Menu Plan Monday

Real simple this week
Monday: Dinner out - Problem this morning with gas lines bursting, AHHH! So calling plumbers and such to fix. No Gas. No heat, No Stove, No Hot water. This should be a fun day!
Tuesday: Pancakes and bacon, fruit salad
Wednesday: Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Chicken pot pie, jello w/ fruit
Friday: I get to go away for two days for a woman's retreat for church. I am soo looking forward to this. MIL will have to get dinner for kids or maybe they will just order pizza.
Saturday: I will still be away (hee, hee) so Dad will get dinner for family. Maybe Hamburgers or Hot Dogs Grilled mmmm.
Sunday: Salisbury Steak, buttered noodles, green beans

For more menu ideas, check out Laura's Blog!

90 Day Bible Challenge - Day 23

For those of you that are joining me on this, isn't this great? I have to admit the first two weeks it seemed to be easy to wake up earlier and get most of or all of my reading done before I needed to get everyone ready to head out the door. This last week has posed more of a challenge and quite a few days the little bit of reading I did one day wouldn't get finished until the next, but as of this morning I just finished 2 Samuel 22 and even read a little into tomorrow's reading. What a wonderful feeling!!

It has been comforting to me that as I go through the Old Testament that I knew more of it than I thought. (Apparently I do hear more than I realize when I listen to pastors sermons:) So getting more into these stories has been such a comfort for me and I am noticing a difference in how I am talking to people, to my kids. A Lot of positive feelings and a little more love going around. It is GREAT!
Knowing that God is a jealous and firm God, but also a loving God. He holds his children to their words, disciplines his children with love, corrects them when they are wrong, but rewards them greatly when they obey. The perfect model of what parenting is and should be.

Give me your update. How is it going for you? Do you have something that has stuck out with you? I'd love to know. E-mail me or drop me a comment.

God Bless!

Wordless Wednesday - The Easter Bunny

For more Wordless Wedesday, check out Five Minutes for MOM!

Happy Easter!!

The Angel said to the women, " Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was Crucified. He is not here, he has risen, just as he said." Matthew 28:5

Blessings be upon you all and have a joyous Easter.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen Easter treats our family loves

1. Chocolate Bunny

2. Cadbury Eggs - yes I do like these

3. Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

4. Robin Eggs

5. Gummy Bunnies

6. Reese peanut butter eggs

7. Blow Pops (The kids, especially Natalie love these)

8. Chocolate Lollipops in bunny and duck shapes

9. Chocolate Eggs

10. Sweet tarts in Easter Shapes

11. Peanut M & M's - The kids are happy with any flavor, but the peanut are mom's fave.

12. Bubble Gum Eggs

13. Actually most anything chocolate works for us!!

Now don't get me started on Easter baked goods, that is a whole separate list!!

Hope you get all the Easter treats you wish for and the Easter Bunny is good to you:)

Wordless Wednesday - Bye-Bye Winter! Hello Spring!

(The remains of our snowgirl)
For more Wordless Wednesday, check out Five Minutes for MOM!

Tackle It Tuesday

With St Patty's day done and over we are on to the next celebration. Crazy that they are so close this year. We did have a fun St. Patty's. We had our family party Sunday so really we just did silly things with food. My dh made the kids shamrock shaped pancakes for breakfast and for dinner we had green eggs and green milkshakes. It's always fun to do things different though.

For my tackle today I am working on a wreath. I usually pick pastel colors when I decorate for Easter and Spring, I love the soft purples, pinks, yellows and greens but this year with getting so much snow so late in the season and Easter being earlier, I am all for the bright colors. ( I am ready for spring) Since my wreath from last year was pastel I thought I would make a bright colorful one to cheer up my entry way. Here is what I am starting with...And after just a bit of time and my handy dandy hot glue gun this is the result.That is my tackle for the day, well not my only tackle I have NOTHING to wear for Sunday and nothing to fill Easter Baskets. So a shopping I will go. Wish me LUCK!

Menu Plan Monday

Happy St. Patricks Day!!

We celebrated with family yesterday and had all the good stuff, The family loved the Rueben casserole. This week, most of my menu comes out of a page from Parenting Magazine.

Our Menu for this week goes a little something like this...

Monday: Green Eggs and Ham, Shamrock shakes

Tuesday: Dinner Out -YAY!

Wednesday:Mexican rice and Beef

Thursday: White Chili

Friday: Turkey Couscous

Saturday: Pesto Ravioli

Sunday: HAPPY EASTER!! Easter dinner. Ham, Augratin potatoes, vegetables. I am in charge of desserts so I will be making a coconut chifon cake, birds nest cookies and an apple pie. mmm, mmm ,mmm!

