Works for me Wednesday: Little plate, Big Plate

Whomever said "nine months on, nine months off" about losing baby weight, never had a baby. Or at least was some kind of supernatural being. For me, although back in my pre-baby clothes, my body never settled into the before shape.

Now I suddenly have fat....on my back. You know.... the fleshy "extra" part at the hips?!?! Don't even get me started on the little layer right on your side where your bra is trying to get it all in. (One time I tried to loosen my bra, to eliminate the extra layer only to have the girls slip out of the bottom during an awkward moment.)

Good times.

This along with trying to be more healthy in general has changed my eating ways. I feel better and have more energy.

One of the things I have done is change my plates. Yep, my plates.

Its a simple thing but it has shown me the power of the mind. For me, its less about my stomach and more about my eyes.

I have exchanged my big plate for a small one.

When I have the proper portions on the big plate, it looks like I don't have enough food to fill me up. Then I go back for seconds.

When I use the small plate with the same portions, the food looks like its in heaping portions...practically falling off the plate. It tells my mind that I am getting a ton of food and surprisingly I get full.

That works for this mama!

For more great WFMW ideas visit We are That Family!

Mama knows Best: laundry mayhem

We as mamas have to be innovative and thrifty all in the same beat. Some how we find new ways of doing things that save us money, time and maybe if we are really blessed.... sanity!

Ahhhh...laundry. You love it when it smells nice and fresh. You hate it when its piled to the ceiling and you don't know how it got that way. Love it or hate it, you have to do it. I am always looking for ways to make the laundry experience more....manageable.

I always fold or hang clothes before I even make the trek upstairs. That doesn't really help the put away process, however. I always go back and forth between rooms. I finish in my sons room only to find something at the bottom of the pile of his and have to go back. It goes on like this ....

Recently I have developed a great process to help me and save me time. I bought 4 laundry baskets, of four different colors. Each person is assigned a color. If you have laundry it goes in your basket. I then take the basket downstairs, wash the laundry, fold, hang and place back in the same basket.

One trip to one room. It saves me some eye twitching in my left eye :)

Do you have a money/time/sanity tip to share? E-mail me at everythingmom@live.com

Menu Plan Monday: A yummy week!

I am thrilled to be able to attend the Women of Faith conference for the very first time. (I have always been too pregnant or nursing to attend in the previous years) Since I will be arriving home Saturday night at dinner time, I have decided to try a easy sounding crock pot lasagna. How cool is that!?!?! I mean really....who wants to slave a couple hours making lasagna when a crockpot can do the work for you!! Happy eating Y'all!

Monday: Grilled chicken, grilled asparagus and bell peppers, salad, crescent rolls

Tuesday: BBQ chicken sandwiches with bacon and Colby cheese, baked fries, broccoli

Wednesday: Leftover buffet- Its if not movin, you can eat it...but mama is not cookin!

Thursday: Asian pork chops, brown rice, mixed veggies

Friday: Pizza night!

Saturday: Slow cooker Lasagna (Recipe follows) salad, garlic bread

Sunday: beef roast with mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans

Slow Cooker Lasagna

1 (1 pound) package Italian Sausage
1 (9 ounce) package no-boil lasagna noodles, broken into 2 pieces
12 ounces ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 (26 ounce) jars pasta sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Spray interior of slow cooker with non-stick vegetable spray.

In medium skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook sausage until brown. Place in slow cooker. Add noodles, ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, pasta sauce and parsley. Stir gently to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. 5 minutes before serving, top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover to melt cheese.

Clam up, you !

I try to get my kids to eat good things anyway I can! If that means putting eyeballs on with black olives....well I will do it!

I found a great bag of whole wheat mini pitas at Trader Joes. I will confess, I got them partly because they were cute. (I had no idea what I could make with them but my kids like little things and they were a good prices, so I scooped them up!)

What we came up with was so cute I just had to share.

I split them halfway and filled them with sliced turkey and some shredded cheese. I then popped them in the microwave for twenty seconds and wahlah!

Clams.
I may have chased my kids around with them...but they loved it. We talked about where clams lived and what they are.

Add eyeballs with olives or make them crabs with thin carrot strips for legs. I am also thinking about added some cooked and seasoned spinach for "seaweed".

They loved them and I felt good that it was a healthy and a different lunch for them!

Works for me Wednesday: Keeping the stockpile under control

Hello. My name is Summer and I am a......stockpiler.

I admit that when I see a next to nothing deal, I grab it. Or two or three or a dozen.

