Hummingbird Homemaking

The Battle vs. The War: The Teen Years

2012-05-30T07:50:00.001-06:00

Do I want to win the battle or win the war?

As we walked our dogs this morning we were commenting that our dog sure likes "weed" (it's been a subject since a girl in 7th grade was busted for having pot in her backpack.)

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

The Battle

My daughter LOVES anything sugary. My son does too, but not as much as my daughter. Interestingly enough she is the one that struggled with blood sugar issues as much as I did. This summer I was determined to make sure that she didn't make bad choices by eating too much junk food.

I wasn't forbidding her to have sugar, but wanted to limit the amount. My daughter is 15 (almost 16) and will be a sophomore in high school. What I *really* didn't want was to have her buy candy and hide it behind my back. I was trying to offer solutions that would be acceptable for both of us.

A LOT of energy was put into this battle on both sides.

The battle: sugar

The war: the teenage (possibly rebellion) years

The War

I want her to make wise decisions in every aspect of her life. Sugar is the glaringly obvious issue right now, but in light of the big ole war....I really think that I need to focus on the big picture. I know that I shouldn't compare her to others, but I do. It's natural (I hope!) She really is a good, kind, loving kid who occasionally throws a 2 year old temper tantrums.

She's finding her way in this life as a mini adult.

I hope that I can let her find her way without hindering her progress too much. For YEARS I dreaded the teen age years...I knew how I acted when I was a teen and I wanted nothing to do with it. When I'm not battling with her, she's fun and funny. I truly enjoy watching her as she gets older. She's not the perfect child, but then I'm not the perfect mother.

Every day I need to focus on the war,

NOT the battle of the moment.

This post has been linked to WeAreTHATFamily.

2012-05-29T09:07:00.002-06:00

{click on image to enlarge}
This is my spin on Jennifer's ideas. I have a 13 and 15 year old who love games.

This is the best idea I've seen in a long time on how to get your kids to help out more...check out Jennifer's guest post at:

AnotherDayinaMomsWorld

Jack Kruse: Here's to the Crazy Ones

2012-05-22T08:37:00.001-06:00

Image Credit

When I wrote my blog post "My Life is a Mismatch", I called Jack Kruse crazy, but in a good way. I laughed when I read a comment from him on his blog.

Quoting from Jack Kruse:

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them, because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

I need to paste this on my mirror and read it every day. I really hate to be different than everyone else. I want to be "normal." So I wrote down in my journal what "normal" looks like.

Yeah, I have absolutely NO desire to be "normal."

So here's to the crazy ones!!!

2012-05-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Image Credit: Zutphen

What do you hate to do, but know that you should do?

What do you love to do, that you'll actually take the time to do?

Action:

Create a love/hate habit. Before you do the thing that you actually love to do, take 5 minutes and do the thing you hate to do.

Here's how it looks in my life:

What do I hate to do, but know that I should do? Ride my bike up hills (there are hills everywhere in this town!)
What do I love to do that I'll actually take the time to do? Walk!
Create a love/hate habit: Before I can go for a walk I ride my bike up a ginormous hill. It takes all of 5 minutes and I absolutely hate about 30 seconds of it {when I'm almost to the top of the hill and my lungs are burning.}

My hope is that this summer I will be able to go for a bike ride and actually enjoy it.

I've done this with many different things....working out while watching NYPD Blue, reading a magazine while walking on the stairmaster....cleaning my house before checking the computer, etc.

Have you had success with a love/hate habit before?

This post has been linked to:

The Path....

2012-05-15T08:27:00.000-06:00

If you are only looking down at the path, you may miss the big picture...

My husband and I went up on a trail yesterday...he rode his bike and I walked. I wanted to make sure that I didn't twist my ankle on the rocks so I kept a close eye on the trail. I had to force myself to stop several times to look at the amazing view.

I realized that this could be an analogy in my life as a homemaker.

When I don't take time to look at the big picture and focus on getting my chores done (cleaning toilets, washing clothes, dishes, etc.) I miss out on the importance of being a homemaker.
When I don't take time to look at the big picture with my budget, financial goals aren't realized.
When I don't take time to look for God in the craziness of life I miss getting any kind of direction from Him.

It's good to keep an eye on the trail,

but it's more important to keep an eye on the big picture.

Linked up:

Menu Plan / Routine May 14, 2012

2012-05-14T09:23:00.000-06:00

Image Credit Double--M

I had a wonderful Mother's Day, but to be honest, I haven't been a big fan of Mother's Day in previous years. I had VERY high expectations of my husband the first few Mother's Days. Then my Mom died and Mother's Day was awful. Then a friend of mine wanted a baby sooooo bad, but couldn't conceive so I couldn't stop thinking about her on Mother's Day.

Over time I was able to get my focus back on God,

but it took a while.

