Menu Monday

Here is what we are planning on eating this week!

Monday: Taco Night
Tuesday: Out
Wednesday: Spaghetti Night
Thursday: Crock Pot Potato Soup
Friday: Pizza

Have a great week everyone!

Cheers!

Ashley

Week 8 of 52 Weeks To Become Less Homemaking Challenged

Each Saturday this year, I will be posting a weekly habit.  During my 31 day's series, I talked about a lot of theoretical and how to create purpose in your home.  It was about you figuring things out, making goals, and knowing why you are doing the work, now it is time to put them into action.  Each week I will add one new habit to help you become less homemaking challenged.  The objective of this?  By the end of the year, for us to have applied several of these habits in our daily/weekly routine and be less homemaking challenged by the end of the year!

#8 Plan your meals

I try each week to post our menu on the blog.  I do this to help keep me accountable to planing our meals for our family.  I will admit that many times I don't plan, those are the weeks where we are scrambling and chaos fills our evenings.  I do not like that feeling of calling my hubby, telling him I'm on my way home and we have to figure out dinner and often cook and eat it within the hour.  Without planing things can get crazy, best know ahead of time what you are doing.

I am still learning how to make this work for my family, how to make this work the best our life and budget, but I can tell you that our lives are WAY easier when we aren't scrambling with the question "What's for dinner" when you are hungry and pressed for time because that can way too easily end up with a drive thru meal.  It is much friendlier on your health and budget to plan ahead!

Since I still don't have this whole menu planning thing nailed yet, I am going to point you to several of my favorite bloggers thoughts on the subject.  Check out these great menu planing posts from: iHeartOrganizing and endless crafting on general planning, Moneysavingmom's part 1 and part 2 on menu planning on a budget and orgjunkie has this great resource list to help you plan.

Cheers!

Ashley

The Power of Dawn and Vinegar

After having seen MANY, MANY pin's on Pinterst about the magic power of Dawn and Vinegar as a bathroom cleaner, I HAD to try it for myself, and I new just the place to do it.  Remember, we don't judged here on before pictures!

Behold the horrible before

And the glorious after

Is this not amazing?

 It is simple:
1 part Dawn
1 part Vinegar

Just mix, apply, wait a few minutes, clean, rinse and voila!  A fabulously cleaned shower!  Simple, effective and cheaper than any other cleaner I know that works THIS WELL!  I am sold!  Have you tried it yet?  I'd love to hear about your results!

Cheers!

Ashley

A beautiful sight

For those of you who have had been enjoying your kitchens with a dishwasher, I would like to show you a beautiful (in my eyes) sight.  Behold, the last regular dishes I will have to wash by hand in the foreseeable future...  

 ... and meet my new best friend.

For those of you who are fb fans, and guessed dishwasher, you were correct!   I am so excited about this.  The amount of dishes this family of four generates is absolutely unbelievable.  I will have the FULL report soon, but I have multiple pictures to edit as this was our first BIG DYI project and I got a tad camera happy.  I can honestly say that this will make one of the habits I am working on this year, of daily dishes much, much easier.  For those of you who have been enjoying a dishwasher, remember what a blessing it is.  Also, if you happen to be at my house and catch me kissing it, please forgive me.

Cheers!

Ashley

Black Bean Tortilla Bake

By far the most popular blog post to date is my Chicken Tortilla Bake.  Most of its popularity and traffic comes from Pintrest and a few other big blogs who have linked to the site (thanks for that!).  Several months ago, I got a sweet email from a reader who asked me if there was a non-meat version.  I have never seen/heard of one, so I decided to create it.  I invited a friend over for dinner who had agreed to be my "guinea pig"  We were both happy with the results, so without further delay my Black Bean Tortilla Bake.

5 Simple Ingredients:
16 Corn Tortillas (Diced into about 1 inch strips)
2 Cans of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 Can of Rotel's diced tomatoes and chillis
1/2 cup of shredded cheese
3 cups cooked black beans drained well (can be from can or home cooked)

Combine the Rotel and Cheddar Cheese together in a bowl and mix well, then add in the black beans.

In a 8x8 pan layer 1/3rd of the diced tortilla bits on the bottom of the pan.

Poor half of the soup mixture over the tortilla bits, layer another 1/3rd of the tortilla bits on top and then poor the remaining portion of the soup mixture and then top with the remainder of the tortilla bits.

Cover and bake at 350 until heated through.

Uncover, and top with cheese.  Return to the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted

Then serve and enjoy!

I love eating it with sour cream and chips!  (guacamole is also a great extra)

Please enjoy, feel free to pin, and share as long as you link back to my page.

Cheers!

Ashley

PS I love to Blog PARTY!  Check here to see all the great places I'm linking up!

Week 7 of 52 Weeks To Become Less Homemaking Challenged

Each Saturday this year, I will be posting a weekly habit.  During my 31 day's series, I talked about a lot of theoretical and how to create purpose in your home.  It was about you figuring things out, making goals, and knowing why you are doing the work, now it is time to put them into action.  Each week I will add one new habit to help you become less homemaking challenged.  The objective of this?  By the end of the year, for us to have applied several of these habits in our daily/weekly routine and be less homemaking challenged by the end of the year!

#7 Ask for help

Seeking out others how have been there, have the professional know how, and experiance can be a huge factor in your personal success at home.  No matter how long you have been doing something, there is always someone else who has ideas about how to make it better.  Honestly I think this is my favorite thing about home blogs and pintrest.  There are SOOO many AMAZING ideas.  Some of them I smack myself in the head saying how did I not think of doing that!  Others, I think wow I could have never thought of that, or that is so cool, but I could never do it in million zillion years.  I think the best thing we can do is seek out others who have experience and know how.  It will save us lots of work in the end.  I am by no means saying that I am this person, or that I have it all together.  Trust me, if you could see my house right now, you would say, this chick has no right to be writing a homemaking blog.  However, that is why it is called homemaking challenged, I am challenged in this area, and am seeking to be better.  Asking others for help, is always key, I will be sharing a story about the importance of asking for help later on this week in my blog.

Cheers!


Ashley


Miss a week?  Here are the past 52 Weeks to Become Less Homemaking Challenged, so far clickhere to see a full list.
Week #1
Week #2
Week #3
Week #4
Week #5
Week #6
Week #7

I want YOU!

Dear fellow readers,

I am looking for several people to contribute a post (or two) to my blog for a new series I want to do.  I know that I am far from perfect and I still have tons to learn!  I would love to have some of you share something with my readers.  If you have a blog, I would gladly do a blog swap with you, so we can both get new readers.  If you don't, I would still love to share what you have to say with everyone.

There are just 2 simple rules:

1) I must have SOMETHING to do with homemaking.  It could be about family, relationships, recipes, cleaning, crafting, organizing, ideas, family ect.  It is a very broad topic, but please no movie reviews (unless you know of a movie that has to do with homemaking)

2) I reserve the right to say no.  It may be for any reason, but know that saying no is harder for me than it is for you.  Please don't let the fear of me saying no prevent you from trying.

That is really it.  I will get into more details with you personally about what I am planing on doing.  If this is something that would interest you, please let me know by emailing me!


Cheers!

Ashley

Daily Grace

One of my habits that I am working on this year for my Project 13 is daily grace.  Grace is a word that happens to be popping up all over my life right now.  My Mom's group just started reading this book called Graced Based Parenting.  I'm excited to read it, but it was also one more affirmation that I need to focus on Grace.

One of my favorite passages on Grace is Romans 5 & 6.  It is far to long to post here, but it is worth the read.  The bottom line is we are all sinners in need of grace.  EVERY SINGLE ONE of us.  There is not one who has not messed up at some point and time, for most of us it is daily, if not hourly that we mess up.  Yet we are under the amazing grace of God.

Because of this amazing grace, I need to give myself grace, and not beat myself up so much.  I also need to give grace to every person I encounter.  How much more should I extend the same grace that has been given to me, to my husband, my children  and those closest to me.

How often do we judge others, hold things against them and overreact to things?  How much better would it be to acknowledge that we are all broken and have grace be given.  I am not in any way saying that we can use this grace as an excuse to do whatever we want by any means.  (Check out Romans 6:1-2)  I am saying that if everyone gave a bit more grace, specifically in our own homes, how much better, happier and loving would that home be?

I know that I need to do better on this in my own home.  Which is why it is one of the habits I am working on this year.  Won't you join me in being better at giving grace to those around you?

Cheers!

Ashley

Menu Monday

Here is what we are planing on eating this week:

Monday: Hamburgers
Tuesday: Potato Soup
Wednesday: Pasta
Thursday: Leftover night
Friday: Pizza


It is a simple week this week in our world.  If you haven't make this potato soup recipe yet, potatoes are $2 for 10lbs at Walmart this week, so its a great time to try it!  I'm going to make two batches and freeze a bunch of it this week!

Cheers!

Ashley

Week 6 of 52 Weeks To Become Less Homemaking Challenged

Each Saturday this year, I will be posting a weekly habit.  During my 31 day's series, I talked about a lot of theoretical and how to create purpose in your home.  It was about you figuring things out, making goals, and knowing why you are doing the work, now it is time to put them into action.  Each week I will add one new habit to help you become less homemaking challenged.  The objective of this?  By the end of the year, for us to have applied several of these habits in our daily/weekly routine and be less homemaking challenged by the end of the year!

#6 Take a Minute (or two)

As life goes racing by, sometimes we as busy homemakers forget to stop and remember the important things.  Our kids are only young for so long, moments only happen once, we don't get another chance.  When things are crazy, we things are hard, when you feel like you are so overwhelmed.  Stop.  Take a moment, take a mental picture of your kids, (even if they are in timeout, screaming, or covered in flour).   These are things you will laugh about, stories and memories you are creating.  Your home is meant to be lived in.  It is meant to hold lives, love, laughter and create thoughts memories and stories.  When the chaos of life his happening, stop, take a moment to breath, ground yourself and know that this wont last forever.  This is especially helpful when you have an 8month who screams and crawls after you all over the house because she wants just you to hold her, and a 2 year old who thinks he can tell you no, and do what he wants and then ends up in time out.  Not that I would know anything about that.

Cheers!

Ashley

Miss a week?  Here are the past 52 Weeks to Become Less Homemaking Challenged, so far clickhere to see a full list.

Week #1

Week #2

Week #3

Week #4

Week #5

Week #6

Life

Crazy, Crazy, Life!

Doesn't it always happen that when things get crazy, you start to drop a few of the balls you are juggling.

Things have been very hectic in our home recently.

I got a text the other day from a friend bugging me about updating my blog, at least there are people who read it and care.  I will give you a brief overview and over the next few days I will be playing some catch up on the blog.

I have upped my mystery shopping and I'm not doing 8-10 shops per month.  With my hubby currently being a "trophy husband" as he likes to call it, (I prefer stay-at-home-dad or Mr. gets-to-stay-home-and-play-videogames-all-day-while-he-keeps-an-eye-on-the-kids-but-doesn't-do-any-cleaning-or-dishes) As his work being far more miss than hit, I have been desperately finding other avenues of income.  I am slowly figuring out how to write up detailed reports quickly, but it is taking some time.  (Counting a mystery shop and report I worked 12.5 hours yesterday).

My son is POTTY TRAINED!  It is super exciting.  Yesterday was our 1st day 100% accident free (including nap time).  While we are in pull-ups overnight, we proudly wear our big boy underwear now.  It has been an exhausting few weeks making this happen, but I'm so excited that we are back down to a 1 baby in diaper household.

 Oh ya, but the tantrums are going to be the death of me.  This is my sweet boy last week, on the floor throwing a tantrum at the DMV.  Where I missed my number being called because we were in the bathroom going potty.  Word to the wise, don't take a potty training 2 year old and a 7month old to the DMV.  Doesn't matter how many activities you bring, they will only want to do the things they can't.

Last week I was down for the count.  I somehow managed to pul a muscle in my back, and was in pain all week.  I used heat wraps and rested every chance I got, but I greatly fell behind in nearly all of my weekly tasks.

Hubby has worked 1 1/2 day last week and then again this week.  It looks like there may be a big project on the horizon which would mean full time hours again.  That would be a HUGE blessing, but also present the challenge of childcare.

Our taxes got rejected by the IRS, because the same SS# I have filed as our sons for the past 2 years with out a problem, all of the sudden doesn't match their records (obviously we must have changed it right?).  It is going to be a long path to fix.  I tried calling the SS office yesterday spent nearly an hour on hold before I was hung up on.  I can't file our taxes until this gets fixed, and we really were hoping to get our refund sooner than later.

Baby girl turns 8 months today.  Can't believe how fast the time is going!

Just some of the fun things we are doing right now, in our life.  Sorry for the chaotic post right now, but that is our life.  Chaotic.

Cheers!

Ashley

Week 5 of 52 Weeks To Become Less Homemaking Challenged

Each Saturday this year, I will be posting a weekly habit.  During my 31 day's series, I talked about a lot of theoretical and how to create purpose in your home.  It was about you figuring things out, making goals, and knowing why you are doing the work, now it is time to put them into action.  Each week I will add one new habit to help you become less homemaking challenged.  The objective of this?  By the end of the year, for us to have applied several of these habits in our daily/weekly routine and be less homemaking challenged by the end of the year!

#5 Start Your Day On The Right Foot

Have you ever had a day, when you woke up well rested, you started well and the day just went great? I love those days.  They are amazing.  You wake up before your alarm, you feel good, you get to enjoy a bit of the morning before chaos rules the house.  (Trust me, with two kids and a dog, chaos rules most of the time).  Those mornings when you get to start the day ahead of everyone and take some time for your self, and get a mental grip on the day.  Those are the mornings I long for.  Not the mornings where I am forced to jump out of bed and race for a screaming, teething child who just seemed to HAVE to wake up 1-2 hours early.  Starting your morning off right sets the tone for the day, while if you have children you can't always control being the 1st one up, you can ensure that your days start of well by doing a few of these things...

1) Get to bed on time.  

You can't wake up refreshed if you were up way too late the night before

2) Do a quite time.  

I try and spend my first moments awake with the Lord.  It is a time that I treasure, but if I don't wake up early enough one that gets cut short or is a challenge to find.

3) Sip on a hot beverage and down a full glass of water.  

Doing this with in the 1st hour of waking up helps you wake up with tea, coffee or hot chocolate and allows you to slowly greet the day.  The water helps you stay hydrated and makes sure you are running at full capacity.

Hope that these tips will help you start your mornings on the right foot!

Cheers!

Ashley

Miss a week?  Here are the past 52 Weeks to Become Less Homemaking Challenged, so far clickhere to see a full list.

Week #1

Week #2

Week #3

Week #4

Week #5