A Favorite Homeschool Time Saver

With the start of a new homeschool year right around the corner, I thought I'd share one of my favorite homeschool time-savers.  I don't remember exactly where I saw this first pictured, but I knew as soon as I saw it that I had to implement it in our homeschooling.  It has been the biggest time-saver.

I created it last year, and I've already got it stocked and ready for this year.

Now, let me explain what it is...

I started with a hanging file folder box (this one just happened to be sitting in a closet leftover from my Norwex selling days).  I then added one hanging file folder for every month of our school year (August-June).  After that, I added one file folder for every week of our school year (Week 1-36).  I then put the weeks in the corresponding month folder.  ***If you're not a planner, then this may not seem like an ideal time-saver for you; however, I am very anal and very much a planner.  Being a former school teacher, it's also my nature to write out lesson plans.  Yes, I've already written my plans for the entire year.  Granted, I know life throws curveballs, and some stuff may not get done, and I'm okay with that.  I typically check stuff off in my planner as it gets done.  That way, I know from day-to-day, week-to-week, what may need to be covered or completed.***

Once you've got your weeks and months separated, it's then time to gather all the necessary worksheets, books, and other materials to go into the folders.  If I really wanted to be super organized, I'd have a separate system for each boy.  But -- I'm not there yet.  LOL!  If you take the time to do this at the beginning of the year, it'll save so much time each month, week, day.  Everything you need that's "extra" is right there in the folder.  All you have to do is pull out the corresponding week's folder, grab the material, and off you go.  Like I said, I used this last year and our days ran so much smoother.  I wasn't looking for materials at the last minute, making copies of worksheets, finding math quizzes, etc...it was all right there in the week's folder waiting for me.

I hope you give this time-saver a shot...if so, let me know how much you like it and how useful you find it.  I'm guessing you'll love it as much as I do.  Oh, and I'm going to venture to say that some of you public/private school teachers out there may find this just as useful.  Happy homeschooling!

Trim Healthy Mama and freezer cooking

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, then you'll know that I go through spurts when I like to stock my freezer full of yummy goodness.  Well, I thought I'd try to do that with a few Trim Healthy Mama ideas, too.  I don't have a whole lot to share, but I'll share two that I did this week.  I'll also share some others that I've frozen just because they made too much to eat and store in the fridge.

E Taco Salad mix
This is 1/2 cup taco seasoned ground beef (drained/rinsed) and 1/2 cup black beans.  This is a great start to an E taco salad.  I've had this with lettuce, a bit of Mexican cheese (less than 2 tbsp), and Walden Farms fat free/calorie free dressing (the ones sweetened with monk fruit, not sucralose).  I used 1 large can of black beans and 1.5 lbs of organic grass-fed beef...I was able to get 8 servings.

S, E, or FP Grilled Chicken
I got the marinade recipe for this grilled chicken from a fellow homeschool and THM friend.  It's probably not for the purist, but I don't claim to be one.  It's 3/4 cup Kraft Lite Zesty Italian dressing and 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (sugar free).  I mixed all of that together and added three packs of all-natural thin-sliced chicken breasts.  I let that marinate over night, and then I grilled it up the next day.  Since I tossed out over half of the marinade, there's really not enough fat or carbs in this to matter.  I think it was around 1g of each, so that's how it can fit into all three meal types.  I was going to slice it and freeze it that way, but I decided to just leave them whole to give more serving options.  This can be served up with some non-starchy veggies with butter for an S, served up with a sweet potato or other plan-approved grain for an E, or eaten over a salad with the Walden Farms dressing for an FP.  The versatility is endless.

Other THM items that freeze well...
Now, I've also frozen several different items once I was tired of eating on them for a few days.

THM sausage balls
THM fudgy brownies
various muffins
chocolate chip cookies

I've also heard that the THM E pancakes from the book freeze well, too, but I haven't tried that yet.  There are three of us in my family that'll eat those, so they don't typically last too long when I make up a batch.

If you're interested in learning more about THM, please click through my affiliate link.  It doesn't affect your purchase at all, but it does offer me a small percentage for sharing THM with you.  Feel free to ask any questions via the comments.

