Just keepin' it real. This is what I've been up to lately. I was busy, busy, busy with volunteering, driving, coping, moving (two times), cooking, baking, reading, bathing, dressing, exercising, tending 3 children and a husband, organizing and occassionally sleeping. :-)

This sort of thing, while absolutely fun, got in the way too:

I've also had writers block. Not sure where my head is but if someone finds it.. please return it to our new home. :-)

To be continued.....

Goals and Scoring...

Sometimes one must take one step back before taking two steps forward. Through the sludge of stress and grievances, we hope to find light and great happiness for our family. Nothing tragic is happening. Just many mini-tragedies. More like a soap opera than a tear-jerker really. In the latest episode of The Days of OUR Lives, we find ourselves on a roller coaster of emotion. Luckily, I have a very supportive husband who loves me and his children and is looking to protect and care for us the best he can. Hopes are lost and gained again. Our goals are still the same, though, and we still have time on our side. May we find peace and serenity. It's not a job I speak of or anything like that. Just situations. Many situations.

SERENITY NOW!

Taking 5 Today...

Taking 5 to organize. I realize I need to organize my house better as well as my cleaning routine these days. I am ready to implement the following into the daily humdrum of life:


Everyday 5 minute jobs:

Bathrooms: swipe toilet, clean mirror, wipe down sink, quick mop floor
Kitchen: sweep/quick mop floor, throw out trash, load dishwasher, hand wash dishes
Dining: quick wipe chairs, table
Living room: pick up loose papers, gather misc. items, dust, quick vac
Car: clean out trash
Garage: take papers inside, put items away in rooms
Bedrooms: put loose laundry in bins, quick clean up
Laundry area: one load in and out a day
All: sanitize door handles


Every week:

Monday: Water plants, clean out car (vac, windows, wash outside if needed)
Tuesday: Heavy duty vac (use the handle on trim, under furniture and couch cushions)
Wednesday: Clean out fridge/pantry, gather trash, set out trash cans (trash is Thur.)
Thursday: Clean windows and mirrors, write and send letters/mail
Friday: Iron, recycle, clean out oven
Saturday: Family project (30 min - 1 hour in morning)
Sunday: Set bags in car/ garage


Once a month:

Meal plan
Clean out trash bins
Heavy clean kitchen and bathroom floors
Wash down walls and doors
Change out calander
Organize garage bins
Go over budget

Menu Planning Monday 08-03-09

I am BACK! Woo hoo - it's been a long summer and I took a long break from blogging, but I am back in the bloggy world now.

Here's my Menu Plan for the week:

Monday:
Breakfast – Cereal, boiled eggs, toast, water
Snack – Carrot sticks and ranch, water
Lunch – Ham sandwiches with lettuce and tomato
Snack – Crackers and cream cheese, water
Dinner – Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, breadsticks
Dessert – Cookies and Horchata

Tuesday
Breakfast – Scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes
Snack – Applesauce, graham crackers
Lunch – Chicken quesadillas, Spanish rice, corn, milk
Snack – Apples and almond butter
Dinner – Chicken and rice soup, grilled cheese, broccoli salad
Dessert – Jell-O

Wednesday
Breakfast – Oatmeal, toast, fruit
Snack – String cheese and cherry tomatoes
Lunch – Soup, toasted bagel with cheese, juice
Snack – Apples and honey
Dinner – Baked salmon, cheesy cauliflower, wild rice
Dessert – Warm rice

Thursday
Breakfast – Toast, kiwis and grapes, milk
Snack – Boiled eggs
Lunch – Leftovers
Snack – Nuts and raisins
Dinner –Tacos, fruit salad, Spanish rice
Dessert – None

Friday
Breakfast – Cereal, bagel with almond butter, milk
Snack – Fruit leather, water
Lunch – Grilled cheese, carrot sticks
Snack – Yogurt and crackers
Dinner – Eat out
Dessert – Ice cream

Saturday
Breakfast – Egg Muffin, fruit, milk
Snack – Mixed cereal, water
Lunch – Popcorn, smoked salmon
Snack – Grapes, deli meat
Dinner – Aloha chicken kebobs, (pineapple puree, sweet potato puree)
Dessert – Coconut “flan”

