the "what do you want for dinner?" chart

i know our family isn't the only one that has the "what do you want for dinner?" discussion EV-ER-Y DAY!   ugh.

mom's done!   not having that convo any more!

the "what do you want for dinner?" chart was born.   TA-DA!

the nice thing about this is that you have the dinner cards all made up so everyone can look through them and know what is available.   half the time, no one knows what they want because they can't think of what all you make.   when we were making this chart, we went through the recipe box and were surprised at some of the recipes we had liked but forgotten about.   the chart really helps!  you could make the pockets big enough to hold the actual recipe if you wanted.   that would make dinner even easier.   my recipes aren't all on cards yet so we just made title cards.   keep an extra pocket for new recipes you try.   after a new recipe, ask if it's new card worthy or not.  

every week ask the family to fill in the chart.   we put some in sideways to show that they can be moved.   i put them in laying down if it has to be on that day.   crock pot meals on busy days, nothing difficult on days that everyone will be gone during the day etc.   of course, mom gets to move things or remove things but it gets everyone started.

of course, it is really basic because i don't have any fancy tools.   you can trick it out to your little heart's content.    i'll just give you the basics

you will need:
paper
scissors
a piece of cardboard, cereal box or back of a notebook
clear packing tape, laminator, clear card holders or other clear film
small recipe cards (size optional)
hole punch
string or yarn

decide how your weekly planner should look like.    i made seven days and a place for the dinner cards and extra cards but whatever fits your style and space.

i made little pockets with colored paper and clear tape.   you could use trading card holders or make pockets like i did.  i measured the space, divided it up (yay!   math class wasn't a total waste of time), and cut pieces to size.   i made them by folding the paper to form a front back and bottom and cutting a window out.   make sure that your windows are smaller than your tape so you don't have to make two layers.   place clear tape on the inside first, fold the pocket over and run the tape across the front and around both sides to close the pocket.  

lay your finished pockets face up, side by side, bottom first.   run a piece of tape across the top of the pockets leaving part of the tape above the pocket.   attach the pockets with that tape that is hanging over the top.   continue this process from the bottom up.

punch a couple of holes and add some string for hanging.   done!

i don't even have the "what do you want for dinner?" convo anymore.   whoo - hoo!
hope this helps your family as much as it has mine.   love to see your version if you make it!

number shake box

i don't know if i was just in a sheltered school system before or if this school is really awesome but they have a really cool way of teaching the kids things.   my son just started the first year of school, (in germany 1st grade even though the word kindergarten is german.   that's another story)   they learn everything at once it seems.   as they learn letters, they also learn words and syllables and sentences.    in math, they learn their numbers but also addition at the same time.   the pages they do are set up so that they are learning everything at once.   it's pretty cool.  

now that they are doing more addition, they have these shake boxes at school and worksheets to go with them.   my son wanted one at home because, let's face it, it's loud and active.   i think they have different boxes for each number but we made a multi functional one.

super easy and free to make

you have a worksheet with a number at the top and places to separate pieces of the number under it.   just look at the picture and you will get it.   they fill in dots for each bead and then write the numbers in the space on the right.   shake it several times to see the different ways each number can be made.

you could use sticky notes to put the total number in the lid if you wanted, this was a on the spot thing so it's just basic.

i used a sandwich box that had a hinge wearing out.  a duct taped hinge works for a shake box but isn't great for food since it doesn't wash well.   perfect solution to two problems.    flip top is probably easier, you could use a shoe box or just make one from a cereal box.

i cut a piece from a cereal box and folded it in the middle and duct taped it in.   you want to separate the sides but it needs to leave space to let the beads move freely between sides.   i left it with a bit of a slope so the beads would roll to the sides and be easier to count, (and because it was easier to keep it from flopping around this way).

they were doing under ten on the day i took the picture but have used the same thing for 10-20.  

a bride with the giggles

this is not my story, although i am in it.   it is not my life but i am a part of it.   this is not my case, but i shared in it.

the candles are lit

flowers are in place

everyone is perfectly dressed.  tuxes rented, dresses matched.   every detail planned and perfect from hair done up and bow ties straight, boutonnieres in place and matching manicures for the bride and bridesmaids with color coordinated ribbons and bells painted on each nail.

