Baby wearing Giveaway!

Go to the Coco Cafe and enter this giveaway to win a pouch sling from DrewBabyDesigns. Good Luck!

Kindergarten Graduation!

Well my dear daughter had her "unofficial official" Kindergarten Graduation today. Because we homeschool, and I started early with school, she is finished. I am still planning on having her read daily, and review math...any suggestions in the math review area are WELCOME...but for all intensive purposes, WE ARE DONE!! WOO HOO. She finished her math book today, and is WELL ahead in reading(like 2nd grade level) and we have just been doing our own choice poetry for months now. Her handwriting has vastly improved as well. This is great because this will free up time to stay current with the liturgical year and do lots of Holy Week crafts, stories, etc. Not that we wouldn't have done these anyway, but I won't feel like I am skipping stuff. Now we can feel free to do tons of story time, and outside time, spring picnics, and imaginary play. Not to mention. WE ARE MOVING IN less than 45 DAYS!!!! So we'll need to start packing and getting ready at some point. I think I am pretending it is  not happening...the packing fairies will be here any day, right?!?

Anyway. A big congratulations to my firstborn today. We had cookies, took pictures, and marched around and sang many songs to commemorate this occasion!! 

Menu Plan Monday!

This week we are doing a "spring clean of the freezer". I need to start using/getting rid of all our frozen stuff. We are moving in just over a month. I havent started packing yet...shhh.  I thought I would go easy on the food budget, and use all the stuff we have on hand. So, other than our produce and milk, bread and other dairy...we should be pretty well set. Right now I have chicken left over from last night's Rotisserie Style Chicken- BTW...this was FANTASTIC!!, I have some rice and asparagus too. I'm also defrosting some sweet italian sausage and some home-made meatballs from the freezer. I will probably take out a flank steak I have too. Okay, so here goes. . . I need to get my mind working as to how I am going to use these foods this week. 

Monday: Chicken Wraps with Roasted Peppers, Feta Cheese and Asparagus in it. Interesting, we'll see how that goes over.

Tuesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup with Black beans(maybe I'll throw the rice in too). I am liking this one...we love Tortilla soup around here.

Wednesday: Sweet Sausage, and meatballs with Pasta and salad

Thursday: Leftover something--DH not home for dinner, plus it will help use up our meat leftovers before tomorrow.

Friday: Tortellini in a Pink Vodka Sauce(in my fridge--I love easy dinner nights)

Saturday: Free night...I will pull something together

Sunday: Flank Steak(probably something Rachel Ray does...i love her cookbooks!) with Baked Potatoes and salad.

Monday lunch: PBJ, apple "shake-ups" finish off the veggie straws

Tuesday lunch: Baked Potatoes and Cantaloupe

Wednesday lunch: Pack lunch for co-op...string cheese, raisins, Peanut butter or Tuna, carrots and dip with water

Thursday lunch: Frozen Bean Burritos, my kids love 'em. And it is only once in awhile.

Friday lunch: Pack for co-op: Yogurt tubes or yogurt drinks, cheese cubes, and crackers(yes, it is a lot of dairy, but we go peanut free today) oranges.

Saturday lunch: family birthday party

Sunday lunch: leftover Tortellini

If you want to see more great menu plans or participate in this on your blog go to orgjunkie.com, or click on the picture above.

Menu Menu Menu

Menu Plan Monday : Lots of Carryover meals this week as we had tons of Leftover days. Yay for leftovers. Anyway, here is the plan. I need to go back to doing a complete plan, B, L, and D. But this is it for now.

Monday: Pork Tenderloin with Brocolli.

Tuesday: Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches and Green Beans

Wednesday: Chili--carryover

Thursday: Leftovers--ie..eat up any meat that we can't have tomorrow

Friday: Crab Soup--but maybe not---Kid's at their 1/2 Slumber Party

Saturday: Triese's Birthday Dinner

Sunday: Rotisserie-Style Chicken Roasted potatoes, Asparagus or salad.

Check out Orgjunkie.com by clicking on the picture for more menu plans.

At the request of Tara, from MCM, here are the pictures of the crafts my son did at the co-op. Warning: THESE ARE NOT FANCY!! But simple and to the point. I don't know why St. Joseph is sideways, it is not this way in my computer. So sorry about that. The kids just took a picture of St. Joseph and "framed" it with the popsicle sticks. I guess they were "pretending" to be carpenters. Also, they colored a hammer and nails.

Women of Prayer

Today (yesterday, wednesday)at the homeschooling Co-Op we belong to, we held a "visitation" with a mom that is very nearly ready to give birth to twins...who will be the 4th and 5th children in their very young family. (there will be 5, 5 and under!!). For this "visitation" all the moms who were in the nursery at the time gathered around the mother, we prayed the 2nd Mystery of the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary, The Visitation, and then we laid hands on her and prayed for all the special intentions pertinent to the next few weeks and months for her. It was beautiful. She was filled with peace about all she has to go through over the next few weeks and months, and I was moved nearly to tears. 

Since I began this post--pre-publishing, I found out that she has gone to the hospital to most likely have the babies. Since all her children were born early...30, 32, and 35 weeks, she is ready for them. Please keep her in your prayers.

As for today, I made a change in my menu. I decided on Pork Fried Rice. I had the left over pork from the ribs(they were alright, but I really loved the John McCain Ribs from the other week way more!) and always have rice on hand. I feel like it is a free meal. It helps the monthly food budget alot. It is leftovers, without being "leftovers". I used brown rice, I made it this morning, and I also used peas. So, we'll see how it turns out. 

I am making a carrot cake to celebrate St. Joseph's feast day. He really came through for us(when does he not though??) in praying for us to sell the house. You know how people say "so and so is the Jack of all trades" Well, that is what St. Joseph is, the patron saint for "everything". For selling houses, for men, for dad's, for work, to find a job, for carpenters, for chastity, the grace of a happy death. I mean, he is the man. Isn't that a beautiful depiction of St. Joseph teaching our Lord? I love it. In fact, at our co-op yesterday, Aidan made a craft with this depiction of St. Joseph in his pre-school class. 

St. Joseph, Pray for us.

Menu Plan Monday!

It is that time of the week again. Surprisingly enough, I have NO carry over meals. That is good.

Here is the plan for this week.

Monday: Korean Ribs in the Crockpot with Rice and green beans

Tuesday: Corned Beef and Cabbage--what else, it IS St. Patricks Day

Wednesday: Leftovers(Corned beef sandwiches or ribs)

Thursday:Crockpot Chili

Friday:Ricotta Pasta with Caprese Salad

Saturday: Chicken Strip Salad

Sunday:Bean Tostadas