Menu Plan Monday

March 2, 2009

Here's our menu plan for the upcoming week.  Yum, yum!

Monday:  No cooking!  (Supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Orange chicken and veggies with rice

Wednesday:  Pierogi beef skillet, green salad

Thursday:  Leftover night

Friday:  Homemade pizza

Saturday:  Bean burritos (from the freezer), apple slices

Sunday:  Clean out the fridge

Baking:  Oatmeal cookies with dried apricots and white chocolate (Martha Stewart's cookie of the month for March)

Org Junkie hosts Menu Plan Monday each and every week.

Simple Salad Dressing

I tried this recipe from my newest Simple and Delicious magazine.  Ben declared the salad dressing "so good you could drink it straight".  We ate our salad with plain red curly lettuce.  I think the dressing would taste wonderful on greens with apples and walnuts.

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tsp. malt or rice vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt (I recommend using a little less)

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

In a small jar, shake together the ingredients.  Pour over 4 cups romaine or other salad greens. Toss to coat.

  

(I choose to serve our dressing on the side.  That way, if we have left over salad greens they will not be droopy and wilted.)

Quote of the Day

"No. No. No. No!  Do not put your finger in there!"

Please Pass the Kleenex?

It's been a snotty day around here.

A round of colds has slowly drifted through our family this past week.  So far child #1 and I are the only ones to escape unscathed.  Child #2 caught the cold first (he always does, it seems) and is pretty well recovered.  My poor husband is under the weather with a persistent sinus infection (left over from the last round of colds).  Unfortunately, children #3 and #4 have it the worst at the moment.

Of course, children #3 and #4 are the ones who can't wipe their own noses...

(Sigh.)

It's not been an altogether bad day, mind you.  We took it slow and made some crafts this morning.  The little guys had a long nap this afternoon and I'm thinking an early bedtime is on the horizon.  

And then I will run to the grocery store and buy a case load of tissues...

Scootin' Along

Our baby boy is just over ten months old.  He's not crawling yet but Ben and I are not terribly concerned.  All of our kids have been late bloomers when it comes to physical development.  Our daughter didn't walk until she was 18 months, and at nearly three she's still very cautious on the stairs.  Mommy and Daddy aren't exactly athletic superstars so we figure the kids come by it honestly ;-).

Our baby is managing to get around, though.  He's becoming a bum scooter!  Our big boy enjoys playing on the hardwood floor.  He rocks his body, swings his arms, and scoots on his bum from one end of the room to the other.  Sometimes he rocks so hard he ends up toppling over onto his tummy, and then our boy gets upset because he can't figure out how to move!  

Our little guy has also discovered that the kitchen cupboards are filled with treasure.  A whole new world is opening up before him! Admittedly, I've been lax about baby-proofing our new house these past months.  This week the locks are going back on the cupboards!  Our timbit is not interested in stairs yet, but the gates will be going up soon there as well.  (However, I want to paint the walls along the stairway first.)  I think it's also time to lower the crib mattress a notch or two.

It's hard to believe our little guy is rapidly moving out of his babyhood and into the toddler years...

Menu Plan Monday

February 23, 2009

Here's our menu plan for the upcoming week!

Monday:  No cooking (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Sausage and kale soup, homemade bread

Wednesday:  Chicken and rice casserole (from the freezer), green salad

Thursday:  Leftover night

Friday:  Beef stroganoff, peas and carrots, crusty bread

Saturday:  Encore performance

Sunday:  No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

Check out further Menu Plan Monday madness here.

Unclog That Drain!

Here's another easy (and inexpensive) homemade cleaner.  It really does work!  (You might need to repeat the process a few times for stubborn clogs.)

Drain Opener

1/2 C. baking soda

1 C. vinegar

1 teapot boiling water

1.  Pack the drain with baking soda, then pour in the vinegar.

2.  Keep the drain covered for 10 minutes, then flush it out with boiling water.

The last time we used this on our shower drain we had to repeat the process three times.  (It was very badly clogged.)  On the plus side, the foaming bubbles also conveniently cleaned the shower floor!

Homemade Cleaner

I've been experimenting with making my own homemade cleaners.  My favourite homemaking handbook has dozens of recipes for great cleaners but I keep coming back to one simple recipe:

Citrus Disinfectant

Peel from 1 orange, grapefruit, lemon or lime

3 C. white vinegar

1 clean quart jar with lid

1 clean 1L (32oz) spray bottle

1.  Combine the citrus peel and vinegar in the quart jar.  Fasten the lid on the jar and store the mixture in a cupboard for two weeks, giving it an occasional shake.

2.  Remove the peel from the jar, strain the vinegar, and return it to the jar.

3.  To use as a spray cleaner, pour 1C. of the citrus vinegar in the spray bottle and fill with water.

4.  To clean floors, add 1C. citrus vinegar to 7.5L (2 gallons) water.

I use the citrus disinfectant to clean the bathroom.  I spray everything down, let it sit a couple minutes, then wipe everything clean.  Sometimes I require more cleaning power in the battle against soap scum, so I sprinkle a little baking soda and use a green scrubby on the sinks and tub.  (The bubbles are fun.)  I also use the vinegar solution to wash our floors.  I think lemon smells the best and sometimes I'll add a couple drops of lavender essential oil to the solution. 

