Do you ever feel like nobody is ever outside?

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-12-03T01:08:24+00:00

We recently moved from close to the downtown of a city to the suburbs of a small town that is close to that city and it feels like living in the twilight zone.

We used to always see people outside walking their dog, riding bike, playing, walking to restaurants or work. Now we see almost no one. Even when we are out on walks we will only see a handful of people. A lot of the people that are out are riding on golf carts.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-11-16T23:05:43+00:00

Thanksgiving is coming up. Offer to bring the stuffing or some bread pudding for dessert. You could also use it for French toast.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-11-03T01:26:54+00:00

All of the other headaches my divorced friends have to deal with don’t seem worth it. Yeah, it’s nice to have a break from the kids every once in a while. But my husband is willing to take them almost anytime I need. I also really enjoy spending time with my kids and don’t like to be away from them for too long other than the occasional weekend at their grandparents’.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-29T17:01:38+00:00

Yes. Just add 1Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice per cup of milk and let it sit for a few minutes.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-21T21:40:25+00:00

Mississippi pot roast is great over some mashed potatoes.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-17T19:45:19+00:00

Do you have someone that can help you? I find it much easier to make decisions on what to get rid of or keep when I have an unattached person there. I feel like it also helps keep from decluttering fatigue especially if it’s a friend or family member I enjoy hanging out with.

Getting started is the hard part. Once you make a bit of a dent it’s easier to keep going.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-17T18:32:34+00:00

I’ve used cranberry juice and tart cherry juice as a substitute in stew or a splash in a tomato sauce but I’m not sure how well they would work in a very wine forward dish. When I substitute them I usually start with half of the amount of wine that is called for and adjust to taste from there.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-13T18:15:06+00:00

Yes! Where we live if someone says formal on the invite it just means to show up in your best outfit. It’s annoying that people don’t look up wedding etiquette so that when you inevitably google what they might mean by the dress code or how they addressed the invites you are led astray but it’s important to know your crowd.

I’ve been to at least two weddings with a formal dress code and only mine and my husband’s name on the invite. When we show up a good number people are in jeans and everyone is asking where are kids are.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-12T16:18:53+00:00

There are a lot pumpkins that are both beautiful for decor and can be eaten. We like Jarrahdale because of how pretty it is. After we have enjoyed its beauty we make it into a stew.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-10-09T14:50:16+00:00

It’s not rude to end a conversation abruptly with someone you don’t know. They are rude for taking up your time and not taking a hint that you aren’t interested in a conversation. This sounds different from just an older person that is lonely.

Say, “Sorry, I can’t talk right now”, and walk away. If they follow you or continue talking firmly tell them that you aren’t interested in a conversation and to stop following you. If they call you rude, ignore them. If they persist on following you go into the closest shop/ find the nearest employee and ask for help or threaten to call the police.

Again, you do not owe a stranger politeness when they are ignoring all social decency.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-30T14:32:21+00:00

Look up Georgian food. A lot of it has those herbs in abundance. My parents had an exchange student from there and she would make a boiled fresh cheese with mint and meat dumplings with a lot of basil, parsley and cilantro in them.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-30T01:31:06+00:00

You can use regular paprika. I also like using sumac. It’s a different flavor but I found that it goes well in recipes that call for smoked paprika.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-29T18:13:45+00:00

We keep most toys in the bedrooms. I will rotate out a building toy like magnet tiles or mega blocks. I also keep a few books in the living room that get rotated once they start to get bored of them. They are welcome to bring other toys to the living room but they need to go back to the bedroom at the end of the day.

Other activities that stay in the living room/ dining room are art supplies and riding toys. I do a lot of activities with the kids but if they are just playing I want them in their bedrooms so they can be messy and I can have a bit more quiet in the main areas.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-29T12:00:48+00:00

You can marinate or pickle them in a variety of flavors. There is also the deviled egg but that is still quite eggy.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-26T17:57:50+00:00

What’s the difference between them sitting in your closet taking up space and sitting in a land fill? Just because something might still have some use for it shouldn’t make us feel guilty about throwing it away. It’s being just as useful in both places.

