A How-To Guide for Monthly Menu Planning

Step 1:

The very first thing I do each and every month is print out a blank calendar template.

They're easy to find, but I prefer these 
2013 Blank Calendar Templates by Hello, Cuteness!

They're playful and free, cute and free,
and I quite honestly just like to look at them on the fridge ッ
Plus, did I mention that they're free?

Step 2:

Once that's done, I look through the month for any birthdays for my immediate four.

Those days are labeled with the name(s) of the birthday folk,

as they are honored with choosing their favorite meal for their special day(s).

Step 3:

Next, I look to see if any activities will be ongoing for the month.

If so, I usually plan a crock pot meal or something quick and simple for those days.

Step 4:

We always eat out at least once each week

(usually on Saturdays, since that day goes well with my husband's work schedule).

Therefore, most all Saturdays on my calendars are labeled 'Eat Out'. 

Step 5:

I wish so much that we all loved fish and other healthy options,

but the closest my family gets to body/health-friendly meals is chicken.

Thus, the fairly-feathered bird graces our monthly menus quite a bit as you will see... 

Starting with the first day of the month, I write in what kind of meat we will have.

If I were saying it aloud, it would sound something like this, 'chicken, ground chuck, chicken, eat out, etc.

Here is what it might look like.

Step 6:

Step 6 is just a process of plugging in.

At all times, I have a printed document of meal ideas bound behind our monthly menus.

It's a clean list of meals we've all given at least a 6 out of 10 to.

(With every new recipe I make,

we each say what our number is on our scales from 1 to 10.

If it gets at least a 6 from all of us, it's a keeper and goes onto the meal ideas list.)

I use this list as an easy way to plug in nightly meals on the calendar.

Click here for all Bailey-approved recipes ッ

Step 7:

My last step every month, of course, is to tend to the dreaded grocery trip. 

I usually turn my monthly meal calendar over

and write the types of meats we will be having.

I then make tally marks next to each meat

according to how many times it's mentioned on the opposite side.

A LONG time ago, I found an editable grocery list template

from a local grocer's website that, you guessed it, is no longer there :(

Here is the link to my own list.

It opens in Microsoft Works Spreadsheet and does not offer a preview,

but I'm hoping that it at least lets you download the file.

It's marvelously time-freeing!

Organizers Anonymous - Sign Me Up!

They really should make a program for organizing-junkies like myself. I'd join in a heartbeat! That being said, these jewelry display ideas all over Pinterest sparked a revelation for me. My own jewelry 'collection' suffered both in the organization and in the displaying departments. I finally decided to make one, intertwining their concepts and those of myself.

Before, necklaces hung on all four corners of our bedside table, and bracelets lay strewn about in my panty drawer. On a Sunday last week, for a matter of hours, jewelry-organization took precedence over all other goings on. First, I grabbed an old poster frame from one of the kids' rooms. Next, I slapped some stain I had left over form a previous project onto the wood. Drying time was the longest part. A trip to Lowes was then in the cards to purchase knobs and a small sheet of ¼-inch wood board. We stopped by Walmart next to find material. Once home, we cut the wood down to the size of the frame, so that it would fit perfectly into it just like a poster would. It was then sprayed with fabric glue (once again, left over from a previous project). Material was cut to fit and pressed down to dry over the board. This was the second longest part of the project. Once dry, I clumsily placed knobs onto the board, my husband drilled holes, and I attached the screws and knobs. Pretty placement was all that was left.

Jewelry went up, and a smile crossed my face! The outcome was better than expected :D 

Alas! Organization committees around the world can sleep again knowing that things are in order, nice and tidy, and sightly displayed! One homemade jewelry-display board... check!

10 in 10

By far, one of THE best workouts I've seen. Basically a shorter version of a lot of the Insanity program with 10 exercises in 10 minutes... very cool!

Free (and Useful) Printables

I'm always looking for free printables, so you can imagine how excited I was to have found these cute little recipe cards from amyjdelightful.blogspot.com :)

Aren't they precious?! Also, these Super Mom printable lists from livinglocurto.com sorta rocked my world!

Looking for a weekly planner? Designfinch.com has a plethora AND some to suit your fancy.

A Framed-Name Facebook Cover Photo Tutorial

Someone recently inquired about how my Facebook cover photo was made, and, after going into grave detail about how I clumsily stumbled upon how to do it, I realized that many more might love the info too! Be warned. It's a process, but here's how it was done :)

1. In your browser, type in nameframes.net.
Drag the letters down to create the name frame you want.

2. Take a screen shot of the web page with your finished name frame by holding down the Ctrl button on your keyboard and tapping the PrntScr button.

3. Open the Paint program on your computer by clicking on Start, Programs, Accessories, Paint.

4. Once opened, hold down the Ctrl button once again, but this time tap on the letter button V (this pastes whatever you've copied to your computer's clipboard, in this case a picture of the name frame you just created).

5. A picture of the name frame and the website should show up in the Paint program.

6. Save that file (I usually save to my desktop, so it's easy to find for editing).

7. Find a way to crop the newly-saved picture (I use picmonkey.com).

8. Cut around the name frame to where you think it looks good; save over the same file.

9. The picture needs to be resized in order to fit for a cover photo. The size for any picture to go here is around 850x315 pixels. I use a free program called Irfanview to resize my pictures. You can get it here for free.

10. The last step... simply upload your new cover photo :)

Good Luck!

Not Guilty

I've concluded that not religiously keeping up with my blog doesn't make me a bad person; it makes me normal. Living life gets in the way of most things non-stress related, and typing in my blog is just that... non-stressful. It's simply an avenue that lets me speak my mind on whatever issues I choose, whenever I choose to speak it. It's my small space on the world wide web that's dedicated to only me, and I enjoy when we spend time together (even if it is short bouts here and there).

On the home front, we've decided to homeschool Kristian this year. Him and I are getting along okay, with limited areas of annoyance. He's breezing through schoolwork and turning in papers after each subject (our two main problems with public school). He calls me Mrs. Mom and even tells me what a good job I'm doing as his teacher *grin* I'm aware that his brown-nosing remarks/compliments are just that (brown-nosing), but I'd be lying if I said they didn't make me feel good.

Nicole recently tested for her permit and passed with flying colors. She's fifteen-and-a-half now, FIFTEEN-AND-A-HALF! Can you believe it?!?! It's cliché to say that I remember her running around in diapers, but, in saying that, I TOTALLY get where that saying comes from. She's an awesome student with grades of A's and B's. I really couldn't ask for a better daughter. She's everything I always wanted :) For the second time this entry, I'd be lying if I said we never fight. We do over silly things such as questions like "How does my hair look?" and "Can I drive?", but for the most part we get along.

We bought our second truck back in February and hired our first employee to drive for us. I guess these acts made the business 'official'. Being owners of anything is hard work, but, surprisingly, this endeavor hasn't been too taxing. Insert my third and final lie of this entry. Summer posed many hardships as the heat was ruthless. Maintenance costs for two trucks was outrageous from June through August. Tack on road taxes due around that time, and it was just plain scary! The weather seems to be cooling off now though, and so is our maintenance account. I know Jeremy is tired of working nights. He mentions it often :( The plan has always been to acquire around five trucks. Maybe then, things will change. The good news is, we just have three more to get there (three is better than five).

I'm feeling good about personal goals met. During the day I teach Kristian, keep house, make lunch/dinner, and run errands. On Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights I teach as an adjunct instructor at Seminole State. My classes aren't too terribly complex, but I'm using my teaching degree and making extra money, so I'm thrilled to say the least. I've even signed up to teach a class on iPods/iPhones/iPads next spring! I learn something new almost every class, and the people are wonderful. At this stage in my life, it's the best thing for our family, and I'm okay with that.

