Weekly Plan.. and new adventure?

I guess you could call it an adventure? 

We are trying Gluten Free to see if it helps clear any of the issues the kids have.

I am new to this and I am sure I will make some mistakes and learn all kinds 

of stuff before we really get it down.

So that is what is new here this week! 

Here is our meal plan (with GF alternatives)

Meals

Monday~ Roasted Turkey and Mashed Potatoes 

Tuesday~Chicken or Steak Nachos (whichever we have more of left)

Wednesday~Spaghetti (with brown rice noodles)

Thursday~Turkey Burgers..mmm no buns and fries

Friday~undecided.. something with turkey I'm sure!

Around the House

~Usual Weekly Chores

~Clean more of the outside windows

~Make BTS supplies/clothes lists

Fun Stuff

~Riding Lessons

~MORE Blueberry Picking

~Library Music and Story Time

~More Party Prep

~Hoping my order comes in the mail and I can get my craft on!

NO Errands or Appts this week

woohoo!

Reading

~YouVersion

~Finish my for fun book

~Find a learning book.. still!  Any recommendations?!

Mommy Guilt

Sorry to get all heavy on everyone but this has been bothering me for a while and I am curious!
Am I the only one that has too high of standards for themselves and then feels a little guilty when things aren't perfect!

I have always struggled with that, but I feel like as I try to let the small things go I am getting worse!

Is it just us or do other things make us feel like we have a huge to do list for everyday for every aspect of our lives? Books, movies, magazines, Pinterest and Blogs?!

If we made a list of everything a GOOD mom/wife would do in a day
 based on all these pins and blogs and other media.

For just ourselves we would be expected to exercise, make sure we look our best everyday, ( and have that smokey eye look down to a 5 min process) have time for whatever spiritual reflection we choose and have time with our friends for girls night once a week, and maybe even a separate book club,
PTA and Moms group volunteering.

For our kids we are suppose to be with them 24/7, babysitters and nannies are for working moms and celebrities, shuttle them here and there and expose them to important activities, play dates and sports. The library for story time and don't forget the park. Make sure their meals and snacks are organic and healthy and on a schedule in between naps. Don't forget about teaching them at home, sign language, reading to them and setting up crafts for them to do. Manners, alphabet, counting, colors and all those other little things for the little kids. There is even more as they get older.

At home there is always laundry, a toilet that needs scrubbed, vacuuming, organizing, more laundry.
Bills to pay, homework to help with and home cooked meals to make, some kind of dessert probably with Nutella in it. Grocery shopping and every other errand. Dealing with fruit flies, cutting and printing coupons, making teacher gifts and planning 50 dates for you and hubby. And decorating something with chevron and chalkboard paint! Really the list could just go on and on!

Well I just can't do it all and I don't understand how any 1 mom can do it all well.
Yes of course I try but I don't succeed and I am over feeling bad about it!
I am seriously doubting I am the only one who has laundry in the dryer (on de-wrinkle for the 3rd 4th time) and that just can't be THAT big of a deal in the whole scheme of things.

I do love Pinterest but I will say that sometimes seeing everything on there
makes me feel a little less than a good mom.
And why are we constantly comparing what we are doing to what other moms are doing?!
What does that accomplish?
I hope none of my posts have come across as fake or made any
 other mama feel like they weren't doing enough!
What do y'all do when/if you feel like you aren't doing enough?
Have do you keep the big picture the big picture?

Built ins DONE!

I thought I posted about these a while back but I couldn't find it, must have just been Facebook!

My father in law is amazing. I am horrible about trying to explain what I was

 looking for and he made them perfect!

There was NOTHING there before, just the window. 

These are really tall, and obviously I am having a hard time filling them!

I've slowly been adding stuff to the shelves and to the room.

Picked up these curtains at Goodwill last week, they are Target Salvage still in the package an marked down  from Goodwill prices because whoever tagged them got marker on them. So I got a great deal on them and you can't see the marks unless you are really looking for them!

The black table isn't staying in there, I don't think. 

I finally made those pillows last week, just need to paint a "5" on one then I think I will be done!

I've got BIG plans for this wall! 

Just waiting for my supplies to come in the mail!

This little red table is empty. I don't want to put stuff in it just to fill it. It's waiting for the perfect things.

And I think our back to school ruler will live in here instead of the garage. The colors work well, especially once the new rug comes!

This is the one I ordered, hoping it's truly these colors!

And this is my favorite shelf!

I love the vintage camera and the old style books and our basket of random people ;)

Once I do my project and get the rug down I will share some more!

Back to School (repeats)

Some of my favorites from years before are still on my MUST DO list this year!

This for sure makes our mornings and snack time run SO much smoother!

Snacks for the week

Check out the whole post HERE

Breakfast Planning so we don't get in the cereal rut!

Check out our weekly breakfast plan HERE

And one of my very fave new traditions is the "Back to School Fairy"

Last year was our first year and our kids STILL talk about it almost a year later!

Now is a great time to snag little trinkets in the dollar spots, or Target toy clearance!

This year I will try to take more pictures of our message boards and goodies!

I am going to try some new stuff this year too! All the details HERE

I haven't got the decorations out yet! We probably will do that August 1st if we aren't busy that day, but for sure not before then!

 I don't have any new ones for this year but I am hunting Pinterest for some ideas!

I do love how simple a big jar of crayons is though!

Check out last years HERE

And 2010 HERE

I'm sad that so many of my favorite styles for boys are too young for our oldest.. only a few years before the little one will go to school! Time to start prepping him for a bow tie ;)

My other favorite boy stuff is here

And girl here

Some of those outfits are still in rotation here for the first day of K!

We were dressing up and checking size and fit! 

Girl loves those fake glasses!

A post FULL of goodies HERE

These might be my fave!

especially since you can change things up for your family and what they like!

For sure going to have this at our Back to School Party!

Back to School Snack Mix

it is SO good and just reminds me of school, PBnJ's and it's easy to make, the kids love helping!

One thing I do already have out is my re-done desk!

Check out the before here.. it was BAD!

Hoping to put together some kind of photo op for our party with this!

And I am sure by the time party cleanup is done one of these will sounds amazing haha!

It's a PBnJ Martini ; )

Find the recipe HERE

Those are some of my favorites from the previous years! Hope I can find some new favorites this year! Back to School season is my 2nd favorite "holiday"?! I don't even know what to call it, but I love it!

Planning our week

It went alright last week, making my plan for the week and not the day. Let's see how it goes this week!

Meals 

Monday~Pork Tenderloin and Rice

Tuesday~White Chicken Enchiladas

Wednesday~Chicken Parmesan (kid style, chicken cut into bites before baking) 

Thursday~Turkey Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes

Friday~Salad and Steak Bites

Saturday~Leftovers

Sunday~Turkey Burgers

Around the House

~Deep Clean Pantry

~Usual Weekly Chores

~Clean Outside of Windows

Fun Stuff

~Riding Lessons

~Berry Picking

~Playdate

~Back to School Party Prep

~Bake some cookies with the littles 

Think we will make these

Errands

~Return Audio Books, pick out another

~Grocery Shopping

Read

~You Version Plans

~Still need to pick out a new learning book for me

Overall it's not too busy of a week. I am hoping we can stay home all day Monday and Wednesday. I CANNOT believe 6 weeks until school starts! I swear Summer just started. So much I want to do with the kids still! 

Enjoy your week and send any book recommendations my way!

Oh Monday!

It's going to be a crazy week

Maybe if I start with some goals for the week, I will get to them all!

First though is meal plan

Monday~Turkey Chili

Tuesday~Chicken Tacos

Wednesday~Spaghetti

Thursday~Grilled Cheese and Soup

Friday~Baked Chicken and Rice

Saturday~Leftovers

Sunday~Take Out

Around the house work

~Deep Clean Bathrooms

~Clean Out Garage

~Dump Trip

~Wipe Down Doors and Trim

FUN Stuff

~Sew 2 pillows

~Riding Lessons

~Park Picnic

~Work on Back to School Party

~Blueberry Picking

Errands

~Pick out tile

~Pick up school supplies

~Dr. Appt

~Finish shoe shopping for kids for school (while they are on sale!)

~Find 2 new books to read. 1 for fun 1 for learning.

READ

~To the kids more

~Catch up on my You Version Reading Plans

~In the mornings during my quiet time instead of Internet!

Hoping this new "Monday Planning" will help our weeks go smoothly

How do you plan for your week?

Football Marshmallow Pops

It's ALMOST College Football Season! That is a big deal at our house!

I usually try to make some kind of treat for the first game, if we are watching from home that is.

This year I am making some marshmallow pops, I don't know why but I thought of this on our way home from 4th of July traveling, I wanted to use these marshmallows

 for little flags for the 4th and forgot, but since I have them anyway.

I made little stadium pops!
I had to try a couple out to make sure they won't be
 too hard when it is time in less than 2 months! I really cannot believe how fast 2012 is going!
I just covered them in green, then cooled, dipped the edges in green then sprinkles, then piped the white after the sprinkles and green had set.

Back to School Party Inspiration!

I *almost* hate to bring this up, but I happen to LOVE Back to School everything, other than the kids being gone all day! I love new pencils, and backpacks. Cooler mornings, giddy kids and sweater vests. So while I am kinda sorry to tell y'all that Back to School will be here before we know it, I am also equally as excited!

I am hoping I can throw together a little kid sized get together for our kids and their favorite playmates to celebrate the new school year (and Kindergarten for our daughter and a bunch of their playmates).

Just now looking for ideas and goodnight are there some major cute ones out there!

This one has SO many cute things! 

And they used some of THESE FREE Printables!

These crayons are still popular and so cute! 

Sweet little vases!

I love banners at parties! I made this one a couple years ago but I might need to make a bigger one for a party!

And don't forget some of the ADORABLE treats shared last year! These ended up being my favorite

Check out the rest HERE.

I will be back with more party cuteness! Happy Monday!

Meal Plan Monday

Is not really happening this week!

Between the super busy weekend, holiday and granite being installed in a couple of days. I just won't be doing things the usual way! We have to rip up our countertops by the 4th

 so I won't really have a kitchen, or a sink. 

Monday~Grilled Cheese (pepperjack/cheddar for me. Mozzarella for the kiddies)

Tuesday~Grilled Turkey Burgers

Wednesday~Grilling AGAIN

Thursday~Pizza Takeout

Going to have to add in an extra trip to the gym this week or my jeans may not fit!