Large Family Organization...Laundry

Oh the dreaded laundry!  It is not at the top of my list of enjoyable activities.  I will also admit that the only laundry that I enjoy folding is the little baby clothes.  They are quick, easy, and cute:)  But baby laundry soon gives way to toddler, child, and teen sizes...and smells. 

I would like to say that the laundry process in our home looks something like this.

But honestly, it looks more like this.

And, sometimes it feels a bit like this.

So, I thought I would post here on the evolution of the laundry process in our home.  Yes, it has evolved over the years!

When Peter and I were first married, I worked full time.  He was in school full time and working part time.  Those were the days when I could clean the house and it would stay mostly clean for the week.  During this early phase, we did laundry once a week.  And, funny enough, I thought it was quite a chore...haha.  I continued doing laundry once a week with the birth of our first and second children.  I would do a dark and light load of  "baby" clothes and it didn't really add much to the overall chore.

When our third child came along, I started doing laundry on two different days. One day for the kids and one day for everything else.  I would separate dark and lights for the kids laundry and then do the same for our laundry.  This worked well until our fifth child arrived. 

With seven people in the house, I needed a new system.  So, I decided to do a laundry rotation and choose a different category for each day.  So, one day I would do the older boys' laundry, the three littles on another day, sheets another, and so forth.  I still had room for a catch up day...or two:)

When our sixth baby arrived, we decided to switch to cloth diapers.  That would be two babies in cloth as our fifth baby was not potty trained.  Yeah.  This made an immediate impact on the laundry.  I then started doing a load of diapers each night and hanging them to dry over night.  This was, of course, in addition to the other many loads of laundry. 

Now, with nine people in the family, we have a slightly different rotation.  We have several different laundry baskets in the family closet and the kids know where to put their dirty laundry.  So, one of the morning chores (currently Wesley's jurisdiction at 6 years old) is to take the correct basket to the laundry room.  This way, the laundry is waiting for me first thing.  The older boys have two baskets (light and dark) as do the little boys.  Abby and Timmy have their own seperate baskets and each usually takes just one load.  I divide the day's laundry into light, dark, and do separate loads for Peter's work clothes.  Adding in the daily load of cloth diapers, I do between 3-5 loads daily.

Here is our rotation:

Monday - 3 little boys

Tuesday - Abby and Timmy

Wednesday - big boys

Thursday - Dad and Mom

Friday - towels and sheets

Saturday - catch up

When it comes to folding laundry, the older three kids fold and put away their laundry independently during their afternoon free time.  I really just praise them for their work and don't require perfection.  Which sometimes means not looking in their drawers...haha.  Their folding will come along with maturity.  My purpose in having them fold is to develop a good work ethic and character not to have them become perfectionists.

I am teaching my four and six year old boys to fold laundry so the three of us work together to fold the little boys' clothing.  It's a good time chat with them about whatever is on their little minds.  The plan is for me to fold other laundry during my scheduled time each afternoon.  But, if a day gets too busy, I just do it that night or the next day.  This lets the schedule support me and not enslave me...something that took me years to learn:)

So, that's how we get our 15-25 loads of laundry done each week. How do you get the laundry done in your home?

Four Keys to a Successful First Day of (Home)School

Well, it's that time of year again.

The time when...
*school supplies are set out in the front of every store
*parents fight the crowds with a supply list in hand
*children's wardrobes are spruced up with new school clothes/shoes...or uniforms
*parents and children meet the new teacher
*children wait and hope that their friends will end up in their class 
*facebook, twitter, and instagram are flooded with "first day" photos

All the business and stress leads up to a day when kids are dropped off and mom goes back to her normal routine of homemaking or career building and things are more peaceful after a busy summer schedule.

But, in the homeschool world things can play out quite differently.  In our home we school year round taking just a few weeks off to wipe the slate clean for the new year.  We don't usually have to fight the crowds for school supplies.  Wardrobes aren't the same priority when you can do school in your pjs and there really is no need for backpacks and lunch boxes.  But on the first day of school at home things really kick into high gear.  The first day of school can be overwhelming for the mom who will be teaching several different grade levels with a nursing baby and/or a few excitable preschoolers running around. 

So, for all of those homeschool moms who will have a very busy first day of school this year, I want to give you four keys that I have found to unlock a mostly successful first day of HOMEschool.

