Category: “Works for Me Wednesday”

Works for Me Wednesday: Soaking Whole Grains and Making Yogurt

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After tweeting last night that I was soaking some of my wheat flour to make bread this morning and making a batch of homemade yogurt, I got some comments like, “I need a good yogurt recipe!” and “What?! Soak your grains?” So I thought I’d share some tips on what works for me when it comes to homemade goodness for our family.

Yogurt: Easy, really. It all comes down to good incubation. I’ve had some successes and some flops. Here’s a recipe for making one gallon of yogurt:

In a large dutch oven, heat one gallon of whole milk to approx. 195 degrees (near boiling), stirring occasionally with a whisk. (Use a candy thermometer to test temperature.)

Pour approx. one cup of the hot milk into a separate bowl. Fill sink with cold or ice water so that you can place the hot pot in it to cool without water overflowing into the pot. Leave thermometer in the milk and cool to approx. 110-120 degrees. Whisk occasionally to speed process.

In the separate bowl of milk, whisk in: 1/2 cup or so of milk powder and 1 packet of plain gelatin (these thicken your yogurt as it incubates; I’m not a big fan of runny yogurt!). Add whatever flavorings you desire…vanilla, cinammon, a bit of sugar, etc. When this cup of liquid cools to 110-120 degrees, add approx. 1 cup of plain yogurt (any store-bought variety will do).

Once large pot has cooled to 110-120 degrees, whisk in the contents of your set-aside bowl.

Now, to incubate:

Cover and set in a 110-115 degree oven for 6-8 hours or overnight. Alternatively, wrap in towels and set in an insulated cooler. You can add hot packs on top of the pot if you have them. Set it in a warm place, like near a wood stove or heat register. I’ve also heard of people using the crock pot on low or warm setting, though I haven’t tried that yet.

Don’t let it incubate too long, or it will become more sour than you might like.

Once it seems set (a little “jiggly,”) put it into the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. You can pour off the whey if you like, or mix it in before serving.

Soaking grains: This is relatively new to me, so here’s a link from the Weston A. Price foundation on “why” to soak your grains: http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/be_kind.html. And, one of the simplest posts I’ve found to help explain how: http://just-making-noise.blogspot.com/2009/06/soaking-grains.html. It’s also a fairly simple process; you just need to plan your bread-making a bit ahead to give yourself soaking time.

For more Works for me Wednesday tips, visit Kristen at We are THAT Family.

WFMW: Cheap Summer Fun Ideas

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The children have been swimming nearly every day, while I sit on the pool deck and sweat. When they aren’t in the pool, they have been keeping pretty busy–because if ever I hear, “I’m bored!” or, “Mom, what can I do?” I usually respond, “Find something productive to keep yourself busy, or I’ll give you a job to do.” That usually does the trick.

We have done a couple of really fun activities together as a family, though, and I thought I would share a few–just in case you’re looking for creative ways to fill your summer days.

    • A “Scripture Scavenger Hunt”…I’ll leave you guessing about the details of this one, since it’s an exclusive freebie just for our newsletter list. 🙂

 

  • Chalk-making–We found a neat recipe for sidewalk chalk, which was interesting to make and fun to use. (You can view instructions here.)

 

 

  • Read-alouds–The children read independently, and we read aloud A LOT. The tail-end of our school year got really busy and I realized that it had been a while since we had gone to the library; don’t forget to do this! There is something special about “new books,” or ones that children choose for themselves. Just make sure to keep them separate from your house books. We use a milk crate–easy to pick up & go when it’s time to return.

 

 

  • Audio Books–On the subject of reading aloud, don’t forget to check out sites like Project Gutenberg for free ebooks of all kinds. LibriVox offers free audiobook versions of many of the public domain works found at Project Gutenberg.

 

 

  • Make-your-own audios–If you own a headset microphone for your computer (it might have come with your PC, or you can get one for about $10 at Wal-Mart), you can create your own audio files! Just download Audacity, a free MP3 recording and editing software. Older children can read aloud stories for younger children, or Mom can dictate chapter books for the big kids to listen to during long afternoons or before bed. I’m already thinking of lots of ways that I can use Audacity during school time as well…

 

 

  • Popsicles–Making popsicles is as fun as eating them! We were fortunate enough to get one of those Tupperware popsicle-making sets as a gift, but you can buy sticks and paper Dixie cups at your local dollar store. Just put the cups on a cookie sheet, fill them as desired, partially freeze them, pop in a a stick, and re-freeze. When you’re ready to eat, you can try to make it come out of the cup neatly…or just tear the paper part off. We have made lemonade popsicles and yogurt popsicles using this recipe.

