Sunday, July 22, 2012
Freezer Crockpot Meals
I finally got around to it! A while back I discovered a site on pinterest that included make ahead meals. Considering we will have little time in the next few months, it seemed like a good idea. Through links and surfing I discovered the original author who based her recipes off of Nourishing Traditions, a cookbook/ideology I happen to really agree with. Sooo, why not give it a go?
I did two recipes, Thai Chicken Curry and Stephanie's Goulash. Both recipes come from an online ecookbook sold by the author of the blog Mama And Baby Love.
All in all, I think I spent about $50 for both recipes, but each recipe is supposed to make enough for 4 meals for a family of 4. One recipe called for beets (blech!) so I'm not sure how many meals that recipe will make for us since I left them out of the mix. It took about 2 hours to prep everything and clean up, but then I move pretty slow right now. I could easily see this going faster if you're working with a food processor or if you're listening to upbeat music in the background.
I have no idea how the food will taste considering we haven't actually cooked one of them yet. According to instructions, the food doesn't need to be thawed before sticking it in the crockpot. You bake the food for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low and then add garnishes or last minute ingredients (like sour cream for the goulash).
As far as ingredients go, I bought almost all of the vegetables at the local farmers market or they came in my CSA box. I did have to buy red bell peppers and the meat at Trader Joes (nobody at the farmers market had just what I needed meat-wise anyway). Still, I think $6.25 a meal is a pretty good deal if they turn out alright. That's only about $1.50 per person!
I'll add pictures later, although I can say now it looks just like what you'd think it would look like...gallon sized ziplock bags filled with meat and veggies. They really do stack well in the freezer if you lay them on their side and squeeze the air out.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Full Term!
Well, I've officially made it! The magic 36 weeks where apparently twins are fully mature for delivery. I remember that originally I was pretty set on lasting as close to 40 weeks as possible, but I've had a change of heart. ANY TIME NOW. Really, ANY TIME.
While we're not 100% ready, I'm feeling much more prepared. Things are washed and put away, the house is no longer under construction. My bag, while not entirely packed, has a few ready to go items that I won't have to worry about.
I'd still like to make some make-ahead meals and there's a chance I'll do that this weekend. Then again, there's a chance I will fall back asleep and ignore my to do list. If I DO end up making freezer crock pot meals, I'll be sure to blog about it. In the mean time, we're just hanging out waiting for a birthday to come along :)
While we're not 100% ready, I'm feeling much more prepared. Things are washed and put away, the house is no longer under construction. My bag, while not entirely packed, has a few ready to go items that I won't have to worry about.
I'd still like to make some make-ahead meals and there's a chance I'll do that this weekend. Then again, there's a chance I will fall back asleep and ignore my to do list. If I DO end up making freezer crock pot meals, I'll be sure to blog about it. In the mean time, we're just hanging out waiting for a birthday to come along :)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
34 Weeks, Crazy Cat, Raspberries and more
At our most recent ultrasound the doctor estimated that the babies were 5 pounds each! I've been planning on 36 weeks rather than 38, because it seems like I can't get much bigger, but he seemed to think I'd last longer. Soooo, I'm thinking I'll have pretty good sized twins pretty soon.
Meanwhile one of my cats has gone a bit mental. Perhaps it's the latest construction (drywalling the living room ceiling) or just the fact that babies are on the way, but he has gone seriously weird of me. Hiding, peeing and pooping in places he shouldn't be, avoiding the other cats, constantly grooming himself, etc. Finally we took him to the vet, who told us it was a behavior issue. Yes, he has early kidney disease, but none of the behaviors suggested pain, just mental anxiety. So we just sit around and hope that it'll get better as soon as the ceiling is finished and the babies are out.
I'm no longer working. Thank goodness because I spend a lot of time sleeping. You'd think I'd spend more time working on the garden or fixing up the house, but no. My iron is probably still low. That's okay, the garden, while not exactly free of weeds, is still doing a pretty good job. You should see the size of my garlic this year!
No really, you should SEE this garlic!
Our raspberries are doing well again this year. This shot was taken AFTER my husband already picked a pint of raspberries and claimed there were "just a few more to pick..." We also had a bunch of Beach Plums this year. Okay, by a bunch, I mean a pint, but it was enough to make a little jelly... Also notice the peas that are buried under the raspberries.
