Monday Musings: Week 7

Short and sweet today --

We're dipping into our food stores, and I'm not replacing things we use. This requires some creativity in the kitchen. For example, what do we cook when we run out of ground beef from the freezer? This week, we had chicken tacos instead of beef since I had precooked chicken in the freezer. We are having to re-tool some of our favorite recipes, as well as branch out into some new ones. This is tough when there isn't a lot of time for experimenting and the  busyness of life often requires that we just get something edible on the table.

While I love the opportunity for our children to play basketball, I'll breathe a sigh of relief when the season ends in two weeks. The games and evening practices wreak havoc on our dinner schedule, and the temptation to grab pizza or chicken or Subway or anything-we-can-because-we-are-starving on the way home is strong.

The Dave Ramsey class is really great. This week, we're working on our budget. We've operated on the envelope system for household expenses for several years. It's worked well for us, but we need some tweaking of our budget. Talking about money can sometimes be emotionally-charged, but it's always worth it in the end. 

Here's my spending breakdown for Week 7.

Groceries                                         $54.65
Piano Lessons                                 $10.00
Lunch after service project             $6.50
Tournament T-shirt                      $10.00  
Total                                                 $81.15

Clutter's Last Stand: Project #4 The Laundry Room, Part 2

Last week, my life was so cluttered with three million things to do that I didn't even touch my laundry room clutter. We have relatives coming in town tomorrow, so I have a good incentive to get this done.

Here is my BEFORE picture:

And here is the finished product:

Cleaning the obvious clutter was easy. Packing up the wedding and graduation decorations ans putting away folded laundry was  a cinch. Then came the hard part.

Emotions got involved.

We are licensed foster parents. With the weddings, etc. from last year, we went on inactive status with our agency. If you or anyone you know have ever gone through the licensing process, you know that it is long and complicated and expensive. It involves training upon training, background checks, inspections, getting our homestead up to licensing standards including everything from fencing the pond to vaccinating the cat to making sure we have approved trash cans. If there is any way to keep our license active, that's what we want to do.

What does that have to do with the laundry room?


The laundry room counter doubles as a changing table, and this is the area  where I keep the supplies for caring for sweet little foster babies. Before the end of March, we have to make a decision about whether we go back on active status or relinquish our license.  In order to properly declutter, I need to know what that decision is. I don't want to decide, because I'm afraid we're going to let it lapse, and I don't want to. I don't want to let go of this ministry God has placed on my heart.

So, I came up with a compromise. The baby stuff stays. It's neat and organized, and "at the ready" should we decide to go back on active status. If we don't, I know several people with babies, and I'll box it up and pass it on to them. In the meantime, maybe I'll find out one of my married children is expecting a wee one, and then I can have a "Honey" stash. You never know...

For those that like pictures, here are a few more:

Sadly, someone dumped out a container of baby powder, and this drawer was a MESS!

Isn't this MUCH better? This makes me smile.

 

                                                 These neat and organized cabinets make me smile, too.

 My decluttering "kit" has it's very own home. My professional kit includes two laundry baskets, a crate, a storage container and a bunch of trash bags. I take it to an area and attack -- one container for keepers, one for things to give away, one for trash, and one for the undecided stuff that I'll hang on to for a little while before parting with it.

This is the tub for outgrown clothes. I've found the kids are much more likely to get them to me if I have a place to put them. Below that it our foster care "at the ready" container. It contains sheets, burp clothes,blankets, and a small assortment of unisex clothes for when we get a placement. On our last time around, the caseworker called to confirm we were willing to take a placement. In the next breath, she said she was less than 30 minutes away and this baby had nothing except one baby bottle and the clothes on his back.

So, there you go. I feel like I've really accomplished something. Now, to decide where to declutter next week. 

Have a blessed weekend,

Wednesday Eats and Treats: Octopus (Just for Fun!)

Did you know that an ounce of octopus only has 47 calories? So, when Essie came to me with a request to cook octo-dogs for her birthday lunch, I was thrilled. She even had a recipe complete with photos.

Octo-Dogs and Shells

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
4 hot dogs
1 1/2 cup uncooked small shell pasta
1 1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
I cup prepared Alfredo sauce
Yellow mustard in squeeze bottle
Cheese flavored fish-shaped crackers (like Pepperidge Farm goldfish)



Directions
1. Lay 1 hot dog on a cutting surface. Starting 1 inch from one end of the hot dog, slice hot dog vertically in half. Roll hot dog 1/4 turn. Starting 1 inch from the same end, slice in half vertically again, making 4 segments connected at the top. Slice each segment in half vertically, creating a total of 8 "legs." Repeat with remaining hot dogs.

2. Place hot dogs in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Prepare pasta according to package directions, stirring in vegetables during the last 3 minutes of cooking time. Drain; return to pan. Stir in Alfredo sauce. Heat over low heat until heated through. Divide pasta mixture between 4 plates.

4. Drain octo-dogs. Arrange one octo-dog on top of pasta mixture on each plate. Using mustard, draw eyes on "heads" of octo-dogs. Sprinkle crackers over pasta.

5. We served this with rainbow jello parfaits topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. As you can see from the photo below, it was a very festive meal.

We found the recipe in Cooking for Kids: Winning Recipes. I bought my copy at Sam's, but you can buy it for $4 at Amazon.

Monday Musings: Week 6

Last week was a crazy, crazy week. I had a HUGE writing project due by Friday, and our home-school group hosted a 3-day basketball tournament. I didn't even get to address my clutter, so I had nothing to post for Friday. I briefly considered clearing everything off in the laundry room, tossing it in the bathtub, and taking a few pictures. Knowing that wouldn't be honest, I decided to swallow my pride, admit my failings, and move on. There it is -- confession is good for the soul, right?

Syd and I, along with our 18 and 19 year-olds, Miriam and David, enrolled in a Dave Ramsey financial planning class at a local church. Last night was Session 1, and I'm really excited about what we'll be learning. What a gift this will be for Miriam and David! If you aren't familiar with his money management principles, you might want to follow this link to explore Financial Peace University.

I wondered what we would do with the $800+ that we didn't spend last month, and now I know. We're going to use that money to start an emergency fund. Dave Ramsey recommends getting $1000 as soon as possible, and then building it up to the point that you have a balance that will cover 3-6 months of living expenses. 

With all the time I spent writing this past week, I was feeling guilty about ignoring my family. Plus, I thought, What's the use of working to make money if you aren't going to use it? So, we went to the local Chinese buffet after church and dropped $80. I caught myself looking at the kids plates to assess if they were getting $10 worth of food. (Does anyone else do that?) None of us "got our money's worth" on that meal, and I think that's the last time we'll be going there. I certainly don't want to be guilty of pressuring my kids to stuff their faces. Most of them would have been just as happy, or happier, if I had packed sandwiches and we'd gone to the local theater to watch the new Lego movie.

Here's my spending breakdown for Week 6.

Groceries                                      $137.90
Laundry detergent                        $19.42
Sunday lunch for 8                        $80.00  
Total                                              $237.32

That's it for today. I hope you have a blessed week.

Wednesday Eats and Treats: Mini Chicken Pot Pies

I'm trying to help my children learn some recipes they can make for simple breakfasts and lunches. Josiah and I made these for lunch today, and they were simple and very tasty.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

(Serves 8, assuming none of them are hungry teenage boys.)

Ingredients:

• 1 12-16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
• 1-2 cups diced cooked chicken*, **
• 1 can (10.75 ounce) condensed cream of chicken soup*, ***
• 1 can of 8 Pillsbury Grands! refrigerated biscuits (or store brand equivalent)***
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

*You can substitute leftover roast and cream of mushroom soup for the chicken and cream of chicken soup.

**I had some canned chicken I needed to use, and it tasted just fine.

***You purists out there can make your own biscuits and make a cream sauce in place of the canned soup.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook vegetables in saucepan or microwave. Drain well.
3. Add chicken and soup; mix well. Heat until bubbly.
   
4. Press or roll each biscuit into a 5 1/2-inch round. Place 1 round in each of 8 greased regular size muffin cups. Firmly press in bottom and up sides, forming a 3/4-inch rim.
   
