Summer's Living

Swimming Season Has Officially Begun

2010-06-12T13:43:00.003-04:00

Our neighbor, Hugh and Marlene Gorlitz, opened their pool up this past Thursday, and we were all invited over for the celebratory first swim! Here's a video of Delanie's first time in the water since last year. She is the cutest little frog in the whole pool (you'll understand when you watch the video below). :)

Wagons Ho!

2010-05-30T20:18:00.025-04:00

wagon teams . . .

cowboys . . .

88 degrees . . .

wide open lands . . .

dusty trails . . .

blazing sun . . .

dust devils . . .

. . . sounds like a snippet from your history books, don't it?

Well, lucky us, that was our fantastic day today! Cowboy Cal (my mom's brother, pictured above) and his girlfriend, Sue, organized a huge wagon train shindig that our family got to participate in and be a part of. I donned my cowboy hat, Kevin broke out his chaps (ok, no not really . . . but I wish!), Kaden wore his cowboy boots and the other kiddos brought their enthusiasm for adventure!

And boy, did we get adventure!!! 8 miles, 3 hours of adventure out and all around Maybee, Michigan.

Within the wagon train we had pairs of draft horses pulling double wagons, single drafts pulling wagons, teams of miniature horses pulling carts, single minis pulling carts (little body, BIG attitude!) and a wide assortment of riders. There was a huge span of ages in the crowd too and, of course, the boys quickly made friends with two other little boys on the wagon and back at the farm.

Each of the boys had a blast taking turns riding Uncle Cal's pony (named Pony - so original!) and Elijah even got to try his hand at driving a wagon! I was so amazed at how calmly he handled the horse and cart and was one proud mama!

(I just love sharing one of my passions with my kiddos and family.)

We finished up the afternoon with a huge spread of food that Cal and Sue provided and we pigged out, gathered around tables in their pole barn. What a great time meeting new people and getting to know Cal and Sue's friends and neighbors.

Yes, it was killer hot. Yes, we were all stinky and sweaty. Yes, we are all fried to a crisp, despite applying layers of sunblock. Yes, we all forgot our water bottles and felt majorly dehydrated. Yes, we stopped traffic as we traveled the roads of Maybee. Yes, it was an awesome day and a great memory-maker! Yes, sign us up for next year!

Walking Tall, Walking Proud!

2010-05-22T09:37:00.005-04:00

Just less than one week after she turned a year old, Lanie is walking! I am so excited for her and so proud of her!

(even if you don't see an image, click on the play button below and the video will play)

Last night, after dinner at my parents house, we were sitting around enjoying some tea while the boys colored and Lanie cruised along the walls, furniture and moving boxes. My Dad sat down on the floor next to her and called to her, and to our astonishment she let go of the box she was holding onto and took two steps toward him!!! Kevin immediately ran to get the video camera and we recorded her next few brave steps. It was so cute because you can tell that she is extremely proud of herself and enjoyed all of the attention she earned.

I wish I had our Canon with us to document the moment as well, but at least there is a video for you to enjoy and for us to treasure! :)

Honestly, I'm a little surprised it has taken her this long to finally take those pivotal first steps! She has been cruising and walking with assistance since she was nine and a half months old. I thought she would be my earliest walker, but instead she has matched Eli in timing for the latest walker. Kaden walked at 10 months, Ethan at 11 months, and now Eli and Delanie both walked the week they turned one!

You can bet I'm going to be following her around with the camera all day today trying to capture a few more brave steps! My baby is getting so big!!!

Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun!

2010-05-21T09:26:00.011-04:00

(Click on the photos if you want to view them bigger)

Last night was a rocking, side-splitting, blast from the past! It was 80's Night at our Girl's Night Out Coffee Night!

Although I was just a kid during the 80's, I found dressing the part of an 80's fashionista to be rather natural. In fact, other than a few borrowed accessories (thanks Darlene!) most of my ensemble came directly out of my own drawers and closet!

Uh-oh, did I just admit that?!?!?

However, I think I'll stick to my straightened locks and bangs, and my non-hot pick clothes for just a while longer.

It was so much fun to see the creativity and 80's fashion-sense of all the other valley girls! We had a madonna look-alike, a sporty valley-girl, an 80's prom queen, and so much more!

Have fun spazzing over these totally righteous images. :)

Trampoline Family Fun!

2010-05-19T22:09:00.020-04:00

Tonight was an absolutely GORGEOUS evening, and we just had to enjoy the weather by being outside. I love these peeks of summertime hidden between the blustery days and the rainy days of spring.

As you may have already guessed, before we knew it the whole family was piled onto the trampoline and Kevin pulled out our camera and our new wide angle lens. Kevin and I swapped turns behind the camera and everyone had a blast showing off and performing. Even Lanie got in on the action! :) Check out our fun and funky images . . .

Adventure Time!

2010-05-17T07:48:00.006-04:00

This past Saturday was Lanie's birthday and in honor of her, Kevin and my families got together to celebrate! Before the actual party however, my parents, my sister and bro-in-law, Kevin and the boys went to a Summer Camp Preview at the Howell Nature Center. I will post separately about the birthday party, but here are a few images and videos from the kid's adventure. They got to ride a zip line, learn survival techniques and built a shelter from scratch!

Here are the videos. They may look blank, but if you click on the play button they will play. :)

There were a few more videos, but blogger won't let me upload them - BAH! If I can work out the kinks, I will upload those too. :)

Menu Planning Monday

2010-05-10T07:42:00.003-04:00

Menu for the Week of May 10-17th:

MONDAY - Baked Spaghetti, Garden Salad, French Bread

TUESDAY - Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Roasted Potatoes

WEDNESDAY - Busy Night so Grab and Go!

THURSDAY - Tacos, Mexican Rice, Corn

FRIDAY - Dinner at Buddy's Pizza to Celebrate Jeremy's (my bro-in-law) Birthday

Menu Planning Monday

2010-04-27T09:39:00.004-04:00

No fluff, no frills . . . here's the menu for this week. :)

MONDAY - Chicken Pesto Pasta, Glazed Carrots, Fresh Strawberries

TUESDAY - Homemade Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup, Italian Bread

WEDNESDAY - Brightmoor Bistro

THURSDAY - Hobo Dinners on the Grill, Fresh Musk Melon and Cantaloupe

FRIDAY - Date Night for Us, Kids Night Out for the Kiddos

Menu Planning Monday

2010-04-12T15:03:00.002-04:00

Here is the menu for this week. Let me know if there are any recipes you might want.

MONDAY - Tomato Pesto Chicken, Cheesy Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus

TUESDAY - Homemade Loaded Baked Potato Soup, Italian Bread

WEDNESDAY - Grab and Go, busy night

THURSDAY - Chicken and Dumplings, Glazed Carrots, Italian Bread

FRIDAY -Peach and Salsa Chicken (thanks for the recipe, Cheri!), Jasmine Rice, Mixed Vegetables

Menu Planning Monday

2010-03-28T20:20:00.001-04:00

I just came up from the "dungeon" (aka: the laundry room) and the battle with the dirty clothes beast is beginning to look favorable! 2 down, 4 left to go. And that's not even considering the fact that these tamed beasts (aka: clean, folded clothes) still need to be put away! Ack. Alas, I will put my sword and shield away for the night, for I am weary. :)

Anywho . . . here is the menu that I have planned for this week. I may need to be fairly flexible many nights, however, because we will probably end up working out at our new house (!!!) some nights this week. So, if you see a recipe repeated next week you'll know which nights we ended up being spontaneous.

MONDAY - Hamburgers on the Grill, Chicken Rice, Carrot Coins, Buttered Brussel Sprouts (the kids resisted at first, but actually liked them once they tried them!)

TUESDAY - Chicken Pesto Pasta, Steamed Broccoli, French Bread

WEDNESDAY - Leftovers OR Grab and Go Night

THURSDAY - Ham Steaks, AuGratin Potatoes, Green Beans

FRIDAY - Lemon Herbed Chicken, Pesto Linguine, Mixed Vegetables, French Bread

Spunky Says It!

2010-03-25T15:49:00.003-04:00

My good friend, Karen Braun, is an extremely well-informed, opinionated, well-spoken political junkie, professional researcher of topics (my personal title for her, lol), blogger, Christian homeschooling mother of six (plus so much more!). I love how forth-right and honestly she writes in her blogs. You will never doubt her opinion by the end of reading any of her entries, for sure!

Her recent post, Abortion During School Hours, really caught my attention with her "Miranda Rights for Public School Parents" at the end of the post. The whole article is alarming and sad, but "Spunky" drives the point home with the fact that when students attend government schools, the government is solidly in charge, not the parents. Most parents do not think about the fact that their rights are denied when the Government believes that it know better, and that parents are simply not required.

I share her blog because I hope that her posts will bring to light some of what occurs when we do not speak up for our parental rights. The Government does not know best for our children and I will not sit back quietly when the Government tries to tell me what to do for them. God gave me my children to care for and watch over, and I certainly know them a whole lot better than the bureaucrats in Washington.

Some may find Government schools a necessity for their family and I understand that, but as long as I am able, I hope to be my child's teacher, guide and most direct influence. Thank you, Mr. Government, but I'll keep my keep my children under my sheltering wing as long as I can.

What a Difference a Week Can Make!

2010-03-23T09:48:00.004-04:00

Check out this video of Little Miss Lanie showing off her cruising skills!

Comment to Win a Free Art Program for your kids!

2010-03-22T22:31:00.003-04:00

While perusing some of my favorite homeschooling blogs, I can across this giveaway and product review. It is for Artistic Pursuits Art Curriculum. I can't pass up on a contest and figured someone else might benefit from the information too!

This is what the Artistic Pursuits website has to say about their products:

"The ARTistic Pursuits approach to teaching art is a welcome departure from typical art instruction books. This award winning homeschool art program meets the specific needs of homeschoolers at home. A variety of fun applications teach both the expressive and technical aspects of art while allowing children to make choices about what and how they will draw, paint, and sculpt. Assignments work within the stages of artistic development of children and guide them to mature artistic expression in the visual arts."

