The simpl womans Daybook

For today, 9th november 2009








Outside my window... a chilly autumn day





I am thinking... how i need to pop to the shop to pick up somethings and how i must post an important letter before i pick the kids up from school





I am thankful for... the peace and quiet that i get from living in the countryside





I am wearing... jeans, a long-sleeved black to, and black ankle boots





I am remembering... when my husband was off work for a week last week and miss him





I am going... o do a school run soon





I am reading... reposition yourself by t.d.jakes





I am hoping... to fit in my bible reading time tonight





On my mind... how cold the weather is getting and that i have an assignment due in by friday





From the kitchen... welsh cawl on the stove and warm bread rolls





Around the house... all clean and tidy ready for the return of the family





One of my favorite things~ my family...i just love them dearly





From my picture journal...





one of my sightseeing pictures from our trip to Dublin

Monday

Ok so my husband is at work and the boys are in school. its just me and pippin at home and it so peaceful!

ive put in place my new routine from ideas i got at http://simplemom.net/, and i feel so much better for it today.

normally when i leave the house at 8.45am for the school run i look at mess, hair tied back no makeup, creased clothes etc. but not this morning, my makeup was on, my hair was done and my clothes were ironed. i felt sooo much better for it, then when i got back form the school run i felt ok to takle the housework.

the only thing i havent devised yet is a morning routine, this i want to sort out tonite ready for tomorrow morning. so all the works done and i am going to get on with some studying before the next school run

kat
x

Sunday organizing

So the washing machine is still going, i am nearly at the end of it all. i got the kids to strip their beds this morning ready to wash, the reason i made them do it was because as i had been looking through http://simplemom.net/, partically at creating a home management book, one particular free download caught my eye and that was the childrens chore list. so ive decided this is what i am going to do for both my boys, so tonite i will be having a good think about what i am going to put on their list.

Yesterday and today are really all about getting organised at home, i want the house to look spick and span. my husband has been off work for holidays for 9 days and before that i had the kids off school for half term for 10 days and also in that time i bought a puppy. so i want to be all sorted by tonight ready to start tomorrow off to a fresh start, because tomorrow is going to be the first day of the rest of my life.

On reading http://simplemom.net/, i realised that i am an amazing time waster in the home, i can waste hours when the kids are in school and before i know it, it's 3.15pm and the kids are finishing school. well http://simplemom.net/, information is going to help me to overcome this.

I too have followed her advice and created a home management file:

so with the help of the http://simplemom.net/ site i have labeled my dividers as:

1.Daily Dockets

these free printables can be found courtesy of simplemom at http://simplemom.net/tools/downloads/

on here i will record the date, whats for diiner, things i have to do, very important things i have o do, and much more!

2.Cleaning

simplemom has provided free downloads http://simplemom.net/tools/downloads/, for a master weekly cleaning list. i have looked at this and tweaked it to suit me by typing out a daily cleaning checklis which contains cleaning i have to do daily, and then a weekly checklist.

3.Grocery

in this section i am going to type out a grocery list of things i always buy, then when i run out i will then just tick the particular item and i know what to but next time.

4.Recipes

i will include my favourite recipes in here

5.Bills

i am going to type out dates when bills will be coming out my bank

6.Bible
i am going to have a bile reading plan which i will follow everyday

7.Contacts

this will include a list addresses and contact numbers

8.Important Dates

this will be a list of birthdays, anniversarys etc

9.Me

going by the title this is obviously going to be abou me, logging my food, exercise, water intake etc

10.Dog
and the last section is going to focus on my puppy pippin and her training.

one last thing that caught my attenion on http://simplemom.net/, was the benefits of having a morning routine, things you do to prepare yourself for the day so i am going to set one up tonite,


back to cleaning

kat

p.s how do you organise? do you have a morning routine?

please share!

Update - beef stew

Well i had decided to make welsh beef stew tonight, i got all the ingredients out ready as you can see:

and i enlisted the help of my younger son with the vegetables:

but then when i got so far making it i realised the recipe called for 1/4pint of cider to be added, as i was serving this as a family meal with the kids i didnt fancy doing this so at he last minute i changed my mind and made beef stew the way my nana makes it, and mmm it was delicious!

my oldest son really enjoyed his hot bowl of stew when he got back from watching the rugby, and he said the most sweetest things to me 'mam i love your beef stew, you make u make i so nice', aww its nice to know that i am appreciated!

so heres the finished product:

mm and it did taste delicious, i always remember as a kid going to my nanas house and she had this bubbling away on the stove.

