RACHAEL RAY

We are into our second week of summer vacation (and yes, it’s barely mid-June - summer seems to get longer and longer, which is good and bad…) and we have already had four picnic lunches. I am not talking beautiful picnic basket with cloth napkins, wine and fine cheeses but we’re going to the zoo and don’t want to buy lunch there and we’re meeting friends in 20 minutes so throw some food in the cooler and run out the door picnics. I’ve run out of bread twice since school ended, where as during the year I maybe go through half a loaf each week since the kids are in school most of the time.

I was having one of these haphazard picnic lunches today with some friends where three out of the nine kids didn’t like sandwiches. They had some great ideas for lunches for kids who don’t like sandwiches, which I am going to try for my kids as well as they are going to be pretty tired of turkey sandwiches (dry - yuck) on wheat by the end of the month:

-cheese and whole grain crackers with fruit and raw veggies

-peanut butter in a tupperware (my friend even had a single serve Jiff peanut butter today that her daughter was eating with a spoon) with apples, bananas, pretzels, or crackers to dip

-pasta salad in a tupperware (hold the mayo)

-a sandwich without the bread - i.e., turkey or ham and cheese roll-ups (today my daughter inhaled about 10 slices of pepperoni from the deli)

-think breakfast for lunch - this week I had no food and we brought bags of dry cereal, yogurt tubes, raisins and sliced strawberries

Happy picnicking!

OK, so most people are done with their spring cleaning and I, sadly, am only on part 2 - oh well - slow and steady wins the race as they say. In any event, I had a spare hour or so this weekend and decided to tackle the kids’ rooms and the family room. I focused on editing toys, art supplies, etc. and getting them organized. I went through each room, methodically - I think that is the key to avoiding getting sidelined, sticking to the task and not getting sucked into reading my daughter’s valentines from kindergarten when I am supposed to be going through her toy box. I threw out anything broken or missing parts (ie, markers with no tops, coloring books that were all colored), made a pile of items that they didn’t use to be given away, and tried to put sets and games together with all of their parts.

 I made one investment for this project and bought some fabric storage cubes at Target (of course) that are inexpensive (a set of 2 is $12.99), and come in great colors.

I used them in my son’s room to store “guys,” cars, etc. and they slid right into the bookshelf.  My daughter used hers to store all of her doll clothes that had been crammed into a too-small box and I also used them in the family room to neatly store art supplies. I am sure they will soon be in every room of my house - but at that price, it’s almost doable.

I can’t even believe how much my weekly grocery bill has risen in recent months. I scoffed at the rice run hysteria, but I think I may be jumping on the band wagon. I have noticed the price of dairy products, cheese in particular, elevating to new heights. Between the cost of gas and food, I am ready to call it a day and move my family to some self sustaining farm somewhere where we home school and grow our own food. Seeing as that scenario is not really appealing to my husband, in an effort to control how much we spend on food, I am using some strategies at the grocery store:

-Plan my family’s meals, make a list and stick to it. I avoid buying prepared frozen or refrigerated meals, which can also be costly.

 -Keep meals simple. Our weeknight dinners mainly consist of chicken, fish or turkey (I buy the club packs at the grocery store and separate and freeze into individual serving sizes when I get home), a vegetable (roasted asparagus, steamed broccoli or corn are regulars) and rice or pasta. Boring, yes, but inexpensive and nutritious.

-Go to the “shopper’s club” store (i.e., Sam’s Club or Costco) for specific items - a huge package of shredded cheese costs the same as a package one fourth the size. Plus, did you know you can freeze cheese? I also stick to buying things my family eats all the time - like multi packs of pasta, tuna and their favorite cereal. Even if the cost savings isn’t incredibly significant, it saves me a trip to the regular grocery store (where I can be tempted to buy things I don’t need) and I save a little bit of money.

-When something is on sale, I buy extra. Also, I take advantage of local produce that is always less expensive than the items shipped in from Chile.

-And of course never go to the store hungry. That’s when my cart is full of peanut M&Ms, ice cream and expensive cheese. 

Do you have any strategies for keeping the cost down at the grocery store?

It started about a month or so ago. In casual conversation, or specific emails, friends starting making plans for their kids’ activities for the summer and asking me about my children. What was I planing for my kids? What camps were they doing, swim lessons, soccer teams, etc.? I had no idea and for some reason this year the whole situation was completely overwhelming to me. It may sound ridiculous, but it was hanging over my head and I was actually lying in bed at night thinking about it (I know what you’re thinking - this woman needs to get a life). I have three kids - 4, 6, and 8 - and I am finally at the point where all three can participate in activities, but, with different interests, ages, skill levels, etc., how am I to weave together a schedule that works for everyone, including me, and does not require my minivan to hit the highways for hours each day, especially given the gas prices?

 Finally my husband took pity on me and printed out a blank calendar for the months of June, July and August, he gave me a budget to work with for activities, I collected all of my brochures and information on the kids’ activities and we had a planning session.

I cannot tell you how much better I felt after writing everything down on paper. I think this exercise was especially valuable because I was able to balance the activity weeks with weeks or days with no planned schedule so we are free to go to the beach, go to a friend’s pool or maybe have a - gasp - pj day.