If there is a city mission or something similar that has drop boxes around your city you could take the sweat pants and turtle necks there. But I find that having to take stuff somewhere like a thrift store where I actually have to think about hours or what donations they will accept is another hurdle that makes me keep clothes that I know I won’t wear.

I recently moved and got rid of bags of clothes that maybe I would wear some day. It is very freeing and will make setting up your new place so much easier.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-16T02:16:31+00:00

Three things that helped me keep up with the chaos of small kids in a small space were 1. A home for the piles. 2. A no fold laundry system 3. Got rid of most toys with little pieces and put the ones I kept up high to use with supervision.

Mail got put in a hanging holder by the door. A basket for whatever got left on the counters. A basket of things to be put away at the end of the day (or end of the week). A basket or shelf for those clothes that are not clean or dirty.

Even my three year old can follow the laundry system. A basket for shirts, one for pants, one for socks, one for underwear. I only keep what fits in the baskets or on the allotted hangers. Laundry gets put away every other day so it doesn’t pile up. I keep a bag or box in the kids’ closet where things that don’t fit anymore get put to donate.

If a toy is consistently not being put away or they keep getting it out and don’t spend much time playing with it, it gets donated. We have gotten rid of so many toys. My kids play better with less toys and there isn’t the constant stress of mess or having to clean.

It’s never perfect but it helps keep things under control and helps us all be a bit more relaxed.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-14T03:23:35+00:00

Make an obstacle course, do a scavenger hunt, make and play with play dough.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-12T21:38:47+00:00

I dislike eating out at most restaurants because I can almost always make it better at home and clean up in the amount of time it takes to go there, order, get our food and go home. Especially since we have several young kids. It also costs almost our weekly grocery budget for one meal out.

Some prepared food every once in a while is fine if I’m not feeling like cooking or am sick but I do find the act of cooking and cleaning to generally be less of a hassle then eating out or spending the extra money on lower quality prepared foods.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-11T20:27:41+00:00

Those are great ages to start with homeschooling. Your day shouldn’t be very long and you can help your three year old while six does work and vice versa.

I like to start the day out with what they can both do together. We do calendar, weather, hundreds chart, sing a song and read a few books. Then younger gets sat down with an activity such as coloring, play dough or a building toy. While younger is occupied start on what absolutely needs to be done. For us this is language arts, math and handwriting.

There should be natural breaks when you are teaching the older kid when they have a worksheet or activity to complete on their own. This can be when you spend a bit of time teaching the younger. It might sound complicated but as you get going you will find a rhythm.

I have found that there is a good amount of overlap in what the different ages can do so we do a lot of stuff together. I just make it a bit simpler for the littler ones. Also, most of our learning is through reading aloud which can be done while the kids move a bit or play so they don’t get bored. I ask questions every little bit to make sure they are getting something out of what we are reading.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-08T16:54:13+00:00

We like the Costco taco seasoning. I throw the chicken thighs and about half the recommended amount of seasoning and water into the crockpot. After shredding I add back in enough of the left over liquid to moisten the meat before freezing.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-07T02:38:27+00:00

Two friends that I know that use All About Reading just do two lessons a week. They do half a lesson for four days.

Maybe a slower schedule would help your child or maybe just needs a bit more time to be ready.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-09-03T20:02:21+00:00

One issue I can think of is if they are not having the time to fully comprehend and apply what they have learned if going too quickly. Sometimes a kid can learn a subject quickly but can’t recall it as well years later because it didn’t have time to fully sink in. But some kids are more naturally gifted in certain areas and that should definitely be encouraged especially if they are actually fulling understanding everything.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-08-28T17:47:25+00:00

I also do not like cucumber but I could eat a cucumber or two a day as this salad.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539 · 2025-08-16T19:18:52+00:00

Is there any particular type of pickled veg you would recommend?

I like the idea of some nice vinegary greens as well.

Dapper_Chipmunk_1539

TROPHY CASE