Menu Planning Monday

We are doing great on the menu planning front! I am really sticking to our two-week menu, even though I really wanted to go out for Mexican on Friday (we stuck to having our own tacos instead). I have to go to the store today to pick up a few things because since I had not shopped for lunches for me in a while, I am short on some stuff (yogurt, coffee creamer, etc). Here is the menu for this week!

Sunday: Chicken paprikash (we were supposed to have this yesterday but I had no chicken broth so we had sausage and peppers yesterday instead)
Monday: Chicken enchiladas (made last week and frozen); J and I have book club
Tuesday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup (C is in charge!); Weight Watcher meeting for me
Wednesday: Sloppy joes and fries (kids and C have karate and I have our tax appointment)
Thursday: Pork roast, some kind of starch, green beans
Friday: Pizza night with the kids

Adventures at Babysitter's

Mama went back to work a week and a half ago.

I agree, kiddo. It is kinda yucky. But overall, it has been going well.

This is Logan on his way to the sitter's house for the first time:

Bundled up at 6:30 AM and ready to go!
I get up at 5 AM. Sometimes Logan is ready to eat, other times he would rather sleep a little longer. So I either A)feed him or B)get myself ready and wake him up at 6 AM to eat. Whichever case, we are packed and out the door by 6:40 AM.

I have found the key is to be prepared and pack the night before. This include the diaper bag, my lunch and my book bag. I put everything either in the car or the by the back door (except my lunch, obviously) and it is ready to go. I also bought a can of formula, diapers and bottles for my sitter to keep so I don't have to worry about packing them and making them.

We get home from work and usually he is asleep, so I take him right to his room to nap and most of the time he will sleep for an hour or so. During this time, I get dinner prepped, wash bottles, eat a snack, relax for a bit. Logan eats again at 5ish, and for some reason, becomes super crank-tastic between 6 and 7 PM. Around 7:30 PM, we start his bedtime routine with a bottle at 9 PM and then in bed right after.


Things are working out well and C and I have a great system worked out with nighttime feedings. Little Man is still getting up once and so far, C has been the one to take it because it takes me FOREVER to go back to sleep. I think being in a routine is good for all of us, including the little guy! And I spend all day waiting to come home and get some snuggles in!

Organizing Paperwork

I am participating in both OrgJunkie's 52 Weeks of Organizing and IHeart Organizing's Monthly Challenges. This month's challenge was PAPERWORK so that is what I decided to do for my 52 Week entry.

I suck at paperwork. I have piles ALL over the house. Seriously. It is ridiculous.

First I went through all my piles of papers and separated them:

This is our TO SHRED pile. Yikes.
This system is a work in progress. But I set things up in to file folders in a file box:
And this sits on our counter. It has my binder with my grocery list (courtesy of OrgJunkie!), a file labeled TO PAY, one TO FILE and one for the girls' papers for school. I can easily stash it in a cabinet when we have guests over. It also has my coupon book and my receipt holder (using Jen's labels!) . I can sit down every weekend and go through it all, pay bills and file away papers.
On our fridge I have a calendar and everything is color-coded for the family. I am purple, C is orange (Go Browns), J is pink, A is lime green, and Logan is blue.
I purchased a new coupon holder and got everything together. Must have coffee to do this on Sunday mornings. I cut out the coupons and make my menu and grocery list for two weeks. I end up picking up a few things each week (produce, milk, lunch meat) but I HATE grocery shopping every week.


I am really making an effort to track our spending this month and cut back on purchases. Thanks Jen for leading the charge on this!

I am participating in...

It helps me keep on track with all the organizing and cleaning that goes by the wayside nowadays. Interested? Stop by A Bowl Full of Lemons to sign up!

Missing Out

Three weeks ago, I got a random smile from Logan. I was so excited that I almost peed my pants (not really). Then, nothing for a few weeks, aside from the random sleepy/gas-induced grin.

On Saturday, while my 16-year old cousin (and Logan's godmother) was over, he gave her a huge, real smile.

I almost cried because he wasn't smiling at me.

Sunday morning, C got up with Mr. Man and while I was still in bed, he sent me a text saying "We have a smiley baby today." Again, I was upset because it WAS.NOT.ME. Later that day, while Logan was swinging in his Little Lamb swing, he looked at me and grinned. It melted my heart.

Yesterday, when I picked Logan up from his babysitter's (who is also a very close family friend), I told her that Logan was smiling and she said that he had been doing it all day and she KNEW it wasn't just gas. Then today when I picked him up, she said he was doing almost a silent laugh while on his play mat.

And for the first time, I really wish I was home during the day.

Thus far, going back to work has not been too difficult. I have mentioned that I prefer schedules and routine, so going back to work has been really good for both myself and the little guy in that aspect. But when we get home from school, he is usually asleep for a few hours and then eats dinner and I swear, every night, after his 5 PM feeding and between 6 and 7, he is super fussy. Then bath/book time and time to eat and go to bed. I feel like I hardly see him. And for the first time, I wish I was home during the day. I think the fact that I am overtired is making this even worse and I am becoming more emotional.

Tell me, working moms, how the hell do you make it through?

Menu Planning Monday

Another week...and my first full week back at school. It will be interesting to see how things go, considering last week was midterms and my schedule was out of whack. I did lots of meal prep today and put some things in the freezer for the coming two weeks, so I am hoping I made things easier on myself. Link up at OrgJunkie!

Here is this week's menu:
Sunday: Potato and leek soup
Monday: Turkey BLTs and baked fries
Tuesday: Shepherd's Pie
Wednesday: Unstuffed pepper soup
Thursday: Pork roast with roasted carrots and potatoes
Friday: Family night! Tacos and board games!
Saturday: Chicken paprikash

Embrace the Camera: January 20th

After we came home from our day at school and the babysitter's, I tried to put Logan on the floor for some tummy time. I was attempting an odd-angled self-portrait of the two of us. I think he is smirking at the camera.
I love my little man.

Back to Work

Today was my first day back at work.

I will admit it. As much as I knew I was going to miss being home with my little man, a small part of me was glad to get back into a routine. Being Type A, I love having a schedule as I have previously discussed, and I felt so out of whack being stuck at home with no schedule in sight. C insisted it would be good for me to get out of the house because I have been feeling particularly stir-crazy lately.

I was up at 5 AM to feed the little guy (who did not want to get up) and we were out the door by 6:30 AM. We got to his babysitter's (a close family friend)a little before 7 and surprisingly, I did not cry. I hope this doesn't make me a bad mama.

This is midterm week and that means our kids have shortened days and I only had one class today to take their test. After lunch, one of my friends brought in a cake and several staff members stopped in to bring me a giftcard and a few other gifts. They were so generous and the Target card will definitely come in handy. This made the day go by even faster!

I got to L's house to pick up Logan and he was wide awake and getting fussy. He dozed off on the way home but refused to fall asleep ALL AFTERNOON. His sleepy time seems to be right around 7 PM, so I think bathtime will need to be at 7 so he doesn't fall asleep, lol.

Overall, it was not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. I was so glad to come home and snuggle with Logan, but I did not have as emotional a day as I thought I would have. And honestly, it makes my evenings with him even more special.

How green are we? Part Two

Let's talk about cleaning. Cleaning the GREEN WAY, if you will.
When it comes to cleaning supplies, I seem to have brand loyalty. And if it isn't this brand, it does not work (at least in my mind. That brand? Clorox.

And I am having a hard time letting go of my cleaning supplies. I do not understand how VINEGAR, LEMON JUICE, and WATER can GET RID OF THE GERMS and DISINFECT!? I will admit, I am a tad OCD about germs and to me, I need to SMELL the cleaning supplies to know the room is actually CLEAN!! I have posted before about my kitchen cleaning supplies and not much has changed. I still use:



but yet CAN'T LET GO OF:
I know that the wipes are not environmentally friendly at all, but in a pinch and for a quick clean-up, they are perfect for the bathroom and kitchen. We have them in both baths and under the sink.

Another cleaning supply not environmentally friendly?

The smell of bleach is strong and probably horrible for you, but dang, does it get my grout clean

And my best, most favoritest thing ever?

source

I puffy heart my Wet Jet. In fact, I dedicated an entire post to my discovery of the Wet Jet. I also love the regular Swiffer pads and we also use the one that extends so that I can get to the cobwebby corners and such.

So tell me, how did you give up your cleaning supplies and move on to "greener pastures?" I need some assistance in letting go!

Menu Planning Monday

Last week's menu changed dramatically, lol. But, sometimes you just can't help but deviate from plans. But, we only ate out once and that was because, honestly, I fell asleep on the couch. So, this week's menu has some repeat performers from the week before because I never got around to making them.

Sunday: Baptism in afternoon and probably a late dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup when we come home
Monday: Chicken pot pie soup (never made it last week)
Tuesday: Salsa chicken, cilantro lime rice, corn
Wednesday: Unstuffed pepper soup (never made it from last week)
Thursday: Baked ziti and salad (from freezer stockpile)
Friday: I might be scrapbooking and C will be taking the girls to meet their mom
Saturday: Brother's birthday

What is on your menu this week? Visit OrgJunkie to join in the menu-planning fun!

How green are we? Part One

Source

I will admit it. We are not the most economically-friendly family. I feel like I try, but then I reflect on it and it really is a half-hearted attempt. This year, one of my resolutions was to become more "green" and to implement more eco-friendly methods into our family.

I am a huge fan of the cloth grocery bags and use them for EVERYTHING around the house. They are perfect for toting things to and from people's houses as well as to and from school (when I have an extra large amount of papers/projects to grade). But then when I go to the actual STORE, I forget them at home. Jen, who writes my NEW FAVORITEST BLOG, IHeart Organizing, stores her bags in this container and then pops the container right in her car! Incidentally, these containers with the green lids are my favorite Rubbermaid containers. They match my kitchen.

Source

We actually use the plastic grocery bags for cleaning kitty litter, so it is at least getting another use out of it without being thrown out!

