5 SIMPLE TIPS FOR KEEPING A TIDY HOME

Growing up, us sisters had the mom that was constantly cleaning. I have friends that remember that my mom was vacuuming the first time they came over and met her. Coincidence? Maybe, but probably not since I know they had seen her clean many times after that. 

Chores we always had to have done: beds had to be made first thing in the morning, dishes couldn't sit in the sink, and rooms had to be clean (our mom haaated closed doors and she, of course, didn't want to have open doors into messy rooms). Obviously as a kid, I didn't love to do any of it. Now that I'm older and have a house of my own, I love these simple habits that help me keep my house in order. 

Here are some of those tips, plus a couple more, that could help you gain these habits and keep a tidy house yourself!

1. Make your bed!

Making your bed first thing in the morning sets the tone for the day. You start off the day on a successful vibe!

2. Always do your dishes!

Never let the sink fill up with dishes. I love doing dishes as I'm cooking/baking. If you do them as you go, you'll have less dishes at the end and it won't seem as daunting. 

3. Have a place for everything!

Having a place for everything ensures that you don't have a pile of random things throughout your house. No more stacks of paper on the counter, jackets and shoes laying around, or purses and backpacks hanging over the chairs. 

4. Spot clean!

If you see it, do it. See fingerprints on your window? Take 30 seconds to clean them. Are the countertops dirty? Wipe them down real quick. Is the mirror spotted? Have some windex and paper towels close by for quick and easy cleaning. It'll take you one minute here and there to clean or hours all at once. 

5. Simplify!

Simplify decor and get rid of clutter. Less stuff is less to clean!

Thanksgiving Freebies!

Happy Thanksgiving week!! 

I don't know about you, but this is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I love being surrounded by loved ones and of course, eating yummy food. My husband and I bought our first house and moved in a couple of months ago and this year we are hosting our very first Thanksgiving! We are so excited to be able to be the host for a change. 

I created some food labels and a quote to frame for decoration for the dinner. I wanted to share it with you all in case you were looking for some as well! All you need to do is right click the image and save, then you can print it. The quote is sized at 8.5x11 and the food labels will be 3.5x2.5 when they are folded in half.

I hope you have the best Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and love! And remember, there is always something to be thankful for.

Much love,

Sharee

Tasty Tuesday-Party Cheeseball

This recipe is normally a hit with the adults at a party or gathering (and my 3 year old!) It's super easy to put together and always delicious! 

Ingredients:
2 packages of 8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 small packages of sliced deli meat chopped up in little squares (if you want to layer the outside with the meat then grab an extra one)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
green onions, half a bunch or so chopped
garlic salt, to taste
onion salt, to taste
pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcerstershire sauce

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, saving one package if you decide to cover the outside. Mix well. Form into a ball and the cover the outside with squares of meat, if desired. 
Serve with your favorite crackers.

Make it Monday-Goal Planning!

I'm starting this year off on the right foot. I've got a few resolutions in mind that I want to stick to this year! I love having a visual to remind myself throughout the year. This printable I created will allow me to make my goals, write them down, hang them up somewhere and be reminded of them throughout the year. I'm totally a list person. When I see things that need to be done, I love the feeling of completing them! Hopefully you can find some use from this printable too!

FRIDAY FREEBIE!

It's almost the 4th of July! Don't pass up on this cute, FREE printable!

Just right click, save, print, and decorate! :)

Make it Monday-Mason Jar Salads

I've been really trying to eat better lately and have found my key to success-at least for me. Lunch is ALWAYS my downfall. I can make a healthy breakfast and dinner as well as eat healthy snacks, but lunch is where I lose my progress. I don't ever have any ideas that just come to me... and I get sick of the same old sandwiches. What I've been doing lately is creating mason jar salads. I make about 2-3 different types each week. I've been sharing with my mom (we take turns making them) and it's helped SO much!