Have you planned your family’s summer? 

Mother’s Day is coming up and for mothers of young kids, no one, in my opinion, deserves this day more. When you are in the throes of motherhood - no matter what the stage - diapers and night feedings, potty training and tantrums, or sibling rivalry and endless hours in the car - Mother’s Day is an important day of recognition. My husband is a champ and traditionally takes on all child-related duties for the day (and usually cracks by dinner and collapses into bed by 8pm) and we do something together as a family.

The issue I have run into, however, since starting our own family eight years ago, is how to incorporate our own mothers into Mother’s Day. I have had some years where I go over to my mother’s at lunch time and we have dinner with my husband’s mother. We have had our families over here for dinner, with fathers in charge of the lions share of the meal. How do you balance your Mother’s Day celebration? Hide out at home with your family? Post-church brunch with the extended family? Sunday dinner at your in-laws? Solo spa day (dream come true….:-))?

My kids’ birthdays are in December, March and May, so the good news is our birthday parties are almost over for the year. The not-so-good news is that this Friday is the grand finale - my daughter’s eighth birthday party. Of course I’m half kidding. I love celebrating my children’s birthdays and seeing them have a good time with their friends and family, but I have to admit, ridiculous as it may seem, it is a stressful day. 

As proof, I was helping my daughter look through some old pictures for a school project last night and came across a number of old birthday party photos from past years. Without a doubt every picture of me shows me leaning over the birthday child with the cake or cupcakes, stressed smiling face, sweat glistening off my face. These of course are the only photos taken of me because the one time I hand over the camera is when I am serving the cake……

Another  birthday dilemma when you have multiple children is teaching the siblings to share the spotlight with the birthday girl or boy. My six year old daughter’s birthday was in March and the long day concluded with her older sister sobbing because the birthday girl got so many gifts (she had a lot of kids at her party) and her sweet birthday girl sister piling her presents on her crying sister’s bed to appease her. It was a sad scene.

That said, this Friday is the end of the season. I have run the gamut of birthday party options - parties at our house, and parties off site (skating, bounce house places, gymnastics, tea parties). My soon-to-be eight year old wanted a slumber party, for which I don’t quite think we are quite ready. I have fond memories of slumber parties - someone going home crying, trying levitation and I was the one who was dropped, up all night and coming home gray and exhausted.

So my solution was to have an “Almost Sleepover.” She invited seven friends this Friday from 5:00 - 9:00 pm and the invitation said to bring their pajamas and sleeping bags. We will have pizza, do some kind of craft (I am thinking painting pillow cases - I need to get on that - could be a mess), sleeping bag races, I wanted to do s’mores outside on our outside fire pit (but of course it is predicted to rain - indoor s’mores? fire hazard?), and a movie. That should probably take us to about 7:45. Wish me luck and send me your ideas. I’ll read them after I’m finished making 50 chocolate chip cookies on lollipop sticks for the birthday girl’s class on Thursday. Is birthday season over yet?

I have a confession to make - I broke the law today (unintentionally). I picked up my four year old from pre-school and I was also driving his two friends - both three year olds - home. Well, I forgot that over the weekend we had done some car jockeying and my minivan, usually flush with car seats of the booster and regular variety, now had two sad boosters in the back seat, that was it.

I had my son risk it in the seat belt and put the two little ones in the boosters and kept my fingers crossed. Anyway, it led me to come home and do some research on car seat laws. I have never been clear on the rules. Like, when can you turn the baby around in the car seat (my mother insisted something like 6 months because wasn’t it so boring for the baby to face the back seat? I had to explain that there were laws now, unfortunately)? And when can a kid can sit in the front seat (again, last year my father drove my two daughters home from my parents’ house - they were 4 and 6 - and my 6 year old excitedly told me she got to ride in the front seat. When I asked my dad about it, he couldn’t believe she had never sat in the front seat - again, I explained there was a tiny issue concerning the LAW)?

What I confirmed is that laws vary from state to state but the basic rule is rear facing car seat / infant car seat until 1 year old and 20 lbs. Car seat until 4 years old and 40 lbs. Booster seat until 8 years old and 80 lbs. The back seat is the safest place for any child 12 and younger.

Needless to say, when I got home I immediately replaced my car seats, and I hope my sons’ friends didn’t turn me in!

It seems like everywhere I look these days - newspaper, TV, the store - ”going green” is in, hip, trendy. No longer for the minority who favor birkenstocks, patchouli perfume, and vegan diets, being environmentally conscious is mainstream. The school parking lot is full of hybrid SUVs (kind of a disconnect in my book, but I like the looks of them - and much better looking then my oh-so-not-green burgundy mini-van). Target has aisles of products that are environmentally friendly (and expensive, but they do smell good). Who knew that going green would actually cost more (yes, I realize in the short term only, long term impact is the goal)?

