Schedule

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Thankful for a fun time with my parents and brothers family last weekend.  The weekend went by quickly, but we packed in a lot of fun.  We celebrated the girls birthday, played games, read books, went on adventures, ate good food, and so much more.  Grateful for my parents and their willingness to come visit so they can spend time with our family.  The girls were thrilled to have some time with their grandparents.  Quality time together means so much to kids and memories are precious treasures during their growing up years!   Here are my goals for this week:

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Ashleigh’s Dream (Thoroughbred Series #5) by Joanna Campbell to the kids – didn’t read as much of the chapter book with all the extra activities this past week
    2. Plan one special activity with the family – spent several days with Grandparents and Brother’s family, even made a trip to downtown Greenville
    3. Play a Game with the Kids – played a couple old and new games with the kids this week!  Grandpa Russell taught them a simple version of 7 up & 7 down.  Grandpa & Grandma played their new “Herd Your Houses” game with them!
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events – some preparation items were put on hold briefly while  my parents were visiting
    5. Spend time Monday – Thursday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Plan a Fun Birthday Activity for the Kids – had a birthday party Friday night with Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Lee, Aunt Becky, and the boys!
    9. Confirm my parents plans and activities for their upcoming visit
    10. Celebrate Valentine’s Day – glad to spend time with my parents, we packed a lot of fun into the day!
    11. Spend Extra Time with Extended Family – we split out time with our house and my brother’s house so it was nice to have some time together.  The kids enjoyed a lot of extra play time together too.

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day – didn’t keep up with it a couple days this past week and pretty sure I was low a couple days
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – took more than 1 day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer – working through some of the items that need used
    4. Clean House (Focus – Overall House Cleaning) – it wasn’t completely done, but thankful for Jake and the girls pitching in to help.  It wasn’t perfect, but nobody seemed to mind.
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Game Closet) – got it cleaned out!
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Yard Clean Up) – we got some things cleaned up than had another wind storm over the weekend now have more branches and other items blown into the yard that need to be picked up now
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Salt Block for Goats) – we have a mineral bucket for them

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention – have some extra “catch-up” work to do this week
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car – working on it
    2. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, medical, and other debt) – working on it, made a small extra payment on it last week
    3. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    4. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went to more than 1 store and went over budget this week (really need to work on this one)
    5. Sale Items no longer using or do not need on Facebook / Craigslist / Ebay – sold a couple items which we applied towards an extra payment on our debt

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Ashleigh’s Dream (Thoroughbred Series #5) by Joanna Campbell to the kids
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Plan a Fun Birthday Activity for the Kids
    9. Celebrate Kid’s Birthday

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer
    4. Clean House (Focus – Laundry Room)
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Linens Cabinet)
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Pick Up Down Sticks)
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Hay for Goats)

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car
    2. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, medical, and other debt)
    3. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    4. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
    5. Sale Items no longer using or do not need on Facebook / Craigslist / Ebay

    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.

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    Last week flew by so quickly and we are now entering the middle of February.  I am excited about some of the fun events coming up this week.  My parents will be coming to visit us in SC for a few days.  The kids are thrilled and I have to kick into gear to get my house picked up before our guests arrive.  Also, this week is special because we are celebrating Valentine’s Day which is a great time to demonstrate our love to those around us.   Here are my goals for this week:

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Wonder’s Victory by Joanna Campbell to the kids
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids – we did it different this week, we split up in pairs to play games one-on-one with the kids (Jake played Chess with Karlie and I played Trouble with Brina)
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Plan a Fun Birthday Activity for the Kids – working on it
    9. Confirm my parents plans for their upcoming visit

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer – still going through the various items
    4. Clean House (Focus – Dining Room)
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Game Closet) – isn’t quite finished yet
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Clean Kids Outdoor Toy Storage Containers)
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up More Dog Food)

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car – working on it
    2. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, medical, and other debt)- working on it, made a small extra payment this week
    3. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    4. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went to more than 1 store
    5. Sale Items no longer using or do not need on Facebook / Craigslist / Ebay – sold a couple items and used the money to make an extra payment on our debt

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Ashleigh’s Dream (Thoroughbred Series #5) by Joanna Campbell to the kids
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Plan a Fun Birthday Activity for the Kids
    9. Confirm my parents plans and activities for their upcoming visit
    10. Celebrate Valentine’s Day
    11. Spend Extra Time with Extended Family

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer
    4. Clean House (Focus – Overall House Cleaning)
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Game Closet)
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Yard Clean Up)
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up Salt Block for Goats)

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car
    2. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, medical, and other debt)
    3. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    4. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
    5. Sale Items no longer using or do not need on Facebook / Craigslist / Ebay

    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.

