Organizing Me

Lately I've been having a hellava time getting motivated to do much of anything.  It's summer, my kids are home and I feel like I want to just say "forget it" when it comes to the "needs to be done" list.  Oh yes, I have lists upon lists upon lists that I should do.  These lists are either written down or in my head.  When the lists are in my head, I tend to start having stressful days, freak out moments and a little short tempered.  I've decided to share some of the things that I do or have that help make my life easier.  Some of these things are a repeat from past posts, but I need a boost.  I'm hoping that by publishing my thoughts, I'll be able to get my sh!t together.  Or in other words:  Organizing Me.

Here goes:

1.  A clean kitchen is by far my #1.  I know this sounds crazy but in our home, this is where I am a huge portion of my day.  Between cooking, meal planning, activities with the kids, eating meals, sorting mail...etc...it's the zone for everything.  When my kitchen is a mess, my mind is in complete disarray.  You think I'm kidding?  I'm not.  My kitchen cannot be cluttered or have anything on the counters/table.  A place for everything and everything in its place.  95% of the time, I make sure the kitchen is cleaned up before I go to bed.  Last night, I did no such thing (I seized the opportunity to binge watch Teen Wolf [I'm not kidding about this either nor am I ashamed...it's good stuff]).  I woke up this morning a little cranky and when I came out to the kitchen I felt immediately stressed.  I took 15 minutes to clean it all up and instantly felt better.  I know it's crazy but when the central part of this home is out of sorts, so am I.  The flowers on the table make me smile too...it's the little things (they're fake but will last a lifetime...until I change it up).

2.  My Planner.  I know, snore fest!  I've blabbed about this stinking thing time and time again, but I'm still in love.  I've had 3 of these planners and I adore it.  It's great to jot things down and I get a week at a glance that helps me remember what I need to do, where we all need to be and most important; when we get to have free time!  It's worth the purchase...and they just came out with a whole new slew of add-ons.  Check it out - you won't regret it:  www.erincondren.com

3.  These Post-Its.  While the planner serves a great purpose, sometimes there just isn't enough room for all the lists I have going.  Sometimes you just need to list a couple things and having a whole sheet of paper is a pain in the ass.  I had 3 lists going at the same time just last week for multiple things.  Once the list was complete, I could toss it and forget about it.  They're small enough to put in your backpack, purse or car.  $6 for 4 pads is worth the money to me. I had 3 sheets going at the same time: quick grocery list, birthday to-do's for Peanutty, and a pros and cons list for purchasing a vehicle (this is a real struggle right now - I hate car shopping - worse than shopping for jeans and swim wear - at least I don't have to worry that someone is trying to rip me off when I'm buying capris).

4.  Have something to look forward to at the end of the day.  Even though the neighbor girl is more excited to see me than my own kids, I look forward to seeing them and the Hubs.  Being home is my prize at the end of the day, but it's even better when I can look forward to something for just me after Peanutty and Sweet Pickle go to bed.  A good book or a movie/tv (ahem Teen Wolf) show is all it takes for me to get excited for "me" time.  It also motivates me to get my stuff done so I can spend more time doing something I really want to do.  Eye on the prize!

While it's not a huge list, it's what helps me.  I'd love to hear things that others do to get life under control and organized!  I hope you have a most marvelous Tuesday!!!

Until next time...

Groceries getting you down???

I know some of this may be redundant to some of you followers, but I feel as though this is a struggle that I have weekly.  Grocery store shopping/using what you've got/organizing meals...blah, blah, blah...I'm getting nauseated just typing it.  It never goes away, you always have to do it, and you get burned out.  At least I do.  Especially lately since it seems like we have SOMETHING going on every single night; meetings, games, practices, get togethers (ok, that's a fun one but still requires you to plan a little bit).  Thanks to a lot of things:  Pinterest (still a dirty bitch), Aldi, Walmart (I'm NOT thanking their carts because they suck the big one and I've called headquarters to alert them to this crime...why can't they take a page out of Targets book and get the super nice plastic carts that seem to roll like they've had a tune up each and every time I go in there...sigh, I love Target), Sams Club, Costco and a new found co-op thanks to my Sister-these things are made a little easier.  I'm going to keep this simple by mapping out what I like, where and why:

1.  Pinterest (why I'm putting a photo with it, I'll never know):

I love getting recipes off of here.  It's quick, easy and most of the time, the recipes are decent.  I'm making one for tonight's dinner called Mississippi Pot Roast:

-1 roast (I used an arm roast that we have from a huge beef purchase we made last week)

-1 packet of dry Ranch (purchased at Aldi for $.59)

-1 packet dry onion soup mix (purchased at Aldi for $1.19 for 2 packets)

-1 stick of butter (purchased at Aldi for $1.99 for 4 sticks)

-Pepperoccini peppers (guess where? Aldi again for $1.29 for a jar) you add as many or as little as you like

Crock pot for 7-8 hrs on low.  I also threw in there some "weird carrots" that I received in my co-op purchase from last weekend.  They're orange, yellow, white and purple (my nose is crinkled just thinking about them but my sister assures me they're delicious...we shall see dear sister). 

 All sorts of recipes you can look up...I also have about 8 limes that I have no idea what to do with...guess what?  Pinterest has a solution for those too...anywhere from a foot scrub to a pie...Pinterest has an idea.  Surprise, surprise.

2.  Aldi:

I'm in love with this little store.  They are priced for a family that wants to save.  It's convenient and has loads of products (many gluten free products as well - side note:  I was going to type glaucoma free just now).  I'm partial to quite a few things so I'll type what I don't like instead:
-Bagged onions (almost half are rotten-not cool)
-Chips (we are Lays and Doritos people, yes, there are certain things we are food snobs about) We WILL purchase their tortilla chips - you can't mess up corn and salt.
-Cereal (we've actually never tried these, we're just partial to Malt-O-Meal bagged cereals at Wally World AKA Walmart)
-Beef (we're those people that purchase a third or half of a cow to save money, the whole chickens there are inexpensive and great for crock potting and shredding for later meals)
-Ice cream (we just haven't had great luck with it)
Produce is very good there as well as the "stock up" items one may need: canned items, baking items, snacks for the kiddos...just check it out, you may just love it.

3.  Walmart:

I just like their prices.   I'm a Target fanatic...if they sold a t-shirt with the Target symbol on it, I'd buy it and wear it much like people do with their favorite sporting team.  I don't have one of those, but I love Target, so why not have a tee...million dollar idea?  Probably.  While we're on the subject of Target:  while I love it (like, I should marry it), I've recently be3en keeping away from it because of the prices and because of their clearance items.  I seem to think that if they're on clearance and I COULD use it someday, then I must have it.  Sound like a personal problem?  It is.

4.  Sams Club and Costco (sorry no photo):
Mi Mamma has a membership to Sams so I got there to purchase items like Folgers coffee, produce, boneless chicken boobies, Gatorade in the squat bottles (perfect for littles) and the other random items - I purchased tp and paper towels there this last time - so far, they're great for the price!  My friend has a Costco membership and sweetly takes me when I need to purchase my absolute favorite beverage, Tazo concentrated chai.  They have a 3 pack for about $7.50 - if you purchase one carton at Target it's $4...you're saving $4.50 by purchasing the 3 pack.  Why am I telling you this info?  Because that stuff is delectable!  I also love their salsa, it's $5 and fresh and the whole family likes it.

5.  Co-op:
My sister recently introduced me to a co-op she had been ordering from.  It's all fresh produce and for $17 I received two weeks worth.  The only downfall is you get what you get.  BUT, it's also made me try a few new recipes AND has also broadened our produce palate.

