Toy Rotation and what to do with all the baby blankets...

 


 To keep the toy mess down we use a toy rotation for the little ones. We use plastic bins to store away toys. Then they can pull a box out to play and just that box. Each box gets an old baby blanket. They can set out the blanket for play. If they keep most of the toys on the blanket it is pretty easy to bunch up the ends and dump them back in the box. But, an old blanket is just a fun toy or cape or tablecloth for the imaginative child.

November Meal Planning

 I always find things I want to make.  But, then I look in my pantry and I am missing stuff.  Sometimes, when I work on my weekly plan there just isn't room for a few ingredients.  In September, I started planning for October. I made a folder to save the new recipes for October.  When it started looking a bit too much, I think around 20, I started November.  This worked so well for me.  I looked through them all and added those staples to my first shopping list.  I was able to do most of them for October.  It really helped to mix up my normal go to recipes like chili, enchiladas, tacos, homemade pizza, pasta and sauce.  So, here are my picks for November. 

 Breakfast

If I can actually get up in the morning and make something for breakfast.  SURPRISE!  My crew will wake up early, too.  They are so much happier with something to eat.  If I remember I will set out stuff the night before. I can mix up dry stuff and put them in the mixing bowl.  The bright green one that has it's own lid.  The one that used to seem so big before I had a teenager. 

Mocha Coconut Banana Bread

Orange Glow Muffins

Protein Porridge

Soup
It is starting to get cold.  I love soup. It is cheap.  I can usually make it in the crockpot.  When put in the crockpot at breakfast time, it is usually read for lunch.  Hot lunch makes homeschooling just a little bit better.  Already prepared hot lunch makes me feel like I almost have a maid or cook or mother's helper.  
 
Gluten Free Goddess's Mulligatawny soup with Jasmine Rice

Humboldt Soup

Dinner

For some reason dinner is the hardest meal of the day for me.  I don't really like dinner.  Everyone in my house likes something different for dinner.  My husband and the 14 year old man er boy...whatever he feels like that day...think they need meat and man food.  My 11 year old is a staunch vegetarian. My 8 year old wants to eat and run.  My toddler wants to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The baby wants to slap my spoon and nurse at the same time.  I could eat chili and rice or stir fry and rice EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.  If I was feeling warm I might eat a smoothie. Oh, and the budget. Our budget is tight.  My compromise?  They don't get to complain unless they help. I buy meat maybe once a month and it is usually I really good sale.  Our local store often has B1G1F.  I can usually get nice chicken or roasts in a family pack.  So, I can get a lot of meals out of those.  I am totally digging on the lentils, too.  

Lentil and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.

Crockpot Pizza Potatoes

Eggplant Veggie Burgers

Spaghetti and Red Lentil Balls

I made the lentil balls and they were awesome.  No one complained.  Well, at least not the annoying kind. But, everyone ate.  No one said they had a stomach ache.  I even made some Vegan Parm.  I used half raw almond and half nutritional yeast. I whizzed that up in my vitamix very carefully.  I was afraid of making nut butter.  I ended up adding salt to taste. I felt like it needed some saltyness.  I feel like such a dummy mummy for waiting so long to make Vegan Parm.  It is so expensive and the jar is so little.  I think I spent maybe 2 or 3 bucks and the jar is huge.  It is so yummy and full of protein and B12.  What isn't to like about that?

Found a new blog while searching for Vegan menus. Fimby is full of natural things and simple beauty.

I spent Saturday trying to find alone time. I let the boys play games and veg. But, first I knocked out the pile of dishes and laundry. I gave each boy one major chore. Little flower got herself a really plush bed and lots of babies in her giant play pen. I think I really needed that. I knew I wouldn't get to go anywhere and my fuse was short. But, it sure feels good.

::Things I need to do this week::
Finishing revamping chorepacks
Wash all the windows...they get dirty and moldy over the winter since the back half of the house is partially in the ground.
Oldest is hanging up the laundry we got behind on.
Read more in Siblings without rivalry...these boys drive me nuts. I get tired of yelling, leave me alone and the oh so popular..you are such a turd.
Make a Trader Joes list. I realize we haven't been there in a few months. Seems strange.

