Here is the tortilla recipe that I use.  I got this recipe from a wonderful lady who goes by the online name of dutchgirl.  She may not know it but she has been a huge blessing to my family.  She is one of the ladies that help me learn to bake from scratch and gave me the courage to keep trying.  I had some pretty ummm flat bread and we won't even talk about the bagels. LOL  So here's the recipe.

Tortillas

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. shortening (you can substitute lard or margine, I use lard because of my allergy)

1/2 cup warm water

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl.  Cut in shortening I use a pastry blender.  Add warm water and beat well.   Knead until dough is supple, adding flour as necessary.  Form into 8 to 12 balls depending on the size of tortilla you want.  Roll on a lightly floured surface into large flat circles. 

Cook the tortilla on an ungreased flat surface like a griddle or fajita pan about 30 seconds on each side.  When light brown spots appear it is done.  Stack on a plate as they are done and keep covered with a towel to keep them pliable.  These also keep well in the freezer or fridge.

While I'm sharing recipes I have to share this one, that I tried this week.  As Pumpkin says they are awesome!   Big Soft Ginger Cookies   These are really good and they do turn out really soft.  I made a double batch and froze some of the dough.  I let you know how they turn out from the freezer.  I love fresh cookies but I don't like having to make the mess to make them so I always make a double batch and freeze half the dough for later.  I make little dough balls and flash freeze them.  Then I just toss them in a freezer bag and pull out what I need later.  Every cookie I've tried so far has worked wonderfully, though some do have to defrost in the fridge for awhile first. 

I just remembered that I never posted a picture of the puppet theater.  I'll do that tomorrow.  It's late right now and the kids are asleep.  I don't think they'd appreciate mom going in there snapping pictures right now. LOL

Have a blessed day!

Hello all!  Just to let you know up front this is going to be one loooong entry.   I'm going to introduce you to the backbone of our day.  This is the thing that helps me "get it all done" so to say.  Now there are days where I fail miserably at following it.  Especially if I'm having a flair up or the kids are sick.  Sometimes unexpected things happen that throw us off schedule.  But the way I look at it is tomorrow is another day and we'll just pick up there.  There is also days that go ahead of schedule and I can sneak in extra loads of laundry or computer time.  So here we go.

This is the cover of my homemaking journal.  Yes it is rather battered.  I think it's about time I replace it.  I simply decorated it to suit me.  I enjoy looking at the cover.  I cut pictures out of magazines and glued them to card-stock.

The first thing in my binder is a pouch that holds post-it notes, a couple sharpies, pencils, dry-erase marker, hole reinforcement stickers, and highlighters.  I also have some loose notebook paper stuck in one of the pockets.   

The first section is Schedules

This is where I keep my daily routine, kids' sports schedules, a monthly calendar with birthdays and anniversaries marked on it, field trip info, and other things like that.  Now before you ask I do use that family organizer that I purchased.  I look at this master schedule and transfer the highlights to it.  I keep the family organizer on my desk and the homemaking journal in the kitchen.  If you want to see my routine you can download it here.  I was going to type it out but it would take me forever.  I have each day printed on a different color of paper to make it easy to flip to.  I also have them in a protective sleeve so I can use my dry-erase marker to cross out what I've finished.  I'll admit I love seeing all those little lines on the piece of paper that is why I have everything spelled out.  I do not have assigned times for things because that just drives me crazy and makes me feel like I'm failing miserably if I fall behind.  This is more of an order of how I do things.

The next section is menus

In this section I have my 2 weeks of menus, master grocery list, and a list of ingredient substitutions.  My menu includes all meals and snacks for the week.  The master grocery list is simply a list of everything that I normally purchase for the house.  I have it split into sections and if you want to see it you can download it here.  I have this to help remind me of things when I'm putting together my shopping list.  Which reminds me I need to add update this since I've added a few things to our diet and I no longer have anyone in diapers.  Now with the substitution section I have that for the rare occasion I don't have something called for in a recipe or the recipe calls for something that would not use all of something.  Like buttermilk or cocktail sauce, these things would get wasted if I was to buy them.  Therefore I just make a little bit of the substitution for the recipe.

Up next is the Cleaning Section.

In here you'll find my list of Focused cleaning jobs, and organize projects.  This is the list I pick from on the day that is assigned for focused cleaning or super organized something.  I add to this list as I see things that need more attention than the daily chores can handle.  I have these things like this listed here: scrub stove top/oven/hood, kitchen table legs and chair legs, dishwasher, pull everything out and scrub fridge and freezer, top of fridge, cupboard doors, kitchen walls, shampoo living carpet, wash, iron curtains, under furniture in kids' room.  Super organize things include: kitchen cupboard, dd's closet, go through kids' clothes, boys' closet, movies, books, kitchen drawers.  As I finish something I cross it off.  If I see something that needs attention I add it to the list.

