Thursday, October 29, 2009

mega bump

For whatever reason so many of you have asked to see my big belly. Ok, so you just asked to see my belly and here it is...yeeeeeesh. Is it December yet?334 weeks and 4 days in my pjs :)

Monday, October 26, 2009

Menu Plan 10/26-11/1

I can NOT believe it is the last week of October! We stuck to last weeks menu every single day - I was so proud of us! I ended up making a White Chicken Chili soup to eat on for lunch and it was really yummy. Ben doesn't really like that so I enjoyed being able to have it. I like a lot of broth in my soups/stews so I added extra chicken broth and it was oh so yummy. The Broccoli and Cheese soup was ok but I think it needs a little tweaking.

I have to make Chili for Ben's work on Friday so we'll eat whatever is leftover from that friday night.

Here is this weeks menu with a super fun appetizer night on Halloween. What's for dinner at your house this week?

Breakfast - Cereal, Eggs, Cereal bars and Fresh fruit

Lunch - PBJ's, tuna salad, mac and cheese, leftovers

Dinner-

Monday: Pepper Steak, Brown Rice and corn

Tuesday: Potato soup, garlic cheese biscuits

Wednesday: My Mom's Chicken spaghetti, salad and bread

Thursday: Taco Salads

Friday: Chili and Baked Potatoes (or maybe fritos or cornbread instead?)

Saturday: Halloween appetizer night! Pepperoni pizza sticks, veggie tray and grilled hot wings

Sunday: Apricot-Rosemary Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn

Jackson and I will do some Halloween goody baking this week - haven't decided exactly what yet. Last week we baked and decorated sugar cookies and early in the week I made an Apple Cinnamon Bread pudding. I had never made one before but Ben said it was really yummy :)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

priceless

My best friend Mary painted this for me...well, for the boys. Can I tell you how much I love it? I mean, seriously, this might as well be a picasso. We love you Mary.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

oh happy day

This morning we baked cookies. And then this afternoon when Ben got home we decorated them.
Jackson mostly ate sprinkles...
And icing.Oh happy day :)

Monday, October 19, 2009

Menu Plan 10/19-10/25

I've been doing really good about sticking to our menus so we can follow our budget. Starting on the first of this month we are "living" off of just Ben's salary since that's the way it will be once #2 gets here. I know it will be no surprise to those of you strict budget followers but man it makes such a big difference when you sit down and write it out...such a difference. I love grocery shopping. I'm talking LOVE going to the grocery store. If we had an infinite income there is no telling what I would come home with! So, that being said, it has been especially difficult for me to stick to my grocery budget but I have been doing it. Thank you Aldi, Kroger and Schnucks for your great sales lately :) Here's hoping I can stay on or under budget again this week.

I'm going to try to make Broccoli Cheese soup for the first time this week. Both Ben and Jackson absolutely love it so we'll see how it turns out. I'm going to follow this recipe but will probably tweak it here and there...as usual.

Breakfast will be waffles, cereal, nutri grain bars and fresh fruit.

Lunch will most likely be:
Leftovers
PBJ
Chicken strips or fish sticks
and if I'm feeling spunky, some sort of soup or pot of beans to eat on all week...for me of course :)

Monday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and biscuits

Tuesday: Chef Salad and Baked Potatoes

Wednesday: Hamburgers, homemade fries and baked beans

Thursday: Apricot Chicken and squash

Friday: Double Decker Taco night

Saturday: Broccoli Cheese soup and Brats

Sunday: Baked Spaghetti, Salad and Garlic bread

Sunday, October 18, 2009

lazy blogger

Man I need to get to blogging like a pro again. Ok, I never blogged like a pro but I at least was consistent. I have tons of things I've been meaning to blog about I just never find the time. I mean, I have time in the evenings but I'm trying to spend as much one on one time as possible with Jackson during the day and Ben in the evenings before Luke gets here. Oh yeah - did I forget to mention sweet baby boy #2's name is Luke? Whoops ;) It may change b/t now and delivery because I'm crazy like that but as of now Luke it is. Speaking of delivery, I'm 33 weeks today. I had Jackson at 39 weeks exactly so I'm pretty sure I'll go two weeks over this time around. You know, just to even things out.

We went to visit family last weekend and had a really great time. Ben's oldest sister has a little boy born two days after Jackson and one just born in March. We celebrated both of them with a birthday party and baby dedication. Fun stuff and always great to see everyone. Man, we are a full house now. 7 grandkids and one on the way...bless PawPaw and Gigi's hearts.

We got to stay at my aunts house while we were in town and she fed us oh.so.well. First night we had Jerk Chicken Pasta and Banana Pudding for dessert and then Sunday before we left she made us a big pan of her famous hot wings. I was in heaven... well until I weighed in this past Thursday but hey, what can you do :)

We also went to a family day at Ben's work before heading out of town and then to a pumpkin "patch" today but I'll blog about those another time. Here are some pictures of all the grandkids from the dedication and party. Hope ya'll are doing well.

Sweet baby Kaleb at his dedication
Two super yummy and super cute cakes

Hannah and Karleigh BFF - can't you just see the attitude in their expressions? I love it!
Jackson and PawPaw
Hudson - almost a big one year old
Birthday boy Kole
Cael - I love this picture and hate that it's blurry...

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Full Circle

Remember this post? Well evidently I was right on the money when I said he would be ready for them in a little over a year...

This is what happens when you ask a two year old little boy, "What do you want to wear today?"

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Happy Birthday Bear!

Here are some pictures from Jackson's birthday. We went to the zoo, chick fil a and then to Paw-Paw and Gigi's house not to mention opened a ton of presents from everyone! We continue the celebration for Kole's birthday in R'ville this weekend. Hope you enjoy the pictures :)

Saturday, October 3, 2009

My Little Man


Here's my big two year old boy having some fun visiting Daddy at work. Stay tuned - a birthday boy post to come :)