Clever Homemaking

Orange Creamsicle Fudge

2011-12-25T18:36:00.004-07:00

Last year, for neighbor and co-worker gifts, I made little boxes of fudge and truffles. I made chocolate fudge, butterscotch fudge, and peppermint fudge along with rich dark chocolate/cream cheese truffles. When I found this recipe for Orange Creamsicle fudge, I knew I had to try it! Everyone I shared it with raved about it. Super yummy!

ORANGE CREAMSICLE FUDGE

(recipe credit)

Ingredients:

3/4 C. butter

2 C. sugar

3/4 C. heavy cream

1 package (10-12 oz) white chocolate chips

1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream/fluff

1 T. orange extract

food coloring (5 drops red, 12 drops yellow) to make orange

Instructions:

1. Prepare a 9x13 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large, heavy saucepan combine the sugar, cream, and butter over medium heat. Continually stir the mixture until the butter melts and the sugar is completely dissolved.

3. Bring the mixture to a boil and once it starts boiling, stir continuously for 4 minutes (set a timer).

4. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the white chocolate chips and the marshmallow fluff. Stir until smooth.

5. Working quickly, put about 1 C. of the mixture into a bowl and set aside. Add the orange extract and the food coloring to the saucepan, stirring until it is a smooth, even color.

6. Pour the orange fudge into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Drop the white fudge over the orange fudge by the spoonful. Take a butter knife or toothpick and drag it through the fudge to create swirls.

7. Allow the fudge to set at room temperature for 2 hours or in the fridge for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container.

If you're curious how I made the other flavors of fudge, it's really quite simple. Start with your basic fudge recipe (this is the Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme Fantasy Fudge Recipe, my personal fave):

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup margarine
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft Marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped nuts (optional - I usually leave them out)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Traditional method:

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling bail, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts (optional) and vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

- For butterscotch, I substituted the chocolate chips for butterscotch chips.

- For peppermint, I used regular semi-sweet chocolate chips but used peppermint extract instead of vanilla and sprinkled the top with crushed peppermint candies before the fudge set (pressing down slightly to get it to stick to the fudge).

- I also thought about making peanut butter fudge using peanut butter chips, but never got that far. I'm sure they'd be yummy too!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Clever Homemaking friends!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Pinterest Etiquette

2011-10-25T14:15:00.002-06:00

Anyone else annoyed when they try to follow a pin on Pinterest, only to get to a blog where you can't find the post that was originally pinned? ;)

p.s. To find me on Pinterest, I am kimijoy357. Happy pinning!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Dishwasher Trick

2011-07-29T23:29:00.003-06:00

Our maintenance guy gave me a pointer the other day when he was fixing our dishwasher and I had to share! Just before you start your dishwasher, run the hot water tap until the water is hot, turn off the tap, then start your dishwasher. Otherwise, you're starting the dishwasher running with COLD water (unless your water heater is in your kitchen, which most aren't). Your dishes will be cleaner because your dishwasher is designed to work with HOT water. It works, trust me! :)

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Cleaning with Kids

2011-07-22T19:49:00.005-06:00

I tried a different approach this past week when we teamed up as a family to clean house, and it really worked!

I went to each room that needed cleaning and wrote down all the individual tasks that needed doing. I put the list of tasks on a small piece of paper and taped it to the light switch in that room.

Because the cleaning was broken down into small tasks, it all got done! (These lists are for weekly cleaning tasks, not heavy deep cleaning, and we started in the morning when the house was still reasonably tidy.)

For example, the kitchen list looked like this:

KITCHEN
	dispose of leftovers in fridge
	wipe down fridge & dishwasher doors/handles
	scour sink & faucet, rinse well
	wipe down counters with disinfectant
	clean microwave inside & out
	clean stove top (& pans), wipe down front
	sweep and mop floor
	empty trash & recycling
	add to the shopping list any supplies needed

The kids would mark off what they completed, but left the lists in place. I came through when they were done and double checked that each task had been completed properly.

