Starting next Monday we are going to participate in the CCFC's Screen Free Week. (April, 29th - May, 5th) Here is there website to learn more. http://www.screenfree.org/ .
We used to do this as kids and I am so excited to do it with my boys! I am mostly excited for more time with my husband. I honestly do not think we have a problem of watching tv too much. I'm sure on some days the boys get more then they really should but hey everyone has hard days. But it is the leappads, ipads, cell phones that take up a lot of our time. It is the go-to thing to do.
I would like to change that.
Here are the {RULES} we would like to stick to:
1) No TV for anyone.
2) No screen games, LeapPad, IPad, or on our cell phones.
3) No Facebook, social media or other types of internet.
4) The only screen time allowed is for bills, and Joshua and I must both be present.
5) Text and phone calls are O.K.
I am also not going to be using pinterest for my recipes...gasp...So I must have a plan.
Overall I just want to spend more time with my cavemen and learn something.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
{live simply}
That is all I really want to do.
Live simply.
But how can I teach our kids to do that when the is a constant flood of toys into our home?
I used to have a very bad shopping addiction, I still like to shop but now I try to really evaluate what I'm buying. Does it have a purpose? Will I want to take it with us when we move? Where will I put it? And with clothes I just don't buy them unless I need them. I don't really see any needs coming up anytime soon. We decided at the beginning of the year we would only buy things second hand unless we really needed it. We haven't stuck to that 100% but I do much better then I used to and that is the goal... To try.
If you have been in my home you have probably noticed that I have clutter.
The stuff you own ends up owning you.
Toys.
The boys have so many toys that they no longer value them or take care of them. If I threaten to throw them away they say fine. We put almost all of the toys in the basement last week except for the zoo animals and they haven't even noticed. They don't care about toys.
Paper.
I have SO MUCH paper. Old bills, coupons, junk mail, insurance paperwork, car paperwork, taxes, pet paperwork, I-might-need-this-someday paperwork... It makes me crazy. I have a tub of things to sort in my room. It owns me.
Crafts.
Everything can be used two or three or more times. Everything. So I tend to save everything that could possibly have another use which is better then throwing it away... But now it owns me. I have tubs and shelves and baskets full of things to repurpose.
Clothes.
I have enough clothes to go weeks without doing laundry. That is not ok.
Pinterest.
Yes there is even clutter here. I can't find the really importient pins that help make life simpler because I have created so many boards and I have too many things pinned.
So my goal here is to challenge myself to really take care of these problems. I will probably handle clothes and paper first. It may take me all year but I am going to try.
Live simply.
But how can I teach our kids to do that when the is a constant flood of toys into our home?
I used to have a very bad shopping addiction, I still like to shop but now I try to really evaluate what I'm buying. Does it have a purpose? Will I want to take it with us when we move? Where will I put it? And with clothes I just don't buy them unless I need them. I don't really see any needs coming up anytime soon. We decided at the beginning of the year we would only buy things second hand unless we really needed it. We haven't stuck to that 100% but I do much better then I used to and that is the goal... To try.
If you have been in my home you have probably noticed that I have clutter.
The stuff you own ends up owning you.
Toys.
The boys have so many toys that they no longer value them or take care of them. If I threaten to throw them away they say fine. We put almost all of the toys in the basement last week except for the zoo animals and they haven't even noticed. They don't care about toys.
Paper.
I have SO MUCH paper. Old bills, coupons, junk mail, insurance paperwork, car paperwork, taxes, pet paperwork, I-might-need-this-someday paperwork... It makes me crazy. I have a tub of things to sort in my room. It owns me.
Crafts.
Everything can be used two or three or more times. Everything. So I tend to save everything that could possibly have another use which is better then throwing it away... But now it owns me. I have tubs and shelves and baskets full of things to repurpose.
Clothes.
I have enough clothes to go weeks without doing laundry. That is not ok.
Pinterest.
Yes there is even clutter here. I can't find the really importient pins that help make life simpler because I have created so many boards and I have too many things pinned.
So my goal here is to challenge myself to really take care of these problems. I will probably handle clothes and paper first. It may take me all year but I am going to try.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
{getting creative}
We had such a fantastic time this last week with some friends that were in town. There is just something to be said for having people around who are like-minded and believe in the same things you do. I'm lucky enough to have a few really great mom friends who fit that description.
I seriously love feeding people. I love buying food for the people I love. I love feeding people that come into my home, just ask Joshua... I do not like to eat alone. Since we have started eating real food we haven't had many chances to cook for other people. It was nice to be able to do that last week. There were 9 people in this house! Luckily for them they came on what we will call budget week 1 (aka the week after payday...lots more food choices in the house)...today starts budget week 2... the week before payday... where I have to get very creative with our meals. There is still plenty of food to eat but it can be an experiment on how it is going to taste! :)
For dinner tonight I am going to make some sort of chickpea salad... I guess. I have canned chickpeas, green salsa (thanks to Emily), Swiss chard, dandelion greens, red onions, and garlic.
I will let you know how it turns out!
I also have some sort of broccoli tater tot things pinned on my {real food} board on pinterest but after the melted plastic and fire I started this morning... it may be pb&j for the littles again tonight....sorry guys.
I think my coffee pot is calling my name.
I seriously love feeding people. I love buying food for the people I love. I love feeding people that come into my home, just ask Joshua... I do not like to eat alone. Since we have started eating real food we haven't had many chances to cook for other people. It was nice to be able to do that last week. There were 9 people in this house! Luckily for them they came on what we will call budget week 1 (aka the week after payday...lots more food choices in the house)...today starts budget week 2... the week before payday... where I have to get very creative with our meals. There is still plenty of food to eat but it can be an experiment on how it is going to taste! :)
For dinner tonight I am going to make some sort of chickpea salad... I guess. I have canned chickpeas, green salsa (thanks to Emily), Swiss chard, dandelion greens, red onions, and garlic.
