iHeartFaces - Contemplative Challenge

This weeks challenge at iHeartFaces is Contemplative. I love this picture of Peanut. She rarely ever gives me anything other than her classic "cheesy" grin. Check out the other entries at the iHeartFaces Blog.

Blessings,

Glennda

Menu Plan for September 14th

Here is my menu plan for the week. I have all the ingredients in my pantry/freezer so I don't have to go shopping, yeah!

Monday - Baja Bowls

Tuesday - BBQ Chicken Pizza

Wednesday - Chicken Teriyaki

Thursday - Pot Roast

Friday - My sister's wedding rehearsal, will get something in town.

Saturday - My sister's wedding, will eat there :o)

Sunday - Leftovers

For more menu plan idea's, visit Organizing Junkie.

Blessings,

Glennda

Menu Plan for September 7th

Well, with yesterday being a holiday and hubby being home, I was still in "weekend mode" and didn't get to my menu planing till late. But I did get it done! Here it is:

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Shepherds pie

Wednesday - Crock-pot Rotisserie Chicken

Thursday - Meatloaf

Friday - Chicken Alfredo

Saturday - Potato Bar (and German Potato Salad for the homeschool potluck/BBQ at noon)

Sunday - Chili w/Cornbread (Hubby will be in charge of this one since I'll be at my sisters bridal shower)

For more menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie. Hope everyone has a blessed week!

Blessings,

Glennda

Menu Plan for August 31st

Here is my menu plan for this week:

Monday - Fried Chicken with rice, salad and rolls (if I get around to making them, lol)

Tuesday - Crock-pot Lasagna (this is a new recipe I'm trying and making up as I go, wish me luck!)

Wednesday - Crock-pot Chicken with rice and green beans.

Thursday - Taco Salad

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Split Pea Soup (in the crock-pot)

Sunday - Beef tips and noodles (I think I'm going to adapt this recipe to cook in the crock-pot also.)

I guess I was feeling like I was neglecting my crock-pot because most of my recipes this week use it! This wasn't on purpose, it's just what sounded good :o) For more menu plan ideas, visit Organizing Junkie.

Blessings,

Glennda

School Room and Organization

OK, so I don't really have a school room. Like a lot of homeschoolers, we have school in the living room and sometimes the dining room. But, thanks to my wonderful hubby, last weekend we did some major re-arranging and now have a designated school area in the living room. Here are couple pictures:


We just scored the bigger of the two desk at a garage sale this weekend! Although, now Little P thinks he needs one of his own, so I guess I'm on the hunt for another one (sigh)! The drawer thing next to the table holds our math manipulatives, unifex (sp?) cubes and pattern blocks. The tote on top holds all of Munchkins school supplies. Everything in this box is for school use only. This has eliminated the "hunt" for pencils, paper, workbooks, etc. at the beginning of school.

As you can see, wall space is also at a premium in our house. Plus, it's an old house and the walls are lath and plaster, which means attempting to hang anything usually results in large holes in the wall. So, since I didn't have space to hang our map (or the desire to put large holes in the wall, lol) I put it on the table. A year or so ago, I purchased a few yards of clear vinyl on sale at JoAnns (I think between the sales and coupon I got it for $6) which I then put over the map. It makes for great dinner conversation, especially when you have company :o) Here is a picture (sorry it's a little dark!):

In the opposite corner from the desks is my "homeschool cabinet". This is were I keep all of my supplies and teachers manuals and anything I don't want the kids to have constant access to. The top cupboard has my books and such. And the bottom cupboard holds my supplies (extra pencils, pens, glue, scissors, etc.) and bins with my preschool educational activities. Here are a couple pictures of that:




Some friends were discussing how to organize all the "extras" recently. This is how I do it. I've picked up several shoebox sized plastic bins over the years (The Dollar Store!) and have a bin for each item (crayons, colored pencils, markers, glue, etc.) They are all in a cupboard under the built in buffet in the dining room. I also have a similar setup in the cupboard on the other side with games and puzzles. Here is a picture:


This is another benefit of our rearranging. We moved my sewing stuff down to the office in the basement and then brought the recliner and table/lamp to where my sewing stuff was. Our house has some interesting "nooks and crannies" due to a remodel that the previous owners did. They turned one of the bedrooms into a hallway in order to add a master suite on to the house. So this is kinda in the hallway, but it's a large hallway, lol. I love it cause it gives me a place for my morning bible study. Here is a picture:


So there you have a little peak into my home :o) I hope you enjoyed it.

Blessings,

Glennda

Command Center

I've posted this before, but since it is time for school to be starting again, I thought I would revisit it :o). And, Organizing Junkie is doing a Command Center round-up this week that I want to participate in :o). For more ideas on command centers, visit her site.

Earlier in the year I was feeling like my house was in chaos and feeling overwhelmed at getting it under control. The idea of someone dropping by unannounced terrified me, lol. I thought about making another schedule (MOTH), but that just made me cringe, it's so easy to fall off and not get back on. I contemplated using a schedule that had blocks of time (morning block, afternoon block, etc.) but even that seemed to restrictive. I had made a home-keeping notebook, but I rarely used it (I decided I simply didn't want to take the time and energy to open it, lol ). So I started searching for new home-keeping "tools". One of the things I came up with is the idea of a Command Center. Basically, I took my notebook and put it on the wall. Now everything is right there, visible, and I have no excuse for not remembering.

Here are a couple of pictures:

Now I'll explain the different elements :o)

The white board - I used a wet-erase marker to create different sections on the board. I have a place for the date, what's for dinner, scripture I'm working on, appointments, priorities, to-do list, things to buy and notes.

The calendar - This is where I can keep track of what's going on. The pink sticky notes are my meal planning, I write the meal on the sticky and put it on the day I want. Using stickies makes it easy to switch days if necessary.

Cork Boards - These are there to put up things like reminders and invitations.

Little wood shelf - This holds my supplies; pens, pencils, eraser, sticky notes, etc.

Wire hanging file - I made "pockets" out of scrapbooking paper for this. Both to make it more functional (things can't slip out) and pretty. I have important fliers and such in the bottom pocket. And I put the papers I did use from my notebook into report covers and those are in the top pockets.

Basket on top of wine rack - This is a place to put papers and things that my hubby needs to take to his office in the basement (as you can see, he's a little behind :o))

Big blue tub - This is the "mommy basket". As I'm tidying up, things my children have chosen not to put away go into this tub. They then have until bedtime to remove and put away anything they find in there. After bed time, I remove the items and take them to the basement for a week. At the end of the week the items are placed back in the tub and they once again have till bedtime to put them away. If they still do not get put away, then I figure they really don't need/want them and they go away :o)

Overall, I tried to make the space functional and pretty. Thus the reason for the cute signs and the flower arrangement. I didn't want it to look like an eyesore, 'cause then I wouldn't use it. It is still a work in progress and I will probably tweak a few things as I determine what works and what doesn't, especially now that we are starting a new school year. Anyway, that's what i have so far :o)

Blessings,

Glennda

Horseback Ridding

As my mom said, "There is nothing cuter than a 4 year old ridding a miniature horse!" And I have to say, I can't agree more! This is Peanut during her latest ridding lesson, the horse is named Mini Me. Sorry the quality isn't the greatest, but I just had to share it :o)

Blessings,

Glennda