Thoughts on Cooking

Being a homeschoolin' Mama to eight requires, as my friend Barb says, 'wearing a lot of hats.' Over that past two or three years, I've found myself resenting/dreading/slacking in the area of cooking for my family.  It just seemed like one more task to try to fit in, and often I failed to plan, so after a successful day of homeschooling, at about 4:47, I'd suddenly think, "Oh--DINNER!!"  Cooking felt like an endlessly-undone task.  I was simply trying to stave my begging children off for another 2.3 hours every time I fed them.  My husband has come home some weeks asking innocently, "So, what kind of frozen pizza are we having tonight?"

Plus, I've never been one to really enjoy cooking. My Mom was too kind and gentle on me as a teenager, and I was never required to do much of anything in the kitchen, including cleanup.  I distinctly remember calling her during my newly-wed days, asking her how to make tea.  I kid you not.  My Mom and Mother-in-law were surely snickering behind their hands, but were gracious to give me tips, recipes, and ideas over those first years.  Kevin was blinded by love and endured a lot of sub-par food.  Ask him about the tuna casserole event.  

These days, the world seems full of people who love to cook and create in the kitchen, but maybe there are some of you out there who feel as I have.  Recently The Lord has allowed me some insight that has really helped my attitude and motivation, and maybe it will encourage you, too.  

As a child, I remember having a certain feeling when my Mom was in the kitchen cooking or baking.  There was a sort of anticipation, and a sense of security.  Though unable to articulate it at the time, I felt loved and cared for.  Even when the menu included something I considered gross, I never doubted that dinner would be on the table and perhaps if I ingested the gross stuff, there would be dessert. I liked it when Mom was in the kitchen.  

Even as an adult, food has clearly communicated love to me at times when I've been on the receiving end of a nice meal.  After the birth of each of our children, kind friends have showered us with dinners to give us a helping hand.  Probably near a hundred meals, if I were to figure ten or so for each child's birth.  What a simple but powerful way to put love in action for a tired and sore Mama and her adjusting family!  

So, lately it's helped my motivation and creativity to remember that I'm giving my children that same subtle feeling of security when I'm creating something in the kitchen. There's so much more involved in making a home for your family, but food is a big part of it. I certainly no gourmet cook, but I'm hoping that even my small efforts will communicate love to my clan.

Our New Place

Here are some pics of our new place. I thought about making it as magazine-perfect as I could, but then I thought, no. It will be like you just dropped in for a quick visit and you can see our home in action. Plus, I was feeling too lazy to do the extra work. :) 

This is what you see when you first come in the front door. To the left is the dining room. 

We were doing school in here, but it was just too much hassle to try to get it all cleared off every night for dinner. So now we'll eat all meals in here, and use the small breakfast room table for school. All I can say is good thing we have a carpet cleaner--which you met already when you walked in the front door. 

Looking back from the dining room into the little entry area. Isn't that a pretty antique piece? It is the homeowner's, and he's letting us use it.

Looking back from the other side of the living room into the entry area.

Now we're upstairs looking across the 'bridge', as my kids have named it. The boys' room is behind that door. I'd show you but there is a sleeping two-year-old in there, and we mustn't wake him yet. :) If you notice something funny and reflective on the spindles, it's not my camera. For safety we found some neat rolls of plexi-stuff to attach and keep heads and appendages from wedging between them or diving onto the first floor. This house was built in '78. I guess kids were just tougher then. 

This little half-finished room is the older kids' study room. They were so excited about this space the first time we saw the house. I think Keely would want me to issue a disclaimer that this room is undergoing a redecoration/reorganization project. It always looks worse before it looks better, right?

Looking down from the loft area onto the living room.

Breakfast-school room, and kitchen. Like the wallpaper? We hope to remove it at some point.  Not looking forward to that process, but I know it will look so much better.

The blue canopy-thingy is going, we just haven't gotten to it, yet.

I really love the house, but this oven is not my friend. It's only two years younger than me, but we just don't get along. Most of my cookie sheets don't fit in it, and I can't get the 'clean' function to work.

Laundry room. Like my little baskets? I found the narrow baskets at WM, and the sticky chalk labels at Staples. I love those little labels! When I got home with them I walked around the house looking for things I could stick them on. I know. I'm kinda weird.

Our bedroom. Yes, that looks like a poopy diaper on the floor. We try to keep those properly picked up and disposed of, but at the rate that Eli produces them, it can be a challenge. I think I'll go pick it up now.

What's this? How did this get in here? Isn't he a cutie? Well, that's mostly the tour. I can't get the kids' rooms because they're all occupied with nappers. Also, I'll try to get a pic of the basement sometime soon. It's finished and the kids love to play down there and crank up the homeowner's huge Casio keyboard. It does have some fun songs and effects that the whole house enjoys via the ductwork. :) Blessings to you and have a fantastic weekend!

Plans and Reflections

Wow. I feel so out of the loop with homeschooling right now. Before we moved two-and-a-half weeks ago, we took a few days off to hit the packing hard. Then, the week after we moved, we took a not-so-relaxing spring break settling in. Last week we did lots of running to and from standardized testing, yesterday we had CC commitments, and today we had a fun day with friends. It's been a working vacation from normal school, for sure! I am really looking forward to being home tomorrow with a focus on school--not unpacking, cleaning, or planning for anything else. I can only take so much erranding around before I start to feel worn thin. I love to be home, and need to be home to make it 'run'. Do you find that, too?

The Lord has been convicting me lately about a specific sin in my life. I was discussing this today with my lovely friend Tara. She expressed how hard it is, but how good it is, when the Lord shows us some ugliness in our hearts. So true. I am seeing, by God's grace, how I tend to rush my children, not really take the time to listen to them; how my schedule, productivity, order, and peace are often idols in my heart. Ah--it makes me tear up to think of the times lately that I have put off a child needing my undivided attention because I was too busy with 'more important' things. Lord, thank you for revealing this area of sin in my life. Please help me to die to my own desires, to tear down those idols that hurt my loved ones and displease You.

Will you pray for me? How can I pray for you?

More on Working Women

I ran across this video today and really liked what Douglas Wilson had to say. I think I like how he said it even more than how John Piper said it....

Ask Doug: Women working outside the home from Canon Wired on Vimeo.

I feel like I should add a disclaimer here: although Douglas Wilson has many good things to say with which we agree, he is also a part of the 'Federal Vision' movement, which we don't agree with or endorse.

Sola scriptura

Sola fide

Sola gratia

Solus Christus

Soli Deo gloria!

Quick Little Project

I picked up these prints at a garage sale for $2 several years ago. Yes, I said years. I've been meaning to do something with them all this time. Aren't they cute?

These $5.99 frames were on sale at Hobby Lobby. So, three bucks a frame.

The color, however, doesn't quite fit with Row's girly room. So...I picked up a can of this wonderful stuff.

And the big blank pink wall has something to make it interesting and cute now.

Please don't anyone point out that I don't have curtains up there yet. I'm basking in the satisfaction of one little project completed today! :)

Sometimes I'm Accidentally Green

Keely and I have been sorting through the enormous pile of stuff in the basement to get ready for a garage sale. I've been combing the house, keeping an eye out for stuff we can get rid of. I've encouraged the kids to let go of some of their toys, and we've implemented the new rule that they have to get rid of something they have if they want something new. I don't know about you, but I look at all the stuff and see more work: more to clean, more to organize, more to manage. So, when I started thinking Easter baskets, I knew we didn't need six more plastic buckets hanging around. These drugstore paper bags were perfect: I love consumables!

Much Better!

Thanks to you who gave me some good product reviews and ideas about 'Space Bags' and wire shelving...Voila! Here's an 'after' picture. All the same things are still in the closet, except for a mismatched pillow sham I decided to chuck and a tablecloth that didn't belong there. Keels is modeling the new hiding spot that's been created.

Since the two oldest were at a birthday party all morning, the other kids and I made a Bed Bath and Beyond run. The box of Space Bags was about $40 for 7 large. I have two left over--roughly an $11 value--and I think I want to try a give-away here on the 'ol blog. Leave me a comment (yes, you can too, Mom) sharing your best organizing tip, and I will scientifically and fairly pick a winner by using my five-year-old's random number pick. Contest will close Saturday night at 9:00. Looking forward to all those great tips!

Thanks for your comments! Jenia is the winner of the drawing! I'll get those bags to you soon, Jenia!

Closet Crisis

Anyone ever tried those 'Space Bag' thingies? I need help with our linen/game closet, as you can see.

Just a Homemaker

When Kevin and I moved to a new town--new state!--as newlyweds, we were so glad to find a church pretty quickly. Little did we know that God had providentially placed us there so we would grow in that 'greenhouse' of sound teaching and loving Christian family.

This church surely had its problems and growing pains, but the vibrant Men's and Women's ministries were just what we needed. Friends. Christian friends, older and our age, who invested in us and taught us by their examples. I think it was my first time attending the Ladies' Small Group Bible study that met weekly in the church basement, because I remember introducing myself. I was insecure because I was at home; not out 'working', and we didn't even have children at this point. (This was actually due more to the fact that we owned one car, and so working outside the home would have presented some transportation challenges.) Anyway, I told the other girls my name, where I was from, and how long Kevin and I had been married, which was about 18 months at that time. I sheepishly ended with, "And...I'm just a homemaker." I'll never forget their response: They all smiled and several said, "Just a homemaker?! We're homemakers, too, and we love it!"

These women continued over the following months and years to show by words and actions that they really did love their homes, and that they believed caring for one's husband, children and home was truly a high and holy calling. The memory of those women is still sweet to me because they were my first friends, really, to exalt motherhood and homemaking as legitimate and vital. There is a movement in the church today to embrace 'feminism-lite' and devalue the God-given role of women. I've been reading a great book lately that deals some with this subject, so it's been on my mind. I'll tell you about it when I'm finished. Here's a quote I saw in my current read, as well as Feminine Appeal.

