Tiz the Season to Travel

Do you have any tips for traveling with kids?


'Tiz the season! For good food! Decorations! Family time! Traveling!

With kids.

I travel about twice a year without my husband, usually with a connecting flight and with two children - and, with a little preparation and a lot of prayer, it is not too bad.

When flying, my number one tip is that your positive attitude and refusal to be flapped by what others think is THE most important thing. I have to constantly repeat to myself "my kids have a right to go visit their grandparents!" Obviously, I do the very best I can to see that we are not a bother to anyone, but children are children and perfect behavior is probably not going to happen.

My best suggestion is to fly Frontier, pray for one of the newer planes with Direct TV, pay the $5, put it on Nickel*odean, and read a book. (I actually got to do this once! Read an entire book for the first time in at least 6 months.) The DVD player is also a great idea, but we have always seem to have battery issues.

Here are some other ideas that have worked for us:

• --snacks, snacks & more snacks. If your kids are too young for gum, include lollipops to "suck" on going up and down so their ears won't hurt. I use little ziplocks and pack goldfish, teddy grahams, fruit snacks, raisins, cashews, pretzels, Ritz Bitz w/ peanut butter, M&M, etc.. I dole them out one baggie at time just about anytime the wiggles set in. They don't eat the rest of the day, and that is ok with me. I pack one big bag for each "leg" of the flight, and I pack extras in my checked luggage for the way home.
• --notebook and pencil. Since you are sitting with them, this lasts longer than other situations. You keep it going by "draw me a square", "draw me a doggie" etc...
• --matchbox cars- only one for each hand or they get dropped easily on the floor.
• --sticker books. My favorite are the Dis*ney ones and we get them at Sams or Costco. Star stickers and blank paper works too.
• --A couple of favorite story books that you have put away for a couple of weeks before the trip so they are "new" again.

Tips:

• --Take a carry-on bag that you can put under the seat in front of you rather than in an overhead compartment. That means that you can easily get to your bag even if the "fasten seatbelt" sign is on, and you are not trying to get to an overhead compartment with a kid in your lap.
• --Crayons or markers are hard because they roll and then you get to try and fetch them before they are in the back of the plane. I still take them, but I hold the box and only allow one out at a time.
• --If your husband is flying with you - one of you go onto the plane when you can with your luggage and get everything situated. The other one stay out in the gate with the kids and board at the last possible minute so that they have to be in the seat, quiet and still, as little as possible.
• --Play airplane at home and practice not kicking the seat in front of you, not screeching, and being amazed at the view out the window.
• --Go to the bathroom BEFORE you get on the plane. Always. They invariably have to go to the bathroom as the plane is taking off and you are not allowed out of your seat.
• --The airline will sometimes try to put you in the very front seat of the cabin, which seems like such a good idea - there is a little bit more room, and there are no seats to kick in front of you. I liked them when I had a nursing baby with me, but now I don't because you cannot have any bags in front of you.
  
• --Don't put the kids next to each other if you can help it. Sit in the middle.
• --Wear slip-on or velcro shoes and have the kids do the same. Some airports require that shoes go through security, and this makes it a lot less time-consuming in the security lines.
  

Here's a site with some more ideas:
http://www.flyingwithkids.com/

Share your best tips on flying (or driving) with kids!

Wednesdays with WeaverMom

Congrats Marsha at Our Homeschool and Other Such Happenings! You won the drawing for the beautiful jewelry from BeadAttitude, so send us an email with your address and we'll send that to you. A sincere thanks to all of you that entered. I really enjoyed reading all of your romance stories.

(You really should check out the beautiful post Marsha wrote about everyday romance. )

How do you get ready for Christmas? Do you do anything special to keep the focus on the birth of Jesus?

Christmas - already!! But Halloween isn't even here yet. And... hel-LO!... Let's don't overlook Thanksgiving.

I agree 110%, but I also know that every year about December 20th, I'm wishing that I had been organized enough to not have to go to the mall. So many people, the kids are exhausted, no parking spots. Oh. my.

This is my year to not go crazy in December. Come on, do it with me.

