Sunday Menu

Sorry, I just noticed I didn't blog all week. I'll try to be better about that next week!
Now for the menu...

Monday- leftovers
Tuesday- Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Quick Bread (and salad if softball gets rained out)
Wednesday- crock pot salsa chicken burritos
Thursday- pasta
Friday- crock pot salsa chicken nachos
Saturday- meatloaf and mashed potatoes
Sunday- ?


To-Do's: (early days for the kids all week)
Monday- grocery shopping, call doctor
Tuesday- softball for M
Wednesday- PT conferences, small group
Thursday- softball for M
Friday- dance for M
Saturday- softball jamboree
Sunday- church (x2), Costco, ect...

Not quite as crazy of a week as last week, hopefully it will stay that way!!

Sunday Menu

Menu:
Monday- pasta and garlic bread
Tuesday- leftover chili and cornbread
Wednesday- Costco between stuff, bring Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie (w/ ice cream) to SG
Thursday- hot dogs and garlic fries (do you know what that's for? :))
Friday- taco pie
Saturday-
Sunday- Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos


To-Do's:
Monday- grocery shopping and PO
Tuesday- doctor's appointment, softball for M
Wednesday- worship practice for M, errands and dinner in town, small group
Thursday- cable guy in the AM, softball for M, baseball season starts!!!
Friday- shopping in town with Mom in the AM, dance for M
Saturday- softball for M, family photos
Sunday- church, Costco

Controlling the Clutter

I'm messy, I admit it. There is usually at least one pile of papers on my desk (if not many more). I've put different systems into place in the past that have helped some. I now have a spot for the kids' homework on the new(ish) shelves and I have a place that the mail goes, but there was still paperwork all over my desk.
I saw this project a while ago and I think I may have looked at it for a bit, and then forgotten about it. A friend online brought up organizing the other day and we got to chatting about it again. Another friend posted a link to this similar project and I finally thought I might try it out (and I liked how that 2nd one was CUTE!).
I've actually had a hanging file system on my desk for years, but it was back where I couldn't get to it easily, so I didn't use it. I pulled it out (and dusted it off), and then made new folders for everything that gets piled up on my desk. I also spent some time making it look cute, I'm hoping that if I like how it looks I'll be more apt to use it. :) I found a new spot for it that's much easier to get to, so I'm really hoping that I will be able to use it now and keep the clutter off my desk.

Here it is...



Here are the folders I have:
To Deal With (I'm planning on going through this one once a week)
-ASAP (planning on going though this daily)
To Shred
Family
-each of us get a folder in this category
School Papers (for things that pertain to both kids or the school in general)
Coupons (and gift cards, but that wouldn't all fit on the tag)
Trips
-with an orange and black folder for our Giants trips :)

We'll see how this works. I had to put a stipulation on that "to deal with" folder of going through it once a week or I knew it would just fill up with stuff and I'd never deal with it. I'm really hoping this will keep my desk clear of papers!

Go-To Dinners

I thought it would be helpful to make a list of all the meals we like and keep in rotation. I think it will be helpful in making my menu each week. I know I've made a list like this before, and I know we never eat a lot of the things on that list anymore. I'm hoping to keep this more updated so it stays useful. Here goes...

chili cornbread casserole
taco pie
crock pot chicken (burritos, nachos, quesadillas...)
enchilada casserole
Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
the world's best chicken 
chili
tacos
breakfast
stuffed pizza rolls
sausage with peppers and pasta
pasta with meat sauce
spaghetti squash with meat sauce
pasta with pesto
alfredo with chicken and broccoli (Best Bites Guiltless Alfredo Sauce)
Tortellini with Balsamic Brown Butter
pizza
homemade pizza
Grilled cheese and soup
grilled chicken w/o the grill and sweet potato fries
meatloaf and mashed potatoes
twice baked potatoes (and something else)
pesto twice baked potatoes
chicken casserole
BLTs
hot dogs and garlic fries
BBQ chicken, potatoes, and other summer veggies
BBQ burgers
crock pot bbq sandwiches
Easy crock pot potato soup
honey lime tilapia
Crock pot shredded beef
Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas
slow cooker ham & white beans
crock pot pineapple chicken sandwiches
Quick and Easy Black Beans
chicken & artichoke lasagna (make as a ziti instead, and add spinach instead of tomatoes)
Chicken Parm meatloaf 
Stuffed Zucchini 
Tuna noodle casserole  broccoli
Our Best Bites Bacon


Favorite Desserts...
S'more Bars

Monday Menu (weekend edition)

I've really been trying to get my menu and grocery list done on Sunday so I can head right to the store on Monday after dropping the kids off. It's really the best way to do it time wise, with Monday being an early day for the kids and N needing a nap before we pick them up, I just can't get back to the grocery store if I try to come home first. So, I'm doing good today and getting everything all set...

