Memorial Day Fun...

So, today was my first day off from the daycare since New Year's. You'd think I'd sleep in and take it easy. Well, I did sleep in about an hour or so, then DH and I got ourselves around and got to work. We decided to try to make progress on our outside landscaping to-dos. It was a beautiful day, so we got started right after breakfast, around 8am. We worked from 8am until almost 5pm. We got most of our list done, or started, at least. We did run out of mulch...so the last flower bed, the one with my hydrangea didn't get quite covered.

Last weekend we ordered 3 scoops (3/4 cubic yard each) and started working on the front yard. I forgot to take before pictures, but here are the afters.

This is our mailbox area...yes the door to the mailbox is broken off...one more item for the list.

Here is the flower bed in front of the house, I know it's a bit hard to see. I'll try to take some closer photos.

Here is DH being a tard in front of my azaela! LOL Gotta love him!

And this is our trash corner. We put our trash container and recycling bin here...we shall see if the trash guys actually put the containers back on the stones.

Our actual work list today consisted of laying fabric and mulching in our two flower beds on each side of the house. We also needed to build a new flower bed in the backyard, in order to transplant the plants from our future patio area. We started with this:

And ended up with this:

. This area has my purple lilac, purple rhododendron and purple rose bushes, as well as this little climbing green and white perennial. Eventually, I'd like to enlarge this to a rectangle with a free-standing swing.

Here are the other areas we started with today and their afters.

Before:

After:

Before:

After: This is where our future patio is going to go. Right now we have a limestone patio there, but we're going to build and install a paver patio after pulling that up. At least this area is cleaned up and the kidlets can play without wading through the weeds.

Before: The right side of the house...you can see the air conditioner in our bedroom window.
After: These are my Raspberry bushes...I can't wait until they bear fruit. The berries are there, they just need to enlargen and ripen! YAY!

And one more picture...my hydrangea!

Stay tuned for more details about the patio and our yard extravaganzas! It includes this side of the back yard...for another patio.

This should be a fantastic before and after, no?!

Menu Planning Monday

Sunday:
Breakfast: Breakfast Burritos
Snack: Fruit & Veggies
Dinner: Civil War Sammies

Monday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal & Fruit
Lunch: Sandwiches
Snack: Yogurt & fruit, juice
Dinner: Ham loaf, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, salad

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Egg sandwich w/canadian bacon, fruit, milk
Lunch: Ham loaf, mashed potatoes, corn, oranges, milk
Snack: Apple & PB, juice
Dinner: Chicken Nuggets (DD) w/sweet potato fries, broccoli and salad

Wednesday:
Breakfast:Oatmeal & banana, milk
Lunch: chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, broccoli, strawberries, milk
Snack: veggie sticks and dip
Dinner: Roast, carrots & potatoes, salad

Thursday:
Breakfast: French toast, w/blueberries, milk
Lunch: Roast, potatoes, carrots, apples, milk
Snack: oranges & animal crackers, juice
Dinner: Potato-leek soup, salad, bread

Friday:
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, canadian bacon, strawberries, milk
Lunch: Potato-leek soup, bread, green beans, banana, milk
Snack: PB cookies, juice
Dinner: Shrimp fradiavolo, linguini, salad, garlic bread

Saturday:
Breakfast:Breakfast burrito, oranges, milk
Lunch: Lunch out with DH
Dinner: Grilled chicken, mac & cheese, brussel sprouts & Salad

Tuna Noodle Casserole ala Jen...

My take on the classic tuna noodle casserole.
Ingredients list:
1 box whole wheat elbow macaroni (or 1 bag whole wheat egg noodles if you choose)
1 can Campbell's Cream of Celery Soup (reduced fat or sodium)
1 cup Milk...go with reduced fat to save some fat and calories
3 cans chunk light tuna in water, drained
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese...go with reduced fat to save some calories
1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
1 cup frozen corn (thawed)
1/2 head of Cauliflower (cut into florets) (for extra fiber, vitamin c and source of folic acid)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
salt and pepper
Topping:
crushed saltines or bread crumbs mixed with 1-2 Tablespoons melted butter
or handful cheddar cheese


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 5 quarts water to a roiling boil. Add 1 Tablespoon salt to water and Cauliflower florets. Boil for 2 minutes and then add elbow macaroni. Cook for the shortest amount of time listed on the box. you want them firmer than al dente because they will soak up more liquid later, and you definitely don't want mushy noodles.

