I know we will be eating there on Monday!
Feel Free to pass along to any of your friends & family.
Have a great weekend.
j~
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Eat At Chili's .... it's a good cause
I wasn't aware Chili's did this and I think it's FANTASTIC! This flyer came home from preschool with Blake & Cloe.
I know we will be eating there on Monday!
Feel Free to pass along to any of your friends & family.
Have a great weekend.
j~
I know we will be eating there on Monday!
Feel Free to pass along to any of your friends & family.
Have a great weekend.
j~
Monday, September 16, 2013
What are the best X to use to make Y?
I often wonder, what is the best type of something to use when trying to make whatever it is I'm making. Did that make any sense, haha!
Well what I mean is, what is the best:
* APPLE to use to make applesauce?
* POTATO to use to make mashed potatoes (one of Justin's favorites and I don't make very often)
*FISH to use when making fish tacos ... one of my favorites!
I have an outstanding recipe that uses Mahi Mahi but because I live in such a metropolis I can't find it very easily so I tried tilapia once and it just wasn't the same. Now the funny thing is the lady at the "meat counter" told me that tilapia was what you wanted to use... it was good but it just wasn't what I was looking for!
What else takes a specific type of something to make a dish really good?? Any recommendations?
I am going to test some different apples, potatoes and fish over the next week so I will let you know my opinion. I would LOVE yours!
Happy Fall!!
j~
Well what I mean is, what is the best:
* APPLE to use to make applesauce?
* POTATO to use to make mashed potatoes (one of Justin's favorites and I don't make very often)
*FISH to use when making fish tacos ... one of my favorites!
I have an outstanding recipe that uses Mahi Mahi but because I live in such a metropolis I can't find it very easily so I tried tilapia once and it just wasn't the same. Now the funny thing is the lady at the "meat counter" told me that tilapia was what you wanted to use... it was good but it just wasn't what I was looking for!
What else takes a specific type of something to make a dish really good?? Any recommendations?
I am going to test some different apples, potatoes and fish over the next week so I will let you know my opinion. I would LOVE yours!
Happy Fall!!
j~
Thursday, September 12, 2013
My babies aren't babies anymore!
This has been a hard week, and this morning the hardest. I had to come to the realization that my babies are not babies anymore. Cloe & Blake started school this week - Cloe yesterday and Blake today. They were both so excited, and the more Cloe cheered "pre-k" the more I had to hold back the tears.
Cloe isn't really in pre-k, she just thinks she is, ha! She goes to school MWF from 8:30 to 11:00 but stays after school in the childcare program till 2ish then goes on TTH in the child care program. This way I don't have to run her to Joni's and she gets to attend the pre-k class on TTH mornings ... which she LOVES! The pre-k kids go everyday from 8:30 to 3:00. She's there the same amount of time, she just can't be in that class because you have to turn 5 before the end of December.
Blake goes on TTH from 8:30 to 11:00 but is also staying till 2ish to save me the running. I think this is going to be a great schedule for all of us. We can pick them up at around 2:15 p.m. then head to the high school to pick up Elijah at 2:30... round trip 1 hour.
Blake will go to the babysitter (Joni) on M&F which will be good so he can play with his friend Joey (as long as he's there) and have sometime without Cloe ... he follows her everywhere and she can get a little bossy. I want them to be their own individual selves but it's so hard when they are so close in age, and do EVERYTHING together!
I think they are both as equally excited to take a lunch box and eat lunch at school as they are about school itself. It's amazing how such little things make little people happy. This is something we forget as we grow older. Although I have been sad this week, it's been so much fun watching them be SO excited about school. I have the opposite end of the spectrum with Elijah as he hates school and is grumpy every morning as he gets ready to go! I remember laughing when it was just me an Elijah thinking that I would never have other children and if I did I would be on the "college / kindergarten schedule". Elijah will start his senior year when Blake goes to kindergarten. OMG I will be a MESS that day!! I may have to take that day as PTO just to do something for me to help me get through it, hahaha! I have two years to prepare myself!
I guess this is a new chapter in my life? I can say for the first time in a long time, my domestic side - the little one that I have - has really come out not traveling as much. It's a little scary for me but I am willing to see where it takes me.
Best wishes to everyone for happiness, love & laughter the rest of the week and this weekend.
Here are the kiddos' ... each on their first day of school.
Elijah - first day of sophomore year. I got to the school and realized I didn't take his picture. When I said "oh shoot I forgot to take your picture" he replied with "really mom?? Do you still have to do that?" He laughed when I took his picture in the car ... and was probably mortified when I took his picture from the car with the window down as he was walking into the school and his friends were watching, hahaha!!
One of these days I will figure out how to upload pictures to this blog the right way!
