All That Is Good

A Glimpse Into Our Homeschool...

2012-01-25T15:41:00.002-05:00

In which we take a break from the cliff-hanger Home Management Binder Series to give a glimpse into our homeschool...Binder tips will resume when the desktop gets out of the hospital. (Good news - diagnosis has been made and parts are in the mail!)

Our School Day I look forward to 10 am every day, for that is when I leave my chores, call the kids from their play, and we cuddle on the couch with a pile of books to read. I get to ask questions of my boy that make him screw up his lips in thought, or point things out that cause his face light up with understanding and wonder.

After a page of this and a chapter of that and "one more story, please, mommy?" we head to the kitchen table where I dole out fun activity pages to each of them, passing out scissors and an open a box of markers. They cut and past and trace the letter of the week and, thanks to the colorful Kumon books, it's all like a wonderful game.

By 11 Jesse is in full creativity mode, and Claire has wandered off to check on her favorite doll, "Sophie-Baby" so I leave them to start lunch or tend to Seth. Our 'Formal' schooling is done, but all through the day we dialogue and refer to things we've been learning. We know Jessse's little mind is in full Seek and Learn mode as he continually surprises us with random questions and statements...

"How many Fruits of the Spirit ARE there?"

"It's bedtime for Africa right now."

"Are there dog fish? Are they bigger than catfish?"

"Will we still have this house in heaven?"

"Mom, does one of the ten commandments say, 'no worshiping idols'?"

I knew I'd love homeschooling, but I never thought it would be this fun.

After reading about the biggest animal, a blue whale, we went out in the snow and paced out the size of the whale in the backyard. Wow, they are really big! Mommy got a good workout. Note: I am not this creative every day. LOL

Claire making a snow angel.

Our Routine We love us a good routine around here. It changes frequently as the needs of the kids change, but right now our mornings usually look like this...

8:00 - we eat breakfast and get dressed. If I have slept well, I get up before the kids, but otherwise, not much happens around here before 8.
.

Geometry in the kitchen...Jesse makes a house out of a square and a triangle cut from purple cabbage leaves. He's also learning knife safety. :)

9:00 I call the kids from play into the kitchen and we do our chores. They clear their breakfast dishes then empty the dishwasher. Claire does the utensils and Jesse everything else. Then we may do some food prep (this morning I attempted sauerkraut for the third time) and usually have a load of laundry to wash or fold. Once we've done the chores we can do together, I release them to play and I finish tidying the kitchen.

The sauerkraut Mommy was working on next to him.

10:00 I call the kids to the couch for school. I put Seth in his play pen with a new-from-the-cupboard toy and he is right next to us while we read on the couch. He's usually happy in there until we move to the diningroom for 'table school', then I transfer him to the johnny-jump-up with some good 'Jumping Music' so the kids can do their writing and cutting without Seth eating their markers (Literally)


Seth's favorite school activity.

The kids respond well to the routine, and are learning to tell time because each of our morning activities starts with the chime of the clock. You may notice our morning involves a good measure of free play time, too, because we feel that is so important for this age.

A Robin's nest Jesse made during an afternoon with playdough.

Our afternoons go many different ways, and I'm still working on my tendency to get caught up in a project and leaving them to their own devices till dinner time. I'm asking the Lord to help turn my heart toward my children and away from other passions that steal my attention from them. Revamping my binder yesterday morning in prep for the next post on that subject reminded me how little time I can afford to spend on other things (computer, sewing, pleasure reading) if my goal is to invest well in my children in this most formative season in their lives.

sprouting avocado seeds for science

The Kids' Books The curriculum we're loving this year is Sonlight's Preschool 4/5 Core. It includes lots of story books to grow attention span, tales from around the world (geography), books about animals (science), jobs people do, and the world we live in. We're reading through the Bible with"The DK Children's Everyday Bible", and have a short weekly memory verse. We're also using the "Get Ready for the Code" workbooks. Our focus right now is letter recognition, counting, and increased awareness of the big world around them. Claire is tagging along, enjoying the stories and proudly saying her verse each day. Jesse is 5 1/2 and Claire is 3 1/4 years.

The Teacher's Books My homeschool philosophy is being greatly impacted by the books of Raymond and Dorothy Moore. Right now I'm reading "Home Grown Kids" - the book that inspired both my parents and my in-laws to begin homeschooling almost 30 years ago - before the word 'homeschooling' was even in use. Their writing is giving me confidence and joy as I embrace the privelidge of teaching my own children at home. This quote is both convicting and inspiring to me...

"The unqualified parent or teacher is one whose attitude is indifferent to a youngster's real needs, or whose motives place his or her own freedoms above those of the child. We firmly believe that the greatest teaching talent in the world lies in the warm, responsive and consistent parent whose love makes the needs of his children his highest concern...Parents' daily on-to-one example amounts to master teaching at the highest level." - "Home-Grown Kids"

I also recommend "Educating the Whole Hearted Child" by the Clarksons, and "A Charlotte Mason Companion", both on the list in the "Mother" tab of my Home Management Book, waiting to be read. (Note: the only thing I can't recommend about the Moores' books is their health advice. It's very dated and doesn't encourage good fats!:()

What are your favorite homeschool or parenting resources?

"Me First!" and Other Secrets to a Well Ordered Binder

2012-01-23T16:44:00.001-05:00

When setting up my home management binder, I started with defining and prioritizing my roles. These eventually became the titles of each section in my binder. A binder that's organize by roles doubles as a constant reminder of our priorities.

What are your roles?
Your roles are what is required of you as an individual - what nobody can or should do for you. They may include...

Who you are at home - Mother, Homemaker, Daughter
The title of any job you work at - Teacher, Massage Therapist, Entrepreneur
What you like to be in your spare time - Writer, Seamstress, Volunteer

After writing down all your roles, you may realize (as I did!) that you have way too many roles! Relax. Only your key roles need go in your binder. (We'll talk about what to do with all those extra passions and commitments in another post) To find out which are your key roles, you're gonna have to prioritize. This is actually a pretty easy step – painful, 'cause you'll have to face reality - but simple. Like lining up things in size order. Start with the most important one, and work your way down the list.

Me First!
I took a hint from Amy Lynn Andrew's book, Tell Your Time, and made myself my first priority. Sound selfish? Let me explain: I’m a mom, a wife, a homemaker, a writer – these are things I’m passionate about. It takes energy and fuel to live out one’s passions. If I’m not fueling up, I’m gonna have trouble reaching any of my goals. If I take care of myself first, everyone (including me!) is blessed.

Now, I’m not talking about pedicures and nights out, gals. I’m talking about my soul, the deeper person, who I am when I’m alone. My toes don’t matter then. I make myself a priority when I:

take time for washing my mind with scripture (even just a teensy bit on the busy days!),
make sleep a priority over clean dishes,
allow myself to take the time to organize my day so I can enjoy being a sane member of society.

So, me first – in a rather unselfish way, because the things I do for myself are actually for the benefit of those around me. I include my role as wife in the 'Me' tab, because we're supposed to be one, right? Then comes my role as mother. THEN comes food prep, household chores, blogging, relationships outside the home, business ventures, etc.

A Daily Reminder
I have to confess, this is convicting even as I write it, because I’ve been letting some stuff get out of balance. So, lest you think I’m perfect, let me tell you that my binder is a reminder of my goals, NOT a showcase of reality around here every day. There are definitely days I let email come before kids, and house cleaning before time with my husband, but I’m working on it. Everytime I open my binder, I'm reminded of my key roles...

Trina/Wife - includes personal goals, book list, notes from stuff I'm studying
Mother - where I focus on my relationship with each of my children
Homemaker - menu ideas, freezer list, organizing goals, etc.
Writer - book list, post drafts, blogging schedule
Friend - where I jot down questions, ideas, or stuff to share with friends
Entrepreneur - notes from conference calls, goals for business and personal growth
Shopper - gift ideas, shopping lists, master grocery list, cash account, etc.
Artist - where I keep ideas for when I have time in the studio

Simply mapping out my priorities as defined by my key roles last fall was enough to create a major shift in how I spent my time. Maybe that doesn’t sound like much fun. I just want to testify – focusing more fully on what I was created to do and be in this season has led to three of the most fulfilling and joy-filled months of my motherhood!

There's just one more ingredient to a super binder that can bring peace and order to your days - it's the most used and helpful part of mine! I'll clue you into that next time... (sorry, but I just love cliff hangers...)

Meanwhile, do you have a binder yet? What do you have or plan to include in yours? What do you see as your key roles? In writing them down, did you make any discoveries?

My New Best Friend {A Home Management Binder}

2012-01-21T11:08:00.004-05:00

From my latest posts you may have figured out that a home management binder is my new best friend. Today I'm gonna walk you through building your own.

photo source

I know what you're saying. I said the same things when I first heard about home management notebooks.