To enter the contest, go to the giveaway and review on Raising Olives' blog. <-----click there

Good luck!

Menu Planning Monday

2010-03-22T21:40:00.003-04:00

Last week was incredibly busy so this week we are laying low and playing catch-up on school and housework. I didn't mind not leaving the house at all today either since the weather was so cold and dreary. With temperature's in the low 60s most of last week, it's hard to face rainy, blustery and low 40s without a little sorrow. I can't wait for the cheerfulness of sunshine again! :) According to the local weatherman, we should see sunshine and mid-50s by Wednesday. All I can say to that is, "Bring it on!!!" Yay!

Here is the menu for the upcoming week:

MONDAY - Homemade Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, Sliced Pears

TUESDAY - Northwoods Chicken Stew, Fresh Garden Salad, Italian Bread

WEDNESDAY - Brightmoor Bistro before Church

THURSDAY - Slow Cooker Chili, Cornbread Muffins

FRIDAY - Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Fresh Garden Salad

She's Cruising!

2010-03-16T20:01:00.005-04:00

Delanie turned 10 months old yesterday and now suddenly she'd rather stand than sit, and is really interested in her walker. Most of the time she will just stand there and hold on to it, but this evening she started walking with it! Watch out world, here she comes!

Menu Planning Monday

2010-03-15T16:56:00.004-04:00

Yay! This week signifies a momentous occasion . . . we are breaking out the grill once again! The forecast calls for sunshine and mid-50s all week - sounds like grilling weather to me. Just because we can, I've put 2 grilled items on the menu. Can I get a "yum" anyone?!? :)

MONDAY - Homestyle Beef Stew, Fresh Garden Salad, Crescent Rolls

TUESDAY - Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken (Yay!!!), Green Beans, French Bread

WEDNESDAY - Grab a bite, busy night

THURSDAY - Chicken and Rice Casserole, French Bread

FRIDAY - Hamburgers on the Grill (Yay!!!), Cheesy Potatoes, Fresh Garden Salad

Winter Bird Feeding & A Spring Trip to the Zoo

2010-03-11T07:47:00.024-05:00

The boys (and Lanie) and I belong to a fun Homeschool Science Co-op that meets bi-weekly for a science lesson and field trip. For the last two meetings we've been studying birds and we went on some really fun field trips.

Two weeks ago we made a trip to Kensington Metro Park to look at the Nature Center's bird exhibits and to feed the chickadees by hand. I had my hands full with Lanie and the boys, so I was only able to grab some quick (and really horrible quality) camera phone pics, but here they are:

These two wild turkeys were at the feeders outside the nature center. You don't realize how huge they are until you see them this close in person!
Although they are very cool, they are most certainly not the most beautiful birds I've seen. :)
All the boys tried their hand at feeding the birds, and Elijah and Ethan both had several Chickadees and Tufted Titmice land on their hands right away. Kaden had a hard time staying still enough to attract the birds, but in the end a few daring bird souls were brave enough. It was so fun to watch the boys faces the first time the little birds landed on their fingers and snatched a seed!
Ethan was definitely the most patient of all my boys and stood completely still for over twenty minutes. More than forty birds landed on his hand!
Our friends the Wild Turkeys didn't want to miss out on any free food either and had to come check us out. Here they are sneaking up behind Gavin Burrows.

*****

Yesterday was our second Homeschool Science Co-op class on birds and we also studied a little bit about butterflies. For this class field trip we headed to the Detroit Zoo to view the Butterfly House and Bird Sanctuary. We couldn't pass up the opportunity, however, to visit the reptile house and some other areas of the zoo while we were there too! Here are few more camera phone pics:
Part of our crew all crowd onto the Reptile House tortoise statue for a quick pic.
Kaden is such a ham!
All the boys decided to climb as high up in this tree as they could and then drop down to the ground below. It became a fun game for them to play as we waited for a few others to run to the bathroom. The boys were having a great time until we got yelled at by the zoo staff to get out of the trees. Boo.
Kaden hamming it up again in the Reptile House!
Ethan was pretty wiped out from all the walking and took a quick siesta on a rock outside the Butterfly House and Bird Santuary.
Lanie was fascinated by all of the butterflies flapping around in the gardens. It was cute to see her expression when they landed close by.
I snapped a picture of these birds because they looked so out of place up on the pipeline in the Bird Sanctuary. They were beautiful and fun to watch, however it was a little ominous the way they watched us . . . their stares reminded me of vultures. Haha.
The Bird Sanctuary has stone benches and boulders placed all around that just begged the boys to climb them. They had fun clamoring on them and over them. I'm not sure that's what they're meant for, but they are great mountains to conquer!
Elijah, Ethan O'Dell, Ethan, Evan Gresens and Ally Gresens pose for a pic before we leave the Bird Sanctuary.
Lucas O'Dell, Gavin Burrows and Kaden all peer into an empty pond to study ... not the birds, but the tiny stones at the bottom. Funny kiddos.
A trip to the Bird Santuary wouldn't be complete without at least 10 minutes spent playing with the chains by the exit doors!
The boys has so much fun playing and posing for the camera. :)
I think we discovered Tarzan's long lost hide out!

Here's a quick video of the boys and the chains. Shockingly, no one ended up with a black eye or a welt! :)

Menu Planning Monday

2010-03-09T07:29:00.005-05:00

It's Tuesday so I'm a day behind, but here is this week's menu. Enjoy!

MONDAY - Leftovers

TUESDAY - Slow Cooker Orange Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Fresh Asparagus

WEDNESDAY - Meatball Marinara Hoagies, Fresh Garden Salad

THURSDAY - Potato Leek Soup, Italian Bread

FRIDAY - Homestyle Beef Stew, Fresh Garden Salad

Review of Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

2010-03-01T10:38:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I fixed Crockpot365's Brown Sugar Chicken and said that I would review the recipe afterward. It's taken me three weeks (LOL), but here's the verdict:

Unfortunately I overcooked the chicken (it ALWAYS seems to happen whenever I try chicken in the crockpot), and although the chicken was dry, it absolutely just fell apart with a fork. It was very tender. The idea behind the recipe was good, but we all thought it was too vinegar-y for our tastes. If I were to make it again I would definitely cut the amount of vinegar in half. For all of the sugar in the recipe, I was surprised that the flavor wasn't sweeter, but it might be that we were just too distracted by the sourness to notice the sweetness.

I will try this recipe again, it wasn't a failure by any means, but I do feel that it needs some adjustments.

Menu Planning Monday

2010-02-23T10:44:00.003-05:00

Two weeks off, and then on again! Here is this week's menu:

MONDAY - Take-out from "It's a Matter of Taste" to celebrate my birthday (Mama's not cooking tonight! LOL)

TUESDAY - Tomato Pesto Chicken, Whole Grain Pasta, Garden Salad, Italian Bread

WEDNESDAY - Tacos, Spanish Rice, Corn

THURSDAY - Chicken Enchilada Chili, Cornbread Muffins

FRIDAY - Celebrating Kaden's birthday at the restaurant of his choice

Delanie Update

2010-02-08T13:32:00.005-05:00

Here is the latest video of Lanie's latest accomplishments. She is 8 months old and a complete joy! She is a very happy baby (as long as you keep her well fed) and is just beginning to discover mobility. Although she didn't really cooperate for this video, you can kind of see for yourself:

Menu Planning Monday

2010-02-08T11:52:00.003-05:00

This week should be interesting since we're expecting our first "big" snowfall expected on Tuesday-Wednesday. We're supposed to get 6-10 inches, plus it's supposed to be windy (20mph) so drifting/blowing snow could be an issue. I LOVE fresh snow and big snowstorms (as long as I'm not stuck driving in it) so I am really looking forward to the forecast. Typically, however, the meteorologists in this area over-predict, so I'm not holding my breath.

My menu this week is definitely going to be easy and comfy to reflect the cold weather. I am also trying out a new Slow Cooker recipe that I found off another blog (www.crockpot365.blogspot.com). It's sounds pretty decadent and yummy! I'll let you know what I think of the results after Tuesday.

Here's the weekly menu:

MONDAY - Baked Ham Steaks, Au Gratin Potatoes, Green Beans

TUESDAY - CrockPot Brown Sugar Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Mixed Veggies

WEDNESDAY - Parmesan Chicken, Fresh Garden Salad, Crescent Rolls

THURSDAY - Rehearsal dinner for Doug & Kait's Wedding, pizza for the boys and the sitter

FRIDAY - Loaded Baked Potatoes, Applesauce

Menu Planning Monday Returns!

2010-02-01T12:35:00.004-05:00

And . . . . I'm back!!!

Hopefully, I'll be consistent again here on out, but I know life is always unpredictable. :) There, undoubtedly, will be times where I will be too busy to post again. But, I will do my best and enjoy the blogging process as I go.

I have missed posting my menus because it really helped me stay organized and on top of things. Having my menu at the beginning of each week lessened my evening stress and help me spend less money on prepared foods and eating out each week. Anytime I can relieve some sort of stress in my life, I'm all over it!!!

So, without further ado, here is this week's menu:

MONDAY - Penne with Sausage and Garden Vegetables, Dinner Rolls

TUESDAY - Pulled BBQ Beef Sandwiches on Hoagie Rolls, Glazed Carrots

WEDNESDAY - Chicken Ranchero Wraps, Mexican Rice, Corn

THURSDAY - Leftovers

FRIDAY - Parmesan Chicken, Fresh Garden Salad, Italian Bread

Busy Time of the Year

2009-12-05T12:10:00.004-05:00

You can tell it's the busy time of year when I haven't blogged since September! Yikes. I don't have time to write much now, but I am still alive and kicking (just in case you were wondering). :) I hope to back to blogging after Christmas.

Raspberry Picking

2009-09-10T21:47:00.006-04:00

Today we headed out to Spicer's Orchards for some good ol' fashioned raspberry picking with our friends the Stevens'.

The kids all had a blast picking (or more realistically, eating) raspberries, playing on the zip lines and racing down the huge tube slides.

We finished of the morning with yummy cinnamon donuts from the cider mill - perfection!

These videos and pictures were all shot with my handy-dandy Centro, so the quality is as good as you'd expect from a camera/video phone. :)

Menu Planning Monday - XXI

2009-09-07T08:49:00.002-04:00

Here is our menu for the week of September 7 - 13:

MONDAY - Celebrate Labor Day with the Jebson's
TUESDAY - BBQ Chicken, Homemade Macaroni & Cheese (thanks, Grammy!), Sauteed Zucchini and Summer Squash Medley, Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread
WEDNESDAY - Tacos, Cornbread Casserole, Tossed Salad
THURSDAY - Chicken Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice, Oriental Vegetables, Dinner Rolls
FRIDAY - Leftovers
SATURDAY - Lasagna, Corn, Crescent Rolls
SUNDAY - Basil Tortellini Soup, Dinner Rolls

Delanie Sings!

2009-09-06T22:41:00.001-04:00

We seem to be very into video blogging recently, but with kids it is a great way to capture their cuteness! Recently Delanie has started cooing and singing all the time. She is very vocal, especially to her daddy - they are the sweetest moments and I had to capture it on film.

Sorry for the crick in your neck since the video is crooked. :) Anyone know how to rotate a video?

As if you haven't already seen enough of our kiddos, here is another video of Delanie and I "talking". It's not all that exciting, but still adorable, if you ask me. :)

Happy Birthday, Ethan!

2009-09-06T22:29:00.003-04:00

Just a quick video of us wishing Ethan a happy birthday!

Menu Planning Monday - XX

2009-08-31T21:35:00.005-04:00

photo courtesy of cafesiam

I can't believe that by the end of this week my second born will be half way to double digits! That's right, Ethan turns 5 on Saturday. My how the years fly by! I am so blessed that I am able to spend so much time with my children since their childhood years seem to be passing so quickly. Wasn't it just yesterday that Ethan was born - wait a minute, on that note - wasn't it just yesterday that I turned 5?!?! I still remember many fond childhood memories from those early years. I don't want to miss out on these important and fun years with my own children! I hope Kevin and I are able to give the boys a fun, loving and encouraging atmosphere to remember when they are grown.

Well, our school year has officially begun . . . although it has been a very slow start. Many thanks go to my mom for taking the time last week to work on science and social studies with the boys so that I could complete a few work assignments. After studying with Mimi, the boys even got to go to the dinosaur exhibit at the zoo to reinforce what they learned about those "terrible lizards"! They had a great time and really enjoyed the fun subject. I hope the whole year can be this fun and inter-active for them.

Ok folks, it's Monday and that means it's meal planning time. Here is our menu for the week of August 31st - September 6th:

MONDAY - Grab a bite after viewing a house in Milford
TUESDAY - Tomato & Spinach Pesto Pizza (gotta use up the little bit of pesto sauce left over from last week's meal), Mini-pizza's for the boys, Raspberry-Pineapple Jello
WEDNESDAY - Slow Cooked Roast Beef, Potatoes, Carrots, Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread
THURSDAY - Garden Pasta Primavera, Parmesan Zucchini Strips, Crescent Rolls
FRIDAY - Leftovers
SATURDAY - Celebrate Ethan's 5th Birthday with a Picnic at the Park with Family! Hamburgers, Baked Beans, Watermelon, Fresh Veggies, Potato Chips and of course, Cake and Ice Cream!
SUNDAY - Lunch Out With Family

Menu Planning Monday - XIX

2009-08-24T22:04:00.002-04:00

Camping was a great success and I hope the boys had a great time building solid family memories! I love these together times of life. Now, we are back to the routine busyness of life as we face starting school, selling our house, business commitments and responsibilities, as well as enjoying much needed family time and the daily family responsibilities.

Feeding my family in an efficient, healthy, low-stress, cost-conscious way is a top priority. With that said, here is our menu for the week of August 24th - August 30th:

MONDAY - Amish Potatoes and Green Beans, Crescent Rolls, Applesauce
TUESDAY - Tomato Pesto Chicken, Whole Wheat Pasta, Green Beans, Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread
WEDNESDAY - Basil Tortellini Soup, 90 Minute Dinner Rolls
THURSDAY - Lemon Herbed Chicken, Savory Noodles, Sauteed Zucchini and Summer Squash
FRIDAY - Loaded Baked Potatoes, Applesauce, Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread
SATURDAY - Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet, Skillet Potatoes, Toast
SUNDAY - Lunch Out with Family or Leftovers

P.S. I will post pics of our camping trip soon.

Menu Planning Monday - XVIII

2009-08-17T16:42:00.002-04:00

Both two weeks ago and last week I wasn't able to make one of the dishes on the weekly menu (Baked Ham and BBQ Chicken Pizza) due to a last minute change of plans. Since I still have the ingredients on hand, I am putting them back on this week's menu. Hopefully this week will go more as planned, but spontenaity is always good too.

Here is our menu for the week of August 17th - 23rd:

MONDAY - Baked Ham, AuGratin Potatoes, Garden Fresh Green Beans
TUESDAY - Chicken and Rice Casserole, Parmesan Zucchini Stips, 90 Minute Rolls
WEDNESDAY - Eat Out With Scudder's
THURSDAY - BBQ Chicken Pizza, Cheesy Bread, Fresh Fruit
FRIDAY - Camping
SATURDAY - Camping
SUNDAY - Camping

Delanie's First Swim!

2009-08-11T08:11:00.003-04:00

The Gryzcan Family was kind enough to invite us over to swim again this last Sunday and Delanie had her first experience swimming with Daddy! It was 94 degrees and basically 100% humidity, so even she didn't mind getting int he pool. She is such an easy-going baby that the cool water hardly even seemed to phase her at all. Enjoy this short video of Daddy-Daughter time!

Menu Planning Monday - XVII

2009-08-10T22:55:00.000-04:00

Here is our menu for the week of August 10th - August 16th:

MONDAY - Eat on the run!
TUESDAY - Italian Zucchini Casserole, Crescent Rolls
WEDNESDAY - Chicken Pesto Pasta, Broccoli, Yeast Rolls
THURSDAY - Homemade BBQ Chicken Pizza, Fresh Fruit
FRIDAY - Hamburgers on the Grill, Grilled Zucchini and Squash, French Fries
SATURDAY - Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Corn, Cornbread Muffins
SUNDAY - Dinner with the Wright's? or Leftovers

Celebrating!

2009-08-04T13:24:00.021-04:00

August 2nd is always a fun and exciting day in our family because we get to celebrate multiple birthdays in one. Kevin's Mom is a twin and she and her sister were born on August 2. Kevin was the ultimate birthday present for Kevin's Mom 33 years ago when he decided to also show up on August 2nd.

This year, we celebrated by having the Autry's and the Wingerter's (Kevin's grandparents) over for dinner, cake, ice cream and conversation. Afterward we all went out to watch the boys play on the trampoline. Kevin and I even joined in the fun!

Enjoy these random pictures of our special time together!

Yummmmm - ice cream!

It's so fun to laugh and love with family.

Politics and news are frequently the name of the game when the Wingerter's are over.

The cake was delicious - homemade German Chocolate, Kevin's request.

Mom made Delanie two adorable tutu's with matching head bands. She was just so stinking cute!

A princess and her Daddy.

Physical family fun!

Airborne!

Wrestling with the bro's.

Good times, great memories!

Even Grammy was feeling adventurous!

It's just so nice to have a granddaughter to squeeze! Lanie loves her Grammy.

Generations

The tutu looked good on the boys too!

I just loved this shot so I had to include it! I love this man! Happy birthday, Babe.

Menu Planning Monday - XVI

2009-08-03T20:54:00.004-04:00

This looks like it is going to be a fairly active week of editing, photo shoots, homeschool activities, schoolwork and family commitments - not to mention the fulfillment of my civil responsibility (yes, that's right, I got summoned to jury duty). I can't believe we only have 3 more weeks until we start homeschooling again! Boy, have I got to get busy planning the upcoming year as well as finish a few things to officially conclude last year's school work. I know I've got my work cut out for me!

Here is the menu for the week of August 3 -August 9:

MONDAY - Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwiches, Fresh Fruit, Chips
TUESDAY - Hobo Dinners on the Grill, 90 Minute Dinner Rolls
WEDNESDAY - Bistro Chicken Skillet, Green Beans, Honey Whole Wheat Bread
THURSDAY - Chicken Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice
FRIDAY - Quick Beef Stroganoff, Glazed Carrots, Honey Whole Wheat Bread
SATURDAY - Tacos, Cornbread Casserole, Fiesta Rice
SUNDAY - Lunch with the Gryczan Family

Menu Planning Monday - XV

2009-07-27T17:10:00.004-04:00

Our weekly menu for July 27th - August 2nd:

MONDAY - Spaghetti (thanks, Mom!), Sauteed Zucchini and Carrot Medley, Crescent Rolls
TUESDAY - Hawaiian Chicken (thanks for the recipe, Jessie), Jasmine Rice, Mixed Vegetables, Homemade Garlic Bread
WEDNESDAY - Turkey and Ham Deli Sandwiches, Applesauce
THURSDAY - Pasta Primavera, Homemade Garlic Bread
FRIDAY - Dinner with Wright's to Celebrate Kevin's Birthday
SATURDAY - Pizza, Salad and Breadsticks
SUNDAY - Dinner with Autry's to Celebrate Kevin and Mom's Birthday's

6 Crazy Kids + 1 Cool Pool = Summertime Fun!

2009-07-23T11:20:00.007-04:00

Our friend Krista Gryzcan invited us over recently for an afternoon of summertime fun at her house. The boys really enjoyed playing with her children in their pool. I didn't get a chance to take pictures of everyone because I only had my phone's camera and it started raining shortly after I recorded these videos and pictures. Here is a quick (and I do mean quick!) snapshot of the fun we had! Thanks, Krista, for such a great afternoon of fun and friendship!