Menu Plan (Tuesday)

February 17, 2009

I'm a day behind!  Oh well.  Here's our menu plan for the upcoming week:

Tuesday:  Leftover lasagna, green salad, cheese toast

Wednesday:  Hamburger soup, homemade bread

Thursday:  Salmon cakes, roasted potatoes, peas and carrots

Friday:  Leftover night

Saturday:  Burritos (from the freezer), salsa, corn, southwestern salad

Sunday:  No cooking (supper with Ben's family)  

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Org Junkie :-)

Joke of the Day

Q:  How do uber-geeks celebrate the Day of Love?

A:  They throw a va-LAN-tines party!

(Or if they are anything like my sweetheart they rent Star Trek IV, the most romantic movie in the universe.  Sheesh.)

Quote of the Day

"Hey Daddy!  I know what we can do this weekend!  Let's go out and get some shotguns and hunt some chickens!"

Joke of the Day

Q:  What do you get when you cross medieval siege weaponry with fuzzy Star Trek aliens?

A:  A tribble-chet!

(Groan.  That one's courtesy of some geeky guy who shall remain nameless.)

End of an Era

I'm feeling so sad.  Yesterday I learned that my favourite magazine will no longer be published and I am terribly disappointed.  The magazine will continue to exist in an online form.  Sadly, it simply won't be the same.

Craft, your departure leaves a gaping hole in the DIY universe.  You will be sorely missed, my friend.

Joke of the Day

Q:  Where did the sheep go for his vacation?

A:  To Cu-baaa!

(The joke is courtesy of a very silly six-year-old.  Our son was quite disappointed to learn his grandparents were leaving on a tropical vacation without him!)

Menu Plan Monday

February 9, 2009

I'm wingin' it this week!  No menu plan for us!  Last week I did a fair bit of cooking and put several meals on ice in the freezer.  This week I'm planning to sit back and take it easy (ha!) and enjoy serving simple suppers.  I'll buy a few staples at the beginning of the week, but for the most part, our family doesn't need many groceries.  Hooray!

I am definitely enjoying the return of our Spud orders.  We seem to be eating more fruits and veggies as a direct result.  I also love the fact that I'm making fewer trips to the store.  That can only be a good thing.  

Mommy's Little Helper

Nearly every day I have a little shadow at my side.  She's small and cute and wears her hair in pig tails.  My only female offspring is most decidedly a mommy's girl.

The thing is, at the tender age of 2 1/2, my girl is genuinely helpful.  (I take no credit for this.)  She seems to have an inborn knack for cleaning and organizing.  (Maybe I can take credit for that.)  She helps me sort laundry, mix pancakes and muffins, shred lettuce, and dust the furniture.  She can even set the table!  In many ways, my little girl is more helpful than her older and more-capable brothers.

I truly enjoy having a tiny helper following me through the house.  She's a cute little pixie and I love her to bits!

Note to Self

It's best not to trip when you're holding a potty full of pee...

Confession

I share this in the interest of full disclosure:

From time to time I have been known to feed my children tater tots.  

(And no, they're not organic.)

A Small Inconvenience

My library card broke in half last week.  The thing snapped clean in two.  I nearly cried and felt as though I'd lost my left arm.  

This week I went to the library and asked for a replacement.  It was no problem but I am now facing an unexpected dilemma.  Along with the new card I received a new identification number.  A new number!  I liked my old number, thank you very much.  It was conveniently memorized and I could log on to the library system at a moment's notice.  That number was an old buddy.  A familiar friend. 

I don't believe my fuzzy old brain can remember some fancy new number.  Hmmmmph. 

Quote of the Day

"Well you know, Mommy, livers can't be chosers."

(And kidneys can't be picky???)

Menu Plan Monday

February 2, 2009

We're fresh out of groundhog around here.  Guess we'll have to settle for chicken...

Here's my meal plan for the upcoming week:

Monday:  No cooking (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Roast chicken, brown rice, brussels sprouts, carrots

Wednesday:  Tortilla vegetable chicken soup, corn meal muffins

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:  Beef stroganoff with noodles, peas, green salad

Saturday:  Leftovers

Sunday:  No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Org Junkie.  Check it out!

Tired

So maybe you've noticed the old blog has been seriously uninspiring this past week.  I slacked off, it's true.  But you know what?  I kind of liked it.  I enjoyed taking a break from the computer.  There were actually days I didn't even boot the thing up.

Some days I need to remind myself that this whole blogging gig is a hobby.  It's supposed to be fun.  And it's okay if I don't post something profound / witty / insightful every single day.  Hey, if all I manage is an occasional post about menu planning or crazy kids, then so be it! That's pretty much where I'm at these days.

I'm sorry to disappoint you faithful dozen who check the blog every day. It might be kind of boring around here for the next little while. ;-)

Growwwwwl

Apparently, we have a growling baby.  Perhaps he's part bear cub?  For the past week our nine-month-old has been growling and grunting and making grumbly sounds.

It's not that the timbit is particularly upset or in a bad mood, mind you. He seems to think the noises are funny.  I think these strange vocalizations stem from the vicious cold we all fought last week.  The poor guy lost his voice for several days.  Sick as he was, our baby boy clearly found his growly voice amusing.

I think genetics may be at play in all of this.  The timbit's daddy is a guy who likes experimenting with sounds.  (I don't know any of the other children who are like this...)  It would appear the youngest Inkling has also inherited his daddy's auditory fascination.  

So if you hear a strange growling noise coming from the playpen, don't worry.  The baby is friendly, has had all his shots, and he doesn't (usually) bite!

Icy Sidewalks

We live in Calgary --- the heart of the chinook zone.  All winter long our city is caught in an endless cycle of freeze - thaw - freeze - thaw - and freeze once again.  This morning I noticed a huge patch of ice on the sidewalk in front of our house.  I was scared someone might slip on the ice but we didn't have any gravel or ice melt.

