Three Ladies and a Dad

Fun times...

2010-12-08T09:12:00.002-06:00

Just wanted to let you all know I posted two new giveaways last night on my review blog! You can also still enter to win the Taco Night Set, which includes dishes.

And another...

2010-11-15T21:39:00.002-06:00

Click here for the latest giveaway...worth about $50!

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of November 7

2010-11-07T20:18:00.008-06:00

I'm jumping right back in! (For now, anyway.)

Monday:: Using leftovers and what we have on hand to make Penne with Broccoli and Sausage

Tuesday:: Grilled chicken salad and fruit

Wednesday:: Beef and Broccoli

Thursday:: Steaks, baked potatoes and green beans
Friday:: Macie's fish sticks...yes, she makes these all by herself!
Saturday:: Double Layer Tacos with corn and black beans

Sunday:: Chicken Quesadillas

I realized now I need to read all the menu plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie to get some new recipes!

Tunnel vision

2010-10-14T12:58:00.012-05:00

{Zoa sporting one of the bubble skirts I made this summer.}

Our family is in a whirlwind.

I mean seriously, when you change sheets with your sick daughter still in them because you don't have the heart to wake her up, you know..

...you have to do what you have to do.

Right now, for us that means eating not so good for you food, eating out more than I like, loading the washer at night so you can start it before you leave at 7:30 and consuming more coffee than ever.

We have finals this week and next week and hopefully we can start fresh on November 1 when the winter term begins.

I have changed these last few months. I feel lost, struggling to stay afloat and angry. Angry that my life is school. I miss simple Sundays relaxing with the family, grocery shopping, cooking and not having a pit in my stomach all the time...waiting on the next test score to be posted.

But you know what? I have one year and seven months left. I know this is a tough time but I will make it through. It's just hard to not be able to be the mom and wife I want to be.

And another one...

2010-08-26T22:12:00.001-05:00

Click here for my newest giveaway!

The Gap: $50 gift card for $25

2010-08-19T13:17:00.004-05:00

I love the Gap. I am actually waiting for a package from them with school clothes in it for the girls. I thought this might help someone else out so wanted to share this with you.

Groupon is offering a $50 Gap gift card for $25. Today is the only day that you will be able to get it at this price.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Register or log in to Groupon.
2. Look for your city. Since my closest city is St. Louis, I chose that.
3. Purchase the gift $50 gift card for $25.

This is limited to one per person and the gift card can only be used in store. The expiration is November 19,2010.

Gap clothes are great quality and one of the few brands that fit Macie really good so I am stoked about this one!

Wordless Wednesday: An apology like no other

2010-08-10T21:58:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, the girls asked to run to the front yard to do something. I was then told to open up the door and found this...

:: I edited out the place; we were out running some errands ::

Happy W W!

(While your here, click on over to enter my newest giveaway!)

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of August 8

2010-08-09T06:41:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I went shopping for the month. We are back on the cash bandwagon and I am determined to stay focused on our budget even though this time in our lives is pure chaos.

I came home late Saturday afternoon and started separating chicken and beef into meal portions and doing any prep work that would save time later. The girls joined me and I am happy to say I prepped about 13 meals for the month!

Here is the menu plan for our week:

Breakfast Ideas
French toast
Pancakes
Cereal
Smoothies
Oatmeal

Lunch Ideas
Grilled cheese
Baked potatoes
Leftovers
Cheese, fruit and crackers
PB&J Sandwiches

Dinner Ideas
Meatball subs
Cajun chicken pasta

Burritos
Beans and rice
Chicken basil sandwiches
Texas chicken quesadilla

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

(While your here, click on over to enter my newest giveaway!)

Finally...

2010-08-08T13:31:00.001-05:00

I'm here today...giving away a $25 gift card to CSN Stores!

the perfect last day

2010-07-23T21:54:00.004-05:00

School resumes on Monday, and while I am dreading it, I am trying to take Jeremy's approach to it all :: "You're one week closer to graduating babe!"

Today, the girls and I loafed at home. I drank coffee in silence while they slept in and since it is way too hot outside to do anything, we stayed inside. They picked up their bedroom and toy room without arguing and if you know our girls, that is an accomplishment in and of itself. Laundry is caught up on, bathroom mirrors are clean of any splatters and the beds are waiting for us with clean sheets.

This weekend we have a birthday party while Jeremy hits up the golf course, then we are off on our weekly family grocery shopping trip.

For now, I am off to chit chat with a friend while having a drink. There is nothing like summer....

I have to admit, it does look pretty stinking cute.

2010-07-18T20:44:00.012-05:00

Saturday night, Zoa fell off a tricycle. After the normal amount of tears and a small bag of ice, she was fine, laughing actually. Jeremy and I figured she just jammed her thumb. It was swollen but she could move it in every direction.

The week continued on, swimming lessons, playing outside, cleaning...normal day to day things. No complaints from Zoa whatsoever.

On Wednesday, I noticed it was still swollen and had some bruising so I thought I would call the doctor just in case.

We headed off to the doctor that afternoon...

...and the nurse practitioner wanted to have an xray, just in case.

The doctor walks in and I knew it was broke. The doctor was full so we had the appointment with the nurse practitioner. Uh oh. She asked what happened and we told her...

"How big was the tricycle?", she asked.

Come to find out, she broke the bone that connects the thumb to your wrist. That is why she was able to move her thumb so good! They put it in a wrap and made the appointment to see the orthopedic doctor the next day to get a hard cast. She was definitely embarrassed about it now.

We headed there the next afternoon while Macie was at a play date. They were running behind (go figure!) so what else do you do while waiting? Make goofy faces!

Once we got back, we waited some more...

...and then got called back to start the casting.

"Hot pink, please" was her color of choice.

After getting it wrapped, Zoa was good to go. She is loving it!

Lots of pain

2010-07-16T10:03:00.005-05:00

I am not sure how I could miss a broken hand for five days. I mean, look at her (dirty face and all)...she was in a massive amount of pain a few hours after it happened.

Come back later for the full story...I am off to go buy scrubs for clinicals.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-07-11T20:35:00.003-05:00

Even though I did not post a menu last week, I changed it up a bit. I have always assumed that lunch will be found, but when you make your shopping list according to exactly what you are eating, lunch may not be in the list. Last week, I did a lunch menu also and it helped out so much...

Monday:
Lunch - PB&J sandwiches and carrot sticks
Snack - Fruit
Dinner -Stuff you put over toast and a veggie
Tuesday:
Lunch - A little buffet of crackers, cheese, olives and fruit
Snack - Smoothies
Dinner - Simple sesame noodles with chicken and/or shrimp
Wednesday:
Lunch - Turkey and cheese sandwiches and pretzels
Snack - Apples and peanut butter
Dinner - Vegetarian tostados and corn on the cob
Thursday:
Lunch - Grilled cheese sandwiches and a fruit
Snack - Carrot sticks
Dinner - Grilled chicken of some sort and a salad with a veggie
Friday:
Lunch - Picnic...the girls and I will decide what to bring. Probably something similar to Tuesday's lunch.
Snack - Popcorn
Dinner - Homemade pizza
Saturday:
We are out of town today.
Sunday:
Lunch - Leftover pizza
Snack - Fruit
Dinner - Steaks on the grill with a veggie

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Wordless Wednesday: Swimming Lessons

2010-07-06T22:33:00.001-05:00

They started yesterday. Two hours a day, four days a week for two weeks.

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Build-A-Bear Part 2

2010-06-29T06:04:00.000-05:00

Click here to read the rest of our trip to Build-A-Bear Bearquarters!

Keeping It Real: The Office/Dining Room/Laundry Room

2010-06-28T18:00:00.002-05:00

Alternatively Titled: Don't Judge

-Before-
(click to enlarge)

-After-

Tomorrow, I will be in our living room. I want to clean out drawers filled with random things. I think it will be relatively easy so I may also clean an area on some stairs we have that are used as a closet. :)

Dusting off cobwebs

2010-06-28T11:47:00.003-05:00

Not literally, of course.

I am starting classes back up on July 26. Yes, I have taken in precious time with my girls. We have done tons of things, most of which I have told you about. But this week, I am cleaning.

My mission is to designate one day each week to one room and deep clean that room. That means sorting, organizing, throwing away and storing everything in that room that needs attention.

Today was supposed to be at the water park so I chose the office area. It is smaller but has quite a few random things in it. I would like to update this post with before and after pictures but we will see.

I have great intentions with this. But I am scared. With Jeremy and I doing P90X in the morning and me running at night three times a week, I am hoping to find the time and energy to purge and clean my entire house. I have to make time during the day in between all our other chores. I mean, the clothes I weeded out of the closet are still waiting to be sorted.