"I have to build something? I don't have time to build something!"
"I'm already a list maker, and I'm pretty organized"
"That's for gals who can't keep their head on straight."

Then I became one of those gals.
By the third kid, I was beginning to unravel. Although it looked like I had it all together -- house was tidy, laundry got done (usually), I cooked all our meals from scratch -- the truth was, my brain was wearied and confused trying to keep on top of everything. Even though I wrote copious lists and constantly worked on organization, I was drained by the constant need to prioritize and by the fact that I felt I could never let my mind rest, for fear something would leak out.

Enter the Home Management Notebook. When I finally buckled down and put one together, I realized how stupid I'd been to put it off. It really wasn't that hard, and it has made all the difference!

All my lists are in one place. No more searching for that scrap of paper.
I have my priorities always before me, reducing the mental strain of constantly weighing options for my time.
I am more organized than ever, which is finally allowing me to relax and trust that IF I have forgotten something, it is small enough that I don't need to worry about it.
I feel like I have space to breathe - almost as if I DID have Cinderella visit occasionally!

So, now I have you drooling over your own Home Management Notebook, but you're also staring at the hurdle of Building Your Own.

It's really not that hard - Let me talk you through it.

First we shall collect our materials. I'm going to give you two options. If you're desperate to start one and don't have time to run to Walmart first, here's the bare bones necessities you'll need that you probably already have around the house...

Binder (1 1/2 -2 inch spine)
Lined paper with holes OR any paper and a 3-hole punch (I got mine at the thrift store!)
Old file folders for dividers.

There's going to be sections in your book, and I've found old file folders, cut up the spine and hole punched, work good for dividers. The above is enough to get you started. - you can upgrade to a pretty binder or dividers with pockets later.

This is your shopping list if you wanna get a little fancy...

Binder (Target has some Gorgeous ones!)
Lined paper with re-inforced holes
Avery Tab Dividers with Pockets
Plastic sleeves - glossy finish
Wet Erase fine-tip markers

That will make you a fancy-pants book, let me tell you!

Next step is to decide how you wanna order you're binder.I recommend you wander around a bit for inspiration. Everyone's got their different ways of setting it up and all. The power of your binder comes from having it customized to your goals and routines. My set-up is kind of unique, inspired by my friend Gretchen's binder. But there's lots of great stuff out there - I've pinned some of my favorites on Pinterest to get you started. If you're already feeling lost and don't want to wander further into the unknown, don't worry, I'll be back shortly to talk you through how I set up mine, ok?

{Many thanks to my friends Gretchen, Jessica, and Diane whose examples of pursuing organization finally prompted me to build my own binder. :)}

Not sure if a home management binder is for you? I told you - neither did I. Until I tried it! I'll never go back. What would 'room to breathe' feel like in your day?

Five Minute Fridays: Vivid

2012-01-20T13:21:00.000-05:00

Vivid

When I think back to my most vivid memories of the homestead -- those not triggered by the 2 dimensional aid of a photograph -- I can almost feel the goosebumps.

There were moments (ok, hours) of intense cold. That second winter when Joel and I crawled around under the log cabin in February working in 18 in. of space and the smell of cats trying to jam insulation between the floor joists to plug the drafts peirciing the floor in the kitchen.

The sting of sleet while Jordan and I straddled the peak of the addition roof, executing an emergency chimney sweep in December. The last thing we needed was a chimney fire.

The achingly cold water we'd pump from the well into a 50 gallon barrel, one bucket-full at a time, to give ourselves a place to cool off in the baking August heat. (You really had to leave it at least a full day with the lid on in the sun before it was warmed enough.) We would take turns immersing ourselves, then hoisting up over the side of the barrel for the next kid to jump in. Dripping wet, we'd make dark, smacking footsteps on the slate around the pump, rushing to pump another bucket to replace the water displaced from our 'pool'.

Linked up to Five Minute Fridays at Gypsy Mamma - come play along!

10 Tips to Fighting Kitchen Combat Fatigue {And a GAPS update}

2012-01-18T12:04:00.001-05:00

I'm half way through my month-long journey to feeding my family on the GAPS diet! So far it's been an exciting experiment, and not too stressful thanks to the time-saving and stream-lining strategies I use in my kitchen on a daily basis. A lot of what I wrote about in my book, Real {Fast} Food certainly applies to any sort of special diet. On the GAPS diet I am certainly in the kitchen a bit more than usual, but these tips from my book have helped me from getting overwhelmed (or going on strike!)

GAPS-friendly Crepes with Homemade Sweet Cream Cheese Filling

This is an excerpt from my book - one of my favorite pages that I refer to time and again...

Ten Tips for Fighting Kitchen Combat Fatigue

Reschedule your kitchen time - are you spending the majority of your time in the kitchen when you are already exhausted? Try doing some dinner prep as you clean up breakfast, reducing the hours on your feet in the kitchen at the end of the day.
Feast on Leftovers - Make a large batch of your favorite soup or casserole that you know no one will mind seeing several days in a row. When you get to the bottom of the pot, you will feel like cooking again- guaranteed!
Try something new -Page through a magazine or your favorite food blog and let the photos get your taste buds and creative juices flowing.
Clean it up - I'm most at odds with my kitchen when it's a mess. The best thing to do is just get it clean. Put on some good music, set a timer to race, and go for it. By the time you're done you'll have worked up an appetite, may actually feel like cooking again, and you'll have a clean kitchen to work in!
Make a Plan -Though it's the last thing you feel like doing, a menu plan puts you on the offensive against KCF. Just 15 minutes of planning several day's worth of meals takes the mental weight out of the task of preparing food and lets you just cook.
Go Shopping - You can't cook if you have nothing to cook with. Restocking your pantry is like bringing in fresh troops and suddenly the possibilities are endless!
Double Up - Develop the habit of doubling every dish you make and sticking one in the freezer. This is a long term strategy that really cuts down on the battle fatigue.
Review Your Master Menu Plan - it can remind you of a favorite dish you haven't made in a while and suddenly you're back on your feet, excited about dinner.
Simplify - Each meal should include a protein, carb, and some good fat. If you get that all in a bowl soup, give yourself a break, and don't worry about sides or second courses!
Invite a friend for dinner -Nothing is more motivating to me than the thought that "company's coming!" The anticipation adds pleasure to the work, and more people to feed means more gratification in the effort!

I did it! That's kimichi on the bottom left. Actually ate this for breakfast, AND enjoyed it. Never thought I'd see the day....

If you don't have a copy of my book yet and wanna get it for FREE- you should jump over to Quick and Easy, Cheap and Healthy where Anne is giving away a copy! :)

And if you have questions about our GAPS journey, you can find me at Real {Fast}Food's Facebook page! See you there...

When I see a Chicken...

2012-01-14T15:37:00.001-05:00

I walk to the fridge, pull out a chicken. Do what I've at least 47 times since I learned how to roast a chicken. I rinse it (habit), throw out the giblets (gross) and dab it dry with paper towels. Next comes butter, smeared liberally over the breast, and plenty of salt and pepper - a few herbs if I'm feeling gourmet. As I pop it in the oven and rinse my hands, I remember the first time I met a chicken carcass...

Within a year of moving to the homestead, it became apparent that our savings were not going to grant us the luxury of settling in and getting established before starting a family business. We needed income and soon. With a skill set more suited to government offices and big cities, but a determination reminiscent of Shakelton, my Dad set forth to turn our hilltop acres into a Chicken Farm.

A family friend had connections with a chicken farmer in Virginia (the now world-renown sustainable food expert, Joel Salatin) so my dad and brothers visited their farm a few times, we poured over Joel's book, "Pastured Poultry Profits" as a family, and in the spring of 1997 we ordered our first batch of chicks. A brooder house was built with leftover logs from the log cabin, a propane heater installed, and a bale of sawdust carefully spread. On a brisk day in April, the post office called and within an hour we became the proud parents of 200 baby chickens, just 24 hours old.

Oh, they're cute when their young. But within 2 weeks, if they've survived the fluctuating temperatures of the ancient propane hover-heater, the local rats, and the boot of the loving-yet-clumsy chicken farmer, they start getting ugly. They begin sprouting adult feathers in awkward places and strut around with the attitude of a cocky teenager. They bicker and peck and fight over the smallest things, must be fed 6 times a day, and constantly use their waterer for a latrine.

As the weeks pass, they get uglier and fatter until, by week 8, due to genetic engineering, their drumsticks can hardly support the weight of their glorious, Cornish Cross breasts. But they are happy, because they are grass fed, with new, clean pasture twice a day and delicious, custom mixed feed.

And happy because they don't know that one sunny day, the Farmer will turn Murderer.

Look out, folks, this is where it gets messy.

