Overcoming Clutter

Before

Before

Before

Since moving into our new home I am more determined than ever to eliminate clutter and simplify.  In our 8 person household we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff.  Some of it we need, lots of it we don't.  As we are unpacking our boxes I am realizing just how much we can live without.  The kids have too many toys and too many clothes and I have too much kitchen stuff and too many decorative items and we have entirely too much home school stuff.  We've been making daily (yes! every single day!) trips to the donation center with boxes of clothes and toys and books and household items.  Many have asked me why not have a garage sale and my answer to that is I don't want to pile up the clutter waiting until I have the time to do a garage sale.  For this busy mama it could be months until I have time to put that together.  It feels better to me to release the clutter and hopefully bless someone else! 

Here are some of my favorite tips for overcoming clutter.............


1.  MINIMIZE YOUR BELONGINGS. 
Every few months go through clothes, toys, books, games and even furnishings.  Give away things you don't use.

2.  CAREFULLY CONSIDER YOUR PURCHASES.
The more you have, the more time, space, and energy is required from you to maintain those purchases.  Whenever you purchase something new, discard an old item.

3.  CREATE A RECYCLE CENTER.
You can purchase a variety of systems or create your own.  Locate an easily accessible space to put paper sacks - one sack for each type of recyclable material.  We like using large clear Rubbermaid containers.  We have one for cans, one for newspaper, etc. 

4.  GO THROUGH YOUR MAIL RIGHT AWAY.
Use an accordion file folder labeled with your various household bills.  Include a "to be paid" section.  When you pay your bills move receipts to correct category.  Include a "tax info" section to file tax information and receipts. 

5.  RECYCLE JUNK MAIL.
Don't waste time opening it.  Tear or shred credit card offers to avoid theft.  Request that catalog companies not sell your name.

6.  RECYCLE MAGAZINES.
If you are saving magazines because of good articles, file the articles in a three-ring notebook by category and recycle the magazines.  Or share great magazines by passing them on to a friend. 

7.  ORGANIZE CHILDREN'S SCHOOLWORK.
Purchase large 3-ring notebooks with a clear cover and spine.  Let each child design their own notebook.  Include grade level, school year and other information.  File each child's work you want to save in their notebook.  Another idea I love is to take a picture of the child with a favorite project.  That way you have a picture to save instead of the whole project.  We can't save everything!

8.  CREATE AN INFORMATION CENTER.
Install some cork on the inside of one of your upper kitchen cabinets to keep all your notes and loose paper information.

9.  IMPLEMENT "THE BOX".
Find a box (I have a basket) that will fit in a closet or some enclosed space.  At the end of each day collect items your family chooses to leave lying around and put them in "the box".  Items can be earned back by doing extra chores.  If they are not redeemed within one week, the items are yours to do with as you please.  (* this applies only to the children in our home, not my husband, he can put things where he chooses!*)

10.  GIVE TO CHARITY.
What is extra or unused might be needed by someone else.  Teach children to give away extra toys.  Let them choose the charity and go with you to drop them off.

After

After

After

Jammin - Blueberry Style!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, we had a successful blueberry picking trip a couple of weeks ago and one of the things I really wanted to do with our blueberries was make jam.  I had never done this before and feared it might be difficult, but it wasn't.  Making and canning your own blueberry jam is so easy.  And this blueberry jam is yummy!  We have already gone through the big jar I made for our family and one of the little jars I had meant for gifts.  You must try this!

INGREDIENTS AND EQUIPMENT

• Blueberries - 5 pints (which is 10 cups or about 3.5 lbs.) preferably fresh but frozen, without syrup, works too.
• Lemon juice - either fresh squeezed or bottled, 1/4 cup.
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Sugar - about 4.5 cups of dry, granulated sugar.
• Pectin
• Jar funnel 
• At least 1 large pot
• Large spoons and ladles
• Jars, lids and rings

Step 1 - Pick the blueberries!

Step 2 - How much fruit?

Jam can ONLY be made in rather small batches - about 6 cups at a time - like the directions on the pectin say, DO NOT increase the recipe or the jam won't set.  It takes about 8 cups of raw, unprepared blueberries per batch. 

Step 3 - Wash the jars and lids

Now is a good time to get the jars ready so you won't be rushed later.  The dishwasher is fine for the jars, the water bath processing will sterilize them as well as the contents.  Leave the jars in the dishwasher on heated dry until you are ready to use them.  Keeping them hot will prevent the jars from breaking when you fill them with the hot jam.

Step 4 - Wash the berries and sort

Wash the fruit in a colander of plain cold water.  Pick out and remove any bits of stems, leaves, and soft or mushy berries.

Step 5 - Crush the berries

You can either do one layer at a time in a pan or bowl using a potato masher or you can be lazy like me and use a handy chopper.  Either way if you start with 10 pints of berries you will end up with about 6.5 cups of crushed blueberries.

Step 6 - Measure out the sweetener

The precise measurements are found in directions inside each and every box of pectin sold.  Every brand has directions inside.  I made regular jam so I bought regular pectin and used 7 cups of sugar.  There are different types...low sugar, no sugar, lower sugar, natural.  Depending on what type of jam you are making you will need to use a different amount of sugar and type of pectin.

Step 7 - Mix the dry pectin with about 1/4 cup of sugar

Keep this separate from the rest of the sugar.  I added about 20% more pectin from another box just to make sure my jam was thick.  I did not want it to be runny.

Step 8 - Mix the blueberries with the pectin and cook to a full boil

Stir the pectin, lemon juice and water into the blueberries and put the mix in a big pot on the stove over medium to high heat.  Stir often to prevent burning.  It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil. 