If you want to chime in...feel free! You can also check out my Twitter updates, as I am sure I will be ~~venting~~ updating often.

(Image via.)

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of June 27

2010-06-28T07:13:00.001-05:00

Back to menu planning! I have been a slacker for a while now on posting these but I am making time for the blog...or at least trying!

I picked up some marinated chicken breasts from a local meat processor so we have a lot of chicken breast. I am all for pantry meals that lower the grocery bill!

Monday: Salsa chicken with black beans (I am putting this in the crock pot before we leave to meet friends at the water park.)
Tuesday: Teriyaki chicken and a veggie or two. Jeremy and I are headed to the Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse showing at the theater!!

Wednesday: Chicken burritos with leftover salsa chicken with corn
Thursday: Greek chicken breasts...this seasoning is soo good. I have got to figure out the spices.
Friday: Steaks on the grill (Steaks are from our last beef that we bought.), corn on the cob and a salad
Saturday: Headed to St. Louis to do some shopping! I will use leftovers from Thursday to make wraps with spinach and caeser dressing if we get back for dinner.
Sunday: Hamburgers, salad, chips...and whatever else we can find.

Make your way over to I'm An Organizing Junkie for hundreds of meal ideas and menu plans!

Build-A-Bear Part 1

2010-06-27T17:07:00.009-05:00

Click here to read about our week at Build-A-Bear Bearquarters in St. Louis!

glass

2010-06-26T00:21:00.008-05:00

After returning from Build-A-Bear Headquarters this week, which is a whole other post, Zoa started screaming and her the bottom of her foot was bleeding. After looking it over and doing the mom and dad thing, trying to calm her down, I realized that she had a piece of glass in it.

Crap. I needed the tweezers.

I got in position and Jeremy was taking on the duty of trying to calm her down while I got it out.

She was scared, understandably. And if you know Zoa, she does not get scared easily so I knew she must be terrified. Patiently, we talked to her, letting it know it was necessary it come out.

Luckily, I got it out on the second try.

After bandaging her up, Jeremy started to tell the story of how he knew from experience it was important to get the glass out.

He told us when he was a little boy, he somehow managed to get a piece of glass in the bottom of his toe while playing in the laundry room. The glass was not sticking out and very apparent, so it stayed in there for quite a few weeks before it made its way out on the top of his toe. He told Zoa that she is lucky we got it out, otherwise it would be very sore like his was.

Zoa then asked him why he was playing in the laundry room.

I wonder if she even heard the rest of the story.

A break from the sun...

2010-06-15T14:37:00.015-05:00

Thunderstorms are in full swing right now and to be honest, it is nice. I am still in my pajamas and the girls are on the floor, playing quietly.

Before I knew storms were in the forecast today, I planned to do just that. After my morning pot of coffee, I started to go through my closet. I now have a pile of clothes that must be gone through and separated into Ebay, consignment and Goodwill stacks. It will get done, eventually.

Like I said, we have been in the sun nearly every day. I have finally got some color and I am stocked up on good 'ole Vitamin D. Yesterday, we went to the girls' cousins' pool and they took turns sliding and jumping.

Tomorrow, we are back at the pool...in this heat, you just have to have water!

This weekend is our annual Crawl for Cancer. We are heading up late Friday afternoon and will be home early Sunday afternoon.

And I guarantee you the next morning all of us will be saying how we cannot wait for next years. It is such a fun time and a few nights where all our friends can act like we are young and carefree!

This year, we have a total of 20 people that are "crawling" with us. It should make for an interesting night...you just never know what is going to happen when all of us get together each year for it!

I also want to apologize for the excess of pictures. If it makes you feel better, I took 172 pictures yesterday...so I really did cut them down.

I hope you are doing your best to stay cooled down in the heat!

the view from here

2010-06-11T15:16:00.000-05:00

This summer has been the best by far. Since I have never been a stay at home mom, I am trying my darnedest to live it up with the girls before classes start again.

After our morning to do list, we are outside everyday....playing with bubbles, drawing on the patio with sidewalk chalk, playing in the sprinkler and setting up the little pool and splashing. We have had trips to the library and seen a snake show, been on Starfall several times, and have been journaling. I have also managed to read a few books while the girls have friends over to play.

So. awesome.

This morning, I told the girls to get our chores done and let's head back outside. I am loving it...~~sipping~~ chugging my Diet Coke and enjoying my girls like never before.

xoxo

A Bumpy Ride

2010-05-21T17:22:00.005-05:00

One more class period. One last test. And then, hopefully I can get back to regular posting.

Next week will start summer break!Pretty much every Wednesday we will be at our local library. They have little activities for kids to do and it will be a great relief knowing we do have something planned!

Have I told you I like to have plans?

The girls' Play Day was today. I say girls' since Zoa starts kindergarten in August. Pre-K was allowed to come to the Play Day and they had so much fun. Although now when you ask her about big school she says she does not want to go. She is just going to stay in bed all day. (I have pictures and will share soon!)

The real reason I am writing right now is I need help. Although I do not feel comfortable sharing what it is and probably won't, we are having some issues.

Issues that have been happening since the beginning of the year.

And they are turning into something bigger than what I am capable of handling.

I need your prayers. I have come to realize that I cannot fix it and I don't know what to do.

(Our marriage is fine and we are all healthy.)

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of May 15

2010-05-17T09:58:00.006-05:00

This is the last full week of school for Macie and Zoa! Thursday will be Zoa's last day at pre-school until her graduation in August. Friday is Macie's last day and we will all be going to her play day at school.

A week from tomorrow is my last day of school until July 26! I have a few things planned for the girls and I to do during the summer but {inexpensive} suggestions would be appreciated! I have never been a SAHM mom so I really need your help!

Nonetheless, here is what we will be eating this week...

Monday: Hamburgers from the freezer and baked potatoes with a veggie
Tuesday: Bruschetta n' Cheese Stuffed Chicken and a veggie

Wednesday: Dirty Rice (one of those recipes from my mom where you just throw whatever in it!)
Thursday: Sandwiches, chips and fruit...one of our favorite summer dinners
Friday: Chicken on the grill, veggies and a fruit
Saturday: Jeremy and I will be on a winery trip with some friends! The girls will eat leftovers or I will have pizza ordered in for the babysitter.
Sunday: Leftovers or dinner out

For more menu ideas, check out I'm An Organizing Junkie!

I thought I hated rats.

2010-05-10T18:58:00.005-05:00

Little did I know, they would teach my
five year old Zoa to read.
Did you catch that? My baby can read.

Zac the Rat

Zac is a rat.
Zac sat on a can.
The ants ran to the jam.
Zac had a pan.
Zac had a fan.
The ants ran and ran.
Zac had a nap.
The End.

(Found via Starfall)

Scattered

2010-04-25T18:06:00.004-05:00

Zoa's static-y hair is the perfect representation of our lives right now.

All over the place!

Random: ADJ: 1. Having no specific pattern, purpose, or objective:

2010-04-16T21:20:00.010-05:00

1. I am LOVING staying at home. Even though this week I have been super busy, I am loving being home every day, cooking my girls breakfast, enjoying a quiet cup of coffee and getting them ready for school. I do have school two times a week and I go early each day to try to get in a few hours of studying. Honestly, with everything going on, I am busier and more tired than I was when I was working!

2. I am making an 'A' in Anatomy and Physiology! I study all the time, you know, when I am not sweeping floors, cooking, doing laundry or being a mom.

3. I have skipped over on commenting on many blogs lately. I will make it there. I am reading though!

4. I bought a sewing machine a few weeks ago and have made the girls the cutest bubble skirts. I am addicted and after my next test on Thursday, I am making them dresses. That's all I need, more things to do!

5. My life revolves around school.

6. I have a hard time sitting still. Even when I am sitting down, I am always doing something else. I honestly get bored sitting around doing nothing!

7. Enjoy spring and have a great weekend!

It has paid off...

2010-04-02T17:11:00.007-05:00

I am officially a
Stay at Home ~~Mom~~ Student!

I have to go to the office tomorrow for a couple of hours to do the last bit of training with the new girl but other than that...I am done!

All of our hard work for getting out of debt has finally paid off and I will be able to stay at home with the girls throughout the remainder of my time in school, which is about two years. I will be doing a few things to make a little bit of money, but mostly that will pay for gas each week.

Hopefully, I will have some time to study during the day because seriously, I cannot handle my house when it looks like it has since I started school February 22. I am hoping it works out like this so I would love some good vibes and prayers that this is how it will play out.

Now, I am off to study since I have an Anatomy and Physiology test on Tuesday. I am so sick of muscles, joints and bones it is not even funny!

