owen phillip was born today at 12:18 to my beautiful sis and bro in law--8 lbs 12 oz and 20 inches long! i am thrilled for them :) he is such a handsome baby :)
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
menu for the week....chicken alert!
so i had posted this menu...and doh i just realized that we are having chicken 5 nights in a row..... sorry bout that :)
tonight was bizarro night for food...... venison steaks and veggie kabobs for josh/grilled shrimp with bacon wrapped around them, fresh mango salsa, and white rice for me. bread for us both. the boys ate what josh ate :) it was okay..... :)
today: see above
monday: chicken lo mein (recipe below) and egg rolls
tuesday: buffalo chicken wraps, fries/sweet potato fries, and fruit salad
wednesday: chicken Parmesan, pasta and bread (salad?)
thursday: chicken enchiladas
friday: baked pecan french toast (see below)
saturday: not sure yet :)
Chicken Lo Mein
NEED:
chicken cut into bit size pieces
soy sauce
fish sauce (optional)
siracha hot sauce (optional)
sesame oil (optional)
MIX the above and marinade the chicken in it (over night is best)
lo mein noodles (asian section)
veggies of your choice (matchstick carrots, broccoli, and snow peas here)
soy sauce
beef broth
cornstarch
fish sauce (optional)
sesame oil
(MIX the above sauces and broth with cornstarch--set aside)
French Toast (i have not made this one either yet)
Beat 8 or so eggs with light cream or whole milk. Add cinnamon and a touch of allspic...e. Next slice French Bread, the type that is long and narrow and has a crispy crust, in to slices approximately an inch to one and a half inches wide. Pour the egg mixture into a greased 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish. Spread the sliced bread to cover the mixture and then turn them over. Take about two cups of chopped pecans and sprinkle over the top of the slices of bread along with some brown sugar and cinnamon and bake at 325 degrees until they are golden but be careful not to over bake. You're going to have to watch them, sorry.
DO:
stir fry veggies and set aside
stir fry chicken and set aside
boil noodles as directions state (like three minutes)
put veggies, chicken and sauce that you set aside in the wok and bring to a boil. add noodles. stir to combine. enjoy.
Wraps (warning: i have not actually made these)
NEED:
wraps (doing lo carb)
fillings (buffalo chicken from deli, provolone, ham, thin sliced tomatoes, lettuce)
cream cheese, mustard and/or mayo
DO:
wrap and enjoy :)
tonight was bizarro night for food...... venison steaks and veggie kabobs for josh/grilled shrimp with bacon wrapped around them, fresh mango salsa, and white rice for me. bread for us both. the boys ate what josh ate :) it was okay..... :)
today: see above
monday: chicken lo mein (recipe below) and egg rolls
tuesday: buffalo chicken wraps, fries/sweet potato fries, and fruit salad
wednesday: chicken Parmesan, pasta and bread (salad?)
thursday: chicken enchiladas
friday: baked pecan french toast (see below)
saturday: not sure yet :)
Chicken Lo Mein
NEED:
chicken cut into bit size pieces
soy sauce
fish sauce (optional)
siracha hot sauce (optional)
sesame oil (optional)
MIX the above and marinade the chicken in it (over night is best)
lo mein noodles (asian section)
veggies of your choice (matchstick carrots, broccoli, and snow peas here)
soy sauce
beef broth
cornstarch
fish sauce (optional)
sesame oil
(MIX the above sauces and broth with cornstarch--set aside)
French Toast (i have not made this one either yet)
Beat 8 or so eggs with light cream or whole milk. Add cinnamon and a touch of allspic...e. Next slice French Bread, the type that is long and narrow and has a crispy crust, in to slices approximately an inch to one and a half inches wide. Pour the egg mixture into a greased 9 by 13 inch glass baking dish. Spread the sliced bread to cover the mixture and then turn them over. Take about two cups of chopped pecans and sprinkle over the top of the slices of bread along with some brown sugar and cinnamon and bake at 325 degrees until they are golden but be careful not to over bake. You're going to have to watch them, sorry.
DO:
stir fry veggies and set aside
stir fry chicken and set aside
boil noodles as directions state (like three minutes)
put veggies, chicken and sauce that you set aside in the wok and bring to a boil. add noodles. stir to combine. enjoy.
Wraps (warning: i have not actually made these)
NEED:
wraps (doing lo carb)
fillings (buffalo chicken from deli, provolone, ham, thin sliced tomatoes, lettuce)
cream cheese, mustard and/or mayo
DO:
wrap and enjoy :)
oh sh%^
yes. it happened. i found SH#% on the floor. well let me take that back...i did not actually find it....luke pointed it out. the boys had been a "tiny" bit naughty today and were put in the corner after supper. luke's corner found him at the bottom of the stairs. after leaving it twice, josh told him under no circumstances was he to leave the corner....... well i went to go out to the garage and looked down the stairs...to see luke with a GIANT POOP under him! he was looking at me with eyes that said "who me?!?" yup. my kid sh#% on the floor. i couldn't help it; i laughed. a lot. hard. out loud. :)
oh and you are wondering why luke was naked..... he said his pants were too long as he cleared the table so he took them off and his underoos too.
yup it was that kind of a day :)
you can stop laughing now :)
oh and you are wondering why luke was naked..... he said his pants were too long as he cleared the table so he took them off and his underoos too.
yup it was that kind of a day :)
you can stop laughing now :)
Friday, January 28, 2011
sassy pants and smartie pants must be genetic
let's start with sassy
jack has a sassy grin. yes, i am aware you all know this. he cracks me up though when he tries to tell a lie--his grin and giggle give it away every time! the other night, he tried to tell me, "yes mom, i am telling the truth" and his grin and giggle gave it away :) oh that child. such a sassy pants.....wonder who he gets that from?
