Spreading a little Christmas Cheer!!

The Holidays…a time when everyone seems to be in a loving and giving spirit. A time when families get together for laughs, memories, and pig out! As a child, the holidays was all that was mentioned, but also it was a time that my mother made sure we didn’t forget the less fortunate. Actually, my mom made sure of that all throughout the year! Because of this, I try to make sure I always implement community service during the year.

Even thought it seems like time is not on my side nowadays with me working full time, being a full time wife and mother, there is always an hour or two that can be taken out of a month, quarter, or year to give back to the community. You never know how that hour could impact someone’s life.

Around 2010 I started putting together small community service projects with a goal to eventually become an official non-profit organization which would allow me to expand on a larger scale.

The main project I started last year was to decorate a senior nursing home for the holidays. Seems simple right? You would think so, but unfortunately that is not the case. This year we went to a new location, and was still faced with the same challenges.

Getting volunteers was no challenge at all…
Getting decorations was no challenge at all…
Getting the cooperation from the housing complex…CHALLENGE!
Getting my decorations back after the holidays…CHALLENGE!

This year I was very blessed with 13 volunteers & so many donations of supplies that my Explorer was full to capacity!! I posted on facebook, craigslist, and sent out emails to spread the word that I was looking for volunteers and decorations for this project. I received overwhelming responses.

One generous lady responded to my craigslist post, and mentioned to me that she had a store in Redford but was bought out recently which left her with a lot of seasonal items! I met her at her storage unit in Novi where she loaded my truck with 3 boxes numerous of holiday items!

I also had to additional ladies respond to my facebook post. One gave a large 7 foot tree (with stand and bag), and the other provided a large bag full of porcelain Christmas items. All was quality items, ans was very grateful!

This year I also decided to incorporate activities with the seniors, and have a little party. OMG did they enjoy that! We had Bingo, Holiday Crosswords, and Christmas trivia. Thanks to all the donations, we was able to give away some awesome prizes!!

Upon arriving at the location I took a quick before picture, so here is what the Community Room looked like after we unloaded my truck.

Two volunteers working hard to put up garland and bows down both hallways.

Here is what it looked like after it was completed.

The wreath was a great donation! It was perfect for entrance right above the mailboxes.

This is the opposite hallway decorated with garland, bows, and snowflakes!

Here is my attempt to take a panoramic shot of the entire room. 

Here is a picture of that awesome tree that was donated.  As you can see it fit perfectly in the Community Room!

Some centerpieces we put together with the items that were still available.

And there is the picture of the entire group.  Everyone walked in, asked how they could help, and got straight to work!  When they completed their task they immediately began assisting others.  Now that's team work!

I lost track of how many "thank yous" we received during and after the decorating was completed.  The seniors were all smiles, and that is the exact reaction we were looking for!!  

So, is there some place in your area where you can donate a couple of hours of your time to help others? Soup kitchen? Nursing home? Children's home? Cleaning up playground? Neighborhood?  Whatever it is, I can assure you that your time spent will not be in vain.  

Time Tip: Prep Dinner in the Morning!

I know I know, the mornings are already insane!  I couldn't image having more than one child to get ready!  However, for me, if J stays sleep until about 6:45A, and if I wake up on time (no snooze), I am able to prep a quick dinner!  On this past Monday, which is a day J doesn't have to go to day care, I not only woke up, but also got up on time at 5:45A, and got ready a little early!

FREE TIME!!!!

What to do?!?!? Last week when I got ready early I ended up going into work early so I could get off at 3:30p instead of 4:30p!  That felt great!

Anyway, back to my free time this week.  I had about 20 min to spare so I began to brainstorm on how I could best use that time.  Then it came to me...DINNER!!  I decided to prep burger and fries.  We had a pack of ground turkey in the fridge which I dumped into a bowl, seasoned, and made them into patties.  I then pealed and sliced potatoes, and placed in a container of water so they wouldn’t turn brown.  Both were placed into the fridge for a quick and easy dinner after work!

It felt great to be able to arrive home to just place the patties on the grill, and dump the potatoes in hot grease.  That’s it!!! Minutes later…dinner was served!!

STOP! Don't be a Zombie!

I began this blog in January 2009 to try and document everything that was going on in my life. We can get so caught up in everyday life that we forget to stop and smell the roses. That quote really hit me when I was living in Chicago. I love that city! At the time, I was working for one of the "Big 4" in a high traffic area downtown. Sometimes in the morning I would go next door to The Sears Tower where my morning fuel lived...Starbucks!

