Molly Piper

My friend Martina (from my high school youth group!) is super-crazy-awesome in lots of ways, but today she entered a whole new category of super-crazy-awesome.

She altered a pair of bootcut jeans to become skinny jeans!

I mean, who does that???? Answer: Martina.

I will confess that I’m very new to the world of the skinny jean and still lean heavily on the bootcut jeans in my wardrobe for day-to-day. But I recently got a pair of the skinnies and kinda like them with my tall boots for a date night or something.

So if there are any of you who’ve been resistant to try it, but have a pair of old bootcut jeans around and a sewing machine, you could do this for free! (So then if you never quite get to the point of being able to wear them out of the house, at least you didn’t drop any money on them!)

Do you think you’d try this???

Remember a looooong time ago when I posted a tutorial on how to use Google Reader? (Actually, why would you remember that? Dumb question.) Anyway, I posted about it a long time ago and you can read it if you want.

I still use Google Reader for subscribing to blogs, but just recently discovered something nifty about it!

I was scrolling through my “All Items” view, and Abraham pipes up, “Hey, did you know if you hit “J” it’ll take you down to the next post?”

I tried it, and wow are my scrolling fingers ever-so-glad I did!

Of course you’ll still scroll through a post you actually want to read but if you see the title and it doesn’t interest you???

Just “J” it on your keyboard and you’re onto the next!

[flickr photo via photosteve101]

And I’ll throw in one bonus tip for you, just because I like you:

If you accidentally pass one up and go, “Doh! I actually wanted to see that one!”, no worries! Just “K” it on the keyboard and you’ll go back to the previous entry in your feed!

Cool, huh?

Do you have any Google hacks I/we should know about? Do tell!

I’ve heard about a million theories about how to avoid crying while chopping onions. Unless you’re like my mother, who doesn’t cry when she chops onions (I didn’t know that was even possible), you’re looking for something that actually works.

Perhaps you’ve found something already, but personally I don’t want to have to hunt down my goggles every time I need to chop an onion. Or one of these:

I want little effort, lots of payout.

I’ve been browsing articles about why onions make us cry, and it’s a about some crazy acidic compound in the onion being released into the air and irritating the lacrimal glands (the ones that produce tears). “Very scientific, Molly…”

So what you’ve been waiting for… (the imaginary voices ask me all kinds of questions that I feel obliged to answer publicly)

“How do you do it, Molly?”

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you…The Molly Piper Onion-Chopping Method!!!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• lungs
• a mouth

As soon as you’re gonna cut that bugger, start breathing deeply in and out through the mouth ONLY. Focus on mouth breathing for the entire time you’re cutting and working with the onion. Rinse your knife, cutting board, etc. as soon as you can and you should be good.

(Note: this may be one of the few times in life that being a “mouth breather” is acceptable.)

Also, I use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper pretty religiously when I chop onions, just because it’s faster. I quarter them and chop the heck out of them! (That might be my favorite Pampered Chef item of all time, but that’s probably another post.)

If you deviate back to nose breathing, you’ll start crying. Just get back on track with the mouth breathing and the crying should subside. This has been my method of choice for years now, so I hope it works for you too!

Do you have an onion-cutting tip to share? Let’s hear it!

Having two bouncy seats with twins is an absolute necessity, in my opinion. Of course they’re helpful for when they’re little, just because you can’t possibly carry or wear two babies all day long (especially if you have older children and/or you want to get anything done in your home).

Many people use bouncy seats when the babies are little, but I found that with twins I used them until 11 months!

Here’s the evolution of the bouncy seat for multiples:

• Infant (0-6 months): I used them for a place to set the babies down during wake times. I also used them for feeding. I would sit between the bouncy seats and administer the bottles. It was a crazy time, but not as crazy as nursing both (which I only did for about 2 months). So if you’re bottling (formula or breast milk), just kinda wedge yourself between them and hold the bottles for them! Whit especially needed the incline of the bouncy seat because he spit up so much.
• Roller stage (4-12? months): When giving two babies a bottle at the same time, it’s impossible to keep them from rolling over. Once they start holding their own bottles (mine did about 6.5 months) it gets easier–kinda. If I tried to hold both of them in this roly-poly stage, I’d be covered in formula and literally involved in a 20-minute wrestling match. Not too great for bonding.

When my babies were 10 months, they knew when bottle time was coming! They would see me getting out the bouncy seats and start doing that excited baby giggle-cry. Then I would strap them in, and they’d start kicking their feet like mad (still doing the giggle-cry), and then I’d pop the bottles in their mouths! They were so happy that way, and able to get the calories they need by focusing on bottling.

So if you want to survive feedings as twins get older, I think dual bouncy seats are very important. Beg, borrow, steal… (okay I’m not really promoting theft, it’s just an expression) but have two bouncy seats.

