Woman of Noble Character Challenge Week 5

"She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant."

Week 5: Proverbs 31:22-24 Are you or a family member always hunting for a clean pair of socks? Does the laundry seem to be getting the best of you? Maybe you are always behind on doing the dishes. Write a post sharing how you deal with the never ending loads of laundry and dishes.



This week's challenge is the whole reason I wanted to do these posts. With 9 people in our house, we have A LOT of laundry. It is truly never-ending.

I try. Really. As fruitless as I know it is, I actually try to get ALL the laundry done. I even delude myself into thinking I have succeeded because the mountain of dirty laundry that was next to my washing machine is now a mountain of clean laundry next to my dryer. I don't think about the hills of laundry in the bedrooms and bathrooms what will become tomorrow's Everest. I feel especially accomplished when that mountain is folded and whisked away to mysterious hiding places.

Notice I didn't say "put away in drawers". That was not an oversight. My children seem to have an unspoken schedule for who will put their clothes away and who will hide them under the bed, in the closet or simply unfold them, give them a good shake and put them into the "dirty" pile.

I have gone into a room after such a travesty has happened. I look at the scattering of clothes on the floor and ask "Didn't I just wash that?" The response is predictably a shoulder shrug and a mumbled version of "I don't know". (Do they have a class in how to hold their head at that angle and wrinkle their foreheads in that puzzled way?)

I have tried to come up with some kind of laundry schedule. I can't stick to it. I start loads and forget about them or I don't have time to fold them. I have dreams of a table where I can fold and stack clothes as they come out of the dryer like in a laundrymat. My laundry room is smaller than my closet. Now that I think about it, it's smaller than my bathroom. All three of them! There is room for a washer and dryer to sit side by side and a laundry basket to sit in front of the dryer on the floor. My dirty laundry actually sits next to the fridge outside the laundry "room" door.

The result of all this cramped chaos is sumed up in this picture.

This is a larger color version of the one on  my profile. My son took it while he was playing with my camera. It is probably the most perfect picture ever taken by a 4 year old. It says more about my laundry burden than any words ever could. (That basket next to me is filled with unsorted socks... in case you're wondering.)

It's not all bad. I bring my piles of laundry into the livingroom, turn on the TV and have some mommy time. Maybe it seems pathetic that I sometimes look forward to this. I threaten to make my kids fold and they run for the hills. I can watch whatever I want for at least an hour! (The little ones haven't quite learned that lesson, hence the lap full of kids in the photo.) It can be relaxing.

I sometimes like washing dishes too. I enjoy a little time to think without interuption.

Maybe it isn't the best practice for me to do these chores instead of making my kids do it. (How wil they ever learn if I don't make them practice?!) But I take some pleasure and comfort in these simple tasks. Yes, I get frustrated when I find a stack of  folded clothes in the hamper...under a pile of wet towels. But there are worse things.

Superpwers 101: Coupons

I am in no way a coupon queen. For many years I thought it was more trouble than it was worth to clip, sort, file and use coupons in an effective way. My sister-in-law (I'll call her B) is practically an expert. I tried to follow her example for years. It just didn't work for me.

Part of the reason is because I do 90% of my grocery shopping at the military commissary. When we lived overseas, there was really no other option. Now that we are back in the US, I have compared prices and found that most of the time the commissary is cheaper than the local stores. That being the case, I don't see the point in going to 4 different stores to get every little thing that is on sale just to save a few dollars. Besides the hassle of making lists and sorting coupons and driving all over town, I have 3 small children who can barely make it through one store without a melt-down, let alone a different store every day!

In the past few months, my newest sister-in-law (aka J) has been posting all kinds of videos and websites she has found that teach couponing/cost-saving techniques. Her enthusiasm seems to gush off the screen as she talks about how much she saved and what she has learned. I decided to check them out.

One thing I learned is that there are multiple sources for coupons and not every coupon is on every site. This proved to be very helpful to me. I also have realized that I don't have to grab every coupon I see just because I might use it someday. I now make my list first, then see how many coupons I can find to match it.

Here are a few more tips that have proven to be useful for me.

1. Organizing

As I said, I hated all the clipping and sorting and filing. I tried a few different methods, all ending in frustration. I would go to the store with my handful of coupons, only to find that some had expired a few days before. (That was partly due to baby-brain. Some times I didn't have a clue what day it was!) The overseas commissaries usually only carried the basics so coupons for newer products were useless. I felt I was wasting my time.

One of the videos J shared showed how to use a 3-ring binder with baseball card protectors. It was a light-bulb moment. I had a binder that I knew would be perfect. A package of card protectors was only a few dollars. I made tabs for each page, wrote on the pockets with permanent marker, and Voila! Organization! I can easily flip though the pages to see what coupons I have. I make a list on an old envelope, put a star next to items with a coupon and take the whole binder with me. As I collect items from the list, I move the coupons to the envelope. At the register I can easily hand over my stack of coupons.