 

 

  • Forts, jails, playscapes, stores, restaurants, and more–I don’t know about you, but it usually drives me crazy to have the children build forts and such with the kitchen chairs, couch cushions, pillows, and blankets. It is such a huge project (between the building, the dramatizations that follow, and the clean up), and we almost always have other (“educational”) things to do. So summer is a great time for the kids to kick back and imagine to their hearts’ content–and I actually suggest it!

 

We also are watching more movies–as many as one a week! 🙂 On the topic of movies…and free fun…we still have a copy of the “Biology 101” DVD series from Westfield Studios hanging around! It is one of two copies that was offered as an opt-in incentive when we switched newsletter providers–BUT the winner hasn’t contacted me after several email attempts. If you never thought biology could be entertaining, you definitely haven’t seen this film! The title doesn’t do it justice. Anyway, I thought it would fit in here to offer the 101, and hopefully the winner will respond this time!

Here’s how it will work: Just leave a comment with your own low-cost “summer fun” idea. I’ll randomly select one of the commenters (using random.org to generate the number) as the lucky winner. You must provide some way for me to get in touch with you (if a link to your blog or Web site, make sure I can find contact info there). Comments are open as soon as this post goes live, and will close at midnight (EST) on Friday, July 11. I’ll choose the winner over the weekend, so check your email to see if it’s you!

Have a fun summer!

Blessings,
Cindy

PS–I’ve included this post in Works for Me Wednesday over at Rocks in my Dryer–feel free to check out some helpful tips there!

WFMW: (Homeschool) Freebie of the Day!

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We have not been blogging regularly but hopefully will be getting back into a routine sometime soon. Works for me Wednesday is as good a re-starting point as any.

I was kind of at a loss for tips, then remembered a wonderful Web site that of course you will want to check out RIGHT AWAY! 🙂 It’s called “Homeschool Freebie of the Day” and it’s TOTALLY FREE. When you sign up for Freebie notifications, you will receive an email every Monday letting you know what all of the week’s goodies are–so you can pick and choose which ones you will want to grab. Of course, it’s designed for homeschoolers, but there are resources that even non-homeschoolers will love–like audio story recordings, an ebook about herbal remedies, and more.
Trick is, the freebies are only available for ONE DAY–and then they’re gone! So it’s best to sign up for the Monday reminders and then make a note of the days when you want to go back to the site to get the free download.
Enjoy!

Works for me Wednesday: Character Training

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My husband and I were talking about character training this morning–specifically, encouraging our children to grow in their faith and in their relationship with God so that they more consistently display Christlike character.

Marc remembered reading somewhere a statement that has stuck with him. I’m not sure this is a direct quote, but it goes something like this: “The average Christian has more knowledge than ability to perform.” How true this is! We study the Bible, read the differing “interpretations” of scholars and authors, sometimes research the church fathers and historical doctrinal positions…but all too often, this knowledge merely puffs us up. When the rubber meets the road, we still find ourselves unable to exhibit a character that reflects our stated belief in God and in the Gospel of Christ.

In our discussion this morning, we were focusing on this statement as it relates to our children. As parents, we strive to impart “knowledge” of God’s Word to our children. We read the Bible each morning and afternoon, encourage them to have their own quiet time with the Lord, and try to talk about the Word consistently, as it applies to everyday situations.

BUT, knowledge has its limits. As such, the more important element of character development (for our children) is discipleship. It is through the process of discipling our children in the faith and in Christlike character that they see how to put God’s Word into practice in a way that is REAL for them. Unfortunately, it is not an instantaneous process. It is just that–a PROCESS. We often want “quick fixes” and immediate results, but with character training there is most definitely seed time and harvest–with emphasis on “TIME.” It demands great patience from us as parents.

Lately (for a number of reasons) we have been seeing traits in our children that we wish would just go away. I have caught myself wondering if the process of Biblical discipleship has its limits. But, of course, that attitude simply reflects my own shortcomings. I just have to confirm again, to myself, that God’s Word is true and He is faithful. And as we wait for fruit on the different seeds we have sown, prayers of faith are important. In fact, I think they are essential. Unfortunately, the element of prayer, and the necessity of patience, is easy to overlook. After all, it is human nature to want to “DO” something!

