There Is No Happiness…
Stop ‘N Tow Game by MJ Moran
Stop ‘N Tow by MJ Moran is an interesting game that we have played several times. It requires more attention to detail and memorization but it is a lot of fun. I am cannot remember exactly where we picked up this game; it was while we were traveling several years ago. When we first got the game the girls were still too young to play well but since then they have learned how to play it and of course they always enjoy blowing the whistles! One thing I do want to mention with this game is…don’t play if you have a headache (the whistle blowing will probably be too much)! 🙂
- Colorful vehicles and road signs
- Includes 55 cards and 6 whistles
- 3 to 6 players
- Recommended for ages 8 and up
- Object of the game – to collect the most cards by memorizing the order of vehicles and being the first one to blow the whistle when certain road signs pop up
- Learning Benefits – memorization, attention to details, vehicles, signs, reading, and more!
- Whistles are dishwasher safe
This game is for a little older kids because they have to remember what each card means and recall from memory the stack of cards played before their card. After a few times of playing it the girls started really picking up on it. Since the players have their particular whistle in their mouths it is best to wash the whistles at the end of the game. Typically I wash the whistles with soap after the game and let them air dry before putting the game away. It is a super fun game, entertaining, and small (so you can take it with you on vacation).
We love games! We have found that playing games is beneficial for many reasons. It gives us quality time together as a family. The kids learn that they will not always win (which is not always an easy lesson to learn), but the game can still be fun even if you are not the victor in every game. It provides opportunities for us to talk and create memories together. Games teach and help our kids practice a variety of useful skills like following directions, reading, writing, counting, taking turns, and more.
Grape & Blueberry Fruit Smoothie
The warmer weather brings with it some great smoothies! Our family enjoys smoothies especially throughout the Spring and Summer Seasons. This is one we had recently. Most of our smoothies we make to order per person since all of us have a variety of tastes and preferences.
Grape & Blueberry Fruit Smoothie
- 1/4 cup fresh or frozen Blueberry
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen Purple and/or White Grapes
- 1 cup Milk (dairy, soy, or coconut)
- 1/4 cup Yogurt (plain or flavored)
- 1 fresh or frozen Banana (optional)
Put all the ingredients together and blend until it is smooth. Enjoy!
Travel & Vacation: Road Trip Snack Container
Have I mentioned before how much we enjoy traveling??? 🙂 We have been blessed with a number of opportunities to travel over the past few years. On a quick side note – While it is great to get away and explore new places it is always wonderful coming home.
You may have noticed one of my previous posts about these Road Trip Snack Containers here or here, but I want to encourage anyone with kids who take roads trips to try these out. These have come in very handy over the past few years at our house.
The girls are always super excited to see what I have packed in their snack containers. It helps with the “I’m Hungry” statement you hear in the middle of a road trip and it allows you to pack a little container for each kid instead of bringing the whole box of crackers or nuts or whatever it is you typically bring. Plus it gives the kids a variety of snacks to choose from, kids really do love having choices!
The girls have yet to finish an entire snack container on the trip so usually it provides snacks throughout the time you are away too. It always surprises me what they choose to eat first. I cannot count the number times that they go for the nuts or fruit over any of the sweet treats.
One Child’s Road Trip Snack Container
Items that we packed for this road trip:
- Animal Crackers
- Raisins
- Whole Cashews (without shells)
- Fruit Marshmallow Bites
- Cheesy Bugles
- Fruit by the Foot
- Peanuts
- Sweet Tarts
- Chocolate & Mint Swirl Marshmallows
- Golden Raisins
- Chocolate Covered Raisins
- Whole Peanuts (with shells)
- Fruit Chews
- Whole Pecans (without shells)
- Ritz Crackers
- Whole Pistachios (with shells)
- Organic Applesauce (in a squeeze bag)
- Flavored Peanuts
- Cheese & Peanut Butter Crackers
- 2 Packs of Flavored Fruit Drink Packs to add to their bottled water (1 Kooleaid Fruit Punch & 1Mixed Berry)
- Rainbow coated Sunflower Seeds
- Ritz Bites Peanut Butter Crackers
- Rice Krispie Treat
- 2 Million Dollar Mints
All packed and ready to close up so we can put them on the girls car seats before we go to bed!