Make the Most of Your Time -- Freezer Cooking

I’ll admit, I’m not as good as keeping up with this as I should be or would like to be.  However, when you do find the time to stock your freezer, it makes life so much easier.  There are several ways to do this…
1)  Make extra batches of food as you prep your meals.
2)  Set aside a day or two and devote all of your time to prepping freezer meals.
3)  Gather up some friends and do a freezer meal swap or freezer cooking class.
I’ve done all three ideas, and they all work.  However, I find that I can get the most accomplished by using the 2nd option.  With that said, here are some foods that I like to keep on hand in the freezer (not that I actually have any of them in my freezer now…lol).
Italian meatballs – can be frozen cooked or uncooked…I prefer to freeze them cooked and then throw them in the crockpot with a gravy mix or spaghetti sauce.
Chimichangas – I make these from scratch using taco meat, Mexican rice, black beans, and cheese.  I then roll it all up into a tortilla and bake them.  They freeze beautifully.  Although I’ve never tried it, I’m sure you could freeze them fresh, too.
Roll-ups – There are so many different varieties of these…taco, pepperoni, chicken/broccoli, ham/cheese, spinach/cheese, etc.  You decide your filling of choice, and then use crescent rolls or another dough of your choice to make a roll.  Slice it, and then either bake them and freeze or freeze unbaked.
Pasta dishes – Again, there are so many varieties that freeze well.  I typically only cook the pasta and meat in these dishes.  You can either add the cheese and freeze, or you can wait and add the cheese when you decide to bake them from frozen.  Some of our favorites are baked spaghetti, baked ziti, chicken and spinach, spinach and mushroom bake, etc.
Burritos/Enchiladas – Just like the previous two ideas, there are so many variations that do well with freezing.  Some of our favorites are beef enchiladas, egg burritos, chicken enchiladas, etc.
Hamburger Dishes – There are several hamburger foods that can be frozen cooked or uncooked.  Some of our favorites are meatloaf, German Frikadellen, hamburger patties, saucy mozzarella patties, taco meat (I cook this before freezing), etc.
Chicken Tenders – My family loves homemade Parmesan chicken tenders/nuggets.  They’re really simple to make, and they freeze well.  I’ve baked and frozen them, and I’ve also frozen them unbaked. 
Bananas – You’re probably thinking I’m crazy, but I freeze bananas all the time.  I peel them, and cut them in half or quarters and flash freeze them.  I then transfer them to a freezer bag.  They’re great to use in smoothies, and you can also make “ice cream” using frozen bananas.
Muffins/Cupcakes/Cookies – While I don’t typically make cupcakes to freeze, I have done it in the past.  I do make muffins though and love freezing them.  I’ve also frozen unbaked cookie dough.  It’s not something I do often, but when I find the time, it’s nice to have frozen cookie balls that you can just plop onto the cookie sheet and toss into the oven. 
Waffles/Pancakes – I’m not the waffle or pancake cook at our house…that duty falls on Brian.  When I can convince him, he’ll make a big batch of either, and then we freeze them.  They make for a really quick breakfast, and they’re probably much better for you than the store bought versions (although I do have store bought in my freezer now…SHAME ON ME)! 
Homemade Pizzas – This is another favorite.  I make up a dough of choice, and then I roll it into small personal size pizzas.  I then par bake them and freeze them either topped or untopped.  It makes for a quick lunch, and my boys love them.  You can also make family size pizzas and freeze topped/untopped…just make sure to par bake them.  The parbaking helps to make sure your dough doesn’t get soggy.
As you can see, there are so many ideas when it comes to stocking your freezer.  The key is to stock up on items you know your family will eat…otherwise, it’s not worth it and becomes a waste.  It’s also a good idea to keep containers that are freezer safe on hand.  I typically use gallon Ziploc bags or glass pyrex dishes.  I’ve also been known to buy throw-away aluminum containers when I’m in a pinch. 
Also, as to cooking before freezing, there are various opinions on this.  Some items it makes no sense to freeze uncooked; however, others…they just need to be cooked.  I’ve thought about partially cooking items, too…for instance, cook the meatballs or chicken tenders for half the time needed.  Then, when I’m ready to use them, finish cooking the rest of the time.  I’m not particularly picky as to the approach I use…it just depends on how I’m feeling at the moment. 
Now, it’s your turn…what are some of the things that YOU stock in your freezer to make life easier?  Or – if you’ve never given this a try, I say go for it.  It’ll truly make life easier on those nights when you really don’t feel like cooking…you can plan ahead and pull out something that morning and dinner will be ready in a jiffy.  Or – cook from frozen…that works, too. 

