Many years ago, my oldest had the chore of emptying the dishwasher. Except that she couldn’t reach to put away the dishes and I didn’t want her climbing up on the countertops. So she’d leave those dishes on the counter and then I’d come behind her and put them away.
Fast forward a few years and my 2nd daughter had the chore of emptying the dishwasher. I had a brilliant idea to move the main dishes to the lower cupboards. Afterall, I didn’t set the table or unload the dishwasher. I hardly touched the dishes! Why not make it easier for those that did?
It’s many years later and I have several other little ones now and as they continue to pass the dishwasher-unloading-baton down the line, it is still easy for them to unload the dishwasher.
Here’s my lower cabinet with the main dishes in it.
I also put “kid” cups down low as well as the cereal. In the mornings, while they’re getting breakfast together, I’m usually walking on the treadmill or showering, and this makes it easy for even the 2-year-old to pick out what she wants. She gets her own water too.
This cabinet is actually the pantry. It’s deep and goes up to the ceiling. I would lose food in there. I use the upper cabinets for small appliances and my pans. The lower one is pictured here with the “kid” dishes and the cereal. The bottom shelf has paper supplies. My food is in some upper cabinets that are not so deep and are really much better for holding food.
As a side note here is a quick picture of how my kitchen is organized. The upper cabinets hold plastic food storage containers (easy to put away and don’t break if they get dropped), coffee cups and other related coffee/tea items, food, medicine, baking supplies, cooking items (oils and such), “adult” glasses (which I do put away). The lower cabinets hold dishes, bowls, serving items, baking sheets/pans, everything else, and the rest are drawers.
Having a kid-friendly kitchen works for me! Check out Works for Me Wednesday at We Are That Family for more great tips!
Kitchen Organization – Kid Style February 9, 2010
Potato Packets or Potato Bundles by Pioneer Woman February 9, 2010
I forgot that Pioneer Woman calls them Potato Bundles. This whole time I’ve been calling them Potato Packets.
I did not take pictures of the final product!! But I will tell you…these things are good. Really. Really. Good. So good, you should head out, get the ingredients and make them tonight.
Here they are after I had put all the ingredients on my foil sheet. No the cream doesn’t spill out. Just press the file together well and everything stays inside and soaks up into the potatoes as they cook.
You can check out Pioneer Woman’s Potato Bundle page for the after pictures.
Ingredients
* 6 whole Russet Potatoes
* ½ whole Yellow Onion, Diced
* 1 stick Butter
* ½ cups Heavy Cream
* Kosher Salt To Taste
* Paprika To Taste
* Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
* 2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
Preparation Instructions
Pile potatoes and onions on a square of foil. Add 2 tablespoons butter. Splash on cream. Then sprinkle on salt, paprika, and black pepper. Sprinkle minced parsley over the top.
Wrap bundles tightly and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, or until extremely tender.
Serve bundles right on the dinner plate. Serves 8.
Elm Creek Quilt – Andrew’s Star in the Window February 8, 2010
I don’t remember when I started reading the Elm Creek Quilt books, but it must have been when Roy was deployed in 2003 and my mom was teaching me to quilt. My mom had been quilting for quite some time but I had not been interested up until that point. I do like to learn new things though and knowing how much she loved it, I decided to give it a try. During that time, my mom told me about the Elm Creek Books written by Jennifer Chiaverini. I read The Quilter’s Apprentice and was hooked.
In 2005 I came across Elm Creek Quilt Projects and just had to make one. It takes me a long time to decide on fabric but once I did, I sat down and sewed and sewed until the quilt top was done.
My mom has a quilting machine and she told me she’d do the top for me but it took me quite some time to mail it to her. Then I got busy having 2 more babies and told her I wouldn’t finish it anytime soon as I’d put the sewing machine away for awhile.
When she was here visiting last August, she sewed the binding on for me, and yet at that point, the quilt still sat in my closet, unfinished.
After completing my tablecloth and chair covers I knew I needed to finish the quilt. I had pulled it out a few times to show friends what the colors were that I was working with, but still had yet to sew the binding down. One day my friend Shannan was over and she really prompted me to work on the binding while we chatted. Within a couple days I was done with it. What took me so long??
