Happy CAMper Birthday Party!

MY baby. My BABY. My itty, bitty, teeny, tiny baby turned 1 yesterday. Yep. 1 Whole Year Old. I'll save the tears for my pillow, and instead share with you the celebration part. The part that helped this entertaining loving momma look past the fact that we were entertaining because my baby is now a toddler.

Months ago, I was trying to come up with a theme of sorts. I thought the whole "Winter ONEderland" thing was adorable, but probably better suited for a girl. Back to the drawing board, and it dawned on me. Let's have a CAMping party. And it began. I am certainly not the first one to have a camping themed party, because as soon as I started searching I was bombarded with tons of cute ideas. I do believe, as far as the Internet goes, that I was the first person to have a CAMping party though, and that is where my creative intellectual property ends :)

I will warn you. It's time for photo overload. I am going to keep the dialogue to a minimum or this will, seriously, be the longest post in Blogger history.  Please feel free to ask any detail questions in the comments or the FB page!  :)

The Menu

• CAMping Chili
• CAMping Corn Chowder
• Baked Potatoes
• Potato Bar
• Fresh Cut Vegetables & Dip
• Dirt Pudding Cups
• Dirt Cupcakes
• S'Mores Bars
• Ants on a Log
• Bug Juice (Punch)
• Canteen Water (Punch)
• Bottled Water
• Assorted Beer
• Coffee

Weekend Prior: All decor and favors were completed

Thursday Prior: Cupcakes were baked

Friday: Chili and Chowder were made and refrigerated.  Dirt cups made and refrigerated.  S'mores Bars made and refrigerated.  Set up was started.

Day of: Cupcakes frosted, punch made, ants on a log made, all food was set up.

 

Kids received a "hiking bandana" with candy, homemade hot chocolate packets & Play-Doh

Adults received a take out box with homemade hot chocolate packets and homemade trail mix

I couldn't have been happier with how it all turned out.  We had about 50 guests, and just to tell you how big our families are, that accounted for no friends...at least that aren't family. :)  We are so fortunate to have had so many people come and celebrate with Cam!

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!!!

On the 9th Day of Christmas....

the Happy House gives to you...A Christmas Eve Dinner Menu :)

We are hosting Christmas Eve for the first time for Carl's side of the family. It will be a quaint, festive evening and I can't wait!

Getting Started:
Bake Brie & Crackers
Wine
Ice Water

Main Event:
Roasted Prime Rib
Smashed Creamy Red Skin Potatoes
Swiss Vegetable Medley
Yeast Rolls & Butter

Sweet Treats:
Holiday Pies
Chewy Lemon Cookies
Coffee
Hot Tea
Eggnog

I'm thinking I want one more appetizer that's cold so it can be ready right away. We are going to Christmas Eve Mass, so timing will be crucial! Now that the menu is set, I can breathe a little easier. But next big step is setting the table! So far the only elements I know I want are some fresh florals, an ornament feature on the chandelier like I did last year, and definitely candles! I'll be working on that tomorrow, but here is some eye candy I'll be using for inspiration :)

Have you created a Pinterest board with some stunning Christmas decor? Please do share it with me!!

Monday Morning Weekend Round Up

Yeah, this weekend didn't go quite how I planned it, but at least with all my green and red I look festive.

{friday}

• Make a full Turkey Dinner- you can check out the details here.
  
• Finish, fold, and put away 3 loads of laundry
• Clean up the Christmas Tree boxes and packaging
• Decorate the family room- I need a few key pieces before I can actually finish it
  

{saturday}

• Meal Plan
• Grocery Shop
• Take our Christmas Card photo
• Make dinner for our photographers :)- Sort of, we had lunch instead
• At home movie date night
  

{sunday}

• Take Gibson to see Santa Claws
• clean the laundry room
• file my "to file" papers
• Grocery shopped
• Finished the second tree

Meal Plan:

Sunday: Mostaccioli & Salad
Monday: Out for Sushi :)
Tuesday: Sweet & Sour Chicken with Stir Fry Vegetables over Rice
Wednesday: Pierogis and Salads
Thursday: Corn Chowder and Salads
Friday: Chicken Piccata
Saturday: Broccoli Cheddar Chowder

Don't forget to share your Monday Morning Round Up below!