Then I noticed the floor of our garage was filthy.  It was covered in road salt and gravel from the bottom of our vehicles.  Hmmm.  Hadn't the City spread that stuff on the roads to make them less slippery?  Wouldn't it work just as well on my icy sidewalk?

I snatched up my broom and a dustpan, and in three minutes flat our sidewalk was covered in a nice layer of gravel.  Best of all, it didn't cost us a penny!

It was a simple solution that worked for me.

Check out Works for Me Wednesday at Rocks in my Dryer.

Menu Plan Monday

January 26, 2009

Last week we once again had a house full of sickies.  I am more than ready for everyone to be healthy!  Here's to hoping the upcoming week runs a bit more smoothly.

Right now I'm all about simplifying the way our family does things. This is affecting many areas, but overall, I am trying to turn our focus toward home.  The less "busyness" in our lives, the better.  Last week I restarted our food orders with Spud.  I hope to place a Spud order every couple of weeks and cut down my total number of grocery store trips.  

The kids are starting to dream about planting a vegetable garden this spring.  (In particular, our kindergartner has his heart set on growing a pumpkin.  A pumpkin!)  I believe the decision has been made for me :-}. Perhaps I should just bite the bullet and hope for the best.  It certainly would be nice to eat fresh garden veggies this summer... 

At any rate, in the spirit of simplicity, our menu will be fairly easy this week:

Monday:  No cooking (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Veggie chili, brown rice

Wednesday:  Mostaccioli casserole (from the freezer), green salad

Thursday:  Leftover night

Friday:  Chicken pie (from the freezer), sliced apples

Saturday:  Leftover night

Sunday:  No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

Check out Org Junkie for further Menu Plan Monday madness.

Make Saturday Morning

The flavour of our Saturday mornings has changed as of late.  Really, things simply haven't been the same since Bre Pettis stopped making weekend projects.  Bre's replacement was sadly uninspiring.

How glad were we when Make TV debuted on PBS this month? (It's also free online.) This show is fantastic!  Ben and the kids have been totally bitten by the maker bug.

They just have to, just have to make something.

Green Thumb (Not)

Calgary has been caught in a deep freeze these past few days.  I think the temperature is hovering at a balmy -20C this afternoon.  It's been cold!  Last week's chinook teased us into thinking spring might be just around the corner, but of course, we have several months of winter still ahead.  It is certainly a dreary prospect.

At least I can dream about an end to the snow, can't I?  This will be the first spring Ben and I have our own yard to contend with (for good or for ill).  I figure now is the time to decide what we'll do with it! Hopefully, we can get right to work in May when the city finally thaws out.

I've been reading a couple of excellent books (loaned to me by my Mom and my dear neighbour).  The first is a book I would gladly recommend to any Calgarian:

The Calgary Gardener: The Essential Guide to Gardening in Alberta's Chinook Country

I am only a few chapters in to The Calgary Gardener and I've already learned a great deal.  As anyone who's lived in this city knows, our climate is unpredictable (at best!).  I am slowly becoming more aware of our changing seasons and am learning the names of some plants that grow well here.

I've found the above book to be a great general reference.  (My book's pages are full of sticky notes at the moment.)  I've found terrific information on topics like composting, laying a stone path, hanging a gate, planting trees and caring for a lawn.  I love any book with glossy pictures and illustrated diagrams, so this one is tops for me!

Ben and I have also found this book helpful:

We referenced Lois Hole's book extensively when we planted a tree in our front yard this fall.  The book specifically features trees and plants that grow well in Alberta.  Ben and I plan to plant several trees in our back yard next fall and will again use the book as our main reference.

So, what do we have planned?  All my reading, research and pondering has led me to the following conclusions:

• The next couple of seasons we should focus on building good foundations for our landscaping.  (Work on the basics.)
• We do not have the time or energy for fancy gardening plans!
• Like most families this year, we are watching our budget carefully and our modest landscaping will reflect that.
• Vegetable gardens are a lot more work than I had first realized.

Slowly but surely, a series of goals are starting to gel in my own head. My natural tendency is to get carried away with elaborate plans, therefore, I am trying my best to keep things simple!  Here are the areas I think we should work on outside:

• Take good care of the front and back lawns.  (Aerate them in the spring, deal with the weeds more effectively.)
• Hang gates at the entrances to the back yard. 
• Stain the fence in a natural shade.
• Spread bark mulch in the beds along the driveway and around the tree.  Run plastic edging along the sides.  (I dug out these beds last fall.)
• Install moonlights in the beds along the driveway.  (We bought the lights last fall.)
• Plant two or three containers with annuals to brighten up the porch.  (I already have the pots.)  Buy a couple hanging baskets (an annual fundraiser at the school) to brighten up the back deck. 

I am still debating the wisdom of planting a small veggie patch.  Will it be worth the effort?  I've read that a tiny garden (only one square meter) can supply a family with salad veggies for the season.  A garden twice that size can provide a fair amount of vegetables.  Should we do it? Maybe I could plant a few tomatoes and peppers in a sunny pot out on the deck.  That sounds less intimidating to me!

I also have a couple of goals for next fall:

• Plant some bulbs in the beds along the front driveway so that next spring we can enjoy the colours.
• Plant three or four trees in the backyard.  (The trees go on sale 50% off in the fall.)

I am slowly coming to realize that "slow and steady wins the race".  We plan to live in this house for a long time.  We'll have many years to slowly build up the yard.  In a few years, when our kids are a little bigger, we may also have more time to devote to gardening.  Until then I will be satisfied with simple plans!

Welcome to My Bookstore!

I've been having so much fun these past couple days.  Yesterday I created my very own bookstore on Amazon.ca!  What could be more fun than choosing all my favourite books to share in one place?

Please click on over and take a look.  You can also access the store by clicking the image in my blog's sidebar.  I have read (or am planning to read) nearly every book in the store and will continue to add selections. Enjoy browsing the shelves. :-)

Sweet

The children and I drove in the van. I kept my eyes on the road.  The kids talked.  I listened.  The conversation ranged, as it often does, in random and swirling directions.

"I can't wait until my birthday party!" piped up our four-year-old.  His birthday is roughly nine months away.  Birthday parties are pretty well a daily topic of conversation for him.

"I want to have a rainbow cake!" he exclaimed.

"That's cool," I replied absentmindedly.

"Yeah, well I want to have a Jedi on my cake," interjected our six-year-old.  (We celebrated his birthday a mere three weeks ago.  Always good to plan ahead, I suppose.)

"Maybe I will have Nemo on my cake," pondered the four-year-old.

"Or Spiderman is really cool," suggested the six-year-old.

"I know what I want on my cake," I heard our two-year-old interject from the back of the van.  She paused and stated her choice:

"I want Daddy on my cake."

"Daddy???  You can't have Daddy on your cake," argued her older brother.

"Yes I can," our daughter said firmly, "cause Daddy's really cool!"

Simple Toys

This morning our kids have been playing a great game.  They're calling it something like "go check the mail".  What's the premise of the game?  

• Decorate old pieces of junk mail
  
• "Mail" the papers (in an empty cereal box)
  
• Open the mail box and act totally surprised by its contents 
  

The kids have been happily entertained for almost an hour.  That's what I call imaginative play at its finest!

Menu Plan Monday

January 19, 2009

This past week was a bit rough.  Our family battled a viscous round of colds and the kids are only now started to feel better.  No one had a terrific appetite (and I didn't have energy enough to cook much).  We ate a lot of soup with toast and drank gallons of orange juice.

As a result, this week's menu plan will look strangely familiar!  I think I can even get away with skipping our weekly grocery shopping trip. Here's my proposed menu plan:

Monday:  No cooking (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Mostaccioli casserole, green salad

Wednesday:  Leftovers

Thursday:  Thai coconut vegetable soup, sliced pears

Friday:  Vegetarian chili, cornmeal muffins

Saturday:  Clean out the fridge

Sunday:  No cooking (supper with Ben's parents)

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by Org Junkie!

Peace and Quiet

I realized something the other day.  Since the new year began our phone has been ringing far less often.  In the past our household could receive a dozen unsolicited calls per day.  It was totally overwhelming!  I tend to avoid the phone like the plague at the best of times, but some days I felt completely bombarded by unwanted calls.  Nearly every day the telephone interrupted nap time or one of our meals.  It was ridiculous.

What turned the tide?  Last month we registered our number with the Canadian National Do Not Call List (DNCL).  Now, we receive only an occasional unsolicited call (almost always from the States).  I am so grateful for the National DNCL.  I no longer feel like my day is dictated by our incessantly ringing telephone, and our home has become noticeably more peaceful.

Signing up for the National DNCL is easy.  Visit this page and type your phone number into the appropriate field.  

That's all it takes!

The Romantic One

This morning at breakfast our kindergartner laid out a plan.  He proposed to:

• Invite his girlfriend over for a play date
  
• Use his allowance to buy her some beautiful plastic jewelry
  
• Make her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into heart shapes

What a romantic six-year-old!  Should we be worried?  Perhaps this is a case of history repeating itself...

Hi, We're Still Alive

Here's a quick update from Inksterland.  

Three of the kids and I have been sick.  (Ben and the timbit are healthy, thus far!)  We've been struck with fevers, coughs and sore throats.  At first I suspected Fifth Disease, as it is going around our son's school. I'm now not so sure.  Our four-year-old has a minor rash on his face but is the only one.  Perhaps we've simply caught a random virus?

We really can't complain.  Our family has been exceptionally healthy since last spring.  If this is the worst we'll face this winter, I will be extremely thankful!

Menu Plan Monday

January 12, 2009

Last week our family enjoyed some tasty new recipes.  In particular, we all enjoyed the Thai Shrimp Linguine.  I used whole wheat spaghetti instead of linguine and I doubled the recipe for our family.  It was so cute to watch the kids eat spaghetti with chop sticks!  As well, I couldn't find Thai peanut sauce at my grocery store so I made my own.  (Again, I doubled the batch.) 

Last night our family ate Smoked Sausage Pasta for supper.  This recipe was also a winner!  The small portion of leftovers didn't even last until morning, and our kids especially liked the sausage and the olives.  I will certainly add this recipe to our list of family favourites.

This week I will try a few more new recipes.  The Thai dish was such a hit last week, I'd like to see what the kids think of another one.  Here's my proposed menu plan:

Monday:  No cooking! (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Mostaccioli casserole, green salad

Wednesday:  Chicken pot pie (from the freezer), sliced apples

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:  Thai coconut vegetable soup

Saturday:  Leftovers

Sunday:  Saucy beef patties, glazed brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes

I've just discovered that when I link to recipes from the newest Taste of Home magazines, access is restricted to Taste of Home subscribers.  I believe the restriction is lifted once they send out the next magazine issue :-).

