Posts filed under 'Family and Home'
Writing full time has been eating away (pun intended) at my second love of cooking. There just isn’t time to prepare the menus and meals that I have done in the past. Instead of giving up on the cooking altogether, I’m learning how to make some of those thirty minute meals (and I mean prep and clean time as well) that the whole family will love.
1. You have to prep ahead of time. Take an afternoon (preferably after shopping) the chop, brown, and freeze most of your vegetables and meats.
a. After chopping vegetables, freeze them in single layers on a cookie sheet. Then store them in freezer bags or freezer containers. Having veggies pre-chopped will save you a load of time. Good candidates for freezing – carrots, celery, onions, bell peppers, potatoes, okra, squash. Basically anything that you are going to use for COOKING.
b. Brown ground beef, sausage, and stew meats before cooling and freezing into one pound servings. Separate individual chicken breasts or tenders (be sure to cut away any unappetizing pieces of gristle or fat), pork chops, meat patties into the press and seal freezer containers. Then you can take out what you need when you need it.
2. Use your crock pot any chance you get. You can cook lasagna, sides, or even desserts in the crock pot by just adjusting your cooking time from the existing recipe. You can put the food in, turn on the crock pot and walk away until its time to eat. Clean up is made easy with the new crock pot liners that are available in most stores.
3. Use the boxes, but give them a twist. Instead of just serving according to direction, add cheese, vegetables, or seasonings according to your liking. I took a regular ‘Hamburger Helper,’ added some cream to create a sauce, some seasoning, and a package of green beans (along with the ingredients called for on the box). I had a full casserole meal, in one dish, in less than thirty minutes. (Ramen noodles are another fun staple that you can give a quick twist. Add a few pieces of Velveeta cheese after the liquid has cooked out and you have an interesting version of mac-n-cheese).
4. Keep pasta in the pantry. If all else fails, have a quick pasta meal for dinner. Add some garlic toast (use hamburger or hotdog buns, spread on some softened butter, sprinkle with garlic salt and cheese and then toast until brown) and a little salad and you have a well rounded meal.
The keys to quick and easy meals are preparations and flexibility. Be daring when you try new ways to cook old favorites. Set aside one day a month to get things chopped and ready to go and you will find that feeding your family good meals really is possible in just thirty minutes or less.
February 24th, 2008
Working at home is both a blessing, and a curse, depending on what time of day you talk to me. It’s great that I can get up before dawn and begin pounding away at the keyboard. It’s not so great when the rest of the house gets up as well. Working in the middle of the kitchen makes it even more hectic.
It has now been 5 months of full-time WAHM status for me. Every thing is still not balanced. I need to mop the floor, but I need to meet several deadlines even worse. It seems that every time I get caught up, something happens and I’m racing to catch up once again.
The schedule is getting better. I didn’t have to stay up all night during this past week. I went to my son’s basketball games with out worrying about the stories I was leaving behind. But I haven’t been shopping in two weeks, and the pantry is starting to show wear.
There are a few things I’ve learned over the last few months that will help me in my struggle to balance the life of a work at home mom – writing, cleaning, cooking, errands, and kids . . . and at some point the hubby as well 
.
1. Delegate responsibility. Even though my husband doesn’t do the laundry the way I do, I have to trust him to do it. The same goes for the kids. They may not clean the bathroom as well as I would, but it is clean (or cleaner than it was when they started anyway).
2. Work as a team. If you see something needs to be done then just do it then. It will probably only take a couple of minutes and any complaining you would do about it to the responsible party is going to take that much time anyway.
3. Take time for family. No matter how many deadlines are looming ahead, take time to eat as a family and even time to play as a family. One of the main benefits for working at home is that you do get to be with family, so take advantage of it.
4. Spread out the deadlines. Even if everyone wants things done on the first of the month, spread out the deadlines on your work sheet. There is a little procrastinator in us all, and if everything is due at the same time you will never be able to get done every thing that you have been putting off.
