Menu Planning Monday - July 29th

I feel terrible that I have been neglecting my blog this summer. Time has just seemed to get away from us and I haven't caught up yet. I thought the kids would be less busy once they were done with school for the summer?

Nothing much to do about the past - but we can press forward from now though! Here is this weeks menu, leading up to when 4 out of 5 of us will be gone away for 1 camp or another!

Monday - Pasta night
Tuesday - Chicken (Quorn "fake" chicken pieces) and rice
Wednesday - BBQ hot dogs, burns with corn on the cob
Thursday - Homemade macaroni and cheese
Friday - Picnic dinner at the beach
Saturday - Pizza night!
Sunday - My husband will be solo for the next 3 days - so whatever he wants!

Make sure you check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu links and ideas!

Menu Planning Monday - June 10th

Just 2 more weeks of school - we can make it, right?!?! With the addition to summer soccer now for the lil man, I feel like we are even busier then usual, especially on Monday (karate from 4:30-5, soccer at 5:30 on the other side of town). Thankfully it's only Mondays that have the dual activities, and thankfully only for about 6 weeks. End of the school year activities are picking up, with addition to 3 out of 4 kids having birthdays in the next 2 weeks - I'm just praying for July to get her, and swiftly!

Monday - Picnic dinner of sandwiches, strawberries, carrots and drinks for Andrew and I, microwave meals for the rest (first night of summer soccer, right after karate class!)
Tuesday - BLTs
Wednesday - Chef salad
Thursday - Subs, veggies and chips
Friday - One pot pasta night (8th grade moving up celebration)
Saturday - Pita pocket pizzas
Sunday - fend-for-yourself (shopping day)

And make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning links and ideas!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo(s) - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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Menu Planning Monday - June 3rd

Anyone else already "checked out" for the school year and ready for summer? For those you read this and are already onto summer vacation, let me say I'm highly jealous! But I'm pretty such I checked out end of February, right after winter recess and the start of state testing prep for the kids. But I'll leave that for another time..

So This week is my last regular Girl Scout meeting before summer vacation starts. I still plan on meeting a couple of times a month over the summer for girls who want to have the chance to earn their second Journey award, so they have a chance to earn the summit award before they bridge to Cadettes next year *weep* My girls are growing up! An orthopedic surgeon appointment post-surgery for my knee, a spring concert, karate class, a Zoo (1st graders) and Hospital (girl scouts) field trip will help round out this very busy week also. Thank goodness summer vacation is right around the corner! I may complain about how busy I am, but I do love it. And it keeps me out of trouble... lol Plus, my kids still want me around for their activities, I'll take that for as long as they want me!

So to that end, here is this weeks menu to keep us feed while we're sprinting around town this week!


Monday - Nuggets (chicken and vegetarian ones) and tater tots
Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner night (french toast, sausage, eggs and regular toast)
Wednesday - Bar-B-que chicken (and vegetarian burgers), salt potatoes, salad
Thursday - Pasta night
Friday - Subs/sandwiches and chips, veggies and dip
Saturday - Pizza and salad
Sunday - Not sure yet... shopping day so I want to see what the weather is like, maybe grilling outside

Make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu tips, links and ideas!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo(s) - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
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Menu Planning Monday - May 27th

It's no shock that I've been a bit lacking in the blogging department. Spring (and the winter holiday seaso0 seems to be such a busy time of year, I barely have time to breath.

Summer will be better, right?

It's seems like a short week for us, just getting back home after spending the Memorial Day holiday weekend at with my sister and brother-in laws house. And my adorable nephews. You can still call boys adorable at ages 12 and 8, right?

Without further ado...

Monday - Baked Ziti with garlic and herb french bread (in Watertown!)
Tuesday - Pizza
Wednesday - Grilled teriyaki chicken and croissants.
Thursday - Sandwiches
Friday - Perogies and asparagus
Saturday - Homemade pizza
Sunday - Grilled chicken halves, salt potatoes, salad

Make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning tips, links and ideas!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.


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Menu Planning Monday - May 20th

Spring is crazy. Menu plans are awesome. I wish I could think blogs and they would magically post for me.
No big meals this week - way too busy for the next 4 weeks (and have been the last month already, again, Spring is Crazy), but with getting ready for the Memorial day holiday, no big shopping this week.

Monday - Fend for yourself night
Tuesday - Chicken fajitas
Wednesday - Pasta night
Thursday - Breakfast for dinner night
Friday - Leftovers!

Make sure to pop over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning information!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama
A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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Menu Planning Monday - April 22nd

So this week is even a tad crazier then usual, as I'm having (repeat) knee surgery on Wednesday. I am really glad for menu planning, and this week, freezer cooking too! Yesterday I starting the making of turkey soup, made 2 trays of stuffed shells, a dozen breakfast burritos, and started the marinade for Asian Orange Chicken for dinner this weekend. Today I'm doing a simple dinner of pasta salad and hot dogs, as it's karate and Girl Scouts, as well as baking muffins and cookies for breakfast and snacks this week.

Without further delay, here's our menu!

Monday: hot dogs, pasta salad
Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (including cinnamon belgian waffles)
Wednesday: Broccoli and cheese stuffed shells
Thursday: Turkey soup and french bread
Friday: Homemade baked macaroni and cheese
Saturday: Pizza night
Sunday: Asian orange chicken over rice, with broccoli

Baked goodies:
banana mini muffins
chocolate chip mini muffins
"snickerdoodle" mini muffins (no glaze for us!)
apple spice mini muffins
coconut chocolate chip cookies

Make sure to head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu tips and links!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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Menu Planning Monday - March 25th

Why is the week leading up to a school break always the busiest? Doctor appointments, karate, Girl Scouts, hand bells, and the start of spring sports for 2 kids!


Monday - Fend for yourself night
Tuesday - One dish chicken and rice bake (i use broth instead of soup though)
Wednesday - One dish vegetarian dinner
Thursday - Taco turkey wraps, chips, veggies
Friday - Fish fry (last one for Lent)
Saturday - Pizza night!
Sunday - Easter: Ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables (still figuring out a vegetarian main dish)

Make sure you check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for my menu tips and links!

Menu Planning Monday - March 11th

Another busy week! At least the weather is trying to improve into "almost spring" status!

Monday -  Leftover buffet
Tuesday - Paninis and soup
Wednesday - "drive through special"
Thursday - Lasagna
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Us girls will be at a Girl Scout lock-in, so it's TV dinners for the boys (hope they don't blow the microwave! jk )

Sunday - Asian orange chicken, over rice with broccoli (and I have Chicken-less Mandarin Orange Morsels for the vegearians to try)

Make sure to head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more dinner planning links and ideas!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
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Keep Calm and Craft On

It has been a while since I have posted what I've been crafting, but being as crafting time has been very few and far between, I'm not surprised at my lack of posting about crafting.

But that as it may, I have been working on a "semi-super-secret" project. no photos, as it's a surprise for the gifter, who may or may not read this blog. But I'll be finished and have it shipped off by the beginning of next week, and hoping to post photos soon there after about it.

So, for lack of my photos and details on what I've been working on, what have all of my reads been working on?

Menu Planning Monday - March 4th

As some may have noticed, I had been taking a bit of break from blogging the last couple of weeks. It's been insane here (hmm, this isn't called the Chaotic Homemaker for nothing!). In addition to working, we've had our 14th wedding anniversary, both mine and my husband's birthdays, Girl Scout cookie sale for my 2 troops and my son participating in Cub Scouts pinewood derby have left me a little deflated in doing much else. But the birthdays and anniversary is past, and pinewood derby is over for us for the year and cookie sales are winding down. Thankfully I have kept up with my menu planning through all this, even when I haven't blogged about it.

This is a relatively calm week for me. Just cub scouts and bell choir between now and the weekend, which is of course full of things for us to do. 3 cookie booths and a cub scout lock in, plus playing hand bells in church and the start of Girl Scout week!

Without further ado...

Monday - Grilled sandwiches, bread sticks and soup
Tuesday - Fend-For-Yourself night
Wednesday- Baked ziti with salad
Thursday - Sausages
Friday - Fish fry (from wegmans)
Saturday - Pizza
Sunday - Baked teriyaki chicken (and quorn "chicken" breast), with rice and broccoli

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.


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Menu Planning Monday - February 11th

Pretty typical week... not sure if I am looking forward to winter break next week... less crazy schedule or the fact all the children will be home all day long!

Monday - Homemade chicken fingers and french fries
Tuesday - Subs and chips for the kids, dinner out for J and myself - it's our anniversary!
Wednesday - Pasta night
Thursday - fend-for-yourself
Friday - Fish fry (it's Lent now, after all)
Saturday - Pizza night
Sunday - Chicken and rice

Make sure to pop over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas and links!

Menu Planning Monday - February 4th

First - let me be excited - THE BALTIMORE RAVENS HAVE WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!
Yeah, I'm a Ravens fan... have been since they became a team, and it's been 13 long years since our let trip to Superbowl.

