March 6-10 Meal Plan

The best laid plans...I made a wonderful meal plan last week for this week.  Then on Saturday I defrosted the chicken for Sunday's meal and left it the microwave.  Unfortunately it was the last of the chicken, completely derailing my first day plan.  Then on Sunday I forgot to pull out the pork for the pulled pork sandwiches on Monday.  Fortunately I bough chicken this morning, so I just moved Sunday to Monday and Sunday we had leftovers.

So here is our plan.

SUNDAY: Leftovers

MONDAY:  Bruschetta Chicken Bake

TUESDAY: Chick-fil-a for Princess Night with Caelyn 

WEDNESDAY: Pizza

THURSDAY:  Chicken and Mushrooms with Polenta

FRIDAY: Chicken Pot Pie

SATURDAY:  Taco Bar 

February 27-March 5 Meal Plan

This week we are starting potty training...again.  Hopefully this time we will stick to it.  Caelyn has decided that she wants to wear her Dora underwear, and I told the only way is if she goes in the potty.  We will see how this goes!  That being said, I am trying to do recipes that don't take very long or that I can do most of the prep work during nap or during the morning, that way my time is a little more flexible.

My parents came this weekend so my dad could help Phil do some sound system work in the church.  That caused some slight alterations in our meal planning, mostly we ordered pizza on Saturday instead of cooking so we could spend more time together.  So, instead we had quesadillas on Sunday.  I am trying a new recipe this week, Orzo Stuffed Peppers.  If it turns out ok, then I will post the recipe.  They look DELICIOUS and they had multi-colored packs of peppers at BJs, so it made the list.

On a side note, BJs had Panera's Baked Potato Soup in their refrigerator section.  That made me so happy.  I love their soup, and am hoping it will live up to my expectations.

So, here is the list.

SUNDAY: Quesadillas

MONDAY:  Tortilla & Black Bean Pie

TUESDAY: Orzo Stuffed Peppers 

WEDNESDAY: Apricot Chicken, Peas, & Rice

THURSDAY:  Enchiladas

FRIDAY: Salisbury Steak & Mashed Potatoes

SATURDAY:  Dinner at a Friend's House

I am excited about not cooking on Saturday.  I do have to bring either a dessert or a side.  I think I will Dreamsicle Cookies, always a favorite.

Good Idea/Bad Idea

Good Idea: Buying a large pot of hyacinth flowers
Bad Idea: Setting them next to your 2 year old in the cart

Good Idea: Planting them into new cute small pots
Bad Idea: Doing it on your kitchen floor

Good Idea: Letting 2 year old wash her hands while you clean up
Bad Idea: Spilling water on top of the dirt creating mud

Good Idea:  Let your daughter swiffer up the dirt left on the floor
Good Idea: Put your new cute hyacinths on your shelving to enjoy

We headed to Lowe's today to take a gander at the mis-tint paint shelf before heading to meet some friends for lunch at Chick-fil-a.  Lowe's didn't have any paint that I wanted, so we took a few minutes to look around and see what kind of good deals they had going on.  AND I HIT THE JACKPOT!  The best deal was the hyacinth on manager's special for $2.  I got one pot, which had 14 bulbs in it.  I filled seven different pots with hyacinth.  Five are in the living room and two are on the ledge in between the kitchen and family room.

I also got two sets of 3 baskets for $3.97 each, marked down from 17.97.  My closet upstairs is in need of some serious organization.

I got two curtain tie back hooks for $2.97 each, marked down from 9.97.  I am going to use those as hand towel hooks for our down stairs bathroom.  Right now there is a full size towel bar, which makes no sense in a half bath.

Feb 21 -27 Meal Plan

Here is our meal plan for this week.  I had a meeting tonight so I made dinner for Phil and Caelyn before I left.  Creamed Chicken Over Biscuits is one of our favorites and a quick alternative to chicken pot pie.  The recipe is only for two people, but now there are three.  I just add a little more chicken and more peas which stretches it for the three of us.

