My hope for a New Year.....

I feel like 2011 has kicked my Boo-tay.

I have had too many extended family dramas to count. Setting boundaries with people that you are tied to by blood is an exhausting business.

I also feel like I have let outside forces such as social media, pretty shiny things and comparing myself to others creep slowly into my life like a cancer.

I am not saying that these things are bad in themselves. They are just that...things. Its when I measure myself against them that they start to turn ugly. I am not sure how it has happened and I am humbled because I can tell I am not where I once was.

I have lost my way with connecting daily with the Father. The excuses are many and I know that they make sense. Baby up all night, little people want to be fed (they are selfish like that :)) and e-mails to return. If I am totally honest with myself however, I can see that somehow I make time to check social Internet forums but somehow too busy to sit and read the Word of God.

Conveniently letting them and the enemy of my soul steal my joy.

I am not one for New Years resolutions.. This year however, I am committed to making time to read my Bible and spend time talking with my loving always- present Father. I notice that when I start the day with prayer, my day is a whole lot smoother. Its not that things don't happen (Oh boy...do they ever!!) Its that I am given the strength to get through those things. It results in less patience losing and more compassion. I can give grace more freely to my littles as God has given it abundantly to me.

This is not a New Years resolution that I can afford to forget and lay at the wayside by February.

Have you ever felt a deep stirring in your soul? Like something was not quite right. You know something is happening and you just can't put your finger on it. In the movies, this would be when the music starts to swell and you feel the build up but you can't see what has happened yet.

That is how I feel going in to this brand spanking new year.

More than that I feel that I am being led down a road that is not lit. I can feel a change is a'comin. All I can see, however, is the next step. I wish I could know what God is calling me to do. I could prepare. (Or at least protest. :) )

It could be that he is calling me to be still. To be more present and to wait upon him.

It could be a call to action. YIKES!

Its more like Gods New Year resolution working in me. I have to relinquish control and it scares the pee pee out of me.(( Hey- I'm just keeping it real!))

So there is the whole sorted jumble of feelings and emotions all written down.

I like that one day I can look back and say "See! This is when God started that awesome thing he did!!

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." - Jeremiah 33:3"

Menu Plan Monday: More freezer cleanout !

So in my quest to clean out the freezer this week, I am only trying one new recipe. I got a killer deal on a huge package of chicken wings and drummies. I am hoping that the kids will like the handheld food. :) I also have 2 nights where the kids have activities and I need something quick and easy so we can get out the door by 5:45. (Who plans things for 6?!?! ) I hope you guys have a yummy week!

Monday: Steaks, baked potatoes, broccoli, salad

Tuesday: Leftover buffet- Big mama is not cooking!

Wednesday: Sticky drumsticks, brown rice, sauteed Asian veggies

Thursday: Sausage skillet, crescent rolls

Friday: Fish sticks and mac and cheese, green beans

Saturday: Pizza and salad

Sunday: Lemon baked chicken, rosemary potatoes, broccoli

For more great menu planning, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie!

WFMW: Organization is the name of the game!

So.....this is an old post but this month is all about organization so here you go. Happy Cleaning !!!

I thought I would share how I got under my kitchen sink under control. I had everything....well but the sink under there ! :) (Some of the stuff, I wonder how in the world it got there!!! )

I found this 3 pack of baskets at Walmart for $2. I then divided my hand soaps, sponges, dishwasher detergent, dish soaps, gloves and anything else I might need. (I may have a thing for hand soaps....don't judge me sister!)

It works for me because it stays neat and I can pull the whole thing out if need be....and that works for this crazy mama!!

For more great organization tips visit We are That Family!

Menu Plan Monday: The great freezer cleanout!

So I REALLY need to get back to menu planning. The month of December is too easy to take it easy and eat out and ~gasp~ not use coupons. I am good and ready to get back to order. This month my hubbie wants to re-do our pantry. That means using what we have in there. Creativity is the word that comes to mind so you may see some interesting things. :) I am a woman that likes to live on the edge. I am also trying to make my own pasta sauce for the very first time with a ton of tomatoes that I received and chopped and froze. Wish me luck !! Happy Eating y'all !!

Monday: Beef enchiladas, Spanish rice, chips and salsa

Tuesday: Grilled pork chops, broccoli, scalloped potatoes

Wednesday: Leftover buffet- if its not movin, you can have it. But mama is not cookin!!

Thursday: Pasta with homemade sauce and cheese filled meatballs, Bosco sticks

Friday: Fried fish, pierogis and green beans

Saturday: Pizza and salad

Sunday: Coney dogs with baked fries and mixed veggies

For more great menu plans, visit http://orgjunkie.com/!

