I have no great insight or stories this week. We pretty much ate what was planned last week except on Sunday we had Lasagna and Chicken Noodle Soup left so instead of cooking another big meal, we just ate that (and the boys ate Hot Dogs - which they love.)
Here's what is on the plan for the coming week:
Saturday -Originally I was supposed to go Scrapbooking but it got cancelled due to weather! At the writing of this, Darryl may work now on Saturday (it kinda depends on if he takes Friday off because of the impending snow storm) so the plan is Pizza. Not sure from where - Jets, Little Ceasers, or Pizza Hut depending on whether he works and what we really want!
Sunday -Darryl will be working today. The boys and I will grab lunch after church and then I plan on cooking up some Chicken Enchiladas to have for dinner. This was on the plan for last week but didn't for various reasons.
Monday - Amish Chicken, Buttered Noodles, Cherry Fluff Stuff, and Rolls
Tuesday - Onion Scallion Beef, Fried Rice and Egg Rolls.
Wednesday - Ham and Cheese Breakfast Pies, Tater Tots (because my kids love them more than anything else) and Fruit. I may or may not toast a waffle for each of the boys if they won't eat the pie.
Thursday - Broccoli Soup and Rolls.
Friday - Tacos :-)
Friday, January 9, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
January 2015 Goals
It's time to start kicking out the 2015 goals - January starts off another new year and another set of goals to accomplish. I love having a theme word that helps me focus a little more on accomplishing things in our home, family and personal life. I really see the need to eliminate things to make daily living easier and less stressful.
Home Goals
I'm going to break our home up into some simple areas to deep clean/declutter on a monthly basis. This first round will be the hardest since I'm be going through the rooms the first time. In the future, the deep cleaning should get easier since I will hit each room once ever three months.
1) The basement - This is its own animal. It grows, moves, and seems to morph into a huge mess quickly. I'm dividing it into three sections and will conquer one each month so, again, every three months I'll get back to each section. For January - the first goal is the playroom side. Here's my short list: a) Clean up the toys that are done there and put them in the right place (Many belong upstairs) b) Take down the Train table we have - it's too big and doesn't get used now. I will get it back to my brother/sister-in-law for them to do what they please with it since it is theirs. c) Go through the two bookshelves and clean them out/off. I have lots of teaching/craft supplies that I need to go through again as well as a whole shelf of books that need to be cleaned out. d) Clean, clean, clean - the floor, the walls, the windowsill, the window . .. everything. e) Find a new floor solution and price it out/set up savings. I know what I want - just the simple foam tiles that go together like a puzzle. they are easy to clean yet soft for the kids to play on. f) get rid of good will piles that have been in the room for a year! g) set up play areas for the kids to use - specifically with some toys that they have upstairs and could use a new home.
2) The Kitchen and Dining Room - This month these two rooms will be cleaned from top to bottom. Here's the short list of what needs to be done The Kitchen : a) organize the cupboards b) clean the floor c) clean the baseboards d) clean the window (hopefully inside and out depending on the weather) e) Clean the fridge from the inside out, from top to bottom f) Clean the stove - try to figure out inside the glass g) Change out the wall decor by the stairs f) clean the patio window and the stairs to the basement g) Make my list of "wants", price things out and make a savings plan to do those items. The Dining Room - a)do touchups on the walls and baseboards b)get new valances for the windows c) clean the windows and blinds d) clean the fan/fixtures e) clean the baseboards and outlet covers f) dust, dust, dust and clean the floor
School
1. 2015-2016 Curriculum - Make a basic list of what I'm considering for this fall for Josh and what is needed for Nate.
2) Paper Organization - Totally clean out the bottom drawer of my cabinet and make file folders for each of the boys.
3) Plan out January projects - need 4 to do on Fridays and then 4 extra to do with the boys. Plus some supplemental papers
Daily Routines
My goal this month is to create these. To write them down, live them for a month, change them and set them in soft stone (because things always change).
Family
1. Set up a quick savings envelope to save money for Children's Museum Membership
2) take the boys to see the Pirate Exhibit at the Museum.
3) Specifically Play a game with the boys twice this month as a family - the boys have some new games that we need to play so that they can learn the rules.
4) We love vacation time - my goal this month is to make some tentative plans for camping, a family vacation and hopefully a small "vacation" for Darryl and I at some point.