Menu Planning Monday - XIV

2009-07-20T09:21:00.005-04:00

Last week I took off from menu planning because I was working up at Camp Fa-Ho-Lo each day and didn't get home until late each afternoon. As you can imagine, it was a week full of leftovers, pizza and dinner with my parent's.

Below is the menu for the week of July 20 - July 25, 2009. We might be heading out of town to go camping this weekend, so our dinner plans for Friday, Saturday and Sunday are all TBD.

MONDAY - Hamburgers on the Grill, French Fries, Green Beans, Watermelon
TUESDAY - Chicken Tetrazzini, Peas, Homemade Garlic-y Bread
WEDNESDAY - Deli Turkey Bagel-wiches, Potato Chips, Baby Carrots
THURSDAY - Braised Balsamic Chicken, Pine Nut Couscous, Mixed Vegetables, Homemade Bread
FRIDAY - Dinner on the road?
SATURDAY - Campfire Cuisine TBD?
SUNDAY - Dinner on the road?

Menu Planning Monday - XIII

2009-07-06T21:38:00.002-04:00

Last week ended up going a little differently then planned so the few dishes I didn't end up making last week are now on this week's menu.

MONDAY - Bistro Chicken Skillet, Whole Wheat Penne Pasta, Tossed Salad, Crescent Rolls
TUESDAY - Pizza Tortillas, Watermelon
WEDNESDAY - Leftovers Smorgasbord
THURSDAY - Baked Oatmeal, Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Toast
FRIDAY - Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Camp Cornbread, Fiesta Rice
SATURDAY - Baked Ham Steaks, Au Gratin Potatoes, Green Beans, Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread
SUNDAY - Lasagna, Glazed Carrots, Cauliflower, Homemade Garlic-y Bread

I went ahead and posted all of the recipes from last week's menu (below), in case anyone wanted them. If I haven't posted a recipe that you would still like, please let me know.

Pizza Tortillas Recipe

2009-07-05T21:54:00.002-04:00

This recipe can be a great appetizer or a fun, simple dinner. I love the fact that it can be made in advance and then just popped in the oven for a quick and delicious meal.

1/2 lb. ground beef (or pork)

2 Tbs. pizza seasoning, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. white vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. oregano

8 flour tortillas

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the beef and pizza seasoning. Brown over medium-high heat; drain. Toss onion, tomatoes and jalapenos with olive oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano; let stand at least 10 minutes to allow flavor to develop. Lay 4 tortillas on two baking sheets. Sprinkle evenly with cooked beef, vegetables, cheese and remaining pizza seasoning. (Don't pile up cheese in the center or it won't melt properly) Top with remaining tortillas. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until tortillas start to brown. While hot, remove tortillas from baking sheets and cut into pizza-shaped wedges.

Serves 4

Bistro Chicken Skillet Recipe

2009-07-05T21:19:00.005-04:00

The savory and somewhat tangy flavor of this dish is so yummy. Plus, I love the fact that it's all cooked in one skillet - less dishes for Kevin! :)

2 tsp. olive oil

3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1/4 cup Italian dressing

3 Tbs. tomato paste

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb)

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, dressing and tomato paste. Add chicken; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese and bacon; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serves 4

Chinese Broccoli Beef Recipe

2009-07-04T13:39:00.003-04:00

Kevin loves the authentic soy and ginger flavor of this dish, and I love that it's pretty straight forward and easy to make. Whenever fresh broccoli is on sale I like to make it, but frozen broccoli can easily be substituted as well. I usually serve this dish over hot Jasmine rice - yum!

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth

1 Tbs. white sugar

4 Tbs soy sauce

1 lb. boneless round steak, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 tsp chopped fresh ginger root

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups chopped fresh (or frozen) broccoli

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, broth, sugar and soy sauce. Stir until dissolved. In a large skillet or wok, cook and stir beef about 3 minutes, or until browned. Add broth mixture, ginger, garlic and broccoli. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer 5-10 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

Serves 6

Double Chocolate Toffee Cookies

2009-07-03T15:05:00.004-04:00

This is one of my all-time favorite cookie recipes (second only to the original Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, of course) and the cookies are extremely hard to resist while still warm from the oven. Enjoy!

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt. In a separate bowl cream sugars, eggs, butter and vanilla. Stir dry ingredients into batter. Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

First Smiles!

2009-07-03T13:49:00.010-04:00

The exciting milestones in Delanie's life are beginning and it has been so fun capturing the moments on film and on video (courtesy of my uber-sophisticated Palm Centro)! Lanie is now six and a half weeks old and has been smiling and cooing for the last week. I was so excited the first time that I witnessed a huge toothless grin that I immediately called Kevin at work to share in my excitement. Kevin laughed and said, "I thought that was old news, she was smiling at me last night!" Oh sure, fine - thanks for sharing the moment with me!

Alright, I guess I can be happy about Kevin being the recipient of the first smile - there is something special about that Father-Daughter bond after all.

A few days later, however, after a good long nap and a full tummy, Lanie and I were cuddling together and she started cooing and "talking" to me. I was ecstatic! Kevin was in the kitchen and I immediately called him in to share with me in this new milestone. You can imagine how shocked and (a wee bit) annoyed I was when Kevin sheepishly looked at me and asked, "she hasn't cooed for you before?" What?!?! You mean to tell me that once again I was not the first to witness such a momentous moment?

Man alive! It's a good thing that both Kevin and Lanie are cute - I guess I can forgive such grievous behavior . . . but it is challenging . . . I'll get back with you on how well I manage . . .

In the meantime, enjoy this quick video of Lanie's smile (and please disregard the super-high pitched voice in the background - it's a given pre-requisite for getting babies to smile, or so I've been told). :))

Menu Planning Monday - XII

2009-06-29T11:23:00.003-04:00

Here is the menu for the week of June 29th - July 5th, 2009.

MONDAY - Chicken Pot Pie (from Tim and Alyssa Stevens - thank you guys!!!), Tossed Salad
TUESDAY - Chinese Broccoli Beef, Jasmine Rice, Tossed Salad, Homemade Garlic-y Bread
WEDNESDAY - Pizza Tortillas, Fruit Salad
THURSDAY - Dinner with Autry's OR Bistro Chicken Skillet, Pasta, Tossed Salad
FRIDAY - Celebrate Eric's 33rd Birthday with Wright's
SATURDAY - Hamburgers on the Grill, Baked Beans, Cantaloupe
SUNDAY - Lasagna, Corn, Tossed Salad, Homemade Garlic-y Bread

Menu Planning Thursday!

2009-06-25T16:13:00.004-04:00

This week's menu was delayed due to a very busy start to the week - our church had it's annual VBS (Vacation Bible School). I am the coordinator for the worship choreography team and had to be at church 4 or more hours each night (Sunday through Wednesday). One BIG perk to all of the hard work was that all of the workers and volunteers were fed at the church each night - I didn't have to cook. The rest of this week is back to business as usual, however. Here is the menu for the remainder of the week:

THURSDAY - Glorious Smorgasbord of Leftovers (LOL), Fresh Strawberry Almond Salad with Poppyseed Dressing (thanks Hoy family for all of the garden-fresh lettuce!)
FRIDAY - BBQ Chicken, Baked Beans, Tossed Salad, Dinner Rolls
SATURDAY - Pizza, Tossed Salad
SUNDAY - Catalina Cranberry Chicken, Steamed Broccoli, Garlic-y Bread

The Race!

2009-06-18T22:03:00.018-04:00

The Homeschool Regatta was a great hit with the boys! They loved building their boats with Daddy and highly anticipated the moment they could set them loose on the Huron River. Fortunately, the weather was sunny and somewhat warm (low 70s) for the race because as soon as the boys got to the river, they waded fully in up to their armpits and splashed around before the races even began. I'm not sure they would have even needed the race to entertain them - the water was a tempting distraction in and of itself.

The boys were super enthusiastic about the whole event and keeping track of all of them while holding Delanie proved to be quite a trick. I was certainly glad that Kevin's parents and grandparents came along to cheer the boys on - I'm sure I would have lost a boy down the river if my mother-in-law hadn't kept such a good eye on them all!The first race was held in a deeper tributary of the Huron River and was exclusively for all non-propelled boats that were made by the children themselves (no store-bought or parent-made boats). Only Elijah and Ethan were tall enough to stand at the waist-deep starting line, so they launched Kaden's boat for him.

Unfortunately, both boys got stuck nearer to the shore and toward the back of the starting line because of the confusion and because of the depth of the water. Still, when the race started, all three boats floated well and although none of them won, their designs seemed solid.

It was very interesting to see all of the different ship designs as they raced down the river. There were some elaborate ships with masts and sails, quite a few boats made out of pop bottles and plastic storage containers, and there was even one "ship" that looked suspiciously a lot like a flip flop! I believe the boat that ended up winning the first race was a wooden boat cut in a speed-boat design - simple, classic and apparently fast!

A second race was also held in this location for all of the kit boats, store-bought boats and parent-made boats. We weren't involved in that race so the boys just enjoyed swimming along the edge a little bit longer.

The next race was held at a more preschool-friendly location and Kaden was able to be directly involved this time. However, the starting line was even more packed here since the river was narrower and the age-span more diverse.

I felt bad for Elijah and Kaden this round because some of the bigger kids stepped right in front of them at the starting line, but Ethan made up for their disadvantage. Right at the beginning of the race he stepped out in front of the line of kids and walked behind his boat (even though the kids were told not to), guarding it. He wasn't the only child to do so, but I'm not sure he didn't get some sort of advantage because he did.

We all cheered for Ethan when his boat ended up winning the second race! Yay!

I think the boys actually had more fun once the official races were over with just playing in the shallow, rocky stream. The river runs very swiftly at this point and the older kids created a little waterfall out of a bunch of rocks by the mouth of a culvert. Kaden gave me a few scares climbing up and down the steep rocks at the edge of the stream, but that child is fearless and virtually indestructible so he just couldn't understand why his Grammy and I kept calling him and yelling at him.