Making the Most of Leftovers

Leftovers…we all typically have them, and if you’re like me, you end up tossing them out because no one eats them.  So, instead of wasting food like I do and tossing good money down the garbage disposal, why not try to plan a way to use up the leftovers in other dishes?!!?
Here are a few ideas that work around here…
pasta – make a second main course that can incorporate them for another use.  I made saucy mozzarella patties (think chicken parmesan using ground beef) with a side of egg noodles.  Instead of tossing the leftover egg noodles, I made Italian meatballs and served the extra noodles with a beef gravy.  Leftover spaghetti noodles can be used to make baked spaghetti.  Just cook up a bit more ground beef and spaghetti sauce and add in the leftover spaghetti noodles with some mozzarella cheese.  We like to use leftover penne noodles to make fried eggs and noodles.  With pasta, the leftover creations are really endless.
rice – just like the pasta mentioned above, incorporate it into another dish.  I served rice alongside a chicken pot pie gravy/soup dish.  Using the leftover rice, I can ground some beef and add black beans and cheese to the rice to make homemade chimichangas or taco salad.
taco meat – when you’re tired of eating it as tacos, then toss it with some extras to make a taco salad or rice bowl, make burritos, enchiladas, chimichangas, or freeze it for another use later.
baked or roasted chicken – use the leftovers to make a chicken salad.  Or, you can shred it, add some taco seasoning and make burritos, enchiladas, tacos, etc.  You can also use leftover chicken in baked pasta dishes.
veggies – while we don’t typically have too many veggies leftover, there are some options.  Toss them into scrambled eggs to make an egg scramble or baked omelet.  Add them to soups and stews.  Add them into baked pasta dishes…your kids may not even know they’re in there.    Puree them and add them to spaghetti sauces, pizza sauces, etc. 
These are just a few ways to use up some of the leftovers that may be found in your fridge.  What are your ideas for using up leftovers?  I’d love to see how you get rid of those leftovers lurking in the fridge. 

Clutter -- it gets old quickly

Most of my friends know that I’m quite anal and a bit OCD as well.  Back when I was a teacher, it was a joke to come in my room and “misplace” something because I’d know exactly what was moved.  I was a lot worse before I had children.  Now that I’m the mom to two we don’t care about leaving clutter all over the house boys, I’ve had to re-think and give up a lot of my anal organization and OCD.  However, when it involves my space in the school area, it eventually drives me batty, and I can’t take it anymore. 
While I know that my idea of clutter isn’t the same as everyone else’s, it’s my idea that sets me off.  LOL!  So, since I’m all about trying to be productive, I thought I’d make a purchase to help tame the clutter on the school table. 
I first read about the Staples Desk Apprentice on a homeschool site that I frequent.  It caught my curiosity, but I read that it was huge and some didn’t like it.  Well, after getting aggravated with having to move all the school books just to find the one needed at the moment, I broke down and ordered it. 
I must say…I’m in love.  It IS huge, but it’s worth the size to tame the clutter.  It holds everything (well most) that we need to make it through our school day, and the other nice perk…it has handles so it can easily be moved off the table if I need the table for other projects. 
So, if you’re trying to tame the clutter in your life, I’d highly recommend purchasing the Staples Desk Apprentice.  Caleb even says he’d like one…LOL!  I’m thinking I’ll hold off on buying a 2nd one until the need absolutely presents itself.  LOL!

School table BEFORE the clutter was tamed

School table AFTER the clutter was tamed

***Staples has in no way compensated me for this post.  Although I wouldn’t cry if they did so after reading this…lol.  I am just so impressed with the way this neat apparatus works, and the organization that is has brought into our school space***

Freezer Cooking

If you remember, back in January I had a HUGE freezer cooking day.  Well, another one has been LONG overdue.  I just haven’t taken the time to get it done.  So, I have put together a plan.
Instead of having one huge time-consuming cooking day, I’m going to cook a little bit each day for a week or so and build up my freezer stock.  I’m hoping to start tomorrow (or tonight if I get the time).  Here’s what I’ll be cooking…

• Pre-cooked meatballs
• Pre-cooked German Frikadellen
• Beef Enchiladas (rolled up and ready to throw in a baking dish and top with sauce and cheese)
• Beef Chimichangas (already cooked and ready to re-heat)
• Pizza Crusts or Pizzas (not sure which I feel like doing)
• Pre-Cooked Crispy Parmesan Chicken Tenders
• Blueberry Muffins
• Banana Muffins
• Mixed Berry Muffins
• Pancakes
• Waffles
• French Toast Sticks

***Brian will do the latter three because he’s the resident pancake, waffle, French toast chef at our house***
That’s all I can think of right now.  Do you have any easy, quick freezer recipe ideas to share?  I’d love to see them to see if I’ll be able to incorporate them. 