There were a few things that I marked with an "M" meaning Mom would do them (toilets, for example). Mostly because I knew otherwise, they wouldn't get done! :)

I typed the lists up and will just print, cut, and tape the lists up next time. There's something about being able to mark something off a list that is incredibly satisfying, even for kids. :)

My house was clean in record time and I was one happy momma!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Pre-Assembled Chore Charts Now Available!!!

2011-07-03T18:17:00.004-06:00

I've been doing chore charts only in PDF for a while now. I was working full time for a bit while my hubby was between jobs. Now that he's back to work full time, I've got time to delve back into the labor-intensive (kidding...kinda) end of chore charts. I have listed a few on Etsy, so check it out HERE and purchase pre-assembled chore charts for your kiddos! Be ready when school starts with a whole new chores routine ready to go. Or better yet, have the rest of summer to get the routine of chores down before they go back to school. :)

Please email me (cleverhomemaking gmail com) if you have any questions, or if you would like to order them directly and not bother with Etsy. :) Thanks so much!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

GIVEAWAY!! MyMemories.com

2011-06-20T16:48:00.006-06:00

I am hosting a giveaway of a great digital scrapbooking software from MyMemories.com! MyMemories.com supplied me with their My Memories Suite software so I could check it out and I was thrilled! I am NOT a scrapbooker. I wish I was. I have all the photos and "stuff" saved away, but I get overwhelmed at the idea of putting it all into a format that they will cherish. Not any more! I was able to create a set of scrapbook pages of our most recent family photos -- TEN pages worth -- in about 30 minutes! Super duper easy and quick (I used the designer template and automatically uploaded my photos into it).

MyMemories software isn't just for doing scrapbooking. They have a Photobook Creator online where you can put in your own photos and order a beautiful photobook -- perfect for a gift for someone special. You can also use they software and make your digital scrapbook pages into a photobook or an interactive DVD. They have kits available online to use with the software (some are free, others are anywhere from $1-$8). The options are endless with what you can do with this software and a few of your favorite photos!

To enter:

1. Go to MyMemories.com and tell me which digital scrapbook kit you would choose to do your first set of pages. (I am about to put together a scrapbook for my son for his baseball season that just ended and I think I'm going to use the "Baseball Game" set -- classic baseball!)

2. Come back here and comment on this post and tell me which one you'd choose. It's that easy!

Entries can be submitted thru midnight Sunday, June 26th.

Winner will be announced on Monday, June 27th -- one week from today!

If you'd like to purchase the software, they've been generous enough to give me a discount code to save you ten dollars on the purchase price! Just use the code STMMMS59213 to save $10! (Code is only good for My Memories Suite v2 software and is only good for customers in the US and Canada.)

Who doesn't love a giveaway!? :)

p.s. I was provided the software free of charge to review and host a giveaway but the opinions are my own.

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Renewed Etsy Listings for Chore Charts

2011-06-01T14:34:00.001-06:00

Dear Friends,

I had no idea my Etsy listings had expired for my Chore Charts! Oops! They have been re-listed. Sorry 'bout that! :)

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets

2011-04-23T15:17:00.007-06:00

Along the same lines as the mixes post below, I am sharing with you my new favorite "make it at home instead of buy it" money-saving recipe. INSTANT OATMEAL. Those little packets that you have to eat 3 of in order to not be hungry by 10am (ok maybe just 2?). Anyway, all kidding aside, these little things are packed with preservatives and additives. We've recently given up cold cereal at our house (I know, we're crazy!) and this is our g0-to breakfast now. These are generously sized, so they're equal to about 2 of the little packets you buy at the store. You can half the amounts below for little kid packets, but we've got all big kids at our house and these are just the right size for school-age appetites. I spend less than 30 minutes putting these little packets together and we're set for the whole week!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INSTANT OATMEAL

First, process some of your quick oats in the blender or food processor until powdery. How much you process depends on how many packets you're planning to make. Start with processing 1-2 C. and go from there, processing more as needed.

START WITH: 1/2 C. oatmeal (quick works best) + 1/4 tsp. salt + 1/4 C. powdered oats

THEN ADD...