I'm about ready to pick the cabbage too, although I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it. I could shred it and freeze it for cole slaw later, try to ferment it into sauerkraut (yuck, but Gerd would like it), or stuff cabbage leaves with rice and meat and freeze the cabbage roles for later, or I could see if it can be preserved some other way, like in the sandbox. All options seem to require work, therefore the cabbage is still safely in the ground :)
Other than that, we've harvested scapes, and I've got some zuchini ready to pick, along with a few cherry tomatoes (we thought we hadn't planted zuchini, but turns out I didn't plant squash). Cucumbers are growing too, along with onions, potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, and celery (I have no idea when to pick that...).
We're really looking forward to grapes this year. No idea when they'll turn ripe, but the vine is awfully pretty on our arbor!
There's really not enough of anything to sustain us this year, so I've been going to the local farmers market more than in past years, and I've signed up for a CSA this year. I get to pick up the veggies at our local specialty foods store, American Provision, which is about 4 blocks away from us. We're keeping our regularly delivered box of organics, but have changed it to a 100% fruit box. I think it's going to be a good summer for food. Lets see what happens to it all with babies in the mix :)
Meanwhile one of my cats has gone a bit mental. Perhaps it's the latest construction (drywalling the living room ceiling) or just the fact that babies are on the way, but he has gone seriously weird of me. Hiding, peeing and pooping in places he shouldn't be, avoiding the other cats, constantly grooming himself, etc. Finally we took him to the vet, who told us it was a behavior issue. Yes, he has early kidney disease, but none of the behaviors suggested pain, just mental anxiety. So we just sit around and hope that it'll get better as soon as the ceiling is finished and the babies are out.
I'm no longer working. Thank goodness because I spend a lot of time sleeping. You'd think I'd spend more time working on the garden or fixing up the house, but no. My iron is probably still low. That's okay, the garden, while not exactly free of weeds, is still doing a pretty good job. You should see the size of my garlic this year!
No really, you should SEE this garlic!
Our raspberries are doing well again this year. This shot was taken AFTER my husband already picked a pint of raspberries and claimed there were "just a few more to pick..." We also had a bunch of Beach Plums this year. Okay, by a bunch, I mean a pint, but it was enough to make a little jelly... Also notice the peas that are buried under the raspberries.
I'm about ready to pick the cabbage too, although I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it. I could shred it and freeze it for cole slaw later, try to ferment it into sauerkraut (yuck, but Gerd would like it), or stuff cabbage leaves with rice and meat and freeze the cabbage roles for later, or I could see if it can be preserved some other way, like in the sandbox. All options seem to require work, therefore the cabbage is still safely in the ground :)
Other than that, we've harvested scapes, and I've got some zuchini ready to pick, along with a few cherry tomatoes (we thought we hadn't planted zuchini, but turns out I didn't plant squash). Cucumbers are growing too, along with onions, potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, and celery (I have no idea when to pick that...).
We're really looking forward to grapes this year. No idea when they'll turn ripe, but the vine is awfully pretty on our arbor!
There's really not enough of anything to sustain us this year, so I've been going to the local farmers market more than in past years, and I've signed up for a CSA this year. I get to pick up the veggies at our local specialty foods store, American Provision, which is about 4 blocks away from us. We're keeping our regularly delivered box of organics, but have changed it to a 100% fruit box. I think it's going to be a good summer for food. Lets see what happens to it all with babies in the mix :)
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Sleepless night at 32 weeks
I'm *almost* to 32 weeks (2 more days) and therefore almost "safe". By "safe" I mean that 98% of babies born at 32 weeks survive with less risk of serious lasting medical conditions, particularly if they're twins because twins develop faster than singletons...or so my various research tells me. Not that I want to give birth early or anything, but it is nice to feel a little closer. At 32 weeks we'd still have to transfer to a hospital with a NICU, so the next benchmark is 34 weeks...when we can actually deliver at our hospital of choice. In a bed, not an OR. Naturally...hopefully.
So why am I awake? Well, it could be because it's hotter than Hades tonight. Our scheduled construction projects are running dangerously late, and we still have all of our vents sealed off to prevent dust and dirt from getting into our vents. That means no air conditioning, and it was 97 today. Of course that's not really why I'm awake. Today we went and bought a portable air conditioner for our top floor that never gets cool enough anyway. We set it at 60 and managed a temperature closer to 70, the thing hasn't stopped running since we turned it on. Looks like it's going to have to be replaced with a bigger better model. I'm currently sitting downstairs though, and the thermometer reads 81. Warm for sure, but not dangerous.
No, I'm really awake because I feel completely unprepared. The house is in pieces, I can't find anything in the kitchen (half of my dishes are in boxes due to cleaning out the dining room for construction) and all of my clothes, nursery items, and other belongings are currently strewn about the floor in our top floor bedroom as we await our contractors return to finish the nursery and our bedroom.
Also, I've been delaying shopping for the rest of my baby goodies until after the shower. I knew there'd be a lot to buy, and I just didn't want to duplicate anything. Now I'm trying to figure out exactly what I still need....except everything is so disorganized I have no idea what I do or don't need. Hard to do when everything is in scattered about or in bags and boxes.
While looking up a suggested list of items, I ran across a new baby checklist, and realized I have even more to think about. Actually I've done pretty well for the past 7 months (the only items I haven't done on the list: begin a journal, take pregnancy pictures, try prenatal yoga). Not bad really. I do wish I'd taken more belly pictures, but there's only so much you can do. But the list of things to think about is pretty long. Still to do? (keep in mind that I should be done with all of month 8 things to do)
So what's my immediate plan? Well, figure out what things I have and what I need. Buy nursing stuff, like tops and bottles (I've been told to hold off on the pump until 3 weeks postpartum because a) I shouldn't use it until then and b) if the babies are born early I could need a hospital grade rental if I need to supplement their nursing with extra breast milk (via syringe in the side of their mouth).) Pack a bag, put together a call list for people who don't use Facebook :) (like my father and aunt in Texas), and pretty much work through the Bradley birth class book again...oh, and buy a few more books that people have suggested (and find time to read them). Right, and get some sleep.
Really I should work on that last bit now.
So why am I awake? Well, it could be because it's hotter than Hades tonight. Our scheduled construction projects are running dangerously late, and we still have all of our vents sealed off to prevent dust and dirt from getting into our vents. That means no air conditioning, and it was 97 today. Of course that's not really why I'm awake. Today we went and bought a portable air conditioner for our top floor that never gets cool enough anyway. We set it at 60 and managed a temperature closer to 70, the thing hasn't stopped running since we turned it on. Looks like it's going to have to be replaced with a bigger better model. I'm currently sitting downstairs though, and the thermometer reads 81. Warm for sure, but not dangerous.
No, I'm really awake because I feel completely unprepared. The house is in pieces, I can't find anything in the kitchen (half of my dishes are in boxes due to cleaning out the dining room for construction) and all of my clothes, nursery items, and other belongings are currently strewn about the floor in our top floor bedroom as we await our contractors return to finish the nursery and our bedroom.
Also, I've been delaying shopping for the rest of my baby goodies until after the shower. I knew there'd be a lot to buy, and I just didn't want to duplicate anything. Now I'm trying to figure out exactly what I still need....except everything is so disorganized I have no idea what I do or don't need. Hard to do when everything is in scattered about or in bags and boxes.
While looking up a suggested list of items, I ran across a new baby checklist, and realized I have even more to think about. Actually I've done pretty well for the past 7 months (the only items I haven't done on the list: begin a journal, take pregnancy pictures, try prenatal yoga). Not bad really. I do wish I'd taken more belly pictures, but there's only so much you can do. But the list of things to think about is pretty long. Still to do? (keep in mind that I should be done with all of month 8 things to do)
Month 7
- Have baby clothes and necessities ready (well I have some, but not really sure what sizes, if I really have all I need for the first 2 months)
Month 8
- Pack your bag (well, I've thought about it, but no progress there)
Shop for andlearn how to install your car seat (s).- Put together a family first aid kit.
