Friday, January 30

Grrr...

Is it me or Blogger?  Probably me.


I just finished a rather long post, I was proud of myself and happy that it was completed.

Spell checked it.

Manually proofed it.

Clicked on "Publish Post".

Clicked over to review my handy work.

And then shriek!

Only bits and pieces of it posted!  Instead of the words I painstakingly typed out, I see "<<>".

What?

Maybe Blogger is telling me no one wants to read it.

Well, maybe.

But I'll re-post it again tomorrow anyway.

Had lots of linky love in it too!  It's not me, it's Blogger!

Ciao!

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Sunday, January 25

Menu Plan Monday

Here is another simplistic week.  Last week went pretty well; however, I'm not sure what happened to Thursday, so that's back on the menu this week.


Toni over at The Happy Housewife has started doing 30 Days of Meals.  I was pondering it while she was posting it.  Funny.  I'll be keeping tabs on how she does, so far she loves it.  Maybe it'll be something I'll stop pondering and start doing.  hmmm...

I have to tell ya that as much as I make menu planning a chore, I do love it.  I love that we know what we are having each day, especially if I have to pull something out of the freezer - best the night before, but last minute in the morning.  The whole idea of having a plan makes it so much simpler.  Now, my next step would be to post it somewhere so I don't have to log into my blog to see what's on the menu.  ha ha

Here is our last Menu Plan for the month, can you believe it?!  Valentine's Day is only 20 days away!!

Roasted Pork Loin
HM Chicken Noodle Soup
Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Left Over Chicken Noodle Soup
Pork Chops 

Again, weekends are left up to whatever.  Gotta stop doing that!  Anyway, have a great week and thank you for stopping by!

Don't forget, stop by I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans.  And when I say more, I mean MORE.  Oh and what's even better than menus?  A GIVE-A-WAY!  I hope that got your attention...  make sure you go see Laura!

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Sunday, January 18

Menu Plan Monday


Nothing too exciting.  Enjoy!


Monday - French Toast and other breakfast foods
Wednesday - Baked Chicken (recipe link goes to pork chops*, but I easily sub chicken to change it up from time to time)
Thursday - Roasted Pork Loin
Friday - Leftover Lovers

Weekends are always left up to whatever.

Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more Menu Plan ideas...  hundreds, literally!  Have a Great Week!!

*I am paranoid about under cooked meat, so I always use my trusty meat thermometer to make sure it's done.

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Saturday, January 17

A Beautiful Life ~ Reflecting

Although some treasures in life are not always revealed until a later time, we all need time to purposely reflect on current events in our lives and acknowledge those we do notice.  No matter how small.

Life can fly by in the blink of an eye and we end up with a list of "I shoulda...", "I coulda...", "If I..." or "I wish I...".  You get the picture.  I've got more of those than I can count or care to share and I want to change that.

Imagine...

A Captain, his ship and crew are ready to go.  Do they set sail without the proper navigational tools?  Not if they have an intended destination, say...  buried treasure on an island somewhere around the world.  ;)

While they may endure wind, rain, calm seas, violent storms or struggles among themselves; they need to know where they are going and how to get there.  A compass tells the Captain where they are going and a map tells him how to get there.  And what good are these tools if the Captain doesn't use them?  Many times on their journey, the Captain must consult his compass and map to ensure they stay the course, whether they have just been tossed about by a storm or are smooth sailing through beautiful, blue, cool calm water - the Captain must reflect on where they have been, determine where they are, make any necessary adjustments and keep sailing.

The same basic principles are true in life.  I guess this is why it is so important to have goals in life.  Some will contest that they do just fine without them, while others struggle and ask the proverbial question, "Why me?"  I'm guilty.

We are all on our own journey, no matter what it is, we need a map.  If you declared any resolutions for the New Year or set goals, that is a start.  Now that you've made that commitment, you'll need your compass to gauge where you are in respect to that map.  If you don't take time to reflect and make adjustments, you've spent precious time and energy, although with good intentions, in vain.

*************************************

Melissa over at The Inspired Room shared her "A Beautiful Life" post and I'll check my compass, look at my map and do the same.