This particular morning, I dropped my things off at my desk and headed out to zombie land! That is what I used to call the streets of Chicago during the hours of 7a-9a & 3:30p-5:30p Monday - Friday. During those times you find men and women briskly walking to their place of employment with blank stares in their eyes. I too have been a zombie, and in fact was one on the way to Starbucks. On the way back, I walked out of the Sears Tower, fell in line with a zombie pack that was walking by, and headed back to my office. However, as I reached the end of the block a light breeze went by which forced the smell of the beautiful flowers that were planted outside of the Sear Tower. That moment in time did I realize the the true meaning of the saying..."stop, and smell the roses". So simple, yet something that we rarely take the time to do. So, that is what I did. I stopped, turned around, and smelled the roses (actually they were just regular flowers, but you get the point).

So, that brings me back to the reason why I started this blog. I feel as though it will force me to slow things down, and take the time to actually document my journey being a woman, wife, mother, and friend. However, I still felt as though I was rushing through my post, and not really taking the extra time to proper document. I felt as though I was starting to be a zombie through blogging, and that was never my goal.

So, here I am again kind of starting over, and taking the time to smell the roses.

Date Night Needed!

I am in need of a date night with the hubby!  With our crazy schedules it seems like we are starting to miss each other more and more.  When I get up in the morning he is still sleep, and when he gets home at night I am running around getting ready for the next day, or SLEEP!  I must admit that when I cook, we do get a chance to eat dinner together at the table probably about 3 times a week, but that comes with the TV, and a 7 moth old fussing because he just ate and ready to get out of the high chair.

When things get crazy like this I feel as though it’s time to STOP and do something about it.  I just don’t like feeling distant from my husband.  It’s so easy to get caught up in everyday life especially with a little one crawling around, but it is so important not to every get so busy that distance builds between the two of us.  No matter way, there needs to be time carved out at least once a week that is just for the two of us.  How that is going to happen I don’t know, but it is something that should always be a priority!  I’ll have to chat with the hubby to see what we can work out...

Ruff few nights!

What all started with a cough about a month ago has turned into a cold, and ear infections also. Needless to say the three of us have had some very ruff nights! Finally J was able to get some sleep, even though he had totally taken over our bed, so when he does we just have to stop everything, and cuddle up right next to him to try and catch some zzzz's too!

Joshua's First Fever :(

The evening after Joshua's 6 months shots was a ruff one! It started off with him being very fussy and cranky. Then his temp started going up, up, and up. This was his very first fever. It's an awful feeling having your baby sick, and it's not much that you can do about it.

Once his tempature reached 101.3 (or was it 103.1...sorry I'm typing this 1 month later) I called his Pedi and they told me to give him Tylenol. Thank God my mom was there, Darnell had we out prior to Joshua getting sick, because I was able to hand him off to her while I made a dash to CVS.

Almost immediately after it got into his system his temperature started to drop, and he finally was able to get some rest. Poor thing!

6 month check up

6 Months already! Joshua had a scheduled 6 month appointment, but we ended up having to bump it up some due to an awful cough he had developed. It started off small, but after a few days he was coughing every couple of minutes. My mom was in town during the time, so her, Darnell, Joshua, and I all loaded up the Explorer for a trip to the Pedi.

Here is J nice and cool. He has no idea what's about to go down! Shots are on the way!

It's funny how so much can change within a couple of months. The last check up Joshua would just relax in my arms. This visit he was a terror! The paper on the exam table was his little playground. This boy would not sit still. I'm not going to lie, it was pretty funny. He kept us on our toes!

GIVE ME PAPER!!!!!

Long Day!

I think the pictures alone describes the day pretty well...

Yummy Yams!

Well, this moment was bound to happen I guess...Joshua is starting solids! It seems so fast, but it's time according to the Doc. So after a little research, we decided to start him with Yams. I even took it a step further and decided to make his baby food at home. It's actually pretty fast, and cheaper!

For the Yams I removed the skin, cut it into chunks, and boiled them until soft. I then placed the chunks in the blender, set it to the baby food setting, added water, and let it rip! After a few seconds I was able to put some aside for Joshua for that day and the next, and I froze the rest in cube trays.

Bring it on Daddy!!!!

Yummy!!!!

Overall J had no problem with the introduction of solids. I think we may do carrots next.

Evening Goals Accomplished!

Well, things went a lot smoother yesterday morning since I followed/completed all the task I set out to do the night before. Here was my list of nightly goals:

Mommy Shower - DONE
Joshua Bath - DONE (isn't he just the cutest little thing!)

Prep Joshua clothes for next day - DONE
Prep Mommy clothes for next day - DONE
Prepare Joshua Bottles for day care - DONE (labeled and ready to go!)

Here is Joshua clean and in PJs. Plenty of time for play and prepared for bed whenever he so desires!!

