The Coupon Binder.com

Friday Weigh-in

2011-06-24T13:31:00.003-04:00

Wow, has it really been three weeks since I posted?! I am so sorry!! The flu took two weeks to go through our family. We had 4 anti-nausea prescriptions and one trip to the ER with DD1. The twins were puking for 10 days alone. Then it has taken me a week to just recover. BUT we are all better now and hopefully will stay that way for a while. :)

I thought I would start back in with a weigh in. This has been SO helpful for me to have y'all along for the ride. Since I last posted I have lost another 5 pounds. That makes 20 so far. Can you believe it?! When I started it seemed like such a huge thing to do. Now, I only have 10 to go. I am consistently running 3 miles - slowly. But I am able to do it without stopping.

It has been very helpful to look at this as a lifestyle change instead of just wanting to obtain a certain size. After a while the look looses it's fun when people get used to you being skinny. But when I am trying to be healthy for life then I keep going.

Flu Battle

2011-06-06T21:45:00.002-04:00

Dear Readers,

The DH had a bout with the stomach flu over the weekend, the twins started today, and it looks like I am up to bat. Then who knows who is up next...

I am sorry to do this to you, but I am not going to post the rest of the week... Just wanted to give you a heads up so that you don't keep checking in and wondering what is going on.

hugs,
j

Friday Weigh-in

2011-06-03T09:14:00.002-04:00

This morning started out as a tough run. My ipod ran out of batteries just as it was getting hard (which was pretty early on :). Also, I couldn't find my workout hat so the sun was in my eyes, and DD1 was out with an injury.

Despite all of that, the morning was gorgeous and I ran 3 miles without stopping!! When I started all of this all I did was run down our street and walk back up it three times. Now I ran the whole development. Small and simple steps can take you long distances.

Also, I lost two pounds this week. So that makes 15 so far!! I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight and halfway to where I want to be.

The tip this week comes from my father-in-law -and he doesn't even know it. He and my MIL are avid runners. I asked him once how he got to LIKE running. To my surprise he told me he doesn't like it. He said it is like banging your head against a wall - it feels so good when you stop.

So today when it got hard, I thought, "It's like banging your head against the wall Jen, it will feel so good when you stop." And it did!!

Have a great weekend!
j

Cheap Teacher's Gifts

2011-06-02T20:25:00.003-04:00

Dear Mags and Emily,

Thanks for posting to the Hum Drum post. You have given me topics that should keep me going for the next little while. What a relief for all of us! ;)

So first off I will tackle cheap teacher gifts since the end of school is just around the corner. (sob, sob.) Mags, I LOVE the vase idea. I can envision it and it is adorable. You are so crafty!

Another version is an empty soup can, covered with paper your child has decorated, filled with pencils. If you want to go a step further, you can order pencils with the teacher's name on them. This helps her/him not loose so many to borrowers. ;)

*I have given sticky notepads to teachers who send home lots of notes on them. (Not glamorous, but meaningful.)
*A gift card for an icecream/coffee shop. (Ten dollars at one of these places will cover the cost of whatever they want, vs. only covering a pittance of the tab at a resturant.)
*Wildflowers your child picked for them put in a vase decorated by them.
*DD1 is giving a clearance coffee mug to her teacher this year because the teacher kept breaking hers.
*Do a Google search using "cheap teacher gifts" as the key words. I hit the first link from betterbudgeting.com. There were a lot of fun cute ideas. (If you click on the title of this post it will take you to this website.)

Hope this helps!
j

Hum Drum

2011-05-31T21:54:00.002-04:00

For those of you who write blogs, you know how difficult it can be to come up with new and exciting material multiple times per week. It is a bit like running a small scale magazine. There are times when the ideas come fast and furious, and then there is the brain block. Right now, I feel a bit of blog block going on.

This is where you come in....Do you have a great tip/idea to share? What do you want to know from me?

Please tell me so that I can get through this block...

hugs,
j

Friday Weigh-in

2011-05-27T08:49:00.002-04:00

This post is dedicated to my friend and reader Sara. She pops in comments here and there, and I knew she was trying to be more healthy. She is keeping to her plan and looks terrific! She really helped inspire me this week. Her tip - more veggies and water. I tried to focus on that week. It was hard because I'm not a big veggie lover, but I am trying....Thanks Sara!!

This week I lost another pound. So far that makes 13. It seems like it is taking forever and I can feel that I am in a slump. The newness has worn off, and the workouts are becoming harder. I have found it helpful that we are signed up for a 5k. I really want to run it without stopping and that helps get me out the door.

The good news it that I can now run two miles without stopping. That is such a huge improvement over where I started. I am dedicated to making this a lifestyle which is helpful too. It's not just about the weight, it is about being healthy for our five kiddos and the sweet DH. Have a great weekend!!

Weak Things Become Strong - FINALLY!

2011-05-27T08:30:00.005-04:00

For the last ten years, I have been fighting with clothing. I can sort and organize a million coupons but clothes were kicking my trash. Keeping track of the sizes, the seasons, what's stained, what matches, what to save, etc. just makes my head spin and I would literally shut down.

Recently we were handed 8 bins of clothing. A wonderful blessing, but a mental nightmare for me. I made DH literally sit right by me to help me and this time I finally figured out a system!! So bring on the hand-me-downs because I can rock it now!!

First step: Sort into sizes. Don't worry about seasons, matching outfits, etc. at this point.

Second step: Sort into pants, shorts, long sleeve, short sleeve, dresses, etc. Then cascade layer them so that you can see exactly what colors and how many repeats you have. I allow 10 of each category and I get rid of any patterned bottoms. (This is key for me. Pattern bottoms are so hard to match with other things!!!)

Third step: Take your tops and place on top of cascade. This makes it really easy to see how many pants the shirt actually goes with. If it doesn't go with more than two or three, the top gets tossed.

Fourth step: Keep a tally of what you have in each size so that it is easy to pick up what you need at yard sales. Having plain bottoms also makes this easy because you can get really cute tops without having to worry about if you have pants to match.

Fifth step: put in bin and store away until needed.

I am so excited about this!! I have been working on it for such a long time and it finally clicked!! I'd like to know how you organize your clothes. Please tell me so that I can tweak if need be.

What Did the Doctor Say?

2011-05-25T20:15:00.002-04:00

Hopefully by now my DMIL has picked herself up off the floor from the doctor post. :) (Don't worry, DH and I are doing just fine.) But I have had many inquiring minds want to know two things: 1. How did DH handle the situation and 2. What did the doctor say when I called him.

DH was a super star through the whole thing, which I give him major points for. But he said that he appreciated the fact that I told him I had these feelings up front AND that I didn't like it. He said it would have been much different if I had been trying to hide it and he found out from someone else. Like I mentioned before he said that we all get tempted with these kinds of feelings, it's what we do with them that matters. Do you see now why I feel so strongly about being faithful to him?! He is AWESOME!!

Now for the Doc...First of all it was a totally awkward conversation for both of us, and he handled it well. He said that these situations are common and that I needed to go to someone I felt totally comfortable with. He thought I was talking about just my care, and said that he would see me at the twins' check-up. I just wanted to get off the phone at that point and didn't correct him. I think he'll get the picture when we don't schedule with him. ;)

DH thought it was pretty gutsy that I posted this. But I am so shocked with all the marriages I see failing around me - many due to affairs. I want to be a voice saying that these things don't "just happen". We may be tempted, but we also make conscious decisions and have control of both our feelings and actions. I hope that this post will give others the courage to tackle this head on, save their marriages, or at least make them stronger. Use it as a conversation starter. We need to fight for fidelity!!

Dececeptively Delicious - Sloppy Joes

2011-05-23T15:22:00.003-04:00

Happy Monday to everyone! It has been a while since I critiqued a recipe so let's do that today... Jessica's sloppy joes leave much to be desired. She packs in a lot of nutrition with both butternut and sweet potatoes. However, the tomato past makes it a really pasty texture and the taste was really bland. So I give this a 5 out of 10. My kids ate about half of their serving before calling it quits. I even had a hard time finishing it out.

If you want a really fast and good sloppy joe try this.

1 lb. brown hamburger drained
1 can condensed tomato soup
mix together, heat either on the stove or in the microwave.
serve on whole grain or whole wheat buns.

*Tip. Buy your meat in bulk and brown it with dried onion all at the same time. Drain, let cool, the divide into quart ziplocks putting one pound in each. Then freeze. When you need to use it, thaw in the microwave and it is ready to go. SO handy to make dinner go faster.

Friday Weigh-in

2011-05-20T09:00:00.004-04:00

So sorry to skip the midweek post. It has been one of those CRAZY weeks. So I am triple posting today to make up for it. I promise you won't want to miss these posts. ;) Read the Fidelity one first and then the date night. It will make more sense. I tried to fix it, but I am out of time. (Babies are up and DD3 is begging to play.)

It is time for the Friday weigh in....I lost another pound! That makes 12 total so far and I am now only 8 away from what I was before I got pregnant with the twins! See small steps turn into big distances.

Last night I was able to run over a mile without stopping and then mostly ran another 2 miles. I never thought I would be able to do that!! Yeah baby.

*Tip. This comes from Dr. Phil's Weight Loss Solution. Don't have junk food in your house. If it's not there, you can't eat it. Make your environment healthy and then you don't have to have will power to say no to the junk food.

Date Night

2011-05-20T08:52:00.005-04:00

During the doctor saga, DH and I decided that we couldn't be passive about our marriage. We needed to keep dating each other, even though it seemed impossible with five kids. To find and pay for a sitter every week would be so expensive. So we do at home dates.

Once a week, we feed the kiddos an early dinner and have them in their room by 7 or 7:30. They can play or read, but they have to stay in their room. And then it is lights out at 8:30. They are in charge of this themselves. The older DDs are in charge of DD3. This has worked out nicely.

We get take-out and have a kid free dinner. Then we watch a movie, play a game or Wii. It isn't much, but it is time to just hangout and reconnect. We LOVE it and look forward to it every weekend.

I'd love to know, what do you and your significant other do to keep the flame burning brightly?

Fighting for Fidelity

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

Did I get your attention with the title of this post? I have been mulling on this one for a while. With the revelation of Arnold's affair, fidelity has been the big talk this week. I have been floored when I read an article saying that it was not realistic to have sex with the same person (being the spouse) for the rest of your life. So the new popular thing to have "negotiated monogamy" where both people can have sex with other people and it was okay. REALLY?! Well, it is time to fight back! Affairs cause so much damage. It is time to fight for fidelity!!

I have to start by saying that I think (and DH does too) that it is normal to feel a spark of attraction for another person. But it is what you do with it that is important. Do you fan the fire or put put it out?

Probably the shortest way to do this is to tell you about my recent struggle. There was a new, young, really cute doctor that joined the practice we go to. Every time we went to see him I noticed that I was getting more and more attracted to him.

Now, I had heard moms talk about the crushes they had on their pediatricians and always thought it wasn't fair to the husbands. (Even though these women viewed it as "normal".) I know if my DH got decked out for a co-worker I'd flip, and I didn't think it was fair that wives do it for their doctor.

When I found myself in a similar situation I decided to douse it. I feel so strongly about being faithful (both physically and emotionally) to my sweet DH that I decided I was going to get rid of the emotions to make sure nothing of the physical would EVER happen. ALL affairs start with emotions.

What did I do? Well, DH and I had a very open discussion about how we both need to be careful. I told him about the struggle with my emotions with the doc and reiterated my determination to be faithful in all ways. I decided that I needed to remove the situation from my life and promised DH that I wouldn't schedule with that doctor anymore.

But I was still struggling. So I did the ultimate douser - I called the doc. I told him that I wasn't going to be scheduling with him anymore - not that he was a bad doc, but because I was too attracted to him. (Pretty gutsy huh? ;)

I did this so that he would know he needed to be careful around me. (He was starting to become more casual with me and had told me that he and his wife had just separated.) I also didn't want to change practices, and may have to see him again. I needed to make sure that we could have a good working relationship.

You know what? After that phone call, the internal struggle stopped. I had taken steps to make sure nothing COULD ever happen. It was over and I felt so peaceful. The fight to protect my emotions and my family was so worth it. I NEVER want to put my family through what affairs do and I will fight forever to be faithful!

