Merry Little Living Archives - Page 4 of 5 - Cha-Ching on a Shoestring™

My Monthly Missions Update for April {The Merry Little Living Project}

May 1st, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Each month I am working on choosing four monthly missions as part of The Merry Little Living Project. Read on to learn more and sign up for The Merry Little Living Project newsletter to get updates!

I really loved reading your comments on our last Monthly Missions post sharing one of your missions for the month of April. I hope just writing down your goal was enough inspiration to complete it – if not, there’s always this month!

I randomly selected a winner for my $10 Starbucks gift card giveaway – and the winner is:

Judyyy: judyylee@xxxx who said:

My mission is to walk every day and drink more water and less soda.

Congrats! I’ve contacted you with details on how to claim your prize, Judy!

Now – onto my Monthly Missions update for April! This past month, I asked myself four questions:

What is one way I can simplify life this month?
What is one way I can practice a healthy habit this month?
What is one way I can organize life this month?
What is one way I can bring joy to life this month?

Here’s what I came up with:

How I simplified life:

Last month, I shared that I wanted to find a simple solution to eating oatmeal in our house. I think I’ve found the perfect answer in this post about Our Simple Alternative to Instant Oatmeal Packets. It’s incredibly simple – and my son raves about it – so this is a WIN in my book!

How I practiced a healthy habit:

I committed to running four times a week this past month – but I was clever and added in the “weather permitting” caveat. In my mind, that means it needed to be 50 degrees and sunny (did I forget to mention that?). Anyway – it took until about mid-April for the weather to meet my running outside requirements, but now that Spring has officially arrived, I’m thoroughly enjoying my runs and have made time to run with some friends as well.

Did I mention that I’m training for a Color Run in a couple weeks? I think I know what my JOY goal this month is going to be. 😉

How I organized life:

Time for some transparency. My goal last month was to sort through and de-clutter our filing cabinet. It didn’t happen. Truth is, life has been so incredibly full the last few weeks that it lost priority on my To Do list(s).

I want to keep things positive around here, so I refuse to feel guilty about not completing this task. I will, however, move it to my Organizing Goal this next month and make this the month I get it done!

How I brought joy to life:

My JOY goal last month was to celebrate my son’s third birthday, which was yesterday. We actually are having a little party for him on Sunday this week, so stay tuned for some fun pictures from that. Until then, here’s a shot of my little birthday boy yesterday:

A gift from The Birthday Boy. #StealingMyHeartSince2012

A photo posted by Kaley Ehret (@kaleyehret) on Apr 30, 2015 at 10:34am PDT

So now I want to know:

What are YOUR Monthly Missions for May?

I’ve been really happy with this new strategy for planning simplicity and joy into my life and I’d love for you to join me.

If you sign up for the Merry Little Living Project email newsletter, you’ll receive a free printable Monthly Missions planner in your inbox right away.

Then sometime in the next few days, grab your printable, a cup of coffee and a pencil and map out your missions for the month.

And then – if you’d like a little bit of accountability – share your missions in the comment below. Let’s help each other celebrate Simple, Joyful Life!

I’ll be sharing what my missions are this month in my Merry Little Living Project newsletter so be sure to click here to sign up if you haven’t yet!

Our Simple Alternative to Instant Oatmeal Packets

May 1st, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Last week I shared about the Freezer Baking Afternoon that I spent with my friend Elizabeth. In addition to the Chewy, No-Bake Granola Bars we made, we also tried a new recipe for Instant Oatmeal.

While this probably shouldn’t be included in a freezer baking post since there is neither freezing nor baking involved, it lines up with the goal of our session – which is to simplify healthier breakfasts and snacks for our kids.

I had been trying to come up with a simple alternative for instant oatmeal packets that might be a bit cheaper and healthier. My kids really love the packets and I really want to do all that I can to encourage their love for oatmeal!

