Book Review: Family Feasts for $75 a Week

After hearing about it on a few blogs, I was excited to get this book from the library to see if I could learn a few new grocery saving tips. Unfortunately, Family Feasts for $75 a Week fell short of my expectations.

I felt a little misled by the title. Knowing Mary Ostyn has 10 children, I figured if she could feed her family for $75 a week, I had a few things to learn from her. But the author (or editors) did the math for her family and then reworked it for a family of four to come up with the title. Mary is not paying $75 a week to feed her family. Instead, she pays about $75 per person per month or around $200 per week. With her numbers our goal (for a family of 8) would be about $138 per week. We're already under that!

The first section covers the "how to" and is relatively short. If you need a "beginner's guide" to grocery savings this book would be an excellent place to start. It's not that I disagree with anything she says... in fact, the reason our grocery spending is so low is that we are doing many of the things she suggests! I was just disappointed by the fact it didn't really have an "new, improved" ideas. The second part of the book is recipes, some of them sound really good, so if you are looking for some new frugal recipes this book might be worth reading.

Either way, I suggest you check it out from the library first to see if you find it helpful before purchasing it.

Polar Plunge

Well, I am happy to report that Roz survived plunging into the freezing cold waters of Wisconsin!

Her email said:

"It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still pretty cold! It was a great experience and I would totally do it again!"

On the phone later, she admitted it was definitely cold enough to "take your breath away". Well, like her shirt said, she was freezin' for a reason! The reason: raising money for Special Olympics. Thank you to all of you who donated! She ended up getting double her goal!

Here are a few pictures!!

Why We Homeschool

Most of our friends and family know we homeschool, but while on our trip to Arizona we got asked several times... why? Truthfully, my answer depends on who asks. Sometimes a stranger asks (usually if we happen to be out during school hours). My answer to a complete stranger when we have approximately 15 seconds, while standing in the checkout line, is different than the answer I give a friend or family member who seems genuinely interested. Sometimes people ask only to argue and defend their choice to send their kids to school. I try to avoid these conversations because no amount of polite discussion is going to change minds on either side.

No matter who asks, though, it is always hard to answer. It is similar to the working mom/stay-at-home mom debate. There are emotions tied up in the discussion. I know what is right for my family and hope others are doing what is right for their family. Just because we homeschool doesn't mean we think you should. It isn't right for every family and that's okay. Now, do I think more families could do it and do it successfully? Absolutely.

I found this article awhile ago that listed ten good reasons to homeschool. As I read, I nodded in agreement the whole time. First, the author has different answers to "why" depending on who asks, just like I do. He also tries to avoid discussing it with some people:

I have found that it is often necessary to change the subject quickly, otherwise I’m stuck listening to total strangers defend their decision to place their kids in school, defend their need for two incomes, and then ask me if I’m worried about issues associated with my own children’s socialization experiences. It still amazes me that people I barely know will readily draw me into such intimate and personal discussions. And worse yet, the defensive nature of the conversation inevitably yields to the expression of guilt on behalf of the person who has children in school. Guilt, defense, and the probability that I’m messing up my children – all from somebody I may have just met.

So why do we homeschool? Our favorite short answer is that we don't want peers to be the biggest influence in our children's lives, but our long answer is much more than that. The author (from the above article) summed it all up much better than I ever could. You should really go read the whole article, but just in case you don't, here are a few highlights that hit the nail on the head.

Reason #3: Time. If I had to pick one phrase that summarily communicates why we homeschool, it would simply be "school is a waste of time." This isn’t to say that people don’t learn important things in school, or that school is a total and complete waste of time...

I would rephrase that to: a lot of time is wasted at school. Even parents who send their kids to school admit this. In school, classmates move as one through each grade. Are each of those children really at the exact same level? Are some kids being pushed along? Are some being held back? How much of each day is "busy work" only to have homework with the parents later anyway?

Reasons #4 & #5: Identity and Control... we want our children to develop clear pictures of their own individual intellectual identities, and we want them to know how to take full advantage of the fact that they are always in control of their own learning.

