I have been cooking for my family for just over 30 years, and I don’t know about you, but sometimes my brain just gets stuck in a rut and I can’t think of anything to fix for dinner. When I think back to what I cooked over the 30 years, there are only a [...]]]>

I have been cooking for my family for just over 30 years, and I don’t know about you, but sometimes my brain just gets stuck in a rut and I can’t think of anything to fix for dinner. When I think back to what I cooked over the 30 years, there are only a handful of dishes that I can recall.

If I am in a pinch, I can look back at my post 10 easy meals for busy nights but those can get old real quick!

Meal Planning Resources

When I need some inspiration, or when I just need someone to tell me what to cook, I use one or more of the resources below:

My friend Laura over at I’m an Organizing Junkie has a weekly link-up called, OrgJunkie’s Meal Plan Monday click here to see every Monday’s link-up. There are usually close to 200 readers who link up their meal plans. Many are specific, such as diabetic, gluten-free, natural foods, etc.  She also has a great recipes database.

All Recipes - A great resource for a recipe you may have had before, but don’t know what it was specifically called. If you know a few of the ingredients, you can do an ingredient search (upper middle of the screen).  There are LOTS of recipes on file here! A free service but quite a few ads!

My Fridge Food- What’s in your fridge? I just recently came across this site that is free, and much less advertisement. You can click what items you have in your fridge and it will give you suggestions of what you could fix for dinner. I have tried it once or twice and it came up with some pretty good ideas!

I just have to tell you about my most recent discovery as a resource for meal ideas! PINTEREST! I have gotten lots of great recipes from there. Just a word of warning: if you are dieting it is an awful form of torture looking at all those goodies!

There is an entire category for Food and Drink. If you would like to see my food boards, I have one entitled Healthier Life and the other one is YUM! If you are not on Pinterest yet and need an invitation, leave me a comment and let me know! And, I’d love to have you follow me on Pinterest!

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If you are looking for something to help you organize everything pertaining to feeding your family, Plan to Eat service has a lot to offer. It is a paid service, only $4.95 a month (*affiliate link), but it gives you a drag and drop calendar (similar to Google calendar) hundreds of recipes, plus you can up load your own. The greatest thing about it? Plan to Eat then takes your meal plan and creates a shopping list for you!

There is even mobile access! And the awesome thing is they offer a 30 day free trial, so you can try it and see how it works for YOUR family. Click here to get more info and start your trial!

For whatever reason, your closet is in desperate need of cleaning out.

If you [...]]]> Maybe you got new clothes for Christmas. Or maybe you have gained or lost weight over the past few months. Or you recently left your job to stay home so you no longer need all those business clothes.

For whatever reason, your closet is in desperate need of cleaning out.

If you REALLY don’t have time to devote to a full closet clean out, try this method. Every time you go look for something to wear, pull out 2 or 3 items you don’t like, can’t wear or don’t need anymore. Have a box or bag designated for Goodwill to place these items in as you will be adding to it over the next few weeks.

This method doesn’t take a lot of time, and it will help to clear out the things you don’t wear, but if you REALLY want to do it right, you need to use the method below.

How to do a total closet clean-out

1. Enlist a friend or sister to help. Even a teenage daughter could help.

2. Put on some energizing music.

3. Have a few boxes or garbage bags handy.

4. Make sure the rest of your room is relatively neat, and make your bed. (it will just make it easier!)

5. Take EVERYTHING out of your closet.

6. Lay it all on your bed.

7. Pull your shoes all out as well and put in a pile over to the side.

NOTE: With everything out of the closet, it is a great time to vacuum REALLY well!

8. Start picking up one item at a time, trying on if needed, and ask yourself these questions:

• Have I worn this in the past month?
• Do I like it? Do I feel good in it? Does it fit me well?
• Do I have to tug or pull at it the whole time I am wearing it?
• Is it a seasonal item that needs to be stored elsewhere?
• If I love it, do I have anything I can wear with it? If not, make a note that you need something to go with your_______________.
• If you don’t love and you haven’t worn it, get rid of it!

9. Continue ruthlessly through the pile of clothes, asking for your friend’s help as you go. Allow her to be brutally honest about how something looks.

Do the same process with your shoes, and with belts and scarves.

10. After you have weeded down the pile to keep, start hanging items back in your closet (you could do this as you are sorting).

Organize clothes by type

Make sure you have a system for hanging and don’t just group everything together. For instance, I have items grouped as follows:

Tanks and sleeveless shirts, then short sleeves, then long sleeves, then my pants, and skirts and log dresses are in the back corner as they are not worn often. On the bottom I have camis and then the rest is jackets and cardigans.

