Sunday Menu

Menu:
Monday- pasta and garlic bread
Tuesday- leftover chili and cornbread
Wednesday- Costco between stuff, bring Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (w/ ice cream) to SG
Thursday- hot dogs and garlic fries (do you know what that's for? :))
Friday- taco pie
Saturday-
Sunday- Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos


To-Do's:
Monday- grocery shopping and PO
Tuesday- doctor's appointment, softball for M
Wednesday- worship practice for M, errands and dinner in town, small group
Thursday- cable guy in the AM, softball for M, baseball season starts!!!
Friday- shopping in town with Mom in the AM, dance for M
Saturday- softball for M, family photos
Sunday- church, Costco

Controlling the Clutter

I'm messy, I admit it. There is usually at least one pile of papers on my desk (if not many more). I've put different systems into place in the past that have helped some. I now have a spot for the kids' homework on the new(ish) shelves and I have a place that the mail goes, but there was still paperwork all over my desk.
I saw this project a while ago and I think I may have looked at it for a bit, and then forgotten about it. A friend online brought up organizing the other day and we got to chatting about it again. Another friend posted a link to this similar project and I finally thought I might try it out (and I liked how that 2nd one was CUTE!).
I've actually had a hanging file system on my desk for years, but it was back where I couldn't get to it easily, so I didn't use it. I pulled it out (and dusted it off), and then made new folders for everything that gets piled up on my desk. I also spent some time making it look cute, I'm hoping that if I like how it looks I'll be more apt to use it. :) I found a new spot for it that's much easier to get to, so I'm really hoping that I will be able to use it now and keep the clutter off my desk.

Here it is...



Here are the folders I have:
To Deal With (I'm planning on going through this one once a week)
-ASAP (planning on going though this daily)
To Shred
Family
-each of us get a folder in this category
School Papers (for things that pertain to both kids or the school in general)
Coupons (and gift cards, but that wouldn't all fit on the tag)
Trips
-with an orange and black folder for our Giants trips :)

We'll see how this works. I had to put a stipulation on that "to deal with" folder of going through it once a week or I knew it would just fill up with stuff and I'd never deal with it. I'm really hoping this will keep my desk clear of papers!

Go-To Dinners

I thought it would be helpful to make a list of all the meals we like and keep in rotation. I think it will be helpful in making my menu each week. I know I've made a list like this before, and I know we never eat a lot of the things on that list anymore. I'm hoping to keep this more updated so it stays useful. Here goes...

chili cornbread casserole
taco pie
crock pot chicken (burritos, nachos, quesadillas...)
enchilada casserole
Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
the world's best chicken 
chili
tacos
breakfast
stuffed pizza rolls
sausage with peppers and pasta
pasta with meat sauce
spaghetti squash with meat sauce
pasta with pesto
alfredo with chicken and broccoli (Best Bites Guiltless Alfredo Sauce)
Tortellini with Balsamic Brown Butter
pizza
homemade pizza
Grilled cheese and soup
grilled chicken w/o the grill and sweet potato fries
meatloaf and mashed potatoes
twice baked potatoes (and something else)
pesto twice baked potatoes
chicken casserole
BLTs
hot dogs and garlic fries
BBQ chicken, potatoes, and other summer veggies
BBQ burgers
crock pot bbq sandwiches
Easy crock pot potato soup
honey lime tilapia
Crock pot shredded beef
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
slow cooker ham & white beans
crock pot pineapple chicken sandwiches
Quick and Easy Black Beans
chicken & artichoke lasagna (make as a ziti instead, and add spinach instead of tomatoes)
Chicken Parm meatloaf 
Stuffed Zucchini 
Tuna noodle casserole  broccoli
Our Best Bites Bacon


Favorite Desserts...
S'more Bars

Monday Menu (weekend edition)

I've really been trying to get my menu and grocery list done on Sunday so I can head right to the store on Monday after dropping the kids off. It's really the best way to do it time wise, with Monday being an early day for the kids and N needing a nap before we pick them up, I just can't get back to the grocery store if I try to come home first. So, I'm doing good today and getting everything all set...

Menu:
Monday- chili cornbread casserole
Tuesday- pancakes with strawberries and eggs with bacon and cheese
Wednesday- Baked Chicken-Bacon Alfredo
Thursday- pasta or leftovers
Friday- MNO here, I'm making enchilada casserole
Saturday-
Sunday- Matthew has requested chili

I have made 3 things from that recipe blog I posted about and they've all be fabulous!! We had the chicken taquitos last night and they were so yummy!! I'm definitely adding them to our regular rotation. I also made the Cadbury Egg cookies yesterday and let's just say the Wii fit isn't happy with us. :) I can't wait to try more things from there.