The Big Race

2011-05-15T20:42:00.003-04:00

We had our big race this weekend - and it was AWESOME! The girls loved all the free stuff from the vendors and their cool shirts. I loved that they were having such a great time. Many people took our pictures. I think because we are such a big crew - and the twins too. Don't we just look like a big operation?!

This is us after the race. It started to down pour right as we started and ended shortly after we stopped - go figure. I was so proud of the DDs they ran the whole thing without stopping. (Not many of the kids were able to do that.) They were so stoked that they did it and were begging to do another one. We are now training for a 1 mile and DH and I just signed up for our first 5K. We are a running family!!

*DH was such a trooper. He took care of the twins and DD3 - in the rain and still took footage. (Thankfully he remembered umbrellas.) What a guy. Oh, and Mags, after the race we took them to their favorite restuarant and let them order whatever they wanted. Thanks for that reminder!

Friday Weigh-in

2011-05-13T15:44:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the delay with posting today. Blogger was having issues.

This week I lost another pound, but it was a hard fought fight. I must be really stressed because I haven't been as good with the food. (I am a stress eater.) It was also really hard to get to the grocery store, which meant I was out of fresh produce for a few days. NOT a good thing. To compensate, most days I did double workouts - in the morning with the girls and then the exercise bike at night. I need to figure out this stress though, because I can't keep up this schedule!

Tip for this week: Olive Garden Italian dressing. It has as many calories per serving as a fat free dressing. Only the fat comes from oils instead of extra sugars they put in the fat free stuff. You can buy a bottle from an Olive Garden restaurant, but I found a knock off recipe at www.TopSecretRecipes.com. This stuff is so good that I actually WANT to eat a big salad.

New Recruit

2011-05-13T15:36:00.003-04:00

DD2 has been thinking about joining our run for a few months now. She really wanted new shoes, but didn't know if it was worth it. But she decided to take the plunge and is doing great with our training! She is learning all the lessons that DD1 is learning - which I am loving. It is really fun to see them running together as well.

Our first race is tomorrow and we are really stoked about it. Also, we are training for our next race - 1 mile. I am so excited that we are sticking with it and getting better!

*True story. The other night DD2 was whining and flopping around because she was SO tired and just COULDN'T make it to her bed. I said, "Remember, just like with running, you need to take control - even if you're tired." She stopped, got a little smirk, and kissed me goodnight. Lovin' it.

Be Your Own Beautiful

2011-05-11T06:36:00.002-04:00

DD2 is very aware that she lives different standards than other people. It worries her that she won't fit in or that others think she's weird. So DH and I decided that we needed a lesson on being "different".

I started with daisies. I gave each person a stem and we talked about the qualities of the flowers. What the stem was like, the flower qualities, there were many flowers on each stem, etc. Then we put them in a vase. I pointed out that there were many flowers that were all the same. They were beautiful, and enjoyable, but all the same.

Then I handed each person a rose and we talked about their qualities. One bud per stem, the stem was smooth with spikes- very different than the daisies. I put a rose in with all the daisies and it really stood out, and it was beautiful.

We talked about how our standards are different than many people's, but it is okay. We stand out sometimes, but we are beautiful. Then I had each person stick their rose in and we talked about how even if they felt alone, they always have people in the family who are the same.

It was a really great hands on lesson. I love it too because if they are having a hard time when they are older, I can deliver a bunch of daisies with one rose to their school and they will know exactly what I am saying. Beautiful.

Happy "Smothers" Day

2011-05-08T20:44:00.002-04:00

I hope you had a WONDERFUL Mother's Day. I wasn't planning on posting about it, but it turned out to be such a funny day I thought I needed to.

My family kept asking me what I wanted, and I kept thinking - time alone. That's what I want every year, but how do you say that when they are the reason you are a mother and want to be near you so badly? So this year I decided to change my expectations. I expected that things were NOT going to be what I wished, but I wanted to make it special for my kids. So EVERYTHING they did I tried to love and made a big deal about it.

So here is the funny story. DD3, who is four, really got into the spirit of things Saturday night and started to bring me all sorts of things, saying, "Happy Mother's Day!" I would say, "Oh, green dinosaurs are my favorite!" or "I LOVE Belle." She would beam and run to get me something else. She even started giving me other people's things. DH and I were totally laughing at it all. (Look above for the collection I was getting.)

Then Sunday she kept saying, "Happy Mother's Day" over, and over, and over. Once it came out as Happy Smothers Day and I started laughing so hard. That is the way I felt - smothered - but I was really trying to love it. And you know what, by the end of the day I did.

Friday Weigh-in

2011-05-05T21:23:00.003-04:00

This week I have reached a milestone - I fit into a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans!!! I posted a pic of me the night before the twins were born. They were 8 and 7 pounds. (Doesn't that just look painful?! It was. :) I am super excited that I am getting back to where I was before!

So this week I lost 3 pounds!!! So that makes is ten so far - YEAH!! I'm 1/3rd of the way there.

My tip for this week? Sugarfree lifesavers. Whenever I crave a party in my mouth, I pop one of those super low calorie candies in and it satisfies my sweet tooth.

Free Family Fun

2011-05-05T21:17:00.003-04:00

If you are looking for a fun, free, family activity. I highly recommend Cabella's sporting goods store. It is like a zoo for outdoor animals, has a live fish pond and tanks. There is also free fudge tasting, and a restaurant if you get really hungry. (However we opted for the dollar hamburgers at the nearby McDonald's.)

We had so much fun and made a lot of fun memories. Here is a fun clip from our trip. Enjoy!

Village People - Saling

2011-05-03T19:51:00.004-04:00

It is taking a village to raise our kids. We have many people helping and teaching in many ways. Today I want to introduce you to Eileen. She is a master yard sale woman. She is so good, she actually makes money re-saling the stuff she picks up.

She takes the girls yard saling when they do enough extra jobs to earn $10. They learn how to negotiate, look for quality, walk away from a deal, help each other get the lowest prices, and other business techniques. Our girls LOVE her and love going saling with her.

I love her too and love that she is willing to take our girls out. Sometimes kids listen better to people who are NOT their parents. Also, Eileen is so much better at this art than I am. I love that they are learning from the best. I am excited that yard sale season is on again. I can't wait to see the girls get even better in their negotiating techniques.

*True story. After Halloween DD1 wanted more than just one piece of candy for movie night. I told her she could have three. She said, "mom, it is a special night. Can't we have six?" "SIX?! No way. Four." I said. She responded, "Fine, how about five." "Okay."

Then she says, "I didn't want six anyway. That would make me sick. But I knew I needed to over shoot so that I had room to come back down to five. That is how many I wanted in the first place. Eileen taught me that."

I couldn't believe that I had just been out negotiated by my eight year old. I had to admit - I loved it.

Unexpected Lesson

2011-05-01T21:18:00.000-04:00

We were eating in the parking lot of Wendy's when the girls asked, "Mom, what does sublease mean?" I asked where they saw that. They pointed to an empty bank across the street.

It led to a lesson on leasing, subleasing, contracts, and other money management lessons. For a while the DDs were really into leasing AND subleasing their stuff to each other. We finally had to put an end to it because they wouldn't just share, it had to be a business deal.

I love it now when they hear people talking about leasing cars, or renting other things. They know exactly what that means, and they can ask me educated questions about it. I love the unexpected lessons.

Friday Weigh-in

2011-04-29T06:33:00.003-04:00

I was really nervous about this weigh-in. It was our anniversary and Easter this past weekend so there were a few days where I loosened up a bit. I also didn't touch the scale this week (thanks Mags). I was tempted, I looked at it, but I was strong.

So what happened this week? I LOST ANOTHER POUND!! Yeah!! I am down seven now. I am also noticing that my body is changing. If I try to eat as much as I used to, I feel sick now. I am laying off the carbs and eating more fruits and veggies.

Here is one of my diet tools. I found a Hunger Satisfaction drink at Wegmans. It is made by Crystal Light and is a powder mix-in. There are 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and only 30 calories. I drink one of these for my mid morning snack and my afternoon snack. They are super handy when I am in a rush or getting really munchy. Special K also makes something similar as does South Beach.

Have a great weekend!

Extreme Couponing

2011-04-29T01:00:00.002-04:00

I have had a lot of people ask me about the Extreme Couponing show on TLC. How do they do it? Does it really only take them 2-3 hours per week? etc. etc.

In the past I have been one of these people. In fact, I became so good at it that I started a business. (Hence the name of my blog.) Here are my feelings about my experience with Extreme Couponing.

1. It takes about 12 weeks of start up time to get a well rounded coupon inventory. And it takes about that long to start seeing significant savings.

2. It does take time. I would spend anywhere between 2-10 hours per weeks clipping, sorting, matching, and shopping.

3. It has the potential to save a lot of money, but you need to be careful about what you buy. Especially at the beginning you are tempted to get stuff you don't need, just because it is cheap.

4. You need a place to store stuff.

5. You will be shopping and cooking in a different way. You will be buying mostly what is on sale matched with what you have coupons for. So you end up cooking with what you have in your storage, not from a menu. (That was hard for me.)

6. You have to visit different stores to save the most money. That takes time, and gas.

7. Some weeks you totally score, others it's not even worth going out.

8. This is a big one. If you are going to get serious about coupon shopping, get a coupon binder. Period. (Too bad I shut my business down. This would be a perfect plug. :)

9. The more copies of one coupon you have the bigger the savings. I used to get six papers. I isn't that much more work to clip, sort, etc. six papers than it is one.

I feel that this show can be misleading in that they make it look so easy and the savings so big. The women that they show spend hours and hours before hand preparing what they show you. The kind of shopping trips they have only come around every-so-often or with tons of work every week. Plus they know the ins and outs of the coupon world and that takes time to learn.

There is a lot of potential to save money with coupons. And if you need to save money, it is a great thing. However, I have seen that budgeting is actually a more powerful way to make a significant difference with your money.

What Do You Do In the Summertime?

2011-04-28T01:00:00.000-04:00

It is that time of year, where summer plans need to be made. This hit me last week when the kids were all home for Spring Break, the house was in complete chaos, and I realized this is what it would be all summer. Let's just say I'm scared. So I need ideas - what do you do with your kids in the summer?

Dresser Pockets

2011-04-26T19:37:00.005-04:00

I have never owned a designated changing table. Instead we put a changing pad on the top of a dresser. For the twins, our nana designed a sides organizer from an over-the-door shoe organizer she picked up at the dollar store. Let's take a look at it...

I love that it converts both sides of the dresser into usable space.

She cut the shoe organizer in half to make the two shorter sides. Then she sewed in to sticky shelf liner to give the changing pad something to grip onto. She also sewed two elastic strips on the bottom pieces to connect them to keep the organizers from flopping around.

This has been so handy to keep all the small stuff that gets jumbled in the drawers and baby shoes that get lost easily. It holds tights and hair bows, meds and thermometers, nail clippers, etc. (I think you get the point.) And it cost about $2 to make. Love it.

Dececeptively Delicious - Chicken Kebabs Aloha

2011-04-25T07:15:00.009-04:00

Today is a review of another recipe. This time the chicken kebabs. The recipe called for whole wheat bread crumbs. Of course I didn't have any on hand so I had to make them. I thought doing them in the oven would take too much time and energy to heat the whole oven. So this is what I came up with. It took about 20 min to completely dry the bread pieces up and I had to stir them occasionally. DH got a kick out it. You never know what you are going to get with me. Ha, ha!

This recipe was super labor intensive and was so messy.

These were also hard because the butternut squash in them would burn while they were cooking. If you make these, be sure you cut the chicken strips very thin for fast cooking.

The finished product. My kids hated these. DH thought they were good. Overall I give them 3 out of ten. Too labor intensive, huge mess maker, and not a big hit.

Friday Weigh-in

2011-04-22T07:45:00.002-04:00

This post is a little frustrating for me. I weighed myself yesterday and was down two more pounds. But this morning I am back up one. Ugh. Oh well, at least I am still down one. That is still moving in the right direction! Overall, I am down six pounds. I am 1/5 of the way there! Now I just have to make it through Easter weekend. (Good thing I'm not a huge chocolate fan.)

We did it!!

2011-04-19T01:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, DD1 and I ran 1/2 mile without stopping!! It has been such a challenging, wonderful, and educational journey for us both. It has given me the opportunity to teach her that you have to keep going - even when things get tough. Also that she needs to take control of herself. Especially when she feels she is at her limit and starts whining and flopping around.

