Essentials in a Toolbox

This post isn't exactly a how-to post, it's mainly a what-to post.  It's kind of funny, over the past few days I've done a couple of 'handy' things around the house.  One of the first things I get now is the camera.  For now I just take still pictures of my projects with the intention of making instructional slideshows.  At some point I'll probably try to work in video footage but the regular pictures will have to do for now.  I just find it amusing that before I do any project I make sure that I can document it.  The other thing that I'm realizing is that if I'm going to be documenting household repairs with photos, I should try to make sure that I'm using the right tools for things.  Now the vice grips did work alright, but an adjustable plumbers wrench would have worked better.

For this past Father's Day I got my husband more household organization in the form of a big tool box . . . for me.  I get a place for my tools and he gets them out of the way.  Now I just need to focus on keeping the tools in the box when I'm not using them.  I'm actually excited at the prospect of always knowing where they are when I need them.  Then all I'll have to look for when I start a project is the camera - unless I get one just for the toolbox too.

Turkey Carving

My goal was to publish a blog post each Monday.  Since I was traveling and visiting family yesterday, I put of posting till today.  It will be a short post too.

In honour of Canadian Thanksgiving (which was my reason for traveling this past weekend) I will post about turkey carving.

Have you ever taken your turkey out of the oven and proceeded to hack away at it, trying to get pieces off that were a decent size and not completely mangled?  This used to be me.  Then I watched an episode of Martha Stewart that changed my life.  I'm not a big television watcher so it's always nice when I learn something helpful when I do watch it.

Since it was a few years ago I can't remember the exact segment.  However, on Martha Stewart's website she has instructions for a few different methods.  The first link below is to the basic instructions for the method that I like and use.  The second link is a video.  It shows a guy carving a turkey in pretty much the exact method that I use.  Also note that it's important for the turkey to rest for about 25 minutes after removing it from the oven.  His hands would be burnt all over if that turkey had just been removed from the oven.  Plus, allowing the turkey to rest helps the meat to stay together better while carving.

Steps to Carve a Turkey

Turkey Carving Video

Information Seekers Unite

I love information. My bane in my house is paper. I have so many papers that all seem to contain information that I just might need some day. It has gotten a little better since I started recording the pertinent information in our family planner. I still have a long way to go though.

I've been recently feeling that as wonderful as my information is, it doesn't do a lot of good if it's just in my head. This is the inspiration behind this blog. I recently started a blog entitled I'm Driving a Van Now. I thought that it would be the spot for all my information. I'm noticing, however, that it's becoming more of a story place. While I enjoy posting there and I like the 'storiness' of it, it's not exactly the feel I want for my information.

While both I'm Driving a Van Now and Simply Amazing Household Management both take root in my activities as a mother of four children, they are about different aspects of motherhood. IDAVN is more about activities and adventures. SAHM, on the other hand, is more about tips and tricks that will help you on your way. I will be the first to admit that there is still a lot that I need to learn about having a smooth-running home, I'm certainly not an expert at everything. I also know that there are some things that I am very good at and I would like to share them with others.