We are also starting to recycle. We have lived in our house for almost two years and I finally searched out the recycling program in our city. They have recently changed it and made it more "user-friendly" by not forcing residents to separate by type of material and are now picking up once a week as opposed to every other week. I am really excited to finally start doing this because every time I throw out a milk jug, I feel extreme guilt.

So, how green are you? Do you recycle? How have you resolved to live greener this year? Stay tuned as we discuss green cleaning later this week!

52 Weeks of Organizing

One of my favorite websites is I am an Organizing Junkie. I link up on Mondays for her Menu Planning Monday, which really helps me create a grocery list and stick to it. I use her grocery list and the girls use her chore lists. She offers lots of printables to help you get your life organized and together.This year, she is doing a 52 Weeks of Organizing and even created a PDF file list for you to write down what you will be organizing each week. Every Friday she will post a link-up party for you to share what you have accomplished that week. I am obviously a week behind, but am super excited to get my list together and participate!

Where will YOU start for the 52 weeks of organizing? Guess where I am started? In our master bedroom closet:
Yikes. I have lots of shoes.

Since becoming pregnant last MARCH, it has become our dumping ground/hiding space when company comes over. Now, since I am going back to work, I actually needed to be able to GET TO MY WORK CLOTHES, lol.

Here is the final product! Actually, it is not 100% done, but we can see our floor now. I will post more photos when I finish, but I still have some organizing to do of my clothes and shoes and some purging to do. Right now, it is just nice to be able to WALK into the WALK-IN CLOSET!
Next on the agenda? Paperwork!

Logan: One Month

(yes, this is a few days late. Whoops!)

This pictures cracks me up, so I had to put it in. We were NOT happy about the paparazzi-style pictures this day, lol.



Oh, little man! I can't believe you have been an outside baby for an entire month! Seriously, where has the time gone?

Every day, I fall more and more in love with you. You are doing new things all the time and it amazes me how much you have changed since the day you were born! It breaks my heart knowing that I will be going back to work in a few weeks, but I know that Daddy and I have chosen the best person to be in charge of you on a daily basis, so that is definitely a comfort. There are many times when I don't want to put you down because I relish the time we are spending together, one-on-one.

What has happened during your first month of life:

You have had more visitors than I can count. Your grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousin Maranda love you to pieces. They can't get enough of you and look for reasons to come visit.

For the first two and a half weeks, you slept in the pack and play in our room. Daddy and I decided that you did not like being in there with us and that we were disturbing YOUR sleep, so we moved you to your crib. It was an adjustment, but you sleep in there every night now.

You hate, hate, HATE bath time. I hope this changes soon, because you scream bloody murder while in the bath. And try to eat my hand while I am washing you off.

You also strongly dislike most diaper changes. You seem to be getting better with them and might be hating them LESS, but you definitely don't like getting changed.

You are still in your newborn clothes, but they are getting smaller. Your footed jammies are almost too small and so are your onesies.

You are a formula-fed baby and are now eating 4-6 ounces at a feeding. During the day, you eat 4, but at night, you easily eat 5-6. When you are hungry, you try and eat your hands. Or shirtsleeves. It is hilarious and you make the funniest snorting noises.

Sleep-wise, you are not sleeping through the night yet, but I am hoping that is coming before I go back to work. You typically go down for the night around 11 PM and will sleep until anywhere between 2 AM and 3 AM. Either Daddy or I give you a bottle, and you are back asleep until 6-7 AM. After your first morning feeding, sometimes you go back to sleep and sometimes you feel it is necessary to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for the day. For the most part, you go back to sleep until 9 or 10. You will nap for a few hours throughout the day, but you seem to not like to have a set napping schedule.

You don't like tummy-time, but we are working on it. But you have been holding your head up and looking around since you were born! You love to look around when you are being burped.

Where you go, Ozzie goes. He thinks you are his pup and is always trying to protect you.

You gained 1 and a half lbs. in TWO WEEKS!!

And I SWEAR, today you social-smiled at me when I was changing your diaper. It had nothing to do with pooping/farting/falling asleep. It was a real smile. I swear.

Logan, we love you more than anything. I can't wait to see what this month brings!

Menu Planning Monday

Ah, another week. And like many people during the New Year, this family is resolving to start eating healthier and being more active. This is especially important for me, since I will be running around after a little boy before I know it! I am really going to work hard to create a healthier menu and stick to it. We are finishing up what is in our freezer (so some of it may NOT be the healthiest) and I am going to make it a priority to get some sort of physical activity daily.

Without further ado, here is this week's menu!

Monday: Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Tuesday: Tacos (and back to Weight Watchers for me!)
Wednesday: Unstuffed Pepper Soup
Thursday: Heading to my in-laws' for dinner
Friday: Family Pizza and Movie night!
Saturday: Chicken Paprikash
Sunday: Baptism for my friend's son (I am the godmother!)

What is on YOUR menu this week? Do you have any resolutions for the new year? For more menu ideas and to link up, visit OrgJunkie's site!