Menu Planning Monday

Lots going on this week! Book club with J on Monday and I have parent-conferences on Thursday. The kids and C have karate on Wednesday. Thank goodness I planned ahead and have a few meals ready to go for the week!

Sunday: Pesto chicken stuffed shells and salad
Monday: Saucy pepper steak over rice
Tuesday: Buffalo Chicken Lasagna
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: French Bread Pizzas
Friday: Chuck takes the girls to their mom's and maybe we will grab something quick to eat
Saturday: Just C and me...up in the air!

What's on your menu this week? Join us at I am an Organizing Junkie's Menu Planning Monday!

Valentine's Day Party Recap

My girls' night was a week ago and I am finally getting around to putting together my recap post! I WAY scaled back on what I had planned to cook because all of my girlfriends were bringing something and I didn't want to have TOO many leftovers. I had our entryway decorated for Valentine's Day:


That wreath was made by my mother-in-law from the flowers that were hanging on the flower balls on the pews for our wedding (she made those as well). It is so beautiful and I hang it up every February.

In my hurricane vases, I have conversation hearts and on the table I have these frames, which is inspired by this project from eighteen25. I plan to reuse the frames for different holidays while storing the letters for next Valentine's Day.

Here is the buffet, set up and ready to go and to be filled with food!
Oh, and can't forget my Valentine's Day kitchen towels. I am a sucka for holiday towels.
I ended up making a BLT dip, tortilla pinwheels, and Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread. We had taco dip, these baked potato roll-up things, fruit and dip, spinach dip, and cheesecake squares. And let's not forget lots of wine! It was definitely nice to sit down and catch up with my girlfriends and I already can't wait until next year!

BLT Dip

I love this dip. I could eat it with a spoon. We always have it at family parties and whenever I bring it anywhere, it is a huge hit!


BLT Dip
Ingredients
16 oz container of mayo (I always use low-fat)
16 oz container of sour cream (again, I always use low-fat)
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 jar Real Bacon Bits

Directions
Mix all ingredients together and chill for several hours. Serve with a sliced baguette. So easy and delish!

MPM and Freezer Cooking

Ah, another week. And an excellent way to start a week is to have Monday off! I started doing some freezer cooking last night and plan on finishing it up today (after I get a few missing ingredients...whoops). It seriously has made my life SO much easier.

Tonight, I prepped a Buffalo Chicken Lasagna and French Bread Pizzas for the freezer. I also cooked chicken for enchilladas and Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells. Tomorrow, I will assemble the enchiladas and stuffed shells, along with a Skillet Lasagna and a few other things!

Here is this week's menu:

Monday: BLTs, baked fries
Tuesday: Spaghetti and salad
Wednesday: Taco Junk
Thursday: Saucy pepper steak
Friday: Chicken nuggets/patties, veggie, some sort of starch
Saturday: French bread pizzas and salad
Sunday: Chicken pesto stuffed shells and salad

What is on your menu this week? Link up at OrgJunkie's Menu Planning Monday!

Getting ready for Girls' Night!

Last February, I hosted a dinner for my close girlfriends. Life gets in the way and we often go weeks without seeing one another. This year, babies arrived, people moved, and I wanted to continue the tradition. I served a full dinner last year of artichoke and tomato pasta, garlic knots, salad and red velvet cupcakes. This year, I decided to go the appetizer route. I will not be able to do much food prep and table set-up that far in advance, but I am going to do lots of cleaning in the next few days to keep ahead of things.

So, here is the menu:

• BLT Dip
• Ham and Turkey Tortilla Roll-Ups
• Veggie Pizza
• Rumaki (bacon-wrapped water chestnuts)
• BBQ Chicken pizza
  
• Chocolate fountain with assorted dippers (pineapple, strawberries, marshmallows, graham crackers)
• Assorted beverages

My friends will also be bringing food, so we will have PLENTY to eat and drink! Oh, and two of my friends just announced they are pregnant so we will be celebrating that as well!

Menu Planning Monday

Last week we had some adjustments to our schedule and added events, so it did not go as planned and some meals had to be swapped around. Because of that, our crock pot is being used THREE TIMES this week!!

Sunday: Chili (chili dogs) and corn bread muffins
Monday: Valentine's Day dinner of chicken puffs, butter noodles, and green beans
Tuesday: Taco Junk
Wednesday: Unsure...might be a FFY night (fend for yourself)
Thursday: Cream cheese chicken
Friday: Girls' Night Dinner at my house! Menu to come!
Saturday: Going out for anniversary to local hibachi

Logan: Two Months

Mister Man, I can't believe you are two months old today! You are getting so big I can hardly stand it. It has been a big month for us and you are getting so big and changing so much it is ridiculous!

You are finally out of your newborn clothing and into your 0-3 clothes. You were so skinny when we brought you home and you are definitely chubbing up now! You are eating between 4-6 ounces at each feeding and typically eat 6 times a day.
Mommy went back to work this month and you started going to your babysitter's house. You love being at Linda's and love her boxer named Brutus, who smothers you with kisses every morning. We are working on a nice morning routine. You either get up at 5 AM and eat then snooze in your crib or bounce while I shower and get ready for work or you sleep until 6 AM and I get ready before feeding you. Whatever the case, you fall asleep in the car on the way to Linda's and are usually out like a light by the time we get there.
You do not like to nap during the day; I think you are afraid of missing something! Sometimes you nap when we get home from work and sometimes after your 5 PM bottle. We are working on a nighttime routine. Bath at 7:30, book, bottle, bed at 9:30. You still wake up once during the night and Mommy and Daddy can't wait for that to stop!

This month, you started smiling and cooing! I love love love seeing your big, gummy grins first thing in the morning. It seriously starts my day off wonderfully. We put you in your bouncy seat while we eat dinner and you usually smile and coo and laugh the whole time.
Even though I am already back at work, I spend quite a bit of my day wondering how my little man is doing. And I look forward to all of the snuggles I get in the evening. And I miss you terribly every minute I am away from you.

Menu Planning Monday

So, we had two snow days last week. When Thursday rolled around and we went back to work, I really thought I had missed MPM! Thankfully, I was wrong and it was almost the weekend!

Superbowl Sunday: French dip sammies, curly fries, corn; also making some beer bread and bacon dip and roasted chick peas for the game (even though C is refusing to watch because the Steelers are in it)
Monday: Meatball subs and caesar salad
Tuesday: Chicken nuggts/patties (Boca for me) and tater tots
Wednesday: Taco Junk
Thursday: Dijon pork chops, some sort of starchy side dish, green beans
Friday: Scrapbooking night for me! Probably Subway.
Saturday: Not sure. The girls are at their mom's so it is just me and C.

What is on YOUR menu this week? I need some new easy, weeknight meal ideas. This includes the crock pot as it is my favorite kitchen "tool." Link up at OrgJunkie for lots of menu ideas!

Weekend Planning: Busy, busy!

I have a feeling this weekend is going to be ridiculously busy. And I am annoyed about it.

Friday:

• Stop at Target (formula, a few odds and ends) and Michael's (for my Valentine's Day craft project) and bank before picking up Logan after school
• When C gets home, take A to school for a dance, go with J to Babies R Us to get supplies for a diaper cake to make for her friend's mom (she is invited to the shower on Sunday and I am going with her), pick up A after the aforementioned dance, and get Mexican to go for dinner
• Valentine's Day craft and perhaps some cleaning after the little man gets a bath, bottle and heads to bed.

Saturday:

• Groomer appointment for Ozzie at 9 AM
• Create diaper cake
• Complete grocery list and put together coupons
  
• Search to find something to wear to a wedding
• Wedding at 6 PM

Sunday:

• Church
• Grocery shopping
• Meal prep for week
• Clean bathrooms
  
• Vacuum and dust upstairs; sweep steps
• Relax!

What are you doing this weekend?? Anything exciting planned?

A Bowl Full of Lemons Giveaway!

One of my new favorite blogs is A Bowl Full of Lemons. Lots of great cleaning and organizing ideas! Today she is having a giveaway of a Thirty One Organizing tote! Pop on over there to check it out!

Menu Help Needed

I have two big events that I will be planning in the spring. The first is Logan's Baptism, which is on March 20. The second will be Easter, which we also hosted last year. Oh and I will be having my girlfriends over for a Valentine's Day dinner like I did last year!

So, my blogger friends, I have a request.

Help me plan my menu.

I did a very traditional Easter menu last year. Ham, potato salad, glazed carrots, baked ziti...I need to change it up this year. I will probably make a ham again and honestly, my mom will bring potato salad because I FREAKING LOVE IT. But I need a few new side dishes.

As for the Baptism...anyone?? I am starting with a blank canvas!