My Happy House is #2 on Home Design! Help us get to #1!!!

Friday Friendsgiving

As we were eating our 3rd, and what should have been our final, Thanksgiving dinner up at the cabin, I told Carl I needed more. Just one more turkey dinner, with all the fixings, and I'd be set. I decided to buy a turkey when we got home, invite a couple of friends over and enjoy Thanksgiving one more time!

I wasn't going to do anything with the table, but at the last minute just dressed it up a bit to welcome in the Christmas season. I just used things I had from last year and regular season items as well. Just goes to show you can entertain any time for any reason. It was a mix of fancy and casual and completely delicious!

The menu was seriously traditional:

• Roast Turkey and Drippings Gravy
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Homemade Sweet & Savory Stuffing
• Green Bean Casserole
• Cranberry Sauce
• Wine
• Ice Water

My day went a little something like this:

2:30p start the stuffing and prep the turkey
3p: Start the turkey (8.5lb turkey to be done about 6:30p in time to rest and carve)
5p: peel and cut potatoes, put in water to keep from browning
5:30p put together green bean casserole
6p: set the table, wine in the decanter, ice water in the carafe
6:30p boil and mash potatoes, take turkey out and cover with aluminum foil, put casserole and stuffing in the oven
7p: light candles, guests arrive, carve turkey, get everything on the table


If you are hosting this year, here is my quick guideline for entertaining.

1-2 weeks out: Choose the Menu
2-3 days before: Grocery Shop
1-2 days before: Prep your table to be sure you aren't missing anything
1 day before: Do as much cleaning as possible
Day of: Start cooking early, be sure to leave time to get ready and enjoy!

Entertaining: Game Night Style

One of Carl's oldest friends said we needed a game night. Challenge accepted. I'll jump at any opportunity to host, especially with this group of friends. It's always a good time.

Menu

Appetizers:
Vegetable Plate with Dip
Cheese, Grape and Cracker Plate

Dinner:
Classic Beef Chili
Baked Potatoes with Loaded Bar

Dessert:
Apple & Cherry Hand Pies

Beverages:
Assortment of Holiday Beer
Hot Cider with Spiced Rum
Ice Water

Overall Plan

Friday

• Come up with a menu and cleaning plan
• Grocery shop

Saturday:

• Clean
• Prep, bake, cook all food

We kept this really simple. It was a game night, so obviously not formal. The focus was more on keeping the evening comfortable and low key. Which also meant my tasks were minimal since there was no table to make beautiful. But no worries, I still had lots of food spots to prep :)

The rest of the details are accompanied by photos, because I know that's what you actually are here for anyway, right?

Here is my to do list on the dry erase board of our Daily System. I just wrote down what I needed to do on Saturday so I wouldn't forget anything. It's also helpful for Carl to know what I need to get done in case he has spare time and can help.



This isn't the first time you've seen these appetizers. They are my go tos. They are diverse enough to make everyone happy and are always gone at the end of the night. Plus they are simple. No reason to not stick with what I know. But I have some entertaining coming up where I'll, hopefully, kick things up a notch, I'm excited for that!

Cheese, Crack and Grape Plate:


Assorted Vegetables & Dip with my Appetizer Plates in the background:

Assorted Beer which is Carl's job

Spiced Cider (with the option of Spiced Rum)- I simply added some cinnamon sticks to a slow cooker with apple cider. Gives it an extra kick and the hot cider really was a hit!

Baked potatoes were wrapped in aluminum foil, and cooked in the roaster at 400 degrees for 90 minutes. It kept them warm through the night as well. The chili cooked in the slow cooker. Both these details helped me get prepared throughout the day rather than a mad dash right before the guests arrived.