Random info for saving money with the groceries:
-Try a "use what you've got" week.  I had found that I had some stuffing mix (I HATE stuffing/dressing as a side dish itself-that's just a little personal tidbit) from a previous recipe so I decided I needed to use it rather than throw it away:

I put it in our little blender thingy and made crumbs.  I used said crumbs for a homemade meatball recipe.  It was delicious and made me feel like I was resourceful.

-Don't purchase pre-packaged items like little bags of Goldfish crackers, or cookies.  Buy them in bulk.  If it's for a kids lunch, purchase reusable baggies and pack them in those instead.  It's worth it especially if you pack your kids lunch daily (like I do).  Not buying disposable baggies saves you money and the planet.  Now, I get having to purchase pre-packaged stuff for school snacks, sometimes you have to but you can also cut down on some things.

-If there's a sale, stock up.  Yes, I have a deep freeze full of shredded cheeses, beef and tater tots. 

-Don't take your kids...I'm laughing at this one...I always have a child or childs with me every time I got to the store.  But, if you're like me, you practically jog through the aisles grabbing what you need.

-Make lists and stick to it.  I've done this the past few times and if I forgot to write it down, we go without.

-Pick a day to make a weekly meal plan.  Mine is Sunday.  I ask the family if they have ideas (very rarely they do), check my cupboards/pantry/fridge/freezer and make my meal plan from there.

-Write down your meal plan in a central place.  If you've got a significant other/partner that is up for helping out with meal making, having a central location for the meal plan can get the ball rolling quicker in the evenings.

-Prep ahead of time.  Use already made shredded chicken, cut up veggies the night before, use meat from another meal to create something new (you had roast beef? Now make shredded beef tacos with the leftovers)...there's always a way to get it done...but you have to be ambitious and sometimes it's hard to do.

-Don't eat out.  We eat out as a family maybe twice/month.  We are lucky to live in a town that doesn't have any restaurants, so we're forced to make something at home.  At first (10 years ago) it was hard, but now it's just second nature to whip something up OR we have those "every man for himself" nights.  Usually consists of the kids eating a sandwich, chicken fries, or a bowl (or two) of cereal.

-Have a "bring whatcha got" potluck.  We do this A LOT with neighbors and family on those nights you just don't feel like cooking but have a ton of leftovers...

-Eat your leftovers!!!  We eat nothing but leftovers for lunches.  Period.

That's all I have time for now!  I'd love to hear some grocery store saving ideas!  I know I've forgotten quite a few, but I have to scoot!

Have a great weekend!!  Until next time...

Side Note I:   Sweet Pickle is singing "Royals" by Lorde and it's pretty awesome...she's 3.
Side Note II:  I'm not reading before posting this so if it doesn't make sense, get creative.
Side Note III (this is the last one I promise...for today):  What would you like me to report on?  Ideas are always good!!!

I've Missed This...

I've started to write this post 3 times already, not quite sure where to start.  After a 7 month hiatus, I'm ready to get back into the swing of things - blogging here and there without a set schedule.  I found that I was treating this blog like a job instead of something fun to share - so, I got burned out...and I got into a rut.  I've dug myself out of said rut and am ready to tackle some new projects.  Not to mention my inspiration from family, friends and the dirty bitch named Pinterest.  Yes, I said it.  Pinterest is a dirty, time sucking, inspiring bitch.  Now that I've got my excuse for my absence out of the way, let's dive in.

It's closet time.  I know I shared about Peanutty's closet months ago...well, that's been re-vamped as well.  Here's that post:

http://www.arethesemygoodsweatpants.blogspot.com/2014/03/peanuttys-closet.html

My (notice how I don't say "our"...let's face it, I take up about erm 80% of the closet so I'm not even attempting to fool anyone here) closet needed an overhaul.  Bad.  As did my dressers...yes, I said dresserS...again, I'd say Hubs owns about 10% of those.  I'm just now realizing that I need to downsize all of my clothes again...hmmm...OK, back on point here.  Here are the befores:

My Closet

Peanutty's Closet

The drawers worked great in his closet until they didn't.  He got bigger, so did his clothes.  Only so much could fit in there.  As for my closet, I have zero excuses other than I adore shopping and have an addiction...come to think of it, I have a lot of those:  washi tape (yep, still obsessed), organizing (duh), Target (gulp, this will be a whole other post...I've recently become they're #1 customer and they know me and Sweet Pickle by name - drat) burying my face in my kids cheeks with smooches until they get annoyed...you know, things like that.  I need to go through my clothes again (I did this closet re-do a few months ago and could have gotten rid of a lot more...and I may or may not have added to the hot mess that is my closet).

Aaaah.  This gem is from college, which was purchased 13+ years ago to accommodate a different closet which happened to be a beautiful, expanse of space called a "walk-in".  It was truly dreamy.  Well, for 10 years it has been in my closet serving its purpose but not utilizing the full space.  I decided to make Peanutty's closet the newest victim to this crime.  Annnnd because we already have it so let's make use of it.  I cleared out my closet and put in two shelves that went from wall to wall.  Huge thank you to my husband that installed these without my help and without me asking.  Good man that is!!!

I truly did gain a LOT of space here.  It may not seem like it, but I actually have 3/4 of the top shelf empty.  They say "when you have a lot of space, you end up filling it with more junk".  Who "they" are, I don't know, but they're right.  I am happy to report that I haven't filled that space up with a lot more clothes because I have a brainstorm in the works for my room that includes getting rid of one of the dressers. 

Pants on the top shelf, sweats (my FAVE) on the bottom shelf, and bags/purses/backpacks underneath.  Works out great.  Originally I had belts on a hanger - that was annoying SO:

In the back of our closet is a whole board that supports the upper shelves.  It's wasted space back there so I added a few 3M hooks (I'm going nothing but posh and fancy here-and because I didn't want to put holes in the wood-and because I did this when Hubby was at work and I'm not the best at using a screw gun).  Ta-da!  They're hung up, out of the way and easily accessible.  I'm still fighting with my scarves but I'll come up with something some day.

Sigh.  Just looking at these make me happy.  I not only love washi tape, but a label maker puts a smile on my face.  The combo of the two?  Mind. Blown.  Categories include:  t-shirts, long sleeves, sweatshirts, Medium and Large.  If I see something on clearance that I know Peanutty will get good use out of later, I buy it.  Like $1.00 sweatshirts at Walmart?  Yes, please!  So, I made a category for the larger clothing he will wear later.

All of his bedding goes on the shelves up top.  I wish I could say it looks like this all the time...but it doesn't.  Looks more like someone beat the ever loving crap out of the clothes and left them for dead. 

That's it for my first post back at it.  I hope everyone has a spectacular weekend!!!  Until next time!

Side note:  I am not revising this.  I have a couple hungry kids and need to start cooking.
Side note 2: Thank you to the strangers that sent me emails stating that they loved my blog.  It put a huge smile on my face.

Halloween Fun!!!

First off...I'm so SORRY I missed last week...life happened.  I KNOW you all (all 10 of you that read this religiously) were wondering what happened!!!  Moving on...

So, I'm well aware that this should be the Laundry Room Part 3...but with Halloween right around the corner (in 3 days to be exact), I wanted to share a little DIY I did for both Sweet Pickle and Peanutty's classroom parties.  I took it upon myself to be in charge of games for the kids' classrooms.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE giving out little prizes for the kids, so guess where I headed to find the perfect little somethings???  Did I just hear you right?  Did you just say...Target?  Well, you're right!!!  Thank goodness the dollar bins did NOT disappoint this year.  I also picked up a couple things from Aldi of all places! Here's just a little bit of what I found:

So here's what I scored:

Aldi:
mini Play-Doh - $3.99 for 15 - I purchased 3
20 pack of 20 sticker boxes - $1.99