Thinking about simplicity in 2011

Well, 2011 is here. Several years ago I realized I had a sometimes over the edge attachment to things. I started trying to simplify. In the midst, We added another child and now there will be another soon. I have that nesting thing going on. I am craving a big move. I love moving. My third child asked me this week what my favorite things were. I told him moving. He laughed because he thought I meant the ability to move. I mean moving to a new home. I love throwing out and donating as we pack. I love getting there and not opening boxes till we need them. I love putting the glasses away in new clean shelves. I love the smell of fresh paint (even the low voc stuff has a smell).

Here are some Other bloggers to help you get started:
SimpleMom has a list of questions if you are feeling thoughtful.

Raising Olives encourages you to read your Bible.

Enjoy and celebrate the seasons.

And, two of my favorite boards are holding the 2011 in 2011 decluttering challenge. Here and Here.


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This weeks Menu

Well, this week starts up on Friday.  I plan to shop early on Friday morning.  We usually visit with friends that day.  But, that will have to wait to see how shopping goes. I am using my printable shopping list again.  We follow the menu from my last week for the entire month.  We were able to really stretch our budget and fit in some goodies, as well.

Breakfast 

F-Muffins or Granola Bars

S-Waffles or French Toast

S-Cold cereal or leftovers

M-Pancakes

T-Hot Cereal with honey

W-Eggs or breakfast burritos

T-Oatmeal

Lunch

F-Fruit, Crackers, Cheese, deviled Eggs

S-Quesidillas or leftovers

S-Leftovers/Fend for yourself OR English Muffin Pizza & Salad

M-Chickpea or tuna salad sandwiches/melts

T-Grilled Cheese & baked beans or soup

W-Peanut Butter and Jelly on bread/tortillas

T-Mac and Cheese & frozen veg

Dinner

F-Pizza

S-Snackies, pizza leftovers, poppers

S-Dad's Birthday...Fish Burgers, Coleslaw, Avocado, Homemade Fries, german chocolate cake

M-Bean Burritos

T-Chicken, tofu, cornbread, salad or frozen veg

W-Church, leftovers or spaghetti

T-Chili and baked potatoes

Kitchen Organization

I have a good size kitchen with a slightly strange layout.  I haven't figured out how to use it yet.  And, this is the second time I have lived in this house.  You would think I would have it down.  But, you must remember with me.  Back then I was newly married and a new mom.  I had only a husband and little baby to feed.  Seriously, I didn't need any room.  My cupboards were barren because well....I didn't need pots and pans and piles of dishes.  It took us forever to fill up the dishwasher.

Now I have four.  I am tired.  I am homeschooling.  We come and go.  Everyone is always hungry.

A real live action break

Enters oldest son....why is there nothing to eat...I hate curry....I am complaining because complaining is fun.

So, I am looking for some inspiration.
Down to Earth talks about her pantry here.

So, I made a menu.  Which I plan to repeat to boredom every week.  I need to put something on auto-pilot. I, also, created a shopping list for said menu.  So, I can just check off what we need/want and not spend forever shopping and guessing and wishing and wondering.  Cooking is no fun right now.  I will let you know when it is.  Right now, I don't want to think about it.  I don't want to hear how there is nothing to eat.

