Sneak Peak: Meal Planning Week

Next week is all about MEAL PLANNING!! Each day will feature a different aspect plus a FREE PRINTABLE as I will show you some of the things that I have found work best for us! And . . . to make things a little more FUN, I am doing a GIVEAWAY!! Next weekend is a biggie for us couponers - there will be 4 inserts in the Sunday paper and one of you lucky readers is going to win 5 sets of each of them that means you could WIN 20 COUPON INSERTS!!!

Pizza Night Friday

 Every Friday the boys and I hit up Redbox for a rental to go with our weekly pizza. Here is my recipe for Homemade Pizza Dough and for a yummy non-traditional pizza! The dough makes enough for two pies - perfect for one "grown up" pizza like this one as well as a kids' version. ;)

Smoked Sausage Alfredo White Pizza
1 lb smoked sausage diced
1 small jar Alfredo sauce
2 cups shredded cheese
1 batch Homemade Pizza Crust

Roll out 2 pizza crusts on floured pans. Bake for 10 minutes at 400. Top lightly with Alfredo sauce, cheese and sausage. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Homemade Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups yellow corn meal
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast

Make dough using the bread machine on pizza dough cycle (55 minutes). Makes 2 large pizza crusts.

Embellished Notebook

This is such a cute craft plus it is super quick and super affordable!! Often times at Back-To-School time you can find compositions notebooks for $1 or less and most if not all of the others in your craft stash! ;) How about giving one of these cutom journals as a gift to a grad, new mom, or as teacher gifts!

Supplies:
-2 sheets 12x12 scrapbook paper for outside cover
-2 sheets 12x12 scrapbook paper for inside covers
-1 composition notebook
-Ribbon
-Embellishments
-Mod Podge & hot glue

Instructions:

-Hot glue two strips of ribbon to the inside of both covers

-Cut the paper for the inner covers to fit. Then apply with Mod Podge.

-Cut the paper for the outside of the notebook to fit the height but leave both sheets 12 inches in length. Starting on the back, mod podge the first sheet of cover paper to the notebook trimming it to leave a small lip in the front. Apply the second sheet starting at the outer edge trimming the meet the edge if the first sheet.

-Use ribbon to conceal the seem where the two cover sheets meet and finish with embellishments. :)

GIFT IDEAS: graduation, pregnancy announcement, baby shower gift for mom who already has kids, teacher gift.

Late Night Jam Session

 

I have never been one to stay up late. Even as a teenager I was always in bed early and usually asleep before my head even hit the pillow. My mom would come into my room minutes after I had gone to bed with a question or a reminder every once in a while and she was always shocked at just how quickly I could fall asleep.

On one such occasion, I wasn't awoken to a knock at the door but to a full-out, knock-your-socks-off-loud jam session going on in the living room. I think I was maybe 8 or 9 but I remember going out to investigate and being completely blown away and excited at the spontaneity of the situation. I didn't care that the music wasn't my taste and she didn't care that I can't dance to save my life. It was completely uninhibited care-free fun between a mother and her child!

As moms are we intentional about creating a place where our kids can just let it all loose - be themselves - and even bend the rules from time to time?

Words to live by: "Have fun with your kids - everyone deserves to blast the radio every once in a while!!"

Embellished Gift "Baggies"

I serve as the advancement coordinator in my oldest son's Cub Scout troop and part of what I do is present awards and badges the boys have earned each month. I thought it might be fun to embellish their award baggies with some fun scrapbook paper.

I used this idea over the summer as well to gift the boys' VBS teachers with some yummy goodies as well. I love that it is so versatile and simple to do.