   
    
   
   
5. Spoon filling into each, evenly dividing it among them.
   
6. Pull edges of dough over filling toward center; pleat and pinch dough gently to hold in place.
   
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.
   
8. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted -- about 2 minutes.
   
9. Cool 1 minute; remove from pan.
   
10. Enjoy with sliced apples and carrots. Caution: Filling will be hot!
    
    
    

Click here for a text only version of this recipe.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies (Text Only)

This is for those of you who want the mini Chicken Pot Pie recipe, but you don't want to print out all the pictures.  

 Click here for the post with step-by-step photos

I'm trying to help my children learn some recipes they can make for simple breakfasts and lunches. Josiah and I made these for lunch today, and they were simple and very tasty.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

(Serves 8, assuming none of them are hungry teenage boys.)

Ingredients:

• 1 12-16 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
• 1-2 cups diced cooked chicken*,**
• 1 can (10.75 ounce) condensed cream of chicken soup*,***
• 1 can of 8 Pillsbury Grands! refrigerated biscuits (or store brand equivalent)***
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

*You can substitute leftover roast and cream of mushroom soup for the chicken and cream of chicken soup.

**I had some canned chicken I needed to use, and it tasted just fine.

***You purists out there can make your own biscuits and make a cream sauce in place of the canned soup.

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cook vegetables in saucepan or microwave. Drain well.
3. Add chicken and soup; mix well. Heat until bubbly.
4. Press or roll each biscuit into a 5 1/2-inch round. Place 1 round in each of 8 greased regular size muffin cups. Firmly press in bottom and up sides, forming a 3/4-inch rim.
   
5. Spoon filling into each, evenly dividing it among them.
6. Pull edges of dough over filling toward center; pleat and pinch dough gently to hold in place.
7. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown.
8. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese is melted -- about 2 minutes.
9. Cool 1 minute; remove from pan.
10. Enjoy with sliced apples and carrots. Caution: Filling will be hot!
    
    

Monday Musings: Week 5

Can it already be February? We're one month into our challenge, and it feels like it's becoming a part of who we are. I can honestly say that I have lost the desire to mindlessly shop. I  go to the store, get what I need, and get out of there. Even though I went to town four days last week, I only went to Wal-Mart once. When Sunday's paper comes, I might flip through the sale papers to see if there is something on sale that I specifically need. However, more often than not, I just push them to the side, and read the articles. 

I never realized how much I was affected by the flood of email offers that come to my inbox. Since January, I've been deleting them without opening, but in the next few days, I plan to unsubscribe from a lot of notifications I get that are just thinly (or not so thinly) veiled pitches for me to buy something I don't need. Same thing goes for the text alerts from stores which send me coupons for a percentage off. You know the ones, "The more you spend, the more you save." Yeah, right.

Early in our marriage (back in the days of two incomes and no children), I would go on shopping expeditions and come home with bags full, proudly announcing, "Honey, you won't believe what I saved!" Even then, my husband, who was wise beyond his years, would say, "I don't care what you saved. Just tell me what you SPENT!"

Now that I'm keeping records of exactly what I spend, and being accountable to not only Syd, but to my readers as well, the wisdom of his thinking sinks in deeply. 

Here's my spending breakdown for Week 5.

Groceries                                      $99.06
Printer Ink                                    $17.83
Piano Lessons                              $10.00
Lunch after community service    $8.12   
Total                                            $135.01

Of the money that we allot for household spending, which includes food, toiletries, clothing, entertainment, school materials, gifts, miscellaneous purchases, and piano lessons, I saved $614 in January, just by applying our use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without principle. Since February is a shorter month, I anticipate that we might even see greater savings. 

For transparency, I need to let you know that we have allotted $20 each month for Syd and I for discretionary spending. At this time, we aren't including gasoline, car repairs, charitable giving, utilities, taxes, house payments, or insurance costs in our spending reports. Also, Syd has a "date night" fund. Anyone with kids knows how important it is to have couple time, so that fund is off limits. So, if you happen to run into us at the Roxton Cafe on a Thursday night, you won't think this whole exercise is a sham.