Monday Refelections

One reason so many Christians today are worn out and faint is because their lives are complicated.  -- Joyce Meyer

And I begin this long time coming blog post telling you that my life is complicated. Yes. It is.  It's been more than 1 year since my last post, and frankly longer than that since I posted with any frequency.  For those that followed me at one time and have stuck with me, THANK YOU.  Thank you for sticking with me while life has been complicated and I adjust to new normals.  Not Homeschooling doesn't mean I have nothing to blog about because I am still tending my garden.

Later this week I will update in bits and pieces but today I will muse on how to embrace the seemingly disorganization that life has been for the last 3-4 years.  It really hasn't been any more disorganized than before.  Adding Gram to the mix changed things a bit, which I am sure to touch on how having your mother in your home can add its onset of complications, but that is for another day.  I pray your gentle friendship will allow me those times and these times.  :-)  

On the home front, we are currently moving things around and Gram has agreed to divest our home of many small items that stack up and create a big mess, of course, a family of four with the gene for hanging onto things long past their use is difficult.  I made the hard choice last night to toss all of Bear's old birthday cards.  Really, what was I keeping them for?  You would be very proud of my resolve.

I have been using Sunday's to mentally plan the big anchor tasks for the week and menu ideas.  This week we are having:

• Lasagna 
• Hobo Meal (Potatoes and Beans with Franks)--it sounded good.
• Goulash
• Breakfast
• Pizza--  Because Friday should always be Pizza right?

That is a lot of meal planning for me.  In the past, I have tried to create 4-6 weeks of rotating meals, and it has proven a headache and unsustainable.   I know my limitations! Instead of viewing this as a failure I decided to adapt and do what does work with my life, my abilities, and my family.  Welcome Sunday week planning.  I am not micro-planning, but planning my anchor tasks, and then each night I am planning the large things the next day and keeping my lists short.  This is working for me and if you are finding planing and keeping to task is proving to be hard this might help you.  I will try to post a VLOG post talking about this soon!  ;-)

For now, Happy Tending!
Kim

Repurposed Child's Table

Our community has quite the active little sustainability experiment going on.  The Buy Nothing Project (Google it and check to see if there is a chapter in your area) is large and active here on the Key Peninsula.  As you know, I am a big supporter of keeping it local and using bartering as a means to people equitable trading resources and needs. 

I have given countless items, many times at the Junk in the Trunk/Bread Day event that happens weekly (though not an official Buy Nothing event), but also at other times. I have shared things I would have likely ended up tossing because Free-cycle is too hard.   I have gotten many needs and wants met as well, including--but not limited to-- art paper and clay for Bear, plants for the yard, clothing for Bear, clothing for myself, trays for animal feed, and did I mention toilet paper rolls?

A recent acquisition at JitT was a child's size table.  No one else was wanting it and the fellow JitT'er was loading up to go home and I asked her what her plans were for this table.....  she said it was mine if I wanted it.  SCORE!  I knew exactly what I would be able to use the table for. 

Thus a Literacy Table was born!

A Literacy Table for when I go to booths and some parties!  Yes, something for children color, draw, and enjoy, while encouraging a love for books and learning! 

The supplies I needed I had on hand.  This table cost me NOTHING but time!  And it will give back to my community in so many ways!  I am excited to put this to use!

Needed Supplies:

• Table
• Painters Tape
• Chalk Board Paint (I had bought some last year for a project and never did it, so I used it for this instead)
• Chalk
• Chalk Board eraser or old soft cloth
• A warm day 

 

And the proof of its enjoyability and appeal to the youngest among us is apparent....  Bear quickly placed her mark on the little table.  

 

 and that is the goal right there, for children to read books and find that one book that captures their heart and their imagination! 

Nuts, Bolts, & Slingshots

We have slowed down our learning.  I call it being intentional or in tuned to my daughters needs in learning.

Lately Bear has been all tears when we sit down to do any studies.  Can we possible learn if we are crying?  I need to rethink approach and if I am maybe expecting too much from her.  We homeschool for learning enjoyment not to recreate the school room at home, but I think I have failed in carrying out our desires in an attempt to fit into a mold.  This may confuse some, and its hard when friends and family ask....  We want to justify that they are learning and fulfill their expectations and ideas of what learning is.  For some, yes that is learning, but learning is more, and for some, it can't be that box style of open head insert information and ask for a regurgitated fact that is just as quickly forgotten. 