1. Make a Schedule....just do it.
I know, I know...I can hear the groaning.  But, one of the keys to success in any area of life is having a written plan.  A schedule is nothing more than a written plan for your day.  There are many different types of schedules with different levels of detailing.  On my schedule, I have everything that I would like to accomplish on a daily basis and time for working on long term projects.  I recently heard a schedule described by Heidi St. John over at The Busy Mom as "the training wheels for your day".  It is not your master and you are not a slave to it.  I really like this description.  When the going gets tough, you can always leave the schedule but if there is no written plan things are likely to be left undone.  When this happens extra work (and stress) can be heaped on the next day.  The times that I have tried to school with no schedule or just a skeleton of a schedule, I have experienced more stress from things being undone and piling up than I have from sitting down creating a schedule and letting it guide me through my day.  So, have a written plan!

Here is my schedule two years ago.  It changes a bit from year to year but some of the essentials that work well for us remain the same:)  I used Managers of Their Homes to create my schedule but any schedule is better than no schedule.

2. Start before the first day or take it one step at a time.
Aside from a written plan, I do believe that this is the single most helpful thing I have ever done for a successful first day of school at home.  And, it is so simple:)  Rome wasn't built in a day!  Easy does it...really. 
The week before our "first day of school" we go ahead and start getting back into our school year schedule. I start by getting everyone (especially baby and myself) back into the bedtime, wake up, naps, and feeding routine.  The kids practice getting morning jobs done efficiently.  This just seems to take time in our home.  And time is abundant without the extra pressure of a full day of schooling ahead of us.  So, I can peacefully help those who are struggling with their morning routine.  Some years I have started the morning schedule one week and then added the afternoon the next week.  However you choose to ease into things, take it one step at a time.  This one simple key eliminates so many issues on the actual first day of school for us. 
* Next year I intend to start my Jr. High student a week before everyone else as he will begin doing more independent work.  This way I can devote as much time as necessary to ensure his success before adding in the other kids.

3.  Train the littles.
This is high on my list of priorities before the first day of school.  The week (or two) before that anticipated first day, I start sitting down with my toddlers and preschoolers at different times throughout the day and playing the games that I intend for them during school times.  This gives me the chance to teach them the appropriate way to play with and clean up the games, puzzles, and art (you know...without throwing pieces all over the house and painting the walls).  It also gives me the opportunity to see how well each of these items will work for that child and the chance to put away the items that just will.not.work for independent play.

4. Begin with exploration, fun, and laughter.
On the actual first day of school, my kids are always curious about new books, notebooks, computer programs, note cards, supplies, etc.  So, we do very little "school" on the first day of school...although they do learn a great deal;)  Since there is no reason to hit the ground running, I let them have a chance to thumb through things and become familiar with each book or program during the time when they will be doing that subject.  They can also ask all of those 100 questions:)  I look for any project, art, experiment, or kitchen fun in the first few weeks of our MFW curriculum and plan on that for our afternoon school time (when we usually do MFW).
One year we painted t-shirts that had our school name and verse on the back. 

Last year we went on a field trip for our first day of school.  The second day is available here. 
To add to the fun, we usually have a special breakfast and then a protein snack mid morning to keep them going (actually we do the protein snack pretty regularly throughout the school year).  Lastly, remember to find opportunities to laugh throughout your day.  It might seem obvious but I find that I can become so focused on the details that I forget to laugh with the kids.  Learning is fun!  So, creating a love for learning takes precedent over any one lesson in our school. And sometimes that means leaving my lovely schedule:)

These four keys have unlocked a more successful first day of (home)school for us the last few years. 

What things do you do to unlock success for your first day of school?

Downsizing and Organizing

Last November, when our lease was up, we decided to look for a home that would be much closer to where Peter works.  It's been nice to rent for a season as we've been able to try different areas and styles of houses and learn first hand what we like and don't like:)  Right now we are really enjoying having Peter home more and spending less in gas.  The trade off is that we have had to downsize as we moved more central.

