Connections

One question moms of many get, is how can we possibly give all our kids individual attention. Answers vary from parent to parent, but it almost always comes down to the famous answer, "We dont divide, we multiply". My answer is borderline to that.
While everything does muliply, like laughter, fun, quarrels,  and messes, sometimes children NEED that one on one attention. Does that mean that you need to take whole days, every day, to dedicate to one child? No. The need for that much time isnt always necessary.  Sometimes just taking moments for a childs needs is enough. When one of my sons comes up to me and just has to tell me all about this amazing toy he built with legos, I stop what I am doing and listen whole heartedly with ooen ears and eyes to soak in the full excitement of what hes done. When one of my daughters is gushing over the nails they have painted, I stop what im doing and look at their nails admiringly with sounds of ooo's and aww's.
It isnt always about taking whole days blocked out for each child. Its about paying attention when they NEED you. My smaller kids rarely slow down enough from their own little world to warrent me to block out an entire day for them and force them to do a scheduled outing and activities. However, it doesnt mean we dont do special outings with each child. Sometimes me and one of the kids will sneak out for a walk, or a quiet breakfast from the dollar menu where we just sit and talk (even the little ones get excitement from this). We also do the theater once in awhile with only one child.  we call it "mommy and me" outings, or "daddy and me", depending on which parent is doing it. Its special time devoted to connecting. Even a trip to the store with mom or dad makes a kid excited (and its exciting for the parent too lol) and its used to talk, focus and learn about that child in that faze of their life.
As a main rule, we do most of our things as a family. We do chores, homework, outings etc. all as a family. It multiplies the enjoyment and makes for some crazy good times, but even smaller families feel the stretch of time, like they arent devoting enough time to one child. Its all about time management and making the important things in each moment a priority,  not each day. My saying is, "I'm a tree, I can bend". I take that saying and apply it daily. Its one moment at a time in our house, not whole days at once, or chuncks of time blocked out like little robots. We enjoy small spontaneous moments at a time. Some are enjoyable moments, some chaotic, some grumpy, but always counted as a blessing, as a family unit.

Promises, Promises, Promises.

Its that time of year again! The time of year when everyone looks backwards to see all of the things they never started, accomplished, forgot, or just plain fizzled out on. Its also the time people are hopeful for a better year.

I have sat an wondered what half sincere promise I could make myself that would work for me. I have tried the diet promise (didnt work, I like food to much), I tried to be more organized (didnt work, I have the attention and organizational skills of a squirrel). I tried to be more carefree (again it didnt work, im always naturally a stressful person and worry non stop). The list goes on, but you get the idea. I have always done things with good intentions and start off well, until things got in the way, or I got to busy, or plain just got tired of trying. So this year I made a promise not to make promises to myself. Not to fail myself even one more time and feel guilty at the end of the year. 

Im not upset in the least that I have given up on trying to make once a year promises. Not one bit! Im rather glad that I wont see the disappointment at the end of the year when I realize I have waisted yet another year on a broken promise. I am not making promises to myself, no sir! I am opening my new year up to God.

Oh yeah, we went straight to the almighty with this next year! I plan on continuing my path with Jesus, his teachings, ministry work, enlightenment and love. Who better to make a promise to then the almighty. The one who created me, knows me, loves me for all my faults, and shows me grace every day. There is so much more then just myself, and I plan to find it with Him. Im tired of feeling like I fail, like I am alone, like I cant get my head above water. I need someone to help me through next year, someone to continue to give me hope, grace, love, and most of all direction! I love my husband dearly, but his shoulders are only so broad. God carries limitless amounts of burdens because He is great. I will worship Him, lead by example, and learn. I will do this not only in 2014, but in every year after because I realize I am a work in progress. Whats the saying? "Rome wasnt built in a day". I will no longer be an empty promise to myself but rather a daughter of the one true King.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Psalms 51: 10-11

Abundant blessing in a troubled year

This year has been one for the record books so far for our family. My husband quit ( in a joint decision) a good paying over the road job that kept him from his family, to take a less paying job that cut our income in half. A few months after that he was injured on the job ultimately snapping his acl tendon in  half and shattering the tip of a bone. But i remember thinking t could have been worse since the job before put him 200+ feet on tall buildings and he could have got injured there causing him to plummet to his death, but fortunately that was not the case.  We faught for months for workers comp, and still struggle every once in awhile to keep on them about paper work. Durring all of this we still were working with getting our taxes in order, which were messed up not once but twice by the company who did them and had to be managed through the IRS. Needless to say, 2013 was a financial and physical nightmare!

While all this has happened, I kept asking myself why. Why us, what had we done, and when would it stop? An answer kept ringing in my ear saying, keep your faith and hang on! We arent being punished or doing anything wrong, but I kept thinking we are to be an example. Even when thigs were going horribly wrong,  we needed to remeber that God was there, it could be worse, and that people needed to see that we still have hope and things to be thankful for and that we didnt blame God. 

We have had many blessings sprinkled through our hardships from people who have no blood ties to us, or any need to help us. But they did, out of kindness, out of love and because of their own relationship with Jesus Christ. When we were blessed it seemed like it just came out of nowhere but at the most perfect time. God knew we were going to be ok, despite everything falling apart, He knew, and he sent blessings our way to prove it.

In the beginning of the blessing it started with a package sitting on my porch. I had no idea who it was from, and I wasnt expecting any package, not that size anyways (I get the occasional freebie in the mail). I was skepticle and a little frighted to open a strange box but did. To my complete suprise it was a gift from an old classmate who I hadn't seen since sometime shortly after graduation from high school (im now 32, so a loooong time lol). But how wonderful it was to be thought of! At that moment we didnt feel so alone, or isolated from the world. We were a thought in someone elses mind for no other reason then just because.

We were blessed again and again by our church family when they started to pick us up for church when we lost our van. They helped us with a utility that had been disconnected, and we were racking our brains trying to figure out how to pay it and had already went 1 week wihout it. Again God knew and sent his people to work.  At thanksgiving time we were trying to figure out how to put a meal together and recieved a phone call a few weeks prior saying that we would be expecting a complete meal the week beforehand. We started worrying how we were going to get Christmas presents for the kids this year for 6 kids on $400 a week. Again, we were blessed with a phone call asking if we needed help with Christmas almost two days after me and my husband were talking about it. We were beyond blessed when individuals "adopted" our kids and went shopping for them. We were blessed again by a familly that helped us because they were in a place in their life to be able to share their blessing where we lacked. We ended up paying a utility bill that was being shut off that same week. Countless times a cousin and brother have given us gently used clothes (clothing 6 kids is a job in itself, but we love second hand everything, and my kids like finding a good thrift item).

Those are some pretty HUGE blessings! There were also prayers, words of comfort, smiles, hellos,  well wishes, and open ears and hearts, which are equally huge because it helps to the core. Its medicine for the soul! Those open hearts make our situation more bearable,  it feeds the hope, and reminds us that we are thought of fondly.

I am not writing this for sympathy. I am writing this to inspire people who are troubled, suffering or down, to reevaluate their situation and look for those blessings that might have been overlooked in the mess of things. Look and find those silver linings in the dark clouds. Renew your faith, or find it if you havent already. Cling close to those blessings and use it as a kind of life preserver and just HANG ON! You are not alone in your trials despite how dark and isolating the situation may seem. Wake up every morning with fresh hope, and a feeling of determination and love. When you start to feel down and overwhelmed, dig your heels into the ground a little deeper and stand firm in Gods promise,  " Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6

Meals on a Budget

1. Meatballs: These can be used in many ways so buy in bulk bags if you can, especially if they are on sale! We will cook them in spaghetti sauce and eat them over rice or as meatball subs (my kids favorite), then you can use any leftovers for spaghetti and meatballs. You can also bbq them. Any way you do it, it can feed a crowd!

2. Whole Pork Loins:  We like to purchase these a lot, mainly because it seems like they are always on sale. We will cut them into three or four roast, which in turn make several meals with each of those roasts. A favorite of ours is bbq pulled pork. The next day we turn that pulled pork into burritos, and have even used it to top scrambled eggs. You can also cut the loins into your own chops, and if you are feeling extra froggy you can even make your own fancy butterflied pork chops (we never do this just because they are so thick and cut down on the amount of meals we can make from the pork), but it can be done instead of paying the inflated price at the store.

3. Hamburger is also a versatile meat. It can be used for many things so buy in bulk and on sale when possible. It freezes easily and if you fry ahead it last even longer and makes meals a whole lot easier to prepare (examples include but not limited to, sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, taco meat, casserole meat, and our favorite hamburger gravy which we serve over mashed potatoes). 

