Catching up Friday

Well I didn't get to make a Monday post because I volunteered to go into work because my supervisor was leaving Wednesday for surgery and was going to be out for the next few months so I wanted to make sure I was there for any work he needed done which there was quite a bit.

Monday, I had work, took an actual lunch break to have lunch with my husband, orthodontist appt for Brielle and then I had class.

Tuesday, I went to work and I opted to go do the grocery shopping which had not been done so no gym time and I stood in line forever at the postal service to mail off the blanket.

Wednesday, I tried a new recipe from the "Don't Panic More Dinner's in the Freezer" book I picked up at the library. Instead of putting it in the freezer though I put it in the fridge before I ran off to work. I I went to the gym and watched a movie, "Containment." It was an interesting enough movie, a little violent but it wasn't bad.

Thursday, more work but at least it was the last day of work. Then I went to the gym for longer than I expected as I watched the movie, "The Colony." Which ended up being a hell of a lot more violent than I had expected and just a lot of suspense. So much so I started using the heart rate monitor on the treadmill and it sure did spike it.

Friday, I'm off as you see.
There's lots of responsible things to do but Thursday at work I tweaked my back so I'm just trying to take it easy. I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet the only thing I have set is at 5pm I need to pick up Brielle from one of the schools from sectional orchestra practice they have a large performance and are working on college level music. They really are an awesome orchestra. I remember going to the big performances when she was little and thinking after listening to her and the rest of her class that they could never be as good as the high schoolers but not only are they that good but they have surpassed them.

Okay!! Pictures. I have a bunch to catch up on. I actually need to pause writing this so I can load a couple since last weekend was Brielle's Homecoming so I have pictures of that too.

Homecoming


Don't mind the messy house.

















Parmesan Garlic Chicken

Parm Chicken w/pasta, salad and pickled beets. I think the chicken needed more seasoning so I just added extra Italian seasoning to the top of mine but over all it got a thumbs up not for an every week meal but every once and awhile the family said it would be good. My husband wonders how it would be with actual spaghetti.




....
I meant to post this 11 hours ago but life happened.
... To note I'm unhappy with USPS right now the blanket was suppose to be delivered Thursday and it's still out and hasn't been delivered. I just got notification that at least it is in the right state now.

Busy Monday, February 22

To Do List

• Drop Blacky off at New Groomer
• Write this Blog
• Make Menu
• Make grocery list
• Grocery Shopping
• Lunch with Peter
• Pick up around the house
• Pick up Blacky from Groomer
• Call Library and set up for kids to participate in event
• I have music class tonight

Menu

• Monday - Balsamic Chicken (trying new recipe), Pasta, Corn
• Tuesday - Steak, steamed broccoli & cauliflower, baked potatoes
• Wednesday - Royal Round Steak
• Thursday - Chicken Nuggets & French Fries
• Friday - Pizza
• Saturday- Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Green beans
• Sunday - Spaghetti w/Meatballs
  

This Week's 'To-Do' List

• Tuesday 
• Work (Adults, Kids School as per normal)
• Katherine has Solo and Ensemble afterschool (it's a Band thing) Not sure what time that lets out. 
• Y (YMCA) (I'm putting the Y down but it's been a week since I've been life has gotten crazy again.
• Wednesday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• Library event 6-7:30
• Thursday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• 7-8 PM My Viola lessons
• Friday
• Work
• Y-Swimming w/kids
• Peter - MtG (his card game)
• Saturday
• Pokemon League
• Brielle has Winter Formal/ Homecoming that all the winter weather has made a month late. I hope her dress still fits well.
• Sunday
• Open

Last Week

 Last week we had STEM club. Katherine was unable to go because the snow the week before had pushed around school obligations.
We went to the community college to their auto department and got to look at cars, see how the industry has evolved with technology, see the gasoline area and the diesel area.

 Friday of last week I took the kids to the library where they were doing a teen event for cupcake wars.
The kids seemed to have had a lot of fun. I went wandering the library looking at cookbooks.

