No H1N1 At Our House Yet

I know it seems like H1N1 is all anyone every talks about anymore and here is yet another post about it!

I mentioned some prevention tips in October when I was feeling a little under the weather. I had a little bit of the sniffles but nothing ever came of it, praise the Lord! I also shared with you our decision on H1N1 at that time.

Well, not much has changed. We have decided that, for our family, we are not getting the vaccines. We stay home a lot and I have no littles in school or daycare so those were things we took into consideration as well. Just because this decision is right for our family doesn’t mean it is right for yours! You can find some links at the bottom that can help you make an informed decision for you and your family.

Regardless of whether or not you choose to vaccinate, prevention is key. We have not had H1N1 at our home, nor sickness of any kind yet. I attribute this to stepping up our hand-washing and extreme disinfecting of doorknobs and such. I do expect that H1N1 (or at least a cold) will appear in our household before long because it is the season but the following tips will help prevent the spread!

Tips to Stay Healthy

Good hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of all flu viruses. Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly and often.

Keep an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (gel or wipes) handy at work, home and in your car. It needs to be at least 60% alcohol to be effective.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and throw the tissue out. Cough into your upper sleeve if you don't have a tissue.

Avoid large crowds of people where viruses can spread easily. Stay home when you are sick.

Keep common surfaces and items clean and disinfected.

These tips are courtesy of the Ontario Government and of course are just common sense!

Other Helpful Information

Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000

Influenza Self-Assessment Tool 

Ontario Influenza Vaccine Clinic Information

General Information from the Ontario Ministry of Health 

I wrote this post while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central and received a Mom Central gift pack to thank me for taking the time to participate however, as always,  thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I Fall and Fail…

Photo by Behrooz

I can get back up, with assurance that:

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

Reindeer Reviews: Flirty Aprons Review + Giveaway!

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Apple Crumble Tarts and A Fabulous New Apron!

I discovered my love of aprons earlier this year but Flirty Aprons takes it to the next level! They were gracious enough to not only send an apron for me but a matching one for Chloe as well. I don’t know if she or I was more excited when the package arrived!!

Beautiful Design makes them fit with a feminine flair!* No dowdy cooks in this kitchen! Take note of the ruffle along the bottom that scallops upwards and the extra-long tie that can be wrapped around your waist to be tied in a bow, if you’re a bow person like I am. If not, just tie it around back. Who wouldn’t love this dynamic combination of beauty and functionality!

The Color/Pattern selections are fantastic. I love the contrasting, yet complimentary patterns! I am completely a pink and brown lover. Throw in some dots and you’ve completely wooed me! It just so happens that Chloe loves pink and dots too. Actually most of her clothing right now is brown, pink and dots so her apron matches nicely!

Perfect Fit! Because their aprons are tied around the neck and and extra long waist ties, you’re pretty much guaranteed that you will be able to get the apron to fit you perfectly! With regards to the child size ones, Chloe is almost three and it fits her wonderfully. I have the ties tied very close  but tied more loosely, she will be able to wear it for years to come!

Pockets: pretty and practical! I wear my apron for most of the day. With little ones racing around, a pocket for tissues and such is key for me. Though they do make a nice decoration, the pockets are of an adequate size they can be functional and you can actually get your hand in and out of them!

Reversible: While I can’t say for certain that all the aprons they make are reversible, or that they meant them to be, mine could be. Wearing it backwards means plain pink with polka dot ruffle and no pockets but it works. The reason I say that is because I use aprons therefore they get dirty. I like to minimize the wear and tear on the fabric by washing as little as possible while still having a clean apron.

Fabric: Speaking of washing, I’ve washed mine a couple times now and it has still retained the proper shape and, thus far, no fading and wash wear. This is important because some fabrics show wash wear and fading quickly. I have a lovely apron that this happened to after two washes and that was very disappointing. Based on my experience, you don’t have to worry about that with Flirty Aprons. The fabric is very soft and has a nice feel to it; important since the tie around your neck will no doubt touch your skin. It is also light yet durable and hangs well. The only think that I wasn’t crazy about is that it isn’t very absorbent. I have to admit, I’m one of those people who likes to wipe my hands on my skirt, apron, whatever! But that’s just me :)

Rice Crispies for Breakfast, Rice Crispies for Snack! The apron doubles as a nice bib! Chloe also wears aprons for craft time too!