SWEETENED OATMEAL: 1-2 T. sugar

BROWN SUGAR / CINNAMON: 1-2 T. brown sugar + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

RAISINS / BROWN SUGAR: 1-2 T. brown sugar + 2 T. raisins

CINNAMON RAISIN (my personal fave): 1-2 T. brown sugar + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon + 2 T. raisins

APPLE CINNAMON: 1-2 T. sugar + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon + 1/4 C. chopped dried apples

APPLE CINNAMON RAISIN: 1-2 t. sugar + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon + 2 T. raisins + 2 T. chopped dried apples

FRUIT AND CREAM: 1-2 T. sugar + 2 T. non-dairy coffee creamer + 1/2 C. dried fruit

TO COOK: Empty oatmeal mix into a bowl. Add 1/2-3/4 C. boiling water. Stir and let stand for 2 minutes. Adjust as desired for thinner or thicker oatmeal. Alternately, you can add 1/2-3/4 C. water from the tap, stir, and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Add milk, stir, and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few notes to the above...

- Store in air-tight containers (snack-size baggies are just the right size). Write the flavor with a sharpie on the outside before filling.

- The original recipes I found call for the larger amount of sugar, but we've found the smaller amount to be sufficient. Start with less and add more if needed.

- I usually like to add about twice the given amount of raisins. Yum!

- If you're using dried fruit, make sure it is SOFT. If using bananas, for instance, banana "chips" won't work. They'll be crunchy little bits in your oatmeal. But hey, if you like 'em that way, more power to ya. :)

- The easiest way to chop soft dried fruit is with a pair of kitchen shears.

- Quick oatmeal works best, and you don't have to process any of the oatmeal if you don't want to. Just omit the powdered oatmeal. The processed oatmeal makes the finished product more "mushy" like the store-bought packets, but is not necessary. I like my oatmeal with a little more texture anyway so I forgo processing the oats.

- Look for oatmeal in the bulk foods section at your grocery store. It is usually a lot less expensive than the canisters. Or buy it in a large bag or bucket from your warehouse club store.

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com and follow me on twitter @cleverhomeblog

Mixes

2011-01-05T09:50:00.004-07:00

Those packets you purchase at the grocery store sometimes have additives like MSG and extra sodium or thickening chemicals. Yuck. Plus, they're way over-priced when they charge at least $.50 (but usually more) for a few tablespoons of spices, for crying out loud! Try the "recipes" below instead next time. Tweak them according to your taste. I've used both of them and they're great! The chili was a little too "hot" for our liking, so I'll probably dial down the red pepper and/or the cumin in that one next time. They're super yummy and now you'll know *exactly* what is going into your chili or tacos that makes them taste so good! :)

Chili Seasoning Mix:

1/4 C all-purpose flour

4 tsp chili powder

1 T crushed red pepper

1 T dried minced onion

1 T dried, minced garlic

2 tsp white sugar

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Taco Seasoning Mix:

1 T chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

For each mix, use approximately 3 T per pound of meat (although the taco mix only makes about 3 T, so you'll use all of it).

Next time you go to purchase one of those little packets at the store, see if you can't find a "recipe" online for the same thing withOUT unnecessary additives. It's worth 5 minutes of your time, don't you think? :)

Happy cooking!!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

25% off Chore Charts!

2010-11-29T00:01:00.001-07:00

To commemorate the 2 year anniversary of my first blog post about my Chore Charts & Kid Bucks system (Nov. 2008), and in honor of "Cyber Monday," I'm offering...

Chore Charts & Kid Bucks in PDF format for 25% off -- TODAY ONLY!!

That means that you can get the entire set (Chore Chart, AM/PM Lists, Kid Buck Menu, and Kid Bucks) for $15 per child! The PDF format includes simple assembly instructions. All the personalization is done by yours truly to your specifications.

In order to take advantage of this offer, you must email me before the end of the day on Monday, November 29th, 2010 at cleverhomemaking at gmail dot com.

*You do not need to place an order through Etsy, as I am not offering this discount in my Etsy shop. I require full payment via Paypal prior to emailing final copies to you.