5) Write down Serial #'s from electronics - this is such a simple task but so important!
Holidays
1. Christmas - Yes, Christmas just ended so I need to take some specific time to make notes, reminders and ideas for next year. I like to do it while the successes and failures from the current year are fresh.
2) Plan Ideas for Valentines and St Patrick's Day
3) Birthdays - Plan Darryl's Birthday; Start focusing on the birthday board now. I would like to find a simple "Birthday Shirt" for Darryl to wear - something to wear every year :-) Also, the birthday board - start building the actual board and decide what Day "one" will be and accomplish all tasks for day 1
Personal
1. Quiet Time/Prayer Time - Work on having that daily quiet time and learning some memory verses. I have my reading plans printed out and my verses printed out as well. Secondly, I struggle with the concept of prayer. I understand it, I totally 'get it' and even understand really, why we pray, but I still struggle with the fact that God already knows every detail so why pray? I've challenged myself to pray this year - pray for my family, my brothers, my parents and the rest of the crazy bunch of people; pray for our finances and our plans; pray for my kids salvation - just plain pray.
2) Finances - Prep, plan and work the January budget; Prepare and File our 2014 taxes; Set up a savings plan for specific areas like Birthdays, Christmas, Clothes, ect.; Reserve two camping weekends (May, June)
3) Music - I'm on the piano schedule again at church so I need to start practicing ;-) My goal this month is to have two offetory songs prepped and ready to go. Also, it appears I'm scheduled to play on Easter so I need to find something to play that day as well. I'm scheduled to sing soon too so I need to pick my song and practice.
4) Scrapbooking - a) Completely finish 2013 - I have a few pages left to finish up and put the books together. I will still need to put page protectors on the whole thing but I can do that a pack at a time. b) Complete Jan-March 2014. c) Create my blog book for 2010 - the first year I blogged. Once it is created and I have the cost, I'll set up a savings plan to order it. I don't plan to do the next book until this one is ordered. d) Put together the small books - Christmas Ornament book for each boy - needs to be current; Birthday Question book - needs to be current and they Page a Month Book - would like their first year done and in albums.
5) Misc - I have a few other things on my goal list that are, well, my own goals. Things I don't really want to talk about until they are accomplished which might mean they don't get talked about until December :-)
Home Goals
I'm going to break our home up into some simple areas to deep clean/declutter on a monthly basis. This first round will be the hardest since I'm be going through the rooms the first time. In the future, the deep cleaning should get easier since I will hit each room once ever three months.
1) The basement - This is its own animal. It grows, moves, and seems to morph into a huge mess quickly. I'm dividing it into three sections and will conquer one each month so, again, every three months I'll get back to each section. For January - the first goal is the playroom side. Here's my short list: a) Clean up the toys that are done there and put them in the right place (Many belong upstairs) b) Take down the Train table we have - it's too big and doesn't get used now. I will get it back to my brother/sister-in-law for them to do what they please with it since it is theirs. c) Go through the two bookshelves and clean them out/off. I have lots of teaching/craft supplies that I need to go through again as well as a whole shelf of books that need to be cleaned out. d) Clean, clean, clean - the floor, the walls, the windowsill, the window . .. everything. e) Find a new floor solution and price it out/set up savings. I know what I want - just the simple foam tiles that go together like a puzzle. they are easy to clean yet soft for the kids to play on. f) get rid of good will piles that have been in the room for a year! g) set up play areas for the kids to use - specifically with some toys that they have upstairs and could use a new home.
2) The Kitchen and Dining Room - This month these two rooms will be cleaned from top to bottom. Here's the short list of what needs to be done The Kitchen : a) organize the cupboards b) clean the floor c) clean the baseboards d) clean the window (hopefully inside and out depending on the weather) e) Clean the fridge from the inside out, from top to bottom f) Clean the stove - try to figure out inside the glass g) Change out the wall decor by the stairs f) clean the patio window and the stairs to the basement g) Make my list of "wants", price things out and make a savings plan to do those items. The Dining Room - a)do touchups on the walls and baseboards b)get new valances for the windows c) clean the windows and blinds d) clean the fan/fixtures e) clean the baseboards and outlet covers f) dust, dust, dust and clean the floor
School
1. 2015-2016 Curriculum - Make a basic list of what I'm considering for this fall for Josh and what is needed for Nate.
