Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Mom, I’m Bored!

Bean Germination

Summertime is the perfect time for a little project that is simple, yet will give the kids something to do each day for several days. All that sunlight coming through the windows is the perfect setting for a bean germination project. I am willing to guess you have all the materials you need in your home right now. Let’s check it out.

Materials

·         Zip style plastic bag (one for each child)

·         Beans of choice (one or two for each child)

·         Paper towels

·         Water

·         Tape

·         Stapler

See, I told you had everything you need. Now, let’s look at how to do this simple project.

1.      Soak beans in a small cup with some water for 24 hours.

2.      The next day, dampen paper towel and fold in half. Place bean(s) inside fold of paper towel.

3.      Place paper towel in bag and staple the top, so it doesn’t slip down. Seal bag.

4.      Have child pick a window and tape bag to window pane.

5.      Each day have child observe the changes in the bean(s). Have them write a few words or sentences (or have child dictate while you transcribe) about each day. Take photos each day or have your children draw pictures to note the changes they observe. Once the sprouts begin growing, change the direction of the bag and re-tape to the window pane and observe how the sprout changes.

You can ask some great thinking questions such as:

Why does the sprout grow upward?

Did changing the direction of the bag affect the direction of the sprout?

Why does the bag need to be in the light?

Why is the water an important element?

Does the root change in as it grows?

Have fun with this GREAT summertime activity.

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Curb Appeal for Less

You can dress up the outside of your home with some simple, frugal, and usable plants that will provide curb appeal for less.

Using potting soil, or good soil from your composter, fill several smaller plant pots. Add seeds from a variety of different herbs to the pots according to the package directions. Once the plants begin to grow, plant the pots in your garden by digging a hole the pot will fit in leaving the top band exposed. Once these plants begin to grow, they look beautiful! This is also an easy way to determine weeds from your plantings…if it’s growing outside the pot, it’s a weed. This is so simple, but the frugal aspect is twofold. Firstly, herb seeds and the other components for planting are very inexpensive. But the savings don’t stop there, because you can take clippings from the herbs to use in your cooking saving you from having to buy herbs.

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simply Until…

Homemade Tomorrow

How often do we think about how much we could do from scratch if we just had more time, resources, were more organized and crafty, etc. We have a million and one excuses reasons why we don’t do more homemaking from scratch. This is all fine if you don’t desire this form of simplicity in your life. But if you do, this thinking is continual source of procrastination.

The thing about making things from scratch is that you don’t have to make everything from scratch. The simplicity of making things yourself should be rewarding as well as benefit your family. If you have no desire to learn to sew purchasing a sewing machine, fabric, needles, thread, and do dads galore will end up being nothing more than clutter. You don’t have to sew home décor items, clothing, period costumes for your kids, etc to validate your journey to simplicity. If baking is not your thing, don’t stress yourself out with making muffins for a church brunch…buy them.

All this said, DON’T put off the simple homemade activities you do enjoy for a chaotic convenient store bought life. If you enjoy baking, schedule a baking morning each week with a pre planned list for each week of the delicious items you will bake. Make enough to freeze some for other days. Enjoy sewing? Use fabric you already have and take on one project and complete it. Have a green thumb? Spend time growing your own flowers and vegetables and forget those other projects that you have no interest in.

Your life of simplicity is YOUR own. You are unique. So is the path of your journey. Don’t put off all homemade activities because you are overwhelmed by the amount you think you should be doing. Pick one that you want to do and get started!

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Keep it Together, Girl!

Cord Organization

One thing everyone has in their homes is cords. We don’t think about them much, but they can be a pain to keep track of and store. It is amazing to me how all those cords for my puter and printer can be such a tangled mess!!! It can make it very difficult to clean around. But there is a simple and FREE solution!

