More On Meal Planning

In order to make my life a little easier when meal planning, I assign a certain theme to each day. This really helps!!!
Sunday- Italian Night
Monday- Meatless Monday
Tuesday- Mexican
Wednesday- Beef
Thursday- Chicken
Friday- Leftovers
Saturday- Something new

Here are the links to some of the recipes I am using in the next two weeks.

Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie over Biscuits

http://coersfamily.com/2013/02/17/chicken-pot-pie-in-the-crock-pot/
Stuffed Shells (meat and Cheese), Garlic Knots
http://thisweekfordinner.com/2013/07/17/garlic-knots/
Grilled
Enchilada Casserole
http://mixandmatchmama.blogspot.com/2013/10/dinner-tonight-easy-enchilada-casserole.html
Chili Macaroni
http://mixandmatchmama.blogspot.com/2012/10/dinner-tonight-chili-mac.html
Chili Stuffed Peppers
http://www.michelleshealthybites.com/2013/02/chili-stuffed-peppers.html
I am really excited for the next couple of weeks and all of these tasty recipes!

My Meal Planning Method

I have a new method for meal planning I am really excited about. This hangs on the wall in my kitchen so that we always know what is for dinner. I do mine for two weeks at a time because that is how I try to grocery shop.
To make this great board you just take a picture frame (mine was 12x12) and put any kind of scrapbook paper behind the glass that you like. I first wrote on the scrapbook paper the days of the week so they would always be there. Once you assemble your picture frame just take a dry erase marker and fill in your meal planning. I have been doing this for a few weeks and it makes my life easier.
Once I decide what I want to eat for the two weeks I use this grocery list below for marking off each ingredient I need to get at the grocery store. Some things, like fresh veggies, I will have to get in the middle, but I try to shop only every 2 weeks as much as I can.
You can get this printable from Organized Home Life. If you like them on facebook you get to download it for free! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/OrganizingHomelife?fref=ts
This has become such a great way to meal plan for me and I hope you try it as well!
Tomorrow I will post some links to the recipes I will be using.

Day at the Dentist!

Today the boys had their first dentist appointments at the dentist here in Cheyenne. Owen did a great job and talked the technicians ear off about anything and everything (typical Owen style)

Grey did a great job as well. This was his first dental appointment. He was  very cooperative and charmed all the ladies with his smile. Here he is waiting to start. 

 I was a little worried because Owen kept talking about how nervous he was to be going, but everyone did great and are cavity free!!! :) 

Brothers

I love sweet moments when Owen and Grey decide to snuggle. G comes up a lot to hug the dog and John and I, but on the rare occasion he snuggles Owen I really treasure it! 

The boys are getting to the age that they are fighting more and more. I guess I have about 15 more years of this to look forward to. Oh well, i love being a mom to my boys! 

And here is a bonus photo of Greyson, i love his cute little smile! 

Learning to Quilt

 I am so excited because I am learning to quilt! My friend Annie is teaching me. I am currently working on a table runner for Spring!

Isn't this fabric absolutely beautiful?!?!? 

This is after i started sewing. 

And this is how far I have gotten. I sewed my strips together, then cut them in a different way. I will soon line them up and REALLY being the work.

I am so excited to have a new hobby to work on in my "free time" something that is just for me!!!

I already have plans to convert my guest room into a really good sewing space! 

Nail Biting

I have always been a crazy nail biter. Since I was a small child I can remember biting my nails. Well the other day, Saturday February 8, 2014 I stopped biting my nails cold turkey. I am typing this out so that I have accountability. I got some pretty mauve nail polish which deters me from biting and I am hoping this works!

I am always so embarrassed when people look at my nails that I bite down to the nubber. I always have bit my nails when I am anxious or even just bored. I have stopped biting a few times throughout the years but have only lasted a month or so each time- then something stressful has come up and I have stopped. So I am telling myself and the blog world that this is it!!!! I'm going to continue not to bite and I know it will make me much happier!

I hope I can continue this! I would love to eventually have nails that look like this...


FINGERS CROSSED! 

Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day John. This has been such an emotionally taxing year, but with you by my side it has been amazing. We have been married for 7.5 years now, and it has not always been easy with moves (6 in 7 years) changes in military things, having two sons (who are just perfect) but we have gotten through it all together.

My prayer for us, for the future is : 

Lord, help us to remember when 

we first met

and the strong love that grew between us. 

To work that love 

into practical things

so nothing can 

divide us. 

I ask for words both kind and loving 

and hears always ready to ask 

forgiveness

as well as forgive. 

Dear Lord we put our marriage

in YOUR hands! 

And John, just so you know

 

Love your wife who is so proud of you each day and so blessed to call you my husband! 

And thank you for the beautiful flowers!!! They are the prettiest ones I have ever seen!!! 

