Raise your hand if you've found a nicer way to get the dishes done.

If I use rubber gloves when I wash the dishes, I get a lot more done.  Why?  Because I can handle the super hot water and the prolonged time with my hands in the dishpan.

I'm a bit fanatical about getting the dishes really clean.  So lukewarm, bubbleless dish water with an orange hue is not going to work for me. 

I need fresh piping hot soapy water to get my dishes clean.  And if I'm going to commit myself to running a dishpan of hot soapy water, I'm probably going to wash all the dishes. 

Bonus: my hands have less hang-nails and rough cuticles this way.

This simple tip Works for me so I'm tossing it into the Tip Jar at Blog Mommas and sharing it also at Couponomic Stimulus Package's Tuesday's Tips.

No children were harmed in the making of this family photo.

It really wasn't difficult to get all six kids to look at the camera at the same time for this lovely family photo.  Just click the link under the picture to find the secret to getting your own perfect family photo too.  :)


Make your Stick Figure Family at FreeFlashToys.com

Child Safety: Ask the audience

Today after the dentist I took the kids to the duck park and playground.  By the time we arrived there, Bun, Ham, and Squdge were asleep.  So I parked close to the playground and let Gabbers and Pookie go play. 

I squeezed myself between the two infant carseats and prepped bottles.  As I was feeding the twins, I kept an eye on Gabbers and Pookie happily playing.

Then at about 12 minutes of playing I noticed an older man, probably early sixties, was taking pictures of Pookie.  At first I thought, I must be mistaken.  I noticed a little girl he was taking pictures of too.  She looked like she could possibly be a granddaughter.  But then I saw him pointing the camera at Pookie more times than I would've liked.

What would you have done?

Obviously I'm a liar. Alternate title: My name's Nikki. I'm addicted to blogging. Alt. title 2: I love energy savings and money savings.

Dear Friends,

I miss you. It has been a long three days without talking to you. Do you know how difficult this is for me? Just ask Danny. I talk his ear off the moment he steps in the door until I am convinced that he really is asleep and not just faking it.  I love him.  He bought me a hamlet this morning because it's my birthday week.  :)  Anyways, maybe you shouldn't believe me when I say that I'm not going to be blogging for a week.  Remember Pookie's Ultimate Star Wars Party?  That busy week brought on a multitude of posts encouraged by procrastinating.

I missed participating in WFMW.  I did spy on several of yours. I even linked my baby wipe tutorial-- even if it was a re-run.

So why am I back so soon? Tomorrow is Friday. Frugal Friday. And my frugal tip is Microsoft Hohm.

Microsoft Hohm contacted me to review their site that is chuck full of Energy saving tips.  What? You want me to review a site that gives FREE tips on saving money with my home appliances and home energy?  Heck ya!  I ♥ sites like these. 

I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass me by.  That's why I'm back before my previously promised date of Monday.

This is Percival.  I made him.  You can use his cuteness too.  But don't pretend you made him.  I DID.  and it took an insanely long time.  Percival motivates me to look for ways to pinch pennies.

So, I like to be frugal and I like to be earth-conscious too. Ching. A match made in heaven.

This Microsoft Hohm site, that I now have saved to my favorites, has a plethora of graphs and calculators showing how much you spend and how much you can save.

It also, for the busy mom who doesn’t always have time to sit down and read through an entire new site, has easy-reference type pages to give you some quick tips you can start implementing in your home.

Some tips that weren’t new to me: switch from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents. We started buying the compact fluorescent bulbs (you know, the swirly ones) when we lived in the frozen north. We had a couple of light fixtures that ate light bulbs for breakfast. I was so tired of buying new bulbs and changing them out. These higher efficiency bulbs had like a five year money back guarantee on them. And darn it all! I should’ve taken them with me when I moved. They were still going strong!

One thing Danny is always saying, and I remember my dad saying growing up, “If you’re not in a room, turn off the lights!” There may have also been “Money don’t grow on trees!” and “Do you think I’m made of money?!”

I am recommitted to using a clothesline or drying rack for my cloth diapers. I regularly use a drying rack for my clothing to prolong its life.  I'm going to start turning down the heater 5° at night. 