You might prefer a different method. This works for me. I have only been using this for a few months and I have already doubled my savings!

2. Use Your Brain

The whole point of using a coupon is to save money. But that isn't always the least expensive approach. For example; let's say you need sugar. You have a coupon for $1.00 off the name brand sugar which brings the price to $2.50. But the store brand sugar is only $1.75. What would you do?

Some people are brand loyal. Some foods are better, or at least different, from one brand to another. If you really want to save, be sure you are thinking about this when you shop.

As I mentioned, we do most of our shopping at the military commissary. The biggest drawback is that there is no "store brand" or generic foods there. So the cheapest sugar is still twice as much as the Wal-mart sugar. I try and buy many of the basics, like sugar, salt, spices, etc, at a local store that offers a generic store brand for almost nothing. I really can't tell the difference. (I tried peanut butter but it was really thick and the kids couldn't spread it so we are back to Skippy or Peter Pan. Sometimes you have to pay for a little self-sufficiency!)

3. Don't Stress Out

One problem I had in the past was going to the store and seeing an item was marked down, knowing I had a coupon at home. I found myself in a panic sometimes. I hated paying more than I had to. Finally, I adopted the "Who cares" attitude. Now, if I save a little, great. If I don't, WHO CARES!!!! This has magically made coupons fun again. It is like a game to see what you can get for a good price. I feel like I am in a friendly competition to find a good deal. If I don't feel like playing today, it's no big deal.

Don't buy stuff just because it is a good price. This is one of my pet peeves. If you buy 10 bottles of conditioner that you hate because it only cost $.25 each, that wasn't a bargain. It was wasteful. Same goes for cheap diapers. Sometimes they aren't worth the crap that's in them!


4. Know Thyself
Know your habits. Know your weaknesses. Know what works for you and what doesn't. Be honest when you make your lists. If you know you will buy cookies or ice cream, go ahead and put it on your list, especially if you have a coupon for it. Don't buy things you hate because they are cheaper. You will just resent it later...and so will your family!


Here are a few of the pages that I have found useful. I hope you do too!

Southern Savers This site is focused on the south-eastern US but has very clear-cut information and links that are useful anywhere. I found the information to be extremely useful.

Hip2Save This one is a little more cluttered to me but has lots of good information.

Smart Source A reliable source for online coupons.

Red Plum Another coupon site

Coupons.com Another coupon site.

Super Gear

I've been thinking; where would Wonder Woman be without her lasso and bracelets or Spider-man without his web stuff or Batman without his bat-mobile and bat-shaped sharp throwing thingies?

Nearly every superhero has gadgets and gear to help him (or her) be more successful in saving the world. So, what are my "super gadgets"?

The first one that comes to mind is baby wipes. As my husband says, I like to "wipe down the world one wipe at a time." It's true. I use them for everything. Besides cleaning dirty bottoms, they can also clean dirty hand, faces, arms, legs, shoes, floors, walls, tables, windows, door knobs, cell phones, handles, high chairs, backpacks... Whew! I am working up a sweat just thinking about it! I really do use them for anything and everything. I do use paper towels, sponges, and washcloths when they are available but a package of baby wipes is all you need when you are going out. I actually prefer them for wiping down the steering wheel and they are great at getting ball-point pen ink off of skin.

Another favorite cleaning item is a chore-boy long-lasting sponge. I like the 2 sides. They do last a while.When they start to get nasty, I use them for dirty jobs like cleaning floors and shoes and bikes. I use them until they are completely worn out. When the commissary at out overseas duty station stopped carrying them I was very tempted to have someone ship me a case from the States. I also like the cell-o no stick scrubbers.

I like plastic baggies. I especially like the ones that have a zipper across the top. Even the cheap brands work fine for me. I use them with cake tips when I don't have a real bag available. They are great for simple things like writing a name or adding a few flowers. I also have used them for filling deviled eggs.  I use them for storing crayons, toys in the diaper bag, snacks, pretzel bags that were ripped open so someone could eat 3 pretzels, anything you want to keep clean and dry on a trip (like TP), leftovers, kids money and permission slips for school trips, and dirty diapers if you can't get to a trash can. Along with plastic baggies I love permanent markers. I write on the bag and fill it with whatever I want.

I also love spell check. I can spell fine when I am writing but I have trouble typing correctly. I often type words backwards or get all the letters but not in the right order. I have heard that this is actually some kind of disorder, like dyslexia, but I am not stressing over it. As long as I can proofread and spell check, I will be fine.


