What's cooking?

Well if the question were WHO is cooking, the answer would be me :) What about you? Cooking is cheaper, healthier (overall), and can even be fun. And I want my kids to 'come home' for home cooking when they get older so I'm trying to set the tone now. I know they will really be looking for laundry help and Collin's bbq but I like to pretend sometimes.

Here's the latest meal plan (going back a bit so because I use these posts for reference later):

Aug. 18 - leftovers; soup & quesadilla
Aug. 19 - gholash (gr. beef); salad
Aug. 20 - roasted chicken; mash. potato&gravy; salad
Aug. 21 - pork chops; polenta; green beans
Aug. 22 - hamburgers; fresh fruit
Aug. 23 - lasagna; eggplant; garlic bread
Aug. 24 - smoked pork roast; twice-baked potato; corn on cob
Aug. 25 - salmon; quinoa; brown sugar carrots
Aug. 26 - tuna steaks; couscous; stmd.broccoli
Aug. 27 - stuffed bell peppers (beef&sausage, leftover quinoa); cantaloupe.
Aug. 28 - enchiladas (leftover pork, green chiles, cut corn off cob); Mexican rice
Aug. 29 - leftovers; soup & quesadilla
Aug. 30 - baked fish; risotto; peas
Aug. 31 - crab cakes; ranch red potatoes; asparagus
Sept. 1 -   steak; coleslaw; baked beans
Sept. 2 -   fettucine alfredo with chicken; stmd. broccoli
Sept. 3 -   tuna melts; fruit salad
Sept. 4 -   tacos (beef &turkey), refried beans (make guacamole)
Sept. 5 -   chef salad; strawberries
Sept. 6 -   take n' bake pizza; Caesar salad (*homecoming game for Mag/ Mom helping)
Sept. 7 -   bbq country pork ribs; whole wheat pasta salad; asparagus
Sept. 8 -   herb grilled chicken; crockpot applesauce; baked sweet potato
Sept. 9 -   white beans & ham (w/ rice); salad
Sept. 10 - sausage sandwiches; cantaloupe; stmd. broccoli
Sept. 11 - grilled tri-rip; polenta; green beans
Sept. 12 - hot dogs; fruit salad (sometimes you just have to do this, lol)
Sept. 13 - meatloaf; mac n' cheese; peas
Sept. 14 - stuffed pork chops; salad

Happy Cooking! (and Happy Eating)
P.S. We have dessert on Sundays. This past week I made a butter pecan cake. HOLY MOLY!!! It was simply a recipe I saw on Facebook at some point and googled it. I made the Taste Of Home one. It is three layers so it makes a lot but it is soooooooo good.

Back to School.....so poetic

'Twas the first day of school
And Mom was up early
there are lunches to make
and kids growling, surly

First up is Sean
Football is calling
his carpool arrives
and his gear he is hauling


Then comes Ian
with smiles and a cool shirt
breakfast is done
and he's quite alert

Amanda is yawning,
6th grade is dawning,
she's ready to roll as quick as a flash
and off to the bus with a short little dash


Maggie's last to roll out the door
now she's off to be a sophomore
Band, theater, and ASL to do
a busy year for her and the FHS raccoon crew


There are chores to be done
in this little house
And Mom is happy
because it's quiet as a mouse.

Happy 2013-14 school year everyone!!!!

Adjustments

Life is all about making adjustments. Adjusting to new schedules; adjusting to new routines; adjusting to new jobs; adjusting to parenthood; adjusting to parenting toddlers; adjusting to parenting teens. You understand my point - there is always a transition going on.

And this week is one of the biggest adjustments for our family......adjusting the kids back to a decent bedtime schedule preparing for school. Summer is dwindling. Reality is setting in. SCHOOL STARTS MONDAY! Much to their chagrin, the kids don't like that a reasonable bedtime needs to become a reality. I keep promising that they will appreciate it next week but they don't believe me.

Collin is adjusting to coaching in a new place that isn't very welcoming if you haven't 'coached in TX before'. Adjusting to not helping with Sean's team because he now plays through school. Adjusting to new coworkers and new roads to be traveled (made easier by the GPS).

Me -- I'm adjusting to cooking around the crazy football and band rehearsal schedules. Adjusting to having one child in elementary school. Adjusting to the reality of four kids, multiple activities, and a schedule of chaos. BUT looking forward to the routine that school brings. (and hopefully adjusting my grocery bill down now that they aren't home eating non-stop) Adjusting to working retail (while I like my job(s), I REALLY miss working as an IA)

And the kids are still adjusting to the newness of the move overall. They were only in school for seven weeks last year after we moved. This school year will be the big transition (especially for Amanda with moving up to middle school).