I disclose that if you visit Microsoft Hohm for yourself, you may not have the same experience as me. You may end up saving even more money. You see, right now, living on base, I do not pay my own utility bills. I do, however, want there to be a nice environment with a gracious ozone layer for my children and grandchildren in the future. And one day, maybe sooner than later, I will have my own home. Then I will be able to implement even more of these tips to save me money.

Go check it out for yourself. You won’t regret it.






This post is linked to Thrifty Thursday, Thifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville, and Frugalicious Friday.

(start sarcastic font) How to have a total blast the week you turn 33 (end sarcastic font)

This Saturday, March 27, is my birthday.  Every year as I approach my birthday I feel the need to catch up on things, re-access goals, set new goals, fill my freezer, tackle a DIY project (the one I meant to tackle last week but canceled due to sick kids), even some spring cleaning. 

This week I'm also going to be reading about different homeschool curriculums, probably ordering some books, seeing what programs are available to homeschoolers that are recognized in public school programs.

I just read on someone's post about a Pizza Hut reading program.  I'm sorry I cannot remember who it was to give them the link credit they deserve.  But she said it applied to homeschoolers as well. 

I'm also going to be checking out Scholastic Book Printables and mini books.  When Scholastic Book contacted me to take a look at their site and include a link from my blog, I was thrilled!  I LOVE the Scholastic Book book orders that my children bring home from public school.  I even joined one of their monthly book clubs when Pookie was a newborn.  I never thought to look online and see what else they offer.  I have spent a few hours already perusing all the great stuff over there.  Take a look yourself!  Whether you homeschool or public school or are looking for some fun educational opportunities for summer, Scholastic Books has something for everyone.   

So yeah,

Scholastic Book Printables and Minibooks
Everthing your first grader needs to know
Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons (reviewing this to start with Bun)
Top-secret project Danny doesn't know about yet
Pressure canning chicken
breakfast burritos
visiting teaching
scrub the top of the fridge
Pack Meeting
Girl Scouts
Feeding the missionaries
Wednesday's playdate and lunch
organize homeschool classroom

So that's what I'm doing this week.  I'll be back next Monday. 

Feel free to leave me a Happy Birthday message.  or 33.  That's how old I'm turning.  Hard to believe, I know.  Seems like just yesterday I was sneaking out of the house at midnight running through the sprinklers in downtown Pleasant Grove. 

Legend has it that on the day of the spring

 and fall equinox, because of the rotation and tilt of the earth at these specific times, you can balance a raw egg on end. 

Really.  You can balance it standing up with no aid of salt, sugar, glue, duct tape, etc.  It's true.  Well, it's true you can balance a raw egg on end.  It's also true that it's a legend.  The legend part being that you can ONLY do it on the spring and fall equinox.  But truly, you can do it any ole day of the year.

The first time I tried it, I was nearly 16, my birthday being just a week away.  Mom told me about it.  So I tried.  I tried for a really long time on the front porch.  I was lying flat on my stomach with my arms out in front of me trying to convince that egg to do its trick.  I finally got it.  I was so proud.

I called everyone in the family to the porch.  My sisters were successful as well balancing eggs all over inside the house.

I checked on my egg every few minutes or so to see if it was going to just fall over.  It didn't.  It stayed.  It made me smile just looking at it.

Lunchtime rolled around and I went in. 

The doorbell rang.  It was Linda H.  She lives two doors up from my parents-- still does I think.  She was stopping by for a friendly chat, happened to see an egg sitting on the porch, picked it up and said, "Did you drop this?"

HAHAHAHA!

If I had dropped a raw egg on my porch, would it land standing on end without a crack to speak of?

My kids are going to think I'm the bee's knees when I show them this.  Yeah for mommy points!

Have yourself a little equinox fun. Balance an egg.

Guess what I'm doing this weekend?

You have three guesses.  Bet you get it the first try. 

Making your OWN homemade pizza

Sorry, I couldn't figure out the blogger option to make this into a scratch-n-sniff sticker. 

This here is homemade combination pizza with one side being the fantastic green bell pepper, LOADS of sliced fresh mushrooms, shredded mozzarella and pepperoni slices side, and the other side being Gabbers friendly - no mushrooms, no bell peppers. 

How do you make sure you don't accidentally throw off the balance of the universe and egads! serve your Gabbers bell peppers and mushrooms? 

