September Meal Planning

Well, it looks like we are going to try this "No Spending September" challenge for September 4-30. I went into heavy-duty organization mode because I realized I needed to figure out what I have and what I will need to get us through the month without buying anything and without going out to eat. This is going to be hard. Specifically, we have one day every two weeks that is going to be hairy: school, karate, girl scouts, dance, and finally home at 6:45. This day is going to have to be a well-planned crockpot day.

There are also two nights when I won't be at home. Going to have to set it up for success for DH so that he can slap something together easily (I am thinking pre-packaged by me or store-bought frozen lasagna or something).

At any rate, here is the list of dinners I came up with. Some of these have not been tested on my family yet, so I only planned for making them once. If they are a hit, I will plan to make them again in the future.

• Homemade Pizza (2 nights)
• Spaghetti (3 nights)
• Chili and cornbread
• Mexican Chicken with rice (Slow cooker meal from The Gracious Pantry)
• Burritos/Nachos (2 nights - meatless)
• Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole (Slow cooker meal from The Crockin' Girls)
• Pork Chops, sweet potatoes, and rice or vegetable (2 nights)
• Breakfast for dinner: Pancakes and fruit or eggs and bacon (2 nights)
• Turkey Legs and Sweet Potatoes (Slow cooker meal from The Crockin' Girls)
• Slow Cooker Beef Curry over Rice (Slow cooker meal from The Skinny Ms.)
• Scalloped Potatoes and Ham (freezer crockpot meal)
• Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli and Turkey Ham
• Cowboy Casserole
• Poppyseed Chicken with Rice and other vegetable
• Chicken Tortilla Soup in Slow Cooker
• Jambalaya in Slow Cooker
• Frozen Lasagna (2 nights - Trader Joe's Roasted Vegetable Lasagna is so good!)
• Chicken Tikka Masala (premade sauce in jar) over brown rice and broccoli; Chicken nuggets and french fries for the kids.
• Meatball Sandwiches

I tried for as much variety as possible while still trying to utilize some similar staple ingredients (i.e. chicken breasts, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, rice, etc). I also tried to do quite a few crockpot meals so that I didn't have to do alot of prep. One of the meals is something I can assemble and put in the freezer, and then I just throw it in the crockpot in the morning and let it cook all day from frozen! Super easy.

Some of these meals are clean eating, and some are most decidedly not. But they are all made at home with all the ingredients I already have, plus some. I will end up with quite an extensive shopping list, but it will last us all month.

I also have quite a list of things for lunches and breakfast too. And don't forget snacks.

I will most likely be making about 3-4 trips to stores to get everything. I will end up at Costco, Vons, and Trader Joe's, and then maybe Walmart. I would like to try to use some coupons, but I am not sure what I will have available for the items I want to purchase.

What I really need to do now is make little strips of paper with the meals written on them. That way I can sit with the kids on Sundays and plan out our meals for the week. If I can make it through this month, I may do monthly meal planning every month!

Hope this helps you...Good luck!
--Katie

September Spending Challenge

I am currently considering a curb on all spending for the month of September. What does that mean, you ask? Well, that means that there will be no spending on anything but bills. That means no grocery spending, no entertainment spending (so only free stuff), no going out to eat, no going to Target...it means eating through the food we already have on hand and being creative about entertainment. If any extra, unexpected money comes in, then we are free to spend it (although the saver in me would probably feel guilty for doing that!).

I have until September 3 to get everything in order and stock up on any staples. So really it is going to be September 4-30, not the entire month.

I am tempted to try just to see if I can do it. But I can't do it myself. So I will first be pondering this notion with input from DH. If we both don't agree to it, then I can't expect DH to not spend. That just isn't reasonable to expect. If we do agree to try it out, then we can hold each other accountable. And then there is convincing the kids.

Is this something you think you could do? I have considered designating one day a week that we don't spend any money...but a whole month? I am not sure. I would need to spend the next week making sure I have everything I need to last the month. I have a feeling I do.

--Katie

Product Review: Pilot Frixion Pens

I don't know about you, but I HATE erasable pens. I think they are silly. I don't like the way they write. So I was skeptical when I saw that Pilot had an erasable gel ink pen.

I LOVE gel ink pens. They are awesome. But erasable gel ink? I had seen the Pilot Frixion pens on quilting websites - they are heat sensitive, so the quilting community has embraced them as another alternative for marking fabric that can be removed with heat (i.e. ironing).

