Jennifer Lambert

A Sacred Balance

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Asian Turkey Wraps

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My kids love Asian food.

I try to find ways to make it healthier and simpler. And cheaper than takeout.

Asian Turkey Wraps are a perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner.

IMG_1786

My kids like to practice their chopsticks skills.

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This is one of our favorite family meals. Everyone enjoys it!

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Turkey Lettuce Wraps

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Asian

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs ground turkey or chicken
  • 1 small chopped onion
  • 1 can chopped water chestnuts
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 T hoisin sauce
  • 2 T garlic black bean sauce
  • 2 T dry sherry
  • 2 T Tamari

Instructions

  1. Brown meat over medium heat with onion, garlic, and chestnuts. Drain if necessary.
  2. Add all ingredients and mix thoroughly over low heat, letting liquid reduce.
  3. Enjoy on lettuce or cabbage leaves or even tortillas. Serve with jasmine rice and steamed vegetables.
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5 Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

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With four growing kids, I have to be careful with clothing and plan buys to help save money.

I’ve been pretty successful these last few years with scoring on great quality kids clothes for four children at amazing prices and here I share my frugal tips with you!

5 Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

5 Frugal Tips for Buying Kids Clothes

1. Buy out of season

You know kids need snow gear, so get it on clearance or at thrift and consignment shops super cheap during summer. When everyone is thinking of swimming, you’re being wise and planning ahead.

Buy sundresses and sandals and beach or pool items at the end of the season (when it’s too hot to even think) and coats are showing up in stores (seriously?!). Just be proactive and get a size up.

Stores like Old Navy have great jeans sales periodically. Stock up! My kids seem to always have holey knees! During back-to-school season, stock up on classics even if your kids don’t wear uniforms. Khaki pants are always a great item to have on hand for church or events that may pop up.

2. Consignment Shops

Our local consignment shop takes only seasonal clothing, so when I switch out clothes in spring and fall, I store the items in the basement to take to the shop to get credit the next season.

There are also HUGE consignment sales at our local expo center in spring and fall. A great place to sell if you’re very organized and so inclined – and an even greater place to stock up on homeschool supplies, toys, baby gear, sports equipment, and clothes.

I recently took three baskets of clothes and toys to our local kids consignment shop and got a credit. I didn’t realize I had never used my credit from last season. When I showed up to purchase some needed items against my $38 credit, I was told I had earned $138. So unexpected! I stocked up!

3. Thrift Stores

I can spot a Gymboree or Land’s End dress several aisles over. I just know the quality and pattern of their fabrics. I like certain brands because they last through several kids and don’t wear out or break down.

Know what you want and need and keep lists of sizes and preferences. Tori likes blue and not pink. Kate loves green and Bohemian clothes. Liz likes classic looks and black and white patterns. Alex loves blue and orange and no buttons.

4. Hand-Me-Down Club with friends or relatives

If you and your friends can work out a hand-me-down system to share clothes and costs and do seasonal swaps, everybody wins! Many of the moms at our church do these swaps informally. And we have a huge church rummage sale. Those who help sort and work get first dibs!

My younger girls love to “shop” from the basement bin of big sister’s old clothes and all my kids love getting boxes from their cousins.

I’m loving the Buy Nothing groups on social media!

5. Yard Sales

Yard sales are my least favorite way to find frugal clothes. The clothes are often poor quality and worse condition and it takes so much time to sort through bins, baskets, or racks.

We have found some great items like roller blades and jackets and furniture at yard sales.

We did have great success with selling baby items and kids clothing last year at our yard sale. It’s just hit or miss. I don’t waste much time looking for everyday clothing at yard sales.

I do like online yard sales and thrift shops. We had great success at KSL.com searching for and finding items we needed or wanted. thredUP and Poshmark are great ways to trade and buy used clothing!

I envy those people who have a monthly clothing budget set aside for those emergencies. I’ve just never seemed to manage it. We often use our tax return and Christmas and birthday money to stock up a few times a year. I’ve never had success with budgeting well for clothing since the kids always seem to need something special at random times.

They outgrow favorite items and I have to sneak them out in the dead of night, feeling pangs of ultimate betrayal. Jeans mystically develop humongous knee holes. Socks lose their sole mates. Shirtsleeves mysteriously grow too short or unraveled. And when they occasionally need a specialty clothing item for some event, I have to scramble to find a deal in the right size, color, and style.

