June 1, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

88 Ways To Celebrate Summer Break With Your Family

Name: Fast, Easy, & Yummy Zupa Toscana Replica
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: -1 Tube (1 lb) Ground Turkey 85/15; -2 Tblsp. Olive Oil; -1 tsp. Salt; -1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper; -1 tsp. minced garlic; -1/2 tsp. Granulated White Sugar; -1/2 tsp. garlic salt; -1/2 tsp. onion powder; -2 Tblsp. Soy Sauce; -1 qt. Heavy Cream; -1 package of frozen raw kale; -1 chopped white onion; -4 russet potatoes; -1.5-2 qts. water (or ½ of a pot); *Optional:; -Can also substitute ground turkey for Veggie Crumbles as a Vegetarian option; -2 strips of leftover cooked bacon from this morning's breakfast; -Grated Parmesan as a garnish or to taste; -Bacon Bits/Imitation Bacon Bits as a garnish or to taste

How Will You Celebrate Summer Break With Your Kids?

Goodbye school, hello summer! 🙂

So school is finally over for our kids this year, and they could not be any happier.

Not that they did not enjoy school, on the contrary, they actually do!

But more so that they have been counting down the days for summer vacation to finally arrive and bid farewell to a job well-done throughout the year.

I could not even bear to bring it up that them that summer does not officially begin until June 21st. But they could care less and I cannot blame them for it.

If I were still a kid, I would probably feel the same way, wouldn’t you? They are just ecstatic to finally be home, relax, and of course-sleep in.

However, that also means less time for this Mommy to get her stuff done while her kiddos are running amok at home! What’s a girl suppose to do?

Make a plan! That’s what we’ll do!

So we sat down together (yep, the kiddos and I) and scribbled down:

1-what sounds good (marshmallows by the fire while watching the stars at night),

2-what we absolutely had to do (summer enrichment homework- ugh! 🙁 ),

3-what we should do instead, (making our own comic strips as inspired by Captain Underpants),

4- and what we can all agree on (making plans to do things together as a family).

We have all agreed that we are really good at this list-making-thing and also spending quality time together doing absolutely anything. 😛

That makes me happy and I am ever-so-grateful for it.

You can print out this post to use for your own family this summer too, enjoy!

88 Ways To Celebrate Summer Break With Your Kids:

A-Random Acts of Kindness:
1-bake & decorate cookies to give away as gifts to neighbors, seniors, friends, family, shelters, etc.
2-donate used toys, games, books, clothes to the homeless, hospitals, library, Goodwill, Church, etc.
3-volunteer at a women’s shelter, children’s hospital, clinic, or animal rescue center
4-host a dinner party or potluck
5-cook dinner for a random family, friends, or elderly neighbors
6-share your bounty with friends, family, or strangers
7-buy a meal for the person in line behind you
8-create a care package for the needy
9-Cook or prepare a meal for your parents
10-Offer to help wash the car, do hard work, fold laundry, sweep the floors, do dishes, or take out trash

B-Crafts:
11-make unicorn or glow in the dark slime
12-make friendship bracelets
13-recreate famous Art Masterpieces and display as artwork
14-make paper crafts like origami
15-make felt Crafts like stuffed animals
16-DIY your own fort out of cardboard boxes
17-make your own costume using materials around the house
18-reuse your Halloween costumes & play dress up

C-Games:
18-light show outside in the dark with glow in the dark bands, flash lights
19-water balloon fights
20-running through sprinklers & slip n slides
21-pillow fights
22-hopscotch in the driveway with chalk
23-chalk mazes in the driveway
24-chalk art in the driveway
25-laser tag
26-put put mini golf
27-bowling
28-amusement park
29-carnival and fairs
30-festivals and concerts
31-SkyZone trampoline park
32-Dave & buster’s
33-roller skating
34-water park
35-scavenger hunt
36-3 legged race
37-balance an egg
38-Simon says
39-bad Minton/ping pong
40-corn holes
41-soccer
42-volleyball
43-play cards or board games like Uno, Monopoly, Charades, Pictionary, or Clue

D-Education:
44-kids science experiments: volcano, tornado,
45-trip to the zoo
46-trip to the library
47-summer reading with Barnes & nobles
48-summer reading with half price books
49-trip to the museums (art, Childrens, history, botanical gardens)
50-trip to the planetarium
51-trip to the aquarium
52-take enrichment classes like coding
53-learn how to paint, draw, or sculpt with clay
54-learn how to play an instrument
55-take voice lessons for singing
56-take dance lessons
57-take a cooking class
58-take a self defense class
59-learn how to sew
60-plant a garden of flowers
61-grow your own produce
62-practice math skills
63-write to a pen pal in another country
64-crossword puzzles
65-sudoku
66-little things digital puzzles for rainy days
67-catch a caterpillar and watch its lifecycle
68-bird watching lifecycle
69-set up a lemonade stand to earn money

E-Family Bonding:
70-make a memory scrapbook journal of your summer experience
71-family game night (video games, cards, board games, or trivia)
72-family movie night
73-baseball game
74-go camping
75-go fishing
76-go to the beach
77-go to the pools/splash parks together
78-join a sports team
79-go water skiing, paddle boating, tubing
80-write thank you letters, just-becauses, birthday cards to family & friends
81-kids decide what to do day
82-assign a color uniform day
83-mismatch dress day
84-cook or prep a meal and/or dessert together as a family
85-camp in the backyard (s’mores, hot dogs, & hobo dinners)
86-plan a vacation/staycation together

87-go bike riding in the park together

88-pick a trail and go hiking

Disclosure:

The purpose of this blog is to provide insight and enjoyment only. I am not nor do I claim to be an expert or professional in any manner. All opinions are 100% my own. Please do not copy any content from my website without my prior permission or written consent from me. However, you may link directly to my post for reference and to give credit.

Disclaimer:

This website contains affiliate links and sponsorships. I do not endorse nor would I recommend any products that I have not used nor trust to my readers. Thank you so much for your continued support in helping our small blog grow- at no costs to you whatsoever.

Contact:

Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

April 25, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

Cheap & Simple DIY Felt Succulent Wreath for $1.11

As you may have seen and heard, succulents are all the rage nowadays.

Anywhere you look, there seems to be no shortage of succulents in all the stores.

Succulents are all the rage everywhere we turn nowadays, like this gorgeous wall decor from Pottery Barn. However, the price tag, is anything but… :/

Real ones, fake ones, paper ones, and felt ones, you name it? They have it.

