My 100th post!

It's always so fulfilling to look back on a vision and know that I have actually seen it through! When I started this blog in January 2013, I was a Hamburger Helper/McDonalds drive thru cook with shopaholic tendencies. Now I can cook from almost scratch, watch what I spend, and have avoided fast food meals for nearly a year!  

Many of my readers have asked how I find the time to do all of this while working full time. Well, sometimes it works out and sometimes it's hard. I've learned to be realistic with what I can actually accomplish and constantly prioritize what needs to be done. When I have the energy, I can "make time", which usually includes staying up till midnight, skipping my TV shows and extreme multi-tasking.  I refuse to bring work home with me or stay late, so I maximize my time at work by working through my lunch break and doing any work I can while students are busy doing independent activities.  I also rely heavily on the help of my husband who usually gladly does the dishes in exchange for a delicious meal. However, there are still times when the dishes fill up the sink for a few days, the laundry to be folded stays in baskets throughout the house until we run out, and sometimes we just call in a pizza because it's been that kind of day! And as I sit back and poison myself with a diet Pepsi reflecting on whatever drama happened at school and the insanity of the evening with my children, I recognize it's just a day and tomorrow can be better if I choose to let it be. 

I have found I also save time when I prepare and plan ahead and live to regret it when I don't. It's usually the mornings when Ryan calls me from work to ask what he needs to send the kids with because I totally crashed the night before and didn't get it done. I'm not a big fan of having routines, but I have learned that having one (or attempting to have one) helps get through the day.

One of the greatest blessings from this journey is that it has brought more happiness and health to our family. We are learning how to be grateful for what we have and have spent more quality time together in our home. 

This past weekend was especially nice as Austin didn't have school on Friday, so we all took the day off and went to see some new things at the Springs Preserve. I renewed our family membership which is a great deal for $60.  I paid an extra $20 for a guest add-on so Austin can bring a friend or we can take a relative along!  The membership pays for itself after 2 regular visits and one event. 

The new butterfly habitat. 

We did a family trip to Costco because I'm trying a new strategy of "buying what we need for the month" and "when it's gone, it's gone".  We will see how that one goes over! So I figured out what we needed that can last a month (I will still have to get milk and produce at the grocery store a few times as well), and we filled up a cart and flat bed and stocked up on some of the good coupon specials for the month. The new coupon book comes out this week, so I am waiting to get Amilia's pull-ups until then as they are going to be $6 off. 

I didn't expect to get much done on Saturday as Austin was supposed to have a double header soccer game, but thanks to the flash flood, no games. 

One of the projects I've wanted to do was make freezer pizza kits. Someone put this idea on Facebook and I thought it was a great idea! I made pizza for dinner so I just made extra dough and shredded a whole block of cheese with my kitchen aid shredder attachment and sorted them out. I made homemade pasta sauce from The Prudent Homemaker link to recipe and measured out about 1.5 cups of sauce in freezer bags and set them in a pan so they could freeze flat. I put the dough, sauce, and shredded cheese in a gallon ziploc after they were all frozen and now I can pop a kit in the fridge to thaw and quickly assemble a homemade pizza. 

You can also add some frozen meat to your kits. 

Pepperoni and BBQ chicken pizzas! 

My dough recipe: (I got the basics of an easy yeast dough from my Norwegian brother in law.  He made yummy pizzas on the BBQ grill on a family vacation.)

Proof 1 tsp yeast in 1 cup warm water

Add 2-3 cups flour and 1 tsp salt 

I use my dough hook on the kitchen aid

Knead and add more flour if too sticky 

Spray your pan then sprinkle some corn meal on it. Roll dough and place on pan.

Add toppings and bake 400 degrees for about 15-18 min until crust and cheese gets light golden brown. A friend of mine shared that if you have a pizza stone, you can get the stone really hot first by baking it for about 5 min in a 500 degree oven and then place the pizza on the stone. It gets the crust nice and crispy and bakes in only 5 min. I won't be trying that one in Vegas until December!

I also made bread, pancakes, lavender body wash for me, foaming hand wash, and kid shampoo/wash. For the kid's wash, I use a 3 to 1 water to Castile soap ratio and splash a little olive oil for moisture and some essential oil for scent (about 2 drops for every 4 oz of liquid). It gets just enough suds to wash their hair and skin, but rinses easily and is very gentle. If my little one gets ahold of it and dumps half the bottle before I notice, it's not the end of the world, just a few cents worth. When I used to buy $15 bottles of Burts Bees baby wash, it was another story. 

Dinners for the week:

Monday: Italian casserole with salad (I will freeze 1/2 of the beef I brown for another meal)

Tuesday: chicken and rice bake with veggies (steam rice and veggies, boil/shred a breast, stir in with some cheese and cream of chicken soup and bake for a few minutes at 350)

Wednesday: Buffalo Chicken casserole 

This is from Pinterest, shred your cooked chicken and add buffalo sauce to it and stir in hash browns, shredded cheddar, and ranch dressing, bake in a pan 350 for 30 min

Thursday: one pot pasta with veggies

Friday: pizza kit

Saturday: white chicken chili with cornbread (I plan on making a double batch do I can also freeze a few quarts)

Sunday: family dinner rotation 

Beef is still really high, so once a week is plenty and usually I'm only using 1/2 a pound in the dish. I thought about getting a roast at Costco but they were $5 a pound! I find if I do enough variety with my chicken dishes and alternate in the other types of dishes, we don't get tired of it. 

Ready for cooler weather

This week went by insanely fast! I had my school open house and  have started getting leg cramps at night, so by Thursday, I needed a night off. I was hungry for Mimi's Cafe corn chowder, so sent the hubby for take out. Other than that, I was good about cooking all week!

Friday night I had a great time with my Bunco group and tied for first place. I lost the roll off but still won my money back plus a little more. 

Austin had his soccer game on Saturday morning.  It was ridiculously hot and humid, so I brought the kids suits so they could run around in the splash pads at the park after the game. That night, my mother in law watched Amilia so we could take Austin to Dolphin Tale 2.  He has been doing great and was selected by his teacher to be the student of the week!

Cooling off at the park!

Accomplishments and savings this week:

*Ryan cut Austin's hair 

*Made a casserole for a funeral at church so doubled it for our weekend lunches 

*Made French toast and pancakes and froze the leftovers

*Made banana oatmeal muffins with the bananas getting too ripe

*Austin and I worked on a craft project together.  We reused a cardboard box and covered it with scrapbook paper to make a doghouse for his stuffed dog

*Used my Children's Place cash to order pants for Austin and a birthday gift for my neice

Dinner menu:

Monday: lemon penne pasta and salad 

Tuesday: chicken enchiladas from freezer

Wednesday: hamburger stroganoff and salad (Freeze half of the beef)

Thursday: chicken vegetable soup with French bread

Friday: tacos with other half of beef cooked on Wednesday 

Saturday: homemade pizza

Sunday: it's our turn to cook, I will be making crockpot chicken and dumplings 

...and I even ironed!