now to continue to smartie pants--i must give 100% fair warning. the rest of the blog post will be bragging but hey, it is my blog after all :)
jack is a smartie pants. this we knew but it sure was nice to have it confirmed (especially after his not so informational preschool conference last year....and the not so much guidance from his teacher regarding enrolling him in kindergarten) at his conference on tuesday. let me start with saying that we appreciate his teacher--mrs. heether--she is so down to earth and connects so well with the kiddos. she has a sparkle in her eye and a bit of sass in her step (which explains why we love her) and has a great relationship with jack-o. she showed us his report card--which was great all except for one part (which i will get to...). he had the highest scores he could get for reading, math and then all of the daily skills (such as manners, politeness, helpfulness, etc) except a 3 in attention :) as we chatted, she shared a graph of his skills in comparison to his peers. he was number 1 for consonant awareness and phonemic awareness and 2nd in the class for reading nonsense words. he is doing awesome academically and socially. the only area that is struggling with is writing--not spelling and writing thoughts/words--handwriting. his fine motor skills...well how can i say this....they suck! i love my boy and i love my hubby but that boy comes from his dad! his handwriting is poor, his coloring stinks and he rushes through his writing. when given him the chance to type things out, it is all a different story :) his typing is fabulous! so we will continue to encourage him to write neatly and take his time...even though he knows how to do it and would rather rush on! :) in addition, we got an email today with jack's results from DIBELS testing. (non education people--DIBELS information is at the bottom) he tested THIRD highest in ALL of the kindergartners in his school!!!! way to go little smartie pants! we will continue to foster his love of reading and education :)
we have a sassy pants who is very smart. we love him for both pairs :) we can't wait to see how luke develops as he seems to be using osmosis and observation to learn from jack-o :)
DIBELS
for early education, it measures:
I used it in MN--schools usually use it three times a year to identify which students require more help in reading and might need to go into a response to intervention program. it is also used to show parents growth that is occurring for their child in reading. i cannot remember what exactly is done at the kindgarten level but typically there is a fluency piece and a comprehension part.
jack has a sassy grin. yes, i am aware you all know this. he cracks me up though when he tries to tell a lie--his grin and giggle give it away every time! the other night, he tried to tell me, "yes mom, i am telling the truth" and his grin and giggle gave it away :) oh that child. such a sassy pants.....wonder who he gets that from?
now to continue to smartie pants--i must give 100% fair warning. the rest of the blog post will be bragging but hey, it is my blog after all :)
jack is a smartie pants. this we knew but it sure was nice to have it confirmed (especially after his not so informational preschool conference last year....and the not so much guidance from his teacher regarding enrolling him in kindergarten) at his conference on tuesday. let me start with saying that we appreciate his teacher--mrs. heether--she is so down to earth and connects so well with the kiddos. she has a sparkle in her eye and a bit of sass in her step (which explains why we love her) and has a great relationship with jack-o. she showed us his report card--which was great all except for one part (which i will get to...). he had the highest scores he could get for reading, math and then all of the daily skills (such as manners, politeness, helpfulness, etc) except a 3 in attention :) as we chatted, she shared a graph of his skills in comparison to his peers. he was number 1 for consonant awareness and phonemic awareness and 2nd in the class for reading nonsense words. he is doing awesome academically and socially. the only area that is struggling with is writing--not spelling and writing thoughts/words--handwriting. his fine motor skills...well how can i say this....they suck! i love my boy and i love my hubby but that boy comes from his dad! his handwriting is poor, his coloring stinks and he rushes through his writing. when given him the chance to type things out, it is all a different story :) his typing is fabulous! so we will continue to encourage him to write neatly and take his time...even though he knows how to do it and would rather rush on! :) in addition, we got an email today with jack's results from DIBELS testing. (non education people--DIBELS information is at the bottom) he tested THIRD highest in ALL of the kindergartners in his school!!!! way to go little smartie pants! we will continue to foster his love of reading and education :)
we have a sassy pants who is very smart. we love him for both pairs :) we can't wait to see how luke develops as he seems to be using osmosis and observation to learn from jack-o :)
DIBELS
for early education, it measures:
I used it in MN--schools usually use it three times a year to identify which students require more help in reading and might need to go into a response to intervention program. it is also used to show parents growth that is occurring for their child in reading. i cannot remember what exactly is done at the kindgarten level but typically there is a fluency piece and a comprehension part.
sniffle
yup. literally. we have had a sniffle filled week. i had a sinus infection that hit hardest yesterday and today and luke had strep that hit hard on wednesday night. between the two of us, we are quite the germy bunch :) jack has random sniffles as well that i surely hope stay just baby sniffles! :)
tis the time of the year for sniffles!
tis the time of the year for sniffles!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
repeat after me
repeat after me (talking to myself)
i will not stress over grad class homework.
i will not stress over strep throat in the house.
i will not stress over daycare retiring in june.
i will not stress over scheduling preschool and daycare for the fall.
i will not stress over a new semester starting.
i will not stress over not exercising this week.
i will not stress over being me.
i will not stress over all of the above.
i will not stress over all of the above.
i will not stress over grad class homework.
i will not stress over strep throat in the house.
i will not stress over daycare retiring in june.
i will not stress over scheduling preschool and daycare for the fall.
i will not stress over a new semester starting.
i will not stress over not exercising this week.
i will not stress over being me.
i will not stress over all of the above.
i will not stress over all of the above.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Mentors
i had to complete a journal for grad class.....and liked what i produced so i decided to share it here too :)
Nine years ago, I interviewed for the job I would take as a new teacher. I can still remember sitting in the interview and looking around the room at the individuals who would become my colleagues, supervisors and principals. The group was very welcoming, except for one. That one, unfortunately, was the person assigned to be my mentor and classroom roommate. New teachers already have a lot to think about. They worry about fitting in with other colleagues, teaching the correct curriculum, being strict enough but not too strict, being comfortable with parents and just plain trying to find enough time in the day to get in what they need to teach and not get home too late. Since I had all that “normal” first year teacher things on my brain, it did not dawn on my that a great mentor could have made all the difference. My first year of teaching was very successful but only because I wanted it to be. My mentor worked against me. She was jealous of the rapport I was able to build with students and positive energy I exuded in the classroom. She was not able to successfully educate students with the required curriculum yet was kept on staff due to the small size in district and lack of special education teachers in the area. That first year was incredibly difficult and I had to seek out my own colleagues to mentor me since my own did not.
