A Neat and Clean House vs Children
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| Tue, 07-27-2010 - 8:35am |
For those of you who like a neat and clean house, how do you keep it that way with children?
I find that if I am tied to goal of having a neat and clean house, I become a raging shrew against my children as they proceed to undo all the neatness I have worked so hard to attain. If I made a "neat and clean house" my goal, my children would not have their messy projects that take days/weeks to complete. My children would not pick up a book (casually left out)as they walk through the family room and browse through- discovering once again the mother actually knows about a few good books. I would let them watch more tv/computer time, as they don't make things as messy when they do. I would squash their ideas if I thought it would make too much of a mess. I wouldn't let them cook/experiment in the kitchen- as it is usually more work for me to clean up after they have "cleaned up". So, how do you inspire creativity and imagination in a neat and clean house? Are you on top of them to put things away as soon as they are done even if it is temporary? Where do you put the legos?....... Have you ever allowed them to take over the living room with all of their toys arranged in a city complex (thomas the train things were the Metro, legos and blocks were the buildings....)? How long would it stay up? Would let it be up for the summer so they could add to and change tings around as they got new ideas? Or allowed them to take over half of the family room for a month+ while they build and live in a beaver lodge (using all the empty shoe and other boxes and some that weren't empty)? Even if you have to walk around it everyday to get to the kitchen? Or do you require that all toys be put away everyday?

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My recipe title says "hot dog sauce" but it is a chilli (much different than the chilli I make as soup to serve w/crackers and a side of a hot dog or bacon/grilled cheeses though).
It has different spices than I use in my chilli and is really thick (I like chilli that has a good juicy 'soup' feel rather than thick).
It is very delish and we put it over the hot dogs (if you cook those in the slow cooker they are delish or more like a hot dog you get somewhere, gives them a different taste) w/a side of big onion rings.
Ok, now I want that w/my sweet ice tea for lunch ha
I had a friend that explained the "conspicuous consumption" to me and it has influenced my choices since.
She said that Americans (generalized) tend to buy things for the 5% need. For example, they buy the larger car for the two week car trip each year. Instead of buying a car that fits their need for 95% of the time. Or they buy a house with extra bedrooms, for the two weeks when someone visits. Or they buy the extra oven for the holiday baking. When they can easily rent a larger car for two weeks. Or get a hotel room or squish in for two weeks. Or just deal and plan for the holiday meal.
Since that aha moment, DH and I have been buying things based on the 95% usage and not the 5% usage. Our carbon footprint and decreased dramatically and our cost outlay has also decreased.
LOL! Your least favorite cooking tool is just about my favorite. I make the best pot-roast tacos. Use a large slab (2-3 lbs.) of beef chuck steak, sear on the stove and then put into the crockpot. continue sauteeing (sp?) onions and garlic -- place on top of steak in slow cooker.
I have a window on one side of the door, but we have a small curtain over it. We have a peephole so I check it before I open the door. It's pretty simple to have privacy if you wish it.
Also we are getting a new front door and I like the ones with glassin the top half, but I don't want to buy one. I'm going to buy one I can put a peephole in.
“Clearly," said Arthur,"you're an idiot- but you're our kind of idiot. Come on.”
― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief
When I was in high school, my history teacher said basically the same thing about vehicles. He didn't use the words conspicuous consumption, but essentially got that message across. It seems like a smart policy to me to stick to the 95%.
I've also read about creating sharing communities. If you and your neighbor both garden, can you share a wheelbarrow (or whatever else you may only need occasionally)?
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