If you are a mom (and you probably are, if you’re reading this blog), you probably know what Kegals are. If you don’t, go back and click on that link for more details. Because you should know. And if you’re a guy, I suggest you stop reading. Seriously.

Well, a couple of months ago I decided to get serious about them. Part of the problem was that I had gotten a Diva cup, and it kept sliding out. Very annoying. So I decided to try doing Kegals to see if it would help. I started out doing 25 or 30 reps, 6 times a day. Every week I would add 5 or 10 reps, until I got to 50. But by that time, the initial enthusiasm I had was waning, and I couldn’t seem to remember to do them. And anyhow, with the tone that I have achieved, I don’t need to do them 6 times a day. But I don’t want to quit, either.

My midwife told me that it often helps to associate something else with doing them. She said that one lady would do Kegals every time she stopped at a stoplight. That’s fine if you’re a Soccer mom, but I rarely leave the house, so that wouldn’t work for me.

Here’s what works for me. Every time I put my son down for a nap, I have to stand outside the door for a bit to make sure he doesn’t get up. Doing 2-second reps during that time with a 1-second rep in between gives me nearly 2 minutes of time standing there, and I feel like I’m getting something done while waiting to make sure he’s not going to get up. That gets me at least 2 times a day.

The other thing that helps is putting Kegals at the top of my daily to-do list. That way when I see the list, I remember them. I may not have time to stop and do them every time, but sometimes I can, and that usually gets me at least 1 or 2 more times. Which is probably more than enough to maintain what I’ve got.

That’s what works for me!

I have never heard these words from my kids. Yet. My son, of course, is too young. I would like to think that “Mama” and “Dadoo” mean what I think they mean, but so far the only thing I am sure he says and means is “Uh uh.” Oh, and let’s not forget “Uh oh.” Still, that’s not much!

My 3 1/2 year old daughter has never heard the phrase, but that doesn’t stop her from coming up with a substitute. “Mommy, I want to do someping.”

I am not one of those creative moms that comes up with 101 ideas to keep kids happy and busy, but I have a few standbys for situations like this.

One is coloring. This is almost always a hit. Especially when I print out a picture to match her Bible lesson for the week. This will be harder to do when we don’t have Internet at home. Usually I just google the topic of the story (such as Jesus healing Jairus’ daughter) and add the word “coloring” and up pops a list of pictures.

Another thing she loves to do is string beads. I have a set of pink beads with big (maybe 3/16″) holes in them that she can string onto one of those stretchy strings for making kids jewelry.  She never actually completes it. We just unstring the beads and put them back for later. But it can keep her busy for a while. After we move, I’m going to buy different colors for her.

Nanna gave her a package of multi-colored pipe cleaners, and she loves to sit and make things. She put two of them together and told me it was an ant and that it smelled. They can keep her occupied and out of trouble for extended periods of time.

And yes, many times I send her outside to play where I can watch her. Being out in nature is so soothing, lets her burn off energy without stressing Mommy, or waking up baby brother, and it’s fun.

Many times, I get her involved in what I’m doing. She is pretty good at rinsing dishes, grinding cereal, or setting the table. She helps me pick up the rugs and wash the mirrors and windows. As I type this, she’s sitting in the big laundry basket, folding cloth diapers right beside me and loving it.

So Gislaine will learn what being bored means soon enough. But let’s hope that by then, she won’t have a need to use it!

Have you ever noticed those peanut butter grinders in the grocery store? One day I decided to do a price comparison between that peanut butter and what I could get on the aisle. I discovered that, at least at WinCo, where I do most of my shopping, the freshly ground was cheaper!

So instead of buying a big jar of peanut better at Costco like my mom used to do (it would be rather hard, since I don’t have a Costco card, anyhow!), I buy a couple weeks’ supply freshly ground. That way I know exactly how old it is, what’s in it (peanuts, nothing more), and I can get more when I need it. One thing I really like is that I don’t have to spend time stirring the oil of a jar of 100% peanut butter, and wishing I could do a better job faster. Putting a cookie batter mixer on the end of an electric drill was my uncle’s solution, but it was still a lot of work and very messy! Buying freshly ground is so much better!

Works for me!

Maybe you’ve heard of the health benefits of coconut oil. Then again, maybe you are still one of those who thinks of saturated fat when you think of coconut oil. It’s true: coconut oil is high in saturated fat. But not the same kind that causes build-up in the arteries. It’s a healthy kind that actually boosts the metabolism while satisfying your body’s need for healthy fats.

But my purpose in this post is not to tout the benefits of coconut oil. The research is out there, and those links are just a start. What I want to do is tell you a not-so-well known tip on how to use coconut oil.

Besides using it for sauteing most everything that needs sauteing, I also put it on the table some days. Two favorites are lentil and split pea soups. We add a spoonful of Nutiva coconut oil to the soup and stir. It will melt quickly, because coconut oil melts at 76°. Usually we throw in a spoonful or two of nutritional yeast. This combination makes delicious soup absolutely mouthwatering! At least we think so.

Works for me!