Quick, Healthy Dinners - One Week at a Time

Mommies, I've been meaning to share this link with you forever. I read about Aviva Goldfarb and The Six O'Clock Scramble several years ago in "O" magazine. Designed for busy moms, the Scramble is a simple, affordable weekly meal planning service. And, girlfriends, it rocks.

Here's how it works.

Once a week, you receive a meal plan, including both main dishes and side dishes, along with a shopping list. The shopping list is organized into grocery store departments - produce, grains, dairy, etc. You make a single trip to the store and you're set for the week.

Here's the best part. All of the recipes take 30 minutes or less to prepare. And they're healthy to boot! I used this service when I was just learning to cook and I was absolutely thrilled with the variety of styles and flavors. Not only did I learn loads about cooking; I also never had to come up with an answer to "Honey, what's for dinner?"

Fabulous, right?

A Very Barbie Birthday

Birthday parties scare me. Throwing them, that is; not attending them. Attending them is great.

Because I’m terrified, it would seem, of hosting a party in my home (the excuses are plentiful - ill-behaved dogs, cleaning requirements, prep time, a general lack of good ideas…), I’ve gone the easy route for the past three years.

Once upon a time, back in Seattle, I threw a great first birthday party at a local park. It was simple, cheap and consistent with my parenting philosophy. Since then, though, my options have been limited. Little Miss was born in August, and here in Dallas, there simply AIN’T NO GOIN’ OUTSIDE IN AUGUST, Y’ALL. (You like that? That was my Texas accent…)

My daughter’s last three birthday parties have been held at:
• A bouncehouse place
• A pizza place with skeeball
• A local gymnastics school

While all three parties were loads of fun, they were a bit more spendy than I would have liked and therefore not consistent with my parenting philosophy.

But I’m happy to report that a party we attended over the weekend may have convinced me that home parties are not only totally do-able, they can be really fun!

On Sunday we attended a birthday fiesta for one of the girlie girl’s preschool friends (she’s turning 5). The theme was (loosely - it’s not like the girls really cared) Barbie. The cute, simple invitations included a note that Barbies were also invited. When we got there, the mommy had prepared several simple, fun activities that kept the party moving, covered all the bases, and made everybody feel included. Nothing was over the top or unrealistically complicated - the whole thing was really nicely handled. And definitely as much fun (or more) as any of those big-ticket party packages I’ve gone with in the past.

On the assumption that some of you, like me, might be nervous about hosting a birthday party in your home, I thought it might be helpful to share a few of the things I thought were cool about the party.

1. It wasn’t too big. There were eight-ish girls in attendance and four mommies. And there was more than enough room for the girls to run around without knocking stuff over or bumping into each other.

2. The “Barbie dress-up” activity was well-organized and perfectly timed. The girls were given bowls of beads and string with which to make jewelry for their Barbies and themselves; and there was a bowl of Barbie clothes and accessories the girls could choose from to create an outfit. There was more than one of each item (no fighting over the “best” stuff) and some extras just in case. The girls worked on their dolls for a little while; and when they started to drift, as 5-year-olds do, it was time for the next activity.

3. They did a good old-fashioned beanbag toss! Isn’t it funny how the simplest activities are sometimes the most fun? The girls lined up and tried their hand at tossing beanbags through a brightly-painted piece of plywood. Brilliant! And not too expensive. I’m filing that one away for future reference.

4. Cookie decorating offered a cure for the mid-party snack attack and a quiet, focused activity everybody enjoyed.

5. Who doesn’t love a piñata? Although I didn’t personally witness this particular activity (there was wine for the mommies after all - key to any home party’s success, I feel), they hung a pull-string piñata and let the girls take turns trying to get the right string. And apparently my little girlie found it! For her, that was the best part of the party.

6. Cupcakes made cake-serving quick and easy, and both chocolate and vanilla were offered (super nice and very much appreciated by my chocolate-hating daughter).

Doesn’t that sound fun? I think my party-phobia just might be cured…

Have you done a home party you’re particularly proud of? Tell me about it!

Timer 2.0 - Who Knew??

Last week I wrote about ways for WAHMs (or ANYBODY) to stay on top of their housework amidst family and professional obligations.

One of my suggestions was to set a timer, giving yourself a specific amount of time in which to complete your household tasks. The goals are to a) force yourself to work faster and smarter; and b) avoid the "dread" factor by ensuring yourself that you're only going to have to work on those tasks you dislike for a short period of time.

Well, it occurred to me this weekend that perhaps the timer could have other uses...

Like (I assume) any mom of a preschooler, I struggle with keeping my little one focused, particularly on things she doesn't want to do - like cleaning her room, picking up her clothes or tidying up the playroom.

We recently implemented an allowance - tied to a set of simple weekly chores - which has helped, but still the announcement that it's clean-up time generally sends Little Miss over the edge. Because it seems like more drama than it's worth, I'm guilty of letting her procrastinate endlessly or do only a moderately acceptable job.

As of yesterday morning, her room was barely navigable, so I announced that it was, indeed, time to take it on. Before she had time to protest, I grabbed a timer and told her she'd have 20 minutes to finish her room. Since I also had chores to do, I told her I had to get the upstairs bathrooms cleaned in the same amount of time (thus eliminating the potential for "Will you help meeeeeeeeeee, Mommyyyyyyy?"). Naturally Ms. Thing wanted to know what would happen if we didn't finish on time. Since I hadn't thought that one through, I went with iPhone privileges. If I wasn't done, I didn't get to play iPhone scrabble, and if she wasn't done, she didn't get to play iPhone UNO.

Again, before the whining could commence, I started the timer and began RUNNING toward the upstairs bathrooms yelling, "Hurry! Hurry! We can do this!"

Much to my surprise, she followed me up the stairs and into her room, shouting, "Mom! Hurry! Don't forget to let me know how much time is left!"