What works for us–even on those days when it doesn’t SEEM like it–is us doing our part, and then (through prayer and patience) trusting God to do His. One tool that we have found particularly helpful is using a character training/values chart with our children on a consistent basis. It is available as a FREE DOWNLOAD when you sign up for the Values-Driven newsletter at www.valuesdrivenfamily.com. Of course, you can subscribe to receive the free downloads, and then are free to unsubscribe at any time–but we hope you will stick with us. 🙂 We try to send out bi-weekly emails of information and encouragement for families, with free downloads that we have found useful, reviews of products from Christian publishers, and announcements of our own product sales for those who have interest.

Make sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for more WMFW tips.

Works for me Wednesday: Improving the Home Atmosphere

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My husband has been away on business quite a bit lately. We’ve been managing pretty well, although when Marc came home this past weekend, I told him I could really use some help dealing with the evening routines. By day’s end, Mom is tired, even if no one else is. And, it seems, I get the least cooperation from the children when I most need it. So if there is a time when I get overwhelmed, that would definitely be it.

Yesterday was a great day in many ways. But of course, by the time we started our evening routines, I was worn pretty thin. When (in the midst of dinner preparations) I discovered a mass of potting soil dumped over the window sill and onto off-white carpet, I nearly lost it. No, I think I DID lose it. From there on, it seemed to be one thing after another. When we sat down for our family devotions, I apologized to the children for my irritable mood. I had to laugh when my seven year-old said, “If it was morning time, we could re-boot and everything would be fine. Since it’s already bed time, there’s not much we can do.”

So I was reminded of a trick that really WORKS FOR ME. It’s called the RE-BOOT, and it greatly improves the atmosphere of our home (as long as we remember to do it when needed.) If you have been following along as we blog the book, “The Values-Driven Family,” you’ve already seen it. But, it’s worth repeating. I’m going to paste it below–a direct excerpt from VDF so that I don’t have to re-invent the wheel. Visit Rocks in my Dryer for more WFMW tips!
———————————–

Improving the Mood: Dealing with Irritability and Frustration

Has this ever happened in your home?: the baby cried at 4 AM and you couldn’t go back to sleep; the dog got sick on the carpet; the toddler who was partially potty trained peed on the floor three times in a row, for the first time in over a week; the older siblings are perpetually whining and arguing. And as for getting any housework done…! As a result, you are barking out commands to “behave” and “be quiet.” In response to your irritable orders, the children are in a crabby mood, too. You see that there is no end in sight. Yet, it’s only 9:45! You know you’re not going to make it through the day.

This is a very slight exaggeration of a true story—this was us one day! I (Marc) was busy working in my office and took it all in. My pregnant wife then went to the grocery store, children in tow. When she got home, she said that the kids exhibited the worst behavior she had ever experienced with them. I, of course (being the sensitive man that I am), responded, “I could have predicted that.”

You see, when everyone is worn thin and everybody is in a bad mood (frustrated, tired, or just plain irritable), things do not just change by themselves. In fact, you can expect the tone in the home to go from bad to worse, if left unchecked. After this incident, I talked to my wife, all the while thinking that the situation was somewhat what it feels like when my computer is acting up. It can be painfully slow or some features can simply stop working. So how do I respond (being as patient as I am with computers)? I click faster and harder and get frustrated that things just seem to slow down more—or, ultimately, the computer just seizes. How do I get things back to normal again? Reboot: Control—Alt—Delete! Immediately I saw how the concept can also apply to the family.

First, control the situation. Recognize that the environment is not healthy and that the team can’t continue down this path. In our home, we stop everything and call a REBOOT. Everyone gathers in a room and sits down. I (or Cindy, if I am not there) tell the family that the mood is dismal and must change.

Next, alter the path. Ask the family if they want to have a blessed day. Ask them if they feel blessed now. Then tell them that we need to start over and live by the core values so that we can experience the joy, peace, and success God has in store for us that day.

Finally, delete the past. All misdeeds are forgiven. Children receive a clean slate for their encouragement charts and full opportunity to get all their marks. Every person (moody adults included) must give every other member of the family hugs and kisses and tell them they are sorry for being crabby or for doing whatever it was they had done to contribute to the mood crisis.

This method is exceptional! It really works. We have done this and have turned the tone 180 degrees in our home. Rebooting is a staple part of maintaining peace and joy in our home. It helps parents and children alike to recognize that peace, joy, and success are a choice. We as a family unit can set a joyful and loving tone in the home. Implementing this method encourages everyone in the family to come on board as a team and choose to take advantage of the new start offered.

This is a great reflection of the grace that God extends to us through Christ, offering a fresh start when we’ve chosen the wrong path and come to him in repentance. We urge you to try this method in order to reduce the expression of negative emotions that threaten to wreak havoc in your home. The Bible says, “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting with strife” (Proverbs 17:1)—this is so true! Little else matters in a home with a negative tone.

Works for me Wednesday: Making the most of BulkFoods.com

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I got a tip about BulkFoods.com from a previous edition of “Works for me Wednesday” (for more tips, visit Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer). I thought it might be helpful to share a bit about my visit there in order to help you optimize yours.

BulkFoods.com specializes in bulk candies, but they also offer many baking staples (spices, herbs, grains), seeds, beans, and various types of nutritional supplements.

If you order there, you need to take advantage of the FREE SHIPPING FOR ORDERS OVER $75. Honestly, spending $75 is not a problem, and with shipping charges being what they are I don’t imagine that BulkFoods.com would be that much of a savings if you order less than $75 and then pay shipping additional on top of what you order. Also, it is important to note that the unit cost of all items is lower as you order larger quantities. I tried to order the maximum of every item, but it does make your shopping cart total add up rather quickly.Personally, I think that helped me to seriously consider what I “needed” to be purchasing. 🙂

My first question was, how does BulkFoods.com compare with my usual shopping at Sam’s Club? I usually do Sam’s once a month. I don’t clip coupons. I don’t shop sales. I just get the bare-bones basics at Sam’s and we make do with what we have. It works for us. Sam’s Club prices are good, and the Click-n-Pull service is just the icing on the cake.

I spent about an hour cross-referencing SamsClub.com with BulkFoods.com, comparing various things that I would normally buy (nuts, raisins, yeast, dry milk–which, by the way, they don’t always have at my local Sam’s and which is cheaper at Aldi anyway).

One thing that I have always wished that they carried at Sam’s is dry beans–and that is one thing that I found to be a pretty decent deal at BulkFoods.com. I LOVE their bean soup mix! I don’t think that the beans are comparatively much cheaper than what you can get at your local grocery store, but since I was shopping anyway (and wanted to take advantage of the free shipping), I added the beans to my cart because I didn’t feel that they were “over-priced.”

Most other standard items (like the ones I listed above) were hands-down cheaper at Sam’s. However, the prices may compare more favorably to standard grocery prices (particularly yeast, which I have always found to be outrageously expensive anywhere but Sam’s Club).

The items I ended up purchasing at BulkFoods.com were the “unique” items that I’ve only seen there and that I can’t purchase locally. On those items, their prices compared favorably to other online sources.

For example, I got some citric acid to make cottage cheese. I also found that it is a great JUICE EXTENDER! I mix a bottle of juice with a bottle of water and add a few tablespoons of citric acid. The kids can barely tell the difference! 🙂 (There is even a recipe for cottage cheese on the Web site, BTW.)

I got some of their powdered chicken soup base, which I prefer to the individual bouillion cubes I get at Sam’s. I also like their cream soup base. Granted, if I wanted to make a cream soup or sauce, I could go by my usual recipe and use standard ingredients, BUT the powdered base has been a real time-saver and worth the price. I’ve used it to make a quick cream of tomato soup, an alfredo sauce for pasta, and a cheddar cheese sauce for broccoli. All you do is whisk 8 T. of soup base (about 1/2 c.) with 2 c. of water, simmer for 15 min. or so, and then add a small can of tomato paste (for soup), 1/2 c. or so of parmesan cheese (for an alfredo-type sauce) or 1/2 c. of cheddar cheese. I’ve also whisked a few tablespoons of the base into chicken broth for use in chicken pot pie.

A friend of mine whose son has various food allergies was thrilled to get some rice flour at BulkFoods.com. She also mentioned that they prefer the flavor of sea salt to regular table salt, and BulkFoods also has sea salt at competitive prices.

So that’s my $ .02 on BulkFoods.com, which (in conjunction with Sam’s Club) has become a once-a-month regular place to stock up. It Works for Me!