It has given us time to chat about her life and makes her feel special because it is just "us" time. If this is a habit I can help her develop for her lifetime I will be happy. I am also hoping that when she becomes a teenager, and no longer wants to hang out with me, maybe she will at least still run with me.

And maybe, when I reach the end of my life and feel I am at my limit, Katelyn will be able to remind me that I need to take control of myself, stop whining, and push through. (Wouldn't that make a great movie?:)

**Some funny things she said this morning...
I saw a mom and dad duck. I pointed them out to her and said the more colorful one was the dad. She said, "I know. But you know, you don't need to be colorful in life to be noticed."

We saw a bus with a teenage boy on it. She thought she recognized him. It wasn't who she thought it was. I said that all teenage boys looked and acted the same. She smiled and said, "Yeah, just like six year olds, only they have more technology and like girls."

As we were walking home I said, "We are stinkin' awesome!!" She replied, "Emphasis on the stinkin'."

And best of all....
We were stretching out and I said, "Aren't you proud of yourself?! You did it!" She replied, "Yeah I guess I over reacted to how hard it would be. It wasn't that bad." Hooray!!! All my pushing and sometimes the moods I had to pull to keep her going payed off!!

To our 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, 1/2 Marathon - HERE WE COME!!!

Professional Mom

2011-04-17T20:30:00.005-04:00

Today I am musing about skills. I used to think that if something was going to be done it needed to be 1. Something I was already good at or 2. Done by a professional. Professionals seemed in this completely different realm from me, because I wasn't "professional" at anything.

However, through the years I have realized that the only difference between me and a professional is knowledge. And if I gather enough info and practice I can be a "professional" at most things.

With this said, most of my time is spent being an at-home-mom. So I decided that I wasn't going to be just any at-home-mom. I wanted to be a professional mom. After all, this is the career I have chosen.

How am I doing this? I watch other moms and am constantly asking about how they do things. I read many books/articles and go to classes. And I work on becoming better. I make many mistakes along the way, but overall it seems to being going well-so far.

Now, I tell myself that I am a professional mom - not just a stay-at-home-mom. I save our family HUGE amounts of money by being frugal and we don't have to pay for daycare. We are more healthy because I can cook things from scratch. My bonuses come in kisses and watching my kiddos become more independent. And I am already the CEO of our family so there are no more promotions needed.

This has completely changed my feelings toward my job and I am finding much more satisfaction from it. Lovin' it!

Friday Weigh-in

2011-04-15T15:21:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I lied, I'm triple posting today...Just wanted to report that I have lost another pound this week! So that is a solid 5 pounds so far. I'm hoping that if I report to y'all that it will help keep me motivate.

Also DD1 and I can almost run 1/2 mile with out stopping! I know it isn't that far, but it is a HUGE improvement over where we started and we are celebrating that! We are running our first race in a few weeks and are so excited!

I do need your help though. I am getting tired of eating the same foods. So I need your ideas. What do you eat that helps you either maintain or lose weight?! Do you have any other tips that would help? Please tell me!!!

Double Post Friday-Deceptively Delicious- Muffins

2011-04-15T14:53:00.005-04:00

The Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld has intrigued me. Could I really hide veggies in foods and still have my kiddos like them? I owned the book for a long time before I dove in. I was intimidated by the purees, but have discovered that it really isn't that bad to make them, if you do them in mass. But I will cover that another post.

Anyway, today I am going to review the Applesauce Muffins. For copyright reasons I don't feel I can write her recipe. However, I will tell you some shortcuts I found and how I made them even MORE healthy than dear Jessica did.

First of all instead of using all-purpose flour I substituted 2/3rds of the flour with bread flour and 1/3 with whole wheat flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content, and whole wheat more fiber. Also, I sprinkled in a few tablespoons of flax seed meal into the batter the second time around and no one could tell a difference.

To make things easier, I mixed the dry and wet ingredients separately the night before and baked in the morning. That worked out okay, except that the brown sugar hardened so that was a pain. But now I just make them at night. They stay fresh for at least 24 hours just sitting out covered with a towel, but they also freeze really well. So don't be afraid to double the recipe. And if you need a quick breakfast or snack, just pop in the microwave for 30 seconds and you're good to go.

When I was making these, my kids were giving me a seriously hard time about it. They were NOT going to eat muffins that had butternut squash in them. However, once they tried them, they were hooked. DD2 said things like, "You're my hero mom!" and, "These are magnificent!" In fact, when I brought home another butternut squash to puree, DD2 was so happy because that meant more muffins!!

Overall, I give these a 10 out of 10. They are super nutritious, low fat, are very filling, and my family LOVES them. I think this recipe will stick around for a long time. Stay tuned for more reviews.

It just went downhill from there....

2011-04-15T14:41:00.004-04:00

DH has been pretty busy at work lately which means he leaves early for work. Usually this isn't a big deal because the girls are pretty good to get through their routine badges independently. However, DH is usually the breakfast guy and since he wasn't here today, DD3 decided to be independent and my day went downhill from there...

DD3 LOVES pancakes so DH usually makes a big batch and freezes them. Then it is easy to just warm them up in the microwave. Well, today DD3 decided that since daddy was gone she would do it herself. Well, as you can see, it didn't turn out so well.

I didn't know that things COULD burn in the microwave - let alone this badly. The smell is even worse. My whole house reeks of burn smell and I the air freshener doesn't help. DD3 was crying, but I wasn't mad. How could I be? She was trying to be independent (a skill I LOVE). And I hadn't done microwave training with her. I didn't think she was ready for it. But it looks like ready or not, here it comes....

Hair Wars

2011-04-13T01:00:00.003-04:00

So you might think that my having FOUR girls, I get to do a lot of hair. If you have seen my girls, you KNOW that they are their own hair dressers. The "Hair Wars" all started with DD2. From the time she could talk (about 18 months) she has been our little fashionista. Still to this day she is unwavering that she will one day be a hair dresser. (I am scheming on how to do this and get her through college. :) Anyway I digress.

When I would try to do her hair she would fight and fight me. When I finally breathed enough threats she would sit still, only to take my hair do out, right after she walked away. What could I do except to raise the white flag on this one? I figured there would be many other fights that were much more important, and I wasn't going to go full out with this one.

After DD1 saw that I wasn't going to fight this, she jumped on the bandwagon too. So for the last 5 years I have had to bite my tongue while my girls have looked vagabond-ish. They however, have taken great pride in the fact that they CAN do their own hair. I took pride in the fact that they were building self-confidence and independence. (At least I could have that.)

Through the years, they have actually gotten much better and so now it isn't such a big deal. But now that they are getting older they want their hair to look really good. So finally they are starting to ASK me to do their hair. I think it is funny how it has come full circle. Some things that are not worth fighting about, you end up winning after all. When they see that mom actually does know best.

*This is a pic of DD2 all dressed up for a date with the DH. She thought she looked spectacular.

Tot Tool

2011-04-11T07:14:00.003-04:00

I don't know about you, but I get so tired of having to stop what I am doing to turn on/off a light for my kids. But it isn't really fair to make DD3 brush her teeth in the dark when she isn't tall enough to reach the light.

That is when we discovered the highly sophisticated Light Tool a.k.a. a children's clothes hanger. This tool has been awesome and has given DD3 a sense of independence and pride. This is still a new tool to her so as you watch the video, pay attention to how she uses it in different ways until she gets it. She is also demonstrating two different kinds of light switches - the kind that pokes out that you could flip and the other is the kind that is flatter that you push on.

Also a little funny side note. In the first one, if you listen carefully you can hear DD4 spit up and that is when DD3 grosses out. I thought that was so funny! Enjoy!

I'm Losing It

2011-04-07T21:40:00.006-04:00

Some of my dear friends read the title of this post and probably thought, "You've already lost your mind Jen!" My DFs, you are right, I lost my mind a long time ago. This time I'm talking about the baby fat. After seeing myself in the last few posts, I knew it was time to reclaim my body. "How?" you ask. Well, the doctors were right - diet and exercise.

HOWEVER, I do have a few tools that I am finding super useful. The biggest is the food and fitness planner on WebMD. It is like Weight Watchers online, only I find it so much more useful and it is FREE to boot! Every morning, I log into my account and type in the foods I am going to eat that day. Their program counts the calories so that it is easy to configure a menu for the day that meets the caloric needs I have. Then I have a plan for the day - this has been key for me. It takes about 10 minutes. (Click on the title of this post to go to WebMD.)

I also log in my exercise for the day. I don't like how they make you count every little activity you do, but in some ways it makes doing the laundry feel more productive when you know you are burning 100 calories.

Another thing with the exercise is that I am doing it EVERYDAY. I started with the goal of getting out of bed. It has been a month now, and it has gotten so much easier! DD1 and I love spending the time together and are getting stronger. I like exercising first thing in the morning. Then it is just a distant memory for the rest of the day instead of doing it at night and dreading it all day.

I'd love to have you along for the ride. If you are interested, comment to this post. Maybe can can report our weight loss on a weekly basis. (Our own little Weight Watchers group). We won't say WHAT we weigh, just how much we've lost for the week. Let's see how many pounds we can lose together! I've already lost 4!!

I Heard Angels Singing

2011-04-05T19:41:00.005-04:00

You know, we have been at Life Skillz training for about 20 months now. It has been A LOT of work, with much whining, and pushing on the DH's and my part. Most of the time we wonder if they are ever going to be able to do these things without us constantly pushing. (It is more work to teach your kids to work than just doing the work yourself.)

Then it happened. The last time they cleaned their bathroom, they did it by themselves. No whining, no asking for help, and it didn't take all morning. I walked by it after they were done and I swear I heard angels singing. I was so impressed at how well it was done that I just kept saying, "Wow!" over and over. (DD1 thought that was pretty funny.)

So this is what it looked like. I didn't touch a thing for the pic! One of my big things is that they put everything away. Most of the time they leave stuff out and I am constantly saying, "If you're going to clean, it should look like you did." They did a pretty awesome job huh? Maybe they are getting it.

Thankful Tasting

2011-04-03T21:54:00.007-04:00

We have been so blessed by the kindness of others in many ways. For the last six months we have had many meals brought to us during real times of struggle. I am always grateful for this kindness and think ALL the meals are delicious. (Things taste so good when you don't have to cook them. :)

Our kids, however, don't always get excited about new foods. So what do we do? If there is a meal that they don't like, they are required to find ONE thing that they do like. We don't care if it is a pea, or the dessert, or the rice, etc. They have to find at least one thing that they can say they liked. This way they can truthfully tell the person that they, "really liked the peas in the dish," instead of, "I didn't like the meal you brought us."

It has been a wonderful tool for them to be able to look for and express real gratitude for the service others have given to them. And it has been good for them to try new foods - looking for something that they do like. And it has given them a way to be truthful without hurting other's feelings.

Giveaway Winner and Double Post Friday.

2011-04-01T07:23:00.003-04:00

So today is a bonus day. You get the winner of the giveaway AND another post so make sure you scroll down for that.

The lucky winner of the Giveaway is...Em! So Em, you know my email (or send me a message on FB), send me your new address and I will get these bag clips off to you! Thanks to Em and Crystal for entering, following, and Tweeting!

Have a great weekend everybody!

*The winner was chosen by writing the entries on paper pieces then DD1 chose from a hat. Totally scientific. :)

Tough Times

2011-04-01T06:53:00.003-04:00

TGIF!! Wow, it has been a tough week and I am glad it is over. Did yours drag too or did it fly by? I had a conversation this week with a dear friend that made me think about some of the really tough times we've had with our kids. I'm sure I'll blog every-so-often on this topic, but today I'll reminisce about DD2.

When she was about 1-4 years old, she was a TOUGH one. At 18 months old, she started saying things like, "You no talk to me like that mommy!" At 2 y.o. she would intentionally do things to make DD1 mad in the hopes that she would get chased. She LOVED the feeling of getting chased and didn't mind getting in trouble. One time she climbed up on the table and poured out a full pitcher of orange juice all over the floor. And then, as you can see from the pic above, she would find markers in their bedroom at night and color ALL over herself. Time outs were no big deal to her, so I started putting myself in time out so I wouldn't hurt her. :)

I would cry and cry, in frustration. All of my parenting, childhood development, and education classes did not prepare me for this and I just knew that someday, DD2 would end up in prison.