So when I discovered this post about the “secret” to making instant oatmeal packets that taste like the real thing, I knew I needed to give it a try. (Spoiler alert: It has to do with blending the oatmeal and mixing in non-dairy creamer.)

However, I knew I wanted to do things a bit differently to simplify the process even more. Instead of separating the oatmeal into packets (which is a step that I really don’t need), I simply bought one of these Rubbermaid containers and stored the mix inside. Then when it’s time to make breakfast, we just use our half cup measuring cup to measure it out.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets Recipe

I have to tell you – this recipe is a WIN in my book for a couple reasons:

1) It takes about 5 minutes to mix it up. Couldn’t be much simpler!

2) My son LOVES it. The first time I served it to him, I decided not to tell him that I had made it so as not to taint his view. He begged for seconds and raved about it. Score!

Instant Oatmeal Packets Recipe

(adapted from One Good Thing by Jillee)

10 cups of quick oats
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 cups brown sugar
1 cup non-dairy creamer
maple syrup to mix in when serving (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, measure out 7 cups of oats.
Measure out the remaining 3 cups of oats in a blender and blend until powdery, then add to the 7 cups of oats.
Add salt, brown sugar, and creamer to the oats. Stir until well mixed.
Store in an airtight container.
When serving, measure 1/2 cup of the oatmeal mixture and 3/4 cup milk or water to a bowl. Microwave 1 – 2 minutes.
Makes approximately 24 servings.

My son really loves a bit of maple syrup mixed in when I serve it. I’ve also heard of others adding almonds or even dried apples. I think the sky’s the limit when it comes to mix-ins, so let me know what you try!

Freezer Baking Day Recipe: Chewy, No-Bake Granola Bars

April 23rd, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

This post is about two things:

1) A recent freezer baking session which resulted in some grab & go snacks for my kids’ lunches – including the delicious Chewy, No-Bake Granola Bars pictured above.

2) Secondly – and possibly more importantly – the brilliance of including friends in such endeavors.

Meet my friend Elizabeth:

A while back, Elizabeth mentioned to me that she was planning to attempt a freezer baking session in order to stock her freezer with some healthy, unprocessed snacks for her kids’ lunches.

I very timidly and sweetly ~~begged~~ asked nicely, “CAN I COME??” She graciously responded with a yes, we set a date, she sent me her Pinterest board of ideas, we collaborated on ingredients needed, and several emails later, the plans were all in place.

In full disclosure, the day that I headed to her house to bake was a busy one, and I arrived feeling weary and unsure whether I had what it takes to be a good Freezer Baker (whatever that means).

From the second I walked into Elizabeth’s door, I felt the tensions of the day begin to ease. Soon, our freezer baking session turned into an afternoon with a friend – and some baking happened to take place in the process.

That’s what I call multi-tasking at its finest.

Two hours later, I walked out the door with four snacks and breakfast items to stock my freezer, and a refreshed heart.

Here’s what we accomplished in our time together:

-Chewy, No-Bake Granola Bars (recipe below)

–No-Bake Oatmeal Energy Bites

–Homemade Instant Oatmeal “packets”

–Wild Berry Coconut Bars

Now onto the main event – the recipe you’ve all been waiting for!

Homemade, Chewy, No-Bake Granola Bars

Elizabeth introduced me to this delightful recipe. It couldn’t be much easier to make and these taste approximately 12,000 times better than your average store-bought granola bar. Plus they are so filling! I cut mine up and placed them in baggies in the freezer so they are easy to just grab and throw in my ~~mouth~~ son’s lunch (ahem). They taste delicious frozen too (ask me how I know).

I used peanut butter, but you could switch out for another nut butter if there are allergy issues or your child is in a peanut-free classroom.

Here is the recipe (adapted from Five Heart Home):

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup chocolate chips (or mini chocolate chips)

Directions:

In a medium pot, melt together nut butter, honey, and coconut oil over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from stove and stir in oats and coconut.
Pour mixture into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Spread into an even layer, sprinkle with chocolate chips, and firmly press down with the back of a spatula.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm, then slice into squares or bars and remove from pan.
Store granola bars in the refrigerator or freezer, individually wrapped in baggies. Or if you don’t plan to pack them in lunches, you can simply store them in an airtight container (I use this one) with wax paper separating the layers.