Kroger Savings and FREEbies

I had my best coupon shopping trip today.  Now, I’m by no means an extreme couponer (aka hoarder in my opinion), and I don’t think I ever will be.  However, it felt GREAT to save a TON more than I spent today.  Here’s how I did:

2 bottles of Nivea Women’s Body Wash -- $.01 overage each
5 (3-packs) of Ivory bar soap – $FREE
2 (72 count) packs of Huggies baby wipes – $1.98 ($0.99 each)
10 boxes of Ronzoni SmartTaste pasta – $0.90 ($0.10 each) **I was one coupon shy of getting all of them for FREE 
Total Spent (tax included) – $3.91
Total Savings – $35.35
Percent Saved – 99.6%
So, it was a GREAT trip.  Like I said, I doubt I will see savings like this any time soon.  My savings the past few weeks haven’t been impressive enough to share.  However, this definitely was.  How did you do this week?

Publix Savings for Weekly Ad 3/30-4/5

I’m still trying to figure out this whole couponing thing.  While I  know that a lot of you are able to save tons and use wads of coupons, I just can’t do that.  So, I’m finding myself comfortable saving on the products I know we will eat/use.  I’ve been finding most of my coupons online, and for that I’m thankful.  I haven’t ventured into buying the paper yet because I’m just not sure it’s worth it.  What do all of my local readers think…is it worth it to buy the paper only to get just a few coupons that I may use?  Please share your thoughts on that with me.  Thanks!
Here’s how I did this week:
4 boxes of Ronzoni Quick Cook Pasta – $0.78 ($0.20 each)
8 boxes of Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta – $4.00 ($.50 each)
2 boxes of Family Size Special K Cereal – $4.98 ($2.49 each)
10 bags of Knorr Pasta/Rice Sides – $7.50 ($0.75 each)
Total Spent (tax included) – $17.99
Total Savings – $21.56
Percent Saved – 55%
So, I don’t think I did too bad.  And yes…we will eat all of that pasta and all of those Knorr pasta/rice sides.    It may take us a month or two, but we WILL eat it. 
**************************************************************************
I want to share how I did at Kroger, too, but it’s really not that impressive.  LOL!  Last week’s Kroger savings weren’t too impressive either.  So, I think I’ll just continue to share how I do at Publix.  Now, if I happen to have a stellar week at Kroger, then I’ll share.  However, until that happens, we’ll just be impressed by the money I’m saving at Publix.  LOL!
How did YOU do this week?  Do you have any tips for me?

Publix Savings for Weekly Ad 3/23-29/11

Okay, so I did THIS post, and I explained how my first couponing experience went.  Well, I ended up going back to Publix two more times.  Rather than do pictures, I figured I’d just give you a summary for how I did for the weekly ad (mentioned in the title of this post).  From now on, I’m hoping to only make one trip for each week’s savings, but we’ll see. 
Here’s everything I bought (with and without coupons):
12 boxes/bags of Gorton’s Seafood – $26.94 ($2.25 each)
6 boxes of Caprisun Roarin’ Waters – $9.00 ($1.50 each)
9 boxes Scotties Tissue – $5.91 ($0.66 each)
12 bags Kraft 8oz shredded cheese – $4.00 ($0.33 each)
4 half-gallons of Organic Valley milk – $12.00 ($3.00 each)
1 box Organic Valley butter – $4.99
2 International Delight Coffee House Breve Creme – $3.00 ($1.50 each) **no coupon**
4 boxes Crystal Light flavor packets – $11.96 ($2.99 each) **no coupon**
Orbit gum – $1.19 **no coupon**
Sara Lee Mini Buns – $3.19 **no coupon**
Total Spent (tax included) – $86.88 Total Savings – $95.38
Percent Saved – 52.3%
So, I think I did fairly well with my first experience.  How did YOU do this week?  Any tips/tricks or websites to share with me?  Please comment and let me know!  I look forward to hearing from all of you coupon divas!

