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  1. Weekly Menu, sugar free

    November 28, 2011 by mags

    I got started on our food today, planned a week of yummy food, put a lot of the recipes in the Recipe Builder to get Weight Watchers points, and went shopping with the two big girls.  I also did a little bit of prep work for the week while cooking dinner tonight.  I chopped all the onions for the week, roasted and pureed sweet potatoes while I roasted a butternut squash for dinner, and chopped up the rest of chicken while I had it out.  I used Zip List for finding recipes and building a grocery list.  So here’s the plan for the week:

    Monday, November 28
    Smoothies
    Last of leftover Thanksgiving that was brought to us
    Pan seared chicken and gravy (5), baked rice with butternut squash (6) and roasted brussel sprouts

    Tuesday, November 29
    Eggs, english muffins and canadian bacon
    Sweet Potato Coconut Curry with Chicken (7), rice
    Crockpot Turkey, sweet potato and white bean chili(7), cornbread (Yes, lots of sweet potatoes in one day, but we’ve got lots to use up)

    Wednesday, November 30
    Oatmeal, nuts and/or peanut butter
    Sausage, Chard and White Bean Soup (5)
    Shepard’s Pie, Lightened Up  (7), salad

    Thursday, December 1
    Blueberry muffins, smoothie
    Curry
    Orange Chicken, spring rolls, broccoli and rice (I’ll scoop my chicken before adding the sauce

    Friday, December 2
    Eggs, english muffin, canadian bacon
    soup
    Stir Fry using leftover steak over noodles

    I like to leave the weekends open, but we should have plenty of leftovers.  This is linked up at Org Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: | 2 Comments

  2. New Year’s in November

    November 28, 2011 by mags

    So it’s been awhile, yet again.  It’s the week after Thanksgiving, yet I feel like it’s New Year’s Day.  Reminds me of a song, by Carolyn Arends, every day is New Year’s Day.  But anyways, why is it New Year’s Day in November.  Well because our Thanksgiving sorta sucked as far as Thanksgivings go.  I was still thankful for a lot of thing, and surprisingly did not throw a pity party, but it still sucked.  We all ended up with the stomach flu.  We thought that maybe we could redeem it on Saturday, but very early Saturday morning is when it got the last two hold outs.  I had such plans, we were going to get the house cleaned up, we were going to decorate and we’d have fun as a family.  When I slacked off earlier in the week I knew it would all get caught up during the long weekend.  Well, none of it happened.  By the end of the week end all mattress pads, blankets and towels were dirty and the house was even more trashed than it was before.

    I was reminded as to why it is so important to keep on top of things.  With things picked up there would’ve been less things to get yuckies on them.  If the bathrooms were cleaned it wouldn’t of made us feel more sick to use them during this time.  Having some freezer meals would’ve helped keep the ones who were able to eat fed.  Although we were blessed with Thanksgiving leftovers and a meal from a dear family.  Laundry would’ve meant much less to catch up on.  So, I am reminded why these things are important practically.  Not to mention hospitality, attitudes and productivity would all improve.  My mom also encouraged to quit caffeine and sugar.  She knows me and our family history and knows that these things would improve my health, energy levels and well being immensely.  She was so right and I’m thankful that she was firm with me.  My diet had been slacking and I was feeling the effects.

    So for this New Year’s Day in November I have new resolve to take care of my home and to take care of me.  I want to be my best, for His glory, these resolves mean nothing without Him.  I am also so thankful that my standing with Christ does not depend on how well I do with this.