I have used the ideas from this website for a couple of years and I really like it. (My goal this year is to actually DO it on the timetable she suggests!) I can't say it any better - great tips, realistic, review your values so you have YOUR desired Christmas - it's wonderful. Organized Christmas, here we come. She has notebook pages already made out for you - all you have to do is print them out and fill them in. The planning is designed to be done by December 1 so you have the whole month to party and enjoy - so it starts this week!

I think being organized and reducing the stress helps me keep Jesus at the center. If I'm not worried about presents, Christmas cards, and shipping then I can take the time to read the Christmas story to the kids, and be available to serve others during the hectic season.

Here are some more links I love:
Teaching Moms Advent Calendar - She hasn't updated for 2007, but 2006 is still there. It has devotional ideas, movies, crafts, books and more suggestions for every day. Not everything is Christian perspective, but much of it is. It is an amazing, albeit slightly overwhelming at times, resource.

I love the idea of a Jesse Tree - it has ornaments representing different people and stories in the bible that point to Jesus. This site has ideas on how to make your own, and patterns for each of the ornaments suggested.

You'll have to scroll down toward the bottom, but Danielle's Place has an Advent Countdown with a little trinket and a devotion for each day in December. We need something super simple this year, so I'm planning to combine this with a variation of this idea from Family Fun. (psst.. Michael's has little stockings for 69 cents each.)

And, lastly, here is an Advent Coloring Book that I think is wonderful to keep little hands busy during Christmas Eve services.

Share, share - how do you make Christmas special at your house?

Last chance reminder - Jewelry Contest!

Last chance to win this beautiful necklace set! Contest ends on Tuesday, Oct 23rd at 5:00pm Eastern time.

You could be wearing this lovely, handmade jewelry set from Bead-Attitudes!!!

Go here to enter.

Getting Things Done

I have a book recommendation for you this week!

This is one of my favorite books, and it has been invaluable in teaching me the fine art of multi-tasking.

A friend recommended this book to me, and, boy, was she right! It has been life-changing for me. It's called Getting Things Done and it is written by David Allen. Mr. Allen is a coach and management consultant for CEO types who are trying to juggle multiple priorities and who need a way to stay on top of all of those priorities simultaneously.

Now, seriously, ladies - who does that sound like? Can you relate to juggling multiple priorities?

I read this book and started following his "system" at the beginning of May. And I am now beginning to see the true results of it. My stress has been reduced since Week 1, (I'm not kidding!) but now that my to-do list is getting shorter because THINGS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING DONE -- I have to tell you about it.

You really have to read the entire book, but let me share with you the main things that have made such a difference to me.

1. I have a place to put things. He suggests getting a file cabinet and making files for all those things that you need to keep but have no idea what to do with. I have folders for notes from school, letters from my Grandma, bible study schedules, inspirational articles from magazines that I want to remember, etc... They now have a place! And I know where to find them!

2. If it takes less than 2 minutes - do it now. As a natural procrastinator, this simple little "rule" has helped me so much.

3. Limit your "to-do" list to actionable items. If you can't decide about something, then think about what you need to know or who you need to ask in order to decide. For example, I think we might need to have our house painted this year. I don't add "Decide about house painting" - that is not really an "action" item. Action items might be: Ask my husband about it. Ask my husband if we can afford it. Ask my friend for a recommendation for a painter. Find out what my home owner's association approval process is. Those are "action" items.

There is SO much more. It's worth the time to read and see if you think it will work for you.

I'm off to relax now - I finished my list for today. Did you read that?? - I FINISHED my list! Ah, the giddiness. *wink*

Jewelry & Romance Contest Reminder

Ladies,

Don't forget about WeaverMom's contest. You could be wearing this lovely, handmade jewelry set from Bead-Attitudes!!!



All you have to do is:

1. Post about your most romantic time with your husband since your kids came into your life. Please mention that you would like to win the necklace from Bead-attitude with a link to her site, and include a link back to WeaverMom's post which can be found HERE so others can find more romantic moments.

2. Come back and add your link to your "romantic" post to Mr. Linky.

3. Leave a comment with a question for "Wednesdays with WeaverMom"

HURRY! Contest ends soon!

