Menu Plan Monday

I think I was supposed to post this last night, but that just didn't happen. So, here is my Menu Plan for this next week. As always, you can find lots more organizing ideas at I am an Organizing Junkie.

Monday - Spaghetti with Garlic Bread - this is our kids' favorite meal, and one that is usually eaten without their shirts on - it's a messy one for them!

Tuesday - Round Steak, Rice-a-Roni, homemade biscuits

Wednesday - Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole (freezer meal exchange), homemade biscuits

Thursday - Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Applesauce & Garlic Bread - mommy's favorite meal!

Friday - Enchilada Casserole & cornbread

Saturday - Dinner and Movie for mommy & daddy - heading out to a Thai restaurant. Kiddos will eat Leftover Love with the babysitter!

Sunday - Memorial Day BBQ at a friends house.

I'm always looking for great freezer meals - let me know if you have one you would like to share!

Need some Father's Day ideas?

I found a great Father's Day Gift Guide with some fun ideas for gifts - things beyond the normal and boring! Take a look at what they have listed!

A little quiz about me

I found this on another blog, and you are supposed to tag people to complete it, but I thought I would skip that part and just do it myself!

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

Working at Spa Paradiso as Assistant Director and living on the South Hill in an apartment.

2) What are five things on your to-do list for today?

It's 6 am, so this is a good time to start this list. Let's see - send out e-mails for my Relay for Life, fold and put away boys' laundry, send out Silent Auction e-mails, send out MOMS Club weekly reminder, get picnic and stuff ready for tonight's Torchlight Parade.

3) What snacks do I enjoy?

Chips & Mango salsa, kettle corn, ice cream

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire?

Buy a big house in the country, pay off all our debts and my parents debts and my mother in law's debts, buy a building for AHAF (foster & adopt support organization), travel to fun places with my family!

5) Three Bad Habits

Procrastination, staying up too late, aggressive driving

6) 5 places I have lived…

Spokane, WA, Elk, WA, Coeur d' Alene, ID, Edmonds, WA - only 4!

7) 5 Jobs I have had

SAHM, bookkeeper, administrative assistant, assistant director, waitress

So instead of tagging anyone in particular, feel free to cut and paste and fill this out on your own blog. Leave me a comment if you do - I'd love to read your answers!

Dirt in my eye!

I sent the kids out this morning at 8:45 to play, after everyone had breakfast and dressed for summer. By 9 am, Daniel was throwing sand on Gretchen and Austin - and right into Austin's face, thus getting his right eye full of sand. After dusting him off outside as best as I could, I brought him in the house and flushed his eye out with lukewarm water under the sink faucet. Needless to say, he didn't not like this method in the least bit. But I could think of no other way to get the pound of sand out of his eye before he rubbed scratches into it. What would you have done? Is there a better method for this? I need to know, because I can bet you money this won't be the last time the kids throw sand in each other's faces.

Park Day

After our dentist visit, I took all three kids up to a park to meet up with some other moms and their kids. We had a fun morning playing. It was bit windy, but we stayed for a couple of hours, and had lunch there, and the kids took good 2+ hour naps afterwards. I even got a nap in - a little over an hour. It was nice!

Dentist Visit

The boys had dentist appointments today, and surprisingly, Daniel did much better with the dentist than Austin. Austin was supposed to have his very first cleaning - James even went in late to work so he could be there for it and help corral kids. But Austin would not open his mouth without forceful help from Daddy. So, he got examined - enough to count teeth - but didn't get a cleaning. He has twenty teeth, and all are in good shape.

Daniel, however, did great! He wasn't scheduled for a cleaning, just an exam, and he let the dentist do everything he needed to do. He is beginning to cut his 2 year molars, especially the upper right, and his bottom teeth are starting to get a little crooked. Daniel gives us a fight almost every night when we try to brush his teeth, so it was no surprise that we need to pay more attention to the back sides of his teeth. Looks like more wrestling matches in store for us!


Both boys got new Sesame Street toothbrushes, and kids Crest toothpaste. Even Gretchen got her first real toothbrush, now that she has 2 teeth. We noticed the second one today - on the bottom left. Here first one was the top left. She is getting them so out of order, and so late, but hopefully that means we won't have future problems with her teeth.

Menu Plan Monday

Here you will find my menu plan for this week. I really need to get better at planning my menu out more often - life is so much easier when I don't have to guess at what to cook for dinner! You can find lots more great menus, recipes and organizing ideas at
Organizing Junkie

Monday - Honey Dijon Chicken with fettucini (plain chicken for the kiddos!)

Tuesday - Hawaiian Pizza - an extra Papa Murphy's leftover from hubby's poker night on Saturday - we just kept it in the fridge without cooking it, so it will be nice and fresh tonight!

Wednesday - Ravioli Lasagna

Thursday - Mac-n-cheese with hot dogs for kids & chili dogs for Daddy - mommy gone for dinner tonight!

Friday - Foster Parent Appreciation Dinner/Fiesta Night for Mommy & Daddy - "leftover love" for the kids

Saturday - Picnic in the Park before our Lilac Parade - probably roasted chicken sandwiches/fruit/veggies/chips & popcorn (pre-popped at home) for the parade. I buy a full already roasted chicken at Costco and use it for different lunches/dinners the few days after buying it. I'll probably buy it Thursday night before choir.

Sunday - Roasted Chicken & Mashed Potatoes & veggies

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was a fun but busy day. After going to church, everyone in my family gathered at my house - my mom and dad, gram, sister & niece, and brother & girlfriend. My brother coming was a total surprise to everyone except James and I - we had known about it for a week. Needless to say, Mom was thrilled to see him. James and the kids got me a beautiful mother's bracelet in sterling silver with the kids' birthstones in it. Very very nice! My mom made me one of her domino necklaces and got me a pretty pink geranium. My gram got me a nice apple candle. We had lots of fun before dinner playing in the backyard with the kids, and tossing the plastic ball for the kids to hit with their bats. Even Gretchen got in on that! Daniel was actually connecting on a few swings, but Austin was more content to play with his police car. But we all had a good time!