December Menu Plan

1 - frittata

2 - fish sticks, vegetables, noodles or rice

3 - spaghetti and meatballs

4 - pizza

5 - salisbury steak

6 - pierogies, vegetables


7 - unstuffed shells, salad

8 - teriyaki chicken, rice

9 - chili, veggie sticks, breadsticks


10 - spaghetti and meatballs


11 - rigatoni with greens and beans (see October for recipe)

12 - takeout

13 - sausage stroganoff

14 - pancakes and sausage

15 - pigs in ponchos

16 - mini chicken pot pies

17 - beef tips, potatoes

18 - crockpot chicekn cacciatore

19 - Chicken nugget tacos, mexican rice

20 - spaghetti and meatballs

21 - takeout

22 - baked potato soup, grilled sandwiches

23 - crockpot beef and broccoli

24 - Lasagna casserole

25 - Visiting family

26 - visiting family

27 - visiting family

28 - pizza

29 - spaghetti and meatballs

30 - Cheesy Vegetable Chowder, rolls

31 - take out dinner

2012 Christmas Bucket List

25 days left until Christmas. And so much that I want to do! Ya know, four is an awesome age! The boys really understand and participate in all activities around the holiday. It is so cool to see the looks on their faces or the wheels turning in their heads. Soaking it all in and making memories this month....

Here's what I'd love to do as a family --

Watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Year Without a Santa Claus, and The Grinch.

Enjoy this Grinch punch I found on pinterest while watching said Grinch show. Made this and the kids loved it. It was good! Didn't quite look as pretty as the picture but will def be an annual tradition.

Make cookie cutter pizza

Make peppermint bark

Make edible snowflakes

Drive around town and look at all the decorations

Visit Santa We finally did it! At 4 years old my children finally have sat on Santa's lap. With the bribe of a candy cane. Although Alex would not let go of my hand so my arm is in the pic.

Make these edible christmas trees Not quite but we did make cookie cutter funfetti cake that we decorated with sprinkles

Decorate Christmas tree together The kids loved this! They had such fun putting all the decorations on the tree. The tree does look like it will tople over because all the decorations are on one side but it is absolutely beautiful! I left every decoration they hung up exactly where they put it. Now I see that Alex will sit down next to it sometimes and move things around. Cute.

Put together our gifts for teachers and neighbors and deliver

Attend village "It's a Wonderful Life" Christmas parade and celebration Boys got to be in the parade with school singing carols as our littlest angels. Too cute!

Holiday photo shoot (Homemade) I saw the cutest ideas for cards on Pinterest. Tried it - but ummmm....my kids are not willing subject yet. Maybe in a few years as we develop our sense of humor more...

Send cards to family and friends

Make these cookies (give baking another chance)

Go to library's craft and tree trimming party Almost, though not quite. Not feeling well on craft and tree trimming day so we opted out and chose the library's bedtime storytime rendition of Polar Express where we each got hot cocoa, cookies, and our very own jungle bell to take home.

Attend family movie night at the library to see The Polar Express

Take kids shopping at dollar store to buy gifts for family - let them pick out their own gifts to give

One for Me....champagne and pedicure while watching Christmas movie - Elf, or It's a Wonderful Life (two fav's) - or do it twice -- one pedi and one mani and two bottles of bubbly.

Thanksgiving

We had a really nice holiday. The boys are starting to understand Thanksgiving - although they still can not fathom why a holiday without candy or presents is my favorite. We had a great time with family, made spider turkey t-shirts with Aunt Stef, and enjoyed our first bowling game! So what if 2 four year olds got half my score and I've been bowling way more - and so what if I used the bumpers too.

Household List 11.26.12

I knew I would not get much accomplished last week with the holiday. I've decided to cut msyelf some slack and only focus on the neccessities between now and Christmas so I can enjoy working on projects on our holiday list

Daily -
Make beds
Dishes
Laundry
Empty Trash
Wipe out Bathroom Sinks
Change dishtowels and bathroom hand towels


Other -
Water Plants
Grocery shopping
Vaccum 1st floor
Clean toilets and bathtub in mstr bedroom
Clean stove, microwave
Mop kitchen
chagge mstr bedroom sheets
Plan for december occasions
Holiday shopping

A Random Act of Kindness

7 years ago today I lost my Mom. She passed away from complications of breast cancer. She never got to meet her grand children although I am certain she somehow had a hand in them coming to existence.

So, my reminder to you all out there: Schedule your annual mammogram or remind the women in your life to do so. Hug your children. Be grateful for the family that you have and try to incorporate extended family into your children's lives - I'm sure they will benefit from that involvement.
And, most of all, if you still have your Mom, call her today and tell her you love her.

In honor of my Mom, I plan to do one random act of kindness today.

Open Wide

The first dentist appointment.

With twins it's tough because one has to go first. So, they're fighting over who will be first when I randomly pick one up and put them in the chair.

No x-rays. Thank goodness.

The rest of the exam consisted of counting teeth, showing them the tools, and getting a cleaning. We both had two teeny tiny cavities beginning but all in all everything looks good.

Alex actually had two bottom teeth beginning to loosen.

Wordless Wednesday

Voting

I am one of the 47%. You know, one of those people Mitt referred to in his speech.
I have had a job since I was 18 years old, except for a short 8 months when I was downsized by a by a big, bank employer. The top executives, whom I'm sure were among some of the richest people in this country, kept their jobs.
When my children were born, their health insurance consisted of Medicaid and we had WIC for their first year of life. My children now get their health insurance through a state program. Thankfully we have something called Medicaid in this country, and CHP in my state, as my employer only offers family coverage with huge premiums, impossible to afford on a non-profit salary. So, while I go to work each day, I can have peace of mind knowing that should my children need medical care they have access to affordable care. Not thanks to my employer. But thanks to my government. And, I pay the premiums for that coverage each month.
Now that I am raising two children, because the work I do each day pays minimal compared to other fields, I don't pay any federal income tax. I pay it out of my paycheck each week but at the end of the year I get it returned to me. Returned to my bank account, where I can use it to pay for pre-school for my children, health insurance premiums for my children, and food for my children.

I believe that I am doing my best to raise my boys to know that we should all do our best to make our own way, to work hard, to follow your dreams, but we should also all stop and care about our neighbors. Sometimes our hard working neighbors might need a little hand. And, isn't that what this country should be about?

So, today my vote will be a vote for caring for others when they need it, for working hard to build a strong middle class, for families everywhere who are struggling in tough economic times, for children who dream of college and what lies ahead, and for all people who sometimes face tough situations and should have the tools and assistance they need to overcome them.

Household Plan 11.5.12

Got a decent amount done last week. Now that the kids are home with me on Friday afternoons I think I'll get less done - unless I enlist their help. But I'm making up for it in more time with my children. And, someday, when they're big I'll be glad I got to spend those Friday afternoons with them.

Here's for this week:

Daily -
Make beds
Dishes
Laundry
Empty Trash
Wipe out Bathroom Sinks
Change dishtowels and bathroom hand towels

Other -
Water Plants Put garden to bed
Raking lawn, put away outside toys, and cover grill
Vacuum 1st floor and LR furniture, and 2nd floor Clean bottom fridge shelf
Dust Hallway, LR, Kid's and Guest rooms Clean out purse Christmas shopping list/plan
Clean out under bathroom sinks, clean toilets and showers
Mop Kitchen
Clean LR windows Wipe down doorknobs Sweep porch
Change kid's sheets
Order cabinet hardware and kitchen backsplash tiles
bring donated clothes to HOC

There's also the boy's first dentist appointment this week, and we've got plans to go to movie night at the library and craftastic morning at the library too. And, our new babysitter is coming over to meet the boys so when she babysits next week they won't freak out. In addition to our daycare provider quiting, our babysitter is leaving for college in January. So much change.



 

Down Time

This weekend is a down time weekend - since last weekend we did not take even one minute of rest time as we were working on the kitchen remodel (which I still have to post picture of). So, not doing anything yesterday but watching Disney movies, and playing video games, was relaxing.

Today, the change in the time meant we were up and at'em at 7am - so I've already had a few cups of coffee, done a few loads of laundry, and put some Brown Sugar Chicken and Sweet Potatoes into the crockpot for dinner. I found the recipe on Pinterest, and I'm made a commitment to myself to not just pin things and forget them, but to pin and then actually try them. Oh, which reminds me, I did do something else yesterday. The boys helped me make a cranberry banana bread, again found on pinterest. I'm not a baker, so had to substitute baking powder for baking soda. But it came out OK. Alex said he liked it but only took two bites. Landon took one bite and said he didn't like it. So now, like the trix krispies we made a few months back, I have a whole loaf of bread to eat. I think I'll bring it to work to share - but this time I will not tell anyone that my kids had a slight cold while they helped me bake. It'll be OK - they're not that sick.

Looking out my window at the enormous amount of leaves I think we're going to have to venture out to work on the yard - I think this year I'll do what I can between now and Thanksgiving and then hire someone to finish up what I don't. Last year I left big piles of leaves and had dead patches of no grass all over. I might convince the boys to help rake for a total of maybe 15 minutes, but then I'm sure they'll be off playing with their new spy equipment, spying (and taunting) on the cat.

Halloween

We did a lot of things this Halloween season. We went to the apple picking farm, with our cousin, and picked apples. Then preschool had a field trip to the pumpkin patch. That was fun!

The boys first field trip to the pumpkin patch was great. We got to ride on the wagon hayride, go out into the field and pick a pumpkin, paint the pumpkin, feed the goats (who knew that goats eat dry macaroni?? Not me. Did you?), and bounce in the bounce house! Then back to school to enjoy apple cider and donuts.

We carved pumpkins with Aunt Stef to decorate the front porch. I even found this great idea on pinterest about decorating pumpkins with potato head accessories and also "carving" with cookie cutters and a mallet (much safer than knives for little hands) Also, found on pinterest, was the idea to use glow stick in the lack-o-lanterns instead of candles. I loved it, however, my four year old - does not like change - child informed me that lack-o-lanterns MUST be lit with candles. No exceptions!

And finally, of course, we went trick or treating. The mall near us offers this every year, and it is so much easier with little kids than going door to door. I didn't get any pictures of the costumes but we were super heroes, avengers to be exact, and we made out like bandits on our candy. We came home, dumped it on the living room floor, sorted through and began eating, while we watched "It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown." A perfect end to the Halloween season.

This morning I told the kids it was now November - since they learn about the days, and months, at pre-school. They didn't care though. They were too busy discussing what candy they will eat tonight for dessert.