Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas blessings

it was an amazing christmas in this household once again.
we tried to get every memory possible into the week of christmas.

we made a gingerbread house


and gingerbread boys


we went to candlelight service*

we ate prime rib with homemade bread and all the fixings

we spent time with family

we played

we made santa cookies

we fed the reindeer**


we watched a movie and then curled up together in mama's room


we checked the santa radar and closed our eyes before he made it to missouri

we woke on christmas morning and had homemade cinnamon rolls

we opened presents and watched it snow

we soaked up the blessings that spilled over us

and finally

mama crashed with exhaustion!

*there may have been a not so magical moment when the pastor said "and they took the body"
maggie misunderstood and stood up and yelled for all in the service to hear "THEY CAN NOT TAKE MY POTTY!!! HAAAAY MISTER YOU GIB ME BACK MY POTTY!!!"

**yes that is my snowman face down in the snow... yes we fed the reindeer from the front porch, it was freezing and snowing outside!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

the dinner email

(this is a copy of an email we have been sharing for a couple of weeks - thought i would post it in case our other friends were interested in some easy, sometimes healthy, sometimes cheap,
most of the times yummy dinner ideas.
the point of this was to shave a lot of time off planning meals, making lots of trips to the store and fretting over dinner. its also meant to save money by only going to the store once and eating at home more)

here we go again.
last week allison and i didn't get around to meatloaf, so its making another appearance.
its a lot of food, so you may not have to make it all, just ideas if you would like...

baked ravioli
frozen cheese ravioli
jar spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese
(put ravioli in a casserole dish, cover with sauce and cheese, cover in foil - bake for about 30 minutes, uncover, cook until cheese is all bubbly)
serve with loaf italian bread and green salad

chicken pot pie
3 cups cook and cut up chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
bag frozen mixed vegetables
add garlic salt, pepper as you wish
1-2 cans biscuits
(mix the first four ingredients in casserole dish, bake in oven for 15 minutes
at 375, then take out and top with biscuits and bake until brown)

taco soup
cooked hamburger (about 1-2lbs)
can diced tomatoes
can corn
can kidney beans
can black beans
can chick peas or other beans of your choice
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch seasoning
mix all together and cook either in crock pot for a few hours, or on the stove for about 30 minutes - 1hr.

meat loaf
same as before- make it how you like it
this time we are having it with new potatoes and green beans
allison's green beans
cut up about 4 slices bacon, fry, add chopped onion and cook until soft, add
a few cans green beans and several new potatoes cut into half or quarters
cover and cook for about an hour

home made chicken nuggets
cut up boneless skinless chicken breast into bite size pieces
coat with shake and bake, cook according to package directions
i eat them over salad (like a healthy fried chicken salad)
or serve with tator tots and a veggie for the kids

~we usually have a little something for dessert, such as some type of berries over
frozen yogurt, something somewhat healthy like that.

that's all for this week
i printed this and highlighted what i didn't have at home, then took that to the store as my shopping list. voila, no more grocery store for the week.
well, that's a lie, i did go back for ice cream one night, laundry soap another night
and paper towels a third night.
next week i will be better at this.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

lunch lady

a quick funny...
i had to work today for the college, but jeff promised carson he would go eat lunch with him
he had maggie and ashton with him, so they all headed up. most public outings with maggie are scary, because we never know what will fly out of that mouth next. today was no different.
they got in the lunch line with all the other first graders and teachers and she told the lunch lady, "i toot on your chicken nuggets"
well the little ones all started laughing at that and so she repeated herself and added in
"your fwench fwies taste like poop wady."
nice.
molly wants us to come eat with her tomorrow... im out.