no more struggles at dinnertime

The kids arent really old enough to care what their dinner is going to be ahead of time.

Which is good for me because then I get to make whatever I want!

They eat the typical kid fare...hot dogs, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and anything Jeff and I are having that I think they'll dig. (people still say dig, right?)

They eat pork chops, meatloaf, spaghetti (a house favorite) and they have a love of tacos as well.

Most nights our struggle with the kids during dinner seem endless.

Carah likes to take an hour or more to eat.

Seriously an hour.

Why?

She is 6 and she is good at it.

She talks.

Constantly.

She is 6.

I shutter to think of her phone usage when she gets older.

And Brady is excellent at being 2 1/2.
In fact I believe he is testing the very definition of 2 1/2 currently.

Some days he eats in 15 minutes...some days over an hour.

Depending on his mood of course.

He has a recent tendency to store food in his cheeks during dinner.

After 6 or so bites he resembles this:

And while it is adorable we constantly have to push the food back onto the other side of his teeth so he can chew and swallow!

Then they drop their food, knock the milk over, elbow in the ketchup, sneeze in their sandwich...its never ending.

Where does the easy, no struggle part come in?

Here.

The one time that Jeff and I have found where the kids eat willingly, without prodding and hour long meals and act like angels is when we have our special family picnic nights.

In November we started having family picnics every other week.

Yes, we still live in Ohio.

Where it is 19 degrees out currently.

And snowing.

So we lay down a blanket in the family room, we all get in our pajamas and we eat our dinner as a picnic.

Only inside.

We generally put on a kids television show as a special treat (the kids dont watch much tv at our house) and we all have a great time laughing at that crazy Lily on Hannah Montana or dancing to the Mickey House Clubhouse song 'Hot Diggity Dog'.

It may not be the structured meal that we typically enforce but it also lets the kids know that Dad and Amanda can let the rules slip every now and then for some family picnic time.

Plus we try and use paper plates which makes it easier on me come dishes time!

This is what works for me...see what works for everyone else here!

They have the right idea

Breakfast is a necessity in my house.

I have to eat it everyday.

I have the kids eat it everyday they are with us.

And there is something that typically goes hand in hand with breakfast.

Sugar.

We all crave it.

We all want some.

Doesnt matter how we get it or in what form...we need it.

But there are some foods that dont have to have that much sugar in them.

Ice Cream.

Try some with a lower sugar content and you'll be surprised at how much flavor there is without added sugar.

Syrup.

Yup, syrup with lower sugar is just as satisfying as the rea

l deal.

And while I am certain I could go on and on I will stop with only 1 more.

General Mills Cereal.

Say, what?

The kids love cereal just as much as I do and it is easy to get side tracked into letting them eat the type of cereal they want.

Sugary.

Full of extra forms of sugar that they dont need. (you know...the good stuff)

Carah is in kindergarten and needs to concentrate all she can to continue her brilliance with reading.

While Brady is nearly 2 1/2 and he needs to learn simple rules of life.

Neither has the time to let a sugar overdose or hunger sidetrack them throughout the day.

That is why it is so fantastic that General Mills has committed to lowering the sugar content in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving.

They are also increasing essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

General Mills let me try a few boxes of cereal through MyBlogSpark. They also gave me essential information about breakfast and ready-to-eat cereals.

I was admittedly skeptical.

I love my healthy cereals but when I am jonesing for a sugary bowl of goodness thats exactly what I want.

I had a few varieties of General Mills cereal provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark and we loved them (naturally!)

We all decided that we will probably notice when they take a few grams of sugar out of these cereals. Our days will be better for it.

The benefits of cereal are astounding, especially when you really dont take the time to think much about the food you are putting into your body.

Whole grains, added nutrients, lowers the likelihood of obesity, lowers absenteeism in school, kids perform better at school and have higher test scores (when they eat breakfast).

Seems like a reason to keep eating a healthy (and still fun) breakfast to me!