You put one sliced mushroom on the mushroom side and one sliced olive on the olive side (both being on top the pepperoni) to identify it correctly.  

Time to make your own homemade pizza.  First of all, start with a decent dough.  This dough is what we use.  We like it.  It works great.  It's pretty inexpensive. 

You can even prepare the dry ingredients weeks and weeks ahead of time and save in the freezer in quart containers. This will make pizza night prep even easier.

Now you need a good sauce.  Please do not use a jar of spaghetti sauce-- unless you want it to taste like the pizza in elementary school.  Use Mom's recipe. 

Sauce:

one 8-ounce can tomato sauce

one 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

1 teaspoon oregano or 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1/8 teaspoon crushed dried hot red chili peppers (optional)

Warm all ingredients together in a covered saucepan over lowest heat about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Keep warm until ready to use.  Makes enough sauce for 2 to 3 pizzas.

It's easy, it's frugal, and freezes well.

I like to make a big batch and freeze it for future use. This way I only take the time to make it once, but use it on a dozen pizzas.

Assembling Pizza:

1.  Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2.  Divide dough in half.

3.  Roll each piece of dough on a very lightly floured surface until it is about 12 to 14 inches in diameter (about the size of your pizza pan).  (NOTE:  Do not make dough too thin in the middle.)

4.  Pick up dough carefully, folding it over your arm.  Gently place dough onto pizza pan, being careful not to press dough into pan.  Form crust by rolling edge of dough, again being careful not to press dough into pizza pan.

5.  Spread sauce onto dough very carefully.  (NOTE:  Too much sauce will allow cheese to slide off after pizza is cooked.)  Evenly spread shredded (or thinly sliced) mozzarella cheese (6 ounces maximum per pizza) onto pizza.  If desired, sprinkle parmesan cheese over mozzarella.

Now add your favorite toppings!  Try not to use thick-sliced pepperoni; it makes for a greasy pizza.  Make sure if you do use pepperoni, it's on the top layer. 

Our favorite toppings:

sliced mushrooms- I prefer fresh but will used canned versus none at all

sliced black olives

sweet onions

pepperoni

green bell peppers

mozzarella

Jimmy Dean sausage (browned and crumbled first)

Bake for about 7 to 15 minutes or when crust starts browning and cheese in the middle of the pizza is bubbly. 

Remove pizza from oven, slide pizza from pan onto serving pan or large cutting board.  Slice and serve.

TIP:  Pizza pans with holes in the bottom will allow crust to have a better texture and not be soggy.  I'm not a fan of using pizza stones.    

 What's on YOUR pizza?

This post is linked at:  LifeasMom's Frugal Friday and Frugalicious Friday

How you get your husband to mop

To recreate this image yourself, all you need are the following four elements:

one kitchen floor

a big swallow of Cranberry grape juice

one smarty pants Danny

a Nikki nose

As I type this up, I still feel the burn in my sinuses and the sticky in my nose.  :P

If you take a nap, I will give you TWO Otter Pops.

Today is the perfect day for the Otter Pop bribe to work.  It even worked on my 8 year old Pookie here.

 

This little girl has a fever of 102 and said, "I'm going to nap because I'm sick."

This guy?  MAJOR sweet tooth.  Like his Mama.  I hardly got the offer out of my mouth when his head hit the pillow.

This one here is Hammy.  You can't tell?  It's because he tunnels to go to sleep.  And now as I type this I realize that I didn't remove the pillow from his head after taking the pic.  Be right back. 

These two?  No Otter Pops for them.

I do not believe in giving my babies refined sugar.  If you do believe in giving your babies refined sugar, that's completely up to you.  And if you do it in front of me, I will be silently judging you.  

The only refined sugar they get is in their Tylenol.  They're sick too. 

The reason they're naked (now it's your turn to judge me) is because we have had bad luck with bottles today.  I think the leprechauns loosened the rings right before feeding time. Poor Squdge there (on the right) has had two and a half baths today.  The half was in the kitchen sink.

Random?  I think not.  At 82 degrees I feel the need to eat Luigi's Real Italian Ice in lemon flavor.  YUM.  And I wanted to show a random pic of my house (a small part of it) so you could relate to me better.  Feeling related?  Okay. 