Breakfast 

M-Pancakes

T-Cream of Wheat

W-Eggs

T-Oatmeal

F-Muffins or Granola Bars

S-Waffles or French Toast

S-Cold cereal or leftovers

Lunch

M-Chickpea or tuna salad sandwiches/melts

T-Grilled Cheese & baked beans or soup

W-Peanut Butter and Jelly on bread/tortillas

T-Mac and Cheese & frozen veg

F-Fruit, Crackers, Cheese, deviled Eggs

S-Quesidillas or leftovers

S-Leftovers/Fend for yourself OR English Muffin Pizza & Salad

Dinner

M-Bean Burritos

T-Chicken, tofu, coleslaw, cornbread, rice

W-Church, leftovers or spaghetti

T-Chili and baked potatoes

F-Pizza

S-Curry Beef in crockpot, tofu, rice, frozen veg

S-Leftovers/Fend for yourself or Fried Rice

A link to the actual Shopping List

Meal Planning in 2010

Monday-Soup and Sandwiches 

Tuesday-Burritos or Mexican Food 

Wednesday-Leftovers or Church Meal 

Thursday-Tofu/Chicken, rice, frozen veg or salad 

Friday-Pizza 

Saturday-Finger Foods and leftovers 

Sunday-Crockpot or Breakfast

Along with some changes in our budget, I am making a plan for meals. I don't want to have to be a slave to it. But, I've found it helps to make outlines for myself. I'm going to keep myself out of stores. I've already set us up for our first Terra Organics order. I'm working on finding a local drop point for Azure Standard. Then I can shop at Costco once a month and Trader Joes every other month. That should keep our budget low while still building up a stockpile. I don't want to go through another hard time without a pantry. That was really hard this last time. I can go without a lot of things. But, not being able to feed my family well is so difficult.

Christmas 2009 Tea Set

Christmas 2009 Tea Set

Since, I no longer live near loose leaf bulk tea...well a place that sells it...I ordered some today from Republic of Tea. It's the kind I used to drink in Seattle. I got just a small bag every week or so and kept in one of those magnetic tins on the fridge.

My husband got me a tea container for Christmas, so I want to fill it up. I'm curious to see how long the tea lasts for me.

Cleaning up my reading list...

I just went to clean up my reading list. I can't believe how little we have been reading. I just couldn't read at all while I was sick. I'm still struggling to retain information. I think I'm just that tired. I did start Farm Sanctuary and it's been really interesting and a good read so far. I was worried I couldn't stomach it, but maybe I needed something more technical to chew on. I don't know, but it seems to be working. I think Monday I'll get back to reading aloud to the boys. I think we could all really use that, but that's a different blog now isn't this. This is my blog.

While at goodreads (where I keep my reading list) I realized how much those lists are like my life. I have a bunch of lists on there and they aren't really doing much. I expected way too much reading for all of this for the year. With three boys it's just makes no sense to separate them for reading. There is a good middle ground for all of them. I guess I'll just leave those lists there until I wake up and realize I don't want them hanging over me.

I felt like I had done really well to simplify and get into a certain groove. And, then my life took another sudden turn and here I am. Moved, pregnant, sick, a new home, a new church, a not so new town. I felt so settled in Seattle and honestly my parents town, where I live now, is a really wonderful town. Full of wonderful people. But, they just aren't as hippy, dippy, crunchy as we are.

But, this is Washington State and I know they must be out there. There must be someone who still wears Birkenstocks and socks!!!

What is a good day?

My husband and I are trying to get on track. We flounder around. We know we need a better routine for our boys. They are so much happier when they know what is expected and I am so much happier when I get a chance for a break during the day.

We took away video games during the week. So, very helpful. They were getting into the habit of only doing work so they could play video games. They get more and more manipulative. I just can't stand that. I want to enjoy our time together and not just rush through it so we can retreat to separate corners of the house.

When should we do chores?

School doesn't really take much time once they get started. I really want to get some more of our chores done in the morning and I'm thinking perhaps I should get them done before I start schooling.

My boys do not do school when left alone. I think they should be able to handle it at this point. It's frustrating and I run out of patience and time every night. I end up fixing too many lunches and getting sidetracked with vacuuming or dog brushing or window washing or toilet scrubbing. I go to help someone wash their hands and realize their toilet is filthy and their laundry basket is full.

Boundaries and Expectations

I think if we can keep being firm with our boundaries and expectations of the boys our life will run a little smoother. I hope then I'll be able to leave them alone and they will actually complete what I give them to do.