When your husband messed up his ligament and your only response is "That's dense connective tissue!", you know your head has been in the books.

I could not have chosen a better father for my children...

2010-03-25T05:40:00.000-05:00

I am so lucky to have a {handsome} husband who loves daddy/daughter time. A few weeks ago, Jeremy surprised the girls with a date night...a Father and Daughter Dance! I was left at home to study for a test I had during the next week. The girls loved getting all dressed up...they are such little girly girls.

A break for mom plus bonding time for the girls and Jeremy was the perfect Saturday night!

Wordless Wednesday: Zip Line

2010-03-24T05:03:00.001-05:00

Macie had a birthday party for a classmate a few weeks ago. They had a zip line (perfect for trying out my new lens!) ...after Macie got over her initial fears, she had a blast!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of March 21

2010-03-21T17:09:00.008-05:00

{This is my current kitchen....we are painting cabinets this week!}

{My pantry is in bags.}

Needless to say, dinners will be simple.

Monday: Spagetti
Tuesday: Grilled chicken, a veggie
Wednesday: Crock pot pulled "pork" sandwiches, home fries and grapes
Thursday: Chicken caeser wraps
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Grilling outside...yeah for spring!
Sunday: Leftovers or French Dips

Head over to OrgJunkie for more menu ideas!

For the Love of Jessie tshirts!

2010-03-13T20:05:00.001-06:00

Just a quick update...

I have quite a few people asking me about t-shirts for the Great Strides Walk we are doing this year in memory of Jessie.

I am so happy with the design this year! Whitney and I had Beth from I Should Be Folding Laundry put something simple and cute together and we love them!

The color for the t-shirts are going to be Irish Green with black wording.

Front:

Back:
We are going to add the Great Strides logo on the back in black and white and it will be about 2/3 of the size of the wording above it.

If you want to add another tshirt to your closet (in my opinion you cannot have enough!), please email me and I will give you the mailing address of where to mail your payment to. We also have toddler sizes available which are are so stinkin' cute! Toddler sizes are not available in the Irish Green color so we will use Kelly Green for those.

The cost is $15 a shirt and any proceeds from the sale of the tshirts will go directly to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The deadline to have your orders turned in is March 20.

On a more personal note...I am alive and well. But school is beating me down! This week is spring break so hopefully I will post some updates.

xoxoxo

Little Miss Betty Crocker

2010-03-07T17:40:00.002-06:00

Where has she been? Click here to find out and enter my new giveaway.

This post is proudly sponsored by coffee.

2010-03-02T08:15:00.004-06:00

Life is busy...here is quick update:

1. School started last Monday. First day of class, our assignment was to write a four page paper. Welcome to class, folks!

2. Jeremy and I have been going to bed no later than 9:00 pm. I am not sure if I am mentally exhausted or physically tired but last time I was this tired I was pregnant.

3. AND NO, I AM NOT PREGNANT.

4. I promise I will try to post more.

5. The end.

Want free groceries?

2010-02-22T10:17:00.001-06:00

Then go here to enter my new giveaway!

A reader asked...

2010-02-17T17:23:00.000-06:00

I got a question from Amy yesterday...

You talk about your budget. I'm always trying to stay on a budget but never seem to find a good way to set one up. How did you develop yours?

Thanks for asking Amy! Here is what I have found that works for us.

I started using a expandable 13 file folder for bills last year and I love it. It is compact, portable and easy to store.

Here is a picture of ours for this year. Each file is for one month...

Each month, when the bills are paid, I put the copy of the bill marked paid with the check number and date. Any unexpected bills that come in (doctors) get placed in the following months file. (Bills that come in February get placed in the March file. This will make sense, stick with me.)

But how do I figure out what gets paid when?

This is where the budget comes in. I use Dave Ramsey's budget software. I bought it mid-December and started January 1. Between this and the envelope system, our budget has drastically changed....for the good!

At the end of the month, I get our folder, my calendar, a calculator, the laptop and a pen. The budget software allows me to type in what I expect Jeremy and I to make during the month and what bills we have going out. This is when you would pull out all of those bills that came in the mail. You should know when all your other payments are due...utilities, car payments, rent/mortgage, phone, etc. I also plan for any haircuts we may need, medicines, oil changes... Try your hardest to spend every dime on paper before the month starts.

Once I have the budget done, I tell Jeremy it is time to go over it. I run through it with him and add anything he may need. We finalize it and that is that.

Dave's software also includes an 'Allocated Spending Plan'. This allows you to enter and plan where each paycheck is going. Every Friday in my calendar shows what I am doing with that check. I fill out the budget portion of my calendar at the same time I do my budget. I only deposit what I know I will be paying for with a check that week. That way, I know that we cannot use the debit card or write checks. Any leftover cash gets sorted into envelopes which I also plan every Friday.

This is the envelope system we use and it has changed the way we live and spend money.

I have it divided into five categories: Grocery, Eating Out, Blow Money, Entertainment, Gas

The hardest part I had figuring out with the envelope system is that they may have never be "Fully Funded". With our first check, I put ALL of our grocery money in it's and then fill the rest with what I can to get is through the next pay date. It seems to have helped a lot doing it this way instead of stressing because we never had ALL of our envelopes completely full.

Make sense?

I tired to explain this the best way I could....email me or leave me a comment if you have questions!

Time to play catch up.

2010-02-15T20:29:00.013-06:00

While the girls enjoy a nice, warm bedtime snack of oatmeal, I thought I would try to catch you up. The past few weeks have been full. Weekends are full of birthday parties, church, a MDA fundraiser (Our team got most Team Spirit!), planning for our Annual Great Strides Walk in honor of Jessie and cleaning. The weeks have been full of homework, strep throat, sick days and homework.

And snow.

(I may or may not have made this back and white so you can not tell just
how mismatched their snow gear was. Just sayin'.)

My goodness has is snowed! And they are worried about global warming!?

Valentine's Day was low key and fabulous! Gifts were never discussed between Jeremy and I. When I planned my menu this month, I planned a family candlelit dinner with The Pioneer Woman's Ribeye Steaks with Onion Bleu Cheese Sauce, her Twice-Baked Potatoes and a veggie.

Happy Valentine's Day babe...here is a "Man-Pleasin' Meal".

It was sooo good! I do not like Bleu Cheese but she said if you do not like it, you still must try it.

And try I did. Boy am I glad I did!

My mom ended up at our house for Valentine's Day dinner and it was so much fun cooking in the kitchen with you mom! Thanks for coming over...after all you are family, like MJ told you.

After dinner, Jeremy brought out three bags. (He did not know mom would be there.) The girls and I got Snuggies. I have to admit, I thought these were a little silly when they first came out a while back. But being a "blanket at all times" kinda gal, I love it! In fact, I am snuggling now!

I also got a jacket I have been wanting. Here is a little back story for you:

About a month or so ago, I found some workout pants in longs at Target. LONGS! I never find pants in longs! Needless to say, I was thrilled so I got them. A few weeks ago, I told Jeremy that I wanted the matching jacket. Jokingly, he told me, " If it is something you think you need, then get it."

NO! I don't need it! I want it. I did not budget it in this month...we could put the money elsewhere. I just kind of made myself forget about the $20 jacket.

But he came through and bought it for me. So I was happy. Good job, babe!

This week I will try and post a bit more but with school starting one week from today, I am trying to catch up on everything so we will see how it turns out.

Happy Monday...time to go tuck these girls in.

February Menu Plan

2010-01-31T20:40:00.006-06:00

Last month I planned my menu this way and it seemed to work really well. I will post the master plan here and then each week, break it down night by night.

Chicken
1. Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken
2. Fajitas
3. Homemade Pizza
4. Grilled Chicken
5. Homemade Burritos
6. Chicken Caesar Wraps
7. Roasted Chicken
8. Chicken Tacos

Beef
1. Beef and Broccoli
2. Homemade Pizza
3. Grilled Ribeye Steak with Onion Bleu Cheese Sauce
4. Hamburgers
5. Meatloaf
6. Nacho

Meatless
1. Baked Potato Soup
2. Tostadas
3. Easy Red Beans and Rice (Not adding the kielbasa)
4. Healthy Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas
5. Meatless soup...as of now it is undecided.

Pasta
1. Cajun Chicken Pasta
2. Skillet Penne and Sausage Supper
3. Pesto Tomato Ravioli

Fish
1. Tilapia with Lots of Spice
2. Shrimp over Simple Sesame Noodles
3. Crab Cake Burgers

Side dished will be a combination of salads, roasted carrots, steamed veggies, twice baked potatoes and rice, among other things.

petite picasso

2010-01-29T10:30:00.008-06:00

Macie feels better...her sore throat is gone. I cancelled her doctor appointment and they have been doing this while we wait on the snow to accumulate so we can play. I found the paint set in the back of the closet a few weeks ago and we have just been waiting to use it. Today was the day...

