What a fun and informative morning we had at MOPS today!
Thank you to Christy for sharing some great ideas of organizing and cleaning in her house with all of her little ones a foot!
Here are 2 another "recipes" for super cleansers:
Cleanser 1
1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water
1 Tbsp vinegar
Mix into spray bottle.
Cleanser 2
2 Tbsp ammonia
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1/4 cup vinegar
Mix in spray bottle and add water to fill line.
It is easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed with trying to keep house with little ones, but remembering to keep everything in perspective and correctly prioritized is important. Easier said than done, I know. I often get things out of whack. That is where prayer and asking God to be your portion for the day is so important! Our relationship with God should be the first thing we give attention to. I know again, easier said than done. But try to find some time to focus on God and His provision for you and your family maybe while putting away dishes, folding clothes, cooking dinner. Give Him praise for His creation. Perhaps as you push the stroller on a walk or push kids in a swing or weed a flower bed. Talk with your kids about God's Handiwork. Take time to pray with and for your kids. The power of Prayer is mighty. Often it is all we have as a line of defense to protect our kids.
Trying to get everything done each day and meet everyone's needs is too often the impossible dream. But building and fostering a relationship with God is so important for moms and families!
Praying for all of us moms and our relationships with God!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
What's For Dinner, Mommy?
A very easy and yummy topping to hot dogs. Grilled hot dogs are the best!
Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 can tomatoes
1/3-1/2 cup onion
Salt to taste
1 tsp chili powder
Directions:
Brown ground chuck and drain.
Add other ingredients and cook about 10 minutes.
Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 can tomatoes
1/3-1/2 cup onion
Salt to taste
1 tsp chili powder
Directions:
Brown ground chuck and drain.
Add other ingredients and cook about 10 minutes.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Household Engineer
It is so easy to get overwhelmed with all of the responsibilties of keeping a comfortable and neat house and meeting the needs of all the people and other things we are involved in. I ran across this idea of Minimum Maintenance. What Minimum Maintenance is in a nutshell is this: acknowledging that every day a minimum amount of effort will go into that day to make it work.
Minimum Maintenance is NOT a thorough cleaning process. It is great because it a morning (or evening) run-through of the house, that gives you a successful start (or finish) to your day, no matter what happens. All you need is a kitchen timer and your favorite cleaners.
Here are some basic guidelines to help you make your daily routine Minimum Maintenance- Remember MINIMUM- JUST TO MAKE THE DAY WORK:
1. Spend NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES! picking up and straightening. (Except the kitchen, which gets 15). When the timer goes off, move on to the next room!
2. Don't start cleaning too deeply during your morning run-through. Save that for later.
3. Don't let the needs of others control your life. (ex. telephone calls, checking email/blogs, TV, etc.)
4. Make the dinner decision early. (Like by 10:00am) Deciding early gives you more choices, even if you eat out. It gives you control. Try an easy monthly menu plan.
5. Start from the outside in. Clean off the top of the counter before you attack a drawer.
6. Categorize items as you go: start grouping stuff as you pick up. Like stuff with like stuff. Don't get try to get into specific, precise categories, just simple groups so that when you begin to really organize, half the job is already done.
7. Learn to pick up before the mess becomes too much. It is easy to ignore the little things lying about because the whole house seems messy. For today, just pick up the stuff you took out and used TODAY.
8. Make the picking-up process a habit. Clean as you go. Having cleansers and supplies in each bathroom make it easier to wipe over surfaces there as you pass thru.
Now here's an easy list of the Minimum Maintenance activities to show you what should be done.
Kitchen: dishes, countertops, sweep. (OK, it may take longer than 15 minutes.)
Entry: pick up, backpacks, shoes, stuff to take upstairs. No tripping over stuff as you come home.
Family Room: newspaper, books, remotes, trash, pillows straightened, laundry pile all over the couch
Bedrooms: The room owner should be responsible for his/her own room: beds made, clothes picked up off of floor, trash thrown away. Two year olds can't make their own bed, but spend a few minutes with your preschooler, helping them see what should be done. Give them a chance to "do" it and then you will probably "fix" it after they leave the room. It will take some time, but after a while they will grow more coordinated and able to do it. It takes practice and developing the expectations early on.
Mail Center: (You need one if you don't have one) junk mail thrown, bills and important papers where they go, etc. Hint: do this when you bring it in from the mailbox. Don't delay!
Start with the big items (bed, table top, countertops) and work down to smaller areas.
Carry a basket or wear an apron with large pockets to store things that need to be carried to another room.
You may not need to do ALL the rooms each day. And all the rooms may not need 5 minutes EVERY DAY.
Being flexible is important. With little kids, it will be nearly impossible to go from room to room without interruption. You maybe try picking up at night.
Keeping a basket in each room (living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc) that toys could be thrown into for a fast and easy clean up. It may not be the most organized way to deal with the toys, but it helps keep the floor from looking like the toy box exploded and makes it easy for the kids to help with a quick pick-up, too.
Setting realistic goals and accepting that a perfectly organized and clean house may not always be a reality with the little ones. But it is possible to maintain a comfortable and peaceful home for your family.
Minimum Maintenance is NOT a thorough cleaning process. It is great because it a morning (or evening) run-through of the house, that gives you a successful start (or finish) to your day, no matter what happens. All you need is a kitchen timer and your favorite cleaners.
