Meal Plan Monday

So here goes for another attempt at meal planning for the week!

Last week didn't work out so well since I got sick!

Monday- Chicken and Stuffing Casserole, baked beans and biscuts
Tuesday- Cheesy Mastacolli
Wednesday- Hot Dog Roast after Awana for Trunk Or treat
Thursday- Grilled Chicken, green beans, noodles
Friday- Dinner out on Chad
Saturday- Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Sunday- Roast, veggies and biscuts

I have been Tagged

I was tagged by Karma

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

My 7 facts:
1. I love music...any kind but mainly listen to contemporary Christian these days.
2. I worked at Hills Department Store for one year during college.
3. Have been forced to become a "handy woman" know how to hang drywall and install toilets among many other handy things!
4. I was a High School Wrestling Statistician for all three years of high school...none of the wrestlers girlfriends liked me cause I rode the bus with the team.
5. I LOVE PICKLES! Eat them nearly every day.
6. Canasta is about the only card game I know how to play...but I am really good at it! Chad won't play with me anymore cause he can't beat me.
7. I always thought I wanted to be rich but I have recently learned to be content and live simpler!

I tag:
http://luv2create.blogspot.com
http://marilee1951.blogspot.com/
http://everything-eva.blogspot.com/
http://www.sunnykohler.blogspot.com/
http://mama4joy.blogspot.com/
http://redheadscrapper.blogspot.com/
http://papercutzandpraisez.blogspot.com/

Relaxing Sunday

It was a very relaxing Sunday! Started the day off with a wonderful church service and a great sermon on Bold Love. The pastor announced that a couple who just recently started attending church and was just baptised like a month or so ago had a premature baby today. The baby wasn't suppose to be born until January...so she is quite preemie. I requested special prayer for the baby and will be doing my best on Monday to find a way to get in touch with the family so that the church can help them with whatever needs they might have. I am sure that they will have a huge finincial burden because I know Chad and I did when Nick was born premature and spent time out of town in NICU. All the expenses of hotels and meals really can break you fast.

After church I relaxed with Chad on the love seat. He watched football while I took a Sunday afternoon nap! Still recovering from being sick the past couple of days. Going to church apparently wore me out! I had intended to get some scrapping done today!

Went back to church tonight for snack supper and then bible study. Then stopped at mom and dads for a quick visit and to get my plants that mom gave me! I hope I don't kill them with my brown thumb! Mom and Dad had an atrium room at their old house and now that they have moved they no longer have room for all their plants! Mom gave me the Burrows Tail which she has had since I was a kid. She also gave me another plant whose name escapes me right now! It is suppose to freeze here tonight so I also had to bring in my other plants that have been enjoying the summer outside!

An update on my attempt at preplanning our meals! It was a good first attempt but I got sick and ended up not being able to cook. I did try to cook chicken and noodles on Fri evening...I nearly passed out halfway through so Chad had to finish...but it still turned out very yummy and Satuday I was feeling some better...so maybe it helped!

Today I didn't do the roast cause I hadn't made it to the store as planned earlier in the week since I had been sick.....SO Chad requested Tuna salad sandwiches. I think the man could eat that every day of the week! LOL

I didn't get any scrapping done today but I did spend tonight preparing the handout for my scrapbook class at Crafts tomorrow night. Hoping to get my phone calls made in the morning and then spend the rest of Monday scrapping!

Pre-planning Meals

I had another day off today! YAY! It's rainy again so I just couldn't resist a little nap. After my nap I got busy finishing up laundry. I feel like I have actually accomplished something today! I have the last load in the washer and even have half of the clean clothes put away! YAY! A productive laundry day. Even got the kitchen sparkling with fresh mopped floor!

In my attempt to get things clean and organized I have decided to try my good friend Lawandas menu planning idea. She has been posting her weekly menu on her blog every week. So here goes Lawanda! I am gonna give it my best shot to do this every week and stick to it!

Mon- Pizza (I only had a half hour between school and teaching scrapbook classes!)

Tues- Tuna Salad Sandwiches

Wed- Poor Mans Steak, green beans, cheesy biscuts, mashed potatoes and gravy

Thur- Veggie Soup

Fri- Grilled Chicken, brocoli and cheese, baked beans

Sat- Chicken Noodles, carrots, biscuts

Sun- Roast, potatoes, Carrots and noodles

So lets hope this helps me be a little more organized! I am hoping to start my routine of grocery shopping on Sun night again. I used to always do that but then got into this funk where I just scrounge around to figure out what to cook at the last minute! Lawanda has inspired me to do better though!;)

Rainy Day and Camera

It has been one of the super rainy days here. Just when it seems like it is stopping it starts up again...so dark and dreary all day. The kind of day that just makes me want to SLEEP! Why is it that I get so stinkin tired on rainy days??

I had great plans of getting the laundry finished and the house mostly cleaned up. Well as I mentioned I was sleepy today so not so much got done. I have at least finished half of the laundry. Hoping that I won't have to work tomorrow so that I can get the rest finished. The life of a substitute teacher...never knowing if you have to work or not the next day. It does kinda get old!

My camera is kicking the bucket, on it's last leg, making me crazy! It all started while we were camping. Of course the leaves were such beautiful brilliant colors. The only time we have caught the leaves at the peak....and my camera goes crazy. I got a few good pictures during our hike but but missed so many opportunities for fabulous shots the rest of the weekend. I was so depressed.

I have secretly been craving a digital SLR. I checked out the Canon EOS Rebel XTi Digital Camera w/ 18-55mm Lens at Sams Club tonight when we went to get tires. It looks pretty yummy but I havent done my research yet. Trying to convince hubby that it would be the perfect Christmas/Birthday present. So anyone know anything about this camera? Would love some reviews! Gotta make sure this is the one I want to ask santa for!

Here is a fun little thing that was sent to me...

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car): Snowball Grand Caravan

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Vanilla Macadamia Nut

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name): SMcV

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Sage Yorkie

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born):Michelle Parkersburg

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first): McVsa

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink): The blue tea

NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers):Paul Lloyd

9. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names):Anne Alroy

10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Boso Boston

11. SPY NAME: (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Christmas Daisy

12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”):

Mandarin Orange shirty

13. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree):Bagel Willow

14. YOUR ROCK STAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour” and the year): The Scrapbook Sun Tour 2007

Catching Up

Just a quick note to let you know that the finger is healing...and I will soon be able to type better and catch everything up on here! I have been a very bad blogger:(

Life has been super fast paced. We had our trip to NYC then I subbed all week, then Scrap Camp Oct 12-14, subbed all week and then our annual primitive camping trip at Kumbrabow State Forest. Have lots of photos to share from Scrap Camp and Kumbrabow but for now will leave you with a couple. The one above is the van loaded down with all of the Scrap Camp stuff! YIKES! There was barely room for me!

I do love salad but really I wasn't eating the whole bowel!

Praying that this finger will be back to normal so I can go back to two handed typing! Even the shortest blurb takes me way to long!

The picture of my family is after a hike straight up the side of the mountain! As you can see from the background we are in peak fall leaf season! The colors of the trees was absolutely amazing! I have never seen the leaves in such vivid colors. The Lord surely painted a beautiful view for us!

Kung Foo Fighting

Everyone has been getting such a kick out of my story I decided to just go ahead and share it...most of you will eventually hear it anyway...since I have been warned by many that I will never live it down!