It was a most productive weekend! We went to a birthday on Friday night at my cousin's house and the kids had a great time playing together.

Austin's first soccer game was Saturday morning. It was thoroughly entertaining! He played goalie and did a great job for his first "real game". The coach asked him at half time if he wanted a break and he said no, so he played the whole game. He said he was so tired, I asked why he didn't take a break, he said "My team needed me!"

Is this my kid or what?

After the game, we had a fun lunch at Firehouse Subs then headed home to get some work done. I got most of my list checked off including laundry, some cleaning, and I even ironed everyone's clothes for church!! 

By 9 pm, my back was screaming, so I iced it and took a shower and crashed. 

Our Sunday was enjoyable as well. We got together with my cousin's family and his inlaws who also live in town for dinner and fellowship.

Here are my efforts and savings this week:

*Baked 2 loaves of whole wheat bread. Measured dry ingredients to freeze for a future batch. 

*Made homemade granola bars

*Made cream of chicken soup dry mix *I love this mix, it's much cheaper and healthier than canned soup! Here are the directions on how to make it and my fave recipes using the mix Cream of Chicken Soup Mix

*Made pancakes for the freezer

*Made a double batch of dish washer detergent. 

*Finished a project I've been planning for awhile with Austin's artwork.  I will be posting details in a future post. 

*Cut up the face wipes I use to remove my eye makeup into smaller squares and put them in an airtight container. 

I had my first stamp club this week ad had a great time crafting with friends! I played with some of my new products from Stampin Up and made this cute little banner to hang by my classroom door for fall. 

Dinners this week:

Monday: tonight I made cheesy chicken rice with broccoli

Tuesday: tacos with leftover frozen meat

Wednesday: Italian casserole with salad

Thursday: baked potatoes with veggies/salad

Friday: homemade pizza

Saturday: white chicken chili and cornbread 

Sunday: family dinner

I compared beef prices at the grocery store and they are worse than Costco. In addition to 2-3 meatless meals a week, you can freeze 1/2 of the beef when you brown a pound to use for another dish. 

Have a great week!

Fun and yum!

It was a nice week and great weekend! 

Friday night, I was exhausted and didn't feel like cooking but did not want to spend money to eat out. I ended up making French toast for us with my homemade bread. The kids thought it was great. Once the kids were winding down, I worked on cards and projects for my upcoming stamp club. 

On Saturday, I needed to make a delivery to a customer who lives south of the strip. It was a free weekend for teachers at the Shark Reef, so I took the kids with me so we could go after and combine the trips. I get free admission for myself and a guest and Amilia is free anyway, so I didn't have to pay a thing!  I had to make the delivery early, so we had breakfast at Ihop after and went shopping until it opened. Austin needed shin guards for soccer and the only place nearby where I could get them was Target. I have been avoiding that store ever since the data breach but I didn't have an alternative, so I just used cash. I was glad I went because they had all their dollar bin stuff on sale for 70% off. I let the kids pick out a few things that ended up being 30 cents each with the sale.  I found battery operated tea lights for a fall craft I'm planning, so each tea light was 15 cents!

Having fun at the Shark Reef!

The octopus was out from hiding!

Saturday afternoon I took a nice siesta with Amilia. We both slept three hours! It was wonderful. That night we enjoyed a BBQ at the park with Austin's soccer league. 

I didn't need to do much baking, but did manage to accomplish some things over the weekend. Here are my savings for the week:

*Combined trips to save gas and miles

*We only ate out for one meal this week 

*Baked a double batch of pumpkin choc chip muffins to freeze for breakfast or a treat

*I was going to freeze my bananas that were over ripe; but then saw a recipe shared on Facebook for banana bread 

bars. Gave them a try and they were awesome!

Oh yeah!!

*Used up the last of my foam hand soap, so I rinsed out the dispensers and made my own. I filled the bottle 3/4 with water and then filled the rest with Castile soap. Put a few drops of citrus essential oil and now I have hand soap for just a few pennies!

*I'm planning 2-3 meatless meals per week now. The cost of beef has gone up at Costco. So far chicken has stayed the same. 

Dinner menu:

Mon: baked potato soup

Tues: lasagna (using the last one from the freezer) with salad

Wed: chicken enchiladas (I will be making a double batch so I have a freezer meal to have on hand)

Thurs: veggie one pot pasta

Fri: homemade cheese pizza 

Sat: hamburger stroganoff with veggie sticks

Sun: eating with my cousin's inlaws, we are going to start a Sunday dinner rotation between our three families

Back to school!

Well we all survived our first week back in school. My high school autism class has the same students I had last year minus one who aged out over the summer, so we pretty much picked back up where we left off. Austin had a great week in first grade, he loves his teacher, and also started practicing with his soccer team. We joined the NW Las Vegas Youth Soccer league and it was very reasonable for the three month season. Practice will be twice a week with games on Saturdays, so it will be just enough activity for us. 

This weekend was mostly spent cleaning and organizing with a few errands here and there. I'm trying to keep my energy up, but it's hard with this baby. She is a strong kicker, at 22 weeks I can now see and feel the kicks from the outside. I didn't need to do much baking except for a batch of pancakes to freeze for the week and a chocolate pudding pie for Sunday dessert. 

I made crockpot meals all weekend since it was so hot. I had some leftover burger buns that needed to be used so I cooked and shredded some chicken in the crock and added some Parmesan, parsley and a little ranch dressing for chicken ranch sandwiches. I saved my beef stew for tonight and will serve it with a loaf of french bread. 

This week's Dinner menu:

Monday: crockpot beef stew

Tuesday: cheesy chicken rice and salad 

Wednesday: hamburgers and veggie sticks

Thursday: crockpot chicken and vegetables with tangy sauce (cream of chicken soup mix with a little white vinegar)

Friday: pizza 

Saturday: going to a BBQ

Sunday: chicken Parmesan, French bread, and salad

Viva mom returns!

It's been too long since I've posted! May was crazy with school and being horribly sick in my first trimester. By June I was feeling better and ready for a productive summer. Well, quite a few summer plans fell through when my hubby ended up getting a work detail for two months in Southern California.

 

We travelled almost every weekend to see him and then I drove to Montana with the kids for two weeks in July.  While in Cali, we got to go to the zoo, aquarium, Legoland, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, and the beach. The per diem Ryan received helped fund our fun. We researched coupons and deals and packed our own snacks and lunches where we could to save money. 

We found out in late July that I am having another girl. Due date January 4, but for me, that means around Christmas!  I saved all of Amilia's baby things, so we are mostly set for our needs. 

One thing I did accomplish this summer was making more homemade bath products. I successfully mastered homemade body wash, deodorant, and lotion! I attempted shampoo but it was not good for my hair. It works well for the kids, so it won't go to waste. I will just have to splurge on store shampoo. I was able to do a few classes for my little side business and I am excited to start my first Stamp club in a few weeks!