Baked Potato Add Ons- Chopped Green Onions, Chopped Bacon, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, and pre-sliced Butter separated with Parchment Paper.

Cherry & Apple Hand Pies. The "recipe" will be up on My Happy Meals shortly.

All in all, simple, tasty, fun and relaxing. We ate and then played games until well into the morning, especially since we gained an hour that evening. I'm not sure why we don't do this more often! Have I inspired you? Are you ready to entertain? Are you..."game"? ;)

Prepping for Easter Weekend

This weekend will be a busy one. I love Easter though, so I'm OK with it. Saturday we are having an Easter Egg Hunt at Carl's Aunt's house. I offered to coordinate the menu which includes bringing a few things.

Easter Egg Hung Menu:

• Cherry Chicken Salad on Croissants
• Egg Salad
• Deviled Eggs
• Vegetable Tray
• Fruit Tray
• Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
• Cupcakes

I'm only on the hook for the Cherry Chicken Salad, Croissants and Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, but Sunday gets a touch more complicated. We are having a very similar menu, but I'm in charge of more.

Sunday Brunch:
Cherry Chicken Salad on Croissants
Egg Salad
Fruit Tray
Vegetable Tray
Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Simple Punch

Lastly, we'll head to my parents' house for dinner. Since we'll arrive later, I volunteered a dessert rather than an appetizer.

Easter Dinner:
Lattice Top Classic Apple Pie

I really wanted to also make a strawberry rhubarb pie but rhubarb isn't in season yet. Boo. As soon as I see it at the store, I'm making one gosh darn-it!

I've got my work cut out for me the next few days, but by breaking it up, it makes it seem less daunting. I started on my tasks tonight and I'm already pooped. C'mon self! You can make it!

Tonight:
Grocery shopped
Cooked chicken for salad

Friday:
Make cherry chicken salad
Deep clean in preparation for Sunday

Saturday:
Make Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
Make Apple Pies
Prepare and arrange croissants
Prep vegetables and fruit for Sunday
Set table and arrange dishes for Sunday
Go to Easter Egg hunt and then church

Sunday:
Spot Clean
Arrange vegetable and fruit trays
Set up food and beverage area
Brunch and then head out for Easter Dinner

What's on your to do list this weekend? Big plans for cooking or baking? Do you have the honor of hosting something? Tell me about it! I love hearing your ideas!

Little Dinner Party & Utilizing a Guarantee

Let me actually start with the guarantee. I am actually not good at using them. I hate taking something back when it doesn't work, unless it is a large purchase, but one last week was far too annoying to not do something about it. I had bought flowers at Sam's Club on Saturday for our dinner party. And as you can see from when I posted about it, there are flowers on the table. That's due to a little something I call improvising. The hydrangeas were fine and lovely. The tulips on the other hand, not so much. I opened them and there was mold on the bottom of the stems and almost every single stem was weakened at some point and unable to support the bud. I had to trim them all down really short and just lay them in the hopper vase. Looked ok though, right?

Well, I know Sam's has a 7 day policy on their flowers, so I called and they said I could bring them back. So I did just that and got my refund on Saturday. Although, I ended up spending it right back by getting more flowers. My hydrangeas still looked great, but lonely...so I bought them some friends. And it worked out just great since we were having Carl's parents over for dinner. And speaking of which....here are those details.



We had a few items leftover from last Saturday that I wanted to use up, and my inlaws are always up for a dinner, so we had them over.

Menu:
Cheese, Cracker and Grape Plate
Savory Sauteed Green Beans & Tomatoes
Tuscan Cheese Potato Bake
Laughing Cow Chicken (which looks so much fancier than it sounds!)
(and I skipped dessert as my father-in-law was recently diagnosed with diabetes, and I didn't want to tempt him!)

So I got to use up a few items from last Saturday and have a really delicious, spur of the moment dinner. We took the time to talk to them about their Hawaii trip too and get some tips!

As for the dinner, it doesn't take much planning. If you are nervous to host guests, try just one couple, and preferably people you are really comfortable with. Perhaps ask them to bring a dish or appetizer to lighten your load and to let them be part of the fun as well. Start small, and you'll be hosting big, fancy parties in no time!

Dinner Party Recap

What a success! I love when things go right around here. The menu turned out great and it fit everyone's palette, which can be hard when catering to others. For all my viewers at home, I tried to write down things as I did them so I could explain how I got ready. We ended up getting a late start to the grocery store, so I was back later than anticipated, it was a bit of a crunch. But I do love a good challenge, so I pushed forward!

If you want to see the menu, go here.

I showered and got ready before leaving and returned from the grocery store at 5:00pm.

• Arranged flowers for table
  
• Got out butter to soften for cake and Herb Blue Cheese Butter
• Cut potatoes, put in water bath in fridge (keeps them from browning)
• Cut lettuce (with a lettuce knife....again to keep from browning), spun dry, placed in plastic bag lined with paper towels- in fridge
• Washed grapes
• *Dish Washing Break* (I find it important to clean as I go, especially when having guests over)
• Plate cheese, cracker, grape tray- place in fridge temporarily)
• Made croutons (they need to cool fully, so these are great to make and get out of the way)
• Made individual cakes (in the oven for about 20 minutes)
• Made Herb Blue Cheese Butter
• *Dish Washing Break*
• Started potatoes in boiling water
• Prepped steaks- they get coated in salt, pepper and garlic
  
• Poured wine in decanter
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Tossed salad
  
• Finished potatoes (kept warm by covering with aluminum foil and placing in microwave- just DON'T start the microwave!)
  
• Set out cheese tray
• *Dish Washing Break*

At this point, I just waited for the guests to arrive at 7pm to start the steaks since they cook so fast. (BTW- my favorite way to cook steaks is to get a pan nice and hot with a little oil, sear them on the top and bottom for 3 minutes each, then bake them in the oven at 375 for about 8 minutes. A little less if you like them REALLY rare, a little more if you like them well. I prefer medium rare. Let them rest with a foil tent for about 10 minutes.) Then I just plated everything as we went.

So the pics. Of course the pics.

Mid-Prepping- potatoes in their water bath and lettuce ready to go.


This is how the table looked on Friday evening, minus the flowers. I always wipe down the china prior to the party, and the glasses are kept upside down so everything stays clean.

The appetizer plate was set up on the sideboard.

And then here is the table all set up and ready to go, candles lit...and backwards knives. I had a helper :)

Close up of the centerpiece. Hydrangeas, (one of my favorites!) and pink tulips were in my 3 hopper vases and some dimension was given by a small cake stand. Some simple tealight candles provided a nice glow. The only thing I had to buy was the flowers, so that was a bonus!




My last additional bonus tip is about the linens. This tablecloth isn't my favorite, however you wouldn't know that, because I have two of them. (My favorite is actually our green casual one :) ) I have them in two sizes, one that fits with both leaves in and one that fits with one or none. The best part about it, is that since they are the same, I only need one set of napkins to go with them. No matter what size party, I know I have a tablecloth and napkins to go with it!

So, that's the recap. Hopefully I provided enough detail. Maybe it was too much. I'll just say this, these posts are as much for me as they are for you. Sometimes, I forget my own tips, but I always love new ones, so feel free to share your dinner party tips in the comments!

Now stop reading and get out there and enjoy this lovely Sunday afternoon! I don't know about you but it is GORGEOUS here, so we're gearing up for a run!

Planning for a Dinner Party

This has been pushed back so many times, I'm just so happy we've actually found a time to do this. First it was a holiday dinner, then it was a Valentine's dinner, now it's just a screw it, we're having a fancy dinner! Two of our favorite couples are coming over because they "want to eat in my dining room." Haha. So here is my planning process for the evening.

