Pills, Pills, Pills

Last week the husband was lifting William up over his head and seriously injured his back.  Due to the nature of his physically demanding job, he's had back issues in the past.  However this time was different.

Usually we can go the natural route and he's feeling much better within a day.  This time, no amount of Epsom salt baths, chiropractic care, ice packs or magnesium supplements would touch his pain.  By day three, I called it- "we need to be more proactive".  I feared he may need X-Rays and could have done some serious damage to his back and spine.  Since our naturopath was closed, we went to the emergency walk in clinic down the street.  What happened next was pretty appalling...

When the doctor finally arrived in the office, he asked my husband what medications he had been taking for his pain.  Proceeded to do a series of strength tests on his legs to rule out a herniated disc and then gave him prescriptions for heavy narcotics.  He also mentioned a shot that could be given, calling it "Ibuprofen on steroids".  Since my husband had already tried the Ibuprofen and it had no effect, I was amazed that he would recommend something that we told him wasn't working.  It was as if he wasn't listening at all.  At.  All.

The doctor offered no other suggestions beside "take these pills".

Finally, when it was clear we would get no other advice besides besides taking drugs, I asked the doctor what he should be doing to heal faster.  I'd done some research via WebMD and was convinced my husband might be seriously hurt.  Thanks WebMD for putting the fear of God into most healthy adults. 

Some of my questions were this- Should he lay down or move around?  Is heat or ice best?  What about hot baths?  How long should recovery take?  Does he need X-Rays?

It was seriously appalling to me that the doctor did not go over any of this with us.  We left the doctors office with 3 prescriptions and no other alternatives.  And this my friends is just one of the many things that are wrong with our health care system.

• The doctor did not listen to my husband.
• The doctor did not offer any suggestions or helpful information for recovery.
• The doctor prescribed 3 medications- one a heavy painkiller.
• The doctor did not go over any follow up care.

Yikes!

Yes, I do realize this was a walk in type situation and he was not our primary care doctor.  However, I can't help but wonder how many folks only see a medical professional in a walk in situation.  Especially those who don't have insurance.  Been there, done that.  And I know from experience that you only go to the doctor when you have NO OTHER options. 

We are a nation addicted to taking pills.  Leg hurts- take a pill.  Headache- take a pill.  Hurt your back- here, take 3 pills.  It's sad really and this doctor's visit simply re-affirmed my desire to invest in my health and my family's health.  Eat for wellness, avoid stress, go the natural healing route, exercise and for goodness sake- lay off the pills!



*Read the follow up to this story here, Pills- A Week Later.

Lies and Honesty

We as parents do our best to teach that lying is wrong and that honesty is the best policy.  I'm sure
you're no different then I am when it comes to educating your kids about this.  However, there's a grey line and as adults we know that it's not always so clear.  This can be a difficult thing to teach a child.  Don't even get me started on the little white lies that we say in order not to hurt people's feelings.  Kids simply don't understand this.

Our policy is this-

Speak with kindness in mind.  If what you have to say will hurt someone's feelings, then simply don't say it.  Lying is wrong, period.

Here's an example.  Let's say you go over to your in-laws for dinner and your child doesn't like the main dish.  When asked how he likes his dinner, your child should NOT tell Grandma that it's gross and he hates it.  That would hurt her feelings.  But instead he can find something else to compliment that he does like.  "I really like these mashed potatoes Grandma".  Get it?  There's no lying here and your child is still being truthful while sparing someone's feelings.  A win all around.

I will be honest and say that we are still working with William on this very thing.  Sure, it might sound easy but when put to the test, it's really quite difficult.  Especially for a child.  However, in working on teaching this to my son, it's been a great refresher for me as well.  Sometimes as adults we lose our way and forget what our Momma taught us- which is clear, If you have nothing nice to say then keep your mouth shut.  Right?  Tell me your Momma never told you that!

