George Foreman Grill Cleaning Tip!

We were fortunate enough to receive a George Foreman grill as a wedding gift, almost 8 years ago. It has been a great little thing, and we have used it a lot. Even when we were vegan it was great for veggie burgers! The only thing I have always hated about it was cleaning it. It involved scraping off all the dried on bits, and then scrubbing it down. It generally took about 20 mins and was a huge pain in the butt. So much so, that it would often sit on the counter for days before I would get around to cleaning it.

Fast forward to this past Mother's Day. Dave was graciously cleaning the kitchen and doing the dishes for me. It came time to do the George Foreman grill, and as any good nerd would, Dave ran to the computer to try and find an easier way to clean the thing. He found a site that gave him a "cleaning hack" for the grill, and voila! My life is now all the more worth living.

So, this is how it goes. Once you are finished using the grill, unplug it, and immediately get 3 or 4 squares of paper towel, layered on top of each other. Wet them, ring them out, and unfold them back out so they are back into their square shape. Then simply set them on the grill and close it. Enjoy your food while the grill cools.



Then simply open the grill (don't wait too long, an hour or so is fine), and use the paper towels to easily wipe off the grime. It does a surprisingly amazing job, with basically no effort! You don't need soap, and it's very gentle on the grill itself. Awesome! Yay for nerdy husbands!

Mothers

My own mother sent me this forward:

Real Mothers don't eat quiche;
They don't have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils
Are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors,
Filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough
Doesn't come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don't want to know what
The vacuum just sucked up...

Real Mothers sometimes ask 'Why me?'
And get their answer when a little
Voice says, 'Because I love you best.'

(I can provide photo evidence of all of the above!)

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

This is Why I'll Never be an Adult

I've posted this on Facebook before, but I came across it again, and in light of my recent cleaning and organizing attempts, it seems appropriate. And hilarious.

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html

It pretty much sums everything up.

It's a New Day

Just checking in to give a quick update. We had a very busy weekend working on the house. We rearranged a lot of stuff, and it looks great! We moved the bookshelves/craft cupboards to the landing on the stairs, which will hopefully help keep the living room free of all the little bits that seem to always surround the cupboards. The living room is a lot more open now too. We hope that it will help Judith to learn to just take 1 thing out at a time, and put it away before getting something new, since it's kind of separated from the work space now. I also completely organized everything in the cupboards, which was quite the ordeal, but now it's all in order and things aren't spilling out anymore. I got rid of a garbage bag full of stuff too, which I think makes up for my week of slacking... I hadn't even looked in the cupboards for probably a year, I always get Judith to put her own stuff away, and she has learned the fine art of shoving stuff in and quickly closing the doors. She learned that from me, though, so I need to stop doing that before I can expect her to.

Once we get the house all in order again (it's almost there, which is super exciting!), I'm thinking of having a family meeting and coming up with some basic rules. I'm not a huge fan of lots of rules, or being The Enforcer, but I think a few standards that we can all agree on would be helpful. Right now our basic rules are No Food in the Basement and No Feet or Bums on the Tables/Counters. Judith seems to obey those just fine, and with the others I have to watch them and make sure because they don't really understand yet. I want to start tidying up before bed, and getting the kids to put their own stuff away all the time (toys, crafts, dishes, etc). I should probably make a rule that food stays at the table too, not in the living room or at the computer. That would probably be helpful for my carpets. The kids always willingly help with chores because they think it's fun, so I don't want to put rules in that area which would probably wreck it. Bed time is never an issue too because it's routine and consistent.

Are there any other rules/routines that you have found to be helpful?

Now that the weather is nicer I feel like I have more energy and ability to have more control over my life. I just want to have some more order, so that there is less work for me, and my brain (and therefore my house) is less cluttered and chaotic.

Failure

So... normally I am really good at keeping my word and doing what I set out to do, once I make the effort to set out, of course. It's that initial effort I usually lack. Anyway, I have been excellent with my fasts. I haven't touched facebook in a week, and I don't even miss it. I like focusing on the everyday life of my family, without everyone else I know's lives on top of that (no offense). We are also doing really well with the gluten-free diet. We decided not to fast sugar completely, I need honey in my coffee, but to limit it and only use natural sugars (you know, besides the box of chocolate covered almonds I ate the other day, but it was for a good cause! And gluten-free!). When we do our re-introduction-to-gluten test we will not consume any sugar, as to not interfere with the possible symptoms.

Everything else has basically failed. It seems like I am better at giving up stuff, than actually doing stuff. Well, I've kept up with my laundry as usual, as if I even needed to say that. And some of my cleaning. Just not the floors, STILL. I actually plan on doing that today, though. I managed to get the kitchen clean yesterday, so hopefully that momentum will carry on to today. This morning when I looked out the window it was snowing, so that means it's a great day for staying in. =) I heard it was supposed to turn to rain, which would be wonderful. I've been craving rain lately. I don't normally like the rain, unless it's in Australia, so that's kind of odd. But maybe I am just so sick of the snow that other forms of precipitation would be most welcome. It would wash the snow away, and bring that wonderful Spring smell! Judith and I have been counting down the sleeps until it is officially Spring! You know the winter has been rough when even Judith, my snow-lover, can't wait for it to be over!

I haven't done the Shred or the Purge since I last posted. I think I might just start over with those. At day 4 or whatever I was at. I've got lots of time I guess, Lent is more than 30 days anyway. I'd rather start over than give up completely!

On a semi-related note, I have been reading The Continuum Concept, which has been really eye-opening. I find I often read books at just the right time in my life, and I really do feel like God had this one for me right now. I know my problem with cleaning, and everything in general that I struggle with, stems from emotional issues. Like really, how hard would it be to just clean up? Ok, I have 3 kids age 5 and under, so it's pretty hard to keep up, but still. I seem to have all of these hurdles in my head. The book is helping me a lot to understand some of these hurdles. It's actually kind of a tough read emotionally. It's hard to start to see why our culture is the way it is, and it breaks my heart for everyone. I see the same issues in my kids, which I have always known deep down were "wrong", but were told that they were normal. It's hard not to feel guilty, I feel like I should, but really I don't. And I'm not interested in blaming anyone either. I'm just satisfied in having some information that backs up what I have felt instinctively all along. And THAT gives me hope. I know if my instincts are still intact, and merely just buried under all of the social intellectual garbage I have been fed, that they can be resurrected in me and our society. I feel like I have a lot of de-cluttering to do in my heart and my head, as well as my house. I also recently read Hold on to Your Kids, The Highly Sensitive Child, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, The Mood Cure, and Unconditional Parenting. All of these had the same effect. I feel like God is giving me these tools so I can piece together the roots of the issues I struggle with, so I can heal and move on. I read all of these books in the hope that I could help others, especially my kids. But in reality, it has helped me with myself the most. I highly recommend these books to everyone, they have been a really helpful part of my personal journey. At the same time, I think part of my problem is that with this new information has come a season of grieving for me. But I know that is important and necessary. Once those emotions are purged, I will be able to move on with more clarity and intention than before. Just as my life will hopefully be a lot smoother and more organized once I have purged the clutter from my house.

I really didn't intend to write that last paragraph, but it just kind of came to me, and I'm glad I got it out! I love writing, it helps me so much. I need to start writing more (you know, besides all of the huge comments I always leave on Facebook and in forums!). I will keep everyone posted with my progress, I intend to start Shredding and Purging today!

Also - Don't forget to check out my new blog http://cyclopschicken.blogspot.com I can't get it to import to Facebook until I am back on Facebook at the end of April, so you will have to actually GO THERE to check out what hilarity the kids are up to. I also made the kids new tickers for that site and I love them!

