Thursday, April 9, 2009

Bedtime routines.

Bedtime can be the most hectic time of the day. There are a few tricks that you can use to make bedtime go just a little smoother. In my house the evenings are for relaxing and spending some quiet time together. Having a set schedule for the evenings is a great way to start. My kids go to bed at 7:30 so starting at 6:30 after we eat , we clean up dinner and do some quiet activities. My son usually pics playing a game. This way they get to unwind a bit after a big dinner. They get about 30 minutes of quiet time then it bath time. A nice warm bath is a great way to calm them and get them ready to sleep. Another big one is putting them to bed in there own beds. It is very important for a child's development that they learn to sleep alone. Its a skill imperative for adulthood. I put the kids to bed with a story and tell them goodnight. I then turn off the light. There is no TV on and no distractions in the bedroom. TV is one of the worst things to have on during bedtime. It will keep them awake and will ensure a tired crabby morning. If you stick to a strict bedtime routine then the kids will get used to it and will fall asleep quickly without fuss. Kids are very open to routine and they thrive very well on it. Thank you again for stopping by.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Recipes for busy moms.

I have compiled several recipes that are very easy to make and also kid friendly. Enjoy. :)



The first recipe that I love is quick and easy and kids love to help.
Quick biscuit pizzas.

You will need 1 can of biscuit dough, pizza sauce,cheese and whatever kinds of toppings your kids prefer. With a rolling pin, even a can or a glass jar will work well. roll out the biscuits so they are flat and round. bake in the oven on 350 for about 10 to 15 min depending on how fast your oven cooks. When the dough is slightly brown on top add the sauce and cheese and whatever toppings you want. My kids love peperoni and lots of cheese.


This next recipe is very simple.
Spaghetti Carbonera.

This recipe I make often it goes with most any veggies and is very quick to make.
You will need spaghetti noodles, the amount would vary on how many people your cooking for I usually use about half a box for my family that feeds 4 people. You will also need olive oil, about 5 tablespoons.1 package of bacon browned and chopped into small pieces and then salt and pepper to taste. boil the noodles til they are al dente depending on your taste. add the bacon, salt,pepper and olive oil toss together. I also usually sprinkle some parmizion over the top and serve with veggies and garlic bread.


This last recipe is a favorite of mine, I make it often.
Biscuit Donuts.
You will need 2 cans biscuits, I prefer to use the homestyle ones. 1 cup of brown sugar. 1/4 melted butter. 1 Tablespoon of Cinnamon. A deep pot or deep fryer.
Heat the oil till its about 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer a good way to test this is by getting your finger wet and dropping a bit of water into the oil, if the water pops and sizzles then the oil is hot enough but for sure you don't want the oil to smoke.
The first thing you will want to do is make the glaze. Put the sugar,melted butter and Cinnamon into a bowl and mix well, set aside. Drop the biscuits into the oil and brown both sides .. these cook very quickly so you don't want to walk away from them. then pull them out drain them on a colling rack over a paper towel. Let them drain for a minute and then drop them into the sugar mixture just untill coated. Let them sit for a few minutes to cool.

I hope you enjoy these recipes there will be a lot more to come. Thank you.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Staying organized.

I have a lot of tips to stay organized. It makes such a huge difference in the day when the house is not full of clutter. The biggest piece of advice I can offer is to downsize. Starting in the kids room I Take a box and fill it full of toys that I don't see them play with often. I put it into the garage first for about a week . If there is nothing in that box they miss I get rid of it. Thrift stores and shelters are a great way to get rid of clothes and toys that you need to get rid of. I use the same rule in the rest of my house. I clean out all the closets and organize drawers about once a month. Its amazing how fast stuff just collects. Another clutter problem in my house is clothes. My daughter changes her clothes 5 or 6 times a day and of course her clothes get worn for a few minutes, then go straight into the laundry hamper for me to have to wash again. I set my kids clothes out for them at the beginning of the day, they get to chose between 2 outfits. That way they are still choosing their wardrobe and it cuts down on laundry.Closets are another issue, my closets always collect clutter. when I decided to tackle a closet I start with clothes. anything I have not worn in 6 months or I know doesn't really fit goes to goodwill. Anythings out of season goes right into storage, if you don't have a anyplace to store items, Rubbermaid makes tubs that will slide right under your bed. Any odds and ends that get piled in my closet I make to piles. One that is stuff I know I use and one pile of stuff I haven't used in 6 or more months. I tend to do this quickly or else I know I ponder it and end up keeping more then I would like to.The pile of stuff I don't want to keep I do not look at it I just get rid of it. You would be surprised how good you feel if you simplify your day and cut down the clutter. I hope you had a great weekend and find my blog helpful.

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Weekends - Family time.

Saturdays are great days to do something extra special with the kids. I know by the end of the week my kids are wound up and craving a little extra attention. What activity you decide to do should be based on your child's personality. My kids are all different and getting them to do one specific task at the same time is nearly impossible. So what I do is let each child pick something they want to do. My daughter is a huge fan of peanut butter play dough. My son would rather have me sitting on the floor playing a game with his cars. I quickly learned that plastic cups, tupperware and cardboard boxes make quick and easy launchpads. At the end of the day I like to watch a movie or play a board game with the whole family. That way each of my children is getting some one on one time and getting some all important family time as well. I will post today's recipes at the bottom of the page.


Peanut Butter Play Dough

Ingredients:

  • one 18-oz. jar creamy peanut butter
  • 6 tablespoons honey
  • 3/4 cup non-fat dry milk
Instructions:
  • Mix ingredients together
  • Knead it with fingers, forming into desired shapes
  • Add other foods like M&M's or peanuts for eyes, mouths, etc.

HINT: When not using this homemade play dough recipe, it MUST be stored in an airtight container.




Friday, April 3, 2009

Fridays - Getting a head start on the next week.

As a mother with three kids I know how important routine is. One of the biggest routine breakers in my house is Friday's. It seems I finally get the week under control and then Friday comes and brings a weekend of chaos. I thought I would share some tips and tricks on keeping the weekends under control for a much better start to a new week. The first rule I follow is bedtimes, my kids have a very strict bedtime and that follows into the weekend. Kids, more often then not need more then just 8 hours of sleep. There are several pediatricians that recommend at least 10 to 12 hours for busy , energetic kids. The second rule I follow is making sure they are getting up in the morning. I know its very hard to get up on a weekend when you just want to sleep those few extra hours. I also know how difficult it is to stick to any kind of a schedule. The best I can say for that is , don't me hard on yourself, kids will respond to any stresses in their environment. That's why keeping them on a good schedule can be extra rewarding. Children have so little control over their surroundings , can you remember how frustrating that could be? If children already know what is expected of them it gives them more confidence and makes them feel allot more in control. In turn that will make them calmer and take a lot of the hassle and fight out of the day. I hope everyone enjoys the weekend and finds some of these tips useful.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

My focus.

My goal with this blog is to share. Share information and insights. I started this blog because I want to organize my thoughts and ideas. I want to be able to connect with moms. I will be posting my craft ideas and recipes and general insights into being a stay at home mom. There is so much information out there it can get very overwhelming if your looking for something specific. As a parent new information is always welcome. I will be posting my tips and experience with everything from activities for a rainy day or how to survive the night with a newborn. I have so many insights that I will be posting in upcoming weeks and I will be happy to answer any questions. Welcome to my blog.