Struggling? Who, me?

spider ring on my bedside table -- laundry mountain range -- PlayDo on my dresser

taxes mess -- yes, my kitchen sink -- craft mess

sewing table -- kitchen island full of crap -- this is a very old picture, but still a mess

I saw this post last week on Skip to My Lou titled, "Are You Struggling?" I really just wanted to laugh...seriously? Am.I.Struggling? Hmmm. I feel like I have been struggling since I had my third child! And that was almost 2yrs ago. But the post was really about signing up for a contest where Kenmore wanted to know what we are struggling with around our homes. OH. So Kenmore is going to invent a time machine for me that also cleans and makes my kids get along with each other! Yeah! I don't really think so.

But I will say that ever since we bought the worlds biggest washer and dryer two years ago, Laundry has not been my struggle. Now since we do have a humungo washer, I have a tendency to let the dirty clothes pile up pretty badly. (Like I am completely out of white socks at the moment.) But we get it done one mountain at a time. Best ridiculously expensive thing we have purchased, maybe ever.

Dinners are my only one other chore that does not overwhelm me anymore. My trick? I write down our dinner menu week by week- sometimes two weeks at a time. I used to just make a list of dinner "possibilities," meaning I had the groceries to make it on hand. But this failed big time. Inevitably I would forget to thaw some key element of the meal (like the chicken). So now, before I make my grocery list, I write out my dinner menu list. I plan quick meals for soccer nights and easy meals when my husband will be home late. My other "trick" is I double (or triple) recipes then freeze the extras. For instance, it is no more difficult to make large batches of soups, pancakes, sauces, enchiladas, or taco meat as it is to make one family-sized serving. This is my lifesaver.

Something else, I will have to ask my friend if she would review her floor-cleaning robot for us. Seriously? A house-cleaning robot? Yes, she has it. Yes, I might want it.

I was thinking of sharing some of these "multiply and freeze" recipes with you. Would you be interested? Leave me a comment and let me know! Um, please.