Be Still

Today, I learned more about the value of being still.

Fridays are frenzied but fun. I typically get up around the time my kids do, then I start a familiar process: change both kids into their clothes for the day, feed my baby girl, get myself ready as my son watches a TV show and my daughter plays on her activity mat, pack up everything necessary to leave the house (which could easily fit in a carry-on suitcase if I was bold enough to carry one), and then feel guilty about handing my son a granola bar for breakfast as we all head out the door to drop him off at Parents’ Morning Out. (In my defense, he never wants to eat as soon as he gets up, which leaves no time for a sit-down breakfast after all is said and done.)

Once he's safely at PMO, the clock is ticking. Out of the 120 hours I'm home with my kids during the week, these are the three hours I'm assured to only have to care for the needs of one child instead of two. So I take them very seriously. Almost too seriously, in fact.

I often have a "game plan" of how I'm going to use my precious three hours.  Some weeks, the plan is to run needed errands that are easier with an infant who still fits in a pop-in, pop-out car seat. Some weeks, I choose to do something I would never otherwise get to do, like getting a pedicure or wandering the mall to look in stores (other than Stride Rite and Gymboree). And some weeks, I haven't had time to figure out a plan, so I do the perfectly reasonable thing: stress about not knowing what to do and not making the most out of my 180 minutes with only one child.

Today was a combination of the first and last scenarios above. I had an initial game plan: to go to our local garden center and get some plants for the pots on our front porch. After that, I had no plan. So, I was staring a couple of hours in the face and hadn't settled on how to use them.

After the garden center, I came home to drop the potted flowers off and make a plan. As I was hurrying around the kitchen (the clock was ticking, after all), I looked down at my daughter. She had been very talkative all morning, using her newly found voice to make all sorts of funny sounds in the car as we drove to and from the garden center. When I looked at her, she immediately lit up the room with her bright smile and gave a happy baby sound to go with it. She was coming up on her nap time and was very tired, but you couldn't tell it from her reaction to seeing me. And that's when it hit me: I didn't know what else I was going to do before I had to pick my son up from PMO, but I did know that I was going to rock her to sleep.

Now that I'm a mom, I've heard all sorts of motherly advice from other women. Some great, some not so great. One piece of that advice often runs through my head, though, is my mom telling me to rock my kids to sleep whenever I get the chance...and to soak in every moment of the experience.

My husband and I worked to train both children to fall asleep on their own, not because we don't enjoy helping them get to sleep, but because we don't want them to be dependent on us for good rest. So, most days I take my daughter into her room, put on music or nature sounds, lay her down in her crib with her paci, kiss her forehead and tell her I love her, and then leave the room. After a few minutes of babbling, she's sound asleep.

Today, though, I realized that I wanted to be there as she drifted off to sleep. Most days, I use the time as she's getting to sleep to meet her brother's needs or take care of something else that needs to be done. And because of that, I carry a bit of guilt about not giving her as much undivided attention at nap time as I did my son when he was her age. I know the reality of having two kids is that neither gets as much one-on-one attention, but that reality doesn't always help me ease the guilt. So, today, I was determined to be present for her nap time and enjoy an experience I don't often get.

We got to her room, I put on her lullaby CD, and I sat down with her in the rocker. When I cradled her in my arms, she looked up at me with her gorgeous eyes and gave me a huge smile...almost as if she realized that I was going to do the unusual and rock her to sleep at nap time. At that moment, I burst into tears. And I was resolved to spend every one of the next few moments soaking in the experience of rocking her to sleep.

Being still and free of distraction (i.e., no toddler needing help, no iPhone, no dryer chiming to let me know that clothes need to be folded) allowed me to notice tiny, amazing things about my daughter. I heard the beautiful little slurping sounds she makes on her paci as she tried to soothe herself. I felt the grip of her hand around my pointer finger as she looked for comfort. I saw how her forehead crinkled when she raised it to look at something that had caught her attention. I saw her restless legs dangle and move as she tried to get into a cozier position. And as she drifted off to sleep, I heard her breathing get slower and more rhythmic, I saw her roll her eyes and duck her head in the same direction toward me, and I felt the weight of her body against mine become heavier. When sleep finally won and her heavy eyelids met, I immediately felt a wave of gratitude for what I had just witnessed.

It's amazing what we notice and discover through being still. The simple becomes amazing. And somehow the stillness gives way to gratitude.

