Meal Plan Monday

** reported on Tuesday

Monday: Chicken Divan
Fresh Baked Rolls (from frozen Rhodes dough balls-my kids new fav)
Extra broccoli on the side
Tuesday: Hamburgers on the Grill
Chips
Fruit leftover from party
Wednesday: Grilled Pork Chops
Bob Evans Sour Cream and Chive mashed potatoes

Thursday: Dinner out (Girls' have dance class)
Friday: ?
Saturday: Grill out elsewhere
Sunday: Mason's Bday party--dinner there :)

I have also collected a few recipes to share from Sunday's party. Those will be up soon. Pin It

life IS good

I can finally share! Yesterday we had a surprise retirement party for my Mom and Jim. Since my mom has adopted the mantra: Life is Good, I made that the theme of the party. I created the banner above with oodles of collected scrapbooking paper cut down to size. Very simply I began with 4x6 solid cardstock, next I cut patterned paper 5.75x3.75 and the top layer to 3.5 x5 (roughly). The doodle frame is a digital scrapbook element and the font is century gothic at 180. After I glued them all together, I just weaved a long black ribbon through them all to create the banner. Super easy and I made it with things I had on hand. The shades of red, white, blue and pink from the patterned paper dictated the color scheme for the whole party.

(click to view larger)

Balloons were an easy, affordable addition. I also made lots of hanging tags by punching various shades of paper and cardstock. The life is good on white with the pink flower were made using free fonts so I will upload those as a pdf for anyone wanting to create stickers or tags for themselves. The water bottle labels were a cinch to make. I found dimensions via a google search and then designed them using a flower from my digital scrapbook stash. This flower is an oldie from Heidi Larsen at LDD. The rest of the decor was rounded out by using my collection of milk glass filled with red, white and pink flowers. I bought cheap-o blue table cloths from the Dollar Tree and made paper garlands to place down the center, an idea I saw on one of my favorite blogs.
I added the hanging lanterns in the tree on our deck and that was one of my favorite parts. I originally used these for Olivia's First Communion and loved them outdoors in the tree. What took me so long to think of that?!

Although the party prep was fun for me, the real fun was having friends and family together. My Mom and Jim requested just this one group photo--the two of them with their grandchildren (and one great grand child!). I'd say this one is a keeper.

My sister Kelly came out Friday and did the majority of the house cleaning so that I could do what I consider the fun stuff. Thank you Kelly! We also had TONS of great food. I may compile a short list of recipes next...

Download a sheet of 20 Life is Good flower tags HERE. PDF file.

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what's been going on

This little bundle was born on Wednesday. I snapped this on Thursday, when he was just shy of 24 hours old.

I visited a new to me thrift shop right before I picked the girls up from their first day of school and was rewarded with this stack of vintage sheets. I got all of this for less than $5! Next week I am going to being cutting them down into fat quarters to share with the ladies from this group.

I know some of you just will not "get" the whole used sheet obsession. I cannot explain it either but I like them and like making things with them. So there.


And this is a little something I made quickly in photoshop. Since retiring, this has become my Mom's mantra. I like it. After tomorrow, you will too....big teaser, surprise to come....

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school days: day 1

My first grader.

My fourth grader.

Two together before we headed up to the bus.

And this one. This is how I know that deep down they do love each other. As soon as the bus came into view, Olivia put her arm out for Shelby. I guess they really do know right from wrong and good from bad. I hope I had something to do with that :)

They were still quite content when I picked them up at 3:20. If only Hip Hop Dance class had gone so swimmingly. One, I won't name names but she may be the oldest, was full of frowns. Ugh. Apparently she did not like the dance class although it was darling and the moves looked a lot like what I see on the Disney Channel...I am just saying.

One down, so many more to go!

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this week...

...we are preparing for school to begin by labeling school supplies, taking backpacks to be embroidered, meeting teachers (early!), fitting in one last day at the park, attending orientation tomorrow and actually starting school on Thursday
...I am excited about my jobS...I am so fortunate to work with the people who I do and that I totally enjoy all of the industries I have a hand in...look for changes and improvements at the Brides Buddy, one of my part time careers!...I am in disbelief that by tomorrow evening, my good friend will be a Mom (after two LONG weeks on hospital bedrest) and I cannot wait to meet Baby B
...I will know the feeling of walking home from the morning bus stop ALONE with no one waiting at home...it will be just me, Skipper the Dog and my amazing lists of things to do for nearly 8 hours per day
...I am mourning the loss of no routine while anxiously anticipating the return of routine :)
...I have been totally defeated in the eat better, move more campaign. I will do better next week.
...I am looking forward to a family celebration this weekend
...I am trying to pause and reflect on how lucky I am...between refereeing battles between my girls Pin It