Daily Feats

A $10 Starbucks gift card arrived in the mail today, and I did a happy dance.

A post on MoneySavingMom.com prompted me to join DailyFeats on August 25th. After registering you can "check in" various "feats" you accomplish each day. Some examples: caring for your baby, eating fruits and veggies, taking a walk, cooking a meal, cleaning the bathroom. I spent 20-30 minutes on the site each day for the first 3 days, figuring out how to use it efficiently. After that, I logged in for 10-15 minutes about 4 days each week (usually just before falling into bed at night) to log my accomplishments and rack up points.

On October 7th, I had enough points (5,000) to redeem for a $10 Starbucks gift card (my prize of choice - I like to treat myself to peppermint mochas once a month when I have gift cards). And today (less than 2 weeks later) it came. It really worked, I thought.

Hours of time on a website for a measly $10 gift card? you might be thinking. I really do try to be efficient with my time, so my efforts on DailyFeats had to be worth more to me than just the monetary/coffee reward. Here's why they were: logging my daily activities on DailyFeats made me feel like my efforts at home - the little stuff of my vocation as a stay-at-home mom - were being recognized and rewarded. I was earning points; I was working toward a greater goal and every bit added up! I began to want to do more...I found myself motivated by the prospect of getting to log in my accomplishments.

Yes, I will eat salad with lunch so I can check in !leafygreens.
I'll let Teresa help me make supper so I can check in !cooktogether.
I won't splurge at Target so I can check in !thinkb4buying.
I will prayerfully meditate on today's Mass readings so I can check in !dailyreading.
If I run that load of diapers I can check in !laundry.

When I participate in "challenges" on DailyFeats I am pushed to do more so I can earn extra points. And the activities are all really good for a person and/or her community: practice mindfulness, donate to charity, include someone who seems left out, express love, go on a date night.

I am not sure how long I will continue to use DailyFeats, but for now it's really working for me. I have struggled with the thanklessness of my vocation (and I have a very appreciative husband!) - I really miss the recognition I received in school and work. I know that, ultimately, I should strive to do everything for God alone and find contentment in seeking to please Him in all things. This is just a step toward that goal. :)

PS If you decide to try DailyFeats and like it (or if you're already on it!), let me know and we can be teammates.

Cleaning jewelry with baking soda

I've had "silver polish" on my wish list for years and I'm not surprised I never received it as a gift...it's a rather boring gift. But I just couldn't bring myself to purchase any...I only need a little, and very rarely, and it isn't cheap. So a while back I researched "cleaning silver" online and discovered that many people have used baking soda with success. I then put "clean jewelry with baking soda" on my To Do list.

Months later, I finally gave it a try! I figured it was a good sitting-at-the-table task for my very pregnant self to tackle. I set Teresa up with Playdoh beside me.

Using a baking soda/water paste and several damp and dry cloths, I tackled a handful of necklaces and several pairs of earrings. While the cleaning takes a lot of elbow grease (or should I say "knuckle grease", since it's mostly the fingers working hard?) and the results aren't perfect, the baking soda is pretty effective at removing tarnish. Best of all? It's cheap, plentiful, and completely chemical-free - safe for me and the environment!

I was delighted to discover two favorite pairs of dangling earrings that I had abandoned to the jewelry box a long, long time ago due to their tarnish. Granted, I haven't been wearing much jewelry since Teresa started pulling at it. When I stopped working outside the home I went from wearing earrings daily to wearing them some Sundays.

Maybe this rediscovery and refurbishing of some of my lovely things will inspire me to start wearing them again...at least until the next baby starts pulling at them!

12 weeks pregnant

I haven't been much of a blogger in the past year or two, so I rarely post information in a timely manner. I'm much more likely to use Facebook to share news. It's not likely I'll become a regular blogger again, but this week - why not?

Yes, I'm pregnant! I'm due mid-May 2011. This time around I don't get an ultrasound until 18-20 weeks, so all I have to show for this pregnancy is the positive home test. Ta da!


