Getting a grip on dinner..Week 1&2

The first two weeks of the meal plan is here!  In the first two weeks with get you will be become acquainted with the wonderful feeling of "having a grip on dinner." I hope you enjoy the feeling as much as I do. It feels good having an arsenal of great mealtimes at your fingertips! Being prepared makes a day feel comfortable. I love being able to share a special meals with ease. If I know friends are coming to play , I just defrost one of our frozen meals. It is often easier than making sandwiches and oh so much yummier. If a friend just had a new baby, bring a few frozen meals. Homemade frozen meals are so convenient. Their family can enjoy them on their own schedule and savor the feeling having an easy meal waiting in the freezer. You may just bring a smile to another mom's face at the end of "one of those days" when she can serve a delicious homemade meal with minimal effort. The directions for cooking the meals are listed at the top of each sheet. I find helpful are planning my grocery shopping trip so that I can cook when I get home. If I go ahead and start the meat cooking when I get home, I find things go much smoother. I may have to put the meat in the refrigerator until I can prepare the recipes, but I feels good to have a key to success complete. I have not made any meal plans for the weekends. It is a great week , but doesn't ofent happen that we eat at home seven days a week. Shift the meals to fit your schedule. If you eat at home three times a week, this plan will last longer for you. Enjoy and celebrate your familie's schedule, this meal plan allows for easy customization. Each family also consumes different amounts of food, so what makes three family meals for you may only give me two. Just make sure you are freezing the right size for your family and customize where you need to. Likewise, if you miss a day here or add a lunch there the basics stay the same, enjoy and savor your homemade meals!

getting a grip on dinner...pre-made shopping list

Walking through the grocery store collecting stares the friendly "boy, you have your hands full" greeting is no place to be making decisions or organizing a list. So that should be done in the peace and quiet (chuckle) of my home. The grocery list are organized to include the following categories: produce, dairy, meat, frozen, beauty/paper, and other. If you keep a list on the fridge, divide it into the same categories. As you fill in the items, you will be making your shopping trip more pleasant with each pen stroke. The grocery store is divided into departments, make your list fit the store. It is much easier standing in the dairy department knowing you need cheddar cheese and milk than figuring out you forgot the cheese when you are at the check-out line. Or, even worse making the discovery when you are preparing a meal. Bringing a pen helps if you mark things as you buy, but scanning the entire list in each department waste precious time. The best foods are in the perimeter of the store. Wendy Boswell says is well, "That's where all the fresh foods are. The less you find yourself in the central aisles of the grocery store, the healthier your shopping trip will be. Make it a habit—work the perimeter of the store for the bulk of your groceries, then dip into the aisles for staples that you know you need." By using the divided list, it is evident when when I am taking to many dips into the aisles. The meal system shopping list for the first week looks like this: Please remember the first two weeks may be a little more expensive and time consuming than the other weeks because we are beginning to stock our dinner arsenal (freezer). Stick with the program, the reward is great! As a little bonus... this is the matching fridge list. Simply cut in half and use a magnetic clip to keep in on the fridge. Enjoy! P.S. I am excited to share this system. Please leave me a comment, let me know if you have any suggestions to make it better or what part you enjoy the most. Tell a friend, too.

semi-homemade: how to make new clothes from old ones

The girls and I worked on the outfits they earned for the fancy Nancy tea party. We recycled-that is a fancy way of saying we used old clothes and material- to make our version of a fancy Nancy outfit. These are homemade-that is a fancy way of saying filled with love. I'm not very fancy so they are a bit tame, but with the right hat, boa, and gloves they will be perfect party apparel.

charting progress...