What else can I say? I love my flirty apron and Chloe loves hers too. All little girls want mommy’s attention and want to be like mommy. They play house and dress-up; what could be more fun that matching mommy and baking in the kitchen. We do it a lot. It isn’t so much about the food prepared but the many precious memories…and lately these memories are brown, pink and polka dotted! What can be more perfect than that?

 

A Flirty Apron is the perfect gift for everyone on your list. They make aprons for just about everyone and I am sure that the men’s aprons do not have a feminine flair :)*

THE GIVEAWAY

• Visit Flirty Aprons and leave a comment telling me which on you would pick if you won. Choose carefully.
• Subscribe to Beautiful Calling (leave a comment for each method you use)
• Blog about this giveaway and link back here!
• Subscribe to Flirty Aprons Blog
• Become a Fan of Flirty Aprons on Facebook (Where you’ll find more giveaways happening!)
• Subscribe to the Flirty Aprons Newsletter
• Make a purchase from Flirty Aprons. (5 entries, will be verified by email address)

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• Open to Canada and USA friends
• Ends December 3, 2009

TUT: The (Un) Perfect Gift Basket

A Google search of 'Tune Up' revealed the following definition:
An Adjustment for Better Functioning
A search of 'Adjustment' revealed the following:
A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification

What is Tune-Up Tuesday? Find out more HERE!

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I mentioned last week that I was working on my top three things. Well this week I crossed another item off that to-do list! I let go of perfection and gave my friend her housewarming basket just as it was.

The Story: I have a good friend, Carm, whom I have known for almost 10 years (yikes!). We’ve worked together, lived together, laughed together and cried together. Her and her husband (hi Chris!) had a beautiful home not too far from us and then one day she called and told me she was moving!! They now live in an amazing home in the country, even more beautiful than their previous home and this one even has a huge in-ground pool. I bet you can guess where I spent many a sunny day this past August.

Anyway, they moved in to their new home in August and I knew immediately that I wanted to make her a phenomenal housewarming gift basket. I envisioned the PERFECT basket full of handmade goodness: pickles, peaches, cookies, fresh bread, banana bread, baguette, apple cider and more. It is now November and it was still ‘coming’.

This week, I decided to let go of the idea of perfection (like last week). I chose a basket, put in what I had preserved – two types of pickles, canned peaches and canned cider. I also added a bag of oatmeal raisin cookies and some mulling spices. I tied a pretty ribbon on it and gave it to her. She was thrilled. The only thing that would have made it more perfect was had I remembered to put in the card. LOL

I struggle with perfection (I’ve mentioned this a lot). I want everything to be perfect and just right whatever it is. Often, things get put off or not done because I want it to be done perfect. Alas, with littles and human limitations, this isn’t possible and isn’t healthy. Yes, of course, we can strive for perfection but we need to be satisfied with our best efforts too. The desire for perfection is an ongoing battle for me. Just when I feel I have a handle on it in one area, it pops up in another.

The Tune-Up: where can you let go of perfection today and just give it your best effort and be satisfied with that?

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Do you have a tune-up you are working on or completed? Link up (directly to your post) or share a comment! If you could mention TUT and link back so others can join in too, that would be appreciated!

My Wee View

I completely want to win this giveaway over at My Wee View! It is for an Ergo Carrier!! How perfect would that be for carrying my cutie John-John on our big trip this spring and all the days in between.

But don’t enter because I want it :)

Works for Me! Simple Home Made Cards

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Chloe’s friend, Jaiden, had her birthday party on Saturday. This is her card. Chloe drew the Purple Birthday Penguin featured in the first photo (just in case you were wondering LOL). She also did most of the  gluing though I did the positioning :)

We seldom buy cards. I used to buy the ‘Home Made” type cards that came in a box at Costco but we no longer do that because we make our own. They look really cool too. I tried to find a picture of the Christmas cards we made last year but I guess I didn’t take a picture.

Anyway, last fall I stumbled across some quality linen card stock on ebay. The lots were 4000 linen paper envelopes, 2000 folding linen paper cards and 2000 flat announcement cards. Each lot started at 0.99. I watched it, bid last minute and won all three lots for 0.99/each. Shipping in the USA was very inexpensive but I live in Canada so it cost me $40.00. Still an amazing deal since it works out to A PENNY for both the card and envelope!  I think it was Pelican Paper Company.

Now I don’t scrap book as a hobby because I lack time, money as well as creativity. I did spend about $15 to buy stamp letters, an ink pad, a heart punch and some dollar store scrapbooking papers. Find that even the simplest things can look pretty amazing!

