Menu Planning 101...for Callie

I got to hang out with a dear friend from high school last week. It was fun to reconnect with her and to hold her sweet little one, Calvin was a little jealous, but not too bad. She asked me how I plan my meals so I thought I'd share my process with everyone.

Brainstorm.....While we were overseas I noticed I was making the same things over and over again. This prompted me to make a list of meals I knew could make with the ingredients we could get. So I got out a piece of paper one day and started jotting down ideas. It developed into a list with several categories CHICKEN, BEEF, MEATLESS, SOUPS, SALADS. Under every category I wrote down all the recipes I knew how to make. Next I highlighted all the recipes that were quick recipes, ready in 30 minutes or less. I also noted recipes that took some time to make. I eventually typed up the list and it was hanging on my fridge, when meal planning time came I grabbed it and was ready to plan. If you are new to meal planning, I suggest you start with this step.

Once a month planning....I plan my meals a month in advance. I am not a natural planner, in fact I hate to be tied down by schedules. So this is very flexible, in fact most of the time my menu has lots of arrows by the end of the month because I switch things up quite a bit and sometimes I don't end up making all of it.

Getting ready to plan.....The month before, I brainstorm ideas. If I think of something that would be good to make, or see a new recipes (usually on a blog) I write it in my notebook that sitting by the computer. This is nice because when I start planning the menu I have something to start with. I love blogs that participate in Meal Plan Mondays because it gives me new ideas, particularly for meatless meals, which often stump me.

Inventory.....Before meal planning I take inventory of my freezer. I try to stock up on meat when I see good sales, or buy meat that has been marked down. I write down a list of all the things I have in my freezer and this is the basis for my meat I use the next month. This way I don't have to run out to buy any meat for a specific recipe. (So the meat I buy in January I won't use until February or possibly March.) Typically I try to have 1 or 2 meatless meals a week for health of our bodies and wallets.

Search for recipes....Once I complete my inventory I dive into cookbooks or search online to find recipes for the meat I have as well as meatless options. I usually make a list of about 20-24 main dishes for the month, this may be more or less depending on your family size and how many times you eat out in a week. We have a family who loves leftovers so this isn't an issue. If you can't stand leftovers, plan more meals and freeze the leftovers for future meals, or make smaller portions. Make sure you know if things freeze well or not, there are some great lists out there of things that freeze well and things that don't.

Special Notes....Once I have my 20-24 meals I note on the left side of the number if it is a crockpot recipe, fast recipe or meatless. When I'm looking at a recipe and I notice there is something I don't usually have I make note of that on the right side so that I can add it to my finished menu. There is nothing worse when you are half way through a recipe and you don't have an ingredient.

Fill in the Date....Next I write down all the dates of the month with spaces in between the weeks. If I know we have a commitment or plans I write that in first, so that I know I'll have to have a fast meal that night, extra for company, etc. etc. I look at my meal ideas and try to get a balance for the week. One red meat, chicken and a few meatless options. This gives us a little diversity and variety, two things I love.

Now it's your turn....So that's my method. There are plenty more out there, it just works for me. It's funny because I usually think of schedules as a constricting thing but it really takes the stress out of what to make for dinner. Before I would plan by what I felt like having and I always felt rushed to get dinner on the table. Now it takes that stress away and by posting my week's menu to this blog helps remind me of the game plan for the week. Happy Meal Planning!

Grocery Cart Round Up

Another week on budget, OH YEAH ($50 grocery/$10 household). I still have to buy one more soy milk for the week. I know it may seem silly but often Dillons has it marked down on Friday, so I thought I'd try my luck then. I'm holding out hope that they'll have two Silk Soy Milks marked down so I can use a coupon for them. That would be the ultimate deal. Head on over to Grocery Cart Challenge to see how others did this week.

Here's what my $43.30 bought this week.

Dillons-

Gallon Skim Milk 2.99 (It was cheaper at Aldi this week, bummer.)

(2) Soy Milk 2.49 each

Campbell's Soup-free with coupon

Tortellini-3.39

(2) Cranberry Jello-.25 each

Cheese-3.89

Brown Sugar 1.00

Cucumbers 1.58

Avocado-1.00

Pork Chops-4.42

Mini Oreos-1.00 (Saving for Kansas Day next week)

Plain Yogurt .69

Aldi

1/2 Gallon Milk 1.69

Ketchup 1.15

Honey 3.79

Bananas 1.63

Corn Tortillas 1.19

Frozen Corn .95

Iceburg Lettuce .99

Hamburger Buns .85

Flour Tortillas .99

Romaine Lettuce 1.99

Walgreens-use gift card, paid nothing out of pocket

2 jars Skippy Peanut Butter (3.00)

2 pkgs Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts (1.00)

Household items $8.00

Dillons:

Diapers 7.00 (I was a little bummed that my cellfire coupon for the diapers didn't work. It was still a good price, plus I can get a $1.00 back from Caregiver's marketplace, once I buy one more package.)

3 pkgs Cottonelle 1.00 (use two .50 coupons)

Walgreens

Dawn (.50, nothing OOP)

A week at a glance

Whew...we're home and it's so nice to be back as a family again. It feels nice to be able to clean up my own kitchen for a change, is that weird or what?!?! So we're headed for yet another week and here's what we will be cooking in our kitchen.

Monday-Healthy Burritos (lentils and Rice) w/ avocado, tomatoes, & corn

Tuesday- Company's a coming! Grilled Beef Skewers on pita w/ Tzatziki, sauce, Greek salad & pilaf. Dessert: Baked apples w/a little crisp on the top.

