Go back to school, stress free

I've been working on so many new blog ideas but none of them are "perfect" yet. In trying to take my own advice I am letting go of the some of the perfectionist in me and getting things done. I think if I wait for them to be perfect, they won't be completed.  

Back to school time is fun, exciting, bittersweet and can be incredibly busy time. It takes time to get ready for the craziness but it's so worth it. When school days and sports hit we're ready for smooth sailing...or at least ready to handle the last minute crisis with more patience and ease. :) 

School Supply Shopping: 
I have a shelf in my basement that holds all supplies from each year, you know...the stuff that gets dumped out of backpacks every June and left until August? We go through backpacks after school's out and decide then what can be reused/recyled or tossed out. After we've done that, they get put on the shelf until time to start "shopping" there first. 

Inside the first few binders I have sheet protectors, loose leaf paper (one binder for college ruled and one for wide ruled) and tabbed dividers.  Buckets are broken down with pens, pencils, colored pencils; another one with paper stuff (post it notes/flags and index cards); last one markers, sharpies and highlighters.

When it's time to get school supplies I first download all lists from each student and send the kids to the supply shelf with their list. They get what we have, cross it off, put in their pile and give me the marked off list. I then take each list and compile ONE shopping list. This takes time to set up but every year I'm so happy I did. This year the kids kept running to ask me what's next on the list, they'd go grab it, dump in the cart and go for more. We were done shopping in 15 minutes. Fastest time yet! They all loved racing each other...even the 16 year old was happy to help get stuff. Maybe that was because I'd promised them lunch after shopping, though. He's all about food. HA! 

One list is so much easier to take to the store than 1.

This list used to have 6 lists

to combine! It's gets smaller every 2 years.

 

School Lunch Time
We like the kids to pack school lunches for several reasons: saves the budget,  healthier (sometimes) and they will eat what they pack. The kids like to because they have more time to chat with friends by not waiting in line at the cafeteria. To help with ease of morning rush I have 2 shelves in our "extra pantry" (converted catch-all closet). One way we choose to teach them to budget is to have them choose one day a week to buy. Our schools have a lunch account we can put money into whenever we want, so every month the kids get enough money for 5 lunches and milk every day, when that money is gone, they're done buying stuff...unless they want to pay for it out of their own pocket. 

The bottom shelf buckets came from our local Dollar General for $1.50. Top shelf buckets were recycled from someplace in the house. 

 

 

 

 

The top shelf is for after school practices, rehearsals or games. And who doesn't always lose their water bottles? Now they have a place to put them. The bottom shelf bucket labels are: fruit, applesauce, pudding, snack/treat. They kids know my rule is one fruit or applesauce plus a yogurt or fruit from the refrigerator and one treat/snack item. The treat bucket is usually filled with granola bars, pretzel packs, goldfish, etc. 

Anyone who comes to my house knows that I don't stress about cleaning the house the last 2 weeks so summer. It's tidy but certainly not "company clean".  My kids will gone for 6 hours a day and I'll have plenty of time to get it cleaned after they're back in school...unless I'm subbing in one of the schools. (I love subbing! Best paid job ever!)

I hope you enjoy the last few weeks of summer and that the start of your school year is a fun, easy transition.

Chicken Pasta Salad

This week's post has been inspired by a favorite summer meal I made my family tonight. I find it so fascinating how fast sounds, smells and tastes can send us back to sometime in our past.  My great grandma's house had this amazing smell that I can't describe but it always made me feel safe, happy and loved. A few months ago I walked past a cute store that had the same smell. I stopped immediately and stood there looking quite silly, I'm sure, slowly taking in the smell of that store and smiling as I thought of my sweet great grandma; I remember her eyes that would light up when she smiled and heard her laugh as we "raced" to her rocking chair. Our senses are amazing gifts to have! 

Tonight's dinner was a chicken pasta salad that I first tasted 20 years ago when my oldest daughter and I picnicked with my sweet neighbor friend and her three oldest kids. I quickly got the recipe from my friend and made it for my husband. It has since been a family summer favorite. Since it's not a dairy based dressing I've made this for dinners on the go during those crazy summer night activities.

Just as I was pouring the dressing over the all the yummy ingedients my 14 yr old daughter walks in, races over to the counter, picked up a piece of chicken and popped it in her mouth. As soon as she bites down she rolls her eyes (in a good way!), smiles and says, "MMMMmmmmm.  I LOVE this salad so much!" and runs back outside. As I took my first taste test I was taken back to that warm summer day I first tasted this salad. A smile comes to my face as I see my barefoot 2 year old running around the soft yard with her friends and my friend sitting on the plaid blanket  as we share this big bowl of the best pasta salad I had ever eaten.   

Below is the Chicken Pasta Salad recipe. (I wrote this recipe out for my daughters when they left for college. Ignore the notes, unless it's something you're learning too.) I hope it brings a smile to your face as all the flavors of the spices, red wine vinegar and dijon mustard hit your taste buds. I promise if you take this salad to any potluck or picnic you will bring home an empty bowl.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Prep time 30 minutes

Serves 8-10

16 oz pasta

1 bunch broccoli florets

1 small red onion, slivered

1 red pepper, cut julienne

1-6oz can black olives, drained

3 lbs chicken, cooked & cubed

Dressing

                     ½ C vegetable oil                          1 TBS Dijon mustard

                     ¼ C olive oil                                   1 TBS chopped parsley

                    1/3 C red wine vinegar                    2 tsp of each dried spice:

  2 garlic cloves, pressed                   basil, tarragon, marjoram, chives

      Parmesan cheese to taste and cashews

Cook chicken and rinse with cold water.  Cook pasta, drain and rinse with cold water. Blanche broccoli florets (to blanche something you do the following: Fill pan with water,  just enough water to cover broccoli, bring to a boil and add broccoli and cook for 1 minute.  After 1 minute drain and rinse in cold water. Rinsing in cold water stops the cooking process. )

Mix everything else together and let chill for at least an hour before serving. Serve with cashews and parmessan cheese.

RECIPE NOTES:

A pasta that isn’t huge is best for this salad, as it won’t soak up all the dressing. I use the big wagon wheel pasta but have used penne too. Bow tie pasta isn’t great with this.

I’ve also used Balsamic vinegar instead of Red Wine Vinegar. It tastes fine, just has a more bitter flavor rather than tangy.

Don’t add the cashews to the whole bowl of salad because they’ll get soggy fast.

Dried spices are more potent than fresh. So if you use fresh spices, use tablespoons rather than teaspoons but use the same number measurement. In this case, 2 TBS for fresh, 2 tsp for dried.  

Life's magical moments

A cool, summer evening in Ohio is a rarity, especially in June. So, I decided to come outside to read a book on the porch and soak up some of nature's beauty. When I hear summer magic happening, I closed my book and listened as summer magic unfolded.

I then closed my eyes so I hear every sweet sound the night held....5 boys ranging in age from 11 to 20-something playing ball at our basketball hoop we've left in the middle of the court for all to enjoy. A random boy will sing, "If you love me, let me goooo" as he shoots the ball followed by the ting of the rattling hoop and collective, "aaaahhh".  I hear a sweet little girl pleasantly yell out to everyone, "Good night!" as her dad whisks her inside for bed. (I remember the days of trying to coax a younger kid inside for bath and bed as older kids are still outside enjoying the setting sun. Some moments I really miss having younger kids around; though, this moment, I don't envy him.) Birds are happily chirping and then I hear my carefree 8 year old son sing at the top of his lungs, "Zip a dee do da. Zip a dee a. My oh My What a Wonderful Day!" I can't help but smile at his song choice tonight. He's riding his bike around the court singing the entire song and doesn't care if anyone hears him or even sees him. He rides his bike, weaves around toys, chalk and his sister as he continues to belt out this happy tune. And it is then that I think, this is the perfect place to live. This is magic and life is beautiful.

 The "big boy" went inside to help with his kiddos bedtimes

My happy singer stopped to join me on the porch. 

For years Jim and I have considered moving to the country. Having a big farmhouse on a few acres would be such a great life! We could have bonfires, have ATVs the kids could run around on, a big Walton style kitchen table.... Then I experience this night and all the beautiful sounds.