To regift or throw it in the trash because it was ugly as sin to begin with?

Just over two weeks until the fat man in red squeezes down your chimney.

Or in a house like mine he walks through the back door.

Sure, this is what we told the kids since we do not have a chimney.
Santa has keys that open every door in the world and he comes silently through the back door and locks it when he leaves.

Very thoughtful.

Has Santa or your Aunt Gert ever given you a gift that would actually improve if you ran it over with your car?

We have all gotten the gifts that never should have been.

Do you throw it away?

Regift it?

Let it fester and rot in your house until 30 years from now you forgot who gave it to you and for what?

Throwing it away may make normal people feel bad about wasting something that was a gift.

The fester and rot method is rough because who wants to stare at a clock that plays accordion music at the top of every hour? Not me.

No fucking thank you.

So the regifting method seems to work for most.

We all have that crazy Uncle James who would just DIE for a clock that plays accordion music.

So you give it to him.

Simple.

Done.

But there seem to be some common guidelines, rules if you must, to regifting.

Only regift when:

You are certain that Uncle James will like it, he does collect obscure clocks after all.

It is unused and still in the original packaging.

You rewrapped it.

Never regift:

If it is something that he 'may' like but you aren't certain

It has been used. At all.

If you want to give it to a friend in the same circle or another family member. Tacky.

WFMW: Inexpensive gift ideas-take 2

There are so many great gift ideas that are right under our noses that people seem to overlook because it isn't the biggest or best gift that could ever be given.

Think of the most heartfelt gifts from your friends and family...were they grandiose?

Okay...well sometimes.

Typically they are something made by hand or assembled out of love and the knowledge of what you love.

Here are some additional inexpensive holiday gifts; most under $10.

• note cards and a book of stamps-perfect for that out of town friend or family member
• specialty cookbook
• copy your favorite recipes and family recipes onto recipe cards and put them in a recipe box. This is truly the gift that will give forever!
• a new holiday ornament or decoration
• make a bag/basket with an ice cream scoop and loads of toppings
• make a bag/basket with cookie dough (or a recipe) and loads of decorations
• buy a pretty frame and enclose a picture of the family, kids, grandkids or a favorite memory
• remember that Aunt Cindy loves chocolate? Buy a box of Godiva or Lindt - still under $20 for a lot of them and its something that most people don't splurge on
• Silly friends and family? Get them the gift that they will ALWAYS use. Toilet paper. Seriously. Great gag gift.
• make a photo collage on snapfish
• new CD or DVD
• a poinsettia or other potted plant

Thats what works for me...find out what works for others here.

WFMW: Inexpensive gift ideas

With the holiday season just around the corner you may be terrified at the thought of dropping large volumes of cash on gifts for your loved and liked ones. Or you are looking for cheap thrifty ways to purchase gifts for those on your list without ending up in financial ruin. Again.

During the next few WFMW posts I will include some great inexpensive gift ideas that are sure to go over with just about anyone.

Most of them can be purchased for $10 or under.

• Bottle of wine or sparkling cider
• Baked goods (and food in general) go over with everyone. Bake up some cookies or bread and include the recipe with the food.
• Basket filled with crackers, bread and cheeses
• Gift them a magazine subscription. Find oodles of them HERE for only $5-$8! Purchase a current issue of the magazine and let them know they'll get it for the next year.
• Pancake or waffle mix and a bottle of real maple syrup
• books
• real popcorn and flavored salt or oils
• holiday mug filled with candy or teas/coffees
• locally made sauces or foods
• movie theater gift certificates
• movie rental gift certificates - with a basket of candy and drinks to go with the rental

Also give ANY gift this holiday season in a reusable shopping tote to promote having a GREEN holiday!

You can pick them up often for $.99 at your local grocery store, WalMart and Target.

This is what works for me during the holiday season. Go here to see what works for others.

