Friday Favorites {10.6.17}

Hey Friday. I’ve been waiting for you to get here! We had a great week and it seems to be finally feeling like fall around here! All the kids rooms are a giant mess because I got out all the fall clothes (Hello! It’s October!) and then we had to pull all our summer clothes back out. I’m ready to finally pack them all away!

Today I’m linking up with Erika, Narci and Andrea for Friday Favorites!

one

At my mom’s group meeting this week, the topic was meal planning tips and tricks. Let me tell you. Some of these ladies have it figured out! I’ve always been a meal planner but lately with how crazy things have been, it’s become a chore I dread. I cannot seem to find a time of the week to consistently go to the grocery store and end up there during the weekend when I would much rather be home with my crew. I somehow always am running to several stores most weeks because I try to get everything for the best quality at the best price. I have started to loathe shopping for groceries.

A couple other mommas shared that they meal plan for roughly an entire month at a time (I usually only do a week at a time). Once a month, they shop for all the non-perishable items and pantry staples for meals for the entire month at one or two stores. The weeks in between they place smaller orders of fresh produce and perishables for pick-up or delivery at our local store and never have to worry about fitting in when to grocery shop on those weeks. They catch meat sales as they come up, buy a ton for the month, portion it out and freeze it. Oh and the best part is, only once a week (if that) do they have to bring their kids grocery shopping.

Seriously. Life changing advice for me. Today’s only the 6th of October so you better believe I’m going to attempt this for the rest of the month.

We all brought go-to recipes to share and this one was mine – Crockpot Enchilada Quinoa from Moms with Crockpots. It’s the perfect dump and go slow cooker meal when we have a busy night ahead. We top ours with cheese,chopped green onions and sour cream. It’s really good!

P.S. Anybody have any tricks for taking two year old twins to the store with me? We had a blueberry catastrophe one day and I am a little traumatized to try again…

two

This week, I blogged my last post for my Twin Birthday Series- a recap of our train themed second birthday party. My twins are obsessed with trains right now and walked around the party constantly saying “Choo Choo!” We had so much fun! With my older boys, the second birthday party is the last time I got to choose the theme so I definitely took advantage and chose something easy and fun!

In case you missed it, here’s the rest of my Twin Birthday Series.

Week 1: Best Twin Birthday Party Themes

Week 2: How to celebrate birthdays for two!

Week 3: Two year old Gift Guide

Week 4: Two year old Update

Week 5: Train Theme Second Birthday Party!

three

I’ve always been an Iced Pumpkin Spiced Latte girl in the fall. I’ve tried the Salted Caramel Mocha and it’s not really my thing. BUT this week I tried their new Maple Pecan Latte and I think it’s almost better than the Pumpkin Spice. I don’t even know what possessed me to try it because I’m not a big maple or a big pecan fan but it doesn’t even matter. It’s delicious. If you haven’t tried it, you really should.

four

Reid and Luke have recently developed a love of Daniel Tiger. They love playing with small toys that they can take places (Church, soccer games, in the car, etc) in their tiny toddler backpacks so got them this set of the Tiger family. They are completely smitten. Luke carries Baby Margaret and Tigey with him everywhere in his pocket. When he goes to bed they sit on his dresser and they are the first thing he grabs in the morning. #Momwin

We also got them this Daniel Tiger Family book which was the perfect companion.

five

I shared a little piece of my heart this week when I wrote about parenting my sweet middle child. We all have a child who we butt heads with more than others and I struggled for a long time to try to figure out how to be the mother that all my children needed.

Hardly ever do we get to really see God’s whole plan for us or can even attempt to understand it. He knew what our family needed when we didn’t and I think Eli was the one I most NEEDED. For me to become the mother He knew I could be. Each of my four children need different things from me and I learn different things from each of them. But my beautiful, strong willed, sweet, ‘most difficult’ child? Eli has taught me the most.

If any of you out there have similar struggles, I hope you will read and learn something from my experience that can help you with yours.

That wraps up my favorites this week! We have a weekend full of soccer and fall festivities ahead of us. I’m excited to hang out with my favorite people non-stop! 😉

Hope you have the very best weekend!

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