Living Room Improvement Pictures

Weekly Menu Strategy!

Mary is helping me a TON with meals this year. Below is our weekly menu and the daily recipes which include her responsibilities. Two years ago Drew took over breakfast making. He continues to make breakfast to this very day! I am so blessed. That frees me up to help the little ones get dressed, put dirty diapers in the trash, help them make their beds and put away their pajamas. Then we have time to read a few verses together before I send Chloe down to ring the "it's time to eat" bell.

Sunday

Breakfast Pancakes

Snack leftover pancakes

Lunch Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Supper Leftovers

Monday

Breakfast Rice (I do make the rice. I put it in the oven Sunday night and set the oven timer)

Snack Almond/choc. chip mix

Lunch Apple Cheese Burritos and Celery Sticks

Supper Autumn Sausage Casserole with Spring Mix with fruit/nuts

Tuesday

Breakfast Oatmeal

Snack grapes

Lunch Pizza Fondue with Chips and Carrot Sticks (or baby carrots)

Supper Slow Cooker Chicken, Rice Cooker Rice and Beans

Wednesday

Breakfast Bagels with Cream Cheese

Snack O.J. and raisins

Lunch PB & H Sandwiches with Apple Slices and Frozen Peas

Supper Goulash and crackers with Spring Mix salad

Thursday

Breakfast Farina

Snack peanut/dried fruit mix

Lunch Drumsticks, Cauliflower and Applesauce

Supper Creamy Beef over Noodles

Friday

Breakfast Toast and Eggs or French Toast

Snack ginger snaps

Lunch Sausage/ Cheese/Crackers

Supper Homemade Pizza

Saturday

Breakfast Meulsi

Snack apple slices

Lunch Burritos and leftovers

Supper Hamburgers or Sloppy Joes

Monday

Autumn Sausage Casserole

--1 pound sausage

--3 cups already cooked long-grain rice

--2 apples, chopped (no need to peel)

--1 yellow onion, chopped

--1/2 package baby carrots, no need to chop

--1/2 cup dried cranberries

--1 T brown sugar

--1 T dried parsley flakes

--1/2 tsp allspice

--1/2 tsp cinnamon

--1/8 tsp black pepper

--1/3 cup water

Mary's AM instructions:

LUNCH: nothing! :-)

SUPPER: Put 1 # sausage to cook in Black and White Slow Cooker. Turn Slow Cooker on #5.

Now get out the Red Crock Pot. Add rice and any leftover rice from breakfast. Chop apples. Add to the Red Crock Pot. Measure carrots, cranberries, sugar, spices, and water add to the Red Crock Pot. Turn the Red Crock Pot on low. Check and make sure Mom will chop and add onion.

Mary's 11:30 instructions:

LUNCH: make Apple/Cheese Burritos and slice celery.

SUPPER: Chop up cooked sausage. Unplug Black and White Slow cooker. Add sausage to the Red Crock Pot. Leave Crock Pot on Low.

Mary's 5:00 instructions:

SUPPER: Put Autumn Sausage Casserole on table. Put spring mix in salad bowl. Open a can of mandarin oranges. Add oranges to salad. Sprinkle 1/4 C chopped nuts on salad (if we have chopped nuts in white basket in pantry) Put salad on table along with any salad dressings we have. When Dad gets home have Chloe ring bell!!

Tuesday

Pizza Fondue

20 pieces pepperoni, diced

1 jar pasta sauce

2 can tomato sauce (8 oz. each)

1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese (4C)

1/2 t garlic

1/2 t oregano

2 dashes sea salt

Mary's AM instructions:

LUNCH: Using White Crock pot. Place all ingredients in crock. Turn on low.

SUPPER: Put a whole chicken in the Black and White Slow Cooker. Plug in. Turn to #3.

Put 3 C rice in rice cooker. Put 6 C filtered water in rice cooker. Add 3 T olive oil and 3 t garlic. Do not plug in. Mom will plug in at 4:30PM. Thanks. You are doing a great job!!