Fast forward six years and I found myself in another “new teacher” situation. Sure I had six years of teaching under my belt but starting over fresh in a new district, in a new state, with a new position is very similar to a first year of teaching. This time around I found out what it was like to have an amazing mentor teacher assigned to me. She went out of her way to make sure I was set up for success. I never once had to go out of my way to get the assistance I needed. She shared lesson ideas, gave feedback and helped me really get acquainted with other staff in the building. She even planned playgroups so my children could get to know my colleagues' children.
What I gathered from both of my experiences and plan to apply as I move into a special education administration role is that a well suited mentor for a new teacher can make a huge difference. I am not sure if everyone would have been as successful in my first district under the circumstances I found myself in. It would have been very easy to say forget it and move on. To me, to help set a new teacher up for success is to provide him/her with a mentor that fits that person. To do so, the administrator will have to take time to get to know the new teacher on a personal level. This itself also has benefits for the new teacher and the administrator as well. A mentor does not have to be a person that will become a great friend but they should be someone who is willing and able to work with a new teacher, versus against them.
stellar-ly yummy
ummmm super super tasty recipe! we did not have marsala wine so we used bourbon and plain old white mushrooms...... and they turned out awesome! josh even "flambeed" them :) MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMm
2 Cook until most of the liquid has boiled away, then add the butter to the pan and stir to combine. Add a pinch of thyme. Sauté the mushrooms in the butter on medium high heat until they begin to brown, about 4-6 minutes.
3 Add the Marsala wine to the pan and increase the heat to high. Toss to coat the mushrooms well. Boil this down vigorously until the Marsala is nearly gone. What you will see remaining is the butter in the pan.
Turn off the heat and serve at once.
Marsala Glazed Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh button or cremini mushrooms, cut into thick slices
- Salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- A scant cup Marsala wine
- Pinch of chopped fresh or dry thyme
Method
1 To dry sauté the mushrooms, heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Put all the mushrooms in the hot pan and stir the mushrooms. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Stir often. You may hear the mushrooms squeak. Just when you think the mushrooms may start burning, they will begin to give up their moisture. Water will seem to just seep out of the mushrooms. Stir so that the mushrooms are coated with their own sauce, and sprinkle salt over them.2 Cook until most of the liquid has boiled away, then add the butter to the pan and stir to combine. Add a pinch of thyme. Sauté the mushrooms in the butter on medium high heat until they begin to brown, about 4-6 minutes.
3 Add the Marsala wine to the pan and increase the heat to high. Toss to coat the mushrooms well. Boil this down vigorously until the Marsala is nearly gone. What you will see remaining is the butter in the pan.
Turn off the heat and serve at once.
Serves 4 as a side.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
being real
i read an inspiring post today on a friend's blog. she talked about being real. being a not perfect mom, wife, friend, and that is all FINE. she wrote of things that were flaws in life but really when you look at them, they are what make her HER :) she talked of sharing the things in life that are hard but need to be talked about--mental health, physical health, post partum, struggles in mothering, etc. she wrote of encouraging other women through being real. encouraging others to love themselves for who they are, versus who they think they need to be. encouraging yourself to be real versus who you think you need to be. to quote my friend, "Denial on the fact that you can't do everything, even if you try really hard".
i can't do it all. i try really hard. but when push comes to shove, i am me. i am not perfect. i have flaws. today my flaws seem to stand out like sore thumbs. after reading my friend's post, i have come to the conclusion that flaw is too strong of a word for me. instead i will call them issues :)
issue 1: weight. i exercise. i try to eat healthy. but instead of my weight going down, it goes up or stays the same. i am still 13lbs down from a year ago but i am up from where i was during the summer. i keep telling myself that i am okay with my weight but i am really not. i would like to lose a bit more but on the flip side, i love food too much. i love a glass of wine and i love a good snack. food makes me happy. so i need to find a happy medium.
issue 2: anxiety. yes that dirty word that no one likes to talk about. as most of you know, i struggle with anxiety. some days i struggle greatly and others i don't very much at all. over the holidays, my anxiety was up...way up....way way up. most of it was centered around my phobia of puke. sigh. most days right now it is manageable. not too much gets to me riled up. but tonight, tonight it was up. luke played me like a fiddle. he mentioned before dinner his tummy hurt but when i asked him about it, he said he was joking. well then he repeated the "joke" several times and that just gets my anxiety RIGHT UP THERE. i wish anxiety was not an issue for me. well let me take that back. i appreciate that my anxiety and phobias have allowed me to help others but the days it is out of control it makes me work so much harder to be happy. i also need to find a happy medium :) i actually can't imagine my life without anxiety....at least of some sort. crazy but true.
guess those are my only issues tonight. thanks for listening to my rambling. grad school starts back up this weekend......which means less posting, less sleep, more anxiety, more chaos and lots of homework. if you find time and can leave me an encouraging note, i would appreciate it :)
go forth and be REAL
i can't do it all. i try really hard. but when push comes to shove, i am me. i am not perfect. i have flaws. today my flaws seem to stand out like sore thumbs. after reading my friend's post, i have come to the conclusion that flaw is too strong of a word for me. instead i will call them issues :)
issue 1: weight. i exercise. i try to eat healthy. but instead of my weight going down, it goes up or stays the same. i am still 13lbs down from a year ago but i am up from where i was during the summer. i keep telling myself that i am okay with my weight but i am really not. i would like to lose a bit more but on the flip side, i love food too much. i love a glass of wine and i love a good snack. food makes me happy. so i need to find a happy medium.
issue 2: anxiety. yes that dirty word that no one likes to talk about. as most of you know, i struggle with anxiety. some days i struggle greatly and others i don't very much at all. over the holidays, my anxiety was up...way up....way way up. most of it was centered around my phobia of puke. sigh. most days right now it is manageable. not too much gets to me riled up. but tonight, tonight it was up. luke played me like a fiddle. he mentioned before dinner his tummy hurt but when i asked him about it, he said he was joking. well then he repeated the "joke" several times and that just gets my anxiety RIGHT UP THERE. i wish anxiety was not an issue for me. well let me take that back. i appreciate that my anxiety and phobias have allowed me to help others but the days it is out of control it makes me work so much harder to be happy. i also need to find a happy medium :) i actually can't imagine my life without anxiety....at least of some sort. crazy but true.