friends and family are gathered

the preacher stands and the music starts

a groom waits for his bride at the end of the aisle

two by two, groomsmen and bridesmaids step and pause, step and pause their way down the aisle 

the bride appears

she glides down the aisle with her father, both glowing with pride and joy

the bride is given and received

"we are gathered here today . . . . " the most traditional of weddings begins

then, as though some unseen hands reach out and take hold of the bride, a smile spreads across her face.   it is not the glowing beam of elation that usually graces the face of a lovely young bride.   no, this is uncontrollable smile that tries to contain something more.    this is the face of a bride that gets the giggles.

at first, she is able to bite her lips together and stifle any sound.   of course, that tickle will not be controlled, and soon, she is whispering little sounds of laughter.

at first, the solemn groom hopes it will pass as quietly as it started.   a slight annoyance begins to take hold and he shoots his bride a look to try and restore the appropriate decorum.

upon receiving this look from her beloved groom, the bride does what would be called a spit take had she been drinking at the moment.   fortunately for the preacher who might have been showered, she only spewed a bit of sound instead.

at this point, the bridesmaids, to whom the giggles have passed like an epidemic, and have been trying to control their own giggles, are now biting their lips . . . .except the maid of honor who also caught the groomsman's disparaging look and is now softly chuckling as well.

the preacher has droned on and honestly, none of the girls standing with the chuckling bride have any idea what he is saying and are all wondering what is taking so long.   they all hope for the i do's so that they can be released to walk quickly back down the aisle to the freedom of releasing the pent up laughter.    but, no, tis not the case.   the ceremony has only just begun.

the groom is now embarrassed and hoping that only the wedding party is privy to this bout of flippant behaviour.   desperate, he nudges his soon to be wife.   

alas, this has quite the opposite effect and she covers her mouth to try and keep the explosion contained.   all of the bridesmaid are now trying desperately to suppress their giggles to little avail.   

the best man has now joined in his brother's endeavor for the restoration of propriety.   the best man's girlfriend is at the end of the row of bridesmaids and he is just as displeased with her and all of the young women's lack of deportment.  after all, he plans on standing at the head of the same aisle with her soon.   the two brothers now join forces and give what is meant to be a stern look to restore the last shreds of decency to the ceremony.  

simultaneously, the bridesmaids all lift their bouquets to their faces to cover their own versions of the dry spit take.   the 3 remaining grooms men are now smiling and trying to control their own snickers.    the front row of guests are all covering their mouths in an effort to resist the giggles that have spread like the plague.

the bride, alas the poor bride, she has now reached her peak.   she doubles over, one hand on her stomach and one on her face.   she is not only outright laughing but her trademark snort has emerged full force.   

the unfortunate thing about her snorting sow like guffaws, is that it tends to trigger something in the bridesmaid at the end.  the two friends, dating close knit brothers, have developed, entirely unintentionally and uncontrollably, a laugh that happens only when they are together.   the best man's sweet heart, like a piglet answering her mother's snorts, lets out a squee as she tries to catch her breath.   the bride at one end snorting  like a 500 pound sow and bride's maid on the other end squealing like a 3 pound piglet have descended into insuppressible swein like laughter.  

the room has decayed into a variety of chuckles and snickers.   even the preacher has lifted his book to cover his face.   only the two brothers are left immune, mortified at the lack of gentility.

at this point, the preacher has either reached the point of the i do's or has simply cut to it in self defense.   he swallows his own chuckles, the bride and her company stand with tears in their eyes, sore mid-section muscles, and giggles still in their throats.

the couple is pronounced man and wife.

they proceed back down the aisle, somber groom and still tittering bride.

their wedding party follows, groomsmen asking bridesmaids under their breath what was so funny. 

none of them can answer for sure.   

there wasn't anything funny.   

there was nothing to laugh at.

it was nothing more than a bride with the giggles.