March Madness: A Quest for Sanity

Hahaha, I just came up with that off the top of my head.

Basically, I have realized as of late that I need to at least attempt to regain control over my life. Things have been a little rough lately. I think most of it just has to do with this merciless winter (and lack of summer last year!). I do take vitamin D, and it helps a lot, but it's not the same as getting some sweet sunshine. I don't feel depressed exactly, but my mental and emotional health still is not well. I think my problem is simply being perpetually overwhelmed and discouraged. My kids also had the chicken pox last month, first Judith, and then Ruthie and Gideon 2 weeks later. It was hard for sure, but we made it through fine. The only casualty was the house. And my sleep, but I'm used to that. Now the children are all better and back to normal, but I could definitely use a week or so of straight sleep (never going to happen). The house is also at the point where I don't even know where to start, and when I do work on something, suddenly I am overcome with anxiety and can barely get anything done. I have been having stomach cramps, and headaches (which I haven't had in YEARS!), and even tightness in my chest. It's not like the house hasn't ever been this bad before, but I just don't seem to have the energy to conquer it now that the kids are better. My body and brain are too burnt out or something.

Normally, I am the type of person who totally procrastinates, and then goes mad doing everything at once. I am a big fan of pulling all-nighters to clean the house, and then totally leaving it for a week or so before I repeat the process. I really thrive on finishing things, and I have a hard time starting something that I can't see myself finishing in one sitting. Which is probably why I don't really do any crafting anymore, it's pretty much impossible to do anything without being disturbed, and if I do walk away for a minute, the whole thing gets destroyed. And I do best with once-a-week chores, not daily stuff. De-cluttering is really hard for me, even though the end result is always great. I just hate the process, and am not good at parting with things. Purging also causes Judith a lot of anxiety, and Gideon and Ruthie just like to do whatever I'm doing (which basically means making a mess of what I am trying to do), so it's not something I can easily do during the day. The only time I have without kids is a couple hours at night, which is usually spent either with Dave, folding laundry, doing dishes, and/or going online. My family isn't here to take the kids for me every so often, so I have to work with what I've got.

Anyway, enough about that. I HAVE A PLAN! I tend to come up with plans now and then, do it for a while, then abandon it. So, this is a 30 day plan. I don't expect that the house will be spotless and in perfect order, and I don't expect to be the happiest, healthiest person in the world by the end of it. But I do expect things to be better. This is a big step for me. I am starting to accept that things don't have to be all or nothing, perfect or complete failure. But if things are at least a bit better than now, it will be better than nothing. That's probably a no-brainer for most of you out there, but it's pretty revolutionary for me!

I know you are dying to hear it, so here's the plan:

1. Keep up with my usual basic laundry and chore schedule. I have always kind of hated schedules, but if I don't have them, I do nothing. I have to keep my schedules to a minimum though, if I put too many things on it, I get overwhelmed and boycott the whole thing (or stay up all night to do it). So, every week day, I have ONE chore I always do, and ONE type of laundry I always wash. If I can keep up with that, it will at least get the basics done so it doesn't get too overwhelming, while not consuming ALL my time trying to get EVERYTHING done. Most of all, it will allow me not to worry about all of the things that need to be done (which honestly, takes up more energy than actually doing it, while overwhelming me to the point where I can't do it), just focus on the couple things to do that day and let go of the rest.

2. Purge 5 things every day for the 30 days (starting tomorrow). A friend of mine did this last year, and it's a great idea. If I get on a roll some day, of course I won't stop at 5 things. But I must do at least 5 things, which should be easy enough. If I have a crappy/busy day, before I go to bed I can always at least run downstairs and grab 5 toys that never get played with, or go through the closet and grab 5 pieces of clothing I never wear, and toss them in the Donate box (or things that are ruined toss in the trash, I am terrible for not throwing damaged things out, even when I know I will never get around to fixing/mending it). If I run out of things to purge and my house is in perfect order before the 30 days are up, then great! If there is still a lot more to go once the 30 days are up, it's still a success because I DID get at least 150 things out!

3. Restart (and maybe actually complete?) the 30 Day Shred (starting tomorrow). It was really great when I did it back in December, even though I only did for 15 days. I know I will have more energy if I exercise every day, and NOT just little things like walking and taking the stairs. I run up and down the stairs at home endlessly as it is, often with a child or two in my arms. But what makes a big difference is when I actually push myself and get my heart rate up. I haven't had the time or opportunity to go to the gym lately, but I can still exercise at home.

4. Since last year was so great, I am giving up Facebook for lent this year (starting Wednesday). The whole family is, actually! I am totally addicted, and turn to Facebook to amuse me when I don't want to deal with life. But I really need to deal with a lot of things right now, so Facebook has to go. It was a tough decision to make, because SO many fabulous mamas have babies due over the next 2 months! But I will have to wait until Easter to see pictures and read birth stories. I need to put my own family and house first for now. But I WILL be stalking all the mamas as soon as I am back on Facebook! First thing for sure. And I will be praying for all of them while I'm away. If anyone needs to contact me my email address and phone number are listed on my Facebook page. Or you can always come to my blog and comment! I am not giving up the entire internet as I did last year, I am going to blog as a way of staying accountable with my purge and exercising.

5. And finally, Dave and I are going to do a 2 week gluten-free (GF) and sugar-free diet (starting Friday). Then we will add gluten back in for a weekend (but not sugar), and see if we have any health (mental and/or physical) issues. I have a feeling that gluten might be zapping my energy and slowing me down. There's no harm in trying and seeing if there is a difference! I know for a fact that sugar messes with us physically and emotionally, so we are fasting that as well, to eliminate that factor.

So that's it! That's my plan. I know there are different timelines for the different parts, but whatever. I am expecting this to help me finally gain a bit of control over my life and my house, and feel better.

For the next 30 days I will be posting the things I purged and when I exercised. It will probably be extremely boring, but it's not like I have actually been blogging lately! Might as well use the space for something productive. These blog posts also are imported to Facebook, so there will still seem to be activity there. Once that is over, maybe I will be refreshed and inspired to write REAL, THOUGHT-PROVOKING blog posts! Can you imagine?!

It has also been suggested to me that I start a separate blog for all of the fun and silly things that the kids say and do. It's a pretty good idea, that way I can still import them to Facebook, but then I will have a nice collection to look back on. I will try to get on that at some point soon.

Monthly Dinners

I wrote a post last spring about how I do meal plans. I have since been asked a few times what exactly I eat for dinner, since I make a different meal each night of the month. So, for fun, here is my list of meals from August (things got a little mixed up in Sept, I didn't end up following my meal plans exactly).

I just plan the protein and carb usually, then add whatever veggies/salad I feel like at the time to it.

1 - Chicken, veggie & rice stir-fry

2 - Turkey spaghetti & garlic cheese buns

3 - Tomato basil chicken breasts & baked potatoes

4 - Honey garlic salmon & rice

5 - Bison burgers (home made) & fries

6 - Slow-cooker pizza beans

7 - Pizza bean (leftovers) burritos

8 - Chicken burgers (home made) & sweet potato fries

9 - Chicken wraps

10 - Salmon mango wraps

11 - Breaded haddock, chicken fingers & baked potatoes

12 - Lasagna

13 - Slow-cooker venison & root veggie stew

14 - Margarita pizza (frozen)

15 - (out at a friend's house!)

16 - Corn on the cob, perogies & cinnamon buns (didn't feel much like cooking after making the cinnamon buns all day!)

17 - Turkey burgers (home made) & sweet potato fries

18 - Lemon pepper salmon & baked potatoes

19 - Honey garlic chicken breasts & rice

20 - Grilled cheese (cooked over a fire while camping)

21 - Baked beans and Zoodles (cooked over a fire while camping)

22 - BBQ Chicken, potato wedges and Caesar salad (on the way home from camping...)