Wednesday- Italian Tomato Soup w/tortellini, salad, & peas

Thursday-Left Overs

Friday- Company again! Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Carrots & Rolls. I have no idea what we'll have for dessert. Any healthy but yummy ideas?

Saturday- Muffins and Eggs for Breakfast, Sandwiches for lunch and Tostadas, Rice & Salad for dinner

Sunday- Hamburgers, Sweet potato fries, fruit. Probably popcorn for dinner.

I've got a few goals for this week as well.
1. Finish Calvin's scrapbook. I finally got his birthday pictures so I'm ready to finish the last two pages. Yippee!

2. Organize the back room. It's a mess. It's been cold back there and so we just open the door and throw stuff in. It's time to get it in order again.

3. Spend some time outside. It looks like we're in for some beautiful weather and I hope we can take advantage of it to the fullest this week.

4. Tackle my growing pile of things that need to be mended, hemmed, etc.

5. Finish my resume...more on that later.

Found the Culprit

I finally figured out what makes Calvin break out into hives....pineapple. We had pizza tonight with pineapple on it and once again the poor thing broke out. What a bummer, fresh pineapple is one of my favorite fruits.

I am counting down the hours till Marvin is back in KS. It's been a long week, Calvin has had a blast, but has also tested my patience to the fullest. (I used to think I was a patient person, but Calvin has shown me I need to grow considerably in this area.) I guess we are finishing the week as we started the week, tantrum central. Today he insisted on continuing to find things he should not be playing with....ahhhh!!! He has suddenly become super interested in outlets and "plugging" things in. Today he found a radio and tried to "plug" it into the vent. This new fascination scares me a lot. Our house is safer because I know our outlets are covered but since we aren't at home, I feel like can't take my eye off of him.

He now has 7 teeth, another one popped through this week, but I'm wondering if he is cutting his molars too, poor thing has been working on this 7th tooth for a while. Recently he has started fighting me when I brush his teeth, but I think it's because his gums are so tender. Tonight I had the bright idea to brush them with a wash cloth using my finger. Ouch, yep his chompers came right down on my finger, the teeth he has certainly work well.

It's been a fun week, but I'm ready to head home and to be back together as a family. I feel so lucky to have such a great husband and am looking forward to some family time on Sunday. Enjoy the weekend and stay warm, I'll post more on Monday.

Nostalgic Week

Well I don't have anything to post for my Monday menu plan, because this week the menu isn't up to me...what a great break! We're visiting my parents this week and Calvin is loving being around grandpa & grandma. He loves being the center of attention and if he isn't getting attention he is throwing some lovely tantrums. My patience today has been very thin, as he has started hitting me as part of his tantrums, and being away from home we don't have our nice little time out spot that had worked so great. I can tell being away from his daddy has certainly brought part of this on, so we'll see how the rest of the week turns out. I am very thankful he is sleeping right now because I really needed a break. Naps are such a blessing, sorry to all you moms out there who have some kiddos who are out of that phase of life. I don't know what I would do without them right now.

This week is filling up with lots of things and people to see. I have enjoyed getting to take Calvin to do a few things that I did growing up. The first stop was here....


It's a great little zoo and it's free. It won't take you too long to walk through it, but it was perfect for us. Calvin loved watching the vultures and prairie dogs. They were both very active and Calvin was busy pointing at them moving. Hopefully the weather will hold up this week and let us go one more time.

This morning we headed to story time...
I was bummed they didn't still have the coolest chairs in the world (they were round and hard and spun perfectly). But they really have a great play area set up for toddlers. Calvin loved it, if it gets colder we'll have to go back.

So that's our week so far. We're looking forward to seeing some friends later on in the week, but most of all we are looking forward to Marvin returning. Saturday can't get here soon enough.

The Art of Packing and traveling with a little one

We've done this way too many times this year, that we have about perfected our skills, well not exactly but we're getting better. Most of the time we pack way too much stuff, but I think we're doing better. So while I'm waiting on the laundry and Calvin is napping I thought I'd share a few of the things I have learned.

1. I discovered it is best to lay everything out before you pack it, so you know exactly how much stuff you are packing. In the photo I have an outfit for the day and pj's at night below it. We'll be gone 9 days, so I only packed for 4, I'm planning on doing laundry on the 3rd day and again on the 6th day. If you're planning on washing laundry in a sink, you'll need to do it every night in order for it to dry. (Things dry better in the winter than the summer indoors, private balconies are a great place to hang laundry during the summer granted the hotel your staying at has them and suitcase racks make great drying racks.)

2. I always bring laundry soap, you just never know and Calvin has very sensitive skin. I have to use a detergent free of a lot of stuff or he will break out. I also always bring a towel and wash cloth for this very reason.

3. Diapers. Always take enough to last a couple of days, even if you're planning on buying some when you get there. I know it may sound silly but it's better safe than sorry. We had to go to Greece and we were only going to stay one night and then all of a sudden we thought we'd have to stay another night. I was literally panicking because I didn't think I would have enough diapers and unless you want to pay high cost of diapers in vacation spots or airports, be prepared. I also learned that bringing a unopened pack saves on space. The manufactures have sealed it tightly and there is no way you will ever get all those loose diapers packed as tightly.

4. Monitor. If you aren't sure of your room arrangements, throw in your baby monitor. I try to bring it when we go to Marvin's parents and my parents because we can't hear when Calvin wakes up at either place.

