Menu Plan Monday!

I almost forgot it was Monday today! The holidays sure have me confused as to what day it is! I hope everyone had a great Christmas! Our was great! This was the first year we didn't drive anywhere! We stayed in our pjs all day and just enjoyed family time!
I can't believe it is the last day of 2012 already! I am working on my goals for 2013 for myself, my family, and my business. Do you have any big goals you are trying to achieve next year?
For Christmas, one of the things my husband got me was a new calendar. I use lots of calendars throughout the year for different things, and this one instantly became my menu calendar! I keep it on the fridge so I can see it everyday, so it has to be lightweight so the magnet will hold it. It's perfect ! I even have it all filled out for January already!

Here's what is on the menu this week!

Monday- finger foods for New Years Eve celebration

Tuesday- Black-eyed peas and jalapeno cornbread (Does anyone else have this New Year's Day tradition?

Wednesday- Tuna casserole (my son LOVES this dish and my husband HATES it, so I only make it on duty nights!)

Thursday- Breakfast!!

Friday- Homemade pizza night- I think we might do calzones this week!

Saturday- Chicken, fried apples, and green beans

Sunday- cheeseburger meatloaf and potatoes

What are you cooking this week? Don't forget to visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans and lots of menu planning tips!!
I am looking forward to getting lots of use out of my many calndars this year. They are so helpful to me for organizing everything. I also have lots of blog posts lined up for the week, so be sure to check back! You can also visit me on Facebook HERE!

See you soon!

Tupperware Tuesday!

It's Tuesday again and have I got some news for you!! Do you remember a couple weeks ago when I shared about one of my favorite product, the Modular Mates??? Guess what?! THEY ARE ON SALE!! For up to 40% off!!! They only go on sale once per year, and that sale started this past Saturday! All of the sets will be on sale until the middle of January!
Want more great news?? During this time, the seals are also available in black! This means you hve three colors to choose from- Brilliant Blue (my favorite), Passion Red, or Black!!

There is also a new addition the the line, called the Oval 4 with Measuring Cup! These slim containers are perfect for storing anything you want to easily pour- cereal, rice, sugar, etc.- all while keeping it airtight and liquid tight!






Since I am all about being organized, I also recommend the Label Dispenser Set. You can label all of your containers, so there is no guessing about what is inside. The labels are easy to remove, so you can change if you need to. I include these as a free gift to all my customers who purchase any super set!
Last time, I showed you what my cabinets look like. Take a look at this photo and tell me what you think! It shows a great example of what your cabinets and pantry could look like. Which do you prefer?

This storage system also helps save money by showing you exactly what you have on hand and how much. No more running out of flour halfway into a cake, or buying more sugar when there are two bags hiding behind some cereal! I highly recommend everyone to take advantage of this once a year sale, and get organized for 2013! And if you have any questions, feel free to message me! I love to talk about Tupperware! You can find all the items I featured HERE
I look forward to hearing from you soon!!

Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday is back already! My "not so busy week" went by so fast! We didn't have too many unexpected plans, but our menu changed a lot. Last night, we ended up having
a baked potato and salad bar. We don't go to Ruby Tuesday often, but when we do, this is usually the only thing I order! It's kinda my favorite! Here's what our little set up looked like, and my plate before I dug in! I even made some homemade ranch dressing! :)
Tonight's original meal was supposed to be some kind of Asian Cabbage noodle bowl thing. I have the recipe, and we have eaten it before (It is SO good) , but I let someone borrow the book, and they weren't home for me to get it back today :( And  I can't find it online anywhere!That might be because I can't remember the name of it! So, guess what is for dinner Monday?!


Monday: Asian Cabbage Noodle Bowl thing (I WILL find out the correct name of this recipe and share it! lol)

Tuesday: Grilled/Smoked Turkey! I am very excited for this dinner! We will most likely have stuffing or mashed potatoes or something with this


Wednesday: Taco Soup- I feel like I keep adding this to the list, but we haven't had it yet!