Works for me Wednesday: It’s all about Perspective

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I haven’t done a “Works for me Wednesday” in a while–though I’m sure Shannon hasn’t noticed ;). Honestly, I don’t have time for a long post right now, since my wee ones will be waking up from afternoon naps soon AND I have some cookies to make for a “play date” tomorrow AND I still don’t even know WHAT I’m making for supper! Not only that, but we’ve been busy with various things, including Cindy Rushton’s ULTIMATE HOMESCHOOL EXPO! (Can you tell we’re excited about it? If you homeschool and you haven’t checked it out, you really should–it’s an amazing VIRTUAL conference with tons of awesome workshops and lots of FREEBIES–my favorite!)
…ANYWAY…
I did have something on my heart that I wanted to write about–something that WORKS FOR ME today! It’s all about perspective.
If you’re anything like me, sometimes you get focused on the wrong stuff. Life gets busy and you just need to get the laundry done. Just want the kids to “behave.” Have to DO all the stuff on your to-do list…BUT it often seems like the harder you try, the more stumbling blocks you find in your path. Why? Personally, that happens to me when I am focused on what *I* want, think, or feel. Difficulties and challenges are often just gentle reminders that GOD may have other plans.
Or, it may be that I just need a new perspective. It’s not that those “things” don’t NEED to get done. Or that God doesn’t want me to do them. But He wants me to do what needs doing, with the right HEART ATTITUDE. And sometimes I don’t have that. I get going on a project or start off moving in a certain direction and I get tunnel vision…sort of like a hound dog with his nose to the ground following a trail. He’d probably bump his head into a brick wall because he failed to look up. And sometimes, I fail to look “up,” too! Do you?
What has really been working for me lately is to try to keep the proper perspective on things. It can be tough to do in the busyness of life, but it’s a necessary effort. I’m continually reminding myself that it’s not so much about what we’re doing as about how we’re doing it. And I got a nice reminder on that this morning from my boys, so I wanted to share it.

Yesterday, the boys had gone outside with the assignment of cleaning the yard. (If your kids are anything like mine, they have lots of outdoor toys, do projects, and just leave stuff laying around until we let them know that it’s just not acceptable). Anyway, they started off working pretty hard but it was SO nice. And there was this tree house project that they had been working on, which they could return to, if only their work was done. So in the end, I think the effort was pretty half-hearted. Certainly not the diligent work that I’d have liked to see. It became painfully obvious to me only after looking out over the yard from my bedroom window this morning–and I could see many, many things still littering the lawn. But, they didn’t have the benefit of my perspective. We have a big yard, and they are relatively little people. They got tired of traipsing all over the place. And, yes, they did want to play. Mostly, though, I just don’t think they could “see” everything that I saw from my vantage point at the window.
So this morning, I sent them upstairs to look out of my window. I wanted them to see where all the “stuff” was, and then go out and take care of it. They did a MUCH better job. And it was all about perspective, they agreed.

It was just one more reminder to me that I need to have the right perspective on all of my “doings.” It’s not about me, it’s about God. It’s not about my plans, but His. And we may be in agreement about what needs to be done, but He also wants it done with the right heart-attitude. Outlook is everything.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9, NIV)

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Romans 11:33-36, NIV)

Works for me Wednesday: Everyday Forgiveness

valuesdr

When I woke up this morning, I thought, “Wow, it’s Wednesday already!” I was not feeling very inspired about Works for me Wednesday (Sorry, Shannon!)…but I didn’t NOT want to participate.

It’s been one of those days. Actually, I’ve been having a few of “those days.” Many of the things I should be doing, I haven’t been. And the things I didn’t want to do, well, there they are (read more about that here). So you can see why I wasn’t feeling very gung-ho about Works for me Wednesday.

But, as we went out and about in town this morning–listening to some good music on the way–I was reminded that I’M NOT PERFECT. I was also reminded, though, that I still am PERFECTLY FORGIVEN. And I am so thankful for that.

This isn’t a cyber-altar call, folks, so don’t get nervous (or offended). For a good rundown on that all-important stuff, click here. What I want to talk about is the everyday gospel–everyday “good news”–everyday forgiveness.

I remember a friend of mine, years ago, complaining about her holier-than-thou brother and sister-in-law. They so turned her off because of their religiousity. On the other hand, she’d seen my kids run away when I called them to come to me…and I probably raised my voice once or twice, too. And, although I can’t say I was pleased about it at the time–and I thought I was such a poor witness for Christ–I got to say to her, in all honesty, “Honey, I’M NOT PERFECT. I’m just PERFECTLY FORGIVEN.” That’s the truth, and I’m sticking with it.