MONDAY: Chicken and Veggies Over Biscuits
TUESDAY: Battered Fish and Sweet Potato Fries
WEDNESDAY: Meat Ball Subs and French Fries
THURSDAY: Pork Chops and Butternut Squash Risotto
FRIDAY: Bruschetta Chicken Bake
SATURDAY: Quesadillas

Feb 14-20 Meal Plan

Here is the meal plan as it stands right now.  As always, it is subject to change to fit our ever changing schedule.

MONDAY:  Pulled Pork ( I didn't make it last week because of company)
TUESDAY: Fajitas & Rice
WEDNESDAY:  Homemade Pizza
THURSDAY:  Shepherd's Pie
FRIDAY: Stuffed Shells & Salad
SATURDAY: Valentine's Day Banquet

I leave Sunday as a "Wild Card" day.  I always have the stuff ready to make chicken pot pie or baked spaghetti if we don't have enough leftovers for all of us to eat.  I also have been making larger meals so Phil has leftovers to take for lunch.

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

I was reading an article about saving money on groceries by doing a vegetarian night once a week.   I don't think my husband would really be on board with that, but I am pretty sure I can slip in once and a while.

I found this recipe in my Martha Stewart "Great Food Fast" cookbook.  I adapted it slightly because I didn't want too much heat so Caelyn would eat it.  The recipe says that it takes about an hour from start to finish and I think it was just shy of an hour when I was finished.  The beauty of this recipe is next time I can make it the night before or make it during nap time.

(courtesy of Martha Stewart.com)

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

adapted from Martha Stewart's - "Great Food Fast"

4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 large onion, diced 

1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)  {I substituted half a can of canned chopped chiles}
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1 sliced scallion for garnish (if desired)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a knife, trim the tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add beans and water to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fit a tortilla in bottom of pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie if using a spring form pan or serve out of pan if using a cake pan; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges.

Dancing

I have a little girl that loves to dance. 

She has music in her head all the time.  

She will dance by herself or grab an unsuspecting partner.

Grocery Shopping

I don't like grocery shopping.  I am learning about using coupons and am really getting into that part.  I really like to use them at Target where I can stack manufacturers coupons and their online coupons.  Did you know you could do that?  I learned that recently, I used a Similac.com coupon ($3), Target.com ($2), and a formula check( $5) to buy formula last week.  Saving $10 on formula is awesome.

That aside, I don't like to go to the grocery store.  It was pretty easy with Caelyn, one kid, one juice cup, and a snack and we could quickly knock it out.  Now with two kids it seems to be a lot harder, especially with Jackson still in the infant seat.  His seat doesn't fit securely in most grocery carts so he either has to go in the basket or I have to wear him in the Mobi or Bjorn.  It is quite the adventure to run errands.

However, I found this list online that makes it easier to be organized.  The list is designed to be made into a cute list pad, but I found a "better" use for it.  I normally go to two stores while I am shopping, BJs & some sort of grocery store or Target.  I love Target, but that really needs a whole post of its own.  I printed out a few of the pages and post them on the fridge.  On one side I write BJs and the other side I write grocery store.  That way as I discover we need something I can mark it on the list from the appropriate store.  Then, when I go to the grocery store I fold it in half so I am only looking at the store I need and I tuck the coupons I am going to use inside it.

The list is also customizable, so I added the things we buy most often and take off the things we don't ever buy.  I also use the empty blanks at the bottom to write the high dollar coupons that I have with me. That way I can remember to look to see if certain items are on sale.  For instance, I have been carrying around  a $2 Aveeno coupon with me for a couple weeks, and finally it was on sale.

If you have a better system, let me know!

My Meal Plan

I should be cooking dinner right now, but instead I am sitting here trying to decide if I need to revise my meal plan for the week.  The problem is two fold; one, we have company coming at the end of the week, one of whom is a very picky eater.  The second is, I did all my grocery shopping today and I really don't want to go back out.  I have found that if I don't plan ahead we either end up eating quesadillas courtesy of Phil or end up eating out.  By making a plan I have cut down our eating out to once a week.

