Renee Emerson

random reader questions

– any healthy/easy/quick/cheap recipes you’d like to share?

– working moms–any tips on how to keep the house clean whilst working/writing/cooking/mothering/etc?

– potty training advice? 

– moms out there that are writers–do you have a scheduled writing time or do you just write whenever there’s a lull in the day?

– what writer have you read lately that makes you want to write?

– advice on finding time to exercise?

– inexpensive date night suggestions? 

– budgeting/money-saving suggestions, in general?

– what are your favorite blogs to read?

– what are your favorite devotional/theological books to read?

– any topic suggestions for me to write about on this blog?

thisquiethour

8 responses to “random reader questions”

  1. Heather

    These are some fun questions. I'm going to have to come back and see what your other readers say. Here are some of my answers!

    “any healthy/easy/quick/cheap recipes you'd like to share?”
    I stand by Lori Winter's one-pot pasta recipe. That one was really easy and really good! Breakfast for dinner is easy. Grilled chicken salad and baked potatoes is easy, but takes a little bit of time. I just throw boneless skinless chicken tenderloins on the George Foreman grill and then cut it up and add it to a salad and throw baked potatoes in the oven for an hour (if you coat the skins in olive oil and salt before putting them in the oven, they taste like restaurant-style baked potatoes).

    “potty training advice?”
    None. Let me know if you stumble upon something. As I think I've told you, we started early and then had to stop because Milo wasn't ready. I don't think I'm even going to attempt it until Linus is sleeping through the night. As long as Milo is potty-trained by age 3, I'm not going to worry about it. Hopefully that's not too lackadaisical an attitude.

    “moms out there that are writers–do you have a scheduled writing time or do you just write whenever there's a lull in the day?”
    I'm planning to go back to having a weekly writing night once Linus is sleeping through the night and going to bed at the same time as Milo. It's just hard to leave him behind with Tyson since Linus doesn't take a bottle (Already he's stopped and he's just a little over two weeks old. Sigh!). Once he's on a schedule like Milo's where he doesn't need to wake up to eat so much, I won't feel as bad about leaving him behind with Tyson.

    “what writer have you read lately that makes you want to write?”
    Edith Schaeffer! I've been reading a book she wrote called “The Hidden Art of Homemaking” which is really a great book for everyone – men, single women, working moms, SAHMs, etc. She's inspired me a lot the past week.

    “advice on finding time to exercise?”
    You're already good about this, but I think walking is a good way to combine exercise and family time. I'm also planning to exercise at night after everyone goes to bed once I get clearance at my six-week appt.

    “what are your favorite devotional/theological books to read?”
    I've really been into the Schaeffers lately. I also took C.J. Mahaney's advice to just camp out in the book of Romans for a while and that's been amazingly helpful to me.

    “what are your favorite blogs to read?”
    Other than this one, of course, and other than blogs you already know about (like Sarah, Erin, Katie, Michelle, etc.) here are a list of my current favorites!

    Everyday Kings (http://veronking2003.blogspot.com)
    Posie Gets Cozy (http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy)
    The Feminist Housewife (davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com)
    An Intentional Life (http://freyahearn.tumblr.com – about a couple with a young baby who are experimenting with a nomadic lifestyle)
    SortaCrunchy (http://www.sortacrunchy.net/sortacrunchy)

    P.S. As far as cleaning goes, I just discovered the most amazing thing ever. Milo can vacuum! Oh yes. I have finally found a chore that he loves and that he's actually really good at! Buy one of those cheap stick vacs for $30 and let Zuzu start helping you! I just turn it on and hand it to Milo and he goes to town while I clean something else (all of this preferably while Linus is sleeping). The good news is, the vacuum produces a white noise which can also lull babies to sleep. It's a win-win-win all the way around. (Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-Featherweight-Stick-Vacuum-3106Q/dp/B0079RAGB0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378474863&sr=8-1&keywords=bissell+stick+vac)

    Like

    Reply
  2. Heather

    These are some fun questions. I'm going to have to come back and see what your other readers say. Here are some of my answers!

    “any healthy/easy/quick/cheap recipes you'd like to share?”
    I stand by Lori Winter's one-pot pasta recipe. That one was really easy and really good! Breakfast for dinner is easy. Grilled chicken salad and baked potatoes is easy, but takes a little bit of time. I just throw boneless skinless chicken tenderloins on the George Foreman grill and then cut it up and add it to a salad and throw baked potatoes in the oven for an hour (if you coat the skins in olive oil and salt before putting them in the oven, they taste like restaurant-style baked potatoes).

    “potty training advice?”
    None. Let me know if you stumble upon something. As I think I've told you, we started early and then had to stop because Milo wasn't ready. I don't think I'm even going to attempt it until Linus is sleeping through the night. As long as Milo is potty-trained by age 3, I'm not going to worry about it. Hopefully that's not too lackadaisical an attitude.

    “moms out there that are writers–do you have a scheduled writing time or do you just write whenever there's a lull in the day?”
    I'm planning to go back to having a weekly writing night once Linus is sleeping through the night and going to bed at the same time as Milo. It's just hard to leave him behind with Tyson since Linus doesn't take a bottle (Already he's stopped and he's just a little over two weeks old. Sigh!). Once he's on a schedule like Milo's where he doesn't need to wake up to eat so much, I won't feel as bad about leaving him behind with Tyson.

    “what writer have you read lately that makes you want to write?”
    Edith Schaeffer! I've been reading a book she wrote called “The Hidden Art of Homemaking” which is really a great book for everyone – men, single women, working moms, SAHMs, etc. She's inspired me a lot the past week.