5. Learn how to say no. As your jobs continue to increase, learn to say no to the ones that aren’t the best pay, the best fit for you abilities, or the ones that you actually want to do.
6. Do a little of each job each day. Spending one or two hours on each upcoming project will lay the foundation for meeting (or beating) all of your deadlines.
7. Work when you can. If you have to go sit at practice with the kids, then take your laptop along. Get in a few minutes of work while you are there.
8. Enlist your spouse. Let your partner know what kind of time you need – not just the number of hours, but whether the house needs to be completely quite or just sort of peaceful.
9. Set some rules. Make a sign that says “Working – Do not Disturb,” one that says “Please Wait Your Turn” and one that says “My Door is Open.” Use the signs, along with some basic rules and guidelines, to help your family understand your work mode and your mommy mode.
10. Be flexible. Working at home usually requires much more flexibility in when, where and how you work than just going into the office. Learn to go with the flow, but always stay focused on the goals ahead.
Learning how to work from home is a trail and error process, at least where I’m living. Fortunately, most of the people I have worked with to date have understood the process and been flexible themselves. As I close in on the half year mark, I know that I am beginning to get a grip. I look forward to the day when I have my schedule all worked out – including the house, the family, the work, AND the personal writings.
February 23rd, 2008
The Dr. Phil show recently had a couple on that didn’t have “jobs.” Dr. Phil was insistent that in order for people to live productive lives (particularly when children are involved) they have to have a real (i.e. regular) pay check.
I don’t regularly watch Dr. Phil, but the subject caught my attention. I walked away from the show realizing that society and I have very different ideas of what success is and what the “right” lifestyle is as well. We have lived several times in our married life without “real” jobs. This time around it was completely by choice and we are loving every minute of the new lifestyle that allows us to be together as a family, travel, and relax without having to ask for time off from the boss.
Most people think about their skills and talents as the things accomplished during the “real” job. If you want to break through society’s pattern about what is work, when you can work, and where you can work, you will have to think outside the box that society has built.
1. What do you enjoy? Gardening is a passion of mine. I recently found out that if I produce just $1000 worth of property on my land each year I can qualify as a small farm (which can mean huge benefits come tax time). I am in the process of determining which of my plants need to be divided and how many of the divisions can be sold (or given away). It may not make me rich by the end of the summer, but it will definitely qualify our land as a farm.
2. What are you good at? Do you have a talent for drama or music? Can you build anything if you can picture it in your head? Why not sell your services to friends and family. Word of mouth will do the rest.
3. Get rid of the stuff. All the things in your home that you aren’t using and that are just taking up space are making your life less enjoyable. Clear out your home (one room at a time) and get rid of everything that you don’t use or love. Forget who gave it to you and look at the item for what it is not who it’s from. Take the more valuable stuff to auction and sale the rest at a yard sale or flea market. What you get from the sale isn’t as important as the freedom you get from releasing it.
4. What do you want to do? If money were not an issue in your life, what would you be doing right now? Think outside the box and find ways to make that dream a reality AND get paid for it. If traveling is your desire then hone your writing skills, build up some clips and become a professional travel writer. In most cases, what you want to do is only a few steps away from being a reality.
Making money doesn’t have to be about clocking in and clocking out. You can make all the money you need by being a little creative, a lot daring, and extremely frugal. Look to your gifts and talents and likes to create income in places you never though income existed. Leave the “normal” world behind and walk the peculiar walk of free earners that are beginning to populate the world.
February 16th, 2008
Crock pots are one of the most amazing inventions of the entire 20th Century. Forget the automobile, the television or even the computer. Any thing that allows you to cook a family meal without being in the house has my vote. The crock pot rules!
The only problem I have with crock pots is that I don’t have enough of them. Right now I’m getting ready for a party (technically I have been all night long) and both of my crock pots are cooking away. If I had just two more crock pots, I’d start some desserts or some sides. The world should know that a crock pot is good for more than roast and stew.
1. Bake a cake. Crock pots make surprisingly moist cakes, but don’t try to serve it with a knife. Mix the cake according to directions. Spray oil around the crock pot before pouring the batter in the crock pot. Let cook on low for three to four hours then top with your favorite syrup (fudge for chocolate cakes and fruit syrup for white cakes). Use a spoon to dig down through all the amazing goodness.
2. Warm the guest with a fruit compost. Layer sliced fresh apples, peaches and pineapple (about two cups each) in a crock pot. Pour about ½ cup of honey over the fruit. Top with a couple of lemon slices and a cinnamon stick. Let cook on low for about 3 or 4 hours. Add sliced banana just before serving. You can include any fruits that you feel hold up well during cooking (blue berries) or go well with this combination. Experiment with sweetness, variety, and serving options (serve over ice cream, over fresh blondies, or alone with a fresh cup of coffee).
3. Kick up the sides. Don’t just start your roast before you leave for work. Get a second crock pot and start your sides as well. Mushroom rice is a great for pairing with a slow cooked roast. Combine a can of beef consommé, French onion soup, and 2 ¼ cups of water. Pour into the crock pot. Add ½ cup of butter, and two cups of rice (equal parts wild rice and brown rice make a rich combination). Cook on low for 7 hours.
4. Don’t forget the vegetables. Cut your favorite vegetables (or those that are available fresh right now) into small cubed pieces. Include potatoes (about 4 cups) that have been cubed as well. Combine with ½ cup of onion, 1 clove of garlic, ½ tsp of sugar, ½ tsp of dill weed and a dash of salt and pepper. Let cook on low for about 5 hours until the vegetables are tender.
There is so much that can be done with the crock pot. Remember that low and slow is the best way to utilize the crock pot. If you are in a tight, kicking the temperature up to high will decrease the cooking time by about half.
Another great invention that goes with the crock pots are these new crock pot liners. Now clean up is as easy as the cooking.
Drag out your crock pot and do some experimenting with your favorite casserole dishes. You may find that you fall in love with these wonderful contraptions. I know that just as soon as I can clear out some storage space, I’m adding to my collection of crock pots. Dinner will be a simple as a flip of a switch. Now, if I can just make it to dinner with all the aromas wafting through the house.
February 16th, 2008
When people start thinking about their debt, they are usually focused on their own future. Very few people understand how their own spending habits will affect the lives of their children. The truth is that your debt will put a burden on your children. The higher the debt, the more enslaved your children will become unless you learn how to break the debt curse and start NOW!
The problem is that children learn what they see. If they see you using credit cards, buying what ever you please and always getting more and more with out thought then that is the pattern of behavior they are likely to follow. If you think your financial situation is bad, then multiply it by ten and that is the direction you are sending your children.
It is possible to get your whole family back on the right track. It will take some communication, lots of honesty and a willingness to cut the fat!
1. Sit down with the whole family and discuss the financial place you are currently at and the financial goals that you want for the future.
2. Make a budget for all the necessities that you currently spend money on each month.
3. Put a limit on non-essential items and activities each month.
4. Set a savings goal for each month and work towards that goal as a family.
5. Teach the children the reality of the financial world. If they get an allowance then go ahead and begin taking “taxes” out of that money. It can go into a tax fund and the whole family can vote on how to spend that money each year.
6. Open a savings account for each of your children. Encourage them to do odd jobs for friends and family and to save a large portion of that money.
7. Think more about giving than about getting. Look at ways you can use your time, resources (including money) and energy to help the people around you.
8. Take care of what you have already. Keep the house and the car picked up and in order. Clean and straighten it daily. Show respect to the things that you have in your life.
The scary thing about debt is that it doesn’t just go away when you die. Everything you borrow and every charge you rack up will pass down to your children to sort out and pay. Not only do they inherit your debt, but your habits will teach your children the same habits.