2) Paper Organization - Totally clean out the bottom drawer of my cabinet and make file folders for each of the boys.
3) Plan out January projects - need 4 to do on Fridays and then 4 extra to do with the boys. Plus some supplemental papers
Daily Routines
My goal this month is to create these. To write them down, live them for a month, change them and set them in soft stone (because things always change).
Family
1. Set up a quick savings envelope to save money for Children's Museum Membership
2) take the boys to see the Pirate Exhibit at the Museum.
3) Specifically Play a game with the boys twice this month as a family - the boys have some new games that we need to play so that they can learn the rules.
4) We love vacation time - my goal this month is to make some tentative plans for camping, a family vacation and hopefully a small "vacation" for Darryl and I at some point.
5) Write down Serial #'s from electronics - this is such a simple task but so important!
Holidays
1. Christmas - Yes, Christmas just ended so I need to take some specific time to make notes, reminders and ideas for next year. I like to do it while the successes and failures from the current year are fresh.
2) Plan Ideas for Valentines and St Patrick's Day
3) Birthdays - Plan Darryl's Birthday; Start focusing on the birthday board now. I would like to find a simple "Birthday Shirt" for Darryl to wear - something to wear every year :-) Also, the birthday board - start building the actual board and decide what Day "one" will be and accomplish all tasks for day 1
Personal
1. Quiet Time/Prayer Time - Work on having that daily quiet time and learning some memory verses. I have my reading plans printed out and my verses printed out as well. Secondly, I struggle with the concept of prayer. I understand it, I totally 'get it' and even understand really, why we pray, but I still struggle with the fact that God already knows every detail so why pray? I've challenged myself to pray this year - pray for my family, my brothers, my parents and the rest of the crazy bunch of people; pray for our finances and our plans; pray for my kids salvation - just plain pray.
2) Finances - Prep, plan and work the January budget; Prepare and File our 2014 taxes; Set up a savings plan for specific areas like Birthdays, Christmas, Clothes, ect.; Reserve two camping weekends (May, June)
3) Music - I'm on the piano schedule again at church so I need to start practicing ;-) My goal this month is to have two offetory songs prepped and ready to go. Also, it appears I'm scheduled to play on Easter so I need to find something to play that day as well. I'm scheduled to sing soon too so I need to pick my song and practice.
4) Scrapbooking - a) Completely finish 2013 - I have a few pages left to finish up and put the books together. I will still need to put page protectors on the whole thing but I can do that a pack at a time. b) Complete Jan-March 2014. c) Create my blog book for 2010 - the first year I blogged. Once it is created and I have the cost, I'll set up a savings plan to order it. I don't plan to do the next book until this one is ordered. d) Put together the small books - Christmas Ornament book for each boy - needs to be current; Birthday Question book - needs to be current and they Page a Month Book - would like their first year done and in albums.
5) Misc - I have a few other things on my goal list that are, well, my own goals. Things I don't really want to talk about until they are accomplished which might mean they don't get talked about until December :-)
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
What We are Eating - Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Dip
Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Dip
adapted from A Pumpkin and a Princess
It's that time of year - the time of lots of new appetizers! This is a dip that I made for New Years Eve and it is fantastic. It's soft and creamy and has just the right amount of mind and chocolate included. I could eat it with a spoon but I did actually use 'Nilla Wafers to dip with instead :-)
Ingredients
adapted from A Pumpkin and a Princess
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup marshmallow fluff
- ½ cup cool whip
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup Andes peppermint baking chips
- ½ cup miniature chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a stand mixer beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
- Add in marshmallow fluff and cool whip.
- Slowly add powdered sugar until well combined.
- Fold in Andes and chocolate chips.
- Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Teaching Tuesday - A List
Here is list of what "should of" but didn't:
1. On Sunday the 21st, we should of went to church for the Christmas Service but we didn't . .. .I was super, duper, duper sick with the stomach flu and did not leave the bedroom the entire day except to, well, puke.
2. On Monday the 22nd, the boys and I should have taken China to the vet, gone to lunch at McDonald's and enjoyed the playland (ok the boys enjoy the playland), go to the library for a movie and pick up Nate's Birthday Cake from Meijer but we didn't. . .. Nate and I were so very very sick that Darryl stayed home from work to take China to the vet and take care of us. Nate didn't get to enjoy one inch of his birthday.