She is a girlie girl for sure!!
Cloe isn't really in pre-k, she just thinks she is, ha! She goes to school MWF from 8:30 to 11:00 but stays after school in the childcare program till 2ish then goes on TTH in the child care program. This way I don't have to run her to Joni's and she gets to attend the pre-k class on TTH mornings ... which she LOVES! The pre-k kids go everyday from 8:30 to 3:00. She's there the same amount of time, she just can't be in that class because you have to turn 5 before the end of December.
Blake goes on TTH from 8:30 to 11:00 but is also staying till 2ish to save me the running. I think this is going to be a great schedule for all of us. We can pick them up at around 2:15 p.m. then head to the high school to pick up Elijah at 2:30... round trip 1 hour.
Blake will go to the babysitter (Joni) on M&F which will be good so he can play with his friend Joey (as long as he's there) and have sometime without Cloe ... he follows her everywhere and she can get a little bossy. I want them to be their own individual selves but it's so hard when they are so close in age, and do EVERYTHING together!
I think they are both as equally excited to take a lunch box and eat lunch at school as they are about school itself. It's amazing how such little things make little people happy. This is something we forget as we grow older. Although I have been sad this week, it's been so much fun watching them be SO excited about school. I have the opposite end of the spectrum with Elijah as he hates school and is grumpy every morning as he gets ready to go! I remember laughing when it was just me an Elijah thinking that I would never have other children and if I did I would be on the "college / kindergarten schedule". Elijah will start his senior year when Blake goes to kindergarten. OMG I will be a MESS that day!! I may have to take that day as PTO just to do something for me to help me get through it, hahaha! I have two years to prepare myself!
I guess this is a new chapter in my life? I can say for the first time in a long time, my domestic side - the little one that I have - has really come out not traveling as much. It's a little scary for me but I am willing to see where it takes me.
Best wishes to everyone for happiness, love & laughter the rest of the week and this weekend.
Here are the kiddos' ... each on their first day of school.
Elijah - first day of sophomore year. I got to the school and realized I didn't take his picture. When I said "oh shoot I forgot to take your picture" he replied with "really mom?? Do you still have to do that?" He laughed when I took his picture in the car ... and was probably mortified when I took his picture from the car with the window down as he was walking into the school and his friends were watching, hahaha!!
Friday, September 6, 2013
Going LEAN!!
OK, so I have come to the realization that I have too much SHIT!! I don't just mean stuff that I have accumulated over the years but just stuff in general. It makes me sick to think of the money I have wasted in my adult life of unnecessary purchases - clothes, electronics (I have more phone covers, chargers & gadgets than you can even imagine possible) purses, bags, make-up, lotions and potions .... I could continue the list. And for what?? Seriously - what is the purpose??
I'm not sure exactly what made me finally realize this - I think it's because I hardly travel anymore and being at home makes me realize all the clutter we have everywhere. I look around every day and it drives me crazy how cluttered everything is. Granted we do need more living space, 5 people and 2 big dogs in a 1000 square foot 6 room house is a bit cozy no matter how much stuff you have. But still, even if we had 3000 square feet, we have to much unnecessary stuff.
I have also come to realize that I don't need all the material bullshit I have .... don't get me wrong I love my Coach bags, but it's time to depart with MANY of them and about 1/2 the clothes I have. I am setting a GOAL that between now and the end of the year I will go through each room in the house - including the basement and my storage unit (that I have had since I moved in with Justin full of furniture from my old house) and CLEAN OUT! I am not purchasing anything NEW until I have done this.
If anyone is in need on anything, let me know - I probably have it! I am going to take some stuff to a reseller because it's good stuff that I could get some money back for and some I am going to donate. If anyone knows an organization that could benefit or needs anything specific let me know.
GOING LEAN!!
J~
I'm not sure exactly what made me finally realize this - I think it's because I hardly travel anymore and being at home makes me realize all the clutter we have everywhere. I look around every day and it drives me crazy how cluttered everything is. Granted we do need more living space, 5 people and 2 big dogs in a 1000 square foot 6 room house is a bit cozy no matter how much stuff you have. But still, even if we had 3000 square feet, we have to much unnecessary stuff.
I have also come to realize that I don't need all the material bullshit I have .... don't get me wrong I love my Coach bags, but it's time to depart with MANY of them and about 1/2 the clothes I have. I am setting a GOAL that between now and the end of the year I will go through each room in the house - including the basement and my storage unit (that I have had since I moved in with Justin full of furniture from my old house) and CLEAN OUT! I am not purchasing anything NEW until I have done this.
If anyone is in need on anything, let me know - I probably have it! I am going to take some stuff to a reseller because it's good stuff that I could get some money back for and some I am going to donate. If anyone knows an organization that could benefit or needs anything specific let me know.