guess those are my only issues tonight. thanks for listening to my rambling. grad school starts back up this weekend......which means less posting, less sleep, more anxiety, more chaos and lots of homework. if you find time and can leave me an encouraging note, i would appreciate it :)
go forth and be REAL
tooth fairy
have you ever seen the tooth fairy? i have :) now hear me out before you doubt what i say. when i was about 8 or 9, i lost a tooth. now you have to realize i was a pretty small kid so this was of my first teeth i had ever lost and found....my first tooth was lost in a plate of mashed potatoes at school and lost forever. i was so excited i could actually leave the tooth for the fairy and not just a note this time! as night fell, we left the tooth in the special heart pillow on the kitchen table right in my line of view from my bed as i lay. i fell asleep anxiously awaiting her arrival. sometime that night, i woke up to see a blue light floating near the kitchen table. i woke up lynda from her bed next time mine and had her look as well. her 6 year old eyes also saw this beautiful floating light. it hovered near the table for a few moments before leaving through the big kitchen window. when we walked out to the kitchen, we found treasure from the tooth fairy! :)
now the other day, as the boys and i were driving to church, the tooth fairy came up in conversation. i shared my story and watched their little faces as they shared in my amazement. jack is convinced one of his teeth is loose or going to get loose soon! :) as we chatted about her, the boys came up with theories to what she does with all of the teeth. jack figures the tooth fairy has a huge magical mouth where she keeps all of the teeth. my theory is that the fairy takes them up to heaven and gives them to God so he can give them to babies that will be born so they have teeth ready to go. luke's theory is probably the most accurate. he is sure that the tooth fairy keeps the teeth in a large pile. yup that is it. just a large pile.
i love sharing stories of my childhood with my boys and i love that they have theories on everything. this moment in time with my boys made my day. i plan to continue to believe in the tooth fairy (and santa, and the easter bunny) and encourage my children to hold on to their childhood innocence. i don't think of this as being naive but rather helping them hold onto joy and love of life.
i am one lucky mama.
now the other day, as the boys and i were driving to church, the tooth fairy came up in conversation. i shared my story and watched their little faces as they shared in my amazement. jack is convinced one of his teeth is loose or going to get loose soon! :) as we chatted about her, the boys came up with theories to what she does with all of the teeth. jack figures the tooth fairy has a huge magical mouth where she keeps all of the teeth. my theory is that the fairy takes them up to heaven and gives them to God so he can give them to babies that will be born so they have teeth ready to go. luke's theory is probably the most accurate. he is sure that the tooth fairy keeps the teeth in a large pile. yup that is it. just a large pile.
i love sharing stories of my childhood with my boys and i love that they have theories on everything. this moment in time with my boys made my day. i plan to continue to believe in the tooth fairy (and santa, and the easter bunny) and encourage my children to hold on to their childhood innocence. i don't think of this as being naive but rather helping them hold onto joy and love of life.
i am one lucky mama.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
a snow day
a snow day a snow day a snow day
yay for a snow day
how did we spend such snow day? glad you asked! :)
-kids shows on tv
-reorganizing kid's bedrooms
-playing batman
-playing cows
-having a picnic in the basement
-drinking juiceboxes
-playing in the snow
-a run
-yummy dinner on the grill
-played the wii
-played legos
-read books
-did kindergarten schoolwork
-made cards for grandma betty
life is good.
yay for a snow day
how did we spend such snow day? glad you asked! :)
-kids shows on tv
-reorganizing kid's bedrooms
-playing batman
-playing cows
-having a picnic in the basement
-drinking juiceboxes
-playing in the snow
-a run
-yummy dinner on the grill
-played the wii
-played legos
-read books
-did kindergarten schoolwork
-made cards for grandma betty
life is good.
a sort of meal plan
this week i had a plan....then it got changed......:) so here is what i have ended up with so far.....
saturday: pot roast, redskin garlic mashed potatoes with gravy (see below), fresh steamed green beans with garlic, fresh bread, corn and angel food cake
sunday: pepper jack chicken, peas, bread, baked potatoes, fat free chocolate chip muffins (choc. cake mix, 1 can of pumpkin--bake as muffins)
monday: overnight baked french toast (TERRIBLE :S), bacon, sausage, "breakfast potatoes" (tator tots), yogurt
tuesday: ** burgers, sweet potato french fries, steamed broccoli
**i was going to make awesome skewered shrimp with carribean jerk seasoning and wrapped in bacon....but the shrimp scared me (i had them out for dinner once and refroze them.....) so i will be throwing them out now (after doing ALL the prep work) and making burgers instead.
wednesday: bruchetta stuffed chicken (see below), purple asparagus (looked good), bread
thursday: spahgetti, bread, carrots and salad
friday:steak and veggie kabobs, wild rice
saturday: tb has class until 7:30 :(
sunday: ????? hmmmmmmmmmmm who knows! chicken nuggets over salad?
monday:tb eye doctor appt-- kielbasa, mashed potatoes (or baked), fruit
tuesday: conferences for jack.....so we will eat out :)
roast
beef broth
quality beef soup base
water
steak/burger seasoning
kitchen bouquet (browning "agent" found in the condiment aisle--bright yellow top)
carrots and whole garlic cloves (optional)
DO:
place carrots and garlic in bottom of crock pot
put roast on top
add beef broth, 2-3 TBS of the base mixed with HOT water
sprinkle roast with the steak/burger seasoning
add a touch of kitchen bouquet
red skin potatoes
fat free half and half
garlic cloves
salt
DO:
simmer garlic in 1/2 1/2 until garlic is soft (20 minutes or so) but watch it carefully so the liquid does not scorch
meanwhile, cut the potatoes into quarters and boil with salt until mashable. drain and add to a bowl while hot.
add half and half a little at a time to the potatoes. make sure to add the garlic and mash to your desired consistency. add salt to taste. they have a wonderful creamy texture!
chicken breasts
bacon, diced with scissors
onions
seasoning of your choice
pepper jack cheese slices
DO:
season chicken with seasoning
cook in a hot skillet until cooked through (15-20 minutes)
take chicken out and cover to keep warm
cook bacon until done. remove and drain. reserve a bit of the bacon grease.
add onion to reserved grease. cook until done. place chicken back into pan. put bacon and onion on top. put a slice of pepper jack on top of each chicken breast. put lid on top with burner off to melt.
ENJOY :)
DO:
1
MIX tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese and basil in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.
2
PLACE 2 chicken breasts in freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove from bag; place, top-sides down, on cutting board. Repeat. Spread chicken with stuffing mixture.
3
ROLL chicken breasts up; place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with dressing. Bake 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F). Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted.
saturday: pot roast, redskin garlic mashed potatoes with gravy (see below), fresh steamed green beans with garlic, fresh bread, corn and angel food cake
sunday: pepper jack chicken, peas, bread, baked potatoes, fat free chocolate chip muffins (choc. cake mix, 1 can of pumpkin--bake as muffins)
monday: overnight baked french toast (TERRIBLE :S), bacon, sausage, "breakfast potatoes" (tator tots), yogurt
tuesday: ** burgers, sweet potato french fries, steamed broccoli
**i was going to make awesome skewered shrimp with carribean jerk seasoning and wrapped in bacon....but the shrimp scared me (i had them out for dinner once and refroze them.....) so i will be throwing them out now (after doing ALL the prep work) and making burgers instead.
wednesday: bruchetta stuffed chicken (see below), purple asparagus (looked good), bread
thursday: spahgetti, bread, carrots and salad
friday:steak and veggie kabobs, wild rice
saturday: tb has class until 7:30 :(
sunday: ????? hmmmmmmmmmmm who knows! chicken nuggets over salad?
monday:tb eye doctor appt-- kielbasa, mashed potatoes (or baked), fruit
tuesday: conferences for jack.....so we will eat out :)
ROAST
NEED:roast
beef broth
quality beef soup base
water
steak/burger seasoning
kitchen bouquet (browning "agent" found in the condiment aisle--bright yellow top)
carrots and whole garlic cloves (optional)
DO:
place carrots and garlic in bottom of crock pot
put roast on top
add beef broth, 2-3 TBS of the base mixed with HOT water
sprinkle roast with the steak/burger seasoning
add a touch of kitchen bouquet
REDSKIN GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
NEED:red skin potatoes
fat free half and half
garlic cloves
salt
DO:
simmer garlic in 1/2 1/2 until garlic is soft (20 minutes or so) but watch it carefully so the liquid does not scorch
meanwhile, cut the potatoes into quarters and boil with salt until mashable. drain and add to a bowl while hot.
add half and half a little at a time to the potatoes. make sure to add the garlic and mash to your desired consistency. add salt to taste. they have a wonderful creamy texture!
PEPPER JACK CHICKEN (josh's mom made this for us)
NEED:chicken breasts
bacon, diced with scissors
onions
seasoning of your choice
pepper jack cheese slices
DO:
season chicken with seasoning
cook in a hot skillet until cooked through (15-20 minutes)
take chicken out and cover to keep warm
cook bacon until done. remove and drain. reserve a bit of the bacon grease.
add onion to reserved grease. cook until done. place chicken back into pan. put bacon and onion on top. put a slice of pepper jack on top of each chicken breast. put lid on top with burner off to melt.
ENJOY :)
BRUCHETTA AND CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
**i have not tried these yet**
NEED:1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
8 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb.)
1/3 cup KRAFT Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesan Dressing
DO:
HEAT oven to 350ºF.
MIX tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese and basil in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened.
PLACE 2 chicken breasts in freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Remove from bag; place, top-sides down, on cutting board. Repeat. Spread chicken with stuffing mixture.
ROLL chicken breasts up; place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish. Drizzle with dressing. Bake 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F). Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake 5 min. or until melted.
no skirt attached soccer
in the past, in new situations, luke will cling to me. even if he knows the people, such as when we had a playdate at a friend's house, he clings to me. he is shy at first but usually have a while, he warms up and has a good time....but usually when that happens it is time to go. our little lukie is coming out of his shell!
we have been encouraging him to join soccer for a few months now. jack plays every saturday morning at a local indoor arena with a U5 team and every week the coaches ask luke to join them on the field. and every week, luke declines. a new "season" started on saturday so on friday night we asked once again if lukie wanted to play with jack on the field. this time we talked about needing shin guards....and that sold him on the game! :) with new shin guards on, luke entered the arena on saturday and immediately started running around with the ball to warm up, no skirt attached! luke had mad skills! he was able to dribble immediately and really listened to coach jeremy to use the correct part of his foot to kick the ball. not too bad for a 3.5 year old!
we new the experience was a success when i said it was time to go home and luke was bummed :)
we have been encouraging him to join soccer for a few months now. jack plays every saturday morning at a local indoor arena with a U5 team and every week the coaches ask luke to join them on the field. and every week, luke declines. a new "season" started on saturday so on friday night we asked once again if lukie wanted to play with jack on the field. this time we talked about needing shin guards....and that sold him on the game! :) with new shin guards on, luke entered the arena on saturday and immediately started running around with the ball to warm up, no skirt attached! luke had mad skills! he was able to dribble immediately and really listened to coach jeremy to use the correct part of his foot to kick the ball. not too bad for a 3.5 year old!
we new the experience was a success when i said it was time to go home and luke was bummed :)
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| jack had fun too :) he was so good at helping his little brother! |
Sunday, January 16, 2011
one more for the record....
ha i totally said another one of those "never thought i would say that as a mom" comments yesterday....
"boys, i don't mind if you use the bats and swords but be careful AND stay downstairs"
classic.