23 - Panago Pizza (chicken, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms)

24 - Home made mac & cheese (haha, camping took a lot out of me)

25 - Loaded nachos (with black beans, tomatoes, green pepper, and green onions)

26 - Taco salad w/bison

27 - Veggie burgers (home made)

28 - Pizza (home made, same toppings as above plus pineapple and green olives)

29 - (out at a friend's house!)

30 - Lentil shepherd's pie

31 - Roasted whole chicken & roasted baby potatoes

So there you have it! It wasn't a "perfect" month, as camping and going to friend's houses saved me doing a big meal those nights. Also, you may have noticed that we aren't so vegetarian anymore. Sorry, my body has just been craving protein and the veggie sources have not been good enough.

Some other notable meals that didn't make the cut in August include:

~Chicken risotto
~Lentil soup
~Chicken noodle soup
~Butternut squash soup
~Mushroom soup
~Tomato soup (all of these soups home made, of course)
~Chili
~Burritos
~Tacos
~Tortilla pizzas
~Quesadillas
~Ravioli/Tortellini
~Venison roast/chops/steak
~Elk roast/chops/steak
~Roasted turkey
~Creamy lemon dill fish (any kind of white fish)
~Breaded and fried fish or chicken
~Tuna melts
~Falafel wraps
~Venison smokies
~Lamb burgers

If you want any of my recipes, feel free to ask and I will post them!

Plus there's always the random frozen things I occasionally pick up from the grocery store when I know I am going to have a busy day without time to really prepare something from scratch for dinner. There have also been lots of meals I have tried (mostly slow-cooker ones), but we didn't really like so we didn't add them to the roster. Dave also occasionally will cook, usually some kind of Asian food (which I am NOT good at!) or Italian pasta dish, or something random and new to me but delicious.

We are also thinking of trying to go gluten-free in the near future to see if it helps with some issues, so if you have any tips in regards to that, please enlighten me!

Anyone have any other favourite meals that they make that I should try?

Confession

I am not a good housekeeper. Oh, you knew that already? Sorry. But it's true.

Here are a couple pics of what my house looks like on a normal day:





I like to think of it as my security system. No one could sneak through the house at night undetected, or without a broken ankle, haha.

These pics were taken a few weeks ago, though. And, unfortunatly, Ruthie has begun taking rolling expeditions across the living room floor. She also enjoys spending time on her tummy now, trying to figure out how to get all of those yummy crumbs and pieces of paper on the floor. So far, the Force hasn't worked, and I think she will probably settle for crawling as Plan B, some day very soon. So I am enjoying my mess while I can.

Housework Survey

What are your must have cleaning items/products?
Baking soda and vinegar. End of story.

If you only had 10 minutes to clean, and every house in your home needed attention, which room would you clean?
I would probably decide it's not worth it and sit in front of the computer instead, haha. But if I had to, I'd probably do the downstairs bathroom (if I'm frantically cleaning because someone is coming over for a visit), or tidy the living room (if someone is just stopping by briefly), whichever was worse.

What chore do you either hate, or procrastinate the most on?
All of them? Besides laundry, laundry is the bomb. I don't list that as a chore. Ok, I'd have to say dishes are the worst, and I hate doing them, and I totally let them pile up. But I also proctastinate on the floors too. Everything gets so messy so fast, and it annoys me to always have to pick everything up first in order to sweep/vaccum, because very little, if any, of the mess is actually mine.

At what age did you have your children start helping clean?
I don't know, I just let Judith help when she wants to help, which is actually quite often. She likes to vacuum (although I have to go over it after, which is fine). And usually she helps me with laundry (sorting, moving it from washer to dryer/hanging, folding, putting away). She helps me put away the clean dishes from the dishwasher. She also helps with the other kids, she sounds the alarm when Gideon decides to take off his (usually poopy) diaper, and will get him and herself snacks or drinks when they want one. She will also clean up spills, but I think that's mostly because she doesn't want to get in trouble, haha. She will also try and entertain Ruthie when I can't get to her right away and she's fussy. The only chore I "force" her to do is tidying up the basement with me. It gets so messy with toys, even though she's only allowed 1 crate at a time. But I make her pick them up before we vacuum there. I used to make her tidy up the living room with me before bed too, but I've been slacking there lately. I need to start that again, it made everything so much nicer in the morning. The only things I DON'T let her help with are sweeping (because she just makes it worse and for some reason I can't deal with it, although sometimes I let her use the brush and dust pan to sweep up and put the dirt in the garbage when I'm done sweeping), and washing pots & pans (because she just wants to play with the water and gets me and everything soaked and it makes me so mad, since I hate doing dishes in the first place), although she can help me put the clean ones away.

So far, all Gideon does is put away the cutlery from the dishwasher. He decided all on his own that cutlery was his job (and he only does the cutlery, haha!), and it's so cute! I leave the drawer open and he throws everything in. I have to sort it, but it's so sweet that he wants to help! Any time he sees me taking dishes out of the dishwasher, he drops what he's doing and RUNS to help me.

To what extent does your husband help with the housework?
He doesn't at all. But he mows the lawn, shovels the snow, makes sure that we have Culligan water (and puts the bottles in because I can't lift them well, even though I managed for a few weeks after he had his surgery), takes the garbage and recycling out to the back alley (as long as I have it ready by the back door the night before), does odd jobs around the house if needed, and is good at fixing things. He also cooks every so often when he feels inspired (but doesn't clean up after himself). Most of all, he makes coffee and brings it to me in bed every weekday morning. Also, he never complains that the house is basically always a mess. He knows that if he complains, then he will be asked to help. And he can't even be bothered to pick up his own socks, I find them abandoned all over the house. He often helps with bed time too, but I usually have to ask. I'm sure it would be different if he wasn't so tired from work all the time.

Do you have an area that is always cluttered?
The house, the van, the yard... I seem to manifest clutter wherever I go. I think our tables are the worst though. They are always covered in junk, and get covered quickly, basically as soon as they get cleared off.

Is there a room in your house that you usually neglect, whether you mean to or not?
I believe in neglecting all rooms equally. Although the kitchen probably looks the worst because so much goes on in there...

Is there a chore that you feel like is never done?
Dishes! And floors. I feel like I can never get those 100% clean, or by the time I do, it's undone again.

Lastly, do you have any time saving cleaning tips?
I guess deep down I find cleaning in general a waste of time, at least with little kids underfoot. I do it when I have to, but I basically do the minimum required. So, my tip would be to not worry about it and use your time to go and do fun things! Preferrably OUTSIDE of the home, where you don't have to look at it, haha.


Yeah, I totally suck at housework. But you knew that already.

Thoughts From a Disenchanted Homemaker

Oh man, I am so tired. Exhausted. I haven't been online very much lately, I've just been busy trying to get things done around the house. And trying to get things done is really frustrating. Everything always takes a million years longer than I think it will. Then when I do finally get something done, it's undone almost immediately. This is why I find it futile to actually try most of the time. Whenever I am at the computer I always have that annoying nagging voice in my head telling me that everything would be better and I'd get so much more done if I wasn't on the computer, but that is a big fat lie. Remember the time I went 46 days without the internet? Yeah, still couldn't keep up with everything. And I tried so hard! The house was never perfect. The dishes went undone. I didn't spend as much time with the kids as I'd hoped. I was busy on my feet from the moment I got up until I passed out exhausted at the end of the day. And to top it off I felt lonely and disconnected. At least now when that nagging voice starts on me, I have evidence to say HA! YOU'RE WRONG.

