"CAKES RISING : Baking Powder or Baking Soda"
"BALLOON ROCKET"
"FAVORITE GERBIL FOOD"
"VOLCANO ERUPTS, AGAIN!"
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Science Fair
We spent the ENTIRE WEEK completing our science fair projectslast week! I even told my friends not to call until it's over because it's taking up so much of our time. Here's a pictoral of our week:
"BALLOON ROCKET"
"BALLOON ROCKET"
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
As Lent Begins...
I'm a little sad. I love Lent. But the schedule of prayer and fasting will preclude me from doing any crafty, cool activities for Lent that we've done to describe it to the little kids in the past. They mostly understand and don't need the crafty activities. Then, I know, that just doing life and adding these times of prayer and sacrifice will take God's grace to get me through. I know--that's the point--relying on God alone. But I also know how much of a struggle it is to do and how much I fail. Today is busy with activities and checking each other's foreheads to see whose ashes have wiped off -- but I'm very reflective, considering the burden that sacrifice brings...and hoping for the strenth of God to carry me.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
meal planning
Now that the science fair is over *THANK YOU, GOD!* (my apologies to all those who like science) I needed to get my house, life and school back on track. I spent several evenings planning and today was the culmination of all those plans.
These are my meal planning steps :
25 breakfasts (variations on a theme) with an average cost of $1.76
45 lunches with an average cost of $3.76
35 dinners with an average cost of $5.33
Those average costs are for the entire family. It doesn't include beverages per meal (which average $.95) or side dishes (which I usually have at least one veggie and averages about $1.25)
So, I plug and chug and made a menu plan for breakfast, lunch & dinner for a month (this time it was 6 weeks hoping to get me to Easter.) My goal is $400 for a month. This month I bought 3 fish meals and those were pretty expensive $8-10/meal just for the fish. I tweaked a few meals to lower my overall cost, so I could do it.
Yesterday I shopped for 4 hours (that was longer than it needed to take, but I ran into some glitches) and I came home and cooked 15lbs of hamburger, 6lbs of chicken (which left the remaining 9 to be cooked the next day), and 2 lbs of sausage. The girls and I (and a very pregnant friend came for a few hours -- she wanted to come help!) spent all day cooking. The boys helped some and were on baby duty alot. We put up 13 side dishes (mashed potatoes, garlic & cheese buscuits, cornbread and rice pilaf) and 17 meals (3 lasagna, 3 shepherd's pie, 3 sausage & rice bake, 3 sloppy joe, 5 omelet mixes). I also put up all the meat for the rest of the meals.
I ran out of time (and steam) and still need to make 10 meals worth (40 Cups) of Alfredo sauce, but then I'll be done. I'm so pleased that I don't have to mess with cooking for quite some time! One more item off my plate and we can focus on school! YEAH!!
These are my meal planning steps :
- choose 7 breakfasts
- choose 7 lunches
- and 10 dinners
25 breakfasts (variations on a theme) with an average cost of $1.76
45 lunches with an average cost of $3.76
35 dinners with an average cost of $5.33
Those average costs are for the entire family. It doesn't include beverages per meal (which average $.95) or side dishes (which I usually have at least one veggie and averages about $1.25)
So, I plug and chug and made a menu plan for breakfast, lunch & dinner for a month (this time it was 6 weeks hoping to get me to Easter.) My goal is $400 for a month. This month I bought 3 fish meals and those were pretty expensive $8-10/meal just for the fish. I tweaked a few meals to lower my overall cost, so I could do it.
Yesterday I shopped for 4 hours (that was longer than it needed to take, but I ran into some glitches) and I came home and cooked 15lbs of hamburger, 6lbs of chicken (which left the remaining 9 to be cooked the next day), and 2 lbs of sausage. The girls and I (and a very pregnant friend came for a few hours -- she wanted to come help!) spent all day cooking. The boys helped some and were on baby duty alot. We put up 13 side dishes (mashed potatoes, garlic & cheese buscuits, cornbread and rice pilaf) and 17 meals (3 lasagna, 3 shepherd's pie, 3 sausage & rice bake, 3 sloppy joe, 5 omelet mixes). I also put up all the meat for the rest of the meals.