Having my clothes separated like this helps me to find an item fairly quickly. It also helps when putting away laundry. Keep in mind I do have some items folded and in my wardrobe such as sweaters and hoodies.

Pressed for time?

If you are agonizing over doing the full closet clean out, or you don’t have time yet, you could start by doing what I suggested at first. Each day pull out 2 or 3 things to get rid of. Do this for a week or 2 until you have time to do your clean out. This way you will have already eliminated a lot of the things you don’t wear.

Another way you could do this, if pressed for time, is to work in sections. For instance, according to the way I have my clothes sorted above, you could do all the shirts in one session, all the pants in another, and then lastly do jackets, cardigans, shoes and accessories.

Here is a great picture below of a before and after (notice how the items are separated by category):

Source: The Barefoot Organizer

 When’s the last time you cleaned out and organized your closet?

Below are some of my most [...]]]> As we go into the new year, many of us are looking for ways to improve or better our lives. You may be trying to begin new habits or break some bad ones. Moms are always looking for ways to simplify life, and to make it more meaningful.

Below are some of my most popular posts with some practical tips to help you simplify your life going into this new year.

40 tips to simplify your life:

10 steps to clean your house FAST (with downloadable checklist!)

10 first steps for a simpler life -Easy beginning steps you can take

10 easy meals for a busy life – not the best nutritionally, but will feed your family in a pinch!

10 ways to stop being so busy – We all seem to be busy, here are some ways to slow down!

If you’d like some resources to help you with the simplifying process, you can check out these resources below:

This is one of my favorites right now!

One Bite at a Time

Click to get the details for downloading!

For my other resources on simplifying life, check out my Resource page! Remember, anytime you buy something from a link on my page, I receive a percentage of the sale. I SO appreciate your support for my writing!

What area of life are you trying to simplify?

As busy moms, we struggle with wanting to make improvements and changes, but we also struggle with finding the time to DO the things we are wanting to do.

There are hundreds, thousands of things that people want to change at the beginning of this [...]]]>

As busy moms, we struggle with wanting to make improvements and changes, but we also struggle with finding the time to DO the things we are wanting to do.

First, decide WHAT it is you want to do.

There are hundreds, thousands of things that people want to change at the beginning of this new year. Maybe yours is on this list below:

Some of these are changes you need to make in every day life. You can use other activities as triggers, or reminder if you will, to do the thing you are wanting do. For instance, when your 2 year old is trying to dress himself, you can remember that you wanted to be more patient with him. When you think of texting your friend, press the green button and call her instead.

Some, however, are specific things that you want to do on a regular basis, such as exercise, yoga, hiking, less digital, eating healthy.

To implement new habits into your life, it takes intention, planning and time.

Make an appointment with yourself 

The best way to make sure that these things get done is to make appointment with yourself. Just like you would make a doctor’s appointment or an appointment with your child’s teacher. It is time to do something for YOU that is going to help YOU be a better mom, a better person, happier and healthier.

Want to write a book?  Designate nap time as time to write. You’d be amazed at how much you can pound out in an hour and a half when focused! Save Facebook and Twitter and Pinterest for when you don’t have to focus so hard and can do when the kids are around.

Want to exercise?  I know it is tough, but get up at least 30 minutes earlier. Whether you walk, run, bike, or do any number of workout DVDs or online, just make an appointment with yourself and DO it.

Want to eat healthier? Designate a certain time of the week to plan your meals and write your grocery list. Then, as many evenings as possible, make a date with your kitchen to get in there and prepare a healthy meal. Healthy doesn’t always take longer, but it may take a little more thought until it becomes a habit. (this is something I am working on right now!)

Need more sleep? Set a time that the computer and the TV (and the phone!) are turned off or put away. Then GO TO BED! Although some use the late evening hours to pound out work, for many of us the later evening computer time is less productive.

I love to hike, but I don’t do it near enough. This year I plan to hike once a month. I am putting the dates on the calendar and will search out the best parks and trails within a 2 hour drive from my house. I especially love hiking near water…

Here is the hard part for most of us:

You must keep your appointments! 

If we have a doctor appointment or a meeting to go to, we wouldn’t think of skipping because we just didn’t feel motivated to go, or we were busy cleaning house (HA!) Make yourself a priority this year.

What thing would you like to do this year?

Many would say that we HAVE to be so busy to keep up with life today. That may be true to [...]]]> Mothers today seem to have 3 full time jobs, whether you work inside the home, outside the home, from a coffee shop or your car! We are just downright BUSY all the time.

Many would say that we HAVE to be so busy to keep up with life today. That may be true to a degree, but I believe there are at least 3 reasons why women are so exhausted all the time. You may be surprised at what these are.

3 reasons why moms are on overload

1. You do everything yourself. 

You feel like if something is going to get done, YOU have to do it. Here are a few areas you might need to lighten up:

• Ask for your spouse’s help and accept his level of performance. So he doesn’t put a diaper on straight, BIG DEAL.
• After working in some capacity all day, instead of fixing dinner and calling the family in when it is ready, get the kids, and hubby, to help with dinner. You’d be surprised what kids can do!
• Laundry, housework, will the world come to an end if it isn’t done YOUR way? Again, enlist the help of the kids, and the hubby, especially if you work outside the home. Teach kids to do a good job, but accept they probably WON’T do it as well as you, but THAT IS OKAY!
• Look for ways to use services or convenience items to lighten your load. Buy pre-cooked and pre-cut stuff at the grocery store. Consider if at this season in your life you should hire a cleaning service to come in once or twice a month.

2. You won’t say NO.

With kids, we are presented so many opportunities to DO so many things for and with them. Consider saying NO to some of those requests. If you have a hard time saying NO, read my post Unleashing Your Inner Two Year Old.

Determine what is MOST important to you and your family, and learn to say NO to other requests. Obviously there will be times when you say YES from the goodness of your heart, but be very specific with these times. 

 3. You think that you HAVE to do things to measure up with other moms

This is a difficult one. It is one that most of us wouldn’t necessarily admit, but deep down inside we have that nagging feeling that “everyone else” does it, so I should be able to as well.

The thing is, ALL of us feel that way! We are all looking at each other in awe of how another mom gets “everything” done, while another mom is looking at you and asking herself the same question!

We run ourselves ragged trying to do what we think everyone else is doing. We are so worried that we are not measuring up to other mom’s standards. But who is setting those standards? Unfortunately the media and Hollywood have a lot to do with it, but so do we.

As women, we need to allow our self the grace and freedom to embrace our imperfection!

It is time to step up and say it is OKAY not to have it all together.

It is OKAY if our house is a wreck.

It is OKAY if we ate fast food 4 times this week.

It is OKAY if you bottle feed or use disposable diapers.

It is OKAY if you buy snack for your kids class instead of making homemade.

It is OKAY if you don’t recycle.

By allowing yourself to BE who you are, your absolutely WONDERFUL imperfect self, you free other moms to be and do the same!

And remember, your kids don’t NEED a perfect mom. They need a mom who loves them and is present in their lives, and is physically and emotionally well.

It is time to take care of YOU!

I’m linking this post up with Shell’s Pour Your Heart Out. and Better Mom Monday’s

During this busy season,  I thought I would gather some of my most popular posts of this past year here for my readers to enjoy. Sometimes older blog posts get buried, but hopefully this will help you find some nuggets of wisdom, provide a giggle or two, or maybe allow you to give a [...]]]>

During this busy season,  I thought I would gather some of my most popular posts of this past year here for my readers to enjoy. Sometimes older blog posts get buried, but hopefully this will help you find some nuggets of wisdom, provide a giggle or two, or maybe allow you to give a sigh of relief!

Because they are list posts, they are fairly quick reads!

If you find a post you exceptionally love, please consider sharing, and I would love to read your comments. 

10 steps to a happier mama - You know the saying, “If mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy!”

10 steps to avoid a mental breakdown - A bit more serious post meant to help you take care of you.

10 ways to naturally boost your energy - We could ALL use some energy this time of year!

10 guilty pleasures for moms - You need to treat yourself on a regular basis. Here are some suggestions!

10 scarves every woman should have - Some lovely options to accessorize your wardrobe.

We think gives us our worth.

I think the opposite.

I think that being busy can keep us from being who we TRULY are.

I think it gets in the way of doing the things that are the MOST important to us.

I think that WE use being [...]]]>

Most of America and many other developed nations feel that being busy is a badge of honor.

We think gives us our worth.

I think the opposite.

I think that being busy can keep us from being who we TRULY are.

I think it gets in the way of doing the things that are the MOST important to us.

I think that WE use being busy as a way to protect ourselves from stepping out of our comfort zone into what we feel deep inside we ought to be doing — and I am not talking about all the nagging ‘shoulds’ that come from outside, but those things which we know we are ‘called’ to do.

Doing Good, or Doing the Best?

We’ve all heard the quote, “The good is the enemy of the best”. I am not saying that many of the things you are doing aren’t good things. They may even be GREAT things, but, they may not be the BEST THING for YOU at this point in your life. When busyness gets a hold of us, we become bound by our ‘shoulds’ and we cannot be at peace in our lives.

10 Ways to Stop being So Busy

1. Make a list of your top 4-5 important things. What’s most important to you? What do you value most? What 4-5 things do you most want to do in your life? Simplifying starts with these priorities, as you are trying to make room in your life so you have more time for these things.
2. Evaluate your commitments. Look at everything you’ve got going on in your life. Everything, from work to home to civic to kids’ activities to hobbies to side businesses to other projects. Think about which of these really gives you value, which ones you love doing. Which of these are in line with the 4-5 most important things you listed above? Drop those that aren’t in line with those things.
3. Evaluate your time. How do you spend your day? What things do you do, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep? Make a list, and evaluate whether they’re in line with your priorities. If not, eliminate the things that aren’t, and focus on what’s important. Redesign your day.
4. Simplify work tasks. Our work day is made up of an endless list of work tasks. If you simply try to knock off all the tasks on your to-do list, you’ll never get everything done, and worse yet, you’ll never get the important stuff done. Focus on the essential tasks and eliminate the rest.
5. Simplify home tasks. Think about all the stuff you do at home. Sometimes our home task list is just as long as our work list. And we’ll never get that done either. So focus on the most important, and try to find ways to eliminate the other tasks (automate, eliminate, delegate, or hire help). Read my post 10 steps to clean your house fast
6. Learn to say no. This is actually one of the key habits for those trying to simplify their lives. If you can’t say no, you will take on too much. Read my post on Learning to say NO.
7. Limit your communications. Our lives these days are filled with a vast flow of communications: email, IM, cell phones, paper mail, Skype, Twitter, forums, and more. It can take up your whole day if you let it. Instead, put a limit on your communications: only do email at certain times of the day, for a certain number of minutes (I recommend twice a day, but do what works for you). Only do IM once a day, for a limited amount of time. Limit phone calls to certain times too. Same with any other communications. Set a schedule and stick to it.
8. Limit your media consumption. This tip won’t be for everyone, so if media consumption is important to you, please skip it (as with any of the other tips). However, I believe that the media in our lives — TV, radio, Internet, magazines, etc. — can come to dominate our lives. Don’t let it. Simplify your life and your information consumption by limiting it.
9. Purge your stuff. If you can devote a weekend to purging the stuff you don’t want, it feels seriously terrific. Get boxes and trash bags for the stuff you want to donate or toss. Read my post Does having less stuff make life easier?
10. Do what you love. Once you’ve freed up some time, be sure to spend that extra time doing things you love. Go back to your list of 4-5 important things. Do those, and nothing else.

It will take time to implement these steps. They cannot be accomplished in a week, or even a month. I encourage you, however, if you find that you are not at peace with your level of busyness, that you go through this list, examine your heart, spend some time in meditation, and create an action plan for creating change in your life.

What are some things that you would like to change or possibly do away with in your life? Are there some things you would actually like to add?

There are lots of different sizes [...]]]> One of my most popular posts on this site has been 25 ways to wear a scarf. They are such a great accessory and have become SO popular this fall. I thought I would share some lovely scarves I found this weekend while perusing Amazon (rather than the mall!)

There are lots of different sizes and shapes of scarves. One that is real popular this year is called a pashmina. I think it actually refers to the material the scarf is made from, but I think it has taken on the personna of a larger scarf that can double as a shawl. There are a lot of beautiful ones out there, but they are a little more difficult to do all the knots, etc, that you see in the video above.

I love this pashmina!

While I have a gorgeous pashmina, I find that the longer skinny scarves are easier to do a wide variety of knots and ties with.

I love this color blue, and it is so dainty…

And everyone needs some animal print in their wardrobe…

 Stripes are nice as they can go with a variety of outfits!

As well as plaids! I love plaid…

 I think that paisley looks so elegant and feminine…

I love this one because it is so cute and a different look than the others, very fun and playful!

And it is always good to have a couple of simple, solid colors in hand…

What types of scarves do you like?

Do you wear them in all different ways or they same one or two styles?

Don’t forget to check out the awesome video showing you 25 ways to wear a scarf!

I am linking up with Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday