Do Over!

Do you ever have one of those weeks when you just can't seem to get it together?  You're not sick, nothing major is wrong.  You just. can't. seem. to get. it. together (I put periods in there so you would say it real slow, like Captain Kirk).  Notice I said "one of those weeks" and not "one of those days".  Because for me, it doesn't seem to be a day that is out of whack.  It's all or nothing here.

Recently, I had one of those weeks.  And on Friday I was left shaking my head and thinking, "What the heck just happened?"  And more importantly, "What do I need to do to make sure this doesn't happen again?"

I knew exactly what I needed to do.  I needed to make a list (if you don't know me yet, lists fix everything!). A Sunday checklist. What needs to be done to ensure a smooth week?  What's going to help my mornings run smoothly?  Because seriously, when you are running around like a crazy person in the morning, you are stressed and exhausted by the time you GET to work.  That is no way to start the day.  So if I have to take an hour or so on Sunday and make sure I am ready for my week, it is totally worth it.

Alright...what needs to go on the checklist?  We used to have family meetings on Sunday nights and we have kind of gotten away from that.  That's the first thing that needs to be on my checklist.  Our "meetings" are at dinner (we have even had them at breakfast) and this is just a quick "here's what's going on this week".  It's really taking a look at the calendar together.  This way everyone is on the same page and hubs can't say "I didn't know about that!".  Hopefully this means no surprises for any of us.  This is also a time to make sure I have given girls lunch money and signed any forms that need to be turned in to school that week and find out things like "oh yeah, tomorrow's picture day".  Better to find out at 6 p.m. than 6 a.m., I always say.

Next on the checklist, I need to look over my menu for the week ahead and see if I need any produce.  Once a month grocery shopping can only go so far, so I do have to go back to the store for perishables or things we run out of (If I had room in my frig I would buy 10 creamers and 3 milks at the end of the month!) While I have my master calendar of meals for the month, I also have a cute little chalkboard menu I made on the side of the cupboard.  It was my first Pinterest project (tear).

Once I decide on this week's meals (because I do move them around sometimes), I write them on my cute little chalkboard.  I bring any freezer meals inside (from my outside freezer), so I can easily pull them out at night to thaw.  I also decide on what's for breakfast for the week at this time.  Sometimes I have breakfast meals in the freezer, sometimes I make muffins or pancakes on Sunday.  I have one kid who would rather have cereal for breakfast than anything else.  Go for it.

Next! Check the forecast for the week and have the girls lay out their outfits.  For the whole week.  This was one of the best things I ever started doing.  I have given my girls hooks on the back of their doors for their weekly outfits to hang on. Each night before bed, tomorrow's outfit gets moved to the door handle and socks, shoes, etc are added to it.  In other words, everything is there and we are not looking for anything in the morning.  No one in this house wants to think in the morning.  Least of all, me.  I always say I am going to iron my clothes at night for the next day but, I'm not gonna lie. That never actually happens.  But at least I know what wrinkly thing needs to get ironed in the morning.

Then, we need to take care of after school snacks for the week.  One needs to pack them to bring with her (she's at school with me) and the other just needs to portion them out beforehand.

And last on the list...lunches.  Dun dun dun!  The bain of my existence.  We decide what the girls will be having that week.  Usually there are a few items here that have to get added to the grocery list (fruit) too. Then they pack whatever they can in advance.  You guessed it...for the whole week.

(Insert quick trip to grocery store here)

As for my lunches, I can have leftovers, but sometimes that is a risky game.  There are times when nothing is left over.  It happens.  Sometimes everyone wants it in their lunch and I am so happy, of course I let my kids have it.

This year, I made a discovery.  Jar salads.  Have you tried them?  They are wonderful!  I haven't timed myself but I think they just take about 30 minutes to make.  The thing I love about it is, you make a whole week's worth of lunches in one assembly line and in the morning, you grab a jar and go.