Here's my favorite present from Mother's Day:

Yes, it's a can of green beans. No Salt added either ~ wooo hoooo!!! My family asked me to write down some gift ideas so I wrote "Green Bean." Clearly I needed to write "I would like a gift certificate from the coffee shop called the Green Bean." Next year I'll know better!

I made the Horseradish Sauce last week and oh my....I had forgotten how much we love it! Anybody have any ideas for the beef brisket I bought?

Menu Plan AKA Menu Routine

Breakfast Menu Plan

Lunch - leftovers or meat over salad. My husband now eats at home a few days of the week, but I never know when it's going to be.

Dinners (we eat a primalish /paleoish diet - limited grains/sugar).

Menu planning in action:

1. Outside Activities
What will conflict with supper preparations this week?

1 band concert

2. Pantry
What's in my cupboards, fridge and freezer?

Hamburger
Roasts
Beef Brisket
Fish
Bacon
Shrimp
Cooked breakfast sausages
Raw chicken
German sausage links (now cooked)
Frozen veggies (beans, peas, cauliflower and broccoli)
~~Frozen (cooked) pinto beans~~ I finally threw these out. Why do I keep making/buying things that aren't paleo/primal? I did NOT buy the Doritos that are in my "green bean" picture.
~~ham broth~~

3. Ideas for Dinner

What can I make that my son loves?
What can I make that my daughter loves?
What can I make that my husband loves?
What can I make that I love?
What recipes have I found online that I want to try?

4. Make a Plan

KISS night (keep it simple silly - same thing every week). Roast beef, mashed or baked potatoes (sweet for hubs and white for the kids) and roasted veggies.
Leftovers and salad
Meatza
Shrimp sauteed in butter and garlic....may add a bit of cream. My daughter will be in heaven!
Stir Fry Beef Salad from PaleoPlan.Com
Open (we might be out of town, but I'm not sure)
Husband cooks (I'm sure he'll BBQ ~ the weather looks awesome!)

Snacks:
hard boiled eggs or leftovers

Tried and true recipes:
Josie's Shepherd Pie, Thai Sauce over Meat, Comfort Roast and Horseradish Sauce, Asian Beef, KalynsKitchen

Recipes to try soon:
Ranch ~ healthier alternative.
Salt and Vinegar Chickpeas

MarksDailyApple (buried in the massive post) Chimichurri sauce {they said "I think it is great on eggs in addition to flank steak.}
1 bunch Italian parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup a mix of lemon and lime juice
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Remove tough stems from fresh herbs. Puree all in food processor

Check out other menu plans at:

Orgjunkie

Homemaking: The Dreaded Question

2012-05-11T09:39:00.001-06:00

Photo Image by D Sharon Pruitt

Homemaking

And what do you do? I stutter and mumble...

"I'm a stay at home mom....well my kids are in school all day, but I still stay at home...no wait....it seems like I'm never home."

Often times the person will just look at me with a blank look on their face. What is supposed to be a conversation starter, is a conversation stopper.

A lot of people are completely baffled that I still want to be a homemaker even though my kids are in school. I don't think that they are being judgmental, people just don't understand how I don't go crazy being at home all of the time.

13 years ago, I was one of those people...my husband is still one of those people. He's ready to get out of the house after being home for a day. I could stay in my house for days on end if I didn't have errands to run. I had someone once say to me "I could never stay home, I like to be busy." There are days that I look at my to do list and I wonder how I'm going to get everything done.

So when people say, "what do you do?" I think what they really mean is "how do you occupy your time?" For me, that's a much easier question to answer. I volunteer a little bit, I write occasionally, but mostly I spend my time keeping my family in line.

I wonder if I'm alone...am I the only one to blunders their way through such a simple question?

You might be interested in the post I wrote a while back called:

"Homemaking: Your Job Part 2."

Menu Plan / Routine How To May 7, 2012

2012-05-07T08:57:00.003-06:00

Image Credit Double--M

It's been a while since I've written out a menu plan. The longer I do menu planning the more "routine" it becomes. It's only taken 10 years!

When my life becomes hectic, I don't even attempt new recipes. This week we only have one track meet to go to so I'd like to try a few new things. You might want to check out a post I wrote over at WeeklyGroceryShopping that included a few tips to help you during busy seasons.

I still haven't tried any recipes at PaleoPlan.Com. I may try homemade beef broth this week depending on the weather. Over at KalynsKitchen I found a method of making a roast in a crock pot was fabulous (I didn't use all of the vinegar called for in the recipe.) I kept all of the fat on my roast.

Menu Plan AKA Menu Routine

1 track meet
volunteer at the food pantry

2. Pantry
What's in my cupboards, fridge and freezer?

Hamburger and Ground Pork
Roasts
Beef Brisket
Fish
Bacon
Shrimp
Cooked breakfast sausages
raw chicken
German sausage links
Frozen veggies (beans, peas, cauliflower and broccoli)
Frozen (cooked) pinto beans
ham broth

3. Ideas for Dinner

What can I make that my son loves?
What can I make that my daughter loves?
What can I make that my husband loves?
What can I make that I love?
What recipes have I found online that I want to try?

