It's been a rough week for the Herd. Poor Papa Sheppard was sick for two weeks with a cold/flu bug that's been floating around his workplace. And unfortunately for him, his workplace is not a very understanding, nurturing environment. He missed two days of work last week because of his sickness, and his coworkers gave him guilt trips and snarky comments.
What made it even worse this week is that the illness became a pain in his jaw and teeth. He went to the dentist three times since last Wednesday, only to discover he has a dead tooth requiring a root canal. Unfortunately this is his second root canal this year, so our dental insurance has been maxed and the root canal will cost somewhere in the $700 mark, which we cannot afford right now. So he's on antibiotics and pain medication to try to make it through to January. It makes me sad, thinking that we have four credit cards maxed on things we shouldn't have spent money on, and now when we could've used it, we have no money for the more important things. I'm going to bring this up to him this weekend and cement our need to get out of debt as quickly as possible.
So the week has been full of caring for Papa Sheppard and working around the needs of my family. I did compile a menu plan, but have varied it slightly throughout the week, to make sure Papa Sheppard has food that is easier to chew. I won't post it right now, as it's almost done anyway.
I also did not get a To Do Tuesday list done up. I will prepare one for next week.
We continue to pray for Papa Sheppard to acquire a new job. As I said, his current job is a very poorly run company and they are harsh with their employees. Their boss just goes looking for people who are doing things wrong. I surmise he is on a bit of a power trip. Regardless, that is neither here nor there. We believe the Lord is keeping us in this position for some reason, and so we patiently wait his judgement. We love Him and we simply pray for his timing to come up to speed with ours.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Little Sheep's Favorite High Chair Toys
Little Sheep's Favorite Toys
At this point, we haven't spent a dime on Little Sheep's toys. The majority of them have been gifts or aquired secondhand off Freecycle. But to our surprise, Little Sheep has been born with a love for the simple and the frugal.
These are her favorite toys. Simple household objects that entertain her for as long as she can hold them in her hands.
We didn't really realize how simple a baby toy could be until she was old enough to sit in her high chair. Once she was able to do that comfortably, we tried several things to keep her entertained while I cooked/cleaned in the kitchen. But what surprised me was how fascinated she was at the sight of a set of metal measuring spoons I was using one day. These quickly became her favorite rattle. I realized that all the plastic junk toys we'd collected couldn't hold a candle to a good bunch of regular kitchen utensils.
Her first favorite is the wooden spoons. She loves to chew on them and bang them against her high chair, and listen to the smacking sound it makes. She also likes it when we pile the plastic pudding and yogurt cups into pyramids and then she swings her spoon awkwardly into them, causing a giggling crash.
Her other favorite is the wrapper from a package of crackers. I know it is never ever ever a good idea to let a child play with plastic bags, at the risk of suffication. However, the plastic here is stiff, too big to swallow, sand crinkly and makes the best crumpling sound. It does not tear easily and maintains its crinkle for a long time. I trimmed off the ragged edges with a pair of scissors and let her crumple it in her hands. It also holds up to washing frequently without tearing or damage, so it can be cleanes easily. As soon as it starts to look like it might break down, I replace it with a new wrapper. This has been quite entertaining to watch. As soon as she starts cutting teeth, however, this one is gone.
The net is from a bag of avacados. Itis fun to put stuff in and let her explore how to get it out, such as face cloths, small toys, clean cloth wipes and even little feet. I love the puzzled look on her face trying to figure it out.
A clean dish towel serves as a great way to play "Find the Baby". I simply drape it over her head, and then start calling her name in a sing-song voice, wondering where my baby went. I can usually put an item or two away before she finds her way out.
But the best toy is, as always, Mommy and Daddy. Especially playing Peekabo, grabbing little feet, making funny faces or telling stories with lots of big hand gestures.
These are her favorite toys. Simple household objects that entertain her for as long as she can hold them in her hands.
We didn't really realize how simple a baby toy could be until she was old enough to sit in her high chair. Once she was able to do that comfortably, we tried several things to keep her entertained while I cooked/cleaned in the kitchen. But what surprised me was how fascinated she was at the sight of a set of metal measuring spoons I was using one day. These quickly became her favorite rattle. I realized that all the plastic junk toys we'd collected couldn't hold a candle to a good bunch of regular kitchen utensils.
Her first favorite is the wooden spoons. She loves to chew on them and bang them against her high chair, and listen to the smacking sound it makes. She also likes it when we pile the plastic pudding and yogurt cups into pyramids and then she swings her spoon awkwardly into them, causing a giggling crash.
Her other favorite is the wrapper from a package of crackers. I know it is never ever ever a good idea to let a child play with plastic bags, at the risk of suffication. However, the plastic here is stiff, too big to swallow, sand crinkly and makes the best crumpling sound. It does not tear easily and maintains its crinkle for a long time. I trimmed off the ragged edges with a pair of scissors and let her crumple it in her hands. It also holds up to washing frequently without tearing or damage, so it can be cleanes easily. As soon as it starts to look like it might break down, I replace it with a new wrapper. This has been quite entertaining to watch. As soon as she starts cutting teeth, however, this one is gone.
The net is from a bag of avacados. Itis fun to put stuff in and let her explore how to get it out, such as face cloths, small toys, clean cloth wipes and even little feet. I love the puzzled look on her face trying to figure it out.
A clean dish towel serves as a great way to play "Find the Baby". I simply drape it over her head, and then start calling her name in a sing-song voice, wondering where my baby went. I can usually put an item or two away before she finds her way out.
But the best toy is, as always, Mommy and Daddy. Especially playing Peekabo, grabbing little feet, making funny faces or telling stories with lots of big hand gestures.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Raw Material: Baby Blankets
One of the things you'll acquire en masse with the birth of a little one is baby blankets. We received a bag of them early on from Freecycle. The majority of these ones were thin, stained and older patterns. We were satisfied with them, until we started receiving beautiful brand new baby blankets as gifts. These ones were soft, warm, thick and beautiful. Suddenly our bag of respectable discards didn't seem so appealing.
I considered reFreecycling them, but changed my mind when I realized their potantial. Instead, I grabbed my scissors and went to town.
Now I have 24 baby wipes made from a vintage duck pattern cotton; 8 hand-sized wipes for our bathroom counters (I wipe them down every morning with some Windex) made from thin white flannel; and a stack of adorable teddy bear towels made from worn and pilled flannel. After cutting up 4 blankets, I have now eliminated my need for paper towels, baby wipes and disinfectant wipes. And there are still LOTS to go through.
Now if I could just get inspired enough to hem them...
I considered reFreecycling them, but changed my mind when I realized their potantial. Instead, I grabbed my scissors and went to town.
Now I have 24 baby wipes made from a vintage duck pattern cotton; 8 hand-sized wipes for our bathroom counters (I wipe them down every morning with some Windex) made from thin white flannel; and a stack of adorable teddy bear towels made from worn and pilled flannel. After cutting up 4 blankets, I have now eliminated my need for paper towels, baby wipes and disinfectant wipes. And there are still LOTS to go through.
Now if I could just get inspired enough to hem them...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Simply Be Thursdays: Online Clutter
I am not the best at keeping up with my emails. I'm really bad for it. What's more, I am a sucker for online coupons, giveaways and contests. I never win and I'm horrible with coupons.
But emails? I love them all.
The problems with them, along with Twitter and Facebookis that they are time consuming, overwhelming, and addictive. No one who has ever been on the Internet can honestly say that they have never been sucked into it for hours on end, only to come away feelibg almost empty.
This month, I decided to simplify my online social life and make things easier on myself. So I carefully screened out all the emails that came into my inbox. Newsletters, product promotions, coupon offers, and group emails were unsubscribed. Besides family and friends, I think the majority of my emails come from Freecycle or Mother Earth News. With Facebook, I told everyone that I was purging my list down to family and very close friends, and asked that they please not be offended. I think I went from aroubd 100+ people to somewhere less than 25. I also removed the majority of news and updates I get from "Likes".
With Twitter, I quit after my first "Twitter Party". Don't get me wrong -- Twitter is a ton of fun and a great way to get your blog/business noticed. But it is too addictive. My daughter needs more of my attention than Twitter.
Today, two things happened: I got a lovely email from my mother and also one from my (surprisingly good with computers!) grandmother! I wonder if I would have notices, or appreciated them as much, had I not cleared out so much email clutter? Hmmm...
But emails? I love them all.
The problems with them, along with Twitter and Facebookis that they are time consuming, overwhelming, and addictive. No one who has ever been on the Internet can honestly say that they have never been sucked into it for hours on end, only to come away feelibg almost empty.
This month, I decided to simplify my online social life and make things easier on myself. So I carefully screened out all the emails that came into my inbox. Newsletters, product promotions, coupon offers, and group emails were unsubscribed. Besides family and friends, I think the majority of my emails come from Freecycle or Mother Earth News. With Facebook, I told everyone that I was purging my list down to family and very close friends, and asked that they please not be offended. I think I went from aroubd 100+ people to somewhere less than 25. I also removed the majority of news and updates I get from "Likes".
With Twitter, I quit after my first "Twitter Party". Don't get me wrong -- Twitter is a ton of fun and a great way to get your blog/business noticed. But it is too addictive. My daughter needs more of my attention than Twitter.
Today, two things happened: I got a lovely email from my mother and also one from my (surprisingly good with computers!) grandmother! I wonder if I would have notices, or appreciated them as much, had I not cleared out so much email clutter? Hmmm...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Herbal Nurturing
I have spent the last week or so staying up way too late reading through all (yes, all!) of Michele Auger's beautiful blog, Frugal Granola. Michele's take on simplicity, childrearing, and faith are dear to my heart and I am delighted to find inspiration from her blog daily.
Right now, Michele is giving away three copies of her ebook, Herbal Nurturing at another excellent blog, Keeper of the Home. Please take the time to check both these fabulous resources out.
Right now, Michele is giving away three copies of her ebook, Herbal Nurturing at another excellent blog, Keeper of the Home. Please take the time to check both these fabulous resources out.
My Produce Freezer Plans
Here's my dilemnas.
1. I love fruits and vegetables.
2. Papa Sheppard hates them.
3. I don't want to waste money buying smaller, individual sized portions.
4. I don't want t continue buying things in plastic.
What's a frugal, organic-minded, veggie loving mama to do?
After extended research and thought, I have come up with several plans with regards to how I intend to maintain my collection of fruits and veggies in appropriate portions, with limited dependency on plastics and cans.