I have made some really, really cool cards that I was proud of but these are the only two cards I’ve ever taken pictures of. Too bad. For Jaiden’s card, I printed a handful of pictures at home on our printer but on John’s thank you card (because I sent out about 60+!), I little photos printed on a sheet at Costco. It was 1.19 per sheet of wallets and there was 16 or 18 per sheet. Still pretty economical I think! I cut them out and made the cards.

• Check out Ebay for discontinued bulk cardstock or watch for sales at your local office supply store. Cardstock is awesome and lends a professional look to your home made card but you know, construction paper is effective too! Use whatever you have.

 

• I also suggest investing a small amount in some basic tools to assist you in making a variety of cards. Walmart and Dollar Stores are usually cheaper than hobby/craft stores. Ebay is another great source. Try to pick items that will work for any kind of card.

So even if you aren’t really creative and don’t have a lot of money to spend, you can still make your own fabulous cards! Handmade cards work for me!

The thank-you cards I sent out for John’s baby shower last year.

Cupcake Days!

Well, this (again) wasn’t my intended post but this morning finds me in the kitchen baking 150 cupcakes for my order tomorrow. So this is kind of a live-blogging post. LOL.

What my cutie Chloe looks like right now. Like her apron? Flirty Aprons sent us matching mommy/daughter ones. Watch for a review/giveaway later this week :)

The ‘clean’ part of my kitchen right now LOL

It’s sunny out so I am hoping to complete our baking, get things ready for the homemade pizza party with my parents tonight and then head out to enjoy the sunshine.

I am so thankful for my cupcake orders! It brings in a much appreciated bit of income while allowing Chloe and I to do something we both enjoy: baking!

It is amazing the little “opportunities” that the Lord has brought into our lives to supplement (in part!) what I made working outside the home. He is good!

(last month’s cupcake order)

• This post is part of the 30 Minute Blogging Challenge and linked to Gratituesday

Reindeer Reviews Are Headed This Way!

Well, due to being unplugged for a bit, there was a delay in the announcement of Reindeer Reviews but here it is.

Throughout November, I will be highlighting some great Christmas gift ideas for your family.This year our family is focusing on:

Economical, Quality, Eco Friendly, Practical/Useful

• With the economy being as it is, we want to save money but sometimes it’s worth a little extra to get something that will last, not needing to be replaced. The dollar store has some great finds to be sure, but sometimes in the long run you don’t get the best bang for your buck!

• Our family has started doing some things to help reduce the impact on our environment. How can we do that with our gifts?

• How many gifts are given each year that are ‘unitaskers’ and sit unused in homes, only to collect dust or be donated.

Some items have been provided by companies, some I have purchased myself for our family. We also have some giveaways coming up so it should be a fun month!

TUT: Quarrels, Clutter and Priorities

 

A Google search of 'Tune Up' revealed the following definition:
An Adjustment for Better Functioning
A search of 'Adjustment' revealed the following:
A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification

What is Tune-Up Tuesday? Find out more HERE!

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Well, I’ve had a productive week! There has been so much going on lately; a combination of personal troubles, scheduling troubles, an overloaded to-do list and (I felt) some sliding priorities. This past week while I was unplugged, I really got down to business.

MAKE A LIST

First, I thought about what was overwhelming me. I made a list. I listed all my thoughts of outstanding things to do, my concerns about everything, the areas I felt frustrated. I had a big list as I did a complete “brain dump” (not sure who’s term that is). I narrowed the list down to the top three things.

• A quarrel with a friend
• A desk hidden under clutter and filing
• Feeling like I spend too much time cleaning

TACKLE IT IN BITE-SIZED TASKS

The Quarrel:

This one is quite personal so I’ll be brief: I had a quarrel with a long-time friend. It started out an innocent misunderstanding that escalated and left me very hurt. The I came across Acts 24:16 “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offence toward God, and toward men.” When I read that, it helped me enormously to understand what my course of action should be. It is amazing how timeless the bible can be; it is still relevant and able to help us make wise choices!

The Desk:

My desk has been an ongoing issue. I was attempting to deal with it back in February but the task was just so large and I lacked time. With two 2 year olds and a 1 year old around, it is hard to find time to deal with it all. This is one of the areas that cause me great stress because it isn’t a great environment in which to work and I always have it hanging over my head.

Assess what is there: Everything ends up on my desk. Filing, items needing repair, things to list on ebay/kijiji, office supplies, things to follow up on, letters to write, coupons, invoices to enter etc.

