Dinners and misc this week....

So this week I have decided to plan a menu for the kids dinners, (Greg and I are still doing Optifast so no good food for us yet) and try and get the house a little more organized. It has been neglected for far too long! So here is a breakdown on what I have planned:
Monday- Chili or soup and sandwiches.....I am also going to get a few loads of laundry washed AND folded so it doesn't sit on the couch for a week. I also went through my closet and got rid of tons of clothes that are too big! YAY me!
Tuesday- Polska Kielbasa and au gratin potatoes and salad........finish cleaning my room, and clean the 2 upstairs bathrooms.
Wednesday-Chicken and rice.......go through the kitchen and get it organized, with things put in the right places. I don't have a pantry, so cupboards need to be gone through. I'm sure this will be a 2 day project.
Thursday-Biscuits and sausage gravy......part 2 of the kitchen
Friday- possibly frozen pizza since Greg and I are going out.....no cleaning today!
Saturday- pork chops and brown rice.....go through the toy boxes and get rid of lots of them!
Sunday- Leftovers

Things....

Optifast seems to be going well for Greg and I so far. It's been 2 months...he's lost 51 pounds, and I have lost 30. I know it will all be worth it in the end, but it really is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. (So I guess if THIS is the hardest thing I should be grateful!) It's hard cooking for the kids. I am tempted every day to just take one bite but have managed to not consume anything but the product since December 2nd. I can do this. I know I can, I just have to keep reminding myself.

Menu Plan

I've decided that I need to post my weekly menu somewhere to help keep me on track. (both health and budget wise.) I know I am a day late, but here is the plan:

Monday~ leftover tacos

Tuesday~ Onion and garlic Pork Roast, brown rice, green beans

Wednesday~ leftovers

Thursday~ Makeover Mac and Cheese, salad, cantaloupe

Friday~ Tortellini with marinara sauce, salad, applesauce

Saturday~ eat out

Sunday~ Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans

Check out I'm An Organizing Junkie for more awesome menu plans!

Lauryn the Monkey

I have decided that I want to blog more than I have been. I am really not that creative, but I just have to post a picture of the cake I made for Lauryn's birthday earlier this week. I am pretty sure it's the only cake I've ever actually made for one of my kids birthdays before. Usually they are happy with one from Costco. She has been given the nickname "monkey" by her dad. A search on the internet for monkey cakes led me to this!

Summer Break

Day 2 of Summer Vacation and the kids are already bored and testing my patience. I've found they do a lot better if they are split up doing different things...they are less likely to get on each others nerves. I am trying to think of some things we can do for free here or at least low cost.

~I found a couple of cute games at Target that were on sale for a GREAT price, so I picked those up.
~I cleaned out Lauryn's sand/water table she got a couple years ago for her birthday, and the kids enjoyed that.
~The girl's were invited by our neighbor to go to Magic Mountain (the day school got out, and Breanna had a free ticket) and they had a great time.
~Breanna is going to the beach with her friend's family.
~Coming up later this month there is The Summer Reading Program starting at the library
~Free concerts in the park
~We have season passes to Disneyland, so we plan on going a couple of days in August before school starts back up...(taking our own food this time)
~Swimming at my mom and dads

I am still trying to come up with more things for them to do so that I (they) make it through the summer!

Girls Softball

Well, softball season has come and gone. All the practices and games take up a huge part of our lives, but the girls sure do enjoy playing. Breanna played in the 10 and under division which is a lot more competitive than Lauryn's T-ball division. They were both fun to watch though.

I Love Disneyland!

After all the sickness that has been going around here lately, we decided to go to Disneyland. I tried last year to convince Greg it would be a good idea to get season passes, but it was a no. This year, I guess my persuasion skills were perfected, because he agreed. It was a fun day, even if Breanna didn't tell me she had thrown up that morning before we left!! I guess what mom doesn't know won't hurt her.

New Baby

I just returned from my brother and sister in laws house (Oregon) last week, after going for my much needed "break" from life. I had a great time, even though I was sick the whole time. I tried not to catch the junk that was going around here at home, but it found me. It was a long and wet drive, but I got to see my newest nephew! He is cute. Not as cute as say, my kids, but close. :) I returned home safely. Almost washed down Interstate 5, but I got home safely. I am now back amidst the sickos again. It just doesn't seem to let up. All I know is I am going to Disneyland on Friday with or without the sick kids!

How Much....

I hate to come on my blog and complain and vent and worry about things, but really, this seems the best place to do it. 3 weeks ago, 2 out of the 3 kids and Greg all went to the doctor with strep. Lauryn also had scarlet fever. They all seem to be over that, and now I've got kids with fevers, colds, a ruptured ear drum, and a nine year old complaining (she has been for a couple months) about how her back hurts. Seriously, at nine years old? My dad was also having some problems a couple of weeks ago, and in the process of being checked out in the emergency room, they found he has a mass in/on one of his kidneys. It was a good thing that another problem sent him in to the ER, or he never would have known! (well, at least not right away) He had an MRI done last week, and his doctors appointment was today to find out the results. He has cancer in his kidney. The doctors assure him it's treatable, and is contained to the one kidney right now.
Meanwhile, my sister in law is like 14 months pregnant. (ok, so I exaggerate) I have been planning on going to Oregon to help her with the baby when she gets home from the hospital. She requested that I come, I am not intruding. I have been waiting patiently, and not so patiently for a couple of weeks now. You would think I was the one pregnant! After all this thats going on, I just want to get away. Only for a week, but I need a break.

It's Simple, Feed them Mac and Cheese!!

I have been trying to be creative with my menu planning lately. As you can see from all the blogs I read, Most of them have something to do with shopping, cooking, or something related. I'm also trying to lower the cost of our food bill each week. The last couple of weeks have been pretty successful. As I was searching through cookbooks and magazines planning dinners for this week, I came across a Macaroni and Cheese recipe that had been made over. The calories and fat had been lowered, but the cook submitting the recipe claimed it tastes just as good as the "non slimmed down version". I decided to make it tonight. My family usually expects meat with their dinner, so I warned them all there was no meat with dinner tonight, just mac and cheese and veggies, and fruit. My family is pretty picky when it comes to food. At least the kids are, and it can be very frustrating. I was pleasantly surprised to see ALL OF THEM eat their dinner. All. OF. THEM. I am so happy. Yes, thats right, it doesn't take much to make me happy.

Some Random "I" Thoughts.......

I saw this on a board I frequent, and I decided to fill them in.

I am…a mom and a wife. I think…I may eventually lose weight. I know…the church is true. I want…my family to be happy. I have…4 children who I love dearly. I wish…our economy were better. I hate…cleaning toilets. I miss…my family members who live too far away to visit very often. I fear…dying. I hear…a weird noise in the backyard. I smell…lotion. I search…for good recipes. I wonder…if my kids will go to college. I regret…not finishing college when I was young. I love…traveling. I care…about the future. I always…do the grocery shopping. I am not…skinny. I believe…in miracles. I dance…only when I am alone. I sing…to make my kids laugh. I don’t…bungee jump. I write…grocery lists and use them most of the time. I win…games sometimes. I lose…important papers. I dislike…cleaning. I never…have eaten menudo. I listen…to music a lot. I can usually be found…on Facebook. I am scared…of dying. I read…a lot. I am happy about…some things. I dare…not say. I hope…to travel a lot someday. I notice…when people are rude. I clean…sometimes. I express…myself not so well at times. I talk…a lot. I go…grocery shopping by myself. I drive…well. I watch…Spongebob. I dream…of Jeanie. I need…a haircut. I haven’t…taken a shower today. I tell…the truth. I pick…scabs. I find…Ryan funny. I run…never. I quit…playing the clarinet. I jump…when I am scared. I learn…easily. I play…Scrabble. I own…2 pair of shoes. I make…bread. I live…in California. I open…cupboards all day. I will…eventually clean my house to my liking. I suppose…I should do some cleaning today. I vote…for other. I buy…milk and bread all the time. I fold…socks rarely. I stand…up. I can…make a trifle almost as good as Carries. I wear…black. I smile…rarely. I cry…when my feelings are hurt. I care…about people. I pray…at night with my family. I make…good Swedish Meatballs. I like…cooking. I move…to slow. I swear…never. I try…to enjoy things. I find…telemarketers annoying. I draw…stick figures. I expect…my kids to do chores. I work…not as much as I should. I admire…my husband. I adore…my husband. I fantasize…sometimes. I look…tired. I cherish…my time with family. I appreciate…service. I treasure…my family. I could…run away for a day and feel great about it.

Yuck!

How come every time I read something about lice, my head starts to itch? That is my worst nightmare............................

Fall Weather?

I have been looking forward to the Holidays for a couple of months now. Most people who know me, know that my favorite season is Fall. I love the falling leaves, the cooler weather and just the whole feel of the Holidays. Thanksgiving is next week. Usually we put our tree up the day after, and I get to start listening to my Christmas music. With the temperature being in the 90's the whole month of November, I am debating if I want to even put my tree up at all.....and, forget any Christmas music right now. Let it Snow and Winter Wonderland just don't seem appropriate. Maybe something will change before next week. I sure hope so.

Diet Coke free!

Some of you may have opened my blog hoping to read about a way I got Diet Coke for free somehow. Sorry to disappoint. Today is 1 MONTH exactly that I have been caffeine free! Oh, I won't lie. I have had the occasional caffeine free Diet Coke, but for the most part it has been Diet 7-Up for me. I can't say I feel any better, or have any more energy but I am happy I told a friend of mine that I would give it up, and I was able to.

My redheaded genius

Well, ok. Maybe he's not a genius. He spends his days getting into anything and everything, so every once in awhile my mom offers to let me get a break and have him go to her house. He was there last week and she said, "I am going to send some flashcards home with him." Flashcards?? So I asked her what she was teaching him! She wrote out the numbers 1-10 on cards, and he knew all of them but 2!! The 2 he didn't know were 9 and 10. He told her the 9 was 6, and the 10 was just 1, because he doesn't know 0. When we go to Target or any store where the checkout lanes are numbered, he likes to quiz me, and then I quiz him. Maybe he will be a genius someday. Now, if I could just get him interested in potty training.............

Safe Haven Law

I was reading this story a little while ago. I can't even imagine how the 17 year old in this story feels. Unbelievable. The newborns left there under the safe haven law will be adopted right away I'm sure.

OMAHA, Neb. – Nebraska's governor is calling a special session of the legislature to fix the state's unique safe-haven law, which allows parents to abandon children as old as 18.

Gov. Dave Heineman said in a statement released before a news conference that the session would begin Nov. 14.

Heineman said legislation will be introduced which has already been agreed to by most of the state's 49 lawmakers. It would amend the law so it applies only to infants up to 3 days old.

Nebraska's safe-haven law is the only one in the country that lets anyone leave a child as old as 18 at a state-licensed hospital without fear of prosecution for the abandonment.

Said Heineman: "This law needs to be changed to focus on its original intent, which is to protect infants."

A 17-year-old was left at a Lincoln hospital Tuesday night, making him the 23rd child abandoned since the law took effect in July.

The Poor house

A couple of days ago, I decided to take the kids over to the costume store to pick out costumes. Halloween is just over a week away ya know. I figured I had put it off long enough. I had talked Justin into not "being anything" this year since he is 13. He agreed. Until he found out where I was going. Then he tells me he needs a mask for the haunted house at church. Fine. I told him something CHEAP. We get to the store, and he runs right over to a Burger King mask. I have to admit it was cute, and I would've gotten it for him until I saw the price was 50 bucks! I talked him into a "scary" mask which is what he wanted anyway. When all was said and done, it cost us 117.00 for 3 kids costumes!! I REALLY need to learn how to sew!

Yes on Proposition 8

I got home from a Girl Scout function with Breanna today and our " yes on Prop 8" sign had been stolen from our yard. I think that is pretty pathetic. I don't agree with the vote no on prop 8, but I don't go around stealing the signs out of peoples yards. That is so Junior High School-ish. (I guess that isn't a word!) The worst part of it is, they are standing on street corners with these yes on 8 signs with the yes crossed out in black marker, and no written above it. Seriously. How childish.

Diet Coke Addict

So last night I was talking online to a friend from High School. (Facebook is amazing. It feels like a big Band/HS reunion online!) He was commenting to me on a status I had posted a few days ago that said "Kelly is worried". He basically asked me "worried about what?" I told him, you know...it's not one thing. It's lots of things. He told me he used to be the same way. So he gave me a few suggestions, one of them being to stop drinking caffeine. I know this will help, but being the addict I am, I have never even thought it was a problem. It doesn't affect me is what I have been thinking for the last 18+ years. What could it hurt though. I told him I was going to give up the caffeine, starting today. It's already 4:30 pm. All I have had today is water and a Diet 7-Up. I can do this.

To Be Young Again

Last night Greg and I decided to go to a wedding reception. The couple who were married are in their early 20's, so fairly young. They did the typical reception line, cake smashing in the face, flower and garter throwing. It brought back so many memories of when we were married so LONG ago. (I guess 15 years isn't all that long) I felt a little jealous. Jealous of the newly married feeling. That excitement you feel when you realize you have been married for time and all eternity. The excitement of starting your life out together and not knowing what to expect. That excitement is still there today after all these years, but it's a different kind. A comfortable feeling. The newness has worn off, but I am still grateful for the choice I made to marry the love of my life.
(Sorry if this sounds kind of sappy)