meals: August 25 - September 7

This is a big meal plan though we're not at home each of the days for the next two weeks.  Read on for our meal plans as I'm headed grocery shopping this afternoon when my sweet pea naps and my husband studies.

Saturday:
ravioli with marinara sauce, bread, salad
*using leftover sauce from last week's skillet lasagna, always nice to use up leftovers rather than waste them! we were also given yummy homemade ranch we plan to dress our salad with

Sunday:
lunch - apple, cucumber, cashew chicken salad with croissants, cheese, fruit
dinner - pesto chicken pizza
*we may have lunch guests so I wanted to have specific plans though usually we wouldn't

Monday:
macaroni and cheese, my mom's recipe
*we have community group tonight and are contributing to a "home cookin'" themed pot-luck

Tuesday:
Martha's bean burritos, copy-cat Chipotle cilantro lime rice

Wednesday:
leftovers

Thursday:
driving!

Friday:
staying with family

Saturday:
wedding rehearsal dinner

Sunday:
wedding reception

Monday:
driving!

Tuesday:
pancakes, eggs

Wednesday:

quiche, muffins
*I plan to make the quiche this week with some time off, and will freeze it - I bought pre-made pie crusts and will use the second one in the package after making quiche last week too - I also found muffin mixes at Kroger $10 for 10, while I didn't get 10 mixes, the sale was helpful as I have some in the pantry just waiting for a good time!


Thursday:
leftover bean burritos
*the filling and rice all freeze really well, and since the recipe makes such a large portion it works well to plan on leftovers

Friday:

chicken piccata with pasta, edamame

a jam packed week

This has been the last official week of summer, as Mr. S. begins to "phase in" to 4 year old pre-school next week.  After Labor Day, he'll be back to his four day morning schedule away, and the girls and I will have a quieter house though we'll miss him greatly.  I'm planning to use MK's morning nap time for a little bit of "school" with Moriah using the ABC Jesus Loves Me 2 year old curriculum.  I'll post more about that later.  For now, here's a recap of our jam packed week!

Sunday-Monday:

I worked about 25 hours from Sunday night to Monday night with the little ones while both parents were traveling for their jobs!  We started Monday morning by dropping of our van to have repairs after hitting a deer on the way to church.  We also picked up a rental van and switched car seats with three little ones in tow.  I'm SO thankful for my husband who spent the long night away with me and then helped with our morning!  Next, we were off to a local muffin shop for a special breakfast.  The little ones enjoyed it, as did I.  A chocolate cream cheese muffin is always a good thing right :)  After muffins, we headed to the Louisville Science Center to play for a bit before returning for lunch.  Once all were fed and well rested we drove back to Louisville and played at a park, then went to our apartment for dinner.  Mr. S. and I quickly made peanut butter fruit dip from a recipe I found on Pinterest.  It was well liked by all!  We also took a pajama walk as their mom was delayed in her return just by a bit. 

the water table was fun for all - so thankful for the raincoats they provide!

yummy!

Tuesday:
Everyone was still a bit tired from our marathon Monday, so we enjoyed the morning at the house playing together in a low key way :)  We also went out to the Creasey Mahan Nature Center in Crestwood and enjoyed their Bass-Pro style dioramas displaying a variety of stuffed wildlife in real looking scenes.  The kids were intrigued though understanding non-living or dead is really hard for little ones.  They only became a little apprehensive when they saw a stuffed black bear reaching up for a beehive... Mr. S. wouldn't really turn his back on the bear and told me "It's dangerous!"

they're holding on for dear life :)

Wednesday:
We had another full and fun day with a trip to the Louisville Zoo!  Hoping to give Mr. S. a new twist on the zoo I developed a Zoo Scavenger Hunt for him.  I found two really great ones, but one used color photos and our printer is out of color ink.  Instead, I made one using black and white clip art tailored to the animals we were more certain to see at our zoo.  I slipped the page into a plastic sheet protector, clipped it to the clipboard, and added a dry erase crayon to use.  We also printed this scavenger hunt of sorts and used it to review our zoo fun while we ate lunch back at the house.  It was great for encouraging conversation and recollection of the day!

the polar bear cub was so playful today!

Mr. S. working on his scavenger hunt, Ms. M.K. is getting pretty worn out!

Thursday:
We ended the week well with a day celebrating the end of summer with Mr.S.  We tried the new inflatable fun zone at Oldham County All About Kids in Crestwood, and then enjoyed Happy Meals at McDonald's.  The inflatable area is very similar to the original All About Kids, though a bit more open overall.  There was a medium sized inflatable that was just right for Mr. S. and the girls loved to bouce around with him though they couldn't begin to go up and onto the slide (which is a good thing!).  Lunch out was a HUGE treat for all, and the first time Moriah tried a Happy Meal - she ate her apple slices first :)

a mouthful!

Friday is our day off this week.  Moriah and I ended the week with friends at the Kentucky State Fair.  Here's one more picture of our great morning there :)  Now, I need the weekend to recover my energy, haha!

Moriah was excited about the pot bellied pig!

meal plans August 18-24

These are our plans for supper!

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche, fruit, muffins
This is an old favorite I made more frequently in the past - somehow we'd "forgotten" about quiche lately and thought it sounded good

BLT's (plus avocado), sweet potato fries
We've eaten a lot of BLT's this summer, mostly because they're quick and easy using ingredients we often have, especially since the generous farmers at our church have shared plenty of tomatoes with us. I hoped to change it up a bit this week by adding the avocado, one of Matt's favorite foods!

Crock-Pot whole chicken, cheesy bacon potato crisps, edamame
Matt called it a "dream dinner", I told him he's easy to please, for which I'm really thankful.  I didn't realize just how much meat would come from a whole chicken but there's a lot!  We ate some, plan to use some with our pesto pasta, and Moriah's lunch quesadillas this week, and still had more to freeze.  What a blessing.  I'm also trying to make chicken stock in the Crock-Pot overnight, which is new to me but sounds promising as a base for fall/winter soups.  The potatoes were a quick thought after seeing them on Pinterest a lot lately, we enjoyed ours a bit less crispy and not with the dip (though I'm sure it would be tasty).

waffles, eggs, bacon

Pesto tossed into pasta, chicken
My basil plants have been producing a lot this summer.  I want to make good use of the fresh herbs so I'm planning to try pesto for the first time.  I look forward to seeing how it works and if I can carefully freeze it to use again throughout the next few weeks and months.

leftovers!

*as a weekend bonus I also tried this Easy-Peasy No Rise Cinnamon Roll recipe, which was the last pin I saw before bed last night - how could I resist when the ingredients were on hand? :)  I didn't have buttermilk but recently read that plain yogurt and milk combine well to make buttermilk in both chemistry and consistency (half of each for the amount required).  It worked for me this morning.  I also had trouble with the dough seeming stickier than I expected when I rolled it with the filling inside, you might use extra flour at that point it.  My family was glad I went for it and we all enjoyed these no-rise cinnamon rolls, there's another pan for tomorrow too, haha (I like trying lots of things, but yeast is one I try to avoid, I'll get brave again soon and try!)

I'll leave you with a picture, see if you can resist!

the week's end

Wednesday -
We met our new friend and the first nanny of Mr. S. at a park to play!  Mr. S. is always happy to see her, and especially to see her son Z as they spent their first 2 years growing up together.  She is a sweet friend to me, also a former Seminary wife, now a full time home maker as her husband pastors full time.  They've added two other little ones to their family, so we instantly become a play date of 6 (all under 4 years old) when we're together!  Fun for sure :)  After fun at the sprayground and playground we came back for lunch before naps.  Mr. S. was in search of a good snack so we made trail mix on a whim which he always loves.  Mr. S. introduced Moriah to a love of tractors really early!  He's also done the same for his sweet sister, so each of their wardrobes contain at least one John Deere shirt.  We decided to dress everyone in their clothes for a little photo shoot of sorts.  They were mostly cooperative.

climbing high!

two happy John Deere loving girls...
Mr. S. has taught them everything they know!

Thursday -
Today was a restful day of playing at the house.  Grandparents were driving through so Mr. S. stayed to enjoy them with MK and their parents while Moriah and I headed out to the library.  We found lots of new to us books that we look forward to reading.

We also enjoyed the water table today and these sponge "balls" that I've been seeing all over Pinterest, and hoping to make (I tried to find a link, but couldn't at the moment, check it out if you're curious - Martha Stewart provided our instructions!).  When Moriah and I ran out to the library we picked up two packages of 4 sponges at Dollar General and had a $4 project for the day!  It was as easy as the directions seemed and added fun to the water table.  The little ones were happiest to run "free" with only diapers or underpants on while we played outside in the water.  Their squeals were priceless, haha!

they were just as easy to make as they seem

she really liked the sponge balls

The week ended with a "special treat" for me too, a frozen chai thanks to the thoughtful mom of these little ones, yum!

nanny's news - the beginning of the week!

Monday, August 13 -
We went to Barnes and Noble this morning to play with their train table (Mr. S. has one at home that he rarely shows interest in, somewhere else however he enjoys playing!) and LEGO table.  We also browsed books, and ending up with two new ones...

for Mr. S. as he returns to pre-school at the end of August
It's Time for Pre-School by Esme Raji Codell

*After reading this before rest time I found it to be a wonderful welcome to pre-school!  The author walks through a very typical pre-school day featuring components of the classroom and skills that will be essential (manners, sharing, etc.)  She also includes fun rhymes that ease a child's potential anxieties without offering new anxieties for children who may not have felt that way before :)

for Moriah as she LOVES I Spy books and continues to show interest in letters

I Spy Little Letters by Jean Marzollo

After our time at Barnes and Noble we walked to a little climbing and playing area that we've recently discovered in this shopping center.  The little ones loved it until it started raining and we needed to leave!

Mr. S. also enjoyed playing with his highway letters during his afternoon rest.  His mom printed the letters of his name, and had them laminated at Kinko's for lots of playtime use!  They're perfect for driving small Matchbox or Hot Wheels cars over.

