The Messy Ministry

The Messy Ministry is what my friend calls it when you refuse to clean your house up like crazy right before someone stops by for a visit or a playdate.

You probably know what I'm talking about. At my house, it means that I plop the kids in front of a video and quickly run around tidying up the house making it look like, well, like we don't live in our house, but rather have it photographed for magazines. Well, maybe it doesn't look quite that good, but you get the point.

However, I realized this frantic type of cleaning was accomplishing the following:

• Driving my husband crazy
• Stealing time away from my kids
• Sending my kids the message that a clean house is more important than many, many things
• Possibly making my friends feel inadequate as they looked around my house and thought to themselves that they never keep their houses that tidy

As I thought about that, I realized that none of those things are what I want to do. I want my kids to know that the things we have are blessings from God and we should take care of them. I also want them to know that a certain level of cleanliness is necessary to be hospitable. However, people are so much more important than an always tidy house. Show me a house that is always spotless in every nook and cranny and either the parents are forever sending the kids outside or are missing out on enjoying their children because they are always "picking up."

Now, I do believe in being a good steward of what we've been given and I also believe children can and should be a part of taking care of the house. It's a fine line to walk, but so is most of parenting.

The Messy Ministry works for me. If my friends want to see a spotless house, they are welcome to browse through the collection of magazines in the basket by the couch!

Be sure to stop by Kristin's for more Works for Me Wednesday Tips!

Saving Bath Toys Through "Surgery"

Bathrooms are, by nature, not the sweetest smelling places. Well, except for when I get to take a leisurely bubble bath and then they smell of yummy vanilla bubble bath and a scented candle. Except of course, I can never find a candle and I can't remember the last time I took a bath. Whatever, stick with me.

Besides the usual stinky challenges of a bathroom, there is also the odd collection of bath toys. Usually we have them hanging in a little mesh thing which is designed to look like a duck and sticks to the wall tiles. Sometimes the toys are left scattered on the floor of the bathtub. I suspect it is that location that causes the problem.

Every now and then I'll discover a toy or two looks like some mold might be growing inside of the rubber duck or mermaid or some other cute little bath toy. That is a bit concerning, but I usually pretend I don't see it. However, the stench that later accompanies this pleasantness is harder to ignore.

So, not long ago, when my mother-in-law walked in the bathroom while I was bathing the kids and said "I performed surgery on the ducks," I paid attention.

She had taken scissors or a knife to the bottom of the ducks. She cut out a smooth circle leaving the mold no place to grow. An added benefit was that the kids could no longer suck water into the little toys and then squirt them at each other, or me. (Is that just my kids?) Plus, if you're overly ambitious, you could actually clean the inside of the ducks since slicing open the belly leaves the entire inside of the duck exposed. (Yikes, that sounded a bit grotesque!)

Also, doing this just gives you a little warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you are being green and not wasteful. I can't tell you how many bath toys I've trashed because they stink. Finally, I had stopped keeping bath toys that were hollow inside. No more!

Performing "surgery" on bath toys definitely works for me!

Be sure to head on over to Kristin's at We Are That Family for more Works for Me Wednesday tips!

It's Cold Outside!

So, since it is cold outside, we have been trying to keep busy inside. This time of year makes it easy to find fun things to do in the kitchen. Baking cookies is always a hit with my crew.

Though technically, they are interested in all aspects of cooking baking except the actual baking part. Waiting 10 minutes seems excruciatingly long if you are a preschooler.

Their favorite part of making cookies is decorating them. I'm pretty sure this is because they like to lick the frosting off of their hands. Still, they like to make their cookies as festive as possible.

Thanks to my aunt, I now have new way to let my kids frost their cookies. Instead of a knife, I'll be letting them use a decent size paint brush. The stiff bristles are perfect for "painting" the cookies. I tested this tip on my two-year-old and it worked like a charm. He was able to more evenly spread the frosting as we made our first Gingerbread Tree.

Now, if only they made frosting that tasted awful while you decorated the cookie and then reverted back to its sugary goodness once mommy stashed the cookies in a hard-to-reach place, cookie baking would be a frequent activity at my house.

I can only handle so many days of being cooped up with children who've ingested too much frosting!

For more tips, please visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Create a New Birthday Tradition

It's simple.


Just begin the tradition of eating ice cream for breakfast on your kids' birthdays. I'd say dealing with their sugar high is a small price to pay for the fun memories made by a fun tradition.


Add to the fun by assigning a certain plate as your family's "special day" plate. We use a simple red plate that I bought at Walmart. A fancier version, such as this, could also be used.


It works for me, and it tastes great too! Please stop by Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me Wednesday ideas.

"The" Pie

A few months ago, I found myself making a meal for a friend who'd recently had a beautiful baby girl. I made some of our favorites to share. Included in the meal were a large pan of chicken enchiladas, some rice, a salad, and a pie.

Except the pie was missing a piece, thanks to my husband.

Oh, he knew full well that I was taking the pie to friends. It is just that this pie is that good.

I found the recipe in the newspaper while we were still living in Arkansas. It was one of the dessert winners in the newspaper's Holiday Cookbook.

Technically, it is called Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie. But, around here, we think that name is a tad misleading. The crust is made up of cookie dough, but the filling is more like a cheesecake. So, I'm taking to calling it The Pie. I'm nothing if not creative.

Here it it is....

The Pie

1-18 oz. tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

2-8 oz. packages cream cheese softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 package Heath toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Press the cookie dough into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and half a cup of the candy pieces.
Pour over the top of the cookie dough.
Bake for 30 minutes or until set.
Cool completely and top with more candy pieces.
Chill until ready to serve. (You definitely want to wait until the pie is chilled or you will be disappointed. We keep the pie in the freezer because we think it tastes better that way.)

Enjoy!

Please be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me-Wednesday ideas.

Nursing Bracelet

I've loved nursing my three children. Of course, the nature of a nursing baby is to be up at night a bit, especially in the early months. This makes mama tired. It gets harder to remember things. Even simple things, such as what side to nurse the baby on first, become hard to remember.

That is why I started wearing a bracelet.

I simply slip my bracelet onto the wrist that matches the side I need to start nursing the baby at the next feeding. Generally, I wear a dark pink canvas bracelet that snaps on. It is soft and doesn't get in the way of holding my baby. In a pinch, I've even switched my watch back and forth on my wrists to help me remember.

It works for me. Please be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for some more tips and ideas.

A Glamorous Side of Motherhood, or How to Remove Foreign Objects from Your Child's Nose

It was bound to happen sometime.

The first time we were in line waiting to make our purchases at Target.

Suddenly, Big Sister was grabbing at her nose and looking a bit panicked.

It was a raisin from the trail mix. I knew better than to ask why she did it. The raisin was there, her nostril was there too, so why not?

Fortunately, I simply massaged the raisin out of her little nose. It popped right out and I was sure she'd never do it again.

I'm sure that is the part of the story that my veteran-parent friends laughed at. I really thought that would be the end of it.

The second time it was a small rock. Again, I was able to massage it out of her nose. This time I also put her in time-out. Apparently, the pain in her nose wasn't enough to stop her.

The third time was a charm. It was an eraser. The kind that is at the top of a mechanical pencil.

The kind that is perfectly shaped cylinder.

The kind that doesn't want to budge when gently massaged from the outside of the nose.

The kind that causes a two-year-old much pain.

So, I tried using a bulb syringe. The eraser still didn't budge.

I was stumped. I thought we were headed to the doctor.

But, I decided to call my friend, a mom to four, first. If anyone had experience with removing objects from noses, surely she did.

And, here is the works for me part. She suggested that I put a straw in my daughter's nose and see if I couldn't get it to move down a bit by gently sucking on the straw.

In my eagerness to avoid paying a co-pay to look like a parent who doesn't supervise her child, I didn't think twice. I simply grabbed a straw and had at it. I forgot the gentle part.

The eraser came out and so did a bit of um, nasal drainage.

That last part still makes my stomach turn.

But, it worked for me. Though I'll probably only do it again if the object lodged in my child's nose is both poisonous and on flames.

Please visit Rocks in My Dryer for more tips.

It Worked for Me (Nursing Tips)

This week is WFMW Greatest Hits Edition. I'm supposed to re-run my favorite WFMW post.

I originally posted this a few weeks ago. Baby Girl is still a great littler eater. In fact, she is quite pudgy! But who can resist rolls of baby fat? Too cute! I wish the same could be said for the roll around my tummy. Oh well, here is the post:



As anyone who has a newborn knows, babies eat a lot. Right now, I spend quite a bit of my time feeding a my little one and I don't mind a bit. Well, occasionally those middle-of-the-night feedings are a bit taxing, but other than that, time spent nursing is some of my favorite time of the day.



Since I've spent the past four years either pregnant or nursing, it dawned on me, I just might have a bit of knowledge to share about nursing. I simply want to share what works for me when it comes to nursing. This isn't anything new, just the things I would have like shared with me.



Preparation
I've prayed for each of my children before they were born. I even prayed that they would be good little eaters and that nursing would be a sweet time for both of us. I'm certain this is the most important thing I did to prepare for my little ones. I also took a one-time class at the hospital. Reading about nursing was also helpful. (I like What to Expect When You're Expecting, The Nursing Mother's Companion, and Baby 411.)



Support
I had a friend, an experienced mom of four, who helped me. She answered questions and even came to the hospital to share her expertise. Lactation consultants helped, but nothing can replace a trusted friend.



Supplies
I've stuck to the basics in this area. I stocked up on nursing supplies before the baby was born. This included nursing bras, nursing pads, and lanolin in case I got sore from nursing. I haven't been a big fan of the different nursing pillows, including the Boppy, but that is simply a personal preference. As for the other supplies, I've found Lansinoh nursing pads to be the best. I'm also a fan of Target's nursing tanks and bras. The prices and selection have been just right.



The only other nursing product I've used regularly has been my nursing cover. I love that I can secure it around my neck and not worry about it slipping down. This is especially important as babies become more active and therefore more prone to kicking off the blanket. Truly, this product has made nursing in public much easier.



Pumps
I used the Avent Isis hand pump with my first two children. Neither of them consistently took a bottle. In fact, my son never took a bottle. I attribute this to the fact that I didn't pump regularly and therefore didn't give him a bottle regularly. My daughter also had a bit of an aversion to the bottle for the same reason. The pump worked just fine, but it wasn't convenient when giving a bottle several times a week. I've found that in order to get a baby to accept the bottle, she should initially get a bottle at least three times a week.



So far, Baby Girl is taking the bottle. This has been possible because I'm now using the Medela Pump in Style pump. I was fortunate enough to borrow one from a good friend. But, I can tell you that they are worth the price. Everything is so much more convenient. It is not a coincidence that Baby Girl takes a bottle. This is great as things come up that I'd like to do with my older children and it is nice that Daddy or someone else can feed Baby Girl. The book, The Nursing Mother's Companion, gives an excellent overview of the different types of pumps. It may be a tad dated, but I found it answered all of my questions.



Miscellaneous
I determined ahead of time the places I was going to nurse. For me it is a comfy chair in the family room or the rocker in the nursery. (And, you know, sometimes the van, park bench, corner at church, etc.) I made sure that I had a table nearby for water, a book, magazine, burp cloths, and anything else I found I needed while I nursed. It might be useful to have a basket containing all of these things and then any place could be your nursing spot.



If you have older children at home with you, it might be beneficial to make sure they have something fun to do while you nurse the baby. As both the baby and I have gotten better at nursing, I've found it nice to read aloud to Big Sister and Little Man as I nurse. Then, we all have time together and no one feels left out. But, I must confess, part of the reason I enjoy my nursing time, aside from holding my little one, is the fact that I get to read. I always read so much more when my children are young enough to nurse. After that, I'm too busy chasing them to read much more than the cover of a magazine.



These are the things that have worked for me. I truly feel blessed to be able to nourish my little ones. It is quite the privilege!



Be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for lots of helpful hints.

Does Baby Really Need All of That Stuff?

After I arrived home from my first baby shower, I saw my husband's eyes get big. It turns out he was in a little bit of shock from all of the baby paraphernalia that we'd been given. He wondered if we really needed it all. Secretly, so did I.

It seemed that everywhere we turned there was something else being advertised as something we desperately needed for our baby. Not only that, but then there were checklists of what to pack in diaper bags. It kind of seemed like the old saying, that we needed everything but the kitchen sink. Except, the kitchen sink is kind of handy. It washes baby quite well, but I digress.

Newborns are so tiny. So, how come they come with so much stuff?

Well, because people make money off of us parents thinking they need it all.

Fortunately for my family's finances, I found the book Baby Bargains. It offers practical advice on what you do and don't need for baby. It even recommends certain items and says why they are good for the money. I didn't follow it religiously, but it did help me say no to things that we never ended up needing.

If you aren't interested in needing a new house to hold baby's stuff, and you are pretty sure you'd max out credit cards trying to acquire all the recommended items, then this book is worth checking out. It worked for us.

Check back next week when I'll share my must-have baby items. The list isn't that long. Amazingly, my babies have done just fine without all the latest and greatest baby items.

Please be sure to check out Rocks in My Dryer for more tips and ideas.

A Must-Have Bib

It's time for another WFMW.



This time I thought I'd share my favorite bib. It's from Wally World and retails for around four dollars.



I couldn't find a link to it. Fortunately, I did find a willing, if a bit grumpy, little model.




Hopefully this picture is good enough for you to find one for yourself. That is, if you're in the market for a new bib. And, if you find yourself frequently cleaning the floor near where your toddler eats, you should be in the market for one.



These bibs are extremely convenient. I just spray mine off at the sink between meals. Then, every so often, or you know, when I notice a stench coming from the bib, I toss it in the washing machine with some bleach.



The best part of the bib is the little pocket at the bottom. It does a great job of catching the majority of the meal. The rest goes in his mouth. It will even hold a cup of milk if your toddler gets tired of dunking graham crackers and decides to dump the rest in his bib. Not that I would know about this of course.



Find out what works for others by visiting Rocks in My Dryer.

Organization Help

Today is another Backwards Works-for-Me Wednesday. That means I get to ask you for tips. This is a good thing, because today, I've got nothing, but, I could use lots of help.

I'd really like someone to tell me how to get my four-week-old- nursing baby to sleep ten hours at a stretch. But, alas, I know that is a tall order, so I'll settle for you helping me keep my car clean. Oh, who am I kidding, it isn't a car, it's a minivan.

So let me have it. Anything you do to keep your car organized, smelling good, looking good, whatever, please just share your tip. Otherwise, my van is going to be permanently smelling like a diaper pail with the faint scent of curdled-sippy-cup milk lingering in the air. It will also continue to resemble the bottom of my coat closet--not good.

Thanks in advance for your wonderful tips. Please be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer to share and get more lovely ideas.

Sleeping Like a Baby

The best baby gift we've ever gotten is our full-time maid. It makes savoring moments with little ones so much easier when I don't have to fret about whether or not the clothes are clean or dinner ready.

But, of course, you know, if you've ever read this blog, which would include people like my husband, mom, in-laws and possibly a handful of friends, that we don't really have a maid. Though, we do have a great dog who keeps the kitchen floor spotless except for a few slobber trails.

So, what is a mom to do when the baby is crying and the chores are calling?

Well, I've found a little trick that helps me get the clothes clean and the baby asleep all at the same time.

I simply put my sweet baby in her car seat and stick her ON TOP of the dryer. I then work on the laundry. A key to getting the baby to sleep is to turn on the dryer. My theory is that it has the same effect as a car ride. The baby is napping in no time and I get a little laundry finished.

Of course, there are many of you who are going to say this isn't safe. Yes, there is a very slim chance that the car seat could fall off of the dryer. That is why you DON'T leave the room. If you don't feel like doing laundry, then read a book, paint your nails, or have a snack. Anything goes.

This little trick also works if the baby is especially fussy. A few minutes on top of the dryer and we've found that our little one is sound asleep and can be easily transferred to a safe sleeping place.

This definitely works for me. I will, however, remind you that babies are only this small for such a short time, so there is no rush to get the laundry finished. I use this tip when I'm desperate for a moment to catch up on something. There is no sweeter way to get a baby to sleep than in your arms.

For more tidbits to make life easier, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Keeping a Toddler Busy During Meal Prep

My toddler son is quickly becoming a “helper.” I'm all for teaching him to help around the house. However, five thirty in the evening is not usually my favorite time to do so. There is dinner to fix and sometimes a baby to nurse. Plus, I just might need to scrape some Play-Doh off the table before we eat. You probably know the drill. Adding my toddler to the mix doesn't always help.

So, instead, I set him up in the downstairs powder room. I fill a sink with some water and a squirt of hand soap. Then, I give him a dish rag and some plastic spoons or cookie cutters. He gets busy washing dishes and I get busy making dinner.

He stays occupied for several minutes. In this time, dinner is made, his hands are clean, and my bathroom is a mess. You can't win them all, but this comes pretty close. Besides, a little soapy water sloshed around my bathroom is probably a good thing.

This works for me. Be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for other great tips.

Switching Handbags Made Easier

From purse, to clutch, to diaper bag, and back again, I'm constantly changing the bag I carry.

It all depends on whether I'm on an errand with the kiddos (usually), on a date with Hubs (rarely, unfortunately), or off traveling to exotic places (um, never).

If I was switching to a smaller bag, I was constantly having to take certain things out of my wallet. Fortunately, I've found a better way to easily switch bags. I've traded in my wallet for a simple card holder.

I picked this one up at Target for under seven dollars. One side holds several cards and keeps them secure with a strap. The other side has a window slot for an ID as well as a long pocket perfect for stashing cash. The middle section is a long zippered pocket which I use for change and receipts.

Now, as I'm heading out the door, I simply toss this into whatever bag I'm grabbing. It fits perfectly both in small clutches and filled-with-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink diaper bags.

As an added benefit, it is small, so it forces me to clean it out on a regular basis. After all, do I really need that Starbucks receipt from June?

This may not be the most stylish wallet option, but it does keep me from having to grab the diaper bag on a date night! It works for me.

Head on over the Rocks in My Dryer for more tips.

Kathy's Pizza (Easy Homemade Pizza Crust)

I recently tried this recipe and found it to be both easy and tasty. The fact that it requires no kneading will make it a regular at my house. I can't take credit for it, that goes to a lady named Kathy who attended our previous church.

Kathy's Pizza

1 1/3 cups warm (not hot) water

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 packages instant yeast

Mix together with a wire whisk.

Add 3 cups of flour all at once. (I used a blend of wheat and white flour.) Mix with a fork until all of the flour is absorbed. Form a ball--do not knead. Cover the bowl with a towel and let raise 20 minutes.

Oil hands with olive oil. Lift dough onto a stone or oiled cookie sheet. Spread out and top as desired.

Bake at 425 degrees on bottom oven rack for 20 minutes.

Enjoy and head on over to Rocks in My Dryer for more Works for Me Wednesday tips.

Easy Browning of Ground Meat

If you're like me, you'll appreciate any kitchen tip that makes preparing dinner just a bit faster and a bit easier.



I heard of or read this idea somewhere, though I'd certainly like to take the credit for thinking outside of the box.

Not so Good Picture of my Pastry Cutter/Dough Blender :-)



In order to easily crumble ground meat while you're browning it, simply use a pastry cutter. It makes quick work of breaking up chunks of meat. I've found this particularly useful for cooking up large batches of ground meat to store in the freezer.



This certainly works for me and I hope it helps you. Head on over to Rocks in My Dryer for some more useful tips.

Vacuuming Stairs

Okay, I'm hoping for some comments on this because I could use the help.

We've recently moved to a house with two stories. This obviously means stairs. They are seen right as you enter the front door and they are dirty.

I've tried using my Dyson and all its various attachments, but nothing seems to work that well. I suppose if I could maneuver the vacuum and use it upright, it might do okay, but I don't have the time or patience for that.

Is there anything else that works to get stairs dirt and crumb free?

To help out more people, go on over and visit Rocks in My Dryer.

The Power of the Kitchen Timer to Ease Transitions (Or Something Like That!)

There is something almost magical about the oven timer at our house. It has authority that I, as the mother, apparently do not possess. We use the timer for almost everything around here. It helps transitions go much more smoothly with Big Sister, who is 3. We set it nearly every night to let her know when it is time to go upstairs to begin her bedtime routine. Sometimes we set it to let her know when we need to leave to go somewhere. Occasionally, I'll even set it to get her to stop repeatedly asking the same question. That scenario goes something like this...


Big Sister: (7:00 a.m.) “Will you please call Sally and see if she can play?”


Me: “No, it is too early.”


Big Sister: (7:01 a.m.) “Will you please call Sally and see if she can play?”


Me: “No, it is still too early.”


Big Sister: (7:03 a.m.) “Will you please call Sally and see if she can play?”


Me: (Remembering the magical timer) “No, I can't call her yet. I will set the timer and when the timer goes off, we can call Sally.”


Big Sister: “Okay.” She then usually scurries off to play.


At this point, I set the timer, and all is well until she returns three seconds later to begin a round of questioning about a snack, or if she can play with Play-Doh, or some similar topic. Seriously, though, the timer almost always works. And, don't tell, but I've been known to pretend to set it a time or two as well. This generally happens at nap time when Big Sister requests I set the timer to know when she can wake up. Um, yeah, I certainly don't put a limit on small children sleeping around here, so only the pretend timer works in that situation.



I'm certainly not the first mom to come up with this wonderful use for the timer and I won't be the last. I just know it has helped us immensely and I certainly wish I'd had the idea sooner. It most definitely works for me.
To find more ideas, (likely more original than this one) head on over to Rocks In My Dryer!