- Organic Tomatoes -- freeze whole. Run under hot tap water while frozen to peel. Use for soups, stews, sauces, casseroles.
- Organic Potatoes -- boiled, mashed; freeze in paper muffin cups in 1/2 cup portions. Stack in plastic container.
- Organic Broccoli and Cauliflower -- buy raw; blanch and freeze on freezer paper, then in plastic bags.
- Organic Spinach -- can be frozen, used for soups only.
- Organic Berries -- buy raw, freeze whole in muffin cups in 1/2 cup portions.
- Organic Peppers -- wash, deseed, cut up; freeze on cookie sheet; wrap in paper, store in bags.
Buy and store in fridge:
- apples
- avacados
- onions
- garlic
There are several excellent resources that deal with how to keep produce without the use of plastics. I am excited to try them out and to add more as I go along.
Also check out Fake Plastic Fish's guide to produce and Pick Your Own for further information.
1. I love fruits and vegetables.
2. Papa Sheppard hates them.
3. I don't want to waste money buying smaller, individual sized portions.
4. I don't want t continue buying things in plastic.
What's a frugal, organic-minded, veggie loving mama to do?
After extended research and thought, I have come up with several plans with regards to how I intend to maintain my collection of fruits and veggies in appropriate portions, with limited dependency on plastics and cans.
- Organic Tomatoes -- freeze whole. Run under hot tap water while frozen to peel. Use for soups, stews, sauces, casseroles.
- Organic Potatoes -- boiled, mashed; freeze in paper muffin cups in 1/2 cup portions. Stack in plastic container.
- Organic Broccoli and Cauliflower -- buy raw; blanch and freeze on freezer paper, then in plastic bags.
- Organic Spinach -- can be frozen, used for soups only.
- Organic Berries -- buy raw, freeze whole in muffin cups in 1/2 cup portions.
- Organic Peppers -- wash, deseed, cut up; freeze on cookie sheet; wrap in paper, store in bags.
Buy and store in fridge:
- apples
- avacados
- onions
- garlic
There are several excellent resources that deal with how to keep produce without the use of plastics. I am excited to try them out and to add more as I go along.
Also check out Fake Plastic Fish's guide to produce and Pick Your Own for further information.
Monday, October 18, 2010
To Do Tuesday
This week will be a very busy one for us. As I posted in my menu plan this week, we have several errands, appointments and plans. Besides our regular Mom and Baby time and our Baby Massage class, we also have plans for a dentist appointment, a parenting workshop, a curb side pickup, and a protest! Needless to say, we will be rushing around all week. So I am planning a light to-do list to sinply keep up with the housework and meal plans.
Tuesday
- do morning routine
- bake bread
- attend Mom and Baby group -- skip, Little Sheep isn't feeling well
- move crib mattress to our bedroom -- changed our minds
- mash and bag/freeze cooked potatoes
- set up diapers
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- fold laundry
- do before bed routine
Wednesday
- do morning routine
- Papa Sheppard's dentist appointment
- shread cheese
- freeze cheese
- shread soap for liquid soap -- hold off til next week
- make up grocery list/budget
- invite mom and/or stepdad over for lunch
- prepare bread dough
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
+ steam/freeze spinach
+ empty lower shelf on freezer
Thursday
- do morning routine
- cook up batch of brown rice (did Wednesday)
- grocery shopping
- prepare for weekend
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Friday
- do morning routine
- attend workshop
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Saturday
- do morning routine
- pack breakfast and lunch
- scour neighborhoods for curbside treasures
- attend protest
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Sunday
- do morning routine
- prepare Papa Sheppard's work lunches
- attend protest
- attend Mass
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Monday
- do morning routine
- write up next week's to-do list
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Tuesday
- attend Mom and Baby group -- skip, Little Sheep isn't feeling well
- move crib mattress to our bedroom -- changed our minds
Wednesday
- shread soap for liquid soap -- hold off til next week
- do before bed routine
Thursday
- grocery shopping
- prepare for weekend
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Friday
- do morning routine
- attend workshop
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Saturday
- do morning routine
- pack breakfast and lunch
- scour neighborhoods for curbside treasures
- attend protest
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Sunday
- do morning routine
- prepare Papa Sheppard's work lunches
- attend protest
- attend Mass
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Monday
- do morning routine
- write up next week's to-do list
- knit more of Papa Sheppard's scarf
- do before bed routine
Menu Plan Monday
After smelling some unidentified foul in my kitchen, I discovered a pair of rotten potatoes in the sack we'd purchased last week. I hate to see food go bad, I peeled them all and chopped them up. Now both crockpots are simmering away, preparing them. Once they have been cooked, mashed and cooled, I will divide them up into cup-sized portions and freeze them, taking them out to thicken soups, as the starch-part to hash (which is our plan for supper tonight) and as sides for other mashed potato meals.
It will be a busy week for us. Wednesday, Papa Sheppard has a dentist appointment in the evening, and as usual, on Tuesdays and Thursdays I have baby-related classes. This week, we will need to go grocery shopping on Thursday, as well, because Friday we will be attending an Attachment Parenting workshop at a local natural parenting store.
I am also excited to attend the Tent City protest this weekend as well, when we will join our voices in taking a stand against homelessness and demand affordable housing in our city.
With all that is happening this week, we have to be sure that we are all well fed, happy and healthily. Our meal plan, then, is as follows:
- Monday (Papa Sheppard home sick)
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with butter and brown sugar; homemade green smoothies; peppermint tea
- Lunch: Papa Sheppard's lunch for work; leftovers from yesterday's supper
- Supper: Pork hash
- DO AHEAD: Take out beef, potatoes for supper tomorrow; take out bread dough
- Tuesday
- Breakfast: Same
- Lunch: Homemade green soup; crackers and cheese
- Supper: Crockpot beef stew
- DO AHEAD: Take out cooked hamburger; cook macaroni; shread cheese
- Wednesday (Papa Sheppard's dentist appointment)
- Breakfast: Same
- Lunch: Homemade green soup; crackers and cheese
- Supper: Macaroni, Tomatoes, Hamburger and Cheese
- DO AHEAD: Take out chicken
- Thursday (Grocery night)
- Breakfast: Same
- Lunch: Homemade green soup; crackers and cheese
- Supper: Shreaded chicken and french fries
- DO AHEAD: Take out pork; cook brown rice
- Friday (Attachment Parenting workshop)
- Breakfast: Same
- Lunch: Homemade green soup; crackers and cheese
- Supper: Shredded pork with rice
- DO AHEAD: Bake bran muffins; set up soup for thermos; pack for tomorrow's breakfast and lunch; Take out beef for soup on Friday
- Saturday (Travelling through city for Curb-Side Pickup in the morning, Tent City protest in the evening)
- Breakfast: Bran muffins, bananas, tea
- Lunch: Thermos of hot tomato soup; crackers, cheese; apples
- Supper: Eat at protest
- DO AHEAD: Set up crockpot supper; set up oatmeal; take out meat for Papa Sheppard's lunches next week. Take out bread dough.
- Sunday (Tent City protest in the morning, Mass in the evening)
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with peanut butter and honey; almond milk
- Lunch: Eat at protest
- Supper: Beef soup, baked bread
- DO AHEAD: Take out uncooked hamburger
Mellow
I am sitting here in my favorite chair, listening to the rain patter and the wind howl. It is likely to be this way all weekend. A local organization was supposed to hold a Tent City Protest to draw attention to the lack of affordable housing in our city. We had planned to attend, but unfortunately, due to the weather, it was postponed til next week. Hopefully the weather will be better then.
Instead, we lounge around with Little Sheep, enjoyed bacon, eggs (for Papa Sheppard) and oat bran (for me) with mugs of warm tea and a delicious loaf of homemade Cuban Bread dusted with Parmesan. I attempted to bake it a cast-iron pot lined with parchment paper. It was delicious with a bit of butter. I will do this again.
For supper, the crockpot simmers away with hamburger soup, and I will likely make another loaf of bread. Little Sheep sleeps gently in her swing. We are in the middle of a transition from the swing to her crib mattress, which currently resides on the floor, where I can nurse her easily. As she becomes more comfortable sleeping on the mattress, we will begin transitioning her away from nursing to sleep and then begin to get her used to sleeping in her crib without nursing. It will take a lot of work, time and patience. Fortunately, we know that going in, so we are willing to take the time and do it.
It is a mellow day, and I expect tomorrow to be much the same. Quiet, peaceful, with little excitement, and a chance for Papa Sheppard and I to relax and regroup for the week ahead. We look forward to the evening, where there will be cuddles with Little Sheep, Bible reading, a warm bath, more warm tea and bread, and perhaps even an impromptu date night playing cards and listening to soft music while Little Sheep sleeps til we are ready for bed.
Instead, we lounge around with Little Sheep, enjoyed bacon, eggs (for Papa Sheppard) and oat bran (for me) with mugs of warm tea and a delicious loaf of homemade Cuban Bread dusted with Parmesan. I attempted to bake it a cast-iron pot lined with parchment paper. It was delicious with a bit of butter. I will do this again.
For supper, the crockpot simmers away with hamburger soup, and I will likely make another loaf of bread. Little Sheep sleeps gently in her swing. We are in the middle of a transition from the swing to her crib mattress, which currently resides on the floor, where I can nurse her easily. As she becomes more comfortable sleeping on the mattress, we will begin transitioning her away from nursing to sleep and then begin to get her used to sleeping in her crib without nursing. It will take a lot of work, time and patience. Fortunately, we know that going in, so we are willing to take the time and do it.
It is a mellow day, and I expect tomorrow to be much the same. Quiet, peaceful, with little excitement, and a chance for Papa Sheppard and I to relax and regroup for the week ahead. We look forward to the evening, where there will be cuddles with Little Sheep, Bible reading, a warm bath, more warm tea and bread, and perhaps even an impromptu date night playing cards and listening to soft music while Little Sheep sleeps til we are ready for bed.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
frugal Fridays: Building a Personal Library
I have a secret. I am really, really in love with the idea of having a lot of books. Actually acquiring said books, well, not so much.
I have a few frugal rules that I try to keep to:
1. I don't pay full price for anything unless I absolutely have to. (No big surprise.)
2. If I have to pay full price, I research the heck out of it, to be sure it's sonething I actually need to pay full price for.