Sunday
Breakfast – Cereal, toast, eggs, grape tomatoes
Snack – Cheese and apricots (dried)
Lunch – Sloppy Joes, sweet potato fries, milk
Snack – Crackers, juice
Dinner – Chicken salad, breadsticks
Dessert – Ice cream

Monday
Breakfast – Pancakes, scrambled eggs, apple sauce
Snack – Fruit
Lunch – Pea salad, cheese and tomato sandwich
Snack – Edamame
Dinner – Lasagna, salad, milk
Dessert – None

Let Freedom Ring

Hair - From Rock Star to Prairie Princess

I miss my little girls longer locks. Occassionaly she would actually allow me to put it up in some funky do or make it look all fancy.

Here is her rocker look:

(She asked if I could make her look like a cat)

And here is her "fancy" updo.

This took some patience since her hair is layered:

Cheffin' It

Three brand spankin' new cooking things I recently tried:

A whole chicken meal.





Believe it or not, I never-ever-ever attempted before to cook a whole chicken. It is hard for me to hold that little body in my hand, see its form and throw it in the pot to cook. Tonight was the first attempt for me. I am such a sap. Before I put the bird in, I washed it gently, took out its stuffed giblets, patted its little butt, thanked God for blessing us with this cheap (30% off already reduced price - 5.00) chicken. I pouted my little lower lip, smothered it up in spices and salt and dumped it in the crock pot over some onions. It was really tasty. Eating meat is fine for me unless I see it in its carcass. Then, I am overwhelmed with guilt. Thankfully, Jesse took the chicken apart before I came home to eat with the family. I don't know if I could do it.


African cuisine.






For my pick in my book club, I chose the first in the series of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency By Alexander McCall Smith. Since the setting was Africa, I thought why not to cooking African food. I used recipes from The Congo Cookbook (online). It was fun. I was a mess that morning trying to get everything in order but the food came out tasty. I made a peanuty soup with chicken in it, spicy ribs, fancy fish and sweet potatoes. We drank ginger ale and it was so much fun.


My own homemade stew.






Never before had I attempted a Beef and Barley Stew. It was thick. It was a bit too salty ( I need to simmer down on the salt adding). But we ate it and it warmed our bellies.

Creative Domino Mazes by Brandon

Volunteer Central

Some ideas I researched for volunteering in the local community:

Volunteer Match

Providence Hospital

AmericanTowns

Anchorage Museum

The National Archives

Ushering in the Arts

Military Appreciation

Anchorage Senior Center

Chugiak Senior Center

I am sure there are many more....!

Menu-Planning Monday 06-01-09

Monday:
Breakfast - cereal, toast, juice
Lunch - corn dogs, veggie mix, milk
Dinner - apple sausage stir fry, rice, water

Tuesday:
Breakfast - oatmeal, apple slices, little bitty omelets, water
Lunch - pb&js, sports drink, gorp (hike trip)
Dinner - pork chops & gravy, veggie medley, fruit slush

Wednesday:
Breakfast - fruit mix, bagels and cream cheese, milk
Lunch - tuna fish sandwiches, ants on a log, juice (Music at the Park)
Dinner - crock pot chicken curry, rice, cucumber salad. water

Thursday:
Breakfast - cereal, orange slices, boiled egg, water
Lunch - quesadillas, chicken slices, cucumber salad, juice
Dinner - canned Italian wedding soup, salad, bread

Friday:
Breakfast - cinnamon rice, fruit mix, sausage, milk
Lunch - turkey cheese bagel sandwich, grapes, water
Dinner - chicken fajitas, Spanish rice, juice

Saturday:
Breakfast - breakfast burrito, chocolate milk
Lunch - pb&js, carrot sticks, pretzels, snacks, juice (fishing)
Dinner - fresh caught fish, baked potatoes, strawberry/blueberry mix

Sunday:
Breakfast - bagel and cheese, sausage
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - crock pot beef and barley stew, rice, rolls, fruit salad