We spent about another half an hour playing in the water and having fun swimming in both streams. However, our time came to an abrupt end when upstream from the boys we witnessed a deer "dropping its business" in the water. You can imagine how fast the boys booked it out of the water! I don't know that they'll be interested in swimming in that river ever again . . . but then again, they're boys - I'm sure they'll be waist deep before I can stop them next time we're at the park. LOL!

The Homeschool Regatta was a great experience and the boys are already looking forward to the boats they will build next year.

Preparing for the Homeschool Regatta

2009-06-18T19:57:00.016-04:00

Two weeks ago our homeschool support group held it's annual Homeschool Regatta in Milford Central Park. This was our first year to be involved in this fun, challenging and slightly crazy event and it was great watching the boys work together with Kevin to build the best boats for the races. They agreed that they wanted as lightweight and buoyant a craft they could create, so the material of choice was Styrofoam. Kevin allowed the boys to draw the shape they wanted in the foam and then he cut it out and handed them over for decorating. Each boy painted his ship a rainbow of colors and Kevin had to resort to a blow dryer to get the paint to dry on the surface of the foam.

The finishing touch to each of the boy's ships was the "sail". We tried to think through all the advantages and disadvantages to the stereotypical sail design and decided that since we couldn't easily lower the sails if the wind was against us, we'd needed something that could accept the push from the wind in any direction OR be removed completely. Our solution? A balloon. We figured that since it was round it would catch the wind no matter which direction it was coming from and if the wind was counter-productive to our forward progress we could remove the balloon by popping it easily enough.

Our results? I will post pictures and a video from the actual race as soon as I am able!

Tomato Pesto Chicken, Easy Pesto and Savory Herb and Garlic Chicken

2009-06-18T15:04:00.004-04:00

Tomato Pesto Chicken

I found a recipe similar to this years ago but lost it somewhere along the way. This is the modified version I now make and we love it. It's quick, easy and tastes wonderful served over any type of pasta.

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 tsp paprika

1 cup homemade Easy Pesto (see recipe below) or store-bought pesto sauce

1 large tomato, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F. Season chicken breasts with paprika, salt and pepper and place in 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread pesto sauce evenly over chicken and top with tomato slices. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken from baking dish and transfer to an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Serves 4-5

Easy Pesto

I typically grow a few basil plants in my garden each year, and this is my favorite way to use up the surplus harvest. This recipe is super quick and easy, and it can be frozen in batches to use throughout the year.

1/4 cup almonds (walnuts and pine nuts can also be used)

3 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1 dash ground nutmeg

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. In a food processor (or blender), combine toasted almonds, and all remaining ingredients. Process until a coarse paste is formed.

Makes approx. 1 cup

Savory Herb and Garlic Chicken

I got this recipe off of the back of a box of Lipton soup mix back when Kevin and I were first married. It is delicious a great one-pan dinner that has been a main-stay in our recipe repertoire ever since.

2 medium baking potatoes, thinly sliced

2 medium carrots, sliced

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix

1/3 cup water

1 Tbs olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 F. In a 9x13 baking dish layer potatoes and carrots. Top with chicken. Blend together soup mix, water and olive oil; pour over chicken and vegetables. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are tender.

Serves 4-5

Menu Planning Monday - XI

2009-06-15T13:14:00.004-04:00

Here is our menu for the week of June 15 - June 21, 2009. Recipes available upon request! :)

MONDAY - Grab a bite on the run sometime between strawberry picking, stopping by my sister's house and picking up Elijah from my in-laws
TUESDAY - Tomato Pesto Chicken, Butter Noodles, Mixed Veggies, Homemade Bread
WEDNESDAY - Turkey Melt Sandwiches, Raw Carrots, Chips
THURSDAY - 3 Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta, Sugar Snap Peas
FRIDAY - Russian Beef Stroganoff, Egg Noodles, Green Beans
SATURDAY - Leftovers
SUNDAY - Lasagna (thanks Jeff and Joie!), Salad, Corn, Garlic Bread

Menu Planning Monday - X

2009-06-08T17:06:00.002-04:00

I'm back - finally! Now that Delanie is 3 weeks old I am beginning to get organized enough to plan our weekly menu again. Here is the menu for the week of June 8th - June 14th:

MONDAY - Slow Cooked Beef Fajitas (with all the fixin's), Spanish Rice
TUESDAY - Lasagna, Corn, Garlic Bread
WEDNESDAY - Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs (thanks Jenny!), Rice Pilaf, Glazed Carrots
THURSDAY - Leftovers
FRIDAY - Hamburgers on the Grill, Baked Beans, French Fries
SATURDAY - Leftovers
SUNDAY - Young Marrieds Meet & Greet at Brightmoor

Another Case of the Bili-Blues

2009-05-18T10:43:00.007-04:00

Lanie's life is off to an exciting start, so it seems! Just like Elijah, Ethan & Kaden, Delanie has developed a high bilirubin count within the first few hours of her life and so we sit and wait at the hospital once again.

Eli and Kaden's levels were high, but never high enough to be hospitalized. Both Ethan and Lanie's counts, however, have gone up quickly enough for the doctors to not let us go home after the delivery and we have been transferred to the Special Care Nursery portion of the hospital. Ironically, Kevin and I just found out the reason for the repeated jaundice issues - it seems that after nearly 10 years of marriage, we are incompatible!

ABO Incompatible, that is.

Kevin has type A+ blood and I am O+. Come to find out that if our children are born with type A+ blood (which they all have been), the antibodies in my blood cross the placental barrier, attach to the baby's red blood cells, and then mediate destruction of the baby's red blood cells by the their own immune system. This, in turn, releases large quantities of hemoglobin from the baby's blood cells. One of the breakdown products of hemoglobin is bilirubin. Bilirubin is metabolized by the liver, but the baby's liver is not efficient at that until after the baby is born and the liver is mature enough to tackle all of the bilirubin on it's own. If too much bilirubin accumulates in the baby's brain, brain damage can occur. Now, none of our babies have gotten even close to that point, but the doctor's won't let it get close before they start assisting the baby with phototherapy.

Thus, Delanie has become another bili-blue baby (Ethan was our first). She spends most of her day and night wrapped up in a blanket that emits a beautiful blue glow and the phototherapy helps her body break down the bilirubin. Last night her bili-count was at 11.2 and today it is at 13. It is continuing to rise, but they hope that it will plateau today (babies usually peak on their 3rd or 4th day of life). We know this process is necessary and we aren't overly concerned since it is being actively treated. Plus, Ethan's bili-count was over 20 and he was able to recover just fine - we know Lanie still has quite a cushion of safety with her numbers.

However, it is no fun sitting at the hospital watching your baby get poked and prodded, and being unable to go home and settle in to your new life. The Special Care Nursery is nicely equipped to accommodate visiting families, but it is not suited for mom and dad to stay with the baby. There are no beds, no TVs, no amenities for the families that want to be with their newborns the entire time. This was very hard for me to deal with initially since the maternity suite we were in just previously had been so exceptionally nice. The adjustment was somewhat upsetting, but now we are settled in as best as possible and have a great nurse taking care of Lanie and helping us.

We are really hoping that the blood test they take this afternoon will determine that Lanie's liver is mature enough now to handle the onslaught of bilirubin and that we will be home this evening. We won't know, however, until after 5 or 6pm. Please pray for Lanie's body to continue to develop and strengthen and that we can get our life as a family of six started for real. Thanks for all of your love, prayers and concern. We love and appreciate you all!

Welcome to the World, Little Lanie!

2009-05-17T19:12:00.014-04:00

Delanie Joy Arlene Autry entered our lives at 7:55pm on Friday, May 15th. We are so excited and so blessed to hold our little bundle of joy in our arms after so much anticipation! A lot of excitement has occurred since my last blog entry! I went to my doctor's appointment Friday morning and was very quickly given the bad news - I had failed my 24 hour protein test . . . again. I was very disappointed, of course, but I had also prepared myself for this outcome so I was able to process it quickly. My doctor told me that she would call ahead to the Novi Providence hospital so that I could go over directly and be admitted to be induced. I called Kevin at work and headed over to Subway to grab a sandwich beforehand (I knew that once in the hospital I would be banned from all food - ridiculous). At 12:30pm we headed up to the Labor and Delivery. Once registered and settled in, the doctor-on-call came to consult me on the plan of action. They wanted to start me on Pitocin right away, but I wanted to try induction by having my water broken first. At 2pm my water was broken and we waited for the contractions to begin. We waited . . . and waited . . . and waited . . .
. . . I knew it could take over 24 hours for the contractions to begin and the thought was a bit overwhelming to consider . . . Kevin and I decided to let Pitocin do it's thing. They hooked me up and began the drip at 3:30pm. Contractions were still slow in coming on, but boy-oh-boy when they started, they REALLY got hard fast! My mom came over around 4:30pm and the contractions were just starting to become uncomfortable. At 5:30pm Kevin and my Mom went down to the cafeteria for dinner since the contractions were picking up quickly and we were afraid it might be their only opportunity to eat. I could talk through the contractions when they left for dinner, but by the time they returned (no more than 45 minutes later) I was doing my very best to simply bear through them - talking wasn't even a possibility at that point.
Within 45 minutes I started to feel the urge to push so the nurses called the doctor right away. Around 7:10pm I was ready to start pushing and 45 minutes later, Delanie Joy Arlene was born! What a miracle! What an experience! What a relief!!!
She weighed in at 7lbs 11oz (our biggest baby yet - and trust me, I felt EVERY ounce) and was 20 1/2 inches long (our longest baby, too). She was alert and ready to meet the world right away.
Our family was all waiting in the family lounge and came in very shortly thereafter to see their new sister, grand daughter and great grand daughter. It was an exciting place, to say the least! Elijah, Ethan and Kaden rushed in, searching for their much anticipated new sibling - it was so heartwarming to see their unabashed excitement. Much pomp and ceremony was placed on each brother having his moment of one-on-one time, then the grandparents each had their moment. Lanie was absolutely showered in hugs, kisses and affection.
It wasn't the birth experience that I had been imagining, but we are blessed to have Lanie here safe and sound none-the-less. Thank the Lord for her safe and quick delivery. Now we look forward to our new life as a family of six!