3. On Tuesday the 23rd the boys and I should of finished up Christmas shopping, made and decorated Christmas cookies and worked on a fun Christmas project but we didn't . . ..Nate and Josh were sick and I was still recovering. With fevers galore, we all laid low and prayed we'd get well. I had to make plans for "plan B" and make a store run to pick up back up food for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just in case we couldn't go away.
4. On Wednesday the 24th we should of had a relaxing morning and headed out to my parents without any stress but we didn't . .. we made a last minute decision to head to my parents house despite some minor fevers (we thought were minor) but I had to make food, pack, load up and we had to stop at the store for the last of the Christmas shopping and to pick up Nate's birthday cake finally. By the time we got to my parents, Nate and Josh were both running fevers again and didn't move from their chairs . .. at least they slept the entire trip so I had some peace and quiet as I tried to not cough up a lung :-/
5. On Friday-Sunday, we should have been enjoying some great time with my brothers family too but we didn't . .. instead we left Friday evening to come home in order to get the boys into the doctor Saturday morning because they were both so sick. . . .and they were. They both had double ear infections, asthmatic bronchitis and Nate had scarlet fever. Throw in a round of asthmatic bronchitis for me and yes, we were really sick.
We've spent the last week coughing up lungs (for real - poor Nate pukes every time he starts coughing), resting, and trying to enjoy a week without school. I can honestly say that as of Saturday evening, my kids are almost back to normal. How do I know? They ate. McDonald's breakfast, snacks, Mac and Cheese and 3 servings of spaghetti EACH! Holy cow!
So, now, our Christmas break did not go as planned but, we did have a great Christmas and were blessed beyond measure. We are all slowly getting healthy and football playoffs have started. Life is still good.
1. On Sunday the 21st, we should of went to church for the Christmas Service but we didn't . .. .I was super, duper, duper sick with the stomach flu and did not leave the bedroom the entire day except to, well, puke.
2. On Monday the 22nd, the boys and I should have taken China to the vet, gone to lunch at McDonald's and enjoyed the playland (ok the boys enjoy the playland), go to the library for a movie and pick up Nate's Birthday Cake from Meijer but we didn't. . .. Nate and I were so very very sick that Darryl stayed home from work to take China to the vet and take care of us. Nate didn't get to enjoy one inch of his birthday.
3. On Tuesday the 23rd the boys and I should of finished up Christmas shopping, made and decorated Christmas cookies and worked on a fun Christmas project but we didn't . . ..Nate and Josh were sick and I was still recovering. With fevers galore, we all laid low and prayed we'd get well. I had to make plans for "plan B" and make a store run to pick up back up food for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just in case we couldn't go away.
4. On Wednesday the 24th we should of had a relaxing morning and headed out to my parents without any stress but we didn't . .. we made a last minute decision to head to my parents house despite some minor fevers (we thought were minor) but I had to make food, pack, load up and we had to stop at the store for the last of the Christmas shopping and to pick up Nate's birthday cake finally. By the time we got to my parents, Nate and Josh were both running fevers again and didn't move from their chairs . .. at least they slept the entire trip so I had some peace and quiet as I tried to not cough up a lung :-/
5. On Friday-Sunday, we should have been enjoying some great time with my brothers family too but we didn't . .. instead we left Friday evening to come home in order to get the boys into the doctor Saturday morning because they were both so sick. . . .and they were. They both had double ear infections, asthmatic bronchitis and Nate had scarlet fever. Throw in a round of asthmatic bronchitis for me and yes, we were really sick.
We've spent the last week coughing up lungs (for real - poor Nate pukes every time he starts coughing), resting, and trying to enjoy a week without school. I can honestly say that as of Saturday evening, my kids are almost back to normal. How do I know? They ate. McDonald's breakfast, snacks, Mac and Cheese and 3 servings of spaghetti EACH! Holy cow!
So, now, our Christmas break did not go as planned but, we did have a great Christmas and were blessed beyond measure. We are all slowly getting healthy and football playoffs have started. Life is still good.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Make It Monday - A Christmas Gift
Every year I love to pick out a gift to make for the Grandparents from the boys. I usually spend the year pinning ideas from Pinterest of things that I think look cute and then, in November, I narrow down my search to that one perfect item.
