Menu Plan Monday - November 8, 2010

Bryan's not feeling great this weekend, which is such a bummer. He still insisted that I spend the afternoon and evening scrapbook yesterday with my buddies. We had such a wonderful time! More giggling than scrapbooking, but excellent therapy all the way around!

I'm working on yet another big grocery list. One of the biggest up-sides to grocery-ing for two months at a time: We only have to do it in the cold once or twice a year! I'm hoping for decent temps this weekend with no wind!

This list will also include most of our fixins for Thanksgiving. The children have started their pie list. I'm beginning to think we should just skip Turkey and the trimmings!

Here's a recipe for a quick and easy dinner that we made and enjoyed in the hour between homeschool group and heading off to karate last week.

Hot Cornbread Sandwich
2 (8 ounce) Jiffy corn muffin mix
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 C milk
12 slices American cheese
6 slices deli ham

In a bowl, combine muffin mix, milk and eggs. Pour half of mixture into a greased 7x11 baking dish.  Carefully place 6 slices of cheese, then ham, then remaining cheese. Spoon remaining cornbread batter over the top. Bake 25 minutes at 400, or until cornbread is golden brown. Cut into squares and serve hot. Serves 4-6.

Notes: I upped it to three boxes of mix, 3 eggs, and 1 C milk to put into a 9x13 pan. Most was devoured, so I'll go to 4 boxes next time so we have some leftovers for lunch the next day.

This week we'll be enjoying:

Monday - Spaghetti & Meatballs

Tuesday - Mexican Casserole


Wednesday (AWANA) - Nachos

Thursday (Homeschool Mom's Meeting, Karate) - Teriyaki Chicken

Friday - Potato Beef Bake

Saturday - Big Grocery Day!

 

Our menus for last year can be found at our website. Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.

Find more menus at:

Snow on November 5!

As we were awaiting our Friday Night Bible Study buddies to arrive, it started snowing. Snow had been predicted, but no believed it. The weather men always predict snow for weeks before it really happens.

Friday it began to flurry, then sleet, then really snow for a bit! We couldn't believe it when early November started looking like a winter wonderland. The dusting even hung around until Saturday morning.

Has anyone read their Almanac? Are we in for a doozy?

Bible Heros and Pollsters

Last week our AWANA Club hosted their annual Dress Like a Bible Hero night. The children always get so excited that they don't even care that I trot out the same costumes every year and just put a different prop with it.

Brigitta as Mary
Jacob as David (holding a guitar - the closest
thing we had to a harp!)
Heidi as Deborah
Caleb as Noah (animals are in the ark)

Being a little goofy!

We tried to train Heidi to say, "I'm Deborah. I sit under a
palm tree and tell people what to do." Instead
she would say, "I'm Deborah. I sit on the potty
and don't know what to do." Priceless!

Tuesday we helped out a local candidate by passing out fliers at a busy polling place. Ted really drew attention with his promotion style. He even tried to juggle the signs! Most of the children (in the background) spent their time playing "Mother, May I?" and "Red Light, Green Light."

WFMW - Craft Table for Cheap!

We recently decided that Bryan needed a home office where he could lay-out plans from work. Preferably a place where there is no concern for jelly or crafting residue (which nixed out dining room table!). We'd talked before about him taking over my small craft room, and this past weekend we made it a reality.

He thought the most economical way to get a layout table would be a cheap door on simple legs.

I got to thinking, "Hey! This has possibilities!" So he picked up one for me too. We bought two bookcases at Walmart to support the door (which he attached with screws). The table is about kitchen counter height, perfect for cutting out patterns and scrapbooking standing up which I enjoy for some reason. Total cost for mine was around $50.

Bryan is already reading books about how to finish this corner of the basement for my dream craft room, but for now I'm just giddy about my big table!

Guest Post - It's like missionary week...

Just couldn't resist a little Veggie Tales humor!

Last night we were blessed to have Murray Uomoto from Japan at our church for a fellowship meal and talk. We all enjoyed hearing from him, but here is Emelie's own unique take on the evening....

---

Tonight, we went to hear a missionary from Japan speak. Always the photographer, here is my documentation through photos.

And to start of my photos....SQUID JERKY!! I was willing to taste
it (but it was about three years old). I was the only one.

The back of the squid packaging. Ted insists that one package will be enough!

Japanese letters and the sounds they make
at a glance. Dig the pictures. Awesome.

A close-up of my favorite little Japanese character thing.
While we uncreative Americans would pick something like "open" to represent O,
the Japanese card thing picked a monster-ish creature! I'm honestly
not making fun of the monster I luv it :)!

Here is John Calvin as we know him....

...and John Calvin in Japanese!

The inside of John Calvin in Japanese

You know you're a book freak when you get excited
that there's less than 2000 copies of this book in
the world and you have one of them :D. It's in
Japanese. I couldn't read it. I didn't care.

A picture of a poster of the most famous tenor in Japan.
I took a picture, mainly for posterity. _Inigo Montoya: I do not
think that word means what you think it means_.

More English/Japanese translations

It was so weird, because the English books
opened the way books do. Japanese books
opened backwards. So wild.

I even learned cool things about America. This marker
shows the first recordings of Christianity in America. I'm
gonna research that later, I know I will.

Here's the rest of the non-photo story. I learned to sing "What a Friend We Have In Jesus" in Japanese. And if that's not an accomplishment, I don't know what is! *clears throat* *belts out a horribly off-key song*:

Itsukushimi fukaki tomo naru lesu wa

tsumi toga urei wo tori sari tamoo

kokoro no nageki wo tsutsumazu nobete

nadoka wa orosanu oeru omoni wo.

It's actually really easy, because it sounds just like it looks.

Menu Plan Monday - November 1, 2010

Time for a little honesty... Due to our crazy schedule this week, we're not having a "normal" menu plan. But, after all, this is our reality - rarely neat and tidy! It's going to be a roller coaster week, but full of experiences that I hope the children will remember for a long time!

But first, here's a little number that I whipped up after church yesterday. Had it on the table in about 10 minutes! Pretty tasty, too!

Asian Beans & Noodles
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb. Frozen Broccoli
2 (3 oz.) Packages Ramen Noodles (oriental or beef flavor)
1/2 teaspn Ginger
3 Tblspn Thinly Sliced Green Onions

In a skillet, combine 2 C water, broken up noodles, both seasoning packets, and ginger. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until noodles and broccoli are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans and green onions, heat through. Serves 6-8.

Notes: We doubled this recipe and it was perfect for our dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day. The original recipe called for 1.5 lbs. of ground beef, but cooked beans are what we had plus most of my children prefer them. Chicken would also be tasty. Try substituting a frozen stir-fry mix for the broccoli if you're feeling adventurous!

This week we'll be enjoying:

Monday  (Missionary Night) - Pitch-In at Church

Tuesday (Whole family working at the polls for election day, Horse Judging) - Probably McD's on the Road


Wednesday (AWANA) - Hot Dogs, Chips

Thursday (Homeschool Group, Karate) - Tater Tot Casserole

Friday - Bible Study (I think we'll serve these recipes)

Saturday (Scrapbooking Crop - Whoo Hoo!) - Broccoli Cheese Soup, Cornbread

 

Our menus for last year can be found at our website. Breakfast menu is here; lunch menu is here.

Find more menus at:

Seasonal Clothing Change

I'm up to my elbows in boxes and piles of clothes. I've put it off as long as I can, but with temps going into below freezing tonight, it's time to bust out the fall and winter clothes. The little girls have almost all seersucker and sleeveless on their rack in the closet. "Pull a sweater over it" is sounding a little heartless now.

For a post I wrote a while back on how we handle the change, click here. My inspiration came from Kimberly over at Raising Olives. She really lays it out. I just re-read her article today to get me pumped up!

The biggest thing to remember is: Less is Best!! Less to fall on the floor. Less to end up in the laundry while with the hanger still attached. Less to fold and put away. The children are much more responsible about their clothes when there isn't an endless supply.

OK, time to attack it. Go Team!