2. While cauliflower and noodles are cooking, heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat and saute onions and garlic until aromatic and just beginning to carmelize. Add drained cans of tuna, peas and corn, and heat through.

3. When noodles and cauliflower are done, remove cauliflower from pot and drain noodles, return noodles to pot. In a food processor, puree cauliflower florets with a bit of water until smooth. Add puree'd cauliflower to noodles along with cream of celery soup, 1/2 cup milk, cheese, and sauted tuna mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until mixed and pour into greased 9 x 13 casserole dish. Top with some crushed saltine crackers, bread crumbs or some more cheddar cheese or leave plain.

4. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes unitl bubble and the top just starts to brown.

Serve with a side salad and your favorite fruit for a wonderfully delicious new take on an old classic!

PS. you can NOT taste the cauliflower...my DH, who hates cauliflower, ate this and deemed it the best he's ever had! Now, he may be biased or want something...but you be the judge!

Let me know what you think!

Not such a good start...

So, this morning started rather blandly...the alarm went off at 5:25...I got up and started the coffee machine, took a shower, dressed and made the bed. At 6:10 I entered the kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee and make breakfast only to discover that the coffee maker decided to pick today to not work. The light is on...only no miracle morning starter is brewing. Uh...WTF?! Well, no problem I think, I have that special occasion French Press coffee pot...so I put some water on to boil and go get the pot. Things are going well, the water is happily bubbling away in the tea pot, I already have the coffee measured from my earlier attempt. I pour the boiling water into the coffee maker and return the tea pot to the stove. As I set the timer o 4 minutes of brew time...I stupidly place my hand RIGHT IN THE STEAM FROM THE TEA POT! Gosh that hurt! Under cold running water I go...some salve and now a moist cloth surrounding a baggie of ice sits on my hand. It's burned right at my knuckle of my thumb...making everything I do with my left hand and left thumb excruciating! Even typing this hurts like the Dickens! OMG...and DH tells me that his free medical coverage has run out, so no running to the doctor for some prescription salve for me. Oy vey.

Well, I guess it could be worse, and I guess it's ok that only one thing went wrong this morning...Damn coffe maker! I did make my bed...so at least I'm still on track for the "Happy House Challenge" and I started my LDF -whites already...made Peanut Butter and banana muffins for DC breakfast and have now had my coffee.

As for my Wrap-it-up Wednesday...I will have to remind myself next Wednesday that if I want to get yard work/outside jobs done, that I may NOT let myself stay outside for 1+ hours in 90 degree weather and become dehydrated.

I did get my pretty hydrangea planted...picture will go here! and we measured for my new flower bed in the outer backyard, and for the patio. The Cypress is still mostly here and DH is mad that I didn't weed whack yesterday although he didn't do anything either. It wasn't a wasteful evening by any means...I just didn't do what I planned on!

Check in with Molly today at My Happy House to see what Week 2's Happy House Challenge mission is!

Wrap it up Wednesday...

I am creating a fun game for myself. It's called Wrap it up Wednesday. This is the day that I choose one project or outstanding "to-do" from my list and FINISH it. We all know how it is easy to start on any number of projects, and one thing leads to another...you have to make dinner, change a baby, feed the dogs, sleep, etc., etc. Well, I'm tired of it. Today, and all future Wednesdays, I am holding myself at my word...or well actions. I WILL finish at least one item today, if nothing else, lol.

Today's item: Removal of Cypress bush I began removing two weeks ago. We had a beautiful large cypress along the side of the garage that was ravaged by the massive amounts of snowfall we recieved in February. It had a hole in the middle where a large snow pile fell onto it from the roof of the garage. I tore it out. But, of course, little ole me couldn't get the stump out of the ground...so we must wait for hubs to get his man-strength out there and hack at it with the pick-axe. Done and done as of Monday...but now it needs to be hauled away and a pretty little hydrangea planted in it's place. That is my Wrap-it-up Wednesday item of the week. Do you have any items or projects to finish up today?

10 Week Happy House Challenge...

I've joined Molly @ My Happy House for her 10 week Happy House Challenge. I sure could use the comraderie that a group endeavor provides, and I certainly hope this gives me the jump start I need for my own happy, clean and organized house!

Join in...it should be fun!

Spare Room Design Board

The room is a 10'W x 12'L rectangle with a pretty large reach-in closet. (the closet measures 7.75'W x 3'D)

The door is located on the East wall of the room and there are two small windows at the corner of the South & West walls

. Again, this makes it rather tricky to get a good placement of furntiture for the room. Since I want this room to multi-task...it's rather important to be able to be able to move around in the room for guests and for say crafts, sewing projects, etc.

