Five Question Friday - The old me, the new me, and everything in between!

1. If you could, would you go back to high school?

No - never - you couldn't pay me enough!  I really hated high school...I remember my dad telling me once, when I was complaining about how much I hated it, "One day you're going to wish you could go back."  I told him, "No, I won't ever wish that," and I was right.

I was (and this comes as a shock to people who know me now) very shy in high school.  Shocking, I know...but I was.  I had a hard time because of that.  I was also...I hate to admit it...kind of a nerd.  I was a straight A student, and that coupled with my shyness...well, it was a bad combination.

Once I got to college, I was much happier - I loved it.  I felt like I really came into my own in college and started breaking out of a lot of the shyness.

2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".)

I could go with the standard "world peace" answer...but I won't. :P  Hmmm....I think the first would be that my family would always be safe, healthy, and happy.  My second would have to be that each member of our family would follow Christ whole-heartedly and would do amazing things for Him in this life, because when this life is over, nothing else matters.

3. What kids show do you secretly like?

Okay, I am not secret about this, but I love SpongeBob!  I know, a lot of parents hate the show, but I think my hubby and I have seen every episode the kids have seen.  He cracks me up!  (I have a weird sense of humor.  If you read my blog for very long you'll find that out!)

Secretly...oh I hate to even admit this...I have been known to peek into the living room to see what's going on in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  I'm such a dork!
4. What is your beverage of choice?

If I'm being good or if I'm being bad?  If I'm being good it's diet Dr. Pepper or bottled water with Crystal Light.  If I'm being bad, it's a Coke.  And I'll take a raspberry lemonade whenever it's available.  And I'm totally addicted to coffee.  That's as strong as it gets for me!

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)?

Does a tummy tuck count, because I'd really like to change my flabby tummy....  No, seriously, there are lots of things I'd like to change about myself...pro bably the biggest thing I would change is my lack of organization and my procrastination.  On paper, I'm a very organized person - off paper, it's another story.  A lot of that comes from the fact that I procrastinate...a lot.  I'm working on it and am doing a little better, but there is still lots of room for improvement.

5 Things I Wish I Had More Time For

1. reading
I love to read, and I never seem to have enough time.  So many books, so little time...

2. horseback riding
This is the one thing I really, really miss from my childhood.  I love horses.  I love grooming them, feeding them, even smelling them!  Most of all, I miss the pure joy and total freedom of riding.  I've been a handful of times over the past 10 or 11 years, but my dream is to one day have a horse again...or two...or ten...

3. exercise
I work at a gym, so I should have plenty of time to work out, right?  Ha - think again.  I really want to get back to running and doing PraiseMoves, I just have to carve out time for it.

4. spending time at home
I'm never home.  We're always on the go, always running...if I'm not at work, I'm at school; if I'm not at school, I'm at the church...I love spending a whole day at home, working and relaxing, and I don't have that time anymore.  I miss that.

5. quiet time
You know, really peaceful time to just relax, like when I'm running or horseback riding, or at the park on...that doesn't happen often.  I need to just get away from everything sometimes and just clear my head.

Thankful Thursday - my GPS

When we moved to Texas three years ago, I got lost...a lot.  Ok, admittedly, I've always gotten lost a lot, even in my hometown, but it was really bad when we moved to a new state.  For Christmas that year, I had a few things I wanted, and when my husband asked me what I wanted most, I decided on a GPS.  That year I got a Garmin nuvi.  Wow, what a lifesaver!  I could get back and forth to work and go shopping without aimlessly wandering the streets of southeast Texas.  It has often saved my time and my sanity.

I still use my GPS a lot, and now we've discovered a new use for it - geocaching.  We just found out about the worldwide game of geocaching a few days ago and made our first run Saturday.  It was fun, and our kids have been begging to go again, so we may hit a couple of more caches this weekend.  Who knew a GPS could bring family togetherness?

The boys, the birds, and the bees...

This was just way too funny to not share it...

I have two boys - they are almost 8 and almost 5.  They are getting to that point where they are very curious and are asking some questions...the kind that I'm ready to answer yet...so I send them to their dad.  We agreed long before we had kids that if we had girls, I'd have the talk with them, and if we had boys, he would - lucky me, we had boys.  Anyway, my oldest was getting very curious about "the girls" and why I look different than the boys, so Robby had a (partial) talk with him a few weeks ago, which was hysterical...but fast forward to last week.

My youngest had developed a really bad habit of poking at "the girls" - I kept telling him to stop, and he finally did.  Then last week when I was unloading groceries, he asked the big question - "Mom, what are those squishy things?"  At this point I was laughing too hard to answer him, so I turned to my husband.  He was also cracking up.  Which left out oldest to answer the question.  Bobby and Spencer were sitting at our kitchen table, as Bobby explained, "Spencer, it's okay - I know about the squishy things already."  Were we really having this conversation at the table with a 7 year old a 4 year old?  I thought I had a few years before these topis started coming up!  Sigh...life with boys is never boring.  At least they keep us laughing!

Women of Faith Wednesday - Miracles

This is such a great question for Women of Faith Wednesday!

Have you experienced any miracles in your life?

Yes!  I could write a lot on the miracles I've seen and experienced in my life, but there are a couple that really stand out...one that happened to me and one that happened to my grandpa.

When I was in high school, I was bitten by a brown recluse.  I found the bite on my right knee one morning, and the affected area was about the size of a quarter.  I immediately went to the doctor.  I was allergic to the only antibiotic that really treats spider bites, so they tried another one, plus a steroid pack.  Other than that, there was very little they could do.  Within 48 hours, the affected area covered half of my upper leg, and the doctor was planning surgery and extensive skin grafts to stop the spread of the poison.  The night the doctor starting planning surgery, our church had special prayer for me...it was a Wednesday night.  The next day, the doctor looked at my leg, looked at me, and said, "I don't know what happened, but you're not going to have to have surgery.  You'll still have a scar, but you won't need surgery."  A few days later, I rubbed my hand across the bite, and a tiny scab fell off.  To this day, that tiny scar is all I have remaining from the bite that should have caused extensive damage.

Then there's my grandpa...Pop has been a volunteer fire fighter for years.  In Februrary 2007, he was responding to a house fire during a severe storm when the fire truck he was driving went off the road and flipped upside down into a creek.  Several volunteer fire fighters were follwing him in their vehicles - a miracle in itself, since they always drive ahead of the trucks, and this was the only time they've ever followed behind - and saw the whole thing.  It took them 7 to 8 minutes to pull him out.  By the time they got him out, he was blue, with no pulse.  Paramedics shocked him three times before they got him back.  According to doctors, he would almost certainly die, or if he did survive, he would have severe brain damage.  To make a long story short, he has no long term effects at all from the wreck.  When the local paper interviewed him and put his story on the front page, he agreed to do it only if God got all the glory for his recovery...this from a man who spent most of his life running from God, and finally gave his heart to God in 2003.  Pop truly is a walking miracle.

Kielbasa and Cheese Casserole

I had some requests for this recipe last week after I posted it in my weekly menu.  Honestly, I wasn't terribly impressed with this recipe - I liked it okay, but my hubby wasn't a fan.  I think that this is one of those recipes that would be perfect to play around with and experiment with - I think with some tweaking it could turn out really well.

1 pkg egg noodles
6 beef bullion cubes
4 cups water
1/4 c. flour
2 tbsp melted butter
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. kielbasa, sliced
1/2 of a small onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 oz. jar pimentos

1. Cook noodles until barely tender and drain.
2. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water.
3. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Oreo Cream Cheese Truffles

A few months ago, I signed up for free emails from Kraft, and I've gotten some awesome recipes from them!  I just tried this one last week - it's a little messy, but it's really easy and absolutely delicious!  My family loved it, and I'm planning to make a couple of batches for an upcoming bake sale auction fundraiser for our kids ministry.

You can click here to sign up for Kraft's emails - it's worth taking a few minutes to sign up!

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted


MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
How to Easily Dip Truffles
To easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Then use two forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove the truffles with forks and allow excess chocolate to drip back into bowl before placing truffles on prepared baking sheet.

Special ExtraSprinkle truffles with colored sugar or sprinkles in addition to or in place of the cookie crumbs.

How to Soften Cream CheesePlace completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese.nutritional information per serving

Calories 100 Total fat 6 g Saturated fat 3 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 85 mg Carbohydrate 12 g Dietary fiber 1 g Sugars 7 g Protein 1 g Vitamin A 0 %DV Vitamin C 0 %DV Calcium 0 %DV Iron 4 %DV

Menu Plan Monday - 4/26

Monday Lunch: chicken sandwiches

Monday Dinner: slow cooker red beans and rice

Tuesday Lunch: chicken spaghetti/chicken nuggets
Tuesday Dinner: pork chops

Wednesday Lunch: red beans and rice
Wednesday Dinner: chicken sandwiches

Thursday Lunch: chicken spaghetti/chicken nuggets
Thursday Dinner: kielbasa and pirogues

Friday Lunch: ravioli
Friday Dinner: slow cooker baked potato soup

Saturday Lunch: tacos and burritos
Saturday Dinner: ravioli

Sunday Lunch: tacos and burritos
Sunday Dinner: slow cooker baked potato soup

Small Talk Six - Mornings

1. Think, "Oh, no, is it morning already?"

2. Get up to shut off the alarm (I have to put it on the other side of the room or I'd hit the snooze button and keep on sleeping)

3. Try to remember which day it is (I'm so not a morning person)

4. Think about what I have to do today

5. Get a drink of water

6. Stagger into the kitchen for breakfast

Five Question Friday - Seasame Street Edition?

1. What was the first car you owned?
An old blue Pontiac Grand Am...I was so proud of that car!  We sold it about a year after we got married.

2. What song are you embarrassed to know the lyrics to?
Oh, wow...probably something like Achy Breaky Heart...I don't like country music now, but I grew up listening to, and even though it's been years since I heard it, I probably still know all the lyrics.

3. Have you ever had stitches?
Only after childbirth, although I'm amazed I didn't have to have them...I've been stepped on by a horse, drug across a pasture by a horse, sliced my arm from wrist to elbow (that one didn't involve a horse - lol - I slipped at a friends house and hit the edge of their raised driveway)...
4. What was your first job?
I did a lot of babysitting as a young teen, but my first real job was working at a day care center when I was in high school.

5. Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?
Oooooh, it would have to be Cookie Monster...what can I say, I have a sweet tooth!  lol

Top 3 Thursday - Shopping!

Where are your Top 3 favorite places to shop?

Ok, I guess I'm a little weird, because I'm really not much of a shopper...but I do have a few places I could go nuts in!

3. Barnes and Noble (or any other bookstore) - Put in one with a cafe, and I could spend a day...or two...or a week...can I just move in?

2. Target - cute, cheap, fun, and just a couple of blocks from my job - need I say more?

1. Ross or T.J. Maxx - The bargain hunter in me loves these places so much I rarely go anywhere but our local Ross for clothes.  (There's no T.J. Maxx nearby.)  I've found loads of adorable stuff there for next to nothing!  (Like my Nine West purse I got about a year and a half ago...an $85 purse for $25...I talked about that deal for weeks!  lol)

Spring!

I love warm weather, and after a long winter (unusual for south Texas) I am so grateful for flip-flop weather!  It's so nice to just sit outside and enjoy the sunshine and warmth.  The kids are spending a lot of time playing outside, I've planted fresh flowers, the trees are blooming again...I love spring!

Working Mom Wednesday - Kids Chores

What chores do you have your children do, and at what age?

At what age (if any) did you start giving them an allowance and what is fair?

Our kids don't get an allowance...they get a commission.  We wanted to teach them to work hard, and that you don't get handouts in life - you have to earn what you get.  They get paid $5 a week, usually, if they've helped out that week.  They don't get paid every week, though - it's usually more like every other week.

My oldest (who is almost 8) takes out the trash and helps with yard work.  Both he and our youngest (who is almost 5) clean their rooms, put their dirty clothes in the hamper, etc.  While I'm out of school this summer, I'm going to teach them to clear the table and get their dishes ready for the dishwasher after every meal.

As they get older, I'll teach them more.  When I got married almost 10 years ago, I was clueless about to manage a house.  (In many ways, I still am!  lol)  I had lived at home and was a full-time student until I married my husband.  I couldn't cook, clean or do laundry.  I've always said that my kids will never leave home as unprepared as I was.  My oldest is already helping me in the kitchen - I call him my little sous chef - and wants to learn to cook meals totally on his own.  Mom's just not ready for that yet!  I also want them to learn to do their own laundry and clean.  My husband will have them doing more yardwork too as they get older.

Marinated Green Beans

I just had this dish for the first time a couple of weeks ago...it is green bean bundles, minus the bundles.  lol  Same great taste, much easier prep.