I just can't help myself. If I have 3 coupons for an item, its a manager special and it's $.20 for a bag of frozen broccoli, you bet your tushy I buy 3 of them.

I get alot of sighing and looks from my hubs but he rarely says anything because he has seen the power of the money savings. I get the looks because it is his job to go out to our chest freezer and find a spot for all the deals.

There is only one itzy bitzy problem......... I forget what I have out there. I could go out there every Sunday night and see what I have before I do my menu planning. I tell myself, however that Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest, right?!?! I know, however that I just don't want my hands to turn blue as I dig through the Mary Poppins bag of freezers.

So...... I have come up with this.

I found these magnetic whiteboards at a store for $1. I love that I can simply write what I have in my freezer, erase when I no longer have it, post dates of casseroles and baked goods and add as I go to the grocery store. It actually saves me money because we are using the things that I have gotten the deals on and nothing goes bad and gets wasted.

And that works for this mama...who would rather play games with her kidlets than dig through a freezer!

For more great WFMW ideas visit We Are that Family!

Mama Knows Best: Serving veggies in the summertime

I love to entertain. Especially in the summertime. I think we eat outside more than we do inside :) Since we eat from our garden, there is an abundance of salads and fresh veggies.

This is great...except when the heat strikes. It seems as if I barely get the salad on the table when I notice its already wilting!

So, I have found that if I place my salad plates or bowls in the fridge for an hour before dinner, all my salads, fruits and cold veggies stay nice and crisp for serving...which makes for some good entertaining :)

Menu Plan Monday: Grill-tastic

Happy Monday! I am excited to use our grill this week because it means easier cleanup for mama!! I am also really excited to try a new grilled Buffalo wing recipe that I found. I love wings but the fact that they are deep fried a couple times means my waist line doesn't like them so much! I have posted the recipe below so if you try it, let me know how it works for you. I have also included a recipe for black beans and rice. My little ones just love it !!! (I use chicken broth instead of veggie broth.) Happy eating Y'all!!

Monday: shrimp kabobs, grilled veggies (summer squash, onion and green pepper), brown rice

Tuesday: Grilled pork tenderloin, asparagus, baked potatoes

Wednesday: Leftovers buffet- if its not movin, you can eat it...but mama is not cookin!

Thursday: spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread

Friday: Pizza Night

Saturday: Grilled Buffalo wings (Recipe below), baked fries, spinach salad

Sunday: Steak fajitas (made on the grill with marinated bell peppers), black beans and rice (Recipe below)

Grilled Buffalo Wings

3 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints, tips discarded
1 cup Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle cola-flavored carbonated beverage
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce


Preheat a grill to medium heat.

In a large pot, mix together the hot sauce, cola, cayenne pepper, black pepper and soy sauce. Add the wings to the sauce - frozen is okay. Place the pot to one side of the grill, so the sauce comes to a simmer.

Use tongs to fish wings out of the sauce, and place them on the grill for 8 to 10 minutes. Then return to the sauce to simmer. Repeat this process for about 50 minutes. The sauce will thicken. When the chicken is tender and pulls easily off of the bone, you have two options. You can dip one last time and serve for sloppy style wings, or serve right off the grill for dryer wings.

Black Beans and Rice

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
1 1/2 cups low sodium, low fat vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained


In a stockpot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the spices and black beans.

My finds this Thursday

I had the opportunity to visit Dollar Tree today. OH MY!!

I know that sometimes I go to the dollar stores and find a bunch of nothing but today..woohoo!!

I would want my girlfriend to share some great deals with me ...so here you go, girlfriend!

Water noodles- perfect for the pool season that will be here before you know it.

Garden items- gloves, spades stakes, wire...you name it!

Pots- I was really impressed with wire hanging baskets and coconut liners. (These can be so expensive at garden shops!)

Lanterns- They have the cutest paper lanterns for the patio.

Lunchables- I found a wide selection of lunchables in the fridge section.

Kids shovels and rakes- I don't know about your kidlets but mine always want to "help". We always have a hard time finding these...especially in the fall.

Outdoor eating wear- A wide variety of plates, cups, and these adorable ice cream bowels.

They have water in them so you can keep them in the freezer and they keep the ice cream cold.

Wouldn't it be cute to have a ice cream social for a kids birthday party? Then each guest could take one of these home with them?

I also spied these great large popcorn containers.

