Monday, May I (Party)?

Last week’s goals:

1.  Clean out our vehicles.  Look, summer is over and they need a good cleaning.  Carting around two kids for 9 weeks can really make your car smell funny and have weird things in the interior.  Now is the time to get it in good shape again.

2.  Go to the library alone.  This shouldn't be difficult, ha that's what she said, right?

3.  Pound the pavement.  

And in actuality?

1.     I cleaned out my car but not the truck.  Meet goal number 1 for this week:  Clean the truck.

2.    I went to the library….not alone but with my three year old.  He had fun, I cannot complain.

3.    Pound the pavement.  I only got one time to last week.  Thus this goal moves on to this week.

So to recap this week’s goals:

1.     Clean out the truck

2.    Pound the pavement

3.    Reorganize the house

What is up with number three?  Well….certain rooms look horrible thanks to too much junk.  I hope to get them cleaned right up and out!

What are your goals sugar pie?

****

Weekend Recap (because this is foreign to me)

The first week of school is a thing of the past...Saturday we slept in and then I made pancakes for the littles.  Banana pancakes to be exact (Jack Johnson you're such an inspiration!)

Then the kids and I headed to Sam's Club to buy goodies for their birthday party.  I can never get out of that place spending less than $100.  I knew I would be over it this weekend....still buying those damned Pull Ups (and two birthday presents).

Saturday afternoon was spent running around the yard (kids and hubby).  I got in a one hour nap.  Biology can really whip your tail once a month if you're a female...just sayin'.

The grandparents picked up the kids later in the day on Saturday and they spent the night over at their place.  The husband talked me into going to a fantasy football draft with him at Lake Norman.  

It was boring.  However, the view and another wifey and I had a great conversation about wine and books and the coast!  When we finally got home around 11:30 I cleaned the house some.  Oh yeah I'm wild.

Sunday was church, bad Mexican food, and the birthday party!

We partied this past weekend.  Kid style!  It was a very small affair.  The Pappaw Doug E. Fresh and Granny J-oyce, the great grandma J-Dawg, the Nana, the Uncle Turtle Meat Avery, Aunt Shoe and Misty Twisty, and my fabulous bestie Ashwee and her sweet little fellas Will I Am and Levicutiepie

What?  Are you jealous your family doesn't have these cool names?

When it comes to birthday parties my mindset is becoming more and more - smaller is so much better.

There's my weekend in a nutshell.

I hope your weekend was relaxing and just plain fabulous!

.

Let's Eat! 8/31-9/4

When I write this post I’m reminded at how incredibly fast the weekend goes!  I really hope your weekend has been relaxing and beautiful.  Now let’s regroup for another week ahead.

Let’s eat y’all.

Breakfasts

Well the first week of school really shows you what you need to tweak in the kitchen.  This year my daughter has started out being a non-breakfast kid.  Guys, this kills me beyond explanation.  You need energy and to set your metabolism for the day.  I cannot let her leave without anything on that little tummy so I worked with her to get something down the hatch and in the brain!

The recipe for breakfast will be small, full of fiber and protein.

Last week I shared our love for Fiber One bars and this week I am doing it again.  

I also think I need to tell you Fiber One has not contacted me at all and I’m not paid to include them in a post.  However, if they ever feel the need to call a girl up and offer her a year’s supply of their products I’m ready and willing.

Back to it! 

This week breakfast for the kid will be Fiber One products  - bars, muffins, cookies.  It is true I am against cookies for breakfast but these are more like a filling fiber cookie and not a Chips Ahoy.  I can make small alterations to the meal plan for the sake my kid’s nutrition.

To counter the carb and fiber load of those products we will have plenty of yogurt in the fridge.  I prefer Greek yogurt to Swiss.  Greek yogurt gives you more protein and is a bit more filling thanks to the thick texture. 

If you’re wondering what the mama bear is devouring for breakfast then I should go ahead and tell you.  A bagel thin with a 2 teaspoons of strawberry cream cheese slathered on there.  Yep, eat it up!

Snacks

Guys, I have found two snacks that my kids are tripping billies over. (I imagine tripping billies and talking about my kids in the same sentence is a faux paux.)

Horizon Snack Crackers, both the peanut butter version and the cheese version, are my kid’s addiction right now.  They want them for snack, meals, and more snack.  The great thing about Horizon is that it is organic and you don’t have to worry about what those crackers are made of or what makes that “cheese” in the middle.  It is real stuff!  The questionable cheese product in other snack crackers has often had me quite aloof!

Apple slices and peanut butter are the classic snack of the week.  You cannot beat that snack.

Emerald’s Yogurt Bites (Breakfast on the Go) is another great snack for purses or book bags.  Dried fruit, nuts, and covered in a yogurt coating make the sweet tooth and tummy happy at 10a or 2p.

Lunches

Last week the kid enjoyed mini pizzas, a turkey wrap, the good ole peanut butter and jelly, and a salad in her lunch.  I scored big time when I was given a free flat of produce from a truck that wrecked locally.  I had a big fat box of organic spinach, cherry tomatoes, avocados, bananas, pineapple, pears, oranges, peaches, nectarines.  Yes, good eating is what that is called!

