Our Weekly Menu - May 11

Did you miss my weekly menu post last week?  I didn' think so :-) LOL  Well, I had good reason - we weren't going to be home to cook (yeah!!) This week it is back to reality though so that means you get to enjoy reading what we are having for dinner.  I will say that what I posted the week before vacation as our menu was nothing like what we ate that week.  I found some good sales on meat so I cooked more interesting dinners :-)

I really enjoyed the past week of not cooking - as much as I love to create good things to eat, it is nice to not be the one cooking, cleaning, and planning every once in awhile.  Plus that week was pretty warm and humid . .. I struggle to want to cook when it is hot because my kitchen is so warm.  (Remember, I said we were going to be grilling out and using the crock-pot a LOT this summer!!!)

On to more exciting things - here's the plan for this week :-)

Friday: I'm going to feed the kids something simple; then I have steaks for my husband and I - he'll grill them up good!! (It isn't that I don't want my kids to enjoy steak . . .it is just that the only way a steak is good is HOT off the grill and that is hard to accomplish when you have to blow on food for someone else first HA)  I'm not sure what we will have with it - probably some sweet potatoes and garlic bread.

Saturday: We are planning on having some more family time today.  We are going to have brunch for lunch - Easy Ham and Cheese Quiche and Snickerdoodle Muffins.  Dinner will be something out - we might go to a restaurant, get a pizza, or go to the beach for a picnic (store bought food!!) 

Sunday: Korean Tacos - these are so good.  I made them a month or so ago and have yet to post the recipe so I decided to make them again :-), Chips and Salsa and some Rice

Monday: Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw

Tuesday: Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes, Parsleyed Cream Gravy and Corn

Wednesday: BBQ Chicken Thighs and Beef Noodles

Thursday: Pulled Chicken and Slaw Sliders, Fried Zucchini, French Fries

Friday: Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin, Mac and Cheese, Roasted Cabbage, and Rolls

As you can see from the number of links, we are having a lot of favorites this week - if you want to try a recipe, just click the link :-)  (If you happen to find one that doesn't link correctly, please let me know!)

Food Friday - Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef
adapted from Confessions of a Homeschooler

Chinese food is a favorite of ours but making it at home has always been a struggle.  I decided to try out this recipe and we really like it a lot.  It's a sweet recipe but the flavor is so good and the crunchy texture to the beef from the cornstarch just makes it perfect. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Ginger, minced (I used ground ginger and it was fine)
• 2 tbsp Garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup Soy sauce
• 1 cup Dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
• 1 lb Flank steak or sirloin sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 3 Green onions sliced or 2 Cups Broccoli steamed

Directions:

• Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add ginger and garlic and let sizzle for 30 seconds, then add soy sauce. Gradually add the brown sugar and let it dissolve while stirring. Let the sauce come to a boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Cut the flank steak into thin strips against the grain. (Tip: Meat is easier to slice when it’s partially frozen. It will thaw quickly after sliced too!) Place meat and corn starch in a bag and shake to coat the meat. Let meat sit for 10 minutes, so the cornstarch sticks to the meat.
• Put 1/2 c. vegetable oil in a wok/ skillet and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the meat to the wok and brown for about 4-5 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
• Clean the pan out and return meat to pan and cook on high for about 2 more minutes. Add the sauce to the pan and cook for another minute. Add the green onions or broccoli and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Remove from heat and serve with rice

Busy Bags - Vacation Style

As I shared on Sunday in my Thirty-One Post, I showed the two Organizing Totes I purchased for my boys.  The main reason I wanted those bags was to create "busy bags".  Busy bags are basically bags that house all kinds of fun, quiet activities for each boy that we can carry in the car when we go away.  They will also be used for trips to some one's home and need to take toys - they boys will be able to pick toys to take without me needing to shove them in my purse!! 

My original plan was to make all kinda of creative things to put in the bags.  Then it was 2 days before we were leaving and I had nothing! HA  I made a trip to Walmart to dig through their Dollar bins, printed coloring pages, put markers in containers, bought some fun snacks, made a snake or two, and found some fun toys (without parts so nothing could get lost) that the boys enjoy playing with and shoved them in the bag. 

