Menu Plan Monday 9/14/09 - 9/20/09

Ready for a new week!

I've been looking through my cookbooks. I'm trying to pull out some forgotten recipes, so hopfully we'll enjoy some old favorites. We're trying a couple new things, too, and I'm planning to double the Lazagna and putting the extras put in the freezer.

It should be a good week! Thanks to Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday!

Monday:

busicuts and applebutter (made in my tiny Crock Pot on Saturday)

Grilled Cheese sandwiches and fresh peaches

out to dinner -- Little Birthday Celebration :)

Tuesday:

Cereal

Soup, crackers, cheese

Lazagna, peas, salad, bread

Wednesday:

oatmeal, eggs and potatoes

grilled sausages, couscous

out to McAllen for church

Thursday:

"Cakes"

Grilled Turkey and cheese

Peppersteak, rice

Friday:

Oatmeal

Chilequillas w/ fresh salsa

Chicken Enchiladas, rice, beans

Saturday:

Waffles

BLT (turkeybacon)

Chicken Tostadas

Sunday:

Cereal, fruit

out

Fajita, rice, beans, salsa

We make fresh salsa a lot lately, the nice thing is, you can really suit it to your own taste. We make a cooked salsa, which is suprisingly simple, I usually use roma tomatoes they are the best price here and pretty flavorful, too.

here's what I do:

4-5 roma tomatoes

3-4 jalepenos or serrano peppers, (we've been using serranos lately, they have a different flavor - I think they are a little milder, too. this still makes a medium spicy salsa, so you may want more or less depending on your own taste)

2 cloves of garlic

chunk of onion

put it in a sauce pan with water to boil bring up to a rapid boil for a few minutes, then turn off. I let mine sit for a while and get back to it when I can (I get a little busy sometimes...) Take out tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onion with a slotted spoon and put in blender, blend till smooth, add a little water from that you boiled in if you need to loosen it up a little. Salt to taste and eat it hot or let cool and refridgerate. Easy!

You can even do this in the mictowave! Put the stuff in a microwave in water in a bowl, and microwave on high for 5 minutes then follow the rest of the direcitions. Even Easier!!

Love in Christ!

Picture catch-up time!

We've been busy and the kids are growing. Here are some moments from this summer:

Theona took a ballet class this summer. She loved it and we are considering continuing it this school year. After class one day we swung by Papa's work for a quick "Hello" and watched part of ICE AGE 3 before heading home.

We went Thrift Shopping in McAllen (One of my favorite hobbies!) Jecoa helped scope out some old kitchen electronics and toys.

We spent a night at South Padre Island (this deserves it's own post!) We had a blast at the beach, checked out a Sea Turtle rehabilatation center, and attended a friend's wedding on the beach before heading back home. It was a beautiful little weekend getaway! It was my (and the kids) first time to go to the Gulf of Mexico. It was so nice, now that I know how close it is we won't be strangers!

We had a friend from bible college over He was in town visiting his inlaws, who live near us. (Small world, huh?!) We sure had fun catching up with him and his wife, and getting to see their four beautiful children. Elihu kissed their baby! ha ha. You can come over; he'll give you a kiss, too!

That's it for now. Hope to share more soon!

Love to All!

Best. Venison. Ever.

It's a little surprising that I'm posting two food posts in a row, but Last night the dinner I made was unexpectedly DELICIOUS.

We had been given some Venison that was taking up space in my freezer, and though I was hesitant to cook it, fearing game-y, tough results, I pulled out the Slow cooker and decided to give it a go.

I had some two large strips and two small. I think the meat was from the back. I was going for stew-type results, so I salted, peppered and paprika-d, coated with flour and browned it in a pan with a little oil. I put it in the Crock with a few cloves of garlic, a can of diced tomatoes, a hand full of baby carrots and diced up1/2 each of a green bell pepper and a red one. I added no liquid, but when it was pretty much done and I checked it, The liquid released from the meat was about as high as the meat, but I thought it needed a little something else. I added 1 cup of water with two tomato bullion cubes dissolved in it and a bay leaf. (Next time I would do this in the beginning.)

An hour later (on low) when we were ready to eat, the meat was just about falling apart. I made seasoned rice and served it up over the rice for me and next to it for Abe and the kids. (And some green beans that needed to be eaten.) We also had the neighbor over. He lives alone and I know he hunts, so I figured he was up for an adventurous meal.

