Apr 07

Tidy-Up Tuesdays: Week No. 1 – Family Rooms

Tidy Up Tuesdays 7 Comments »
Family rooms should be for families but they shouldn’t be overrun with kids toys. The best balance is a space that is kid friendly but relaxing for adults, too.  We don’t have a formal living room, so our family room is a functional space that serves multiple purposes throughout the day – homework center, TV area, game center, home theatre, reading nook, etc. Here are a few tips for creating a family-friendly living room.  
 
 

 

1) Begin with family-friendly furniture. It’s hard, but not impossible, to find furniture that looks like it’s intended for grown-ups but is kid-proof, too.We love our IKEA slipcover EKTORP couch (www.ikea.com). The slipcover is machine washable and only $150 to replace every five years or when you get tired of the color. Our couch even survived a bright red Gatorade disaster.  

2) Multiply storage with seating. I bought several storage ottomons to create extra seating and provide storage for blankets and extra pillows. I re-cover the tops when I get tired of the fabric and then I Scotch Guard them to make spill cleanups a snap.

3) Stash a toy box behind the couch. I bought a large, rectangular basket to place underneath my sofa table. It holds the kids toys and is tucked out of view from nearly everywhere in the house. The kids can pull it out and play all day, but clean up is simple when it’s time to transform the house before company comes over.

4) Buy bins for under the coffee table. I used to keep two bins underneath our coffee table to store baby toys when my baby was a baby. Now that she’s 3 years old, we donated the toys to younger cousins and the bins no longer have the same use. But they served their purpose well as another way to store toys in the family room without subtracting from the adult environment after hours.

5) Don’t skimp on DVD storage. We have a beautiful built-in entertainment center that is very deep; keeping it organized can feel overwhelming. What worked for me was purchasing baskets and labeling them according to several categories. We store our CDs and DVDs in these baskets so they’re easy to find, but they’re tucked away so we don’t have to look at them all day.

6)  Invest in book storage. Our IKEA bookshelf bookshelf is fabulous to display grownup books and breakable treasures on top shelves . Kids books and storage baskets fill up the bottom shelves on the bottom. It looks tidy even when it’s not. This bookshelf has a million uses  and can be put in many different rooms in a house, from the basement to bedroom or the garage or craft room. It’s a great investment that can be repurposed as your family’s needs change.

 

Question: What products or strategies do you use to keep your living room in check?

Apr 06

New: Home Organization Series

Uncategorized 1 Comment »

Tomorrow I’m starting a six-week series of home organization tips. Make sure to check back each Tuesday, for the next six weeks, for tips on getting your home organized.

Apr 06

Mommy Mondays: Lucky No. 7

Mommy Monday 2 Comments »

I recently heard someone say, “The busiest mom in the world is the mother of one,” and I instantly thought of my friend Andi. She is a mother of seven.

I love when she tells me, “I’m getting so much done today. I only have 3 kids home today.” Meanwhile, I only have three children total and I struggle to stay sane, so my hat goes off to mothers who have many kids.

Here’s a peak into this wonderful mother’s life and how she does it all.

Q. How many children do you have? What are their ages?

A. 7 children – 3 girls and 4 boys (ages 13, 12, 10, 8, 5, 4, 3)

Q. How many years have you been married? Of those years how many do you think you were either pregnant or nursing a baby?

A. 14 years of marriage and almost 10 years spent nursing or pregnant. (61 months of pregnancy = 5.1 years; 56 months of nursing = 4.6 years)

Q. Did you always imagine yourself with a large family?

A. No. I’m an only child and I knew I wanted to have more than one. 

Q. What is the best part of having 7 children?

A. Entertainment for sure. My kids are very entertaining. If it’s not one kid it’s another saying or doing something funny. There’s always someone to play with. There’s always someone there to play a game or do whatever we are doing.

Q. What do you do to keep your sanity?

Exercise is my new-found sanity keeper. I go to the gym and I go alone. I take some time for me. That’s how I start the day. I go early and I start the day on myself and not on anyone else. Then I feel good about doing all of the things I need for everyone else the rest of the day. If I don’t exercise, then I read and immerse myself in a book if I need to step out of life.

Q. What is your daily routine?

5:30 Get up; go to the gym; shower; make breakfast for the family; get kids ready for day

8:30 Leave for school; drive carpool; pre-school drop off

9:20 Check email and blogs; pay bills; chores

11:05 Start pre-school pick up; carpool

12:00 Lunch; activity for kids (toys or craft); laundry or dishes or other chores on the side

2:20 Older children come home from school; begin homework

3:30 Elementary-school kids come home, homework, snacks and chores.

5:00 Begin making dinner; finish chores with kids

6ish Eat dinner; run out the door for sports or church activities

8:30 Bedtime for kids

9:00 Watch TV or a movie; fold laundry or pick up house

11:00 Bedtime for me

Q. How many loads of laundry do you do in a week?

A. At least 12. That’s two loads a day, six days a week, plus two more for towels and bedding. Probably 15 per week. I’ve never really counted.

Q. How much is your weekly grocery bill?

A. $150 per week. (That doesn’t count going out to eat.)

Q. What do you do to save money?

  • I take advantage of anything free, like when the pool has free days.
  • I don’t buy pre-made meals very often (even frozen pizza).
  • I’ve started using coupons but I’m not good at it yet; that’s something new I’m going to try.  
  • I go to the discount bread store and stock up on bread and treats there.
  • I shop sales and buy generic instead of brand names.
  • I use those discount cards for buy one get one or other deals.
  • We have canned our own fruit and made jelly from fruit that friends have given us.
  • We eat leftovers.

Q. What do you do to make meal time easier?

A. I tend to only do easy recipes –nothing complicated or time consuming –unless I have my husband there to help. I also enlist the help of the kids to get ingredients, stir, flip, or chop.

Q. How do you divide up the chores?

A. We have a set group of chores and we rotate everyday. It rotates all month long so one kid doesn’t get stuck with the same chore every week. If there are extra chores I put their names in a hat and that’s the extra chore they have to do.

Q. How many gallons of milk does your family use in a week? Loaves of bread?

A. 1 gallon a day at least and 1 loaf of bread per day

Q. What do you drive?

A. 12-passenger van

 

Question: What amazing moms do you know? What makes them amazing?

Apr 03

New National Bi-Annual Holiday: General Conference Weekend

LDS 4 Comments »

We don’t throw a big party for the Super Bowl at our house, but twice a year we pull out all of the stops to enjoy General Conference (www.lds.org). Each of my three children are assigned a session of conference (and Dad gets the final session.) They get to choose the foods that we eat (and we eat a lot!).They also select the quiet activities that we do while we watch. I admit to having the same short attention span as my children, so I have to multi-task while I watch or else I will fall asleep. (This is not a reflection on the content because I fall asleep during action movies and exciting basketball games, too.)

I really want General Conference to be a positive experience that we look forward to as a family. Over the years we’ve tweaked our system and now we have so much fun that it’s nearly a national holiday in the Springer house. So, here’s what we do in 7 easy steps:

1) Eat. Pick lots and lots of fun foods that you don’t normally eat. Of course, all things in moderation. For example, we’re having nachos as a meal. I wouldn’t normally allow this, but it’s a special occasion. My oldest did suggest getting a veggie tray to make up for all the junk food we’d eat, so I guess that’s our version of moderation.

2) Whip out the box of crayons. There are several great coloring packets available online with items for all ages. For example, check out http://www.scribd.com/doc/13298891/2009-April-Conference-Packet. Also, my friend posted a good idea for a game for non-readers on her blog: jimandjoy.blogspot.com. (I’ve also added it to my guest blog category, so you can access it there too.)

3) Games and puzzles can be quiet too. Little kids (and adults with ADD) have a hard time sitting and listening and can focus better on the words if their hands are distracted. We pull out puzzles and work on them while we listen and we love to play games such as Bingo while we watch. (We always buy M & Ms to use instead of beans because everything is more fun with chocolate.)

4) Get out and take a break. In between sessions we try to take in some fresh air at a park. We’ll pack a picnic lunch (if there is any room left for food after pigging out for two hours). It gives everyone a chance to work out their wiggles and come back ready to watch.

5) Prizes for note takers. My older children enjoy taking notes on the computer and by hand because I reward them for jotting down a few main ideas from each speaker. It’s amazing to me how much they glean from the speakers even though they are so young.

6) Follow-up FHEs (Family Home Evening). We try to take special note of the talks that are specifically geared towards children or those that share stories of their childhood and use those as the basis for future FHE lessons. We make a list and keep track of those talks we’ve studied in the weeks following conference.

7) TiVo is tops. We actually didn’t have cable for years but we re-subscribed just so we could “celebrate” conference at home. As an added bonus, we’ve really enjoyed being able to DVR conference so we can take potty breaks, pause for spats, and rewind the stuff we want to hear again.

Question: What do you do for General Conference weekend?

 
 

 

 

Apr 03

Guest Blogger: General Conference Idea for Pre-schoolers

Guest Blogger 1 Comment »

There are a lot of different conference packets out there, but we have a hard time with them since my kids don’t read quite yet, and only one really likes to color.  I found this idea in the Friend or Ensign somewhere and made it my own. 

I tape the pictures around the TV and put a bowl of jelly beans in front of the TV.  When they hear the word, they can take a jelly bean.  I like this because they have to listen and there is instant gratification.

Joy, guest blogger and mother of 3 daughters (See more posts by Joy next week!)

Apr 03

Foodie Fridays: Grocery Store Savings

Foodie Fridays 3 Comments »

I’ve always prided myself on being a savvy shopper and the grocery store is no exception. As I’ve mentioned before, my children have hit an all-time record for scarfing down food these days and I find myself with an empty fridge faster than ever. 

I’ve tried many different methods over the years for saving money at the grocery store. Below are a few, but I’d love to hear feedback from all of you as to what you do to trim the fat in your food budget.

1.       Look at the ads. Every week I pull out the flyer from the grocery store and plan my meals around what perishable items are on sale. For example, broccoli was 88 cents a pound this week at my local store. As a result, I made the plan to eat cream of broccoli soup one night and a chicken divan casserole (main ingredient is broccoli) another night. I hate wasting food because it’s literally like throwing money down the drain.

2.       Only buy meats when they’re on sale. I have an issue with whole chickens (I know they’re cheaper, but it grosses me out!), so I prefer to buy the boneless breasts when they go on sale for $1.77 a pound. I’m sure the checker thinks I’m a nut when I buy 10 packages of chicken breasts, but it lasts me until they go on sale again. Everything goes on sale eventually, so why buy at full price if you can freeze it?

3.       The No. 10 can is your friend. I started buying more fruits, vegetables, and sauces in bulk cans instead of opening up 3 or 4 small ones to feed the clan. You’d be surprised how fast you can use up a can of green beans or peaches if you incorporate them into your menu planning.

4.       Freeze the leftovers. I like to make double batches of family favorites (turkey burgers, taco meat, spaghetti sauce, casseroles, etc.) and freeze several extra meals for those days when I don’t feel like cooking or when I know that I’ll be too busy. It’s great to have three or four frozen meals lined up for “bad days.”

5.       Compare prices at Costco. While I am the first one to attest to how great Costco is, it’s also the $100 store for a reason. (In other words, you can’t leave Costco without spending at least $100). Some items really are cheaper there but most are cheaper if you buy them at the grocery store on sale.

6.       Play coupon games. I used to be a huge proponent of www.CouponMom.com, (which is free) and I have friends who love www.theGroceryGame.com, but I don’t seem to have the time or energy to invest into coupon clipping these days. Kudos to you ladies who do it! It can really shave a lot of money off your bill.

Question: What do you do to cut your grocery bill?

 

Apr 02

Tried and True Thursdays: Movie Marathon

Tried and True Thursdays 4 Comments »

See full size imageI pull out all the stops for movie marathon nights in our house. We rearrange furniture, eat popcorn out of movie theatre-esque holders, and buy candy in bulk. I spare no expense at setting the mood and ambiance to create our own home theatre. Below are a few handy things that help make movie night an even more rewarding experience for the whole family.

1.       www.rottentomatoes.com. This website compiles all of the movie reviews published in most major news facilities and gives a movie an overall rating based on the percentage of critics who either liked or disliked the movie. Films that score 60 percent or higher favorable reviews earn a “Fresh” rating while those with a rating lower than 60 percent are deemed “Rotten.” While it’s not a flawless system by any means, it generally doesn’t fail me. Every once in a while I cave and watch something that is rated in the Rotten category and then I remind myself that I just lost $5 for renting it and at least two hours of my life watching it.

