It's that time again!

It's Back to School Time! Some children have recently started school and others will be starting soon. We plan on starting Monday! I'm excited to get this year started. Over the past week we have taken our placement tests for spelling and jumped into some math. I still have a ton to do, as we are STILL waiting for our printer to arrive. AHHHH....

       With the school year starting, the start of other activities and sports will begin also. This means busy times for those of us that have school age children. With all the craziness that is about to ensue, it has me thinking about  healthy and quick lunch options and how I will keep my house clean! I want to share a couple ideas that we have recently tried out for lunches and dinners. Sometimes life is a lot to juggle, so I will also be sharing our Summer Routine that I am hoping will continue to work for us.

       Some of you know that we were eating a paleo diet before heading to Korea. That proved to be a little more difficult than we thought in Korea, so we are trying to get back into the groove. The first recipe isn't paleo, but still a healthy option.

       The first recipe is from Sara at Dinner at the Zoo.
Her Rainbow Veggie Roll-ups are fabulous! Not only are they colorful, but they are delicious too!

My kids enjoyed helping to make this fun food and, better yet, they liked them. For one of my pickier eaters, I allowed her to pick the veggies she did or didn't want to include in her roll-up, but she had to choose 2. We have also tried these with all the veggies and some ham or turkey.


       The next recipe is from Kristin at Live Simply.
We tried her Chicken and Napa Cabbage Salad and it was fantastic! The flavor and smell are so good. This is definitely something you could make ahead and eat cold. We will definitely be making this again!

     I would love for you to share some of your go to recipes for those busy school nights!

Now for the routine. So over the summer, I set up some new rules.

My girls get up in the morning, we have breakfast and then they are required to brush their teeth, hair, get dressed, make their bed and pick up their room. All pretty standard stuff. I know this next part seems easy and probably isn't a new concept, but it works. They are then asked to read, play board games, draw/color, etc for at least 30 minutes before they are allowed to swim, have tv time, play outside or get on their tablets. My kids usually forget about the time and end up playing, drawing, etc for much longer than asked. This allows me plenty of time to vacuum, sweep, do some dishes and throw a load of laundry in. My house has been clean all summer, including my kids' rooms!! INCREDIBLE!

Don't get me wrong, there have definitely been days where they need a little persuading. The trick is to be consistent and don't back down! This may change some as we will need to start school work, rather than have free time, but the same rules could apply for after their school work is finished. I'll keep you posted on how it is working through the school year and if we made any changes.

What routines or schedules do you have in place to help you? I'd love if you'd share them with me in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Regan