Jewelry & Romance!

Do you have any creative ideas for making time for quality time with your husband?

My husband tends to be a loner, so time can fly before we notice that it's been awhile since we've had a conversation that did not include logistics of some sort - what time for dinner, which painter to hire, discipline issues and the like. I'm sure (well, hopefully!) you can relate.

Here are my 2 tips:

1. Pay attention to what actually matters to your husband and focus on those things. I had to ask. My husband likes to have home-cooked meals and to always have a clean shirt for work. He can handle the chaos a lot better if those 2 things happen. Those 2 things make him feel cared for, so I try my best to make those things a priority. It makes such a difference.

2. Work on the kids' bedtime not being a struggle, and get them in bed on the early side of what works with your evening routine. It's worth the discipline it takes to not have a huge struggle at bedtime - it makes the evening more pleasant for everyone and gives you time with your hubby after the kids go to bed.

So, obviously, this is an area I could use a little advice myself. I also need some interesting and fun questions to answer. And, maybe, just maybe - you would like something fun for YOURSELF! Maybe for your next night out with your husband?

So, here is my proposition - are you ready? 'Cause you could win this! Isn't it BEAUTIFUL? It's from Susan at Bead-attitude. Be sure to check out her other beautiful jewelry here.


Here's how to to enter to win this necklace and earrings:
1. Post about your most romantic time with your husband since your kids came into your life. Please mention that you would like to win the necklace from Bead-attitude with a link to her site, and include a link back to this post so others can find more romantic moments.
2. Come back and add your link to your "romantic" post to Mr. Linky.
3. Leave a comment with a question for "Wednesdays with WeaverMom"

It's easy! And fun! And you could win jewelry!

I'll get the ball rolling with my romantic moment:

We don't have family nearby - in fact, our closest family is a solid 20 hour drive away. True date nights are a little rare. Recently, a good friend of mine had a hard drive crash with the only copy of her pictures of her baby son on it. My computer wizard husband recovered all but 2 of the pictures. Isn't he great? :) She wanted to repay him with an evening of babysitting, but because of her baby, she asked if we could bring the kids to her house.

So, we said no. NOT! We actually said, "Which night works for you?" :) We contemplated going to dinner. Going to a movie! Going to the bookstore -without kids!

But, we ended up coming back home. And it was wonderful. Home. Alone. Together. For the first time in six years. It was odd. Different. QUIET!

Here is a picture of our nice dinner: (The plastic cup makes it super fancy - don't ya think?)


We both thought it was the best date we've had - possibly ever. Definitely since the kids were born.

Is it wrong to pray for friend's hard drives to crash? (*wink* LOL!)

Your turn!

SuperMom or SlackerMom? Just call me Mom.

So, this week I thought I would ask a question: Do you ever feel like a slacker mom?

I think we all do.

So much we are "supposed" to do - love our kids no matter what, feed them healthy food, listen to their every word, take them wherever they wish to go, determine when they are actually lying, catch every sneaky act, point them to the Lord every day, take advantage of those teachable moments, push them when they need it - but not too much, reach their hearts with our discipline, never yell, never lose our tempers, never show them any impatience, teach them to make the right choices, make sure they look "cute", make sure they never act up, make sure they are respectful at every moment, always expect first-time obedience, enjoy every little moment, keep a perfect house, make sure they fulfill their potential - and I'm quite sure I left out a few hundred things. And don't get me started on the wife "supposed" to list: confidante, chef, model looks, ... well, you know the rest, I'm sure.

I believe in high expectations. For ourselves. For our children. I think it's biblical and I'm not knocking the goal.

But, I am concerned that some may think that we here at Multi-tasking moms are in the "SuperMom" category. And I sincerely feel that I need to address that - at least for myself.

I am so NOT a SuperMom. I do some things really well - I can turn out a mean schedule and sometimes it actually works! And, I can almost always help you figure out how to do more in less time. How to get more things done, and how to do that with less stress. I can organize an office, a file, a pretty good birthday party. What is the saying "Necessity is the mother of invention"? Well, organization in my life with homeschooling and a business is absolutely necessary - so I've discovered some things that work. For me.