Heres the easy peezy recipe:

as much cubed stewing beef as you want

3 carots, peeled and sliced

2 onions, sliced

as much baby potatoes as you want

gravy granules

in a pan, put the beef and onions and fill with water so it is covering (you will need to keep topping up the water)

bring to the boil then let it simmer for about 4hrs (this can also be done in the crockpot and left for 8hrs on low)

after the allocated time add the carrots and potatoes and turn the heat up a little for 30 - 40 mins

once this is done, add gravy granules to the water in the pan, srtirring constantly to thicken.

serve in bowls with lots of salt and pepper and plety of bread and butter!

enjoy

kat

x

Blog reading

i love to read other peoples blogs and find that i get loads of tips from them.

ive decided to start leaving comments for the blog posters as i love it when someone leaves a comment for me, its nice o know someone is reading this!

so today i am looking at http://simplemom.net/ as i love her ideas on home management, so while i have a quick 5 mintutes in between all the laundry and cleaning im going to have a quick look

kat
x

Saturday

So what are you all up to today??

its dreary, cold and grey here, but there is a slight chilly wind which i am taking full advantage of by hanging out loads of laundry.

I'm quite excited because for the first time in 8 years we have bough a new, yes brand new washing machine! i have had my husband buy me second hand ones thinking it would save us money but in the long run i didn't because we needed more repairs on them. but i was just grateful for a washing machine that works.

i feel so blessed today to have a brand spanking new one, i keep going into the laundry room and just kept watching he cloths going round and round!

so my new washing machine, washing line and tumble dryer are taking a beating today as i have loads and loads of laundry to do, but the only job i hate it having to iron them and put them away, maybe the laundry fairy will visit!


ive included photos of my newly forming piles!

ive only got one son at home today as my husband and other son are going to the stadium to watch a big rugby game so i can get lots done.

for dinner tonight i will be making welsh beef stew, i'll post the recipe and pics later

kat

x

Christmas

Yep some of you may be dreading it but for some of us (including me) this is a fantastic time of year, the organising, the planning, seeing everything come together and of course remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

so tonite i am planning for Christmas, i want to be the one who starts the family traditions, and it all begins here. so ill blog all about it.

to get me started i have purchased a book:

two steps forward and three steps back

so far today i was having a good day, things were looking up and then everything went to pot, but to cut a long story short my mum and sister have clubbed together and are against me so its just me my hubby and two boys and oh.. did i metion that my husband has brough me a new puppy two weeks ago? her name is pippin and she is a chocolate labrador and she is making me happy






have a look at her cute pictures:

shes just soooo cute!!

part of my re-building process in myself is to be a strong Christian mom,wife and woman. so at the moment i am googling to find some women bible studies, if you have any suggestion please let me know, but for the meantime heres what i found:

http://www.jamesknox.com/pdf/holywomen-english.pdf

http://www.juliabettencourt.com/devotionals.html

I don't know where to begin as i type this...

basically i am at my lowest....

i have been diagnosed by the doctor that i am suffering from depression,
last Saturday i felt like i lost control of my life,

i have an amazing husband, two wonderful children, a beautiful home, everything is good, a least i seems but...

i am still left feeling numb inside, empty and..

if i was to describe where i am at the moment i would say..

i am stood at he bottom of a big tall mountain, i have to take steps to get to the top and once i am at the top then i will find me .

you see, my childhood hasn't always been great, I'm a grown woman, mom and wife but my mother still tries to control me, pushes me down, stamps on my happiness, makes me feel worthless, makes me feel like i am a little girl and i havent grown up...

i look at the family i was in before i me my husband i now i can see how i fitted in, you see my mom had an affair with a married man, she fell pregnant with me, the said married man didn't want to know, my mom had me. two years later she met a man from another country, two weeks later she married him. she went on have a boy and a girl to him. the man she married didn't behave towards me as he should have, my mom took his side...

so theres a circle, inside it is my mom, her husband, my half brother and half sister, outside the circle theres me...

even now as i approach my 30Th birthday my mom still tries to control me, we live 400 miles apart and still she tries to control me, put me down...

how many times have i wished i had a real mom, but the best thing i can do is be the mom that i wish i had...

so after everything that has happened to me, i have tried to push it to the back of my mind for nearly 10 years, Ive been the doting daughter only to get hurt, last Saturday night my mind said enough is enough this stops now!

so my doctor has prescribed anti-depressant tablets and i am waiting for an appointment through the post to see a councillor...