This is our first summer in over 14 years that we don't have someone playing softball or baseball. For the past several years, we've had 3 or more playing ball which means it took our own kind of magic to get everyone where they needed to be at the right time and to have a cheering squad of some sort. I often wondered what it'd be like to enjoy a glass of lemonade on a relaxing summer evening. This year, I finally get to find out.  I look forward to more nights like this one and being able to experience more summer magic. I don't need a few acres or a huge Walton style kitchen table to have a great life full of magic. I just need to step outside our front door and listen to the happy sounds of life on our court.

Life is quite often full of magical moments. I hope we all take the time to stop and the enjoy the magic life brings.

Happy Summer everyone!

Re-disovered...I'm not so different

It's been a while since I've written a  post and my kids have been on me to write...so here's my last "essay" type of post. I've gotten away from what I originally intended this blog to be. I'll be playing around with it this summer, so stay tuned! 

As the school year started I thought a lot about my personal rediscovery. I've been a Stay At Home Mom for 21 years and have loved every single minute of it. Now that my youngest is in 2nd grade, I thought I'd finally take some time to find out what my interests are and what, if any, new hobbies I could find. Here's what I re-discovered about myself...


5. I can't sit still for very long.
I WORK BETTER UNDER STRESS
I found out pretty fast that I get more done and feel better if I have a list of "to-do's". This is nothing new. I just didn't realize it is part of me, regardless of how young or old my kids are. If I don't have a list of things to do or projects to start or finish then I just wander aimlessly until I find something to settle with. My kids teased me a few years ago when my youngest started kindergarten because I'd decided to start subbing in our schools, ran for School Board, had crazy ideas and goals to change the house--paint, rearrange, clean out closets...all at once.

I GENUINELY LIKE PEOPLE...all people, every where I go.
I've read behavior isn't genetic but I I truly think some behaviors might be. My biological father never met a stranger, my uncles have never met a stranger, my brother never meets a stranger and neither do I. My kids used to laugh at me because by the time we left the grocery store I had a new friend in the person behind me in line or with the cashier.  I do miss not having babies with me as a conversation starter, but I've found that as life changes so do my conversations and conversation starters. When helping set my college kiddos up in their apartments, I've learned that this trait has been shared with them too....Who's laughing now? 

I REALLY HAVE MISSED READING BOOKS, age appropriate books
I started a book club in my fun little town. The first month I was so excited to read just for me that I read the first two months of books we'd chosen. I've since learned to pace myself a bit better but oh how I love to read and learn! I also discovered that over the past 21 years my vocabulary has decreased a bit. I read the first book on my kindle and love that I can highlight words I don't know; I can even look up the definition right there on the spot! There were at least 15 words I learned in that book. I should report that book was about 400 pages because 15 words out of 400 pages sounds better than 15 words out of 80 pages. HA! 

I STILL LIKE CREATING THINGS
I made a few things for my house and family and after friends saw them I kept hearing, "You should sell this!" So...after a few months of consideration (and lots of encouragement from husband and kiddos) I started a blocks craft business, called Blocks By Design. Fear of my limitations have kept me from completing the website I started a few months ago. (Next "to-do" is to conquer that fear) I have done several shows and love all the aspects of doing that...I create things people like and want AND I get to meet all kinds of new friends in the process.  I've started murals on some walls, will be putting finishing touches on a window seat and shelf my sweet husband made for one of our daughters. I still don't really like to sew but I will if I really really HAVE to. There is something so exciting to see a finished project that you've created from as a choppy, unsanded 2X4 or blank wall. 

I CAN'T SIT FOR VERY LONG 
Is it possible to develop ADD as an adult? If so, I think I may have done it. I realized I have trouble sitting still for more than 20 minutes when I was attending a music festival in California for Memorial Weekend. I got a bit too excited about seeing so many kids around because it gave me an excuse to go run around with them. I had so much fun running around chatting with so many new friends, playing with the kids and dancing at night with my one super sweet young friend. Since then I've paid closer attention to my habits and how I need to always be doing something. I sub for our school secretaries and I love doing that so much! The hardest part of the job for me though is after all the work I've been given to do is done and then I just sit at the desk waiting to be needed by someone. 