This is me.....waving hello !!!

So....... I have learned alot since adding to my brood. The most prevalent revelation is this.

Three is definitely more than two.

Thus, the break in blogging.

I have been trying to grasp my new new normal. And sleep. I think I remember what that is but i digress.

As life has gotten more into a routine, I have realized several things. (In which I will write more on this week. Well...... hopefully. :)) One of the things that really surprised me is that I miss writing. I miss its therapeutic benefits and I miss the moments of time that I carve out just for me. ~gasp~

So, this is me waving to my girlfriends. I am really excited about this new year and excited to see what the Lord has in store for our family and for me.

Happy New Year !!!

And the winner is......

Sorry ladies, sickness landed right in the middle of our little home! I want to announce the winner of the BP gift basket and gift card!!! And the winner is .....

ROBIN

Congrats girl! Please send me an e-mail at everythingmom@live.com letting me know where I can send your card!!

Menu Plan Monday: Cool to Hot !

Fall is here!!! Except its in the eighties. (Its Ohio, Ok?!?!) So the beginning of the week is summer cooking and as it cools down, the menu warms up! This week we are doing one night with all veggies. I remember my mama doing this and it was so refreshing! I also included a crock pot chili recipe which feeds a ton and freezes well. :) Hope you have a yummy week!!!

Monday: Corn on the cob, green beans w/ red potatoes, fresh tomatoes and salad

Tuesday: Grilled lemon pepper chicken, grilled asparagus, butter noodles

Wednesday: Leftover buffet- If its in the fridge......

Thursday: Crock pot chili in bread bowls, tossed salad

Friday: Pizza Night!

Saturday: Beef enchiladas, re fried beans, tortilla chips and salsa

Sunday: Italian pot roast, mashed potatoes, broccoli

Crock Pot Chili

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 (16 ounce) cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Shredded Chaddar cheese
  

1. In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the next nine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours. Garnish individual servings with cheese if desired.

Moms are busy people- Giveaway!!

I have to say that this fall my schedule has really exploded. I have a 4 month old that needs to go to doctor appointments. Two kids in school- different schedules of course. Dance, soccer and swim lessons. The list goes on and on.

Good times....for them.

Mostly I find myself in the mini van wondering how I got to be a taxi driver.

((I had time to think about it alot when while buckling my babies into their car seats. I got snagged by a fishing pole that the hubster had rigged inside the top of the van. We had recently been on vacation and he hadn't removed them out of our van, a hook got lose and well.... he caught himself a big one. I was hooked from behind so I could ponder these deep questions like, "how did we get so busy?" I also wondered how many ways I could make him pay for this too but I digress.))

So when BP offered some tips and tricks for busy moms, I thought I would share. I have to say that when I read them, I got some great ideas! See them here.

As an added bonus they are sending one lucky reader this "Mom on the go commuter basket which includes a gas card!!!. (Who couldn't use a gas card?)



Just leave a comment below telling me where you would go with your handy dandy gas card and I will pick a winner next week!

Housekeeping

Hey all !!! I didn't blog at all last week. I was just in a funk. So that means that I have put off menu planning and a couple of giveaways that I have had planned. ((I also managed to get the hubs to drag all my fall decorations out so that I could decorate the house.))

Priorities. :)

Anywho. I will be posting 2 giveaways this week and hopefully sharing some recipes that we tried.

Hope you guys are having a great week !!!

my emotional ramblings

My baby, my son, will be starting in kindergarten this week.

Gone are the days of lazily laying on the couch asking his mama for some more milk while he giggles with his sister. All day movie marathons, running through the sprinklers, morning zoo trips, eating cherries on the porch, making Popsicles, chasing lightning bugs, painting, taking long strolls.

I still remember praying for his very existence. I begged God for him to bless me with a healthy baby. Fresh off of a loss, I was raw, exposed and hurting.

God did bless me with a baby. I laughed and cried when I felt him move from within me the first time. I held my husbands hand and cried again when we saw that beautiful heartbeat on the screen.

Every ache and pain and discomfort was worth it. I prayed every night and day that this baby would be healthy and strong. (God got the last laugh on this one because he made him strong all right....strong willed!)

Then the day of his birth which I can recall every last scary detail. The day we almost lost our precious baby boy before his life even began.

How an awesome God spared him.

How I was changed forever.

I thought the painful breastfeeding and sleepless nights would last forever. I was oh so wrong. They passed without me even noticing. Now where a crib once stood, stands a big boy bed with fire truck sheets and prized possessions stacked on a play tool bench beside him. Treasures.

Where has the time gone? Where is that baby boy that I used to rock and sing and soothe every fear that he had? He has been replaced by a big boy that doesn't want me to walk him in his school and wants to wear "cool clothes" .

