in our days....if only for Mama to have an hour of peace and quiet!

 

3.  Housework Happy!

 

Will this cut into time I need at home to finish chores?  Being a homemaker does involve spending time at home (go figure!) and a home is NOT an easy thing to manage.  There is cleaning, cooking, laundry, yard work, bills, phone calls to make, etc. etc. to keep a family and home running smoothly.   

 

4.  Peace and Quiet

 

Does it leave margin in my day?

Will being involved in this activity leave me with no "quiet time" or free time in my day?  As an introverted person I need a little bit of time each day to have no talking and no people in the room with me.  If I don't take that time during the afternoon, I will need some in the evening so that I can recharge...otherwise I get very crabby.

 

5.  Bless or stress? 

 

Will this inspire or teach my child or just stress them out?  Will hanging out with that friend encourage them or contribute to bad character?  Will this event or opportunity pack their day with too much activity or cause me to have to drive around like a taxi service?

 

6.  Cha-ching!

 

Can I afford this activity?  Living on one income in a two-income world takes a lot of careful planning and self-restraint.  Contrary to people's opinions that say I'm lucky to be a stay-at-home-mom, I know it takes a lot of saying no to things that the rest of the world thinks are necessities.  One of our friend's daughters asked her mom for restaurant pizza and said, "Just put it on your card mommy!"  A perfect opportunity for my friend to explain that the debit card isn't magic money and that sometimes we can't eat out, or buy toys at the circus, etc. etc. etc. because we don't have the money to do so.

 

7.  No Rush

 

A friend and I were talking about the stress of last-minute invitations.  Spontaneity can be fun if it's rare, but on a typical day, it's stressful to have a last-minute change of plans.  If you are asked to do something or go somewhere, take a little time to think it over.  Check your schedule/appointment book/calendar and talk it over with your husband.  I once had a young friend who would pray over EVERY opportunity that came her way...down to the most minute thing.  She was wise beyond her years!  One of my friends has decided that she will say "no" to anything that she is asked to do the day of.  I guess I'd better make sure I invite her to things a few days in advance! =)

 

 

 

Thirty-One

Last fall I discovered Thirty-One.  Maybe some of you have been buying it for a while, but here in Wyoming, I think it's an understatement to say, "We're behind the times."

 

 

I love Thirty-One so much that my friends all think I should sell it.   However, I hate doing sales work and would rather just support my cousin who sells it rather than sell it myself.  My cousin teases me about the number of totes I own and the amount of stuff I'm currently drooling over but ultimately she loves my business! =) I did host a party for her, via Skype, since she lives in another state.  I was sure I would barely make the minimum sales perk and would get $20 of free credit at the most.  Little did I know that Thirty-One sells itself!  My party went to $800 in no time (even though only 3 friends were able to attend--many friends ordered online) and I got 2 half-price items, over $100 in free products, and some hostess exclusives.  And don't even get me started on their yearly 70% off sale!  I have to hold myself back....it's the most exciting clearance of my year!  I also look for Thirty-One used.  When a friend stopped selling it, she sold a lot of her items for half-price on the local Mom's Swap page.

 

 

While you can be an organized woman, a prepared mommy, and a homeschooler without Thirty-One.....this stuff definitely makes it easier!  I'll give you a tour of some of my favorite bags.

 

 

 

The large utility tote is the perfect library book bag for a "homeschooler's load."  Between trips to and from the library, it keeps the books together and tidy on our homeschool table.  How many bags can boast that they are large enough to hold a homeschool family's library books?

 

 

The organizing utility tote is WONDERFUL for my cleaning supplies.  I leave it in the back of my van so I'm always ready to go for my cleaning jobs that I do on Friday afternoons.  I got this for half-price from my friend.  These bags are far easier to move from room to room when you are cleaning than a bulky plastic cleaning caddy.

 

Got this $30 organizing utility tote for $10 from the Thirty-One clearance sale.  I've never had a better park bag that keeps 6 or 7 water bottles/smoothies upright and not leaking all over.  Love the organizing utility tote!

 

My other large utility tote is great for fetching my Bountiful Basket each week, holds tons of groceries, makes a great beach bag, and holds a lot for weekend trips/camping.  I often take this to church loaded with junk to give to other people and inevitably it's full by the time we get home.  The only bag that really holds a 6-person-family's stuff when you go somewhere!

