Menu Plan January 17th-30th

I haven't been feeling too wonderful the last few days but I did manage to get my menu plan made out! I went grocery shopping Friday afternoon...by myself...haven't had the chance to do that in a LONG time! It was peaceful but half the time I couldn't decide on some things to get because I didn't have to kids there telling me what they wanted! I'm pretty sure I spent more time in Wal-Mart by myself than when all of us go!

So anyways to the point...this is nothing extravagant. Just hoping I can get through these next 6 weeks as easily as possible until Baby Boy gets here.

17th- BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes
18th- Hamburger patties, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans
19th- Turkey roll ups, mac and cheese, squash
20th- Sloppy Joe casserole, peas
21st- Meatloaf, squash, rice
22nd- Grilled sandwiches, french fries
23rd- Pork chops, baked potatoes, corn
24th- Taco casserole
25th- Breakfast bagels, hash browns
26th- Sausage muffins, eggs
27th- Gumbo (freezer)
28th- Bacon and egg quesadillas

29th-30th- I'm not cooking...or I might throw one of these days in place of another night that I don't feel like cooking...either way there will be 2 nights in here that I'm not cooking!

Hope everyone has a great week!

This will be linked up to I'm an organizing junkie!! Here you can find hundreds of other meal plan ideas and tips to make the most out of your meal planning!

Ashley

Today's Ultrasound Pics!

This week I got to see that our baby boy looks like ME!!

Just thought I would share some of the newest pictures of our baby boy!  He was being very hardheaded though! He didn't want us looking at him!

He had his hand on his face! We can see here that he has MY cheeks!! HAHA!

He had both of his hands and one of his feet covering his face!!

He had his hand covering his face and his knee up there too!!

Only 6 1/2 weeks to go!

Ashley

Book 1 of 25 - Don't Be a Slave to Housework

Book 1 of 25

Don’t Be A Slave To Housework

By: Pam McClellan

I read this book in 5 days! It was actually a very helpful book and I kept wanting to read to find out more ideas. A lot of what is written is pure common sense but Pam McClellan offers some great advice as well. In my opinion if you are feeling like a slave to your housework then you should definitely read this book!

When I read I always have a notebook nearby to keep notes instead of marking up the pages. Plus, I borrowed this book from the library so I couldn’t do that anyways.

This book gives good pointers on creating a cleaning schedule, ways of preventing more work for yourself, and quick ways of making the housework easier to name a few.

I tend to clean every day. I feel like that’s all that I ever do. I never have time for myself, my husband, or my family. By taking some of the advice she has written I believe that I can turn this around. Since I stay at home while Drew works I feel like I should be the one taking care of everything. The kids have to be told 52 billion times to pick up their messes so we must implement a better routine for chores. In the book it talks about enlisting the help of others in your household to help you get things done. While I feel like as a mom/wife this is my job I don’t think it would hurt if Drew or the kids did a little more to help out.

Overall I feel like this is a helpful book and would recommend it to anyone needing help freeing themselves from their household slavery!

Ashley

Booking it 2011 - Reading List

One of my goals for 2011 is to read 25 books! I have already finished one book ahead of schedule so maybe I will be able to read more than planned!

My Reading List – Booking It 2011

Book Title	Author	Dates	X
Don’t Be a Slave to Housework	Pam McClellan	01/01-01/14	X
Messie No more	Sandra Felton	01/15-01/28
The Happiness Project	Gretchen Rubin	01/31-2/10
Strangling Your Husband is Not An Option	Merrilee Browne Boyack	02/11-02/24
What We Wish We’d Known When We Were Newlyweds	Kimberly Bytheway	02/25-03/10
And They Were Not Ashamed	Laura Brotherson	03/11-03/24
Finding Your Purpose as a Mom	Donna Otto	03/25-04/07
The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands	Laura Schlessinger	04/08-04/21
The Joy of Less	Francine Jay	04/22-5/05
The 7 Principles of Making Marriage Work	John Gottman	05/06-05/19
Dancing With My Father	Sally Clarkson	05/20-06/02
You’re Not the Boss of Me	Betsy Brown Braun	06/03-06/16
1-2-3 Magic Effective Discipline	Thomas Phelan	06/16-06/29
Organized Simplicity	Tsh Oxenreider	06/30-07/13
Power of a Praying Parent	Stormie Omartian	07/14-07/27
Not Your Mother’s Casseroles	Faith Durand	07/28-08/10
Parenting Without Power Struggles	Susan Stiffelman	08/11-08/24
The Reluctant Entertainer	Sandy Coughlin	08/25-09/07
No Ordinary Home	Carol Jo Brazo	09/08-09/21
The Last Song	Nicholas Sparks	09/22-10/05
Four Blind Mice	James Patterson	10/6-10/19
Big Bad Wolf	James Patterson	10/20-11/02
London Bridges	James Patterson	11/03-11/16
The 5 Love Languages	Gary Chapman	11/17 - 11/30
How to Date Your Spouse	Lindsey K Rietzsch	12/1 – 12/14