Fantastic.  Add a yogurt or fruit and some crackers and voila!  Lunch is served.  There are tons of "salads in a jar" recipes on Pinterest.  I have loved all the salads I have tried.  Most recipes I have seen give you homemade dressings.  If you don't want to take the time to make your own dressing, of course you can use store bought.  But most of the dressings I have tried are super easy and so delicious!  Give it a try!  I was really skeptical that my salad made on Sunday would taste good on Friday, but it did!

Decide on your salad.  Start by getting out 5 Mason jars and gathering your ingredients.  I like the wide-mouth jars for this job.

Each jar salad recipe gives you the ingredients and the order to put them in (this is clutch).  Make your dressing.  Starting with your dressing, start layering!  I usually put in about 4 t of dressing in the bottom of my jar.

This is an Oriental Mandarin Chicken Salad.  I added some extra ingredients I liked.  If you do that, try to put it with ingredients that are of like consistency.  For example, I added bamboo shoots and water chestnuts and put them right over the mandarin oranges.  Feel free to experiment and substitute!  The basic rule is dressing is on the bottom and lettuce is on the top.

Here are a few of my favs:

Fresh Mozzarella-Tomato-Pasta-and-Spinach Salad  I could NEVER get tired of this one.
Oriental Mandaran, Buffalo Chicken and Southwest Salads 3 Great ones
Strawberry Spinach Salad w Strawberry-Lime Vinaigrette  Love this one too.  Also some other recipes on this site I have not tried yet.
Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime dressing

Check out my board "Make Mine a Salad" on Pinterest for some more jar salad links.  I haven't gotten to try many of them yet!  I'm working on it!  I think I will probably make these in the summer as well.  We are often on the go and when we go, we usually pack lunch.  What would be easier than grabbing my jar?

So...my checklist involved 6 things.  If I can just do these few simple things on Sunday, it makes my week so much easier.  I definitely incorporate my girls in this with me, so this is not even me doing all these things, as much as overseeing much of it.  We all do our own snacks, lunches and clothes.  It gives us some good quality kitchen time too.  I have found this is much less stressful if we do this Sunday morning or early afternoon and not in the evening.  Just sayin'.

Sometimes things just aren't working for you in life.  It might be a routine or a room in your house.  And we may need to take a minute and figure out what's not working.  Seriously, lots of people don't take time any more to think about things.  They are just rushing through life from one thing to another.  Stop and think about what is not working for you and why.  What causes you the most stress during the week and what could you do to make it better?  Sometimes one small change can make a big difference.  While it takes time to be prepared and organized, it pays off.

And if you need a checklist, call me.

It's Never too late for a Do-over!
K

Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow...

Sometimes God gives you things that you don't even think to ask for. Because you don't even think they are possible.  And when that happens, it is really, really cool.

If I had known that it could happen, seeing Fleetwood Mac would have been on my bucket list for like....forever.  I am a huge music lover, and if you are not, it's kind of hard for me to explain how big this was for me. Music has always been an important part of my life.  I have always loved songs and lyrics for as long as I can remember.  And I have always loved Fleetwood Mac for as long as I can remember.  The band only recently came back together and announced that they would tour.  I couldn't think of anything more I would want to do in the history of ever than see them. But their DC show date (closest place to us) was on Halloween.  Uh-oh. Mom dilemna.  Be selfish and go to the once in a lifetime concert or take my kids trick or treating?  I mean, let's be real, trick or treating is not that big of a deal.  But my kids are 8 and 11.  How many more trick or treatings do I have?  And Halloween was on a Friday.  Geez, Fleetwood Mac, don't you have kids?  I really did some soul searching (and if you think I am kidding, I am not).  I finally decided that I would feel like a selfish heel if I went to the concert on Halloween.  While I thought it was the right thing to do, it didn't mean I liked it.  We had a great Halloween, in which no one was allowed to listen to Fleetwood Mac, and I moved on. And just like that, as if God took pity on me just out of my sheer sacrifice, Fleetwood Mac announced they would be coming around again.  Even closer...in Charlottesville.  AND...one week before my birthday.  There was no way I was missing this one.  The tickets were purchased in October and I counted down the months until it was time.  I had some of my favorite people in the world going with me and when I tell you I think I was more giddy than on my wedding day, I mean it.  I mean, just look at me.  I was a little ridic.  But the thing about me is, I never hide my joy. And when we were walking there, yeah, I cried.  Because my joy was so overwhelming, my cup runneth over.