I made a big show of "hurrying," running between bathrooms and panting as though I was exhausted. I'd shout, "Ten minutes left! We can do it!" and she'd reply, "Don't worry, Mom - I'm almost done!"

Whaddayaknow?? She finished her room BEFORE I'd finished the bathrooms and spent the rest of the time cheering for me. I pretended to cut it close, hanging up the final towel just as the alarm went off. There were high fives and "the cheer of greatness" (her invention) all around and, more importantly, NO DRAMA.

I tried it again later when we both needed to take showers and get ready. Again, she was finished first and thought all of my "rushing" was absolutely hilarious.

Sweet!

Now, I'm sure this little game will eventually lose its luster and I'll have to implement some kind of real consequences. But my thought is that, as long as I participate and keep the enthusiasm up, I can get at least get her once-a-week chores completed without unnecessary unpleasantness or procrastinating. For now, anyway.

Score one for Mom!

Overwhelmed No More - Getting Stuff Done!

Sort of a logical follow-up to yesterday’s post…

I don’t know about other WAHMs, but I find that I become easily overwhelmed when facing a work week that includes any of the following:

Doctor/dentist appointments
Preschool “changes” – short days, days off, weird drop-off/pick-up instructions
Extra work assignments*
A particularly dirty house OR
Impending houseguests/entertaining

*Extra assignments are great. I love them. I cherish them. They are a blessing. I can and do find ways to work around them. There – moving on.

There are a couple of ways to approach these situations: 1) freak out and act bitchy all week while running around frantically and being largely unproductive; or 2) find a way to get everything (or most everything) done without losing your mind. Most of the time, after an initial freak-out, I opt for #2. Here are just a couple of tidbits I’ve picked up along the way for making it work.

Plan Your Work/Work Your Plan
For a neat freak like me who doesn’t mind housework and lives for the efficient completion of errands and appointments, this is often the best approach. Since I don’t dread getting things accomplished, just become frustrated when there’s not enough time, I can usually set my mind at ease by putting together a plan at the beginning of the week that includes a sub-set of tasks to be completed each day.

For example, if I’m expecting houseguests on Friday, I might spend the early part of the week doing my usual household upkeep (just a few tasks per day) and the end of the week getting the guest room ready and shopping for meals. If there’s an extra “something” happening on a particular day – an appointment or a school event – keep your task list light and save time-consuming items for another day.

Also, I try to find things I can let slide, if just for the week. Let's be honest - - my dinner guests won't notice if I've not dusted our master bedroom in two weeks. If time's tight, it's off the list. Putting my plan on paper goes a long way toward eliminating worry and ensuring that my expectations for the week are reasonable.

Set a Timer
If you loath housework and errands and the very thought of getting your task list completed makes you want to put a fork in your eye, consider the timer approach. Set aside a single hour (or half, or 15 minutes) to attack household tasks. You work only until your time’s up, and save outstanding tasks for your next session. I do this with my work assignments sometimes, actually. I allow myself to spend 45 minutes of each hour working on the things I want to work on, and then spend 15 minutes working on those things I’ve been dreading. You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish this way while not feeling oppressed by those tasks you dislike.

Get the Right Tools
I’ve found that the right tools make all the difference when it comes to homemaking. And I don’t mean a maid (unless you can afford one, in which case GO FOR IT and then send her over here, wouldya?). Once upon a time we had a functional Roomba. If your birthday is coming up, ASK FOR ONE. That thing made my life as a mom and pet owner a thousand times easier. While I had to do a deep clean every now and then, my carpets and hard floors were, in large part, clean all the time with no effort on my part. Lovely.

Recently, I invested in a steam mop. Highly recommend it. I have a humongous kitchen with white tile floors and not only does it show absolutely everything, it takes forever to mop. When it starts to get dirty, I panic, especially if anyone outside our immediate family will be setting foot inside our house within the next few days. The steam mop is going to be a lifesaver. It deep cleans my tile and hardwoods in minutes without any scrubbing, buckets or icky water. Yay!

There are loads of things out there designed to make housework easier. While hard-core homemakers often scoff, I immediately investigate – and so should you! With the right tools, even the most dreaded tasks can be over in a flash, and you can get back to the work you (hopefully) love.

Good luck!

All About My Mom

Happy Friday, all. Thanks again to Facebook for a fun way to waste a few minutes. A college friend tagged me for this one and I couldn't resist. The idea is simple - ask your kid some questions and see what she has to say.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
"Don't get in trouble."

2. What makes mom happy?
Being good.

3. What makes mom sad?
Ouchies.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
Knock knock jokes.

5. What was your mom like as a child?
Blonde hair.

6. How old is your mom?
Five fifteen.

7. How tall is your mom?
This tall (hand on my head).

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
Work.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Go to the doctor's office.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
Daddy.

11. What is your mom really good at?
Jumping rope.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
Hockey, because she doesn't know how to ski.

13. What does your mom do for her job?
Play with me and make sure I'm safe. (covers me with kisses)

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
Quesadillas.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
Playing with me.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Snow White.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
Play in the sand, play games, have fun! (kisses me) I love you, Mommy!

18. How are you and your mom the same?
Wearing the same clothes and having the same ponytails.

19. How are you and your mom different?
Wearing different clothes and.... I'll be right back.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
The hugs.

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
Chili's.

22. (She added this question) What makes Mommy burn?
Candles.

23. (Also added) What makes Mommy hurt?
A bad owie that's red and that's bleeding.

Featured Artist -- StoneCafe Creations

This week's featured artist is Kris Stone of StoneCafe Creations. A fellow Fabulous Artistic Mom and Etsy shop owner, Kris offers a candid peek into her life as a stay-at-home mom through her camera lens.

Tell me a little about yourself and what you do.
I am a wife, mother, and photographer. I stay home with my two precious boys and do some photography on the side. I mostly do portrait photography and some photo journalism. But I do get some images I would love to share with the world, and that is how I got started in Etsy. Random pictures of life in general!