Happy Cyber Monday shopping!! :)

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Programmable Slow Cooker with Delayed Timer, for FREE!

2010-11-27T19:59:00.004-07:00

Do you already own a slow cooker? Did you wish you had a slow cooker with one of those nifty delayed timers? Wish no more! :)

When you get your Christmas stuff out this year, hang on to that timer for your lights. Plug your slow cooker into it and you have yourself a programmable, delayed timer for your slow cooker! Set the timer to come on when you want the slow cooker to start. Make sure it's on long enough (don't set it to only be on for an hour or something -- disaster!). Plug the slow cooker into the timer and the timer into the wall. Turn the slow cooker knob to high or low (whichever you need for your recipe) and walk away. This is great when you are gone from the house for 12 hours a day but only want to cook something that calls for 5 hours on low.

Be smart about using the delayed start... Don't cook anything with ingredients that will spoil if sitting out on the counter for a couple of hours before the slow cooker comes on.

Happy cooking!!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Chore Charts & Kid Bucks System on Etsy

2010-10-16T16:43:00.002-06:00

Dear Friends -

I recently had about 24 hours where I had no chore charts listed on Etsy -- whoops! Sorry about that! I try to keep my listings current and I apologize for those who were trying to purchase the system (or even view it) and I fell behind. You can always just email me directly and I can work with you to purchase the system from me without going through Etsy. Whatever is easiest for you. :) So... there are more sets of my Chore Charts listed on Etsy if anybody was interested.

Thank you!

Chore Charts & Kid Bucks System

Chore Charts & Kid Bucks System listed on Etsy

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Sweet & Sour Meatballs - Yummy!

2010-09-12T20:37:00.004-06:00

I love sweet & sour stuff, and I found the BEST recipe for sweet and sour meatballs with the sauce made from scratch. It would work easily to switch out the type of meat and make it sweet & sour chicken or sweet & sour pork. Heck, you could throw in a bunch of baked chicken nuggets if you wanted to make it super easy! :) The recipe below serves at least 8 -- but you won't mind the leftovers, trust me!

SWEET & SOUR MEATBALLS*
2 16-oz bags of frozen meatballs (plain, not Italian; ~32 1" meatballs per bag)

1 20-oz can of pineapple tidbits in pineapple juice

1 large green pepper, coarsely chopped

1 C. packed brown sugar

2 T. cornstarch

2/3 C. vinegar

2 T. soy sauce

Bake the meatballs for 10 minutes at 350 degrees (just enough that they're no longer frozen and they're warm to the touch). While they're baking, combine the brown sugar and cornstarch in a large skillet. Stir in the pineapple tidbits with all the juice, the vinegar, and the soy sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Add meatballs. Cover; simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped green pepper. Cover; simmer until crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes. Serve over warm rice.

You can change it up by adding more veggies like different colored peppers, snow peas, carrots, etc. This would also be a great as an appetizer, minus the rice.

*Original recipe from Cooks.com with some variation.

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Foaming Soap

2010-08-16T23:52:00.003-06:00

Don't buy the expensive foaming soap for your favorite foaming soap dispenser. All they are is watered-down soap! Fill your foaming dispenser with about an inch of regular soap then fill the rest of the way with water (you may need to adjust these estimates, depending on the size of your dispenser). Cap the dispenser and tilt it back and forth until the water and soap are mixed together. Do NOT shake it! You'll have soapy suds everywhere! :)

p.s. This will not work with creamy hand soaps. Must be the clear-ish kind of hand soap.

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Waste Not...

2010-07-22T18:04:00.004-06:00

I have recently discovered Raising Olives. (So many great ideas for families large and small!) I learned a really cool tip I had to share...

To cut down on wasted toilet paper (you know, when little people take more than they need off the roll because they just pull and tear without thinking...?), before you put place the toilet paper on the roll, smash it so that you bend and flatten the cardboard tube. It won't be as quick to unroll 3 feet when you only want/need half of that. Brilliant! :)

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Preparing Your Home for Your Vacation

2010-07-12T20:48:00.004-06:00

Things to consider regarding your home when going on a vacation:

- Use timers on lights and radios/tv's... Leave blinds open just the slightest to allow the light to shine out.

