Chicken Ranch Omelette THM Style Trim Healthy Mama #QuakerRealMedleys #ad #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #QuakerRealMedleys #CollectiveBias

A couple nights ago, I made the most amazing dinner for myself. Jamie had taken the older kids to evening church, the younger kids were asleep, and I was playing around with a new recipe idea. I love having breakfast for dinner so I made a delicious Chicken Ranch Omelette and paired it with a container of new Quaker® Real Medleys® Raspberry Pecan yogurt. Oh my goodness! If you're planning on being stranded on an island somewhere for a week, this is the perfect meal to fill your tummy before you go.

I found Quaker Real Medleys at Walmart in the cold/ready-to-eat cereal section. They come in three flavors: Raspberry Pecan, Apple Cinnamon, and Strawberry Almond. These are a new product out from Quaker and I think they're going to be great for on-the-go, as well as at home. For more information, make sure to download the Blippar app from your Apple or Android store. You can scan your package and receive information tutorials on Quaker Real Medleys Yogurt Cups.

There were demos for the yogurt cups at Walmarts all over the nation this past weekend. I attended one at the Pineville, MO Walmart and got my first look at this convenient granola and yogurt blend.  

 The shelf-stable yogurt cup comes to life when you add cold milk. Just fill to the dark line inside, stir well, and let it sit a few minutes. Then, stir again and enjoy. I've seen nothing like this before. I think my favorite is Raspberry Pecan, but really, it's pretty much a three-way tie. They're all satisfying and delicious!

I'd been dreaming about this omelette for over a month after having one that I thought was similar at a local restaurant. As it turns out after checking their website, I found that this is pretty much nothing like the one I had so you're getting a brand spankin' new creation today! Paired alongside the Quaker Real Medley Raspberry Pecan yogurt, I got some veggies, dairy, and whole grains all in one shot!

My Chicken Ranch Omelette features lots of my favorite ingredients. There's fresh produce, moist and flavorful rotisserie chicken, two kinds of delicious cheese, and my own zesty ranch herb mix. Add in three beaten eggs and you've got the fixings for a fantastic breakfast!

I let the beaten eggs cook just a couple minutes before beginning to add my ingredients. I laid the spinach leaves down first and then sprinkled the other veggies and chicken on top. The cheese went on last, just before I folded it over. I find it easiest to make a non-messy omelette when I leave one edge mainly free of fillings. That way, I can fold it over more easily without everything spilling out.

Chicken Ranch Omelette

3 eggs

3/4 c. diced rotisserie chicken

1/4 c. fresh spinach leaves, chopped

1/4 c. green onions, diced

1/4 c. tomatoes, diced

1/4 c. shredded cheese

1/4 c. Queso Blanco dip

1/2 tsp. dry ranch dressing mix

Prepare all ingredients ahead of time. Heat skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk eggs until frothy, then whisk in the ranch dressing mix. Pour egg mixture into the skillet and let it cook a couple minutes until the bottom is almost done. Add spinach, chicken, and remaining toppings, saving some shredded cheese, onions, and tomatoes for the top. When omelette is almost cooked through, sprinkle shredded cheese on top and fold. Remove to a serving plate and top with Queso Blanco, tomatoes, green onions, and remaining shredded cheese.

There are so many delicious things you can do with Quaker Real Medleys. Use it as the base for a parfait, add some fun toppings, or even prepare it as a dip for graham crackers or fruit. Crunchy. Cool. Yum. What yummy meal ideas do you have for these new yogurt cups?

Looking for some great Trim Healthy Mama Recipes? Try these! 

THM Lunches & Dinners

Creamy Tomato Basil Chicken
Pork Egg Roll in a Bowl
Spaghetti Squash Casserole (No Pasta Spaghetti)
20 Squash Recipes
Baked Spinach and Pepperjack Chicken

THM Breakfasts

List of THM Breakfast Ideas
Chicken Ranch Omelette

THM Treats
Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy

THM Misc.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Make Your Own Chicken Stock & Broth
Zesty Burger Spread

Back to School for the Homeschooling Mom at Northwest Arkansas Mall #NWARK #ad

This post was compensated by Northwest Arkansas Mall. All opinions are honest and are my own. #NWARK

I'm so excited to be offering an awesome giveaway to my Northwest Arkansas readers! Someone is going to win a $200 shopping spree---and I hope it's YOU!