Obviously it would be a problem if all I did all day was sit at the computer, but that's impossible. I do obviously have responsibilities that I have to maintain, and I do. Sometimes I just do the bare minimum, because I know no one cares, and honestly neither do I. Maybe that makes me a bad mom/wife. Really, I'm just a bad housekeeper, I always have been, and for now I'm ok with that. In the end this doesn't matter. My relationships do. Obviously I will do what I need to do at home to get by, like make meals, do my weekly clean, keep up with laundry and the dishwasher (those things right there are a full-time job!). I do need to get a handle on the clutter, and could be a little more motivated to tidy up, but it's not urgent.

To be perfectly honest, I have no desire for a perfectly clean house. I feel uncomfortable in houses where everything is in order, especially when kids live there. I know for some women that's just their thing, and it comes naturally to them (P.S. I hate you, haha), and they care a lot about it and get a lot of satisfaction out of having a nice house. Good for them, seriously. Sometimes I wish I had a better heart to serve my family that way. Like, it's not like I don't serve my family, I DO hold everything together here, and it IS a lot of work. And I like to think that I'm a great cook, and I spoil my family with good food. But for some reason, I like things to get really dirty before I clean them. I guess I just like watching the transformation. I like taking something that is nasty and making it clean. I don't like maintenance cleaning, where is the fun in that? And I hate picking up after other people all the time. So for the most part I just don't.

What I am most guilty of, though, is letting the pots and pans pile up (thank God for my dishwasher who does the rest!). It's not uncommon for me to not do the dishes for a week or more at a time. It's not even that I don't want to, because honestly I HATE that my counters are covered in dirty dishes. But it's my least favourite thing to do. Really, I usually spend at least an hour making supper, do I really want to just turn around and wash all of those dishes? No. I want to sit and eat and then relax for an hour before taking on the impossible task which is bedtime. Then, once that's done, I'm kind of tired from the day, and would rather hang out with Dave and watch Start Trek or a movie, or go online, or fold laundry, or go to bed. I can't seem to figure out a good time of day to do dishes. I guess there's never a good time. It's my least favourite thing to do, so it always gets pushed to the bottom of my list, and of course I never get time to actually finish my to do lists.

Often I end up just washing the dishes as I need them. I do always rinse out my pots & pans before leaving them on the counter, so they're not gross or growing things, but they still look awful, taking up all of my precious counter space. I really want to start making bread, but I haven't because I never have the space. Then when I do take an afternoon and do up the dishes, by the time I'm done, there's no time for making bread or anything. And by the time I do have time, the kitchen is a mess again... In our old place the kitchen wasn't big enough for 2 people, so Dave never had to help (and it's not like he would do the dishes himself!). But now it's plenty big. Even if he could dry them for me, it would be a huge help! It's so annoying having to wash a sink full, then dry it and put it away so I can wash more. Plus I tend to get distracted by other urgencies, so then later when I finally get back to it, the water is cold and yucky. It would be great if we could get into a routine where we just did them together every night or something. We could have some "couple" time at the same time. I think it's a great idea! Hopefully Dave will agree. I know it will be hard when he goes back to work and is tired, but hey, I'm always tired, I just don't have a choice!

So, all that just to say I've been really busy lately working hard on house stuff, and it seems really futile. I think for some women, homemaking is just their thing, and they can rock it, and that's awesome. I really respect that and look up to them. But I don't think that is really what I was meant to do. I do think I was meant to be a mother, and taking care of the house is just a necessary evil that goes with it. Only when I resist this evil, it doesn't flee. Maybe some day I will get the hang of it. Probably just in time for us to take off to another country again, or maybe we will be able to buy a bus and live in it and travel North America. That would be awesome! Or move to a country where most of the living is done outside.

Lately I've been getting so tired of our culture. As a mom I feel like I'm expected to strive for the American dream. Like if I have any other ideas, it's negligent towards my children. But since when do cars and big (clean) houses and toys mean anything? It's easy to get caught up in the superficial things. I honestly hate it all. Maybe that's part of my problem with cleaning, I hate this culture so I am rebelling against it in my own way.

I find I honestly identify better with poor people (probably because I am kind of poor too, although I never "feel" poor because I know in reality I am very rich compared to the rest of the world, and I never take that for granted). I feel much more comfortable in a redneck's house than in the suburbs. I'd rather live around dead animals and junk than a clean house and a fake smile. I think I just like messy people (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritally, etc). And I honestly am one, myself. If I walk into someone's house and it's a mess, I actually feel really comfortable, and like I can trust them. Like they might be able to understand and accept me. Creative people tend to be messy. I like messy.

So, there is my deep, philisophical thought for the day. And my excuse du jour for being a lousy housekeeper (although lately I have honestly been trying to not allow myself any excuses!). I know a lot of you hear me on this, so I want you to know that you're not alone. And that it's ok that you're on facebook right now instead of washing the dishes, ha!

Meal Plans

I need to meal-plan. If not, it would be cereal for all every night!

It goes like this: I sit down every Saturday night with the weekly fliers, my recipe binder, the laptop and my notebook of shopping lists. First I look through my "master list" (which I keep in my recipe binder) of all the things I like to keep on hand. You should make one, it's super-handy! It's a list of everything I need for typical breakfasts (I have a few options that everyone can choose individually from), lunches (I let the kids decide what we all have for lunch each day), snacks, salads and baking. Also things like spices, teas, and household items. I quickly glance through the list and see if we need anything on it. I will do a quick look through the pantry, fridge and freezer to confirm. I write what we need on the shopping list.

Then I look through the fliers and see what's on sale. I see if anything tickles my fancy. Or if anything we use a lot is on sale so we can stock up. I add those things to my shopping list. It also helps inspire my dinners. I then take out my list of meals (also in my recipe binder), and make my dinner plans.

I make a different dinner every night of the month. I write them on the calendar. That way I know what I need to do every day, and can take meat out of the freezer or other prep as necessary. Dave also knows what to look forward to each day, and it ensures that I don't repeat meals. If you give me a past date I could tell you what we had for dinner! I'd just need to look it up in my calendar!

We go shopping early Sunday morning, while the store is stocked full of goods, but before it gets busy. I make dinners Sunday through Friday, then Saturday we have leftovers or pantry food. It helps clear out the fridge for the influx Sunday morning, and saves us the cost of a meal. And it gives me a night "off".

I have a list of over 30 meals we really like. I also try to add new ones every so often. I print out all of my recipes, and keep them in those clear page protector things in my binder. That way they are on hand when I need them, I can just take 1 sheet to the kitchen with me instead of a whole recipe book, and if I spill or splatter anything on them, it just wipes off and doesn't ruin the paper. I used to do 1 new meal every week, but that stopped when I got pregnant with Ruthie, and I kept just craving our regular meals (I still did a different meal each night of the month though). I want to start trying new things again. It's not that hard, really. I bet you could think of 30 meals you like with little effort. Try it, just write them out. Then the internet is a fabulous resource for new ideas. The internet taught me how to cook!

So I decide what meals to have, then add the ingredients necessary to my shopping list (if we don't have them on hand). I try to think of meals that have similar ingredients (like nachos, taco salad, and burritos for example), so we don't have to buy a million different things, and there is less of a chance of things going bad in the fridge, since we will most likely use it all up over the various meals. I will also take a look in the fridge and see what ingredients we do have in there, and think of things I could make with those.

Sometimes I will look up recipes for different baked goods I want to try too, and add any necessary ingredients to the shopping list.

Finally, I ask Dave if there is anything he is craving or wants, and I add that.

And... that's how I do it!

Chores Chores Chores

This has always been a FAIL area in my life. I usually come up with a new "plan" every season, and I keep up with it for about a month. Then everything goes to crap again for a couple months, then I come up with a new plan. Repeat repeat repeat.

