Recipe Holder

  Here's another Fantastic Friday Tip, this week going along with the menu planning post here.  I had a cute little recipe holder that was a piece of sheet metal 4x6, I think, in a wood stand.  It was great sitting in my kitchen window sill, but was always kind of a pain because I couldn't see it very well and it was a little small, printed sheets of paper wouldn't work on it.  I pondered on this and as I was hanging a mirror using 3M strips in another part of the house it hit me - use the sheet metal, but hang it up in the cupboard with the 3M strips leaving no holes.  So I went to my local craft store, bought an 8x8 sheet of metal, came home and hung it up.  I LOVE it!  I put it inside my spice cupboard, which is usually open anyway, and it hangs pretty much at eye level right in the corner where I always mix, chop, prepare things next to the stove.

Of course you could use this for holding notes, messages, or anything else you need to keep track of, too.  Those 3M strips are awesome!!


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Menu Planning

I've been meaning to do this post all month, so nothing like waiting for THE last day. :)  Since it is the month of love and heart health month, too, I'm challenging you to try menu planning of some sort or another.  Now don't roll your eyes or close your browser, menu planning does not have to be hard or complicated.  It takes many different forms.  So how does menu planning relate to love and heart health you might ask?  Well, nothing says you love your family more than a nice, warm meal, good conversation together around the table, and a happy mom because she's not stressed out over dinner.  Also when you plan your own meals, you control what you're putting in them and not putting in them, not giving up and ordering pizza or hitting the drive-thru on the way home - both of which are NOT heart healthy.  Also you save so much money when you plan your meals rather than just throw something together which usually ends up with a quick ($50) trip to the store.

There are many different ways and levels of menu planning, so just find one that works for you.  You can plan a whole month at a time, having one major shopping day and then just buy fresh produce weekly.  You can plan two weeks at a time or even one week at a time.  When we were growing up, my mom had little binder that had a rotating menu, complete with shopping list, for three weeks.  Now that is organized!  Pocket Full of Posies has a similar idea, only they do all the work for you. :)  Food on the Table is another simliar one, complete with apps for your smart phone.  There are many more, too.  Of course these options aren't free, but if it gets you planning and works for you, do it!

This is how I do my menu planning.  Tuesday nights/Wednesday morning I grab a my "tools" and get to work.  This is great to do while watching tv, makes me feel like I'm being productive while chillin'. 

My pile along with my pretty daisys from my sweet friend.

Tools of the job:
My calendar
Cookbooks - The blue "What's for Dinner" cookbook above is awesome! I bought it several years ago and loved it so much I bought one for my SIL, too. It has 52 weeks of complete dinner menus - main dish, salads, even desserts. Now I don't love EVERY meal they have planned, but I've found some really good ones and it's a great starting point. If there's a meal my family doesn't like, I either substitute my own recipe or a different meal.   If you're interested, you can find it here:

I also regularly use the "Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook", too. I LOVE my crockpot!! I use my crockpot at least once a week and have many, many recipes that I enjoy in this book.   You can find it at Amazon also:

As I said, I really enjoy a good cookbook and have been known to sit and "read" cookbooks often. :) I usually try to try a new recipe every week, with Pinterest now, I have even more new recipes to try. When I make a new meal, I have my family give it a rating of 1-5 (5 is the best) and I write it down in the book. That way I won't make the same mistake twice. lol If it's on Pinterest or from a magazine or something like that, if it's a keeper it'll get typed up and added to the recipe box. 
My local ads (or circulars as my Grandma called them:) ) - We only have two grocery stores here, so it's pretty easy to quickly scan through, see what's on sale, build a meal around it if I want or just jot down other sale items I want to stock up on.
My grocery list - I found this awesome grocery list printable from the girls at The Letter 4.  You can print 3 to a sheet and print off 17 sheets and have enough for one a week for almost a whole year.  I cut mine apart and glued them together to make a notepad like I did here.  I also glued two magnets on the back so I could hang it right on my fridge so everyone knows where to write something down when we run out.
The big "How To":
I scan through the calendar and see what we have going on. I know Monday's I need something quick and easy or in the crockpot because I teach piano lessons until 5 and often take Natalie to karate at 6. Depending on what's going on, when basketball practices are, or band concerts, or whatever else, makes a difference in what I'll plan for dinner. That's probably the biggest reason I only plan one week at a time.  I usually have a mexican meal, italian meal, an asian meal, and in the winter I add a soup meal each week, that's just how it works out.  Now I use those terms very loosly, lol, if it's pasta it's counted as italian, if it involves tortillas it's mexican, and rice = asian. :)  If I think of it that way, it's easier to figure out what to eat.  We also have pizza usually every Friday night, and then leftovers or grilled cheese sandwiches or something similarly easy on Saturday.  I pretty much plan for 4 meals.  I also have a list of "Family Favorite Meals" I've made over the years so when I'm stumped I can pull that out and see what we haven't had for a while.  I have also started a "Summer Meals" list, too, okay so I like lists and my husband get's picky about what's "too heavy" to eat in the summer.  Just makes things easier.
Speaking of easier, the easiest way to plan your meals is have 6 kids and make them all pick one meal a week.  Now that they're older, I do this quite often now.  Everyone has a say, and you know there's at least one meal a week each person won't complain about. :)  I do limit them sometimes because we can't have spaghetti or chicken curry every week and I also threaten, lol.  If Cheyenne won't come up with a meal I tell her I'm adding stir-fry to the list and if Natalie won't pick something, it's tacos.  That usually works.
That's it!  It's really not that much work, it's not rocket science, and it only takes about 15 min., maybe.  So here's my challenge to you, if you're not planning your meals yet, try it out, see if it's worth that little bit of preparation and if the time and money savings at the grocery store is worth it.  If you are a planner, how do you do it, what works for you?  Any tips?  Please share in the comments and let's make supper time a happy time. :)



 

Christmas Planner

Yesterday I was thrilled to be a guest poster at Type A Decorating.  This is what I shared with Tammy's readers over there, and now I'll share it with you here. :)

Today’s post is a simple, cute way to organize your Christmas.  This is small enough to stick in your purse, or easily hide, but contains everything you need to know to get you through the holidays with more time for having fun with your family.  Bonus, you can use it for several years, too.

Supplies needed:
Small 7x5” notebook
Scrapbook paper
Ribbon
A file tab punch is great, however, I also had tab stickers, or you could just cut your own
Other stickers, flowers, and embellishments
Adhesive – make sure whatever kind you use it’s a permanent adhesive

I started out with all the stuff on the left and then as I looked further into my stash of papers, I found all these on the right that I bought recently (okay, a year ago) and loved them even more.  Just a couple ideas to show you how completely unique these can be (great gift ideas, too!)

Start by cutting your two papers, the top one is 4 ¾” x 4” and the bottom one is 4 3/4” x 3”.  Basically, I went with two-thirds on top, one-third on bottom if you use a different size notebook.  Cut a piece of ribbon approximately 5 1/2” or a little longer, to cover the edge where the papers join.  I actually had adhesive-backed ribbon, which was nice.  Probably the easiest way to join them all together is to lay your ribbon down with the adhesive up, and center your two papers on top of the ribbon.  Then wrap the ends carefully around the edges, be careful not to bend or curl your paper, and glue the ends down on the backside of the paper.

Next, glue the whole paper/ribbon combination onto the notebook.  Make sure you put adhesive on both the notebook and the paper – just seems to hold stronger.  I used a tape runner, but ended up using Scotch brand Quick-Dry liquid glue to touch up spots that were coming loose.  Add a title to your planner and whatever other embellishments you want on the front. 

Now is the time to do some thinking and decide what exactly you want in your planner.  My notebook has a pocket inside, so that’s a great place to keep Receipts.  I also did Gift Ideas so as I find ideas throughout the year either on-line or in catalogs, I can jot it down here and remember where I saw that perfect gift.  Also I’ll use it as a place jot down things people just mention in conversation.  You know when that light bulb goes off in your head as your husband (who’s my hardest to shop for) mentions some strange tool “it would be really nice to have,” but then I can’t remember when I’m standing in the tool store.  You could also keep a list of clothing sizes here or things they need for those you’re shopping for –  Chloe wears a size 11 shoe, but Maddie is an 11 ½, Billy needs pajamas.  Traditions could be another category, traditions to try and traditions to continue.  If you’re like me, December can get a little crazy with all the things we have to do and all the things we want to do.  This will give me a spot to list those things I really want to make time for and also a place to write down cool traditions that I hear from others that I want to try with my family.  Cards.  I keep all the addresses of those I send cards to on my computer so I can print labels, but I think it will be nice to have a place to just list the names I’m sending to.  I can also add to the list here in preparation for next year as we make new friends or get cards from different people. (Or to cross out those who don’t make the list! ;) lol)  Menu is where I’ll list my Christmas dinner menu, obviously, but I’m also going to make a list of treats to make, or treats to take to neighbors, or even jot down new recipes to try.  The Gift List section will be where I actually list out the gifts I’m giving, that’s why this planner will be hidden from all little eyes!  I’m one of those people who buy gifts all year long.  The all get hidden away, and sometimes I forget what I’ve bought, who it’s for, or how much I’ve already bought.  It’s also handy when you can’t remember what you gave people last year (or the year before.)  Plus, it’s kind of fun to look back and see what your kids got when they were younger (or in my house, prove you were right when you said you got “such and such” in “whatever year”.  Yah, we get a little competitive about the dumbest things. J)  My final section is Notes.  I can use it just for notes, or as a little journaling place to write down some thoughts and highlights of each Christmas season.  There are many other things you could list: decorations - take a picture of that perfect mantle so you’ll remember how to set it up next year; glue in a December calendar to make notes of all those parties, kids programs, concerts, etc. that you want to attend; a budget section; a party planning section – a place to list all you need to do to host that perfect party; whatever else would be helpful to you.

After you’ve decided what to include, you need to make tabs and a title page for each section.  I used a file tab punch to punch out my tabs out of the same paper I used on the front.  My papers were both double-sided so I used the back side for tabs, too.   You could also buy tab stickers, or just cut out a tab shape – they’re about 3” long.  For the title pages, I had a sheet of embellishments/tags, I’m not sure what they’re called – it’s the top paper in the right-hand picture.  I cut these apart and wrote the name of each section on them.  Some of the tags were too big to use, so I just cut a square of decorative paper or used another large punch to decoratively cut a title plate for some sections.

Glue the tab to the edge of a single page.  I only stress that because the first time I made one of these I accidentally glued it to the first page and then the last page I had sectioned off.  Doesn’t work very well that way. J  Then glue on your title tag.  I made my sections about 10 pages each, although some were a little bigger when I’d be writing a lot more.  It’s up to you, how many sections you have, and how many years you want to use it, etc.  As you are gluing your tabs on, remember to stagger them so it’s easier to read the tabs.

The final step is to add the ribbons to the spiral binding.  I like the mix of some plain ribbon and some patterned ribbons.  Cut them about 4” each, but I found out that the wider and stiffer the ribbon the longer the length you need to be able to tie them.  For example, the green ribbon I used was 1/8”, and a 4” long piece was more than enough to be able to tie it on.  However, 4” of the patterned ribbon, which was more like 1/4” and a grosgrain ribbon, was barely enough for me to tie on.  Just slip the ribbon through the binding and tie a double knot on each spiral.  A little tedious, but makes it really cute, I think.

That’s it!  It really doesn’t take that long to make and it will be invaluable to you as you try to have an organized, stress-free Christmas. 

Here are some variations of this planner that make great gifts!