All of the meals I got out of the magazine have the recipes linked. They all are called One Dish Wonders. We will see how wonderful they are.

Don't forget to check out Laura's Blog for more menu ideas!

Horton Hears a Who!

Horton hears voices, but he's not crazy; he's an elephant. (Duh!) Jim Carrey and Steve Carell get animated for the movie of Dr. Seuss' book, which reminds us that a person's a person ... no matter how small

We took our kids to the movies this weekend to see this movie. Now this is a first, other than at the Drive In and it was Natalie's first movie!
It was cute and I recommend it to you all.

90 Day Bible Challenge Update

Day #10
This past week has been so refreshing. To make it a point to spend time each day reading scripture, it is awesome how by doing that you have a different perspective on the rest of your day. I am happy to report so far so good. I have been able to keep on schedule and have read Genesis, Exodus and today I will finish Leviticus. How are you doing? Let me know!

Faith- Lift Friday

Encourage others and yourself! Share a scripture, quote, devotional, lyrics, or anything that has blessed you and strengthened you in your faith.
For More Faith-lift Friday visit Taking The Challenge

Do all things without complaining and disputing - Phillipians 2:14

Okay, so this is the verse I come across a couple weeks back and something about it really sifted it's way into my brain. The next few days I was catching myself complaining about this or that, things going on in my life. And mind you these were silly piddly things, not major life or death situations. How did I get to this that I am such a complainer? I really had no idea how often I grumbled about what life dishes out to me.

As I am beginning my journey of reading the entire Bible, last week I am reading through Exodus where Moses is leading the people out of Egypt and as they are wandering through the desert, they are complaining about what God is putting them through, and God keeps responding with Don't you know yet that I am GOD? And again I think about how much faith do I put in that he will take care of us? Believe me, my faith has been once again reassured as it always is when I turn it over to the LORD.

This past week has been especially difficult as there are things going on in my home life I sooo want to grumble about. But I find that when I guard my thoughts and resist the temptation to complain, I feel better than if I would of just let it out!

Lord, help me stop complaining When things don't go my way;

Instead give me a thankful heart For all You do each day - Sper

Wordless Wednesday - What a nice surprise.

I was surprised the other day when I got a package in the mail. The kids announced that the mail lady dropped something off and I assumed it was something I had ordered not long ago. Much to my surprise it was a package from one of my oldest and dearest friends who now lives in New Mexico! She sent me a sweet card and photo album and made this hat and scarf for me too. I loove the colors!! I was really having a bad day that day too and it completely turned my day around to know that someone was thinking of me. I would've been happy with a card or a phone call, but this was so nice. What a great surprise!

Well it wasn't so wordless - Sorry!

Meal Plan Monday

Being snowed in is just no fun. I mean it is for a day or so, but on a day like today, when I have been cooped up for days - I JUST GOTTA GET OUT! - You know what I mean. I'm getting a little stir crazy. It doesn't help when everyone has been sick, so between snow days and sick days we haven't had a full week of school this whole year (2008). Have my 1st grader home today possibly with strep throat and waiting for the Dr's office to call. I am hoping I can beg them to just call in a Rx for us. I don't feel like taking everyone out and waiting in a Dr's office. .
One thing that is nice about being stuck inside is it gave me a chance to go through old magazines and get rid of them and find some new recipe's! So this week I am taking our menu from Simple & Delicious magazine. Trying new things, we'll see how they go over.

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Bake, corn muffins
Tuesday: Ham N' Cheese Pasta, Rolls
Wednesday: Vegetarian White Bean Soup, Bread sticks
Thursday: Chicken over Curly Noodles, Broccoli
Friday: Homemade Stuffed crust pizza
Saturday: Birthday Party- eating there
Sunday: Annual Saint Patty's dinner w/ Family. Corned beef, Reuben Casserole, Shamrock shaped butter cookies, Grasshopper cheesecake and whatever other goodies the family brings!

Well I tried to link more recipes, but I don't subscribe to Simple & Delicious, my mil does, so if you want any recipes, just e-mail me. If any are really good, I will post it next week. Happy Eating! Oh! Don't forget to check out Laura's blog for more menu ideas.