I am guilty of being too busy, but more than that, I'm guilty of overvaluing productivity. I don't run errands unless I can group several together in the same area. I rarely go from one room to the other without taking something with me that belongs where I’m headed. I make shopping lists ordered by location in the store so I don't have to backtrack. Being unproductive drives me crazy. But--as I realized today--so does missing out on the little, beautiful things of life.

Let's face it: being still isn't productive...unless your benchmark for success is enjoying the journey rather than getting to check the box when it's complete.

Psalm 46:10 says “Be still, and know that I am God…”

God knew what he was doing when he asked us to be still. We are busy. Too busy. And in the hustle and bustle, we miss so many wonderful moments along the way. Starting today, I am going to try and be still more often. Maybe, just maybe, it will help me see and experience a renewed sense of wonder about the world around me. And it might also bring me to a deeper sense of gratitude for who God is and what he's done.

And in case you’re wondering, I did find a way to use my remaining PMO time. I held my sleeping daughter right up until it was time to go pick up her brother. Looking back, it was the most productive I’ve been all week.

Easy Wreath - For More Than One Holiday!

I'm not (or at least, I haven't been) your wreath-for-every-holiday type of girl. For years, I've accepted the fact that our neighbor's doors will simply be more festive than ours. The primary reasons I've been okay with that fact are: 1) I have a hard time paying money for non-Christmas decorations that I can only use for one holiday and 2) front door wreaths seem difficult to make yourself.

Thanks to a little motivation from Pinterest, I've tested--and refuted--both of the above claims. I made an inexpensive Halloween wreath that I can easily (and still inexpensively) convert to a Thanksgiving wreath. And the whole project took me less than 30 minutes! 

The finished product! Step-by-Step Instructions Below.

What You'll Need

• 18" Grapevine Wreath
• 1/2 yard of Holiday-Themed Fabric
• Wooden Monogram Letter (featuring your last initial)
• Hi-temp or Dual-Temp Glue Gun
• Other Holiday-Themed Decor (optional)

How You Can Make Yours

1. First, create a workspace on the floor with plenty of room. Hardwood or tile floors work best, but I used carpet since it was my best option at the time. You'll want to put newspaper or a painting canvas down as protection.

2. Start by attaching the letter to the wreath with the glue gun (hi-temp setting). The best way I found to do this is to place the letter where you want it with your hands, then flip it over and set it on the floor (with the letter between the floor and your wreath). Glue through the wreath pieces and between the wreath and the letter to get a good connection.

3. Once the letter is attached, prepare the fabric. I bought a half yard of fabric and cut it lengthwise into four-inch strips. I ended up with two different four-inch strips, which was ultimately enough to cover the wreath. I then folded the strips in half to make them two-inch strips and to give the front and back the same look.

Four-inch strips

Two-inch strips

5. Glue the two fabric strips together at the ends. At this point, you should have two long strips that are two-inches wide. Glue those strips together end-to-end to make one very long two-inch strip. This should be enough to cover the entire 18-inch wreath.

6. Wrap the fabric around the wreath. Start by tucking (not gluing!) the fabric behind the letter, then wrap it around the wreath (leaving a couple of inches between each revolution) and tuck it behind the letter once more to complete the wrap.

7. If you have another holiday-themed piece of decor, tuck it into the wreath. I took a fall-themed sprig, cut the pumpkin off, and stuck it into the wreath. Again, no gluing (this is key for using the wreath again).

I could have used the whole sprig, but I
decided to cut the pumpkin off.

8. Hang up your cool new wreath! To hang it, I used this Pinterest idea and hung a Command Hook upside down on the back of our front door.

Getting in the Halloween spirit!

So, there you have it...an easy-peasy Halloween wreath that can be used again! To customize for Thanksgiving and other subsequent holidays, just substitute other holiday-themed fabric and decor and follow the same instructions (minus attaching the monogram letter).

Flavored Water On the Cheap

Water is good for us. We've all heard about its benefits and its status as the ideal drink. But if you're like me, you still don't find it as interesting as other choices. I can take a travel cup of water with me in the car, and when I return home, the whole thing is still staring at me from the cup holder. I just don't think to drink it, because it's not always appealing to me (unless I've just gone for a run or come in from a trip outside on a hot day).

My husband has the same problem, so in our house, we've looked for ways to make us more interested in water. We've tried Crystal Light mix-ins, Propel water, and Hint essence water. Although all three taste better than regular water, two of the three have added sugar (and other ingredients) that we don't need. And all three cost money. Hint doesn't have any added sugar, but since it's just fruit-infused water, it seems like I should be able to make it myself. And I can.