5. Go Light on Toys, but enough to be entertained. This trip I decided to only take a large glad bag worth of toys. My parents have a few toys, but to be honest he loves to play with Tupperware more than anything. You can find lots of 'toys' wherever your going you just have to look around. Make sure you pack quality toys that can do a variety of things. For this trip I packed a few blocks, his farm animals and tractors, a car, his little phone thing he can pull around, and a few books. I'm going to throw some bubbles in our diaper bag as well as his new favorite marker. If you are flying the best advice I have for you is to be organized. I discovered if I had a bag full of toys it was hard to rummage through them in the tight corners of an airline seat to find what I wanted. I found that if I put different things to do in different small baggies in a larger Ziploc it was easier to pull out a new activity when boredom set in. Before you take off grab the entertainment bag out and put in the seat pocket in from of you.

6. Bring Car toys. I know I just said go light on toys. But here is why I think it is good to bring car toys. They only get played with in the car. So that you don't have to worry about dragging everything in and back out to the car. Choose things that keep your child's attention. Calvin loves a lift-a-flap book and a little music thing my parents got him. I also have an old wipes container that is filled with all sorts of goodies that can be put in and taken out, one of his favorite games. I also keep a thing of finger puppets in the car, these are small and provide lots of entertainment. When all else fails break out the DVD player. Yes I never thought I'd be one of those parents (sorry if I judged you), but it is beautiful. Granted Calvin probably watches maybe one show a week, but he loves Baby Einstein and it captures his attention when everything else doesn't work.

7. Bring a first aid kit fully loaded. Tylenol, ibuprofen, saline, nose aspirator, clippers, thermometer & Vick's. Those are our staples and must haves when traveling. It's been nice not to have to figure out where the closest drug store is because we always have what we need.

8. Flexibility. As hard as I try to keep Calvin's routines the same when we travel, I know he will always be off, and not sleep as well. I make sure to leave extra room for cuddling before nap time and bedtime, because we all have to adjust to sleeping in a new environment.

9. Pack the night before, I think everybody does this, right? Maybe that's just us, but there are always a few things we need in the morning like a toothbrush, brush, etc. I discovered that if I just make a list on a post-it note of the things that still need to be packed, they make it in the suitcase. Of course you need to stick the note on the suitcase or bathroom mirror to make sure you remember. Since we travel a lot we just keep travel toothbrushes ready to go, so no worries about forgetting them.

So that's what we have discovered. Happy Trails..............

My newest favorite thing

This little beauty was in my stocking this year. My mother-in-law is awesome, everytime I use it I can't believe how much time this tiny little thing has saved me. So if you ever find yourself at a pampered chef party, and don't know what to buy...here's your solution. Speaking of pampered chef, one of these days I'll finally own one of these....sigh maybe this summer.

Grocery Cart Roundup for the week

I stumbled on this blog a few months ago and love it. It's called Grocery Cart Challenge and every week there is a picture of her groceries, which inspired me to take picture of my groceries. I decided to link my blog up this week. (Sherry you should totally check it out as she lives in your neck of the woods.)

My total this week at Dillons, Aldi and Walgreens was.....$37.03 (I have to pick up a few more things but they are little so I think we'll come out around $40, $10 under budget, sweet.)

So what does $37.03 buy you?

Dillons:
Dozen Eggs (1.62, I was bummed I forgot them at Aldi, I think they are 1.29 there)
2 1/2 gallons Soy Milk (2.49 ea.)
Applesauce (1.29 used a .60 store coupon)
Bac N Buds (2.99, Marvin's salad staple)
Kosher Salt (1.69)
Grape Jelly (1.79)
Gallon Skim Milk (2.99)
4 lb bag grapefruit (3.00)
3.18 lb. bananas (.13 I had a store coupon for $2.00 off fruit if you bought more than 4.00)
Sunflower Seeds (1.75)
Peanuts (1.44 used .75 cellfire coupon)

Aldi:
Chocolate Chips (1.49)
Sweet potatoes (1.69)
Chicken Bouillon Cubes (1.09)
Iceburg Lettuce (.99)
Frozen OJ (1.25)
Crushed Pineapple (.89)
Whole Grain White Bread (1.29)

Walgreens:
4 Cans Progresso Soup (4.00, used two .50/wyb 2 coupons, but didn't pay anything out of pocket because I used my gift card. So in our house if it money doesn't exchange hands it's free!)

I had some household stuff in the mix of this at Dillons so if my totals are off it's due to the tax. We keep household items and food separated in our budget. But I did the P & G deals, combined with coupons and esaver coupons and got some free and nearly free items along with a great deal on diapers. We are set on shampoo, soap, toothpaste, & diapers for a while. I spent $17.27 for household this week, but I'm stocked for a while so that area should be dramatically less in the coming weeks if not months.

Ready, set, cozy on up

I finally finished my quilt, only 4 years after I started it. Oh well I'm looking forward to snuggling up in this. You can tell it was started shortly after I finished my time at K-State, I still love it to this day. It was fun to be reminded of how excited I was when I would find the perfect purple fabric for it. It took me months to find all the fabric.



I also did something else I have been wanting to try for a while. Last week I made yogurt in the crockpot. It was SO easy and much cheaper. I have enjoyed it every morning this week. Calvin loved it too. I'm starting to add more dairy to his diet, before he was a little bloated, gassy, and also had some nasty diapers. Hopefully we will be able to move into cow's milk soon.

Go here to find the recipe for the yogurt, you won't be sorry:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-can-make-yogurt-in-your-crockpot.html

Weekly Meal Plan & Goals

Monday: Cranberry Stew in crockpot, cornbread, green beans http://www.5dollardinners.com/2008/11/cranberry-stew.html

Tuesday: Simple Risotto with diced sweet potatoes, & salad

Wednesday: Baked Potatoes with broccoli & cheese sauce, loaded salads (chicken, eggs, etc.)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday, Saturday, Sunday visiting my parents

It's a light week as far as cooking for meals but I have several projects this week to get ready for next week. We'll be gone, Marvin's heading to KY to take a class and I'll spend the week with my parents. Here's what I would like to get done before we leave.

