Mar 4, 2009 | Motherhood, Uncategorized
I am a horrible menu planner. Could explain the recent increase in our credit card bills due to eating out a bit too much this past month… I am trying to do better. If I make a plan I tend to stick with it. My friend Alison is a fantastic cook and plans her meals in a neat planner she made. She also posts her weekly menu on her blog- and I thought maybe I could at least do that to keep me in line. (See the bottom of the blog for my menu this week.) I have been better about grocery bills- clipping major coupons and saving from $25 to $50 each visit. Making a list and sticking to it has been helping. I’ll keep you posted on my progress!
On a sad note, our little Choo Choo Train (Max’s hamster) died last night of a mysterious illness I couldn’t cure (and didn’t want to spend $300 at the vet for.) He had tumors that came up all over his body. The first time it happened I managed to keep him living awhile by spraying him with a medicated spray daily and wiping them with tea tree oil. He got his fur back and was doing well, then last week he got the tumors and lesions again and went blind overnight. I tried my previous remedies to no avail. So long, Choo Choo. We will miss you little furry one.
****Okay, I told Max about the hamster when I picked him up from school. He was sad and we came home to bury him. I started to pick him up and he moved! Crazy! He was BARELY alive and I bathed him again with hot water and tea tree oil, made a hot pack for him to sit on (he was so cold) and now he’s even opening his eyes! Call him the miracle hamster. I’m so glad I didn’t bury him!
Mar 3, 2009 | Recipes, Sides & Salads, Uncategorized
Yesterday I made spaghetti and meatballs (turkey) and homemade French bread for dinner.
The recipe I use for the bread is a great one and makes 4 loaves. It’s from a great bread book mom gave me a long time ago “Farm Journal’s Homemade Breads” Usually I cut corners on time and it’s just OK. Last night I was patient and it was beautiful. I LOVE fresh bread. One of the biggest pains I have is missing the lovely fresh “michas” and “michitas” we would get in Colon (Panama) for $.25 to $.75. The smell alone makes you full and happy I think. They baked them with wood on a tile bed which makes all the difference. The kids actually ate.
Many things have been happenning around us lately that makes me realize how lucky we are and how grateful I am for the life I have been given.
Things I’m grateful for:
- Dishes left on the table and counter – means we have more than enough to eat. (And it means I don’t have to pay the kids their allowance!)
- Clothes not in the hamper– We have clothes to wear (too many)
- Legos on the floor I step on– means I have creative children (And again it means I don’t have to pay the kids their allowance!)
- Too many things to do in the day– Makes me happy that I’m healthy enough to do them
- My children arguing- We are all together and still speaking to each other
- Library fines– I have a place I can find free books
- Paw Prints on the clean floor
- Sticky little kisses
- Scratchy big kisses
I just know that we have to savour every minute of the beautiful lives we are given.
Mar 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
Yesterday was Max’s first Pinewood Derby. Scott’s the Cubmaster for our school, so we had to find a track, get trophies etc. It was a fun day and the kids and parents all had fun I think. Max’s little train came in 3rd in the Tiger Cubs (12th out of 13 cars overall…) and did win “Most Original Design” which he was thrilled with (but wondered why it didn’t include a trophy.) He also qualified to go to the council’s derby so I have to keep his little car safe until April. The girls have their “Powder Puff” derby next Saturday so lots of sawdust and glue around our house.
The strangest thing was that it started to spit sleet outside during the derby, and by about 5pm we actually had snow (big flakes) coming down! Our first snow of the year and probably the last. It was so pretty and there was still a little bit when we woke up, covering the deck by about a quarter of an inch (maybe less.) Of course it was gone by the time we got out this morning.