Menu:
Monday- chili cornbread casserole
Tuesday- pancakes with strawberries and eggs with bacon and cheese
Wednesday- Baked Chicken-Bacon Alfredo
Thursday- pasta or leftovers
Friday- MNO here, I'm making enchilada casserole
Saturday-
Sunday- Matthew has requested chili

I have made 3 things from that recipe blog I posted about and they've all be fabulous!! We had the chicken taquitos last night and they were so yummy!! I'm definitely adding them to our regular rotation. I also made the Cadbury Egg cookies yesterday and let's just say the Wii fit isn't happy with us. :) I can't wait to try more things from there.


To Do's:
Monday- grocery shopping in the AM, hair cuts for M and I in the afternoon
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday-
Friday- Dance for M, Mom's Night Out here
Saturday-
Sunday- church and Costco

So far it's not looking too crazy, but that could all change. :)

Spring Wreath

I've been seeing moss popping up all over blog land, so after looking at an empty front door for a little too long I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I'd really like to cover a "B" in moss for inside somewhere, but that will have to wait until I can get a B, and some more moss. :)

I had everything on hand for this except the wreath form, which I picked up at the Dollar Store. I used hot glue to cover the front and sides with moss (I thought I might run out, so I didn't do the back), and then I made a few more cupcake toppers and stuck them on there. I just did them on toothpicks broken in half so they're not actually glued on at all and I can switch it up really easily if I want to. I bought some Easter egg picks at the Dollar Store too that I might add to it in a few weeks.

While I really like how it turned out, I'm not sure I'm totally loving it on my front door. I don't think the colors go well with the red door, and it's a little small. It's better than nothing though, so it will stay until I think of something else to do. I think it would look great hanging inside somewhere, or maybe with different color flowers and ribbon...

18 Months

N had his 18 month appointment this morning. He's moving back up the charts a little, at 22lbs (20%) and 31" (10%) which is up for both of those. :) His head is still huge (88%). lol
He's doing well all around. I did get an order for an x-ray because he was limping after his nap Monday and Tuesday. I really love our doctor. She told me to keep an eye on it and if he's still doing it in the next couple of days to take him in, but she wrote the order today so I wouldn't have to deal with getting it later if we need it. It's really weird... Monday after nap he wouldn't even walk on it, but he didn't seem to be in pain, and I couldn't see anything wrong. It took him a few hours before he quit limping on it. Then yesterday after nap he was limping again, but it wasn't as bad and it didn't last as long. The doctor felt both legs all up and down and as far as she could tell he's fine, but she said if he does it for hours again like Monday to take him in. Hopefully we won't need to, but I feel like she's the right level of concerned.

He really didn't like being at the doctor's office. He kept asking for his clothes, and when I wouldn't get him dressed he tried to put his shirt on himself.

He's talking a ton now (my recent favorite is when he says "Daddy's Ipad"), and starting to string more words together (after breakfast one morning when Matthew told him not to eat his bib he said, "Na eat Na's bib!").
He's also climbing, running, and trying to jump (so cute!).

Here are a few recent pictures...

I thought this was so cute, all 3 reading together (and then right after I took the picture N threw that book at M and she started crying, so much for that sweet moment).
2 baskets of shoes, he's so proud of himself.
He loves his big sissy... Hanging out under the desk while she does her homework.

Yes, he's now completely addicted to that dang pacifier (and the clear one in that shoe picture is his favorite, he won't take the other ones if he sees that one). I thought about taking it away a month ago when he really didn't care much for it, but he was weaning and I didn't want to do that at the same time. Now he flips out if he doesn't have it in his mouth anytime we're at home. I was really trying to keep it in his crib, but I gave up on that after a couple mornings of being screamed at for hours. He doesn't usually have it when we're out and about, so I think I'm okay with that for now. We'll work on keeping it in the crib once he's not as attached.