Even I had to succumb to the siren calls of those fascinating plant life material.

There’s just something about it, an aura maybe?

That exudes classy, elegance, and timelessness, much like it’s counterpart, the orchid.

(I love orchids!) I just can’t seem to have enough. I also love to give them away as gifts for any and all occasions!

Anyway, I feel the same way about succulents too. There can never be one too many succulents whether you decide to keep them as natural air purifiers aka home decor or you decide to give them away as gifts.

They will be well-received by most folks.

Well, nothing seems to scream, “Spring is here!” like fresh succulents.

Imagine my surprise when I found a couple of these lovely strands of succulents on clearance at Target for (Warning: brace yourself now-wait for it)

10 Cents! Can you believe it?

Now some of you may be thinking, “Sweet! Can’t mess that up too badly for that price!”

And you’re absolutely right!

So, I paired the felt succulent strand up with a simple twig wreath from the Dollar Tree and created a beautifully simple yet elegant Spring wreath.

Looks so fresh, this wreath will make any leprechaun green with envy.

All you need are 2 things:

-a willow wreath from the Dollar Tree for $1.00 (before tax)

-and a string of felt succulents banner on a tweed rope that I was able to find on clearance at Target for just $0.11, after Valentine’s Day (before tax)

No need for any messy glue guns or tape.

Just tuck the ends of the tweed string into the willow wreath.

That’s it! Easy, affordable, and stylish!

Just in time to redecorate your home and finally usher in Spring!

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Contact:

Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

April 18, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

10 Mistakes To Avoid When Staining A Staircase

If you’ve read my post about my kitchen cabinet makeover and/or my whole house trim makeover, you will be able to see without a reasonable doubt that I have a very strong aversion to honey oak wood.

I just hate Honeywood oh so much! (Yuck!)

I am “allergic” to honey oak wood. It is the bane of all types of wood out there. It conjures up a feeling of being trapped inside a giant peach or a honeycomb, for me. I am constantly bothered by the mere sight of it.

Every time I walk into my kitchen, I can’t help but lose my appetite. It’s not like I can cover my eyes and avoid my kitchen cabinets. They’re always there staring right back at me, mocking me with their angry orangey hue.

Not to mention that staircase, what a lovely sight for sore eyes. If only it were any other color other than orange honey wood oak, of course. Oh, honey wood, how I loathe thee so…

Now, if you’re a fan of it, great! To each, her own! 😉

But as for my family and I, we choose to burn the honey wood DOWN to the ground!

Or, rather, the more sensible approach, stain and/or paint over it with a more current, modern, and trendier style preferably found in this decade. Anything, but honey wood oak is fine with me.

Like a cat, ready to pounce on the next sneaky mouse that scurries by, I was bound and determined to get rid of that honey wood oak once and for all. Even if that meant, I would have to do it myself!

So I hopped on Pinterest and scoured through tutorials like a mad woman. Then I went to all the places that the contractors would often frequent:

Lowes, check

Home Depot, check

Menards, check

Sherwin Williams, check

Amazon, check

ReStore, of course, check.

I decided to settle on Amazon because as you know, I’m frugal. I used a gift card that I had previously earned from Swagbucks and I ordered a can of Java Gel Stain and a can of Clear Poly from Amazon. Two days later when it finally arrived, I got right to work and prepped the entire surface of the staircase and banister.

Here’s what I did:

1-I started by wiping down the surface with a warm soapy water mixture and rinsed it off with clean water.

2- Then I let it dry overnight and left the windows open to speed up the process.

3-I lightly sanded the clean surfaces down with fine sandpaper.

4-I taped up all surrounding carpet with blue painter’s tape and covered the new burbur carpet with plastic sheeting and a drop cloth.

5-I stained the stair rails first, with a couple coats of the Java stain.

6-Then I primed and painted the spindles last with the white color HGTV Brand Paint and Primer in one. The spindles took about 7 coats total in between all the sanding and painting.

Warning: This was a lot easier to do on the rails than the spindles. The spindles took FOREVER and I mean FOREVER. By the time I was done sanding them individually, my hands and fingers were so sore I could not bend them for days! But I have to say, though, that it was worth the effort.

Now, I could not have done this myself without my husband’s help and support as well as the advice and know-how from these Pinterest ladies. Check out my Pinterest board to see and read about all of their eye candy results. If you are looking to redo your staircase, check out these similar tutorials below for more ideas to help you finish your project and do it right.

http://www.practicallyspoiled.com/2014/10/23/how-to-gel-stain-oak-banisters/

http://www.yourhomeonlybetter.com/painting-stairs-diy-faqs-and-tips/

http://timelessandtreasured.blogspot.com/2016/01/diy-how-to-stain-and-paint-oak-stair.html?m=1

Here is a list of Materials that I have used on this staircase project:

-General Finishes Java Gel Stain

-General Finishes Clear Poly

-small Angled sable brush

-large straight edged sable brush

-plastic Saran wrap (to temporarily wrap the wet paint brushes during break times)

-aluminum foil (to wrap the paint tray for easy clean up)

-paint tray

-paint thinner

-paper towel roll

-sandpaper (fine, medium, and course)

-sanding block

-protective gloves

-frog tape

-heavy duty plastic sheeting or drop cloth

-mask

-protective eyewear

-various sized foam brushes

-rags (old socks with holes in them are great for these staining types of projects)

-a bucket of water (for cleaning up the socks or rags in between coats or touch-ups)

Here are the 10 mistakes that I have learned to avoid for the next time I decide to take on a project of this caliber again:

Not Prepping The Area: Clean all the parts of the staircase that is going to get painted or stained with soap and water, TCH powder (drying agent that is found in the paint aisle) So, a few months after finishing my staircase remodel, I got this nice juicy tidbit from a very knowledgeable guy at my local Lowe’s store to wash down the wood with TCH powder. Too bad, it was too little too late, but I appreciate the advice anyway. I will definitely be doing that to my future remodeling projects from now on. Thanks, Dude! 😉

2. Not covering or blocking off the surfaces and nearby areas with tape and plastic sheeting. This is SO SO SO important! Plastic sheeting is so cheap and furnishings are not, enough said. 😉

3.Not reading or failing to understand the instructions of others. Ok, so this is like driving in the car with your husband and refusing to ask for directions. You both know you’re lost but you say nothing because he knows exactly what he’s doing, right? Unfortunately, no. There are just no detours when you are working with wood stain. If you’re going to spend the time to do it, save yourself more time and frustration by doing it right the first time. (i.e.see white spindles above):/

4. Not asking for help when you are clearly in over your head and have no idea what you are doing. (See #3 above) Clearly, I was way in over my head. Correction, anytime I get an idea like this, I need to be reminded that I am way- in- over- my head.