• 1 stick butter

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 cans green beans
• 5-6 slices of bacon

1. Combine butter, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic powder and heat until bubbly.
2. Drain beans and place in a 9x13 dish.
3. Pour headed liquid over beans.
4. Cover the top with raw bacon strips.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until the bacon is crisp.

Menu Plan Monday -- 4/19

As you can see, I'm using my slow cooker A LOT this week!  I'm pretty tired right now, finals are coming up, and my dishwasher is broken...thank goodness a repairman will be there Wednesday to take care of it!

Monday Lunch: chicken tender salad
Monday Dinner: kielbasa and cheese casserole (slow cooker)

Tuesday Lunch: taco soup
Tuesday Dinner: hearty Italian sandwiches(slow cooker)

Wednesday Lunch: spaghetti
Wednesday Dinner: kielbasa and cheese casserole

Thursday Lunch: hearty Italian sandwiches
Thursday Dinner: taco soup

Friday Lunch: spaghetti
Friday Dinner: red beans and rice (slow cooker)

Saturday Lunch: chicken tender salad
Saturday Dinner: cheesy chicken and rice (slow cooker)

Sunday Lunch: red beans and rice
Sunday Dinner: cheesy chicken and rice

Running on Empty

I am completely and totally exhausted. I think it really started when we came back from spring break and hit the ground running, getting ready for Easter, and I still hadn't really recovered from Easter when I had a round of major tests and some major work stress. This week I'm registering for summer and fall classes and have a couple of major projects at work...now it's all really catching up with me.

When I was making a decision about whether or not to go back to college, I asked a lot of people who had gone back as older students about it. They all encouraged it, but one coworker gave me wonderful, honest advice - "You can do it, but it's going to be really hard, and the one who will suffer the most is you, especially your health." I appreciated her honesty, and I'm finding out just how right she was. The lack of sleep and stress are definitely taking a toll on me. I got sick right after spring break - and I rarely get sick - and am really just now recuperating from it. But the thing is, no matter how hard it is, I don't regret it…I know that I made the right decision.

Thankfully, I'm just three weeks away from finishing out the semester, and I'll get about two months off before resuming classes for the second summer term. I plan on taking some time to clean and organize my neglected house, spend lots of time with my family, and check out a lot of really good books from the library. Giving the house a good spring cleaning and getting more organized will make me feel much better when July rolls around (so I can spend six intense weeks focusing on anatomy and physiology part two) and I'll have a chance to recharge my batteries by spending time on the things I love. I'm looking forward to it!

A Homeschool Family

I just recently discovered Tim Hawkins on YouTube, and I LOVE this video!  To all my fellow homeschoolers...enjoy!

Small Talk Six - Movies That Make Me Cry

Small Talk 6 - Movies That Make You Cry

This one was tricky for me, because I don't cry during many movies - it's a rare thing.  I'm much more likely to cry over a book than a movie, but there are a few that get me every time...

1. The Notebook

I didn't just cry...I sobbed through the entire last half hour of the movie.

2. Million Dollar Baby

I watched it once...I'm glad I watched it...I'll never watch it again.  When Clint Eastwood told Hillary Swank what the phrase on her robe meant, I lost it.

3. Titanic

I was in high school when it came out, and Leonardo DiCaprio died...of course I cried...hysterically.

4. Up

Yes, the Disney/Pixar cartoon.  I had to leave the room so my husband and kids wouldn't see me crying!

5. Armageddon

I kept saying, "He's Bruce Willis...he won't die."  I watched it with 5 other women - we all sobbed.

6. My Girl
I haven't seen it in years, but I'm sure I would cry just as much now as I did then!

Yea - 5 Question Friday!

1. What words do you use on your blog/online that you don't use in real life?

I really don't think there are any...I blog pretty much like I talk, complete with "y'all" thrown in throughout. :P

2. Do you still write checks?
Sometimes.  We're Dave Ramsey fans (as I wrote about a little in a post earlier this week - Weird is Good) so we usually do cash, sometimes debit, rarely checks.

3. Who was your favorite President and why?
Reagan (I grew up watching him as President - his love for America and his respect for the office of President amazed me) or Teddy Roosevelt (who was just a fascinating guy)

4. Are you a yeller?
I have two boys...need I say more?  lol  I try not to, but I do sometimes.

5. Have you ever dumpster dived?
I can't remember a time when I did, but I'm sure I have, and I know we have stopped in the middle of the road many times when my husband saw tools that had fallen off of someone's truck!

