WFMW: Taming the Treasures

Life creates little treasures. You know what I mean: that lost tooth, the Valentine's Day picture, the ticket stub from that memorable concert. But I am not a big scrapbooker. So that means that things go into the boxes. But the problem with the boxes is that you end up with piles all over the house that at some point will get put into the boxes. But you need to find a place to put them, make sure that they don't get mixed in with the other kids (I have 4 kids and all their pictures drawn at 2 look the same;), and so on. So my tip of the day is to use a filing cabinet.

If you are like me, you have a file cabinet. But your family filing probably only takes a drawer or 2. So what I do is take one of those hanging folders for each person in the family. Then you can put in sub-folders if you want. For instance I have a section in NerdPie's folder that is just for notes and cards from her friends. Then put all of that person's memories in it. I have teeth in a ziploc bag, cards, photo magnets from VBS, etc. Then when ever you want to do something with it all (scrapbook or just put them into a box) you know where it is and whose it is!

It is the simple things that make life easier;).

Tackle It Tuesday: Pantry Clear Out!

You know those things you never get around to? You know, the ones that drive you crazy but you just don't seem to make time for? My pantry is one of those things. Well, Sunday while I was running a couple of errands NerdDad started clearing it out. I finally finished it Monday afternoon;). It is amazing the amount of junk I have in that pantry. The blue bins hold baking. decorating and freezer packaging for food. Then there is all the food, oy! I was amazed how much I actually had to throw out. I have been very convicted to cook out of my pantry and freezer for the next few weeks/months (my freezer is just as bad;).

But at least for today I will feel good that the pantry is finally done. I will feel guilty about the rest tomorrow!

Go check out some more projects at Tackle It Tuesday!

WFMW: Getting Stains Off Corian

Ugly eh? Genius me was emptying my pencil sharpener on the counter. Of course it was way over full and got lead shavings on the counter. So I started wiping them with a dry cloth and it left a little cloud. Then I got a wet dishcloth, wiped it and this is what I was left with.

Nothing got it off. I used soap water, straight dish soap, degreaser, and bathroom cleaner. Nothing. Now I know that you can sand the counter down (the beauty of solid surface) but I was terribly nervous about that. So after I was done scouring my sink with Comet I used the cloth. The reason I didn't use Comet in the first place was the Corian cleaning scare tactics. They said don't use anything abrasive, it will leave scratch marks. They said it would be better to use a fine grit sand paper. Well, they were wrong. It took it right out! No scratches, no damage! Apparently a little comet goes a long.

WFMW: Cheap and Easy Stain Remover

Stain removers are often expensive and don't always work. I have a great one that I use on clothes but the carpet it another matter. But I have 4 kids and a son who gets nose bleeds. So that is a lot of spots and stains on carpet to be had. That is blood in the first picture. I use a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water. I put it in a spray bottle and shake it up before using it. I soak the area with the solution then just towel it off. Though the picture is off, you will notice that there isn't any blood in the second picture! Now there will be a white vinegar smell but that dissipates really quickly.
For just pennys you get a great stain remover that actually works. Can't top that!

A Water Tip

I have a little water tip for WFMW! I saw this in a magazine a while ago. They said to place nail polish on your shower dial (you know, where you turn it on and find the temp?) on the place you always land. This is so that you can go straight to the temp you want so you don't waste water. Well, we have 2 kids who can now be left in the shower in the shower but we have issues getting them going. The oldest does pretty well but has a tendancy to get the water too warm and we are afraid his is going to burn himself. The NerdPie doesn't like to get her face in the water to get to the dial. If we could have her set it right before she gets in she would get a warm shower. This helps the kids to know how warm they want the water but they won't burn themselves.

Save water, prevents burns and gives parents a little more freedom. What more do you want from a tip?

Meal Plan Monday

I just got home from a great concert event so I am pulling this together real quick.

Monday: Corned Beef, Beer Bread, Broccoli
Tuesday: Chicken, Rice and Broccoli (NerdDad's on his own)
Wednesday: CheeseBurger Pie, Broccoli
Thursday: Boneless Ribs, Rice, Broccoli
Friday: Pork Loin Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Morning Routine

Tammy's Recipes is hosting Make Your Home a Haven and this week she is focusing on having a Morning Routine of 5 things. The theory behind 5 things is that if you make your list to daunting you won't do it. To me the 5 things are just a few of the things to get my day off right but I haven't been consistent. So here is my first 5 things I want to get done in the morning.
1. Brush my teeth
2. Go to the gym
3. Shower and change
4. Make breakfast for the kids
5. Start a load of laundry

That is mine. What are yours?

Meal Plan Monday

So here we meet again. The weather around here can't decide if it is cold or warm. So I am going to focus on a little comfort food.

Monday: Stew
Tuesday: Cube Steak, Corn Casserole, Broccoli
Wednesday: Chicken, Asparagus and Pasta in a Butter Garlic Sauce
Thursday: Corned Beef, Corn Casserole and Broccoli
Friday: Pasta Carbonara Florentine

Meal Plan Monday

Here is this week's plan!
Monday: Cube Steak, Pasta, Broccoli
Tuesday: Corned Beef, Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli
Wednesday: Top Sirloin, Broccoli, Beer Bread
Thursday: Crockpot Ribs, Brown Rice, Broccoli
Friday: Chicken Kiev, Broccoli, Corn Casserole

Meal Plan Monday

So here we meet again! So here is my plan...