 

Because I turned 31 this year and I love the company Thirty-One sooooo much, I thought it would be criminal to buy anything else with my birthday money this year.  I was glad to be able to score the weekender bag in my favorite print for half-price.

 

For hosting a party, I got this hostess exclusive, a camera backpack, with a matching water bottle thermal.  It has made my photo shoots easier and keeps all of my camera gear handy on hikes and trips.  I use the water bottle thermal every day!  It keeps my water nice and cool on hot summer days.

 

 

Got this for 1/4 of the original price on the clearance sale!

 

I use my thermal totes nearly every day.  We picnic/hike/bike a lot and the small one is great for quick snacks for church and soccer games and the larger one holds enough food for the whole clan.

 

I got this one for 1/3 of the original price from a friend who used to sell Thirty-One.

 

My mom wanted some Thirty-One so for Mother's Day I gave her a couple of my older pieces, since she liked the colors a lot, and upgraded to this pretty turquoise bag.  So now, my mom has the black polka-dot organizing utility tote and I use this as my park bag!

 

I got this free with my hostess credit.  It keeps our homeschool area neat and I can find everything quickly.

 

I got this little pouch for my first-aid kit and bug balm.  I have to get into this thing DAILY... unfortunately....sometimes even 3 or 4 times a day!  My boys are not careful!  But looking at the cute pictures helps the screaming child calm down while I bandage them up!

 

 

I'm not being paid or rewarded for promoting Thirty-One.  I just love it....(in case you couldn't tell already)!!!  This month is the only month they are offering the Large Utility Tote in the adorable flip-flop print.  If you spend $31 or more you get a Large Utility Tote for $10.  Go in with a friend and each of you could get a Large Utility Tote for $26, including tax and shipping!

Don't have a Thirty-One consultant already?  No matter where you live, you can order from my cousin Hallie in MN here: 

https://www.mythirtyone.com/224575/

 

Simplifying Christmas

It seems everyone is trying to simplify Christmas these days!  Everyone out there understands that this time of year can get really crazy, and people start frantically trying to find some balance and some peace in the midst of it all.  I don't claim to be an expert in this area by any means!  I've already taken part in a ladies' cookie exchange/ornament swap and have hosted a Birthday Party for Jesus for 8 kids in my home.  The next few weeks we'll be hosting the annual family Christmas party and an Ugly Christmas Sweater party, as well as taking part in a kid's program at church, a coffee house night at church, a ladies' Christmas Tea, going up to a family cabin in the mountains to celebrate Christmas with my family, and hosting Josiah's folks for a few days at New Year's. 

We stay very busy in December!  But it's all fun stuff that we love doing!

Here's how I'm staying sane:

De-Cluttering

This week I cut the kids' clothing down to 4 outfits a piece and loaded all their dress-ups and all but 5 toys each out to the shed.  They don't need to have so many toys out at once and it will make the new toys they receive at Christmas that much more special if toys are a little scarce before the celebrating begins!  The clothing I cut down to simplify laundry.  If I wash one load in the morning and one at night, we'll have plenty of clothing, even accounting for spills and accidents.  (Katri has so many cute clothes and is so messy she didn't get her outfits cut down!)

Saying No

I'm exercising the "no" word a lot!  In one week's time I had 3 different people approach me with 3 different ministry opportunities.  The week prior I had 2 ladies asking me to take on 2 different home businesses!  Yikes!  Yes, I like making money as much as the next person.  Yes, I would love to mentor young women and start a Bible study for them.  Yes, I would love to be on the missions/outreach team.  Yes, I would enjoy serving the poor on the deacon/deaconess board.  But....even if I have talents in those areas, I'm not called to those things at this season in my life.  Someday, I will have the time to do more of those things.  But for now, my family is the main ministry I'm called to.  So, taking some time to carefully think about something before committing to it is really important for me to do in trying to keep life as simple as it can be.  I used to be shocked that people continually asked me to do things endlessly, no matter how busy I already was.  I'm done being surprised by it--I've just accepted that in this life, you will always be presented with more things to do than you can humanly do--you just have to learn to say no!  Sometimes saying no can make you pretty unpopular, but I'd rather be unpopular than over-booked and stressed!