Crank the heat up, would ya dear?!

2010-01-28T21:16:00.005-06:00

Snow, snow and more snow!

Chili is ready to start in the crock pot when I wake up, my coffee pot is set to start at 7:30 and girls are psyched to play.

Quite frankly, so am I.

(Regardless if there is school tomorrow, my girls will not be going. Macie has a doctor's appointment at 9:45 for a strep test. She feels really well, but evidently that is what is going around...the symptoms are just a sore throat off and on. We will play as long as her throat will allow! And I am sure we will be making some more hearts once we are done.)

Wordless Wednesday: Our Night Owl

2010-01-27T07:09:00.003-06:00

Look who I caught sneaking out of bed at 10:15 last night...

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

A "heart felt", handmade gift...

2010-01-25T18:31:00.000-06:00

Here is a fun Valentine's Day craft for you to do...it is fun, easy as pie and cute!

Here is what you will need:

A heart shaped styrofoam wreath
About a yard to a yard and a half of red felt
A container of pins
A 3 inch template (I used a cup that was three inches.)
A pencil
Some scissors
And if you have them, two eager little girls!

First, trace some circles onto the felt. Try to get them as close to each other as possible. This was perfect for five year old Zoa to do.

Next, start cutting. And trace some more. And cut some more. Repeat as necessary.

Start folding! Fold each circle in half, then in half again. Pin the corner of the piece. We folded and pushed into the carpet...it made it quicker and seemed easier.

Start attaching to the wreath. I just attached each piece about a half-inch apart and fluffed and moved the felt to make it work. There is no need to attach the pieces to the back...it will just be hanging against the wall.

Once you have attached all the circles and have fluffed to hide any white parts, you need to attach the ribbon. Cut a small strip and just pin it to the back of your heart.

Tada! Adorable!

This was our second one tackling and we have eight more to go.
Five pre-school teachers, grandparents (hi guys!) and Macie's second grade teacher will get these for Valentine's Day. (And I had to make one for us!)

I got this idea from here! Thanks for the idea!

needles and drug tests

2010-01-19T16:37:00.000-06:00

Nursing school is coming!

After almost two years of waiting...classes will start February 22. This week I have been through a TB test (oddest thing I have ever seen!), tomorrow I have to get a flu shot, and yesterday I had to take a drug test...

Macie asked, "Will you do okay mommy?"

"Yes, Macie. Don't worry about my drug test."

That is definitely a conversation I did not think I would ever have with my eight year old.

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of January 18

2010-01-17T18:11:00.006-06:00

Looks to be a good week...we have had all of these recipes and they are tasty! Here we go...

Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Crock Pot Pulled Pork and a Veggie

Wednesday: Chicken Noodle Soup and Grilled Cheese
Thursday: Bruschetta and Cheese Stuffed Chicken, No-Knead Fococcia Bread and a Veggie

Friday: Homemade Pizza and leftover bread from last night.
Saturday: Spinach Roll Ups and a Veggie
Sunday: Salsa Chicken (I never add the oil) and Corn

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Hips don't lie...

2010-01-13T18:57:00.005-06:00

I scheduled my extra motivation today. I called the spa and booked a one hour massage and a facial appointment for early April. (I exchanged my present on this instead.) Why is this motivation?

I want to feel okay when I am laying on the massage table. And not worry about what the massage therapists is wondering...

I am having a hard time getting up at 4:45 in the morning. Something that might be causing that is me not going to bed until 11:00.

What can I say? I am a night owl.

But I want to be a morning person. How do I train my body to become that?

That is the million dollar question, internets.

Works For Me Wednesday: Our Reward Chart

2010-01-12T20:55:00.000-06:00

Confession: I love Supernanny. The girls and I watch marathons on the weekends. Jeremy is not a huge fan of the show, but I like it...it gives me alternatives to spanking and that nanny knows her stuff!

One weekend, I got on their website and just started looking for little chore charts or rewards charts...something fun and cute that would draw attention from the girls.

I found this, printed it off and got busy!

I also printed off the little people that come with it and then grabbed a few pictures of the girls to attach their head. (Silly, but the girls love it!)

I kept it a surprise and made sure it was hidden from them until I was ready. Once I got it all done, I made a huge deal of it to the girls.

"Come into the kitchen...I have a surprise!"

I showed it to them and they were so excited!

(Macie just reached ten to that is why she is at start again.)

For the actual rewards, I chose simple, inexpensive things the girls love to do. We do these things often enough as it is, but just letting them choose makes it much more exciting to them. Our rule is once they get to 10, we immediately plan the reward...no waiting for a good time. This adds to the treat of it!

Our rewards are:

A trip to the library
A new set of jewelry
Out to eat for dessert
Spend the day with mom or dad, alone
Help cook a whole meal
Pick the game for game night
Pick a movie for movie night
Go to the park
Invite a friend to stay the night

We place the chosen reward in the spot for it and they get to move up on the chart as they do a good job listening, picking up without being told...whatever works for you and your family. Zoa took some time getting used to it and actually caring about moving up, but once Jeremy and I were more consistent, she grew more interest in it. Stick with it!

I hope this can help someone...it definitely has worked for us!

(I was all about fast pictures so I apologize for the picture quality.)

Tons of pictures Tuesday....

2010-01-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

This week is starting off great!

We started a new reward chart a few months ago. After some inconsistency on this mama's part, we are back in it full swing. (More on the chart tomorrow.)

Macie tackled her reward chart and got to *ten* last night. Notice how I had spaghetti on the menu this week? Well, that was because Macie needed a simple meal to cook since she chose to cook an entire meal by herself as her reward.

Life is good!

Here is what tonight was like in our little (rental) kitchen...

Macie filled a pot with water and cranked the heat to high.

After I put in some ground beef in, she started to break it up while it cooked.

She added salt and pepper...

I drained it and then it was time for plenty o' garlic.

Time for some of that yummy homemade spaghetti sauce. I just stored it in this container. (Wink, wink.)

She added the sauce and started on the noodles.

Yummy!

The great part of being the chef is you get to have the first taste!

The chef's assistant needed to try it out, too.

Daddy came home...obviously.

Time to mix it all up.

Macie loved cooking dinner and I realized my little girl is growing up.

And dinner was delicious, by the way.

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of January 11

2010-01-10T15:34:00.004-06:00

It is still freezing here, but this week the temperatures should still be rising. I am all about warm, comfort food!

Monday: French dips and green beans

Tuesday: Spagetti and salad
Wednesday: Crock pot chicken chili

Thursday: Chicken burritos and corn
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Stuffed shells

Have a great week and stay warm!

Head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas!

Wordless Wednesday: Strike a Pose

2010-01-06T06:08:00.001-06:00

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of January 3

2010-01-03T20:20:00.000-06:00

Sunday: Leftovers from the weekend
Monday: Italian beef over sourdough bread
Tuesday: Garlic chicken and a veggie
Wednesday: Beef vegetable soup and sandwiches
Thursday: Shrimp over simple sesame noodles
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Vegetarian tostados and corn

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

change is fun.

2010-01-02T08:30:00.003-06:00

Usually Jeremy and I skip doing Christmas with each other. You can tell we are the old married couple because we just get something for the house. We have always been completely fine with that but this year we changed things up a bit.

A while back, I e-mailed Jeremy my "Merry Christmas to Me" list. (Inexpensive) diamonds were the only thing on it. I included the link and everything. Simple, no?

On the 23rd, Jeremy called me. "I lost that email, babe. Can you re-send it to me?"

I replied..."Are you flipping kidding me? It is two days before Christmas!"

I left it at that and resent the dang email.

Fast forward to Christmas morning...

I was so excited to pass Jeremy's presents on to him...he wanted clothes actually. He got two pairs of BKE jeans...one pair from me and one from the girls...

A pair of shoes from the girls...
And a pair of khakis...
He was very happy!

Then he pulled out my presents. I really was not expecting much...the only reason I spent what I did on him is I got an unexpected bonus. I would have been happy with anything to be honest. But this year, he really outdid himself... he bought a new lens for my camera!

On top of the fact he surprised me and I had no idea...this is the one that I actually wanted! It is Nikon brand and the one we could afford at the moment. Yayay!

The girls got me something that is priceless on a bad day...

A stress-relief massage and a mani and pedi. Can I just breathe a big sigh of relief? This will be heaven.

Needless to say, it was fun to unwrap presents. As much as we try to stress that Christmas is not about presents, it is exciting to receive gifts.