I have continued to struggle with trying to get rid of Austin's recurring wart on his thumb. After 4 dermatologist visits, it is still there. I also had to file a complaint with my insurance due to the Dr trying to charge me for both a dr visit and surgical procedures (apparently putting two drops of blister beetle juice on a wart is a surgical procedure)! Thankfully, they resolved it, but even with the $20 copay per visit, I paid way too much for a problem that could be treated with a $5 remedy!  After researching remedies and trying oregano/melaleuca with no result, we found that apple cider vinegar was the answer! Simply dip a small piece of cotton in the ACV, place over wart, cover with a small bandage and secure with duct tape. Do this each night for a few weeks, the wart will turn black and can gradually be scraped off. 

In August, we welcomed Annie into our family. She is a Yorkie-Maltese mix puppy. The kids just love her and we have been working on training her and establishing a routine to get ready for the new school year. 

For the first time in my career, I did not go in to work before my contracted start date. I am also going to try very hard to get out on time at the end of the day. I will need this time to run home and let the dog out and take care of a few chores before picking the kids up. 

I spent all last week making mixes and meals to have on hand:

*Baked 8 small loaves of French bread to freeze

*Baked two loaves of whole wheat bread, one for this week, one to freeze for next week

*Made brownie and chocolate pudding mix to have desserts on hand

*Made pancake mix along with a large batch of pancakes to freeze for breakfasts

*Made 2 large pans of lasagna and enchiladas for freezer meals 

*Made homemade pasta sauce and froze in pint size mason jars

*Made homemade chocolate sauce for making chocolate milk

*Made a double batch of laundry soap and dishwasher soap

I also stocked up at Costco on good snacks/lunch box items on coupon. Great deals on Gogurts, Snack Packs, Capri Suns, Rice Krispies treats, and fruit by the foot!

What's for dinner this week?

Monday: we ate out to celebrate Amilia's birthday and surviving the first day of school

Tuesday: freezer enchiladas 

Wednesday: chicken stir fry

Thursday: freezer lasagna with French bread and salad 

Friday: pizza and movie family night

Saturday: crockpot chicken and dumplings

Sunday: Crockpot beef stew (I made a roast last week and shredded the leftover meat and saved the liquid from the pot to freeze and use for another meal)

Soo ready for summer!

This was me last week!

Between my students at school being in rare form, Austin being sick again, and Amilia getting into everything, I lost several of my marbles this week! To top it all off, Ryan spent several evenings painting the exterior of the house. He finished Saturday, but I'm glad he was able to finish before it gets too hot. Oh, and then we smelled gas in the house and it was coming from the oven which had started doing weird things, so that needed to be replaced. 

Austin had a low fever and was sent home from school last week. Ryan stayed home with him and the next day he still had a temp and was very tired so he stayed with Ryan's mom. Apparently he had too much fun because that night I said he was probably well enough to go to school but he said "No, my brain really hurts when I shake my head".  Ok fine, one more day. 

Savings:

*I got a membership to The Joint which is a chiropractic place. I was a year overdue for an adjustment but the place I went was quite a drive and a $20 copay. Now I get a weekly crackalackin for $12 and the place is on the way to get Amilia from the sitter. I am feeling so much better!

*Made pancakes and breakfast muffins for the week. 

*I trimmed my bangs and waxed my brows and face. 

*Ryan found us a great deal on an oven at the new Sears outlet that opened close by. It was $500 less than comparable models at Lowes/Home Depot. His dad helped him pick it up and install it so we were only out an oven for one night. 

*Austin needed shorts and shoes for school. I searched coupon codes and store coupons and was able to get some stuff online and in store. I bought his shorts a size bigger in elastic waist so he can also wear them in the fall. Having school uniforms has saved a great deal of money on clothes for us!

*I baked 2 loaves of whole wheat bread. 

*Made a double batch of laundry soap and dishwasher detergent. 

*Took the kids to the free HomeDepot kids workshop on Saturday. The project was a flower pot and they also got a free plant to put in it. We had a great time!

*Handmade several Mothers Day cards to send out this week. 

*Got some free oils from my DoTERRA rewards points with my monthly order. 

*Visited my friend and got more lettuce and green onion from her garden. Made a pasta salad with some of the chopped green onion...very tasty!

Dinner Menu:

Monday: Cinco de Mayo!! Chicken enchiladas, chips, salsa, and guacamole!!

Tuesday: daddy grill night, polish sausage, boiled potatoes, and asparagus

Wednesday: stir fry with quinoa

Thursday: crockpot chicken and noodles

Friday: cheese pizza 

Saturday: lemon Parmesan penne with steamed veggies and chicken (recipe from theprudenthomemaker.com)

Have a wonderful week!

Responsible savings and oils to the rescue!

We had hoped to go to Hawaii with the kids this summer, but we made the responsible decision to put the money toward a vehicle to replace our truck we have had for nine years. I am sooo happy to have that beast of a truck out of my life and garage! 

We wanted to invest in something that will last and will hold more passengers, so we got a 2013 Durango. It has very low miles and great features.  With the truck trade-in and down payment, we still have a steep payment, but it will fit into our budget nicely because we won't be paying tuition for Austin next school year. 

My other savings:

*Did a massive stock-up at Costco and Winco to fill the pantry and keep us out of the stores. Also stocked up on Capri Sun drinks for 99 cents at Smiths. These will be good for our summer pool trips. 

*Baked whole wheat bread and buns. I used the double recipe but took 3/4 of the dough to fill my huge bread pan and it finally produced a good sized loaf. I was able to make 6 buns with the leftover. 

*Made more pancake mix and pancakes to freeze for the week

*Made granola bars 

*Ry cut Austin's hair

*Made a batch of homemade tortillas 

*The windy weather kept us indoors most of last weekend, but it calmed enough that we could take the kids out to fly a kite I bought on clearance a few years ago. The kids had a great time. 

*I had 2 workshops last week for my side businesses. I did a card class and lip balm class. I had a great turn out and am excited to keep growing!

*I fought my allergies and cold last week with the doTERRA oils and did not have to use any medications. Lavender calmed my sneezing, Breathe helped my wheezing, and I added honey and 3 drops of lemon essential oil to hot water to soothe my throat. I experimented and added a drop of On Guard protecting blend to the mix and it added a nice little spice flavor and will help fight the germs. 

*The baby had a bad diaper rash from overnight BMs, so I added a few drops of lavender to a tbsp of fractionated coconut oil in a container and rubbed some on.  It cleared right up! I wish I started doing this a year ago when I was spending a fortune on various creams. 

*Took Austin to his last dermatologist apt for his wart issue. The oregano/melaleuca blend I have been using made a huge difference. There was one last little bit that needed removal so now I need to be diligent with the oils so I can save the gas and co-pay in the future. 

*My friend gave me some lettuce from her garden! Yum!!

*Ryan is getting ready to paint the exterior of our house.  He is doing the work with his dad's help which will save a ton. It's hard to believe we have been in this house for 9 years!

*I have been diet soda free for over a month! I confess I did sneak a sip last week but it was disgusting! I drink sprite if I am out with the kids so we can all share. That way we are all only having a small amount. 