Step 9 - Add the remaining sugar and bring to a boil

When the berry-pectin mix has reached a full boil, add the rest of the sugar (about 4 cups of sugar per 6 cup batch of blueberries) and then bring it back to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute.

Step 10 - Fill the jars and put the lids and rings on

Fill them to within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe any spilled jam off the top, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them.  Then put them into the boiling water canner.  (I just used a big pot I have...might ask for a canner for Christmas!)

Step 11 - Process the jars in the boiling water bath

Keep the jars covered with at least 1 inch of water.  Keep the water boiling for 5 minutes.  (I did a little longer.  It was more like 7 minutes before I started pulling them out and maybe 10 for the last jars.) 

Step 12 - Remove and cool the jars - Done!

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight).  Once they are cooled, they're ready to store.  They last up to 12 months but I read that after 6 to 8 months they may get darker and a little runny.  They are still safe to eat, but the flavor and texture aren't as good.  So eat them in the first 6 months after you prepare them.

50 WAYS TO LOVE YOUR CHILDREN

1.  Hug every morning.  2.  Go to zoos, parades and amusement parks.  3.  Hang their art and awards on the refrigerator.  4.  Create family traditions.  5.  Be patient.  6.  Apologize when grumpy.  7.  Go camping.  8.  Play tic-tac-toe and hide-and-seek.  9.  Always carry band aids and gum drops.  10.  Know their strengths.  11.  Compliment them.  12.  Encourage them.  13.  Appreciate them.  14.  Eat meals together.  15.  Slow down.  16.  Respect their privacy.  17.  Listen.  18.  Don't discipline in anger.  19.  Be consistent.  20.  Say "I love you" frequently.  21.  Let them be silly.  22.  Accept imperfections.  23.  Reward good behavior.  24.  Explain the rules clearly.  25.  Laugh often.  26.  Go to their favorite restaurant.  27.  Invite their friends over.  28.  Buy ice cream cones.  29.  Go on vacations.  30.  Know when to be gentle and when to be firm.  31.  Make birthdays unforgettable.  32.  Teach responsibility with respect.  33.  Choose your battles.  34.  Don't embarrass them.  35.  Help with schoolwork.  36.  Protect them.  37.  Build memories.  38.  Keep promises.  39.  Say "no" when needed.  40.  Don't yell.  41.  Give gifts.  42.  Model virtues.  43.  Pray with them.  44.  Pray for them.  45.  Tell them you are proud of them.  46.  Reach out.  47.  Count stars together.  48.  Talk every bedtime.  49.  Keep their hearts.  50.  Let go with a blessing.

Increasing Your Milk Supply

I want to share with you a great help I have found for increasing your milk supply if you are a breastfeeding mama.  I had been having trouble keeping up with my hungry little infant and was feeling frustrated with our nursing sessions.   My goal was to breastfeed this baby as I had the other children and things just weren't going well.  Our pediatrician wasn't happy with her weight and I noticed that we would have one good feeding and then the next one would leave her still hungry.  Each time I gave her a little formula I felt I was losing more of my breast milk.  A friend at church mentioned trying the herb Fenugreek so I came straight home and did some research.

Here is what I learned......

The first thing you will want to do is look at why you may not be making enough milk.  Try drinking more water, resting a little more, (both of these things I'm terrible at doing). You also need to snack on foods rich in protein and calcium.  (I do snack, but not always on the healthiest of foods.)  You want to avoid supplementing with solid food, water, juice, and formula (unless you must supplement with formula for medical reasons).  Set aside time to do little else but working to increase milk production, and nurse frequently.  This is definitely where I run into trouble.  We have 5 other children besides the baby and there is MUCH laundry, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, errands, and school work to do.  Not to mention we just moved into a new house and there are more boxes to unpack than there are blades of grass in the backyard.

Here is where the great news comes in!  I did my research and after reading all I could, I went to the health food store and bought Fenugreek and another common galactogogue called Blessed Thistle.  I had read it was good to take these in combination.  By day 2 I noticed a big difference in my milk supply.  Praise the Lord!  It really helped! 

So, here's the scoop...use this information, do your own research and talk with your doctor.  I hope it helps someone like it has helped me.

FENUGREEK  2-4 capsules 3 times a day.  (You should see an increase in your milk supply in 1-3 days)
BLESSED THISTLE  4 capsules 3 times a day.

Sometimes it is recommended to take alfalfa as well but I am already taking an antibiotic for mastitis, and iron supplements because my hemoglobin is low, and a prenatal vitamin, and frankly I just didn't want to take anything else.  The guy at the health food store also suggested taking DHA and you can do your research and decide on that as well.

I do hope this information is beneficial to someone. 

HAPPY NURSING!

Best Ever Blueberry Muffins

Happy 4th of July everyone!!  I hope you are making special family memories today!
At our house, special family memories often involve food and I must say we've been doing a lot of eating this weekend.... fried chicken, potato salad, watermelon..... And since our blueberry picking was a success we've been eating a TON of blueberries.  We've made blueberry pancakes, and blueberry muffins, and had lots and lots of blueberries for snacking.

This morning for breakfast I made The Best Ever Blueberry Muffins and I'm happy to share the recipe.  They are the yummiest!  The crumb topping makes them super delicious and unfortunately we will never be able to eat a package of Martha White muffin mix ever again.  (sorry Martha.)

THE BEST EVER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

2.  Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cups sugar, salt and baking powder.  Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup.  Mix this with the flour mixture.  Fold in blueberries.  Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

3.  To make crumb topping:  Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.  Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven.