Awesome Menu Combo!

I LOVE to cook.

Since I am always looking for new ideas, I subscribed to weekly emails from Pillsbury.com

I got an email yesterday entitled “Easy Week Night Dinners”.  (Now THAT’s what I call an “auto-click”, as in… I’m not even gonna think about it, just CLICK to get to the good stuff! )

One of the items featured this week was Ham and Cheese Crescent Roll-Ups.

 

 

They look really yummy don’t they??

So I started thinking… what could I pair with this new take on a ham and cheese sandwich?

SOUP, of course!!

I Googled “Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipes” and found THIS.

 

 

I put them together and VOILA!

My family was in Hog (and Chicken!) Heaven!!

 

P.S.  ~ Total prep/cook time was about 35-45 minutes. Not bad for a “home cooked'” meal!

I’m So Excited!!

…and I just can’t hide it!! :-)

(Which is why I’m doing this post!!)

If you recall, at the beginning of the year, I set forth a few goals for myself. First and foremost on that list was to GET ORGANIZED!!  Well, I am proud to announce, with exception of our Playroom and Garage (which are in queue for the next couple of weeks…) that I have accomplished that feat!

So, now… I am going against my natural tendency to “put up a good front” and letting you get a peek behind the scenes of the Reeder Residence!  Seriously, people… I am about to take you where even ANGELS have feared to tread!! That’s right, I am giving you a ONE TIME ONLY pass to see inside my closets and cabinets… THAT is how STINKIN’ excited I really am that the clutter has been cleared!!

CHECK IT OUT!!!

 

Coat Closet (above).  Coat Closet floor (below).

Laundry Room:  Look, I have a sink!!! :-)

Above the laundry sink (above).. all cleaning supplies organized!

Above washer/dryer (below).

Master bedroom closet.  Look!!  (Above) You can see the floor!!

We still have tons of clothes (below), but TRUST ME, this is much better!!

Beneath my bathroom sink (above). Organized using baskets and bins.

My jewelry drawer (below).

I wish I would have had the forethought to take some “before” pics so that you would see what a dramatic difference has been made, but then again, I’m not THAT crazy!!

:-)

 

See what you can do when you put your mind to it???  I am truly AMAZED at how de-cluttering the house has also de-stressed my life!!  I am no longer living in CHAOS!(Thank you Fly Lady!!)

 

I keep finding new “projects” to take on… I think I may be addicted to this organization thing!!  I’ll try not to take it overboard, but I am certainly enjoying my “new and improved” healthy, happy, ORGANIZED, home!!

 

What kinds of projects have you taken on lately?? I’d love to share in your excitement, too!!  :-)

Hello??

It all started a couple of weeks ago with SPRING BREAK...
Then ONE WILD WEEK last week...
And NOW? Technical difficulties!

So much going on... so much I want to share... but very little time on my hands...

I promise!! ;-)

Top O' The Mornin' To Ya!

An Irish Prayer

May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile,

For every care, a promise,

And a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends, 

A faithful friend to share,

For every sigh, a sweet song,

And an answer for each prayer.

(My Little Leprechauns)

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

My family will be celebrating today, not in honor of St. Patrick, himself, but in honor of the God he served.  

Yes, we're going to have an Irish inspired supper of "Bangers and Mash"... and we'll certainly have some green cupcakes for dessert.  At some point in the day, we'll probably watch the Veggie Tale version of the story of St. Patrick. (To this day, when Jake sees a clover, he picks it up, counts the leaves and says "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit"... LOVE THAT!)  I want to teach my children that the day is about so much more than searching for pots of gold, catching leprechauns, or getting pinched.  I want them to know that by celebrating St. Patrick, we celebrate a man that is a marvelous example the Great Commission.  That he did what all of us are called to do, "Go.. and make disciples"...

So today, as we wear our green and participate in the merriment, (or not...) my prayer is that we would all be inspired by St. Patrick's devotion to Christ, his passion to reach others, and his dedication to that mission.

  

Monday Morning Musings

Here's what's going on in my world today...

