I Won!

Tsh from Simple Mom just wrote a book and I won a copy!! I can not tell you how much she inspires me. I love all of the Simple blogs in her network. She is the first blog that I ever subscribed to via email/google reader. In fact, she inspired me to start Going Kiwi. I am so thankful for her words of encouragement and the simplicity of her posts. They really are simple, but meaningful posts. I think I have gleaned more from her blog and network than any other blog as a momma.

I really hope you will check out her book and support this amazing woman with a head full of knowledge!

This made my day!
Thanks again Tsh

Get the Plastic Out

Get the plastic out, it seems crazy but I am trying. I have read quite a few blogs about the subject and I am convinced to get rid of the plastic. I watched Fake Plastic Fish's video about plastic consumption and I really have not thought that far. She has been doing this actively for almost three years.
Here are a few posts to help you:
No More Plastic Food Containers, Please!
Clean Out the Plastic Cupboards by Kitchen Stewardship
Life Without Plastic has products and articles

So now you have watched her video and you feel overwhelmed at all the plastic you ARE using. Fret not, if we do this one step at a time, it will not be so difficult.

Yesterday, I took all plastic food storage containers out of my drawers. I already had a pyrex set of glass food containers. I am in the process of switching to stainless steel canteens for water. We have been using Camelback plastic containers that say no BPA, but I do not feel it is enough. I am swtiching my spices to glass containers. Bulk foods to glass containers. No, I did not go and buy a boat load, I am using my old pickle jars, pasta sauce jars and jam jars. Goo gone gets the labels and goo of and I labeled the tops of the lids. Plus if you buy bulk foods you can take your glass jars and/or drawstring bags. Have the clerk weigh them empty and add your goodies and they will deduct and charge you according to your product not your container. I have stopped using the bags at the grocery store but I do use the Trader Joes reusable plastic bags, so I guess after my dutiful dozen I need to make canvas grocery bags.

Here are my spices, I got both of these spice racks for five bucks total at a garage sale.

The spice containers, I have been collecting for awhile.

On the right I have baking soda and powder, and cornstarch all in jam jars and peanut butter jars.

These are my beans and oats in pasta sauce jars.
I still have plastic containers for my rice, noodles and flour.

If I had all the money in the world I would go out and buy new pots and pans, containers, dishes and cups all stainless steel. But I don't, so for now little by little I will get out the plastic. I am going to look on craigslist and Freecycle for free stainless steel and and make a trip or two to Goodwill and thrift stores in the area.

I had no idea how much plastic I had in my house! It is definitely a process and I am excited to see what I can do.

There are a lot of good sources out there and I will try to post what I see too.

How much plastic to you use?

I Have the Organizing Bug

Or maybe it is spring cleaning time. Either way I have been organizing a lot. Things that have bugged me since we moved here are slowly getting a makeover.

Here is problem #1 The tupperware/plastic cup catch all drawer

Whenever I open it everything falls over.
My sister-in-law had containers in her drawer and a light bulb went on for me.

I had two extra plastic shoe boxes and put them in and it works.
I put the Camel back and water bottles in the back.
Smoothie and kids cups in the middle box.
Tupperware/cereal bowls in the front box.
Lids and two rectangle storage containers on the side.
They all fit and do not fall over!

Now for my pantry. We do not have room in the kitchen for a true pantry so I have a spot out in the garage, right adjacent to the kitchen. I keep all my spices and everyday use stuff on top of my refrigerator. But all overflow is outside.

All of my cookbooks, flours, large appliances and
packaged products-beans, pasta and rice.

Shelf #1
I moved all cookbooks into a basket, so they do not fall over.
Shelf #2
Flours and cooking wine
Shelf #3
Extra spices, beans, pasta and canned goods
Shelf #4
Kitchen Aid and Juicer
Floor
Extra Large Foil and Back up water

Paper Clutter Lesson 1

Where does paper clutter start and why does it follow me everywhere? I do not get catalogs. I do not get the newspaper or magazines. Yet, I can not get it under control. I have a good filing system, WHEN I use it, which is 60-70% of the time. I find I will be really good for a month or so and then it starts to pile up out of control. How do you keep it under control?

I won the free workshop over at Simplify 101: Organize Your Paper Clutter.
It started on Tuesday and I read the first lesson then started homework today.

Before

Here is the stack of papers that have been collecting dust and even a black sock! Opps!

I went through everything. It took more than fifteen minutes, she wanted to have us commit to fifteen minutes a day for paperwork during this process. I took time and just powered through it. I filed papers that needed to go into my file system. Dated artwork from the kids and threw out ones that I did not totally love-chicken scratch ones and some artwork that was not really their artistic ability but rather busy work. I gathered food recipes. I keep track of the costs of certain food from different stores to make sure I get the best deal and I am efficient when shopping. (I do not drive to each store just for one or two good deals.)

I had 1/4 of a kitchen trash bag full of just paperwork! UGH! I get all of my bills through e-bills and have cut that excess paper out. You would be amazed at all the paperwork that we have for Enzo. It is ridiculous. All of the HIPPA, disclosure junk and every announcement of my rights. You know what people just put it on a website and update by email and save the trees!!!! The government is unbelievable when it comes to excess paperwork.

After

I updated my home management notebook and filing container.

