Menu Planning Monday - Dec 31st

Happy New Years!

I hope everyone has had a happy and merry holiday season, and much wishes from my family to all of you for the upcoming new year!

Monday - Pizza, snacks (crackers, cheese and pepperoni, rice krispie treat, reindeer chow), "juice" and sparking juice (sadly, other then the pizza, I'm missing out on the family celebration while I go back to work).
Tuesday - Quorn "turkey" roast, Ham steak (for the meat eaters), and mashed potatoes
Wednesday - Grilled cheese and soup (special request for cream of mushroom soup)
Thursday - Breakfast for dinner
Friday - Homemade "fast food" night: chicken fingers, burgers, baked friends
Saturday - Pizza night (maybe not, we had a LOT of pizza this past week)
Sunday - Italian marinated chicken, spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino, and salad

I'm going to try and be diligent about making school lunches, at least for the 2 youngest, again. I have a couple of recipes I want to try out for my vegetarians for lunches, so they can eat something other then PB&J for lunch daily!

And make sure you head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning links and ideas!

A free gift from MyMemories!

Everyone once in a while I get emails with links to free items from the MyMemories website store. I finally figured out how to sort all the spam I get, and lo and behold, I had a new email with freebies from them! The link to the downloads are good through January 14th, after that, they will still be available, but not for free.

This emails freebies seem very spot on for this time of year. I don't know about anyone else, but my gift to other is often my baking. I baked about 6 different kinds of cookies, as well as 2 different kinds of fudge. This freebie is a slice of pie box! I haven't tried them myself yet (post-holidays and my printer ink is too low!), but I imagine that printing on nice thick card stock would yield a nice sturdy box to gift someone a slice of pie.

Free online tutorial can be found here: Pie Box Tutorial

And here is the links to the pie boxes (there are 3 seperate links, 2 different boxes at each. The preview for Sweet sensation is the same as Just Us, but at the download site you'll see it's different)

Forever Bumble Pie Box

Just Us Pie Box

Sweet Sensation Pie Box

If you happen to NOT have the MyMemories Suite software yet (which just upgraded to version 4!), you can now purchase the software for $39.97. But if you use my code at check out (STMMMS37602), you'll receive $10 off the cost of the software, AND receive $10 to use at the online store! (if you have a previous version of MyMemories, you can upgrade for just $19.97, I'm not sure if you can use my code at checkout, I'll find out and update here). 

{this moment} - Holiday edition

{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.

*It's the holidays, go ahead a break the rules by sharing on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday...and share some words and an extra photo or ten! (I'll be running giveaways starting on Friday this weekend, but do continue to post in this thread if you'd like.)

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Christmas Eve, in the new PJs

Just waiting for the children in the morning

Stunned

Cousins

Targeting shooting with a crossbow

And a new sweater for Jumper

Menu Planning Monday - December 24th

Merry Christmas!

Keeping this post short and sweet - enjoy your holiday!

Monday - Ham steaks, mashed potatoes, green beans
Tuesday - Christmas dinner at my sister-in-laws - I'm making the stuffing
Wednesday - Homemade macaroni and cheese (sans the crackers)
Thursday - Slow cooker beef stew
Friday - Pizza night
Saturday -  Pasta night
Sunday - Fend-for-Yourself (shopping day)

{this moment)

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama
Soulemama is on holiday "break" from her blog, but I still wanted to post a moment

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.


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

Menu Planning Monday - December 17th

How did we get so far towards the end of this year already? Didn't we JUST celebrate Christmas in 2011... or 2001 for that matter?

A lot of end of the "year" stuff at school it seems this week, and a short week for the kiddies too. Thankfully, I just have 3 more working days until my vacation starts *YIPPEE*

So without further ado....

Monday - Quorn "Chicken" and rice (Girl Scouts tonight!)
Tuesday -  Pasta night (Lexi's winter concert tonight. Sadly, we'll have to miss Cub scouts again)
Wednesday - Breakfast for dinner (we keep missing this, and I've really wanted it!)
Thursday - Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Friday - 
Saturday - Pizza (Girl Scouts caroling even too!)
Sunday -fend-for-yourself night

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!

Happy Holidays! Another My Memories Giveaway!

The contest is over with

Congratulations to mhavert!

My Memories have given affiliates the opportunity to host a software giveaway every month for the last quarter of 2012. Since I only recently found out, I was able to sneak in 1 giveaway at the end of November, and here now I am hosting one in time for the holiday season in December.

I was previously given the opportunity to review the My Memories Suite digital scrapbook software, if you would like to read my original review, follow the link!

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, December 16th, until Monday, December 24th 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? please feel free to contact me at my email address: kjoslyn78@gmail.com

Disclosure: I previously 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.

{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.


. . . . . . . .  

 

Menu Planning Monday - December 10th

Amazing, only 15 days till Christmas, and I'm just now freaking out about getting everything ready! I still have most of my gift buying to do, I hope my paycheck next week is up to it! :)

So it's a rather calm week (as a night shift worker, i avoid using the Q word), so I'm hoping to get some of my holiday baking done this week too.

Monday - Tacos (some made with ground turkey, some made with Quorn crumbles)
Tuesday - Quorn "Chicken" and rice, with broccoli
Wednesday - Baked Ziti
Thursday - Fend-for-Yourself night (Lizzy's first band concert!)
Friday - Breakfast for dinner
Saturday - Pizza night!
Sunday -Not sure yet, as this is usually shopping day

Some of my holiday baking includes:
Chocolate Crinkles
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Toll House Cookies
Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Coconut Macaroons
Chocolate Fudge (without nuts)
Peanut Butter Fudge (using the same as the chocolate recipe, only with PB chips)
Reindeer Chow

Of course, make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for my menu ideas and links!

{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 and Craft On

There has been quiet the bug running through our home this week. Alexis has some sort of infection, that, with exception to having clear lung sounds, would other wise be pneumonia. And poor Elizabeth actually has pneumonia. Then I have some sort of viral bug that makes me wish I could just stay in bed all day.

Sadly, this has sidelined much crafting this week, to my dismay. Thankfully, some knitting has found it's way into my hands this week, a perfect little project for this time of year.

A simple winter hat, being made for Elizabeth, who apparently outgrew the wool one I had knit a couple years ago (umm, it maybe have felted and shrunk in the wash). This one I'm making with acrylic yarn, doubled up, so we can avoid any further "oops" with wool items.

The giraffe fat quarter behind the knitting is there not just to hide my desktop, but will also be made into a couple of gifts for the eldest for Christmas. What, i can't share quiet yet... I'm not sure if she has found her way to reading this blog yet for gifting clues - lol.

Once again, I'm linking up over with Nicole and the rest of the gang over at Frontier Dreams

Menu Planning Monday - December 3rd

Well, I'm not sure which was worse. Thanksgiving, or my daughter's 14th birthday! a house with 7 teenagers (that includes my own), and a 9 yr old - all girls - was slightly more then chaotic then I am use to!

At least this week it's only crazy come Sunday...

Monday - Grilled Cheese and tomato soup
Tuesday - Chicken and rice bake
Wednesday - Pasta night
Thursday - breakfast for dinner (eggs, toast, etc)
Friday - "fast food" night in
Saturday - Pizza night
Sunday - With 2 holiday parties today (Cub Scouts and the riding stable) I think fend-for-yourself will work best!


Linking up over at I'm an Organizing Junkie