a reminder

All around our house, I have scriptures as well as other inspirational quotes and sayings.  Mostly they are to remind me of the blessings I have but also to remind me of who is with me all the time.   My grandmother was a worrier.  I am a worrier and now my daughter is a worrier.  Some things I can control and some things I can't.  I try not to worry but life circumstances make it hard.  I found a verse that especially hits home and I wanted to have it as a daily reminder.   I wanted my daughter to have it too...  I put it in our bathrooms and we can read it each morning.

My verse:

Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  Phillipians 4:6-7

What you need:
Computer
White Paper
Scissors
Scrapbook Paper
Frame (whatever size you want to use) I used a 4x6

Directions:
1. Type up or write out your verse, saying or quote (keep in mind the size of your frame). You may need to adjust your spacing to make sure it will be the right size.
2. Use the glass in the frame to trace the size of scrapbook paper you will need.  Then cut it out.
3. Cut out the saying. Making sure it is small enough you can see your scrapbook paper as well. 
4. Adhere the saying to the scrapbook paper. Use either double stick tape or a scrapbook tape. Don't use glue as it will leave a mark.
5. Put the glass back in the frame along with your saying.
6. Place somewhere you will see it everyday!

my binder

I mentioned my binder in yesterday's post.  I used to have a drawer that housed all of my recipes. But I needed an easier way to get at them.  I bought a 2" binder and some sleeve protectors.

 Of course, it is pink.  I love me some girly pink!

When I find a recipe I want to try, I print it then add it to the pocket on the left.  The sleeve protectors are reserved for recipes that I have tried and like.  Every month when I do my monthly menu, I pull this baby out.  All in one spot I have what I want to try and what I know we like.  I can easily flip through the recipes and right down what we are going to have on the calendar. Then I can easily add it to my grocery list.  When I am ready to cook the meal, I bring the binder back out.  The sleeve protector's keep the recipes nice and clean.

My storage spot is by the microwave, only takes up 2 inches.

So next time you head to the store, pick up a binder and some sheet protectors. It will make you feel so much more organized!

my monthly menu

Last August, I started a monthly menu. I was trying to be more organized and make limited trips to the grocery store.  I sat down with an empty calendar and my recipes and started planning.  The last year of doing this has been awesome for our family. I rarely have to wonder what's for dinner which is absolutely awesome. I make one big shopping run towards the end of the month/beginning of the month.  I can make adjustments as needed AND we are saving money because I can buy in bulk.

So here is how I do it....

1. Print out (or write in your planner) a calendar.  (www.calendarsthatwork.com)

2. Look at your current calendar and put any times that you all will be out of town or have an out of the house dinner commitment.  Mark all of these on your calendar.

3.  Pull out your recipes. I keep mine in a binder by the microwave.

4.  Start plugging in the meals you want to make.

      (I know that on certain days we have extra curricular activities that run late, those are my    

         typical crockpot days.)

5. Once you have your calendar filled it's time to make your grocery list.

6. I look at the recipe and write down everything I will need.  I do this for each one. I make tick marks when I need one pound of meat or chicken. Then I add it all up at the end.

7.  Once you have your grocery list, go to your pantry and fridge and see what you have.  You probably have most of your spices.  I mark off what I have on hand.  

8.  Take your grocery list that you now have. I look at it and see what can be bought at the bulk store and what I can just get at my grocery store.  Like if I need 6 packages of spaghetti noodles, I know that they are cheaper for a box of 6 at Sam's then buying 6 individual packages at the regular grocery store.

***All of the steps above might take 30-45 minutes. 

9. Then I add the menu to my calendar that is in my phone/laptop.  This is great because I can always look to see what's for dinner.

10. If I don't use a meal that month, I just put it at the first of the next month.

Then on one day, I go to the bulk store (Sam's in my case) then head over to Walmart or Target. I get everything that I need. Then each week if I need fresh foods or bread I go early in the week.  I write on the calendar what I will need that's fresh for that week (see the Sundays below).  Hope this helps some of you!  It definitely was a time saver for me as well as taking away the stress of wondering every day "what's for dinner?"

job jar

Do you have sassy children? I do. I have the ones that like to talk back.  Well, I got tired of it one day and invented our family job jar.

It's simple really.  If I feel like someone is being particularly sassy, rude or disrespectful, they get to draw a slip out of the job jar. This job is done immediately unless it is the go to bed early job which no one likes.  I included some things that just aren't very enjoyable like cleaning up other people's spaces.  I included chores that I try to do every couple of months and some that get done more often.  

Here are the jobs that are presently in our jar. 

-Clean siblings bathroom. This includes the toilet, sink, countertops and emptying the trash.

-Vacuum the living room, kitchen rug and cubby room rug.

-Dust the living room, dining room, entryway, and piano room.

-Dust your room and your sibling’s room.

-Sweep (with a broom) all of the tile in the hallways, entryway, kitchen and cubby room. 

-Clean mom’s bathroom. This includes the toilet, sink, countertop and emptying the trash.

-Clean dad’s bathroom. This includes the toilet, sink, countertop and emptying the trash.

-Dust your parent’s bedroom.

-Go to bed 15 minutes early.

-Clean the refrigerator. This includes taking all of the food out and wiping the glass and plastic down.

-Wipe down all of the baseboards with a wet paper towel.

-Vacuum the green couch, green chairs, and yellow couch in the piano room.

-Wipe all of the window sills down the a wet paper towel.

-Clean out under your bed or your closet. Mom picks.

What you will need:
a jar
paper
scissors
scrapbook paper: optional

Open a word document or get out a piece of paper. Type or write down the jobs.  Cut into strips.  Then make a cute little lable for your jar.  I think it makes it look happier for the doom and gloom that awaits inside.  Put your label on your jar, insert your jobs.  And there you have it. Next time a kid is sassy you have an easy way to handle it.  

One of my children has done lots of these jobs where the other two haven't done quiet as many...

apple cutter, er potato cutter

Someone suggested using an apple cutter to cut a potato.  I thought to myself "this is a great idea."   Soon I would find out that this is easier said than done.

I got my potato and my apple slicer.  Now is where you need that 3rd hand.  An apple has a flat bottom, so it stands for you while you slice. Potatoes, no flat bottom. It was super hard to get the potato still so that you could apply pressure on the cutter.  Once you do, you can push hard and slice the potato. Be careful not to slice your finger in the process.  

You do get nice uniform fries once you get through the cutting process. The middle fry is a bit wonky so you will need to cut it in half.  

Overall, it is easier just to cut them with a knife.

seasonal to do lists

Last summer, I was reading a friend's blog and she made a list of fun things to do in the summer with her kids.  I put that on my to do list for this summer.

In late May, I gathered the kids and asked them what fun things they would like to do during the summer.  I added all to a list and came up with our summer to do list.  I don't think that this idea has to be just for the summer months.  I plan to do one for each season.  Fall can be filled with things like football games, applesauce making, going on walks, and visiting the pumpkin patch. Winter can have a list that includes snowman building, having a hot chocolate bar, and ice skating. Spring can include visiting parks, feeding the ducks, and going on a spring break trip.

What you will need:
Piece of 8 1/2 x11 scrapbook paper (any design but light colors work best)
8x10 frame (or you can do smaller or bigger)
Scissors
Printer
Dry erase marker

In a word document on your computer, make a list of all the things you would like to do.  Make it a fun font and big enough where you can see it from far away.  Insert your scrapbook paper and print your list.  You will want to leave the glass in the frame.  Use the glass to cut your paper into the size of the frame.   Put your new list into your frame.

As you complete things on your list, use the dry erase marker to check them off.  My daughter put the date by some.

We had our framed list on the kitchen counter top.  When we needed an idea of something to do, we just looked at our list!   We didn't get them all done but we had fun doing the things that we could! Can't wait to make our list for fall.