So, what I discovered in my personal re-discovery journey is this...I'm the same me, just older than I was before my hobbies were redirected to be "kid friendly." As a mom of 6 kids, 4 who still live at home;  I love being around my family, I love getting the house clean in less than 4 hours-"helping hands" always takes longer, I love having "my time" a few hours a day to do things I had trouble doing when my babies were little. What I love the most about every day is when everyone is home sharing about their days and filling the house with laughter and happiness. That's a thing I don't think will ever change. So, bring on the summer and all the commotion, noise, laughter and happiness. That's what makes me, me...and I love it all!  

Can't think of a proper title

This is written with a very heavy heart. Last night we found out that the second teenage boy we knew and loved in our community committed suicide. In my facebook news feed this morning I'm reading about "sleep training" babies, babies sleeping or not sleeping with parents, etc. 

My advice for each and every new mom out there is this: Enjoy this time. I know you're exhausted, I know you would love a minute of alone time, I know you'd like to eat grown up food for lunch and not kids leftover PB&J. To have a minute in the bathroom alone would be like a piece of Heaven on Earth. I get it. I really do. I have 6 kids...they were all born within 2 1/2 years or less of one another--my closest gap is 16 months. I remember struggling with sleep times, colicky babies, potty training, weird rashes or viruses. I promise this time does fly by so fast...so very fast. My oldest just turned 21, my second is a freshman in college and my youngest is in 2nd grade. So I'm 7 years distanced from the little baby time but I will tell you this time will pass before you know it. The babies will figure out when and how to sleep, reading books is great and I'm sure there are great methods out there but the bottom line is this...love your babies, hold your babies. So what if they wake up at 1 am take that extra minute to take in that sweet baby smell, and feel the softness of their cheeks and necks, sing an extra song to them. You are not alone, I'm sure you've felt alone so many times as you change your 30th diaper that day, changed your clothes 5 times in a day yet hadn't had time to take a quick shower. So many of us have struggled with what you're going through. Enjoy this time. 

This is a sweet innocent time and I pray that none of you will have to tell your 15 yr old son that another friend has taken his life. This is something I wish no one had to go through. My heart breaks for, my kids, friends, their mothers. I went to a prayer meeting to meet up with my son last night. He'd been at a church youth activity and I'd not seen him since I’d heard. I  called  my husband to tell him about our son’s friend so that he could tell him when they were alone . After the prayer meeting I bee lined for my son who was sitting with the soccer team. I said nothing to him, just wrapped my arms around his still small shoulders and held him while we cried together. As I was holding him, in my mind he was 2 years old and had fallen down the last 4 stairs and I made him feel better. He was the 10 year old that was bravely sitting on the table in the ER, holding my hand, while his forehead was being glued from taking a soccer cleat to the head. He was my 15 yr old baby that was trying to comprehend how he'd lost 2 friends to suicide in less than 2 weeks. Last night's hug didn't take away the pain like my hugs did before. But they let him know he was surrounded by my love and was not alone. 

So...hug your babies, let them sleep on your shoulder a few minutes longer before you put them in their crib. Your dirty dishes, leftover lunch mess and even a shower will be waiting for you when you have a minute to get to them.

The loss of one too young

This post is very different than the one I was writing in my head while driving home after a fun weekend with my brother. I was going to write about things I saw this weekend, how hard work is so worth every effort, my pride as a little sister, the love of my husband and babies.... After a text my son received late last night saying a friend had committed suicide this blog post took a different turn. I wasn't going to write at all today but writing is therapeutic and I pray it somehow reaches someone or helps someone that may need it right now. 

The look on my sweet son's face last night was unfortunately, not a new one for us to see. The first friend he lost was in first grade. A horrific car accident took a classmates life. He's known others that have died way too young but no one he knew very well. Now he's a 15 yr old young man that has lost yet another friend.  While I want so badly to help I am completely at a loss as to what to do. Nothing I do will ease anyone's pain for their loss. So we did what we do and opened our house for friends to come be together. Hunter had a few friends come over to cry, talk, laugh and just be together for a few hours. They were here until early morning hours and I am so glad they have each other.

This young man had so much talent and such a great life ahead of him. He suffered from depression and had demons he fought constantly.  Depression is not something you can see on the outside. My hope from this post is that we learn, truly learn and get, that we don't know what others are dealing with. We don't know what goes on behind closed doors. We don't and can't  know how our words and actions will truly affect someone.   