Saturday was BUSY. Peter has most of the pictures and the videos on his phone.
At 7am we we were at the Middle School and got the kids onto the buses and Peter and I followed behind in the car. We drove close to 2 hours to Paoli Peaks and went snow tubing even though it was over 70 degrees! I came out of it with a sunburn. After snow tubing the field trip took us to an indoor water park where Peter and I spent most of the time on the lazy river. Sadly there right at the end Kat took a pretty good tumble and scraped up her elbow and knee pretty bad but she took it like a trooper.
Right after the water park which we left a little early from we drove to a friends house in Indiana to drop off the girls to spend the night then zoomed back on our way to meet some other friends in town to have dinner before we all went to go see Larry the Cable Guy and Jeff Foxworthy.
By time we got out of all that and drove the hour home I was exhausted needless to say!

Sunday rolled around and the ladies had Stitch N Bitch so we met up and I did some more work on the blanket and I'm on the home stretch I think. Afterwards I got to go out to dinner with one of my friends who I haven't been able to see much of lately so that was nice. 

The week wasn't bad but it was stressful with Monday having turned into a snow day and then it was Finals week for Brielle and just things didn't go as smoothly as they might sound above but we made it through and we've got some great memories.
I'll see about posting pictures or something up from the snow tubing if I can steal my husband's phone at some point. 

Little update

So last week I was requested to work Monday so I didn't get a post done. This Monday we were suppose to be on a field trip but it snowed so school was canceled so the field trip is moved to Saturday.
Things have been pretty busy around here.
My husband and I did get to go out and see Deadpool Sunday though. And totally leave your children at home. We saw a few people have young teens and even saw a child that was perhaps 5 max 7 in there. This movie has full frontal nudity, lots of sex, a lot of innuendo and very foul language with graphic violence. That aside my husband and I loved the movie.
I was actually off work that Friday too so I started working on the weighted blanket for a friend's daughter.
Peter went out to play cards most of the day Saturday so I continued to work on the blanket.
I still have a ways to go but I feel like I'm getting somewhere.

 

In anycase I wanted to check in and say that I'm alive but it's time to finish getting ready for work now.
Have a great rest of the week and think warm thoughts because I'm freaking tired of snow! I'm ready for Spring!

Busy Monday, February 1

To Do List

• Write this Blog
• Make Menu
• Make grocery list
• Grocery Shopping
• Call and reschedule doctors appt later in the month
• Call in & pick up prescriptions
• Pay bills
• Balance Budget (And totally cringe going to make some changes and tighten belts again)
• Lunch with Peter (Hooray he's working back in town again)
• Pick up around the house
• I have music class tonight

Menu

• Monday - Grilled Chicken, Pasta & Corn(held over from last week)
• Tuesday - Breaded Pork, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
• Wednesday - Spaghetti w/Italian Sausage
• Thursday - Thyme and Garlic Chicken Breast (new crockpot recipe I'm going to try out)... Not sure what I'm going to do for sides yet
• Friday - Pizza
• Saturday- Hamburger Helper
• Sunday - Clean Out Freezer Day - I have partial bags of different french fries, chicken nuggets, flavored boneless chicken bites and fish sticks. I say we just use them and clear up some space in the inside freezer.

This Week's 'To-Do' List

• Tuesday 
• Work
• Y (YMCA)
• Wednesday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• Pick up Katherine @ 5pm from school
• Thursday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• 7-8 PM My Viola lessons
• Friday
• Work
• Y-Swimming w/kids
• Peter - MtG (his card game)
• Saturday
• Pokemon League
• Sunday
• Open - Superbowl? Someone might do something we don't know.

Last Week

So I got down to the Y 3 days last week for working out the 4th I had to work over so late at work there was just no time for me to get down there before having to get Brie for her appt we were cutting it really close.

The 5th day I did take the them swimming though so I guess me treading water for over an hour sort of counts like a work out I know I was getting tired.

Norm of the North was okay... I'm glad we didn't spend money on it because I would have been a lot more unhappy with it. If it's something you really want to see personally I suggest waiting until you can rent it. 

Dr. Who night at the library was an experience. I don't think they expected such a huge turn out so they weren't properly prepared for it but otherwise for a free event it was a good way to get out with the family and we saw some other friends there. 