For make it Monday I thought I'd share my 2 I did this week:

BBQ Chicken and Taco Salad

For the BBQ chicken here's what I did (bottom to top):

BBQ Ranch Dressing-mixed equal parts of BBQ sauce and ranch together
Crockpot Chicken- chicken breast, BBQ sauce, crushed pineapple and red pepper flakes
Diced Tomatoes
Corn
Black Beans
Red Onion
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Romaine Lettuce
French's Fried Onions


For the Taco Salad here's my order:

Homemade Cilantro Lime Dressing (I use Favorite Family Recipes HERE)
Crockpot Chicken-chicken breast, Italian dressing, cumin, ranch, chili powder and garlic
Corn
Black Beans
Homemade Pico
Mexican Blend Cheese
Romaine Lettuce
Tortilla Strips


All you need to do is dump all the ingredients into a bowl and toss the salad! So yummy and helps me stay on track.

Cute Pregnancy Announcements

I love Whatever Wednesdays because we haven't limited ourselves to anything! Today I shared my pregnancy announcement on social media and thought it would be fun to show case some cute pregnancy announcement ideas!

These are my 2 of my announcements I've done in the past:

and just some other fun ideas:

this one's a freebie! Go ahead just save this one and print when you need it!

You can find many of these on our shops at:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/StephAnnDesigns

and

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ReeLambCreations

Baked Chimichangas

For Tasty Tuesday, I've got another simple + yummy recipe for you!

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 can refried beans
about 6 oz Mexican cooking sauce (we use half of a 12 oz Herdez Traditional Chipotle)
shredded cheese (whichever kind you prefer)
8 burrito size tortillas

Directions
1. Brown the ground beef.
2. Add the refried beans and mix well.
3. Add the Mexican cooking sauce.
4. Heat until warm.
5. Add a large spoonful onto a tortilla, top with cheese, roll like a burrito and place into 9x13 pan. Repeat until all 8 are done.
6. Brush the tops with melted butter and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until browned.

DIY Mason Jar Home Decor

It's...... MAKE IT MONDAY!

Today I am sharing some mason jars that I actually made for my wedding, but they turned into home décor after the wedding day. :)

This is literally the easiest DIY home décor project that even the least skilled crafter can do.

SUPPLIES:
mason jars
chalk paint
foam paint brushes
sand paper
twine
fake flowers

STEP 1:
Go to the store to get all your supplies! This can be a one stop shop at somewhere like Michaels (my favorite), Hobby Lobby, or Joann's.

STEP 2:
Paint, paint, and paint again! You're going to need probably at least 3 coats of paint for the mason jars to get a solid look. You can do less, but it will be a lighter color and it's more likely to show the brush strokes.

*the trick is to make sure the paint is completely dry before adding another coat of paint. Otherwise, the paint gets smudgy.

STEP 3:
As soon as the last coat of paint is completely dry, next is the fun part! Take your sand paper and distress the paint a little bit to get more of a "shabby chic" look.

STEP 4:
Add twine (I doubled up on the strands to get a fuller look).

STEP 5:
Add flowers and you've got yourself the cutest and easiest pieces to add to your home décor!

The Best Green Smoothie

It's Favorite Friday! And I decided I should share my favorite green smoothie recipe!

I love a good green smoothie! I used to have them every morning for breakfast, so I have tried lots of different combinations. I love the variety of flavors you can come up with. And as someone who is not a veggie fan, I love getting a veggie serving in first thing in the morning! Starts my day off to a great start and sets the tone for the rest of my meals.

Ingredients

coconut milk or 100% orange juice (about one cup)

two handfuls of spinach

one banana

one orange

4-5 strawberries

ice

Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

**TIP: freeze all of your ingredients and you won't even need ice!

What's your favorite green smoothie combo?!

Homemade Oreos

Hooray for Thursday Treats! 

There's not much that's better than Oreos, am I right?? They are definitely one of my favorite treats. But they're even better homemade! If you haven't tried them or are looking for the BEST recipe for them, look no further!

My mouth is watering just looking at those Oreos!

Ingredients

Cookies

2 boxes of Devil's Food Cake Mix

3/4 cup olive oil

4 eggs

Frosting

1/2 cup softened butter

8 oz. softened cream cheese

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

a pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all of the cookie ingredients until mixed well.

3. Roll dough into a ball (or use a small cookie dough scoop) and place onto a sprayed baking sheet.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

5. While cookies are baking, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese.

6. Add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

7. Mix in vanilla and salt.

8. When cookies are cooled, sandwich frosting between two cookies and place in an airtight container to lock in freshness!

