Quick: Vision Forum 1 day special

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

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February 1, 2011 By kimc

I don’t usually just paste ad copy into a post, but I’m working on a giveaway for later today so this is all you get now. Anyway, it’s a 1 day special so I had to hurry and tell you about it!

Through midnight (CST) tonight (Tuesday, Feb 1), save 20%–50% off everything at www.visionforum.com. Enjoy excellent prices on home-school materials, character-building tools for boys, heirloom items for girls, as well as books, CDs, and movies for your entire family.

Plus, today only receive a $25 coupon with every order of $95 or more! Your $25 coupon will be delivered electronically and may be redeemed between February 1 and December 31, 2011.

Click Here to Begin Shopping

Don’t forget to come back later to see our latest giveaway!

Filed Under: giveaways & deals, Vision Forum Leave a Comment

4 Moms Q&A: Must-have baby equipment and other nitty gritty stuff

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 27, 2011 By kimc

Welcome back to the weekly 4 Moms post, in which 4 moms with a collective total of 35 children share our knowledge, experience and and helpful tips in maintaining health, order and sanity.

This week we’re going to answer your questions. This is my favorite post of the month because it feels like 5 or 6 posts in one, and I didn’t have to think up a topic for a single one.

Connie at Smockity Frocks

Headmistress at The Common Room

Kimberly at Raising Olives

Or you can start here. That’s fine too. In fact, I’m flattered, unless you’re the sort that saves the best for last. In that case, starting here means you don’t really like my blog and just want eat your vegetables first so you can move on to dessert.

Question:

I am having baby #7 (at 42 ) yet am starting over as there is a 6 year gap between 6 and 7 and so we got rid of most of our baby items. Space is limited and the budget is low. What are your top 5-10 products that you just can’t live without? Do you use a full size crib? Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer:

Congrats on baby #7! Isn’t it amazing how each can be just as exciting as the first?

I gave up the full size crib a long time ago. Now I love to use a travel bed while the baby is small enough, then move up to a Pack-n-Play when it becomes necessary. Those 2 items are at the top of my list. I think a changing table is utterly unnecessary, as is an extensive wardrobe.

Here’s my full list, off the top of my head. If anyone thinks I missed something crucial, feel free to speak up.

Must Have Baby Equipment

Infant car seat – I love the standard bucket style with a separate base, so it snaps in and out.
Travel bed – Much smaller and more portable than a playpen or crib, and good for several months until your baby can pull up, sit up, or becomes otherwise mobile.
Portable playpen – I’ve always used a pack-n-play but there are other brands available. This takes the place of a full size crib beautifully if you don’t mind bending over. If you use a travel bed, you won’t need this until later.
Drawstring gowns – Not as cute as fun jammies but infinitely more practical. These make diaper changes so much faster and easier in those early days, especially when you’re working around an umbilical stump. I wish I had discovered these several children earlier. I find that just 5 or 6 is usually plenty.
Blankets and burp rags – Babies may not need a lot of clothes, but I do find we go through a lot of these. Plain cotton diapers make nice burp rags, but it’s even nicer if a friends wants to give you some cuter ones.
Diapers and wipes – Cloth or disposable, but one way or another you’re going to need them. Don’t waste time or money on a fancy wipe warmer; just warm it in the palm of your hand for a second if you’re concerned. You’ll probably find your baby doesn’t acknowledge the difference either way.
Ergo baby carrier – Yes, there are a million choices out there and most are cheaper than the Ergo, but I wish I had discovered this one back when my first was born. No learning curve, and no aching back or shoulders no matter how big your baby or toddler is. I’ll never love another baby carrier again. I own another less expensive carrier with a very similar design and much cuter fabric, but the quality just isn’t the same. You get what you pay for; buy an Ergo.

Question:

How do you manage to use the bathroom?!?
I’m having a hard time just sneaking away for the one single minute it would take me to use the restroom and then I get frustrated and irritated because for pity’s sake I just need to use the bathroom and I keep getting called away to take care of needs even more urgent than my own.

Answer:

When all my children were young, I resigned myself to using the bathroom with the door open so that I could address problems while taking care of personal business. Just think of it as one more way that God uses children to sanctify us and keep us humble. This too shall pass. Once they get old enough that modesty becomes an issue, they’re old enough to live without you for 60 seconds, right?

Question:

I’d love to see you elaborate on the nitty-gritty of how having all of your kids in one room actually works. For instance, do you have any little ones who wake up much earlier than the others? And how to do get them (especially young toddlers) to stay quiet so as not to wake their siblings in the morning? Are they allowed to leave the room as soon as they get up, or is there a certain time they need to wait for? What age does the baby move into the big kids’ room? etc….

Answer:

We don’t worry about some children waking others. While we do require some basic courtesy (keep the lights off and the noise level low when others are sleeping) I tend to believe that if a child needs the sleep, she’ll sleep through whatever is going on.

Of course this takes a little patience; at first they were more sensitive to noise and activity, but we have found it surprisingly easy to adapt to new surroundings and situations.

To answer some of your specific questions, some of our younger ones are often the first out of bed, and if the house is quiet they usually come straight to my room. If it’s too early to get up, I just send them back to bed. If it’s a reasonable rise hour, we all start getting up one by one as we’re awakened.

The babies usually move into the big kids’ room(s) as soon as they reliably sleep through the night. While most of my babies begin to sleep through the night at a very young age, I don’t consider them reliable sleepers until much later, usually some time around their first birthday.

Question:

As a couple who have decided to allow God to do your family planning, do you ever have trouble relating to other Christian couples who do not share this vision? We don’t regularly fellowship with anyone who shares this vision and it breaks my heart to hear the way many Christian women talk about children as though they’re such a great burden… I often feel that I would like to share the joy of remaining open to pregnancy but I don’t know how without sounding “holier than thou” or judgmental of their choice. Is it best to just keep your mouth shut, smile and let your life speak? We only have three, at this point, under the age of 5 so it isn’t immediately apparent what our birth control philosophy is.

Answer:

While we are not shy about expressing our views, we do tend to keep our mouths shut and let our life speak, as you put it – until somebody asks a question. Then all bets are off! As you mentioned, in the earlier years your birth control philosophy isn’t immediately apparent, and we have many friends whose position we don’t know. However, it is always a joy to find others who share our view or at least are interested in hearing and considering it.

I am much less shy, though, about addressing hormonal birth control, which can act as an abortifacient. I haven’t found a good way to bring it up myself but when the subject is broached I don’t mince words. It breaks my heart that so many Christians are aborting their own children for want of knowledge!

Question:

I have six daughters and would be very interested to know how you handle contention between daughters. How do you handle bossiness? Or do you even have that problem???

Question:

What’s your take on dealing with bickering, fighting children? Some days I want to pull out my hair at the cycle of pester…scream…pester…scream…etc. That the oldest two get into. They can play wonderfully together at times, and then at other times just seem to spend all day getting under each other’s skin. How do you maintain (relative) peace and keep the bickering to a minimum?

Answer:

Actually, I don’t really have the answer to these questions. Yes, we have our share of bickering and bossiness. I like to think our children are best friends and get along wonderfully, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. They do bicker and squabble over the most ridiculous things. They remind me of a couple of other people I know, whom the children also happen to look like.

The important thing is that they also admit fault, ask forgiveness, and keep being best friends.

That doesn’t mean we tolerate or condone strife and contention. We try to nip it in the bud, and we emphasize that one person’s sinful attitude does not justify the sins of another. We are each responsible for our own sins. At the same time, when arguments happen I try to impress upon each child that she probably could have ended or defused the situation by exercising humility, and her pride led her sibling into sin as well.

Question:

I would love to know what type of vehicle everyone drives, and what everyone has driven as their family has grown. We have four children, all still in car seats, and our minivan is absolutely FULL.

Answer:

Faced by the prospect of outgrowing our 9 passenger Suburban with the birth of our 8th child, we ruled out a 12 passenger van because it has absolutely no cargo space unless you take out a bench, and then you’re back to 8 or 9 seats.

Instead, we moved directly up to a standard issue Ford 15 passenger van in white. It’s a very common vehicle for large families, Baptist churches and smugglers of illegal immigrants, especially after the windows are darkly tinted.

I love my big white so much that I’ve been considering a post titled, “Top Ten Reasons to Drive a 15 Passenger Van.”

Question:

How do you take such great photos? Not the posed photos but the ones of the kids in action – playing, cooking, making faces, etc. Of course all the photos are great, but I can’t seem to get the right light and focus with my natural setting photos. I assume you have had loads of practice and could share a few tips. (and help me save money on professional photos).

Answer:

Thank you! Most of our best photos are taken by our older children. We have some very accomplished photographers with a lot of natural talent. One resource that has really helped to develop that talent is Me Ra Koh’s instructional videos.

I love the title of the first, Refuse to Say Cheese. It’s all about not collecting endless photos of people smiling woodenly at the camera. I credit that simple phrase with much of the charm of the photos my daughters take – they really capture the young ones’ personalities and emotions by catching them in the midst of real life.

Beyond the Green Box goes into more depth about the technical details of the camera and using more advanced features to really get the effect you want, but Me Ra does a good job of keeping it light and goes easy on the math.

Question:

How do you manage to look after your own health while looking after a large family and staying within a tight budget. I have 4 children between 7 and 1 yo and am having health issues from neglecting myself for too long. How do you do it?

Answer:

I try to eat a healthy diet, take a good quality prenatal vitamin, and maintain a basic level of activity. I know getting enough sleep is very important, though I don’t always do it.

Over the years I have done some intensive exercise for limited periods of time. Some cost money, some were free, and some even made money: a year of karate, a summer of lawn-mowing, a gym membership, a year of bicycling, several months of weigh-lifting, etc.

But I have to give God the glory. He has chosen to bless me with sturdy health so far which has enabled me to do all these things. Indeed, every breath is from Him!

My husband also takes his role seriously and takes care of me in every way he can think of, including my health. He knows when I need more sleep and does his best to help me get it. He reminds me to take my vitamins because he knows I’ll forget. He encourages me to exercise because he knows I dislike it and will procrastinate, but he also knows that I like the results and will thank him when I’m done.

Likewise, I know that it pleases him for me to take care of myself and so I do it not just for myself but for him. Sometimes this is more motivating than my own desire to lose a few pounds or have more energy. Sometimes I’m lazy anyway. :)

Do you have a question you’d like to see here next month? Ask in the comments on this post and I’ll give it my best shot.

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms 35 Kids:

February 3 - Teaching reading, because it’s so much easier than teaching them to use the toilet. Do not request a 4 Moms post about potty training, do you hear me?
February 10 – Cooking with little ones. With, I said. Not Cooking Little Ones.
February 17 – Spending individual time with your children: isn’t the very topic enough to make you feel guilty?
February 24 – Q & A. Got a question? Leave it in the comments on this post. Or you can email me, but I promise you right now I will lose your email and forget to answer your question for 15 months. By then, you probably will have found your own answer.

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, from the mailbag 35 Comments

Oh, that Boy. He’s gonna get it.

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 26, 2011 By kimc

I made a new rule a few weeks ago: if anyone leaves the door open when they go outside, it gets locked behind them. I instituted the rule during a cold spell, when the kids were often making a quick run to take out the trash and planning to run right back in. Coats are often left behind on these trips, and because they’re in such a hurry they also don’t make sure the door closes all the way behind them.

Understandably, they want back in fast. They don’t like finding the door locked. They don’t like being forced to knock and wait – oh the humiliation – until somebody hears and unlocks the door. Also, when you live in the country and doors rarely get locked, there’s something infuriating about finding the door locked. Because of this, the rule was surprisingly effective. It was so effective that we forgot about within a couple of days simply because nobody was leaving the door open any more.

This morning was cold. I went outside in short sleeves and socks to see Perry off to work and everything was sparkling with frost. I was cold because I had stood out there for several minutes helping him load odds and ends into his car, but then I had to run out once more to take his forgotten keys.

Can you see where this is going? Congratulations, because I didn’t see it.

As I ran into the house for the keys and out again, I left the door slightly ajar. When I turned back to the house, the door was shut and locked. Locked.

I knocked – oh the humiliation – and after a long 10 seconds, The Boy opened the door, smiling innocently as if he were pleased to see me. I scolded him, “You don’t lock the door when I’m outside!”

He looked a little surprised and truly puzzled. ”But Mom, you left the door open. You said we’re supposed to lock the door when somebody goes out and leaves it open.”

One of these days, Boy. One of these days.

Filed Under: Boys, madness, methods 21 Comments

My new fridge

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 25, 2011 By kimc

Our new baby has come home. After visiting several stores to look at both new and used refrigerators, perusing the internet for reviews, and asking you all for input, we made a choice.

We had already decided to buy used rather than new; the main reason we looked at new ones was so we would know what was missing in the older models and make sure we didn’t pay top dollar for an “obsolete” used appliance. To put it simply, I was afraid I’d be impressed features that were old news years ago.

After hearing the various opinions on my recent refrigerator post, we decided to shop for a freezer on the bottom, and possibly French doors if the price was right. I knew I wanted something in the vicinity of 25 cubic feet. I knew I wanted white, and did not want an ice or water dispenser in the door.

On Saturday morning I checked reviews on 13 brands and models with French doors, taking extensive notes about the pros and cons of each. I wanted one that kept a good steady temperature, especially in the doors. I wanted glass shelves. I wanted one that did a good job keeping produce fresh. At my repairman’s advice, I had already decided to avoid GE at any cost. I drew a line through the GE’s and put a star next to the LG, the only one that gave stellar performance when they heated up the surroundings to simulate a steamy southern climate.

I tucked my notes in my purse and we headed out to yet another used appliance shop on Saturday. As we drove we talked about what we hoped to find and Perry asked me what I was expecting to spend. I named a price range that I was sure would get us a nice used freezer-on-bottom model, and maybe one with French doors. It was lower than most I had seen advertised, but I was willing to wait, watch and shop for a while, and I had resolved to negotiate aggressively.

It was more than we would have spent on a top-freezer model, but I was hoping the extra cost would save us money in the long run: more visible fridge areas would help us to find and use our leftovers before they went bad; more stable temps would keep food good longer; and freezer on bottom is generally more energy efficient.

We got lost on the way, not realizing that the advertised location was a general vicinity rather than an actual location. We finally got directions and found the shop more than a mile from the intersection specified. As we had suspected, it was a small warehouse tucked away behind a cluster of buildings on the edge of town. We parked out back and made our way through neat lines of appliances toward the entrance in the back of the building, wondering if we should be nervous.

Inside, my eyes went immediately to the French doors against the far wall. There were 2 white ones without dispensers on the front. One was an LG – a big one – and the other was a slightly smaller Maytag. I looked them over, trying to appear casual, checking out both models, but I don’t think I was very convincing. After a minute Perry laughed at me: “You want the LG, don’t you?” Then he turned to the salesman. ”How much for the LG?”

It was an ’09, gloriously oversized, beautifully lit, with digital controls just inside the door. We could barely hear it running, except for the nagging beep when I kept the door open too long. There were a few small dings and minor scratches on the sides and handles, and the smallest of the 3 (count ‘em: three) produce drawers was missing.

I was too smitten to try to negotiate but incredibly the total price came to $10 under my self-imposed budget. That included a Monday delivery to Vision Forum, where Perry could use the van to bring the fridge home since they wouldn’t deliver as far as our house.

And so last night my new fridge came home. I’m thinking of calling her Ellie, short for LG. Or maybe something more French. Suggestions? I’ve never named an appliance before, but I’m already attached to this one. I would have named my slide-in glass top range if I had thought of it. More than one of us planted a big kiss on that glass top when it arrived here.

Here she is, in all her glory. She’s all loaded up with tons of space to spare and purring happily.

Opening one door at a time makes for a more efficient appliance. Only half of the cold air spills out into the room while we stand there staring into the beautifully lit interior, admiring our leftovers. Fortunately the angry beep of the door alarm jolts us back to reality.

Look: 2 jugs of milk in the door, and they’re both opened. Do you hate that as much as I do? The new jug is on a shelf. From now on, the open jug goes in the door and that’s the one we use first, got it?

Also, did you note our insane number of condiments loading down the doors? Miraculously, they all fit but does anyone really need 6 different kinds of mustard? Anyone but us, I mean. Obviously we need them.

Are you judging me? The wine came from church, and the beer has been there since summer. Just sayin’. Anyway, we’re Presbyterian.

The little shelf in the freezer compartment stays in unless you slide it out. That’s where I’m keeping baking supplies (nuts, yeast, etc.) and ice. We didn’t have room for ice in our last 3 fridges, but now we have 8 trays in 2 neat stacks taking up just a small part of that top shelf.

The little shelf is nice, but the primary freezer storage is a big basket with a sliding divider. According to reviews, it holds two 24 lb. turkeys, though I found a better use for it: 7 lbs. of grated cheese, 8 lbs. of homemade sausage, 8 lbs. of frozen veggies, 1 lb. of bratwurst, 2 lbs. of smoked sausage, 6 lbs. of tomato paste for pizza sauce, 10 lbs. of chicken legs/thighs, 1 lb. of ground chuck, and a partridge in a pear tree. With all that, it still looks mostly empty and there is zero chance of an avalanche of food smashing my feet.

There’s also a long narrow basket at the top of the freezer door, right in front. You can’t see it, but it’s currently holding 2 long loaves of pumpernickel and my personal ice cream stash.

One small problem I foresee: it’s going to be hard to make a space for our gallon sized jars of pickles from Costco. I’m pretty sure I can live with that problem.

Filed Under: food, homemaking 30 Comments

4 Moms: Top Ten Books for Preschoolers

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 20, 2011 By kimc

Welcome back to the weekly 4 Moms post, in which 4 moms with a collective total of 35 children share our knowledge, experience and and helpful tips in maintaining health, order and sanity.

This week we’re going to chat about some of our favorite books for preschoolers. This is a huge topic in which we can only begin to scratch the surface – which is another way of saying there’s no way I can hope to remember all my favorite titles so I’ll just tell you the ones that pop into my head first.

As usual, I suggest you first visit the other 3 moms. This will buy me some time to get my act together, allowing me to pretend that I planned ahead and thought about this post all week, when actually I spent most of the last week…well…doing stuff I don’t actually remember. But I’m sure it was really important stuff, and that’s why I didn’t plan ahead and think about this post all week.

Connie at Smockity Frocks

Headmistress at The Common Room

Kimberly at Raising Olives

Oh, you’re back already? Time flies when you’re thinking about books – especially when you’re trying to choose favorites. Having a favorite book is like having a favorite child: there’s no such thing. You love some for one reason, and others for another reason, but you love them all differently and each is special.

When we say preschool books, my mind automatically goes to very short, simple books, but I would encourage you to try out longer books on the little ones as well. You might be surprised at the writing level they will enjoy if you offer good ones that catch and keep their attention. I am nearly done reading Bud and Me to 4yo Perry Boy. This is the true story of 5yo and 9yo brothers who made a cross country trip on horseback unattended, along with their subsequent adventures. The subject matter seems perfect for a young boy but when I began, I was afraid the level of detail and the relatively mature writing style would put off my son. As it turns out, the subject matter is so interesting to him that he loves it and really pays attention, asking tons of questions along the way. This slows me down but it also shows me that he is really listening and comprehending.

A little tip to avoid frustration: buy hardbacks if at all possible. Used is better than new, because then you won’t be tempted to lose your cool the first time somebody leaves a marker, a baby and a book all in the same 3 foot radius. We have found that no paperback lasts long enough to be worth the price unless it’s absolutely free. I would much rather have a 10 year old hardback with a few more years of life left in it than a brand new softcover that will fall apart the 3rd time it’s read.

Oh – and one more word of warning: many of the best books for preschoolers are available as board books, but be careful: they are sometimes abridged, and like longer books the process can rob them of much of what makes them special.

Here’s a short list of our longstanding favorites for the very youngest crowd.

Top 10 Books for Preschoolers

Goodnight Moon – This is an eternal favorite in our house. We could probably dispense with the book itself because I’m sure we all know it by heart, but nonetheless we always have at least one copy in circulation plus one or two backups. This is also a favorite baby shower gift as part of a basket or collection of baby items.
The Runaway Bunny – The main reason we fell in love with this is because it is featured in Goodnight Moon. We also like to ad-lib the text, making up our own threats that are ever-so-much meaner than what the mother bunny actually says. Try it. It’s fun. Your kids will beg you to stop and read the book properly, but they can’t help but laugh at the same time.
The Foot Book – I’m not a huge Dr. Seuss fan, but we have loved our way through several copies of this one. A word of warning: don’t buy the board book version. It’s severely shortened.
The Going-to-Bed Book by Sandra Boynton – This sweet and silly bedtime book charmed me from the start. You just have to see it and feel the gentle lilting rhythm of the text. Is it just me, or is it simply adorable?
Many titles by Eric Carle – I don’t like all of his books, but his illustrations are fun and unique, and there is a handful that we love: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, The Very Busy Spider come to mind immediately.
When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old’s Memoir of Her Youth, by Jamie Lee Curtis – Yes, the actress writes children’s books. She has several, but this is the one that captivated this mom of many 4yo’s. Doesn’t the title say it all?
Miss Spider’s Tea Party – Why? I don’t know. Maybe it’s the contrast between the idea of a prim and proper tea party, and a spider that should be creepy but isn’t. Just like with movies, I think the sequels lack the charm and originality of the first.
Guess How Much I Love You – How many books are there about a daddy’s love for his little one? Not enough, but this one covers the topic just perfectly.
Amelia Bedelia – We love her. She thinks like we do, only without the sarcasm.
Madeline – Would any house full of girls be complete without this story? I don’t know how many copies of this we’ve run through, but one of my daughters has even written a brief parody of her own.

There you have my Top 10. What’s on your list? Why?

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms 35 Kids:

January 27: Q & A. Got a question? Leave it in the comments on my last Q&A post. Or you can email me, but I promise you right now I will lose your email and forget to answer your question for 15 months. By then, you probably will have found your own answer.
February 3 - Teaching reading, because it’s so much easier than teaching them to use the toilet. Do not request a 4 Moms post about potty training, do you hear me?
February 10 – Cooking with little ones. With, I said. Not Cooking Little Ones.
February 17 – Spending individual time with your children: isn’t the very topic enough to make you feel guilty?
February 24 – Q & A

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, books and poetry 16 Comments

Is your fridge running?

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 15, 2011 By kimc

Then you’d better go catch it!

My mom told me she really used that line for prank calls back when she was young enough to get away with it. As far as I know, she hasn’t done it lately, but you never know about those quiet, respectable looking women. Maybe she still does prank calls when none of her 14 children or 30-odd grandchildren are around. Maybe we all should once in a while.

Advice needed

My fridge is still running, but we have managed to break nearly every piece of plastic on it. All the shelves are creaking and groaning under the weight of our addiction to food. One produce drawer has lost its entire front – we just reach into it through the gaping hole – and the other only opens and closes if we use one hand to hoist up the sagging shelf above it.

One of the racks on the door has lost its bar so the fridge has turned into a booby trap: open the door quickly and get a lesson on inertia when 2 lbs. of butter, a package of cream cheese and 3 bottles salad dressing hit the floor. Close the door quickly and get a lesson on the flip side of inertia as the same 6 items fly deeper into the fridge, wedging themselves into various nooks and crannies, where I will find them a week later and yell, “Why is the catalina upside down in the back of the fridge, and who’s the genius that put a fully wrapped stick of butter inside the container of mashed potatoes?!”

It’s also a very modestly sized refrigerator which fits well in our modestly sized house but not in our lifestyle. We like to eat food. Every day. A lot.

And so we’ve decided to look for another fridge. I want your help.

Here’s what I think I know about the choices out there. Feel free to set me straight.

Refrigerator with freezer on top - This is what we’ve always had, and what I assume we want. It’s supposed to be the most efficient to run, and the most reliable. Used ones are relatively cheap, because this style has fallen out of favor. This may have been your grandma’s refrigerator. Grandmas tend to be very sensible, and I’m inclined to follow their example.
Side by side – I have always heard these cost more to run and the space in the tall slim freezer is very difficult to use to its full extent. These are very common in used appliance shops because everyone has them now, and when they upgrade this one lands in the shop. In spite of what I’ve heard, I find them surprisingly appealing. Am I crazy?
French doors – Love at first sight is easy with these, but we wonder if the freezer space below is really usable. I’ll grant the freezer doesn’t get used as often as the fridge, but can you even reach into that freezer? How hard is it to clean? Is the space inside the fridge easy to use well? Also, the internet seems to hint that this style has some extra reliability issues. I know they’re expensive, but these are widely available secondhand now so we could afford one if decide it’s a good idea.

Questions

My single biggest question: Which brands and styles do you own or have you owned in the past? What are your thoughts on durability, reliability and performance?

More questions:

I want doors with shelves deep enough to hold a gallon of milk. Are those shelves strong enough to hold a gallon of milk?
Simple geometry tells me that the freezer in a side-by-side has greater surface area than if the freezer is on the top or bottom. Is it harder to keep these freezers cool, especially in the summer? Remember, we have very hot summers and no a/c.
I’ve always preferred white, but should I quit being a fuddy-duddy and consider black or stainless? I have oak cabinets and a black-front range in my kitchen, and a stainless sink. Glancing around my kitchen, I see that my microwave is also black/stainless, and my big Kitchenaid mixer is black.
What would you look for in a new/used fridge?

Filed Under: food, homemaking 86 Comments

That’s why they call it chicken

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 14, 2011 By kimc

You know the game Chicken, right? Whoever swerves first is the loser. I always assumed the game was named because the loser was lacking in courage, but maybe not. Yesterday I found myself playing chicken…with a chicken…and my 4,000 lb. van swerved before she did. Maybe the game is named Chicken because they’re good at it.

Or maybe I just have some very special chickens. They’re determined – I’ll grant them that. They do their chicken thing with zest. While others complain that chickens don’t lay in the winter, ours never seem to notice sub-freezing weather. [Light is the key: keep a fluorescent bulb burning in the coop all night.]

The books say that chickens may quit laying for up to 10 weeks while they molt, but ours never even put in a request for vacation time. They kept right on laying while they molted. [Plenty of protein: provide high protein lay pellets or mash on demand for quick molts with little or no disruption in laying.]

They do get a little pushy when it comes to food. Leghorns are good layers and light eaters, but there’s a downside. I had read that Leghorns are flighty, skittish and difficult to tame. But now that we finally added Leghorns to our flock, we have more visitors than ever on the deck. They politely squeeze past me on their way up the steps, and peek inside the front door to inquire if we’ve forgotten to send out the leftovers. I think they’re even friendlier than the other breeds. Maybe it’s because they know they’re not good eating. Like the goose that lays the golden egg, if you kill a Leghorn you’ve got nuthin’.

I have learned one hard lesson. Next time I’m getting the brown leghorns. If you have hawks, foxes or dogs with insatiable instincts to chase livestock and/or carry birds (whose idea was it to own an Aussie and a Golden Retriever?!), a little natural camouflage is a good thing. A white leghorn may as well have a bull’s eye painted on its back.

Filed Under: crunchy stuff, pets 4 Comments

4 Moms: Link up with Soup

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 13, 2011 By kimc

Welcome back to the weekly 4 Moms post, in which 4 moms with a collective total of 35 children share our knowledge, experience and and helpful tips in maintaining health, order and sanity.

This week we’re swapping recipes for our favorite cold-weather soups and stews. First, I recommend you see what’s cookin’ in the other 3 kitchens:

Connie at Smockity Frocks

Headmistress at The Common Room

Kimberly at Raising Olives

I don’t know about you, but I think there are precious few reasons to look forward to cold weather. The food is high on that short list.

I love soups and stews, but my favorite cold weather is chowder. I may be just making things up (wanna call my bluff?) but I consider any milk-based soup that starts out with sauteed onions and celery a chowder. I consider any chowder delicious.

Clam chowder is nice, but clams are expensive and don’t thrill most of my household. Theoretically, this means it would be affordable because I wouldn’t have to make it for all 12 of us. Practically, this means I would have to cook 2 separate meals. In my world, practicality wins every time.

Instead, we eat mexican corn chowder, and ham/potato chowder – without the ham it’s a cheap and wildly popular lunch in our house. An older recipe called smoky corn chowder is very similar but with smoked sausage and more corn.

Have you heard me complain about my poor memory? I found the mexican chowder posted twice, 2 years apart. The later post mentioned that I had just made it for the first time and had no idea of the origin. Yup, everything is new every day in my world. It’s a fun place.

Potato chowder

serves 6-8 as a main dish

2 Tbs. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2-4 cloves minced garlic (optional, but we love fresh garlic)
2 stalks celery, chopped
6-8 potatoes, diced (peel if desired)
chicken broth/bouillon
2 quarts milk
thickening: 1 1/2 cups flour (or 3/4 cup cornstarch) plus 2 add’l cups milk
opt: ham, grated cheddar cheese

Saute onion, garlic and celery in butter over medium heat until soft. If using ham, add it now; heat and stir a few more minutes. Add potatoes and just enough broth to nearly cover the potatoes. Simmer gently until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add milk and heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Thicken by whisking in a paste of flour and milk. Stir until thickened, returning to a boil. Remove from heat and season with salt & pepper as desired. Add cheese now, if desired. Serve and devour.

Join the fun: Link up with your favorite soup, stew or other cold-weather recipe! Just 2 easy rules:

Link to an individual recipe post, not the home page of your blog.
Please remember to link back to at least one of the 4 Moms in your post.

oops. No linky here? I probably forgot to come back and add it. Y’all quit giggling and acting embarrassed for me, and just blurt it out like good southern girls. Like that lady did when I came out of the bathroom with my skirt tucked into my undies.

Mister Linky’s Magical Widgets — Easy-Linky
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mode to edit this section of the post.

Confession: I did remember to add the linky, but remembering that embarrassing moment gave me a giggle so I decided to leave it in there for you too. Just think: by doing so, I’m helping you remember to check your own skirt before you leave the restroom so you can avoid having one of those moments yourself. Much better to laugh at someone else’s, isn’t it?

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms 35 Kids:

January 20: Book recommendations for preschoolers
January 27: Q & A. Got a question? Leave it in the comments on my last Q&A post.

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, food 12 Comments

I should be spending more time online

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 12, 2011 By kimc

Actually I’m supposed to be working on tomorrow’s 4 Moms post, but I’m procrastinating. After this but before I start the 4 Moms post, I’ll convince myself that I should assemble 4 orders for Geneva Bible Pages, go to town for groceries, read some more of Bud and Me to PerryBoy and a few other things. Somebody should make bread.

I think we’ve had our first encounter with a gen-yoo-ine influenza bug. I’ve always called any vomiting bug “the flu” but this time we had fevers and chills, body aches, severe headaches, and various respiratory complaints. It’s the first time we’ve all been sick in a very long time, and Parker’s first illness ever. The poor guy chose this very week to start getting a tooth so we may not know where the flu ends and the teething begins.