Here's a simple photo of what I put in the bag and I will list everything I put in them:

My original plan was to make everything for their bags.  Well, then it was 3 days before vacation and that wasn't happening! Instead, I made a few things and then went searching for a few other things at home.  The key was finding things that were small, fun, and didn't make a ton of noise. 

First up, the things we already owned:  I packed matchbox cards, other little cars and some trains, fun microphones, little etch-a- sketches, movies, and books.

Then, I made several things. 

I printed, laminated, and cut apart this simple alphabet puzzles that I found over at OVer the Big Moon.  I added some magnetic tape to the back of each piece so that they could be used with the cookie sheet I packed in each bag to use with several of the activities.  Originally I was going to do two full sets but instead, I took about 6 sets of cards and put them in a Ziplock bag; then each boy got two sets in his bag to play with while on the ride. 

I found this great printable over at Make Take Teach to use on the cookie sheet and picked up the magnetic letters at Wal-Mart for about $1.00. 

I loved this Popsicle puzzle idea from Flip Chick Designs.  I also purchased a scrapbook set from Just so Scrappy to get my images (her work is just adorable!).  A couple of things I learned 1)I have no idea how to turn her files into Jpeg files to print the designs through Walmart so I just printed them on regular paper.  When using modge podge you have to be a little careful because the paper likes to tear and the ink will run but it worked ok.  2) Pre-cutting the shapes was very difficult - notice the zebra?  Apparently I am not good at measuring.  Instead, I modge podged the entire picture as a whole to the sticks (see the little boy).  Once it was dry, it was easy to cut the sticks/paper and it looked much better.  3) Line the sticks up and run one piece of tape down the back of it to hold them together.  Otherwise they will move all over the place when you paint on the modge podge!

No, I didn't make these but I did buy them!  The boys already had one dinosaur each from Easter; but what fun is it to play with just one?  I picked them each up another one at Wal-mart for $1.00 to add to their bags.

I shared this little guy a few weeks ago from Craftomaniac in a Too Cute Not To Toot post.  Well, we had tons of Easter Eggs left so I wanted to make each of they boys one of these.  I didn't get a picture of mine but you can see one of them in the photo showing all of the stuff in the bag.  I'd like to say that these were easy to make but they weren't!  Threading the Fishing line through the holes on the eggs about drove me insane HA! Hopefully the boys like them :-)

I really love the idea of busy bags and want to continue to look for more ideas to put in the bags that grow with the boys.  I'm sure they get bored in riding in the truck so this is a sure way to keep them entertained!

41 x 41 . . or at least some goals for the year :-)

I mentioned in my 40 x 40 recap post that I was thinking about some new goals now that that list is expired.  I was going to try and be creative but instead I just got thinking about some questions I want to solve and then some things I'd like to accomplish this next year. 

First of all, I have 8 questions I asked myself and I would like to try and answer this coming year:
1. I don't want my bathroom to smell stale - what can I do?  I know this seems funny but our bathroom is closed off most of the day.  The door is shut and, 9 months a year, the windows are closed too.  I've noticed that it always kinda smells stale in there.  So I'm working on some things to make that not happen.

2. I want to plan activities for my kids - how do I succeed?  As much as I have tried to do this, I tend to not take the time to make it work so I'm reinventing the wheel and hope to make this summer a success!

3. I want to have homes for everything - how do I do this?  I hate when things don't have a home . . that is how clutter builds.  I want to be able to bring something in and know right where to put it.  Whether it be a magazine or a craft supply - everything should have a home.

4. I want to fit exercise in my day - what do I need to do?  I have some ideas :-)

5.  I want to eat healthier - how can I plan?  I've said it before, we love food in this house but we are both committed to making some changes :-0

6.  I want to save money - how can I be disciplined.  Eek - it is so easy to spend, isn't it?

7.  I want to go away for our anniversary to Cleveland or to Chicago . . How can I make it happen?  Cleveland might seem funny but I've planned a complete trip there . .. twice . . and we haven't gone.  I just want to do IT ; Chicago - we want to take the train and stay downtown!

8.  I want to run a 5K - what do I need to do to reach this goal.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA  Ok, maybe, maybe not but it looks good doesn't it? 