With a move and new house, there will always be organizational challenges.  How do you downsize a family of nine 1,000 square feet and still have room to live?  Well, not without many challenges and letting go of unnecessary items.  Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing many of the organizational tricks that I am using to make our home livable and peaceful.  For those curious followers, we are now living in a 2,000 square foot home...but it has a huge backyard and deep covered back patio which are very important:)

Today, I want to share how we have managed to organize all of the kids' clothing.

We decided to turn one bedroom into a family closet.  In our case, it's actually a closet just for the kids but we call it "the family closet".

As I began my quest, I first listed the needs and the extra "icing on the cake" qualities that I wanted in our family closet.

I needed a place to store:
   *everyday clothes folded and out of sight (no clear plastic boxes)
   *hang up clothes
   *shoes
   *cloth diapers (and a place to change diapers)
   *dirty laundry

I wanted:
   *color coding
   *a folding table
   *a pleasant, organized look (as much as possible...haha)

After hours of researching blogs and Pintrest, I chose a plan that we could adapt to our color coding system and stay within our budget.

Here is what I put together.

We purchased two Ikea storage units and Peter and the older boys put them together.

Next, we purchased some cardboard banker's boxes and spray painted them according to our color coding plan.  As you can see, we have  room to grow:)  The boxes where quite cost effective compared to the wicker baskets being sold with the unit.

Then, we purchased a double professional clothing rack for hanging clothes.  The side pictured is for the older three kids and the other side for the little four.

I decided to put our white changing table in the room (to go with the white shelves) for changing and storing cloth diapers. 

I also added a 6 foot white table for folding laundry under the window.  Oh, what a difference this makes!  Now, I never have to scoop piles of laundry off couches to have a place to sit...haha.  Under the table I store three dirty clothes baskets for the older kids.  At the end of the table is a stack of laundry baskets.  One of these is the missing sock basket:)  There are weeks where all of these baskets are in use!

I already have a little shoe organizer for the little boys' shoes and the room has a closet where we can organize the older kids' shoes and little boys' dirty laundry. In the closet we also have a laundry basket (not pictured as it is behind the door) with extra clothes hangers.  We also store paper diapers that we use occasionally on the top shelf.

Lastly, I decided to add a cute little clothes line with my favorite baby clothes from the years:)

I am still looking for just the right curtain and maybe a picture or two to complete the room but I am really happy with the space and atmosphere of this room.

I'd love to hear ideas from other large families about how they organize all the clothes.

Out With the Old and In With the New

Now that we have had our "first day of school" fun.  It's time to get down to business:)

One of the first things that we do every year is get out our notebooks or portfolios of last year's learning and clean them out.  As the kids pull out all of last year's work, they reminisce about all of the things they did and learned.  They also usually make comments on how much better their handwriting, spelling, and drawing skills are now compared to last year.  It's a great time for them to see the progress that they are making.  Here are some pictures of the "out with the old and in with the new" project.

With our new schedule, I will be teaching writing to the older three kids (together) using Writing Strands.  While we are all sitting at the table, it's a perfect time to have the littles do some basic art.  So, I purchased some "school supplies" for them as well:)

Here is a picture of Ransom doing art at the beginning of his day.

 

 
Here is Seth with his preschool crayons and cute little storage box.

Wesley also loves to draw and is content to sit and draw for the 30 minutes that the older kids are learning to write.  And, just maybe he is picking up a few things as well:)

 
I have worked the schedule so that all six kids have a place to be and a project to be working on throughout the morning.  So, while the older kids might be doing Math or Spanish, the little guys may be playing with one of the older siblings, having "mat time", compute time, or a nap for the baby.  As soon as it cools off outside, they prefer to play in the backyard.

Here are some pictures of the littles doing their scheduled activities.

Yes, our laptop is on a cooling rack as it tends to overheat...haha.  It is a dinosaur in terms of technology and so it's perfect for the littles:)

I am really excited to be done with the summer chaos and back into a neat schedule.  It ensures that I can get everything done and have one on one time with each child while they read to me or we clean up after a meal together.  Great conversations trump reading from time to time:)
 
So, out with the old and in with the new.  Looking forward to all we (yes, me too!) will learn this year about "Rome to the Reformation".

What things do you do to keep your littles occupied during school?

Large Family Organization...The Sunday Morning Rush

 The Sunday Morning Rush...