Hop on over to Org Junkie for more Menu Plan Monday madness.

How Very Canadian

We just saw a guy snowshoeing in the field behind our house.  He was wearing shorts.

Eureka!

I tried a little experiment and it worked!  A squirt of WD-40 and a bit of scrubbing removed the paint splatters from our bathroom floor.

Thought for the Day

We are thankful our next-door neighbour bought a snow blower ... and even more thankful he decided to test it on our driveway after last night's snowfall!

The Whole Truth

Okay.  As much as I'd like to paint the whole house this weekend, I realize it's not going to happen.  I can live in the land of reality.  If we finish painting the small main floor bathroom (which I feel is a fairly realistic expectation) I will be absolutely thrilled.

I bought a warm, chocolate brown paint for the bathroom.  I'm hoping to have enough paint left in the pail to do a brown feature wall in our bedroom as well.  I also plan to replace the bathroom's toilet paper roll and towel bar (small changes that can have a nice impact).  As my husband so eloquently states, our bathroom currently looks like the previous home owners allowed preschoolers to paint it.  (Ouch.)  The job is patchy, at best.  I am looking forward to sprucing it up!

I am in need of some advice.  The bathroom floor is currently dotted with unsightly paint splatters.  I'm fairly certain the previous owners intended to replace the linoleum with tile but sold the house before they finished the job.  Can anyone recommend a solvent for removing latex paint from linoleum?  I suppose we could rip out the linoleum and replace it with a remnant quite easily.  I'm not ready to tackle that type of job this weekend, though!

The paint was on sale this week, so I also bought enough to do our bedroom and the stairwell/hallways.  If we can finish all our projects within the next month or so, while the weather is still cold, I think my painting bug will be satisfied!  

(Okay, okay.  In the interest of complete honesty ... the painting bug is insatiable!)

A Note to My Sweetheart

Honey, there's something I need to tell you.  Something you may not agree with.  I'm a bit scared to tell you, but well, here it goes.  

I went somewhere today.  I went to my favourite shop.  You know the place, the one near your office.  They were having a sale!

I came home with three pails.  Three luscious pails.  Three pails of paint, that is.

Our weekend is set.  We're painting the house!  Well, not all the house. Just a few teeny rooms.  You'll love it, I promise.

Okay, I'll love it.  You'll tolerate the activity.  Did I mention I think you're the best paint roller-on-er around?

You must have known what you'd be in for when you married an art major...

Home Sweet Home

I am focused on returning to a regular homemaking routine this week. Here's a timely little meme from Wendy on that very topic!

Aprons --- Y/N?  If Y, what does your favourite look like?

I do enjoy a good apron.  (I always seem to end up with stains on my shirt if I cook without one.)  I inherited my favourite apron from my grandma.  It's probably older than I am, is huge, and sports a crazy-colourful butterfly pattern. 

Baking --- What is your favourite thing to bake?

Cookies.  

Clothesline --- Y/N?

No, but I wouldn't be opposed to using one.

Donuts --- Have you ever made them?

No, I've never made them before.  My great-grandma made the absolute best donuts.

Everyday --- Name one homemaking thing you do every day.

Tidy the kitchen and living area.

Freezer --- Do you have a separate deep freeze?

Yes.  It was a gift from my in-laws.

Garbage disposal --- Y/N?

No.

Handbook --- What is your favourite homemaking resource?

I love this book and use it often.  Lately I've been experimenting with the recipes for homemade cleaners.

Ironing --- Love it or hate it?

I try to love it but my ironing pile tends to take on a life of it's own.  Hate it.

Junk drawer --- Y/N?  Where is it?

No.  We do have a couple catch-all baskets on top of the fridge, though.

Kitchen --- Colour and decorating scheme?

Our kitchen is a warm terra-cotta colour with golden maple cupboards. We have big, sunny windows looking out onto some soccer fields.  The decorating scheme is homey, comfortable and a bit country.

Love --- What is your favourite part of homemaking?

I love to bring peaceful order to our home.  Clutter is my enemy!  I hope our home is a welcoming place for family and friends.

Mop --- Y/N?

Yes.  I use a Bee Mop.

Nylons --- Do you wash them by hand or in the machine?

I don't wash my nylons.  They never last long enough to need washing! I wash thick tights in the machine.

Oven --- Do you use the window to check on things, or do you open the door?

I generally look through the window.  I'm always hesitant to open the oven door with little ones underfoot!  

Pizza --- What do you put on yours?

Whatever is available in the fridge!  I like chicken, cheese and veggies.

Quiet --- What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?

Read.

Recipe card box --- Y/N?

No, but I do have a recipe binder.

Style of house --- What is your style?

I guess I'd describe my decorating style as contemporary country.  I like earthy colours, quilts and baskets, real wood and leather, crafty objects with character and history.  I am not into frills, lace or too much gingham.

Table cloth and napkins --- Y/N?

No table cloth.  We use paper napkins, sadly.  I like the idea of using cloth napkins.

Under the sink --- Organized or toxic wasteland?

Organized.

Vacuum --- How many times per week?

Once.

Wash --- How many loads per week?

About 10.  I do the wash every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Xs --- Do you make a daily list and check it off as you do things?

I only make a list of necessary things I cannot afford to forget.  I used to make a list for everything but ended up feeling guilty and overwhelmed. For my own sanity, I gave it up.

Yard --- Y/N?  Who does what?

We have a nice-sized yard.  Ben mows the lawn (if our neighbour doesn't get to it first).  I like to shovel.  This year we plan to plant a small garden, so that will probably be my responsibility.