4. Whole Turkeys, Chickens, and Hams:  When you buy these items it can make TONS of food by simply repurposing the meat into different meals in different ways. Out of a turkey, you can easily make 6 meals. We have done everything for turkey noodle to turkey pizza. You can also make your own stock and broth, and lets face it, those cans of broth from the store are a little pricey. A common mistake that people make with making broth is that they only boil the bones and bits of meat once, but in actuality you can boil it several times before it looses its juice. From one turkey I can get about three GALLONS of broth. I boil the bones until the liquid doesn't turn creamy or cloudy colored any more and I save my gallon tubs of ice cream containers to put the broth in. When I want to make noodles, I simply thaw the outside of the tub with hot water and dump the ice chunk into the pot (my kids love watching that part lol).
     As for my hams, I like to cook them in coffee, salt and pepper, and of course diced onions. The reason I cook my hams in coffee is because we love to make red eye gravy out of it. The ham juice pares nicely with the coffee and makes a killer gravy. We even make extra gravy to put over toast, scrambled eggs, or fried potatoes the next morning. A ham can be turned into many meals also, like slice ham sandwiches, quiches, casseroles, omelets, soup beans, etc. The list is endless!

5.  Veggies and Soups:  We go through tons of potatoes, carrots, celery and cabbage. All those vegetables are fairly cheap and can be purchased in bulk. Since the cold weather has set in where we live, that means its soup season! Last night we prepared a cabbage stew using all those veggies along side some stew beef that was on sale a couple months ago, some off brand sausage and some burger (all that meat cost only around $5). We ended up with a large roaster full to the brim with cabbage stew. We won't be able to eat it all, so we will freeze most of it and bring it out for a lunch sometime. Soups. stews and chili's go a long LONG way and can feed a crowd like no ones business. They also freeze well so don't be afraid if you make to much.

6. Bacon grease:  Yes, you read that right. I have a jar in my fridge that I keep all my bacon grease in.  I not only use it to grease my iron skillets, but I also use it to fry my potatoes in and to make gravy with. You can also make dressings for potato salad and wilted lettuce or greens.  It's like a jar of usefulness lol.

7. Noodles, Rice and Beans:  In a pinch you can almost always use noodles rice or beans (canned beans or dry are both kept in my pantry as well as a stock in noodles and rice). 

I have attached an example of a menu that we used for one month. You will notice that some things are used multiple times (things that can be purchased in bulk or be used in different ways). This makes your grocery bill smaller and makes meal time a sinch. It's also a good idea to create meals and snacks that your kids (if their age is appropriate) can help make, or make entirely to free up some time for yourself to do other things or simply relax.

 

Survivor

Boy, have we been busy here at the house! It feels like we are in overdrive with anticipation of fall. We have throw out, donated, purged, cleaned and rearranged the house and still have work to do. This all along school work, errands and church, but it still feels good. I'm hoping to have the entire house done by October and that includes weatherizing for winter.

Our house is old and drafty so we try to put thick curtains up and plastic over the windows. We make sure we put seasonal things away and the car has its fluids replaced and brakes/tires are in good order. We have a passenger van this year, and I just have this feeling its going to be a cold hearted van, meaning it will be a bugger in the winter. So, that means the battery will be tested to make sure we don't get any surprises with a dead battery. We are on a limited to non existent income due to my husband being on workers comp, so we have to seriously plan out every little thing and car upkeep is a doozy!

I have a plan in the works for a winter emergency kit for the car. We broke down once when we had  normal van, several miles from our home, and had no one with a vehicle big enough to pick us up so we were fretting over how we were going to get everyone home. Luckily it was summer and we didn't have the cold to worry about, and eventually we managed to get our van in working order and back on the road with all of us in it. It got me thinking though about winter and what I would need in case something like that happened again. So I want to be prepared with a box with snacks, blankets, candle/lighter, flashlight, heat packs, extra clothes etc. I would hate to think of having to sit along side the road waiting for an answer to prayers in the middle of winter.

We are pretty resourceful people. My husband and I were both raised by families who know how to take nothing and make it into something. Being prepared isn't always possible but it does good to be able to know how to wing it, which we have done with food, vehicles, home repair and everything in between. There are several situations that come to mind when we have had to rig something together to make due and it actually makes me feel glad to have the know how.

When our washer broke for the first time, my husband was working over the road and we couldn't afford to call in a repair man. I knew my husband was going to be home in a few days and he is always to fix our machines. So, instead of freaking out badly and spending a small fortune at the laundry mat to wash clothes for a large family, I decided to go "old school" and hand was enough clothes to make sure my kids weren't running around like naked savages. There are several ideas online on how to make your own make shift manual wash bucket. They work great! It's things like this that separate the women from the girls lol.