Mary's 11:30 instructions:

LUNCH: unplug White Crock pot. Put Crock pot on dining room table. Put bag of chips on dining room table. Put bag of baby carrots on dining room table. Set table. Don't forget cups. Pour everyone some water.

SUPPER: nothing :-)

Mary's 5:00 instructions:

SUPPER: Put 1/4 C filter water in largest of the one handle pots. Turn burner on med. When water boils add one package frozen beans. Set timer for 7 minutes. After 7 minutes stir. Set timer for 7 minutes again. After 7 minutes put in serving bowl and put on the table. Mom will put chicken and rice on the table.

Wednesday

Goulash

1# Ground Beef

1/2 onion chopped (large is fine)

1 t paprika

1/4 t garlic

2 jars pasta sauce

2 cans tomato sauce

3 C elbow noodles

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can corn

1 package baby carrots

Mary's AM instructions:

LUNCH: check to make sure there is bread in the bread box. If there is not, bring up a loaf from the deep freeze OR take out of upstairs freezer. Set on counter to thaw

SUPPER: Put frozen beef in Blue Crock Pot. Turn Crock Pot on High. Then coarsely chop onion and add to crock. Add spices also.

Mary's 11:30 instructions:

LUNCH: Make PB and Honey. Slice apples. Find frozen peas. Set table. Don't forget cups. Pour everyone some water.

SUPPER: Drain grease from beef. If it is easier take beef out and set on a plate. Add elbow noodles, pasta sauce, tomato sauce, beans, corn and carrots to crock. Break beef up into chunks. Turn Crock Pot to Low.

Mary's 5:00 instructions:

SUPPER: Slice a red, yellow and orange pepper. Put on table. Put some spring mix in salad bowl and put on table Put Goulash on table. Also put sour cream and any salad dressings on table.

Thursday

Creamy Beef Over Noodles

2 # stew meat

2 T butter

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 T minced onion

1/2 t sea salt

1 T black pepper

8 ounces cream cheese

Use a 4 quart slow cooker. Put meat into crock; frozen is fine. Add the butter, milk, worcestershire sauce, onion, salt, and pepper. Cook on high 3 1/2 hours then switch to low for 5 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Stir in cream cheese. Serve over hot buttered noodles.

Mary's AM instructions:

LUNCH: put one bag drumsticks in White Crock Pot (small crock)

SUPPER: put stew meat in Blue Crock Pot along with butter, worcestershire sauce, onion, sea salt and pepper. DO NOT ADD cream cheese. Turn on High.

Mary's 11:30 instructions:

LUNCH: put White Crock on dining room table. Chop cauliflower and put in glass blue bowel. Put on dining room table. Put a bag of baby carrots on dining room table. Set table. Don't forget cups. Pour everyone some water.

SUPPER: Turn Blue Crock Pot to low.

Mary’s 5 PM instructions:

Get out two handled silver pot. Fill just under 3/4 ths with water from faucet. Put on stove. Turn burner on High.

Slice up cream cheese and ad to crock pot. Add 1 T milk. Replace lid. Set timer for 10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and milk after 10 minutes.

When water boils add 4 C dry elbow noodles. Set timer (find second timer above stove) for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes drain noodles, return to pot and put on table.

Slice one each red, yellow and orange pepper while waiting. Put in serving bowl. Put on table

Supper is READY!!

I do the meals Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This week was a dry run and it went very well. I instructed Mary each work time this week as I didn't have the instructions typed up. I think next week will go even more smoothly as I will be less involved. I am sure we will find some bugs in the instructions too.

Stacks UPON Stacks AND Sunscreen

There are stacks everywhere! I can hardly believe that just 6 days ago the house was immaculate. No really, it was, well almost. I had worked through all the stacks, cleaned every room and even scrubbed the kitchen floor.

