If you are a regular commenter on this blog, then you might have noticed that it has taken me a bit longer to respond to you this past week. Normally, I like to respond to people as soon as possible, but your kind words have really piled up in the "in box" since last week, and for that I apologize.
Please know that it is not that I don't value what you have to say. And it is certainly not that I do not enjoy visiting your blogs...because I do ~ immensely. There are so many bright, funny people in this crazy little bloggy world! And for those of you that have literally been with me since the beginning, I can assure you that it is not another lung obstruction!
Any and all delays in blogging and comment returns are caused by my little friend. Her name is "Insomnia". Have you met her? She can be a bit pesky. She often comes to visit uninvited. She also hangs around long after you've asked her to leave. She jumps into the middle of any given situation, insisting to be a part of it...whether you want her there or not.
Oh, yes, little Insomnia. She barged in for a visit two weeks ago when Twister was ill with a severe earache. It was partly my fault. I invited her in for coffee that first night, needing to be awake to hold the heating pad on Twister's ear. We had a nice visit. I welcomed her in with open arms since I could not invite over her sister "Sleep". Sleep doesn't care for coffee anyway. The second night, I really wanted Insomnia to leave; but with Twister still in pain, I didn't force her. She was trying to be so helpful...I didn't want to hurt her feelings...BIG mistake. She doesn't really understand the concept of boundaries ~ she's an "open door policy" kind of girl. She has been hanging around for TWO weeks!! I've asked her to leave. I've BEGGED her to leave. I've even tried to FORCE her to leave. Yet, she's brought a suitcase or two with her. I'm beginning to seriously question our friendship.
And for the record, she and her sister Sleep must not get along because Sleep leaves the room the minute Insomnia pokes in her head.
Needless to say, I have acquired some sleep debt. Not. Fun. It is taking more time to catch up than it did to fall behind in the first place. According to Wikipedia, "The National Sleep Foundation in the United States maintains that eight to nine hours of sleep for adult humans is optimal and that sufficient sleep benefits alertness, memory and problem solving, and overall health, as well as reducing the risk of accidents." It also says that "cognitive performance declines with fewer than eight hours of sleep."
So there you have it. My cognitive performance has declined. My alert level is down. I cannot problem solve and have poor memory about the most basic things. My health is declining, and I'm at risk of an accident. YIKES! These are not good things. Insomnia is really not turning out to be as good of a friend as I thought.
Now that you know what is NOT working-for-me, you can only assume what would be...what should be...working-for-me. If I could just get the pesky sister out the door!
For some really great tips on sleep, click HERE. These folks have made a really great list of thirty-three secrets to a good night's sleep. Some of them are obvious ~ like avoid caffeine ~ and some of them not so obvious ~ like learn how to use the Emotional Freedom Technique. (I had not heard of it either!)
Sleep...
and every other day, too!
To see what is working for other people, be sure and visit Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer. Her Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival...well, it rocks!
Showing posts with label Works-For-Me Wednesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Works-For-Me Wednesday. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
ONE SHEEP...TWO SHEEP...THREE SHEEP...
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
XBOX WIFE: GREATEST HITS
In this week's edition of Works-For-Me Wednesday: Greatest Hits Edition, Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer, has asked us to rerun one of our own favorite old Works-For-Me Wednesday posts. I decided to get all nostalgic on y'all and rerun the very first Works-For-Me Wednesday post I ever made! Hope y'all enjoy it!
MY FIRST WORKS-FOR-ME WEDNESDAY!
Originally published on Wednesday, September 19, 2007.
For a couple of months now, I have been reading the
Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival hosted by Shannon at
Rocks In My Dryer. And y'all...it is so awesome! Each week I find wonderful new tips for just about everything! I've longed to join in the fun; but it wasn't until this past Saturday that I was finally ready to take the big leap and not only remove a post from draft form for the first time ever, but publicly publish that post as well! After privately blogging (in draft form) since the Spring, I am gradually making all of "XBOX WIFE" public. It's a work-in-progress. :)
Now, I am so excited
to finally be a part of:
THE UPSIDE OF DOWNSIZING AND ADDING MORE WHEELS
This summer was a big traveling summer for our family. We took an airplane trip, as well as a long road trip.
a)get loud, b)get whiney, or c)get lost by wandering away,
leaving you either angry, frustrated, or panicked (or all three) and wondering why you took the trip in the first place!
We found something that kept our forces of nature at bay this summer. And y'all, let me tell you, it made our travel time SO much easier! We gave each child their own suitcase. It's amazing what putting them in charge of their own set of wheels was able to accomplish. Not only did pulling their own luggage keep them occupied, it gave them a sense of pride and responsibility. They did NOT want any help, and they kept up with us in the airport. Focusing on their luggage kept them from being distracted by other things. They did not fight. They did not whine. They did not wander away from us. This held true in the hotel check-in lines as well, and it was wonderful!