So what did we do? We were CONSISTENT with our consequences and praises. We asked other parents for advice. We prayed A LOT. We found her Achilles heel - she can't lie. And that helped us be consistent because she would fess up when she did something bad. Then we just hung on.

Finally, she grew up and out of that phase and is now so enjoyable. So if you have a kiddo like that, hang in there. It is HARD. But with God's help, a lot of work, and patience, you will get through. Have a great weekend!

Vacumming....My Lawn

2011-03-29T19:05:00.000-04:00

Every winter, we get A LOT of gravel plowed onto our lawn by the snow plows. And every year our lawn looks deader and deader. We have put our lawn on project mode and are following a plan that includes vacuuming out the gravel. Yes, I vacuumed my front lawn.

I tried this a few years ago with our indoor vac, but it didn't work so well. Then I borrowed my neighbor's Shop Vac, but the hose was too floppy and short of vacuuming on my hands and knees this did not work.

So this year I had a brilliant plan...DD3 would use the Shop Vac to vacuum the lawn. She was the perfect height after all. Well, you can guess how long that lasted for so this is how my "brilliant plan" played out... We sprinkled dried oatmeal all over the lawn. The oatmeal is light enough both in color and weight to stay on top of the lawn and make it possible for us to see where we had been and where we were going. DD3 thought this part was so fun!

I thought, "Of course DD3 will have such a good time vacuuming up the oatmeal." How many kids do I have again?! I should have known this would last for about 3 seconds - which it did.

So I'm left with a lawn COVERED in oatmeal, two babies that will need attention, and a Shop Vac with a floppy hose. I ran into the garage, looked around saying, "What can I use, what can I use?" and ended up with this...

A PVC pipe and painters tape. I lashed the hose to the pipe to make it stiff and the pipe was long enough that I could hold onto that and still stand up. Pretty cool huh? It still took a couple of hours, but my lawn was seriously thanking me afterward. And my neighbors got some good laughs too.

This was all the gravel I vacuumed up. So my less than brilliant plan actually ended up pretty well. All I have to say is our grass better look AWESOME this year. ;)

My First Give Away!

2011-03-28T01:00:00.005-04:00

Happy Monday everyone! Are you having a hard time jump starting your week? Well, hopefully this will help - A Giveaway!

Up for grabs is a set of 6 grocery bag holders. Now you too can shop with your bags on the OUTSIDE of your cart. We also found out that they are pretty good for fort building too. (As shown in the pics.)

There are two ways you can enter and you can use each one of them.

1. Become a Follower (If you are already a follower you can have an entry for that - but just this time ;)

2. Tweet me.

(I have buttons that make it easier to tweet. Look at the box under my profile pic.)

Make sure you leave a seperate comment for each thing you do. We will draw the winner on Friday so stay tuned....

**I am trying to set up a facebook account, but we all know how technically challenged I am. It will be ready for the next giveaway.

The Great Grind-off

2011-03-24T21:27:00.008-04:00

So, if you don't know it by now, I'm a Mormon. There are many things we are known for, and one of them is food storage. We are encouraged to buy whole wheat berries (among other things) and store them in our homes, and we own grinders so that we can turn that wheat into flour.

The ladies in my congregation were putting together an order for the K-tec grinder. I happen to own that grinder AND HATE IT! I said as much and before you know it the Great Grind-off was born. It was a very fun, informative night. To see pics of the actual grinders click on the title of this post (it is a link). I was busy running the event so I was only able to snap a few.

The results (winner stated first):

Coarse Grind: Hand grinder, church grinder, Nutrimill, Wondermill, K-tec
Fine Grind: Wondermill, Nutrimill, K-tec, church grinder, hand grinder
Noise (quietest): Hand grinder, Church grinder, Nutrimill and Wondermill tied, K-tec
Speed: Wondermill (this thing is FAST), Nutrimill, church grinder, K-tec, Hand grinder
Clean up: Nutrimill, Wondermill, Handgrinder, Church grinder, K-tec

It was a pretty close race between the Nutrimill and the Wondermill. However, I think I am going to buy the Nutrimill. The Wondermill is lightning fast, however, you CANNOT start with wheat berries in the grinder. Also, you can't stop it in mid grind. It also needs to be tended to during the grinding because you have to keep feeding it and emptying the flour holder. The Nutrimill will swallow a #10 can and you can walk away. Also you can turn it off mid grind and not have to worry about it jamming. Both of these run about $260.

So let's talk about my awful K-tec. There is really NO difference between the flour when on coarse or fine settings. It is the loudest and the biggest pain to operate. It was also the slowest by quite a bit. I DOUBLE HATE this grinder and can't wait to get rid of it. It was the cheapest of the electric grinders, $180, but in this case you get what you pay for. Save up the extra $80 and get something you'll love.

The hand grinder wasn't that hard to crank - however, it is hard to keep on the table and took two people to run it because of that. Also, it can't grind as finely as the other. But it won on the coarseness. It esencially broke the wheat kernels in half. It was also pretty messy because it was hard to load the wheat in the top. But it would be nice to have if you don't have power. ;) Cost $50.

The church grinder is a dinasour. It is old, HEAVY, and hard to clean. It is the same as the Wondermill in the fact that you can't put wheat into it unless it is on first, and you can't stop mid grind. There were a few times that it had technical difficulties and had to be tipped over and shook out. No small task given how heavy it is. You can buy these for about $300 on ebay, but it isn't worth it.

Here are some fun pics of the night.

Racing Flags

Father/Son duo. They were sports to run this one for us.

Silliness. Not a good idea to wear dark pants to a flour grind-off. :)

Trying to un-jam the church grinder.

The challengers with their toilet paper sashes. Thanks ladies (and gents) for the great night!

Piano Practicing

2011-03-23T06:42:00.002-04:00

Okay peeps. I know that many of you are waiting for the results of the Great Grind-off. But this week has been CRAZY. (Also sorry about no picture today.) I promise I'll have it on Friday.

Today I'm going to talk about piano practicing. Our kids do it on.their.own. You may think I'm not telling the truth. I am. I only take them and write the check. How? It was actually pretty simple.

I thought that when a child did piano the timer needed to be set for a certain time. So when DD1 started, that is what I did. It was only 15 min., but she would wine that she was already done, and why should she have to keep going? She was starting to get really upset and I could see the power struggle starting. So I backed off.

I said, "Fine, if you are ready for your lessons, you won't need a timer. BUT if you're not, I will micromanage you to make sure you are." It was a deal. And she made sure she was ready. (She knows how "Moody" I get when I micromanage. ;)

When DD2 started, we had the same deal. I knew that there would be a point where I would have to micromanage for a week so that she could feel the unpleasantness of it. It happened, she hated it, and now makes sure she is ready every week.

They are doing great and get superiors (the highest ranking) at all their festivals. Plus, they LOVE playing the piano. I find them playing it even when they are not officially practicing. I think it is because I didn't use it in a power struggle. It is their thing and they take great pride in what they can do now. (See how powerful it is when kids feel they are in control of their lives?)

*Side note, DD1 even gets up early to practice- on her own. Amazing huh? I didn't teach that, she decided it was better to get it done early so that she could get through the rest of her routine badge. Sometimes my kids amaze me!

We're runners!

2011-03-21T06:45:00.002-04:00

I have wanted to be a runner for a LONG time. But I have had all the same old excuses: I am too tired, too busy, too poor for good shoes, it's too hot/cold, who will watch the kids, etc., etc. Well, I finally decided that there will ALWAYS be an excuse, but that I need to make it a priority. So how am I doing it? Here's how:

My first hurdle was getting out of bed - love my bed. So I set my alarm clock and set it across the room - with my running clothes right by it. Once I am actually out of bed, the rest doesn't seem so difficult.

Next, I decided that DD1 was going to join me. She needs to find a sport and I wanted to spend one on one time with her. So this seemed perfect. I am so slow that I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for us to get stronger together.

I decided I couldn't expect to start by running five miles. I needed to ease into it. So I walk up our street and run back down three times. That's it. When we started a month ago, DD1 could walk as fast as I was jogging, but I was moving and that was the point! Now, she actually has to run with me. We are making progress!

One key thing I have noticed among avid runners is that they enter races to motivate them to keep working out. DD1 is so NOT competitive that she will shut down when the word race is even mentioned. So for now, we are just focusing on getting out and moving.

I'm excited that this time working out is actually working! Remember - baby steps are still steps in the right direction! Happy trails!

Proudly Introducing....Maggie

2011-03-18T05:14:00.007-04:00

I'd like to introduce you all to my dear friend, Maggie. I have known Maggie now for almost ten years and she is very good at many things. She, however, is exceptional at working out, eating healthy, and being green. Even DH says that she is, "Inspirational". So without further adieu, here she is...

Thanks Jennie for the chance to write! Jennie has taught me so much! She has great, practical ideas that have made my life much better. I am a Coupon Shopper. I don't do as well as Jennie, but I love it! I Speed Clean - not enough, but the method is there for me, saving me time while ensuring my house really gets clean. I could go on about Jennie, but she runs a tight ship and I need to get to my point. :)

Since January, I have really focused on losing weight. For 15 years, I have wanted to lose weight. A HUGE energy drain, on my mind - and my middle - every day. Now, I am committed! Every Wed, I email a friend my weight. This accountability is key for me. It is taking a long time, but I am on the right path, and I will not quit! It is often hard to make good choices. With practice, it is getting easier. When (not if - but only once) I have 3 pieces of cake for dessert, I enjoy it. Then I resolve to do better the next day. I am happier with my weight now, but I am not at my goal. I will go all the way this time! I have lots of practice committing to losing weight and I am ready to follow through!

I also try very hard to be green. With these 2 priorities in mind, I have an easy snack recipe to share. SAVE THE CRUMBS FROM YOUR CEREAL BOXES! We don't like eating them, so I save them in a container, all different cereal bits mixed together. These are the basis for the bars. These bars are healthy, the kids like them, there are no granola bar wrappers to throw out, and you don't throw away your cereal dregs!

Good For You Bars:

2 cups cereal crumbs and whole cereal - multiple types are fun for the kids to identify!

2 cups oatmeal

1/4 cup Flax seeds, chia seeds or wheat germ

1/4 cup sesame, pumpkin or other seeds

Mix together

Heat on stove:

1 cup of honey

Just before it boils, remove it from the heat

Add:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir the honey mixture into the cereal mixture. If it's not sticking together well, you can add more honey or maple syrup. After you have stirred it together, add" 1/2 cup chocolate chips, craisins or raisins. If you add the chocolate chips at the beginning, they will melt.

Spread in a 9x11 pan coated or lined with wax paper. Cool in the refrigerator. If you are in a rush, put them in the freezer. Cut into bars. Put them in a Tupperware in the fridge. Otherwise I am tempted to take a piece out of the pan every time I open the fridge!!

Modify however you like and enjoy!

*This is Jennie again - I have had these bars and they are really yummy and my kids love them too! Thanks Mags! And a disclaimer - the twins in the photo are mine. However, Mags you can borrow them ANYTIME you want. ;)

Glad you could join us...

2011-03-16T04:00:00.001-04:00

DH (Dear Hacker),

I'm happy to see that you finally found my blog. (FYI, I've changed my password :). Yes you are right - most of the time we are flying by the seats of our pants. We have had many good ideas go bad, and we make many mistakes along the way. But you have to admit that there are times that we totally ROCK. (If I do say so myself.)

To be quite honest, I am glad that you pulled away from the DF, finished the ice cream, and typed away. I am getting a little tired of reading my own ideas and am itching for some advice from some really amazing parents. There are many people I know that are very good at things I am not. So I am planning on inviting guest bloggers. (The next post will be from Maggie and we both know how awesome she is.) And if you want, you can be one too.

I, however, cannot let behavior like this just slide. This was "inappropriate" and for that, you get The Eye. I think you see what I am saying.

All my love,

HMTQ

(Her Majesty, The Queen)

p.s. Nice try about Photoshop. We all know how technically challenged I am. :)

DH infiltrates blog

2011-03-14T02:00:00.000-04:00

Psst! This is the DH, or so I appear to be named in blog speak, sneaking into the blog. I rarely read the blog, because after all, I'm living it. Plus, if DW is writing a post, guess who is doing the dishes, or cleaning the DGP's cage, or possibly eating ice cream so as to make more room in the DF? You got it, self-sacrificing me.

But I digress... Having read several posts, I feel it is my duty to let the readers of this blog know that you are all being hoodwinked. Reading the blog, you might think that we have this whole parenting thing figured out--I was almost duped myself! Don't let those photoshopped pictures (did you really think I would pose in a flowered cleaning apron?) and carefully edited blog posts fool you, in the interest of full disclosure you must know that we are flying by the seats of our pants.

There. Having gotten that confession out in the open, you are now free to believe anything you want to on the blog. After all, I'll be the first to admit that DW is a pretty remarkable mother. Perhaps I should log on more often to get some pointers.

Speed Cleaning with Jeff Campbell, kitchen clip

2011-03-11T07:18:00.000-05:00

So here it is. The Speed Cleaning clip I have been promising. Jeff Campbell is cleaning the kitchen, but the principles are basically the same for every room. This clip is from a full video that you buy from his website http://www.thecleanteam.com/. I own this video and found it very helpful since I am a visual learner.

They cut this clip a little short. Here are the things he missed.

Caked on things, like dried pancake batter, on the counter. Spray with red juice and use plastic scraper.

Stove top. Take off burner grates on the left side, placing them on top of the right side grates. Clean left part of stove. Then replace and switch, placing the right ones on top of the left ones.

Oven. If you have burned thing inside the oven, spray with red juice and use plastic scraper to scrape off. Also, you can clean the glass on the oven door with red juice, and the razor blade.

Floor. Do this last. Sweep/vacume the debris. Fill the sink with about two inches of hot water and cleaning solution. I use murphy's oil floor, but vinegar works fine too. Submurge the mop cloth into the sink. Ring out, place on mop and start to mop the floor at the farthest point away from the door. (You will be mopping yourself out of the room.)

If you come across something caked on like dried jam, pull out your plastic scraper and scrape it off. Once one side of the mop head is dirty, take it off and flip it to the other side. Once that side is dirty, get a new one, get wet in sink, ring out, and keep going.

Sink. The last time you get a new mop head, drain the sink and clean. Spray with cleaner, scrub with scrub brush. Polish crome with windex and rag. Then continue mopping yourself out of the room.

I am trying to make my own videos, but my equiptment is a little lacking (and so is my time right now :). I hope this helps at least get you started. Happy Cleaning!

DD3 - Retail Training

2011-03-09T04:00:00.000-05:00

The same day we did the Five Below Challenge, DD3 also started her retail training. I feel it is very important that the kids learn confidence and independence. This is the very first retail experience that I give the kiddos. We start simple. Here's how...

There is a Philly Pretzel Factory that is close by. I pull up parallel to the curb (that way they don't step foot in a parking lot), give the DD $3, tell her to buy as many pretzels as she can, open the door, and out she goes - alone. She goes into the store, hands them the money, and tells them she wants pretzels. Then out she comes - BEAMING - because she has done something so big - by herself!

Now, there is a training period. So that is where DD2 came into play. DD2 demonstrated to DD3 how to do it the first time. (Good teaching opportunity for DD2.) Now the next time we do it, DD3 will go solo. The people at the pretzel shop know us and the routine now. So I know that everytime will be a success.

I love this because they can start young DD3 is 4. We all get a snack, which is important for our moods, and it is really fun to see them stand on their tip toes to open the shop door. I love that they can be so independent so young!

*This skill was born out of desperation. With so many kiddos, it is hard to schlep everyone into any store, but especially for little errands like this. It is easier to send one kid in to get the goods. Happy Shopping!

Whining a Super Power? Who Knew!

2011-03-07T04:00:00.000-05:00

DD2 has a real talent for whining. (I say that with all my love. :) She is so good at it that we have decided that it is her super power. Now when she starts to whine we say, "Oh, looks like your super power is starting up." One day she had a particularly bad session and was sent to bed. When DH got home *he helped her decide how she could be more powerful than her whine. She decided that when she felt a whine coming on she would take a mental time out and count to ten, taking deep breaths. (This is what she looks like when she does that.) She still whines, but she is getting much better about being able to stop herself. She is becoming more powerful than her super whine!

*We are very determined to teach the kiddos that they have control over themselves. They like to say, "But I can't help it." We don't accept that answer. We do have control over how we act, take care of our bodies, treat others, etc. It is hard to do the work to change, but they need to know that they do have control of themselves.

We also help guide them to figure out how to control behaviors. That way they can decide if something will work for them. They will also be more likely to do it because it is what THEY decided - not what was imposed on them.

My Kid Made Dinner!

2011-03-04T04:00:00.000-05:00

DD1 is getting old enough to do more advanced life skillz cooking. So I decided to teach her how to make a pot pie. I made one along side of her so that I could demonstrate with mine and then she could practice on hers. Then we baked hers for dinner and froze mine. Here is our training session....

It was pretty tough to stir all the ingredients because the mixed veggies were frozen (and it was a double batch). So she posed with a "this is SO hard" face. I think it looks like she thinks the filling is disgusting. Either way, we had a really great laugh and were silly the rest of the time. SO FUN!!

Fun is very important during these trainings. It builds great memories and helps them to love that skill.

Yes, we used ready-made pie crust. DH is a pie crust purist and thinks it's a waste of money. I say, let them make $2 off of me. SO WORTH IT. Plus I needed it to be easy for the training. Here she is stretching the crust to fit the pie plate well and then pushing it into the edges.

Filling in...

Putting on top crust. Lookin' good so far!

The importance of venting the top. This is where our family loves to write messages on top. She wrote, "Manga! My first time." (DH usually writes love notes to me and I to him. The kiddos LOVE that.)

She didn't realize that she needed to vent the entire top of the pie, so we added a few other holes. But that is what these training sessions are for. The next time, she will know that her lettering needs to take up the whole top.

For the cooking she learned how/when to put the crust ring on and how to tell when it is done. I did all the oven work because she didn't feel comfortable yet. I demonstrated/taught this time. next time she will do it. I think it is BEAUTIFUL, it was delicious, and I am so proud of her. Great job DD1!!

Meet My New Ride

2011-03-02T04:00:00.000-05:00

Last week, this rolled into our neighborhood. I jokingly thought, "Wow! That is exactly what I need to cart around my big family and all our stuff now." My true feeling is, "WHY in the world does someone need this kind of rig?" I was very curious....

A closer look at the truck. Look how little that guy looks (and he wasn't a little man. :)

This is what they were here to pick up - a little tiny scooter. But now remember how HUGE that trailer is? It should be no problem to find a place, right? Well look at the next photo...

They had to EMPTY stuff out to fit it in!!! This whole trailer was stuffed!

I was going to give my opinion on this, but I would LOVE to hear what you all think about it or what you (our your DHs) would do with it.

Five Below Challenge

2011-02-28T04:00:00.000-05:00

Yeah!! It is the end of the month! Here is a fun activity when funds are low...This is what we call the Five Below, Five Dollar, Five Minute Challenge.

Purpose: To help DDs learn to make decisions quickly. (And to get out of the house :)

DDs1 and 2 went in with a timer set for 5 minutes. They pressed start once they entered the doors. They only had five minutes to decide what they wanted to buy (with their money of course). I stayed in the car with the other 3 kiddos. Here is the before:

Here is the after....

It was really fun!! I thought it would be a great b-day activity too. Just give everyone 5 dollars to go buy themselves whatever they want (or a present for the b-day kid).

Can You See What I'm Saying?

2011-02-25T04:00:00.000-05:00

I do A LOT of parenting with my face - especially my eyes. Here is what they say...

The above picture is my classic raised eyebrow. When my girls see this it means, "You better rethink what you are doing/saying." It is nice to have this, because I can parent without saying a word. (I feel like I talk ALL DAY LONG!)

Another BEAUTIFUL tool is what I call the "Look me in the eye" technique. I got really tired of repeating myself over and over, and the girls ignoring me. Now I say, "Look me in the eye." When they are looking at me I know they are listening. I usually ask them to repeat what I said so I know they understand, or they have to say, "Yes mom" to signal that they are going to obey. (That sounds so dictator-like doesn't it?)

The last is when they are whining about anything, eg. work, no candy, playtime, screen time, etc. I point to my face (or my raised eyebrow) and say, "Does this face look like it is going to change it's mind?" They answer, "no" then I say, "Stop asking then, or you will get a mood." (see how it all fits together?)

The hilarious thing about all of this is that the DDs have eyebrow lifting contests to see who can do this look the best. It is really funny to watch, and I give them pointers too.

What do your eyes say?

72 hr. kits - Shelter

2011-02-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

I just ordered tarps, from Walmart.com. It was the Foremost tarp 5'x7' for $1.99 plus shipping. I ordered 7 and it came to around $24 with the shipping. I ordered this size and weight because it seemed big enough that I could wrap up in it (I'm almost 6 feet tall) and still small enough to fit into our packs.

One of the most important things to have is shelter in an emergency. Tarps are great because they are water proof, cut the wind, and keep in heat. They are better to have than the emergency blankets. (We've heard those are junk. Thank you for the tip Kellen.)

I am also getting together the 2 tents we own for the family pack. I'll post a pick when the tarps come.

Watch Your Tone

2011-02-22T06:32:00.000-05:00

This is one I LOVE! In our house we have the rule that we don't yell at each other (parents included). It's okay to be frustrated but you aren't allowed to yell. If the kids start yelling, I just say, "Watch your tone" and they know it means they better try a different voice.

This is also really helpful when they start to talk back to me. (Why do some parents tolerate this?) I raise my eyebrow which means - you better rethink what you are doing. Then I say -with an edge in my voice - "Watch your tone. I'm your mother." They know they better try again.

How do you handle frustrations in your house?

Speed Cleanin' - The Tools

2011-02-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

I have been so excited to do this post - I hope you have been too. What I am about to show you has completely changed my cleaning life! Let me introduce you to the tools of Speed Cleaning.

First and most important is the apron. This has four pockets that carry all the tools that you will need as you clean. One carries cleaning cloths (or white cloth dinner napkins). Second, holds a plastic non-scratch scraper (for caked on messes), a razor blade holder (for paint and tape) and a toothbrush. The bottom ones are lined with Gallon Ziploc bags that are held - just on the front flap of the bag- by heavy duty paper clips. One is used to hold a non scratch sponge and the other is for garbage. The apron also has two loops that are for holding two cleaners, an all purpose grease cutter, and a glass cleaner.

One of the keys to speed is to have only a few cleaners. A tote is also necessary for ease of transport and to keep the cleaners together so you don't waste time hunting the house for them. So frustrating! Here is furniture polish and dust cloth, Red Juice (all purpose, non-toxic, which means no rinsing), shower cleaner, comet for kitchen sink shine, and windex.

The other tools are a heavy duty scrub brush (I have only found this through The Clean Team website), a duster (either swiffer or ostrich feather), a little hand broom.

Now, here to model them for you is....my DH! (It takes a real man to model a pink apron:). Notice how the two cleaners hang from the loops? Also notice the clips to hold the baggies. I use the spaces behind the baggies to place small items that need to be put away. This makes it SO easy to put all the kids' small toys back in their place. It also saves me from treking around the house over and over. Time savers - that is what makes this system ROCK!

Easy -and fast- to pull the cleaners out of the loops. He thinks he's fast, but we both know I am faster.;)

In the back you tuck the duster into the apron strap to keep it handy. And the hand broom in a back pocket. This is handy to sweep under the couch cushions or the seal on the fridge. Oh, I love it when that is clean!

Can you tell that the key to this is having every possible tool you need on you? Then you only need to work your way around a room once. No walking back and forth to get stuff!

If you are going to clean like this, you have to have these tools. You can try to modify a cooking apron, but it isn't worth it. I suggest just buying the apron, scrub brush, and Red Juice from http://www.thecleanteam.com/. The other things you can pick up other places. Or you can order a kit already put together from them. Oh, and one more thing, look at their sh-mop. That is important too, but I forgot to take pictures of that.

Get your tools together and stay tuned for the method...

Garnishing Wages (Allowance)

2011-02-18T07:01:00.000-05:00

This was too good to wait. So you get a double post Friday.

Tonight I had to pick up some of the DDs things. I told them they had to pay me fifty cents to get each thing back. (That is double of what it usually is. I'm tired of messing around.) DD1 decided that she wasn't going to pay for her math workbook. She thought that was pretty cool. That's when DH came back with, "Remember Jen, you have the power to garnish wages." BRILLIANT!!

The DDs looked a little confused. DH explained that when you don't want to pay something, the government (or their parents in this case) could take the money out before they even get paid. Great life skill lesson! You should've seen the look on their faces. PRICELESS! DD1 conceeded to pay and I feel that I have a very powerful playing piece in my parenting arsenol.

Dusting off Old Skillz

2011-02-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Years ago, in my glory days, I worked at a custom upholstery shop. It was one of the funnest jobs I have ever had. I learned enough skills to be dangerous - a.k.a. I can fly by the seat of my pants (or by the seat I am working on).

You can save a lot of money by recovering furniture and it is easier than you might think. All you need is a flat head screwdriver and a heavy duty stapler. Here are the before and afters:
Before: Urine stained fabric. I could not get this off fast enough! Don't ask how I ended up paying for this. Let's just say I am getting soft in my old age.

After: Covered with drop cloth. It seems to be very hip right now to use drop cloths for everything from curtains to upholstery. It is a great way to get a lot of fabric for cheap. Just remember to preshrink.

Gardening System

2011-02-15T09:09:00.000-05:00

It is this time of year that I start dreaming of spring and...gardening. This makes me laugh because I used to think I would NEVER garden. I wasn't any good at it. Then I found a system. I HEART SYSTEMS! Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. (p.s. so many of you like my Speed Cleaning post that I am going to make demo videos. stay tuned for those...) So here is a tour of my gardens...

Boxes made of untreated 2X8 wood. Outsides painted white to appease the HOA - ugh. Wish I would have done the boards that aren't wood and need no maintenance. Oh well... On this side (sunny side) we have 3 of the 4'x4' then 2 3'x3' for the DDs. They each have their own box to take care of. On the shady side of the house we have two more for cool weather crops.

Last year we installed the trellis system. Growing vertically totally increased the amount of things you can grow. This year we are going to try melons. Hopefully it works...

Mel, has many other variations on this so that people in all stages and places can garden. You should check it out!

A closer look at how we set the netting up. This stuff is so strong. Just make sure it is secure in the ground so it won't tip.

Speed Cleanin'

2011-02-13T20:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines Day to all of you. I did a special post with LOTS of pics...enjoy!

A few years back I came across a cleaning system that cuts cleaning time in half. I'm a sucker for systems so I gave it a try...It is amazing! It really does what it says. Here are some before and after pics along with my times....

The afters came before sorry (technical difficulties). The next ones are better

Living room/music room:

Details: Picked up, dusted, blinds and curtains dusted, all furniture pulled out and vacuumed under, couch chushions cleaned above and under.

Time: 19:04

Dining Room:

Details: Picked up, everything dusted (chandelier, chairs wiped, blinds, swings, etc.), table wiped, etc. However no floor work (that comes later)

Time: 8:39

Entry:

Details: Picked up, blinds, shoe tray cleaned, rug shaken, even security boxes dusted, and door. (No floor work)

Time: 4:30

Kitchen:

Details: picked up/decluttered, 1/2 of fridge cleaned out, cabinet fronts wiped, microwave inside/out, oven inside/out, blinds, paper shredder emptied, pencil sharpener too, dishwasher inside/out. No floors yet...

Time: 34 min

Hardwood floors throughout and sink:

Details: vacuumed (including all baseboards), mopped, and above kitchen cabinets vacuumed as well. Sink scrubbed and shined.

Time: 29:27

If you add all that up it comes to 95 minutes. Yep, 1 hour and 35 minutes to do all that. I can clean my entire house (minus the girls bedroom and bathroom) in 2 1/2 hours and it is a detailed cleaning. With what I was paying my cleaner I am saving/making about $35/hour. Love it!

*I use the Speed Cleaning method by Jeff Campbell. Visit his website http://www.thecleanteam.com/ for more info. Happy cleaning!

FLYing Update

2011-02-11T04:00:00.000-05:00

FLY Lady says to start with the kitchen sink if you want to keep your house organized. I have tried this time and time again, but it just wasn't jiving. There are days I don't even see the kitchen until 10 am. Plus I have to let the dishes pile up during the day if the DDs don't empty the dishwasher in the morning.

The place I have been focusing on is my laundry room - and it is working. If I don't let my laundry pile up my whole house stays so much cleaner! It only takes a few minutes, literally, to fold the laundry when it comes out of the dryer, and another few minutes to put it away. But consistently doing it makes such a HUGE difference.

Try it, look around your house at a place that seems to spill out into other places. Then work on keeping it clutter free and clean. Remember, "By small and simple things, shall great things come to pass."

Emergency Preparedness - Water Complete

2011-02-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Last month we focused on getting our water needs taken care of for our 72 hour kits. These are the things that we have:

Seychelle water filter bottles for each pack
Katadyn backpack water filter (for cooking water, etc. Put in family portion of kit.)
Iodine tablets
Collapsible 5 gallon water container with spigot
Case of water for each car
Four water bottles for each person's backpack

This month I am focusing on shelter. Stay tuned...

Poor Man's Snow Shoes

2011-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

I came up with this in a moment of desperation. My newly planted trees were so bent with snow I was afraid they would break. However, I don't own snow gear and I didn't want to go truding through the deep snow. These sleds were on the porch and whala! I had snow shoes.

I step on top of them and use the strings to help place them in the snow before I take each step. They work wonderfully! I can stand fully on one while I use the other one to whack the snow off of the trees as well.

The orange one is actually a boogie board I snagged out of my neighbor's garbage, the green a sled that I got at a yard sale for $1. Not a bad price for snow shoes! Just hang on if you come upon a hill!! :)

Super Shopping

2011-02-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

I finally have a post with pics..Yeah!! My grocery shopping has morphed again since the twins. I thought you might like to see how I shop when they are with me.

They (the twins) take up all of the grocery cart, so my groceries have to go around on one edge and the front and back. I have special clips that are made to hold grocery bags (got them at Wegmans) but you can also use heavy-duty S clips from the hardware store. I prefer the bags from Superfresh because they are actually woven, but the other non-woven ones held two gallons of milk just fine.

I have to say this worked out great. It is amazing what inspiration God gives during times of need.

Meet My Mood

2011-02-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

You may know this feeling...You've asked about 6 times - calmly - for something to be done. And NOTHING happens. Then on the seventh time your blood starts to boil, you explode, and start screaming at your kids. They then look at you like they don't understand what is wrong.

It was after doing this one too many times that my "Mood" walked into my life. I LOVE this thing! It is so simple to use, but it give me huge results - and I hardly have to scream anymore. I use it as a warning, a threat, and a joke.

Warning: When I feel myself starting to boil I say, "Girls, I have been patient and now I'm starting to get in a mood" or "I feel a mood coming on". It is at this point they know I am about to become a micro managing monster. They usually start to move.

Threat: "Girls, do you need a mood to get this done?"

Joke: When one of the girls gets sassy, I say to them, "are you in a mood?" They say yes. I say, "as long as you label it and warn people." They usually laugh at this and the mood dissapears.

Now what does a Mood look like? I get an edge in my voice and raise it, but not to screaming level. I spurt out warnings like, "If you don't clean this stuff up I will, and you'll have pay me." I tell them every little thing they need to do and ride them like crazy to keep moving. They HATE this and so do I. But I usually don't have to do this very often because the warnings are enough. That is a beautiful thing.

Stopping Marital Tantrums

2011-01-31T09:24:00.000-05:00

After I wrote the last posting about toddler tantrums, it occurred to me that adult tantrums are just the same, and can be handled in much the same manner.

Think about it. When you fight with your spouse or friend, the root cause is that you don't feel that they heard, understand, or care about your feelings. Now we don't have power to change the other person, but the change can start with us.

The next time you find yourself part of a tantrum (fight) step back emotionally and think, "the reason they are yelling is because they want me to hear them." Then LISTEN!!! You don't have to agree, but you do need to listen and try to understand their point of view. Repeat back to them what you understood their needs/concerns to be. This gives them a chance to fully get out the details or clarify when you may not fully understand something.

*True story:
There are times when DH and I can get a little tense over something. There have been times where he said something and the way it came off hurt. (It could've been that I was just being super sensitive.) My reaction used to be to either go on the defensive or just clam up. He would ask for another chance to clarify, reassuring me that he would never hurt me on purpose. Now when this happens I say, "Do you want to clarify that," or, "That hurt me, do you want to try again?" I do this, because I really do want to understand what he is saying and I don't want to leave the conversation feeling hurt!

How do you diffuse tense times in your marriage or other relationships?

Stopping Toddler Tantrums

2011-01-28T09:50:00.000-05:00

Here is the fastest way I know of stopping a toddler's tantrum. Get down to their eye level, tell them they need to talk like a big boy/girl so you can understand them, then repeat what they say to you - stating it in a question form.

Here is an example of little Johnny wanting a treat at the store:

Johnny screaming...
Mom: Johnny, you need to stop screaming and talk like a big kid so I can understand you.
Johnny still screaming...
Mom: Johnny, I can't understand you when you scream like that. You need to stop crying so I can understand you. (Keep repeating that until they calm down. Sometimes helping them with deep breathing will help too.)
Johnny, starts to calm down and says: I want candy.
Mom: You want that candy?
J: Yes
M: That candy looks really yummy doesn't it? (Johnny nods). We can't get candy today though. It is almost lunch time and we need to eat healthy things.
J: Starts up again.
M: I know you really want that candy, but we can't get it. Here do you want to play with this toy (or eat this other snack, or sing a song, etc.)? (Direct their attention to something else.)

We all want to be listened to and understood. Children do too. They just don't have the vocabularies or control to do it nicely so they scream until they feel like they are heard. Now it doesn't mean that they can/should get whatever they want, but they do need to feel like we at least understand.

Now, what if they don't stop? This is where you give them options. Let's go back to the story....

Johnny starts screaming again....
Mom: Johnny, I know you really want that candy, but screaming isn't appropriate.
Still screaming...
Mom: Johnny, you will want to stop crying because you are going to want to hear the choices I am going to give you. You can calm down and eat this yummy snack I brought, or if you keep screaming I will take you home right now, and put you straight into your bed for a nap and you won't get stories. What do you want?
Johnny: I want candy.
Mom: I know you do, but that is not one of your choices. (Repeat choices)
Johnny refuses to choose.
Mom: If you don't choose, I will choose for you. If you keep screaming we will go home right now and you will go striaght to bed.

With the choices, I always present what I want them to choose and spin it to look as good as possible for them. Then with the other choice, I make it so that it won't be fun at all. They usually choose the first option.

However, they will push this to see if you will follow through so make sure you do. It will only take a few times for them to learn that you mean business and tantrums will be so much easier to deal with. If you don't follow through, they will learn that you are weak and they will start to push you around and they will scream louder until you cave in.

Three Dangerous Words

2011-01-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

There are three little words that can do big damage to a person's finances: I - deserve - it. Many people who deserve many things. It doesn't mean that they can afford them or that they get them.

It's not just big things that we justify with these words either. Pay attention to how many purchases you make using this phrase. It can be as small as a treat at the store. But usually it isn't the huge purchases that kill a budget. It is the culmination a many small ones. (The big ones don't help either. :)

I am not immune to these three little words. They creep into my thinking too. But I am trying to replace them with, "You really can afford it" or "We saved up for it". I also try to keep in mind what are really needs and what are just wants.

**True story: I love to soak in the shower. Lately I have been soaking more because I am so worn out from all the kiddos. DH has been noticing that the water and heating bills have gone up, and I know exactly why.

The other day I was soaking in the shower. I thought, wow, I have been in here a while. Then I thought, "But I DESERVE it". I couldn't believe that I thought that, and I had just written this post!! Then I thought, "Yes if anyone deserves a long hot shower it is me. But can I AFFORD it?" The answer to that was no. So off the shower went. I am planning on putting a timer in there so that I will have to get out to turn it off.

Family Motto

2011-01-24T13:26:00.000-05:00

Recently we have been establishing family mottos. These are statements about who we are and what we do. We try to keep them powerful, general, and few so that they will cover many aspects of our lives. Here are our two:

We do hard things.
We follow what Jesus wants us to do.

So many aspects of life are hard. I hear all the time, "But that is so harrrrd!" and I reply, "Yep, and we do hard things." This can cover homework, life skills, piano practicing, working on friendships when they are rocky, standing up for what we believe, etc.