    Coming Up: Menu Plan sans sugar. :)

     

    PS this post was written one handed with a one year old on my lap, please excuse any typos. :)

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  3. Before Bed Planning

    October 13, 2011 by mags

    I did something smart a couple of times this week.  A lot of people probably do this every night and think it’s just what you do, but I don’t always think that way.  For some reason I find it necessary to question every action I take and not in a good way.  Is loading the dishwasher really the best use of my time right now?  Are there enough clothes to last one more day or do I REALLY need to do laundry?  The things lying around in the living room will be there when I wake up, so should I really pick them up now?  Sure these are ok things to ask if the alternatives are things like reading to my kids, playing a game with them, talking to my spouse, or on the occasion catch up on some sleep that’s really overdue.  The thing is I’m rarely overdue on sleep.  Library books? Yes. Sleep? Not so much.  Well I was a couple of times this week, but that’s unusual.  I also am rarely doing any of those great alternatives when I’m avoiding those things.  What am I doing instead?  Usually just wasting time, avoiding things that seem completely overwhelming to me.   I may be reading one more blog post on how to get it together, or I may be checking Facebook one more time, or I may be watching a show on Netflix with my husband, while he works on the computer, doing actual work.  None of these things are bad in and of themselves, but when I’m reading more about having an orderly home than I am ordering my home, then we may have a problem.

    So what is this thing that I’ve done a couple of times this week and plan on doing as soon as I’m done with this post?  I’ve been thinking ahead!  What a novel idea!  I’ll think about what I would like my morning to look like.  Usually that involves a shower and then getting dressed.  ”I wonder where that shirt is?  Oh let me go find it.” I may think.  After that I would love to sit down and have some real time in the Word and in prayer.  ”Where should I do that? The table would be good, then maybe I won’t fall asleep, guess I better clear off those dishes and wipe down the table.  Let me get my Bible and any books I’d like to read and set them there.  Some coffee would be great then, let me set the maker to have it ready.  Oh, wouldn’t it be great if I could smell it while trying to get up? A clean cup is necessary, let me get the dishwasher going.”  And so on.  Before I know it the kitchen is clean, clothes are picked out, laundry might be ready to go and I may even have things out that I need to take with me in the morning, or at least a list.  I know people do this all the time, I read about it often.  Some people may call this making an evening and morning routine, since the same things are likely to be on it each day.  I wonder why routine checklists haven’t worked for me?  I don’t know, but thinking ahead this way, makes me see the point of spending that extra half hour or so in the evening being busy so that way my morning can go more smoothly.  I love mornings.  I love that quiet while the kids are still asleep and I’m fresh from a good nights rest and a refreshing shower.  The thing is I rarely get to have these mornings that I love because I don’t plan for them. I may think of things that I’d like to do in the morning, but I haven’t prepared to make them happen in the past.  So my typical morning would start with the alarm going, me realizing that I have way too much to do and then me going back to sleep feeling hopeless.  The couple of nights that I planned ahead this week I woke up quite refreshed and ready for the day knowing that at least the kitchen was clean and I had coffee and my Bible waiting for me at the dinning table.

    Category by God's Grace!, Housework, Spiritual Health, Success | Tags: | Comments Off

  4. Menu Plan Monday

    October 10, 2011 by mags

    It is Sunday afternoon, we just had some lovely people over for lunch, and now the girls are being exposed to Star Wars for the first time.  It’s rare that we have a family afternoon to ourselves and the big one has been wanting to watch it, so now is her chance.  I’m feeling behind again.  Aren’t I always feeling behind?  Ug, I’m really hoping to catch up on a few things this week.  My family is suffering and I must put the priorities that I claim into practice.  In order to get a head start with this week without working to hard on this day of rest I thought I would do some menu planning while John and the girls enjoy Star Wars.  So here it is:

    Monday, October 10:
    Oatmeal with nuts, raisins, peanut butter, honey

    Crockpot roast, mashed sweet potatoes, salad, biscuits

    Tuesday, October 11:
    Breakfast Burritos
    CC-Cheese and crackers, veggies, fruit, yogurt pops
    Chicken, broccoli, stir fry, brown rice

    Wednesday, October 12, our anniversary!:
    Sweet potato waffles, bacon or sausage, eggs, juice
    Tuna Salad, bread
    Romantic family dinner-filet mignon, seafood?, baked potato, asparagus, peach cobbler

    Thursday, October 13:
    Oatmeal with toppings, smoothie
    pb and j sandwiches, veggies and dip
    Linguini with leftover roast, salad

    Friday, October 14, Apple Hill!:
    Energy bars before heading off, apple donuts there!
    Yummy food up the hill
    ??? Something quick and easy

    Saturday, October 15, soccer tourney:
    Cottage Cheese, fruit, smoothie
    picnic? sandwiches, fruit, veggies, special treat
    Date NIGHT!!!

