Learning to Love the Freezer

I finally decided to try out a cook-all-day-and-freeze meal plan, and I'm super excited about it!  When I open my freezer, I hear angels singing!

Several people asked about how I did it and if I saved money, so I thought I'd go through the whole process.

The blog post I found is called Make 50 Freezer Meals in One Day; I chose 6 of the recipes she listed and got 16 meals...50 sounded a little overwhelming to try for my first time!  All 16 meals took about 4 hours to prepare (however, my two beautiful, energetic, destructive, needy boys were present, so I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have taken that long if they were perhaps at daycare...next time!)

I picked the following recipes (the numbers in parentheses are how many meals I got by either doubling or tripling the recipes):

Slow Cooker Broccoli Chicken Alfredo (3)
Chicken Parmesan Pesto Shells (3)
Slow Cooker Beef Barley Stew (3)
Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos (2)
Lasagna (3)
Pulled BBQ Pork (2)

The first thing I did when I got home from the store (after putting away the groceries and beginning with a clean kitchen) was put the pork shoulder in the crock pot...I cooked 3ish pounds on low for about 6.5 hours...then Josh and I got to work on everything else. The slow cooker meals were a breeze to put together (we tried the beef and barley stew tonight and it was really good!  I made some Jiffy muffins to go with it).  The rest took a little more effort, but none were too taxing.  When the pork was finished cooking, I shredded it, added BBQ sauce, and portioned it into two bags.

The following morning I made about 15 breakfast burritos to freeze.  I cooked 1 lb. of breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean Natural), 2 lbs. frozen southern-style hash browns (just diced potatoes basically), 8 scrambled eggs, and some shredded cheddar cheese.  I assembled my burritos, individually wrapped them in tinfoil, and put them in a freezer bag.  I ran out of sausage and eggs, but I have several tortillas and a good amount of hash browns left, so I'm going to make some bacon and some more eggs and make a few more to throw in the freezer :} I haven't reheated one yet, so I'm not sure about microwave time, but a friend (check out her blog, Me and My Soldier Man) recommended wrapping a burrito in a paper towel, heating 1 minute on one side, then 30 seconds on the other.

I spent an estimated $200 on the items for the freezer meals, including foil, freezer bags, and aluminum pans.  That comes out to roughly $12 per meal.  I bought a few other food items not related to freezer meals, such as cereal and snacks, a few frozen veggies and packages of different rices to use on non-freezer meal nights, so that added approximately $80 to the total.  I was going to the store once a week and spending $100-150 on groceries , so I can see the savings already!  I figure I'll still go grocery shopping once a week, but only to pick up perishable things like milk, eggs, and fruit, and a few things to add to my meals for that week like hamburger buns and fresh veggies.

I am definitely going to do this next month, too.  The time I will save trying to think of what to make for dinner, preparing it, and cleaning up afterward is pretty invaluable!  And I had fun in the kitchen with the husband :}

The recipes I used can be found at Happy Money Saver.  If you decided to try this, don't forget to take doubling and/or tripling the recipe into consideration when planning out your shopping list...and let me know how it goes, and if you discover any new recipes or food storage tips and tricks :}

Woolzies Dryer Balls Review and Giveaway!

When I started using cloth diapers I stopped using dryer sheets, and ever since I've been looking for an alternative.  Well, I think I finally found it...Woolzies Dryer Balls!

I stopped using dryer sheets because I found out that the chemicals in them can leave a film on the surface of the dryer and transfer to the cloth diapers, causing a build up that could make the diapers leak.  First of all, I didn't want my diapers to leak!  Second, I try to avoid using chemicals when I can.  So, for the past year or so, I just haven't used anything besides laundry detergent, and I've noticed a lot of static in our clothing (and I kind of miss the smelly-goodness of the dryer sheets...even if it is produced by chemicals!).  I started looking for a solution and I saw that a lot of people have started using wool dryer balls, so I decided to give them a try...success!

I received a box of 6 wool dryer balls from Woolzies.  I've been using them for about a week on various loads of laundry.  They work great for my diapers; the liners come out very soft and fluffy.  I dried a pretty large load of sheets and towels and they were dry within an hour, where it usually takes about an hour and a half.  I did a load of regular clothes, including my husband's PT uniforms, which are notoriously full of static, and we both noticed a reduction in the amount of static in our clothes.  So, I've found an easy, all-natural alternative to fabric softeners and static reducers, and I get to use less electricity by cutting down drying time.  AND I saw that you can add a few drops of essential oil to the dryer balls to leave your laundry lightly scented!  I haven't tried that yet, but I'll get to have my yummy scented laundry again :}

I would highly recommend giving these a try, and take a step towards going green in 2014!  Happy New Year!

For more information, check out Woolzies' website here.  And don't forget to enter to win a 6 pack of dryer balls...a $34.95 value!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Esthe-what?!

Esthetician- part make up artist, part skin care specialist.  Around next August, I'm going to be one!   That's right...I'm going back to school!!  In January I'm beginning classes at Milan Institute of Cosmetology here in El Paso, and I'm so excited!

I've wanted to do this since high school.  In fact, I started college as a theatre major thinking that I would get experience doing stage makeup.  I didn't really, but by then I figured I'm already two years into this whole college thing, I might as well just keep going and get my bachelor's degree.  I'm not saying I think my college experience was a waste.  The education I got was invaluable (and that's where I met the husband!), but being a makeup artist has always been in the back of my mind.

Lately I've been thinking about getting a job.  Not sure why exactly...I've been very happy to be a stay-at-home mom.  But I started thinking about the types of jobs I could get (besides teaching), and I'd pretty much be limited to waiting tables or maybe doing office work...blah.  Then a few weeks ago I had to go to the PX on post and they happened to be doing an education fair that day.  I said to myself, if I pass by a table handing out info about one of the local cosmetology schools, I'll start to consider going.  And there they were!  At first I thought I might wait until the boys started school before I went to school myself, but I've been thinking and praying about this a lot, and I really feel like now is the time for me to go.  So yesterday I enrolled!  I'm really looking forward to the new challenge and finally doing something I've wanted to do for years!  Wish me luck!

I'll leave you with this little video clip that I thought was appropriate for the occasion:

No Facebook November

So, does anyone remember the game Whac-a-Mole?  You know, the one where for every mole you whack into the ground, two or more pop back up?  Well, I feel like my life is just one big Whac-a-Mole game right now.

Confused?  Let me explain...I feel like for every area of my life I get control over, multiple other areas start to suffer.  So I'm constantly trying to whack all of those little moles on the head, but they just keep popping back out!  And it's frustrating and exhausting!  Lately, I've really gotten a hold on housework.  I've been keeping the house pretty clean, laundry done (and put away!), and I've started organizing problem areas.  This accomplishment makes me feel less stressed and really successful as a homemaker.  However, since I've been putting so much effort into the house, I've skipped the gym for about two weeks now.  My goal is to go 3 times a week...and I was doing that for a while and I was losing weight and felt so great and my confidence was really high, but my house was a disaster area and would really stress me out!  And then there's spending time with the boys.  When I go to the gym and try to keep the house clean, I'm too tired to play with them for any substantial length of time, which depresses me.  They're number one in my life, and I feel like I'm doing them an injustice by not spending as much quality time with them as I should.  And of course I want to spend as much time with the husband as I can (he ranks pretty high on the priority list, too :} ).  I'd also really like to do some of my hobbies like scrapbooking or sewing or reading, but I never seem to have time for that.  I guess I'm just struggling to find balance in my life right now.  Sheesh.  I've been married for three and a half years and have been a mom for over two...you'd think I'd have things somewhat figured out by now!  

So, I say all of that to say that for the month of November I'm going to take a break from Facebook.  I've been trying to think of ways to simplify my life and I think staying off of Facebook will help.  It takes up more time than I mean for it to.  It's not that I'm not interested in my friends' and families' lives; I love that Facebook allows me to stay connected to people I'm far away from!  But I just want to take a step back and just focus on my life right now.  And I'll still have my phone if you'd like to send a text or give me a call  :}  So, so long for now.  I hope everyone has a fun Halloween and a wonderful, relaxing, indulgent Thanksgiving holiday!  See you in December!  

A Few of My Favorite Things

Has it really been two and a half months since I've been back in El Paso?!  Wow, crazy!  I miss GA and my family so much, and am so thankful for our time there, but I think we're finally beginning to feel settled back in here in Texas.  The boys are doing great, the hubby's finally home safely (yay!!), it's my favorite time of year...all is well :}

So, since we've been back in "The Pass," two things have come into my life that I feel the need to share: Skinny Mom and Norwex.

First, Skinny Mom.  This is a blog about a lot of different things relating to mommy-hood and woman-hood, but mainly, food!  Every recipe I've tried has been husband and two-year-old approved (Jude is picky about pretty much everything, so he's an unreliable source), and all of them are around 300 calories per serving!  Here's some of the deliciousness we've been experiencing lately:

Baked Burritos
Crockpot Sweet Potato Turkey Chili (sounds crazy, but trust me...)
Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos (only three ingredients!)
Un-fried Chicken Fingers (gluten free option)

I can't wait to try more and I highly suggest you check out this site and see if you can find something in the neatly categorized recipe index that strikes your fancy :}

Second, Norwex!

This is a cleaning system that uses only water to clean your home!  It is a collection of different microfiber cloths that have sliver fibers woven in.  The silver is naturally antibacterial and can destroy bacteria without using any chemicals.  Y'all, these things work!  I have never felt so motivated to clean in my life because I see excellent results with very little effort.  I've cleaned practically the whole apartment with 4 cloths and water.  I can't imagine how much money we'll save on not having to buy cleaning products, and I feel ridiculously good about not exposing the boys to all those chemicals.  I can't say enough good things about this product...you just have to try it!

If you'd like to purchase anything, I'm having a party.  Go to my consultant's page here and make your purchase (I started off my collection with the Household Package and a kitchen cloth and plan on getting the mop soon).  Prepare to be amazed!!  My party ends October 31st.

P.S. Norwex is the reason I'm able to write this blog post!  Cleaning is so fast and easy, I actually have a few extra minutes to sit down!


These are my personal opinions; I was not compensated in any way to endorse Skinny Mom or Norwex products.

Look What I Can Do!

Well, I thought it was time for a major update on how my not-so-baby boys have been doing lately :}

Let me just start by saying, to all of you who warned me, "You'll never sleep again": Go ahead and gloat all you want...yep, you told me so!!  I'm so tired!  Whine, whine, whine!  Jude is still waking up about 3 times a night.  He did so good when he was first born, sleeping about 4-6 hours at a time, that I thought this was going to be a breeze!  I'm not sure what happened, but now he's up about every 2-4 hours :{  He still sleeps the best in his swing.  I'm going to have to check the weight limit on that thing because I'm planning on using it until it can't support him anymore!  Even if his legs start to hang over (they're at the edge now!). 

Speaking of sleep, on the night of May 13, Cameron slept in his big boy toddler bed.  He had been sleeping in his little pack n' play, as most of you know, but he was outgrowing it!  So I went ahead and bit the bullet and got him a bed.  The first night he woke up three times, two times the second night, and once on the third night.  Out of those times, he only fell out twice!  One night when I went to check on him he was on the floor.  I asked him if he fell out of bed and he nodded his head and said, "Mmm," which is his version of "yes."  It was pitiful and kind of funny/cute at the same time.  Poor baby :/  He's been doing great so far, but last nigh he woke up once...not sure why.  But other than the few minor mishaps, I think he really likes it :}

Here are some pictures of his new bed, the rest of his room, and Jude's nursery:

Super awesome blanket courtesy of some lovely Ft. Bliss friends

Why yes, those are Yellow Submarine figurines on the wall :}

 

 

 

Anyway, I also wanted to list all of their accomplishment.  It's a long list, so I understand if you don't want to read all of it. I just wanted to write everything down for posterity, and for Josh to see what was going on.

Cameron- 19 months:

Words/pronunciation:

Cheese
Pasta- papa
No no
Hat- ha
Blue- boo
Mama
Dada- Na na
Water- ba ba
Apple- bapa
Tea (a word all good Southern boys should know :} )
Teeth- teesh
More- mo
Eye- ah
Ear- ee
Bye bye
Night night- nah nah
Uh oh- it was huh ho, now it's uh-OH
Gone gone- ga ga
Ball- ba
Football- butt-ba (lol!)
Hello- hey-o
Bubble
Brother- bwuh-ba :}
Soap- bubble (it works!)
Bee- dee (the dee says dzzzzz!)
Moo- boo
Neigh- mmmhmmhmm (like a horse)
Meow- now
Chicken- bock bock!
Lion- aaaaahhh!
Owl- hoo hoo
Woof woof- ah ah! (and he can pant like a dog, too)
Oatmeal- no-new
Moon
Girl- gul
Hey (always includes a little wave :} )
Shoe- ew
Sock- ock
Love you- buh boo (my favorite!)

He can identify/point to:

Hair
Head
Ear
Eye
Eyebrow
Nose
Chin
Teeth
Tongue
Toes
Fingers
Bellybutton
Hands
Feet
Knees
Arms
Butterflies
Ladybugs
Stars
Trucks
Most animals

He can:

Blow kisses
Wave
High five
Fist bump
Hug
Kiss
Run
Jump
Scribble
Eat with a spoon and fork
Drink from a real cup, not a sippy

Loves to:
Play outside
Hug, kiss, and hold Brother
Blow bubbles
Dance
Eat snacks!
Watch Mama get ready (especially put on makeup!)
Watch Blues Clues and Yo Gabba Gabba is a close second

Jude- 4 months:

He can:

Laugh and smile
Roll from tummy to back
Roll onto his side
Hold toys
Turns to face a noise
Babbles (constantly!)
Sit up by himself (although he's still a little wobbly)
Likes to:

Stand up
Bounce
Be held
Sit in Mama's baby sling/carrier
Play in his Exer-saucer

Doesn't like:

The carseat :{
Being ignored

Has tried:

Baby oatmeal
Bananas


I can't believe all the stuff they can do!  And everyday they learn more :}  Love these boys!

And I'll leave you with some recent pics of us:

Parent appreciation at Cam's daycare- He made me a flower pot :}

 

Me and the little guy at my cousin's wedding

Asheville

This past weekend Jude and I rode up to Asheville, North Carolina to see my good friend Jessica and meet her newest baby, Wes.  It was the first time either of us had been there.  We chose to meet there because it was almost exactly halfway for both of us.  And what a great choice!  We had a really nice time.  It was not without its stressful moments, but we expected it to be somewhat challenging with the two babies :}  It wasn't without its fun times either.

I was so excited to see our baby boys together!  Wes was born 16 days after Jude...pretty awesome :} I wish we lived closer so that they could get to know each other the way Cam and Jessica's older son, Andrew, did.  But I know they'll love playing with each other when we do get to visit.

They were fast friends...and pretty cute!

We stayed in the carriage house at a bed & breakfast built in 1899 called The Wright Inn. 

The main house
www.bbonline.com

 

The carriage house
www.wrightinn.com

 

The room Jude and I stayed in
www.wrightinn.com

 

Asheville is such a cool city.  It's extremely artsy and focused around locally made and produced items.  Our first night there, we went downtown and stopped in a local Mexican restaurant called Chorizo (in honor of our El Paso days!).  The waitress informed us that the owner uses produce from his own farm in his 2 1/2 restaurants (not sure what she meant by 1/2).  And he was actually in the kitchen cooking our meals that night!  The food tasted super fresh and was delicious!  Not the typical heavy rice and beans covered with cheese dishes in most Mexican places (although that's good too, sometimes!).  We were very pleased with our choice.  On a side note, the Mojitos weren't bad either...

On Saturday we went to Biltmore Estate.  Cue the Downton Abbey theme song.  Wow!  It was huge and gorgeous!  We did a self-guided tour of the house mansion then went to the winery.  They offer tours of the winery, but we just did the tasting (which is included in the price of the admission ticket).  We spent pretty much all day long on the grounds, and still felt like we hadn't seen it all!  The tickets are good for 2 days; we didn't go back the next day, but I'd recommend it if you're thinking about visiting.  We were of course exhausted after our visit, but we enjoyed the beauty of the estate (despite hauling around our sweet babies!) and we met some really nice people there.

 

Umm, yeah. :}
www.thepinnaclelist.com

 

 Sunday morning we went back downtown to look around a bit more.  We found an awesome bookstore/Champagne bar (yep, you read that right!) called Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar.  It was too early for Champagne, but luckily they also had a coffee bar!  We got a white chocolate strawberry latte...delish!

 

www.foodandwine.com

 

 

When we walked out of the bookstore we saw that some local street vendors had set up shop.  I saw one called Monster Menagerie.  The super sweet lady was selling her adorable hand-made stuffed monster toys.  I had to get one for Cam and Jude.  Jude got one named Miles (who she said is named after her dog) and Cam got one made out of camouflage fabric called Tank.  Each monster is one-of-a-kind.  It was kind of funny...we were headed to a toy store I had spotted downtown when we saw this lady's booth.  I'm glad we saw her; it feels good to support local and independent artists :}

 

 

Our newest friends

 

Also while we were shopping downtown, we saw a shop called Bath Junkie.  It's a store where you can customize your bath and body products.  You can pick your formula (lotion, bath salt, shower gel, etc.), pick your scent, and decide what color you want.  All of the formulas are kid friendly, and I've been needing to get the boys some more bath soap, so I got some head-to-toe shampoo and body wash.  They have a "menu" of popular combinations of scents and I saw one in the kids section called Mud Pie...it's a mixture of Rain, Vanilla, and Dirt.  I smelled each scent individually and Dirt really did smell like dirt!  I got it tinted blue since it's for the boys.  I washed Cam's hair with it when I got home and it smells SO good!!  And the scent in his hair lasted for 2 days...it's pretty pricey, but it's quality stuff.  I'm thinking about getting myself something.  They have a limited number of actual stores, but they have a pretty good website if you want to check it out.

 

 

Anyway, it was such a nice getaway weekend with a dear friend who I miss living 3 streets away from!!