Practice Makes Perfect... Eventually

What is something you've had to practice in order to be good at?

This was the ice-breaker question my husband posed to our small group at our last meeting.  Knowing that the answer didn't have to be "spiritual," my answer came to me pretty quickly:  making bread!

When I decided to begin changing the way I feed myself and my family, I set forth some goals to help keep me from getting too overwhelmed.  One of those goals was to make my own bread.

Right away, this one goal presented me with quite a challenge.  If you've been reading my blog for a while, you might remember from my "Kneading" Heaven post that I have a focal point dystonia of the forearm which has greatly affected my ability to write and to do other common tasks that require the use of the muscles in the forearm--such as kneading dough.

Knowing what the consequences of kneading dough by hand would be--and having neither a stand mixer nor enough loaf pans to oven-bake my bread--I decided I would try adapting the bread recipe to my bread machine (which I had used only two times before).  However, when I pulled my neglected bread machine out of the cupboard and prepared to use it, I realized that the paddle was missing.  I was perplexed at first, but then I remembered that on the second occasion I had made bread in the machine, it had finished baking just as I was running out the door; so I had hastily wrapped it up without taking time to remove the paddle from the loaf.  And days later when the still untouched loaf had started to mold, I threw it out, evidently forgetting that the paddle was still inside.

While I was lamenting my stupid mistake, my mom came up with a great idea:  "Maybe you could have the kids take turns helping you knead."  I loved it!  Kids love to get their hands messy, Abel loves to cook, and I would love the help!  Not only would it save me some pain, it would buy me some time before I would have to purchase either a replacement paddle for the bread machine or a new stand mixer (thus appealing to my frugal nature)!

So, when I we first started making bread back in November, Abel did all of the kneading for me.

The loaves we turned out weren't super, but they tasted good and they were good enough to keep us from having to buy bread.

Then, the weekend of Black Friday, my husband found us a great deal on the 5-quart 475-watt KitchenAid Stand Mixer I wanted so badly!

I got the silver one (and it really did come with those cool prep bowls and the nifty timer!) for only $199.99!  Abel had been replaced (as the "kneader," that is), but he didn't mind.  He enjoyed enjoys the new mixer almost as much as I do!

Here is the first full batch of bread I made using my amazing new appliance.  I still had only one loaf pan at the time, so I used the extra dough to make a few dinner rolls, breadsticks, and pretzels.  (Well, they were supposed to look like breadsticks and pretzels....)

The next investment we made was on a second stoneware loaf pan.  (I actually had one boxed up with some stuff I was going to sell at a garage sale, but when I learned that stoneware is the way to go, I pulled it out and put it to use!)


And the latest addition to my bread-baking equipment was this!

For Christmas, Travis' parents bought me the grain mill attachment for my KitchenAid mixer!  This thing is awesome!  Having tried out a manual grain mill a couple months ago (and therefore knowing how much work it could be to grind my own flour), I felt totally spoiled to have a piece of equipment that does all the work for me.

The decision to begin baking my own bread required not only the acquisition of some equipment (which, after seeing the health benefits, I can say has been totally worth it!); it has also required the acquisition of knowledge and experience.  I didn't realize what an art bread baking really is.  I've been "practicing" making bread for a little over two months now, and I am just finally starting to end up with loaves that I'm not embarrassed to share with company.  :-)

Learning to make bread has been quite an adventure; but I guess since practice makes perfect, this perfectionist will keep right on practicing!

Frugal to a Fault?

Sometimes I think life would be simpler if I wasn't so frugal.

Don't get me wrong.  I think we are to be good stewards of our money and possessions--and by nature, I don't think I could be not frugal even if I tried--but I have to admit... sometimes frugality complicates things!

Amy at Raising Arrows recently wrote a great post on frugality, and after reading it, I got to thinking about how frugal I am.  Sometimes my frugality simplifies things...