I think we've all had some adults in our lives drown in lies and hurtful words.  It's a sad thing to see really and the only thing I can assume is that their Momma never taught them that golden rule.  Either that or they simply don't care about the consequences that come from telling such blatant lies.  What's truly sad is when people start to believe their own lies.  I'm sure you've run across a couple of these folks in your lifetime- pretty scary huh?  It's like they've completely fallen down the rabbit hole and there's no way to climb back up.

Recently, my husband and I have caught some folks in lies.  A pretty ridiculous one just two weeks ago in fact!  But because they believe in them so strongly, no amount of truth telling and proof will change how they feel.  And let's be honest, when someone lies to you over and over, you don't want to waste your time trying to seek out the truth anyway.  We simply know that they can't be trusted.  They will lie to get what they want and they aren't interested in what the truth may be.  My advice- keep walking.  Consider it a valuable lesson learned on how NOT to behave and how NOT to raise your children.

This is why it's so important to teach your child that lying is wrong.  When you start lying, then start believing your lies- you lose track of the truth and every word you say becomes subject.  You want to be known as someone who is honest and truthful with a word that means something.  You can't do this and lie, it's simply impossible.

 

 

Motherhood is NOT a Contest!

My husband and I have made some pretty extreme choices when it comes to raising our son.  Many of them are unpopular among those who know us.  You simply can't make these choices if you were bothered or easily offended by someone else's opinion.  And for the most part- we aren't.

But here's what really irritates me- when I explain our choices, people seem to get upset or feel like we are judging them for not making the same decisions we have.  Now this- this is ridiculous.

Yes, we homeschool.

Yes, we eat organic foods.

Yes, we limit TV and video games.

Yes, we believe in being honest with our son.

Yes, we are very overprotective and aware of our son's safety.

But here's the thing- we recognize that everyone makes different choices in how to raise their own kids.  So when I'm talking to someone about why we choose to eat mainly organic foods, it's simply me sharing our story.  And yes, perhaps I can open your mind a bit to the dangers associated with conventional foods.  However it doesn't mean I'm taking stock of what's in your fridge and judging you to be lacking simply because you don't do what I do.  And when I tell people we homeschool because we want something better for our son and because it's the right choice for our family- I understand that it may not be the right choice for your family.

The flip side of this is that I truly don't get offended when someone questions the choices we have made.  I've had some pretty outrageous conversations with people through the years.  One person actually told me that they didn't "believe" in organic foods and that they were no different they any other foods in the grocery store.  They ended this enlightened conversation by calling me stupid for wasting my money.  Ha!  Now this was honestly more humorous then anything.  Clearly, no amount of research is going to change this person's mind.  That's fine- you do what you feel is right and I will do what I feel is right.  And that's simply all there is to it.

I don't judge you for buying pretzels at the mall or bathing your child in hand sanitizer.  I don't care if you take your 12 year old to a restaurant and they need an Ipad to calm them during dinner.  Want to take the kiddos along on animal rights protests?  Encourage them to run a marathon?  Raise them with a vegan diet or let them wear shorts and flip flops in the middle of winter?  Allow them to eat McDonald's chicken nuggets every Friday night.  Ban all TV, Internet and video games?  Go for it!  Let's stop comparing ourselves.  You do things differently then I probably would and that's ok.

Wouldn't it be great if we could listen and learn from other Mother's instead of getting so easily offended?  Seriously- where do you think I found out about Coconut Oil?  And what about Elderberry?  I've learned a lot from other Moms.  Sure, sometimes it's lessons in what NOT to do but many times, there's valuable information here.  If I got offended because another Mom was surprised that I didn't know what Elderberry was- I never would have been encouraged to do my own research and incorporate it into my family's life.  There's no shame in learning from others.

It's not a contest to see who is the better Mother but rather about being the best Mom to your child.  If you are doing what is right for your kids, then you are an excellent Mother.  End.  Of.  Story.

So You Want to Eat Less Meat?

Yay!  Let me do a little happy dance for you!  I'm SO excited you're here!  But let me guess- you're confused?  Overwhelmed?  Concerned?  Am I right?

So how exactly are you going to eat less meat?  Well, let me share my story and my family's story with you.