WFMW: holiday elves and Santa paper

As I have stated before, the holiday season is my absolute favorite time of year.

I have an obscene love of Christmas/holiday music.

I love buying gifts for other people.

I even wait until after the holidays when all of the holiday colored and patterned ziploc/hefty plastic baggies go on clearance and then I buy them all. Seriously, all of them. I STILL have like 5 boxes from last year. I like to use them year round...makes life more fun, right?

And I have a natural and healthy love of shopping that keeps me hopping.

I wouldnt even mind living in a Christmas town...you know where everyday was Christmas. And it was acceptable to sing Christmas Carols all the time, where you can always taunt kids with the gift of coal if they act up and pout over nothing, and no one judges you for watching holiday movies everyday, and eating fudge everyday and cookies everyday and pies everyday... And there would be little elves around to do the dirty work like the dishes, clean the oven (you know, from all of the pies and cookies), and pester people to let me know if they want anything...b/c I hate guessing what people want and I hate forgetting people too. Little elves would be perfect at this. Plus, I would have them shave my legs for me - you know, just one less thing.

So naturally I have a slight tendency to sometimes go overboard during November and December. I have a few tried and tested tips that have helped me make sense of the chaos that can be the holidays...

• buy your gifts early in the year during sales and clearances so you don't have to struggle at the last minute to find something - which always leaves me stressed out b/c there is no such thing as 'quick' when it comes to shopping with the masses during this season
• get everyone in your office/group/club the same thing. You'll save money doing this, it makes it so much easier on you and no one will feel slighted in any way.
• don't overextend yourself. Its perfectly okay to say no to parties and other invitations. Part of the joy of the holidays season is being at HOME...doing nothing...well maybe watching It's a Wonderful Life on DVD while decorating the Christmas tree...drinking too much wine and eating far too much of the pumpkin pie you made 'just to see how it would turn out'.
• the one thing that has made wrapping gifts for the kids SO much easier is having 1 roll of wrapping paper from Santa - it is always covered with faces of Santa...this paper is available everywhere so I am not going to suddenly have an issue with this. Santa's wrapping paper has Santa on it - so we know its from him. And then I buy whatever the hell I want for our wrapping paper. But the kids always know which gift is from Santa. Stupid but means something to them. Plus it helps to even it all out and make sure Santa brought enough for both of the little boogers.
• Have a go-to dessert or appetizer. You forgot that you are going to see your long lost ex-coworker who you really don't keep up with much but you feel bad you don't have a gift for them...in comes your go-to dessert or appetizer. Make them up a batch of your super special holiday cookies and even if they are in a holiday ziploc bag it will be such a great gesture.

This is what works for me during the holidays...go HERE to see what works for everyone else!

WFMW: recipe organization

Up until a year ago I would keep all of my "I totally want to try this recipe..in the future" recipes in a huge pile.

A pile that never moved or shifted unless the dust bunnies made it left side heavy and then the whole pile would come crashing down coating the mud room floor in a carpet of unused recipes.

One of my 2009 new years resolutions was to try 1 new recipe per month.

I have stuck to this and have seriously weeded through this huge pile and made it much more manageable.

First things first...I had to organize that assy pile of cookie, cake, side dish and main course recipes that I hadn't looked at since I printed them.

I do have two recipe binders that I purchased at Hallmark that I have all of my 'must keep' recipes stored for future reference.

But wanting to keep it all super organized I bought a large accordion folder on clearance for only $.94 when a local KMart went belly up after the shopping season ended.

I made 5 simple titles for the sections of recipes I wanted to try out before adding them to the binder...

Cookies

Other Desserts/Sweets

Main Courses

Side Dishes

Other foods

And now when I print off a recipe I want to try in the future I file it right away so I dont have to search then all to find that smores cookie recipe, I only have to search in cookies.

This is what works for me find out what works for others HERE!

WFMW: cheap coupon organization

During these unfortunate economic times everyone is thinking of saving money.

