My Humble Home Spotlight!

I am the oldest of the three girls.  We each have our strengths.  If you want to know how to substitute ingredients in a recipe or where to buy the cheapest chicken,  I am your girl.  Decorating...not so much!  My two sisters a much MUCH better at that, but we have been making some updates to our home that my sister is highlighting today in her series My Humble Home.  What an honor!  Be sure to stop by MyAubservations for a quick tour!

My 2013 Goals

2013…What do I want to do with this year?  I have been reminded recently that each day we have is a gift from God.  I keep looking into the eyes of my husband and children and am so thankful for each day with them.  I am challenged not to try to do great things, but to be faithful in the little things.   How will I resolve to be faithful in 2013?

I had such a good experience with written goals last year that I had to write them down again.

1.      Find a Routine.  I have felt off my game for the last couple of months.  Part of it is due to the fact that I have used a 3-ring binder in past for household management.  I think that my life has grown into two binders; one for the household and one for school.  Since I out grew my binder I foolishly abandoned it all together.  I have been without direction.

2.      Cook with my kids (instead of for my kids.)  It hit me the other day how much time a month we as parents spend on sharpening artistic and athletic skills while becoming too busy to teach life skills.  How many times do I grimace when I hear the sound of the kitchen chair scrape across the floor?  I say, “Not now,” when my little one smiles up at me with anticipation and asks, “Can I help?”  In 2013 I will no longer value speed and efficiency at the cost of bringing my kids alongside me. 

3.      Shut the cupboard doors.  If you are looking for some deep or hidden meaning in that resolution there isn’t one.  I am terrible at shutting doors!  It used to drive my parents NUTS, and recently my husband has brought it to my attention that he finds my carelessness annoying as well.  Old habits die hard, but I am sure going to try!

4.      Can sometime with my sister.  Last year was my first year with the garden.  I froze corn and zucchini.  This year I would like to can, and my sister wants to too!  I am not sure what we will can.  Green beans, applesauce or stew…maybe I will let my sister decide, because they all sound good to me!

5.      Be a blessing.  I want to go into situations asking “How can I bless?” Far, far too often I have expectations of what others can do for me.  One of the great paradoxes of God is that giving to others brings greater joy than getting.  That is what I want at the forefront of my mind this year. 

I was really tempted to add a couple more, but I had better concentrate on just doing a few things well. Stay focused on being faithful right?  Well, off to the printer I go to keep my written goals visible in the new year.   

This post is linked up at We are that Family

Looking Back at 2012 Goals

It’s that time of year when people are asking, “Did you make a New Year’s resolution?”  Before I made any goals for this year I wanted to check and see how I did on last year’s goals.

Everyone says that the secret to reaching your goals is to write them down.  Everyone is right! Since I am a list nerd girl, last year I made 3 lists:  Goals for 2012, Long Term Goals and a Book List.  A perfectionist may look at my progress and frown, but I am going with the attitude “Any progress is good progress!”

My Booklist:  I have mentioned before that I love to read, but I get stuck on one topic and become obsessed enthralled with it.  My 2012 book list contained different genres and topics to try to stay more well rounded!  I didn’t read every book on my list this year, but I did read half!  I read a variety of books so I say, “Goal accomplished!” As always other books were suggested to me throughout the year so I did a little off list reading too.  By far the best book was Redeeming Love.

 

Long-term Goals:  This was the list that I found most encouraging.  Last year I wrote down all those things that I would say, “Someday I want to…” I was inspired by Mama Bird’s goals posts!  One of my “somedays” included “Plant a Garden.”  (insert something here about the success of the garden experience, and then insert something to the effect of: Another “someday” was to sign up for a fitness challenge that I had been contemplating for six years.)  I signed up for a fitness challenge that I had been contemplating for six years.  I begin this week!  We achieved some of our family’s financial goals this year, and even though working with yeast scared me at first, I dove head first into making bread, buns and cinnamon rolls.  What a great year!

Goals for 2012: I made four goals for the year.

