Monthly Review and a Few Favorites

Jules here-

I know. I vowed to post more, and yet, I have not. I am truly sorry... but truly VERY busy.  This past month I moved to my new home, celebrated 2 kids birthdays, one mom birthday (and sis birthday, but I really didn't do anything but send a card... sorry Ems... not that organized... or rich) AND started minor renovations on the house.

I had all these grandiose plans of posting the before and after with my dining room... from 1960s wallpaper to fantastic bright & cheery dining room. Instead, after two weeks of scraping, peeling, and much child labor- I have achieved only "crack house" decor:

St. Patrick's Day- See Wallpaper behind...

Grace starting the peeling- first layer came off easily!!

2nd and third layer-- we had to bring in the big guns...

And Finally-- after scraping for 2.5 weeks straight.... it still looks like this:

Grace's Birthday Lobster (yes, she has expensive taste).. Note the spray bottle and scrapers in background.

 

 

 

Every night for 2 weeks I have been scraping wallpaper for 2-3 hours a night. Seriously.  My new house is built in the 1900s and they knew how to glue stuff to walls back then.  Tomorrow, however, I am painting. My walls might not be perfectly smooth, but I hear the textured look is in-- so really, I am in style.

I did want to share some fantastic things about my new home and products that I have recently purchased and loved.  First, I love that I am living between two lakes on a peninsula- the views on my street can be beautiful and the sunrise/sunsets are spectacular:

Our one snow since moving in- I'm out of shoveling shape!

My breakfast view from the window!

 
 I also bought an Ikea bathmat that is plush, super-absorbent, and very washable! I LOVE it. It's also on sale right now, so if you are in the market for an awesome bathing experience-- get one.  Seriously, after three soaking children dry off on it, I can still take a shower and the mat feels dry!! It's incredible:

Here's the link to the website. Awesome.

 I also have an extremely small bathroom- as in, you can brush your teeth while sitting on the toilet comfortably- small. Honestly, it's forcing me to be neater, more organized, and efficient.  Each child has his/her own mini-bucket with toothbrush and paste in it.  We used to share a toothpaste, so this helps with germs and knowing which one belongs to whom.

Yes, this is Ikea too. I got these in the "planting" section

Also, while crashing at my parent's home, I got to use their incredible potato cutter. It enables me to make french fries, potato wedges, and chips in 1/2 the  normal time.  Granted, my parents haven't bought me my own yet... but they promised soon....

This is the one on Amazon.com It's about $8. Not bad to save a lot of time.

I also bought myself a TV as I didn't have one. I opted to go with a Smart TV from Samsung because I am not getting cable, just Internet for cost-effectiveness.  Now high-speed Internet is not cheap-- but it's still $80 a month cheaper than cable.  Plus if you buy Amazon prime, Netflix, Hulu, etc... it's still cheaper.  I will miss my DVR- but I have my Youtube workouts that I love!!!

Samsung TV- I got a great deal on mine :)

Plus, I get local channels for free! Yeah! Next time, I will try to have some Trading Spaces-style photos with before and afters of all my rooms; however, at  my current renovation pace, it could be next year. Thanks for your patience loyal followers (basically Mom) and bear with Ems and I as we try and deal with all the changes!

Easy Rule #43234- Home renovation looks A LOT easier on HGTV.

Easy Rule #5325- Finally getting settled into your forever home after 6 months of temporary housing- priceless (but thanks Mom & Dad for the temporary place to live!!)

Top Ten Gifts for Kids

Ems AND Jules here-

We decided to team up for a pre-Black Friday post on what to (and what NOT to) buy for kids!  Our focus is on the younger set of children, because as kids get to the pre-teen era usually only technology-related gifts and/or very specific requests will suffice. 