Let us dissect the picture-- because if you're like me, you click on the picture and take in all the details. 

Shall we? 

First of all, let's look inside the window. 

The spoon in the empty cup signifies that my sink is full of dirty dishes because the dishwasher is full of clean dishes.  The cup hasn't been rinsed out yet to go in the recycling.  The cup is empty because I snorkulated the contents in under five minutes.

The rubberband.  Why is there a random blue rubberband in my window sill?  Because a certain Pookie was zapping people in the rear-end and the rubberhand had to go to time out.  If I were the mean old mommy that I sometimes am (when I have more energy), I would've thrown it away.  Instead it's there to taunt him because there still is a bit of mean old mommy in me today. 

The empty glass.  I drink a lot of water.  I do not like washing 8 to 10 glasses just for me every day.  So I leave my glass up on the window sill for a whole day at a time.  Sometimes it even has a little water in it while sitting there.  Not today.  It got too hot.  bleck.

There are water spots on my window.  Be grateful you don't have to look at the mold that is often growing on this window.  I bleach the guts out of it at least weekly.  Actually, I Tilex it.

Outside the window there are weeds in my flower garden.  Lots and lots of weeds.  I don't want to talk about that.

The blue truck.  Beautiful.  Shiny.  Always Clean.  These people have no children.  They have a clean truck. 

The green grass.  mwahaha.  I don't live in the Frozen North anymore.

Okay, all done with the randomness.  I think Luigi's calling my name again.  Ciao.

Helping kids learn how to spell their names

When I started homeschooling my oldest when he was just under three, I decided that I wanted him to learn to spell his name.  I had already been singing his name to the tune of Bingo since about birth.  But I wanted him to recognize what it looked like as well.

So we started to label everything. 

Sock & undies bin?  Check.

Outdoor bin that holds sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, swim goggles, winter hat and mittens?  Perfect.  Then the kids wouldn't fight over their belongings. 

We sing songs spelling their names.  This is pretty easy with five letter names.  We get pretty creative with how many syllables the song BINGO can have.  One of our kids has nine letters, 2 have seven letters, 2 have six letters, and one has five.  Then we started singing their middle names too.  But we don't put labels with middle names around the house.

There was a Mama loved a boy and Tater was his name-oh!
T-A-T-E-R
T-A-T-E-R
T-A-T-E-R
and Tater was his name-oh!

This can work with numerous letters, not just five, with the right timing.

Or you can find a song that works better.

The Winnie the Pooh song works well for seven letter names.  Natalie. 
Fur Elise works for nine letter names.  Elizabeth.  Gabrielle.  Nathaniel.

London Bridge:

N-A-T-A-L-I-E Natalie, Natalie.
N-A-T-A-L-I-E Nat-UH-lee-ee.

M-E-L-I-S-S-A Melissa, Melissa.
M-E-L-I-S-S-A Muh-LIS-uh-uh.

Frere Jacques for eight letters or four.
A-N-N-A-L-I-S-A
That's your name.  That's your name.
Annalisa, Annalisa,
Sing your name.  Sing your name.

R-U-B-Y!   R-U-B-Y!
That's your name.  That's your name.
Ruby-dooby-dooby Ruby-dooby-dooby
Sing your name.  Sing your name.

Photo from PotteryBarnKids.com

Wood letters painted on their wall.  Or the foam ones so you don't have to paint.  Either way, they work for me!






This post is linked at Tuesday's Tip Jar, Tuesday's Tips,  WFMW, and Thursday's Tips.

Wow! It's been AGES since you saw my name in your reader.

So this is what's on my mind today.

1.  A four year old boy, who shall remain nameless, has had NUMEROUS accidents in his britches this last week.  And not just #1.  I am at my wit's end.  Advice?

Charlie pic taken from this post on Danny's blog.

2.  Charlie, the guinea pig, is warming up to us.  I think he can somehow sense that Gabbers and I are girls;  he seems to like us better than the menfolk.

3.  The weather has been so nice here that I feel like eating Luigi's Real Italian Ice every single day.  I also feel like lounging around in the backyard while my kids run wild screaming "HELP!" while they're playing and concerning the neighbors. 

4.  I have a couple projects I'm going to do this week.  Danny doesn't know about them.  I may be away from the blog working on them.  I will take pictures. 