Okay, so those are small things. Here is a big one. Today I went to the Doctor with my 3 youngest kids. When I got there I opened the back of the Suburban to find no stroller! I was devastated. I almost went home. I decided to give it a try and it wasn't as bad as it could have been. My 3 1/2 year old was the worst one. So now my arms are tired and the day was much longer than it needed to be (because little legs move slowly!) but...IT CAN BE DONE!!! (Note: this is not the first time I have ever been without a stroller.)

Books on tape or CD are great too. I actually get more housework done when I am listening to a book. I want to get to a good stopping place so I do extra tidying and scrubbing (instead of doing a half-hearted job and running for some mental stimulation elsewhere.)

That will have to be all for now. Unless I include doors. Being able to put a screaming baby in his crib and close the door can be a truly magnificant tool for keeping ones sanity!

Superpowers 101: Provident Living; Part 2

I have a booklet, printed by the church in the early 1970's, that gives a fairly good outline about food storage. It has information about what to store and why. There is a section about gardening and several pages of recipes. It really isn't much different from the information now available on the Provident Living pages. So why do I get a headache every time I go near that book?

Food storage has always been a difficult subject for me. In the past, counsel has been to start with "the basics"...like several hundred pounds of wheat, powdered milk, beans, sugar and water. Sorry, but that never sounded "basic" to me. Even storing those simple items requires and understanding of how to properly store and use them. Where do you keep all that wheat? Should you use it or let it sit for 30 years? What about "real food", like canned goods and pasta? They don't last as long so that requires more diligence and knowledge.

Even as I am writing this I can feel my shoulders sagging, my spirit sinking, my head reaching out for a nearby ache. Seriously, the idea of FOOD STORAGE triggers physical symptoms of dread and disgust.

That being said, I know that it is a very important principle. In fact, I have a certain amount of passion about having things on hand to help you and your family in times of need. It is just good common sense. I am always shocked when people literally have NOTHING in their cabinets.

During the depression, my great-grandfather owned land, animals, and a cotton gin which allowed him to provide for his family during the depression. My grandmother often speaks about how hard she had to work but they did not suffer as so many others did. I can remember, so many years later, going to visit my grandparents. They still had chickens, a garden, fruit trees, and shelves full of home-canned food. That was just a part of life for them.

There is a school of thought among the LDS people that one day, there will be a great catastrophe that will last for one year and that is why we need a year's supply of food. Maybe that is true, but I am not holding my breath for that. There are much more present and simple reasons to be prepared for whatever may come. Natural disasters, economic downturn, health problems, war, the list goes on. It may be that we need to rely on our own resources when others do not.

Here is an example. Several years ago, there was a lot of hype about the Y2K virus. There were horror stories about how as the year changed from 1999 to 2000 the lights would go out around the world and we would be plunged into a world of devastation. Nothing that was remotely connected to computers would function. We would be hurtled back at least a hundred years, forced to rely on our own preparation. There would be looting, chaos, bloodshed, disease, the list went on. Of course none of that actually happened.

One family I knew was passionate about the need to be prepared for this dark event. They were very forceful about having not a one year supply of food but 3 years supply. Their passion was unsettling. At the same time, I did not feel the weight of anxiety that this family and others seemed to feel.When the world kept spinning after midnight, I wondered about this family. They were so sure that they needed that large supply of food. Were they deceived?

Shortly after the new year, the husband lost his job. Although they had some income, he did not find an adequate job for, you guessed it, 3 years. During that time they had to rely on their food storage to ease the burden of their lower income. Although the reason may have been wrong, they still needed the food storage they had been inspired to collect.

From time to time I have been asked about food storage. What do you do? What do you suggest? How can I get started? My first thought is "What on earth makes you think I know anything about food storage?" But when I take the time to think about it, I realize that I have some knowledge of this subject...and plenty of opinions!

So, here are a few ideas I will pass on today about food storage. I find them all to be practical and steps in the right direction. It is my firm belief that we are blessed for our efforts, even if they fall short of the perfect goal. I hope you can find something useful in this list.

1. Buy a little extra. When I go to the store, I try and buy things I know I will use. If the Mac & Cheese is on sale, I will buy at least a dozen boxes. I always buy several jars of spaghetti sauce and pasta. These are things we eat on a regular basis so there is no reason I can't have extra on hand for whatever might come up...like feeding extra people on a moments notice! I do this just to save time and effort but if you are more methodical, you can build a substantial stock of food in a fairly short time.

Just be careful that you don't buy too much and end up throwing it away before you can eat it! Once I bought several cases of hamburger helper, which we didn't eat very often. I noticed that it was passed the "Best if used by" date but I tried it anyway. It was AWFUL!!! I threw away a whole case of it! In short; Buy what you eat and eat what you buy.