First you should know that my husband LOVES red meat.  Loves, loves, loves it.  And I was pretty much a vegetarian when I met him.  At first, his eating habits rubbed off on me.  We spent the first 5+ years of our relationship eating lots and lots of meat.

Then my "awakening" happened.  For many people I meet, this usually happens about the time you are starting to feed your own child.  There's nothing like introducing your precious baby to solid food for the first time and worrying about all the chemicals and pesticides.  This is exactly what happened to me.

Below is a breakdown of how my family changed our eating habits and drastically reduced the amount of meat we eat.  I've separated it out for you in easy to tackle monthly sections.  My suggestion is to just focus on each month's tasks before moving on to the next.  So even though this is a monthly list, for some of you- it may take longer.  Perhaps each section will take two months, maybe 6 months, maybe a year.  That's ok- take all the time you need to make this stick! 

By the end of this, you will only be eating meat occasionally, should be eating more organic foods, considering going vegan, visiting the drive thru less often and eating much more fruit and veggies.  Oh yeah- and you'll feel SO much better!  Good luck, I know you can do it!

Month 1

• Start by making one day per week meatless.  My suggestion is Monday because I love how Meatless Monday sounds and it's super easy to remember.
• At the same time, find one meat that you can reduce or better yet, eliminate from your diet.  For us, this was pork.  But I have to admit that this was easy for us because I haven't eaten pork in almost 20 years.  And since I'm the cook in my household, I just didn't buy it.  My recommendation is to figure out which meat you eat the LEAST and just stop eating it all together.  Note- that occasionally my boys do eat bacon or ham.  Usually if we are out and they order a bacon burger or at someone's house and they serve ham or something.  But for the most part, there's no pork in my house, ever.

Month 2

• Add another 2 days per week that are meatless.  If you've already been doing Meatless Mondays, then Wednesdays and Fridays are easy enough to add in and easy to remember.  M, W & F- all meatless.
• Eliminate one fast food restaurant that you know does not have good quality meat.  My suggestion is Taco Bell or Burger King- both of which are notorious for using horse meat.  Eww!
• Add in one new restaurant that you don't usually eat at that has healthier options.  We like Panera or Chipotle.  Note- I said healthIER.  I fully realize it is not health food but it is guaranteed much better then Taco Bell or Burger King.

Month 3

Did you know?

• Continue with your 3 days per week of meatless meals at home.  If you're feeling brave, shoot for another day.  But remember that slow and steady wins the race!  Don't overdo it or it will never stick!
• Start buying some organic meats this month if you aren't already doing so.  Price is much higher but remember that you're not eating as much of it.
• Find another meat or meat item that you can eliminate from your diet.  Think of removing all chicken or go for something easier like no more cold cuts.
• Time to taste test some recipes with natural meat substitutes.  Do not buy "vegetarian" frozen entrees because many of these contain soy protein isolate- this stuff is no bueno!  We love lentils, barley, beans and quinoa.

Month 4

• Time to experiment with your meals.  Make the change to 5 days per week of meatless meals and try making the same things you normally do, only removing the meat.  For example, Chicken Noodle Soup without the chicken.  Or Beef and Bean burritos- just the beans.  Try your hand at converting some of your favorite meals to vegetarian or vegan entrees.  Dishes like meatloaf or burgers can easily be made with lentils or beans instead. 
• Eliminate another poor fast food choice.  May I suggest getting rid of McDonald's?
• Get rid of all factory farmed frozen convenience items- like Tyson chicken nuggets or anything with the name Butterball.  While your at it- think about getting rid of all convenience and pre-packaged items, they simply are not good for you.

Month 5

• Add another meatless meal to your week for a total of 6 days per week.
• Make the switch to organic cold cuts, hot dogs and the occasional frozen chicken nuggets.  If you must have convenience foods- make better choices.  We love Applegate!
• Remove another yucky fast food option and while your at it- try to cut back on eating out.  It's bad for you any ways.
• Consider freezer cooking, meal planning and preparation so that you won't be tempted to hit the drive thru for a quick meal.
• Work on changing the way you shop.  When in the grocery store- you should keep mainly to the outer isles.  This is where the real food is-you know, the stuff that doesn't come in a box.

