(I'm Back!) And My Word Of The Year is PROCESS

I used to draft resolutions as a child.  Every year I did it. Now, because of my to-do list, I started simply doing "word of the year".  Last year, my word was "reinvent".  It was a time to reinvent myself in so many ways, one of which was going from a SAHM to a full-time working mom.  It was a year of awakening to my passions (such as writing and parenting) to learning how to be present and content in any circumstance.  

Towards the end of last year, I found myself thinking more about how and why I did certain things.  Maybe it was because there were times the house was chaotic and I just couldn't find time for enough sleep.  Yet, there were times I was successful at creating peace and order.  

So this year, I chose "process".   I could have went with reorganization, or minimalism.  But these words didn't quite capture what I wanted to do:

• Build more routines into home life and capture more time to spend with family.
• Find more pockets of efficiency at work and find ways to be more productive.
• Be more compassionate towards myself. 
• Automate.
• Create better habits and make it second nature (wonder if I can find ways to make cleaning or dishes more enjoyable!)
• Use captured time to also contribute, serve, and create. 
• Unleash more of my creative side.

Learning, defining, implementing, testing, and adopting a process in one's life, all under the umbrella of grace, is what this year will be all about.  At home. At work. In my life. And at play.  It doesn't matter what subject is, but it will be about thinking and understanding how I can do what matters most in the midst of life's responsibilities. 

Do you have a word of the year? If you think it's a nifty idea and you want some assistance thinking of one, try the following exercise:

1. What's been on your heart? 
2. How would you describe it?
3. Pare it down to one word (use a thesaurus if need be).

Rosemary and Paprika Oven-Roasted Chicken (tried and true!)

It's chicken night! Need a new recipe?

We all know of chicken recipes that are so-so... so when there's a keeper, there's a keeper.

And I'm telling you people, this one here is a keeper.  I think I even impressed myself when I made this (ha ha).

The beauty of this recipe is that you may already have the following in your pantry:

*  Paprika

* Crushed rosemary leaves (I like mine freshly chopped!)

* Minced garlic

* Course ground black pepper

* Pinch of salt

Seriously, you can impress someone with this dish tonight. It's that easy.

Making The Most of Spring: Our Bucket List of Activities

Spring is definitely the time for venturing outside and seeing new growth!

Now that the sun's been out for a while, I wanted to share a spring bucket list of activities we're doing this year (and some I'd like for us to do for the future).

How To Make a Gratitude Journal

Learn how to make your own gratitude journal.

Could you benefit from a gratitude journal? Practicing gratitude is indeed a life changer--for adults and for kids. It changes the way you experience the world and it can alter your perspective from what you think your story is to the real blessings and abundance in your life. When you change your thoughts, you change your feelings. When you change your feelings, you can change your actions. That's what gratitude does. It gives you the courage to act.

This post will talk about why I made a gratitude journal and also show you how to create a journal for you or for your children. It's a great way to get started on developing a grateful heart. It may even change your life!

I've even included a special printable at the end of this post if you want to make it at home, for a play date, for home school or even at Sunday school. When my son becomes older, we're definitely going to create one together.

20+ Things To Do During Winter (Our Family Bucket List)

Background photo is a painting by Grandma Moses 
(I love her artwork!)

How many times have you said, "I wish we were able to do [fill in the blank]!"

Or maybe you asked yourself, "what should we do to make the winter season or holidays extra special?" (*raising hand here*)

Answer: Make a bucket list! A bucket list is a wishlist of activities to do in your life or in one season of your life. I find that it's definitely a great way to plan activities for you and your family during different seasons of the year.

Breakfast under 5 minutes: Simple Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles is a popular Mexican dish that's traditionally eaten for breakfast or brunch. It's the perfect filling meal. It's a great way to use leftover meat. It's tasty. It's fast to make. And it gives me all the energy I need for a Saturday full of errands and chores.

I'm Filipino American but I believe I was destined to cook and love Mexican food.

How I Make Filipino Spaghetti

Filipino Spaghetti - a comforting pasta dish.

At least 2-3 times a month, I'll make Filipino spaghetti--a pasta dish that is uniquely Filipino because of the addition of hot dogs and banana sauce. I love this meal because this dish is as delicious as it is filling! I ate it as a toddler and my son does too. It makes for great leftovers and house guests and kids love it. Paired with garlic bread (not Filipino) or even in some cases rice (very Filipino), the meal is complete!

Recently, however, I felt something was missing in my recipe. So, after further online research, I added a "special ingredient" to make Filipino spaghetti even more tasty.