To Do's:
Monday- grocery shopping in the AM, hair cuts for M and I in the afternoon
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday-
Friday- Dance for M, Mom's Night Out here
Saturday-
Sunday- church and Costco

So far it's not looking too crazy, but that could all change. :)

Spring Wreath

I've been seeing moss popping up all over blog land, so after looking at an empty front door for a little too long I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I'd really like to cover a "B" in moss for inside somewhere, but that will have to wait until I can get a B, and some more moss. :)

I had everything on hand for this except the wreath form, which I picked up at the Dollar Store. I used hot glue to cover the front and sides with moss (I thought I might run out, so I didn't do the back), and then I made a few more cupcake toppers and stuck them on there. I just did them on toothpicks broken in half so they're not actually glued on at all and I can switch it up really easily if I want to. I bought some Easter egg picks at the Dollar Store too that I might add to it in a few weeks.

While I really like how it turned out, I'm not sure I'm totally loving it on my front door. I don't think the colors go well with the red door, and it's a little small. It's better than nothing though, so it will stay until I think of something else to do. I think it would look great hanging inside somewhere, or maybe with different color flowers and ribbon...

18 Months

N had his 18 month appointment this morning. He's moving back up the charts a little, at 22lbs (20%) and 31" (10%) which is up for both of those. :) His head is still huge (88%). lol
He's doing well all around. I did get an order for an x-ray because he was limping after his nap Monday and Tuesday. I really love our doctor. She told me to keep an eye on it and if he's still doing it in the next couple of days to take him in, but she wrote the order today so I wouldn't have to deal with getting it later if we need it. It's really weird... Monday after nap he wouldn't even walk on it, but he didn't seem to be in pain, and I couldn't see anything wrong. It took him a few hours before he quit limping on it. Then yesterday after nap he was limping again, but it wasn't as bad and it didn't last as long. The doctor felt both legs all up and down and as far as she could tell he's fine, but she said if he does it for hours again like Monday to take him in. Hopefully we won't need to, but I feel like she's the right level of concerned.

He really didn't like being at the doctor's office. He kept asking for his clothes, and when I wouldn't get him dressed he tried to put his shirt on himself.

He's talking a ton now (my recent favorite is when he says "Daddy's Ipad"), and starting to string more words together (after breakfast one morning when Matthew told him not to eat his bib he said, "Na eat Na's bib!").
He's also climbing, running, and trying to jump (so cute!).

Here are a few recent pictures...

I thought this was so cute, all 3 reading together (and then right after I took the picture N threw that book at M and she started crying, so much for that sweet moment).
2 baskets of shoes, he's so proud of himself.
He loves his big sissy... Hanging out under the desk while she does her homework.

Yes, he's now completely addicted to that dang pacifier (and the clear one in that shoe picture is his favorite, he won't take the other ones if he sees that one). I thought about taking it away a month ago when he really didn't care much for it, but he was weaning and I didn't want to do that at the same time. Now he flips out if he doesn't have it in his mouth anytime we're at home. I was really trying to keep it in his crib, but I gave up on that after a couple mornings of being screamed at for hours. He doesn't usually have it when we're out and about, so I think I'm okay with that for now. We'll work on keeping it in the crib once he's not as attached.

Monday Menu

Menu:
Monday- breakfast
Tuesday-
Wednesday- stuffed pizza rolls I'm doing them with chicken and artichoke hearts
Thursday- green mac-n-cheese for the kids
Friday- pizza
Saturday- Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Sunday-

kind of an incomplete menu this week. We really need to go a big Costco trip next weekend, I'm running low on a lot of our basics right now.


To-Do's:
Monday- grocery shopping and post office
Tuesday-
Wednesday- N's 18m appointment in the AM, M's 8 year appointment in the PM, small group
Thursday-
Friday- dr appointment for me, shopping in town with my mom (drop off R's t-ball registration), dance for M
Saturday- player assessment for M's softball
Sunday- church, costco

In my dream house...

Matthew and I seem to always be making comments about how we'll do this/won't do that in our "forever house". We've lived in so many house (9, not counting the two weeks that we moved back in with my parents for) that we really feel like we've gotten a feel for what we like and don't like in a house. When the subject came up again the other day Matthew mentioned that we probably won't remember most of it when we actually get to design and build our house. So, I thought I should start writing this stuff down as it comes to me. As luck would have it, I don't even remember what I had just said when he told me I wouldn't remember everything, so I guess really do need this list! There's no time frame, we won't be moving anytime soon (as far as I'm concerned, I've learned that what I think isn't always what God has planned for us by this point), I just thought it would be nice to have a place to write this stuff down as it comes up, and the blog seemed like a good spot. :)

Entryway

Living Room
Gas fireplace (with a big mantle! We haven't had a mantle since our first house, back when I didn't know what to do with it)

Dining Room

Kitchen
I think I want an appliance garage (we've never had one, I just think they look neat)
No corner sink (we don't have one, but my SIL does, and it doesn't work well)

The layout of this kitchen is exactly what I've been picturing in my head, only better. I love it!! I'd do it with a bit more splashes of color, and maybe a different backslash and floor... but as far as the layout, I want it!!