Easy peasy and delicious! My favorite kind of recipe.

Stay tuned for the rest of the recipes soon.

My Monthly Missions Update for March {Plus a Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway!}

April 1st, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

My Monthly Missions

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been really bad at April Fools’ Day jokes. So the other day I posted the following on The Merry Little Christmas Project Facebook page – since our MLC community ROCKS at the whole holidays thing:

Screen Shot 2015-04-01 at 10.18.47 AM

And our little community totally came through – as I knew you would. You can read all of the comments here, but let’s just say that as I’m writing this, Phase One is complete and a big success and Phases 2, 3, and 4 are set for takeoff. 🙂 You can follow me on Instagram for my updates. I already got this action shot this morning:

April Fools Day Phase One complete – the Frozen Cereal trick. #Gotcha #CoolMomPoints #TheFunsJustBegun

A photo posted by Kaley Ehret (@kaleyehret) on Apr 1, 2015 at 7:09am PDT

Let’s just hope they don’t catch onto that whole payback thing anytime soon!

Now – onto my Monthly Missions update! This past month (March), I asked myself four questions:

What is one way I can simplify life this month?
What is one way I can practice a healthy habit this month?
What is one way I can organize life this month?
What is one way I can bring joy to life this month?

Here’s what I came up with:

How I simplified life:

Before you think I’m all Super Laundry Woman and stuff, you should read my post about my 3 step system if you haven’t yet. Far from it. Truth is that I finally found a system that works for me though – and I’m kind of delighted about the whole thing!

How I practiced a healthy habit:

My goal for this past month in this area was this:

“I blew the dust off our old recumbent bike and lugged it into our family room the other day. I am planning on using it four times a week this month. Hold me to it, ok?”

I’ll be honest. This mission started slowly and the first couple of weeks I did not reach my goal. By about week 3 though, I found myself getting in a groove and missing the physical activity on any days that I skipped. These Winter Hips don’t lie though – there is still work to be done here.

How I organized life:

I keep taking credit for organizing my life, but for the past two months, my friend Heidi is really the one who deserves the credit. We make a great team. I come up with the idea and she pretty much does all the hard work from there. Get yourself some good friends, people. That’s the moral of the story.:)

Last month’s project was the LEGO center and this month she’s helping me tackle my Gallery Wall. I’ve been putting off the Gallery Wall because I think you need a college degree in GalleryWall-ology to put one together. Either that or a talented friend.

It’s not quite done yet, but here is a glimpse into our creative process.

That’s all you get. Stay tuned for the rest of the story soon.
p.s. Please don’t send me worried emails about the color scheme here – spray paint is our friend.

How I brought joy to life:

I decided this past month to just be open to looking for joy in unexpected places.

And I found it in some old school fun with my boys.

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My husband and I taught our boys how to play the Game of Life. They loved it – and it brought back fun memories for me.

It’s also likely the only way I’m going to ever see how it feels to have a daughter.

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SLEDDING!

I forgot how much fun this is. Until you end up in the thawed out creek at the bottom of the hill. But that’s a story for another day…

So now I want to know:

What are YOUR Monthly Missions for April?

I’ve been really enjoying this new strategy for planning simplicity and joy into my life and I’d LOVE for you to join me.

If you sign up for the Merry Little Living Project email newsletter, you’ll receive a free printable Monthly Missions planner in your inbox right away. (My friend Kate from Uncommon Kate designed it and did a fantastic job!) If you’re already signed up for the newsletter, look for an update to show up in your inbox very soon!

Then sometime in the next few days, grab your printable, a cup of coffee and a pencil and map out your missions for the month.

And to help inspire you to follow through, share your missions in the comment below.

$10 Starbucks Gift Card Giveaway!

