13 Things I Write in my Planner

Everyone uses a planner in their own way. Some use them to keep up with household chores or health and excerise. Others use them as a record keeping tool. I like to think I use mine for additional memory space. Here are some of the things that I use my planner to keep track of.

 

1. When I change my contacts. I wear monthly contacts that can potentially last up to two months. Whenever I change to a new pair I jot it down on my monthly spread. This way when my eyes start feeling scratchy I can refer back and see if it's time for a new pair of contacts.

 

2. When I give the pets their meds. I give my cat a flea treatment monthly and I write this on the monthly pages as well.

 

3. Worrisome medical symptoms. Anything out of the ordinary that if persisted I would need to see a doctor I write on the monthly pages on the date it occurs. For example, I had severe stomach pains on two different occasions that occurred out of the blue and lasted about 30 minutes each. I wrote this in my planner so that in the event that it keeps happening I have a record for the doctor. They inevitably ask how long a problem has been occurring and the answer "for a while now" isn't exactly what they're looking for!

 

4. My work schedule. I'm not sure why I write this down since it seems to change every other day, but this is the only way I know what time to show up at the office every day. It invariably gets whited out or marked through several times during the month but it is a life saver for me.

 

5. Appointments. Duh, right? This doesn't need alot of explanation.

 

6. Special events. Church events and potlucks, school programs, weekend activities, a movie showing on a certain day, etc.

 

7. Bills to pay. I pay bills on my paydays as opposed to the due dates so when a bill comes in I write the name, amount and date it's due in the day of my weekly spread that I plan to pay it. My paydays are the 15th and the last day of the month so that's where these are usually written. Since I pay most of my bills online from my work computer this saves me from stuffing the whole bill in my planner and carrying it everywhere. I write down the information on the date it will be paid and file the bill away at home.

 

8. Errands. Any errand that I need to run. These usually get done on my lunch break. For example, I need to go by the vet to pick up medicine for the pets. If I don't write that down I will definitely forget it!

 

9. Web stuff. I know. Really technical term huh? I don't have Internet at home and I go to the library often so if there is a specific web site or subject I want to look up I jot it down in my planner to refer to when I get to the library. If I don't write things down as soon as I think of them they ain't getting done!

 

10. Phone calls to make. It seems during the weekend I'm always thinking of phones calls that need to be made during regular business hours.

 

11. Meal plans. On the bottom line of my weekly pages I write what we are having for dinner each night. I've kinda slipped away from this since we have become (almost) emptynesters. We seem to be eating out alot. I really need to get back to this one.

 

12. Things sent or ordered. When I mail off something that requires a response such as a medical reimbursement form, I write down the date I mailed it so I know when to expect a response.

 

13. Bible class prep. I teach a children's bible class on Sunday mornings and there is usually some prep to be done...copies to make, supplies to get, etc. If I don't write it down to do during the week Sunday will sneak up on me!

 

So that's it!  Of course, I write other stuff down as well but these are the regulars. What kind of things do you keep track of in your planner?

Power Balls

I was watching Trisha's Southern Kitchen this weekend and she made a little treat called Power Balls.  They are  healthy but yummy snack.  Of course, I'm not good at sticking to a recipe.  I always have to change the ingredients up a little. Mostly because I don't have half the ingredients the recipes call for!  Here is my version of the Power Ball.  They turned out quite well and the hubs loved them.  These are a great snack to take with you on the go.

Ingredients

3 pkg's maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal
1 cup Oats
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 pkg pecan pieces
1/2 pkg of craisins
1 tbsp Vanilla

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Scoop out spoonfuls and shape into balls.  That's it!  Easy and delish!

Women of God

 

I saw this on Pinterest recently and loved it.  I've been wanting to do a post about being a Godly woman in an unGodly world and this pretty much sums up everything I would want to say.  I believe this was written by Margaret Nadauld.

Women of God

can never be like women of the world.

The world has enough women who are tough,

we need more women who are tender.

There are enough women who are coarse,

we need more women who are kind.

There are enough women who are rude,

we need women who are refined.

There are enough women of fame and fortune,

we need more women of faith.

We have enough greed,

we need more goodness.

We have enough vanity,

we need more virtue.

We have enough popularity,

we need more purity.

Fall Decor for the Door

 

I LOVE decorating wooden letters! I think it's becoming an addiction. Since the weather was very Fall - like this weekend, I decided it was time to decorate a wooden S for my front door in a Fall theme. What kind of Fall decorating do you do?
 

This project was very easy and inexpensive to make. These are the basic supplies you need. You'll probably notice the flower in the pic below is not the one I ended up using.   I had to make a run to the Dollar General for some glue and found the orange flower there. It was a PERFECT match!