So a couple weeks ago there was a good deal at Staples on these pens and I took advantage. I tried them out and loved the writing! It was nice and smooth, although a little bit light. The "eraser" on the end of the pen worked so nicely.

I was showing the pen to DH and my FIL and explaining how popular the pen seemed to be and how it was being offered in quilting stores online...and DH wondered if the writing would disappear if a paper was left in the car. He had a point: our temps are still hovering around 108 degrees and that means that the inside of the car is even hotter than that. I started to get worried since I had been using the pen for my planner (thought it would be a good use for it in case I needed to change appointment dates or things like that). What would happen if I left my planner, which contains pretty important information and reminders for upcoming appointments and meetings, in the car?!

Well, I got the answer this week. I had made a list for shopping at Target and left it in the car with my coupons so I would be prepared to go whenever I had a chance. After only a couple of hours in the car, the list was completely gone. :-( Needless to say, I spent last night erasing the gel pen writing from my planner and replacing it with good old pencil.

I still love the Gel Frixion pens. But I will be reserving their use for marking fabric. Keep that in mind if you also picked up the pens...I probably would have fainted if I opened my planner to find that all of my meeting times had been erased!!!!

Hope this helps you...
--Katie

"First day of school" Eve...

'Twas the night before school, and everyone was excited. The house had been cleaned and mom was delighted. The backpacks were hung by the front door so neat, with mom hoping that habit might repeat.

Pencils are sharpened, clothes are laid out, soon we'll discover what second grade is all about.

A chore list has been written, with duties for all; a room that is clean will please mom most of all.

Mom hopes that we will begin the year with good habits; but the toys and the clutter seem to multiply like rabbits.

While we know it will be hard work to organize; we are going to remain calm and keep our eye on the prize.

Best wishes for a happy, well-organized, and productive school year!
--Katie

Overnight oatmeal

One of the "fads" that LOTS of people repin on Pinterest is Overnight Oatmeal. This is not a new thing; europeans have been eating this type of breakfast for quite some time. There are plenty of places to find recipes for this american version of the breakfast so I won't bore you with that here. I will, however, give my review! I was interested in this type of oatmeal since it is soooo hot here, but I love to have oatmeal. It is nice and filling and easy to make.

I tried making two "flavors" of this overnight breakfast cereal this week. The basic ingredients are rolled oats, milk, yogurt (regular or greek), and chia seeds. Chia...you know, Chia Pets? That kind of chia. Apparently these seeds are native to Mexico and Guatemala and are in the Mint family. They have long been a staple grain in Central American foods. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and contain complete proteins. So, you know, typical health food.

You combine these ingredients with sweetener, spice, and fruit in a jar and let it sit overnight. I have noticed several recipes that include storing things in jars in the refrigerator including salads in a jar and overnight oats. It makes sense - the lid makes a nice seal and the glass is reusable. Also, with overnight oats, you put it in the jar, put the lid on, and shake. All mixed up!

I tried the Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal and a variation of Peach Melba. I used regular plain nonfat yogurt because it is what I had in the refrigerator and I need to use what I have. I have also seen recipes that REQUIRE the use of greek yogurt, but I used regular yogurt with no problem. The Apple Cinnamon oatmeal was good, but sour. I, like many of you too I am sure, am so used to the oversweetened flavored yogurt that plain yogurt seems so sour. I did add honey per the recipe, but I definitely need to add a little bit more. As far as I know, the chia seeds didn't make the flavor weird or anything...not sure if I even tasted them!

The Peach Melba flavor (I used strawberry preserves instead of raspberry preserves) was pretty good! Our nectarines were way cheap last week ($1 a pound at Sprouts - I got a bunch and froze some slices for later) so I used those instead of peaches. I added a little more honey to my bowl when I ate the oatmeal. That time it wasn't so sour. ;-)

So my verdict is: YES! Good recipe. Will be moving that recipe from my "Recipes to Try" board to my "Recipes I Love" board.   

Let us know here if you have tried it. Which flavors are your favorite?
--Katie

Update: forgot to tell you costs! You can get bulk bin rolled oats for 99 cents a pound at Sprouts (has to be rolled oats and not quick oats). Get jars at Walmart and use any extra for gifts at Christmas (about $7-9 for 12 jars). Chia was expensive: $5.99 per pound. But you don't need very much. Hope that helps!

Organization!