3. I find it cheaper than that.
In the casr of books, I refuse to pay full price. Ever. It would have to be something so outlandishly rare and amazingly desireable for me to pay full price for a book. Why? Because every book you want to read is available free at the library, a friend or online; because you can buy books for almost nothing at yard sales and thrift stores; and you can still get them cheaper than new at used book stores and online! Why in the name of Heaven would you pay full price?!
I also never buy a book myself unless I have checked it out of the library and know it is something I truly want. Ocassionally I will purchase a book because I have read another of the author's work and enjoyed it, or I have heard such amazing reviews of it that I am sure it is a sound investment. However, this doesn't happen often.
I keep a running list of books I am looking for on my iPhone and in my LifeBook. If I am ever somewhere and see a book I want, I can check my list and inquire. Currently my library holds (but is not limited to):
2x The Complete Tightwad Gazette (1 copy off Amazon for $8, the other from a yard sale fot $0.25)
Joshua by Fr. Peter F. Gizbone ($2 at second hand book store)
The Lord of the Rings series ($1 each at second hand book store)
The No Cry Sleep Solution ($5 off Kijiji)
The Happiest Baby on the Block ($2 at second hand store)
The Irrisistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne ($5 off of eBay)
Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne ($12 off of eBay)
While I enjoy reading, I do consider it to be a more expensive passtime than necessary, and so I do not read a lot of fiction (and very little modern fiction especially). I prefer research, history, or something that I feel will expand my mind and teach me a new technique, idea or mindset. I love learning new things.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Great Pink Avalanche
Not long ago, I read a wonderful post by one of my favorite blogg...ists? (Is that a word? Bloggist?), the great Michele of Frugal Granola, as she was guest blogging on Amy's Finer Things. Her lovely post, which you can read here, was titled Preparing for Baby. One of the highlights of the article, for me and my simplistic mindset anyway, was the following:
This inspired me. Frankly, poor Little Sheep's closet was bursting with clothing. We hadn't spent more than $10 on her entire wardrobe. Just after she was born, I sorted everything by size and seperated it into those boxes that hold packs of printer paper. In total there were 10 boxes, with a huge tub of unisex things I hadn't even gotten to look at.
So I gritted my teeth and dove into her closet. I took all the boxes that were there. I took out things that I actually liked and asked Papa Sheppard his opinion of other things. After the first box, though, it became apparent that this was a "Mama job" because everything Papa Sheppard saw, he either said, "Oh that's so cute" or "I could go either way".
So after one box, I tackled the rest, keeping in mind that she didn't need nearly as much as was there. I kept the things I liked (or that I thought Papa Sheppard would like) and packaged up the rest. In the end, I was able to whittle it down to 1 box per age group, a small box of shoes, another small box of socks and halved the blankets. There are still some things in the big tub as well, but they are mostly snowsuits and two adorable unisex outfit sets that I didn't take apart yet. I will save them and regift them sometime in the future.
What really shocked me was how much pink pink PINK there was! I am not a big fan of the almighty girly pink. And it drives me nuts when people think that just because I have a little girl, everything has to be pink. I begged my mother to please not buy me anything pink from hereon out, and if anyone asked what they could get Little Sheep, to please tell them anything but pink clothes.
What I did discover, however, was a wonderful series of adorable animal-printed things from Carters that my mother-in-law had purchased for us while they were in the States last year. Browns, beige, blue, yellow, orange, green! Ducks, frogs, alligators, giraffes, birds. So many beautiful colors! Warm, wonderful pieces that suited my baby girl so much better than frilly bows and Sesame Street characters.
There were two sets of a Minnie Mouse outfit as well. I have never been a big fan of cartoon characters or brand names, either, so they weren't sticking around.
After I had sorted and divided things up, I discovered I had enough to dress two other baby girls while still keeping my own baby girl in stitches without any complications. I agree with Michele, you don't need nearly as much as you have. After redistributing I have enough clothes to donate to both my sister-in-laws for their babies (hopefully they're girls, because if so, they'll have enough to dress them for a year each! If they're boys, well...).
I do not desire to create another little consumer. I desire to have created a beautiful human being who understands the value of her possessions and treats them with respect. I want her to understand that just because we can run out and buy another piece of clothings doesn't mean we should or will.
We were immensely blessed when we were given all these beautiful clothing items by friends and family. Now we will immensely bless someone else with these pieces. And hopefully our home will regain a bit more peace. And become a little less pink.
Clothing and Blankets: I know, this is the fun part of shopping, as you prepare for the baby. But shop wisely. Don’t get too much; they’ll outgrow everything quickly, anyway. Borrow (or buy used) what you can; babies rarely wear things out!
The Rule-of-Thumb is the quantity of 4-6 per item. This is usually enough of each item to allow for a few clothing changes per day (spit-ups and diaper blowouts will happen!), while doing laundry every few days. Add in a few extra warmer things for winter babies.
Stock up on gender-neutral-colored basics (And your little ones don’t have to be stuck wearing yellow ducks; my babies were adorable with items such as denim overalls, red sweaters, tie-dyed t-shirts, orange pants, star-print gowns, and peapod-print onesies). If you end up having a girl, you can toss in a couple dresses and/or bows. The pink will certainly make its way into your life; it’s irresistible to Grandmas.
This inspired me. Frankly, poor Little Sheep's closet was bursting with clothing. We hadn't spent more than $10 on her entire wardrobe. Just after she was born, I sorted everything by size and seperated it into those boxes that hold packs of printer paper. In total there were 10 boxes, with a huge tub of unisex things I hadn't even gotten to look at. So I gritted my teeth and dove into her closet. I took all the boxes that were there. I took out things that I actually liked and asked Papa Sheppard his opinion of other things. After the first box, though, it became apparent that this was a "Mama job" because everything Papa Sheppard saw, he either said, "Oh that's so cute" or "I could go either way".
So after one box, I tackled the rest, keeping in mind that she didn't need nearly as much as was there. I kept the things I liked (or that I thought Papa Sheppard would like) and packaged up the rest. In the end, I was able to whittle it down to 1 box per age group, a small box of shoes, another small box of socks and halved the blankets. There are still some things in the big tub as well, but they are mostly snowsuits and two adorable unisex outfit sets that I didn't take apart yet. I will save them and regift them sometime in the future.What really shocked me was how much pink pink PINK there was! I am not a big fan of the almighty girly pink. And it drives me nuts when people think that just because I have a little girl, everything has to be pink. I begged my mother to please not buy me anything pink from hereon out, and if anyone asked what they could get Little Sheep, to please tell them anything but pink clothes.
What I did discover, however, was a wonderful series of adorable animal-printed things from Carters that my mother-in-law had purchased for us while they were in the States last year. Browns, beige, blue, yellow, orange, green! Ducks, frogs, alligators, giraffes, birds. So many beautiful colors! Warm, wonderful pieces that suited my baby girl so much better than frilly bows and Sesame Street characters.There were two sets of a Minnie Mouse outfit as well. I have never been a big fan of cartoon characters or brand names, either, so they weren't sticking around.
After I had sorted and divided things up, I discovered I had enough to dress two other baby girls while still keeping my own baby girl in stitches without any complications. I agree with Michele, you don't need nearly as much as you have. After redistributing I have enough clothes to donate to both my sister-in-laws for their babies (hopefully they're girls, because if so, they'll have enough to dress them for a year each! If they're boys, well...). I do not desire to create another little consumer. I desire to have created a beautiful human being who understands the value of her possessions and treats them with respect. I want her to understand that just because we can run out and buy another piece of clothings doesn't mean we should or will.
We were immensely blessed when we were given all these beautiful clothing items by friends and family. Now we will immensely bless someone else with these pieces. And hopefully our home will regain a bit more peace. And become a little less pink.
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| Gifts for other little gals to enjoy! |
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Keeping the Tough Days in Perspective
Today has not been Little Sheep's best day. She awoke too early this morning and has been struggling through her naps ever since. She will get through one sleep cycle, and then will awaken and call for me. I rush in and try to nurse her back to sleep. In her swing. While I rock it back and forth.
Interesting mental image, I'm sure. Trust me, it's not my favorite thing to do in the run of my day.
Unfortunately so far I have not been successful. Twice now she has gone back to sleep on her own, but only for a few brief moments. It's trying. I had intended for us to get together with our local playgroup, as well as spend some time reorganizing her room. It hasn't worked out the way I'd planned. Perhaps I should get used to that from hereon out.
As I was sitting on the couch, looking around at what little I have accomplished versus what I haven't, I started to think about a few other women I know of. One is my friend Sandy, and the struggles she's had for years trying to conceive and/or adopt. Another is a fellow mom-blogger, Jill Haskins of Fierce and Fiesty who lost her wonderful son Joshua last week to Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.
I cannot imagine being either of these two women. I have been blessed, unworthy as I am, with a beautiful baby, who I cannot imagine life without. How is it that I deserve to be as lucky as I am, while others are not?
Thinking upon this, I wrote the following on Twitter (Twitter-esque writing maintained).
Here's how I try to look at it:
The good days so dramstically outnumber the tough days
that every now and then, a tough day is okay. (1/3)
I am immensely blessed & humbled to have
Little Sheep in my life & that is worth more than
any amount of housework, sleep, or me time. (2/3)
So on days like today, I forget the plans, obligations
and social-imposed rules and just do my best.
Others arefar worse off than I. (3/3)
So the laundry might not get completely folded. So supper might be microwaved. So I might not get my teeth brushed til after Papa Sheppard gets home from work. But that's okay for today. And it will be okay for tomorrow too. Or the rest of the week if need be. I am willing to take on these "tough days" and smile through them. God has blessed me so richly, and I can only pray that he showers others with "tough days" as well.
Side Note: If you wish to support the Haskins Family, there is a link set up on Jill's site. As well, I am sure words of encouragement, Scripture and prayers would be welcomed. Please be kind -- this poor family has been through hell (and then some) in the past seven weeks. They need all the help, love, and blessings they can have right now.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Musings From the Herd: Humility and "It's All His Fault!"
I'm mad. I have been mad all day. Everything Papa Sheppard says or does is ticking me off right now. He doesn't listen to me, he doesn't hear what I am saying. He is just complaining and ordering me around. It's so frustrating. Especially since it's totally my fault.
Here's a fact: we LOVE to bash our husbands. Doesn't matter why. Dinner isn't ready? His fault. Diaper needs changing? His fault. Didn't get your teeth brushed? His fault. Doesn't matter who or what the issue is -- it's totally, completely and 100% his fault.