"boys, i don't mind if you use the bats and swords but be careful AND stay downstairs"
classic.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
weekly menu
been a while since i blogged my menu....yes i have still been planning, just not posting it here!
sunday: ordered pizza
monday: warmed sandwiches (recipe below), chips, steamed broccoli
tuesday: turkey kielbasa, wild rice, and tomato/basil/fresh mozzarella salads
wednesday: tacos, black beans
thursday: breaded chicken over salads (and french fries for the boys)
friday: grilled jerk marinaded shrimp skewers, sweet potato french fries, fruit salad
saturday: beef roast, homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, peas, bread
warmed sandwiches:
NEED:
small buns (i am going to use potato buns)
deli meats (i am using ham, and roast beef)
cheese slices (i am using colby jack and cheddar)
mayo, mustard, red onion (optional to taste)
melted butter
poppyseeds, sesame seeds, garlic salt (all optional to taste)
DO:
make small sandwiches from the ingredients--i make them "special" for each family member based on what they like....no cheese for luke, colby jack for jack, etc. brush the tops of the buns with melted butter. sprinkle with seeds/garlic salt. place on a baking sheet and cover with foil. bake 20 minutes at 350 or until hot and melty. tasty! (i make mine the night before and just pop them in the oven--this is one of my go-to dinners on staff meeting monday nights like tomorrow)
happy eating!
sunday: ordered pizza
monday: warmed sandwiches (recipe below), chips, steamed broccoli
tuesday: turkey kielbasa, wild rice, and tomato/basil/fresh mozzarella salads
wednesday: tacos, black beans
thursday: breaded chicken over salads (and french fries for the boys)
friday: grilled jerk marinaded shrimp skewers, sweet potato french fries, fruit salad
saturday: beef roast, homemade mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, peas, bread
warmed sandwiches:
NEED:
small buns (i am going to use potato buns)
deli meats (i am using ham, and roast beef)
cheese slices (i am using colby jack and cheddar)
mayo, mustard, red onion (optional to taste)
melted butter
poppyseeds, sesame seeds, garlic salt (all optional to taste)
DO:
make small sandwiches from the ingredients--i make them "special" for each family member based on what they like....no cheese for luke, colby jack for jack, etc. brush the tops of the buns with melted butter. sprinkle with seeds/garlic salt. place on a baking sheet and cover with foil. bake 20 minutes at 350 or until hot and melty. tasty! (i make mine the night before and just pop them in the oven--this is one of my go-to dinners on staff meeting monday nights like tomorrow)
happy eating!
cassette tape recordings
i got a great chuckle yesterday. lynda has our grandpa's old tape player and an old box of tom's cassette tapes. she has been listening to them and found one to share with me. on the tape, you can hear tom, probably about 13, telling mom how his new tape deck works. you can hear her "arguing" with tom about battery vs a/c adapter :) it is hilarious. from the conversation you can tell that recording voices is a "new" technology and he is so proud to share it with her. then the conversation takes a turn...... to talking about his chores and his need to clean up the cat poop :) lynda and i laughed and laughed. it was cool to hear his voice (young voice) but bittersweet too. i wonder if ben will have a similar voice as he grows? i wonder if i will get to see ben as he grows to know? i wonder if ben misses his dad? i truly wonder if ben knows tom is gone. dang life takes turns that i just don't understand. i miss him.
when the boys are away......
the Mama will PLAY!
well my boys took off saturday morning to head north to mr.paul's cottage. mr. paul is a colleague of mine and he hosted mountain man junior over the weekend. this means that 13 men and boys got together to do man stuff: sledding, hockey, sledding, eating, sledding, shooting guns, etc. they were gone all saturday and came back right before dinner tonight (sunday). they had a BLAST!
and while they were gone.......
i too had a great time :) highlights:
-crop with my colleagues and friend cindy--cindy is a mr.paul's wife (he ran mountain man junior) so this was a great chance to get to know her better! we had about 6 of us--got in a few pages, got to hold a newbie baby and just had a great time bonding with friends! :)
-field trip to a new scrap store--i got some great deals and had a LOT of fun
-a sister date with lynda. we started at at san chez for tapas! this was my first time eating tapas and they were tasty. lynda and i seemed to have great lucky/timing. we arrived and it was super busy but two seats opened up at the bar. our intentions were to sit there and have a drink/appetizer while we waited for the table but the bar tender was nice and we decided our spot was pleasant so we ordered. for an appetizer, we had a variety of olives with a spicy harissa sauce (mmmmmm) and for dinner we had a shrimp dish sauteed in hot oil with garlic and a rare beef sliced over creamy manchego cheese sauce with tortellini. and of course a few glasses of wine..... from there we walked over to reserve. along the way we watched ice skaters glide at rosa parks and admired christmas trees still up.
reserve was awesome! again we had GREAT luck with getting in. there were two seats available in the "lobby" section of the establishment. we picked this place because neither of us had been there and they have over 100 wines on "tap" and over 200 in bottle. it was a fun pick! we each did a "flight" of wine--where we got three samplers. we also ordered our dessert.....meat and cheese tray of prosciutto, chevre and roquefort blue cheese--came with a torta olive oil cracker, fresh baguette, pickles, honey on the comb and spicy mustard. can we say HEAVENLY?!? oh my gosh. lynda and i spent the time sampling wines, tasting each others, mixing and matching the meats, cheeses and condiments....and having fabulous conversation. it was so nice to just kick back and visit. it was 100% stress free and just what i needed. it was beyond great. as midnight neared, and my body got tired, we were ready to call it a night but were curious about the rest of the restaurant (we really only saw the entry and the bathrooms in the basement) so we asked the waiter, norman, to show us (yes we were friendly with norman--he was a hoot)--he took us upstairs where they have a loft dining area and some cozier dining areas that look like living rooms. from the loft we got to see the view of where they have their wine on tap..... so amazing!
we called it a night and headed for lynda's house. then i went home :) it was kind of fun to be out until 1:30..... :)
-today i was able to chillax as my cousins would say--slept in, girlie movies, cleaned the house, ran, watched more girlie shows, walmart visit....etc.
i was ready for my boys to return but am so grateful for the chance to have ALONE time :) what a weekend!!!
well my boys took off saturday morning to head north to mr.paul's cottage. mr. paul is a colleague of mine and he hosted mountain man junior over the weekend. this means that 13 men and boys got together to do man stuff: sledding, hockey, sledding, eating, sledding, shooting guns, etc. they were gone all saturday and came back right before dinner tonight (sunday). they had a BLAST!
and while they were gone.......