I love it so much and I’m so glad it’s done and on the couch in the living room. It’s nice and big and so warm. I realized after looking at the Elm Creek Quilt website that I’m really behind on the books! Paperback Swap here I come!
And since I finished that project, it is time to move on to the next! I’m really trying to make our living room/dining room more HOME for us, instead of just a place that our stuff resides. I bought more of the same fabric to make another tablecloth – just in reverse – plus I’m going to use more of the red as curtains for the dining room. Then I bought this fabulous stripe to go in the living room. I hope to share the finished project with you soon!
I’m linking up with Toot Your Horn Tuesday at Silly Little Sparrow and also with DIY Day at A Soft Place. Go check out other great projects!!
Menu Plan February 8, 2010
I don’t always love making a menu for the week but I sure love always knowing what to fix!! And making a grocery list is easier also. Here’s what we’re eating this week:
Sunday Fellowship Group Potluck – Mexican deep dish casserole & crockpot chocolate cake
Monday – Meatloaf & baked potatoes
Tuesday – Noodle Skillet
Wednesday – Crockpot Brisket with mashed potatoes
Thursday – Spaghetti with leftover brisket
Friday – Baked Potato Soup
Saturday – frozen pizza and/or leftovers
Salad and/or other veggies accompanies most meals. I promise.
Other items to make:
Pineapple chicken wraps
Macaroni and cheese
Peach crunch
Ricotta Muffins
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Search Engine Terms February 8, 2010
I love that WordPress tells me what search engine terms people have used that has ultimately led them to click on my blog. Most of them I can understand. Such as:
base housing at 29 palms
how is living in 29 palms
twentynine palms base housing
twentynine palms base housing photos
pictures of base housing twentynine palm
on base housing twentynine palms
twentynine palms base housing
29 Palms homeschooling.
and other variations of the above. Every day there are at least 5 searches for something about housing or living in 29 Palms, and that was even when I wasn’t blogging!!
I do have a lot of pictures of base housing here at 29 Palms on my blog. I hope to post more about 29 Palms! I love sharing about our small town and all the things I love about it. And also there are the frequent searches for homeschooling. I have a neat story to tell about that. (Writing that future blog post note in my notebook.
I’m just always surprised by some of the searches:
where to buy milita coffee pots
Did my post about my coffee maker come up?
kitchens in 1967
Seriously?? I can’t even fathom what I have talked about that made my blog show up for that one!
nachos pioneer woman
Okay, I did review The Pioneer Woman’s Cowboy Nachos and I do get this “search” once in a while.
first notice of action
What? What is that?? LOL
sizzling mushroom
I can’t stop laughing about that one. I hate mushrooms and until today I can’t imagine that I’ve talked about them!
roy and melissa
Love it!!! We are Roy and Melissa. That search prompted me to see if I could have a webpage by that name but instead I found Roy and Melissa who are getting married and they’re so cute and I just had to leave them a comment.
white countertop and grey cupboard
LOL
pros of growing up in a military family
I’ll have to blog about that one!
smittenkitchen marthastewart
I did post about this after I had made her Peanut Butter Cake which is seriously the best cake I’ve ever had.
bingonight usa
Where are these people searching?? One time I posted about Bingo Night here on the base.
atlantis ride sea world
LOL And again. One time I posted about Sea World. I don’t understand how this searching works sometimes. LOL Oh wait! it was twice!
pictures of the barracks at 29 palms
I have not done pictures of those! To whoever searched for that, I will attempt to do that soon.
11th birthday
Seriously? That one came up TWICE!!
army base housing twentynine palms,calif
This is a Marine Corps base!
the biggest kitchen ever
Probably not the biggest kitchen ever, but it’s certainly the biggest kitchen I’ve ever had!
crispy chip chicken
We made this!
pinewood derby 29 palms
That’s awesome! Really. Our oldest son is a Bear in Cub Scouts and his brother will be a Tiger next year. My husband is the Pack Trainer and Outdoor Activities Chair and I’m the Committee Chair. This search excited me. 
is the 29 palms golf course nice
I don’t golf. I wouldn’t know. I have avoided that area of base.
what are those shabby houses outside of
LOL Really??
Have you checked lately to see what search terms brought readers to your blog?? I’d love to hear aobut them!