Even if you don't have a large family, you know what I am talking about...haha.  The rush around like a chicken with it's head cut off, letting careless words slip, wounding spirits, and then putting on a big smile for those at church.  Well...maybe you don't know what I'm talking about and it's just our family that struggles.  In any event, I though I would share about how I have put the head back on the chicken and slowed things down a bit for Sunday mornings.

When we have to get out the door by a particular time and have everyone presentable, it is a challenge! I found that Sunday mornings were not peaceful in our home and that was frustrating...and my fault.  It doesn't exactly put us in the state of mind to worship when we have been fussing all morning.  So, I started finding little things to assist with a smooth Sunday morning.  Over time, I have compiled a very specific list of things that I need to get done on Saturday evenings to make Sunday mornings work.  If I stick to the list, we can have a peaceful morning, get out the door, and be presentable...most of the time:)  But, when we are running behind, I just have to decide in my heart that it's more important to have a peaceful morning and maintain a good relationship with my family than be on time.  So, sometimes we run on "large family time"...haha!

Here are the things that I do to make Sundays a "Day of Delight".

Music: This might seem like an odd beginning, but hear me out.  Over the years, I have found that some worship or classical music can bring a real peace to the home.  So, during the times that I most want peace in the home, I turn on peaceful music.  I often forget until things start getting crazy but on Sunday mornings, it's great to create an attitude of worship in our hearts. 

Breakfast:  I usually do a "self-serve" breakfast and the older four kids just help themselves to cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, toast, bagels, boiled eggs, etc.. And, we don't worry too much about the clean up.  Right now, we are going through Paul Tripp's marriage class "What Did You Expect" before worship service so we have to be ready even earlier,  However, the kids eat breakfast in their class so that helps out with the morning rush for the earlier departure time. When we are not doing a study before the worship service, the kids eat breakfast before getting dressed to preserve the Sunday clothes and keep us from having to change anyone (again...and again) before leaving.

Clothes:  I make sure that clothes are laid out for everyone in our family...even Peter and I.  This includes socks, shoes, hair bows, diapers, etc.  Anything that each child (and adults too...haha) will need to be completely ready is laid out Saturday night before bed.  Here is a picture of how I lay out the littles' clothes on the changing table.

Church Bag:  Because we have our children sit with us in church, we bring a church bag.  This is a bag that we keep full of things to help them sit still and pay attention.  For the older three (10, 9, and 7), we have notebooks and pencils.  We encourage them to take notes and have created special notebooks to help them get started.  For the littles we bring a sippy cup/bottle, snack, and several "quiet things" like felt books or small toys/games.  I check that all of these things are in the church bag and fill all sippy cups/bottles the night before.  The next morning I can just grab drinks from the refrigerator and the bag is complete.

Diaper Bag:  I check and refill the diaper bag on Saturday evenings to make sure that I have at least two diapers for each baby, plenty of wipes, and a change of clothes for all three of the littles.  I place the diaper bag and the church bag together by the "goodbye couch".

Goodbye Couch:  The goodbye couch is the place where the kids park themselves when they are ready to go...all the way down to hair and shoes.  They sit on the "goodbye couch" with a book or pen and paper.  When everyone is on the couch, we know we are ready to go.  It doesn't always work that smoothly but it does help us to know who is ready and who needs a little help.  And, it's amazing how quickly the littles follow the lead of the older kids and just go sit on (or sometimes by) the couch.

Lunch:  Lunch was a problem for so many years.  Having something ready to eat when you get home with a hungry family is really challenging.  If we know that there is nothing at home, we are tempted to go out to eat and that usually isn't in the budget...haha.  I have started using my crockpot almost exclusively for Sunday lunch.  Last Sunday we made "Chipotle style" burritos.  I have a triple crockpot and so I was able to put roast in one, black beans in another, and corn in the third.  I had the toppings and tortillas ready and made some rice when we got home.  We were ready to eat in 10-15 minutes. 

 If you are looking for ways to make Sundays a day of delight, check out "A Day of Delight" by Doorposts.  This has been one of the most influential books for me in helping our family to enjoy and look forward to Sundays.  I highly recommend it...and they are not paying me to say so...haha.