This year, I found a super cute idea at DIY Cozy Home that I just fell in love with from the first time I saw it.
There is nothing better that hands and feet of kids. It's such a great mile marker in their life.
This is what ours looked like:
Now, I was a little fearful of this project because I'm not artistic. When I started this, I wasn't sure how I was going to do the word or the bows. The first thing I did was stamp the feet. I kinda lucked out because the two siblings I babysit totally messed up their canvas - despite me saying, "Do NOT move your foot, they both moved! This gave me a messed up canvas to work with so I could test out some different options. I ended up using a Scrapbooking Marker to write the word "Mistletoe's" and then used glitter glue pens to make the bows and the dots. I impressed myself :-)
These were a huge success as a gift. Yes, I have the kids I babysit always make one too and I make one for myself too! I love making kids gifts that are Christmas Decor so the grandparents/parents don't have to leave them out all year but instead, get to take them out and "ooo" and "ahhhh" over them over and over again!
This year, I found a super cute idea at DIY Cozy Home that I just fell in love with from the first time I saw it.
This is what ours looked like:
These were a huge success as a gift. Yes, I have the kids I babysit always make one too and I make one for myself too! I love making kids gifts that are Christmas Decor so the grandparents/parents don't have to leave them out all year but instead, get to take them out and "ooo" and "ahhhh" over them over and over again!
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Things My Kids Say
* In our house, we often say things like this, "I love you more than the number of stars in the sky" or "I love you more than the number of hairballs the cat has puked up" (hahaha). Well, for the first time, one of the boys finally said it back - Nate said to me, "Mom, I love you more than I love Mac and Cheese. Well, I love you just as much as Mac and Cheese because I love Mac and Cheese a lot!" Wow, that kid loves me a lot!!
* I took the boys out to breakfast on Saturday morning before going to the store (mainly because our fridge was empty so we needed to eat HA!). Josh got his Sausage McMuffin while Nate got pancakes. Josh noticed the butter packet and decided to try it out. He took some and spread it on top of the sausage patty, put the muffin back on, took a bite and said, "MMMM, everything is better with butter!" LOL
* Nate informed me at McDonald's that their pancakes are so much better than mine. Well, Nate, I would actually agree with you on that one :-) Why do you think I usually make frozen waffles?
* Nate is my truth teller - he just speaks what is and hasn't learned a lot of tact yet so he said to me, "Mom, I love you more than anything except when you get mad at us, then I really don't love you that much". Good thing I don't get mad very often!
* Josh is usually the one to compliment my cooking so this should be a surprise - he told me that the speghett I make him is the best ever. As nice as that is, all I do is cook spaghetti noodles, open a jar of ragu and poor it on . .. I don't even usually heat it up for him (the sauce that is), since the noodles are so hot . . they warm up the sauce. Wow, at least he doesn't have high expectations!
* I took the boys out to breakfast on Saturday morning before going to the store (mainly because our fridge was empty so we needed to eat HA!). Josh got his Sausage McMuffin while Nate got pancakes. Josh noticed the butter packet and decided to try it out. He took some and spread it on top of the sausage patty, put the muffin back on, took a bite and said, "MMMM, everything is better with butter!" LOL
* Nate informed me at McDonald's that their pancakes are so much better than mine. Well, Nate, I would actually agree with you on that one :-) Why do you think I usually make frozen waffles?
* Nate is my truth teller - he just speaks what is and hasn't learned a lot of tact yet so he said to me, "Mom, I love you more than anything except when you get mad at us, then I really don't love you that much". Good thing I don't get mad very often!
* Josh is usually the one to compliment my cooking so this should be a surprise - he told me that the speghett I make him is the best ever. As nice as that is, all I do is cook spaghetti noodles, open a jar of ragu and poor it on . .. I don't even usually heat it up for him (the sauce that is), since the noodles are so hot . . they warm up the sauce. Wow, at least he doesn't have high expectations!
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Oops . . .The Battery is dead!
I planned to post birthday/Christmas photos today for "Family Fun" but, as I sit here on Friday night getting ready to upload photos so I can write the post only to discover that my camera battery is dead so . .. next week I'll post all of our holiday adventures and instead, this week, nothing! Uuggg :-/
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