Happy Homemaker Monday {12/31/2018}

Hi Lovelies!

Good afternoon everyone! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. It's the last day of 2018 and I can say that I am ready to start 2019 off with a bang. 2018 was such a difficult year for us, we are ready for a fresh new start. The hubby and I have a few small project and 1 big project that we cannot wait to tackle in the new year!

Anyway, let's get started with this post, shall we?

The weather. It's in the 50 today, but tomorrow that all changes! It will be cold tomorrow with a chance of snow by the end of the week.

Right now I am... sitting at the dining room table typing this post. 

Thinking.  Still thinking about how I need to to update my planners and do some research on meal planners and writing a cookbook.

On my reading pile. Right now I am reading Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult (just started) and then it's on to Two by Two by Nicholas Sparks at the end of the month

On my tv. I'm watching some shows on Netflix and my Roku app and Amazon Prime and Hulu.

On the menu this week:

Monday-Pizza and breadsticks

Tuesday- Black eyed peas, fried potatoes, cornbread

Wednesday- Tacos

Thursday- Mexican cornbread

Friday- Pizza, bread sticks, salad

Saturday- Mississippi chicken, rice, and veggies

Sunday- Bean and cornbread with fried potatoes

On my to do list:

Laundry
Kitchen
Write and schedule blogs for the next two weeks (by end of the this week)
Update planners and bullet journal
Tidy bedrooms
Clean bathrooms
Vacuum all rooms

Looking around the house: The house is a mess. Every room needs to be tidied and the clothes are piling up in the laundry basket.

Bible verse, devotional, or quote:

Currently {12/29/2018}

 Time and place: 4:47pm  and I am in the dining room, typing up this post.
 
Eating: Chocolate chip cookies.

Drinking: A big glass of water (always)

Watching: Cleaning videos, planner videos, and bullet journal videos.

Reading: Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks

Loving: that 2019 is just a few days a way.

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. I am also working on blog posts for January and working on some goals for the new year.

I am also planning on working on some smaller projects as well. 

Listening: to PBS kids

Buying: groceries and other neccessitites

Planning: I have most of my posts planned for January already. 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?

Christmas Craziness and an Update

It's been quite a while since my last post. With all of the craziness that surrounds Christmas, the class parties, class trips, and shopping, it's been pretty busy around here. Not to mention that we were all sick the week before Christmas which made checking things off my to do list even harder. Everyone is finally healthy!

We had a great Christmas! The girls were given every thing they asked for and we spent Christmas morning with a very special family. I have to say that this was hands down the best Christmas we have had in quite some time.

Now that Christmas is over ( the tree is coming down tomorrow), I can now concentrate on setting up my planner and bullet journal, writing down and finalizing my 2019 goals (post coming soon), updating my blog, revamping my routines, setting up a reading schedule (if I don't I may never read),  and setting up a more realistic blogging schedule.

With that being said, I still need to update my blog planner and plan out my posts for January. What are some topics you would like to see me tackle in the new year? Please leave comments below. I look foward to reading them.

Have a great day and I will catch ya tomorrow!

Short Break

Hi Lovelies!

The past few days have been hectic and filled with taking care of a sick 3 year old. She is feeling better today. So, the point of this post, was that I had taken a short break to take care of my little. I will be back tonight with a post all about what to clean when there has been an illness in your house.

The rest of this week's posts will be all about how to set up a morning and evening routine. So, please stay tuned, these posts will be fun as well as informative.

See ya real soon!!

Blogmas 2018- Day #15- 5 Things To Do Before The End of The Year

It’s hard to believe that we are days away from a new year. I am for sure the type of person who get’s excited for a new year. Not for the parties but for the new start. Who doesn’t love a new start? One of my favorite things to do is make a list of things to get done before a new year starts. Today I am sharing 5 things to do before the end of the year to ensure your 2019 is a great one!

5 Things To Do Before The End Of The Year

Get Organized: For some reason I get on rampages around this time of year to organize all the things. Lately it’s been the closets. They have reached crazy levels of disorganization. I feel like if my house is organized when the year starts I am much more likely to keep it that way. Also a great time to declutter and donate!

Find A Planner/Calendar That Works: I use a Classic Happy Planner. I love it. I have used one the last several years and I also use Google Calendar. Either paper or digital, find an organizer that works for YOU!

Find A Health Plan For You: I feel like this is the time that a lot of people start a new diet or health plan. I'm thinking about trying Weight Watchers again. I love how the program is set up and it's very easy to follow. 

Set Your Intentions: This could be resolutions, goals, intentions, whatever you prefer to call them. I like to make yearly goals and monthly goals to keep track of. I also like to make intentions. 

Find Your Word Of The Year: A lot of people do this. I never have but one think I want to do in this next week or so is figure out what my word for 2019 will be! Have you done this before?

Is there anything you would add to this list?

Blogmas 2018- Day #12- Christmas Crunch Popcorn

Hi and welcome to Day #12 of Blogmas!!! Today's post is all about Christmas popcorn. 

 Christmas Crunch Popcorn 

Ingredients

1/2 cup popping popcorn kernels, or 2 bags tender white popcorn

1 (12 oz) bag Vanilla Candy Melts (such as Wilton Candy Melts)

1 1/3 cups broken pretzel pieces

1 (12 oz) bag green and red Milk Chocolate or Mint M&Ms Red, green and white Sprinkles.

Directions

Pop popcorn in a popcorn popper into a large bowl (or alternately in the microwave if using microwave bags of popcorn) according to manufactures directions. Remove any unpopped popcorn kernels. Toss in broken pretzel pieces and M&Ms.

Melt Vanilla Candy Melts in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth. Drizzle half of melted chips over popcorn mixture, then stir, tossing gently a few times with a rubber spatula. Then drizzle remaining half of melted chips over popcorn, and gently stir mixture until evenly coated (don't over stir though or your sprinkles wont stick if the white chips begin to set and harden).

Pour mixture into a single layer onto wax paper. Sprinkle entire mixture evenly with sprinkles (as many as you'd like) before vanilla chips set. Allow to cool and harden, then gently break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Note: I was able to fill 8 - 9 1/2"x 4" party treat bags about 2/3 full with this recipe, just to let you know so you have an idea for gift giving.

Blogmas 2018- Day #11- Interesting Facts About Christmas

Welcome to Day #11 of Blogmas! After a quick search on the interwebs, I found some interesting facts that you may or may not know about Christmas. 

1. The Germans made the first artifical Christmas tree out of dyed goose feathers .

2.  Each year more than 3 billion Christmas cards are sent in the US alone.

3.  All the gifts in the Twelve Days of Christmas would equal 364 gifts.

4.  In AD 350, Pope Julius1, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ.

5.  Christmas trees have been sold in the US since 1850.

6.  Christmas trees usually grow for about 15 years before they are sold.

7.  Alabama was the first state in the United States to officially recognize Christmas in 1836.

8.  Christmas wasn't declared an official holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.

9.  Oklahoma was the last U.S. state to to declare Christmas a legal holiday in 1907.

10. During the Christmas season, nearly 28 million sets of Legos are sold every second.