4 years ago
Crafty Tuesday - It's in the Mail!
>> Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Last night Miss. Bean came to me practically in tears asking me to make a mailbox for their class. Apparently the students are going to write notes to one another and she really wanted to bring in the mailbox for them to use. She knew I could make one because it is what I made her last year for her Valentine's cards. For that mailbox I used pretty Valentine paper. For this mailbox I just used a pretty neutral paper, I didn't want any kids saying I'm not using that it's pink, ect. :) If I had a little more time to make this I would have added some cute embellishments - like the word mail on the front, maybe decorate the flag a bit. If you decide to make this for your little one go ahead and dress it up or better yet let the kids dress it up.
Also my mailbox isn't even close to being perfect. I have a template (that I will share with you) but of course both of my printers are out of ink; so I had to freehand the front and back flaps and the flag. If you use the template your's will likely turn out even better!
Here's how you can make a mailbox of your very own:
What you will need:
- 1 sheet of patterned or stamped paper
- 1 or 2 sheets of coordinating card stock (8-½ x 11)
- Adhesive
- Ribbon
- Brads and eyelets
- Any embellishments you like
- Cropadile
- Paper cutter
- Template printed (I used the word document)
What you will need to do:
- Cut your patterned paper to 8-½” x 11” if needed
- Cut your base (bottom of the mailbox) card stock to 8-½” x 5-½” scored ½” in on both of the 8-½” lengths
- Cut out flaps and flag on 2nd sheet of card stock from the printed template
- Attach arched top to base
- Attach back piece to box
- Attach front piece to box
- Attach flag with brad
- Use cropadile and put eyelet in front piece and top of arched piece
- Loop ribbon through eyelets and tie with a bow
- Add any embellishments you like
I hope you enjoy this craft. There are so many ways you can use this. Not just for Valentine's Day but you could also make one for your child's bedroom and leave them little love notes or maybe be a conversation starter or journal entry ideas. Use your imagination and have fun getting your craft on!
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Menu Plan Monday - January 23 - 29
>> Monday, January 25, 2010
I've also decided to change my "detox" day to Wednesday. This will allow me a couple more days of meat-free suppers. I'm trying to include two meat free meals for the whole family a week. If I can do a meal or two of raw foods at supper on opposite days that will be even better for me.
Anyhow on to this week's menu!
Raw Vegan Menu {Sunday - Saturday}
Breakfast:
- Sunday - Fruit Salad
- Monday - Purple Chocolate Green Smoothie
- Tuesday - Mono-meal of citrus
- Wednesday - Apple Salad Smoothie
- Thursday - Mono-meal of apples
- Friday - Berry Good Green Smoothie
- Saturday - Pineapple Boat
Lunch:
- Sunday - Veggie Salad
- Monday - Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Tuesday - Romaine and Bell Pepper Salad
- Wednesday - Cool Green Banana Smoothie
- Thursday - Berry Good Green Smoothie
- Friday - Guacamole Veggie Wraps
- Saturday - Veggie Salad (use up anything needing using before grocery shopping)
Supper:
- Wednesday - Raw Chili
Lunch:
- Monday - Leftover Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham
- Tuesday - Baked Chicken nuggets & fries, fruit
- Wednesday - Healthy Baby's First Pizza
- Thursday - Quesadilla
- Friday - Small Monkey Platter
- Monkey Platter
- Orange wedge & Almond milk
- Yogurt and Graham crackers
- Cinnamon Swirl bread and Almond Milk
- Bread sticks & Avocado Dip
Please note - I use organic, local ingredients when possible. Also the recipes usually call for all- purpose flour. I usually use a mix of 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white or just all whole wheat. Remember a recipe is just something to go by, feel free to change them up for health/your family's tastes.