I was excited to find this Pinterest link for making your own essence water. It couldn't be easier to do, and there are all kinds of flavor combinations with which you can experiment. It costs money (for the fruit...and the water, if you buy bottled), but your money goes a lot further, especially since you're producing a healthier option for yourself. For my first batch, I made strawberry lemon essence water.

It was really quite easy. Read the original post for step-by-step instructions if the below doesn't answer your questions.

1. Buy your fruits of choice. Per the original post, some fruit/herb combinations work well too.
2. Pull a Mason Jar out of your cabinets (or buy a few if you don't have any).
3. Slice your ingredients and add them to the bottom of the jar. I used 4-5 strawberries and half a lemon.

4. Mash up your ingredients with a wooden spoon or similar kitchen tool.

5. Add ice to top of jar.
6. Fill with water and place lid back on jar.

7. Shake jar vigorously to mix all contents.
8. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors fuse together.
9. If desired, strain the water the following day to remove the fruit/herb pieces.

I really enjoyed the taste of my strawberry lemon water and plan on making other types of essence water to keep in the fridge. I plan on transferring my next batch from the Mason Jar to a sports bottle to make it easier to grab-and-go.

If you're someone who must have sugar in your beverage, essence water probably isn't for you. But if you're just someone who needs a little flavor to keep you interested in H2O, then try this out and see if you like it.

A Practical Use for Crib Bumpers

If you're like me, you bought a bedding set for your little one that included tie-on crib bumpers...bumpers that you LOVED until you found out they were considered a no-no by pediatricians (and virtually everyone else who dishes child-related advice).

We followed the recommendations and didn't use our bumpers when our little guy was born. I really hated to put them in storage, so I put them in his closet and hoped that I would find some use for them. We put the bumpers back on for a while when our son got more mobile (to keep his feet from getting caught between the slats), but once that stage was over, I faced the "what to do with them" question again.

Since my son was teething at the time, I had an idea that kept me from making a trip to the attic: repurpose the bumpers as crib rail guards. 

Bumper folded over the
"skinny" rail of the crib.

And that's exactly what I did. No spending money on "gummy rail guards" or similar products. I just used what I already had to protect the crib rails, and as a bonus, gave my son a comfy place to rest his head when he's standing up in the crib. What about the drool, you ask? It absorbs into the fabric, then you just untie the bumpers and toss them into the wash with the crib sheets.

Making rail guards from your bumpers is a super easy conversion, provided you have a crib with slatted rails and tie-on crib bumpers. All you have to do is wrap the crib bumpers around the top of the rails and tie them on. The only thing that's slightly tricky is fitting the four ties on each corner (two from the wide side and two from the skinny side), but other than that, it's pretty simple.

Voila! Crib bumpers as rail guards.

Pintegration #1: Grab-and-Go Breakfast

I don't know about you, but weekday mornings in our house are pretty hectic. From the time my son wakes up until the time my husband leaves for work, we have 30-45 minutes for changing diapers and clothes, eating breakfast, and packing lunch. We've been a cereal-dependent household for quite a while, so I've wanted to try something a bit different (and a bit more nutritionally balanced).

I've organized my Pinterest recipe boards into categories (breakfast, main dishes, desserts, etc.), so I browsed my breakfast pins and came across two that I thought would work together to produce convenient, portable breakfast options. They did work well together, and it took me 15 ingredients and 1.5 hours to make a week's worth of breakfast! So, I present to you my first "Pintegration," a combination of pins that follows a theme.

Pintegration #1: Grab-and-Go Breakfast

Pin #1: Baked Oatmeal Casserole (from the Urban Nester blog): 
http://alwaysamrsforeverakidd.blogspot.com/2012/01/gluten-free-baked-oatmeal-casserole.html

Pin #2: Easy Hardboiled Eggs (from The Burlap Bag blog):
http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/03/make-hard-boiled-eggs-in-the-oven/

Although I provide a comprehensive list of ingredients and steps below, I would highly recommend you review both links before trying it yourself.