but you know what, silly and foolish me didn't ask the Lord to help me, i didn't lean on Him, but trust me i am clinging to Him with all my might!

and as i am at my lowest i fell i can hear the Lord say 'its OK, I will build you back up, i will restore you'

i know that when i come out of the end of this i am no going to be the same person i was before it

Kat
x



p.s

my husband brought me flowers in today, it brought a smile to my lips

help needed

hi all,

hope you dont think this post is weird but i am needing advice desperately.
the thing is i have a really bad phobia of spiders, the mear typing of the word is bringing a hot sweat out of me.
since i have moved into my new home, i have been seeing alot of them because this house had been empty for well over a year.
i feel like i am living in fear every single minute and it is taking over my life, i feel like i cant cope with this anymore, i am living in fear and waiting when i have to see a big massive one and i cant cope.
i dont know how to make this worrying stop and i need deliverance from i.
i feel like i has control over my life and is making me unhappy.

what can i do to stop these feelings?

at
x

just wanted to share.....

.... this post with you that i received in my inbox today from the internet cafe.
this is just what i needed to hear to get this mood lifted:

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth.”
Luke 21:34 & 35 (NRSV)

kat

x

what are you all up to today?

to be honest i am feeling a bit down, not idea why but i haven been able to shake this off, it feels like there is a ton of weight pressing down on me.
i mean ive got nothing to worry about, everything is going fine but i just dont know whats up with me. i hope this shakes off because tomorrow i want to enjoy some quality family time with my husband and two kids.

kat
x

just a song to share...

hi all

i just want to share a link to a favourite song of mine which never fails to bring a tear to my eyes

kat
x

'I can do everything through him who gives me strength' Phillipians 4:13

Amen!

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513

Menu Plan Monday

okay so heres my menu plan for the week:

Monday: indian butter chicken, boiled rice, chips, tomato salsa and raitha

Tuesday: sausages, mash potato, peas and gravy

Wednesday: chicken tikka masala, boiled rice, chips, tomato salsa and raitha

Thurday: my husband always cooks us curry on a thursday

Friday: jacket potatoes, tuna mixed with mayonaise, pepper and sweetcorn, topped with cheese

Saturday: family takeout night

Sunday: salmon, new potatoes, green beans and carrots.

kat
x

for more meal ideas why not head over to menu plan monday!

At the well - motherhood

I have just read a guest post which you can find at the well, and decided to contribute with a comment.

i have two boys aged 7 and 5 who are both in full time school (9am till 3.15am), i am a stay at home mom with a husband that works full time, i am currently studying from home for my degree.
not so long ago i was a very stressful mom, when i got too stressed the counting to 10 thing never entered my head, i just lashed out and shouted, i hated doing this but once the words had spilled from my mouth it was too late to take it back and all i could do was apologise to my husband and children.
i have turned myself around now and do not get thse bouts of frustration so much because of one thing: having a routine, this is curcial for me to stop me from getting so stressed.
when my two boys decide to play up, i am alot calmer to defuse the situation and i think to myself, i am going to miss this when they are older and they leave the nest, and i want to enjoy the time i have with them now.

part of my routine involves this:

monday to friday i use my slowcooker (crockpot) for all the family meals, as soon as i get in from the school run i pop all the ingredients in the slow cooker then i dont have to worry about it all day.
the two boys have a bed time of 7.30pm, and i stick to this because if not they are tired and grumpy when they wake up and then the morning is just horrendous.
we get home from the school run about 3.30pm, they get changed into casual clothes and have a little snack before going out to play in the garden for about an hr. i use this time to wash their uniforms, set the table, and clear away any cluter left from the day.
when my husband returns home form work, we all eat dinner together and whilst i clear away the dishes and wash up the boys get on with their own thing. they both have a shower about 6pm, then we do homework and reading books after that then they watch a bit of tv, and bed time at 7.30pm.
we are a lot more relaxed on a weekend and spend alot of family time together.

because i have a routine and am now more organised things seem to flow easier and more smoothly and i feel happier and more in control and therefore less stressed, and as a result i am always prepared (normally!) for anyhing that life throws at me

kat
x
x

Tip Finding

So heres a got tip for you that i found from the kitchen stewardship:

'Tater Skin Crispies
Here’s a way you can even use the potato peels that you would normally throw away:
Toss them in olive oil and salt and bake on a cookie sheet at 350-450 degrees for 10-20 minutes next time your oven is on. Turn at least once while baking. Since most of the nutrition is in or just under the peel, you’ve secured all sorts of vitamins, extra iron and a “free” snack from something you would have thrown away! I eat this as munchies or as salad topping. You can store them on the shelf or counter just fine for a few days'

i think this is a fantastic idea, i am always peeling potatoes for chips or mash potato and i hate throwing the peelings out. i am going to try this for the family and see how it goes, it will be good for my husband who is gluten intolerant. ill post the verdict next week.

you should check out the kitchen stewardship for more ideas and tips, the site is full of them!

kat
x

TIP FINDING

I love finding a good tip when i am reading the many different blogs that are out there on the internet. When i find them i will post them here so you may try them too!!