I got a golden ticket!

My partners in crime!

I was doing something that I never thought I would get to experience in my life time.  How cool is that? And I didn't even ask for it (although I would have if I had been smarter). When something you only dreamt about all your life comes true, it's pretty amazing.  The memories I have from that night, they are going to be on what I call "the highlight reel".  (you know how you imagine you will see your life flashing before your eyes in your final hours...the highlight reel)  And the songs I heard that night seem to have new meaning and life to me now. Just when I thought I could not love them any more.

Every year as part of of my goals, I list one bucket list item.  Because every year you need to do something big.  Big doesn't have to mean expensive, but it DOES have to mean out of the ordinary.  Why let your life be dull?  Why do the same old thing every year?  Think.  Big.  God can and so should you.  If you have not made a bucket list, you should. This is go crazy, think big, don't work out the details.  Things that you always wanted to do.  You know my stance on this one people, WRITE IT DOWN.  Whatever you do, don't talk yourself out of it.  This isn't the place to say "I could never do that".  And believe me, you can come up with a thousand different reasons why you shouldn't, wouldn't and couldn't. ALL things are possible to those who believe.  Put them on that list and like 

Fleetwood Mac would say...don't stop thinking about tomorrow.  Keep dreaming and planning new projects and experiences.  Plan on growing.  Plan on becoming.  Think you are all grown up?  I hope not.  God is not done with you yet and you shouldn't be either.  Don't be afraid to pray boldly.  Don't limit God in what He can do for you.  And sometimes, He will do things for you that you couldn't even imagine to ask for.  And when you get to do something you always dreamed of...

It. Feels. Amazing.

Dream BIG dreams and prepare to be amazed!
K

A Little Bit of Coffee and A Whole Lot of Jesus...

My BFF sent me a quote a couple weeks ago..."Today, I am going to need a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus."  Well, yeah.  She knows me well.

If there are two things I love, it is coffee and Jesus (not in that order). I often enjoy them together.  I get up at 5:20 every day (snow days and weekends not included) to have my Jesus time. I start every day in some type of prayer...sometimes it is praying exclusively, sometimes it is reading a book regarding faith, sometimes it is reading the Bible and sometimes, it is all of the above.  It is a wonderful way to start the day.  It's quiet, you can think about what you want to focus on (aka "get your mind right") and you can just listen.  And yes, drink coffee.

I have these things I call "epiphanies".  I have told you before, it is really quite amazing the ideas that God will share with you if you can just get still.  It all started with Pinterest.  I saw a few coffee bar pictures.  And then I searched for coffee bars.  And then I saw a whole lot of coffee bar pictures.  And then...well, then I got coffee bar envy.  I wanted a coffee bar.  I've always wanted a coffee bar.  I love coffee.  Why can't I have a coffee bar?  One night I was washing dishes and I must have been in a pitiful mood because I was thinking, I wish I could have a coffee bar (yes, say it in a whiny 6 year old voice...that's perfect).  And clear as day I heard a still, small voice tell me "You do".  I looked to my left and there sat a little piece of furniture we called "the bar" (for real, it's our liquor cabinet).  It had an ice bucket  and a wine chiller on it.  Two pictures hung above it.  It was very uninspiring. But suddenly, it was like I saw it with new eyes.  I saw POTENTIAL and I had this vision of what could be.  And I got very, very excited.