Papa Sheppard, Little Sheep and I all have allergies to cats. On top of that, Papa Sheppard has vertigo issues, and panic attacks. When his sineses are clogged, he takes dizzy spells, which trigger panic attacks. I just get the sniffles and watery eyes. Little Sheep sneezes and doesn't sleep well.
So you can imagine the shape we are in after spending Thanksgiving dinner at his parents' place. Who have 3 cats. Who stay indoors at all times.
Little Sheep didn't get nearly enough sleep yesterday, and was overtired this morning. Papa Sheppard woke up too early and didn't get enough sleep, so his allergies continue to plague him. And I decided today would be the perfect day to go to a second-hand store to look for a coat for two hours with Little Sheep.
Bad Mama Sheppard, you should know better than that.
On top of that, I have slacked off on my daily routines, so everything is behind. And because I am not feeling well and am irritable, I am getting anxious and overwhelmed easily. So the current state of my home just makes it worse. And the fact that Papa Sheppard, who is legitimately not feeling well, is spending the day in his pajamas and doing nothing to help only further irritates me.
Because I took Little Sheep out two days in a row, she is way overtired. And she didn't get her proper naps. By the way, we also tried to get her to nap in her crib for an hour (no CIO but with loving attention), and try to get her to take the pacifier. Dumb. Cranky babies don't do well when deviating from their routine.
So we are all under the weather, overtired and anxious. The house needs work, and we need rest. I am irritable and snappy. Anything else? Yup. When it comes to communication, I am not so good.
First off, I have a horrible habit of forgetting EVERYTHING. Seriously. Today I accidently forgot I was trying on a coat at the secondhand store and actually left my car keys in a coat pocket (true story)! More times than not, I forget comversations and requests from Papa Sheppard. This has caused more than one small tiff between us, because he feels like I don't listen to him.
Other times I forget to tell him things, which usually results in me either telling him just in the nick of time, or just too late. Which screws up our schedule.
And then there are times when I tell him something several times, because I forget I have already told him something. (Though this is where he is in the wrong: sometimes he makes me feel stupid for repeating myself when he knows I can't help it).
I wonder if anyone will notice a difference if I develop Altzimers in my old age.
But there's another aspect of communication I am not good at. I don't speak up when I disagree. We women tend to do this a lot, rather than confront out husbands about an issue. Why is that? We are afraid at the agruement that could (not will, could) insue; we talk to our girlfriends/mothers/sisters before we talk to our partners (this was something that drove me nuts on SATC -- Carrie would have saves herself so much drama if she'd gone to Aiden or Big instead of her three moronic single girlfriends. Seriously, relationship advise from Samantha?!); we don't know why we have to do this, why we can't just make the decisions ourselves; and the biggest one of all: we don't like having to admit we might be wrong.
Ouch.
Here is what we (meaning I) have to remember.
1). Our husbands are men. Not boys. They shouldn't whine, gripe, sook or storm off because they aren't getting their way. If your man does this, he needs to watch this video. What they should do is humbly, lovingly lead us. Sometimes that is not what we want. But that is their job. To lead us. Lovingly.
2). Our husbands cannot read our minds. Part of us wants or expects that we want that (the other part is very relieved that they can't). If we don't tell them what we want/need/feel, they are going to go on their happy merry way convinced all is right with the world.
3). Our husbands mean what they say. If he says he's sick, he's sick. If he says he's tired, he's tired. If he says he's hungry, he's hungry. It's not men who give us little clues as to what we actually mean. We do that! We either tell them half-truths or outright lies, or we imagine some secret underlying comment hidden underneath what they said. Why? Because we do it to them.
4). Our husbands are not martyrs. We are. We sacrifice all we have, and then expect them to do the same. Men, on the other hand, recognize that they need to recharge and have no problem letting things slide for a bit to get themselves back where they need to be. That's our vice, not theirs.
Sigh. And now comes the tough part. Admitting our faults and asking forgiveness.
"But he could be more supportive!" Yes he could. Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But he never helps me around the house!" If you are a SAHM, and he works outside, you don't help him at his job. If you need help, fine! Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But he thinks he knows everything! He has no idea--" That's because you don't tell him. Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But he doesn't understand how difficult it is!". Maybe not. Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But I am right! He should apologize." No one likes to apologize. But in every arguement, both parties have something to apologize for. Tell him that. But appologize first.
The old saying, Love is never havimg to say you are sorry, is so, so wrong. Love is saying you're sorry. Love is admitting you were wrong. And if you are truly loved back, that person will apologize too.
"But-" No more buts. Just Appologize.
Here's a fact: we LOVE to bash our husbands. Doesn't matter why. Dinner isn't ready? His fault. Diaper needs changing? His fault. Didn't get your teeth brushed? His fault. Doesn't matter who or what the issue is -- it's totally, completely and 100% his fault.
Papa Sheppard, Little Sheep and I all have allergies to cats. On top of that, Papa Sheppard has vertigo issues, and panic attacks. When his sineses are clogged, he takes dizzy spells, which trigger panic attacks. I just get the sniffles and watery eyes. Little Sheep sneezes and doesn't sleep well.
So you can imagine the shape we are in after spending Thanksgiving dinner at his parents' place. Who have 3 cats. Who stay indoors at all times.
Little Sheep didn't get nearly enough sleep yesterday, and was overtired this morning. Papa Sheppard woke up too early and didn't get enough sleep, so his allergies continue to plague him. And I decided today would be the perfect day to go to a second-hand store to look for a coat for two hours with Little Sheep.
Bad Mama Sheppard, you should know better than that.
On top of that, I have slacked off on my daily routines, so everything is behind. And because I am not feeling well and am irritable, I am getting anxious and overwhelmed easily. So the current state of my home just makes it worse. And the fact that Papa Sheppard, who is legitimately not feeling well, is spending the day in his pajamas and doing nothing to help only further irritates me.
Because I took Little Sheep out two days in a row, she is way overtired. And she didn't get her proper naps. By the way, we also tried to get her to nap in her crib for an hour (no CIO but with loving attention), and try to get her to take the pacifier. Dumb. Cranky babies don't do well when deviating from their routine.
So we are all under the weather, overtired and anxious. The house needs work, and we need rest. I am irritable and snappy. Anything else? Yup. When it comes to communication, I am not so good.
First off, I have a horrible habit of forgetting EVERYTHING. Seriously. Today I accidently forgot I was trying on a coat at the secondhand store and actually left my car keys in a coat pocket (true story)! More times than not, I forget comversations and requests from Papa Sheppard. This has caused more than one small tiff between us, because he feels like I don't listen to him.
Other times I forget to tell him things, which usually results in me either telling him just in the nick of time, or just too late. Which screws up our schedule.
And then there are times when I tell him something several times, because I forget I have already told him something. (Though this is where he is in the wrong: sometimes he makes me feel stupid for repeating myself when he knows I can't help it).
I wonder if anyone will notice a difference if I develop Altzimers in my old age.
But there's another aspect of communication I am not good at. I don't speak up when I disagree. We women tend to do this a lot, rather than confront out husbands about an issue. Why is that? We are afraid at the agruement that could (not will, could) insue; we talk to our girlfriends/mothers/sisters before we talk to our partners (this was something that drove me nuts on SATC -- Carrie would have saves herself so much drama if she'd gone to Aiden or Big instead of her three moronic single girlfriends. Seriously, relationship advise from Samantha?!); we don't know why we have to do this, why we can't just make the decisions ourselves; and the biggest one of all: we don't like having to admit we might be wrong.
Ouch.
Here is what we (meaning I) have to remember.
1). Our husbands are men. Not boys. They shouldn't whine, gripe, sook or storm off because they aren't getting their way. If your man does this, he needs to watch this video. What they should do is humbly, lovingly lead us. Sometimes that is not what we want. But that is their job. To lead us. Lovingly.
2). Our husbands cannot read our minds. Part of us wants or expects that we want that (the other part is very relieved that they can't). If we don't tell them what we want/need/feel, they are going to go on their happy merry way convinced all is right with the world.
3). Our husbands mean what they say. If he says he's sick, he's sick. If he says he's tired, he's tired. If he says he's hungry, he's hungry. It's not men who give us little clues as to what we actually mean. We do that! We either tell them half-truths or outright lies, or we imagine some secret underlying comment hidden underneath what they said. Why? Because we do it to them.
4). Our husbands are not martyrs. We are. We sacrifice all we have, and then expect them to do the same. Men, on the other hand, recognize that they need to recharge and have no problem letting things slide for a bit to get themselves back where they need to be. That's our vice, not theirs.
Sigh. And now comes the tough part. Admitting our faults and asking forgiveness.
"But he could be more supportive!" Yes he could. Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But he never helps me around the house!" If you are a SAHM, and he works outside, you don't help him at his job. If you need help, fine! Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But he thinks he knows everything! He has no idea--" That's because you don't tell him. Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But he doesn't understand how difficult it is!". Maybe not. Tell him that. But appologize first.
"But I am right! He should apologize." No one likes to apologize. But in every arguement, both parties have something to apologize for. Tell him that. But appologize first.
The old saying, Love is never havimg to say you are sorry, is so, so wrong. Love is saying you're sorry. Love is admitting you were wrong. And if you are truly loved back, that person will apologize too.
"But-" No more buts. Just Appologize.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Musings From the Herd: Please and Thank You!
I never had an interest in Thanksgiving. I'm not a big fan of turkey and don't really pay a lot of attention to the historical significance of this particular holiday. But yesterday, I received an email from my friend Sandy. She wrote "Have a great thankgiving weekend. It's been a year to give thanks for in many ways!:)"
So I thought I'd take a minute to reflect on all that I am thankful for this year, and think about what might possibly come my way. So, I am thankful for (in no particular order):
So I thought I'd take a minute to reflect on all that I am thankful for this year, and think about what might possibly come my way. So, I am thankful for (in no particular order):
- the Trinitarian God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who are equal but different, and are an integral part of our lives in every aspect. Without God, I would be nothing. He is so great, gracious and merciful. He has so much to teach me.
- my beautiful baby girl, Little Sheep, who came into this world over four months ago and has been an incredible eye-opening experience. I love her (and Papa Sheppard) more than anything in this world.
- My wonderful husband, Papa Sheppard, who has proven himself to be different and better than any other man I know countless times over. I cannot imagine being with anyone else.
- my mother and step-dad, the new grandparents, and their ability to laugh off my naivety and foolishness throughout my pregnancy and the beginnings of my journey through motherhood
- the wonderful birth experience I had -- painful, but wonderful
- my work partner, who has since moved away, but who made my experience working while I was pregnant so much easier and was so supportive
- Sandy and her husband, and their beautiful baby girl
- my best friend, D, away in Alberta, and her gorgeous family. D has had three kids of her own, and is always able to answer my questions, or able to direct me in the right path.