4. Make a Plan

KISS night (keep it simple silly - same thing every week). Roast beef, mashed or baked potatoes (sweet for hubs and white for the kids) and roasted veggies.
Leftovers and salad
Meatballs with ground pork and beef in spaghetti sauce
Mexican or Cajun seasoning/cream sauce with the burger crumbles.
Broccoli / Cauliflower / Chicken soup???
Chicken and egg salad at the track meet
Husband cooks (pretty sure he'll "cook" at a restaurant this week for Mother's Day)

TRY THIS WEEK?

Snacks:
hard boiled eggs or leftovers

Tried and true recipes:
Josie's Shepherd Pie, Thai Sauce over Meat, Comfort Roast and Horseradish Sauce, Asian Beef

Recipes to try soon:
Ranch ~ healthier alternative.
Marinade from SoSimplyGood
Salt and Vinegar Chickpeas

MarksDailyApple (buried in the massive post) Chimichurri sauce {they said "I think it is great on eggs in addition to flank steak.}
1 bunch italian parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup a mix of lemon and lime juice
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Remove tough stems from fresh herbs. Puree all in food processor

Check out other menu plans at:

Orgjunkie
11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven always has a lot of homemaking posts to read as well!

My Life is a Mismatch

2012-05-04T10:05:00.000-06:00

Image Credit: Poppy Thomas-Hill

I've been following Jack Kruse for a while. I think the guy is crazy. Crazy in a good way (that's possible right?) Brave in a way that I want to be...I want to stand up for what I believe in, but far too often I don't.

He talks about using cold thermogenesis and a paleo diet based on circadian cycles to cure neolithic disease. Half of the time I have NO clue what he's talking about. I have to read and re-read what he writes about ten times before it starts to sink in a bit.

He writes about biological mismatches...that we're too smart for our own good. Our bodies weren't designed to turn on the lights so we can stay up later. Our bodies weren't designed to eat a banana in December because they don't grow in December (or something like that...)

I like to read what he writes because it challenges me to THINK.

For far too long I believed the medical professionals who told me to eat more grains to be healthy (just be sure to eat whole grains) and DO NOT eat fat or you'll have a heart attack. As I got older my hypoglycemia / low blood sugar issues got a lot worse. I was eating constantly trying to stem off an attack. Once I started eating fat and protein and stopped eating grains and sugar my hypoglycemia issues disappeared.

What does this have to do with my life being a mismatch?

I say or think one thing, but my actions tell a different story.

Image Credit: Poppy Thomas-Hill

Recently I saw this quote from Mahatma Ghandi:

"Be the change you want to see in the world."

What a wonderful way to look at life! Although goal setting tends to backfire on me, when I focus my priorities, everything else seems to fall into place.

Action Step: Who or what do I want to be?

Homemaker: Focus on my family before others.
Minimalist: Relationships first!
Frugal / Wise with time and money
Healthy: Primal / Paleo Diet and taking time for myself so I feel great
Encouraging (blogging and volunteering)
Loving: don't be judgmental...extend grace to others and myself

Homemaking Tip: Cleaning Your Microwave

2012-05-03T09:59:00.000-06:00

Image by SmartGoat

Just a quick homemaking tip for you this morning that will take you just a few minutes:

Put a soaking wet washcloth in the microwave (no soap).
"Cook" for 1-2 minutes (every microwave is different).
When the washcloth is steaming hot, wipe down your microwave. Please note that I'm a wimp so I wear a glove to do this.
Rinse out your washcloth.
Hang washcloth over your kitchen faucet to dry.

Not only have you cleaned your microwave, you've disinfected your washcloth (so people say...I hope it's true!)

Other homemaking tips:

How to Create a Menu Plan

How to be a Good Wife (Put Yourself First)

Spring Cleaning Tip (DON'T Do it)

Coming Soon...

Is Your Life a Mismatch?

This post has been linked to We are THAT Family.

Weekly Roundup

2012-04-28T11:19:00.000-06:00

Photo by JamiesRabbit

Earlier this week I wrote about the bon-bon day I had this week. This morning I read the following posts that helped me understand my own need for time to myself:

Sometimes a Light: To Do: Nothing
Jennifer Dawn McLucas: True Rest

Oh how I needed to read these posts this morning! They are fabulous!

Another Bon Bon Day

2012-04-25T10:25:00.001-06:00

Why do you suppose I am so obsessed about homemakers taking care of themselves? I've written the following posts about this subject:

Am I obsessed because my mom died at the age of 50 and didn't ever have time/make the time to read a book?

Am I obsessed because I think there are so many blogs out there that show homemakers how you can be more productive?

Am I obsessed because I see the 50% + divorce rate and wonder if there is a link?