I've even gotten bored of Flylady, although she did help me a lot in little ways that have stuck.

I quit trying when I got pregnant with Ruthie. In a way it was good, I was able to give up trying to control everything (because that just lead to failure), and in doing so felt a lot less stressed about everything. And you know what? Our place stayed just as clean as it ever was. I just did the cleaning whenever I felt like it, or got the chance.

When we moved to our new house, it took me a month to get everything unpacked and put away. Then, just as I was about to sit down and write up my new "plan", I decided that probably wasn't a good idea. I was about to have a baby any day anyway. So I waited.

Ruthie was born, and things were a little chaotic for a while, of course. My Mom was here and she basically did all of the housework. Once she left, I was feeling really good, and was surprisingly able to keep up with the house. I decided to just see what came naturally as far as a routine. I gave up the need to control everything, or decide what would logically make sense, and just went with the flow. And for the first time in my life, my house actually has stayed mostly clean. Not just when people come over!

So I have decided to write down my routine. Not so I can hold it over myself and beat myself with it when I fail, but just to solidify it a bit more, so I can work on my discipline a bit (a trait I used to pride myself on before I had kids). If it doesn't get done perfectly that's ok, but this is what I'm striving for, so I hopefully don't fall back into my laziness.

My morning routine goes something like this:

~Wake up whenever one of the kids wakes me up, usually 8ish, sometimes later if I'm lucky.
~Feed Ruthie.
~Change and dress Ruthie.
~Make our bed and open the blinds, greeting the sunshine with thankfulness for a new day (ok, I just made that second part up right now, but it's a good idea! But if you know what I'm like in the morning that should make you giggle).
~Go to the bathroom, get 'ready' and dressed.
~Pick up all of the clothes on the floor that must have been breeding through the night (in our room and the kids room). Seriously, how can there be so many clothes when I pick them up EVERY DAY?! Do a quick tidy too.
~Go downstairs with Ruthie and see what everyone is up to. The older kids usually make their way downstairs while I am feeding/changing Ruthie, and they help themselves to the bowl of fruit on the table. But you wouldn't believe what else they can get into in those 10 or so minutes!
~Make breakfast for the kids, always yogurt, and then something else like cereal, granola, toast, or bagels (Gideon will happily sit in his high chair and eat, but Judith never sits, she will usually just take a few bites and then follow me around for the rest of the morning, grazing on her breakfast throughout the morning, until Gideon gets hungry again and finishes it for her). Grab some fruit for myself.
~Vacuum or whatever little chore I have that day (see below). Judith enjoys vacuuming so she will often do it for me.
~Start the laundry for the day.
~Clean up the children from breakfast (if I can catch them), and put away the clean dishes from the night before, if any.
~Take the kids upstairs, change and dress Gideon, and get Judith to dress herself.
~Set the kids up with an activity at the table, like colouring or a game or puzzle, or one of Judith's work books. Eventually this will be "school" time.
~Make myself something to eat, and go online myself and check my email, facebook, blogs etc. (while simultaneously kind of participating with the kids).

Yeah, that is what came naturally! I'm so proud of myself. I found that if I get my daily chores done and laundry started before I go online in the morning, I have a much better day.

Weekly chore schedule:

Monday - Assemble garbage(s) and recycling and put out on the back deck for Dave to take to the alley the next morning. Wash tshirts, pj's, socks and underwear (usually 2 loads, one of which I hang to dry, because I don't have enough space to hang both indoors).

Tuesday - Vacuum living room. Wash diapers.

Wednesday - Clean bathrooms (and any other windows/mirrors as necessary). Wash pants and sweaters (1-2 loads, I can hang all of these usually). Bathe the older kids before bed.

Thursday - Vacuum living room. Wash towels and bed sheets (alternate between our sheets and the kids' sheets weekly, there's usually 1-2 loads between everything). Make up beds.

Friday - Go around with a spray bottle of vinegar and water and annihilate any smears, smudges or splats. I don't get everything every week, but I do what I can, whatever catches my eye, every little bit helps. Walls, doors, door frames, light switches, window sills, cupboard doors, railings, dressers, desks, tables, chairs, toys, etc. Wash diapers in the afternoon, and Dave's work clothes in the evening.

Saturday - Nothing. I don't normally even do dishes. And for supper we have leftovers or quick food from the pantry. It's as close to a day "off" as a mama can get. I do take Judith to her dance class in the morning, but I usually sit and read a book (it's an unparented class), and have a blissful 45 minutes of quiet to myself. Then once my gym membership starts again, I will go to the gym after lunch. I do my meal plans for the week and grocery list before bed, but I don't really see that as a "chore", I quite enjoy it. I do bathe all the kids before bed on Saturday, too, and wash their hair. Yes, they only have a bath 2x a week and get their hair washed once. And I only bathe Ruthie on Saturdays.

Sunday - Groceries are done first thing in the morning (Dave often does the shopping while I stay home with the kids). This is also my big cleaning day. I vacuum the living room and stairs going up before breakfast. Then after I eat I tidy and vacuum upstairs (but only every 2-3 weeks, it doesn't get too bad up there). Then when Gideon goes down for a nap, Judith and I pick up all of the toys in the basement and vacuum down there, and the stairs. Then I sweep and mop the kitchen, and also sometimes the entrance and bathrooms if needed (usually every 2-3 weeks). I also catch up on all the dishes and do a thorough clean of the kitchen, and put away any remaining clean laundry. I seriously spend the entire day cleaning, but that's what I prefer. I like to be able to look at it at the end of the day and feel like I accomplished something (and then not worry about it too much the rest of the week). If we end up going out and doing something on Sunday, then I bump all of this to Monday, which is tricky since I don't have Dave to hold Ruthie all day for me, but I do what I can.

I like having Saturday is my "rest" day, and then Sunday as kind of a "reset" day for the week.

*Gideon goes down for a nap between 2 and 3 (and I wake him up at 5, he'd seriously sleep all day, he gets that from his mama I think). Then I usually put a movie on downstairs for Judith, and try to get Ruthie down for a nap in the hammock (she will sometimes sleep 2-3 hours in there!). If I am successful, I actually get some time to myself!*

*I also try and put "yesterday's" laundry away in the afternoons. It doesn't always happen, but I actually enjoy folding and putting everything away, usually while Gideon naps. If I miss it one day, I can usually double up the next day and get it all away. And if all else fails, I do it all Sunday.*

My evening routine goes something like this:

I usually start thinking about dinner around 4:30 or 5, depending on what it is (I would DIE without my meal plans!). I aim to have dinner ready for 6:30. Although I've often been late with this, especially if Dave is home late so I have to make supper with Ruthie in tow. But since he has been home with his injury, I can be more consistent (well, at least try. I still seem to always be "late" with it). I make most dinners from scratch so it takes a while. I need to learn to do a lot of the prep early in the day so I'm not so rushed in the evening.

After dinner, if Ruthie needs me I will feed her and go online for a bit. The kids usually enjoy playing downstairs after dinner, and it's the only time of day they aren't at my heels, for some reason. If Ruthie is sleeping, or content in the sling with Dave, I will clear off the tables, clean up the kitchen, spot sweep and do the dishes (pots & pans, everything else in the dishwasher which I run usually every 2-3 nights).

Soon I will be going to the gym again 2x a week. Those nights are usually rushed, I try to leave by 7/7:30 so I can be home by 8:30/9. But I need the gym, so it's worth it.

Around 8:30 I will tell Judith that bed time is coming, and she helps me tidy up the living room. This has seriously been the BEST idea ever! Tidying up before bedtime has revolutionized my life. It's so nice in the morning coming downstairs to a tidy living room, and then it's quick to vacuum in the morning too. Judith doesn't always want to help, but she has to at least put her arts/crafts/puzzles/games etc away in the cupboard, and take all of the toys downstairs (so many seem to migrate up every day). This has been really good for her, after fighting with her for a couple weeks about it, she now participates willingly, and often without being asked.

At 9 the kids go upstairs (8:30 on bath nights). Lately, now that we actually have a routine, they go up without a fight. We get our pj's on, brush our teeth and wash faces if necessary, read 3 books on Mommy's & Daddy's bed, then tuck the kids into their beds with hugs, kisses and prayers. Bed time has been going really well lately! It will probably get harder when we transition Gideon to the bottom bunk from the crib this summer, but for now, it's great. I'm so glad I decided to be consistent with bed time. For a long time we just went with the flow, and sometimes the kids weren't in bed until 11 or 12! Now they are in bed with lights out by 10 at the latest every night, and it has improved their attitudes a lot, and made my life a lot easier. Yay bedtime!

After the kids go to bed (Dave often goes to bed at this time too, especially on work nights), I will either do the dishes or go online, whatever I didn't do after supper. I try and be in bed before midnight. Occasionally I will just be too tired, so I'll go to bed with everyone else.

So, this is basically what my life looks like these days. I definitely don't follow this all perfectly, I'm a pretty flexible person and when things come up I can easily deviate from the plan and make up for it later. But this has actually been working out pretty well for me! Hopefully it will last this time...

The Amazingness

I've been told by several people that I should do an infomercial for baking soda and vinegar. I get a little over-excited when I can introduce a friend to their awesome powers! I seriously love them! They are useful in so many ways, relatively cheap, safe around children and pets, and good for the environment.

So I have decided to compile a list of different uses for baking soda and vinegar (that I have discovered anyway!). Now sit back, and let me blow your mind!

Baking Soda is good for...

~Cleaning sinks - porcelain, ceramic, stainless steel, plastic - Baking soda is not picky! I just get a wet face cloth, sprinkle baking soda on to it, and wipe! The dirt and stains just melt away!

~Cleaning counter tops.

~Cleaning toilet seats and exteriors. I use a mix of baking soda AND white vinegar for the bowl, probably about a half cup each, then I let it sit and fester for a while, then scrub with the brush and voila, clean! It will help keep your pipes clean too.

~Cleaning bath tubs. This is my favourite! Our tub gets really bad since Dave is a dirty roofer. Other cleaners won't touch it, but I just put a little baking soda on my cloth and it takes very little effort to make the tub sparkle! The tar goes running for its mama! And it gets the hard water stains off too. (Anything CLR can do, baking soda can do better!)

~Adding 1/2 cup in a load of laundry to boost cleaning power and zap odors!

~Adding to dishwasher detergent (I do 2 parts detergent to 1 part baking soda), to help clean, cut down the amount of soap you need, and keep the machine itself and drain clean!

~Scrubbing nasty dishes and cutting boards. Baking soda combined with some elbow grease will get off the stains and crusted food that dish soap can't.

~Washing walls and cupboards. I used baking soda to clean out our old apartment when we moved, and it did a fabulous job! Make sure to wipe with just water afterward, or it may leave a white residue.

~Cleaning stoves and hoods (and other appliances!). When we moved I thought I'd try baking soda on the hood over the stove, and it worked so well! It was yellow, caked with grease, when we moved in, but white and sparkling when we moved out! I wish I had thought of that earlier...

~Cleaning carpets. I usually go at a spill or stain with baking soda on a cloth (sometimes vinegar too if it's bad). It was especially good when the cat or toddler had an accident, it killed the smell! It may leave a white residue, but that is easily vacuumed up once it's dry.

~Mopping. I add 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of white vinegar to a mop bucket, and fill with hot water. It works great on my tile kitchen, lino bathrooms and it also worked great on the laminate wood floors at our old apartment.

~Cleaning dried spills and stains in general. Most things come off easily with baking soda and a little scrubbing.

~Cleaning out garbage cans and diaper pails, along with white vinegar. I usually add equal parts of each and let it sit for a while, then add water and swish around, scrub if necessary.

~Curbing odors. I sprinkle some in the bottom of garbage cans, diaper pails, nasty shoes etc. I've heard some people use it as deodorant too, I haven't tried it myself though. People often keep a small box in the fridge to curb odors there.

~Brushing teeth, it really helps whiten and get your teeth squeaky clean! You get over the taste eventually.

~Cleaning your scalp. In the shower, add a bit of water to a handful of baking soda to make a paste, then scrub all over your scalp, leave for a few minutes, and rinse thoroughly out. Dave used to have nasty flakes, but they were gone after just one use of baking soda!

~Cleaning your body. Make the same kind of paste as for your scalp, and rub it on your face and body. It will leave your skin feeling soooo smooth! Or add a cup to your bath!

~Preventing cancer (supposedly). Make sure the baking soda is aluminum-free. Take a half tea spoon in some water every night to help neutralize your body. I don't really know for sure if this is true or not, but apparently lowering the acidity of your body will help get more oxygen in your blood, which kills cancer cells.

~Making baked goods. Duh.

~Putting out fires. Especially grease or oven fires. Just throw the baking soda on top of the fire and it will go out! Ask me how I know...

White Vinegar is good for...

~Cleaning mirrors, windows, and any kind of glass. Works soooooo well! I usually put a bit of water in the sink and add some vinegar, about 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Then I soak a cloth and wipe down the surface of what I'm cleaning, then dry it with a towel or newspaper, and it's soooo amazingly clean! You can almost see into other dimensions! You could also make up a spray bottle of the diluted vinegar, and just spray the surface and wipe.

~Cleaning faucets and anything shiny. I loooove doing my sink and shower faucets with vinegar. I use the same process as with glass, it looks so amazing after!

~Using as an all-purpose cleaner. I have a spray bottle with 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water, and I spray the surface (wall, table, chair, toy, floor, etc) then wipe try with a microfibre cloth. It works really well! You can add a few drops of tea tree oil if you like.

~Adding to the rinse cycle for laundry. It helps remove soap residue, and also kills yeast (so it's good for your underwear or non-PUL cloth diapers if your baby is having yeast rashes).

~Putting in the 'Jet-Dry' spot on your dishwasher. No one ever suggested this to me, I just decided to do it, and I like to think that is why my glasses and cutlery come out so shiny. =) It keeps the dishwasher itself clean too.

~Using with baking soda for toilets, garbage cans, carpets and mopping (see above).

~Getting burnt-on stuff off of pots and pans. Simmer diluted vinegar in the pot, then scrub! Not that I ever burn anything while cooking.... =P

~Cooking and pickling. I can't stand the taste of vinegar though!

~Rinsing your hair. Put about a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in a squirt or peri bottle (I use an old mustard squeeze bottle), and fill the rest with water and then squirt all over your hair and rinse well. It will get the dirt and soaps/chemicals out but leave your natural oils (and help distribute them) so your hair will be soft. It's not so great on my curly hair unless I use a leave-in conditioner after, but it leaves Dave's straight hair really nice.

~Adding to water. Dave occasionally adds a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to his water bottle. Apparently it's good for you, although it makes me want to barf, lol.

*
If anyone else has other uses for baking soda and vinegar, PLEASE let me know and I will add them to my list! Seriously, they are my favourite 'home maker' products out there! I don't use ANYTHING else for cleaning. I do have some bleach, I bought a jug of it when we moved out west (3.5 years ago), and it's still about half full. Most of that went to bleaching Ruthie's placenta, and occasionally I will give my diapers a bleach. We used it once when the toilet backed up too. But other than that, it's baking soda and vinegar all the way!