I'm convinced that first summer of chickens, at 15 years old, I suffered from a stress-induced ulcer. I started getting terrible stomach aches at random times, but particularly on processing days. I swear I was trying to be a good girl and wasn't making it up to get out of a nasty job. But the job was so nasty, my body rebelled on its own, doubling me over with cramps so bad I distinctly remember wishing I could die.

Processing day involved hours of time spent with our hands in the bodies of warm, freshly scalded chickens in our backyard slauter house that didn't even have running water. I'm serious. The house didn't have running water - do you think we gave the chickens a luxury we didn't enjoy? The smell of warm guts and fecal matter and the poop-soup of the scalding pot was enough to swear anyone off of Chicken Soup for life.

The water for processing was pumped by hand into 50 gallon barrels which were used to fill two plastic watering cans. My younger sisters did the honors, swathed in large aprons with bandanas over their whispy blonde hair -- when Mom or I finished cleaning a bird, we held it over the sink and called, "Pour!", rinsing our bird sparingly (remember, the water was pumped by hand!) before dumping it into a 7 gallon bucket of ice water.

I know it sounds unsanitary, but with what we were learning about commercially raised and mechanically processed chickens, we knew we had a superior product, and our customers apparently agreed.

By the end of that summer, we had made significant progress up the learning curve and had plans for a sate-of-the art processing shed with gravity fed running water. I had gotten over my ulcer and was actually feeling some pride at our family's accomplishment. Within a few years, we had a well-established customer base who drove up to 5 hours for our pastured chicken, beef, and pork. I had learned to eviscerate a bird faster even than my big brother, who had apprenticed at Polyface farm for a year.

Not a stock photo. Those are MY hands!

Best of all, the direct selling that we did -- straight from the farm to our customers and at farmer's markets had finally pushed me out of my painful shyness and helped me discover that I actually liked people. I enjoyed making small talk as I fished their order out of the ice-cold chill tank and double checked my math on the calculator. I loved the satisfaction of providing a product that made people beam (and sometimes even wax poetic). I loved that I finally set aside enough fears so I could start enjoying life. I was growing up.

Maybe I wouldn't have been so overjoyed if I'd known how many more thousands of chickens and turkeys I'd come to know intimately in the coming years as our business grew and our family helped mentor others in the business and eventually I worked for a farm that grew 10,000 birds each summer. That's a lot of guts. And this story's had enough already.

All that to say, when I see a chicken, even if it's just the cheap {commercially raised, mechanically processed} fryer we can afford from the store these days, I'm grateful for them. You could say I grew up on chickens.

My Personal Cinderalla, Please!

2012-01-09T13:29:00.001-05:00

The year I had my third child was the year I began dreaming the same dream over and over:

I wanted a hired hand. The children outnumbered the adults and the number of arms I had. The laundry was a living thing, threatening and growing. What to feed all these little animals was a constant question. And I had nearly lost the ability to engage in anything extra-curricular, like cleaning the shower or reading a book.

I found myself almost daily fantasizing about hired help. We couldn't afford it, but still, I'd imagine what life would be like if I had someone to help me with a deep cleaning project (there was one calling to me from every room), do a bit of ironing, or just hang out with my kids so I could get something done without an interruption every 30 seconds.

This desire morphed into what I felt was a justifiable need while I was at Relevant. I met so many wonderful, type-A woman like myself who were doing it all - but freely admitted it was with help. Woman I respected like Crystal Paine and Angie Toplin said it was one of the best decisions they ever made. I headed home with the goal of figuring out a way to get my hands on my own personal Cinderella, feeling it was essential to my calling as a wife, mother, and blogger.

I brainstormed with my roomie on the long drive home about how I could pull this off, but my quest took a turn when she asked one little question. She wasn't critical, just curious -

"Why?" Why did I feel I needed help?

I quickly filled her in on all of the above - I couldn't do everything I was called to do on my own, and all the most productive woman at the conference encouraged delegation and getting help. But as I spoke, I heard tones of justification. Suddenly I began to wonder if this really was a valid need, or a selfish desire I was justifying with all my lofty goals.

It was the very next week that the Lord began revealing to me some pretty thick veins of pride running through my life - pride concerning my blogging goals, my household goals, my personal goals - pride was everywhere! And pride, get this, was at the root of my desire for a helping hand. "If I just had help, then I could do it all!" And doing it all was what my prideful heart wanted most.

That's when I let go of my Cinderella Dream. That's when I saw it for what it was - a selfish, prideful desire, and began to trust the Lord that He would show me the way through all my desires and goals and dreams, and give me the strength to accomplish what He has called me to.

It's been a journey, but I want to share with you what I have learned. About the Art of Sacrifice, The Beauty of Prioritizing, and, a Trick that's actually made me feel as though I have gained an Extra Hand around the house (not to mention a large does of Peace of Mind). If you feel like you never will get it all done or make it through the challenging season you're in, I want to encourage you. God will show you the way. And I'm gonna make room for you on the stepping stones I've found along the way...

My List of Ten for 2012

2012-01-07T15:33:00.005-05:00

All week I've been planning to post about one of my favorite things...New Year's Resolutions! But while I was reading some of my favorite blogs on the topic and something dawned on me like an orange globe in a pink winter sunrise...

I can't say it better myself, so I won't even try.

Whether they scare you or excite you, whether you make tons, or make it your goal not to make any at all, I highly recommend these great reads...

Tsh detailed two tips to actually make progress on your goals. Laura shared how she's rejecting the automation her Type-A self is so good at, and making completely different sorts of goals this year. If you only make one goal, let it be this one, summed up in Kat's 12 word post. Tiny Twig took a fun, casual approach, and I'm inspired by her list of ten. That's doable.

So, here's mine - shared with you because accountability is one of the secrets to success.

1. Beautify my studio. You know it's bad 'cause you saw the video.
2. Try the GAPS diet for a month. We're 5 days in...follow our journey at Real {Fast} Food Facebook page.
3. Learn to make Kimchi. DONE! Did it this morning! Three days till we find if it's edible.
4. Be a reader of books. I plan to drown myself in books. Yum.
5. Study Massage Therapy. A life-long dream. I'm finally taking steps this year.
6. Finish Deep Cleaning every corner of this old house.
7. Have a Garage Sale with the findings.
8. Be the person I want my kids to grow up to be. So much in 12 words.
9. Keep track of every penny I spend in cash.
10. Take this seriously: Thousand Gift's Challenge.

To find out just why I love New Year's Resolutions so much, and how I transform them from resolutions to predictions, check out my little post over at YLCF this week.

Do you make 'em? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Go ahead, rant. I'll listen.

P.S. Don't miss this - Lindsay's blog goals for the new year promise some really good reading over at Passionate Homemaking in the coming months. I'm so inspired by her passion for Spirit-led content, and excited and challenged to be part of the team.

In Which We Confess Our Mess and Vow to Be Good

2012-01-03T08:45:00.000-05:00

Notes from things I forgot to say...the beauty of my home management notebook is that I now can actually see where I will have time to tackle this Mt. Everest of organizational challenges. My notebook has been the final tool that has helped me be productive AND find rest in my schedule! And for me, I find rest in creating. So, gotta get the studio clean. I'm looking forward to sharing what I learn with you along the way...

Please tell me I'm not alone ('cause, you know, miserly loves company?) Do you have a mess or organizational challenge you need to tackle in the new year? Are you wondering how to find the time or gumption? I believe we could do it together. That's what friends are for, right?

Spinning the Island Outside of Its Box

2012-01-02T07:44:00.001-05:00

Last week I turned my island around. You know the one in my kitchen, with the giant butcher block on top? It had been that way since it arrived in my kitchen - in fact, I'd decided how the island would stand ever before we bought the house. Moving it seemed like a weird idea...

But I gave it a spin 90 degrees and viola! instantly improved the flow and appearance in my kitchen. It's amazing! Unloading the dishwasher is no longer a crowded, awkward chore. Food prep seems just a little simpler, and my counter space is a full 13 inches closer to the fridge (which lives in the next room) and let me tell you, this saves steps. Granted, this does mean that the back, unfinished side of the cupboards face my door and give guests their first impression of my kitchen, but you know what? I'm ok with that.

It had me thinking - where else could I think outside the box to improve my household? My schedule? My attitude?

I've repeatedly taken little things like food prep and folding laundry and organizing to the Lord and He has often given me inspiration. It often involves breaking out of my comfort zone, putting a different spin on things, looking at a problem from someone else's perspective. And it's always been a blessing when I get a fresh new angle on a task or idea. Remember, He cares about what you carry.

Got a problem? Organizational issue? Relationship conundrum? Take it to God. Ask a friend for their perspective. And don't be afraid to think outside the box. Frankly, I've got a conundrum with putting the laundry away. I get it all clean and folded, but I procrastinate about putting the laundry away. Got any tips?