I love charts! Not because they look cute, but the peace they bring my household. We are currently enjoying the tea party chart. There are a few reasons this chart has worked so well for us. The first is that the rewards are quick. My kiddos don't have the attention span to work six months on a big prize. They only have to earn seven stickers for each part of their reward. The kiddos also go "outside the lines" and use their stickers at bartering tools with each other. I will clean your room for you if you give me two of your stickers, etc. Secondly, the kiddos feel like they are part of a team. Since they are all working toward the same reward (tea party) they have enjoyed talking and planning their contribution. Noah is very excited about cupcakes while Abby can't wait for brownies. They have been very encouraging to each other,"Becca, just one more sticker and I will help you make a cake." Most importantly, I have a easy reward/discipline. When they get in the car, buckle up, and are kind to one another they each get a sticker. But, if I hear an unkind word I will remove one of their hard earned smiley face stickers. We don't set up clear guideline about what constitute a sticker, so the kids will often ask if I _______ can I get a sticker? We don't have a set time frame for each chart, we just make a new one when they loose interest. Generally we have a new type of chart every other month. Some stick around longer than others, we still uses the reading club chart that we started back in November. I make my charts in photoshop, because I like the way they look. This is a blank, ready for your imagination and pen to make it fit your household.Happy Charting!!

dog gone

Dog gone...these appliques are so much fun. 

There are just a few outfits that I really love, but this little dog has stolen my heart. I have been counting down the days to seeing the twins in their new outfits. They are old onesies that the applique gave a new life. Remember how simple appliques are to make?

 The same pattern on different items makes an adorable set for you or gift for a friend.

semi-homemade: how to applique & make baby pants

Once you start doing these appliques you won't be able to walk around your house without seeing something in "need" of enhancement. :) Remember the tie shirt? That is one of my favorite appliques. These directions start with the legs to some pants that I made into shorts for my seven year old son. You can use any material but old pant legs are really easy to make into baby pants so we will walk through both.

For the pants:

1). Once the legs are cut off, measure the length of your desired pants and add one inch ( for the waist band).

 2) Cut the pants so that you have a "U" shape cut out when they are side by side. Turn the fabric good sides together and sew together.  Turn the pants right side out and fold down the top to create a waist band. You can add a little elastic or a flap of velcro. So easy and (kinda) homemade. :)

For the applique:

1) With the scraps (or any fabric you would like to use), iron on wonderunder. Ask for it at the fabric store if you haven't used it before. Trace your design (backwards) on the paperbacking and cut out your design. For a world of great ideas try etsy. 

2.) Remove the paperbacking and iron it to your shirt. Stitch around the design, you can use a zig zag like I did for this one or a straight stitch like I did on the tie shirt.

We are headed to VBS this week and just hate to pass up an opportunity to dress for a theme.  So the oldest boys and I went to a local thrift shop and found these camo pants for $4.  I stopped by a craft store and picked up the thread, velcro, and onesies for $12. Then grabbed a t-shirt from Jo Jo's closet. $14 spent, and we get to enjoy two matching onesies with a coordinating big brother t-shirt, one pair of shorts, and one pair of baby pants. Not bad!

a pillow for the toothless...

Another front tooth lost, and this time we were ready with this cute little tooth pillow. The center of the "a" has a little pocket. Safely tucked in, the little tooth waits to be joined by a dollar tonight.

The pillow is very easy to make:

1. Cut two squares of fabric and one square of stabilizer (available at most fabric stores) the size of your desired pillow
2. Iron on "wonder under" (available at most fabric stores) on to your accent/letter fabric.
3. Trace or draw you letter onto your fabric and cut it out.
4. Using fabric to match the front of your pillow (be aware of your pattern so it matches) about .5 inches wider than the opening in your letter and double the height +.5 inches of your desired pocket
5. Place the pocket on your pillow fabric and lay the letter over ensuring the pocket in under  the letter and trim as necessary. You want the pocket edges to be anchored under the letter.
6. Iron the letter in place which will temporally hold the pocket in place too.
7. Place the stabilizer on the back side of the front of the pillow, and use a zig zag stitch around the letter.
8. Place the good sides of your pillow together and stitch around the edges leaving an opening to add stuffing.
9. Stuff the pillow. I like recycling old pillows that are ready to be replaced by cutting them opening and using the stuffing.
10. Stitch the opening with a straight stich and start enjoying your pillow.Since there are only so many teeth to be lost, the day to day use for this pillow will be aromatherapy. We will place drop or two of lavender on a cotton ball tucked in the pocket and enjoy the benefits of essential oils.