• Homemade granola bars
• Pumpkin Bread
• Muffins for breakfast and snacks next week
• Mini pizzas for lunch next week
• I also need to finish my Grandma's Christmas present. I'm taking all the cards she & my grandparents received for her 65th wedding anniversary and making a scrapbook for her.

I think that is totally attainable, I'm working on setting practical goals. FYI I actually got up early today, worked out and showered before Marvin left for work! I like this new routine, let's hope it sticks.

Bring it On

Well 2009 is here and I have a few goals for this coming year, the problem is actually doing them. So I'm posting these to help me be accountable to achieve them.

1. Getting in shape and shedding some pounds. I know it sounds cliche but It's been something I've been working on for the past couple months. I wasn't so great at trying to loose the baby weight at first, we were stuck in Turkey and I just didn't have the motivation and it took a long time to heal, so enough with the excuses, it' a year later and it's time to get on top of this.

On an encouraging note. I was very pleased to see that since Thanksgiving I had lost 4 more lbs. I hadn't even been too diligent with exercising. I'm pretty sure I've gained at least a pound over the holidays. I'm about to throw away all the rest of my candy so it's time to get serious. (Yes I will really throw it away, it's wasteful either way you look at it.)

My game plan
So my goal is to work out 6 days out of the week (5 at the bare minimum). I just ordered new Billy Bands. I absolutely love my TaeBo workouts using Billy Bands, unfortunately one snapped so I have the DVDs but they aren't too great without the bands. I am so excited about these as it's been a while since I last worked out with them. Plus they are easy to travel with. Marvin about killed me when he opened the suitcase and saw my weights nicely packed, we were supposed to be packing light. So until they arrive I'll keep doing the one Firm DVD I have an occassionally do my Paula Abdul.

I am hoping to drag myself out of bed early this year. I am NOT a morning person at all, in fact I'm a night owl, but I hope to have worked out and showered by the time Marvin leaves for work.

This spring I hope to take Calvin jogging in the mornings, I hope to jog to Marvin's work to pick up the car a few mornings a week, it'll be a nice 2 mile jog. My mother-in-law picked up a jogging stroller and I hope we can get some use out of it this spring. I used to love jogging. There is just something about feeling the air on your face and your lungs burning. I might even be inspired to run a 5 K race this spring. Whoa that may be a little too ambitious. Before the jogging begins I think I better get some new shoes, mine are over 3 years old. But that will have to wait a few months.

I have been trying to eat more veggies. Specifically I am trying to have a vegetarian lunch everyday. I'll try my best to revamp salads and to be creative in my choices. I've tired to choose healthier options when menu planning. I seriously have had to seek out new ways of cooking. For the most part everything we've tried has been great, who says eating healthy doesn't have to be delicious. I love checking out new cookbooks from the library to inspire me to keep up the new eating habits.

Also I am saying goodbye to ultra sweets. Now there is a time and place for sweets, but I love sugar. I'm trying to cut back and choose naturally sweet alternatives, of course in moderation. I heard someone say that they only have something sweet on the weekends. I think that is brilliant and I'll give it a go. Plus I LOVE fruit! I mean I love it!

Goal #2 Spend better time in the Word and journal
This past year I didn't make it through the Bible. I am disappointed in myself and lack of clearing time for the most important thing. Becoming a mom has been hard in this area and I am really trying to give God that precious time he deserves. I love reading through the Bible every year. I don't have one of those fancy schedules I just start at the beginning and read front to back. I've realized by doing this how much better, easier, and real the passages become. They are more familiar because you just read about it. Oh how I miss it. Now these years with little ones I realize I might not make it through the whole thing, but I'll allow God to decide how far I get each year. I also want to start journaling again. I love it when I do it, it's just doing it that I fail at most of the time.

Goal #3 Use the resources God give us to the fullest
I am trying to set our grocery budget at $50/week this year. Well at least while we are in the states. I'm excited for this challenge, but it's only $10 less that we usually spend so it shouldn't be too difficult.

So there they are. I'm excited for 2009 how about you?

Goodbye 2008.....Hello 2009

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Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on the past year and look ahead to 2009. To be honest 2008 was a tough year for us. It was filled with so many unexpected surprises and plenty of heartbreak. The Lord led us through some really shakey times but thankful we were standing on His rock through it all. Compared to other friends, this year was a piece of cake, but I've learned over the years that grieving is a healthy thing to do, even it is as simple as clothing (yes I did this).

It seems like February has been a tough month for us for the last 3 years. This past year was no different. After waiting for what seemed an eternity for our letters of invitations, we thought we would return back home within a week. We were crushed when we were denied visas. Through all this God really gave me the passage of Abraham and Issac as well as a song that has been an amazing encouragement. It is called Holy is the Lord by Andrew Peterson. It describes the journey of Abraham obeying God and taking his beloved son to the alter to sacrifice him. The song describes Abraham's anguish as he is asked to give up the son he waited so long for, I can't imagine the pain of that request, but the beautiful thing is that Abraham trusted that God would provide a lamb instead. The part of the song that touches my so deeply is the following:

So take me to the mountain.

I will follow where you lead.

There I'll lay the body of the boy you gave to me.

And even though you take him still I ever will obey,

But maker of this mountain please make another way.

Beautiful PAINFUL Obedience! This literally was my plea, as we were heartbroken. We didn't understand why God would place a people so deeply on our hearts and then take it away. He's the God who parts seas, heals the sick and we were left with the reality of returning to America. We grieved the loss of a team that is like a family to us, and friends, the loss of opportunities to be light to them, and the reality of their eternal destiny. I was brought to a point of having to trust the Lord for everything. I don't understand why he brought us home so early, but it as hard as it has been it's been a blessing to be a voice for a people very forgotten. We hope to return this year and are eagerly awaiting that day as our hearts are already there. In order to return there are a few hoops we must go through and one deadline looms over our heads once again. We'll continue to trust in his perfect timing and hope we make this next deadline. It's Monday so pray that we meet the requirement. Marvin's been diligent in trying to achieve this but we ultimately know it's not in our hands. Thank you for all of you who have interceding for this request.

The rest of our year was spend adjusting to America. Marvin found a job close to our house, which makes it possible to have one vehicle, Marvin rides his bike to work. There have been so many ways the Lord has literally provided for our basic needs this year. We literally started from scratch, we came home with 3 suitcases and most of that was Calvin's baby gear. We continue to be awed at how he loves us by simple things...even if it is free soap when we are almost out.

Marvin is working landscaping which has left him tired and sometimes frustrated. He hasn't been able to use his talents as he thought he would, but he is doing a great job providing for our family. I love staying at home with Calvin, it's been so fun to watch him grow up. He has changed from this little baby who depended on our every need to this little boy who wants to do everything himself, which includes feeding himself. We has quite the mess this morning when I gave him yogurt.

We have been thankful for the close proximity to family. We've been able to be at graduations, weddings, holidays that we didn't expect to be at so that has been a huge blessing in this crazy year of ours.

As I look forward to 2009 I literally don't know what it has in store for us, but I know one I know one thing: I'll be keeping my eyes focused on the Lord. Happy New Year to all my fellow bloggers, friends & blog snoopers. I'm glad you stumbled on my site. May the Lord grow your faith this coming year.

Christmas Joys

I love Christmas. We have enjoyed starting our own family Christmas traditions while we were overseas, and it was fun to continue some of those this year. One things we decided was that we would have donuts for breakfast Christmas morning. Now I usually make them but since we are a couple blocks away from a Krispy Kreme, I decided to seize the opportunity and get the good stuff. After dinner Christmas Eve we went to look at Christmas lights, I loved doing this as a child, so it was fun taking Calvin. We went to an older prominent part of town and every house looked so quaint. We had fun picking out our favorites. Calvin even enjoyed the show. The little guy didn't fall asleep until after 9:00, that's super late for a guy who goes to be at 7:30.

I found this slide on Craig's list and was so excited to give it to Calvin. He loves to slide at the park and he certainly was excited when he saw it. He is getting to be quite the climber now and has tried his best to get up the slide part, fortunately it doesn't work well in socks. We have to watch him now due to his climbing skills. He surprisingly has very good balance, today he was standing up on his little rocking horse and letting go of his grasp. His daddy was impressed, I however was terrified.

We spent time with both sides of the family and enjoyed our time with them. Calvin was the center of attention at my parents. He's the only grandchild and the youngest great grandchild. We had lunch with my grandma at the nursing home and he received a lot of attention from all the residents.

After some time with my family we headed to Marvin's family and it was great to see everybody. Calvin had a blast playing with his cousins. I love watching him around other children and the girls love showing him what to do. For a kid who doesn't need much we sure brought a bunch of new toys home. He has been pushing his new dump truck all over the house today and I am thankful for new books (I was getting bored of reading the same ones everyday). So it was a great Christmas and great time with family. We are thankful we were close enough to enjoy it with them this year.

Christmas Projects

Since everyone has received their Christmas present from us I can safely post the things I made this year. I had a lot of fun finding some neat things to create for people this Christmas. Marvin and I both love being givers and that hope Calvin can learn how to be a cheerful giver one day.

First up are towels that I sewed a ribbon to both sides. They turned out very cute. The polka dot towels are my favorite.

Next up was a purse to hold the ponies I got for our nieces. This was inspired by something I saw that was to hold crayons. I modified it and it turned out pretty cute.

These purses open up and they can store ponies or whatever else you want inside. I'm planning on making something like this for Calvin's toys to put in our diaper bag. It's always a pain that they are at the bottom of the bag. I want something I can pull out quickly.

I saw a website on how to make your own bows out of magazine pages. They were too cute. Here's the site if your interested they are very easy:

http://a-heart4home.blogspot.com/2008/12/handmade-gift-bow-tutorial.html

Of course we had to make some goodies to share with friends. This year we "made" chocolate chip pancake mix & chocolate cake in a mug. We tried both and they were delicious.

I found the Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pancake mix recipe on the Right at Home Website (Johnson Family Company). It originally was for dried fruit instead of chocolate chips but you can never go wrong when you add chocolate.

The Chocolate Cake in a Mug was on this website: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2008/12/christmas-gifts.html

Menu for the Week

Last week I plain forgot to post our menu. I was so busy working on several projects but thankfully they all turned out well, but that's for the next post.

Monday-Corn Chowder in Bread bowls with side salad

Tuesday-Sweet and Sour Turkey, cooked carrots & side salad

Wednesday: Steaks, Twice baked potatoes, steamed broccoli & homemade bread

Thursday: HAPPY NEW YEAR! Large breakfast since Marvin has the day off, YAY!!! French toast using the homemade bread from night before and fruit. Dinner: Pizza, tossed salad, peas & carrots

Friday: Shepherd's pie (I think vegetarian, but I need to find the recipe first), side salad and left over veggies

Saturday: Leftover mania!