Well, once again, this has been an insightful post. After typing all entries, I always read over what I write. As with every time, I'm never NOT surprised at the things I learn about myself. Signing off - K. Bailey

By the Book

After weeks of driving by and desiring to check out the new goodwill store in town, I finally did grace it's presence yesterday afternoon. I spent an hour in the abridged book section not realizing how widespread my minutes there had become :o Why was I so intrigued by these titles?! Was I amazed at their prices? I've always liked books but have never liked them to that extent. The kicker... I was more impressed with the abundant diversity of homeschooling and college textbooks than I was with any other genre. I was astounded by the avenue in which age had crept up so silently and had announced itself in that normal and everyday moment. It's surreal this feeling of growing older...

Updates

So, I'm no longer perturbed by the plagiarism that is my life. Really think that last blog entry must have been written around the week before red-headed Aunt Suzie came for her monthly visit :o

Family time has encountered a lack thereof, but I've been a good and patient girl and couldn't be more proud!

Chance discovered that his sisters’ taste’s in disturbing movies were a bit too demented for his liking Lol Therefore, our next movie night will consist of only comedic genres *wink*

Nana's since tried out for a school play and nabbed the part of a southern lady named Sadie. She practices her accent quite often and makes me laugh at the way she calls me 'Mama'!

Bubba starts a new medicine next week... Every time he tries something new, I research until my fingers bleed! It's exhausting, but I HAVE to know what's going into my baby's body. I know he'll be okay. He's a trooper. He's a BAILEY *wink* (inside family joke) He's become less interested than he was before in Runescape. He informed me the other night that they've changed a lot of stuff on the game, and he no longer likes the way it's set up.

On February 22, 2010, Jeremy and I became proud owners of one 2006 candy-apple red Freightliner Century semi-truck! He's in love (: The seats are super-comfortable! In fact, he overkilled the salesman on how they 'hugged' him every time he sat down *giggle* It has 2 sleeper bunks (so we can go with him sometimes) and, best of all, the truck belongs to us! My focus now, as always, is on being organized and resourceful! It's gonna be awesome!!!

Adding to the mix, Dad received his 'birthday' iPod yesterday. Going to set it up tonight after school *big grin* WE ARE IPOD TIGHT YO!

Dr. Pudding & Nurse Sugarbottom

Last night, like most every night, I asked the kids to turn off the Wii and get ready for bed. They argued and said they needed to do one more thing before they turned it off. I hear this ALL THE TIME and got aggrivated. Needless to say, they were both grounded for not listening. Anyway, the real reason for this post was for what happened afterward. I walked into Bubba's room and laid on the bed just listening to them talk about silly stuff. Keep in mind, they were grounded now. Secretly, I kinda like when they're grounded ;) They're so sweet and humble without the extra-ness of all the technological junk that gets in the way of great kids nowadays. In the middle of a thought about how precious time spent with them is, I was pounced on by a young gentleman who called himself Dr. Pudding. He called for his nurse to assist him with his patient, which I had unknowingly become. A 13-year-old girl waltzed into the room wearing a toy carpenter's belt containing child-like tools. Hidden inside her pants and underneath her shirt was a volleyball. She dubbed herself Nurse Sugarbottom. I was told that I would be a patient with an infection inside my left leg. After a lot of prodding and poking with his 'tools', Dr. Pudding estimated that his hand was not long enough to reach the infection. His new prognosis: he would have to cut open my foot and pull the infection out. Lol They were SO cute! For an hour we enjoyed each other's company. I let all things 'adult' go and just had fun with my kids! And even though people tell them they're too old to play such games, my own Dr. Pudding and Nurse Sugarbottom owned that surgery room for the hour it was occupied on July 14, 2009!