Of course, there were additional benefits as well. We packed far less than usual. Each person was limited to their one suitcase. This made doing laundry so much easier when we returned home. Lastly, Mr. Brownstone and I were able to have a stress-free check-in at both the airport and the hotels because not only were our children cooperating, but we were also each carrying only one small bag. Long gone were the days of lugging a couple of large, heavy suitcases and several carry-on items, all while corralling in kids. We did each have one small carry-on item because their were certain things we wanted to keep on the plane with us. I had a large purse, and he had a backpack. These helped to occupy the kids after the luggage was checked.
We followed the same exact packing plan for our road trip. We do not have a large car, and the four small suitcases fit perfectly in the trunk. We kept the "carry-on" items in the backseat with the kids, so they could access them easily. It was easy to unload what we needed at each hotel, and it kept our children from all whirlwind activity.
I can definitely say that the idea of downsizing and adding more wheels Works-For-Me, and I hope that it will work for you, too!
**To see another thing that is working for me, click here! (Link removed for reposting.)
HAPPY TRAVELING!
And now back to the present day...
What is working for me today other than the things about which I've already written?
Sometimes traveling with kids can be,shall we say...difficult!
They tend to get bored while waiting in line at the airport and hotel check-ins, making it an easy temptation for them to:a)get loud, b)get whiney, or c)get lost by wandering away,
leaving you either angry, frustrated, or panicked (or all three) and wondering why you took the trip in the first place!
We found something that kept our forces of nature at bay this summer. And y'all, let me tell you, it made our travel time SO much easier! We gave each child their own suitcase. It's amazing what putting them in charge of their own set of wheels was able to accomplish. Not only did pulling their own luggage keep them occupied, it gave them a sense of pride and responsibility. They did NOT want any help, and they kept up with us in the airport. Focusing on their luggage kept them from being distracted by other things. They did not fight. They did not whine. They did not wander away from us. This held true in the hotel check-in lines as well, and it was wonderful!
Of course, there were additional benefits as well. We packed far less than usual. Each person was limited to their one suitcase. This made doing laundry so much easier when we returned home. Lastly, Mr. Brownstone and I were able to have a stress-free check-in at both the airport and the hotels because not only were our children cooperating, but we were also each carrying only one small bag. Long gone were the days of lugging a couple of large, heavy suitcases and several carry-on items, all while corralling in kids. We did each have one small carry-on item because their were certain things we wanted to keep on the plane with us. I had a large purse, and he had a backpack. These helped to occupy the kids after the luggage was checked.
We followed the same exact packing plan for our road trip. We do not have a large car, and the four small suitcases fit perfectly in the trunk. We kept the "carry-on" items in the backseat with the kids, so they could access them easily. It was easy to unload what we needed at each hotel, and it kept our children from all whirlwind activity.
I can definitely say that the idea of downsizing and adding more wheels Works-For-Me, and I hope that it will work for you, too!
**To see another thing that is working for me, click here! (Link removed for reposting.)
HAPPY TRAVELING!
And now back to the present day...
What is working for me today other than the things about which I've already written?
It's "Ten Things Tuesday" ~ a carnival of thanksgiving!
You can click here to read the guidelines,
and you can click here to read about the inspiration behind it!
You can click here to read the guidelines,
and you can click here to read about the inspiration behind it!
Since we're all breaking out reruns today, click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips, which include:
- how we clean out children's closets with ease (really fun!)
- what meaningful gesture of love we use with our children (my very favorite!)
- what we've learned about dining in and dining out
- "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
- "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
- how we master math in the Brownstone household (GREAT tool for math!)
- "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
- how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them (biggest reader response!)
- how we make traveling with kids easier (see above!)
Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and allowance!
Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
THE HIGH PRICE OF FASHION
Every Spring it has to be done. Every Fall it needs to be done, too.
Closets. Those dreaded closets!
Unfortunately, they need to be cleaned out, reorganized, and sometimes replenished! Things need to be mended...things do not fit...things are simply out-of-style.
Now, cleaning out my closet is one thing....
But cleaning out the kids' closets??? That is something ENTIRELY different!
They do not like to do it!
It is not always easy...
It is always time-consuming...
And most of all...it is BOR-ING!
HOWEVER...
I have found an awesome and simple way that works-for-me to get our children to help in this often irksome and tiresome process...with no whining...no complaining...and no battle.
AND they try every single piece of clothing!!!
We can see what still fits...what did not weather well through storage...what needs to be hemmed...
You must be asking...
"How do you do this? No whining? No complaining? No battle? AND they try on everything? EVERYTHING???"
My answer? "Yes!"
Every.
Single.
Thing.