1.      Try new things (Foods specifically)

2.      Pray more

3.      Consistently speak gently to my kids

4.      Kill my sugar habit

#1 New Foods: I ate a lot of foods that I had either never tired before or previously thought I didn’t like.  Brussels sprouts, parsnips, quinoa, cabbage, lamb, ratatouille, egg rolls, cole slaw and chocolate covered bacon!  (They were giving out free samples at the Des Moines Art’s Festival so I thought I might as well try it!)

#2  Prayer: This was less quantifiable than my first goal.  It feels like I can always pray more.  In the last few months I have started a thankfulness journal, and I am so glad that I did!

#3 Gentle words:  I am so glad that this goal was in my face all year.  I have NOT mastered this, but my conscience is picked each time my voice gets too “edgy” and I am quick to ask my children for forgiveness.   If I can’t be a good model of gentleness I should at least try to model humility!  The other day I heard myself say to a certain little boy, “I am sorry I yelled, but I had to keep you from killing your sister!”

4# Sugar: Can’t I skip this?  There were times I did really well at this.  I have to keep a food journal with my fitness challenge.  This week I keep telling myself, “I’d better eat this before I start the challenge and it’s off limits.”  There is currently ice cream off to my right.  J

I am not done with my 2012 goals.  I want to take them with me into 2013, but I am ready now to put together my 2013 list and see what I can get done!

 This post is linked at http://www.raisingarrows.net/ and http://www.spain-in-iowa.com/

Cooking with Cast Iron

Last summer my non stick skillet started flaking.  I was disappointed.  It was a very expensive skillet.  We decided to replace it with a cast iron skillet for several reasons.  First, it was a budget friendly $35.   Score!  Second, It does not contain PFOA (PFOA is a carcinogenic which will be taken out of non stick cookware by 2015.  It was 2011 when I needed to purchase a skillet so that was no help to me.)   It also adds iron to our diet.  A pan that adds a mineral to our diet, how great is that?

Cast iron is not as complicated to work with as I feared.  The main issue is keeping food from sticking so that there is not a problem cleaning the pan off.  Cast iron is like stoneware, and soap or abrasives cannot be used to clean it.  I have learned a few extra tricks to make using cast iron a little easier.

Scrambled eggs in a cast iron skillet!

 

·         Oil the pan well.   To create a no stick surface I melt butter or coconut oil at the bottom of the pan.  A spay oil just does give enough coverage.   I also don’t want too much oil, that just makes the food too greasy. 

·         Preheat the oil.  I let the pan and oil get nice and hot before I add any food especially before cooking something like eggs.  The way that I think about it is that I am cooking the food on a thin layer or hot oil. 

·        Boil off stubborn, stuck on food.  If-no when food ends up sticking the easiest way to get rid of stubborn food is to boil it off.  I don’t waste a lot of my time scrubbing pans.  I would rather be cooking in them then cleaning them!  After letting the water boil for a few minutes anything that was stuck scrapes right off!  I also boil clean the pan if I am going to cooking anything like a white sauce that I don’t want to have a brown tint to it. 

·        Dry the pan completely after cleaning.  Cast iron will rust.  I felt like the Boxcar Children once taking sandpaper to my pan to remove the little orange rust ring!

 

This post is linked to http://www.tammysrecipes.com/ and http://www.elsacooks.com/.

Make A Move Monday-Crunchy Kids Say

It is Make A Move Monday, and I must say that I loved last weeks links.  Thank you to all who linked up!  This week I thought that I would put together a little list of "Crunchy Kids Say."  You see, since we have started making some of these moves for our health my kids assume that this is the way that everyone operates.  There have been quite a few funny things that come out of their mouths when life does not align with this assumption.  My husband will shoot me a look that says "Oh Tara!  You have ruined them!"  I just smile and nod when they say things like:

• What is Kool-Aid?
• What was the name of this cow-before it was hamburger I mean!
• Mom, why don't you ever make cheese? You should really try it sometime.
• Hey Mom, you forgot to give us our fish oils today.
• My hips are sore.  I think that it is time to go back to the chiropractor.
• No sugar for me today.  I think I am getting a little sick.  Sugar makes you sicker you know.
• I love ghee!
• Can I help you make laundry soap?
• Is this water-water or vinegar-water?
• Can I have this muffin recipe when I go to college?  I am going to make these!