5.  My babies are almost 7 months old.  I figured it was about time to create a 72-hour kit for them. 

6.  The kids had loads of goodies yesterday as I updated 72-hour kits.

7.  I think it's a really good idea to update your 72-hour kits when you Spring Ahead and Fall Behind.  Another good idea, if you're LDS, and still a good idea even if you're not, is to update them during General Conference weekend twice a year.  Then your kids can eat the goodies while listening to great talks, scriptures, and Mormon Tabernacle Choir hymns.

8.  I always think the word choir is spelled wrong.  And seeing as I've misplaced my spellcheck button, it may very well be spelled wrong. 

9.  I've been working on a new 100 things list.  But it's hard to find 100 things about me that you don't know. 

10.  This week is Parent-Teacher Conference week at the elementary school.  Because of this grand occasion, every day is a half-day.  Personally I think that the state of California is l-a-z-y in the education department.  The budget cuts are causing the schooling to be sub-par and they are always finding excuses to have holidays and minimum days.  This particular elementary school is the best in the county.  Well, other than Pookieville Academy.  We are strongly leaning toward Pookieville Academy for the little people for next year.  It may undergo a name-change though.

11.  Happy Birthday JoAnn!

What's grosser than gross?

When you finish eating a bowl of rice and the last one crawls away. 

Does that take you back to Jr. High?  Now that you're thoroughly grossed out I'm going to tell you how brown rice can be dinnertime's best friend.

Rice is cheap.  Chee-eap.  And I am a frugal fanatic.  So it didn't take long for our friendship to blossom. 
Did you know you can freeze rice?  Freezing brown rice is especially handy in individual serving sizes.  If you have leftover rice at the end of dinner, just scoop it into a freezer-safe container or zippered bag and FREEZE. 

Since I rarely have the need to make a single serving of rice, I thought I'd emphasize freezing in meal-size servings for your family. 

Brown rice tends to be drier than white rice and chewier.  Freezing it and rewarming gives it the time it needs to soften up-- but not turn it to mush. 

If it seems dry as you're reheating it, just add a little water.  Start with a tablespoon and see if you need more. 

Rice does not last long in our humidity.  It gets weird and turns slimy.  Then I get so freaked out by slimy smelly rice that I don't end up making it for months.

I cook up two cups more than we need for a meal and freeze the leftovers in 1 qt. Ziploc containers. 

If you have a rice pot, it's way easy. If you're making rice on the stove top, just make a little more. You'll be surprised at how having a staple like rice already made and in the freezer speeds up dinner prep.
One stress-free day, don't laugh it happens sometimes, I made a FULL pot of brown rice just for the purpose of freezing.  Then I divvyed it up, washed the pot, and made ANOTHER pot of brown rice.  It's been a dinner rescuer many times.


A few meals made easier in our home with frozen rice:

Chicken soup with rice
Fast beans (a family favorite)
Creamed Tuna on Rice
Canned Salmon and rice (another family favorite)

Sausage Casserole
This recipe is from my mother-in-law.  I have varied it slightly to the likes of my family.  The original recipe has sausage, onion, celery, rice, and noodle soup.

1 lb. Jimmy Dean sausage
1 large onion chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups finely chopped or sliced celery
1 carrot grated
1 cup sliced mushrooms (or chopped if you have a food snob)

2 cups brown rice cooked
2 packages Lipton Noodle soup
3 cups water


1.  In a large skillet or 4 qt. casserole pan (stovetop safe), brown the sausage, onion, celery, carrot, and mushrooms.  Drain any grease.

2.  In a separate pan bring the 3 cups of water to a boil.  Add the noodle soup and cook for 7 minutes.  Remove from heat.  You can do this at the same time as the first step if you're coordinated.

3.  Mix all the ingredients together (including the rice).

4.  Serve!  If you like it a little more cooked (less-liquidy) bake it in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes.





This post is linked at Coupon Teacher's Thifty Thursday, Thrifty Thursday, Frugal Friday, and Frugalicious Friday.

Do as I'm doing. Follow, follow me.

Strangest thing.  Last month, as I declared boldly on my blog, was my month of service.  I picked it because it was the shortest month. 