- Have a neighbor park in your driveway to give the illusion that someone is home.

- Coordinate with a neighbor to make sure your trash cans get out and then get pulled back in if the trash collection happens while you're away. Trash cans left at the curb or not put out on trash day are a dead giveaway that nobody's home.

- Have someone bring in mail, water plants, and care for your pets.

- Turn down the ringer on your phone and the volume on your answering machine.

- Pack your car with the garage door closed. Don't advertise to just anyone driving by that you're planning on leaving your home unoccupied.

- For added security, unplug your garage door opener (after you've gotten your car out of the garage and closed the door again, of course).

- Shut off valves to your washing machine and to toilets and sinks. It's added insurance you won't come home to a flood!

- Open doors to rooms/closets so your house will smell less stuffy when you come home. Don't leave windows open, however.

- Clean out your fridge. Get rid of anything that will be past its usefulness when you get home. Take the garbage all the way out of the house and into the cans that will go out on trash day (see #3).

- Make a plan for your first meal or two after you return. Use shelf-stable items or frozen foods, but have a plan so you don't have to rush to the store first thing the next morning to grab something for breakfast.
- Turn down your thermostat to save energy while you're gone.

- DO NOT announce your absence to your Facebook page, your Twitter, or on your blog. You never know who reads your post, and you don't know who you can trust. Save your posting for after you're home. Better safe than sorry!

What did I miss?? Any other ideas??

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Recipe Sites

2010-06-29T10:08:00.002-06:00

Besides the "Queen" of all recipe websites, AllRecipes.com, did you know that many food manufacturers and grocery chains also have collections of recipes on their websites?

Here's a few to get you started...

And grocery chains as well...

What grocery chains do you have near you that also have a website full of recipes? What food manufacturers have you found that have great recipes on their websites as well?

Please share!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Summer Game-Plan

2010-06-20T20:39:00.004-06:00

Summer is full of carefree, lazy days. Well, mostly. Around here, we thrive on routine. So, we have a "Summer Schedule" that still allows for hours of free time each day, but the structure that my children need as well. Summer is also a great time to instigate a chore chart system for your children. I am still selling my Chore Charts & Kid Bucks system on Etsy if you're interested. ;)

Our Summer Schedule:

Wake - 9:30am: Breakfast, AM Lists, Morning Jobs, then TV time (cartoons!)

9:30 - 11:30 am: Free Time or Outing (Library, Park, etc)

11:30 - 12:00pm: Lunch

12:00 - 1:30pm: Quiet Time

1:30 - 2:30pm: Free Time

2:30 - 3:30pm: Summer School

3:30 - 4:00pm: Cleaning Jobs

4:00 - 5:30pm: TV / Movie / Free time

5:30pm: Dinner

6:00 - 8:00pm: Evening Jobs, PM Lists, Reading Time, Family Time

In the morning, the TV doesn't go on for cartoons till all the other items are completed. During the summer we do "Summer School" with our kids -- workbooks and activities to keep their minds sharp between the previous school year and the next. "Cleaning Jobs" are additional responsibilities that we give our children during the summer, and they change every day.

For details on what AM / PM Lists and Morning / Evening Jobs entail, see my post "Family Economic System: Chore Charts & Kid Bucks System."

This schedule is, of course, flexible. We're going to be going to the library once a week, and hoping to do a lot of in-town stay-cation-ing too. :)

Have a great summer!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Scuffs & Scrapes

2010-05-16T18:15:00.004-06:00

Today is Sunday and had me thinking about how I camouflage the scuffs on my little boys' church shoes. They grow so fast that I just buy the cheapy shoes for them. Every once in a while, though, they manage to scuff the toes. Depending on the shoe, my approach may or may not work for your little guy's shoes. :)

For black dress shoes, when the scuff rubs off the black of the shoe, I take a permanent marker and color it in. Then take petroleum jelly and rub it into the spot to "shine" it. Rub off the excess.