- Buy your diaper bag, and s
tock up on diapering essentials.(I have no idea what type of bag I want...I've been looking and don't like anything I've seen so far) - Buy a high chair. (can't this wait a little while? I know I want 2 matching Ikea high chairs)
- Build your email/phone tree for sharing the birth of your baby! (hadn't even thought of this yet)
- Shop for a nursing bra.
Month 9
- Study up on newborn vaccines and find out what's best for your baby. (well, I've heard mention of a "delayed vaccine schedule, but that's the amount I know about vaccines...interestingly enough picking a pediatrician is not on this list, and I have scheduled 3 interviews. One farther away, but both an MD and Natreopath, one nearby, but likely pretty traditional, and one kind of in the middle (both ways).)
- Pick out your baby announcements and thank you notes. (And address those envelopes now since time will be at a premium soon!)
- Buy a baby sling or baby carrier. (well, I have one wrap, but I know I want 2 slings too, one for each of us)
- Prepare yourself for labor and delivery. (according to Bradley classes, we should be practicing labor drills daily by now...um, yeah, not really on top of that right now)
- Wash and put away your babies new clothes. (well, soon, I suppose, as soon as I can put things in the nursery)
- Prepare for the weeks after you give birth. (how? I guess I could prepare food ahead of time and have lots of food in the freezer)
- Relax and enjoy the last days before delivery! (not there yet, but looking forward to it)
Really I should work on that last bit now.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
28 Weeks and Counting
Only about 2 more months to go, and I wish it could go faster and slower at the same time. I wish I could have plenty of time to get everything together and relax, but I want the time to fly by too.
So far everything has been pretty good. I'm anemic, but that's not exactly shocking, I verge on anemia even while not pregnant. Unfortunately I'm home sick today because the increased dosage of iron has me not feeling too well.
I'd like to believe that if I was done with work now I'd get my prefold diapers washed, finish buying the rest of the pocket diapers, wash organize and sort through the growing pile of baby duds that I've been given, perhaps I could better monitor my diet too, I could even finish planting my garden..better yet, weed my garden. Chances are, I'd spend more time doing what I'm doing today though, surfing the internet, taking naps, and reading.
There really is so much to do, both at work and at home. At work I have a magazine to finish pulling together, a community service project to complete with students, and a summer guide to distribute. At home I can't do many of the things that need to be done, like, move a door, paint, move furniture...can't really set up the nursery until there is one. Bradley birthing classes keep marching on. Slowly I'm accumulating things that we'll need.
I haven't written much lately, because there's just not much new to say. We're all just waiting for the next step. School's out in June, maybe there'll be more movement then. Holly and her kids move out this weekend, so some of the work that needs to be done to the house can start. Right now, we're still waiting...semi-patiently.
So far everything has been pretty good. I'm anemic, but that's not exactly shocking, I verge on anemia even while not pregnant. Unfortunately I'm home sick today because the increased dosage of iron has me not feeling too well.
I'd like to believe that if I was done with work now I'd get my prefold diapers washed, finish buying the rest of the pocket diapers, wash organize and sort through the growing pile of baby duds that I've been given, perhaps I could better monitor my diet too, I could even finish planting my garden..better yet, weed my garden. Chances are, I'd spend more time doing what I'm doing today though, surfing the internet, taking naps, and reading.
There really is so much to do, both at work and at home. At work I have a magazine to finish pulling together, a community service project to complete with students, and a summer guide to distribute. At home I can't do many of the things that need to be done, like, move a door, paint, move furniture...can't really set up the nursery until there is one. Bradley birthing classes keep marching on. Slowly I'm accumulating things that we'll need.
I haven't written much lately, because there's just not much new to say. We're all just waiting for the next step. School's out in June, maybe there'll be more movement then. Holly and her kids move out this weekend, so some of the work that needs to be done to the house can start. Right now, we're still waiting...semi-patiently.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Forever Ago
Okay,
So I haven't blogged in, well, what seems like forever. What can I say? Anyone who didn't already know, yup, we're pregnant. First I was just too tired to blog, and then I had a new job and was too busy AND too tired to blog, and then I just got introverted.