Friday:

• Clean during the day- luckily with the challenge just ending, it's simply maintenance
• Make the grocery list

Saturday:

• Grocery Shop
• Prep as much of the food as possible
• Set the table
• Swipe of the 1/2 bath
• Clean up as much of the kitchen as possible
• Dinner starts at 7pm
  

Menu

Appetizer:
Cheese, Grape & Cracker Tray (on my new cheese board!)
Wine

Starter:
Caesar Salad with Crunchy Homemade Croutons & Freshly Grated Parmesan

Main Course:
Filet Mignon with Herb Blue Cheese Butter (what else?? haha)
Sour Cream Smashed Red Potatoes
Cocktails

Dessert:
Individual Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes

Hopefully it will be a raving success! I'm excited to use our china again, so I'll be sure to post lots of photos, assuming I remember. I'm awful at remembering that in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

Have you had a successful dinner party recently? Any great tips for the readers out there? Share them in the comments!

Monday Morning Weekend Roundup

The weekend is over, it's time to recap. We are in the midst of dealing with a sick puppy, so a few of my plans were sidetracked. :(

House:

• Finish the bathrooms for the New Year Challenge!
• Start on the 3rd project for the New Year Challenge!
• Work on the floating shelves in the living room (the OTHER neglected space after Christmas) (Other than getting a photo in a frame...and that hardly counts)
  
• Do a Load of Laundry (I did 2.5 :) )
  

Other:

• Get a pedicure...a much needed...much deserved pedicure
• Menu Plan- it's below
  
• Grocery Shop- this will get done today instead.
  
• Make a really delish dinner on Sunday- my meal plan was a bit sidetracked, so we enjoyed Chicken Lemon Rice Soup last night- I'll blog it later!
  

Menu Plan for this Week

• Sunday: Lemon Chicken Rice Soup
• Monday: Leftovers
• Tuesday: Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps & Fruit
• Wednesday: White Chicken Chili
• Thursday: Jalapeno Chicken & Rice Pilaf
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Out

I've set a date for our Valentine's Dinner with a couple friends, so I need to get working on that. I've already got my menu (I cheated a bit, but I'll explain that later), so it's mostly details, timelines, etc. to complete. How did you weekend planning go? Have you checked in with the Happy House New Year Challenge yet??

Thanksgiving Menu & Binder

I know if I don't stay extremely organized for any type of gathering we host, I will go nuts! So for me, creating a menu well in advance is a must. You've seen me talk about them before, so I'll just get right down to business.

For this year's Mock Thanksgiving, I sent out an evite that indicated what we as the hosts would be providing and welcomed ANY addition to the party. I love seeing what everyone comes up with, especially when it's something I've never had before.

Mock Thanksgiving Menu

Drinks:
Red & White Wine
Beer
Assortment of liquor and mixers
Soda
Water

Appetizer:
Cheese & Cracker Board (I'm keeping it light so we don't fill up!)

Main Course:

Roasted Turkey with Traditional Bread Stuffing
Stuffin Muffins (brought by guest)
Mashed Potatoes (brought by guest)
Green Bean Casserole (brought by guest)
Sweet Potatoes (brought by guest)
Apple Cranberry Sauce

Dessert:
Ginger Pumpkin Tart
Pumpkin Pie (brought by guest)
German Chocolate Pie (brought by guest)
Homemade Hot Chocolate
Coffee

Once I have my menu sorted out, I like to print off each recipe, or make a copy of it if it's in a book. Then I will put them in a 3-ring binder. I also include my grocery list and timeline in the binder. Behold, the binder...


I like to do this for a few reasons:
1. I get messy in the kitchen, and don't want my ingredients to end up on my nice cooking books
2. Having all the recipes in one spot is really convenient. I'm not fumbling through pages and book marks.
3. I can easily carry that binder with me when I am shopping to be sure I have all my ingredients- from the actual recipes and my grocery list that is included.
4. With a quick flip of the page I can go from recipes to the timeline to make sure I'm on schedule.