Mmm. It was good. I think I could have fed this to Jenni (or anyone else not inclined to eat deer meat) and we all would have enjoyed it. Maybe I got a particularly nice piece of venison, but I would try this again anytime I was unsure about how to cook a wild piece of meat. Not really "stew", but delicious! And if I'm ever out of wild meat, I may just try this with a roast or something. YUM!

Menu Plan Monday - Aug. 31

Well, I have been writing weekly menu plans for a long time now, but I haven't participated in Menu Plan Monday over at the Organizing Junkie Blog in a long, long time. So, I'm back in! Here is this week's plan. If you look closely, I think you can tell it's been overcast and rainy for a few days now (there is a lot of "comfort food" on here!)

Since I just got back from vacation and the cupboards were kind of bare, I did my planning/shopping backwards. Usually, I plan based on what I have then I shop for what I need picking up sale items for the next week and the best priced fruits and veggies to fill out the meals. This week I just filled in our usual staples, picked up some deals and reasonable priced things, then planned. (We also had some venison in the freezer, so I'm trying that out this week. There is still quite a bit frozen, so I guess I'll get to try many new recipes.)

Monday:
Oatmeal
Cheese Dogs, blueberry applesauce
Venison Stew (carrots, peppers), rice, bread
snack: yogurt, popcorn

Tuesday:
Oatmeal Apple Muffins, Fruit Smoothies
bean, green chile and cheese burritos, watermelon.
Crock pot chicken, rice, green beans, salad, garlic bread.
Sn: grapes, cheese & crackers

Wednesday:
eggs and potatoes, tortillas, fresh salsa
chicken fried rice
out to church
Sn: watermelon, banana bread

Thursday:
Pancakes, Orange Juice
homemade mac & cheese, broccoli, garlic bread.
chili and cornbread
desert: watermelon
Sn: carrots and ranch, homemade yogurt popsicles

Friday:
Cereal
BLTs (turkey bacon. I found a great deal at a local store!)
Chicken Tostadas, rice
Sn:apples and Pb, banana bread

Saturday:
Waffles
rolled french bread sandwich.
Turkey and Zucchini Lasagna, salad, garlic bread
Sn: yogurt pops, crackers and cheese.

Sunday:
eggs and salsa, tortillas
tuna melts/grilled cheese
Fajita, broccoli, tortillas, fresh Salsa, Aguas de Sandia (Watermelon Water) if there is any left.
Sn: Banana Bread

Thanks, Laura, for the motivation to stay organized in the menu department!

Love in Christ to All!!

Oops!

I sure haven't blogged in a while. Well, we'll just call it busy-with-summer and get back to things now that the next season has started... The middle school across the street from us is busy again. I can see the buses full of kids arriving from my kitchen window in the morning.

We just got back from a nearly month long vacation in Oregon. The kids and I visited my family while Abe stayed home to work. Boy! Did we miss him!! It was a wonderful visit and I'm so glad the kids got to know their Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin as well as spend some extended time with Grandma and Grandpa.

We've only been home a few days, but I guess we're back to normal. Monday is Washing day and I'm changing the beds and unpacking and putting away the last of our stuff from our trip. I went with the intention of shopping for some clothes I needed for the winter and the next size for the kids. I went with about a bag and a half full and I came back with 3 bags packed to bursting!! I think I got some pretty useful stuff. Some was hand me downs, some was second hand from a consignment store I LOVE. I wish I lived closer, but it's probably a good thing we don't! :) I bought the Little People School Bus full of people there for only $5. I also found a nice dollhouse, but it was a little too big to bring back, so it stayed at the store.

So, on to Washing and writing a menu plan for the week.

Next week we're starting our Homeschool preschool! I think it will be great fun. Theona is very into school stuff and Jecoa is pretty interested in whatever his big sister is doing, so I'm expecting excitement over the whole thing! Our school year schedule is probably going to seem very busy at first, but I still hope to blog. I'm gonna put it on our schedule. We'll see how that works.

Love in Christ to All!!

"BOB" Party

(B.O.B. is the little blue guy with the eyeball.)

Yesterday was Jecoa's birthday. What a fun day we had!

We went out early and looked at a house we are interested in buying. It's a nice one. The kids like it, too.

We ran by the dollar store and picked up a couple things. Water toys and balloons.

We came home and did normal stuff. During nap time I finished the B.O.B. cupcakes (from Monsters vs. Aliens), added water to our little pool, made salsa and filled water balloons.

Sadly, the kids we invited weren't able to make it, but a couple grown up friends we invited and the kids had a great time with each other any way.