A Dutch New Year's

2012-01-01T13:16:00.003-05:00

New Year's always seems one of the more dutchy holidays to me, because while at Christmas Dutch traditions look a lot like everyone else's (stockings, Sinter Klaus, special pastries and desserts), at New Year's our family did stuff no one else did. Dutch stuff.

First there is Ollie Bollen. Traditionally served New Year's Eve or for breakfast New Year's Day, these doughnuts are nothing pretty to look at and their name means "Fat Balls"! But their beauty lies in the crispy, funky protrusions formed by spooning a wet, yeasty dough into hot oil, and the plumped raisins studding the mildly sweet dough. The resulting golden-brown creation always reminds me of a manatee. Growing up, we at them as fast as my dad could lift them out of the hot grease and mom could dust them sufficiently with powdered sugar, and it never seemed as if they made quite enough. Making them for my own little family, we actually have leftovers which we enjoy for breakfast the next day.

After Ollie Bollen comes another Dutch Tradition. The Peppermint Game. A small stool is chosen -- low in height and not over-generous in surface size. It's key that it hold a man's weight without tipping. It is set in the center of the room and a single, Dutch peppermint is balanced tantalizingly on the edge of the stool. Anyone is invited to help themselves to the treat, with just a few rules. You must 1)retrieve the mint with your mouth while 2)standing on the stool.

You can imagine the entertainment value of the game when friends and family, young and old, flexible and not-so-very, driven by competitiveness or the simple lust for a good peppermint, climb atop the stool. The most common technique is balancing the tips of one's toes on the edge of the stool opposite the mint, gripping the stool firmly on the sides, and squatting -- slowly, to maintain balance -- until one's lips can coax the mint inside. But those without the ability to do a severe squat must often resort to extreme measures, involving precarious hand stands atop the stool and, sometimes, loud sucking noises. Drooling often sets in when one had been at it a while with no success. It's all quite hilarious to observe.

I introduced my kids to the game this year for the first time. Sadly, I didn't think ahead enough to pick up some mints so we had to use peanut M and M's. But I had just the right stool and it was hilarious to watch them -- first their faces while Mommy demonstrated, then their own juvenile attempts to follow the rules to get their treat. Jesse was a pro -- smoothly bending to deftly pluck up the treat -- proof of good, strong dutch genes, I said. Claire didn't quite get it, unwilling to commit to the risk to lower her head below her spine while perched in the air. She ingeniously used one hand to cup the candy a few inches off the stool, then licked it out of her hand, all while giggling. She bounced up like a gymnast her face shining with triumph. Finally it was Daddy's turn. The kids shrieked with delight while Mommy tried to get photos -- Jeremy being one of those who has to use extreme techniques to reach the treat.

After this, the family may play a home version of Scategories - we called it "Boy's Name, Girl's Name" growing up. It was a list of ten general categories and all that was needed was paper and pen for each person and a dictionary, and a timer. One person opened the dictionary and, with eyes closed, dropped a pencil to the page. Whatever the tip landed on was our letter. We'd set a timer for 3 min. and then race to fill in all the categories with as unique choices as possible, for you only got a point for your word if no one else had thought of the same one. Again, a simple game, but with the dutch (or was it just my family's?) competitiveness, it was a rousing good time.

The dutch, despite their reserved attitude and reluctance to show emotion, have a wonderfully dry sense of humor. My sisters and I used to laugh so hard at my Pake's jokes when he would come visit.

Q: What do the Dutch do when it rains?
A: They let it come down.

Q: What's white and has two legs?
A: A chicken
Q: What's white and has one leg?
A: A glass of eggnog

Trust me, it's hilarious if you're Dutch.

I've never actually celebrated the New Year with my grandparents as they live across the country, but each New Year's I feel especially close as to them as our celebrations echo my heritage.

Happy New Year to you and yours! I'm curious...how do you celebrate?

Best of 2011: Freedom Fridays

2011-12-30T07:35:00.001-05:00

This spring I discovered the delightful and inspiring Lisa Jo over at Gypsy Mamma and her Five Minute Friday writing prompt. It came at just the right time -- on the days when I didn't know why I was blogging, or the weeks when I didn't have time to write, or when I felt like I could never write well even if I DID know when and what to write, Lisa Jo set me free to just write.

For just five minutes, with the gumption you find when someone else tells you WHAT to write about, and the assurance that it didn't have to be RIGHT, you just write. In with that simple recipe, I was able to find my writing voice through the busy summer days and when I'd forgotten why I write or how to *do* it right.

I was hooked! I loved it!
And so did you - not only did you leave such encouraging comments on my attempts, some of you followed me over to Lisa Jo's and started doing the prompts, too. I loved how I got to know a few of you better through the soul writing that seems come out when we let ourselves just write.

Some of my most honest writing happened on Fridays this year. Your favorite (and mine, too, as it happens) was Grand Canyon, which I wrote from the writing prompt, "Distance".

You can read all the Five Minute Fridays that I've done here, and you can try your hand at it yourself here, at Gypsy Mamma. (P.S. you don't have to be a writer, have a blog, or even know how to type to participate! There are no rules - you just write. It's fun - come on and join us!)

With Lisa Jo at the Relevant Conference. Love her and her South African accent!

Best of 2011 - Time and Balance

2011-12-29T11:21:00.005-05:00

It all started with Amy's book, Tell Your Time. Reading it opened my eyes to how many moments were actually available to me in a day if I would only take hold of them. I realized the goals and dreams I had as a wife, mother, friend, writer, etc. where within my reach if I was willing to make daily choices toward these goals. This involved a lot of prioritizing and sacrifice as my biggest time sucker was the computer.

All year I continued to be challenged and convicted to use my time more wisely, first with getting over my facebook addiction, next becoming purposeful about the blogs I was reading, and then taking my blog more seriously. Taking notes from my own journey, I shared some practical ideas on finding balance on Passionate Homemaking.

My new, virtual mentor, John Maxwell, had a huge impact on decisions I made as my online presence morphed, and Relevant gave me a completely new, God-infused vision for why I'm here to begin with!

Then along came Laura Booz and her book, Blogger Behave {which actually threw me for a tailspin as it really got to the foundation of why I blog and revealed a lot of pride} and her series, Social Media Behave. Then she wrote another series called the Chicken Principle. I tell you, by the end of that, I was *this* close to giving up blogging, till a wise friend reminded me that it really IS worth the daily fight for balance. She said, sure, it's easier to walk away, but may not be the most fruitful, God-glorifying choice. Quitting could be a cop-out, when the Lord may have wonderful lessons of moderation, self-control, and self discipline to teach me in this place.

So, I'm sticking with it, folks, but you'll be hearing more about time management and finding balance in future posts 'cause I AM a busy momma of little ones, but telling my story to the Glory of God is one of my priorities, and I'm willing to share how I get from there {laundry, dishes, homeschool, housework} to here {writing authentic blog posts and connecting with all my lovely online friends} as I journey along!

Have you read Tell Your Time yet? Did it change your life? I'd love to hear!

Best of 2011: Lots of Real Good Food

2011-12-28T08:12:00.002-05:00

A lot of ya'll have hung out here 'cause you like to see what I'm making for dinner. I'm truly tickled when I get to share a recipe with you and then you comment to say you made it, too - it almost feels like we just shared a meal together. Almost.

One of your favorite posts this year was when I told you about my pasta making adventures. Oh, and how I make sweet potato fries. Oh, those are yummy. I'm gonna make them again as soon as I restock on coconut oil.

Later in the spring I published a cookbook with all my favorites and you all were so supportive (and patient) as I tried my hand at marketing and self promotion. Yuck - just 'cause I did it doesn't mean I like those words! Finally, I realized I was getting too stressed about the whole thing, and I didn't want my bog to be all about food anyway. So I moved my foody news over to the Real Fast Food Facebook Page and let God be my marketing manager. He's been doing a pretty good job, as sales have been fairly steady through the fall despite me not doing much. (Thanks again for your support and for all the great reviews you left on the amazon page! I was so blessed to read how much you liked the book!)

And now we're having fun over at the facebook page where I regularly post photos of what we're eating for dinner. We eat lots of real, whole foods around here, I just don't blog about it as much. I still love to talk about it, though, so if you have questions, head over the facebook page and we can chat there!

Best of 2011 - Garden Vlogs

2011-12-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

I met Jendi of Simple Vlogging Tips online this spring and she is the one who inspired me to begin video blogging. (She also made the awesome promo video for my book!) Though I hate being in front of a camera, I realized what a great way this would be to share glimpses of my life with my readers, so I bravely faced the camera and started vlogging. The response was awesome! You guys loved my little garden tours, and I LOVED the interaction we had in the comments and how it helped all of us to get to know each other a bit better.