After a dozen Christmases between us, we have experienced many wonderful gift-wrap explosions on holiday mornings-- and we have come to know which presents are actually useful and which ones will be lost, broken, or forgotten before New Year's Eve. Before you delve into our fantastic list... here are a few disclaimers:

• Know your child: Some kids love to play with toys, some do not. Don't buy your child something "just to unwrap" when you know they will lose interest very quickly.
• Our list is a suggestion, not every gift is perfect for your child!
• Our list is focusing on things you can wrap-- the MOST appreciated gifts for multi-children families are: gift cards (to stores, restaurants, etc.), movie theater tickets and museum or zoo family-passes. 
• All toys CAN get lost or broken! Teach your kids responsibility in caring for their possessions and have them clean up parts and pieces thoroughly.
• The point of Christmas is NOT about gifts... it is about the Savior, so don't spend all your money on a crazy day of presents that your kids may not appreciate.

10. Magnatiles- Definitely the most expensive gift on our list, but they are worth it! If you want to ask grandparents to buy them-all the better! They are magnetic blocks that easily make castles, rocket ships, farmyards, whatever they can imagine.  Kids ages 1 to 10 really enjoy creating fantastic sculptures.  These are definitely an always-played-with-toy in our house!

9. Dolls- Now, we have never bought a doll directly for a boy, but little boys enjoy dolls too! From washing them in a sink to feeding them a pretend bottle, kids love to mimic parents caring for little ones.  You can pick up cheap accessories at the dollar store, and try not to spend too much on the doll-- fancy dolls become boring very quickly.

Last Christmas Doll bed & Baby

8. Family Board Games- Start a new tradition of a family game night or simply let the older kids rule over the younger ones in some hefty competition-- board games are an awesome gift! Start them with Candy Land and work your way up to Life & Monopoly (well, only if you want some real arguments...). And although we are focusing on the younger set, there really are SO many spectacular games out there that older kids enjoy --Pandemic, Forbidden Island, Clue, etc.--so really explore this area of gift-giving.  It's a great change of pace from PlayStation.

Candy Land fun!

7. Little People, Figurines, and/or Superheroes- We received the Little People bus as an early gift and added to our Little People collection through hand-me-downs and garage sales.  They are quite expensive new, but very attainable in the Craigslist world.  Plus any figurines you can get at the Dollar Store or Wal-mart can be used for imaginative play.  Children love to set them up on blocks, put them in rocket ships, or make believe they are climbing the "furniture mountains."  

Boys love soldiers and the plastic kind are affordable and easily replaceable. I usually buy 4 bags every Christmas and watch them go town! Well, to battle. Just be prepared for the inevitable rubble of strewn soldiers to be found in random nooks and crannies of your home. Take comfort in the fact that you are not out the big bucks. If a toy is going to get lost, it might as well be cheap!

Lissie Little Person

6. Doodle-Pad- The reusable service is great for car rides, dentists office or even letter practice.  We received a cheap one years ago, and it has been a great way to make quick, non-messy drawings.  You can go high end or super cheap depending on what you want.

5. Legos- Good for all ages, these are a gift that can really stand the test of time. Literally hours of play potential here. Rivaling the Magnatiles in price and the toy soldiers in "spreadability" (I made up this word to describe toys that literally creep into all rooms of your home), however, these are not for the faint of heart. Be sure your child loves to build! If he or she does, they are worth the investment for sure. Stuck for storage? I use an under the bed rollout bin to house all the Legos. And a tip: take pictures of your kids creations! It will make scrapping them at cleanup time MUCH easier.

A Lego contraption of Nate's: I think it's a gun? He's made candy dispensers and banks, too...very cool stuff!

4- Wooden Blocks- At first glance, blocks can be the standard, ho-hum gift. In actuality, if you teach your children to make roads, castles, prisons, etc. their imagination will blossom.  Using the figurines from #7 above, kids can make forts, create battles, re-create fairy tales or simply knock them over with rubber bands.

Mom tip: Just like with Lego creations, be sure to take a picture of their castles & towers so when a younger sibling knocks it down there will be fewer tears...

3. Play Food- We've witnessed kids of ALL ages who like to make pretend food in a kitchen. Don't have room for a real play kitchen? Just buy the food. Give the kid a box to be a microwave or an oven and let them imagine. Younger kids love making meals at a restaurant and older kids even like to join in! From make believe grocery shopping to a tea party- nothing beats imaginative play! 

Just watch out for older boy siblings who may be tempted to use the plastic French baguette as a bat or the canned veggies as grenades. Just saying.

2. Craft Kits- From Wal-Mart to AC Moores, craft kids are an easily attainable and very entertaining gift. From jewelry to race cars, kids can make anything from these relatively-easy-to-use kits.  Parents don't have to buy extra supplies and it usually cleans up quickly!

1. Coloring Supplies- No matter how many crayons a family has, it's never enough. Good quality (i.e. Crayola) crayons, markers, water colors, paper, stickers, etc. are always appreciated. Coloring and drawing can occupy children for hours, and rarely do they outgrow the creative outlet of art. Affordable, disposable, and much desired-- art supplies are fantastic!

Many kids like to draw, as opposed to color, so a ream of paper and a bunch of colored pens would be a super gift.


And not to be outdone--- here's a mini-list of things to avoid:
1. Battery-eating toys (After two rounds of batteries, these toys will never work again...)
2. Super noisy toys (These will end up hidden in a closet by a mother with a headache)
3. Take-up-a-lot-of-space-toys (Oh you got a great deal on the life-sized space ship? Um... keep it at your house we'll play with it there...)
4. Stuffed animals (They already secretly multiply without buying new ones)
5. Million-tiny-parts toys (They are destined for the vacuum canister).


Do you have any must-have toys that REALLY entertain your kids? Let us know via comments!! We want toys & gifts that keep kids AND parents happy :)

Either way HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! Now you better go shopping....

Easy Rule #35872- Don't go with the fad toys, because they put the "fad" in "fading interest."

Easy Rule #24532- Buy with storage in mind. Clear your home out before Christmas to make way for the new goodies!

A Spoonful of Sugar

Jules here-

I am busy making my house ready to sell for a variety of reasons-- one including we need a carpet-free house for my dust-mite allergic son.  Have you watched those HGTV shows about making your house "staged" to sell? Do you ever see any children in those scenarios? No, no you don't. For good reason. Trying to pack up extra crap stuff in your house is an endless job and those cleaning tasks that I am not so good at-- all have to be done....

To transfer this:

This is seriously how my living room looked before....

Into this:

Wouldn't you want to live here?

Anyway, as I am a bit overwhelmed with boxes, cleaning, packing, and living my normal life... I thought I would remind myself of a few of my favorite things... (thanks, Julie Andrews!) 

• My Kindle-- Last time, my kindle made my happy list too... but for a different reason. I am loving the portability of watching streaming TV series throughout my home while I'm packing.  I can set it up on a stack of packed boxes and enjoy some classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer while I slave over each room. I forgot how hilariously entertaining these episodes are, a throw-back to high school!

• My family, friends & neighbors.  My mom came down on Thursday to Friday and helped me scour the house (well, the parts I had ready to scour) and she ordered us a well-needed pizza!  My neighbors took my girls from over an hour on Sunday so I could focus on a room, while John took James to the grocery store. Over an hour of uninterrupted cleaning was such a blessing.  Plus my friend Tanya swung by last night to help take photos of my house and she brought the fixings for dinner. Her two boys entertained my children (who have been sadly ignored this week...) and we had a great time shoving last minute items into closets:

Now don't you really want this house?

•  Procrastination. Homeschooling? Nah. Potty-training? Nope. Putting my son dairy-free for 8 weeks per doctor suggestion? Heck, no.  During this 2-week crazy time, I am enjoying the benefits of putting stuff off. I am normally not  a procrastinator but I think my head might explode if I have to juggle anything else... so my 2 1/2 year old is using diapers and drinking the possible-diarrhea-inducing milk and my 6 year old is finishing out first grade not-so-smart...ah well!!

• Books on CD. Have you tried listening to one? I know some people can't focus, but I love listening to books as I drive to my home care patients. It makes me feel somewhat productive even while I'm driving. Plus, because I borrow the books from the library, I often try new authors and find some interesting, new stories.  If you're new to the genre, you should try the Harry Potter series on CD, the actor who performs the books is fantastic:

Books on CD are a bit pricy... you may want to try borrowing....

•  The Weather. We have had some wonderful weather in New Hampshire with sunshine, cloud-free days, and even some time to swing by our town beach.  The kids are staying outside with their bikes, gardening tools, and balls -- thank the Lord!  Fewer toys out inside helps my never ending cleaning efforts.