5. Not staying focused on the “SQUIRREL!”… the task at hand. Yes, I get so easily distracted by all-the-things…

6. Not finishing the work you started due to frustrations that it’s taking longer than you’ve originally anticipated. Fantasy: I had originally anticipated that this project would only take me 1 week to do, from start to finish. Reality: The end result took a good 10 weeks. Yes, we lived in total chaos for about 3 months and we can’t even blame the kids for it. How is that for a dose of humility? 😉

7. Not ventilating the area very well. For the bulk of this project, especially the sanding, priming, and clear finishing parts, we sent the kids to their grandparents’ house. We also kept all the windows and doors open to let out all the paint fumes. However, traces of the paint smell can still be detected whenever we’ve left the house for any period of time and came back inside the house.

Not waiting for it to dry in between coats and rushing to just get it done. Whoever said, “patience is a virtue,” cannot be more right. Ten weeks felt like FOREVER! But, let me reiterate, it was worth it because of the money we saved by doing this project on our own.

9. Not Sanding in between coats. This is so important, see #3. Seven coats of paint and primer will mean absolutely diddly squat if not for sanding.

Not taking care of yourself because you think the project is more important than your basic needs, i.e. skipping a few meals or nights of sleep just to get it done. Paint fumes, dehydration, lack of sleep, and starvation will lead to some very interesting hallucinations.

Remember, above all else, your health is paramount. Nothing is worth more to you, your family, or your friends if you are not around to share the gift that is you. Take care of yourself and each other.

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Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

April 11, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

Fast, Easy, & Yummy Zupa Toscana Replica

When it’s pouring cats and dogs outside and you feel like there’s nothing that can warm the chill inside your bones and all you can think about is a warm bowl of that heavenly goodness from Olive Garden.

You know the one I’m talking about it.

The only reason you have that’s worth you getting up out of your chair for.

That’s right!

The only other special that matters besides the Never Ending Pasta special.

It’s during their seasonal soup and salad specials, of course! 😉

Yep! It’s that famous Zupa Toscana!

I just love that stuff, and apparently, and so does the rest of my family, especially, my son, who’s a super huge foodie!

This year, we are trying to get into the mindset of eating to live.

One too many trips to Olive Garden has spurred me to recreate this wannabe bowl at home. Not only does it save us money from eating out so much, it also helps curb our appetites and waistline.

Truth be told, since I have decided to make it a family goal to be a little bit more intentional about our diet as well as our food budget this year. It has become quite a challenge for us on a weekly basis to follow through on that though.

However, what happens more often than not is that we tend to live to eat! 🙂

We love our food, and we do not want to sacrifice on the flavor nor the freshness of the ingredients that we use to prepare our meals. This Zupa recipe is a very close contender if not, a good replica of the real thing from our favorite Italian Food Chain Restaurant.

Cost Breakdown of the Fast, Easy, & Yummy Zupa Toscana Replica Meal:

Since I am all about living frugally, here is the true cost breakdown for this meal. I am using this helpful guide to assume prices at Kroger & it’s website, only because I like their search feature the best.

This meal serves a family of 4 and plenty for seconds and leftovers for meals during the week. You can also freeze the leftovers and eat them later. Just pop it in the microwave between 30 seconds – 1 minute per serving.

-1 Tube (1 lb) Ground Turkey 85/15————————-$2.49

-2 Tblsp. Olive Oil———————————————-on hand

-1 tsp. Salt——————————————————-on hand

-1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper———————————on hand

-1 tsp. minced garlic——————————————–$1.99

-1/2 tsp. Granulated White Sugar—————————on hand

-1/2 tsp. garlic salt———————————————-on hand

-1/2 tsp. onion powder—————————————–on hand

-2 Tblsp. Soy Sauce———————————————-on hand

-1 qt. Heavy Cream———————————————-$3.69

-1 package of frozen raw kale———————————$0.89 (I buy these fresh, wash, & freeze them for this recipe)

-1 chopped white onion—————————————–$0.67

-4 russet potatoes———————————————–$3.99

-1.5-2 qts. water (or ½ of a pot)

*Optional:

-Can also substitute ground turkey for Veggie Crumbles as a Vegetarian option

-2 strips of leftover cooked bacon from this morning’s breakfast

-Grated Parmesan as a garnish or to taste——————————-$2.49

-Bacon Bits/Imitation Bacon Bits as a garnish or to taste————–$1.49

Total Cost of this Family-Sized Meal: $17.70, which is $4.26 per person to feed a family of 4 plus leftovers!

Give it a try and see for yourself!

Let me know how it turns out for you, in the comments below.

Fast, Easy, & Yummy Zupa Toscana Replica

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Category: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients

-1 Tube (1 lb) Ground Turkey 85/15
-2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
-1 tsp. Salt
-1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
-1 tsp. minced garlic
-1/2 tsp. Granulated White Sugar
-1/2 tsp. garlic salt
-1/2 tsp. onion powder
-2 Tblsp. Soy Sauce
-1 qt. Heavy Cream
-1 package of frozen raw kale
-1 chopped white onion
-4 russet potatoes
-1.5-2 qts. water (or ½ of a pot)
*Optional:
-Can also substitute ground turkey for Veggie Crumbles as a Vegetarian option
-2 strips of leftover cooked bacon from this morning's breakfast
-Grated Parmesan as a garnish or to taste
-Bacon Bits/Imitation Bacon Bits as a garnish or to taste

Instructions

1- On your stovetop, drizzle in the oil. Then add your garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Next, add your onions and saute another minute or until translucent.
2- Add your "ground meat" and the rest of the dry spices to your soup pot and cook and brown it evenly. No need to dirty another pan, just drain the oil after the meat is cooked. This can be ground beef, turkey, ground Italian sausage, or even veggie crumbles. The choice is yours on how "healthy," you're choosing to consume your zupa tonight.
3- Add soy sauce to your meat mixture. This is my not-so-secret ingredient obviously because I always have it on hand and also because I can never justify buying Worcester sauce only to use it once in a blue moon. Sautee for another 2 minutes.
4-Add your potato wedges over top of your meat mixture and saute well for another couple minutes.
5-Add cold water to cover and submerge your potatoes in the soup pot. Cook on high until water is boiling, about 2 minutes depending on your stove.
6-Then simmer on low medium for at least 15 minutes, until potatoes are flaky and fully cooked.
7-Add the kale and the heavy cream right before serving.
8-Serve with your favorite garlic bread or freshly baked baguette.