I am not putting down those that think this is how it should be, not in the least.  But that isn't the direction we are taking.  Its nice and comfortable being a part of a larger "school"but its not what we need.  I have a bad habit of looking at myself and consequently our homeschool and trying to measure up, not to what our family needs but rather what I think others expect of us.  I need to enjoy walking our path, because I certainly have not enjoyed following someone else's.

I am trying very hard to instill in my child the idea of "I can, I ought, I will"  and to that end, I tell her we never say "can't" and we don't stop doing something because its hard.  That's why stopping right now is so "hard"; it feels almost like I am failing. But, we aren't stopping, we are just shifting gears.  Yes, to you it might appear like we have thrown in the towel.  You with your kindergartener already reading chapter books, or your second grader taking his IQ test to get into the talented and gifted program. But those are your children, not mine.

Thus, we are slowing down;  I get the looks, or shocked stares.  A few years ago I would have been shocked as well.  I get the neighbors suggesting some ineptness on my part.  They don't see the little hands spending hours finding found objects just to create a slingshot.  They don't see the wonder of discovery or proud "Mommy, look at this" as I gaze at another thing she has created from a found object, or watching her as she searches through a bird book looking for the bird she thinks she saw.  They don't  see that she knows exactly what abstract art is and WHY she likes it.  Its easy to know the "whats," its is the "whys" that are hard.  Its the whys that will make her love learning.  That's what keeps me going.


That pile of expensive books full of facts and worksheets sits on the table where, exactly where I left them when I tried last week to  make her spend time doing some inane worksheet, to prove to the world that indeed I was homeschooling when in reality we had a battle of wills. That pile is going to just gather some dust for a while, maybe just touched occasionally.  For now we are going to pick out some great science books, work on some great "experiments" exploring different theories, read about what interests us in our books, spend lots of time outside, and doing art and crafts.

Yes, we are slowing down.  Now if everyone will relax we might be able to see where this road takes us.

Praising!

Wordless on Wednesday?

Well not really. All over Bloggy Land you can find such posts.  Today I wanted to share how Bear is in the Natural world.  the smile and song are easily seen.  She finds reasons to praise in the urban nature space we have shown her these past few weeks.  Little spots of green escapes right within the city boundaries. 

Not even the rain could keep her joy at bay!

We look forward to exploring even more!

Rejoice and praise, for today is the day that the Lord has made!

Acountability Update

It has been almost a year since we bought Accountable Kids.  I am not an affiliate site, they have given me nothing for writing this update.  I am just giving my honest opinion on how it has went in the year we have had the chart.  We have been without our chart since late June until last week, so I add that for your understanding.

It was a rocky start.  Some things that we are still working on are they daily reminders.  All I have to do is ask, "have you done your Accountable Kids?" and she will generally run and complete what tasks she is able to do.  When we packed it up I was shocked with how she cried over not having it.  She enjoys the flipping of cards, as I think it gives her a sense of accomplishment. 

We did end up adapting it a bit from what others do.  Frankly, while I ordered the book, it was not something I found as beneficial as just watching the videos.  Hubs and I were able to view the videos together in an evening.  I was able to get Bear excited about starting it as well.  I think this prep went a long way in our home to Bear loving it so much.  Its her chart.  I, personally, would not say you needed to buy the book.  I do have it though if I ever need it in the future. 

We only give stars for a special occasion outing when a job or deed has been OUTSTANDING.  Only one card has been filled thus far.  We have allowed Bear to save her bonus bucks for special things or she can save them up to buy from "Mom and Pop's Store"  These are generally items that we pick up cheap.  They have a cost to them and she can spend her bonus bucks on one or two things or buy something small and save the rest, or, better yet, save them all. 

If all her chores are done she earns one bonus buck a day.  For each section of the day she can earn tickets (this is how we have broken it down).  We have three sections to her routine; morning, day, evening.  Each of these sections can earn her a ticket.  Extra chores from the "Above and Beyond" stack can be done for Bonus Bucks.   

The Tickets can be spent on privileges, or saved for bonus bucks.  In our home Bear has yet to save her tickets.  They get used for movies or TV programs that aren't what I normally let her see.   For example, I normally let her sit down mid morning and watch Wild Krats, this is not something I would make her give up a ticket for.  If she wanted to watch Jake and the Never Land Pirates she would need to give up a ticket.  If she wanted to watch a movie that we didn't have planned for the day, she would give up all her tickets.  We are trying to show her that there is a COST and these things aren't free.  She can make choices, but they need to be wise choices.    

I know this isn't how everyone uses the program, but at 5 and 6 years old this is what we did to suit our current needs.  We haven't incorporated all the cards yet into our family program, that may come in time.  I also don't change out the chores daily.  I wanted something easy for me, and good for Bear as a visual reminder of what she needs to do every day and so what we have is working. 

On an appointed day we tally up bonus bucks.  We have recently decided that it will be done at a weekly family meeting (more on that to come). We think we are ready to move into something more formal, and a more formal accounting system for her. 

Yes, I recommend Accountable Kids.  The program, in conjunction with "Zoning," has been a blessing for our family.  Does it work always, 100% of the time, no; but it sure has made for less tension. 

Now if they only made a program like that for dogs and husbands......*grin*

Pumpkin Time

Notice her missing front tooth.... 
oh so cute and adorable!

 

For the third year in a row we went with Homeschool friends to a local pumpkin patch, Schilter's Family Farms.  Its south of us, near Olympia.  We always have so much fun there; it's more than just  a pumpkin patch, its a destination! You can go there and just get a pumpkin, but that would be just half the fun.  Nope, Schilter's is FUN.  I highly recommend that if you are in the South Puget Sound area that you check them out. 

The kids toured the animal section, jumped in the hay, played in the water area with hand pumps (here we remembered our lessons about priming the pump!), ran through the hay bale maze, rode in a wagon pulled by a tractor, and more!  Its always so much fun for Bear. 

Picking out the pumpkin is the highlight of the trip though..... I think.  We discussed the outing in some depth for days beforehand.  She had a plan.  The biggest and BEST pumpkin in all the land was going to land in her bag.  Only one rule is ever given by Farmer Jeff, you can't get a pumpkin bigger than you can carry. 

Bear and her little friend Maggie scoured through the field.  Not this one, its too orange.  Not this one, its too small.  Not this one, its to big.  Not this one, its too dirty....  and the search continued.  I had a serious doubt we would ever find the perfect pumpkin. 

At last, one pumpkin stood out.  Not too big, or too small.  Not too orange or too dirty.  Nope, this one was JUST RIGHT.  And so we picked it up.  As I looked around I noticed we were one of the last ones left in the field.   The task was done though, we found the PERFECT PUMPKIN and anyone that has ever went on the great pumpkin hunt understands just how hard that can be.  Its about the same as the great Christmas tree hunt. 

As the pumpkin sits on the counter behind me in the kitchen, I know soon we will be carving it and deciding how best to display it for all to see.  This has been a year of change for our family, and this new chapter is still being written.  Next year I wonder what pumpkin picking time will bring...  One thing is for certain, it will bring another fun trip to a field where the quest for the BESTEST PUMPKIN IN THE WORLD will resume. 

For this, I am very thankful!

Coming to terms

I don't like life being uncertain.  I can't thrive like that.  However I know that God is leading me to rely on him, ALWAYS.  I am trying. 

I have been thinking-- and really it's along the lines of what I have been thinking for months and months--sometimes me thinking is good sometimes not the wisest course of action  but anyway, I have been thinking about our life, a lot.....

If nothing else, being without a home for all these weeks has forced us to revaluate completely.  What do we really need in life?  How can you focus more on what's really important? 

I am reading books for enjoyment again, reading more to Bear.  We are getting outside to see the world God created more and more....  So there are silver linings to all this waiting.  We are trying ,very much ,to not be weary.

 The point is, we need to live simpler lives. Let me say that again.  We NEED to live simplier lives.  We need to as a family, as a society even.   Think about it, we have all these high-tec gadgets, even low-tech gadgets and we are busier and more stressed then ever.  I was reading on Manage Your Life Now that the causes of stress today "emerge from the too many obligations" that we have to juggle, every single day.  Not only do we have to juggle them, our kids have to.  Our children are starting their lives stressed.  Childhood and its play and exploration has been replaced by structured activities.  When we expect 5 or 6 year olds to act like Mom and Dad we force expectations on them that we never had as children.  I wasn't whisked off to play dates 3 or 4 days a week, were you?  I wasn't put in camps every week of the summer, were you?  I wasn't in structured sports at 4, yet we have 2 and 3 year olds doing these things and it can't be good.  I speak as a mom that has done this.  I have been driving from activity to activity myself, doing business on the cell phone and throwing McDonald lunches at my daughter because we are rushing from one thing to another. 

Getting a bigger house to manage all our junk is not the key to living more simply, or rather more God focused and directed.   Try as we might, without first focusing where we should we will never find that elusive key, and that key is everything. 
 

I feel guilty because we are still in limbo, but you know, we are learning.  Bear is picking up words right and left, and happily doing copy work a few days a week as well.   God is showing us the key to a  simpler and calmer (quieter) life.  Its a time of encouraging my faith, and showing me what is  key and important.  Its not fancy houses, fancy clothes, flittering from one activity to another, but rather living more in tuned with God our father in heaven. 

 

So my challenge to you:  Give up some outside activities and give yourself and your family time to just be......Think and Believe and it shall BE!

Thankful Surprises...

Here is some coffee to start your day off right!

 

God has a very profound way of letting us know He provides and take great care in our needs.  GREAT CARE.  

I could list off the things God has done in the past four or five days that is truly beyond what we imagined, but time would fail me.  Yes, there has been a lot of trials, but He has worked those through in His time when we have had to lean on Him and not our own selves.

I have made a few decisions this summer.  In September I will begin my 3 in 30 challenges again.  This is a thankful reminder that I need to keep things simple and give God room to work.

I am thankful for the wonderful Bible study we have been having the past few Wednesday evenings.  We have been discussing prayer and the importance of a prayer life/relationship.  I plan to share some of the insights here as time goes by.  I have been convicted of the need for a better prayer life for me, and to show the importance of it to my daughter. 

Alexis, Hubs and Bear's cousin, had a lump return to her leg -- as you recall last year about this time it was discovered that she had a cancerous tumor on her leg.  They removed it all but couldn't promise it wouldn't return.  When she had the lump return, of course we were concerned; as were her doctors.  The family spent a week of uncertainty and then got the good news that the surgeons and doctors believe it is just a stitch that didn't dissolve correctly.  This is an answered prayer.  Such a tough and brave little girl.  Her family has been through a lot this year and our prayers continue. 

So amidst trials, deaths of a dear sister in Christ, loss of a beloved pet, and uncertainty we see reasons for rejoicing!

Burnout...

I think I am approaching a burnout.  This move has got me stressed, tired, anxious, and my patience is wearing thin with everyone....  real fast.  Do you have days like that?  Seasons in your life?

Thursday, July 11th, is most likely the last night we will be spending in our home.  I am missing it already.  My heart is aching, even while I am looking forward with hope and excitement.  Its an unknown feeling, to be leaving a much beloved home and charging into unknown waters....  at least we have a life vest....  Christ!

We thought we had a new house already, but....  inspections are a must in this day and age.  There were a lot of hidden issues that when you add those to the problems we knew about added up to more than we could stomach.  Friday we will bid on another house and hoping and praying we will win the bid/offer on this house.  The market is a sellers market, and interest rates are on the rise.  Just pray for us and our little family.  Grammy is needing to be with us more each day. 

God has a place for us.  I know it.  He has plans for us.  I know it.  He will take care of us.  I know this as well.  I am not doubting Him in the least; I am accepting but I am also very tired.  Moving is very hard.  Its stressful.  Bear is constantly asking, "when will we have fun?"  I want to have fun, and I am so wiped out fun to me is getting into bed and pulling the covers up over my face! I am hoping we will have a bit of down time soon.  We all need it.  The past 4-5 months of preparing ourselves for this has been stressful on each of us. 

God has such a powerful way of making sure I know that I must lean on Him.  That I must do my part in the process as well. 

Thus tonight I am posting this and asking for prayers,  prayers for peace and strength (both physical and emotional) to get through this and for the new home that God has for us to be seen by us and for our peace in what He has in store.  In the meantime, we are packing, renting a garage, a truck and leaving our long beloved home....  charging into the unknown and waiting with expectant hearts for God's time and His will to be done.

Have a good evening gentle friends.

Summer School

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School doesn't end when the calendar changes.  Not in our family. 

Recently Bear shared a couple things we worked on this year with our homeschool group.  We have a small celebration of our years accomplishments.  We had fun gathering found nature objects (more on that later), wagon rides, motorcycle adventures for Bear and Hubs, and Bear lost her first tooth (6/23).  We have had a very adventurous couple of weeks!  How about your family?  Do you have any fun plans?

