Gardening - Growing mint indoors

     What do you do with your pots of mint at the end of the summer? I bring mine inside. I do this for three reasons.

     The first is ever year my mint dies if it left in the pot outside. I don't quite understand why that happens but the last two years I had to replace my mint plants. 

I knew the leave would brown because I bought them in.

     The second reason is I like the smell of mint and it add it to the room. The mint smell wakes up. It also help keeps mice away. (Which is needed were we live because they are all around the woods.) I put two plants in my little ones room. She said when she got home from her dads my room smells good. Then later realized, I put the plants in her room.

     The third reason is because I like to have fresh tea in the winter. By bring the plant inside I will have fresh organic mint tea whenever I need it. This is very helpful for the winter colds!  



I love mint!!

     Now I being them in and put them by the windows. The seem to be doing well with the watering weekly and using the water bulb. 

     What plants do you try to save year from year? Do you bring them inside. 

Wedding Wednesday- Picking Out Bridesmaid Dresses

Isn't the color perfect???

     Last weekend I went bridesmaid shopping with my daughter, mom, and one of my bridesmaids. I'm still not sure if one bridesmaids in it and the other one lives far away, so she will buy her on her own. 

     When we got there, I thought I was going to use David's bridal's make mint green. I thought the color was perfect. But once I got there and have the girls try it on I thought like it look more blue than green. Then my little one tried on different a dress in the Clover green.  I looked at my mom and said "I'm changing the color to this color." My mom agreed that the darker green look better on the girls and would work better for a March wedding.

     I had a lot of fun trying on the dresses with the girls. They tried on about four dresses until they tried on the dress. As soon as I saw this dress on my daughter, I knew it was the one. The girls loved it to. It fit them nicely!!

It's perfect!! You can see her cowboy boots!! 

    The F15608 CLOVER style dress was prefect for the wedding!! It was long so we keep them warm during the cold March, but it was short enough to show off their cowboy boots!! It looked great on both of the girls. I'm so excited I can't wait to see the dress walking down the isle!!! 

    How did you pick out your bridesmaids dress? Did your girls help you or did you pick it out? 

Daily Goals - Wednesday, November 5, 2014

     Well frustrated that this is the second time I'm going to be writing this blog. My site crashed and I lost last part for it was saved. Ugh, I hope this isn't a sign about how the days going to go. Oh well time to finish us up and get to housework.

   

My Mint plant

     Good morning hope you're having a better morning than I am. Today should be a nice day because the first half of the day is shopping and making a freezer meal for my boss. These days are nice because I feel like I have time to get the kids stuff back in order. 

Today's goals

1. Work-I work from 8 AM to 6 PM.
2. Gardening - yesterday found out that the sun comes up around 630AM, because of daylight savings. Now I have a little bit of time to go jump in the garden and pull some of the stuff things to come out for the fall. I'm super excited!
3. Cooking- Today I'm going to make a freezer meal. Not quite sure which kind to make it but it is nice to have them in the freezer ready to go. 
4. Taking little one up at her dads- My little one has cheer today, so I'm going to grab her at her father's house. Because her stepmom is they say it helps with me working to get her to and from her things. Sometimes it's a pain in the butt to get her, because until eight but I know it's what's best for her. And I always do it with a smile on my face because I know she loves cheer!
5. Workout - Today is a another workout day. I will be doing a video while The littles are taking a nap. This seems to be working great with my schedule of the day. 

Chore Cards

Yesterday's Goals

1. Work -  I work from 8 AM until 6 PM. I'm not sure I might have all four kids say because of election day. We'll just have to see. ~ It was a very nice day having my daughter there maybe go a lot smoother. I ended up only having three kids during the day and four after school. 
2. Cooking - I want to make the menu for the week. This week is going to be all home cooked cook meals. ~ I got my menu done. You can check it out at 
3. Workout- Today is workout day. I have to remember to bring an extra set of cloths so I can trade them out. ~ I got my workout in. It felt  like 20 minutes a squat and then the rest stretching so I'm waiting for my legs to hurt today. Glad I got a 30 minute workout in. 
4. Cleaning - stick to daily chore card today. I want to keep this house in order! ~ We stuck to the chore card best we could. Had to hit the grocery store on the way home, therefore we didn't get home until like 730PM. Then I had to make dinner, and we had to eat. But we got more than half of the card done so I'm happy. 

     How did you do on your goals for yesterday? I did very well and I'm glad that I got them done. I ended up adding an extra goal today to bring you back up to 5 goals a day. What are your goals today? 

Reading ~ Free Kindle Gardening Books

     Have you missed seeing what books are free? My Kindle library is full, but free gardening books I will always add. Here are some free books, I found today!

 

Straw Bale Gardening: No-Dig Gardens Growing Vegetables With Straw Bales [Kindle Edition]

( This book will be a great winter read! I want to learn more about using straw around the garden.)

 

Mini Farming 101: How to Farm in Your Backyard and Grow Your Own Organic Food (Urban Farming, mini farm, organic food, sustainability, Self Sufficient, ... homesteading, backyard farming, farm) 

( I love the 101 tip types of books. I always learn a few tips that I never knew. As a gardener, I feel like there is some much to learn about!)

