Merry Christmas From Our Family... To Yours

Wordless Wednesday

We got to visit Santa at the mall, however my youngest started to scream when I put her on Santa's lap.  So instead I opted to join the picture and even told Santa what I wanted for Christmas!

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode Review – Control the Clutter

 

As previously mentioned, I am participating on the launch team of Crystal Paine’s new book Say Goodbye to Survival Mode.   Stay tuned for more posts as we prepare for the launch in January.  In Chapter 6 (Manage the Home Front) of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode, Crystal indicates:

“I truly believe that the less you have, the less time you spend on upkeep, maintenance, and cleaning.  Either you can control the clutter or the clutter will control you.”

Clutter and excess stuff is one of the most challenging things for me to control in my household.  We have A LOT of stuff!  A LOT of stuff no one touches for months (ahem…or years) in our house.  We have A LOT storage bins to contain A LOT of stuff, just in case we may need that item again.  I have an extra closet full of A LOT of extra clothes, just in case I wear a size 14 or 8 (pretty, pretty please) again during my lifetime.  The sad part is, when I actually do fit in those size 8 jeans again, they probably won’t even be my style anymore!

How does a full-time working Mom take control of all this clutter?  I believe Crystal when she indicates you will spend less time maintaining stuff, if you just do not have the stuff.  But what if you already have all that stuff, how do you get rid of the clutter?  I have three kids under the age of 8 and it seems like they are always bringing home more stuff; papers from school, toys from Grandma, books given to them by their cousin, stuff animals they win at the fair, the list goes on and on.  This is definitely my weak point, but I am going to share some of the outlets/techniques I have been successful at in taming down the “clutter monster”.  Most importantly, I have come to the realization, that my family will always have A LOT of stuff, but I am trying my hardest to keep it under control!

EBay – I get on kicks where I sell things like crazy on EBay.  I find that the items that sell the best on this site are items NWT (new with tags).  I try to find and post at least 5 items a week to sell.  My philosophy?  Ninety-nine cents is better than nothing, and it is now out of my house!

Facebook Garage Sales Groups – these groups have been popping up everywhere on Facebook.  I use “Mommy Stuff for Sale”, “Want it Out” and more.  Search on garage sales near your city.  I have sold A LOT of clothes, toys, miscellaneous household items, and baby stuff on this site.  Admittedly, I have also bought stuff off of these sites.  I have to keep the temptation down.  You would be amazed what (especially new) stuff sells for on these sites.  Bonus?  No shipping charges!

 

Resale Shops – Once a season, I take a laundry basket full of kids’ clothes to two of my favorite resale shops.  You do not get a whole lot for the items ($0.50-$1.00) a piece, but both stores I go to give you an extra 10% if you take store credit.  This allows me to essentially trade-in clothes my kids no longer wear for some “new to us” clothes.

 

Donate – I make a habit of keeping a box in my closet of items to donate.  I have not had much success selling adult clothes unless they are new with tags.  If there is something in my closet that I just do not wear anymore, I put it in the donate box.  My husband will do the same.  I also make a habit of donating shoes my kids never fit into any more.  I strive to have at least one donate box per month to give.  It is also so convenient because most will pick up right from your porch.  I always keep a running list of all the items I donate for the year for tax purposes (you CAN deduct those items)!

 

Recycle the Paper – When my son started kindergarten, I saved every paper he ever brought home from school.  Guess what I had at the end of the school year?  Yes a drawer full of overflowing school papers we never looked at again.  We keep a bin in our garage that is strictly for paper.  I go through my kids backpacks every night and review all the papers.  I now only save really important papers or projects they completed.  Everything else goes into the bin.  Just to warn you I once had a 5 year old call me a “bad mommy” because I tossed one of his projects in there which he found.  I do the same with the mail.  I go through and sort it every night and all unnecessary paper goes into the bin.

 

Recycle the Cardboard – Right next to our paper bin in our garage is a cardboard box.  In my community we have drop boxes for paper and cardboard.  We throw all of our cardboard into our garage box.  This includes cereal boxes, delivery boxes, etc.  Usually about every two weeks we have to go to our community’s site and dump the paper and cardboard.  This really helps reduce the amount of trash thrown out every week.  We normally only have one garbage can for 5 people.  I notice some people in our neighborhood will have 3-5 cans full!

 

De-clutter One Area at a Time – On long breaks (such as Christmas vacation, over Thanksgiving etc.) I challenge myself to clean out one area a day.  This could be a closet, a cabinet, a drawer, etc.  I only have to get through one a day so it is definitely manageable.  This past Christmas I was able to organize our coat closet, the pantry, both of my boys’ closets, the kitchen “junk” drawer, and the linen closet.  It really only takes about an hour to do one area, I try to do this during nap time.

These are just a few of the things that I do to tame the “clutter monster”.  I know I will never get to a perfectly clean, organized home, but that is not my goal.  My goal is to keep our stuff under control and not let it take control of us!

Does anyone else have any helpful tips to control the clutter that have been successful?

Go here for Post 1 of this series.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Au Gratin

I made this last night for my son's 5th birthday party.  The picture above is the "pre-baked" picture, I forgot to take a picture after it was baked.  It was a hit at the party and fed about 10 people!

