WFMW- Dry Skin Relief

My skin gets soooo dry in the winter.  We have a humidifier, I drink lots of water and try to use lotions when I have time.  Nothing seemed to help, I was still itchy!

Then I tried this in showermoisturizer from Olay.  I love it!  It is quick and it really works.  No more itchy legs and back :)

I am sure there is a better for you solution, like slathering on coconut oil all over, but " ain't no body got time for that"

I need a super quick solution, so I don't have to get up any earlier than I need to.  I'm lazy like that.

So, for my dry skin, Olay in shower moisturizer works for me!

Costumes-WFMW

We use what we have for costumes at our house, and rarely buythem.  Occasionally we will buy pieces that can be used again.This past year, we were Princess Leia, Troy Palamalu (with wig), a basketball player, and a pumpkin.  Amy is really too old to dress up, but comes along for the candy.  Our neighborhood has no other children, so ours each get a bag of candy, gifts or money at each house!

In years past we have been:
smores
the statue of liberty
an ice cream cone
scarecrow
a multitude of sports characters
an indian
a nurse
a doctor(scrubs are cheap at goodwill)
lots of princesses
dinosaur
a knight
Harry Potter
Elastagirl from the incredibles

My favorite story of Halloween was when Andrew wanted to be an African American football player- I think it was Edgerrin James,a Colt.  He said, "I look just like him mom".  I replied that "you have different colored skin is all."  and He said "Oh mom, no one ever looks at that anyway!".  Ahh, the innocence!

How to have more peace in the backseat!

With 4 kids and often our neighbor in the backseat, it seems we were always having squabbles over who gets to sit where and by who.

To solve this we numbered popcicle sticks and assigned a number to a seat.  Whatever numbered stick they pull out is assigned to that seat.  It was amazing how they learned to work together to get to sit where they wanted too.  "I get car sick", "I don't mind sitting in the back" replaced the fighting, they traded around. 

Now we just have to say, "pull a stick" and they figure it out peacefully.  I still keep them in the glove box though.

We originated this on a trip to the Grand Canyon.  We had been driving a lot with 5 kids and the  fighting was horrible.  After a quick trip to the DQ, with each of them getting a dilly bar, we used their used sticks and created this system!
Good Luck!

Recipe- Stuffed Peppers

Ok, so please know that I strongly dislike (we try not to say hate too often around here) green peppers.  Any peppers, really.

A friend gave me a bag of green peppers from her garden and I thought I would give stuffed peppers a shot.  I looked through a bunch of recipe sites and couldn't find what I was looking for.  They were either too fancy, too unhealthy, or just gross sounding.  So.... I made up a recipe, for something I didn't think I would like.

I cooked them in the crock pot too!  When I got home from work, I thought eww the house stinks like peppers!  Once I tasted them, I changed my mind about the poor, defenseless green pepper.  These are so good.  2 out of 4 of the kids liked them.  Ann is my harshest critic, and Andrew thought they looked  "disgusting".  He will try one after football practice though.

I used ingredients I had around the house.  I used leftover spaghetti sauce from our meal last night too.  Regular tomato sauce would work too I guess.

Tia's Stuffed Peppers

Filling:
 2 cups brown/wild rice
1 pound browned turkey sausage
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 onion diced small and browned  in olive oil (kids can't see them)(you could add peppers too, remember I don't like them though :)
2-3 cups spaghetti sauce (depending how saucy you want it)
Mix all together.

Cut the tops off and deseed the peppers.  Fill with the filling and sprinkle with some cheese( I used Mexican cheese, because that is what was in my fridge)

Bake in crock pot on low for 3-4 hours.  I turned it on "keep warm" until we could eat them.

Making Breakfast ahead of time(recipe)-WFMW

This is my happy little morning boy, Aaron.  He is almost 14, a twig of a boy.  I try to "fatten" him up whenever possible.  He runs, plays basketball and is in constant motion!  He burns sooo many calories that it is hard to keep his weight on.  (as for me, it is flip flopped-ugh!) 
He loves biscuits and gravy, so I started making a huge batch on Sunday and dividing it up into glass storage bowls for him to reheat every morning.  It is working, and he says it still tastes great.  Homemade always tastes better! 
I keep muffins and pancakes made in the freezer also.  The girls think biscuits and gravy is gross!

