Stretching the Grocery Dollar -- with beans!

Many years ago I heard that one of the best ways to stretch the grocery budget was by incorporating more legumes into the family's diet.  "BLECH," was my reaction to this particular tip.  "DOUBLE BLECH" was my husband's reaction.

But after hearing it enough times, and coming to the startling revelation that a bag of dried beans was so cheap that it was often used as a preschool craft item, and yet was full of protein, fiber, and other great nutrients, I decided I was going to have to find some ways to start using them more.

Searching for "Bean" recipes can get a little overwhelming, though, so it took some time to finally land on some good dishes that I, my husband, AND my kids would actually eat.  Now good ol' beans have become a pretty regular staple at our house.

Here are some general ways that we save money (and even enjoy our food!) with legumes:

Garbanzo beans are great in soups.  Well, really just about any bean is good in soups, but my husband insists that garbanzo beans hold up better by the second day if we have leftovers.  When I'm making just about any broth-based soup, I'll throw in a can of beans toward the end.

Black beans can be snuck into just about any Mexican dish or salad.  A quick Sunday dinner (on a night I really don't like to cook!) can be a quick chopped salad with vegetables, black beans, cheese, and any other Mexican toppings you have on hand (tortilla chips, corn, salsa, etc).

White beans can be cooked, pureed and then slipped into a dish with white sauce, like homemade macaroni and cheese.  No one ever knows they're even there!

Add lentils to ground beef when making things like sloppy joes.  Lentils cook quite quickly, so I can throw a half cup of dried lentils into a pot with some water while I'm browning the meat in a skillet, and by the time the meat is ready to serve, the lentils are pretty much done.  (Make sure you cook them long enough that they get soft.  My husband hated the times that he got crunchy lentils in his sloppy joes!)

Chili, of course, is a great dish to work into the regular rotation.  Adding a couple extra cans of beans will likely be undetected.


And here are some tried-and-tasty recipes that are on the "regular dinner rotation" at our house:

Black Beans and Coconut Rice
Barbecue Chicken Salad (with black beans)
Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili
Slow Cooker  Chicken Taco Soup
Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos
Red Lentil Curry

Something I'm Glad I Did: Meals on Wheels

When my children were young and we were home a lot, I often found myself wishing I could find:

1.) reasons to get out of the house
2.) opportunities to help others
3.) opportunities for my kids to help others

Most volunteering opportunities I could find were only for adults, or older kids, but then I discovered Meals on Wheels.  This was something we could all do together!

When Strider and Rayna were about 3 and 5, we started volunteering a couple times a month.  We had the same delivery route each time, so we got to visit with the same 7 or 8 people each time.  A few of the people were a little gruff or unresponsive, but several of them loved to chat, and, especially, to see young children.

When Colsen came along and I was trying to manage getting 3 kids in and out of car seats (in a little station wagon), we gave up the route, but the kids still talked about it for years afterwards.

Now we're doing it again -- this time to houses right in or around our neighborhood.  The blessings have been huge.  My kids know all of the people quite well now, and get such joy packing up their meals to give to them.  Sometimes they make little crafts or cards for the elderly folks.  I love seeing the recipients open the door and beam when they see the kids.

One woman on our route in particular has made such an impression on me.  She has given to us over and over and, I hope, has influenced me in ways that will affect me for years.  I want to be like her when I get old.  So that has been an unexpected bonus.

If you have time in the late mornings to volunteer even once or twice a month, I think your kids -- and you -- will really find it worthwhile!

Something I Wish I Did: More Scripture Songs

Looking back, I wish I had found ways to play more music for my kids.  And specifically, I wish I had played songs based on verses from the Bible.  We did some of that, but due to some various technology-lacking factors, I mostly relied on CD's... and these often got scratched and lost.  We had one central CD player, and despite my efforts to purchase some additional players for the kids' rooms, the cords kept getting lost, batteries removed or depleted, etc.  All that to say, we didn't play as much music as I wish we had.

Kids brains are so amazing when they are young, and when I think of how many things my kids have memorized because they were set to song, I wish we had taken greater advantage of pumping more of God's Word into them at young ages.

The ones we did do, we loved.  Songs for Saplings and Hide 'Em in Your Heart were good.  But I know there were plenty we never listened to. 

Perhaps others could comment and share which music has been helpful for their families?

The mom's plight: multitasking

(Reprinted from franklyjournaling.blogspot.com, 11/22/09)

I read an article recently about multitasking. The author’s main point was that multitasking is not actually more efficient, much as we’d like to believe so, because in reality our brains can really only focus on one thing at a time. So when we think we are multitasking, we are actually switch-tasking, albeit very rapidly. But every time we switch tasks, different neurons in our brains have to fire up or fire down, so we actually lose small bits of time with every switch.

In addition to this alarming piece of information, the author also presented this nice tidbit: the more we multitask, the more our brains actually change shape physically… and it was insinuated that this change was not one for the better. Therefore, he very evenly and rationally proposed, we would be much benefited if we simply just did one thing at a time, focusing solely on it until its completion.

As I read this, alarm bells started going off in my head as I recognized the effects of this phenomenon in my own life. My thoughts/words were something like:

“DING! DING! That’s just what – Rayna, stop pushing him – my problem – Colsen you can’t put that on your face! – is when I – DING! DING! What? I mean when I multi – Shoot, Strider can you pull that off the stove before it boils over? – DING! Is that the microwave? Or the washing machine? What was I doing here in this room?”

Eventually, though, I had enough pieces of thoughts to finally string them together into one coherent conclusion: THANKS A LOT BUDDY. I believe your hypothesis – that my neurons are exhausted with all their constant firing up and firing down as I switch from one thing to the next (times a million). And while that does give me some explanation for why they are all sweaty and complaining all the time (and are they setting up sleeping bags under my eyes to rest? That would explain THAT issue as well), it also plunges me into despair, because I cannot hope to attain the solution: focusing on one thing at a time.

The chipper author matter-of-factly just set about his day, from thence forth, striving to do one thing at a time. He ate his breakfast, drank his coffee, turned on his computer, did some writing, read the newspaper, etc… all in a nice peaceful succession.

If I tried doing just one thing at once, one or more members of this family would be in great peril, something we were planning to eat would burn, we would completely run out of clothes to wear, AND my children would be illiterate forever, among about 782 other negative outcomes. Moms have no choice; we must switch-task at the approximate rate of 37 things/second, or bad things happen.

I can’t even load the dishwasher after a meal from start to finish anymore. In the 6 minutes it takes to put the dishes in, I have to stop about 3 times to move Miles away from the dishwasher as he tries to put the dirty knives in his mouth, twice to call Strider to come play with Miles in another room, once to go help Colsen in the bathroom, once to answer the phone, and 16 times to tell kids to stop doing something. Not only are my neurons getting a workout, but my hands are dried to the texture of leather by the time I finish re-washing them 22 times in that span of 6 minutes.

Even my simple skincare routine is not possible in my current state of life. According to this “routine” I am supposed to put one potion on my face in the morning, let it dry, then put another lotion on. In the span of 2 minutes that it takes for the first to dry, it is very likely that I will have had to: start a load of laundry, wash the hardened toothpaste off the kids’ sink, make 2 beds, start breakfast, get 2 people dressed, and checked my email. Needless to say, that 2nd step gets forgotten about 80% of the time. So now I’m walking around without sunscreen!

My neurons are exhausted, my hands are leathery, my face will soon be leathery, and my brain is now incapable of composing and expressing a complete thought all in a row. And they say motherhood isn’t glamorous?

I guess it’s good to know what the diagnosis is anyway, even if I can’t do anything about my multitasking inefficiency. And the other good news is that even though I don’t have time to give my body a workout these days, at least my neurons are getting a massive one. If it doesn’t kill them, that is. I need to go get some Neuron Gatorade.

Staying at home

During this journey of motherhood I have often had the despairing cry thought, "Why didn't anyone tell me this ahead of time?!"

Have you even been there?

We all have grand expectations of what life will be when.  When the kids get a little older and can feed themselves, when I don't have to change diapers anymore, when my baby sleeps through the night.  I had grand expectations regarding when I became a stay at home mom.

Through the lens of my when, I saw a bliss to not going into work every day.  I anticipated the joy I would feel being with my child all day long, loving her and nurturing her.  I could not wait to have a spotless house (as I would have plenty of time to clean and keep it neat, of course).

So when my little bundle of joy arrived, I struggled through the question, "WHY DIDN'T ANYONE TELL ME?!?!"

Young Mom, maybe you have achieved all that I just described, and life as a stay at home mom is a beautiful and satisfying experience.  I rejoice with you in that.  But, maybe your experience has been more like mine...and I empathize with you.  Or, maybe you are a working momma and you long for the greener grass on the other side.  I understand.  And I must confess, there have been many days that I looked at the mother who works and felt that grass was much greener.