  • What’s for Breakfast: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    Breakfast Treat the First Day of Summer Break for Brina and Karlie Strawberry and Bananas

    Here is what our breakfast menu looks like this week (the items in parenthesis are examples of the extra items we will add and change from week to week):

    • Monday – English Muffins (Egg)
    • Tuesday – Toast (Cottage Cheese)
    • Wednesday – Cereal (Spinach & Strawberry Smoothie)
    • Thursday – Pancakes, Poptarts, or Oatmeal (Sausage)
    • Friday – Bagel (Yogurt)
    • Saturday – Family Brunch (a lot of times we make Saturday breakfast together and it is whatever sounds good that morning or a new dish we want to try out.  It is not always planned in advance and could be an egg or breakfast casserole, omelets, hashbrowns, waffles, pancakes, etc… this is our big family meal of the day since Saturdays are often spent with extended family, friends, or doing other afternoon and evening activities)  Since we make more complicated breakfasts on Saturdays it is usually between 8 to 10 before we sit down to eat therefore they have become our Family Brunch.
    • Sunday – Make Your Own Breakfast (everyone makes their own breakfast before church which is usually something easy like cereal, toast, poptarts, oatmeal, smoothie, etc….)

    We are pretty consistent with our week day breakfast menu.  For each day of the work and school week Monday to Friday we have the same main menu item from week to week the only thing that changes is the “extra item” we add each day such as an egg, sausage, fresh fruit, cottage cheese, bacon, smoothies, or other items that we have in the kitchen.  During the school week the girls always have their main breakfast, at least one side (usually fruit, sausage, egg, etc…), vitamins, milk (one has non-dairy milk due to allergies), and small glass of juice.  When I am ambitious, awake, and my creative juices are flowing I will add a little extra silliness to make breakfast more enjoyable for the kids.

    We first started doing a different main breakfast item everyday a few years ago because I have one child who if she eats the same thing too many times in a row she stops eating.  Adding a little variety from day to day was enough to keep her motivated to eat breakfast.  It wasn’t until several months later when the girls pointed it out that I realized that we do the same main item on the same day every week.  “Mom, Tuesday is Toast Day…..”  So now it has become our rotating breakfast menu which helps keep us on track because we know exactly what we need to prepare for the next breakfast.  Plus the girls are sometimes still waking up when they come to breakfast and the morning menu helps them figure out the day of the week as well as prepares them for the upcoming activities they have that day.

    There are times I will mix it up (just for fun) or Jake will get up first and make breakfast!  The girls don’t hesitate to let him know if he makes a main food item on the wrong day….ha!  Our breakfasts are not fancy, but it gets us up and started for the day.  What do you make for your family breakfasts?

  • Intentional Living: Weekly Goals

    It was a full week.  We’ve all been fighting a cold so that made it seem even crazier since we were tired.  There were several nights when various family members crashed early.  Thankfully, we are all on the mend and back to our normal selves now.  We are looking forward to being back to our normal schedule again too.  Here are my goals for this week:

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Where the Red Fern Grows to the kids – we were all in tears at the end of the story, but the kids loved it
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids – we spent extra time catching up on sleep, trying to get better from the lingering colds, and other activities this past week
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Plan a Fun Birthday Activity for the Kids
    9. Confirm my parents plans for their upcoming visit – their plans got altered slightly due to an unexpected death of a friend so we are hoping they will be able to come at a later time this month

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – I spread it out over a couple of days again this week
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer – working our way through the goodies
    4. Clean House (Focus – Master Bedroom & Master Bathroom) – made progress, got our new bed set up
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Kitchen)
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Leaves) – it somehow manages to rain about the time we are ready to do the leaves
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Refill All Pet Containers)

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car – working on it
    2. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, medical, and other debt) – working on it
    3. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    4. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went to more than one store this week

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Wonder’s Victory by Joanna Campbell to the kids
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Plan a Fun Birthday Activity for the Kids
    9. Confirm my parents plans for their upcoming visit

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer
    4. Clean House (Focus – Dining Room)
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Game Closet)
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Clean Kids Outdoor Toy Storage Containers)
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Pick Up More Dog Food)

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car
    2. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, medical, and other debt)
    3. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    4. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
    5. Sale Items no longer using or do not need on Facebook / Craigslist / Ebay

    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.

