Menu Plan Monday- Aug 27th, 2012

Good morning world! I'm feeling pretty cheery right now, even if it doesn't come across as so in my typing. Tuesday is my sweeping and vacuuming day. Thus far I already have 3/4 of the downstairs done. And to be honest for right now I might just skip the office. Hey there are boxes everywhere and until they get taken care of it's just easier to skip. Call me lazy but thus far I'm feeling pretty good about what I've done so far today. So I'm not sure one room will make me fell too guilty. Just saying. This week is going to be crazier than most. Mark has a match every weeknight except Wednesday. And on Wednesday I have a Jr Youth Leader meeting. Oh the joys of our schedule right now. Luckily Mark's matches on Thursday and Friday are home so if I want I can take the boys over to watch for awhile. It would at least get us out of the house. Thank goodness this weekend is Labor Day weekend. Means Mark will get Monday off and we get a three day weekend together. Although that being said more than likely we will spend it working outside in the yard. It's overgrown and wild out their. The weeds are so overgrown in my garden that they have killed off my cucumber plant by blocking all the sun. I'm still getting tomatoes though and one or two zucchini. Plus red noodle beans. So I'm feeling ok on about it all.  So now that I have rambled about my life (do you feel updated or bogged down with useless facts?)  here is our menu ;)

Monday: Stir-fry noodles (adapted from Simply in Season) I added canned salmon this time- it was ok
Tuesday: Taco salad
Wednesday:  Groundnut stew (adapted from More with Less)
Thursday: Sweet and Sour Lentils (More with Less)
Friday: Green Spaghetti with veggie of some sort
Saturday: ??? Leftovers???
Sunday: Big family get together!!!

Don't forget to check out Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday post and links.

Menu Plan Monday- Aug 13, 2012

This week is starting out crazy. But I have basically accepted the fact that my life will not slow down anytime soon (if ever). And despite the flustered start to our day yesterday, the rest of the day went pretty good (if you ignore the fact that I didn't get this posted). This morning seems to be going better. With Ian wanted to eat breakfast at school (students get a free breakfast), I had one less kid to really worry about. Overlook Cai's grunts and whines (he is so my kid) then things have gone smoothly. And it's not even 8:30am!! I have the dishwasher unloaded, my second load of laundry in the wash, the first in the dryer, and all the trash collected and taken outside. I'm on a role. So overlook my bragging please, cause i feel like I deserve to brag just alittle. Now it's time to drink my coffee, relax just a few minutes before starting on the sweeping. Last week I restarted the Fly Lady cleaning system. I've tweaked it to fit me, our house and our routines but I'm happy to say thus far I'm feeling it working. I'll let you know again at the end of the month. Anywhoo............ let get to the point of this post. Our menu. This week should be pretty easy. I mean I'm not cooking half the time. So here it is.

Monday: Zucchini Garden Chowder (Simply in Season) with gluten free biscuits
                              Note about biscuits: I added 2 tablespoons more fat/butter to a basic biscuit recipe in                     More with Less and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. I then just substituted my gluten free flour mix for the flour. They turned out great. The best biscuits I've ever made!
Tuesday:  Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Saner's - I have a meeting at 6 and Mark doesn't get home from Tennis Practice till 6:30 thus we are eating at Grandma and Grandpa's so the boys can hang out there while I'm off to my meeting
Wednesday: Midweek Meal at church
Thursday: Homemade gluten free pizza
Friday: Dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Saner's - Grandma and Grandpa are watching the boys for the weekend. Mark and I are heading to Chicago Friday evening to celebrate our anniversary!!
Saturday: Mark and I in Chicago! It's our Anniversary! Boys at Grandparents
Sunday: leftovers or other simple meal

Check out more menu's at Organizing Junkie.

6 years and Kindergarten Ian

 It's hard to believe that my little boy turns 6 today. I find myself wondering where all the time went. When did he get so big, with opinions of his own. He certainly is an oldest child. Trying to keep order over his brothers, freaking out when they do something he knows they shouldn't. It's both endearing and very frustrating. And yes Mother, I reaslize he is my child and thus takes after him mom.

Ian decided he wanted dinosaurs on his cake last minute. I sorta panicked not sure how to make this work. I had planned on just writing Happy Birthday. Instead I used dinosaur cookie cutters as a pattern and filled them in with frosting. It worked and he was happy.  Yeah for quick thinking!

 In addition to being 6 today, Ian started his first day of Kindergarten. Being completely honest I have been in and out of panic since last night. I broke down cause I couldn't get the window closed in their room last night while putting them down. Sure it was raining, and going to be cool all night. But it was still unnerving to be so on edge. He did great. Had a wonderful day. Said they played outside in the morning but not in the afternoon cause it was raining. Told me about the zoo legos and how one of the boys took all the animals. We then proceeded to have a talk about using words to ask to share just like when he is home with his brothers.

 Something tells me my panic will not be over after today. having so little control makes me nervous. And while I know he will continue to do great at school, I'm still going to worry. And the very fact he is now a kindergartner will probably be a source of anxiety  for awhile.  Silly sure, but true.

We have been reading Star Wars A New Hope. This set is R2D2 and C3PO ,
 their escape pod along with Storm Troopers! 

 My boy is growing and there is nothing I can do to stop it. It's crazy, I have been waiting weeks for this day to come. Excited for him. Excited for the new friends he will make. Excited for the new things he will learn. Excited for the structure that kindergarten will provide both him and myself. And I've been excited for me. Excited for the time I will get to focus on Cai and Aiden. Excited on finding a rhythm again. And now that it's here I'm not sure I'm ready.

My dad sent a box of legos from when my brother, steps and I were kids!
 It will be well loved around here.

 But life will keep moving. Monday will come quickly and once again he will be off. Off to play, off to learn, off to explore in this new adventure. So here we go. Ready or Not!  I love you my wonderful, bright 6 year old Ian!

4 year old Cai

 My boy is four years old! And I can hardly believe my eyes. He's growing up so fast. Soon preschool will start and that will bring three days a week, two and half hours of time at school. Soon he will not longer write his name right to left. Soon I will have to admit he is no longer a toddler, but rather a full fledged preschooler.

 And it's already starting. Today he changed from his harness car seat to a brand new boaster seat. He told me at lunch he was a big boy who was 4 and got to sit in a boaster seat so should he get to have quite time downstairs? Not yet little one. Not yet.

 But four is bring lots of new things for Cai. Boaster seat, new responsibilities, new preschool schedule that will include more field trips. It's all very exciting.

 But somehow he is still Cai. Still makes random noises to entertain or irritate those around him. Still worships his older brother, wanting to do everything Ian does.  Still having his own interests completely different from his brothers.

 So this year we tried to foster those unique interests. Thus Cai got an orange tutu, to match his favorite color and one of his favorite activities at nursery and preschool (dress up)

 Pink, yellow and orange wings to go with it.

 And new rain boots. Mostly because he had out grown his and these just screamed Cai :)

 I think we did okay. He certainly is smiling.

 That's our Cai. Unique and unrepeatable. We love him so.

Menu Plan Monday July 30-Aug 5, 2012

So much for posting on Monday. Sigh. Is anyone else in shock that today's the 1st of August? I'm both excited and dreading that fact we are now in August. We now have 5 days till Cai is 4. And 9 days till Ian turns 6 and starts Kindergarten. While I'm very much looking forward to Ian starting school, I'm also somewhat freaking out. This is my baby! When did he get so big? Surely he is not going to be 6! Sigh. Where does all that time go? Well despite the fact that I'm not sure I'm ready for all this, here we are. August has begun. So here is our menu for the week.

Monday: Garden Vegetable Curry (from More with Less)
Tuesday:  Black bean, Zucchini and Tomato Quesadillas  made with Homemade GF tortillas
Wednesday: Coconut Milk Curry
Thursday: Loaded Quinoa Veggie Burgers with homemade GF buns, side veggie of some sort
Friday: First Fridays- eat downtown
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Simple Supper or breakfast or popcorn

Need more menu ideas? Check out Organizing Junkie.