Along with life, we are a very Christ centered family. We have high standards for modestly dressing, listening to uplifting music, being kind to others, going to church, serving others, no sex before marriage, no drinking, smoking, drugs, etc, etc. We do these things because we believe Jesus wants us to. But instead of stating a rule for each thing, we can just say, "What does Jesus want you to do?"

It is amazing at how powerful these are, and how they help drive our lives. I would love to hear what your family mottos are and how they help you!

School Lunch

2011-01-21T10:42:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen the movie Food Inc.? If you have, you will never want to eat meat again, or let your kids eat school lunch. Packing is so much healthier and economical (if you lay off the convenience snack foods.)

I will admit however that it is way easier to write a check and just let the kiddos eat at school. We were getting into that routine. It was the DH that finally took this area over and got us back on track. (Love that man!)

So this is how we/he runs it. The DDs are allowed to buy school lunch once a week. They get to choose the day. However, if they pack everyday for one whole week then he pays them $1. Our lunch bill has gone way down, and surprisingly the DDs don't complain about packing.

Routine Badges - a follow up

2011-01-20T10:12:00.000-05:00

This morning DD3 (who is 4) didn't want to get ready for preschool. DH was pretty frustrated and came to me to "get her to do it." I said to him, "Tell her she needs to do the things on her routine badge." She didn't even realize that she was getting ready for preschool but was just following her routine. Fight diffused, goal accomplished. Love it!

Flying Solo

2011-01-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

So my house cleaner quit yesterday. I'm usually not a crier, but I did after she left. DH and I have decided before we commit to another cleaner we (and the DDs) are going to try to clean the house ourselves.

I pulled out my FLY Lady book and Control Journal and am going to try to make it work again. (I can't seem to get the hang of her system, but I am determined to tweak it to fit us.)

Anyway, I am learning that the only constant in life is change. Goodbye Beth, thank you, and good luck with your new journey.

Routine Badges

2011-01-17T13:12:00.000-05:00

So I have a few new best friends. Timers and Routine Badges. I was so tired of having to constantly remind the DDs of what they should be doing. So I made routine cards with both am and pm sides, and times alloted for each thing. Both the routine badges and the timers I have can be clipped to their jeans. So they put in the time, press start, and I let the timers yell at them to keep moving.

They were really wonderful at the beginning, then the excitement waned. I had one morning where they were running so late. I gave them a good drilling and told them that the routine cards were there so that I wouldn't have to ride them. They agreed the routines were better and now are still on track.

Notice how on DD3's she has pictures? Yep, can't read that well yet. Also, they have a Boyer team item. That is where I can give them any chore like laundry, bathroom, food prep, etc. They put these on first thing in the am and first thing when they get home. Yet another thing my DH says was a stroke of brilliance! :)

Raising Daughters = Lots of $ for Gas

2011-01-16T20:24:00.000-05:00

Took DD1 with me tonight to run a short errand. I knew it would be a great opportunity for just her and I to talk, and it was. We ended up sitting in the driveway with the car running (to keep us warm) for about 40 minutes. I am finding that raising girls takes a lot of talking time, and it looks like my personal office is turning out to be our car. (It is the only place where I don't get disturbed.)

I found out her friends think I am weird for the following reasons: We have a house cleaner and yet the girls still have to clean their room and bathroom. We don't have cable t.v. and screen time is closely monitored. I also found out that some of her friends don't like me because their moms have started to make them work after talking to me about how we do chores.

I got such a kick out of that and I think it is awesome! It means I'm doing my job.

Emergency Preparedness - Water Bottles

2011-01-14T12:52:00.000-05:00

This year we are determined to get our 72 hour kits together. We have been talking about it for years now, but this is the year it is going to happen. We are taking it one thing at a time, but I thought I would bring you all along for the ride so that you can get yours together too.

Yesterday I ordered filtration water bottles for every member of our family from this link http://store.lds.org. Look under the Home and Family section and hit the link for Self Reliance. They are the Seychelle water filtration bottle kit. You won't find a better price on these anywhere else. I looked.

Having these bottles will make it so we don't need to haul around as much heavy water or make room for it in our packs. Of course, we live in a place where there are rivers and streams everywhere so this is a good option for us. We also have a Katadyn back packing filter pump so that we can pump larger amounts of water for cooking.

Marcus and I are going to keep a case of water in our cars and we will still keep a few full water bottles in our packs as well.

PF Changs has nothing on these

2011-01-10T12:51:00.001-05:00

With a stroke of brilliance I have won the salad fight with the DDs!! Yes, I invented the "Salad Wrap" and now my kids can't get enough salad! No kidding DD3 will eat 12 of these (the equivalent of 6 full romaine leaves) and they are the first thing she asks for during dinner.

Ingredients:

Whole Romaine Lettuce Leaves rinsed

Whole Spinach Leaves rinsed

Croutons

Anything else you want to sneak into their mouths

Dressing of your choice

Assemble:

Rip the lettuce away from the main stem of the leaf (romaine). Then pile 3-4 spinach leaves at one end. Put one crouton on top of the spinach. Place small dab of dressing and roll it up.

I have found they are also a good way for me to eat a lot of salad w/out a lot of dressing. It is also a great way to sneak spinach into their diets. I showed you the container that I use to store the lettuce. It is by Lock and Lock and has a slotted bottom insert to allow water to drain away from the lettuce. (One job the DDs do is to rinse the leaves for dinner.)

ENJOY!

New Recruit Training

2010-10-30T10:22:00.000-04:00

Today, a beautiful thing happened. DD2 saw the opportunity to get DD3 to help her with her chores. However, she spun it into, "Don't you want to learn this life skill? I'll teach you how to do it."
So this is what I hear coming from the bathroom, "Help me Windex the mirror. Woohoo!! Isn't this fun?! Great job DD3!! You're doing great!" Laughing ensues.
There are a few things this lets me know. First is that DD2 knows her life skill well enough to teach it. Secondly, that they don't hate working. Third that they enjoy working together (most of the time), and fourth, when you train them and then let them fly, beautiful things happen.

Insanity???

2010-09-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

I am 12 days from the end of this pregnancy (less if I go into labor on my own). DH has been itching to build closet organizers for our room. He started today and I am wondering...."Are we insane to start a major project at this point?" I guess at this point, everything feels insane - why not add something else?

**My mom is in town so that does help with the outlook of things.

My Baby Handbooks

2010-08-30T03:18:00.001-04:00

I need information. Info calms me and helps me plan a path forward. I need it for everything - including raising kids and babies.

So, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite baby books that have been our "how to" books when we have been clueless. (We still refer to them every time we have a baby.)

Sleep Issues - Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child by Marc Weissbluth
- Solving your Child's Sleep Problems by Ferber (use the sleep tracking chart in this)
Breastfeeding - The Nursing Mother's Companion
Baby Sign - just looked up info on the Internet, checked out books from the library
- LOVE doing baby sign, highly recommend it. We start around 10 mos. old.
Calming Crying Baby - The Happiest Baby on the Block.

Another valuable source is other parents. I love hearing what works for others to see if it would work for me. I would love to hear what books or things have helped you with your babes!

Letting Them Fly

2010-08-26T15:48:00.000-04:00

I am nearing the end of this twin pregnancy - YEAH! Along with that, I can no longer walk far, or stand for very long. This also means I can't cook.

DDs love a cooked breakfast - thanks to DH. (I prefer cold cereal.) But he has been so busy at work that he leaves before they get up.

The other day DD1 decided she wanted to try to cook waffles - FROM SCRATCH, using a recipe, and doubling the recipe to boot. Keep in mind there was no formal training in any of this.

She was so confident she could do it that I decided, "Why not? If she messes up, I am only out a couple cups of flour and eggs. She knows how to clean up, so why not let her try?"

Guess what, they were delicious. She had even made extras and knew how to freeze them. She had picked up enough skills from other things like helping make bread that she had figured out how to follow a recipe and properly measure things.

When I again "got out of the way and got over the mess" she was able to stretch her wings and fly. I am excited for her to start cooking more!!

*Other things DD1 can cook: Noodles, Mac & Cheese, Sandwiches, Eggs both on the stove and in the microwave, quesadillas, and can reheat leftovers.

Getting Out of My Own Way

2010-08-18T09:09:00.000-04:00

There are times when I have to step away from things, just so they can move forward. I (and others I love) describe me as "assertive". I think of it more as I can be, at times, competitive, driven, outspoken, hard headed, etc. :)

Like most things in life, these qualities can be wonderful in the right situation, or damaging in others. Over the years I have worked on tempering myself, knowing when to back out, or to use these qualities to my advantage.

When it comes to my kiddos, there are times where I am capable of doing things myself. However, because of personality conflicts, it is better to pay someone else to do something, so that the child can grow in that area. Also, I want to make sure that my relationship with that child isn't damaged.

Yes, even right now, I am paying a hefty sum for DD1 to do a tutoring program. Even though I am a teacher by training, it was time to take myself out of the equation so that she could progress. There are times when I just need to get out of my own way- and my kiddo's too.

You Make the Mess - You Clean It Up

2010-08-17T13:35:00.000-04:00

We play a game called, "You make the mess, you clean it up." This is awesome because EVERYONE (parents included) is in charge of cleaning up after themselves. It makes so much less work for the parents.

Example from today: DD2 had eaten lunch and wanted to go play.

Me: Did you bring your dishes over?
DD: Yes.
Me: Did you put them in the Dishwasher?
DD: No, but it won't be that much more for dad to do tonight.
Me: Is it your mess?
DD: Yes (with a bit of a whine mixed in)
Me: Then who should clean it up?

That was the end of the conversation. She went back and put her dishes in the dishwasher.

Now there are many times where we have to help each other. For this I hear, "But that's not my mess!!" True, but we are in a family and there are times we need to help each other. During one of these comebacks from the kids, I remind them of a time where that particular family member helped them. If that doesn't work, then I threaten to stop helping them in some way like cooking their dinner, paying for lessons, or driving them somewhere. That stops the whine sessions pretty fast.

Sleepover vs. Stay Late

2010-08-13T11:53:00.000-04:00

We have struggled with sleepovers...do we allow them? If so, what age? With whom? How late are they allowed to stay on Sat.? Will they be safe? If you say yes to one, how can you say no to another with out offending? etc., etc. It is also hard when is seems "everyone else is doing it" and your kids are begging you for it. Plus they can be a lot of fun.

The decision is also hard because so many children are sexually abused at sleepovers. Our neighbor worked at a place for sexually abused children and said there is NO WAY she will ever let her child do a sleepover. She said most children are sexually abused by friends, relatives, or friends of those groups. Another friend said that in his religious area 1 in 3 kids were being sexually abused at sleepovers. SCARY!!

So what have we decided to do instead? Stay Lates. Our kids are allowed to stay at a friends house later than usual - even later than the normal bedtime. We pick them up around 9:30-10:00 pm. This gives them enough time to watch a movie and goof around. It also eliminates the who do you say yes and no to?

Is it awkward to have this rule? Yes, sometimes. But I would much rather have some awkwardness than my child hurt in that way. For now this seems to be working well and the kiddos like it. Who knows, maybe we'll start a new trend.

Another Laugh

2010-08-10T08:27:00.000-04:00

Sunday, brought on another parenting incident with DH that made us laugh hard. We were playing UNO and DD3 insisted on messing up the card piles. After two warnings it was off to time out for her. DH had to put her there since I couldn't.

This is how I run time outs:
1. They stay there one minute for each year they are. In this case 3. You also tell them why they are there, e.g. "It isn't appropriate to mess up the cards while people are playing. That is why you are in time out."
2. When the time is up you ask, "Why are you in time out?" They must answer.
3. You say, "That's right, you are in time out because you messed up the cards. That is inappropriate."
4. This is the biggie. You tell them what they CAN do instead. For instance, "If you want to play cards, you can ask daddy if you can play with him." or something like that. So important that the sentence include the word CAN.
5. They apologize to the offended party.

So back to DD3. I had to help coach DH through these steps because it has been so long since he has done a full blown time out. He did steps 1-3 pretty well, then when I told him about step four he couldn't think of an alternative so he said, "Next time don't mess up the cards. Now go apologize to mom."

DDs 1, 2, and I erupted in laughter. Even the DDs could see the mistake he made in step 4 and thought it was hilarious. DH was laughing and said, "I couldn't think of anything."