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Mean Kids...

The Best Friends... 
Sunshine was the victim of someone's
 "little angels" bully her,
because of her looks....
What do you think?
What would you do?

Kids being mean.   KIDS BEING MEAN.

I know we can't really blame the kids, we need to blame the parents.  The parents need to stand up to their kids and tell them their behavior reeks of rotten liver that has spoiled and soured.  Yet, do they?  Are parents really that afraid of their kids?  Or are they really oblivious to the pain they can cause with a few mocking words and laughing mouths.   Why would anyone not stop a bully when they witnessed it.  Why would an adult allow a child to bully another? I'm not talking the petty squabbles about who gets the slid first that occurs in young childhood at three or four; but rather out right bullying.  I am hearing all sorts of talk about young friends at six or seven being bullied by other boys and girls in the same peer group....  This not good.  This is something that was once reserved for third or fourth grade, even highschool....  not kindergarten...or younger.

 Oh, I am upset.....  Its a good thing I wasn't there to witness what happened to Bear's BFF on Saturday at Kandel Park......

Sunshine was born with a cleft pallet.  It doesn't matter though, not one iota.  She's beautiful.  My wee babe has never questioned her beauty and friendship, she loves Sunshine just the way she is.

Sunshine recently went to a local spray park with her mom after a ballet recital.  Its been warm, and Sunshine, like Bear, loves the water and playing with children.  We were unable to join them, chores at home, but now I am unsure if it would have been wise for us to join them; maybe God was keeping me away from the hate filled behavior that kids displayed toward Sunshine. 

I decided to use what happened as a teaching moment.  So we discussed bullies Sunday morning.  Bear was unable to fathom how anyone could even see Sunshine as not looking like herself.  She said, "we look a like except I have short hair and Sunshine has long hair."  Bear has never noticed that Sunshine has some scars.... or if she has, they have never made an impression.... maybe because she is raised around people with scars, and so it normal and natural that everyone looks different.  Maybe she looks beyond appearances and sees the heart, the way children should.  But whatever the reason is, Bear was sad and upset about what happened  to her friend.  Bear sees nothing to not adore about her BFF, well except that Sunshine can ride a bike and she is still struggling with it.  *grin*    Bear and I discussed what happened and how mean it was toward Sunshine; what she should do if she witnessed behavior like that or if someone treated her like that.

BFF's and their AG's

Parents:  If your children get caught up in the gang mentality and bully because everyone is doing it, NIP IT IN THE BUD.  Stop being afraid to parent your children.  Its not funny, its not normal, its not a phase.  It isn't a rite of passage in childhood to be bullied or be a bully.  Teach your child to stick up for those being bullied.  To get adult help, to tell their friends its mean to pick on kids just because they might look different, dress different, live in a different house, or come from a different social-economic class.  People are people and we need to remember the golden rule.  Treat others as you would wish to be treated. 

It breaks my heart that Sunshine had to endure this.  Despite this, it didn't break her spirit; at least not that we grown-ups have seen.  I wish no child had to endure being bullied.  Today it is rampant, and the only solution I can see are parents rising up and taking back control of their homes and setting good examples.  You place a high importance on setting a good example on eating, exercise, school/education... how about teaching/showing some moral examples?  When you hear about or witness a bully, address it.  Talk about bullying at home, role play situations with your kids.  Find out more info at Stop Bullying--Kids.

Have you encountered a situation where your child was bullied?  Was friends with a victim?  Or the bully?  What have you done?

Bear Designs: Applesauce Cupcakes!

Bear has been very kitchen orientated lately.  In the past couple weeks she has made brownies, peach pie, applesauce cupcakes, and more....

Saturday morning she surprised her Daddy with homemade applesauce cup cakes. 

 

Here is the recipe we used, although we were missing cinnamon, we had run out.  They turned out great.  Bear is beginning to be the little baker!


Bears Applesauce Cupcakes!

1 3/4 cups flour                                           

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup unsweetened applesauce 

1/2 cup of pecans or walnuts (optional)

 

Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg together until they are combined; set aside.  Next, in a mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy; add egg and beat until fluffy.  Stir in the applesauce.  Mix well.  Gradually add flour mixture (dry ingredients) and mix until well blended. 