Make a Plan: Getting it clean won’t help. I need to develop a plan, identify why it gets this way and set up a system to avoid desk overload. Setting up a system without first dealing with everything there will not help because I can’t implement a new system with all the undealt with stuff hanging around.

Implementing the Plan:

• Chloe had a sleepover at moms. John naps for 3 hours and plays quietly the remainder of the time (whoo hoo!) and it is a day that Jaiden isn’t here.

• Pile everything onto my bed (may as well be comfy while I sort).

• Make Piles: Do Today, Must File, Coupon Related, Blog Related etc.

• Purging: I had a recycling bin there. Anything that was unneeded (grocery receipts, outdated coupons etc) were recycled immediately. I also let go of some things that I would like to do but just do not have the time right now. (i.e. write to Gymboree about the dress that the hem let go on after the first wash)

• Action: I filled everything that didn’t need action immediately. Then I looked at what was left. I have 3 drawers under my desk. I made one my personal “getting to it/not urgent” drawer, one my coupon drawer, one my blog related drawer and then I have an inbox on my desk for DH to put invoices and such to enter. Though I haven’t yet got caught up on invoices and such, they are stacked neatly in the inbox where I plan to get to them within the next week. My desk space is cleared off with only the essentials out. Repairs now are either done immediately or have a spot in the laundry room. Ebay items are on a shelf or in a bin (both in the garage). I actually have moved my “official” desk to our upstairs office and my antique secretaire desk is more our command/supplies center downstairs now.

Now that the backlog has been taken care of, and a new system in in place, I felt an immense peace. I should take a new pic of my fabulous clean (and functioning!) workspace but my camera is downstairs and it is late. Maybe tomorrow.

Too Much Time Cleaning

The past few weeks I feel like I’ve been waking up, feeding the littles, cleaning, feeding/caring for littles, cleaning, DH comes home, we eat, I care for the littles, we watch a movie/read/computer time etc. and it is bed. Our Beautiful Calling is Not About Housework but sometimes I forget that. I’m not sure how I got off track. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t neglecting my littles but I just was feeling a little like things were starting to head in a direction that was not the one I intended.

Assess, Plan, Action:

• I started by doing those things which needed to be done.

• Then I thought about what I was doing and what areas seemed to take the most time. Sometimes our tasks can grow to fit the time allowance. The opposite is true as well. When we aren’t aiming for absolute perfection, we can usually fit a task into a time allotment.

• By tackling the “must dos” for the day first thing with an allotted time frame, and with the help of a loose *revised* schedule; the past week our home has been (mostly) clean and ordered.

• I have done many puzzles, read many books, spend time visiting my mom, played numerous games of candy land and enjoyed a whole lot of walks in the beautiful fall weather!

• I needed a reminder that houses are ONLY tools and that family is my calling.

• I’m a week into a new bible study on biblical parenting and it is awesome. It has been such an encouragement to me The bible is such a poignant reminder of just how important the mothering aspect of my Beautiful Calling is!!

• This past week,  I spent hardly any time on the computer. Honestly, it didn’t make that much of a difference. What made the difference? I’m getting more done in less time by truly focusing on my priorities and letting go of perfection.

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What helps you keep your priorities straight?

Do you have a tune-up you are working on or completed? Link up (directly to your post) or share a comment! If you could mention TUT and link back so others can join in too, that would be appreciated!

5 Minutes for Mom Giveaways

Tons of awesome prizes. Check it out today and wish me luck!

They also have an AMAZING HP TOUCHSMART 600 Giveaway going on now.

You don’t want to miss it!

TUT: Unplugged or Unhinged

 

OR

 

Sometimes we need to step back a little, don’t we? I need to unplug or I’m liable to become unhinged!

Right now, my house is clean, my little ones are bathed and napping. Dinner is prepared and tonight is church. Things are good. But I need a little bit of time off. When I come back, I have a surprise: Reindeer Reviews!

Photo by theilr and pictoscribe

The Charlie Schulz Philosophy

I received an email from my mother. I thought I would share. If you missed Health Questions Answered be sure to check it out now.

Mini Quiz:

1. Name  the five wealthiest people in the  world.
2. Name  the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
3.  Name  ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
4. Name  the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
5. Name  the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies..
Awards tarnish..
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Mini Quiz

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4.. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money or the most awards.
They simply are the ones who care the most !

A Toilet, Kleenex, a Plunger and a Mess…

This is not my usual post. I don’t think I have ever posted on bathroom matters. But today is the exception! Chloe went to the bathroom. Number 2. I needed to get more toilet paper from downstairs. I told her to use a Kleenex. I went to unlock the front door (for when Jaiden comes) and to get toilet paper. Big Mistake! She used…errrr…more than a Kleenex. I looked in the toilet and debated on whether to fish some out or take my chances. I should have fished some out. Under those towels is a big, smelly mess from a dirty, overflowing toilet.

Chloe is watching me as I try to deal with this saying, “Oh, no! It’s all my fault.”

Ok. I don’t feel like this is an entirely balanced story so I will admit: I know nothing about plunging. It didn’t overflow right away. I plunged, then flushed again to see if it would then empty. Ummm…it did not. It overflowed. After vigorous plunging, I heard a gurgle and it emptied on it’s own.

Note to Self: A backed up, too full toilet doesn’t need to be flushed more than once. Don’t be impatient with it – just keep plunging and eventually it will drain.

After this excitement…I am completely having chocolate for breakfast!

Happy Tuesday!

UPDATE:

It is now just after 11am. In addition to this, both girls (who are pretty much potty trained), wet their pants at two separate times in two different areas and John had an exploding diaper that was so bad, he required a bath. What a day. Serves me right for writing about toilet troubles in a post!

Though it wasn’t my planned 30 minute challenge post, it certainly took less than 30 minutes to write! Hurray!

H1N1: Our Decision Regarding Vaccination

Photo by TangoPango

I had my little ones H1N1 vaccination appointments booked last Monday; the first day that they were available. After some thought, prayer and discussion with my DH, we cancelled the appointments for now. We have some concerns about side effects, long term risks, lack of information and such. I say, ‘for now’ because, as with everything, we try to make the best decision with the information available. As more information becomes available, it is always wise to reconsider isn’t it?

After DH and I decided to wait and see, I was on my knees praying for the safety of my little ones. Just because ‘everyone’ seems to be doing it and ‘they’ say it will help doesn’t  mean that it is the right thing to do for us. We love our children greatly and want to protect them in any way we can but, at this time, we just didn’t have a peace about it.

John-John has been teething and, regardless of what my doctor says, my little ones run low-grade fevers when they are cutting teeth. This morning at 3am when I nursed John and realized he had a fever, my heart immediately skipped a beat as H1N1 came to mind. I gave him some Motrin and he went back to sleep. I did not. I worried, then I began to pray.

Romans 8:28 came to mind.

Losing Isaiah wasn’t something I would have chosen for my life, but God not only knew it would happen and allowed it to happen, but he used it for His Glory and to help refine me. It hurt and it still hurts because I loved little Isaiah, though I had never officially met him yet. Having been privileged to have John and Chloe, I can not imagine life without them. But I know that each day, somewhere, parents lose children and God, in His infinite wisdom allows it to happen. Why? I shared some of my thoughts on that here but the real answer? I don’t know. We live in a fallen world but God is still in control. He is loving and good; truly good and not limited to our understanding of goodness.

I say that because whether or not my littles have been vaccinated, they can still contract H1N1. Regardless of what I do, or don’t do, if the Lord chooses to call one of my little ones home to Him, my actions will not matter. DH and I made the decision we felt was best for our little ones at this time, and our best (as meager as it is) is all we can do when raising our little ones. Then we leave in in the Lord’s hands and pray for His grace, mercy and protection for our little ones. After all, he loves them (and us!) so much more than our minds can fathom!

And for the record, I was able to sleep after that and this morning, I am pretty sure John-John is just teething as his fever is still a very low grade one with no other signs!

What did your family decide about vaccination or what helped you decide? Has H1N1 been to your home? When sharing, please be respectful of others’ opinions and feelings.

October Interesting Links

Photo by Dezz

 

Well, it’s Saturday morning I am attending our ladies brunch at The Greens at Renton with our church ladies. A yummy brunch, a special inspirational speaker and good friends. I’m excited. As soon as I get home, we’re off to stay at the Sheraton in Toronto. I mentioned that we were having a Thanksgiving Grand Finale tonight and that is where we are going because we are using points and it costs us nothing!

 

I read so many great posts through October. When you have a minute, have a peek at these!