Month 6

• Work on adding more veggies to your diet.  It's almost impossible to eat the recommended servings, we like smoothies for added protein and much needed nutrients!
• When buying meat- you should only be purchasing high quality, organic meats.  No more factory farmed products!
• Ready to eliminate that last day and shoot for 7 days of meatless meals?  You should now be in the mindset that meat is an occasional thing.  We eat meat "occasionally" or once every couple weeks when we are at home. 
• Go Organic!

Whew!  You've reached the end.  How'd you do?  I hope you've found that making this switch and eating less meat has been worthwhile for you and your family.  I know that it has personally made a big difference in my family's health and I'm proud of the choices we've made.  Yes, we do still eat meat.  We love it, it tastes great and it's a nice break from all those beans and lentils!  However, we are much more aware of what we are eating and the effects meat has on our health.  This post is all about making better choices to live a longer, healthier life.  And if my meat loving husband can do it, so can you!

And finally- here's a video below on factory farming.  It's very touching and eye opening, I hope you'll take a moment to watch it.

Shout out the the Single Parents

So I used to say to people- "sometimes I feel like a single Mom".  Oh Single Moms....I'm SO sorry.

Let me back up just a minute and offer some explanation as to why this horribly misguided phrase used to come out of my mouth.

My husband works a lot.  As in, a shit ton.  One would think he's a doctor with the amount of time he spends away from home.  And when he's not working, he's usually at his Dad's taking care of him.  My husband's time is stretched, to the limits!  It is not uncommon for him to leave the house at 6am and return home close to midnight.  During the summer, when his work load actually increases, we've gone days without seeing him.  Days!

As you can imagine, this is difficult.  Most days, the day to day care of our son falls to me.  I want to be clear here and say that I am in no way complaining.  This works for us and is just another reason why homeschooling fits our lifestyle so well.  However, it can be a big balancing act.  I'm battling an overworked husband, a child who wants to spend time with his Daddy and me- a wife who misses her husband.

So yes- when some people have asked me how I manage my husband working so much- sometimes I will reply with, "I feel like a single Mom" or "this must be what being a single Mom feels like".  Ugh.  I'm sorry single parents, clearly I have no idea what it really feels like.

This weekend, I got a small taste (just a VERY small amount!) of what it would mean to actually be a single Mom.  And it was WAY different that what my reality is most days.  With a husband who was gone, not just at work but two states away- I was truly all alone.  And yes, while it was just 5 days, it was still enough for me to realize that I had no idea what it really means to be a single parent.

I am very fortunate to have my husband.  He is a strong and steady force in our family.  Sure, he's not able to be with us as often as we all would like but at the end of the day, his strong arms hold me and his warm body rests beside me in bed.  This is far more precious then I ever realized.

My husband is my best friend and I am his.  Being without this is devastating.

I found myself having a difficult time eating, I couldn't focus on my job, I didn't really want to sit and do math with the kiddo and at the end of the day, I couldn't curl up with him and watch TV before bed like we always do.  A strong and overwhelming sadness hung in the air.  And when he would call me at the end of the day, it was clear that he was just as miserable as I was.

I honestly can't imagine being without him.  And yes, while I am very used to handling the day to day that consumes all busy parents, I was not prepared for what it truly means to be all alone.  I didn't like it.  And before you get all upset and scream- "I'm Not Alone!" please know that I'm not talking about being without the support of family and friends.  I'm talking about not having a partner in life, to be by your side each day, to share the joys and the sadness.  This is what I mean when I use the word, alone.

So to all the single parents out there- I'm sorry.  I really didn't understand and I probably will never fully understand the scope of what you go through.  I'm not afraid to admit that I'm dependant on my husband.  I need his presence in my life.  I can only assume that it's this way for most couples.  If that were to be suddenly taken from me, I'm not sure that I would be strong enough to do what you are doing.  You are all so amazing and honestly- very inspiring.  So consider this lesson learned.  I will never again compare myself to you.  You possess far more courage and strength then I ever could!