Last week I went a bit over budget, so I'm determined this week to stay under. Last week we spent $70.32, largely due to the fact I bought Tahini, yikes I didn't know it was that pricey and we were traveling. Oh well, the hummus was yummy and I can make more now that I have Tahini.

This week was much better as I spent $41.66 but I still need to buy eggs. I hate it when I forget my list. It's crazy how much more food you can buy if you don't have those big ticket items like diapers and Tahini.

Week in Review

Saturday Calvin and I headed to Manhattan to see my little bro Graduate! After lots of years at K-State, he finally is finished. Congrats Aaron!!!!


Sunday: Marvin and I were Mary and Joseph at an event called a Night in Bethlehem. There was a great turn out and Calvin got to hang out with grandpa and grandma while we were busy in the stable. I didn't really think about the fact that I am allergic to hay and immediately I started coughing and by breathing became tighter, but I stuck it out because the show must go on. I am still having trouble with this respiratory junk. Last night I had to sleep on the couch because I couldn't stop coughing. I knew Marvin had to be up early so I thought it was silly if both of us didn't get any sleep. The next time someone asks me to be in a stable for a couple of hours I will say no, for health reasons obviously. Here are so pictures from Sunday:

My Dad enjoying the bread shop.


Weaving

Calvin even ran into his buddy at the woodworking shop.

My mom took this picture which explains why Marvin's head is cut off. You can't see from this picture but we had a little goat and a donkey in the stable too. Oh an Marvin grew a beard for his part.

Here are the goods from my grocery shopping this week. I decided to take a picture because a few blogs I follow do this and I always think that it doesn't look like very many groceries. I decided to compare mine to theirs, once I got everything out of the bags I was amazed at how 'little' there was. I did pretty good this week, the only thing not pictured is a bag of chips I bought on Friday. The grand total for this week was $37.09 for Dillons and Aldi. I am really trying to work with a $50.00/week budget these next couple of months while Marvin's work is a bit slow and he has fewer hours. We'll see how I do.

QUESTION: Does anyone go to a bread discount stores for their bread? Is bread cheaper than it is at Aldi? (I usually pay $1.69 for whole grain and then I buy Whole Grain White for $1.29.) Let me know.

The rest of the week was spent sewing. I have been working diligently during Calvin's naps to try to finish a few Christmas projects and to get my quilt finished. I finally got Calvin's zipper fixed in his heavy winter coat. It looks uglier than sin, but it now zips and I was too frustrated to rip it out for the gazillionth time. I hate ripping seams out. I finished sewing the kitchen curtains, this project is long overdue, but am happy that they are finished. I am very close to finishing my quilt, I am so excited. I have it pieced together now it's time to put the backing on. And most of my Christmas projects are almost complete. I know I like to start way too many projects, it might drive a few people crazy but it keeps me motivated and I have told myself that I will finish every single one of them. Can't wait to show you guys pictures. So that is what we were up to this week. Have a great weekend.

A Busy Toddler

Calvin has kept us busy lately. He still remains a child who never stops moving, but he is a lot of fun and we love all that energy of his. (Sometimes more than others.) He started saying mama recently which has been beautiful, the whining has substantially gone down and it just is fun to hear words come out of his mouth. He is pretty good about signing more, please and all done but it's nice to hear him say a few things.

I thought I'd share a few good pictures of Calvin in action. Enjoy!

I discovered him like this yesterday while I was fixing dinner. He is very into seeing if his body fits into things right now. I am ready for the day when he remembers he can't stand up under the table. One of these days he'll remember, until then he'll continue to get extras hugs and kisses from mama.

He loves sitting in this pan. He fits perfectly.

He is quite the observer, he always has been, but now we are seeing him act out things he has learned. Yesterday morning he grabbed one of my weights and walked over the the TV and started lifting it up and down. The TV wasn't even on, it was pretty cute.

And now this is what happens when I leave something on the table within Calvin's reach. Nice!

In a funk

I am definitely a procrastinator. I always have been, and it certainly is a character flaw I try to work on, but lately I have let it get the best of me. I've been staying on top of things in the kitchen but everything else has seemed to be put off. Laundry is one of those tasks that has been something I have put off until absolutely necessary lately. I think it is partially due to the fact that it's freezing in our utility room and I hate going in there. So today I decided to get on it before it gets the best of me. I even picked up the house a bit and after this is posted I'm off to clean the bathrooms. I was thinking of what kind of set this off and I concluded it was when Marvin was on vacation. Our little routine was interrupted, in a good way of course, but I just never got back on track. So I'm hoping to spend less time piddling on the Internet and more time being productive during Calvin's nap times. Marvin's work schedule has changed quite a bit this winter. Last week he worked late several days but this week he has come home early. So my new goal is to work out and shower by noon! I know, that may seem to baffle some of you but I have been working out during Calvin's afternoon nap, therefore getting ready for the day is delayed a bit. There have been a few days that Marvin came home early and I was still in my workout clothes, which look a lot like the clothes I wore to bed. I really try to look a little more put together than that when he gets home. So those are my challenges for the next week before we head out of town for Christmas.

On a completely random note we've been watching The Biggest Loser this season and of course we have been rooting for the Black team because Heba and Vicky just drove us crazy, so we were very pleased to see Michelle win. Even though certain people drove us crazy on the show, it was so great to see how amazing they look now. I know it was a lot of work. It's funny how I was so proud and happy for these people I don't even know.

Okay off to work out and clean!

