Mommy What's For Dinner

~ Planning Meals ~ 

We are called to be keepers of the home! And part of that means planning meals for the family. Now many family's are just able to garb something to go. But we eat Kosher and there is only one place here in town we can eat at. And feeding a family of 7 adds up very fast. So grabbing food to go is only a once a month thing. 

 I know a lot of family's that plan meals for a month but that has never worked very well for my family. So here is what I like to do!

I grab a note pad and some of my favorite Sharpies. I love using pretty colors so here are some of my Sharpies that I like to use.

 

 These are some of my old menus I like to pull them out and go over. It helps me get an ideal what I can make for the next 2 weeks. I will tell you my meals are not fancy. I try and make our meals less then $10 each. I want these meals to be yummy but affordable to feed my large family.

I plan our meals different then I believe most women do. I look at what I want to make for the next 2 weeks but I don't assign them to a certain day. Sometimes I don't want that meal or we are too busy and I don't have time to make what I had planned on. I like putting our meals on a note pad. It has room for me to put all 14 days on it. 

 After putting all the meals down we would like for the next 2 weeks

 I like to decorate it. When I am done with it I just pull out the sheet and 

put it on the frig.

And then when the kids ask what's for dinner I tell them to look at the menu and find something yummy we can eat!

Yummy Peach Cobbler

~ Supper Easy Peach Cobbler ~

Since I have a large family I buy our peaches at Sam's Club.

 * Please note when making this cobbler I do not put this whole can of peaches in the pan.*

 I add about 1/4 of the can of peaches.

I cut up the peaches into small chunks 

And 

 placed them into the bottom of a 9 x13 pan. 

Also add some juice from the can

  Then take 1 Box Of Yellow Cake mix

1 1/2 Sticks Butter 

Place the DRY cake mix over the peaches and peach juice evenly.  

Then cut the butter into chunks and 

place evenly over the top of the cake mix .

Then add 1 Cup of brown sugar over the top 

and place into the oven! 

        Cook until the top can not move about 50 to 55 minutes

Serve Hot or cold but taste amazing with Vanilla Ice Cream

~ What you need ~

1 9x13 Pan

1 can of peaches

1 Box of yellow cake mix (dry )

1 ½ Sticks Butter

1 Cup of Brown sugar

You place the peaches in the bottom and slice them into small chunks.  You place the DRY yellow cake mix over the peaches, and spread it evenly. Then cut small chunks off the butter stick and place them on top of the dry cake mix.  After that, spread the brown sugar over the top and place into oven.

Bake at 350 for 50 to 55 minutes or until top is not movable Serve hot or cold

Top with Vanilla Ice Cream

 

Joy Riding

 

Bikes, Bikes Everywhere

 

That's all I have to say and they all come a running

Who is up for a bike ride.  I call and all

My kids come a running.

They race to see who makes it first

To the back door to grab their bikes.

 

 

Living in Florida is so hot during the summer, but once fall comes around

My family and I are always outside playing or riding our bikes.

How can you not love riding bikes. 

 

Here are my 2 youngest children all set for their bike ride!
 I love how they make carts that younger children or babies can ride along too.
 They love going on a bike ride.

Money Honey

  

~~~ Let's talk about money ~~~

 

I have a saying that I try and adhere to when I am

 Out shopping and I see that wonderful sign that calls out to me! 

ON SALE or even better, it's on Clearance!!!

 

Here are a few tips and
 how I try and stick to my list

First thing I say Is ~ How many hours will my husband have to work and be away from our family to pay for what I am about to buy. This is a big thing for me. I love having my husband home with us. Call me crazy, but I actually like hanging out with my husband. And I don't like the thought that he has to work overtime for me to have that new book that's only going to go on the bookshelf because I am too busy taking care of the kids to read it. 

The second thing I do Is ~ I know you all are going to think I am crazy, but this is what I DO. 
When I am walking through the store and I see that cute sign for fall on sale and then there those placements you have been looking for and they're on sale. Score!  I grab them and put them in my cart and keep walking around the store. Target is the worse for me! When it's about time to check out I look threw my cart again and say to myself do we really need this or is it just another thing to clutter up our house. I am sure the workers are like here comes that crazy lady who fills up her cart then doesn't buy it. I can't tell you how many time I have had a cart full of stuff only to walk out with nothing or only one thing. What I like about this method of shopping is It gives me the feeling that I am shopping but without spending all the money and then there's the clutter part too.
 ~~~ Call me crazy what this is what I do ~~

It's not about can we afford it.  It's about do we really need it




Keep your lives free from the love of money,
and be satisfied with what you have,
for Yeshua himself has said,
 "I will never fail you or abandon you"
 Hebrews 13:5




.

Trying Something New

~~~ Cloth Diapers ~~~

 

 

I had so many friends tell me when I was pregnant with our 4th child that I should try cloth diapers.  But I was like that's too much work. I also thought it was going to be gross.  I  asked my husband and he said we should just use disposal diapers. So there was no more talk about that... Fast forward now 2 years later and I am Pregnant again with our 5th child. Once again we talked and we both came up with the same things as last time.  What's the use of cloth diapers when we can use modern diapers.

So every time I went to the store I would buy a pack of diapers. It was not a big deal only buying one pack at a time. But the more I thought about it the more I was surprised at how much each pack is costing us. 

 

When my 5th child turned 10 months old I started to think why not try cloth diapers. I have a friend who works full time and she does cloth diapers. So why can't someone who is blessed to be able stay home not try to use cloth diapers. So I started looking into it. I was quite surprised about it. Getting started was only going to cost us $250. And the best part is you get to reuse them over and over again. And if we are ever blessed with any more children, then we are all set. I loved the thought you only have to spend that money once. And who is not up for saving some money! I am, so sign me up!!

 

 

 

So here is the 1st package I bought!
I ended up buying 3 more packs so altogether I have 48 cloth Diapers. 
 Here are some of the cute patterns I bought!! 
 There are so many patterns to choose from
I was quite overwhelmed with how many to buy and what patterned to buy.
I wanted them ALL! Lol
But I was trying to save money not spend it.
 But I could see how many women can get addicted to buying diapers..

I love walking into my laundry room
And
Seeing these cute diapers hanging up!

Here is where I store them.

Now how cute is this little bottom!

Monkeys's Everywhere

 

~Monkey's Must Go~

Having kids, I wanted to have a bathroom that was decorated for them so when we moved into this house 4 years ago I decorated their bathroom in monkeys.

 They loved it and it was cute for some time.

But after seeing monkeys all the time it got old real fast...

 Mind you, this bathroom is the kids and also the guest bathroom too..

So  I asked my hubby If I could redo the kids bathroom and he said yes but don't spend a lot.

 So I got my thinking cap on and went to work.

  

The before

After!

Before!

After

After!

He I took some scrapbook paper and put Mod Podge on the outlets

 And covered them, they came out so cute!

 

 

After I took the frame that I had spray painted I found a verse
 That talked about water used my Cricut to cut it out and put it all together!
 It was just what the bathroom needed!!!

 

 

 

It was so much fun to do with this room. And I just love how it  all turned out.

Here is a what I was able to do

I had a gallon of  a light blue paint that I had bought at Lowes for $5.50

Aka if you don't care what color you get then I would recommend the oops paint.

 It's always cheap and I have not found a color that I did not like yet.

 Most of my house is done with oops paint!!!

 

I went to the thrift store and found this beautiful shower curtain
And rings for less than $6.00. Score....

I bought a can of chocolate brown spray paint and went to work.

I sprayed painted the hand towel and the toilet paper roll and the shower curtain rod, The frame for this photo and a shelf that I found in the shed.
I still need a few things to pull it altogether. Then I remembered that I had gotten a $10 coupon in the mail for Kohl's so off we went. I was so happy to find that the bath rugs and towels were on sale that day. Yay!! So with $10 and a little bit more I was able to buy some new bath rugs and 2 hand towels. But of course you need a toothbrush holder, soap dish and a trash can. So I was able to find them at Wal-Mart.
I was able to redo the whole bathroom for less the $33.00

Kitchen Makeover

 

Here is a DIY that I did a few weeks ago. My family was coming into town and I wanted to change my kitchen, but I did not have a lot of time or money.

 So I went on Pintrest and found some cool ideas and here was one of them.

 

 

I went to the dollar store and bought 12 placemats and a roll of double tape.

 There were many to choose from. But I liked this one the best!

You heard me right placemats!

 I measured and cut them where they fit the best.

Put double sided tape on the back and placed them where they fit.  

    And Ta-DA!!

 

Here is my kitchen Before and After

My stove Before



My Stove After

My Counter Before

My Counter After!

Not too bad for a dollar store idol!
It made my kitchen look so warm and cozy!
 And The best part was I spent lest then $15.00 on it all
And I had it done in about 1 hour!

Homemade Laundry Soap

~~Laundry, Laundry, Laundry ~~

I don't know about you all, but laundry seems to never end at our house. Seems like I get it all caught up and then I turn around and there is more. My sister In-law gave me this recipe close to six months ago. I was not sure about it at first since many of my family have allergies to soaps. So I made a small batch and we gave it a try and my family loved it. So this time I wanted to make a large batch! So, this is what I bought! But remember there is 7 in our house and we go threw a lot of laundry so when you make it you might not need this much soap!

 

 

Homemade Laundry Soap

 

5 Box Zote Soap

5 Box Boraz (76oz.)

5 Box Washing Soda (55oz.)

10 Cups Baking Soda

6 Dollar Tree Oxyclean

10 Containers Of Pyrex Softener Crystals

2 - Five Gallon buckets

 

 

(Please note I only have 4 borax, and 6 Pyrex and 1 five gallon bucket)
 I had to run to the store to get more to finish up the soap.

Here is my helper pouring in the Pyrex!

This is what is looks like. There are many kinds of Pyrex Crystals to choose from
 But I loved the one with essential Oils in it!

Love this photo!
 There is something special about children's hands!

 He keeps playing in the soap and making soap castles.

He had to keep smelling the soap and I was able to capture this photo

Fall Is In The Air



Make me know your ways,
Adonai, teach me your paths.
 Guide me in your truth, and teach me,
For you are the God who saves me,
My hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5

 

Wow, its September 1st already.

Where does the summer go?

 One thing I enjoy about homeschooling my children is that we

don't start school until after labor day. 

 It seems like more and more kids are going back to school early.

 Whatever happened to have the summer off.

The children here don't get off until the second week in June and

 then go back the 1st week in August.

I remember as a kid, summer seemed to go on forever.

Some of my favorite memories were going swimming, playing outside,

Hanging out with friends, staying up late and reading lots of good books,

 And the best part was eating Ice Cream.