What 3 words best describe your work?
Random, fun, photography


What inspires you?
Motherhood. There are so many things that are apart of motherhood that I have never really seen photographed. The picture of "Mount-never rest" is one of those examples.

What drives you to create what you do?
I need to create. If I don't I think I might go crazy! Motherhood impacts a lot of what I take. I am working on a year (or years) long project of taking creative pictures that represent motherhood. I also include pictures of complete randomness... like flowers with bees on them. Flowers are part of life and to find one with a bee on it is completely random!


What makes your work unique?
It random. It's about life in general. But it is random.

What role does your work play in your life?
It comes in third place. Above all, God is first, but in regards to my family, I am a wife to my husband first, a mother to my two boys second, and if I have some time, I can play with my photography.

What role would you like your work to play in your life?
I like where my photography comes into my life. It's how I unwind. I have set a rule for myself, if photography impacts the way I care for my family, or my relationship with God, then I have to put photography aside until I get things right.

How do you see your work and/or your business evolving in the next five years?
I am planning to continue to do photoshoots and develop the business more, but I am hoping to do more with selling random pictures and having more caption contests.


Where can we find you on the web?
Shop: http://his4ever247.etsy.com
Blog: http://www.stonecafecreations.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/his4ever247

Are you an artist or craftsperson? Would you like to be featured here? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment here with a link to your shop, and I'll be in touch about future opportunities.

Dear Kid Saturday

Welcome to this week's installment of "Dear Kid." As always, full credit to Christina of Cutest Kid Ever for the fabulous idea. Want to write a "Dear Kid" letter of your very own? Learn more about how to participate here.

Yeeeeeeeehaw, cowgirl!

This week was "Texas week" at preschool and you were really into it. I find it hilarious, by the way, that every time I break out the camera now, you feel the need to model for me. Where in the world did that come from? You silly thing.

Our week got off to a bit of a rough start. Sunday night I caught you watching TV in the playroom at about 10:45. That was a new one - you'd never come out of your room after bedtime before, and I certainly never expected to find you hiding up in the playroom. We had a little talk about how important your sleep is (and how sneaking around is not OK), and got you back to bed, but you were up bright and early the next morning at 5:15. Although you insisted you weren't tired, you sure were grumpy all day. This not-sleeping-much thing seems to be a little bit of a trend, and I'm hoping it doesn't last long. I'm kind of thrown for a loop - it's not as though I can make you sleep. Maybe it's just another way you're trying to exert some control over your world. It's hard to be three, huh?

After the crazy game of family freeze tag we played Monday night, you'd think you would have slept in Tuesday morning, but you were up at 5:00 again. I was a little worried that you wouldn't make it through preschool, but you actually did fine. You wore a fabulous outfit that day, by the way - brown skirt, bright pink and yellow striped socks, light-up tennis shoes, too-small Colts jersey, and a tiara. Lately you really like to choose your own clothes, and I feel like it's a good way to let you express yourself a little bit. I tend to think if I let you have control over things that don't so much matter (what's for lunch, what you're wearing, what kind of craft we'll make, etc.), you're be more likely to listen when it's time for me to be in charge. So far, so good. Besides, what's the harm in mismatched clothes if they make you feel like a princess when you walk out the door, right?

We had a very interesting conversation on Wednesday about "showing off." For some reason, you pressed hard for a precise definition of "show-off," and then spent a long time trying to convince me that you "never ever ever are one." I asked whether something had happened at school, but you insisted that you were just "wondering." I think there's more to that story, but I didn't want to push it.

On Thursday, you got to wear your cowgirl outfit to school. Fun! That hat sure did look funny on you! When I picked you up, though, you seemed sort of sad, and you told me that one of the girls had forgotten her cowgirl stuff. I asked if she'd been upset and you said, "No. I just felt sad for her." That's so sweet, girlie girl. I'm so glad to see that you're starting to think about how others feel - now we've got a great foundation to work from on a whole lot of interpersonal issues.

You were bored Friday morning, so I decided to let you "cook." I pulled a bunch of old stuff out of the pantry, gave you some water and some measuring spoons, and let you go to town. Here's what you made:


Mmmmmm.... muffins! That was fun, huh?

I love you so much, sweet girl. Can't wait to see what next week has in store for us.

Sincerely,
Mommy

Sunday Funday - Have a "Campfire!"

Credit where credit is due on this one - my girlie came up with this fabulous idea on her own. Essentially the idea is to simulate a camp-out in your living room, complete with darkness, campfire, hot dogs, smores and ghost stories. Take it from a mom who absolutely dreads the nightly "witching hour," this is a great way to get from nap time to bed time with a happy kid, while still getting all those pesky nighttime tasks taken care of. This is also a perfect activity for rainy late afternoon when everybody's suffering from a little cabin fever. Here's what to do:

1. Turn off all the lights in the house (and shut the blinds if there are outside lights nearby).
2. Grab a flashlight for each member of the family.
3. Start a fire in the fireplace and/or turn on your favorite "crackling fire" DVD.
4. If you have a fireplace, you can avoid the kitchen entirely and cook your hot dogs right there. Otherwise, make dinner together in the kitchen by candlelight. For a preschooler, it's really the lack of overhead lights that makes this activity so amusing, not the fire itself.
5. Follow hot dogs with smores, either roasted over the fire or melted in the microwave (again, your kid won't care).
6. If a bath is part of your standard bedtime routine, pretend you're bathing in "the river," and use only flashlights to "light your path" to the tub.
7. Follow bath time with story and/or song time, with everybody sitting in a circle on the floor in front of your "fire."
8. When it's time for bed, send everybody off with their flashlights to find their "tents." If you have sleeping bags, this would be a great excuse to use them!

Voila! Your kids are fed, bathed, happy and in bed. Now, Mom and Dad, flip the lights back on and pour yourselves some well-deserved Cabernet.