Do you have any frugal tips I’ve missed?

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Stuffed Chicken Marsala

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Our stuffed chicken marsala is sweet and salty and layers of deliciousness.

Stuffed Chicken Marsala

I get very thin chicken breasts and stuff them with cheese, spinach, and prosciutto or ham. I salt and pepper and flour them and then sear them in olive oil.

searing the chicken

I drain off most of the oil.

par cooked chicken

Add chicken stock and Marsala wine.

marsala

Add the chicken back to the soup and let simmer until fully cooked and the liquid is reduced and thick.

marsala simmering

Look at those layers! Gorgeous.

layers of yumminess

Now that my kids are growing up and becoming rather large eaters, I have to buy a lot of chicken to feed our little army. I love using my All-Clad Saute Pan!

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Chicken Marsala

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 package thin-sliced chicken breasts or butterfly regular breasts
  • 1 package Prosciutto or thin ham
  • Provolone, Parmesan, or Gruyere thin cheese slices
  • baby spinach leaves
  • basil or sage leaves
  • 1 small sweet onion or shallot, chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 package sliced button mushrooms
  • 1/2 c olive oil
  • 1/2 c Marsala wine
  • 1 c chicken stock

Instructions

  1. Stuff chicken breasts with ham, spinach, sage, and cheese. Roll and toothpick closed.
  2. Salt and pepper and flour and set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté onions, mushrooms, and garlic (I actually do this in butter in a separate pan since no one else eats this). Sear chicken on all sides and set aside.
  4. Drain all the oil except a couple tablespoons.
  5. Add stock and wine to pan. Return chicken to the pan with onions, mushrooms, and garlic.
  6. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and soup reduces. About 30 minutes.
  7. Serve with pretty noodles and steamed asparagus or broccoli. Lots of shredded Parmesan cheese and garlic bread.

Linking up: Kids Activities Blog, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Our Table for Seven, The Recipe Critic, Your Homebased Mom, Eats Amazing

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Star Wars Angry Birds Craft

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May the 4th Be With You.

I’m discipling my kids to be Star Wars fans. It’s only right to raise geeky children who appreciate the finer things in geekdom.

Since we’re in limbo this month, all our possessions packed for a cruise across the galaxy ocean, I had to go kinda lame with my Star Wars craft.

We’re living in temporary base housing (TLF) and have very little room or supplies in the way of arts and crafts. My son is obsessed with Angry Birds Star Wars. My husband loves watching Clone Wars on Netflix. The girls have seen all the Star Wars movies.

We don’t really have any Star Wars toys. I had the Ewok village as a kid and lots of the original figures. My husband had some fun stuff too. We have empty egg cartons.

I bought some paint and paintbrushes at the BX (base exchange – like a little department store). I cut up the egg cartons and the kids painted the little bumps to look like the Angry Birds Star Wars characters. I helped with the details.

Angry Birds Star Wars Egg Carton Crafts

I cut up the egg cartons and ended up with all sorts of shapes and sizes of roundish and squarish cardboard pieces.

Egg Carton Craft

We viewed the game and characters to get familiar and study the details. I had the kids paint base colors on the cardboard.

Painting is Hard Work

Dad helped Alex with painting.

Craft Time with Daddy

Tori concentrated to get hers just right.

Painting R2D2

Alex did great to not get paint all over himself.Painting Egg Cartons

We let the base coat dry.Painted Egg Cartons

The kids had loads of fun adding the details with markers and more paint. We let them choose which characters they wanted.

We ended up with Jaba, Han Solo, a couple Princess Leias, Padme, Count Dooku, Mace Windu, Yoda, a couple Imperial Guards, a tie fighter, Darth Vader, Darth Maul, an ewok, Chewbacca, R2D2, C3PO (in gold and silver), a youngling Jedi, and Obi Wan Kenobi.

Painting Angry Birds Star Wars

Then, of course, we recreated the Angry Birds app games and Star Wars movies and had lots of pretend play time! It was a great way to pass a cold and rainy weekend in TLF.

When the sun shone again, we took them outside to play!

There’s an abandoned skate park next to our building and the kids had fun rolling cars down the ramps and destroying the pyramids of figures.

skate park

Then, we had to slide down at the playground like aerial attacks.

It was awesome.