I love the look of all white cabinets and a fun color on the island!

Or keep the island white like the cabinets, but paint the stools a fun color like this (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this!!!)




Bathrooms

Kids' Bedrooms

Master Bedroom

Master Bath
Two sinks!!!!
Large shower

Garage/Mudroom/Pantry hey, I'm dreaming here
It would be nice if the layout worked out so the garage entryway is next to the kitchen/mudroom/pantry to make bringing in groceries easier

Yard

Other

Living Room Plan

The whole living room really needs quite a bit of attention, but this wall in particular has me not sure what to do. I finally decided to take a picture of it today and play around in photoshop. At first I was thinking I just wanted one long shelf over the whole couch, but after playing for a bit I realized I didn't like that idea and I came up with this. I have a family photo shoot scheduled for next month (yey!!), and I'm hoping we can fill that big photo spot with something from that. :) Then I went a step further and labeled all the other things I want to change (someday...). What do you think? Any suggestions?


That is the wall you see when you first walk into my house, and right now it's big and empty. I'm also wondering what to do on the other side of the lamp (there's another pretty big chunk of wall... maybe a big wall cock?), but I don't know if I should fill up the whole wall or what. I hate big huge walls, they're so hard!

Across from that big wall is my big photo wall which I love. But with that already in the living room I'm not sure I want a ton of family photos on the other wall too. (I'm planning on painting that bookshelf white, and those baskets are no longer there)

This room intimidates me, and it's our only real wall space in the main living part of the house, so I want to cram everything I love in here, but that just won't work.
I'm thinking about adding a long shelf in the hallway too so I can put up some color photos that I love of the kids. I love my B&W wall, but some pictures just need to be in color. :)

Recipes to Try

Just a post for myself to remind me of the new recipes I want to try. :)
I came across the Our Best Bites blog and I can't stop bookmarking recipes, it all looks so good!! Here are a few that I plan to try soon...

Chicken-Bacon Stuffed Pizza Rolls (and the regular version) I thinking these would be great for t-ball nights!
Baked Chicken-Bacon Alfredo
Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Pineapple Bacon Burgers We may be waiting for grilling weather for this one, but how yummy does that sound?!?
Fire Roasted Artichokes Another for the BBQ (I can't wait for summer!)


These desserts all look amazing!!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie I think I'll be making this next time it's our turn to bring dessert to home group!
Cadbury Egg Cookies :)
Chocolate Toffee Sugar Cookies
Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies noticing a theme?

Unproductive Monday

This day is not off to a good start. Nap attempt #2 = fail. I spent an hour trying to figure out what we're going to wear for the family pictures I finally get to have taken, and I still can't find the "right" thing. I have tons that I should be doing, but can't seem to get any of it done. I don't think I'm even going to bother going to the grocery store until tomorrow. We did a small Costco run yesterday, and we have a bunch of leftovers from M's party for tonight, so we'll be okay for one more day.

Menu:
Monday- leftover blueberry pancakes (and something else??)
Tuesday- something easy for the kids and I... Grilled cheese and soup
Wednesday- crock pot chicken (nachos, tacos, ??)
Thursday- another easy one, just the kids and I again
Friday- something else with the chicken
Saturday-
Sunday-


To-Do's:
Monday- try to accomplish something before the day is over.
Tuesday- grocery store
Wednesday- eye doctor for R
Thursday-
Friday- Dance
Saturday-
Sunday- church, work in nursery...

I still need to get the t-ball and softball registrations in, I need to look into that this week!!

Cupcakes

Here are the cupcakes I made for M's party last night. I actually used a recipe for the frosting for the first time in my life (Martha's Buttercream) and it was SO yummy!! I just made 1/3 of the recipe, and there was plenty to frost all 22 cupcakes (I can never get the batter to make 24) plus a bunch of "doll" cupcakes (see below). I also bought a frosting tip and pretended I knew what I was doing... I think they turned out pretty cute considering I really didn't have a clue how to use it. I really want to take a cake decorating class, my mom and I need to figure out a time that will work!

Here's M's cupcake with the doll cupcakes. I made them by frosting Reese's minis, they were the perfect size for the dolls!

Both cake plates were made last week from things I found at the Dollar store. The top one is a disposable tray on top of an ice cream bowl, and the bottom one is a candle plate on top of a candle stick.

The party was fun... we had 9 crazy little girls here. I'll try to get some pictures up soon. We're getting ready for round 2 with the family tonight.

Cupcake Toppers

My fingerprints are now melted off, but how cute are these?

I saw the idea on Icing Designs and I thought they'd be so cute for M's birthday! Mine are not as fancy, no leaves or stamens, but I still think they're cute. :)
I used mini cupcake liners (5 per flower) and toothpicks (because I forgot to get lolly sticks when I was at Michaels, and with gas over $4 a gallon I wasn't going back). I can't wait to see how they'll look on the cupcakes tomorrow!