The test confirmed our blessing on September 7th. I had my first OB appointment at 8 weeks (nothing too interesting) and my second appointment on Tuesday (at 12 weeks). I got to hear the baby's heartbeat, which is always a joy. My nausea has been about the same as it was with my last pregnancy, starting around 6 weeks and just now starting to subside (I hope). I don't get sick, but I feel ill and headachy and have no desire to eat until the afternoon. I don't get too exhausted, but that's probably because I'm blessed to get about 8 hours of sleep most nights and a little nap several times a week (while Teresa naps). It's SO NICE to be home this time, rather than slogging through my work in an office. :D


Here's an interesting tidbit about the pregnancy test: it cost me 20 cents. Sure beats $9, right? At Katherine's suggestion, I checked online for cheap pregnancy test strips. When you're not sure about your return of fertility and might want to use several tests before one comes back positive, it's good to get them at a low cost. I discovered several packages up for bid/sale on eBay, including a set of 5 for 99 cents - with free shipping! I snatched them up and waited for them to arrive in the mail - from Hong Kong. Nothing fancy, but they work. I had one negative one (previous cycle) before this positive one.

Credit card humor

First, the background:

We have three primary credit cards we use for almost all chargeable expenses (and pay off in full each month). I'm big on responsible credit card use because they help build credit history, are incomparably convenient, and offer some great rewards programs. I used to charge everything I could to the Discover because it had the most robust rewards program, but I've been disappointed by their Cash Back Bonus reward offerings lately. It turns out my Mastercard's rewards program has improved considerably. So I determine which cards we should use for which purchases each quarter in order to maximize our rewards and write it out on post-it notes for our wallets.

Here's what they look like:



Now, the story:

This past Saturday David and I stopped in Office Depot to pick up a new battery for his old coaching stopwatch - he wants to use it to time my contractions. As he read his post-it to determine which credit card to offer the cashier, he said, "for everything else, use Mastercard."

The cashier burst out laughing.

David started to explain why he had to deliberate over the cards and the cashier stopped him to let him know that he'd almost quoted the Mastercard slogan: "For everything else, there's Mastercard." The fact that we watch next to no television and are pleasantly unaware of current commercials added to our own amusement at this coincidence. As we put the Mastercard into action the cashier assured David that he'd provided her amusement for the day.

We aim to please, right? :)

Prenatal Yoga DVD Reviews

I've been practicing yoga (by myself, with DVDs in the comfort of my own home) for about 4 years. At first I saw it as a way to build muscle tone and increase my flexibility in between runs. Now that I don't run any more (I stopped after the miscarriage and may or may not pick it up again post-baby), yoga and occasional walks are my only form of exercise. And, I must say, they are both GREAT for this pregnant mama.

Quick disclaimer: I avoid anything to do with the "spiritual" aspect of yoga, as it is generally not compatible with my Christian faith. But the postures, movements, and breathing of yoga are easily separated from the mumbo jumbo and are highly beneficial, both physically and emotionally (in the sense that they can help us to relax and focus and to be more aware of how we're carrying our bodies throughout the day).

In anticipation of my pregnancies, I started collecting a handful of prenatal yoga DVDs last year, mostly through Swap a DVD. I needed the "professional" guidance to make sure I only did postures and sequences that were harmless for the baby or - even better - excellent for pregnancy and labor. I ended up with 4 very different programs, which I present here with my personal reviews.

TOP CHOICE: Prenatal Yoga With Shiva Rea, produced by Gaiam

Pros: Shiva has a great personality/style - she is capable and confident yet gentle, warm, and encouraging; exercise moves fluidly from posture to posture, promoting flexibility, strength, and calming breathing; all poses are modified and demonstrated according to trimester/ability; props used are common (folding chair and block)

Cons: program is a bit long, so I usually do it for 30 minutes or however long I feel like it (I'm probably missing some great stuff in the last segment)

Final Say: This is definitely my favorite and the one I use the most. I love how the program increases in challenge as it progresses, beginning with simple stretches (and including "elevator" Kegels, which I find very helpful) and building up to poses that challenge various muscle groups in the best of ways. I usually feel light and energized after these workouts. (I have yet to try the bonus Pregnancy Massage instruction, but I'm sure it's great, too.)