Sliding

I had fun photographing the figures in appropriate surroundings.

C3PO and R2D2 in the desert:C3PO and R2D2

The ewok:Ewok

Check out our Geek Moms Pinterest board for great geeky educational fun!

6 bloggers are participating with educational or crafty Star Wars ideas:

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Homemade Turkey Divan Casserole

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This is a great dish to use up leftovers.

I always make this casserole after Thanksgiving. And the kids get so excited if I make it any other time (sometimes with chicken.)

No canned soup!

Homemade Turkey Divan Casserole with chopped turkey, broccoli, cheese, and noodles.

Turkey Divan Casserole

I make a roux with sautéed veggies in butter with flour and then add milk or cream to make a béchamel sauce. Look how thick it is! It smells quite divine and tastes wonderful alone.

Vegetable Bechamel

Layers of deliciousness – turkey, veggies, cheese, noodles.

Turkey Divan Ready for the Oven

Ready to pop in the oven for a great frugal healthy meal for our hungry family.

Turkey Divan

Warm gooey cheesy deliciousness!

Homemade Turkey Divan
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Turkey Divan Casserole

Course Main Dish
Cuisine Casserole
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 3 T butter
  • 1/4 c AP flour
  • 1-1.5 c whole milk and/or half and half
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 c mushrooms sliced or chopped
  • 1/4 c bell pepper any color, but we love red or yellow or orange
  • 2 c cooked turkey or chicken chopped
  • 1-2 c fresh broccoli chopped bite-size
  • 1 box noodles prepared according to instructions
  • 1.5 c shredded cheese We like a Mexican cheese blend. Cheddar tends to be oily.
  • pinch salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 t garlic powder to taste. I usually use a lot of garlic, fresh and powder.

Instructions

  1. Boil noodles according to directions.

  2. Chop vegetables and saute in butter, but don't brown the onions.

  3. Sprinkle with flour and then immediately whisk in milk or half and half. It should thicken like white gravy. Add more liquid as needed. You can also add in some cheese for extra creaminess. Sometimes, I add the broccoli at this point to make things easy.

  4. Combine gravy and cooked noodles and other ingredients in a bowl.

  5. Spread in a large casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
  6. Bake at 350* for 30-45 minutes, depending on how crispy you like the top.

Some have mentioned this casserole was dry…No recipe is perfect and it doesn’t always turn out great every time.

Some tips to try:

  • Increase temperature and/or reduce baking time. All ovens are different. Most of the ingredients are already cooked or just need to be warmed up and melded. Broil for a few minutes if you like it crispy.
  • More bechamel sauce.
  • Try different cheeses or cheese blends for a creamier consistency.
  • Use a deeper or smaller casserole dish.
  • Experiment with the type of noodle in the recipe. Egg noodles are softer while rotini are firmer and dryer.

What’s your favorite casserole?

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Yard Sale Tips

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How to have a yard sale and make a million bucks $700.

I am amazed at how successful our yard sale was. I expected a couple hundred dollars, spending money for our travels, a buffer to help us out.

I’ve analyzed what we did and I hope it can be duplicated so you can have a great yard sale too!

How to have a successful yard sale:

  • planning

  • preparing

  • purging

  • praying

How to Have a Successful Yard Sale

I realized I’m moving in two months. In two months! Like, out of the country. To a foreign country. With houses much smaller than I’m used to having.

I walked from room to room in despair, disgusted at myself that I accumulate so much STUFF – nine years of marriage, almost four in this particular house, four kids, two cats.

We don’t need this much STUFF.

Stuff ≠ happiness.

I made lists.

I love making lists! Made a list for items to put in storage. Another list for items to sell or donate. Finally, I felt like I was accomplishing something.

I set a date for the sale.

I put it on my calendar which syncs with my husband’s and all our devices. He took leave from work on the Thursday before and Friday, the first sale day. It’s on like Donkey Kong.

I advertised.

I placed an ad in our local paper online for free! I also listed our two big items that we had to sell in separate free classified ads – the 40 gallon aquarium and my big L-shaped desk with hutch. (The aquarium  – with 9 fish and live plants – sold for $50 to a man who raises angelfish for a living – several days before our yard sale!) Our son was so happy his fish would have friends.

I sorted.

I organized clothes and homeschool materials. I started stacking items for sale in our laundry room. I could barely do laundry for a month. I added to the list. I did a little more each day.