So, here's my true confessions - knocking myself off the Supermom pedestal. Because I firmly believe that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and if I'm strong in the "organizational" category and you are not - I can guarantee you that you do something well that I am a total "slacker" about.

Yes, I have a 6 week meal plan, a daily schedule for every 15 minutes, a cleaning schedule, a daily to-do list, a homeschool "plan".

But, also:

I have a cleaning company every other week - and if I care about your opinion of my house - no you may not come over. Trust me.

My house is decorated in "very lived in." And that's phrasing it nicely.

I have a picture frame that has hung on my staircase for 2 years with no picture in it.

You cannot walk in my daughter's room.

I let my daughter choose her own clothes - and it shows.

I let my daughter fix her own hair - and it definitely shows.

I rarely do the evening's dishes that night - I'm too tired.

I never have time to just sit and watch TV with my husband, and I think he misses that.

If you don't see me write on my to-do list in my computer, it won't happen.

I never get enough sleep.

I only need my glasses to drive, and I can never find them.

We are frequently late. (usually because I cannot find my glasses - which I need to drive, remember?)

I cannot drive and do anything else at the same time. Can't even talk. How I wish I could take advantage of those "deep" conversations that my kids always seem to want to have - in the car. When I am trying to drive. Trying to, you know, not kill us.

There's more, but that's all the self-exposure I can handle in one conversation.

I only have 2 children. I homeschool - which means they are with me all day every day. And there are more days than I would like to admit that I get to the end of the day and realize that I have not once looked into their eyes that day and actually, truly listened to an entire sentence.

And I can guarantee you that when they are grown - listening or playing a game with them now is more important than anything else.

And, that, my friends is the whole point FOR ME of organization. If I don't have to think about dinner - then I can spend that few minutes doing something worthwhile. Lasting. Meaningful. If organization does that do that for you, but instead adds another "expectation" to your list, then DO NOT organize another thing. It is not worth it.

So, please don't think of me as a supermom. You may think of me as a mom a little farther down the path. You may think of me as a mom with different gifts from God. Please think of me as the mom with a few good ideas.

But please don't think of me as a supermom.

Meal Planning - go for it!

What is your best time-saving tip?



Ah, this is an easy one - Meal plans! They save time on grocery store trips, and the nightly angst of "what's for dinner?" A meal plan seems so much harder and time-consuming than it actually is. It is a small investment for the amount of time you save.

I have a confession - I really hate going to the grocery store! What a waste of time! :) When WeaverDad and I first married and I was working full-time, the last thing I wanted to do at the end of a workday was go to the grocery store, walk around the entire store in uncomfortable "nice" shoes, stand in line with all the other people shopping for dinner, get home at 7:00 and THEN start cooking dinner. (I ate a lot of cereal when I was single. *wink*) And now that I'm staying home with the kids, I get to wear comfortable shoes and I can go to the store when I want to which helps, BUT, I get to bring the kids with me! Enough said, right?

I've done meal plans for 11 years now. As I write that, that freaks me out a little bit - but it's true. My husband can taste if meat has been frozen (I know!) so I shop by the week so that I can serve fresh meat as much as possible. I've done it several different ways. When we were first married, we ate out quite a bit, so I only planned 4 days a week. Then, 5. We moved to a place a little more remote and going out wasn't as easy, so I planned 6. Punkin arrived and we never went out, so I upped it to 7. Hubby was laid off, and I planned very carefully for awhile, checking the sales flyers and doing some bulk buying.

When SnugBug arrived, I found that I procrastinated going to the store because it felt like so much effort to plan the meals. So, I continued shopping by the week - but I planned for a month at a time. My original system was that I cut cardstock into 2x2 squares. I went through our recipes and wrote the names on the cards. Then I could lay them out on the table and arrange them as needed. I included cards that said "open", "new", and "out". After I arranged things for the month, I would transfer the names to a calendar page, and then when it came time to do my grocery list, I knew what to shop for! This worked well for me and I did that for almost 2 years.