Although I can't specifically give details on everything that I'm more conscience of, just know that I've been reviewing my goals for the New Year every couple of days and making further commitments to achieve those goals.  I've caved a couple of times and had soda - four times in all since I posted my goal list.  Much better than two to three cans a day though!  :).  If you stick around you can follow along as I post other successes or struggles with reviewing my list and adjusting to stay the course.  All of the support out here in bloggy world is amazing.  I'll be participating in many memes that I know will help.

Here is a quote that I was introduced to many, many years ago and never really 'got it' until a short time ago, but it is so true!

"The winds and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators."  ~ Edward Gibbon

Thank you Carolina Mama for sharing.  It inspired me to follow along to The Inspired Room and follow the course I set for the New Year.

Change is good and this year is already feeling great.

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Tuesday, January 13

Free Subscription to Wondertime plus more...

Go here and take a short survey and you'll be eligible to earn a free subscription to Wondertime magazine!  This one of my favorite magazines for craft ideas and just plain fun!


Thank you Phoebe for blogging about the free Woman's Day subscription cause there is where I learned about this Wondertime!

To learn about even more freebies, click here to go to Money Saving Mom.  Great site!

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Monday, January 12

Menu Plan Monday

One of my goals for 2009 was to "Get Back to Menu Planning" and while I never intended to get away from it, Thanksgiving came, then Christmas and before I knew, 2 Holidays and 4 Birthdays later, well here I am....  Planning to get back into the saddle I only sat in for a short time.


So to get started, the past few days I've been taking inventory of our pantry and freezer to see what we do have.  Yeah, I'm working on an inventory, I had not idea what we had, um... how little we had...  Thankfully everyone has to start somewhere and this is a great place cause I don't have a lot to use up.

Anyway, without further ramblings, here's our short, skimpy menu for the week.

Monday - Ham & Scalloped Potatoes (thank you for sharing Phoebe!)
     I actually thought we were out of ham, much to my surprise, I found some in the freezer from Christmas!
Tuesday - Sloppy Joes
Wednesday - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
Thursday - Spaghetti
Friday - Broiled Split Chicken Breasts

Many, many more Menu Plan ideas shared over at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

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Thursday, January 8

Precious Moments

Often times while trying to parent three children who are close enough in age to be triplets, it can, most days, be so challenging that when moments are there to be captured - they are not.


As we were going through our bed time routine, which I must say is getting quite drawn out, I noticed something.

"Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" is one among a slue of nursery rhymes we sing before the final lights out.

And tonight our son didn't sing his version...

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Help a brother in the sky,
Like a diamond in the sky!


He had been singing it with his "Help a brother" version for many months and tonight he sang it the same as the rest of us.  It was always so cute to hear him sing it and we have NO IDEA where he got it from.  I guess, it could be similar to when you hear ellemeno p when singing the ABC song.

I'm sad to know that I may only get to hear his version from time to time.

Wiki also has information on the lyrics of the melody.  You can check them out here as I was unaware that there had been 5 verses...


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Wednesday, January 7

Wordless Wednesday - Silver Lining


More Wordless Wednesday here and here - enjoy!!

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Tuesday, January 6

Home Management, Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage

Since I've actually got my goals for the New Year in print (something I never do) I've been pleasantly surprised at how often I refer back to them to keep me on track.  Who'da thunk?


Not only that, a new bloggy friend at Cents to Get Debt-Free and I share a few things in common and I'm so happy she shared her own "Food Storage" post that in turn has introduced me to Fun With Food Storage.  Again, I LOVE the bloggy world!

Now, food storage is/was not one of my goals for 2009, but, getting our Home Management Guide is

...here is a quick link to her "Inside the Guide" post series

Right now, we, well, you know, fly by the seat of our pants and all of our important family info is in my head.  As a service to my poor husband and family, I need to make this one a priority.

So combining these two great resources I know that we will have one great Home Management System and as a by product, end up with some food reserves.

The Fun With Food Storage site is awesome and is chock full of great information and how to's.  Don't forget to check out their giveaways too!!  They are so kind to put their food storage how to's into Baby Steps.  It's great!  With the baby steps, you start with the basics like having and emergency plan for your family, putting together a 72-Hour Food Kit and putting together an Emergency Binder.  <<  The Emergency Binder is the reason for this post, but since I am there, I may as well keep going, right?  It's so awesome!

Phoebe good luck to you my dear, I hope you win!

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Lost in Translation

It's one of those days.