i too had a great time :) highlights:
-crop with my colleagues and friend cindy--cindy is a mr.paul's wife (he ran mountain man junior) so this was a great chance to get to know her better! we had about 6 of us--got in a few pages, got to hold a newbie baby and just had a great time bonding with friends! :)
-field trip to a new scrap store--i got some great deals and had a LOT of fun
-a sister date with lynda. we started at at san chez for tapas! this was my first time eating tapas and they were tasty. lynda and i seemed to have great lucky/timing. we arrived and it was super busy but two seats opened up at the bar. our intentions were to sit there and have a drink/appetizer while we waited for the table but the bar tender was nice and we decided our spot was pleasant so we ordered. for an appetizer, we had a variety of olives with a spicy harissa sauce (mmmmmm) and for dinner we had a shrimp dish sauteed in hot oil with garlic and a rare beef sliced over creamy manchego cheese sauce with tortellini. and of course a few glasses of wine..... from there we walked over to reserve. along the way we watched ice skaters glide at rosa parks and admired christmas trees still up.
reserve was awesome! again we had GREAT luck with getting in. there were two seats available in the "lobby" section of the establishment. we picked this place because neither of us had been there and they have over 100 wines on "tap" and over 200 in bottle. it was a fun pick! we each did a "flight" of wine--where we got three samplers. we also ordered our dessert.....meat and cheese tray of prosciutto, chevre and roquefort blue cheese--came with a torta olive oil cracker, fresh baguette, pickles, honey on the comb and spicy mustard. can we say HEAVENLY?!? oh my gosh. lynda and i spent the time sampling wines, tasting each others, mixing and matching the meats, cheeses and condiments....and having fabulous conversation. it was so nice to just kick back and visit. it was 100% stress free and just what i needed. it was beyond great. as midnight neared, and my body got tired, we were ready to call it a night but were curious about the rest of the restaurant (we really only saw the entry and the bathrooms in the basement) so we asked the waiter, norman, to show us (yes we were friendly with norman--he was a hoot)--he took us upstairs where they have a loft dining area and some cozier dining areas that look like living rooms. from the loft we got to see the view of where they have their wine on tap..... so amazing!
-today i was able to chillax as my cousins would say--slept in, girlie movies, cleaned the house, ran, watched more girlie shows, walmart visit....etc.
i was ready for my boys to return but am so grateful for the chance to have ALONE time :) what a weekend!!!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
empathetic boys
today i had a proud mom moment. my boys demonstrated their empathy towards others. let me explain.
my favorite book in the entire world is thank you mr.falker. i have used it many many many times when i taught special education at the elementary level. the author tells the story of a little girl whose family treasures reading and she just cannot get the hang on it. as she goes through school her classmates are mean to her and her teachers are indifferent. she can't read numbers either and this causes even more embarrassment for the little girl. she is crushed. by the time 5th grade rolled around, she was teased so much that she would hide after lunch so she did not have to go out to recess and get teased more......enter mr.falker. he figures out she struggles with reading and connects her with a specialist and together they help her blossom and read! it is a fabulous story. it ends with the girl running into mr.falker 30 years later at a wedding. he did not recognize her but after hearing her story, he remembered who she was. he asked what she did for a living and she replied, "i write children's books. thank you mr.falker. thank you." you see the little girl in the book is the author--patricia polacco! it is her story.
as i read this tonight to the boys, i could see jack getting teared up. his little face quivered as he listened to the story. he was devastated by the boys teasing the little girl. luke seemed kind of indifferent and i figured it was over his head. after the story ended, jack perked up and when asked, he liked the story and was glad it worked out for the little girl. as luke brushed his teeth, i pondered how much of the story he understood so i followed up by asking "did he like the book". luke proceeded to tell me that he hated the book (mr.contrary...) so i smiled patiently and asked why. and what luke said surprised me--he hated the book because the little boys teased the little girl and she was not dumb.
my boys never cease to amaze me. the empathy they have for others is a heart warming trait that i hope they will keep with them the rest of their lives.
my favorite book in the entire world is thank you mr.falker. i have used it many many many times when i taught special education at the elementary level. the author tells the story of a little girl whose family treasures reading and she just cannot get the hang on it. as she goes through school her classmates are mean to her and her teachers are indifferent. she can't read numbers either and this causes even more embarrassment for the little girl. she is crushed. by the time 5th grade rolled around, she was teased so much that she would hide after lunch so she did not have to go out to recess and get teased more......enter mr.falker. he figures out she struggles with reading and connects her with a specialist and together they help her blossom and read! it is a fabulous story. it ends with the girl running into mr.falker 30 years later at a wedding. he did not recognize her but after hearing her story, he remembered who she was. he asked what she did for a living and she replied, "i write children's books. thank you mr.falker. thank you." you see the little girl in the book is the author--patricia polacco! it is her story.
as i read this tonight to the boys, i could see jack getting teared up. his little face quivered as he listened to the story. he was devastated by the boys teasing the little girl. luke seemed kind of indifferent and i figured it was over his head. after the story ended, jack perked up and when asked, he liked the story and was glad it worked out for the little girl. as luke brushed his teeth, i pondered how much of the story he understood so i followed up by asking "did he like the book". luke proceeded to tell me that he hated the book (mr.contrary...) so i smiled patiently and asked why. and what luke said surprised me--he hated the book because the little boys teased the little girl and she was not dumb.
my boys never cease to amaze me. the empathy they have for others is a heart warming trait that i hope they will keep with them the rest of their lives.
preschool visit!
luke is not exactly a fan of school. i am not sure if this is because he truly does not like school or because he is mr.contrary anyhow, he has not been looking forward to preschool to say the least. since i had to take a day off to care for luke on wednesday, it seemed like the perfect time to get him to oakwood christian preschool for a visit!
when we arrived, luke was his usual timid self. quiet and reserved. he played in the big room next to other children but never with the other children. i stayed near by but let him interact as much or as little as he wanted with me. we followed the class to their story and music time on the carpet and he interacted so so--still not warmed up :) he did the craft and seemed to enjoy it but still not talking a lot..... around this time, i asked if he was ready to leave and he quietly said no. so we got to go listen to the Bible story and experience zoophonics time. This is when he started to blossom....during the small group game at the teacher's table, he talked to her and answered questions correctly! he played the game very well (he is 3.5 and did better than some of the 4 and 5 year olds) :) he knew most of the shapes and all of the colors! (go luke!) at this time it was about 15 minutes before all the kids would go home so i told luke it was time to leave and he did not want to :) YAY that made me happy! he even thanked mrs. sutherland and invited her to come to our house some time!