Save the cardboard tubes from TP and paper towels. Use the TP tubes to store miscellaneous cords such as extension cords, small appliance cords, cords for small devices (mp3 players, walkmen, cameras, etc), and other gadgets. Use the paper towel tubes for containing several cords plugged in to one area. Turn everything off that is plugged in to one power strip. Unplug everything and slip into one or two tubes (I use 2 consecutive paper towel tubes for my computer cords). Then replug and power up. When it comes time to clean, simply pick up the tube and vacuum underneath!

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Can I Have Some More, Please?

Simplest Smoothies

Smoothies are a GREAT way to cool off a summer day inexpensively and healthfully. But the best part about smoothies is that you are only limited by your imagination when you are thinking of combinations. My personal favorite, is a recipe that is simple, inexpensive, and healthful.

Simplest Smoothies

·         Frozen Blueberries

·         Frozen Strawberries

·         Frozen Raspberries

·         Liquid Stevia (optional)

·         Water

 

1.      Place frozen berries in food processor. Add water about ½ c at a time. Pulse.

2.      Add water as needed and continue pulsing until you achieve desired consistency.

3.      Add stevia to sweeten and pulse to incorporate, if desired.

It doesn’t get simpler than that. The amount of berries used is determined by how many people you are serving. The amount of water and stevia will depend on the amount of berries and your personal preference to taste and consistency. This is a GREAT kitchen activity for littletons and eldertons alike!

Buono Appetito!

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Mom, I’m Bored!

Box O Stuff

Due to the fact that I try to keep the amount of our rubbish down, I find that I save things for something. What that something is, I know not when I save it. But I know I will use it sometime in the future. This is great thinking, except how much stuff can you store that has no intended purpose?

To tackle this issue, I grabbed a box. Nothing fancy, just one of the apple boxes laying around my stuff holding garage. Inside I began placing these gems that had no purpose. About once per week, I place the box out on the craft table, open it, and say, “Have Fun!” This keeps the kids busy for a few hours! They come up with all types of projects. One child inevitably makes art projects, while another leans towards building. Still another devises ways to use the stuff to “add on” to his existing toys.

This activity is a boredom buster because I have new items from the “I’ll Use It Someday Area.” Within a few hours the items are used and the box is empty for the next week. Anything that gets crushed or destroyed does go to the rubbish bin. But art, buildings, toys, and the like hang around and are played with for time to come. My children are aware that they need to be able to put their new creations in an organized place. This helps them keep in mind that they will need to store their new creations after they have been made. Not only that, but my kids are entertained for a good stretch of time, which affords me the opportunity to catch up on tasks, too! Engage your children’s brains, create lovely memories, and accomplish something too!

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Simply Frugal

Lower Your Insurance the Simple Way

Insurance is one of those bills we have to have, not because we want to, because it is normally government mandated. Most states require you to carry automobile insurance. It you have a mortgage you must carry home owner’s insurance and for some an extra insurance called PPI. Renting while saving for a home? Then you may have renter’s insurance. Health Insurance. Cancer Insurance. The list can be pretty extensive and exhausting; not just for you to manage it, but to pay for it all!

Although many of these insurance options are required for us, we can look at cutting costs in some unknown ways. My friend recently told me that her home owner’s insurance was cut by approximately 50%! All she did was sign up for a free program. They send an adjuster type person to your home who evaluates the home for safety and efficiency. They gave her a signed document that stated that her home met all the state requirements. She gave that to her insurance company and WHAM! 50% reduction!!! Check with your local officials and utility companies to see if they offer any programs such as this one. Often times utilities companies will send a rep to check your home for efficiency and this will also give you a reduction in your bills; if not from the company up front, then on your bill as they give you guidelines to make your home more energy efficient.

You can do this with automobile insurance as well. Call your representative and ask to go over your policy. Ask for recommendations on how to trim the costs of your insurance. Call another company and ask for a quote on the same insurance. If the price is different, let your current rep know that. Don’t be afraid to switch companies! If you are going to save a couple hundred dollars a year, it’s worth your time! Also, there are often deductions that they don’t advertise. Some may be for certain type of safety devices. Perhaps your vehicle is rated with an airbag. If your vehicle has a passenger side airbag, ask if there is a reduction for that as well. Have a clean driving record? CALL your insurance agent and remind him/her. Often times it is worthy of a deduction. They are not going to call you and ask you if are eligible for these discounts!