So, here it is as it stands:

MONDAY: Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
TUESDAY: Crock Pot BBQ Pork & Sweet Potatoes Fries
WEDNESDAY: Baked Spaghetti & Green Beans
THURSDAY: Lemon Pepper Steaks with Cucumber Raita, Rice, and Salad
FRIDAY: New Recipe: Black Bean Tortilla Pie

They all in theory take less than 45 minutes.  When I have a few more minutes I will post some recipes.

Change & a Little Bit of Honesty

This is the third  fourth time I have started this post tonight.  I keep changing my mind about what I want to post. So much has happened in our lives since Jackson's arrival I can barely keep it all straight.  Quite honestly I tried to put too much on my plate and felt like I was about to collapse under it.  I am a pretty organized person and can do almost anything I put my mind too, but realized over the last few months, I don't have to  and can't do it all.  I forget that on a weekly basis and am constantly struggling to balance God, my family, home, and church.  I don't know what I would do if I also worked outside the home.  I have a special appreciation for women who have to work outside the home and still care for their families.

I have been struggling with who I am.  There are many things that I know, I know that I am a child of the King.  I know that I am saved by grace through faith.  I know that I am a mom, wife, and daughter.  I know that my husband loves me and that I love him.  I know that God has blessed me with two beautiful children.  I know that I am a pastor's wife.  That is where my struggle begins.

I grew up in a pastor's home.  I occasionally felt that the church was more important than me.  In my eyes we were there everytime the doors were open, always early, always staying late.  My mom and dad were involved in what felt like everything.  By the time I got to college I didn't want to marry a pastor.  I didn't want to feel like I had to do everything.  However, that is not the plan that God had for me.  I met the most amazing man and fell in love with him, knowing that God had called him into ministry.

There are many books about being a pastor's wife.  I have read many of them, I have read blogs and magazine articles about being a pastor's wife.  I have watched other women do it, some good examples, others need a good example.  I have struggled at the last two churches because I have been more concerned about what others expected me to do, than what God expected.

Here is what I have learned over that last few months.  1) It doesn't matter what I do if I don't have the right heart.  If I am serving because it is what is expected, I should probably just stay home.  I need to continually be in God's word and growing in my relationship with Him . 2) After God comes my family.   My primary responsibility has a wife and mother is to care for my husband and children.  Phil can sometimes keep "odd" hours as a pastor.  Our family's schedule is often interrupted by meetings, hospital visits, and phone calls.  We are learning to adapt to this new way of life.  I am called to love and serve him.  Next comes my two beautiful children My kids well-being comes first, if we have to miss something, it's ok.  That is the thing I have struggled with the most, what is too much.  I have realized that I need to do a better job managing and organizing my time so we can plan ahead be better.  3) God has given me a passion for the family.  I love kids!   Especially my own.  Over the last two and half years I have been working at becoming a better mother and home manager.  Money management is not my strongest suite, but I have working at improving.

All that to say this.  I am changing my blog.  Don't worry, I will still post our fun pictures and stories.  However, I am going to add some "family" elements to it; recipes, money saving tips, a good book here and there.  To be honest, I will probably do a lot of linking to other people's blogs.  There are a lot of really smart people out there that have been doing this a lot longer than I have.  I haven't figured out where I fit in at our new church, I am still getting to know people and see what the needs are.  I do know that we have a lot of working moms that may need a few dinner suggestions and scoop on a good deal now and then.

I like to have a purpose.  Now my blog has one too. So, more changes to come.

Merry Christmas!

So, it has been a while since I last posted.  Things have been pretty busy around here and they aren't slowing down for a little bit.  Here is our Christmas card/summary of our year.  I still have Christmas cards to mail, but I ran out of stamps.  I also have pictures to post, but we still haven't found the cable to download the pictures.  We will find it eventually, but for now here is our card.

Merry Christmas!

He's Here

Ok, so he has been here for almost a week, but this is the first time I have had time to sit down and actually right about it.  This won't be long because Jackson is starting to stir in his crib.  Yes, his crib! Caelyn wasn't a fan of her crib, so we are starting out early this time with hopes it will go smoothly.

Stats:
Jackson Philip Gifford
Born @ 12:40 pm
Weight: 8 lbs 8 oz
Length: 21 inches

We are so in love with him and Caelyn is a fantastic big sister.  She loves her little brother so much and wants to spend as much time with him as possible.  I know that will soon change, but I am enjoying the happy moments we have together.