• I do my best to not have to throw away leftovers.  I always try to cook just enough food for supper to feed all of us leftovers the next day for lunch.  This serves a few purposes:  1) I can send Travis to work with a hot, healthy lunch so that 2) he doesn't have to waste money eating out, and 3) I don't have to cook lunch for myself and the kids.
• I wash and reuse plastic baggies of all sizes.  (Yes, Amy. I do it, too! :-))  And I also save the foil and saran wrap that I use for baking and storing my homemade bread.  This way, I not only ward off wastefulness; but I also ensure there's always the perfect size baggie/sheet of foil/length of saran wrap handy and waiting in the drawer.

...but other times it complicates things....

• I have a hard time getting rid of excess toys.  Thanks to Abel, I recently had some success with this.  Generally, though, I'm more apt to fill another storage tub or to create new spaces to house toys than I am to just get rid of them.  While in one way I'm being frugal by making the most of what we have (in hopes of not "needing" to buy more), in another way I'm complicating things by keeping clutter.
• I have a hard time giving up on my old clothes.  (Wait.... Is that frugality or denial??..)  I don't buy any super trendy clothing--in fact, I don't buy much clothing, period--so I feel like the things in my closet stay wearable for a few years.  (Right now I'm wearing a t-shirt from college and a pair of jeans from the Christmas before I was married which, after five years of wear, have only just now developed a hole in one knee.)  Still, I wish there were some hard and fast rule as to how long an article of clothing should be allowed to remain in a woman's closet... or how many times it should be allowed to cycle in and out of a storage tub.  Can anyone help me?  Because my frugality is battling with my fashion sense and with my space! :-)

Because my frugality tends to show up more in the area of not throwing things away than in the area of buying things cheap (although I try to do that, too, when appropriate), I have to periodically do a heart check on myself--to examine my motives for hanging on to toys that don't get played with all that much or clothes that haven't been worn in a couple years.  I have to make sure that I'm placing my security not in the amount of stuff I have available in storage but in the God who provides for all my needs.

So, while I once again mull this over, I think I'll go warm up some leftovers. :-)

Kids Say, vol. 5

I have collected a few more funnies.... :-)


Abel (while getting tucked in at bedtime):  Mommy, is it going to be Summer in the morning?

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Me (to Abel when he showed up downstairs a while after getting tucked in for bed):  What are you doing up?
Abel:  Well... I just rolled over, and suddenly I realized I couldn't sleep!

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A couple days after "it finally clicked," Amariah jumped up from her play in the living room and took off running towards the bathroom announcing, "I need go potty!  I need go potty!"  Then, while still on the run, she looked over her shoulder, pointed to her butt, and said, "Don't come out, potty!"

Let's Help Each Other!

Today I received this through the mail.

That's a lot of diapers, huh?! We go through 8-10 diapers a day, so buying in bulk is almost a must for us these days.

And with four children under four (and a bitterly cold Iowa winter), shopping online when possible is another "almost must." It's not that my kids are too naughty to take into a store--they're not. It's just that loading up four kids and coordinating outings around feedings and naps is more work for me than it's worth. (Oh... and then there's the thing where I prefer to stay warm. :-))

That's why I like Diapers.com! On Diapers.com, I can buy larger boxes of diapers than are available in stores (for the same price or less per diaper), and I can do it right from the comfort of my own home. And since I make sure to order at least $49 worth of stuff, I even get free shipping right to my door in 1-2 days!

Another cool thing about Diapers.com is that they sell way more than just diapers: clothing, shoes, toys, books, baby gear, baby food, furniture, bedding, and more! So, with a little planning ahead, it's easy to order $49 worth of stuff that you really need and then not have to pay shipping on it.

Since we all like to save a little money, here's another perk of using Diapers.com. You'll get $10 off your first order, and I'll get a $5 credit when you place your first order if you use my unique referral code of TRAV8136!

Happy ordering, friends! Now, if you'll excuse me, I probably need to go change a diaper.... :-)

A Dream Come True

Last night I dusted off my dress shoes, unburied my jewelry box, mixed up my separated-because-it-hasn't-been-used-in-so-long custom blended foundation, pulled out an almost forgotten dress, and went on a date with my husband!  This wasn't just any date, though.  He took me to see the Broadway musical The Lion King!!!  (Can you tell I'm excited?!)