Thursday: Breakfast

Friday: Pizza, popcorn, and a movie night!!

Saturday: Kale & Sausage Ragu
Sunday: We are hosting a Christmas Eve Eve dinner potluck at our house!


Breakfasts will include: omelets, homemade oatmeal, grits, biscuits and gravy, and smoothies
Lunches will be leftovers(probably lots of turkey!), sandwiches (with turkey!), mac & cheese, and whatever else we might find! :)

What are you eating this week? I would love to hear your ideas! Dont forget to head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menus and recipes! I will be taking next week off to spend time with my gamily for Christmas! I hope youall have a great two weeks!

Christmas Decorations!!

When do you start putting out your decorations? Are you a Thanksgiving Day kind of decorator, a last minute decorator, or somewhere in between? I like to start getting our up (as close to) December 1 as I can. AndI don't like to leave any room out. Our kitchen, living room, and bathroom have all been hit with Christmas cheer! Here are some photos of our house all decked out! If you would like to share your photos, be sure to stop by my Facebook Page and upload them!

Our kitchen window

A Carolina blue crabpot tree!

Stocking hanger since we don't hae a mantle!

This is my canvas I made last week!

Inside the bathroom

Even the bathroom door got some cheer!

Jacob and Kyle's hand art



And our tree all lit up!



Kyle even got his own tree to decorate!

Rockin' the tinsel!!

Tupperware Tuesday!

Today I want to tell you about one of my favorite kitchen essentials....the Can Opener!
This thing is AWESOME! It opens the can from the outside, so youdon't end up with sharp edges. I has a large handle with a wide opening, so it is easy to grip for anyone. It doesn't need electricity, so if the power happens to go out, you can still eat!  I have let quite a few neighbors borrow ours during power outages, and they have all bought one, or earned it for FREE after hosting a party! The can opener is one of the items that I recommend, and love so much that if you buy it and hate it, I will buy it back from you! What do you have to lose? I haven't had to buy one back yet! It is also the perfect size to fit in a stocking!! Guess what the best part is?? IT'S ON SALE until Friday! For 40% off!! This means you have plenty of time to order it and get it for a gift...for yourself or someone else. ;) I fyou wouldloke to order yours, you can follow the link HERE or just send me a message and I can get one ordered for you!

Once you have that done, here is a great holiday recipe for you to try:

Pumpkin Dip
8 oz. Whipped Cream Cheese
3/4 Cup Canned Pumpkin
3/4 Cup brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
1 Tbsp. Tupperware Cinnamon Vanilla Spice

Use the QuickChef with the whip attachment, blend cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the restof the ingredients and blend until fluffy and smooth. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use. Serve with fresh fruit like apples and pears. It is also great with ginger snap cookies, too!

Be creative and enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday!

Last week did not go as planned! I did not get to have any awesome chili! :( I was very sad. We were also invited to dinner at some friend's house, as well as a dinner with Boy Scouts, so there will look like a lot of repeat meals in the future!
My calendar is also empty this week! Either I forgot to write some things down, or I really don't have anything major to do! This means, I will get to cook and bake! I am going to be making some salsa for gifts, and cookies for Jake's Spanish class party on Friday. I am sure I will find much more to add to this list!
Here is what we are eating for dinner this week! (As long as nothing changes, that is!)
Monday: Spaghetti
Tuesday: Savory Chicken with Rice and Broccoli
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Meatloaf (For the hubs!)
Thursday: Lasagna Roll-ups (Stephanie's request!)
Friday: Homemade Pizza night!
Saturday: Hot dogs (Jacob's request!)
Sunday: Asian Noodle Bowls (Mom's request!)

I will also be making lots of goodies throughout the week, so stay tuned for more!

What are you filling your plates with this week?

For more great ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for other menu plans!

