A Six Week Challange - Week 5

Week 5 was a long time coming!  Our last "date" was Valentine's Day and while that covered Week 4, waiting until Friday night of Week 5 was an eye opener for us.  We couldn't wait for a little time for just the two of us!  This was the week that really made us see how important just a few hours alone can be in our marriage.  Things around our house have been crazy to say the least lately so when Grandpa said he'd love some time with little man we jumped at the chance to go out!  For Week 5 our date was to hit up a few places on the Waterfront and have a drink here and an appetizer there - we had a great time!

I also need to apologize for the lack of pictures lately... camera troubles, I hope to have them fixed soon!

Menu Plan Monday...

Well this week looks to prove interesting - already we're making changes to the "original" menu for the week because stomach virus has hit our house :(  So here is the amended menu for the week!

Monday - Chicken soup for the sick and ChickFilA to keep the well away!
Tuesday - Eating at Church with our young adults with kids group
Wednesday - Pork Stir Fry with Rice
Thursday - Stuffed Peppers with Salads
Friday - Pecan Encrusted Triggerfish with potatoes and asparagus

Here's to getting my house healthy again and the rest of the week being great!  I'm really looking forward to Friday's dinner, the hubby is a fisherman and we love having triggerfish this way - I'll try to post this recipe and process over the weekend and I'll share my stuffed pepper recipe tomorrow!

I'm linking up over at orgjunkie.com - please visit over there to see lots of other fantastic recipes and blogs!

Big Shop Announcement!

Happy Friday ya'll!  I'm so excited that I finally have products in my shop ready to be purchased!  I'll add more products soon!  This is just one of many exciting changes coming in March (I love fresh starts in spring time!).  We'll begin welcoming advertisers, I have a new weekly series starting soon, and many other fun things all for you!  We are looking forward to a sunny weekend that gets warmer as it goes and that means a lot of outside time for us!  I hope your weekends are filled with sunshine and joy too!

Today needs a to-do list...

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I love making list.  I love feeling organized.  These past few weeks have been anything but organized in list form.  I need to get back to my list making ways, otherwise laundry may over take my house, I may miss something I planned with friends, I've got half projects scattered all over my house and workshop and desk at work.  Work.  That's an entire post on making a list and staying organized all on it's own!  So today, I'm getting organized again - with an extra cup of coffee under my belt I think I'm ready...  What is on your to do list today?

 

Menu planning Monday...

We had such an amazing weekend!  We were so blessed with the weather we've had over the weekend it was so wonderful to spend that much time outside again.  I'm looking forward to catching up with a lot of people this week - we've been very out of the loop between Alan loosing his job, a constantly sick kiddo, snowed in days, travel, Alan getting hurt and laid out on the couch for a week... well, let's just say we haven't felt like we've been the best people to hang out with lately!  Hopefully this week will be a friend filled one :)

Monday - Chicken Cacciatore (leftovers from the freezer!)
Tuesday - Fish fry with friends
Wednesday - BBQ pork chops with squash and zuchnni and mashed potatoes
Thursday - Date Night
Friday - Grilled shrimp & rice with sugar snaps (or plans with some family... not sure yet!).

I am linking up over at orgjunkie.com - head over there to check out lots of other great menus!  

Winner(s)....

Wow - that didn't quite go as planned!  But since I had only two entries I'll give a set to each of you that entered!  I'll send you both messages shortly!  Hope that the weekend where you are is as beautiful as it is here!

A Six Week Challange... Week Three & Four!

Oh my, I'm nearly a week behind on this challenge update!  We've done great with our dates though - we've had quite a few moments of "alone" time lately!  Week three we did something we don't ever get to do anymore - order takeout and sit on the couch and catch up with the DVR!  It was wonderful and if you are never on the couch curled up with your DVR it totally counts as a date!  The next day we were off to the mountains to see my mom and we took advantage of a free sitter for the night and went out for a few late night drinks and caught a local band.  We returned to a night of free babysitting by the youth at our Church (they should really do this more!).  We were able to get groceries, work on the laundry, and still stop and grab a slice of pizza at our favorite place to eat a slice.  Then the next day was Valentine's Day - we kept with tradition and cooked steak and lobster at home after the little man was in bed.  So we've packed a lot of little dates into the past two weeks!  Next week will be week 5 - and I have to admit that this has become a fun game for the two of us - the most creative and cheap dates we can come up with! 

So go and plan a fun and inexpensive date for your man and don't forget to enter the giveaway - it ends tomorrow!

A Giveawy...