I struggled to think of acts of service to perform.  I felt like most of them were lame.  It wasn't nearly as big or glamorous as I thought it might be.  Many of the services were for my own family.

But now, now that my month of service is officially over, opportunities to serve are popping up everywhere.  And I recognize them.  And I am so thankful for them.

A sister in our ward (congregation) left her marriage of 35 years in August, she was starting over in a studio apartment with just her clothes.  She had nothing.  I found myself scrubbing her stove and sink and spraying the oven racks while visiting with her for hours.  When I left, I had an overwhelming feeling of love for her. 

I gave her my recliner, a six drawer dresser with attached mirror, and a full-size air mattress, sheets, and the mattress pump.  She showed more gratitude for those items than I ever have.  And it made it all worth it.  I like to think that if I ever have another pregnancy, maybe I won't need to sleep upright every night.  ;)

I find myself smiling at people and stopping to chat with them. 

On the way out of Wal-Mart this last week when I had my four kids four and under with me, I found myself helping an older gentleman lift a heavy bag out of his cart and then returning his cart for him.

I'm taking dinner tonight to my dear friend who just lost her grandmother this week and unfortunately can't go to the funeral on the east coast because her children and her are sick.  She doesn't know dinner is coming.  ;)  I asked her if I could bring dinner and then immediately regretted asking instead of insisting.  So then I tried to insist I was bringing dinner.  I think she felt guilty because she protested with, "I don't want you doing that with all you have going on."  All I have going on?  I think I'm going to have a lot going on for at least another 18 years.  But it's not going to prevent me from serving my friend in her time of need.  I know she'd do the same.

So perhaps the effects of my month of service are kicking in now.  My children are helping out happily.  And I'm loving it.  My love language is acts of service after all. 

No-frills FAST meat!

Last night as I was getting ready to brown close to 6 lbs. of ground beef and 4 cups of chopped onion I realized my stoneware bar pan would overflow with grease when it started cooking down.  So I took out a little more than a quarter of it and put it in my round stoneware pan.  The plan was to alternate the two pans between the racks in the oven.

But then I had a lightbulb moment.  No not that kind of lightbulb moment.  An AHA! moment.

I put that round stoneware pan (I think it's called the Deep Dish Baker) in the microwave with three coffee filters on top to prevent splattered microwave carnage, and nuked it about 5 minutes. 

When both pans were done, I just kept thinking, why have I NEVER done this before?!  Holy moly that saves time! Hurray I have my Works-For-Me-Wednesday post!

A long time ago, when baby number 4 was in utero, I posted about how I cook large quantities of meat at a time.   Feel free to read it.

I'm going to hit on the main points here and if you have questions, just leave a comment.

Why cook a lot at once?  Isn't that a pain?

1.  Usually, you can buy meat at a better rate per pound when you buy large packages. 

2.  After cooking up a 3-10 lbs. or so at a time and dividing into approximately 3/4 lb. baggies, you will have your meat ready when you need it.  This makes dinnertime so much easier having skipped the step of browning the meat (and we add onion) and washing the skillet, spoon, and collander.  And your hair doesn't smell like hamburger grease that night.

3.  Cooking a lot at once means sticking it all in a pan with edges and in the oven or now I know, the microwave-- if it's microwave safe of course. 

4.  It's hardly any extra work than cooking a single pound.

What kind of pans work for this?

Bar pans (cookie sheet with edges), 9 x 13 pans, loaf pans, muffin pans, mini-loaf pan, circle, ovan, square casserole dishes. 

1.  Glass are more likely to burn.

2.  Metal and non-stick pans work great in the oven.

3.  Stoneware is my personal favorite because it helps it season the stoneware as it cooks and it's also microwave safe. 

Use a pan with edges.  You do not want the grease that comes from cooking down meat to flow off the edges and all over your oven.  or microwave.  So, use a pan with edges. 

My totally organized, artsy, and  frugal coupon-queen sister, Leslie, told me about a woman she knows who couldn't stand the smell of meat cooking when she was pregnant.  Sound familiar?  This woman was able to benefit from the loving efforts of her hubby.  He went to his mom's house, cooked it all up, divided it, and brought it home to freeze.  How freaking awesome is that?!

What kind of meats are you planning on cooking in the microwave?