Ashley

Bible in 90 Days-2nd Update

This has been somewhat of a difficult week for me in my reading. I still can't seem to come up with a good plan on what time to be able to actually sit down in quiet to read. Something seems to happen every day where either I can't finish my reading or can't start the day at all!

I think I'm making excuses for myself and that's definitely what I DON'T want to be doing! I need to pray harder about this!

As of right now I'm actually only caught up through part of day 6. So today I want to get totally caught up and MAKE A PLAN TO STAY ON TRACK!!!

I've really enjoyed the reading so far and I'm still excited to be participating in this! Could you say a prayer for me as well?

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Monday(1/10) - Le 1:1 - 14:32
Tuesday(1/11) - Le 14:33 - 26:26
Wednesday(1/12) - Le 26:27 - Nu 8:14
Thursday(1/13) - Nu 8:15 - 21:7
Friday(1/14) - Nu 21:8 - 32:19
Saturday(1/15) - Nu 32:20 - Dt 7:26
Sunday(1/16) - Dt 8:1 - 23:11

Hope everything is going great for you!

If you would like to read the Bible in 90 Days go to Mom's Toolbox and see what it's all about!

Ashley

Preparing for baby's arrival

In just a few short weeks (ok 7 weeks) we will be welcoming the 5^th baby into our family! I couldn’t be more excited! I feel like I’m not very prepared though. We’ve been buying things he will need but there is still PLENTY that we don’t have. I have never been much of a procrastinator and I’m not sure why I have been with this baby! It’s actually quite aggravating to me.

I don’t feel like my house is prepared for the time that I will be down after we get home. I wanted to have a stocked freezer and pantry so that cooking won’t be a big deal and my family doesn’t starve. That hasn’t happened yet. I have a few things in the freezer but nothing that will last for more than a few days after we come home. Our pantry isn’t very well stocked either. There are a few things that would amount to some sort of meal but that’s about it. There isn’t much to snack on for the kids (or me). I’ve got my work cut out for me at a time when I should be resting!!

I’m making myself some sort of a checklist to make sure everything is done before he gets here but I just feel like I’m missing something. I will realize it after he’s born and we get home and then I will stress over it. UGH!

I still need to do….EVERYTHING!!!!

I certainly hope he doesn’t decide to come early because I’m definitely not prepared for that!!!

I’m the biggest list person there is. I need a list for everything I do or I feel off. So over the next few days I’m going to be making some lists to help me get prepared for my little man’s arrival! I’ll post them as I go and maybe it will help someone else too!

I swear I feel like I’m becoming a parent for the first time. I feel like I have forgotten everything there is about a new baby! It has been almost 7 years since I have had a newborn but I didn’t think you could forget things like this. I’m totally lost!

Any moms out there want to help me cover the bases? I’m trying to come up with ideas on preparing the house, things I still need to buy, my hospital bag, his diaper bag contents, umm…pretty much everything…ok? Help me out please!!!

Ashley

Quick Clean Up Ideas

Do you sometimes feel like you don't have time to do ANYTHING? Or you get overwhelmed at the thought of all the cleaning that needs to be done. I know I do! But if you really think about it there is so much you can get done in 10 minutes or less...or 5 minutes...or even 2 minutes. Really...there is...