5 year Journal

For about a year and a half I have been doing a fun thing called a 5 year journal.



I have not been great about using it each day, but the purpose is to jot down your thoughts to questions each day for 5 years, and then it is fun to go back and read your responses as the years go by. For example, today it asked "how did you get to work today. So just small questions to trigger you to think. Some of the questions are light like that one, and some are deeper.

Now that I have had it for a bit I am starting to do my questions for the 2nd time and I am already enjoying seeing my answers from last year. I have a feeling mine is going to be more like a 7 year journal because of skipped days- but that makes it even MORE fun. So much can change in just a few years!

I have always wanted to keep a GREAT journal, and I have gotten better at long journaling lately, but this is fun to write just a few sentences each day.

Anyway, just wanted to share a product I really like!



Disclaimer- I am in no way compensated for this post- I just love the product! 

Grey needs a little surgery

My little Grey needs a little surgery. Nothing major. His circumcision has just began to grow back so they need to put him under for about 5 minutes to fix it. I feel so bad for him though. We have been trying for a few months to use cream to pull it back so surgery would not be necessary but it definitely is!!!

Here is Grey waiting to see the doc earlier this week...

Owen decided his job was to entertain us while we waited. He is always making me laugh!!! 

\

So while I am nervous for my Grey to have surgery, i know it is necessary so i worry less. Its like the doctor said, it will be worse on mom than on Grey!!!

Life Lately

I have done a pretty good job at posting tons of photos, but I have not really talked about out lives lately. After a few hick-ups we have settled really well into Wyoming. I am so surprised to be saying this, but I actually LOVE it here. I thought I would hate the snow and not really acclimate well  but I have.

It is no surprise to wake up to another 3 inches of snow each morning, but the town takes care of things well, it is not a big deal. If this was Virginia (my home state) things would be shut down all winter! It is also no big deal to look at the weather on my phone in the morning and it say the windchill is in the negative 20's or 30's. I had no idea how cold that was until I got here- it is COLD!!!!!!

The kids love it here. They both love playing in the snow and just watching it come down. Unfortunately a lot of the time it is just too cold to send them outside to play so we sometimes bring a bit of snow inside on a tray and they play cars in it. It is a great snowy day activity!

Speaking of the kids they are doing great. In just a couple of weeks Owen will be 5. I absolutely can not believe it! Wasn't he just a tiny little baby???? He has asked for a small construction theme birthday party. He is excited.

Grey is getting huge as well. He is now 19 months and is as active as ever. He is starting to talk by saying thankyou, please, milk, night night, etc.

We have decided we are definitely done having children so no worries of more babies here. My pregnancies are just too traumatic to deal with when I have TWO children! I am so blessed with the two that I have, so I am not upset at all. People always ask if im going to try for that girl- but honestly i have no idea what I would do with a girl. I just love my boys.

A  lot of my friends are pregnant or just had a baby so I will get  my baby fix from them!!!!

That is the update on us. Honestly I have no idea if anyone reads this blog anymore (so i would love a comment if you do) but I still enjoy documenting things so that I can go back later and remember where we were at a certain time! :)

Ski Weekend!

A few weeks ago we went skiing for the first time (well John grew up skiing but I had never been) at Keystone in Colorado. We went with out good friends Chris and Ashley and their daughter Olivia.

 

It was about a 3 hour drive so I spent some time trying to look the ski gal look!

 

The beautiful view on the way! How amazing is this?

 

Friends!

 

While John attempted to teach me to snow Ashley and Chris took Greyson to play in some fun kids areas. Owen was in ski school all day and he did GREAT!!!!

 

When it comes to ME learning to ski… well that was bad. I probably made it about 20 feet, I fell 3 times, I cried, and then I was done. But I still had fun!

 

A family pic minus Owen because he was in Ski School

We hardly ever get a photo of just John and I!

 

Owen and Olivia playing in the snow.

 

Greyson enjoying the gondola ride!

Even though I was terrible I would definitely go again, probably not to ski, but I enjoyed the lodge, playing with the kids, and just having ski town fun!!!!

Friends

We have ben so lucky to make friends so quickly here in Wyoming.

My boys just love playing with all of the great people they have met. Which means I get to spend great time with my new friends as well!

Sometimes being in the military is hard because people are constantly moving, but the friendships you make are long lasting!!!!

Joint Baby Shower

I had the pleasure of throwing two of my closest friends, Ashley and Elizabeth, a joint baby shower this weekend.

They are both having boys so we did a southern gentlemen theme.

We had yummy chick-fil-a nuggets

Homemade spinach dip

Strawberry Short Cake

And of course cupcakes!

Lots of gifts were given!

Friends with fun props!

We made sweet onsies as a craft- it was super fun!

More fun pics!

I thought the baby shower went off quite well!!! I am so thankful for good girl friends to share great moments with!