Confessions Of A Clutter Queen

Are you a planner? or do you hate schedules? Do you prefer a routine or spontaneity?

D) all of the above.

Life with babies is so unpredictable. The phrase “finding balance” always seems funny to me. Find it? Really. Please, please come out of hiding & let me find you already. I was never very patient with hide & seek... So I’m looking for ways to create balance in our lives & home. Am I supposed to change my kids, or change my expectations?

While browsing the interweb, I came across an article by Lori Garcia- that totally helped my heart.

Happy Valentine’s, I hope it touches your heart too :)

Manage your expectations. Carefully examine your expectations of yourself as a mother... {cont p2}

I wanna go on a date. A Day Date!

100 ways to celebrate St Patty’s with your kiddos!

http://bit.ly/YpYmF7

Great ideas for you & your hubby to keep your relationship strong & fun!!!

http://www.thedatingdivas.com/

BETTER MOMS MAKE A BETTER WORLD

BitterrootMOPS Connection | February 2013

“What do you want to do tonight?”“I don’t know. Want to do the usual – dinner and a movie?”“Sure.”If you’re lucky enough to go out on a date with your spouse, sometimes the above can sound familiar. But here’s a crazy idea… What if instead of waiting until Friday night to go out on the usual date, try spending an entire day together? A day date!

Sean Marshall of Family Rocketship.

Confessions Of A Clutter Queen {cont p1} Are they reasonable? Do you recognize your triumphs or focus solely on your failures? Taking inventory of your expectations and resetting the ridiculous ones can go a long way toward establishing a balanced mindset.

If you don’t laugh, you cry. Remember the time your toddler had a diaper blowout in that restaurant highchair? C’mon, that was funny : at least in hindsight. When faced with the unbelievable (as you so often are), remember that this is the stuff toddlerhood is made of. These outrageously true tales of toddler mayhem become the treasures of your family folklore. Find humor in the madness; you can’t make this stuff up.

Just to-do it. While motherhood might just be the ultimate excuse for lack of organization, mommy survival hinges on our ability to TCOB. Make yourself a good old-fashioned to-do list, whether it’s on your phone (there’s an app for that) or scribbled on a dirty napkin. Organize your to-dos in order of priority and start kicking some task booty. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of crossing off a to-do; task on with your bad self.

Roll with it, baby. The best laid plans of well-intentioned moms often go awry. Poop schedules, wild mood swings, and a multitude of other toddlerisms pose an obvious threat to any agenda. When it comes to schedules, prepare for the best, plan for the worst, and always scout the location of the nearest restroom.

Raise the white flag. Sometimes, it’s perfectly alright to give up (or give in), especially when faced with matters well outside your control. Is it really such a big deal that little Johnny refused his nap? Sure, he’ll be cranky later. But rather than fight a losing battle with your bright-eyed toddler, surrender to the nap protest, insist upon quiet time, and prepare for cranky later.

Realize you’re already supermom. Chances are, even if you aren’t doing everything you imagined you’d do, you’re a good mom with open arms and an open heart. Supermom isn’t all things to all people. She’s a champion to a special few, including herself. And that’s a great thing.

Save the drama for your fellow mamas. No one can relate to your parenting challenges like your fellow mothers. Share your hits and misses with your trusted mommy friends; a simple conversation with a knowing soul is enough to remind us we’re all in this together.

Give back to yourself. You weren’t always a mom (no, really). It’s time to give back to yourself, even if only in a small yet meaningful way. Abandon the guilt and take the time to do whatever feeds your soul. The more you give to yourself, the more you have to give to others.

You might think, “Sure, that’s what the weekend is for”. But this is different... It not only needs to happen during the day, but it also needs to be set apart as an official date. In other words, running to Home Depot together before getting to work on the yard does not count.

A day date involves actively planning an entire day to do something together. It can take place over the weekend but planning it is the key to making it a success.

Personally, I think taking a day off in the middle of the week makes it even more special. But what makes a day date more different than an evening date? Here are six reasons (and benefits) why:

1. See your spouse in a different light – this is both literal and figurative. By going out in the day, especially during the week, you get to see your loved one at a time that you normally don’t get to. You’re changing up the routine and it’s fun. Literally speaking, you get to see the freckles, the hair color, and all of the tiny details of your partner that you don’t normally see at night.

2. More awake time – sometimes going out at night after a long week can be tiring. By going out during the day, when you’re well rested, you can enjoy your time together more. This leads to the next benefit…

3. More conversation – naturally, by being well rested leads to more stimulating conversation. In my experience, it’s easy to find yourself discussing deeper, more meaningful topics versus the day-to-day stuff. More conversation can strengthen your communication which is key to a happy marriage.

4. More physical activity – another benefit of going out during the day is the daylight! Having the sun out leads to more outdoor activities. Snorkeling, hiking, trail running, cycling, or even just a walk through the park are just a few of the interactive, physical activities you can do during the day.

5. Easier babysitting – if you have kids, it’s sometimes easier to simply drop the kids off at a friend’s house for a long play date. You can even take turns by doing a swap with other parents. Even better if you’re kids are in school. Drop the kids off and then go play while your kids are hard at work.

6. More time together – one of the biggest benefits of all is of course just plain having more time together. A day date gives you a solid 8 hours together instead of a few short hours in the evening. More time together means more closeness and more love.

As you can see, all of these benefits flow together to create a perfect date. Here’s another secret benefit – the day date often turns into an evening date. The end result? You get to spend an entire day with your loved one!

HAPPY NOV & SUMMER BIRTHDAY LADIES!

WHAT IS BOUNTIFUL BASKETS?

http://bountifulbaskets.org/

Erica Wagner

1) Where were you when you first found out you were going to become a mommy? When we first moved to Missoula 9 & 1/2 years ago & were living with a friend. Couldn’t figure out why I was crying about EVERYTHING!!2) What is your favorite part of being a mom?Having fun & laughing with them.3) If you could do anything you wanted today {kid-free} what would you do? Sleep...I love Sleep!! Ok, probably go shopping. I love to shop!4) What's your favorite treat to sneak after everyone else is sleeping? Moose Tracks ICE CREAM!5) What is your favorite children's book? Bear Feels Scared

Amanda Brown

1) Where were you when you first found out you were going to become a mommy? Our house on Upper Burnt Fork School Road2) What is your favorite part of being a mom?The love and joy of little ones.3) If you could do anything you wanted today {kid-free} what would you do? Sit on a warm beach looking out on the ocean with a cold glass of tea. Okay, I would really be happy with anything though. Sitting in a hot tub would be nice too. 4) What's your favorite treat to sneak after everyone else is sleeping? Anything sweet and especially chocolate.5) What is your favorite children's book? Hmm... my

favorite child’s book would probably have to be Sammy the Seal. I have always loved that one.

Bountiful Baskets is a non-profit food co-op for families that want to have more fresh produce for less money.

Basket - 50% Fruit, 50% Veggies100% healthy, delicious & fun!

$15 Regular Basket$25 Organic Basket

*Order as-you-need, so you’re not ‘subscribed’ to regular delivery

service that you may not use.

Optional add-ons & savings:Artisan Breads, Tortillas, Bulk Fruits/Veggies, Granola, Honey & more!!!

WHO: Bountiful Baskets

WHAT: $ave huge on fruit & veggies

WHEN: Every 2nd week in the RootWHERE: Flo, Stevi, Corv & Ham

WHY: Every time I’ve ordered a basket for $15, the regular retail cost would’ve been over $50!

Save $$ $ and get fresh produce!!!

Awesome things to do!

2/22 & FRIDAYS Toddler Music & Motion in Florence | Local Living Fam Cent.10:30-Noon FREE

Mon-Fri Preschool Play @ 11am Bitterroot Gymnastics (in Msla) $

M,W,F,Sat Family Fun Time @ Mismo Gymnastics in Msla $

2/25 Helping the Child with A D H D - l i ke S y m p t o m s 6:30-7:30pm Porter School Msla FREE

2/26-3/3 Popsicle Friend Weekly Art Project at Children’s Museum | Msla

Wednesdays | 10:30am @

North Valley Public Library Story Time & Craft ages 3-7

Thursdays spectrUM

Kids Science Discoveries 3:30-7pm Skaggs Bldg @

UofM in Msla www.spectrum.umt.edu

Thursdays | Free Day @ Ravalli County

Museum Hamilton

Bri$ney  Caldarone  370-­‐5941  CoordinatorJoni  Madruga  207-­‐5415  Co-­‐coordinatorWhitney  Alexander  210-­‐9567Fundraising  &  HospitalitySonja  Reeves  542-­‐8838FinanceJohanna  Bouma  240-­‐2587PublicityConnie  Gevock  273-­‐2547MOPPETS  Coordinator

Table  LeadersLiesl  Uskoski    777-­‐7207Erica  Wagner  241-­‐7471Stacey  Wagner  503-­‐260-­‐1424  Amanda  Scheffel  396-­‐5331  

Mentor  MomsLani  Schoening  777-­‐3078Katy  Hofman  360-­‐1485Marsha  Turner  777-­‐2501Charlene  ValenRno  777-­‐7265Kathy  Edman  777-­‐5788  

1st & 3rd Tuesdays MonthlyLone Rock Bible Church Beginning @ 9:30 am

bitterrootMOPS@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/bittterroot.mops

Love as if your life depended on it

Argentinian Empanadas

Don’t worry about preparing the dough from scratch, fuss free, ready-made frozen pie dough makes perfectly delicious, flaky empanada shells.

What you'll need

• 1/2 lb of lean ground meat• 2 Tbs canola oil• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped• 1 red bell pepper, diced• 1 hard-boiled egg• 1 c canned tomatoes, petite diced• ½ c diced green olives with

pimentos (optional)• 2 tsp of paprika• 2 tsp of ground cumin• 1 tsp ground pepper• 1 tsp salt• 1 ready-made pie crust dough• flour for dusting• 1 egg, beaten

Notes: Makes 4

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.In a large skillet, heat oil and cook beef breaking it up with a wooden spoon until brown.  Add chopped onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, olives, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.  Cook for 5-7 minutes until onion is translucent.  Remove from heat and add hard-boiled egg.

2.  On a floured surface, extend pie crust and divide in quarters.  Roll each quarter into a ball and extend with rolling pin.  Repeat with each quarter.

3.  Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the middle of a crust circle. Then brush beaten egg on the edge of the crust. Bring one side of the crust up and over the filling until it reaches the other edge of the crust, making a half-moon shape with the filling inside.

4.  Repeat until all circles are filled. Place them in a lightly greased baking sheet and brush with egg wash.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and let them cool completely.  Serve with a green salad, apple slices and California raisins for a tasty lunch.

by Ericka Sanchez