The next section is Homeschool

In this section I have a print out of a scope and sequence for the different grades, yearly goals for each kid, monthly goals for the older 3, and a list of activities for Princess to do during school time.   For example on Peewee's yearly goals I have it broken down by subject and what I would like him to cover in each.  Here's a short list to give you an idea.

Math

Learn multiplication and division facts to 12

roman numerals

rounding numbers

equal to/less than

equivalents

positive and negative numbers

simple algebraic equations,

place values

and so on

Language arts

using period, comma, question mark, apostrophe, quotation marks,

writing short, original stories and poems

post writing skills: editing and proofreading

nouns, verbs, adjectives, articles, pronouns

capitalization and so on

For the monthly goals it is a detailed list of lessons I want to finish for each kid.  Pumpkin's January goal list looks like this:

Math - lessons 41-59, test 9-12

Spelling lessons 9-11

Science - unit 3 in Apologia Physical Science, heart lapbook, begin chemistry lapbook (he wants to do this with his brother)

Social Studies: The 50 states, Martin Luther King Jr.

Language arts

Vocabulary Cartoons pgs. 114-146

Winston Grammar: lessons 11-15

Editor in chief lessons 15-22

Wordsmith lessons 4E to 6

Reading: A day of pleasure

As they hit a goal it is marked off.  Some months we finish, some we don't.  What ever doesn't get done just gets moved to the next month.

The next section is Child Activities

In here you'll find the kids' chore list and a list of age appropriate chores.  I also keep a list of ideas for family fun time in here.

Here's the kids chores

Pumpkin (14yrs. old)

Daily: room chores-make bed, straighten room, put away clean clothes

personal care- brush teeth, comb hair, wash face, get dressed, (this is the same for all of them)

Monday: house chores-change bed sheets, help Princess change her sheets, pick up living room

Table chore-clean pans

Tuesday: house chores - take trash to curb, pick up dining room

table chore- clear and wipe table

Weds: house chore- make lunch

table chore-sweep around table

Thursday: house chore - dust all pictures and shelves in house

table chore- clean pans

Friday: house chore-straighten book shelves and movies

table chore- clear and wipe table

Peewee's (9yrs. old)

Monday: house chore - change sheets and help Peanut change his sheets, straighten dining room

table chore-clear and wipe table

Tuesday: house chore-help take trash to curb and straighten living room

table chore-sweep around table

Wednesday: house chore-pick up Princess' room (this is also where all the toys are kept)

table chore-wash pans

Thursday: house chore-clean all tables and chest

table chore-clear and wipe table

Friday: house chore-prepare lunch

table chore-sweep around table

Peanut's chores

Monday: house chore- feed cant and help pick up toys

table chore-help clean counters and sweep floor

Tuesday: house chore-help mom gather trash and help pick up Princess' room

table chore-help mom do dishes

Wednesday: house chore-help mom pick up living room

table chore- help mom clear and wipe table

Thursday: house chore-help pick up dining room

table chore- help clean counters and sweep floor

Friday: house chore-help pick up toys and feed cat

table chore-help mom do dishes

Princess' Chores

Monday: house chore-help wipe down bathroom

Tuesday: dust, feed cat

Weds: help mom pick up toys, feed cat

Thursday: sweeper

Friday: help wipe down bathroom

She also helps Pumpkin with his table chores.  He is helping to train her in these chores.

Next up is Recipes

I think this section is pretty obvious it contains recipes.  It mostly has ones that I use frequently and it has some that I would like to try in the future.

Next is Phone Book

I know the picture doesn't go with the title but I thought it was hilarious so I used it.  This section contains every one's address and phone number.  I also have business that we call frequently in here.

Then there is Gardening

In here you'll find recipes for homemade insecticides, info on composting, articles on getting better crops, and a list of things I'd like to plant.  It also has a list in there of when to get my seeds started or planted and approximate harvest dates.

On to Inspiration

This section contains articles on motherhood, marriage, and Biblical womanhood that I find inspiring.  Just things that I find uplifting.

Then we have Holidays

In here you find ideas and lessons on the current holiday or next upcoming holiday.  It's just things I find interesting.  I keep a notebook on holidays and when I come across something that I think would be fun or educational I stick it in the appropriate holiday's section.  Then when it gets around to that holiday I move that stuff over to my homemaking journal and make up a list of things to do.  I'll post about that journal some other time.

Now we have Sewing and Craft projects

This section contains a list of things I'd like to sew or craft for the house or kids.  On my list right now is making jeans into skirts, aprons for me, cloth grocery bags, curtains for kitchen, curtain for bathroom, and pillows.  I also have directions for the projects that require them. 

Up next is Book List

Here you'll find a list of books I want to read, a couple of recommended reading list for the kids, and a list of books the kids want to read. 

