Currently 9/30/2017

 Time and place: 11:33pm  and I am in the dining room, typing up this post.
 
Eating: A bowl of grapes and a glass of water

Drinking: A big glass of water (always)

Watching: The Breakfast Club (my favorite 80s movie)

Reading: Lethal by Sandra Brown

Loving: the bullet journal that I made. I love how it is coming together and I am loving the layouts that I have created.

Working: I just started designing a meal planner. I cannot wait to see how it turns out! I'm so excited for this new project.

Listening: to the TV

Buying: nothing at the moment

Planning: I have all of my posts planned for Blogotber. I just have to write and schedule them. I am working on setting up some deadlines for my meal planner. I am also working with my husband on designing a new website. I am also working on some planner inserts. This should keep me busy for a while!

Wondering: can I pull it off? How will I pull it off?

Feeling: tired, but happy, always.

What are you currently up to?

Friday Favorites

TGIF......Anyone with me?I 'm definitely that the weekend has arrived, and I can't wait to spend as much at home with my little family as possible. Before I go to bed, I just wanted to pop in a share a few of my favorite things with you. So, keep scrolling to see what I've been loving lately.....

Favorite space: The laundry room. I have been looking for some inspiration for my laundry room, I saw this and immediately fell in love with it!

Favorite beauty find: Belif moisturizing eye bomb. This looks amazing!

Favorite reminder:  This one of my favorite quotes!

Favorite fashion find: This outfit just screams fall to me.

Favorite recipe: Chicken pot pie casserole. I made this the other and it was a hit with my crew.

Are you loving any these favorites like I am?

6 Things I Do Every Day to Keep My House Clean

Want to feel like your home is clean and organized and like you have it all together? Keep these three important points in mind:

(1) organization will not happen overnight and it takes time.
(2) routines and consistency need to be in place and it takes time to accomplish this.
(3) just when you feel like you have it all figured out, something will eventually upset it. That's just real life  and it's okay, so just roll with it and enjoy it the best you can.

There is good news though. You can set your home with routines to make life simpler and easier.I have six simple steps you can  right now to get started. If you are trying to get into a cleaning routine work on these six things this week then start over with your cleaning routine next week.

Six things I do every day to keep my house clean:

1.  MAKE THE BED

As soon as you get up, after your coffee of course, make your bed. Doing this will instantly make your room look put together and it only takes a minute to complete (believe me, I've timed it).

2.  TAKE IT OUT, PUT IT AWAY

Start working on this right away. Enforce this with yourself  and your family. It will making cleaning very easy and it only takes a couple of minutes to accomplish.

3.EVERY DAY DO A LITTLE SOMETHING

Just do something each and every day. For example, do one load of laundry everyday. It will help to maintain the inevitable Mount Washmore that will more than likely appear at the end of the week.

4. DEAL WITH MAIL ON A DAILY BASIS

Figure out a system that works for you and your family. Throw out any flyers or unnecessary mail at the door.

5.  CLEAR AND WIPE YOUR COUNTERS DAILY

This sounds simple, but it does take some effort. Begin with the kitchen counters and wipe then off after meals, at the least after dinner. Once this has been mastered, then ass the bathroom counters to your routine.

6.  WASH THE DISHES AND CLEAN YOUR SINK. 

Do this at the end of every day. Unload or load the dishwasher and it only takes a couple of minutes. Do this after each meal, wipe down the counters and give your sink a scrub. Trust me, when you get up the next morning, you will be glad you did this.

Are you already doing these simple tasks? What can you add to your routine this week?

Have a great night!!

Angie

9 Ways to Get More Out of Your Day

Do you always feel pressed for time? So, you are certainly not alone. Lack of time can be detrimental to our physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. When we are pressed for time, we tend to exercise less, spend less time with family and friends, and spend little time on our spiritual well being and growth.

Here are some simple ways you can begin to take back some of your time:

1. set aside a certain amount of time each to do what you want to do.  Try an hour each day and if that is not possible start with smaller increments of time, like 15 minutes and then work your way up.

2.  doing something is better than doing nothing. Even if you cannot complete a task or projectit is better to break the task into smaller chunks. This way the task is completed much quicker.

3. Learn to say "NO". This is not always easy, but it can make a huge difference. Try to set limits around how much you will do and when.

4.  Bundle your tasks. Save up errands that are not so important so that you can do them closer together logistically so that they can be completed much quicker.

5.  Delegate. How much is your time worth? It may be worth the cost of hiring someone to do things like mow your lawn, clean your house, and you will suddenly be given more time. It's more than okay to ask for help.

6.  Do the yucky stuff first. Take care of the tasks that you dislike first.

7.  Are the things you feel you "have" to do really necessary? It can be easy to get caught up in the details to the detriment of the big picture.  It can be easy to get caught up in the details of the big picture.


8.  Take an honest look at the activities and people in your life that are "energy drainers". Do they need to be a part of your life? Can you eliminate or even reduce your time spent of them?


9.  And most importantly, set aside time each week to do something special.  Make sure, no matter how busy you are, you take time to play. Spending time with friends, spending time outdoors, at the movies, whatever makes you happy, it is essential in helping you be the most focused and effective you can be with your time.


How do you get more out of your day?

13 Ways to Drink More Water Every Day

Do you struggle to drink water through out the day? Are you looking for new ways to enjoys water? 

Then, these tricks will make drinking water less of a chore.

13 Ways to Drink More Water Every Day

1.  Set a specific goal for the day. Start by figuring out how much you consume now, and how much you should consume. Then zero in on real numbers like going from 3 glasses to 8 glasses per day.

2.  Invest in a water bottle that you will actually use and keep it close by.

3.  Or DIY a custom bottle with deadlines. An easy way to keep you goals in sight.

4.  Use an app to track your progress. Free apps like waterlogged and daily water help track, store, and analyze your water consumption.

5. Infuse your water with fruits, vegetables, and even herbs.

6.  Get motivated with a filter that also lets you give back.

7.  Squeeze a drink into the daily routines you already have.

8. Use a straw.

9.  Make a water wager. Ask friends and family to join you, make it a goal to drink at least 5 glasses per day.

10. Hydrate with water based foods. Foods like cucumbers, salad greens, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and watermelon rank high in water conent and help keep you hydrated throughout the day.

11 Or order something spicy.

12. Cut juice with sparkling water

13. Switch things up other H20 based beverages.

What are some tips that you might have for drinking more water? Please share in the comments below! 

Happy Homemaker Monday 9/25/2017

Good evening Lovelies and Happy Monday!

How was your weekend?

Our weekend was pretty good. We decided to stay in and just relax and spend some quality family time together watching Wonder Woman with my oldest (she loved the movie).

The weather:::

It's supposed to rain all weekend. It's Oklahoma so it could either way, rain or no rain. I just hope none of it is severe.

On my reading pile:::

I am still reading Lethal by Sandra Brown. I'm finally almost done.

Movies or Shows I watched this weekend:::

Watching Gilmore Girls and How I Met Your Mother for the upteenth time. I'm trying to find a new series to watch

On my TV:::

Gilmore Girls
Safe Haven
The Ranch
Party of Five
13 Reasons Why
The Crown

On the menu for this week:::

Monday-Beans and corn bread
Tuesday- Chicken and dressing
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday- Beans, cornbread, fried potatoes
Friday- Pizza and breadsticks with salad
Saturday- Tacos or quesadillas
Sunday- Ham (slow cooker), mashed potatoes, veggies, fruit

On my to do list:::

Laundry
Schedule blog posts for this week and next week
Vacuum
Clean bathrooms, bedrooms, and laundry room

What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::

Working on some new inserts for my planner
Working on the format for my cookbook
Working on my new shop
Work on website for newspaper
Write Mattie Beal story for newspaper

Happening this week:::

Not much is happening this week.

Looking around the house:::

My house needs some serious TLC

What I'm wearing today:::

black shorts and a blue t-shirt

One of my simple pleasures:::

Watching a good movie on Netflix

Bible verse, Devotional::: 

5 Tips for Better Meal Planning

How do you get dinner on the table week in and week out, without getting bored? How do you stay energized and engaged with the art of cooking at home? These are some questions that you have to ask yourself when it comes to meal planning. Here are 5 tips for learning how to plan your meals.

What is meal planning?

What is meal planning? It's whatever way your organize yourself to cook a meal, whether it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is the plan that you make before you shop. Some people plan a month in advance, while other's wing it shopping for that evening's meal picking up whatever looks good to them. Meal planning is personal thing. What works for one person might not work for another person. The goal, I think, to find a process that is both, enjoyable and effective.

5 Tips for Meal Planning

1. Spend time each week looking for simple recipes

This may feel like an indulgence, but just let yourself do it. Browse blogs and websites for recipes that look delicious. Check out the blog, Skinnytaste. Pile up some cookbooks and reach fo the sticky notes. Get inspired!

2. Create a place to save recipes, and keep it SIMPLE

Do whatever works for you. Don't get caught up in a system, just use whatever works best and most easily. Personally, I like Pinterest because it's easy to visually browse what I've saved.

3. Ask your family what they like to eat

This might sound obvious, but it's easy to get caught up in our weeks and forget to ask our households what they would like to eat. I get extra inspired, too, when I feel like I'm cooking a meal as a gift — trying to please and delight the palate of someone I love. Be aware that this can sometimes backfire. If you ask your family to many times what they like to eat they might get upset with you. Believe me, this has happened to me several times.

4. Check the weather

Again, you may say, duh, but seriously. Right now, the weather is changeable in many parts of the country. Look at the weather forecast, and try to predict if you're going to be in the mood for soup (or grilled shrimp salad!) on Friday.

