The Swing of Things

Last week while I was inside trying to do a video about freezer cooking J was outside building a swing set for the kids.

It all began with my parents getting SJ a baby swing for her birthday, but we didn't have a tree branch that we could hang it from so it turned into a little lumber project.

We had some friends over to help. One of them helped me out by recording the video and the other one worked with J on the swing set.

Both projects took about the same amount of time and we all sat down for a nice meal together afterwards.

The kids are so happy with their new play equipment, and I am all for anything that encourages fresh air and activity (something that can be hard to come by these days).

I think now we are officially ready to swing into spring.

Today I am linking up with Try New Adventures Thursday with Alicia, because the cooking tutorial video and the DIY swing set are both new adventures to us!

Flowers and Sunshine

I do not have a green thumb, at all. I try to grow things and end up killing them. Fortunately there are plenty of things that bloom on their own around here and I get to reap the benefits. Out of all the trees and flowers in my yard the redbud is my favorite. I don't know why it's called that when it's actually purple, but either way it's pretty. These aren't the type of flowers that would typically go in a vase or bouquet, but I think they're too gorgeous not to let them mingle indoors this time of year.

A couple of weeks ago when it wasn't 50 degrees, the kids and I went outside to get some flowers and sunshine.

That's Z carrying stick in his mouth!

All of the redbuds, gladiolas, and daffodils shown in these photos are dead now (indoors and out), but that just makes me all the more grateful for ceasing the opportunity while we had it. Of course spring has just begun and there is plenty left that has yet to bloom.

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but don't forget to take some time this season to stop and smell the roses, or accept a bouquet of dandelions, or even stick some blossoming branches in vase.

Works for me.

For more works for me wednesday posts go to we are that family. I am post #200 something. Better late than never right?

10 Things To Do This Spring

Top 10 things I will hopefully accomplish in the Spring

1. Fly a Kite

"up to the highest heights"

2. Change Out Closet Clothes

The kiddos have very limited closet space. It's time to weed out the winter clothing and things they've outgrown

SJ looks so cute. I don't know what I am going to do if we are ever the same size. She will probably have to lock up her closet.

3. Go Camping

Our church is having a retreat at Meridian park in a couple weeks. This will be my first time camping with children!

4. Walk to the Store

It's been a long time since I've gone to Braum's, CVS, or one of the other nearby stores by way of foot. With the weather changing I plan on doing this more often.

5. Sell Stuff

I have to declutter and I need money, but I am just not motivated. That has got to change! Look out Ebay, yard sale, and Craig's List. Here I come!

6. Get an iphone

I've held out for so long and EVERYONE in my family (make that almost everyone I know) has an iphone. As much as I enjoy being stubborn and counterculture my turn may be coming. I will keep you posted.

7. Get a Tan?

I don't really care about being tan, but I wouldn't mind a slight golden glow coming into the summer months. I will probably be outside with the kids everyday, so there is definitely potential.

8. Spring Cleaning

I've been trying to tackle a different zone of my house each month in 2011. The spring line up includes organizing the kitchen, kid's room and attic. Eeek.

9. Poetry Reading

There is another art festival coming up and I am considering reading some of my poems. We'll see.

10. Blue Bonnet Photos

It's a Texas tradition, but I've never felt right about making my little man pose by himself in a field of flowers. Now that we have a girl this may be our first year to join in on the fun.

What are your plans? Do our lists match in anyway?

SJ's first pair of flip flops.

Now head on over to Oh Amanda for more Top Ten Tuesday.

Spring Brink

Just when I think we went straight from winter to summer here in south Dallas, it starts getting cool again and it happened literally overnight. I went to check the weather this weekend and this is what I foundWe were technically about to go from the 90's to the 40's. There is an old saying that

"there ain't nothin' between Texas and the North Pole but an old barbed-wire fence and its down most of the time"

This means that there isn't much to slow down the polar and arctic air masses that move rapidly across Texas battling the southernly winds (so I've been told). This does leave a fair amount of unpredictability in how to dress myself and the two little ones each morning. Flip flops and a bright yellow flower headband one day, fuzzy boots and fuchsia tights the next. Eh, for the baby, not me.

