Fun times...

Just wanted to let you all know I posted two new giveaways last night on my review blog! You can also still enter to win the Taco Night Set, which includes dishes.

And another...

Click here for the latest giveaway...worth about $50!

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of November 7

I'm jumping right back in! (For now, anyway.)

Monday:: Using leftovers and what we have on hand to make Penne with Broccoli and Sausage

Tuesday:: Grilled chicken salad and fruit

Wednesday:: Beef and Broccoli

Thursday:: Steaks, baked potatoes and green beans
Friday:: Macie's fish sticks...yes, she makes these all by herself!
Saturday:: Double Layer Tacos with corn and black beans

Sunday:: Chicken Quesadillas

I realized now I need to read all the menu plans at I'm an Organizing Junkie to get some new recipes!

Tunnel vision

{Zoa sporting one of the bubble skirts I made this summer.}

Our family is in a whirlwind.

I mean seriously, when you change sheets with your sick daughter still in them because you don't have the heart to wake her up, you know..

...you have to do what you have to do.

Right now, for us that means eating not so good for you food, eating out more than I like, loading the washer at night so you can start it before you leave at 7:30 and consuming more coffee than ever.

We have finals this week and next week and hopefully we can start fresh on November 1 when the winter term begins.

I have changed these last few months. I feel lost, struggling to stay afloat and angry. Angry that my life is school. I miss simple Sundays relaxing with the family, grocery shopping, cooking and not having a pit in my stomach all the time...waiting on the next test score to be posted.

But you know what? I have one year and seven months left. I know this is a tough time but I will make it through. It's just hard to not be able to be the mom and wife I want to be.

And another one...

Click here for my newest giveaway!

The Gap: $50 gift card for $25

I love the Gap. I am actually waiting for a package from them with school clothes in it for the girls. I thought this might help someone else out so wanted to share this with you.

Groupon is offering a $50 Gap gift card for $25. Today is the only day that you will be able to get it at this price.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Register or log in to Groupon.
2. Look for your city. Since my closest city is St. Louis, I chose that.
3. Purchase the gift $50 gift card for $25.

This is limited to one per person and the gift card can only be used in store. The expiration is November 19,2010.

Gap clothes are great quality and one of the few brands that fit Macie really good so I am stoked about this one!

Wordless Wednesday: An apology like no other

A few weeks ago, the girls asked to run to the front yard to do something. I was then told to open up the door and found this...

:: I edited out the place; we were out running some errands ::

Happy W W!

(While your here, click on over to enter my newest giveaway!)

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of August 8

This past weekend I went shopping for the month. We are back on the cash bandwagon and I am determined to stay focused on our budget even though this time in our lives is pure chaos.

I came home late Saturday afternoon and started separating chicken and beef into meal portions and doing any prep work that would save time later. The girls joined me and I am happy to say I prepped about 13 meals for the month!

Here is the menu plan for our week:

Breakfast Ideas
French toast
Pancakes
Cereal
Smoothies
Oatmeal

Lunch Ideas
Grilled cheese
Baked potatoes
Leftovers
Cheese, fruit and crackers
PB&J Sandwiches

Dinner Ideas
Meatball subs
Cajun chicken pasta











Burritos
Beans and rice
Chicken basil sandwiches
Texas chicken quesadilla

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie!

(While your here, click on over to enter my newest giveaway!)

Finally...

I'm here today...giving away a $25 gift card to CSN Stores!

the perfect last day

School resumes on Monday, and while I am dreading it, I am trying to take Jeremy's approach to it all :: "You're one week closer to graduating babe!"

Today, the girls and I loafed at home. I drank coffee in silence while they slept in and since it is way too hot outside to do anything, we stayed inside. They picked up their bedroom and toy room without arguing and if you know our girls, that is an accomplishment in and of itself. Laundry is caught up on, bathroom mirrors are clean of any splatters and the beds are waiting for us with clean sheets.

This weekend we have a birthday party while Jeremy hits up the golf course, then we are off on our weekly family grocery shopping trip.

For now, I am off to chit chat with a friend while having a drink. There is nothing like summer....

I have to admit, it does look pretty stinking cute.

Saturday night, Zoa fell off a tricycle. After the normal amount of tears and a small bag of ice, she was fine, laughing actually. Jeremy and I figured she just jammed her thumb. It was swollen but she could move it in every direction.

The week continued on, swimming lessons, playing outside, cleaning...normal day to day things. No complaints from Zoa whatsoever.

On Wednesday, I noticed it was still swollen and had some bruising so I thought I would call the doctor just in case.

We headed off to the doctor that afternoon...

...and the nurse practitioner wanted to have an xray, just in case.

The doctor walks in and I knew it was broke. The doctor was full so we had the appointment with the nurse practitioner. Uh oh. She asked what happened and we told her...

"How big was the tricycle?", she asked.

Come to find out, she broke the bone that connects the thumb to your wrist. That is why she was able to move her thumb so good! They put it in a wrap and made the appointment to see the orthopedic doctor the next day to get a hard cast. She was definitely embarrassed about it now.

We headed there the next afternoon while Macie was at a play date. They were running behind (go figure!) so what else do you do while waiting? Make goofy faces!

Once we got back, we waited some more...

...and then got called back to start the casting.

"Hot pink, please" was her color of choice.


After getting it wrapped, Zoa was good to go. She is loving it!

Lots of pain

I am not sure how I could miss a broken hand for five days. I mean, look at her (dirty face and all)...she was in a massive amount of pain a few hours after it happened.

Come back later for the full story...I am off to go buy scrubs for clinicals.

Menu Plan Monday

Even though I did not post a menu last week, I changed it up a bit. I have always assumed that lunch will be found, but when you make your shopping list according to exactly what you are eating, lunch may not be in the list. Last week, I did a lunch menu also and it helped out so much...

Monday:
Lunch - PB&J sandwiches and carrot sticks
Snack - Fruit
Dinner -Stuff you put over toast and a veggie
Tuesday:
Lunch - A little buffet of crackers, cheese, olives and fruit
Snack - Smoothies
Dinner - Simple sesame noodles with chicken and/or shrimp
Wednesday:
Lunch - Turkey and cheese sandwiches and pretzels
Snack - Apples and peanut butter
Dinner - Vegetarian tostados and corn on the cob
Thursday:
Lunch - Grilled cheese sandwiches and a fruit
Snack - Carrot sticks
Dinner - Grilled chicken of some sort and a salad with a veggie
Friday:
Lunch - Picnic...the girls and I will decide what to bring. Probably something similar to Tuesday's lunch.
Snack - Popcorn
Dinner - Homemade pizza
Saturday:
We are out of town today.
Sunday:
Lunch - Leftover pizza
Snack - Fruit
Dinner - Steaks on the grill with a veggie

For more menu ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Wordless Wednesday: Swimming Lessons

They started yesterday. Two hours a day, four days a week for two weeks.

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Build-A-Bear Part 2

Click here to read the rest of our trip to Build-A-Bear Bearquarters!

Keeping It Real: The Office/Dining Room/Laundry Room

Alternatively Titled: Don't Judge

-Before-
(click to enlarge)

-After-

Tomorrow, I will be in our living room. I want to clean out drawers filled with random things. I think it will be relatively easy so I may also clean an area on some stairs we have that are used as a closet. :)

Dusting off cobwebs

Not literally, of course.

I am starting classes back up on July 26. Yes, I have taken in precious time with my girls. We have done tons of things, most of which I have told you about. But this week, I am cleaning.

My mission is to designate one day each week to one room and deep clean that room. That means sorting, organizing, throwing away and storing everything in that room that needs attention.

Today was supposed to be at the water park so I chose the office area. It is smaller but has quite a few random things in it. I would like to update this post with before and after pictures but we will see.