We have the "Brownstone Fashion Show" with Fall and Spring Collections. It is so much fun because it's like playing dress-up or make-believe. We have judges. We have music. And the models get paid.
Paying my models...THAT is the key!
They get $.05 per item. To them, it's like getting "supermodel pay".
Do I feel guilty for bribing my kids?
Not for one single second!
The ease of cleaning out the closets...the visual of what needs to be mended, donated, or purchased...and simply the sheer fun it brings alone...
Just the fun is worth it...
Every.
Single.
Penny!
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see more
tips this week!You can find other fun ideas over at Ann's blog,
and y'all know...we can all use a little fun now and then ~ especially on Mondays!
Click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips:
- what meaningful gesture of love we use with our children
- what we've learned about dining in and dining out
- "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
- "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
- how we master math in the Brownstone household
- "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
- how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
- how we make traveling with kids easier
Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!
Click here to see my other Monday FunDay ideas!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
UP TO THE MOON AND BACK...
Upon viewing this, I'm sure you want to ask...
"What
on earth
is that?"
I can't blame you for wondering...
Because I'd be wondering, too...
It's an odd sort of picture to be posting on a blog.
Especially on an entry about showing kids how much they are loved!
Earlier today, I was cleaning out and organizing the drawers in Tornado's bedroom, when I came across this stack. At first, I was a bit surprised and wondering what on earth these were doing in the drawer!?!! That feeling was quickly followed by a healthy round of tears and a nice thick lump in my throat, as I had the big "A-Ha!!!" moment. Have you guessed what they are yet?
These are most ~ if not all ~ of the napkins that I have written love notes on for Tornado's lunch box this year!
And I found them tucked safely away in a drawer...
Some pristinely clean...
Others rumpled and dirty...
Some shriveled up from water blots...
All with a love message from me.
Or Mr. Brownstone...Or Twister...Or a grandparent!
The notes are not difficult to write. We always keep them short and simple ~ just a brief "Have A GREAT Day!" like the one shown, or "You bring a smile to my face!" Sometimes they include an apology..."I'm sorry we had a rough morning...", or "I was a little grumpy, and I'm sorry." Sometimes they have a little sketch of something...a smiley face, an ice cream cone, a big sunshine, or roller skates. Sometimes they are a reminder..."Two more days until vacation...", or "It's Friday! Yippee!!!" Sometimes they are an encourager..."Good luck in your play tonight! I can't wait to see you!" or "You are a reading and writing machine! Good luck on your test!" Sometimes they are a thank you note..."Thanks for being such a great helper on Saturday!" Sometimes they are wistful..."I had so much fun with you this week!" or "You are growing up so fast!" Sometimes they are a witty play on the napkin...a blue napkin reads, "We are so 'blue' without you! Can't wait until 3:00!" A jack-o-lantern napkin reads..."You make me smile like this guy!" And always, always...they are an "I love you!"
Clearly, this gesture of love is working for Tornado. Apparently, it's also working for Twister. After this find, of course I had to rummage through those drawers, too! Just guess what I found... In fact, upon further digging for both kids, I found stacks and stacks of little napkins dating all the way back to preschool!!! The really funny thing is this...I am the one that cleans out the lunch boxes each day. Not once have a found a napkin inside. I just assumed that they had been tossed away at school. The notes obviously were so meaningful to them that they stashed them away at school so they could save them once home. And that is meaningful to me!
on earth
is that?"
I can't blame you for wondering...
Because I'd be wondering, too...
It's an odd sort of picture to be posting on a blog.
Especially on an entry about showing kids how much they are loved!
Earlier today, I was cleaning out and organizing the drawers in Tornado's bedroom, when I came across this stack. At first, I was a bit surprised and wondering what on earth these were doing in the drawer!?!! That feeling was quickly followed by a healthy round of tears and a nice thick lump in my throat, as I had the big "A-Ha!!!" moment. Have you guessed what they are yet?
These are most ~ if not all ~ of the napkins that I have written love notes on for Tornado's lunch box this year!And I found them tucked safely away in a drawer...
Some pristinely clean...
Others rumpled and dirty...
Some shriveled up from water blots...
All with a love message from me.
Or Mr. Brownstone...Or Twister...Or a grandparent!
The notes are not difficult to write. We always keep them short and simple ~ just a brief "Have A GREAT Day!" like the one shown, or "You bring a smile to my face!" Sometimes they include an apology..."I'm sorry we had a rough morning...", or "I was a little grumpy, and I'm sorry." Sometimes they have a little sketch of something...a smiley face, an ice cream cone, a big sunshine, or roller skates. Sometimes they are a reminder..."Two more days until vacation...", or "It's Friday! Yippee!!!" Sometimes they are an encourager..."Good luck in your play tonight! I can't wait to see you!" or "You are a reading and writing machine! Good luck on your test!" Sometimes they are a thank you note..."Thanks for being such a great helper on Saturday!" Sometimes they are wistful..."I had so much fun with you this week!" or "You are growing up so fast!" Sometimes they are a witty play on the napkin...a blue napkin reads, "We are so 'blue' without you! Can't wait until 3:00!" A jack-o-lantern napkin reads..."You make me smile like this guy!" And always, always...they are an "I love you!"