Whats for dinner mom?

When the kids come home form school and hubby walks through the door they are always starving and in need of a quick fix before dinner. over he next few weeks i am going to find some nutritious snacks and frugal dinners that i can make for my whole family (and my husband who is gluten intolerant).

I have a weekly budget of £50 (around £82 US dollars), i normally do a weekly food shop with my local delivery asda store but at the end of september i am going to do a 1 month food shop in the hope that i can get more for my money and maybe even save a little, so ill have £200 (around £330 US dollars) to budget to make 24 dinners (not 28 because we always have a £10 takeout on a saturday night with the kids), laundry products, cleaning products, snacks and lunches for me at home during the day (the two kids are out at school all day). so i will post my food plan for the month and my shopping list.

So tell me, how much do you use for your food budget, do you shop weekly, fortnightly or monthly? how do you find it?

kat
x

Menu Plan Monday

Yep im a little late in posting this seeing as though its thursday already, but hey better late that never!

MONDAY: Sausages, mash potato, peas and gravy

TUESDAY: Pad Thai

WEDNESDAY: Chicken curry over jacket potatoes

THURSDAY: My husbands curry cooking night

FRIDAY: Jacket potatoes with tuna, sweetcorn and mayo

For more menu plans head over to menu plan mondays

So whats happened lately?

Going back 3 weeks ago, my husband was in a job that he hated. Everyday he would come home stressed and unhappy and it was making things strained at home. This had been going on for a few months, so that night 3 weeks ago, i got on my knees and prayed to he Lord:

"Father please help my family, i need for my husband to change jobs, i dont know what to
Lord, only you know that, just something that is worthwhile and is right for him, please
Lord"

Two days later my husband rang me:

"Babe ive seen a job advertisement in the paper and i think its the one for me, do you think i
should ring them?"

Me:

"Definetly, see what happens"

At this point i hadnt told my husband about my prayer to the Lord

30 minutes later my husband rang me back:

"Babe, ive just had a telephone interview and passed it, they want me to come in next
week for another interview"

I said a silent thank you to the Lord and waited for my husband to return

Later that night I told my husband about my prayer and told him that because i had trusted in the Lord, i believe that this is why he had the interview. i said that if he trusted in the Lord now he will get this job. you're right he said.

Two days later he went for the interview, i asked the Lord to make eveything alright, He told me to just trust Him and be patient.

At this point my husband was also praying, two days after the interview they rang him to tell him he had the job!!! and i know it was all because of the Lord, theres no denying it, I have thanked the Lord so much for this oportunity. I said to my husband, i think you need to say a thank you to a certain someone, i know he replied, and he did.

So he started his new job monday gone, and things are going so well, he is happier not stressed and things are easing up at home.

Thank you Lord

xx

Hi and welcome to my blog. a family brought together by God.

My names Kat, and i live in the U.K. i am blessed with a wonderful husband who i have been with for 10 years, i am so grateful to have two little boys, and the reason for the name of my blog is that i believe that God brought myself and my husband together and we are a match made in heaven!

I became a Christian one week after i got married to my husband, and i have been
so blessed by the Lord. Everyday i aim to be a good Christian wife, mother and
woman. My husband is not saved, yet, but if God had not brought us together then
i believe i would not be saved today, so i truly believe that it will happen to
him.

I originally started this blog early last year, but took a break for a good few months as i have been diagnosed by my doctor as having depression, but i have now re-vamped my blog and am going to use it more or less as my online diary to help me through the struggles.

Re vamp

Hi all

Ive decided to have a re-vamp of my blog, a new season has started, autumn, and i want to make better use of my blog since i haven't done much posting since i started. i have decided to remain anonymous, i will post photographs (when my darling husband buys me a camera at Christmas), but i wont post photos of me of my kids or husband. i hope this blog will be fulfilling as i spend my last year and a half as a stay at home mom, then my degree will be finished and i will be looking for full time employment.
I just want to say a many to the 9 followers who have remained on my blog despite the last of posts from me.

Kat
x