Ok, so now that I have that out of my system, here is this weekend menu:


Monday: Homemade macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, veggie tray
Tuesday: Fend-for-yourself night
Wednesday: Chicken and rice bake
Thursday: Pasta night
Friday: Homemade chicken fingers and french fries, veggie tray
Saturday: Pizza night
Sunday: Chinese (Happy Chinese New Year!)

Make sure you check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning tips and links!

Menu Planning Monday - January 28th

Back again for another week!


Monday - Pasta night
Tuesday - Homemade chicken fingers and french fries
Wednesday - Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Thursday - Chicken and rice pilaf
Friday - "Fend-For-Yourself" night
Saturday - Baked ziti
Sunday - SUPERBOWL - Pizza, wings and more...


Make sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas and links!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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Menu Planning Monday - January 21st

I'm a very happy football watching fiend right now as - THE RAVENS ARE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL!!!

Ok, now that THAT is out of my system for a moment, back to the topic at hand, menu planning!

Crazy week with all the activities as usual, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts (den and pack meeting back-to-back), bell choir, 2 nights of work... oh and we're in the midst of Girl Scout cookie season now, so it's even crazier then usual! Thank goodness for menu planning, even if I swap around what night gets what meal, at least I know i have items on hand for meals during the week!

Without further delay...

Monday - Pasta night
Tuesday - "Fend For Yourself" night (which lately seems to be synonyms with microwave meals)
Wednesday - Turkey soup with fresh rolls (i can buy just turkey legs/thighs, very helpful!)
Thursday - Chicken and rice bake
Friday - Homemade "fast food" night ("chicken strips" and french fries)
Saturday - Pizza night
Sunday - Baked Ziti

Make sure you hop over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas and links!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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Keep Calm and Craft On

I maybe quiet possibly the SLOWEST knitter ever!

I am still dragging my way through knitting Elizabeth's Wonderful Wallaby (rav link). I'm about 2/3rds of the way through knitting the first sleeve. I know, not much progress since i last posted about this project back before Thanksgiving! Of course there was some Girl Scout SWAPs, a Dog Sweater during that time, but given it seems that my people on rav do these sweaters completely in less then a month... yes, I'm a slow knitter.

I'll blame the perfectionist part of me for that!

But none the less, we're getting a move on things and I'm hoping to have it finished in time for spring weather (and to cast on one for the eldest, since she's itching to have one herself now too)

 

I'm joining Nicole and the rest of those linking up over at the Frontier Dreams blog.

Menu Planning Monday - January 14th

I took a bit of a break last week from this blog, mostly just because I've been overwhelmed with life in general. If I could clone myself, I seriously would consider it! I am sure I'm not the only parent to consider this idea, too! lol

But seeing as I can NOT clone myself, I'll settle for doing what I can to streamline our hectic schedules, and menu planning seems key. So on that note - here is this weeks menu!


Monday - Pasta night
Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner (mom's craving pancakes! lol)
Wednesday - Sesame chicken with lo mein and green beans
Thursday - Soup, salad and bread sticks
Friday - Fend-For-Yourself night (leftovers or simple sandwiches)
Saturday - Chicken and rice bake
Sunday - Pizza (and football - GO RAVENS!)

Make sure to head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning ideas and links!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama 

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

 If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

 . . . . . . . . 

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

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   I don't normally add any comments to this posting, but it is with a heavy heart that I share that yesterday, due to an accident, Jumper (the dog pictured above) has died. 

Keep Calm and Craft On

It feels a while since I shared any of my crafting, I was on "super secret mode" for holiday gifts... which sadly, didn't work out the way I wanted. Perhaps because I waited too long to start them?) However, I did get a bit of crafting time in over the holiday week, making a very special doggie his own warm sweater for winter!

I used a free pattern from the Lion Brand yarn website called Flower Garden Dog Sweater (ravelry link). I obviously left the flowers off of it from this dog (male), but I could see how they would be a nice addition for a girl dog sweater. I went with acrylic yarn for this, as I imagine it will be washed frequently! The yarn color is Lion's Brand Hometown USA, super bulky weight in a color called Forth Worth Blue. The photos makes it look weird, as I used flash for the 1 photo, and not the others!

Since Jumper is a Jack Russel Terrier, a sweater is pretty much a necessary here during upstate New York winter (of which we have some real snow for this year!). And since it's a nice dark color, I won't "lose him" in the snow! While a "tight" fit in these photos, it has stretched a bit since then, even though I used 1 hook size smaller then called for. I imagine if I make this again, I would take it in further still, esp on the back piece.

No linking this week, but I wanted to share this so I can move onto a non-holiday crafting posts next week! You can see Nicole's fabulous mama made gifts will over to Frontier Dreams!