Clearly, this gesture of love is working for Tornado. Apparently, it's also working for Twister. After this find, of course I had to rummage through those drawers, too! Just guess what I found... In fact, upon further digging for both kids, I found stacks and stacks of little napkins dating all the way back to preschool!!! The really funny thing is this...I am the one that cleans out the lunch boxes each day. Not once have a found a napkin inside. I just assumed that they had been tossed away at school. The notes obviously were so meaningful to them that they stashed them away at school so they could save them once home. And that is meaningful to me!
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see more
tips this week!- what we've learned about dining in and dining out
- "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
- "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
- how we master math in the Brownstone household
- "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
- how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
- how we make traveling with kids easier
Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
TO DINE...OR NOT TO DINE?
I grew up in a very small town...a town so small that you could count all of the restaurants on one hand. To be honest, counting them would not even require all of the fingers on that one hand! Needless to say, we ate at home ~ a lot!
Today, I live in a much larger town. It's not even a town really...it's more like a metropolis. Maybe it's city life, or maybe it's just this day and age, but people do not seem to eat at home as often anymore.
And I don't think it's just the Brownstones.
Everywhere you look, at almost anytime of day, cars are packed into the parking lots of fast food joints, fine dining restaurants, and all types of eating establishments in between the two.
Maybe it's the bright ~ sometimes flashing ~ neon lights of the whimsical signs that draw us in, promising a fun atmosphere.
Maybe it's the commercials on television with their catchy theme songs and tables of people talking and laughing over plates of colorful, steaming food that promise lots of great bonding over a delicious meal.
Maybe what lures us in is the thought of not having to prepare the meal, or clean up after it for that matter, promising lots of free time and a clean kitchen.
Maybe ~ just maybe ~ we are trying to keep up with Joneses.
Well, I'm telling you...the Brownstones have been on a roll the past few months! We have eaten at so many different restaurants I can't even begin to count them all. It would require all of my fingers. And all of my toes. Oh, let's just be honest here ~ it would still require additional body parts! Remember what I said earlier about growing up in a small town?
That might sound glorious to some of you. It used to sound glorious to me! But let me tell you what I have learned from it because it just doesn't work...
There is definitely a time and place for dining in various types of restaurants. It is fun to meet friends over a carefree dinner. Some of my best memories from growing up are of eating at the local Dairy Queen every Sunday night after church. It was fun being a room filled with the laughter of so many people that we would not have all fit into one house. Though we opt for Sunday lunch instead of Sunday dinner, this is a tradition that we have carried on with our friends today! I have no doubt that some of my own children's best memories will be those of Sunday lunches with dear friends.
And dining out ~ when it's done occasionally ~ can be a really fun way to celebrate! We each get to choose our favorite restaurant, whether it be fast food or fine dining, to go and celebrate at some point during our birthday week. Those are special memories! I will never forget how one year Tornado picked McDonald's, and the very next year, the choice was Benihana!
But...there is nothing better than throwing together a simple meal at home and having your kids smell it and say,
"Mommy is cooking! We get to eat at HOME tonight!"
"We are having real food!"
"That smells soooo good!"
"This is the best thing I've ever eaten!"
"Mommy, you are the best. chef. ever!"
That best thing they've ever eaten? You can find it below the post. It's one of the easiest things I know how to make. It's also very inexpensive and very easy to clean up the kitchen. Now that works-for-me!
Back to the beginning of the story...Thing 2, Thing 3, Thing 4, and myself are all still very close. We are also still close to our parents. And we all still frequently enjoy meals at home together. We talk often, and laugh much...and we know what is going on in one another's lives. I think a big part of that is what our parents instilled in us when we were young through family participation in preparation and cleanup, as well as many fun conversations around the dinner table. And those memories are even better than the ones from Dairy Queen!
A final thought ~ the less we eat at home, the more we are teaching our children to do the same. Kitchens are meant to be used!!! It's OK if they aren't completely spotless all the time! It is great fun for kids to help in the kitchen, and it creates a memory that will last a lifetime...which is WAY longer than the memory of that meal that saved you so much time!
Hobo Dinners, or "The Easiest Meal I Know How To Make"
2 pounds ground chuck or turkey
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
4 potatoes, sliced
1 bag carrots, halved and then sliced lengthwise into quarters
salt and pepper to taste
Line a jelly roll pan with heavy duty foil. Form meat into patties, and place on pan. (If you really want to make it easy, buy pre-made patties, though this does up the cost a bit.) Season with salt and pepper to your taste preference. Add potatoes, and season again. Then add carrots, onion, and pepper. Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Enjoy super easy preparation, a tasty one dish meal with your family, super easy cleanup, and loads of compliments from your kids!