Biscuits and Gravy

I use frozen biscuit dough because I am lazy!  I will try homemade this summer. I make one whole bag of Kroger brand biscuits.
While they are baking I brown 1# of breakfast sausage.
Add 1/2 stick of butter as it is finishing browning
Once there is no longer any pink, add 1/4 cup flour and combine
Add in slowly 3 cups of milk and stir
Allow to thicken and add salt and pepper to taste.

I put 1-2 biscuits, sliced in half, in a bowl and then add the gravy to cover.

That's it- yummy!  It works for me!

Less Stress Mornings

With all 6 of us leaving for school and work in the morning, life at our house can be quite hectic.  Here are some things we have done to create less stress.  You will notice I didn't say "no" stress, because some is inevitable!

1.  Clothes out the night before.  This way we are not looking for socks, or clean clothes in the morning when there is little time and I can't wash and dry them that fast!

2.  Pack lunches the night before.  Joe and I share this responsibility.  I try to have carrots, apples chips etc.  portioned out on the weekend so we just grab and pack at night.

3.  Kids pack their backpacks the night before.  They usually find a paper that needs signed or a forgotten assignment before its too late this way.

4. Prepare for the next day.  Swim practice bag packed, track bag packed etc.  I can't take forgotten things in as often now as I work full time, so it has taught them to be prepared.

5. Have quick breakfast foods available.  The kids make their own breakfast for the most part.  I make a big batch of Biscuits and gravy on Sundays and portion it out for the boys breakfasts every morning.  They just heat up a single serving container and they have a filling breakfast.  Bananas and breakfast bars, muffins, freezer pancakes are always available.

6. Our totes.  Each child has a tote for their backpack, coat, shoes etc.  If they put things where they belong, it works great!  It helps a lot when they get up late etc. to know where everything is quickly in one spot.

These tricks work for me!

Chore sticks-WFMW

We have started a new system for doing chores.  The kids each take 4 sticks and those are their chores for the weekend.  I give them the whole weekend to get them done.  I am tired of nagging, but I need the help!  I put some fun ones in there too, like make cookies etc.  The kids seem receptive to it and it is easier for me than assigning chores.  It is random, so no more "it's not fair!" arguments!

How to take an affordable vacation-WFMW

We love family vacations.  With a big, active family it is hard to stay connected and make memories sometimes.  Vacations are good for our family.  With money tight, it can be very hard and seem almost impossible at times. Here are a few ideas that have helped us and may help you too.

1. Find friends or relatives to stay with or use their condo etc.  I know this isn't always an option, but look into it.  We stay at a friends condo in Hilton Head for a fraction of the cost most condos go for.

We have had so much fun staying with friends in Arizona, Texas and Florida.  It saves money and is a lot of fun.  Locals are great resources for sight seeing etc. too.  Don't be afraid to ask, most people are happy to have visitors, especially if they live far from family!

2. Use discount sites. We have had great luck using these sites(priceline, hotwire etc.) for hotels and airfare.  I have learned though to call a hotel and tell them the deal you are getting on a discount site and a lot of times they are able to match or exceed the deal and you can gain the travel points.  It is easier to change or cancel a reservation if it is through the company rather than a discount site too.

3. Plan ahead.  I start buying gift cards for meals etc. months in advance.  I save up all my credit card rewards, rebates and gifts to be used on vacation. That way it isn't such a shock to your budget when you do go on vacation.  This past trip we had $250 in meal cards and $250 in cash cards for gas saved up.  That helps a lot. Also, call ahead or research the area you are going to.  Often there are free events, but you have to sign up early.  The case in Washington DC for us was that we had to write our Senators to get tours of the White House, the Capitol building and the Bureau of Engraving 3 months in advance, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to go.

