Learn household management ideas, marriage tips, helpful information about children, menu planning information & receipes. HOUSEHOLD TIP: Eliminate messes before they happen; for example, put crayons and markers up on high shelves, limit playtime and meals to one area in the house instead of several rooms, take shoes off at the door and request children to wash their hands immediately after playtime. Now what are you going to do with the extra time you just found in your day? MENU PLANNING TIP: Prepare two dinners at a time. Use one meal at the time you prepare it and freeze the other meal. When using this plan for thirty days, you wouldn't have to prepare any dinner's the following month. RECIPE: THE BEST BUTTERMILK PANCAKES MIX IN A BOWL & SET ASIDE: 2 CUPS FLOUR 1 TSP. BAKING SODA 2 TSP. BAKING POWDER 1 TSP. SALT BEAT TOGETHER: 2 EGGS, 2 CUPS BUTTERMILK, 2 TAB. MELTED BUTTER. ADD & MIX THIS TO THE DRY INGREDIENTS. POUR SOME PANCAKE MIXTURE ONTO A GREASED, HOT GRIDDLE FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN TURN OVER. SERVE WITH BUTTER AND HOT SYRUP. A MARRIAGE TIP: Observe your husband's behavior when you invest more time with him or do specific things for him. Rise early and have a cup of coffee or tea together before the children wake up and enjoy a conversation without interuptions. Do something special just for him on occassion and let him know you care about him. Meet for lunch at various quiet locations when ever you can and try to schedule a date night each week. Trade hours with a friend to do childcare and plan a weekend away with your spouse. It is important to invest time and nourish your marriage relationship while you raise the children. CHILDREN'S CORNER: Children respond better when they are given a schedule, structure and boundaries each day. I want to encourage you to set up a summer schedule with your children and plan a month of activities. Design a bulletin board and place it in a central location in the house so the family will have a visual aide to refer too. Then post a calendar of events of places to go and the activities you plan to do for the month. Post a morning and afternoon schedule and list each child's responsibilities for the day. When children know there is a plan for the day, they are usually more content.