Friday, February 26, 2010

The 'Responsibility' Mother

I cannot remember when I found this but I just discovered I saved it to backup. I hope you enjoy...

The 'Responsibility' Mother

ISTJ -- (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging)

"I have a serious love affair with to-do lists. I could sit for hours reading, organizing, and rearranging my weekly calendar."

The ISTJ mother has a highly developed sense of responsibility: for work, home, family… particularly her children. Whether she's overseeing daily baths or insisting on a 10 P.M. curfew, her efforts are largely focused on providing her children with order and routine. She wants them, regardless of age, to be able to count on her and the structure she provides.

In carrying out her commitment to her responsibilities, the ISTJ mother is organized, industrious, and detail-oriented. Because her focus is the day-to-day realities of life, her children are likely to feel secure and well provided for.

The ISTJ mother also sets a good example and provides her children with practical guidance on being a productive, responsible individual. Still, with all her seriousness, she may delight family members with her quick wit and observations about the details of life.

Tips
  • The best gift an ISTJ mother can give herself is uninterrupted quiet time each day. She may need to have someone take her children to the park each afternoon or turn off the phone to savor the stillness during the hours they're at school or at a friend's. She may choose to spend her private time setting things in order or getting caught up.
  • Because she needs structure to relax fully, the ISTJ mother may need to plan regular times that are okay to let down, knowing it won't disrupt the entire day. If her family can help finish what she needs to complete before relaxing, everyone may benefit.

Strengths

  • Providing for her children's practical needs. The ISTJ mother tends to her children's basic needs on a day-to-day routine, seeing to it they're healthy, well fed, clean, warm, and well rested.
  • Providing security. For the ISTJ mother, children thrive in a family structure where roles and boundaries are well defined. She makes it clear: Parents are parents, children are children.
  • Preparing her children for life in the real world. The ISTJ mother believes children must ultimately be independent and on their own. Her goal is to instill good study habits and show them "how to be organized" and make effective use of time. She also views it as her responsibility to discuss the pros and cons of different ways people earn a living.
  • Teaching her children how to work hard. The ISTJ mother encourages her children to do for themselves. Not only does she set the standard for hard work, she gives them responsibility for specific "jobs" around the house, expects them to do their best at school, and insists they clean up after themselves.

Struggles

  • Flexibility. If structure is her byword, the ISTJ mother may struggle most with being adaptable. Little children are spontaneous and unpredictable, older children have minds of their own, and letting children invite friends into the home can leave her feeling there's no order in her life.
  • Being hard on herself. Aware of all that needs to be done, the ISTJ mother may be a perfectionist who wants things done right and on time. Proceeding at an intense pace, she may find it difficult to relax until all her work is done.
  • Exhaustion. Private and inwardly focused, the ISTJ mother may find herself constantly drained by disorder and children's commotion. She may feel overwhelmed, unable to maintain order or struggling to find any time alone to recharge.

This was taken from:

http://life.familyeducation.com/mothers/parenting/61830.html?detoured=1



Sunday, February 21, 2010

Hunts tomatoes

I recently had the pleasure of being accepted to hold a party for Hunt's tomatoes through houseparty. The party was awesome, and we got the pleasure of taste testing some new recipes. In the party pack that was sent to me I received spatulas, Coupons(good until 5/31/10, recipes, and even some seeds for sweet basil. While I love their products I feel that it is only fitting to give someone a chance to receive the last two packets I have put together with the above mentioned. The first two who respond to my email at tmann5@sbcglobal.net will receive the packets. I wish I had more to share, and with more parties upcoming I may have different products available!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Something to destress with...

For everyone who needs a break... We have been so busy I thought that something like this just may add some fun to your day... Check out the site and let me know how you do.. So far my score is 3/10...

Daffy Duck Jumps

Recollections from a composting class...

As a Habitat Homeowner, Families who received and moved into home had to take at least 4 classes within the first year of home ownership through our local Habitat Affiliate. While these classes cover everything from maintenance on your home that needs done during each season, budgeting, taxes, cleaning your house, we even had classes to teach us more about composting. While we did receive the home from Habitat, we still have taxes and Mortgages that we pay on the homes. Mrs. Palmstrom held this class to help us keep our gardens beautiful within a very small budget.

Creating your own compost bins are actually really good idea for those who love to keep gardens and flower beds. They will save you money on the purchase of fertilizer for the beds you have created and it will also help with your trash output.