Fun in the sun and the whole beach to ourselves!

So I am going to keep focusing on happy thoughts to get through the torture of a major life change.  Keep me in your prayers as we attempt all this!! 

Easy Rules #87970-  Packing and moving really makes you examine if you need all this stuff.  Try to purge some extraneous stuff before you move....

Day 3- Top Ten Pinterest Pointers

Jules here-

I have alluded before that I am a bit of a pinterest nut; I could not design my curriculum, cook dinner or entertain kids without it.

Honestly, most of my fantastic recipes and ideas have originated from Pinterest and here are the top ten ideas that I could not do without:

10.  The Bean Bag Stuffed Animal Storage-- About the time I read this post on Pinterest, my middle one was potty-training, which is the equivalent of having a puppy run loose in your home. After the second "nude-escape" after bath time, the "beans" on the inside of the bean bag chair had seen (and smelled) better days.  And as any parent knows, when you leave two stuffed animals in a closet-- they secretly multiply....  It's a bit lumpy but we still sit and read stories in it and the stuffed animals have a place to go!

http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.com/2012/04/kid-friendly-stuffed-animal-storage.html

9.  The "Pop-Pop" Stool.   Having my first-born be in the 3rd percentile for height does not bode well for independent hand-washing in our pedestal sink.  When I sent my father this link to the plans, I hoped he would make it... and he did!  It seriously changed our life.  At the time, I had one independent potty-girl, one potty-trainer, and one nursing little guy.  To have my children be able to wash up before meals, fill up water cups, and even see themselves in the mirror saved me so much time.  We use it for cooking and sink play too!

 

http://ana-white.com/2010/12/helping-tower.html

8. Bathtub Paint.  This is so easy, cheap, and quick. If I need an extended bath time (translation: Dear Lord get these kids occupied until bed time), I will whip up a batch of the paint (simply shaving cream and food dye). It washes off easily and they love cleaning it up too!

7. Yogurt Bites. Such a simply, healthful, and yummy summer snack for kids. It's just frozen yogurt dotted on wax paper. 

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/03/frozen-yogurt-dots.html

6.  Food Shaping. This is more of a generalization... pinterest inspired me to attempt many lunches to look (sort of) like animals, cars, robots, etc.  None of my creations are worthy of a photo, but the kids love them and they spice up a normal day with a bit of fun.  

http://www.minieco.co.uk/

5. Storing my batteries.  Since I have an avid fisherman for a husband, finding an empty tackle storage box was easy for this project.  Now we always know where "fresh" batteries are and I can see when our supply is dwindling.

http://todaysmama.com/2012/01/battery-storage-organization/

4. Life organization.  After seeing this project on pinterest, I had to organize my calendar. Each Sunday I write our schedule for the week including meals and "to do" items.   Using dollar store frames and craft paper-- the project was quite affordable too!  It has saved a lot of time/effort for quick access to our plans.

3. Apple Chips--and other healthful snacks. Super yummy snack that the kids devour! Along with Kale Chips, granola bars, and roasted chick peas... thank you, pinterest, for an alternative to the goldfish :)

2.  Pancake Mix. I've mentioned before how many pancakes I make-- but without my homemade pancake mix I'd be spending a fortune or wasting my time making them "the long way" every day.  They are delicious, easy and the kids love to decorate them!

http://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-bisquick-mix-69051

1. Homemade bread--30 minute rolls. Have unexpected guests for dinner? Forgot to whip up a side? In 30 minutes (well, it takes me closer to 45 min), you can have a yummy dinner roll to go with that soup!  If you've never made bread, it's honestly not that hard especially if you have a bread machine and/or a mixer.

http://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/30-minute-rolls/

I have done so many dinners, side dishes, and desserts from pinterest that it was very hard to choose my favorite meals! 

Easy Rule #4245-- Dinner's getting boring? Can't find a quick way to do a home improvement project? Need some decorating advice? Hop on pinterest for a minute! (ha ha ha... just kidding... hours, you'll spend hours....)

February Happy List

Jules here...