Presence

A friend of mine noted on her blog a little while ago how children are always completely present in everything they do. I've watched my children, and it's so true. When they do something, they are 100% there; in mind, body, and soul. They aren't worrying about anything else, their attention isn't divided, and they can focus completely on the task at hand, whether it's building a Lego tower or throwing the world's worst tantrum. Nothing else matters. Even Judith, who bounces from thing to thing to thing with boundless energy, is still totally present, all the time.

I can learn a lot from them. These days it seems like I am never entirely present. I think it's a survival mechanism, something I've developed to cope with the stress of mothering. I don't give myself fully to anything. It's almost like I've put walls up to prevent myself from being completely immersed in reality. But it really doesn't help at all. It actually hinders my daily life and relationships. I feel terrible about it, because my kids deserve better. It's hard as a mom these days, I feel like there is so much expected of me. I need to do 2 or 3 things at a time just to survive. Even right now, I am typing on the computer, watching a movie with Judith, and trying to keep Gideon from rolling on to Ruthie (his favourite way of showing affection) who is lying beside me since she just finished nursing. I know sometimes it has to be that way to get things done, especially with a nursing baby. But I know that I could be wiser with my time and energy, and focus more on being fully present, no matter what I'm doing. Things will still get chaotic, but it would be better to take a deep breath and dive in fully to where I am at that moment, rather than try and take it all on at once.

I've been conducting a little experiment lately. I've made a point in spending at least some time every day, focused 100% on the kids. You know what, it's HARD! It takes a lot of effort, and most of the time I fail. I get easily distracted by other things that need to be done, and most of the time I catch my mind wandering elsewhere, like to what's for supper, the latest parenting issue, something I read on facebook, or how dirty my carpets are (etc etc etc). It drives me CRAZY, and I so badly just want to 'check out' mentally. I try to escape by disengaging my heart and mind. Or I will sit at the computer, then get frustrated when the kids will not leave me alone. But when I can do it, when I can be completely present with the kids for a little while - physically, mentally and emotionally - it's amazing. I learn so much about them, and fall in love in new ways. I get intoxicated by the smell of breastmilk on Ruthie's breath, enchanted by the sparkle in Gideon's eye, and astounded by the beauty in every move Judith makes. They are SUCH amazing little people! It's so worth it, I don't know why I let myself get distracted by other things all the time.

The kids are also so happy when I can focus on them! They behave so well, and I feel like I can be the parent they deserve. I enjoy it too! I find when I am 100% there with the kids, the stress in my life just melts away. I can find joy in the little things again. Simple activities like making cookies with Judith, building train tracks with Gideon, or just sitting and staring at Ruthie while I nurse, makes SUCH a difference for them! When I look deep into their eyes while we interact, all is well with the world, they feel safe and loved. It's wonderful for me too. The colour starts coming back into my life, and I can't help but taste pure delight.

The same applies to time spent with Dave. I've been making a point of talking and cuddling with him at night instead of reading or going on the computer, and he appreciates that. Even just a few minutes leaves me feeling a lot more connected.

I could even apply this to housework. When I can focus and put myself totally into what I'm doing, not worrying about the big picture but merely doing the task at hand, it gets done faster and better. I can feel satisfaction in what I am doing, and what I have accomplished.

I need to apply this to my "me" time as well (when I actually get it). That is the hardest part. I don't get a whole lot of time, but when I do, my brain and my heart are always elsewhere. I've got a million 'to-do's' on my mind, and worries in my heart. That's probably why I never feel recharged after.

There are so many great things about living in this technological day and age. I love that I can keep in touch with my friends and family all over the world, that every kind of information is available right at my finger tips, and I don't have to slave away all day just to survive. But this lifestyle is still a busy one. My brain is overwhelmed and overloaded, my heart is divided between so many things, and my time mysteriously slips away day after day. It seems almost impossible to simply focus on one thing at a time. It takes a lot of effort and intention. But if I can do it, even just for a little while every day, I feel so much happier and in control of my life. I definitely don't have it all figured out, and I really need to work on this, but I think it's worth it to try. My family deserves it, and this time I have while they are with me is too precious to waste by spreading myself too thin. Maybe eventually I will regain that ability I seem to have lost in adulthood, to be absolutely and completely present in everything that I do. To be like a child again.

Hidden Valley Thoughts

For the next while, I'm going to try following some weekly memes to see if that will help inspire me to blog more. Yesterday I did the Simple Woman's Day Book, which I'm going to try and do Mondays. Tuesdays I want to try and do Hidden Valley Thoughts. I also want to continue with my 1000 Gifts project. There are buttons for all of these on the left column of my blog if you want more info. Fridays I will try and post a recipe, I enjoy doing those. The other days will be the usual programming, if I can come up with stuff. Let me know if there are any other fun memes or blog ideas out there!

About Hidden Valley Thoughts:


"As a career woman, turned stay-at-home-mom, I have learned what it means to live in a hidden valley.

"Moms live in a hidden valley day after day, completing tasks that will never be recognized but always taken for granted, putting in longer days than even the most ambitious career woman, and playing more roles than a well paid movie actress.

"They wake up each morning, longing to write that book, open that art gallery, record the music CD, start that exercise studio, and then fall into bed each night, too exhausted to pursue those dreams.

"There are tears that no one sees, laughter that no one hears, and lessons that few people ever hear about.

"Once a week, those who want to share a particular lesson or incident that took place in their Hidden Valley, can do so. It may be something God taught you, a moment of letting your kids play in the mud as you realize a little dirt doesn't hurt anybody, or a video that stuck a chord in your soul. Whatever it is, if it touched you, share it with us!"

I want to start off with this video, this is totally my life since becoming a mother:



I love Gypsee Yo. =)

Looking Ahead...

I just want to share a couple links with you. I have been SO busy lately, as you can imagine with just moving, planning Judith's 4th birthday, planning a home birth, AND preparing for Christmas! But come January there are 2 things I really want to focus on. 1 is eating better, and 2 is becoming more self-disciplined and taking better care of my family and house.

I came across this blog thanks to a friend on facebook, and I think it will be really helpful for getting my family healthy using baby steps. It's great timing for me too.

http://www.hiddenvalleysimplicity.com/2009/11/52-weeks-to-all-natural-lifestyle.html

And I used to follow FlyLady, but I haven't since the spring. But I want to get back on that bandwagon!

http://flylady.net/

Jammin'

Hey, remember how we went strawberry picking a little while ago? Well, I actually managed to make 4 jars of jam out of the berries we didn't eat immediately (ie less than half of what I picked, but we couldn't help but eat them, they were so good!). See!



My jams are so cool, haha.

Anyways, here is how I did it:

First I washed 2 jars and lids with soap and water. Then I put the jars (not lids) in a tall pot and boiled them for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes were up, I took them off the burner and put the lids in and let them sit along with the jars in the "hot water bath".

While that was going, I cut off the stems and sliced the strawberries (the first time I did 3 cups, but it didn't quite fill both jars, so I recommend doing 4 cups of sliced berries). I mashed the berries with a potato masher, but there were still lots of chunks in it. Then I squeezed the juice out of 1 big lemon (was a little over 2 tbsp). I put the strawberries and lemon juice in a wide pan, and added 1 cup of sugar and mixed it.

Then, once the jars were done boiling (because I only have 1 working burner on my stove) I put the pan on the burner over high heat, mixing continuously. It took about 10 minutes for it to seem "ready". The berries I used were very juicy, so they took a bit longer than usual. Apparently it normally takes 5-8 minutes. It's a lot like making candy I found. When it first boils it's really frothy, but then as it keeps boiling and you keep stirring, there is less and less foam, and it starts to look more glossy. I tested it once there was no longer any foam (I kept intentionally mixing it back in, and when there was no more foam I just had that feeling that it was ready). I had put a small plate in the freezer when I started (put the jars on to boil), so I took that out and put a little jam on it. I let it sit for a minute or so, and then tipped the plate up to see how runny it was. If it's the consistency of, well, jam, then it's done!

