What Did I See??

I looked up from my computer at my little tracking calendar in front of me and what did I see? A little month called March staring back at me....

Yes, March 2015 - it's still up (well not now but it was). How did that happen? Where did time go? I imagine it went to the boys, drama club, reading competition, homework assistance, work, more work, driver's permit (yikes), shooting practice, movies, nails, cleaning and more cleaning, hugs, yelling, more hugs, end of school, more work, a few funerals, a fractured shoulder, rotator cuff surgery, a few weddings, a great concert, time outside, spring/summer, sunshine and rain....... Now it's almost the end of June and things don't look like they are slowing down anytime soon. BUT there are some good things on the horizon. Hopefully this will be all positive changes for our family!!

Pin It or PASS!

You tell me...
I tried this 'heart tree' as I call it -

Pinterest Version

 

My version...

Then I tried this candle and styrofoam balls...

 

Pinterest version

 

My version 

I think I should have used more of the 'glue' substance before putting on the epsom salt but overall I'd say they were both 

Now if only I could master this site and get the pictures to be side-by-side.....

Pin It or PASS!

I did a bad thing - a very bad thing. The blog I usually follow as my homepage is no longer motivating for me. Can you guess what I did? I changed my homepage to.... Pinterest. Uh oh, you know what that means. Lots and LOTS of pinning!!

But since one goal is to actually DO the pins, here are the things I've done so far this year and the results.....

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Looks as good as the link but wasn't a big hit so it's a 

While this Reese's Dip from What's Cooking, Love?

Was absolutely a 

Then I worked on a card for some ladies I wanted to reach out and wish a great year - 

Welcome 2015

With a new year come 365 blank pages to fill with whatever we choose. I love that. The newness, the beginnings, the clean pages, the chances to start over....

Looking back through my blog in 2013 I posted but did not meet 13 goals. In 2014 I posted (and did not meet) 14 goals. In 2015 I am going to finish - my 2014 goals plus 1! Just going to jump right back in and work on the same ones. Sounds like a plan to me!!

Here they are:

                              

GOAL 1 -I did ok last year but there is always more to be done. Besides, I love Organizing!

GOAL 2 - I think I need this at the beginning of every year. The holiday season can be so busy.... so it's Back to Basics with Flylady!

                               

GOAL 3 - Life is always better with less yelling... restarting the Orange Rhino Challenge.

GOAL 4 - Yep this says it all..... I just need to make time to do more of it. Scrapbooking is cheaper than therapy

GOAL 5 - My hubby's favorite one - More Dates!

GOAL 6 - My first year of tracking I read 44 books (goal of 30). Last  year I read 33(goal of 50 I think). This year I am going for Read 36 books!

GOAL 7 - AMEN!! Time With Friends - can you ever do this enough? Probably not and I know I did better last year but I want to do more. 

GOAL 8 - That Ole Recipe Binder - Last year I bought it and started filling it by transferring my old recipes off the computer. I didn't complete it but it's partially done. More to do....

GOAL 9 - Movement - Didn't do so great with this last year.... never too late to start again though.

GOAL 10 - This can go along with Goal 4 too. Send More Cards I've already got a start on this one....

GOAL 11 - There is SOOO much I have to be grateful for. Gratitude

GOAL 12 - Getting Rid of It! - Yes this could go along with Goal 9 too. I considered it last  year - this year I'm doing it.

GOAL 13 - RAKs - Random Acts of Kindness - this was a goal in 2013 which I met. But  you know how at Christmas time you are filled with the spirit and are kinder and you see others doing and being kinder as well? I want to try to keep that spirit alive ALL YEAR.

GOAL 14 - Mindfulness in all I do....

GOAL 15 - Ahhh Pinterest - where all the great ideas are put into folders. I want to continue to pin things but I also want to do more of the things I pin. Pin It or Pass

So there you have it - this is what my year looks like. I can't wait for each day of it!!

December Daily Photos

Going to give this challenge a shot - anyone else in??

Pin It! or Pass

Over the last couple of weeks I was on a Pinterest Bing. Not just pinning either. I was actually using my Pins. Here's the scoop:

       
This was my inspiration (the purple) - like theirs better but it was still motivating. Sorry I can't get it to rotate... I think I just needed a bigger butterfly and a darker background. It would still classify as a PIN!





I did a little baking....

   
Pumpkin Poppers - original on left, mine on the right - I know, you can tell by looking at them they are a PIN IT!

Egg, sausage, and cheese muffin - big success! Easy to freeze and reheat too! PIN IT!

 

 Crash Potatoes - no picture because, well, it wasn't pretty. These were a lot of work if you ask me. And honestly, I couldn't get them to smash pretty like these and then they got too hard.... PASS!

Then I tried both of these...

          

Pumpkin Spice Latte  The first was pretty good actually. I prefer it with a little whipped cream added in (and I just used strong coffee instead of Espresso) The second was definitely better but it also took more prep. Both were PIN IT!

So that is my PIN IT OR PASS Update - it's great to actually use those PINS!

Gratitude

I first learned about gratitude in a book I read many years ago and still keep at my bedside - 'Simple Abundance' by Sara Ban Breathnach. In this book Sara talks about keeping a gratitude journal. I did that for a while but then I didn't want to keep an actual notebook and life got in the way (hmmm, have you heard that before?) and I stopped. But what I learned was that even on the darkest day there are at least three things I can be grateful for. Last year I downloaded the Gratitude 365 app - I missed a few days - like 27, but that was all. I love going back and seeing what I had to be grateful for. I love seeing the huge number of things I actually listed last year. So this goal is to maintain Gratitude 365 and try to get in each day this year. I am so blessed, I need to remember that every day!

Goals

There seems to have been a small shift in balance. Not sure what - some down time, some organizing.......whatever it was/is I am thankful for it. I can see the results on my scrap counter, in my pantry shelves, in the laundry NOT being piled up, deep down in my soul....

So tonight, as I sign off my computer and prepare to scrap, I look up. On the board, above my computer, that goal list from eight months ago sits and calls to me. I knew it was a great idea to stick it there for a reminder. So what if it took me this long to actually use that reminder - it still worked.

Five transferred recipes later I feel even more back on track. YES!

Balance...

Balance can be defined as a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions. Well I think balance is lacking in my life and has been for a while. I don't feel balanced - at all. I am out of whack.

I set these goals in January, followed them for quite a few months. Since then life got extra busy (as usual) and the goals fell by the wayside. Oh they are still there, thanks to the list I printed that hangs by my computer and this blog. But they haven't been in the front of my mind or my plans. I can feel the neglect.

No really, I can feel it! I went back to Zumba last night and believe me when I say I CAN FEEL IT! After I do that I always question myself. How did I let myself go like that? Why did I let myself go like that? What in heavens name was I thinking letting myself go like that? After one class I feel so much better (well relatively speaking of course). It amazes me how much Zumba affects so many aspects of my world.

So, back to balance... how do you balance it all? I mean, I get it - we don't need to be Wonder Woman. But I need a clean organized house, happy kids, and fun times. (No, really I NEED a cleaned organized house!)  I want to date my husband, party with friends and family, do things, go places, scrap, cook, bake, encourage my kids to do more things and try new things. Yet every day I run out of time.....

So I browse (come on you know you do it too) and see what I can come up with. I find this link - What is Life Balance 
I look some more and read this: "...I want to show you why my life is out of balance and why your life should be out of balance too." HUH? It SHOULD be this way? Feeling better all ready! Maybe I'm not as out of balance as I thought I was....

Pin It! or Pass

I find it funny that I forgot what it was that I needed to label with a big PASS. LOL I imagine I will find it later. What I do have for you are these two recipes:

Loaded Brownies

Loaded Brownies

 Strawberry Baked Oatmeal

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/42854633928476988/

Although the brownies are my favorite of the two - the baked oatmeal was also delish and lasted for a couple days.  Yes they are on recipe cards and stowed away in my cookbook - so it's a win-win with my goals!

I'm back.....

I always, ALWAYS, seem to disappear in March. Why? Two birthday boys is why and this year was no different. Luckily Easter does NOT fall in March this year! I love March, obviously, some of my favorite memories come this month. But I also hate it. I hate the busyness, the work, all there is to do. Although I am grateful for the month and all it holds I am also grateful to see it go and for life to return to a little more normal. (Be warned, normal does not mean less busy!)