Friday Wrap Up February 5, 2010
Last week I mentioned I was having a sewing bee over here. It turned out great and I got a lot accomplished! We’re hoping to do another one this month.
Then on Saturday was our Cub Scout Pack’s Pinewood Derby. I need to blog about that soon! Sunday we went for a hike in Joshua Tree National Park. I haven’t blogged about that either!
I did blog about my new coffee maker though! I mentioned it a few weeks ago. And that is my kitchen it’s sitting in!!
Yesterday I rearranged my living room. This shouldn’t surprise anyone that knows me. I think it’s in its 10th layout since we moved in 18 months ago. LOL I really like this one though! LOL Since we should be in this house until April 2012 I really do want to paint in here. Now that I’ve made the tablecloth and chair covers I’d like to get curtains done and give some character to these rooms. Our living room, dining room, and kitchen are open to each other and I’d like to tie them together more.
Tomorrow we’re going shopping in the “big city.” Going to stock up at Costco, get new glasses for Matthew, go to Joann fabrics for more FABRIC, and hopefully look at chairs for the living room. We’re going to get a club chair or some other type of chair that will be comfortable and not broken like the current one in there!
I pray you all have a great weekend! I’m leaving you with this shot of my youngest. I was taking pictures of my notebook and she said, “Me! Me!” and then after I took it she wanted to see it in the view finder. LOL She had a delightful morning coloring on herself with (thankfully) washable markers!
The Lazy Man’s Coffee Maker February 5, 2010
*I mentioned my coffeemaker in this post and decided it was time to expand on my beloved coffee maker.
The Lazy Man’s Coffee Maker, otherwise known as my Keurig machine, otherwise known as the BEST COFFEE MAKER EVER!!!
Let me share with you the wonderfulness of my coffee maker that my most wonderful husband, Roy, bought for me. (I think it was really for both of us since he uses it just as much as I do!)
This is the machine.
This tells me the water is hot and ready to brew. It heats the water at 192 degrees for a perfectly brewed cup of coffee.
This is the basket I keep on the counter with the K-Cups in it. It makes it easy for guests to look through and pick a coffee they might like. Now that Roy and I have been trying some samples, we know what other kinds we want to buy. There will always be a variety of choices in there.
Here’s the one I chose today. Newman’s Extra Bold. Deeee-licious!
Open the top of the machine and set the K-cup inside it’s spot. Close the top. See the water on the left. We have a mid-size Keurig. It holds enough for about 6 cups of coffee..I think. I can’t remember. When it’s getting low the machine blinks and you pour in more water. It keeps the water heated and ready at all times. Though we have the timer set to turn off the machine at night and turn back on in time for our morning coffee.
Then I set my cup in place and press the button to start brewing. There are 3 sizes; they are approximately 6oz, 8oz, and 10oz. Usually I just do the 10oz size for this big huge cup I do the medium size (8oz), and then do the small size (6oz) also. One K-cup can handle that just fine.
It’s brewing!!
The machine puts a little hole in the top and bottom of the cup and that’s how the water flows through. Inside the cup is a small cone filter.
I think today I’ll use Creme Brulee creamer.
What’s in your coffee???
I’m linking up with Finer Things Friday because my coffee maker is a fine thing. The coffee is better than I’ve ever had, and while it may be a lazy way, it is definitely a fine way!!
Book Review – The Voice Bible February 4, 2010
I recently received The Voice New Testament Bible published by Thomas Nelson. Initially in my reading I wasn’t sure I would like this Bible at all. I like direct translations. I trust them. The Voice is a retelling, it is not a literal translation.
However, I wanted to give an honest review, and attempted to read the introduction with an open mind. Once I was finished with that I compared Ephesians (my favorite book) between The Voice and my ESV Bible.
After reading the introduction I was intrigued. The Voice was written because “the way a new generation processes ideas and information raises obstacles to traditional methods of teaching biblical content.” “The Voice is a retelling of the scriptures, not of words, but of meaning and experience.”
While I could not recommend this a Bible, I can recommend it as a study guide, a good piece of literature, and a good asset for learning more about the time periods in which each book was written.
The particular copy I got has thick pages with some room for taking notes. I love how easy it is to read; the font is nice, the layout is good, and I found myself sitting here for quite some time comparing it to my ESV Bible.