The B.O.B. cupcakes were fun. Jecoa said he wanted a "B.O.B. Party" after seeing some party plates at the store. It was a fun choice. And he kept saying "B.O.B. cake!" It was very cute. (Also I thought the whole theme worked out pretty well because Abe grilled and the kids played in the pool. In the movie the Monsters all went to a BBQ and swimming summer kind of party at Susan's house after they were released from captivity... maybe you gotta see the movie to follow all that ;) The water balloons were a first for them, and they were a huge hit. Theona asked what they were for and I told her we could throw them and pop them. See looked a little sad then asked, "Could we put them in the pool?!" I said sure, so as soon as it was pool time, she put them all in. They liked swimming around with a bunch of water balloons. Funny.

Abe got his big boy a tool set. He loved them. I think his favorite is the hammer. Theona declaired, "These are like Home Depot!" They have both been figuring out how to use them. Jecoa will stay occupied going around with his pretend nail and hammer and hammering everything. So far I've only said "no" to hammering the computer and the guitar....

So, that was the big "2". I can hardly believe it's been 2 years. I miss the place we lived and the friends we had near us when he was born. I hope we'll get to visit you all soon.

Happy birthday my big boy!

Ouch! My feelings hurt.

Theona got up tonight after I put her to bed and had something she wanted to tell me:

Theona: Well, Mom, I'm senafied...

Me: Oh, you are?

T: Yeah, and I'm kinda misterated...

M: Are you gonna be ok?

T: Well, yeah, but misterated is for my feelings. Cause...(as she rubbed her side and scrunched her face) my feeling hurt...

He hee hee... She's so silly and cute. She was just looking for a reason to be up! I can hardly believe she's big enough for that. She just makes me smile.

I prayed for her and her feelings and she was ready to go right back to bed. Ahh, this is a good life.

The old computer and the NEW ONE!

(Explaining my absence.)

We've had some computer problems.

For almost the last year our main computer has been my sister's old laptop. Our Mac laptop is almost dead. (It's a rare day that it works...and then only for a few minutes. It's been like that for a year, so it was, uh, retired.) Abe really would like to get a new Mac, but there have been other things to save for, so we've put that off for now. My sis's old Dell does the job.

So, the Dell has been acting up. I spent some quality time on the phone with tech support. (Now that's a good time. Not!) Turned out, the mother board needed to be replaced. That was taken care of, but immediately we were again having problems. The problems were strange and they couldn't figure it out over the phone, so they had us send the computer in for them to fix. We were not looking forward to spending a week without a computer! (We've become so attached to our gadgets, huh!)

Well, turns out we aren't without a computer for a week cause Abe bought me a present!!!He got me a little 8.5 inch, white Acer netbook!

Yeah, the little one! So Cute. (pic from here)

It's so cute and teeny! He got it for me cause I like to listen to internet radio ( a lot) and I'm pretty sure he was worried I was gonna wear out *his* computer. It was especially good timing, too, cause it arrived the day the Dell had to be shipped out for repair. I guess they're great for surfing the web, listing to my music, skype (It has a webcam built in), blogging (maybe I'll do more of that), plus I bet it's really handy to tote around cause of its teeny-tiny, so soooo cute, uh, compact size. I'm having a great time playing with my new little toy! I'm sure I'll be around here more!

**Oh, and incase you are wondering what internet radio I like to listen to, it's on iTunes radio. Click on "Religious", then my favorites are Anima Radio and Growthtrac Radio, also, KJSM Radio (that's out of the church where I went to Bible College) and KWVE (Calvary Chapel teaching). There are some other good ones, too. Do you listen to internet radio? What's your fave?

I'm home when I'm here...

The BIG Tractor.

The other day, the kids went out with their Papa after he got home from work. Apparently, they played, picked flowers and jumped in the front yard.
(Look at that girl jumping! She's been really into jumping as high as she can. Maybe she'll be a volleyball player.)

They've been really into action songs lately. One favorite is: Jumping up and down, Jumping up and down, Jumping up and down, shout Hosanna!

I'm pretty sure that was sung at some point here.
(Look, Jecoa got some air! He's a good jumper.)

Then they took a walk, and now that I see these pictures I understand why the Big hole and BIG tractor have been the hot topics of conversation for the last couple days. (Tractors and big trucks have been exciting lately. There have been a lot around since there is a park being built on one side of us and a new sub-division on another side.)

Yeah, I guess it was big!

Friday Already?!

