What I'm Loving Wednesday and Oh, How Pinteresting!

I'm linking up here today! 

I'm loving that we are getting into a really good routine around the house (finally) and that I have pretty much finished my household notebook! I started that project a couple of weeks ago and have just been tweaking it ever since. I'm convinced it's one of those things that will always be evolving. I like it that way though. It's been so nice to have everything in one spot! 

I'm loving that tomorrow I get to meet all of the students in my class for this next year! I'm helping teach a mother's day out type program on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings. I met the other teachers on Tuesday and I'm so relieved that one of the ladies has been doing it for about 6 or 7 years! I can't wait to get this year started. I know Thomas and I are going to have a lot of fun! 

I'm loving my sweet baby girl who has been struggling with her manners and obedience lately, but still manages to keep us cracking up! This morning Anna-Kate saw a peppermint on my dresser and wanted to take it to school. Of course I didn't let her and told her she could have it after school. As we were getting out of the car she says, "Mommy I have what you told me not to have." Of course I knew she meant she had that peppermint in her little pocket! That is the third time she has hidden something she wasn't supposed to have and told me about it! I'm very appreciative for her honesty though! haha. 

I'm loving my sweet little boy who seems to be getting more rotten every day! He has such a funny little personality for an almost 2-year old! He is very particular about things and loves his routine. Thomas is getting to where he loves monkeys and has been asking to sleep in his monkey pj's every night! He says,  "monk-monk" and then does a really high pitch monkey noise. haha. He has also been carrying around and sleeping with a little stuffed monkey. So sweet! 

I'm loving my amazing husband who is working so hard for our family! He is working long days now and still manages to come home and help out with the kids. Anna-Kate and Thomas love their Daddy so much! 

What are you loving today? Link up here and share!! 

This week I wanted to share some of my favorites on Pinterest! If you're not already on this network, send me your email and I'll send you an invite! 

You can click here to see my other pins too. 

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I made these snickerdoodles (with a little of my own twist) on Tuesday and they were so good! Anna-Kate and Thomas loved getting to help make them and of course helping to eat them. I can't wait to try the pumpkin ice cream soon! 

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Thomas is actually my first little one to need lunch at "school" so I love these ideas for Bento-inspired lunches! 

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I am in love with this little dress made out of an unwanted men's dress shirt! I'm going to have to rope my sister into helping me try one! (Thanks Sara!) 

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This is one of the neatest little teacher gifts I've seen! It's the 12 days of Christmas- surprise your teacher with one every day and reveal who it's from at the end or give them to her all at once! Either way it's such a great idea! 

First pinned here

My grandmother always hosts the best Halloween party and when I saw these food labels I thought of her! I might have to use them for a Halloween party of my own though! 

What are you pinning this week? Share here at The Vintage Apple! 

Anna-Kate's First Day of School!

Anna-Kate started back to school a couple of weeks ago!

I was a little nervous about how it was going to go since she wasn't moving up with Kristen. I worried that she would realize it and get upset. Thankfully, she is completely happy and really has not said much about not being in the same class as her other friends. 

I am so grateful to send her to such a great school! We absolutely love her teachers and she enjoys every minute of her day. :) 

She and I talked a lot this summer about me being able to pick her up from school again. That was one thing I really missed doing last year, I know she missed it too. She kept telling me that she wanted me to get there after their afternoon snack. Well each day I picked her up at school she kept wanting to stay later and later. So Thursday afternoon I picked her up and she was so ugly about leaving! Later we talked about it and she said, "I think I over-reacted about you picking me up early. I want to play longer" It was so funny! 

I think she was trying to wave us off and tell us that she could walk herself to class from here! ha! 

After we dropped Anna-Kate off, Thomas got in the car and looked around saying "Kate-Kate? Kate-Kate?" He seemed so confused about why she was not with us in the car. He seemed to miss her the first day a whole lot, but now I think he's gotten used to getting my full attention most of the day!

We popped in Kristen's class to check on her. :) 

Oh and just for kicks- here's her first day of Pre-K from last year! 

Menu Monday- Week 34

I am finally feeling on top of things around the house and like we are getting into a good routine. Sorry for the time away, but I just wanted to jump right in with a menu Monday post! 

This week I was inspired by Pinterest! :) So glad to have such a great resource when I'm trying to menu plan. I am just putting the finishing touches on our household notebook and I have planned out our dinners for the month of September. I'm looking forward to some new recipes! I'm also really excited about our Friday pizza night! I think the kids are going to love it too! 

On the menu this week: 

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Ham and Cheese Sliders 

(we actually had these for lunch today and- oh my word- they were delicious!) 

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Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

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Crockpot Ravioli

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Savory Spiral Stuffed Rolls

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Garlic Chicken Puffs 

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Homemade Cheese and Veggie Pizza  

(I know this is vague, but I plan on just using up the extras at the end of the week. I have more exciting ideas for pizza night, don't worry! I always use Pioneer Woman's crust so I can have one fresh and freeze the other!)

As always, you can click on the picture or the meal to get to the website where I found the picture and recipe! 

What's on the menu this week? Comment below with a link to yours! Thanks for playing! 

I think the best part of the menu this week is that it was so budget friendly! 

Menu Monday- Week 31

We had Derek's birthday celebration last week and a few other things pop up, so I still have a few repeats this week! 

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Sloppy Joes

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Pasta Carbonara

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Lasagna (I don't follow a recipe!) 

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Mexican Chicken 

(I make mine SO similar to Amanda's here but I just throw in a few of my own seasonings and a little sour cream!)

Smothered Pork Chops 

(Trying a new recipe- will share if it turns out good! ha)

What's on your menu this week? Play along and leave a comment so we can check your menu out too! 

Show Us Your Life- Blogging Tips

I have had a WONDERFUL  and yes, slightly stressful, first week at home! I am looking forward to posting about our week soon! Don't worry, I took plenty of pictures! 

Today, I wanted to link up with Kelly's Korner. This week we are sharing our blogging tips! I think this is a really fun topic because I am constantly trying to improve my blog! 

I feel a little silly sharing my tips though! I have been blogging for three years and I still feel like a baby blogger!

Here is what has helped me the most. These are not all my own ideas, just things that I have learned from my bloggers night out and personal opinions! :)

1) Be yourself. I really struggle expressing my full self because I am a total nerd and just a little crazy! Sometimes I feel like that is just a little too much to handle... but every time I open up and really share my heart I am glad I did!

Thomas and I this summer at my cousin's wedding

2) If you don't feel like posting, don't force it! I typically get "bloggers block"... I had my worst case when I was working and would come home pretty much brain dead. I kept trying to make myself post but it just wasn't clicking. I still try to post regularly, but I'm trying to relax and remember this is my way of sharing about our lives so that we can have it to look back on. Once I take that pressure off, I feel so much better and I don't stress if I skip a few posts! 

3) Keep it simple. This may be because I am a simple minded girl, but I have the hardest time reading blogs when there is too much going on! I would rather read a huge long blog post with a million pictures than try to read a blog that I can't really navigate through or read because of crazy fonts. Not to offend or hurt anyone's feelings, this is just my preference.

One of my first blog headers! I didn't even have a header for a long time! 

4) Connect. I love the world of blogging because of how many other moms I can find and connect with! We all share something in common...we all love our children and families and love to blog about it! I try to always stream my posts on facebook and twitter. I also connect with Arkansas Women Bloggers and other blog networking sites. Those are really fun for me because I've learned about so many new, cool blogs through them! 

Blogging started as a way of updating my family but it has turned into an outlet for me. I would not blog if I didn't enjoy it.

One of the first pictures I posted of miss Anna-Kate in 2008! 

 Most of all I love sharing little bits about my day and knowing that I'll have it here so I can remember. I plan on printing out blog books, so my children can look back and see what our lives were like. 

Menu Monday- Week 30

I'm so excited to be starting a new routine at home and to have more time to cook for my family!! 

This week I'm trying to use what we have in our pantry, so my meals are not super amazing, but here's what we're having! 

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Beans and Cornbread (Pioneer Woman's Recipe)

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Breakfast Casserole (One of my all time favorite recipes from Paula Deen. I love to have this for dinner and the leftovers for breakfast!)

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Tuna Noodle Casserole (one day I'll make this version, but for now I don't really follow a recipe, I just use my Grandmother's recipe!)

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Sloppy Joes (I just use a can of Manwich and add the meat. One day I'll make it from scratch!)

Pasta Carbonara (Using this recipe without the wine and red pepper flakes)

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Chili Dogs (Paula Deen's Recipe)

(Normally I would not dare make chili until later in the fall, but this was what Derek chose for his birthday dinner!)

What are you having this week? Comment below and share!