Ground beef and ground sausage (Jimmy Dean) come to mind.  I'm still thinking I'll use the oven for mass cooking chicken.  And I am not a fan of microwaved bacon.  So I'll stick to cooking that in the oven chopped up in the bar pan and saving the grease of course. 




This post is also linked at Tuesday Tips and Tuesday's Tip Jar.

Right now,

all six children are fast asleep and in their own beds (even this little Hammy). 

And one hubby.

There are two dozen Oatmeal Crispies hidden away in the freezer (until Danny reads this).  There are also a half-dozen in a bag on the counter. 

My two quart Pampered Chef batter bowl is filled stuffed full with cooked (and finally cooled) ground beef and chopped onion.

I have six quart-size jars of black beans (with bacon and onions for flavor) still bubbling cooling off on a thick towel on the counter.  I had decided this week that I needed to be a real grown-up and re-learn how to use my pressure cooker/canner.  I'm very proud of myself and also pleased that no jars shattered in the process.

The dishwasher is humming.

The dryer is clinking.  It sounds like there are a few pairs of overalls in there.

Dirty dishes litter the counters.

Eight bottles are filled up to four ounces each and lined up in two rows in the fridge.  This should get me through the I-don't-want-to-be-awake-yet hour.

My living room is clean- if you don't count the king-size snowman comforter on the couch.

And I'm off to bed 20 minutes shy of turning into a pumpkin.  Good-night!

Monday Musings- Journal Entry for my daughter

Yesterday in Relief Society we had a lesson about keeping our family history and journal writing.  We talked about memories we don't want to forget.  We laughed about memories that are no longer painful or embarrassing having faded with time.  I shared that I feel like my blog is my journal-- since I write in it pretty regularly about day-to-day life and crazy things my children do.

I've been thinking a lot this week about pictures of me with my children.  I recently received an email from my mom with pictures (which she got from my favorite cousin) of my grandmother as a young mother and then on into her later years.  My heart ached a little not ever having known my grandmother.  She passed away before I was born.

I wonder what it was like and is like for my mother to mother her own children without her mom around to call.  I call my mom or she calls me several times a week.  I am so glad I have a great relationship with her.  I cannot imagine not having this relationship.

As a child I looked up to my mom as the perfect example of what a mom should be.  She was of course, the one I saw every day growing up teaching us by her words and example.  All I ever wanted to be was a mom.  My earliest memories of wanting this calling of motherhood go back to being five years old when my youngest sister Rachel was born. 

My children are young enough to still think that I know everything and that I'm the perfect example of what a mom should be.    Gabbers has even said to me (with great enthusiasm), "When I'm a mommy, I will have a big bum like you!"

Yesterday before church, Bun exclaimed as I was bathing one of the babies, "Soon Gabbers will be a mommy too."

I thought his innocence was sweet but feared him going to church and telling someone that same thing.  So I said, "Well, yes, in about twenty more years she will be a mommy."

To which Danny overhearing in the background added, "Yes Bun, in about twenty years Gabbers will be allowed to go on a date."

I sometimes worry that I'm not as sensitive to the needs of my little girl as I should be.  She's tough and bossy and the ring leader most of the time.  Is it because that's how I am?  Or maybe it's because I have five boys. 

But Saturday she was brought to tears after Danny scolded her for being rude about the smell of eggs that her brothers were eating for breakfast.

She hates eggs.  She used to be allergic to them and it was a big deal to make sure she had no contact with them at all or anything baked with them.  I think because of that she has a negative opinion about eggs. 

Saturday morning as she ate her cereal she waved her hand in front of her face saying, "Ew yuck.  Those eggs are stinky."

So when Danny asked her about her tears, she choked them back saying she was just blinking too much and that her eyes were a little wet and she was drying them.

All of this in a not very direct, off on a crazy tangent sort of way brings me to, I hate to have my picture taken.  Even when I was doing pageants from ages 17-20 I have never felt pretty and never wanted to be captured on film.

I don't want my only daughter to feel that way.  I don't want my boys to feel that way either, but I think girls are more likely to feel doubtful or negative about their feelings. 

I want my daughter to know the joys and also the realities of motherhood.  I want her to embrace it and love it as I do.  I want her to know that if anyone tried to explain to me as a six year old girl that it was the hardest job ever I still would've chosen it and still wouldn't have known the reality of just how hard "the hardest job ever" truly is.  But it has the greatest benefits.