Now, here are some things I would like to do over the next 12 months:
1.  Ride one of the Great Lake Boats to WI and back.
2. Go to the beach at LEAST 2 times this summer.
3. Eat at the longest Breakfast Table in Battle Creek
4. Take Darryl and the Kids to see the lights at Crossroads Village
5. Take my Kids to the circus
6.  Go to the Harlem Globetrotters game in January
7.  Go to a Tigers Game !!


For now that is all I can think of :-)  Besides these specific things, I'm going to get back to my theme word this year of Simplify . I've kinda lost focus over the last few months since I've been busy with other projects but it is time to refocus :- )

Too Cute Not to Toot!

Whoo! Whoo!!  Finally some new ideas showing up.  I think everyone was BEAT from Easter crafts and were recycling ideas from years past! 

So, timing is perfect because I just said last week how I'm looking for ideas to decorate two kid rooms - one is going with the dinosaur theme so when I saw this cute idea from Confessions of a Desperate Mom for how to make a dinosaur habitat.  I think this would look cute sitting on his nightstand in his room once we get that far!

This next idea comes from Mom on Timeout and is actually a Teacher Appreciation gift BUT when I saw it I thought of Father's Day!  I've been thinking of ideas for my husband for Father's Day and this might be it.

Here's another creative Father's Day gift idea.  It comes from Smallgood Hearth and is for a cute Tie Holder.  My husband doesn't wear ties often but if yours does (or your dad . ..brother . . friend) this would be a fun gift!

Ok, here's the deal.  Before kids, I had some beautiful Black Eyed Susans by my garage.  Now, thanks to the dog, the kids, and rain they are not the same.  My husband said that we just need to get some planters and decorate that particular area that way - the kids LOVE to step on flowers . . .Well I saw this cute idea over at Wait Till Your Father gets Home for, what she calls, The Mad Planter, and I knew that THIS was it.  Actually, I want to do this for my porch.

Design, Dining and Diapers shares her Front Porch redo and I just love it.  I'd like to do something to our main entrance (it is actually our back porch) to make it welcoming and fresh so this is just great inspiration!

Ok, I love Laundry Rooms.  I wish I had one of those main floor rooms off the kitchen that has plenty of room for stuff and is cute to look at but instead I have a great room downstairs that only I see HA!  But, I actually spend time down there due to the large amount of laundry I do each week so when I saw this idea from Life as a Thrifter I fell in love with it.  I only have so many walls to hang photos and this would just be so cute and uplifting to see photos of my family hanging on the wall! (PS - I also love the color . . .mine is a great yellow color but I would really love it to be orange someday!)

I love this sign from Artsy VaVa and all I can say is that it is TRUE!  I want to make this for my Laundry room  - maybe to hang at the base of the stairs so it can be seen by all :-)

Another idea I've mentioned in a recent post is the simple fact that I want to have meals pre-prepared for the dog days of summer for the simple reason that our kitchen gets SOOOO hot.  I want to use the crockpot and grill alot but I came across this blog called Once a Month Mom which deals with tons of freezer meals.  I haven't scoured it yet but one idea I saw is chicken nuggets.  I really don't like the frozen ones in the store but she shares a recipe for homemade nuggets ... just cook them fully, let them cool, and then freeze them to re-heat later for lunch!

I'll end with that this week!  WOW!  So many great ideas.  I can't wait to make some of these and show you my take on the inspiration!

The Family Photo Wall

About 7 years ago, I set up a family photo wall in my dining room.  I actually did it all one week while my husband was on a missions trip.  It gave me a great excuse to go to Kohl's (like I needed an excuse HA!) and pick out specific frames.  Through the years, this wall has changed and been added to (including those large frames on the left!).  As much as I love the photos  . .. I was really starting to not like the look of it so I started looking for other options.  I fell in love with the Creative Memory Memory Boards and started to run with that idea when, guess what?  Those boards when on sale . .. they were 50% off!  So I snapped up 4 of them and then finally had a chance to hang them up!

 This is the before wall . . .well, I had already started to take photos down.  I tend to do that - start a project and THEN remember to take a photo!