5. Keep a meal journal

One of my best inspirations is my own record of things I've cooked in the past. Take a look at what you were cooking a year ago, two years ago. It's a good way to remember things you used to cook, and still love. I do this my using a calendar that I write all of our meals on. This really helps to see what meals my family likes the best and what meals they didn't like so much.

What are some tips that you might have for meal planning?

Unexpected Break

Hi Lovlies!

I have been on an unexpected break from my blog due to a mild computer problem. My awesome husband was able to fix the computer, so expect a plethora of posts from me in the next few days. I am so excited to be back!!!! I can't wait to start sharing with everyone again!!

I'll be back later this evening!

Angie

5 Things I Do Every Night

I don't know about you, but I HATE waking up to a messy house. I just starts the day off the wrong way. When you wake up to clean mess free home it just starts your morning off the right way. No tripping over toys and books, no dishes overflowing in the sink, and no rushing to pack Angelina's lunch in the morning. I am not a morning person and I don't pretend to be, however, I do stay up pretty late because it's the only time that I can do my evening routine, which is done once the kids are in bed. This is when i find that I can get things done and I am also more productive at this time as well.

Since I am not a morning person, I like to try and make things just a bit easier on myself the following day by doing 5 simple things the night before.

FIVE THINGS I DO EVERY NIGHT

DO THE DISHES

There is nothing worse than waking up to sink full of dirty dishes and cluttered counter tops. No one wants to maneuver around a sink full of dishes while trying to fix breakfast. So every night before I go to bed I make sure to wash any dishes that need it and put any dishes away that are in the dish drainer. Not only does this kitchen put together but it is nice to have one less thing to worry about in the morning.

PACK ANGELINA'S LUNCH

My daughter takes her lunch to school four days out the week. Either after dinner or while I am making dinner I pack her lunch. Usually she requests a lunchable or a peanut butter sandwich and when she wants something different I make her a homemade lunchable. By packing her lunch the night before it frees up more time that I could be doing something else.

PREP TOMORROWS DINNER 

If there is anything I hate it is dinner time rolling and I realize that I never took the meat from the freezer that I need for the next day's meal. How many times have I forgotten to defrost the chicken or even put on a pot of beans the night before? Too many to count!!! One thing that I do so that this doesn't happen is prep tomorrows dinner the night before. By doing this the night before bed,  I never have to worry that the items I need for tomorrow's dinner won't be ready.

WIPE DOWN THE COUNTERS

This goes back to the first point about waking up to a messy kitchen.  Plus, depending on what I made that night, I don't want all the germs just sitting on my counter tops. Every night before I go to bed, I wipe down all the counters in the kitchen. By doing this, it ensures that I have a clean surface to cook on the following morning.

PUT THINGS BACK IN THEIR PLACE

Having a 7 year old and a one year old this is a big one for me!!! You know how I mentioned that I hate waking up to messy kitchen, well, I also hat waking up to a messy living room. Now, I don't go crazy the night before but I do like to pick up things and put them in their place. Now, I try to do this multiple times a day because my house can get pretty messy. Usually I have to wait until the kids go to bed, and when they do, I quickly clean the kitchen and living room. It only takes about 45 minutes to complete this task, but it makes a difference knowing that I will be able to sleep in a clean house.

Is there anything that I you do before bed? Do you have a night time routine? I would love to here from you in the comments below!

4 Simple Ways to Clear Kitchen Counters

We have all seen them, those neat and tidy kitchens without a stray spoon or spatula in sight. Here are 4 simple steps to clean counters that I swear by:

1. Completely clear your counters. Remove everything and place it on your kitchen or dining room table.

2. Wipe your counters with your favorite cleaner ( I use a solution of 1 cup vinegar to one cup water with a 5-6 drops of Dawn dish soap), or you can use a sponge with warm, soapy water.

3. Look at your appliances that you placed on the table-- is there anything that you don't use daily that can be put in a different place, or in a cabinet or pantry? Is there anything you can donate or give away? Before you move everything back, take stock of your counters for a few minutes. If you only use your toaster or blender once or twice a week and if you have limited counter space (like I do) maybe it would be better stored someplace else. A little space on the counter is a good things, there is no need to clutter it up!

4. Now, put the remaining items back on your counters and think about zones as you are returning the items. For example, it you keep your baking goods (like flour and sugar)  on the counter, put them where you store your mixer and measuring cups. Put your coffee maker by the mugs and so on.

Once you have returned all of your items to the counters, make a conscience effort to keep them clean. After every meal put things back where they belong, don't pile dishes on the counters and empty your sink and/or dishwasher (if you have one). My number one suggestion to keeping your kitchen clean and your counters clear, is to develop a kitchen cleaning routine. This will help immensely and you will feel much better in the morning when you wake up to clean counters.