A Potluck Pleaser: Jiffy's Spoon Bread Casserole

When my sister sent me this Jiffy's Spoon Bread Casserole recipe and raved to me about how popular it was at potlucks, I decided to give it a try. This past weekend, I made it as a side dish for 10 hungry adults at a bible study and wondered if people liked it.

Busy Hands, Busy Brains: Add a Magnet Board to Your Toddler's Room

Playing on a magnetic board can be educational for your younger kids.

This post will discuss how a magnetic board can be used as a teaching tool at home and how you can put one together (plus get 15 more ideas for magnet play at the end of the post!) We currently use a magnet board to help our son learn the alphabet. 

When The Going Gets Tough, Love Gets You Going

It's not always easy, but our soul’s highest calling is to demonstrate love, even if it’s imperfect. 

As a wife and a mom, here's how I am tested in this area:

How To Make Quick and Easy French Toast

Nothing beats a Sunday french toast breakfast. Here's how I make it.

Make this easy and quick french toast this week!

A Delicious Dinnertime Meal: Chicken Tikka Masala

Need a new recipe that uses chicken? Try Chicken Tikka Masala.

One recipe I've always wanted to learn was Chicken Tikka Masala. You'll see this fragrant and tasty dish in Indian restaurants. I made mine in 30 minutes. And it turned out delicious! How did I learn it?

OK, I cheated a little.

Boost Your Energy With a Banana Kale Smoothie

A banana kale smoothie is a perfect afternoon pick-me-up for any tired moms.

Even after a big  breakfast, a toddler can wear me down by mid-afternoon. A smoothie is my attempt at getting my nutrition on-the-go.

You too can beat the afternoon lulls by drinking this easy-to-make banana kale smoothie. 

Holiday Planning Binder {Checklists and Printables}

In the last few years, I've learned that if I don't get specific about planning the holiday season out, it will wear me down! Here are 20+ printables for you to get started and get organized.

Get organized for the holidays this year!

Make Gift Tags from Wrapping Paper

Want to know a secret? I still have scraps of wrapping paper from 5 years ago. In fact, every Christmas my sisters and I would collect leftover wrapping paper. At one point, It became the thing to do at our house after all the gifts were wrapped and later opened. I needed to do something with them but didn't have the heart to recycle some of the cuter paper.

The solution? Make gift tags!  It definitely became a beautiful way to add a personal touch to holiday presents. Let the kids help out!

For this crafty project, I will tell you 2 easy and creative ways to make gift tags using leftover wrapping paper and scrapbook paper.  

Give the kids a holiday project to do!

What To Pack In Your Hospital Bag {Checklist & Printable}

Be prepared for labor with this Hospital Bag Checklist! 

Having a baby is an emotionally joyous, physically demanding, and a moment-by-moment experience for any woman. From the first time mom to the experienced pro, all moms can feel prepared and ready to go with a well-packed hospital bag.

Need ideas and a checklist for your hospital bag? Or know an expectant mom that needs one? 

Here's the list that got me through my labor and delivery!  

How To Make A Christmas Wreath

Christmas wreaths are a welcoming symbol of the holidays (especially if you don't see snow!) So I think it's fitting to kick off December with a step-by-step tutorial on making the traditional Christmas wreath (in 3 steps!)

Warning: expect kisses if you use mistletoe.

Welcome holiday visitors with a DIY Christmas wreath hung on the door. With a few items, you can create a lovely symbol of the holidays and use it every year.

Meal Planning Tool: Magnetic Dinner Menu Board

A menu board is a tool I use to organize meal planning in our home. 

Plan your meals and you'll be less stressed about them!

But before I had a good system in place, I tried using a store-bought magnetic calendar dry eraser board.  

And overtime, I just couldn't commit to it. 

So one day, I decided to cover it all up.

A Snack Time Favorite: My Version of Red Robin's Parmesan Garlic Steak Fries

Make Garlic Parmesan Fries with your own seasoning mix. This post will show you how.

My darling toddler son can sometimes be picky about his meals.  But the boy loves those garlic fries from Red Robin. So I decided to make them at home.  After all, I can control the salt content and play around with the flavors.  

DIY Gift and Organizing Idea: The Memory Box

Sometimes memories are so meaningful they imprint upon one's soul. 

And for everything else (that's tangible), there's the memory box: a box to store all your keepsakes, cards and photos.  You can use one to keep birthday cards, Christmas cards, and post cards.  

Making a memory box for someone else is a special gift. You can use the couple's wedding colors to personalize their memory box (like I did below). Here's a DIY memory box I made as a wedding gift for a young couple. 

Use a memory box to store keepsakes and cards from that special day. Store it away and open it on each anniversary.