I really don't know why I'm obsessed about it.

I do know this....when I don't have time to sit and be still, exercise or read my Bible, I realize that I get through life okay, but I certainly don't enjoy it. I don't want my life to be OKAY. I want my life to be filled with JOY regardless of the circumstances.

Yesterday these are the words that jumped out at me (Ephesians 3:1-21):

grace
mystery
together
strengthen
DWELL in your hearts
wide
long
high
deep
love of Christ
surpasses knowledge
fullness

and finally...

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

I want take time to be aware of this each and every day of my life.

YNAB: Followup

2012-04-23T11:50:00.002-06:00

YNAB (You Need a Budget)

I have to admit, on Saturday I was ready to throw in the towel. The first couple of weeks that I used this software, I was so excited about it. I could see where our money was going and the changes that we needed to make to our budget.

Unfortunately, my perfectionism kicked in. On Saturday morning at 5AM I was ready to change everything back to the way it used to be. Thankfully I fell back asleep and had a conversation with my husband later in the morning (that went something like this...I'm changing everything back, no you're not, yes I am, no you're not, yes I am...we're mature that way LOL.)

I was frustrated because on paper I have a monthly budget, but my husband is paid every other week. They don't match and they never will.

Right now we are living paycheck to paycheck and I wanted everything to work perfectly in the software.

After reading the YNAB forum, I found a post about the "rules". If you scroll down to the username "Patzer" you'll see a great response about letting money sit. I have no problems letting money sit as long as the amount in the software matches the budget I have on paper. If it doesn't match, apparently I want to throw in the towel.

Perfectionism can rear it's head in many different and ugly ways!

The solution? I write down the average monthly amounts on paper and my husband fills in the budgeted amount on the software.

Here are the rules of YNAB (and my note to self:)

Give Every Dollar a Job
Save for a Rainy Day

Note to self: even if the amounts are not the perfect amount. Make a habit of putting SOMETHING in the category. Ie. $10 in gifts. No, it's not going to buy much of a gift, but it's the habit you create that will make a difference.

Roll With the Punches
Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

Even if you don't buy or use the software, if you follow the rules of YNAB, I imagine your financial situation will be better.

Weekly Grocery Shopping

The latest grocery tips:

This post has been linked to WeAreThatFamily.

Sunrises and Kiddos

2012-04-17T10:22:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit

Had I known how quickly the sunrise was going to change, I would have taken a picture. The picture above doesn't even come close to how beautiful the sky was this morning.

I put my dog out on his leash, gasped at the beauty of the sky....poured myself a cup of coffee....took my dog off of his leash and the sky was back to normal.

Life changes that quickly.

Just yesterday {so it seems} I was working full time and running around chasing a 2 1/2 year old while nursing a baby...EXHAUSTED! Now that 2 1/2 year old is a 15 1/2 year old who drives a car.

Apparently there was yet another comment made about stay at home moms vs. working moms. I'll let you read what was said as I try not to get involved with anything political {thankfully some people enjoy that!} Here's what jumped out at me though...why do I waste my energy on things that just don't matter?

Getting angry doesn't do me any good because I'm not going to debate the issue with anyone. I am very thankful that someone corrected the woman who made the comment. My point is this: I get to choose how I spend most of my time and energy.

Time

Flylady wrote this yesterday:

All any of us need is the balance that comes from having effective habits that build into solid routines that keep our day running on a smooth and even keel. There is no such thing as perfect. We can never reach it, so why are we killing ourselves and our family in search of it!

Effective habits CREATE solid routines. Here are a few habits that have helped me:

Habit: Remember that my value/self worth comes from God...He created me.

Routine = ignore what others say

Habit: Don't volunteer for ANYTHING until I have thought about it for a few days to see how it will impact my family.

Routine = look at the calendar, pray, keep a lot of margin in my day

Habit: ALWAYS put myself first even if it's only for a few minutes {Bible time, exercising, time out by myself}

Routine = get up before my family, realize the importance of exercise and time walking along the creek.

Habit: Always put my marriage before my kids.

Routine: when kids try to interrupt my conversation with my spouse ignore them until our conversation is done (still working on this one)

Of course I don't always make the right choices, but when I do my life is much better. Time is soooo precious!

Easter 2012 with my kiddos and Dad

When Flylady Doesn't Work:
I know some people say that Flylady doesn't work for them. I honestly can't understand this because her system has worked so well for me. I'm not saying it doesn't work for some, I just don't understand.

Step 1: Shine your sink Do NOTHING else until your sink is shined. Why? It doesn't matter. If you won't do this step, then you are not ready to change.

Here is the getting started page from her website: Getting Started

I'll be the first to admit that I do not do everything she does. For me Flylady has meant this...create routines and use your timer so you can get over your procrastination AKA perfectionism.

Here are a few more posts I wrote about homemaking.

Find more tips and tricks at WeAreTHATFamily.