You Rock!

Building Traditions through Holidays

My son loves holidays.

Seriously-  he LOVES them.  Every single one of them.  I'm sure that Christmas is his favorite and to be fair, it's mine too.  Who doesn't love Christmas, right?  And I know that his second favorite is 4th of July, which is actually my husband's favorite holiday.  Something about drinking beer and blowing shit up just appeals to the male species.  But the kiddo is also a big fan of other, less celebrated holidays.

For me, holidays = tradition.

Enjoying a homemade Shamrock Shake

And I have worked extremely hard to give my son some awesome traditions.  Sure, they may seem silly to some or a waste of time to others.  However, when I look ahead to what I want my son to remember about his childhood- the fact that Mommy went ALL OUT and made holidays special is at the top of my list.  And let me be very clear folks- it is not about how much money I spend, gifts or things.  It's about celebrating, learning, spending time together and being a family.  Now tell me- isn't that important and worth your time?

So as St. Patrick's Day approaches you're probably wondering how on earth you could celebrate this day?  It's not like there's a Christmas tree, or the birth of Jesus to mark the occasion.

Growing up, my Dad always made corned beef and cabbage (barf!), drank Guinness and we celebrated his birthday, which was just one day prior.  Now, my family celebrates by making Guinness cupcakes, Shamrock shakes, building leprechaun traps and reading about the history of St. Patrick's Day and exploring our Irish heritage.  It's a day full of fun and the unexpected and something my son genuinely enjoys.

Holidays are simply fun and a great way to spend time together as a family.  So this year, stop and take a moment to celebrate your family.  Make some new memories and traditions.  I promise you won't regret it.

Supporting Your Husband on a Difficult Journey

My husband is going out of town soon and I'm being a big baby about it.

There, I said it.

His previously planned trip last month was suddenly cancelled and has now been rescheduled to this weekend.  I've been dreading it for the last month and unfortunately, so has he.

This will be a stressful trip for him to visit a dying relative and he will also be caring for his Father and helping him make this (most likely last) trip.  This was supposed to be a Father-Son bonding type trip and has turned into something else.  So now he will be travelling with someone that we are both less then fond of.  Add to the fact that my husband doesn't deal well with stress and that I am usually the one planning our trips and it's no wonder why I'm just a little nervous for him.  

I have to admit that I've been struggling to be a "good wife" and support him in this journey.  I know that he will be uncomfortable.  I know there will be sadness.  I'm worried he won't eat because with this crowd, they never seem to be able to feed anyone.  I'm concerned he won't be able to sleep.  And unfortunately, he will have to deal with some major unpleasantness.  Alone. 

I am doing my very best to support him but it's difficult because I won't be there with him.  I can't love on him, hold him, feed him or see to any of his comforts.  This is a hard thing for a traditional wife to give up.

However, I know that he needs to go on this trip.  I was the one that initially pushed him towards making this journey.  We discussed our family of 3 going, then I encouraged him to go with just his Dad & now it's become a whole other monster.  And still- I'm doing my best to smile for him.  Because I know that he will be having a difficult time and I don't want to make it worse.  Put on a brave face so your husband can do what needs to be done, right ladies?

So that's just what I'm doing.

I'm going into "super wife mode".  Sounds ridiculous right?  In reality, its very simple.  My husband is about to take on a difficult journey.  Alone.  And for the first time in almost 14 years, we will be separated.  So I'm doing what I do best- and that's being a awesome wife and taking care of my husband.  Below are just a few things that a traditional wife can do to support her husband- from a distance.