Daylight Savings

Hope you all remembered to set your clocks ahead an hour
(SPRING AHEAD)
It's probably a good thing that we were bombarded with like 18 inches of snow and that our 1st service at church was canceled today because I never would of made it to class on time! I was scheduled to teach in the pre-school wee worship class and I like to get there about 8:30 AM. I thought about the clocks last night, but didn't set them before I went to bed, so when I woke up it already was 8 AM! We're all reset, but it could've been a crazy day, instead it's another stay inside and snuggle up day. Which is much needed as we all have been passing around a cold and fevers. NOT FUN!
So if you haven't yet- so turn your clocks ahead and enjoy a little more sunshine in your day:)

Ready for a Challenge? - I AM!

Something I find myself saying more and more is that I need to spend more time in His Word. Yet each day passes and I don't make it a priority, I open my Bible as I am climbing into bed and I am asleep before I realize it. Not really as it should be.
So a friend called me and told me about this 90 day Bible reading challenge. I have tried to do the read the Bible in one year, and I have read a good chunk of it, but it is sporadic and not consistent. So I got really excited about this, plus someone else is doing this with me, so there is accountability, always makes a challenge easier to accomplish.

The challenge technically started sponsored through Haven Ministries. But you can print out a reading schedule and start at any time. I am starting my challenge today. My only rule is that I must make time during the day to do my reading.

If you would like to join along, leave me a comment, or e-mail me. I would be thrilled to have more people accompany me on this.
To get a schedule or more information click here: 90 Day Bible

Today I am starting in the beginning - Genesis 1:1- Genesis 16:16

Wordless Wednesday - Driving to Grandpa's

For more Wordless Wednesday posts, click here!

Vote Today! - Ohio Primary

Just a reminder to hit the polls today!

Excercise your civil rights and VOTE!

Menu Plan Monday

It is sooo nice and sunny today! Suppose to be in the 50's I cannot wait to get out for a walk!

Need to start planning some healthier(lighter- less calorie laden) meals but for now here we go:

Monday: Cheese Quesadillas, Rice

Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie, Jello w/ Fruit

Wednesday: Pork Chops, Mushroom Noodles, Green Beans

Thursday: Smoked Sausage, Fried potatoes

Friday: Spare Ribs in the crock pot, buttered noodles, pork & beans

Saturday: Bacon Cheeseburger meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies

Sunday: Dinner out!

OK that's our menu for the week - check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more ideas on what

to eat this week! Now on to attacking the house!

Waiting

House full of people and nothing I can do. No place to go, no space to call mine. Mil in the kitchen, ss in the living room, daughters up in the boys room/computer room, Son and Hubby in ours. The house is filled. There are a zillion cleaning things and projects I could do, but nope. Got myself all ready to be presentable today. I was suppose to take Elena to a birthday party so I figured I would hang out with my friend. She wound up with a fever, we're not going anywhere... My nephew is coming by sometime this afternoon. Don't know when so I keep watching for him. Waiting.. I don't see his mom often and I would like to not look like a wreck when I see her. ( Have certain clothes I wear just when I am doing cleaning or stuff around the house- they are not going out of the house things) So I wait, really can't start anything because the minute I do, someone needs something and I am pulled away from it. Not in the mood to get pulled away or to get into anything. I feel like I have been waiting for awhile now. Not just waiting on Jude, but like everything in my life is just on hold for the time being. Not long ago my dh even said something to me about it, it feels like we are waiting for something big to happen, but have no idea what it is..
There was a time in my life I was Not so patiently waiting. I even joined a Babycenter group with the title. At the time I was so anxious to have another baby and I knew I had at least another year to wait. These girls were in the same boat. (most of us go pg within weeks of each other)(Love you girls!)
But now I am waiting and surprisingly patiently waiting for my next step. What am I being led to do next. I feel like the little neighbor boy on The Incredibles when he looks at Mr incredible and when asked what is he looking at? He replies" I don't know I'm just waiting for something amazing.. I guess." I guess is right. I can only imagine what is in store for me. I hope it requires no more waiting though. I have been waiting for days when our family has appointments, waiting for the kids to have a full week of school again (then here comes spring break) waiting for mil to find a job (she's been unemployed for a month now) Waiting for hubby's body to heal. He sprained his ankle over a week ago and he got a vasectomy this past week, so he has been down and hurting for a few weeks. I am waiting for things to return to what they were. I am used to this house being mine. Having some time of the day where all is quiet and mine to do what I will.(without interruptions) I don't want to leave or do anything, I just want my house back! I thought I was supposed to go back to work, I had a job opportunity and never felt led to turn in my resume. I have been feeling like I need to work up a new budget for us though. Need to cut back on some spending happening lately. But when I think something is going to happen, it doesn't and here I sit and wait with this feeling like something is about to happen. What is it?? And will I know when it happens?