Most insurance companies I have dealt with over the last couple decades are willing to work with a customer who takes the time to call and ask questions or have a home check done. Even health insurance companies will give you a discount if you have a health exam yearly! Take a few moments each week to tackle one of your insurance bills in this simple way; your bank account will thank you!

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

I Can’t Live Simple Until…

It’s summer now; Officially. For everyone summer usually marks a time of relaxation. Some of us homeschoolers school year round. For our family, we school throughout the summer because it is so hot here. We prefer to take time off in the winter when the weather is cooler and more enjoyable for outdoor play. However, we still have time during the summer that we use to relax.

It’s important that you schedule down times throughout the year regardless of your schedule. For example, if your children attend school, you may schedule a week during the school year that they have off from school as a relaxing week for you at home as well. Don’t schedule any activities. Do not make appointments for that week. Although it may seem more convenient to schedule appointments and activities for that time, you will find that those activities can be squished in to your schedule during regular time and make no difference. But having a week that is planned for nothing can make all the difference.

Take time to look at your schedule for the next few months and see when you can schedule a few days for nothingness. If you have it in you, try to schedule down time through the end of the year. RESPECT the schedule that you set up and say NO to anything and everyone who puts pressure on you to schedule something during those days. This period of nothingness is PARAMOUNT to re-centering yourself and gaining the benefits of simplicity. Life will keep spinning forward, don’t miss the opportunity to schedule time to STOP and enjoy it!

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Get it Together Girl!

Curriculum Now

I know many of you have just visited Homeschool conferences, conventions, and workshops recently. Some are preparing to buy next year’s curriculum online. Others are searching ebay and like websites for used curriculum. But what about the curriculum you already have?

First things first; get 3 boxes. You know the drill, one box is for items you will keep, one for those to be sold, one for those to be discarded. Go through your curriculum, shelf by shelf and sort through it. Remove the boxes that need to be sold and discarded from the room immediately.

Now you should be left with the curriculum you are still using and your new curriculum. A good way to contain and organize curriculum is to use paper organizers for scrapbooking. The plastic containers are the perfect size to contain curriculum in manageable sections. This will also help you to keep your shelves tidy even when you need to pull something off the shelf. Additionally those paper organizers can be used to place curriculum on for each day of the week. This will eliminate the need for you to have another area to keep the current week’s assignments.

Keep your eyes open for sales. Joann’s Fabrics regularly puts them on sale for around $3-4 per unit. Even if you school year round, you likely have some down time over the next few months which will allow you to get your curriculum in order and reduce clutter at the same time.

These are my thoughts.

Simple Journey Ministries Presents

Can I Have Some More, Please?

Cool Summer Chicken

Summer time makes for grilling time! Grilling is an easy way to cook a meal and there is little cleaning up involved, making it perfect for those hot and humid evenings. One of the best aspects about grilling is that the grilling surface of most grills is rather large. This means you can fill up your grill, cook one time, and have food for a few days. It doesn’t get better than that in the summer!

One of my favorite ways to save on food, cooking time, and energy is to grill up lots of chicken at one time. Once the chicken has been grilled, let it cool to room temperature. Now, you have meat that is ready to be packaged for ready to eat meals. You can package chicken as is, shred it, or chunk it. Place your chicken in a zip style freezer bag and replace in the freezer. Voila! You have lots of chicken for quick and easy summer meals! This also works well with beef and pork. For those of you who like OAMC, you can designate one day to grilling day and have meat for months! Now that’s COOL!

A little tip about meat: Meat shreds best when it is at room temperature. If you decide to freeze your grilled chicken in whole pieces, make certain that you bring it to room temperature before shredding for the next meal.

Buono Appetito!