Limited Gift Giving

We cut out giving gifts to siblings, cousins, and friends this year.  In September I mailed a letter to various friends and relatives who usually give us gifts letting them know that we will not be giving gifts this year.  We found it frustrating to have so little money to work with because we had so many to buy for.  It's hard to get someone something they will truly love if you only have $5 to work with.  Plus, I have really been aware the last few years of how wrong it seems to give to the rich when the poor have nothing.  So, instead of putting money towards gifts our relatives don't need anyway, we'll be seeking to give more to those who are without food and clothing and the gospel.  It is such a huge load off my mind that I don't have to agonize over what to get people this year!

All Done at Once

I did my shopping all at once.  Black Friday and Cyber Monday were my big shopping days and I got my kids, hubby, and parents done all at once.  Now, I just need to wrap it all!  A friend of mine and I are planning to wrap gifts together sometime--a chore is more fun if you do it with a friend!

School's Out!

I'm taking most of the month off of school.  A wise homeschooling friend told me to do this a couple of years ago and I have found it to be EXCELLENT advice.  Ali is ahead in her work thanks to starting first grade work in Kindergarten last year and we have plenty of weeks in the spring semester to keep on top of the boys' stuff.  So, last week's water lesson was our last MFW lesson for the year.  We're doing review work this week and then we'll be done until we start up again in early January!  Ali will continue to read 15 minutes a day for Book-it and we'll play learning games and continue to practice the alphabet, but we'll be mostly focused on hospitality, social events, service projects, church stuff, etc. the rest of the month.

Miscellaneous Little Things

I'm buying cookies for the Children's program instead of making them.  I'm having pizza delivered to a friend who is struggling with physical pain instead of making her a home-cooked meal.  I'm using cute 25 cent Christmas gift bags for the cousin ornaments instead of wrapping them.  I'm borrowing a Christmas dress for Ali from a friend instead of loading kids up for a 4-hour trip to a town 30 miles away to shop for one.  I'm making simple meals that we love that don't take any thought: pizza, nachos, tacos, spaghetti, mac n' cheese, elk roast in the crockpot, etc.

In doing these things, I feel like I'm going to make it through the busy Christmas season in one piece!  There are a lot of things I could still cut out, but the things we're involved in which I've mentioned above are enjoyable and worthwhile to us.  It's true I don't have to send out Christmas cards every year, but I love to do so and think it maintains a connection with friends and family that we aren't able to see very often.  I don't have to decorate the house and host parties but I love doing so and it energizes me.  

Ultimately, simplifying Christmas isn't about following someone else's guidelines or do's and don'ts.  It's about doing what works best for your life, your family, and your situation.  You may find that simplifying Christmas for your family means not decorating, but instead visiting a nursing home a few times to sing Christmas carols.  You may like to buy gifts for everyone you know, but dislike going to or hosting parties.  Or you may decide to continue school through most of the month but not be involved in a church program.  Do what works for you!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments section!  How are you trying to simplify Christmas for your family this year?

We got this tree last year for $5 (after-Christmas clearance)

to give to someone who can't afford a Christmas tree. 

Keep that in mind when you see the sales in January! 

They make a wonderful, cheerful gift for someone

who may need some cheering up during Christmastime!

Preparations

I've started making Sunday nights "Prep Nights." In order to have a successful week, I need to PLAN and PREPARE. So, I take time to review what the lessons are for the week, make copies, line out the crafts/projects for the week, and clean off the school table.  I jot down my schedule for the week in my Mom's Plan It planner and think about what activities/appts./church stuff we have going on.  I review my menu plan for the week so I am reminded of what meals I'll be fixing and think about any food prep that needs done in advance.

It is crucial for me to take my vitamins as I recover from the toll that 4 kids in 6 years has taken on my body.  I'm much more likely to get all of my vitamins in each day if I put them in an organizer on Sunday night.  In case you're curious I take: magnesium, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, evening primrose oil, fish oil, B-50 complex, and also take a teaspoon of liquid trace minerals.

Yogurt spirulina smoothies (with frozen fruit and vegetables thrown in) are a great health booster and protein snack for me.  But stopping to take the time each day to blend them isn't always realistic.  So, I have experimented with making a week's supply all at once, meaning the blender only needs washed once instead of daily!  However, I noticed they didn't taste quite as fresh by the last couple of days.  A friend suggested I keep a few in the fridge and freeze a few.  I'm trying that this week!

Another really important thing in making preparations to beat exhaustion/depression as a mom is getting sleep.  I love to stay up late and read but staying up TOO late isn't good for my husband, my kids, or me!  So, I've been in the habit of reading just one or two chapters each night in my book instead of trying to finish the book.  It now seems to take forever to finish a book, but I'm feeling rested!

Straightening up the kitchen, getting dishes done and tables and counters wiped down nicely and doing a load of laundry before bed also makes me feel like I'm getting a jump start on Monday chores.  So, 1-2 hours on a Sunday Night can really help make the week ahead get off to a really great start! 

My friend Nicci, who homeschools 5 boys, said the other day, "Maybe the reason we moms are often overwhelmed/exhausted/burnt out is because we expect too much out of ourselves."  I've been pondering that and wondering where I can scale back.  I have EXTREMELY high standards for myself and because I like to get things done there are many, many people that rely on me or come to me for help/favors, etc.  Often because I CAN do something, I think I should.  But just because you can do something doesn't mean you can do everything at once and do many things well.  So, I'm evaluating once again, something we all have to do all of the time, what to say yes to and what to say no to so I can choose the BEST things over the GOOD things.

How do you make preparations for your week?

Picnic Packs

It's that time of year again!  We're spending LOTS of time at the local park up the street.  Most park days end up being picnic days too.  On top of getting all of the kids sunscreened-up and ready to go and packing everything we might possibly need for a day in the sunshine, it can be a pain to try to throw together a lunch for my kids who eat like packs of wolves.

So, on my last grocery shopping trip, I grabbed a bunch of picnic lunch stuff that was on sale and made up several "Picnic Packs."  Now, all I have to do is make some sandwiches and grab some fruit and throw them and some drinks into the cooler with a Picnic Pack.  It will save this Mama some precious time!  What's in a picnic pack? Chips, teddy grahams, granola bars, napkins, plastic bag for garbage, fruit snacks, etc. Not the healthiest lunch, but I'm tired of my kids always wanting my friends' food and complaining about the leftovers I bring to the park. Since we'll likely only be picnicking a couple of times a week, I'm okay with a less-healthy lunch for the price of convenience!

*Sorry for the poor photos!  My camera was on the wrong setting and I didn't catch it until they were already loaded onto the computer.

Bulk Cooking when You're a Mama

 Since my kids eat like animals (AKA inherited their Daddy's appetite), I decided that it's high time I jump back on the bulk cooking wagon.  I haven't bulk cooked since September when I stocked the freezer for having a baby!  I just don't have the time these days to carve out an entire day to bulk cook.  There are little people who would not survive if I did!

I decided to do an afternoon of bulk cooking since I found that to work well during my pregnancy with Katrielle.  It truly is amazing how much cooking one can accomplish in just a few hours when you are focused and motivated!

In the morning I put a crockpot full of pinto beans on to cook and also a rice-cooker full of brown rice.  In the afternoon, when the two little ones were down for a nap, I got started on my main cooking.  I pulled 6# of roasts and chicken breasts from the freezer and seasoned them and put them in the oven.

Then I called my little helpers, Jeremiah, Ali, and Arianna (a 4 year old friend I babysit on Thursday afternoons) and had them come to the table and make banana muffins.

Being that my husband calls me Mrs. Monk I'm a little OCD about germs and cleanliness while cooking, I told myself that I wouldn't worry about what the kids did while they made the muffins and I just would avoid eating them.  I want them to learn to cook and being uptight about everything won't help them to be joyful about cooking so I thought it was a great solution for me.  And of course Jer licked the raw egg fork.....ick!

When the little helpers were done with their double batch of muffins, I popped them in the oven and they ran outside to play.  I then made a quadruple batch of whole wheat pancakes (NEVER AGAIN!!!!  I may not have to make pancakes again until September!!!!) and cooked 100+ of them up and froze them.  The baby woke up sooner than I expected so I loaded her onto my back in my backpack and she proceeded to pull my ponytail and suck on it the rest of the afternoon.  I put the 14 C. of cooked rice and 6 C. of cooked beans in the freezer in small containers, took the meat out and let it cool before chopping it into small pieces and freezing in meal-size portions, and cooked up 2# of macaroni.  I made a fruit salad (for a dinner I was attending that evening), and some mock Devonshire cream and hazelnut chocolate scones (for a Royal Wedding Party with my girlfriends that evening), and cleaned up the kitchen.  When the muffins were done I fed the kids a few each and then froze the rest for handy snacks for the coming week.  I was hoping to get to Berry Granola and Whole Wheat Graham squares but I was pooped and my kids needed me to make them dinner so I saved those two items for later in the week, as well as a crockpot of homemade yogurt.