Large Family Organization: the notebook

Welcome to Large Family Organization Wednesday!  Today, I decided to repost one of my earliest posts on how I organize my time, commitments, grocery lists, etc. all in a notebook that I fondly call my "brain".  haha.  Without this "brain", I would be totally lost.  And, the times that I get lazy and don't write things down or don't check the calendar in my "brain", I end up missing something that I had intended to go to or do.  

So, without further ado...

*****************************************************

 I would like to introduce you to my brain.  It's not what you think.  My brain is purple, has three rings, lots of paper and dividers in it, and every thought that I deem important.  (That is, if I remember to write it down...haha.)

I didn't always have this notebook.  As a matter of fact, my "brain", is a relatively new addition to my attempt to be organized and together.  It has been a process, to say the least.  It all started a few years back.

I noticed that one of my friends frequently carried a 3 ring binder with her.  I was impressed at her organization but thought little of it...until my sixth baby made his appearance.  Still tunneling through stacks of boxes from a recent move and unpacking from several weeks vacation in Texas, I didn't feel like I was coming up for air.  After taking care of all the needs of my little ones, spending special time with them, and schooling them, there was little time left for getting caught up.

Then, I noticed another friend of mine with a 3 ring binder and she made a comment about having all of her important things in there.  I knew that I must be missing something really important here because neither of these mommy friends had time for frivolous notebook creating:)  I decided to dig deeper and find out just what was in these three ring binders.  A few conversations later, I was hooked and decided that I should give this 3 ring binder thing a shot.  It definitely couldn't hurt and maybe my friends were on to something:) I really did need something...anything...to help me keep it all together without reinventing the wheel...definitely don't have time for reinventing!

So, first I went shopping...always my favorite part of any project:)  I picked out a purple (my favorite color...hoping I will be more inclined to actually use it!) binder that had not only the three rings in it, but also several files and a place to keep pins and small items...and most importantly, a zipper to keep it closed.  (In this house, it won't last very long if it's not zipped closed.)

Years ago I used to keep a notebook next to my bed so that if I thought of something important when falling asleep, I could write it down and sleep peacefully knowing that I would not forget that ever important thought...haha.  I am always amazed by the number of the things that I think of or remember when I am falling asleep!

This notebook is a larger and more in depth version of that same thing.  Included in my "brain" 3 ring binder is my monthly meal planning, ongoing grocery and shopping lists, house cleaning schedule and rotation, daily schedules for school, things that I want to research, writing projects, anything involving my kids, a calendar (home made...of course), and things that I organize like events for my local homeschooling support group, church potlucks...and anything that I would like to remember.  As Henry Loftin, director of Glowing Heart Ministries used to tell us college kids many years ago, "The weakest ink is stronger than the strongest mind."  I totally agree!

Amazing the difference!  My brain can actually rest now and not have to remember every detail of everything going on.  I just run and check my "brain" when in doubt...and I run to it quite often these days.  I can rely on my "brain" to remember for me.  And, as long as I write it all down and check the "brain", I stay on track:)

What things do you do to organize and remember all the details?

Large Family Organization...vacation packing

On this Wednesday, I am back to posting on how we organize our large family.

Because I am in the midst of packing for a "stay-cation" for the upcoming holiday weekend, I thought I would post on that very thing.  We will be driving a few hours and house sitting at the home of Peter's parents while they are out of town.  This is a wonderful way for us to get away from the everyday commitments, enjoy a pool, and in turn take care of the pool and plants.

A few years ago, I learned a little packing tip from another mother of many.  I have used this method ever since and I love it.  It is a little more preparation but the reward is an organized chaos-free time away...well mostly:)

I pack all of my littles things by the day.  So, I make a pile for each day that we will be gone of everything that each child will need to wear (excluding shoes) even down to underwear and socks.  Then I bag each "day" in a recycled Wal-mart bag, tie it, and label it.  Then I place all of the bags in the suitcase.  Here is my bag for this weekend.  It has all of the clothes, pjs, and shoes for my four littlest ones.

With this packing strategy, there is no question about what to wear each day.  Peter or the older kids can help get the littles ready without putting them in church clothes to play in the backyard...haha.

 
I also pack a little suitcase with all of the diaper products and blankets.  Here is a picture of that.

This time, I decided to let my (almost) 9 and 10 year old boys pack for themselves.  I gave them each a list of what to pack that was something like this.