I love my kids.   I love they that they love me even though I do things that are a little off the normal path. 

It is time to link up.  What move are you making toward health in your home.  Please read through the rules for those participating, and thanks for your participation.

1) No linking to giveaways or promotions for affiliates or sponsors. Give aways and promos are great, but they expire. I will delete giveaway links or promotional links.
2) Keep things simple and healthy. Avoid recipes with "cream of x soup," processed cheese or corn syrup. Crafts are cool, but unless they help organize or simplify please don't link them.
3) Link back to SimplyMadeHome.This is common blog party courtesy. It also helps build the community of encouragement. Check out other’s posts and leave a comment! It is fun to hear from others.
How to link up to your post? Read below.
Using the Mr. Linky, link back to your specific post, not just your blog.
Example of Format
Your Name: Tara @ SimplyMadeHome (Simple Vinegar Switches)
Your Link: http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-vinegar-switches.html

Rethinking Food: Supper Substitutes

For me real food for supper has been the easiest change to make.  When I was first adjusting our meals I simply cooked a meat and veggie and added fruit and called it supper.  Unlike breakfast I was already accustomed to cooking at this time of day and meal planning so I just had to adjust my planning goals and recipes.  Families and tastes are different.  Some families resist any change to their favorite foods; they need all new meals.  Others have success making slight alterations to a family recipes and keeping food familiar.  If you are looking for all new recipes 100 Days of Real Food, Once a Month Mom or Heavenly Homemakers meal plans are great places to start.  If you are looking to alter your own recipes I have a few ideas.

1.       Pasta-What mother doesn’t love the easy of boiling noodles at 5:30 when life has fallen apart?  We all have heard that we should be eating whole wheat pasta, but admittedly the texture is a little different.  Experiment with different noodles. My family loves angel hair pasta.  (I use a kitchen scissors to cut it up into almost rice size pieces so my littles can scoop it with a spoon instead of twisting with a fork!) Find a good red sauce without MSG or high fructose corn syrup.  It really isn’t hard; I have even found low sugar ones that do not use artificial sweeteners. Win!   I am looking forward to attempting to make my own once the tomatoes in my garden ripen!

2.       Rice-Another mantra we have all heard is “Switch out the white rice.”   My husband is not a big fan of brown rice.  I have gotten creative.  We like Basmati rice, and to my surprise quinoa is a family favorite.  I make both rice and quinoa with homemade broth to increase the nutrition of our meal.  I use rice to turn leftovers into a second meal.  Add veggies and rice to leftover grilled chicken, roast or taco meat and you’ve got a very inexpensive, quick and healthy meal.

3.       The grill-Marinades are easy to make and both healthier and cheaper than the ones you can buy in a bottle.  I try to double and freeze marinades that our family likes and freeze them.  I am not a “grill master” so I have found it handy to think “low and slow” on the heat and keep a meat thermometer with me.  Grilled veggies are so tasty.  We toss ours in olive oil and add salt, pepper and garlic.  (Grilling is seasonal for us, but in the cooler months the crock pot is my friend.)

4.       Cream of Soup and Broth-If these are a staple to your cooking (i.e. if most of your meals come from a church cook book, or Campbells.com) take the time to make the soup or broth yourself.  Yes, I admit it will take time, but if you want a healthy trade to the meals that you already make this is the way to go.  Save your glass jars (salsa or pizza sauce jars are a great size) take an evening or a Saturday and make up enough to use in several meals and freeze.  You will have to remember to take the soup or broth out of the freezer when you get your meat out of the freezer.  Write it on the meat package if you need a reminder!  Here are some of the things that you will not be eating: Monosodium glutamate, modified food starch, soy protein isolate, partially hydrogenated oil.  Bone broth is one of the healthiest things to feed a family when it is homemade.  It is a process, but my husband can taste the difference.

