Top 9 of 2021

I look forward to seeing my Top 9 Instagram posts every year.

Some years they're spot on and other years leave out some important milestones.

Let's take a peek at the highlights of 2021...

1 // Polka-Dotty Place turned 10 years old in July.

2 // Kevin earned tenure at Indiana State in the Spring.

3 // We announced that Kevin would be taking a new job at University of Evansville in 2022.

4 // Move in day at our new house in Evansville.

5 // Checking on the progress at our new house in November.

6 // We unexpectedly lost our 12 year old cat Oliver.

7 // I turned 40 in November and it was so much fun celebrating with family and friends!

8 // Our new neighbors surprised us with a feast our first week in the new house.

9 // We celebrated our 17 year wedding anniversary in July.*

*Fun fact: Kevin and I actually got married in the chapel at University of Evansville in 2004.  He walks by there often when he is out and about on campus and it's a fun connection that we both have to UE.

That adds up to lots of highs, some lows and an unexpected plot twist for 2021 of moving.  We joked that if you would have told us in January of 2021 what the year would have in store for our family we never would have believed you.  Moving, relocating, new job, etc were not on our radar.

Some highlights that got missed from the top 9... all the kid's birthdays, my Jordan Bakery Box charcuterie board business was booming, lots of yummy food - school lunches, dinners and baking, local adventures, outdoor fun, movie nights, trips and travel and Kevin and I both turned 40 this year.  What a wild year!

Were your Top 9s accurate??

My Simple Meal Planning Tips & Menu

I am finally feeling like I'm in a good routine again of grocery shopping, meal planning and cooking after weeks and weeks of the chaos of moving.  It was hard to get motivated to cook a big meal when life felt kind of crazy.  Most of the time I really enjoy cooking dinner for my family so it feels great to be back in this routine.  I've got some super simple tips for you that will make dinner prep seem really simple.  I also have some yummy meal ideas for you.

Tip:  Prep your proteins for the week one one day and then refrigerate until you need them.  It makes cooking go so much faster each night when you have the protein cooked and ready to add to you meal.  This week I prepped taco meat, spaghetti meat and cut up a rotisserie chicken for a few different recipes.

Tip: Prep for dinner whenever you have the time.  If that's in bulk on the weekends or in the mornings or at 4:00 when the kids are all playing nicely.  I prepped everything for taco night at 4:00 this day and popped it in the fridge.  I just pulled everything out and reheated the hot stuff for dinner at 6:00.  It worked so well!

Menu idea: Build Your Own Taco Night!  

We all built our own tacos however we wanted - a mix of soft tacos, salads and nachos.  I made homemade guacamole and some pickled red onions to make taco night seem a little more fancy.

Menu idea: Baked Chicken Fettuccine.

Cook your pasta, salt and pepper, add in the chicken and refrigerate.  About 30 minutes before dinner, add in 2 jars of your favorite alfredo sauce.  Top with your favorite cheese.  Bake until cheese is golden brown.  Yum!

I also did a spaghetti casserole.  Same process.  Just add in your favorite red sauce and it's so good!  It's probably my family's favorite way to eat spaghetti.  It reheats really well!

Tip: Buy a bag of your favorite salad mix.  It's already chopped and filled with a variety of things.  Then bulk it up with some extra lettuce and add in your favorite toppings.  It's the easiest way to end up with a big, beautiful salad.  Then let your family or guests top it with their favorite dressings.

Tip: Add something homemade to a regular meal to make it feel fancy.  Crusty bread is my go to!

Menu idea: Pulled pork, broccoli salad, fruit and loaded tator tots.  This was so good!  Everyone added their own sauce and toppings for the tots.

We've been on a salad kick.  I'll make a big family size bowl of salad to go with dinner and then we usually polish it off no problem.  We all like Italian dressing from Olive Garden so I will either toss the whole salad in that or give everyone a chance to pick their own dressing.

Menu idea: BBQ Pizza

We had some leftover pulled pork so I whipped up these really easy BBQ Naan flatbread pizzas for dinner.  We love the small Aldi Naan breads for pizza crust.  Line up all the breads on a baking sheet.  I add salt and pepper to the pieces of bread with a drizzle of olive oil.  Pop them in the oven for just a couple of minutes to warm them up.  Add cheese, BBQ meat and sauce and top with cheese.  They're delicious!  My family loved this combo - BBQ pizza, pineapple, mac & cheese from a box and a big side salad.  The kids don't love BBQ pizza so I just made them plain cheese or plain flatbread like breadsticks.