There is one other piece I keep in the binder- my table sketches. I will quickly draft up (nothing fancy) some mock ups of the tables; dining table, sideboard, dessert table, drink area. This way, I have an idea of how everything will be set up.

I've found this to be really helpful, and hopefully you will too! Let me know if you already do this, or if you think you might try it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

Holiday Help: Grocery List & Timeline Templates

::::Looks up::::: See that new button up there? Well, I think you'll like the sight of that button. That will be the indication that I am about to drop some Holiday Help knowledge on you! As I said in the earlier post today, on Sundays I'll give you a challenge and broad overview of a portion of holiday planning. Then throughout the week, I'll go into detail. Well, here is the first part of detail to my Mock Thanksgiving!

I find that two of the most crucial parts to an event are the timeline and menu/grocery list. So tonight, I'll share my timeline and grocery list for the Mock Thanksgiving. You can see my process as well as use it as a template. Just delete out my specific information and use it for yourself!

You can click here to see the Timeline- this includes and overall timeline as well as a specific cooking timeline

You can click here to see the Grocery List- this includes a break down of the ingredients that go in each menu item

The grocery list template includes some instructions at the top...not that it's complicated, but I just want to be sure it makes sense! As for the timeline- I like to start with the event time and move backwards. The rest is pretty self explanatory. When you view it in the Google Docs, you can just copy and paste it into an Excel Spreadsheet.

I hope this helps someone out there! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me in the comments or email. Or if you'd like me to just email you the templates, I'd be happy to do so. Don't forget to check back in the rest of the week for even more details!!

Sundays With Santa's Little Helpers: Week 1 Thanksgiving Prep

In our house, that means a few things. In addition to attending two Thanksgiving dinners, we host a Mock Thanksgiving with a handful of our friends, because, honestly, who doesn’t love a good turkey dinner? We provide the turkey as well as some other essentials and invite our friends to bring their favorite dish to share. It’s a semi-formal dinner, but it requires much more than semi-planning. So join me as I walk you through planning a Mock Thanksgiving, which could essentially also be a standard Thanksgiving as well.

The Timeline

2.5-3 Weeks Prior

Send out invitations- I usually use Evite. My friends are all email hounds, and why not save the paper when you can? Not to mention it’s FREE! Plus, it is especially helpful when others are bringing a dish. Evite allows people to respond with a message that everyone on the invitation can see. In this case, I asked guests to tell us what side dish they would be bringing. Now, depending on your guest list, you may need to give more advance notice, just be aware of your particular situation.

Write out the menu- since some dishes are being brought by the guests, I only write out the dishes I will be making. However, if you are going to create a menu to set on the table, be sure to verify what each guest is bringing.

2 Weeks Prior

Do a mock up of your table setting- Do you have enough table settings and serving dishes? What about linens? How are you going to set everything up? Are you going to use place cards and assign seating? It is best to answer these questions now in the event you need to purchase anything. Is your dinner going to be served family style, buffet or plated? I find family style to be the most efficient with this type of meal. There is something to be said about passing the plates around the table, it brings a sense of togetherness! If your table has the room to allow it, I suggest it. Otherwise, buffet would work nicely too.

Write out a grocery list- Working off your menu and including any miscellaneous items you might need as mentioned above.

1 Week Prior

Write out a timeline- I prefer to begin with the event start time and work backwards. Be sure to keep cooking time and temperatures in mind. You won't be able to cook anything else in the oven while the turkey is monopolizing it, nor can you cook something at 300 and 400 degrees at the same time in one oven.

Deep Clean your house- Give your house a good deep clean before things get too crazy. Then, throughout the week, you can just touch things up as you go. Be sure to take care of your guest accommodations if you are going to have overnight visitors!