Breakfast:
- Monday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Tuesday - Waffles, juice or milk
- Wednesday - Homemade fruit bread, yogurt, juice or milk
- Thursday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Friday - Scrambled egg sandwich, juice or milk
- Monday - Tuna sandwich, crackers and cheese, Clementine, popcorn, juice & water
- Tuesday - Salad, strawberries, yogurt, juice & water
- Wednesday - Egg salad sandwich, apple slices, celery with cream cheese, juice & water
- Thursday - Salad, orange wedges, pretzels, fruit bread, juice & water
- Friday - Bagel with cream cheese, yogurt, veggie sticks & pieces of fruit, juice & water
- Sunday - Ham & Au Gratin Potatoes, Steamed Veggies (didn't have this last week)
- Monday - American Goulash & Salad
- Tuesday - Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup in Bread Bowls, Salad
- Wednesday - Garlicky Lemon Roast Chicken, Rice and Steamed Veggies
- Thursday - Grilled Cheese, Soup and Veggie Sticks
- Friday - Take-out (usually pizza)
There we have another week of menus. Be sure to check back during the week if you want a recipe for something; I'll be posting the recipes as I make them. You'll also be able to find them at my recipe blog To Cook or Not to Cook.
Need more menu planning ideas? Then head over to Laura's @ I'm an Organizing Junkie. Also if your interested in more vegetarian, flexitarian or whole foods menus please check out Jenna's Mindful Menus.
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Menu Plan Monday - January 17 - 22
>> Monday, January 18, 2010
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic week last week. I'm looking forward to having a great week this week. Lots of ideas in my head, hopefully I can get some of it to become a reality. :) This week's regular cooked menu is going to contain quite a few crock pot meals on it. Not because I have any big plans, it's just how it worked out when I planned the menu. :) Hope you'll enjoy and leave some comment love if you try a recipe.
Raw Vegan Menu {Sunday - Saturday}
Breakfast:
- Sunday - Fruit salad
- Monday - Fresh Tropics Green Smoothie
- Tuesday - Blueberry Blues Green Smoothie
- Wednesday - Mono-meal of citrus fruit
- Thursday - Very Fruity Green Smoothie
- Friday - Mono-meal of pears
- Saturday - Blueberry Jello
Lunch:
- Sunday - Veggie Salad
- Monday - Lee's Pinky Green Smoothie
- Tuesday - Mono-meal of apples
- Wednesday - Romaine & Bell Pepper Salad
- Thursday - Mono-meal of Cantaloupe
- Friday - Guacamole Veggie Wraps
- Saturday - Veggie Salad (use up anything needing using before grocery shopping)
Supper:
- Monday - Perfect Gazpacho
- Thursday - Raw Chili
Lunch:
- Monday - Leftover Lasagna
- Tuesday - Baked Chicken nuggets & fries, fruit
- Wednesday - Healthy Baby's First Pizza
- Thursday - Quesadilla
- Friday - Small Monkey Platter
- Monkey Platter
- Orange wedge & Almond milk
- Yogurt and Graham crackers
- Cinnamon Swirl bread and Almond Milk
- Bread sticks & Avocado Dip (hopefully avocado ripe enough this week)
Please note - I use organic, local ingredients when possible. Also the recipes usually call for all- purpose flour. I usually use a mix of 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white or just all whole wheat. Remember a recipe is just something to go by, feel free to change them up for health/your family's tastes.
Breakfast:
- Monday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Tuesday - Waffles, juice or milk
- Wednesday - Homemade fruit bread, yogurt, juice or milk
- Thursday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Friday - Scrambled egg sandwich, juice or milk
- Monday - Tuna sandwich, crackers and cheese, Clementine, popcorn, juice & water
- Tuesday - Salad, strawberries, yogurt, juice & water
- Wednesday - Egg salad sandwich, apple slices, celery with cream cheese, juice & water
- Thursday - Salad, orange wedges, pretzels, fruit bread, juice & water
- Friday - Bagel with cream cheese, yogurt, veggie sticks & pieces of fruit, juice & water
- Sunday - Crock Pot Lasagna, salad and slice of Amish White Bread
- Monday - Grilled cheese and soup (Meatless Monday)
- Tuesday - Crock Pot French Dip on Homemade Baguettes, Creamy Coleslaw
- Wednesday - Crispy Baked Ravioli, Salad and Garlic Cheese Rolls
- Thursday - Ham and Au Gratin Potatoes
- Friday - Take-out (usually pizza)
Need more menu planning ideas? Then head over to Laura's @ I'm an Organizing Junkie. Also if your interested in more vegetarian, flexitarian or whole foods menus please check out Jenna's Mindful Menus.