I immediately removed the things from the boring bar and brought the Keurig over from the kitchen. Well, that was a start. What else was I going to put on it?  Then, I realized something amazing.  I had an espresso machine in the attic.  Why on earth would a coffee lover have a espresso machine in the attic?  (Lack of space and then...out of sight is out of mind, in case you really want to know.) I dug around up there and found it.  It was like meeting up with an old friend.  After we had reacquainted ourselves, she came on down too.  I promised her I would always take care of her and never put her in the attic again if she would please just still work.  She did.  So on she went to the boring bar turned coffee bar.  Still, we needed something else.  I bought a burlap table runner.  I got a spoon rest.  I found a fabulous little lamp.

coffee bar stage 1

I thought the lamp would do it for me.  But still, I wasn't there.  When God showed me I had a coffee bar, of course, I had a fantastic coffee bar. Because that's how He rolls.  I went back to Pinterest to look for more ideas and that's when I saw it. This little doodad that I knew instantly had to be mine.

The blog said they got it at Hobby Lobby.  Oh really.  Just so happens to be one right by my house.  Then I saw the price.  $120. Yikes. So I waited for that sucker to go on sale (hint: Hobby Lobby rotates 50% off sales every two weeks.  So if you just missed something on sale, wait 2 weeks).  Finally, that day came.  I happily removed the old pictures off the wall and hung up my new, beautiful addition to my coffee bar.  OK.  So actually hubs did that part. He's so fabulous.  Especially when it comes to my epiphanies.

So now...what to do with the shelf on top?  My first thought was to put a clock up there.  But then I found this fabulous sign (also at Hobby Lobby) for $4.99 on sale.  I would pay $4.99 for just about anything.  I mean, am I right?  There was enough room for a vase...I took one of my handy Mason jars and poured some acrylic paint in it.  Enough room on that shelf for one more thing.  I bought a wooden H and simply covered it with scrapbook paper and decoupage. (Don't ask me where I bought it.  You already know the answer.)

And now?  Oh now I was there.  I was definitely there.  The final product...it was everything my vision was, and then some.  

It has been one year since I have re-purposed the boring bar to the coffee bar and I still love it.  I am so serious.  It gives me total joy.  The best part is when I walk into the house, there it is (see my post on "Shalom in the Home")  

I went from walking in to blah to walking in to beauty.  I used to just stare at it.  Don't laugh, I did! BFF came over for coffee on the first Saturday after it was done and we sat on the couch and just stared at it.  I don't even know if we talked. True story.

Isn't that just like God to take something uninspiring and with just a few touches, turn it into something amazing?  He'll even use things you already have.  How many times are we so focused on what we don't have that we don't realize what we DO have?  What do we have that God can work with? He sees all our potential.  He sees a vision of what can be.  He knows things that are stored away that we have totally forgotten about. And when He is asked to help, He gets very, very excited.

I still look at that coffee bar a lot.  And everytime I do, I smile.  I HAD a coffee bar...something I wanted so bad.  I had it, all along.  I just didn't realize it.   And when I look at it, I think to myself, "Look what God did through me."  He always did have an eye for potential.

May Your Cup Runneth Over!
K

Shalom in the Home

Years ago, there was a reality show on TV called "Shalom in the Home". There was this rabbi, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who went to help families who were in some type of crisis.  I only saw one episode (even though I really liked the guy, I just don't watch a lot of TV), but the name of the show really stuck with me.  To the point that I would tell my friends "I just want some shalom in my home."  I really just said it in jest at first, but the more I said it, the more I started thinking about what it meant.

How do you have peace in your home?  What could I do to make this happen?  We women...we set the tone of the home.  Are you friendly in your home?  Are you smiling at people?  Do you act happy to see them?  These questions might seem crazy.  They might bring to mind June Cleaver.  But think about it...because we usually don't think about it.  We are just going through the motions of our day.  Would you be happy to come home to you?  We all have days when we need to vent.  But take a minute to smile.  To say hi.  To give a hug and kiss.  Breathe.  Take a minute. Then you can move into any venting you may need to do.

