Did I…..? Short and sweet

When both of my children were younger I found myself repeatedly asking them if they did certain things before they left for school each morning. After verbally asking them each day and having them still forget, I decided I had to try another approach.

I decided to write each one out a list of what they needed to have done (not automatic things) before leaving each day.

I would put it on each of their walls at their eye level right below their light switch so it was the last thing they saw before leaving their room. I find children respond to, and work very well when given visuals.

This definitely worked and I no longer had to ask them these questions every day.  Not only that, but these checked off items became a habit for them eventually.

I use visuals a lot and find that we can all use them in our lives.

Simple ideas like this help to make life easier for us all.

Organized space = Family Time

This is likely the room where you and your family spend most of your time.  The room where you are likely to read, watch t.v., and just spend time with each other; hence the name “family room”.

Sometimes it can be a challenge to keep this room neat and tidy, but if you have less “stuff” there is less to clutter your space!  Ideally you have chairs, couches, end tables, a coffee table and/or ottoman, and shelving.  Stick to the basics and don’t add unnecessary items, this just adds more stuff to keep tidy, and bang into.

A general rule here is to keep “like” items together.  Keep all your papers, magazines, and books in a basket.  Keep all remote controls grouped together in one location, such as on the coffee table or in a stand or pouch designed for them.  If you get in the habit of doing this, they won’t get lost!  At the end of the night, make sure they are all in their spot together.

Fold blankets and put them either in an ottoman/box, or on the back of chairs, or couches.

 

Keep your entertainment centre organized by grouping similar items together.  If you have a lot of DVD’s, or electronic games, invest in decorative boxes and group them accordingly.  Keep DVD’s in boxes under your DVD player, keep (e.g.) Wii games in a box under your Wii. It is also useful to store your extra wires and cords you may need in your entertainment unit.

All in all, this space should be family-friendly, and most of all comfortable for you all.  By changing your habits and starting to keep things in designated places, there will be less wasted time arguing, and looking for lost or misplaced items, and more time spent enjoying family time or just relaxing!

Bagel Time!

I have had a few requests from my followers to post some of my recipes. I really enjoy cooking and baking and have many delicious recipes I’m happy to share.

The one I’ll post today is for home-made bagels.

First of all,  I use a bread maker to make my dough, so that makes for 1 easy first step!  However, if you don’t have a breadmaker you can do so without.

Here are my step-by-step instructions with photos:

Prepare dough using your favourite bagel dough recipe.  I use:

1c warm water

1 1/2t salt

2T white sugar

2c whole wheat flour

1c white flour

2 1/4t yeast

Once dough is ready, place on a lightly floured surface. Pinch off 9-12 equal sized balls of dough.  Roll each into a ball, flatten between hands, then poke a hole in the centre with thumb and finger and stretch out a little. Cover with a towel, and leave to rise in a warm place until they have doubled in size.

 

 

 

Now that they have doubled in size, it’s time to boil them!

Bring a large pot of water with 3T of sugar to a boil.  Boil 3-4 bagels at once for 1 minute, then flip and boil for another minute.

 

 

 

Remove from water and place on a cooling rack. Place boiled bagels on a baking sheet sprinkled with 2T of cornmeal.  Lightly brush on a thin layer of olive oil.  if desired, you could sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds also.  Bake at 400° for 15 min. until golden.

 

There you have it,  yummy, chewy, home-made bagels!

**Since these are fresh with no preservatives, I like to either eat within a day or 2, or freeze them.

Enjoy!

Do you have any more blog requests?  I’d love some feedback, comments, and ideas from my followers.