Here are my best tips for cooking with kids around:

1.  If possible, swap an afternoon of babysitting with another mom or utelize a mother's helper or Grandma so that you can get more accomplished and have fewer interruptions.  If that is not an option:

--Let the kids watch an afternoon movie while you work

--Put them to work.  It may be a little more work but it will keep them busy and someday they will actually be more help than hinderance so it's good practice for them!

--Spend extra time with the kids in the morning and if possible, wear them out on the playground or in the yard so that they will be happy to do quiet activities or nap in the afternoon while you cook.

2.  Planning and preparing is crucial to the success of bulk cooking.  Do your planning, organizing, and shopping the evening before WITHOUT the kids so you are totally ready to go the next day.  Don't forget to buy ziploc bags or containers to freeze your foods in if you need them.  (Ask me how I know this......)

3.   Figure out what your top food needs are and make these things. I don't mind making dinner every night but our family constantly seems to be out of snack foods and I'm not a morning person so I find it hard to make pancakes first thing in the morning. So, I made sure to make up a bunch of pancakes and a bunch of snacks (muffins, graham squares, scones) and a few things that would make meal prep faster in the evenings (rice, roast, chicken breasts, pinto beans, macaroni).

4.  Put your "servants" to work.  I used my crockpot, rice cooker, oven, griddle, dishwasher, and most of my cooking pots simultaneously!

5.  Don't over-do it!  Plan to stick with your time-frame of 3-4 hours and allow yourself some time to sit down and browse a magazine and eat some chocolate for a little break while things are baking.  I wanted to do a lot more than I did, but at the end of the day, I had to admit my limitations and realize that it's not the end of the world if I have to buy bread on sale than trying to make up 20 loaves of homemade bread to freeze.

Chicken Pox Tips

Last week, exactly two weeks from the time Jeremiah got the pox, Alathia and Justus finally broke out with them.  Thankfully a couple of nurses had told us the week before that there would be a 14 day incubation period so in the week we were waiting for the pox to come, we were able to attend Homeschool Swimming every morning and do some playdates without being contagious to other children.  Then we isolated our children again and waited a few days for them to break out and then had another week of isolation as they got over them.

Instead of buying oatmeal bath solutions, just take 2 C. of oatmeal, mix with a couple of cups of water and microwave for 2 minutes.  Then spoon the oatmeal into an old nylon sock or section of pantyhose and throw in the bathwater.  This amount will make 3 or 4 and I kept them in a ziploc in the fridge until we needed them.  I let my kids play with the oatmeal ball because the more they squeezed it in the tub, the more soothing oatmeal mush came out of it into the water!  We also did a lot of baking soda baths too.  I would dump half of a box of Arm and Hammer into the tub of warm water.  A month ago a guy who sells Baking Soda and Laundry Detergent gave my dad a case of the stuff for free and Josiah got to bring home a bunch of those freebies from work so we have tons of baking soda on hand.

Justus got the worst case, and was pretty uncomfortable and needy for a few days, poor guy!  Ali was the itchiest of the three but I found that allowing her to play lots of computer games and to skip school and watch a few movies a day was the way to keep her distracted from the itch.  I used Children's Tylenol for the fevers and Children's Benadryl to help control the worst of the itch so they could sleep.  Justus got 4 baths a day for his worst couple of days.  It wasn't fun to see my little people miserable, but in retrospect, it went by in the blink of an eye and they were feeling great and energetic again in just a few days. 

Other survival tips:

Have your hubby bring home Pizza Hut on your worst day--a blessing for the tired Mama and a blessing for the kids who rarely, if ever, get to eat out and love pizza!

Popsicles, ice cream bars, ice-cream, and icy drinks were a hit with my kiddoes

I bought some snacks we don't usually have on hand, like Jell-O cups, pudding cups, juice boxes and fruit snacks.

Fruits and applesauce were good snacks throughout the day too.


