Manic Monday

My life got flipped, turned upside down...

This seems to be a common occurrence over the last 5 years for me. There has been a lot of serious upheaval in my emotional state. There has also been a lot of serious joy. 

Bonus:  this time around, I've pinpointed the cause of the upheaval. Hopefully, this will allow me to keep my focus on the joy. 

Right now, my life is managed chaos. But it's a good chaos. It's a joyful chaos. And it's a chaos that I chose, versus a chaos that is happening TO me.  

Monday:  Work job 1.  TKD. Sometimes basketball. 

Tuesday:  Work job 2.  Work job 1.  Lego Club (once a month.) Sometimes basketball. Work job 1 a second time. 

Wednesday:  Work job 2.  Science class. TKD. Always basketball. 

Thursday:  Work job 2. History class. Always basketball. Work job 1. 

Friday:  Work job 2. Work job 1.  Guitar lesson. Sometimes basketball. 

Saturday:  Sometimes work job 2. Sometimes basketball.

Sunday:  Sometimes work job 2. 

*basketball ends in 2 more weeks. Well, games end. The team still has practice over the off season but it will be once a week, instead of what is currently sometimes 5 days a week. 

That's just the schedule of OUTSIDE things. In addition, I find time to do school work with the kids. Work out and run for myself. Clean this house. Spend time with the people I love. 

It's an insanely full, joy filled life.  I'm blissfully happy again. And I'm almost ready to be thankful for the upheaval that pushed me here. Again. Almost. 

Lazy/Skinny Housewife

http://www.5dollardinners.com/chorizo-rice-skillet-dinner/#_a5y_p=1744707

I made this earlier this week. It was good by all reports that count. One is vegetarian, this dish contains meat so she doesn't get a vote. Three is the pickiest eater of the bunch, so I honestly never count his opinion.  He will tell me he doesn't like something after he's cleared his plate the last three times I've served it. 

We won't be clamoring for it, it's not a "Cutthroat chicken."  But the next time I find a good price on chorizo (this batch was clearanced!) I would make it again. I would make ONE change next time. I would cook the rice with chicken broth to add an extra layer of flavor. 

I made one change in the preparation of the dish. I had a crazy busy day the day I made the dish so I made the rice in the rice cooker head of time. Then just added it in at the end. On a side note:  if I had cooked it at the time, by the directions, the tomato juices may have added a little kick to the rice. However, had I not made the rice ahead of time, I'd have been screwed out of my own dinner because it wouldn't have been finished in the 10 minute window I had to get it finished before I had to dash out the door!  The Punk could have taken over and finished it for the fam, but I'd have missed out. 

Two for Tuesday

*Disclaimer:  I'm posting from my phone, and I didn't proofread or spellcheck. I am not responsible for autocorrect or simple mistypes. Ok, technically, I am, but get over it.  The app doesn't offer spellcheck. And I'm stupid busy. And tired. *

http://www.iheartnaptime.net/easy-valentines-day-decor/

First thing I want to share is this cheap DIY valentines decor. I spent $3 at dollar general. I had a sheet of white card stock, and a frame I found while cleaning out my closet last weekend. So the $3 for lipstick was all I needed. Score!!

Second, is an app. In today's technological world, THIS app keeps me from tumbling into a pit of chaos. No joke.  A good friend shared it with me, and I've shared it with other friends. It's a game changer for us "list makers."  

wunderlist is available on both android and apple platforms. You can SHARE the list, one of my favorite features. I have a "grocery list" and if The Punk texts me on the way home from work to ask if we need something from the store, I can just share the list. I usually have my phone within reach, so whenever I finish off sown thing in the kitchen--"that's the last of the bbq sauce"--I can add it right then. I have a list of the weekly dinners, because I plan and then by Tuesday I don't recall what it was I had planned. True story. I have a list for everyday of the week, also. 

There is a screen cap of Tuesday's list. It is longer than the screen cap shows but you get the idea of what's there. I get off work at 10 on Wednesday morning, home around 10:20, and we need to be out the door by 10:30. With at least 3 kids in tow. And we don't get back home until 3:45, and I have to turn right around and take Two to practice. So, you see "prep crock pot dinner" because my family finds having dinner on Wednesday a necessity. Divas. You also see "co-op items" and "ghees" in the car. The boys have co-op and taekwondo on Wednesday so we make sure their uniform and backpacks are in the car on Tuesday to cut down on stress (for all of us.). Also, Wednesday lunch needs to be prepped.  If you could click on school, you would see the sublist of Tuesday school things. We don't get every subject everyday. And it helps me remember and make sure that we are covering ALL those bases to have each day lists out. Lastly, there are cleaning things, because I can't keep my head straight anymore!  

Manic Monday: Long time no see!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph...my life exploded. It's a good explosion, but still. I thought life was busy before....ahahahhahahahaha ha.

Brief synopsis:  

I got a second job. 5 days a week. 4 days a week it's 4 hours starting at the crack of dawn. Then, one weekend day I work a full 8 hour shift.  (more about the job on another day)

Two started playing basketball. She's on the JV team, and they are having a GREAT season.

One and I are planning a trip to Cali. My 40th, her 18th, and her completing high school all occur within a short span so we are doing it up big. She and I will spend 4 days in Southern California to celebrate. 

I plan on doing 6 Spartan races this year, including one of the toughest courses in this country. Yay?  I'm excited. And also terrified. 

I'm going to attempt to blog more often, I have so much I want to share!  More recipes, health tips, homeschooling stuff, Spartan stuff, parenting stuff, and life stuff.  Let's do this!!

Skinny Housewife: Energy Bites

I Should Be Mopping: 4 Ingredient Energy Bites

Awesome, easy snack!

I only changed one thing, I used steel cut oats.  They are smaller and different in texture so I didn't do step one.  The boys both tried them and liked them too.  Win.

Two For Tuesday: Coral Reef

YouTube links

Coral Reef Activity Book (printables)

We also will make a "coral reef" out of an egg carton and some paper, we did this craft in our Early Elementary co-op this school year and it was fun.

Skinny/Lazy Housewife: CutThroat Chicken

Honey Spiced Glazed Chicken Thighs

This recipe falls into BOTH categories of recipes I post.  Hoorah!  It is SO freaking amazingly outstandingly delicious.  EVERYONE in our house loves it!  (Ok, not EVERYONE, One is vegetarian.  But all the carnivores cheer when I announce that we are having it for dinner.)  The link provided is the originator of the recipe, and that is her name for the recipe.  However, in our house, we call it CutThroat Chicken.

It came to this name because after the first time I made it, Two and I said we would cut each other over the last piece!

I found the recipe on Pinterest, and had pinned it because I was looking for crock-pot recipes....the pin is incorrectly labeled.  I got all the stuff out to put it in the crockpot and discovered that it actually is NOT a crock recipe.  BUT it only takes a couple minutes to get it together and throw it in the oven, so I decided it was still do-able on the busy day.  I've made it a handful of times since discovering it.  I've made it with the boneless thighs, and also boneless skinless breasts (and breast tenderloins.)  I feel like I also made them once with bone-in thighs...but I'm not sure that memory is accurate.

The ONLY change I made is that I followed a suggestion she gives to cut the spice (because Three and Four are wimpy about heat...I have promised Two that I will make it soon for JUST SHE AND I and I will put ALL the red pepper flakes in, she and I both love spicy things!)  I add probably between a 1/4 and 1/2 of the red pepper flakes.  It is still spicy, and YUMMY.

Enjoy!