My first instinct is to hold even tighter onto my baby.

God is working on this mamas heart to not live in fear. That this child has an awesome purpose. One that goes beyond anything that I could imagine.

"Let me work everything out"...I hear God whisper to my heart.

I have a difficult time with letting go of my precious one. I try to remember that God loves my baby even more than I do. I can't quite wrap my mind around it.

So I pray.

I pray that he will maintain his kind, kind heart and compassion for others. That he will not become hard to this world while not getting trampled over either. That he will have the courage to stand tall for what he believes is right and doesn't follow the crowd. That he will keep his innocence.

I pray and try to let the Lord pry away the white knuckled grip that I want to have on my boy.

The awful truth is that he will get hurt. People will be unkind. He will learn things that I would never expose him to within this home. He will have some tough choices to make.

The glorious truth is that God is still on the throne and and still in control. He cares about this mamas tears. He holds my son in his hand and calls him his own. He has patience with me and reminds me to savor these moments because they go by too quickly.

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19

WFMW: Bad fruit

I just love when I buy fruit and about 1 1/2 days later it starts to go down hill.

NOT !!!

I hate to waste anything so this really irks me. I have found a solution that works for us and I thought I would share it.

I take any banana, peach or berries that are starting to turn to the dark side and remove any stems or peeling. I think slice or cube it, place it in a freezer bag and pop it in the freezer.


Then whenever my littles want a smoothie for breakfast, I grab it out of the freezer. Add some vanilla yogurt and milk and you have an easy nutritious breakfast!!

(You can also do this for peppers and onions....just don't use them for smoothies. Save them for recipes and pizza toppings!)

And that totally works for this mama!


For more great WFMW ideas visit We Are That Family !!!

Menu Plan Monday: School time!

I won't even get started about my emotions on my first born starting school. (I have a tissue in my hand right now!) I do know that I need simple easy meals that I don't have to think about while we get into the swing of things!! This also means trying to stretch our meats again. (I use this weeks pot roast leftovers to make yummy beef and noodles !!!) Happy eating y'all !!!

Monday: BBQ chicken, mac and cheese, baked beans and salad

Tuesday: Pork stir fry, egg rolls, brown rice

Wednesday: Leftover buffet- Big Mama is not cookin!!!

Thursday: Crock pot beef roast, roasted carrots and broccoli

Friday: Pizza Night !

Saturday:BBQ chicken wraps (see below) with fresh garden salsa

Sunday: Beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, green beans

BBQ Chicken Wraps

Take leftover BBQ chicken and cut into strips or chunks. Brush a whole wheat tortilla with some extra bbq sauce and fill with cheddar cheese and tomatoes.

Fold bottom up, then both opposite sides, until tightly folded.

Grill seam side down, about 10 minutes or until golden. (Turning halfway through)

Project Kitchen Organization: Baking Drawer

I will be the first to admit that I went a little crazy with the nesting when I was pregnant with my last princess. I was like a mad woman with the crazy look in her eye and all. My family simply stepped to the side and let me do my thing. (Often stepping over piles of containers, bags and bins)

After the baby I found the organization very useful and effective and am thankful that I got it all done. I thought I would take the next couple of weeks to go through and share some of the things that worked really well. Happy Organizing!!


I have to tell you that I love to bake! I also have to tell you that since I have three children I don't have alot of time to do it !! So when I do want to bake, I want to know where to find my apple core thingy (technical term), lemon zester, rolling pin and other essential tools.


So I made a whole drawer that is nothing but my special little gadgets and tools. (A drawer that no one has any business being in except me! :)



Today I am participating in I'm an organizing junkie

WFMW: What my child CAN do.

This week over at Works for me Wednesday, they are talking about what helps you "back to school". I have been thinking about this alot since I have my oldest baby going in to kindergarten (gulp) and the other one starting preschool. (double gulp)

I have been thinking about sending them out in this world and what tools they need to have to survive it. (I know, I know....they are only 3 and 5 but it starts young.)

I sat down and made a list of all the things that my kids CAN do this year. You know....things that they are not currently expected to do and won't kill them to start?!


* Clear their own dishes
* Put their dirty clothes in a hamper
* Pick up their own toys
* Put their book bags in their room and on their hook
* Pick out their clothes the night before
(Thus saving all the drama for their grandmama..just sayin.)
* Make their own bed in the morning (and I will resist the urge to re-do it !!)
* Start to give some of their own coins to church (I will match it )
* Help their sibling with a task. (Because we are in this together in this house!)

This list is going to go on the fridge the first day of school and hopefully will be a reminder to this mama !


For more school WFMW ideas visit We are That Family!