I suppose I'm only blogging now because I had a sweetened ice tea with dinner (caffeine AND sugar...not smart considering how much trouble I've had sleeping this whole time). News you might NOT have heard, is that we know we're having twin boys. Sigh. I really wanted at least 1 girl. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'll fall right in love with whatever babies I get, but I've had a girl's name picked out since I was 12. You never know, maybe we'll decide to have more kids, but really we'd planned on this just being it. So I suppose it's just the feeling of finality of it all, that I won't get that girl someday that makes me a little sad. Well, that and double strength hormones.
Also newsworthy, if not already posted or figured out, I've got a family living in our upstairs bedroom. While I don't regret the offer, I'm getting ready for them to move on...just so I can start rearranging the house. No nesting happening here yet, and I'm patiently biding my time until the end of May when I get my house back. There are doorways to move, and walls to construct, and lots and lots of trim to either replace or paint.
The house itself has been a bit of drama. With chipped lead paint, and half finished renovations, we've been debating what we're going to do. Fleeing was my first instinct. At first I was head strung about going back to New Mexico for a while, now I'm not so sure again (but then again, it's warmer outside again...I'm sure the discussion will be revisited when it snows again) Moving really isn't a realistic option right now anyway. Our unfinished projects will take at least a year to catch up on, and I'm only talking about the projects we've already begun.
Our next house will be different I swear. Our next house will not require any walls to be constructed or moved. We will not have shady electrical work or cracked pipes. We will not have period woodwork that is in terrible shape and would take years to repair. Hmmm, perhaps I'm nesting in another way. It's just that I'm not very happy in this house right now.
I've finally figured out what I really REALLY want, is to live somewhere around friends. Now that I'm having kids, I want to live around friends that are having kids too. Somewhere with a backyard I can get to from the front of the house. Somewhere with a garage. Let me tell you, I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to get twins in and out of a car by myself....particularly if I can't find a parking spot in front of the house.
But so far everything has been going well. Never got morning sickness even. I have an enormous belly at this point. If this is what I look like at 20 weeks, I have to wonder how big I'm going to get. I just went to a baby shower for a friend who is 32 weeks, and she looks slightly bigger than I do. Gerd continues to work from home, which I hope will be a good thing after the babies are born (I'm a little afraid that he'll have difficulty getting anything done).
Our older kitties aren't fairing so well though. At least one of them was diagnosed with kidney disease, the other wasn't able to be tested for it (empty bladder) but has problems with his teeth. I really wonder how they'll take to a couple of new babies. So far they're still active and snugly and just regular cats. I hope the stress of crying babies doesn't age them more than they already have aged :(
I've been thinking a lot lately about our lifestyle, and how it will change, and what values I want to hold true to, and what I'm flexible on. For instance, I don't think my commitment to organic milk or produce will go away, but I can easily see myself going to regular grocery stores more often. If I shop at Stop & Shop, which is 2 blocks away from me I think, it's unlikely that the meat I'll buy will be up to my current standards. It's either time to buy a meat share, or compromise a little. Let me tell you, after reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, I really WANT to shop a farmer's markets and buy local, but I'm just not sure I'm going to be up for it.
Breastfeeding is another issue. I'm still hoping to breastfeed, although I'm sure it'll be difficult with twins. The thing is, I don't know how it's going to work out. I know I'll need to pump throughout the day, because I want Gerd to be able to give the kids a bottle too. I've heard babies can prefer bottles over breasts after a time though, because the milk comes out faster from a bottle. I also want to make my own baby food when it comes time, but as of yet I have no idea what the process of that is, or what the nutritional needs of a baby really are!
Diapers, at least, I think, will be easier. I want to cloth diaper, and the only major decision I need to make now is a) do I go with the diaper service (even though it might make the house stinkier for a while) or b) do I get used to doing an extra load (no pun intended) of laundry each night. At around 24 diapers a day for 2 kids I'll either need to buy (and wash) a boatload of diapers or I'll have to deal with 170 stinky diapers waiting to be picked up each Tuesday (that's right, the diaper service only delivers once a week). I'd seriously consider adding an additional washer/dryer in one if a) I knew I could do a cold rinse, then hot cycle, then extra rinse, and then dry, AND it wasn't so expensive. Really, instead of a diaper pail, you could just throw them in the washer and run it at night and just pull them out in the morning...