• I'm alive!!!  In case you missed it (in other words, don't follow me on Facebook, or Twitter) I have been very sick with the most awful. stomach. virus. ever!!! Yesterday was the first non-episodic day I've had since it all started on Wednesday. Today, I'm feeling even a little better.  Hopefully by tomorrow, I'll be back to normal again. (Well, at least back to my old self again, not sure I ever was "normal"!) ;-)
• SO excited about the SPRING weather that we've been having!! Even though I've been cooped up in the house, it's been nice to see the warm, beautiful sunshine, and have the windows open, breathing in the clean, fresh, spring air. Yay!!
• Speaking of sunny, fresh, and clean.  CHECK OUT THE NEW LOOK!  I've wanted to do this for a while, and I had plenty of time on my hands (what else was I going to do during my infirmary?) , so I decided to take it on, and learn some new tricks. In addition to a new layout, I've also added some tabs, and new buttons.  Go ahead... browse around and let me know what you think!
• I've also done a lot of reading since Wednesday.  I have caught up with my Siestas in the So Long Insecurity Discussion Group (I was a couple weeks behind), AND I also finally read Twilight.  Yes.  I said "Twilight". Seems a bit uncharacteristic of me, I know, but  I've seen both the movies, and I just had to see if the book was better.  I wasn't disappointed. It really is a great love story... if you can get past the vampire bit. ;-) The library didn't have New Moon in stock that day, so I'll have to wait a bit on the sequel.
• Gotta send a shout out to my KISA:  You're the BEST!  Y'all, he really has been SO good to me during my illness.  He took the kids to school each day, and picked them up (meaning he had to leave work early).  He did homework.  He made sure they got dinner and baths.  He even played checkers and watched "the worst movie ever" with them.  All the while checking in on me... bringing me Sprite, and spearmint gum (the only thing I could handle for the first two days)...asking me at least every other hour what I needed, and what he could do.  I mean to tell you, I've got ONE GOOD MAN!!!  
• As good as he is, I still have a lot of housework to catch up on, so I'd better sign off for now.  Hope everyone has a super-duper week!!

Under Construction

As you can see, I am working on a new (more permanent) "Face Lift" the blog. Please be patient as you visit, and recognize things changing. I am a complete novice when it comes to blog design so it's definitely a "learn as you go" process. Hopefully the end result will be something we will all love and learn to live with for a while.

Thanks for your patience!!

Family Night Q&A and a Winner!

Thanks so much for joining in on all the Family Night fun this week.  You guys are so sweet with your encouraging comments. 

But, some of you had some questions that I thought I would address in this last and final post:

1. Do we have family night every week? Yes and no.  We have “family time” blocked off every Friday night, but we only do one themed family night each month.  I like to keep the ideas fresh and don’t want the kids to get bored with it.  Also, one Friday night each month Chris “dates” one of the children.  They rotate month to month.  January was Jake, February – Sam, and March will be Emilee’s turn.  We also have one Friday night that we call Pizza & Movie night, where we order in and the kids get to take turns picking the movie.  So, we have something planned almost every week.
2. What kind of chores do my kids do for commission?  Well, it really varies by age. But to give you some ideas, here’s a copy of the chore charts that I came up with for each kid.  I keep these on file in my documents on the computer, but the kids copied them on their FPU chore charts.
3. Is one of the prizes a Chore Chart?  Yes and no.  One of the prizes is the FPU Junior Kit… the chore chart is included.
4. Will I compile an eBook with all my ideas included?  I’ve honestly thought about taking each of these posts and making a book out of them, but I get so many of my ideas from the Family Fun and Amazing Moms websites that I don’t want to plagiarize. I will keep it under advisement, though. If nothing else, I’d like to print out a book as a keepsake for the kids. We’ll see…
5. What is the FABULOUS PRIZE??? Well, like I said, it’s more of a “prize package” but here is what it includes…

I told you it was FABULOUS!!!!!!

And last but  not least…  WHO IS THE WINNER???

Drum roll please….

The fabulous prize package goes to…

My Sweet VALLEY GIRL, Tammi!!

YAY!!! I am so excited!!  I have it all ready to go on my Amazon.com account so just RE-forward me your snail mail address (via email) and I will get it shipped right to ya! ;-)

Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL weekend full of family fun!!

Family Night: Treasure Hunt

Okay, so like I said yesterday, we’re going for a week’s worth of Family Night posts in order to get all caught up on all the fun we’ve been having in 2010. :-)

That being said, instead of starting from the beginning, I want to go in reverse order, starting with the MOST RECENT Family Night: Treasure Hunt.

While Chris and I were retreating in Hilton Head last month, one of the things we did was plan how we could incorporate the principals from the Dave Ramsey’s FPU, JR. kit that we had recently ordered.  What better way to unveil the new plan for chores and commissions than a “treasure hunt” theme?