Notes

This recipe can also be made in the slow cooker, if you are pressed for time. Just have all of your ingredients ready the night before and toss everything inside your slow cooker before you head off to work. You will have a gourmet meal waiting for you when you come back home in a few hours. No need to order take out.

Set the setting on your slow cooker to cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

Remember to ONLY add the kale and the heavy cream last, right before you serve.

Enjoy!

https://fulloffortunes.com/fast-easy-yummy-zupa-toscana-wannabe/

Directions:

1- On your stovetop, drizzle in the oil. Then add your garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Next, add your onions and saute another minute or until translucent.

2- Add your “ground meat” and the rest of the dry spices to your soup pot and cook and brown it evenly. No need to dirty another pan, just drain the oil after the meat is cooked. This can be ground beef, turkey, ground Italian sausage, or even veggie crumbles. The choice is yours on how “healthy,” you’re choosing to consume your zupa tonight.

3- Add soy sauce to your meat mixture. This is my not-so-secret ingredient obviously because I always have it on hand and also because I can never justify buying Worcester sauce only to use it once in a blue moon. Sautee for another 2 minutes.

4-Add your potato wedges over top of your meat mixture and saute well for another couple minutes.

5-Add cold water to cover and submerge your potatoes in the soup pot. Cook on high until water is boiling, about 2 minutes depending on your stove.

6-Then simmer on low medium for at least 15 minutes, until potatoes are flaky and fully cooked.

7-Add the kale and the heavy cream right before serving.

8-Serve with your favorite garlic bread or freshly baked baguette. Enjoy!

*Note:

This recipe can also be made in the slow cooker if you are pressed for time. Just have all of your ingredients ready the night before and toss everything inside your slow cooker before you head off to work. You will have a gourmet meal waiting for you when you come back home in a few hours. No need to order takeout.

Set the setting on your slow cooker to cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

Remember to ONLY add the kale and the heavy cream last, right before you serve.

Enjoy!

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Disclaimer:

Contact:

Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by!

April 3, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

Super Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Craving Mexican for dinner tonight but don’t want to put a dent in your wallet?

How about whipping up a bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup from home instead?

Lately, I’ve been feeling like soup season is upon us as the weather has been changing from warm to cold.

Nothing seems to warm me up like a nice steamy hot bowl of soup.

It just warms my soul. 🙂

I often tease my husband that he should have married a Latina because he is the only member of our family who can eat Mexican food every single day of the week. And never seem to get sick of it!

And he would jokingly ponder the possibility of it too. Hmm, what if? 😉

Me, on the other hand, I am the exact opposite. Being a creative mind, I just cannot do the same thing every day. I crave variety, it’s the spice of life!

Perhaps in another lifetime, but for now, we will have to just wonder and enjoy the next best thing. And that is the wonderful flavors of this super simple to prepare slow cooker chicken tortilla soup.

I’m not sure if it’s the weather or time of year, but something weird has happened in our household lately. Our family has suddenly followed Dad’s culinary cue and picked up a taste for Mexican food. We’ve been craving a big bowl of chicken tortilla soup like it’s going out of style!

Make Taco Tuesdays, At Home:

So, naturally, we have progressed to “Taco Tuesdays” on our Weekly Meal Plan instead of hopping into the car to hit up our local Mexican restaurants. This can include tacos, quesadillas, nachos, or even chicken tortilla soup, whichever ingredients we have on hand.

Even my daughter, who’s the pickiest eater in our household, can agree. A nice, hot, steamy bowl of spicy chicken tortilla soup on a cold and rainy day fits the bill ANY day of the week, not just Tuesdays.

Here is DIY version of a quick and yummy spicy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
2 cups of cooled cooked rice (white or brown)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 chopped white onion
1 can black beans
1 can sweet corn
4 chopped Roma tomatoes
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 jar of Black Bean and Corn Salsa
1 qt. chicken broth
1 qt. water

Directions:

1- On medium-high heat, drizzle oil in your slow cooker pan.

2- Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant for about 1 minute.

3- Add the chopped onions and cook until slightly translucent, or about 1 minute.

4- Add the cubed chicken breasts and the dry seasoning and cook evenly for about 4 minutes or until slightly seared and brown around the edges.

5- Add the rest of the veggies and sauté for about 2 minutes.

6-Add the cooked rice, the chicken broth, and the water and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

7-Serve it up with your favorite toppings and a side of tortilla chips.

Our family’s favorite is Blue Corn tortilla chips, what’s yours? Enjoy!

*(Optional) Serve with the following:

-Sprinkle 1 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Taco Blended Sharp Cheddar Cheese
-Garnish with chopped scallions/green onions & cilantro
-Add 1-2 dashes of Cholula or your favorite brand of hot sauce
-Add 1 dollop of sour cream

Cost Breakdown of the Super Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup Meal:

Since I am all about living frugally, here is the true cost breakdown for this meal.

I am using this helpful guide to assume prices at Kroger & it’s website, only because I like their search feature the best.

This meal serves a family of 4 and plenty for seconds and leftovers for meals during the week. You can also freeze the leftovers and eat them later.

Just pop it in the microwave between 30 seconds – 1 minute per serving.

2 chicken breasts, cubed———————————————-$7.58
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil——————————————————-on hand
2 cups of cooled cooked rice (white or brown)——————–on hand
1 tsp. salt—————————————————————–on hand
1 tsp. ground black pepper——————————————–on hand
1 tsp. minced garlic—————————————————–$1.99
1 chopped white onion————————————————-$0.45
1 can black beans——————————————————–$0.59
1 can sweet corn——————————————————–$0.59
4 chopped Roma tomatoes——————————————–$1.12
1 chopped green bell pepper——————————————$0.79
1 jar of Black Bean and Corn Salsa———————————–$2.49
1 qt. chicken broth——————————————————$1.29 1 qt. water

Served with your favorite Tortilla Chips—————————-$1.00

Total Cost of this Family-Sized Meal: $17.89, which is $4.47 per person to feed a family of 4 plus leftovers!

Give this a try and let me know how yours turned out. 🙂

Super Simple Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cubed
2 Tblsp. Olive Oil
2 cups of cooled cooked rice (white or brown)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 chopped white onion
1 can black beans
1 can sweet corn
4 chopped Roma tomatoes
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 jar of Black Bean and Corn Salsa
1 qt. chicken broth
1 qt. water

Instructions

Directions:
1- On medium high heat, drizzle oil in your slow cooker pan.
2- Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant for about 1 minute.
3- Add the chopped onions and cook until slightly translucent, or about 1 minute.
4- Add the cubed chicken breasts and the dry seasoning and cook evenly for about 4 minutes or until slightly seared and brown around the edges.
5- Add the rest of the veggies and sauté for about 2 minutes.
6-Add the cooked rice, the chicken broth, and the water and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
7-Serve it up with your favorite toppings and a side of tortilla chips.

Notes

*(Optional) Serve with the following:

-Sprinkle 1 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Taco Blended Sharp Cheddar Cheese

-Garnish with chopped scallions/green onions & cilantro

-Add 1-2 dashes of Cholula or your favorite brand of hot sauce

-Add 1 dollop of sour cream Enjoy! 🙂

https://fulloffortunes.com/super-simple-slow-cooker-chicken-tortilla-soup/

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Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by!

March 8, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

How To Streamline Your Entire Life So That You Can Finally Be Able To Enjoy It!

Ever wonder what the difference is between you and that rich guy standing in front of you in the check out line at the store?

Why does it seem like everyone else is enjoying their day taking their sweet time, while you are running around looking like a hot mess like a chicken with her head cut off?

Why is it that you are always scrambling for time and you just can never seem to find enough time in your day to get it all done. So you rationalize by telling yourself that:

a.) Those folks just aren’t real! No one looks that perfect. Come on! That’s just a smoky mirrors trick!

b.) They don’t know the struggle! They probably have maids, a nanny, maybe even a butler or two?

Man, what I wouldn’t give to my very own Alice or Mr. Belvidere right about now. (sighs)

How do they make it look so easy and come out looking like a million bucks every day?

Then there’s me, I’m constantly rocking the “I give up,” look. I literally look like I got ran over by an 18-wheeler. I am just struggling to stay alive and keep it all together.

Some days it just seems like being an adult is literally like folding a fitted sheet. (I saw this on a t-shirt and it just about sums up my life!)

You know there’s got to be a super secret magic formula to it but you just can’t even wrap your mind around it somehow.

I mean something has got to give right? How do they do it all?

Aha! The answer is that they don’t!

How? Why? Because they streamline their lives with technology like smartphones and devices like Alexa, Siri, and automation subscriptions like Amazon Prime Delivery, and Audiobooks.

Automation (as in cold hard machinery like Alexa not sweet and lovable Alice from The Brady Bunch) is the secret sauce to looking like you just don’t care!

So if you want to start getting hip to the modern times and look like you seriously belong in this century. There are some must-have goals to get you on the right track to streamlining the chaos that is your life:

1- Daily Goals: whether you go old school by using paper & pencil and/or digital, plan to win by planning ahead.
-Digital Calendars: Google calendar, Apple/iCalendar, Cozi, or Asana

-Paper Planners: The Living Well Planner, The Happy Planner

2-Meal Planning Goals: don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

-Freezer meals are the unsung heroes when it comes to saving your tummies and your wallets. They are cheap, efficient, and delicious if you cater to your own taste palette. Try: My Freeze Easy, Once a month Cooking, or Eat At Home

-If you’d rather have the convenience of an all-in-one meal plan and a choice of picking out your favorite dishes to cook your meals fresh from home, then try a meal delivery service like; (emeals, BlueApron, HelloFresh, Plated, SunBasket),

-For free and seasonal meal ideas use store websites to plan a week’s worth of meals based on what’s on sale for your local store during that week. Stores like Kroger, Aldi, Meijer, & Walmart posts meal suggestions with pictures, ingredients, types of cuisine, and types of diet such as Vegetarian or Gluten to help you cater to your own family’s needs.

-To save even more cash, be sure to use a combination of rebates Apps like Ibotta, BerryCart, & Checkout 51, and store coupons, digital coupons, as well as printable coupons, and manufacturer’s coupons during your grocery trip.

-Grocery pickup (Walmart, Kroger pickups) and delivery options (Instacart, Amazon Prime or Pantry), shop locally and digitally at the same time with (green bean delivery service)

3-Cleaning Goals: multi-task, divide & conquer, and let go of perfection.

–Baths: clean the walls of your tub or shower while you actually shower and you’ll kill 2 birds with 1 stone!

–Kitchen: ill your sink with hot soapy water before your meal so that you are ready to tackle your dirty dishes while the stains are fresh and loose making it easy to rinse or jet load them right into the dishwasher for a quick rinse.

–Toilets: spray after you go potty, put a multi-surface bleach cleaner under each sink so that you’ll always be ready to go (no pun intended)

–Delegate: divide and conquer, enlist your army of munchkins and colonel hubby to help out.

–Beat the Clock: set a 5 timer so that you can sneak in a quick work out when you try to beat the clock while you clean, finally check it off on your calendar/planner

4-Personal Finance Goals: Do you know how much you’re spending, down to the penny?

-Set a budget and do It often with free digital apps like mint, personal capital, digits, or you can use budget spreadsheets or even plain old paper & pencil as long as you are diligent about assigning a category for every dollar.

-Want the next coolest toy? Figure out what you can cut from your budget. Make a line item for your specific need/want. Assign a deadline & make it a savings goal. Think ahead and plan for a future use, trade a service or go halfsies, or flip and sell an unwanted item to get quick cash for your new toy.

5-Relationship Goals: “Life is short man! Make your moments count.” “Love like you’ve never been hurt before.” It doesn’t have to mean expensive gifts or exotic trips. Simply spending time together as a family and avoiding toxic people and/or situations. Go on a bike ride together. Roast marshmallows and make s’mores while stargazing. Play a game of Monopoly. Cook with your spouse and kids. They love to help, so let them, and show them how much you appreciate it when they do! (See #8!)