  

So basically you just paint the wooden letter in the color of your choice. Mine is called Georgia Clay. I usually put two coats. Then you trace the part of the letter you want to cover in scrapbook paper onto the BACK of the paper. This may not make a difference with all letters but it does with an S! Just modge podge the paper to the the wooden letter. I do two coats of this as well. Then hot glue your decoration on and you're all set!

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

With the weather turning colder here in southern Oklahoma I had a hankering for some soup. This is one of my favorite recipes. It's super easy to throw together and is great for lunches throughout the week as well.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 can chili ready tomatoes
1 can rotel
1 can pinto beans
1 can enchilada sauce
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp garlic
2 tsp onion powder
2 cups milk

Toppings

Shredded cheese
Crushed tortillas chips

Instructions

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add flour and chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Pour this mixture over the chicken breast. Add the rest of the ingredients except the milk to the crockpot and give a little stir. Turn on low and let cook for 8 hours. About 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, stir in the milk. This will make the soup nice and creamy.

I like to top mine with crushed On The Border tortilla chips and shredded cheese. If you've never tried these chips you're missing out. They are the bomb!

Hope you enjoy!

Making a Quote Book

I'd like to share with you a project I started a few months back when I was feeling a little down. It's my Inspirational Quote Book. I found this notebook at the Dollar General for two bucks. There are several different designs and I probably bought one of each! Notebooks are one of my weaknesses. I just love them!

I am always pinning cute quotes on Pinterest and I wanted a creative way to have them in a book that I could refer to when I was feeling blue. Sooo, I pulled out my Sharpies, colored pencils, highlighters and calligraphy pen and started drawing. I'm not an artist by ANY means, but it was good therapy and I have a cute little book that I can add to as the mood strikes.

 This is a good project to do with kiddos or even to make as a gift for someone that may need encouragement. I made a pocket size one for the Hubs to carry in his truck for days that he is feeling especially stressed. They don't all have to be inspirational quotes. I like to sprinkle in some comical ones as well. The hubs favorite quote is "You can't shoot stupid people!"

Here are some pics of a few of my pages. (Sorry for the blurriness!)

Baptism According to the Bible

Many denominations have different views on baptism.  Some believe that you can be saved without baptism, others believe it is just an outward sign of an inner change, and yet others believe that sprinkling with water is just as sufficient as full immersion.  I've been reading up on this subject for a while and thought I would share some verses and my thoughts as to what they mean to us.

Mark 16:16 reads:

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Notice this does not say and/or is baptized.  It clearly says believe and be baptized to be saved.

In Acts 2:38, Peter is speaking:

"Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you for the forgiveness of your sins." 

Again we see the word and used here.  I work in the financial industry so I'm going to give you a banking example here.  If a check is made payable to John Smith or Jane Smith, this means that either person can cash the check without the other one being present.  However, if the check is made payable to John Smith and Jane Smith, they would both have to sign and be present to cash the check.  It takes both parties to complete the transaction.  I look at both of these verses in the same way.  It takes both steps to complete the transaction of being saved.  You must believe and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.  I don't think it's just an outward sign, I think it's a requirement that you be baptized for this reason and this reason only.

We can also look at the example that Jesus provided us in Matthew chapter 3 verses 13-15.

13 Then Jesus arrived from Galiliee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?"

15 But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."

Although Jesus was without sin, He knew He needed to be baptized to fulfill God's plan and to set an example to all who would follow Him.

There are several verses that talk about being saved and don't mention baptism, but I think if we are going to follow the Bible, we have to look at ALL the verses in their context.  Just because one doesn't mention it doesn't mean that we can ignore the ones that do.

Moving on, the Greek word for baptize is baptizo.  The Greek meaning of this word is to immerse or submerge.  To be truly baptized in the literal sense I think you need to be submerged in water. No one can say for certain that God won't accept sprinkling as a valid form of baptism, but they can't say he will either. Wouldn't you rather be submerged to make certain you've met the requirements of being saved?  As the saying goes, I would much rather be safe than sorry.

These are the points I have found to be important about baptism.  I hope you've found them helpful as well!

 

Easiest Enchiladas Ever!

I've Come up with a super easy enchilada recipe to share with you today. I've made these many times and the fam loves them. The awesome part is you can use ground beef like I did or you can switch out and use chicken. The basic recipe stays the same!

 Ingredients

 2 lbs ground beef (or 3 chicken breasts)
 8-10 flour tortillas
 2 cans enchilada sauce
 2 cups sour cream
 2 cups salsa
 2-3 cups shredded cheese
 Seasonings for the beef

Instructions

 Fry the ground beef and drain the excess grease. I added about 3 tablespoons taco seasoning and one teaspoon each of garlic powder and onion powder to the meat. Stir in one cup of the sour cream and one cup salsa to the meat mixture. I use the Fresh Salsa with cilantro from Sams Club. I LOVE this stuff. Best store bought salsa I have found. Hands down! Moving on....pour one can of enchilada sauce into a shallow dish, dip both sides of a tortilla in the sauce, spoon about 1/3 of a cup of meat mixture down the middle, roll up and place in a large casserole dish.

 I do spray the dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Repeat until your dish is full. Mine usually holds about eight it just depends on how fat you make them. Next in a bowl combine the other can of enchiladas sauce, 1 cup of sour cream and 1 cup of salsa. Stir well and pour over the top of your rolled enchiladas.

 
Finally sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top and bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

 

Thats it!  These are super easy and absolutely amazing!

Shepherd's Pot Pie

Fall is upon us.....at least in the mornings....for a couple days...and it's putting me in the mood for my family's favorite Fall and Winter meal. I call it Shepherds Pie, but I'm not sure it really is. Maybe it's more of a hybrid recipe...The filling is closer to a pot pie filling but uses ground beef instead of the traditional choices. I top it with lots of mashed potatoes, sometimes made the good old fashioned way with milk and butter, sometimes if I'm feeling adventurous I add sour cream and some crumbled bacon. YUUUMMMMEEEE. Then I top it off with a layer of shredded cheese. According to my family (and me) EVERYTHING is better with cheese! Every batch I make is a little different but here is the basic recipe. Hope you enjoy as much as we do!

Ingredients

2 lbs grounds beef- fried
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
2/3 cup milk
1 can beef broth 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 can veg all
About 6 cups of mashed potatoes
2 cups shredded cheese

In a pan melt the butter, add flour, salt, pepper and onion powder.- stir until smooth and bubbly. Add milk and broth and stir constantly until thickened. Add meat and can of Veg all and heat through. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the potatoes. Put it under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. I promise the picture does NOT do it justice. This is comfort food at its finest!

Peaceful and Content

I have struggled with having a peaceful and Content life. I have found that the old saying "Life is what you make of it" is so true. No matter what struggles and problems you are facing in life, you can still choose to be content in your circumstances. We have dealt with many issues over the past few years, and it took time to learn how to turn those problems over to God. Do I still worry? You bet! It's just in my nature but I have gotten better at not letting things get me down quite so much. God promises that he will be there for us no matter what problems the world hands us. My favorite bible verse is Matthew 6 verse 34. "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I recite this to myself often. I try not to worry about things past today. So far, I haven't been able to kick the worrying habit all together but I am improving day by day. I have learned that just because I have problems that I can't fix in my life it doesn't mean I can't still have a peaceful and satisfying life. I thank God for what I have and pray diligently for the people and issues that need addressing. The most important lessons I have learned over the past several years are that you can't make people change and you can't please everyone. I had a real problem with that last one. I can't stand for someone to be mad at me. I am still learning how to let that go and to know that I can't control others thoughts and actions. I try to be the best I can. I know I fail every day but I will never give up trying! "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor Let it be fearful." John 14:27

Pasta for Lunch (or anytime)

This is a simple but delicious pasta recipe that I came up with to take for my lunch. I try to pack a lunch every day so I'm always trying to come up with fresh new ideas. This recipe makes 3 to 4 large servings.

Ingredients

2 small chicken breasts boiled and diced
1 package of pasta (any kind will work)
5 slices microwavable bacon (cooked and crumbled)
1 small can mushroom pieces
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp McCormick ' s Kickin chicken seasoning
Salt to taste

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook your pasta according to package directions. I like to saute my mushrooms but you can use straight out of the can in you prefer. Add the spices to the olive oil and mix well. You can use whatever spices you like. I like the combination of these. I'm really kinda guessing on the amounts because I just add till it looks right (Sorry!) After the pasta is drained, drizzle the olive oil over it and mix well. Add the chicken, mushrooms, and bacon and give a stir. That's all there is to it. It's simple AND delicious!

Living Life Simply

I've wanted to start a blog for quite awhile now but I think I'm finally ready. I am passionate about many different subjects and I wanted one blog where I could write about them all so....Ramblings from Robin's Nest was created! I will be blogging about many different topics including but not limited to...recipes, crafts, bible study, planning and organizing. I hope to start with one post a week and work my up to at least three a week.  Thanks for joining me on this journey and I hope you find my ramblings useful and/or amusing!

I am starting the month of September off Facebook free! Not sure how long I will last but hoping I will find life more productive and drama free without it! Do you want to join me on the September Facebook Free challenge?