 

4 Steps To Vertical Gardening: Designs and Plant Selection for Vegetables, Flowers and Herbs (Vegetable Gardening Book 3)

( I find vertical gardening so interesting. It seem like an amazing idea for people that don't have any space.)

 

What are you reading? What type of gardening books grabs your eye? Let me know. You can always join me on Facebook at Pa Gardeners see what going on!

 

 

 



Gardening- I found my book!!!

My favorite gardening book!! 

  

   As a working mom and weekend gardener, this book has been very helpful!! It helps me keep on track of what I need to be doing. I was very lost this year without it. We search everywhere for it!! I thought it was gone, but when we went to move our bed there it was!! I found it. I don't know how it got under the bed and in the middle of it but it was there!! I was so excited. Hubby just laughed. 

What is one thing if you lost would throw you off? What is the most exciting thing you found under your bed? 

Cooking -Trim Healthy Mama's Menu ~ Meal Plan for 11/04/2014 -11/9/2014

My new cookbook

 

  I love looking at new cookbooks and finding new recipes to cook for my family. I am one of those people that don't want to have the same thing over and over and cooking is something I enjoy. My mother in law saw this cookbook, and thought of me and my hubby right away. There are recipes in this book that date back to the early 1900s which I think is so cool. 

My Trim Healthy Mama Book

     Now because I'm still following the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) Lifestyle, I will be changing the recipe a little bit to fit that way of eating. You will see crossing my menu, because somethings I feel like just don't taste as good if you don't change it. You will see my menu labeled as a THM, but know that my kids always eat a full meal so if it's an E I'm always adding a side to the meal like cheese or cream cheese something like that. If it's an S , I normally add a health E fruit to this meal so it ends up being a full meal for the little ones. 

      Here's what we're cooking this week! 

NOV 04 - TUESDAY
breakfast	(THM-S) Egg omelet With Green Peppers, Mushroom And Laughing Cow Cheese
lunch	(THM-S) Big Mac Salad
snacks	(THM-S) Blueberry Smoothie
dinner	(THM-Cross) Justin's Ham And Bean Soup - this is a cross because it has ham which is an S and beans which are E
NOV 05 - WEDNESDAY
breakfast	(THM-E) Strawberry Shortcake Proteins Overnight Oatmeal
lunch	(THM-F) Turkey Sandwich - I'm using lettuce for my bread.
lunch	Red Pepper
snacks	(THM-S) Blueberry Smoothie
dinner	(THM-S)Stuffed Porkchops
NOV 06 - THURSDAY
breakfast	(THM-S) Egg omelet With Green Peppers, Mushroom And Laughing Cow Cheese
lunch	(THM-S) Taco Salad
snacks	(THM-S) Blueberry Smoothie
dinner	(THM-E) Chili
NOV 07 - FRIDAY
breakfast	(THM-F) Trim And Healthy Mama's Custard Recipe
lunch	Leftover
snacks	(THM-S) Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
dinner	(THM-S) Salisbury Steak
NOV 08 - SATURDAY
breakfast	(THM-S) Egg omelet With Green Peppers, Mushroom And Laughing Cow Cheese
lunch	Leftover
snacks	(THM-S) Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
dinner	(THM-Cross) Chili Mac - Chili is an E and the cheese is an S. I will use dream field noodles for my macaroni noodles.
NOV 09 - SUNDAY
breakfast	(THM-E) Strawberry Shortcake Proteins Overnight Oatmeal
lunch	Leftover
snacks	(THM-S) Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
dinner	Leftovers

Daily Goals - Tuesday, November 4, 2014

 Homemade Scarecrow

     Being a working mom the weekend sometimes are the only time I have to catch up on anything. They can be so busy sometimes, I don't know where anything is ever. I don't have time to sit down and even relax. This weekend was like that. Friday was Halloween, during the day heavy and I ran all our errands and then after my daughter got home from school we had an hour to figure out her costume and get her ready. We ended up being our late to my brothers house but her costume is Hilmi pretty proud of it. Saturday was the anniversary of my husband's father's death so we decided we're going to stay busy all day. Normally helps him if we're busy to working through the day. He worked on homework, and I worked on cleaning the living room. I steam vac-ed the carpet. It looked amazing looks being the keyword. Because then on Sunday we decided we were going to paint our bedroom. Everything in our bedroom went out and into the nice clean living room. But with We painted entire living room bedroom on Sunday from a dark red to light blue. It looks awesome!! Then yesterday I cleaned out the oven and went to my moms and discuss the wedding. Came home got my daughter dinner and then went to her football game that she was singing it. Like I said it's been a long weekend here. What did you do this weekend?

Everyone wanted to help

     Today go back to work. My little one has a school so she'll be coming with me. Kids will be so excited because they love when they see her.

Today's goals

1. Work- I work from 8 AM until 6 PM. I'm not sure I might have all four kids say because of election day. We'll just have to see.
2. Cooking - I want to make the menu for the week. This week is going to be all home cooked cook meals. 
3. Workout- Today is workout day. I have to remember to bring an extra set of cloths so I can trade them out. 
4. Cleaning - stick to daily sure card today. I want to keep this house in order! 

     I'm only writing for goals four today,  because it's a work day and I'm not going to push myself way too hard. What are you doing today what are your goals? Are you gonna be home when the suns out and get in the garden? I'm going to miss the sun all day today by the time I get to work and I'll be up by the time I get home I'll be down.