I am the WORST for taking care of myself - my boys ultimately take priority over everything.  And "no" seems to be a word for toddlers and not something I'm very good at saying.  But I'm working on things - personal trainer, check - appointment for long over due haircut, check - hair color picked up, check.  And I just ordered a whole new round of stuff from my Mary Kay representative - I know what you're thinking - and don't.  Mary Kay isn't like your grandma's Tupperware parties!  There are so many fun and amazing products they offer now.  I can't get enough of their Satin Hands & Lips, their TimeWise is helping me look a little less like 30, and I love love love their Subtle Tanning Lotion.  I love having a bit of color to get me in the mood for spring and summer and as much time as my family spends in the sun I feel it's important to protect our skin!  So when I ordered some stuff for me, I ordered some stuff for you too!  Below is the Mary Kay Sun Care Collection - the Subtle Tanning Lotion, Sun-Screen, and After Sun Gel - it's fantastic and perfect to keep with you for the beach and pool!  I'd encourage you to give Mary Kay a look and a try.  If you click the link above you will be in contact with my representative, she can help you with samples, tell you about the latest and greatest and help you find what works best for you!  

To enter - leave a comment about what you like to do best for yourself!  

Rules &Disclaimer: Only one entry per person, winner will be announced on Friday at noon, you can enter until then.  I was given the tanning lotion by my Mary Kay representative to try and when I fell in love with it I ordered more for myself and for you! 

love.

(the two things I love the MOST!)

Happy Valentine's Day!  Thank you for all of the love you have shown me these past few months!  I love you all! 

Menu planning Monday...

Wow - last week was a doozie - it's been a long time since I've been so thankful to see a week end!  And this week we've got lots to do but a lot to look forward to as well!  We didn't get to eat our nacho's last week because of leftovers so they're on the agenda again - then at the end of the week we're all piling in the minivan to go & help my mom!  It will be my little man's first trip to my hometown (yikes - 6 hour car ride!) and even with all the work that my mom needs done I hope to catch up with a little bit of family and meet the newest member, a sweet little cousin born just yesterday!  I'm also linking up over at orgjunkie - head over there and check out lots of other blogs and recipes!

Monday - Nachos
Tuesday - Crockpot Chicken with egg noodles and green beans
Wednesday - Spicy shrimp with rice
Thursday until Saturday - out of town
Sunday - free babysitting by our church youth!  Date night for us! 

Shop Update...

I wanted to make sure you all knew that I have updated the shop page.  I hope to post a functional store very soon & in order to do that I am having to suspend custom orders.  While I love making each person exactly the product they want I simply do not have the extra time to devote to these orders right now.  The only exception to this is bulk orders for bridal parties, showers, etc. if you contact me and work with me in advance of your event.  My full time job of wife and mom are my top priority and I'm still working a 40 - 50 hour a week day job it's a hard lesson to learn but I can't do it all no matter how hard I try.  Thank you for being so supportive of me!  I hope that I can pick up custom orders again in the future. 

A Six Week Challange... Week Two!

 

photo credit

It's surprising how much good these two weeks have done us!  Having to take a little extra time to plan for the other and go out of our way for each other has been very refreshing.  Week two was my week to plan a date for Alan.  I didn't want to spend too much money so I left him a sweet cheesy note (I made it rhyme) about what to fix little man for dinner when he got home & that while he put our sweet boy to bed that I would sneak out to pick us up something.  I picked up some Japanese food for us - it's been so long since we've eaten out and it's something we both love.  I also went ahead and gave him what I had gotten for him for Valentine's Day - an ipod shuffle.  He's been working as much as he possibly can without it hurting his unemployment benefits, burning up the phone trying to make things come together and get something permanent, and he's been so tolerable of how I've handled all of it (which I can say isn't nearly as well as he has).  And because he loves music so much and loves to listen while he works (and needs something to take his mind off the fact that he's grinding fiberglass) I couldn't wait any longer to give it to him :)  We had so much fun eating dinner - just the two of us - and playing around on itunes!  Next week will be tricky because we leave on Thursday to go and see my Mom and help her get the house on the market so he'll have to be really creative since we need to travel on our tight budget!

I don't have a winter heart...

 
I'm not a winter person, at all.  After yet another rare used to be rare snow event here (7 inches this time!) and now watching the rest of the country be blasted with much more snow and ice than that I'm longing even more for the warmth of spring and summer.  I daydream of a little more color on my skin and warm sand between my painted toes!  I've been trying to find ways to enjoy all that winter has been this year though... snow cream, wagon rides in the snow, hot chocolate and movies, down blankets, fuzzy blankets, cushy socks, and cute boots... but when I put on my boots, I look at my rainbows and miss them.  When I dig out a warm sweater I wish I didn't need a sweater or a coat.  And I miss the color green - desperately - all of the brown and "dead" plants are a bit depressing.  Little man is even calling all the trees with no leaves sticks - and I promise him they'll be trees again, soon.  I'm trying not to wish the season away... trying to enjoy the indoor snuggles with little man, the glasses of red wine with my feet up at night - because I do know that all of this will end soon and turn into bike rides, treks to the beach, more trips to the park, time on the boat - I could go on for days.  Thank you Punxsutawney Phil for NOT seeing your shadow yesterday!