The next morning was a breeze. We actually slept in for a few extra minutes, but it backfired because there was an accident on the freeway which pushed is back & Mommy was late for work!! :-0 This system is a MUST on the days he goes to day care. I was much less stressed in the morning! Simple enough huh?

Day Care...Day #2

Well, today is day #2 of day care, and it was a bumpy ride this morning! A schedule/routine is a must! Yesterday morning I was better prepared by having J's clothes ironed, we both showered/bathed the night before, and pretty much everything else was prepped that night. However, I did none of that last night (SHAME ON ME!!). I knew better, but...

Anyway, I came up with a realistic list of things that I must tackle in the evenings to make the mornings smoother. Here is my checklist:

• Mommy Shower



• Joshua Bath



• Prep Joshua clothes for next day



• Prep Mommy clothes for next day



• Prepare Joshua Bottles for day care
  

Yes, it's simple enough right? That's was the goal. To make sure that it is indeed a REALISTIC list of things that can get done every night. Now are there additional items I could list on there? Of course! But I won't because I want to make sure these items actually get checked off EVERY night. With all of these things tackled in the evenings would make a world of difference in the mornings.

On a brighter note, here are some cute pics of Joshua on his second day of day care! I placed him in the jumper, and he went hard to work playing!! LOL! Aww the life of a 4 month old...Ha!

1st Day at Day Care

Well, today was Joshua's first day at day care. Both Darnell and I went to make sure he was settled in ok. I stayed for about 30 minutes, and Darnell stayed for about 30 minutes longer.

Here are some pictures I took of him before I left out for work.

HEY! You are not suppose to cling to nobody else like that but Mommy!!" LOL!

How can you not just LOVE LOVE LOVE that little face!

"Joshua!"

How To Manage It All...

Today, I feel sad, overwhelmed, depressed, and frustrated. I know that these are feeling that may happened because I'm human, but I try not to let these feelings control me. I know that there are others that have it worse, and I have so much to be happy about. I know that this is nothing by the devil trying to steal my joy, so I must overcome it!

I am still trying to determine the best way to do it all. Yesterday (Sunday), I got up about 7:30a to wash dishes, and clothes, as well as make my grocery shopping list. I then went to Meijer's and Costco. I tried to do my shopping as fast as I could so I could get back home in time to watch the Lions football game with Darnell and Joshua. I want to make sure the house remains in order, but time spent with my family is something I want to make sure never gets overshadowed.

Around 2:30p Darnell left to play in his basketball game, and Joshua went down for a nap so I went back to work. I started dinner, and washed some more clothes. I also did some meal prepping for the week, but couldn't do as much as planned. I went to Costco to get ground turkey which is a main dish for most of the dinners I have planned, but they were all out. I'll have to pick some up this afternoon on my way home from work from a different Costco. Anyway, after dinner I washed dishes, and went straight to bed! That was about 8:30p. I was so tired! About a hour later I heard Joshua fussing downstairs with Darnell, so I went down to get him so I could nurse him to sleep. Once he latched on we both were knocked out!

This morning I planned on getting up a little early so I could put one last load of clothes in the washing machine (we went shopping for Joshua this weekend so we had a lot of clothes to wash on top of my own). It seems like the more I do I notice how much more needs to be done. When I get off work this morning I have to swing by Costco to get the ground turkey then head home to finish meal prepping. Thankfully, the meals I planned this week are all easy, so that shouldn't take much time. We have our Parenting Group meeting this evening and it's our turn to bring the snack. I purchased fruit from Costco yesterday for the meeting. When we return home, I have to get Joshua's thing ready for his first week at day care! That was actually something I planned on doing this weekend, but didn't get around to it. I have to make sure he has his clothes prepped for the week, pack his bottles (I should probably buy some more just for day care), pack his extra sets of clothes, diapers, wipes, and complete the paperwork that needs to be turned in on his first day. All of this I planned on doing yesterday, but it just didn't happen :(

There are also some projects around the house that I hope we can get completed by the end of the year:

Kitchen needs to be painted
We need a new dishwasher and stove (our current stove is on it's last leg)
The livingroom and dining room needs to FINALLY be painted from that awful blue color!
Paint the hallways
Install a closet organizer for both closets in our master bedroom.

I am most nervous about that living/dining room. I have a feeling that is going to be either a two weekend project, or I'll have to take a couple days off work to complete! Yikes!!! Painting is something that I absolutely HATE TO DO, but with everything that needs to be painted it will save us a lot of money if we DIY it!

Well, I don't know if it's because I released my frustration in my blog, or if it's because of my Tim Hortons coffee I've almost completed, but I actually feel a little better. Now time to do some work...