50 foot slip-n-slide with sling shot

I have been envisioning creating a 50 foot slip-n-slide in our yard. Saw one on Jessica's blog with a rope to sling shot the kiddos at blistering speeds down the slip-n-slide. Oh this is something we have to try!! :) 

So I stop at the local big box home improvement and pick up a big plastic tarp and start calling/emailing friends last night. Well, I bought the wrong tarp, I couldn't find the stakes, but we made it work. When we make it again, this is what we will use:

• 1 or 2 large plastic tarp (at least ten feet wide)- the kids could all make it to the end of our fifty foot slide
• stakes to anchor it to the ground
• 2 or 3 bottles of  baby soap (so it doesn't hurt their eyes)
• hose and water (we used a spinkler and hose to keep it nice and wet)
• rope or elastic band to sling shot the kiddos

The preparation is easy, lay out the tarp and stake the edges down. We used wood but, stakes would have worked better. Pour on the baby soap to make it extra slippery, then add water. Make sure the slide stays nice and wet.

Be careful and have fun. This is a great group activity, can you already see your small group, moms group, or close friends on he slide. Jessica said a friend used it for  birthday party. Oh fun!

homemade baby food...

I have a new toy. I loved making homemade baby food for my older kiddos, but it was wasn't this easy. This is a Kid Co food mill. I have to say, I love this thing.  I bought this one from baby earth. If you use the referral code  g0kKuz you save $5. This and a few storage containers will be all you need to serve the best homemade baby food. 

Just place the food in the middle and push down as you turn the handle. My seven and eight year old can even make homemade baby food with this mill. I put the extras in a container to freeze for days that we are on the go. OK, really it is for days when we are eating fast food and there isn't anything that I am willing to grind up and feed to the babies. :) The mill comes with a carrying case and spoon so it is easy to stick in the diaper bag and you can serve it right out of the top. No worry of kids cutting themselves if they get into the diaper bag, there is no sharp blade. My favorite part is that it is sooo easy to clean. Everything in life should be this fun and easy. :)

When I made homemade baby food in bulk (lots of flavors in one day) for my older ones I just put it in ice cube trays to freeze and stored them in a zip loc. I am going with single serve containers to save a step this time. There are lots of great babyfood recipe books, but I just follow the basic rule of raw fruit, cooked veggies. 

Happy Baby Food Making!!

marking their territory...

A proper garden must be outfitted with plant markers! With the idea of fashion over function, few of these markers actually label plants. The kids had fun creating these wooden markers to adorn the squash, lettuce, sweet peas, spinach, and sweet potatoes. Since they had fun, these are the best plant markers in the whole world in my eyes. If you are in Texas this is a great website that helped with our plant selection.

just the right spot...

We have this fun little niche in a hallway that we use to keep our "Mommy's Magic bags". One of my favorite ways to turn a moment that I am thinking of going bald with my own two hands into a great time with the kiddos. I finished the bags back in December, but there was just alway something missing. Eureka...A bench with even more room for pre-packaged activities.  I found the storage containers that I wanted to use and waited for the perfect bench to grow around them. But, no bench grew and I couldn't find one right size with a price tag that I could swallow.  You know what they say, if you want it done right (or you are too cheap to buy the one from that speciallity store that is really cute) you have to do it yourself.  So a couple of 1X12, a little plywood, and a few coats of paint later...tada!I wanted a little personality since it was a kiddo area, but didn't want it to look like we live at a preschool. So I stole this idea from my sister (the queen of everything cool looking) and added a little fabric to the back. I "laminated" with a peel and stick product from a fabric store. I had actually bought it to make bibs, but I am very happy with the final resting place. So easy, but what a change. 

Hum...think it might still need a cushion....to be continued.

Birthdays...

I just love birthdays! What a special time to enjoy looking back, looking forward, and savoring today. We have a few traditions that have developed over the years. 

1. We give the kids 

a choice on their birthday to either A: have a big blowout birthday party with all their friends, B: take a weekend trip with on their own with one parent, or C: take a weekend trip with the entire family.  This

 starts around age 4, but is

 really enjoyed at age 5+. The kids talk about it all year and usually change there minds often and dream big. Our youngest daughter invites and disinvites other family members to her birthday

 celebration (including her twin)throughout the year depending if she likes their behavior or not. 

2. Each of the kids enjoy

 making something for the birthday kiddo. Gifts range from drawings to sock puppets, but each one is filled with love and thoughtfulness. The exchanging of these gifts is

 usually a very special and often touching time.

3. The birthday fairies come to decorate. Either the day before or while they sleep the other kiddos (with help) decorate the room of the birthday kiddo. We

 keep a decoration box that the kiddos usually pick from, but when parents are unprepared a roll of toliet paper and construction paper chains work well. 

4. Birthday Princesses/Prince wear their crowns. The girls have special birthday tiaras that they wear on their special day.

 Since one of the girls has a twin brother we have a special crown for him as well. :) 

5. Leave the icing off. When serving birthday cake we leave the icing off and serve each slice with a scoop of icing and a dash of sprinkles.

 That way each kiddos has the fun of decorating their slice and no arguments over who gets what piece.  Everyone wins, not to mention one less job for mommy on the special day.

6. Sleep where you want. The birthday kiddo gets to choose where they sleep after the big day. They are usually accompanied by at least one sibling and talking is usually not kept to a minimum. We made the mistake of doing this the night before the birthday but after one grumpy birthday boy we decided this was a better way to end a special day.

We just celebrated our 30th kiddo birthday last week. I can't wait to see what the birthdays look like after 30 more, according to my calculation that should be in about 4.5 years. 

Cream Cheese Brownies

Yummy! This is one of our favorite deserts. 1 pkg. Super Moist Devil's Food Cake Mix

8 ounces cream cheese, room temp.

1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup chocolate chips

White and Chocolate Frosting (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 15 1/2 X 10 X 1 jelly roll pan OR 9X11 pan. 9X11 takes a little longer to bake. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Pour batter into pan. Mx cream cheese, egg, sugar, and chocolate chips together. Drop by spoonfuls into batter. Cut through with butter knife to get marbled effect. If you want a few extra chocolate chips sprinkle them on top. Bake until toothpick comes our clean 25-35 minutes. Cool and drizzle optional white frosting and then chocolate frosting. Cool and cut into squares. This recipe freezes well but, doesn't last long in our freezer. (ha ha) I usually at least double the recipe. This was a big hit with kiddos and adult alike. For one of the girl's tea parties, I added a little red food coloring to the cream cheese mixture so it was pink. :) Pink and chocolate, does it get any girly girl than that? Enjoy!!

cooking with kiddos...

Cooking with kiddos is big fun at our household. Sometimes so many little fingers (and spills) can be frustrating but these rules help me enjoy.

1) Kiddos help when the food is for our family. If I want something to look just right or taste the way it should I don't ask for kitchen help. 

2) Before we start we have all the ingredients on the counter and each child gets to choose their special ingredient. They are responsible for that ingredient: holding, pouring, measuring, stirring, cleaning up, etc. The unchosen ingredients are added in a rotation or by a parent.

3) Never sweep the floor before kiddos cook...the dirtier the better. That way I don't mind if they spill a bit, after all I needed to sweep anyway.

4) A little saran wrap on the counter or table goes a long way.

5) Special cooking apparel is so fun!

6) The time together is worth way more than the resulting treat/meal.

Today we made cookies. I love doubling the recipe so there is plenty of dough to freeze. Just wrap a "log" of dough in saran wrap and freeze. Try to get it as smooth as possible so once the dough is frozen it is easy to unwrap. Just slice and bake once the wrap is removed. I love having cookies ready at a moments notice. Great for a special snack or just to cover of the smell of too many stinky feet in the house. :) 

Enjoy!