But back to the whole expensive thing. I have expensive tastes. I want amby baby hammocks instead of bassinets. I'll later need cribs, although I want to go with mini-cribs for space (maybe something like this), and I still covet this double stroller (with bassinets, but probably not gonna happen). Oh right, and I'll need a nursing pillow suitable for twins, and possibly a different glider (depending on how the glider works with the pillow), and bouncers, and car seats and everything else you need with babies. In other words, we haven't bought a single thing yet, and when I do start buying things, I'm going to have to make a budget and start prioritizing.
Well, it's late (or actually, really early) and I still can't sleep, but I guess I better try something else as a sleep aid because writing this all down isn't helping. Why oh why did I need to have ice tea? We'd all probably be better off if I'd had a half a glass of wine and fell asleep at the table :) (no I'm not drinking or advocating drinking during pregnancy).
So I haven't blogged in, well, what seems like forever. What can I say? Anyone who didn't already know, yup, we're pregnant. First I was just too tired to blog, and then I had a new job and was too busy AND too tired to blog, and then I just got introverted.
I suppose I'm only blogging now because I had a sweetened ice tea with dinner (caffeine AND sugar...not smart considering how much trouble I've had sleeping this whole time). News you might NOT have heard, is that we know we're having twin boys. Sigh. I really wanted at least 1 girl. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'll fall right in love with whatever babies I get, but I've had a girl's name picked out since I was 12. You never know, maybe we'll decide to have more kids, but really we'd planned on this just being it. So I suppose it's just the feeling of finality of it all, that I won't get that girl someday that makes me a little sad. Well, that and double strength hormones.
Also newsworthy, if not already posted or figured out, I've got a family living in our upstairs bedroom. While I don't regret the offer, I'm getting ready for them to move on...just so I can start rearranging the house. No nesting happening here yet, and I'm patiently biding my time until the end of May when I get my house back. There are doorways to move, and walls to construct, and lots and lots of trim to either replace or paint.
The house itself has been a bit of drama. With chipped lead paint, and half finished renovations, we've been debating what we're going to do. Fleeing was my first instinct. At first I was head strung about going back to New Mexico for a while, now I'm not so sure again (but then again, it's warmer outside again...I'm sure the discussion will be revisited when it snows again) Moving really isn't a realistic option right now anyway. Our unfinished projects will take at least a year to catch up on, and I'm only talking about the projects we've already begun.
Our next house will be different I swear. Our next house will not require any walls to be constructed or moved. We will not have shady electrical work or cracked pipes. We will not have period woodwork that is in terrible shape and would take years to repair. Hmmm, perhaps I'm nesting in another way. It's just that I'm not very happy in this house right now.
I've finally figured out what I really REALLY want, is to live somewhere around friends. Now that I'm having kids, I want to live around friends that are having kids too. Somewhere with a backyard I can get to from the front of the house. Somewhere with a garage. Let me tell you, I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to get twins in and out of a car by myself....particularly if I can't find a parking spot in front of the house.
But so far everything has been going well. Never got morning sickness even. I have an enormous belly at this point. If this is what I look like at 20 weeks, I have to wonder how big I'm going to get. I just went to a baby shower for a friend who is 32 weeks, and she looks slightly bigger than I do. Gerd continues to work from home, which I hope will be a good thing after the babies are born (I'm a little afraid that he'll have difficulty getting anything done).
Our older kitties aren't fairing so well though. At least one of them was diagnosed with kidney disease, the other wasn't able to be tested for it (empty bladder) but has problems with his teeth. I really wonder how they'll take to a couple of new babies. So far they're still active and snugly and just regular cats. I hope the stress of crying babies doesn't age them more than they already have aged :(
I've been thinking a lot lately about our lifestyle, and how it will change, and what values I want to hold true to, and what I'm flexible on. For instance, I don't think my commitment to organic milk or produce will go away, but I can easily see myself going to regular grocery stores more often. If I shop at Stop & Shop, which is 2 blocks away from me I think, it's unlikely that the meat I'll buy will be up to my current standards. It's either time to buy a meat share, or compromise a little. Let me tell you, after reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, I really WANT to shop a farmer's markets and buy local, but I'm just not sure I'm going to be up for it.