What do people see when they first walk into your house?  Is it inviting?  What do YOU see?  Do you cringe at the sight?  Maybe your walls need a coat of paint or there is something broken or unsightly when you first walk in.  That sets the tone too....for you.  Make sure this area doesn't make you tense as soon as you walk through the door.  I usually get home first and I always make sure the girls put their things away.  Because no one wants to walk in and have to step over shoes and see a mess of bookbags and lunch boxes as soon as they walk in the door.  We have a place for those things, and they are not in a pile by the front door.  (All it takes is some hooks or a large basket!)

I also try to make the house extra relaxing for my hubs before he gets home.  We have a lamp in the corner of the living room.  I love soft light. In the winter, I like that light to be on instead of the overhead light.  I even put on some jazz music.  The hubs job has been stressful lately and it really is nice to walk in to peaceful lighting and music.  I can see him visibly loosen and relax when he walks in.  Even smile!  He is so relieved that he can come home to some shalom.  After he gets home, if the girls want to go in the living room and do something, that is fine.  The music can go off and the light can come on. What is important is that first moment when he gets home to his shalom. Do you ever greet your spouse at the door?  Ever done it with their favorite beverage?  On particularly bad days (when the weather is nice)...I have even met Chris in the driveway with a cold one in hand.  You should see the smile on his face!  If you are stressed at your job, you really need that safe place.  A place to come home to and relax.  A place where someone is happy to see you. You need a little shalom. You don't have to do this every day.  But I ask you to try it just once and see what happens.  OK, initially your spouse will want to know what you are up to and might be too suspicious to enjoy it.  So you might have to try it twice!  Who knows...maybe someone will even return the favor to you.

This goes for when guests come over as well.  I used to think nothing of people coming over and seeing me running around in the kitchen like a mad woman...they would know how hard I was working for them, right?  Hmmm....
Then I started thinking of the same philosophy being applied to guests.  Don't they want to be greeted at the door?  (I mean, obviously someone lets them in...but I was usually in the kitchen)  I used to not make appetizers very often.  Now, I have to have them.  Because...you need to take a minute. Take a minute to smile.  To say hi.  To give a hug and kiss.  Breathe.  Take a minute to say welcome to our home.  Sit down, have an appetizer.  Have a drink.  Dinner can wait.  Your guests came to see you.  And everyone who walks through the doors of your home deserves the wonderful gift you can give of a little shalom.

Peace to you my friends!
K

Frozen - the meals, not the movie

It's March 1st...you know what that means!  Time for March's menu.  And I will tell you, there are only 2 meals that were not freezer meals.  So just like the weather around here, our theme for the month is frozen.

If you didn't read last month's post "A Month of Meals" (Feb 4), you might want to check it out for some more freezer meal tips.  Here's a couple more things I thought of after last month's menu post:

• First, if you don't want to make freezer meals, these are still super easy dinners.  Most of them can just be thrown in the crockpot that morning.
• Many of the freezer meals tell you to thaw the recipes overnight.  Sometimes I forget to think about it the night before...you too?  Yeah, really, I have like 800 things on my mind.  Don't panic.  Throw it in the crock pot frozen.  It will be fine, I do it all the time.
• Follow my pinterest board "Cook Smarter, Not Harder" for more freezer meal ideas.  Some of my VERY favorite blogs for freezer meals are:
• Who Needs a Cape
• Organize Yourself Skinny
• Once a Month Meals
• If you don't feel like making a ton of things but really like the idea of having a stocked freezer, cheat.  Easiest thing in the world (and pretty cheap too), buy a package of chicken drumsticks, thighs or breasts, drop however many your family would eat in one sitting and dump your favorite marinade or Italian salad dressing over it.  Done.  Throw it in the freezer.  Crock pot it for 6-8 hours on low.

Prep your bags beforehand!