3-4 Days Prior

Thaw your turkey- If you purchased a frozen turkey; place it in the fridge 3-4 days before your dinner. That will give it enough time to thaw safely.

2-3 Days Prior

Go grocery shopping (again, unless you are getting a frozen turkey- then you should buy it at LEAST 3 days in advance to allow it to thaw)- you already have your list, so you won't forget anything. This part should be a piece of cake!

1 Day Prior

Start prepping, cooking & baking- Go ahead and make any food items that are not required to be made the day of the party. Things this could easily include: cranberry sauce, pies, and even mashed potatoes can be made in advance. Prep anything else that can't be made.

Set up the table- This should again be simple, because you did a mock up awhile back. It's just a matter of putting it all back out. I'll have everything ready for the next day other than the place settings so they don't get dusty or dirty. Those are set out the day of before guests arrive.

TURKEY DAY

Follow Your Timeline- For me, a general party day goes something like this. Get food going, start setting things up that couldn't be set up before- drink station, table settings, etc., tidy up any messes and spot check the house to make sure it's clean, get myself ready, finish up last food tasks and light candles just before guests arrive.

So, you've got a nicely, detailed timeline, but you might be asking yourself- what is the challenge?? Well, regardless of what kind of Thanksgiving you are having, this is one for everyone. Whether you are the host or gracious guest, you are bound to be cooking or baking SOMETHING, right? So this week, get your Thanksgiving menu and grocery list ready. Once you have that, not only will you be prepared, but you'll be ready to scour sales and coupons and get the best deals possible! We are hosting our Mock Thanksgiving this Saturday, so stay tuned for the rest of this week as I'll be going even further into detail about the event! I'll be posting table setting ideas, my menu, grocery list template, day of timeline, decor and more!

Be sure to check out Working Woman's Guide to Domestic Success & A Life In Progress for more ideas!

Monday Morning Weekend Round Up

Friday:

• Make Sweet & Sour Chicken for dinner
• Finish putting away laundry mountains
• Make hot chocolate mix for the season
  

Saturday:

• Make Cranberry Orange scones for breakfast
  
• Wrap our Godson's (Sean) Baptism present
• Find something to wear to the Baptism...
• Return extra items from the master bath redo to Lowes
  
• Possibly put the final coat of polyurethane on the family room tables Carl made (I did one whole table my MYSELF! And helped with the other side table. )
  

Sunday:

• Arrange crudites platter
• Sean's Baptism
• Menu plan for the week (I still need to write my grocery list)

Monday: Leftover Chili from the weekend
Tuesday: Mediterranean Chicken
Wednesday: Vegetable Lasagna
Thursday: Taking dinner to newly parented friends
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Most likely Out :)

It was really a great weekend. Just the right amount of busy. Stay tuned as I have some big projects coming up soon that I'll hopefully clue you into later this week. I still have some details to fine tune. How was your weekend? Tell me about it!

Tackle It Tuesday

We spent a good portion of the weekend cleaning,which means I get to have somewhat of a relaxing week- cleaning wise. However, one thing I didn't do that I would normally do on the weekend is menu plan. So tonight, my Tackle It Tuesday was to organize my coupons (especially since it was the end of the month and some had expired at the end of October), menu plan, and write my grocery list. In tonight's post I will go over my planning process.

1. Sort through sale ads taking mental note of the products I use that are on sale.
2. Browse my pantry to see what items I currently have, and if there are things that need to be used up quickly (I REALLY hate throwing away food so this step is key).
3. Go through recipes I have saved on the right side of my food blog (Things I'd Like to Try) to find new recipes (bonus if I have the items or if the necessary ingredients are on sale).
4. Go through stand-by recipes throughout my food blog to decide what else will go on the menu.
5. Finalize the menu- which meals on which days. I typically like to get leftovers from at least one meal so I'm not cooking every night.
6. Go through each recipe and write down the ingredients I need
7. Sort through my coupons- again taking note of things that are on sale (making it a good price in general) and coupons of items that I need for my menu. The coupons I need go in the front pocket of my accordion file folder where my coupons are stored.
8. Grocery shop with list, coupons and sale ad (if necessary) in tow.