The inspiration item for this room is this fabric from fabrics.com:

So this theme centers around yellow and gray with snatches of black thrown in for good measure.

The lighting fixture will be a ceiling fan. Yay...what awesome decor ::rollseyes:: but what the hubs wants...the hubs gets. I'm thinking of this one or one similar:

I think it will be white because I'm keeping the ceiling white and hopefully, it will blend in, allowing for air circulation and cooling, but limiting the lessening of ceiling height and window views.

The closet will have an organization system in place, not only to provide additional guest storage, but to provide long-term home storage. Here is where I will put all my supplies: sewing, my wrapping, extra daycare craft, and decorating items. This is most likely also where school work and school supplies will go. A desk will go along the South wall next to the closet and this will be my sewing and jewelry-making station. I hope to install a cabinet or shelves above the desk to aid in hiding the supplies I need out on the desk.

Being a beginner sewer, I definitely don't need a high end machine to perform basic sewing tasks, so I am asking for this

Singer Simple 23-Stitch Sewing Machine 2263 for my birthday.

Eventually, we will be getting new Master bedroom furniture and therefore the spare bedroom will inherit the current master bedroom furniture. Since the furniture, the Pinella collection from Ashley Furniture Homestore looks like this:

I am planning the room around it and the inspiration fabric.

Which works right into the color scheme: yellow and gray with hits of black. Just for good measure I found some inspiration accent pieces. The rug, that I am in love with, I found at overstock.com. It's made from 100% cotton, and will give the room some depth and texture.

Just imagine this rug underfoot as you step out of bed in the morning. Isn't the color perfectly suited to the inspiration fabric? It's so punchy and fun, I can't wait to see it in place.

So, we shall wait and see. It's a project that hopefully gets done sooner rather than later, but isn't as yet a priority.

Last week's wrap-up...

Last weekend was quite the adventure. Between being sick, having company and Mother's Day it flew by. Here's the low down on what I did and did not get done. **I really must stop overplanning myself.**

Here's my wrap up:

DONE; NOT DONE

Wednesday TO DOS:

• Go to grocery store
  
• Go to dollar store
  
• Go to Target
  
• Go to Liquer store - wine
  
• move dresser upstairs to spare room
  
• move desk/office clutter to office
  
• move dc strategically in front of other desk :)
  
• move bar and stools to useful spot
  
• put liquer, glasses and accoutrement in bar -- clean bar, items and stools
  
• change cat box
  
• place felt pads on dining room chair legs
  
• Fold LDF -Colors

Thursday TO DOS:

• Everything orange from Wednesday
• put liquer, glasses and accoutrement in bar -- clean bar, items and stools
• change cat box
• place felt pads on dining room chair legs
• Fold LDF -Colors
• move dresser upstairs to spare room
  
• Clean Kitchen (normal RDF for today) Hoover floor and wash cabinet surfaces
• Take out Trash -- DH is OOT so it's my job this week :(
• Clean UP bathroom
• Hoover hall floor, wipe walls, trim, doors and baseboards
• Hoover DC floor
• Vacuum basement carpet & stairs, bedroom, dc carpets
• Clean out fridge and organize foodstuffs...make list of last minutes grocery items
• LDF - Whites
• I did hang up some wall art and picture frames...although now I can't find my wedding photos so I can't fill the frames with anything.

Friday TO DOS: Dinner with friends

• Everything orange from Wednesday and Thursday
• put liquer, glasses and accoutrement in bar -- clean bar, items and stools
• place felt pads on dining room chair legs
• Fold LDF -Colors
• move dresser upstairs to spare room
• Clean Kitchen (normal RDF for today) Hoover floor and wash cabinet surfaces
• Clean UP bathroom
• Hoover hall floor, wipe walls, trim, doors and baseboards
• Hoover DC floor
• Vacuum basement carpet & stairs, bedroom, dc carpets
• Clean out fridge and organize foodstuffs...make list of last minutes grocery items
• LDF - Whites
• Prep/Marinate pork chops
• Make shortcake
• Trim/Hull strawberries and sugar
• Tidy Kithen, UP bathroom, dc room & Hallway
• Clean DWN bathroom & Laundry room
• LDF - Sheets
• Dogs Nails Trimmed/Pets Mart shopping: dog food, cat litter, treats for dogs, Greenies teeth bones, pooper scooper
• Clear & Clean table
• Set Table
• Dinner with DH's friend & his wife;
  Dinner will be:
  Rosemary Pork Chops with parsely butter noodles, asparagus, salad, and strawberry shortcake
  

Saturday TO DOS:

• Everything orange from days prior
• Hoover hall floor, wipe walls, trim, doors and baseboards
• Hoover DC floor
• Clean out fridge and organize foodstuffs...make list of last minutes grocery items
• LDF - Sheets
• Dogs Nails Trimmed/Pets Mart shopping: dog food, cat litter, treats for dogs, Greenies teeth bones, pooper scooper
• place felt pads on dining room chair legs
• Fold LDF -Colors
• Farmer's Market (perhaps not...haven't decided...if I sleep in...not going)
• Menu Plan & Grocery shop; go to Pets Mart...dogs nails cut & dog food, cat litter, pooper scooper, greenies bones, and dog treats
• Get fresh flowers for Sunday lunch
• Get SMIL Mother's Day gift
• Make Family Project list for Front yard...go purchase/order supplies
• Tidy up rooms, dishes, LDF -daycare & RDF - daycare
• Dinner out with hubs
• Bed early...hopefully :)

Sunday TO DOS:

• Church 9:30
• Give/drop off SMIL's Mother's Day gift
• Home to tidy...prep for dinner
• Prep dinner
• Prep drinks
• Dinner @ 2:30pm
• MIL & SFIL, Mom arrive around 2pm
• Start with special *pink torpedo cocktail* & Fruit & Brie Quesadilla App
• Tour of basement
• Dinner @ 2:30
  Dinner is:
  Lemon Chicken with Sweet Pea Tortellini
  Herbed Quinoa
  Avacado & Citrus Salad
  Mango Napoleons for dessert
• Clean up and hang out for awhile
  

While we accomplished dinner (both nights) neither meal turned out exemplary. The pork was overdone, due to the guests being over an hour late, and a tiny hole in the roasting pan. The chicken was good on Sunday, but no one really flipped for the quinoa and the tortellini's ended up being one gigantore mush-pile. We got rave reviews on the basement, and all in all had a great time. Now, it's on to planning a friend's bridal shower, hosted here. My plan is to keep things simple...and each mom/girl bring or make an hor d'oeuvre. Hopefully, I can convince hubs to get moving on the patio....at this point all I want is the patio done, the pergola can wait, I suppose. ;)

My next decorating project is to be the nursery. I know, I know...I'm not expecting, but I don't think it's entirely out of the question at this point. If I have an infant for the daycare, I use that room for their napping. It stems to reason, that if I have a crib in there...it might not be entirely off to decorate the room as a nursery...for future little bambino's. This way, I won't have to rush, I can actually do it up the way I see it in my head...and hopefully have time to tweak it so it's perfect.

I'll do a separate post on that later...but just know it's coming!

End of Week...

I have been battling a cold since Saturday morning. It started with a sore throat which moved to headaches and stuff/runny nose all day Sunday through, well, this morning. It hasn't been pleasant. I decided not to close, because, honestly, I wouldn't have sent any of the children home with these symptoms so I didn't feel it was fair to close. Needless to say, the children, save one, have caught whatever it is I have. I feel bad, especially since 2 of the parents have it now too. Hopefully, it is on it's way out. I felt more energetic yesterday, but back to the blah feeling this morning. We have a big weekend planned, so I best be on the mend! Hear that cold....GO.AWAY! hehe :)

So my schedule for the week has been a bit off. Therefore, today, tomorrow and Saturday, I have my work cut out for me...yay me! Thankfully, fingerscrossed, DH will be home on Friday (early) and can cut the grass, help me move one peice of furniture, take on some clean-up tasks and/or run out for last minute supplies. I'm including last night's TO DOS because, I didn't quite get everything accomplished.