- my friend Bri, who is so crafty and capable, and makes the cutest cloth diapers!
- Papa Sheppard's parents, who dote over Little Sheep like she is the only baby alive!
- this wonderful city I live in -- clean, open-minded, helpful to its citizens, and conscious of both the environment and the financial state
- our warm home and kitchen full of food
- the Internet, which acts as my brain on many occasions
- those who inspire me every day -- Shane Claiborne, Mother Theresa, my grandmother, Frank, and many people I see on the streets who give me ideas, whom I might never meet again.
- my dad, who looks down on us from Heaven
- the many people out there who follow and support our way of life -- attachment parenting, conscious consumerism, environmentally thoughtful, organic consumption
- my marriage, built on a loving and compassionate rock we call Christ, and maintained with an attitude of respect, honour and love.
- my husband's ability to provide for us and keep us well fed and our heads above water financially. He has medical issues that make working difficult for him, yet he gets up every morning and does it to the best of his abilities to provide and keep us safe and healthy.
It has been an amazing year. Rereading this list is a humbling experience and makes me teary-eyed. So many wonderful people and things to be thankful for.
God bless you all, and Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Mom Talk: Babywearing
Thanks to International Babywearing Week, the thought of slings, wraps, and carriers have been dancing through my head. Last night, in fact, I dreamed I had purchased two pouch slings (I don't own any) and I woke wondering how I was going to tell Papa Sheppard that I had purchased another baby sling.
He'd put a stop to them after the third ring sling. But he never put a stop on wraps.
He put a stop to them after the second.
Currently, my cost associated with the six acquired baby carrier systems I have (three ring slings, two wraps, and one infant carrier) is $32.00. And in all honesty, the majority of that is the cost of the Maya Wrap I purchased secondhand off eBay. The other two ring slings came from Freecycle, and the wraps were made out of fabric gifted from my mother.
Yesterday, we went to see our family physician, Dr. G. She is an excellent GP who has taken care of me, Papa Sheppard, my mother, three aunts, and my grandmother. My brother was seeing her, but decided he'd prefer a male doctor, so we're trying to get my sister-in-law in to see her as well. She's had 25 years of experience as a doctor of family medicine and has had three children of her own. Her wall is littered with pictures of babies she has either delivered or cared for.
After seeing Little Sheep yesterday, she reported that, while she's in the 90th percentile for her height, she's still only in the low 50th percentile for her weight. She's been that way pretty much since birth. I personally don't think she's too skinny, but "by the chart" she's a little on the thin side. We know that Papa Sheppard was a skinny little rake for most of his life, but Dr. G. would like to see Little Sheep with a little more flesh on her bones. Because we are exclusively breastfeeding, and on demand, I figured the easiest way would be to just wear her most of the day.
Then we started describing a few other things we'd noticed. A small cough, spitting up actual milk solids, arching of her back, not liking lying down in the evening. Dr. G. smirked and said, "Sounds like she's got reflux. I could put her on medication, but I'd rather not. Try to just keep her upright more often."
That pretty much cinched the babywearing idea. Papa Sheppard likes that I wear her, to an extent, but he worries she doesn't get enough "her time" and space. I love wearing her. She likes it for only so long, then she wants her freedom and the ability to wiggle. So we decided to wear her more often throughout the day and nurse her more often as well. When we go out, we'll wear her. And when she objects and wants her freedom, than we will take her out and let her wiggle til she wants to come back in. She's pretty easy to read at this point.
This morning, while she was in the sling, I was able to accomplish most of my morning chores with her in the wrap. I was very pleased with this. People always say "It's so hard to do housework with a baby". I figure if I could just master the back carry, I'd be set for life.
Oh, and one other thing. I recently read this heartbreaking post about the cradle carry and why it is a bad one for babies. Little Sheep never liked that one anyway, so it wasn't often that we used it. However, I see no reason to continue using it now, and intend to use other carries so that I don't get in that habit with the next baby.
He'd put a stop to them after the third ring sling. But he never put a stop on wraps.
He put a stop to them after the second.
Currently, my cost associated with the six acquired baby carrier systems I have (three ring slings, two wraps, and one infant carrier) is $32.00. And in all honesty, the majority of that is the cost of the Maya Wrap I purchased secondhand off eBay. The other two ring slings came from Freecycle, and the wraps were made out of fabric gifted from my mother.
Yesterday, we went to see our family physician, Dr. G. She is an excellent GP who has taken care of me, Papa Sheppard, my mother, three aunts, and my grandmother. My brother was seeing her, but decided he'd prefer a male doctor, so we're trying to get my sister-in-law in to see her as well. She's had 25 years of experience as a doctor of family medicine and has had three children of her own. Her wall is littered with pictures of babies she has either delivered or cared for.
After seeing Little Sheep yesterday, she reported that, while she's in the 90th percentile for her height, she's still only in the low 50th percentile for her weight. She's been that way pretty much since birth. I personally don't think she's too skinny, but "by the chart" she's a little on the thin side. We know that Papa Sheppard was a skinny little rake for most of his life, but Dr. G. would like to see Little Sheep with a little more flesh on her bones. Because we are exclusively breastfeeding, and on demand, I figured the easiest way would be to just wear her most of the day.
Then we started describing a few other things we'd noticed. A small cough, spitting up actual milk solids, arching of her back, not liking lying down in the evening. Dr. G. smirked and said, "Sounds like she's got reflux. I could put her on medication, but I'd rather not. Try to just keep her upright more often."
That pretty much cinched the babywearing idea. Papa Sheppard likes that I wear her, to an extent, but he worries she doesn't get enough "her time" and space. I love wearing her. She likes it for only so long, then she wants her freedom and the ability to wiggle. So we decided to wear her more often throughout the day and nurse her more often as well. When we go out, we'll wear her. And when she objects and wants her freedom, than we will take her out and let her wiggle til she wants to come back in. She's pretty easy to read at this point.
This morning, while she was in the sling, I was able to accomplish most of my morning chores with her in the wrap. I was very pleased with this. People always say "It's so hard to do housework with a baby". I figure if I could just master the back carry, I'd be set for life.
Oh, and one other thing. I recently read this heartbreaking post about the cradle carry and why it is a bad one for babies. Little Sheep never liked that one anyway, so it wasn't often that we used it. However, I see no reason to continue using it now, and intend to use other carries so that I don't get in that habit with the next baby.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Link Love: momAgenda
Hello. My name is MamaSheppard. And I am addicted to planners. Actually, it's even worse than that -- I'm addicted to blank paper. I have a terrible condition in which, anytime I see a blank piece of paper, I have an urge to write on it. Notes, thoughts, story ideas, article ideas, reminders, appointments, lists. Anything and everything. It's bad. Papa Sheppard often complains that there's never any blank paper around for him to jot down his notes.
I've recently become aware of a beautiful product called momAgenda, specifically designed for the busy moms out there. They are coil bound and big, designed to keep tabs on all your weekly events and escapades.
I've recently become aware of a beautiful product called momAgenda, specifically designed for the busy moms out there. They are coil bound and big, designed to keep tabs on all your weekly events and escapades.
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| Ooooo, coil-bound! :) |
In a very functional twist, they're actually designed to record the schedules of Mom and up to four children seperately. This is really ideal, especially for those of us who like to record the things our children do. I can see myself recording Little Sheep's daily accomplishments (when she rolled, when she smiled, etc.) in here, along with her appointments, play dates, visits with family, and anything else that we get lined up.
They come in three beautiful colors. My own personal favorite is turquoise. But there's also a zebra-striped, which seems to be coming back in style for baby accessories. You know what I do like, though? There isn't a black. I really like that. And I love black. But it's awesome that they only come in fun, bright colors, rather than look like every other agenda out there and be boring, basic black, all day long.
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| Tabbies too! |
For those who are a little more tree-friendly, there is also a momAgenda app for the iPad (but not for iPhone? *tear*), which looks pretty functional. Although then you don't get the neat zebra-striped cover. Unless you have one on your iPad.
Currently, there is a contest going on via NaturalMommie's daily blog. To enter, scroll down to the bottom and choose your method of entry. There's lots of ways to enter, which is excellent -- this gives more people the opportunity to enter, rather than just restricting it to Twitter users, Facebook users, or those who subscribe to the email listing. I like the openmindedness.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have about fifteen different things I have to write down. Gotta go dig up some scrap paper.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Mom Talk: My Motherhood Goals, or "I Will Not Raise a Brat!"
The more the days go by and I better get to know this gorgeous little gift God sent me, the more thrilled I am to be a mother and especially, be her mother. Many things come to mind as time goes past, however. What do I want to achieve? What do I want her to achieve? What do I want to achieve with her, together? Where are my priorities?
There was one thing I kept telling Papa Sheppard, my parents, my co-workers, and friends is that "I will not raise a brat." My objective is that my children will not whine needlessly, will not be obnoxious and rude, will not be spoiled and starving for attention. In essence, I have no intention of raising Bart, Lisa or Maggie Simpson.
It may sound like I am expecting Little Sheep to be perfect, which of course, I am not. I am expecting her to cry, not want to nap, hate vegetables, and grumble when I don't let her have her way sometimes. I'm expecting her to be a child, not a brat.
Therefore, I have set several goals ahead of myself in order to accomplish my main objective.
1. I plan to attachment parent. This involves many different aspects. Dr. William Sears seems to be the voice on this, but for me, attachment parenting involves the many objectives I have listed below. Babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, positive discipline, etc. Current belief with reference to attachment parenting is that children are brought up feeling more confident about themselves and their parents. In other words, babies who are taught that they can trust and rely on their parents to help them are more willing and able to experience the world around them, trusting that their parents are there and will keep them safe.
2. I plan to breastfeed for at least a year, but likely until she decides to stop, or we are blessed with another baby. This could mean two or more years. And that's just fine with me. My daughter's health and well being are far more important to me than any standardized or socialized concern. I can only see myself stopping her if I become pregnant and it becomes too difficult to nurse her. My expectation is, however, that by the time we have our second child, she will have weaned herself.
3. I plan to co-sleep. We currently co-sleep during the night, which works out amazingly well for us. Little Sheep sleeps beside me, and I sleep between her and Papa Sheppard. She is warm, comfortable, safe, and neither of us has to get up in the night for feedings, which means more sleep for us. Which means both of us are healthier and happier.