Breastfeeding is another issue. I'm still hoping to breastfeed, although I'm sure it'll be difficult with twins. The thing is, I don't know how it's going to work out. I know I'll need to pump throughout the day, because I want Gerd to be able to give the kids a bottle too. I've heard babies can prefer bottles over breasts after a time though, because the milk comes out faster from a bottle. I also want to make my own baby food when it comes time, but as of yet I have no idea what the process of that is, or what the nutritional needs of a baby really are!
Diapers, at least, I think, will be easier. I want to cloth diaper, and the only major decision I need to make now is a) do I go with the diaper service (even though it might make the house stinkier for a while) or b) do I get used to doing an extra load (no pun intended) of laundry each night. At around 24 diapers a day for 2 kids I'll either need to buy (and wash) a boatload of diapers or I'll have to deal with 170 stinky diapers waiting to be picked up each Tuesday (that's right, the diaper service only delivers once a week). I'd seriously consider adding an additional washer/dryer in one if a) I knew I could do a cold rinse, then hot cycle, then extra rinse, and then dry, AND it wasn't so expensive. Really, instead of a diaper pail, you could just throw them in the washer and run it at night and just pull them out in the morning...
But back to the whole expensive thing. I have expensive tastes. I want amby baby hammocks instead of bassinets. I'll later need cribs, although I want to go with mini-cribs for space (maybe something like this), and I still covet this double stroller (with bassinets, but probably not gonna happen). Oh right, and I'll need a nursing pillow suitable for twins, and possibly a different glider (depending on how the glider works with the pillow), and bouncers, and car seats and everything else you need with babies. In other words, we haven't bought a single thing yet, and when I do start buying things, I'm going to have to make a budget and start prioritizing.
Well, it's late (or actually, really early) and I still can't sleep, but I guess I better try something else as a sleep aid because writing this all down isn't helping. Why oh why did I need to have ice tea? We'd all probably be better off if I'd had a half a glass of wine and fell asleep at the table :) (no I'm not drinking or advocating drinking during pregnancy).
Friday, December 2, 2011
Could You Do It?
I've reached at least some equilibrium looking at the lives of my students. I've had a rough time lately dealing with students who receive benefits who complain that they can't survive on what they receive...and that the government should give them more. There's this prevailing belief that they aren't getting enough from everybody, and that is causing them to fail.
Keep in mind I've been to places like India and Iraq where I have seen true poverty. Poverty does not include On Demand TV or free groceries. Except, maybe it does. Maybe if you are living in our society, you've been trained to live like an industrial consumer.
I've never clearly calculated how much a person on benefits gets before, but it turns out that at least one student gets $478 per month. In addition this student gets food stamps of $500 per month, and receives housing from the state. She has 2 children, both under the age of 4.
After this student said that she didn't have money to go to school (which is free of cost) I made her prove it to me. Here's what she showed me...
$138 monthly rent (2 bedroom apartment in Boston housing)
$60 bus pass (which she doesn't get because she can't afford it)
$60 cell phone (MetroPCS with unlimited talk/text/data)
$56 On Demand cable
$90 Diapers
$30 Laundry
Remaining $44 for household items such as paper towels, soap, clothes, toys, etc.
She also said the $500 food stamps were not enough for her family (of 3-4, depending on whether or not her children's father is in the household), but that she'll occasionally trade her food stamps for additional money to cover bills (since she can't build up any savings).
I would argue that school comes before a big cell phone plan or cable, which would save nearly $120/month right away. I will admit, however, that a phone is a necessity. I wish I'd known earlier while speaking to her that there's something called Carelink that provides free 50, 100, and 250 minute phone plans to people who can't afford a regular plan. Somehow I doubt she would have gone for it...smartphones are hard to give up...
And I got to thinking. I would probably go with cloth diapers if I only had that much money, the cheap pin kind, and I'd try to use cloth towels instead of paper towels...I could make and sell crafts or food to earn some extra money...I'd get DVD's from the library instead of watching TV...I'd make and freeze large portions of healthy foods...