 

 

Encouraging Husbands During Financial Trials @ At the Well has some really great points; most importantly, we as wives need to guard our own hearts regarding contentment. It's too easy to become bogged down with the weight of the world when we think about things that are in "tomorrow" (college costs, retirement, how are we going to pay our heating bill this winter, and so on), while missing out on the blessings of serving the Lord, being a helper to our husbands, and mother to our children in the here and now. We can't control the future, and our anxiety isn't going to make the situation better...it's only going to sap today of its joy and strength. I often battle with contentment issues. How about you?

Prince Charming's Not a Fairy Tale, He's a Myth @ Like A Warm Cup of Coffee had some interesting thoughts as well. I love romance movies and fiction, especially Christian historical fiction and even before my reading time dwindled due to children, I had been cutting back because I found that I was getting unrealistic expectations and ideas.

Repairing and Constructing @ By His Grace had some great reminders about what can be accomplished while waiting!

Mean Girls @ At The Well caught my eye because raising a little girl, I want to instill in her from the very beginning the importance not excluding others.

3 Sleep Strategies for the Rested Mom @ Simple Mom reminded me of the importance of having a tidy, clutter-free bedroom along with a few other neat ideas.

Things I Love @ A High and Nobel Calling inspired me to love my home more.  I love my home and my beautiful calling; wifehood and motherhood, but I know I can love more! Especially on those days. Stephanie has a beautiful site, packed full of encouraging material.

Beginnings @ The Well had one phrase that has been my prayer this month to "set about diligently to be someone worth emulating; that I remember all my daily tasks are to be done as unto the Lord" My little Chloe is looking to me to see biblical womanhood is played out in real life.

What NOT to Regret @ Clover Lane reinforced to me that staying at home is the right decision for our family right now and completely worth any sacrifice that we need to make it happen.

Home Made Car Air Freshener @ Little House in the Suburbs looks really cute and easy to make (an essential for me!). I think I am going to give this a try for some Christmas gifts for neighbors and such. If I do (and they turn out well LOL), I will share a picture for sure!

TUT: Changing Up for the Seasons

 

A Google search of 'Tune Up' revealed the following definition:
An Adjustment for Better Functioning
A search of 'Adjustment' revealed the following:
A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification

What is Tune-Up Tuesday? Find out more HERE!

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October is coming to a close. It has been filled with sunny days, rainy days, warm days and…brrrr…cold days. Winter is fast approaching. Out the window this morning I noticed one last leaf flittering in the wind and snapped a picture moments before it too left…

Though I already did the littles’ clothing closets, I had yet to bring out all the winter mittens, boots and such so that is what I was working on this week. Here is my closet; simple as it is.

• I keep all of our winter things in a rubber-maid tub in the garage. When I unpack it, I repack it with the summer/spring articles from the closet and put it back in the garage. In spring when I dig it out, I’ll put the winter ones back in.

• Even the spring things that will probably not fit go in even if I am planning to sell them. What to Sell talks a little bit about selling in season.

• I have 3M hooks on the interior doors of our closet for little ones to hang up their own cats coats. I was going to delete my typing error (cats) but left it in because it made me giggle!

• We have a white basket where Chloe puts her boots and shoes. A contained area really helps her.

• We have a wooden shoe rack for DH’s footwear.

• At the back we also have a smaller tub that contains DH’s shoe shine/care supplies. I put my snow boots and church boots on top of that.

• The shelf in the top of the closet always holds my diaper bag; packed and RTG as DH would say. That means ‘ready to go’. I purposely leave it cleared because that is where I put the items that we need to take somewhere. (Donation items, errands, returns etc.)

• There is also my two pairs of special sandals  in boxes up top. These are special because I bought them in a real shoe store. One pair is basic black and the other is beautiful pink and purple. I love both pair!

• We have two shoe bags in the closet. One contains my shoes and the other contains adult mittens, hats and scarves.

• We also have a bench by the door that has a spot under it for two baskets. These contain the littles’ mittens and such.

• Oh, and we have our library book bag on the top hook inside the closet. Though I have to admit, we took a break from the library (not reading)  during summer and gorgeous fall weather. Now that winter is back, we’ll need to resume our visits!

Simple Kids is having a Winterizing series this week if you want to pop over a take a peek.

Do you have a tune-up you are working on or completed? Link up (directly to your post) or share a comment! If you could mention TUT and link back so others can join in too, that would be appreciated!

When You Don’t Celebrate Halloween…

DH and I have given it a lot of thought in the past year. We’ve decided not to celebrate Halloween; not by trick or treating and not by dressing up to attend a church celebration. I am not saying anything about either of these activities except that we have chosen not to participate in either.