I will let you know how it turns out!
I also have some sort of broccoli tater tot things pinned on my {real food} board on pinterest but after the melted plastic and fire I started this morning... it may be pb&j for the littles again tonight....sorry guys.
I think my coffee pot is calling my name.
Friday, March 29, 2013
{Hello Friday}
Whew. I had no idea how busy a mama could get! The older my kids get the busier I get!
It is so fun! It really is. They say the funniest things, they are so very silly.
My good friend Emily came by today and taught me how to make green salsa... it is so yummy! I cannot wait for Joshua to try it when he comes home from work! I think I will make chickpea tacos again tonight just so I can use it!
I went to the library today...
I think I am going to start with the Parents Need to Eat Too book, then green mama. Most of these books I want to read cover to cover... reading isn't something I have really made time for in the last three years (except for The Hunger Games of course) and I just gave my self some personal goals for my etsy shop... maybe I should start taking bets on how many of these become over due. ;) Just Kidding.... kinda.
I have been making homemade larabars this last week and it is the perfect snack. There are tons of recipes online and it's easy to find good ones so I won't post any here. I tried a coffee one this morning, they are yummy but not something that I will eat all in one day. I'm kinda mad at myself for using a whole cup of coffee beans in it... I hope what's left will last until payday! (Don't worry boys I have back up coffee just in case... mommy will be ok.)
Thursday, March 7, 2013
{who needs sleep anyway?}
Zzzzzz....
That is what I should probably be doing right now.
I set my alarm last night for 5am so I could get up and practice yoga before everyone gets up and we go to the new doctors office in a not so good neighborhood. I defiantly needed that practice this morning. I did get up after 5 am... right after I crawled back into bed after being up with a teething, cranky, feverish baby who just had shots a few days ago... right as I was getting back in bed my alarm went off. Since Faelan was fast asleep finally I decided I might as well get up and do what I need to do. I feel much better!
For the last 5 nights in a row the boys have been getting up between 1 and 4. Most of the time one at a time, so I will have one awake for about 45mins then get him to sleep just in time for the other one or the baby to get up.
While I was up nursing, rocking, cuddling and kissing on the sweetest baby ever I decided to do some reading online...
If you have read my past few posts you already know that we are striving for a whole (REAL) foods lifestyle. So far we are LOVING it! We had one dinner that didn't go as planned but that is okay! Anyway, I was reading on www.foodbabe.com she is amazing. So many great articles about real food and things we all need to stop eating! Like GMOS. If you want to learn more about GMOs check out this link { http://responsibletechnology.org/docs/140.pdf } Take note of what happened to the animals these things were tested on... it is horrific.
Well now after all of that info, finding a great new nut milk recipe that I can't wait to try, doing yoga and about to down a glass of water... I'm going back to bed until all the people that I love wake up. :) Good night.
That is what I should probably be doing right now.
I set my alarm last night for 5am so I could get up and practice yoga before everyone gets up and we go to the new doctors office in a not so good neighborhood. I defiantly needed that practice this morning. I did get up after 5 am... right after I crawled back into bed after being up with a teething, cranky, feverish baby who just had shots a few days ago... right as I was getting back in bed my alarm went off. Since Faelan was fast asleep finally I decided I might as well get up and do what I need to do. I feel much better!
For the last 5 nights in a row the boys have been getting up between 1 and 4. Most of the time one at a time, so I will have one awake for about 45mins then get him to sleep just in time for the other one or the baby to get up.
While I was up nursing, rocking, cuddling and kissing on the sweetest baby ever I decided to do some reading online...
If you have read my past few posts you already know that we are striving for a whole (REAL) foods lifestyle. So far we are LOVING it! We had one dinner that didn't go as planned but that is okay! Anyway, I was reading on www.foodbabe.com she is amazing. So many great articles about real food and things we all need to stop eating! Like GMOS. If you want to learn more about GMOs check out this link { http://responsibletechnology.org/docs/140.pdf } Take note of what happened to the animals these things were tested on... it is horrific.
Well now after all of that info, finding a great new nut milk recipe that I can't wait to try, doing yoga and about to down a glass of water... I'm going back to bed until all the people that I love wake up. :) Good night.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
{Pears}
And that is all I have to say about that.
just kidding.
I really like pears.
I never thought I would sit down at the end of the day and think , man I need a pear right now.
But that happens more and more these days.
{Winter Wonderland}
Our backyard snow is up to Joshua's thigh... That is some deep snow.
Joshua shoveled off the yard so the boys could get out there and play this morning. Wyatt is still out there with him but I couldn't wait to upload the pictures so here they are....
Joshua shoveled off the yard so the boys could get out there and play this morning. Wyatt is still out there with him but I couldn't wait to upload the pictures so here they are....
This is from yesterday, I was trying to keep them busy.
Silly little Faelan
The puppies.
Well the plow got one lane again... that was nice of them
I have been sporting various "snow day" outfits this week.
Here is todays.
And there ya have it. Our snow men.
Wyatt and Mahon call all the snow, snowmen. Mahon fell in it today and said I fell in the snowmen. It is the cutest thing in the world.
On a side note I have joined the 40 Bags in 40 days challenge at www.whitehouseblackshutters.com. I'm going to say that I started yesterday since I cleaned out W&M's room. I really wish I had before and after pictures!
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