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Crafty Tuesday - Gourmet Hot Chocolate Holders
>> Tuesday, January 12, 2010
It is has been so long since I've had time to craft. Based on my blog it was back in October - that's sad. Today I had some time and I made a cute little holder to put a gourmet hot chocolate inside. I've seen lots of people make some sort of holder for hot cocoa around Christmas time to give as little gifts, but I thought hey, it's still cold and snowy so what would be better than hot chocolate. I made 3 of these today, one for Bean's teacher and one for each of Bub's teachers.
What you will need:
- 2 sheets coordinating card stock (I used Stampin' Up!® Brocade Blue and Whisper White)
- Circle punch
- Double sided adhesive tape
- Ribbon
- Scoring tool
- Stamp
- Stamp Pad (I used Stampin' Up!® Brocade Blue)
- Snowflakes Cuttlebug® embossing folder (or other folder or none)
- Paper Cutter
What you will need to do:
- Cut your main card stock (this will be the one for the holder)to 8 1/2″ x 6 3/4″
- Score your card stock the bottom edge at 1/2″ then score the cardstock at 1/2″ and 4 1/2″ vertically.
- Cut the corner where your two score lines cross.
- With that cut corner edge on your left hand side place a strip of adhesive just to the score line.
- Then turn your paper over and place adhesive on the bottom right side,just to the score line and along the long edge.
- At this point I folded all the edges in (do not remove protective strip from adhesive)and ran the paper through the sizzix® with the cuttlebug® folder.
- Fold up the bottom edge and adhere. Now remove the other strip of protective cover from the bottom right and fold over adhering to the bottom left. Now the left 1/2 inch edge needs to fold in and adhere to the inside of the front flap.
- Use your circle punch and cut a half circle in the top of your pouch.
- Use your stamp on your 2nd color card stock and adhere that to your pouch using adhesive.
- I used my cropadile® and punched a hole at the top of the hot cocoa package and tied on a long piece of ribbon.
I hope you liked this week's craft and that it doesn't take me as long to craft again next time. ;)
For a picture tutorial on how to make the hot chocolate holders check out Deena's site A Necessary Creativity.
To see more Crafty Tuesday crafts head over to my friend Diane's site DianeDenmark and check out the awesomely fun craft she did with her kids this week.
Are you crafting on Tuesdays and want to be linked? Just leave me a comment to your crafty blog post and I'll link to you too!
Now go get your craft on! :)
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Menu Plan Monday - January 10 - 15
>> Monday, January 11, 2010
How is everyone? Ready for another great week? Yes, it's going to be a great week. You've got your menu planned right? Cause if not you should! I hate that 4:30, stand in front of the cupboards wondering what to cook scenario & I'm sure you do too. So come join me and let's plan our menu!
This week I'm going to add back in the Toddler lunch & snack menu. He ate ok last week but there were a couple times I stood in the kitchen wondering what to give the little guy. So much easier if I have a list to choose from.
Without further ado, here is this week's menu:
Raw Vegan Menu {Sunday - Saturday}
Breakfast:
- Sunday - Berry Good Green Smoothie
- Monday - Purple Chocolate Green Smoothie
- Tuesday - Minty Green Smoothie
- Wednesday - Cool Green Banana Smoothie
- Thursday - Blissed Out Smoothie
- Friday - Winter Warm-Up Green Smoothie
- Saturday - Mono- meal of apples
Lunch:
- Sunday - Mono-meal of grapefruit
- Monday - An Apple a Day Green Smoothie
- Tuesday - Mono-meal of Pineapple
- Wednesday - Mexican Greens Salad
- Thursday - Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Friday - Mono-meal of Oranges
- Saturday - Veggie Salad (use up anything before heading to get groceries)
Supper:
- Monday - Raw Fiesta Soup
- Thursday - Tabbouleh Salad
Lunch:
- Monday - Leftover Stuffed Shells
- Tuesday - Leftover Macaroni & Cheese
- Wednesday - Baked Chicken nuggets & fries, fruit
- Thursday - Healthy Baby's First Pizza
- Friday - Quesadilla
- Clementine & Almond Milk
- Yogurt and Graham crackers
- Quick bread & Almond Milk
- Bread sticks & Avocado Dip
- Apple muffin & Almond Milk
Please note - I use organic, local ingredients when possible. Also the recipes usually call for all- purpose flour. I usually use a mix of 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white or just all whole wheat. Remember a recipe is just something to go by, feel free to change them up for health/your family's tastes.