6-Fitness Goals: If you’re trying to shed some unwanted pounds, try the free version of the Lose It! App. It allows you to track your weight, track your meals by calorie intake, and your physical activity. Remember to drink lots and lots of water (think close to a gallon a day!), and replace your regular meals with veggies instead of meats. Weigh yourself each morning, and exercise at least 30 minutes daily, while listening to your favorite podcast or watching your favorite show with your family. Kids are a great motivator when you are trying to lose weight because they are full of energy and they just cannot get enough of your attention. ☺

7-Education Goals: Read something fun for at least 20 minutes, instead of watching TV. You’d be surprised at how much more productive you are as well as how much more you’ll learn in the process. We are using our kids’ favorite pastimes (such as their devices and video games) as a treat for the time they put into doing their homework because they seem to have a natural aversion to it. Just like we tend to have a natural aversion to exercise. 😉 I like the Little Things App, listening to kindle/audiobooks & podcasts, watching YouTube tutorials & webinars on Udemy, Khan Academy, while I am working out.

8-Whatever you do, do it together! Pick a fun project and do it together as a family. Then randomly choose someone who’d enjoy it and gift it away to them!

So go forth and win at life and then pay it forward!

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Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

March 1, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

How To Save Time & Money With Walmart Grocery Pickup

(Note: Although, I was not compensated nor was I sponsored by Walmart for this post during the time it was published, all opinions, recommendations, and reviews are 100% my own. If, however, I may be compensated or sponsored by them in the future, I will update this post accordingly to reflect it as such.)

Have you heard the news? Do you have a Walmart Curbside pickup location near you?

Omigoodness! Guess what we just got here in town- grocery curbside pickup from Walmart!

Unless you’re a “kool kid” who lives in a hip and trendy place like SoCal, grocery curbside pickup will make your heart skip a beat too, like mine just did! It’s the next best thing since sliced bread.

Do you have a local Walmart Curbside Grocery Pickup service in your area? Click here to check whether or not you do. If you do not have one yet, chances are it’s coming to an area near you soon.

Here’s how it works:

Location: Simply click on the link above & type in your zip code to see if this service is available in your area. If it is, select your store where you’d like to pick up your groceries

2. Select: Select your groceries from the list of drop-down categories or do a manual search for your favorite brand of products

3. Add: Then add any specific quantity of items to your cart

4. When: Select the date and time that you will be picking up your groceries (usually available within 24 hours of your order confirmation)

5. Pay: Click the check out button and choose your payment option(s)

6. Confirm: Walmart will email your receipt and order confirmation. They will also give you a reminder call 15-30 minutes of your selected pickup time.

7. Pickup: Finally, drive to your store of choice (based on the availability of service in your area) at your scheduled time of pickup. Follow the signs to the curbside pickup area. If you don’t see the concierge, call the number that is posted on the orange Curbside Pickup sign on the front or sides of the building. Then, simply wait for your Personal Walmart Shopper to bring you a swag bag full of freebies (see pic below) along with your groceries.

How awesome is that?! ☺

Imagine staying in your favorite comfy pajamas as you hop in the car and simply pick up your groceries!

Or how about skipping the whole makeup routine altogether?!

Think of how much time you could save?!

Personally, this saves me at least a good 20 minutes. Since I’m not prepping to go out in public, I don’t have to worry about my hair, face, or clothes. I just throw on a t-shirt and some jeans and then execute my “weekend mom routine.” I can easily, and more than willingly, set aside my “business mom routine” for a more important day.

Now that’s a score for us introverts! Don’t you think?

This brings me to the MAJOR benefit of using the Walmart Groceries Curbside Pickup service: no more interacting with that disgruntled employee whose ready to harp on the next live creature they see.

Another great benefit of using the Walmart Groceries Curbside Pickup service is that you are not constantly wasting your hard earned cash while cruising the grocery store with impulse buys.

10 for $10 specials anyone?

While a deal on a 10 pack of tuna might seem enticing to you, at first, unless you are looking for specific alternatives to eating meat, you may find those packets may expire faster than you can care to consume them. Thus wasting you more money.

Been there, done that, rotten food sucks… 🙁

Yes! Sign me up yesterday, why didn’t they think of this sooner?

Yes, please!

Check out my free swag bag of goodies below!

They definitely made me feel like a modern-day Queen of Sheba here.

For my first grocery curbside pickup order, a really sweet Walmart Personal Shopper lady gave me a free swag bag of full of goodies that included:

a bottle of Snapple Straight Up Tea,
a bag of Paqui Brand Tortilla Chips,
a sample packet of Suavitel Fabric Softener Beads,
a sample bar of Quaker Oats Cranberry Almond Breakfast Bar,
and a handful of mixed flavored Dum Dum lollipops for my kiddos

Here are some things to consider before your first Walmart Groceries Curbside Pickup:

You must have a minimum order of $30 to be able to pick up your groceries.

Pros:

-Unlike regular grocery stores, Walmart Groceries Pickup is open all the time because you place the order and decide when you want to pick it up.

-You can pick up your groceries on the same day if you place your online grocery order by 10 AM that day.

-You can use Walmart Groceries Curbside Pickup online & via mobile!

-You can use the coupon code below to save $10 on your first grocery purchase of $50 or more to save yourself some cash.

-You can use rebate apps like iBotta, Checkout 51, BerryCart, etc. to save even more money in your wallet.

-Your first three grocery shopping trips are free and then you will be charged $4.95 each time after that.

-If you happen to order an item that was out of stock, you can decide whether or not you want a comparable item by checking the “Allow Substitution” checkbox.

-Many times they will offer to swap out a bigger and better item for you, like 3 lb. bag of organic Fuji apples if they are out of the 1 lb. bag of regular fuji apples for the same price.

-Your Walmart Personal Shopper will hand pick your produce, deli, or meats to make sure they are as fresh as possible.

-You can also specify in the comment box what you are specifically looking for and they will honor your requests for free.

-Household items like toothpaste and detergents are included in this service.

-I can scroll through my cart and look to see exactly what’s inside without the distractions of people, orchids, rotisserie smells, and background noise. (Thus sparing me from the all-too-frequent impulse buys of Reese’s peanut butter cups and tropical flavored Skittles.)

-I can shop in peace, from the convenience of my laptop. Instead of worrying about my kids clearing out the entire ice cream aisle when I’m busy being distracted by said orchids from above ^.

-I can scroll through and look at my previous order history and see what I can add or subtract to my grocery budget for the week or month.

-I can also use the scroll feature to see all the necessary ingredients without making an extra shopping list or meal plan.

-Seeing it all digitally saves me time and money as well as paper.

-What do you know, my pros list is longer than my cons list!

Cons:

-Although they do accept manufacturer coupons inside their stores, one of my biggest gripes is that Walmart Curbside Pickup does not accept coupons.