Last weekend, Lynzie, Selah, and I headed to the mall for some mom shopping. I love taking my girls along because they're so sweet about making sure we all have a fun day. This day was about blessing mom and they were 100% ready to serve.

I've always joked that one of the biggest advantages of being a homeschooling mom is that I get to spend all day in my sweats---or even pajamas---if I want to. However, the downside is that it often makes me lazy and unmotivated. This year, I'm committing to dressing for success, and Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville has everything I need to make that happen. Check out this adorable lace-trimmed sweatshirt from JC Penney and these super cute and comfy pants from Earthbound Trading Company. Why should I wear sweats and jammies when I can wear these?

JC Penney is one of my favorite places to find simple styles that I can mix and match with things that are already in my closet. I love shopping the sales and then getting surprised at checkout with an even bigger savings. That's what happened with this red and blue printed dress. It was originally $50, marked down to $20, but rang up for a little over $12! 

I was also excited to find a good selection of long skirts at JC Penney. Just the other day, a friend was struggling to find long skirts. Now I can tell her where to shop for them!

Once I finished picking out my outfits, I headed to another favorite stop. Whether you're going classy or comfy, Payless Shoe Source has a style for almost any outfit.

Now that the clothes shopping was done, it was time to look for some accessories. I love Claire's for cute jewelry and hair accessories. They've even got some cute school supplies. If you can wrestle them away from your daughters, you can fill up your own mom notebook with adorable things to make grading papers and making notes more fun. 

As a homeschooling mom to many, my days really are filled up with meeting the needs (and lots of the wants) of these nine kids. Usually our trips to the mall are for taking care of their shopping lists so it was fun to shop for myself this time around. (That's totally ok to do, you know!) I think the girls had fun, too, swapping places with mom and being the ones dreaming about the things they saw, rather than being the ones getting all the goods!

Ready to win your own shopping spree to Northwest Arkansas Mall? One winner will receive the following:

• $50 Gift Certificate to the Razorback Shop
• $50 Gift Certificate to Tradehome Shoes
• $100 Gift Certificate to JC Penney

THE RAFFLECOPTER WIDGET MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES TO LOAD. Make sure to wait for it as that's how you'll enter the giveaway. Please make sure to share this giveaway with all your NW Arkansas friends! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pasta Lunch and Grandma's Recipe Box

Welcome to the {Not Just} Homemaking Party! My mom, Christy, is sharing today. Hope you're having a blessed week!

I wonder if sometimes my great, great, great grandmother just pulled some random items out of her icebox and cellar pantry on a Saturday morning and decided to make lunch out of bits and dabs of food stock on hand?

Maybe while grandma was sitting at the table watching her family enjoy the impromptu meal she had prepared, she decided to write it down and put it in a little box for next time, so she would not forget the ingredients she used. Maybe each time that she "made up" an incredible dish she would place the instructions in the little box. And so, the recipe box was invented and passed down generation to generation.

Here is my random, quick, and easy pasta lunch I served yesterday with a salad and crackers. Of course, I wrote it down and placed the recipe card in my little box!

Quick and Easy Pasta Lunch
Prepare 1 boneless chicken breast by dusting with salt and pepper. Then bake for 30 minutes at 350º. Cool slightly and cut into cubes. In a large skillet, add cubed chicken, a small package of cooked angel hair pasta, 1 pound of grated white cheddar cheese, 1 pint sour cream, 1/4 c. of chicken broth, 1 TB olive oil, 1/4 c. melted butter, basil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Linking with:

How to Organize Homeschool Notebooks with Scotch® Tape #SchoolYearReady #Ad #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SchoolYearReady #CollectiveBias

I've loved the beginning of the school year my whole life. Not only was I a social butterfly who couldn't wait to see her friends again, I also loved picking out new school supplies. The feeling of a freshly sharpened pencil on a newly opened notebook. Aaahhh!! I remember just sitting contemplating what would be my first words put down in a new "spiral". I wanted them to be profound, but they were usually something more like, "Dear Carrie (BFF), How's it goin'? Good here." I still love new school supplies---especially if they're cute! Last weekend, I hit Walmart for some new things for our homeschool and found some great products from Scotch® Tape.

When I was a kid, I loved to do art projects. All. Day. Long. These usually involved lots of tape and I remember my mom having a green plaid roll just like this one in her desk drawer. My kids are the same way now and there's usually several rolls stashed in my desk drawers for them. That's why I bought myself a super cute pink tape dispenser. They'll have their green rolls of Scotch® Magic™ Tape in the drawer and I'll have my dispenser on top---and a hands-off rule!