Here are a couple pictures from the last week.

First Picture with Mom & Dad

MeMe & PawPaw

All of Us

Sweet Moments for Mommy & a Curious Big Sister

Reading Jackson "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Holding Her Baby Jackson

Ready to Go Home

Reading a Bed Time Story, Again it is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"

Cute Boy

Caelyn Tickling Jackson

Little Helper

I hate doing dishes, it is my least favorite chore in the whole world.  Fortunately I have a husband who doesn't mind doing the dishes and is quite effective at it.  However, since Phil has been busy working on home projects to prepare for the arrival of Jackson I have volunteered to do the dishes until I can no longer reach the faucet.

However, it seems like every time I start the dishes Caelyn goes from playing nicely on her own to wanting to be right at mommy's side.  So yesterday I filled the empty side of the sink with water and bubbles and let her go to town.  While I did dishes for 1/2 and hour, Caelyn played happily with one little cup in the soapy water.  It was great knowing exactly where she was and she had a lot of fun "doing dishes" with mommy.

One Month

One month from today Jackson is scheduled to arrive.  Hopefully he will keep that appointment or show up a little early.

Slurpee Round 2

Caelyn calls slurpees "Special Treats" because that's what they are.  We don't get them very often, but we all enjoy them when we get the chance.  We stopped to get slurpees on the way home from the beach with Phil's parents when they came to visit.  I don't think I took any other pictures while they were here, but I did get this on camera.

Trying it with a spoon

Looking for a quicker way

Style

My little girl has her own sense of style.  Including wearing her sunglasses upside down.

Look Out

Caelyn loves her binoculars.  Her favorite thing is to climb up on the ottoman and look for Phil.

Zoo with Daddy

Once a week we try and do something "special" with Caelyn as we prepare for the business that will come with a new baby.  We love to go to the zoo and this time Daddy was able to come with us.  It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun.

Caelyn's First Slurpee

Taking it Seriously

Up Close with the Ostrich

Watching the Giraffe Eat Breakfast

Riding the Rhino

Sitting Pretty on the Butterfly

One Angry Bison

Hopefully we will get to go again before Baby Jackson arrives, if not we will wait until it cools down and visit in the fall.

A little bit behind

So I have gotten a little bit behind in my blogging.  I am pregnant and have a two year old, need I say more.  We have already had a fun filled summer.  Including Caelyn's birthday, a trip to Orlando, and our many adventures around the house.  Here is a picture to keep you happy until I can post the rest.

Helping Daddy Assemble Her "Big Girl Bed"

Big Girl Room

With Jackson arriving in September, we wanted to Caelyn used to sleeping in her "Big Girl Bed" in her "Big Girl Room."  We sent Caelyn to Meme and Papa's for the weekend so we could make the big switch without her being there to through too much of a fuss.  Caelyn isn't a big fan of change, so we hoped a fun filled weekend with grandparents would help smooth it out.  We painted and put the bed together the week before, but we still had to switch all of Caelyn's clothes, toys, and some of her furniture from her old room to her new room.

Phil and I were at Tim & Angela's wedding when Caelyn came home, so we missed the big reveal.  However, my mom sent me a text message to tell me everything had gone smoothly so far and she loved her new room.  It took a couple days to adjust from the toddler bed to the full bed, but I think we are on track now.

Here are some pictures of Caelyn's "Big Girl Room."

We painted her walls Pale Apple by Valspar and she got a new headboard and footboard from Ikea.  I got a steal of a deal on the bedding from Pottery Barn, which made me oh-so-excited.

I updated the letters from her nursery to make them more fun and to match the colors of her bedding.

Inexpensive plain white curtains from Target with cute coordinating ribbon ironed on with Stitch Witchery, easiest project ever!

It is still a work in progress however, I need to paint this chair.  However, I am waiting to ask Phil until he is done with Jackson's room :)

Hopefully I will have pictures of Jackson's room near the end of the week.  It is almost done, but just a few finishing touches.