Next is Budgeting

Every pay period my dh gives me a certain amount of money to use to take care of the house and get groceries.  He pays the bills and I take care of the rest.  So why do I need to budget?  Well because I have to get the groceries, clothes, shoes, school supplies, fees for sports, home furnishing, and so on.  I set up a budget for these things.

Finally we have the Inventory section

In this section you'll find and inventory of the pantry, freezer, fabric stashes, clothes, coats, and shoes stored in totes,  and presents I buy throughout the year.  As I use something I mark it off the inventory or if I add something I mark it onto the inventory sheet.  I have it broke down by paper products, cleaning products, canned goods, jars, home canned goods, fabric, clothes, shoes, coats, freezer meat, freezer cheese and other stuff, and present closet.

Well that is it.  That is what keeps it all together.  I usually do lesson planning and that kind of stuff at the end of the day when it is my computer time.  Then I usually post the stuff during my blog time.  During Christmas things kind of went off schedule as I decided to do a lot more sewing than normal.  I stayed up many nights working on that stuff.  Usually I plan ahead and work on the stuff a little at a time throughout the year.  I'm actually already planning for the gifts I want to make for next year, hoping to avoid the lack of sleep.

I thought I’d share my weekly routine.  Now understand the kids help with this stuff and it doesn’t always happen as planned.  But it is nice to have a routine going so things get done.  There are also days you can just throw the schedule out the window because of things like sickness or crankiness.  But we try and do these things.  I never set a time to the schedule because it would just drive me crazy and if we get sidetracked by something more important I don’t want to stop.  My philosophy is the schedule is supposed to serve you; not you serve the schedule.  Also I put clear contact paper over this so I can keep reusing the same sheets.  I cross it off with a dry erase marker when I finish a task.  I just like looking at things marked off.  LOL  I keep this in my binder.

Weekly To – Do List

Morning routines

Get up, get dressed

Put coffee on

Brush teeth, comb hair, wash face, quick wipe down of bathroom

Start load of laundry

Settle down with cup of coffee and Bible

Computer time, check calendar

Empty dishwasher

Feed kids

Clean up breakfast dishes

Get school started

Hang clothes, start next load

Start daily task

Afternoon

Start lunch

Hang clothes and start another load if needed

Feed the kids lunch

Clean up lunch dishes

Enjoy some outside time weather permitting

Hang last load of laundry

Finish any school work not done

Evening routine

Prepare dinner with helper

Feed the family

Clean up kitchen start dishwasher

Have scheduled kids take baths

Pickup the house, vacuum, and sweep

Brush teeth, wash faces

Story time

Get kids to bed

Make sure materials are gathered for tomorrow’s school work

Check over papers; enter time, and other things

Finish up any daily task not done

Daily task schedule

Monday (cooking day)

Bake bread, bagels, muffins, and rolls for the week

Put together rice mixes, pancake mixes, and any other mixes needed

Also cook any chickens or ground beef that needs it

Tuesday (living room day)

Dust ceiling fan and light fixtures

Dust TV and computer screen

Pledge TV stand, end tables, desk, and book cases

Dust trophy case and picture frames

Pull out and vacuum behind couch and chairs

Wipe down doors, wood work, and light switches, don’t forget door knobs

Wash window and window ledge

Vacuum curtains

Weds.  (all bedrooms)

Wipe down dressers and knobs

Dust ceiling fans and light fixtures

Spot check walls and wood work for finger prints and wipe

Wipe down doors, knobs, and light switches

Change sheets, freshen mattresses and pillows

Wash comforters if needed

Straighten closet and dresser drawers

Dust pictures and knick knacks

Clean windows and curtains

Sweep and mop floors, make sure to get under beds

Thurs. (kitchen)

Clean fridge inside and out

Clean microwave

Clean off cupboard doors and handles

Straighten at least 2 drawers and 1 set of cupboards

Clean coffee pot and other counter appliances

Clean stove and oven if needed

Wipe down walls around stove and backsplash

Check other walls for spots

Wash doors, handles, and light switches

Dust ceiling fan and light fixtures

Wipe down chairs and table legs well

Clean trash cans if needed

Clean windows and curtains

Sweep and mop floor

Clean dishwasher if needed

Friday (classroom and bathroom)

Clean tub

Clean sink

Clean toilet

Clean toothbrush holder, soap holder, towel rack, and toilet paper holder

Clean mirror and medicine cabinet

Wipe down light fixtures, ceiling vent, and walls

Sweep and mop floor

Clean window and curtain

Saturday (outdoors)

Do any yard work that needs done

Also anything that did not get done for the week

Sunday

The Lord’s Day and family

I decided to start something new this month (I know it's still Jan. but I'm ahead of the game for a change LOL)  for meals.  I'm going to start doing freezer cooking.  What is freezer cooking?  Well it is basically preparing lots of meals in advance and freezing them.  The meals are either complete and need reheated or preassembled and just need cooked.  Oh, you also spend just a day or two doing all the cooking and assembling versus every night.  I found several good recipes online for food that freezes well and I had a few from my own collection that I have experimented with over time.  I've been thinking about this since the beginning of Dec. so I made some of my recipes and threw a portion in the freezer.  I took them out recently to see how they held up and tasted.  I'm picky I want my food to taste like I just made it or at least not like the freezer.

