What's Cookin' ?

We'll I'm listing my menu for this week but caution all who may duplicate recipes. So far, I've gotten very little positive feed-back from my picky little eaters. This week I empathize with the moms with routinely picky eaters.

DINNERS:

• Pot Roast and Veggies (mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, pearl onions w/ mushroom/onion gravy) - Recipe from Sandra Lee, Food Network
• Chimichangas (made w/ leftover roast meat, green chilis w/ cheese filling), Rice and Beans
• Grilled Cheese w/ large $1.25 can of generic tomato soup (spiked w/ fresh basil from the garden to make it palatable...)
• Homemade Mac'N'Cheese and Turkey Dogs, Assorted fruit
• Tortelloni w/ Sage Butter Sauce and "Oven-Fried" Chicken Parmesan
• Pita Pizzas - Pita Bread w/ pizza toppings cooked under broiler; Assorted fruit

LUNCHES:

• PBJ (PB for Georgia, PJ for Reese - both sprinkled w/ flax meal), Carrots
• Waffles (frozen from large batch previously made), Yogurt and Fruit
• Cottage cheese, fruit and hard rolls w/ butter
• Turkey or Ham Sandwiches or Tortilla roll-ups w/ cream cheese
• Scrambled Eggs and Fruit Smoothies

SNACKS/DESSERTS:

• Chocolate Chip Cookies (kid activity too...)
• Chocolate Pudding
• Panna Cotta w/ Raspberry Sauce
• Raspberry Junket (prepackaged mix between jello and pudding...)
• Banana Muffins (kid activity too...)
• Homemade Popsicles (kid activity)
• Rice Crispy Treats (from left-over camping marshmallows)
• Yogurt/Cottage Cheese/Cheese Slices and Fruit

$58 on groceries this week AND $40 on bucket of chicken and movie for "easy" dinner. Lemme tell ya...not so easy on the budget!! No more bucket chicken for me...I almost had a heart attack (and not just from the fried chicken fat!) when I realized how much I paid for an easy night!

Mountain Madness...

Last weekend we took our 1st camping trip of the 2008 summer. The girls slept much better this time around, which certainly beats the heck out of sleepless nights in the wilderness! We had such a lovely time just being alone as a family and taking each moment into our memory banks. AND, you picture-crazed parents will be happy to know that we also captured the moments on camera! I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks...

This weekend, Chris and I are going backpacking (without the kids) to celebrate our 7th anniversary. This is my first backpacking trip and, in an effort not to die of exhaustion, I've been exercising vigorously for the past few months! Hopefully, my hard work will pay off and I won't die while hauling my clothes and a couple books up the hill! (Chris has already advised me not to bring books but a weekend without kids; without books just isn't worth the hike! What a wasted time of solace...right?...we'll see...)

So, for now I fill my days with loads of laundry and conjuring up healthy, kid-friendly, husband-friendly, budget-conscious meals... This weekend, though, I'm a free, book-reading woman in a hammock!

Lovely Library...

I had some time to myself yesterday and meandered over to the local library. You see, it's not so often that I have the opportunity to stroll through the aisles and flip through books that I wouldn't normally seek in my kid-induced frenzy. And, let me tell you, it was just lovely.

I discovered that I can now check out magazines and that the library does actually have a decent collection of Jazz and Blues cd's! (I suggest the 2005 New Orleans Benefit CD) But enough library ranting... During my library stroll I found a recently published book called, "New European Poets". I've always enjoyed poetry and thought I'd pick it up for a short read here and there. Mornings on the Ground is one of my favorites so far. I think her line break placement is interesting. Hope you enjoy.

Mornings on the Ground
by Rosa Alice Branco, Portugal

To accept the day. What will come.
To pass through more streets than houses,
more people than streets. To pass through
skin to the other side. While I make
and unmake the day. Your heart
sleeps with me. It wraps me up at night
and the mornings are cold when I get up.
And I'm always asking where you are and why
the streets no longer are rivers. At times
a drop of water falls to the ground
as if it were a tear. At times
there isn't ground enough to soak it up.