2.       www.dove.org. Ever been let down by an MPAA rating on a movie and regretted allowing your kids to watch it? This website leaves no stone unturned as it informs you of a movie’s content, including every bit of potty humor, every swear word, and every innuendo. Each movie is reviewed by a volunteer committed to wholesome family movies. The reviewer assigns a numerical rating for each of 5 categories of movie content (Sex, Language, Violence, Drugs, Nudity, and Other) and then ultimately decides whether the film will earn the Dove Seal of Approval. In order to be approved, a film must score within the acceptable range in each of these 5 categories.

3.       www.redbox.com. Anything cheap and convenient gets my attenae up every time. Redbox movies cost only $1 and can be rented from a grocery store. Films that cost a buck that you can rent and return at the same time you pick up milk; what mom wouldn’t love that?

4.       www.netflix.com. Not only is Netflix another cheap and easy way to watch movies, it also has a large selection of TV shows on DVD to rent. My husband and I have rented several TV series from Netflix and watched every episode from Season 1, all without having to own the series and store it in our home library. Netflix also has  movies you can watch online for free.

What great family films have you seen lately?

 

Apr 01

Wildcard Wednesdays: Surviving Spring Break

Wildcard Wednesdays 5 Comments »

Two summers ago I locked myself in my walk-in closet with my phone in hand and hid out from my children. I called my girlfriend, and in a low whisper, admited to her that my children were calling out for me and I was actually hiding from them. I couldn’t handle one more whining request or tattling monologue. I was on the verge of a mental collapse.  I couldn’t really pinpoint where my plan had gone wrong and how I ended up huddled between my shoe sorter and my long-hanging dresses. Weeks earlier I had been so excited about all of the time that we would have as a family during summer break because we wouldn’t be preoccupied with homework packets and early bedtimes.

We went to the beach on Mondays and the park on Fridays.The days in between were filled with trips to the zoo, playdates with friends, tea parties, and plenty of downtime having movie marathons. It was a recipe for success, or at least I thought so, until one of my children uttered the ungrateful words, “When are we going to do something fun? I haven’t been able to do anything I want to do!”

As I began to unravel and rant to my girlfriend, who was older and wiser in years, she pinpointed my demise. Simply stated,  You have killed yourself trying to make your daughters happy to the point of exhaustion and you haven’t spent a minute taking care of yourself since summer break commenced. As her wise words sunk into my 5-foot- 4 inch body, which was still hiding behind the closet door, I realized that I had quickly displaced myself on the backburner – again.

Each year, as long breaks from school approach, I remember that moment staring at my winter coats and knee-length boots in my closet, and I wonder how will I strike the balance between being the fun mom and losing all of my free time and personal space. Some days I actually tear up still when I drop my girls off at school. I watch the car door slam shut and it feels like their childhood is evaporating. I pick them up some afternoons from school and  it feels they’ve aged 6 months since the time I dropped them off 6 hours earlier. Don’t get me wrong though, there are plenty of days when I burn rubber out of the parking lot grateful I have a few hours of solitude to decompress.

With Spring Break upon us, I want to share a few things I do to stay sane over extended school breaks.

1)    Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Packing every minute with fun, fun, fun is like taking a whirl-wind trip through Europe visiting 1.3 countries per day. It’s anything but fun and the bottom line is this: tired children are cranky children.

2)    Spring break is supposed to be a break. The whole idea is that you get a break from the normal routine and you relax. The words relax and children probably don’t seem like congruent terms, but again, balance is key.

3)    Have a family meeting. I like to sit down with the kids in the days before school gets out and ask them what their expectations are for the upcoming break. Do they need down time to vegetate in front of the TV or are they eager to take day trips to long-promised locations?

4)    Make your own game plan. Plan a girls’ night or a date night, or hire a babysitter to come in for an afternoon, but do whatever it takes to schedule in some time to get out of the house sans children. If you don’t put this planning time on your calendar, it won’t happen. It’s amazing what a better, more patient mother I am when I have the chance to miss my children for an hour or two once a week.

Question: What do you do to stay sane over Spring Break?

 

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