Here are some basic guidelines to help you make your daily routine Minimum Maintenance- Remember MINIMUM- JUST TO MAKE THE DAY WORK:
1. Spend NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES! picking up and straightening. (Except the kitchen, which gets 15). When the timer goes off, move on to the next room!
2. Don't start cleaning too deeply during your morning run-through. Save that for later.
3. Don't let the needs of others control your life. (ex. telephone calls, checking email/blogs, TV, etc.)
4. Make the dinner decision early. (Like by 10:00am) Deciding early gives you more choices, even if you eat out. It gives you control. Try an easy monthly menu plan.
5. Start from the outside in. Clean off the top of the counter before you attack a drawer.
6. Categorize items as you go: start grouping stuff as you pick up. Like stuff with like stuff. Don't get try to get into specific, precise categories, just simple groups so that when you begin to really organize, half the job is already done.
7. Learn to pick up before the mess becomes too much. It is easy to ignore the little things lying about because the whole house seems messy. For today, just pick up the stuff you took out and used TODAY.
8. Make the picking-up process a habit. Clean as you go. Having cleansers and supplies in each bathroom make it easier to wipe over surfaces there as you pass thru.
Now here's an easy list of the Minimum Maintenance activities to show you what should be done.
Kitchen: dishes, countertops, sweep. (OK, it may take longer than 15 minutes.)
Entry: pick up, backpacks, shoes, stuff to take upstairs. No tripping over stuff as you come home.
Family Room: newspaper, books, remotes, trash, pillows straightened, laundry pile all over the couch
Bedrooms: The room owner should be responsible for his/her own room: beds made, clothes picked up off of floor, trash thrown away. Two year olds can't make their own bed, but spend a few minutes with your preschooler, helping them see what should be done. Give them a chance to "do" it and then you will probably "fix" it after they leave the room. It will take some time, but after a while they will grow more coordinated and able to do it. It takes practice and developing the expectations early on.
Mail Center: (You need one if you don't have one) junk mail thrown, bills and important papers where they go, etc. Hint: do this when you bring it in from the mailbox. Don't delay!
Start with the big items (bed, table top, countertops) and work down to smaller areas.
Carry a basket or wear an apron with large pockets to store things that need to be carried to another room.
You may not need to do ALL the rooms each day. And all the rooms may not need 5 minutes EVERY DAY.
Being flexible is important. With little kids, it will be nearly impossible to go from room to room without interruption. You maybe try picking up at night.
Keeping a basket in each room (living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc) that toys could be thrown into for a fast and easy clean up. It may not be the most organized way to deal with the toys, but it helps keep the floor from looking like the toy box exploded and makes it easy for the kids to help with a quick pick-up, too.
Setting realistic goals and accepting that a perfectly organized and clean house may not always be a reality with the little ones. But it is possible to maintain a comfortable and peaceful home for your family.
What's For Dinner, Mommy?
Creamy Italian Chicken
(from Fix-It & Forget-It)
Makes 4-6 servings
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
¼ cup water
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
10-3/4-oz. can cream of chicken soup
4-oz. can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
Lightly grease slow cooker. Place chicken in the bottom. Combine salad dressing with water and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours. Combine cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken and cook until heated through. Serve over noodles or rice. Add a fresh green salad to complete the meal.
(from Fix-It & Forget-It)
Makes 4-6 servings
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
¼ cup water
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
10-3/4-oz. can cream of chicken soup
4-oz. can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
Lightly grease slow cooker. Place chicken in the bottom. Combine salad dressing with water and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours. Combine cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken and cook until heated through. Serve over noodles or rice. Add a fresh green salad to complete the meal.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Mini Errand Center
Here is a simple and fun idea that will make your weekly errand shopping a notch more efficient. Put together an errands mini zone, stocked with everything you need to plan and execute errands and shopping trips. Creating your errands mini zone is as simple as corralling the following items into a basket or bin.
A pre-printed grocery list / menu planning sheet
Paper or note pads for other shopping lists
Pens or pencils
A recipe binder loaded with your favorite recipes and meal ideas
A clipboard to use while shopping
Store circulars
Small accordion file for coupons, gift cards and frequent buyer cards
Now all that’s left to do is shop!
www.simplify101.com
A pre-printed grocery list / menu planning sheet
Paper or note pads for other shopping lists
Pens or pencils
A recipe binder loaded with your favorite recipes and meal ideas
A clipboard to use while shopping
Store circulars
Small accordion file for coupons, gift cards and frequent buyer cards
Now all that’s left to do is shop!
www.simplify101.com
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Parenting Tips
What to Do When Kids Are Annoying
Dealing with annoying behavior is not like disciplining for defiance or teaching a child to follow instructions. When it comes to impulsivity, the child can't always make changes just by choosing something different. In many cases, kids don't realize that they're being annoying and they don't know what to do to be more appropriate.
Furthermore, these patterns often come from habits that have been practiced for a long time. These reasons are not excuses for inappropriate behavior but they're a further indication that the job will take concentrated effort from the child and the parents.
Part of the issue is immaturity; the child hasn't learned how to pick up on the social cues or restrain behavior as much as we'd like. But these children need more than just time to grow up. They need concentrated work to develop two character qualities: self-control and sensitivity. These qualities not only help children when they're young, but they become tools for success as children get older.
Here are some working definitions for sensitivity and self-control to get you started with your children in this area:
Self-control is the ability to control myself so that Mom and Dad don't have to.
Self-control means to think before I act.
Self-control is the ability to talk about problems instead of grabbing, pushing, or hitting.
Self-control means that I limit the noises I make when others are around.
Self-control means that I focus on one thing until it gets done, before I move to the next.
Sensitivity means that when I walk into a room I look and listen before I speak.
Sensitivity is thinking about how my actions are affecting other people.
Sensitivity means thinking about how I could help someone else.
This parenting tip comes from Chapter 7 in the book Good and Angry, Exchanging Frustration for Character In You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN,BSN.
Dealing with annoying behavior is not like disciplining for defiance or teaching a child to follow instructions. When it comes to impulsivity, the child can't always make changes just by choosing something different. In many cases, kids don't realize that they're being annoying and they don't know what to do to be more appropriate.
Furthermore, these patterns often come from habits that have been practiced for a long time. These reasons are not excuses for inappropriate behavior but they're a further indication that the job will take concentrated effort from the child and the parents.
Part of the issue is immaturity; the child hasn't learned how to pick up on the social cues or restrain behavior as much as we'd like. But these children need more than just time to grow up. They need concentrated work to develop two character qualities: self-control and sensitivity. These qualities not only help children when they're young, but they become tools for success as children get older.
Here are some working definitions for sensitivity and self-control to get you started with your children in this area:
Self-control is the ability to control myself so that Mom and Dad don't have to.
Self-control means to think before I act.
Self-control is the ability to talk about problems instead of grabbing, pushing, or hitting.
Self-control means that I limit the noises I make when others are around.
Self-control means that I focus on one thing until it gets done, before I move to the next.
Sensitivity means that when I walk into a room I look and listen before I speak.
Sensitivity is thinking about how my actions are affecting other people.
Sensitivity means thinking about how I could help someone else.
This parenting tip comes from Chapter 7 in the book Good and Angry, Exchanging Frustration for Character In You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN,BSN.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Easter
Painting with Peeps!
Do you need some ideas for some fun Easter activities? This is a fun but a little messy idea. The kids will love it!
Materials:
Construction Paper, Vanilla Pudding, Easter Peeps®
Cut large Easter egg shapes out of the construction paper. Put dollops of vanilla pudding in a small bowl and then use the Peeps® as the paintbrush‖. The Peeps® makes a perfect grip for little hands and gives a great sponge-effect for painting. The Peep® will change the color of the pudding! Once your child is finished painting, they can eat their paintbrush.
Note: Peeps® come in the traditional blue, pink, yellow, green and lavender!
Do you need some ideas for some fun Easter activities? This is a fun but a little messy idea. The kids will love it!
Materials:
Construction Paper, Vanilla Pudding, Easter Peeps®
Cut large Easter egg shapes out of the construction paper. Put dollops of vanilla pudding in a small bowl and then use the Peeps® as the paintbrush‖. The Peeps® makes a perfect grip for little hands and gives a great sponge-effect for painting. The Peep® will change the color of the pudding! Once your child is finished painting, they can eat their paintbrush.
Note: Peeps® come in the traditional blue, pink, yellow, green and lavender!
Easter
Walk thru the Holy Week with Jesus
Read daily from the Bible the events that happened in Jesus’ life each day of the week leading up to Easter Sunday. There are several good children's Bible storybooks and the ICB is a good version for little ones to understand fairly well.
Palm Sunday - Jesus enters Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11)
Monday - Jesus clears the temple (Matthew 21:12-17
Tuesday - Jesus teaches (any passage from Matthew 21:23-24:51)
Wednesday - Jesus‘ death foretold (Scripture says nothing about what Jesus did this day. Read Isaiah 53:1-12)
Maundy Thursday - Jesus celebrates Passover (Matthew 26:17-30), Jesus is arrested and tried (Matthew 26:31-27:26)
Good Friday - Jesus is crucified (Matthew 27:27-66)
Saturday - Jesus lies in the tomb (Scripture says nothing about what Jesus did this day. Discuss what Jesus‘ followers might have thought and felt.
Read daily from the Bible the events that happened in Jesus’ life each day of the week leading up to Easter Sunday. There are several good children's Bible storybooks and the ICB is a good version for little ones to understand fairly well.
Palm Sunday - Jesus enters Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11)
Monday - Jesus clears the temple (Matthew 21:12-17
Tuesday - Jesus teaches (any passage from Matthew 21:23-24:51)
Wednesday - Jesus‘ death foretold (Scripture says nothing about what Jesus did this day. Read Isaiah 53:1-12)
Maundy Thursday - Jesus celebrates Passover (Matthew 26:17-30), Jesus is arrested and tried (Matthew 26:31-27:26)
Good Friday - Jesus is crucified (Matthew 27:27-66)
Saturday - Jesus lies in the tomb (Scripture says nothing about what Jesus did this day. Discuss what Jesus‘ followers might have thought and felt.
Resurrection Buns
Just like the tomb on Easter Sunday, these tasty buns are empty on the inside. Bake
these with your kids on Easter morning for a great lesson and a nice breakfast.
1 package Rhodes frozen rolls
24 large marshmallows
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter
½ cup sugar mixed with ½ tsp
cinnamon
Thaw 24 rolls. Flatten each roll to about 3‖ in diameter. Place a
marshmallow in the center and pinch dough to seal it inside. Roll between your palms into
the size of a golf ball. Dip in butter and roll in cinna-mon sugar. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and let rise 30-60 minutes, until doubled.
Bake at 350ยบ for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
2 lb. bag of frozen hash browns
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
¼ c chopped onion or ½ tsp onion salt
12 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Directions
Mix together hash browns, sour cream, soup and onion and place in a lined 9 x 13 dish. Freeze.