Got a great family activity idea you'd like to share? Click on the "Contact Me" link at the top and shoot me an email. Planning to try this week's activity at home? Come back and leave a comment when you do - I'd love to hear how it goes!

Dear Kid Saturday -- Half Birthday Edition

Welcome to this week's installment of Dear Kid Saturday. As always, credit for the great idea is due to Christina of Cutest Kid Ever and Uncharted Island (which, fellow LOST fans, is just for you). Please pop in and say hello after you're finished here.

Dear sickie,

You poor thing. You got sick right at the end of the week and had to miss several things you were looking forward to on Friday. Today it looks like we're not going to swim class either. Sorry, kiddo. Let's get rid of that fever so we can have lots of fun tomorrow, OK?

Monday morning started with some very serious pretending. You wrapped up one of your stuffed puppies in a blanket, put her in a cradle, called her "Bella," and told me she was a real baby. You took very good care of her until you decided to be a hockey player instead of a mommy. We set up a fun game of hockey in the kitchen with spatulas and marbles, and you ran around like crazy. You were pretending to be the announcer and you insisted there were three players on your team - you, your "brother," and your "sister." Your pretend brother and sister are becoming pretty important around here lately. I need to be careful not to sit on them, we need to bring them a fork at dinner time, and we have to always be on the lookout for your brother's car on the road (apparently, he always parks right next to us at the store). You tell everybody we meet that your brother is a super fast runner and that he's as tall as our ceiling. You have such a great imagination. Speaking of imagination, you told me a pretty fabulous story on Monday too. It went a little something like this: "When the princess was born, she got killed by a witch. The end."

You were super funny this week in general. You told me you loved me "under God, with liberty, and Justin for all." You were watching something about a dog show on TV, and you told me you wanted to "trade in our dog for a precious poodle." And, on a sweet note, out of nowhere you said, "The reason why I love you is the reason why you're my best friend." Aaaaaw. Thanks, Sweets.

On Wednesday morning, you were all business. You informed me that you had a lot to do and disappeared into Daddy's office, and then later, to the playroom. It's so strange for me that you're so independent all of the sudden, but I know it's good for you. Aside from "checking on me" (thank you, by the way), you stayed out of sight most of the day. I could hear you singing and playing upstairs with your stuffed animals and the dog, but you didn't need Mama one bit.

Thursday was your half birthday and you were ALL about it. When I picked you up from preschool, we went to get cupcake ingredients at the store. I let you pick out the cake mix, the icing, and the sprinkles, and you literally danced through the aisles to the checkout stand. You were singing a little song about "cupcakes for my half birthday," and you made sure everybody in line knew about it.


It's so much fun to make things together in the kitchen now - there are lots of things you can help with, and you stay interested for a long time. You got a teensy bit anxious about waiting for the cupcakes to cool, but, overall, you were incredibly patient.

I felt so bad for you when you woke up yesterday with a fever. No dance class for you, and it was supposed to be your performance day. I know how hard you worked on your dance, and how excited you were to show it to me, Daddy, and your grandma. You were disappointed, but you understood why we had to stay home. We don't stay home all day very often, so we had to really get creative to keep from getting bored. We played the world's looooooooongest game of Memory (look!), watched a movie, and finally broke out the craft supplies to make some super cool jewelry.


Seems like you're feeling better this morning, and I'm so glad. I want you back to your usual silly self as soon as possible. Get well, chickadee. Can't wait to see what kind of fun you have in store for next week.

Sincerely,
Mommy

Dear Kid Saturday

Happy Valentine's Day! May your weekend be filled with love and laughter.

Dear Snanna,

That's your superhero name - isn't it the coolest?! Even as I type this, you're practicing your kung fu and hurling fireballs at me. Luckily, you've given me "super ice powers," so I "won't have to worry about getting burned up." Whew!

This week absolutely flew by. You were filled with creativity and cuddles, and all the weird behavior stuff from last week seems to have simply disappeared. I'm both relieved and proud of you. I knew you could do it!

Monday morning started with our weekly playdate with L. When we got home, you told me you were done being a superhero. You informed me you were going to "consummate on being a princess" (oh my goodness!), and then broke out the dress-up box. Once you were equipped, you spent the rest of the morning upstairs in the playroom, which is becoming a bit of a trend. I love that you're becoming more independent and are able to entertain yourself... but don't forget to come by and say, "hi" now and then or I might get a complex.

When I picked you up from preschool on Tuesday, I could tell you'd had a great day. Even though you were excited, we gave nap time a try. You spent a long time upstairs singing a funny song about poop at the top of your lungs - you silly thing! There was a thunderstorm rolling in anyway, so we gave up on sleeping and instead had a lovely chat about birthdays. You're obsessed! You told me you can't wait til you're 10, "just like Dad," and you made a long list of things we're going to need for your next birthday party. I hated to break the news that your birthday's not til August, but you didn't seem to care. Apparently the party details are more important than the date.

That night, we had some crazy weather and the tornado sirens went off again. I had to run upstairs and get you out of bed to hide in the closet with me and Dad. As usual, you were totally unfazed - just grabbed the "storm shelter toy kit" and started coloring a picture of a pony, which, by the way, you informed me would be a really good addition to your birthday party.

We had a lively discussion Wednesday morning about cartoons. We're going to California in March, and I told you about it. You said you wanted to visit Handy Manny in Hollywood. I tried to explain that we can't visit cartoons, but it didn't go over well. I think somehow you felt cheated - like cartoons are nothing but a lie. I was sympathetic, but didn't know how to make it better. You seemed pretty sleepy, so maybe you were just feeling extra sensitive. I used the opportunity to talk about how important it is to get your sleep (since you've started staying up late and playing in your room), but you weren't having any of it. I guess that's a pretty tricky connection to make when you're three.

