Power Sheets 2018!

I've always loved planners, y'all. It's a sickness really because I love them so much -- and the process of setting them up and adding things like birthdays just turns me into a special kind of nerd.

Last fall, I was going through a transition of sorts in my life, and I stumbled upon Lara Casey's page on Facebook - she was doing a really vulnerable post about having to start over on her book - which became Cultivate. It is an amazing book about living life intentionally, and I believe everyone should read it... but that's not why I am sharing today.

Lara also created an amazing product called Powersheets, which is an intentional goal setting planner - which walks you through the process of setting goals and then tending to them each month. She has a whole section that is about 60 pages of what we call Prep Work. You fill that out during December - I did it the week between Christmas and New Years last year. For each goal you set, you will create an action plan... which I LOVE!

Then each month you have a small couple of pages to fill out about what you got done the previous month and your goals for the next month. You keep this page open, or you can tear it out of the book (it's perforated to make this easy on you) to tape it into your planner or where ever helps you stay on top of your monthly, weekly, and daily goals. There is also a refresher section for each season (Spring, Summer, and Fall) where you can work through if your goals need and adjustment.

Something new for 2018 is that they have added places for you to add wildcard sheets - which is a sheet you'll print out and tape into your Powersheets. The topics you can choose from are:

• Monthly Calendar
• Perpetual Calendar
• Financial Check-In
• Monthly Budget
• Meal Plan
• Fitness Plan
• Content Planning
• Relationship Tending
• Reading List
• Cultivating a Life-Giving Home
• Organization and Decluttering
• Self Care
• Goal Progress

For me, this has been a GAME CHANGER! I have never stuck with a planner, EVER... and here I am in October still working through it. Some months, I've been late to the game... but I'm still working with it. Lara is all about imperfect progress, and how every step you take adds up over time toward your bigger goals.

The 2018 PowerSheets Intentional Goal Planner from Lara Casey on Vimeo.
Today, I'm here to tell you that as of 10AM Eastern (9AM Central) tomorrow morning -- the 2018 PowerSheets Collection will be available for order!!! SET YOURSELF AN ALARM! This year they have Tending Tape (Washi Tape), pens (only in the accessories bundle, and my personal favorite goal setting stickers! There are 900 or more stickers set and ready to be used in your Powersheets -- if you love stickers and color -- grab 2! You can see some of them on my tending list for this year -- but the 2018 stickers are smaller so they fit on the lines more easily.

They've got the 1 Year Dated set (which is only dated in that it has the months preprinted on the tabs), and 3 different 6 month sets - so you'd need two of them to get through 2018 - they do tend to sell out so you might want to get 2 now if you choose to do that. A great feature is that for 3 days - they will offer free shipping on orders of $100... so get whatever you need and get the free shipping!

The multi-colored cover is the 1 Year Book, the other 3 (Teal, Gold, and Poppy Pink) are the 6-month versions.

Please hear me say that you don't have to be afraid of using this planner -- make a mess of it -- let it work in your life! Want to learn more? Check out this webinar TODAY about how they work and a look inside!

Friday Favorites - Animated Movies

Today's topic is Animated Movies! I've got a list of the top 5 movies my boys would choose and the top 5 from when I was little.

MY BOYS' LIST

1) The Jungle Book -- they LIVE for this movie. They've memorized every word, and love to mimic the elephant marches. If you ask them if they'd like to watch a movie -- 90% of the time this is the first one they would choose. 

2) A Bug's Life - Tyler has gotten to where he likes this one a lot too, but I have to sit down and watch it with him because the grasshoppers scare him a bit. It's all good though -- I'd sit and watch a movie with them anytime. 

3)  Dumbo - they like this one too, but I'll be honest -- they haven't really been exposed to too many movies. They are just getting to the point where they'll watch anything longer than a 30 minute type show... so we're slowly dipping into the Disney waters.

4) Frozen - Who doesn't love Frozen -- it's one of John's any my favorites too. It's just a cute movie. They like Olaf and Sven. Tyler does not like Marshmallow, but the rest of it he enjoys. He cracks up when Hans falls into the water. 

5) Finding Nemo - this one is fairly new to them - Tyler has started really liking sharks, so I showed it to him. He enjoyed all of the sea life, but hasn't asked to see it again -- so I'm waiting to see when he chooses to take another look at it.

MY LIST

1) The Aristocats - this was one of the best movies for me as a child. It's been a long time since I've seen it, but I remember that Marie was one of my favorite characters. The jazz band was always entertaining too. 

2) Cinderella - Who didn't grow up with this being one of the best movies of all time... I still love it to this day. Gus Gus is my favorite animal character from my childhood. So cute and so funny. 

3) It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown - this is a Halloween classic! I watched it every year, and still do. Even in the years before I had the boys -- I just have loved it for a looooong time. I can't wait for it to come on television - even though I have it on DVD... I watch the airing on television every year.

4) The Lion King -- this one came out while I was in high school, but I clearly remember it taking over. I was like in 10th grade and got TONS of Lion King stuff for Christmas that year -- I loved it too! 

5) Oliver & Company - I think this came out during my junior high years, and I thought it was super cute. I loved the spunk of the characters, and the chihuahua was hysterically funny. "If this is torture, chain me to the wall..." HAHAHAHA! Greatness! 

Those are my favorites -- what are yours? Join in with us -- I'd love to know what your favorites are and what I've missed. We're just getting started with animated movies -- so lay it on me! 

Here is the list of the upcoming topics for future Friday Favorites, we'd love to have you join us! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Favorites - School Treats/Lunches

Today we're going to talk about School Treats & Lunches on this 'ol blog. As a homeschooler - I don't have to worry about peanut allergies and such as much as other families do, but we do occasionally have parties and things that we worry about allergies. The truth of it though is that lunches for kids are so easy to get caught in a rut. I know my kids are just picky enough that it's normally the same old thing.

1) The first idea that I love is having a snacking station or lunch making station in your house -- where there are good ideas for your children to choose from and grab on their own. Have several options and allow them to choose for themselves. I've even seen it where they have categories where the kids choose 1 item from section A, 2 from B, and 1 from C... that sort of thing is great for empowering your kids to make their own healthy choices.

2) I also love the idea of using those silicone cupcake liners to help make a bento style lunch with lots of little things combined into one lunch. I've never tried this, but I've even heard when you're at home if you serve a lot of little things in muffin tins -- kids will eat more than they would off of a plate. For this discussion though, I like the idea of them getting a little variety of things - think of the possibilities if you just change out one item everyday. For instance - if you send them with berries, a quesadilla, some crackers, and carrots... if you just change the berries and carrots to celery -- it's a whole different lunch with the same crackers & quesadilla. You get the idea. You could make the same main dish for the lunch and make several of them... then just change out the sides for that week.

3) I love the clothespin butterfly snacks too - which could easily be added to your child's lunch too. I've seen them with grapes, strawberries, goldfish, and cheese... but you could use whatever your child likes. Raisins would be good in this too blueberries, cherry or grape tomatoes, cereal, whatever you can fit in the bag. Use a snack sized bag -- put one item on the left side and one on the right. Then you put a clothespin in the middle and it looks like a butterfly. I've seen the faces just drawn on different color clothespins and antennas added... but I thought these with the pompoms were super cute!

4) I love that there are so many options these days, I mean when we were kids -- you were stuck pretty much with a sandwich, chips, fruit, and a cookie... or some small variation on that. Now parents are much more creative, and you can almost do anything. I wasn't a sack lunch kid very often when I was young, but occasionally - I'd take some soup in a thermos... now you can do that... you could make a big batch of mac & cheese on the weekend and let them take that. You can send them with soup, you can send just about anything and keep it warm these days.

5) The same goes for ways to keep lunches cool. I love the idea of freezing a damp sponge and packing that with your child's lunch to keep things cool... and as it melts, it naturally sucks up the liquid back into itself. I used to freeze my water/juice box/Caprisun to keep my lunches cool. I've also seen some smoothies being added to lunch boxes for the same purpose... it's genius! By the time lunch rolls around -- unless your child is the unlucky ones that have to eat at 10:30 -- it's defrosted and perfect for their meal.

6) I'm all about the freezer cooking these days -- so I also saw this link of recipes you can freeze ahead of time for lunches. I hope that this helps some of you get on top of lunch for the week by prepping it on the weekend. Any of you into the whole food movement over the prepackaged items will love this set of recipes -- it's from the 100 Days of Real Food blog. I've also seen corn dogs made out of mini hot dogs in muffin tins -- those would be a GREAT prep ahead item!

7) For sports teams and school parties -- you just can't go wrong with rainbow fruit cups, fruit cups that are store bought then decorated with the theme, or any of these ideas from pinterest...

- Peanut Free School Lunch Ideas

- Classroom Halloween Party Snack Ideas

- Thankgiving/Fall Classroom Snack Ideas

- Grinch K-Bobs (#4 on the list)

- Christmas Treat Ideas

- Birthday Cake Popcorn

- Creative Team Snacks

- Healthy Team Snacks

- 10 Healthy Snack Ideas for Sports Teams

- More Creative Team Snack Ideas

Remember to check with your school or coaches to find out about any food allergies... it's no fun to be turned away after making something special for the kids... or to be the one that can't participate because of an allergy. 

Next week we will be talking about our Favorite Animated Movies... so start thinking about what your favorites are either new or old.

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Favorites - TV Shows

Well, it's finally here -- Fall TV Premiere Week! I'm actually surprised that so many shows are starting all at the same time - it seems like in years past they spread it out a bit more, but maybe I'm wrong. As a PSA, you won't find any reality shows on my list... because I really don't like them much at all. I'm a sucker for good scripted comedies and dramas. I love writing, so it shouldn't be a big secret that I'd love scripted shows that have rich stories, characters, and plot lines. With that being said -- here is my obnoxious list of 12 of my favorite shows. In no particular order...

1) Major Crimes is such a great show - we've been watching it since before it was Major Crimes - it used to be a show called The Closer, but they changed it up and renamed it... and it's still a hit. There are great jokes & one liners -- great crimes and stories to solve -- and now a great bit of background stories going on with the main characters. The makings of a long time favorite for me. It premieres in the summer on TNT, and is off until November -- it'll be on in November and December -- then it'll be gone again until June.

2) Rizzoli & Isles is such a good show it's another crime related show, but this one is about two best friends Jane Rizzoli a police detective and Maura Isles the chief medical examiner -- Isles is also a fashionista. Their unlikely friendship is both entertaining and heart warming. The other cast is equally funny and quirky. We've watched it from the beginning - although I've loved just about any thing that Angie Harmon has been in. It's another TNT favorite that is off until November. This one, like Major Crimes is on when the main stations are in hiatus for the most part.

3) We fell in love with Madam Secretary last year as one of the new shows we enjoyed the most. It's got a great story line, great characters, and a lot of back story for them to still explore. It's about a former CIA agent that became the Secretary of State. The story is incredible and I think that the way Tea Leoni really seems like this show was made for her, and Tim Daly as her husband is just a great match. I just love the chemistry that all of the cast has, and look forward to seeing how the second season unfolds.

4) Mysteries of Laura, clearly I have an obsession with crime shows... but this one is special. This one is hysterical, whitty, and endearing... the characters are great, and how can you go wrong with Debra Messing and Josh Lucas? Am I wrong or could you just listen to him talk for hours? I digress. This is just good television. It's just starting it's second season, and you don't want to miss it - TRUST ME on this one.
 

 5) The Goldbergs... OMG -- this one is just plain hilarious. Anyone that lived through the 80's at all can appreciate how funny this show is. It's got some great stories from the mind of Adam F. Goldberg, and are just some crazy adaptations of what his real family went through -- but I just love seeing all of the old things from the 80's again. It brings me back to a more innocent time, but in a hysterically funny way. Don't miss out -- this one truly is a gem.

6) Grey's Anatomy, well of course I've loved this one for a long time... and even though I've been heart broken over the losses of characters over the last few years -- especially the loss of Derek -- I'm going to give them a shot to see how it pans out. I'm not happy to see the Meredith/Derek years end, but maybe they still have some life in the show. It's been a long list of great characters that have come and gone... so I'm hopeful that there are some more new faces that can draw us back in to loving it as we always have.

7) We are late to the party on this one, and really just started watching last season when Olivia was kidnapped and being held hostage... but we couldn't help but keep coming back each week because the story sucked us in. At first is just seemed like some craziness, that we couldn't figure out -- but then we got hooked. I see that this season's premiere doesn't appear to disappoint either if you like good drama... and the adultery doesn't bother you too much. Between Grey's and Scandal -- I don't feel like there are any people on those two shows that aren't having sex somewhere in each episode. I mean really.

8) You saw this one coming too, right? I mean my love of crime shows -- why wouldn't I enjoy this one from the perspective of the defense attorney and her interns. This one is just starting their second season as well, and I'm sure there will be more of the greatness we saw in season 1. I'm interested in seeing how the new season plays out and if there is a new crime they are focused on or if they will continue with where they were last season.

 I mean is there anything Shonda Rimes can't do? She has written some of the greatest television shows out there... the entire Thursday night lineup is under her brand... and they are all great for different reasons. In addition to this one -- we loved Shonda's show Private Practice too. I mean seriously -- she is a gifted writer & producer.