I haven't had much time to blog, but I have been compiling a list of quick, simple meals that are low cost that have helped us in a pinch. I thought maybe some of my readers would be able to use it as a guideline or helper to make life a little simpler and the wallet a little fatter. I hope to have that up and posted by the end of the month so keep an eye out.

Feel free to leave a comment on a situation where you had to "MacGyver" your way through something. I will be looking forward to seeing them. :)

On a Roll

We officially started our third year with OHVA (Ohio Virtual Academy) this Monday (8/26), and I was dreading the worst. It's difficult taking your kids from a brick and mortar school and trying to "re-train" their brains to think outside the social norm box. This year, however, was a great start despite the fact that I was sleep deprived from a teething baby, a toddler with  night terrors and another toddler who thinks my bed is HIS whole bed. Needless to say, our days started off slow and later then I had scheduled. We have breakfast by lunch time, dress afterwards but one of those days I pulled the "Walmart look" and wore my pj's to the store for index cards but hey, at least I wore a bra.

I had such great plans to keep things going this year and to have very little days where we deviated from our schedule, and while it doesn't start out at the times I had wrote down, we still keep it as an outline for things that need to be done. I even made myself a chore list to keep me on target for things that need to be done on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Things come up, and we know that, so we are using my schedules as more of an guide then an actual schedule. My kids need to keep that structure, but as a large family we have some chaotic days. I wish all my days were cupcakes and rainbows, but sometimes its more like burnt cupcakes and just rain.

The kids seem happy so far though with the e-schooling and chore sharing. The older kids alternate between rooms to keep things tidy, not spotless all the time, but at least controlled and that makes for a little less stress. My husband has even taken the time to help our youngest who is in kindergarten, with her study lessons. He offered today to help with all her lessons since they were short and it allows him time to get up and stretch is leg (which is recovering from surgery). She told him today that she loves school because its comfy. I just had to laugh, because its the pure and honest truth. We have so much freedom and so much more joy about learning now.

I have a feeling like if we keep up this pace for the rest of the year, that good can only come from it. I thought it was going to be such a challenge teaching three kids in three different grades, all that they needed to know, but so far so good. To celebrate a good smooth first week I have planned a surprise for Saturday. I am throwing my kids (and my husband too, since he helped) a party. I want them to feel the same accomplishment that I feel and to know that I want them to continue to do well and that their work has not gone un-noticed. I'm not expecting miracles, I know there will be bad days, but there will be more good then bad and that makes me happy.

Mommy's Helpers

Creating a meal plan has not only organized my nights, it has also made shopping and prep easier too. As a large family, meals can be overwhelming, and not just financially but mentally and physically as well.

Instead of having to go through my cupboards to see what things I can throw together, I just look at my menu, find something that sounds good, and go grab the ingredients. I know the ingredients are there because I use my menu as a shopping list as well. I always make sure to have starchy staples, canned goods and things that we normally eat as well as any special items I might need for a particular meal.

I make breakfast simple, especially for days that I know will be crazy. The lunches are always something the older kids can make, if need be, or leftovers from the night before. The snacks are things I can get in bulk, like popcorn, veggies and dip, fruit, gold fish crackers etc. The dinners are nothing elaborate or time consuming, but always filling and things the family enjoys. I throw in a few tester meals to spice things up. If the family likes them then the recipe gets thrown in the tickle file, where it can be brought out on occasion. 

I start my menu by looking at local circular ads from our grocery stores. The first thing I do is see what meats are on sale. Then I think up meals that the meat could be used for. Then I go to items on sale that can be used for sides, and my staple pantry items.

There are certain items I always like to keep in my pantry. Spices, sugar, flour, canned veggies, cake mixes, jello/pudding, noodles, dehydrated milk, beans, sauces, gravy, tuna/chicken, dressings, baking needs like soda, baking powder, vanilla and so on. I try not to run out of those things just in case I need to make a meal in a pinch. Some of our best meals, and most liked by picky eaters, are the meals we throw together. Sometimes its ok to just wing it on a meal, but menues can simplify your time spent with meals and kitchen time.

I have also made it a chore for the kids to each take turns doing dishes. My younger kids get a kick out if, my older kids not so much. Its a good life skill for them though and it gives me a chance to do other things that need to be done as well. I created a chore chart to remind me of things that need done on a daily basis as well as a weekly and monthly basis, to better keep my self on track as well as the kids. We have a "mommy helper" each day which gives them each a day to feel super special and to be with me as my sidekick. So far they are all enjoying it, and honestly, so am I. I plan to keep my menues every month so eventually I can just rotate meals and mix and match things , so coming up with ideas will become a little simpler.