On cooking day: Thaw completely. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Top cheese the last half hour.
Bacon and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
3 c. shredded Swiss cheese
12 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled)
3 T crushed French’s onion or green onions
5 eggs (beaten)
2 ¼ c half and half
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. Parmesan cheese
1- 9” unbaked pastry shell
Directions
Mix ingredients together and place in unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes just until knife is the center comes out clean.
On cooking day: Thaw completely. To reheat, bake quiche at 350-375 for approximately 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
Just like the tomb on Easter Sunday, these tasty buns are empty on the inside. Bake
these with your kids on Easter morning for a great lesson and a nice breakfast.
1 package Rhodes frozen rolls
24 large marshmallows
¼ cup (½ stick) melted butter
½ cup sugar mixed with ½ tsp
cinnamon
Thaw 24 rolls. Flatten each roll to about 3‖ in diameter. Place a
marshmallow in the center and pinch dough to seal it inside. Roll between your palms into
the size of a golf ball. Dip in butter and roll in cinna-mon sugar. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet and let rise 30-60 minutes, until doubled.
Bake at 350ยบ for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
2 lb. bag of frozen hash browns
1 pint sour cream
2 cans cream of chicken soup
¼ c chopped onion or ½ tsp onion salt
12 oz. grated cheddar cheese
Directions
Mix together hash browns, sour cream, soup and onion and place in a lined 9 x 13 dish. Freeze.
On cooking day: Thaw completely. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours. Top cheese the last half hour.
Bacon and Cheese Quiche
Ingredients
3 c. shredded Swiss cheese
12 strips bacon (cooked and crumbled)
3 T crushed French’s onion or green onions
5 eggs (beaten)
2 ¼ c half and half
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. Parmesan cheese
1- 9” unbaked pastry shell
Directions
Mix ingredients together and place in unbaked pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes just until knife is the center comes out clean.
On cooking day: Thaw completely. To reheat, bake quiche at 350-375 for approximately 20-30 minutes or until heated through.
Parenting Tips
When Children React with Anger
The child who doesn't like an instruction or limitation may reveal frustration outwardly, sometimes in a small way and other times with downright revenge. One mom said, "I can tell when my thirteen-year-old son is frustrated and upset. He becomes more abrupt in his actions and words. His roughness sends a message that says, 'I'm not happy with you.'"
It's important to remember two rules of engagement when confronted by a child's anger. First, don't be afraid of your child's emotions. Sometimes children use outbursts as a form of self-protection to prevent parents from challenging them. View the display of emotion as a smoke screen and look past it to the heart of the issue. You may not confront in the heat of emotion but don't let your child's anger prevent you from correcting him or her. Parents too often see the emotion as a personal attack and react to it, losing any real benefit that could come from the interaction. That brings us to…
Rule of engagement #2: Don't' use your own anger to overpower your child's anger. Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer turns away anger." When you begin to lose it, take a break. Come back later and work on it some more.
"I've been thinking about the way you responded to me earlier when I asked you to do your homework. I'd like to share an observation that might be helpful for you. It seems that you believe you ought to be able to wait and do your homework just before bed or in the morning before you go to school. Is that what you're saying? One of the values I'm trying to teach you is that self-discipline often means we work first and play later. That's one of the reasons I require you to do your homework early every day. I'm trying to teach you an important value. I know that you may not agree with me, but I want you to know why I'm asking you to do homework before dinner."
Allowing emotions to settle first can bring opportunities for dialogue later, instead of turning the present issue into a battleground. Realize that kids will go away thinking about what you've said, even if their initial response looks as if they haven't heard you. This is especially true for teenagers. Prepare what you're going to say and choose your timing carefully without getting caught up in the emotion of the moment.
This parenting tip comes from the book Good and Angry, Exchanging Frustration for Character In You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN,BSN.
The child who doesn't like an instruction or limitation may reveal frustration outwardly, sometimes in a small way and other times with downright revenge. One mom said, "I can tell when my thirteen-year-old son is frustrated and upset. He becomes more abrupt in his actions and words. His roughness sends a message that says, 'I'm not happy with you.'"
It's important to remember two rules of engagement when confronted by a child's anger. First, don't be afraid of your child's emotions. Sometimes children use outbursts as a form of self-protection to prevent parents from challenging them. View the display of emotion as a smoke screen and look past it to the heart of the issue. You may not confront in the heat of emotion but don't let your child's anger prevent you from correcting him or her. Parents too often see the emotion as a personal attack and react to it, losing any real benefit that could come from the interaction. That brings us to…
Rule of engagement #2: Don't' use your own anger to overpower your child's anger. Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer turns away anger." When you begin to lose it, take a break. Come back later and work on it some more.
"I've been thinking about the way you responded to me earlier when I asked you to do your homework. I'd like to share an observation that might be helpful for you. It seems that you believe you ought to be able to wait and do your homework just before bed or in the morning before you go to school. Is that what you're saying? One of the values I'm trying to teach you is that self-discipline often means we work first and play later. That's one of the reasons I require you to do your homework early every day. I'm trying to teach you an important value. I know that you may not agree with me, but I want you to know why I'm asking you to do homework before dinner."
Allowing emotions to settle first can bring opportunities for dialogue later, instead of turning the present issue into a battleground. Realize that kids will go away thinking about what you've said, even if their initial response looks as if they haven't heard you. This is especially true for teenagers. Prepare what you're going to say and choose your timing carefully without getting caught up in the emotion of the moment.