That night I let you make your own dinner 'cause Dad was running late. I'm not sure how it started, but we decided to sing the instructions, and things got pretty loud and funny in our kitchen. You wanted cheese toast, so I let you put it in the "popper" and then the microwave by yourself. You also did the veggies and some fruit - nice work, girlie girl! When Dad got home, you spilled the beans about his Valentine's Day surprise ("Nice Krispy Treats"), but you insisted that you'd "said it quietly, so it's still be a surprise." Oh well - we sure made Daddy laugh, and he'll enjoy those Nice Krispy Treats anyway.

We had a special lunch together on Thursday after preschool and the gym, and you wanted to talk birthdays again. It occurred to me that this Thursday is your half-birthday, so I suggested a celebration. Instead, you were mad that you're just NOW turning three and a half. You said, "Mom, you've been lying to everybody!" I attempted to explain "approximately," but finally had to agree that you were right. Honesty is very important to you right now, and I definitely don't want to give you the impression that fudging is OK. I'm sure this was the first of many such discussions to come...

You had your dance class yesterday morning, and I couldn't believe how much you've learned! Just two weeks ago, you were frustrated that you couldn't point your toes, and now you can point and flex like a pro. When you guys practiced your dance for parents' day (I was peeking), you remembered all the steps and watched your teacher like a hawk to make sure every move was perfect. Great job! At the gym, you made me a valentine, and you made up a brand new language so you could say, "I love my Mom." It sounded kind of like "Flerf," but I didn't mind.

Last night you let Mommy and Daddy go on a date for Valentine's Day and spent the evening with "Tiny and Big," as you affectionately refer to your grandma and grandpa. You got a great report - apparently you were a model citizen. I'm not surprised.

I love you so, my little Valentine.

Sincerely,
Mommy

Super Cute Handmade Valentines in a Snap

As a card-maker, it's rare for me to find myself without an occasion-appropriate papercraft on hand, but earlier this week I realized, at about 8 PM, that my daughter needed 28 valentines for her preschool class the next morning. Given that I had nothing pre-made, and simply didn't have the energy to put together anything too terribly elaborate, I was thrilled to find these super cute printables on the Secret Agent Josephine blog. I was able to create these adorable "valenpops" in four easy steps:


1. Print 'em on fancy schmancy textured card stock (or don't - I just happened to have it).
2. Trim 'em up.
3. Attach a flat lollipop (we used Jolly Rancher heart-shaped pops and attached them with Zots, but I'm sure any old double-sided tape would do).
4. Sign 'em.

And voila! 28 cute, creative, and preschool-appropriate valentines in under 30 minutes. Frankly, my kid loved them more than anything Mommy's ever made, so I didn't even have to feel guilty for not planning ahead. Many, many thanks, Josephine (if that's your real name) for saving my sanity, my pocketbook, and my little girlie's reputation!

Sunday Funday - Go Bowling!

Parents, ever find yourselves faced with a bored kid, no plans, and zero ideas? Ummmmm... I do. All the time, actually. To help myself (and you) avoid this potentially terrifying situation in the future, I've resolved to start keeping track of the activities (only the successful ones) we've tried as a family and post them here each weekend with some quick pros and cons so you can decide if the same activity might work for you. First up, bumper bowling!

Pros:

1. Amusing for almost all ages.
2. Reinforces taking turns or (as illustrated below) teamwork.
3. Kid-friendly food and drink available at the venue, but not a required expenditure.
4. Can't be mastered quickly, requires practice and perseverance to get better.
5. Great for multifamily get-togethers.
6. Once the general ground rules have been established (don't cross the line, bother the other bowlers, or smash your fingers, basically), potential for adult conversation while the kids play.
7. Relatively inexpensive.


Cons:

1. "Extras" can get a little spendy (e.g. video games, food, etc.).
2. Potentially grungy and/or smokey - be sure to check the venue's indoor smoking policy ahead of time.
3. Tricky for non-walking siblings - be sure to bring a containment device for anyone under 12 mos.
4. Potential for long waits if you go on a busy night - leagues and birthday parties are your enemies. Call the venue in advance to see if there are lanes available.

Be sure to let the staff know you want the bumpers up for the kids in advance to avoid gutterball-induced frustration. You may want to bowl with them too - you'll be amazed what they'll do for your score!

Apparently No Longer Out-of-Character Food-Related Post

Alright, I can no longer act like it's weird for me to post a recipe here now and then. I admit it - I cook. And it's actually kind of fun to share a favorite recipe via the ol' blog, don't you think?

So, this week's EtsyBloggers blog carnival theme is holiday traditions. Over the last few years, our family has been developing a Christmas brunch tradition (as opposed to a Christmas dinner tradition). The logic is pretty simple. First thing, Christmas morning when you've got eight adults trying to wrangle kids, coordinate the present-opening, keep track of the stockings, keep the baby out of the tree and the dog out of the kitchen, and keep your own eyes open after staying up WAY too late playing wrapping gifts and playing Wii (just sayin'...), the last thing you want to do is start the preparations for a big giant Christmas dinner that will take all day to prepare. Right?

Enter the make-ahead brunch. All of these dishes feed a ton of people and can be made the night before (quickly, I might add, so you can get right back to the wine and Wii), popped in the fridge, left overnight, and then baked in the morning. So the order of business Christmas morning is:

1. Wake up
2. Get the coffee on
3. Preheat the oven
4. Start opening gifts
5. Pop the brunch stuff in the oven
6. Finish opening gifts
7. Take the brunch stuff out of the oven
8. Enjoy a delicious family brunch
9. Relax and play with all the new toys for the rest of the day!

Doesn't that sound lovely? You might even squeeze in a nap.