While we have these at home already, my warped mind instantly thought of Christmas. Coaches, teachers, friends, neighbors and hairdressers. All those people that you always wonder what to get. Put a large box of microwave popcorn, some boxes of candy, a gift certificate to Blockbuster or other video stores, a couple of coffee mugs, homemade tea or cocoa and homemade cookies.

Very cost effective!

Works for me Wednesday: Keeping my kids safe

I like to think I am somewhere between a helicopter mom and a "just sit there" mom.

On one hand safety is my number one priority. On the other hand I want them to learn to be safe and not by me hovering over them.

We have come up with a good system so I thought I would share!

I found four set of little cones in the $1 bin at Target. We then explained to the kids that they can play anywhere they want...just not past the orange cones.

I can tell you that they have tested the limits a couple of times. (I can also tell you that each time they have tested their limits, the bikes and sidewalk chalk was promptly put away and we went inside.) It didn't take long for them to realize that they would rather follow the orange cone rule then go inside.

I also do not have to hover as much. I can sit on my porch and enjoy watching them. I may even take a magazine outside with me, occasionally.

That works for this mama.

For more great WFMW ideas visit We are That Family!

Mama knows best: Keep sweet tea....sweet!

We as mamas have to be innovative and thrifty all in the same beat. Some how we find new ways of doing things that save us money, time and maybe if we are really blessed.... sanity!


I love me some sweet tea! I also love ice in my tea...after all its best served cold. I just hate the way it gets watered down.


A friend of mine told me that next time I make sweet tea, fill an ice cube tray (I find them in the $1 bin at Target- in fun shapes to boot.) with the tea. I then use the frozen tea cubes in my ice tea.

It keeps the tea cold and nothing gets watered down!


** I have also used this trick for bridal and baby showers. I freeze some fresh mint or fruit such as raspberries in cubes to add a little sparkle to the tea. (I especially like peaches in cubes because it flavors the tea in a lovely way.)



Do you have a money/time/sanity tip to share? E-mail me at everythingmom@live.com

Menu Plan Monday: Back to the kitchen!

This is a good week! I have both kids birthday parties under my belt and now I am really ready to dig into my freezer and start a cookin!! I have posted A FABULOUS recipe at the bottom of the menu. I know it sounds different, but try it once and you will be hooked. It is scrumptious!!! Happy cookin, y'all!

Monday: BBQ pork chops, brown rice, broccoli, crescent rolls

Tuesday: Grilled sausage with potatoes and green beans (recipe follows)

Wednesday: Chicken broccoli Alfredo, garlic bread, spinach salad

Thursday: Cheeze-it chicken, mixed veggies, carrot sticks

Friday: Pizza Night, salad

Saturday: Leftover buffet- if its in the fridge you can eat it, but mama is not cookin!

Sunday: Turkey breast roast, twice baked cheesy potatoes, asparagus

Grilled Sausage with potatoes and green beans

3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 pound red potatoes, quartered
1 large onion, sliced
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon butter
1/3 cup water

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

On a large sheet of foil, place the green beans, red potatoes, onion, and sausage. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with oil, and top with butter. Tightly seal foil around the ingredients, leaving only a small opening. Pour water into the opening, and seal.

Place foil packet on the prepared grill. Cook 20 to 30 minutes, turning once, until sausage is browned and vegetables are tender.

The Great Hunt

It was my little cherubs first Easter egg hunt and excitement was running high. We explained the general premise and then started walking down to the starting point. (It was in my aunt's neighborhood and she had been so kind as to invite us!)

We got there and my heart sank just a little. I was hoping for a little crowd so that all the kids, especially the little ones, could have a fighting chance to find a few eggs.

Now people....I am pretty laid back. I was raised by a southern woman and like to think that manners supersede my worldly emotions. I hate to bristle anyone unnecessarily. This is all fine and good....until it comes to my kids. You mess with my kids and the perfectly delightful young woman becomes a mama lion who will attack. Not very Christian. I assure you ....I know.

Anywho, I was a little worried that mama lion would have to show her furry face if some little kids (or parents) tried to run over my just newly 2 year old who knew not what she was doing.

We gathered at the lake and the person who was running the show explained the rules and divided the kids by age (Wise, wise man) and sent us to the proper location. My hubs took the older one, I took the younger one and we set off on the feverish hunt. I was able to half drag my toddler to the proper location with the brightest eggs and point to them. She would see them, get super excited, bend down to pick it up and then sit down and try to open the egg.

Good times.....

My son got the process and managed to get about nine or ten eggs. Giving a deep sigh of satisfaction that everyone behaved themselves, didn't push, shove or was rude, we headed back to the lake to open our eggs.