Family Thankfulness Month

This past year, with a lot of thought and prayer, we have decided that October is our family’s Thankfulness Month. During October we will be using activities and discussions to learn about how we should be thankful, why we should be thankful, all of things we should be thankful for and how we need to be content with what we have.  Now John is completely oblivious at 1 this year but Chloe is 2 1/2 and really can understand quite a lot. For one of our activities, we purchased and wrapped small presents for Christine and Caleb, children in an orphanage, and talked about how some people do not have mommies and daddies. Since then, most nights she has prayed for them, and has also thanked God for her mommy and daddy.

The Grand Finale: October 31st

Anyway, the grand finale to our Thankfulness Month is October 31, the last day of the month, when we will spend the night away as family. It is not a Halloween substitute for us but, rather, simply the finale to something our family has been working on all month long.  It doesn't matter where we go, except that it has to have a pool. There are actually quite a few very reasonably priced hotels around and we won’t even spend $100. We’re going bring games to play, snacks to eat, we’ll swim and order a pizza. Since another focus in our thankfulness month is reduced spending and being content with what we have, there is a little bit extra to cover this night away. You see how well it all works out?

So What About the Neighbors?

I’m glad you asked! We made rice crispies, dyed a small amount green and the bulk of it orange. Oil your hands (a key point!) and make little orange balls, then squash and add green stems! Let harden. We wrapped them in baggies with ribbons. Then we made a card. On the front we made an ice cream cone and wrote things that “made life sweet” (things we were thankful for). Chloe actually came up with most of them on her own; swinging, dinosaurs, breakfast, mommy & daddy, worms, hayrides, Jesus, friends, ice cream and more! On the back of the card I put the following:

“October is here! With it comes Thanksgiving, and for some, Halloween. While our family chooses not to participate in Halloween, we are thankful for celebrate a beautiful fall and a bountiful harvest. If you are interested in the reasoning behind our decision, we would be most happy to share :) Enjoy these little harvest treats from our family to yours!”

 

Dress Up Days

Our family plays ‘dress up’ year round. It is a normal sight in our home (or out walking, at the store etc.) for Chloe to be wearing a tutu, a tiara, butterfly wings or anything else so that isn’t something they are ‘missing out’ on either. In fact, she was wearing her tutu today :)

So Thankfulness Month is what works for me. I am undecided about closing the comments on this post or not. I wanted to share what our family is doing, but please do not leave malicious comments. If your family does Halloween, great for you! Ours doesn’t; great for us too (though you know how I feel about over-the top decorations!)

Happy Harvest!

Easy Pie Crust & Fabulous Apple Tartlet

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I know I already posted about our Apple Cider Bee but what can I say, I guess we love apples :)

Saturday was overcast and windy but it wasn’t too cold or rainy; perfect for apple picking. We headed out to a local orchard and picked some apples. DH (dear husband) loves honeycrisp apples. The demand is high and the honeycrisp trees do not produce as abundantly as other types of apples so all that was left of them were the apples on the very tops of the trees. I’m thankful for a tall husband.

We also got in a hay ride. Both little ones enjoyed it. Mommy and daddy enjoyed it too! Hayrides are a finer thing for sure!

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Sunday we had a fellowship after church and I made some really great apple tartlets to take.

Perfect Pie Crust:

This pie crust is the easiest one I have come across and it is so versatile! By adjusting the amount of sugar, it can be sweeter for dessert purposes or savory for a meat pie. It certainly works for me!

• 1 1/2 sticks of butter, cold, diced
• 3 cups of flour
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/3 cold shortening
• 1/2 cup of ice water

Put flour, sugar, butter and shortening in the food processor and pulse until butter is the size of peas. With the food processor running, pour the cold water down the feed tube one tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a ball. Dump onto floured board and press into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes before rolling out.

Apple Filling:

• Diced Apples (I used Spy apples and they held texture wonderfully when cooked)
• 1-2 Tablespoons of Poudre Douce (Epicure baking seasoning. You can buy it here through Carmen Locke. I think it has a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg so you can simply add a little of those if you don’t want to buy this)
• 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• Equal Parts White and Brown Sugar; Sweeten to Taste
• Flour to thicken

Cook at medium-high heat, covered on stovetop until softened.

Crumble Topping:

• 3/4 Cups Flour
• 1/2 Cups White Sugar
• 1/4 Cups Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Oatmeal
• 1/4 Cup Butter, Cold, Diced

Combine all ingredients in mixer until butter is the size of peas and mixture is crumbly.

