Organization at its best

This is my family planning binder

It's so cumbersome that I don't even want to open it.  I take out my daily sheet and put it on top for easy access.  It doesn't help that I changed the from weekly to daily planning sheets after I'd already printed 6 months worth of weekly sheets.  The big stack, all those papers sticking out?  That is mail.  It needs to be filed.  In front I have inspirational quotes and goals, then tabs for my planner, budget, devotional notes, WildFlower Designs, blog planner, holiday planning, goals, projects.  Did I mention it takes up the only open space on the desk?  So much so that when I open it, the cover hangs off.  And babies just love to watch Mommy scramble when it gets pulled off the desk!  Thinking about getting a thinner binder just for budgeting, but where to put it (insert snide comment from hubby about using it to replace the other piles of junk that litters the desk).  Ok, I know you're wondering.  Here is the rest of the desk.

Which wouldn't be horrible if it were the desk in my office, that I've never had the chance to use since we bought it in July (it is quite beautiful, with wide open space on the desktop, baskets for pens, pencils and markers, and files neatly tucked away).  And yes, clearing off the desk IS on my chore list once a week, but that usually consists of putting extra pens in the drawer and throwing away candy and cookie wrappers.  I have actually cleared it off a few times.  Which resulted in this,

Which would be my new junk drawer (one of three).  Oh, and this,

The pile had to be moved from the desk to the dining room after the entire letter tray being dumped on the floor by babies.  That is not our dining room table, this pile requires a separate table to make home.  

I need to get rid of these piles.  Being a new month, this will be my goal for February, whittle the piles down to manageable levels.  

What's in your junk piles?

Rock Climber

Trying to get Gavin to pose by the fireplace.  What happens?  He turns into a rock climber.

No, I didn't let him get all the way up before I threw the camera and darted to save him.  Granted, I did just pull him off of there, but I don't think I need you to see him in all his glory atop the fireplace to get the point.  All this time we thought Aidan would be the daredevil.

He is content playing cars and would live on graham crackers if we let him.  But its this one, this is the one who insists on looking us in the eyes as he pulls his brothers' hair.

You can see it in his eyes, the mischief, the plotting!  I still wouldn't trade him for the world, not my green bean-eating, kiss-on-command, hold-me-as-long-as-I-want little boy!  It will be interesting to see what trouble he talks his brothers into!

It's What's For Dinner

How to make a normal meal from Hamburger Helper:  Cheesy Enchilada

Some flavors of Hamburger Helper are just plain gross, so when we bought this one, we wanted to add enough to make it edible just in case, but this one wasn't too bad!

Rick prepared it according to the directions (being the only competent cook in the house), adding some minced garlic, Tastefully Simple's Onion Onion and Garlic Garlic* to the ground beef while it browned.  Once all of the ingredients were combined, he added chopped onion to the mix.  We ate ours a little differently, I had shredded cheddar cheese and chopped tomato mixed in mine.  Rick made his into a taco, with cheese, sour cream, chopped onion, lettuce and hot sauce on a flour tortilla.  I will admit, we eat too much, and usually a box of Hamburger Helper is just a little bit too small for three adults, but this could easily have fed four (I stuffed myself a little for fear of hunger later, but I didn't finish my plate).  

It was a nice change, although a little bland.  Rick said next time he would brown the ground beef with chopped onion, chili powder, and minced garlic.  After browning and adding the seasoning packets with rice, he would add a can of garlic and herb diced tomatoes, paprika, more chili powder, more Garlic Garlic, onion powder and minced garlic, and some salt and pepper (and probably add another adult to help us finish it off).

That's my review for tonight!  What did you have for dinner?

*If you need a Tastefully Simple representative, look up Beth Wiggenhorn on Tastefully Simple.com!

The Weekend Is Here

Date night was awesome!  We reminisced about our first date and those early days.  We realized that we may be getting too old for picnics on the floor, it was quite awkward trying to get up!  

We have so many things around the house that need to be done this weekend, ALL of the babies' clothes are in baskets waiting to be put away, Christmas decorations that need to be packed away, floors washed.  I have four days of sleeping in coming to me, so after I got all three babies up, changed and fed, I crawled back into my comfy bed.  We have monitors rigged all over the house to hear any baby waking up or crying, and let me tell you, they pick up EVERYTHING!  I was starting to zone out when I heard the tree service truck.  That didn't get me up right away, but when I heard the chain saws I knew Rick would want to be out there watching them climb from tree to tree.  So much for sleeping in...

What is on your agenda for the weekend?

It's Date Night!

We have a unique date night planned tonight, which consists of three babies in their beds, marshmallow brownies, and a picnic in the front room.  This is an event calling for showers, make up and perfume!  You don't understand, our last date night was spring of 2011, two babies ago, so we must get creative.  It's time for a getaway from hair pulling, bath nights, and working from home.  We've even scheduled the event, waited until the stomach flu passed, and prepared all day (ok, I just put the brownies in the oven).  It's time to get to know each other again, hopefully not "talk shop", and bring in some laughter!

What do you have planned for your date night?