Even though we're not starting our lessons until after my England trip in mid-September, I'm still taking some time to prepare so it's not so overwhelming when I get home. Today I'm sharing the really easy way I keep multiple kids' notebooks organized, making my night time reviewing and correcting time super simple. I've been using this method for a long time. It's fast and inexpensive. All you need is a notebook, scissors, tape, a pen, and some sturdy paper like card stock.

I shopped for Scotch® Magic™ Tape at Walmart in the shipping supplies section. Since I have Etsy and eBay stores, I visit this section a lot to grab the things I'll need for mailing my sales. There's a large selection of Scotch® products here--great for home and homeschool.

One of my biggest issues with reviewing and correcting my kids' work is that I have a difficult time telling their handwriting apart. They write their names on the fronts of their notebooks, but I don't want to be flipping around the book when I'm just trying to go through them really quick. So, I make tabs that stick out the sides of the notebooks that indicate their names and the subject. It makes it easy for them to find their books in a large pile, as well.

I begin by cutting a piece of card stock to measure 2"x4". 

Then I fold it in half, open it up, and write the child's name on each side.

Finally, I tape each side down to the cover of the notebook.

Voila! Super easy and a huge time saver! What are some of your easy homeschooling hacks? Let me know and visit the 3M Social Hub for more great uses for Scotch® Magic™Tape.

Organizing a Homemaking Notebook #EraseStress #Ad #cbias

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EraseStress #CollectiveBias

My family loves to tease me about my obsessive tendencies regarding schedules. Even (waaaay back) when we only had a couple of kids, I was really strict about meal and bed times. In my opinion, everything runs better on a schedule. I'm definitely the queen of organizational systems and even if most of them don't actually get implemented how I imagined them, even the smallest amount of planning and prep goes a long way. I love to use different colored pens when writing out my schedules. This helps to keep me on track, but the downside is that pen isn't as easily corrected as pencil. With Pilot's FriXion Erasable Pens, I can organize my notebooks and charts how I like without having to worry about messy scribbles.

I like to keep a homemaking notebook---something to keep all my important daily notes and tasks in one place. As time goes on, this will serve as a record of my years at home with young children, chronically many of our special memories and reminding me how I did certain things. I have it set up like a student's binder with tabs for easy reference and a zippered pouch to hold my pens, crayons, and other necessities. 

Last weekend, I took Selah and Lynzie (AKA: Link) out to do errands with me. We stopped in at Target to grab a package of red, blue, and black FriXion Erasable Gel Pens. I love using gel pens and the fact that they erase completely is a huge bonus. They can even be removed from fabric so I don't have to worry about messes in my purse or the pocket of my apron. There's even an upcoming deal for them, only at Target. August 23-29, save 20% off 3 packs of FriXion clicker pens in assorted and black varieties.

I like to create "at a glance" calendars to hang near my desk where I work and make additions and changes to our schedule. I use the red pen to write in activities for which we need to leave the house and the blue pen for activities that we'll stay home for. This helps keep me from overlapping activities during times that we'll need a grown up at home to watch the littlest kids.

A second place I use a color-coded system is on my daily menu plan. The blue ink indicates items that are in the freezer and will need to be thawed ahead of time. The red ink is for things that go in the slow cooker and will need to be prepared first thing in the morning. The black ink is for things that can be made shortly before meal time. I'm notorious for having a great dinner idea, only to find that I'd forgotten to thaw it out so this solution works great for me!

Thirdly, I use a color-coded system for the kids' school work. Red ink means they need to deal with things they've done previously like correct assignments from the day before or reread chapters. The blue ink gives them their assignments for the day and the black ink designates notes I've left them and want them to acknowledge. I'm now up to six kids doing daily homeschooling assignments so this system helps keep things organized and moving steadily for all of us. 

Besides all the great ways these pens help me stay organized, there's an even better perk to purchasing them. With each purchase of Pilot's FriXion Erasable pens, you can help Pilot support STOMP Out Bullying programs to erase negative bullying behaviors and replace them with productive solutions.

Through 2016, Pilot will be making a minimum of a $125,000 donation to STOMP Out Bullying. STOMP Out Bullying, the leading national bullying and cyberbullying prevention organization, helps build awareness and funds educational programs designed to reduce bullying in schools across the nation.

