Thursday, August 28, 2008

Menu

This week is lasting forever!!! I'm back in the saddle and am spending my week in anticipation of the weekend again. Rushing around trying to get things done and waiting until I have some extra time to get it all straight. I know, I know, I just had two months of extra time. I'm going to post our menu so far this week, but will not be posting on orgjunkie.com as you will see it is incomplete and maybe even embarrassing.

Sunday: McDonald's chicken sandwhich and Mcnugget Happy Meals
Monday: Creamy tomato chicken spaghetti.....Really Good
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Corn Dogs
Thursday: Hamburgers and Tator Tots

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Momma needs some new breetches

The "Better than Robert Redford" dessert is good enough to make someone want to fly back early from the Domincan Republic. You know what I'm sayin'? Fantastically fattening. If you're going to eat something full of calories, it better be something fabulous to make it all worth it. I am back in the throws of pre-school year teacher in service and I am seeing several co-workers coming back slim and trim. I'm coming back seven pounds heavier, so I am saying no more to french fries, fried chicken, and anything else I tend to eat fried. After my body realizes I mean business, I'm gonna subtract something else from my diet. I am thinking it should be sodas. They really aren't that good tasting and as long as I can have my coffee in the morning and my half sweet/half unsweet iced teas, I shouldn't feel too deprived. As punishment for still being in a size 12, I will wear the same raggedy old pants I wore last year until I can buy some in size 10.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Menu Plan

God is good and He provides for all of our needs! Thank-you Jesus! This is our menu for the week. It's hard to buy groceries for next Sunday because the meat or dairy will expire by then, so I'm going to list today's menu and stop on Saturday.

Sunday, today
PIZZA HUT BUFFET Woooohoooo! for lunch
& PANCAKES for dinner

Monday
BEEF TACO SKILLET
BETTER THAN ROBERT REDFORD DESSERT

Tuesday
CREAMY TOMATO AND CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Wednesday
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TACO STEW

Thursday
VEGIE SALAD AND ROLLS
INDIVIDUAL PIZZAS FOR GIRLS

Friday
FISH STICKS
CHEESY PASTA AND GREEN PEAS

Saturday
BEEF CORN DOGS
& TATOR TOTS for lunch

CELERY, PEANUT BUTTER/HUMMUS
& FRESH FRUIT TRAY for dinner

Friday, August 15, 2008

Mi hermana con los pies hermosos

How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Isaiah 52:7 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! Romans 10:15


We love you Aunt Annie! We're all praying you have a Fantastic experience, Peace in your heart, and an unexpected Cold front! You are greatly missed by us all. Oh, we love Uncle Chad too! We pray he will not be hungry and you two will grow even closer as you minister together.



Tuesday, August 12, 2008

God brings peace to distraught mother

I feel better now. I go and pick Puddin up from daycare and one of the teachers tells me everything I wanted to hear. They will love her, just consider them extended family...etc. My eyes started to "water" as I asked the teacher if Puddin seemed happy to her. I thought both the girls had looked a little dismal. But now that I think about it, I did drag them out of bed before their eyes were even opened. God answered my prayer quickly. He is taking care of His daughters and I'm included in that.
Enough of being self absorbed for now, let me pray for something you're feeling anxious about. God is no respecter of persons. I know this peace I feel comes directly from Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and that means He has enough to go around.

Day two not looking so hot either

Preschool has not met my expecations thus far. Maybe I just have set the bar a little too high. Or maybe the 922. 35 a month over the span of 10 months isn't enough. Maybe to get good childcare you have to pay over a thousand. If my girls can't be with me, then I want the next best thing. Day 1 was just OK. Day 2 has me mad. Breakfast this morning was chaotic because, catch this, I wasn't exactly sure how everything worked. Would have been great to see an administrator, teacher, heck a custodian could have helped direct a clueless mother wandering around holding two little girls' hands. I finally arrive with Puddin to her classsroom and am asked, "Has she had breakfast?" I say not yet which earns the response, "Well, I guess we can find something for her." Am I overstepping my bounds? Being demanding? Aren't you the one who applied for this job? Are you not drawing a paycheck for this? I am not pleased and will, for the second time in two days, have a sit down chat with the coordinator.
Part of the problem is my guilt for having to leave them to begin with. My other problem is being a teacher. We become the worst critics of other teachers. I also have a good week to scrutinize and critique. God, please help me to have the right attitude and know what I should expect. You love my girls and I ask you to set the expectations I should have for their daycare. Amen.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Summer is Ending

The sky has been cloudy all day, but no rain so far. I feel a little cloudy today too. Both the girls spent the morning with their new teachers for the year. I got to see my new classroom where I will be spending my mornings this school year. And I feel hesitant to leave my summer behind. My summer spent falling more in love with two little girls. They are growing way too soon for their dad and me. Their daddy just ordered them the other day to, "Slow down!" I wish I could sit down with my mother over that familiar kitchen counter and talk about how hard it is to see your babies grow up and need you less everyday. How much more compassion and understanding do I have for her now! I wish I would have known then how dear I was to her. Imperfections and all, I was simply her daughter and held a piece of her heart in my naive and inconsiderate hands. One day, I will be able to speak to her again. A day and hour I do not know, I am going to the place where she now lives. Until that time, I will look forward to the future and hope God has for my little girls and trust Him again and again to protect them and guide their steps.

Menu Plan

Monday:

Leftover SPAGHETTI
GARLIC BREAD
Leftover PEACH COBBLER

Tuesday:

BAKED CHICKEN
Fresh BROCCOLI with SOUR CREAM DRESSING
APPLE SAUCE

Wednesday:

BARBEQUE BEEF
TATOR TOTS
BAKED BEANS

Thursday:

FISH STICKS
CHEDDAR PASTA
GREEN BEANS

Friday:

LEMON CHICKEN
BROWN RICE

Saturday Lunch:

EASY CHEESE QUESADILLAS
COLD CORN SALAD

Saturday Dinner:
CHIPS and CHILI DIP
ORANGE SLICES

Sunday Lunch:

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI
MIXED VEGIES separate
BANANA CHEESECAKE

Sunday Dinner:

CEREAL and PANCAKES

Thursday, August 7, 2008

I married a comedian

My Princess met her new teacher, Ms. Andrea, today. She seems lovely and I am very excited and at ease. She's so ready to be back into that school routine and around all the other kids. And what a sweet surprise when we got home and found a postcard addressed to Princess welcoming her to Ms. Andrea's class. Princess seemed so impressed by this piece of mail specifically for her that she made sure to show her dad as soon as he came in the door. What a special moment to yield such a wretched response. "Wow, your teacher is named Mrs. Booger Face. That was really nice of Mrs. Booger Face." Can you imagine Princess on the first day of school addressing Ms. Andrea in such a way? Oh, hubby thought he was real funny playing on the naivete of a three-year old.

Hubby's sense of humor is unique, but I get it and sometimes will even laugh. Like when we were sitting in front of the TV and a commercial for the Olympics came on. It tried very hard to play on its audience's emotions and inspire them to watch. It really didn't add any enthusiasm to my perception of the Olympics and I wondered what hubby was thinking, so I asked, "Is there any specific competition you're looking forward to?" His response, "Debbie, I still don't know what country I'll be routing for let alone a certain event." Ha Ha. He can make me smile and I love him for it.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Menu Plan Monday


Monday: Steak and Baked Potatoes

Tuesday: Vegetable Salad w/ mayo, sugar, lemon juice dressing
Grilled Cheese

Wednesday: Scrambled Eggs, Tortillas, Cheddar Cheese

Thursday: Deviled Chicken baked w/ lemon juice, mustard, paprika...
Mashed Potatoes

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas, Rice, Beans

Saturday Lunch: Leftover Enchiladas

Saturday Din: Chili Dogs, Apple Salad

Sunday Lunch: Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Peach Cobbler

Sunday Din: Cereal/Pancakes

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Cleaning is a monster of mine

Sometime when I was a teenager, I was vacuuming one of our home's kitchen rugs with the hose extension. That carpet seemed to become Velcro to any dirt or fuzz that came it's way, so you had to get down on your hands and knees if you really wanted to be efficient. And if anything, I love efficiency. Because I was getting into the cleaning groove, I continued to vacuum the entire linoleum floor with the hose attachment. My paternal grandmother watched me perform this act of cleanliness and she was, I dare say, quite impressed. See, rumors traveled that she had already made up her mind years before that her granddaughters were not the most tidy creatures. To be truthful, I was probably only down on the floor vacuuming because of her visit in the first place.

Well, would you believe that cleaning groove came on me a bit yesterday and I found myself on my hands and knees again. In my own kitchen this time, scrubbing my linoleum with a rag, water and some Fabuloso. You see, I still believe in efficiency. When something is worth doing, especially cleaning, it needs to be done correctly and completely. The problem is, this idealism causes me to shrink back from basic cleaning because my mind turns it into some kind of monstrous task.

On that floor yesterday, I thought back about that story of my grandma and how my effort had pleased her. I thought about how I wanted to clean that floor not just for the necessity, but because it pleases my Father in heaven. In the story of Mary and Martha, I've always felt Martha deserved a little more credit for her determination to get things done. I believe while I'm cleaning the floor, scrubbing the toilet, or folding clothes, I can still commune with God and know that I am pleasing Him both in taking care of what He has given me and in my relationship with Him.

Friday, August 1, 2008

The Chief Cornerstone

The beginning of the school year is fast approaching and my stomach is churning. No, not anything I ate, it is because I will be handing my precious little girls over to strangers to care for them during the day while I return to the work force. I have to remind myself alomost daily that my children are the Lord's heritage. They belong to Him and I must trust Him to take care of them. Even when they are under my watchful eye. Like now when I'm on the computer and Puddin's in the living room playing or something. Take care of my precious babies, Lord.

I have chosen a daycare called Cornerstone. Supposedly they only employ Christians. Hubby leaves all the daycare solutions to me and has trusted me to choose the most economical place. Yeah honey, of course I chose a child care facility based on price. Puhlease, you can't pay for peace of mind and that's why during week one, I've planned to drop in unexpectedly, observe all the goings on and interrogate the staff. I'll update you on my findings.