Okay in case you are curious, I did get the papers semi organized, the clothes folded and the house clean. The kids came home from camp and I have four loads of laundry and their montage of stuff they stroll everywhere all over the house. Life really wasn't that clean and organized with them gone. There was more time to teach so when the call came to sub I went to work. When it came time to eat I didn't want to cook so we subsisted on leftovers. We did go out to eat a few times and the margaritas I enjoyed are now attached to my hips. With no one here to be impressionable I didn't feel the need to make the bed or cook healthy food. However It did free up time to go through the mountains of paper work I was drowning in. Oh and I had room in the O'L Mini Van for the recyclables I had put off taking for two months. We are really good recyclers and it literally takes the whole van to get it there. So round mid August you should see me sorting steel and plastic again.
Yesterday my house was full of my kids and everybody else's within a mile. There is one little boy who comes over and his mother passed away a year ago. I always try to give him a big hug and a kiss on the head. When I least expected it he grabbed my waist and hugged me tight "Bye , Mrs. Courtney see you tomorrow". Yes indeed they are worth it messes and all.
Tips for the day:
1. Keep some board games and play with your kids; put it out on the coffee table or kitchen table one weekend and they will be drawn to it. I recommend the game "Life" it teaches good lessons like going to college gets the better paying salary, paying rent, and the cost of owning a pet.
2. Always keep a ton of fresh fruit, bread, and Peanut Butter. Even adults like this, trust me any time I make this for an adult and kid party the adults eat all the PB &J.
I have a deal with me neighbor because we have lots of kids around: if the kids beg for something to drink, cups and a big pitcher of ice water. Then one mom is not the hero Koolaide or soda mom.
3.Forget the dishes and go do something together. Your kids will remember.
Tonight I took them to the YMCA to go swimming and play basketball.
Soooo.....now I have to go do those dishes.
Namaste'
Courtney
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
Now its time to face myself
Now its time to face myself is what I thought as I loaded tupperware into the mangled drawer of mismatched plastic. Am I that unorganized? Is it my busy life? Is it my four kids, husband, and three animals. As I look around me there are baskets of papers and baskets of laundry waiting on me. I have convinced myself that if its in a basket it's semi organized. However now I have loads of baskets. The book shelves look like the library at my kids school (this is not a good thing). Getting rid of stuff has never been a problem for me. I take stuff to charity organizations and the auction almost monthly. Its the part C and E in SPACE I have trouble with. S =sort,P= Purge, A = assign, C= containerize, E= Equalize.
Now I am faced with my kids being at camp for a week. Just me and Blake and Lola, Lenny and Harold. I don't think I can Blame a 38 year old man and four furry four legged creatures if on Friday I am still looking at thesebaskets.
If you are religious I would be happy to take a little intercessory prayer on the task before me.
All kidding aside.
Tips for the day:
1. Set the timer for a specific amount of time to purge in a specific area.
2. Prioritize what area you would like to get to today.
3. Balance it out with something fun when you finish.
Namaste'
Courtney
I'm off to set the timer........
Now I am faced with my kids being at camp for a week. Just me and Blake and Lola, Lenny and Harold. I don't think I can Blame a 38 year old man and four furry four legged creatures if on Friday I am still looking at thesebaskets.
If you are religious I would be happy to take a little intercessory prayer on the task before me.
All kidding aside.
Tips for the day:
1. Set the timer for a specific amount of time to purge in a specific area.
2. Prioritize what area you would like to get to today.
3. Balance it out with something fun when you finish.
Namaste'
Courtney
I'm off to set the timer........
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Feeding a group of people (including children)
I returned this week from a mission trip to Little Rock with my church. The ladies who organized it did a wonderful job. It is a big task to take on 20 something kids age 6 to 13 to do mission work. There was one problem for me that was a delight for most of the kids: the food. My childhood came as a Blast from the Past with cheese dip, chips, cookies, hot dogs, mac and cheese, pizza, and PB&J (though these were more infrequent for me). The food while it tasted good made me feel sluggish and in need of some serious salad come day two.
As I am aware that in the south many people have not yet become conscious of the little things we do that add up in a big way. My favorite books are ones that deal with simple choices of conservation and sustainability. Blessed to have been bought up with grandparents from The Depression the value of reduce, reuse, and recycle was second nature in my life. I didn't know that we lived a life that would someday prove useful to me but now I am so grateful. When feeding large groups of people there are many things you can do at a nominal cost.
