Project Life Update 3.12

I am rockin' and rollin' on my Disney Project Life.  This is the perfect way for me to display LOTS of photos with lots of journaling.  I've mentioned before that I kept a journal while on the trip.  I've actually just re-copied my words from the journal onto these homemade journal cards -- a lot of great details that I might have otherwise forgotten.  Between that and the Personal Navigators (mentioned below), I've been able to recall all kinds of stuff, and re-visit our amazing vacation days!

Best travel tip: keep a journal!

Our first evening on board.

A Disney Wonder Personal Navigator (right) in 8.5x11 page protector.

I'm so glad I kept these (one for each day).

They are great reminders of every event

that took place on the ship!

CLOSE-UP

Don't you LOVE the Mickey KETCHUP????

Let's Limbo 'round the Parrot Cay dining room!

Time to party and karaoke!

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I'm putting embellishments right ON the photos themselves.

I've seen a lot of questions about this on other blogs.

I'm using all archival quality materials.

A day in Nassau?  Stay tuned...

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Embellishing those day cards that I love from Cathy Zielske,

and another Disney paint sample.

A little embellishment on my homemade journal card too!

I'm having fun using bits and pieces of things that I already had.

Enjoying the view.

Stay tuned!

Lots more to come... more cruise,

some WDW, and Epcot too!

See the first set of pages that I shared HERE.

Linking up with:

Did Someone say "FREE?"

Are you a Good Morning America fan?  I love to wake up and watch Robin, George, Sam, Josh, and Lara.  What a team.

How about FREE?  Are you a big fan of FREE?  Who isn't these days!

Yesterday, Consumer Correspondent Elisabeth Leamy started a new series called "GMA's Friday Freebies."  I listened, and then clicked on over to the site to see what was up for grabs today.

Here's what I took advantage of:

#1 - one free quart of paint from Ace Hardware - a $16.50 value!

#2 - 2 Free Charms + $10 to shop at Sneakpeeq.com.  Go HERE to see what this sight is all about.  (Everyday, they'll suggest three products/deals just for you from various categories.  As for the freebies -- just follow the instructions HERE.  Please note: the $10 to shop expires in 14 days.

Also included on this week's Friday Freebies list are:

• 3+ Free IHOP Meals
• 1 Free Godiva Chocolate Per Month
• JC Penney 8x10 Portrait
• Kia $25 Gift Card

There are various expiration dates, so check each individual offer for details.

Now... to decide what color paint for that free quart????

Flying By The Seat of My Pants

Do you use a chore planner or household planner?

I have tried.  More than once, in fact.  Here's the problem (I think).

There is something inside of me (call it my inner child) that balks at the idea of somebody (you know, the person that wrote the planner) telling me what I ought to do on any given day.  Oh, I've printed out planners with great intentions.  One is in the drawer to my left. Two weeks ago, I won a terrifically detailed planner, and I thought this would finally be the one.  It sits half-printed on a shelf.  God bless the people who create these planners. I'm sure there ARE people out there who use them effectively.  Me?  Not so much.

Now, you know I've been following the "52 Weeks To a More Organized Home" -- and that has really been helpful.  The reminders are delivered via e-mail, and I can check it out in more detail at the website as time permits.  And that's kind of been working for me.  How about you?

My mom and I talked about it, and agreed it's a good thing.  But, we sort of take it with a grain of salt -- if you know what I mean.  Sometimes, we feel like we have our acts together in certain areas, and so we bypass the suggestions for that week.  Or sometimes, we don't feel the need to go about it in quite the same way as others do -- like beautifying our recycle areas (which for me is just a bin in the garage).

Anyway, here's what I use... since my college days.  A desk-top book-style yearly calendar. The brand has changed, but the format is the same: you can see a week-at-a-glance and month-at-a-glance.  Not only do I write down appointments here, but I also jot down our weekly menu-plans.  On a good week, the menu is written down ahead of time.  But sometimes, I just write down what we've eaten after the fact, so that I make sure that I don't make my family eat soup every night.  (What a fabulous world THAT would be!)

Sometimes, I take my calendar into the doctor's office with me, and they say, "You're so organized!" -- because they don't have to give me a little handwritten reminder.  What they don't know is that in five minutes, I will have forgotten the next appointment, and will only remember it when I turn the page to that week in my calendar.  You can ask my mom or sister if this is true.  Many times, they'll say, "See you on Sunday" - and if my calendar is not in front of me, I just smile and nod -- because I don't have a clue what they're talking about. {One time it was my daughter's birthday party.  True story.}

Don't be mistaken.  This week-at-a-glance calendar doesn't tell me what chores to do.  But it DOES make me feel like I have my act together.  Even if it's all an illusion - HA!

I guess the moral of the story is to do what works for you.  And I am.  I'm going to go clean the toilet now... because NOBODY "told" me to do it!

Project Pinterest: Slow-Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

I pinned this from Reluctant Entertainer Sandy Coughlin's SLOW COOKER BOARD.

She found it at Pip & Ebby.

The other day, while mulling over what to make for dinner, I remembered pinning this chicken recipe - and thought I might actually have all of the ingredients on hand.  Well, not quite - but I adjusted.  You can see the original recipe and cooking instructions - just click on Pip & Ebby above.

Here's what I used for my Cilantro Lime Chicken:

3 - chicken breast halves
2 - 14.5 oz. cans of petite diced tomatoes with green chilies
2 T. lime juice (EQUIVALENT of juice of one lime)
1/4 c. fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning

My intention was not to serve the chicken breasts as whole pieces, but rather to shred the chicken towards the end of the cooking time.  I then returned it to the yummy sauce in the crockpot, and served it over rice.

It was DElicious!  A "keeper", and another Pinterest success story!  Many thanks to Megan from Pip & Ebby!  Another dinner hour saved!

Here are the rules:

1. Decide which pin on Pinterest you’d like to recreate.

2. Create it!

3. Flop or success, create a blog post about your re-do and include the original pin’s url.

4. Add the Project Pinterest button to your post so others can join in too!

5. Link up and check out other bloggers’ posts!

A Conversation With God*

I received the following scripted "conversation"

in an e-mail from my sister a week or two ago.

I've thought of it so many times since I first read it.

For me, it bears re-reading.

Maybe it will be just the thing you need to hear today.

Do you trust God's plan?

Me (in a tizzy) : God, can I ask you something?

GOD: Sure.

Me: Promise you won't get mad?

GOD: I promise.

Me (frustrated): Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?

GOD: What do you mean?

Me: Well I woke up late,

GOD: Yes.

Me: My car took forever to start,

GOD: Okay....

Me (growling): At lunch, they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait,

GOD: Hmmmm..

Me: On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call...

GOD: All right

Me (loudly): And to top it all off, when I got home, I just wanted to soak my feet in my foot massager and relax, but it wouldn't work. Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?

GOD: Well let me see..... the death angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life.  I let you sleep through that.

Me (humbled): Oh...

GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that might have hit you if you were on the road.

Me (ashamed): ............

GOD: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn't want you to catch what they have.  I knew you couldn't afford to miss work.

Me (embarrassed): Oh.....

GOD: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give a false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered.

Me (softly): I see God

GOD: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.

Me: I'm sorry God.

GOD: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me.........in all things, the good and the bad.

Me: I WILL trust you God.

GOD: And don't doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan.

Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.

GOD: You're welcome child.  It was just another day being your God and I love looking after my children.

*author unknown

"In all things give thanks."

1 Thessalonians 5:18