There are a few things I do love about the The Voice. First is that when there is a dialogue, it reads like a script. The person is speaking is in a colored font and then the words they spoke come after. In between the dialogue are the verses with WHAT they are doing.
Second I love the little bits of information in between the verses. Tidbits about that time period or what the people of that day and age might have already understood.
Third is that I haven’t found an instance where the writers have taken this to a gender neutral theme. Nor have they lessened sin in any way. In fact, I found Ephesians 5, in its expanded view, to be more direct as to certain sins, and even more direct to husbands and wives in their roles to each other.
Like I said earlier, I wouldn’t recommend this as a Bible for someone that wants to learn scripture, that wants to study God’s own words. But I think I’ll keep this one on my shelves as a piece of literature, just like I would any other history book that seeks to expand my knowledge of that time period.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Public Service Announcement February 4, 2010
Please. Please. Pretty please. Turn off your word verification.
I want to comment on your blog. I really do. Because see… I said If I read, I comment.
But you make it so difficult.
Especially when I’ve already commented, entered my personal information, and hit submit and THEN a word verification box comes up. Really?
For my own mental health, I’m just not going to bother. I just tried to comment on a blog just now – it had a fabulous recipe. I wanted to thank the poster! And that pesky word verification came up that I couldn’t seem to get right.
So no more. I’m on a one woman mission to wipe out word verification.
Oh wait. I’m not the only one that thinks out. Check out some of the blogging tips that over 300 people left. I’ve only read about 60 so far but it’s amazing how MANY people mention word verification. 
I think I’ll keep a tally. I love reading blogs and I will 85% of the time comment on those blogs. But no more! If you have word verification, I’m moving on.
Thank you. Have a good day.
Disclaimer: This blog reflects Melissa’s feelings all the time including today but she means no offense. Really.
Today’s Blogs I Didn’t Comment On – or rather attempted to comment but they don’t want my comment:
http://buyonsaleandsavethedifference.blogspot.com/
http://momsplans.blogspot.com/
http://familystampingfood.blogspot.com/
http://momscharmedlife.blogspot.com/
http://shopannies.blogspot.com/
http://alison.blogsome.com/
http://todosandtadas.blogspot.com/
http://www.familybalancesheet.org/
http://swappinspoons.blogspot.com/
http://alli-n-son.com/
http://aslobcomesclean.blogspot.com/
http://tasteandseegodsgoodness.blogspot.com/
http://largefamilylogistics.blogspot.com/
History of the Horse – Bookshelves Part 4 February 4, 2010
I do try to include my children somewhat in the planning of their school year. If they don’t like a subject, we talk about their reasons and I try to determine if it’s just a general dislike or whether it’s the curriculum that stinks for that child!
I had a different plan for literature this year. I had been acquiring many of the Veritas Press literature guides and was going to have Samantha work through them. She asked me about doing something with horses and I agreed to change everything! We found this wonderful literature study through Beautiful Feet Books.
History of the Horse has been a great choice for Samantha’s literature program this year. These books are kept on the top shelf, 2nd from the left, cubbie. As I talked about in a previous post Sam has a lot of literature choices in her days, but a wonderful curriculum is found in this small paperback handbook.
A sample lesson:
1. Read chapters 3 and 4 of King of the Wind.
2. Color and paste the map of Morocco in student notebook.
3. Why was camel milk better for foals than mares milk?
4. In the notebook, record Job 39:19-25. These verse describe just how the Arabian reacts when it hears the trumpet sounding war.
Another lesson:
1. Read chapters 34 and 35 of Black Beauty.
2. Look up the Crimean War in an encyclopedia and do some research on the use of cavalry during this war.
The books used in this study:
King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
White Stallion of Lipizza by Marguerite Henry
Justin Morgan Had a Horse by Marguerite Henry
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry
Mustang, Wild Spirit of the West by Marguerite Henry
Black Stallion by Walter Farley
Album of Horses by Marguerite Henry
Handbook of Horses by Elwyn H. Edwards
How to Draw 50 Horses by Lee J. Ames
Horses of the World Card Game
Recommended videos:
Black Beauty
Justin Morgan
Misty
Black Stallion
Samantha has had only good things to say about doing this literature study and we look forward to using more Beautiful Feet products in the future. I have my eye on History of Science and History of Classical Music.
