Keeping the Minivan Clean

An exercise in futility?
I cleaned it out today, but why? How long will it last. How do I go about keeping it clean.

Possible Solutions:

1. Keeping a laundry basket in the car.
     The problem with keeping the car clean is that my arms are at full capacity when I go into the car. If we get anything while we are out, I cannot carry it in. I am thinking that if I keep a laundry basket in there I could carry more in. There is a flaw here, I already have big shopping bags in there for Aldi and the mess persists.

2. Keeping the van presentable by having driving responsibilities.
     If I need to drive people around it could help keep me accountable to keeping it clean.

3. Schedule a van cleaning time twice a week.
     I should probably just start by getting the laundry on schedule before adding something else, but Id really like the van to stay clean.

All this aside, I am hoping to stock the car with hand wipes and sanitizer for my toddler as flu season approaches. Some vit C lozenges would probably be wise too. I wonder if there are healthful ones, not sugar based. Sugar would be counterproductive for immune building.


Day 6, I've impressed myself.

How to Substitute for Sugar in Bread Recipies

I've been making bread daily for the last 35 days. I did skip a few days, but I've baked a lot of bread. I am currently 100% off white sugar. So what do I do about the sugar that seems SO CRUCIAL for feeding the yeast! Isn't baking bread hard enough?! Why risk it? Leave well enough alone!

Well, it was actually not that big of a challenge. I just picked sweet things and mixed them with the water and yeast when I start bread. So far I've used, grated apple, chopped dates, pureed dates, pumpkin, ricotta, and nothing at all. I checked the Bread Bible by Rose B., out at the library, found here: Bread Bible. She starts most recipes by mixing equal parts water and flour with the yeast and sweetener and allows that to rise first. I'm simplifying, but it has really made a difference in the texture of my bread. I recommend reading it and doing it. Its delicious. Buy lots of butter, yuuuummmmm.

Once you've baked a few loaves, feel free to freestyle. Just take this approach and do about 2 parts flour to one part water, plus whatever the heck you have hanging around. Today I scooped about 1/2 cup of pureed pumpkin and a sprinkle of cinnamon into my sponge and it was so so so good. I'm doing it again tomorrow.

This is the Ricotta Loaf, it stays pale. It was really wicked good. 

Don't forget I baked this all in our camper oven. Its easy and delicious. Get baking. 

 BAM! Day 5

Basic Snack Mom

I feel like I've got Thursday's down. The trick for being out all day? Snacks. So many snacks. Extra outfits, lunch and dinner plans, a big breakfast, throw some chia into that smoothie, DIAPERS, don't forget the wipes (again), and the wet bag. Yea, but mostly; snacks.

Here is a sampling of my totally un-interesting, basic snack plan. Grapes, goldfish, pretzels, and an apple. It works, its easy, but its not home made, sweetened with dates, soaked whole wheat glory. It works, but I felt really cliche, but we made it.

Actual day 4

Spending the Day Out

Dear Thursdays,
Do I just do too much?
Let me know,
Sabina


I have things to do or places to be from 9:15 am - 9:30 pm on Thursdays. I bring both kids and we just marathon through social, ministry and service tasks all day long. I love the feeling I have when I lay down at the end of the day. Its the feeling of being 100% spent. I am. Thank you. It reminds me of a post from Large Families on Purpose, Ericka talks about living on purpose and how she feels spent at the end of the day. Read it here: "Isn't it exhausting?". Its a great read. I'll have to make sure I am doing motherhood with vitality.


So, I know I missed yesterday, so planning to post twice today to make up for it.

Day 4 (on day 4)

$40 Aldi Week

I love Aldi, this week money is tight. I have $40 bucks to get through for a while. I love a challenge involving food and money! My organizational and mathematical skills were on point today.

We do a community meal for about 20 friends every week. I was to shop for that and everything I needed to get us through till Saturday, maybe this Saturday or maybe 2 weeks from Saturday. Not sure what the first paycheck at this new job will look like!

I am currently eating very simply. So for me, every meal must be prepared at home, nice timing, because there is no money to eat out right now. I don't miss it because I had already decided to take a break.

So here is what we got!

Milk
Butter
Eggs
3lbs Frozen Chicken
2 Cans beans
2 packages of Tortillas
2 bags frozen Corn
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Salsa
Lettuce
Jalapenos
Organic Olive Oil
Oyster Crackers

It was a glorious $37. We  have food for us and enough to share. Thank you Jesus.

I was thinking all day about a seines of posts I'd like to do about eating on 3 progressively smaller budgets at 2 stores. Aldi, Walmart, and Wegmans. I love trying to figure stuff like that out. I'm thinking maybe $40, $20, $5. And see what you can get to feed you and your family for a week.

What is your family grocery budget?

Day 3. Almost didn't happen. I can do this.

Planning 2017

The family calendar!

Every morning when I am eating breakfast with my beautiful toddler, I scribble out a daily to-do list on a scrap of notebook paper. I have been loosely planning what will go on my family calendar for 2017. I say that like its just a normal thing I do every year. It isn't. I love celebration and I hope to grow in it this year. I feel that I missed too many opportunities by not planning them early enough. I was not able to pick apples because I was too late. (Apparently, if you wait till mid October there is a chance the BEARS will get to them before you?!). I am also hoping to attend 1 or 2 RV shows, and I missed a few this year by finding out too late.

The calendar will include planting dates for next year, birthdays, scheduled vacations, weight loss goals and perhaps even blogging goals, if I decide I really want to do this.

I am interested in implementing a series of meaningful celebrations into our family rhythm. I will fill you in as I plan them. I am basing them on the book Family Celebrations by Ann Hibbard. We will start next month with my daughter's birthday flag! I am also hoping to use something like this: The Christian Year. I love the idea of minimizing "Ordinary Time."

I've been reading 5 Love Languages and realizing how much time means to me. I think a lot about time and how to spend it. I love to think about our family schedule and there is nothing more exciting that the potential of FREE TIME! Ahhhhh. Joy.

One way I've been spending it is at The Conference for Moms! Great free resource. Loved it and have found it really useful. I encourage you to put it on your 2017 calendar.

Day 2! I'm proud.

The Reason We Live in an RV

We live in a beautiful 5th wheel camper. I absolutely love my house. 

We moved into our trailer June 1st, I gave birth to our second child June 16th. Its been a crazy few months, three jobs, 2 kids, and our 4th anniversary. 

When people ask me why we moved into the camper, its hard for me to articulate. I have always loved the Tiny House thing, I love adventure too. Mostly, I love a good story. We moved into the camper because renting was not getting us anywhere. This is our transition to ownership. We still owe a little less than 5 grand on the camper, but we will have it paid off very soon. What will come next? How long will we live here? There is no answer to these questions yet. The adventure has begun. 

I am currently 100% white sugar free, and baking bread for myself daily. I am working on losing my baby weight, I have 13 lbs to go. 

I hope to share recipes, research and family life. 

This begins 30 days of blogging!