Ingredients:
Head of cauliflower
Bunch of broccoli
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dry mustard
couple of red pepper flakes
2 cups of bread cubes (1/2" cubes)
olive oil
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in flour and allow to cook for a few minutes.  Slowly add milk and cream.  Allow to cook until thickened.
2.  Add all 3 cheeses, salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, and pepper flakes.  Cook on low-medium heat until all melted.
3.  In 9"x13" pan, put chopped broccoli and cauliflower.  Pour cheese sauce over vegetables and mix to combine.
4.  In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic powder.  Toss with Olive Oil until combined.
5.  Pour bread mixture on top of vegetables and top with a bit more of shredded cheddar.
6.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
7.  Enjoy!

**Party Hint - I use disposal aluminum pans when I make large party foods.  It makes for extremely easy clean-up!**

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode - 7 Day Challenge (Day 1)

I have been given the amazing opportunity to participate on a launch team for Crystal Paine's new book Say Goodbye to Survival Mode!  I have been huge fan of Money Saving Mom for years and it has helped me tremendously in learning how to coupon, save money, and save for the future.  Now Crystal is helping us become more organized, efficient, and effective in our daily lives!

Stay tuned for more post as we get closer to the launch date of January 21, 2014!

Right now I am participating in the 7 Day Challenge to Say Goodbye to Survival Mode!  You can join to by going to Money Saving Mom and look for the header at the top of the screen!

 

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode Challenge – Day 1: Learn to Say No

 

Today’s Challenge
Sit down somewhere quiet and compose a to-do list for tomorrow. Include everything on your plate, from the moment you wake up until you go to bed. When you’re finished, force yourself to immediately eliminate three items from your list. Just cross them out.

 

This is not a mind trick to make you feel more productive than you really are. Instead, it’s a way to help you start learning to evaluate your activities and commitments. Choose three items and get rid of them.

 

Let them go—no justification, no guilt.

 

Wow - this was a hard one for me.  I think as a Mom of 3 kids, you try to do all you can for your kids.  I often have a hard time saying "no, I cannot do that".  I am going to strive to evaluate things for longer before I say "yes"!

I often have a bad case of "mommy guilt" since I do work full-time outside the home.  Because of this, I often extend myself too much when it comes to volunteering at my child's school, after-school activities, alone time with my kids, etc.  I know personally that my children are happy, healthy, and content.  So this week, when the PTA asked for donations for bakery for a function at school, I said "No".  I do not have to help every time.  I knew it was going to be tough with Thanksgiving to find the time to do it, so I took time to evaluate before I decided.  The best decision ever!  Now I need to practice this every time!

 

 

Buffalo Chicken Sliders - Crock Pot Recipe

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup buffalo hot sauce (I used Franks)
2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
slider buns
ranch dressing
lettuce
tomato
provolone cheese

Directions:
Put chicken breasts in slow cooker and cover with hot sauce and spices.  Stir and cook on low for 8 hours.  Shredded chicken and mix back it in with the sauce (more or less depending how hot you want the chicken).
Butter slider rolls and toast both side under the broiler.
Put chicken on the buns along with ranch dressing, lettuce, tomato, and cheese.

Enjoy!

Success With Lose It!

I have one confession to make (okay maybe 2 or 3).  After having baby #3 last July, I lost my baby weight plus some baby weight from #1 and #2 without even trying.  I only gained 20 lbs with baby #3 and that weight plus another 10 lbs came off within 2 months.  When my baby was only a month old, I started having gall bladder attacks so I really had to watch my diet until I had it removed when she was 12 weeks old.  I truly believe that contributed to rapid weight loss also.

Fast forward one year, I have gained about 10 lbs of that weight back and I am not a happy camper!  Previously I could eat anything and it didn't matter, well in the last 3 months that "method" has caught up with me.  I have a goal weight range (plus or minus 3 lbs) and I have a maximum weight I want to weigh.  Well, last Monday I exceeded that weight!  Hello diet, goodbye fast food and sweets!

In the past I had success doing the Weight Watcher's point system in losing weight (like 12 years ago before we got married)!  I just exited the Blackberry age and entered the iPhone age about 2 weeks prior, so I knew there had to be an app out there and I found it!  I downloaded Lose It! and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!

With Lose It! you can track your weight, calorie intake, and exercise on a daily basis.  I set up a goal to lose 2 lbs per week for a total of 15 lbs.  After one week I already lost 4 lbs (guess I should slow down a bit).  It is amazing how much better my clothes fit and how much healthier I am eating.  This app works for me because I do not want to use up my daily calories on bad foods, it makes me think twice before eating.  It also pushes me to exercise, because when you exercise you "earn" more calories to eat for the day (hello, more food?  Yes please!).

I was already walking every evening, but now I have added an extra 30 minutes of brisk walking on my lunch break at work.  So I am normally walking 2 - 30 minute increments.  Each of my walks earns me an extra 100 or so calories a day. 

I am currently set up to eat 1024 calories per day, here is an example of my food intake for one day:

• Breakfast - 2 hard boiled eggs (155 calories)
• Lunch - Caesar Salad (221), croutons (46) and yogurt (147)
• Dinner - 1 cup pasta (221) with pasta sauce (79)
• Snacks - 7 Triscuits (120), 1/3 cup Colby Jack Cheese (147), apple (77)

I also exercised twice that day:

• 30 minute walk at a brisk pace (119 calories burned)
• 20 minute walk at a brisk pace (79 calories burned)

So I had one successful week down and I am onto number 2!

This post is linked at Workout Wednesday at The Not-So-Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom.