Just because I like you

Just because I like you, I'm going to pass along this little kitchen tip. If you're like me and don't have a dishwasher, this is particularly helpful in keeping germs to a minimum. Happy zapping!

A New Hobby

I've been wanting to learn to knit and a new baby was the perfect excuse. There is nothing cuter than tiny knit hats and sweaters (not that either item is particularly needed here in Singapore!)

I wonder. . . which one our baby will wear: the pink or the blue?



Thanks, Kendra, for the tips on where to find a good teach-yourself-to-knit site.

Baking is Better than Disneyland

Today, I introduced Caleb into the world of baking. . . well, sort of. Since we didn't actually do any baking because we made these, what I introduced to him was the world of dumping pre-measured ingredients into a pot and stirring.

Step 1: Dump everything Mom gives you into the pot.

Step 2: Take a sip of milk from the measuring cup.


Step 3: Smile real big.


Step 4: Clean-up. Be sure to lick every last bit of chocolately peanut butter goodness off!



To a curious, mess-loving 16-month old, I am pretty darn sure that dumping, stirring and "cleaning" are more exciting than a trip to Disneyland. And since Disneyland is a lot more expensive and time-consuming (especially considering the trans-Pacific flight such a trip to would entail right now), a 30-minute "baking" project ranks higher in this Mom's book, too!

Mommy's Helper

Caleb has decided that he wants to be part of the Industrious Revolution (the half-hour of exersaucer play hasn't been working the last few days). I've been trying to figure out what to do with him while I'm doing house work.

Here's my solution for the laundry room.

Works for me; works for him.

(For the safety conscious among you: the basket is usually on the ground not on the dryer. The dryer made a better backdrop, though.)

The Industrious Revolution

I've decided to implement something new. I'm calling it "The Industrious Revolution." The plan is to set aside time to work industriously. The trick is in the adjective. I mean, I work now. . . I am usually caught up on laundry, the dishes and other household chores, but I wouldn't say that I tackle my work industriously! I meander. I get side-tracked. And, even though the work is getting done, I feel lazy. And laziness is one of those things, like yeast, that seems to have an amazing ability to permeate everything in the blink of an eye.

Here's the nitty-gritty of the plan, in case you are in need of an industrious revolution in your life, too. I am separating my work into three categories: daily chores, weekly chores and projects. I am setting aside one half-hour first thing in the morning (after Josh leaves for work) to tackle my daily chores.

1. Quick-Clean* the Kitchen
   
2. Tidy Living Room
3. Make Bed
4. Start a Load of Laundry
5. Quick-Clean the Bathroom
6. Vacuum Walkways
7. One Weekly Chore (Dust, Vacuum Whole House, Change Sheets, Etc)
   

Caleb is usually in a great mood first thing in the morning and loves to play by himself in his Exersaucer. Lately, I've been using that time to read the headlines, check my email, chat on the phone, and dilly-dally on the computer (the dilly-dallying is where I'm starting to see some laziness creep in!), all while the breakfast dishes sit in the sink and our bed is unmade. So, starting today, things are going to be different. I am going to get Caleb settled in for play-time, put on a worship C.D., set the timer for 30 minutes and have at it! I'll have to work INDUSTRIOUSLY to get it all done in a half-hour, but it's do-able.

The second work-time of the day will coincide with either Caleb's morning or afternoon nap (whichever we are home for). I am going to write a list of projects I want to tackle. I frequently find myself saying "Oh, I need to ______. I don't have time right now, but I'll have to get to that later." Unfortunately, I find myself saying that over and over about the same things. I'm going to keep a list on the side of the refrigerator and as I think of things, I will write them down. Every day, I will take the top thing on the list and begin to work on it. I'll work industriously on it for 30 minutes or until it is done. Whichever comes first. If I can't finish in 30 minutes, at least I will have started!

I know this sounds a little Type-A. It probably is. But, watching Amazing Grace and reading about Wilberforce's life has reminded me that self-discipline and perseverance are the means God uses to accomplish His work through us. I'm quite sure that God has bigger plans than just the breakfast dishes and the laundry, but character building starts with little things. Hebrews 6:12 says, "We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." (NIV) Since my list of heroes does not include one lazy person, I realized that I need to ask God to help me get rid of laziness in my own life! That's where the idea of the Industrious Revolution was born.

I'll let you know how the Revolution goes. If you decide you want to join me (your task-list may look quite different from mine), let me know. It's always more encouraging to know others are on the same path.


*I have this theory that I have dubbed the "quick-clean" theory. The theory states that by cleaning something every day, you almost never have to do any deep-cleaning since the thing in question never has a chance to get deep-dirty! =) (I also think this theory has spiritual applications but perhaps that would be best considered in another post.)

Beef & Barley Soup

Mmmm, mmmmm, good! No, not Campbells Soup, just soup in general.

Soups are to winter what salads are to summer. . . the versatile, healthy, easy and delicious way to serve a homemade meal. I love wintertime because it means I can serve soup several times each week and never get bored.

There are broth soups, cream soups, meaty soups, bean soups, spicy soups, noodle soups, grain soups, and everything soups.

Some of our favorites include Tortilla Soup, Taco Soup, Split Pea Soup, Lentil Soup, Italian Wedding Soup, Minestrone Soup, Beef & Barley Soup, and Spicy Chicken & Lime Soup.

There are 3 great qualities that soups boast. 1) They are usually CHEAP! That's a huge perk for a family that spent way too much money eating out over the last 2 weeks of vacation. 2) They are usually low-maintenance. Prep time is minimal and as long as you have an hour or two to let the soup simmer, you're fine. 3) You can almost always create something delicious with stuff you have on hand. For instance, last night, after a feverish day with the flu, I really didn't feel like cooking. I opened the refrigerator and pulled out some leftover steak from this weekend. What to do, what to do. . . add some carrots, an onion, a few stalks of celery, a can of tomatoes and some misc spices. Good start. Throw in a handful of barley and a ton of garlic and, VOILA!, a make-shift Beef & Barley Soup. Put it to simmer and forget about it. That's my kind of meal. No measuring, no recipe, no planning. . . perfect for those down-with-the-flu days.

Over the next few weeks, I'll try to post some of my favorite soups creations. As with most soup recipes, consider them to be guidelines. Soup is definitely best when improvised a bit.
***************************************
Beef & Barley Soup
3/4 cup pearl barley
1 Tbs minced garlic
6-8 cups beef stock (or water with bullion if you don't have beef stock on hand)
1 tsp black pepper
Mix together in large soup pot and boil rapidly for about 20 minutes. Then add:
2 cups chopped, cooked steak
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 can of stewed Italian tomatoes, with juice (use kitchen shears to cut tomatoes in the can so they are bite sized)
1 Bay leaf
any other spices that sound good (like Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, etc)
Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours.

Serve with warm, buttered bread.

Like Flies in July

Normally, we are part of a large group that eats out together after Church. Because the group is rather big, we end up waiting a LONG time to get a table. It is hard to really fellowship because the table is so big and spread out that one can't really enjoy fellowshipping with the others at the table. Not only that, but the tab usually averages about $15 per person!

So, we decided to try something new and invite everyone to our house. For about $20-25 total, we were able to feed 10 people a really delicious, home-cooked meal. Not only did we save a lot of money, but our time was so much more enjoyable. After a relaxed meal, the girls stayed in the house to play with Caleb and clean up the kitchen, while the guys hung out in the garage, playing with their RC helicopters and showing off skateboarding tricks. The last of the guests left at 7:00!

Did it make a bigger mess than if we had gone out? Yes, of course it did. Did it mean more work for me? Yep. Was it worth it? Definitely. It was 100% worth it because there is no place like a home to experience true fellowship. Josh and I were excited to be able to provide a meal that everyone enjoyed and a place for our brothers and sisters in Christ to share life together.