On Memorial Day I was relieved that Kari had brought sunscreen and was more than willing to share! When we got home I looked in the cupboard where I thought the sunscreen was, thinking I would stick it in the van so it would be harder to forgot on our next sun filled outing. The sunscreen wasn't there. I have a saying in the house, "if you can't find something, start cleaning." I never got to clean in search of the sunscreen.

Just moments ago I sent Jacob to get Chloe's milk out of the refrigerator. The old newspapers are stacked a mile high on top of the refrigerator. I could have recycled them on several occasions, but keep thinking, when I get the garden planted I will need those papers to keep the weeds down. AND I will need them when we put rock around the ac unit to keep the weeds out there too.

So moments ago, after Cob got Chloe's cup - CRASH!! down came the half of the papers stacked on top of my wooden bowl. Low and behold there came the sunscreen. Whew! I guess I won't need THAT many papers to keep the weeds down :-)

Simplifying Life

I ordered these tin cups from a camping supply on line 2 years ago.  

Each family member has their own cup, simplifying my life greatly!  

Drew's dad kindly engraved the kids names on their cups.

  The yarn helps all of us in quick identification as well.

Instrument Holders

Drew crafted the beautiful violin holders pictured above.  They not only decorate the wall nicely, but serve the living room practically, reducing the cases all over the places mess :-).  I only hope the winter heat won't dry them out too badly.

Drew modified this holder from his sister to include the banjo.

All of the instruments have been played more since hanging them up!

House Maintenance

I was very humbled several weeks back when a friend was here. She mentioned how relaxed my house is for her to visit because it isn't overly clean. Little did she know I had spent ALL morning getting it to that lived in looking state :-). As I maintain the house I think how much more our spirits need moment by moment maintenance.   I cannot read a verse in the morning and expect to be walking in the spirit in the afternoon. I need to be thinking about that verse, memorizing it, personalizing it, meditating on it throughout the day. Then I can rejoice in the afternoon when I am tired and someone drops the jug of milk. Just as my house doesn't clean itself, my heart must be cleansed by ongoing maintenance.  Psalm 1:1-3 "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers BUT his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His law he MEDITATES day and night.  And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water which yeilds it's fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither and in whatever he does he prospers.

These pictures were taken merely hours after the house was "company" clean!  Unbelievable? Not really :-)  

Laundry Room Thumbs Up

I am absolutely, positively, hands down, thumbs up LOVING my new laundry room. My favorite feature is the location. You just can't beat a laundry room on the same level as the bedrooms. My second favorite feature of all the crazy things is the utility sink. Chloe and Abram take their baths (separately) in the oversized sink. I am saving TONS of water this way and I don't break my back bending over the tub. So while the little ones are little this is a great resource saver.   I also love having the HUGE folding shelf.  There is room for everyone to have their own pile.  Often the kids just get dressed right in the laundry room, eliminate put away.  So for those of you who have been asking how I am liking my new laundry room, wonder no more!

Spring Cleaning and A New Laundry Room

I made the cutest slide show but it just WILL not upload for me.  So you have to listen to (or at least hum) "Just a Spoonful of Sugar" as you scroll down through these pictures :-).

I found out March 18th someone was coming on Friday to work on plumbing for an upstairs laundry room.  What a wonderful Birthday Surprise.  The kids and I kicked it into high gear rearranging as the guest room would be converted into the wonderful facility you see above!  This room is on the second floor where we get dressed and sleep, hence generate dirty clothes.  The plumbing was complete March 23rd and final shelving hung the 26th. There is a porch out the door you see next to the dresser.  Drew installed a pulley system clothesline a while back (like this one).  Now won't that be convenient!

Tin Can Organizer

Organizing the Household

I once heard it said every flat surface is a potential landing pad
for clutter. Clutter finds the hutch in my dinning room and lands
there! I recently saw an organization idea on a friends blog. So in
a desperate attempt to clear off the beloved hutch clutter I began
saving tin cans. Drew did an excellent job creating the Tin Can
Organizer! Thanks sweetie.