Tip of the Week: The Closet Monster

I follow many organizational blogs on Pinterest, and recently came across something that I've been dealing with.

Outgrown clothes. Ugh, they are never ending!

I had, for a long time, just used a large shopping bag and had them put clothing that didn't fit any more in them. It hung or sat in their closet. But soon you have this horrible monster bag that is spewing clothing all over and gets mixed up with their current outfits. Not to mention, if you are a person who resells their outgrown clothing, most places won't accept them if they aren't in a tote or bin.

No good.

Then I saw this ridiculously simple idea of putting bins, labeled (this label movement is crazy man!), in the closet instead!

I followed the original pin back to CREATE-CELEBRATE-EXPLORE a lifestyle blog by tonya staab . She used bins from Target (for $5.99 each), a sheet of printer labels, and some chalkboard paint.

I think that with a less expensive bin from the Dollar Tree, you could recreate this project for much less! (In fact, here's a link to a blog post about organizing your house, with things from just the Dollar Tree!)

Follow this link to the post!

I hope this tip inspires you to get more organized this year! Or at least today. I won't judge, lol.

10 things to teach boys how to become real men

I was recently looking over some pins I had on Pinterest and noticed this great list from iMOM. After reading it, I knew I had to really start practicing these with our boys. They are very simple and make perfect sense...some I may be asking daddy to exhibit, lol.

1. Being a gentleman is still worth the effort.

• Hold the door.
• Stand up when a woman leaves or joins the table.
• Walk on the “splash” side of the sidewalk.
• Attempt (gently) to pick up the tab.
• Go get the car when it’s raining.
• Offer your hand…

2. At the same time, be respectful. All the above “gentlemanly” actions must be offered subtly, and (if necessary) set aside graciously when refused. *i.e. accepting a "no thank you" gracefully*

3. Take responsibility. In a word (well, two), “step up.” True manhood takes responsibility for its actions, choices, values, and beliefs. And, while taking responsibility, manhood is also willing to admit – with grace – when it is wrong.

4. Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable. Real strength allows other people in. Manhood is honest about feelings and not afraid to be known. True manhood never builds a wall where there should be a window, or a fortress where there should be a sanctuary.

5. Actually “being” a man is more important than “talking” like one. Real men don’t just stand up and speak up, they “put up” too. Loud talk and tough posturing don’t cut it. True manhood involves finding a need and doing something about it. Real men don’t complain about social problems, they go out and do something about them. Real men don’t point fingers, they work for solutions. Real men get calluses on their hands, not calluses from flapping their lips.

6. Listen respectfully, disagree politely, and never exclude women from conversation. True manhood is inclusive. It may be strong, but it’s unfailingly polite. Men who equate bluster or machismo with strength are typically covering something up. Men who think women have nothing to contribute to the conversation need to wake up and smell the 21^stCentury.

7. Love is stronger than muscles. True manhood understands that brute force is less compelling than self-giving love. The best solutions to difficulties involve applied love.

8. The first shall be last. True manhood puts others first.

9. Manhood is, sometimes, more about what you could do but didn’t than what you could have avoided but did anyway. There’s a lot of restraint – a great deal of “Quiet Strength” in true manhood. Real men tend to always have something in reserve.

10. True manhood is more about giving than about getting. Our culture often touts a “men see what they want, then they go out and get it” view of manhood. But true manhood is more along the lines of “see what the world needs, then go out and do it.” Strength leveraged for the benefit of others.

 

This list is from © 2013 iMOM. All Rights Reserved. Family First, All Pro Dad, iMOM, and Family Minute with Mark Merrill are registered trademarks.

What to do with cubed steak…

I find myself always thinking of cubed steak as just for Country Fried Steak. But when you are challenged to find new ways to prepare foods (because our diet is restricted) you have to get creative.So, besides country fried steak, I make a variation that the boys REALLY like.

I call them Steak Fries.

Take your cubed steak and beat the heck out of it. Yeah, it’s great on stressful days.

Then slice into strips. Like a French fry. A protein laden, beefy French fry. Yum.

Mix up some breading. Since the boys can’t have wheat, I use a lot of corn starch. Mixed with some GF flour, seasoned with garlic, onion powder, salt and peppa and sometimes some paprika.

Don’t forget to season the beef strips with salt and pepper before you dredge them. This really helps them taste super good, and the salt breaks down the tough parts in the meat.

I like to dredge them, and then let them sit while I heat up the pan. The breading tends to stay attached to the meat instead of the pan.

Grab up some Earth Balance dairy free buttery spread (also affectionately known as Fake Butta in this house) and add it to your hot pan. ( I usually use bacon fat, but the dog ate it. Just thought I would let you know….since it’s super important.)

When the pan is hot and covered in butta, add your beefy fries and brown.

Sizzle my little fries, sizzle away.

Turn them so that they are evenly cooked. Now, with this cut of meat, I tend to cook it like I would steak. Medium rare. I like a little pink in the middle, but for those of you who don’t, just make sure you don’t cook so long as to make them tough. It will happen. I won’t tell you how I know, but just take my word for it.

Moving on…

When they are cooked through, set aside and cook remaining fries. I like to sit them on the back of the stove and then add all of them together in the pan to heat them up right before serving.

Speaking of serving, I like to put mashed potatoes and corn with it.

Mashed potatoes…. how do I get them creamy with no dairy you might ask? Well, I guess I could let you in on my secret.

Yep, I put fancy goat cheese in our taters. Most people use cream cheese, which is my favorite. But, we can’t use that and I don’t mind the tofu cream cheese, but it tastes funny sometimes. This however, taste like a creamy cream cheese and it’s good. Very good. Plus, I put a glob of Earth Balance in there too. Yum!