Then, we started homeschooling and I started my business, and finding time to do the monthly meal plan became difficult. So, I came up with a 6 week meal plan. It's based loosely on this formula:

1 mexican
1 italian
1 meat & potatoes
1 fish
1 veggie
1 slow cook (for activity night where we don't get home until after 6:00)
1 easy

I don't plan nights of eating out, but I sure don't miss out on them when they are offered (or when I can finagle them.) I just skip a meal from the next week's list when I'm making my grocery list, and include the missed meal the following week.

And, since I personally find it easier to modify someone else's ideas instead of starting from scratch - here is what it looks like:

Week 1
Crescent Picadillo Bundles
Spinach Lasagna
Meatloaf
Scallops & Rice
Veggie Night (example: spinach/ cornbread, pasta salad w/protein, corn)
Frozen slow-cook (straight from the freezer section)
Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato & Basil

Week 2
Fiesta Casserole
Spaghetti
Hamburger Steak
Salmon, rice & veggie
Antipasto Plate
Slow cook pork chops
Soup & Sandwiches

Week 3
Beef Tacos
Brunswick Stew
Chicken Marsala
Tilapia, broc
Chicken Pot Pie
Hot Dogs & Rice
Frozen slow-cook

Week 4
Chicken Tacos
Bow-Tie Lasagna
S&B BBQ pork chops
Chicken Squares
Beef & Noodle Casserole
Roast, veggies
Tortellini w/ alfredo sauce, salad

Week 5
Frito Soup
Spaghetti
Rotisserie chicken
New fish
Cheese Enchiladas
Frozen slow cook
Soup & Sandwiches

Week 6
Texas Hash
Pizza
Simple Marinated Chicken
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
New veggie
Frozen slow cook
Mexican Chicken Salad

I know some of you use meal plans. Please share what works for you!

Happy meal planning!

Organize homeschool day

I homeschool my 3 children 8, 6, and 3. I am looking into the Weaver curriculum and I was wonder how you manage your homeschool day.

This may not be the answer you are looking for - but it's trial and error! You just experiment some and find what works for you. So much of what makes your day flow well, your children learn, and you not burnout depends upon the personality of your children, of you, the hours your husband keeps, and other myriad of details. And, it sounds a little cliche - but don't forget to pray about it!

That said, I'll share how I do it - hopefully others will too - and there will be some ideas that will work well for you.

First, let me introduce those who have no clue what we are talking about to the Weaver curriculum a little bit. Weaver was developed by a homeschool mom. It is a unit study curriculum - which means that it takes a topic and all of the subjects are tied into that topic. It is based on the bible, it is hands-on, and it is multi-level - which means that you can teach your 3rd grader and your 1st grader the same material at different levels. The "core" curriculum includes bible, social studies, science, health, some art, field trip ideas and project ideas. It does not include math, reading, phonics, writing or penmanship - though there are separate Weaver programs available for everything but math.

So, let's say you are studying the days of creation. On the first day God created light. You might discuss and learn about rainbows, color, mirrors, shadows, light bulbs, and Thomas Edison. And you will likely do some type of project - for a little guy you might draw his shadow at different times of the day on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. The older guys might do a report on Thomas Edison or build a sundial. (Lots more info on the Weaver curriculum here. The email list is active and wonderful.)

I divide my day into 4 sections - the Weaver "core" which usually lasts for 1 -1 1/2 hours at the 1st grade level, math, penmanship & reading/phonics. We read aloud most days, and I try to spend part of the day outdoors if weather permits. (She also takes piano, gymnastics, we do an art lesson at home once a week, and she attends a homeschool "enrichment" program once a week.)

I let her chose which "section" to do first if she completes her morning chores (make her bed, pick up her room, get dressed and one additional small chore that rotates daily) and is ready to go when I say - usually around 9:00. Occasionally, if I have a long reading assignment for that day, I will ask her to do that first when her mind is a little more fresh, and then let her choose the order of the rest. My daughter is very active and needs "recess" time and frequent breaks.

So, here is how my mornings typically look. I'll include my early morning routine also in case it's helpful.

