Viva la Mexico

Well I know that I've been absent the past couple weeks but I promise when we get back from vacay I will get all caught up.

We head out in the morning for Cozumel!

 

Have a great week....I KNOW I WILL!

Interesting

Day 26: An interesting article I read online

"Lean In" is Great! Facebook, Not so much. Here's Why

I read this article and found it interesting because I've heard of several people reading the book Lean In.  Maybe I should get it for my upcoming vacation??

What have ya'll heard about Lean In and/or have you read it?

Favorite Posts

Day 21 of the Blog Every Day in May challenge is to list a few of your favorite posts.

 
Problems on the Farm....squash bugs and chicken hemorrhoids :(

Hercules Takes Over... probably my all time favorite post because to me it sounds exactly like him if he could really talk. I laugh every time I read it.

Love is Patient...because I open up and go a bit deep

Those are the ones that I can think of off hand. 

Go check them out and just cruise my archives...I mean it's my blog...I wouldn't write it if I didn't like it.

So since I'm obviously not a good judge of my own content what are you favorite posts I've done?

Meal Planning

I try to cook every night that Lincoln is home and I do really well at that. When I cook I always cook enough for about 4 people. This always usually leaves leftovers that we use for our lunches the next day.  Since I love to cook and do so often I used to just plan my meals for the week and notate them on the bottom of each day in my planner.  I was at Rachael's house not too long ago and noticed her meal planner that she makes on a monthly basis taped to her frig.  I thought DUH MEGAN!!! I should do that in my planner for the entire month.  That only makes the most sense since we only go to the grocery store once a month and stock up on everything.  Not only am I really prepared we can save money at the store by knowing ahead of time what I will be cooking so we aren't buying unnecessary items. 

I started by first recording Lincoln's schedule for the entire month in my planner...I usually only did this on a weekly basis as well.  This helps me plan because I don't cook on the nights that he is working nights.  I'll just fix myself something quick and easy like a salad or tuna. 

After I record Lincoln's work schedule I decide what I want to cook then fill in the blanks all while trying to balance what goes in each week...not too much chicken, not too much Mexican, you get the drift and of course no repeats.  After I get my menu planned I make my grocery list so we know what to pick up from the store. 

May is the first month that I've done this and it really helped.  I'm going to have a ton of meals leftover that will make next month easy because beside Lincoln working his regular schedule he's been working a ton of overtime and its been mostly nights so all those meals that were planned aren't getting used this time around.  To make it easy on me I just circle the meals that I haven't used so I know that I can use those for next month. 

Here are a few of the meals that I've used this month!

Recipe HERE

just your regular spaghetti but instead of beef I used some ground deer meat we had in the freezer from this past hunting season

today's lunch/supper....crock pot cheesey chicken and rice

Today's lunch/supper is actually a rarity because Lincoln is working nights over the weekend but since I'm home and I have to eat too I decided to make something that is easy and Lincoln can take in his lunch. 

I used several chicken breast, 2 cans of cream of chicken soup and 1 diced onion.  I also add black pepper, salt, and garlic powder to taste.

Cook on low for 6 hours then add cooked rice, 1 can of corn, and cheese. Let the cheese melt and cream everything together!

DINNER IS SERVED

My 5 Favorite Blogs

On my Bloglovin account I have all the blogs I follow sorted into 2 categories just regular everyday blogs and the blogs that are MUST READS!  The must read folder are the blogs that I've come across and I love them so much.  They post often and their content is interesting.  These are the blogs that I really stalk LOL and if I ever come into real life contact with these ladies I would be like a tween at a Justin Beiber concert. LOL 

* The Freckled Fox...I've blogged about Emily's blog before HERE but that's not going to stop me from putting her in my faves.  I love her I'm serious. LOL  She is so awesome, creative, energetic, and a stay at home mom that has a million projects going all the time.  Stop by you will love her too.... I swear!

* Little Chief Honeybee.... I can't remember how I found Kaelah's blog but it is amazing.  This girl wears dresses everyday, has tons of cool tattoos, and runs several different business from home, including a traveling boutique out of a vintage camper called Honeybean.  She always has really fun posts and is another one that I would love to meet.  Not only would she make a road trip to Nashville worth it but it just sounds like a cool place. 

* Explore. Dream. Discover....is a blog that I've been following for years and Liz is one for the books.  She's a native Portlander living in Amsterdam with her hubby and cute pup.  Liz is so sophisticated and classy and is always going on great trips that I love to read about. 

* The Everygirl...is a blog created by 2 ladies for ladies.  The Everygirl features great women and tells their stories on how they followed their dreams.  They also have posts on current events, design, jewelry, and a little bit of everything else too.  They have something for every 20 something girl!

* All in my Twenties... Kristen is hilarious, speaks her mind, and has some of the craziest post out there.  She is always spilling about jet setting to Cabo with her love or just daily dishing.  She is a fellow Texan and is just a REAL girl.

Will I Remember

Blog Every Day in May: Day 18...only 8 days late.  Tell a story from your childhood.


I can't remember the age exactly but it had to be around 5 years old because my Pop had just died. 

We were extremely close.  I remember him always giving me cinnamon gum and in my teen years I tried several cinnamon gums to figure out which one and it was Dentyne!  I remember the taste.  I also remember sitting at his kitchen table eating Ritz Crackers with Parkay butter on them.  To this day I still eat butter on crackers as a snack but now its saltines and Land of the Lakes!  He would make vanilla pudding in a styrofoam hospital water jug...remember those!  But what I remember most was being so sad when he died.

I was sitting on the back of the couch looking out the window in his house in Winfield, my Mom was there.  I had his driver's license and I was crying.  My Mom asked why and I said what if I forgot what he looked like and how I would never see him again!  A 5 year old just doesn't understand and even 20 years later writing that brings tears to my eyes and a lump to my throat.  I know that he would have been even a bigger influence in my life if he would have been able to be with me up until now. 

 

I know one day that I will see him again and to this day....

 

I remember what he looked like...

 

without the driver's license.

DIY: No Sew Roman Shade

I've known for about 2 1/2 years now that I wanted a roman type shade in my bathroom.  I couldn't find the exact one I wanted and then didn't want to fork out the dough for an expensive one so about 2 years ago I bought some semi-heavy fabric and a pattern that contained several different types of curtains, one of them being a roman shade.  Now that I've had that FOR-EV-ER and still haven't sewn it I looked online for a way to make one with no sewing, mainly because I don't know how to make anything with a pattern.  (That's on the to learn list once I'm done with school) 

 

I stumbled across THIS girl's blog where she did it using a mini blind. 

 

Well that works perfect because I could use the mini blind that was currently hanging and my material.  She said not to use hot glue but I'm the hot glue queen so I did and it turned out fine. 

 

Instead of retyping all the instructions you can check out hers because they are very detailed. 

 

In the beginning when I was measuring everything

got it all measured and I'm ready for my hot glue gun



TA-DA!  Before, hung up, and how it looks cinched!  PERFECT

This was a super easy project and I love the result.  My fabric is a little wrinkled but they will fall out. :) 

I plan on using one of the burlap sacks I have and make a curtain like this for my laundry room because I need the fabric of the current curtain for Peggy Sue!