We began the evening by playing a “speed round” of Monopoly, Jr.  After the game we had dinner (no theme there, just home-made chicken noodle soup and fresh fruit), but the kids were given a menu and required to purchase their meal using money that had been distributed earlier in the evening.  (You should have seen their faces when we told them what the money was for!) After dinner, we moved to the family room to read “The Super Red Racer – Junior Discovers Work” by Dave Ramsey. 

  

At the end of the book there was a clue.  Each clue lead to another book in this series of 6.  As the kids found each book, they found another clue.  Taped to the back of the last book was the last clue, which lead to the “Big Prize” that included an FPU, Jr kit, and two extra “supplement” packs (so that all three kids were well equipped for the rest of the evening.)

Then, we all gathered at the kitchen table, and Dad and I casted the vision for how this program would work for our family.  Emilee, Jacob, and Sam were all given Chore Charts to fill out according to the chores that they had been assigned each day. The kids had a lot of fun with this.

The kids were also given a glass jar each, in which to store their money.  Inside the jar they placed three envelopes entitled “GIVE”, “SAVE”, and “SPEND”. We also did some dreaming about what kinds of “treasures” we would like to save up for.  The kids then drew pictures of these items and placed them on their “Saving to Buy With Cash” boards that we placed on the wall beside their chore charts.  This way they get a vision for what they are working for.  It really helps that these are magnetized dry erase boards that fit nicely on the back door to the garage. ;-)

After the charts and goals had been completed, the kids took a few minutes to decorate their jars to be placed in their rooms.

After all the “hard work” was over (kiddos didn’t think this was a very exciting family night, but agreed that it was very beneficial) we put together a “treasure” snack of popcorn and Hershey’s Nuggets (wrapped in silver and gold), and gathered back in the family room to watch National Treasure.  Even though they weren’t too psyched about the chore part of the evening, the were excited about saving and spending, and they absolutely LOVED the movie!! So much so, that we had to go out the next day and purchase (WITH CASH) the sequel, National Treasure 2.

Well, that’s our first installment of the Family Night series.  Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered to win a “Fabulous Prize” yet to be named.  In the spirit of the scavenger hunt , I will give you a clue… one of the contents of the prize package was featured in this post. ;-)

I’ll announce the winner on Friday, so STAY TUNED…

A Week of Family Nights

Okay, since I’m back to (semi) regular blogging, it’s only right that I should catch up on my Family Night Blog posts.  (You can read about how we got started here, and go to my sidebar “Labels” to click on more Family Night Fun.)
Now… back to catching up.  Since I haven’t posted A SINGLE STINKING BLOG about our family nights in 2010, it’s about time I got started. 
Instead of boring you with one long post and muddying the waters with different themes and gobs of pictures, I thought I would post a little each day this week to get us caught up.
So, I am saying all of this to say: STAY TUNED… there’s more to come.
In the mean time, answer a question for me:  Do you have “Family Nights”?? Why/Why not?? (Leave a comment with your answer.)
Oh yeah… every time you comment on my blog this week (on any/all of the Week of Family Night posts) you will be entered to win a “Fabulous Prize”.  Wanna know what it is?? Well,  that is “To be continued”, as well. Don’t worry. It will be worth the wait, I promise!!

What’s Going On???

Hello gang! Since my kiddos (2/3 of them) are at home sick today, I decided to carve out a few minutes for some blog time. YAY!