If I ever get an iphone I want the swackett app so that these cool little "peeps" can tell me what to wear everyday.

What is the weather doing in your neck of the woods? Have you pulled out your sunflower hair clip yet or is it still too soon?

Q Week 2

We're onto week two of my "Q" (coupon) challenge. I wish I could have done more, but I have to pace myself. I am not going to make any extra trips just to get a deal and it's really hard to do any kind of shopping with children. This puts some major limits on what I can get, but that's probably a good thing. Even with as laid back as I am I can still tend to be obsessive compulsive at times. Anyway, here is the scoop-

I spent $4.57 on these 7 items and here is how:

CVS

Allegra on sale $6.99 -$2.00 Q Earned $6.99 ECB's

Crest Pro Health $3.49 -.50 Q Earned $3.00 ECB's

Newspaper $3.00 -$9.99 ECB's

Total$1.07 oop earned $10.00 ECB’s

Walgreen's

2 12.60 oz m&m's sale 2/$5 -$1 Q

2 Dove Chocolate bar .50 -.75 Q

Total $3.50

I messed up this deal because I thought the M&M's were supposed to be free, but I guess I got the wrong size. That's okay because we always buy the big bags. I would have spent $5.00 for just 1 bag of M&M's and the paper so I definitely still scored this week.

Amount Spent= $4.57

Amount saved this week= $15.15

Amount saved total= $35.89

Chill

Since the weather has gotten warmer SJ has a newfound fascination with sitting in the freezer/refrigerator. Have you ever seen a cat run into the room when you get out her food? That's how this is. All you have to do is open the door to the freezer and SJ comes running in as quick as her little baby legs can carry her just to plop down on the bottom ledge and chill out. Although it is adorable, it's one of her more expensive habits, so it is quickly interrupted by an energy efficiency talk from me and tears from her as I remove her from the ice box. What can I say? Our family just loves to chill, maybe that's why I've been so into freezer cooking. Speaking of which, I just wanted to finish out this series with a few links that go along with the information that I have shared this week.

Money Saving Mom- How To Plan Bulk Cooking

Includes free downloadable worksheets.

Money Saving Mom- Revamping My Freezer Cooking Methods

Adapts freezer cooking to whatever fits your life best.

Alicia's Homemaking- Freezer Cooking In My Tiny Kitchen

Proof, that it can be done. I don't have a deep freezer either.

Life As Mom- Freezer Cooking Storage

What containers to use and how long to keep stuff frozen.

Simply Recipes-Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

The first time I made this I put 2 Tablespoons of Cayenne pepper instead of chili powder. Oops. Way too spicy! However, as long as you don't do that this meal is DELICIOUS and makes a great freezer entree'. If you like mexican, then give this one a try!


And if you just can't get enough links go click on some Saturday Stumbles at SimplyStaci.net.

Steak Hoagies

This week I am talking all about freezer cooking. Here is another recipe we've made ahead of time and enjoyed several times.

It is actually called "Steak Hoagies with mushrooms, onions, and peppers" from the Cook's Country cook book, but I didn't add mushrooms since I didn't think they would keep well in the freezer.

Makes 4-6 large sandwiches

Ingredients

2 strip steaks, about 1 inchthick

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, seeded ad sliced thin

1 tablespoon stak sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 (6 inch) sub rolls

6 ounces thinly sliced deli provolone cheese

Pat steak dry with paper towels and rub saute spice liberally into each side. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium high heat until rippling. Cook steaks until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side (this is all the cooking time the steaks get so cook them according to your preference).

Meanwhile, add remaining oil, onion, bell peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to empty skillet and cook until vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes (you can cook them longer if you are not going to freeze them). Off the heat, stir in steak sauce, oregano, and sliced steak until well combined.

Keep in an air tight plastic bag in freezer.

Thaw overnight and reheat in frying pan until warm all the way through, about 8 minutes.