1. Your grocery list should include:
Lots of bananas,apples, oranges (seasonal hand held fruit), easy veggies cut up with dips like hummus, homemade ranch or onion, or tahini. Large containers of yogurt that you can add fruit, honey, granola, carob, dry cereal,etc. Kids love yogurt parfait party's I have done this more times than I can count. Whole wheat breads and crackers. Natural Nut Butters: there are many cost effective brands on the market now. Cheese and good quality tortillas and salsas.
There is nothing wrong with a little pizza and hamburgers but try to make the ingredients from scratch. I make my own pizza crust and marinara and have done this for my church kids and they loved it. Have a taco night with fresh ingredients, have hamburgers with vegetarian options and baked beans. The next night do baked potato's and use the leftovers. Less meat more veggies keeps cost in line and serving protein in the form of nuts, milk, eggs, cheese, etc.... keeps everyone from feeling like a slug.
Serve water, juice, milk, homemade lemonade and homemade fruit punch. Homemade mock soda can be made with grape juice and carbonated water to taste. Make decaf tea some older kids like this and black tea has a lot of antioxidants.
2. Wash dishes. Teach kids to wash dishes: use regular tableware. Try to serve meals that require one plate or one bowl, and one utensil. Set up three tubs one with rinse water, one with soapy water, and other rinse water and several drying towels. Kids actually enjoy this. Another idea is to have a cup with their name on it that they can use the whole time. This can be taken home as a souvenir. At the minimum reduce the amount of paper products and if available use post consumer recycled. NEVER buy Styrofoam.
3. Have a good attitude and be a good example of health. When making these foods you will notice less packaging: make a point to tell the kids you purposely choose foods with less packaging. Take kids to a landfill sometime and show them that trash ends up somewhere and it grows and it leaches into our water and soil. Our wasteful practices hurt our ecosystems and eventually hurt us.
Namaste'
Courtney
As I am aware that in the south many people have not yet become conscious of the little things we do that add up in a big way. My favorite books are ones that deal with simple choices of conservation and sustainability. Blessed to have been bought up with grandparents from The Depression the value of reduce, reuse, and recycle was second nature in my life. I didn't know that we lived a life that would someday prove useful to me but now I am so grateful. When feeding large groups of people there are many things you can do at a nominal cost.
1. Your grocery list should include:
Lots of bananas,apples, oranges (seasonal hand held fruit), easy veggies cut up with dips like hummus, homemade ranch or onion, or tahini. Large containers of yogurt that you can add fruit, honey, granola, carob, dry cereal,etc. Kids love yogurt parfait party's I have done this more times than I can count. Whole wheat breads and crackers. Natural Nut Butters: there are many cost effective brands on the market now. Cheese and good quality tortillas and salsas.
There is nothing wrong with a little pizza and hamburgers but try to make the ingredients from scratch. I make my own pizza crust and marinara and have done this for my church kids and they loved it. Have a taco night with fresh ingredients, have hamburgers with vegetarian options and baked beans. The next night do baked potato's and use the leftovers. Less meat more veggies keeps cost in line and serving protein in the form of nuts, milk, eggs, cheese, etc.... keeps everyone from feeling like a slug.
Serve water, juice, milk, homemade lemonade and homemade fruit punch. Homemade mock soda can be made with grape juice and carbonated water to taste. Make decaf tea some older kids like this and black tea has a lot of antioxidants.
2. Wash dishes. Teach kids to wash dishes: use regular tableware. Try to serve meals that require one plate or one bowl, and one utensil. Set up three tubs one with rinse water, one with soapy water, and other rinse water and several drying towels. Kids actually enjoy this. Another idea is to have a cup with their name on it that they can use the whole time. This can be taken home as a souvenir. At the minimum reduce the amount of paper products and if available use post consumer recycled. NEVER buy Styrofoam.
3. Have a good attitude and be a good example of health. When making these foods you will notice less packaging: make a point to tell the kids you purposely choose foods with less packaging. Take kids to a landfill sometime and show them that trash ends up somewhere and it grows and it leaches into our water and soil. Our wasteful practices hurt our ecosystems and eventually hurt us.
Namaste'
Courtney
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Sonic update
I called Sonic yesterday and spoke to a customer service rep named, Carlos.
We discussed my concern about the millions of styrofoam cups Sonic sells every day that end up in our landfills. His response was, quote " These cups are OZone friendly and contain no CFC's. They are also recycable". I then asked what the cups were made of if not styrofoam, long pause, he put me on hold long enough to make my bed and fold a load of laundry. Fianlly Carlos returns with , quote "We aren't sure".
Okay you tell me if they don't know what the cups are made of how do they know that they are Ozone friendly and contain no CFC (cloro flora carbons are produced when plastics are produced, they are toxic to humans).
My response to this truly kind man was that if there are no facilitys available to recycle a product then they truly are not recycable. In Arkansas towns with maybe a few thousand people or less have a Sonic. Sometimes it is the only fastfood place and maybe the only restaurant. Do you think they have recycling capabilitys???????????
Please if you can take the time call Sonic at 1-866-OK-SONIC, or 1-866-657-6642.
I was unable to access an e mail address on thier website.
Tips for the day:
1. Pack your own food in reuseable containers.
2. Do not give your buisness to stores that are not environmentally concious.
3. Talk to the store mangager or call your favorite stores and let them know you care about these issues.
Blessings to all,
Courtney
We discussed my concern about the millions of styrofoam cups Sonic sells every day that end up in our landfills. His response was, quote " These cups are OZone friendly and contain no CFC's. They are also recycable". I then asked what the cups were made of if not styrofoam, long pause, he put me on hold long enough to make my bed and fold a load of laundry. Fianlly Carlos returns with , quote "We aren't sure".
Okay you tell me if they don't know what the cups are made of how do they know that they are Ozone friendly and contain no CFC (cloro flora carbons are produced when plastics are produced, they are toxic to humans).
My response to this truly kind man was that if there are no facilitys available to recycle a product then they truly are not recycable. In Arkansas towns with maybe a few thousand people or less have a Sonic. Sometimes it is the only fastfood place and maybe the only restaurant. Do you think they have recycling capabilitys???????????
Please if you can take the time call Sonic at 1-866-OK-SONIC, or 1-866-657-6642.
I was unable to access an e mail address on thier website.
Tips for the day:
1. Pack your own food in reuseable containers.
2. Do not give your buisness to stores that are not environmentally concious.
3. Talk to the store mangager or call your favorite stores and let them know you care about these issues.
Blessings to all,
Courtney
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Food and the styrofoam connection
I struggle terribly with all kinds of food guilt. Today my daughter and I went to tour the bath house (it's free), then we went to a diner and had dessert. My diet is very healthy for the most part but I lost all control in front of that blackberry cobbler alamode. I told my self I wouldn't eat the whole thing, I would take half home to Blake. As soon as that thought came to mind I realized "oh yeah, then I'll have to get a Styrofoam container." This was enough reason for me to eat the whole kit and caboodle. Now I am suffering from severe guilt. Its as if a double chin appeared within seconds.
This morning in church a friend of mine bought me a cup of coffee, in a Styrofoam cup no less. When I got home from my rendezvous with the blackberry cobbler three of my family members had huge Styrofoam cups from Sonic. Sonic could single handedly be blamed for billions of Styrofoam cups every month. Of course I know this is not the thought of the normal person but I sit around and ponder " What the heck are the executives at Sonic thinking that they haven't come up with a better solution than a container that sits in a landfill for over a thousand years".
For the most part I avoid Sonic for this very reason. Our family avoid's fast food as much as possible but sometimes it seems like a necessary evil. This scene usually plays out when we are traveling because feeding preteens and teenagers is so expensive, our options are limited.
Thoughts;
1. Take a cup with you when you travel and have it filled in the store. Most people respect this discion when you say you don't believe in Styrofoam.
2. Share your meal with someone or order off of the appetizer plate so you don't have to get a to go box.
3. If you work in an office ask them to find a better alternative to Styrofoam. Everyone could use their own cup. I am trying to find a better alternative at church. No one wants to wash dishes on Sunday morning. I am going to have to find something comparable in price. My work will not be easy.
4. Don't buy the stuff. Don't buy anything packaged in styrofoam if at all possible. Ask for your meat wrapped in wax paper if you use a butcher.
When you want to use paper plates first consider if it is really necessary. (See my first or second blog on what certain brands are doing to the forest in Canada). 1st choice is everyday dinner wear, second would be to use less of it and find post consumer recycled where avialable.
Namaste'
Courtney
This morning in church a friend of mine bought me a cup of coffee, in a Styrofoam cup no less. When I got home from my rendezvous with the blackberry cobbler three of my family members had huge Styrofoam cups from Sonic. Sonic could single handedly be blamed for billions of Styrofoam cups every month. Of course I know this is not the thought of the normal person but I sit around and ponder " What the heck are the executives at Sonic thinking that they haven't come up with a better solution than a container that sits in a landfill for over a thousand years".
For the most part I avoid Sonic for this very reason. Our family avoid's fast food as much as possible but sometimes it seems like a necessary evil. This scene usually plays out when we are traveling because feeding preteens and teenagers is so expensive, our options are limited.