More ideas:
-party favors
-lunch box surprise
-new neighbor gifts
-individual portions of bath salts in a gift basket

Produce Co-op

 

For about 5 months now I have been participating in a produce co-op! Every other week I purchase about 25 pounds of fresh produce for just over $16! The first time I did it I was sceptical that for that price it would be the leftover stuff that no one else wanted or otherwise really strange fruits and veggies that my kids (and my husband) would never touch...it was the complete opposite. The items are always very fresh (even a little under ripe at times) and completely eatible things. We love it, though I am a bit concerned about standing in frigid weather this winter. So, here is your heads up --- ordering day is Monday and pickup is on Saturday. Go to the website and create an account sometime this weekend so that when your site opens you will be ready to go and won't miss out. Try it - you won't regret it! ENJOY!!

Homemade Bread

If you have never had homemade bread it is delish!!! And using a bread machine (at least for the dough) is for sure the way to go. Hensperger's "Bread Lovers Bread Machine Cookbook" is filled with great tips for making homemade bread as well as recipes that are super yummy - haven't made one yet that I didn't like. As for purchasing a bread machine I personally use the "Breadman Ultimate Plus." It is in the middle as far as price goes but I use it constantly for everything from pizza dough, bread, and even simple jams.

Simple Homemade Sandwich Bread
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1-2 Tbsp honey
3 cups flour
1 cup oats
1/2 gluten
1 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast

Place ingredients into your bread machine with the wet ingredients on the bottom as listed above. Select 1 1/2 lb loaf/white bread/medium crust/no extras. As it starts mixing wait a few minutes then add flour or water a tablespoon at a time until the dough pulls together to form a sticky ball at the center. Then, let the bread machine work its magic and enjoy your first loaf of homemade bread!! :)

Dollar Store Frame Craft

I am the creative activities coordinator for a local Teen MOPS group. Here is a super cute craft we did recently! You can use glue dots or small paper clips to attach picture and/or words if inspirations to each of the tags!!

SUPPLIES:
8x10 frame (glass removed)
1 sheet main color scrapbook paper
2 sheets coordinating scrapbook paper
Twine or ribbon
Mini clothespins
Embellishments (ribbon, paper flowers, bling, stickers)
Hot glue

DIRECTIONS:
Cut two pieces of twine or ribbon that are about 1 inch longer than the frames inside border. Hot glue each side to the back of the frames inside border to create a suspended line to hang your tags from.

Cut the main paper to fit the frame. Place on frame behind the twine and replace the back.

Cut several tags and hang from the line with the mini clothespins. Finish with cute embellishment.

Finally crop photos to fit on the tags and attach with small paper clips.

Homemade Laundry Detergent and Fabric Softener

Time:
15-20 minutes prep
24 hour cooling time for the detergent

Liquid Detergent:
1/2 bar Fels-laundry soap
1/2 cup Borax
3/4 cup Washing Soda (not baking soda)
3 empty gallon milk jugs
Funnel (or top half of a soda bottle)

-Using a cheese grater, shred the Fels-Naptha. Save 1/2 for your next batch. In a large stock pot melt the remaining 1/2 bar of shredded soap with 3 cups water over medium high heat. Add the Borax and Washing Soda, stirring until well mixed. Put 2 cups into each of 3 clean gallon jugs. Add HOT water to 2/3 to 3/4 full. Shake. Remove lids and let sit for 24 hours to thicken. Contents may seperate, shake before each use.
-TO USE IN LAUNDRY: Use 1/8-1/4 cup per load. Good for HE washers and front loaders as well.

Fabric softener:
1 cup Suave Conditioner
2 cups white vinegar
1-2 empty container(s)

Combine conditioner and Vinegar with 3 cups HOT water. Shake well.
-TO USE IN LAUNDRY: Use 2-3 Tbsp per load diluted with water where you would normally place the fabric softener.
-NOTE: Use 1/2-1 cup straight white vinegar for towels to help with mildew smell and to help maintain absorbency.

Bringing the "Note Fairy" back to life

When I was little my mom and I would pass a little notepad back and forth each day. She would write me reminders and draw silly pictures to make me smile. One of the things I miss about her the most and want my kids to remember about me too.

Words To Live By: "Don't get so caught up in all the small stuff that you miss out on all the small stuff."