This parenting tip comes from the book Good and Angry, Exchanging Frustration for Character In You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN,BSN.
Couponing
Most families are concerned about meeting budget and finding ways to save money without necessarily sacrificing quality of product or services. Couponing is a great way to do that. We had a good discussion and sharing of ideas at our last meeting. Thank you to LeeAnn for starting the discussion and sharing some about her success in the last month. If you are looking for some budget plan sheets, there are several good ones available online- a Google search should give you a good starting spot.
We are going to share coupons at our first April meeting. So if you have some coupons that you are not going to use, bring them along and share- "One person's trash is another's treasure" so to speak.
Also, one of my infamous blogs has been blogging about the art of couponing. I don't link well to other sites but here is her address.
http://www.mommysideabook.com/
If you have a few minutes, visit her site and review what she has written about couponing. It may not be anything necessarily new to you, but she may have some good ideas or reminders for you to utilize.
I also found a Continuing Education class at GCSU on June 1 and 3 from 6-8pm -Couponing 101. It is $29 and promises to help you discover the secrets of couponing. If you are interested in the class, call 478-445-5277.
Some other ideas include:
There is a warehouse grocery store in Griffin, Wilson's Warehouse that has dented can goods. I haven't been yet, but one of my frugal friends goes about once a month to shop for her canned goods and finds it worth the drive. Just for your information.
Another idea is to consider sharing a wholesale club membership with another family and split items if needed. For example, 2 boxes of Corn Pops in a package- one to each family.
Angel Food Ministries- Lakeside Baptist on Hwy. 441 is a host site. Search for Angel Food Ministries or call the church (Eatonton phone, I believe)
Join a co-op- Southern Crescent Ministries in McDonough is the source. It takes 6 families to start a group. There is a waiting list to join as a group, but you might be able to find an existing group in town that has an opening.
The Farmers Market will open soon and is a good way to buy large amounts of veggies and fruits to freeze.
There are some butchers where you can buy fresh meat in bulk- In Macon, the Meat Gallery and another one that Kym mentioned. I am sure she will be happy to share some more information about their locations.
There are lots of ways we can save a little money as we put good, nutrious and happy meals on the table for our families. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to add a comment here or share at our next meeting in April.
We are going to share coupons at our first April meeting. So if you have some coupons that you are not going to use, bring them along and share- "One person's trash is another's treasure" so to speak.
Also, one of my infamous blogs has been blogging about the art of couponing. I don't link well to other sites but here is her address.
http://www.mommysideabook.com/
If you have a few minutes, visit her site and review what she has written about couponing. It may not be anything necessarily new to you, but she may have some good ideas or reminders for you to utilize.
I also found a Continuing Education class at GCSU on June 1 and 3 from 6-8pm -Couponing 101. It is $29 and promises to help you discover the secrets of couponing. If you are interested in the class, call 478-445-5277.
Some other ideas include:
There is a warehouse grocery store in Griffin, Wilson's Warehouse that has dented can goods. I haven't been yet, but one of my frugal friends goes about once a month to shop for her canned goods and finds it worth the drive. Just for your information.
Another idea is to consider sharing a wholesale club membership with another family and split items if needed. For example, 2 boxes of Corn Pops in a package- one to each family.
Angel Food Ministries- Lakeside Baptist on Hwy. 441 is a host site. Search for Angel Food Ministries or call the church (Eatonton phone, I believe)
Join a co-op- Southern Crescent Ministries in McDonough is the source. It takes 6 families to start a group. There is a waiting list to join as a group, but you might be able to find an existing group in town that has an opening.
The Farmers Market will open soon and is a good way to buy large amounts of veggies and fruits to freeze.
There are some butchers where you can buy fresh meat in bulk- In Macon, the Meat Gallery and another one that Kym mentioned. I am sure she will be happy to share some more information about their locations.
There are lots of ways we can save a little money as we put good, nutrious and happy meals on the table for our families. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to add a comment here or share at our next meeting in April.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
More than a Good Bible Study Girl
I have evidently had one of those mommy brain moments- Did you catch my boo-boo from last week? Well, if you wondered why the morning session of the Bible Study Girl study was longer than the evening one it is because I slipped into MOPS meeting mode! Yep, I was always horrible at keeping up with when church services and Bible studies started - Just ask my cute and very patient hubby! So I have tried to personally plan things for the same start times hence the 9am start and the 6pm start. Makes it simpler for my mommy brain. I just needed to adjust the ending times. The study session should be about an hour with 30 minutes extra to allow for arriving and settling kids and self in, some girl talk and prayer. We can always hang out longer afterwards if we want. Anyway, please plan on coming to this study. You will be blessed by Lysa's wisdom and her stories- I am not the only one who suffers from mommy brain moments.
Check out her blog www.lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com for a great study in Philippians. Go back to Februrary 22 post to begin. Again, you will be so blessed and encouraged by it.
Check out her blog www.lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com for a great study in Philippians. Go back to Februrary 22 post to begin. Again, you will be so blessed and encouraged by it.
Parenting Tips
Obey First and Then We'll Talk About It
When parents give an instruction but children don't want to comply or it's not convenient for them, sometimes they need to learn to "obey first and then we'll talk about it." This emphasizes obedience.
If little Brian has pulled a chair over to the counter and is climbing onto it, you may say, "Brian, we don’t climb on chairs."