I have great intentions with this. But I am scared. With Jeremy and I doing P90X in the morning and me running at night three times a week, I am hoping to find the time and energy to purge and clean my entire house. I have to make time during the day in between all our other chores. I mean, the clothes I weeded out of the closet are still waiting to be sorted.

If you want to chime in...feel free! You can also check out my Twitter updates, as I am sure I will be venting updating often.

(Image via.)

Menu Plan Monday: The Week of June 27

Back to menu planning! I have been a slacker for a while now on posting these but I am making time for the blog...or at least trying!

I picked up some marinated chicken breasts from a local meat processor so we have a lot of chicken breast. I am all for pantry meals that lower the grocery bill!

Monday: Salsa chicken with black beans (I am putting this in the crock pot before we leave to meet friends at the water park.)
Tuesday: Teriyaki chicken and a veggie or two. Jeremy and I are headed to the Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse showing at the theater!!

Wednesday: Chicken burritos with leftover salsa chicken with corn
Thursday: Greek chicken breasts...this seasoning is soo good. I have got to figure out the spices.
Friday: Steaks on the grill (Steaks are from our last beef that we bought.), corn on the cob and a salad
Saturday: Headed to St. Louis to do some shopping! I will use leftovers from Thursday to make wraps with spinach and caeser dressing if we get back for dinner.
Sunday: Hamburgers, salad, chips...and whatever else we can find.

Make your way over to I'm An Organizing Junkie for hundreds of meal ideas and menu plans!

Build-A-Bear Part 1

Click here to read about our week at Build-A-Bear Bearquarters in St. Louis!

glass

After returning from Build-A-Bear Headquarters this week, which is a whole other post, Zoa started screaming and her the bottom of her foot was bleeding. After looking it over and doing the mom and dad thing, trying to calm her down, I realized that she had a piece of glass in it.

Crap. I needed the tweezers.

I got in position and Jeremy was taking on the duty of trying to calm her down while I got it out.

She was scared, understandably. And if you know Zoa, she does not get scared easily so I knew she must be terrified. Patiently, we talked to her, letting it know it was necessary it come out.

Luckily, I got it out on the second try.

After bandaging her up, Jeremy started to tell the story of how he knew from experience it was important to get the glass out.

He told us when he was a little boy, he somehow managed to get a piece of glass in the bottom of his toe while playing in the laundry room. The glass was not sticking out and very apparent, so it stayed in there for quite a few weeks before it made its way out on the top of his toe. He told Zoa that she is lucky we got it out, otherwise it would be very sore like his was.

Zoa then asked him why he was playing in the laundry room.

I wonder if she even heard the rest of the story.

A break from the sun...

Thunderstorms are in full swing right now and to be honest, it is nice. I am still in my pajamas and the girls are on the floor, playing quietly.

Before I knew storms were in the forecast today, I planned to do just that. After my morning pot of coffee, I started to go through my closet. I now have a pile of clothes that must be gone through and separated into Ebay, consignment and Goodwill stacks. It will get done, eventually.

Like I said, we have been in the sun nearly every day. I have finally got some color and I am stocked up on good 'ole Vitamin D. Yesterday, we went to the girls' cousins' pool and they took turns sliding and jumping.

Tomorrow, we are back at the pool...in this heat, you just have to have water!

This weekend is our annual Crawl for Cancer. We are heading up late Friday afternoon and will be home early Sunday afternoon.


And I guarantee you the next morning all of us will be saying how we cannot wait for next years. It is such a fun time and a few nights where all our friends can act like we are young and carefree!

This year, we have a total of 20 people that are "crawling" with us. It should make for an interesting night...you just never know what is going to happen when all of us get together each year for it!




I also want to apologize for the excess of pictures. If it makes you feel better, I took 172 pictures yesterday...so I really did cut them down.

I hope you are doing your best to stay cooled down in the heat!