As I look around my house, I am guilt ridden as my family has definitely not gone green enough. No compost bin in the yard (I live in the city and am afraid of rats). No hemp clothing. Not even exclusively organic food (as much as I can afford - I always do organic dairy and produce depends on budget. But organic cookies? Not necessary). I used disposable diapers, I haven’t bought the fluorescent light bulbs everyone is talking about (it’s on my list), and as I mentioned, I drive a mini-van - perhaps the biggest (and ugliest) one on the market.

I decided to make a list of what my family does do to be environmentally conscious:

-Recycle newspapers, plastic and glass bottles and cans (and I actually read the guidelines in the past year and realized that large mouthed plastic containers (ie, big yogurt) are not recyclable - who knew? You should check out your guidelines sometime).

-Use old stationery, memos, etc. for my kids to use as drawing paper

-Buy locally when possible - I try to hit up the famer’s market each week when in season and buy local produce at my grocery store. Also organic dairy always and produce when it’s in my budget.

-Turn off lights, appliances, electronics, etc., when I leave the room (try to tell my husband this…)

I hope to add to this list in the near future - first on the list? The fluorescent bulbs.

How does your family “go green?”

Spring has sprung, at least for now, and I realized as my kids were getting ready to go out the door this morning, pulling on their customary winter gear - parkas, mittens, etc. - despite the mild temperatures (for upstate New York - 40 degrees is yes, often considered “mild”), that it was time to go through our coat closet so everyone could access spring gear. I told the kids it was too warm for parkas and to grab their fleeces; however, who could find any fleeces? They were buried under single gloves, scarves, and hats sized 12-24 months (my youngest is 4).  We were lucky enough to have recently gone on vacation to warmer climates during my daughters’ school vacation. When we left, it was in the 20’s and snowy; when we returned on Monday, it was 60 and sunny (hallelujah). Tackling the coat closet today was a necessity.

I have to confess that years have gone by where I have not transitioned out winter gear with the change of seasons, and we would be plowing through winter apparel in July. Winter was inevitable, I would justify, wasn’t I saving myself time? Total denial. In the past year the fog has lifted as all of my kids (there are only three of them, although sometimes it feels like more) are in school and I often feel like I am seeing my house for the first time - the corners where the paint is peeling, the  windows that need washing (you do this every year?), the dog hair in the corners, and the coat closet.

Actually the coat closet project didn’t take much time - one hour tops. Here is what I did:

1) I took out all parkas and winter coats and made four piles: Wash/Dry Clean (any keepers will be cleaned and put away for next year),  Give Away to Friends (any outgrown coats in good shape I always pass along to friends - I have one friend who has a younger daughter who gets my girl clothes and another friend who gets my boy clothes), Give Away to Charity (coats I know my friends won’t use/want), Toss (stained, ripped, etc.).

2) I went through all boots, scarves, hats, and mittens/gloves and matched up all pairs and tossed any singles. I was surprised by the fact I only had one widow - amazing what you can find when you dig deep. Again, any outgrown items will be passed on to friends or charity. Then I put all of the good items in a plastic bin and up to the attic.

3) At this point I had - gasp - space - so I was able to move in umbrellas, spring sporting equipment, etc.

4) The next step was the whole motivation of my project - I hung up all rain coats, vests, fleece jackets, sweatshirts, etc., sorted by child, so now they can find the jacket they need.

Now I hear there is snow in the forecast for next week - my kids better get ready to layer and put their hands in their pockets!! I will keep you posted on this whole novelty of “spring cleaning” at my house.

I admit it, I have found myself falling into the trap of overdoing it at Easter. Let me backtrack by beginning with saying how I have always loved Easter. An admitted chocoholic, it has long been my favorite holiday as chocolate is the main event and better yet, you are sanctioned to eat it at 7 am - what could be better? Even as a young adult in my twenties, pre-children, my husband suffered through coloring Easter eggs with me and having a private Easter egg hunt, complete with baskets. Also, you need to know I come from a long line of Easter overdoers, as I can remember Easters with my grandmother where there would be nearly as many gifts wrapped and hidden as on Christmas morning. I may even recall a bike being hidden in the bushes one Easter, if my memory serves me correctly.

I started slowly with Easter once our kids arrived on the scene - we would color hard boiled eggs a few days before and hide them, and throw maybe a few jellybeans and a couple Hershey kisses in a small basket and call it a day. As our brood grew and our kids got older, I found myself packing the baskets to overflowing, getting each child a separate “big present” that would be hidden on the lawn - Polly Pockets, Little Pet Shop kits, Lego’s and the like. I find myself creeping toward bikes in the bushes. It has to stop. And stop it will this year.

I know I am not alone. The newspaper circulars for major stores indeed promote Easter as a huge gift-giving occasion. Since when did Barbies, princess costumes, and Nerf toys become typical Easter gifts? Isn’t Easter about spending time together as a family? I won’t even get into the fact that most children don’t even know the religious relevance of Easter and instead see the Easter bunny as the originator of the holiday (sadly, probably including my children - good dinner conversation for tonight).  

This Easter, I resolve to keep my Easter to a minimum, and focus on spending the day with  my family, choosing a fun activity we can do together - take a walk, go for a bike ride, even play a board game. I resolve to stick to coloring eggs and one modest basket per child. I will not break down. Wish me luck!

How does your family celebrate Easter?