 

Spoon batter into a cup cake pan.  Make sure to use paper liners or grease well.  Fill each liner about 2/3 of the way full.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes (until top spring back when lightly touched.  Let cool and enjoy!

 

Skills learned:

• Following directions
• measuring and counting
• patience
• recalling past lessons....the applesauce was homemade so we discussed the applesauce we made as well.
• and more.... 

Bear did most of the measuring, pour, mixing, and more on her own.  All I really did was read the recipe for her and point out what was what when she needed it.  Such a big helper!


What kinds of things have you created in the kitchen lately?

Ready for the Zombies......

**Post may contain affiliate links.  If you click and buy I do make a very small profit.


Can I throw TP and Ketchup at them?  Maybe a box of Mac and Cheese?

My cluttered pantry

Having a well stocked pantry can mean the difference between making it through a rough patch or not making it through.  Your pantry doesn't need to take up an entire room.  Even apartment dwellers can have a pantry full of extra "stores" for the rough patches.  Yes, you can!   I am gonna tell you how!

I wish I could include better pictures here, but with getting ready to move our pantry is neglected and much of it in storage.  I looked for old pictures... they show very little.  In our home we have been blessed with being able to have a large pantry area.  That being said, you don't need a large area to stock up.  In fact you can do it, with some creativity, in a small one bedroom apartment or studio; and I have done it in a small space.  I speak from experience!

If you are tight on space, think creatively.  What's under your bed, besides dust bunnies?  They have something you can buy at the hardware store, discount center, even Ikea, that lifts the legs of beds.  They are commonly called "Bed Risers" and using them can give you enough space to scoot clear plastic containers underneath a bed full of caned goods, toilet paper, noodles, tomato sauce, juice, and more.   A full or queen size bed can easily provide food and other necessities for several weeks for the occupants of the bed.  The same with a twin bed.  Your bed skirt will hide much of it and no one will be the wiser, unless you proudly show off your savings account.  The savings account that will still work even if the ATM's are down.  The savings account that will enable you to still have food if you get stuck in your home for a week from a freak snow storm or mud slid that closes off your road to town. 

Look into the closets.  What's above the rods?  Is there a shelf?  Make sure its sturdy and add some lightweight items above your hang up clothes.  How about below?  Can a couple clear plastic containers fit there and then either use a shoe rack or put your shoes on top of them?  Look in your kitchen....  do you have very deep lower cabinets?  Consider using some pantry solution storage system there if you are so blessed.  The key is to use your space creatively.  Look at it with new eyes and try to gain storage space.  A empty closet that isn't need for clothes could easily be converted and have shelves installed (make sure you don't violate a lease!).  There is always a way to have a few weeks food storage for just in case.  If you can have more, bonus!

If you buy shelves, I am giving you some advice that I learned the hard way....  make sure you buy shelves that will hold the weight of what you will put on them.  I bought "cheap" shelves only to have them fail.  I ended up buying better shelves that have a weight rating of somewhere around 250-300 pounds per shelf.  I figured over kill would be better than the under powered fiasco I had before.  I bought plastic ones from Home Depot but you can also buy really nice metal ones that adjust or even make your own and make them perfectly for quart or pint sized jars.  One thing I want to do when we move is to add a chalk board shelf label (similar to what they have on this web site...http://www.shenandoahvalleyflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/DSC00168.jpg).  They have chalk board decals that stick but I bet I could also use chalk board paint on the front of my shelves in a new pantry area.  I am looking forward to what we will be able to do if we are so blessed. 

Now to some having a pantry is an effort to prepare for a coming apocalypse; Zombies, zealots of either political faction, or any religion, nuclear war, a comet bouncing off our atmosphere, invasion by Canada.....  well, just a lot of things really.  Some people with HUGE pantries are plain hoarders that call themselves "extreme couponers" (I envy their deals with double/triple coupons, I really do...), and then there are the folks like me that "stock up" and put up to save for a rainy day.  We know for 100% certain there will be a few paydays every year that are tighter than others.  We try to guard against shortened job hours, loss of income, raising food prices at certain times of the year.... and we just plain don't want to have to go to the store for everything we need.  I have literally been able to not go and buy groceries outside of perishable items like milk and produce for several weeks at a time.  After Bear was born I went three months with limited grocery store excursions.  It was NICE.  So your reason may be to have jars of peanut butter to throw at the zombies, or it might be to not have to leave the house and venture to a grocery store until roughly New Years, its all good. 

