monday menu #48 in 2012

i'm pretending that it's monday, and that i've done week 13/14 (can't remember where i left off)-47 and that i'm right on track for weekly menus in 2012...  just go along with me, it'll be fun...

this week has a few new recipes too.  (i told you it'd be fun.)

• pepperoncini beef hoagies with corn  .  we love pepperoncinis!!!  i'm excited to try this brilliant idea.
• tortilla soup  .  it's been a while.
• floating tacos  .  it's been a while.
• bbq chicken thighs, and maybe some legs too, with mashed potatoes and peas.
• ranch chicken over egg noodles, and green beans.

truth is, it's just been a while.  too long.  my kids need to eat.  i HATE waiting 'till 4 too start looking for "what's for dinner"!!!  this has gone on long enough. 
so, along with menu planning, i'm also re-organizing and de-cluttering, and cleaning.  in other words, i'm resuming my possition as mom in the rehself household. 


Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

monday menu #20ish of 2012

pot roast with veggies and crescent rolls
sloppy joes w/ green beans
lasagna and french bread
chili and cornbread muffins
hot dogs and corn and chocolate ice cream (birthday dinner request for a 3-y-o on 10/31!)
spaghetti
taco soup

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

intoducing me. meet me...

i have to share this before i forget. 
whenever we get out new clothes for buttercup, binkles always seems to be around.  she loves to ask if any of it was hand-me-downed from her. 
the following pictures are from an outfit that WAS from her!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

groove it

since school started for us:

• boo started an extensive homeschooling preschool lesson book.  she LOVES it.  so far, she's been my first to love education. 
• trimmed 3overgrown rose bushes and removed (by hand) 1 russian olive tree.
• received some produce from the neighbor on the other side of the fence...  i think it was a literal example of an immediate visual for the fruits of my labor to cutting down the overgrown shrubbery since that overgrown shrubbery was hiding that neighbor from us.
• jones has been home sick 5 days.  he was diagnosed w/ a double ear infection the first 2 days absence, and the second 3 days he visited the ER and was almost admitted to the hospital for low oxygen level...
• we've missed the bus twice.
• shredded up a zucchini that was about as long as boo's leg and as thick as... mine.  well, not quite THAT thick!  maybe my calves.
• baked approximately a dozen loaves of chocolate z bread, and a carol coate zucchini cake.
• sold our beloved suburvan...  :( & :)
• got a costco membership, FINALLY.
• learned how to text
• lost my crock pot lid
• found my crock pot lid
• buttercup is completely mobile.  she rolls over, scoots, sits up, scoots, crawls, an sits up from laying down as well as vice verse. she hasn't started walking yet, but she's trying to learn how to pull up on things.
• held 2 successful PTA meetings w/o dying of over-stress.
• compiled a whole school's student information into an excel database in hopes to finish up a school's student directory. 
• started and finished an 8-week study on Nehemiah

it seems we're getting in the groove of a back-2-school routine...

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

menu #whatever of 2012

burrito pie.
roasted chicken w/ mashed potatoes and peas.
potato soup w/ fresh bread.
creamy chicken and broccoli w/ rice.
floating tacos.

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

things we've done since i last posted

• joined a quadruple-million other women in a 5K race.  and won.
• bought a really really REALLY nice new rig that fits our whole family.
• started a long search for a new home for us to buy.
• swam.  lots.  like, at least 3 days/week from june to august.  binkins and jones are affluent in swimming and boo and starboy are very comfortable in water now (dunking themselves on purpose).  trick for those who have little ones who are old enough but still "afraid" of getting their face wet: nose plugs.  or goggles. 
• vbs.
• went camping.
• taught jones to ride a 2-wheeler w/o training wheels.
• visited the aquarium.
• stuck a hole in our trampoline.
• went to the school's carnival and had the best time of a 6-y-o's life! 
• boo and binkins rode a horse (all by their little lonesome!)
• looked for a new church home.
• settled back at an old one.
• seems like a whole lot more, but i sure can't think of any of them.  no road trips.  no more broken bones.  ...  lots and lots of swimming!!!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

so, what's YOUR excuse???

maybe i'm being missed...  so here's my excuse:
we're busy enjoying our summer.  we're spending a lot of it outside, at the pool!  also i haven't been oozing with energy, so i'm doing what i can to stay afloat (because i'm so punny).
i'll try and catch you all up in a month or two when the kids are gone all day and i only have half my kids needing all of me.  deal?
i hope to have settled out the picture dilema by then too.  because what's a blog like this, if it doesn't have some cute illustrations smiling at you every once in a while?!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."