Our Menu For 2/28/11 Through 3/06/11

Monday~Pork Chops, Oven Fried Tators, and Applesauce
Tuesday~Penne with Sausage Cream Sauce and Garlic Bread
Wednesday~Super Crockpot Roast, Mashed Potatoes, and Creamed Corn
Thursday~Mustgoes
Friday~Italian Chicken, Chicken Rice-A-Roni, and Green Beans
Saturday~Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Toast
Sunday~Cheddar-Ham Chowder with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Celebrate!

I went to Dollar Tree and bought some Mardi Gras supplies, and they just make me smile. They had fun masks, plates, and beads, and as you probably know, everything in the store is $1. I want to do a Fat Tuesday celebration with my kids on March 8th. I admit that I don't know a ton about Mardi Gras, so I have been researching so that I can teach my kids about this lively celebration. I have even put two books on hold at our library. The teacher in me is pumped, and the holiday lover in me is ecstatic!! ;-) Thank you Dollar Tree for having cheap decorations that help me educate my family.

friday Fill-Ins

1. Ooooh, I could really go for an ice cold Polar Pop right about now.

2. My kids are such pigs, I can't stand it!

3. How the heck did I end up with so many cookbooks? Oh yeah, I collect them. ;-)

4. Southern Illinois is one of my favorite places to visit. I lived there for many years, and I just love the area. Beautiful!

5. I'm not a soda addict, I'm not!

6. Culver's Cookie Dough Concrete Mixer; it has to be good.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to heading to Chicago for the night, tomorrow my plans include attending a Bat Mitzvah and then driving back home and Sunday, I want to go to church, relax, and get organized for the coming week!

Thursday Thirteen

13 Things On My Mind

1. I teach an art lesson today for my daughter's 3rd grade class, as well as the other 3rd grade class at her school. I pray I do okay!

2. We leave tomorrow for a family Bat Mitzvah in Chicago. I need to pack and make sure we have all of our essentials. I keep forgetting to make sure we have pantyhose for Meghan.

3. We are getting a new roof. This is being done out of necessity, and not because we feel like blowing thousands of dollars. Our attic was getting a little wet. Not cool!

4. Our church is trying to start up another site. I have never belonged to a multi-site church, and I am realizing that it takes a lot to start up this site. I am trying to figure out what my role will be in all of this.

5. Summer is on my mind, and not just because I need some sunshine. I am thinking about how much school we should do this summer, as well as how many activities. You have to have a decent balance. Too much school is pure torture...for everyone. Not enough educational activities means they get out of the routine and discipline of school, which is no good either. Too many activities produces burnout, and not enough produces boredom. Whoever said being a mom was easy is crazy!

6. Speaking of being a mom, I am kind of getting restless with this job. I am also not liking that I don't make any money. Praying that I can feel content until Meghan is in first grade, and then I want to be a substitute teacher. The problem is she won't go into first grade until the Fall of 2013.

7. My friend Betsy was here last weekend, and she said it would be fun if she and I took a vacation with our kids and my mom. I love that idea! The problem is I promised Jeff I wouldn't take another big vacation for awhile. I'm praying that he will be okay with a weekend in St. Louis, but I don't want to approach the situation yet. Call me a 'Scaredy Cat.' ;-)

8. While Betsy was here, my mom and I took her to play Bingo. Fun! Of course, it would have been more fun if Betsy won some money. My mom and I always split our winnings, and between her win and mine we walked away with $86. Very cool!

9. Menu planning/cooking is on my mind. I feel like I don't have enough time to cook, and I am in such a rut with menu planning. I need some new inspiration, as well as a few extra hours in every day. Wouldn't that be nice?

10. I got a note in my mailbox saying that I needed to put numbers on my box or they would quit delivering my mail. Well, they didn't actually quit when they said they would, and I am thankful. I did get my numbers on today. I wonder if the mail lady will notice tomorrow?