Here We Go!

2009-05-15T06:13:00.008-04:00

Today or tomorrow we are having a baby!

At my last doctor's appointment on Tuesday, my protein levels were back up. My doctor decided she is not comfortable letting the pregnancy continue due to the stress it is placing on my kidneys, and she actually asked me if I could go straight to the hospital right then. Of course my mind was rushing with the overwhelming number of thoughts and logistics to process with that idea! I hesitated mostly, though, because I was still hoping the ABC was still an option. She is a great doctor, and although I know it would be easier for her to just send me over to the Labor & Delivery in Novi, Dr. Pezeshki began thinking of alternative options to try to give me a chance for the ABC. As long as my protein levels are the least bit elevated, I am not permitted to be induced at the ABC (by having my bag of waters broken) because I am considered high risk (that is, the LOWEST high risk possible, but still officially "high risk"). However, if my proteins levels came back down there wouldn't be an issue. So, Dr. Pezeshki said that we would delay the induction until she had the time to run one more protein test (a different, more accurate test) that would take 3 days to process.

SO, here we are . . . I went to the office yesterday with my sample and for bloodwork, and today I find out where I stand. Will I be induced today at the ABC or tomorrow at the Labor & Delivery? Either way, this is a momentous day for me since it is the last day I will be pregnant (almost positively the VERY last time, unless God has other plans). I am so thankful and relieved to know the end is very near because I have reached the very big, very uncomfortable, very yucky stage of pregnancy - but my longing for this to be over with is definitely bittersweet. I may never feel the butterfly flutters and the martial artist kicks again. I may never cradle my belly and know that there is another being growing miraculously in my womb. I may never be an intimate part of nurturing the development of a new life through the amazing and miraculous capacity of my female body. I will definitely miss these incredible and awe-inspiring parts of pregnancy. These last few moments will certainly be treasured and filed away in the area of my brain reserved for the most important memories of all, crowding out all of the unpleasant realities pregnancy can bring (morning sickness, heartburn, total and utter exhaustion . . . you know the ones).

Realistically, the fact that either today or tomorrow we will be holding our newborn daughter is our arms has me incredibly excited and overwhelmingly nervous all at the same time. I am so ready for this, and I am so NOT ready for this all at the same time! Her birth has been highly anticipated and the days could not have gone quickly enough for us, but I've done this newborn thing before and I know how much work I am in store for. Am I a glutton for punishment? Even as uncomfortable as I am right now, it is still easier to care for the baby in utero then it is the first three sleepless months. Apparently some part of your reasoning and common sense dims at this stage of pregnancy, however. ;)

Today or tomorrow! I think I can wait, just that much longer . . . !

Please pray for us today and lift up the baby's safe delivery, if you could. I wouldn't mind either if you asked for quick labor and easy pushing for me while you're praying, if it's not too much to ask. :) Thank you all, for your love and support throughout this pregnancy. I hope to have pictures, stats and information posted soon after the baby is born. Check back in a few days.

Thank you and God bless!

90 Years Young!

2009-05-11T10:09:00.013-04:00

Yesterday we had the very special honor of celebrating my Grandma's 90th birthday! It was a big celebration with lots of out-of-town family and fun. Posted below are a few of the pictures my Dad snapped throughout the special day.

Happy Birthday, Grandma! You have blessed us with your love and your prayers throughout the years and we hope you were blessed on your special day!We had the "beautiful" cake (first image) and the "sacrificial" 90-candle cake. The flames were so hot that the first candles were simply a pile of wax before the flames were extinguished!

We gathered around to lend some air in order to get all of the candles out!

The fire department rushed in just in time to make sure all of the fire was properly extinguished.

A junior fire fighter checking on the guest of honor.

Yummy cake!

Just a few of the grandkids that were able to be present for Grandma's birthday celebration.

A few of Grandma's MANY great-grandchildren. She is surrounded by so much love!

Grandma and Grandpa with mom and dad. We are so blessed to have such wonderful family ties!

Menu Planning Monday - IX

2009-05-11T09:20:00.002-04:00

As long as the baby decides to stay "tucked in", here is the menu for this upcoming week. If you see any recipes that spark your interest, please do not hesitate to ask me to post it. Thanks for checking in!

OUR DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 11 - MAY 17, 2009:

MONDAY - Stuffed Turkey Fillets, Savory Noodles, Corn-on-the-cob
TUESDAY - Chicken and Dumplings, Glazed Carrots, Homemade Bread
WEDNESDAY - Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs, Turkey Bacon, Fruit
THURSDAY - Baked Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Bread
FRIDAY - Chicken Ranchero Wraps/INCH Convention?
SATURDAY - Leftovers/INCH Convention?
SUNDAY - Celebrate Jeremy's birthday with the Wright's

Speculation

2009-05-06T09:22:00.005-04:00

I almost titled this blog entry "Pointless Speculation" because of the very fact that speculating has absolutely nothing to do with causing action to take place, but I wanted to sound more optimistic than that. :) Still, wishful speculation doesn't put one into labor . . .

Today, I am exactly 14 days away from my official due date (May 20th). At this point, most people would just be beginning to prepare for the imminent arrival of their newborn. I, however, feel as if I have been ready and waiting for the past month. I knew all along that this was a foolish thing to do, but this girl just can't help herself sometimes. :) The thought process that made me "sure" that I would have the baby right around now may be explained by the statistics below:

Elijah's due date - Feb. 2, 2002

date of birth - Jan. 17, 2002

---------------------------------

born 15 days BEFORE his due date

Ethan's due date - September 8, 2004

date of birth - September 5, 2004

---------------------------------

born 3 days BEFORE his due date

Kaden's due date - March 18, 2006

date of birth - March 5, 2006

---------------------------------

born 13 days BEFORE his due date

Like I said, I know that the above statistics don't necessarily prove that this baby will also come early, but the fact that I also dilated and effaced earlier than normal had me hopeful as well. :) I have been told that the more times you are pregnant, frequently the earlier you begin to progress, but that didn't stop me from hoping. Also, the Braxton-Hicks contractions have been regular for over a month now as well. I'm beginning to think that's it's a little ridiculous that a "seasoned" mother of three wouldn't recognize true labor from "practice" contractions. Ah well, each pregnancy and labor is unique, so how can one predict how each will go?

So, what's your bet? I still think I will go into labor sometime before May 10th, but each day that I feel good (such as today) discourages me. I felt more ready to have a baby a week ago than I do today. I am always exhausted, but the contractions and crampiness seem to be less regular. I have actually been sleeping halfway decently (considering the big ol' belly and all . . . ) and haven't noticed any differences in my ability to breathe or a break from the heartburn which might signal that the baby has "dropped." We are doing all the sorts of things that are supposed to bring about labor (minus Castor oil - that one just seems WAY too messy and uncomfortable to me) and still, I feel pretty good. My positive spin on this is that perhaps my body is allowing me to be at my best right before the true work begins. If I could get my energy level up, I'd feel like I was nearly at the top of my game. For this, I feel blessed! :)

I'd love to hear your personal stories of the days preceding your labors, if you'd like to share. Every one's story is so different and unique, and it's nice to see how everyone has progressed. Please share here as a blog comment, or leave a comment on facebook. I'd love the distraction of your stories if you have the time. :)

The end is inevitable, to be sure. I will just have to bide my time and be patient.

God bless!

Stove Top Chicken and Rice Casserole

2009-05-06T09:07:00.003-04:00

This recipe is an extremely easy throw-everything-in-a-pot-and-call-it-dinner type of meal, but my kids love it and it is a great way to use up leftover chicken. Since it is fairly simple, it is very easy to adjust the flavors to suit your own tastes. Enjoy!

2 cups rice (we love Jasmine rice)
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1-2 tsp. chicken seasoning (I like Zehnder's Chicken Seasoning, but any kind will do)
salt & pepper, to taste
shredded Cheddar cheese, optional

Prepare rice and vegetables according to package directions (substituting chicken broth for water in rice, if desired). Add soup to cooked rice, stir just to combine (do not over mix - rice will become sticky and starchy). Combine rice, vegetables, chicken and seasonings in a large pot and warm over low heat. Top with Cheddar cheese, if desired, and serve.

Menu Planning Monday - VIII

2009-05-05T14:34:00.002-04:00

Since my protein levels are down I have been released from complete bed rest and am now only on "restricted activity". YAY!!! Because of this returned freedom, I am back to the weekly routine of Meal Planning until the baby arrives. Sorry the meal plan is a day late, I'm not quite on top of my game yet. :) Let me know if there are any recipes you might want.

OUR DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 4 - MAY 10, 2009:

MONDAY - Stovetop Chicken & Rice Casserole, Glazed Carrots, Applesauce
TUESDAY - Hamburgers on the grill, Corn-on-the-cob, Canteloupe
WEDNESDAY - Ham Steaks, AuGratin Potatoes, Green Beans
THURSDAY - BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Creamed Corn
FRIDAY - Loaded Baked Potatoes (with all the fixin's), Broccoli, Homemade Bread
SATURDAY - Leftovers
SUNDAY - Celebrate Grandma Caldwell's birthday with the entire family.

Doctor's Report

2009-04-30T16:19:00.004-04:00

I just returned from yet another doctor's appointment and I am happy to report that I have finally received the news that I have been hoping for - my blood/protein ratio is FINALLY at an acceptable level!!! I am so thrilled because this means that we will now be able to deliver at the Alternative Birthing Center at the Southfield Providence Hospital again. We delivered both Ethan and Kaden at the ABC and both experiences were wonderful (as far as labor and delivery go, let's be realistic now . . . LOL). It may seem like an insignificant thing to some, but it actually created much anxiety in me to think that the ABC may not be an option this time around. I go 100% natural during my labors and the idea of having to be in the typical labor and delivery area of the hospital made me nervous - I didn't know if they would insist on monitoring, IV fluids, restrictions, etc. I know they have the very best intent for my baby and me, but I much prefer to be as hands-off as possible. With my first labor and delivery I was in the L&D in the hospital and really felt out of control (they really pushed drugs I did not want and my birth plan was all but ignored). In contrast, the ABC is an extremely calm, warm and relaxing atmosphere where I have found that the nurses really listen to your wishes and plans. It helped me feel more in control and comfortable with the natural process my body was going through. I was also able to deal with the pain in ways that were comforting to me (yoga ball, hot shower, walking and standing as much as possible, etc).