Tasty pork chops...

This is one of our family favorites. It is so easy and my kiddos love to help. I always make extras to freeze.:)

Cranberry Pork Chops

12 thick cut pork chops (with or without bone)

2 small bottles of catalina salad dressing

2 cans of cranberry sauce (I like the whole cranberry sauce)

2 packets onion soup mix

Spray bottom of casserole dish, and place pork chops in a single layer. Let the kiddos mix all the other ingredients and enjoy letting the little hands spoon the mixture over the chops. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes for boneless or 50 minutes with bone.

If you are freezing them line a cookie sheet and lay pork chops in a single layer. Let the kiddos mix all the other ingredients and enjoy letting the little hands spoon the mixture over the chops. Freeze them for appox. three hours (on until they are firm) and place in a ziploc. Remove as much air as possible and freeze. Label: Bake at 350 for 40 minutes for boneless or 50 minutes with bone. Thaw the pork chops in the fridge overnight before cooking. 

Enjoy!!

Sew simple pillow...your kiddo can do this

I found four placemats for $3.00 and couldn't wait to see them on my girl's bed. No, we don't set the table on our kiddo's bed, we turned them into pillows. I made the first two and my oldest made the  third one. It took about 10-15 minutes and it couldn't be simpler! Using a seam ripper to take a few of the side stitches out. We recycle old pillows by re-using the stuffing for new projects. Once the pillow is stuffed hand stitch (like we did) or machine sew a few stitches to close the hole. Enjoy!

Note: not every placemat will work for this craft, just make sure you look at before you start taking it apart. :)

finger paintin' good!

Warm day, kiddos in clothes that I don't mind painted...sounds like a perfect time to finger paint. They worked together on this masterpiece.  I think I may have enjoyed hearing their imaginations run wild as much as they enjoyed painting.Fingerpainting is simple at our house. You fingerpaint, you play in the water, you dry in the sun THEN you come back inside. :)

Nighttime reading

We just got new beds for the trio. They were simple beds from Ikea, but I just love the way they turned out once I added a book sling. Now, as they are tucked in tight each night they have a library at their fingertips.  The bookshelf is very easy to make, don't nudge your hubby. LOL Girls can use tools too! I used 1X4 inch pine for the sides and 5/8 dowels for the middle. Start by cutting the 1X4 pine to the desired height of your bookshelf. I cut a curve on the top to make it look pretty. :) A jigsaw works well and is very easy to use. Cut two 1X4 brace pieces the width of your desired bookshelf minus the width of your sidepieces. (48.5-1.5inches in my bookshelf). Cut your 2 dowels to the desired width of your bookshelf - one width of your side piece. (48.5-.75 inches in my bookshelf)

The second step is easy. Sand all of your 1X4 pine pieces. The smoother your wood, the less splinters in little hands. Take your time and you will appreciate the results.

The next step creates a place for the dowels to fit into your side pieces. Using a drill bit(pictured below) the size of your dowels drill half way thru the side piece. You decide the location of the the holes. The sling will fit onto the dowels to hold the books in a later step.

Simply nail or screw the pieces together. Pre-drill the holes for all of the screws that you are using.  A carpenter's square helps to keep the shelf square. Use screws on at least one side of the shelf so it can be taken apart to add the sling and later storage.

A coat of paint has the frame ready to install. The sling is very easy. One piece of fabric two inches wider than your desired sling and a length equal to twice the sling width plus 12 inches. Sew two loops or pockets for the dowels to fit inside. Make sure the top pocket is long enough to ensure the good side of the fabric shows on the front side. Happy reading!!