Divide steak mixture among rolls and top with cheese. Arrange sandwiches on rimmed baking sheets and bake until cheese is melted and rolls are golden brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Linked up with Food on Fridays at annekroeker.com

"Cincinatalie" Chili

I am originally from Cincinnati (Covington actually) and my nick name was cinci-natalie. I grew up with Skyline and Gold Star chili parlors around every corner. Eating chili with mounds of cheese over spaghetti is a common meal up there. So when I saw that All You magazine had a recipe for this dish I added it to our freezer menu, and it uses a crock pot, so it could be a hit for all you slow cooker fans out there too.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• Salt
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (this is the secret ingredient if you ask me)
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef and 1 tsp. salt over medium-high heat, breaking up beef with a spoon, until meat loses its pink color, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat from pan.

2. Add meat to slow cooker along with 2 cups water, tomato paste, onions, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cinnamon, allspice and cayenne pepper. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours. Add beans and cook 1 hour more, stirring in an additional 1/2 cup water if chili looks dry. Season with salt.

For the freezer version I left out the beans and added them after it was thawed, then I reheated it and served it with spaghetti and cheese. It was SJ's first time having spaghetti.

The kids love it, there were plenty of leftovers and it cost approximately $1 per serving.

Today I am linking up with frugal food Thursdays over at frugal follies.

It's Not Exactly the Food Network

I decided to pull out all the stops for this little freezer cooking series by creating my first ever low budget cooking show (otherwise known as home movie). Although this clip may be reminiscent of the old SNL Delicious Dish sketches there are some parts that may be worth your time, but please don't take us too seriously.

And here is a little overview of the tips we share.

1. Label your freezer meals so that you know what they are when they are rock solid and unrecognizable.

2. Allow your food to cool completely before putting it in a plastic bag because it will melt (we learned that the hard way).

3. Avoid recipes with mayonnaise, fruit, potatoes, or mushrooms. They don't seem to reheat so well.

4. Make sure you don't try to cook a whole months worth of meals alone.

5. Be sure to have fun and enjoy yourself.

Everyone seems to have different ways that they do their freezer cooking, but those are some of the things that have worked for me.

Get more helpful tips and tricks over at Works For Me Wednesday by We are that Family.

Why Freezer Cook?

This week I am talking about my experience with freezer cooking. We don't only eat meals prepared and frozen ahead of time, but we are starting to eat about 12 meals a month this way and it has been working out great. But what is the point? Well, I am glad I asked. Here is my list of top ten reasons for bulk cooking once a month.

1. It takes the guess work out of your meal planning. Instead of worrying what is for dinner tonight or this week you plan it all out once a month, and then you are free to think about other things.

2. It saves money because you can buy some things in bulk, and our family tends to eat out less when we have the meals already prepared and waiting in the fridge.

3. It saves a time because you get all of your rinsing, chopping, baking, grilling etc. done at once, instead of making trips to the pantry and measuring and stirring every night for every little recipe.

4. It is less clean up (this goes hand in hand with #3) you use the same knives, spoons, or cutting board and get it all out of the way. The night you actually heat the meal up there is very little cleaning involved afterwards.

5. It is a great backup plan to have in case of an emergency. The first month we did this we were iced in for several days. Another time we had a bit of a financial crisis, but at least we didn't have to worry too much about groceries. It was SO nice that we had already had all of these meals stocked in the freezer.

6. The buddy system keeps you going. Because a lot of people do their freezer cooking with a friend it gives you a date that you have to have your cooking done, and this kind of accountability means you are more likely to actually follow through with making your home cooked meals.

7. It motivates you to try new things. Before the freezer meals I was in a little bit of a cooking rut, but now I am trying new recipes to have ready for the big cooking day.

8. It can be healthy. It depends on the menu you choose, but most likely if you are eating out less and cooking meals mostly from scratch you tend to eat healthier.

9. There is a rewarding feeling of satisfaction that comes when you have a freezer full of tasty meals. It leaves you with a sense of accomplishment.

10. It's fun to cook with a partner, and also to see what others online are doing with their freezer meals. It's like being a part of a little community.

Those are some of the reasons I have come to like it, and tomorrow I will be posting a home video I made that I even "scripted" and "directed" that shows some of how I execute a month of meals. It should be all kinds of cheesy fun.