If you are going to try freezing this month, here's another tip for you.  Throw something in the crockpot for dinner before you start prepping or plan on ordering a pizza.  There is nothing worse than being in the kitchen for half the day and then having nothing ready for dinner!

Fixing some good stuff!

This time, we are doing some "double meals".  These freezer meals make two bags (1 recipe = 2 bags) to go in the freezer.  So according to my calculations, you already have 4 things ready for April after you bag everything up.  This month you need only gallon freezer bags, no casserole dishes.  We are doing no prep but chopping a few onions and frying some bacon.  You will notice that these are all new recipes.  There is only one thing I made last month that we are making again...and that is because it was so good, I can't stop thinking about it (Mississippi Pot Roast...seriously, you have to make it).  It's not necessarily that I don't ever want the same thing again, it's just there are so many recipes I find and want to try!  You will see some of my favs repeat after a couple months.  Some you will never see again because, hey...everyone can't be a winner.

Getting ready to bag some chicken recipes!

Again, I don't plan dinners for Saturday.  We are either out or we can have leftovers and clean out the fridge.  A word on leftovers...we take these in our lunch during the week but my hubs is pretty much a "one day after and then he's out" kind of leftover guy.  If you have made something and have a lot of leftovers and don't feel like wasting food or eating it for 5 days in a row, here's what you do.  Using smaller Rubbermaid containers, freeze individual lunch-size portions.  Then you can wait a couple weeks before you have it again.  Especially great on days you are running late or don't have something for lunch...grab one from the freezer and go!

Here is your shopping list for the month, again, broken down by recipes so you can pick and choose.  I spent $315 at the grocery store, but that includes many things other than menu items (breakfast, lunches, random items).
            March Grocery List

And here is our monthly menu:

March Meals

Week 1 
Sun      Fried Chicken (not freezer meal)  Mashed Potatoes
Mon     Sausage and White Bean Soup    Rolls
Tues     Honey Bourbon Chicken             Creamed Corn
Wed     Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin       Parmesan and Spinach Orzo
Thurs    Ranch Chicken Tacos                 Fiesta Lime Rice
Fri        Homemade Pizza Dough             Pizza Sauce

Week 2 
Sun     Bacon Covered Kalua Pork          Creamy Baked Asparagus
Mon    Herb Roasted Chicken Breasts    Pineapple Stuffing
Tues    Slow Cooker Hot Roast Beef       Balsamic Glazed Carrots
Wed    Easy Tomato Parmesan Chicken   Green Beans
Thurs   Pineapple Chicken Burritos          Apple Bacon Coleslaw
Fri       Pizza dough                              Pizza Sauce

Week 3 
Sun      Freezer Pot Roast                     Roasted Mustard Potatoes
Mon    Garlic Dijon Chicken                    Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Tues    Black and Tan Sandwiches (not a freezer meal)
Wed    Chicken and Gravy with biscuits    Parmesan Zucchini and Corn
Thurs   Beef and Broccoli with rice          Crunchy Asian Slaw
Fri       Pizza dough                               Pizza Sauce

Week 4 
Sun      Mississippi Pot Roast     Homemade french fries with Fry Sauce
Mon     Cinnamon Apple Pork Chops         Ranch Roasted Carrots
Tues     Parmesan Garlic Pizza Pasta         breadsticks    salad
Wed     Alfredo Chicken                           Easy Broccoli
Thurs   Mongolian Beef with rice     Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Pineapple
Fri       Pizza dough                               Pizza Sauce

Week 5
Sun      Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches       French fries w/ Fry sauce 
Mon    Beef Tips with Gravy                Mashed Potatoes
Tues    Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta        Salad

Lastly, I HAVE to show ya'll what my fridge looks like when I come home from shopping for an entire month.  Because...it's hilarious.  It's like playing Jenga trying to get all that stuff in my poor fridge (And I always clean it out before I go to the store...if you can believe that)!  So,,,as you can see, I pretty much have to do my freezer meals right away!




Happy stocking up the freezer!
K