Other twin tips

• Use Earplugs as Necessary
• Cook Meat in Advance
• Snacks for Mom
• Easier Bathing
• Boon Squirty Spoons
• Dry Shampoo
• Hair Tourniquets
• LOTS of Burp Cloths
• Surviving Spitty Sheets

Sssshhhhh! Sssshhhhhh! Do you hear that?

No? No?

That my friends, is the sound of SILENCE!

I survived week #1 of summer by getting copious amounts of library books for the boys! When we got back from the library earlier this week, I think they sat silently on the couch like that for at least 30 minutes. And in mom time, that’s like 3 hours. I’m not too sure about the conversion, but that seems about right.

So my second strategy for surviving summer is:

BOOKS! GLOOOORIOUS BOOKS!

• There’s really no need for a list here. I just like making them.
• Lots of books (I think we checked out 23 last time)!
• Go to the library often! Kids looooove new books!
• I’ll stop making lists now.

In the past I’ve sworn off of the library (for short amounts of time) because I would spend hours trying to locate that one last book that somehow got shoved into another book and then reshelved. Or stuck between the bedframe and the mattress. Gaaarrrr!

However! I’m trying to be better about keeping the kids’ library books in the library bag. Now there’s a concept! I’ve also been trying to get the boys into the habit of returning the book to the bag when they’re done with it. If this plan succeeds I might get a few hours of my life back. Okay, probably not, but I might save on gray hairs. I’ll take what I can get.

This week was Orison’s first full week of summer vacation. Even though I only have one school-aged child, and he was only in half-day school, it’s still an adjustment to have him home all day, every day.

I’m sure there are many of you with tons more experience under your belts for making summer a success, but here’s how I’m trying to make it work for me:

Jobs

I’m never very consistent about allowance or chores, but Orison’s very interested in earning money (& then counting it over and over and telling me the year that’s printed on every.single.coin). He does a few tasks for 10 cents each, with the earning potential for 50-60 cents per day. Cheap help! Of course these will be different for every household, but right now he does the following jobs:

• Emptying the silverware caddy from the dishwasher each morning.
• Running the bare-floor vacuum and cleaning off the high chairs after breakfast and lunch.
• Cleaning his room and/or the playroom.
• Putting away his clean laundry.

Of course Morrow (2.5) wants in the on the action, too. So he even gets some money for his jobs! Morrow gets 1 penny for the following jobs:

• Getting diapers for the babies.
• Throwing away diapers.
• Putting the bottles into the sink.

All of these things happen a lot throughout the day, so he might make about 10 cents a day. He’s thrilled to be like his big brother! I don’t think it’s that meaningful to him yet, but he thinks it’s fun, so I’m going with it.

There are a few ground rules for working:

• If you complain when asked to do your job, you will still have to do it, but you won’t get the money.
• You can say no politely from time to time, but just know that you’re passing up the cash.
• Money can be deducted from your wages if you are purposefully mean or unhelpful throughout the day.

Right now I’m just keeping a little tab on the counter of how much each boy earns per day. If I can get my act together soon, I’d like them to have a chart where we could mark it down. That way it would keep them more motivated and keep me accountable to bless them for their help.

Do your kids do household job? Which ones?

[Image via]

I don’t know about you, but as a mom I have a really hard time winding down during a busy day. Even if I get a chance to sit down (and sometimes that’s a really big if), I still feel like my inner mom-engine is idling faster than my husband’s old ’87 Chevy Cavalier that could accelerate to 40mph by itself.

But from time to time (and now it’s happening more frequently as the twins have a more normal schedule), all my kids are down for naps/resting time at the same time. And when that happens, in that sweet, magical hour, all I want to do is crash on the couch. (Usually I have to prep dinner if we want to eat, but what I want to do is crash.)

Some afternoons I decide “Hey everyone! It’s pancakes for dinner!” and I hit the couch. But I need help to relax. And since most people would question a glass of wine by myself at 1:30pm (myself included), I’ve had to think of other options. For me, the trick is earplugs!

When I get those precious few moments, earplugs help drown out the noise around me, and somehow that seems to help with the noise inside my head. I tell myself, “Welp, if one of the twins wakes up in the next 15-20 minutes, they’re gonna be just fine. They’re safe in their cribs and will do a little lung exercise for a few minutes.”

I’ve also used earplugs during what I call “The Witching Hour” (you know what I’m talking about, that last hour before your husband comes home?). If the big kids are doing something and are safely occupied, the twins are sleeping or playing safely (in the jumper or exersaucer or crib), I put them in and prep dinner for a few minutes of peace. If something happens to one of the big boys, they make enough commotion for me to hear them despite my earplugs, and one of them will inevitably come find me (those mobile ones are tricky).

Of course, a couple warnings/precautions:

• I do not endorse neglect. The needs of my children are important to me, and earplugs are used when their needs are met.
• I use them for maybe 20 minutes at a time, max. Just enough to feel a little more relaxed and sane and recharged.