4. I do not plan to let her "cry it out". Personally, there is nothing more heartbreaking than the thought of leaving my poor Little Sheep alone in her room to cry and scream, knowing that she needs something and not understanding why it is that I am not there to help her when she calls. I cannot fathom breaking her trust like that, and I cannot fathom doing that to her. Papa Sheppard and I agreed to that one long before we had Little Sheep. We want her to learn to nap independant of us, but we don't want her to cry and scream the whole time.
5. I plan to get her involved with other children from an early age. Currently, we participate in the Le Leche League meetings once a month, and a weekly baby massage and a weekly mom and baby group. It is important to me that she learns to interact with other kids of different ages and ethnicities. For one, her immune system will get stronger, as kids pass around germs like politicians pass around blame. For another, it will also teach her to share. It bothers me to hear a kid snatch something from another and yell, "Mine!" I want Little Sheep to know the value of giving and sharing with others.
6. I plan on having more than one baby. I said this long before I even wanted kids. My brother and I grew up with playing with another little boy in our community who was an only child. He used to beg us to be his brother and sister. He didn't like being an only child. True, he had all of his parents' attention and got all the gifts at holidays, but he was lonesome for a sibling. It broke my heart. Papa Sheppard and I decided before we were married that we would plan to have at least two, possibly three, children. Now that I've had Little Sheep, I plan to have as many babies as the Lord thinks I can have. This does not make me in support of the Quiverfull movement. I believe, however, that I will have as many children as I can love and support equally, as well as have the health and mental ability to do so. Or until I have a bad birth experience. That might scare me out of having any more.
7. I plan on keeping her home and life simple. Toys are simple and minimal. Her favorite rattle is a set of metal measuring spoons. She loves to play with baby blankets and feet. I see no reason to bombard her with bright plastic toys made in China. If we had it my way, I'd have nothing plastic in her toybox. I also do not intend to spend great amounts of money on her toys. Why should I spend $60 on a toy she'll break in five minutes, when I can buy it for $10 on Kijiji? Same with her clothes. She outgrows things so quickly and will continue to do so for many years. I don't intend to buy much new. In this way, she will learn the truth about wealth and value.
8. I plan to wear my daughter. A lot. I have three slings right now. I am in love with them all. I use my Maya Wrap (bought on eBay for $30) for going out shopping and to formal events. I use my Heart to Heart Wrap (free via Freecycle) around the house and in the evenings before bed. I wear my homemade Moby Wrap (bought at a fabric store) when walking and doing housework. Little Sheep plays on her tummy or in her high chair most other times.
9. I plan to keep her well-napped. Little Sheep is not a good napper. Well, let me rephrase that -- she is an excellent napper when she wants to be. Right now she's going into her second hour in her swing. But yesterday, I think she slept about 2 hours all day. This is why it is important to me that she learns to sleep well. I want her to be well rested and happy. Many of the suggestions I've implemented come from Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Nap Solution. Check it out at your library.
10. I plan on getting her involved with the community. This is a big one for me. Before we became pregnant, Papa Sheppard and I volunteered with a local men's shelter on Saturday mornings, serving breakfast and hanging out with our street friends. Up at 5 a.m. on Saturday mornings to play cards and hang out with homeless drug addicts? You probably think we're crazy. But in truth, we loved it. We had a great time and we met some great people. When we became pregnant, my safety became a concern, and we stopped going. But we intend to continue after Little Sheep is old enough. We also intend to get her involved in other aspects of our community. It will make her appreciate what she has more, as well as prevent her from developing ideals about people who are different from her.
11. I plan on being a SAHM. Another aspect Papa Sheppard and I discussed before we were married was my desire to be a SAHM. It was only further reinforced when Little Sheep came along. We both fell madly in love with our family and we know that me being home is the best thing for us all around. Little Sheep will benefit from a good, loving family orientation, which is something I personally don't believe she will find in the care of a stranger. What's more, it is difficult to find caretakers who will provide her with the same values and faith as we do. And finally, based on my calculations and income, it would not be profitable for me to return to work at the cost of daycare in this city. It's just too expensive. It is my hope that I can instead provide daycare for my brother's child once s/he is born next year for my sister-in-law, who makes more than me and who loves her job.
These are the general guidelines by which I plan to achieve my goal of not raising a brat. I can hear other mothers laughing their butts off at me. "Sure," they say. "Wait til she is old enough to walk/talk. Your toon will change!"
Well, in the words of our beloved British crooner, John Lennon,
 |
| Yes, Lisa and Maggie are just as bratty as Bart. |
It may sound like I am expecting Little Sheep to be perfect, which of course, I am not. I am expecting her to cry, not want to nap, hate vegetables, and grumble when I don't let her have her way sometimes. I'm expecting her to be a child, not a brat.
Therefore, I have set several goals ahead of myself in order to accomplish my main objective.
1. I plan to attachment parent. This involves many different aspects. Dr. William Sears seems to be the voice on this, but for me, attachment parenting involves the many objectives I have listed below. Babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, positive discipline, etc. Current belief with reference to attachment parenting is that children are brought up feeling more confident about themselves and their parents. In other words, babies who are taught that they can trust and rely on their parents to help them are more willing and able to experience the world around them, trusting that their parents are there and will keep them safe.
2. I plan to breastfeed for at least a year, but likely until she decides to stop, or we are blessed with another baby. This could mean two or more years. And that's just fine with me. My daughter's health and well being are far more important to me than any standardized or socialized concern. I can only see myself stopping her if I become pregnant and it becomes too difficult to nurse her. My expectation is, however, that by the time we have our second child, she will have weaned herself.3. I plan to co-sleep. We currently co-sleep during the night, which works out amazingly well for us. Little Sheep sleeps beside me, and I sleep between her and Papa Sheppard. She is warm, comfortable, safe, and neither of us has to get up in the night for feedings, which means more sleep for us. Which means both of us are healthier and happier.
4. I do not plan to let her "cry it out". Personally, there is nothing more heartbreaking than the thought of leaving my poor Little Sheep alone in her room to cry and scream, knowing that she needs something and not understanding why it is that I am not there to help her when she calls. I cannot fathom breaking her trust like that, and I cannot fathom doing that to her. Papa Sheppard and I agreed to that one long before we had Little Sheep. We want her to learn to nap independant of us, but we don't want her to cry and scream the whole time.
5. I plan to get her involved with other children from an early age. Currently, we participate in the Le Leche League meetings once a month, and a weekly baby massage and a weekly mom and baby group. It is important to me that she learns to interact with other kids of different ages and ethnicities. For one, her immune system will get stronger, as kids pass around germs like politicians pass around blame. For another, it will also teach her to share. It bothers me to hear a kid snatch something from another and yell, "Mine!" I want Little Sheep to know the value of giving and sharing with others.
6. I plan on having more than one baby. I said this long before I even wanted kids. My brother and I grew up with playing with another little boy in our community who was an only child. He used to beg us to be his brother and sister. He didn't like being an only child. True, he had all of his parents' attention and got all the gifts at holidays, but he was lonesome for a sibling. It broke my heart. Papa Sheppard and I decided before we were married that we would plan to have at least two, possibly three, children. Now that I've had Little Sheep, I plan to have as many babies as the Lord thinks I can have. This does not make me in support of the Quiverfull movement. I believe, however, that I will have as many children as I can love and support equally, as well as have the health and mental ability to do so. Or until I have a bad birth experience. That might scare me out of having any more.7. I plan on keeping her home and life simple. Toys are simple and minimal. Her favorite rattle is a set of metal measuring spoons. She loves to play with baby blankets and feet. I see no reason to bombard her with bright plastic toys made in China. If we had it my way, I'd have nothing plastic in her toybox. I also do not intend to spend great amounts of money on her toys. Why should I spend $60 on a toy she'll break in five minutes, when I can buy it for $10 on Kijiji? Same with her clothes. She outgrows things so quickly and will continue to do so for many years. I don't intend to buy much new. In this way, she will learn the truth about wealth and value.
8. I plan to wear my daughter. A lot. I have three slings right now. I am in love with them all. I use my Maya Wrap (bought on eBay for $30) for going out shopping and to formal events. I use my Heart to Heart Wrap (free via Freecycle) around the house and in the evenings before bed. I wear my homemade Moby Wrap (bought at a fabric store) when walking and doing housework. Little Sheep plays on her tummy or in her high chair most other times.9. I plan to keep her well-napped. Little Sheep is not a good napper. Well, let me rephrase that -- she is an excellent napper when she wants to be. Right now she's going into her second hour in her swing. But yesterday, I think she slept about 2 hours all day. This is why it is important to me that she learns to sleep well. I want her to be well rested and happy. Many of the suggestions I've implemented come from Elizabeth Pantley's No Cry Nap Solution. Check it out at your library.
10. I plan on getting her involved with the community. This is a big one for me. Before we became pregnant, Papa Sheppard and I volunteered with a local men's shelter on Saturday mornings, serving breakfast and hanging out with our street friends. Up at 5 a.m. on Saturday mornings to play cards and hang out with homeless drug addicts? You probably think we're crazy. But in truth, we loved it. We had a great time and we met some great people. When we became pregnant, my safety became a concern, and we stopped going. But we intend to continue after Little Sheep is old enough. We also intend to get her involved in other aspects of our community. It will make her appreciate what she has more, as well as prevent her from developing ideals about people who are different from her. 11. I plan on being a SAHM. Another aspect Papa Sheppard and I discussed before we were married was my desire to be a SAHM. It was only further reinforced when Little Sheep came along. We both fell madly in love with our family and we know that me being home is the best thing for us all around. Little Sheep will benefit from a good, loving family orientation, which is something I personally don't believe she will find in the care of a stranger. What's more, it is difficult to find caretakers who will provide her with the same values and faith as we do. And finally, based on my calculations and income, it would not be profitable for me to return to work at the cost of daycare in this city. It's just too expensive. It is my hope that I can instead provide daycare for my brother's child once s/he is born next year for my sister-in-law, who makes more than me and who loves her job.
 |
| Guess who my favorite artist is? |
Well, in the words of our beloved British crooner, John Lennon,
You may say I'm a dreamer,
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day, you'll join us
And the world will live as one.
