Category Archives: how to

Turn That Thing Off

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A challenge! This year I have set out to be more proactive in my role as wife/mother/homemaker and friend. Everyday I am attempting to work on something extra so that at the end of each week I have something great to show for the time that has passed.

Not many people may admit this and some may not even struggle with this but I will ashamedly admit that my home does. We are far too in tune with our electronic devices. The television is on as back ground noise for a  portion of everyday and I was beginning to know the schedule of even the most mundane of shows during my last pregnancy. Not to mention the smartphone that I use for everything from recipes to couponing to an oven timer and the endless messaging of other mentally unstimulated homemakers.

There is no end to the reasons of cause for this. Pregnancy, injury, winter weather, depression, a physically exhausting job the list goes on and on for why one might veg during their down hours. Myself in particular had been pushed to watch or leave on the TV for more hours than I would have liked by an exhausting pregnancy as well as a few other smaller factors. So this year when I was making my list of great goals to achieve in 2013 I realized something:

-Make all gifts by hand this year

-Begin early homeschooling of my toddler

-Plan more day time activities that stimulate learning and creativity

-Support my deployed spouse by keeping a productive home and happy loved children

-Get back into great prepregnancy shape

…hmmm watching the next big thing on television was not a priority. Then why had I made it a daily occurrence?

So I have implemented some rules since the start of the year.

1. No television before 5 pm with the exception of using the Wii fit for myself during nap times.

2. Limit night time viewing by always having a task to do during those hours. Usually I fold clothes or do strength training when watching.

3. Show the children who I want them to be through actions not words. It is all well to say I want them to be healthy and productive. It is another thing to help them learn how to be those things.

So off the television has gone and in that time we have had some great fun. Exploring other ways to stay busy with a toddler during winter time is a challenge but I remember so many more great days now that our focus is where we would like it to be.

Articles like this one  from kidshealth.org have pushed me further to get back to basics with my children.

jan13 005

Pipe cleaner and colander activity found on Pinterest here!

So where is the challenge? I have enjoyed so much turning off the daily glow of television that I would like to challenge myself, and anyone else interested in joining along, in taking a no television approach to the week. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday will be the only days permitted with a use limit of two hours a day. I hope to change my family for the better and reinforce learning and creative play before any television viewing in our home.

If you haven’t been motivated by my testimony already here are 5 great reasons to step away from the noise box.

1. According to this article scientists found that sitting sedentary for 3 hours a day can cut 2 years off your life expectancy. Eep that alone gets me moving.

2. Television watching is said to lower IQ scores and impede memory.

3. Family albums do not usually have pictures of everyone sitting around watching tv. That is not the activity most want to remember so get out there and do something greater.

4. Obesity and television go hand in hand but so do mild pudginess and daily viewing. As I have gotten *cough* older I noticed I have to work harder to stay fit. Replacing watching hours with do something hours have made up quite a bit of that difference.

5. The more you watch the more you want to watch. Every time we sit for viewing hours we are shown commercials for other semi appealing shows.

Just turn it off.

I would love to hear of your own personal experiences with this challenge.

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Weekly Roundout

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This week was very full. I bustled to many new baby appointments in this burgeoning heat and was so grateful for the creation of ice cream! I carried a fuller work load with the husband gone and was reminded what a blessing a good nap can be. After every tantrum or sore fit from teething there is a moment of pure baby cuddling bliss that is a reminder from God as to why all this is worth the struggle. Right now I laugh as I watch little one on the monitor sleep with feet out the crib rails cross ways. You would think it would be more comfortable to sleep the other way but then again it is a little present from God to see the daily humor of children. I am so grateful for the week that has passed and looking toward greater goals this week. One day at a time…

Goals for week beginning 7-9

Family Goals:

1. Take my sweets to a play group every week.  He did so much better this week at group play!

2.Read out loud to him for an hour a day. Lunch time is turning out to be the perfect story time. He chews intently while his eyes focus on the pages. He may be too young yet but I have an urge to buy his first chapter book. Maybe Charlotte’s Web…

Personal Goals:

3. Finish Life on Planet Mom. I have almost finished this review to follow shortly!

4. Work 30 minutes daily on quilt. My progress is coming along nicely and the pride wells at having almost completed something that was a real toil for me.

Pregnancy Goals:

5. Do Yoga 30 minutes daily. I feel more “alive” this pregnancy than the first. I was a bit of a bump on a log last time and exercising daily has truly helped my energy levels.

6. Start piecing together baby’s room. I didn’t get far on this. I feel lost moving things without the other half.

Marriage Goals:

7. Create separation and welcome home traditions. (We don’t have our own yet!)

Household Goals:

8. Continue to cut down on clutter!

9. Red Velvet Cake recipe perfection.

 

Week Goals for week 7/16

Family Goals:

1. Take little one to weekly play date.

2. Continue to read aloud an hour a day.

Personal Goals:

3. Work on quilt daily.

4. Finish Life on Planet Mom.

Pregnancy Goals:

5. Continue to work out 30 minutes a day.

6. Add nightly walks with the little one.

Marriage Goals:

7. Write him a love letter.

8. Mail off care package.

Household Goals:

9. Organize hall closets.

10. Find baskets for deep freezer.

 

What are your goals this week?