We don’t stop a lot on road trips unless we need gas, go to the bathroom, or for a quick meal (a lot of times we’ll pack a picnic lunch to eat on the way). The kids are content to read, work on workbooks, play games, or occasionally watch a movie if it is a long road trip (our rule is that the trip needs to be 5 hours or longer before a movie is part of it).
We picked up the containers at Walmart for a couple of dollars. The stickers were at Hobby Lobby in the scrapbook section and we used a 40% coupon. We have used these Road Trip Snack Bins for several road trips with our girls and they have held up well. Once the trip is over and they have finished eating the items in the bins all you have to do is wash them and store until the next family adventure. It is a blessing to be able to travel with our family. We have created many amazing family memories on the road together.
Heart Reflections: His Perfect Timing
We read a little bit in the book of Esther with the girls recently. Esther’s words “for such a time as this” not only struck a cord in my heart but in the girls hearts as well. Have you ever thought about how you have been placed on this earth at this exact time for a specific reason? During our recent devotional with the girls they asked the question “Why did God chose for me to live today not many years ago or sometime in the future?”
What a great question, right!? One that I have actually thought about a lot over the past few years myself too. God knew us even before we were born (how cool is that)! 🙂 He chose for us to live today, during this time, and at this very moment for a special reason. The problem is often times we don’t always realize or know what that really means for us. We get so caught up in the daily obligations of life itself we forget that its the little “daily” stuff that can really have a life long impact on the lives of others. Take our kids for example…feeding their bodies, teaching their minds, and shepherding their hearts now can make a positive impact on many future generations to come. Will we mess up? Yes! That is normal, however, it is important that they know we love them, we make mistakes, and that our hearts aren’t perfect either which is why we need Jesus’ grace, love, wisdom, and forgiveness just as much as anyone else.
We have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world, starting with the people around us. Are we taking the time to share his love, kindness, mercy, goodness and grace to those people we interact with daily as well as those we may only have 1 opportunity to touch their lives? I am thankful He has allowed me to live today…to have a spouse who loves me, to have these children keep me on my toes, friends who challenge me to do better, extended family who want to be a part of my life, a blog to reach out to people I may never meet in person, and so many more amazing blessings in my life. Are our lives reflecting Him through our words, thoughts, and actions so that we have many opportunities to make a positive eternal impact? If not, what do I need to do to change?
The girls are really thinking lately. We went from Jesus to John the Baptist to (Carmel Hair Coats, Esther, Baptism, Life, Death, Salvation, Sharing the Good News, Extended Family, Heaven, Praying, what is a Pastor, Faith and maybe even a couple more thrown in there along the way…). Quite the discussions lately, but I am thankful for their desire to learn and grow. I pray that Jake and I will have wisdom we need to answer the questions in a way that will only strengthen their faith and make a positive impact on their lives and hearts. One of the best parts about reading through a variety of devotional books with them is that it really seems to initiate some good conversations.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of April 17 – 23, 2013
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meat and Seafood
Fresh Ground Beef – $1.99 lb
Bone-In-Pork Sirloin Roast – $0.99 lb
Chicken Leg Quarters – $0.64 lb
Swaggerty’s Sausage Roll (16 oz) – $2.99
*Pick 5 for $19.99 promotion on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more.
Fridge and Freezer
Save A Lot Today Milk, Whole, 2%, 1% or Skim (1 Gallon) – $2.99
Home Churned Tub Spread Margarine (45 oz) – $1.99
Fairgrounds Bologna (16 oz) – $0.99
Armour Lunchable’s – $0.99
Morning Delight Breakfast Sandwich (1 count) – $0.99
Morning Delight French Toast Sticks (10 oz) – $1.99
Morning Delight Buttermilk Biscuits (10 count) – $0.59
Morning Delight Cinnamon Rolls (8 count) – $1.89
Produce
Fresh Whole Seedless Watermelon – $4.99
Grape Tomatoes (10 oz) – $1.39
Dole Classic Iceberg Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99
Jumbo Sweet Onions – $0.79 lb
Grocery
Ginger Evans Granulated Sugar (4 pounds) – $1.99
Westcott Vegetable Oil (48 oz) – $2.99
White Lilly Self Rising Flour (5 pound) – $2.69
Cracker Jacks (3 boxes) – $1.00
Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce (28 oz) – $2.39
Kurtz Ketchup (24 oz) – $0.89
A.1. Steak Sauce (10 oz) – $2.99
Portside Chunk Light Tuna in Water (5 oz) – $0.69
So Cheesy Mac & Cheese (12 – 14 oz) – $0.39
Duke’s Mayonnaise (32 oz) – $3.29
Wylwood Canned Vegetables, Corn or Green Beans (14 – 15 oz) – $0.49
Save A Lot Today Soda (2 liters) – $0.79
Crystal 2.0 Purified Drinking Water (24 pack, 16.9 oz each) – $2.29
J Higgs Potato Chips (10 oz) – $1.49
Save A Lot Today Soda (12 pack – 12 oz cans) – $2.69
J Higgs Saltine Crackers (16 oz) – $0.99
Morning Delight Toaster Pastries (12 count) – $1.99
Betty Crocker Potatoes – $0.99
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (12 oz) – $1.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends. For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list. Please make sure to check with your local Save A Lot store, the ads do vary per region.