*for those of you wondering what ever happened to the snorting bride and her squealing bridesmaid: 

the exuberant bride and the serious groom had a son soon after.   i lost contact soon after that . . .which brings me to the bridesmaid and the groom's brother.   they went their separate ways.   

   

the bridesmaid did become the bride of another.   during their wedding, they shared a laugh while at the altar.    their small party of friends and family shared the laughter and joy of the moment, and continue to do so, the way it should be. 

reflecting on the mirror

happy new year!

as many of us do at this time of year, i have been reflecting on the "man in the mirror". (or woman for me, you get it). 3 articles from 2015 have had me rethinking my mirror usage.

no mirror challenge- go without looking in the mirror for a week.

freckles and pebbles - a story about a girl who obsesses over her freckles and how they make her look.

https://www.lds.org/friend/2014/10/freckles-and-pebbles.p1?lang=eng

looking at models changes your brain - the fluid nature of our perception of beauty.

http://news.discovery.com/human/videos/looking-at-models-changes-your-brain-video.htm

with the influence of these three things, i started evaluating my mirror time.

first, i don't spend a lot of time in front of the mirror. i don't wear make-up at all any more. i'm not green or anything, just too lazy. don't have the time, don't have the money, don't want to be chained to putting my face on. my hair does what it wants no matter what i do so i don't waste time fighting with it. i use the hall mirror to make sure i don't have some crazed loop sticking up but that's about it. on sunday i might look at the mirror to check the outfit if it's new. i hope this doesn't disqualify me from having an opinion on mirror usage.  

background in place - here goes -

mr. demille, i'm ready for my close up.

some of our mirror time is close up. for various reasons, we have to get up close and personal with our face. these inspections don't need to be but generally are critical in nature. we scrutinize pimples, wrinkles, blemishes, pores, and so on. what is your conversation with yourself as you get a little personal face time? i noticed that if i look up close more often, i get less happy with my appearance. the up close mirror tends to be critical and therefore lead to a negative toned convo within. in the pebbles and freckles article, a little girl is freaking about her freckles. she keeps getting up close to the mirror and obsessing over those little spots. her mom gives her a rock and asks her to hold it close and describe what she sees. the girls sees a rock, dirt, bumps and all. then she tosses it back in the garden and sees instead the whole picture. flowers, dirt, rocks, a pleasing composition. too heavy handed? back up off your own self and appreciate the whole picture.

the whole picture - many of us are still unhappy with our whole picture too. what about that? this - less mirror time in general. how do you see yourself in your dreams? i know when i am running around in my night adventures, i am in much better shape, have fabulous hair and can do the splits. i can fly too but that's something else. i noticed that when i spend more time in front of the mirror, my dream image begins to more resemble my waking self. you may think that's a good thing and want to destroy my amazing self perception. bollocks to you, i say! maybe positively distorted self images are the answer, or at least part of an answer, to the ever increasing negative, self doubting, depressing, critical outlook we have on life in general. and now to contradict myself - in the study done in the the models changing our brains piece, people were exposed to overweight and underweight pictures and then asked to rate other pictures for beauty. the groups exposed to overweight models for one minute rated beauty in a slightly higher bmi category. if exposing our brains to something for a minute can change our perception, what can we do to ourselves long term? we can start programming our brains to think we are the beauty standard. maybe? worth a try? time for the contradiction - kind of - more time in front of the mirror or maybe just change the time you spend in front of the mirror. when we back up and look at ourselves, we usually just stand there and look for flaws. yes, look for the bra strap sticking out or skirt tucked into the panties first. after you're sure you don't have something in your teeth or some embarrassing wardrobe malfunction, strike a pose girl! work it! oh yeah! do you see those models standing there in pictures the way you stand in front of the mirror? no! you know why? it isn't pretty. turn 3/4 and tilt your head. put one hand in your hair and one on your hip, give your silhouette a little arch and work it like the beautiful beast you were made to be! promise yourself to not ever stand in front of the mirror and frump it up again. forgo the duck lips but give your mirror some awesome selfie action. the more you look at yourself like the model to be sought after, the more your brain will register your look as the ideal of beauty.

no matter what your current mirror relationship, i hope this will cast a more positive reflection on what you see in the mirror.