Have I mentioned that I am thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver there again?! :)

I would really love and appreciate your prayers that my protein levels would remain where they are (or lower even) and that labor would begin soon. At my ultrasound last week the baby looked 100% healthy, strong and fully developed, but she is already packing on the pounds. I know the female body is fully capable of delivering babies of all sizes, but I would really desire another baby under 7lbs. Kaden was 6lbs 6oz and the difference between him and Ethan (7lbs 4oz) was certainly noticeable. Because she is in the 60th percentile for weight already, the baby will probably be over 7lbs by the middle of next week. Currently I am 3cm dilated and 60% effaced (cervix is completely soft) so labor could begin at anytime, but I have now been at this stage for the last week and a half. C'mon baby, could we get this show on the road?! :)

I know the end is near and I am trying to enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy, but I am admittedly restless. God's timing is perfect, but it is hard not to be impatient. :) I hope to be sharing exciting news of the baby's birth very soon!

God bless!

Sneak Peek

2009-04-30T13:48:00.001-04:00

Pictures of our baby girl at 36 weeks!This is her profile shot. She has her hand over her mouth so it may be hard to see the whole face. According to the measurement of her foot, leg bone, and a few other body parts, she is in the 60th percentile for size. She is already 6lbs and will be about 8lbs if she goes full term - my biggest baby yet!
This is a front view of her face. If you look carefully you can see her eyes (lids closed) and her nose, but her hand is covering her mouth. I thought it looked like she might have been sucking her fingers.

Baby Update

2009-04-20T12:30:00.002-04:00

I just got back from my doctor's appointment and I received both good news and bad news. The good news is that I had a non-stress test and the baby sounds healthy and happy. For this information I rejoice over and over! Also, my blood pressure is still in a good range and this is something that they are really monitoring since pre-eclampsia usually always means hypertension (however I seem to be proving this one wrong at this point in time).

On the flip side of things, my protein levels are still elevated and I must still stay on bed rest. Ugh! Do the doctor's realize that this is pretty much IMPOSSIBLE when there are three other children at home? The instructions are for me to stay in bed, laying on my left side, except to eat and use the restroom. Yeah, right. I am really trying to follow their instructions, but the closest I can seem to get is to sit in a chair and put my feet up every now and then. I'm not sure that it qualifies, but I am trying my best.

The doctor checked me and I am thrilled to know that I am now almost dilated to a 3 and the doctor said that I am beginning to efface. My cervix is completely soft. Since the bed rest is not something they see lifting anytime soon, going into labor seems like my biggest salvation right now. Of course I want the baby to "cook" as long as possible, but if she is healthy, I'd really like to go into labor naturally SOON! I pray that God sees to the timing, but I will pray that He is quick with His decision. :)

I am also excited because I am going to get the opportunity to "see" our baby again soon. I am measuring small and because of the pre-eclampsia, the doctor ordered another full ultrasound. I still have to call to set an appointment, but I think it should be within the next week. I am excited to see what a difference there will be in her development from 18 weeks to 36 weeks! It will also be comforting to be reassured once again that it is, in fact, a girl. I have the dream fairly regularly that the first ultrasound was incorrect and that the baby is actually a boy. The pictures were VERY clear the first time around, but that still doesn't make me doubt any less. It all just seems to good to be true! I will feel complete comfort and excitement once I am holding our little pink bundle in our arms.

I appreciate everyone's love, care and concern for us and for our precious baby. Thank you so much for the well-wishes and for the prayers! Your prayers are of GREAT value to me and I know I am so blessed to have so many people petitioning God on behalf of our unborn child and for our family. Please continue to pray and I will try to send along updates anytime I know anything new. My next doctor's appointment is this Wednesday (April 22) and I will be repeating the blood tests and 24 hour protein tests at that time. The results for that, however, will not be available until Friday. I will let you know if anything changes.

Now, I need to go put two little boys down for naps so that I can go obey doctor's orders and lay down. God bless!

No Menu Planning Monday - VII

2009-04-20T09:09:00.004-04:00

This week our dinner plans are going to be a little bit up in the air. As of right now I am on complete bed rest for pre-eclampsia and my doctor does not know when (if) I will be able to come off of it. This makes preparing dinner a bit impossible. I go to the doctor again later today (and again on Wednesday, and Friday . . .) so hopefully I will know more soon. If my protein levels or my blood pressure rise too much I will be induced, but that will not be decided until my appointments. Please pray for the health and the development of the baby, and that I will be able to stay put in bed as I'm supposed to. So far I know I have done miserably, but it has been incredibly difficult with the boys running around and needing me constantly. I am hardly able to stay in bed, but I am trying to at least sit and put my feet up as frequently as possible. I hope that God will protect and watch over the little life growing inside of me.

Kevin and my parents (and Julie Lupo) were a godsend over the weekend, and I am so blessed with their kindness and generosity! This week should be interesting, but I know God is in control and that everything is in His hands. What a mighty God we serve!

Easter Sunday

2009-04-15T13:33:00.032-04:00

What fun it is to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and King! I can't help but love and be so grateful for the ultimate sacrifice that took place for each of us over 2000 years ago - thank you, Lord!

Our Easter was incredibly busy this year, but we still had a wonderful time worshipping at church and celebrating with our families. We started the afternoon at my parent's house and then headed over to Kevin's parent's house later in the afternoon. The boys enjoyed Easter Egg Hunts at both houses and came home with a plethora of new toys and treats. How blessed we are to be surrounded by such loving and generous families!

EARLY EASTER MORNING AT HOME:

EASTER WITH THE WRIGHT FAMILY:

EASTER WITH THE AUTRY FAMILY:

Sweet Anticipation

2009-04-13T11:38:00.014-04:00

A baby girl!

Wow . . . the thought of it still takes me by surprise!!!

I really never thought that Kevin and I would be the parents of something sweet and pink. Oh, how the Lord loves to surprise us!

I am finding that as the weeks are winding down (5 more "officially" to go), my anticipation level is gearing up. With the help of my amazing in-laws, the baby's room is also getting geared up. A few weeks back we (well, mostly my mother-in-law) painted the room a spring green to match an accent color in the bedding I bought used from a friend of mine. Then, the hunt was on to find curtains to coordinate. I searched high and low at every home store and major chain, but just couldn't find the perfect combination of colors. My mother-in-law then suggested that we look at a fabric store and make our own. The idea was overwhelming to me since I have only done very minimal sewing in my life, but she is so amazingly crafty and talented that I bravely went and found the perfect fabric at JoAnn's. We set an afternoon aside at her house to get the curtains cut and sewn, but I was so slow at the sewing machine that she ended up finishing them up on her own and bringing them over a few days later. I am so thrilled with the curtains because they really tie the room together and make it look classical and feminine - it is the perfect touch!

I haven't really picked a theme for the nursery (except for the flowers adorning the blanket and bumper, and the stripes on the curtains, baskets and sheets), but I was thinking I might use one of my favorite old toys as a spring board. Most everyone who knows me for any length of time knows that I am head-over-heels in love with horses. It would just seem appropriate if my daughter became infatuated as well, wouldn't it? If I surround her with horse figurines and pictures now, will it increase her potential as she grows up? I can hope! Also, I love the idea because I still have the horse pictures that hung on my wall growing up and I think the colors might work for the baby's room as well. That would certainly be a cheap and nostalgic fix to my decorating block.

The baby's closet is beginning to fill up now and it is so fun looking at all of the pink and purple things - I truly never thought these colors would be in the nursery! Almost the entire collection of clothing has been tremendously blessed to us from close friends and family. I am so incredibly thankful for the hand-me-downs of others! When we initially found out we were expecting a girl I was worried that we wouldn't be able to afford to clothe her. My fears can be laid to rest now thanks to all of our amazing loved ones! In fact, she has so many 0-6 month outfits, she may not ever be able to wear them all before she outgrows them! Now how's that for a laying a fear to rest?!

I am not particularly a girlie-girl myself, but I must admit that I am really loving all of the girlie clothes and accessories that we have been given. The little shoes and the hairbows are just too much fun to imagine accessorizing our little sweetheart someday soon. Can I admit that I am just going to have too much fun playing dress-up with her?

I am so excited for the next 5 (or less!) weeks to pass! How amazing, different and fun life is going to be by adding a little girl to our family. There will, of course, be all of the incredible challenges that come with having three busy boys and a newborn in the house, but the realities just can't suppress my excitement. I don't relish the ideas of sleeplessness and exhaustion, but I can't help but still want her here as soon as possible. I pray that the Lord watches over her development and decides the perfect time for her to arrive - the sooner, the better, of course!

Menu Planning Monday - VI

2009-04-13T11:03:00.006-04:00

OUR DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 13 - APRIL 19, 2009:

MONDAY - Deluxe Ham Sandwiches (with all the fixin's), Raw Carrots, Chips
TUESDAY - Baked Spaghetti (thanks Darlene!), Corn, Garlic Bread
WEDNESDAY - Loaded Baked Potatoes, Applesauce
THURSDAY - Italian Herb Grilled Chicken, Salad, Chicken-flavored Noodles, Homemade Bread
FRIDAY - Pizza, Breadsticks
SATURDAY - Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas, Mexican Rice, Creamed Corn
SUNDAY - Lunch with Wright's

Welcome, Noah Christian O'Dell!

2009-04-11T08:50:00.016-04:00

My wonderful friend and business partner, Ashley O'Dell, and her husband recently welcomed the newest little addition into their family - Noah Christian O'Dell - on Saturday, March 28th. He is such a beautiful baby and was extremely cooperative for his first "official" photoshoot this past Thursday. Enjoy these great pictures of such an adorable baby boy!