You can get alot accomplished without ever really losing any time. In the time it takes to cook something in the microwave you could have knocked an item off of your to do list instead of watching the food hoping it will get done faster.

Here's some ideas:

2 minutes or lessUnload the dishwasher
Wipe down the kitchen counters (unless you have a really big kitchen)
Clean the faucet and mirror in one bathroom
Wipe a small spill in the refrigerator
Wipe down the washer and dryer
Clean the lint filter in the dryer
Wipe down your coffee pot
Wipe the switch plates in 1 room
Shake out door mats
Disinfect the door knobs in 1 room

See how much you can get done?

5 minutes or lessDust 1 room
Sort through mail
Take out the garbage
Clean the kitchen sink
Clean out expired or unwanted items from refrigerator
Make the bed in 1 room
Wipe the fronts of cabinets in the kitchen
Set the table for the next meal
Rinse out kid's lunch boxes
Spray air freshener throughout the house
Fold a load of laundry
Make tomorrow's to do list
Balance your checkbook
Check your cleaning supplies and make list of what you need

Now we are making progress !!!

10 minutes or lessSort through a junk drawer
Scrub the toilet, bath tub, and sink in 1 bathroom
Clean all the mirrors in your house
Vacuum 1 room (or more depending on the room sizes)
Sort dirty laundry
Load dishwasher
Organize 1 cabinet in the kitchen
Clean out your purse
Make a shopping list
Group all the clothes in your closet by category (pants, shirts, dresses...etc)

See how easy that was!!

By just taking a few minutes here and there throughout the day you can get so much done that you didn't think was possible! In just 10 minutes you could get 1, 2, or even 5 things marked off your to do list! If you are a fast worker you could possibly get even more done! The time for procrastination is gone...get up and get something done...now!!
Don't put off what you can do NOW!

I'm headed to unload and reload the dishwasher so that I can wake up to a clean kitchen in the morning! Hope everyone has had a great weekend!!
Ashley

Serenity Saturday: Time to Dream

Kelly from The Morris Tribe wrote about taking time to dream. Some people would say that dreams aren't a good thing for you to have. I disagree with that as well.

Dreams are fun! Dreams take you to places that you normally could not go with people that possibly could never be there with you.

Dreams let your imagination run wild. They let you create something that you want and give you the satisfaction at the moment of what it would feel like if that dream were to come true.

I have dreams day and night. I think that they are different kinds of dreams though.

During the day I might dream about having a huge farm with lots of animals, fields of planted crops, and a big white house with a wrap-a-round porch. I dream of visiting Italy and other places as well. I have dreams of winning an enormous amount of money and all the people I could help and things I could buy for my family. I know that these dreams will probably never happen but it's fun to imagine them as if it could.

My night time dreams are crazy! It could possibly be the pregnancy hormones but who knows. Alot of times I dream about my grandparents who have passed and what I would tell them if I could see them one more time. Sometimes they are in my dreams just as if they were never gone. It's a comforting thought to have them so near even though I know they really won't be there when I wake up.

Dreams can also give you the push you need to possibly get further than you ever have before. Dreams are a good thing. Keep dreaming and don't let anyone tell you differently!

It's F-R-I-D-A-Y!!

I don't know why that excites me so much since I'm a SAHM...it's not like I get up and go to work everyday and I surely don't get the weekends off at home either.

I supposed it's because it's 2 days of spending ALL day and night doing fun stuff with the kids! I usually have an idea of some activities for us to do after I pick the kids up from school...but I'm a little unprepared today. This has been a hectic week for me and my brain has been all over the place.

I'm spending more time on unimportant things than what IS important. I've got to come up with a better time management plan for myself so that I can stop wasting time and accomplish the things that need to be done!

Anyways the high for today is supposed to be in the 60s so I'm guessing we will most definitely be outside when the kids get home...they can't get enough of that trampoline...or bike riding...or well anything outside.

Next week the highs are only in the 30s so we will be stuck inside...got to get their energy out this weekend (as if that is possible)

What plans do you have with your family this weekend??