"But I was just…"
"No, you need to get down. Obey first and then we'll talk about it." Once he gets down, discuss the problem and find a solution together.
"Karl, go get your pajamas on."
"I don't want to go to bed."
"No, obey first and then we'll talk about it."
To some parents this may sound like blind obedience. We've all heard stories about people who were led into cultish activity because they couldn't think for themselves. No parent wants a child to fall into a pattern of blindly following a leader's instructions, but evaluating instructions is an advanced skill.
Many parents have gone too far in the other direction ending up with children who can't follow simple instructions without a dialogue. Parents sometimes believe they have to talk their child into wanting to obey. Inadvertently, these parents teach their children that if you don't like a request then that's enough reason to resist it. These children make poor employees, develop selfish attitudes about following someone else's leadership, and have a difficult time in relationships because they haven't learned how to sacrifice their own agenda for others.
Talking is important but sometimes even we, as adults, must obey first and then understand later. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son without fully understanding and then considered it faith for him to obey. Peter didn't know why he was to go to Cornelius' house but went anyway only to discover that God wanted to bring salvation to the Gentiles. Philip was asked to leave a revival in Samaria and go out into the wilderness, not knowing why, but when he got there he led an Ethiopian man to Christ.
Evaluating instructions is an advanced skill and will become important later on but children need to learn that sometimes we all must "obey first and then we'll talk about it."
This parenting tip comes from the book Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, In You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
When parents give an instruction but children don't want to comply or it's not convenient for them, sometimes they need to learn to "obey first and then we'll talk about it." This emphasizes obedience.
If little Brian has pulled a chair over to the counter and is climbing onto it, you may say, "Brian, we don’t climb on chairs."
"But I was just…"
"No, you need to get down. Obey first and then we'll talk about it." Once he gets down, discuss the problem and find a solution together.
"Karl, go get your pajamas on."
"I don't want to go to bed."
"No, obey first and then we'll talk about it."
To some parents this may sound like blind obedience. We've all heard stories about people who were led into cultish activity because they couldn't think for themselves. No parent wants a child to fall into a pattern of blindly following a leader's instructions, but evaluating instructions is an advanced skill.
Many parents have gone too far in the other direction ending up with children who can't follow simple instructions without a dialogue. Parents sometimes believe they have to talk their child into wanting to obey. Inadvertently, these parents teach their children that if you don't like a request then that's enough reason to resist it. These children make poor employees, develop selfish attitudes about following someone else's leadership, and have a difficult time in relationships because they haven't learned how to sacrifice their own agenda for others.
Talking is important but sometimes even we, as adults, must obey first and then understand later. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son without fully understanding and then considered it faith for him to obey. Peter didn't know why he was to go to Cornelius' house but went anyway only to discover that God wanted to bring salvation to the Gentiles. Philip was asked to leave a revival in Samaria and go out into the wilderness, not knowing why, but when he got there he led an Ethiopian man to Christ.
Evaluating instructions is an advanced skill and will become important later on but children need to learn that sometimes we all must "obey first and then we'll talk about it."
This parenting tip comes from the book Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes, In You and Your Kids by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller, RN, BSN.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Just Desserts
I was reminded that it didn't matter if the truffles turn out looking perfect so let the kids help. Despite the final presentation they are still yummy, yummy! Enjoy!!
SIMPLE OREO TRUFFLES
16 oz package of Oreos
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
16 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
Directions
Completely crush Oreos and place in a bowl. Add cream cheese. Mix until blended. Roll cookie mixture into 1-inch balls. Dip in chocolate and place on wax paper to cool. Decorate truffles as desired.
Refrigerate until firm, about one hour. Eat them all. Or refrigerate again.
SIMPLE OREO TRUFFLES
16 oz package of Oreos
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
16 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
Directions
Completely crush Oreos and place in a bowl. Add cream cheese. Mix until blended. Roll cookie mixture into 1-inch balls. Dip in chocolate and place on wax paper to cool. Decorate truffles as desired.
Refrigerate until firm, about one hour. Eat them all. Or refrigerate again.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl
Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl Bible Study is going to be offered on Monday mornings beginning March 15 at NCC from 9am until 11:30am and on Monday evenings from 6pm until 7:30pm at NCC. Both offerings will have childcare provided. The cost of the the book and the participant's guide is $14. If you are interested in joining this 6 week study or would like more information about the study, call Mary Lynn or email her at nccmops@gmail.com. Below is a brief introduction to the study by Lysa. (More information posted below on February 18.) Don't forget to turn down the playlist at the bottom of this page. Check out Lysa's blog now for some great thoughts and scriptures to lead into this study. www.lysaterkeurst.blogspot.com
What's For Dinner, Mommy?
Baked Potato Haystacks
Ingredients:
10 potatoes, baked
1 head lettuce, shredded
1 lg. onion, chopped fine
1-16 oz. bag of baby carrots, finely chopped
2 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
1-18 oz. can sloppy joe sauce
1 -28 oz. can pork and beans
1 - 13 oz. bag Doritos, crushed
2-10 ¾ oz. cans cream mushroom soup
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
2 T. milk
Directions:
1. Bake your potatoes in the oven at 350 for about an hour until tender.
2. Shred your lettuce; chop onions and carrots fine. Put each in a separate serving bowl with a spoon. Set aside.
3. Place crushed Doritos in a separate serving bowl with a spoon. Set aside.
4. In a saucepan, combine sloppy joe sauce, ground beef and pork and beans; heat until bubbly. Keep warm.
5. In a separate saucepan, dilute cream of mushroom soup with milk and Velveeta cheese on low heat until well blended. Keep warm.