This week absolutely flew by! Today was our shopping day. We do our grocery shopping every other Friday. I took all three kids! I think this is the first time I have taken all three and done an entire shopping trip. (Once before I took all three, did one store, came home and put them down for a nap, then went back while Abe stayed with sleeping babes, oh, and I took sleeping baby.)

We usually do two stores. Abe had to work this morning (He's been soooo busy at work this week. He's exhausted and we've missed him at home.) so we did our first store then stopped by the theater. I nursed baby and the kids ran around a little, then we were off to our second stop. We all did great. It seemed to take longer than normal, but everyone stayed happy and cooperative, and we made in home just in time for lunch and nap!

We ate some of the beautiful big sweet strawberries we bought (for a deal, by the way. I love a deal!) for lunch. We had a peaceful rest time. It was a good Friday-Shopping day.

Four Months

My baby Elihu is Four months old. This year is flying by already...My new haircut is really a lot cuter than it looks in this picture... But you weren't looking at me anyway, right?
Just look at my sweet little baby boy and those big, beautiful eyes and ears!

Today!

Ah, It's good to be here. In the present. Now.

I admit sometimes I look toward somewhere else. Where my friends are... Where my family is... Where my kids are behaving...

Some days there are too many places to wish to be. I'm learning (again) to be content where I am. Today I'm here and I'm glad.

Mondays are usually relaxing days at my house. Rest from a busy weekend, Do laundry, Make bread. It's an easy day. My "to do" list is short. But there are so many in-between things that make the day beautiful.

Jecoa is a little sick. He got a cough this weekend (We had some rain and it seems like every time the weather changes that boy has some lung issues.) He seems much better today, but he's such a little snuggle bug when he's sick. I love giving him extra love when he's not feeling his best. Usually he's too busy and independent to sit down for hugs from Momma.

Elihu is starting to get around. He gets up on his elbows, buries his head and pushes with his feet. He makes it a foot or so at a time. I don't think he means to go anywhere yet, but if he did, he'd be there! I'm pretty sure as soon as he realizes he can follow his brother and sister he's really gonna be on his way!

Oh, and I gave the big kids sweet pickles with their lunch. We never have pickles in the house (Abe HATES them), so I think the kids have only tried dill pickle slices on a hamburger a couple times. They were not a fan of dill... They both seemed excited about the sweet pickles. Theona immediately licked hers and announced that she liked it. Jecoa took a bite and immediately spit his out (and then wiped off his tongue! ha ha.) Neither of them ended up eating them. I guess they got their Papa's taste for pickles... just kidding. I'm probably gonna keep trying them. Maybe they'll acquire the taste... i don't know.

So, there's a glimpse of our Monday. There's beauty in the small stuff today.

Time flies...

I always intend to blog more regularly. I get out of the habit and it's so hard get back to it... honestly, I think I've put too much pressure on myself to blog, I'd rather enjoy it.

To catch up (all I ever do on here), the kids are growing, we've started a home study, well, home church (I guess I'm not 100% sure what to call it yet...) It's Sunday mornings. We are only having a visitor here and there, but Abe and I agree it's been a huge blessing to our little family. We still go to church on Sunday and Wednesday evenings. It's sure been a different season, but things are changing, and we pray we are following the Lord's leading as we think we are.

Mothers day was lovely. I tried to do almost nothing. I hung out with my family and held the baby. I had to keep reminding myself I was relaxing and enjoying the day. I didn't realize how busy I had become; I guess that's growing up! It was refreshing. Abe grilled and we just took it easy. It was a special day of rest from the busy days around here with three little, busy ones!

We've gotten into a great habit of having a little "circle time". Mostly, we read from the Childrens Bible and sing songs, it's great. Theona and Jecoa are very into singing right now, so they have been learning a lot of songs. I'm really excited about how this is moving us toward our first year of homeschooling. Next year I plan to start a little homeschool-preschool with Theona.

Oh, also, I finally made a couple friends around here! I met a girl from the church here in town (it's a Spanish-speaking fellowship) Her mom is so nice. She taught me to make meatballs, and she always speaks to me in Spanish "because I need to learn" she tells me. Also, I met a lady threw AWANA at the church we go to in McAllen on Wednesdays. I was so glad to meet her! It seems like we have similar ideas about a few things, and she's the first homeschooling momma I've met in the area. She told me about a local homeschool library, so I'm pretty excited about checking that out.

So, that's the excitement in my life... maybe I'll get on here a little more often and try to avoid the "catch up" posts...maybe.