This Week's Goals

Happy Mom Goal

The first big holiday of the season is over...time for a breather! Go treat yourself to a mani or pedicure, maybe even a facial or a massage. Not in your budget?? Buy some inexpense massage oil and ask your husband to give your tense muscles a rub down when he has some time this week.

Happy Kid Goal

November is another great month of fall. You're likely to have a bunch of fallen leaves in your yard (or at least somewhere near your home) and a leftover pumpkin or two.

Here's a cute idea: (I did mine a bit differenlty than the above pic.)

Have your kids walk around the yard and gather some fallen leaves that they like. Using basic school paste, let them brush some on a medium-small pumkin (pie pumpkins work well) and glue each leaf to your pumpkin making a sort of collage. After the glue has dried, try taking gold glitter glue and outlining the leaves with it. It's a fun spin on pumpkins after Halloween is over and done!

Happy Husband Goal

Break out a funboard game sometime this week after the kids have gone to bed. The one above is mine and my husband's favorite! Board games lighten the mood and give you some time to goof off while you're together. Throw in some ice cream as well if you'd like!

Happy House Goal

Do you have a storage freezer in your house? We just recently got one, and really love having it. But, is it just me, or do they get cluttered ridiculously fast? Here are some great ideas for freezer organization that you should try this week:

A. Collect each food category in its own basket. This way, you can take a basket out to look through it without freezing to death and wasting energy.

B.Label baskets using plastic luggage tags that are easy to read and easy to change.

C. Label your food containers and freezer drawers and shelves so things are put back where they belong.

D. Straigt sided, stackable bins make the most out of door space. Their artight, locking lids help prevent freezer burn.

E. Get a tiered shelf meant for dishes and use it in your freezer store frozen pizzas, casseroles and desserts without them being crushed.

F. Freeze soups flat in plasic bags on a baking sheet, then "file" them in a bin. They take up less space and thaw faster, too.

G. Keep a list of what's in the freezer right on the door. When you take something out, erase that item. Keeps pens and labels handy in a magnetic box.

Voila! A wonderfully organized and efficient freezer!

Dinner Tonight





Taquito Enchiladas

(kids love it!)



12-14 Chicken Taquitos

1 19-ounce can green or red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1 2&1/4-ounce can sliced black olives, drained

Sour cream


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

2. Arrange taquitos in a shallow casserole dish in a single layer.

3. Cover with enchilada sauce.

4. Sprinkle with cheese and olives.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

This Week's Pep Talk

Whew! I don't know about you, but halloween is one of those holidays that, as fun as it is, totally wipes me out. All the planning and prep work, decorating, baking, throwing parties....not to mention the completely wound up children on a sugar high! It's enough to put any mom out of commission for at least 3 weeks! Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a mom being out of commission, so it's back to work for all of us. But, with more holidays coming up fast, make sure you give yourself a little down time. It's really okay. Moms are the glue that hold everything together, so without you, there's no fun. You are amazing and I'm sure your kids really do appreciate the work and money you spent on their costume and makeup, the candy and decorations you bought, and putting up with their ornery-ness afterwards! Haha!

YOU GO MOMMIES!!