I ran out of time (and steam) and still need to make 10 meals worth (40 Cups) of Alfredo sauce, but then I'll be done. I'm so pleased that I don't have to mess with cooking for quite some time! One more item off my plate and we can focus on school! YEAH!!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure
They're having the same kind of FREEEEEE program for Lent that they had for Advent. We're signed up -- are you?
They have coloring pages you can print FOR FREE! They have videos of kids praying and saints for the day...crossword puzzles, word searches, .....and more!!!
WOW! I wouldn't have had to plan ANYTHING for Lent and this would have taken care of our Lent supplements with this free product!!
Click the picture above to go to HolyHeroes.com and sign up for your FREE daily Lent Adventure!!
EASY, complete and FREE! What a GREAT Lent present to moms!!
This is from their website when you sign up -
Join your family with Holy Heroes to learn more about:
Family traditions from around the globe that you can make part of your family's Lent and Easter
The Stations of the Cross
The Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross
How to live a fruitful Lent of prayer, penance, an alms-giving
The Rosary and other prayers and devotions that bring the faith to life in our homes
Like to sing? Sing along while you learn the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Regina Caeli, and the Stabat Mater - in English and Latin
And much more!
Sign up now, and you'll receive your 20% off coupon code and instructions for sending us your videos about your own family traditions.
http://www.holyheroes.com/
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Bourbon Street Hideaway
Dave called me last week and asked me if I'd like to go on a date that night.
It was AWESOME! It was expensive. We didn't have an appetizer, but did each have a cocktail and we split a desert -- the bill ended up being around $70. It was something we almost never do. We both loved it.
It was a like a taste explosion in my mouth! I don't like fancy food and I don't particularly like spicy food -- but this was FANTASTIC! Definately out of the norm and wonderful!
Here are some REAL reviews, if you'd like to consider it further :
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Friday, February 06, 2009
Would you be willing to...
Sit like this just to pick up a book?
I don't think that looks very comfortable....
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Football has been very, very good to me
Superbowl Party 2009
If you weren't here, this is the excitement you missed!
"Football" is one of the baby's 5 favorite words. He talks about it (saying the word over and over) all the time!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
I felt like I was in a movie today...
I was leaving the grocery store and calculating in my head how much I could spend at the next 2 stores I had to go to after what I'd just spent. I had Ds#4, who is 6 years old, and the baby with me. The checkout lady had stacked groceries in the child seat so I couldn't put the baby in the cart. As I exit the building after putting the baby's booties, gloves, hat and scarf on (actually I put both gloves on 3 times because while I was reaching for the other glove, he'd take off the one I'd just put on and throw it on the ground while I was trying to wrestle his hand into the next glove.)
I pushed the full cart with one hand while I held the baby on my hip with the other arm (and multiple layers of coat & scarf between us) and directed the 6 year old to stay close to me in the parking lot. We just got around 5 inches of snow and the lot wasn't completely cleared. Between the heavy cart, trying to keep the 6 year old near and being one handed, that snow in the lot REALLY slowed me down. I was stopped in my tracks when I realized I hadn't been able to park in the front row, but the next row back. The cars were parked too close together to allow me between them with the cart. Even realizing this, I tried to go straight to my car --nope, I couldn't do it.
We had to go around the aisle of cars, into the drive to get into the parking lot, up the hill, back around the back of the next aisle to get arrive a the trunk of my car. I'm a healthy, spoiled American, this shouldn't be such a big deal! "O.K., honey, let's go around and stay close because cars may need to go around us since we're walking up the main drag." The hill up to my aisle (I don't think I ever even noticed there was a hill there, more of a slight incline) was more difficult to get up than I realized - with being one-handed and the weight of the cart in the snow. So, instead of pushing from behind, I got in front of the cart and pulled. The wheels weren't really turning (clogged with snow), so I was taking tiny steps and with as large of jerky motions as I could manage while keeping hold of the baby I dragged the cart up the hill. I remember thinking 'good, we're there.' We weren't.
As I turned the corner to get to my aisle, the cart got stuck. Not a little stuck, alot of stuck. When the lot had been plowed, the corners ended up with more snow and I didn't account for that. I asked Ds#4 to help push, but he had my wallet, keys and the baby's sippy cup. So I'm pulling as hard as I can and he's trying to push with his shoulders (his hands were occupied). Then we switched and I tried to balance the baby on the handlebars of the cart (which he thought was hilarious) and I tried to hold him and push the cart with my feet and stomach -- it didn't work.