I'll admit, it is easier to keep the front door closed, but when we are obedient and open the door, blessings, like flies in July, swarm in!

Creative Gift Giving

Tomorrow is my brother's birthday. Given that he is 27-year-old, single guy, I thought the best gift I could give would be some home-cooked food. I'm convinced this is the perfect gift because it is based on a biblical principle: single guys with growling stomachs would give just about anything for a homemade meal. Esau sold his birthright for a pot of Jacob's stew; I'm pretty sure my brother would be willing to sell his birthright, supposing he actually had a one, for one of my chicken pot pies.

Freezing is a snap, cooking is as easy as turning on the oven and clean-up only involves tossing the disposable tart pan into the trash. It's the perfect single-serving meal for a cooking-challenged guy. And, with boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for only $1.49, it's the perfect gift for our budget, too!

Envelopes #2

At the end of June, I wrote a post about Josh's and my decision to switch over to a cash-only, envelope system. Now it is August 1st and I am happy to say that yesterday was the last day of our first month on the new system. Over all, it worked great! We made some minor adjustments to our budget mid-stream, but even that was proof that the system was working. Josh's sister from China was here for a 10-day visit, and it became apparent that with all the extra get-togethers and outings, our budget was in need of a little readjustment. Unlike our previous system, the envelope system allowed us to be purposeful about our decision to spend more on fun, and yet still keep to the budget. In the past, we would have just spent the money without thinking about where it was coming from and most likely would have blown the budget. But this month we deliberately moved a bit of money out of several different envelopes so that we could add funds to our "Recreation" and "Dining Out" envelopes. We didn't spend more than we originally planned to spend for the month because for every extra dollar we spent on fun, we spent one less dollar on something else. And the best part. . . we didn't feel deprived about it because it was a decision.

Today marked the beginning of month two and I'm excited. I may be weird, but this system makes budgeting fun. . . If it were a game, I'd call it "Beat the Budget." Every time I go to spend a dollar, I'm thinking about the best strategy and whether or not this is going to help me "win" against the envelope at the end of the month. Who'd have thought this whole budgeting thing would be so much fun!

Looking Forward to Being Home

I love cooking and cleaning and meal planning and budgeting and the whole shebang. I think I was made for it (wait. . . I WAS made for it!) I'm sure, once I'm doing it full-time, there will be moments when I'll miss the peace and quiet of the work world, when the kitchen sink is the last place on earth I want to be and when I won't care whether we're eating a balanced meal or not. But, I have faith that those will be fleeting moments.

I have always loved home economics. I got my first cookbook for Christmas when I was 6. I still remember the "gourmet" recipe for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. My grandma taught me to knead yeast bread, make pie crusts and simmer homemade spaghetti sauce for days. My mom taught me the art of stirring cookie dough by hand for a perfect soft/crispy combo and frying taco shells to perfection.

When I was about 7 or 8, I begged my friend's mom to give the two of us sewing lessons. She was a skilled seamstress and I was dying to learn. I have happy memories of the "sewing camp" she put on for us. I learned all about the basics of sewing and although the dress I made was quite a sight to see (a turqoise cotton jumper spotted with bright colored bubbles), I proudly wore it everywhere the rest of that summer.

In high school, I probably spent 3 out of 4 weekends babysitting. Several of my employers were "relaxed" housekeepers. I loved babysitting for those families because as soon as the mom and dad were out of the driveway, I would convince the kids that we were going to give their parents the best surprise ever. . . a clean house. We would race around putting away toys, cleaning bathrooms, washing up dirty dishes, and vacuuming. The kids were never disappointed by the surprise look on their parents' faces (assuming they were still awake when their parents arrived home). It was a spectacular sucess every single time.