Happy cooking!
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see moreToday, I live in a much larger town. It's not even a town really...it's more like a metropolis. Maybe it's city life, or maybe it's just this day and age, but people do not seem to eat at home as often anymore.
And I don't think it's just the Brownstones.
Everywhere you look, at almost anytime of day, cars are packed into the parking lots of fast food joints, fine dining restaurants, and all types of eating establishments in between the two.
Maybe it's the bright ~ sometimes flashing ~ neon lights of the whimsical signs that draw us in, promising a fun atmosphere.
Maybe it's the commercials on television with their catchy theme songs and tables of people talking and laughing over plates of colorful, steaming food that promise lots of great bonding over a delicious meal.
Maybe what lures us in is the thought of not having to prepare the meal, or clean up after it for that matter, promising lots of free time and a clean kitchen.
Maybe ~ just maybe ~ we are trying to keep up with Joneses.
Well, I'm telling you...the Brownstones have been on a roll the past few months! We have eaten at so many different restaurants I can't even begin to count them all. It would require all of my fingers. And all of my toes. Oh, let's just be honest here ~ it would still require additional body parts! Remember what I said earlier about growing up in a small town?
That might sound glorious to some of you. It used to sound glorious to me! But let me tell you what I have learned from it because it just doesn't work...
- Sometimes we are overstimulated! Bright lights do not necessarily equal fun. It's harder to remember the glory of the simple things when we have to be entertained all the time.
- A catchy theme song does not always equal good food. It's easy to forget that the food in the commercial is the "star of the show", so it always looks perfect. The food we are ultimately served...well, that's real life food. And laughing customers do not mean there will be great conversation. Often it's really too loud to even talk ~ especially the kind of talking that we should be doing with our children over dinner. It's time to hear about their day!
- Sometimes taking the easy way out really isn't that easy! When you factor in the time that it takes to drive to and from the restaurant, to order your food, to eat, and to pay the bill, are you really saving that much time? My children finally came to the point of literally groaning if they knew we were going to a restaurant for dinner. They expressed to me that they just wanted to be HOME! That, my friends, was a well-deserved knock upside my head! Sometimes, we just need to slow down.
- And finally...in trying to keep up with the Joneses, will we ever actually be able to keep up with the Joneses? Probably not. Even if you eat only fast food, dining out gets expensive!
There is definitely a time and place for dining in various types of restaurants. It is fun to meet friends over a carefree dinner. Some of my best memories from growing up are of eating at the local Dairy Queen every Sunday night after church. It was fun being a room filled with the laughter of so many people that we would not have all fit into one house. Though we opt for Sunday lunch instead of Sunday dinner, this is a tradition that we have carried on with our friends today! I have no doubt that some of my own children's best memories will be those of Sunday lunches with dear friends.
And dining out ~ when it's done occasionally ~ can be a really fun way to celebrate! We each get to choose our favorite restaurant, whether it be fast food or fine dining, to go and celebrate at some point during our birthday week. Those are special memories! I will never forget how one year Tornado picked McDonald's, and the very next year, the choice was Benihana!
But...there is nothing better than throwing together a simple meal at home and having your kids smell it and say,
"Mommy is cooking! We get to eat at HOME tonight!"
"We are having real food!"
"That smells soooo good!"
"This is the best thing I've ever eaten!"
"Mommy, you are the best. chef. ever!"
That best thing they've ever eaten? You can find it below the post. It's one of the easiest things I know how to make. It's also very inexpensive and very easy to clean up the kitchen. Now that works-for-me!
Back to the beginning of the story...Thing 2, Thing 3, Thing 4, and myself are all still very close. We are also still close to our parents. And we all still frequently enjoy meals at home together. We talk often, and laugh much...and we know what is going on in one another's lives. I think a big part of that is what our parents instilled in us when we were young through family participation in preparation and cleanup, as well as many fun conversations around the dinner table. And those memories are even better than the ones from Dairy Queen!
A final thought ~ the less we eat at home, the more we are teaching our children to do the same. Kitchens are meant to be used!!! It's OK if they aren't completely spotless all the time! It is great fun for kids to help in the kitchen, and it creates a memory that will last a lifetime...which is WAY longer than the memory of that meal that saved you so much time!