Zzzzs --- What is the last homemaking task you do for the day before you go to bed?

Set out the breakfast dishes for the next day.

Menu Plan Monday

January 5, 2009

Here we go!  It's time to hop back on the bandwagon and return to our normal routine.  I have enjoyed these past couple weeks of holidays (and I've especially liked having Ben home from work).  At the same time, I'm ready to resume our regular school and work schedule.

Here's my proposed menu (heavily influenced by the latest Simple and Delicious magazine) for the upcoming week:

Monday:  No cooking! (supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Thai shrimp linguine, sliced pears

Wednesday:  Vegetable beef skillet, green salad 

Thursday:  Leftovers

Friday:   Bean burritos (mild), southwest salad, cinnamon crackle cookies

Saturday:  Bubble and squeak

Sunday:  Smoked sausage pasta, green salad

Check out Menu Plan Monday hosted by Org Junkie!

New Year, Fresh Start

This weekend our family was blessed with a new kitchen table and chairs.  Ben and I had been on the lookout for a larger table (funny how our old one kept shrinking...) but we hadn't found anything we really liked.  I wanted a table with character, something with a bit of history behind it.

Long story short, my best friend from childhood wanted to sell her parents' oak dining room set.  She wondered if anyone in Calgary might be interested?  What perfect timing! Our family was thrilled to give the table and chairs a loving new home!

The table seats eight and came with six chairs.  It's about 20 years old and, all things considered, is in fabulous shape.  The style is simple, with clean lines.  (My friend describes it as Shaker style.)  The chairs are upholstered and I plan to recover them in something child friendly (i.e. stain-proof).  We will continue to use our bench along one side of the table.

I think our newly revamped dining area has inspired me.  I spent most of this afternoon and evening cleaning and re-organizing the kitchen cupboards.  The space is now totally optimized!  I rearranged a few things and created a great new place for the kids' craft supplies, and de-cluttered all those "catch all" hiding spaces.  

I suspect Ben caught the productivity bug as well.  He set up our old table in the basement, rearranged some boxes, wired new lighting, and set up a little crafting corner for me!  What a great guy!  I'm just itching to get downstairs tomorrow to organize my new space.   

Ninjas are Deadly and Silent...

Our biggest boy celebrated a big birthday yesterday.  It's hard to believe our New Year's baby is a whopping six years old!  Before we know it he will be growing whiskers and asking to borrow the car... 

Our newly minted six-year-old requested a ninja themed birthday, largely influenced by this song.  Ben and I put our heads together and created some fairly sweet cupcakes.  (Check out the throwing stars!) 

We also took the kids out for "ninja food".  (Yes.  Our children actually ate the octopi.  They gobbled them up so quickly, in fact, I hardly even had a taste.)

We returned home from the restaurant to a low-key party with family. Our birthday boy enjoyed a terrific day!

Sleepy Time

We play a little game with our kids at bed time.  Ben and I give each child an imaginary "sleepy cookie" to send them off to dream land.  It's a silly little thing that sometimes morphs into a game.  We've doled out "sleepy salads", "sleepy tuna fish sandwiches" and "sleepy pizza".

Tonight we had a new request.  Our two-year-old would not lay down until she had received her nightly allotment of "sleepy mashed potatoes."

Happy Anniversary :-)

Nine years ago today I married my high school sweetheart.  Happy Anniversary Benjie!

We have big plans for this evening ;-).  We will go to the Zoolights and then out for East Indian food.  The three oldest kids are sleeping over at my sister's and the littlest Inkling will tag along with Mommy and Daddy.

It will be a great day!

Christmas Gifts

Today was just about the perfect winter day.  Not too cold.  Snow in the morning.  The kids spent the day enjoying some much-loved Christmas gifts. 

This afternoon I took the boys out sledding on the little hill behind our house.  Our three eldest children received sleds and helmets for Christmas.  The boys have already been out a couple times with their new sleds this week.  They had a ball sliding down the hill and trudging back up this afternoon.  (They also discovered that the incline along the side of the house is a pretty sweet sliding spot.)  The weather for sledding was absolutely ideal and Mommy had a great time too!

Ben and I gave the children a little CD player and several Focus on the Family radio dramas for Christmas.  Our eldest son, in particular, loves listening to the CDs.  He set up a mini "radio theatre" in his bedroom, complete with chairs for the audience.  The kids have been listening to the Chronicles of Narnia in their new "theatre".

I think this was one of the first Christmases Ben and I didn't feel overwhelmed by gifts.  (Thank you, family!  We really appreciate you all.)  Our kids received some great things:  passes to the zoo and Heritage Park, sleds and skates, clothes, books, a few toys (none requiring batteries!), a small DVD player and some movies.  We gave our children the aforementioned CDs and a few new costumes for their dress-up box. Our kids were definitely blessed but Christmas wasn't over the top. 

We are very, very thankful!

And Now I Feel Awful

We had some friends over for supper this evening.  They have two busy toddlers of their own, and combined with our four, the house was full of energy!  At one point in the evening my friend paused to show me her one-year-old daughter's cheeks.

"I felt so, so awful," related my friend, "I took my little girl out sledding on one of those really cold days.  We weren't out long...maybe 20 minutes...but when we came back inside her cheeks were bright red. They're still kind of reddish-purple now and my MIL (who is a nurse) says it is frostbite.  I know she's right, deep down I know, it really is frostbite..."