Tuesday, August 14 -

Today was an early morning as the little ones arrived at our apartment at 7:15 ready for breakfast :)  I made a Dutch baby pancake as a special treat to supplement their regular breakfast foods.  We got dressed and headed out to a doctor's appointment for me.  With the double stroller and Mary Poppins bag of tricks I tend to carry (it's stylish thanks to my mom and Vera Bradley!), we were off and had a mostly successful trip without too many squeals or tears!  We came back to play for a bit before heading off to All About Kids for inflatable fun.  As a new location is about set for a grand opening, the original location has changed their inflatables, offering two "new" (or maybe just new to us?!) bouncies (in the lingo of little ones!).  All enjoyed playing and were ready to rest today.

down the big slide on his tummy!

you can see her happy face though she was in motion, and my camera can't handle it :)

climbing is just what Ms. M.K. loves

thanks all week long

 

As I've been chroniciling my list of thanks, I find myself thinking throughout the week, "I'm so thankful for this, right now..." or "don't forget to include this in my list".  I realize that the list isn't really what it's all about, but keeping a list has helped me to notice SO much more than I would've otherwise.  It's been especially helpful in times that I would have otherwise been quite tempted to be discontent with one thing or another.  Rather, I'm able to recognize so much of God's good grace and rejoice in Him.  I hope you can experience the same gratitude to the Lord!

857. a big city with all sorts of annual fun, this weekend the St. Joseph's Picnic
858. memories recalled from our last 4 years here, we're becoming a bit nostaligic as we begin what may be our final Seminary/Louisville year
859. chatting away with my sweet girl
860. Saturday morning cleaning and a little one who would rather "watch mama" than play :)
861. my husband who tolerated a weekend with my nose in a book during most every spare moment
862. clean laundry to start the week
863. book store browsing with little ones, and finding just the right book
864. a biography of such a faithful man to increase my faith, George Muller
865. grace and discipline, starting new routines to serve my family
866. a recent meal tasting just as good as I remember it, poppyseed chicken (from the college cafeteria, my favorite during those days!)
867. more sewing lessons as the t-shirt quilt progresses
868. thinking about the Lord as I talk with a little one almost 4
869. recognizing His power over all things, "can God start a tornado and stop it?"
870. seeing grace, but not having the words to explain that while tragedies come and show much evidence of the Fall, grace abounds in that we are SO often protected each day we don't experience utter destruction
871. classes starting, exciting my studious husband
872. Moriah's imagination blooming - a couch pillow became a diving board for such an exaggerated "jump in the water!"
873. elated giggles and squeals from two girls riding in a car on the front of our grocery cart
874. the orange of a really fresh egg
875. seeing a farm in action
876. bedtime stories
877. singing "You Are My Sunshine" as Moriah sings along
878. a little one learning "pat, pat, pat" from Moriah as she gives nice pats so often
879. Dutch baby pancakes as a special breakfast treat, for three little ones early in the morning
880. a productive evening

blogs of note

I love to read.  This week and weekend I've been reading a captivating novel, more about that later.  Most naptimes find me browsing blogs to relax and refresh a bit as two little ones sleep and one has a quiet rest.  I usually read about parenting, activities for children, Christianity, living as a godly woman, home keeping, and marriage.  I also like to keep up with a few friends and acquaintances from college through the blogging world.  If you're interested in some new to you blogs, or just some helpful posts you might like these!

Is it wrong to look forward to my son's naptime? at Girltalk
encouragement in time management and homemaking

I want to be a godly mother (a follow up from first post above) at Girltalk
helpful instruction in considering my own heart as I interact with the little ones

On never being done at Femina
house work is never done, on making a home for all even children

A Sweet Summer at A Tribe Called Blackley
a real life friend who blogs and makes me thankful for technology so I can peek into her days and wish we were closer :)

A Pretty Basket Full of Napkins at Passionate Homemaking
all about cloth napkins, which we love

Adoption at The Vanilla Tulip
I love to read of the Lord's work in adoptions, Ashley and I went to college together

Sitter Binder at Jenny Freestyle
another real life friend, with a helpful resource for mom's returning to work as teaching days begin

Wow! What a Weekend at A Blossoming Homestead
Megan also went to college with me, and shares about her weekend, a fun posting topic to tuck away for the future

Chapter Book Read Aouds at Growing Book by Book
of course I love reading, and browsing suggested reading is just about as fun

Blessing Others: The Importance of a Simple Note by Passionate Homemaking
I really enjoy note writing and would like to be intentional about writing more often

Jog the Web 10 for 10 Favorite Picture Books
lots of bloggers listed their favorite picture books, and I joined them!  This link lets you scan them all at once, pretty neat :)  Check it out if you're a teacher especially, as many were geared for classroom use and connected to specific learning goals.

Lovebug's 1st Birthday Party by Candace's Calling
another real life friend, who just celebrated her sweet girl's 1st birthday with a wonderful party!