Thankful Thursday - comforts of home

This week I am thankful for some of my comforts...washers, dryers, and dishwashers.  Several times over the past three years I've had to be without them - when we first moved to Texas (ours were in storage until we found a house to buy), when Hurricane Ike flooded our house, and now my dishwasher is broken (but should be up and running when the repairman comes next week).  I know it sounds like a little thing, but when you have to be without them for a while, you really appreciate the fact that they make life so much easier. :)  I spend a lot of time with them.

10 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Became a Mom

I love Women of Faith Wednesday!  This is such a fun and inspiring linky.  This week's question is...

What are 10 things you wish you would have known before you became a mother?

Oh, wow...I was only 22 when I became a mom, so there were a lot of things I didn't know!

1. Motherhood is 90% guilt!

Those words from my boss have helped me so much!  As a working mom - well, really as a mom, period - guilt is part of the game.  Just knowing that I'm not the only one who feels guilty about stuff helps relieve a little of the guilt.

2. No matter what you do, someone is going to criticize you for it.

Case in point...our pediatrician wanted us to wait until our oldest son was four months old to start giving him infant cereal.  By the time he was two months old, he weighed 14 pounds.  I called him my sumo baby...he had so many rolls of baby fat he resembled the Michelin Man.  One day a church member came up to me, asking if he'd started cereal.  I explained our pediatrican's views, and she replied - with a straight face - "You're going to starve that child if you don't start him on cereal."  Really?  Someone's always going to disagree with your decisions...you just have to do what's best for your family and let the critics say what they will...sometimes you'll even get a good laugh about it!

3. Sleep deprivation is brutal - but it won't last forever.

Those first three months were tough, especially for a nursing mom.  No one else can take care of those midnight feedings!  I fell asleep in our big oversized living room chair, cradling a baby in my arms, more nights than I want to admit.

4. Watching your husband as a father will make you see him in a whole new light and love him even more.

My husband is an amazing dad!  Watching him with our boys, seeing his absolute adoration of them, just makes me fall more in love with him.  I am so blessed!

5. You will be amazed at how much you can do one-handed while cradling a baby on your hip.

Type, cook, do laundry, clean, write notes, shop for groceries...the list goes on.  A mom's multi-tasking skills are amazing!

6. One small child multiplies your laundry by at least 10 times it's normal amount.

Clothes changes are numerous...and it's amazing how much stuff such a tiny little person needs.

7. Hang on to every moment, because it goes by too fast.

Ok, so they did tell me that...but I didn't realize how true it was.  Even when you try to hang on to every moment, it still flies by.  Those moments are so precious and so fleeting.

8. You are stronger and tougher than you know.

Childbirth alone proves that...so do all the bumps and bruises, the broken bones and stiches, the fingers getting slammed in the car door...

9. You really can love someone so much it hurts.

Need I say more?

10. Being a mother gives you the greatest understanding you'll ever have of God's love for us.

As much as I love my kids, as much as I would do anything for them, including die for them - how tiny is that love compared to God's love for us?  Wow...it's breathtaking.

Weird is Good

I have come to the conclusion that our family is weird.


I've picked up on it when talking to other people at work and at school. For starters, we have no car payment - our car is 11 years old and has 170,000+ miles on it, but it runs great, and I love it. I've loved it even more since we paid it off several years ago. What's really weird is, we don't plan on ever having a car payment again. (Gasp! "But you have to have a car note - that's a part of life!" someone recently told me.) We're putting money back each month so that when my faithful old Camry finally kicks the bucket, we can buy another used car (we always buy used) outright, with no payments. Crazy, huh?

Another revelation of our weirdness came when I was telling someone that we don't have internet at our house. "No internet?" someone cried. "No, because we have it at our church, and we're there pretty much every day," I explained. "Plus I have my laptop, so I can take it to a Wi-Fi spot and get internet access whenever I need it, so we just save the money." The woman who was so offended by our lack of the internet at home asked me, "Well it's not that expensive, is it?" I agreed, but explained that we have only cell phones, so by the time we paid for a home phone plus internet, it would cost us about $50 a month, and we can get by just fine without it. She just couldn't comprehend living in such a prehistoric state.