6. At serving time, have guests begin with their baked potato on a large plate, sliced open and mashed with a fork. As they walk down the buffet line, they top their potato with the toppings of their choice in this order: sloppy joe; lettuce; onions; carrots; cheese sauce; ending with Doritos.
Serves 10.
Golden Burger Spirals
Ingredients:
•1 pound ground beef
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 medium green pepper, chopped
•1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
•1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
•1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 package (8 ounces) spiral pasta, cooked and drained
Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the soup, tomato sauce, 1 cup cheese and salt. Stir in pasta.
Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Yield: 4-6 servings.
Ingredients:
10 potatoes, baked
1 head lettuce, shredded
1 lg. onion, chopped fine
1-16 oz. bag of baby carrots, finely chopped
2 lb. lean ground beef, browned and drained
1-18 oz. can sloppy joe sauce
1 -28 oz. can pork and beans
1 - 13 oz. bag Doritos, crushed
2-10 ¾ oz. cans cream mushroom soup
1 lb. Velveeta cheese
2 T. milk
Directions:
1. Bake your potatoes in the oven at 350 for about an hour until tender.
2. Shred your lettuce; chop onions and carrots fine. Put each in a separate serving bowl with a spoon. Set aside.
3. Place crushed Doritos in a separate serving bowl with a spoon. Set aside.
4. In a saucepan, combine sloppy joe sauce, ground beef and pork and beans; heat until bubbly. Keep warm.
5. In a separate saucepan, dilute cream of mushroom soup with milk and Velveeta cheese on low heat until well blended. Keep warm.
6. At serving time, have guests begin with their baked potato on a large plate, sliced open and mashed with a fork. As they walk down the buffet line, they top their potato with the toppings of their choice in this order: sloppy joe; lettuce; onions; carrots; cheese sauce; ending with Doritos.
Serves 10.
Golden Burger Spirals
Ingredients:
•1 pound ground beef
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 medium green pepper, chopped
•1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed golden mushroom soup, undiluted
•1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
•1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1 package (8 ounces) spiral pasta, cooked and drained
Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the soup, tomato sauce, 1 cup cheese and salt. Stir in pasta.
Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Yield: 4-6 servings.
Train Up a Child
February is the month we focus on love and showing love to family and friends. But have you ever thought about love involving sacrifices? You know as a mom that you sacrifice sleep, girlish figure, time for reading or other interests, etc. all for the love of your kids. You probably have sacrificed your own interests, careers, etc. for your husband. If you think honestly about it, you can probably name quite a few things he has sacrificed for you and the kids as well. Love is great in that we get the benefit of loving someone, but it also is great in that we get to give up something for someone else. Kids are naturally self-centered and self-serving. Here are a few ideas to get the conversation started about sacrificing for the ones we love. Ultimately, our greatest example is God in that He sacrificed His only Son, Jesus for us- the ones He loves most dearly.
Made With Love
Make a special dessert (heart shaped cookies or Rice Krispie treats or brownies cut out with a heart-shaped cutter) for someone that could use a little extra love. Make homemade cards to take with you and surprise them.
Secret Sacrifice
Write each person's name on a slip of paper and put them all in a bag. Let each person draw a name, but tell them to keep it a secret. Choose one day for each person to sacrifice and to do acts of kindness for the person whose name they drew. Remind them to do it SECRETLY!
Brainstorm for ideas—do their chores, make their bed, write them a note, give them a small gift, play a game with them, etc.
At the end of the special day, let each person to guess who was secretly showing them kindness.
Ask:
How did you feel when someone else sacrificed his or her time and did something for you?
How did you feel when you sacrificed for someone else?
Read 1John 3:16 (By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.)
Ask:
How did God sacrifice for us? (He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for us.)
HE is the example for us to follow.
Someone's Trash is Another Kid's Treasure
If you haven't done any cleaning out after the holidays, it's not too late. Ask your children to look through their toys and find one or two toys (still in good shape) to give to someone in need. Donate them to a shelter, a rescue mission, or a family that could use them.
Made With Love
Make a special dessert (heart shaped cookies or Rice Krispie treats or brownies cut out with a heart-shaped cutter) for someone that could use a little extra love. Make homemade cards to take with you and surprise them.
Secret Sacrifice
Write each person's name on a slip of paper and put them all in a bag. Let each person draw a name, but tell them to keep it a secret. Choose one day for each person to sacrifice and to do acts of kindness for the person whose name they drew. Remind them to do it SECRETLY!
Brainstorm for ideas—do their chores, make their bed, write them a note, give them a small gift, play a game with them, etc.
At the end of the special day, let each person to guess who was secretly showing them kindness.
Ask:
How did you feel when someone else sacrificed his or her time and did something for you?
How did you feel when you sacrificed for someone else?
Read 1John 3:16 (By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.)
Ask:
How did God sacrifice for us? (He gave His only Son, Jesus, to die for us.)
HE is the example for us to follow.