Family Twister

2009-04-11T06:57:00.009-04:00

I love board games. I love card games. I love party games. I love games.

I grew up playing games nearly every chance we got - it is one of the fondest gather-round-the-kitchen-table-as-a-family memories I cherish. It is a tradition I happily look forward to sharing with my own growing family. We have already tried to establish game times and even the occasional game night, but with all three boys still seven and under, there is only so much Chutes and Ladders, Go Fish, War and Candyland one can take. We've started teaching Eli some of the more advanced games (Settler's of Catan, anyone?), but we are realistically still a few years away from some serious game night competitions. However, for the time being, we do have an Autry family favorite that everyone can enjoy - TWISTER (well, I can't particularly play right now due to the simple fact that I need to breathe regularly so that I do not pass out. I do, however, make a great referee and am the official "spinner")! The boys love to play Twister and they now beg for it every time we mention playing a game. It's fun to play even if they can hardly reach across the mat and tend to "cheat" by sitting down, but it doesn't matter the details because it's the family memories that we are building that are the most important.

Can I get an "amen"?

Here are some pictures of our latest Twister game. It's so great watching the boys play together with their Daddy and have fun together as a family!

Menu Planning Monday - V

2009-04-07T16:19:00.006-04:00

My menu posting is delayed this week due some preggo distractions. After a trip to the doctor's today we know that the baby is fine and healthy, but I am beginning to show signs that I probably will go a few weeks early. Please pray that we make it to 37 weeks!

OUR DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 6 - APRIL 12, 2009:

MONDAY - Leftover Beef Stroganoff, Sugar Snap Peas, Creamed Corn, Homemade Bread
TUESDAY - Savory Herb and Garlic Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots, Homemade Bread
WEDNESDAY - Dinner at Applebees with the Hoy's
THURSDAY - Dinner with the Davis Family
FRIDAY - Lunch with Wright's after Good Friday service
SATRDAY - Asian Beef Linguine, Carrots, Broccoli, Homemade Bread (this is the same dish from last Tuesday. We had to change up the menu a bit last week last minute so it returns to the menu this week)
SUNDAY - Easter Lunch with Wright Family, Easter Dinner with Autry Family

Thank you, Francis!

2009-04-02T07:30:00.005-04:00

I wanted to say a public thank you to my good friend, Francis Riley (http://www.aneclecticmom.blogspot.com/) for a wonderful dinner last night! She posted the Toasted Parmesan Chicken Hoagie Recipe to her blog a few months back and Kevin and I have enjoyed it many times since then - even the kiddos love it! Her recipe is very simple and easily adjustable to fit each family's individual tastes. I encourage you all to check it out and enjoy a quick, easy dinner that is completely scrumptious as well!

Thank you Francis, also, for the kind words and publicity from your blog! :)

Menu Planning Monday - IV

2009-03-30T16:11:00.004-04:00

OUR DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 30 - APRIL 5, 2009

MONDAY - Chicken Pesto Pasta, Broccoli, Garlic Bread
TUESDAY - Asian Beef Linguine, Carrots, Homemade Bread
WEDNESDAY - Toasted Parmesan Chicken Hoagies (thanks Francis!), Asparagus
THURSDAY - Slow-Cooked BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Corn, Applesauce
FRIDAY - Homemade Cheesy Potato Ham Soup, Homemade Bread
SATURDAY - Baked Oatmeal, Cantaloupe (brunch) & Beef Stroganoff, Sugar Snap Peas, Homemade Bread (dinner)
SUNDAY - Lunch with Wrights

Menu Planning Monday - III

2009-03-23T07:28:00.000-04:00

OUR DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 23-29, 2009:

MONDAY - Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup, Homemade Bread
TUESDAY - Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken, Parmesan Noodles, Mixed Veggies
WEDNESDAY - Slow-Cooked Chili over Rice, Garlic Bread
THURSDAY - Birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese
FRIDAY - Tacos (with all the fixins), Applesause, Cornbread
SATURDAY - Leftovers
SUNDAY - Lunch with Wright's

Maple Syrup Season

2009-03-22T18:09:00.023-04:00

We had the opportunity last week to visit Kensington Metro Park to get some maple syrup schoolin'. We met up with our friends, the Snyder family, and had an absolute blast learning all of the interesting facts and history that go along with collecting and making maple sap into maple syrup. After the lesson, we were treated to a wonderfully yummy pancake dinner - topped off, of course, with 100% real maple syrup that was collected right from Kensington's Sugar Maples. It was a fun AND educational experience - gotta love it!

Learning about the trees

Even the youngest ones enjoyed being outside for the lesson

The naturalist demonstrates how the trees make the sugar for the sap

The youngest explorer in our group

We discussed different ways to identify sugar maples - the leaves (on the ground at this time of year), bark and branches

Maple sap becomes maple syrup in this little "shack"

Kids + sugar = fun at the Sugar Shack

Ethan learns about the process of boiling the sap down into syrup

Kevin just couldn't get over how wonderful it smelled!

Ethan's enjoying the smells, too!

Elijah watches those water molecules escape from the sap - the process in progress

Looking for the perfect tree to tap

Found it!

Inserting the spile

Discovering first hand how the Native Americans tapped for syrup

Inside for a little art & crafts . . .

. . . and a little Maple Syrup Word Searching

Anticipating our pancake dinner!

Confessions of a Recovering Narcoleptic

2009-03-18T10:52:00.001-04:00

"Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder (a dyssomnia) characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. The condition is most characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), in which a person experiences extreme tiredness and possibly falls asleep during the day at inappropriate times, such as at work or school." (Thanks, Wikipedia!)

No, I do not clinically have narcolepsy, but as a result of being a very pregnant mother of three busy boys I have developed some very (humorous) narcoleptic-like symptoms. The most obvious symptom would be my irrational ability to fall asleep in the most unlikely places and while doing the most unlikely things.

Recently I have been dealing with a few particularly difficult days (brought on by my pregnancy-induced anemia and hypoglycemia, I would suspect) and seem to fall asleep practically every other minute. Some of the more obvious conditions that seduced me into momentary slumber included read-aloud time with the boys (cuddling up on the coach is a sure-fire way to sing me to sleep, even when I'm the one reading), Elijah's read-aloud time to me (I parked us at the kitchen table for this one, hopeful that the hard wooden chair would keep me awake and vigilant. But alas, apparently I am able to succumb even when uncomfortable), attempting to soak away my weary muscles by reading in the bathtub (this is simply a surefire way to end up with a soggy book) and while watching a movie with Kevin (even if it was only 8pm and it was an exciting adventure movie - Quantum of Solace is not typically considered a lullaby by most . . .).

Some of the more unusual places that I have drifted off include sitting on a stool next to Kaden in the bathroom as he potty trained (cold hard seat . . . cold hard wall . . . 3 year old perilously perched on the porcelain . . . oh yeah, I can totally see what beckoned me), reading Eli his short story problems in math (one sentence and I was out!), during a particularly powerful and exciting bible study by Beth Moore (if it was boring and monotone falling asleep might not be a big surprise, but she is loud and boisterous and very engaging at all times . . . huh?), taking a shower (I just had to close my eyes for a second since the warm, steamy water was so wonderfully relaxing. Good thing I was leaning against the shower wall or may have dealt with a concussion from this one), eating breakfast (this was a close, almost face full of milk and cereal encounter), while writing this blogggggggggggggggg............... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

What?! Huh?!

Okay, maybe I'm not quite that bad, but it feels as though I could become a sleep causality at any moment and must be steadily on my guard. I have to be especially careful while driving, as you can imagine how dangerous I could be to everyone on the road (not to mention to my dear, sweet, unsuspecting kiddos in the car with me)! Please pray that I will be able to overcome this recent malady so that nothing too traumatic happens to me and the boys (the idea of the face full of milk and cereal still frightens me . . . ). :)

Hello, my name is Heather and I am a recovering Narcoleptic.

Requested Recipes for March 16-22

2009-03-17T19:19:00.000-04:00

Kevin's Homemade Wheat Bread

This is Kevin's standard bread recipe and it is perfect for just about everything. We use it for sandwiches, as a side for dinner and it also makes great dinner rolls if divided. The measurements given will make two small loaves so he typically doubles it to make 3 larger loaves (sandwich-size) at once. We store the loaves in the refrigerator and have never had any problem with freshness, but I would assume you would want to consume the bread within 8-10 days due to no preservatives.

2 cups warm water (100-110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2/3 cups white sugar
2 Tbs honey
1 1/2 Tbs active dry yeast
3 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil (olive oil works too)
4 cups bread flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 egg white (optional)

In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar and honey in warm water; stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

Mix salt, egg and oil into yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, turn dough to coat on all sides. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes and divide in half. Shape into loaves; place into 2 oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until internal temperature is 185-195 degrees F.

Optional Step:
For a beautiful glossy finish, pull bread loaves out 10 minutes before done and brush with egg white. Return to oven and bake until done.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake
This is an easy, delicious and beautiful dinner - the entire family loves it! I like to serve it with a quick salad and homemade garlic bread.

2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
1 pkg (9oz) fresh spinach leaves
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp. dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
1 jar (14 1/2oz) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 1/2oz) diced tomatoes
2 oz. cream cheese
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions (under cooking slightly), adding spinach to boiling water for the last 1 minute.

Cook and stir chicken, basil and garlic in oil in large skillet on medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add sauce and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in cream cheese.

Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 9x13 pan. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serves 5-6

Braised Balsamic Chicken

This is one of my all-time favorite "company's coming" meals. It is quick and easy but the flavor is rich and sophisticated. It tastes like you've spent all afternoon toiling over the stove! I love to serve this dinner with green beans and pine nut couscous. Yum!

5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
pepper, to taste
2 Tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 (14 1/2oz) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme

Season chicken breasts with pepper. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet; brown garlic, onion and chicken breasts.

Pour tomatoes, chicken broth and balsamic vinegar over chicken. Season with basil, oregano and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink, about 15 minutes.

Serves 5-6