And last, but not least, we are all looking forward to adjusting the DVR to record some new shows this fall. Sons of Anarchy starts soon :)

What is a big adjustment for you and your family?

Spinning on a hamster wheel

Do you ever have that feeling when you think - 'why am I doing this?' Everyone has their moment whether it's in line at midnight 9pm on Black Thursday/Friday in attempt to snag the latest must have toy or deal, mopping the kitchen floor when you know your kids are going to spill lemonade in 10min. or the dog will track in some mud, and/or driving your child to band practice at 7am, you have probably thought WHY am I doing this? I often think of my days as running on a hamster wheel. Same day, same scenery, same laundry, same dishes, same floor to vacuum, same, same, same.....but the fruits of my daily labor that is marriage and motherhood pay off when I get a simple 'thank you' for a ride to school, a hug with a compliment 'dinner was great', or the smile they show when their favorite shirt is washed and folded.

Recently, my WHY has involved exercise. The dreaded bane of my existence. I really started working regularly in May. I worked the entire month and didn't lose a pound. I rolled into June still motivated until plantar faciaitis attacked my left foot; school let out; and I started working part-time. Add travel to that and I really lost motivation. Why was I busting my butt just to hurt my foot and not lose a freaking pound? But the real answer to the question is because it's GOOD FOR ME (like it or not). So, August 1st I committed to a squats & push-ups challenge; things I can do at home with minimal foot impact. I am adding to squats & push-ups daily and keeping a log.

Today, I did 100 squats and 40 push-ups before adding the other stuff. Yes, I did it! I didn't necessarily like it but I did. And tomorrow I move up to 105 and 45 respectively. HOW can I not lose a freaking pound? I know I am building muscle and core strength, right? Couldn't I lose one pound to at least make me feel a little better. Sigh.

 

Overall

1) I eat well....meal planning, at least five-a-day of fruit/veg, protein included in breakfast, cut out fast food (maybe have once a week, if that)

2) I drink a lot of water. I have one soda a week, if that. I do have coffee everyday and use real sugar (about a tsp. per cup) because artificial stuff is terrible for you. I rarely drink alcohol/wine (once every two weeks one beer, wine, or marg.)

3) I refuse to be gluten free. I am not gluten intolerant so why should I? I eat whole grain breads mostly. I add things like flaxseed meal, chia seeds, and wheatgerm to my banana bread so I am only trying to improve within my own reality. If I have to think that hard about EVERYTHING morsel that I eat, I will be miserable.

4) I have gotten better with not eating snacks at night. The trick is to brush my teeth after dinner so I can avoid sweets and/or cravings.

5) I take a multi-vitamin nightly along with a Vit. D gel tab (based on bloodwork from doc)

 

What else am I supposed to do? I am getting plenty of sleep. I'm planning to increase my water by at least 8oz. a day. I want to live life, enjoy healthy eating without overthinking everything, and lose some weight.

 

So, I guess the answer is to keep running on the hamster wheel. Keep doing my daily exercise routine with resting one day a week. Keep hoping that I lose some weight while gaining muscle and living healthier overall.

 

Why am I doing this again? the real reason involves being able to eat chocolate when I want.....

Calm before the storm

The storm, for our family, represents FOOTBALL season! And it's not a bad storm like Hurricane Katrina. It's like a storm on dry farmlands after a drought; it's exciting, refreshing, and often leaves you with the feeling that 'this won't last long/ it will be gone too soon.' Football season can't come soon enough.

Next week Ian starts practice and Sean picks up his gear. They have been doing small drills in the backyard daily trying to adjust to the heat. Maggie's 'football season' has begun since she is in her 2nd week of band camp. She is working hard and looking forward to being a part of the high school football experience. (We hear it's serious business here in TX)

And, it's not just football within our family, it's SAINTS football and LSU football and fantasy football.

At least four days a week, we will be focused on football - Sean during the week/ Friday Night Lights with Maggie/ Saturday is Ian and LSU/ Sunday is NFL Sunday Ticket! So I think we qualify as a football family. (Amanda gets to be a super fan with me; hoping to teach her a few skills with the camera if she doesn't find some team siblings to hang with)

The madness of school starts on the 25th combined with football. I think that will kick it up a notch to pure chaos but for today we will savor our Blue Bell icecream (we are on our 9th day in a row over 100*), daily trips to the pool, and the slow pace that summer brings.

However, Saints preseason starts tonight so maybe I'll break out the black & gold a little early!