If you'll look to your left, you'll see a list of other mom-bloggers that I follow, who share many common thoughts as I do. You'll see that in truth, we are not the only ones to chose this lifestyle and commitment for our children. And from what I understand, it is a healthy, happy child that comes from it.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Summary Sundays, October 3rd to October 9th
Unfortunately for us, we didn't make it to the 2010 Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge yesterday like I had hoped. Little Sheep was napping and because she and I both value those naps so highly, it didn't seem fair to deprive her of it. :(
However, we instead spent a wonderful day with Papa Sheppard, scouring the local mall. I was gifted with a $40 gift card to the mall last year by a family member, and as of today, I still have not found anything I will pay full price for at the mall. It is indeed sad, because there are many things I do indeed like, but I refuse to pay full price for
a) clothing/electronics that are not baby-friendly;
b) clothing/electronics that are not good quality;
c) clothing/electronics that were made by some poor child in a third world country who earned $0.09/hr;
d) clothing/electronics that do not work with my simple lifestyle.
As such, Papa Sheppard did manage to find a pair of sunglasses that he really did need, and were $10, so I let him use my card. I will probably wait until there's a good deal on some kitchen apparatus I want and put the gift certificate toward that.
The next week looks rather interesting. Monday is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Papa Sheppard and I are good friends with several of the Franciscan Order of Halifax, so I suspect we'll try to make it to Mass with them. We have both been good buddies with "Frank" for years. On the night we got engaged last year, our good friend, Father Danato, gave us each a Franciscan cross that we both wore til our chains broke (reminder: get new chains). Oh, and by the way -- we got engaged on Father Danato's birthday. Oh, and a year later to the day, our daughter, Little Sheep, was born. (You think that's weird? Wait til you hear about November 4th!)
On Tuesday, Little Sheep and I have a get together with the Mom and Baby Group we hang out with around town. Wednesday, there doesn't seem to be much going on for us. On Thursday, however, we have a very busy day. For one, I have my Le Leche League meeting at 1pm. Little Sheep and I also have a doctor's appointment at 3. I also have my baby massage class that day, but I'll skip it this week in lieu of the Le Leche League. And finally, Friday is Errand day, where we run all over the city getting all our stuff done.
This weekend is also Canadian Thanksgiving. This is our first Thanksgiving with Little Sheep, for both us and our parents. Our plan is that this year, we'll do Thanksgiving with Papa Sheppard's parents, and Christmas with my parents. Next year we'll switch. After that, we'll start getting them to come to us. :P
Because October 1st to 7th is World Breastfeeding Week, our local children's hospital is putting on several different events. Little Sheep and I will check them out if/when we have time and are in the appropriate cheer. With the exception to doctor's appointments, I try not to schedule too many things too exact. I never know when Little Sheep's schedule will override my own.
And that's what the week looks like thus far! What busy little sheep we are, huh? Ah well, nothing we can't handle.
However, we instead spent a wonderful day with Papa Sheppard, scouring the local mall. I was gifted with a $40 gift card to the mall last year by a family member, and as of today, I still have not found anything I will pay full price for at the mall. It is indeed sad, because there are many things I do indeed like, but I refuse to pay full price for
a) clothing/electronics that are not baby-friendly;
b) clothing/electronics that are not good quality;
c) clothing/electronics that were made by some poor child in a third world country who earned $0.09/hr;
d) clothing/electronics that do not work with my simple lifestyle.
As such, Papa Sheppard did manage to find a pair of sunglasses that he really did need, and were $10, so I let him use my card. I will probably wait until there's a good deal on some kitchen apparatus I want and put the gift certificate toward that.
The next week looks rather interesting. Monday is the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Papa Sheppard and I are good friends with several of the Franciscan Order of Halifax, so I suspect we'll try to make it to Mass with them. We have both been good buddies with "Frank" for years. On the night we got engaged last year, our good friend, Father Danato, gave us each a Franciscan cross that we both wore til our chains broke (reminder: get new chains). Oh, and by the way -- we got engaged on Father Danato's birthday. Oh, and a year later to the day, our daughter, Little Sheep, was born. (You think that's weird? Wait til you hear about November 4th!)
Mickey Rourke did an awesome job as Frank in Francesco.
On Tuesday, Little Sheep and I have a get together with the Mom and Baby Group we hang out with around town. Wednesday, there doesn't seem to be much going on for us. On Thursday, however, we have a very busy day. For one, I have my Le Leche League meeting at 1pm. Little Sheep and I also have a doctor's appointment at 3. I also have my baby massage class that day, but I'll skip it this week in lieu of the Le Leche League. And finally, Friday is Errand day, where we run all over the city getting all our stuff done.
This weekend is also Canadian Thanksgiving. This is our first Thanksgiving with Little Sheep, for both us and our parents. Our plan is that this year, we'll do Thanksgiving with Papa Sheppard's parents, and Christmas with my parents. Next year we'll switch. After that, we'll start getting them to come to us. :P
Because October 1st to 7th is World Breastfeeding Week, our local children's hospital is putting on several different events. Little Sheep and I will check them out if/when we have time and are in the appropriate cheer. With the exception to doctor's appointments, I try not to schedule too many things too exact. I never know when Little Sheep's schedule will override my own.
And that's what the week looks like thus far! What busy little sheep we are, huh? Ah well, nothing we can't handle.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Frugal Friday: Mother Crockpot
If there is one thing that makes my life a billion times easier (before or after Little Sheep came along), it would definitely have to be our crockpot. Or rather, our crockpots.
They aren't just kitchen appliances. No, they are members of our family. Our two beloved matriarchs who spend their time in our kitchen busily preparing our meals for us. I imagine that, if they could speak, they'd sound like Angela Lansbury and Marla Cilley -- direct, a bit bossy, and delightfully loving.
The crockpot is the ideal kitchen appliance for new moms (and dads) because once you toss in your foods, you completely forget the bloody thing exists, until you start to smell the delicious aroma around you. No matter what the meal, there is a crockpot version of it out there. I cook at least 90% of our meals in the crockpot. I think the only things we don't do in that (yet) is rice, pasta and bacon. Almost everything else goes through the crockpot.
Your initial purchase of your crockpot, if bought brand new, can be anywhere between $20 to $60. I would thoroughly advise looking into Freecycle, Kijiji and second-hand stores before shelling out that much money for a crockpot. Mainly because many people don't recognize their value and often neglect them. If you ask around, you're sure to get at least one person say, "Yeah, I have one, and I never use it!"
The reason most people don't use them is because of the misconception with regards to the foods they prepare. Mushy vegetables, rubbery meats, on and on and on. But a quick Google search will tell you differently. Roasts cooked to perfection; savory vegetables; creamy soups; crystal-clear broths; smooth sauces. Heck, you can even bake bread in them, did you know that?!
I have owned four crockpots over the last ten years. My accumulative cost has been $10.25. One was given brand new as a gift (and met a tragic fate during a move); another I bought for a quarter at a yard sale. It died honorably and was properly disposed of. Of the other two (my current crocks), one cost me $10 and I got it off Kijiji when a lady received it as a wedding gift and didn't want it. The other one was given to me by a friend of the family who was moving and didn't want to drag it with her. It had seen a lot of use (in fact, the cord was taped in two places), but has continued to provide me deliciousness for the last four years. I would take any and all crockpots offered me.
When picking out a crockpot, keep in mind one thing -- don't bother with ones where the pot doesn't come out. Trust me on this. They are a royal pain to keep clean. You can't dunk them in the water like you can a regular crockpot. It's so frustrating. If you're given one, be thankful and use it until you can acquire one with a removable pot.
Another valuable thing about the crockpot is how it saves you money. To begin with, you can purchase tougher, cheaper cuts of meat. Usually these come out tough and rubbery in the oven. But when slowly cooked in a crockpot with lots of juices and herbs, you get a succulent meat that would wow even your pickiest diner. Rather than buying instant products, such as mashed potatoes, they can be cooked all day in the crockpot, another money saver. Homemade recipes that once seemed daunting, such as oatmeal, rice, root vegetables, tomato sauce... Almost anything that needs to be watched while cooking so it doesn't burn can be cooked mindlessly in the crockpot. You will find when you start cooking religiously in your crockpot, your reliance on store-bought pre-prepped food drops dramatically.
Crockpots are also excellent when you are having leftovers. For example, if you've cooked a chicken and there is lots of meat leftover, you can simply leave it in the crockpot, put it back in the fridge and reheat it on low before supper the next day. Or, you can take all the meat off the bones, toss the carcass back into the crockpot, and simmer it away for broth, which can then be used to make soup. Or if you've cooked a full meal in it, such as stew beef and vegetables, stick your immersion blender into the leftovers and blend until smooth and voila! Instant soup! In fact, that is what we're having for supper tonight!
The internet is ripe with crockpot ideas, so I won't bother posting any right now. Our good buddy Google can help you find the recipes you need. However, I will say that if you are looking for a specific recipe, there is a fairly good chance a crockpot version of it exists. Heck, look for ones you don't think could possibly exist! You'll be surprised.
One question remains: What is the return value of the crockpot? Since the crockpot performs the same tasks as both the oven and the stove top of your regular everyday stove, you need to compare this. However, the crockpot cooks food for longer, so you may think that it costs as much or more to run the crockpot through a meal versus the stove.
In order to calculate this, you'd need to know the following:
How many watts it takes to power your stove
How many watts it takes to power your crockpot
And how much your electricity costs per hour
Here is an example, using the cost of a general electric stove and a general crockpot.
Cost of 1 kWh (kilowatt hour) = $0.12 (this is the cost of my own electricity at time of writing)
Stove: 2.0 kWh for 1 hour = $0.24/hr or $0.24/meal
Crockpot: 0.10 kWh for 1 hour = $0.012/hr or $0.08/meal (cooked for 7-8 hours on low)
In essence, it would take you three meals cooked in your crockpot to equal the cost of cooking one meal in your stove or oven. If you spent $20 on a brand new crockpot (but you won't, you'll get one for next to nothing somewhere else, won't you?), you'd recover the cost of it in 250 meals (less than a year). However, consider this: if you didn't spend the $20 to buy the crockpot, and instead cooked 250 meals in your oven, you'd have spent $60, three times the cost of the crockpot. So the crockpot will literally pay for itself in 1/3 of the time, or 83 meals. In my case, of my 4 crockpots, my most expensive one, at a cost of $10, paid for themselves after only 42 meals, or in 6 weeks. If you get your crockpot for free, you're ahead of the game.
If you want more crockpot-related inspiration, please check out A Year of Slow Cooking, in which you will be astonished at the delights this lady created using her beloved crockpots.