Coupon Shopping #1

I mentioned in THIS post that I was willing to give couponing another whirl.  So, today I headed out to Publix to take advantage of their sales.  I only ended up buying one item that we really wouldn’t buy on a normal basis (Caprisun Roarin’ Waters).  However, since I was able to get 6 boxes for $9, I thought I’d buy them just to use at the park, tennis lessons, in the car, etc…
Here’s how I did:
6 boxes of Caprisun Roarin’ Waters – $9.00
3 boxes of Scotties Tissue – $1.97
4 half-gallons of Organic Valley milk – $12.00
4 bags of Kraft cheese – $1.00
4 boxes/bags of Gorton’s Seafood – $8.98
1 box of Organic Valley unsalted butter – $4.99
I ended up spending $39.58; however, I saved $39.60.
I would say I did a pretty good job.  We will use all of the items I bought, and some of it was organic.  So, that’s a start, right? 
How did YOU do this week?  Do you have any tips/tricks for me?  Any websites I need to frequent now that I’m giving this a go? 

Calling All Coupon Gurus and Frugal Mommies…

Okay, so I know that lots of people are into this couponing thing, and I was, too, at one point.  However, now that we are eating healthier options and using more organic products, I haven’t given it much thought.  Now I’m willing to try again though.  So, I need your help!
We buy organic meats (beef, chicken, etc), organic milk (usually Kroger brand), organic or cage-free eggs, organic snacks (Cascadian Farms granola bars, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies and Fruit Snacks, etc), organic household products (Seventh Generation laundry/dishwashing detergent), and organic healthcare products (Tom’s of Maine, Dr. Bronner’s, Kiss My Face, Burt’s Bees, etc).  We also buy organic staples when we can find them (pasta sauces, noodles, tomatoes, canned goods, baking products, etc).  I know that I won’t find many of these coupons in the Sunday inserts; however, we aren’t particular when it comes to paper/household products (toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, ziploc bags, aluminum foil, etc).
Is it worth it for me to buy the Sunday paper just to get the few coupons that we will use?  We are not big into processed foods at all, and I know there are always tons of coupons for that stuff.  There’s always coupons for health/beauty products, too, that we don’t use (we’re very particular with those).  I do know that I can print some online coupons, and I have done that.
Also, where can I find the deals/coupon applications?  For instance, I have lots of Seventh Generation coupons, but I’m not sure when/if/where they go on sale.  So, how or where can I find that info?  Please refer me to any helpful websites…especially those that would be beneficial in saving when shopping for organics.
Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from lots of you (Tammy, Emmy, Pam, etc).

Time Saving Tip…

We’re really trying to eat healthier, so I’ve been making our bread.  Granted, I haven’t gotten to the stage of daily bread baking; however, I’m trying…
With that said, it takes time to measure everything out to make a loaf.  So, I decided I’d package up the dry ingredients in ziploc bags.  Then, when it’s time to make a loaf, I only need to add in the wet ingredients, ground flaxmeal (for extra fiber/protein), and yeast.  I’m really hoping that this time saving tip will allow me to get into a regular bread baking routine.  It’s cheaper if we make our own, and I can monitor the ingredients.  I can also add ingredients like the ground flaxmeal to improve the fiber/protein qualities of the bread.
So, today, I spent some time packaging up 8 bags of dry ingredients.  I make a 1.5lb loaf when I make it, and that lasts about 1-2 days (depending on what the boys eat for breakfast and lunch). 
What are YOUR time saving tips?  Feel free to share them as I’m always looking for more!  I think freezer cooking is another time saving tip, and it’s almost time for a 2nd freezer cooking day here at our house!

Need a Good Laugh???

During my morning Internet browsing, I always frequent the same few sites…Facebook, Google Reader, Homeschool Reviews, etc.  While I was checking out the Homeschool Reviews site, I stumbled upon the funniest little post.  So, I thought I’d copy and paste it for all of you to read.  I cannot take any credit for this, but it sure will make you laugh!
AMAZING SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. TO AVOID CUTTING YOURSELF WHEN SLICING VEGETABLES, GET SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD THE VEGETABLES WHILE YOU CHOP.

2. TO AVOID ARGUMENTS WITH THE FEMALES ABOUT LIFTING THE TOILET SEAT-USE THE SINK.

3. FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE SUFFERERS ~ SIMPLY CUT YOURSELF AND BLEED FOR A FEW MINUTES, THUS REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON YOUR VEINS. [REMEMBER TO USE A TIMER.]

4. A MOUSE TRAP PLACED ON TOP OF YOUR ALARM CLOCK WILL PREVENT YOU FROM ROLLING OVER AND GOING BACK TO SLEEP AFTER YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON.

5. IF YOU HAVE A BAD COUGH, TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF LAXATIVES - YOU'LL BE AFRAID TO COUGH.

6. YOU ONLY NEED TWO TOOLS IN LIFE - WD-40 AND DUCT TAPE. IF IT DOESN'T MOVE AND SHOULD, USE THE WD-40. IF IT SHOULDN'T MOVE AND DOES, use the duct tape.

7. IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
I emailed this to a few friends, but I thought my readers would benefit from the perks of a good laugh.  Enjoy my friends, enjoy!

Freezer Cooking Day…

With the start of a new year, we all take time to reflect and make changes.  One of the changes I wanted to implement was being able to offer the boys more ideas for lunch and it’s even better if they’re healthy and easy.  So, with that in mind, Brian and I set out on Saturday to make a day of cooking and freezing.  This was my 2nd time doing such a thing, and the first was when I was pregnant with Micah.  But it was EXTREMELY helpful once we were home with the new baby and needed quick, prepared meals to pop in the oven. 
First, I had to decide what all I’d cook and freeze.  So, after giving it some thought, I came up with the following meal ideas:  chimichangas, taco roll-ups, chicken & broccoli roll-ups, parmesan chicken tenders, homemade pizzas, pancakes, and breakfast burritos.  I already had some bowls of Fiesta Taco Soup in the freezer, so that was on the menu, too.  Second, I had to make sure I had all of the necessary ingredients on hand.  Brian headed to the store while I started making the pizza dough in my new bread machine.  Third, it was time to get cooking.  And cooking I did…I spent nearly 9 hours in the kitchen on Saturday (and also half the day on Sunday), but it’s already proven well-worth the trouble. 
We’re enjoying the fruits of our labor, and it makes me happy to see the boys enjoying something other than PB&J or mac ‘n cheese for lunch.  LOL!  So, I think there will be more freezer cooking days in our future.  I’m hoping all of this food will last us a month, so 12 days a year is good for me! 

Taco Roll-Ups…ended up with 52 total

Homemade Pizza Dough before par-baking

Ham & Pineapple Pizzas…ended up with 13 pizzas

Parmesan Chicken Tenders…ended up with 12 total (I didn’t have any more chicken)

Chicken & Broccoli Roll-Ups…ended up with 43 total

Beef Chimichangas…ended up with 13 total

Egg Burritos…ended up with 8 total

***Not pictured, pancakes…ended up with about 40***

Have you ever had a freezer cooking day?  If so, then please share your recipes.  I’d love to add new things for our next big cooking day.  If you want any of the above recipes, then just ask…I’ll gladly post them!

Are you looking…

for a way to save money, save time, improve your health, and protect the environment all while CLEANING your home?  Yes, I know…it sounds almost ridiculous!  However, with Norwex, it is possible.  I signed up as a Norwex consultant this month, and I’m so excited about the company. 
Ever since we found out that Caleb has some sort of tic disorder (whether it be Tourette’s or just transient tics), we’ve been working to improve our eating habits and change our cleaning products.  A friend of mine introduced me to Norwex, and I’ll admit…I was skeptical at first.  Norwex claims that I can clean my house using their antibacterial microfiber cloth and water.  Yes, that’s right…their cloth and water will clean my ENTIRE home!
I had my first show yesterday, and it was a huge success.  Several of my friends who were leery and skeptical, walked away amazed and believers.  I, too, am now a believer!  And while I do not LOVE cleaning, I can see myself enjoying it more because it is so much faster.  I don’t have to spray some nasty-smelling chemical, wait for it to work, and then wipe the yuck away.  Now I can just wet my antibac cloth with water and get to cleaning!  It’s that easy…
Norwex customers can save approximately $600 a year by reducing the use of chemicals in their home.  They can also cut their cleaning time in half.  So, if this sounds like something that you may be interested in learning more about, please send me an email to childresshousehold@gmail.com  I’d LOVE to share more about Norwex with you!  If you’re local and would like to host a party and receive lots of FREE goodies, then please contact me.  Norwex has one of THE BEST hostess programs in the home-party world.  We also have a WONDERFUL consultant program.  If this sounds like something you would enjoy doing to earn extra cash, then please contact me.  You can improve people’s quality of life one antibacterial cloth at a time.  So, what are you waiting for?  Email me today for more information!
***Yes, I know this is a shameless plug to help kick-start my new home-party business!  However, being that most of you are not local, it’s also a way for me to introduce you to Norwex!  I know I had never heard of it, and believe it or not…there are NOT that many consultants in our area.  So, the market is waiting for something like this***

Sign Language…Guest Post

***I have always been fascinated by sign language.  It has been a desire of mine to learn how to sign, and I can sign the alphabet and a few basic words.  When Micah was a baby, we taught him to sign “more” and “all done.”  It was so cute watching him use his signs to communicate his needs.  Below is a guest post from Emily Patterson.  I hope you enjoy reading it and learn a little bit more about sign language.  Thanks for reading!***
Early Childhood Education – Acquiring Sign Language

One of the keys to surviving in a tilted economic system in which opportunities to achieve a decent standard of living will be limited is versatility – and the ability to communicate articulately in a variety of ways with the widest possible audience. This includes bilingual ability as well as the ability to communicate in non-verbal ways for the benefit of the disabled – primarily the deaf.