We’re all on the mend now, though it’s not entirely over. The liquid ibuprofen and Niquil are still on the window sill over the kitchen sink. We’re still hacking up the occasional lung, and it sounds like an old folks’ home: every time someone laughs it’s followed by a coughing fit. Unfortunately we laugh a lot a lot around here, sickness notwithstanding. That may the first time I’ve actually used the word notwithstanding. We’re also cranky when we’re sick. The two don’t always mix well, but c’est la vie.

Case in point: extreme crankiness can be really cute in a 2yo, and it makes us laugh. ["I'm NOT cute," accompanied by malevolent glares. "Pink medicine DOESN'T make me feel better, and my doll is NOT on the floor under my chair."] Laughter makes us hack and sputter like veteran smokers. Then we collapse into the nearest chair and trade complaints about our aching throats, chests, and abs. Meanwhile, the cranky 2yo is either laughing at us, crying because we laughed at her, or both.

At any rate, after a month-long break it’s been surprisingly hard to renew my blogging addiction and I feel a little like my sweet husband many years ago when he was still a smoker. In spite of several half-hearted attempts at quitting, he had been smoking cigarettes for at least 10 years. As he recovered from a bout of bronchitis, I heard him bemoan the fact that after more than a month he still couldn’t smoke a cigarette without setting off a coughing fit. I couldn’t help but ask why he didn’t just quit, and he grinned ruefully because he didn’t have a good answer.

Remind me: why do I need to get back to blogging?

Filed Under: blogging & technology 26 Comments

4 Moms: teaching Bible

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

January 6, 2011 By kimc

Welcome back to the weekly 4 Moms post, in which 4 moms with a collective total of 35 children share our knowledge, experience and and helpful tips in maintaining health, order and sanity.

First, I recommend you see what the other 3 Moms have to say about teaching Bible:

Connie at Smockity Frocks

Headmistress at The Common Room

Kimberly at Raising Olives

If I seem a bit giddy, disjointed or just plain insane today, chalk it up to any or all of the following factors:

I’ve taken a month off of blogging and am having a bit of trouble getting my brain back into blogging mode.
My lovely children talk nonstop. To me. I love them, but holding a train of thought is about as easy as holding a real train.
I was up nearly all night with 3 sick children and a baby who is ruining my reputation by refusing to sleep through the night.
My washer exploded this afternoon, flooding the laundry room. Remember the part about vomiting children?

I’m not complaining. I’ve had worse days. Not many, but a few. There was the Great Poop Flood of ’99, for example. Hey, check it out: we’re #1 on Google for the search term Poop Flood. Call it a silver lining around that black, black cloud.

At any rate, days like these remind us why we need God. It’s easy to forget when everything goes right, but His Word is an encouragement when things go wrong, a light to our feet (Psalm 119:105), and a reminder that everything is part of His will and plan for us (Romans 8:28) – plans for our own good (Jeremiah 29:11), even when it doesn’t quite look that way.

I’ve blogged in the past about how we teach Bible and some of our favorite resources, so I hope you’ll forgive me if I don’t go into depth today. The methods change over time and some of those past posts look nothing like what we do now, but they served us well during other seasons.

Bible Time for Little Ones

George Sarris Bible CDs

It’s All Bible Time

Family Worship

Daily Proverbs

and more on Proverbs

Right now, everyone old enough to read is making their way through the New Testament at a rate of 10 chapters/day. Those too young to read are listening to me as I read a portion of each day’s selection aloud. Our plan is to begin and end in month of January. Of course you miss a lot of small details when you read at this rate, but you might be surprised at how much of the bigger picture you catch. It’s a very different way to read the Bible.

I would love to make this a yearly tradition, but we’ll wait and see how that idea is received next January.

This is something we did years ago, when we had 2 rather new readers who were still a little slow. They found the idea of 10 chapters/day daunting, but they buckled down and did it, and by the end of the month my reluctant readers were fluent bibliophiles who had done what I didn’t do until my 30′s: read the entire NT. After that, they willingly set themselves to the OT.

I have similar hopes for Natalie and Becca this year. Both are intimidated by what we have undertaken, but I know they can do it. It will be a challenge for all of us, and all of us will know God a little better at the end of January.

In fact, does anyone want to join us? If you start today, you can be done with the entire New Testament in less than 30 days. You might even beat us, because we’re not off to the best start. We’re learning a lot this week about bending our plans to God’s will for us on a daily level.

Upcoming topics for 4 Moms 35 Kids:

January 13: Favorite cold weather foods. Be ready to link up with your own recipe!
January 20: Book recommendations for preschoolers
January 27: Q & A. Got a question? Leave it in the comments on my last Q&A post.

Filed Under: 4 moms 35 kids, Bible 17 Comments