Green Bean Soup

Soup is such a simple & quick dinner to throw together, plus it's always warming for the soul. My sister in law was the one who showed me how to make green bean soup & now it's a dish that we make often.
The best part of this soup is that it is very versatile so you can add in something or take away something & it still comes out great.


Essential Ingredients :

 I always add in some rotel for extra flavor & some zucchini at the end for a special twist.

{{Note}} the smaller you cut your ingredients the faster they cook . . . plus soup always comes together so quickly it usually only takes about 30 minutes tops. Just boil until everything is tender, so simple.

>> Recipe & Instructions <<



I hope this recipe is something you & your family will enjoy as much as we do, leave a comment below & let me know how your soup came out.

Pamper Yourself

As a mother & wife you are always putting your child's & spouse's needs ahead of your own (as you should be) but every once in a while, you should take a minute for yourself & just relax. You should be taking care of yourself just as much as you are taking care of all the other important people in your life.
A lot of the time we (as women) tell ourselves " it's too expensive to pamper myself " , " I don't have that kind of time or money to spend on myself " , "there are a million things that need to get done ", but honestly you can find some way to take 20 - 30 minutes out of your day / night to spend strictly on yourself. If you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or tired a good pampering is just what the doctor ordered to make you feel better.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to "pamper" yourself, & the best part of all is . . . you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home. There is nothing like a hot bath to ease the mind & body. Your essentials for a marvelous "Mommy Me Time" are :  

Luscious Foaming Soap 

Gorgeous Bath Fizz Ball  

Relaxing Bath Salts

Luxurious Bubbles

Clay Face Mask

Deep Conditioning Hair Treatment

Moisturizing Lotion (for after)

Fragrant Candles

Decadent Chocolate

Delicious Wine

Trendy Magazine

All of the items I get are reasonably price (I very rarely go over board) the single packs for the face & hair treatments are usually only $2 - $3, & my favorite wine is from H.E.B. (Dulcis, the red wine & moscato, both are very delicious) & it's only $10 [[SCORE]]

I like to put on some jams to drowned out any noise & turn the lights off in my bathroom & just escape from reality for a while.   

It doesn't take much to set a relaxing tone at home to unwind & you'll be happy you did. After indulging yourself you should feel like a new women, this is a serious mood lifter.
Don't forget to paint your nails . . . I hope this was a good reminder to take that extra time to pamper yourself because you deserve it, leave me a comment below to let me know if you are going to treat yourself.



Healthier Spaghetti & Meatballs

Yum, spaghetti & meatballs . . . every kid loves pasta, it's messy, it tastes good, & did I mention it's messy? I LOVE pasta dishes but all that starch goes straight to the hips, yikes, I have enough of that already. So this is our version of spaghetti & meatballs, it's a little healthier for me but it doesn't skimp on the taste, plus the kids are secretly eating veggies & enjoying them.

What I swap for my healthier version:

Hamburger Meat = Ground Turkey

Pasta Sauce = Pasta Sauce with Veggies In It

Noodles = Noodles With Less Calories Or More Fiber

I hope you enjoy your spaghetti, leave a comment below to let me know if you tried out our recipe.

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6 Monday Musts

So Friday I posted Things To Do Over The Weekend To Help Monday Not Be So Dreadful, today I wanted to follow up on that with a good ol' Monday musts. My Monday musts are things I do to help me get back on track & carry out the rest of the week.

We are all familiar with the feeling of Monday, you come off the weekend, which was so great & then you have to switch back to reality. It's like a slap in the face. But you can tackle it with a little bit more ease.

Wake Up On Time

You know your guilty of over sleeping on Monday, I'm just as guilty of hitting that snooze button until my alarm completely shuts off & now I'm running late. That's not such a great way to start the day, yet alone, the week. So wake up on time.

Take The Day Head On

Meaning if there is a big task that needs to be done, do it first. There's nothing like accomplishing something big & getting it out of the way so you don't have to worry about it any more.

No Miss Monday

Yes, we all agree Monday's are horrible but they honestly set the tone for the rest of the week. So get your workout in with intensity & you won't regret it.