My heart sunk down to my boots.  I looked at my eight-month-old's cheeks.  They've been a weird reddish-purple colour the past few days. And I've wondered...ever since that really cold day I bundled him up to walk to his brother's school...the day his cheeks got really red.  Could he have frostbite too?

And just like my friend, I knew, deep down in my heart, that frostbite was the answer. 

I now feel awful.  Horribly awful.  My poor baby's cheeks are in even worse shape than my friend's.  They don't seem to hurt him, and I don't believe there is anything I can do to treat them.  Time will heal the damage eventually, I hope.  We'll always have to be vigilant with our son when it's cold out.

And even though our eldest son's school is right across the street, I have resolved that on really cold days we will now drive the van!

O Holy Night

The congregation stood in reverent silence.  The gentle glow of candlelight warmed the sanctuary as our pastor shared a Christmas message of hope.  

(Our children fidgeted and squirmed.)

The pastor continued to speak.  He spoke and spoke.  He spoke some more.  My husband and I tried to keep small fingers away from flickering candles.  The potential for singed eyebrows alarmed me.

"... at times," our pastor intoned, "We tend to live fraudulent lives..."

Our five-year-old grinned and loudly responded, "Well, at least we don't live flatulent lives!"

Blessings

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!  We hope you have a wonderful holiday season.  

Love, hugs and prayers,

Ben, Lindsay and the Inklings :-)

Menu Plan Monday

December 22, 2008

The Christmas week has arrived!  Here is my menu plan for the upcoming week:

Monday:  Coconut chicken (from the freezer), whole grain rice, asian salad

Tuesday:  Southwest roll-ups, green salad

Christmas Eve:  Seafood medley, linguine, caesar salad

Christmas Day: (brunch) Banana pancake snowmen, sausage, fruit salad, (dinner with my parents)

Friday:  Leftovers

Saturday:  Potato minestrone, homemade bread

Sunday:  Clean out the fridge!

This weekend I did a bit of holiday baking.  I love baking Christmas cookies but this year I cut back dramatically.  The kids and I made three (yummy) recipes:

Gingerbread men

Peanut butter rosebuds

Orange chip cookies

The next few days we'll be staying close to home, cleaning the house, visiting with family and friends, and staying warm.  We're all set! Christmas here we come! 

For other great holiday menus, check out Menu Plan Monday at Org Junkie.   

Priceless

This song never fails to send my boys into hysterics.  Enjoy!

The Mom Song from Northland Video on Vimeo.

Quote of the Day

My husband works in an office of geeks.  One of the guys (a bachelor) volunteered the following gem the other day...

Ben: Hey!  You look great!  You showered, you shaved...

Adam:  Yeah.  I even did my laundry.

Ben:  Whoa!  What happened?

Adam:  Well, honestly?  I did my laundry using a Tide pen and a bottle of Febreeze. 

Christmas Silliness

Yes, We Changed Our Minds (Again)

We officially applied for our second-born son to attend kindergarten next fall.  (No, this was not our original plan.)  I think it is for the best, though.  At the end of the day practicality and convenience have won out.  

Our son will turn five next November.  He will be only four years old for the first two months of school.  We had planned to hold him back a year, but the truth is, he's a bright and gregarious little guy.  I think he'll do just fine in kindergarten next fall.

Thankful

I am incredibly thankful for our family's good health these past months. Last year it seemed we were sick all fall and winter. (Admittedly, my memory may be coloured by last year's pregnancy fog.) This time around we've hardly caught more than the sniffles. Praise God!

I was worried our four-year-old, in particular, might be sick a lot this year. He seems to have a weaker immune system than his siblings. Whenever a cold goes through the family he catches the worst of it. Last winter the poor guy had a perpetually runny nose and several ear infections. I was a bit worried this fall because I figured our four-year-old would bring home all sorts of germs when he started preschool. I'm pleased to report this hasn't been the case! Our little guy had one cold with a nasty cough a couple weeks ago, but it cleared up quite quickly.

Why have we been so healthy? I don't know for certain but I have a few theories...

We moved to a new house this summer. (I don't know if our house has anything to do with anything.) Maybe our family is healthier because we're not living in such close quarters? Maybe we share fewer germs now that we have separate bathrooms?

The kids are napping more than ever before. Last year our eldest son attended jr. kindergarten for two hours every afternoon. He's a kid who needs a great deal of sleep but on school days he wouldn't get a nap. As well, the other children had their naps cut short every afternoon as we dashed to the preschool. (Oh, the tantrums!) This year our kindergartener has actually reverted back to napping on the days he is home. All the kids sleep for about two hours every afternoon. (Those are two hours of peaceful bliss!)

I am no longer volunteering at the YMCA. Last year I taught a preschool music class each week. Our (then) three-year-old attended the class with me and the other children played in the babysitting room. I am convinced the kids picked up tons of bugs from the Y. Though I have a great deal of respect for the Y's volunteer programs, it was always difficult to find last-minute teaching subs if the kids were sick. Many volunteer moms simply brought their sick kids into the babysitting room. There were no other options. I really enjoyed teaching the music class, however, I am very thankful the kids no longer visit the Y.

All that to say, I am grateful for our family's good health. It is not something we take for granted. Cold and flu season can feel like a marathon (especially come February...) and I will happily accept every healthy day God sends us.

Christmas Randomness

I feel like Christmas is rapidly sneaking up on me!  I can't believe the big day is only one week away.  The weather has been very cold and snowy here in Calgary, so it certainly feels Christmas-y outside.

