It's Baaaack

Dr. Seuss Theme Dinner

 Excuse the no-costumes. We just walked in the door from baseball.

On the menu:

GREEN EGGS AND HAM, of course

Ham & Cheese Sliders

Green Deviled Eggs

Watermelon Pops

Thing 1 and Thing 2 Cupcakes

Monday Monday Monday

Yesterday was Masterpiece Monday, and we've been wanting to make the egg with the disappearing shell. So we did.

But because it takes 24-48 hours for the shell to totally dissolve, and for a little more instant gratification, something we could actually enjoy on Monday, we made frozen chocolate banana treats.

I also forgot to post our verse from last week. With a little added flair.

And we met the vacationing cousins at Dollywood. Silly face picture of course.

Summer Fun

Earlier this week, we rode along with Jon to Lynchburg, VA. He was doing a little teaching at Liberty University, and since the boys are all out of school, we were thrilled to be able to go with him. The kids and I stayed busy at the hotel pool, the movies, and at the awesome Lynchburg Children's Museum. This is a picture of the boys in the music studio. They LOVED it! Of course, they thought they knew exactly what they were doing since they're around it all time time!

Since we missed our masterpiece Monday, we had to make up for it today. We made bubbles and attempted to make the life-size bubbles with the rope wand, and it actually worked.

I'm pretty sure popsicle time was their favorite.

Summer Routine

If you remember from several posts ago, I'm not a creature of habit nor do I like too much routine. But, I think it's best for my kiddos to keep a few things consistent over the summer without boring the mama to death. :)

So we started a summer routine which has worked really well. They each have a journal that they write in every morning. This is to keep Jack in the habit of writing, to start Ben writing a little, and to encourage free-spirit Eli to actually hold a pencil. So far, it's worked really well, and they remember without me even reminding them. This is my favorite entry of Jack's journal so far.

To keep routine light-hearted and fun, we've come up with creative names for the days, thanks to Pinterest. :)

Masterpiece Monday

Movie Tuesday

Wet Wednesday

Trip Thursday

Play Friday (since Jon is home)

We have a chore chart for every day of the week and a Bible verse they have to learn by Friday in order to get their allowance. The verse this week was Phil. 2:3, "Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself."

Though the days may be long right now, I'm so thankful for the chance to stay home with my kids. I can't even imagine how difficult it would be to work full-time and be a mommy full-time. Hats off to you working moms. :)

Movie Tuesday

Love the $1 summer movies. Today we saw Dolphin Tales. :)

Masterpiece Monday

Today was the first day of our official stay-at-home summer. Traveling, trips to grandparents, and VBS have kept us busy so far. I'm thinking the key to staying at home with 3 boys, after they've been in the routine of school, is to keep some kind of routine. So Mondays are for creating. Today we made marshmallow catapults and had a marshmallow war. I'm sure I'll be finding these marshmallows around my house for years. :)

Growing Boys

I posted this picture on facebook this morning and then dug out an old picture from a little over a year ago. I can't believe how much they've all grown, especially the littles, who aren't so little anymore. A little nutrition goes a LONG way. Both boys have gained 15 pounds and grown 6 inches this past year. So thankful.

Bonus Room (before & after)

BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

 

AFTER

Menu and Meal Planning

After that last status update on facebook about making a menu, and the comments received from that post, I've decided to just write a blog post about it. I make a menu and stick to it. I cook breakfast 7 days a week, and dinner at least 5 days a week. I keep a breakfast rotation to make life easier especially in the wee hours of the morning. I usually don't make anything that takes more than an hour of active prep time during the week. I save the longer recipes and baking for the weekend.

So here's the menu...

DINNER
1. Gruyere, asparagus & ham frittata with cheese grits and whole wheat toast (we do eat breakfast for dinner sometimes:)
2. Grilled chicken & shrimp kabobs, grilled veggies - onion, okra, mushrooms, orzo pasta (kids minus mushrooms)
3. Chicken tacos with lettuce wraps (tortillas for kids), corn and avocado salad
4. Tuscan bean stew with whole wheat pitas and hummus
5. Arugula salad with grilled chicken, pears, sliced almonds, and goat cheese (kids will eat grilled chicken, pear slices, and yogurt, and I've added grilled chicken to the recipe)
6. Almond pesto chicken, asparagus, sweet potatoes
7. Black bean soup with cheese quesadillas
8. Barbecued chicken with dill fingerling potatoes and green beans
9. Hamburgers with provolone, grilled onions and avocado, sweet potato fries, and fruit
10. Ham & cheese sliders, chips and salsa

BREAKFAST
Monday - Oatmeal and fruit
Tuesday - Breakfast burritos, greek yogurt & granola parfaits, and fruit
Wednesday - Eggs, grits, and fruit
Thursday - Muffins and smoothies
Friday - Omelets, wheat toast, and fruit
Saturday - Pancakes, bacon, and fruit
Sunday - Oatmeal for Jon SUPER early in the morning, cereal for boys while I get ready for church:)

I divide out my grocery list into categories to make shopping easier.
Fresh (fruits and veggies)
Frozen
Meat
Refrigerated
Bakery
Dry goods
Misc.

We do have some rules that we try really hard to keep.

-We all eat together, all 5 of us, for breakfast and dinner, every day if possible. And I serve on real dishes for both, pretty much because our meal time together is a big deal, and I want my children to know how important that is. Lunch is 99.9% of the time on paper plates. :)

-No electronics of any kind at the table, including the TV in the living room.

-You eat what's on your plate. Of course there are a few exceptions. One time I made Jack eat a mushroom and he vomited in his plate. I now steer clear of mushroom for the kids. :) There are a few things that I know they're not going to like, such as salad, so I find ways to get around that.

It's really not much work and I actually spend less time and money at the grocery store when I have a plan. But sometimes we just make a run for pizza or chick-fil-a. :)