But I've got a few things going for me. First, I've been interested in sustainable, environmentally friendly living for a while, so I know ways to live on a budget (even if I don't always succeed in my budget). Second, I'm older, and while I don't have my money balanced to a T, I've had enough experience to know how to use money. And frankly, it's hard to change your way of being. I doubt most under 21 year olds have truly developed a good sense of finance.
So the question isn't could YOU do it. The question is, if you were a young, uneducated person without any positive role models to show you how to make stuff from scratch or help you find alternatives to a life of poverty, could you budget yourself so that you could survive?
I still hope that this student, and all the other students like her, figure out how to prioritize. I think though, that the issue isn't easy to fix, especially considering that our current world isn't designed around cloth diapers or canned tomatoes. To change this one student's priorities we would need to change the look of poverty in America. I'm guessing disposable diaper companies, cell phone companies, and food manufacturers (and their stockholders) don't want to see that happen.
So once again, I've reached an equilibrium. I don't blame my students for becoming somewhat entitled, but I also don't know where I should place the blame.
Anyway, those are today's thoughts on poverty. I guess if it were an easy problem to solve it'd be fixed by now. Perhaps speaking about the problems, however, will help answers bubble to the top. If not, at least I've had my say.
Keep in mind I've been to places like India and Iraq where I have seen true poverty. Poverty does not include On Demand TV or free groceries. Except, maybe it does. Maybe if you are living in our society, you've been trained to live like an industrial consumer.
I've never clearly calculated how much a person on benefits gets before, but it turns out that at least one student gets $478 per month. In addition this student gets food stamps of $500 per month, and receives housing from the state. She has 2 children, both under the age of 4.
After this student said that she didn't have money to go to school (which is free of cost) I made her prove it to me. Here's what she showed me...
$138 monthly rent (2 bedroom apartment in Boston housing)
$60 bus pass (which she doesn't get because she can't afford it)
$60 cell phone (MetroPCS with unlimited talk/text/data)
$56 On Demand cable
$90 Diapers
$30 Laundry
Remaining $44 for household items such as paper towels, soap, clothes, toys, etc.
She also said the $500 food stamps were not enough for her family (of 3-4, depending on whether or not her children's father is in the household), but that she'll occasionally trade her food stamps for additional money to cover bills (since she can't build up any savings).
I would argue that school comes before a big cell phone plan or cable, which would save nearly $120/month right away. I will admit, however, that a phone is a necessity. I wish I'd known earlier while speaking to her that there's something called Carelink that provides free 50, 100, and 250 minute phone plans to people who can't afford a regular plan. Somehow I doubt she would have gone for it...smartphones are hard to give up...
And I got to thinking. I would probably go with cloth diapers if I only had that much money, the cheap pin kind, and I'd try to use cloth towels instead of paper towels...I could make and sell crafts or food to earn some extra money...I'd get DVD's from the library instead of watching TV...I'd make and freeze large portions of healthy foods...
But I've got a few things going for me. First, I've been interested in sustainable, environmentally friendly living for a while, so I know ways to live on a budget (even if I don't always succeed in my budget). Second, I'm older, and while I don't have my money balanced to a T, I've had enough experience to know how to use money. And frankly, it's hard to change your way of being. I doubt most under 21 year olds have truly developed a good sense of finance.
So the question isn't could YOU do it. The question is, if you were a young, uneducated person without any positive role models to show you how to make stuff from scratch or help you find alternatives to a life of poverty, could you budget yourself so that you could survive?
I still hope that this student, and all the other students like her, figure out how to prioritize. I think though, that the issue isn't easy to fix, especially considering that our current world isn't designed around cloth diapers or canned tomatoes. To change this one student's priorities we would need to change the look of poverty in America. I'm guessing disposable diaper companies, cell phone companies, and food manufacturers (and their stockholders) don't want to see that happen.
So once again, I've reached an equilibrium. I don't blame my students for becoming somewhat entitled, but I also don't know where I should place the blame.
Anyway, those are today's thoughts on poverty. I guess if it were an easy problem to solve it'd be fixed by now. Perhaps speaking about the problems, however, will help answers bubble to the top. If not, at least I've had my say.
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