Salvation, for me, wasn’t saying a magic prayer and carrying on with life as usual. Jesus changed me. Because of Jesus, I see the ugliness that is in me. I hate it. I so want to be better than that. If left to my own devices, I could not forgive myself. But I know that Jesus forgives me. Not just when I said the “Jesus, come into my heart” prayer…but every day. Every moment of every day, if I need it. And sometimes I feel like I do. An awesome song that always makes me cry is called “God Loves You,” sung by Charlie and Jill LeBlanc and the worship team at Joyce Meyer Ministries. (It’s on a CD called “Intimate Moments,” and–as an aside–I am SO bummed that I lost mine because it’s no longer being prduced.) Anyway, it goes like this:

Well every person fails
And every man needs love to pick him up, time after time
This world can use you up
And leave you with a world of care
Where hope used to shine.
But God can give you strength
When all you’ve done is fall,
So say it ’till you understand,
And tell me, do you really understand?

God loves you
and made you for the pleasure of knowing you…
God loves you
and made you for the pleasure of showing you
that God loves you.

At times like this, I just have to keep reminding myself that God loves me anyway. Even when I don’t love myself.

I went to a local church with my kids somewhat recently for a special service. A visiting minister shared a sermon and then spent some time praying for people. I had to sneak out early (10 PM…early?!), but he stopped me before I got out the door to pray for me and for my children. I felt like God spoke to me. Here is what he said (the minister, not exactly God…),

“You’re not Super Woman.” (Agreed. Preach it, brother!)

“You’re not a super wife.” (Well, not always, no.)

“You’re not a super mother.” (Okay, now you’re going too far, guy!) But then he spoke what I have always felt is my life statement:

“But you are doing the very best you can. And what you can’t do, God can.”

So today, I am thanking God again for the gift of my salvation through Jesus Christ. I need Him. I need His forgiveness. Every day. That really works for me.

Works for me Wednesday: Desktop Productivity

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Another edition of Works for me Wednesday. Welcome back, Shannon! All the blogging about the work of Compassion International and sharing Shannon’s heart about it has really blessed my socks off and given me so much to think about. I hope y’all have taken the time to catch up over there!

But, on to the WFMW topic at hand… You computer-savvy folks are probably well ahead of me on this one, but I just wanted to share my recent discovery of iGoogle. It has revolutionized my desktop and totally enhanced my productivity in working from home, homeschooling, and optimizing the few “personal” things I do on the Internet.

I downloaded the iGoogle software a couple of weekends ago and spent a couple of hours setting up my own personal Google homepage. Here’s what it looks like:

You can see that it has the Google search box up top. Note also the black arrow I put in–this points out one neat feature that I really like. You have a basic “default” or homepage, but you can create tabs for other categories. I have my home page with the regular tools that are helpful, then I have a tab for our book business/ministry, and a tab for my personal stuff.

The graphic is a template and there are many to choose from, depending upon your style and taste. I like the country theme. There are a couple of neat ones with sunrise/sunset that change throughout the day. After choosing your basic theme, the fun begins.

You go into the “gadgets” section and add in things that you use frequently. I have a clock and calendar, news stories, a daily Bible verse, and local weather. I also included “Art of the Day” and “National Geographic Photo of the Day.” This is a really easy way to remind myself to integrate the arts into our homeschool consistently (this is a subject area I don’t tend to emphasize–but again, the gadgets provide just one EASY way to do so, and on a daily basis!)

That’s the top half of my page. Here’s the bottom:

See that yellow notebook page? It’s my to-do list–I LOVE IT!! There are many other styles as well. This one lets you easily move items “up” or “down,” and others let you prioritize (high, medium or low). I also have gadgets for White Pages, Wikipedia, and “How Stuff Works” (intriguing questions-and-answers on topics of all kinds; again, great for homeschooling!)

Other tools that I’ve found incredibly helpful (and which are in use on my “personal” tab, pictured below…) include the Google reader (which is, of course, for all your blog/RSS feeds–you might already be familiar with that); and the Google Bookmarks. The Bookmarks gadget keeps my favorite Internet sites organized by category and I can view one list at a time, instead of looking at that long (and disorganized) drop-down list of sites that I was used to.

I find the bookmark setup incredibly helpful because I have one category called “Kids,” where I’ve put in all of the Internet sites that the kids are allowed to access (all for educational/homeschooling purposes–no games.) When I ask them to use these sites during school time, they know they can just open the browser, click on my “personal” tab, and select the “Kids” label to access the site they need. Easy enough! I have my favorite shopping sites bookmarked, online banking and bill payment sites as another label–Wow, I’ve never been this cyber-organized!

One more feature that has been helpful in an unexpected way (which is not iGoogle, but just another Google tool) is the Google Desktop. You can see it here as a sidebar, but you can also collapse it down onto your taskbar:

This has a clock, weather, updated news headlines, an AWESOME Scratch Pad to make quick notes, AND…the coolest feature (see it there at the orange pointer?)…a SLIDE SHOW that scrolls through all the photos in “My Pictures” folder. That was the unexpected BEST thing to help us “integrate” and meet multiple objectives in our home.

I was working on our book business/ministry Web site and trying to balance that with homeschooling–so my older boys were sitting alongside me at the desk while I talked out loud about the Web design elements I was using, the concept of WYSIWIG, and some basic HTML. But of course, I have little ones, too, and I don’t want to feel like I’m neglecting them–either for work or for the older kids’ academics. But suddenly my toddler was in my lap, looking at the slideshow and squealing with delight. She’d see a family picture and start naming everyone in it, or ask, “Who’s that?” about one of their baby pictures that she didn’t recognize. Then my preschoolers wormed their way in behind their big brothers, and everyone was reminiscing about fun family times, talking about places we’d been, and so on. And since it’s a slideshow, it was like a movie–a rare treat and a real attention-getter in our house! 🙂 So we did Web design, loved on each other, and got some needed work done, all in one!

We are firm believers in integrating as many “life elements” as possible, so that we can make the most of every opportunity. iGoogle and the Google desktop feature have just become one more tool in our ever-expanding toolbox to make our days function more seamlessly–and more peacefully.

Works for me Wednesday: 3Ms for Busy Moms

valuesdr

Here it is, another “Works for me Wednesday!” This time it’s being hosted by “Don’t Try This at Home,” since Shannon is in Africa with Compassion International. (By the way, this is really an innovative and impressive venture–you need to check out all of the contributors’ blogs about the Compassion ministry.)
Recently I’ve been unusually busy (between the little ones, homeschooling, home management, and finishing up a new book, “The Growing Homschool“–and then updating the Web site as a result of these changes). I thought I would share a few things that have helped me make the most of my time during this somewhat hectic few weeks. Even though there have been some overwhelming (and, yes, discouraging) moments when I have not been at my best, overall things have remained orderly. *Overall.* It’s about direction, not perfection, folks–let’s remember that. 🙂
Even though I am not a big fan of “twelve steps” or “ten tips” or what have you (I tend to get confused with trying to remember and follow many points in the busyness of every day), the three things that I’ve been trying to stay focused on these past few weeks all conveniently start with “M,” so I’ll call this “3 Ms for Busy Moms.” It’s what has worked for me in helping to maintain an atmosphere of order and peace, in spite of a higher level of activity, and more distractions. Here goes:
Maximize
The most important thing, for me, has been having a mind-set of “maximizing” each moment. I am reminded of Colossians 4:5, which tells us to “make the most of every opportunity.” Granted, in context the passage is speaking of being a witness for Christ to those who don’t know Him, and I’m thinking of it in a broader context–so bear with me.Basically, what I take away from this Scripture is that it’s important to live “in the moment,” whatever the moment is. If it’s a good moment, relish it. Days are only made up of moments, after all. So when a child comes to the desk where I’m working and shows me a picture, I can really look at it. I can appreciate the effort that they put into it, and tell them so. When I’m making dinner, I can be thankful for the food that the Lord is putting on our table, and do my best at serving something that my family will appreciate (forgetting about other things, at least for the moment!). If I’m listening to one of my children, I can actually pay attention and ask questions about what they’ve said, rather than just saying “uh-huh” and nodding my head.