    Sunday, October 16:
    eggs, waffles, fruit
    church potluck-tortellini pesto salad
    in-laws

    This Menu is linked up at Orgjunkie.com

     

     

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  5. Down in the Dumps

    September 29, 2011 by mags

    This week has been tough.  We had a fabulous weekend visiting with family and celebrating my sister’s wedding, but it threw me for a loop.  I know, I know, my last post that wasn’t a menu was about the exact same thing.  This is a constant struggle with me, I may do well with maintaining my primary God given responsibilities of my family and home, but then one thing goes awry and I feel like I’m back at square one.  If this goes on long enough, as it has this week, I start doubting.  I start wondering why God gave me this family, this home, these convictions.  Today I was wondering if I should cancel the carpet cleaners and my baby’s first birthday party, that is on Saturday.  This is the thinking I get into, I start thinking that all is impossible, that I just can’t possibly do it.  I certainly can’t do it with all the kids at home and a husband who works all day and sometimes when he gets home too.  Can’t he just take a sick day? Can’t somebody please take these children for the day?  Can’t we just cancel everything on the calendar indefinitely?

    So why am I spilling out my guts here, these are the deepest things that go on inside of my head, why would I dare put them here, for all to see?  Well a couple of reasons.  One is to let you know that I can’t do it, I can’t do it at all, but when I get over that fact and realize that there are certain things that God has planned for me in a day, and that He will provide the strength to do those things, then I can have peace knowing that I am resting in Him.  Unfortunately I couldn’t see past the dishes and the clutter and the garbage and the take out boxes from this week of pure survival, and I succumbed to despair.  Which comes to my second point.

    How does one in this mind set gain encouragement, what can one say/do to help someone in despair, what can someone say to me when I’m in despair?  First of all I need to hear the truth. I need God’s word I need to know that I have in fact been given everything I need for life and godliness.  I need to know that the work that He has began He will complete.  Yes, I know these things, but I need to hear them.   There are also a few things I do not need to hear.  I do not need to hear that I should, in fact, put my girls in school.  Not at that moment anyways.  I do not need to hear that it is in fact too much and I can’t do it and I need to hire a maid (unless you’re willing to pay of course. ;-) ).  I only need the truth, and perhaps help with a game plan on how to get the necessary things done. I need to be told that while a short rest is fine, I need to be sure to not put sleep/rest above my other priorities.  Rest is good, in the proper time.   I also need to be told that I should not wash my slip covers when the rest of the house is in fact falling apart.  The pb and j on the couch won’t go anywhere and if anyone notices it oh well, if it really bothers them they can wash it.

    I am thankful that I now have a game plan, progress has been made and it no longer seems entirely impossible to be ready for Saturday’s festivities.  At the end of the game plan is to clean up after such festivities so that I am not tempted to despair in this manner come Monday.  I’ll have a whole other list of temptations, if I could avoid this one, that would be great.

     

    Category Uncategorized | Tags: | 4 Comments

  6. Menu Plan Monday

    September 19, 2011 by mags

     

     

    I wanted to let you all know about a website that I found that I’m loving.  It’s called ZipList and it has a ton of recipes that you can add to your own recipe box and shopping list.  You call also add any you find on-line or manually enter your own recipes.   Last week I used it and added all the recipes that I was interested in in my recipe box.  I then added any that I wanted to use that weren’t there.  After that, I narrowed down the ones I wanted for that week and added them to the shopping list.  There are some neat things about the shopping list.  As you add a recipe it’ll pop up a box with guesses of ingredients that they think you made need and ones that they think you already have, you can click any of them to add or remove them from the list.  Another thing it does is lets you filter it by recipe, so last week I realized I planned too many meals and was able to delete all the items for the recipes I decided not to use without figuring it all out myself.  The only thing it doesn’t do is set up a meal plan for you, but I like to do that on paper so I can post it on the fridge anyways.

    We decided that Monday would be my shopping day and I would go while John takes the girls to soccer practice.  Today was the first day and it worked great.  I got to go to Trader Joe’s and it’s not as busy as I thought it would be.  I had been going after bedtime and I’d have to go to a regular grocery store, but it was empty.  So here’s the meal plan for this week, so glad to have a plan.

    Monday-cottage cheese and strawberries, sweet potato and black bean burritos, spaghetti carbonara and salad

    Tuesday-Oatmeal pancakes (originally found on Once a Month Mom’s Whole Foods Menu, for September), sack lunch (cheese sticks, applesauce crushers, juice box, carrot sticks, crackers), dinner out (John’s birthday!)

    Wednesday-eggs, toast and fruit, Chai Muffins to bring to Bible Study, Quesadillas, chili

    Thursday-Oatmeal Bake and smoothies, Sushi with my sister and bro in law!, Chicken Curry and rice

    Friday-Granola, yogurt and fruit, leftovers, Round Table with the big family!

    Saturday-Smoothies and oatmeal, cheese, crackers and fruit, wedding reception!

    Sunday-Cottage cheese, fruit and toast, crockpot roast, salad, bread (who wants to come over?!)

    This post is linked up to Menu Plan Monday

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Category Cooking | Tags: | 1 Comment

  7. Spiral

    September 16, 2011 by mags

    So what does it take for your home to spiral out of control?  Well I’ll tell you what it takes for my house to go.  It takes a necessary overhaul of children’s clothes one weekend, never fully finishing it, and then having a super busy weekend the following weekend.  Well actually those are just excuses, it takes me, not being diligent, and all of us to feel like the weekend is for relaxing in whatever time we had and letting things go.  The keeping up with laundry line, so my almost 4 yo has clothes? Yeah, that hasn’t happened, she’s had clean clothes, but just barely and a couple of accidents put her in a pull up instead of clean undies.  Not to mention, made for a frustrated Mommy.

    Remember my Totally Together organizer that I bought?  Well it only works if you open it and use it.  Haha, yeah I knew that, and it worked great the first week, gotta crack that thing open again.  Part of Ms. O’Dea’s methods are the Daily 7 for a Highly Successful Household.  One of the things is to complete one full load of laundry a day (adjusting for your family’s needs as you see how much you really have).  Well this hasn’t been working for my, but as I’ve been reading Nony over at A Slob Comes Clean she has decided that a laundry day is what works best for her.  So yesterday I tried it and I go so much laundry done, but now… it’s all on the couch.  I had another project I really needed to get done last night, so I wasn’t able to fold as I thought.  But there is lots of clean laundry!  I’ll have to work on this.  Today I’m feeling ill, so today is a lounge day, but I do plan to at least get the laundry put away, or maybe just all folded. :)

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  8. It’s been awhile

    September 5, 2011 by mags

    Well not that long of awhile, but since in the last post I had stated that I would let you know how things went, it’s been awhile.  Well I did end up going to bed with things undone, but the next day we did a bit of “home ec.” and got things going again.  We did well until the weekend, and now I’m back with dirty dishes and a laundry project spread out in the living room and no motivation to do it.  Going through kid’s clothes is a huge project, and I’m realizing that while we were out getting white shirts and nice, crisp denim for family pictures later this month, that I really should’ve gotten my almost 4 yo some clothing.  Oh well, I think I’ll just have to keep on top of laundry and hold out until Fall, since she has all sorts of long sleeve shirts. We have a new clothing budget and stuck to it this month.  Next month new shoes for me are on the list.  I’ll have to use my own spending money for some running shoes, but some black flats will come out of the clothing budget.

    So despite the house looking really bad right now and me sitting here typing instead of cleaning, this was not typical of the week.  We had people come over the past 2 Saturday, last Sunday (not yesterday) and my mom and my aunt came at 2 separate times for visits.  It was really nice to be able to get straight to playing games when my mom came and not feeling the need to explain myself when my aunt came.  John also mentioned how much he’s liked having the house clean.  On Saturday we cleaned the floors and dusted and although we were having company, it didn’t feel like we were doing it for them, but we were doing it because it was time.  John told someone at church that we should have them over and I didn’t cringe at thinking about when we would be ready, I know we can soon.