Saturday Peter has folks over to play a computer game so we had a bunch of laptops set up and they were all stomping around in big Mechs myself included though I did very poorly at it. I made a big dinner and otherwise it was a good evening other than guests didn't leave until 2 am I was so messed up for the rest of Sunday.

Sunday, I got with a couple ladies that are planning their weddings and we went to the bridal show and went around and sampled food, looked at things, had them sign up for prizes and otherwise spent a great day out. They're such silly ladies. 

This guy had a photo booth there so we knew he did photo booth rentals but then we got our picture and see he is a realtor we got a big laugh over that. 

Busy Monday, January 25

To Do List

• Write this Blog
• Put dinner in Crockpot
• Make Menu
• Make grocery list
• Grocery Shopping
• Pay bills that can be paid online
• Go to two different dentist offices to pay bills
• Take library books to library. Pay fine. (Thankfully shouldn't be much)
• Pick up medications down at hospital pharmacy 
• Pick up around the house
• Go put my new Debit Card into ATM so it activates properly (hoping that does it since it got declined the other day... ugh new cards I swear)
• I have music class tonight

Menu

• Monday - Royal Round
• Tuesday - Eat Out (Peter's request, probably still some place pretty quick)
• Wednesday - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup
• Thursday - Pulled Pork
• Friday - Pizza
• Saturday- Grilled Chicken, Pasta & Peas
• Sunday - Hamburger Helper & Green Beans

This Week's 'To-Do' List

• Tuesday 
• Work
• Y (YMCA) - I hope I  didn't go at all last week so I need to get back into the swing of it. I didn't go the week before either :( I've been bad.
• 6:30pm Norm of the North @ the theater. Peter's work is paying for it. 
• Wednesday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• 6-7:30pm Doctor Who Night at the Library
• Thursday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• 4 PM Brie's Appt 
• 7-8 PM My Viola lessons
• Friday
• Work
• Y-Swimming w/kids
• Peter - MtG (his card game)
• Saturday
• Pokemon League
• Sunday
• Bridal Show. Taking my friend to the Bridal Show and there are suppose to be a bunch of other ladies we know showing up too so should be a fun time.

Last Week

Monday was a no school day for the kids which is why you didn't see this normal posting. I went out and got Brielle's Homecoming dress from the seamstress and my friend Johanna came over with her 18 mo. old and I made a big pot of Jessica's Chili that night. I had texted her earlier that day if I could have the recipe and she said sure and was happy to give it to me since it had been her mother's. Her mom passed away when she was younger. 

Tuesday, I went to work and after I got out I spent my afternoon down at the courthouse getting the plate for my car. I finally found out after calling around for the past month that they've had my title for over a month so all this stress I was going through was for nothing and it still took me a couple calls for them to find my title because the car lot didn't tell me it was an out of state car. 

Wednesday it snowed so the kids stayed home but I went into work. 

Thursday kids were still out of school from snow and I went to work.

Friday we got even more snow and the kids were out of school and I took a vacation day. Peter worked from home that day too since we got a good amount and the roads weren't the clearest. I got a lot of cleaning done though you can't tell I did a bit of cleaning now other than I still am almost completely caught up on the laundry... that will change when I do laundry today. Ah the never ending story.

That evening we played Dungeon! together as a family.

Saturday we went out to have fun in the snow. I took Peter sledding for his first official time using a real sled! It was funny as heck! He kept falling over like 5' down and sprawling out. I ordered some snow bibs for the family and I'm still looking for boots for the kids. We didn't have it for this snow but in February we're going snow tubing as a field trip with the school Orchestra so I wanted to make sure the family was properly outfitted. We then went out to eat for lunch to warm up after several hours in the snow. That evening we had friends over to play cards. 

Sunday was a pretty lazy day around the house. I tried to pick up a little but really we didn't do anything. I never even made it out of my PJs. The kids on the other hand I kicked back out into the snow and they made snow men. Each time we said, "You can make it bigger." So we have a few little snow men out in the yard. After they did it they were really proud of their work, though during Katherine kept coming inside and I had to keep kicking out.

That was our snowy week. 

Hope everyone has stayed safe and warm!