I purged, organized, compartmentalized, rearranged – and suddenly, I have three empty rooms. Seriously. In our basement, I have three empty rooms, like, completely empty. It’s crazy.

I cried a little when I clear off several bookshelves.

My husband helped me go through the cellar (there are spiders in there!) and he cleaned out his military gear and donated most of that to Liz’s Civil Air Patrol squadron.

The day before our sale!

We borrowed tables from church. I stacked everything in the garage. My husband carried out the bigger items. The huge desk stayed put. And we prayed.

The first morning of the sale!

Friday. My husband set up the tables and the kids helped set everything out. People arrived before sunrise. We didn’t even have time to put price stickers on anything. We agreed that we just want to get rid of everything as quickly as possible so we set the prices super low. My husband has the Square Register app on his phone so we could take cash or cards.

My eldest daughter was is in charge of the cash register (she used their toy cash register that has a real working calculator.) I taught her to keep all the bills turned the same way and in their slots. I explained that it’s important to out the customer’s money on the table before getting change. Never immediately put a customer’s money in the register. Never leave the register unattended.

One lady asked my husband how much something was and he responded that it was $5. She exclaimed: “No! It’s worth at least $10!” and made him take a ten dollar bill. Another customer made him repeat himself three times that our recliner really was only $20. It was in fine condition, nothing wrong with it. She was overjoyed.

The first day we made about $400 and sold much of the “good stuff.”

People were impressed with the Square Register app and one older man joked that no one could haggle with us if we took credit cards!


The second day’s forecast was supposed to be rainy so we set up the remainder on tables inside our garage and put an easel at the end of the driveway.

We sold the big desk with hutch to a young man with a new startup home business for only $50.

It only drizzled a tiny bit so we still had lots of customers.

Several men asked to buy items right off our garage shelves. I sold two snow shovels that were hanging on the wall. We still have several, so we’re good.

Several families with vanloads of kids came and almost destroyed my setup! I had to straighten my tables several times.

Some people are strange. A couple ladies got irritated with me when I tried to tell them that a curriculum was a set and they should take it all together instead of just one piece. But if they don’t want the teacher manual or manipulatives, I shouldn’t argue!

I was surprised that more clothing didn’t sell. We had a laundry basket full of too-small summer dresses in great condition. Last year, we sold a ton of clothing – in and out of season.

In the afternoon, we decided to close up because the weather turned cold and rainy, so it was perfect timing. We shut our garage doors to clean up.

We made $700 in two days.

Y’all. Seriously. After I cleaned up from the sale, I took away two vanloads – one to donate to the thrift store and one to trade in at the consignment shop. Also, I donated two bags of winter items to our church for the annual rummage sale.

It was liberating to be done with all that stuff.

Get your FREE downloadable garage sale sign kit!

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No More Incontinence

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Apparently, I have a tiny bladder.

My family teases me that I have to go all the time.

My first grade teacher told my mother I was retarded because I needed to use the restroom frequently – and got my p’s and b’s mixed up. I remember too many embarrassing days when I had accidents sitting at my desk because my teacher refused to allow me to use the in-class toilet except during her prescribed breaks.

Of course, pregnancy and childbirth causes stress to the bladder and urinary tract. It seems I haven’t fully recovered and my youngest is now four years old.

Time to research and heal so I can run, jump, laugh, and sneeze without having an embarrassing accident.

No More Incontinence

Urinary Health

Going to the gym is always an adventure. Many of my acquaintances can’t relate because they’re stronger or they don’t have kids – or maybe they only have a couple kids who were born with average weight and they just don’t have any bladder issues.

I have four kids and I can’t do jumping jacks.

My kids were BIG babies. And they kickboxed my bladder. They came out like toddlers, holding their heads up and their hands out for the car keys and demanding steak dinners.

My first was almost 8 pounds and I bounced back completely after having her because I was young at only 24. My second was almost ten pounds. A mere fourteen months later, my third came along at almost eleven pounds. She was my C-Section baby. My last baby was VBAC and he was 9 pounds, 1 ounce.

I want to be able to run, jump, do exercises, sneeze, and laugh without worry.

I’ve been taking half dropperfuls of a urinary health tincture twice a day, morning and evening. I use a great oil blend that includes spearmint, sage, geranium, myrtle, nutmeg, and German chamomile (over kidneys) and cypress essential oil (over bladder) topically every evening to try to help balance out everything and support urinary health.