To encourage you to see how easy it is to join me in my Monthly Missions, I am going to be giving a $10 Starbucks Gift Card to one person who comments below sharing at least ONE mission you are reaching for this month. What is one way you plan to simplify, organize, practice a healthy habit or find JOY this month? Leave a comment below and I’ll choose a random winner and post the winner in my next Monthly Missions update on May 1st!

I’ll be sharing what my missions are for the month of April in my Merry Little Living Project newsletter so be sure to click here to sign up if you haven’t yet!

Monthly Missions

My 3 Step Simple Laundry System

March 25th, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

My 3 Step Simple Laundry System

This post is part of The Merry Little Living Project where I’m sharing about ways that I’m finding to make everyday life simpler and more joyful. You can sign up here to receive my monthly-ish newsletter with updates.

I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret. I’m not a laundry expert.

Don’t get me wrong: I’ve been doing laundry since my teen years (so that’s like…a lot of years). So, I guess that kind of makes me an expert. But if I’m keeping it real, I’m more of an expert at how not to do laundry than anything. If you don’t believe me, this video might help prove that:

You see, I am a bit of a Rule Breaker – or what I like to call a Free Spirit (sounds so much nicer, doesn’t it?). So if someone tells me that THIS AWESOME METHOD is how you do laundry – chances are I’m going to do laundry a different way. Because what if another way is more awesome?

It’s a whole thing.

But it’s the truth. I don’t think all the schedules, printable planners or laundry hacks in the world will change that fact.

So when I set out to simplify my laundry method this month and started to research tips from the experts, I started to feel a bit overwhelmed.

Like a Big Fat Laundry Loser.

Like Laundry = 1 zillion; Me = 0.

And then I had a magical happy epiphany. I asked myself the question that I should have asked from the very beginning:

What is the best laundry method for me?

I started to ask myself what the Expert of my laundry situation (ahem…me) would say the most awesome method of doing laundry would be.

And suddenly, the world was right and laundry no longer owned my soul.

So, friends, this is the 3 Step Laundry System that is now working beautifully for me.

It might not work for you. And if you are a Rule Follower and Lover of Cleaning Systems and Such, be forewarned. There is no discussion here about sorting or ironing or printable daily laundry schedules or anything of that sort, because I am incapable of such structure. I love people dearly who are Those Types. I am not. You’ve been warned.

Here we go:

1) I start my laundry for the week on Friday and end on Sunday.

I need a start and an end to my laundry frenzy. I simply cannot do laundry every. single. day. because then it is never done and that makes me sad. (I am aware that this is the most awesome method for some people. And I am ok with that.)

I try to get a load in first thing on Friday, but sometimes I forget and don’t get started until later because I was distracted by pretty birds outside my window or the latest Jimmy Fallon YouTube clip. Again with the Free Spirit thing.

2) When a load of laundry has finished drying, I fold it directly from the dryer to laundry baskets designated for each family member.

I have not used this method for very long, but this one small change has transformed the process for me since I started using it. Gone are the days of digging through baskets of unfolded clean laundry for an entire week because I “still need to fold the laundry and got distracted.” (What can I say? There are a lot of funny Jimmy Fallon videos and pretty birds out there…)

3) When all of the laundry has been completed, I send the older boys upstairs with their designated laundry baskets to put their laundry away and my husband and I take care of the rest.

Yes – that means sometimes clothes are willy nilly in my son’s drawers. And no – there is no ironing or fitted sheet folding involved.

And we’re okay with that.

Which the experts say is awesome.

How about you? What’s the most awesome laundry method for you?

Click here to sign up for my Merry Little Living Project newsletter and celebrate simple, joyful life with me!

75 Laundry Hacks to Save Your Sanity

March 14th, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

Laundry Hacks

Laundry Hacks to Simplify Life

I shared earlier that one of my Monthly Missions this month is figuring out a way to simplify my laundry situation. I have a laundry list of reasons why this area of my life needs to simplified. (See what I did there?)