SECOND CHOICE: Prenatal Yoga Complete with Mary Pappas-Sandonas, produced by bodywisdommedia

Pros: Mary is another instructor I enjoy - her guidance exudes experience and encouragement (she is very practical/precise); this DVD offers a huge array of possibilities: first you choose your trimester, then you choose which program you'd like - most are geared toward the relief of discomfort, such as morning sickness, back pain, or headache, or toward the promotion of a positive feeling, such as energy or relaxation; the poses are long-lasting and thus you can really maximize their benefit according to your particular needs that day

Cons: Mary is not present in the video, demonstrating the poses - you only hear her voice while a model demonstrates; the programs jump between poses (no smooth transitions), causing me to scramble to prepare for the next pose; lots of props are needed to get yourself in some of the poses (several bolsters and blankets, a chair, blocks, and strap)

Final Say: I grab this DVD when I have a particular issue I want to address (for example, I do the "Rejuvenate" sequence when I feel sluggish) and look forward to the challenge of holding poses as long as they feel good. As much effort as it takes to get into a Reclining Bound Angle Pose, the results are totally worth it.


HONORABLE MENTION: Crunch Yoga Mama - Prenatal Yoga with Sue Elkind, a CRUNCH workout

Pros: basic yoga postures and breathing; some flow sequences; variety of poses all suitable for pregnancy; shorter complete workout (about 30 minutes)

Cons: I don't like the instructor much (her lines seem canned, not heartfelt); the program is very simple and doesn't leave me feeling like I did a challenging workout

Final Say: For a beginner or someone looking for a quick and easy prenatal yoga session, this DVD is decent. I just wish it moved my body and my heart more.


TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: The New Method Pre & Post Natal Yoga (2 Pack DVD Box Set) with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa

Pros: lots of general stretching and repetitive motion (sometimes it even gets my heart going); the endurance exercise (continuous arm movement for 3 minutes) is a real mental challenge which may help prepare for the rigors of labor

Cons: This is the most new-agey of the four programs: the turban-wearing instructor leads the group in chanting and spouts such nonsense as "sometimes we have more trouble with our left leg - it's ruled by the moon" and "build your electromagnetic field." The few times I've done the program I've bypassed the intro and fast forwarded through the chanting. Because this program offers Kundalini yoga, it offers few (if any) actual muscle-toning postures and never holds any pose longer than a second.

Final Say: Although I could do without all the hokey elements, I have done this program a few times because it limbers me up and gets my blood circulating in a way the other DVDs don't.

For more tips and reviews, check out the weekly Works-For-Me Wednesday post at Rocks in my Dryer.

Works for Me: Washing Baggies

For a frugal zealot like myself, washing and reusing plastic baggies is a no-brainer. It saves money. For a stewardship-oriented, "green" lover like myself, it is also a must. Although not using any plastic at all would be ideal, reusing plastic baggies is a better alternative than tossing them out after a single use. I only trash baggies when they have holes or when they have been used to contain raw meat.

But I have yet to meet the frugalite or greenie whose favorite chore is washing said baggies. It's time consuming and requires effort. When I washed dishes at home I always left the baggies for my mom to do. But when I lived on my own, I set my mind to developing a system to get the chore done with as little trouble - and waste - as possible. Here it is:


1. Sanitize the sink. Sometimes I use bleach - I know, it's a terrible chemical, but it brings both David and I peace of mind after we've been rinsing raw meat, etc., in the sink.
2. Fill one side of sink with hot soapy water and the other with just hot water. By "fill" I mean 1-2 inches - that's really all that's needed.
3. From stack of plastic baggies (I always wait to do this until I have a good stack - seems more efficient that way), take 4 or so bags and dunk and swish in the soapy water. Let some soak while you work on each one individually (I usually use a washcloth to wipe the outside and inside of each bag under the soapy water).
4. Shake excess suds off each cleaned bag (over the soapy water) and place in rinsing water. When the 4 or so bags are all on the rinsing side, dunk and swish them, scooping and pouring out the water until the suds are all gone.
5. Hang bags on your long-handled cooking utensils to drip dry. It's important to make sure the bags are held open so they will dry thoroughly inside.


Voila! Clean bags with minimal effort and minimal water used. Rinsing each bag under a running stream uses so much more water - just an inch of rinsing water in the sink will de-suds 20 or more bags. I often wash our water bottles the same way, in the same water, too!

For more insights into best practices for families, check out the weekly Works-For-Me Wednesday post at Rocks in my Dryer.

Works for Me: Swap a DVD

If you find yourself needing to trim down your DVD collection for any reason (desire to simplify, change of tastes, lack of space, etc.) I highly recommend Swap a DVD. While Ebay and Half.com require pricing, marketing, and maintenance if you want to individually list and sell your DVDs, Swap a DVD is as simple as typing out the UPC on the back of your DVD, waiting for an email that it has been requested, printing off and taping up a very basic mailing wrapper, and sending it off. For every DVD you send, you receive one credit, which you can then use to request a different DVD you desire (or would like to give as a gift) from someone else.

For first time users, simply listing 10 DVDs will get you a free credit. If you're interested, go through one of the links above (or use the button on our sidebar) and I'll get a credit when you sign up. (If you do this, let me know and I'll thank you personally.)

In the time we've been members (6 months?) I've sent off over 10 DVDs and the recipients have always responded promptly and with gratitude. I've also acquired some great DVDs for our collection: 4 prenatal yoga DVDs, The Sound of Music, and The Fellowship of the Ring extended edition. Our wish list is long but promising. Who knows - maybe you'd like to part with something we'd like to have. Go try out Swap a DVD today!

For more insights into best practices for families, check out the weekly Works-For-Me Wednesday post at Rocks in my Dryer.

Works for Me: Refilling our Ink Cartridge

Printer ink cartridges are very expensive. Even the store brand look-alikes are expensive. Getting empty cartridges refilled at Walgreens and similar stores has become reasonable (they offer deals frequently to attract new customers and we've taken advantage of them to refill David's HP cartridge), but my printer happens to be a Canon, one of the brands that they don't refill.

So I looked into home refill kits online and compared prices. After much research, I decided to order a black ink only kit from The Printer Ink Warehouse. It's really simple (heat the end of a paperclip to poke a hole through the cartridge and use a syringe to squeeze new ink through that hole) and has worked splendidly for me for ten or more refills. I recently ordered a new bottle of ink to continue refilling my original cartridge. I haven't refilled my color ink cartridge yet (not sure it's a worthwhile investment), but I'm sure The Printer Ink Warehouse's kit for that works well, too.

If you haven't considered getting the supplies to refill your own ink cartridges, I highly recommend it!

For more insights into best practices for families, check out the weekly Works-For-Me Wednesday post at Rocks in my Dryer.

Super Savings Saturday: Baby Clothes

Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have dropped my "no buying baby things" rule so soon...

A day or two ago I had a vague thought that I might visit the Assistance League Thrift Store this morning to see if they had any maternity clothes and, perhaps, to glance at their baby things. Well, David and I ended up driving to the 9 AM Mass in separate cars (he went to swim first), so I took the opportunity to stop at the store afterwards. I was somewhat surprised to see women lining up at the door (it opened at 10 AM, so I had just a few minutes to wait). But a sign on the inside door explained the crowd: "End of Season Sale: 90% off all clothes." Jackpot!

Do you think it was the Holy Spirit prompting me to go to the thrift store today?

Alas, their maternity clothes rack was bare, and the women's clothes were slim pickings. So I made a bee-line for the still moderately stocked baby clothes racks and started piling clothes into my basket. My criteria: cute, clean, no tears, no stains. The girls' outfits were especially nice looking and abundant, but I tried to get a fair number of boy things, too. With the prices so low, I reasoned I could "shop ahead" and chose items up through size 2T.

The wait in line was long, but oh-so-worth-it. A nice fellow shopper even helped me pull all my items off their hangers. In the end, I had claimed 60 items, most of which rang up for 10, 15, or 20 cents. The most expensive item, a Laura Ashley dress set (3-6 mo), was 40 cents. Grand total: $9.97.

With such an abundance, I'm eager to share with my sister or anyone else in need. I can't wait for baby to come and wear these clothes!!

My only regret: I got so overwhelmed by the clothes that I forgot to look for socks and shoes, which were also on sale. Bummer!

Working from home

This week I had the privilege of working from home one day. I'm happy to report that the experience was fabulous! I began the day somewhat concerned that I would not be self-disciplined about getting a lot of real work done, but prayers for my productivity and some encouraging conversations after Mass that morning set me off on the right foot. After a nice breakfast at my own kitchen table (a rarity these days, when I often set a bagel or muffins in a napkin on my lap and nibble while I drive to work after morning Mass), I set up the laptop on that same table, connected to our wireless internet, and worked away.

Perhaps this adventure was made easier by the fact that David was gone for 13 hours (working at the hospital) and I couldn't let myself be distracted by wanting to hang out with him. But the best part of working from home (besides not having to drive the long commute or pack two meals with me) was being able to spend my little breaks doing practical things around the apartment, like running the dishwasher, wiping down the microwave, and picking up a package from the apartment office. I got to welcome David home with an empty dishwasher, clean countertops, and a complete cooked meal (already divided into meal packs). Most days he's the one welcoming me home and starting dinner.

I felt so fulfilled after my day of working at home. I got to take care of my home AND be productive for my job (among other things I researched the Baltimore Catechism and wrote back cover copy and a preface for the editions Saint Benedict Press will be publishing this summer).

Working from home will be a rarity for me, but I will treasure those opportunities until the day when I can be at home full-time taking care of any children the Lord may bless us with!

Free Haircuts!

For David and I, anyways . . . I don't know if anyone else would be brave enough to face the scissors in our hands!

Since our marriage, I have been cutting David's hair. We bought a new set of clippers that came with a DVD tutorial. I watched, I listened, I tried. I've had mixed success. Three out of the four times, it looked mighty fine overall (only David and I noticed the little mistakes around the ears, etc.). This last time I must have gotten over-confident and rushed, and the job came out a little sloppy. But time heals all wounds, especially when it comes to hair.

Before

After

Tonight, for the first time, David cut my hair. I've always been cheap when it comes to my hair - once a year or so I visited a chain hair cutter and got about six inches chopped off (and whenever I could, I used a coupon!). Curly hair is very forgiving. But I didn't always appreciate the conversation in those places, and even the "cheap" haircut was too much for my frugal soul. So I asked David to give it a try. He watched the DVD tutorial, and then improvised. He aimed for four inches, just in case. I am pleased with the results!

Before

After

Works for me: meal packs

For more helpful hints, visit Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in My Dryer.

Before I was married I often cooked meals that made multiple portions. This saved me time, money, and the risk of opting for convenience foods at lunch time or at the end of a tiring day. Plus, I enjoy leftovers and don't mind eating the same food several days in one week. Thankfully, my husband feels the same way and is just as committed to taking meals to work with him as I am. So we continue to do something I began years ago: making "meal packs" with our leftovers.

Rather than storing large amounts of leftovers in one big container and then divvying them out each night or morning to take them to work, we save time and dirty fewer dishes by portioning our leftovers into containers as soon as we're done eating dinner. Since we've been married (almost 10 months!) we've primarily used these Pyrex bowls with lids because we can just vent the lid and pop them into the microwave at work (I no longer microwave in plastic containers so as to avoid having chemicals leach into the food).

Meal packs are a "grab and go" time-saver, money-saver, energy-saver (fewer dishes), and health-saver. That works for me!


PS For the curious: the meal pictured is a simple broccoli and chicken stir fry using Asian Essence seasoning and served over brown rice. Light and delicious!

I'll take my towels without the tags, please

This week Shannon asked participants in her Works for Me Wednesday roundup to submit posts about what DOESN'T work for us.

Towel tags do not work for me!

I recently decided to remove all the tags from our wash cloths, hand towels, and bath towels. They kept scratching my skin and getting in the way, like thorns on a rose (though, I have to say, rose stems just aren't the same without them - thorns seem to add a painful beauty to roses). Back to the matter at hand: towel tags really serve no purpose for me. I always wash my towels the same way, regardless of what special treatment their tags say they need. So, off with their heads!

And now washing and drying (for me, not the towels) is a much more pleasant experience.

Veggie water

In this edition of Works for Me Wednesday I want to share with you one way I try to prevent food nutrient waste. We know that boiling and even steaming vegetables draws some vitamins and minerals out of the vegetables and into the water. Short of drinking the water, how can we utilize those nutrients?

