Here is how I lost an hour last night

So I was SUPPOSE to clean my living room and basement last night right…. Instead I cleaned both bedrooms and bathrooms. Sure I always clean those room so they could have missed a week but I had to change the sheets.... if I am gonna change the sheets, I might as well dust real fast first then change the sheets, and since I see the dust on the floor, the floor needs to be vacuumed but before I vacuum I of course have to take the extra step and empty the garbage cans and before you know it I spend over an hour cleaning two bedrooms when all I wanted to do was change the sheets!

The same logic worked with the bathroom, I wanted to take a shower but before I take a shower I should just.. and since I have the toilet cleaner in my hand I should do the downstairs toilet..

The problem is I still need to clean my living room and basement since people are coming over Saturday night! I am busy tonight, so I guess that means Friday night's fish taco are postpone and I will be eating pizza while cleaning :)

I think I lost a week

I apologize for my absence I have been so busy and yet it feels I didn't get anything done.  Now it's month end so I will be super duper busy, it's been one crazy month, but I can't wait to have a minute to write about my new adventure of container gardening, how March's Monkey lesson are a big hit, and my recipe of potato crusted salmon (YUM).  But I will sign off on a sweet note, every night Monkey and I say our prayers, I say God Bless.... and now he feels in the name, sometimes he says God Bless mommy or daddy and other times (most of the time) it's God Bless Giraffes and God Bless puppies.

Do you have any “personal assistance”?

I have a few and always in the market for more help balancing my life.

1) Without my Google Calendar, I might not know what day of the week it is lol.  I have been using this calendar for about 2 years now and still 100% in love with it.

PROs

It’s easy to use and easy on the eyes

It’s free on the internet

You can add and share other people’s calendar!! (my church is using it too so I can see upcoming events!)

Sync up to my phone

CONs

The app cost $5.99 onetime fee (but you don’t need the app)

Every though my calendar is out there for my family and friends to see, they still don’t check it lol (I don’t think any softwear will help :)

2) Apps!! I have Birthday-n- Anniversary List/Reminder (Occasions App) which I keep up-to date with and use all the time.  (I am a believer in sending out birthday cards for EVERYONE).  It syncs up to facebook and my contact list, I can add what that person likes and dislikes, email/call all from the app.

3) The second app that I love is my Shopper App, it’s not just for grocery (actually I really don’t even use it for groceries lol) it’s for everything that I need/want but waited for that item to go on sale, really every time I think I want to buy… goes into this app because 5 minutes later I will forget whatever it is I want to buy.

4) When you have lots of things to do, you must use Toodledo! It’s my to-do list that has alarm reminders, enough said, my phone beeps when something is due with the next 10 minutes.

PROs

It’s easy to use and easy on the eyes

It’s free on the internet

You can send an email to it and it will add a task!

Sync up to my phone

CONs

The app cost $2.99 onetime fee (it’s worth it)

You still have to do whatever the task is :)

5) My best friend that I couldn’t live without for me it’s my iphone, I love my phone. First the 4 things I mention above are all on my phone, so they wouldn’t be as useful because I have everything in one place. Even besides that I have 24/7 access to my emails (personal emails are blocked at work)
A) The camera is alright (esp if you are without your digital) it has zoom and edited and you can upload it to Kodak
B) 99% of  the apps are amazing (app store rocks)
C) I updated my address book to my contact list so I can always have grandma’s address on hand, comes in handy when you are always mailing birthday cards.
D) you can talk on the phone while still using the phone which happens way to often
E) my local supermarket has an app where I can see the current flyer and create a shopping list
D) and I wish everything in life was like this) you can get new updates on the phone without buying a new phone.