Ornaments

Every year I try to find us a special ornament that represents something we did that year. We did a lot this year, but I had a hard time finding that "special" ornament. I got one in South Carolina while we were there, Jacob got a new Boy Scout one, I found an awesome camera one. They are all great, but none of them are "the one."
While browsing Pinterest one day for ideas for my photography class, I came across this tutorial. I thought it would be a great project for my class to have them take their own family photo and turn it into an ornament. A few days ago, I thought I should have a completed one to show what they will all be making. I printed off one of our photos from our recent family photo session with my friend Chris Malpass, and got to work. I am so glad I did! This ornament means so much more to me than all the others we have gotten this year.
When I found out we would be staying in Virginia for the weekend, I thought it would be a great time to get some family photos done. We don;t have any professional photos of all of us, so when Chris said he was available that weekend, I was so excited! Despite the cold cold wind and unfortunate circumstances we were facing that weekend (which I have been told is written all over my face), I am so glad we toughed it out and got them done. This ornament will be something I cherish forever!

Here is my step-by-step:

I first gathered all my supplies- paper, Mod Podge, a foam brush, my photo, and the rectangle piece of wood for the ornament. the tutorial called for a 5x7, but since I am hanging it on my tree, and using this for my class project, and Hobby Lobby didn't have enough in stock, I went with the 2 1/2"x 3 1/2" size


 Then I cut my paper down and sized the photo to fit, and adhered them to the piece of wood with the Mod Podge.

 I had to find a way for it to dry both sides at the same time without sticking to something (Yes, because I am impatient!), so I cut a hole in the bowl I was using!

 I added a sparkly silver ribbon and another coat of Mod Podge...


And here is the finished product!! I just love it!!

Do you have any special ornaments or traditions?? I would love to hear about them!

Christmas Art

I love Christmas!
This year, we will not be travelling, and I think this has left me with a need to decorate EVERYTHING! We usually put out decorations, but we are never here to enjoy them. Then we come home after Christmas, and have to take them down. This is no fun!
I have been finding some great ideas on Pinterest, and we made some this week. First, I found a canvas painting of a quote from The Grinch. It is pinned on my Christmas board.  I have a bunch of 8x10 canvases, so I thought I would make my own. I am pretty impressed with how it turned out. It is on a shelf in my kitchen :) Kyle wanted to help while I was painting, so I gave him his own canvas and paintbrush, and let him go to town!  His is hanging in his room! Every time he goes in there now he points at it and gets so excited!
The next project we did was hand print Christmas tree and Santa. Also onthe 8x10 canvas! :)  Jacob did the Santa since his hands are a little bigger!
This was Jacob's art project for the week! Today we will be making a special family ornament. I am doing the project with my photography class this Friday, so I thought it would be nice to show them a finished product! I will be adding those photos soon!
Here are our photos of this week's projects!

Tupperware Tuesday

It's Tuesday again!
 This week I am so excited to share with you one if my very favorite pieces of Tupperware! It is the Modular Mates Storage System! I . Love. Them! Both my pantry and baking cabinets are full of modular mates in every shape and size. They come in four different styles ( square, rectangle, oval, and super oval) I think the rectangles have to be favorite of all the shapes. They are so versatile. I have my baking items in them. They are also great for snacks. The rectangle 1 size holds a container of Oreos perfectly! No soggy Oreos in this house!
Have you ever found three boxes of baking soda in three different cabinets because you thought you were out? How about starting to make a cake and realie that the bag of flour you thought you had is almost empty?
The rectangles and super ovals are also made to fit in any standard size cabinet from front to back. This means you are not losing any space behind the container where something could get lost and forgotten about. They are also see through so you will always know exactly how much sugar, flour, chips, etc. you have left with just a quick glance. I took these photos this morning of my cabinets to give you an idea of what your cabinets could look like!

I have the blue seals on mine. It is a personal preference. They are also available in red, and...coming soon...black!!The black will be around for a very limited time. You can view an order them HERE. nd if you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message!!