At the same time, a growing shortage of qualified interpreters fluent in American Sign Language has led to more career opportunities – and if current trends continue, it's likely that skilled ASL interpreters will have little problem securing lucrative employment in a society where such a commodity is destined to be in short supply.

Signing Before They Can Speak

A great deal of research has clearly demonstrated that the early years – ages 2 to five – are the best time to educate children in different modes of communication and language. This goes beyond the spoken word (though it is an optimal time for children to learn a second language); many young children have an aptitude for signing as well.

This is not as odd as you may think. As you know, many indigenous peoples around the world, including American Indian nations, have used sign language for centuries to facilitate communication with other tribes with whom they do not share a language. Some paleontologists and anthropologists theorize that Neanderthals – who apparently lacked the vocal mechanism to produce many spoken words – depended a great deal upon hand gestures to communicate.

In fact, recent research suggests that sign language is innate. An article published in the Boulder Daily Camera in 2003 presented strong evidence that babies as young as six months old communicate with their hands:

"...by 6 to 7 months, babies can remember a sign. At eight months, children
can begin to imitate gestures and sign single words. By 24 months, children
can sign compound words and full sentences. They say sign language reduces
frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves
before they know how to talk." (Glarion, 2003)

The author also cites study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development demonstrating that young children who are taught sign language at an early age actually develop better verbal skills as they get older. The ability to sign has also helped parents in communicating with autistic children; one parent reports that "using sign language allowed her to communicate with her [autistic] son and minimized his frustration...[he now] has an advanced vocabulary and excels in math, spelling and music" (Glarion, 2003).

The Best Time To Start

Not only does early childhood education in signing give pre-verbal youngsters a way to communicate, it can also strengthen the parent-child bond – in addition to giving children a solid foundation for learning a skill that will serve them well in the future. The evidence suggests that the best time to start learning ASL is before a child can even walk – and the implications for facilitating the parent-child relationship are amazing.
Co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas
Emily and Kathleen are Communications Coordinators for the Zionsville child care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of Indiana child care preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.

Blogging Perks and Laptop Bags

One of the perks of blogging is getting the opportunity to review products.  While I haven’t accepted many of these opportunities, I did agree to one recently.  One of the owners of Simply-Bags asked me if I would be willing to review one of their embroidered laptop bags.  Being as I have had a laptop for almost two years now and have yet to purchase a laptop bag, I graciously agreed. 
I was so excited today when the package arrived.  The bag is BEAUTIFUL.  It’s a lovely chocolate brown with turquoise accents (the pictures do not do the bag justice).  The turquoise is a nice patent leather, and it really accentuates the bag.  The inside has several handy pockets…one side has pockets for pens or pencils, and the other side has pockets for credit cards or even your license.  I cannot wait to be able to use this sleek and stylish bag.
So, if you’re in need of a laptop bag, I encourage you to click on the above link and check out Simply Bags.  I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

laptop bag pockets for pens or pencils pockets for credit cards or license monogram

