Kids

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week was a tough one in many ways.  I felt like I was being pulled in so many different directions all at the same time.  Several unexpected things came up throughout the week and this week is going to be a big one with all the extra activities going on.  I am hoping this week will still be productive even though I need to cut it back a little with everything that is going on.

    Here is the update on last weeks goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
    2. Read a book to the girls everyday
    3. Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this week
    4. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    5. Put together a Schedule / Reference Worksheet for Mom – almost done

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday – getting in a habit of staying up too late again
    3. Finish reading When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley
    4. Read and listen to the next section of  Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together). – finished the entire book

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
    4. Spend 1 hour a day de-cluttering and organizing the house

    Business Goals

    1. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
    2. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    3. Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
    4. Finish 2011 Business Taxes – still at the accountants office

    Ministry Goals

    1. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    2. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    3. Write and Email the meeting notes for our Alms & Legs Ministry Team Meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – working on it
    3. Complete our personal 2011 taxes – waiting on the business taxes to be complete
    4. Put money aside for upcoming trips – put a little aside
    5. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – have some of it done

    Here are my goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    2. Distribute the girls “I Love You” Surprises
    3. Write and mail cards
    4. Put together items for Jake
    5. Print off the Family Calendar, Event List and Information
    6. Meet the girls for lunch at school
    7. Finish reading The Secret Garden and Swiss Family Robinson to the girls

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Finish reading When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley
    3. Keep an up-to-date written & photo log all the adventures this week

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    3. House cleaned and ready for company
    4. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    3. Finish 2011 Business Taxes

    Ministry Goals

    1. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    2. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    3. Take time to talk, listen, and encourage the people I encounter this week
    4. Be a blessing to a total stranger this week

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses
    3. Complete our personal 2011 taxes
    4. Put money aside for upcoming trips
    5. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    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

  • Book: “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery

    The girls and I have been trying to spend a few extra minutes every night reading together.  They chose a book to read to me and I have been reading a “chapter book” to them.  We just finished reading the Great Illustrated Classics Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery together. The book is about a little red headed orphan girl named Anne Shirley who comes to live at Green Gables.  Anne is full of life, spirit, and has a vivid imagination.

    The book was fascinating for both of our girls.  Within the first day of starting this book we made it almost halfway.  The girls keep wanting to read just one more chapter.    I like that the Great Illustrated Classics the chapters are pretty short and they include pictures throughout the book.  I often found the girls sitting on the couch flipping through the pages of the book even before it is time for us to sit down and read together.  This is a fun book to read with the kids.

     

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    I thought maybe this week would a little calmer, but it has yet to slow down.  In between appointments I was able to make a quick stop at the grocery store.  Nothing fancy or amazing this week just picking up a few items before the next wave of crazy begins, ha!  Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Ingles and Dollar Tree

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $35.02 at Ingels for 2 loaves Bread, 1 container Cottage Cheese, 2 jars Planters Peanut Butter (on sale), 1 package Ground Beef (on clearance), 1 box Danimals Yogurt Sticks, 1 container Philadelphia Italian Cream Cheese Spread (on clearance $0.99), 1 container Strawberry Cream Cheese, 1 bag English Muffins, 1 bag fresh Oranges (on clearance for $0.99), 1 can Biscuits ( on clearance $0.50), 1 bag Blueberry Bagels. (everything was marked down, on sale, or clearance today at Ingles).

    Dollar Tree Groceries:

    • $1.00 for 1 box Toast’em Poptarts

    We were able to get a few items this week. Thankfully, I was able to make it by the store and pick up some items that we’ll need over the next couple of weeks.  Thanks for helping keep me on track even in the midst of this busy season!

    This week I spent $36.02 on groceries.  I was under on my budgeted amount for the week, yay!  I was happy to find a few items marked down on clearance.  I hope that next week we can come under budget!

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • You Never Know….What You Might Find!

    You never know what you may find in the clearance section at a store.  During a quick trip to BiLo (a local grocery store) to grab a gallon of milk I noticed these two chairs sitting up in the front of the store.  As I was speed walking past them to get the milk and I thought to myself that’s an odd place for two chairs and the second thought was those chairs are pretty cute!  While standing in line waiting to check out they caught my attention again so I got out of line, went over to them and found out they were marked down to $2 (originally priced over $20).  They were the last two chairs and the store was trying to move the final pieces of their seasonal stock.  These are the only 2 chairs I have ever bought in a grocery store but it goes to show you never know what you may find when you go out to get a gallon of milk!

    When the girls got home from school that day I had the two chairs set up in their room.  They were excited and gushing over how “cute” the chairs were.  I didn’t have to ask or tell them which chair was for who they knew instantly, that’s one of the joys of having twins with two very different personalities.  Since then the chairs have been used for reading, watching TV, playing school and many other fun activities.  Each girl has their own chair so their is no disagreements on who got the chair first or who has been sitting in it the longest…..do those types of conversations take place at your house too?!

    The chairs are big enough the girls are comfortable, but small enough they can carry them from room to room.  I love that they have so much personality with the smiling frog and cheerful ladybug!  Sometimes it is worth it to take the extra minute to glance at the clearance section, you might find a something you need or a fun treasure.  Although their favorite place to sit when we read a book together is still on our laps, which is fine with me because someday soon these precious days of them being little girls will be a thing of the past!

  • Making Apple Chips for a Tasty Snack!

    Fresh apple slices with a little bit of lemon juice and cinnamon & sugar

    When you have extra apples and want a great snack you can make apple chips.  Slice up the apples add a touch of lemon juice, sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon and sugar then place in the dehydrator.

    Dehydrated Apple Chips

    Dehydrate the apple chips until they are crispy and enjoy.  The girls love taking these to school in their lunches.  The apple chips will last much longer, we typically keep them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator.