First, I let the veggie water cool in the pot I used to boil/steam (usually it sits on the table or stove while we eat our meal). Then I pull my designated "veggie juice" container (lately I'm using a Cool Whip container) out of the freezer and pour in the new juice (veggie bits and all). Then I return it to the freezer.

Whenever I am making rice or soup, I pull out the veggie water to use. If I think ahead, I set it on the counter to thaw. If I remember last minute, I bend the container until the chunk of frozen veggie juice pops out into my big measuring cup and microwave it. Then I add water or broth until I have the amount called for and pour it into my cooking pot. The rice soaks up the nutritious water while cooking. Or it becomes part of the soup's broth.

These pictures show the water left from collard greens - it probably tastes strongly by itself, but when mixed with the water from other veggies (broccoli, corn, spinach, etc.) it isn't noticeable.

Shower Bucket

Time to share something that works for me!

As a County employee, I receive a monthly newsletter that includes a section encouraging environmentally conscious (aka, "green") practices at work and at home. This month's newsletter included a tip I had not seriously considered in the past:

While waiting for your bath/shower water to warm up, catch the water in a bucket and then use it to water your garden or flush your toilet.

I admit it: I have probably wasted a LOT of water waiting for it to get hot for my showers. Sometimes I get distracted and let it run long after it has become hot. I would like to be more responsible in this area. So, for the first time this week, I caught the cold water in a bucket and, when the bucket was full, started my shower (thankfully, the warm water was ready).

Because we live in an apartment and my houseplants only need so much water each week (which I faithfully "catch" from the kitchen faucet with an empty milk jug I keep under the sink), I decided to try using the water to help refill the toilet tank after a flush. It worked, and the bucket holds enough for two tank-filling assists.

I'd love other ideas for using the caught water. Maybe I could use it to soak dirty pots in the sink or to rinse out the tub after a scrubbing. What else?

Photo credit: travz

Reusable Takeout Containers

Inspired by Renee, Portland's EnviroMom, I decided last week to bring my own containers with us to restaurants for leftovers.

For my birthday this weekend, we ate out twice (such a rarity!). On Saturday, my mother-in-law treated us to a dinner at Carrabba's, where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner. I ordered their fabulous Chicken Bryan, with the creamy goat cheese on top. Mmm!! Then I packed away the second portion in a container I'd carried in in my new fabric bag.

On Sunday, David took me to my favorite Italian restaurant here in Charlotte, Portofino's. I always order their delicious eggplant parmigiana, which can feed me for three separate meals. This time, however, I took the extras home in my own Pyrex "meal packs" (ready to pop in the microwave at work) and spared the trash one more styrofoam box.

As a long-time environmentally-conscious consumer, I've gotten over the "weird" factor of using my own bags. I was a little concerned about what our waiter or the other restaurant patrons might think of me packing away food into my own containers (especially at two "nice" restaurants), but they didn't seem to notice. I tried to be discrete, but David purposefully caught the attention of the person who refilled our water glasses. "That's my wife!" he said, pointing to my filled container. He shakes his head when I do frugal and efficient things like that, but he secretly admires my efforts.

This works for me!

Air bags (not the kind you're thinking of)

While putting things away after our trip, I tried to return a "bag of bags" to the hall closet. They had served us well for various purposes (holding clothes, wet towels, clean dishes, and more). But their "home" on the closet shelf was too chaotic for me to stand any longer. I try not to get any new plastic bags when I shop (aren't reusable bags great?), but we still have quite a collection of various sizes, which we use for all sorts of things around the house and in the car. I've wasted far too much time looking for the right size bag in our pile, so I sorted them into regular (grocery bags), newspaper (long and thin), large, small, and deflated air sack.

See them at the bottom of the picture? Long ago I figured out that cutting the top of those air sacks that cushion shipped goods makes them into durable and oh-so-handy little bags. I like that they are clear (so I can see what I put inside of them), small, and waterproof. When I travel I use several to organize my toothbrush, toiletries, hair ties, and jewelry. They also protect books well.

Best of all, they're free!

I'm including this post in Shannon's "Works-For-Me Wednesday" roundup of tips and ideas. Go explore what other bloggers have to share if you have the time!