Menu Plan Monday

I've GOT to get back to planning my menus each week!  I've been doing it here and there, but, not on a consistent basis and, boy, have I realized what a time saver it really is!!  So, here's to me trying to get back to it.  It's not too exciting this week, but, hey, it's a PLAN!

For Hundreds of other ideas, check out I'm an Organizing Junkie

Monday:  Rib Eye Steaks, Baked Potatoes, Salad

Tuesday:  Brats, Homemade French Fries, Smoothies

Wednesday:  Spaghetti with Homemade Meatballs, Salad, Homemade French Bread

Thursday:  Soup (some sort of soup I have in the freezer), Buttery Rolls (from the freezer)

Friday:  Homemade Pizza (I use THIS crust recipe), Root Beer Floats  

Here's to sticking to the Plan!

Frugal Container Ideas

***This is a post I wrote BEFORE I decided to take a break from this blog, so, it's 9 months old, but, ready to be posted!***

As I took a look at the kids' art closet, I sighed, looked away, and almost just closed the doors right away.  

BUT.  I didn't. 

I took a deep, close look at the chaos going on in there and decided to fix it.   But, boy, what a disorganized mess it was!!  I realized that the main problem was that, we didn't have enough containers to put items in.  For instance, all the glue and tape was in multiple places;  the markers overflowed in the container we had, therefore, spilling out everywhere;  the paints and glitter did not have a container and a true home, the "little" things were in multiple bins and hard to find, etc, etc, etc.  It really was:  CHAOS.

I scoured around the house for bins and did find a few, but, fell short of the exact amount I needed.  That's when I started to get a little creative

I looked around the house at what I ALREADY HAVE  (and/or, what I was going to recycle!) and made some super frugal art containers!!

Here's a few things I found around the house, that I re-purposed, to use as storage containers in the kids' art closet:

1.  Red Vines Licorice Container  (and yes, I'm sure I ate most of the contents inside.  Not all in one sitting, though.)

• I made this into a sort-of art project for the kids.  Every morning after breakfast we do an "activity" and this was a fun one for them!  I let them do whatever they wanted to do, and this is what it looked like:

2.  Plastic Milk Container

• This was super EASY-PEASY.  Grab a pair of scissors, poke a hole where you want to start the cutting, and cut away!  Once I cut off the top, I washed the bottom half, and, we used this to store pieces of fabric, felt and ribbon

 3.  Egg Carton

•  This worked well to house a lot of our little things!  

4.  Sour Cream/Yogurt/Cottage Cheese Containers

• These worked great for Pens, Markers, Scissors, and Glue Sticks.  If I were really motivated, I would decorate the outside with paper and Modge Podge, but, this'll do for now!!  :-)

Other ideas not shown:

• Glass jars---These work well, because you can see-through them to see their contents
• Coffee Tins
• Baby Food Jars (Great for the itsy-bitsy stuff!)
• Envelopes--Just write on the front the contents that are inside
• Yogurt containers

The possibilities are endless!!

What?! She's back????

Yes, my friends.  It's true.  Or is it???  Maybe??  Maybe not.

For today, IT IS!!!

For some reason, I rolled out of bed, got my coffee, sat down at the computer and felt an overwhelming urge to write a blog post.  THIS is what I have been waiting for!!!  I have taken a lot of time off (9 months, to be exact!), and have really spent time evaluating my life, my priorities, my family, and my time.  It has been a terrific 9 months in many aspects and a not-so-terrific 9 months in other aspects.  We all have our ups and downs, right?!  But, all in all, it has been a great time for me to learn more about myself without the worry/hassle/stress/grief/pressure of writing this blog.  Why did I feel all those things?  I didn't know then, but I do now.  Someday I might share with you my findings.

But, for now, I have realized that I am ME.  Just imperfect ME.  (I know, amazing insight, right?!)  I don't have to write this blog for anyone else, I don't have to conform to anyone else's ideas of what this blog should or should not be about.  I don't have to write anything for days or weeks if I don't want to! I will make this MY OWN and if people read it---awesome.  If they don't---awesome.  

I am not the most eloquent writer, nor do I strive to be.  Again, I want to be ME.  That sounds super cheesy, I know, but I feel, that, a lot of times we just struggle with just being ourselves and not conforming to what other people think or say or tell us we should be.  I want to continue thinking outside of the box, writing my feelings and thoughts on "controversial" topics, share with you about my life, my family, my kids and everything else in between!!

I may write once a day, once a week, once a month, or once a year!!!  At this point, I am so OK with letting this blog be what it will be.  I hope that maybe you will check back every now and then and join me, once again, on this journey!

Blessings to you all!!!