A few days this week I packed spinach salads with cherry tomatoes, black olives and celery for crunch!  Mmmm with a red wine vinaigrette it is damn near perfection!

Here is my lunch box pick of the week.  It is labeled for adults but I think you can make a lot of these for your kids too.  Remember, they don't live off PB&J they like to spice things up too!

Click here to visit the blog!

Dinner

This week we’re eating:

·       Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches then turning the chicken into enchiladas on Tuesday.  I love a double duty meal.

·       Wednesday is soup and salad night.

·       Thursday is reserved for that Mongolian Beef from last week.  I didn’t make it because of some awesome food deals at Sonic (50 cent corn dogs) and laziness on Friday which led me to a tomato sandwich for dinner.

·       Friday night is my daughter’s birthday so we’re up in the air on what we’ll be doing that night.  I know it will be a great out to dinner night.  In her honor I’ll be making tacos very soon.

No sweet treats this week due to more birthday cake rolling in!

Happy eating this week!  

The Recap

Good Saturday.  My coffee is tasting extra strong and great this Saturday morning.  I was hoping to get another hour of sleep in but tis life.

Here's the recap of the week on the blog...

It all started on Sunday with {Let's Eat}  - Our menu plan for the week that included breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.  I hope it helps you fill in some menu gaps as you make that grocery list and meal plan for yourself or family as well.

{Monday, May I} and some mommy mush made up the post for the first day of the work week, school, and little dude's actual birthday!

{Tuesday is still Tasty} even though I have a new Sunday post also talking all things food!  This week I shared all about my favorite food and later in the week I learned that Friday is National Burger Day, shut up!  I didn't get a burger on Friday :(

Also on Tuesday I shared the love of the {Sisterhood of Blogging} and answered three sets of questions.  It was a cool get to know me kind of thing.



Wednesday was the most LOVED post of the week.  I shared {That time I watched 20 minutes of a movie}  Nikki Sparks fans didn't care much for the post but that is OK.  I still love them, each and every one.

This week was time for another edition of {What's Up Wednesday}  Of course after writing and publishing this post a lot changed.  Ya gotta roll with the punches.

Those {random thoughts} spewed out on Thursday.  I realize the magnitude of those poetic words - spewed out - ahhhh take me away Thoreau.

And then God made Friday and gave us a big fat {High Five} for making it through a big week.

Now we're at the weekend and I want to soak in every single second.  My to-do list is very long but I think I can manage it!

Have a great day and I'll see you tomorrow with Let's Eat!

xo

High Fives ALL Around: It is FRIDAY!

Wooo hoo the first Friday of the school year is HERE!  I cannot wait until 3:10 when the weekend officially begins!  This weekend will be busy with birthday party fun for the kids.  After a change of adult plans I'm looking forward to seeing my sweet Jen for dinner tomorrow night.  Well, we can talk about all that next week.

1.  Sunday - Zoo Fun!

To celebrate birthdays and the last day of summer break we took off to the NC Zoo.  This was our first trip in five years to the zoo.  You don’t get how hard it is for me to wrap my brain around the fact the last time we were there our daughter was three years old.  Holy crap, time!  This visit was great other than our little monkey (the boy) was quite the handful.  I think the coolest part of this trip was the fact the lions were out!  I’ve never seen the lions at our zoo.  They always seem to get a memo I’m coming and they go into hiding.  The gorillas were fun to watch too.  I just learned yesterday they shut down the gorilla exhibit to reintroduce another gorilla who had been gone for a while.  I think that is so awesome.  Yes, I know weird.  I wouldn’t say we have the best zoo in the country because there are way better ones but we do have a really nice one.  You should visit it sometime!

2.  Monday - Baby Boy turns 3!

My son was born after seven minutes of pushing.  Little did I know that that swift entry into the world would mean he would grow from 0-3 years old in seven minutes as well.  I tell you that Is exactly what it feels like!  On Monday we celebrated his birthday.  Actually we celebrated on Sunday and Monday and we will celebrate again this weekend his and his sister’s birthdays.  For the actual day of his birth he had a fun time playing with his best friends then we went for an adventure to the car wash (kid loves that place) and wrapped our day up with spaghetti and meatballs at Nana’s.  It was a fun birthday for a fun little dude.

3.  Monday - Diva goes to 2nd grade!

One baby has a birthday and the other baby is in second grade now.  Really, I’m baffled.  My beautiful girl started her third year of elementary school on Monday – Kindergarten is long gone, first grade vanished, and now she’s a second grader.  I nearly cried when I realized that she only has three years left of elementary school after this year.  It makes your heart swell to see you babies grow and develop but it makes your heart break to realize how fast these sweet years fly by.  

4.  Outside everybody, outside!

The weather is showing signs of transitioning to fall.  I noticed a drop in the humidity and daily highs this week.  Oh it is still 80’s but it’s a more relaxed version of them.  Good weather + being cooped up in school all day = outdoor evenings!  I worked in a couple flower beds and also went through all the outdoors toys and gardening supplies to thin it out The boy enjoyed his toy tractor and carrying the two pumpkins (yes, pumpkins) to the flower bed.  The girl didn’t complain too much about it.  Also, I have to brag on her.  She walked 2.8 miles with me with no complaints this week.  That’s huge y’all, huge.