  • Free Ebooks: Camping & Cooking, Creating Your Own Will & Power of Attorney, Mason Jar Prepper’s Pantry, Self Defense Guide For Beginners, How To Frugality Is Not Being Cheap, 64 DIY Natural Beauty Recipes, Frugal Living Secrets, and more!

    The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading).  The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.

    Download a free copy of Camping and Cooking Beyond S’mores – Outdoors Cooking Guide and Cookbook for Beginner Campers by Beth McRoberts

    Download a free copy of Guidance On Creating Your Own Will & Power of Attorney – Legal Self Help Guide by Sanket Mistry

    Download a free copy of Mason Jar Prepper’s Pantry – How To Use Mason Jars to Store Meals & Prepare for Emergency Situations by Timothy S. Morris

    Download a free copy of Self Defense – The Self Defense Guide For Beginners – The Most Effective Tips and Tricks You Need To Know For Self Defense And Stay Secure Anywhere by Life-Style

    Download a free copy of How To – Frugality Is Not Being Cheap – How Small Tweaks Create Massive Changes by Nikko Villa

    Download a free copy of 64 DIY Natural Beauty Recipes – How To Make Amazing Homemade Skin Care Recipes, Essential Oils, Body Care Products, and More by Jane Moore

    Download a free copy of Frugal Living Secrets – Spend Less and Get More Through Frugality by Catherine Gregory

    Download a free copy of Eucalyptus Essential Oil – Uses, Studies, Benefits, Applications, & Recipes – Wellness Research Series by George Shepherd

    Download a free copy of Grow Fruit Indoors – The Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Indoors – Urban Gardening – Homesteading Survival – Grow Fruit – Square Foot Gardening – Mini Farming by Alex Gardner

  • First Lego League: Robotics STEM Competition – Solar SySTEM!

    P1350021c

    Very excited!  Their team won a 1st place Trophy and a Gold Ticket to the SC State Robotics Competition!

    The girls Solar SySTEM Lego Robotics STEM Club team went to the regional competitions this past weekend!  It was a long and busy Saturday day.  We left the house before sun up so we could be in Seneca by 7:20 am and didn’t get home until after 6 pm that night.  The girls team had several rounds at the competition.  They were scored in multiple areas and did well!

    Three rounds of their robot completing tasks on the map which they scored pretty high on.  Another part of the competition was their core values which is their team spirit and how they interact with the other teams.  They have to give a presentation on this piece as well in front of the judges.  Another piece of the competition was their research, project, and presentation which the kids presented in front of the judges on their own.  They won the first place trophy in this category (on their research, project, and presentation).

    The work is done by the students from the logo design, research, development, presentations, and so much more!  The team worked so well together and put in a lot of hours working on their research, development, robotics, and project. They do the majority of their work in front of the judges with no coaches or parents in the room (we can’t even watch, but thankfully they had it video taped).  The only piece the parents and coaches can watch is the one when they do their robotic map missions otherwise they are on their own once in the room and in front of the judges.

    The team pick a solar system theme.  They named their team the Solar SySTEM and the catch phrase is “Stay in Orbit”!  The research project they decided to do was to build a computer game that would help kids learn more about the solar system.  They named their robot, SpaceBot!

    It was a super busy and long day for the kids, but they were awesome.  There were 21 teams competing that day so it was a real honor to win a trophy and get the opportunity to move forward.  Their hard work really paid off with the trophy and qualifying for the SC Competition!  WooHoo!  Very proud of the girls and their team!

    P1340915c

    Playing a hangman game before competition starts!

    P1340928c

    Karlie all smiles after the first robotic map round when they scored all 100 points!

    P1340938c

    Their robot going through the tasks on the map!

    P1340949c

    Brina hanging up their spirit posters.

    P1120494c

    Their team going through the tasks on the robot map!

    P1120516c

    Watching carefully to make sure the robot goes through all its tasks!

    P1340980c

    Gathering some of the props for their presentation!

    P1340981c

    Karlie ready to go speak!

    P1340985c

    Coming back after their presentation!  They rocked it and got the 1st place trophy!!!

    P1120547c

    Getting their trophy!

    P1120554c

    Karlie with Mrs. Johnson one of their coaches who also teaches STEM Lab and her GT class!

    P1120573c

    Solar SySTEM team and coaches!  They did AWESOME!!!