-You can only use their Walmart Curbside Pickup coupon code once and it is only reserved for 1st-time customers.

-You cannot combine your 1-time coupon code with any other offers.

-Variety of food items are limited especially specialty international cuisines.

-While you can go inside and grab a package of California rolls or tempura from the refrigerated section of the store, you cannot order these via Walmart Curbside Pickup.

-Also, depending on your location and season, we have found that on several occasions, advertised items like mini bananas were not available when we came to pick up our groceries. So either, this needs to be updated or it was erroneously advertised. We may have been a little bit disappointed by this but not enough to stop us from automating our grocery errands with Walmart Curbside Pickup service.

Score!! Woohoo!

Dare I say, “fancy schmancy?!”

Thank you, Walmart! You’ve really made my day that much sweeter.☺

As if that wasn’t enough to entice you, Walmart is now offering a limited time discount code for first-time customers to simply try out their free grocery curbside pickup service!

You will receive $10 off a minimum purchase of $50 and free grocery curbside pickup order with the link below:

https://refer.walmart.com/welcome.html

Try them out for yourself and let me know if it has changed the way you grocery shop too. ☺

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Contact:

Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

February 22, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

How To Save Time & Money With Kroger ClickList

(Note: Although, I was not compensated nor was I sponsored by Kroger for this post during the time it was published, all opinions, recommendations, and reviews are 100% my own. If, however, I may be compensated or sponsored by them in the future, I will update this post accordingly to reflect it as such.)

Have you heard of the new grocery pick up service trend lately? Seems like everyone is hopping on that bandwagon too, and for good reasons.

If you haven’t, you are surely missing out.

But that’s ok because I will let you in on the secret.

If you have, it is awesome and man does it make life a whole lot easier. Why?

Because you order your groceries, online! Yup! That’s right, online! (cue the singing angels)

Then you drive to the store and pick up your groceries.

Umm, so that means, in your pj’s, face naked as the day you were born and not one stitch of makeup to save your life, hair like an endangered bird’s habitat, all the while knowing that you are being quietly judged by the wait staff.

Yes please, I’ll take that.

What in the world?! How awesome is that?!

They even have people who select your groceries fresh to the pique of perfection for you on the day of your pick up!

Say you want slightly green but kinda yellowish bananas that are firm to the touch but still soft and sweet when you first bite into it?

Done! Just like that.

Man, that is some serious luxury!

If this is your first time using Kroger’s Click List grocery pick up service, here are a few things you need to know to make this whole experience even easier.

First:

Go to www.kroger.com (on your phone or computer, not available in the app yet)
Click on Digital Coupons, on the top menu bar or the left sidebar under the Savings tab
Scroll through to browse the coupons that are available
Click Load to Card to select the coupons you want to use

Second:

Go to the left sidebar and click on the Click List
Use the search icon (magnifying glass) to search for items that you want -or-
Do a manual search on the left sidebar under each of the store’s categories
Select the quantity you want
Add it to your cart

Third:

Click on your shopping cart to edit items or to check out
Choose your pickup location by typing in your zip code
Choose the date and time you’d be available to pick up your groceries

Fourth:

Bring your Driver’s License or valid form of identification
Bring your credit or debit card with you
Remember to bring any additional paper manufacturer’s and store coupons you’ve clipped by hand to deduct from your total bill
You can also clip them digitally under the Savings tab, this makes it quick & effortless to save money
Follow the Click List signs in the parking lot
Once there, call the phone # on the parking sign in to let them know you’re here and in which parking spot #.
Lastly, save your receipts and upload a pic of it via your smartphone to rebate apps such as: ibotta, check51 amongst many other rebate apps to save even more cash!

Here are just a few of the pros and the cons that I have discovered from my recent experience(s):

Pros:

Update as of 6/17/2018: You can now use the Kroger app just like you would on a desktop or any other device, including clipping digital coupons and placing online orders!
Convenience! Their hours of operation are from 7am-9pm, 7 days a week!
They also have same-day 2-hour pick-up now, based on first come first serve online reservations! ☺
Your favorite items are saved from your previous grocery shopping trips, so you can buy repeat items if you need to do so.
The Sales Items of the Week category shows you which of your favorites are on sale that week highlighted in yellow.
You can combine your favorite sale items with the store digital coupons in the green font below each item to save even more.
You have the power to control what you want to buy before you pay because you can see your cart total adding up to the right of your screen (that means no more sticker shock when you get to the cashier!)
Because they will not care what you look like, just roll outta bed and go.
You don’t have to get out of your car, sans makeup ok! 🙂
You will save time and won’t waste a whole day walking around aimlessly through the store.
You will save more money with their store and manufacturer’s coupons and see your cart before you pay.
There are more than 40,000 variety of items to choose from while you shop.
If your item is out of stock, Kroger will ask if you would like to allow a substitution and give you a comparable item in a bigger size for the same price of the original item that you’ve ordered at no additional cost.
Your first 3 orders are free and then you will be charged $4.95 per order thereafter. But I have found that by using a combination of digital and printed store and manufacturer’s coupons, I am saving an average of $25 from using the coupons before I even combine it with the sales. Therefore, the $4.95 means diddly squat to me since I am saving much more than that anyway.
If you ordered your groceries to be picked up the next day then you can make changes to your online order by midnight, the day before your scheduled pickup.

Cons:

Out of stock items, generally, most cashiers will replace your item with a similar brand item that’s bigger and better quality item for the same price.
Cannot place a ClickList order on Kroger app yet, it’s desktop only, for now.
Cannot order prescriptions thru ClickList, at this time.
You cannot make any changes to your online order on any Same-Day pickup orders.
There is a $4.95 service charge for additional orders after your 3rd free order
When it comes to cashiers, most are really nice and are genuinely great people. But be mindful that there is occasionally a bad apple here and there. Just remember to smile and be as polite as possible and rest assured that there is a survey on your receipt to fill out and give feedback (keep it civil and constructive) about your experience. They really do listen! 😉

Some more things to consider:

You will need to have a major debit or credit card ready to be able to place your order online since no other forms of payment are accepted at this time.
You will be given an estimate of your costs, before coupons.
Your cashier person will adjust the final total when you arrive for your order pick-up.
Even with a few cons, I have found that it is definitely worth the time and effort to at least try it out.
After my first few times using Kroger’s ClickList, I received a free bag of their store brand Candy Corn, package of Chips Ahoy Cookies, as well as a Meal Planning Kit, just for being a repeat customer.
It was a cute little appreciation gift they gave me for trying out their service and for being a loyal customer.
They got an A for effort, right there. 😉
I have been hooked ever since.