11. I am fasting television and facebook this week. Facebook has been fairly easy. Except when people send me messages on there, since then I want to get on there and jot them a note back. Oh, and I totally miss playing my games...Bejeweled Blitz and Zuma Blitz. Television has been harder. It is how I unwind in the evening after the kids go to bed. I did go to the library yesterday to get a couple of books, but I still miss not watching my faves...Castle, Parenthood, Mentalist.

12. My 8-year-old daughter, Ali, is attending AIM, which stands for Achievement in Music. She will be playing two pieces in a room with only herself and three judges. The idea is to help her see if she has met the goals her and her teacher have set for her, as well as see where she can go from here. Also, I understand they will help her see what she needs to work on more. She has only been taking piano lessons since September, and her teacher said most children are not usually ready to attend. I am so proud of her!

13. I ordered a dining room table the beginning of January and a treadmill the week before Valentine's Day. Both have come in, and now I have to find a time that Jeff can pick them up. Can't wait to have a meal with my family at our new table!! I can wait to use my treadmill, but I do look forward to hopefully getting in better shape.

Stinkin' Tired

I got 10 hours of sleep the past two nights AND I took a 4 hour nap today. I wanted to keep sleeping, but I knew I had to get up. I am exhausted. I probably could have slept all day and still slept tonight. What is wrong with me? I go through this quite often, and I am pretty sure it is related to my cycle. It generally happens the week before my cycle, and I am also tired during. UGH!! It just isn't cool because I have a family and a house to take care of. Not to mention volunteer work I do. If anyone knows something that will help this, please let me know. Please! :-) And thank you!

Friday Fill-Ins

1. New experiences and possibilities can be scary and fun all at the same time.

2. Go ahead and take an unexpected turn on a daily walk because you just might find something wonderful.

3. I'm looking forward to my friend Betsy coming to town this weekend. We have been friends for 21 years!

4. We become stronger people by dealing with things that we could never have imagined.

5. Try to find my desk. Can't??? That's because it is covered by too much stuff.

6. My wacky love of all holidays is what's extraordinary about me.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to chillin' with my family, tomorrow my plans include going to paint pottery with my friend, Betsy, as well as out to eat, shopping, and who knows what else and Sunday, I want to go to church and then hang out with Betsy and her daughter!

Cake Pops

I recently picked up this book at Hobby Lobby.

There were so many cool creations in this book, and it got me excited to try and make my own pops. I also checked out Bakerella's website, which also has tons of fun creations. Bakerella is my new hero!

So, I was having some friends over for a Valentine's Day Lia Sophia party, and I wanted to make something fun...and different. This is what I came up with.

Aren't they cute? They were pretty easy to make too. You just bake a pound cake, mix it with some frosting, cut that mixture out into heart shapes, insert stick, dip into a bowl of melted Wilton's candy melts, and let them dry. Fun, Fun!

I do believe I will be making more Pops in the future. :-)

Thankful Thursday

So much to be thankful for!! Last time I wrote I was enveloped in a fog of depression. It was horrible. I feel a thousand times better now. The fog has lifted, and I am me again!

I am also thankful for my wonderful mother. She is such a huge help around here. HUGE!! However, she has been stepping back some, and that is for the best. I have been doing more laundry, cleaning, and cooking. She still helps, but I am more in control. Control in your own home is a good thing.

Very, very thankful for my husband. We are in a very good place right now, and I am praying that God helps us stay here. He had to work all night on Valentine's Day, which was a bummer, but I tried to be understanding. The next night Jeff arrived home with flowers, a card, and took me out to dinner at a nice restaurant. We had a meal filled with good food and fun conversation. Worth the wait!

Extremely thankful that my friend Betsy is coming to town this weekend with her little girl. Her daughter, Norie, and my daughter, Meghan, are the same age. Betsy and I are excited to have them play together again. This will only be there 2nd time seeing each other since birth. Betsy and I have been friends for 21 years, and it is a friendship that I am so grateful for. Betsy had a huge part in bringing me to Christ, and a friend like that is a keeper!!