  • What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    https://blessingsmultiplied.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/09/4088699532_ae44f04b7dc.jpg

    Thankfully, the girls get an extra day at home this week with the Martin Luther King Jr.   Yay!  The kids always enjoy an extra long weekend and they earned it with a full Saturday at STEM competition.  This week will be packed with a lot of school, work, and other activities.  Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Pork Entree):  Lasagna, Garlic Bread
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook):  Beef Burritos, Fresh Vegetables
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Chicken Pot Pie, Lettuce Salad
    • Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree):  Baked Tilapia, Steamed Vegetables
    • 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

  • Free Ebooks: How to Manage Your Money, Fast Pressure Cooker Recipes, How to Change Your Life, Achieve Success, Goal Setting, and more

    The price to download these books is currently $0.00 (although the price may change at any time, please confirm prior to downloading).  The ebooks are specifically for Kindles, however, you can click here and download the free application that allows you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.

    Download a free copy of How to Manage Your Money – Quick & Simple Money Management Strategies for All Ages – Build Wealth and Retire Rich In Today’s Economy by Vincent Santiago

    Download a free copy of Fast Pressure Cooker Recipes – Are You Busy? – 65 Fast and Easy Pressure Cooking Ideas to Prepare Scrumptious Meals in No Time!  by Annette Goodman

    Download a free copy of How to Change Your Life in the Next 15 Minutes by Rahul Badami

    Download a free copy of Achieve Success – How To Become Successful And Achieve Your Goals by Rudy Branch

    Download a free copy of Dream, Plan, Achieve! The Blueprint For Your best Year Yet by Ana Vito

    Download a free copy of Goal Setting – 7 Ultimate Secrets to Achieving Any Goal Quickly – Goal Setting and Success by Sam Davis

    Download a free copy of How to Use Your Creative Imagination by Roy Eugene Davis

    Download a free copy of Things Mother Used to Make – A Collection of Old Time Recipes – Some Nearly 100 Years Old and Never Published Before by Lydia Maria Gurney

     

  • What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan

    https://blessingsmultiplied.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/09/4088699532_ae44f04b7dc.jpg

    We are getting back into the school routine again and are running full throttle!  The house was too quiet with the kids at school so I was thankful for a very busy week with a full schedule.  This week will be another busy one.   Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

    Our Weekly Menu Plan

    • Monday (Beef or Pork Entree):  Shepherd’s Pie, Lettuce Salad
    • Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook):  Hotdogs, Fresh Fruit
    • Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree):  Orange Crockpot Chicken, Garlic Bread
    • Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree):  Poor Man’s Pasta, Steamed Vegetables
    • 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

    It was a super crazy week with the girls back in school, Jake back on normal work schedule, and my days packed.  I was able to accomplish some activities and make progress last week, but need to pick up pace this week.  I have a lot of projects that need attention around the house.  When the kids were home for Christmas break I spent the time with them so some of my items got put on the back burner.  Here are my goals for this week:

    Last week’s goals

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Where the Red Fern Grows to the kids – making progress, but there was a lot of homework last week and weekend events took priority
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids – played Jake’s new game Dakato
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. Dr. Appointments for Kids

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – need to decide which plans I am doing this year
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – did it over the whole weekend since we had guests for the weekend
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Do at least one “Make 1 & Freeze 1″ Meal Prep (make a main dish to eat that day and one to freeze for later) – trying to eat through the items already in the freezer
    4. Clean House (Focus – House Cleaned Up After Christmas Decorations are Put Away)
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Christmas Items Back in the Attic)
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Blow Leaves) – working on it
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Skipper a Bath) – didn’t get it done this week

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car – working on it
    2. Sale Some Items No Longer Using on Facebook / Craigslist – sold a few items!
    3. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, and other debt) – working on it
    4. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    5. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went to more than one store

    My goals for the upcoming week

    Family Goals

    1. Finish reading Where the Red Fern Grows to the kids
    2. Plan one special activity with the family
    3. Play a Game with the Kids
    4. Prepare for Upcoming Winter Events
    5. Spend time Monday – Friday helping the kids with Homework
    6. Attend After School Activities
    7. Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
    8. STEM Competition

    Personal Goals

    1. Drink 8 glasses of water each day
    2. Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
    3. Go to my  Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week

    Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals

    1. All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
    2. Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
    3. Use up food items in our pantry and freezer
    4. Clean House (Focus – Basement)
    5. Organize Chaos (Focus – Pantry)
    6. Yard Cleanup (Focus – Clean Up Old Storage Shed)
    7. Pet Care (Focus – Find a New Location for Skipper’s Doghouse)

    Business Goals

    1. Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
    2. Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
    3. Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
    4. Work completed for clients

    Ministry Goals

    1. Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch

    Financial Goals

    1. Payoff the Car
    2. Sale Some Items No Longer Using on Facebook / Craigslist
    3. Payoff Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, and other debt)
    4. Pay Bills & File Paperwork
    5. Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget

    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.