Wednesday, September 28, 2011

**WFMW**tips


Don't you love getting tips? Those little ideas that are so simple and yet, they make a huge difference?

I do not have an organized bone in my body. I have alot of lazy ones though lol!

Our calender for Sept!! And that is just the stuff I remembered to put on!!
We are a busy family and so I need all the organizing help I can get!

So while we lived on Guam, I had a friend who lived a couple of doors down.

She is married with 3 boys. At the time (and these are the only ones I know of personally) she was involved in the PTA, she was my sons Cub scout leader, sold Longbarger baskets, all 3 of her boys played a sport each season...I can't even think of everything. Her husband was gone a lot. BUT her house was immaculate. She planned her scout activities for the WHOLE year all at once. I was lucky if I had anything planned the hour before. She had calenders of every activity and followed everything to the T. To say that I was impressed is putting it mildly.

I asked her, how do you stay organized? She gave me 3 tips and I want to share them with you.

1. Don't just sit and watch tv. If you want to watch tv that is fine, but don't JUST sit! Send an email, update your calender, write out a menu plan, fold laundry, match socks, clip coupons....whatever. Just use that time to your advantage!

2. Never leave a room empty handed. If you are going from the living room to the kitchen, grab that cup you just used and go put it away. While in the kitchen, grab your dirty dish towels and put them in the laundry etc. Always put something away!

3. The last one is to have everyone in your house learn this motto and practice it! Ready? "Don't pass it up, pick it up". Have you or your kids ever walked past a pair of shoes? A couch pillow on the floor? A toy? Don't walk past it, pick it up and put it away.

So...what about you? Do you have any tips that you use to keep your house picked up, or your life more organized? I would love to hear them, trust me, I need all the help I can get!!

For more great ideas, head on over to We Are That Family!

What's for lunch?

image from http://www.bentolunch.com/

strawberries, cookies, ham sandwich on a bagel thin, applesauce, fruit snacks
strawberries, cookies, cheese and leftover chicken & fried rice

ham sandwich on bagel w/cream cheese, cheese cubes, crackers, strawberries and cookies
 With the end of September coming up fast...I have realized something.

My kids lunches have been less than stellar. Seriously! I mean I still describe my lunches as "bento-ish" because I lack any skill but, I have at least been doing better.

Not this month though!

Hopefully October will help inspire me a bit...pumpkins, leaves, Halloween...

Here is a look at some of the lunches I have made this past month.

For some AmAzInG ideas, go to What's for Lunch! Her site is seriously amazing. She is talented and so are her readers!

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

changes

I have been couponing for awhile now.

Since my daughter was born, to be exact.

She turned 12 last summer.

I love coupons. I love having a grocery store in my garage. I love having lots of options for meals & snacks. I love being able to give away when someone is in need.

I would encourage everyone to coupon on at least some level. Since I have been in CA ( a little over a year now) I have been blessed with awesome stores that double coupons. I have been able to get many free and inexpensive items. So I started sharing them on Facebook.



Then I started having requests for teaching & sharing how to coupon. Thus I changed the name of this blog (from MarthaWannabe to California Clippin') and created a facebook page, to go along with it.



I have had fun sharing good deals, coupons and my trips. However...there are TONS of coupon blogs. TONS. And I feel it is kind of a waste of my time to repeat info that can be found in a ton of other places.

So while I am in no way saying that I will never post another coupon trip or good deal etc, I am saying that you won't see as many.



I want to go back to sharing recipes, planning menu's, freezer cooking, sharing crafts or decorations, money saving tips, family friendly ideas, kids ideas, trying to get organized and basically homemaker-y stuff. (:

Monday, September 26, 2011

Daily Do's



 


To do lists. I make them. I ignore them. I use them...sometimes.

In my attempt to get more organized, I am going to start small. Small steps right? So my first thing is to create a list of 3 things that I want to do every day.

3 in the morning, 3 in the afternoon and 3 in the evening. This will be the beginning of my routine and hope to add more to it as I go along.

I will also be adding 1 goal a day to increase my healthy habits!

Ready?
Morning:
*make  my bed-I make my bed  about 95% of the time. But I want to increase to a 100% bed maker (:
*straighten my bathroom (sometimes that curling iron stays on the counter all week...or longer!)
*unload the dishwasher (and reload if necessary)

After lunch (during Mason's nap time)
* 2 loads of laundry 100% complete. (Sort, wash, dry, fold and put away. It is the putting away that gets me everytime!!)
*dishes (load & reload as necessary)
*know what I am making for dinner (if I need to get meat out, or if there is something I can do ahead of time..)

Evening:
*clean kitchen (with help from my children)
*straighten living room (with help from my 6 yr old, older children will have their own jobs)
* plan lunches for the next day (Do I need to get bread out of the freezer? Refill water bottles? Etc)


Healthy Habit:
And my healthy habit I will be working on...uping my water intake!! I am so bad about drinking diet soda, and so I know I need to be drinking more water!! So for now, my goal is 64 oz of water daily (:

Friday, September 23, 2011

Feelin' Feminine Friday


It is that time again! I am participating in The American Homemakers Feelin' Feminine Fridays! This is a great chance to share what makes you feel feminine! I have a house full of boys and so I know that I love to just think about being *girly* (:

In the LDS church we have a General Conference on the first weekend in October and the first weekend in April. This is a chance for members of the church (and non members!!) to listen to our church leaders & prophet and get messages for our day.

However, tomorrow, we have what is called the General Relief Society meeting. The Relief Society is the woman's organization in our church. This is a time when all messages are devoted to WOMEN!

What could be more feminine than that? I always make sure I have a journal, a pen, and lots of tissues!


Sorry, I couldn't get the picture to rotate! My journal that my friend Julie made me!

So while I really don't have pictures of this event, I wanted to share a quote. This is from the talk given in October 2007 by Julie B Beck... I keep this taped on my kitchen cabinet as a reminder to me of who I am and what I am here to do...



"Mothers who know are nurturers. This is their special assignment and role under the plan of happiness. 5 To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow. Therefore, mothers who know create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes. Another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home. Home is where women have the most power and influence; therefore, Latter-day Saint women should be the best homemakers in the world. Working beside children in homemaking tasks creates opportunities to teach and model qualities children should emulate. Nurturing mothers are knowledgeable, but all the education women attain will avail them nothing if they do not have the skill to make a home that creates a climate for spiritual growth. Growth happens best in a “house of order,” and women should pattern their homes after the Lord’s house (see D&C 109). Nurturing requires organization, patience, love, and work. Helping growth occur through nurturing is truly a powerful and influential role bestowed on women."

Friday Rules!!

Literally!! My kids love Fridays! We have a lot of rules/schedules during the school week but Fridays...well things change!

regular school mornings are not very fun!

During the week in the Turner home, there is:

*no video games (they are also not allowed to play on Sundays) at all

*no tv in the mornings


This is how Ivan feels about Fridays!

*M-Th my kids only have water  at school.

*Bedtimes are very strict during the week.

*no soda is allowed

On Friday's...

**As long as your chores have been done during the week and bedroom, playroom and bathrooms are clean...you can play video games or get on facebook (for those old enough)

**If you are "head to toe, ready to go" you can watch cartoons in the mornings on Fridays


 **On Fridays the kids get to have either a juice box or chocolate milk (Yoohoo) in their lunch!

** Dinner on Friday evenings is verrrry relaxed! Usually something very kid friendly (pizza, hot dogs etc) and the kids get to have a soda!

A typical scene on a Friday!
Now that school is in, we have moved our family movie night to Saturdays. Once video games go off on Saturdays, they don't go back on! So we have a movie night and an appetizer dinner.



 


What about you? Do you do anything different to make the weekends special?

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

brain dump

AAAAGH! I am going nuts. I really am. I have been considering something.

I.JUST.CAN'T.DECIDE!! It is a big decision. And so I go back and forth and back and forth.

My husband is for it. Totally supportive. It's just that...

I'm scared. Change is hard. And if I do it, it means my whole life & lifestyle will change.

**Big old sigh**

So what is this decision? Do you really want to know? Well it is...

whether or not to get...

lapband surgery.
All these pictures make me want to cry, cry and cry some more!

Can't read that? It says...

lapband surgery

Yep. It makes me sick that I even qualify. However, it is covered by my insurance. I qualify. I have been doing research for months. I am going to a seminar on Monday, but...boy howdy, huge decision.

Lap band is different than gastric bypass. You are only in the hospital for a couple of hours. A couple of hours to change your life?




Seriously, I am going nuts, trying to decide if this is for me or not.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Feelin' Feminine Friday

This week, I am participating in the American Homemakers blog carnival Feelin' Feminine Friday! If you are interested in participating, do it!

When my husband and I were dating, he came to visit me. As he held me for a hug, he said, "mmmm you smell good."

Knowing I wasn't wearing anything special, (perfume, body mist etc) I asked, "what do I smell like?"

He shrugged saying, "like GIRL". Too cute.

So here is a run down of my fun favorites that make me feel feminine and make me smell like a girl (:
1. Scented lotions. My current favorite (and one I wear everyday) is Bath & Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom. I have the lotion, body wash, hand sanitizer  and body spray! I love it and sometimes even spray it on my pillow case!

2. Chapstick. Seriously I have 100's of sticks of chapstick. I want my lips to be kissable at all times!!

3. While I am not big on painting my fingernails, I always, always, always have my toes painted! It is an absolute must!

4. After I wash my face at night, my husband says, ' ugh you used that smelly stuff". I am not the best about washing my face...but I know it is important! Nothing says girl like soft, clean skin!






So how about you? What products do you like to use to make you feel feminine? I am always looking for new finds!


***All pictures taken from product sites or a google image search***

Monday, September 12, 2011

MPM *9/12


After a busy weekend, I am starting a very busy week. Why does school have to equal busy?! So I have to plan ahead if I am not going to go crazy...or as crazy (:

So here is what our family is going to be eating this week...

Monday:
B:cereal
L: Kids had lunchables (got them for .50 each over the weekend!) with a milk, granola bar and some crackers to go along with it. Hubby is going out to lunch.
D: roast (crockpot), mashed potatoes and vegi's

Tuesday:
B: leftover waffles for the weekend
D: breaded chicken sandwiches, french fries, jello salad

Wednesday (busiest night of my week!!)
B: kids choice
D: baked potatoes (cooked in the crockpot) with all the yummy toppings (ham, cheese, sour cream, green onions...) jello salad, rolls

Thursday (2nd busiest night!)
B:leftovers/kids choice
D: homemade beefaroni, corn, biscuits

Friday:
B: pancakes
D: boys have a pizza party at church, hubby & daughter are going on a date (:

Saturday:
spending the day at Six Flags with the family (: So b-fast will probably be granola bars or cereal bars, dry cereal etc.
lunch is in the park
dinner out on the way home

Sunday:
B-doughnuts
L: kids choice
D: chili pie casserole

For more great menus & meal plans & recipes, head on over to Org Junkie

Friday, September 9, 2011

Feelin' Feminine Friday


 


One of the first homemaking blogs I ever came across was The American Homemaker. While I have never met Angie, we seem to have a lot in common (: One of them being our love for military guys!!!

But seriously, she posts easy recipes that even I can follow, cute and inexpensive decorating ideas...and more. Seriously go and check out her blog when you have a chance!

She recently started a weekly blog carnival, called Feeling Feminine Friday. At our house it is 2 girls against 5 boys, so we are totally outnumbered. It can be hard to feel feminine & girly when we are surrounded by Legos, Star Wars, boxers, burps, wrestling...you get the picture. So I love this idea of sharing what makes me feel feminine!

The first item, is my birthday gift from my hubby. My old ihome has been on the fritz lately and likes to short out on me. So I fell in love with this PINK ihome that was of course on clearance (:

The 2nd is, this past week I started taking a cake decorating  class through Michaels. This was the first class and we practiced making stars. We then decorated cookies to practice. So these are some that I made. Obviously I have a lot of work to do (lol) but wearing an apron, baking cookies and then decorating them definatley makes me feel feminine!


If you would like to participate also, you can go to Angie's website The American Homemaker!

**Sorry about the funky picture layout**

lunch bag tips pt.1

(crackers, cheese cubes, strawberries, cookies, bagel sandwich w/ ham& cream cheese) 
(wipe & a napkin on top, plus an extra snack!)

(All our lunch bags lay flat instead of stand tall)

If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times...

I make a LOT of packed lunches.

I am not going to sugar coat and say that I just love making lunches. But I do have a few ideas that will make it a bit easier.

First things first...the bag.

**I use containers instead of plastic bags. (Good for the environment & good for the budget.) I prefer to use the divided Ziploc brand containers. So I need to have a bag that lays down. This way items fit in so much better!

** I swear that every parent at my boys school shops at Target. Why? Because most kids have the exact same lunch bag. So label, label, label! I label the inside of the bag, and containers. In a later post, I will show you my kids bag tags that go on the OUTSIDE of the bag.

**Juice boxes are convenient but the cost can add up. Most have 10 juices in a box. So that means 1 box would last 2 days..if nobody sneaks one. So I only buy them on sale and with coupon. But I also... only give them water M-Thursday. Water is healthier, keeps them hydrated better than juice and it's free! This also goes in a reusable bottle!

**One of the reasons that I like bags that lay down, is so that I can put things on top. Not everything fits into the container.

**A few years ago, I attatched a bottle of hand sanitizer to my kiddo's lunch bags. 2 days later, they were empty. Because of course they shared it with their friends. And of course they (my kids & their friends) didn't use one squirt but 10 or so! Instead I give them a wipe! Hands still get clean and I don't have to replace the bottle every other day!

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Uhm...


Why no, no I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!!

I have been just a teeny bit busy!

Here's the thing...

I had found this great way of organizing coupons. I was so excited about it. After a few weeks of using this system (and of course those were the weeks with tons of inserts) I realized it just wasn't working for me. ):

The biggest key to saving money is to be organized. And being organized means doing things in a way that works for you, right?

So I have spent the past weekend organizing, filing, clipping...and I am not done. Getting there but not done yet.

I feel like I haven't been on the "coupon ball" for awhile now and my budget is starting to show it. Time to tighten the purse strings!

Want to contact me?

Feel free to contact me at hecimommy@gmail.com