Menu Plan Monday

It's December already! I can't believe this year is almost over! We have spent the weekend getitng back on track after being gone almost two weeks to visit family for Thanksgiving. It was such a great feeling to be disconnected from everything that keeps me busy here everyday! I even procrastinated my menu for this week until this morning!
Before we left, I doubled some recipes and froze them for when we got back, so we will be eating a couple of those this week. (Like tonight, since I still haven't gone to the grocery store!)
Here is what I ahve planned for us this week:

Monday: Potato-Ham Bake- I am linking this one because it a favorite here! We all love it and I    have passed it on to many friends who love it, too!!

Tuesday: Chili- It's getting colder here, and chili is my favorite warmer-upper! (Yes, that's what I said! )

Wednesday: Savory chicken and rice

Thursday: Taco Soup

Friday: Homemade pizza

Saturday: spaghetti

Sunday: Slow cooker chicken and dumplings

I look forward to everything on our menu this week! What are you cooking?

For more recipe ideas, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for their Menu Plan Monday!!

See you soon!!

Menu Plan Monday!

Are you tired of turkey yet? We have been eating it every day since last Wednesday! Yesterday, I finally got my favorite turkey leftover...a turkey sandwich with mayo and lots of pepper! I had it with a side of stuffing and my mashed sweet potatoes! It was yummy! Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving leftover meal?
We are still away visiting family, so I do not have a menu plan again this week. I decided instead to share some of my favorite recipes for leftovers!
Last year, we had a bunch of turkey left from our dinner and next day meal, so I decided to make a turkey pot pie. The recipe ended up making enough for two, so one got put in the freezer for later! I like to use allrecipes.com, so I did a quick search, and found this recipe for Leftover Turkey Pot Pie If you decide to give it a try, let me know what you think!
I also love my recipe for mashed sweet potatoes! Growing up, I was never a fan of the yam casserole with marshmallows on top. I would eat the marshmallows, and leave the rest. Then, when my husband and I got married, our caterer served mashed sweet potatoes. It is the only thing I remember eating the whole night. Besides the cake of course! They were SO.GOOD! I have come across a few recipes that I have tried, but this year, since we were away, I didn't have any of them with me! As a result of "winging it," I think I made the best ones yet! To make them, you need:
about 5 large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1tsp pumpkin pie spice

I chopped the potatoes into about 1-inch pieces and boiled them in lightly salted water; drained and put into the bowl of a mixer. I mashed them a little to get them started, and then began adding the ingredients. You may need to add a little more/less milk depending on how many potatoes you have to reach the desired consistency. I didn't measure, I just poured, and I think it was about 1/2 cup! The same with the pumpkin pie spice! I might have added a little more because I like the flavor! If you don't, you could easily substitute cinnamon!
If you are like me and never cared for sweet potatoes, you should really consider giving these a try!

And of course, if you just want a sandwich with mayo and pepper, that is okay, too!!

I would love to hear from you if you have tried these or have any other great ideas to share!

And of course, I am linking up with I'm an Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday for more awesome meal ideas!

Tupperware Tuesday!

Welcome back to Tupperware Tuesday!
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving week!
I originally planned on sharing one of my favorite items, but then I received an email with the new sales for the rest of the month! They are AMAZING!

And they are only available until this Friday!! I love the Fresh & Pure Ice Trays!! They are usually only available in the summer catalog, but Tupperware has brought them back so you can get and give them as gifts! You can get a set of two for only $15!! How awesome is that?
Ice trays aren't your thing? You would rather have something to store and serve your food? No big deal. How about the Clear Impressions Bowl Set for only $19?!




You can order from my site HERE or contact me directly!
Also, be sure to join my Facebook page! I like to post different sales and specials there occassionally!

Tupperware Tuesday

I am going to start a Tupperware Tuesday. For those of you that know me, you know I sell Tupperware, and most of you know how much I really love the product. I am going to (try) each week to showcase a product I love, something new, or some good product info. All Tupperware realted, of course. Who knows, there might even me some awesome recipes to go along with some of the products! :) I hope you all enjoy learning about the company I love!
 I would also love to hear from you! If you have a Tupperware product that is your favorite, let me know! If you have never seen/heard of Tupperware, let me know! I will be more than happy to fill you in on all its awesomeness!
To start off this week, I will just share how much I adore the new Disney Tumblers that came out this month! They are SO stinkin cute! They are called Peek-A-Boo Tumblers!