Someone's Trash is Another Kid's Treasure
If you haven't done any cleaning out after the holidays, it's not too late. Ask your children to look through their toys and find one or two toys (still in good shape) to give to someone in need. Donate them to a shelter, a rescue mission, or a family that could use them.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
More than a Good Bible Study Girl
I could write a book about Lysa TerKeurst and her amazing talent as a speaker and writer. She is absolutely one of my favorite people! But I will simply tell you that she is a real woman dealing with the same real issues as you and I and that she wants to help other women grow in a relationship with Christ. Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl is her newest book. I have read it two times and every time I walk away with my sides hurting from laughing, tissues on the floor from crying and my toes smarting a bit. She writes with Southern wit and the wisdom of someone who has baggage from past choices and situations. But she is a daughter of God and is passionate for Him and other women to know Him. It doesn't matter if you already are in relationship with Christ or just searching for something, she is authentic and open about where she has been, why and where she is now and wanting to be.
I am going to conduct a 6 week Bible study based on this book beginning in March. The book itself and the companion study guide are $14 before March 1. I am willing to offer the study in the mornings and/or on Monday evening. If you are interested in the study, email or call me and let me know that you are interested and which time (morning or evening) you are interested in joining. I will have the exact specifics within the week. Check out the video of Lysa talking about the Bible study. (This is her 3rd video I have posted on this blog- Did I mention she is one of my absolute favs? and her husband owns a Chic-Fil-A! Girls,need I say more?!)
I am going to conduct a 6 week Bible study based on this book beginning in March. The book itself and the companion study guide are $14 before March 1. I am willing to offer the study in the mornings and/or on Monday evening. If you are interested in the study, email or call me and let me know that you are interested and which time (morning or evening) you are interested in joining. I will have the exact specifics within the week. Check out the video of Lysa talking about the Bible study. (This is her 3rd video I have posted on this blog- Did I mention she is one of my absolute favs? and her husband owns a Chic-Fil-A! Girls,need I say more?!)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Marriage Can Be Hard
Valentine's is a wonderful holiday to focus on loving and expressing love to our darling husbands and sweet children. But loving them is not a once a year option. It is a daily choice. Sometimes loving them is easy. But sometimes it is really hard. Marriage, in particular, can be challenging. My bloggy friend, Lysa TerKerust, has some thoughts about this that I thought some of us might find encouraging. Remember to mute the playlist at the bottom of the page before listening to her.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Parenting Tips
Anger Confuses Correction
A good correction routine teaches children that they must change. Their current course of action will not work. It's unacceptable and needs adjusting. Unfortunately the clear message that the child has a problem and needs to work on it is sometimes missed because of parental anger. A parent's harshness can confuse the learning process. Instead of thinking, "I'm here taking a Break because I did something wrong," the child thinks, "I'm here taking a Break because I made Mom mad."
The child's focus changes from correcting what he or she did wrong to avoiding parental anger. It's important to remember that your anger is good for identifying problems but not good for solving them. When you're tempted to respond harshly, be careful to take a moment and think about what you need to teach in the situation. It's easy to react with anger when your kids do the wrong thing but it's more helpful to move into a constructive correction routine.
For example, Dad yells, "I've had it! I called you five times and you didn't come, so I'm not taking you to the party!" The child gets a mixed message. Is missing the party the consequence for not coming when called, or is it the consequence for making Dad angry?
Children who grow up with explosive parents learn to focus more on pleasing people than on living with convictions about right and wrong. They may learn to make changes in life, but not because they're determined to do what's right. Rather, they make changes to avoid upsetting people; they become people pleasers or just plain sneaky. Kids then believe that what they did was okay as long as Mom or Dad didn't find out. As long as no one gets angry, then there's no problem.
When you make a mistake and correct in anger, it's important to come back to your child and talk about it afterwards. Clarify what was wrong, why the consequence was given, and apologize for your harshness.
Taken from "Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids,” by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller.
A good correction routine teaches children that they must change. Their current course of action will not work. It's unacceptable and needs adjusting. Unfortunately the clear message that the child has a problem and needs to work on it is sometimes missed because of parental anger. A parent's harshness can confuse the learning process. Instead of thinking, "I'm here taking a Break because I did something wrong," the child thinks, "I'm here taking a Break because I made Mom mad."
The child's focus changes from correcting what he or she did wrong to avoiding parental anger. It's important to remember that your anger is good for identifying problems but not good for solving them. When you're tempted to respond harshly, be careful to take a moment and think about what you need to teach in the situation. It's easy to react with anger when your kids do the wrong thing but it's more helpful to move into a constructive correction routine.
For example, Dad yells, "I've had it! I called you five times and you didn't come, so I'm not taking you to the party!" The child gets a mixed message. Is missing the party the consequence for not coming when called, or is it the consequence for making Dad angry?
Children who grow up with explosive parents learn to focus more on pleasing people than on living with convictions about right and wrong. They may learn to make changes in life, but not because they're determined to do what's right. Rather, they make changes to avoid upsetting people; they become people pleasers or just plain sneaky. Kids then believe that what they did was okay as long as Mom or Dad didn't find out. As long as no one gets angry, then there's no problem.
When you make a mistake and correct in anger, it's important to come back to your child and talk about it afterwards. Clarify what was wrong, why the consequence was given, and apologize for your harshness.
Taken from "Good and Angry: Exchanging Frustration for Character in You and Your Kids,” by Dr Scott Turansky and Joanne Miller.
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About Me
- ml4estsmommy
- I am a very blessed SAHM. I am blessed with an abundant amount of grace from my Creator and Savior. He has blessed me with an amazing man as my life long best friend, husband and father of our two precious gifts of energy and life. My days are full with the activities of homekeeping, and the joys and adventures of two healthy and energetic kiddos. I am basking in His grace daily.
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