It does help! I forgot to do this routine a couple nights and I had more problems on those days than when I remembered to do this regimen.

I drink lots of water. While that does mean I go more frequently (which is really, really frequently compared to most people), it does help toxins get flushed out of my system.

I try to limit caffeine and alcohol consumption because those irritate the bladder. Also citrus irritates the bladder, so I limit those fruits and juices.

I try to eat well, with lots of veggies and fiber. We had lots of catering trays of sandwiches the week the moving company was packing and moving our household goods. While it was a healthier option than greasy fast food, that was not the best week for my urinary and digestive health.

One day, I drank a Throwback (real sugar) Mountain Dew and that was a big mistake. A healthy digestion essential oil blend and rest and eating better the next day helped. Sugar and carbonation doesn’t do well with me. Soda is a bladder irritant.

I should stick to water and occasionally tea.

Strengthening the Muscles

Some of us bounce back fine from having babies. I did ok until 11 pound #3 came along.

Then, there was no more bouncing for me.

It took quite a while for me to lose weight and feel better after having my third baby by C-Section. My body was pretty drained. I was advised to take mineral supplements and adjust my diet. It was recommended we follow a Paleo-type diet – long before that was a fad! This was the beginning of our healthy journey!

I slowly got healthier and got my energy and body and life back.

Then I got pregnant again with my son.

I was healthier during that pregnancy since I was put on a no-sugar diet for gestational diabetes.

I still have about ten pounds I would like to lose. I usually feel great and have enough energy to get done what needs to get done. Supplements, regular exercise, and great diet help.

But diet alone isn’t enough to heal all the mama parts that are stretched out and loose and weak by pregnancies.

But most of the exercises at gyms and in home videos and online aren’t helpful. They could actually harm the body more.

Online exercises programs are great, like Fit2Be.

It’s a great membership with online workout videos, a Facebook group, forum, and a lovely teacher. Beth is direct, professional, and knowledgeable. The exercises are short and sweet for busy moms, but they really work with regular use. Many of the exercises can be done sitting or while you’re doing other things. There are programs for the whole family. The kids love to do yoga moves with me! There are workouts for pregnancy, strengthening that core and pelvic floor, challenges, and running. I’ve never found another workout program so comprehensive, challenging, yet gentle.

Join Fit2b.us

Also, the Metabolic Renewal program is useful to work out hormone issues with diet and exercises, specifically during perimenopause or menopause. It’s a one-time paid membership with diet tips and online workouts with a supportive Facebook group.

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a great option I’m looking into and my doctor is referring me!

I’m still on the strengthening part. But I’m getting stronger.

Medical Intervention

Sometimes, we can’t fix ourselves all alone.

As I’ve gotten older, my muscles just aren’t maintaining tone with yoga, walking, Kegels, and online exercises.

I developed a cystocele and rectocele and I have to strengthen my pelvic floor to heal them. I must make sure I avoid bladder irritants. I stay hydrated and eat lots of fiber so I don’t get constipated.

I recently developed a 6 cm fibroid and we’re shrinking that with Mirena and keeping an eye on it.

It’s important to get regular checkups with women’s health professionals to rule out problems and to know options for hormone replacement, exercises, physical therapy, pessaries, or even surgery.

I think incontinence is more common than we think.

My mother even had surgery to repair her bladder, then a hysterectomy.

Many women occasionally confide that they have to wear pads in case of accidents. They complain they can’t play with their kids on the trampoline or run for fear of accidents.

It’s embarrassing.

It shouldn’t be.

We’re all in this mama journey together. Let’s help each other instead of hiding.

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Traveling with Essential Oils

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Many of you know we’re moving to Germany next month. (If this is news to you, then you really need to follow me on social media!)

My husband is a lab officer in the Air Force and we’ll be stationed in Germany for about three years.

We packed out our entire house last week and are now living on base in a three-bedroom apartment – with a single bathroom (that has only a shower and no A/C) for a dozen or so days before we head out on a road trip across America!

We couldn’t narrow down which essential oils we wanted to bring, so we brought ’em all!

The movers won’t pack opened liquids anyway.

Our unopened stock was packed well in a little cosmetic suitcase and then in a big box.

Traveling with essential oils is interesting.