Much of the world would agree that being a housekeeper is acceptable as long as you are not caring for your own home; treating men with attentive devotion would also be right as long as the man is the boss in the office and not your husband; caring for children would even be deemed heroic service for which presidential awards could be given as long as the children are someone else's and not your own. --Dorothy Patterson

Help for the Grocery Budget

With a family of 8, I love to find ways to stretch our food dollars.  But, if you're like I was, the words "Bakery Outlet" made me think of stale white bread and gross sugary snack cakes; I wasn't interested in visiting one.  My friend Kim told me about the great deals she was getting on good bread, though, so I decided to try it out.  

I'm sold!  On my last visit, I bought tortilla chips (that we love), pre-made pizza crusts, and, of course, lots of bread.  The bread was soft and most of it was still a week away from the 'sell-by' date.  I put a lot of it in the freezer, and it should last us a couple of weeks.  The grand total for 14 items?  $15.96. Pretty good, don't ya think?  

Meal Planning

I picked up this little magnetic meal-planning pad at Michael's in the dollar bin. I love having it on the fridge. The whole family knows what to expect, and it reminds me first thing in the morning to defrost meat or put something in the crock-pot. Anything that makes getting dinner on the table easier makes me happy!

Happy Messes

This weekend I attended the women's retreat through my local home school organization. It was nice to have a day away, and Kevin encouraged me to go, although the kids made a point of letting me know that Daddy didn't make them do any extra chores ALL day...Thanks, honey, for making me the meanie. Anyway, though the teaching part of the retreat wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, there was one thing the speaker said that I loved. I think someone should emblazon this on a plaque or something. This is what she said:

Your home should be neat enough to be peaceful but messy enough to be happy.

Isn't that great? She defined 'happy' messes as temporary, due to a project, or messes that someone is enjoying and using (like a puzzle). I tend to want all messes dealt with and out of sight, so it's nice to have a new way to think about those 'useful' messes. Maybe most (normal?) people need to tighten up the control on clutter; I need to loosen up a bit.

Here's to making some 'happy messes' today!

Beauty in the Christian Home

"A Christian should live artistically, aesthetically, and creatively. If we have been created in the image of an Artist, then we should look for expressions of artistry." --Edith Schaeffer

When I was a newlywed, our pastor's wife recommended The Hidden Art of Homemaking to me. It was so different than anything I'd ever read before, and I loved Edith Scheaffer's thoughts on finding the value in the beauty of everyday things. She talked about things like setting a beautiful table for your family, or bringing fresh flowers into your home. It's been at least 10 years since I first read that book, but her thoughts on making a home for your family have stayed with me.

I think beauty is important. I'm not talking about the beauty that necessarily comes from expensive things or obsessive perfection, but rather that of a home reflecting and celebrating the beauty and order that God has created for our enjoyment. Like so many things in life, it's all about motivation. Do I want beauty in my home to impress others, or to cause others to look to the glory and beauty of God? I have to confess that I've had both motivations. But the goal should always be--in all things--God's glory.

So, I'm interested in your thoughts. Do you think this is 'pie-in-the-sky' thinking? What priority do you give to beauty in your home?

Gettin' Organized

My friend Michelle sent me this link; lots of good stuff for organizing your household and homeschool. I was so motivated after checking it out that I made each of the kids a reading list for this semester, something I've put off for a while now. (I used the recommendations from Veritas Press). The kids helped me scour the bookshelves for the ones we have here at home. I also decided to save $12 or so by printing out and putting together my own planner/calendar for the year. Sorry, Hallmark. Maybe not as cute, but just as functional!

How are you getting organized for 2009?

Decorating for Christmas

I love this lady's blog, as she has wonderful ideas and a hilarious sense of humor. I followed her tutorial and made a new garland for our mantle. Mine isn't quite as full as hers, but I like how it turned out.

Homemaking stuff

I've been trying a new system for laundry around here. So far, so good. Before, I would fold stuff, haul it upstairs, and have the kids help me sort everything into piles and put it away and hang it up. Sometimes they would do this on their own, which resulted in finding stuff in the weirdest places: Uh, why is Rowan's princess tank top in Daddy's sock drawer? The main thing I don't like about doing it this way is that it gets so overwhelming so fast with the amount of laundry we deal with here. So, I bought some smaller baskets, labeled them, and now I fold each child's laundry, fill up the baskets over several days, and then have everyone take care of their own basket. Keely, Noah, and Lily help the little ones, too. I've been having the kids bring the baskets back to the laundry room as soon as they're emptied to prevent them from turning into boats/baby beds/lion cages and getting broken. I have been taking care of the other clothes and towels. So far, it's working great, and we don't seem to have to deal with laundry quite so many days of the week. Any other Moms have tips or ideas for laundry efficiency?