5 shirts
5 shorts
5 underwear
5 socks
1 church shirt
1 church pants
church shoes
tennis shoes
swim suit
2 pjs

They seemed to really enjoy the challenge and we only had to make a few modifications:)

Depending on the trip, I will sometimes pack food items in a few bags and include bottles, sippy cups, and bibs in this bag.  On this trip, I am taking some nonperishable foods that I prefer to buy at my local store.  So, I made a list and packed bags with supplies.  I also made a list of the groceries that we will pick up on the way across town.  This way I get to spend the trip enjoying family and not running errands.

Now to get the adults packed...haha.

When we get the van loaded, I will add a few pictures just for kicks.  We now have eight people in a minivan and travel is always tight.

Large Family Organization...Socks and Shoes

This is my second post on Large Family Organization.  Organization is something near and dear to my heart as it just makes life so much easier and cuts down on chaos which leads to stress...something I don't need.

Sometimes, it is the little things in a large family that can send the home spiraling into chaos.  Getting out the door can be one of those things...especially when I am looking for matching shoes for so many little feet and I'm going to be late!  We utilize a "goodbye couch" (a place for everyone to sit when they are ready to go), but, if the socks and shoes are missing, they never make it to the "goodbye couch".

Socks and shoes have been an issue in our home for many years.  The older kids can put their shoes away but the littles don't always follow through and then I find one shoe here and another there...or maybe just one shoe...haha.  One issue was that I was storing the little boy's shoes and socks in their closet...upstairs.  Maybe I'm just lazy, but I don't really enjoy climbing the stairs 10-20 times a day.  So, when it is time to go somewhere, and I have to go all the way upstairs and collect three sets of socks and shoes...only to have to carry them all back up and return them to their place when we get home, it creates extra work and takes up time.

Not anymore!!

I recently found an organizational tool that has made this so much easier.

I was looking through a re-sale store a while back and found a shoe rack for $6.  I thought it was such a useful and unique organizational tool that I picked it up even though I wasn't sure how or where I would use it.  I placed it by the door that we use when leaving the home and started stacking shoes on it.  After a little re-organization and brainstorming I decided to use it mostly for the little boy's shoes.  I grabbed a plastic box (which I happened to already have) and put all of the little boy's socks in it.  I then placed it on the changing table (by the door that we leave through).  I grabbed another unused plastic box for the baby's shoes and also placed it on the bottom shelf of the changing table.  Then, I hung the little boys' shoes on the new shoe organizer. 

Here are the little boys' socks and Ransom's shoes on the bottom of the changing table.  Super quick and easy.  I don't know why I didn't do this years ago.

I have a hanging shoe organizer for each of the older three kids in their closets and it seems to work pretty well.  Here is a picture of Abby's shoe organizer.  We are still working on getting both shoes put away...haha.  The older boys have similar shoe hangers but slightly larger as their shoes tend to take up more space.

 One day, I hope to have a "family closet" (tons of great ideas on Pintrest) in a room next to our laundry room to keep all of the kids clothes and shoes but for now, this works really well. It is so nice to be preparing to leave the house and as I change the diapers, I just reach over, grab socks and shoes, and put them on little feet...without going up and down the stairs.

Large Family Organization...the homeschool cabinet

Large families take an extraordinary amount of organization.  I feel like I am still in the early years of the large family and still learning the most efficient way to organize.  I thought I would do a series on the ways that I organize our large family.  Everyone is different in preferences on this sort of thing and there is no one right or wrong way to do it.  But this series will share some of the things that I do to make life easier around here. I will attempt to do a "Large Family Organization" post every Wednesday...we shall see...haha.

Today, I thought I would share how I organize all of the little things that we use on a daily basis for our homeschool.  I have tried so many different things over the years to organize but, it never seemed smooth and efficient until I did this.

A neighbor gave me this cabinet as they were preparing to throw it away.  It had no knobs, paint was scratched off in several areas, and the inside shelves were broken.  I invested in a little hardware and paint and refurbished this little unit for about $15.  It now sits in our kitchen eating area right by the table where the kids do their book work.  Easy access and doors that close were both essential for me.  Above is a picture of the outside and below is the inside.

On the top shelf, I put the workbooks and Teacher's manuals for individual work that we use daily along with a plastic box in which the kids place their completed work. This is mainly the Math and Language books.