So I’ve been doing some research to help me “sort out” my problems (I’m on a roll here!). I’ve found some very helpful posts that are giving me some inspiration as I attempt to figure out how to get rid of my laundry…err.. I mean…get rid of my laundry issues. (Of course, if you have any tips on getting rid of laundry, I’ll take those too!)

Here is a list of awesome laundry hacks to check out:

How Many Wears Before You Need to Wash (Is anyone else shocked by the jeans??)

25 Laundry Hacks for Busy Moms (I LOVE the writing on the dryer idea!)

How to Keep Towels Fluffy (After reading this, I think I realized it’s time for some new towels!)

5 Tips to Keep up with Laundry (I’m incorporating some of these in my new system.)

15 Organizational Hacks that will Make You Like Doing Laundry (Yes, please.)

Solutions to your Most Vexing Laundry Problems (Really helpful tips!)

6 Laundry Tricks to Make the Task So Much Easier (LOVE that missing sock saver!)

20 Must Know Laundry Hacks (I need some serious fitted sheet folding help.)

Update: Be sure to check out my 3 Step Simple Laundry System!

How about you? Do you have any awesome laundry hacks that help save your sanity??

littlelivingproject_newsletter_513x190 (1)

My $100 LEGO Center Makeover

March 13th, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

LEGO Center

Simple LEGO Organization Project

I love LEGOs.

I hate unorganized LEGOs.

It’s a complicated relationship.

After Christmas this year, when I was in the midst of a de-cluttering frenzy, I decided that ALL the LEGOs had to go. OR I needed an entirely new system for them.

My love for LEGOs won out and I have to admit that I’m quite glad that it did.

My first step in my LEGO overhaul was a call for help to my good friend Heidi. Heidi understands my LEGO conundrum well. She is the Mom of a LEGO lover of epic proportions (as you can read in her post here), so she has organized her fair share of LEGOs in her day. She also has an eye for detail and design that I lack – she’s a handy friend to have around.

Plus she is really fun to go to IKEA with.

IKEA!!

A photo posted by Kaley Ehret (@kaleyehret) on Feb 21, 2015 at 9:00am PST

I already owned the IKEA Expedit shelves (now known as KALLAX), so it made sense to start there and create a center with what I already have. In the name of “research”, Heidi and I left our kiddos with our hubbies (except for Heidi’s 5 month old who is still too little to distract from the mission at hand – except by looking cute) and skipped off like giddy school girls to the lovely land of IKEA.

After ~~drooling over~~ perusing the IKEA showroom, we made our decisions. We ended up deciding against the KALLAX drawers and instead determined that using Sterilite containers would work best for sorting the LEGOs. Plus they fit very nicely in the cubbies. I also snagged two of these fun red Marius stools for just $5 each. I mean really how could I resist such a cute bargain?!

LEGO Storage

Heidi suggested that we use Washi tape to add a fun little touch to the drawers, rather than spend extra money on fancy storage (she’s smart like that).

LEGO Storage

Plus it’s a fun way to color code the drawers – see? (The rainbow drawer is intended for mini-figures and other miscellaneous pieces.)

I like to keep things real around here, so in full disclosure, after some wear and tear, the Washi tape that I purchased is not sticking well to the containers and I may need to re-do this with a thicker tape or simply label them. But I just didn’t want you to miss their cuteness.

I also wanted to hang something functional on the wall. In the end, we decided on a magnetic dry erase board. I can picture many, many silly pictures being drawn on this board over the years. And plenty of higher math too, of course.

LEGO Magnets

Another idea inspired by Heidi was to turn LEGO Duplo bricks into magnets. I just bought some adhesive round magnets and fastened them to the back of a few bricks. Super simple way to incorporate the LEGO theme!

LEGO Manual Storage

I knew that I would need a place to store the manuals and this hanging file box from Target worked perfectly.

Aren’t organized manuals just so happy?