4. Take advantage of free stuff.  Parks and tours in popular areas are often free.  Hiking and looking at God's beauty is also usually free or low cost.  Our last trip to Washington DC was full of free tours.  With DC though, you have to plan ahead for tours.  See #3.  Our favorite thing in DC was a free walking tour recommended by my brother.  The guide was a retired teacher and he was awesome! He will only take tips! (Walk of the Town tour! btw)

5. Eat in.  I know it is vacation and I want a break too, but with a family of 6 any meal out is expensive!  We limited our meals out and ate in most nights.  We do, however go out for ice cream, Starbucks, pretzel from a street vendor etc. occasionally but this is a lot less expensive than a meal.  While on the road we are pretty much forced to eat out, so eating in isn't as big of deal during the week! 

6.  Enjoy the unexpected.  We don't have cable at home, so watching cable at the condo is a fun part of vacation.  Eating in isn't such a big deal when it saves time that we can watch "Storage Wars" after dinner! Enjoy walks on the beach(free), playing tennis, ping pong, or shuffleboard at the condo(free), runs or walks(free), and reading lots of books by the pool or beach (free)!


By doing these things you can relax and enjoy your vacation without breaking the bank or worrying how this is going to get paid for.  It also teaches your kids that these vacations are a privilege and to be grateful for the time away.  It also teaches them to live with less.  I know this is counter cultural, and can be hard for each of us.  Baby steps!

One of the kids favorite things about the Washington DC trip was riding on the metro!  It wasn't free but a means to get where we needed to efficiently and affordably!

WFMW- free stuff

Works for me Wednesday is a weekly event over at We are That Family <--------.  Click on the sidebar to see what it is all about.  A lot of great hints and tricks!

Here is mine for the week: Look for free offers online and near you!

A free Quart of paint at Ace Hardware
http://www.acehardware.com/coupon/index.jsp

This offer is ONLY for this Saturday at participating Ace Hardware Stores, and can be color matched. 
I love Paint! especially when it's free!

Works for Me Wednesday

I spent last weekend at a youth retreat in Pennsylvania.  Whew, I am still getting back into the groove after being gone on Monday too.  Menus will start again next week.  We are eating mostly freezer meals this week, which I love. 

My Works For Me  Wednesday today is no TV on weekdays for the kids.  We don't have a huge home, so if one person is watching TV, it effects the whole family.  There were always squabbles over what to watch, we don't have cable so the choices are limited.  Kids being pokey in the morning.  Homework was a battle at times too, with TV on in the background.
We tried time limits for each kid, waiting till homework was done etc.  Nothing really worked well, and I was always the bad guy.

So, we just decided to just give TV up during the week.  It worked wonderfully.  There are no gray areas, its just off.  They know on Friday after school they can watch TV.  We are currently watching a lot of Antenna TV, Father Knows Best, Dennis the Menace etc.  It's great!

We do allow for some exceptions.  When someone is home sick, if the Colts are on Monday night football, when a storm is headed our way etc.  Other than that, it's off. 

 Joe and I do watch TV after the kids go to bed some.

Our home is so much more peaceful now.  Works for me!

How to refill a swiffer bottle

This has saved me so much money and time.  I tried all different ways to get that thing off.  I then saw on Pinterest a way to remove it quick and easy.

Fill a measuring cup up with boiling water and dip the tip of the swiffer bottle(the screw on cap side) in the hot water(make sure it is boiling).  I let it sit there for a  minute or so and remove and turn the lid.  It screws right off.

I fill mine with vinegar, water, Shaklee basic H, and a little Isopropyl alcohol.  Works great!

How to Make a Menu Plan

Menu planning can be overwhelming to some, but if you start out simple it won't be.  Here are some tips I have learned along the way.

1.  Look through your pantry and freezer and see what you already have on hand.  I freezer cook with a group of friends, so I usually have a stash of ready made meals in my freezer.  I also double recipes and stick one in the freezer for later a lot.

2.  Ask your family what "sounds good" and what they would like for dinner.  Sometimes I get the same responses all the time, but other times I get "we haven't had .... for a long time".  Since it is fall, we eat a lot more stews, soups and crock pot meals.  In the summer we grill out more, so marinated meats are better.

3.  Try something new.  I try to attempt a new recipe once or twice a month.  If I have planned for it then I know I will have the ingredients on hand.