2010 Garden Season Update #1

I’ve been busy watering and weeding our spring garden.  It’s all looking good, but I did learn a few lessons…
Lesson #1 – Peas are vines.  Yes, this may be common sense knowledge to most of you; however, to my non-gardening self…well, I didn’t know.  So, I spent Saturday making sure there was something for those sugar snap and English peas to latch onto so they could grow up. 
Lesson #2 – Squash gets huge.  Again, having been unsuccessful with our squash last year, I didn’t realize how big the bush variety would get.  Because of this, I had to move my 3 green bell pepper plants to another bed.  The squash was just overtaking that part of their bed.
Lesson #3 – Cabbage loopers are NOT my friend.  Those little boogers are so darn aggravating.  Caleb and I have spent numerous minutes picking all of them off, and he then puts them in his bug catcher.  However, in only a few short days, there are MORE!  They will eat your cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage leaves to pieces.  The aforementioned plants have holes in the leaves.  In fact, I went as far as digging up and tossing my 4 cabbage plants this afternoon.  After further inspection, I just didn’t see much hope for the cabbage.  Besides, we only use cabbage for coleslaw, and I can do without it or buy it at the store.  I did manage to buy a garden safe read organic and okay to use pesticide; however, I’ve yet to put it on.  I think I’ll do that as it cools off this evening. 
Lesson #4 – Strawberries are not fool-proof in the home garden.  I tried to plant strawberries last year, and it didn’t go so well.  We tried again this year, and I ended up digging them up and tossing them.  You see…unless you have the time to use the plastic and hill method that those big strawberry farms use, it’s not worth your time to plant them in your regular garden bed.  You can’t keep the fruit off the ground, and soon enough they will be covered with ants…pesky little ants.  Brian did buy me a Topsy Turvy; however, here where we live, they don’t keep strawberry plants available too long.  Unless you buy your stuff in March – mid-April, then you’re out of luck for the most part.  So, we’ll have to wait until next year to attempt strawberries again.  Luckily for us, there are several strawberry patches around, and we’ve been able to pick some.  We hope to pick some more soon if they are available.
Lesson #5 – Raised bed gardening is definitely the way to go.  With the exception of the few issues mentioned earlier in this post, our plants have really thrived in our raised beds.  I think a lot of it can be contributed to the soil which is a mixture of topsoil, mushroom compost, peat moss, cow manure, garden soil, and dirt from our yard.  It has really made a difference in the growth of our successful plants, and the ground stays softer and retains moisture better.
Lesson #6 – Once you find out what you can grow successfully, then stay within those bounds.  There’s no need to continuously waste time and money planting produce that just won’t work in your garden.  After this garden season is over, I will have a much better knowledge of what works for us.  I will also have some idea of how much produce to expect from what we’ve planted.  This will let me know what to remember when it’s time for the 2011 garden season.
Okay, so there you have it…just a few gardening lessons that I’ve learned this year.  Combined with what I learned last year, I should be all set for the 2011 season.  LOL!  Here are a few pictures of our garden.

Northeast bed with tomatoes, peppers, onions, lettuce, and squash. Squash blossom Big Beef Tomato Cherry tomatoes Romaine lettuce (We put grits in that little plastic container.  It is supposed to help with ants because they can’t digest it; therefore, it sort of blows them up).

Southeast bed with squash, zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower Broccoli floret (I actually had to cut this off today because you’re supposed to cut the center head off before it flowers…this one was about to flower). Northwest bed with cabbage, peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, and lettuce (the cabbage is no longer there since I tossed it this afternoon). Green Bell Pepper Southwest bed with green beans and sugar snap peas Southwest bed with carrots and English peas

So, how is your garden growing this season?  Have you learned any lessons that you’d like to share with me?  I’m always up for a learning adventure. 

Operation Ottoman Restore

Brian and I have been married nearly 10 years, and our furniture is just as old.  Well, with age comes wear.  Yeah, yeah…I know…I don’t like to hear it either. 
With the aging process, our ottoman was looking all ratty.  We were going to just toss it, but we’ve found that finding a storage ottoman is next to impossible these days.  So, we decided we’d tackle a restoration project.  Besides, I’ve seen those designers on Trading Spaces upholster lots of things, and it doesn’t look that difficult.
So, that’s what we did.  We ventured to one of our local fabric stores to find the right fabric.  Boy, that was a feat.  Both boys were running around like wild children well-behaved in the store, and we were able to get in and get out quickly in there FOREVER!  It was tough finding a fabric that we both liked, so I finally just gave in and went with Brian’s choice.  Don’t get me wrong…I liked it, but it wasn’t my first choice.
The project took us half a day because we still had to take care of both boys, and Brian had to deal with his clients on the phone.  But – the ottoman looks brand new, and we are hoping it will last another TEN years.  So, here are some pictures of our ottoman restore. 

BEFORE – it’s in rough shape.

This is the top.  We had already knocked out the portion that covers the boards that you see.  The pictures don’t do the fabric justice.  The green circles look gold in most of the pictures, so it was hard to find the right camera setting.

This is that top portion mentioned in the previous caption.

This is the top all completed.

Brian screwed the top back on, and the boys decided to get in the picture.  See what I mentioned earlier…you can’t see the green at all, but it’s there.  Drastic change don’t you think?!!? This is the bottom.  It proved to be a tad bit more difficult since we weren’t sewing anything.  I can’t sew, so that was out of the question.  AFTER – much better I think.  Now, here’s to another TEN years Mr. Ottoman!