Breakfast:
- Monday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Tuesday - Waffles, juice or milk
- Wednesday - Cinnamon Swirl bread, yogurt, juice or milk
- Thursday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Friday - Scrambled egg sandwich, juice or milk
- Monday - Tuna sandwich, crackers and cheese, Clementine, popcorn, juice & water
- Tuesday - Salad, strawberries, yogurt, juice & water
- Wednesday - Egg salad sandwich, apple slices, celery with cream cheese, juice & water
- Thursday - Salad, orange wedges, pretzels, fruit bread, juice & water
- Friday - Bagel with cream cheese, yogurt, veggie sticks & pieces of fruit, juice & water
- Sunday - Cheese Stuffed Shells, Garlic Cheese Rolls,Salad and "Cream" of Broccoli Soup
- Monday - Crockpot Macaroni & Cheese, Steamed veggies
- Tuesday - Beef tips over eggs noodles, Steamed Broccoli
- Wednesday - Potato Sausage Skillet
- Thursday - Pepperoni - Chicken Roll-Ups, Tomato Cucumber Salad
- Friday - Take-out
So that's what will be going on in my kitchen this week. Looking at the menu listed like this, it looks like I'm running a restaurant lol. It's not that bad I promise. :) Be sure to check back during the week if you want a recipe for something; I'll be posting the recipes as I make them. You'll also be able to find them at my recipe blog To Cook or Not to Cook.
Need more menu planning ideas? Then head over to Laura's @ I'm an Organizing Junkie. Also if your interested in more vegetarian, flexitarian or whole foods menus please check out Jenna's Mindful Menus.
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Earth's Best 25th Anniversary Wishes Program
>> Sunday, January 10, 2010
I received and email from Earth's Best announcing their birthday celebration. I had no idea that Earth's Best has been around for 25 years, did you? We didn't use a lot of purees when transitioning E into foods but occasionally I did buy some for those days where what were eating was too spicy or it was not something he was ready for. I always chose Earth's Best baby foods for him; I felt like if I was going to feed him a jarred food it should be the healthiest I could get. And now that he's past the baby food stage we still choose Earth Best toddler snacks. I don't buy them often but I think they are great to have in the diaper bag when that appointment went longer than I thought it would.
I hope if you like Earth's Best products you'll take the time to enter their birthday contest.
Earth’s Best is celebrating a special milestone in 2010—it’s 25th birthday! Founded in 1985, Earth’s Best was started with a simple “wish” - to keep potentially harmful pesticides out of the earth and children’s food supply. For 25 years, Earth’s Best has realized that “wish” and has provided millions of babies with pure, simple, organic foods to grow up on. The line has even expanded to also include organic infant formula, TenderCare® Chlorine-Free Diapers and Wipes, baby body care and home cleaning products made with organic ingredients, making it the gold standard for parents who seek products that are better for their babies and for the environment.
As a mom, you understand how important birthdays are, and Earth’s Best is particularly excited to commemorate this milestone. To celebrate, Earth’s Best is inviting parents and grandparents to share their own wishes for their baby’s future. As we enter a new decade, Earth’s Best wants to hear about the hopes and dreams parents have for the next generation – one Earth’s Best wants to help set on the right path for a healthy tomorrow by offering the purest, most wholesome foods today.
These wishes will be shared with the online community and entered into a sweepstakes where one lucky child will win a $25,000 savings bond from Earth’s Best. Here are more details:
What: Earth’s Best Birthday Wishes
Why: Earth’s Best Celebrates 25 Years of Nurturing Babies the Purest Way
How: Simply visit www.earthsbest.com and submit a wish to be entered.