So then I took the pan off of the burner, and took the jars and lids out of the hot water using tongs and a magnetic grabber. I used a funnel made for mason jars, and filled up the 2 jars (leaving a little space at the top). I put the lids on tightly (using a towel, they were hot!), and then used the tongs to put them back in the pot of hot water (making sure there was at least an inch of water over the top of the jars), and boiled them for 10 minutes. Once they were done, I put them up on a pot holder on the shelf to cool for 12-24 hours.

I did 2 batches of this, and the second time there was a bit leftover because I used 4 cups of berries instead of 3, so we ate the left overs in the pan with some bread and it was SO GOOD. A couple days later I made some home made bread, and we cracked open a jar and tried it. It was perfect, and so yummy! I felt very satisfied knowing that I had made that entire snack from scratch. It was way better than store-bought stuff. I'm not sure if I will ever buy jam again!

Here is a video of how I made it (Youtube has played a vital role in teaching me how to cook, btw).



So, just in case you are wondering, it IS possible to make jam in a ridiculously small kitchen with only 1 working burner.

What Little Miss 3.0 Has Taught Me Already...

~Time is best spent outside.

~"The Bare Minimum" is still a huge accomplishment.

~It's perfectly ok to leave the dishes until we run out of cutlery.

~It is possible to survive on very little sleep.

~It's ok to leave it until tomorrow if I just can't muster up the energy to do it today.

~I'm going to be late anyway, so I might as well leave the house with a smile instead of a bad word.

~Cleaning schedules only cause guilt.

~It's possible to have a great day after a terrible night.

~Things are always going to get spilled, dumped or broken. It's pointless to get angry (P.S. get the 3.5 year-old to clean it up).

~Sometimes it's best to just relinquish control and go with the flow.

~At some point, I will actually have the energy, and it will actually get done.

~My kids are a lot of fun. Housework is not. You do the math.

(My new house-cleaning strategy is to just do what I can whenever I feel like it. It's hard for me to give up a schedule, but it is also quite liberating. Surprisingly, my house is no worse that it was before. Often it's actually better, and I'm not weighed down by the guilt of 'failing' to complete my tasks.)

Trying to Be Appreciative

Lately I have had a hard time living in our apartment. It is very small, and I honestly can't imagine how we will have another baby in here as well. I do like that it forces us to be close to each other, no matter where we are in the home, our landlords are great, and we don't pay very much for it. But I actually find it kind of hard to clean, despite what you may think, because I have to clean around (or move) everything and everyone, so by the time I'm done it looks like I haven't even done anything. It's true that I can have the place picked up in about an hour if someone is coming over, but at the same time, it only takes a few things on the floor or out of place to make it look like a disaster. Plus it's a basement, so it's always freezing cold in here, and I personally prefer hot to cool. It's a perk in the summer to come in to a cold house, and not pay extra for it, but we only have 2 months of summer here, and the rest of the year is chilly. This baby is due in December, and it would be really annoying to have to bundle him/her up so much all the time. We also don't have a backyard, so when I have to get the kids out so they can release their energy every day, it involves some preparation, even if we are just going up to the park. I don't know what I will do this winter when the baby comes and I won't be able to take the kids out every day anymore... Whine whine whine...

Those are all just the little things, though. My biggest complaint has always been the kitchen. It kind of reminds me of a jail cell, only smaller. It's all enclosed, and the barred baby gate at the entrance tops it off, ha. There are no windows, it's actually part of the furnace room that was converted to a kitchen, so it's very dark and dank. Food goes moldy REALLY QUICKLY. Only one person fits in there, so I can't have help with cooking or dishes, even if someone offered. There is very minimal cupboard space, although we do make the best of it. Counter space is even more scarce, there is only a little bit on either side of the little sink, and the right side is usually covered in dirty dishes, and the left side houses our crock pot and clean dishes. You say, "Why not just do the dishes after every meal, dry them and put them away so you can use that space?" Because honestly, I'd rather die. Ok, maybe not, but I try to spend as little time as possible in there. Have I mentioned I'm really claustrophobic? And the floor is tile over concrete so it's really hard on my back? It would be too much work, and it's such minimal counter space anyway that it wouldn't really be worth it. I have a cutting board bridging the stove to the counter, and that is my "prep" space. I have to be creative when using certain recipes that require counter space. I use the stove as "counter space" often too. The burners on the right side of the stove don't work anyway, and the rear left one will only go to med/high, so really I only have 1 fully working burner. So will you please feel sorry for me now? I used to love cooking, but now most days I dread going in the kitchen, sometimes to the point of tears.

You can go see this post if you want to see what I'm talking about. I was standing outside of the gate at the entrance of the kitchen to take those photos, by the way. The fridge is to the left beside the stove, but just kind of back a bit. To the right there is the narrow doorway to the furnace room (which scares me), and a shelf we use as our pantry.

I have been dreaming about moving a lot lately. I want to so badly. I'm not too picky, all I really want is 3 bedrooms (we have 2 right now), a backyard and a dishwasher. Or maybe even just a double sink. Or at least a window... But I also know that it's very possible we won't be able to afford to live anywhere else. So I am going to try and be positive, and come up with my "gifts" this week that involve my kitchen.

41 - Indoor running water. My grandma had 3 babies each a year or less apart, and she had to go outside to pump water (and also had to go outside to go to the bathroom, and wash her cloth diapers by hand! So I'm not really in that bad a position...). Most people in the world today still do not have running water inside their kitchen. So I'm lucky.

42 - Electricity. I know it's basic, but my kitchen would be even scarier if I couldn't just flick on the light every time I have to go in. Plus all of my handy dandy appliances require it. So I'm pretty thankful for it!

43 - HOT water on tap. My parents don't have hot water at the cottage, so we have to boil it for dishes or bathing. So when I come home, having hot water immediately on tap is amazing.

44 - Less crap. If I have something I'm not using, it's not worth keeping just to take up space we don't have.

45 - Food. I have never gone hungry while living here.

46 - Dishes etc. Most of the things in my kitchen were either wedding gifts, given to us by someone, or were foraged. =) I am thankful to have the equipment I need to make our daily meals! And that they didn't cost us a fortune.

47 - Minimal Bugs. There just aren't a lot of bugs out west, I guess. It's nice that I can leave the dirty dishes out overnight and they aren't crawling by morning. I hate bugs, especially spiders, centepedes, earwigs and beetles. We had all of those things when we lived in a basement in Ottawa (as well as ants, but they don't bother me as much for some reason). Then Australia was a whole other story, involving potentially lethal creatures and spiders big enough to eat small dogs. We once saw a Huntsman (see photo below) at a friend's house that was the size of a dinner plate.


Ok, so I couldn't think of many things, probably because I have been spoiled by living in the Developed World my whole life. I bet I would discover many more things that are wonderful about my current kitchen if I spent some time in the Third World, which is something I would actually like to do some day... I'm sure it would curb my complaining.

Until then, I will probably still be dreaming of moving to a new house. Perferrably before the baby arrives... In our culture I don't think it's too much to ask.

Help!

I've never sewn anything by hand before. I haven't sewn anything with a machine since grade 8.

But Lambie needs some serious surgery if he's going to survive. I keep finding Lambie guts (stuffing) everywhere.







Anyone know how to fix him? I guess I will need a patch, but the fabric around the tear is totally threadbare too. I don't even know where to begin.

But we need to save him. He is loved very much.



Someone please tell me what to do!