The Easiest French Dip

IT'S TASTY TUESDAY!

If you're a sucker for super simple, yet delicious recipes on weekdays (or always!), you'll want to make this recipe part of your dinner rotation! It takes only four ingredients and is ready within minutes!

Ingredients

hoagie sandwich rolls

roast beef lunch meat (we use about 3 slices per sandwich)

swiss cheese

au jus dry packet mix

mayo, optional

Directions

1. Start with making the au jus, following the directions on the package.

2. Place the roast beef and cheese on the hoagie.

3. Put the sandwiches on a baking sheet, keeping the hoagie open-faced, and broil on high until cheese is melted and bread is toasted. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

4. If desired, spread mayo on one side of the hoagie. 

5. ENJOY!

**a secret tip that our family does is bake up some homemade fries to go with it. And we put the fries ON the sandwiches. Sooooo yummy!

If you want to try it out, here is how we make our fries:

Ingredients

russet potatoes, however many you'd like

olive oil

garlic powder

onion powder

french fry seasoning

Directions

1. Peel and slice potatoes into strips/wedges, however you like them.

2. Place the potatoes on a sprayed baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil and add seasonings.

3. Bake at 450 for about 30 minutes or until they are browned and cooked through, stirring and flipping them up occasionally.

4. Enjoy them as a side or put them on your sandwich for a whole new world of flavor!

Make it Monday-Valentine Craft

We're getting ready to have a Valentine's party at our house with 15 preschoolers running around! My kids are super excited. I thought we better be prepared with some games and crafts to do. We plan to make these little valentine holders to use for our valentine exchange! Super easy and cute! I love Pinterest!

What You Need:

Brown paper bag

Various colored papers

Scissors

Stapler

Glue Stick

Marker

What To Do:

1. Cut out a large heart shape. Ours is about 5 inches big

2. Cut out strips of paper for 2 arms and 2 legs and 1 handle

3. Draw eyes and mouth on the heart.

4. Staple the handle by using a strip of paper on the front and the back of the bag.

5. Fold the other strips back and forth to give it a crinkle. Unfold and glue to the heart.

6. Glue the heart onto the paper bag.

You're done!

Favorite Friday-5 Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Add to your Rotation

I hate waking up and having to decide what I should eat for breakfast. Until I had some go-to healthy recipes, it was always a struggle. For our "Favorite Friday" I thought I'd share my 5 favorites breakfasts. Bonus=they're mostly quick and easy!

1. Granola, Greek Yogurt and Berries

Simple and easy! Just get your favorite granola and mix with your favorite berries-fresh and frozen. Add some greek yogurt and you're good! Sometimes I like to add honey as well.

2. Ham and Egg Muffin

I like this when I'm craving something savory. Just toast a whole wheat English muffin, fry an egg, add your favorite cheese (my fave is swiss) and ham and you're good to go!

3. Breakfast Skillet-Full Recipe found HERE

This is something I make every couple of weeks. I like to double the recipe and store some in the freezer so I can just pull it out when I'm in a rush. It takes a little time to prepare the initial time, but it's delicious and hearty!

4. Peanut Butter Toast

This is probably what I eat most. I use Dave's Killer Bread for the toast. I add sliced bananas, a drizzle of honey and some cinnamon. I like to eat the berries with it too.

5. Breakfast Burritos

These are so versatile cause you can just use what you have on hand. I typically use a whole grain tortilla. I add scrambled eggs, sweet potato hash (just shredded sweet potato cooked with coconut oil), salsa and I'll sometimes add some chicken sausage or bacon! Top with cheese and it's complete.

I hope you try some and have some new go to favorites!

Thursday Treat-Chocolate Covered Fruit

A yummy treat on the healthier side, just in time for Valentine's Day! It's super simple and can be used with any fruit or toppings!