Ah.... winter in New England the skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and OH DEAR LORD END PLEASE!!!! O.k. after just leaving this:

I am having a hard time coming back to this:

Snow-suit commercial for hand-me-downs

So I decided to write a "What's making me happy this week" post to help cheer me up from the inevitable February slump.

1. My Kindle. Being someone who just upgraded to a new flip phone, I love the opportunity to be in the loop with fun apps.  I also LOVE all the free books (from Amazon or my library) that I can read.  AND, you can read in the dark until it automatically turns off after 5 minutes of disuse-- which happens pretty much every night....

2. Dance parties.  We have a lot of energy in our household, and I love www.grooveshark.com. You can seriously search for any song and make your own playlists. I do everything from the Wiggles and Disney songs, to throwback dance tunes that I can get the kids to go wild to:

3. Our Fire Place. I could not survive winter up here without our fireplace insert, and this week I am especially grateful for our picnic lunches by the fire:

4.  Sherlock Have you watched this Masterpiece Mystery show? I love it. You can catch the previous season on Amazon prime (I'm not sure about Netflix).  Witty writing, engaging plots, and captivating characters--what a great way to pass the time during these blustery days....

5. Sleeping children.  My return trip on the airplane was glorious---why? The boy slept the entire second flight (after a 2 hour delay on the tarmac....).  But honestly-- sleeping children look like angels and parents have a moment of peace:

My first selfie with James :)

Easy Rule #409024- Don't just count your blessings at Thanksgiving--it can help change your attitude in any season!

Jules Favorites- (Part 1)

Inspired by Emily's blog yesterday, I thought I would share some of my favorite things-- just like Oprah.  I know people will also be riveted by my interests too, though I am shying away from the TV & books category as Emily & I have virtually identical tastes....

Favorite Classic Movie
The Lord of the Rings trilogy tops my list of modern movies, but we were raised on movies pre-1950 growing up, so many of my favorites are not exactly popular anymore.... Journey for Margaret was made in 1942 during World War II and it is a tearjerker with a happy ending!!

Journey For Margaret

The other favorite is Sergeant York.  If you haven't seen this-- see it! Now, I am not a huge fan of war movies, but these two movies show the stories of soldiers and ordinary people during wars (not much fighting, etc.)   Very family appropriate depiction of war (I know, the realism isn't there, but honestly I don't enjoy watching people get their arms and legs blown off for the sake of reality....)

Sergeant York

Favorite Dessert(s)

I love cheesecakes, brownies, ice cream, and candy... however, if I must choose one (or two) I will have to settle on cheesecake and Crème brûlée.  I will do a shout out to my neighbor Don who makes some fantastic cheesecakes and always brings me some. My favorite one that I have made would have to be this one from allrecipes.com:

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe Link

I've decided that for future birthdays I shall only order elaborate cheesecakes and crème brûlée-- take note whoever wants to bake for me, I am going to be high-maintenance from now on...

Favorite Meal Enhancer

O.k, very specific category--- but I wanted to talk about the Avocado.  I only started eating avocado within the last year, and now I am sort of obsessed with it: salads, sandwiches, enchiladas, fajitas: ALL better with avocado.  I make a leftover-chicken, bacon, cheddar, and avocado wrap that rivals any sandwich boutique shop you've ever gone to.  So don't pass those avocados by at the grocery store, check pinterest for tips on buying, storing, and using them; they are worth it!!

Favorite Song (Right Now)

As I have three very young children, my typical music selections ranges from classical to Barney's Greatest Hits (no exaggeration...) so I rarely hear a song on the radio, and when I do it's popularity is already waning from overplay.  So, scoff if you want to-- but the children and I are addicted to:

This song makes me snort with laughter.  I like any song that I can hop around like a maniac to-- ask anyone who has been to a wedding with me-- I mortify everyone.  If you are lucky I may video tape my family enjoying this song in our kitchen.   Now that you are all dancing, I hope you enjoy the rest of your night humming along......


Easy Rule #1134  Take a moment to figure out your favorite things-- it's almost like making a "thankful" list  but more fun.

Easy Rule #1140  If you want to be a successful musician, try donning a fox mask and singing random animal sounds, it could be a hit....