Now I'm 28 and only a few weeks away from getting to start my life as a full-time homemaker. It took God a long time to get me here. There were several years when I wondered if all this household zeal was for naught. If I was destined to keep house and cook for one, for the rest of my life (some of you are still there. . . don't give up hope!) Thankfully, just when I was certain it was time to readjust my dreams, God brought along Josh. One minute there wasn't a glimmer of hope and the next minute I was Mrs. R. checking in for my first prenatal visit. Wow! When God decided to get the ball rolling, He gave it a big shove!

I am not planning or even hoping to get everything perfect. I'm totally comfortable feeding my ever-happy husband canned chili and boxed brownies. I don't like to iron. My shoe rack is a mess, there is dust on my ceiling fans, and I have weeds in my garden. That's life and I'm completely fine with life being less than perfect. But, I am really excited to take off this "career girl" hat and put on my apron.

I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to being home!

Blessing Box

I'm not sure where the idea came from or exactly when it started, but I have a little decorative box that has come to call my "Blessing Box." The idea behind this box is to fill it with things that I can use to bless others, but as it's turned out, this box has become a blessing to me. I've enjoyed it so much and it's been such a handy little tool that I thought I'd share the idea with you. The idea is so simple and can be personalized to suit everyone! As soon as my kids are old enough, I plan on helping them create their own blessing boxes--kids edition.

How to Build and Use a Blessing Box

1. Find a smaller sized, sturdy box. I chose a decorative one with a lid, but a plastic box would work just fine! Just be sure that it isn't too big (no bigger than a shoe box). The idea is to keep this simple.
2. Put your address book in the blessing box. I keep my address book on the computer, so I just printed out my list of addresses and put them in there. A few times a year, I make sure it's updated.
3. Fill your box with all sorts of cards--thank you, get well, just because, blank, happy birthday, etc. I have two or three varieties of the packaged cards (where you get 8 or so of the same note card) as well as favorite greeting cards I've picked up along the way. Looking through greeting cards is one of my favorite activities. . . so when Longs or Walgreens has a sale on cards, I usually go and find several favorites to add to my box.
4. Buy a book of stamps to keep on hand.
5. When you come across a little extra money, buy a few $5 gift cards from Starbucks or Jamba Juice or any other favorite treat. These are great to tuck into just-because cards as an unexpected surprise.
6. If you are financially able, keep a few extra $20 bills in there or gift cards to the grocery store or Target. There have been plenty of times when I've heard of someone in need and wanted anonymously help them out. If mailing cash doesn't seem safe, remember, not every card has to be mailed. . . some can be delivered through the grapevine or dropped off on doorsteps!
7. Keep a notepad for jotting ideas down. My husband mentioned that he loves this certain soup from a local Chinese place. In my blessing box I wrote: Surprise Josh with take-out soup. I haven't had time to implement the idea (and besides it's been too hot for soup!) but I didn't want to forget the idea. I have several other little reminders to myself in there or fun ideas I've "stolen" from someone else that are just on hold until the right moment.
8. On the other side of that note pad, jot down simple things about others that bless you. Not necessarily just things that a person does, but also include godly character qualities that you have seen demonstrated.
9. Be creative! If you love tea and that's your signature, tuck a few tea bags in to share with others. If you love homemade coupons (I do!) keep a few of pre-made coupons to fill in on a whim. Maybe you love stickers, or handkerchiefs, or. . .anything! The idea is to keep your box full of inexpensive things that can be used to brighten another's day.
10. Keep your ears open and your heart tender. Pray and ask God to help you see the needs of others around you and to help you be a blessing.
11. Set aside a time at least once a week to bless someone. If you haven't much time, write a quick card to someone who could use the encouragement and drop it in the mail. Maybe include a gift card or gift certificate. Or check in your notebook to send a thank-you-for-being-a-blessing card to someone listed there. If you have a little more time, implement one of your more elaborate ideas such as unexpectedly dropping off fresh chicken soup to a down-and-out friend. Or doorbell ditching an elderly neighbor leaving them a flower and a homemade card. You get the idea!
12. Pray daily for the person you've blessed until your next Blessing Box Day. That's where the real blessing is!