There are generally two types of people when this type of recession hits home.

1. Those who save their money by cutting back on the unnecessary. The cable. The air conditioning during the summer. Ordering porn off the naughty channels. The eating out at restaurants. You catch my drift. The 'unnecessary'. They cut back on certain things in order to continue their lifestyle in other ways. The ways that matter to them.

2. Those who go out and either get a second job or simply spend smarter. The second job funnels in the needed 'extra' money to keep life at home above or around the status quo. Spending smarter enables you to continue doing everything you were doing before...only by doing it a bit differently.

I am SO a spend smarter type of person.

No, I do not always spend smart...just smartER.

Well, to be fair our house doesnt even have air conditioning so we cannot cut that out.

But I am NO WAY IN HELL getting rid of my cable.

Seriously.
Ask me to cut off a finger or a couple of toes why don't you?

Yes, I feel that strongly about my tv viewage.

What else am I supposed to do at night?

How would I know what is buzz worthy?

How would I find out who is our resident murderer on Melrose?

Is Annie ever going to fit in and have friends again on 90210?

Will Dan still be a tool at NYU?

If I didn't have cable...I would never find out.

So in order to spend smarter I started at the place where I spend the most amount of money each month...the grocery store.

Couponing is such a tightly knit cult of people that those 'on the outside' have no clue that it even exists.

Its the fight club of the grocery realm.

Except the first rule of couponing is to help everyone who asks for it and sometimes those who don't ask but look totally lost and seriously don't understand how to stack coupons or take advantage of triple coupon events.

So what works for me is being super organized (surprise!) when it comes to my coupons.

I purchased this binder a few months ago and it has made a world of difference in my couponing.

It is the Dual-100 Dual Binder 2-in-1 Zipper Binder.

And they should say the word dual and binder again in that title.

I bought it for $18 at Target - in the normal school supplies aisle.

I keep my food items on the left side in different categories...frozen food, refrigerated food, baking aisle, breakfast foods, snacks (chips, cookies, crackers) and other.

The right side is the non-food side. I also keep my store specific coupons here. Such as Kroger, Giant Eagle, Meijer and Walgreens. They I have cleaning, baby, cats, bathroom, kitchen and so on.

This obsessively anal organization of my coupons has lead to some great deals that I honestly would have missed out on because everything would be laying in a pile on my coffee table.

I was at Target today and happened past the school supplies 75% off aisle and saw about 20 of these bad boys for only $4.98 each!

This is a frugal deal that I couldn't pass up!

"But wait...didn't you just say you already had one?"

Oh yes indeed.

But with it only being $5 I would beat myself up if I didn't pick up at least 1 so that I have a backup. A standby. A pinch hitter if you will.

Go to Target.

Purchase this awesome 2 ring binder for around $5.

Organize.

Save money.

Don't cancel your cable.

What works for you?? See what works for others HERE.

WFMW: nightly prep work

I am a huge believer in prep work to make the next day run smoothly.

At night I can be found spending 15 minutes to prepare the house for the next morning.

Morning.

Its almost a 4 letter word in our house.

But it has 7 letters.

So its a 7 letter word in our house. Probably in your house too. You can't change that I guess.

We have two non-morning people in the house. They like to sleep. If they don't get enough sleep they are cranky. I don't like cranky. I don't put up well with cranky.

Well, I like to sleep too. But if I didn't get up then no one would get up. So I have to get up.

At night during my 15 minute prep I can be found...

In the kitchen packing Carah's lunch for kindergarten...setting out Brady's and Carah's breakfast...packing my lunch and Jeff's lunch

In the kids bedrooms getting their clothing out for the next morning...

In the bathroom giving it a quick once over...

In the family room picking up any stray toys that didn't make it into the toy bins during clean up...

In me and Jeff's room setting the alarm, setting out my clothes for the next day...

And in the mud room setting out Carah's backpack and shoes (and jackets if need be) so they are ready to head out the door in the morning.