Thoughts;
1. Take a cup with you when you travel and have it filled in the store. Most people respect this discion when you say you don't believe in Styrofoam.
2. Share your meal with someone or order off of the appetizer plate so you don't have to get a to go box.
3. If you work in an office ask them to find a better alternative to Styrofoam. Everyone could use their own cup. I am trying to find a better alternative at church. No one wants to wash dishes on Sunday morning. I am going to have to find something comparable in price. My work will not be easy.
4. Don't buy the stuff. Don't buy anything packaged in styrofoam if at all possible. Ask for your meat wrapped in wax paper if you use a butcher.
When you want to use paper plates first consider if it is really necessary. (See my first or second blog on what certain brands are doing to the forest in Canada). 1st choice is everyday dinner wear, second would be to use less of it and find post consumer recycled where avialable.
Namaste'
Courtney
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Travel with kids: What was I thinking??????????????
Mush for Brains. That is me after driving 20 hours with four kids. Oh yeah and the last 7 hours of it was with a cute little flea infested terrier mix that we picked up on I-40. Barbara our therapist says "Why do you always complicate your life, your always adding more." I am thinking this is not going to go over well at my next appointment. Our heart is in the right place but our brians tend to be missing that part that screams at you "Your an idiot, you don't have a lot of money, you have four kids, one bathroom, two old cars and not nearly enough time to give another living thing."
So now I have four kids, (one of whom I adopted last December at age 10,three animals
(two found me and one I got by default) a 77 year old house in remodel, a job, several volunteer commitments, and a husband. Sometimes I scare myself. Deep breaths, count to 10 backwards, let go of the little stuff, and pray A LOT. Thats my formula.
Travel with kids:
1.Eating out cost a fortune even if its fast food with kids.
Prepare meals at your location as much as possible and pack food for the car.
Eat out but not every meal and eat at local restaurants not chains. Every one drinks water, share an entree with your spouse or a kid and the younger ones get kids meals. We visited Whole Foods in Santa Fe, Let me just say in Heaven this store will be there. It was awesome. I bought a ton of fresh fruit, organic milk and we sat down and chowed then put our recycables in the bins provided. We did the same thing at Cids health foods in Taos.
2. Give up and get the car t.v. for long trips. This is a life saver. My therapist even suggested this to me. Its not frugal but you can always borrow one. Ours comes out when we are not traveling more than two hours.
3. Find a place with a washer and drier close by when you are going to be gone a long time.
4. Free and cheap entertainment. We took lots of long walks, visited the local parks, went to the Local Library,visited a local thrift store and puchased 1/2 gallons of ice cream instead of visiting the ice cream shop @ $1.75 a scoop.
5. Find the local recycling drop off and take your recycables before you leave town. This was really frustrating for us because there was no place close in Red River N.M. I was going to hall it all back but we had no room left in our little van. It really upset me to throw out three bags of trash that could have been recycled.
Namaste'
Courtney
So now I have four kids, (one of whom I adopted last December at age 10,three animals
(two found me and one I got by default) a 77 year old house in remodel, a job, several volunteer commitments, and a husband. Sometimes I scare myself. Deep breaths, count to 10 backwards, let go of the little stuff, and pray A LOT. Thats my formula.
Travel with kids:
1.Eating out cost a fortune even if its fast food with kids.
Prepare meals at your location as much as possible and pack food for the car.
Eat out but not every meal and eat at local restaurants not chains. Every one drinks water, share an entree with your spouse or a kid and the younger ones get kids meals. We visited Whole Foods in Santa Fe, Let me just say in Heaven this store will be there. It was awesome. I bought a ton of fresh fruit, organic milk and we sat down and chowed then put our recycables in the bins provided. We did the same thing at Cids health foods in Taos.
2. Give up and get the car t.v. for long trips. This is a life saver. My therapist even suggested this to me. Its not frugal but you can always borrow one. Ours comes out when we are not traveling more than two hours.
3. Find a place with a washer and drier close by when you are going to be gone a long time.
4. Free and cheap entertainment. We took lots of long walks, visited the local parks, went to the Local Library,visited a local thrift store and puchased 1/2 gallons of ice cream instead of visiting the ice cream shop @ $1.75 a scoop.
5. Find the local recycling drop off and take your recycables before you leave town. This was really frustrating for us because there was no place close in Red River N.M. I was going to hall it all back but we had no room left in our little van. It really upset me to throw out three bags of trash that could have been recycled.
Namaste'
Courtney
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