January 16, 2015
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Creating Sunshine Free Printable

I think it is important to have a positive outlook on life.

I am a firm believer of the idea that the day is what we make of it. It is not always easy, but we gotta try.

I try to wake up and tell myself “today will be a good day and I will be happy” OK, so maybe not when I wake up, cause I can barely find the floor to stand up out of bed. But at least after my first cup of coffee and then tell myself that multiple times a day when things are going so good.

So I decided to make myself a reminder.

I purchased this phone cover and after a few months thought it needed something more.

I couldn’t think of a design that I wanted. OK, that’s not true, I couldn’t narrow done a design for the back. So I thought I would come up with something a little more motivational.

“Some days you just have to create your own sunshine”

I thought it very fitting for me and lest be honest it is not always sunny here in the PNW.

I loved the quote so much that I decided to make a print for it. And just in case you need a little sunshine I have this printable available for you to download too!

Just click here or on the picture below to download your copy in order to bring a little sunshine to your day.

Please note this design is for PERSONAL USE only please. Please do not forward, share, sell or distribute the files for any commercial purposes or claim as your own design. Thanks a bunch!

Be a HERO by clicking picture and donating today.

January 12, 2015
by Dawn Marie 1 Comment

Menu Plan Monday Jan 12th

Last night I had planned on making pork chops, but this head cold has gotten the better of me. I am not too outwardly sick, but my head is killing me. The sinus pressure has become unbearable. So there was no way I was going to cook something that took a lot of work.

Through Pinterest I found a new blog called Yellow Bliss Road and a wonderfully simple recipe for One Pan Spicy Lemon Chicken Pasta (I omitted the tomatoes cause you know me and tomatoes!) I also only used chicken broth (no water, cause the chicken stock in my freezer was three cups worth) and substituted the mozzarella cheese for a four cheese Italian blend.

So that is what it would have look liked with the tomatoes, and rotelli noodles (which I didn’t use).

So regardless of the minor changes I made the dish was still a hit! The boys ate all their dinner without complaint, even if prior to dinner Ian told me he didn’t like lemon chicken. Plus it was so easy to put together! My favorite kind of dinner.

In fact it was all I could do to not plan every night this upcoming week with one of her recipes. So I compromised on two nights.

Menu Plan 1/12-1/18

Mon: One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Tues: Lasagna Soup

Wed: Parmesan Chicken Bite and Pesto Pasta

Thr: One Pot Tortellini & Sausage in a Creamy Tomato Sauce

Fri: Leftovers

Sat: Kitchen is closed

Sun: Parmesan White Fish with Lemon Risotto

Happy Cooking

Be a HERO by clicking picture and donating today.

Need something to help plan your meals? I use the Plan to Eat online meal planner. Try it free for 30 days

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie

January 5, 2015
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Menu Plan Monday Jan 5th

I don’t like meal planning when I am sick. Nothing sounds good and the thought of doing any cooking makes me want to sleep.

However, the kids are no longer sick so they still need to eat. So once again I sit down and pour through my recipes.

Menu Plan 1/5-1/11

Mon: Leftovers for the grown ups and Spiral Mac & Cheese for the kids

Tues: Chicken Enchiladas with rice

Wed: Mashed Potato Sausage Bake

Thr: Loaded Chicken Alfredo Gnocchi Bake

Fri: Leftovers

Sat: Kitchen is closed

Sun: Sage Pork Chops with Parmesan Risotto

Happy Cooking

Need something to help plan your meals? I use the Plan to Eat online meal planner. Try it free for 30 days

Find more recipes at I’m an Organizing Junkie

December 29, 2014
by Dawn Marie Leave a comment

Menu Plan Monday Dec 29th

Oh my goodness. This week’s menu plan goes into the new year. It is hard to believe this year will be done and we will be on a new one when I do my next plan.

When I did my meal plan last week I went ahead and wrote out this weeks too and boy was I happy I took the time. Who knows, maybe this upcoming year I will start planning a whole month of meals at a time

The other night was one heck of a night with the kids. They were coming down from all the Christmas activities and just fighting constantly. Especially over new toys. So it was a beer kind of night. I had this wonderful 22oz bottle of Vanilla Porter in the fridge that I cracked open, but only ended up drinking one glass of it….

Since it went flat, I wanted to use the rest for a pork roast. Last night I made this Balsamic Beer Braised Pork and it was absolutely wonderful. I actually had a pork tenderloin, not a butt roast, so I turned the oven temp down and only cooked it for about 45 minutes. I then thickened the sauce to make a gravy. Wonderful.

On Christmas Eve my sister makes Cioppino for dinner. I don’t like it but my husband loves it, and as it turns out so does Sid.