And if the moments are not-so-good, I try to make the most of them anyway. I try (TRY!) to make my first thought a question: “Lord, what are you trying to teach me?” Or, if my children are driving me crazy, I have to step back and think, “How can I make the most of this negative behavior?” When the kids misbehave, it’s important for me to find out what lessons they can learn through the discipline, and I make a mental note of areas where I can provide more concentrated training to reduce the incidents of misbehavior in the future. For example, when the children are bickering over a toy, I may remind them that God values generosity (whereas they are exhibiting selfishness). I will ask them to talk about who will use it, and to speak to one another in a loving way. If they continue, I may separate them each into a corner for a few minutes. My usual comment is something along the lines of, “If you can’t play nicely together because you’re thinking only of yourself, then you can spend some time by yourself in the corner.” Then, I remind myself to get the children into some good Bible verses or stories about generosity, once we’re not so in-the-midst of an emotionally charged situation.
So, good moments or not-so-good, I’ve been trying to maximize the moments and get the best out of them that we possibly can.
Minimize
Maximize the moment, minimize the distractions. Minimize the stuff that’s not-so-important. That’s been high on my list of priorities, particularly during these last couple of weeks. I use call waiting or the answering machine to screen calls and typically I will only answer if I have “nothing” going on (which is rare), or if it is my husband calling (which is also rare, since he works from home!). I give a call or email back when it’s convenient–and quiet. And speaking of email, I’ve also been minimizing my time on the Internet (not on the computer, as I’ve been working on the aforementioned Web design). I respond to important emails right away so they don’t languish in my inbox, but anything that can reasonably wait gets flagged and I respond after the children have gone to bed…or whenever I can get to it.
I also try to minimize the “trouble” that the children can get into (particularly at times like this when I’ve had a project of my own that’s taken up an unusual amount of my time). I do this by providing a directed activity and expecting the children to focus on that activity for at least 20-30 minutes. It may just be reading books on the couch. Other times it might be using play dough at the table, doing puzzles, or filling in coloring books. My school age children have daily assignments that they are expected to complete independently. Language arts and math are almost always done on their own (while of course I am available to provide direction and answer questions), and then we get together for science, social studies, and art or music.
Lately I’ve also been minimizing meal preparation, while still trying to eat somewhat healthy. We rarely rely on convenience foods, so I’m thankful that I’ve been double-cooking and freezing meals recently. It’s nice, on a busy day, to know that I can just run to the freezer and pop something in the oven at 4:00. If I am making something from scratch, I’ve been relying on no-frills basics that we all enjoy, like homemade pizza or a big casserole that will last for two days instead of one.
Multi-task
Multi-tasking is a common buzz phrase these days. When I think of multi-tasking, I tend to think of juggling. Sooner or later, one of the balls is bound to drop. Which one?Homeschooling…housekeeping…child training…family relationships…quiet time with the Lord…work?? So although I do try to “multi-task” by having multiple activities going on at once (fold a load of laundry while reading a book to the toddler, and checking every few minutes to see that supper isn’t burning on the stove), it’s more common that I actually view multi-tasking as integration. Sorry, I wanted to make it fit with the “3Ms,” though. Maybe it should have been “two Ms and an I.” But that just doesn’t have the same ring to it. 🙂
What does integration look like?
One fun way I’ve found to “integrate” this week was to do my Web design with an audience. A couple of the older children sat around the computer and I talked out loud about what I was doing and why. They actually learned some basic things about HTML and using WYSIWYG software like Microsoft Expressions.
On one recent, really nice day–unseasonably warm for winter–the boys were itching to go outside and play (and I was happy to let them) but I didn’t want to take a day off of school. So before they went outside they wrote down some estimates for lengths and widths of things that were out in the yard, then once they were outside, they did the actual measurements and calculated the difference. Then they were excused to play!
My husband has been integrating some relationship-building and some “science” with our oldest, who has a bit of money saved and an interest in solar power. So they’ve been researching solar cells, solar-powered battery chargers, power-up times, and many other things over the Internet while my husband is on lunch or after the little ones get tucked into bed for the night.
While I cook, I usually have one child “help”me, which is a great way to teach new skills and build relationship, all while getting a necessary household task done.
We always have meals together as a family, and sometimes during breakfast or lunch (which is usually just me and the kids) we’ll just talk or else I may read aloud from a good book. And no matter what we do, we try to focus on character training by discussing relevant Scripture verses or character traits that are of value to God.
So if you’re a busy Mom, perhaps it will help you to focus on the 3Ms: Maximize by making the most of every moment; minimize distractions by proactively addressing time killers and giving your children something productive to do; and multi-task by integrating family relationship-building with day-to-day work or chores, integrating academics with character training or whatever else works for you.