Monday, January 30, 2012

Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of January 30, 2012

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Menu Plan Monday

Monday

  • Breakfast ~ Bagels
  • Dinner ~  Crock Pot chicken w/ carrots & potatoes
Tuesday
  • Breakfast ~ Baked oatmeal
  • Dinner ~  Spaghetti & bread
Wednesday Thursday
  • Breakfast ~ Whole wheat pancakes
  • Dinner ~ Leftovers!
Friday Saturday
  • Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
  • Dinner ~ Chili & Cornbread
Sunday
  • Breakfast ~ Cinnamon rolls
  • Dinner ~ Popcorn & chocolate milk

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted.  That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu? 

Don’t miss my Main Dish Menu Planner and go-along Monthly Menu Planner that you can fill in with your own text and save on your own computer ~ go on and try! I have examples on how I use it to help sort and plan my meals.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Korean Beef Tips and Rice {Recipe}

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Beef Tips and Rice One of our friends shared this recipe with us a long time ago and it is a favorite when we make it!  Lately we’ve been serving brown rice with it {to be a little healthy}, but there are some great sticky white rices that are absolutely yummy with it too.

But we’re using brown rice {sigh}. There are, however, a few meals that are well-deserving of special white rice…and this is one of them {making a note to buy a bag to hide in the cupboard for just this recipe}.

We sometimes use a ‘spicy’ version of the sesame oil with our marinade to give the recipe a little kick {Rick likes spicy foods}. In addition to using it as a stir fry, you can also make use the mix as a marinade to use with your favorite steak and then grill out!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 6 Tbsp. sugar
  • 4 Tbsp. sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 lbs tenderloin tips
  • Rice

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except tenderloin tips and mix well. Pour into a marinade dish. 2. Cover and marinade for 2-3 hours, turning occasionally. 3. Stir fry in non-stick pan with the marinade. 4. Serve over rice.

Print off your own 4x6 recipe card for Korean Beef Tips. Once printed, just cut along the line and then fold the recipe card in half.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Strong Character

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Last week during our history lesson we were talking about Eli and Samuel. Our lesson made the point that Samuel was a boy of strong character and Eli’s own sons were unruly and disrespectful.

I asked the kids how they thought others would view them ~ as unruly or as a child of strong character.

And asked Zachary first.

He thought for a moment and then said, “Well, I am strong and I really am a character.”

Isn’t that the truth.

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Monday, January 23, 2012

Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of January 23rd

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Menu Plan Monday

Here’s a peek at what’s for dinner this week!

Monday

Tuesday
  • Breakfast ~ Baked oatmeal
  • Dinner ~  Ravioli
Wednesday
  • Breakfast ~ Eggs & toast
  • Dinner ~ Chicken taquitos
Thursday
  • Breakfast ~ Whole wheat pancakes
  • Dinner ~ Leftovers!
Friday Saturday
  • Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
  • Dinner ~ Meatball subs {homemade rolls}
Sunday
  • Breakfast ~ Cinnamon rolls
  • Dinner ~ Popcorn & chocolate milk

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted.  That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu? 

Don’t miss my Main Dish Menu Planner and go-along Monthly Menu Planner that you can fill in with your own text and save on your own computer ~ go on and try! I have examples on how I use it to help sort and plan my meals.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Vivid ~ Five Minute Friday

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The word for this week is ‘vivid’.

{go}

20111023-IMG_2405

If there is one word that could truly sum up the face above, it is vivid. Instense. McKenna is a child that is FULL of life. Emotion. She is passionate in all that she does ~ from one extreme to another.

I often have a difficult time following {and keeping up with} the range of emotions that her 9 year old body goes through. And although it is most frustrating at times with the up and down spikes, there are constant reminders to me to follow her lead.

Love more intensely.

Hold on to the moments and enjoy them with the same passion that she does.

Instead of seeing things in black and white to look at them though different eyes ~ taking in each detail.

To live life more vividly.

{stop}

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Five Minute Fridays is hosted by The Gypsy Mama and is a meme where we write for only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. Join in here

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

A Mile in His Shoes {Movie Review & Giveaway}

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mile in his shoes movieOn his way to recruit a new player for his minor league baseball team, coach Arthur 'Murph' Murphy {Dean Cain} runs off the road and uses the phone at a local farmhouse to call for help. While there, he witnesses their son’s ‘golden arm’ and convinces the family to allow Mickey {Luke Schroder} play for his team. His parents remains unsure about the situation, since Mickey has Asperger’s syndrome, but the coach is convinced that it will work and benefit not only Mickey but the team as well.


A quick video clip from A Mile in His Shoes:



My Thoughts

Our girls are getting to the age where they want to watch movies that are more ‘real life’ based and often I am at a loss to find movies that are clean and provide a redeeming story line. A Mile in His Shoes is one that I am happy to add to our collection and am not worried about the kids watching without me there. This is a movie that will also encourage conversation about how we treat others and encourage others who may not be just like us, and also how they may influence and change our view of things.

Find Out More
A Mile in His Shoes is now available for purchase through Amazon for $9.99 or as a rental for $3.99.

