Sunday, November 27, 2011

Menu Plan Monday

I realize I didn't post my menu plan last week
it was simple
I don't remember what it was anymore

On to this week
my goal as always to is only buy produce
along with milk and this week we are out of cheese
I think it will be an easy shopping week

MONDAY
Homemade beef burgers
Salad

TUESDAY
Sweet and Sour Chicken (from freezer)
Rice (already cooked)
Salad

WEDNESDAY
Cannelloni (from freezer)
Salad

THURSDAY
Roasted Potatoes
Salad

FRIDAY
Whole Wheat Spaghetti 
with homemade freezer sauce
Sausages on the side
Salad

SATURDAY
Mexican Turkey Chili (from freezer)
Cut Veggies

SUNDAY
left overs
or something simple 
like toast with PB&J

I have a few things this week to make
We'll see if I have the energy
for many more menu plan ideas
be sure to check out
every Monday

Monday, November 14, 2011

Menu Plan Monday

Off and on over the last few years I've participated in a Once a Month Cooking Day at the church by my house.  It's fantastic to fill your freezer in a day with a bunch of meals.  My freezer is F U L L.  I've done 3 of these cooks in the last few months.  Not only does it totally save us money, but it makes meals easy.  
This week I am only doing my freezer meals as I have so many of them! 
I'll just add Salad and a side if needed.

MONDAY
Turkey Chili
Cut Veggies

TUESDAY
Ham Steaks
Bean Bake
Salad

WEDNESDAY
Baked Ziti with Sausage
Salad

THURSDAY
Left Overs
Salad

FRIDAY
Black Bean Soup
Cut Veggies

SATURDAY
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Brown Basmati Rice
Salad

SUNDAY
Left Overs
Salad

I'm looking forward to an easy cooking week.  
For more menu planning ideas be sure to check out The Organizing Junkie

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Blue in the Face

It is so sweet to hear your kids play nice together. 
They were in the book corner and talking so nice and playing.
OR so I thought
I should know better by now
Enter Blue Permanent Marker
I think the pictures can finish the story





Monday, November 7, 2011

Menu Plan Monday

Well, off onto another week.
I didn't do to well with my menu plan last week
and it's been a rough morning with my kidlets
I've kept it somewhat simple this week

MONDAY
Roast Chicken (from costco)
Rice and Salad

TUESDAY
Curried Chickpeas and Cauliflower
Rice and Salad

WEDNESDAY
Chicken Soup
Cut Veggies
Crackers

THURSDAY
Spaghetti Squash
with sauce from the freezer
Roast Veggies
Salad

FRIDAY
Baked Beans from the freezer
Salad

SATURDAY
Grilled Cheese
Tomato Soup
Cut Veggies

SUNDAY
Leftover Chicken Soup
Cut Veggies
Crackers

Pretty easy this week
for more menu planning ideas
be sure to check out

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

An Update of Sorts

Each night I sit and think I should be doing some blogging.  Frankly, I'm uninspired.  We have been busy.  But grief is still overshadowing much of our life. 
I have never lost a close family member before.  I didn't understand what grief was and now, I understand a portion of it.  The portion of a person who is affected, but not affected like my sister and her family.  I can still walk away and try to pretend.  It still it just doesn't seem real at all, but it is.  There is so much involved when someone dies.  More then I ever would have thought.
I had a total grief day on Sunday.  My sister is using her husband's cell phone number in order to wrap up his business dealings and her number is on hold now.  Previous I would call her cell phone and have her call me back as it's long distance to call her house number for me, but not long distance for her to call my house (I don't get that either).  So I dialed the cell phone, I got the answering machine, it was my brother in law's voice.  I almost fell to the floor.  I did not expect to hear him, he's been gone for 11 weeks.  The rest of the day I was done.  My grief was immense. 
I can not see how life will be.  I don't think any of us can see past the wall of grief right now.  My sister is functioning, sorta.  I'm asked almost each day how she's doing.  I never know what to say.  She's not doing, she's in survival mode.  I've been told she'll 'get over it'.  This statement makes me see red.  She will never get over it, she will learn to live with it, but never will she get over losing her husband, the father to her 4 kids.  Other people give me the look like she should be moving on.  If you put 1000 widows in a room, not one of them will have the same experience of grief.  There is no manual of when you should move past your grief and a checklist of next steps.  Each person is so individual as is their grief.  But again, most of these people who have made these types of comments have not had to deal with a loss so great.
We move forward.  What that means, who knows.  We pray and cry to God.  Our family is forever changed.  I don't think any of the adults are looking forward to Christmas this year, it will be very difficult.  But it will come as will all the other 'firsts'.  We are not able to stop them, the days pass and the year moves forward.  And no matter how hard we try we can not turn it back to August 20th and change the outcome.  We celebrate that Darren is in heaven, or at least we try to, if I'm honest.  It's not always easy.