Honestly though, next year we will probably just get something for the house.

A Resolution of Sorts

2010-01-01T09:00:00.003-06:00

First and foremost, Happy New Year!

I want to start this by saying every year, we make resolutions. And every year, I set myself up to become this fabulous wife and mother who by the end of the year, will have it all together and not fail at anything. I vow to do this and this and this and this. And then I fail.

Sound familiar?

I got to thinking a few weeks ago and came to this conclusion. A long list is overwhelming so instead of a long list of goals and hopes of things I want to accomplish in 2010, I will make monthly goals. I have my list of resolutions for 2010 and will be working on them the whole year, but want to focus on getting one down before I dive in whole heartedly on the next goal.

My January goal?

It actually began the Monday after Christmas. Jeremy and I love P90X. We have always been the couple that likes to work out together, but last semester being gone two nights a week at class and studying on top of that really put P90X on the bottom of my list. The goal is to get back on a solid P90X morning routine by February 22 when I start nursing school. That way, once school starts, it will be part of our routine and I will be able to keep doing it all the way through school.

I will let you know in February how it goes, along with another goal. Feel free to post your goal(s) and let me know if you did!

"Oh Baby You"

2009-12-31T09:05:00.001-06:00

I want to start by saying that I am not promoting what brand the commercial is for...I just like the commercial. It reminds me of something that would happen in a cab ride home with friends of ours after a night out.

And tonight...let a stranger drive you home if you ring in the new year with drinks!

Just hang tight, k?

2009-12-30T19:19:00.003-06:00

I am writing this mainly for one person. ;) I promised I would have pictures of Macie's birthday party, but after thinking, she is having her "girls" party in a couple of weeks. With that being said, I will just wait and do a full on party post.

But Macie's family birthday party was a blast and included Mexican food, a BMX style bike and lots of fun presents...perfect for our eight year old.

EIGHT YEARS OLD!!

Insanity, I tell you.

Four hours later...

2009-12-29T06:52:00.001-06:00

On Saturday the girls and I spent the majority of the day tackling the toy room. I meant to get to it on Christmas Eve but then Zoa got sick. The closets are cleaned now, toys are sorted through and the new toys have found their home.

Before:

After:

As they say...out with the old and in with the new!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-28T06:15:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve with my dad...

Zoa started feeling a bit better toward the end of the night. Thankfully she was 100% better on Christmas morning! Christmas morning was spent at home...the girls were happy and we were tired.

Mid morning, my mom came over and we did Christmas with her.

After a run out to my grandparent's and a afternoon movie, we headed to Jeremy's parent's.

The girls got everything they could ever need and the new toys have found their place in the toy room! Thanks to everyone that helped make the Christmas wonderful!

Not where a five year old should be on Christmas Eve

2009-12-26T17:33:00.004-06:00

Hopefully next year, the flu will decide to not hit Zoa on Christmas Eve.

{notice the bucket?}

A favorite carol...

2009-12-23T11:51:00.000-06:00

Although I have not been the most loyal blogger lately, I wanted to let you know I will start posting again on Monday. Until then, I will be tied up with the holidays and family...and loving every minute of it!

I leave you with one of my favorite Christmas songs....enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

A Christmas Card For You!

2009-12-15T09:04:00.010-06:00

Merry Christmas to all my internet friends!

{Click to enlarge}

Be sure and see an outtake of our Christmas card here! It will make you smile, for sure!

You can look at everyone's Christmas cards at A Mom Two Boys.

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of December 13

2009-12-13T18:17:00.006-06:00

It seems like forever since I menu planned! I set all my post last month to post automatically since I decided to do the monthly plan again. Even though I miss out on some deals, it is worth it my time to only have to go to the store a few times a month as opposed to each and every week.

Jeremy got a smoker for his birthday. As we speak, two pork butts are finishing up. So when you see leftovers so early and frequent this week, that is what I mean.

Here is my plan for this week...

Monday: Hamburgers, oven fries and a veggie
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Roasted chicken, a veggie and mashed potatoes
Thursday: Salsa chicken, rice with corn
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Beef and broccoli

Sunday: Chicken caesar wraps

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Want to see where I have been?

2009-12-09T18:02:00.007-06:00

Here...

...finishing my final.

Here...

...starting to put up our tree.

Here...

...wrapping presents.

Here...
...finishing up the last of our Christmas cards.

When, truth be told, I would rather be here...

...napping.

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday Zoa!

2009-12-01T21:03:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Baby Girl...We Love You!

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes For Mom.

Menu Plan Monday: The week of November 29

2009-11-29T19:56:00.000-06:00

Sunday: My baby turns five today! I don't know about you, but that means it is time for another one! Zoa will get to pick where we celebrate after her birthday party.
Monday: Steaks, Baked Potatoes and a Veggie
Tuesday: Chicken, Basil and Spinach Quesadillas and a side

Wednesday: Crock Pot Chicken Chili

Thursday: Three Cheese Baked Spaghetti and Fococcia Bread

Friday: Burrito Night and Mexican Rice
Saturday: Homemade Pizza

For more menu ideas, check out I'm An Organizing Junkie!

Not your typical Thanksgiving post...

2009-11-26T21:52:00.005-06:00

I sit here, groggy and tired. I am full and trying to catch up on my Google Reader. I am going to make this short and sweet...

I wanted to do a full on "What I am Thankful For" posts but I am barely awake to function, much less to make a heartfelt post. Instead, I will leave you with a picture or two.

This is how we roll on Thanksgiving night...

(You must click this picture and make it larger...then read the note I added.)

This ones for the girls....

2009-11-25T08:33:00.014-06:00

...girls who wear mineral make-up.

I love Bare Minerals. I have worn their products for nearly four years now and will never go back. One downside to having it is you have little containers of all your minerals in your make-up bag. Not good.

I just wanted to share what a fellow blogger found...The Minerals Case!

For all you other mineral lovers...how handy is this?! All you would need is a small separate bag for your brushes and other small pieces of make-up and you are set!

Now if only I had enough Bare Minerals to fill it!

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Card Outtake

2009-11-25T07:00:00.000-06:00

Macie looks terrified of what might happen if she does not smile and Zoa is just plain mad!

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Mom!

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Not so sloppy "Sloppy Joes"

2009-11-24T06:20:00.003-06:00

We love Sloppy Joes around our house but my {almost} five year old is a texture kid...meaning she is weird about getting icky stuff on her hands. My menu for this week included Sloppy Joes and it reminded me of a tip to share.

My readers may remember a few months ago when I told you that we used hot dog buns for our Sloppy Joes. Don't break the bun apart completely...leave that little connected part connected. Just scoop the mixture into the bun and serve!

This has helped our girls stay a bit cleaner during dinnertime and they get to eat all the Sloppy Joe mixture...instead of half of it ending up on their plate!

Be sure and check out Tammy's Recipes for more kitchen tips and yummy recipes!

Menu Plan Monday: the week of November 22

2009-11-22T19:44:00.001-06:00

Sunday: Slow Cooker Beans and Rice
Monday: French Onion Soup and a Salad with a Crusty Bread...any recipes?
Tuesday: Chicken Tetrazini with a side
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes and a Veggie
Thursday: Happy Birthday Jeremy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Black Friday: Zoa requested Chicken Wings. I'll add a side.
Saturday: Homemade Pizza

For more menu ideas, check out I'm An Organizing Junkie!

It's like I'm 16 all over again.

2009-11-22T08:50:00.000-06:00

Ask me me I was at 11:59 Friday night? And where I want to be again this week?

I have not always been a Twilight fan...I did not even watch the first one until about four months ago. But I have been hooked ever since. This week, I want to start reading the books.

Are you on the Twilight Saga bandwagon?

dizzy

2009-11-21T09:53:00.009-06:00

Even though I have unsuccessfully taken pictures on with my camera on the Manual mode, I am still trying.

Last weekend, Macie stayed with a friend. Zoa and I were outside, playing and snapping away in automatic mode.

Out walks Jeremy...

"Swing me, daddy!"

Have a great Saturday!

I always knew storage was an issue...

2009-11-17T21:16:00.006-06:00

Tonight, after doing a bit of shopping, I started to cook dinner to stick in the freezer for next week. I started a pot of water to boil and ran upstairs to grab some spaghetti noodles.

Our stairs are used as part storage closet...our upstairs in this rental house is unfinished. This means that the stairs are full of items I have stockpiled that I use in the kitchen...Ziploc bags, salad dressings...just little random things.

Read: A 'quick trip' down the stairs means stepping over all kinds of things.

Anyways, I get down the stairs to find my kitchen full of smoke.

Ooops.

