Three's a Crowd

Sep. 28, 2007

I'm Not Worthy

Over the last few months, several very generous blog friends have given me some awards and I haven't had the chance to acknowledge them here. I haven't forgotten, I just honestly have a hard time singling anyone out to award - I want everyone to win!

Back in July, moreofhim, gave me the Reflection Blogger award. Thank you!

Then annointed gave me the Nice Matters Award. How kind of you!

And just this week, AFJen88 and MOMflippedisWOW honored me with the "You Make Me Smile" award. That's one of my favorite things to do - I'm so glad I make you both smile!

I appreciate each of you and enjoy visiting your blogs as well. I hope I can continue to deserve these awards when I write. You have really encouraged me!

I will go ahead and award a few "You Make Me Smile" awards: 40winkzzz, wardssward and jugglingpaynes are among the blogs that make me smile and sometimes giggle, which is kind of embarrassing when I'm sitting here alone. Reminds me of that saying, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Oooh, that was bad. I hope I don't get an award taken away for that one. Have mercy, I've had my kids' cold for a few days. Not thinking clearly. It has to be said ... my darling, darling husband came home from grocery shopping yesterday with roses! If that didn't perk me up, nothing will! He makes me smile, too. Perhaps I should give him an award.

Have a terrific weekend!

P.S. This just in ... thanks also to CelticMom and moreofhim for also considering my blog smile-worthy! You ladies are just too much!

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Comments

Sep. 29, 2007 - :)

Posted by CelticMom

Wherever will you put them all? Here's another one for you, my friend... come by and see. :) here's a hint: :) :) :) :)

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Sep. 29, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by moreofhim

You have another award!!! Go to my blog to see!

I hope you have a wonderful and blessed weekend! ~ Julie

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Sep. 30, 2007 - Thanks!

Posted by 40winkzzz

Hmmm, well, you already noticed that CelticMom gave me this award at the same time, and I think one of my other friends may have nominated me last week... not sure... I'm in the process of checking back to see. Well, I'm glad I make you smile! I really enjoy your blog as well. I have a feeling I am going to have a hard time finding un-nominated people to pass this on to...

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Sep. 30, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by wardssward

Thank you so much, Kate, for the award! You make me smile, too. :-) I look forward to doing a lot of smiling this week as I get caught up on reading blogs. Last week was emotionally exhausting with my grandma dying and other things going on. I'm looking forward to a rather non-eventful week. Even boring would be nice. :-)
~Connie

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Oct. 1, 2007 - Congratulations!!!

Posted by Mama2Ways

Hurray for you with the awards. I enjoy your blog too.

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Oct. 1, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by appleleaf

There are so many creative tags out there, and each one seems to get more imaginative than the last. Surely blogging must keep the grey cells working well as we continue to try to think of new ones and think up answers.
Paula

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Oct. 2, 2007 - Howdy!

Posted by babean

Hello there! Well done on the award nods! I always enjoying popping in over here myself. =0)

I hear ya on tardiness of award knowledge. I didn't know how until very recently how to even add those to my page. I feel so bad! Now I have to hunt them all down from my blog and then respond and try to get them onto my blog page. A few hours worth of struggle for me in the future. rofl

I am praying for you on the menu endeavor. The first few weeks of doing it are truly the hardest and take the most time. It took me a year or so to get it down to 20 minutes. So in all honesty, it might take you closer to an hour. And if you are a cook at heart...longer if you enjoy pouring through cookbooks and websites. If you are I have a few tips for ya. =0)

1. During the week spend about 5 minutes each day earmarking recipes you'd like to try. Write them down (with location) on a piece of paper. Add to that a running list of meals your family already loves. 5 minutes a day- no more ok?! Attach this running list to the fridge.
2. On a small post it or something, as you run out of things- jot it down really quick. Only as you run out or get extremely low. This will take only seconds, as you do it only as it comes.
3. I try to cook one dish dish and accompany it with recipe-less sides. Or a simple main course and one recipe needed side dish with a very simple veg. My rule is one recipe per meal!
4. Note what types of snacks your family eats. Write them down on your menus, as suggestions. I have found that altho the snacks list varies little of at all--I like the visual reminder. Sad huh? hehe I prefer to do the same with lunches too, rather than plan a lot of lunch meals. I WILL on occasion plan a nice lunch though. Not often. *wink* Then just make sure you have those staples on hand.
5. We're boring when it comes to fruit. I buy 8 pounds of nanners a week, 5-10 apples, a few of whatever is in season (right now I am moving from stone fruits to citrus)...and I keep applesauce on hand. Lots of it. I use it not just for eating but to replace fat called for in muffin recipes. So it's pantry staple here. So I now know every week how much of these things I need.
6. I try to limit one new recipe per week for unfamiliar recipes/meals. If your family has never had terriyaki chicken before and you plan on trying it...make that be your new dish for the week. If you guys love mac n cheese and you've made it before but are trying a new recipe--I don't apply that 'rule' to that dish. It's just a diff recipe for a standard meal we eat. This simplifies how much digging you end up doing- which saves menu planning minutes!

I had to come up with these rules for myself because I enjoy this so much I can get sucked in for hours reading recipes. So use only those ideas that pertain to you! I have recipe ADD...I can't help myself.

You will very quickly realize that there is a routine in what you buy. Embrace it! It's your friend! Don't be afraid to try new things- I encourage it. Just try to limit it for time and budget sake.

I am byno means an expert! There are oodles of mamas out there who are much more organized that I...but this works well for me! I am an organizer ay heart BUT my family here is totally the opposite so it's like swimming upstream. So I am trying to take it one task at a time. I can check this one off my list...moving on to a well organized pantry/dry goods next. Altho well stocked... I am working on keeping a nicely typed up worksheet in my pantry. Plus a special list for beverages. I have 20, 000 teas, hot chocolate and some instant coffee drink mix. It gets buried from time to time...the list would let me know what I have at a glance and what I am missing if i can't find it. hehe

Have a great week!! If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask! I enjoy menu making so it's a joy to help. =0) Once I figure out how to take pics off my camera (I currently must fill up an entire cd then get them off)...I will begin posting actually pictures of what I do. =0)

((hugs)) Congrats on all the awards!

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Oct. 2, 2007 - :)

Posted by Anonymous

Glad we could make you smile....as you do us!

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Oct. 3, 2007 - Thanks for the smile Kate!

Posted by jugglingpaynes

I'm trying to catch up on my comments. September was a killer, as usual. I'm thinking I should change my school year to October through July and skip September altogether!

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About Me

Learning and living with my husband and three children on the northern-most tip of the Oregon Coast.