New plan. I left the cart to be run over by a car...if that was going to happen, so be it. I took the baby and the boy and strapped them into the van. I left them to try and dislodge the cart. Just then an old lady offered to help. I hated to take her up on it (I should be helping old ladies), but I really needed help. We managed to push-pull the cart back and forth and get it through the snow to the car.
By the time I got the car loaded up and the cart back to the store (I seriously thought about leaving it in the parking lot, but didn't want it to be in the way of the old lady who helped me or someone in a worse position than me) and got back to the car, the baby was screaming to get out of his car seat. So he SCREAMED all the way home (we didn't get the other 2 places). It was like some weird comedy movie where the main character gets in tangle after tangle -- I'm like a movie star.
During all this I kept thinking of Dave in his warm office talking on the phone for his job. Just then, my job seemed so much harder than his....
I pushed the full cart with one hand while I held the baby on my hip with the other arm (and multiple layers of coat & scarf between us) and directed the 6 year old to stay close to me in the parking lot. We just got around 5 inches of snow and the lot wasn't completely cleared. Between the heavy cart, trying to keep the 6 year old near and being one handed, that snow in the lot REALLY slowed me down. I was stopped in my tracks when I realized I hadn't been able to park in the front row, but the next row back. The cars were parked too close together to allow me between them with the cart. Even realizing this, I tried to go straight to my car --nope, I couldn't do it.
We had to go around the aisle of cars, into the drive to get into the parking lot, up the hill, back around the back of the next aisle to get arrive a the trunk of my car. I'm a healthy, spoiled American, this shouldn't be such a big deal! "O.K., honey, let's go around and stay close because cars may need to go around us since we're walking up the main drag." The hill up to my aisle (I don't think I ever even noticed there was a hill there, more of a slight incline) was more difficult to get up than I realized - with being one-handed and the weight of the cart in the snow. So, instead of pushing from behind, I got in front of the cart and pulled. The wheels weren't really turning (clogged with snow), so I was taking tiny steps and with as large of jerky motions as I could manage while keeping hold of the baby I dragged the cart up the hill. I remember thinking 'good, we're there.' We weren't.
As I turned the corner to get to my aisle, the cart got stuck. Not a little stuck, alot of stuck. When the lot had been plowed, the corners ended up with more snow and I didn't account for that. I asked Ds#4 to help push, but he had my wallet, keys and the baby's sippy cup. So I'm pulling as hard as I can and he's trying to push with his shoulders (his hands were occupied). Then we switched and I tried to balance the baby on the handlebars of the cart (which he thought was hilarious) and I tried to hold him and push the cart with my feet and stomach -- it didn't work.
New plan. I left the cart to be run over by a car...if that was going to happen, so be it. I took the baby and the boy and strapped them into the van. I left them to try and dislodge the cart. Just then an old lady offered to help. I hated to take her up on it (I should be helping old ladies), but I really needed help. We managed to push-pull the cart back and forth and get it through the snow to the car.
By the time I got the car loaded up and the cart back to the store (I seriously thought about leaving it in the parking lot, but didn't want it to be in the way of the old lady who helped me or someone in a worse position than me) and got back to the car, the baby was screaming to get out of his car seat. So he SCREAMED all the way home (we didn't get the other 2 places). It was like some weird comedy movie where the main character gets in tangle after tangle -- I'm like a movie star.
During all this I kept thinking of Dave in his warm office talking on the phone for his job. Just then, my job seemed so much harder than his....
Sunday Doughnuts
A friend and I were talking after church last weekend, (Hi, Laura!) that it has gotten so expensive to go out for doughnuts after church because our kids eat so much. I suggested we make doughnuts after church. Then I found some doughnut posts. I doubt we can compare to Dunkin' Doughnuts (our personal favorite!), but it could be a fun activity for the kids.
I'll have to let you know how it turns out!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Jenni asked me how to post my blog into facebook. This post is just for her.
Go to your profile page.
On your wall under "What are you doing right now?" is a tiny gear with the tiny word "settings".