YNAB: You Need a Budget Review

2012-04-11T10:31:00.001-06:00

Photo Credit

Note: I have not received anything from YNAB for this review.

I am absolutely, positively in LOVE! All I want to do is spend money so I can enter the information into the computer program You Need A Budget (YNAB). I'm joking (well maybe not...)

Years ago I used the program Microsoft Money to record all of our spending (the budgeting part wasn't great in my opinion so I used excel for our budget.) When we decided to follow a Kinda/Sorta Dave Ramsey plan, we switched to a cash based system. It worked really really well.

In the beginning.

We used to have an entertainment envelope and when the money was gone it was gone. Same thing with groceries...needless to say I was really careful at the store. We had to be. We were at a point where we needed to be careful with every single purchase we made.

Over time my husband got a raise, we sold stuff, we paid off debts, we made quite a few changes. We didn't *need* to be careful with every single penny anymore. In fact, it was my husband's goal that we could relax a bit with our money (not go crazy mind you, but just relax...) I am so glad that we changed to a cash system for a while. Although we rarely had arguments about money, my husband and I needed the Dave Ramsey FPU class to get on the same page about finances.

YNAB Software

The YNAB software has allowed us to go away from a cash based system, but still be in control over our money. The software uses a methodology that allows you to factor in your own personal situations. I frequently read the forums over at LivingLikeNooneElse. I have learned so much over at the website, but I don't feel like I fit in there since we do the kinda/sort plan. The YNAB forums have been very helpful and allow you to make your own personal finance decisions.

The software took me a long time to learn...it is a completely different way of looking at money than I was used to.

Your money is in one big ole bucket. The software doesn't care if you spend cash, savings or use a credit card.
First, you look in your budget to see if you have any money to spend in a category. If you don't have any money to spend in your grocery category, you have to move the money from some other category.
Your budget reflects the truth. Ie. If you spend money in a category that you didn't have anything budgeted then the category balance turns red (negative). If you use your credit card to buy something the balance shows up as a negative number in your account. That drives me crazy because we pay that off monthly, but it's reflecting the truth and that's what it's supposed to do.
One of the goals in YNAB is to pay your current months' bills with last months' income (pay May bills with income from April.) This makes so much sense to me. I wish I would have thought of it sooner!

Check out the features of YNAB at their website: You Need a Budget

A few tips:

Take the live online classes that they offer. Don't start reading the forums first.
This software might not be exactly what you need...in my case it's perfect. Get the 34 day trial first and see if it would help you (FYI - the software is cheaper to buy from their site than over at Amazon.)
Check into the iPhone/Android apps if you have a smart phone. I have gotten in the habit of recording my spending while I'm still in the store then I sync up at home.

Find more tips at WorksForMeWednesday.

** This post contains an Amazon affiliate link. Thanks for choosing to support my blog. **

Dave Ramsey: The Kinda/Sorta Plan Worked!

2012-04-06T08:03:00.000-06:00

Image Credit

The Dave Ramsey Kinda/Sort Plan:

Send every extra dollar we find in our budget to one of our student loans ~ without being in gazelle mode all the time.

If you are unfamiliar with "gazelle mode" it basically means to do everything in your power to get rid of debt. For example: throw all money you receive as a gift toward the loan, get a second job, don't go on vacation, etc.

We started the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University Class on September 17, 2009. Our class met for 13 weeks ~ I was ready to go "gazelle" and totally stop spending ANY money, sell all that we had just to get out of debt, no vacations, etc.

Thankfully my husband is smarter than that. Our Dave Ramsey Kinda/Sort Plan includes vacations, concerts, healthy food, clothes, etc. We don't regret the student loan debt. I can't "hate" the student loan debt that we have...I would get them again in a heartbeat. I believe that my husband is supposed to be a physician assistant and I am supposed to be a homemaker. We had faith that we were following God's plan for our lives when we picked up and moved from Montana to Arizona so my husband could attend PA school (which is very very expensive!) The most important thing I've learned...

Faith first ~ Dave Ramsey's plan second

Which in my case means listening to my husband and respecting his wishes. This week we paid off a $25,000 student loan (took about two years.) I'm sure that we could have paid it off six months sooner if we would have gone "gazelle". I'm sooooo very glad that we didn't! Our kids will be gone before we know it (they are 15 and 13) ~ the memories we have from camping are priceless and well worth the extra time it took to pay off the loan.

Next up...using YNAB and changing my tune about using cash.

Frugal Recipe - Turkey Ala King

2012-04-02T08:12:00.001-06:00

Originally published January 14, 2010...

wow have things changed around our house!