I don't feel like I am well-organized. I don't have a "central command center" or even a space that could be converted to that. I am envious of anyone who has these. Pinterest makes it seems that EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE is meticulous about keeping their bills in one place, having the kids hang up their backpacks and jackets neatly, having the kids set out their clothes the night before...I would love to see these places when the system falls apart and the kids are running around crazy at 8:15 trying to find their left shoe to match the right one and mom is screaming "Where are my keys?" (Does this only happen to me?!?!?)

So I am trying my hardest to get organized and find places for everything. One thing that needed to be tackled was the kids' schoolwork. I had a couple bags, a box...but I knew there was stuff in there that I didn't really *need* to keep and I didn't want to have things tucked all over the house. So I found this GREAT idea on Pinterest: It is a file box with each child's papers. Each file folder in the box has that year's school picture and a label that says who it is, the year, and the teacher he or she had! I immediately got started. This time of year is actually a good time to do this since lots of school and office supplies are on sale. It also forced me to really pick the best things from their school year papers and put them in the file. So now I have two neat boxes waiting to be filled with their school artwork and papers all the way through 12th grade. You can find all the instructions and templates at http://www.dandee-designs.com/2011/09/organizing-childrens-school-papers.html.

After looking at the new Ikea catalog, I also realized I really am not making good use of space. I could really use more shelves and containers for storage. I have found lots of ways to make your own pretty storage boxes. There are TONS of these on Pinterest. You can turn giant diaper boxes into nice-looking open storage with some pretty fabric. You can make fabric covers to put over those plastic crates that are great for storage but may not fit with your decor. (Disclaimer: I have not yet tried these things...so they may or may not work.) There are also links to directions for tons of do-it-yourself shelving and furniture that isn't too expensive. I would love to have an entry table where I could keep everything instead of depositing my keys in random places, creating the 8:15 conundrum.

But these things will have to wait for now...working on furniture in the garage when it is still 105 degrees outside is just not my (or DH's) cup of tea. ;-)

In the meantime I will make do with what I have and organize what I can...

--Katie

Overnight Bread

Another great thing that Pinterest has: TONS and TONS of recipes. You have to be careful, though: people find recipes online, they pin them, they get passed around Pinterest...all without testing them. I have made some things that just were not popular with my family (see http://cvcoupons.blogspot.com/2012/01/verdict-on-crock-pot-mac-and-cheese.html). So I created two boards on Pinterest: "Recipes to Try" and "Recipes I Love."

I moved two pins to my "Recipes I Love" board this week. One of them is "Overnight Bread" found at http://simplysogood.blogspot.com/2010/03/crusty-bread.html. This actually is super easy and super tasty. Mine have not turned out looking quite as perfect as the pictures on the blog (see right), but they still taste pretty darn good. I haven't even tried the flavors suggested yet, but I would like to try them in anticipation of the holidays...the Cranberry and Orange Zest sounds like a really yummy holiday snack. I have done a combination of white and wheat flours and not changed the water content and it still turns out really great.

I also tried Mini Apple Pies that can be found at http://www.littlebitfunky.com/2011/10/what-i-made-for-monday.html. These little treats are yummy, although I am going to try some further experimentation. I am a big fan of crumble top apple pies (I am one of those weird people who doesn't like pie crust) and I would like to try that on top. Also DH suggested that putting a drizzle of caramel in the bottom of each little pie crust before adding the apples might jazz them up too. I envision serving these at a Christmas open house or on Thanksgiving when you want pie, cookies, AND ice cream. ;-)

I'll let you know how that apple pie experimentation goes...in the meantime, I will be trying Overnight Oats. Stay tuned.

Good luck to you!
--Katie

More details about cleaning supplies

Today I tried making shower cleaner. The recipe is simple: equal parts vinegar and Dawn. Again with the Dawn! This stuff is apparently made of pixie dust and other magical ingredients because I have to say I have never seen my tub so clean with such minimal effort.

I mixed together the ingredients (I didn't make a whole lot because I was skeptical) in a spray bottle, sprayed it on the tub and let it sit for about 10 minutes. As soon as I had sprayed it on the surfaces I kicked myself for not taking a "before" picture. We have one of those tubs that has the built-in anti-slip surface along the entire bottom of the tub. I have always just resigned myself to the fact that I would never be able to get that surface very clean and it would just always be a little bit dirty.