    Apple Chips in a snack bag

  • Fresh & Healthy: Lunch Box Meals

    Lunch box meals for the kids school lunch.

    Our girls are starting to get more efficient in packing their lunches.  Yes, they are a little more generous with the peanut butter or meat on their sandwiches (but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing).  It works best for us if we pre-pack the majority of the items for the girls lunches (and any work lunches) the evening before.  After packing the next days lunches we put them into the refrigerator so we can grab them, pop in an ice pack and go the next day.

    • Ham &  Cheese Sandwich
    • Fresh Green Beans
    • Pita Chips
    • Vanilla or Peach Yogurt
    • Strawberry or Lemon Jello
    • Homemade Applesauce
    • Reduced Sugar Fruit Juice
    • Homemade Cookies

    Homemade applesauce and fresh green beans are one of the girls favorites to take to school.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    It has been a week full of fun activities and challenges mixed into one big week.  I have somewhat settled into a temporary “new normal” over the next few weeks.   Here’s to another productive week!

    Here is the update on last weeks goals:

    Family Goals

    1. Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
    2. Read a book to the girls everyday
    3. Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this week
    4. Connect with each family member at least once a day

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday – need to work on doing better
    3. Finish reading When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley – almost done with it
    4. Read and listen to the next section of  Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together).

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
    4. Spend 1 hour a day de-cluttering and organizing the house

    Business Goals

    1. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
    2. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    3. Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
    4. Finish 2011 Business Taxes – waiting on the accountant

    Ministry Goals

    1. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    2. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    3. Email Alms & Legs Ministry Team and Complete Meeting Agenda

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses – little by little
    3. Complete our personal 2011 taxes – on hold until our business taxes are complete
    4. Put money aside for upcoming trips – part of the way there
    5. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – have 1 piece completed

    Here are my goals for the upcoming week:

    Family Goals

    1. Spend 1-on-1 time with each child everyday
    2. Read a book to the girls everyday
    3. Have each girl read 1 book to myself or Jake 5 days this week
    4. Connect with each family member at least once a day
    5. Put together a Schedule / Reference Worksheet for Mom

    Personal Goals

    1. Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
    2. Go to bed by 10:30 pm or earlier Monday to Thursday
    3. Finish reading When Work and Family Collide by Andy Stanley
    4. Read and listen to the next section of  Desiring God: Finding Complete Satisfaction and Joy in God by John Piper (our church Community Group is going through this book together).

    Home Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned and written by Monday
    3. Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
    4. Spend 1 hour a day de-cluttering and organizing the house

    Business Goals

    1. Pay all bills that come in the mail this week
    2. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    3. Spend 10 minutes a day cleaning and organizing my desk
    4. Finish 2011 Business Taxes

    Ministry Goals

    1. Email our weekly Community Group update including upcoming events on the calendar, praises, and prayer requests
    2. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
    3. Write and Email the meeting notes for our Alms & Legs Ministry Team Meeting

    Financial Goals

    1. Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
    2. Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses
    3. Complete our personal 2011 taxes
    4. Put money aside for upcoming trips
    5. Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes

    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

  • Recipe: Apple Peel Confetti Crisps

    Making Apple Peel Confetti Crisps with a variety of different apples

    This past fall we went apple picking with the family, even though we have eaten all the apples from that day (we picked a bushel of apples which is approximately 40 pounds) whenever I pick up apples at the store the girls have several favorite recipes that we have tried and enjoy.   One of their absolute favorites to eat and take to school is their Apple Peel Confetti Crisps.

    It was one of those recipes that pop into my head at the last minute and turn out really well (not all of them turn out so well).  As I was peeling some of the apples to make applesauce I noticed we had quite the accumulation of apple skins.  I didn’t want all the skins to go to waste so I threw all of them into a big bowl, sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon and sugar on them, stirred and put them into the dehydrator for a few hours.  What came out were what the girls named Apple Peel Confetti Crisps, a delightful sweet and crunchy apple peel snack.

    • Apple Peels
    • Dash of lemon juice
    • Dash of Cinnamon & Sugar

    Put the apple peels into a bowl.  Stir in a little cinnamon and sugar for flavor.  Put the apple peels into the dehydrator and cook until crispy.  Remove from dehydrator and put into a ziplock bag.  If you do not have a dehydrator you can set your oven at 250 and stir occasionally (works great if it is a convection oven).

    We stored ours in the refrigerator but they should be fine at room temperature too since they are dried.  Several kids in the girls class at school wanted to know if I could pack extra Apple Peel Confetti Crisps in the girls lunches so they could have some too.  I was happy to hear the girls did share with their friends.  One little boy said it was the best apple skin he had ever tasted and the only thing he would do different is add a little more sugar, ha!  Loved that the rest of the first graders enjoyed the goodies as much as my girls.

    Start with fresh apples

    Peel the apple – Karlie taking a turn at peeling the granny smith apple

    Stir a little cinnamon & sugar in with the apple peels

    Put the apple peels in the dehydrator and let it run for 4 to 6 hours (or until the peels are crispy like the ones pictured above)

    Apple Peel Confetti Crisps ready to eat!

  • New Upromise eCoupons for March 2012

    Upromise has posted their new eCoupons for the month of March 2012. Remember to activate your eCoupons to get additional savings. If you have not yet signed up for Upromise you can get more information regarding on our experience or directly at the Upromise website.

    This month they have 26 coupons you can activate for bonus savings. Once you activate your eCoupons all you have to do is scan your rewards card or purchase the items at the store and the cash will be added to your account. You don’t even have to carry any coupons to get the rewards!

    You can go to their website for more information on the Upromise program, it’s free to join.