Faithful in Little, Faithful in Much

As my tummy has been growing, so has my awareness of the responsibility I have to drive safely. I've always tried to be a safe driver who obeys the law, but it's so easy to let the speedometer creep up past the legal limit when I'm running late to work! Especially since the road I take almost invites speeding.

But safety isn't the only issue. The law is there to keep me safe, yes. But, even if I can drive "safely" while speeding, there is still the issue of being obedient to God and the authority He has put over me.

By the conviction of the Holy Spirit, about 3 weeks ago, I started becoming very aware of my tendency to push the limits and break the law. He reminded me that "(s)he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much (Lk 16:10)" Every single morning on my drive to work, I was not being faithful in this little area.

I asked God to help me be obedient. And, He has been faithful to answer that request. He has been reminding me each morning as I close the car door and as I turn onto a new road that He is giving me an opportunity to be obedient.

The fruit of obedience is reward enough, but for the last two days, God has given me an external motivator as well: motorcycle cops! Yesterday there were two and today there were four, just past a bend in the road I take on my way to work. In exactly the place that invites speeding.

I think I'm going to tape a little piece of paper right under my speedometer that says "Faithful in little, faithful in much."

Glad about Glads

In early spring, I planted about 50 gladiolus bulbs along the back fence. They all blossomed this last week.

Isn't God amazing!? That little ugly bulb sat inside the dark earth for a few months and then pushed up this glorious flower. What fun God must have had imagining up all these wonderful creations!

Music Room: Before & After

A week ago, Josh and I brainstormed all the projects we'd like to finish before the baby arrives. On the top of our somewhat lengthy list (can this count as part of the 101 in 1001?) was redoing the music room. We wanted to paint, and put up wainscoting, baseboard, chair railing and crown moulding. We have been tackling the project every night (and late into the night!) for a week. Last night we finally "finished" the project.

Below are the before and after photos. The "before" photo is a bit dark, but you can get the idea: white walls, hodgepodge decor, and clutter. If anyone knows someone in need of a drum set, let me know. Ours has retired to the garage.

The first "after" photo is taken from the same place as the "before." I love the new arrangement, with the couch on the wall where the piano had been. . . much more inviting. We decided that the new room is perfect for cozying up on the couch with a good book and a mug of hot cocoa (one reason to look forward to winter!). If you're ever in the neighborhood, drop in, and we'll make you a mug.

Envelopes

As of July 1st, the R Family will be switching to a good old-fashioned envelope system for all our discretionary spending. Josh and I were brainstorming the best way to get ourselves acclimated to our new and improved, one-income budget. We did a bit of research and read in several places that the fastest way to cut 15-30% of all discretionary spending is to switch over to using cash.

The reason cash-only saves money is two-fold. Firstly, it hurts to spend cash. Slide the card, and it doesn't really feel like money is being spent ( A while ago, fastfood restaurants realized that people spend about 20% more on every single purchase when they are using plastic. So, what do you now find at every drive-thru and every register? ATM and credit card swipers!) But, when you have to pull out cash and hand it over in exchange for goods, you really analyze whether or not the goods you are getting are worth the cash you are giving. Secondly, using cash-only also forces you to stop spending once the cash is gone. If there are still 5 days left until the end of the month, but the dining-out envelope only has $1 in it, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that dinner at Olive Garden isn't an option.

Our current policy is to use our debit/credit cards for nearly every purchase. We always pay off the credit card at the end of the week (gotta love those online accounts with unlimited payment scheduling) . The advantage of this approach is that the bank and credit card companies automatically create a record of every purchase. That's less work for us. At the end of each week, I go over the activity for that week and categorize it in Quicken. We have utilized the records to help us get a good handle on where our money has been spent.

But, now that we have a baseline for all our different budgeting categories, we are switching over to cash-only. Our goal is to pay off our house as quickly as possible and in order to do that on one income, we are cutting our discretionary spending.

I am so thankful to have a husband that is such a good and careful steward of our money. I'm thankful that we have exactly the same approach to spending/saving/giving. It sure makes life easier!

I'll keep you updated. And, if you see me in the grocery store with a wallet full of envelopes, you'll know why!

Cutting Corners

One of the most challenging and motivating things to do is scale-back financially. My husband and I have tried not to live off of my salary the last 8 months. We've done pretty well, but when the money is there, it is easy to blur the lines and use a little here to cover this and a little there to cover that. And, in addition to using it to cover daily expenses, we have used a portion of it to do things like build up a savings reserve, fix up our back yard, buy furniture, travel and eat out. I must say, we've enjoyed living "high on the hog" but now we're buckling down and getting serious about transitioning to a single income. I'm already half-way through this pregnancy and we want to have our financial plan in place and active before the baby is born. That means, we need to act NOW.

Being given the title of family financial manager, I sat down last night and analyzed every last penny we've been spending. I may be weird, but I get a strange sort of thrill from looking at our financial portfolio and figuring out ways to cut corners. I like knowing exactly where we stand.

I am so thankful to have a husband who is a hard and skilled worker. I know he puts in 100% at work, even when his co-workers don't. I think God is very honored by that and I know that I am proud to be the wife of a man that really tries to work "as unto the Lord." And, I am also thankful that with the money he earns, he desires to manage it in a way that glorifies God.

After analyzing every spending category, I brought my findings to the attention of my husband and we tried to brainstorm some ideas. The easiest "corner" to cut would be our giving, but under his direction (and I heartily agree), that isn't an option. So, we're figuring out other creative ways to trim away our spending and continue to build our savings. It's a fun challenge and I'm looking forward to it.

All I can say is that I'm glad we bought our airline tickets to Prague BEFORE we decided to buckle down and get serious!

From the kitchen window

Since the title of this blog is From Rebecca's Kitchen Window, I thought I'd post a picture of what I see out one of my kitchen windows.

Last summer, our backyard showcased a lovely weed patch from fence to fence. After hours of labor (largely on the part of my husband who did all the hard work, like putting in sprinklers), we are looking at a much more inviting setting for this summer's backyard barbecues.

I've been really proud of the results. Gardening is one of those activities that offers very tangible, visible rewards, and I am beginning to love it! We didn't spend a lot of money and have done all of the work ourselves (except for the cement patio). The roses are blooming, the gladiolus are pushing up through the soil, and the wisteria vines are growing. Who says the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence?!?!

A Sip of Summer

Nothing signals summer like fresh homemade lemonade and limeade. In our house, yesterday was the kick-off of summer.

Limes were on sale and I'm a sucker for sales. So, last night at 9:45 I pulled out the juicer and started juicing the limes I bought on a whim at the grocery on my way home from work. At 10:00 my husband was wondering what all the ruckus was about (those electric juicers can be quite noisy) and at 10:30, we were sipping on glassfuls of summertime!

I think I've finally perfected the recipe to have just the right combination of mouth puckering and lip smacking. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

Rebecca's Fresh Lemonade/Limeade

Ingredients:

About 10-12 medium sized limes and/or lemons (enough for about 1 1/4 cups of juice)

2 1/2 cups tepid water

1 cup sugar

2 cups ice cubes

about 3 cups cold water

pretty glass pitcher

Instructions:

Finely grate the rind of 1-2 limes/lemons. Reserve.

Combine sugar and tepid water in sauce pan and heat over medium heat to completely dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, juice the limes/lemons (save one empty rind). Add juice to lime/lemon zest. Cut empty rind into small wedges and add to juice mixture.

Add ice and juice mixture to sugar base and carefully transfer to pitcher. Add cold water to taste.

Serve over ice in tall glass goblets to your favorite 6-8 people =)