Here are some of the random thoughts buzzing through my head this week:

• I love checking the mail box at this time of year.  We received a lovely stack of cards today, and I especially enjoy when people enclose pictures with their cards.  Also, I'm thankful to have finally sent out our family's Christmas cards earlier this week!

• I am officially finished my Christmas shopping.  (I suppose this isn't exactly something to brag about as Christmas is only one week away.)  I hope to get everything wrapped later tonight.

• The kids and I made gingerbread cookies yesterday afternoon. My three "helpers" were incredibly cute. In particular, our four-year-old has decided he wants to be a chef when he grows up and he wore a white apron and hat for most of the day.  I also hadn't realized how many cookie cutters our family has amassed over the years.  (I think many have newly resurfaced since our move.) The kids had great fun making some rather creative gingerbread cookies.  (A stegosaurus is totally festive, right?)

• I'm hoping to finish the rest of my Christmas baking within the next couple of days.

• We'll be attending our five-year-old's school concert tonight.  I'm very much looking forward to it.

• The roads are awfully slippery out there.  We took our van in for its winter check-up yesterday and were surprised to discover it needed new brakes.  I'm definitely thankful for the brakes (but less thankful for the unexpected bill).

• This past weekend nearly did me in.  My outgoing husband kept inviting people over! Don't get me wrong, I love welcoming people into our home and I enjoy visiting with friends.  My introverted self just can't keep up!  It's taken until today for me to feel back to normal.  I imagine next weekend will be much the same, so I'm attempting to finished all my Christmas preparations before then.

You Know It's Still Freaky Cold When...

... you reach into your bag only to discover your diaper wipes have frozen into a solid block of ice. (That's when you vow to never again leave the diaper bag out in the van overnight.)

You Know It's Freaky Cold When...

... the doors to your minivan freeze shut when the vehicle is parked inside the garage. 

The Candy Cane

Our five-year-old son brought the following poem home from kindergarten yesterday.  (This is a small example of the many reasons why I'm thankful he attends a Christian school.)

Look at a candy cane,

What do you see?

Stripes that are red

Like the blood shed for me!

White for my Savior,

Who's sinless and pure!

"J" is for Jesus,

My Lord that's for sure!

Turn it around

And a staff you will see ---

Jesus, my shepherd,

Is coming for me!

Quote of the Day

"Hey!  Don't touch the Christmas tree!"

"We weren't touching the tree.  We were touching the decorations."

Thirsty?

My husband is a geek.  The guys who work for him?  Uber-geeks.  Ben's office is most certainly the epicenter of all geekiness.  The place reeks of it.  (Or maybe that's just the week-old pizza...)

Check out the office water cooler.  (Yes, those are hard drive magnets taped to the side of the bottle.)  Hey, times are tough after all.  Kudos to Adam for dreaming up a way to keep the company afloat.

Grammar Geek

Do you care about grammar?  Would you like to write more effectively? Check out The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words. 

(And there was much rejoicing.)

The Budding Scientist

This afternoon our five-year-old announced he planned to discover the substance of the Milky Way Galaxy.  When I questioned how he would go about making such a discovery he replied:

"I'm not really sure, Mommy, but I'll definitely have to use my orange play dough to do it."

Menu Plan Monday

December 8, 2008

When I feel stressed I clean the house.  Clutter makes me anxious.  I organize and purge and wash and vacuum whenever life goes topsy-turvy.  An orderly home helps me feel in control.

I guess I feel a bit anxious about the upcoming week.  Instead of writing my menu plan I've spent the past hour re-organizing the kitchen pantry. (Seeing all those neat and tidy stacks of canned goods brings me great pleasure.)  

Working through mindless tasks is actually very therapeutic, though. As I tidied my pantry, I thought about buying groceries and mentally planned our meals for the next week.  I now have a fairly clear picture of my menu plan!

Here's my proposed menu for the upcoming week:

Monday:  No cooking!  (Supper with my parents)

Tuesday:  Holiday tortellini soup, grapes, multigrain bread

Wednesday:  Leftovers

Thursday:  Beef taco skillet, corn, sliced avocado

Friday:  Veggie frittata, fruit salad, whole wheat toast  

Saturday:  Leftovers

Sunday:  No cooking!  (Supper with Ben's parents)

If you enjoy reading about recipes and meal planning, check out Menu Plan Monday hosted by Org Junkie.

Mail Call

I handed a letter to our four-year-old son as we stepped out the door. "Here you go, Buddy," I said, "You put this in the slot when we get to the mailbox."

He studied the stamp in the corner of the envelope.  "Mommy?" he asked, "Is this a picture of Grandma?"

Our son thought for a moment longer and then continued, "Mommy?  Is this a picture of Grandma when she was a mailman?"

I laughed and replied, "No silly.  That's a picture of the queen."

"Oh!" he exclaimed as understanding dawned, "Is this a picture of the queen when she was a mailman?"

Kindergarten Comedy

"What do you call a mouse's language?"

"Squeak speak!"

Thought for the Day

Putting pajamas on an uncooperative toddler is like trying to wrestle an octopus.

I Am Slowly Going Crazy...

I have listened to this approximately three billion times today.  

Our four-year-old even created an original dance to go along with the song.  It involved a lot of bum wiggling (mostly in his older brother's face).  Appropriately enough, our son named his move the "Backwards Ninja". 

Creative Problem Solving

I am seriously considering buying our children a toy lawnmower for Christmas.

You know the huge soccer field behind our house?  When one of the kids starts driving me bonkers I'll hand him the lawnmower.  

(He can come back when he's finished mowing the field.)