Here is the breakdown of my spending:

IKEA: (2) Red Marius stools = $9.98

Amazon: 10 x 10 Brick Building Plates – 4 pack ($24.95)

Target.com: (3) Sterilite 3-Drawer Containers (on sale for $8.09 + 5% Target REDCard discount = $23.06

Target.com: Hanging File Box – $13.99 + 5% Target REDCard discount = $13.29

Michaels:

-Washi Tape Dispenser – $7.99 + 20% discount coupon = $6.39
-Adhesive Magnets – $3.29 + 20% discount coupon = $2.63

Walmart: Magnetic Dry Erase Board – $19.96

Total: $100.26

Here’s the thing.

It’s taken me almost 10 years of motherhood to realize how few toys our kids need. The key is figuring out how to make space for them to play with the toys they do enjoy. In reality, I could have just bought some dollar store containers for the LEGOs and called it a day. But I was willing to spend a little more money if it meant making a functional space for them to enjoy the LEGOs for years to come. And based on the hours of play I heard behind their doors after completing this project, I am confident this is money well spent.

LEGO Play Center

In the end, I’m ready to make my relationship with LEGOs official. I have nothing but love in my heart for them now. They are brilliant, genius, adorable little things – and I’m keeping them around for a long time.

Oh – and I’ll keep the LEGOs too. 🙂

Simple LEGO Organization

How about you? What are your best tips for Simple LEGO Organization?

My Monthly Missions {The Merry Little Living Project}

March 1st, 2015 By Kaley
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission if you click and make a purchase.

My Monthly Missions

How is that February is the shortest month but feels the longest? Spring is so close I can taste it, but the snow and the temperatures just keep falling here in the frigid Northeast.

This quote I read the other day offered me some much needed hope:

“No winter lasts forever, No spring skips its turn.” – Hal Borland

It’s coming, friends. I promise.

In the meantime, I am choosing to create simple, joyful life. This past month, I asked myself four questions:

What is one way I can simplify life this month?
What is one way I can practice a healthy habit this month?
What is one way I can organize life this month?
What is one way I can bring joy to life this month?

Here’s what I came up with:

How I simplified life:

I’m actually very excited about my new trick with my KitchenAid mixer. It has completely simplified meals and that is my very favorite thing to simplify.

How I practiced a healthy habit:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Remember when I said we keep things simple around here? Well, here’s the proof. My healthy habit this month was to make my bed every day. As far as I remember, I was successful every day except one – in which I was very tempted to make my bed right before getting into it that night. But I refrained.

It’s a habit that only takes a minute, but really can change the whole feel of a room. You Every Day Bed Makers really know what you are doing, don’t you?

How I organized life:

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I’m actually very excited about my organization project this past month – but it still needs a couple finishing touches before I share. The picture above is a sneak peek. Look for a post soon!

If you’d like some organizational inspiration, though, you should definitely check out this post that my Mom wrote:

How I brought joy to life:

Chicken Noodle

Is it wrong that the thing that brought me a good deal of joy this past month required a friend to be very sick? In January I had made up a big batch of Chicken Noodle Soup and put half in the freezer. I wanted to have some on hand to share with anyone that might need a little pick me up. But then I waited and waited and waited – and no one got sick! What’s up with that? (Twisted, right?)

But then – a friend came down quite sick last week. So I thawed the soup, made up a little basket of get well goodies and dropped them off on her doorstep. I hope it brought her as much joy as it brought me!

So now I want to know:

What are YOUR Monthly Missions for March?

I’ve been really happy with this new strategy for planning simplicity and joy into my life and I’d love for you to join me.

Then sometime in the next few days, grab your printable, a cup of coffee and a pencil and map out your missions for the month.

And then – if you’d like a little bit of accountability – share your missions in the comment below. Let’s help each other celebrate Simple, Joyful Life!

I’ll be sharing what my missions are this month in my Merry Little Living Project newsletter so be sure to click here to sign up if you haven’t yet!

Monthly Missions