Plated Box #1

We received the Plated box this week. This is another box where it sends you everything you need to make meals. On Wednesday I made the first meal. It was Baked Chili Chicken Meatballs with Swiss Chard and Peppers. It was really really good. The meatballs were yummy, and the swiss chard was really good. It was my favorite meal so far.

Learn To Say No

Learning to say NO is a tough one for most people. We don't want to hurt someone's feelings. Or, we don't want to let someone down.

I used to always say yes. I wanted people to like me...I didn't want to let someone down. About 10 years ago, I finally came to the realization that I could say NO if I wanted to. If I could not do something, someone would be able to do it...I did not have to feel obligated. If someone did not like me saying NO, they could get over it...or not. It didn't matter. I felt good about my decision...I felt relieved...I felt weight being lifted from my shoulders. It was okay to say NO. It made me a better person. It gives you more energy for the things you really NEED to do...or the things you WANT to do.

So, begin saying NO. If you already have too many things on your shoulders, just say NO. If you really just don't want to do something, just say NO. It will make you a happier person.

When Calls The Heart

I love that Hallmark has been doing more TV series on their channel. I fell in love with Cedar Cove, and I really like When Calls the Heart.

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God's Not Dead

There is a new movie coming out in Spring of 2014. I cannot wait to see it.

Pinterest Finds

I am going to start a page dedicated to Pinterest finds...I think I will try to do it every Tuesday. Yes, I know that today is Friday, but I am wanting to begin this right now. From now on I will try to do it on Tuesday.

Today's first find is a built-in bunkbed. I think this looks so cozy. I can imagine having this at a vacation house in the mountains or even at the beach. I love it!

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The second find is a laundry room that I love. I love the color turquoise...I especially love the glass subway tiles.

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Household Cleaners

I have used vinegar and baking soda to clean my house for years. About 2 years ago, I just got tired of the vinegar smell. So, I decided to try a new cleaning product...that was non-toxic. I love the Honest Co. products. They are awesome. The cleaning products are amazing. They really do not have a scent at all, and they really clean well.

My Beauty Routine Samples

I love to get samples. Over the past 2 years, I have received a lot of samples. This is what my sink and bathroom cabinet look like with all of the sample stuff that I am using.

Super Bowl Food From 2013

Last year we watched the Super Bowl for the first time in a couple of years. (we did not have TV) It was really fun. Jar will tell you the most important part was the food. He has already been talking about what food that we will have this year. I have been planning out the menu. Here was our food last year.

Natural Soda

I don't let the boys drink soda...it has been proven to be one of the worst things to put in our body. Occasionally, the boys will want something like a soda. About 2 or 3 times a year, I will allow them to get a natural soda. This is what they choose.

Candles

I love a really good candle. Many years ago, I found out that I was really sensitive to candles. I have to be super careful about which ones that I burn. I got a really good deal on these candles. They were 90% off the regular price. I bought the big candles for $4.00 and the small ones for $2.00 and two of them were free. (I guess these are the candles that Oprah had one year as one of her favorite things).

Chocolate

I love good chocolate. In one of my boxes this month, I received a really good chocolate bar. This one has orange peel in it. I eat just one small piece every day. It is yummy!

January Boxes

This is what I got in my January boxes.

Things I Love

I love a really beautiful book...with lots of beautiful photos. I found one at the Library this past week.

I also love the Sunset magazine. I have been getting this for 3 years now. It always gives me lots of ideas for vacationing and restaurants to try.

Makeup Bags

I love makeup...I always have. I really don't wear it a lot anymore; just a couple of times a week. Makeup is not really that good for your skin, so I limit how much I use it.

This is my makeup system. I have tried other things, but this seems to work best for me.

Questionnaires

From the time that Michael and I first started dating, we were constantly asking questions about each other. When we were first married, I had typed out a list of questions...I called it our questionnaire...for us to answer and then give back to each other.

I then did this two more times during our marriage. I have also done smaller ones for the boys, and I do a one page one every year on their birthday.

This past year, I put together 2 really long ones for us all to do together. We answer a page, and then we answer them out loud to each other. It is fun to see what each of our answers are...it is sometimes really funny.

The questions that are asked are very random:
     Examples of questions asked:
          *What is your favorite restaurant of all time?
          *What age does someone have to be for you to consider that person old?
          *Who is your favorite animated character from a movie?
          *Of all the people you know, who has the funniest sneeze?
          *Would you rather eat a can of worms or a can of flies?
There are more than 1,000 questions like this that I have typed up for us to answer. It is one of our most favorite things to do.

Jar's Car Journal

After we bought the project car for Jar, I knew that I wanted to find a unique journal for Jar. I wanted to be able to put photos of the progression, and any thoughts that we might have. Here is what I came up with for a journal.

My "Two Boys" Statue

I love having two boys close together. They have always been so close and been able to do so much together...they are best friends.

Years ago, I came across this boys' statue to signify Cam and Jar together. I love it.

Cam's Music Statues

Cam has won these music statues every year since taking piano with his teacher. So far, he has Bach, Debussy, and Brahms.

Purses

Anyone that knows me knows that I love purses...a lot. I used to buy a new purse every year. Now, I only buy one every 4-5 years or so. I just love a great purse. I am very picky about purses though...I don't love just any purse.

I don't often change my purses though. I don't think about it. This weekend I decided to change my purse. It was fun--it felt like I had a new purse again.

Here is a look inside my purse.

Glimpse of our Weekend

This was a great weekend. The weather was absolutely beautiful. I love the sun!

On Friday night, we had Moroccan Beef Tagine, and we watched The Mentalist.

Saturday was such a beautiful day. Michael washed the car and the truck. He was outside all day doing this. Also, he and Jar went to breakfast together. Jar built LEGO's a lot, and Cam wrote some music and worked on his computer. We watched Disney shows on Saturday evening.

Sunday, church was wonderful. The special speaker was a missionary from Venezuela. His message was really good. He spoke about "Our Hope in Jesus Christ." After church, we came home and watched Mythbusters, and then we rested some. That evening, we watched Alaska: The Last Frontier and Downton Abbey. It was a nice relaxing evening.