A weekly thrifty living link up
It's Saturday night, I'm sitting quietly by myself, alone at night perhaps for the first time in FOREVER. My husband's plane comes in at 1 in the morning so I'm planning on a movie and iced coffee marathon until I leave at midnight to go pick him up. What I really want to know is who made these travel arrangements? Do they have kids? Do they know what it's like to wait all night to go pick someone up? Sheesh, I might complain but I think his class was really something good for him and if I were a better wife I'd know what class he's been attending for the last week. It had something to do with being a better more effective employee, I think. I guess I've been more engrossed in being a single mama for the last 10 days than his class on the east coast, where it's apparently green and warm. See why I wasn't listening? Not my fault.
Thrifting has been hideous this week. Not one new treasure to share. None. I found a comb thing for the dogs and thought I'd grab it. 5 dollars! For a comb that cost that much brand new. It is definitely time for garage sailing here in Alaska. I can't wait.
I did attend a free parents education night at our Waldorf Charter School. One of our master teachers who trained our teachers this summer came back to do a week of in school training and observation. She offered us a parents night class which I jumped at, she's one of those folks who you just love to be around. The topic was "Preservation of Childhood", what a wonderful talk. One thing she talked about which I have been practicing more and more with the two young boys is: let them get bored, then their real creativity has a chance to bloom. When they are constantly entertained, schooled and kept busy they don't figure out how to entertain themselves. When you park a gameboy in your kids hand they don't know the joys of creativity and keeping busy in their own way. We went to Beninhana's a while back, a apendy place to celebrate and so many kids were mesmerized with their video games, none of them were talking and making human connections. What's it going to be like when the kids who have become used to pacification by games have to talk and get along? Where will be in polite society? What will the world be like? It really cemented the decsiosns we have made to remove daily tv and live with out any video games.
As parents it's not our job to entertain kids, they need to figure that out and WHAT is appropriate comes from trial and error. Sure it's hard to constantly guide your kids but that's our job, not entertaining but guiding. So that when they leave the house and move on they know boundaries, how to stay busy and the difference between right and wrong, how can a video game give them that? Only humans acting as guide can give them a clue in the maze of the world. Plus it's a hell of a lot cheaper to NOT buy into all the media advertising that goes along with that. Games, systems, clothing, new release games, game cards, new systems, new games and on and on. How about no thanks.
In other thrifty living news I have been inspired by Serene of the Mom Food Project and her clean out the pantry posts. After reading them I realized holy cow, I have a lot more food in the pantry we need to eat before summer canning starts again. So I took a few pictures of the big pantry so I could take stock of what we need to eat. I think I did pretty good this week whittling it down, I used 3 quarts of apple pie filling. I made one pie which I sent ever day with Union to school, 2 for there, jars gone+good healthy school food. The other two I made into an apple crisp for our monthly pastries with parents coffee hour at school. Yeah 3 jars down 100 to go, actually I don't know how many I have left to go but it's a lot. Thanks to Serene who I hope will continue sharing and inspiring me!
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| seems I have a bit of green tomato relish to use up |
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| dead center view |
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| jams, jellies and the last pie filling |
Peace and Love--
Haiku!
ReplyDeleteSunday quiet time
Envying Laura's pantry
What's for breakfast, Mom?
I wholeheartedly agree with your stance on kids, entertainment, and imagination. Esp. riding in cars. It is now a staple to see TV screens running in every van I pass. I'm sorry, but if your kid needs to watch TV on the 7 minute ride to the grocery store, then you've got a problem. Even on long car rides (I'm talking NC to AZ) my brother and I NEVER had any video games or TV. We had magnetic board games, "I spy," the license plate game, etc. We entertained ourselves and created great memories in the process.
ReplyDeleteI adore adore adore your pantry. I want to LIVE in it!!!!
I love what you said about allowing children to get bored so they have to entertain themselves. That is how I was brought up, but when my brothers were little, my mother felt the need to fill their every waking moment with something.
ReplyDeleteIts sort of crazy how adults don't want to be bothered with kids but don't really want them to have a moment to themselves, either.
I love seeing posts of all the crafty stuff y'all do together!
I guess the linky did not like my picture this week. I used Laurel & Hardy and I did shoot it myself.
ReplyDeleteI agree kids need to learn how to use their imagination and interact with real people. My niece is complaining that altho everyone at school has phones they only text, never call and talk.
I have been without a refrigerator since late October, so I have been learning to only keep on hand enough food for a week, and as long as weather cooperates to keep milk chilled.
Oh, I used to do pantry clean outs all the time when my son was a baby! I haven't done it in a while. We do, though, regularly have "leftover night" where we each eat something for dinner that's a leftover, but there's not enough for everyone to have the same thing!
ReplyDeleteWe moved to our dream home almost two years ago, and much to my dismay, my kitchen pantry is the size of my high school locker. No kidding! We left a huge pantry and a smaller home for a bigger home and smaller pantry. Another small sign that life isn't perfect. ; )
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid our parents never entertained us. We did not have computers or cell phones. I used to draw, read, ride my bike, play with other kids on the block. You are wise to limit TV, etc. Kids probably lose alot of creativity today. Yes, let them get a little bored. It's good for them.
ReplyDeleteAND agreed completely with everyone above. It's important to allow kids to develop creatively.
ReplyDeleteAnd..amazing pantry of saved goodies you have! Hope all is well up in Alaska, despite the lack of thrifty finds.