Would your family enjoy any of these?  I hope you found at least one new meal idea to try!

12 New House Favorites

Happy Friday, Friends!  Thanks for all of your sweet messages, comments and emails regarding my Moving is Hard post that went up earlier this week.  You're the best and I really appreciated your kind words.  We are excited for the 3 day weekend ahead and the prospect of snow in the forecast for two different days as long as the temps stay low.

I have a really fun post for you today.  I am going to give you some sneak peeks into our new house.  I can't wait to show you 12 FAVORITE spots around the house.

1 // Subway tile

I'm loving the gray subway tile backsplash I picked out.  It goes so well with the granite.

2 // Kitchen Table

We ordered this back on Black Friday and it came in this week.  It's beautiful.  Super sturdy and super nice.  It's got a leaf to add and we're waiting on a bench to arrive for some additional seating when we host.

3 // Ruggable Rugs

I ordered 2 Ruggable rugs for our house.  We're happy with both.  This is the runner for the kitchen.  Once I wash and live with them a little longer, I'll give you my full review of them.

4 // Mud Room

I always wanted a mud room and this built in area is SO nice.  Each kid has a hook, a spot for their shoes, backpacks and a bench to sit on when they put on their shoes.  I've got some plans to finish up this space with storage containers so stay tuned.

5 // Walk in Pantry

This is still a work in progress, but I love this space.  It's wonderful to have a place to store fragile serving items as well as all the practical pantry things.  I smile every time I walk in here.  We have a smaller, snack pantry in the kitchen where I keep all of our salty snacks, treats, etc.

6 // Lemon Love

I've got lemony plans for my laundry room!  Right now I'm gathering supplies and will eventually pull everything together.

7 // Country Views

We are loving the farm filled views all around us.  We have such pretty sunrises and sunsets.

 8 // Master Shower

Our shower is the dreamiest.  It's a major upgrade from our last master bath.

9 // Entryway

This area is a work in progress, but I just love this spot.  My Fiddle Leaf Figs seem happy here and my new table looks like it was made for this spot!

10 // Window Seat

Our green recliners seem really happy upstairs in the family room.

11 // Pearl & Penny

These two seem really cozy in our new house.  They've figured out the best snoozing spots to avoid toddler hands and most nights I find them snuggling in our bed.  Sweet sisters inspecting our new couch.

12 // New Sectional

We got a new sectional for the upstairs family room.  This neat upstairs family room really sold us on the house.  We've got big plans for it to be a really fun, cozy family hang out spot.  The new couch is humongous and so so comfy.  Our whole family and more can easily fit on it for movie nights.  I'm so thankful it shipped in quickly.  We ordered it two weeks ago and were prepared to have to wait a while to get it.  Thankfully, Ashley Furniture came through quickly for us.  What a blessing!

I hope you enjoyed the little tour of some of our favorite spots!  Have a happy, long weekend!

Linking up with Momfessionals

Moving is Hard

Moving is hard.

We moved into our new house one month ago and I am happy to report that the dust has settled a bit.  Things are feeling homey and we're seeing more smiles all around.

On one of our nightly sunset strolls, Fletcher gathered his siblings and told me to take their picture because he found the perfect spot.  He was right :)

I was surprised at how many emails and comments I got from blog friends that were in similar situations - an upcoming move, relocating, new job prospects and feeling like we were in the same boat!  I'm here for you and I want to be totally real with you. 

It's been a long, crazy, holiday filled last month.  We have never moved in December before (always in July) and I can't say that I totally recommend it.  We made it happen and everything went as smoothly as possible BUT it wasn't easy keeping tabs on packing a house and trying to fill your days with holiday cheer.  But when God tells you it's time to go and then opens every single door for you, you just go.  

Thankfully, boxes are no longer hiding in every single corner, new furniture that was ordered around Black Friday has been arriving and gotten built, and we have a running list of punch list items the builder needs to take care of in the coming weeks.  We are getting closer to one vehicle fitting into our chaotic 3 car garage.  I'm certain that one day we'll be able to park both of our vehicles in there.