My list...

So, I've been listed twice to answer this list... Know what? I honestly don't mind them if they aren't too long. I think it's a great way to get to know the little details about people that just don't usually come up in conversation. So, here I go...

A - Attached or single: Attached, with a very well shackled ball and chain! :)
B - Best Friend: I hate the "best friend" concept. We all need different kinds of dear friends.
C - Cake or Pie: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (we served pie at our wedding...)
D - Day of the Week: Thursday (don't know why...)
E - Essential Item: Honestly, can't think of one. Freeganism her I come!!
F - Favorite Color: Grass Green
G - Gummi Bears or Gummi Worms: Bears. I like to bite off their legs (so they can't run away), their head, then their arms... Heh.
H - Hair Product: Huh?
I - Indulgences: Great food.
J - January or July?: I don't discriminate.
K - Kids: My neighbor just told me she's adopting from an inner-city program and that they may get a child (between baby and age 3) with "special needs". Amazing! What a couple they are!
L - Life is incomplete without: love and honesty
M - Marriage Date: July 28th
N - Number of Siblings: Older Sis - Jen, Younger Bro - Joel
O - Oranges or Apples: Braeburn Apples w/ Sharp Cheddar Cheese
P - Phobias or Fears: snakes (anything without legs that resembles a snake...eels!)
Q - Quote: Most relateable: "I'm quiet but I can't shut up!"
R - Reason To Smile: Having a man that is truly committed and loves me, even with all my warts.
T - Tag Three: Kendra (c'mon girl!), Rachel, Jess (get a blog site and get writing!)
U- Unknown fact about me: C'mon, I'm an open book!
V - Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Dominion baby, dominion!
W - Worst Habit: Pick one? ...Procrastination!
X - Rays or Ultrasounds: Let's omit the X in X-Rays and go with Rays! Nap by the beach anyone?!?
Y - Your favorite food: Great wine and well paired Gorgonzola cheese.
Z - Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Encouragement...

My dear friend sent me a verse for my weary spirit. I've commented with my application and maybe this will help you tackle your day with a glad heart and rejoicing tongue.

Psalm 16
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
(He is always at work. Even when things suck.)

8 I have set the LORD always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
(I choose to believe His promises.)

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
(He will bring me physical rest and will choose to be positive.)

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, [c]
nor will you let your Holy One [d] see decay.
(My current circumstances are not the end of the world...just a bump in the road.)

11 You have made [e] known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
(You have a plan, Lord. Your sweet presence is enough to bolster me through today and into eternity.)

Life sucks sometimes but God is always good. My body rests secure and I rejoice amidst tough circumstances because His promises do no fail.

Dog-gone It!!!!

Our dog, Solomon, is causing me heart-ache. Some of you may know that we got him from the Dumb Friends League before we had Georgia and have had a handful of behavioral issues with him. He was abused before we got him and is/was aggressive due to his fearful past. We've spent close to $1000 on behavioral training and have gotten him to a point where we enjoy his company and are comfortable with calling him our dog du jour.

Now we have another problem. Just a few years ago he partially tore his doggie ACL. We saw a surgeon and were told that it would eventually tear entirely and we would need a $5000 surgery to repair his leg. Well, that day has come and he's miserable. I just bought him doggie-aspirin but it doesn't seem to be helping much.

Here's my dilemma. My relationship with Soly has been a struggle but I'm finally at a point where a really appreciate his company and built-in doggie-barking security system. So, I want to have the surgery but we just don't have the money AND even if we did, spending 5G's on a dog just seems insane. I mean I love him but c'mon!!

I've called MaxFund and they quoted me just over $2,500 but that still seems to be too much. So, if you have any insight or suggestions please post here. What would you do? Am I being too soft or is it silly to even entertain the thought of putting a dog down b/c of an injured leg? I await your input with turning stomach...