TGIF...a week in review...reflection

this has been the first full week of "work" for several weeks... ry's been at work, on time (no delays) every day...it was a busy week...

monday: glorious time at home... lots of fun with K - playing, giggling, tickling, reading, singing... dogs walked...laundry...vacuuming...sunshine... i can see the tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils peeking up in the dirt... :) i can't wait to sniff them and see their vibrant pastel colors... :)

tuesday: van inspected (with K) in the early morning, oil changed, foglamp light replaced, car wash, dollar store...dogs walked...lots of playing - stacking blocks, reading, dancing, singing, talking on the telephone...another good day...

wednesday: vacuuming, kids all day... sweet potatoes baked, cut, and frozen (one of K's only veggies), squash baked, cut and frozen (veggie #2 she eats)... dogs walked...laundry...heard that a teacher friend, and an excellent one at that, who works with ry got "let go" for next year because of budget cuts in education (so sad...)... a weepy K all afternoon and evening...i feel so thankful to be at home to hold my sweet girl when her days are weepy and emotional...

thursday: kids all day... a weepy and clingy K all morning...dogs walked - beezer hit on the head with a large piece of wood leaning against the shed as his leash gets wrapped around it (ouch!)...poop patrol in the yard (ugh)... baked banana muffins... K's late nap in the afternoon - up around 7 PM (ugh)...heard that a teacher's aide friend who i worked with for a few years got "let go" for the next school year because of budget cuts in education (and that's 2 out of the 12 that will lose their job this week in "my" school system *sigh*)... K's asleep and in bed by 10:30... late... cried for Joannie Rochette as she skated beautifully and won the bronze even though her heart is broken at the loss of her mom...and to see her dad, grinning and beaming but sitting there alone... so emotional...

friday (so far): K is up at 7...ummm, what? K eats a good breakfast...K's clingy and weepy all morning...threw up on the floor - twice (not sick, tho...playing hard too soon after breakfast)...a very messy diaper... and now, 1 hr. and 9 minutes AFTER she was put down for a much needed nap, she's letting out cries every few minutes...and i couldn't take it any more (weak!) and went in to snuggle and rock her - for almost 30 minutes...heavy eyelids but refusing to sleep... back down in her crib, tho...sleep is so needed by my little girl...

even tho it's been a little challenging with K this week with her needing to be held or hearing her crying, i have thought a lot about how important and meaningful it is that i get to be at home with my sweet girl every day...

she doesn't have to cry for mommy or daddy when we leave her in the morning or when she's waiting for us in the afternoon...
she gets to eat her meals with us...
she gets to nap in her own crib...
when she throws up on her socks, it's not a problem to go and grab another pair from her drawer down the hall...
if she cries and needs to be held, it's my leg she's holding on to and it's my face that she sees when she reaches...
when i feel the urge to scoop her up to shower her with kisses and hear her giggles, i can, as much as i want...and need... :)

life is good :)

:)

this is a test...

before K came along and rocked my word, i was an elementary school teacher... while i loved that job, being a momma is something that is a much higher calling for my soul... so i left the classroom behind for awhile...

nevertheless, i still have a teacher-y mind...and i have a passion for children's lit. after i graduated w/ my bachelors degree, i really wanted to work for a children's book publisher...but that just hasn't happened (yet?)...

as a teacher, i saw my share of voracious readers and readers who struggled... studies show that children who are raised in homes with a variety of written literature (books, magazines, newspapers, etc.) tend to be better readers... long before i became aware of this fact, i wanted any child that we had to be in a home filled with the art of writing... for years before K was even a thought, i was buying books for "a future child." her bookshelf is full and we have more books waiting in the wings in boxes...

it warms my heart to see K "reading" whenever she can get her little hands on a book... i love how she listens when you read to her... usually, she's very quiet as we read (or when she reads), so i'm not always sure what is going on in her mind as she hears or looks at the books...

we usually read books while she has a diaper change... they keep her attention and keep her still for the amount of time that it takes to get clean pants on her... her most favorite book right now is about colors... and while i'm not sure she gathers the concept of colors just yet, she LOVES the pictures in the book... each time we look at the book, she turns to a page (her favorites are blue, green, multicolor, and brown), and she points to the pictures with a "mmm" sound... she locks her eyes on mine until i tell her what is in the picture...

if i'm not paying attention at that exact moment, she continues to stare until i respond to her request for the picture's name. and, it's not uncommon for her to point to the pictures on the page several times...it's almost as if she's testing me to be sure that i'm really telling her the name of what we are seeing...

hair...teddy bear...chocolate...pony...

zebra...penguins...macaw...ball...

frog...leaf...

jeans...blueberries...towel...eyes...

we do this for about 5 to 10 minutes during each diaper change...

yesterday, i decided to switch things up on her...

instead of hearing "mmm," as she points, i asked her to show me the page with one of the above said items...

again, eye contact...

and then she began turning the pages... when she found what she was asked, she'd pause and point and make eye contact again...

amazing...

i think she gets an A... :)

meals for 2.22 through 2.28

it's hard to believe this is the last week in February! WOW... :)

here's the plan for meals this week...

~Monday: omlettes & toast
~Tuesday: vegetable beef soup (crock pot) & broccoli corn bread
~Wednesday: stuffed shells
~Thursday: leftovers
~Friday: leftovers or out to eat (if we're home)
~Saturday & Sunday: chances are we'll be out of town... the plans are still up in the air, but i don't think we'll be here for meals over the weekend...

:) enjoy your meals this week! :)

just pics today :)

so in love with this girl... :)

meals for the week (Feb. 15th - Feb.21st)

it's me...the unmotivated meal planner...

school is "sort of" back in session - delays and an early release so far... my wonderful vacation with Ry and K officially ends, i guess...bittersweet... i so loved having him here...and K did, too...

so why am i so unmotivated?? it's interesting b/c i hate not knowing what we're having for dinner...it puts unneeded stress on us (if you could just hear the conversation... :)), and i don't like the feeling of not knowing what we're eating at 6 each night...

plus, it will be a TIGHT month for us...i think our bank account is nearing its lowest balance in years...not a bad amount (we're not in trouble or anything)...but i can tell our "cushion" is dwindling a bit... so, we won't be "friviously" shopping for groceries for the rest of the month... we'll only get necessities...

so...this is what i've come up with...

~Monday: leftovers (soup, italian creamy chicken, grilled cheese)
~Tuesday: garlic chicken and potatoes (crockpot recipe) & broccoli corn bread (heavenly!)
~Wednesday: sloppy joes, mac n cheese, and veggies
~Thursday: french toast
~Friday: leftovers
~Saturday: probably out to dinner w/ friends (we only pay for our dinners in cash...if we can't afford it, we don't go! :))
~Sunday: not sure yet...probably chicken of some sort... :)

lunches for the week: soup, microwave meals, cheese sandwich
breakfast: banana flax muffins, yogurt, cereal

:) happy eating, everyone... :)

for better or for worse...

6 years ago today, i married my best friend... :)

on Valentine's Day... :) *awww, isn't that sweet*

yep, we planned a very simple wedding in about 12 days...

with a few close friends and immediate family...

...in the country...

it was a good day... :)

:)

Fingerprint Friday...

At "The Rusted Chain," Beki remembers a great Stephen Curtis Chapman song...

I can see the fingerprints of God
When I look at you
I can see the fingerprints of God
And I know its true
You're a masterpiece
That all creation quietly applauds
And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

We've had an incredibly beautiful winter here in central Virginia... snowy, yes...but beautiful...
I love the time after snow...incredible peacefulness and muted sounds...and the sky couldn't be a more breath-taking shade of blue...
Surrounded by fabulousness...
I captured these shots of God's fingerprints in the snow and ice that we've been blanketed with in the past few weeks...

Winter Wonderland

:)

meals for another snowy week :)

it's yet another snowy week here at the "restaurant" and we're not really branching out to explore different foods... :) kind of a boring week of meals, if ya ask me...but hey, it's food and it's good, right?! :) here goes the week of food... :)
(starred items - recipes to follow :))

~monday: spaghetti (whole wheat) and garlic bread
~tuesday: macaroni soup* (yum!) and grilled cheese
~wednesday: burgers (turkey burger for me; beef for ry)
~thursday: italian cream cheese chicken casserole*
~friday: leftovers
~saturday: eat out?
~sunday ~Valentine's Day AND our 6 year wedding anniversary :)~: chicken parm :)

since it appears we'll be enjoying another week without school/work...i've planned for lunch and breakfast, too... :)
breakfast for the week: cereal or blueberry muffins :)
lunch for the week: cold cuts or leftovers :)


recipes...
macaroni soup
boil 1 box of pasta - shells - medium or small
in a large pot, put 1 16-oz can of whole peeled tomatoes and 1/3 to 1/4 lb. of ground pork (not cooked). use your hands and crush both with your fingers (wonderfully theraputic! :))
add: 1 can (large) of chicken broth, 1 can of tomato soup, 1/2 t. salt, and a dash of pepper...
place a cover on the top and bring to a boil over medium heat... simmer for a few minutes...
when serving, put a handful (or so) of cooked shells in your bowl...and pour your soup over it... :) this soup is great with saltines :)

i got this recipe off of another blog...i'm including the writer's own preferences...they're not mine... i've never made it... :)
Donielle’s Italian Cream Cheese Chicken Casserole
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour or cornstarch
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp Italian Dressing Mix
1/2 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/2 Tbsp dried minced garlic
1-2 cooked and cubed chicken breasts
1 box of rotini pasta (we use brown rice)
1/2 head of steamed broccoli or about 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli

Cook pasta until al dente or slightly firm. (if you’re freezing this undercook it) Melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the flour or cornstarch (cornstarch for you gluten free folks) to make a rue. Once mixed together well, add the broth in slowly while whisking. Once at a gentle boil, whisk occasioanlly and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Add in cream cheese and all the seasonings. Mix well and taste. If you like more seasoning, add it now. Let simmer for a few minutes while you grease a 9×13 pan and dump the pasta, chicken, and broccoli into it. Pour cream cheese mixture over everything and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Take out, stir, and enjoy!

Both my husband and 3yo LOVE this dish. My little one kept telling me after every bite how yummy delicious it was, so it’s a huge hit around here! I barely even had enough for leftovers to send lunch to work with Todd this morning.

Variations we like:
Use 4 cups of cooked rice instead of the pasta
For an extra creamy version you can use milk in place of all but 1 cup of broth
You can also use 2 cups of cream of chicken soup for the broth as well

randoms :)

our life lately has strayed from the norm...
lots of snow means no school for ry...and no extra kids for me here to care for...
it's actually kind of nice, if you must know...tomorrow will begin the 2nd week of no school...

anyway, i'm kind of off with my days... it's OK tho... :) we'll have plenty of time to get back on... :)

this time, we had about 1 1/2 feet of snow... we're at 51 inches for the "season" so far. we're 3.8 inches away from the record... :) i think we just might beat it this week... they're calling for 5-8 inches on Tuesday night...and perhaps another storm coming this weekend...

part of me is sort of sick of the snow...but i really do love it... i think the only part that annoys me is shoveling... :) hehe :) the snow is heavy, and when you have as much as we do, you shovel and shovel...and you don't feel like you get anywhere... and, this time, there's ice underneath the snow... and we have a really long driveway (or so it seems when there's 1 1/2 ft. of snow)...

we lack a consistant schedule in many ways...we DO work hard at keeping K's schedule normed...we wake up, have breakfast, play, naptime for K, play/lunch/play, nap, play, eat....hen ready to go to bed... but it's OK...i kind of like life like this... :) since i don't have a specific topic to write about, i just feel like i have a bunch of random thoughts... i have those in my head all the time... :)

~K got a kiddie couch - The Backyardingans are all over it... it's so cute... she loves it... :) she takes a book and goes and sits on it to read...just like a big girl... :) she spends much of her play time playing with it... :)

~i am strangely addicted to shows like Jersey Shore and Teen Mom... :) they are such interesting shows....

~i am not really sure that i can claim a "home" location (northerner?)... my dad was in the military and we lived all over... anyway, our friends, who are from TN (southerners) gave us a Fry Daddy a few years ago for xmas... it's a running joke about us "yanks" not being familiar with a frying machine... :) we've used it 4 times...but i took it out tonight and made some fried broccoli and my own mozzarella sticks... all in celebration of our "appetizer dinner" on Super Bowl Sunday... :) terribly fattening but YUM! :)

~i'm glad the Saints won... i really like the storyline of the underdog coming out on top... :) it's going to be one heck of a Mardi Gras... :)

~i have some really wonderful friends... :) i'm really blessed... :)

~lately, when K is whining/crying (usually when she's tired), she's added a funny ending to her whine... it goes something like this.... "wahhhhhhh rah rah rah rah rahhhhh" :) maybe she's listened to too much Lady Gaga with her mom :)

~our dogs really need hair cuts and a bath, but i think it'd be so cruel to shave them when there is 1 1/2 ft. of snow outside...and there's more to come... but they really smell...

~i would really like to read a book right now... i've got a few that i'd like to read...but i usually fall asleep before i get a few pages into them...

~when i wake up in the morning, usually to K's voice calling, i dream about sleeping in... but i get up anyway... i wonder if i could sleep in again or if i'd just miss hanging out and having breakfast with my girl...

~i need to do some cleaning around here... the kitchen and spare bedroom are at the top of my list.... but i'm not really motivated...

~i feel really bad for the dept. of transportation here... they've been working 12 hr. shifts around the clock for 10 days now... the snow just keeps coming...

~the birds are so cute in the snow... they are really hungry, so i've left some seed out on a plate for them... they come hopping up and eat it right by our sliding door... so cute...

~i need to make a committment to going to bed earlier... i really do...

~i got a shot last week for tetanus and whooping cough...had a weird reaction... now i have a nice knot on my arm...and it's itchy...a tad bit swollen... it used to be raised, warm, and swollen...wonder what's going on...

~we should really start looking for a church... i miss it...

~i love the way it's almost completely silent outside when it snows... amazing & peaceful... :)

~i am so thankful for everything that we have in life... there is really a lot of suffering out there among the human race....we're truly blessed...


*meal plan will come tomorrow... :)*

Let's Get Physical... (and no, not THAT...get your mind out of the gutter :))

i recently changed doctors for several reasons... my most incredible and favorite doctor, who was actually a nurse practioner, left the practice...i entered a state of mourning...she was that wonderful...
and to make a long story short, the office has gone down the tubes quickly... whenever we called to get an appt. for any reason, it was like we were putting the doctor out...

..."we will give you an appointment at 3...and your husband can just find coverage for his class, can't he?" - ummm, yah, again... perhaps you didn't hear me mention that my husband is a teacher, and he can't leave until until around 3:10 or 3:15, at the very earliest... and who are you to suggest how he should make it to your very inflexible appointment? oh, yah, and by the way, he's teaching the doctor's daughter during that period...

..."we don't take appointments after 3:15" - ummm, yah, but you're opened until 5? hmmmm

..."we only do physicals on Monday at 9 AM..." - wow...talk about pigeon-holing your patients...

that's just the tip of the iceberg...

so we sought out a new doctor...and my "client" suggested her doctor... (i don't like that word - client... she's the mom of one of the boys i watch...yah, that's better...) anyway...she suggested that her doctor was great... really listened to you, was open to alternative/herbal methods to treat various conditions...and their hours... FAB-U-LOUS! on Mondays and Tues., they're opened from 8 AM to 8 PM... wow... that's awesome...

so we went and met the doctor...twice... first, Ry...(and K and i went, too - men forget a lot that they need to tell the doctor...and they forget to tell you what the doctor said...so i went with him...)... then, i went... these were just meet and greet appointments... ya know...
"getting to know you....getting to know all about you..." (ahem, a little "King and I" for you...)

after my meet and greet appt., i scheduled a physical... (dr. oz inspired me)... they also have specific times they like to do physicals, but my new doctor told me to just schedule it for 4 PM...that was ok with him... i love that flexibility...

so i had blood work done the week before...
went to the physical... the blood work...it was all good... :) great levels, nothing abnormal...and even a spiffy cholesterol reading... and, the highlight, more for him than me, was that i didn't have to "take it all off," if you know what i mean... no one needs to see this...

so, we went through my family's medical history... pretty much uncovered the fact that i'm a sitting duck for cancer, which i knew, but geez...that's hard to think about (sigh)...

and he asked normal questions...

Dr. K: do you always use a seat belt?
me: yes...always

Dr. K: do you use tobacco or smoke?
me: no, never...

Dr. K: do you drink alcohol?
me: nope...only been to a bar once, actually, and didn't like it...i never acquired the taste...

Dr. K: do you use heroin?
me: *pull my my sleeve of my shirt to show my forearm* yep, just shot up before i came here to see you.... are you kidding me??? :) NO, of course not...

Dr. K: yeah, i thought so...you teacher-y/in-home child care types...we have to watch out for you...

i'm still laughing...

white stuff...

i have a lot going on in my head most of the time...ok, all of the time...
but today was day 2 of snow days for Ry and thus me, since i keep teachers' children...
glorious...
pure joy...

PJs until noon...
good breakfasts...
time together...

can i just say how much i love to be at home with my family?
i'm not the only one...
ry said to K tonight when we were doing our bedtime ritual...

"we get to spend tomorrow together, too...no school again! :) do you like that? see, this is what it would be like if mommy and daddy won the lottery and we didn't have to work... we could stay home all day and have lots of fun together..."

so true...

we had 9 inches of snow on Sat. night into Sunday... not too bad... they actually plowed our street pretty quickly...

but the roads elsewhere and around school were too icy and snow covered for the last few days...

we ventured out today for a few reasons...and yes, some for sanity :)
the roads were dry and the snow covering the land was quite pretty... on the way home from being out, it was snowing already...and it's still snowing... 3-5 more inches since then...
we have seen a lot of white stuff this year... 27 inches on 12.18.09... 9 inches this weekend... 5ish inches tonight...and this weekend...
yeah...
this weekend...

18-34 inches...

they say we're going to be hit with a very significant snow storm...

and VA just isn't equipt to handle all of that snow...
it's too much...even for 12 hour shifts around the clock for the Dept. of Transportation...

but the snow, really, i don't mind at all...

why? i have lots to keep me occupied... my mind has come up with all these ideas...

but i had to go shopping first...

there were places that i've wanted to go for weeks now... i like to go to places with Ry and K and me... it's fun to have a family outting... i don't think going out by myself or with just me and K is as fun... plus, i'm always worried for our saftey for some reason... i always feel like bad people might target a woman with a child... i don't know...i'm weird...

but anyway... yah, i don't mind at all about the snow...

i got lots of 'creative snow support' items from JoAnn fabrics... i want to make some blankets...and add some "detail" to some hooded towels i made/want to make more of...

i got some white chocolate to make some chocolate candy...
lips, to be exact...
not my first choice... but that was the only style mold left for V-tine's Day...and that stuff was on sale! :)

and a big heart cookie cutter... :) maybe some pretty sugar cookies? (not helping with our desire to eat better...)

and i got lots of ribbon to see if i can make a taggie blanket...
not for K...she's not into tags... but other people's children, maybe...

my girl...she loves fuzzy blankets...
we don't have any girl-ish fuzzy blankets...
when you don't find out what you're having, you get lots of yellow and green...
those are nice blankets, too...but i wanted some pink... :)
pink with frogs...so cute... soft...fleece... makes me smile...
and more fabric fuzziness - pastel with cupcakes...
that was her choice...the cupcakes... we walked by it several times and she reached out to touch it each time with an "oooooooo" comment...
obviously she liked it...
YAY for the fun at JoAnn's...

i'm not even a really trained seamstress... i'm actually pretty pitiful... i took Home Ec...loved it...made my pillow and drawstring bag... they were nice...
and quite honestly, the machine i have to sew on isn't like the ones i learned on or my mom's - so it's sometimes a battle for me to sew...
i get frustrated...
i rip out a lot of stitches...
i don't curse, tho... :)

maybe the snow will encourage me to be creative and successful...? :)

oh yah, and i want to make a cute Valentine's Day onesie with buttons in a heart shape... :)
i wonder if that will turn out OK? :)

Day 3 of no school is tomorrow... yay for snow :)
booo for make up days....

but now,
it's like a mini-vacation... who doesn't like a mini-vacation??! :)

all i have to say is...
bring on the white stuff... :)

meals for 1.31.10 to 2.6.10

it's another one of those weeks where i'm not at all eager to think about dinner for the week... in a rut, i suppose...

so far, this is what we've had...

Saturday: For me: leftover Frenchie chicken (my made up name - chicken with breaded French's fried onions), mashed potatoes, and green bean casserole. For Ry: McDonalds (our neighbors came over and ate with us - they got McD's and I am not a big fan of fast food, so i just had leftovers)

Monday: Ry cooks :) Chinese - Beef & Peas


As for the rest of the week... I took an inventory of food we have in our freezer in the basement (can we say COLD HANDS, oh my!). i've been meaning to do this for a few months now...and while i was waiting for a load of laundry to finish in the dryer, it was the perfect opportunity... it's so incredible to see the list of what we have down there... i made a bag of items to throw out, too - way past their prime, and the date just indicated that they'd be better off in the trash can. :)
So...we'll have a combination of several things this week...

We'll have...
~frozen lasagna (not my favorite, but it'll do and it needs to be made - it's been in there since Oct. of 08 when i had K! hope it's still good?!)
~Ribs in the crockpot (probably for Tuesday)
~chicken of some sort...maybe chicken & biscuits or over noodles (comfort food = high calories) or chicken stir fry or chicken fajitas (both more healthy options...probably one of those!)
~soup of some sort...probably macaroni soup b/c it's soo good and easy :)
and
~leftovers

after looking at the freezer and seeing what was in there, i think we live a life of gluttony here at our house... (and our physical appearance shows it)... we have a lot of food in our house and so much of it goes to waste so easily... i don't want to have a freezer full of food but go to the store and drop $100 on food for the upcoming week... so, we'll be eating up some of what we have. we'll stop at the store (maybe tomorrow) and pick up a few random items so that we can make it through the week....we only need a few things...

anyway...with our freezer downstairs...i bought a dry erase board, and i plan on transferring my list to it... it will serve two purposes... first, we'll know what we have down there so when we're in need of something/coming up with a plan for a meal, we'll know what's there... and, as we eat things, we can erase it on the board and add it, if we want/need it again, to our grocery list... i don't know if it will work for us, but it doesn't hurt to try and be more organized, right?! :)

:) happy eatings... :)