9) We watched the original Heroes show -- so we're going to give this Heroes Reborn show a chance. I sort of lost interest in the original one, but John enjoyed it. I do remember with fondness Hiro and his famous line "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World." HAHAHA, such greatness. We'll see if this one earns a place in our hearts or if we write it off as a remake that we can leave on the shelf.

10) We started this one from the beginning too, and loved it. It's set in San Antonio at a hospital not too far from some military bases (this is true of the city having some military bases) -- lots of military reservists on staff there -- treating patients, and being a little outrageous in the way they treat some of them. Others they fly back to military zones in the Middle East to bring home and treat at the hospital. The personal relationships and things between the characters are interesting. I love them all, and I'm far too invested in them... it ended last year with Jordan, one of the main characters, having to loose her baby she was pregnant with because the pregnancy caused her to have seizures. Craziness.

11) The Odd Couple -- I liked this one last year, and they are supposed to be getting a second season. I felt that Matthew Perry's acting sometimes was awkward, but John assures me that was the way the original show was as well. It was funny at times, and it's always interesting to see how things translate from the 60's into modern day. It has some good points, and what can I say -- I always tune in to see how the Friends Alumni are doing in new projects -- at least those that aren't on HBO or whatever network Courtney Cox's shows are on.

12) There are a couple of other shows that I'm going to check out this fall if they get a premier date -- Heartbreaker is one of them -- and The Grinder looks funny. Rob Lowe is a television lawyer that has his show cancelled -- his father and brother, I believe -- are attorneys, so he goes home expecting to join in the family business. It looks to be entertaining and funny, but it doesn't premiere until Tuesday, so the jury is still out on that one. (HAHAHA, see what I did there?)

Want to join in with Becky and I on our Friday Favorites? Link up with us and tell us about your favorite television shows for this new fall season. Also check out this list of upcoming topics for the next few weeks ahead.

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Favorites - Where You Live

We're continuing our Friday Favorites series with the topic of Where You Live... so join us and write a post about what your favorite things are about where you live.

I live in Cypress, Texas... so let me tell you a few of the really amazing things that are around here.

1) It's homecoming time around here, and in Texas we really take it to the next level. Have you heard about the homecoming mum? These things were insane when I was younger, but they've only gotten worse. I mean these things can really mess with your neck from the weight of them.

2) Community spirit, in the wake of the shooting of one of our local sheriff's officers the community has come together in incredible ways. We could have rioted, but we've peacefully come together to rally around our law enforcement community. I hate that we've even been put in this position, but I'm incredibly proud of how we've come together. This photo was taken about a week or two ago at one of the Marches for Unity -- there were 18 to 20 thousand people marching in this, and it truly was a beautiful site.

3) Size, I live in the Greater Houston area... and when I tell you it's the 4th largest city in the country -- that doesn't really mean much. So what if I showed you the size of Houston compared to the size of the state of Connecticut!? It's incredible. Connecticut is the purple line around the outside of the Houston area on the map. If you enlarge the map, I live in the far northwest corner -- sort of around where Tomball is.

 4) We have it all around here, but one of the nicer things that most other places don't have would be Space Center Houston. I haven't been in a long time, but it really is a nice place to visit. It just happens to be about an hour and a half or more from our house... but I'd really like to take the boys down there when they get a little bit older and have a concept of space and planets.

5) The Waterwall. I spent many evenings and afternoons at this structure when I was in high school... it's really breath taking. It sits just behind the Houston Galleria, and is this horseshoe-shaped wall with 11,000 gallons of water cascading per minute an amazing feat of design, but it will truly make you appreciate the power of water—plus it will make you really thirsty. Pro tip: make a bathroom stop before you visit.

6) The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This is a 3 week long event in Houston every February/March. It's one of the largest in the world, and is not only a great way to celebrate our Texas roots... it's also an incredible concert event every night. (Some days there are even two concert shows!) Some of the biggest names in the music world... not just the country music acts, there are also Tejano acts and some pop/R&B acts that come as well. It's set at the nrg stadium where the Houston Texans play... so it's a very big draw. There is also a large livestock show, and carnival as well.

I meant to keep it at 5 things, but I couldn't forget to include the Rodeo. It's one of our favorite things to do with the boys!

We would love for you to post and join in this fun... maybe teach us what is cool around where you live. Then join in next week when we share our Favorite TV Shows for the new fall season. Take note of this calendar and it'll give you the topics for the next several weeks.

An InLinkz Link-up