    “advice on finding time to exercise?”
    You're already good about this, but I think walking is a good way to combine exercise and family time. I'm also planning to exercise at night after everyone goes to bed once I get clearance at my six-week appt.

    “what are your favorite devotional/theological books to read?”
    I've really been into the Schaeffers lately. I also took C.J. Mahaney's advice to just camp out in the book of Romans for a while and that's been amazingly helpful to me.

    “what are your favorite blogs to read?”
    Other than this one, of course, and other than blogs you already know about (like Sarah, Erin, Katie, Michelle, etc.) here are a list of my current favorites!

    Everyday Kings (http://veronking2003.blogspot.com)
    Posie Gets Cozy (http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy)
    The Feminist Housewife (davidandcarolineparker.blogspot.com)
    An Intentional Life (http://freyahearn.tumblr.com – about a couple with a young baby who are experimenting with a nomadic lifestyle)
    SortaCrunchy (http://www.sortacrunchy.net/sortacrunchy)

    P.S. As far as cleaning goes, I just discovered the most amazing thing ever. Milo can vacuum! Oh yes. I have finally found a chore that he loves and that he's actually really good at! Buy one of those cheap stick vacs for $30 and let Zuzu start helping you! I just turn it on and hand it to Milo and he goes to town while I clean something else (all of this preferably while Linus is sleeping). The good news is, the vacuum produces a white noise which can also lull babies to sleep. It's a win-win-win all the way around. (Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-Featherweight-Stick-Vacuum-3106Q/dp/B0079RAGB0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378474863&sr=8-1&keywords=bissell+stick+vac)

    Like

    Reply
  3. Katie Krebs

    – any healthy/easy/quick/cheap recipes you'd like to share?
    Vegetarian recipes are cheap! We eat lots of beans and lentils in this house. I prefer red lentils, because to me brown lentils taste like dirt. Pinto beans, quinoa, and collard greens are high in iron, and much cheaper than red meat.

    – working moms–any tips on how to keep the house clean whilst working/writing/cooking/mothering/etc?
    Label everything. That way everyone knows where to find things in that morning rush to get out the door, and at night when you're cleaning up, everyone knows where things go.

    – potty training advice?
    Don't rush it, and don't let you or anyone else put a number on it (she has to be potty trained by xx date). I made the mistake of trying to potty train Emmeline too early and she just ended up very resistant to the idea, so it backfired on me and she didn't potty train until she was almost four. Wait until you're sure your child is ready, or you'll get frustrated and they'll pick up on that.

    – advice on finding time to exercise?
    I like having a YMCA membership, because Emmeline and Gareth enjoy being in Y-Play. It's fun for them to have new toys and new friends to play with, so I don't have to deal with Mommy guilt when I want to work out.

    – what are your favorite blogs to read? I just discovered http://theeowiggle.blogspot.com/ this morning. She and her husband are church planters in Germany. Her posts are a mix of german culture, theology, and parenting. Interesting!

    – what are your favorite devotional/theological books to read? This year a former pastor and mentor has been blogging daily devotionals with read through the bible passages attached. I've been doing that for my devotions, and the accountability has helped me stick with it. thistledewfarm.us.

    – any topic suggestions for me to write about on this blog? I love reading about what your precious family is up to!

    Like

    Reply
  4. Katie Krebs

    – any healthy/easy/quick/cheap recipes you'd like to share?
    Vegetarian recipes are cheap! We eat lots of beans and lentils in this house. I prefer red lentils, because to me brown lentils taste like dirt. Pinto beans, quinoa, and collard greens are high in iron, and much cheaper than red meat.

    – working moms–any tips on how to keep the house clean whilst working/writing/cooking/mothering/etc?
    Label everything. That way everyone knows where to find things in that morning rush to get out the door, and at night when you're cleaning up, everyone knows where things go.

    – potty training advice?
    Don't rush it, and don't let you or anyone else put a number on it (she has to be potty trained by xx date). I made the mistake of trying to potty train Emmeline too early and she just ended up very resistant to the idea, so it backfired on me and she didn't potty train until she was almost four. Wait until you're sure your child is ready, or you'll get frustrated and they'll pick up on that.

    – advice on finding time to exercise?
    I like having a YMCA membership, because Emmeline and Gareth enjoy being in Y-Play. It's fun for them to have new toys and new friends to play with, so I don't have to deal with Mommy guilt when I want to work out.

    – what are your favorite blogs to read? I just discovered http://theeowiggle.blogspot.com/ this morning. She and her husband are church planters in Germany. Her posts are a mix of german culture, theology, and parenting. Interesting!

    – what are your favorite devotional/theological books to read? This year a former pastor and mentor has been blogging daily devotionals with read through the bible passages attached. I've been doing that for my devotions, and the accountability has helped me stick with it. thistledewfarm.us.

    – any topic suggestions for me to write about on this blog? I love reading about what your precious family is up to!

    Like

    Reply
  5. Renee

    oh thanks for all the ideas! i look forward to checking out those blogs too!

    Like

    Reply
  6. Renee

    oh thanks for all the ideas! i look forward to checking out those blogs too!

    Like

    Reply
  7. Renee

    that's so smart! i bet zu would love to vacuum!

    Like

    Reply
  8. Renee

    that's so smart! i bet zu would love to vacuum!

    Like

    Reply

thoughts?

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

Gravatar
WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. ( Log Out /  Change )

Cancel

Connecting to %s