Back to Menu Planning!

Every year, when summer vacation rolls around, I find myself spending much more on groceries than I anticipate. I have less of a desire to go grocery shopping and more of a desire to "wing it." This just doesn't work for us. So I am back to weekly shopping as opposed to bi-weekly shopping. My goal is to have a vegetarian meal once a week, a crock pot meal once a week, and use the grill as much as possible. So, here is this week's menu!

Monday: Coca-cola slow cooker ribs, corn on the cob
Tuesday: Spaghetti with Caesar salad
Wednesday: Chicken stroganoff over noodles
Thursday: BBQ Chicken, asparagus, potatoes packets
Friday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup
Saturday: Sandwich night

What is on YOUR menu this week? How are you incorporating the season's fruits and veggies?? Link up at OrgJunkie!

It's a twister, it's a twister!

J came down the steps this evening at 7 and said, "Hey guys, there is a tornado warning."

Yeah, SURE THERE IS.

Apparently, we were wrong. This was in our city, close to our house:
When we realized it was a REAL threat, we loaded the kids and the dog into the small bathroom off of our laundry room, since we don't have a basement. It rolled in, hailed, rained, and rolled on out. A picture I snagged of a piece of hail in one of my herb pots (next to a dime):
Damage was much worse in surrounding areas (clearly not as bad as the damage done in MO. We are praying for those in Joplin). My aunt had a HUGE old oak fall in her yard and rip the power lines out of her house.

Logan was not phased. This is after the threat passed:
One of his new talents. Eating his toes.

Another shot of the tornado that allegedly touched down:

So thankful it wasn't worse.

Summer Plans

...is this thing on? Well, it has been awhile. Our musical is over and it was a great success. I could not have asked any more from my cast of kids and I am so proud of what we accomplished. With that being said, I am so glad to go back to being a mommy and wife again! My house was a disaster, our fridge was empty and the TO DO list was growing! Summer vacation starts in a few weeks for me and here is what is on my agenda:

• Baby and Me classes with Logan at the library (Wednesdays, 10 AM)
• Swimming lessons (time/day TBD)
• Plant garden (more on that later this week)
• Repaint front door and porch rails
• Power wash house
• Landscape flowerbed against house in back
• Tear our shrubs in front, reform flowerbed, seed where needed for grass (we are making it much smaller)
• Repaint trim downstairs
• Paint master BR and trim
• Replace closet doors (this is going to be something we do a few at a time)

There is more to come, I am sure, but this is what we have for now! What is on your summer TO DO list?

I am so NOT a "Crunchy" Mom

After reading a very heated thread on The Bump about being a "crunchy" mom, I felt compelled to post about our parenting style and why we do what we do.

(This is the first free moment I have had all week. No worries; show is over next weekend and I have TONS of projects and plans for the summer vacation!)

We formula-feed. Honestly, and this is JUST MY OPINION, I have never wanted to breast feed. My brothers and I were all formula-fed and we turned out A-okay. I had a breast reduction when I was in college and it was a possibility that breast feeding would not even be an option. But honestly, I knew I was only taking six weeks off and I need my free periods to grade and plan, not sit in an office and pump. I saw how EXHAUSTED my breast feeding friends were, and that just sealed the deal when I was pregnant. Don't get me wrong, I give SO MUCH credit to those that do breast feed, but it was not in our game plan. And C was GLAD I didn't because he LOVES feeding Logan and spending that time with him and bonding as well.

We use disposables. I do an obscene amount of laundry as it is, with two teenagers and two adults. I didn't want to add cloth diapers to the mix. Plus, changing a poopy disposable grosses me out enough!

I work full-time. There is no possible way that I couldn't work full-time. We need to live and maintain a roof over our heads. Now, as a teacher, I am SO lucky to have vacations off and weekends and SUMMER VACATION with the little man and my girls. And honestly, I would go bat-shit-crazy if I stayed home full time.

Logan has slept in his crib since Week 3. Bed sharing is not something I get and I was afraid of squashing him. Our bed is a place for my husband and myself. And our first son, our big goofy dog Ozzie. We have always let Ozzie sleep in our bed and when Logan was born, didn't want him to feel like he was being replaced.

I have never "worn" Logan. Moby Wraps scare me and I always think the baby looks uncomfortable. But, I am probably way wrong on that since so many babies love them.

Logan will get his vaccines on the schedule recommended by his doctor. I will stop there because this is the ONE AREA that I could get judgy on.

That is all for now. I am not being judgmental in ANY WAY and I firmly believe that each family is different and has different needs. We do what is right for our family, and I believe that is how it should be. No mommy has the right to judge any other mommy if she is doing all that she can to keep her baby safe, happy and healthy.

Have a good Friday!

Triple Citrus Cheesecake

A refreshing cheesecake with lots of zippy citrus flavors. Perfect for an Easter dessert!


Triple Citrus Cheesecake
from Kraft.com

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 tsp. grated lime zest
1 tsp. grated orange peel

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, brown sugar and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. DO NOT OVER-BEAT. I apparently did, which is why my top cracked. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour over crust.

Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.