We were given the idea of ways to put together compost bins by taking three skids and tying them together into a U shape so that the one side could be used as the front of the bin for access to add to your compost, turn or move your compost from one bin to the other. If you want to create three bins, you could actually build it individually, or one one entire piece. Going with one entire unit would save on how many skids needed for this project. If you were to make a unit with three bins you would need three skids for the first, two skids (one tying into the first unit), and for the third bin another 2 (tying into the second unit). The reason behind the three units is to move or begin a new batch so that the batches already started has time to break down.

I was told that the skids would be really good for the creation of compost bins because they allow the air to move in between the slots and you actually need the moisture and air to work together so that it breaks down quicker with not as much smell.

Do's for including in your compost bin: Leaves, newspaper(shredded or torn up works best), products grown in a garden (tomatoes, lettuce, etc), egg shells and coffee grounds, coffee filters, lint (yes from the dryer in your laundry), small sticks, grass clippings, and I know there was more of a list, but I was just so amazed at the coffee filters and the lint that I was beside myself.

Other items that can go in- Rabbit poo, farm animal poo... but remember some poos have to be broken down into compost because some will actually burn your plants if you put them directly into your garden! If you have Rabbits, you're in luck, as that can be added straight to the garden!

A big NO NO for the garden is Kitty or Doggie poo. There is a reason behind this and I will have to try to find my paperwork explaining it to explain it better.

Now with the dreams of a garden upcoming with the thoughts of no more snow flying and beautiful green grass growing back here in the old Northeast Ohio, I now wish I started mine when I wanted to a couple of years ago. While we have been planning a garden for this year and yes, we have a lot of rabbit poo to put into it, we are working with clay for our dirt.. this means we really have to work hard in order to get a really good earth to work with or we need to pull in really good dirt to work with. We may end up doing both. Some of the products listed here can also go straight in the garden.

Here are some more links to composting information:

The Composting Process - page 1

The Composting Process - page 2

The Composting Process - page 3


Is control of pH and moisture important during composting?

What structures and equipment are required for composting?

What can be done with the end product?

What alternative composting methods are being evaluated?


Everyone is probably asking why in the world is she posting about Compost??? Well, some of my friends and I have been "spring chatting" as most of the people in chat are from the west or the southern states... They are also chatting on their websites too! Catch their chatter at Christy's blog: http://shakethesalt.com/2010/02/wondering-if-a-garden-is-for-me/ and Misty's blog: http://tinykittenz.blogspot.com/. Misty also is using her garden for homeschooling her children.

A special Thank You to Mrs. Jane Palmstrom who was the person who held this class for the Homeowners and past her information on to us. She is a huge Habitat Supporter (her Husband started our Affiliate) and has many things she adds to her resume, but I just can't remember everything on the large list!

Please feel free to drop advice or testimonials as we are just starting out. My friends are already in the process of starting their gardens while I am in awe and dreaming about ours!


Saturday, February 6, 2010

Something new with a baked potato...

This is an oldie recipe for us, but I just remembered them tonight and made them up. My daughters have never had them before and I think they fell in love with them. We found the "taste" at Miss Kitty's Steakhouse, and though they would not share the recipe, we came up with our own!

Cinnamon Baked Potato

Amount of potatoes you want to make(if you are doing them in the microwave like I do I usually do 6 or less.) I like doing most of this in the microwave because it keeps the heat down in the kitchen. You will need a plate for cooking the potatoes. After washing the potatoes, I stab the potatoes a couple times on each side. Between the wattage of your microwave and the size of the potatoes the may vary the time frame for cooking.
Put the potatoes on the plate with a 1 or 2 cup glass measuring cup filled with water. The water is essential so the potatoes do not explode. I then load the plate up in the microwave, cooking the first time for 10 minutes, turning the potatoes and then cooking for 8 minutes. By the time the 18 total minutes are complete you should be able to squeeze the potato and it will feel soft and tender. I heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

After cooling so that you can handle them, I cut tin foil and butter each potato, then I roll in cinnamon and sugar( usually the cinnamon gives it a really light brown color- lighter tan) . I put the potato in the center of the foil and I roll it and fold it so there is no potato showing. Following the same order do all of the potatoes. I then bake the potatoes for about 20 minutes, and unroll them and serve. I love the cinnamon on the skin because it actually wants you to eat the skin- where most of the nutrients are. Sorry I don't have measurements I just do it by looks!

Cinnamon is also found to be good for the body. There have been studies done on the effects from Cinnamon and it has been found to help lower Cholesterol and assist with the blood sugar, usually benefiting those with type 2 diabetes.

For more information about the effects of cinnamon, please visit http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html.