Oh, yeah, and check out Oh Amanda too for many more top ten lists!

Freezer Cooking Round 3 (recipe included)

My mom is back in town for our THIRD Round of freezer cooking. I feel like we've accomplished enough at this point that I can confidently give tips from our experience. Later I'll be sharing some of why and how I do homemade freezer meals, but for now I will just start with a favorite recipe that I got from my sister in law.

Rachel Ray's Curry Turkey burgers

This healthy dish has received rave reviews from family and company at my house. It works great as a freezer meal because you do all the work ahead of time and just grill and eat whenever you are ready. I slightly modified the recipe. For example the recipe is enough for 5 large burgers, but I went ahead and stretched it to six. I used 3 patties the first time for my small family and I kept the other half in the freezer for a second meal. I also put the freezer tips in this recipe, but if you don't want to do a freezer meal you can just skip right to the grilling.

Ingredients

1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast, the average weight of 1 package

2 scallions, thinly sliced

A handful cilantro chopped very fine, about 2 tablespoons

1 inch piece fresh ginger grated or minced

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

Coarse salt

2 tablespoons mild curry paste or a handful of curry powder (which is what I use)

Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

buns

Toppings:

Bib or leaf lettuce

Sliced vine-ripe tomatoes

Mango chutney (This really makes the dish and is a must! Trader Joe's Ginger Mango Chutney is great if you have that option)

Directions

Combine first 8 ingredients and form into 5 or 6 patties.

Separate patties with wax paper so that they don't stick together

Freeze until ready to grill (best if used within 4 months)

Thaw patties in fridge over night

Grill patties 6 minutes on each side on indoor electric grill or pan fry for same amount of time in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.

Pile patties on buns with lettuce, tomato, and chutney spread liberally on tops as a condiment.

Ignore This Post

I have got to get back on the couponing bandwagon. Over the past couple years I will have a short spurt where I do okay and then I run out of steam again, but now I think I am finally ready.

Disclaimer: I am not a frugal blog, and so these posts will probably not make sense and will seem pretty random to my regular readers, if that's you, you can just ignore these weekly updates. But, when I did this 3 years ago I saved hundreds of dollars. So if, documenting my deals and posting pictures of pads and oatmeal is going to be the motivation I need to get a truckload of free stuff then count me in.

Week 1

I spent less than $10 on all this and here is how:

CVS

2 Bottles of Herbal Essence on sale $2.99 - B1G1 Q = $1.99

1 Theraflu $1

$3.15 oop earned 3 ECB’s

Irish Springs body wash on sale $2.99 -$.50 -$2 ECB’s

$.53 oop Earned 3 ECB’s

Tena Ultra Thin 42c On sale $9.99 -$1.50 -$3 ECB’s

$5.49 oop Earned $9.99 ECB’s

Total CVS spent= $9.17

ECB’s Earned= $11.00

Walmart

Quaker oatmeal- $1 -$1 Q= Free

Kraft BBQ Sauce $1.22 -$.75= $0.47

McCormick Grill Master $1 -$1 Q= Free

Cost of items= $30.38

Amount Spent= $9.64

Amount saved this week $20.74

This post is linked up with THE THRIFTY MAMA and Frugal Follies

Because That Makes Me So Happy

All week I've been blogging about Z. I started by sharing his unconventional sleep patterns, his own preschooler language, his first library book, and his creative imagination.

He really is becoming such a little boy, not a baby, not even a toddler anymore (insert pouty face here). But I am also loving the new stage that he is entering into. A little more independent, helpful, and a little more self control (a LITTLE).

He cracks me up with some of his grown up statements. Like yesterday when I asked him if he wanted to go outside with me and SJ he stopped me in my tracks by responding with "Actually, I'll just stay here. You guys go ahead." This just didn't seem like a sentence that went along with his squeaky little 3 year old voice! And he loves to say "because", for example "I can't get in the car and that's because it's too difficult" or "Can I give you a kiss? Because that will make you so happy!"