Hobo Dinners, or "The Easiest Meal I Know How To Make"
2 pounds ground chuck or turkey
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
4 potatoes, sliced
1 bag carrots, halved and then sliced lengthwise into quarters
salt and pepper to taste
Line a jelly roll pan with heavy duty foil. Form meat into patties, and place on pan. (If you really want to make it easy, buy pre-made patties, though this does up the cost a bit.) Season with salt and pepper to your taste preference. Add potatoes, and season again. Then add carrots, onion, and pepper. Cover tightly with foil, and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Enjoy super easy preparation, a tasty one dish meal with your family, super easy cleanup, and loads of compliments from your kids!
Happy cooking!
tips this week!Click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips:
- "Backwards Edition" tips for shopping at CVS
- "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
- how we master math in the Brownstone household
- "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
- how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
- how we make traveling with kids easier
Click here to see what other easy recipes are working for us!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
CALLING ALL CVS SHOPPERS!!!
I am very intrigued by the posts that some of you make detailing all of the great savings you get at CVS through your sheer skill and determination!!! I greatly admire your talent!First of all, you make these wonderful little lists with your savings, and I LOVE list-making!
I must confess, though, I just do not get it! I do not ~ on any level ~ understand how CVS works, and I am slightly jealous!!! I have tried to read about it in your posts, but to be honest...I get distracted by all of your other posts! Maybe if all of your different tips are compiled in one place (my comments section to be exact!) then I will be able to finally "get it" without distraction from all of the pretty colors and interesting topics in your sidebars!!! I would love to have a step-by-step explanation on how CVS works and what ~ exactly ~ I need to do!!
Second of all, you seem to be saving a lot of money, and I LOVE saving money!
Third of all, you seem to be getting a lot of stuff for free, and I LOVE free!
Thanks in advance for all of your helpful tips!
For more advice on various topics,
visit the comments section on any post linked to
Works For Me: Backwards Edition!
Once again, Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer
has charged us to ASK for tips rather than give them on this week's
visit the comments section on any post linked to
Works For Me: Backwards Edition!
Once again, Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer
has charged us to ASK for tips rather than give them on this week's
There are some great questions out there, and undoubtedly there will be great answers, too!
Click here to see my other Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips:
- "Backwards Edition" tips for removing white spots/rings from furniture
- how we master math in the Brownstone household
- "Backwards Edition" tips for correct "tipping" etiquette in almost any situation
- how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them
- how we make traveling with kids easier
Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
HELP ME! HELP ME!
I'm seeing spots!
This week Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer is hosting her second edition of Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Backwards Day! Once again, she has charged us to ASK for tips rather than give them.
Oh, how I hope that at least one of you can give me a tip on how to fix this problem:
We think that it is an anti-bacterial hand sanitizer gel stain. Twister recently sneaked a bottle from my purse. I found the almost empty tiny, little bottle and this BIG spot on the coffee table! Yikes!!!
The sad thing...we don't really ever even use the gel. We're soap and water kind of people. However, some activities call for the stuff when you know that there will be no soap and water around come hand washing time!
Please help me! We also have a lovely ring on another table. I think the culprit was Mr. Brownstone, but he will never 'fess up to it!
For my other Works-For-Me Wednesday tips, click here!
To find out what works for us regarding chores/"allowance", click here!
To see what easy recipes are working for us, click here!
To see who won in my Fall, Y'all! Bloggy Giveaway, click here!
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to GIVE more Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Backwards Day tips this week!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
MASTER MATH IN A FLASH!
Tornado is a lot like me when it comes to math. The concepts are there, but speed is not of the essence! I've always been content with having the correct answer and not overly concerned if it took me a few seconds, or even a minute, longer than the next person. Teachers, however, do not seem to have the same philosophy when it comes to math facts! :) So...when Tornado began to feel some stress to be quicker in math, we began searching for something that would help. Tutoring was not really the answer because the concepts were all there. Traditional flashcards did not really seem to work either because to be honest, they were a bit boring, and it's kind of hard not to look at the answer immediately when it's right on the back of the card.
Do you want to know what finally and truly worked for us?
This little gadget was a miracle worker!
It has so many different functions ~ I couldn't even begin to describe all of them. Basically, it is a set of electronic flashcards, but really...it is OH, SO MUCH MORE! Tornado loved using it, and STILL uses it, because it is like having a really cool hand held game. Twister has even gotten in on the fun. To be honest...I'VE even gotten in on the fun! (Mr. Brownstone is a math WHIZ, but I'm sure if he didn't have XBOX, he might be drawn into the greatness that is Flashmaster, as well!)First things first...I am not receiving anything from Flashmaster for talking about their product. I'm sure they do not even know I am promoting it! I believe in the product so much, and it was such a help for us; so I wanted to share it with y'all!