This is the final product!  I love the arrangement of the four frames with the "extra" photos around them.  It's amazing how much more we now notice these photos.  Even the boys have noticed them and point out who is in each photo (Nate will point to Memory Frame on the top right and say "Look mom it's my boys" - he calls all of his cousins "my boys" HA!) The other nice thing about the boards is that they are easily changeable since the pictures are held up with magnets.  As much as I love the 8x10's of the boys at their birthdays, I would like to be able to change out the 4x6 photos through the year to see how they have changed :-)

Each of my boys also have a similar board in their rooms and they LOVE when I change out the photos (which I try to do every few months).  Photos add so much to a home - and they make people feel good :-)

Thirty-One Products

I meant to do this post a few weeks ago when I got my stuff from Thirty-One but I just didn't take time to do it!  Personally, I love seeing how other people use fun bags - it gives me ideas how to use mine!  Get this, my catalog show ended up being the largest show in a three month challenge so I earned $100 in free product.  I'm putting that order together now and I can't wait to get more stuff!! 

Before I actually hosted my show, I placed an order with a friend and got these three items:

 This is the Mini Utility Bin - we use it house all of the matchbox cars in the house and it works perfectly for that - the boys each have car holders but I'm kinda tired of always having to put cars in them when they get them out every day.  This happened to be the March sale item so it was only $8.00.  To be honest, when I saw "mini" I thought it would be perfect for the counter in the kitchen for keys and things . .. when I got it I discovered that "mini" didn't really mean small :-)

 This is (a blurry picture HA!) the Mini Organizer.  I use it house scrapbooking supplies like my scissors and decorative ribbons.  It's slightly smaller than I thought it would be but it still works perfectly for what I need it for.

Finally, this is the all in one organizer.  (Don't you love the monogram??) I purchased it to use for my music for choir but . . it is just slightly smaller than what I need so it has become my everything bag.  My planner fits in it perfectly along with my Bible or any thing else I need to carry with me on odd days. 

Now, this is what I earned at my own party.  My first priority was putting together a scrapbooking organization center to be able to pull it out easily and also carry it without a problem.

 This bag is the Organizing Utility Tote and I have to say that it is probably my favorite bag.  The handle's are long enough to throw it over your shoulder, there are lots of pockets and it is large enough to hold 12x12 pages :-) 

This is the Large Utility Tote and is what holds all of my scrapbooking stuff.  I love that the handles are long enough  that they are easy to carry.  It's deep enough to hold my other small bags (Like the mini organizer) as well as my container that holds my current photos. 

 Isn't this cute?  It's the Little's Carry All Caddy and is the perfect home for my punches.  It also fits well into the tote that carries everything :-)

 The last part of my scrapbooking items is this cute pencil holder.  It holds all of my pens and I love it :-)

Finally, the square Utility Tote - this is the perfect size for all of the kids shoes and it fits perfectly in the corner of the kitchen.  I'm thinking I need to pick up a second one before winter so I can use it house mittens, scarves, and hats!!

 I got each of the boys an Organizing Utility Tote Monogramed :-)  I'm using these bad to pack things for the car when we travel or go to other's homes.  It's just a fun way to pack toys and activities.

Sorry for this photo but I realized that I didn't post about these two bags until after I had them packed and lined up to go on vacation.  The one on the left is the XXL Utility Tote and let me tell you, it is huge.  It comes with three totes that fit inside of it - I packed all of Nate's clothes for vacation in one, all of Josh's in another and all of our rehearsal/wedding clothes - including shoes - in the third.  They have so much room!!  I was shocked at the size of it.  It is almost too big but it is great for packing up the boys!  The one next to it is the Brown Duffel bag.  It's quilted and really sturdy plus it has wheels/handle to pull it if needed.  When I saw it, I thought it wouldn't hold much but I packed all of my clothes including extra shoes and a sweat jacket with room to spare.  I used a normal size small suitcase for my husband and didn't get all of his stuff in it so I guess my new bag IS big!

So, my honest opinion of Thirty-One products?  They are really awesome.  I love how sturdy they are and that they have so many uses.  I do wish that all products came in all patterns because I would have liked all of my scrapbooking items to be the same pattern but it wasn't possible. 

If you like anything you see or just love bags, check out this Thirty-One website - it is my consultant's website.  You can order at anytime or, you can also click on "My Parties" and see if there happens to be a party in progress and help that hostess out by ordering through her party (you can have it delivered right to your home!)

I'm looking forward to getting my next few items and I still have a wish list of things to pick up in the future!