But, I am back. Now you probably know I plan things, right? You probably know I pre-make my meals. You probably also know I menu plan, usually a week or a few days at a time. The weekly or few days of planning all started because Menu Planning for an entire month was too overwhelming for me. So I broke it down. Until now.

Last week I did a month of menu planning. Took me a while, made me nervous, oh the decisions that had to be made... but I have this freezer full of food and meals I've prepared. I've been having a tough time knowing what we were going to eat when based on what our plans were for the day. So I gave it a shot.

I have to tell you - I am loving it! No really REALLY loving it! I prepped dinner for tomorrow tonight - I know what I'm doing ALL WEEK! It's so freeing. I only have to make the decision one time and then not think about it until the night before. All supplies are on hand, the food is prepped, I know if it has to be a crock pot meal due to our schedule, a quickie, or if it's a night I have time to actually make the meal after work. Awesome! If you haven't tried it you should give it a whirl.

Here's the rest of our week:
Monday - Crock Pot Pizza and salad
Tuesday - we'll buy kaisers out as we're on the road
Wednesday - Venison Stroganoff and peas
Thursday - Sausage and eggs - late dinner or maybe leftovers
Friday - Parmesan Pork Chops, baked potatoes, salad and limas
Saturday - we are out and about ALL day and night

Send more cards...

Did you ever think of someone or someone experiencing something and say to yourself, "Boy I should send them a card!" and then you think about it and life continues on and you just never get around to it? Yep, happens to me often too. So this year I've decided Goal # 10 will be to send more cards. I've gotten back into making them with my scrapbooking scraps so there's no sense in them sitting in the card box now is there? Keep an eye out - one may be headed your way!

Pinterest

You've heard of it right? Pinterest - the site where you pin images and links of things you love and would love to do but probably won't - ever. I too have tons of pins. I mean, really, don't their photos of food just look fabulous. The hairstyles perfect and easy, the crafts so creative..... I plan on doing some of the things I have pinned. Then I will post about it with a rating - either a 

which means it worked out well and I would do it again or recommend it

OR

which means skip this one! Fail! You get the idea.

Today's Pin It! or PASS 

The food on pinterest looks so yummy and easy to make, right? How many recipes do you have on there anyway? Ever make one? Well I have made several different recipes, including this one I made today...

http://www.bakeatmidnite.com/2012/10/easy-cheesy-pizza-casserole.html

Have to tell you - it's a 

the homemade biscuits are delish and it was as easy as it says it was. I didn't even have pepperoni and it was still yummy! Going to go write out a recipe card for it right now. Enjoy!!

That Ole Recipe Binder update

This is the binder I picked - what do you think? 

I have to tell you I love it! 

Finally got some time so I opened it up, put the recipe cards inside for easy access/storage, emptied the old one and have it in a pile to donate. Several recipes already written in, a couple more to go to catch up to my goal. Will be caught up within the next hour. YES!

The sick week

The last week has been full of taking care of the sick. I have had three sick 'boys' in the past week. They all had the 'bug' - you know the one that is going around. It is NOT pretty! Then I had to go get the flu. What a week. Just when you think you are getting ahead........ Hopefully we are back on course now.

Goal recap time!

 We continue to work on this every week. A few dishes here, a small box of junk there.... it all adds up and I love paring it down.

 January Date was a LOT of fun. We did a lot in one day and enjoyed every minute of it. Looking forward to February's date as well.

 Ahhh Flylady - what can I say - I would be lost without which is never more evident to me than on weeks like this last one. Without routines I would be under Mount Washmore and a pile of dust bunnies!

Ok, when you've been sick and the weather has been bad this is a tough one. But overall this month I have made huge improvements in movement. Great release of stress as well!!

 I have completed four books, but my tracking system tells me I am falling behind. LOL Not to worry!!

 Again making strides - continuing to start over every now and then but am proud to say that my yelling moments are quieter when they do happen. Go me!

10 days in January I did something scrap related. I remember the feeling a couple weeks ago when I went to bed so happy and relaxed. Haven't felt that in a while but I continue to work on this goal. Have set up a couple scrap/friends things but they haven't worked out either. I won't give up though because I remember the peace it brings!

Time with friends and family (which I can't believe I don't have a picture for right now) has been going well too. We've had several movie nights (and another set up for this Friday), I helped one friend move, went out to lunch/movies with another, chilled with another. I love this goal!!