GOING LEAN!!
J~
Monday, August 26, 2013
The Fall Routine Begins!
Today is a day I love and hate .... the first day of school! I love it because it means I have the morning to myself till Justin gets home for lunch. It also gives me a since of normal and makes me get back into a routine.
The canfield fair is this week which we all love ... but that means I have to really watch what I eat this week and make sure to get my workouts in (which I am already behind on this morning, ugh) because I can not resist fair food!!
I hate it because it means the end of summer. Every spring I have all these good intentions and thoughts of what summer is going to be like then school starts and I think to myself "OMG it went so fast and I didn't do x,y or z"! It seems the older I get the faster it goes. Does everyone feel that way or is it just me?
I also need to come up with a better morning routine. The next two weeks are not bad, but once Cloe and Blake start school it's going to be a little more difficult. Elijah has to be at school around 7:30 - we leave the house by 7:20 a.m. - and the little ones do not start until 8:30 - Cloe will go MWF and Blake will go TTH. It's such a pain to get them up and ready before taking Elijah, but if I don't then I have to come back home, unload them, get them fed and ready and back out the door in about 30 minutes (i need 30 minutes drive time back home from the high school then to their school) ... they don't start for two weeks so it's easy now, I can load them up in their PJ's and drop them off at the sitters after I drop Elijah off at school.
Any suggestions on morning routines or easy, quick and HEALTHY breakfast ideas?
Hope everyone is doing well. Here is a picture of the kids from our vacation last week. It was nice to get a way and watch the kids have fun and giggle. I can't believe how fast they are all growing up.
J~
The canfield fair is this week which we all love ... but that means I have to really watch what I eat this week and make sure to get my workouts in (which I am already behind on this morning, ugh) because I can not resist fair food!!
I hate it because it means the end of summer. Every spring I have all these good intentions and thoughts of what summer is going to be like then school starts and I think to myself "OMG it went so fast and I didn't do x,y or z"! It seems the older I get the faster it goes. Does everyone feel that way or is it just me?
I also need to come up with a better morning routine. The next two weeks are not bad, but once Cloe and Blake start school it's going to be a little more difficult. Elijah has to be at school around 7:30 - we leave the house by 7:20 a.m. - and the little ones do not start until 8:30 - Cloe will go MWF and Blake will go TTH. It's such a pain to get them up and ready before taking Elijah, but if I don't then I have to come back home, unload them, get them fed and ready and back out the door in about 30 minutes (i need 30 minutes drive time back home from the high school then to their school) ... they don't start for two weeks so it's easy now, I can load them up in their PJ's and drop them off at the sitters after I drop Elijah off at school.
Any suggestions on morning routines or easy, quick and HEALTHY breakfast ideas?
Hope everyone is doing well. Here is a picture of the kids from our vacation last week. It was nice to get a way and watch the kids have fun and giggle. I can't believe how fast they are all growing up.
J~
Monday, July 22, 2013
I forgot Leah ...
I would NEVE forget Leah .... I hit publish too soon.... Hey girl, we need to get together too. Let me know your schedule ( I have no idea what you are up to these days) and we'll see if we can get together.
If you are still running ... maybe we could plan a 5k for the fall (once I get to that point).
Miss you!
If you are still running ... maybe we could plan a 5k for the fall (once I get to that point).
Miss you!
It's been TOO long ....
1. Since I posted anything
2. Since I saw my friends
3. Since I slept (REALLY) slept
4. Since I could check off a GOAL as ACHIEVED!
5. Since I just RELAXED!
SO, with that said:
1. Here is a new posted - and I'm on a roll today and feeling FANTASTIC! Although I went back to bed when Justin left this morning, I have laundry going - I unloaded and ran the dishwasher (it's ready to be unloaded and loaded up again (I swear between laundry and dishes, wth!! ha) - I made the kids pancakes (which were terrible because they came from a water only mix, yuck - will NEVER buy those again then took the kids to the sitter - stopped at the health food store - the farm market & the grocery store (yes I'm suppose to be working but my motivation to work on Monday mornings is something I need to work on). When I'm finished with this post I am going to go for my run (week 2 of "Cough to 5K".... I completed all three workouts last week and if I am successful this week I am going to buy a new pair of running shoes). Then I am going to have lunch with Justin and do some work this afternoon. I already have dinner planned for the week so I am all set.
2. OK - honestly I know we are all spread out but it's terrible that I can't see my friends more than once a year (Marla we are getting worse instead of better). So, here goes:
Jeannie & Hannah - i saw you guys on the street in Salem ... you guys look GREAT!