I turned on the wrong burner and a plastic tub was melting all over my stove. The tub had been there holding snacks because of lack of storage in my cabinets.

AND IT STUNK.

I turned the burner off, grab the plastic, which at this point was started to actually get small sparks in it, thew it in a cardboard box and opened up the windows.

Just so you understand, I sent the girls outside...in 44 degree weather because the fumes were so bad we were coughing.

*cough cough*

As I was cleaning up, I realized how lucky we are. It could have been so much worse. Thank God it is not though.

Moral of the story...slow down and make sure the right burner is on!

And make sure you don't store stuff on your stove!

{It's okay though...you can laugh!}

Menu Plan Monday: The week of November 15

2009-11-15T19:36:00.002-06:00

Sunday: ~~Whole Chicken from the crock pot, Rolls and a Veggie~~ Went out to eat.
Monday: Grilled chicken, a veggie and a salad
Tuesday: Soup and sandwiches
Wednesday: Stuffed Shells and Garlic Bread (Made these on Saturday and stuck them in the freezer.)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Nacho Night and Mexican Style Rice
Saturday: Homemade Pizza (Going to try Chicken Alfredo Pizza using leftovers from Monday)

For more menu idea, head over to I'm An Organizing Junkie!

Christmas shopping...

2009-11-13T07:39:00.000-06:00

Without touching our Christmas fund, I have managed to get a good portion of Christmas shopping started.

My list includes:
Mom
~~Dad~~ -
~~Mom~~
Dad
~~Niece #1~~
~~Niece #2~~
~~Niece #3~~
~~Nephew #1~~
Nephew #2

And then the girls...this is the earliest I have started shopping in my life. I have been shopping since about June/July for Christmas and it helps so much. Normally, Jeremy and I would just go to Target and drop way to much cash and be done. No more!

So far...

I got this game for $5.00 at Target!

These two movies costs about $15.00 total...

I ordered two cupcakes sets through Scholastic to accompany the girls' aprons...

I ordered these on Amazon using promotion codes and payed about $20 total...some of which used gift cards from Swagbucks...

Jeremy picked up a dress similar to this right after Halloween for Zoa...$5.00 at Toys 'R' Us!

I have a few other things stashed away but cannot think of them at the moment.

I just want to say it again because I am so excited...I have not even touched our Christmas account!

This weekend, I think I may start wrapping. I am spending the day with one of my best friends who is due is 15 days with her first baby. (Say it with me...AWWEEEE!) She is on bed rest so I am going to go hang out with her all day Saturday. Maybe I can take my camera and learn how to actually operate it manually!

Have a great weekend!

In the market for a SLR? This deal is amazing!

2009-11-10T20:27:00.005-06:00

I came across this deal online and just had to share. If you are in the market for an SLR camera and have the money to buy one, why not throw in a few extra dollars and get an extra lens?

Here is how you go about getting a Canon SLR and a lens for just over $640.00!!

Add this camera to your cart:

Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)

Amazon has a deal going on now where you if you add a Canon XSi DSLR lens to your cart, you will get $200.00 off automatically. Here is the lens:

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

This deal ends up costing about $899.00 before discounts. Depending on your taxes and such, you will pay around $641.00!!

Make sure you your items are from Amazon directly or the deal will not work. If it does not say you are getting it from Amazon, then click "17 New" (or however many are mentioned) and scroll down until you see the vendor is Amazon.

I have had Canon's before and if I had the money to spend on this deal, I would have definitely considered it. Do your research and I hope this may be helpful to you!!

And it begins...

2009-11-10T10:48:00.003-06:00

Even though classes usually have me strappped for time during the week (and not to mention housework), I have found a few minutes to just play around with my camera.

I am clueless on how to work this thing to it's full advantage.

One thing that I do not want to do is rely on 'Auto'. I want to learn the camera...ISO, aperture and shutter speed, just to name a few. Right now, for the most part, those terms mean nothing to me.

Which is why I am going to get this today...

I have to really, if I am going to get the full effect of what my Nikon can do. Hopefully this weekend will allow me to take some practice shots.

Once I learn more about the camera body and the lens I have that came with it, I will be looking at some lenses.

Eeeekkkkkk!

A picture is worth a thousand words.

2009-11-09T07:39:00.004-06:00

You guys, I got it. I have not said anything here but I have been madly in love with the Nikon D40 (doesn't it just roll off the tongue so nicely?) for some time now. Anyone that knows me IRL (in real life) knows this. And Sunday morning I woke up and within three hours, knew that it was going to be the day this baby got in my hands.

In was not planned that way. The plan was for me to save up money...money from Ebay sales, doing surveys and a few dollars here and there. And I had close to 20% saved so far. Once I got the right amount of money saved, I would walk in and get it. Simple as that.

But then Whitney calls me. She has been shopping digital SLR cameras and just started today actively looking, catching a feel for them.

"Alaina, they have this Nikon D40 on clearance for $299.00. This years model and everything."

At this time, I think my heart skipped a beat.

After a bit on convincing Jeremy that this was the best deal ever, he agreed.

(Or maybe it was he was just sick of hearing about it. I am still not sure.)

But I have it! And I'm in awe. There are so many things this baby can do and I must learn it all, or at least try! So I am warning you, I will be posting some pictures. They may not be great but we can learn together, m'kay?

Menu Plan Monday: The week of November 8

2009-11-08T18:18:00.001-06:00

The first week of November has come and gone. With the busy holiday season coming faster than ever, I am scared we are going to go waaayy over budget on our grocery bill. On top of all the holidays, we have both the girls' birthdays and Jeremy's birthday all before December 28. I did one big shopping trip this past weekend for the rest of November and will hopefully make some of the meals ahead of time so it will help me out in the kitchen (and give more more time to play with my new toy! More on that tomorrow). We shall see...

One thing I want to add is if I don't post a veggie with the meal, assume I add one. I have looked back on my menus and noticed that one is not always posted. Just want to mention that.

Here is what this week looks like...

Sunday: Hamburgers and a side
Monday: Rice Lasagna & No-Knead Fococcia Bread (I am hoping this will taste like the bread at the Macaroni Grill)

Tuesday: Baked Salmon, mashed potatoes and a veggie

Wednesday: Crock Pot Pulled Pork and corn

Thursday: Zuchinni Crab Cake Burgers and a veggie

Friday: Taco Night with Mexican Rice
Saturday: Homemade Pizza

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Menu Plan Monday: The week of November 1 (!)

2009-11-01T19:37:00.002-06:00

Typing out the title of this post is so odd...I can't believe it is already November! Here is my menu for the week...

This week is a menu for Jeremy - it has his two favorite recipes in it.

Monday: Stuffed Peppers (My own version of this recipe.)

Tuesday: Beef and broccoli

Wednesday: Crock pot chicken chili with cornbread

Thursday: Bruschetta n' Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Stuffed shells
Sunday: Seven layer tortilla pie

Snacks: Spiced Pumpkin Bread, applesauce, grapes and cheese and crackers

For more menu planning ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Don't throw away those Halloween candy wrappers!

2009-11-01T14:25:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to take a minute to tell you about this promotion YoCrunch has:

If you send in two candy wrappers to YoCruch, you can get free yogurt! They will send it to you in the form of a free product coupon.

You can read all the details here, but I thought it was worth mentioning to all the trick-or-treaters!

Our Little Love Bugs

2009-10-31T18:55:00.000-05:00

Hope you enjoy Halloween!

Banana Blueberry Quick Bread

2009-10-29T08:03:00.000-05:00

I made this bread up and it's name stood true...it did not take long at all! I did modify it a bit and it turned out super tasty, but if you would like to see the original recipe, then just click here.

Banana Blueberry Quick Bread
**1/2 c. blueberries (I used frozen)
**1 5/8 c. flour
** 1/2 c. quick cooking oats
**1/2 c. chopped pecans
**1 tsp. baking soda
**1/4 tsp. salt
**1/2 c. applesauce
** 1 c. sugar in the raw
**2 eggs
**1 c. mashed bananas
** 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
**3/4 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Grease two small bread pans or one regualr size bread pan.

2. In a medium bowl, dredge blueberries in 2 TBSP. on flour. Gently stir blueberries together with oats, nuts, 1 1/2 c. flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. In another bowl, combine sugar, applesauce and vanilla. Add both eggs and stir. Stir in mashed banana. Add this mixture to the blueberry mixture and stir until moistened. Spoon into bread pan(s).

4. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. (May need longer time if using one regular loaf pan.) Cool and serve warm.

Yum!

What's a girl to do?

2009-10-28T20:55:00.003-05:00

Both my girlies are sick. Macie is getting over her illness fairly well and Zoa likes things to be complicated. Her flu is settling into her chest and after a quick trip to the doctor, we are treating her for bronchitis on top of the flu.

