{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . .  

ps - make sure you check out my giveaway for the digital scrapbooking software, My Memories!

Keep Calm and Craft On

"The act of creating, in one form or another, preserves my sanity amongst the chaos of life. This explains why I always have more than one project going at a time as well as why my housework tends to fall behind. I enjoy seeing what others are working on and keeping calm with, too. What are you creating? What is keeping you going? Snap a picture and share it with the rest of us by leaving your link below." - Nicole of Frontier Dreams

 

Girl Scout SWAPs. For those not in the know, SWAPs are Special Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned somewhere. Girls trade them whenever them get together it seems in larger groups. Since our Service Unit is meeting to go caroling around the neighborhood, and join back up for hot cocoa and cookies, we're going to exchange SWAPs (rather then try to do a gift exchange, which can get a bit tricky and leave a lot of feelings hurt).

Lizzy (with a bit of help from me) is making winter hat Swaps from some of my extra bits of yarn and the plastic ring from soda bottles. I love a craft that recycles what we already have!

1 down, just 28 more to go!

I wonder what Lexi is going to try and make for a winter/holiday themed SWAP?

I'm linking up over to Frontier Dreams - where you can find more links to crafty goodness!


ps - make sure you check out my giveaway for the digital scrapbooking software, My Memories!

Menu Planning Monday - November 26th

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm happy to have survived Thanksgiving! The chickpea tart I was attempting didn't come out so great, but I have found another copy of recipe and am going to give it a go, when not under the pressure of doing a holiday meal in the mist of a working holiday.

Busy week again though. Not because of work (as of 6am Tuesday, I'm on vacation for 6 nights!), but my oldest will be turning 14 on Friday!

So without further ado....

Monday - Pasta night (mom's away to Girl Scout cookie training!)
Tuesday - Microwave dinner night (after Cub Scout pack meeting)
Wednesday - Pasta night (yes, again, mom is off to bell choir)
Thursday - Fajitas (finally, a decent home cooked meal!)
Friday - Bagel pizzas (birthday girls choice)
Saturday -
Sunday - Baked ziti

Make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for my menu planning ideas and links!

ps - make sure you check out my giveaway for the digital scrapbooking software, My Memories!

A My Memories Suite Giveaway!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!

Congratulations ChristinaF93

I was previously given the opportunity to review the My Memories Suite digital scrapbook software. After becoming an affiliate for the program, I have the ability to once again host a giveaway of this fantastic scrapbooking software!.

click to enlarge

This software is available for both windows, as well as mac users! So you can play around on it regardless of owning a PC or a Mac.

Since my initial review, the software has updated a couple of times, keeping up with the changing wants and needs of customers. I have found the software relatively easy to use. So much so, that I was able to make a simple page in less then 10 minutes! Now, in addition to scrapbook pages, designers have different craft templates as well. From small gift boxes, to cupcake wrappers and party hats. There definitely something for everyone.

click to enlarge

While My Memories Suite comes with plenty of  templates, papers, monograms and embellishments to get you started on your way to digital scrapbooking, I really love looking at all the extra kits and templates from their store. I have bought many in the year since my initial review, but there is also plenty of free kits available to download as well. And it is just as easy to add purchased and free items as it is to use the program.

So cute, and finally a way to preserve photos in more then just endless files upon files "gathering dust" on my computer hard drive!




Want to win a copy? The lovely folks over at My Memories would like to give one lucky reader their own copy of My Memories Suite (valued at $39.97).

How to enter:
You must go to MyMemories.com and look around their website. Come back here to this blog post and leave a comment telling me which scrapbook kit or template you would want most. Please make sure to leave your email address (you can use the word "at" for "@" and "dot" for "." to help reduce spam). If you don't leave a way for me to contact you, I will be forced to choose another winner.

Want to increase your odds of winning?
Do any of the following before, and leave a separate comment for each one you do (i'll check). Please note that if you do not do the initial entry above, additional entries will be invalid.

• Follow The Chaotic Homemaker using Google Friend Connect [1 entry]
• Like The Chaotic Homemaker on Facebook [1 entry]
• Follow the MyMemories blog and tell me how you are follow (google reader, email, etc)[1 entry]
• Like MyMemories on Facebook [1 entry]

Make sure you leave a new comment for each additional entry.

Entries will be accepted from Sunday, November 25th, until Friday, November 30th at 12pm Eastern time.

I will randomly select a winner from all of the entries received. I will then notify the winner by e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email or I’ll draw a new winner. After the winner replies to me, I will announces the winner here on my blog.

Don't want to wait and see if you win in order to have your own copy of My Memories Suite?
The software is normally $39.97, but if you enter the coupon code STMMMS37602 when you check out, you will save $10 off the purchase price!

So, what are you waiting for? You only need to enter once by telling me your favorite template or kit from the MyMemories.com store and comment below. While there will only be 1 winner, the more entries you make, the great your chances of winning! Any questions? Click on my profile link at the top of my right side bar, and there will be a link to email me.

Disclosure: I received a copy of My Memories Suite in order to facilitate my initial review. I received no other compensation and the opinions stated are my own.

Menu Planning Monday - November 19th

Well, what a busy week we have this week! Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Thanksgiving, and my only day off is Tuesday night. Thank goodness for meal planning!

We had a more traditional Thanksgiving meal this past Sunday (since i work, we can't travel to be with the rest of the family), so we're having a vegetarian Thanksgiving this week.  

Monday - Fend-for-Yourself night (Thanksgiving Sunday leftovers)
Tuesday - Sandwiches and chips
Wednesday - Baked Ziti, salad and Italian bread
Thursday -  Chickpea tart, slow cooker stuffing, rolls and PIES! surely some mashed potatoes, corn too.
Friday - LEFTOVERS!
Saturday - Not sure yet, waiting to see how the week works out still.
Sunday - Pizza

Make sure you pop over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning links and ideas!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . .  

 

Keep Calm, Craft On

So my knitting hasn't seen much action in months. Lizzy's Wonderful Wallaby is currently sitting at the "started sleeves" section of the pattern, but I've been slow to get moving on from just doing the cuffs.

I had been hoping to try and knit both sleeves at once, but I'm quickly learning I'm not quiet up to that kind of difficulty yet. I'm also thinking I'll need 1 29" circular needle. Right now I'm using a 24" and it's a tight fit, adding the sleeves will make it impossible for me to knit! Won't my husband be excited I'll need to head to the craft store! tee hee

 

So there it is, very much in the spot I got to just before the back to school craziness began. While I was hoping to have it done in time for Christmas, at this point I'm hoping to have it done in time for Easter! That should be able the time we can start wearing more sweaters and keeping winter coats at home more.

Besides the knitting, I've been also starting to think about, and gather materials for, Christmas gifts. I won't say here, in case any family reads this, but the kids should love what I'm making for them this year. :)

Today I'm linking up with Nicole over at Frontier Dreams

Menu Planning Monday - November 5th

So Here we are, a day late it seems. Monday's have been awful busy. It's back to school, a work night, and now every other week, it's Girl Scout night too! This year I'm not co-leading, but leading a troop of 1st year Junior Girl Scouts. Very busy, very exciting, and mostly (in true to me fashion, chaotic!

Menu planning is more important now then every it seems, to stretch dollar and have a plan for evenings when I'm not home enough to cook dinner myself. Between myself, dad, and the 2 oldest, everyone gets fed at least!

Monday - Pasta with sauce.
Tuesday - Leftover Turkey soup (I bought a couple of turkey thighs to make this, we didn't have a left over turkey! but it's an awesome soup that the kids and J absolutely love).
Wednesday - Subs and chips
Thursday - Tacos
Friday - Pasta night (mom into work early)
Saturday - Pizza night (mom into work early)
Sunday - Shopping day - maybe a fun finger food night to have with football!

Of course make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning tips and links!

Neglect

I feel as if I have been neglecting this place for a long while now. Not intentionally, just that life has been busy. It happens when you add in a part time job, responsibilities to church, scouting, etc; and 3 very active children. I know I'm not the only one who is losing track of days and time in the attempt to keep everything running like a smooth ship at home. Somethings have gone to the wayside, this blog being one of them it seems.

But, as we begin our 3rd month of the school year, everything seems to finally be finding it's nitch. Scouting meetings for all 3 kids have somehow miraculously happen to not overlap, and I am still able to find the 1 hour a week to play in my church's handbell choir (a nice mid-week respite for me). Liz is back to riding horses on Saturdays, Lex should be starting winter/indoor track soon (currently recovering from a concussion from a hit to the head in gym class), and Andrew is anxious to find some place to play indoor soccer, but happy to finally be old enough to be busy in Cub scouts for the time being.

We are so blessed.

So I'm going to make attempts to come here at least once a week, besides the Menu Planning Monday posts (sadly, even those seem to have been on the back burner). I miss posting here, and now that I seem to have sorted out how to write posts a head of time to publish later (who knew?!?!) perhaps I can be a presence here more often.