5.       Boxed Food: Hamburger Helper, chicken nuggets, frozen pizza, Hot Pockets…they are not a temptation to make for supper if they never make it in the door.  They will not make it through the door if they never get put into the cart.  A mealplan and self restraint goes a long way!  I have found that I am more resourceful than I thought.  The meals may not be gourmet and it may not look traditional, but we have never gone hungry.  Find the real food equivalent, double and freeze it.  Here are a few of our favorites…

§  Pop Corn Chicken  (Freezes so well for a quick meal!)

§  Corn Muffins (I have done these d-free too, and they work!)

§  French Fries (I have not tried to freeze these, but when I make these my husband says “Oh good!”  He has never said this about Ore Ida!)

§  Ranch dip (Make up a batch or two and keep in a sealed container. Add it to sour cream for veggie dip.  Sprinkle on cubed potatoes and oven roast!)

§  Mashed Potatoes

§  Pizza Dough

§  Cheese Beef Pasta Skillet (I just freeze the beef not the whole meal.)

Start slow; when you are making a meal read the ingredients.  If they are real…smile, if they are full of preservatives and artificial products look for a replacement at the store or make one yourself.  Relax, experiment, have fun.

Any real food recipes to link up today?  It is time to link up any changes you are making at your home.  I love reading the comments so be sure to leave one!

This post is linked up at Raising Arrows, Tammy’s Recipes, HomesteadRevival and Food Renegade. 

Recipe for Contentment

I will start right off by saying that this list is not original to me.  It was taken from a book by Linda Dillow called Calm My Anxious Heart.  (Another GREAT read.  Hmmm, with all the posts on reading lately can you tell someone got a Kindle for Mother's Day?)  This "Recipe for Contentment" was found in the Bible of a missionary woman.  I have it posted by my bed-somedays it should probalby be posted on my forehead.

Recipe for Contentment

·         Never allow yourself to complain about anything-not even the weather.

·         Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.

·         Never compare your lot with another’s.

·         Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.

·         Never dwell on tomorrow-remember that tomorrow is God’s, not ours.

This post is linked up at Miz Helen's Country Cottage, Tammy's Recipes, Elsa Cooks, The Norishing Gormet,

For the Love of All things Green & Growing

Our garden gets a lot of neighborly attention because it is located on the corner of our lot near the sidewalk. One neighbor stopped me the other night and said, "Enjoy this year. There is nothing like your first garden!" I thought "That is really funny because that is what people told me about my first pregnancy!" 

Then I really laughed as I realized that is exactly how I am acting, like an expectant mother!  I go out to check on my garden a couple of times a day as if something should change since my last peak. I not so patiently await the arrival of the "due date" of my new fruit and get way to excited about each blossom and bud. 

We are still harvesting lettuce and now go out for daily sugar snap peas.  We have little peppers, green tomatoes and a few strawberries that we are anxiously awaiting to turn red.  The green beans keep sending out vines that are twisting up everywhere.  I am trying to train them to grow on the twine that I have strung over their heads!

 
I took out my camera the other night to capture a few shots when two teenage girls rode their bikes past.  One of them mockingly said "Look at me!  I am taking pictures of my plants!"  Let 'em laugh!  I am having a blast with my garden! 

Oh!  In other news we have been watching a pair of wrens "play tag" all spring.  They have such a pretty song that we were thrilled to see that they made a nest in the bird house my son made.  We walk by now to hear the hungry chirping of little baby birds.  It is so dark in their little house that I knew I couldn't get a great picture, but they are SO tiny!  It is precious!

This post is linked up at http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/ and http://www.raisingarrows.net/ and http://frugallysustainable.com/

Jenuinely Pure Giveaway!

I am so excited this week to be partnering with one of my favorite companies: Jenuinely Pure.  I have been using Jenuinely Pure products for almost three years.  I fell in love with both the company and the products immediately.   Jenuinely Pure was born out of the desire to provide families with natural products that are both effective and affordable. 

With as many cleaning products as I make myself, it may be surprising that one of my favorite Jenuinely Pure products is the All Purpose Cleaner.  All purpose cleaners are easy to make, but my husband hates the strong vinegar smell.  My husband understands why I use vinegar in so many areas of our home, but he prefers that I use the Jenuinely Pure cleaner.    This cleaner is so effective, and it smells wonderful.  I love that I can purchase a gallon refill and save nearly to $10. 

Another one of my favorite products is the Baby Wash.  At my children’s last wellness check the doctor said “Keep using whatever lotion you are using.”  I told him that the kids don’t use any lotions regularly.  He was shocked, “What kind of soap do you use?”  I told him that we use Jenuinely Pure!  I also have loved giving away this Baby Set as a unique baby gift. 

The Jenuinely Pure skin care line has to be the most affordable natural skincare out there.  I read through the ingredients on the back of my Moisturizing Serum the other night.  There is not a chemical in it.  I could probably purchase all the ingredients online or at the health food store, but it would cost a fortune to gather all the beneficial oils and extracts in this bottle. 

Are you curious about trying Jenuinely Pure?  Jenuinely Pure would like to offer a $20 gift certificate to one Simply Made Home reader, and a 15% discount to all who order from Jenuinely Pure this week with the code SMH15.  To enter Simply subscribe to or becoming a follower or Simply Made Home and leave a comment telling me you did so.  For an extra entry "Like" Simply Made Home on Facebook.  For a third entry "Like" Jenuinely Pure's Facebook page as well!  And "Share" this giveaway on your Facebook page for a forth entry!  Be sure to leave a comment for each entry that you complete for your additional chances to win!  The winner will be announced Friday.  Good luck and happy shopping!

It just doesn't work for me!

Between blog posts and Pinterest there are more great ideas out there concerning home and health, efficiency and effectiveness than I could ever dream of putting into practice. I admit that at the end of the day I could surf the web for hours, gathering ideas that should make our home schooling run like a top. I can collect kitchen tips that should make my time cooking and prepping operate like a well oiled machine and if I follow “these simple steps” I should have a house that practically cleans itself and pre-baby abs as a bonus!  (Sorry, I got a little sarcastic there, but you get the picture.)

It is all very exciting until there is the bittersweet reality of application within our home.  This is where the idea flies or dies.  I am a sucker for a great idea.  Unfortunately not every great one works for me or our family.  Sometimes I wonder if this idea is so great, why can’t I make it work for me?  Here is a smattering of ideas that I have tried and failed.

1.      Once a month cooking: I love freezer meals as much as the next gal.  When a friend and I each had one child we could pull off one big day of freezer cooking.  Maybe when the kids get older (or if my girls ever get to the point that they can sit through a DVD!) I can return to this idea, but with four little people 7 and under I just don’t have an entire day to devote to prepping and cooking.

2.      Meal Swaps:  As our families added more children my friend and I roped a couple more ladies into a meal exchange.  The wonderful plan is to make 4 freezer meals and trade with 3 others who do the same (keeping one.)  Four different freezer meals for the work of one-splendid!  But with more babies came more allergies and intolerances.  Add to that each family’s differing thoughts on textures and taste, and the appeal of this great idea was lost.

NOTE: I still use freezer meals constantly, but have found at this stage in life it works better for me to always double my own recipes and freeze half.  My current meal plans are probably 90 freezer-friendly or crock pot!

3.      Hot Glue Guns for Craft Purposes: To be honest I don’t do crafts.  I try for my kids, but even they can’t be fooled by the ability that I lack to “get my craft on.”  (My son gave me a Mother’s Day card this year that listed wonderful adjectives to describe a mom.  He put a question mark beside “crafty.”)  I like my hot glue gun, but much to my husband’s dismay I use it for household maintenance. 

4.      Dusting and Ironing: OK not exactly a Pinterest idea just 2 things that I don’t do often.  I dust if we are having a major gathering at our house, and I iron my husband’s shirts twice a year: on Christmas and our anniversary.  It’s my gift to him! J

5.      The Weekly Laundry Day:  I hate laundry.  Laundry is my nemesis.  My sister-in-law kept telling me that since I hold such distain for the chore I should do all my laundry in one day and be done for the week.  The theory is lovely, but after a month my husband begged me to stop!  Laundry day was Monday.  I was SO crabby on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday (impending laundry day, laundry day and finished up all the laundry day) that no one could handle being around me.  We are all better off if I just divide it up into smaller hills I can climb instead of one huge mountain I dread.

NOTE #2: I want to make it clear that if these ideas work for you that is great.  I am really happy for you.  I think that they are great ideas; they just don’t work for me. 

Why point all of these out?  Because sometimes I see all these neat Pinterest crafts, and I think “What is wrong with me?  Why can’t I do that with a hot glue gun?”  Or I am tempted to envy those who can devote an entire day to cooking, and I shouldn’t.  That isn’t how God made me or where I am at with my life right now.  My blog like so many others is full of ideas.  Some of them may work for you; others may not.  My goal is to encourage others.  Bulk shopping maybe isn’t the best thing for your family right now.  I think that apple cider vinegar is the greatest surprise of 2012, but maybe you don’t see the same results.  I get it, and that works for me!

This post is linked up at: Kitchen Tip Tuesdays @ http://www.tammysrecipes.com/ Hearth and Soul @ http://www.pennilessparenting.com/ and http://mamaldiane.com/ and http://mrsdullsnourishedkitchen.com/ and http://quickeasycheaphealthy.com/

How does your garden grow?

This year we broke ground on our first garden.  We had tried a couple 8'x2' boxed gardens.  We were hoping to have success with these "practice" beds and then move into a big garden.  We failed the two years we tried.  Tree roots are right under the surface.  They do not get enough sun, and let's not forget the rabbits.  They chewed through the fence the first year.  We purchased different fence for the second year, and they burrowed under it.  Since the beds were so small we didn't want to pump money into them,  The amount of produce wouldn't offset the cost.

We spent an entire Friday night date night at a home and garden store going around and around about if we should garden, where we would garden and what we would plant.  Finally we decided on a 12x12 garden on our side yard.  My husband is an engineer who was raised on a farm.  This means he had huge ideas about custom fencing panels-no standard fence would do in the war against the rabbits.  Since our house is on a corner he also wanted to landscape around the garden.  This was not just going to be a pile of dirt with a few veggies!

I decided to plant a little of everything this year.  Next year I may do more plants of fewer vegetables so I have enough to preserve.  This year I wanted to learn about different plants before I put all my stock into a few.  We have planted 10 strawberry plants, a tomato plant, a bell pepper plant, 6 broccoli plants, (that I am pretty sure I planted too close together!) lettuce, snap peas and green beans. 

Then I had officially caught the "garden bug." I needed more and had to plant something in those barren 8'X2' beds again.  There is pie pumpkin and zucchini in them now.  I can see which ones are getting more sun and have taken a saw so some of the tree roots.  We will see what becomes of them. 

I still wanted more!  I planted herbs amongst the plants in our landscaping-chives, oregano, mint and lemon balm.  (I have no idea what I am supposed to with them, but I am eager to learn.  Any books or website suggestions are welcome.)
I have been harvesting lettuce the past week.  I swear it tastes better, and I don't care if it is only in my head!  I am in the middle of reading Animal Vegetable Miracle so I feel like I am doing my part with my little plot of dirt.  It is beautiful don't you think? (Forgive all the pictures.  I am a little like a proud first time mother when it comes to my garden this year!)

 Cutting sod was a family affair. (When I have suggested a second 12'X12' plot next year I have been told we will rent a sod cutter!)

Penny Pinching Party @ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

Health 2Day Wednesdays @ http://quickeasycheaphealthy.com/

Works for Me Wednesday @ http://wearethatfamily.com

Frugal Days Sustainable Ways @ http://frugallysustainable.com/

Make a Move Monday-Simply 10 (The kids' rooms)

Make a Move Monday is here as well as Memorial Day here in the U.S.  For many of us this is the official kick off to summer.  We started off with a 3 day camping trip and the goal of unplugging and enjoying time together.  I am pleased to say that for the most part we accomplished our goals.  (We still had our phones, but no TV or Internet, and we enjoyed the time together as much as we could with an 18 month old!)

I am not a natural born camper, but it is all about attitude.  I enjoy the time without the distractions of TV and Internet.  I appreciate the time that the kids get to catch butterflies, look for deer tracks and read Henry Huggins around a fire.  When packing up to go camping I tried to take only the necessities.  What do we truly need, and what are just extras? It was timely as I am not only asking this for our weekend getaway but also in our daily lives. 

This week my goal was to spend 10 minutes a day decluttering the kids’ rooms and thinking through our current routines that involve those rooms.  The first day I logged in a big, fat 6 minutes.  Day 2 went the wrong direction, and I spent no time in their rooms.  Day 3 surprised me, and I got 20 minutes in before the next thing was bidding for my attention.  Day 4 was a huge step forward, and 45 minutes later I discovered that our youngest has carpet on the floor in her room.  I knew that we would be camping days 5-7 so I gave myself the extra time that day.  The goal was 70 minutes in a week, and I logged 71-a whole extra minute!

I decided not to beat myself up about the giant pile of clothes that I took out of their rooms.  We live with four season climate so we switch clothing needs as well as sizes all the time.  The clothes shuffle is constant, and there is nothing that I can do about it.  I did organize my daughter’s closet into two sides: a “staying home” side and a “going away” side.  This made my husband laugh, but every morning we go around and around about what she can pick out to wear.  Now she can pick out anything on the appropriate side, and I don’t override her choice.  It has been wonderful.   The kids have a small checklist of things that they are supposed to be responsible for doing after breakfast.  I have been lax at enforcing this lately.  This week I gave them a reminder after breakfast, and I had them check each other each morning-so far so good.  They are often harder on each other than I am! 

Simply 10 week one-Success!  The kids’ rooms are much less overwhelming to me, and their routines seem to be running more smoothly.  What a nice way to kick off summer!  Next up on my Simply 10 list: Bathrooms.  I really don’t think that I will need 70 minutes for bathrooms, but I have a lot of camping paraphernalia to put away so I am giving myself an easy one. 

What did everyone else do for Make a Move Monday this week?  Time to link up!  Thanks for stopping by!

Perfect Patties; Clean Hands

It is grilling season!  At our house this means burgers every Saturday, and a lot of patty making.  It is usually cheaper for me to make our own patties rather than buying the premade ones.  (Especially since premade patties are 1/3 pound and that is too big for most of the people in my house, and I like to get our ground beef from the farmer.) 
Some people have a strong aversion to touching raw meat. Others of us have small fires to put out amongst small children every minute and a half.  It can be tedious to make a patty, wash hands, deal with issues, and repeat 7 times.  If either applies to you, you are going to LOVE this post!  I learned this trick by watching my mother-in-law so I can't take credit for it.  I can make patties that are evenly seasoned, the same size and never get my hands dirty!  There is one catch: I do have a hamburger press.  Mine happens to be Tupperware, but a quick Google search shows them everywhere.  (I think that the rest of the kitchen tools that I used were all non-specific, common tools.)

1.  Season the meat and mix in a flat pan or container.  Rachel Ray once said not to over season hamburgers.  Let the flavor of the meat speak for itself.  I believed her so we use pressed garlic, salt and pepper.  I was making 8 patties this day from two pounds of ground beef.  If I were using 3 or 4 pounds I think that I would use a 9x13.