Here is my menu for this week:
Monday: Baked Macaroni & Cheese (oh such a comfort food!)
Tuesday: Leftovers
Wednesday: Sweet & Sour Chicken over Rice
Thursday: Leftovers/Subway
Friday: Classic Beef Chili & Rolls
Saturday: Mediterranean Chicken & Baked Potato
Sunday: Our Godson's Baptism (I'm bringing a crudite platter)

A few important notes:
*I know what things I typically buy. Any time I see a coupon for one of those items, I clip it. If it's on sale, I buy it for sure with the coupon, because I know I will use it soon. Otherwise, I might wait a few weeks to see if it does go on sale.

*I RARELY buy things that aren't on the shopping list. That doesn't mean I don't buy snacks and such, but I try to put even those things on the list. Sticking to the list, I've found, saves money, and helps reduce food waste.

*Don't forget to account for breakfast and lunch when making your list! I typically buy fresh fruit and cereal for breakfast and we eat leftovers or sandwiches for lunch.

*If you are trying to eat healthier- stick to the perimeter of the store. The processed foods are in the inner aisles. You'll be surprised at how little you really NEED down those aisles if you focus on eating fresh, healthy foods.

*I always buy frozen veggies over canned if I can. They are better for you and usually cheaper anyway!

* The best way to organize recipes, I think, is through a blog. If you look through mine, you see I have a place to save links for recipes I want to try as well as my favorite food blogs. Then, obviously, I document each of the recipes I try with my notes and how much we liked it. Even if you don't want to share your blog with anyone, its a VERY helpful tool to use with menu planning. Oh and it's free! :) I also like it because I can access it anywhere I have the Internet, just another bonus!

Are you a menu planner? Link me to your favorite recipe in the comments! I'd love to try it! If you aren't a menu planner, I highly suggest giving it a try. You'll be surprised how much less you will spend at the grocery store. And you won't have that problem of trying to figure out what's for dinner at 6pm. It's been a life saver for me!

Monday Morning Weekend Round Up

Alright, it's Monday. A fresh week. Time to gear up for the week ahead. Are you ready? Got big plans? Have some neglected tasks that need to get done? Write them down. Commit. Do it! It'll be another busy week for Casa de Happy, so stay tuned. First we recap.

Friday:

• Gather our Halloween costumes-(in case you didn't see it- go here!)
  
• Put away all the mountains of laundry
• Clean our bedroom
  

Saturday:

• Clean the guest bathroom
• Clean the foyer
  
• Pass out candy
• Go to a Halloween Party

Sunday:

• Vacuum the whole house
• Dust the whole house
• Work on the living room shelves' decor (I'll show a few spots just below)
  
• Winterized the sprinkler system (a tutorial will be coming on that shortly)
• Put away the Halloween Decor (if you missed my info on that, go here)
  

I worked on the shelves a bit this weekend, and am happy with 4 of the spots! Woo hoo!






I had a little extra motivation on Sunday to get things done because we invited my brother and his girlfriend over for dinner and to catch up on Curb Your Enthusiasm. On top of cleaning I needed to create a quick menu!

Impromptu Dinner Party Menu

• Wine (brought by our wonderful guests)
• Jalapeno Chicken
• Rice Pilaf
• Steamed Green Beans
• Apple Cake

Since the plan was to dust and vacuum anyway, that was no big deal. Plus we got a whole ton of other housework done. I set up our table real quick, which was nothing crazy- it's my standard fall tablescape, but the candles were lit and settings were arranged. As soon as they arrived, I popped the wine and aerated it into the decanter.

Dinner was spectacular, and the apple cake was even better! Our Sunday night was a mix of hard work, relaxation and enjoyment. It was the perfect way to end the weekend. Hope yours was enjoyable too!