What to stock a pantry with?  If you asked my husband he would say I have a toilet paper fetish.   I like to keep a six month or so supply on hand.  I laughingly remind him that we grew up during the cold war and if the Soviet Union ever did invade, by jimmy, I was not using pine cones!  But on the same token, if you have to make a choice between milk and TP, what are you gonna pick?  Of course, milk for the babies.  Food pantries all over often say that things like personal care items are forgotten about but still very needed by people.  When you have to decide between food and shampoo, food will win every time, even though you still really need the shampoo so you can go to work and not be sent home because you have unkempt hair. 

Buy only what your family will honestly eat and enjoy. I can't stress this enough. It's been a  long held belief of mine that if you eat and enjoy spaghetti then when your favorite sauce goes on sale buy a few jars.  Instead of buying one or two, buy six.  If you use a lot of dry beans, rice, quinoa, corn meal, etc. when you buy a bag, buy two (or three).  Put the extra on the shelf (date the item) and place it into your rotation.  Newest at the back, oldest at the front.  You will build a pantry without going into debt for it.  Real pantries are not full or MRE's.....  Those are for survival.  You want a pantry that is used and enjoyed, not a bunker....  besides from what I've heard, MRE's are really only useful for killing zombies.

Before you know it you have stocked up.  Look for sales of items you really use, use store coupons and don't be afraid of store brands.  This is why coupons didn't help me much.  We don't buy a lot of sugar cereal, junk food, name brands, etc., although coupons do help me when I go a few times a year and buy personal care items.  I think the extreme couponers have hindered manufactures giving good deals; through their antics, and lets face it, down right hoarding in many circumstances, manufactures began to really limit amounts.  I am told that they might be starting to get better again, this would be nice because I need to stock up on more tooth brushes again.  For me, I could not justify the time, gas and headache that was needed to travel to all the big stores.  It was not conducive to simplifying my life. 

DO NOT BUY WHAT YOU WON'T USE.  I am telling you because I have been there and done it.....  I bought some foods that I knew we didn't eat but I wanted to have on hand for food donation, and they were on sale BIG TIME.  When the time came I forgot all about them.....  I recently had to throw out several cans of pork and beans and cream of mushroom soup, because they were past an expiration date for the pantry....  NEVER AGAIN.  Buy only what you will use.

If you need big plastic food storage buckets check with local bakeries.  I also know that stores locally like WINCO sells them and you can get them for under $7 for a 5 gallon bucket.  This are also kind of handy to have for your "emergency kit"; the handle makes it easy to carry and its water proof as well. 

If you need gallon jars, look at buying pickles and eating the pickles (lucky for me I have pickle loving family members).  Then you can wash the jar well, using a vinegar solution to help remove the pickle smell, or if you or so inclined a few drops of bleach will also do the trick.   Of course if you are blessed with a dishwasher, just a wash through it might do the trick. Then you can use the jars to store a myriad of items....  from beans to rice.....    I like storing flour, rice, etc. in gallon jars.  If you do have to throw something, a recycled jar thrown at zombies could really do some damage.  I've had a full  pint size jar fall on my head before, and it HURT.  Don't throw canning jars....  that's just plain rude!  *grin*

 

The key is to have it organized (as you can see here, I am still working on that.....  hey, I am being honest).  I have also found that you need to add cleaning and organizing a pantry to your monthly chore list.  Its not the dreaded task that you might think, if you keep on top of it. 

If you want to know more about root cellaring and putting up your own food that you grow and harvest, or that you buy locally I strongly urge you to buy or borrow, Root Cellaring.  I can't recommend this book enough.  It's written in an easy to understand way and practical as well.  Its not some high brow unattainable dream book, but really down to earth and has things each of us can most likely pick up, do, and implement.  I have enjoyed owning it and reading it to further my knowledge base in the home arts.

 

Links to some interesting web sites I have found with pantry helps and ideas....  or, better yet, follow me on pinterest!  I am not affiliated with these sites listed below, I just have discovered them on my searches for organization and wanderlust!

My Pantry Pinterest Board!
http://www.canorganizer.com/
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/kitchen/pantryOrganizers/shelfOrganizers

 Please share your experiences, thoughts, questions, and more with me.  Send me your pictures or blog links to add to my list of links if you blog about your pantry.