They aren't just kitchen appliances. No, they are members of our family. Our two beloved matriarchs who spend their time in our kitchen busily preparing our meals for us. I imagine that, if they could speak, they'd sound like Angela Lansbury and Marla Cilley -- direct, a bit bossy, and delightfully loving.
The crockpot is the ideal kitchen appliance for new moms (and dads) because once you toss in your foods, you completely forget the bloody thing exists, until you start to smell the delicious aroma around you. No matter what the meal, there is a crockpot version of it out there. I cook at least 90% of our meals in the crockpot. I think the only things we don't do in that (yet) is rice, pasta and bacon. Almost everything else goes through the crockpot.
Your initial purchase of your crockpot, if bought brand new, can be anywhere between $20 to $60. I would thoroughly advise looking into Freecycle, Kijiji and second-hand stores before shelling out that much money for a crockpot. Mainly because many people don't recognize their value and often neglect them. If you ask around, you're sure to get at least one person say, "Yeah, I have one, and I never use it!"
The reason most people don't use them is because of the misconception with regards to the foods they prepare. Mushy vegetables, rubbery meats, on and on and on. But a quick Google search will tell you differently. Roasts cooked to perfection; savory vegetables; creamy soups; crystal-clear broths; smooth sauces. Heck, you can even bake bread in them, did you know that?!
I have owned four crockpots over the last ten years. My accumulative cost has been $10.25. One was given brand new as a gift (and met a tragic fate during a move); another I bought for a quarter at a yard sale. It died honorably and was properly disposed of. Of the other two (my current crocks), one cost me $10 and I got it off Kijiji when a lady received it as a wedding gift and didn't want it. The other one was given to me by a friend of the family who was moving and didn't want to drag it with her. It had seen a lot of use (in fact, the cord was taped in two places), but has continued to provide me deliciousness for the last four years. I would take any and all crockpots offered me.
When picking out a crockpot, keep in mind one thing -- don't bother with ones where the pot doesn't come out. Trust me on this. They are a royal pain to keep clean. You can't dunk them in the water like you can a regular crockpot. It's so frustrating. If you're given one, be thankful and use it until you can acquire one with a removable pot.
Another valuable thing about the crockpot is how it saves you money. To begin with, you can purchase tougher, cheaper cuts of meat. Usually these come out tough and rubbery in the oven. But when slowly cooked in a crockpot with lots of juices and herbs, you get a succulent meat that would wow even your pickiest diner. Rather than buying instant products, such as mashed potatoes, they can be cooked all day in the crockpot, another money saver. Homemade recipes that once seemed daunting, such as oatmeal, rice, root vegetables, tomato sauce... Almost anything that needs to be watched while cooking so it doesn't burn can be cooked mindlessly in the crockpot. You will find when you start cooking religiously in your crockpot, your reliance on store-bought pre-prepped food drops dramatically.
Crockpots are also excellent when you are having leftovers. For example, if you've cooked a chicken and there is lots of meat leftover, you can simply leave it in the crockpot, put it back in the fridge and reheat it on low before supper the next day. Or, you can take all the meat off the bones, toss the carcass back into the crockpot, and simmer it away for broth, which can then be used to make soup. Or if you've cooked a full meal in it, such as stew beef and vegetables, stick your immersion blender into the leftovers and blend until smooth and voila! Instant soup! In fact, that is what we're having for supper tonight!
The internet is ripe with crockpot ideas, so I won't bother posting any right now. Our good buddy Google can help you find the recipes you need. However, I will say that if you are looking for a specific recipe, there is a fairly good chance a crockpot version of it exists. Heck, look for ones you don't think could possibly exist! You'll be surprised.
One question remains: What is the return value of the crockpot? Since the crockpot performs the same tasks as both the oven and the stove top of your regular everyday stove, you need to compare this. However, the crockpot cooks food for longer, so you may think that it costs as much or more to run the crockpot through a meal versus the stove.
In order to calculate this, you'd need to know the following:
How many watts it takes to power your stove
How many watts it takes to power your crockpot
And how much your electricity costs per hour
Here is an example, using the cost of a general electric stove and a general crockpot.
Cost of 1 kWh (kilowatt hour) = $0.12 (this is the cost of my own electricity at time of writing)
Stove: 2.0 kWh for 1 hour = $0.24/hr or $0.24/meal
Crockpot: 0.10 kWh for 1 hour = $0.012/hr or $0.08/meal (cooked for 7-8 hours on low)
In essence, it would take you three meals cooked in your crockpot to equal the cost of cooking one meal in your stove or oven. If you spent $20 on a brand new crockpot (but you won't, you'll get one for next to nothing somewhere else, won't you?), you'd recover the cost of it in 250 meals (less than a year). However, consider this: if you didn't spend the $20 to buy the crockpot, and instead cooked 250 meals in your oven, you'd have spent $60, three times the cost of the crockpot. So the crockpot will literally pay for itself in 1/3 of the time, or 83 meals. In my case, of my 4 crockpots, my most expensive one, at a cost of $10, paid for themselves after only 42 meals, or in 6 weeks. If you get your crockpot for free, you're ahead of the game.
If you want more crockpot-related inspiration, please check out A Year of Slow Cooking, in which you will be astonished at the delights this lady created using her beloved crockpots.
Musings From the Herd: A Funny Thing Happened At Baby Massage Yesterday...
I'm a Christian. I don't ascribe to any one denomination or another, but that's for another post. Suffice it to say, I believe in God. And I am completely assured that God has a twisted and delightful sense of humor. Here's my latest escapade.
Several weeks ago, I signed up to a Mom and Baby group on Facebook within my home town. I am rarely on Facebook, so I never really paid much attention to it, and promptly forgot it completely.
I started receiving emails from someone named E. Now, I don't know any E's in real life, so I didn't pay much attention to her messages, until this past Tuesday. I looked into it and realized all this time that her messages had been invites to this Mom and Baby group I'd joined! Not only that, but they were having their regular get-together that very day.
Well, Little Sheep and I got all together and went there. When we got there, we met with another mom and baby, a little girl just a week older than Little Sheep. They invited us to meet with them in a separate part of town for a free baby massage put on by a parent center, which happened every Thursday.
Well, that Thursday (yesterday), Little Sheep and I were running late. We got ready, hopped into the car and took off. We arrived 15 minutes late for class. And Little Sheep was ravenous, and demanded we eat right now! So before we went into the class, we nursed in the car for about 10 minutes.
As we were getting out of the car, already nearly half an hour late, a silver SUV pulled up beside us. I was shocked to see my friend Sandy, a woman I'd met two years ago, waving and yelling at me excitedly. "Don't go anywhere," she yelled, "I have to talk to you!" I was shocked to see her there, much less her husband. She works, as does he, and neither of them live or work even close to this part of town we were in. Why were they here?
Sandy leaped out of her SUV and rushed over excitedly. Now, Sandy is a massage therapist, so I asked her if she was the one putting on the baby massage class. And she said, "No, I'm here to pick up my daughter. We're adopting a baby. Right now. Today!"
Now, a little background. Sandy and her husband have been trying for what seems like millennia to either have or adopt a baby. They've had their hearts broken numerous times and I am sure they were coming to the end of their rope. Last Friday (only 7 days before), they were contacted and told that they had been selected to adopt a little girl. They even got to pick out her name. They hadn't told anyone about it, so that no one got excited. But they'd finally been picked and were being given a baby.
Sandy and I are both active Catholics, and I was so honored and excited to be there when she received her gorgeous little red-haired angel. She's 20 days old and an absolute gem.
Now... how weird is that?
I sign up for a Facebook group. Through it I meet another mom and baby, who invite me across town on a particular day to attend a class. And when I get there, with everything against me timing-wise, I get to be part of a very special event for my friend. Had anything changed -- Little Sheep not wanting to nurse, us getting there on time, our new friend not inviting us to the class, me not checking that email or not going to the mom and baby group -- we wouldn't have been there at that exact time to see something so wonderful take place.
See what I mean when I say God has a twisted and delightful sense of humor?
Several weeks ago, I signed up to a Mom and Baby group on Facebook within my home town. I am rarely on Facebook, so I never really paid much attention to it, and promptly forgot it completely.
I started receiving emails from someone named E. Now, I don't know any E's in real life, so I didn't pay much attention to her messages, until this past Tuesday. I looked into it and realized all this time that her messages had been invites to this Mom and Baby group I'd joined! Not only that, but they were having their regular get-together that very day.
Well, Little Sheep and I got all together and went there. When we got there, we met with another mom and baby, a little girl just a week older than Little Sheep. They invited us to meet with them in a separate part of town for a free baby massage put on by a parent center, which happened every Thursday.
Well, that Thursday (yesterday), Little Sheep and I were running late. We got ready, hopped into the car and took off. We arrived 15 minutes late for class. And Little Sheep was ravenous, and demanded we eat right now! So before we went into the class, we nursed in the car for about 10 minutes.
As we were getting out of the car, already nearly half an hour late, a silver SUV pulled up beside us. I was shocked to see my friend Sandy, a woman I'd met two years ago, waving and yelling at me excitedly. "Don't go anywhere," she yelled, "I have to talk to you!" I was shocked to see her there, much less her husband. She works, as does he, and neither of them live or work even close to this part of town we were in. Why were they here?
Sandy leaped out of her SUV and rushed over excitedly. Now, Sandy is a massage therapist, so I asked her if she was the one putting on the baby massage class. And she said, "No, I'm here to pick up my daughter. We're adopting a baby. Right now. Today!"
Now, a little background. Sandy and her husband have been trying for what seems like millennia to either have or adopt a baby. They've had their hearts broken numerous times and I am sure they were coming to the end of their rope. Last Friday (only 7 days before), they were contacted and told that they had been selected to adopt a little girl. They even got to pick out her name. They hadn't told anyone about it, so that no one got excited. But they'd finally been picked and were being given a baby.
Sandy and I are both active Catholics, and I was so honored and excited to be there when she received her gorgeous little red-haired angel. She's 20 days old and an absolute gem.
Now... how weird is that?
I sign up for a Facebook group. Through it I meet another mom and baby, who invite me across town on a particular day to attend a class. And when I get there, with everything against me timing-wise, I get to be part of a very special event for my friend. Had anything changed -- Little Sheep not wanting to nurse, us getting there on time, our new friend not inviting us to the class, me not checking that email or not going to the mom and baby group -- we wouldn't have been there at that exact time to see something so wonderful take place.
See what I mean when I say God has a twisted and delightful sense of humor?
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