The final revelation came when I was having a conversation at work (with several people, including the above mentioned internet lady) about college. I was talking about how I will not have any classes in 2011 until July, if I get into my program, and that we're going to have to stash back a lot of money in those months. Not only will I be paying my tuition and books, but before I start my program, I'll have to spend about $1,000 on dental hygiene tools, scrubs, face shields, gloves, etc. "Well, take out a loan," the internet lady said. I shook my head. "We decided when I started back to school that we're not doing loans. We paid off all our debt except our house a year and a half ago, and we don't want to go back into debt." She was shocked. "Well, you're just out of luck then," she said. "No, we're fine," I replied. "I've set up my tuition on a payment plan, and we'll just save up money the months I'm not in school. I'm also going to apply for scholarships. We'll make it." She just shook her head in disbelief.

So, we're weird, and we have no one to blame but Dave Ramsey. When we started watching his show a few years ago, it revolutionized the way we look at money. Since then, as I mentioned, we are debt free except our house, and we have a plan in place to pay off our 30 year mortgage in 15 years. We have an emergency fund set aside, we're saving for a new car, and we're not living paycheck to paycheck, terrified that we'll go under if something goes wrong. We're not rich by any means, but we're comfortable, and we're happy. The freedom of being debt free is amazing. I would never go back to living the way we did before. I'm happy being weird…and it makes for some really interesting conversations. Thanks, Dave.

Easy Coconut Custard Pie

This is one of my husband's favorite desserts.  It's so easy - you can whip it up in the blender in no time, and there's no crust.  Since I like to make my pie crusts from scratch, that's a big time saver.

• 2 c. milk
• 1 c. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c. coconut

1. In a blender, combine first seven ingredients for 10 seconds; scrape sides and blend another 10 seconds.
2. Add coconut and blend for 2 seconds.
3. Pour into a greaded 10 inch pie pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Menu Plan Monday - 4/12

This week's menu is a quick and easy one!  I've got tons of stuff going on this week, and a heavy load of tests at college, so it's got to be simple...

Monday Lunch: chicken sandwiches
Monday Dinner: pot pies with rice

Tuesday Lunch: baked ziti, green beans
Tuesday Dinner: grilled sandwiches, soup

Wednesday Lunch: lasagna, garlic bread, salad
Wednesday Dinner: chicken sandwiches

Thursday Lunch: grilled sandwiches, soup
Thursday Dinner: chicken in a pot

Friday Lunch: lasagna, garlic bread, salad
Friday Dinner: slow cooker red beans and rice

Saturday Lunch: chicken in a pot
Saturday Dinner: eat out

Sunday Lunch: dinner with guests
Sunday Dinner: slow cooker red beans and rice

My wild and crazy life

Wow...I'd hoped to get back to "normal" this week (or at least as close to normal as our lives get) but normal is nowhere in sight right now!  I had a presentation for one class yesterday, a quiz tomorrow, and major tests next Monday and Friday.  In the meantime, I'm trying to register for classes for the summer and fall terms.  This weekend, we have on Saturday an 8:00 a.m. tee ball game, a 5:00 p.m. Junior Bible Quiz practice, and I'll be at the church all day in between.  On Sunday, we have church, a big dinner afterward (which I'll have to take a couple of dishes for) and a 5:00 p.m. birthday party.  So, my "normal" blogging routine is on hold until life slows down a little.  Hopefully this weekend I can catch up a little, and maybe by next week there really be such a thing as normal again!

Menu Plan Monday - 4/5

Monday Lunch: chicken sandwiches

Monday Dinner: chicken pot pies

Tuesday Lunch: slow cooker nachos
Tuesday Dinner: pork chops, mashed potatoes, lima beans

Wednesday Lunch: baked ziti, salad
Wednesday Dinner: chicken sandwiches

Thursday Lunch: tuna sandwiches
Thursday Dinner: chicken ricotta bowls

Friday Lunch: baked ziti, salad
Friday Dinner: chicken in a pot

Saturday Lunch: chicken ricotta bowls
Saturday Dinner: chicken in a pot

Sunday Lunch: M3 Day - macaroni,
Sunday Dinner: tacos

What an awesome weekend!

Wow - what a weekend!  For a pastor's family, Easter is one of the most hectic times of year.  We're exhausted, but I've got to say, this has probably been one of the best Easter weekends ever.  Our Easter egg hunt yesterday was incredible, with 150 kids and over 10,000 eggs.  Our services were great today, and our Easter ministry team was unbeatable!  This week life will get back to normal...or at least as close to it as our lives ever get...and hopefully I'll be back on schedule with my blogging.  Happy Easter!