Meals this week

Monday: Turkey Tetrazzini with salad, steamed veggies, & cranberry jello
Tuesday: Potato Soup with homemade rolls, pears, and salad
Wednesday: King Ranch Turkey Casserole, steamed veggies, clemintines, and salad
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Turkey Fried Rice w/ lots of veggies & fruits
Saturday: Biscuits and Gravy
Sunday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad & steamed veggies

I didn't go to the grocery store today because it's just too stinkin cold. (Marie I am impressed you actually took a walk in this stuff today.) The thought of getting Calvin out in this weather was enough to keep up at home. He isn't the easiest person to get bundled up and we usually lose a hat or mitten before he is finished getting ready. I desprately need to go tomorrow as we are running out of the basics and there are several great deals at Dillons this week that I need to take advantage of. It's times like these I wish you could just submit my order and they'd deliver my groceries to my door. Wouldn't that be beautiful.....

Things on my Heart

Calvin and I headed to the zoo on Monday because the weather was perfect and we wanted to soak up being outside while the weather allowed. We pulled in and I was getting the stroller out and notice this guy yelling at this young girl and she was walking quickly away from him. He followed her yelling ugly things, things children should not be hearing. She was too far from him and heading our direction so he went to get his car. Our paths crossed just as her boyfriend drove up. She was crying and shaking and kept saying she was okay. I could feel her boyfriend burning a hole in the back of my head with his glare. We chatted for a while, but I couldn't convince her to take that scary step and walk a little bit farther away from him. She assured me she called her mother and she would be fine, so I told her I would alert security. By the looks of things I could clearly see her boyfriend was not happy. I was really torn about what to do, for one thing I was deeply concerned for this girl, no one should ever be treated as she was treated, yet I had my son with me, whom God has called me to care for. So I let security handle the situation and I started praying.

As we walked through the zoo I was very shaken by this little encounter, abuse is something that makes my blood boil. In fact it infuriates me. But as I was praying a little of my heart was revealed as well. I was struck by my somewhat double standard, how terrible it is to abuse another person and yet how I do the same thing to God. I am not proud to admit but sometimes I do neglect God. I'm too 'busy' to spend time with him, too busy to be fed by him. My heart was suddenly ashamed and convicted of my sin. Sometimes these lessons aren't always easy to learn, but I am thankful for them and thankful for a forgiving God.

Seriously..who buys these things

Oh it's that time of year again. Time to be bombarded by things others think we need to have. I was at the store the other day and was really blown away by this one. Who really needs another appliance and this one for that matter, my guess is this is for your serious hotdog lover. (I appologize if anyone actually owns this.)

Meals this week

Monday-Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots , Rice & Salad

Tuesday-Texas Cowboy Pie, fruit, Salad & Steamed Veggies
NEW RECIPE from http://grocerycartchallenge.blogspot.com/2008/10/stretching-your-food.html

Wednesday-NEW RECIPE Black Bean & Corn Chili, Cheese Quesadillas & Side Salad

Thursday-Date Night

Friday-Left Overs, but making fudge and cookies for The Night in Bethlehem on Saturday and Sunday

Saturday-Waffles for breakfast then off to watch my little bro graduate from college!!

Sunday-NEW RECIPE Curried Turkey Salad Sandwiches, pickles, oven fries and steamed veggies
Marvin and I are Mary and Joseph on Sunday so Dinner we'll have pizzas pre-made and then frozen along with Salad & Fruit.


Things to Do in the Kitchen this week:

• Cook Black Beans and freeze in baggies
• Bake Muffins for the freezer
• Mix up some waffles for the freezer
• Make pizzas and freeze for Sunday Dinner

Help Please

I did the math and muffins & breads are a super cheap form of quick breakfasts and snacks for Marvin's lunch box. I'm on the hunt for some healthy recipes, so if you have any let me know. Also we are hoping to have Broccoli and Cheese soup in bread bowls this Christmas Eve, so I'm looking for a good recipe, the one I have is terrible. So bring on the recipes, as you can see I'm not afraid to try something new. In fact it is one of my favorite things.

Inflatable Fun

Calvin always loves it when his buddy comes to play. This week was no different, they had some serious fun in the "ball pit".

Shake Your Groove Thing

Enjoy Calvin's latest dance moves.

Why I love Walgreens

So last week Walgreens had some amazing Register Rewards. I was able to pick up a Christmas Tree for basically 15 dollars, and some other great deals. Then they sweetened the deal later in the week with more Register Rewards. So I had a ton to use this week. I paid 2 cents out of pocket for all this loot. That's right 2 cents, but I'll get $7.00 back in rebates at the end of the month. My husband was very impressed when I got home. It only took 3 transactions and lots of careful calculating, but it was well worth it!

Productivity

Whoa! Today our house was in need of some major cleaning. After traveling and getting out our Christmas decorations it was getting pretty desperate for some TLC. Here are two problem spots for me where things just seem to accumulate:

Now that's better!

After working like a crazy little bee during Calvin's nap both spaces are clutter free, for now. The table was a mess of stuff that I just kept adding to while we were decorating yesterday, so it took the bulk of my time because everything was from various parts of the house. I also got the dishes done and the recycling sorted, whew now that's getting a lot done in an hour and a half. My goal is for it to stay clutter free until I start my sewing projects next week.

Speaking of goals, I have several for this month.

1. I'm making several Christmas gifts and one needs to be one ASAP and I hope to finish that before the weekend is over.
2. I want to finish Calvin's baby book. It's half way finished and I don't have nearly as many pictures for the second half.
3. I seriously want to finish the quilt I started a LONG time ago. I just need to piece the rows together and add the packing. I am making a cover for a blanket, for when we go overseas, since we already bought a blanket, it just needs a little beautifying.
4. Make a few more burp cloths. I'd rather have that mess a bit more organized and it's amazing how much less space they take up when they are finished. Plus I figured while I have the machine out I should sew as much as possible.

So I guess I have my work cut out for me, considering we have busy weekends almost every weekend this month. How about you guys what are your problem areas of your house (I do hope I'm not the only one)? What are you planning on doing this Christmas season?

Good Eats for the Week

Here's our menu this week. Since Marvin's home for the week I hope to make a few warm lunches since he usually has sandwiches everyday, which means a bit more cooking but it's worth it.

Monday-Popcorn Chicken (from angel food) sweet potatoes, apples & raspberries
Tuesday-NEW RECIPE BBQ lentils over brown rice (I saw this on a website called 5 Dollar dinners http://www.5dollardinners.com/), steamed broccoli & fresh dinner rolls (see recipe below)
Wednesday-NEW RECIPE Pasta toss w/sausage & Peppers with a side salad, oranges and peas
Thursday-NEW RECIPE Potato Pizzas, Salad, raspberries and Steamed veggies
Friday-Homemade Chicken Nuggets, salad, home fries, pears
Saturday-Leftovers
Sunday-Speaking again so we'll be out of town for lunch and maybe we'll have some leftovers or popcorn chicken for dinner (we always get way too much of this stuff. Marvin loves it, but it's so-so in my book.)

Lunch ideas:
Mac & Cheese w/ veggies
Roasted Turkey legs with couscous & veggies
Egg Sandwiches (hey they are warm)
Chicken and Rice soup
Grilled Cheese

Without further ado here is my favorite bread recipe. Why is my favorite? Because you can put it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks and it can be used for all sorts of things. I have used it for cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, and it has turned out great every time. Plus my husband loves meat, but we have a lot of meatless meals around our place, but I learned early into our marriage if I make him fresh bread he's a happy camper, even if there isn't meat on his plate.

No Rise Roll Mix
1 T. yeast
1 T. sugar
½ c. Warm water

Dissolve then add to mix:
½ c. oil
1 c. buttermilk
(Add a couple tablespoons of vinegar to 1 c. regular milk and let stand for 5 minutes if you don't have buttermilk)
½ c. sugar
½ t. baking soda
5 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour & 2 1/2 c. white flour (approx. and I think it takes a bit more) *Original recipe called for 5 c. all purpose flour

Keep adding more flour till it forms a ball to knead. Knead well. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Make sure you use a container that has some extra space because it will rise in the fridge. Pull off what you need and bake it. For rolls I usually bake it at 350 for about 12 minutes.

So much to be thankful for

I hope you had a great thanksgiving. We had fun spending time with family and new friends in our whirlwind trip. We had a good time on Thanksgiving and like always more people came than expected, things were close quarters but there was enough food to go around. We seriously had the best turkey I've ever had in my life. Way to go Uncle Jeff, he certainly knows what he is doing, but I guess he is a professional. That turkey is going to be hard to beat and ranks right up there with the steak we had on our honeymoon. We had our dinner in a small room at the nursing home my grandma is at, so Calvin enjoyed running up and down the halls, being tempted by all the pretty things hanging on people's doors. The dressing was his favorite dish of the day, he loves bread in any form, so it's no surprise this is what he loved.

My bro took Calvin for a little spin up and down the halls. Calvin is so fascinated with my grandma's wheelchair.

We had a good time with Marvin's family, but it felt too short. Calvin was in love with the rocking horse Marvin's parents have. Every time he climbed up on the rocking horse all by himself it reminded me of how quickly he is growing up. He certainly loved the time he had with his cousins and loved playing with his Aunt Angie, we can't wait until Christmas.

Calvin did spectacular on our trip out to Colorado, he took some great naps in route and was able to be entertained while confined to his car seat the rest of the trip. We were able to stop at a park for lunch on the way and he had so much fun running around. We were thankful to spend a good solid hour playing before we had to get back in the car and drive some more. He always surprises me at how well he does. He certainly is a trooper.

We were excited to find out the hotel we were staying at had a pool, so we walked across the street and thankfully Alco still had a some swim wear because I didn't pack any. We didn't make the reservations, so we didn't know they had a pool. Calvin was a little cautious of the water but after a little warming up he was a splashing machine. It was a good little trip but we are glad to be home. Calvin was excited this morning when he woke up, he had to walk through the house to make sure all his toys were still here. He is still a bit clingy, he always gets this way when we travel a lot, but in a few days he'll be back to his independent self.

Marvin's on vacation this week and is planning on volunteering a bit, so we hope that goes well so that we can be one step closer to going back overseas. Most of the time I feel like we are in this waiting mode, waiting to get where He has asked us to go, but it was good to be reminded that He has us where he has us right now for his purpose. I was reminded how blessed we are, our Father is an amazing provider and we have seen time and time again how he provides for our needs. This year we have especially been aware of this, due to our unique situation. I am thankful to be able to be a voice for a people very forgotten by the body, even if this means taking a long road trip with a squirmy boy. I am thankful for an amazing husband who is so very patient and forgives my often loose critical tongue. I am so thankful that the Lord choose me to be his helpmate. I am so thankful for a sweet little boy who loves to give his mama kisses and for all the memories he has given me. I am thankful for friends and for opportunities to reconnect with so many who mean so much to us. I am thankful for a great family who loves us and that we enjoy being around. Praise the Lord for everything he has placed in our lives this year, even if it looked a little different than we anticipated. Slava Boga!