I want her to know that when she lets her kids down and doesn't make it to all the class parties like all the other moms, it doesn't mean she's a bad mom.  It means she's a busy mom trying to make sense of the madness and choose which things to selectively neglect (thanks Mom W. for that phrase).  Next time I will be ready, armed with the knowledge that class parties are very important to Gabbers and I should place it high on my list of mommy-priorities. 

Dear Gabbers,


You are so innocent and pure.  When I watch you sleeping at night, I think about the self-doubting moments you will likely experience in life.  My heart aches that I haven't been a better example of a woman loving herself.  Yes, I do love my job as mom.  My calling as mom is very important and I treasure it every day.  (some days more than others). 


I want you to know that even though you are looking forward to this stage in life yourself (and you ask me frequently "When will I be a mommy?"), right now you have a very great calling.  That calling is to be a daughter of God.  You ARE a daughter of God.  You have a divine calling and a responsibility.  You are of great lineage destined to do great things.


I am glad to see that you like people.  I am glad that when I drop you off at school that the other children run up and hug you because of your friendliness.  I am glad to see you like to have your picture taken and that you like to get all prettied-up.  I'm glad to see that you are pleased with the beauty of the world.  I love it when you pick wildflowers and bring them to me with a big smile on your face.  I love your drawings.  You have a beautiful imagination and a natural instinct to nurture others. 


Do not forget as you grow up in an unsure world, who you are and where you come from.  Remembering this will lift you up and help you endure the hardships.  And never forget, you are beautiful because you are YOU. 


Love,


Mommy

My goal for March:  Take more pictures of myself with my children.  It will be my birthday gift to myself and future generations. 

The Saturday Evening Blog Post

The Saturday Evening Blog Post is a carnival hosted by Elizabeth Esther where bloggers gather on the first of the month to share their latest and greatest blog post from the previous month. 

So this edition, we are picking out the best from February 2010.

I chose for mine A serious matter:  Saving our boys. 

If you haven't already read it, would you take a few minutes to do so?  Leave a comment on this post or that one. 

My comments are emailed to me, so even if it’s an old post, I will know when there’s a comment.

 

And I will love you for it. 

♥ Nikki

Fleece Diaper Pockets Tutorial

Fleece diaper pockets are a frugal semi-crunchy mama’s dream.  They work much better than just a fleece liner because they won’t bunch up.  The fleece pulls the wetness inside the diaper and the baby feels dry longer. 

When changing the diaper, just pull the diaper and doubler out of the fleece and toss them all in the diaper pail together.  If it’s poopy, pull the diaper and doubler out and all you have to rinse is the fleece pocket.  A lightweight fleece pocket is so much easier to rinse than a big-ole poopy prefold.

Look for remnants of fleece to make these pockets.  I actually bought the fleece for $4.44 a yard at Wal-Mart and got 14 out of each yard.  With tax, it's still less than 30 cents a piece. 

Gather your supplies:  Fleece, measuring tape or ruler, scissors, diaper, cover, and doubler.

Lay your prefolded diaper on the fleece to get an idea of how big to sew the fleece diaper pocket.  Allow for an extra half inch around. 

Cut a piece big enough to fold it in half sideways. ←→ Also make sure your stretch is ←this way→.  Fleece only stretches one direction.  This is very important that you make sure it goes sideways.  It is a hassle to try to stuff a fleece pocket when the stretch is going the other way.  I did that once and ended up chucking that pocket because it was so dang annoying.

Sew a straight stitch along the top and down one side (not the folded side).

Turn right side out.

 

Now stuff it.  mwahaha.  *ahem*

All stuffed.

Place stuffed fleece pocket in cover.  I prefer Proraps. 

Put on Tater, or whatever cute baby you have laying around your house. 

So comfy!  I think I might just . . . ahh! 

Spare fleece pockets and one already stuffed diaper, just in case.

If you like what you read here, follow me on my journey.  I’d love to have you along.  :)

This post is linked at Thrifty Thursdays, Frugal Fridays, My Coupon Teacher’s Thrifty Thursdays, and Frugalicious Friday. and Homemaker Mondays, and A Soft Place to Land.