Time to share...
Over at Testosterhome, Rachel is requesting help with meal ideas. She mentions how she can organize and keep things clean, but isn't as comfortable with cooking and meal planning. I think that I have the reverse problem. I can cook. I can play with the kids. Keeping the kitchen and bathrooms clean every...single...night..., well that's another story! I am constantly amazed at those with small children who can keep such orderly homes all of the time. I would settle for our house to be moderately clean about half the time. I often beat myself up for my inability to motivate myself in this arena.
As I thought this over, I remembered that each of us has our strong suits and our weak points - which brings me to today's post. I am going to share with you our family's absolute favorite recipe and if you feel so inclined, please leave me tips on how you keep yourself motivated in the cleaning area (or better yet some tips to make things easier!).
Chicken Divan
Boil 4 Boneless Chicken Breasts in water about 25 minutes. Cook 1 and a half bags frozen broccoli per package directions. In 9x13 pan, layer broccoli and then chicken. Mix 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 tsp curry powder, and 2 cans cream of chicken soup and pour over chicken. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and seasoned bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Serve over cooked rice. This freezes well and you can even mix the casserole ahead and just pop it into the oven before dinner. Enjoy!
posted by Mom of boys @ 8:26 PM
3 Comments:
Ok, that recipe sounds really yummy Can't wait to try it! You ARE a super cook and I know it will turn out well.
I think part of my drive to keep things neat and tidy (not necessarily always clean) is in my blood. My mother passed on a very strong gene in this area. It is funny because my sisters and I all have very differently decorated homes, but they all have that same basic tidiness. It is a really strong gene. Yet I am still not as neat and clean as my mom always was.
Anyway, some things that help me. I really try to do small little bits daily for the week. This morning I managed to do most of the Master Bath and last night a the sink, mirror and counters in the kids bath. I don't get to it all as regularly as I used to or would like. I make the Lysol company rich b/c I use their sanitizing wipes like they are going out of style. If I don't have time to clean the sink really well, I use those. If I don;t have time to mop the bathroom, I wipe with those all around the bottom of the toilet and floor.
Throughout the day. I clean up the kitchen after each meal. Personally I can't let that one go. I'd rather nt clean up toys. The kids clear their own places, Jacob does breakfast dishes and Nicole helps unload the dishwasher. I try to clean up the floor a bit with a rag or something else after each meal. Sometimes I don't get to that as well.
The things I am realy bad at are vacuuming upstairs (that means I actually have to drag the vacuum upstairs) and dusting (oh, how I hate it.
I think little bits is one of the most helpful things and making use of litle bits of time to do little jobs. I belive if we do our best to keep up with at least some of it, it is not such a monumental task to clean the kitchen or whatever the job may be.
Hope this helps. Of course you have entered the world of 4 children - I still have just 3. :))) And of course, with each child I manage to do less and less.
Have a super day - let's get together soon.
I admit I'm a neat freak, but couldn't keep up with the messes the kids were making. On a daily basis, we do at least one 10 minute tidy (sometimes 2), and I limit access to toys so they have to pick up all the Army guys before they can play with matchbox cars or pick up the Little Peoples to play with Thomas trains.
But for the real cleaning, I, uh, well, I hired a maid to come once a week. I include it in the "school expenses" budget, since I think I would have less mess and more time for cleaning if the kids were in school and I'm saving big bucks by not sending them to parochial school. This makes sense, right? My husband accepts it, at least!
I will definitely try the recipe, when I get back to a point where I can actually eat food again.
I do love to cook, it's my favorite part of the day other than the kid part. Cleaning, well, I do it, not as well as I would like though. I did find something that helped me. You might be interested too.
www.motivatedmom.com or it might have been org if that doesn't work. It divides your chores up into daily ones and not so daily ones and disperses them out throughout the year. It has helped me a lot and just knowing I have been able to check off something each day makes me feel less like a slacker.
Post a Comment
<< Home