I tried tea tree oil and Calamine Lotion on the spots, and though lots of people say tea tree oil is amazing, it didn't seem to work for us.  Calamine really soothed the itch for them so we applied it a few times a day after baths.  My little girl would writhe and complain that the lotion was too cold so I would heat a little water in a small glass bowl in the microwave, then dump the water out and pour a little Calamine in.  The hot bowl would warm the Calamine and I'd apply their pink "paint" with a cotton ball.


My mom was a sweetheart and brought little things by almost every day for the kids.  Balloons one day, bubbles the next, and supper for us one night.  It was very thoughtful and helpful and the kids enjoyed being spoiled, to the point that whenever she pops by the house now they say, "What did you bring us?"

"Mom, Where Are My Shoes???"

With 3 small children in a large house, shoes can disappear quickly.

We have one child, particularly, who can NEVER find his shoes.

I was so excited when someone gave us this pretty wooden bench, which fits in our entryway and found that it solves our shoe problems nicely.

The kids are told to keep all their shoes in this one spot.  No more stuffing them under beds, in bedroom closets, or random places throughout the living room.  If I see shoes discarded by the door or laying about in the schoolroom they immediately have to carry them down to the shoe bench.  This is the "central shoe spot" and when it's time to go somewhere, we all head down to the entryway and they grab a pair before heading out the door.

We have a lot of extra shoes thanks to good yard sale finds, hand-me-downs from everyone we know at church and from one sibling to the other.  Here, in the guest room closet where I store larger-sized clothing for the kids, I keep the Shoes-To-Grow-Into.  When a child's shoes begin to feel to too tight, we go "shopping" in the closet for a new pair or two. 

"Unofficial Bartering" also known as "Friendship"

A friend admired Ali's haircut I had given her. 

She asked me to trim her daughter's hair.

I did so with fear and trembling, because I really don't know what I'm doing

and the fact that Ali's hair turned out cute was somewhat of a fluke.

After the haircut she gave me a big bag of garden produce

Including these bright cherry tomatoes.

Sharing our gifts with one another...

....the beauty of friendship.

Preparation for Baby

It's that time of life again when I make my big list of things to accomplish in the last trimester before baby arrives.  I'm piggybacking off of the ideas I posted when I was preggo with Justus.


TO DO:


*Throw a "Preggo Party" for all of my pregnant friends to come over one night and work on a craft for their baby-on-the-way.


*Throw Justus a "semi-truck birthday" party in 2 weeks for his second birthday.


*Throw Jeremiah a "snake birthday" in mid-September, 2 months before his real, 4th birthday.


*Have at least 30 meals in the freezer.  My plan so far:

Lasagna-4
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole-2
Chicken Brocolli Rice Casserole-4
Homemade Frozen Pizza Kits-3
Roast Beef and Mashed Potatoes-2
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup in the Crockpot-3
Green Chili Burritos-4
Tuna Casserole-3
Stir-fry-2
Plowman's Share-2

Plus, have 5-10# of cooked hamburger frozen in .75# bags for tacos, pizza, nachos, etc.

*Make up lots of homemade dry mixes (pancake, waffle, pizza dough, cookie, wheat bread, taco seasoning, cream soup mix, etc.)

*Stock the cupboards with crackers, granola bars, nuts, etc.

*Freeze some cookie dough or cookies, muffins, zucchini bread, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, and butterhorn rolls.


*Buy a few months' supply of toilet paper, Clorox wipes, kleenex, and baby wipes and have plenty of laundry soap made up.  Have a month's worth of paper plates ready.


*Buy the kids a little gift to help them feel special with the event of a new baby.


*Sew Katrielle a minky blanky set.  Got the purple minky fleece new at a yard sale (3 yards for $3) and plan to make her a "ducky" blankie just like her brothers have, with an extra, just like they have, for keeping in the closet for when the current one is dirty, lost, etc.


*Choose a middle name for our daughter.


*Have a homeschooling routine in place and the fall semester planned out for Ali regarding goals, school lessons, field trip plans, homeschool swimming schedule, etc.


*Borrow lots of childrens' movies from friends so we won't be borrowing them the library and having to remember to return them on time in the tiring post-birth days.


*Rotate my kids' clothing from summer clothing to fall/winter and unpack the hats/mittens/gloves and store in the storage downstairs for when the snow flies.  Store summer clothing in boxes in the garage or shed.


*Make or purchase cute thank-you cards to have on hand in case we get baby presents or meals from folks, etc.  Dollar Tree has some really cute and inexpensive stationary!