Ingredients:
12 strawberries
1 apple
2 cutie oranges
nuts, chopped (I used cashews)
unsweetened coconut
coarse salt
dark chocolate baking chips

Directions:
1. Wash fruit.
2. Cut apples and peel oranges.
3. Melt the chocolate until melted, stirring occasionally
4. Dip the fruit in chocolate then sprinkle or dip into toppings desired
5. Put the chocolate dipped fruit on foil or parchment paper on top of a pan.
6. Let the chocolate set by putting it in the freezer for 10-15 mins.
7.  Store in the fridge until ready for use.

Whatever Wednesday-Free Valentine Banner

With Valentine's Day around the corner here's a free printable to add a quick touch of love to your home! 2 designs to choose from. Which is your personal favorite?

Just right click each image to save. If printing at home, just use your printer's "best" setting to get the best effect and choose a nice card stock to be able to use year after year!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Tasty Tuesday-Pico de Gallo Recipe

Everyone needs a good Pico de Gallo recipe! I use this for so many different things; tacos, dip, fajitas, etc. My favorite is for homemade Café Rio salads! Here's a recipe that you can make quick and easy.

Ingredients:
6-8 roma tomatoes, chopped and salted
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped OR use a can of diced green chilis
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
Juice from 1-2 limes
Optional: 1 tsp green tabasco sauce

Directions:
Mix together and enjoy!

Make it Monday-Collage Wall!

We are so excited to announce... we'll be having theme days and posting something different every week day!! We will take turns on posting, so you're sure to get some variety! For Mondays, we will be showing you how to make something-or give a simple tutorial on something we've made! First up is my gallery wall! Of course I found something on Pinterest that inspired me, but I made it my own and wanted to share with all of you!

I love how simple, yet elegant it is. It fills up a whole wall and I get to cherish some of my most favorite memories!

Tutorial:

1.Measure your wall to figure out what size/how many frames you'll need. I had a fairly large wall and liked the look of a square frame so I purchased 12x12 frames. I also kept the matting in to give it more of a classic look.

2. Print your pictures. This might be the hardest part! I decided to use some of our most memorable moments together as a family. Some of them include, wedding, births, vacations, and of course my favorite pictures of my kids! Some fun ideas might be landscapes of places you've been, a picture of your children from each year, classic black and white photos from one photo shoot.

3. Frame your pictures

4. Measure out your wall. Decide how much space you want in between each of your frames and divide accordingly.

5. Hang your frames. You can either use nails or command strips. Most of the people in my area use command strips to hang their pictures, but we are a nail family. haha! I think my husband gets satisfaction from hammering the nails in or something!

6. Enjoy your pictures! I pass by mine every day and love looking at them!

Apple Sausage Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet

I've stumbled upon many skillet recipes lately and have loved them! One of my favorites is the recipe found HERE from Well Plated. It's delicious and hearty! I've adapted it for me a little bit and turned it into a breakfast skillet! Using Aidells' Chicken Apple Sausage and a few other ways to make it quicker, this recipe may be one of your new faves!

Erin's original recipe calls for Bacon and you can easily add this to it. Just cook it before the first step.

I love it because there's always so many leftovers and I can reheat it for a quick breakfast for the next few days. I can also freeze some portions and it still reheats well!

Apple Sausage Sweet Potato Breakfast Skillet

Ingredients:

3 links of Aidells Chicken Apple Sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

2 cups Brussel sprouts, timed and halved

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

2 red apples, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, until hot. Add the sausage until hot-I like mine with a little char on it.

2. When cooked, take out of pan and set aside.

3.Add a little more olive oil to the pan and heat up. Add the sweet potato, Brussel sprouts, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cook on medium, occasionally stirring until the potatoes are tender.

4. Add the apples and sausage and cook for another few minutes.

5. Mix in the cinnamon and thyme.

6. Add the water bring to a boil. Cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Menu Planner and Shopping List

If you're anything like me I need a plan in order to meet any goals! Eating healthy is one of my goals. I can succeed if I plan out every little detail of my meals. Here, you'll find a simple printable that lets you plan out your meals and have some snack ideas on hand! Just print and use. Also, while you're meal planning you can create a shopping list at the same time! It saves me time and money! I hope you enjoy them!

Make a list of snack ideas to grab when you have those cravings!

You can use the different "groups" to categorize produce, dairy, pantry, meat, etc. to help make your shopping trip easier!