5.  Back to work.

Wednesday I went back to work with the BIG kids (freshman and sophomores).  It was great to see all the kids from last year.  I read a fantastic book this week at school - The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian.  This book is fabulous for 9-12th graders.  I cannot say enough wonderful things about it. Alexie really has woven together an awesome story of humor, angst, and pain.  Teens will connect with Junior (the main character) and all the changes he is going through during adolescence.  This book will also open their minds to a bigger picture of the American community and allow them to make a critical analysis of their own community.  The struggles of living on a reservation, poverty, and overcoming fears to forge a path to a better world are key elements.  While I'm talking about it, adults benefit from this book too.  We often get wrapped up in our worlds and this book is the swift kick we need to remember how fortunate we are and to move us to being a force of change in our own neighborhoods.

Alrighty then!  Let's go have a fabulous weekend!  I believe I have childcare and some shopping in my future (birthday shopping that is).  I hope your week rocked and weekend rocks on!

Thinking Thursday

Here's my stream of consciousness....oh and I'm linked up with Joey




Today in my part of North Carolina it will be 81 degrees.  My thoughts are:  cool, no that is actually cool, COOL as in temperature wise.  Oh my gosh fall is like three weeks away.  I bet I don't get in the pool again until next year.  Damn.

South Carolina.  People are going to be like what the crap?  I just looked at the news on the TV screen and it had SC on it.  Naturally I am thinking South Carolina.  I really need to go visit Charleston again.  Royal lives in SC.  We should totally meet up when I go down there (not Charleston) and get food.  When am I going to Columbia?  Go Tigers!  No not my team.

I need to go shopping.  Birthday shopping again.  Justice, Dazzle Up, Charming Charlies.  Typical 8 year old places.  Oh fun...yeah fun, fun.  Pepping myself up obviously.  Maybe it will be my Saturday.



I read the 9th grade novel of the moment yesterday in class.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. You should totally read it.  It is funny but also pulls your heart.

Sonic tonight.  50cent corn dogs.  Yay not having to cook dinner.

Yay bestie alert she's coming on Sunday to the birthday party with her littles.  Yay!  So excited!  I hope we can tentatively plan our craft night.

Our zoo is getting more gorillas!  They are so awesome.  We were there this week and one gorilla was laid up beside the viewing window, two feet in one hand and the other hand cleaning her face.  She could care less 30 people were oggling her.



I do not like monkeys though.

Dress or pants today?  I love that dress but I'm leaning towards the pants.  They're white.  I follow the Labor Day rule and I better wear white pants while I can.

I watched  Below Deck last night and was broken hearted that Chef Ben has been replaced.  However, at the end of the show in the teasers it looks like he is coming back.  Happy, happy, joy, joy.

Fridays and weekends mean something again.  Over the summer they didn't mean too much to me but now they are awesome sauce again.  Maybe we'll get to sleep til 7:45AM!  Haha pathetic right?

Oh crap....This Weekend in North Carolina will be up later.

That's my random thoughts for Thursday.

What's Up Wednesday

What are we eating?

It is all right here.

What I'm reminiscing about?

How much has changed since last year at this time....a new two year old, first grader, thinking everything was hunky dory with our home, the hubby's job, etc.  All of it has changed so much!  Now a three year old and a second grader; a practically new house; the hubby's new job.....huge changes!

What I'm loving?

My hubs.  He's the most supportive and awesome man EVER.



What we've been up to?

Just adjusting to school life again.  Today is my first day earning that public school money. LoL



What I'm dreading?

Juggling the weekend - yard work, Lake Norman trip, birthday party prep, all of it!  I'm not really dreading it but trying to juggle it!

What I'm working on?

Same as last month, which that is an on-going never stop job, taking care of myself.  I'm also working on our house and making it more warm and inviting with design and style.  Why is it so easy to figure a stranger's place but not your own?  Seriously!

What I'm excited about?

My babies birthdays.  Always a fun time and my life's best celebration.





What I'm watching/reading?

My television watching has diminished as of late.  I'll be back on that later I am sure because several of my faves are coming back (Below Deck & Ladies of London)!  Reading  If I Could Turn Back Time by Beth Harbison.



What I'm listening to?

Whatever is on the radio...a lot of K Love and country or pop or country-pop.  Oh and after hearing Luke Bryan's new song Strip It Down I am referring to him as Luke Porn.

What I'm wearing?

Sliding into a dress today for work.  But I've been rocking the tanks and shorts a little longer!



What I'm doing this weekend?

Celebrating my kids' birthdays!!!  Heading to Lake Norman for a Fantasty Football Draft!

What I'm looking forward to next month?

My daughter's 8th birthday, whoa!  A routine, I know, I know its true though!

What else is new?

I just have to share I have two pumpkins in my trunk.  This is odd.  It is still August but the crop is in so I have two in my trunk because it made my kids happy.  Whoa.