*Birthday cards ready to mail for friends and relatives with fall birthdays and gifts done, wrapped, and sent out to MN in advance with my in-laws for my nephews', sis-in-law's, and father-in-law's birthdays.


*If 30 week ultrasound reveals that a C-section is still probable, borrow 3 books through inter-library loan on C-section advice and recovery and read prior to my surgery.


*While I still have plenty of time after baby comes for Christmas shopping and Christmas newsletter/baby announcement, I may plan out a list of Christmas gift ideas for family members and start my Christmas newsletter.


*Bug Josiah to make me a stool that Justus can use to climb into his crib by himself in the event that I have a C-sec.

*Tentatively plan childcare for our older 3 when we are in the hospital for baby's birth.  Discuss with my mom whether or not she will take off of work to watch the kids or attend the birth.  Discuss with my husband how many days off he will have and what we will do for post-birth help if our moms aren't available and I'm recovering from surgery.


*Read through our Miracle of Life book often with the kids so they will understand better how a baby lives in utero and discuss the changes that will come to our family with a newborn's arrival.


*Have the guest beds all made up and rooms ready just in case we have unexpected company.


*Start the pages for Katrielle's scrapbook and finish Justus' last two pages on his baby book.


*Set up our second monitor so I can speak to the kids downstairs when I am upstairs as well as hearing them downstairs.  (Can you tell I'm trying to avoid the stairs more?)


*Put kid bowls and cups in a lower cabinet and train Ali and Jer to be able to set the table for every meal and snacks too.



A few weeks before:


*Wash the carseat carrier and swing out and get carseat loaded into the back of the van.

*Pack diaper bag and hospital bag.

*Wash bassinet linens and blankets one more time.

*One last decluttering of the toys downstairs and kids' clothing so we have less clutter to manage when baby comes.

*Buy lots of batteries for the camera.


Already done:


Diaper stash for the first few months  Thanks to my friend Tracy who gave me lots of diapers her daughter outgrew too quickly and a great Amazon sale on diapers.

Baby clothes newborn-5T are sorted, and all the 0-6 month stuff is ready and washed and folded!

Bassinet, changing table, and clothes set up in our bedroom

Asked every friend I know who had a C-section to give me tips and share their experiences

Teach Ali how to get Justus out of his crib in the mornings and bring him up to breakfast.

Kids can get themselves drinks of water, thanks to a fancy fridge with water/ice option

Half done. Organize all Christmas decorations and things in the garage so it will be a snap to decorate for the holidays, even with a new baby.

Yet Another Reason

Here's another reason to love the best sippy cup ever.

They fit very nicely on the handles of our umbrella strollers!

How to Make GORP

I'm not sure if GORP stands for Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts or Granola Oats Raisins and Peanuts but it is an excellent snack for hiking, the zoo, the park, cross-country skiing, or traveling, etc.

Add whatever ingredients you like.  Options include: dried fruits and berries, nuts of any kind, granola or oats or granola clusters, crackers or pretzels of any kind, chocolate chips, favorite candies, or dried cereals.

This is what looked good to me when I went shopping for GORP ingredients.  If I wasn't so spacey while pregnant, I would have remembered the box of Rice Chex in my pantry and added it in.  I only added about 1/3 of the bag of marshmallows and half of the bag of pretzels.

Mix thoroughly in a large bowl.

Put about 1-2 cups of GORP in each little plastic bag for an individual portion.  Stash in a safe, kid-free zone and throw them in your backpack for a handy, and delicious snack-on-the-go!  Kids love GORP and mommies and daddies love GORP too!

Depending on what you add into the GORP, it can be fairly inexpensive.  I spent about $10 and was able to make around 12 or 13 large portions that served us very well at the zoo and for snacks in the van.  However, if I had been able to get to Walmart to purchase the ingredients, it would have been a bit cheaper. 

*If you have young children be sure to keep in mind what they are able to handle chewing and watch them carefully lest they choke on a craisin or peanut, etc.*

The Best Sippy Cup on the Face of the Earth

I've been searching for good sippy cups for a long time.  I was pretty happy with the Playtex brand cups until everyone started talking about BPA and wondering if their kids' sippies were safe.  We still have a bunch of the Playtex ones, and they are very leak-proof and probably BPA free too, but I have found that the Nalgene Tritan Grip n' Gulp for kids are now my ultimate favorite.