Orange - Like the Juice ッ

A couple of weeks ago we took a personality test called True Colors in my Methods of Early Childhood class. Like previously-taken assessments, it was designed to give insight into what motivates a person and to what their values are. What I liked about this particular exam was its simplicity. True Colors divides our values/choices into four different colors (Orange, Gold, Blue, and Green).

I had my family take the test to see what colors they would be. If you know them, you'll understand why their colors were what they were :)
Jeremy was a mix of Orange and Gold with both numbers adjacent.
I was a strong Orange with Blue as my near second color.
Nicole was all over the board with mostly Blue.
And Kristian was another strong Orange, close Blue.

I’ve been watching these traits play out and think it notable to mention how accurate I think this test really is! It’s so interesting to me that I want to know everyone’s colors! Click here to take the adult test and here for the child's version. Once you’ve learned your results, click on your color link above to view traits about your personality. Also visit Traits That Frustrate to view a list of things we do that frustrate other colors. Don’t forget to holla your sound outs! Lol ~I'm a dork!~

Puppies and Old Souls

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays have bluntly become a monotonous ritual. Most every drive home from school consists of me flipping through channels on the XM, occasionally stopping on talk show programs. The week before spring break, I encountered a deep conversation on what channel I couldn't even begin to tell you. The host spoke about why we are the way we are and how we're each different from one another. I was extremely intrigued and felt it further expanded my yen for knowledge of the human race. The speaker mentioned about how some of us have old souls and that some of our souls are more like young puppies. I'll explain in my own way but am positive will do no justice to what they conveyed.

OLD SOULS: They know amazing things; they know things they shouldn't know. They comply with their world in ways the 'puppies' only dream of. They understand the unknowing, and they 'get' that there really is more to life. They evolve through personal growth, through writing, and by purely bringing beauty to the world around them. Oh, how I wish I could be an old soul. They seem so mature and so willing to accept whatever comes.

YOUNG SOULS: I loved the comparison of them being like young puppies. They're spontaneous, easily bored, always ready for whatever new thing is taking place, and have driving ambitions to acquire their desires. Young souls are compulsive about appearances and strive to buy the biggest, the best, the fastest, and the most. They are greedy and competitive. Their egos are fully engaged, and they are constantly in a state of unrest. They’re picky, critical, careful, and thoughtful. Among the greatest downfalls of the young souls is their despising deposition of others telling them what to do.

Adopting these views as my own, I’ve made some conclusions over the last two weeks.

Nicole is definitely an old soul. She just seems to 'get' things. She's more often than not in awe of simple facts and revels in the midst of accomplishing tasks when others would be frustrated. She beautifully portrays an image I’d love to be. The way she handles trials with such grace renders me speechless. I love her so much, and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was given to me for a greater purpose. Thinking back to when she was two, even then she would question my motives and correct me. It’s funny to remember that long ago.

Kristian is a perfect example of a young soul or a 'puppy'. He flitters around (partly ADD, partly personality), never accepting of the way things are. He and I are alike in many ways and, as his mother, I feel that it is my highest duty to mold him into being a better person than I. The boy has such confidence in some aspects of life and such low self-esteem in others. I tell him every day how much I believe in him and hope with all of my heart that he believes what I'm saying to be true. I wish every parent could have a child with a learning disability. Maybe then, they would understand the pain that goes along with it. Even so, I refuse for him to accept his ADD as an excuse. Kristian, ultimately, makes Kristian's choices. He too, I believe, was given to me for a greater purpose. Even with clashing attitudes and stubborn arguments, I thank God for him every day. His presence has rounded me into a more accommodating person. He's taught me that no child is perfect but will always assume that position through a mother's eyes.

In conclusion, carting what we’ve learned into adulthood, inevitably, we all screw up somewhere along the way. Most of us have untapped strengths and potentials and only discover them when slammed by some major life challenge. If we run around 'fixing' things for our friends and family, we're simply enabling their ability to become the victim. As always, I'm leaving this post in full wonderment of life. What a grand game!