Traveling with Essential Oils

Most people don’t know what they are. Some ask questions. We usually tell TSA it’s medicine and we’ve never had a second glance.

Traveling internationally is different.

Most security checks require 1 QUART-SIZE BAG per person. 

We have a small red case that fits about 16 essential oil bottles and fits inside a quart bag. We all manage with 5 baggies for other items when traveling.

When we PCSed, I bought a cool teal case and a big purple case from AbundantHealth4U. We had no problem traveling with these as carry ons from Atlanta to Baltimore to Ramstein.

Travel diffusers are a must! I have a travel diffuser and I love these new USB travel diffusers!

We make sure we have our supplements.

PCS time is a stressful few weeks, so I added a cortisol supplement to my daily regimen of cod liver oil, 2 capsules of evening primrose oil, and some hormone helps.

The little kids take a liquid kids multivitamin and cod liver oil.

The teen takes a teen multivitamin, cod liver oil, and 1 capsule of evening primrose oil.

Aaron takes several supplements daily.

I put all these in our checked luggage for a PCS.

When we take a vacation, I use individual pill cases.

I pack my makeup and skin care products in my personal cosmetic case when we PCS.

When we PCS, I check the items that are larger than the required 3 oz, wrapping carefully and placing in big zippy bags.

For short trips, I use refillable travel bottles for personal care items for the kids and me. And we maneuver them all into 5 quart baggies.

My face looks and feels so much smoother and has more even tone since I started using natural skin care products.

These are our daily must-haves and there is no way I’d throw this stuff out.

Do you have any tips for traveling with essential oils?

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Brinkman Adventures Review

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The kids and I reviewed The Brinkman Adventures Season 2: Episodes 13-24 by Brinkman Adventures.

Run-ins with pirates, Chinese close-calls with the Communist government, French castles, and other fascinating adventures are experienced with this missionary family and their friends.

The little kids tolerated listening to these ok. Liz did not like it at all. And she’s my only aural learner! I think it may be difficult for her to follow the different narration and storylines with her ADHD.

We’ve never had great success with audiobooks or radio shows of any kind.

Brinkman Adventures Review

I think the stories in The Brinkman Adventures are good, well-done audio shows. The actors’ enunciation is great and easy to understand. But I can see why Liz doesn’t care for it. It does sound a bit affected and exaggerated. She said it just sounds like they’re reading a script. I suppose they are, and it’s a bit stilted for her tastes.

The plotlines are great lessons. Musical transitions help us to understand flashbacks or changes in narration. Little ads midway through the stories help break up the “action” and provide other transition. There are stories within the main story – from real missionaries’ experiences.

Little Hope is adorable. Her lines and sweet voice make us giggle.

The main male narrator is more the faithful one who prays and trusts God. Another man is the voice of doubt. The woman provides dialogue, questions, and furthers the narration along. The kids help the family and listeners explore characters’ motives and historical facts. There’s a call to action and summary of the moral at the end of each episode.

And we looked forward to mentions and appearances of Ripcord the Rooster.

We did especially like Episode 14 – Blue Hat & T-Shirt Bible – about Chinese Christians. It was most interesting to us. I love the story behind it.

We were all fascinated by the Chinese pictographs representing Christian symbols.

And, of course the kids wanted to know the symbolism behind the “blue hat lady.” Of course, it’s part of the Communist uniform but they wanted more.

I did some research and found these great symbols and explanations of blue hats:

  • The Chinese called Muslims, Jews, and Christians in ancient times by the same name, “Hui Hui.” Christians were called “Hui who abstain from animals without the cloven foot,” Muslims were called “Hui who abstain from pork,” Jews were called “Hui who extract the sinews.” Hui zi or Hui Hui is presently used almost exclusively for Muslims, but Jews were still called Lan mao Hui zi which means “Blue cap Hui zi.“
  • In A Tale of Two Cities by Dickens, the blue cap worn by the mender of roads represents pre-revolutionary France.
  • China’s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). This registration is referred to in English as a “blue hat” because the registration logo visually resembles a blue hat. From China dietary supplement info.
  • Blue Hat is a term used to refer to outside computer security consulting firms that are employed to bug test a system prior to its launch. Hacker security.
  • The blue hat tends to be the outward-looking, leader or trail-blazing hat that attracts the leaders of all groups. Metacognition. From Edward de Bono leadership.

I know we’re in the minority of not absolutely loving Brinkman Adventures. All my friends were shocked when I mentioned we weren’t especially enjoying it. We don’t really like audio books.

I had hoped my kids would enjoy listening to these audios since we put our TV in storage and have limited Internet access as we travel across America.

They balked every time I mentioned listening to an episode. It was hard for them to sit still and quiet and listen.

Kate enjoyed listening the most. She asked for more, to just have a listening marathon. She loves drawing and listening.

Listening to The Brinkman Adventures

Audiobooks and radio shows have never been at the top of my kids’ wishlists and they just don’t hold their interest for long. I’m not that great for it either. We’d rather read I guess. Tori, Alex, and I aren’t aural learners.

I was able to discuss the plots and character lessons with my daughters. They  more obeyed me than enjoyed the time listening. The lessons in the stories are really great, even if the presentation was a bit boring for my kids.

In our conversations, the girls and I used the audio as a starting point to:

  • Focus on the missionary aspect of the stories
  • Discuss how a family can serve together
  • Review good character lessons

The Brinkman Adventures is great for kids to listen to if they feel destined for missionary work or want to learn more about it. I found it interesting that the stories are based on real events with this real missionary family.

I enjoyed reading the background info behind the adventures.

 
Brinkman Adventures Season 2

12 Episodes – 5+ Hours!

  • 4CDs -$25.00
  • MP3 Download – $17.00

Recommended for all ages. Great for background listening while working on seat work, coloring or drawing, completing chores, or during mealtime.

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Teaching By Example with Chores

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We like to train our children from very early on to help out at home. We also train the older kids to help the younger kids, teaching them and kindly guiding them to do jobs well and completely.

I expect the older ones to give grace and not be too demanding. This helps build teamwork and leadership skills.

Working together is important. Teaching helps us learn a task completely, when students ask questions or do something differently, it expands our knowledge base.

I use some of these times to teach my older kids the difference between being a leader and being a boss.

Let them help in a real way from the time they are toddlers, rather than assuming they need to be otherwise distracted while we do the work.

Kids benefit from REAL responsibilities.

A basic list of various household chore ideas by age.

These are what my kids are and were able to accomplish. Every child and family is different.

These are tasks my kids complete daily or weekly. And of course, each level can do the previous level work.

I have learned to not say no if my child wishes to do a chore. Even if that chore doesn’t need to be done. That window or mirror could be wiped every hour, but my son does it so cheerfully, why would I discourage him?

Toddlers (under age 3)

Model to them how to help.

Babies want to be with Mama. Mama has to do chores. I often wore my babies while doing chores too.

Babies and toddlers love it when you narrate what you’re doing. This teaches them language, relationship, and work ethic, and skills.

I began training my babies to help as soon as they were able to sit up on their own. They love helping. It’s amazing what they’re capable of doing if you let them!

We start with the lessons that we always clean up our messes and finish what we begin. We establish routine and structure to our days.

  • Folding towels or napkins and helping to put them away
  • Sorting laundry by colors and throwing sorted clothes in the washer
  • Slicing soft fruits (use a safe knife)
  • Helping to set the table
  • Put toys away (with lots of guidance, encouragement, games and songs, and help)
  • Push buttons to begin dishwasher or laundry cycles (my kids always begged to do that!)
  • Wipe a mirror or cabinet with a cleaning cloth

Preschoolers (ages 3-5)

I love preschoolers with their “I do it!” attitude. They want to do everything themselves.

Let them.

Encourage them to contribute. They love it. Even if it’s more work for you. Don’t ever let them see you go back and fix it!

I am amazed at how independent kids can be if you just allow them the freedom to try. I wish I hadn’t been so anxious with my daughters. By the time my son Alex came along, I was relaxed and loved to just sit back and watch what he would do on his own. He impresses me. He can complete multi-step commands very well!

I encourage critical thinking by asking what we need to do next rather than giving commands.

  • making a bed
  • cleaning up toys (with lots of encouragement, help, a game or song) – I often tell him to get started and I come around to help him finish.
  • slicing fruits or vegetables (we love these knives)
  • sorting laundry, helping to switch it from washer to dryer, folding and putting away
  • setting the table
  • sweeping the floor (they need help with the dustpan part)
  • vacuuming (my kids are strong – our vacuum cleaner weighs a ton!) but we also have a small vacuum for small cleanups
  • spray and wipe mirrors, cabinets, doors, doorknobs with a cleaning cloth
  • help empty trashcans
  • feed and water pets

Primary (ages 6-8)

This is really the golden age.

These kids are still cheerful and helpful about chores. My middle children were a beautiful thing at this age. They were compliant and agreeable and regularly came to me, asking: what more can we do to help?

My kids totally embarrassed a friend of mine when they stayed with her so Aaron and I could spend a weekend in the mountains on a marriage retreat. They cooked, cleaned (even wiped down her kitchen cabinets in and out), and were just very, very, very helpful. She now expects way more of her own kids (who are the same age as my younger three) since mine were so capable. (I’m proud!)

I encourage my kids to accept personal responsibility with words and actions. For example, if they lose a library book, they have to earn the replacement cost or late fee.

  • laundry with supervision
  • setting and clearing the table
  • unload and load the dishwasher
  • sweeping and mopping (still help with that blasted dustpan)
  • vacuuming
  • dusting
  • helping in the kitchen with food prep
  • cooking simple items with supervision
  • keeping bedroom, play space, and school work neat and organized (with help)
  • sorting clothes for donation, resale, or rag bin
  • help with gardening or yard work
  • wiping down bathrooms
  • getting the mail
  • putting groceries away

Tweens (ages 9-12)

This is the age when chores have lost their magic.

These kids start expecting to earn an allowance or extra privileges for doing chores they’ve done since they were in diapers. They live in my house, eat my food, use my water and electricity, and occasionally get new clothes. They must do chores. They must contribute to the common good. I teach them to make to do lists. We try to make chores fun and dance and listen to music and play games. Occasionally, they can do extra chores for pay to help learn responsibility.

  • laundry
  • dishes
  • cooking simple meals
  • keeping bedroom, play space, and school work neat and organized
  • gardening and yard work
  • cutting the grass
  • cleaning the car, inside and out
  • cleaning kitty litter boxes
  • putting garbage cans on the curb (and bring them back to the garage)
  • pet sitting or dog walking

Teens (ages 13+)

By the time kids are teens, they should be parents’ helpers.

Training should be finalized in the early teens and they should gradually become independent and capable as they approach adulthood. It’s our purpose as parents to train ourselves out of the job. Our kids should become self-sufficient. I won’t allow my kids to be like some of the friends I had as a teen and young adult who didn’t know how to make even a simple meal or sew on a button!

  • meal planning (we like eMeals!)
  • cook complete meals from scratch
  • oil change for the car
  • rotating or changing tires on the car
  • running a yard sale (I love that my eldest is a whiz with customer service and money and I can just supervise)
  • babysitting
  • sewing and mending
  • organizing and tidying
  • elderly companion (I did that as a teen, reading and assisting a family friend)
  • filing and paperwork, applications for college or jobs, tax prep help
  • household management
  • technology help, even VA training – We need to make sure our kids are Internet savvy and use discretion online. I monitor closely and teach.

We encourage our kids to help Daddy and learn about handyman activities.

I will say my kids are a bit advanced in the kitchen. All four of my kids are pros at making perfect scrambled eggs – without supervision at a very young age. The girls are very able to prepare to prepare simple meals with very little supervision. We all love to cook and eat together!

All the men in my and Aaron’s family were very handy and I want my kids to learn those skills. And it’s wise and frugal to know some basic handyman methods and be able to fix things yourself.

We don’t do cute little charts or lists or any of that extrinsic motivation. Chores get completed daily and weekly as needed. The kids are trained to complete a task when it’s necessary. We do zones each week. Sure, we sometimes get behind if our schedule gets crazy, but we catch up. Work before play.

I expect the younger kids to complete a task to the best of their ability. Older kids have to meet higher standards.

For instance, I expect a floor vacuumed.

The 4-year-old sweeps the vacuum across the floor 3-4 times until he is physically exhausted from the effort of that monstrosity of a vacuum. Awesome.

The 7-year-old vacuums up visible dirt around the paths made from furniture. Awesome.

The 13-year-old should move the ottoman and coffee table and vacuum under those, get that wand out and vacuum along the baseboards. Awesome.

The husband vacuums and there’s a ticker tape parade.

No, not really.

Not every time.

We used this chore chart for a while with our littles to help them.

How do your kids help with household chores?


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