If you want to attempt this Pintegration, here's a quick list of ingredients you'll need:

• 14-26 Eggs (Casserole: 2 Eggs; Hardboiled: 12 for regular muffin pan, 24 for mini muffin pan)
• Ice 
• Water (tap water is fine)
• 3 cups Oats (I used one-minute regular oats, but the original uses gluten-free rolled oats)
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Nut Pieces (I used walnuts, but I think pecans would also work well)
• 1 1/2 cups Berries (I used strawberries, but the original uses raspberries and says any berry is fine)
• 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips
• 3 cups Milk (I used skim to cut fat and calories)
• 4 1/2 Tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 Bananas (peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
• Cooking spray

Here's a quick list of kitchen dishes and tools you'll need:

• Regular or mini muffin pan (for hardboiled eggs; if you don't have one, a Pyrex should work)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Three large mixing bowls
• Slicing knife
• Mixing spoon
• 11x13 baking dish (such as a rectangular Pyrex)
• Small ramekin
• Whisk
• Tongs

And finally, just a couple of quick notes about my Baked Oatmeal Casserole modifications before we begin:

• The original uses gluten-free rolled oats. Since we are not a gluten-free household, I used regular oats and left everything else the same.
• The original ingredients are designed for a 10 1/2 x 7 pan. The above list increases those portions by 50%, which should be the appropriate amounts for an 11 x 13 pan.

Now, let's try it! (Note: These instructions are a slightly modified mash-up of the originals above)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees for the hardboiled eggs.
2. Place the desired number of eggs into the muffin pan cups.
3. Once the oven is preheated, place muffin pan on top rack and set timer for 30 minutes.
4. Start the baked oatmeal casserole while hardboiled eggs are cooking.
5. If using strawberries, rinse, hull, and cut them into ~1/2 inch slices. If using other berries, rinse and leave whole.
6. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, half the nuts (3/4 cup), half the berries (3/4 cup), and half the chocolate chips (3/8 cup).
7. Generously coat an 11x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
8. Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish.
9. Arrange the remaining nuts, berries, and chocolate chips evenly on the top of the casserole.
10. Peel the bananas and cut them into ~1/2 inch slices.
11. Add the banana slices to the top of the casserole.
12. Melt the butter in the microwave (I do this by microwaving the butter in a small ramekin 15 seconds at a time).
13. In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract.
14. Pour the milk mixture over the oat mixture in the baking dish.
15. Gently shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
16. Check on the eggs.
17. Once the eggs are done, fill your third large mixing bowl halfway with ice and water.
18. Remove the eggs from the oven and, using tongs, transfer them to the bowl of ice water.
19. Once eggs are cooling, turn up the oven to 375 degrees.
20. After oven reaches the appropriate temperature, place baking dish in oven and set timer for 35 minutes.
21. When timer goes off, use tongs to transfer hardboiled eggs back to carton and refrigerate.
22. After refrigerating eggs, check on the casserole.
23. If top looks golden brown and the milk mixture appears to be set (i.e., not slushy), remove casserole from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes.
24. To eat, cut out a slice and enjoy.
25. Refrigerate the remaining casserole.

(Post continues below images.)

Hardboiled eggs! I made 12, but you
 could easily make up to 24 at a time.

The finished product!
Note: This photo is of an 8x8 dish, but the
ingredients above are for an 11x13 dish.

And that's it! It took me an hour and a half to complete all of the above steps. And it fed the three of us for a full week! I cut out slices of the casserole each morning for each of us, reheated them for 20-30 seconds in the microwave, and paired them with the hardboiled eggs. My son loved the casserole (not so much the hardboiled eggs). My husband and I loved both items, but we found the casserole to be particularly yummy.

If you try this Pintegration, please feel free to leave me your comments. I hope it works for you and helps you save some time in the morning!

Welcome!

Welcome to "The Not-So-Crafty Mom." As the title suggests, I'm not someone you'll see on the DIY channel anytime soon. I'm just a typical mother of one who enjoys finding better, more efficient ways to  help keep my household running...whether through meal planning, clearing clutter, saving money at the store, or making things instead of buying them.

My blog will detail my latest projects and ideas. And since I'm an everyday mom with average DIY skills, these ideas and projects will meet at least one--if not all--of the following three criteria: easy, quick, or inexpensive. I may occasionally attempt something above my skill level, but that will be the exception rather than the rule. My posts will appear once or twice per week, so feel free to bookmark and check back regularly.

I'll be getting some of my ideas from Pinterest, and when that's the case, I'll be linking to the original posts in order to give proper credit. And if you see something you like on my blog, feel free to pin the post on Pinterest.

Enjoy!