Just a little something...

It cracks me up that one of the days I feel the MOST productive is a day when Joshua is sick and miserable...It's not necessarily that I have more time, because even though I woke up early, Joshua was still awake earlier than normal because he had puke all over his bed. :(

I just have gotten more done, maybe because I'm choosing to see it that way? Perspective is a funny thing....  ;)

Speaking of perspective....here's 3 things I'm grateful for:

1. health                       2. yummy smelling food                             3. computers that work well

What are YOU thankful for today? Did you know just acknowledging 3 things daily that you're thankful for is a positive thinking strategy that with consistency will change your life? It's changing mine today....

But back to why I'm here today....I'm a little spacey.

So I've been meaning to get better at actually BLOGGING and here's my plan: 3-5 times per week, I'll post something. If you would simply click the "follow" button and input your email, then I would LOVE to help populate your inbox a few times a week with some yummy recipes, fitness ideas, random mommy ramblings, and house-wivery tips and tricks.

I'm still learning, but I'd love for you to learn with me!

I've posted about this kitchen chalk board on FB, and a lot of people have asked me how I made it! It wasn't hard, but it was a little time consuming. If you're not as cheap as me, then just go to Tuesday morning and buy one that's premade:

Supplies: 

- 1 2 ft x 4 ft chalk board (Home Depot carries the boards already made!)

- 10 feet of baseboard of your choice

- dark wax to add a distressed look, or paint of your color choice

- gorilla Wood Glue

-28 screws, the smallest depth you can get (mine were like a half inch or less even)

Instructions: 

- cut each of the sides of your frame with a miter saw (I had my dad help me with this cuz you need to be able to do a 45* angle cut to make the ends of the frame meet)

- double and triple check that your frame and board match up well

- paint or wax your frame pieces! Yay!

- using gorilla wood glue and some pressure clamps, attach your frame to the board one side at a time 

- Let glue dry, and then flip frame over and using a low-speed drill, add screws to the back of the frame every 6 inches or so. Use as many screws as you need to ensure the board stays together. 

- mount and hang  your frame where you choose! (Home depot has picture mounting/mirror mounting kits that anchor to the wall--just ask their guys, they'll know best which one you need depending on the size of your board)

If you don't care about using a wall or a door, then just grab some chalk pain and go to your wall with vigor! (I wanted a moveable chalk board, but also wanted it in this specific spot in the kitchen).

So this pic below illustrates exactly WHY I needed that chalk board.

I meal plan. Every week. I change up my dinners mostly, and rotate through the foods on my lunch list. Sometimes I spruce things up a bit, but mostly this is the basic template for my daily meals. I pick a breakfast, snacks, lunch, and the dinner is planned for 2 weeks at a time.

I've also been trying to make freezer meals! Here's this week's freezer meal, taken and modified from this site: http://www.thegunnysack.com/2014/07/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken.html#_a5y_p=2125348

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

Ingredients

•6 skinless chicken breasts

•1/2 an onion, finely chopped

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1/2 cup honey

•1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

•4 tbs tomato puree/paste

•2 tsp sesame oil

•3 tsp cornflour/cornstarch

•1/4 cup water

•2 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite sized peices + 1tsp sesame oil for frying

•Rice or quinoa, to serve

•Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Instructions

1. Place the thighs in the bowl of a slow cooker.

2. Combine the onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, tomato puree and oil in a bowl, and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for at least four hours, preferably six, turning occasionally to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.

3. 20 mins before you want to serve, prepare the rice according to packet instructions, and remove the chicken from the slow cooker.

4. Combine the cornflour and water in a cup or small bowl to create a slurry, and add it to the remaining sauce in the slow cooker, turning the temperature up to high to allow the sauce to thicken.

5. Add the chicken back to the thickening sauce, turning the mixture occasionally.

6. with the oven at 400*, shake your broccoli around with the sesame oil and then roast the broccoli stalks until slightly crisped.

7. Lay the broccoli over the rice, and top with a good dollop of the chicken/sauce mixture, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Couldn’t be easier.

I used lots of chicken today to make a family meal, and also made up the double batch so I could have 2 freezer meals (we don't need the whole meal for just the 3 of us). Hurray for less cooking over the summer!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

PS! Don't forget to follow me! You're my motivation to keep writing!