I miss my buddy......

I miss my buddy Kathy - that's all I wanted to say.  I pray you get better soon friend!  It's just not the same without you!!

A tangible reminder to "Live in the Moment"!

I took my little 8 year old daughter to ROSS tonight to buy a Harajuku purse she put on hold.  She used her own money to buy it - it's darling - it says "Cuckoo for Harajuku" and has Cuckoo Clocks all over it.  I have a larger one in the same pattern  -too cute! Matching mother & daughter!  I have to smile to myself as each day when I get dressed for the day, my little shadow takes a look at me, and she comes out of her room matching my ensemble for the day- and she will say, "Look Mom, we match, down to our earrings!"  I can only pray that she will continue to hold me in such high regard as she gets older. 

While we were at ROSS I found THE neatest watch - and it totally reminded me of NieNie!  It is red, and has an animated birdie on it flying from one side of the screen to the other.  First it starts out large, then gets smaller as it flies into the distance.  I think of NieNie and her positive spirit and how she has touched so many lives in such a short time. I think of all the inspiration she has provided for mothers everywhere who are trying their best to live each day to the fullest with their children.  Since it is a watch, each time I look at it I will be reminded to "redeem the time"  and to "live in the moment", taking each daily opportunity to influence my children positively and for eternity.  

How many meals can you make in 15 minutues?

Well, I am trying to find out as our schedule this fall is CRAZY!!!  We get home (from schooling at the library) and have about 1 hour total to get ready to leave for all practices, lessons and such - so I have to get it made and served in 1 hour tops!  Ackkkk!  I am trying to cut corners without eating TOO badly - I try to buy any quick or ready made foods with good ingredients and without preservatives and additives.  Is it optimum?  NO. Is it do-able for now?  YES.   We still try to get in the Green Smoothie several times each week (striving for daily).  For breakfast we stick to our organic oatmeal or homemade granola or organic eggs with sprouted wheat bread and turkey sausage or turkey bacon with no nitrites or a bowl of Cheerios or Organic TJ's Corn Flakes or a TJ's cereal bar on the go.  Lunch is stuff I pack - sandwiches, Annies Mac & Cheese in our thermoses, fruit, organic crackers, leftovers in our thermoses.

SUPER QUICK DINNER MENU IDEAS

Meal #1

Barilla Plus Spaghetti 

Trader Joe's low sodium marinara

TJ's turkey meatballs

TJ's focaccia

Meal #2

Coleman Natural Uncured Hot Dogs (new at Costco!)

Annie's Mac & Cheese (cheapest at Target- $1.42)

Birdseye Steamfresh veggies (cheapest at Target $1.47)

Meal #3

Sloppy Joes made with ground turkey breast (made ahead)

Mashed organic potatoes

Corn on the Cobb

Fruit

Meal #4

Frozen lasagna no preservatives added (Costco)

Bagged salad

Meal #5

Pinto beans cooked all day with onion and garlic

Cornbread homemade with whole grains (takes 10 min to mix, 25 to cook)

Meal #6

Homemade soup made ahead of time (I do a few things like this at night or weekend when I have a little more time)

Bread & butter

Meal #7 (this one takes 15 min tops!)

Trader Joe's Teriyaki Chicken

TJ's instant Brown Rice

Birdseye steamed veggies 

Meal #8

Costco Alaskan Salmon Burgers

TJ's sweet potato spears baked (toss in olive oil and salt & pepper first)

Salad or Birdseye Steamed Veggies

Meal #9

Chili Stack ups 

Base is tortilla chips, next comes chili (canned or made ahead), cheese, lettuce, pineapple, salsa

Meal #10

Tuna Casserole (Healthy Harvest whole wheat noodles, includes lots of veggies)

Fruit

Treats - Snacks

-My 8 year old DD just made a "healthier" version of Rice Krispie treats - we added organic natural Peanut Butter and flaxseed

-I make up a batch of homemade granola every week

-I have been buying the small bags of apples at Safeway for $.25 with sale & coupon stash I had

-Any fruit on sale (this week pears $.49 lb, and gala $.89)

-Mrs. Mays Almonds (Costco - awesome snack)

-Craisins (Costco)

-Late July PB crackers organic, no transfat (Costco!)

There are enough meals to get you through 2 weeks (weekdays).  I will continue to add to my rotation! 

Time for Bathroom #2!!!

No sooner has he finished the first bathroom and he is on to demo of #2!! As you can see this one isn't as extensive - the shower has already been tiled a few years back and is in good shape- so new sheetrock, new sink, new toilet, new trim and new floor - go DH!!

Bathroom before and afters!!

BEFORE.........

AFTER!!!!

BEFORE..............

AFTER!!!!

Next project complete (well almost sans exhaust fan, another coat of paint, casing's and door)! I'm saying millions of thank yous to my DH for the wonderful job he has done on our back bathroom! We have never been able to use this bathroom until now! He had to do so much hard work repairing wood rot that it took a long time. It is now usable and no longer smells like rotted wood! Now when I scrub it, it smells all fresh and clean! Yippee!! Me heart my new bathroom - me heart the husband that worked so hard to make it so. Check out the groovy bamboo floor! It's this new neat vinyl flooring that is waterproof, yet it looks like wood!

Happy Birthday to my 10 year old boy!!

Birthday Table!

Presents!

Birthday boy picks the day's menu!

Horton delivers the special birthday letter from Mom to her little boy!

The festivities are over for another year- it was a milestone - 10!! My oldest son is 10 and it's so hard to believe!  We had a great day full of favorite meals, tennis playing, spy gear presents, ice cream, laughing and togetherness!  A spy party will follow with 6 of his buddies.

Nie Nie Inspiration!

I'm so happy that I learned about the Nielson family in the blog world. I have been inspired, renewed and recommitted to all that I already was committed to by reading the archives at Stephanie's blog. Sometimes you forget your focus because of all the pulls of the world! She reminded me of so many things that I try to accomplish daily in my family, and gave me new ideas, new things to try and a strong reminder to "live in the moment".  This post is showing some "Nie Nie" inspired things going on with me!

These are wall fans my 8 year old and I are making for her room when it gets remodeled soon!  Inspired by NieNie's post here.

These are my new red ankle strap peep-toes I have been looking for forever - even before reading NieNie Dialogues!  I had a pair when I was a little girl and I wore them every day - I found these yesterday on sale for $7 (reg. $50)- so I was thrilled!  They also match my cool new red polka-dot blouse and red fall coat from Forever 21!!  The ankle straps NieNie has can be found here (scroll to bottom of post).

Here is my $5 skirt from ROSS (regular $54)!  It makes me feel happy to wear it. I wear dresses and skirts on ordinary days while I teach my children and scrub toilets!  I like to wear pretty things!  Inspired by NieNie here.

And here is my beautiful retro apron my sweet husband bought me this weekend at a local street fair - handmade from Retrofit Aprons!  I have been looking for one for some time that is pretty and gives total coverage- it has big front pockets and no ties - you slip into it - LOOOVE it!  Inspired by NieNie here.