2.  Spread out the meat and cut into equal parts.  Make sure that the beef is evenly spread in the container.  I used a spatula to "cut" the beef.  (This day I felt creative and did fancy triangle, but rectangles work too as long as they are the same size!)

3. Scoop out and press into patties.  Pretty self explanatory.  I used the same spatula from cutting to remove from the container and then used my hamburger press to shape the patties.

4. Flip the press upside down onto plate or waxed paper.  I ended up with clean hands and 8 grilltastic quarter pounders that looked like this:

This post is linked up at

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays @ http://www.tammysrecipes.com/

Penny Pinching Party @ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

Health 2Day Wednesdays @ http://quickeasycheaphealthy.com/

Works for Me Wednesday @ http://wearethatfamily.com

Frugal Days Sustainable Ways @ http://frugallysustainable.com/

Simply 10-Make A Move Monday

After writing my thoughts on a simple life I had the great idea of doing a set of posts as  I simplified different areas of our home. I had it all planned out-a weekend full of simplifying and a week of themed posts.  Half my tribe was at Daddy and Me camp so I was going to have a chunk of time to attack the house. Yep, that would have been super cool, but life happened. Instead of powering through the weekend getting to work, I spent it holding a 3 three year old little boy who had both ear and sinus infections. Isn't that the way life goes?
So now what?  My house isn’t in shape, and I have nothing to write.  Then I realized that is the way life goes, for me and for everyone else.  Sometimes we have a weekend to declutter and start over fresh, but more often than not we have to go with the flow.  So what can I do with 10 minutes when I need 10 hours? 
It was time for a new plan…Simply 10.  10 minutes in each room simplifying, because some days 10 minutes is all that I can carve out.  There are some rooms in my house that a day or two purposefully working for 10 minutes will be enough.  There are some rooms that I will take many days to complete, but I really want to do this. 
As I have thought through simplifying I have wondered “How is this different than decluttering?”  My goal is not to just put things away.  I want to get rid of the things that we don’t need, and my goal is to narrow our definition of need.  Often if something has a use I can find a possible need.  I want to stop myself from saying “Well, I might need that to…someday” in order to justify keeping it around.   The question I am asking myself is “Does the item have a specific place to get put away?” “Does this bless me/my family?”  “Is our current method of operation working?” “Do we need to tweak our routine?”
This is my move for Make A Move Monday.  This week I will start at my Achilles heel: kids’ bedrooms.  Are the things in their bedrooms blessing them?  Is our morning routine and bedtime routine working?  Could it be simpler, more beneficial?  I will let you know about my progress next week. 
So what are you working on this week?  It is time to link up!  Please let us know what simple move you are making toward healthy living in your home. Link up your blog post, or just leave a comment. Then take time to be inspired from other's link ups and comments.
Please read through the rules for those participating, and thanks for your participation.

1) No linking to giveaways or promotions for affiliates or sponsors. Give aways and promos are great, but they expire. I will delete giveaway links or promotional links.
2) Keep things simple and healthy. Avoid recipes with "cream of x soup," processed cheese or corn syrup.  Crafts are cool, but unless they help organize or simplify please don't link them.
3) Link back to SimplyMadeHome.  This is common blog party courtesy. It also helps build the community of encouragement. Check out other’s posts and leave a comment! It is fun to hear from others.
How to link up to your post? Read below.
Using the Mr. Linky, link back to your specific post, not just your blog.
Example of Format
Your Name: Tara @ SimplyMadeHome (Simple Vinegar Switches)
Your Link: http://simplymadehome.blogspot.com/2012/03/simple-vinegar-switches.html


This post is linked up at

Barn hop @ http://homesteadrevival.blogspot.com/

Penny Pinching Party @ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/

Health 2Day Wednesdays @ http://quickeasycheaphealthy.com/

Works for Me Wednesday @ http://wearethatfamily.com

Frugal Days Sustainable Ways @ http://frugallysustainable.com/