4.  Checkout the grocery ads.  See what is in season or on sale.  I stock up on things and put them in the freezer too. 

5.  I also try to balance meats.  A couple beef, a couple chicken, a pork, a meatless etc. 

I have found that having a menu helps me so much in a few different ways. 
      I go to the grocery less, because I have the meals planned out. 
      I am less stressed about dinner in the evening.
      The kids complain less, because they are helping in the planning, and they know they will get their "favorite" soon, if it isn't today.
      It reminds me of how grateful I am that I can feed my family and buy food for a week or more at a time.  A lot of moms around the world can't say that. 

Don't be a slave to your menu. Mine is just a guideline. We don't always eat what it says on a certain day. A lot depends on our schedule. I was at the grocery last night and found a cut of meat on clearance for the crock pot, so it needed to be used up soon. So that is what we are having tonight instead of spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs are in the freezer, so it can wait.

I also like to have a list of available meals on the side of my fridge, so I don't forget and let something go to waste.  Luckily I have a big freezer and can store a lot of extras.

Lessons-Family Traditions

Family traditions

“Whatever its biological inheritance from its parents and other ancestors, the child receives also from them a heritage of attitudes, sentiments, and ideals which may be termed the family tradition, or the family culture”.

Social scientists now agree that effective family traditions promote a sense of identity and a feeling of closeness, a sense of security and assurance in today’s fast, hectic, and ever-changing world. William Doherty, a social scientist has explained in his book “The Intentional Family” that as family bonds are weakened by busy lifestyles, families can stay connected only by being intentional about maintaining important rituals and traditions.
(source: Wikipedia)

Easter was yet another reminder of a big parenting lesson we have learned along the way. Having traditions, rituals, habits, that you do every holiday etc. is so comforting to kids. No matter what their age.

A friend of mine who has college age kids told me this week that she couldn't find her kids Easter baskets this year. She thought, "no big deal, they are older and won't care." She was wrong. They scoured the attic looking for them and were genuinely upset that they were not going to be hiding them.

Our kids remind us of traditions we have, and insist on doing them every year, for every holiday, vacation etc.

Some fun traditions we do:
Hide the Easter basket
Birthday cake for Jesus as breakfast on Christmas morning
Pictures with signs on their first day of school
"Survival kits" for all long road trips
Kids' Date nights on vacations
Daddy gives only the girls a Valentine
New Years family goals for the year
12 year old mission trips
Blessing kids before bed
Birthday dinner choice
Christmas treats for our neighbors
Christmas ornaments from vacation spots
Many more that I can't think of.....

Lessons...

Another lesson we have learned is to always be a student.

Be a student of your children.

Learn what their "Love Language" is and/or just what they like and dislike. Learn what they are good at, and what frustrates them. Learning these things helps you know when something is bothering them, or has gone awry.
I always thought this would be easy, I live with them, right? It isn't that easy. It actually takes being a student of them, lots of time and questions.

Be a student of parenting. Read books about what you are struggling with. Pray and read what the bible has to say about parenting. Memorize those scriptures.

Be a student of parents you respect. We try and "watch" and learn from those parents whom we respect. Seeing first hand how other parents handle conflict etc. can be very helpful.

Be a student of yourself. Know where you are lacking and work on it. Areas like, patience, anger, and conflict management cause me to read, watch and learn. They don't come natural for me. A constant prayer that comes from my lips for these things.

Parenting lessons we have learned....

I am starting a new series on parenting. For the 3 of you who read this!haha
We are not perfect parents(just ask our kids:). This is just some lessons we have learned along the way.
1.Be active

Be active in the kids life. Sometimes just by being present, sometimes being intentional and sacrificial.

Being active in their school and education is crucial. Our kids go to a very large school system. Especially, compared to where we went to school. We make a point to volunteer, attend field trips etc., so that our teachers and administrators know us personally. When asked to be on boards, focus groups etc, do it. We feel the more our face and name is "in there", for good, the better. Teachers love knowing who a parent is. It gets harder the older they get, but still there are ways. I volunteer on hospitality committees, bringing in food and lunches for the staff at all three schools our kids go to. PTO, focus groups, and classroom help are other ways. Teachers rarely say no to help! Kids behavior improves too, if they know you are on a first name basis with their teacher, or that mom may walk by any minute!