Don't you just love them, too?! And, of course, they are on sale! You can view them through my page, which can be found through the tab at the top, or you can get the direct link here
Next week, I will be sharing one of my absolute favorite products!! :D
I hope to see you then! Please feel free to share your thoughts~

I am also linking up today with the Hip Homeschool Hop!

Happy Veteran's Day!

I skipped Menu plan Monday last week. I skipped a lot last week. I was not feeling well most of the week and had a few things I wanted to get done before we are visting with family for Thanksgiving. I don't think I was on the computer for more than an hour at all the entire week. It was great. I am usually on editing, posting, making lesson plans, etc. during every nap time and every night after bedtime. Not last week! I will try to make up for it this week as we prepare for our out of town visit!
I have my menu all ready for the week:
Monday: I made a casserole in the crock pot over night for breakfast this morning!
                For dinner we are having Taco Soup
Tuesday: Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Wednesday:  Shepherd's Pie
Thursday:  Gumbo
Friday:  Salami, Spinach, & Provolone Pizza

Most of the recipes this week are new, so I am looking forward to trying them all! :)
Don't forget to head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas!
And for the weekend, who knows what we will be eating. We are leaving early (EARLY) Saturday morning to begin our journey!

The rest of this week will include packing, a little tidying up, editing and emails, school, and hopefully time to make some cupcakes! :)

See you soon!

Sandy, Halloween, and getting organized!

What a crazy week it was last week! It began with Hurricane Sandy on Monday! We had to drop Austin off at the station to bring the boats up to Massachusetts, so we were on our own as the winds picked up! Luckily, that is about the most of what we got here. It did not rain as much as I expected, so we didn't have any flooding in our area. We did lose power around 4:00 on Monday, but it was quickly returned around the same time on Tuesday! We were very blessed to not have any major damage. Down in Narragansett, however, the people were not so lucky. After dropping Austin off Sunday, the boys and I went down to Narragansett Beach to take some pictures of the waves. We went back Wednesday after the storm and we were not allowed into the parking lot! It was completely covered in rocks and sand! Not little tiny gravelly rocks, either! Big ones. That used to be down by the water. A restaurant we ate at last year when my mom visited was damaged really bad. The waves were crashing over the second story!

Narragansett Beach- Sunday before Sandy

Point Judith

 

Once the winds started picking up at the house, little branches started showing up in the lawn. Jacob and Kyle decided we should go outside for a bit and check things out!

 

Wednesday afternoon, after everything was over, we took a drive back down to Narragansett beach. It was a completely different place than it was just three days before!

Sand being scooped off the roads

The Coast Guard House Restaurant

This is the parking lot where I took pictures from on Sunday!

It was so heartbreaking seeing all the damage, and kowing that we didn't even suffer the worst of it!

Getting ready to go outside and add fake blood! He couldn't even keep a straight zombie face! :)

All ready to go!



Kyle got to ride in style!

I was very surprised that our neighborhood was still going to celebrate Halloween. I heard on the radio many other towns were postponing for a few weeks. Jacob was very excited to get to trick-or-treat. Kyle had no clue what was going on, but once he figured out he could get candy, there was no stopping him! Our neighborhood has the best candy, too! :)




Finally...I actually got to complete my Organization Challenge this week! After losing power for over a week last year with Hurricane Irene, I wasn't taking any chances this year! Jake and I tackled his closet and got it done just about an hour or so before the power went out! This week's challenge was to Organize Closet Space For Your Kids. I feel like we are always going through Jake's closet to try and make it better or more organized. Hopefully this time, it will work a little better! Here are our before and afters:

Much better!!

That's all I have for today! I will be back tomorrow witha nother menu for Menu Plan Monday!!
See you then!