So, you see...so much to be thankful for. I could go on and on! I hope everyone else is feeling just as blessed and appreciative as I am right now. :-)

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope all of you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!! My day has been blessed so far. I got a kiss from a handsome man, as well as the joy of seeing my children enjoy their Valentine's Day breakfast. I also got the pleasure of seeing my mom, who is also one of my most precious friends. I am getting to spend the afternoon in my childrens' classroom at their class parties. Before the day is out, I am sure I will have spoken to many of my friends on the phone. It's a day filled with love! What more could a person ask for?

Our Menu For 2/14/11 Through 2/20/11

Monday~Heart Shaped Empanadas, Cottage Cheese, and Strawberry Jello
Tuesday~Kielbasa, Sauerkraut, and Fried Potatoes
Wednesday~Italian Chicken, Chicken Rice-A-Roni, and Green Beans
Thursday~Pork Chops, Oven Fried Potatoes, and Corn
Friday~Mustgoes
Saturday~Spaghetti, Italian Sausage, and Garlic Bread
Sunday~Italian Beef Sandwiches and Chips

Stuffed Green Pepper Soup

My friend Jacquie had a baby a month ago, so I took this very tasty soup over to her on Monday. It doesn't look the greatest in the picture, but I promise you it is yummy. Best of all, it can be frozen for her to eat later, if she doesn't feel like cooking.


Ingredients

1 pound Ground Beef
1 green pepper chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 29oz. diced tomatoes
1 29 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 14oz. cans chicken broth
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp.sage
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked minute rice

Directions

In a large stockpot, brown beef and then drain fat. Add the peppers and onion and cook until transparent. Make sure not to brown onion. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until green pepper is tender. Add rice and enjoy.

Our Menu For 2/07/11 Through 2/13/11

Jeff is going to Las Vegas. He leaves today, and he won't be back until some time on Friday. Then I am sure he will work late on Saturday and Sunday. Soooo, I am not planning a menu. Why put my time and energy into something only to hear the kids say "I don't like that!"??? We are just going to eat what we have on hand in our pantry, fridge and freezer. I think this will work out quite nicely.

If you want some menu ideas, click on the picture above. You will find many people that have planned meals...yummy, delicious meals. ;-)

Just Like A Kid

Having a dog is just like having a fourth child. Cocoa was getting used to stealing food out of our trash can. (No, my kids do not do that!) So used to it that he wouldn't eat his meals anymore. (Just like my kids!) I would put out his breakfast, and he would snub it. Seriously! He would sniff it and walk away.

I researched what to do online, and I was amazed to see that it was advice you would give a parent. I was to set the food out, and after 30 minutes I was to put it away. Then at his next meal I was to give it to him again. He was to get no treats during the day.

I did that yesterday, as well as breakfast today. By dinner tonight he was whining for food and greedily ate what was put in front of him.

Oh, and that trash can he so loved to steal food out of? That was put in the pantry, and the door stays shut. Cocoa ate huge amounts of fudge this week during our blizzard, and I was a nervous wreck. After some vomiting and resting, he was perfectly fine. We are no longer taking chances! Just like with kids you live and you learn!

Woohoo!!

I am so excited! We are expecting snow. Lots of snow! Check this out...

Blizzard Warning~National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard Warning for central Illinois in effect from 6 a.m. Tuesday until noon on Wednesday. Snow accumulation is expected to be 12-18 inches with winds increasing to blizzard conditions. People should expect sustained winds of 20-30 m.p.h. with gusts to 40 m.p.h. Freezing rain is predicted from Springfield to McLean county at the outset of the storm Tuesday. Citizens should be prepared for power outages.

We never get that much snow. Never. Ever! So, I am just so excited. Look at this map I found...

Where I live falls right on the border of the 12-18 and the 6-12, so we aren't really sure exactly how much we will get. Of course, are we ever sure? Normally they say we are going to get tons of snow and all we get is some flurries. I really hope that doesn't happen this time.

I have actually been praying for a snowstorm. A big one! One that will actually cancel school, and around here that NEVER happens. So, God is giving me what I want. My kids are out of school today, and hopefully they will be out of school again tomorrow. We have big plans to make snow ice cream, play board games, and read some fun books. Memories are ready to be made!!