When I found out several months ago that The Lion King was coming to Des Moines, I began secretly hoping that my husband would surprise me with tickets.  I never asked him if we could go.  He knew from numerous past conversations how badly I've always wanted to see The Lion King; and the awesome husband that he is, I knew that he would grant my desire if it was at all possible.

Well, he didn't let me down!  And neither did the show!  It. was. AMAZING!  The set, the costumes, the mind-blowing talent... I was absolutely enthralled by every part of it.  As I watched the show, taking in every detail, I had to keep reminding myself that I was really there.  I felt totally privileged to be in the presence of such extremely gifted people, and I was thankful to God for the opportunity to enjoy the talents that He has given them.  It was an experience like nothing I've ever had.

All dressed up with somewhere to go!

My Christmas gift from my wonderful husband!

What a night!

Getting Practical... Again

I find that the toughest things are sometimes done best on a whim.

While I was nursing the babies this morning, I said to Abel without much premeditated thought, "Abel, do you think we should get rid of some of your toys?"  Much to my surprise, he answered, "Yeah, we have way too many toys.  Here, I'll start making a pile of toys to get rid of."  And as his little pile began to grow, so did my motivation.

It's been almost a year ago that I determined the need to get practical with the amount of stuff (i.e. clothes and toys) we are hanging on to.  Unfortunately, my resolve wasn't strong enough at the time; I ended up reorganizing toys instead of minimizing them, recognizing the fact that someday I would have to face the growing toy problem.

So, thanks to my whim and Abel's inspiration, today was that day!  We are officially getting rid of three larger toys and two diaper boxes full of smaller toys!  In fact, if I would have let him--and I probably should have--Abel would have parted ways with even more than that.  Perhaps that will be for another day....

The Assembly Line

We started baby cereal yesterday!  I haven't felt that Isabel and Elliana were ready for solids until the last week or so.  At 7 1/2 months of age, they are a little older than most babies who are just starting cereal, but I really wanted to keep them as babies for as long as possible to wait until the time seemed right.  They hadn't started sitting up on their own very well until just recently, and they had been acting quite satisfied with breast milk alone (except for the days when I failed to drink enough water to produce well...); so we waited.

Isabel and Elliana got their new space-saver high chairs over the weekend, and feeling like the time was finally right, we put them to use right away.  I have to admit, the first time feeding two babies was a little trickier than feeding just one.  After nursing, I rounded up two bibs and two spoons and two cups of water (all coordinating, of course :-)) and put the girls in their two new matching seats.  As I mixed up the cereal, Isabel and Elliana, as if they knew what was coming, began getting a bit impatient.  I hurried to my seat in front of the highchairs and presented Isabel with her first bite.  As the spoon neared her reach, she grabbed hold of it and shoved it into her mouth.  Then, putting one spoon down and picking up the other, I scooped up Elliana's first bite.  Before the spoon was even heading in her direction, she opened her mouth as wide as could be and waited.  I continued going back and forth between them, giving each girl two bites at a time.  With each taste, both girls seemed to want the next bite even more than the last; and they began objecting to the 5-8 seconds they would have to wait in between turns.  I was going as fast as I could, trying to keep all things equal and both girls happy.  There was no waiting or talking or playing in between bites--I had a job to do!

Isabel got full first and was ready to get down and get a diaper change.  Elliana, still hungry, waited not so patiently while I carried Isabel into the living room to play with some toys (the diaper change would have to wait).  Back in the kitchen, I continued to feed Elliana until she, too, was finally full, and got her down only to discover that Isabel wasn't the only one now in need of a diaper change.  I carried Elliana to the changing table, and immediately after getting her taken care of, I scooped up Isabel to do the same for her.  As I finished with Isabel and looked at my two full, clean, contented babies, I paused for a moment and let out a sigh as I said to my husband, "I feel like a one-woman assembly line!" :-)