Once you click on "settings", my page says
Click on automatically import and it takes you to options you can import into your Notes. Click on Blog and enter your address.
Let me know if it works and we should be friends on facebook.
You can find me : J e n n at t h m g dot c o m
Go to your profile page.
On your wall under "What are you doing right now?" is a tiny gear with the tiny word "settings".
Once you click on "settings", my page says
Stories Posted By YouYou can automatically import activity from...other services to your
profile.
Let me know if it works and we should be friends on facebook.
You can find me : J e n n at t h m g dot c o m
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
25 Random Things About Me
I got tagged on facebook, but this blog feeds into my notes on facebook, so I'll just post it here. (if you're not on facebook, ignore the previous sentence because it won't mean anything to you).
- My children are the most wonderful gift I have and the best day of my life was the day God made me a mother.
- My children are the most challenging thing I have to deal with because they reflect my strengths and weaknesses soooo much.
- I went to 11 different schools in my first 8 years of schooling.
- I love books.
- I love to drive a 5-speed car and can hardly wait for the day I can ditch my mini-van for sporty-red-5-speed-something.
- I LOVE being Cathlolic -- "I GET to be Catholic"!
- I don't have a single grey hair.
- Except for aparagus, I LOVE vegetables.
- I weigh more now than I ever have in my life ... and I really don't care.
- Jesus has been my best friend since I was 10.
- I love Breyers chocolate mint chip icecream.
- Our 15 year wedding anniversary is coming up and between lack of money and nursing a 1-year old, I can't think of ANYTHING fun to do.
- I love the feel of dishes, they can be so sensual (in a good way).
- I'm almost 41.
- I could eat sauteed onion on almost anything.
- I struggle with being too brutally honest and tactless.
- Being the mother of 5 kids is a badge of honor I wear proudly and I salute ANY and EVERY mother!
- Whenever I'm scared or unsure I always go back to what I KNOW is TRUTH and work my way from there -- it's like a mantra for me.
I am so NOT gentle with the children in my life, so my new favorite saint is St. Anthony because he was so gentle in his love of the Christ Child.- My worst year was 13 : my dad kidnapped us 1200 miles away and told us we'd never see our mom again.
- I love plaid.
- I'm a terrible housekeeper.
- My heart melts everytime I get near a baby -- especially my own.
- Almost all my friends are better friends to me than I am to them.
- I'm looking forward to the day when I can be a free spirit again and ride a shopping cart through an empty isle going as fast as I can make it go like I did when I was 22 instead of being the kind of person who says "get your hands out of your mouth" 73 times per day.
One more way to get books!
I just joined and am really having fun with this! It's an online book swap where you clear your shelves of things choking them and request books you want for FREE! (you pay for shipping to help another soul enjoy the book you're ditching).
I listed 13 books and had 2 immediate requests and 3 other books are waiting for people to confirm that they want the books I listed. Each book I've sent has cost me less than $2.50. I can't even buy used from Amazon for that price!
When you list your first 10 books, you get 2 FREE books (without sending any of your out!). One credit = one book.
I really like books! Paperbackswap
I listed 13 books and had 2 immediate requests and 3 other books are waiting for people to confirm that they want the books I listed. Each book I've sent has cost me less than $2.50. I can't even buy used from Amazon for that price!
When you list your first 10 books, you get 2 FREE books (without sending any of your out!). One credit = one book.
I really like books! Paperbackswap
Friday, January 23, 2009
March For Life
God willing (if the baby's cold gets better) Dave and the kids and I will be able to attend Fort Wayne's March for Life.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
St. Arbuck's Coffee & other ramblings
I was drinking my morning cup of coffee getting ready for a busy day (leave at 9:30am and get home at 5pm) having already packed lunch, made sure the kids ate and were accomplishing morning activities and reading my morning article from my homepage Catholic Exchange and my favorite author Mark Shea when he mentioned St. Arbuck's Coffee. Well that little ditty just struck me as HILARIOUS! I googled it and it turns out there's a book (I haven't read it) about it.
This post has no purpose or real significance in life what-so-ever -- I just found it interesting -- I love playing with words.
This post has no purpose or real significance in life what-so-ever -- I just found it interesting -- I love playing with words.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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