But if you’re like me and need help unwinding when you get the time, I think earplugs might help. Give ‘em a try!

PS-I’ve also used earplugs whenever I go to the hospital for a delivery. Especially if you’re being induced and have to go in the night before, and you have to listen to monitors beeping all night (and for me, the fear’s  so intense at times), earplugs have helped me actually get a little bit of sleep. The nurses all laugh at me, because they have to come over and shake me awake to check my vitals, but it’s worth it!

So we’re trying to eat healthier. We’re not unhealthy around here, we’re just trying to be healthier.

Like this week I made beef stroganoff (not so healthy), but I served over brown rice (in the past I’ve always done white rice).

Little changes, ya know?

I bought the mega jumbo bag of spinach at Costco this week and I’ve got to think of some creative ways to use it. I like spinach. I really am learning to be a big girl and eat it more often.

I was going to make a fancy new lasagna recipe tonight for dinner which incorporates spinach, but I’m feeling pretty thrashed by mothering four children this week. So the new revised dinner plan is BLTs.

[from travelingmcmahans on Flickr]

Ummm…make that BSTs. Doesn’t have the same ring, but we’re doing BaconSpinachTomato sandwiches tonight.

Anyone ever subbed in spinach for the lettuce? A friend of mine subs spinach in for lettuce when they do tacos, so I figure this is the same idea. It’s mostly just for crunch anyway, right?

And I suppose if I were really going healthy we’d be doing turkey BSTs. But I can’t go that far. My poor husband might cry.

What other suggestions do you have for using spinach?

I know this is probably something many moms rely on, but I’ve found it very necessary in this season of twin babies to

COOK MEAT BEFORE I NEED IT!

(Also, if you have twins, this doesn’t apply to you in the first 3 months. If you’re just eating a lot of frozen pizza or takeout, that’s okay!)

Here’s what I do:

CHICKEN

• I buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts when they’re on sale. I typically buy 2-3 large packages.
• I bake mine on 2 large pizza pans.
• Let them cool.
• Cube about half, shred about half.
• Bag it in 3 & 4 cup quantities in quart-sized freezer bags.
• Great for lots of different soups, fajitas, enchiladas, casseroles (or hot dish if you’re in Minnesota), chicken pot pie.

[from Kimberly Belle on Flickr]

*Last time I did this, I was just going to do shredded chicken, so I used my crock pot with a little bit of water in the bottom, and they were so tender, I was able to shred them with my (clean!) fingers. Super easy!

GROUND BEEF

• Buy a few large packages when they’re on sale.
• Typically I try to cook it with diced onion (I have a Pampered Chef chopper thingy and that makes onions easier). Since most recipes that call for ground beef typically call for sauteed onion as well, I just do them together from the get-go.
• Freeze in quart-sized freezer bags in 2 & 3 cup quantities.
• Great for spaghetti, tacos, taco soup, chili, shepherd’s pie, sloppy joe’s.

[from Mike on Flickr]

HAM

• Buy a half-ham when they’re on sale.
• Since they’re already cooked, you just slice it, cube it, whatever!
• Freeze in quart-sized freezer bags in 1-2 cup quantities.
• I use this for ham & bean soup, wild rice soup, egg bake.

[from Deb on Flickr]

Notes
*Make sure you write the quantity on the bag. Very helpful!
*I keep the kinds of meat separated in my deep freezer in plastic shopping bags. It’s just easier than rifling through the freezer when the time comes. And then you don’t lose any down in the abyss of the deep freeze!

Basically, if I didn’t do this, we wouldn’t eat. I know there are probably greener and/or cheaper ways to do it, but this is how it works for me right now.

This has really cut down on my cooking time. What other pre-cooking hacks have you found helpful with multiples or many young children?

Awhile back I wrote a post for inCourage about my difficulties with regular Bible-reading.

Many people left comments on that post, confessing as well that Bible reading is difficult for them. Perhaps you’re one of them?

So I guess I’m just feeling a need to check in and ask: How you doin’?

Here’s what I’m not interested in:

• Any type of wow-I’m-so-great nonsense.
• Attempts to earn brownie points with God.

BUT…are we doing the hard thing?

How I’m Doin’

Right now, I’ve found that I’m bad at going to the open Bible on my counter. I won’t lie, there may even be dust settling in that page.

BUT…I’ve decided to keep my little Bible and a small journal in the car.

Each day I go pick up Orison from kindergarten, and I’m usually there with 5-10 minutes to spare. So on my way there (about a 15 minute drive), I’m praying. No formula, no list, just whatever/whoever God brings to mind as I drive.

Then when I get there, I pull my little Bible out from between the seats and crack it open.

Right now I’m reading the Psalms, and in my notebook I write character traits of God, questions I have, or verses I love.

I might not make it through a whole chapter some days, and some days I’m running late and I don’t get to it at all, but at least there’s some time that I’m trying to set aside.

What have been your trials and errors? What’s working? What’s not?