    I know my writing doesn’t make sense, I remember studying this style in school, isn’t it called “train of thought” writing or something like that.  Well anyways, it’s perfect for me because I just write what my brain is thinking.  If I ever get more serious about this blog, maybe I’ll outline and have cohesive posts and stay on topic, but for now it’s just my thoughts as they come, and I hope you enjoy and think to pray for me and my “struggles.”

     

    Category Housework | Tags: | 2 Comments

  9. And this is why I’m “Struggling Homemaker”

    September 1, 2011 by mags

    Today was such a long day.  Started at 5 am by meeting some gals from church for a “run.”  Mine ended up being a walk because my knee started hurting, but the exercise and fellowship sure felt great.  Next was breakfast and school, so far so good.  Yay for the homeschool room and being able to leave the dishes without them being a distraction and getting school done while the girls are at their best. Next was math and science at a friend’s house.  Yay for friends and working together.  Bummer for people who don’t show up at the mall for the friend to pick up a Craigslist deal while I watch the kiddos at her house and her getting home right before my aunt was to show up at my house.  So not her fault, just one of those days and way more frustrating for her than me.  Yay for my aunt coming and taking us out to lunch!  Had a short visit with her at home with my mostly tidy home, a couple of laundry baskets and then the morning dishes.  Then I crashed on the couch.  Yay for a nap, bummer that I really didn’t have time for one.  Called hubby had him pick up dinner so I could do the laundry to have clean sheets before the girls went to bed and work in the kitchen.  Didn’t work in the kitchen but did get the laundry going.  My big girl felt it necessary to organize her dresser.  Yay for her wanting to be organized an neat and wanting to learn how to fold clothes, but why now?  Had dinner, yay for such a blessing to be able to do that.  Tried getting some sheets that weren’t in the wash so at least one bed was made.  Remembered how nice the big girl’s dresser looked so I quickly organized the linen closet and threw some linens in the huge pile in the garage to get rid of.  Yay, the sheets in the dryer were dry in time for bed.  Now the girls are in bed I have two loads of laundry to fold and another in the dryer and those dishes are still sitting there.  I’m sore and I don’t want to do any of it.  I want to go to bed on my sheets that should’ve been added to the sheets to be washed but didn’t.  I want to leave the kitchen until tomorrow, but then I’ll start the day off feeling behind.  Grrr.  Why is this such a struggle? Why can’t I just see a mess and it bug me until I get it done and then that motivate me to do it now?  But I’m sore and I did things today, I should want to just relax and go to bed early.   I’ll let you know what I do, I’m struggling, do I listen to my body or do I do the dishes?

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  10. Bye, bye games!

    August 29, 2011 by mags

    I’m so thankful to the Lord for sustaining me through today.  Normally I leave a lot of things undone at night because I’m tired and it just seems like way too much to do.  Well, even if I went to bed right now, things wouldn’t be in too bad of shape, because I was able to keep up on top of things through out the day.  There are a few things that I may do tonight, but if I don’t it won’t be overwhelming in the morning.

    I’m also very pleased for the extra grace to be diligent with school and de-cluttering.  We’re using Bob books to get reading going, the 4th book was a struggle, but we persevered and got that book read.  It was such an accomplishment for her and for me for pushing her.  I had also intended to start going through the girls’ clothes today, well when the opportune time came, baby was asleep.  Normally I would consider that a wrench in the plans and just give up, but instead I had the big girls’ help me go through the games.  We were able to get all kids’ games into our two storage ottomans.  They had spilled over into our corner hutch where my vases normally go, and now they are out of there.  I also made a spreadsheet of all the games and will print it up and set it in the ottoman for us to the write the date on as we play them, then the next time we need to weed some out we can see which ones we actually play. I’m so thankful for today, despite back aches and some fighting with my big girl, by God’s grace we persevered.

    Category Homeschooling, Housework, Purging | Tags: | Comments Off

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