These were the Garden Vlogs I did this year...
In which we meet a worm and tour my garden
August Garden Tour and Preparing for Fall Planting
How to Plant Garlic and Final Garden Vlog of the Year

I hope to do more vlogging in the coming year...what would you like to see me vlog about? I've got a few ideas...but I want to hear yours!

Best of 2011 - Hospitality

2011-12-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

Here it is, in case you missed it - a run down of the best content (gauged by number of comments) that appeared on the blog this year! If you're new here, I hope you'll enjoy getting to know me and my blog a little better with this glimpse into the archives. If you've been around for a while and have read all these posts - I would love to hear how your journey has been since you read that post, tried that recipe I shared, or where the inspiration you found here took you!

This year Hospitality was a real theme in our home and what I shared online.

I submitted my first guest post, "Hospitality: To Bless or Impress?" to my all-time favorite blog, Passionate Homemaking in March and quickly made several new friends with the gals that followed me over from Lindsay's blog. When we completed our guestroom, we actually hosted several blog readers who took us up on our Open Invitation to visit and became friends In Real Life!

Some people thought we were weird for inviting complete strangers into our home, but they didn't know how much fun it really was! Not only did we enjoy some wonderful fellowship, we became aware that the Biblical instruction to exercise hospitality actually means to SEEK opportunities to show hospitality. So we continued to actively look for ways to open our home more often, and that's when we found out about A Candle in the Window Hospitality Network and joined up immediately!

We had hope to host another Fall Open House, but the apple harvest was too small to make much cider. We enjoyed hosting many of you in smaller get-togethers, and hope to create many more memories with you all in the coming year! Further organizing and arranging has allowed us to convert two rooms upstairs to guest rooms and we have the space for even large families. If you're ever coming through the Fingerlakes Region of Upstate New York, don't hesitate to email and set up a visit! We'd love to meet you!

How about you? Were you inspired to reach out and pursue hospitality this year? How were you blessed? Do you have plans to make hospitality a regular routine in your home in the coming year? I'd love to hear your thoughts...

Letters From Home, Volume 3

2011-12-21T14:16:00.000-05:00

This has been a unique Christmas Season for our family. As I mentioned in my reasons for a simplified Christmas this year, we drove to Orlando, Florida for a seminar Jeremy was attending, and were gone for 11 days at the beginning of the month. Coming home with just 12 days left to be ready for Christmas -- minus 3 days recovering from the stomach flu which hit us on the way home -- means Christmas has been even more simply elegant than I'd planned!

Yet I find myself reveling in the calm of a shortened to-do list, sighing in the peacefulness of a simplified schedule. Our celebration of the season has consisted of the daily reading of our Advent book (with all three kids taking turns opening the doors this year!), my tradition of 12 days of gifts for my true love, and a shortened list of Christmas Baking. Which is what the photos in this post illustrate...

Can you tell the girl child is so very excited about cookie decorating?

Everyone has their helping stools pushed close to the kitchen island while mommy finishes mixing the icing.

Mommy scowls in concentration while spreading a sample smear on a sample cookie. Seth presumes this is all for him and begins rooting in excitment.

Thanks to Daddy's deeper reservoir of patience, Seth is permitted to help decorate.

In his 16 month-old-brain, this is also permission to lick, pick and eat!

Thankfully, Daddy understands his boy, and Seth was permitted to eat his cookie as soon as he finished decorating it!

Of course, this spawned the idea that all the cookies were there for Seth's express enjoyment. Soon after this photo he was whisked off to the bath while his more mature brother and sister continued decorating.

Please note: The red nose is washable marker. It was all his idea. He was being Rudolph, dontchaknow. Oh, look - it's our Christmas tree in the background! Let's look closer...

I usually have a theme for my tree. This is what a simplified Christmas tree theme looks like. One and a half strands of popcorn garland and half the usual ornaments. And it's still beautiful. Amazing, isn't it? I could get used to this....

This will be the last you'll hear from me till after Christmas, when we'll enjoy series of short posts highlighting the best content from the blog from the past year, with follow up on a few topics, and a hint of what's to come in the new year!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

Of God, Mountains, and How I Met My Husband, Part Third

2011-12-17T08:07:00.001-05:00

I've told you about my mountain -- that seeming impossible situation in my life, of moving to the wilderness in my teens and wondering how I'd ever meet any eligible young men. I also told you the beginning of how God began to move that mountain, pebble by pebble. Today I'm gonna add a bit more drama (or, as it may turn out, lack of drama) and tell you about a large cliff on the side of my mountain - a sheer, nearly un-scalable rock face we're gonna call "The Wall". The shadow of this Wall loomed threateningly over my future love life, filling the path with stumbling blocks, and the fissures with fear:

I was shy, people.

From a young age, painfully so. As I matured and my parents endeavored to teach me social skills, I learned to shake hands, make eye contact, even (oh, agony) introduce myself. By the time I was in my teens, it looked like I was over my shyness and well adjusted. But inside I was a twisted bunch of nerves, full of fear that I looked wrong, talked wrong, and wouldn't be accepted. In groups or with anyone but close family and friends, I was the one on the outside, quietly looking in, watching, and hoping no one expected me to say anything.

{Those who know me now will probably think that this is where I decided to insert a bit of fiction to make my story better, for nowadays I'm usually the one in the center of the group, talking the loudest! I'm quite a different person now, and it had a lot to do with this journey}

That's why when our new friend, Tom, invited us to visit his Church, I was content to stay home and play dolls and feed chickens.

OK, it wasn't that bad. I guess I would have liked to go, a little bit. But it was my turn to babysit.

The chickens, not the dolls.

You see, just about a year into our homestead experience, despite our attempts to plan and save, our savings were running low, and though we still did not feel quite ready (the house wasn't done, we didn't have a driveway or any outbuildings), it was time to jump into some entrepreneurial endeavors. Having a close friend who knew Joel Salatin, we were introduced to the idea of raising grass-fed chickens. Two-thirds of our land was open meadow, and chickens didn't seem like rocket science, so we dove in. My dad and brothers spent some time at Polyface farm and then came back to the homestead to turn it into a chicken farm.

That's a story in itself right there, let me tell you. But for the sake of this story, I'll skip over that to the summer I was 15, and the brooder house was full of 200 little peeping chicks who, at just a week old, needed almost hourly attention. The propane heater must be checked, feed trays filled, waterers unclogged, temperature adjusted -- whenever my family went anywhere during brooding season, someone had to stay home with the chicks. This Sunday it was my turn.

And the thing was -- I was OK with that. See, in addition to being shy and fearful of meeting new people, I also didn't really care about growing up. Maybe I was afraid of that, too, and figured if I pretended I was younger it would delay the process? Who knows, but that Sunday, as my family piled into the suburban and spun through the mud down the driveway, leaving me alone in the middle of 150 acres for the whole day, I was giddy inside.

This meant I had the dollhouse all to myself.

All day, while my family met new friends and made pivotal connections with people that would bring us closer to meeting my future husband, I was sitting on my sister's bed, playing happily with her dollhouse in between runs to the brooder to check on the chicks.

And STILL my God was able to find a man for me, and -- eventually-- get us to talk to each other, and then -- but I'm getting ahead of myself. Next time I'll tell you about the first time I set eyes on my future husband...

Connected

2011-12-16T07:33:00.001-05:00

Five Minute Friday Prompt: Connected

Now, more than ever, we are connected. Our phones, computers, cars that get us places fast, airplanes, skype, texting - so many ways to stay connected.

But are you connected? Do you use these tools in a way that deepens relationships, or do you use them to entertain, escape reality, kill time?

I used to. It could grieve me (if I dwelt there) just how many hours I've used my little laptop to wander cyberspace when I could have been using the time to connect. And, no, I don't mean making more friends on facebook and leaving comments...

I'm talking about getting vulnerable. Of making a phone call to a friend in the middle of the day, when you may be interrupting her, or you may have a bit too much emotion broiling beneath the surface for it to be a perfectly polished conversation, but you just need to connect.

I'm talking about getting outside my comfort zone and learning to skype so I could be part of a discipleship program that has brought huge growth into my life.

I'm talking about the sweat and tears involved in finally wrangling my computer time into balance so that my time online is spent focused on my goals - connecting with friends who provide inspiration, accountablity, and true fellowship to my days.

I'm talking about keeping that computer time to a minimum so I have time to truly connect with my husband, my children, and my friends In Real Life.

Stop.

I went overtime. I can't help it. This subject is at the forefront of my mind lately. I'm sorry I haven't been around much, but it's 'cause I've been connecting with my family, friends, and many of you on a more personal level than the blog. Which is a good thing, right? Don't worry, I'll be back to more regular posting soon...Thanks for hanging around in the silence. :)

How to Make Your Own Vanilla Extract

2011-12-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

This is the ultimate One Size Fits Most gift. It's appropriate for anyone from 10 to 100, male or female, as long as they
a) love baking
or
b) love baked goods.
It's readily available, and can be found in almost everyone's cupboards already. BUT you can make a superior product for less money in your own kitchen that will wow and bless all your friends.