Why I like them:

They are BPA free

Just like Nalgene's adult water bottles, which I have used for years, they are extremely durable...even when thrown against pavement by angry children

They aren't baby-ish, making them perfect for older kids too.  Your child could use this cup from 12 months until 10 years old.

I can carry 3 sippy cups in one hand while I'm juggling kids or keys in the other, thanks to the little finger loop

They are completely leak-proof

Residue doesn't build up in them like it does in our Playtex cups

Easy to remove valve--and large enough that it's harder to lose

Dishwasher safe

They hold 12 ounces, which means less fill-ups for our extremely thirsty kid

My "oral child" who chews everything to destruction has left tooth marks on her spout but hasn't managed to destroy it or smash it in--it's a very durable spout!

Possible Cons

On the http://www.amazon.com/ reviews, some of the moms said their children couldn't get any liquid out of them.  We haven't had this problem at all.  It does take a bit more suction than our Playtex cups, but I count this as a blessing seeing as how it takes Jeremiah around 6 minutes to drain his 12 ounce Nalgene sippy instead of 1 minute (the length of time it takes him to drain his 10 ounce Playtex).

Some moms don't like that they have to tip the cup up to drink from it.  If you prefer that your child not have to tip their cup up, you can give this sippy a try, which one of my mom-of-4-four-and-under friends highly recommends.  I was going to buy this kind but couldn't bring myself to pay $20 per sippy, knowing my kids would probably lose them the next day if I did.  Also, some moms said the straw pushed their kids' teeth forward so I wasn't sure I wanted them after all.  Someday, when they go on a REALLY great sale I will try them and see if they become my new favorite.

Cost:

You can buy the Nalgene Tritan Grip N' Gulp online from several different places, but ebay seems to have the lowest prices, even after shipping.  They will run you around $8 each after shipping.  Because a local sport and outdoor store here had them for $8 each, I purchased mine locally.  It seems expensive, but I think they are worth EVERY penny.  My kids have used them hundreds of times and they have been the best thing ever for soccer practices and games, picnics to the park or the mountains, church,  taking into restaurants on our long trip to MN and back, and just drinking from all day long.  And in spite of taking them everywhere we haven't lost one yet.....thankfully!  They have 4 colors, which means whether or not we have a boy or girl the fourth child is going to end up with a pink one.  Maybe.

One more thing: Most pics online show a sideview that leaves you wondering if they have a pointed spout that is uncomfortable for the child.  The spout is not pointed, but rather very similar to the Playtex sippy spouts.  This is a blurry shot of Justus' cup.

Modest Swimsuit Idea

A year ago I was really frustrated with swimwear.  I couldn't find a suit that fit my body properly.  And forget about finding a modest swimsuit....it is next to impossible in our area, where there are very few places to shop for clothing in general.  If I did happen to find a modest suit, the material wore through, stretched out, or snagged right away.  I was sick of kids tugging on the neckline and embarrassing me, even when I was wearing a modest suit.


I started searching like crazy online and found several sites that sold swim dresses or modest swimwear.  However, the prices were more than I could afford.  So I put together my own modest swim outfit on a budget, spending several hours scouring the internet in search of the perfect swimsuit for me.


Here's what I came up with:

Underneath-a tank suit in my size.  Doesn't matter if the neck is a little low or the legs are high so long as it fits comfortably.  Found one on e-bay for about $2 (new) and found a great used one in my size at the thrift store for 50 cents.

Rash Guard--these shirts are UV protective and popular among surfers.  I found mine here for $20 on sale.

Board Shorts--I found lots of cute ones online at surfing supply shops or sport's stores but most were around $50 and I couldn't bring myself to pay that.  So, I opted for some swim trunks from the Walmart's men's section ($6) and I simply snipped out the mesh lining in them and they work great!

I have never felt more comfortable in my swimsuit and am so happy with my current set-up.  For around $30 I got a suit that I feel comfortable in and it should last at least a few years, even though we swim a lot.  Of course now I'll have to find a maternity option for this summer so I don't stretch out this suit!

I can't believe I just posted a picture of myself in a swimsuit on my own blog!  And to top it all off it's a bad picture where I'm blinking!

*Ali wears swim shorts (found at a Gymboree outlet for $6) over a tank suit*
*When we swim outside, I have all of my kids wear rash guards for sun protection*