I'd give anything to not be living through this day.

When a simple task turns into a drawn out 90 minute ordeal that leaves me in tears and sick to my stomache in utter frustration.

What is so hard about, "Please pick up your train and put it away?"

There is three of them and act like I am not even there.  Why am I surprised?

No answer.

Continue doing what they are doing.  I remind them again.

And again.

And again.

It should take all about 5 minutes tops, right?

Nope.

90 Minutes.

In the end.

After I've done given up...  with the help of reinforcements (aka g'ma), they get it picked up.

I clean their room cause I don't want to go through that again.

I've failed again.  Put this day with the rest of them.

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Saturday, January 3

I Forgot Someone...

In talking about my goals and homeschooling yesterday.  I'm exploring Ann Ward's, Learning at Home:  Preschool & Kindergarten on the advice of momstheword.  Thank you for that resource as I have gotten it from the library and love it.  Now I am just looking to get my own copy since I can't keep it for all 36 weeks of the curriculum.  I figure we should have a pretty good idea if we want to continue or enroll our oldest in school in the fall.  Thank you!

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Friday, January 2

Looking Ahead

Well, finally, here are my goals for 2009.  The past year has been very, very, very difficult.  I haven't blogged about it, I haven't blogged much at all actually.  One hopes to reach the bottom of a never ending pit of despair just to have solace knowing that "up" is the only way to go.  Unfortunately or maybe fortunately, it can always get worse.  And it has.  And it can still get worse.  Before it does, I need to pull myself out of this funk and get a move on!


So, a New Year.  A New Beginning.  Live for today.  So without further ado...

Here they are, in no particular order...
  • Do daily Random Acts of Kindness.
  • Stop comparing myself to others.
  • Face personal demons from my past.
  • Feel less guilty if I take time for myself.
  • No more soda!!!
  • Drink more water!!!
  • Stretch.
  • Be more patient with my children.
  • Be more grateful what what I do have.
  • Write in my journal daily.
  • Write my Life Plan (Thank you Carolina Mama).
  • Continue to learn to knit (best site for beginners, cause I'm a beginner and learned from this site Knitting Help).
  • Love more.
  • Give more.
  • Praise more.
  • Re-learn to grow garden and be accountable to my commitment.
  • Date night with hubby once a week, go no more than two weeks.
  • Family night every week, no exceptions!
  • Less T.V.
  • Continue reading aloud to my children every day.  Try other times/locations as now we do it only at bed time.
  • Live below our means.
  • Get on a budget, get on a budget, get on a budget!
  • Stick to it!  Stick to it!  Stick to it!
  • Pay down debt, get on a plan.  The above will be a great start.
  • Volunteer.
  • Read more for me, this will help.
  • Find a direction for this blog!
  • Make my own soap.
  • Take dancing lessons with my husband.  We've been wanting to do this for years.  Now that it's in print...
  • Get back to Menu Planning!
  • Explore home state with more Stay-cations, since we never get to go on vacation anyway.
  • Show my husband how much I appreciate him.
  • Use this year to explore homeschooling and decide if it's something I/we officially want to do.
  • Sneak in better nutrition into our daily meals.  My children are soooo picky!
  • Get my own Home Management Guide.  Using this as a guide, it is so wonderful!
Thank you to Toni over at The Happy House Wife for hosting this fun and accountable exercise.  You'll find many more goals for 2009 and in much more orderly fashion.

I know this list will change and manifest itself into something somewhat different that where I've started, but hey, at least I've started.  And I'm sure I've left something out.  I don't usually make resolutions or write down my goals, so even this is a beginning.  :)

Thank you for stopping by.  My best wishes to you for a fulfilled, happy and successful New Year!

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Blue Screen of Death


Well, Happy New Year to me!  I got the Blue Screen of Death this morning and I'll take it as a hint.


Over the course of my professional career, this has happened about a half dozen times and two other times on my home computer.  Never taking the time to back anything up on my computer, I lose everything.  I know.  I know.

A few times it has been a blessing.

Others have been heartbreaking to lose so much data and recreate.

So now, I am off to get me a few jump drives so I can safely back up all of my data and not to mention the countless number of pictures I have of my babies.

Thank you Blue Screen of Death for giving me a heads up and not crashing my computer for real.

I'll be back!

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