Monday: Cube Steak, Asparagus and Pasta in a Butter Garlic Sauce
Tuesday: Boneless Ribs, Rice, Broccoli
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Pie, Broccoli
Thursday: Chicken Kiev, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Friday: Spaghetti, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Broccoli

WFMW: Kids and Laundry

(This is a republish because this week's Work For Me Wednesday is an oldie but goodie call)

Moms, let me break the news to you...You don't have to do all the laundry but you do have to invest some time in training and let go of the details. Let us first start with the dirty clothes. By the time they are a year and a half my kids are responsible to put their own dirty clothes in the hamper (and yes I remind them;). Then by 5 they can sort their clothes into color piles (I do mine just because of the gentle issue). I do a cursory look until about 6. Now I don't really check the NerdBug sorting unless I knew there was some iffy things. They are also always welcome to ask me if they are unsure which pile they go into. Then we go onto the washing and drying. When we moved into our new house we got the new front loading washer and dryer. This is great for kids. Both the 4 and 6 year old can easily put clothes in the washer and move them to the dryer. The 6 year old can even start the loads. Then I have the kids dump all the clean clothes into a basket and move them to the loft (where I want them to be). Now my kids do all this while I am nearby usually changing a baby or something like that (my laundry room is upstairs).

Then I invested in those pop up baskets for laundry that they sell with all the "stock up you dorm" stuff for $5, one for each kids. The ones I got at JoAnns have handles, are colored (one for each kid) and have sections you can velcro up or just leave as on big long basket. I sort all the laundry and put the appropriate foldables for each kid. For the 4 year old I give her wash cloths, spit cloths and her socks. The 6 year old gets all of his clothes at this point. Now, not everything is absolutely folded perfectly but it will be ok. My rule is, as long as it all fits in your drawers it is ok. I have gone through and shown them the correct way to fold, had them show me they can and let it go. Remember, you don't have to look at it or do it so don't complain.

Now I can't wait until they can iron;).

Meal Plan Monday

Here is the plan for this week!

Monday: Fish, Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli
Tuesday: Chicken Kiev, Pasta and Asparagus
Wednesday: Chicken, Rice and Broccoli
Thursday: Hamburger Helper for Dad and the kids: NerdMom is going to Campaigna
Friday: Pasta Carbonara Florentine

WFMW: Bed Sheet Storage

I now have 3 kids that are in twin beds. That is a lot of sheets. So here is what we do to free up the linen closet for the many towels that we also need;). It isn't rocket science and I am not saying I invented it(I have been accused of such before;). First, I fold all the sheets, put them into the pillow case, and fold the case over to make a nice square bundle. That means everything is neatly contained. Then we have the under bed bins and we place all that kid's sheets in it (except Nerdling's because he has a race car bed). You also can put a mattress cover in the bin. The other benefit is if you have to change the sheets in the middle of the night, they are right there.

That is my tip for the week! Go see some more at WFMW!

Meal Plan Monday

This week is going to be crazy but I have some great produce from the farmer's market.

Monday: Tuna Helper for the kids, NerdDad and I will both be out!
Tuesday: Fake Zuppa Toscana, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Wednesday: Roast and Potatoes, Broccoli/Cauliflower
Thursday: Fish (Cod, I think), Broccoli, Rice
Friday: Country Ribs, Crusty Bread, Broccoli

Tackle It Tuesday: Mega Bloks and Little People

We have lots of kids which means we have even more toys. The big cross age toys we have are Fisher Price Little People and Mega Bloksbecause all my kids love to play with them. When we lived in our old house they resided in under the bed bins and they stayed in those bins when we moved to the new house and the toys got placed in the play room. We also have severely outgrown the bins so we couldn't put the lids on them if we wanted to. But I knew these bins weren't the best choice but I didn't want to do boxes with lids because the baby couldn't get into them. So I was toodling around JoAnns and I saw these large bins on sale for 40% off (about $15). We were able to add a little vertical height and use the bins as shelves for all the larger pieces. Doesn't it look pretty now? We may end up getting more of these or even the ones half the size. You can stack them straight up or intermix them!

Meal Plan Monday

Here is the plan for this week!

Monday: Beef Stew with Dumplings
Tuesday: Cube Steak, Beer Bread, Broccoli
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Pie, Broccoli
Thursday: Marinated Pork Loin, Broccoli, Roasted Potatoes
Friday: Tuna Steaks, Rice, Broccoli, Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Meal Plan Monday

Monday: Cube Steak, French Bread, Broccoli
Tuesday: Roast with Potatoes, Green Beans
Wednesday: Chicken, Asparagus in Pasta with a Garlic Butter Sauce
Thursday: Pasta Carbonara Florentine
Friday: Chicken Kiev, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Meal Plan Monday

I have found that I am loosing a bit of my passion for cooking so that means it is time to play! So I will try out a few recipes and then let you know if they are any good.

Monday: Pork with Creamy Barley and Peas, Salad
Tuesday: Tuna Steaks, Toasted Pecan Wild Rice, Broccoli
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Pie, Broccoli
Thursday: Crockpot Roasted Chicken, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Broccoli
Friday: Steak, Chili Beans, Broccoli

Meal Plan Monday

Hey guys! Here we meet again to talk about the food for the week!

Monday: Pork Loin Chops, Broccoli, Mashed Potatoes
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli
Wednesday: Chicken, pasta and broccoli in a brown butter and garlic sauce
Thursday: Tuna Steaks, Spaghetti Squash, Broccoli
Friday: Pork Roast, Beer Bread, Broccoli

Meal Plan Monday

Here we meet again for the listing of the weekly meals! It may change a little bit if I make it to a mid-week Farmer's Market.

Monday: Fettuccine Alfredo with leftover ham and Broccoli
Tuesday: Beef Stew with Dumplings
Wednesday: Roast and Potatoes, Broccoli
Thursday: Chicken Kiev, Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Broccoli
Friday: I am still searching for inspiration!