What am I talking about? What is this amazing gift item?

Vanilla Extract
And now, at the risk of being tacky, I'm gonna answer all your questions about Making Your Own Vanilla Extract (those of you who will receive a bottle from me please dis-remember this post, ok? Cause my mom taught me it was tacky to tell how much you spent on a gift!)

Can you really make your own vanilla extract? Yes! And it's crazy simple. I think the only reason more people don't do it is 'cause it can be a little tricky sourcing the ingredients. That's why I'm gonna tell you exactly where I got everything. :)

What do I need to make my own Vanilla Extract? Three things:
1. Vanilla Beans
2. Vodka
3. A Bottle to put it in.

What kind of Vanilla Beans should I buy?

To my understanding, there are three main types of vanilla beans. I use the Madagascar or Bourbon bean as it creates the same flavor as you would normally get in the grocery store, and is in the middle price range. I purchase my beans in bulk from Amazon this year - 1 Lb (90-100 beans) for $31.95, plus I got a bonus pack of beans 'cause my order was over $30. The beans were extremely fragrant and moist, and came out to $0.32 each.

What kind of Vodka do I use to make Vanilla Extract? The key word here is "cheap". Any brand will do. I buy it in the largest bottle my liquor store carries, when it's on sale (I watch our local Pennysaver ads). I got a 60 oz bottle for $17.82. For those who've never been in a liquor store or bought hooch before (like me) it's clear, like water, and my bottle looks like this...Feel free to inform the cashier what you're really going to do with 3 gallons of Vodka while you check out if it makes you feel less guilty. ;)

What do I put my Vanilla Extract in? I like to buy little 4 oz. bottles for gifting, but if your making it for yourself you can use any old jar. I bought beautiful, blue, recycled glass jars with corks last year, but this year I got amber jars with a nice little screw cap from Frontier for $0.80 each, half the cost of last year's jars. If you don't have acccess to Frontier through your local co-op, these bottles on Amazon were similar in style and price.

How do I make my Vanilla Extract? Pay close attention 'cause this is really simple.

Cut one vanilla bean in half, then in half again lengthwise. (scissors work great)
Put all four pieces into your 4 oz bottle.
Fill bottle with Vodka
Cap bottle, label, and wrap ribbon or raffia around for gifting.

Is that it? Well, the vanilla needs to steep for 4-6 weeks, with an occasional shake. Last year I made my extract in October so it was all ready for my recipients to use in their holiday baking. Didn't get to it that soon this year, so I'm just telling people to save it till January. They don't seem to mind and like feeling involved in the process (shake it once in a while! I tell them). I also tell my friends that when the bottle gets half empty, they can add more vodka to get the most out of the beans.

How much does it cost to make my own Vanilla Extract? Well, if you buy your beans in bulk, vodka on sale, and jars by the case, this is the breakdown of what you may end up spending per bottle...
Jars -       $0.80
Beans -    $0.32
Hooch -   $1.15
_____________
Total -     $2.27

I know -- it's almost laughable. A comparable product (pure, without any additives) on Amazon goes for $13.

The best part about making and gifting your own Vanilla Extract is the thanks you'll receive for the rest of the year, 'cause this stuff really is superior to your run-of-the-mill extract. Your friends will adore it, savor it, save it for their favorite recipes, and thank you every time they see you for this little bottle of elixir. (If the raving seems to be over the top, it may be because they drank the whole thing right before they called you, but I have yet to have that happen)

If you want to make a large batch of Vanilla Extract for your own use, you can just put 12-15 beans, snipped lengthwise, straight into a 60 oz bottle of Vodka, or pour it into a quart jar or two like Sarah of Real Food Outlaws did. She has a very informative post about Vanilla Extract over at her blog, which you can check out if I haven't answered all your questions.

I've made the making and gifting of Vanilla Extract a yearly tradition at our house for many reasons, but my favorite thing about it is that it's something my kids can do with me. Jesse snipped the beans all by himself this year while I poured the Vodka in the bottles. We did this together with a friends last week and between 3 kids (ages 5-7) with scissors and two mommies we made 30 jars of vanilla in 20 min. And boy, did we all smell good when we were done!

This is just one of the many ways I simplify Christmas so that I don't get totally stressed out during the holidays. I'm sharing all my secrets with you this week 'cause I want you to have a peaceful Christmas, too!

What's your best strategy for simplifying Christmas? Ya'll have been sharing some great ideas in the comments - I appreciate all the feedback and am takin' notes!

This post included affiliate links. Using a blogger's affiliate links to amazon or elsewhere for your shopping is a great way to bless your blogging friends at Christmas time!

My Bestest Tip for Simplyfying Christmas {for real this time}

2011-12-06T08:43:00.003-05:00

You knew I was kidding yesterday, right? It is truly my aim each year to simplify our Christmas as much as possible, otherwise I wouldn't have time for the tradtions that are most meaningful to us.

I mean, if I'm wrapping presents till 2 am on Christmas, then I wouldn't be able to join in on the big, family, sleep-over under the Christmas tree, now would I?

And if I'm spending too much time on everyone else on my list, I won't have creative juices left for my husband's all time favorite tradition (which you can read more about over in my post at Passionate Homemaking this week). That would be a crying shame.

But I DO love gift giving, and my list is as long as yours of people I love whom I want to bless in this season. So what do I do?

Well, at the risk of revealing all my secrets for friends and family this year, I'm gonna share my #1 tip for simplifying Christmas.

Are you ready?

I call it "One Size Fits Most" gifting.

Here's what I do:

Find a great little something that fits multiple people on my list.
Then I just buy or make in Bulk.

Amazingly simple, and stunningly efficient.

Here's some of my favorite One Size Fits Most gifts for each person on your list...

For Kids: Homemade Playdough. Packaged in Jam jars with a shiny new cookie cutter tied around it. So fun and yet simple - you could make a dozen jars in less than an hour, and have gifts for every child under 10 on your list. Check out this cute idea for Candy Cane Playdough from The Artful Parent!

For Guys: There is nothing wrong with gift cards, people. (I have to keep reminding myself) Especially for guys. Especially if it involves food. How about a "Five Guys Burgers" card? Mmmmm. I'd like one of those myself. Another great idea? Gloves. This is not corny. I don't know a single guy who wouldn't appreciate a nice pair of work or winter gloves. Find them at Lowes or Home Depot in packs and individually wrap a pair for each of your brothers or uncles.

For the Whole Family: OK, this one isn't cheap, but it really does cover everyone in one fell swoop! I'm talking about a World Magazine Subscription. Both of our extended families love getting news from a Christian world news for an entire year. And, as the giftee, I got access to World Magazine Online for the entire duration of the gift subscription. (Although I much prefered reading the hard copy at my MIL's after Sunday dinner!)

For Girls: Have you seen these yet? Oh. My. Word. I received one of The June Bride's handcrafted felt flowers from the Tiny Twig at Relevant last month, and I've been wearing it ever since. I even want to sleep with it. (I know that may be taking things too far, but it's Cashmere, people - purple cashmere!) Her flowers are exquisite, reasonably priced ($12-$15 each, compared to some I saw in a boutique last month for $22!) and would work for young women and mature ladies both! Oh, and free shipping. Yes. Perfect. Pin to your winter coat, snag it on a scarf, or accessorize your favorite purse! OK, I'll stop raving now.

Are we done yet? Have you got something for everyone now? Still a few gaps? I know just what to fill it with. I've got one more "One Size Fits Most" gift to share with you, but I'm gonna hold off till tomorrow. Can you stand it? It's gonna be worth it, 'cause I'm gonna share my biggest secret yet. 'Cause I love you. And I want you to enjoy Christmas, ya know?

Merry Christmas!!!

Do you do any 'one size fits most' gifting? What are some of your favorite gifts to give? Do you ever give the same gift year after year?

Top Ten Tips For A Stressful Christmas Season

2011-12-05T16:57:00.001-05:00

I hope you can read this ok, 'cause I had my tongue in my cheek the whole time I was typing...

The key to a truly stress-filled Holiday Season is always keeping in mind these two goals:

To impress. Everyone. But especially those you don't know.
To Meet All Expectations. Especially of those closest to you -- the Higher the Better.

At no point should you shift your vision to how you can worship God more fully in this season. Definitely worship People and Things.

Here's a helpful list of the Top Ten Ways to Build and Maintain Stress during the next month. Print and tape to your fridge (you also may find it helpful to keep a copy in the car to review at red lights.)

1. Out-do Yourself Whenever possible, choose gifts that require heavy investment in both Time and Money.(ie. create handmade gifts that use expensive materials you can only pick up across town) The key to achieving a high stress level with good staying power is to maintain the idea that the best gifts come wrapped in packages, and take more out of you and your bank account that you can realistically afford.

2. Increase Media Be sure to spend extra time in front of all kinds of media to keep you pumped up about the latest and greatest gifts for everyone on your list. Beware of spending too much quality time with the ones you love, getting to know them and their heart needs and how you can uniquely bless them this month. This can eat into your Media Time and Shopping Time! (see above).

3. Bake It All! Try to spend at least 4 days a week slaving in the kitchen till 11pm to make all the great holiday recipes you've come across in your Media Time, as well as all the family favorites. The lack of moderation and added sugar of these holiday treats will be sure to add as significant stress to your body as the preparation of them does to your schedule.

4. No Permission! - Avoid the word "permission" as in, permission to scale back, shorten lists, cross things off the list before you've done them, to say 'no', or to un-obligate yourself gracefully from anything that adds stress. Permission destroys stress.

5. Forethought is Bad - Do not get at least a general idea of the gift you'd like for an individual or the amount you can afford to spend before you go shopping. Planning ahead destroys stress.

6. No Records! - be sure to rotated your purchases on at least 3 different credit cards so you're never quite sure how close you are to your credit limit, nor how much you've actually spent total. Cash should only be used when purchasing a little something for yourself in each store you go into, and that latte needed for extra energy.

7. Planning - Poor Idea! At no time should you sit down to collect your goals, ideas, and lists all in one place, like a binder or tablet. This is over-thinking things! Be spontaneous in your effort the pack as many activities and tradition into the holidays as possible. The only time I advocate taking a moment to ponder is about 3 days before Christmas when you should ask yourself if there's anything you've forgotten that you really should pack into the next 72 hours. If you're not frantically wrapping gifts late into the night on Christmas Eve, you know you're over-organized.

8. Decorate - Everything. Follow the urge to decorate every room in the house. If last year's decorations aren't enough, or seem out-of-style, head out for more! Remember, it's not about creating familiar family traditions and an atmosphere that welcomes - it's more like a competition to make it on the cover of Martha Stewart. Don't forget plenty of outside lights and decorations, too! The neighbors and strangers who drive by will appreciate that you're not the only one in the neighborhood without lights.

9. Continue the Tradition! Don't forget the importance of making stress a continuing tradition in the years to come. The ticket is to cultivate materialism and expectations to your children. If done well, by the time they're in their teens they'll have learned well how to celebrate the season and you'll never see them 'cause they'll be out shopping for all the people on their list, and working extra hours so they can make the minimum payment on their credit cards.

10. Just Say It. And finally, the simplest way to add stress to the season - just go with the flow and say "Happy Holidays" like everyone else. The word 'Christmas' can be an nagging reminder of the real reason we celebrate.

I hope this has been helpful...have you got any more tips for adding stress to the season? *wink*

Come back tomorrow for my all-time worst (best!) tip for simplifying Christmas! :)

Photo Credit

For the Tired

2011-12-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

I know it's not Friday, but this prompt was dear to my heart. Here's Five Minutes of me writing on a highly overrated state - Tired.

What are you too tired to do?

When was the last time you felt truly rested?

Who would you be if you weren't so tired?

What are you willing to sacrifice so you get the rest you know you need?

As a mother of three young children, sleep is a rare commodity. I've had to re-prioritize some things in the last few years to ensure I get a bit more of the precious stuff so I can be the mommy I need to be for them. After all, I've defined my key roles as wife, mother, and then homemaker. So, if that means dirty dishes stay in the sink while I trudge up to bed - so be it.

What could you sacrifice to earn more sleep points? I've learned, sometimes the hard way, what is not worth losing sleep over.
Anxiety.
Keeping up with Facebook.
Being slow to forgive.
Leaving the living room clean.
Even -- gasp -- Five Minute Fridays (notice I've not done one in a while?)

It all comes down to priorities. Where is sleep on your priority list? Do you need to do some shifting?

A Noodle is {Just} a Noodle (But Then, It Could Also Be a Snake)

2011-12-02T22:12:00.000-05:00

Hi, it's me. Just checking in to let you know we had pasta for dinner last night.

Store bought pasta.

White store bought pasta.

Again.

Yes, it's me. The author of a cute little book that reveals all my secrets for preparing real food even on a real busy schedule.

And this week some of our food wasn't, um, real.

I could now defend myself by listing what else we had with the cheater pasta (cheater 'cause I should be making my own). Like Alfredo sauce made with whole, raw, Jersey milk. Garlic I grew myself. Broccoli I harvested, steamed, and froze from my own garden.

But that would just be showing off. When what I really want to do was just let you know I'm not perfect. I make compromises in my kitchen - choices that aren't in sinc with my nutritional convictions. We eat foods one wouldn't talk about on a real food blog.

But this isn't a real food blog. It's just a real me blog.

And we had a lovely dinner -- no side serving of guilt or angst. We enjoyed watching Seth shovel his food with his left hand well he held his fork in his right (for appearances). I poked Jeremy to notice Claire, calling each noodle on her plate a snake, and announcing to Jesse each time she "ate a snake". I gobbled down my plateful, savoring the bit of green swimming in rich, garlicky, cheese sauce, and grateful for the three sausage links I'd found in the freezer to add protein to this thrown-together-at-the-end-of-a-long-day meal.

Take it from me -- learning new techniques and sourcing better ingredients for your meals are great ideas. But if eating healthier stresses you out - well, that's just as bad for you as eating a candy bar. So relax. And enjoy those noodles.

photo source

The Birth of Claire Anneliese

2011-11-30T07:54:00.001-05:00

Three years ago on Monday, we welcomed a little princess into our world. We celebrated with some new doll clothes, a pink and orange pennant banner, a trip to the zoo, and something chocolatey. And today on the blog, in honor of her birthday, I bring you her birth story, as recorded in my journal 4 days after she was born...

Claire mixing the crust for her birthday pie

Caution - this could possibly be the longest post I've ever put up on the blog! Read at your own risk! LOL

Thanksgiving Day I woke up just about as soon as you could call it Thursday - shortly after 1 am. The contractions I'd been having off and on for several weeks now had started up again. They always began at night and were just hard enough to keep me awake, but far enough apart that I knew it wasn't labor beginning.

"Well, here we go again" I thought, "Another sleepless night". I got up after a while, knowing I would be able to get a nap that day, it being a holiday. I headed out to the living room to find something to do - hoping that by moving around the contractions would stop and I could get back to sleep before dawn.

The house was already so clean, all I could find were a couple dirty dishes. After washing these, I sat down at the computer. Contractions had not stopped - only coming lighter when I was standing up. Wandering through Bloggyland, I came across a few mommy blogs that refreshed my perspective once again for this season of waiting. One mother had lots of pre-labor contractions and ended up with a very short labor. "That's me!" I thought hopefully.

Finally at 4am I headed back to bed, still not able to sleep with contractions every 15 minutes. I got out my Bible and journal. I was still really struggling with choices we had made for our birth team - certain individuals were out of town, and as much as I wanted to just have this baby, I also wished to wait till everyone I had hoped to be at the birth were back in the area. Hopeful anticipation had been replaced with anxiety and resentment each time I felt a labor pain. I knew this was not a healthy attitude, so I read and prayed until this message came -- I was to trust the Lord's timing. It had been a complete lack of trust on my part -- that God had a perfect plan for this birth and who was supposed to be there. Seeing my problem for what it was, I repented and asked for grace to trust. For the first time I felt a pervasive peace about the whole situation, and I praised the Lord.

But I didn't' get back to sleep.

Sunrise came, the Boy woke up, we at breakfast, and the contractions continued. Finally around 10am they slowed enough that I thought I could catch a nap. At this point I felt it was very important to get whatever rest I could, in case I would be up all night laboring or something. Again, sleep evaded me. (seeing a theme, here, people?)

At lunch we headed to the town fire hall for the first course of our big, Italian-Style family Thanksgiving Feast. (No, we are not Italian, but we often celebrate with close friends who are, which gives the day a decided Italian flair) This year we had 22 people, including 7 children under 5. The food was as awesome as always, a menu worth of tradition -- Caesar Salad, egg bread, lasagna, and Oreo cookie salad.. I couldn't help it -- I stuffed myself, all the while wondering if this would be the meal I'd throw up in transition?

Thankfully, naps were scheduled after lunch for those would would need them. Jeremy took Jesse and me home an tucked us in bed and went back to participate in the games. Once again, I was unable to sleep, but glad for a rest.

Around the time we sad down for turkey dinner, I began noticing the contractions again. Once again I threw caution to the wind and stuffed myself, while keeping a casual eye to the clock. By dessert I noticed the contractions (which were not painful, just 'there') were 10 min. apart. We continued to feast and visit and finally headed home around 8:30pm.