Target:
8 count of Halloween pencils - $1.00 - I purchased 6
50 count of Halloween erasers - $1.00 - I purchased 4
50 count bat rings - $1.00
Tattoo sheets - $1.00 - I purchased 2
8 count vampire teeth - $1.00 - I purchased 2
20 count tattoo boxes - $3.00

All together I spent $31.96.  Seems steep right?  It is.  I admit I went overboard.  My justification?  Halloween just so happens to be my FAVORITE holiday.  I anticipate my involvement in the Little's school parties to be every single year.  Anything left over will just be saved for the following year.  Anywho...moral of the story?  You don't have to go CRAY-ZAY over the fun junk in the dollar bins...but if you're like me, you will!

I decided to do a Bingo game for Peanutty's class.  Whoever gets a Bingo will get to pick a pencil and eraser.  They'll use candy corn as markers for the Bingo game.

I decided to do a bean bag toss game as well for BOTH Peanutty and Sweet Pickles classes.  Originally I was going to use the $.99 plastic pumpkins that you can get anywhere.  I actually used those a couple years ago for Peanutty's classroom game, but the problem with those?  They don't nest.  I was that crazy lady with the huge Rubbermaid tote full of Halloween game supplies.  I don't want to do that again.  I went on a hunt for bowls or SOMETHING that will nest.  Well, I found a cute set at Target.  There were 6 buckets for $10.  Steep?  Yes, but in the big picture, if I would have found them in the dollar bins, I would have purchased at least 6 anyway...so I spent $4 more than I had hoped, but again, I'll be using this game for years to come.  Not to mention we're having a shindig for Halloween that everyone can enjoy!!!  Here's what the  buckets look like:

Super cute!!!  They came with these plastic ping pong ball, but all they'd do would be bounce out.  So, I decided to make some bean bags.  These took me all of 20 minutes to make.  I purchased the fabric at a local store.  I purchased 1/4 yard of each fabric bringing my grand total to $2.00 for all 3 styles:

Yay!!  I purchased some beans at Aldi as well for $1.00:

I cut out two 6x6 inch squares from each fabric:

Did a little pinning (right sides together):

Sewed three of the four edges:

Flipped them right side out:

Filled with my beans...there may or may not have been a little bean spillage from Sweet Pickles extraordinary help:

And sewed up the last side giving us these:

Best part?  It's not rocket science.  It's simple, easy and quick!!!  And as long as the kids don't wipe their noses on them, or lick them, you can reuse them.  I know that's a lot to ask of kids, but hey, we can hope!

Here are the game rules for Peanutty's class (they are elementary level children)

Each child will get to toss each of the 3 bean bags once.  There will be a little prize in EVERY bucket.  If their bean bag lands in a bucket, they get the prize.  If they don't make it in, no prize.  If one or more land in the same bucket, they only get whatever prize is in that bucket.  You're aiming to get your bean bags in three different buckets to earn 3 prizes. 

Rules for Sweet Pickles class (they are 3 year olds):

You get three bean bags to toss.  If you get them in, great!  If not, no biggie.  EVERY child will get a little goody bag with a variety of Halloween goodness in them.

There you have it!!!  Set me back about $42, but I envision a lot cheaper purchasing next year...I hope.  Keep in mind that I budgeted for all of this in the 'School Fund' and the 'Daycare Fund'.  I usually only participate in one of the kids' school parties each year, so in the big picture, it's not too bad...at least that's what I'm telling myself!!!

I hope you all have a safe and warm Halloween!!!  Where I'm at, it's going to be a high of 53 degrees and a low of 36 degrees....EEK!!!  That's super scary!

Next week, I'll post about my last DIY from the laundry room as well as some photos my kids took of me while opening my new 2015 Life Planner.  Sigh.  I love that thing.

Until next week my faithful followers!!!

Side Note:  Not editing.  I have a rabid child that needs fed.
Side Note 2:  I didn't get my chai in today.  Have you?
Side Note 3:  It's taco night.

Laundry Room Part 2: DIY Shower Curtain and Valance

A Happy Tuesday to YOU!!!  First and foremost:  I found my USB thingy!!!  Funny story...You know the little pot that we keep our phones and such in?  No?  Well:

I'm not going to lie...sometimes it acquires a few items that aren't supposed to be in there.  Such as:  coupons, USB thingies, a pen...in this case, a collegiate pin was in there.  You know those round pins that people wear to support whatever they're supporting?  Back in the day, the only pins I had were New Kids on the Block (Joey forever) and Book It.  Well, Peanutty had one that had landed in this pot.  My USB thingy just so happens to be magnetic...you know where I'm going with this.  I'd looked in that pot about 53 times (because things like that appear out of thin air).  I decided it was time to clean it out and when I picked up the pin, it seemed a little heavier than usual.  BOOM!  There was my USB giving me the evil eye as if to say "you're an idiot".  So, I'm happy to report the lost has been found...for now.

Moving on...remember the laundry room I showed you a few weeks back?

I'm going to show you how I made the shower curtain and valance out of about $20 worth of fabric purchased at Hobby Lobby.  Because of the smaller shower size (it's just a simple stand in shower with no tub), I wasn't sure if I was going to find a shower curtain that size.  AND a matching/coordinating valance.  So, I opted to make my own.  After I figured out the colors I wanted to go with, I set out to find the fabric.  I really wanted a chevron print, but I was coming up short.  I found this fabric on sale at Hobby Lobby and rolled with it.  Here are the steps I took to make my laundry room duds:

First thing I did was cut the plastic curtain liner to fit the actual size of my shower.  I made sure the holes on the top were going to be centered on the curtain rod and even on each side.

I spread out all the fabric onto the floor and laid the plastic curtain over the top.  Yes, I could have measured, but I didn't want to do that this time.  I wanted to see how much extra fabric I wanted on each side of the curtain.  I did measure after I did this step and cut.  Again, I allowed extra for seam allowance.  And I'll be the first to admit that I do not cut straight.  I think cutting fabric straight is one of the most difficult things to accomplish.

It was as simple as sewing the edges to give it a nice finished look.  I then sewed button holes to match the holes in the plastic liner.  For the record, I had no idea how to do button holes on my machine...my sweet-as-all-get-out Hubby read the instructions, and then showed me how to do it.  What would I do without him!?!?!  Jealous?  Yeah, you should be. Hehe! 

Put it all together and there you have it!  It was simple and really quite fun!!!

Valance:

Once I figured out how long and wide I wanted my valance, I cut it and made enough for seam allowance on every side.  I had leftover curtain liner from a project years ago, so I used that as well.  Cut it down to the same size of the patterned fabric.  I put the right sides of it together and sewed all along the perimeter and left the top open.  Turned it right side out and set it aside.  I wanted to do a tabbed curtain.  So the steps above show what I did.  I cut the little strips.  Spaced them out on the valance to see how many I wanted.  Ironed around the folded edges, then sewed them.  Gave them a clean and simple look.

Remember that open top edge of the valance?  I tucked the fabric under, and ironed it to give it a crisp edge.  I then took the tabs, spaced them, and pinned them to where I wanted them.  I then sewed up that top edge with the tabs in place.  They are just hanging out of the top for now, but we will connect them to the back side of the valance to make them actual tabs.

You would pin them to the back side of the valance and then sew across to keep them in place.  Here's an up close pic of what they look like all done:

This is what the back side looks like and the bottom picture shows what the front looks like.  I opted to just sew the tabs, but you could put a full seam from one side to the other. 

And again, the final product.  It was super easy and only took me an afternoon to finish them.  Wahoo!!! 


Side Note: It's too early for me to have an iced chai, but it is in my near future.
Side Note 2:  I ate a toastada for breakfast.  It was delicious!
Side Note 3:  I'm not proof reading this.  Enjoy my mistakes!!!

And that's that.  Hope you all have a great week!!!  Until next time...