Here are some things that I am enjoying right now…

• Reading through Beth Moore’s So Long Insecurity with some precious friends. (We’re also following along on the LPM Blog.) Seriously!! This book is hitting me right in the goody locker! I swear, sometimes I think that “Mama Beth” has a hidden camera in my house! How else could she know me so well?!? ;-)
• Substitute Teaching. Wow. As a former classroom teacher, I sure never thought I’d hear myself say those words, but it’s true! I love ministering to the children AND the teachers at our school. I especially love getting my “teacher fix” and then being able to GO HOME, and not have to bring all that work with me! ;-)
• John and Staci Eldredge’s new book, Love and War. Seriously, if you are married (or engaged to be) YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK! It’s chocked full of such inspiration and wisdom. So much so, that – you guessed it - it’s going to get an ENTIRE BLOG POST of it’s own… coming SOON!
• Livestrong.com – if you are on a weight loss (or “get healthy”) journey of any kind, you REALLY need to check out this site. So many cool tools… my favorite of which is the My Plate feature that helps me count calories and keep track of water/exercise all at the same time! It’s so easy a CAVE MAN could do it!! ;-)
• Attending services at PDCF. Lots of love and encouragement going on there. Big thanks to “Pastor B”, and his wife Kim, for leading such an awesome group!! (Tim and Tonya are pretty great, too!) Excited about being there each week, and watching God show up and show out!
• My PDCF Home Team. We meet at Pastor B’s on Wednesdays and we are discussing the book One Month to Live, as we share our hearts and lives together. So, so, so COOL!!
• Yeah, as you can see, I am reading a lot… but LOVING every minute of it!!
• Getting ORGANIZED. If you remember from this post, that’s one (actually, #1 and #2) of my 2010 goals. I now have a (faux) moleskin to keep track of all my notes, thoughts, planning, and to-dos, and a Blackberry (Thanks KISA!!)to keep me on schedule and connected! I have also managed to go re-organize all but 6 (those will be done TODAY!) of my kitchen cabinets and replace the shelf paper in each. Next Week: My closet and chest of drawers! Thanks to the FLY LADY and her “Baby Steps”, before long, my whole house will be CLUTTER free and D.O.N.E. with chaos!!

There you have it. That’s what’s going on in my world! What have you all been up to lately??

It’s Official - I’m a Loser!

Okay, I know there are some of you that won’t believe this, but this is my FIRST SEASON following NBC’s Biggest Loser… and I am loving every minute of it.

As you know, I have struggled in the past with yo-yo-ing up and down the scales, and recently have tipped them at my highest. weight. ever. (No, you do NOT get to know that number… I may be confessing here, but I’m not CRAZY!)

So, ever since the new season began three weeks ago, I have been more than motivated. My (ahem) personal trainer (AKA Lil Bro) has me on a “program” of 1600-1700 calories a day with killer cardio workouts three times each week. The plan is to build from there, and eventually start strength training (exercising 5x per week) and make modifications to my diet as we go along.

I am also reading Jillian Michael’s Master Your Metabolism (half-way through already, and learning a TON!). When I asked for this book via my Amazon.com “Wish List”, my KISA also surprised me with a copy of The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. I was SO EXCITED!

Sunday night I poured over the recipes, and I chose four to try for dinner this week. Monday morning I made my list and hit the grocery store. Now, I think this is a crying shame, but (as is typical) I spent a little more money on the fresher “whole” foods required for the recipes. It wasn’t that bad, though. I only went over my normal weekly budget by about ten bucks.

Tonight we tried the Steak Fajitas, and (YES I have included the recipe below) they were DELICIOUS!! Even the kids scarfed them up!! ;-) I served them with a side salad, and some whole kernel corn for the kids.

BIGGEST LOSER STEAK FAJITAS

8 whole wheat flour tortillas

1.5 teaspoons Mrs. Dash Mexican seasoning

1 pound London Broil cut (against the grain) into strips

Salt

Olive Oil

1 Medium Onion cut into strips

1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 cup fresh salsa

*4 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeno chile pepper (I OPTED OUT of this ingredient.)

Preheat oven to 400. Stack the tortillas on a large sheet of aluminum foil and roll the foil into a tube to enclose the tortillas. Seal the ends. Heat tortillas in oven for about 5 minutes, or until warm.

Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the steak strips and season w/ salt. Toss the meat well.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. when hot, lightly mist with olive oil spray. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, 3-5 minutes. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until tender and lightly browned. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Return skillet to high heat. When hot, respray the pan. In batches if necessary, add the steak strips in a single layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is lightly browned on the outsides and slightly pink inside, 1-2 minutes. Add the sauteed vegetables and toss with the meat until warm.

Unroll the warmed tortillas. Place 2 tortillas side by side on each of four large dinner plates. Divide the steak mixture evenly among the tortillas and top with the sour cream and salsa. *Sprinkle jalapeno evenly over fajitas and serve.

Besides my super duper little cookbook, I also found a REALLY COOL TOOL at Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong.com. This helps me track my daily calories (both consumed and burned) as well as my water consumption. My Daily Plate has made this super simple for me! In most cases, I just start typing the food (restaurant specifics are also listed) and several choices pop up for me to select from. EASY PEASY LEMON SQUEEZY!

How’ve I been doing? Well, in the first two weeks, I lost SEVEN pounds. I won’t weigh in again until Wednesday of this week, but I am looking forward to seeing that number continue to drop!