Turkey Ala King (my notes/changes for a kinda/sorta primal/paleo version):

1/2 c butter (gulp!!!) as I was eating some sliced Kerrygold butter my daughter said "Mom that's weird- it looks like you are eating a potato chip." Previously I thought fat was bad for you.
1 can mushrooms (or fresh mushrooms)
some chopped onions if you like
~~1/2 c flour~~ mix 1/4 c. arrowroot powder with a little cold milk
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t pepper
1 1/2 c milk ~~(I use reconstituted dry milk)~~ Blech!!! I read how they make dry milk and no thanks!!! I use raw milk or more chicken broth and cream.
1 1/4 c chicken broth
~~2 c~~ 4 cups cooked chicken or turkey
Peas (not sure how much!)
~~noodles, biscuits,~~ rice, mashed potatoes or ~~toasted bread triangles~~

The new version looks like this:

1/2 cup butter
mushrooms
onions
1 1/2 c milk (or more broth and some heavy whipping cream)
1 1/4 c chicken broth
1/4 c arrowroot powder mixed with a little of the cold milk
4 cups cooked chicken or turkey
peas
rice or mashed potatoes

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add mushrooms and onions.
Cook about 3 minutes or until onions are done.
Stir in arrowroot/milk combo, salt and pepper.
Cook over medium heat stirring constantly while adding milk and broth.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Note: You might need to add more liquid if it's too thick.
Turn heat down to low and add chicken.
Heat until chicken is warm.
At this point I remove from heat and add in frozen peas. Let sit for a few minutes and it should be done.

This recipe serves my family of four, but doesn't provide leftovers. You can freeze this and it turns out great as long as you heat it and mix it well.

I wouldn't claim that it's healthy, but it's definitely a family favorite!

Find other recipes at the Grocery Cart Challenge and Food Renegade.

You Need a Budget

2012-03-26T13:47:00.000-06:00

Image Credit

My husband is starting a new job where he'll now get 26 paychecks a year instead of 24. I've seen the budgeting program called "You Need a Budget" AKA "YNAB" for quite some time, but hadn't spent any time researching it until this weekend.

After reading a negative review on Amazon I decided to try out the program {they have a 34 day trial period.}

Yep, it was the negative review that made me stop and think more about money. The person was complaining that you shouldn't have to spend a few hours trying to figure out how the software works. I agree in some cases, but when it comes to money it's a different story.

Money is the one constant my life. I am either spending it, finding ways to save it, thinking about it, making plans for it, etc. It's a very active part of our lives. A few years ago we took the Dave Ramsey class. Now we do a kinda/sorta Dave Ramsey plan. We don't implement everything that he teaches because it doesn't work for us. Instead we've taken his advice and made it work for us.

Personal Finance

In order to personalize your finances you have to find the tools that work for you. In the beginning of any "new" finance system, you have to spend some time creating a system that works for your situation.

Is YNAB the solution for us? I haven't decided yet. The way we do things now will not work with the way my husband gets paid. We can either try and fix what we've got or trying something new that has received a lot of positive reviews.

Regardless of what we choose to do,

spending some time creating a system for my finances is an investment in my family.

Why Does a Smartphone Make Me Feel Dumb?

2012-03-20T10:29:00.000-06:00

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I've had a Tracfone pay as you go phone for years and years and years. It has served me well.

Even though Tracfone has horrible customer service the price was right for us. The best thing I ever learned about Tracfone was this: after 5 minutes of being on the phone with a tracfone rep, just ask for a manager. My issue would get resolved immediately. Please note that I haven't ever had any problems with my Tracfone. The only issue I had was when I'd buy a new phone and would need to transfer everything over to the new phone. Often times when I'd be in Eastern Montana, my cheapie cell phone would work when other people's cell phones wouldn't.

Would I buy a tracfone again? ABSOLUTELY!!!

But let me just tell you this...the iPhone 4S totally and completely rocks!

Why is it that I got the $200 phone and my hubs got the $.99 "old" phone (he's the one that needed the phone for work LOL.)

The camera! I need a new camera so I can take indoor pictures that aren't dark and blurry. Let's hope all of the reviews are correct about it this phone.

Now, I need some help....will you please tell me what your favorite app/feature/advice is?

** This post contains an amazon affiliate link.

Staycation

2012-03-12T06:00:00.023-06:00

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We're on staycation!

My husband's last day was March 9th and will begin his new job March 19th. He sacrificed a lot the past two years by choosing a job that was a 50 minute drive (one way.) I'm so thankful he has made so many sacrifices for our family.

He's REALLY looking forward to the two minute drive to his new job!

I'll be posting again next week.

Thankful for Phalanges

2012-03-08T06:00:00.011-07:00

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Phalanges of the hand...commonly known as the finger bones.

I don't think I've ever been grateful for my hands before. It's probably one of those...you don't know what you've got until it's gone...kind of thing.

My friend broke her wrist this winter so I started thinking about how many things she couldn't do around the house because of her cast. My husband is a surgical physician assistant. He couldn't work at his current job if he was missing a few of his fingers.

I really want to be more aware of the small things in life. It's just amazing to me that our bodies work the way that they do. Again, it goes back to time though. When I'm busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I have no time to be thankful.