Pesto Veggie Shells topped with Fire Roasted Marinara

Well, I made the Manicotti on Wednesday, and if you are a ricotta cheese lover then this dish is for you! I ended up using large shells instead of the actual manicotti pasta. It seemed to be much easier for me. I got the recipe from Molly's Happy Meal blog, and used her suggestion of putting the mixture in a Ziploc bag then just squeeze it out into the shells. Piece of cake! I prepped the mixture on Sunday, and boiled the noddles Wednesday morning before work. So, when I got off work all I had to do was squeeze in the mixture, make the sauce (5 min), and slide in the oven for 25 min, and DONE!!! This whole prepping meals on Sunday works works works!! I know people have been doing it forever, but hey...I'm new to this!!

So, here are the shells before they went into the oven....

and here they are cook, and ready to eat!!!!

Overall this dish was ok. Like I said before, if you like ricotta cheese then you would love it! Darnell didn't really care for it, and I thought it was ok. I did, however, love the sauce! I made extra and froze the rest. I do like the concept fo stuffing the shells, so I'm off to find other recipes I can use the shells with...

So far so good! Baked Shrimp Scampi

Well, I just completed day 2 of the new plan to prepare meals on Sunday for the week. I must admit, I'm loving it!!!!!!! I can totally feel the difference between last week when I was super stressed about determining what was for dinner, making dinner, and still trying to squeeze time in with Joshua. Those days are behind me...at least for the week! I feel stress free now when I get off work because I know dinner is basically already done! For example, today was baked shrimp scampi day. All I had to do when I got home was place the shrimp in a dish, put the butter mixture on top (was already made), and pop it into the oven for 10 min!!! I took it out and dinner was ready!!! Here is the recipe.

Here is a pic of it right before it went into the oven...

All Done!

I paired this dish with a broccoli & rice that I got from Country Crock. Darnell said the shrimp was just ok...nothing to write home about. That means that I won't be making it again lol! Tomorrow is Mannicoti! Again the "stuffing" is already prepared. I just have to boil the noddles, make the sauce, pop it into the oven. It shouldn't take me more thatn 20/25 min tops! I'm looking forward to this meal, so I hope it's delish!

My Weekend!!

This weekend kept me busy. It started off with Darnell and I attending the Black & White party that Cherie hosted to try and raise money for the Humane Society. While at the party, Jennifer was nice enough to watch Joshua. We dropped him off around 11p, and I missed him so much that I was back at her house by 1:30p to pick him up lol.

Saturday morning Joshua, and I picked up Makeda to do some shopping at The Eastern Market. I made sure to make a list prior to going so I could make sure to buy what I needed, and not buy what I didn't! That worked out great! I got a bunch of fresh vegetables for a much better price than what I would pay at the grocery store. I got everything in the below picture for $20 even. I thought that was a pretty good deal.

We actually had a great time. We got down there kind of late, so it wasn't all that crowded. As you can see from the picture below, Joshua sat directly in his stoller. This was the first time he has done that, and I wasn't ready for it either! I started to pull him out of the car in his carseat, but Makeda said he can just sit in the stoller. I was floored!!! It was, and still is hard for me to handle. It just seems like he is growing up way too fast. So, I pushed him in his stoller with him not facing me. It was weird because I couldn't see his little face as we walked through the market!!!! :( He must have liked it because he was perfect the entire time. Towards the end we decided to put the food in the car along with the stoller so we could go into a cheese store I wanted to check out. I then swaped him into the Bjorn and faced him out (for the first time), which he seemed to enjoy as well.

Sunday was spent making dinner for the evening, and prepping dinner for the week. I must admit, it got to a little overwhelming at times, and there were times that I wanted to say FORGET IT, lets just go back to eating out every night!! LOL! However, when it was all said and done, I was very pleased with the results. Here is a picture of everything after it was cut, diced, prepped, mixed, seasoned, etc.

Menu for the week:

Sunday: Chicken, Bean Patty (for me), mac & cheese, red beans & rice, asparagus

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Baked Shrimp Scampi, Broccoli & Rice Pilaf

Wednesday: Pesto Veggie Manicotti w/ Fire Roasted Marinara

Thursday: Fajitas

Friday: ??

Saturday: ??

As you can see, I got a lot of my dishes this week from Molly's blog My Happy Meals. I love to see what she cooks up next, and always waits to read her reviews before I make the dish as well. For the most part her taste has never steered me wrong :)

After everything was prepared, I decided to take Joshua out to the local playground. We went to 3 playgrounds in search of one with baby swings, but we didn't have any luck. I still took him to one where we walked around, went down the slide, and hung out on the swings for a few. It then go really windy, so it was time to go!

Overall, great weekend...can't wait to see how my dishes turn out!