Angie - Cloe would like to have a play date with Aubry so I thought if Amanda was still off, you and I could take a day off and plan a day with the little ones. I would love to see Brayden and Cloe, Aubry and Blake could play. Maybe we could go swimming at your moms or mine. I'm going to send you and Amanda a message on FB so let me know if we can make this work.
Lauren - I can't wait to hang out at the sales meeting. Can we stop at the outlets and have lunch like we did a couple years ago on the drive from Boston to Maine? We can discuss next year plans during our drive :-)
Marla - I'm sending you an e-mail after this with dates I can get together. I agree, we both need a get together WITHOUT kids.
Demetria - I can't remember how far you live from San Diego but I am going to be there in October. If it's at all possible, let's get together for dinner or coffee.
Tammy - I'm such a jerk I have not sent you a thank you for the GREAT Picture Frame! I LOVE IT... I put our wedding picture in it and have it in the living room. That was SO thoughtful of you.
Anyone else reading this blog that I have not talked to in FOREVER ..... please reach out!
3. Not sure about this one but I am going to try new supplements from the health food store for pain and other issues to see if that helps at all. I am also starting a new sleep hygiene routine to see if that helps.
4. It's time to focus on my goals! I'm setting smaller more realistic ones that has "rewards" when achieved. I have a couple with BIG rewards but they are more long time goals.
5. I'm taking Wednesday off and we are going to Idlewild with the kids and my parents. Not that it will be relaxing, I'm not even taking my work phone. I am going to start a new night routine to get the kids ready for fall and in that routine (and my sleep hygiene routine) there is time at night for ME to just relax and read .... Reading more is a big goal of mine.
Sorry for the long blog - I am in a funny mood today and I hope it continues.
Happy thoughts to a good week everyone!
J~
2. Since I saw my friends
3. Since I slept (REALLY) slept
4. Since I could check off a GOAL as ACHIEVED!
5. Since I just RELAXED!
SO, with that said:
1. Here is a new posted - and I'm on a roll today and feeling FANTASTIC! Although I went back to bed when Justin left this morning, I have laundry going - I unloaded and ran the dishwasher (it's ready to be unloaded and loaded up again (I swear between laundry and dishes, wth!! ha) - I made the kids pancakes (which were terrible because they came from a water only mix, yuck - will NEVER buy those again then took the kids to the sitter - stopped at the health food store - the farm market & the grocery store (yes I'm suppose to be working but my motivation to work on Monday mornings is something I need to work on). When I'm finished with this post I am going to go for my run (week 2 of "Cough to 5K".... I completed all three workouts last week and if I am successful this week I am going to buy a new pair of running shoes). Then I am going to have lunch with Justin and do some work this afternoon. I already have dinner planned for the week so I am all set.
2. OK - honestly I know we are all spread out but it's terrible that I can't see my friends more than once a year (Marla we are getting worse instead of better). So, here goes:
Jeannie & Hannah - i saw you guys on the street in Salem ... you guys look GREAT!
Angie - Cloe would like to have a play date with Aubry so I thought if Amanda was still off, you and I could take a day off and plan a day with the little ones. I would love to see Brayden and Cloe, Aubry and Blake could play. Maybe we could go swimming at your moms or mine. I'm going to send you and Amanda a message on FB so let me know if we can make this work.
Lauren - I can't wait to hang out at the sales meeting. Can we stop at the outlets and have lunch like we did a couple years ago on the drive from Boston to Maine? We can discuss next year plans during our drive :-)
Marla - I'm sending you an e-mail after this with dates I can get together. I agree, we both need a get together WITHOUT kids.
Demetria - I can't remember how far you live from San Diego but I am going to be there in October. If it's at all possible, let's get together for dinner or coffee.
Tammy - I'm such a jerk I have not sent you a thank you for the GREAT Picture Frame! I LOVE IT... I put our wedding picture in it and have it in the living room. That was SO thoughtful of you.
Anyone else reading this blog that I have not talked to in FOREVER ..... please reach out!
3. Not sure about this one but I am going to try new supplements from the health food store for pain and other issues to see if that helps at all. I am also starting a new sleep hygiene routine to see if that helps.
4. It's time to focus on my goals! I'm setting smaller more realistic ones that has "rewards" when achieved. I have a couple with BIG rewards but they are more long time goals.
5. I'm taking Wednesday off and we are going to Idlewild with the kids and my parents. Not that it will be relaxing, I'm not even taking my work phone. I am going to start a new night routine to get the kids ready for fall and in that routine (and my sleep hygiene routine) there is time at night for ME to just relax and read .... Reading more is a big goal of mine.
Sorry for the long blog - I am in a funny mood today and I hope it continues.
Happy thoughts to a good week everyone!
J~
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