If you want your children to live a life of freedom, then start teaching them today that they are enslaved by the people they owe. Debt is not a good way to live.
February 13th, 2008
There will be an undetermined number of people at my house on Saturday. It was by request, so it’s not a shock to me. It’s just been a while since I hosted people in my home and so I’m already at work to whip the house into shape.
While I was cleaning out a box of stuff the other day (one that has been moving from chair to chair to table and around again while waiting to be filed) it dawned on me that hosting a get together might be the best way to get your home in shape.
1. Make a game plan. Go from room to room with a notebook and make a list of everything that needs to be done or that you want done before the big day.
2. Be reasonable. You do not need to tackle major DIY projects just before a big event. Save those for the day after. Focus instead on cleaning up and sprucing up.
3. Spread it out. Take one room at a time and tackle one project each day (depending mainly on your timeline). It’s amazing how much you can get done by spending one hour a day doing heavy cleaning and purging.
4. Save the scented cleaning for the day of or the day before. Clean the bathrooms, change the cat box, empty the trash and mop the day before the party and everything will smell clean and fresh when your guests arrive.
5. Box up what’s not done at the last minute. Work as long as you can, but hours before guests start arriving it’s time to hide what you have left. Keep a couple of empty boxes around as dump zones and tuck them away in your closet.
Hosting a party or a get together is a great way to get your house in tip-top shape. It puts a deadline on when things have to get done and sparks some motivation in the cleaning process. If you aren’t hosting a party anytime soon then circle a date on the calendar when you will have the house in shape (you can always PRETEND there’s going to be a party – maybe your spouse will throw a surprise party for the clean home). The main thing is that you work toward the goal every day and eventually you will get there.
February 10th, 2008
Our family is one of many words. We play word games, we play off other peoples words, and we play of words of songs. It’s always amusing to see which family member will be the first to pounce on a particular word or phrase – and the whole family gets a smile from the moment.
There is just something about a good pun (and by that I mean a bad pun) or bad or simple joke that makes me smile. Maybe it is the reaction of the people around me – the ones who have been sucking on lemons all day and just don’t get it. It could be that I’m easily entertained – an old boyfriend once said that if he hung a mobile over the vent and got me a kitten I would be entertained forever.
Most likely it is that I like a good word play. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy many of the British shows (some of which you can see anymore) and Psych (great word play there). Good comedy is about a quick and sharp wit – plain and simple.
I’ll confess that much of the word play around our table is not always brain surgery. But it is always fun. Try a little yourself, you might just find that you like it. I’ll get you started.
Q: Why did the TURTLE cross the road?
A: To get to the SHELL station!
Not exactly a pun, but you have to start slow and work your way up. Before long, you and your family will be sitting around the dinner table exchanging puns like pros and having a great time to boot.
February 9th, 2008
My husband often complains that I spent $40,000 (probably much more once you figure in interest and misc. expenses) getting a degree and all I have to show for it is a diploma on the wall. Try as I might, I never seem to get him to see how my BS in Leisure Services (yes it’s a real degree) helped me run the house, teach the kids, and do all of my extras stuff (like garden clubs and women’s groups).
Even though I don’t have a “real” job, I still find plenty of ways to put my degree to work and now I’m even making some nice money along the way.
1. Birthday parties – I spent my internship and many of my college years planning social activities. It just naturally rolled over into the children.
2. Grants – Part of my education involved learning about grants (how to research and write them). Today I am using that knowledge to help others (for a small fee ).
3. Fund raising – During my college years, there were many times I had to call companies to ask for discounts, donations or contributions. Asking for help is more comfortable because of my past experience.
4. Internet content writing – Leisure Services (yes it’s a real degree) requires a wide variety of information. Now I have a lot of bits and pieces that wander around my brain. It’s perfect for short, quick articles that I can use or sale online.