Now for the information...it only weighs 11-ounces. I keep this bad boy in my purse at all times. It's great to pull out in the car, the doctor's office...just about anywhere you might have a wait time. It has a button to turn on and off the sound, so you literally can use it anywhere. It works on math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. It uses numbers 1-9 on addition (0+0, 9+9) and subtraction (0-0, 18-9), and 1-12 on multiplication (0x0, 12x12) and division (144/12). You can do it timed, or untimed. You can even set your own time - anywhere from 1 to 9 seconds alloted per problem, or 30 to 180 seconds per activity. It keeps track of problems that were missed, and you have the option of practicing them again at the end of the activity. You can do the tables in order, or out of order. AND...it saves the results of the last 8 activities, so parents can view their child's progress! You can click on any of the Flashmaster links to check out all of the additional information on the website.
For all that you get, Flashmaster is a fair price at $49.95 (plus shipping & handling), and we received ours within three days of placing the order. It also has a 90-day, 100% money back guarantee. You can't beat that!
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to see more Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips this week!Click here to see what tips I got about "tipping" for just about every situation!
Click here to see how I get my kids (and Mr. Brownstone!) to try new vegetables and love them!
Click here to see how we make traveling with kids easier!
Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and allowance!
Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
GOT TIPS?
This week Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer is hosting her usual Works-For-Me-Wednesday carnival with a twist! She has charged us to ASK for tips rather than give them in honor of Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Backwards Day!I think it's brilliant!!!
Speaking of tips...
Today what I would REALLY love to know from each of you are your thoughts on correct tipping etiquette. We always wonder ~ especially on vacation ~ if we are tipping too much, or if we aren't tipping enough, and even if we should we be tipping at all for some services? This often leaves us with a feeling of frustration. I have searched high and low for a good guide but have yet to find one. (If you know of a good one, particularly a free one, please pass along the link, or the title!)
So my I guess my questions would be (and not limited to) the following:
- How much do you tip the security officer that brings a band-aid to your room?
- How much do you tip the taxi driver that doesn't answer any of your questions, or chooses to text message friends while he is driving?
- How about the taxi driver that gives you great tips and good conversation?
- Do you tip the doorman that greets you, the one that takes in your bags, AND the one that carries them to your room?
- How much do you tip the doorman that hails a cab for you?
- The concierge?
- Housekeeping?
- Do you tip housekeeping daily, or at the end of your trip? (I always worry that the person that has been cleaning our room all week will have the day off on the day we leave!)
- Salon and spa services in your hotel?
- And what about salon and spa services in your hometown ~ How much do you tip your hairstylist, the shampoo person, the manicurist, the esthetician?
- The barber?
- The shoeshine guy?
- Car wash attendants?
- Restaurants? How much? Do you determine the amount depending on the specific restaurant? How about the maitre d'? How about self-service places where someone buses your table?
- Airports! How much do you tip the guy who unloads your car and the separate guy that checks your bags before you ever actually get into the airport? The parking attendants? The bus drivers for long-term parking?
- Valet parking attendants?
- Grocery store baggers and car loaders?
Thanks so much for ANY help you can provide!
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer to GIVE more Works-For-Me-Wednesday: Backwards Day tips this week!
- Click here for my second ever Works-For-Me-Wednesday tip. See how I getting my kids (and husband!) to try new vegetables and love them!
- Click here for my first ever Works-For-Me-Wednesday tip! It's a great tip about making travel easy with kids!
- Click here to find out what works for us regarding chores and "allowance".
- Click here to see what easy recipes are working for us.
Have a wonderful Columbus Day weekend!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
MOMMY, CAN WE HAVE STEAMED SPINACH FOR DINNER?
How many times have you heard your child ask this question?I hear it at least once a month.
I also hear, "When can we have those brussel sprout thingies again?"
Or you might hear one of my kids say, "My mom makes the best shells and stewed tomatoes!"
And then there's what might be my favorite, "Can we have the boiled kind of okra instead of the fried kind?"
Of course...it was not always like this. Tornado and Twister feared the unknown just as much as the next kid, but I have found something that truly Works-For-Me.
Every time I want to introduce anything new in the kitchen, especially vegetables, I ask my kids if they would like to help me prepare dinner that night. They ALWAYS say, "Yes!" And why wouldn't they? Cooking is fun! It's the clean-up that most people dread.
The part that I have them prepare is always the new vegetable. We keep it very simple.
- They get to wash it if it needs to be washed.
- They get to put it in the pot or the dish.
- They get to measure the seasonings if we are using them.
- They get to turn on the stove, oven, or microwave.
- They get to set the timer.
At dinner, I make an even bigger deal! They get to introduce the new dish to Mr. Brownstone, telling him all about it - how they made it and why it is important to eat it. Then I follow-up with what a great job they did in the kitchen.
Mr. Brownstone and I then sample the dish first and make the biggest deal ever! We tell them how this is the best steamed spinach, or the best boiled okra, they are the best stewed tomatoes, or the best brussel sprouts that we have ever eaten. Tornado and Twister cannot help but be proud of their culinary skills, and of course, they want to sample the goods, too!