So, there you have it. Steak Fries. Even my pickiest eater likes them!

Two Days In history

Yesterday the nation remembered a great leader for human rights. Martin Luther King Jr. was and is  admired by many for his outspoken feelings and inspiring words. He brought a great light upon a big problem and in turn, changed the nation and the world.

Today marks the anniversary of another famous human rights case, Roe v. Wade. The case was "Jane Roe" (an alleged gang rape victim seeking abortion in Texas) vs. Wade (or the Texas state law that stated abortion was illegal).

I find it ironic that these two days are in a row. Mostly because they both rally human rights, but more importantly they asked this question, who is "human" enough for human rights? We all know how the civil rights movement ended and that equal rights were for all humans, no matter what skin color. But today marks 40 years of human rights questions for another group of humans. Babies and their mothers.

 Roe v. Wade highlighted a problem in America, abortion. It was illegal pretty much everywhere, and in turn many woman would seek illegal abortions and be scarred for life or die from these "coat hanger" procedures. So the big argument from Jane Roe's attorney's were that, for woman's health, legal abortion should be available, especially when you have an unwanted pregnancy from a violent rape.

The only problem with the case (well, legally speaking) is that Jane Roe (actual name Norma McCorvey) was never actually raped. In fact, she didn't even know what abortion was at the time. In her own words, she addresses this fact:

“My name is Norma McCorvey. I’m sorry to admit that I’m the Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade. The affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court didn’t happen the way I said it did, pure and simple. I lied! Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffey needed an extreme case to make their client look pitiable. Rape seemed to be the ticket. What made rape even worse? A gang rape! It all started out as a little lie, but my little lie grew and became more horrible with each telling.”

The largest illegitimate rape claim ever perpetrated in the history of our nation was the foundation for the filing of Roe v Wade, which led to abortion on demand in our country.

But this fact alone doesn't address the issue I have with abortion "rights". For me, it all comes down to who has more rights? Or better yet, who is more important? The woman who is pregnant....or the baby growing inside her. I say they are equal, since we all began the same, as a baby. 

Even in my own house, this debate gets heated. I believe, speaking as a mother and former fetus, that at conception, it's a human. And if it's illegal or wrong (you know, those ten commandments) to kill a human, then what's the difference where the human resides? I could go into what and how to deal with unwanted pregnancies, but I won't. I'm not up to debate an issue that I think isn't up for debate. 

You, as a human, have a right to do whatever you want, mind, body and soul. But where do your rights end and responsibility start? When does free will meet social rules? If I don't like my 3 year old, why can't I get rid of it, "terminate" it, to borrow a phrase abortion supporters use? Why is it legal to kill/terminate a 3 week old unborn child and not a three week old baby? Come on, where are the rights of the criminal? 

It just seems very black and white to me, and I don't know why this is even considered a choice. Why is killing something to make you more comfortable deemed a "responsible" thing to do????!

I haven't even touched on woman's health and how it hasn't liberated woman, but is destroying us. How scarred these woman have become, dealing with a loss they can never fill on their own.

I'm no writer,  not an experienced journalist or even an ex-debate team member. I'm not good at recalling facts to support my opinion or thoughts. But I'm a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and woman. And I am appalled at the lies we are bombarded with every day when it comes to human rights.

No matter what color your skin is, or how old you are....the right to live belongs to all.

"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish." ~ Mother Theresa

12 week old baby in the womb

* Some great articles on the subjects

Women who cried wolf — the illegitimate rape claim behind Roe v Wade BY REBECCA KIESSLING 

Why I went from pro-choice to pro-life by Patriot-News Op-Ed  

Project 365 days 11-19

day 11 climb

day 12 self portrait

day 13 freeze (switched with stranger’s smile)

day 14 low light

day 15 nut

day 16 jumbled

day 17 favorite toy

day 18 doorway

 

day 19 bright

Tip of the week: How to store a small amount of soup

Do you ever make a large batch of soup or broth and wonder if there is a better way to store it? Well, I use this method when I have too much soups, or not enough to can.

Take your soup and pour it into a clean ice tray or muffin tin. Then stick it in the freezer. When it’s completely frozen, pop it out of the tray and store in a freezer ziplock bag!

That way, you can take out as many cubes or cups (muffin tins you can measure out exact amounts!) as you like! No more thawing a whole jar or container of broth/soup just for the cup you are using. It is also great for small families, or with children who may just want a small bowl.

*note: I tried this method with creamy soups, like potato and it didn’t come out of the tin so well. When doing this in a metal muffin tin, make sure you either grease/spray non stick stuff in the tin first. Or, better yet, invest in some silicone cupcake liners or the muffin trays themselves!

You can do this with gravy, sauces, and just about any liquid-y food that you can freeze.

Hope this helps!

Weekend Fun

Friday is always a day that is looked forward to in this house. Not only because it’s the weekend and no school, but because Dad comes home! Since we had gotten most of the chores done much earlier this week, I rewarded the boys with some free game time and we all played Angry Birds while waiting for him to arrive. It’s nice to have some goofy time with the boys, even the dog joined in! He’s such a ham.

With the GORGEOUS warm front that moved in on Saturday, the boys took full advantage of it and played outside almost all day. And even better, they got to play with the neighbor kids and ride ponies. How cool is that? Even Buck’s friend, Brownie, came over and played!

Unfortunately, as usually follows, Luke came down with a sore throat this morning. If he doesn’t get any better, he’ll call in a sick day for school. I REALLY don’t want him getting that flu bug that’s going around. So it looks like some quiet time today and possibly some of the homemade tomato soup I made for dinner (It’s his favorite).

We hope that all of you had a good weekend (and for those of you who didn’t, we’re thinking about you!) God Bless, from our family, to yours!

~The Girl