Menu Plan Monday

The stomach bug swept through our house last week leaving in its wake.... well not alot of meals being eaten. That being said, we are repeating some meals from last week since we didn't get to them. There is a delicious taco bake that everyone in our family loves and is so easy to bake..... Have a yummy week!!

Monday: Hungarian stew over noodles, crescent rolls

Tuesday: Grilled chicken over rice, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday: Leftovers.... if its in the fridge you can have it but mamas not cookin

Thursday: Taco bake ( recipe below)

Friday: Pizza night!

Saturday: Chicken stir fry with rice and egg rolls

Sunday: Beef stroganoff, green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls

Taco bake

1 lb ground beef

1 can/ package of corn

1 can dark beans

1 pack of taco seasoning

1 roll of buttermilk biscuits

Shredded cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef and drain. Return to skillet and add taco seasoning per directions on package. Add corn and beans.

Place mixture in 9 x 13 dish. Space out biscuits on top of mixture and bake at biscuit temperature.

A couple of minutes before the biscuits are fully coked, remove pan and add as much cheese as you would like. When biscuits are fully baked and cheese is melted, your done!

Great deals at JC Penny

I was walking the mall with a friend yesterday. She went into JC Penny and so of course I went with her although I had nothing to look for. I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID!!!

If you haven't been in JC PENNY for a while you should go and check it out. They have alot of very cute stuff. They have a new brand called American Living and it reminds me of POLO.

Anywho.... they are running a HUGE sale. They have so much on clearance that it is crazy. AND its buy one clearance item get another FREE!!! You can mix and match throughout the whole store.

I got a heavy American Living sweater that is so cute and a Maidenform bra ( The girls need help since stopping the breastfeeding :) ). I got both items for a total of.... $14.00. Then at checkout they gave me a coupon for a survey. If I take the survey they will give me another 15% off my entire purchase......including clearance items. I am taking the survey and going back this weekend... that is how good the deals are there!

You guys need to check this out!!!!

On a side note..... I got my son some ball hats at the Children's Place for 1.99..... stock up now for Summer!

What ever happened to good manners?

Okay this is my Friday rant... hang with me.

Maybe its just me. Possibly I am part of a dying group of people. The group in which believes and ~~-shock-~~ uses, manners. My mama raised me right. She told me to thank people and say your welcome. Please was a must and you say excuse me. Now my mama is from the south but should manners be a cultural thing? I was raised thinking that EVERYONE should use them because it is polite and gracious.

There is nothing that raises my blood pressure more than when I hold the door for someone and they breeze right through like I am a doorman. Doorwoman.... you know what I mean. Don't even get me started on the grocery store experience. I don't know about you ladies but I ALWAYS say excuse me when I need to maneuver my cart in front of someone gazing at the peas. Isn't that just common sense? Am I being too hard on people?

I don't think I am. I surely know there are more important things in this world to worry about. Our world is chop full of real problems of real people. In my mind this makes manners even nicer. A little way to relate to all people and let them know that you respect them as a creation of God. ( Even if they seem like they are mean and rude.. grrrrr )

I once dated a boy from Texas. I remember he left the best impression with my mom because he answered her questions with yes mamm. That left an impression on me. It was a sign of respect for your elders.... something that we have all but lost in this country.

So I will continue to instill the dying art of manners to my children. I want my son to open doors with a smile and I would like my daughter to say excuse me while passing me in the hall to answer the phone. So instead of drilling it into them I will lead by example. I use sir when ordering my salami at the deli. I say thank you when people hold the door for me and my caravan of a stroller. Hopefully my children will see its value and choose to use their manners. Maybe I will tell my son when he gets older that it will make the ladies swoon..... whats the harm in a little incentive. :) he he he

Great winter coat deal at Baby Gap

It didn't take me long to realize that winter coats for children can be expensive. Especially the really warm, cute ones at Baby Gap. So imagine my surprise when my son was just an infant to find a winter coat in the spring on a clearance rack for $19.

Since then I always buy the winter coats in Jan/ Feb months when they are marked way down. I have found the coats at Baby Gap to be very warm with an inside lining that fits snug around the kids so no snow or rain can get in. I rarely shop at the Gap for my kids. Not because their clothes are not beyond cute! Its just being addicted to TJ Maxx and finding such incredible deals on name brand clothes is addicting. :)

I got both the kids their winter coats this week for more than half off. If you get a chance check out your local Gap. You'll be glad you did... next year!

WFMW- Keeping track of ...everything!

I have that drawer. You know the drawer ladies..... the ONE. The one that you stuff all the things that you mean to do. The bills, kids recent pictures to give away, the "we've moved" notices, coupons you haven't cut yet and sales flyer's.

I am a pretty organized person. Except for my drawer. Its like Monica's closet on Friends. It was causing me strife. I would be sitting on the couch and realize that the bills were due.....tomorrow. Tucked away amongst the moving notices and coupons that were waiting to be cut, I had forgotten. This caused much panic and alot of running around. Don't even get me started on my meal plan stashed away in there, somewhere. Along with my plans, important numbers and list of things to do. I can't tell you how many birthday cards get filed away because the drawer ate them and didn't spit them back out until a month after the occasion.

My mom gave me a hard back planner for Christmas. It has the month and then each week broken down into days. I was wondering what I was going to do with it since I carry a planner with me that has all my info, kids playdates and credit cards in it. It turned out, however, to be the gift of time and sanity.

Not only do I put all my appointments on it, I also put my menu for each day at the bottom so I never forget and the whole family can see. I also use it for personal goals for the day. If I want to get the fridge cleaned out, I will mark that on Monday. It stays on my counter- permanently. It doesn't move for company or plates. I see it every time I walk by and keeps me on track.... woohoo! Whats even better, all bills, cards and important to-do items are kept right there and you know what?? They get done early. I have more time to spend with my hubby at night and relax with some coffee in the morning..... and this works for me!

For more great WFMW visit http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/.

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday

I have been on a soup kick lately. It could be its because it is soooooo cold here. This soup is Fantastic, easy and cheap! You won't be disappointed! ( You can also add finely chopped jalapeno peppers for an extra kick ) Clink on the icon above to see more awesome recipe's!

Ham potato cheddar soup

5 or 6 potatoes cut into chunks

2 cups water

1 small onion

3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

crushed red pepper flakes ( optional)

ground black pepper

3 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup cubed cooked ham

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes

Bring water to a boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes and cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set aside potatoes. Measure 1 cup cooking liquid, adding water, if necessary: set aside.

Peel and finely chop onion. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and tender, but not brown.

Add flour to saucepan: season with pepper flakes and black pepper to taste. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.

Gradually add potatoes, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, milk and sugar to onion mixture in saucepan; stir well. Add cheese and ham. Simmer over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Store leftovers, covered, in refrigerator.

Menu Plan Monday

Nothing too exciting this week. Hubby is working 3 days this week so its a boring menu plan. Hope you have a yummy week!

Monday: Eat at Family's

Tuesday: Walleye, perogies, green beans

Wednesday: Hungarian Stew, Crescent Rolls ( From last week- we didn't get to this dinner)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza Night!

Saturday: Grilled chicken, white wine garlic pasta, broccoli, salad, garlic bread

Sunday: Beef potpie

When is the point you lose your mind?

So....... Its like a hundred below here in the Buckeye state. I have two sick kids and I have a cold.

Its like I live in the house of germs.... which at this point could be the title of a horror film.

Snow and ice are keeping us trapped inside. Its going on three days now. My kids are getting a scary glassed over look in their eyes. Its making me nervous.

I am wondering at what point do you lose it? I can only play so much candyland, Diego legos and potato head.

The kids are getting wise to my crazy. I think they can smell fear.

Kroger's secret stash..... check it out!

I don't know about your Kroger but my Kroger has a secret room. Its full of manager mark downs and little orange stickers that makes my heart go pitter pat. Its in the place where the garden center should be by the produce/ floral department. They usually have a couple of things but this time the whole place was filled with name brands, organics, furniture... it was amazing! I asked the cashier why so many deals and she told me that they got too much in at one time. WORKS FOR ME!

I went shopping today and found the best deals!!!

Huggies diapers for $4.99!

Chicken stock ( 32 ounce) for $1.00.

Disposable tin ( I use these for freezing meals for later) a 3 pack for .25.

The big Folgers coffee for $3.49.

and much more.....

I was so excited I called my friend and asked if she wanted anything! My Kroger is on Bethel Road but you may want to ask if your Kroger has their manager markdowns in one central location. It would be worth the trip!

Works for me Wednesday- Keeping track of library books

This is a pretty simple WFMW. It has, however, saved me alot of time and effort since implementing it in our home.

I found an odd shaped basket at TJ Maxx. ( You girls know how I love TJM) It was only $5 and it matched my furniture so I bought it. I started thinking of what I could do with it and it hit me. KEEP ALL OUR BORROWED ITEMS FROM THE LIBRARY IN IT.

Every time we would make a library trip I would be rushing around looking in my kids room and my room for those books. My kids rooms were the worst. In my sons attempt to clean his room he would put the library books with all the other books. A local search and rescue team (me and hubby) had to be dispatched. Alot of grumbling was involved.

So..... I decided to put my lovely basket in the main room of our house and all library books live there until returned. My kids get to read their books more because we know where they are. The best part about it is that when library day comes around it takes me a couple of seconds to grab the books. And this works for all of us!

For more great WFMW tips check out the awesome website Rocks in my Dryer.

Tempt my tummy tuesday

I am turning hubby's yummy recipe Tuesday into Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays. I found this great site and am excited to get some great ideas. I don't know about you but it is cold here... brrrrrr. I thought a good hearty soup sounded good. Hope you enjoy!


Sausage Tortellini Soup

1 1/2 lbs hot Italian sausage
3-4 cups beef broth
1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, crushed into puree
1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 package frozen spinach, thawed, (8-10 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 package cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen

Remove sausage from casing and brown, breaking it up. Drain sausage and transfer to a stockpot or dutch oven.

Add remaining ingredients, except tortellini, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until vegetables are tender.

Add tortellini and cook for the length of time indicated on package.

For the slow cooker, follow steps 1 and 2, but cook covered on low for 6-9 hours; add cooked tortellini. ( Cook 15 minutes)

Big deals at JoAnne's- check it out girls!

I went to JoAnn Fabric today, armed with my 50% off coupon. I was pleasantly surprised that they had A TON of Christmas things left over and alot of it 90% off !!!!

I am not talking about the cheesy left over- nobody wants decorations. This stuff is very very nice! Wreaths, swags, platters, stockings, stocking holders, kids items, decor. You name it they have it! Most places I have been has had nothing left and what was left was stuff I wouldn't want.....

I have been looking for garland for my mailbox. ( For Christmas time) I didn't, however want to pay alot for it since it would be outside and probably get trashed quickly. I found a swag that is at least 6 feet long and looks real. It was $30.00. I got it for $2.99! I am so geeked :)

The only thing I would warn you about is that the Christmas stuff is all over the store and not in one general area. You have to look over the ENTIRE store to find all the things they are offering. I also don't know how quickly the stuff is going and different stores may vary, but its definitely worth checking out.

Getting started - party planning

Its hard for me to believe that my baby is turning 1!! It seems like I was just pregnant, praying for her safe arrival. Then wishing for the love of all that is good that she would just sleep for more than two hours. Now I am starting to yearn for those "squishy" baby days. Sometimes I just watch my little angel sleeping, her full little lips happily sucking away. I am starting to tear up as she claps her fat little hands in glee when her daddy walks in the door. Oh how fast these days go by!

This leads me to the all important first birthday party... woohoo! The first birthday seems so special to me. A kickoff to life if you will. I used to be an event planner in a previous life so I get all geeked up to start the planning.

I thought I would give some tips that I used when I was a planner. When I quit planning, I thought I would never use my skills again. Boy was I wrong! I am still planning events... I am just not getting paid. Well in money at least... I get lots of hugs and kisses which makes me a very rich woman indeed.

There are 3 basic things that you should do when planning any event.

Determine: budget, guest list, theme

Budget- These days money is tight. You can plan a very nice party and still not break the bank by planning and cutting some corners.

1.) Prioritize- Figure out what is important to you. If you feel like your party has to have great food then you will spend the most money on a caterer or food items. Others feel , especially for a children's party, that entertainment should be the primary concern. Whatever you decide, you should then budget accordingly. You know how much you roughly want to spend on your party.

2.) Start a spreadsheet- Put all the items that you need in a left hand column. Then start to divide your money amongst the category's. Put your priority at the top and then work your way down. Remember that your budget will change along the way as you find out what things cost. That's OK as along as your bottom line doesn't change. ( If the food is going to cost more than you realized and its your priority, then cut back on your decorations budget.. etc. )

3.) Ask around- You would be surprised what deals you can find by asking family and friends of resources that they know about. Often friends and family know of someone else or know of an Internet site that has great deals.

Guest list

Start your guest list with people that must be invited. Then optionals towards the bottom of the list. If cuts need to be made you can start at the bottom of the list.

Depending on the situation you may be planning multiple parties. ( Divorced parents that can't play nice or a kid versus adult parties are some examples) You will needs multiple guest lists and budgets of this is the case.

Theme

This can be a very specific theme (Pirates) or a more general theme. ( Pink and purple) Whatever your theme is, it gives you a great guideline in which to do the rest of the planning. The theme tends to tie everything together so its pretty important that you establish one in the very beginning.

Now I have to go and take my own advise and figure out what in the world I am going to do for my baby's first birthday. Since she is the only girl out of 10 boys I am thinking tiaras, castles and pink pink pink. Wish me luck girls!

Menu Plan Monday

Hope everyone has a yummy week!


Monday: Cheddar macaroni beef casserole , green beans, bread

Tuesday: Leftover night... if its not movin you can eat it.

Wednesday: Pork stir fry, rice, egg rolls

Thursday: Hungarian Stew , salad, cheesy rolls

Friday: Pizza night!

Saturday: Stuffed Green peppers

Sunday: Easy chicken cacciatore ( Recipe follows)


Easy Chicken Cacciatore

1 lb boneless chicken breast, pieces
1 tsp olive oil
1 can crushed tomatoes ( whatever style you prefer)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano

Using a skillet, lightly brown chicken in oil over medium heat. Remove the chicken. In the same pan, cook the green onions until tender. Add crushed tomatoes and remaining ingredients, stirring to blend. Return chicken pieces to pan and simmer, covered, for 30 -40 minutes. Serve over whatever noodles you like.