he was extremely polite while we were there and seemed to really like it! of course when we got home, mr.contrary said he didn't like it...... :) but i know he did!
yay for a positive preschool adventure!
when we arrived, luke was his usual timid self. quiet and reserved. he played in the big room next to other children but never with the other children. i stayed near by but let him interact as much or as little as he wanted with me. we followed the class to their story and music time on the carpet and he interacted so so--still not warmed up :) he did the craft and seemed to enjoy it but still not talking a lot..... around this time, i asked if he was ready to leave and he quietly said no. so we got to go listen to the Bible story and experience zoophonics time. This is when he started to blossom....during the small group game at the teacher's table, he talked to her and answered questions correctly! he played the game very well (he is 3.5 and did better than some of the 4 and 5 year olds) :) he knew most of the shapes and all of the colors! (go luke!) at this time it was about 15 minutes before all the kids would go home so i told luke it was time to leave and he did not want to :) YAY that made me happy! he even thanked mrs. sutherland and invited her to come to our house some time!
he was extremely polite while we were there and seemed to really like it! of course when we got home, mr.contrary said he didn't like it...... :) but i know he did!
yay for a positive preschool adventure!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
chex mix
you all know i am not much for measurements.... so these are totally by eyeballing things and feel..... :) the kix and cherios add a LOT!
cereal:
rice chex (1/3 to 1/2 box)
corn chex (1/3 to 1/2 box)
wheat chex (half box)
kix (1/2 box)
cherios (1/2 box)
other:
broken up pretzle sticks
mixed nuts
sometimes rye chips (chip aisle)
1 stick butter
1/4-1/2 cup worsteshire sauce
1/8 to 1/4 cup seasoning salt
2 TBS or so of garlic salt and same of onion salt
put roaster in oven that is set for 275. add butter. let melt. meanwhile, combine worsteshire sauce with the seasoning, garlic and onion salts. combine that with the melted butter WELL in the roaster. i usually tilt up the roaster to get it all in one corner. add the cereal to the roaster and toss by hand until it is completely mixed. takes a bit. then put in oven. every fifteen to 20 minutes stir with wooden spoon. i usually bake a bit longer than the hour recommended.
cool on paper towels :)
enjoy!
cereal:
rice chex (1/3 to 1/2 box)
corn chex (1/3 to 1/2 box)
wheat chex (half box)
kix (1/2 box)
cherios (1/2 box)
other:
broken up pretzle sticks
mixed nuts
sometimes rye chips (chip aisle)
1 stick butter
1/4-1/2 cup worsteshire sauce
1/8 to 1/4 cup seasoning salt
2 TBS or so of garlic salt and same of onion salt
put roaster in oven that is set for 275. add butter. let melt. meanwhile, combine worsteshire sauce with the seasoning, garlic and onion salts. combine that with the melted butter WELL in the roaster. i usually tilt up the roaster to get it all in one corner. add the cereal to the roaster and toss by hand until it is completely mixed. takes a bit. then put in oven. every fifteen to 20 minutes stir with wooden spoon. i usually bake a bit longer than the hour recommended.
cool on paper towels :)
enjoy!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Cards for St.Jude's
I don't normally repost from other's blogs but I have been following my friend Cindy (see side for cr8ive cindy) and she has a link to an awesome way to give back. She follows a blog that is sending cards to St.Jude's hospital. It is a scrapbooking website but I am sure you don't have to be a stellar scrapper to make someone's day :) If you are interested, click HERE.
happy card making!
happy card making!
one more
one more thing i never thought i would say.....
"yes your poop does look like a key luke"
got a great laugh from that one :)
"yes your poop does look like a key luke"
got a great laugh from that one :)
Monday, January 3, 2011
the things i never thought i would say......
i say LOTS of things as the mom of small boys that i never thought i would say. here are a few from the past few days...........
**stop putting your bug in my hair
**don't lick my foot
**don't complain about being cold, you took off your shirt to be a muscle man
**paper beats rock..... no, i said my paper beats your rock!
**please do not flush dixie cups down the toilet!
**no daddy does not need a rubber snake to fix the plumbing...he needs a plumbing snake
oh my boys... :)
**stop putting your bug in my hair
**don't lick my foot
**don't complain about being cold, you took off your shirt to be a muscle man
**paper beats rock..... no, i said my paper beats your rock!
**please do not flush dixie cups down the toilet!
**no daddy does not need a rubber snake to fix the plumbing...he needs a plumbing snake
oh my boys... :)
spelling!
jack brought home a "tiny but mighty" spelling list today--words like ad, am, up, it, at, etc. he also had small slips of paper with single letters on each one. the note said asked us parents to give him the letters and ask him to spell the words.
jack still struggles with starting on the "right" side of the paper (left of course) so i got out special paper our friend kerri got him that has a car where to start. once i gave him that, he was easily able to place the letters to write the words i gave him.
to make it a bit harder, i took away the little slips of paper and asked him to spell them verbally. again he did quite well :)
YAY for being on our way to a stellar speller :)
jack still struggles with starting on the "right" side of the paper (left of course) so i got out special paper our friend kerri got him that has a car where to start. once i gave him that, he was easily able to place the letters to write the words i gave him.
to make it a bit harder, i took away the little slips of paper and asked him to spell them verbally. again he did quite well :)
YAY for being on our way to a stellar speller :)
ben 10
ben is 10 today. it is bitter sweet to think of that. 10 years ago today i sat at the hospital and waited for that little cone head to arrive. he was over due and came out with major cone-age :) he was one of the most beautiful babies i have ever seen. i have heard from a friend that he had a huge smile on his face today at school and was wearing his birthday crown. i called to wish him a happy birthday but of course only got the answering machine--heaven's to betsy she think of picking up even though she can see it is me. it makes me frustrated that we are still not a part of his life. i hope and pray that one of these days she gets that he needs us to be in his life.
happy birthday my first born nephew. i loved you that day and love you even more every day that goes by.
happy birthday my first born nephew. i loved you that day and love you even more every day that goes by.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
new years day
we had our holiday time with the bartlett family on new years day--dinner and hanging out. it was wonderful to spend time with our amazing neighbors :)
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| the kiddos: jack, chloe, kaden, sammy, luke |
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