Turn Down For What?

The weekend is gone but don't turn down the music, if you listen to high energy music it will lift your spirits & get you up & active.

Let In The Light

Sunlight is proven to have so many beneficial effects for the human body one being it can help cure depression, studies show that by sitting under artificial lighting we are depriving ourselves of natural sunlight which can lead to different types of depression. So open up those blinds & let the light shine through.

 A Cup Of Joe

Obviously your going to need a caffeine boost, so enjoy that cup of coffee in the morning. & if one cup just isn't doing it for you go ahead & secretly treat yourself to a second cup, because it's Monday . . . You'll need it.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading, leave a comment below & let me know how your Monday went.



Things To Do Over The Weekend To Help Monday Not Be So Dreadful

It's Friday . . . Everyone's favorite day of the week. Even as a kid growing up we looked forward to Friday's, it was always that magical day. But it never fails, the weekend seems to come & go so fast that before you know it, it's Monday again (cue the crying). Why are Monday's so stressful for everyone, including myself ? It's because over the weekend we tend to forget about reality & we pretend to live in a world where we are carefree. Ok, I know that is a little over dramatically stated but in a way it's kind of true. Over the weekend we stay up super late & sleep in, or we relax & let things go undone, or we might even have a list of projects we're doing. Regardless of what situation I have going on over my weekend following these few tips make me feel a little bit better about Monday's.

Prep On Friday

During the day, Friday, I try to get as much done as possible to help my weekend run more smoothly. I make sure the house is spotless, incase we get unexpected company. Or if we are going out of town, I'll have everything packed & ready to go by the time my husband gets home from work.

Wake Up Early

Now, Monday through Friday my day starts at 5 am so it's a no brainer that when the weekend comes I want to sleep in, but I found myself over sleeping at times, which ultimately leads to me loosing my day ( hence the reason Monday seems to come so quickly). So I devised a plan, I would let myself sleep in past 5 am but I would be up by 7 am. It's all about the compromise.

Start Your Day With Purpose

Your already up early, so tidy up a bit before you set out & forget about the house. The thing that always seems to hit me Sunday night in bed is laundry, I have had a habit of putting our weekend laundry off until the last minute & then I find myself washing clothes until I fall asleep with them in the dryer, so Monday morning everyone is wearing a wrinkled shirt . . . anyone else been there?

Take A Nap

I use to run on no sleep as a teen, but since I have become a mom, sleep is my best friend. On the weekends everyone likes to stay up late, but I just can't hang anymore, especially if I get up early. So taking a cat nap helps me reboot, there's no shame in napping.

Let Your Hair Down

Most importantly just have fun, it's the weekend so relax & enjoy your family time together while making plenty of memories. Remember not to take life so seriously, so live a little.

I hope this helps you have a more enjoyable weekend so you don't have to dread Mondays so much. Leave a comment below & let me know how your weekends flow.

My Kids Are Going To Eat Me Out Of The House

I love my children to death, just as any parent does, but now that they are growing they are ALWAYS hungry. I guess I should start watching what I say . . . I'm always joking " one day my kids are going to eat us out of the house ". The realization of that seems definite with the price of groceries & the amount of times my little ones are saying they are hungry. But when does the eating go from being hungry to being bored ? I don't by any means deprive my children of food but I started to notice that when they became bored they would ask for something to eat. Snacking from boredom is what makes us all over weight so I didn't want my kids picking up this bad habit at such an early age, something had to change.

Where to start? Before I get discouraged I motivate myself with a little quote, It takes 21 days to break a habit, so let's just take it day by day.

Start by setting out a good time frame that works for you & your family to have your meals & snacks.

For example ours looks like this:
Please feel free to create your own time frame, you don't have to follow mine, this is what works for our daily routine & how we do things.

Your time frame will also go along with making the rule "the kitchen is closed", my mom & dad use to say this when I was little but I didn't think anything of it at the time. Help everyone be aware that if it's not a meal or snack time the kitchen is "closed" & it will be "open" again during the next snack / meal time. I like to give a little reminder while we finish up our food "last call the kitchen will be closing after this & mommy will be off duty so if you want anything else to eat you better tell me now".