5:45- 6:30 - exercise
6:30-7:00 - time with God
7:00-7:30 - computer time, organize day, check emails, deal with any work issues
7:30-8:00 shower
8:00-8:30 breakfast
8:30-9:00 housekeeping chores
9:00-11:00 school (usually with a 10 min break)
11:00-11:30 lunch
11:30 - 1:30 finish school
1:30 -3:00 rest time

The state of Colorado requires the equivalent of 4 hours a day so I have structured that much time into the day. However, in reality, I don't watch the clock that closely. I just go until she is "done" and not absorbing anymore anyway. Sometimes we do math after supper because her brain gets "full" in the mornings. I know it averages out as we read together often, she helps me cook, we discuss things in the car, etc...

So, those of you that homeschool - how do you manage your day?




Have a question for WeaverMom? Email me!

Wednesdays With WeaverMom - grocery store

Welcome to Wednesdays with WeaverMom! Here’s the plan - I answer your questions with my thoughts about what has worked for me, and hopefully others will leave comments about what works for them. I have some good experience about how to fit it all in and make it all work – but I’m far from an expert. Hopefully, “many hands make light work” and you will be able to find an idea that you can adjust to fit your life and personality. Multi-tasking at its finest!

Let me introduce myself again. I’ve been married for 11 years and have 2 munchkins – a 6 yr old daughter, Punkin, and a 3 yr old son, SnugBug. We homeschool using the Weaver curriculum (hence the name WeaverMom), and I have a bookkeeping business. I’m a planner – I have to be to make my life work! My husband is a wonderful provider who loves his job and works many hours, so I try very hard to not take up any of his “home time” with mundane chores so that we can just be together as a family. I use a chore chart, meal plans, and a very detailed daily to-do list. It’s not for everyone, but I would be lost without these tools.

So, on to today’s question:

Help! I cannot find time to go to the grocery store! Any suggestions?

Absolutely! Here you go:

1. Make a meal plan for the week and a grocery list.This saves time because you don’t have to go back to the store during the week, and a list can also save you money because you buy (only?) what you actually need.
2. Um, this may seem obvious, but let’s be honest.Sometimes all we need to do is take a deep breath, put one foot in front of the other and just GO! Not that I know what it’s like to put off going to the store for 4 days hoping the mood will strike me. No, no, ‘course not.
3. Include grocery shopping on your schedule – don’t rely on “whenever.”
4. Re-evaluate your schedule.Re-arrange activities to allow for a large enough gap to complete your shopping.Food is important, so drop an activity if you have to.
5. Delegate.Get your husband to go.Or a child old enough to drive.
6. MULTI-TASK.Right now, I shop before gymnastics – then drop my daughter off for her class while my son and I go home and unload, and then head right back to get her.It’s not saving me gas money – but, hey – we have food!
7. Organize, organize, organize.Using this tip on organizing your grocery list from Shannon at Rocks in my dryer, I shaved at least 15 minutes off my grocery store time.
8. Time it right.Go early in the morning when the store is not as crowded and the employees are not as tired.
9. Feed the baby in the car. Bring a cooler for your cold things, and just plan to feed the baby right before you head home. I learned this trick after listening to my sweet baby scream for the entire 20 minutes home on more than one occasion!
10. Organize, organize some more. I do this during tax season when things are really insane.I make my meal plan for the entire month, then make 4 grocery lists. The first one includes everything for the first week and ALL the dry goods for the entire month.The other lists are for the 3 following weeks – but only include meats, cold items & produce.Then, I just take a Saturday and do major shopping at my regular store where the prices are better – it only adds about 30 minutes to a normal trip!On the other 3 weeks I can go to the grocery store that is closer and quicker (but more expensive, especially for dry goods such as cereal.)And, don’t throw the lists away! – if it’s really crazy, you can just repeat it the next month.
11. If you live far away from stores grocery shopping can be an all day event, so you don’t want to go any more often than you have to.I saw an interview once with a lady who did this: she only shopped every 2 weeks. She drove in and went to one store and bought dry goods. Then she and her children would go to lunch. Then, she went to a different store and bought her meats, cold items and produce. This kept the kids from getting hungry and also from being in one store for so long that they got really hard to handle.

Your turn. How do you find time to go to the grocery store?

P.S. Have a question for WeaverMom? Email me!