Let me know how you keep yourself organized for a smoothly running home. I'd also love to hear if you give FriXion Erasable Gel pens a try.

Spending a Weekend Playing Cars with Liam #DisneyPixarCarsToGo #Ad #cbias

 This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DisneyPixarCarsToGo #CollectiveBias

One of my goals is to be more intentional in spending quality time with my kids. They're all growing up so fast and I don't want to have any regrets that I didn't make a point to enjoy them at each stage of their lives. This weekend, 5 year old Liam and I made several fun memories together playing with his new Disney Pixar Cars toys and the Cars Daredevil Garage app. We enjoyed a fun craft and some snacks that we made together. We even made a short video. It's been a great weekend!

Liam and I shopped at Toys "R" Us for some fun Cars toys. We found two die-cast cars, Ramone and Lightning McQueen, as well as the Route 66 Speed Trap Launcher. The launcher can be attached to some of the other pieces in the Radiator Springs Story Set series to make a whole play town for kids to enjoy.

One of our favorite parts of the Cars movie is when Lightning McQueen takes his drives in the desert. We drew a desert scene on a piece of poster board with lots of dirt roads for Lightning and Ramone to drive on. I found that using a drafting compass helped me keep the roads looking (somewhat) neat and proportionate. Liam colored in a house, some horses, and several trees, while I added sagebrush, pine trees, and a barn.

On Saturday, Liam and I made some race car and stoplight cookies using fudge covered creme wafers, frosting, and candy. He loved the addition of the candy eyes as it made them look like Cars characters.

This morning, as we were getting ready to make his tutorial video, I introduced Liam to the Cars Daredevil Garage app. It's available in the Apple iTunes store as a free download for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. It's a fun way to build a virtual car collection and send them twisting, jumping, and turning on a fantastic race to the finish line. My favorite part is using the yellow, green, and blue buttons to make the cars do awesome stunts.

You can also scan die-cast cars from purchases with the special "free download" sticker and add them to your virtual collection.

The memories we made this weekend are so special to me and I know they are to Liam, also. Make sure to check out his little tutorial on using the Route 66 Speed Trap Launcher and then let me know how you make inside play fun for your kids.

Bronco to the Rescue: How a Dog Helps with Grieving

I love this sweet story from my Mom about a new blessing in her family. Check it out and thanks for linking up!

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"   Ecclesiastes 3:1

My sister recently lost her husband due to Agent Orange which he was exposed to in Vietnam. Last week, God led the way to help her heal and have hope. She bought a dog.

Bronco, my sister's new German Shepherd pup, came to the rescue. He is a sweet dog who will grow up soon to be a perfect companion for her in her grief.

The return of hope and the healing of our hurts can come about in amazing ways if we have love in our hearts and trust the Lord. I believe this is exactly what God's plan was to fill my sister's need in this season of her life. Bronco was born three days before her husband died, and she feels as if he is a Godsend.

"For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope:" Ecclesiastes 9:4

The {Not Just} Homemaking Party

Welcome to the Homemaking Party! Seems I'm running behind in everything this week. But that's ok, we can party anyway!

Linking with:

Make Your Own Cookies & Cream Extreme Ice Cream #SunsOutSpoonsOut #Ad #Cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SunsOutSpoonsOut #CollectiveBias

Do you love experimenting with different ice cream toppings and mix-ins? If you do, you'll love the idea I came up with last weekend. Our family was spending a special day together and I wanted to make a fun treat to help celebrate. My Cookies & Cream Extreme was a hit from young to old---and it all started with a carton (ok, two cartons) of Blue Bunny vanilla ice cream.

On Saturday, Jamie and I celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary! Other than the first few years when we just had one or two kids to send to grandma's for the night, we've always celebrated our special day as a family. After all, with all the ups and downs and craziness the past 17 years has brought, the kids are a major part of what has cemented our marriage. Sometimes we do something "big" like go camping or brave Chuck E. Cheese's for the day, and sometimes we do something small---like stay home, play in the pool, and eat ice cream!

Lynzie, Elisha, and I found Blue Bunny vanilla at Walmart in the freezer case. It was on rollback for $3.50---a great price for our favorite, good quality, ice cream brand. I especially like buying Blue Bunny because it comes in plastic containers, rather than cardboard, so they don't fall apart when they're half empty.

There was also a demo going on over the weekend where the demonstrators were showing how delicious peaches pair with the vanilla ice cream. Cainan tried some out and thought it was great! 