(Nearly) good as new!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

How to Teach a Child to Swallow Pills

2010-04-24T20:03:00.005-06:00

When my oldest daughter was small, she had a very strong gag reflex (still does, actually). Liquid medicine often made her gag. She just couldn't swallow the stuff, and often ended up vomiting instead -- which made it difficult when it was something she had to have, such as an antibiotic or allergy medicine.

We taught her to swallow pills at a young age with Tic-Tacs. She'd practice swallowing the tic-tacs with a little bit of water by putting the tic-tac on the back of her tongue, taking a sip of water, tilting her head back, and swallowing. If she didn't swallow the tic-tac, it didn't get yucky-tasting on the back of her tongue. It only took a few tries and she had it mastered. Good luck!

**Disclaimer: Read labels carefully. Adhere strictly to dosage guidelines that are appropriate for your child's age and weight. MOST pills that are designed to be swallowed are NOT in dosages appropriate for children. Some prescriptions (like antibiotics) can be dosed for children in a swallow-able pill format. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist to determine the appropriate medicine and dosage for your child.

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

General Conference Packets

2010-03-31T08:08:00.002-06:00

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I am looking forward to the General Conference of the church this coming weekend. We will get the chance to hear from our church leaders, including our beloved prophet. The wonderful folks over at Sugardoodle have created a page of links to Conference Packets for children and youth to keep them focused during the conference (and give their parents a chance to listen!). Check out the link below. Thank you, Sugardoodle!!

Sugardoodle's 2010 General Conference Packets

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Favorite Clever Homemaking Posts Revisited...

2010-03-18T20:32:00.004-06:00

This blog has been a labor of love over the past two years. I thought it might be fun to look back on my favorite Clever Homemaking posts...

Family Economic System: Chore Charts & Kid Bucks

Still my all-time most popular post. :)

Tween Cell Phone Rules

Got a tween or teen with a cell phone? Some ideas to keep it from getting out of control.

One of My Favorite Things: My Slow-Cooker - A Primer

My favorite kitchen appliance, by far, is my slow cooker. This is an introduction to the slow cooker and some helpful hints.

56 Meal Ideas

Another super popular post. I find myself re-visiting it now and again to change up the meal plan every once in a while. :)

Meal Planning

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail... Some ideas on how to plan your family's weekly meals.

Consolidating Cookbooks

Got too many cookbooks lying around, many of which you're only keeping because of the one or two recipes in them that you love? Here's an idea to simplify your life and lighten your bookshelves.

Eating Leftovers - Really!

Some tips for making leftovers disappear - like magic! :)

Ten Benefits of Meal Planning

Why do meal planning? Here's the answer... Ten answers, actually!

Spoiled Children

Some basic parenting advice -- not from me, but an excellent article I wanted to share.

50 Ways to Manage Your Time

Who couldn't use tips to get more out of the 24 hours in each day?

We Will Never Forget

My thoughts on September 11th.

Tips for an Organized Home Series: General Organization, Spring Cleaning / De-Cluttering, Kitchen Organization, Time Management, Bedrooms / Closets.

Ideas I've gleaned over many years from books, workshops, and friends.

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Sunday Bag

2010-02-17T09:00:00.001-07:00

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka, the "Mormons"). Just like many church-going folks, I find it a struggle to keep my younger children occupied while sitting through weekly church meetings. In order to get something out of the meetings, I need to find ways to keep my little ones occupied with quiet, non-messy, un-distracting things to do. Since my children were little, we have tried and failed and succeeded at this objective, depending on the day. :) Below are a few things that have aided our moments of success:

Lift-the-Flap books. My littlest ones would sit with these books for at least 10-15 minutes at a time. Awesome! Keep a stash separate from the kids' book collection and rotate them in your Sunday bag.
Look & Find books. These are my FAVORITE Sunday-bag item. Similar to "Where's Waldo?" books, they have things hidden in the pictures that the child has to find. They are made by many publishers and come in varieties ranging from photo look & find's to scripture character look & find's. Check out your local bookstore and your local library. Just like the Lift-the-Flap books, rotate them in your Sunday bag.
Magnetic writer. They come in the brand-name "Magna-Doodle" but many toy manufacturers make them. They let kids draw and create and erase, all without the mess of crayons and paper.
Church magazines. Our church puts out the Friend Magazine for children. It is full of stories, pictures, and activities for children ages 3-11. We bring the current month's Friend, along with a few past issues, in our Sunday bag for the younger children to look at and/or read.
Church-based board books. These can get heavy, so we rotate them in the Sunday bag. You can get these online or at your local LDS bookstore.
What other tricks do YOU put in your "Sunday bag?" Leave a comment... It'll be great to get other people's ideas! :)

Now, a couple of DON'T's that have aided our success as well:

No food for kids older than 18 months. We made the family rule that once our child was in Nursery (18 months), we would no longer bring snacks for during Sacrament Meeting (our main meeting, usually the first 70 minutes or so of church). My logic in doing so was that our child would get a snack in Nursery so he/she wouldn't need one during Sacrament Meeting. (It's only 70 minutes -- any kid can go 70 minutes without eating at that age.) Until they hit 18 months, we only brought spill-proof sippy cups or bottles and small, non-sticky, non-crumbly snacks like Cheerios or Goldfish crackers. In our church, kids can expect to get a snack in Nursery till they're 3, almost 4. After that age, they can handle not having food for 3 hours during the day. I feed them a substantial meal before we leave, and we have snacks or a meal (depending on the time of day) just after we get home.
The Sunday bag stays closed until after the Sacrament. The Sacrament is administered about 30 minutes into the meeting. Before then is the singing of hymns, announcements, church callings are given, etc. I figure the sooner the bag is opened, the sooner it will loose their interest. With the goal to be to get through the end of the meeting before they completely loose interest in the Sunday bag, I figure it's best to put off getting it out until as far into the meeting as I can. Plus, I want to be able to sit through the Sacrament without the distraction of kids digging into the bag for something else to do and /or the mess of stuff created by them doing so. :) Besides, if the goal is to be thinking about Jesus during the Sacrament, can they really be doing that while they're busy with something else? They know that the bag stays shut until after the Sacrament, so they get better and better at practicing sitting quietly withOUT the stuff in the bag to distract them just yet.
Nix the crayons & coloring books. These, I have to admit, I am NOT a fan of bringing to church. Ever since my youngest decided that coloring on a pew would be great fun, we have excluded these from our Sunday bag and we haven't missed them a bit. I no longer have to scramble around at the end of the meeting, making sure we got all the crayons back in the bag. I don't have to help a child find a particular color while I'm trying to listen to the meeting. I don't have to pass the bag of crayons from one child to the next. Yeah, don't miss that a bit. :) We take the magnetic writer mentioned above instead.
The Sunday bag is off-limits once my kids hit the age of 10. At that age, they are allowed a lined notebook and pencil. What they choose to do with it is up to them. :) My daughter (12) likes to take notes. When she was younger she liked to draw in it.

What have you found to be helpful in keeping children quite and undistractING to others during Sunday meetings??

Looking forward to the comments on this one!

p.s. This is my family's personal take on stuff during church, and I know everyone won't agree. But there it is. Take it or leave it. :)

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Chore Charts & Kid Bucks

2010-02-05T23:09:00.003-07:00

I just re-listed my Chore Charts and Kid Bucks system on Etsy!

Now that I am working full time, I am only offering the digital PDF version of my chore charts system. They come with simple instructions for assembling them yourself. Please see my Etsy listing for more information. Thanks!

My Etsy Listing
My Chore Charts & Kid Bucks System

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.

Biscuit Personal Pizzas

2010-01-27T22:53:00.003-07:00

These are SOOOOOO yummy!!

Buy a package of the "jumbo" biscuits. Roll them out flat. Sprinkle cornmeal on your cookie sheet before putting the rolled-out biscuits on them. Top the flattened biscuit with a couple tablespoons of pizza sauce, a handful of mozzarella cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the crust is just starting to brown.

These are a new household favorite around here (and not just with the kiddos)!

If you're reading this on a feed reader or on Facebook, check out the blog homepage at Cleverhomemaking.blogspot.com.