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Today is a New Day Printable

Hi everyone! If you'll remember back a couple weeks ago I posted about starting each day with a plan and organizing your day.  I don't know if it's helped any of you, but it has sure helped me get a lot more done each day.  Anyway, I really liked the printables I had listed there, but neither were exactly what I wanted.  So I decided to make my own.  I was so excited to try this, and I even made those water bottles from a real picture of a water bottle.  New technique for me and I was so impressed with myself for figuring it out. lol  Here's the link: Today is a New Day

Today is a New Day

I printed mine out at my local copy place and had them laminate it, too.  Then each night, after the kids are all in bed and I'm relaxing for a bit, I take 5 min. and plan out my next day.  It's really been working well, and it helps me sleep better, too.  Why, you might ask?  Because as soon as my head would hit the pillow a million things that I needed to do the next day would start racing through my head. lol I know I'm not the only one who does this, right?  Now, I've already gotten at least most of those things planned out or there's no room to add anything else anyway.  It really does help me fall asleep faster.  Try it!

A big shout out and a thank you to Krista Sahlin for letting me use her buttons on this to share with you.  They were a freebie from her site here.  I also want to thank Summer Driggs for letting me use the rick rack on this, too.  They were a freebie from this kit here.

Anyway, I hope someone else might find this helpful. I'd be happy to change any of the box headings if you'd like, too. Just let me know.

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Laundry Baskets

Laundry is FUN! Okay, okay, maybe it's not that much fun, but it can be cute. :) Laundry is one of those chores that I don't mind too much.  I usually do it twice a week, with my older girls doing towels on Mondays and I do sheets on Monday, also.  I'll get things started as soon as I get up in the morning and then bring up the baskets to my room to fold while I watch tv. After watching my little ones trying to balance a big pile of clothes (they'd insist on taking them all at once) while going to their rooms and seeing half the clothes fall on the floor along the way, I decided we needed some baskets to make it easier for them.  While growing up, we each had our own color of basket to distinguish whose was whose.  I'd never seen colored baskets, or any baskets like we used to have for that matter.  So when I stumbled across these plain black and white buckets in Walmart one day, I decided with a little vinyl they would work.  I let each child pick their color for their name and went to work.  The vinyl worked great, except for Cheyenne's name, for some reason that vinyl didn't stick as well and we have to keep smoothing it down. I think they turned out pretty cute and make me smile as I fold clothes.

Oh, one tip I have for making folding laundry a little easier, use a Sharpie marker and mark the bottoms of everyone's socks with an initial.  Since my little three fold all the socks, and 3/4 of our socks all look alike, as I open a new package of socks, I immediately put a letter on the bottom of each sock.  It makes it much easier for them to match letters (especially when they're watching Word Girl and not paying very close attention to the socks) and hopefully get them in the right basket.  It's also given Cheyenne and Natalie something to talk about as their friends ask "Why do you have a C (or N) on your foot?" :)

So what is your best laundry tip or what do you do to make it a little more fun? Share your best ideas with us!

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Start Your Organized Day With a Plan

I love/crave/thrive on being organized.  I always have been, just ask my little sister who used to get mad at me when I had to have a "plan" before we played Barbies.  Or my daughter who makes fun of my color coordinated closet.  But it's just who I am, if I'm not organized, I get a little crazy.  When my older sister lived here, I used to go to her house quite often just to help her organize and dig out of her piles or keep her on task.  She even asked me to teach a class for her Relief Society (women's church organization) activity.  I really had fun with it and was honored she asked me.  I thought I'd share some of my ideas from that activity on being organized and what works for me in a series I call "A House of Order".  So here's my first in the series, start your organized day by having a plan.