Children’s Clothes

I have recently join ThedUp, to sum it up in a few short words it’s where you can swap your children’s outgrown clothes for gently used clothes.  It’s nicely organized, where you can select the gender and size that you need, and then do a search if you are looking for something more specific.  All the mommas on ThredUp go into great detail of season, brands, colors, and extra details because they want/need to pass these items on. I already order 2 boxes last week and received them 5 days later! I was very happy with the condition of the clothes and that the box was dropped off on my door step (for this working momma that is heaven!).  The company will mail you 10 boxes (medium flat rate post office boxes) so you can list your clothes to give.  I just listed my first box :) It took me about 15-20 minutes because I wrote lots of details, the whole process is very simple.

A few side notes, it cost nothing to give your stuff away, the boxes are free, and I think the post office picks the box from your door step.  I think all boxes cost the same $15.95 to buy a box that includes shipping, I order size 3T and received 13-15 items in one box so that’s less than $1.50 per item. And there is a limit of boxes how many boxes you can buy vs how many boxes you can give away (you just can’t keep on buying boxes) you must be able to swap clothes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Irish friends

I love St. Patrick's Day, it's kinda like thanksgiving but with less pie.  This Irish girl is giving out her all time soda bread recipe (I'm eating it now with my coffee)

2 cups of white flour

2 cups of whole wheat flour

1/4 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of caraway seeds (secret ingredient)

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

1 3/4 of buttermilk

1 cup of raisin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, shifted the flour then whisk together the flours, sugar, caraway seed, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Beat the egg with a fork then add it to the flour mixture with buttermilk and  raisins, beat for about a minute until mixed well.  

Transfer to a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough into a round oval ball of love. Place the round on your prepared baking sheet and then, with a sharp knife, cut a 1/4 inch deep "X" across the top of the bread.

Bake for about 50 minutes or until nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.  This bread is wonderful when served warm with butter and jam.

Easy Extra Cash

With very little effort and very little time I have made an extra $25 in the two months!! All thanks to my swagbucks and ebates. 

Swagbucks is awesome, with just 450 bucks (which I can earn in 1 month) I get a $5 Amazon gift card. I am only on swagbucks for maybe 20-30 minutes a day, and that includes right now while I am writing this post I also am watching TV and earning bucks. 

Ebates is another great site, all you have to do it click on their store link, and they have hundreds of stores.  You get a % back from your order and every quarter they mail you a check! I usually get around $15 a quarter.

I just wanted to share my little success ;)

Why worry when you can pray

and I feel like I have been praying more than eating or sleeping lately.  I know we all have our downs and I have been here before so I know this ride will go back up. 

If my day goes perfect…….

I will get all my daily work done in the morning

Bible study during my lunch break

Work on reports in the afternoon

Talk to my BFF on the way home

Stop Home to turn on the pot of water (already filled and waiting)

Pick up Monkey

Come home finish cooking pasta (pesto pasta and salad for dinner)

Paint the letter “M” with Monkey

Give Monkey a bath

Let Monkey play while I clean out his closet

Bedtime routine with Monkey

Do one load of laundry

Clean kitchen, make meatless cowboy chili for tomorrow’s dinner

Hopefully be done at 9 to relax on the couch while making laundry soap and watching teen mom with a cup of tea

I love the first day of lent

A fresh start to focus on what is really important, 40 days ahead to live a simple life, less TV, less drama, less sweets, more love, more prayers, and more quality conversations. That’s just what I need because I feel a little lost right now.

Happy Birthday Monkey!

The last two years have been the best two years of my life.  You are turning into such a sweet little boy. You give the best kisses and loveable hugs and have the biggest smile.

In the past 12 months you have mastered walking, running, jumping, and kicking.  You love to say "kick" as you kick something.  We also found out this year how much you love the snow, puppies, painting and trying to sit in small boxes.  You also love to talk, you can almost repeat every word we say now, in fact you pretty much talk 24/7, this morning you sang "happy birthday" in your megaphone. You always have me laughing because when you talk; you tend to leave out the first word.  When you count you say "2..3" you never say 1 or when you are looking for your raff (giraffe) you say " R U" instead of "where are you" you also call Mickey Mouse just "mouse" now.