So I posted on Monday how much I really did NOT like Chinatown! WELL!!!! Apparently I was still a little shook up about the whole purse experience because Monday night about 2AM I had a terrible nightmare! Someone was chasing me. I don't really remember much but just going on what my hubby told me! He said I was yelling and screaming and woke him up. When he touched me I bolted out of bed and crashed into either my dresser or the wall...he wasnt sure which. I scared him to death cause he thought someone was really in the house..he was ready to bust the glass of his gun cabinet! LOL He said he yelled at me and I got right back into bed and curled into the fetal position. I was immediately back to sleep...well I don't really think I ever even woke up cause I do not remember it at all! Poor hubby could NOT get back to sleep cause I had scared him to death! LOL

Well Tues morning I woke up with terrible pain in my hand! I was trying to get ready for work and everything that I did HURT like crazy. By the time I got to school my finger was looking purple and swelling. I thought..man I must have laid on my hand or something it is really hurting. I called hubby to tell him about it and he said.....you must have done that while you were fighting off whoever was chasing you! I had no idea what he was talking about! So then he told me about my performance and me scaring him to death! LOL He figured I must have hurt my finger on whatever I crashed into in my sleep!

The school nurse put a temporary splint on my finger and provided me with ice all day. I walked around with my hand sticking up all day cause if I let it hang down it throbbed even worse. The school nurse kept telling me to get it xrayed after school. Well I went and sure enough have a hairline fracture! ARGH!

Chad says he is going to make me a padded room to sleep in! he probably should! I haven't had much sleep walking since I got pregnant with Brooke....but when I was a kid I would end up anywhere but where I started out...I would laugh hysterically in my sleep..even walk outside, but would usually wake up when my feet hit the cold ground. I surely hope that this isn't the start of my crazy sleeping again! When I was a kid I never injured myself...getting old has its disadvantages!

Typing with one hand isn't easy so I will end here. Sweet DREAMS to all! :)

NYC

Wow! What an exhausting weekend! Brooke, Mom, Christina, Shirley, Kacie, Jodi and I all drove up to New York on Friday. It took us 11 hours to get there thanks to the road construction and a wreck. UGH! What a trip! WE picked up Julie at the JFK airport. It worked out nicely that her plane was delayed due to fog...so she didn't end up having to wait long for us to pick her up.

My GPS sent us right through downtown Manhatten on the way there! Let's just say that I was a bit nervous. The taxis were the worst. Nobody drives in their lane...everyone is always squeezing and HONKING! I have driven in a lot of big cities but NYC was quite a new experience! My palms were a little sweaty but we made it through the city without a scratch! We had not intended to drive in the city! Our plan was to use the subway and bus system and keep the van parked at the hotel! Boy was I surprised when the GPS landed us right there smack dab in the middle of it all!

We made a wrong turn so got a little off the beaten path. I think we ended up going by a garbage recycling center or something. It was a bit FREAKY! Luckily we had that lovely GPS....we gotta name her...we played with names all weekend but none of them really seemed to fit her! She helped us get back on the right path to the airport to pick up Julie!

Once we picked up Julie at JFK we realized there was no seat in the van for her! OOPS! Hadn't thought about that little detail since we were only planning to use subways! She sat on the cooler between mom and Shirley. It worked out fine except when I had to slam on the breaks or take off quickly. Her feet would fly up in the air as she tipped backwards! LOL

We arrive at our hotel, The Comfort Inn which is in Jamaica, NY. We shared two rooms. We were all pretty tired when we arrived at the hotel at 1am so went quickly to bed. The next morning we got ready quickly and headed down to the continental breakfast. Julie got yelled at both mornings by the breakfast attendant. She thought Julie wasn't old enough to operate the waffle maker! hehe! She kept telling her to read the signs (which said must be 16 to operate)

By 7:30 am we were off to the subway station which was a two block walk from the hotel. The New York Subway system is not nearly as tourist friendly as the Washington DC metro! I wasn't expecting no maps in the subway stations! It was quite confusing but we managed! The trick we learned was talking to locals and getting advice. We were blessed to have had some very nice fellow passengers aboard most of our trips!

Our first stop was Times Square. AWESOME! Just undescribable really! Pictures just do not do it justice!

Just a block down the street they were filming a chinese movie! Cameras all around the streets. It was kinda neat! I am sure we were crowd extras cause one scene was filmed while we were walking down the road! LOL

We walked around enjoying the sites then caught a bus to Battery Park so we could see the Statue Of Liberty! On the bus we passed by Ground Zero which basically just looks like a big whole in the ground with a fence and lots of building equipment all around. My photo didn't come out of Ground Zero but basically there was nothing to see anymore. They are ready to build. We didn't find Freedom Park...kinda bummed about that....but maybe next time!

We took the Statten Island ferry over to the island and got some great photos of the statue of Liberty. It was a little foggy but still an amazing site! The ferry to the statue and ellis island was way backed up because of a fog delay. The line was miles long. I am NOT exagerating! Next NYC trip we will plan to go up in the statue...but this time we were content with just seeing it from the ferry!

After the statue of liberty we headed to The Brooklyn Bridge. It was incredible! Being totally afraid of heights, I was sure I would freak out upon walking across the bridge but to my surprise I was just fine! no anxious scared feeling arose! WOOHOOO!! We got some great photos from the Brooklyn Bridge view!

My Aunt and cousins were so excited to go shopping in China town. I hated it! Did not feel one bit safe. Everywhere you went there were people coming up asking if you wanted to look at purses, handbags and wallets. Well not knowing we walked into one little teeny store and they took us down to a basement where they had this little tiny room stuffed with purses. Coach, Channel, Louey. It was psycho. they locked us in that little room. My aunt and cousins continued to go into these crazy places to find just the right purse. I did not like it one bit and did not feel safe at all. Obviously the purses are stolen or something...since they are hidden away in these little rooms. Later that night there were tons of people selling off blankets along 5th ave. Then all a sudden they would pack up and run. CRAZY! I am happy to report that I did NOT buy a black market purse! Just not my thing! I can't believe how insane that whole purse thing is there!

Finally, after we got them to stop purse shopping we continued on to Little Italy and had a yummy italian dinner! It was so nice and very wonderful to sit down for a little while! Then more dreaded purse shopping.

Next, we headed to Central Park looking for Belvedere Castle which was suppose to have a spectacular view. I wasn't real impressed with the view really but the park was amazing! So neat to be there and just see people laying around, reading, playing ball, relaxing at the park!

We were trying to get to the Flat Iron building on 23rd and 5th but somehow missed that too. We ended up heading back up to the Rockefeller Center. We went to the huge St Patricks Cathedral. We aren't catholic but it was an amazing site!

We took a stroll down 5th avenue and then I talked everyone into going into the TSKS booth to get Broadway tickets! We ended up with tickets to the Fantastics. We had 5 minutes to get down 4 blocks to the theater! We ran on our already exhausted legs...and were so happy to get there and be able to sit down! We were a little disappointed that the theater was like super small with a very small stage. We expected it to be huge and New York extravagance! But the performance was awesome, and I really enjoyed it! The Fantastics is one of the longest running broadway shows and is in the 17th year! It was GOOD!!!

After the show we went shopping a little more and then headed to the Empire State Building. We were all so so tired! After that we went to he subway to go home to the hotel! The subway seemed to take forever because it stopped at all stations on the way back since it was after hours. I could barely keep my eyes open!

Sunday we started out a little later. Our first stop was suppose to be NYC Botanical Gardens but halfway through the Bronx on our way to the gardens we found out that our plan had been changed. So we had to get on the train taking us back to downtown. The Bronx is just like it looks on TV. Kinda creepy to be standing there in it! We didn't have any problems though! Thank the Lord!:)

We headed to the Flat Iron building and then lunch at a New York Pizza place! I had yummy stromboli! Then shopping in NYC! My daughter had been going nuts wanting to go do some real shopping! Then it was time to take my sis back to the JFK airport!

Then off we went to start our 9 hour trip back home. We had to cross Statten Island to get on our route back home. I had a nervous breakdown driving across that bridge! We were on the lower level and my fear of heights got the best of me. I was freaking out! My hands were sweating so bad, then my whole entire body was sweating and I felt so strange...like I was gonna pass out...and I WAS DRIVING! What is it with that fear of heights thing? So crazy. I just don't understand it. I try so hard to not be afraid but it just creeps up on me!