 

Fourth of July Pretzel Snacks

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Today was a great day of getting out of the house. We had a play date that ended in melt down city so when we came off to bed little one went to bed. I had an unusual amount of energy today though so decided to tackle this simple “recipe”.

Pretzel sticks Ingredients:

- Pretzel Rods

- White chocolate mmmm

- sprinkles

That is it yay.

You will also need wax paper and a baking sheet to set them on to chill.

1. Melt Chocolate in microwave 30 seconds for each square. Stir to smooth consistency.

2. Lick spoon.

3. Dip pretzel sticks in chocolate and let drip excess.

4. Sprinkle with super festive colors.

5. Lay on wax lined baking sheet and let harden in fridge. 30 minutes.

After they are hardened you can decorate. I used saran wrap and ribbon so they were easy to hand out.
Total time spent dipping, sprinkling, chilling and decorating about 2 hours. Total money spent around $9.00.

Roast Chicken Repurposed Ten Ways

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Mmm…how I craved one tonight! I bought a small five pound bird for a small price and am already considering all the things I can make with the leftovers. As I stated in my guest post on moneysavingmom.com I love cooking chicken. It can be repurposed so many ways. Here are my top ten.
1. Sliced Chicken and gravy. This was one of my Mother’s third day leftover favorites. After serving the Chicken for two days she would often whip up her favorite gravy with flour, chicken stock and butter in a skillet on the stove. She would then simmer the meat for a few minutes to repurpose it into a whole new meal!
2. Chicken salad sandwich. There are a million go to varieties of this meal. My preferred having low fat mayo, diced red grapes and celery on a whole wheat roll.
3. Chicken soup. After picking all meat off the bone you can add noodles, a variety of vegetables and the chicken to stock you easily have a kitchen go to!
4. Chicken tacos. After having made these using a variety of spices I discovered my husbands favorite using McCormick’s spicy taco packets and very small pieces of diced chicken breasts.
5. Chicken fajitas. Again these can be made simply with a pre made spice packet in you grocery aisle and a few other ingredients.
6. Chicken and dumplings. Left over roast chicken is perfect for this recipe!
7. Chicken and enchiladas. Also a great use for leftovers for here.
8. Classic chicken sandwich. I love shaved chicken breast, mayo, tomato and lettuce on wheat bread. The real reason my “eating for two” self roasted a chicken tonight. Amazing!!
9. Chopped chicken salad. Veggies get a protein kick with this addition.
10. A chicken casserole. With the meat already made you can easily whip one up in less than 30 minutes in one pan. An ideal meal.

By buying a whole chicken instead of breasts you can save up to 50% off. With a little creativity and a few on hand ingredients you can serve the cooked meat many different ways before you family tires of frugality. What are your favorite ways to repurpose a chicken?

Things ARE Returning to Normal

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The husband is back from far away ville (for now). My little ones Birthday party went off without a hitch and our family has since left. The home is turned upside down from unending commotion but we enjoyed ourselves. Now back to real life. After the unending family time with my husband I am sad to return to routine. It is always “feast or famine” when it comes to time together, just like the civilian world I am sure, though our “famines” are quite a bit different.

This past bit we were able to hear the new little one’s heartbeat. It sounded strong! The baby also sounded very active. I could hear him or her swishing about as we listened. Such a blessing to have been able to hear the little one growing inside me. I feel renewed even through this worsening morning sickness and what I fear may be strep throat. Eep!

 

But onto the week ahead and my lingering goals!

I have decided after taking stock of my pantry that I could be making so many of the things I normally purchase. My goals this week will reflect a new sense of wanted domestic goodness.

Home Goals:

1. Go through pantry and outline things to make by hand.

2. Spend 2 hours “freezer cooking”.  My new devotion to weekly meal preparation!

3. Menu plan for the weeks ahead.

4. Have a baking session to replace at least 3 pantry staples with from scratch options.

Family Goals:

5. Start on my husband’s requested blanket

6. Mail Grandparents Birthday pictures

Mothering Goals:

7. Attempt to wean, again.

8. Find a Mommy and Me class locally.

Self Goals:

9. Read “Life on Planet Mom”

10. Make an Ultra Sound appointment!

 

Kid’s Cowboy Party Idea!

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My little man turned one this week and I had so much fun planning his party. We were creative with the cowboy theme and turned some old cardboard boxes into an “outlaw city” that the kids loved. We also started up the fire pit for Smores that were a huge hit. I made almost fifty packages and had only one left post party!  The men folk had a friendly apple bobbin’ competition that brought lots of laughs and our dime store mustaches were a bigger hit than I thought they would be. It just goes to show you that you do not have to spend a ton to make big memories.

Do you have any great Birthday party tips or ideas? I would love to hear them!

Fun Kid’s Treat

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Jello! Who doesn’t love it? Ok I know there are some out there who do not understand a love affair with a food lacking all nutritional content. Still how can you deny it’s fun?

I saw recently a fun idea in many places, not sure where it originated, of making Jello shots in an orange. Hmmm… I eliminated the alcohol idea and thought that was a really cute and creative way to make it for kids. Here is how I did it…

First gutted two oranges, one box of Jello is enough for three oranges though, by cutting them in half and spooning out the insides:Next I whipped up some of my favorite Jello and filled the oranges and placed in the fridge. Tip: it will spill so maybe better to put in the fridge first and the ladle out Jello:After it hardened I attempted to cut the oranges but did not get great results:So I stuck them in the freezer for a bit and went back to slicing:They came out looking delicious! I hope to find a better way to cut them without the freezer but couldn’t manage to. What a perfect kids treat and don’t worry nothing went to waste mmmm…orange!

Update: I wouldn’t suggest freezing. The Jello does not hold up well when defrosting. So if anyone has suggestions I’m open :)

Weekly Roundout

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This was an amazing weekend. My little family and I ventured out to eat, enjoyed the backyard fire pit with some friends and rejoiced in His word. How did your week go?

The past weeks goal completion:

1. Find decorations for my sweets Birthday celebrations praise hobby lobby! I adore that I found so many of the necessities here for less than I could find them online. I am a fan!

2. Post 5 day spring cleaning guide.

3. Take a picture a day for the week.

4. Try 2 new dinner recipes.

5. Find a cupcake recipe for my sweets party! I am leaning towards classic lemon or chocolate. Decisions decisions!

6. Update Mommy tummy challenge.

7. Walk 7 miles.

Goals for this week:

1. Try one new recipe.

2. Exercise 30 minutes everyday.

3. Outline our Easter brunch menu.

4. Return to my neglected quilt.

5. Complete menu planning for the upcoming Birthday party!

6. Finish the Money Saving Mom’s Budget audiobook.

7. Update Mommy tummy challenge.

8. Begin I Dare You by Joyce Meyer

What are your goals this week? Let’s begin!

One Week 30 Minutes a Day Spring Cleaning Plan

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As promised here is my week long plan to whip your home into tip top shape. This plan can be done in 30 minutes stretches each day. Perfect for the over scheduled and hectic homemaker.

Let’s begin!

Day One:

Always start with the most difficult task. In my home that is dust. Start by tackling the most humid places in your home, the bathrooms. Dust the light fixtures, top of the shower rod or door and all remaining fixtures that never get seen. Max time 10 minutes.

Dust door frames and window frames
Time 10 minutes.

Vacuum! Get that dust up and out by running a vacuum over said areas.
10 minutes.
Relax done with day one!

Day Two

Interior windows. Get to washing! After washing the windows run a rag over the window jambs and sills to eliminate nasty critter collections from seasons past or any other debris.

When this task is completed use a rag and some dish soap to clear door jambs and sills of caked on mud.
Time 30 minutes.
Starting to look good! Great job.

Day Three:

The kitchen. Break out a clean clothe, some soap or polish and get to work washing those cabinet faces. This area also gets extremely humid when cooking and many unseen things can stick to the structures. Depending on the size of your kitchen this could take 20 – 30 minutes. Next wash back splashes and fridge sides.
Good job!

Day Four:
Dust all remaining areas. Wipe down picture frames, light switches and doors.
Max time 20 minutes.

Vacuum! It is important to remove all that dust you stirred up properly!
Max time 10 minutes.

Day Five:
Wash floors. Some people will take longer than 30 minutes on this task depending on house size.

Day Six:
Donation day one. Purge closets and dressers of unwanted clothing.

Day Seven:
Donation day continued.

Congratulations you have a clean home!

One Week One Hour A Day Spring Cleaning Plan

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This is the one week spring cleaning plan for those that have a need for some serious cleaning. Or for those that wish to give more time to organizing!
This plan is accomplished in an hour a day!
Let’s Begin:

Day One:

Clean those bathrooms. This is my least favorite activity so I always start with it. Dust the fixtures, wash the mirrors, and wipe down the walls. Spray cleaner on the sink, bath and toilet. Spray the next bathroom and return to wipe them down after a few minutes soak. Last sweep and swifter the floor. Wash any rugs and seat covers.
I have three restrooms and when done thoroughly this task can take an hour. If I have leftover time I will clean under the sink (eep)!

Great job!

Day Two:
The kitchen. Wash all cabinet faces, wipe down walls, and counter tops. Pay extra attention to areas rarely wiped like back splashes and counter ledges when they meet the wall. Wash the floors throughly.
Great job on day two!

Day Three:

Dusting (you knew it was coming)! Dust the highest to lowest areas. Usually starting with door and window frames to shelves, pictures and then baseboards.

After this task is done vacuum throughly.

Yay it looks so clean in here!

Day Four:

Vacuum again and then wash floor throughly. Start with the top level then stairs to bottom floor.
This is big job in my house when not kept up with.

Great job.

Day Five:

Organize under the sinks bathroom and kitchen. We know how messy these can get so take a trash bag with you.

Day Six:

Wash windows both indoor and out.

Day Seven:

Donation day one. Clean closets and dressers of all clothing that has not been used in 9 months to a year.

Relax and enjoy your surroundings!