These are my reasons for trying this.  First there are days things get so busy around here that cooking just seems to get in the way so we end up going out.  Second the thought of a kitchen full of dirty dishes from cooking after spending all day teaching and running is just more than I can bare.  Thirdly there is nights I just don't feel like cooking.  Fourthly I really don't like convenience foods they are so packed with preservatives and salt the thought of putting it in my mouth makes my stomach turn and I find because of time constraints I'm doing this more and more.  There has to be a better way right.

Last night I started my great experiment to save time and cleaning.  This is what I have done so far.  I mixed up 3 meatloafs and flashed froze them.  I then wrapped them up and labeled them.  I also stuck a note in there about how to prepare it so I didn't have to go looking for the recipe ( I seem to always misplace them).  I made a huge pot of Italian sauce for things like spagehitti, lasagna, and cheese ravoli which came out to six bags of sauce.  I made 2 recipes of beef strogonof and beef noodle bake.  I also browned up some ground beef w/ onions and some with out for recipes like tacos, homemade hamburger helpers, and other quick recipes I have 3 of each now in the freezer.  I browned some sausage for homemade pizzas, biscuits and gravy, and other things.  There is 3 batches of this now in the freezer.  So that gives me a total of 24 meals in the freezer where most of the work is done already.

Today I'm going to be making 3 batches of fried chicken, 2 chicken fajitas, 2 beef fajitas, 2 orange sticky chicken, 2 Italian meatroll, 2 parmesan chicken, 2 sweet and sour chicken, 12 chicken burritos, 2 cream cheese chicken, 12 beef burritos, 4 pumpkin bread, and some cooked cubed chicken for salads and chicken salad sandwiches.  Tomorrow I want to takle some pork recipes probably for a total of 12 meals.  I'm also going to be mixing up some rice mixes, pancake mixes, and some homemade bisquick mix so all I have to do is add the liquid ingredients.  I also want to get some muffins, cookies, and dinner rolls in the freezer.  So hopefully when all is said and done I will have a total of  53 meals in my freezer for dinner and lunches.  The burritos are for my dh's lunch.  I also have some meats in the freezer that I won't precook for when I have time to make a nice fresh cooked meal.  These meats include tuna, fish, shrimp, dinner sausage, bratwurst, a pork loin, a turkey, beef roast, pork roast, and ribs.  I think I'm pretty much set for the next 2 months.  All I have to go to the store to get is fresh produce, milk, and diapers.

The thing I discovered doing things this way is the money I am saving.  I was able to buy things in bulk and meats that were on sale.  I planned my menus around those items.  Incase you didn't notice chicken, ground beef, and pork loin was the big sale items this week.  I did have a few things in my freezer already from previous sales but I only spent $352.37.  I think that is fairly good ecspecially when you consider I had to buy things like freezer bags, foil, cat food, diapers, cat litter, tp, paper towels, and other such things and that I have enough meals for at least 2 months now.    The money angle wasn't something I was thinking about I was just concerned about being more organized with feeding my family and minimizing my workload.  I must say I'm excited about this.  I can save money and have less cleaning on a daily basis.  Why didn't I think of this earlier!

Here you’ll find lots of articles on getting that clutter under control.  Some of my favorites are:  10 steps to a happy clothes closet, 7 ways to get organized on a budget, Being organized is not a trait, Conquering kids clutter, Getting organized: 5 secrets to help you get started (read this one first).  Those are some of my favorites and I do use a lot of their suggestions.  You can do this!!!

http://www.mommytips.com/mt/Moms/Home/Organizing/

I like this site.  She has a great sense of humor and believes in baby steps.  And believe it or not keeping that sink shiny does make me smile.  You do get quite a few emails though.  Just look, at them as a nice little kick in the rear to get going. LOL

http://www.flylady.net/pages/begin_babysteps.asp

Now here is a site that will take you through the rooms of your home and give you suggestions on decluttering them.

http://www.essortment.com/in/Home.Organizing/

Now the only way any of these sites will help is if you actually do them.  Make the decision to change your home from chaos to organized and do it.  Do it deliberately.  After a while it will become habit.  And remember include the family this is a habit everyone will benefit from. 

Have a blessed and productive day!