Spring Break and Easter savings

Had all sorts of fun ideas planned for this week, but for the first five days, someone in the house was sick! Amilia had a fever again and had no appetite and was very cranky. I had a horrible stomach bug, then hubby got it, then Austin!  Mid-week I was feeling better, so I cleaned the whole house with DoTerra Purify and On Guard, changed all the sheets and did multiple loads of laundry.   I made a flu bomb treatment in a veggie capsule to take using 2 drops of each: lemon, melaleuca, on guard, and frankensense to fight off my sickness. 

This whole time the weather was absolutely gorgeous, so finally on Thursday the kids were well enough to go to the park and enjoy a nice picnic. The water play area was on and they had a great time!

Savings:

*Made Easter crafts with things on hand at home

*Made several loaves of bread

*Registered the kids for summer swim lessons with City of LV. They have the most reasonable prices for quality lessons. I was able to find a time when Austin could do a lesson while I did a parent-child lesson with Amilia so I only have to make one trip. This will save plenty of gas $!

*Made two pans of lasagna and froze one for a future meal. Had some leftover ingredients to make 2 lasagna rolls for work lunches. 

*Made breakfast muffins and pancakes for the week. 

*Made crepes from scratch for Easter breakfast and put strawberries on them that were 97 cents a lb at Albertsons. 

*Used a $10 off coupon at Kohls to get some denim capris that were also on sale. 

*Waxed my brows and did my own nails. 

*Worked on designs and prep for my Stampin Up workshop. 

*I'm now making 2 meatless meals a week.

*Made homemade spaghetti sauce and placed in mason jars to freeze. Was able to get 6 pints for the price of a #10 can of tomato sauce from Costco plus a few other ingredients on hand. 

Dinner menu:

Monday: chicken enchiladas (these were frozen ahead from the last time I made them)

Tuesday: baked potatoes and veggies

Wednesday: lemon Parmesan penne with chicken and broccoli 

Thursday: ground beef tacos 

Friday: cheese pizza and veggies 

Saturday: crockpot chicken and noodles

Survival

This was me today. It's been a rough few weeks! Ryan has been working major OT and has been out of town working for the past week. Took the baby to the ER with a high fever last weekend and had to keep her home so I called in sick at work which means I am no longer in contention for earning 4 personal days. But I can still get 2 days if I use less than 5 sick days in the year, so I took today off and went to the chiropractor for an adjustment that's been about a year over due! It was so nice to be alone after being a single mom all week!!  Four more work days until Spring Break!

I have also been busy with my little business ventures with DoTerra and Stampin Up!  My first event was a great success and tomorrow is my first paper craft workshop. 

We drove to where Ryan is staying Saturday night so we could visit him. I took care of his grocery shopping and laundry and we got to do a little swimming. The place we went also had an awesome Dollar Tree nearby so I stocked up on some great finds!

I made these amazing homemade peanut butter eggs and took some to Ryan. They were unbelievably delish!!  

Link to the recipe here  The only thing I did differently was add coconut oil to the chocolate instead of shortening.

Savings for the past few weeks:

*Baked pancakes, muffins, wheat and French bread

*Made granola bars, dry soup mix, and pancake mix

*Trimmed my bangs, forget saving $, I don't have time for a hair cut anyway

*Austin has been wanting sack lunch 3 days a week now so that saves $9 per week on hot lunch

*Made sugar scrubs and gave them to some of my coworkers. 

*Made lip balm with my new lime and citrus bliss oils

*I gave up diet Pepsi and have been off it for three weeks!

*Made homemade tortillas 

*Friday nights have become pizza and movie/Wii dance party night

*Made a big pot of potato soup and froze some in jars so I have some decent lunches at work this week

*Ryan bought some jeans and work shirts before he left town at Kohl's.  He earned $30 in Kohl's cash which I used to put toward his birthday gift.  He is getting ANOTHER wedding band since the original was lost in the ocean last summer and the one he got for Christmas is too big.  This time he tried a few on so they fit and he will be surprised with which one I chose for him.

*Been using a blend of oregano and melaleuca essential oils diluted with fractionated coconut oil for Austin's wart on this thumb.  Hoping it will finally get rid of it!

*I have been rubbing Breathe essential oil blend on the kids every night and diffusing it in their rooms while they sleep and have not needed to break out the allergy meds.  For me, a dab of lavender on my nose keeps the sneezes away.  Much cheaper than Allegra!

*I have been diffusing On Guard blend in the house afterschool and Purify on the weekends to clean the air in the house and support our immune systems.  

*For myself, I put 2 drops of each: oregano, On Guard, and Melaleuca in a veggie cap every night because I cannot afford to get sick right now!

Menu for the week:

Last week was a bit of a disaster with being on my own, so nothing was organized.  However, I am back on track so that my kids don't get too attached to mac and cheese and chicken nuggets!

Monday: tonight we had italian casserole and I froze half of the ground beef

Tuesday:  we are eating out so that my clean house is not destroyed for my Stampin Up workshop

Wednesday: tacos with the frozen beef

Thursday:  one pot pasta with chicken

Friday:  pizza

Saturday:  chicken and noodles with vegetables in the crockpot, I use the same chicken and dumplings recipe but use whole wheat egg noodles instead and it is equally as good

Sunday:  we are going to visit daddy and start our SPRING BREAK!!

My dream is coming true!

When I shared my goals for the new year, I mentioned that I wanted to look in to being a consultant for DoTerra and demonstrator for Stampin' Up.  Well, I am officially on my way to achieving that goal!  I signed up with DoTerra at the end of February and I will be getting my registration for Stampin' Up processed next weekend!  

I am so excited to start this journey!  For several months I have envisioned a way to mesh the two businesses together in a creative way.  So I came up with the name "Paper and Potions".  I will be having two monthly clubs; the Paper Club will be exclusively Stampin' Up and each participant will make 2 cards and a treat holder and the Potions club will involve learning about oils and making homemade health and beauty products using DoTerra and introducing Stampin' Up with making fun packaging to give one of the products as a gift.  

I have my introductory class event set for next week and I am beyond excited to start my clubs, meet new friends, and create!!

In the midst of setting all this up, I was still able to hold down the fort at home and get plenty of stuff done (and have some fun, too).

Accomplishments and savings:

*Made a big batch of pancakes and more pancake mix.

*Made homemade tortillas and made 2 pans of chicken enchiladas for future meals.

*Made 2 loaves of bread on Monday afterschool which turned out great and they were both gone by the weekend.  I made 2 more loaves on Sunday but they didn't rise right, I think I killed the yeast. I will cut it lengthwise to get sandwich sized bread.

*Made dry cream of chicken soup mix.  I have been making soup once a week and using this as a base.

*We did not eat out all week.  Austin had great behavior, so I took the kids for ice cream at the Burger King playplace one day afterschool and another day afterschool we got ice cream from the McD's drive thru and went to the nearby park to play.  

*We went on a family outing to the Springs Preserve on Saturday.  I made a picnic lunch for us to take with us.  It was gorgeous weather all weekend!

*I got free tickets and took Austin to a magic show at one of the casinos on Fremont Street with my Houseseats membership.

*Made a lime cheesecake with some cream cheese that was close to expiring and added 2 drops of lime essential oil and took it to my in-law's for Sunday dinner.  It was delicious!

*I've been using lavender oil to help with my allergies this week.  I rub some on the bridge of my nose and diffuse it in the house.

*I made my own natural perfume with an oil blend cut with coconut oil.

*I ordered some glass spray bottles online and made some sanitizing sprays with DoTerra OnGuard and Purify oils.

*Ryan cut Amilia's hair, there was some uneven growth so it was getting a little wild.  I attempted to trim it first but she was moving all over the place so, it didn't go so well, so he fixed it while I held her.

Menu:

Monday:  Chicken enchiladas that I made over the weekend.  Ryan can throw these in the oven while I'm heading back from Austin's dr appointment across town.

Tuesday:  chicken parmesan and salad

Wednesday:  creamy vegetable soup with bread

Thursday:  hamburger stroganoff and salad (cook 1 lb of beef, use half and freeze the other)

Friday:  pizza  (We are going to do this every Friday night because everyone enjoys the crust I have been making.  I think it kinda tastes like Little Caesar's.  All the recipes I found called for oil in the crust, so I played around and came up with my own oil-less crust)  I add 2 tsp yeast and 1 tsp sugar to 1 cup warm water and let it bubble.  I pour it over 3 cups unbleached flour and mix and knead.  I spray my pan and sprinkle corn meal on it then roll the crust over the corn meal and add the toppings.  Bake 400 degrees for 

15-20 min until cheese is lightly browned.

Saturday: crockpot baked potatoes (peel potatoes and toss with a little olive oil, parsley, and garlic, cook on low 6-8 hours) serve with toppings and a salad for the side.

Sunday: in-laws

Missing my hour!

Ah...daylight savings time is upon us again. The first day is always exhausting, but I planned ahead and tried to get most of my to-do list checked off on Saturday.

The past two weeks have been insane with my hubby working extra hours for a federal assignment, meetings and testing at the high school, and my mom coming to town for my sister's bday last weekend.  

Accomplishments and savings:

*Made homemade tortillas for enchiladas because I did not want to go to the store for them. They were easy and delicious so I made them again by adding some whole wheat flour. 

Homemade Tortillas: 1 c wheat flour, 2 c flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 c warm water, 1/3 c oil

Mix dry then add wet in mixer with dough hook.  Form in large ball and refrigerate 30 min. Cut in 16 equal pieces, roll in balls, roll with rolling pin as flat as you can get and cook on hot skillet. 

*Made breakfast muffins, granola bars, and pancakes. 

*Made a big pot of white chili and put the leftovers in mason jars to freeze for work lunches. 

*Things are blooming in Vegas which means allergy season in our house. I diffused lavender essential oil in the house all weekend to help combat the allergies and massaged Breathe blend diluted with oil into the baby's feet and sinuses to help with her stuffy nose. 

*Ryan's parents watched the baby so we could take Austin on a date with mom and dad. He wanted to see the Lego movie, so I got the discount tickets at Costco. 

*Ryan cut Austin's hair. 

*We did not eat out this past week. 

I helped out at a McTeacher night at McD's for my school. I bought the kids ice cream cones and the happy meal toy for a treat instead of happy meal. My kids and I have not eaten fast food in 2014.  Each week that Austin has a good report at school, we get the toy and a cone from the drive thru and I take them to the park. This is my compromise so I'm not completely depriving my kids. 

*I made some games for the kids that I shared in a previous post. 

Dinners this week:

Monday: Italian casserole with salad using 1/2 lb ground beef in the freezer 

from a previous meal

Tuesday: chicken tacos 

Wednesday: cream of broccoli soup with homemade bread and salad

Thursday: crockpot chicken and dumplings

Friday: homemade pizza with cheese and turkey pepperoni

Saturday: BBQ chicken sandwiches with homemade buns

Sunday: dinner at the in-laws

Savings and menu for the week

I love three day weekends, but it seems that the four days of work are always exhausting!

I ran a few quick errands and met a friend for lunch Saturday and used the rest of the day to clean and bake. That gave me a little time on Sunday to take a nap. I napped so hard I drooled all over my pillow!

Accomplishments:

*Made a batch of granola bars

*Made 2 loaves of whole wheat bread with a mix and recipe from my cousin. I finally made a decent loaf of bread!

*Made an apple crisp for Sunday dinner with some Granny Smith apples I needed to use up. 

*Attended a DoTerra essential oil class and got some free gifts. I signed up for their membership program and discussed becoming a product consultant with the teacher. I am taking the first steps toward this goal!

*I did some research on a good oil to help with the recurring warts Austin has been getting on his thumb. I've been to the dr multiple times and the creams (which are quite expensive) only cause the skin to rapidly regenerate and does not actually kill the virus. Oregano oil has been found to kill viruses so I added 5 drops to 1 tsp of olive oil to spread on his thumb twice a day.  It's looking better so far. 

*I also mixed some of the stronger oils with olive oil and put them in roll-on bottles.  I use an oil blend called Breathe quite often when the kids get stuffy. Allergies are bad here now, so I've been rubbing the oil on Austins feet, chest and nasal bridge and also diffusing it at night. I'm hoping this will help so he won't need to take Singulair. 

*I diffused a blend called On Guard to fight germs and boost the immune system. I added some drops of it in a spray bottle of water to sanitize the table and counters. I put some in a roll-on bottle to rub on the kids' hands. There is a stomach virus going around Austins school, so hopefully this will protect him. 

*Ryan and I were able to attend the Temple this week. 

*I made some handmade games for the kids and made a reading game for Austin to practice decoding CVC words. 

Menu:

Monday: lasagna roll ups and salad (I made these last week with the leftover lasagna ingredients and froze them). 

Tuesday: baked chicken strips, boiled potatoes, salad

Wednesday: I am going out with a friend, so I have frozen cooked beef for Ryan to do tacos with the kids

Thursday: broccoli cheddar soup and bread (I will use my dry cream of chicken soup with some broth as the base and add some shredded cheddar cheese and steamed broccoli and carrots)

Friday: eating out with my sister for her birthday with the family

Saturday: eating out again with my sister for her girls night on her 30th bday

Sunday: tangy crockpot chicken and salad

This is an eventful week. At some point I will also be making Kimi's cake and making a banner for her party. 

Three day weekend savings!

I ended up staying home most of the weekend as Amilia got sick so I didn't want to travel. Austin was bummed he didn't get to go to Cali, so Ryan's parents offered to take him to Disneyland with them. The 2 day park hopper was worth the price so I could actually clean the house without him messing up every other room!  I also did a major cleaning in his room too! Amilia took some nice, long naps so I had plenty of uninterrupted time for cooking, cleaning, and laundry. 

My accomplishments this week:

*Baked a double batch of pumpkin muffins for breakfasts

*Made chili and cornbread with enough leftovers for a few lunches. 

*Made lasagna for Sunday dinner and an extra pan plus some lasagna roll ups to freeze. 

*Ryan and I went to a free comedy magic show downtown with my house seats membership for a date. 

*Ryan finished the tile in the hall and bathroom!

*Made a double batch of laundry soap. 

*Made pancake mix and cooked a dozen to freeze. 

*Made cream of chicken soup mix

We had a fun Valentine's Day! I brought the kids each a balloon and got Ryan a quart of his fave Golden Spoon yogurt. 

My roses from Costco were gorgeous, but the best gift was a list of the 14 things that my husband loves about me. 

What's cooking this week:

Tonight: buffalo chicken wraps 

For a quick meal, boil a frozen breast and shred and mix in seasoning or a sauce. Add cheese and lettuce in a tortilla. 

Tuesday:  Citrus Chicken and salad

This is from Kraft recipes and is so moist and yummy. I have one more box of Stovetop from the Thanksgiving sales to use up. Butterfly 2 chicken breasts in a pan. Melt 1/4 c butter and add 2/3 c OJ and 1/2 c brown sugar, pour over the chicken. Add 1 1/2 c hot water to the Stove Top and pour over the chicken mixture. Bake 350 for 30 min

Wednesday: meatless night, one pot pasta with veggies

Thursday: hamburger stroganoff with grilled asparagus (I will freeze 1/2 of the cooked beef for another meal)

Friday: chicken teriyaki with veggies and quinoa 

Saturday: BBQ chicken pizza

Another crazy week

The living room and kitchen tile is done! Ryan just needs to put up the baseboards and change the hinges out on the pantry door. My man has worked every spare minute to get this done. Next weekend he will finish the hall and guest bathroom. 

I was still able to do some baking this week in the evenings and used Saturday to catch up on laundry and do Valentine crafts. 

Here's the accomplishments of the week:

*Made pancakes and banana oat muffins for the week

*Made granola bars

*Made choc chip cookies for my Primary Sunday school class

*Made Vday gifts and Valentine box for Austins class party, all with things on hand

*Enjoyed a girls night out with some coworkers Saturday night while Ryan and the kids went to dinner with his parents

*Got my first delivery from Winder Farms, so I did not need to go to the store this week, I got several items free or at a discount for my first order

*Ryan found a deal on an inversion table. I've wanted one for several years, so hoping it helps my back. 

Austin is loving his daily heart on his door and started one for me. Too cute!

Menu:

Monday: I'm making a big batch of creamy one pot pasta with veggies to take to my monthly card club potluck. I will make some chicken for the portion set aside for the family

Tuesday: beef pot roast with vegetables 

Wednesday: taco salad with leftover beef

Thursday: chicken Parmesan with salad

(I got several delicious pears in my Winder Farms fruit box, I've been adding them to my salads)

Fri-Sat: I will be going to visit my gram with the kids

Have a great week and Happy Valentines Day!

Sometimes you just need a $5 footlong!

I really did myself in with the craziness of last weekend.  I finally got my house mostly back together Friday night.  By Thursday, Ryan and I were completely exhausted so instead of cooking, we got some $5 footlongs from Subway!  Then Friday I got paid and went to a Jamberry nails party, so the kids and I snacked there and then I did my Costco run with the kids and we split a slice of cheese pizza and a frozen yogurt along with some yummy samples!  I have been wanting to buy some Jamberry nail wraps for awhile, so it was the perfect opportunity to see some old friends and take advantage of the buy 3 get one free deal.

My last sample lasted 2 weeks.  Can't wait for my order to come.  Patty's Jamberry Site

Savings for the week:
*I finally stuck to my budget at Costco which is $250 per month (not including big ticket items, we needed a new Shark so I bought it while it was on sale even though we won't be cleaning floors until we actually have them again!)

*I put $20 in each of the kids savings accounts.  I have been putting $10 a month for the past 6 months, but now I'm going to do 20 so that whenever they need clothes or shoes, I can use this money and also save up for birthday/Christmas gifts.

*I made pancakes and breakfast muffins for the week.

*I made one of my yummy light yogurt pies

*On Saturday, I went to the kick-off event for the Teacher's Health Trust Well Fit and weight loss program competition.  The health trust is the organization that oversees our health insurance.  I entered a team with my friend from school.  We have 10 weeks to lose weight and log our exercises for some great prizes!

*At the event, I signed up with Winder Farms fresh food delivery service.  I have thought about doing this before because it's good quality, organic food but it was expensive with purchasing the cooler for the delivery program and they charge a 4.99 delivery fee.  However, for the event, they offered free cooler, $15 in food credit, and 30% off all purchases!  So the discount off-sets the delivery fee and I found that some of the items they sell were the same or less than comparable organic products I get at the stores.  I signed up to have some dairy products and produce delivered weekly.  The guy also gave me free juice, bread, and a huge box of fruit for putting a great first order!  The bread was amazing, the apple juice was the best I've ever tasted and the mangos I tried from the fruit box were the best I've had in Vegas!

*I stocked up on sale items at Smith's.  Boxes of Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta and Kraft BBQ sauce just 49 cents each!  I also got some other non-perishable grocery items to stock up so I don't need to go shopping for a few weeks.

*Ryan's parents babysat the kids so we could go to the temple last week.

*Ryan was able to get almost half the living room tiled while we were away on Saturday.  He will do it in sections so we can still get around and move the furniture around inside the house.

*I went to my cousin's on Sunday after church and used his wheat grinder to grind up the rest of my whole wheat.  His wife gave me some bread making tips and shared one of her freezer mix packs so I can try out her recipe.

This week's menu:
Monday:  chicken parmesan and salad (this is the Weight Watcher's recipe: dip thin chicken breasts in flour, egg mixture, then italian bread crumbs and place over a light layer of tomato sauce.  Top with more sauce, then a slice of mozzarella cheese, bake 350 for 30 minutes)  Really moist and delicious!  One of the boys' faves.

Tuesday:  taco night (I will brown a pound of beef and save half of it in the freezer)

Wednesday:  BBQ chicken pitas (I will cook a few breasts in BBQ sauce in the crockpot and shred it and then everyone can do what they want by making a wrap with half a pita or make a pita pizza with some chicken and cheese)

Thursday:  italian casserole and salad (I will use the frozen cooked meat leftover from Tuesday)

Friday:  chicken pot pie, I should have some of my yummy veggies from Winder Farms by now, so I will boil some chopped veggies in broth and some cream of chicken soup mix with some shredded chicken (I will boil the night before) and throw in some other seasonings that I think will be good and throw a little crust together with some wheat flour, water, and a little butter and hope it turns out (thanks to my friend Audrey for this inspiration, she made us one for lunch at work and it was delish!)

Saturday:  Breakfast: my weekly big batch of pancakes
Lunch:  I am hoping to try a new soup and salad restaurant by my sister's apartment
Dinner:  white chicken chili  I'll be making this deliciousness every few weeks til it gets too hot outside!
serve with cornbread (just follow the recipe on the container of corn meal, sub applesauce for oil and honey for the suga if you want to go healthier)

Sunday:  Breakfast:  eggs and toast (brown cage free eggs from Winder!)
Lunch: leftover chili and cornbread
Dinner: in-laws

This week's insanity and menu!

Talk about a crazy week!! Three appointments, semester exams, and phase one of the house tiling project!

Pulling the old floor up was a group effort for sure!  On Saturday, the baby cooperated by taking a long nap and Austin helped daddy pull up the bamboo in the living room while I packed up the kid's bathroom and kitchen before the tile removal. We learned this the hard way when Ryan took all the old tile and hammered thin set out of the master bath, there was dust over EVERYTHING!  We had to wash all our clothes and wipe all the stuff down in the bathroom, closet and bedroom. So as much as taking every single thing out of the two rooms was a huge pain, it was worth it!  I also realized that we have enough towels and kitchen supplies to last us a lifetime and got rid of the things we don't use.

Even with all the craziness of the weekend,  I was able to watch the rest of Downton Abbey Season 4 and a few episodes of The Paradise (another excellent British period drama) and even took a nap on Sunday after church!

We had the day off for MLK day, so I entertained the kids while the old tile was removed from the bathroom, kitchen and entry way. We went out to breakfast and then to the Springs Preserve with our family membership. When we got home, the baby napped while the rest of us cleaned up the dust from the cabinets and fixtures. It was nice to do a good, deep cleaning before I start moving things back over next few nights. Train ride through the Las Vegas Springs

Waiting for the flash flood exhibit to start!

We ate out a few times this weekend simply because we didn't have access to cook at home, but I planned ahead enough to save for the rest of the week. 

Savings from last week:

*Waited to run an errand across town until Austin's Dr. appointment which was nearby so I could combine trips and save on gas

*Made breakfast muffins, pancakes, and granola bars

*I made enough white chili to freeze a quart for another meal this week and a pint for lunch 

*I made homemade corn bread to serve with the chili and froze the leftover pieces 

*I made two small pans of lasagna to freeze for quick weeknight dinners

*We used a gift card someone gave me for one of our meals out

This week's menu:

Tuesday: one of the freezer lasagnas with a salad  lasagna recipe 

Wednesday: leftover chili and cornbread 

Thursday: BBQ chicken sandwiches (2 frozen breasts with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on low) serve with buns and veggie sticks

Friday: creamy one pot pasta  recipe here

Saturday:

Breakfast: pancakes 

Lunch: out

Dinner: crockpot chicken and dumplings

2-3 frozen breasts in crockpot, add 2 cups broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup (I make my own dry mix found here), sliced carrots and celery, dried onion and garlic powder.  Cook on low 6-8 hrs, 30 min before serving, stir the pot and break up the chicken and add a can of refrigerated biscuits (I slice each biscuit in 3 strips).  

Sunday:

Breakfast: oatmeal

Lunch: leftover chicken and dumplings 

Dinner: at the in laws

Top of the World Savings and this week's Menu

It was a smooth week back to school! My students reviewed for finals last week and this week will be semester exams, so three days will be early student release days!  Another interesting thing that happened this week is my hair has become curlier.  I always let my hair air dry when I shower at night and I noticed one night it was curly all over not just underneath like usual.  This makes my hair styling time much shorter, so I hope it stays!  In other good news, I ate very well this week, walked 30 minutes each day and am already down 4 pounds from my holiday 10!

Savings this week:
* The Stratosphere is offering locals free tower rides every weekend this month, so I took the kids on Saturday.  Austin really wanted to ride the Big Shot, so I splurged and bought him a ticket.  Afterward, we had lunch at one of the cafes inside the casino that had a 20% off coupon for locals.  This was the only meal we ate out all week.

 At the top of the Statosphere

My fearless children looking down at the city

*I made banana breakfast muffins and pancakes to freeze.

*Ryan cut Austin's hair.

*I made two freezer meals for nights this coming week that I will not have time to cook.

*Made homemade chocolate pudding pops

YUM!! I love this popsicle mold set!  

*Ryan finished restoring the kitchen from our water damage in December.  We were able to order the tile for the rest of the house.

*I compared prices and found a great deal on cloth napkins on Amazon with free shipping and got them in three days.  

*I popped a few batches of popcorn with the air popper and put handfuls of popcorn in Ziploc bags for grab and go snacks for the kids.

*I brought water infused with DoTerra Lemon Oil in a reusable container to work each day. 

What's cooking? This week's meals:

*All recipes should feed a family of 4.  

Monday:  This is my monthly stamp club night and we do a potluck, so I shredded some crockpot chicken for Ryan to use for chicken tacos.

Tuesday:  Italian casserole with salad.  (Boil 2 cups penne, brown 1 lb of ground beef and drain fat.  I save 1/2 the meat to freeze for another meal and use the other half in the casserole mixed with 1 can of pasta sauce, 4 oz light cream cheese cut in small pieces.  Pour in baking dish, top with shredded mozzarella and bake 350 for 25 min.  If you freeze it, thaw in fridge the night before).  I made this over the weekend so Ryan can put it in the oven while I'm heading home from taking Austin to an appointment. 

Wednesday:  Crockpot Tangy Chicken (prepare the night before, 2-3 frozen breasts in bottom of crockpot, mix 1 can cream of chicken soup with 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 T dried onion and pour over chicken, top with 4 peeled potatoes and 2 cups of carrots, refrigerate and put in crock on low for 8 hours in the morning)

Thursday:  hamburger stroganoff with egg noodles and salad (using the 1/2 lb frozen beef from earlier in the week, thaw and in a pan add 1/4 C melted butter, 1 T dried onion, a can of cream of chicken soup and 1/2 cup sour cream, add a little milk for desired consitency, serve with cooked egg noodles)

Friday:  Baked chicken strips and sliced pan fried potatoes with veggie sticks (thaw chicken and cut in strips, dip in flour/egg/Panko bread crumbs, I like mine a little spicy so I add lemon pepper to the Panko for the last half of them, bake 350 for 25-30 min until cooked)

Saturday:  Breakfast:  oatmeal

Lunch: I will prepare sandwiches to take for a picnic lunch

Dinner:  White Chicken Chili  link to recipe

Sunday:  Breakfast: french toast
Lunch: leftover chili
Dinner at the in-laws

Weekend accomplishments and this week's dinner menu!

I spent most of Friday baking for the week and doing a massive kitchen cleaning which included going through all the cabinets and getting rid of what I don't use and moving some things around to maximize space.  Here's how I saved this week:

*I finally committed to stop buying paper towels and napkins.  I set up a basket by my sink for dish cloths and Ryan is going to install a towel bar close to the sink for towels.   I placed a decorative basket above the fridge for a convenient place to toss all the dirty towels.  *When I wash towels, I add a cup of white vinegar to the load.

*I baked a double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins replacing the oil with applesauce and a batch of granola bars for our morning breakfasts on the go and treats.

*Made pancake mix and cooked a batch to freeze.  This is the mix I use Perfect Pancake Mix.  I love this blog and I am also going to try her Quick Mix

*Made a double batch of laundry soap.  Here's the link to my friend's recipe: The Prudent Homemaker laundry soap

*Recieved a box of hand-me-down clothes from my sister-in-law that my daughter can wear in the next year or two.

*Roasts were on sale at Smith's so I bought a few for double duty dinners.

*Signed up for the 30 day Amazon Prime trial.  I think the more online shopping we do, the better deals we can find and then we can save on shipping

*Took the kids to Home Depot on Saturday for the free kids workshop. My son made a cute desk calendar. 

Some other thoughts I have been thinking about are 1.  I'm pretty upset with the whole Target data breach thing as it affected us and we had to get a new debit card issued.  I will probably save money on unnecessary purchases (esp their dollar section) if I stop shopping there.  2.  I also really do not like going to Walmart, but it is the closest store to my house other than Costco, it's where I get my prescriptions, and there are a few things I do buy here that are hard to find elsewhere and a better price, so I may limit my Walmart shopping to once a month when I get my refills.

Weekly Menu:
I thought I would start sharing my weekly menu this year as well.  Hopefully you can get some ideas on how to maximize time and still cook delicious food so you don't have to eat out.  As you can see, I do crockpot meals multiple times per week and do double duty dinners often!

Weekday breakfasts are the baked goods I prepare and freeze, thawed the night before.
For weekday lunches, I eat leftovers or make a quick wrap and Ryan eats at his parent's house that is close to his office.  My son's school has awesome catered hot lunch, so I do pay for that 3 days a week and then make him a sack lunch the other days.  I send some things with my daughter to supplement her meals at the babysitter.

Monday:   crockpot beef rump roast and vegetables  (prep night before, refrigerate and put on low when you leave in the AM)  I add a little worscheshire and A1 to the top of the roast, vegetables on top and sprinkle garlic powder.  Leftover meat will be shredded after dinner and separated into two containers, one will go in the freezer.

Tuesday:  Leftover shredded beef taco salad

Wednesday:  crockpot pineapple teriyaki chicken with quinoa and steamed broccoli (night before, place 3 chicken breasts in pot, pour can of pineapple chunks and 1/2 cup Yoshida's teriyaki sauce, cook on low 8-10 hours in the AM)  15 minutes before dinner, boil quinoa and cut/steam veggies.

Thursday:  Lasagna and salad (When I make lasagna, I make it in two smaller pans and freeze one.  Tonight's dinner will be the frozen one from last week's cooking.  I love lasagna, but it's time consuming if you want to do it right, so I usually make them on school breaks)

Friday:  BBQ chicken pizza (I cook two chicken breasts in crockpot with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on low all day
to use as my pizza topping then make the dough when I get home from work)

Saturday:
Breakfast:  Pancakes (extras will go in freezer)

Lunch:  I will probably take the kids on a morning outing, so this would be our one eat out meal for the week.

Dinner:  Beef Stew (using the leftover frozen beef from Monday's roast, I will cut up veggies and make a stock with water, Better than Bouillon, worscheshire, and seasonings in the morning and cook in the crockpot on low 8 hours)  I will experiment with the Quick Mix I posted above and make some biscuits.  Any leftover stew will be frozen in pint size Mason jars for lunches.

Sunday:
Breakfast:  Omelets

Lunch:  Leftover beef stew with toasted cheese sandwiches

Dinner:  Family Dinner with the in-laws

December savings and goals for the New Year!

We had a great week in Montana visiting my family for Christmas.  I still can't believe I was able to pack a family of four with everyone's gifts in one suitcase and three carry-on bags!  The kids loved their gifts from Santa.  They each got one gift along with a few stocking stuffers which were mostly candy (we did not need any more junk to add to the junk already at home).  They each got a few simple gifts from us, one of them was a hand kite I made for each of them which Austin was thrilled about because he watched me make them and hoped one would be for him!  Some of my family members gave the kids one small gift along with some money that I can put in their new Mutual Fund accounts.

Upon returning home, it was back to work on finishing the final touches to our master bedroom project.  Ryan finished putting the tile in our master bedroom We finally made up our minds about the wall unit we wanted for desk and storage.  We ordered the floating desk on overstock.com and then got the cabinets at Lowe's.  For the past three months, the stuff that is now nicely organized in the cabinets was all over the place in boxes while I waited for the floor to be finished and the time/money available to finish it.  So glad it's over!

Now you would think, after close to a year of house projects, we would be done for awhile.  But we've only just begun!  You see, a few weeks before Christmas, my grandma was over and when she was smoking behind my house (LOL), she noticed "my house was crying".  I don't go behind my house often, esp in winter and it would have taken awhile to notice the damage inside, which would have been worse, so gram really saved the day!  Apparently, a staple went into a water pipe when our house was constructed NINE YEARS AGO and just now started leaking!!

Yes, my house is very sad.

So homeowner's insurance covers the cost of the damage to the house and not to the cost of the plumbing repairs.  However, they were FREE because Ryan did it himself with tools and materials he already had from doing our master bath!  The insurance listed the things that need to be repaired which included new insulation, drywall, exterior paint and regrouting some of the tile and gave us a check for the estimated cost of materials and labor.  Well Ryan will be doing the labor so we can put this money toward painting the exterior of the house (since we are due to have it done anyway) and instead of regrouting tile, we are going to do the rest of the house in the same tile as our bedroom (which we love and it is gorgeous).  We will keep the kid's rooms in carpet.  I cannot emphasize enough how awesome my husband is and how often his skills have saved us money on home and car repairs!

After returning from Montana, I stocked up on groceries and had a baking marathon in preparation for returning to work/school.  I have also resisted the urge to shop the after Christmas clearances.  I downsized my holiday decorations this year so I don't need anything and I can't be sure of what size the kids will be next year so it is not worth it to buy and winter clearance clothes.  We have had such a mild winter that the kids have only needed a warm coat for just a few days.  Now I will confess that I bought myself a new dress to go with my cowboy boots and a cute cardigan at DownEast Basics.  I had to have a crown replaced at the dentist and it was miserable, so I needed to reward myself for being so brave!

What's in store for 2014?

I have all sorts of ideas for the new year!  First I'd like to lose the ten pounds I gained from Halloween to New Year's.  Then I'd like to lose at least 10-20 more, but that's getting a little ahead of myself.  Second, I want to continue to make healthier choices for my family which would include cutting out a majority of the refined/fast foods and reducing the chemicals used in my home.  I would also like to learn more about essential oils and eventually join as a DoTerra representative.  I have been using a few oils for the past six months and want to continue incorporating them into my daily life and learn how to make more personal products using the oils and natural ingredients.  I also love Stampin' Up products and making cards and other paper crafts, so becoming a demonstrator in the near future is also a possibility either this year or next. 

So we will see what ends up actually happening this year, but I am excited for all the possibilities that the future will hold!  Whatever your ambitions for the year may be, I wish you faith, health, and happiness!