I know, not a new concept.  Many of you probably have something you use, IPhone or something similar (I think I'm the only one is the world without one), planner, calendar, scrap of paper, but how is it working for you?  I find that if I have some sort of idea for the day, I can get a whole lot more done.  However, I still haven't found the "perfect" way for me.  I don't like electronic things, for one, I don't carry my phone with me so I wouldn't look at it much.  I have a family calendar hanging on the fridge, works great when I remember to write things on it. :)  I also have a planner/notebook thing and it's okay, but want to try something better.  So I've decided on a clipboard with a daily or weekly calendar on it.  I've found several all over the internet, and I'm testing out which one I like best.  Easy to try it all and if it doesn't work, all the new planners will be out in stores for the next few months.  Here are some of my favorites I've found.

Mine For The Making

I really like this one for a couple of reasons - 1. It's cute  2. I love the title "Today's Plan" and in the bubble, it says "Today is going to be a great day!"  3. I really like the water bottles to mark off as you drink your water for the day - great idea!  and  4.  For $3, Kara will customize it for you.  So where she has the homeschool section, something I don't need, I'll have her change it to something applicable to me. 

Here is another one I really like.

Clean Mama

This calendar comes in a kit of 4 different calendars for $8 on her etsy shop. So worth it, because they are all undated, so you can use them forever. Or you can buy just the calendar above for $5 and all the blue sections are editable, meaning I can download it to my computer and type in all my to-do things for the week. For a neat freak like me, that is awesome! (I have a problem with things looking nice and neat, I think. Starting in 6th grade, when we got our very first computer, I seriously would take notes in class and then come home and type them all up so they wouldn't have that pencil smear on them (HATE THAT!) or mistakes, or just my sloppyish handwriting from writing so fast. I know, I'm weird.) My favorite part is having my whole week visible at once. And again, the meal plan for the whole week is right there.

Another great, free one is at http://printables.yourway.net/daily-action-planner/. Sorry, I couldn't get a picture of this one. This one is also editable, type your plans in and print it up, or just use it on your computer. It is a daily calendar, but also has areas for "Calls", "Emails", and "Notes". Really useful.

Finally, I really like this free printable from Clean Mama, to use with the other calendars.

Clean Mama

It is a "This and That" printable. Sections for "phone calls", "emails", "to do now", and "to do later". So right now, I have the "Today's Plan" on my clipboard with the "This and That" list underneath. I love having the different lists right there and on-going. I can keep a running list of what projects I need to tackle around the house and just check them off as I get them done - so satisfying! Then I can organize each day by what I plan to tackle. Another great idea from Kara at Mine for the Making, is to slip your calendar in a plastic page protector or laminate so you can use a dry erase marker and use it again and again.

I like to take 5 minutes after the kids are in bed and I'm just watching tv or whatever to plan out my next day. Really easy, and makes a world of difference in the next day.

So how do you organize your day? Are you all electronic or a list maker or both? What works or doesn't work for you?

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Organizing the Freezer

It's Friday, yeah!!  So here's the best tip I've found this week, thank you Pinterest.  Use a dry erase marker to write on your freezer (or fridge.)

 

This also happen to coincide with use getting a beef this week, so it was perfect timing that I found this great post here.  Now, I have an upright freezer, so things don't get lost really, and the different cuts of beef and the chicken are in different spots, so I know when those are low.  However, I do forget what meals I've frozen and stuck out there.  Or I swear I still had some spaghetti sauce that I was going to use for lasagna, of course, I only go looking at 4 p.m. when I'm getting ready to make the lasagna and find I used it already.  So no more, when someone puts a meal in the freezer or takes something out, it WILL be added or erased. For a chest freezer, this could be a lifesaver.  No more mystery meat hiding down in the corner that you never find until the next time you defrost your freezer (or someone doesn't close it tight and everything thaws outs. :) )You could also do this with snacks for the kids in the fridge, then they wouldn't have to stand there with the door open forever trying to find something to eat.  See my handy marker with the built in eraser and magnet - gotta get you some of those!   It erases very easily and if there's any residue left, the original poster said she just wipes it down with rubbing alcohol occasionally.  What's the best tip or trick you've found this week?

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