We have yet to meet a vegetable that they will not eat!
Not only do we get variety in our diet and and different tastes for our pallates, we are confident that our kids are getting necessary nutrients, and they are developing healthy eating habits for life! And we have fun while doing it, not to mention that they are learning how to cook!
This Works-For-Me, and I hope it will work for you, too! Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer for more Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips!
For my first ever Works-For-Me-Wednesday tip, click here! It's a great tip about making travel easy with kids!
Previous Entry: My Second Menu Plan Monday
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
MY FIRST WORKS-FOR-ME WEDNESDAY!
For a couple of months now, I have been reading the
Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival hosted by Shannon at
Rocks In My Dryer. And y'all...it is so awesome! Each week I find wonderful new tips for just about everything! I've longed to join in the fun; but it wasn't until this past Saturday that I was finally ready to take the big leap and not only remove a post from draft form for the first time ever, but publicly publish that post as well! After privately blogging (in draft form) since the Spring, I am gradually making all of "XBOX WIFE" public. It's a work-in-progress. :)
Now, I am so excited
to finally be a part of:
THE UPSIDE OF DOWNSIZING AND ADDING MORE WHEELS
This summer was a big traveling summer for our family. We took an airplane trip, as well as a long road trip.
a)get loud, b)get whiney, or c)get lost by wandering away,
leaving you either angry, frustrated, or panicked (or all three) and wondering why you took the trip in the first place!
We found something that kept our forces of nature at bay this summer. And y'all, let me tell you, it made our travel time SO much easier! We gave each child their own suitcase. It's amazing what putting them in charge of their own set of wheels was able to accomplish. Not only did pulling their own luggage keep them occupied, it gave them a sense of pride and responsibility. They did NOT want any help, and they kept up with us in the airport. Focusing on their luggage kept them from being distracted by other things. They did not fight. They did not whine. They did not wander away from us. This held true in the hotel check-in lines as well, and it was wonderful!
Of course, there were additional benefits as well. We packed far less than usual. Each person was limited to their one suitcase. This made doing laundry so much easier when we returned home. Lastly, Mr. Brownstone and I were able to have a stress-free check-in at both the airport and the hotels because not only were our children cooperating, but we were also each carrying only one small bag. Long gone were the days of lugging a couple of large, heavy suitcases and several carry-on items, all while corralling in kids. We did each have one small carry-on item because their were certain things we wanted to keep on the plane with us. I had a large purse, and he had a backpack. These helped to occupy the kids after the luggage was checked.
We followed the same exact packing plan for our road trip. We do not have a large car, and the four small suitcases fit perfectly in the trunk. We kept the "carry-on" items in the backseat with the kids, so they could access them easily. It was easy to unload what we needed at each hotel, and it kept our children from all whirlwind activity.
I can definitely say that the idea of downsizing and adding more wheels Works-For-Me, and I hope that it will work for you, too!
**To see another thing that is working for me, click here!
HAPPY TRAVELING!
Sometimes traveling with kids can be,shall we say...difficult!
They tend to get bored while waiting in line at the airport and hotel check-ins, making it an easy temptation for them to:a)get loud, b)get whiney, or c)get lost by wandering away,
leaving you either angry, frustrated, or panicked (or all three) and wondering why you took the trip in the first place!
We found something that kept our forces of nature at bay this summer. And y'all, let me tell you, it made our travel time SO much easier! We gave each child their own suitcase. It's amazing what putting them in charge of their own set of wheels was able to accomplish. Not only did pulling their own luggage keep them occupied, it gave them a sense of pride and responsibility. They did NOT want any help, and they kept up with us in the airport. Focusing on their luggage kept them from being distracted by other things. They did not fight. They did not whine. They did not wander away from us. This held true in the hotel check-in lines as well, and it was wonderful!
Of course, there were additional benefits as well. We packed far less than usual. Each person was limited to their one suitcase. This made doing laundry so much easier when we returned home. Lastly, Mr. Brownstone and I were able to have a stress-free check-in at both the airport and the hotels because not only were our children cooperating, but we were also each carrying only one small bag. Long gone were the days of lugging a couple of large, heavy suitcases and several carry-on items, all while corralling in kids. We did each have one small carry-on item because their were certain things we wanted to keep on the plane with us. I had a large purse, and he had a backpack. These helped to occupy the kids after the luggage was checked.
We followed the same exact packing plan for our road trip. We do not have a large car, and the four small suitcases fit perfectly in the trunk. We kept the "carry-on" items in the backseat with the kids, so they could access them easily. It was easy to unload what we needed at each hotel, and it kept our children from all whirlwind activity.
I can definitely say that the idea of downsizing and adding more wheels Works-For-Me, and I hope that it will work for you, too!
**To see another thing that is working for me, click here!
HAPPY TRAVELING!
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