The things I want to share here are these: Be kind. Be supportive. Take an extra minute to wait and listen to a response to the all too often rhetorical question, "how are you?" We pass people in the hallway at work or school and say, "hi. how are ya?" and move on, like it's a simple greeting. If someone looks a bit down, give them a smile or a touch on the arm or a quick hug. I once read we need 16 touches a day to survive. I don't think that's a physical survival but to remain emotionally and mentally alive and healthy we need to have some human, physical connection every day. 

About 4 hours into my trip home yesterday I pulled into an Arby's parking lot and cried. I had pulled into a spot that had no one around so as not to look like a weirdo. An older man in a truck pulled up beside me to eat his sandwich. As I was wiping my eyes before getting out of the car this man caught my eye, gave me a smile and quick wave. He had no idea why I was crying, I'm not sure I did either, but his small gesture did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. I hope we follow this man's example and look around us. Reach out, smile and love those around us. You never know when you may change someone's day or maybe save a life.

RIP Blake Li. You touched so many lives and you will be missed.
  

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

As I was getting the car ready to take kids to school this morning by  scraping the ice off the windows and putting a blanket on the leather seats in the back row; I realized a few things. I I took my dad for granted, I did marry someone with similar qualities as my dad and chivalry is not dead. 

My mom was agoraphobic and would rarely go anyplace alone during the day. This worked to my advantage when I was 16. She would say, "I'm not going anyplace until you or your dad get home. You can drive to school today."  I'd give her a kiss on the cheek, skip out the door and get in the already warmed up and de-iced blue Chevy Cavalier.  While I was finishing getting ready for the day, my dad would be outside warming up both cars and scraping the windshields, knocking off any snow or icicles that had formed overnight. "My car" was always so warm and toasty. I know I thanked him every day for doing this but didn't realize what a sacrifice it was until later. After I moved out and had my own car, I had to scrape the windows. It was then that I really appreciated my dad. I remember calling him thanking him for all the times over the years he did that for me. He laughed and said, "It was nothing. Just something I did." Jim quite often will do the same for me. This morning however; as I grabbed the frozen door handle and realized that the car was still covered in a thin layer of ice, I was reminded of my dad his sweet service  for me to show that he loved me. As I scraped the windows and put a blanket on the back row of seats so the kids' little bottoms wouldn't freeze, I smiled thinking of my dad's example and how I'm still following his lead by doing it for my kids too.

When I dropped the kids off at school, their happy chatter and sweet giggles left the car silent and me to my thoughts. My thoughts are much like my writing, a bit scattered. :)  My mind went from my dad to my sweet husband that I know would do anything in the world for me. He always tells me, "I love you so much and I just want you to always be happy."  I am and I will be with him by my side. He has so much in common with my dad in the way he treats me. My dad treated my mom like a princess, even when she was incredibly grumpy with him. I never understood how he could do that. Now I do. It's called love and marriage being a give and take relationship. When I'm with Jim I never open a door, he always lets me order dinner first when we're at a restaurant, when we're walking-he walks on the outside edge of the sidewalk. I've never been a girl that thinks there are particular jobs for each gender or partner in a relationship. So don't think I'm old fashioned and being a wimpy girl. I think it's sweet and respectful when Jim does these things for me. I love even more that he teaches our boys to do the same. Chivalry is not dead...at least when a Eudaily boy is around. I've seen Hunter open doors for women anyplace we go and he does it without even thinking. He always smiles at the women and tells them to have a good day or something. I've seen  him shrug off his coat give it to girl that forgot hers at home. My heart bursts with pride when I see him following his dad's example. I teach the boys when they're little hold the door for me or their sisters whenever we're out. Now Nate will run ahead of us at church and hold the door for his sisters and mom and then looks around to see if anyone else is coming. He gets the biggest smile on his face when people thank him for being such a gentleman. He doesn't do this so much when it's 10 degrees outside and I can't say I blame him, either. HA!

My dad was a man of few words. He rarely said, I love you and he rarely hugged anyone but mom. I remember once he asked me if I know why he does stuff like scraping my windows for me. I shrugged my shoulders and he said, "because I love you." The saying goes, Actions speak louder than words, it was truly the case with my dad. I'm sure he'd like knowing those things are still being done for his daughter and his grandbabies. And that we're continuing to teach the boys to be gentlemen and the girls to be ladies.