Click here to find out more about Kroger Click List.

Do you have any curbside grocery pickups in your area? If so, leave a comment and let me know what you think of it.

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

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Contact:

Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by! ☺

February 14, 2018February 28, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

To The Blond Haired Blue Eyed Yeti Who Stole My Heart

This post is dedicated to The Blond Haired Blue Eyed Yeti Who Stole My Heart,

aka My Dear Hubby.

This is my declaration to the world that my heart is heavy and full.

Not just today, but for the rest of our days together.

I am so lucky that you chose me to be your partner in life.

To the naked eye, we may be as different as night and day.

But look a little closer and you will see that we complement each other in every way:

You are the frosting on my cake,

the Jekyll to my Hyde,

the bacon to my eggs,

the peanut butter to my jelly,

the mac to my cheese,

the fire to my ice,

the Love of my life.

Thank you for your daily encouragement and support. You are my first and only super fan, the one I care about the most in this world.

You have always believed in me even when I don’t even believe in myself.

I am so grateful for the life we have built together. I am so blessed and honored to be a mom to our two tiny humans.

But most of importantly, I am grateful for your love and devotion because you have never once doubted me. You never get tired of reminding me every day that I am enough.

There is no me without you.

Insatiably yours for now & always,

Your Chubby Ninja 😉

via GIPHY

February 8, 2018June 22, 2018 - Diana Leave a comment

6 Things You Must Do To Finally Eliminate Chaos & Embrace Order This Year

Sigh, another year has gone and passed. As 2017 comes to a close, let us usher in 2018 with renewed hope and energy. And let’s direct that renewed hope and energy inwards starting with us and our homestead.

If there was anything I have learned from the previous years, it was always a lingering regret of mine that I could have been a little bit more organized and a lot more intentional about my plans so that I could have reached my goals. Every year, like clockwork, I have this little pep in me to start the new year off on the right foot with a clean slate and pour my thoughts out onto paper, all the things that I want to do during that particular year. That’s all it ever was, just arbitrary things like painting the house or start a veggie garden or to simply just, put things into my phone’s calendar.

What actually ends up happening instead is me uttering for the hundredth time,

“Where in the world did I put my phone?”

“Has anyone seen it?”

“Are you kidding me? How in the world did it end up in the fridge?!”

This year is the year that I will get my life back in order once and for all! Since I’ve discovered that I also like to moonlight as a detective (I leave myself post-it notes all over the house), I have found myself less likely to stray from my own worse enemy, short-term memory.

Here’s my 6 point checklist for how to combat my short-term memory loss and get us all back on track this year by slaying goals like fruit ninja:

1. Plan It: For starters, I’ve been using a planner off and on during 2016 and 2017. I have noticed that when I actually take the extra 5 seconds to write things down in my planner, I tend to stick to it and things magically get done. Most people use either write out their plans using pen and paper planner or a type it digitally, directly into their phones or sync it up to their Google calendars to keep their lives in order. Me? I like both. In case, 1 dies unexpectedly, I’ve got a backup plan somewhere. I prefer to write it down, but I can’t stand the clutter that I create in the process, so I copy it digitally too.

2. Divide & Conquer: If you’re married with kids, consider yourself lucky because you have a second battalion that you can enlist to fight your war against clutter. It’s pretty obvious that your family was the culprit behind your war on clutter, to begin with, so it’s only fair that you enlist them anyway. Make it a game and treat them to dinner or a treat at their favorite restaurant when they are finished helping the family stay clean and germ-free. Just like the FlyLady does, remind them that “many hands make less work and more time for play.”

This is a screenshot of my Iphone’s timer. However, I prefer the timer on my kitchen stove.

3. Set a Timer: If you must use your phone timer, great! That will work just fine! However, I prefer my kitchen timer because it is located in the central hub of our house and because no one knows exactly where my phone is at this very moment. This goes hand in hand with writing out your plan, see above in step #1. If you’re anything like me, you get sidetracked so easily that before you know it, the day is over and you feel as though you’ve accomplished nothing. Setting a timer will give you the motivation you need to stop dilly-dallying around and finally be able to knock out that task. You’ll be able to get more done in less time. It holds you and your kids accountable so they won’t see you as the bad guy when you try to enforce homework time. Remind them that we work now so that we can enjoy playing later.

Our weekly meal plan is nothing fancy. It’s a $3 dry erase board from Target that my daughter picked out. But don’t let the small price tag fool you. It’s nothing to shake a stick at because though it may be cheap, it makes up for it’s size and price by keeping us all within our food budget!

4. Meal Plan: If I have not said this before I will reiterate it again, I hate cooking, I only cook to survive. It’s true, my family will tell you a different story but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. That is why I meal plan so that I can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying my family all while saving our hard-earned money. Thanks to MoneySavingMom.com, 5dollardinners.com, and PassionatePennyPincher.com, I have discovered that meal planning is a viable way to pinch our pennies so that we can pay down our debts. Not only is it much friendlier on our wallets, it is proving to be kind to our waistlines as well.

5. Switch-It-Up: Make a list, lots of them, in fact. Make them pretty, hang them up for your family to see, including yourself and your entire family in your tasks and goals. Then, everyone can either pick and choose their task or have mom & dad randomly assign them. This holds everyone accountable and we can all encourage one another so that Mom doesn’t always have to be the bad guy for yelling at her kids 20 times for them to put away their toys. We have found that it is a lot more fun to get each other on-board as a family to complete a task together so that we can all reach an end goal, such as (drum roll) family game night!

6. Do Your Part: Do your part and go the extra mile. Not only does it spread goodwill within your family and friends, but it also instills a sense of responsibility in your kids when they see you overcome your own struggles and worked hard to complete a tough task. Along with that same thought, my daughter opened and ate a fortune cookie this week that read: “No one has ever died from sweating too much.” Now that’s what I call a smart cookie! 😉

How do you conquer the chaos in your life? Share your thoughts below.

Disclosure:

Disclaimer:

Contact:

Please contact me directly via email: admin@fulloffortunes.com, if you have any questions and/or comments. Thanks for stopping by!

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To The Blond Haired Blue Eyed Yeti Who Stole My Heart

6 Things You Must Do To Finally Eliminate Chaos & Embrace Order This Year