Being there for concerts, games, competitions. Kids love to see you there, even when they say they don't care if you come. My boys even ask, "how did I play Mom?" "how did I do?" Just begging for the affirmation.

Being there at home. Just being present, is all that is needed sometimes. Andrew stayed home from school yesterday, sick. I think the one on one time was needed as much as anything. What I struggle with is not JUST being present, but available too. I am always busy doing things. Laundry, meals, cleaning etc.
Example:
Tuesday is laundry day at the Bennett house. Aaron came home from school and then piano grouchy. He was even borderline disrespectful to the piano teacher. All very uncharacteristic for Aaron. He got out of the van and went to shoot baskets. I really needed to fold laundry and get dinner going. Instead I went and rebounded for him. He was quite shocked, which speaks poorly of me. We talked and played for 30 minutes and his mood lifted. He never told me what or if something was bothering him, but the quality time was worth it.

One on one dates are another great way to be active in our kids life and speaks value to them. The more kids you have the harder it gets. Amy and I had fun going to Kroger the other night. It was only 30 minutes, but we laughed and joked and was good for both of us.
Ann likes doing crafts with me and now going to goodwill with me too.
Andrew loves games and puzzles, especially if he can beat me! Each kid is so different!
These things are sacrificial of our time, and are not always fun for us, but the kids need it. It also takes being intentional and not just "getting by", planning and doing is so important.

Parenting is a process and we are learning as we go.

Corkboard turned Card Holder

Corkboard turned Card Holder

This is a great idea Ann and I will be making this week.

Love Talks

We had a memorable dinner last night.  Nothing really profound, but one I will always remember.  

Every once in a while I pull out the  little table top flip chart called "Love Talks for families"  by Gary Chapman.

The first question was:
#29 Tell family members about a compliment or affirmation that you've received recently from someone outside the family.

This one didn't start the conversation flowing like I wanted, so I picked a different one.

Question #52 Each person comes up with a separate answer for every family member: "I know that something that drives you nuts is...."

Well, let me tell you, we have very perceptive kids.  They were imitating each other, and laughing and then laughing at each other laughing.
I went last and Joe announced (inadvertently), "now everyone tell Mom what drives you nuts about her."

Well, happy Mothers Day , lets tell Mom what we don't like about her.  Funny.

We got it figured out, and they were spot on.  I guess I'm pretty transparent.  
Aaron said "well you don't really say it bugs you, but you keep it inside and I can tell."  WHOA.. what?  He then went on to make a face, that I guess I make, when I'm keeping it inside and they all agreed he was spot on.

These kids, always reminding me of ways that God needs to keep working on me!

Works for me Wednesday

Organizing personal data has always been tough for me.  I used to keep it in a lock box, then I would have to hunt for the key to open it.  All of the papers were thrown in together and I would have to hunt through everything.
I devised this little accordion folder found at Target on clearance a few years ago, into a safe place to stash all of our important papers. 
There is a slot for each one of us and our dog.  Items that are included are:  passports, birth certificates, ss card, shot records etc.  I keep it in my closet, so no one else messes with it.
It works for me.

I am linking up to Works for me Wednesday here

Before and After- kinda

Before:  Not truly, because I didnt think to take a picture of the ugly single sink counter before we burned it.

After:

The grout and sealing is done.  We changes the color from periwinkle blue to a Robins egg blue, looked almost green compared to the blue.  We changed out the drawers for tilt outs, since the sink takes up too much space.

The change increased the value of the house and hopefully will help teeth brushing battles.

Well, there was still screaming and gnashing of teeth last night, but baby steps....

DIY- uses for the old christmas pictures

I love Do It Yourself projects.  In fact we have 3 huge ones in process right now.  I have even more in my head, just waiting to find the time to do them.  After updating our calendar last night with the kids sports schedules, I think the next time I have time to do something is 2015!

I started doing a Christmas picture board a few years ago.  I love getting Christmas pictures in the mail, they are always pretty and keep us up to date on friends and family.  The kids love looking at it, and it makes a great conversation piece. Mine is hanging in the kitchen.

This is last years, it looks a lttle sparse compared to this years, bt we  love it.