On the middle shelf I placed several baskets (that I happen to already have from another organization project in another house).  I always try to utilize things that I already have in these types of projects...sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't.  This time it worked...aahhh.  These baskets hold the crayons, pencils, colored pencils, glue, scissors, and paint.  There was even a place for the pencil sharpener (high enough to be out of the reach of the littles).  And, there was a media cut out in the back of the unit so I could plug in the pencil sharpener without having cords hanging out the front...icing on the cake!

 

On the bottom shelf are baskets holding white and colored paper and stencils, stamps, etc..  My kids do quite a bit of drawing/sketching...especially when I am reading aloud to them.
 

The three drawers on the bottom are where my three older kids can store their personal school items when they are not doing book work.

 

On top of the cabinet, I placed three more baskets with items that we use a little less frequently like Math manipulatives, extra art supplies, and larger bottles of paint.

Before, I had these things organized in our "homeschool closet" in a bedroom with all of the curriculum that we are not using this year but will need in future years.  The problem was that if someone broke a pencil, it took a trip to the other room to remedy the problem and chances of being distracted were high.  Now, everything that we need is right at our fingertips without having to leave the room. 

I am SO pleased with the result...especially for the price.

I keep all of our "unit study" books (Bible, Art, Music, History, Literature, Science, Geography, "read aloud", etc.) in a large crate next to the couch where we all lounge in the afternoons to learn while the babies are napping.  Here is a picture of this...not so lovely but what works at the time.

I then keep our school music cds in a little basket inside the entertainment center where they are handy and yet out of the reach of the littles.  Here is a picture of that.

Now, to organize the shoes and socks...haha!  Actually, that will be my next post in this series:)  Look for it next Wednesday!

From fresh to frozen

Today I picked up tons of fresh veggies from local farmers hoping to make baby food and soups to stash away in the freezer.  I loaded up our little Prius with all the veggies that would fit and brought them home.  Now the work begins.  Here is a picture of just a few of the fresh veggies that we brought home.

I knew that I should act quick to use these veggies before loosing them so I got to work right away.  Being Saturday, Peter was home and it was much easier to take on a project like this.  This wouldn't happen on a school day.

So, I placed the squash in the oven to bake.

While baking, I washed, cut, and steamed some of the green beans.  

I pureed these two veggies into baby food.  Next, I put the purees into containers and in the freezer.  I have about two months of pureed veggies in my freezer right now...huge savings over buying jars of baby food...and I love saving!

Because I make my own baby food, I can also sneak some of the puree into the kid's meals.  This butternut squash is perfect to sneak into mac and cheese!  I have been doing it off and on for four years now and the kids have never caught on...whaahaha:)

Here is a picture of the squash ready for the freezer.

 

I decided to do something with the tomatoes other than baby food.  I usually don't feed my babies tomatoes until after 12 months.  

So, I made a double batch of our favorite tomato soup and froze it.  You can see how we make tomato soup in a previous post here.  Now I have two meals ready to go in the freezer:)

Three of my younger kids kept grabbing tomatoes and eating them whole...just like an apple.  I love that they eat veggies so well...wish the older two would!

Seth's favorite was the grapefruits. So beautiful with the leaves still attached.

I kept slicing them and he kept eating them.  I have no idea how many he ate before I finally cut him off...haha.  It did entertain him well though:)

The eggplant was more difficult for me.  I really had never cooked with it and had no idea what to do with it.  

 

So, I went to my favorite recipe website and looked for recipes.  We ended up making ratatouille...the kids loved the idea of this as they love the movie. Peter and the kids took this project on.  And as always, the kids had a good time helping in the kitchen.  In the end, Peter and I were the ones that really liked it with most of the kids just picking at it.  But, it was fun!  We have also made several recipes of breaded baked eggplant that we dipped in marinara sauce...yum!

All in all, I spent $20 on the produce and have two months (at least) of baby food, two meals of tomato soup, several meals of eggplant, and lots of veggies for salad and sides.  I also shared veggies with several friends and a neighbor too.  Great deal.  I will be frequenting this produce supplier...and learning how to cook with a seasonal harvest:)

Now, to get my kitchen cleaned up and back in shape for the new school week...