Menu Planning Monday

Breakfasts

Apple Pie Muffins
Buttermilk Pancakes
Starbucks Scones
German Apple Pie Pancakes
Swiss Muesli
Yogurt Pops

Dinners

Crock Pot Potato Chowder
Black Bean and Tortilla Bakes
Ground Beef Gyros
Falafels
Broccoli and Rice Quiche

These recipes can be found on The Grocery Cart Challenge page. I am intrigued by her challenge. And while I know I'll be spending more then $50 a week to feed my family of four - I'm playing a game of sorts!!!! We'll see where it goes?!?!?!

Mumsie's Visit

I know - it's been a long time since I blogged.

I thought I'd post some pics from our visit from Mumsie. She stayed with us for a little more then a week at the end of May. It was fun times!! Our time was filled with things such as trips to the pool/park and the Children's Museum. Chris and I got out on a nice date together - we got to enjoy a nice quiet dinner together. I had a nice break from cooking dinner. Did I mention before that she's a fantastic gourmet cook?! We certainly had some great family time with her.

As with all family visits the hard part is when they leave. We all miss them so much!

My Family From Calgary

For the past week my one and only sibling "Sheldon" and his family (wife "Shannon", children "Hannah" and "Sarah") have been visiting. We all had a wonderful time getting together again. Our last rendez-vous was June, 2006 - So we were due for some good times together! Our week consisted of lots of fun - Chuck E Cheese, A road trip to San Antonio (later blog), Easter Egg hunt, yummy eats, and of cousre shopping. :-)

Matthew totally enjoyed seeing his Canadian family! He awoke from his nap the first day saying "Where's My Sarah". They had a brother - sister kind of bond. They played and fought, we would here things such as "Mommy, He's touching me!" ,"He took my puzzle"etc.. Then when they would be briefly separated they would say "I like playing with my cousin". Or, "Can Matthew ride in my car".

Now today is the sad day...they've left and returned home to Calgary. Today Matthew was sitting rather still in the living room and I asked him "what's wrong little buddy ?" His reply "I miss my cousins". And, he's said "I need to find Sarah and Hannah". So today we are playing together - blowing bubbles anything to cheer up my little guy and take his mind off his missing family....

We've made lots of memories to Cherish the past week!!!

Books Are Our Friends!!!

One our our favorite things to do with our boys ever since the beginning, is to read with them. It is part of our routine to read before our daily nap and read before bedtime. Lately, Matthew's favorites have been the Mercer Mayer Little Critter books.

His first Little Critter book was the "Little Critter Collection" it was a gift from Auntie Lindsay. And it got me hooked! They are so cute - The character in them "Little Critter" reminds me so much of Matthew.

Tonight we read "Just Me And My Little Brother". After it, all Matthew said was "again, again, again" - after the third time through I had to say it's night night time now sweet angel. And to my amazement he listened and settled down for the night. It is such a cute read though!

Week At a Glance...

I've been inspired my Mel to get a little more organized. And this girl is right...it does feel good!! It makes your week less stressful, all of us moms can use that right!? So, I briefly last week jotted down my chores and did up a little schedule. I mostly followed this week and it did feel good. I didn't get 100% of it done, I'll be honest. I found myself busy early morning and nap time. I did do a little when the boys were awake too, trying to balance spending qt time with them and getting things done too!

At the end of the day I could visualize what I accomplished besides tackling monsters for my toddler and comforting my babies crys. Yes the later are the most important but it's nice to have our home running smoothly.

I welcome any feedback on how to make my schedule run even smoother ... and with time I hope to get there....

List of chores
Laundry - Tues/Friday
dusting - our bedroom, boys bedroom, office, living room - weds
beds - daily making, weekly washing sheets (Monday)
wash kitchen floor - Tuesday
meal planning - Friday
bathrooms - Chris weekend
grocery shopping - weekend
windex windows - Monday
vacuuming - living room daily. the rest Monday
ironing - Monday
cleaning out fridge - Thursday
coupons - Sunday
towel/dishcloths washing - Monday, wed, Friday

schedule
Monday - vacuuming, windex windows, ironing. sheets, towels
Tuesday - Laundry, wash kitchen floor
Wednesday - dusting, towels
Thursday - cleaning out fridge
Friday - meal planning, laundry, towels


daily chores
make beds
clean kitchen
sweep
wipe down counters

Buffalo Chicken!!!

Here is a recipe that I want to share. My sister-in-law shared it with me! I made this during superbowl for my hubby who has recently lost changed his eating lifestyle (we don't like the word "diet" - dosn't sound fun!). He loved it!! My two year old actually enjoyed it as well. It tastes very much like buffalo wings.


Weight Watchers Buffalo Chicken Recipe

1/4 cup Lousiana-style hot sauce (here is a chance to use up some Frank's!)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tobasco)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 carrots, cut into sticks
3 celery stalks, cut into sticks
1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing


Combine the hot sauce, pepper sauce, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add 5 teaspoons of the butter, stirring until melted. Melt the remaining one teaspoon of the butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until well browned, 8-10 minutes. Add the pepper sauce mixture and cook for about 1 minute longer, tossing the chicken to coat. Serve with the veggies and dressing.

The Cup of Chocolate

The Cup Of Chocolate

A group of graduates were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some very exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides or distorts what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups... and then you began eyeing each other's cups to see whose was best.

Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate. Your job, money and position in society are the cups; they are just tools to hold and contain life, the cup you have does not define, nor change, the quality of life you have. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups. The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

And enjoy your hot chocolate!!

Cheers!