DONE; NEEDS DONE

Wednesday TO DOS:

• Go to grocery store


• Go to dollar store


• Go to Target


• Go to Liquer store - wine


• move dresser upstairs to spare room


• move desk/office clutter to office


• move dc strategically in front of other desk :)


• move bar and stools to useful spot


• put liquer, glasses and accoutrement in bar -- clean bar, items and stools


• change cat box


• place felt pads on dining room chair legs


• Fold LDF -Colors

Thursday TO DOS:

• Everything orange from Wednesday
• Clean Kitchen (normal RDF for today) Hoover floor and wash cabinet surfaces
• Take out Trash -- DH is OOT so it's my job this week :(
• Clean UP bathroom
• Hoover hall floor, wipe walls, trim, doors and baseboards
• Hoover DC floor
• Vacuum basement carpet & stairs, bedroom, dc carpets
• Clean out fridge and organize foodstuffs...make list of last minutes grocery items
• LDF - Whites

Friday TO DOS: Dinner with friends

• Everything orange from Wednesday and Thursday
• Prep/Marinate pork chops
• Make shortcake
• Trim/Hull strawberries and sugar
• Tidy Kithen, UP bathroom, dc room & Hallway
• Clean DWN bathroom & Laundry room
• LDF - Sheets
• Dogs Nails Trimmed/Pets Mart shopping: dog food, cat litter, treats for dogs, Greenies teeth bones, pooper scooper
• Clear & Clean table
• Set Table
• Dinner with DH's friend & his wife;
  Dinner will be:
  Rosemary Pork Chops with parsely butter noodles, asparagus, salad, and strawberry shortcake
  

Saturday TO DOS:

• Farmer's Market (perhaps not...haven't decided...if I sleep in...not going)


• Menu Plan & Grocery shop; go to Pets Mart...dogs nails cut & dog food, cat litter, pooper scooper, greenies bones, and dog treats


• Get fresh flowers for Sunday lunch


• Get SMIL Mother's Day gift


• Make Family Project list for Front yard...go purchase/order supplies


• Tidy up rooms, dishes, LDF -daycare & RDF - daycare


• Dinner out with hubs
• Bed early...hopefully :)

Sunday TO DOS:

• Church 9:30
• Give/drop off SMIL's Mother's Day gift
• Home to tidy...prep for dinner
• Prep dinner
• Prep drinks
• Dinner @ 2:30pm
• MIL & SFIL, Mom arrive around 2pm
• Start with special *pink torpedo cocktail* & Fruit & Brie Quesadilla App
• Tour of basement
• Dinner @ 2:30
  Dinner is:
  Lemon Chicken with Sweet Pea Tortellini
  Herbed Quinoa
  Avacado & Citrus Salad
  Mango Napoleons for dessert
• Clean up and hang out for awhile
  

So busy weekend planned...hopefully the weather will hold out and it will be beautiful! Can't wait. I'll post and update on Monday. Hope your weekend is just as eventful, in a good way!

Menu Planning Monday 5/2/10 - 5/9/10

Menu Planning Monday 5/2/10 - 5/9/10

Sunday:

Breakfast: Eggs & Sausage, toast, OJ & coffee
Lunch: Chili w/cornbread
Dinner: Spaghetti w/meat sauce (sausage)

Monday:
Breakfast: Cereal w/milk, OJ
Lunch: PB & J sandwich, peas, milk

Snack: yogurt & fruit, water
Dinner: Ham, Macaroni & Cheese, broccoli, salad

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/banana, milk
Lunch: Spaghetti w/meat sauce, carrots, apple, milk
Snack: Rice cake w/nutella, pomegranate/blueberry juice

Dinner: Meatloaf w/mashed potatoes, green beans, salad

Wednesday:
Breakfast: Eggs & toast, strawberries, milk
Lunch: Meatloaf & mashed potatoes, green beans, peaches, milk
Snack: Cottage chees & fruit, water

Dinner: Roasted Chicken w/millet cakes, brussel sprouts, salad

Thursday

Breakfast: Waffles & oranges, milk

Lunch: Roasted Chicken w/millet akes, brussels sprouts, pears, milk

Snack: veggie sticks & dip, Pomegranate/blueberry juice
Dinner: Tuna noodle casserole w/peas & corn, salad

Friday:

Breakfast: Breakfast pizza, milk

Lunch: Tuna noodle casserole w/peas & corn, melon, milk

Snack: chocolate chip cookie, w/Pomegranate/blueberry juice
Dinner: Bacon wrapped pork chops, butter/parsely noodles, asparagus,

corn, salad, dinner rolls, Strawberry Shortcake

Saturday:

Breakfast: Eggs & Double smoked bacon, toast, OJ & coffee

Lunch: leftovers

Snack: Apple & PB
Dinner: leftovers

Sunday:

Breakfast: Pancakes & Sausage, melon, OJ, coffee

Mother's Day Dinner (2pm):

Appetizer: Fruit & Brie Quesadillas

Entree: Lemon Chicken & Sweet Pea Tortellini

Sides: Herbed Quinoa & Avacado Citrus Salad

Dessert: Mango Napoleons