Put It Together:

I then rolled dough out and cut into circles with an upside down cup and pressed unto muffin tins and baked for approx 10 minutes. Pour in filling, add crumble and bake for 15-20 minutes more.

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This post links to This post links to Mouthwatering Mondays, Gratituesday,  Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Works for Me Wednesday and Finer Things Friday.

Yes, Sometimes We Are THAT Family…

 

My fab new umbrella / DH poking our daughters eye out (or at least it looks that way doesn’t it? LOL

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who didn’t have plan a normal wedding but got married in the lemon grove in Italy.

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who decided they’d rather have a midwife than an OB 26 weeks into their pregnancy. (And though it was a scramble, we found one!)

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who didn’t have their babies in a hospital but rather at home. (Praise the Lord for healthy, wonderful babies!)

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who always have toys covering their floors, whose dining room table is often a fort and whose sprinkler is for entertainment purposes and not for watering grass.

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who serve cupcakes with too many sprinkles for breakfast once a month. (mmm – yummy!)

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who cloth diaper their babies. (Which isn’t abnormal online in the blogging circle but is kind of odd to others in our real-life circle)

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones believe you can make anything at home from scratch. (Which is surprisingly true most of the time LOL)

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who let their daughter wear her tutu or her red rubber boots every day. Why not? She looks cute, she likes it and there are only a certain number of years you can wear one daily!

• We are THAT family. You know, the ones who spent over $200 on rug shampooer rentals this year before finally buying one of their own.

We did not have little ones when we built our house and carpeted with a light colored rug (dining room included). In the past 2 years, our poor rug has seen more than it’s share of:

• Vaseline
• Penaten
• Cornstarch
• Baking Powder
• Cough Syrup
• Chocolate Milk
• Chocolate Timbit
• Toothpaste

The day of the carpet cleaner purchase, I hadn’t even finished my attempt to clean up the red cough syrup (from a child proof bottle! How did she get it open?!?) when I discovered her quietly finger painting with the toothpaste.

Safety in the Kitchen – Very important!

Feeding John-John our homemade Melon-scicles; no one else would eat them LOL

Part of being THAT family is admitting embarrassing moments. Chloe was days old when she developed hiccups and gripe water didn’t help. Wanting to help, logically, I growled at her to scare her to make the hiccups go away. Needless to say, she screamed in fright and turned red from howling, yet the hiccups stayed. That was not my best parenting moment. (What was I thinking?!?!)

I’ve been a mommy for 2 1/2 years and so far…it’s been an adventure; one that I am so thankful to be a part of. Being THAT family? It certainly is a finer thing!

• This post links to We are THAT Family and Finer Things Friday

My Official Sick Notice & Prevention Reminders

A Google search of 'Tune Up' revealed the following definition:
An Adjustment for Better Functioning
A search of 'Adjustment' revealed the following:
A Small Change, A Minor Correction, A Modification

What is Tune-Up Tuesday? Find out more HERE!

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Please accept this post as my official notice that I am sick today and will not be in. On my blog anyway. Calling in sick from mothering isn't an option. LOL. Though most days I am overjoyed to be a mother and to be able to stay at home, on rare occasions (mostly when I am sick), do I think back to those pre-baby days where being sick meant sleeping in, reading a book on the couch in PJ’s, and eating ice cream or popsicles in bed. Did anyone else ever do that?

It’s TUT and I’ve got nothing; actually that isn’t true. I’ve got a cold and I have two little ones with colds. Does that count? So I am going to ‘tune-up’ us. We’re spending the day in our jammies. We’re going to watch a video (Fox & the Hound?), drink some hot chocolate, read some books. Thankfully, comfort food is on the official menu for tonight (shepherd’s pie).

Prevention is Key; but it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get sick!

So the ‘official’ arrival of the cold season once again reminds me of the importance of a few things which can help keep you healthy.

• Washing your hands often
• Cough into your arm/elbow
• Disinfecting taps, handles and knobs frequently
• Getting enough rest
• Get out for a walk; fresh air and exercise
• Adequate water consumption
• Balanced meals including plenty of fruits and veggies
• If you or your littles have been sick; replace your toothbrush!

Amy mentioned a few things about H1N1 prevention earlier this week. If you missed it, here is the link.

So that is it. Not sure if I will be in on Friday either but I’ll see you soon.

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Do you have a tune-up you are working on or completed? Link up (directly to your post) or share a comment! If you could mention TUT and link back so others can join in too, that would be appreciated!