TIME

I think that it's time for me to re-read Amy's book "Tell Your Time"!

Menu Plan / Routine How To March 5, 2012

2012-03-05T06:00:00.072-07:00

Image Credit Double--M

Check out this blog post - this lady eats ice cream every Monday as well as chips and salsa when she goes out to eat...she lost 120 pounds and refuses to be on a diet.

Haven't tried any of these recipes yet, but there a ton I would like to at PaleoPlan.Com. A couple of posts that I read made me think she didn't subscribe to the idea that everyone should eat exactly the same thing. I really need to try some homemade beef broth - I've failed every time I've made it. BLECH!

I'm working on getting more fermented foods into my diet because it's been so successful so far. This week I plan to pick up some milk kefir grains and try that.

Menu Plan AKA Menu Routine

Breakfast Menu Plan

Lunch - leftovers or whatever for me (kids eat school lunch and they typically provide lunch for my husband at work). This will soon be changing as my husband will be changing jobs in a month.

Dinners (we eat a primalish /paleoish diet - limited grains/sugar).

Menu planning in action:

1. Outside Activities
What will conflict with supper preparations this week?

Spring Break!!!

2. Pantry
What's in my cupboards, fridge and freezer?

Hamburger (raw and cooked)
pizza sauce
buffalo burgers
raw chicken
1 cooked German Sausage link
Frozen veggies (beans, peas, cauliflower and broccoli)
Frozen (cooked) pinto beans
Eggs
ham broth

3. Ideas for Dinner

What can I make that my son loves?
What can I make that my daughter loves?
What can I make that my husband loves?
What can I make that I love?
What recipes have I found online that I want to try?

4. Make a Plan

KISS night (keep it simple silly - same thing every week). Roast beef, mashed or baked potatoes (sweet for hubs and white for the kids) and roasted veggies.
Mexican or Cajun seasoning/cream sauce with the burger crumbles.
Pork Roast - and sweet potato fries
Meatza w/ the buffalo burgers - boy are they gamey tasting!
Not sure about the rest of the days...we'll be out and about so I'm going to buy some food that easy to bring with.

TRY THIS WEEK?
Chocolate chip cookies ~ hmmm still avoiding sugar, but hubs birthday is coming up...

Snacks:
hard boiled eggs or leftovers

Tried and true recipes:
Josie's Shepherd Pie, Thai Sauce over Meat, Comfort Roast and Horseradish Sauce, Asian Beef

Recipes to try soon:
Ranch ~ healthier alternative.
Marinade from SoSimplyGood (need to get coco aminos)
MarksDailyApple (buried in the massive post)
Salt and Vinegar Chickpeas
Cocktail
SimplyRecipes Flank Steak

Chimichurri sauce {they said "I think it is great on eggs in addition to flank steak.}
1 bunch italian parsley
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup a mix of lemon and lime juice
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Remove tough stems from fresh herbs. Puree all in food processor

For my flank steak i do a dry rub of cumin salt pepper garlic and ground coriander. No measurements just sprinkle on as i pull them out of the cabinet.
Grill as you like.

Brazilian Cheese Puffs
Recipes for Brazilian Cheese Puffs and Food.com. I poured the batter into a mini muffin pan. This is not like bread, but I loved them. I had to make myself eat meat first! My son liked them, but my daughter and husband thought they were WEIRD!

Check out other menu plans at:

Orgjunkie
11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven always has a lot of homemaking posts to read as well!

Paleo Summit Dr. Cate Shanahan

2012-03-03T11:55:00.000-07:00

Fabulous presentation today at the Paleo Summit by Dr. Cate Shanahan. Again, these notes are mostly for me...

First of all, from her blog DrCate regarding the silliness of paleo:

Any recipe that generates odd adaptations of familiar foods might be fun, but some get carried away. The silliest Paleo recipe I’ve seen is “pizza” lacking cheese or crust and made out of ground beef shaped into triangular piles. Another unnecessary complication is the use of flours for reasons other than better flavor or reducing carbohydrate intake. If you like spelt or coconut or almond flour, by all means enjoy them. But if you don’t, or you like wheat flour better for certain recipes, then use wheat flour (my note: traditionally prepared).

Now, personally, I LOVE LOVE LOVE meatza so I'm not giving that up, but she has a point.

She is not fond of supplements because your body just doesn't know what to do with individual components. Really wants people to eat whole foods.
Vitamin D is an exception (it's not really a vitamin)
Her patients expect to get a pill because they tried to change their diet and it didn't work (cut calories, lower fat, etc.)
Dietary cholesterol has minimal effect on blood cholesterol
Bowl of pasta gets broken down into sugar which goes into your blood stream as blood sugar. Goes into your liver and transforms it into fat. Carbs make us make more cholesterol.
Brain is made up of cholesterol and fats -> when you eat egg yolks for example, you shouldn’t think of it as eating fat, you should think of it as feeding your brain the food it NEEDS. You shouldn’t see it as calories you should see it as fuel for your brain.
More fat will help with anxiety issues.