It feels so good getting it down. This also inspired me to get the garage clean, well, at least my things that are out there. Eric loves a clean garage, thank goodness. I finally unpacked the last two little boxes that I forgot about from the move. Obviously nothing of great importance since it has been almost two months we have been here. My plan with this paper clutter workshop is to get my stored paperwork under control. I have notebooks from school that I can not get rid of. Maybe I can scan and download or something. My math class notebooks were beautiful. I used to sell my notes because they were so neat. I want to cut the paper clutter where I can.

What is the hardest part of your paper clutter?

I Won Something!!

I follow Organizing Your Way on my Google reader and love her stuff. She had a giveaway and I won!

"Congratulations, Keilah, you won the Organize Your Paper Clutter workshop giveaway! I’ve emailed you with information on how to claim your prize."

I am so excited I can finally get my paper clutter under control, especially the kids artwork.

Yeah Me! I will post pictures of before and after of my clutter and organized area. It is a six week program so I will be able to do it gradually and stick to it.

Day 18-28 Days of Nothing

I was motivated to get things done today and almost accomplished everything. Except laundry, maybe tomorrow.
Kids are feeling good and noses are running from detoxing from dairy. Kira is having better BM's and Enzo is happier. We are grazing more throughout the day and I think his blood sugar levels are staying more even. We are eating every two hours and I think we will have to continue with that to make him stay happy.

I am having to reevaluate of food situation and be prepared for eating this way. I know I feel so much better eating this way and it is easier. We have a smoothie or fresh fruit for breakfast. Snack on fruit throughout the day. Have a large plate of veggies and hummus for lunch a little bit of cooked veggies. Snack more on fruit between mealtime. For dinner we have been doing salad and baked potatoes or cooked veggies too. I love that the kids like the same thing over and over and it makes it easier to plan food.

I am trying to give them two options for snacks, clementines or bananas.
I found out our neighbors orange tree no one is picking it. I picked about ten yesterday and there are about thirty to forty more waiting to be picked. I am going to get a ladder and pick them today. I cut off the peel and put in the fridge. I figure if I have a too many I will blend and freeze it like oj. What a cheaper way to add to our smoothies.

Spending: Trader Joe's $39.01 Fruit and veggies

That brings our total grocery spending to $293.60
Well I am over by about $114. That is a lot and I am bummed but like I said we were not planning on having dietary issues. So there you go unexpected expenses, to funny.
Hopefully next month I can be more exact on my budgeting. I think we might have to up the grocery allowance but in the long run we won't be paying for health bills because we are healthy for our diet/eating lifestyle.
** I have changed my monthly allowance for food to $400, it is more realistic and everything I had read says so. updated 3/1/10**
Menu:
Fruit Smoothie and I have been using less than normal on the fruit and adding ice to make it go a little farther.

Snack:
Clementines and Bananas

Lunch:
Veggie Faces with hummus
Tomato soup and two corn tortillas each kid

Snack:
nuts and bananas

Dinner:
Salad and Baked Potatoes with Broccoli.
Red Bell Pepper sauce and Hummus on potatoes instead of sour cream

I actually have lost a little weight. I was not meaning to but it is always a nice bonus. I miss my coffee, more for the ritual of it, smell, taste and warmth. Not so much having any caffeine withdrawals but missing the ritual.

Organization is the Key

We have been at my parents house now for a month. In our bedroom, we still had about five boxes that had not been emptied and put away, up until today!!. I finally feel as though we are getting settled. With all of our appointments and commitments it has been hard trying to get everything organized. Thursday I had a mental breakdown and was feeling very overwhelmed and needed to regroup. I canceled Enzo's appointment and got our "house" in order. As of today our room is completely put away and organized except for on box and it is Eric's stuff that he needs to go through.

In our living room, we have three small boxes that need to be sorted through. I re-packed a box of toys because I realized we had too many toys out and it was overwhelming the kids and they were not playing with anything because there were too many choices. Now that half of the toys are gone they are actually playing in our living room. I feel so much better.

I also started a Home Management Notebook and a homemaking journal and a planner for the unplanned. I love journaling and I know I do better when I write down my thoughtsjournalunplanned planner

and get them out of my head. So far I have really enjoyed using the planner and the journal. The home management notebook is still in the works of being put together. I do like the idea of having everything in a hard copy accessible to both Eric and I. I know sometimes he asks where certain paperwork is and now it will all be in one spot or it will direct him to it.

Cleaning House

I have been going through the house over and over as much as I can and I am trying to get rid of stuff. This past weekend we had another moving sale and it went really well. I can not tell you what a relief it is to get rid of stuff. I am still having a hard time with some of the sentimental stuff. Like my grandma's antique scale or the dresser and bookcase my grandpa built for me. How do you decide what is important and what is not. Eric and I are both pack rats but we have been wanting to clean sweep the house for a while and now is the perfect time. It is funny how when you start going through things how at first you are a little hesitant. Then after about an hour you just start throwing stuff out because you are just tired of looking at all of the stuff. When we moved from Atascadero to San Clemente we used the second biggest Uhaul! So we have a lot of stuff. It has been great seeing it leave our house little by little. This weekend is our last moving sale on Saturday and Sunday. We are putting all of our stuff outside except for the big furniture. We think we should do well and then we are out of our place on the 31st and moving to my mom's. SO exciting!