Menu Plan Monday

We had a great weekend in Missouri. Visited family, ate, played, ate, attended my home church, ate. I will need to get back to my walking for sure after the long weekend of eating!

We also celebrated the son's upcoming birthday. Hard to believe he will be 7 next week! After school today we will head to the store because someone has some birthday money burning a hole in his pocket!

School is in full swing. One week down. This week we will add Cub Scouts to School and Soccer. I also work Tuesday - Friday so I better get cooking ahead on my day off today.

Monday - Shepherd'sPie
Tuesday - Taco Cornbread Casserole
Wednesday - Chipped Beef on Biscuits
Thursday - Turkey Melts and Crockpot Mac n Cheese
Friday - Homemade Pizza
Saturday - Lemon Dijon Tilapia with Pasta
Sunday - Aussie Chicken I have been seeing this on so many menu's I have to try it!

What's on you plate this week? Head over to I'm An Organizing Junkie and check out hundred's of meal plans from other bloggers.

Menu Plan Monday - Back to School Week!

Yay. School starts today. Little man is nervous. New grade, new teacher, new lessons. He was afraid they did not color in first grade. I assured him that if they required crayons on the supply list they must do some coloring. He perked :) It's going to be a goofy week. The real fun starts now! Soccer, School, Swimming and Scouts here we come!

Monday - Scottish Meat Pies -  we make ours in muffin tins. They are easier to take as leftovers!
Tuesday -Taco salad
Wednesday - Grilled Tilapia with Fruit Salsa
Thursday - On the road to Gramma and Grandad's. Fast food and TUMS! :)
Friday - Out to eat at Gramma and Grandad's
Saturday - Pizza with the extended family
Sunday - Home from Gramma and Grandad's. Breakfast for supper.

Square Foot Gardening Results

Just thought I would post an update on Camp Kennedy's Square Foot Garden

It all started here. Little tiny plants in a new place.

I was uncertain how they would grow in the new location!

The zucchini loved the new location. By love I mean LOVED!

The tomatoes also thrived. The green beans were plentiful also!

I am getting  harvests like this every few days!

I learned a few good lessons this year. First of all. Zucchini plants get big. Give them plenty of room. Next year I will plant my watermelon far from my zucchini.  Peas don't like the back corner. They felt left out so they drowned themselves. So next year I will find a drier place for my peas.  The beans thought their spot was perfect. Just have to keep the bugs from bugging them. Since I did a decent job I may get super crazy and add some cucumbers and corn! I still have lots of space around the back yard.  How big do cucumber plants get?  Oh and I need to learn to can! Enjoy. I have to now go and pick more tomatoes!

Fill In The Blanks and Tomato Sauce

Today we peeled and pureed a ton of fresh tomatoes from our garden. I decided to do "freezer canning" and make tomato sauce. It will be super to have fresh sauce this winter! I have a ton more tomatoes on the vine. May have to learn how to can!



I came across a cute blog today called the little things we do. She has a little thing she does on Friday's called ...fill in the blank friday. I thought it would be fun to play along.

1. My favorite current TV show is: Destination Truth. Why you ask? Well first off it is clean family fun. I really don't have to worry too much about my son seeing anything he shouldn't at age 6. Second the host (Josh Gates) and his entire team are witty and fun. I would love to hang with them sometime........just not while looking for Bigfoot!

2. The TV character I can relate to most is . Amy Duncan on Good Luck Charlie......she is a fun loving, family centered working mom. She is sometime surprised at how "uncool" her kids think she is!

3. My life is like (fill in with TV show and why).... Not sure.... A little Good Luck Charlie.......Scrubs.........Paula Deen mixture?

4. My all time favorite TV show is ...Friends.......I didn't watch it when it was on......I think I may have been too young to really "get it". Now I think it is hysterical!

5. A TV show that is ridiculously stupid, but I continue to watch is Pawn Stars.........silly to watch a pawn shop but the characters brutal honesty with their customers and each other make me laugh.

6. My favorite TV couple is Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman......not a couple but love watching them.......like little boys in a candy shop. They make me giggle!

7. One TV episode I could watch over and over again is the Friends episode where Ross starts dating again in the LEATHER pants.........I almost fell off the treadmill!

Snuggle

This is where I wish to linger. The "I am completely knocked out in your arms" kind of snuggle. The kind of snuggle I can already see you getting too BIG for. You are too big to "cozy up" in my lap as comfortably as we once could. I have to be satisfied by you sitting NEXT to me. For now I have to settle for you snuggling Daddy and I just LEAN in CLOSER.

Menu Plan Monday

A week before school starts. The countdown is on. We may try to fit in another beach day on Monday. I'll have to check the weather. We also have to be back in time for the first soccer practice.

Little man is excited that it's starting. He wants to practice tonight but I am working on freezer cooking and Big Daddy is going on day 5 of low grade temp and GI symptoms. May have to force him to the Dr tomorrow. For now he is comfortable on the couch watching golf (how that is interesting I'll never know).

We made a huge grocery trip today. We hit 4 stores today and I have 3 more to visit tomorrow to get the rest of supplies. After that we should be good for the month besides a milk and egg run in 2 weeks. Got some good deals today especially on cereal . We should be set on cereal for about 2 months! Unless I start serving it for dinner :)

On the cooking note Cole and I found an old cookbook at my Mom's house. We are planning on making one recipe a week from it. The Gold Medal Alpha Bakery Cook Book. We will start with A and for the next 26 weeks make a recipe. First up is Apple Crisp! My mouth is already watering.


On the menu for this week.
Monday - BLT's (need to use some Tomatoes) and fried Zucchini (need to use some zucchini)
Tuesday - Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs (from the freezer).
Wednesday - Grilled Tilapia with Peach Sauce
Thursday - Turkey Burgers
Friday - Fish and Shrimp Taco's
Saturday - Homemade Pizza
Sunday - BBQ Chicken and Cheese, Rice and Broccoli Casserole.

I also have enough zucchini left over to make a chocolate cake.

Head over to my sister in law's blog to check out her menu. She is a teacher and heading back to school this week. She has 2 wonderful little boys (2 years and 5 months) to help keep her on track! Wish her luck!

Have a great week everyone!

Writer's Workshop

A few days late but I thought I would give it a go anyhow. I chose the writing prompt of, "I miss the friend you used to be".

I miss you my extroverted friend. The friend who is always up for a good time. 867-5309. The rule breaker and party maker. The one that everyone knew they could count on for fun.

I miss the staying up til 6am friend. The jello shots in the freezer and beer on ice in the bathtub friend. The kissing random boys flirty friend. The sleep all day and cut class so you could be ready for that nights bonfire friend.

The one who knew how to charm her way out of trouble, even with the town cops. She was always able to come up with the next scheme and somehow not get busted or murdered. The type of friend who was loud and proud. Able to speak her mind and then change her mind at the drop of a hat.

Now you have turned into this overly responsible neat freak who plans her life down to the second. What no more kissing random boys? When was the last time you had a drink? What the hell are you doing up at 4:30am.......to exercise? Who turned you?

You are much more boring now! I miss you wild child! But you have a bigger problem........you have spawned a wild child of your own......Good Luck With That!

Getting Ready for the School Year

We took a little jaunt today to New Buffalo, MI for some beach time. I got a little crispy on my back (may have something to do with the 6 year old in charge of putting on my sunblock on my back)

Summer is winding down. In just a few weeks we will be back in the school mode. We spent last night discussing as a family the yearly behavior chart/rule chart.

He really takes pride in coming up with his own rules. He came up with 1.) Homework (reading and math) 30m everyday 2.) Going to bed at 8pm (without fighting us) 3.) Being ready for school (he is a dwadler) 4.) No crying unless hurt (he is famous for turning on the waterworks when not getting his way) and 5.) empty the dishwasher.

We use free behavior/reward charts from online. He colors and dates them every week. Here are some of the resources where he gets his charts.

http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/
http://www.latitudes.org/behavioral_charts.html
http://www.chartjungle.com/behavior.html
http://www.freebehaviorcharts.com/category/free-behavior-charts/

As a reward he gets to go to his favorite ice cream place on Friday nights. To earn this he has to get a perfect chart. We have to place his chart where he can't reach it. We have caught him adding his own stars in the past!

Well off to bed early for this girl. The sun, surf and sand make you extra tired. TTFN.

I Did Nothing Today-----And I Lived

Facebook Conversation at 9am this morning-

Me: Day off today. What to do?
Friend: I dare you to do nothing!
Me: long pause
Me: Maybe I'll scrapbook?
Friend: That's the spirit!

Why is it so hard for me to sit and do nothing? I feel wasteful, selfish and lazy! It's exactly what I did today. Nothing. Well not really nothing. I did organize my bookmarks, play on my blog, took a nap, visited with a neighbor, watched TV with son, soaked up some sunshine with son in kiddie pool, made dinner for family, and menu planned. This actually seems like a lot to most people. To me this was a totally selfish and lazy day.....but I will be a better mom, wife and friend because of it! So today I will celebrate my version of lazy.

Linked up to Tuesday's Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky

Meal Plan Monday (on Tuesday).

This is going to be a long post. Probably since I really slacked off this summer! That would be my guess anyhow!

Summer is on the downhill slide.....someone really needs to tell mother nature that. 114 heat index is really too hot! Well it is actually not the heat that bothers me, it's the humidity! My naturally frizzy hair is frizzing just wonderfully!

The new school year is starting in two weeks. We are getting super excited. Time for me to get out of my lazy summer rut and start meal planning and ME TIME planning. Not only will school be starting but so will soccer, flag football and then basketball. Oh and let's not forget Boy Scouts will start this year!

Here is my menu plan for the week

As usual Breakfast and Lunch are on you own or leftovers!

Monday - Grilled BBQ chicken and baked potatoes
Tuesday - Stuffed Zucchini Boats and BLT's
Wednesday - Tuna and Noodles and mashed potatoes
Thursday - Bean, Potato and Rice Burritos
Friday - homemade pizza night
Saturday - Sweet and Sour Chicken over fried rice
Sunday - Zucchini Pizza - from Lynn's Kitchen Adventures.

Also going to start making our treats again. We have been buying too many processed treats. Here are a few I found surfing blogland.

Raisin Bran Muffins found at Living in a (Mostly) Happy SAHM World
Whole Grain Cinnamon Rolls found at Good (Cheap) Eats
and
Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake found at Eat At Home

Go check out I'm an Organizing Junkie to see 100's of other meal plans!

I am going to start organizing my blog a little better so I can find things. What good is a place to put down your thoughts if you can't find them later?

I think I may talk someone (ahem....by that I mean hubby) into making me a new banner.

Finally Here are some pics of our summer fun! Enjoy and it's good to be back.