Closing statement:

If you are willing to change your diet there is no reason that you have to take most of the drugs out there. Let’s make food the mainstream treatment and turn drugs into an alternative treatment.

Latest Info from the Cooling Inflammation Blog

2012-03-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

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Yesterday there was talk of high butt cracks, today it is about happy poop...wonder what tomorrow will bring LOL!

Dr. Oz provides a great service by promoting some healthy ideas, but it would be even better if he helped the public to understand how the gut and gut flora produce healthy poop.

Buy some fermented foods today! If you are brave you can make them at home too (I'm a complete failure at that though.)

Random Thoughts

2012-03-01T11:18:00.001-07:00

OH MY!!!

This blog just cracks me up...the first few words of today's post:

I've talked about my high butt crack...

I gasp (yes, I'm a prude) and think - you can't talk about high butt cracks on your blog...

I was listening to the Paleo Summit this morning wondering if some people have a hard time believing in a paleo diet/way of life because of the evolution vs. God debate. Here's my thought process...

Dear Jesus,

Many Christians claim that I should eat bread just because it's in the Bible. When I ate bread I had horrible digestion issues, acne, felt achy and had no energy.

What do you think Jesus' response would have been? I'm guessing it would be to eat foods that fuel your body, give you energy, etc.

Dear Jesus,

Many people say we can't just get rid a food group -> it's just not right. Why? Who created the food groups? The government. Hmmmm so I should listen to the government regarding what food to eat. Hmmmmmm....

Dear Jesus,

Is there such a thing as a cavemen, ice age people, etc....should I be eating like them?

Response: Honey, you absolutely hate history, why are you wasting your time trying to research something you hate? Do not worry about cavemen, Paleolithic, neolithic, blah blah blah. Do a bit of research if you like, but don't spend a lot of your precious time trying to figure out who is right and who is wrong. Spend that time building relationships, going for walks to enjoy this beautiful world I created, pet your dog, try a new recipe, eat real food, etc.

So I've mentioned before that my knees are horrible. I'm 41 years old and they creak and crack as I walk up the stairs. I'm adding krill oil and cod liver oil to see if that will help, but I'm also trying to strengthen the muscles around my knees by doing wall squats.

"Sit" against the wall (pretend you are sitting in a chair)
Make sure your knees do not go over your toes
I'm doing this for 30 seconds 2 times per day

As usual, the first time I did it I did it for 2 minutes....dumb girl. This is exactly how I got hurt before...instant gratification!!! I want my knees to be fixed NOW. I don't want to wait to get fixed so I'll injure myself in the process.

I'm trying to change my 'tude. Therefore I'm really going to only do 30 seconds two times per day this week. I need to increase slowly. If I say it over and over again do you think it'll help me?

On the homemaking front...I totally fell off of the flylady bandwagon for a bit. You know what happened?

NOTHING major. The house didn't burn down, nobody noticed the house was "dirty", I had a lot more time. Seems as if I still have a lot of habits in place, but I did notice that when I was sweeping this week, it was DISGUSTING. Just yucky. So I've been working on getting my routines back in place again.

clean kitchen sink
Hotspots
1 load of laundry per day
know what's for dinner and write it down on the wipeboard
15 minutes (4 songs) focused on cleaning whatever needs it the most (I've wiped out the fridge, worked on my closet and nightstand, walked around with a duster, etc.)

Love flylady!!!

**please note, that you should always consult a Dr. or someone who knows what they are talking about before you attempt any exercise program. Perhaps wall squats and eating a paleo/cavemen/limited grains diet will make your knees worse **

Hummingbird Homemaking

The Battle vs. The War: The Teen Years

The Battle

The War

Jack Kruse: Here's to the Crazy Ones

Action:

The Path....

Menu Plan / Routine May 14, 2012

Homemaking: The Dreaded Question

Homemaking

Menu Plan / Routine How To May 7, 2012

My Life is a Mismatch

Action Step: Who or what do I want to be?

Homemaking Tip: Cleaning Your Microwave

Weekly Roundup

More Awesome Posts

Another Bon Bon Day

YNAB: Followup

Sunrises and Kiddos

Time

YNAB: You Need a Budget Review

YNAB Software

Dave Ramsey: The Kinda/Sorta Plan Worked!

The Dave Ramsey Kinda/Sort Plan:

Frugal Recipe - Turkey Ala King

Originally published January 14, 2010...

wow have things changed around our house!

You Need a Budget

Why Does a Smartphone Make Me Feel Dumb?

Staycation

Thankful for Phalanges

Menu Plan / Routine How To March 5, 2012

Paleo Summit Dr. Cate Shanahan

Latest Info from the Cooling Inflammation Blog

Random Thoughts