Then last week he amazed me again when he drew this picture that kind of reassembled a cross. I asked him what it was and he said "God". He has never really talked about anything like this before. I couldn't save it since it was on the magna doodle so I took a picture.

He still gets in lots of trouble of course, I don't want to be misleading. He is headstrong to say the least, but we have a discipline chart now that shows actions and consequences and it has helped because Sid the Science kid uses charts and so he gets it.

Sorry to bombard you with Z stories all week, but I want to make sure his latest achievements don't slip through the cracks now that he is no longer the baby. I know that these things will just be far away memories someday and I want to be able to soak up as much as I can while I am still in the moment, "because that makes me so happy."

Imagine

A bed becomes a pirate ship, a paper towel tube is used as trumpet, a living room is a performance hall, and my heart is just a pile of mush as it bubbles over with delight to see my son engaging in the use of his imagination. It wasn't that long ago that he went from exploring how the world works and piecing things together to knowing how something works and deciding to go a completely different direction with it. It's been a fun watching him come into this stage.

The other day we had friends over and Z paraded out with his two little buddies to do a mini concert for the adults.

He is always accessorizing in one way or another. Last week he wore a life vest everywhere, this week it was a tiger tail.

Then he got a hold of the cupcake mold that we used for SJ's birthday and he thought it would make a great hat. He put the other half on his sister's head. She got a kick out of it and they both just burst out laughing and played with the molds for a long time.

These kind of moments are one my favorite parts of motherhood. The imagination is a beautiful gift and so is getting to watch one develop.

Linking this post of with Finer Things Friday, over at Amy's Finer Things.

Library Love

The library in our town may be a little old fashioned, but I absolutely love it! The floors creek, the books smell, and the librarians wear bifocals. Sims is everything I could ask for in a library and it's only 1.4 miles from my house.

One of my new year's goals for 2011 was to have biweekly family fun time and another one was to read to the kid's more. Yesterday's outing accomplished both when we packed up the kids and went to the library as a family.

This was SJ's first time to go to the library and it was Z's first time to check out a book.

He got Hero of the Rails (a Thomas book). I checked out Hamlet's Blackberry and I am really looking forward to this "Practical Philosophy for Building a Good Life in the Digital Age". J got a book called The Family Kitchen Garden about "How to Plant, Grow, and Cook Together". I admit it melts my heart that he would choose a book like this!

We spent a good bit of time at Sims yesterday and everyone had fun. Although, don't let the cute photos fool you, Z got into trouble for running! I was trying to catch up with him and correct him without yelling when one of the librarian's graciously, but firmly, got to him before I did. I was actually relieved. I knew if he heard about the library rules from one of the employees he would be more likely to adhere to them than if he heard it from me. It's sad, but true. Sometimes I wonder if I sound like the teacher from Charlie Brown "Wha wa, wa woo wha wa".

It was still a positive experience though and I am sure we will be back again soon, and it better be before April 4 or we'll have some overdue fines to deal with.

{This post is linked up with Things I Love Thursday over at The Diaper Diaries.}

Z's Language

My sister in law remembers when her baby girl started to properly pronounce spaghetti. It was a day of mourning for her because it was all she had left to cling to in the world of baby talk. I understand her sentiment. I remember when Z called his elbows elmos and his bear was a beer, but now he says these words clearly and he even calls his sister by her name (Sedona) instead of calling her donut like he had for so long. That's not to say that the fun is completely over. At the tender age of 3 there are still a few words left that he mispronounces and I smile every time I hear them.

Let's see how well you can interpret the language of Z. I will even give you a hint for each one.

1. Nuffin= A breakfast pastry

2. Bajambas= You wear to bed

3. Yes Man= The polite way to answer a female

4. Gwirl= Not a boy

5. Prooter= What I am typing on right now

6. Tickle= An evolved cucumber

7. Mugick= What listen to on your ipod

8. Moat= Goes with the TV

9. Taybo= What you set for dinner

10. Chickmunks, Lightning Da Queen, and Shrak= Popular Animated Characters

I am sure you probably guessed all of those, but I will go ahead and leave the answers in the comments section just in case.