I can’t wait to see what adventures we will find this year, what new thing you will learn, what new things you will love. We have a lot of fun things planned this year.  I am so excited for the weather to warm up so we can use your new tricycle!

Sharing the same birthday is the greatest gift because we will always have this day together.  I know sometimes I joke how I don’t want to share but deep down inside I love it! 

We love you with our hearts and souls.
Love
daddy -n- mommy

Break from Meal Planning during Lent

I am taken a break from meal planning during lent
Here is a list of lenten meals that I will be cooking; if you have ANY recipe to share my DH would love you lol

Pan-Fried Scallops with Garlic Angel Hair Pasta
Over Baked Fish with veggies
Tune Pita Pockets
Potato Pancakes
Eggplant Pesto Pasta
Split Pea Soup (hamless of course)
Black Bean Enchiladas
Slow Cooker Three Bean Chili
Navy Bean Soup
Veggie Gyros
Black Bean Nachos
Fisherman's Stew
Fish Tacos
Veggie Lo Mein

Amanda’s Famous Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream

~TACO~

2 cups of buttermilk

3 tablespoon of hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 ½ pounds of a white fish CUT INTO STRIPS (I use frozen tilapia)

Chill for 3 hours

~CHIPOTLE CREAM~

¼ vanilla yogurt

2 tablespoons of mayo

2 teaspoons of chipotle pepper powder

Chill for 3 hours

~BREADING~

½ cup of flour

½ cup of corn meal

2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

~OTHER INGREDIENTS~

2 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Soft or Hard taco shells (I use soft)

~TOPPINGS~

Coleslaw

Onions

Cucumber

Corn

Whatever you want

1.  Cut the fish into strips and add to buttermilk mixture in a bowl, in a separate bowl make the chipotle cream, chill both bowls for about 3 hours

 2. Bread fish in breading then set aside for 5 minutes while the oil is getting hot, fry in for 2-3 minutes on both side

3.  Create your tacos :)

Bear Theme

We had alot of fun with teddy bears last month

SONGS
ONE LITTLE TEDDY BEAR

Each time you read the following rhyme, invite five children to act it out by holding up their Teddy Bear Puppets, above, one by one. Or have them pretend to be teddy bears and act out the rhyme.

One little teddy bear smiling for you,

Here comes another bear, and that makes two.

Two little teddy bears just for you and me,

Here comes another bear, and that makes three.

Three little teddy bears sitting on the floor,

Here comes another bear, and that makes four.

Four little teddy bears looking so alive,

Here comes another bear, and that makes five.

Five little teddy bears all in a row,

Watch them dance and twirl around as off they go!

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Grab a teddy bear

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground

Teddy bear, teddy bear, reach up high

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the sky

Teddy bear, teddy bear, bend down low

Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch your toes

Teddy bear, teddy bear, go upstairs

Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers

Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light

Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight

The bear went over the mountain,

The bear went over the mountain,

The bear went over the mountain,

To see what he could see

To see what he could see,

To see what he could see

The other side of the mountain,

The other side of the mountain,

The other side of the mountain,

Was all that he could see

Was all that he could see,

Was all that he could see,

The other side of the mountain,

Was all that he could see!

ARTCoffee Bear

What You Need:

Paint

Coffee Grounds

Construction Paper

Googly Eyes

What You Do:

Have the children paint bears with paint that has coffee grounds mixed in it.

Multicolored Bear

What You Need:

Tissue Paper, Cloth Samples, or Construction Paper

Googly Eyes

Poster Board or Construction Paper

What You Do:

Have the kids put the different colored tissue paper (or alternatives) on the bear shaped poster board however they want. You'll end up with multicolored interesting animals

GAMES

Teddy Bear Hunt

Hide Teddy Bears (either students or classes) all over the classroom and let the children try to find them.

Bear Snacks

Using bear shaped cookie cutters make Jell-O, sandwich, toast, or cookie snacks for the kids.