• Be understanding and supportive even when you're not happy about the situation.
• Assure your husband that everything will be fine at home.  Give them the ability to focus solely on the difficult task at hand.
• See to as much of your husband's physical comforts as possible.  I will be setting up a grocery delivery for him at his hotel and I will pack breakfast for the airplane trip.
• Let them know you are thinking of them from a distance.  I've got a sweet love note to include in his suitcase, I will put his favorite magazines in his carry-on and will of course be Facetiming and texting.
• Do something nice to take his mind off the stress and unpleasantness.  I have encouraged him to try and make a "Guys Trip" to one of his favorite stores, Bass Pro Shops.  And I will tuck a surprise gift card to the store in his wallet.
• Ask your husband what he needs from you while he is gone or before he goes.  For my husband, he worries about our safety.  So I've agreed to go to the gun range with him the week prior to brush up on my self defense and shooting skills.
• Give him a week to remember prior to his trip.  I'm rolling out the big guns ladies.  A special date night, couples shower time, his favorite lunches for work, plenty of sexy time, steak for dinner etc.  My man is leaving me happy and satisfied. 
• Welcome him home in style.  Let him know how much he's been missed and how thankful you are that he's home safely.

As a Traditional Wife, I am used to being by my husband's side at all times.  I am sad that I won't be able to be there for him through this difficult journey.  But I am doing everything I can to make it as easy for him as possible.  I want him to take this trip, he needs to take this trip so I am supporting him in every way I know possible.  Sometimes as wives, we are stuck in an impossible situation.  It's our duty to make the road smoother for our husbands.  And that includes sucking it up and quit being such a baby.

 

Want to read more about being a Traditional Wife?

• A Morning Checklist for Traditional Wives
• How a Traditional Wife Can Support her Husband
• Marriage: A Traditional Wife

Cancer Sucks

Chances are your life has been touched by cancer.  Cancer strikes down 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women.  Holy Shit.

Just think on that a moment.  That's half of all men and 1/3 of all women.  That's some scary business.  Terrifying actually.  So if it's not your husband who gets cancer, chances are it will be your Dad or your brother.  And if you don't get it, odds are good another woman in your family will.

Shit.  Shit.  Double shit.

Now let's take  a deep breath.  I'm about to tell you something that will change your life.  Please listen.

Cancer is 80% your environment and lifestyle and only 20% genetic.

What does this mean?  Well simply put, it means that you have an 80% chance of NOT getting cancer.  Say what?!?  I'm sure right about now you're thinking....but how is that even possible?  When everyone around you is being diagnosed or dying- how can we have 80% control over not getting it.  Crazy right?

The answer is this- cancer is big business.  Diagnosis, treatment, follow up care, respite care, medications and big pharma- you bet they all have  stake in whether or not you get cancer and are cured.  But guess who else has their hands in the cancer pie?  Our food system.  Huh?  I know- weird right?  What does our food have to do with cancer?  Well sadly, the answer is more then you think.  The food we eat today is chock full of chemicals, toxins and other harmful ingredients.  These ingredients are proven to give you cancer.  It's a fact Jack.

So let's come back to that earlier percentage- you have 80% control over your body.  An 80% chance of not getting cancer.  Those are some really great odds.  So why are so many people still getting cancer when they have an 80% chance of stopping it?  The answer is easy- they simply don't know.

Sadly, my own life has been touched by cancer and I'm sure that most of you reading this can say the same thing. I beg of you to share this information with every single person you know.  Every single one.  It just may save a life or two.  Through my own experiences and research- here's some basic information on how to increase your cancer prevention odds.

• Change your diet.  If you do nothing else- do this one!  A plant based diet is best.  Reduce your meat consumption, seriously think about going vegan and buy as much organic as possible.  Avoid those GMO's- they are poison.
• Reduce your stress.  Take daily walks, work on your breathing, laugh more, don't bring work home with you, focus on your family and do your best to enjoy life.
• Stop smoking and cut way back on your drinking.  In my house we refer to cigarettes as "cancer sticks" because that's exactly what they are- just stop.  Right now.
• Eliminate the toxins and chemicals in your home.  You would be amazed at how much is absorbed through our skin.  So the next time you wash your clothes in harmful chemicals, rub aluminum deodorant all over your armpits and spray your kitchen counters down with "cleaner"- stop and think about what's actually in those products.