I am happy to say that I was able to get it *almost* completely clean! I have previously used scrubbing bubbles, kaboom, automatic shower cleaner, tilex...I stopped short of applying hydrochloric acid but I was tempted since nothing was working. However, this worked. Dawn and vinegar. No burning noses from caustic fumes. No worrying about what kind of damage it was going to do if I got it on my hands. You have to try this.

I also wanted to mention that if you like to have fresh scents when you clean your house, consider making these cleaning solutions and adding essential oils. Essential oils can be found at natural markets like Sprouts and Whole Foods. I actually wouldn't be surprised to find it in the chain stores since aromatherapy is popular for alternative cold treatments and other conditions.

In fact, when I was cleaning out our bathroom I found an unopened bottle of Tea Tree Oil in DH's drawer! He had purchased it on recommendation of his doctor for treating some dry scalp. Tea Tree Oil is a natural antiseptic and can be used in cleaning products for this purpose.

Lavender oil is also another one that is very nice for cleaning products. Lavender is a natural stress-reducer/relaxing scent. If you are just too stressful, add some of this to your cleaning solutions and relax! :-)

Essential oils can be a little expensive unless you coincidentally find some on clearance. But, they will last you a long time - a little bit goes a long way.

Good luck to you!
--Katie

So many cool things to post, so little time!

 

I am in crazy organization mode! I have become re-addicted to reacquainted with www.Pinterest.com. This awesome website is such a great resource for ideas that I didn't even know I needed! Great organization ideas, great DIY home decor, great crafts for me and the kids, great ideas for recipes, great sewing ideas...I am totally jazzed and MOTIVATED to do all sorts of things.

So I will be posting about some of the things I have done, some ideas I am planning to implement, and some for the future along with links. You have to be "invited" to Pinterest...I think this was an initial attempt to keep enrollment low, but I doubt it has worked. ;-) You can always email me if you are unable to find someone to invite you.

One of the first things I found while spending too much some time browsing Pinterest was oodles and oodles of cleaning solution recipes using basic natural ingredients. I have always felt like vinegar and baking soda did as good a job or a better job than many of the cleaning products I bought in the store. And using these ingredients makes me feel better than exposing my family to unknown chemicals.

So, I will talk about these great websites here!

There are several ingredients that are common to many of these cleaning solutions and that you should seek out if you want to make your own cleaners:

• Baking Soda: I was able to find some at Target on sale, 4 lbs. for $1.83. It shows that the normal price is only $2.16. I usually buy those little boxes and they are in my pantry for a while, but since I knew I would be using it for lots of different things (including cleaning AND baking), I got two of these large boxes.
• Washing Soda: this is a little more difficult to find, but I finally found some (although there was only one box on the shelf) at Walmart. It can also be found on Amazon.com.
• Borax: Again, a little more difficult to find, but I saw it at Target and at Walmart. This is a natural salt that has been used FOREVER as a cleaning agent. LOTS of uses for this.
• Dawn Dishwashing soap: I have discovered that Dawn is AWESOME. Can be used for all sorts of cleaning. Keep an eye out for coupons in the P&G Saver coupon book that comes out every month and you can get a bottle of this soap for $1 or less!
• Vinegar: Easy to find anywhere...buy in bulk and get the store brand to save even more money.
• Ammonia: see "vinegar." ;-)
• Spray bottles: I got great big ones at the 99 Cent Store for...99 cents. :-)

I recently put together a dishwashing machine detergent for my mother-in-law. She had been complaining that she was getting white calcium deposits on her glasses from the hard water we have. So I found a recipe for a detergent at http://simplydesigning.blogspot.com/2011/05/hard-water-stains-dishwasher-detergent.html. My MIL gave it two thumbs up. ;-)

I also just today tried making my own clothes stain remover. I found the recipe for that, along with several others, at http://www.picklee.com/2012/04/13/10-remarkable-diy-cleaning-solutions/#.T4jsfdXnHQI/ . It looks like you could probably click on the graphic and print it out to post it up on your laundry room wall or door. The stain remover definitely worked! (Side note: the stains I was removing were due to store-brand sunscreen...will not be buying that again!)

I will be putting together several other cleaners and some homemade laundry detergent in the coming weeks, too. I unfortunately have forgotten exactly what I paid for everything (except the baking soda since the price is on a clearance tag) but I worked it out and the laundry detergent will cost me about 2 cents per load. About the cheapest I can buy ready-to-use laundry detergent in the store equates to 12 cents per load. A little extra effort on one day to make the detergent ends up saving us a bunch of money! Hope this post helps you save some too.

Good luck to you!
--Katie