2. Buy non-perishable items. When visiting my Sister-in-law, I noticed about 2 dozen sticks of deodorant under her sink. I thought "She has teenagers but isn't that a little overkill?" She explained that she bought them on sale, with coupons, for almost nothing and stocked up. I realized that there are plenty of things that don't go bad and can be stored indefinitely. Soap, paper goods, toothbrushes, cleaning products, etc. If you can get into a routine of buying them on sale, with coupons, in bulk, you can have quite a supply for almost nothing. And lets face it, no one wants to be stuck in a crisis without diapers and toilet paper!

3. WATER!!!! If I have learned anything from Hurricane Katrina and the recent earthquake in Haiti, it is that we don't last long without clean water. For long term use, it probably isn't practical to store water. Purification tablets or bleach would be better. But the first thing I did when me moved this summer was begin to store water in juice bottles. We have quite a supply now, enough to survive for several days if we couldn't get clean water. That alone had given me tremendous peace of mind. And all it cost me was a little effort.

4. Learn more. I don't know how else to say it. Learn how to cook over a fire or camp stove. Learn how to grow things. Learn to make things from scratch. Learn to can food. Learn new recipes. Experiment now, when you are not stressed out by a crisis. If your homemade bread is like eating rocks, oh, well. Try again another day. If your garden is eaten by animals and bugs, learn how to protect it. Whatever learning we do can only be beneficial to us later. Maybe we will never have to use that knowledge. Isn't it better to know it and never use it than need it and not have a clue?

My sister-in-law has a "food storage night" once a week. They prepare an entire meal from items in their food storage. I think this is a great idea. They have been able to try different products, like dehydrated cheese, and see if they want to buy more or not. They are also learning what they can and can't do with their food storage. They are learning that they can drink powdered milk if they have to. Basically, they are acquiring a taste for the things they have stored.

5. Don't forget the money! I think I have mentioned this before but you would be amazed at the number of people who think money is just for spending. It isn't. It is a tool just like anything else in our society. The more we learn about it and how to use it effectively, the better off we will be. Money may not solve all of our problems but having a little saved is better than a bunch of useless junk when disaster strikes.

6. Don't forget the fun. A friend of mine who is a food storage fanatic said she always made sure there were ingredients for cookies in her food storage. Her philosophy was that during a crisis you need a little comfort food. I agree. Not that we should go overboard, but having some candy or chocolate chips tucked away can do a lot to ease the emotional side of a crisis.

Along the same line, it wouldn't hurt to have "fun" things in a 72-hour kit like books, card games, crayons. We always think of "basics" as what we need to survive. If you have little kids, having ways to entertain them can be a matter of survival! Even if you don't have physical things on hand, have a list of games, songs and stories you can use to entertain yourselves if need be.

Now, you might be thinking "Where do I put it?" The favorite suggestion is under the bed. It seems everyone says that! Under tables, dressers, in the back of a closet, under the grand piano. I have heard all of these. My guess is that most of us have much more space than we realize. It is just a matter of using it well. Even as I sit here, there is enough space on either side of our computer desk to stack several cases of food... if we had them. It also depends on what you are willing to give up. Will you give up the neat, magazine look your home has to store some extra cases of green beans? What?! You don't live in a catalog? Then what's the problem?

Superpowers 101: Organization

I attended a meeting today of the local military MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers). It was about organization. I had to smile as I listened to the comments and presentations that were made about being organized. One idea especially struck me.

The woman sharing this insight said that organization is more than having a plan, it is including others in the plan so that you can be successful. She pointed out that you have to tell your kids where their shoes go, you can't just expect them to know because you know where you want them. I laughed to myself, thinking of the important combination of organizing and communicating.

Other comments reminded me that you have to choose your battles. I didn't really know what that meant when I first started having children. Now I have a pretty good idea. It means decide what things MUST be done and let the other things go. So if you don't like having food all over your house then make a LAW that food stays in the kitchen and enforce it like the Gestapo!

Well, maybe not that strict but you get the picture. As the law maker you can change them if you need to and make exceptions from time to time. I advise against that. Your kids will think they can bend you all the time. It takes some time and self-discipline but it really works. In the long run you have kids who always know where their stuff is or only eat in the kitchen.

My kids have it in their heads that they can't eat on the carpet so they will stand on the edge between the kitchen and the living room trying to eat and watch TV. I am having to start over with my little ones, telling them to take their cookie back to the table. They are getting it a lot faster than the older kids for 2 reasons. 1. I am more insistent, 2. They have more role models telling them what to do (and not do).

I am still a long way from where I want to be but I can see the progress and the fruits of my efforts. That makes me feel good. Everything in life is a process. We learn line upon line, precept upon precept. What matters is that we are moving forward.