This year, due to travel schedules and such, we're having our big family brunch today. I can say with confidence that each and every one of these recipes are fantastic, having tried various versions of each over the years and settled on what you see here. NOTE: Should you try these recipes, your brunch will look absolutely nothing like the photo at the top of this post. The photo has been provided solely for illustrative purposes - you know, to illustrate the general fabulousness of brunch. Casseroles, while equally fabulous and delicious, are not equally photogenic. Take a look at what's on our menu this morning:

Baked French Toast

5 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk (for a more traditional "French toast" consistency - for more of a bread pudding effect, double the milk)
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 loaf French bread, cut in 1 inch slices

1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon maple syrup

The night before:
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, half and half and vanilla. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture and place into a lightly greased baking pan (9 x 13 or larger). Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning:
Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter, sugar and syrup and spoon/drizzle mixture over the bread.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden.

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Sausage and Egg Casserole

3/4 pound ground sausage (any kind)
1 tablespoon butter
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
10 eggs, beaten
1 (16 ounce) container low-fat cottage cheese
1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chile peppers, drained

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted

The night before:
Cook sausage and set aside. Melt butter in skillet and sautee onions and mushrooms until tender. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and chiles. Stir in the sausage, green onions, and mushrooms. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hash Brown Casserole

1 (2 lb) package frozen hash browns, thawed
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

The night before:
Combine hash browns, butter, salt, pepper, onion, soup and cheese in a large bowl. Pour into lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Cover and refrigerate.

In the morning:
Preheat oven to 350. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambrosia Fruit Salad (my version)

1/2 container frozen whipped topping, thawed
8 oz. sour cream
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 lb. strawberries, sliced
blueberries (optional)
3 cups mini marshmallows

The night before:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix together well, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning:
Serve and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There you have it! And with that, I'm off for my final pre-brunch preparations. Merry early Christmas!

Another Totally Out of Character Food-Related Post

I know, I know. If I keep doing this, I can't keep calling it "out of character."

This week's Etsy Bloggers Blog Carnival topic is Thanksgiving, specifically our favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Since, for most of the last 10ish years, our extended family has been scattered about the United States and we never know where or with whom we'll be spending our Thanksgiving, I'll have to confess that we have.... well, zilch in the way of traditions. So I thought instead I'd share with you one of my mom's recipes - a simple, sweet and tangy fruit salad - that is one of my favorite parts of ANY family holiday.

Supremely retro, this particular frozen fruit salad has been a staple at holiday meals since I was a kid. Since there's nothing complicated involved, and I have a three-year-old who adores a) dumping things in a bowl and stirring, and b) marshmallows, we usually prepare this dish at our house for any family gathering. And if we can do it, you most certainly can too.


Beat the cream cheese til fluffy. Blend in sour cream, salt and sugar. Fold in (drained) fruit and marshmallows. Pour into freezer-appropriate pan and freeze overnight. Voila!

Quaint? Certainly. Yummy? You betcha. Tradition? For us, anyway.

Totally Out of Character Food-Related Post

This week's EtsyBloggers blog carnival topic is recipes. While I may not seem like the four-course dinner type, I have been known to whip up a tasty dish now and then. And, generally, being a fan of lower-fat and lower-calorie alternatives to traditional ingredients, I do my best to feed the masses without clogging their arteries or causing unsightly bulges around their midsections.

I want to give credit where credit is due - the vast majority of my all-time favorite recipes, particularly the ones that I freeze for later, come from Cooking Light magazine's supercool searchable database. I'm fairly certain that's where this one came from as well. This is a great recipe for casual family dinners when it's chilly outside and you feel like serving something with a little "substance." Add a salad - mixed greens, some fruit, pecans, a vinaigrette perhaps? - and you're done. For you cook-ahead types, this does freeze well. Divide it in half, place in two separate freezer-friendly dishes, and freeze before baking.

Without further ado, I present the best spinach lasagna recipe EVER.

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (about 1/3 cup)
1 (12-ounce) container 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
12 cooked lasagna noodles
1 (27.5-ounce) jar low-fat chunky mushroom pasta sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Beat the cream cheese at medium speed of a mixer until smooth; add the cottage cheese, sour cream, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and eggs, beating well. Add the onion mixture and spinach, and beat well.

Spread 1/2 cup of the spinach mixture in the bottom of a 13 x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over the spinach mixture; top with 1 cup of spinach mixture, 3/4 cup of pasta sauce, 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake at 350° for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese; bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 413 (29% from fat); FAT 13.3g (sat 7.5g, mono 3.7g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 26.7g; CARB 47.9g; FIBER 5.3g; CHOL 90mg; IRON 4.2mg; SODIUM 834mg; CALC 400mg;

And there you have it. Relatively easy and absolutely delish. Enjoy!

Etsy Finds in Action - My Photography Obsession Pays Off

If you're keeping track, yes, it's the 9th of July and my 9th post in July. I've resolved to update daily this month, and by golly, I'm going to do it!

You may recall a recent feature with Hilary Hitchcock wherein I confessed that I'd make a couple of (ahem) purchases in her shop. As actual purchases (as opposed to trades or SNS secrets) are a bit of a rare occurrence for me, it was a pretty big deal. Well, I'm thrilled to announce that I finally managed to acquire some frames and have prominently placed my fabulous Etsy finds on the poor lonely white wall in my dining room. Pretty much the first things you see when you walk in the door. Take a look.


At the far right of this arrangement is one of my all-time faves from LJ Design & Photo, "Which Way Today" from her Route 66 series. Across the room, I'm proud to show off another LJ original, "Ladybug and Bee," which my daughter is positively obsessed with.


My apologies to Hilary and Lorissa for not doing their work justice with my horrible lighting and atrocious fake tree (please don't judge me too harshly - absolutely NOTHING will grow in that corner). I suggest you check out their work for yourself! The Hilary Hitchcock prints can be found here, here, here, and here.

Moving Target - What is the Definition of "Success?"

This will likely be short and sweet (or less sweet than simply to-the-point - you be the judge when we're done), but when I saw that the EtsyBloggers blog carnival topic for the week was "Success," it got my wheels turning...

It's interesting how much the concept of "success" has changed for me since I started the business (or, more accurately, since I opened my Etsy shop). When I started, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in February, I was very focused on sales and specific sales goals. As we discussed in May, I'd hoped to reach 100 sales by a certain point, and I achieved that. That, I thought, was the definition of "success." The more sales that came rolling in, the more "successful" I felt. In fact, at one point after I'd hit 100 sales, someone convo'd me and referred to me as a "successful Etsy seller." I was thrilled!

But, ironically, when I read this week's blog carnival topic, my sales weren't the first thing to come to my mind. In fact, the first thing to come to my mind was my schedule! I know, I know... If you read the blog regularly, you undoubtedly think at this point that I'm a time-obsessed nut job, but my schedule represents something really important to me - my ability to balance my "selfish" endeavors (i.e. the business and my volunteering) with my more important endeavors (i.e. mommying). It represents my ability to separate the designer me from the Mommy me, and the fact that I'm finally able to do something for myself without compromising my kid's confidence that no matter what, she's my first priority. Thanks to that schedule, although I assembled 60 custom thank you cards, printed 170 invitations, listed several new designs, upgraded my Trunkt portfolio, blogged, and participated in promos today, Natalie and I spent no less than two hours together huddled over her favorite puzzles, had a fabulous lunch together, took an always-exciting trip to the craft store, and managed to get Daddy’s birthday present wrapped before he got home.

And that, my friend, after all the trial and error and desperate attempts to figure out how I would get it all done and still feel OK about my role as Mom... that is what success means to me right now.

Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan - My New Mantra

As my tone of late might be implying, I've been having some trouble fitting everything into my ever-busier schedule. With orders going up (woohoo!) and shopkeeping activities a necessary part of daily life, even my "foolproof" system has been failing me a bit. While it definitely helps to designate certain days for certain areas of focus - Monday Monday, Trashy Tuesday (not what it sounds like), etc. - I find that I'm constantly frustrated at my seeming inability to ever get ahead. I'm able to maintain, but just barely, and when it comes to exploring new ways to grow my business... forget about it. I constantly feel like opportunity is whizzing by me and I'm just an hour or two shy of being able to take advantage of it.

Recently a friend and fellow work-at-home mommy gave me some great advice. She suggested I create a schedule for the week that includes everything - meals, chores, my daughter's classes, showers, workouts, and even transit time. Once that was complete, I'd be able to see how much time I really had to devote to my business, and could schedule individual activities into each available block of time. Since I was tearing my hair out and willing to try anything, I actually made some time two Sundays ago to do it. It was an elightening exercise, let me tell you. No wonder I was feeling frustrated! It wasn't just that I was feeling like there were never enough hours in the day to get everything done, there actually weren't enough hours in the day to get it done! When you factor in all of my daily responsibilities and keeping up with my orders (the best part of my day, by the way), there are, on average maybe ninety minutes a day in which to promote the business, pursue new opportunities or explore new avenues.

Seeing my daily life on paper was a serious wakeup call. I realized immediately that I was going to have to reset my expectations. Although I hope it will be someday, my business is not my full-time job, and to expect to approach it as though I have 40 hours a week to devote is to set myself up for constant disappointment. I'm not going to pretend like that's sitting well with me, but I know it to be true, and am working on aligning my mindset with my reality.

To that end, I made a long list of things that I wanted to accomplish and began to plug them into the open spaces on my calendar, literally in 30 minute increments. Some promotion-type things I set up as recurring appointments just so I don't have to remember to do them on a regular basis. For a few biggies (like finishing those new designs or working on my invitation portfolio), I actually blocked out 2-hour chunks and simply re-arranged some of my daily commitments to make it happen. I have to admit that the activity was really empowering. It forced me to accept that I cannot do it all. And it challenged me to find creative ways to re-arrange the boring stuff to allow for more exciting pursuits. And you know what? So far, think it's actually working. So far, at least. I mean, look! Here it is 12:30, my calendar says "Blog," and I'm blogging! Wha'dayaknow...........

Order from Chaos - How I Get It All Done

So, I sat down last weekend to review and revamp my "system." The moms among you know exactly which "system" I mean. The "system" (and, yes, I'll stop using quotation marks now) is what gets things done around here. It's the way I ensure that somehow or other, amidst playdates and potty training, I manage to keep people clothed and fed, and maintain a (somewhat) orderly environment. I have two systems actually - one for Home Management (capitalized 'cause it's important) and one for everything else. I tend to think of the Home Management tasks as requirements and my non-houseworky tasks as goals. Goals are those things that somehow move me forward in some area of my life, be it career or art or simply the pursuit of happiness, as opposed to those housewifey-type things that require hours and hours of work just keep things the same. Up to this point, my system for accomplishing goals has consisted of a list of projects I'm hoping to get to - paint that rocking chair, make an appointment to meet with that shop owner, mock up that invitation, get that scrapbook done for my dad's birthday... Not particularly formal, but it does help to have it all on paper.

Just recently, I've added a couple of important elements to my extra-mommy activities. First, I opened my Etsy business and began promoting my stationery line in earnest. Second, I've been volunteering with a local womens' group. While I very much enjoy these activities, I've noticed an appreciable increase in TV time around here. As you mommies know, TV time is the best indicator of the attention you either are or are not giving to your children. If the TV is on, you're probably doing something else while your kid is parked in front of it. Personally, I don't much like TV time, so when I see it becoming our primary at-home activity, I know it's high time to sit down with a pencil and get my priorities in line.

To get us started, let me show you what my system looked like before (and I apologize in advance for a couple of cheesy mnemonic devices). The tasks you see outlined below are those tasks that I generally save for naptime or early morning before anyone else is up. While my daughter's awake, we do our daily chores, i.e. general picking up, laundry, errands and dishes. The system just helps me organize those things that only need to be done once a week. The idea is to get through the task-of-the-day and then use any kid-free time I have left over to get cracking on my goals list.

• "Money Monday" - pay the bills, balance the budget
• "Trashy Tuesday" - collect and take out the trash and recycling, scoop up the dog poo
• Wednesday - clean the bathrooms
• Thursday - dust and vaccuum
• Friday - clean the kitchen and sweep/mop hardwoods and tile

At this point I should also mention that I cook only once a month, usually the first weekend. I get a big list together beforehand, head to the store on Friday, and get to cooking Saturday morning. By Sunday night, I have 30 two-person meals prepared and frozen. When my husband comes home, which is often fairly late, I just defrost and throw together a salad. The cooking system evolved after lots of trial and error. I just found that, although I generally enjoy cooking, I don't enjoy cooking after 8 PM, and we don't have the money to constantly order out. The cook-ahead thing has been a huge money and time saver, and I highly recommend it to moms that are looking for more time for artsy stuff.

Aaaaaaah, artsy stuff... That brings me to the problem I encountered when I tried to fit all my brand new 2008 activities into my otherwise foolproof system. All the little "tasklets" related to my volunteering and entrepreneurial endeavors seemed to require my constant attention - database updates, emails, outreach, networking, shop maintenance, design - and there simply were not enough hours in the day. Plus, when I tried to do a little of everything every day, I found that I wasn't able to focus enough on any one thing to feel that I'd actually made any headway. And then naptime was over, I felt frustrated and (yes, I'll say it) resentful that I couldn't seem to succeed at the things that were important to me. Having never been one to stick with status quo when it's obviously not working, I knew that I had to make some changes before I became completely overwhelmed and gave up on all the fun stuff.

Hence, the revamp. I'm banishing the chaos and spiffing up the system. I will GET IT ALL DONE if it kills me! And I'll enjoy every minute because I'll know that I'm WINNING the battle for balance. To get started, I had to prioritize. First, I made a list of all the activities related to my business and volunteering, and determined how often each needed to be done. Then I took a look at my goals list. If an item on the list wasn't directly related to my business, I immediately moved it to the bottom of the list. Since the business is still in start-up mode, I have to expect that certain things will take more time. Once I feel like I'm really up and running, I can get back to things like painting those chairs. The process was sort of painful (I really wanted to believe I could do ten things at once), but I'm extremely optimistic about the result. The idea is that, each day, when I find myself with time to focus, I will first attack the Home Management task-of-the-day and then move on to my business/volunteer tasks. If something doesn't get done on a particular day, I just push it to the next day until I get caught up. And so, without further ado, here it is, complete with brand new mnemonic devices to help me keep it all straight.

• Daily (early AM and late evening) - email, social networking, promotion, shop maintenance, add new listings
• "Money Monday" - do the Macaroni and Glue books, purchase supplies
• "TDWCC (the name of my womens' group) Tuesday" - focus on volunteer activities
• "Working Wednesday" - assemble orders, package, and ship
• "Thinking Thursday" - put together outlines for blog posts and cue up as many interviews/features as possible for the coming week
• "Forward Friday" - map out next steps for the business, research new avenues for marketing, set up meetings
• "Wonderful Weekends" - design, assemble and photograph for the week's listings

And there you have it! It sounds like a lot, but I swear it's manageable! I'm one week into the new system and, not only did I keep the house running as usual, but I made it through my new weekly list AND got two handmade gifts out the door for family birthdays. Woohoo! And I only stayed up until midnight........ Ok, I stayed up until 1:00 a couple of times. Ah, well. What can I say? It's a work in progress.

Macaroni and Who?

Ok, so I've gone about this all wrong. I set up a little blog on another site - fine, nothing wrong with that - but I've since realized that you a) need to be a member to comment, and b) would never find me there if you googled til your fingers fell off. So, if it's not too much trouble, can we just start over? Just forget about the past and make a clean start of it? Let's pretend we've just met - I'm smiling, you walk up, we shake hands. Good...

So, new friend, let me tell you why I'm here. I'm a mom, I'm an activist (more on that as we get to know each other), and I'm a budding entrepreneur. As of today, I've been papercrafting for a little over a year and have been selling said papercrafts for about six months. At the suggestion of my sister (finder of all things cool online), I set up shop at Etsy about a month ago. I continue to promote and sell my stationery line among friends, family and referrals outside of Etsy, and in the coming months I hope to begin approaching local boutiques about wholesale opportunities. I also really like parentheses... but you knew that already, huh?

I expect that this blog will largely focus on my own creative journey - my design process, the work I churn out, and the process of turning something I love into a sustainable business. I expect that there will be ups and downs along the way, and I intend to share them with you as they happen. For example, I had 10 sales in my first 30 days on Etsy (yay!), but it took Trunkt.com no more than an hour to reject my first portfolio application (ouch). As someone who crafts and sells stuff, I find it interesting to read about others who craft and sell, so I hope to be able to provide some perspective and insight as I try to figure out the best ways to do both.

You'll probably hear a fair amount about my family as well - my 2-year-old has more of an influence on my creative process than any other single factor and my husband, although supportive, has concerns that all this crafting might be compromising the housework....

In addition to me and all things me-related, I intend to use the blog to spotlight some of the amazing talent I find every day over at Etsy. It is so exciting to be part of such a dynamic and creative community! At least weekly, I'll feature someone or something that I've found to be truly special in my daily travels through the Etsy-verse.

And on that note, I have a couple of cool things for show-and-tell today! I have featured her before, but for my inaugural macaroniandglue.com post, I am giving it up once again for one of my all-time favorite designers, rubypearl.

Her women's line is stunning and her designs for kids are ridiculous (in the best sense of the word).

And back in my studio this week, there are antique sketchbooks galore. I've just begun work on a series of notecards with graphics created from drawings of children from 1907. You can see the first two of the series here and here.