When my baby girl arrived, it didn't take long to realize that my expectations would be crashing down around me.  I didn't anticipate that being needed all day (and night) long would be so draining. Quickly I learned that nursing was no easy task, and while friends struggled with not having enough milk, I found that there was also a struggle when your body overproduces it.  So even nurturing my child through nursing was a struggle.

And that clean house?  Who has time to clean when you are exhausted and needed constantly...

Of course, in those first few months I still held onto the hope of a clean house when the baby gets older.  Only it never occurred to me that as she gets older, she gets mobile.  Oh, and she also gets a little tornado-like, yanking things out of baskets, down from end-tables, out of cupboards and drawers.  And needs to be watched like a hawk.  All. Day. Long.  

I am here to tell you, sweet young mom, that motherhood isn't going to be what you expect.  But God can use even your disappointment to draw you closer to himself.  (There is much therapy in crying out to Him in despair at 2 AM when your child won't go to sleep) And you can take heart in knowing that, even though it might not be as you expected, it is good.  God promises us that children are a gift in Psalm 127:3 "Behold, children are a gift of the Lord.  The fruit of the womb is a reward."  Rest in that promise.

"The Wisest of Women Builds Her House...", (Proverbs 14:1) by Denise Johnson

"The Wisest of Women Builds Her House……..", (Proverbs 14:1). 

One of the most memorable and wonderful miracles in my life was the day of our wedding! It seems like it was yesterday when we exchanged wedding vows and our pastor's wife charged me with a scripture verse from Proverbs:14:1, "The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down".  I was so excited when I heard those words! I couldn't wait to be all that God called me to be as a wife and mother! However, it wasn't too long after those words were spoken to me that I would oftentimes become discouraged, especially after having children.

Building my house required more than the physical duties I pursued, (i.e. cleaning, cooking), but rather the spiritual duties, (i.e. prayer, bible reading). Since it was somewhat of a challenge to read God's word when they were born, I asked my husband to purchase the bible on CD for my birthday, (this was before bible apps). :) So, every morning, I would listen to the bible while my children watched Sesame Street.  Though I was multitasking throughout the day, it encouraged me nonetheless.  When my husband returned home from work, I would "try" to wait at least thirty minutes to tell him about my day, while encouraging him at the same time. :)

Then, after dinner when everyone was "content", I would take a quick walk to re-energize, (Matthew 14:23). Taking time for yourself is of primary importance in caring for your home.  I am reminded of the times when my family and I would board an airplane; the flight attendant would always remind the adults, (in case of an emergency), to place the oxygen mask on yourself first before placing them on your younger ones. As a mom, this is a daily challenge for me, but by the grace of God, and sixteen years later, I am encouraged to press-on!

"I press toward the mark toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus", (Philippians 3:14).

One way God uses two-year olds

Dear Mom of Littles,

I have always wanted children.  Always.  From as far back as I can remember.  I was eager to help shape and mold a little life.  To raise a child who would be kind, considerate, loving, full of joy and most of all, full of Jesus!  I could hardly wait to see how God would use me in the life of my child.

What I did not see coming was how God would use my own child to speak into my heart, to draw me to Him, and (more often that I would like to admit) to chide me.

I could speak for days on the ways my children have taught me about God, about grace, about the unending love (and patience) of Jesus.  Today I am thinking particularly about a time that I was gently chided.

My oldest was around two years old and we were playing outside. She wanted to ride her little bike so we were in the front yard playing in the driveway.  She was having so much fun, but kept trying to venture into the street.  I kept scolding and bringing her back into the driveway to keep her safe.  We went through this little dance over and over again and I was getting so exasperated!  If she continued to disobey we would need to end the fun of playing outside and head back into the house.

I remember thinking, "If she would only listen to me I would not have to discipline her!".  And then it hit me.  Standing there as the parent, I could see the danger of my little one venturing out into the street.  But as a full-of-life, naive two year old, she could not. The rules I was insisting upon were there to keep her safe, not to ruin her fun or punish her needlessly.

It was in that moment that I could sense the Spirit moving in my heart.  God's voice is much the same:  Jen, if you would only listen to Me, to follow My commands, I would not have to discipline you.  My rules are for your benefit, not your harm.

This is a lesson I have been taught over and again (thank goodness for patience and grace!).  And this is just one way God used my two year old in my life.