It takes constant prodding to get the kids to stop entertaining each other during breakfast and actually eat before they have to go out and face the world. But with these simple steps I take at night to prepare for the day ahead it makes the morning go a LOT smoother.

What works for you?

Check out what works for others HERE.

WFMW: repurposed items = organization

This themed edition of WFMW is all about organization.

When I hear the word organization I immediately perk up like a dog that smelled bacon in your pocked.

I know what to expect.

Folders and color coding and labels and new notepads and accordion folders!

This is the stuff that makes me hot.

But that's just when I think about the office.

In the closet my mind drifts off to dream of new hangers, sweaters all folded neatly according to specific and totally anal classifications, my shoes set in neat, straight rows...

I could go on like this for hours...organizing is one of those weird things that makes sickos like me endlessly happy.

When I walk into my favorite organization mecca, The Container Store, my pulse starts to quicken...my eyes dart around looking at all of the gorgeous, shiny and new materials that I can put things in and on.

These are the items that fill my life with happiness. Family, friends and new containers to put things in. These are the things that round out my life.

My advice to anyone thinking about organization is to start with 1 small area and go from there. The feeling of accomplishment goes a LONG way, especially when you have a lot to sift through.

It isn't even necessary to purchase any materials to help you along the way. Use found items in your home. I religiously save shoe boxes, baby wipe containers and cardboard boxes for just these reasons. You can store damn near anything in them.

I am also especially lucky that Jeff wears a freaky size 14 shoe...this means extra large shoe boxes for me!

So you don't want to keep items in ugly brown boxes? Then cover them with wrapping paper, contact paper or whatever the hell you want. It will instantly transform your space by adding a pop of color and you wont be staring at a box of size 14 men's dress shoes each day.

But everyone has different organizational needs and goals so make each space your own using your creativity.

You aren't creative at all? Then head right over HERE to find some great ideas on the cheap.

Read the other organization tips HERE.

Did I just smell bacon?

WFMW: green cleaning with household staples

Vinegar is one of those items that almost everyone has tucked back in a cleaning closet or under your sink or in some place in the basement that you only venture to after you have bug bombed the area to be sure it is secure.

Once you locate it you can find out all sorts of green ways to clean with it so you dont have to buy overpriced and lethal chemical cleaning agents again.

Baking soda isnt so hard to locate for most - simply look near your spices, herbs or other baking agents.

Here are some of my favorite ways to clean with vinegar and baking soda.

**For sluggish or clogged drains pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain.

Add 1/2 cup white vinegar and cover the drain if possible.

Let set for a few minutes, Then pour around 5 cups of hot hot hot water down the drain to flush it. The combination of baking soda and vinegar breaks down fatty acids into soap and glycerin, allowing the clog to wash down the drain. I use this in my tub and in my kitchen drains.
DO NOT USE THIS METHOD AFTER ANY COMMERCIAL DRAIN OPENER HAS BEEN USED OR IS STILL PRESENT IN THE STANDING WATER.

**Use baking soda on a damp sponge to clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces

**Vinegar removes deposits which clog your metal shower heads and sink aerators. Combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and one quart water submerge the shower head or aerators and boil 15 minutes.

**And of course the old volcano science experiment is a classic with these two household ingredients!

This works for me...what works for you? Look for all of the WFMW tips HERE.

WMFW: The 3/50 project

I was recently introduced to the 3/50 project.

I had never heard of it and the thought behind it is amazing.

They are 'saving the brick and mortars our nation is built on.'

The information they pass along is quite astounding...read it and pass it along if it is something you believe in.

3 - What three independly owned business would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keeps those businesses around.

50 - If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine the positive effect if 3/4 the population did that.

68 - For every $100 spent in locally owned independent stores, $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll and other expenditures. If you spend that in a national chain, only $43 stays here. Spend it online and nothing comes home.

1 - The number of people it takes to start the trend...you.