I chose not to test them for either flu, because quite frankly, the protocol for Influenza A, H1N1 and the viral flu bug is all the same. Motrin, Tylenol and keep them hydrated. The doctor agreed with me so that is that.

Whatever the girls have should be gone within a few days and as long as Zoa's cough is better and the fevers go down, we will be good for trick or treating!

Sigh.

What did I do today? While the girls were playing quietly, I snuck in the kitchen to whip up some food. I started with Banana Blueberry Quick Bread and boy was it good! The recipe is coming tomorrow so come and take a peek in the morning. I planned our menu for next week and have it all typed up. I also made up a bunch of brown rice for next week's meals.

I could get used to this "stay at home mom" thing!

Here is to healthy kids, good food and full freezers!

"Hi Alaina. I am calling about Macie."

2009-10-26T21:06:00.004-05:00

How ironic, huh? I just blogged about preventing the girls from getting sick and the fever is upon us. Good thing I stocked up on soup, crackers, juice and a new Nintendo DS game during our shopping trip this weekend!

The school called today. Macie was sent home with a fever. Not too high, as I have been reading and seeing in some places, but a fever nonetheless. That and a headache. We have been unable to break it...it will go from up and down, but never break completely.

"My head hurts the most, Mom."

So I wait. Is it just the fever bug going around? Boy, I hope so but I am staying home with her and she is not getting out at all. I just want to play it safe. You know?

In the meantime, life will go on. Sick kids bring such uncertainty...will they want me all day? Cuddle? Sleep? You can never plan what you will do when you are at home with a sick child.

We shall see soon enough.

How we are preventing the flu (and it does not involve needles)

2009-10-25T08:22:00.001-05:00

Thinking about my lack of posts this week, along with all of this flu talk, I thought I would share what we are doing in our home to prevent any flu bug creeping in.

I want to start this post by saying that my children do have all of their required vaccines. As far as any optional vaccine, I have chosen to opt out of it and my girls or Jeremy do not get them either.

Instead, we are eating right, taking vitamins, hand washing and getting plenty of sleep (well, except for our night-owl Zoa!). I feel that since my girls are otherwise healthy children, free from any underlying condition and they fall in the healthy weight range, there is no reason for myself, Jeremy or the girls to get either flu vaccine.

I do think that it is just a matter of time before H1N1 ends up in our house and it will come as no surpise. During my shopping trip today, I am stocking up on flu essentials...Motrin, soup, crackers and maybe even a few new movies to entertain the girls. If they end up not getting it, they would make great stocking stuffers!

I don't by any means want to start a debate on pro or anti vaccine, or offend anyone that does not feel this way. One thing I have learned about parenthood is that only you know your child the best. Each person is different and as a parent, I know that everyone does what they think is best for their child(ren).

I just thought I would jot down what I thought, not that it is extremely important. Regardless, I hope that our family (and yours) stays healthy!

Do I trust my children to be quiet in public?

2009-10-24T06:34:00.001-05:00

Today, we are heading off to Barnes and Noble. I saw this coupon (free hot chocolate and cookie) earlier in the week and thought it would be a great reason to head to Barnes and Noble, grab the girls a "grown up" drink, a cookie and a new bedtime book. I am trying to read to the girls each and every night and chapter books are a great conversation piece (What do you think will happen next...?").

I am praying my kids will behave and we might even be able to turn this into a bi-weekly treat!

Just a fun little note: Last night we played the story game where you start the story, the next person adds to it, and so on and so on...it was so funny! It was a great way to end a stressful day.

Hope you enjoy your Saturday!

Be sure and check out a new review I have posted here. It would make a great Christmas toy!

"Can I do that?"

2009-10-23T10:15:00.001-05:00

{My camera is broke...so I apologize for the pictures. They are taken from my phone.}

Our girls love to help in the kitchen. Zoa just climbs right up on the counter top and starts stirring. Macie loves to read the directions. Lately I have spent a lot of time in the kitchen and I think they have enjoyed themselves more and more the older they get....they much rather be helping in the kitchen than playing with toys.

I got to thinking...

Aprons! So I got on Etsy and started looking. I found these and I fell in love!

After a few chats with the owner of the store, I placed the order, hoping they would be just as cute in person.

I am extremely happy...

These little cupckaes are adorable!

They are now hidden, stashed away from tiny hands...waiting to be wrapped in Christmas paper.

And speaking of Christmas, I have quite a few presents bought. Is it too early to start wrapping presents?

If only it were that simple...

2009-10-20T21:41:00.002-05:00

Zoa's preschool site on the top of a small hill. When I back out each afternoon, I always fear someone will be flying over the hill and rear-end us...which would be potentially very bad considering it is back roads and people do speed on them often.

I always make sure Zoa is buckled because she is old enough to where she can do it by herself. Macie is already buckled in.

Today, I had to explain why we buckle up....

Me: "Zoa, are you buckled?"

Zoa: "UUUGGGGHHHHH."

Me: "Do you know why we buckle? We have to so in case we get into a wreck, nobody will fly out of the car and get hurt."

Zoa: "I could land on grass. Grass is soft."

Me: "But dirt is not. The ground is hard and you would still get hurt really badly."

Macie: "I could land on a trampoline. That would be okay!"

Oh, if only a trampoline was around!

It was eye-opening....you really do have to explain why we do things and how doing certain things actually serve a purpose.

Man, motherhood is a big job.

Menu Plan Monday: The week of October 19

2009-10-19T07:39:00.010-05:00

After two whirlwind trips to St. Louis this week, full shopping bags and Jeremy's rolled ankle from his rugby game...I am exhausted! Jeremy ran into Sam's yesterday to pick up some chicken and spinach and came out with a bit more protein (roasts) so I am incorporating that into the week's menu. Hopefully, we won't have to spend much at the store to get this week's groceries.

Looks like a comfort food week to me...

Monday: Jeremy put pot roast in this morning...yum!
Tuesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Wednesday: Soup using some leftover meat and the homemade broth from the roast. Thanks for the reminder Angie!
Thursday: ~~Chicken~~ (Thanks for the reminder Angie!) Caesar Salad Wraps with Homemade Croutons (Recipe coming soon)
Friday: Italian beef over toast with a veggie
Saturday: Baked Potato Soup

Sunday: Leftovers

For hundreds of meal ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Crash and burn

2009-10-14T07:24:00.003-05:00

It always works out like that...the minute I tell someone that I am doing something, I stop. I have organized all the closets except for one. I have crashed and am tired. Life will continue for now, but I vow to be done with deep cleaning my house by Saturday morning. Won't it feel so good to be done?

There is nothing like it.

One other thing...you should go here...I am giving away something pretty nifty worth about $40. It's one of those things that you say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Making lettuce last longer.

2009-10-13T07:12:00.000-05:00

Last week, I told you how I throw spinach in everything. (Literally, about 90% of our meals.) We use it so much, in fact, I buy it in bulk at Sam's. One way to make that much spinach last a few days longer is to store a paper towel in the container with it.

Once again, this tip originated from my mom. But then Rachel Ray did it so I knew it was not just a family trick.

As soon as you bring your greens home, throw a paper towel in the bag or container. (We do not use paper towels at our house so I use a certain towel for it and it works perfectly too.) The moisture that would normally make your greens wilt and go bad is now collected on the towel. This will not make them last forever, but it will extend the life of them quite a few days. You may need to replace the towel with a new one after a couple of days.

This tip is also useful if you have to pre-make a salad. You can get the salad ready the night before, put in the the container with a paper towel and it will be fine the next day to serve. Just top it with the dressing.

For more tips to help out in the kitchen, hop on over to Tammy's blog!

(Image via.)

Packed in like sardines

2009-10-12T11:17:00.006-05:00

Friday was the only few hours this weekend that I was not organizing my girls room, cleaning or partaking in adult festivities.

We order in food and I caught up on some online stuff while loafing on the couch. It was a perfect Friday night if you ask me.

Saturday, I woke up in one of those moods. You know the ones where you have had enough with full to the brim closets and laundry rooms and something has got to be done about it. So I started the laundry room.

We had friends over that night and went to bed way to late...think anywhere from 3:00-6:00 AM. I woke up feeling okay (I didn't drink anything but Diet Coke) but considering I had about four hours of sleep, I was a bit groggy. I blared the radio and started in on round two...

I bought these bags on Saturday that I can store the girls' out of season clothes in. Our closets are smaller than we are used to but they all have great storage room...just not hanger room. Make sense? Sunday morning, I went through their closets and folded, trashed and gave away clothes galore! Now the closet can breathe and I am not so grumpy when I am trying to put away clothes. I organize closets by color and it was driving me bonkers when I could barely squeeze another shirt in it!