Ashley

52 Weeks of Me Challenge #1

Years ago I had a closet full of cute clothes. I bought new shoes weekly. I loved to go out and wear my high heels. My hair was regularly cut and eye brows were waxed. I had a ton of make up and loved trying new things with it.

Then....

I became a mommy. I gained 80 lbs my first pregnancy. I was HUGE all the way around. To say the least I was miserable. And of course when he was born that weight didn't magically disappear. That was almost 7 years ago.

It wasn't until summer of 2009 that I actually got close to that pre-pregnancy weight...about 10 pounds away. Drew and I got engaged. I almost felt like myself again. I bought the most gorgeous wedding dress and looked wonderful in it. We didn't want a long engagement so the wedding was planned for November 7, 2009. In between July and October I didn't try my dress on. The week we were getting married I put the dress on and big surprise it was getting tight...I had gained weight again!!!

Then...

I became a stay at home mom of not only 1 child but 3 more. I was cooking bigger and better meals than before. I was snacking with the kids. I was eating when I was bored. And...I gained more weight. I didn't care what my hair looked like or if my eyebrows were taking over my face. I hardly ever wear makeup and my hair is mostly in a ponytail. Some days I'm lucky if I even get a shower.

I've lost who I am. Being a mommy is a wonderful thing but that is not all that I am. I am a woman. I have a husband that deserves a wife that takes better pride in herself.

Not anymore though...

I came across the 52 weeks of me challenge and thank goodness I did!! Although I am currently pregnant so I can go off on a weight loss kick. But I can get ME back. I can fix my hair. I can have pretty clothes again. I can look like the 24 year old woman again...tastefully.

So the challenge is to do 1 thing a week that is just for me! I had some big plans for this week but unfortunately they didn't work out.

What did I do then??

Well...I had an eye doctor appointment on Wednesday and I got CONTACTS. I wanted to get rid of the glasses during the day. I felt good about them...until yesterday...I'm having a hard time actually getting them in my eye. Guess it takes practice!

That's what I did for week #1...I got contacts!

Kids and Food

Growing up I didn't think that I was too picky of an eater. Looking back now I think maybe I was. I won't eat cooked tomatoes...but I LOVE LOVE LOVE fresh tomatoes with salt and pepper. I don't like onions in my food but I will eat onion rings if they are thin. I eat with my eyes...if it doesn't look appetizing...I will NOT try it. Same goes with smelling. Maybe I'm just weird...There are other things I won't eat but this isn't about me.

My kids...can be the easiest and hardest to please when it comes to food. One day they will like something then the next they won't.

Little Girl (2 1/2) is the easiest by far. She will practically eat anything you put in front of her. She isn't a big fan of meat but she has a hard time chewing and swallowing sometimes. Her absolute favorite is yogurt.

The boys are a different story though.

Boy #1(7): Won't eat corn off the cob...but will devour corn on the cob. Won't eat cubed potatoes but will eat mashed potatoes or a baked potato. He is also like me in the cooked tomatoes and onions things...really all the boys are. He also says he doesn't like chicken but we are trying to get over that. One of his favorites to eat is Chicken Spaghetti.

Boy #2 (6): He will put up a fight over new things saying he doesn't like it when he's never tried it. Majority of the things he does indeed like and asks for more and more. His favorite thing to eat is cheese enchiladas and his least favorite is cereal...

Boy # (5): He will eat anything. Usually not a big amount though. He wants to eat and be done so that he can do other things. If you put alot(to him) on his plate he will get upset...even when you tell him it's ok if he can't eat it all. He is usually the one that wants to help cook and is first to ask what are we eating.

Boys #1 and 2 will eat 2nds and 3rds of foods the like...well they will eat it until there is no more. The way they eat now I'm afraid to see them as teenagers. I try to feed a crowd now...I will be attempting to feed a small country when they are older.

Usually the more simple a dinner is the happier the kids are. They don't want alot of veggies so I try to sneak them in any way I can...but they are smart kids so I have to get smarter with this!! I should probably be trying to broaden their palette but I have a hard time eating new things as well...I'm not really setting the best example for them but if I won't eat it then I don't cook it...if I don't cook I don't force them to eat it either....

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Have a good night!

Ashley