Bed sounded so good to me by this time, but once again I was unable to sleep. By this time I was almost positive I would be having this baby sooner than later -- yet the peace about the timing of things remained. Before falling asleep Jeremy recommended I take a hot bath if I couldn't settle down. The contractions were slowing down to 15 then almost 20 min. apart, but they were so hard I had to breath through them. Around 11:30 I decided on that bath, if just for some relief. 30 min. later, I called Jeremy until he shuffled into the bathroom, rubbing his eyes.

"Honey, they're less than 5 min. apart now -- shall I call the midwife?"

His response was something along the lines of "I gotta have some coffee" and he stumbled out again. I heard the beans spilling int to the grinder and then the motor whirring. Several moments later he was back with my phone dialed for the midwife. The contractions were shorter and less uncomfortable in the tub, but they were definitely coming faster, and she had said to call when they were at 5 in. My little sheet of paper on which I had been jotting down times showed 3, 4, 5, or 7 min. intervals. I hit the send button.

The Midwife answered promptly and agreed that it sounded like we were in business. She said that she had thought I would have my baby tonight and had prayed that direction when she'd gone to bed. She said she would collect her things and be on her way.

With reality setting in that it was actually happening now, I got out of the tub to make sure all was ready. Jeremy was fixing his first cup of coffee, and Jesse was sleeping soundly. The tub was already in the living room and all Jeremy had to do was run the hose down the hallway to hook up to the hot water faucet behind the washing machine. Contractions slowed down when I had got out of the tub, but were still there.

The Midwife arrived around 1:30 with her bright smile and a hug for me. soon after her assistant came and together they began setting up. I was pretty decided I would labor in the tub, but they made up a bed on the couch for afterward.

I had gotten in the tub as soon as it was full, embracing the relaxing effect it had on the contractions. But now, when I got in the water, the contractions would slow, and when I was up and around, they were more frequent and stronger. Considering I had not slept in over 24 hours. I discussed it with the Midwife and decided I'd rather get this done. So I got out of the tube and began pacing. The RN that assisted my midwife had arrived by this time, and all three of the ladies were settled comfortable in the living room. The Midwife told Assistant #1 it was her watch, and The Midwife and Assistant #2 curled up for naps. Jeremy kept monitoring the tub temperature, and I kept pacing. I had tried to lay down to rest fora while, but found the contractions were most uncomfortable when I was horizontal. I found I really preferred laboring on my feet, leaning on the counter during the hard ones. It seemed easier to relax while standing. With Jesse's labor I remembered laying on the bed working so hard on keeping my whole body relaxed. But this time around I felt a little more free and confident in my ability to explore various birthing positions on my own, and I found that when I was standing, there were some muscles being used purposefully, and it wasn't so hard to relax the others.

Every once in a while I got back in the tub for a few contractions just for the break it gave me. This system seemed to work really well. Every 1/2 hour Assistant #1 checked my blood pressure and listened to the baby with the doppler. The Midwife didn't check dilation routinely like my previous midwife. She said, "It's just numbers - you will have this baby when you are ready!" (Such a midwife-ish response!:)) But around 4am I found myself really wishing to have a little indication of how far I had come, or how much I had to go. 7cm was the answer. "Wow!" I thought - "just 3 to go, and it hasn't been too bad so far!"

At 4:30 I was in the tub again for a breather and ti was time to call the rest of our birth team, Cheerleader. She said she wasn't surprised to get the call, and had not been able to sleep at all, thinking of me. She told me later that usually, when she couldn't sleep, she would use her insomnia as an opportunity to pray for good rest for me - but that night she had the distinct impression she was not supposed to pray for sleep for me! Cheerleader arrived 10 min. after we called. I was delighted to have her as I knew she'd be great labor support.

At 5 I was sitting on the couch, having had my blood pressure taken, and Assistant #1 was listening to the baby's heart beat when loud "pop!" came through the speaker. I heart it and felt it - it was so jarring, it felt like a chiropractor's adjustment in my abdomen. "What was that!?" I cried, at the same time realizing it was my water breaking. Hooray! Now That meant progress! Now The Midwife said I could get in the tub and stay in the tub, for there would be nothing that could slow things down from here. I happily climbed into the tub and relaxed just in time fora good, hard contraction. Yep, things were moving now! In between contractions I was chatting cheerfully with the Birth Team, leaning my arms over the top of the tub. Jeremy took a picture of me, smiling wide before another contraction They were several minutes apart still, but strong enough that I had to focus during them, and I was starting to moan a little But the was a nice time to recover after each one and the hot water helped so much.

"Not much longer now, huh?" I asked the Midwife hopefully.

Oh, maybe 20 more minutes - maybe more, maybe less." was her non-committal answer.

Twenty minutes later our baby was born.

Somewhere around this time, I think as I was getting back in teh tob, I hit transition. I did get the urge to vomit, but I guess all my Thanksgiving Day feasting was far enough down my digestive tract that it couldn't' reverse directions. Someone held out a bowl for me, and someone else wiped my forehead with a cold cloth - ahh, the perfect sensation for that moment.

Around 5:15 I shifted int eh tube to have my back against the wall and my legs and pelvis floating free. near the end of the next contraction I began to feel the urge to push! I could feel the burning stretch as the baby moved down the birth canal. Despite the pressure right there at the end, I was soooo excited to be aware of what was going on, to be feeling the sensation that meant I was nearing the end of this race. I had no idea, though, just how close I was to the finish line!

When it was time to push, I remembered my lesson from the assistant at my first labor ("Push like you're ANGRY!") and put every bit of force I had into an angry sounding grunt and pushed for all I was worth. I was amazed to feel the little body sliding right down the birth canal and heard everyone say they could suddenly see the head! Really? I felt for myself -- sure enough -- I had crowned already! At this point they told me just to breath and let everything else catch up! And that's how the baby's head was born - without me even pushing! The Midwife said her eyes were open as she came out -- Claire was bright-eyed from the start. With the next contraction I again gave it all I had, and whoosh -- my baby was born -- after only 2 contractions and 7 min. of pushing. Astounding. They lifted the baby out of the water up on to my tummy, but the chord was short, and they couldn't get her higher than my navel. I was so anxious to hold her to me and at this point I checked to see that - yes! - I had got my girl. Now I was practically crying - the combination of relief and joy and excitement was just as wonderful as I remembered it from Jesse's birth. It was over! I had a girl!

Jeremy was taking pictures, Cheerleader was at my head, giving me sips of chlorophyll water, and the midwives were supporting baby Claire above the water while they made sure everything was ok. Claire gave her first cry and I was talking to her - "Oh, honey, if you only new how much I loved you - you wouldn't cry, sweet girl!"

As soon as possible they carefully got me out of the tub and onto the couch. The chord stopped beating very quickly so they were able to clamp it an cut it so I could at last hold my baby to my breast (the chord was only 14 inches long!)

Birthing the placenta, learning I had a small tear, after birth cramps -- all of this was insignificant next to the fact that I was holding my baby girl and it was all over. In fact, I was in shock for several hours that I was, indeed, through with labor! I kept asking the Birthing Team - "Am I done? Is it all over? Is that it?"

Jeremy got Jesse up within minutes of the birth - I was surprised, but then delighted that he was here and able to participate in bonding with little Claire form the start. He was sleepy eyed, but aware and pleased with what he saw. He cuddled with Daddy and baby on the couch and then helped with the newborn exam, holding the end of the tape while they measured her.

181/2 in. long. 7 Lbs. 7 oz.

She was 20% smaller than Jess and such a perfect little head, no wonder I got her out in two pushes! Soon Daddy put The Boy back in bed, but an hour later he called to get up, and then he was wide awake, and so excited about the baby. he just kept reaching out a single finger to tightly touch her face or her blankets as if to make sure she was real, and not a dream. So gentle, so careful, so in love already.

By 7 am I was settled in my bed, encouraged to take a good long nap. Jesse went down to Grandma's house, The Midwife and Assistant #1 left, and finally, after getting the last load of laundry in the washing machine and making sure mom and baby were well, Assistant #2 was on her way by 8:30. Jeremy, baby, and I all comfy in bed, and they slept, but I didn't feel tired, too excited to sleep, despite having been awake for over 30 hours at this point!

The rest of the day is rather a blur now. I know Jeremy made me a delicious omelet for breakfast when we got up at 11am. We made phone calls to friends and family gradually through the day. One of the best phone calls was to my Grandfather, to tell him his first great-grandaughter had been born on his birthday!

It was after midnight when I finally got to sleep, as Claire had some mucus to work up and was a bit restless her first night. So, after being awake for 48 hours, I finally lost consciousness, the best day of my life complete, and the first day of my daughter's life a sweet memory.