Now you need to set boundaries, setting boundaries where you are allowed to eat is not only beneficial for your children but for you as well. For instance, telling your children they are not allowed to eat in front of the TV helps them focus on what they are actually eating instead of watching TV & mindlessly stuffing their face with snacks. Research suggest that for children, even snacking while watching TV can be a harmful habit for them because it interferes with the natural cues the body is sending which can cause them to over eat or even under eat. I'll admit turning the TV off while eating isn't always so easy, in this day & age it's normal for the TV to be on while families eat, but taking out the extra time to do it will be so beneficial to your family's growth. Plus you don't have to deal with a mess in your living room because it is now off limits to eat in.

Stay active, if your time is occupied by doing something productive your little one will be less likely to stay "hungry" because he / she isn't just sitting around being bored.

 It's important that everyone tries to stick to this as much as possible so your children become accustom to the plan, but don't beat yourself up if you slip here & there. Not only will you see a change in your kids eating out of boredom but you should start to see a change in your own mindless snacking behaviors as well, which every mother will enjoy.
I hope this helps you, leave a comment below to let me know if you think your little ones are about to eat you out of your house.

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12 Things To Do For A Happier Marriage

Being married to your best friend is great but marriage is never a walk in the park for anyone. Studies show that a couples marital satisfaction is at it's highest during the honeymoon & after that it slowly declines. Researchers also believe that if you make it through the first 4 years of marriage you have passed the "divorce danger zone". Personally I believe that if you want a strong, long, & healthy relationship with your spouse it takes work. My husband & I are going on our 6th year of marriage & we have had our ups & down just like everyone else but we love each other, have a strong relationship, & most importantly . . . we are happy together. These are the 12 things we feel work best for us & have keep us in a happy marriage.

1. Communication

Communication is key. Simply talk to your spouse everyday & more importantly, listen.

2. Show affection

Think of how you felt dating each other, it was the little things that made you fall in love with your spouse. The sweet little actions like holding hands, kisses, & hugs. Show your spouse you love them through the way you act.

3. Always say " I love you "

Before you leave for work, before you hang up the phone, or before you go to bed simply tell your spouse you love them. Saying it all the time reminds both of you of your feelings towards each other & it will bring you closer.

4. Forgiveness

There will always be days where it's hard to get along with your spouse. But staying angry will only build resentment towards each other. It's okay to be the first one to say your sorry. There's no shame in admitting you got angry over something small. Remember, never go to bed angry at one another.

5. Go on dates

Now that your married doesn't mean that the dating has to stop. Go out together & enjoy each others company. Fall in love with each other all over again.
6. Have each others backs

Be strong for each other & willing to sacrifice anything for your spouse. Just as you want your spouse to have your back in any given situation you have to be willing to do the same. Even if it's not always easy.

7. Keep it fresh in the bedroom

It goes without saying, don't let your sex life get boring. Stay connected to each other & spice it up.

8. You can't change your spouse

The things you once thought were cute about your spouse are now somewhat annoying. But you can't change each other, so stop trying & just embrace one another's imperfections.

9. Share a hobby

Find something that both of you enjoy doing together, like working out together, or traveling. Whatever it may be, do it as often as possible.

10. Don't fight in front of people

There is nothing more awkward that watching a couple fight in public, having them air out each others dirty laundry for everyone else to hear. It's ok to fight, everyone does it, but doing it in private makes forgiving each other a whole lot easier.

11. Encourage one another

Compliment & magnify your spouses strengths & good qualities. Let them know the things you adore about them.

12. Praise each others accomplishments

Your spouses victories are also your own, having the mindset that you & your spouse are as one.
" A strong marriage requires two people who choose to LOVE each other even on those days when they struggle to like each other " - Dave Willis
I hope this helps all you married couples out there fighting for your marriage, leave a comment below to let me know if this was insightful for you.



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