Hey guys! I’m sorry I haven’t updated the blog this past week. I got a new computer and have been switching things from the old one to the new one and in that process my PhotoShop program stopped working and I haven’t been able to do what I’ve wanted (needed) to do to post. And I’ll just be honest…last week was kind of a blah week for me. You know those days that you just don’t feel like doing anything even though you KNOW you should be? Yep, that was my week. I started going into “well, nobody REALLY reads or comes to this blog and it takes so much of my time…for what?” mode. I know, bad attitude huh? But it happens….

So with that said, if you are reading, I’d love a little shout of that you are checking in here…it would make me feel better he he he…..

Location: Layton, Utah

Kids: I have 5 kids Boy 17 (He was a bonus child, my step-son), Girl 10, Boy 8, Boy 5 and Girl 3

Why do you choose to stay at home?
I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom. I didn’t want anyone raising my kids other than my husband and myself. It has always been my dream job.

What are your favorite things about being at home?
I can make my own routine, I can cook when I want, excercise when I want….anything I want… I am in charge! I like wearing the pants and my husband would prefer it that way!

What do you find the most difficult?
The whining, tantrums, and the power struggles. Oh don’t forget the runny diapers, and throw up!

Your (just yours, not what with your kids) favorite things to do?
Taking Photos, Design things for blogs, and websites, Go on dates with my Husband, Go to a great resturant with good friends or Hubby. Go shopping when I have money.

One mom MUST have you can’t live with out?
Wipes

If you were on a deserted island, name three things you’d have with you:
My Family (that’s ONE thing, right?) Matches and a Boat.

If you weren’t staying at home, what job would you have?
A full time Photographer

One thing you wish you could do but don’t have time during the day?
To plunge into more crafts, and home decor

Advice for moms:
Take one day at a time, and enjoy it. They really do grow up too fast!!

If you could do anything different with your life what would that be?
This one is hard, I love my life the way it is, the grass is never greener, I am so blessed with what I have.

What is the best and worst day of your stay at home mom “hood”?
I think the best moments are when you bring home those sweet little newborns. Nothing more sweet!
My worst day? hmmm Probably when the doctor told my that my baby boy had a heart defect.

What is the most fun date you have ever been on with your hubby?
When he purposed to me.  It was on my Birthday, he brought me breakfast in bed, then handed me the newspaper and he put a personal ad in there for me saying, “Hope this is the best birthday ever!” We then went horseback riding, came back to his place and had a picnic.  Then for dinner we went out to get chinese food then a limo picked us up and we got a ride all over the Salt Lake valley while he popped the big…. “Will you marry me?”  And I was soooo stinkin’ excited I was laughing and crying and screaming all at once!  Of course I said yes!!  It WAS the best birthday ever and date and Purposal!!!

Add one question for the next stay at home mom being spotlighted!
Who is your favorite Woman Hero?

So I’m adding yet a new thing to Project stay at home mom. I love pictures and I love taking pictures! Wordless Wednesdays will be just as they sound. Wordless. However, a picture says a 1000 words, so would it still be wordless? he he…

So here is my first wordless Wednesday (minus the fact that I had to tell you about my wordless Wednesdays!)

…what summer is all about…

For any mom who has kids who are JUST getting to the school age, you know how exciting this is! Right?! You finally have some time by yourself to do things you’ve always wanted to do!

My baby girl started kindergarten today! She is my little sass monkey and she melts my heart. I’ve got to be honest, I was the girl who always wanted kids, but some how when it finally happened, it was hard and I didn’t really enjoy it. Maybe it’s because I watch to many movies with “nothing is ever wrong, we all love each other” story lines and I am not the “I love spending time with my kids every single second” kind of mom. It’s a struggle for me. Alissa has been my challenging one (out of two challenging kids lol). She is trouble wrapped up in this CUTE little girl. If you came to my (messy) house today, you’d see her name written on almost every wall in the house. She breaks things, she gets into trouble, but I tell you what I can’t resist those big blue eyes! She could be starting a fire in the house, turn to me with those things and I’d say “Oh, go ahead and burn it down sweetie”. HA HA HA! NOT REALLY!! but she FOR SURE gets off easier then her big brother.

It’s surreal to think that my kids are both in school and in one more year, they will be both in school full time. What will I do with my time? Will I get a job? Will I try and not be lazy enough to stay at home and work more on my photography and templates? Who knows! When your kids are little, it’s fun to think of all the time we’ll have when they are in school, but now that’s it’s so close, I’d better start thinking about it more!!

what will YOU do with your time?!!

One thing to know about me: I like to cook, but I hate spending hours doing it. I mean, if my kitchen were bigger and I had room to spread out, then MAYBE…but I don’t. So I decided to send a text out asking for quick and easy meals and I have the best friends and family in the world! With in minutes I had a list! Some are pretty basic and things you’ve most likely done before. Some were things I hadn’t ever done and really like!  I have 22 meals I’m going to share with you…so get ready!

1. Sloppy Joes

2. Smothered burritos
Throw some cheep frozen burritos layered on the bottom of a baking dish, pour your fave enchilada sauce on top, top with cheese and bake! Good to go and they are yum!

3. Chili with Fritos
Throw some chili in a bowl and top it with yummy crunchy Fritos

4. Navajo tacos

5. Fettuccine
Home made sauce: melt 1 Tbsp of butter in frying pan, add a quart of heavy whipping cream and let it boil, throw in a cup of Romano cheese, mix and YUM! (salt and pepper to taste)

6. Grilled cheese

7. Hawaiian haystack
Throw some rice in a bowl, then a cream of chicken soup mixed with chicken chunks. Top with cheese, tomatoes, olives, onions, celery, bells peppers, pineapple and coconut

8. Pulled pork
Oh so quick and easy! Throw a boneless pork roast in the crock pot with your fave bbq sauce. Let it sit all day, shred at dinner time and eat on yummy rolls

9. Shepard’s pie

10. Pot roast

11. Chicken salad sandwiches

12. Spaghetti

13. Pizza

14. Chicken Divan
layer rice, broccoli, chicken and sauce (sauce: 2 cans cream of chicken, 1 cup mayo, 1 tsp curry powder). I didn’t think I’d like this…but um yeah, It was GOOD and I got it two weeks in a row to eat for dinner!

15. Chicken quesadillas

16. Egg roles

17. Hamburgers

18. Lasagna

19. Chicken wraps
Cook and dice chicken, mix with cream cheese, scoop a little into a crescent roll and bake

20. Pigs in a blanket
We like the mini cheese sausages and then just wrap them up in crescent rolls and bake

21. Pan cakes

22. Breakfast burritos

So there you have it! 22 quick and easy meals. We always add a fruit or veggie in with dinners, so the ones that aren’t as healthy, at least the kids get something in there with nutrition he he he…

OF CUTE BAGS!!

So I was at Target today to find a big calendar. My lovely husband (he tried) brought me home a calendar from his work and when I looked inside it was full of their pay periods. Nice try…but how am I supposed to use that?! I thought Target would be over flowing with cute calendars, but nope…only one big one and it was pretty boring and plain. I’m a girl…I need cute! One of my ideas for surprises was to get a cute tote, stuff it with fun goodies for mom and surprise them with that. My intention at Target today was not to get totes, but I walked by and saw 70% off! Now how could I resist that?! Was sure that even with 70%, they might be too much, but they were only $3 something. So I grabbed the last four!! What could I do? THEY WHERE CUTE and there were only four left!

Just a little peak at cute designs on the totes! I’m so excited! My plan (if all works out) is to have enough goodies by next week and do a surprise. I’ve emailed friends and family asking for fun donations, and if you happen to see this and would like to help, you can email me [Melissa] at missa425@gmail.com

For a little bit, I am going to be changing the look of things! So don’t mind the mess!

I Never Grew Up – Mondays’ Maven

Today I am featured on this fun website called I Never Grew up. It’s really fun to get the word out about Project sahm! I’ve been thinking about making a few changes to spice things up because donations are non existent and I need to be giving to moms! I’m not yet sure what I’m going to do, but I’m going to do it.

The wonderfully awesome Pamela Baumeister from Wasatch Woman mag, sent me some Discovery Gateway children’s museum tickets and a 30 minute session to Knead a Massage. She asked me to give them give them to the next Project sahm mom, but it looks like that might not be happening soon. So I’m going to go out and give those to one lucky stay at home mom. so check back for that!

I think it would just be fun (while waiting for donations) to just give away other fun things! So if you have any hookups, I’ll take ‘em! missa425@gmail.com

Don’t forget to go on over to I Never Grew Up!

Check it out!! The donation meter just went up thanks to a great donation! Keep them coming! To donate, you can find the donation page HERE.

Let’s get some donations coming in! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…any amount helps! Heck, if you have a $1 to donate, that’s awesome! I’ve spent many hours with the launch of this new site and really trying to get the word around this time! We’ve had over 500 visitors to the site, and not one donation. Lets unite together and get the word around!! Get some donations coming in! There are lots of moms out there to be surprised!