It is becoming more clear to me that our roles are becoming very specialized. I am starting to think more seriously about this Daddy Training Camp for him....

My Man

2010-08-08T12:40:00.001-04:00

DH dancing with DD3

Lately, I have been more grateful than before for the things my man does and who he is. Maybe it is all the changes we are going through right now. Whatever it is, I am loving it.

It has been really fun to see him blossom in his career and become the boss-man. It gives me a sense of security that he is taking care of us. What woman doesn't love that? Also, I know of times where other women he has worked with have eyed him, and it is fun to think, "Ha, ha! Hands off ladies. He's mine."

With the mice fiasco, he totally took charge shooing mice out of the window and setting traps. (There was NO WAY I was even opening that window.) I said that he was a super hero because he killed Mighty Mouse - the girls got a kick out of that. He was even so manly to take care of the dead ones. He wasn't even phased. AMAZING.

Last night we went on a date. I suggested that we get pedicures, and even referred to other men (his friends) that had done it, but no way was he even going to do it. Not even a manicure. I thought it was cute and man-like that he didn't want to do it - even with some pressure from me. I like it when he pushes back sometimes. He is a confident man. He instead, wanted to go shopping for the baby things we needed. I guess him WANTING to go shopping is pretty good too.

With our finances he has done some "power moves" lately with investments. Things I would never have thought of, and quite frankly don't totally understand. But he figured them out and has this detailed plan on how they will work out and help us. My mind does not work that way and I am very grateful his does.

On the soft side, he comes home and fixes dinner, gets the girls in bed, does the dishes, picks up etc. because he wants to take care of me and these babies. He does all of this while still trying to do the other stuff like home maintenance,mowing the lawn, and church responsibilities. He amazes me with how hard he can work - he gets that from his parents.

I feel really blessed to have him on this journey we call life and feel very safe in his hands. I hope our girls marry men just like him.

mouse in the house

2010-08-07T15:07:00.000-04:00

So the update on the mice...they made it into the house. They ate all my poison and are still alive! I think we are dealing with Mighty Mouse here. Next step, traps. But DH has to be over this phase. I cannot handle this right now...

God Send

2010-08-05T17:01:00.000-04:00

For many years now I have eyed the powered grocery carts at the store. But you look pretty stupid driving one when you don't need it. Well, I have reached the point of needing one (buying mice poison) and today I finally used one. It has become difficult for me to walk longer than a few minutes and the grocery store was out of the picture for me until now.

I'll tell you what those carts handle like a dream! The turning radius is so small, three point turns are a breeze, and it is easy to maneuver. The girls were very good around it as well. (Remember the "follow me like a duck" command?) It was also great because they liked putting things in the basket and it is lower so it is easier for them to unload the cart. I also liked that I was at their level so it was easier for me to talk with them. They LOVED it and were much better helpers.

I especially love it because I feel like I can help out with the groceries again. Thank goodness for modern technologies!

twins,and three, and....MICE! OH MY!!!

2010-08-05T13:58:00.000-04:00

Today one of my worst nightmares became a reality. We got mice. Luckily/Hopefully they haven't infiltrated the house yet, but they chewed through our window screen and are trying their darnedest to get in. They are crawling around the outside of the window looking for a hole. Just what I need right now...

Why are they here? Well all the DDs left open/spilled candy in the basement yesterday. They promised they would clean it up, yeah right. One of the worst things is that our food storage is also in the basement - that is a mouse's dream come true- and tons of wasted food for us.

Let's pull this into a life skill. Why not? It has taught the girls WHY we don't like them eating food in the basement. It has taught me that even though I am exhausted, it is important not to slack on certain rules. (Can't a mom ever take a break?)

What now? I can't call DH - way too much going on at work to worry about this. I have to handle it on my own. We (DDs and I) went to the grocery store, and bought poison. I suited up with gloves and a face mask and dumped the poison in the sill. Now the mice are eating it and hopefully soon will be no more....

Life Skillz - Recruiting Help

2010-08-04T05:11:00.000-04:00

Part of Life Skillz is recruiting other people to help train your children. I love this because my girls learn skillz from other people who are better at a skill than I am. They also listen better because it isn't coming from dear-old-mom.

Last week, a friend of mine and I hosted Life Skillz training for about 12 girls in our church ages 8-11. The topics were hair (taught by my hair stylist), fashion (taught by a very fashionable art teacher), and nutrition (by a high school athlete).

It was a smashing hit in my estimation! The girls learned a lot of great skills and had fun doing it in groups. I am happy to report that my girls are coordinating outfits better, are FINALLY using product on their hair, and are much more conscious of the sugar they eat. LOVIN' THE SKILLZ! It is also so nice to be able to remind them of the info they learned from other people. Since the info didn't come from me it seems less like nagging. Hooray for that!

If you want more details of what was taught and how it was run, let me know. I would love to share them.

For Maggie

2010-08-03T21:00:00.000-04:00

My very dear friend Maggie has been encouraging me to take pics of my preggo belly. She is right that I will want to document it (even though I will want to forget about it for a while.) So this post is for you Mags, me last week (31 weeks) with my brother-in-law PJ. I also included a pic of PJ and me when I was preggo with DD1 ten years ago. Funny, he's trimmed down, and now I am bigger!

Enjoy!

Reconciling

2010-08-01T21:45:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, the last day of the month, DH and I did our financial reconcile. Not the most exciting thing to do, but it is very rewarding. I take care of the day-to-day budgeting (which we both agree is the most important and hardest) and he keeps the big picture together.

I LOVE when he pulls up our savings, investments, debts paid, etc., and then we look at our timeline for paying off certain debts. I can see how our frugality is paying off. We are getting closer to our goals and feel really great about what we have been able to do so far. It is slow, but steady and eventually we will get there.

I also LOVE when he says, "You're doing a good job Babe." That is so much better than, "Where have you been spending this much money?!" Love it!

Running Out of $$

2010-07-23T08:57:00.000-04:00

It finally happened yesterday...DD2 ran out out of money. She is our little spender. It is so hard for me to let her spend money on things that are "whim" purchases. But I kept telling myself, "This is her money, not mine," and "different people value different things, my kids included."

Also, she needs to feel the pain of running out of money if she is going to learn how to save. And boy did she feel it today. DD1 went clothes shopping (at Justice with a 40% coupon), DD2 LOVES Justice clothes and was so sad she couldn't by anything. But it was SO good for DD2 to feel that.

After the experience, DD2 is really resolved to be a better saver. It opened up some great conversations about past purchases, putting off spending to see if it is a want or a need, and saving for what you really value. (I could even politely say, "I told you so". :)

Discount Massage

2010-07-21T17:31:00.001-04:00

Today I finally went to the chiropractor hoping to get some relief of my pains. While there they told me that my insurance convered and hour long, in house massage. So for $25 I get a full adjustment and an hour massage. I am going once a week!!!

Strength in Numbers

2010-07-20T21:01:00.000-04:00

YEAH!! A good friend of mine is on the "Parenting Breakthrough" bandwagon. She is already really good at teaching her kids life skills, but she read this book and loved it!! We spent a good time on the phone today talking about how we are implementing this into our lives.

It is so fun to have someone to bounce ideas off of. It also helps that our kids are the same ages - and friends- so that they can talk about life skills training and not feel so picked on. It also helps because we can plan activities that teach a specific skill and invite the other person and their kiddos along.

Most importantly, we can help encourage and strengthen each other as we take this parenting journey.

Cheap Leave-in Conditioner

2010-07-19T09:27:00.000-04:00

Try this instead of paying for expensive leave-in conditioners. In a spray bottle put one part conditioner to 10 parts water. My hair stylist swears by this and we are definately going to try it.

DH Wins Belly Dancing Contest

2010-07-19T09:12:00.000-04:00

In June DH and I were able to get away to Orlando for a week. We were celebrating our 10th anniversary and trying to get some quiet time before the twins come.

While we were there, we went to a dinner show called Arabian Knights. They had a pre-show pro belly dancer who held a belly dancing contest. I talked DH into doing it - and he won!! I was laughing so hard! My man is pretty cool.

Budgeting Simplified

2010-07-19T08:34:00.000-04:00

When I first started this blog, I wrote very lengthy posts about how to set up and run a budget. I still get many questions about this. It can be very overwhelming so I am going to try to break it down into a few simple steps. It still is a little lengthy (sorry Mags) but the topic is pretty big.

1. Sit down and write your categories.

2. Get three months worth of expenses (including a Christmas month) to see on average how much you are spending in each category. This is VERY important so that you can see what your habits currently are. If your spending $500/mo. on dining out cutting down to $20 isn't realistic. Your budget will fail. (You can get this info from credit card statements or other software you use like mint.com)

3. Plan your budget. EVERY dollar needs to be put somewhere - even if it is into savings. Keep in mind to take big expenses that you know will happen like Christmas, health care, car repair, property tax, etc, take the amount they each will be, divide it by 12 (for 12 months) and put that much money aside every month so that you will have enough saved when the bill comes up.

4. Assign responsibilities. I take the variable expenses i.e. groceries, clothing, dining out, babysitting, gifts, etc. DH takes care of fixed expenses i.e. mortgage, car payment, taxes, etc. Then we have his and her gas, discretionary money, clothing, etc.

5. Track it. DH is at a computer all day and loves to use Quicken. I am on the go and need to see how much money I have when I am shopping. I use a PDA with a checkbook type app. to type in my transactions when I spend the money. This way I know how much I can spend before I enter the store. This has been the most powerful tool for both me and my clients. When you know what your numbers are doing, you can shape your spending to fit into it.

*I use a Palm Z22 with a software called Budget Master. I also love the Everyday carrying case. It is getting old in terms of technology and we are looking at the iphone with apps. One that looks good there is called Checkbook 2.2, Quicken also has an app, but it looks like you have to download it from Quicken's website. We are looking for something that will sync with Quicken to make DH's job easier.

**THIS IS THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS.

6. Reconcile. This is DH's job. He puts all the spending from all categories into Quicken to see how we are meeting our financial goals. Then we sit down and talk about how things are going. We have stopped fighting about money and are excited about how soon we can get out of debt. (If we stick to our plan, we will be debt free by the time we are 50. It could be sooner if we keep being frugal.)

I would love to hear how you are successful with your budget or feel free to ask me questions.

A Thank You - Music to My Ears

2010-07-17T09:20:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, DD1 and DD2 overheard me talking with another mom about chores a.k.a life skillz. This woman was trying to figure out how to get her daughter to do them, because right now she wasn't doing anything.

I asked DD1 later if she thought it was neat she knew how to do so many things. Trying to be cool, she shrugged her shoulders, gave a smirk, and said, "It's okay. I just can't believe other kids don't know how to do this stuff." I'll take that as a yes, she thinks it's cool.

Then this morning, DD2 sits next to me (on the couch) and we have the following conversation:

DD2: Mom, thanks for teaching us Life Skillz. I like that we know how to do so many things that will help us when we're older. (No joke, exact words.)

Me: You're welcome. I'm glad to hear you like it, even though you whine sometimes.

DD2: Yeah, sometimes it is hard.

Me: I understand that! I have a hard time too sometimes, but part of life is learning to work even when you are tired and things get hard. That is a life skill too.

DD2: Yeah, I think you're right.

HELLO...Music to my ears! This isn't the first time they have thanked me either. I have been SO pleased with this system. My girls are getting it that chores aren't just for punishment or a drudgery, but they are important life skills that will help them! LOVIN' IT!

My New Role - The Incubator

2010-07-15T21:58:00.000-04:00

The last two to three weeks my life changed dramatically. I officially started my third trimester. I have stopped feeling human and am now officially an incubator. My energy plummeted, my stomach exploded (even DH says, "Wow Babe, your huge."), and I hurt in ways I didn't think existed.

My days consist of sleeping on the couch, sitting on the couch most of the day with my feet up, napping - yes on the couch, and heaving myself up to take care of only necessities. Oh, and the occasional yelling at the girls to stop fighting and do their chores. They LOVE that.

My new motto is, "SURVIVE" and I keep telling myself it is easier to do this than sit in the NICU with preemie twins - and I am sure it is.

So here I am waiting, incubating. Time seems to be passing so slowly, like I am a child waiting for Christmas. But I need to enjoy it, because shortly, my life will be a blurr.