About 1:00 that afternoon I went to help a friend get her nursery together. Oh. My. Goodness. I am in love with baby clothes! We washed about four loads of laundry and organized the room. So precious, I tell ya! Babies are the most darling things!

I came home from her house about 8:30 last night and finished up the girls' closets. Since the bug guy was coming today, I had to do a quick clean. "Quick" turns into an hour and a half when you have kids. But it is done and I can move on.

Tonight, I am going through my closet before class. That my internets, is a mess! Although it is color organized, it is still a black hole. What can I say?

Menu Plan Monday: The week of October 12

2009-10-12T09:49:00.012-05:00

Here is what we are eating for dinner this week...

Monday: Leftovers from a BBQ this weekend. Yum!
Tuesday: A meal I did not get around to last week.
Wednesday: Chicken burritos using a combination of leftovers black beans from last week and this meal I made a few weeks ago and stuck in the freezer.
Thursday: Going to the circus! Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup for a quick dinner.
Friday: Beef vegetable soup in the crock pot.

Saturday: Off to St. Louis with the girls.
Sunday: Leftovers

For hundreds of meal ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Am I a fool in the kitchen?

2009-10-09T20:19:00.005-05:00

The last few days I have been in a baking mood. This is the first year that I have started baking and my attempts have not been complete successes.

Exhibit A:
I have been trying to incorporate more whole wheat flour in our foods that require flour. I can do breads and pasta, but sweets just are not the same.

I made a huge batch of cinnamon rolls. It was a long process, letting the dough rise and then punch it back down...only to let it rise again. Flour is a necessity when rolling out dough so the kitchen was a mess too.

Two hours later, once they were done, I could definitely tell I used all whole wheat. Hindsight is always 20/20 and knowing past experiences with whole wheat, I should have used about half white and half wheat flour.

But cooking is a learning experience and figuring out what works for you is part of it. So I will know next time.

Exhibit B:
I did use the method of a little bit of both kinds of flour with these waffles and they are approved by all in the house (except Jeremy - he has egg white omelets). I used one cup of regular flour and three-quarters of a cup of whole wheat flour. They are yummy and I have about 10 breakfasts in the freezer for the girls to eat before school. Whew!

Tonight I made a huge batch of blueberry muffins and after the cinnamon roll, I chose to just make them taste good. Healthy or not, I felt like baking!

I made three dozen and MJ and Zoa love them!

Tonight, I am going to order a Christmas gifts for the girls. It will be my first buy from Etsy and is useful in the kitchen for my little bakers. I will post pictures when it comes in.

Happy Friday!

Turn Around

2009-10-07T11:10:00.003-05:00

Last week was a crappy week. The weekend started off on the same level, but much more intense.

Jeremy and I rarely argue, but when we do, it's a dandy. And Friday night was our semi-annual argument. But all is good now...we layed it all out on the table and moved on.

Then the week started and it has been the complete opposite...

Saturday I went to the winery. I had a blast!
Sunday I went shopping...alone! Who cares it that means Jeremy waited in the car with the girls while I ran in real quick?
Monday I found out that my test grade in Microbiology was actually a 96% instead of a 95%. Even though it is only one percentage point, I was still excited!
Tuesday I found out that I won four tickets to the circus, compliments of Sarah, who I met here. I have been following her blog ever since. Thanks again Sarah!
Halloween costumes are ordered and pictures are soon to follow.

Hopefully, this good streak will continue!

Way off subject, this weekend, I want to shampoo my carpets. Has anyone ever rented a Rug Doctor? How well did it work? Any suggestions other then a Rug Doctor?

A Year in Heaven

2009-10-06T07:04:00.003-05:00

Please take a second to head over to my sister's blog. Today marks one year that her best friend passed away.

Show some comment love!

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: Throw in some spinach!

2009-10-06T07:00:00.003-05:00

I consider myself lucky...my girls like their veggies. But if I want to add extra (and who doesn't?), I throw spinach in the meal. I grab one or two big handfuls, chop it real fine, add it to the dish or sauce, allow it to cook a little and serve.

You cannot taste it!

Some meals I normally add spinach to:
Spaghetti
Meatloaf
Stuff you put over toast
Omelets
Rice lasagna
Tacos
Hamburgers
Salisbury steak
Homemade pizza
Soups and chili

You can pretty much add it to anything that has a sauce or something that needs ground beef or turkey.

For more tips to help out in the kitchen, hop on over to Tammy's blog! And for more ways to add Superfoods to your diet, go to Kim at Kitchen Stewardship!

(Image via.)

Menu Plan Monday: The week of October 5

2009-10-04T08:57:00.001-05:00

I want to see if I can make it another week without doing any major grocery shopping. I know I have a lot of chicken meals in here, but we do have chicken in the freezer and we all love it! I may have to make a quick run to the store for some produce (or send a list with Jeremy), but other than that, we should be set. Another thing is I noticed I got off the "Meatless Mondays" kick. I am going to try to incorporate two meatless meals each week. Maybe Jeremy won't notice....I can hope!

Monday: Garlic Chicken Pasta with a side salad

Tuesday: Meatballs with mashed potatoes and a veggie (I am going to try to make these meatloaf meatballs and freeze extra for MJ's lunch)
Wednesday: Black bean burritos and corn
Thursday: Texas Chicken Quesadillas

Friday: Honey Chicken with a veggie

Saturday: Shrimp over Simple Sesame Noodles

Sunday: A soup without an official name and Sinfully Sweet Cornbread (soo good!)

For hundreds of menu ideas, go to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

How may I help you?

2009-10-01T19:30:00.008-05:00

Every now and then, I like to look at ways people find my blog. It is comical and at the same time, lets me know why readers click on my blog on their search result list.

This is what I have found recently...these are things that people have searched and my blog popped up:

three ladies and a dad - Makes sense, right?
easy oat bread - This is a recipe I posted.
jessie legrand - Made me smile. I literally said awww. :)
momshere - Not too sure what that means, but okay!
dad fruits - Hmmm...I wonder what they were looking for?
funny pictures of three ladies - I am sure I could dig one up for you!
how to plan month menu - It really is easy, but time consuming.
st. louis ladies found dead - My sympathies go out to you, but I am very much alive.

And my favorite...

sushi in pajamas p90x - I have probably eaten sushi in my pajamas, but not while doing P90X. I might have to try that this weekend!

Have a great weekend!

(Image via.)

Kitchen Tip Tuesday: No oil or eggs?

2009-09-29T06:46:00.005-05:00

We are not a 'sweet' family. As far as indulges go, in our home we prefer salty and crunchy. But, every now and then, a sweet cake does sound good.

Too be honest, I am not sure how this tip originated. I just heard it from my mom who heard it from hers, I'm sure. Nonetheless, it works!

To the point...ever buy a dark cake mix and realize you don't have any eggs or not enough oil? No problem...grab a can of Diet Coke! Literally, a can of Diet Coke can completely replace the eggs and oil.

You can bet we have done this with any boxed cake I have made since learning this. The cake still turns out moist and delish, and you can not taste the difference.

Proof:
Pour the cake mix in a bowl and add the Diet Coke (12 oz.). The only difference between this and the regular method is this seems to be foamy.

Pour in the pan and bake as normal.

Allow to cool and ice the cake.

Enjoy!

For some inspiration on flavor combos where you can taste a hint of the soda..
Add Diet Sprite to lemon cake. (Don't use 7-Up)
Add Diet Root Beer to white or vanilla cake.
Add Diet Orange soda to white, orange or vanilla cake.

Use your imagination!

A few technicalities, a can of regular coke works just as well, but we always have Diet Coke in our home, so it just gets first dibs. And it does not have to be name brand soda.

Hope this helps you out one day.

For more tips to help out in the kitchen, hop on over to Tammy's blog!

Sunday shopping...

2009-09-28T14:00:00.001-05:00

On Sunday, I got to shop. I have been in need of jeans for some time now, but since my legs are so long, I can not just go spend only $30 on a pair of jeans.

Thankfully, the Buckle has lay-away. That way, I can still get my shopping fix but not drop major bucks all at once.

The ones in the pictures are the ones I got.

I was looking for jeans that come in extra-long (35 inch inseam), be dark washed and I wanted some with a flap pocket. They met my expectations!

I could not go home empty handed so I got a cute necklace...I am trying to accessorize more so I try to pick up a little something often.

I am off to bake a cake for tomorrow's post. Class was canceled tonight...got to love that. I finally got my test score...I got an A! If you only knew how tough this class was...I seriously was expecting a C. I was on cloud nine all day!