So, why am I sharing all of this with you?? (Like you REALLY care, right??) Well, because I listed losing 40 pounds as a goal for 2010, and I want to use my blog as a form of accountability. More than that, I hope I can inspire someone. If you’re sitting there thinking, I can’t do that. I’ll always be a “big girl”, it’s in my genes, there’s just nothing I can do about it. YOU’RE WRONG!!

God didn’t create us to be sedentary and unhealthy. Our bodies are meant to MOVE and be used in ministry to others, and most importantly in SERVICE TO OUR KING!!

I think I am learning that you don’t have to subscribe to ONE theory, or ONE program, or ONE way of doing things. Find what works for you… experiment with tools and diets and see what works best. Find an accountability buddy (or two, or three) to walk along with you. And fill your mind with CAN-DO thoughts. (As in, “I CAN DO all things through Christ who gives me strength!” ~ Philippians 4:13) In my case, God’s word, Biggest Loser, and other books that inspire, are what’s working to keep me on track.

So glad I decided watch this show, and that not only am I a Biggest Loser fan, but that I’ve been inspired to get in the game and become a “Big Loser” myself! ;-)

Ten Dreams for 2010

1. Clear away the clutter!! Starting in closets, moving into all cabinets and drawers.  Cleaning up and cleaning out!  Starting off the year FREE of excess stress due to not being able to find things!
2. Be a better manager of my time.  Begin by dusting off the old “Google calendar” and using it more effectively as a tool to keep me on track with a list of to-do’s as well as one that helps me decide “to-don’ts”. ;-)
3. Spend more quality time with my family.  Not just on “family nights” (which I have to admit, for Mama, are a whole lot more stressful at times than intended) but carving out time each week to put my finger on the pulse of each of my children.  Learning more about them, identifying their love languages, and keeping their tanks full!
4. Nurture the vitality of my relationship with my KISA. Loving him more, supporting him more, and cultivating more honest and open communication. Hopefully keeping his emotional love tank full, as well!
5. Continue working together with Chris to find and keep Financial Peace!  We WILL be debt free - if not in 2010 definitely by 2012!! This goal is very important because it not only enables us to no longer be “slaves to the lender”, but also puts us in a position to give more freely and help others.  A goal that WE BOTH want to achieve desperately!
6. Read through the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs, and use my S.O.A.P journal every day to help me process what God is revealing through His Word.
7. Finally complete THIS BIBLE STUDY and hopefully THIS ONE, too!!.
8. Read at least one book each month that helps me grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally.
9. GET ACTIVE!! Begin an exercise routine that includes at least 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 times a week, as well as strength training at least 2 days weekly.
10. Lose 40 pounds.  (Yes, I just said that out loud.  AND I qualified it with an ACTUAL numeric goal! BOO YA!)

I’ve posted all of these here on my blog for a sense of accountability.  Those of you who know me (and know me well) are aware that I am great at making plans but TERRIBLE at following through with them.  I hope that you will check back in with me periodically (as I hope to blog each goal achieved) for encouragement, and/or if need be, a swift kick in the pants!  You can also keep up with me on Facebook and Twitter.

So what are YOUR dreams for 2010?? I’d love to hear ‘em!  Let’s spur one another on, and make this year the BEST ONE YET!

What’s Cookin’?

Since we’ve been having some cooler nights around these parts, I’ve been looking for different things to cook that are healthy and will warm us up! ;-)

Today, I thought I’d share my (actually, my sweet friend, Sally’s) recipe for

EASY VEGETABLE SOUP.

1 lb. ground beef 1 can butter beans, drained

1 large can tomato juice 1 can green beans, drained

4 cups water 1 can green peas, drained

1 cup sliced carrots 1 can cut corn, drained

3-4 potatoes, diced 1 large can diced tomatoes

Salt and pepper

Brown ground beef. In large pot, add tomato juice and water, then add carrots and potatoes, bring to boil. Add diced tomatoes (do not drain) then add all canned vegetables (remember to drain off the liquid). Bring to boil, then simmer for 1.5-2 hours. Salt and pepper.

Sometimes instead of canned green peas, I will use a half a bag of frozen field peas (usually out of Grandpa’s garden), but I put them in with the carrots and potatoes to be sure they are done before adding the canned ingredients.

I like to serve this with warm, sliced French bread, or cornbread muffins. Yum, Yum!!

What about you? What do you like to serve to warm your family on a chilly night??