Banana Bread

What kiddo can resist the squishy fun of mashing up bananas? This is our favorite recipes. Oh (big inhale) the smell is so delightful!  I hope your family enjoys it as much as ours! You may want to double the recipe. :)

2 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup softened butter

1 /2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

7 ripe bananas (smashed by kiddos)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup nuts or choc chips (optional)

Preheat to 325 degrees. Grease 2 loaf pans. In medium bowl  combine flour, soda, and salt; set aside. In large bowl cream butter and sugar with and electric mixer. Add eggs, bannanas, vanilla; beat at medium speed. 

Add flour mixture & optional mix-ins then blend on low until combined. Do not over mix.

Bake for 60-70 minutes. Enjoy the smell as it fills your house. :) Let cool for 10 minutes. Freeze one loaf for a yummy treat later.

sew young?

Q: What is the right age to begin allowing kids to sew?

A: There are many sewing activities that kiddos can enjoy as early as two years old. I began allowing my kiddos to machine sew(with supervision) at age 6. Here is what the progression looks like at our house:

Age 2-3: Card Sewing - Cut out a cardboard shape, using a hole puncher go around the edge and punch holes approximately 1/2 inch apart. Tie length of string to around one hole and the edge to secure it to the cardboard. To help little fingers be successful I wrap the sewing end with clear tape. I love using food boxes from the recycle bin. To lengthen the activity let them color the card before you add the holes. Don't worry about the way they sew (across the card, skip holes, etc), just enjoy!

Age 2+: Fabric Markers & Sewing - If your kiddo can draw they can participate in this fun project. Iron butcher paper (shiny side down) to the back of any natural fabric. I used cotton for this project. After protecting the table with a tablecloth, let the artistic kiddo draw. Follow the directions on the marker box to heat set the design (if needed). Using their design the list of projects are endless! My oldest used two of his designs to make a pillow. A few years ago I used the same technique to make the cover for a "Grandparent's Journal". We placed a blank journal along with a list of questions that we knew the kids would enjoy reading someday. We gave it as a Christmas present, but we got the real gift when it came back with so many amazing family stories.

Age 3+: Hoop sewing - Place the fabric in the embroidery hoop and secure it in place. For the littlest kiddos I use burlap with a yarn (dull) needle. Using embroidery tread, tie the string to the needle (prevents retreading over and over again), and tie it to the material. Just let them have fun! As their skill increases, change the material and needle type needle as appropriate. Learning the embroidery stitches may begin as early as 6. Just make sure the introduction of stitches doesn't limit creativity. This is a design on felt that my eight year old kiddo created using  hoop sewing. You can see he added a bead (the eye) to embellish the design. He later added velvet to the back to make it into a pillow to give to his cousin.

Age6+: Machine Sewing - I love starting with pillowcases or kiddo-created projects. For more detail on introducing the sewing machine check out an earlier post on cleverkiddos.com

Happy Sewing!

What makes music?

To quote elmo, "Everything makes music!" These are some of our favorite homemade musical instruments. 

1. Box with a circle cut out of the front with rubberbands.

2. Container with lid filled with beans or pasta.

3. Anything that can be hit. With a new baby at the house we have found a lot of new uses for formula cans.

4. A terrible ruckus machine. I had seen something similar in a book called The creative family.

May your day be filled with the sweet sound of music!

Getting a grip on dinner...

When the clock strikes 4:00 and dinner isn't "in the works" restaurants begin looking more appealing than they should. Back in the day when we had five little ones three years old and under, necessity required that I think about dinner before that daunting "4:00 'til daddy gets home" window. I am very passionate about my meal system because it has had such a positive impact in my life. My sweet friend Alyson took time to start me on the right path in the kitchen and for that I am forever grateful. There are a few basic truths that I built my meal system on: 1. It isn't much more work to double or triple a recipe that I am already making. 2. Some nights all I want to do is boil water or open the oven door but still have a great meal 3. Well planned meals make me feel successful as a wife and mommy 4. When I am using my meal system I cut my grocery bills by about 50%!! The calendar, shopping list, and recipes work together to make it oh so easy. This is the calendar for the first two weeks of the six week program: Coming Soon: shopping list, recipes, and extras