Jessica's Chili Mac

Jessica's Chili Mac

So my friend Jessica always makes a Chili Mac for Halloween and we've always enjoyed it. With the cold weather hitting I decided I wanted chili again but the chili mac sounded good this time so I asked her if I could have her recipe which come to find out it had been her mother's recipe so she was happy to see other people enjoy it. So it is with her permission I post this up.

I deviated a little from the directions she gave me so I'll put up how I made it but I didn't deviate much we just like more spice in our family.

1 lb Hamburger meat
1 can Tomato Sauce
1 can Diced Tomatoes (I used the Chili ready ones something with some peppers)
1 bag elbow macaroni
1 pgk Mild Chili Seasoning (I think I might go for hot next time)
2 Cans Chili Beans (I used Hot she suggested Mild so just whatever suits your family)
Dehydrated onion flakes (or you could put real onion in, I was being lazy)
Chili Powder - I added this at the end like I said it was just a tad bland for us so that helped it out for us you'll just have to experiment and see.
3 1/2-4 cups water

Cook hamburger meat, drain fat.
Combine all ingredients in pot.
Bring to boil. Stir regularly so it doesn't burn to the bottom. Reduce heat and let simmer until noodles are done.
That is pretty much it. I found when eating it directly the beans are a bit more firm than I like but lid on heat off (because it was like lava hot it keeps heat in well) it cooks the beans in its own heat and within no time even that's not an issue.

It fed myself, my two teenage girls and my prego friend and her 18 month old until the point of near bursting and left some left overs.

Busy Monday, January 11

To Do List

• Write this Blog
• Grocery Shopping
• B-12 Shot
• Take Brielle to Orthodontist

Menu

• Monday - Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes, Corn
• Tuesday - Grilled Chicken, Pasta, Peas
• Wednesday - Spaghetti w/meatballs 
• Thursday - Crockpot Chicken Tacos
• Friday - Breakfast for Dinner
• Saturday- Pizza
• Sunday - Eat Out

This Week's 'To-Do' List

• Tuesday 
• Work
• Y (YMCA)
• Wednesday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• Thursday
• Work
• Y - Workout
• 4-6 PM Parent Teacher Conference
• 4 PM Brie's Appt (should last about 30 min then will head to P/T)
• 7-8 PM My Viola lessons
• Friday
• Work
• Y-Swimming w/kids
• Saturday
• Pokemon League
• Go to Movies with Peter? I'm trying to convience him to go to a matinee apparently when I was out all day Saturday dress shopping and Sunday hanging out he never reminded me about him wanting to go to the movies so I say to him (on here not out loud because I'm not in the mood to have a tiff) "I'm not a mind reader" which is what he tells me all the time out loud. *there's my short rant*
• Magic the Gathering Pre-Release
• Sunday
• Magic the Gathering Pre-Release

Last Week

Uhhh what did I do last week.
Start with Sunday and work my way back.
Sunday I went out with my friend Johanna for Coffee even though the roads were covered with ice and snow (yes winter finally showed up) and then we went to Jo-Ann's because I needed some Mod Podge though we took our sweet time looking through all the patterns and stuff and then went out for a nice lunch and then she needed a few groceries so I stopped at the store for her. 

Saturday, was dress shopping day. Myself, Brielle and my friend Carrie all went out as Carrie knew of a dress shop with discount dresses so we went there looking for Brielle's Homecoming dress. We were able to find one and then we were able to get a hold of a seamstress so we drove the dress out and had it pinned and now it's off being altered. 

Friday, I went to work which was stressful I won't go into all the boring details that people would scratch their heads over but it was stressful. I worked out with my friend Jessica for her daughter Sarah to spend the night so my girls had a surprise. Another friend's daughter got dropped off too and so I had 4 girls in total when we went down to the Y to go swimming and then we went out for ice cream afterward. 

I think the rest of the week was pretty standard as far as I can remember. I did make it to the gym every day after work. Not something I'm going to accomplish this week though since I'm not even going to try today with all the different appointments unless my husband wants to go with me this evening. 

Apparently I didn't take any pictures this week which is odd for me. 

Hope everyone has a good week. 

Which RIP David Bowie - I plan to put Labyrinth in to watch with the girls today.