A Side of Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit is always a hit at our house. The girls love fruit and we try to have a variety in the fridge at all times. When there’s fruit as a side dish at dinner table we have to make sure the girls eat the rest of their meal before digging into the fruit because they love it so much.
Having a side of fresh fruit at the dinner table not only add color to the meal but a lot of great nutrition too. The best part about having a variety a fruit is everyone can pick what they like. I haven’t found a fruit that the girls didn’t like yet so they usually enjoy a little bit of each one. My favorite way to serve it is fresh washed (and sliced if needed) without anything on it. Although, we do have quite a few fruit salad recipes we enjoy too. What is your favorite fruit to serve at dinner?
Hold My Heart by Tenth Avenue North
How long must I pray
Must I pray to You
How long must I wait
Must I wait for You
How long till I see Your face
See You shining throughI’m on my knees
Begging You to notice me
I’m on my knees
Father, will You turn to meOne tear in the driving rain
One voice in a sea of pain
Could the maker of the stars
Hear the sound of my breaking heart
One life, that’s all I am
Right now I can barely stand
If You’re everything You say You are
Would You come close and hold my heartSo many questions without answers
Your promises remain
I can’t see but I’ll take my chances
To hear you call my name
To hear you call my nameWhat’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
This past weekend we got to spend some time with my parents who were in town, celebrate my nephews birthday, and spend some time with our family and two cute kids. The week is packed full of activities, it should be fun being a family of 6 for awhile too. The menu plan is especially important with everything that is going on this week. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Seafood Entree): Green Bean Tator Tot Casserole, Fruit Salad
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Homemade Pizza, Steamed Vegetables
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Calzone, Fresh Fruit
- Thursday (Pasta or Pork Entree): Roasted Pork Loin, Vegetable Bake
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or seafood entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
We are back into the normal school and work schedule again. It was great getting a chance to see my parents this past weekend and celebrate my nephews birthday. It is going to be a fun week with a couple extra kiddos around!
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Read The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder to the girls (Book 9)Read Imagination Station: Attack at the Arena by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 2)
Plan one special Activity with the FamilyPlay a board gameLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforeDaily School Activities & Homework CompletedAttend After School ActivitiesVolunteer One Day at Girls SchoolPrepare for Upcoming Visitors- Finish the girls Bookshelf
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week – didn’t stay on top of it with everything going on this week
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayContinue my YouVersion plan(s)- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read) – getting closer and taking notes along the way (has a lot of good information, some of which I have implemented and seems to be going well)
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekPay all upcoming billsWork on Spring Cleaning
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchWrite and Send Out Community Group Email
Financial Goals
- Groceries $40 for 4 – went over budget again this week as we prepared for company
- Payoff the Van – making payments
- Pay medical bills in full – making payments
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Read Imagination Station: Peril in the Palace by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker (Book 3)
- Plan one special Activity with the Family
- Play a board game
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Daily School Activities & Homework Completed
- Attend After School Activities
- Take care of, play, and enjoy extra time with the little ones staying with us this week
Personal Goals
- Exercise at least 5 days this week
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Finish reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
- Finish reading Overcoming Dyslexia by M.D. Sally Shaywitz (someone gave me this to read)
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Pay all upcoming bills
- Work on Spring Cleaning
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Write and Send Out Community Group Email
- Send out the Alms & Legs Meeting Reminder
Financial Goals
- Groceries $40 for 4
- Payoff the Van
- Pay medical bills in full
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results.