Sweepstakes Prizes:
o 1 Grand Prize: $25,000 US Savings Bond
o 4 First Prizes: Earth’s Best Organic Birthday Bash ($850 value)
o 25 Second Prizes: Earth’s Best Gift Pack ($38.99 value)
o
Monthly Prizes: Each month, 25 winners will be randomly selected to receive a $25 US Savings Bond and $25 in Earth’s Best coupons to help them save for their baby now and in the future.
When: January 5th – March 31st, 2010
As an added bonus, everyone who submits a wish will be mailed coupons for the complete array of Earth’s best products.
We also hope you’ll check out Earth’s Best newly launched web site, www.earthsbest.com, and their new Facebook page,http://www.facebook.com/pages/Earths-Best/230472802256. In addition to great resources and information, there are coupons for a variety of products available.
Happy 25th Birthday Earth's Best & Many More!
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Shit I Want to Talk About
>> Thursday, January 7, 2010
This morning I had planned to write about something else entirely and as the day wore on I debated writing at all. It's just been one of those days. Not any one thing, but an emotional day for some reason. Finally this evening I got a few minutes to myself and as I was thinking about my day I decided I would go ahead and write. This year I want to start writing more personal things. Not just crafts, recipes, or memes but real day to day things. Things that are in my head. So what better day to start than today.
What I learned today:
I feel like life is perpetually like high school and I'm still that odd girl that just doesn't quite fit in anywhere no matter how hard I try. I could study my ass off and still not be smart enough; I was never "cool" enough. Today I tried to have a conversation with someone and it felt just like high school. You know, when you try to say something to the "in crowd" and they just look at you and laugh or roll their eyes and walk away. Yeah, that's what it felt like. Maybe I'm just too sensitive. I dunno. It seems like these high school like feelings happen frequently. What I do know is I let how I walked away from that experience today shape the remainder of my afternoon. And that was no one's fault but my own. I need to work on letting things go. I control my own happiness. I can choose to be happy or I can choose to let things get to me. I'm going to work harder on choosing to be happy. You know how ducks have waterproof feathers and when it rains it just rolls off their backs? I want to be the duck. ;)
Today I am admitting I am an emotional eater. I wrote on Monday how one of my resolutions was to become healthier, and how part of that was to lose some weight. My plan to lose weight and get healthy involves eating a raw food diet until supper. Well, after the above situation happened I blew that resolution right out of the water. I guess technically I didn't, as the resolution was to become healthier but I messed up on my "plan". I comforted myself in cookies and a mc mom (think homemade McMuffin) for lunch with the kids. Yeah, not exactly raw foods. Food is how I punish myself for bad feelings; it is how I stuff down emotions I do not want to deal with. Food is not a reward; it is not something I think of as a positive thing. Food and I have a long history and it's never been a good relationship (more on that later). Maybe just maybe by admitting that I use food to fill some emotional upset or void it will help me be more aware? I don't know. How does one overcome emotional eating? How does one find a healthy relationship with food? I know this may be shocking some because of all my recipes and how I do love cooking and baking. I think my love for it is because I'm good at it (one of the few things I am good at) and it gives me a creative outlet.
Today I realized I sabotage myself. I make a lot of excuses mentally why I can't do things. I want to be healthier & lose weight but I've yet to start exercising. I want to get the Wii game Just Dance and I'm using that as an excuse to not exercise. I've not been able to find it in the stores here yet and I keep telling myself "just as soon as I get that game I'll have fun exercise". I have a Wii Fit but it's really hard to use with E up and running around since he wants to be on it when you are and if you say no, he will just turn it off on you. It really doesn't amount to much of a workout that way. I've tried using it when he naps and I swear he has wiidar. As soon as I get it set up and on, he wakes up...every time. So you can see how I have lots of excuses. Well, no more. I know about the No Excuses Workout - no equipment needed and it only takes 6 minutes. Really I am sure I have 6 minutes a few times a day & that'll be better than doing nothing until I find the Just Dance game.
So these are the main things I was thinking about this evening. I hope that by writing them down here I will remember my resolve to do things differently tomorrow and the next day...
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Menu Plan Monday - January 3 - 8
>> Monday, January 4, 2010
Happy 2010 everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your family. It looks like I have forgotten my blog and all of you, but that's not true. I took a little time off to spend with the family and try to find a way to get everything accomplished that I needed to in my non-internet life. Next time I'll try to leave you a note to let you know I'm taking a break.
It's a brand new year and I don't know about you, but I have been thinking a lot about where I want to find myself in the next year. I have so many things I'd like to work on. (I'll post more of my other resolutions & goals later) I want to become a healthier me and yes, that absolutely does include losing some weight. Part of my goal to get healthier/lose weight involves going back to eating raw foods. I've decided that for now I'll eat raw foods until supper. Then at supper if I desire I'll eat what the family will be having, along with a nice salad or a good portion of lightly steamed veggies. I am very excited about this, because I know how good it is for me and I love how good I feel when I eat this way. I've also decided on Mondays I will do a cleanse by partaking of only green smoothies for the day. One day a week I plan to do 100% raw foods. If you're interested in the raw food recipes, you'll want to click recipes at the top and head over to that side of my blog. There will be updates daily.
In my menu plan I'll also include a regular menu that the kids and hubby will be enjoying. I'm going to leave off the toddler menu this week and see if I can get him to eat things from the regular menu or my menu. I know he loves green smoothies and he usually picks out of my salads the things he likes so I'll just add on to those things this week. After these week if I find he needs more then I'll go back to the toddler menu as well.
So starting the year off right here is my new (and lengthy) menu plan for this week:
Raw Vegan Menu {Monday - Saturday}
Breakfast:
- Sunday - Lee's Pinky Green Smoothie
- Monday - Basic Winter Green Smoothie
- Tuesday - An Apple a Day Green Smoothie
- Wednesday - Mono-meal of grapefruit
- Thursday - Fresh Tropics Green Smoothie
- Friday - Mono-meal of pears
- Saturday - Very Fruity Green Smoothie
Lunch:
- Sunday - Banana Carob Mousse
- Monday - Banana Blueberry Brew Smoothie
- Tuesday - Spinach Salad
- Wednesday - Pineapple Berry Green Smoothie
- Thursday - Layered Salad
- Friday - Groovin' Green Smoothie
- Saturday - Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Supper:
- Monday - Blended Salad for One
- Thursday - Raw zucchini and Marina
Regular Cooked Menu {Monday - Friday}
Please note - I use organic, local ingredients when possible. Also the recipes usually call for all- purpose flour. I usually use a mix of 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 white or just all whole wheat. Remember a recipe is just something to go by, feel free to change them up for health/your family's tastes.Breakfast:
- Monday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Tuesday - Waffles, juice or milk
- Wednesday - Homemade fruit bread, yogurt, juice or milk
- Thursday - Oatmeal, juice or milk
- Friday - Scrambled egg sandwich, juice or milk
- Monday - Tuna sandwich, crackers and cheese, Clementine, popcorn, juice & water
- Tuesday - Salad, strawberries, yogurt, juice & water
- Wednesday - Egg salad sandwich, apple slices, celery with cream cheese, juice & water
- Thursday - Salad, orange wedges, pretzels, fruit bread, juice & water
- Friday - Bagel with cream cheese, yogurt, veggie sticks & pieces of fruit, juice & water
- Sunday - Panera's Cream Cheese Potato Soup & Bread Bowls
- Monday - Tacos
- Tuesday - Roast Chicken pieces, rice & steamed broccoli
- Wednesday - Crockpot pork chops in gravy, mashed potatoes, steamed cauliflower
- Thursday - Spaghetti, garlic bread & salad
- Friday - Homemade pizza
That's it for this week. I'll be adding links to the recipes as we have them, so if your interested in a recipe make sure to check back here. If you need more menu planning ideas head over to Laura's @ I'm an Organizing Junkie. Also if your interested in more vegetarian, flexitarian or whole foods menus please check out Jenna's Mindful Menus.
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