Pick 3. Spend $50. Save your local economy.

Read the rest of the Works For Me Wednesday tips at We Are THAT Family.

WFMW: breaking the rules

We always sometimes have a house of order.

Bed time is at 7pm at 8pm for the munchkins.

Dinner time is near 6pm-ish.

Naps on the weekend are just after lunch.

You are not excused from the table unless you have finished chewing that last bite in your mouth and your milk is finished.

If you do not eat all of your dinner you dont get dessert.

Brush your teeth.

Take a bath.

Toys and all other kid-centered stuff has a home...keep it there when it is not in use.

No running in the house.

You catch my drift.

Of course there are those times when we have plans or there is a mini disaster and we get way off track from our original plan.

When that happens we just make the best of it and hope everyone ends up with full bellies and a pillow under their head when they crash.

The best way to keep the rules is to break your own rules every now and then.

Let them stay up late to watch the end of a show or movie or to finish that game with you.

Let them have ice cream when they didnt finish all of their chicken at dinner.

Have breakfast for lunch or dinner.

Make dinner a potluck of (healthy) snacks instead of a traditional meal.

Showing your children that you can bend is the best way for them to respect the rules. They understand then that the rules are important and that they are meant to be followed and it also shows them that the adults in the family know how to have fun still too.

This has worked in our house in the best way. The kids know to follow the rules but they also know that we are able to bend them when necessary.

WFMW: in the prep work

Now, I do not have kids of my own.

Yet.

I do have two great kids in my house who live with their daddy 1/2 of the time and with their mom the other half.

I have been living with and caring for these little boogers angels for over two years.

I have been there through the bottle feeding, up 4 times at night, crying because they are worn out, the baths, the hair pulling, the crying, the happy tears, the devious looks....all of it.

And even though they are not my kids...I treat them as if they were.

And they know it.

I do all of the grocery shopping in my house.

I prefer to.

If Jeff went to the store we would have plenty of chips, pretzels and frozen foods like bagel bites and toaster strudel. This isnt what keeps us healthy and happy. Well...happy but not healthy.

I make sure that the kids are happy and healthy with their food. I try and do the same with Jeff and myself.

I am also a semi-novice to the couponing game. I have been getting loads of items for free or near free. I stock up on items we frequently use and need so we have them on hand.

We have food that will last for months.

But I love to have fresh and homemade meals available to my family. I also have a fulltime job. And the cleaning and cooking to do.

So I dont have hours to cook meals and hours to make sure the family is eating healthy foods. But I do have the time to cook great food so we dont have to rely on frozen pizza and chinese food all the time.

I have found that I am able to do this through my prep work.

I go to the grocery store with a plan...buy healthy foods and make sure we eat them before they go bad.

When I get back I put all of the food away and get meals ready for the week.

A simple way to prep is to make sure healthy snacks are available for the munchkins to grab when they (or I) need to.

Have fruit ready to eat.

I section grapes out into baggies so even if they want them for a meal they just grab a bag. Have pears and apples out and washed.

Some of the kids favorite snacks I make sure are ready to go to save the time during the day with them...

cheese slices

raisins and other dried fruit

crackers

And in regards to meals...most of our lunches are leftovers so we do not waste any food and then dont have to pay for lunch out somewhere.

Dinner is almost always semi-prepped before the meal. If I am going to use onions or green peppers or cucumbers I make sure and chop them when I have the time so I can spend my time with my family instead of stuck in the kitchen.

I also found that cooking 2 meals at once is an easy thing to get into plus it cuts down on stove and oven time in the hot Ohio summers we typically have.

After dinner I place our leftovers into containers and put them right into our lunch bags in the fridge. In the morning all you have to do is grab your bag and you are ready.

This makes it so much easier in our house.

I plan on pre-packing lunch for Carah when she starts kindergarten this month.

I try and do as much as I can at night so that the mornings are a little less hectic.

This works for us...what works for you?