Cleaning and Organizing – Freezer and Deep Freezer

I finally, really, got around to organizing the deep freezer. Now about a month or so ago I had my Aunt stop by. I gave her about half of the contents out of the deep freezer. Most of it was meat that would get beyond eating before we got around to it. There was also quite a bit that would be better for the dogs. However, with Galaxy’s allergies I could not give it her. I in turn also dealt with the freezer.

First photo is of the freezer. It is not bad but you can see there are things in there that should truly be in the deep freezer. The lamb roast, cornish hens, and even shrimp do not belong here.

The second photo is of the deep freezer. This does not look like it was ever emptied. Things like the fruit and veggies do not belong in here. I also cannot find anything. Even if I wanted to cook a protein it would be impossible to find.

I bought two stack-able blue bins with handles from a local chain store. I think there were $10CAD each. I took the dimensions and looked online before choosing. I had chosen two different bins. I looked through the store and could not find the other one that was suppose to be in stock. I think these were the better choice anyways.

This bottom bin I have put all of the lamb into (minus the roast as I had not done the freezer yet). There is ground, sausage, meatball, and roast lamb all in there. Now the reason there is so much lamb. Missy needs to be use to the protein before we go to visit her family in China. This will common for us to eat in the area we are going and I do not want her possibly getting sick while we are there.

The top blue bin contains all other proteins. The only thing that is not actually in there is pork. I do not like the taste what so ever. I am not a bacon eater (I use it in cream soups only because I cannot get that salt ratio right with out it). I think there is a bit of ham in the pizza slices pack and I do have pancetta somewhere in the mess as well.  I tend to use pancetta over bacon.

One the left hand side I have boxed items stacked. Such as veggie burgers, breaded chicken, and I have a loaf of garlic bread behind that. On the right hand side I have more butter than I know what to do with! There is a bison pie in there too from a local producer and I have since added some quick breakfast options.

On to the freezer! All of the vegetables have been added here. In the back there are a couple bags of fruit. Most of which came out of the deep freezer.

The bottom left hand side is some proteins. Breakfast sausage, bread chicken fries, and I found the pancetta. On the right hand side I have a huge bag of mixed berries that would not fit up top. There are potato wedges and veggie tots(?). It mostly is stuff that I need to use up sooner than later or one off purchases. Stuff that I will forget about if it is not in here.

While I did this, I took a full inventory. This should help me figure out what to cook (it has not done that yet ha-ha) and help when shopping. I hate when things go bad in the freezer. I also hate being in the freezer aisle, seeing things at a good deal, and not knowing what I already have.

So far the system has worked out for me. I do need to really get use to using the inventory system for everything. I do not think I will be changing anything soon. I do need to inventory my pantry though with the expire dates.

This Week to Come

Now I was planning on doing this last week and that fell apart quickly. I want to do a week following my cleaning schedule… my attempt to keep the house together anyways. I have used this style in the past when I lived in the duplex and I liked it a lot. I just need to get back in the habit of it is all. My weeks start on Sunday. So, Monday I will post what was done on Sunday and what was not done of course. I will also include my ‘Got Done’ list. Something I really like but has not become a habit yet. I want to give it one more real shot.

Now I do not list something to clean every day because it is nice to just have a break or to deal with something that would take a way from what is listed. I also want to include my ‘Got Done’ list because I may not get a room completely done but I may have done a lot of other things that day. For example, last Sunday I did start doing what was ‘scheduled’. I than realized how earlier it was still in the evening/night so I decided that I should put the paint colour on Missy’s walls. That took about six hours. The next two days I was down for the count. My shoulders were completely killing me. I was too far behind to continue with the plan.

Now while I brought up Missy’s room. I do have it half way done. After I finish the last bit of painting I will make a post about the progress. The second post after that will be the putting together of her room. That one may end up in two parts as I will be ordering (well NiaNia will be) some bookshelf things once I know the space and area I have to work with.

Lets all have a week where we seem to have our ducks in a row!

Big News!

I have been saying there is a reason why we did some things, why I have not been posting much (no promises that will change to quickly), and now I can finally share!

We have been expecting a little one and I was pretty much completely drained of energy the entire time.

We got a beautiful baby girl for the holidays! Missy did not give us much notice either before entering the world. It is not a long story but a lot happened in such a little time.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook at Chocolate Milks Cows!

P.S. I do not plan on turning this into a full time mommy blog but we must remember Missy is the super star of my life now!

Fallen Behind

Wow! I have really fallen behind with the blog. This of course was not intentional. I have had a lot going on in a very short period of time. I mean it is almost time for a the 2nd quarter goal updates. This year has been flying by.

As I mentioned I have quite a bit going on right now. While I am not going to indulge on what those things are at the moment. Do not want to jinx things before they are actually set in place. In the mean time though I am doing a declutter. Everything has kind of just been put in the rec. room in the basement. It is time those things are either put a way in storage or they need to be donated.

I will be figuring out what I would like to put up though. I have things planned but they are not till the end of July. However, there will be introduction post(s)? I have not quite yet decided what I am going to do as a series or just as life proceeds.

Speaking of series, I have not done a ‘Container Gardening’ series for this year. There are reasons for that and I will hopefully still get some plants but will not be growing them from seed. That will come back in 2018. If anyone was looking for that.

Ya, I will be posting regularly again. Something to look forward too!

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook at Chocolate Milk Cows!

Goal Update – 1st Quarter

Things have been crazy for the first half of the year. Things were going to happen and then things did not happen. As I did last year though, I am doing updates through out the year of things I wanted accomplished this year. You can check out the post which tells us what happened in 2016 and what I am going after in 2017 here. So lets look at where we have made it so far!

  • I have to quit smoking again :(. This time it will stick though because of surprise reasons.

This hasn’t happened yet, I have a date though.

  • Moving back to the small town.
  • Than buying a place in said small town.

These two go hand in hand now actually. There was a place we were going to move into for a time being but things fell through. It was for the better anyways.

  • Dealing more with clients in the office.

It is tax time so I have not had much contact with anyone really. Things are a little different from last year though.

  • Making sure things stay caught up in the office. Keeping the new procedures in place.

We are not quite there yet. This has become more important than ever though.

  • Having my debt cut in 1/2 from what it was at the beginning of 2017.

Here is the big one. Now I have not and will not post amounts of monies owing for obvious privacy reasons. It was not the biggest amounts but when you live pay cheque to pay cheque it makes quite the deal on a budget. I was able to go back and check what I owed on one of the debts in the beginning of the year. Two debts have been paid off as of March 2017.

At the end of the first quarter I have paid off exactly one third! Give or take a couple dollars of course. This means having the half paid off is very close. I chose only a half because sometimes things happen and changes need to be made. I have had to alter my payment plan and expectations more times than I want to admit. I will do a full post on this in the near future.

  • Staying on top of the blog.

Clearly this has fallen behind. No need to go into it any further.

  • Keeping my time and life organized.

I did try to start working on this but tax season happened. This has become even more important now. I just need to find my own personal system that works for me.

If I am going to be honest things with the blog are going to change a little. It will still be a personal blog but with new topics. I have said that before in the past and I still have my heart set on previous series. Things cannot be forced when it is not their time.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook at Chocolate Milk Cows!