Doesn't seem so difficult, right?  These are 4 simple things that anyone can do to increase your chances of not getting cancer.  Full disclosure here- I am NOT a medical doctor.  This is not medical advice that should be used in place of - and yada yada blah blah blah.  You get it.  This is just simply my own research and what I personally do for myself and my family.  I hope you'll do your own research and seriously consider some major life changes.  I promise you won't regret it- spread the word and share this with everyone you know!

Homeschooled Housewife's Menu Planner

It's no secret that I'm a perfectionist.  And when it comes to meal planning and prep- I don't hold back.

Today I want to share with you how I menu plan.  I've gone through several different methods over the years, but this is by far- THE best way to menu plan and my personal favorite.  It's not too time consuming, super easy and won't require you to purchase much.  You may already have the supplies needed to get started!  I do my menu planning monthly.  However, with this system its easy to plan several months at a time.

Supplies Needed:

• a 12 month paper calendar, regular size
• 7 packages of post it notes, all different colors
• scissors
• fine point black sharpie 
• scratch paper

Step 1:

• Determine your food categories. My categories are Soup, Crockpot, Meat, Italian, Mexican, Leftovers, FREE Day/Out and Misc.  Yours might include other categories like Chicken, Beef, Pork, Fish, Vegetarian etc however for my family, we do not eat much meat so all my Mexican dishes, Italian dishes etc are meat free.  That's why I have just one category labeled simply- Meat.
• Now assign each category to a different colored Post It.

Step 2:

• Cut your Post It's to size.  To do this, cut into quarters.  You will only be using the 2 quarter pieces that have the sticky part on them.  Throw the others away, or better yet- recycle them!
• Now get out your sharpie & write the name of the dish on each corresponding colored Post It.  Shoot for at least 10 dishes in each category.  For new dishes put this symbol at the bottom of the post it  -N-  to help you differentiate that it is a new dish.  I try to incorporate several  new dishes each month.  And if you try it and don't like it, simply toss the Post It away and take it out of the rotation.

Step 3:

• Write the name of each category at the top of each piece of scratch paper.  
• Place your colored Post It's onto each sheet of paper for that category.  NOTE- there will be some categories that overlap.  For example, a soup that you make in the crockpot that has chicken in it could go under the soup, crockpot or meat categories.  Simply pick the category that works best for you.
  

Step 4:

• Take your sharpie and mark any significant dates on your calendar where you will NOT be cooking or where you will be making a special meal.  This can include things like your spouse's birthday, St. Patrick's Day, a child's birthday, Thanksgiving, vacation, an anniversary etc.  If I know what I will be cooking or if I know for sure that I am eating out on that night, then I write that down.  Otherwise, simply leave it blank for now.
• You might also circle paydays or the days you plan on doing the bulk of your grocery shopping.  This will help you in staying on budget.
• Now it's time to fill in your calendar with your Post Its. You can assign specific days of the week to certain food categories or plan on cooking something more time consuming on the weekends when you have more free time available.  For example, you can do things like Meatless Monday, Free Day Friday, Taco Tuesday, Souper Sunday etc.
• Leave one day for leftovers.  You will have them and no sense in being wasteful!  I like to assign leftovers to Fridays whenever possible because let's face it- by the end of the week, I'm done.
• Mix up the meals- try not to have 2 pasta dishes in a row or tacos one night and enchiladas another.  Keep it interesting.
• Keep in mind your time constraints and budget when placing your Post It notes.  For us, Tuesdays are our busy days and Wednesdays are our late nights with activities.  So I like to have a casserole that I've prepared ahead of time or a crockpot dish.  And of course, there's no way we are going to be eating a week full of steak and lobster if payday is still 3 days away.  Not that we eat a lot of steak and lobster to begin with....

Step 5:

• Now's the time to step back and admire all your hard work.  Take a good critical look at the colors for each week.  Do you have a lot of blues together?  How about a week full of nothing but pink and yellow?
• Move your Post Its around if necessary until you are satisfied with the results.  This is the biggest benefit to using the Post It's.  It's super easy to move them around and adjust the menu for the week or month as you go along.  And then when it's time to plan next month's menu- simply put all your colored Post It's back on your papers that listed each category (see picture above) and start fresh.