About mid way through the egg opening, we saw a little girl walking down the street holding her mama's hand. She had on a lovely spring dress and she was swinging her Easter basket side to side. They were only ten minutes late but the hunt had started promptly and the kids were quick. They walked to the crowd and it didn't take long for them to realize they had missed the whole thing.

My heart ached for that little girl and her mama. I knew the hurt that the missed fun was causing and the pain of the parent who hurt just as badly. At that moment huge tears started to roll down the little girls face.

I felt a little hand on mine and I bent down to see what my son had gotten in his eggs. He showed me about nine pieces of various candies and he just beamed. He must have noticed my attention being drawn to the little girl because he followed my gaze and asked.. "Mama, why is that girl cryin?"

I quickly whispered in his ear that she had gotten here late, missed the hunt and had no eggs or candy. And that made her sad. I started to search the crowd, looking for the organizer to see if there were any more eggs when my attention was drawn to my son.

I watched my boy. He was looking down in his basket and thinking hard. I could almost see the inner struggle of flesh and spirit battling. I then watched my firstborn reach his little hand in his basket and draw out three pieces of candy.

I felt hot tears start to form as I watched him go near the little girl and place the 3 pieces of candy behind some tall grass that encompassed a stop sign. He looked over at me, a wide grin showing his chipped front tooth. The mother comforting her child and watching all of this looked up at me with her own tears welling, mouthed "thank you" and said to her child. " Look I think I see some hidden candy over there." My son and I watched as the little girl started searching, found the candy and let out a squeal of delight. I fell to my knees and gave my son a hug he thought was overbearing. (Because he grunted and squirmed.) I was trying hard to keep it together.

The organizer by this time had been notified of the little girls situation and was coming around asking of anyone wanted to give any of their eggs to help the little girl have a Easter egg hunt. I wasn't about to make my son give up any more of his candy but once again he surprised me by giving the woman 3 more pieces.

By this time I was ready to lay on the side of the road and sob properly. That is when it hit me like a ton of bricks.

He is listening.

All the times I want to beat my head on the side of the house because I have repeated myself 105 times. When I have told my girlfriends numerous times that some days all I do is lecture or say "no". When I talk to him in the car about being kind and serving others instead of listening to a really good song on the radio. When I think I am talking to the bug that has landed on my windshield because he is not listening to a word I say.

He is listening........ He is getting it. And my heart leaped full of gratitude and praise.

Just the realization that my words are not in vain, recharged me. My prayers about shaping his character are being heard and that made me eternally grateful.

As I watched him walking home, swinging his basket with 3 little pieces of candy, happy as a lark, (Are larks happy?...hmmmm.) I thanked God for my special boy and for letting me know to keep up the hard, thankless work of being a mama.

Then I watched him push his sister and my tears promptly dried up.

After all, he is just a boy. :)

Mama Knows Best : How to pick a really great watermelon

We as mamas have to be innovative and thrifty all in the same beat. Some how we find new ways of doing things that save us money, time and maybe if we are really blessed.... sanity!

My little man loves him some watermelon! I never knew what ones were really good ones, however. It was always hit or miss. Since we are starting to hit "watermelon season", I thought I would post what exactly to look for!

* The watermelon rind should be matte and NOT GLOSSY!

* The bottom should be cream, NOT WHITE!

*Growing your own? Look for the same signs above but also look for the green curly vine to start to yellow. (This means that the plant is no longer feeding the melon.)

Do you have a money/time/sanity tip to share? E-mail me at everythingmom@live.com

Menu Plan Monday: Break out the Grill!

We just enjoyed Easter and now I am getting ready for my little man's birthday party!! (Can you say tired mama ?!?! ) In honor of this very busy season, I have decided to make my menu plan all about the grill. I also am getting to use some of my leftover ham and make delicious soup beans...yum!

We are having grilled peppers this week. I just core and quarter my peppers and marinate them in Italian dressing for a couple of hours. Then just place them right on the grill. They are Delicious!

Monday: Leftover buffet - if its not movin...you can eat it.

Tuesday: Grilled Asian chicken, brown rice, Broccoli

Wednesday: Soup beans with ham hock and corn bread

Thursday: Marinated grilled shrimp (recipe follows), grilled asparagus, twice baked potatoes

Friday: Pizza Night, salad

Saturday: Birthday Monster truck party- Hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, cake

Sunday: Grilled lemon herb Pork chops, Grilled peppers, Butter noodles

Marinated Grilled shrimp

3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
skewers

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.