It's super easy to prepare my Cookies & Cream Extreme ice cream flavor. I started by making up a concentrated coffee mixture with about three times the amount of coffee I'd normally use for the amount of water used. Make sure to let it cool in the fridge for about an hour before using it so it doesn't melt the ice cream. I then softened the ice cream on the counter for about 15 minutes and, in the meantime, prepared my chopped pecans and cookies. 

Cookies & Cream Extreme Ice Cream

1 container vanilla ice cream

4 TB concentrated coffee

1/2 c. fudge ice cream topping

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/4 c. roughly chopped pecans

24 chocolate sandwich cookies

Prepare the coffee concentrate and let cool in the fridge at least one hour. Let the ice cream soften on the counter about 15 minutes. While the ice cream is softening, chop the pecans and cookies. Scoop ice cream into a large bowl and add all the ingredients. Use a large sturdy utensil to mix it up well, using chopping motions to keep the ribbons of peanut butter and fudge from mixing in all the way. Cover the bowl with foil and freeze at least three hours for hard ice cream. 

I can't think of any better way to spend my anniversary than to enjoy it with our whole family. This life is such a blessing and I don't want to miss a minute of it. I want the kids to have great memories of fun childhood family times. 

How will you use Blue Bunny to make memories this summer? Let me know your ice cream mix-in ideas in the comments below!

Living a Confident and Active Lifestyle with Caltrate® Bone & Joint #Caltrate3in1 #ad #cbias

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone and should not be taken as medical advice. #Caltrate3in1 #CollectiveBias

When I was a little girl, my family was very active. We loved to spend time at the river---fishing and looking for rocks and Bigfoot. We took week long camping trips---my brother and I running all over the campsite making up adventures. Days at home were spent outside, exploring the yard and playing in the sprinkler. There was no internet then and no way to take our Nintendo outside the house. Man, I miss those days!

Jamie and I have not done as well with providing this kind of active, outdoorsy life for our own kids. We both work jobs that require us to be online a lot and that keeps us tied down to the indoors a lot more than we'd like. Still, we are making more and more of an effort all the time to pull away from our screens and get out and be active with our kids. We have lots of parks and walking trails in our area. One of our favorite places to get outside and run around is the Pea Ridge battlefield park. It's got some great walking paths and lots of early American history.

The older I get, the more concerned I become with developing and maintaining an active lifestyle with my family. I worry that my body will give out before the part of me that stays motivated to be active does. One way to build confidence is by taking new Caltrate® Bone & Joint Health. One daily tablet provides my body with the ingredients for bone and joint health, strength and flexibility. It contains UC-II which is a collagen that supports healthy cartilage and is not processed by high heat or chemicals. Caltrate® Bone & Joint Health also contains Calcium, Vitamin D3, and extra minerals for bone strength and flexibility.

I found Caltrate® Bone & Joint Health at Walgreens in the Joint Care section. Right now, you can save $5 off Caltrate® Bone & Joint Health with the in-store instant value coupon book.

Yesterday, Liam, Avalon, and I played baseball in the front yard. It was so nice getting out and tossing the ball with him---especially since his three older brothers are probably getting too old to want to toss the ball around with mom. (That, and they'd probably take out my face when they chuck it back at me.) Having sporty fun with my kids is a blast when I'm not worried about health issues.

New Caltrate® Bone & Joint Health may help you stay active and confident about your health. Do you have concerns about bone and joint health? Let me know in the comments below. 

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple and Provolone

Today was Doctor Who day at the library so Lynzie and Michael dressed up as Doctors #10 and #11. Super fun!

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I've got a new linkup on my new blog, Big Family Frugal! It starts every Friday. I hope you'll stop by!

My mom is sharing a great recipe she enjoyed over the weekend at my aunt's house. Enjoy!

Grilled Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple and Provolone
4 chicken breasts
Teriyaki sauce
Provolone cheese slices
small can of pineapple slices
Prairie Dust (salt & pepper mix)

Marinate the chicken in a plastic zip bag with Teriyaki sauce for 4 hours. Sprinkle with "Prairie Dust". Grill on low for 1 hour. Place cheese slices and grilled pineapple on top and leave on grill until cheese melts.

Thanks for linking up! Tell your friends!



Linking with:

One More Time

Nifty Thrifty Sunday

Sunday Funday

Bouquet of Talent

Submarine Sunday

Silver Pennies

Snickerdoodle Sunday

Sunday Linkup at ARWB