The Giveaway
Would you like to win a copy of A Mile in His Shoes? I have one copy to mail to one of my readers! Use the widget below {blog feed readers will need to click over and visit the blog to enter}.  The giveaway will be open until Wednesday, January 25th at 12:01 am.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.
Disclosure: This movie was provided for review by Fly Propeller. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own. I do not need to return this movie, nor was I paid for this review.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of January 16th

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Menu Plan Monday

Monday

Tuesday
  • Breakfast ~ Muffins
  • Dinner ~  Fettucine Alfredo {recipe coming soon!}
Wednesday
  • Breakfast ~ Eggs & toast
  • Dinner ~ Parmesan Chicken {recipe coming soon!}
Thursday Friday Saturday
  • Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
  • Dinner ~ Baked Potatoes w/ fun fixings
Sunday
  • Breakfast ~ Cinnamon rolls
  • Dinner ~ Popcorn & chocolate milk

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted.  That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu? 

Don’t miss my Main Dish Menu Planner and go-along Monthly Menu Planner that you can fill in with your own text and save on your own computer ~ go on and try! I have examples on how I use it to help sort and plan my meals.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Awake ~ Five Minute Friday

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{go}

There have been stirrings of things in my heart. Deep inside. Things I can’t quite put a finger on and name, but things being swirled around.

Awoken.

In some ways I anticipate the stirrings, but there are parts of me that are a bit frightened because I know that there will be changes. And I’m a creature of habit. Things staying the same. Dare I say boring? And truthfully, there is a part of me that knows there is also going to be some peeling back of layers and a need to look at the ‘ugly’ that is in my heart ~ and deal with it.

But I know that these stirrings are from God. I know that His hand is over me and that they are changes for the good ~ not ones that I should be frightened of. Or worry over.

{stop}

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Five Minute Fridays is hosted by The Gypsy Mama and is a meme where we write for only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. Join in here

Thursday, January 12, 2012

My Thoughts on Comparison

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I have a confession to make.

Over the last few months I’ve really, really struggled with the whole comparison issue. Truthfully, issue isn’t the right word. Trap is a much better one.

Because you can get stuck in the depths of comparison and run things around and around in your mind and never emerge. It’s a really dangerous place to be.

Read more here…

 This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Lady Anne’s Quest by Susan Page Davis {Book Review}

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Lady Anne's Quest

Available April 2012

Lady Anne’s quest to find her uncle continues. Although she has made a long trek via wagon train, her trip now continues on horseback and further into the dangerous, barely settled territory. She is accompanied by Dan, a man who has had his heart set on her from the very moment he met her. Anne has no idea what to expect in the search for her uncle, but her trip is littered with imposters, thieves and worse.

Dan is certain that his affections for her will never be reciprocated, but he is determined to see her safely find her uncle and his whereabouts.

During their time together Anne begins to see Dan from a different perspective. Will her feeling for him change enough for her to remain in America? Or will she return to England…should she ever find her uncle?

My Thoughts

A few weeks ago I posted a review on The Lady’s Maid, the first book in the Prairie Dreams series by Susan Page Davis. While the first book left me hanging and a bit disappointed, Lady Anne's Quest continues the story and left me anxious for the last book in the series! I am so glad that I decided to read it!

Page develops Anne’s character much more deeply in this story and delves more into the missing uncle ~ leaving things at a much more satisfactory point for the readers by the end of the book. Now I’m looking forward to the third book scheduled to release this fall. :)

Find Out More

~ Visit Susan Page Davis' website

~ Buy Lady Anne's Quest ~ Prairie Dreams Book 2 by Susan Page Davis in paperback or Kindle format.

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

This book was provided for review by Barbour and NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Huge Hornet’s Nest

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Hornet's Nest-2

All summer long we were eagerly waiting for the day that we could tackle the hornet’s nest that we knew was lurking beneath a section of our back porch. Right off our bedroom the underside section of porch was covered {by the previous owner} with some odd plastic sheeting in an attempt to keep bugs from coming up through the porch at night. While his intentions were good, it instead provided a haven and breeding ground for European hornets.

Hornet's Nest-1

Huge hornets, my friends. Ones that buzzed loudly, were attracted to any type of lights and made it impossible to step out onto the uncovered porch when they were around.  Unfortunately, they lived and lived and lived well into the fall until we had a deep freeze and it was finally safe for us to pull the bolts out of the sheeting and attempt to remove the nest.

Hornet's Nest-6

And by ‘we’ or ‘us’, I mean Rick. Because I was the official look-out for any hornets who may decide to be un-dormant and the official photographer for the entire adventure. The hornet’s nest was HUGE. As in about 16” {or more} long and about 14” wide. And absolutely fascinating.

Hornet's Nest-3

In another area under the same porch we also found a smaller paper wasp nest ~ see the size difference?

Hornet's Nest-13

We cut the nests open to have a look inside {hello, science}. See the size difference between the two? Amazing.

Hornet's Nest-10

Later we cut it into fourths so that we could see the various tunnels and layers in the larger nest. We had to use a serrated knife to cut through it and it was like cutting through cardboard ~ but again, so neat to see how it was all put together. In one of the combs we found a hornet that never lived ~ but was perfectly formed and shaped to the tube it remained in.

Although we wanted to bring pieces inside to examine, we thought twice {just in case there were any dormant larvae or such that would hatch in the warmth} and decided to burn it in the fire pit. Which was fun until it started to really stink. Horribly so.

While I would recommend the fun science project, I wouldn’t recommend the burning. Or the summer living in terror of the wasps. SO very glad to have it done and over with.

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Menu Plan Monday ~ January 9, 2012

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Menu Plan Monday

I have so many recipes that I’ve taken pictures of over the last few months and just haven’t gotten around to sharing ~ something I hope to remedy soon, because they all have been wonderful and need to be shared! :) I’ve also been printing off a bunch of recipes via Pinterest that look tasty and recently activated a subscription to E-mealz to see if there were any yummy ideas there as well.

Monday

  • Breakfast ~ Bagels
  • Dinner ~  Sweet & Sour Meatballs w/rice and veggies {making a double batch of meatballs to freeze}
  • Extra ~ 4 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread
Tuesday
  • Breakfast ~ Baked oatmeal
  • Dinner ~  Chicken a la King w/Biscuits {using my chicken pot pie filling as the topping for this one}

Wednesday

  • Breakfast ~ Eggs & toast
  • Dinner ~ Spaghetti & salad
  • Extra ~ make a batch of homemade granola bars

 

Thursday
  • Breakfast ~ Whole wheat pancakes
  • Dinner ~ Leftovers!
Friday
  • Breakfast ~ Cereal
  • Dinner ~ Homemade pizza & veggies
  • Extra ~ prepare next batch of Kombucha tea
Saturday
  • Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
  • Dinner ~ Split Pea Soup w/bread or rolls
Sunday
  • Breakfast ~ Cinnamon rolls
  • Dinner ~ Popcorn & chocolate milk

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted.  That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu? 

Don’t miss my Main Dish Menu Planner and go-along Monthly Menu Planner that you can fill in with your own text and save on your own computer ~ go on and try! I have examples on how I use it to help sort and plan my meals.

 

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Monthly Menu Planner ~ an Editable PDF

This post may contain affiliate or advertiser links. Read my full disclosure policy here.

In an effort to keep better track of our menus and to save myself a little time and money, I put together a cute monthly meal planner that I can use each month when planning out our meals each month.

And cute is very important in my book!
 
While I usually plug our meals into my weekly planner, being able to see everything a month-at-a-glance really helps me. I can also ‘recycle’ menu plans from past months. My goal is to have three or four different monthly meal plans so that we’re not eating the same-old, same-old every single month. I can then rotate through the menu plans and copy/past and change the dates as needed.

monthly meal plan calendar
Pin It

And all those lovely blue spaces? They don’t show up when you print off the document, but the show the areas that you are able to type into on the pdf document. The date boxes have been left blank so that you can fill it in based on the different dates/months each year.
You’ll have to open the file using Adobe Reader {you most likely already have it on your computer}. In order to use it over and over, just save your initial file as “Monthly Meal Plan Blank” and then use the ‘save as’ feature to save it under a different file name. I’m putting the dates in my file names so they will sort nicely and I can pull them back up later on {12-01 Monthly Menu, 12-02 Monthly Menu, etc…}.
Printable Meal Planner
In case you missed it before, grab a copy of my Main Dish Menu Planner {also a pdf file that you can edit/save}. I use it to keep track of all of the meals that we eat {and love} and it makes it easy for me to just drop meals into the monthly grid ~ especially since there are some that I tend to forget about!

Enjoy!! {and I hope it helps you out as much as it does me!}


Monday, January 2, 2012

Menu Plan Monday ~ Getting Back on Track

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Menu Plan Monday

For the most part over the last few months, I have been meal planning {loosely}, but gotten a wee bit off kilter in planning meals for a month at a time. Although it means I need to sit down and plan ahead of time and takes a little longer chunk on one day at the start of a month, ultimately it is a HUGE timesaver for me.

I’ve been working on a monthly meal planner page to share with you all ~ and am loving it, since I can save past menu plans and reuse it in future months. I’m all about making life easier on myself! This way I can pull a menu plan from several months prior and just change the dates around to use it again and cut my planning time down a bunch.

Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
  • Breakfast ~ Whole wheat pancakes
  • Dinner ~ Leftovers!
Friday

Saturday

  • Breakfast ~ Scrambled eggs, bacon & toast
  • Dinner ~ Beef Stew and cornbread
Sunday
  • Breakfast ~ Cinnamon rolls
  • Dinner ~ Popcorn & chocolate milk

As Always: I’ve linked to any recipes that I’ve already posted.  Don’t forget that you can download my printable Main Dish Menu Planner that you can fill in with your own text and save on your own computer ~ go on and try! I have examples on how I use it to help sort and plan my meals.

That’s it for the week ~ what on your menu?

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my disclosure policy.

Emealz - Easy Meals for Busy People!
 

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