The kids are feeling a little more confident in themselves and their new school routines every day.  They are missing the comforts of the home we'd made in Terre Haute.  I don't blame them.  That was a cozy spot for the last 6 years.  I'm learning all the new school systems, programs, expectations and car line rules thanks to a very detailed map.  I'm in close communication with their teachers to ensure they're feeling comfortable in their new school.  Leo is still a wild man the majority of his waking hours.  On the positive side, he hasn't fallen down the steps lately.  That's mostly thanks to our baby gates and a little thanks to him being more cautious.  Kevin is on week 2 of his new job and keeping busy figuring out how things work and how he wants to build the program.

Back to the idea that moving is hard... If we were chatting over coffee, I would tell you:

I'm missing being in charge of important things.  I know that might sound silly, but in Terre Haute I was president of a really great, really active mom's group, my Jordan Bakery Box business was booming, I was room mom for both Olive and Fletcher and I really loved our rhythms and routines.  While I totally know that my family is most important and I'm still doing important things, I miss having those additional responsibilities and opportunities.  They were all such neat challenges for me.

Winter is a lonely time of year anyways, but add in being new to a city, cold temps and covid and it feels a little extra lonely.  I also love to have everything organized and many spaces feel very unsettled right now (I'm looking at you office, garage, craft closet and master bath!!)   Moving forward, I am focusing my attention on unpacking, settling in, coordinating the workers that are coming and going, being a cheerleader for the big kids and cheering for Kevin at his new job and just doing the day to day mom stuff.  I'm also praying that I'll make some great friends, we will find a church home, the kids will feel connected to people at school and we will thrive here!

So if you happen to find yourself in a similar boat as me in 2022, just know that moving is hard, but you can do hard things!!  Big hugs to you.  Please reach out here, on instagram or email polkadottyplace@hotmail.com anytime to chat.

Our whole family has been repeating that phrase - We can do hard things!  We've all had adjusting to do.  The more we talk about the changes, stresses, highs and lows of our days and the feelings we're feeling, the better we feel about them.  It feels good to know we're not alone.

We're excited about the prospects and opportunities in our new city.  We are eager to keep settling in and making Evansville feel like home.  We have a list of fun things we want to do or to try and are working our way through them.  Wish us luck.  Send us all the happy vibes, prayers and positivity as we make Evansville feel like #homesweetevansville.

Canceling Our Screens

I have felt the pull to cancel our screens for the past few months.

As a family, it felt like we were spending too much time on devices.  

Insert a big move that happened really quickly.  I didn't have the energy to pack up our house, make a million decisions, move with 3 young kids and make big changes in our screen habits.  However, now that we are settled, it feels like a better time to edit our screens and cancel some of our screen routines.

The kids have tablets and got a Nintendo Switch to share for Christmas.  We have TVs.  We have DVD player in the car for long trips and Kevin and I have cell phones/tablets/computers.

Obviously we aren't opposed to screens.  I just want to ensure that we are doing a big variety of things and using our brains vs mindlessly scrolling or playing.

I'm not making a huge deal out of this.  Here's my plan: I'm going to slowly introduce new things and new routines so that it doesn't feel like some kind of screen punishment.  As the mom, I know that I have a big influence on the amount of screen time that is allowed at our house.  I think that this will work great.  The kids will be excited about the focus on doing a variety of things.

 

From here on out, you'll find us doing more:

Art projects

Hands on learning

Playing outside

Exploring

Visiting new parks

Making new friends

Watching movies together for Family Movie Night vs just watching lots of shows

Reading books

Doing family book clubs together where I read a chapter book out loud to the kids

Cooking

Baking

Running Errands

Playing with family

Playing with toys

Building

Writing

Using their screen time for fun learning games

And maybe even finding some new hobbies.

 

We aren't cancelling screens totally, but my plan is to add in fun things to our regular routine so that all of that seems more enticing that always going to a device or a screen for entertainment.

Wish us luck!!

Veggie Challenge

Do you eat enough vegetables every day?

I could always do better in this department.  I try to eat veggie packed salads, roast vegetables for dinner and then add them in for snacks whenever I can.

I set a goal for myself this year to eat more vegetables.  

My hope is that by me eating more veggies my family will also eat more veggies.  I'm planning to document my favorite veggie recipes and combinations each month.  I'll also tell you my secret to get your kids to eat veggies along the way.  And if we're being totally honest, winter fruit options are pretty sad in the Midwest this time of year so I'm trying to get creative with vegetables.

Let's cut to the chase!

1 // Fried Egg & Veggie Hash

I love this for breakfast or for lunch.  I fry two eggs hard, add in roasted sweet potatoes, sometimes onion and avocado.  Season it was anything you like.  SO good.  You can add in protein or cheese.  It's yummy with any add ins.

 

Anytime I make this for myself, Leo is determined to share.

2 // Broccoli Salad

I've been eating this broccoli, cauliflower, onion, bacon and sunflower seeds with a homemade mayo dressing.  It's a delicious side dish or a main course.

3 // Roasted Veggies in bulk

I love to roast veggies in big batches and then have them ready to eat all week long.  Diced sweet potatoes are so good with eggs, on salads and as a side dish.  My boys love these so much.  A huge sheet pan full of them don't last very long here.  I've had great luck doing this with sweet potatoes, onions, broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.

4 // Kale Salads

Raw kale is pretty tough to chew, but if you saute it for a few minutes, it is much easier to eat.  It softens up with some olive oil and is so yummy.  This salad had kale, blueberries, roasted sweet potatoes, beans, onions, sunflower seeds and a homemade vinaigrette.  I sauteed the kale, onions and warmed up the sweet potatoes.  Then added in the other toppings and drizzled on some dressing.  I ate it at room temp and it was so good!  I loved having this for lunch several days in a row.  Prep the veggies and then cook the kale fresh each day.

5 // Shop & Chop on the same day

I try my hardest to shop and chop on the same day.  I pick up groceries and before the produce goes into my fridge I wash, chop and prep it to get for the week.  We eat way more healthy foods when I take the time to prep them.  I store it in clear glass containers in the fridge and it's ready to grab and go all week long.  Meal prepping is the best gift I can give to myself all week long.

And bonus, my kids LOVE to help with the fruit and veggie prep.  They get super excited to help and snack on the fruits and veggies as they prep them.  Leo ate tons of carrots this day :)

What's your favorite way to eat veggies??

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!  We got an unexpected SNOW DAY today so the kids are home and eager to play.  They typically get e-learning days .  A plain, old fashioned snow day feels like a big treat!  It felt good to get into some familiar routines this week just in time to get snow and keep life interesting :)

Snow //

We got our first snow at the new house.  I scrambled to find all of our snow gear and sleds - thankfully everything turned up.  It started snowing right when we woke up and then snowed a little all day long.  It is very chilly!  Leo refused to wear mittens and socks so he wasn't thrilled to be out in the snow for very long.  We got to meet some new neighbors while we were playing in the snow.

The kid's teacher's both took them out to play in the snow during the school day!  That was a surprise favorite from the day.  They were thrilled.  Then wanted to hurry home and play some more.

Organizing //

We've lived in our house for almost 3 weeks and things are starting to feel a little more organized.  Penny likes to check out the pantry shelves.

The Titanic //

Did you know that I'm a super fan of all things Titanic??    I got this in my stocking (to: me from: me haha) and I am really enjoying reading it in the school pick up line.

Upgrade //

After we moved, I realized how sad my Pyrex bowls/cracked lids were looking.  I picked up this big set of glass containers with snap on lids at Sams this week for $19.99.  It's on sale from $25 and seems like it's going to be great. 

Sunsets //

Our winter sunsets have been so pretty this week!

New Job //

Kevin started his new job on Monday.  It's been a great week of settling into his new office and getting to know his surroundings.  We stopped by to say hello after school one day this week.

Kevin's 1st day: He went back to school one day earlier than the big kids so they teased him about having to go to work while they stayed home to play.

Pearl // 

She's gotten herself into trouble several times this week.  She climbs everything and I find her in the highest places she can find.  She loved my new baskets :)

YES Day //

The kids had been asking for a Yes day (where I said yes to their requests :) so I planned a bit of a yes day on their last day of Christmas break.  We headed to the mall for some fun and then went to their favorite lunch spot - Jason's Deli.  Lunch was delicious and it was fun to be out and about with them.  They helped with Leo and we all had a good time.

Their top requests for the mall were to 1. Ride the animal scooters and 2. Spend some of their Christmas money.  They each found stuffed animals at Claires and they picked out animals to drive around the mall.  We strolled around and browsed at their favorite shops.

They took turns driving Leo around.  It was so cute.  He loved it and they were pretty good drivers.

We paid to rent them for 20 minutes and they easily could have ridden for longer.  Next time :)

It was fun to spend the morning doing all the things they wanted to do.  It was definitely a highlight of our Christmas break and a good reminder for me to pay attention to their favorite things.

I hope your 2022 is off to a great start!  Linking up with Momfessionals today