5. Making connections – Meeting with the Dean of Students, leaders of companies and officers in the military made me comfortable talking with people of position and people I did not know. Today I use that to get new clients for my grants or writing and to make connections for other needs as well.
My husband was deluded into believing that if you go to college and get a degree you will get a good job. That’s one of the main reasons he complains about me not “using” my degree – or I should say he DID complain. Over the last few months he has been around to see how my degree is put to use daily and how it is adding income to our bank account.
When you are stepping out in life (or pushing your children in that direction) make sure you encourage them to go to college for the educational opportunity and not for the degree. With education under your belt you will be able to do anything you set your mind to do. With a degree you will just have another picture on the wall.
February 9th, 2008
Oprah had another show on today about de-cluttering your life. I was taking a break, and I thought it would make a good choice for letting my mind relax and recharge (and those clutter shows, particularly with Peter Walsh are a great motivator for me).
I was enjoying the show quite a bit and even making a few comments to the TV. Just as I get into my grove, my husband starts yelling “amen’s” from the other room. My motivation time is now over and I just want to throw a shoe at his head.
Our home is NOT cluttered, at least not to the degree you see on all the different shows. We have the odd box of clothes here and there, but mainly because there is no place to store them because my husband complains any time he has to go into the attic. On the flip side, I don’t have my home where I want it to be. There are still things that I want to release so that I have more space (and more money when the stuff is sold).
It’s not right that my husband (who is in no way perfect himself AND who has his own stuff that he doesn’t deal with) makes the comments he does. Even if it’s about other people and their homes and not about me, I can still tell that he is talking at me – if that makes sense.
It’s not fair that I have struggled to change my habits and my thinking and my actions so that my family can benefit, and my husband still sees the negative.
There are a lot of things the situation may be, but the truth is that just doesn’t matter. It all comes back to me. I have to do what I know to do AND I can’t let people, or situations, or television shows suck my energy away. In the end, one excuse is just as good as the next.
So, I didn’t throw my shoe or throw my husband out. Instead, I got up and started back doing what I should have been doing in the first place. Working, writing, and making my dreams come true.
February 7th, 2008
Forget all the expensive gym memberships. Box up you collection of dusty exercise videos. Today is the day that you start losing weight without doing one moment of exercise.
1. Clean the house. Take a broom and a mop and get to work. Sweep the entire house from top to bottom and then follow up with a good mopping. It’s an amazing upper body work out (and you can really burn up the calories if you see how fast you can get it all done).
2. Mow the yard. Forget the riding contraptions that cost more than my first car did. Invest in a quality push mower. Pushing that machine around the yard, twice a week, will not only tone up your lower body but will also help you to appreciate pavement. For the best work out around, invest in a self-propelled mower.
3. Play with the children. Whether you jump on the trampoline, take a hike with the whole family (and inevitable carry the toddler on your back) or just run around kicking the soccer ball, you are bound to get a great work out in muscles you had forgotten you had.
4. Play with the spouse – enough said!
5. Wash the windows (inside and out). Climbing up and down the ladder to reach the top corners of the many windows in your home is going to tone more in your lower body than any expensive Stairmaster ever could.
6. Plant a garden. Between the digging, plowing, stooping, weeding and hauling you will get a full body work out that you will not soon forget. If you really want to put your muscles to the test then rent a sod cutter and clear some area in your yard for a NEW garden (be sure to till well before doing any planting).
7. Volunteer to keep the toddler room at church. You’ll do plenty of lifts and squats and maybe even a few presses. Rolling around with the kids can be the best exercise in the world.
The great thing about these activities is that they help keep you moving. That is one of the most important keys to losing weight. Besides, if you are up and going then you aren’t vegging in front of the television eating.
Instead of spending your time (and money) at the gym, let go of some of the conveniences around your home and you will find that you can lose weight without doing any exercising.
February 7th, 2008
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