If you're feeling ambitious you can also think about doing a calendar for breakfast meals and home baked goods. To be honest, I simply write in my breakfast plan for the week and any baked goods I plan on making in the margin next to each week.  I don't stress about these items nearly as much.  Lunches at my house are almost always leftovers or something super easy like quesadillas, grilled cheese or beans so I don't need a lunch calendar.  

When you're done, your calendar should look like this.

*If you try out this system- I would love to hear your feedback!  Enjoy!

Bonus Tip- Before you start placing your Post It notes on your calendar, write down the groceries you currently have in your fridge and pantry.  Or if you have a weekly CSA delivery, write down items that will be arriving at your doorstep.  Then try to build the calendar around meals that contain these items you already have.  Hello Money Saved!

How to Teach What You Hate

I'm struggling here.

Math is just not my strong suit.  When I graduated high school, I fully expected to leave the hard math behind me and never, ever do any math that didn't involve a calculator.  The only class I have ever failed was Geometry.  On the second go around- I'm pretty sure the teacher felt sorry for me and so I passed, barely.  From there I was put into "stupid people math", otherwise known as Applied Math.  So I fully admit that when it comes to teaching my son math, I falter.

Thankfully, it's all pretty easy right now.  He's just turned 9 and we haven't yet started on difficult fractions or division.  Geometry and Trig are looming on the horizon but I have yet to encounter those beasts.  And since that's pretty much the extent of my math abilities, I have no clue what comes after these horrid concepts.

So how exactly do you teach math, or any subject that you HATE, to your child?  Oh fellow Homeschooling Momma....I feel your pain!  Here's what I'm doing now and what my husband and I plan to do in the future.  Perhaps it can help you?

• Try not to let your hatred of a subject bleed over onto your child.  Remember they are approaching this subject with fresh eyes ready to learn.  Tackle it with a smile even if you're cringing on the inside.
• Use many different tools.  For me, it's math.  But maybe for you it's science, or art, or music.  Whatever the subject, try to expose your child to many different learning tools within that subject.  We are currently using an online program called Compass Odyssey, lots of workbooks, simple games like Math Bingo and Math Go Fish, manipulatives, hands on activities like cooking with fractions, online math games from websites like CoolMath.com and an outside math class taught by a certified teacher at his homeschool program.
• Beef up on subject that you are not good at so that your children will excel where you suck.  Say what?!?  Here's the deal- math has always been difficult for myself and my husband.  Thus, we understand the struggle that comes with not understanding this subject.  We don't want our child to suffer the same fate so we make math a HUGE focus in our homeschooling journey.
• Put your pride aside and recognize when you are no longer able to teach a subject to your child.  I fully realize that there will come a point where my son's knowledge will outweigh mine.  Since I have very limited understanding of math concepts, it probably won't be too much longer.  When that time comes, my husband and I have discussed our next steps so that our son can continue learning.  We will not let our lack of understanding and knowledge be a hindrance to our child.  
• Have a plan for continued learning.  Perhaps it's an internship, friends or family members who can help, a job experience, a tutor, a study group, outside classes through the local high school or community college.  But whatever the subject, make sure that your child can continue on their learning path even when you are not the one teaching them.  For us- we are lucky to have the support of a homeschool program that offers higher level math classes and we will most likely explore other options when the time comes.  My husband and I are committed to our son's continued growth and education.

So there you have it.  Oh how I HATE math.  And the irony of teaching a subject that I detest is not missed on me- trust me.  I'm sure my parents get a good laugh out of it all.  Seriously- what child didn't whine about "but I'll never use this!" and "why can't I just use my calculator?".  Trust me, I get it.  But here I am- teaching my child how to do 3 digit subtraction, how to work with fractions and drilling into him over and over to SHOW YOUR WORK.  Life is funny that way.....