Somewhere along the line, I learned how to learn. More than anything I want that for my children. You might not know everything, but you know a way to find out. My most successful, and most enjoyable, educational experiences have been the times I taught myself something.

The worst form of inequality
is to try to make unequal things equal.
-Aristotle

Everyone is different. That is a good thing. Different children have different abilities. All students are NOT equal. One of our teacher friends mentioned recently how sad it was that students don't have a sense of "rivalry" (especially between school sports teams) anymore. I can think of several reasons things have shifted in this area, one is partly due to the fact that students are told everyone is the same. You can't say you're better than someone else, even if it's true. People are different though, that is just a fact. Some people are not as bright as others. Some will be sanitation workers while others will be doctors. And you know what? That's okay! We need both!

I often think about people's God-given, innate talents. How many people missed their calling because they had to toe the "school" line and never had the chance to branch out and find their own path. Being taught to be the "same" as everyone else is not what I want for my children. If you're hoping for a classless society where all members are perfectly equal then you're hoping for communism.

Reason #6: Socialization... But it may surprise most people to learn that concerns about socialization are one of the most important reasons why we choose to homeschool.

I don't want my children to be "socialized" in the way most people mean when they ask about this. Dictionary.com says this about socialization: " a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills...". Socialization is a process that starts at birth and never ends. That process doesn't magically start when a child enters school and it definitely doesn't stop if they stay home!

Reason #7: Shelter. One of the criticisms I get occasionally during discussions about homeschooling is whether or not I’m concerned about the fact that our children are sheltered too much from reality...

Our kids are "sheltered", but isn't that what parents are for? All parents "shelter" their children in some ways whether they go to school or not. Our kids don't see some of the differences that kids in school might see. They don't think that hanging out with your baby brother is lame. They played with a neighbor kid for months before it dawned on them that her skin was a different color. They don't care one bit about what clothes they wear and they don't ever ask for something "because all the kids have one".

Shelter synonyms:
Protect. Defend. Guard. Preserve.
Watch over. Shield. Safeguard.
Shelter antonyms:
Expose. Endanger.

Reason #9: Family. Perhaps the most profound reason why we homeschool is our desire to truly appreciate the daily sanctity of family. Time is a precious commodity, and it is much more worthy of family than many of the non-family experiences...

I think it's unfortunate that the mandatory age for schooling just keeps getting younger and pulls kids away from their families earlier. I'm only half kidding when I say that before too long we'll just discharge them from the birthing suite to a learning institution of some sort.

I have absolute confidence that we can properly educate our children within the walls of our own home. Why? Because one on one "tutoring" works. Because we know our children, their strengths and weaknesses, and we love them more than any teacher ever could! No one cares more than we do about whether or not they are successful.

Not being known doesn't stop
the truth from being true.
-Richard Bach

Reason #10: Religion...We homeschool because it is part and parcel of our faith experience. Serving others, praying together, and living lives that are not defined exclusively by the values of our society...

We are not religious nuts. We do, however, have a relationship with Jesus Christ and what we believe, as Christians, has become taboo in the public school system while other religions and lifestyles are freely discussed as part of a "global worldview".

Bonus Reason #11: It's Not All About Fun
My last point wasn't mentioned in the above article but I thought I'd mention it here anyway. I have to chuckle when people say my kids are missing out on all the "fun". Well, since we are talking about school here, I thought the goal was an education!

But don't worry, homeschoolers have plenty of fun. We just took a two week vacation in the middle of the school year! We go on field trips, play sports, and hang out with friends just the same as schooled children. Our homeschool group even has their own prom.

Homeschoolers, who feel so led, can do everything their school-attending counterparts do. We definitely aren't missing any fun! We're just having fun (and learning) together as a family. And when it comes down to it... I can't think of anything more important than that. I might regret a lot of things later in my life, but I don't think spending time investing in my children will be one of them.

Five MOMs

Did you know that I'm a bored board member of our local Mothers of Multiples club? I am club Secretary and I take care of the website as well. Nothing brings a group of women together like a common experience. And there is something extra special about experiencing twins!

A few months ago I got the idea that it might be fun to have the five board members and their families over for dinner. Our term ends in April and we deserve a little fun for our efforts! Now, the moms see each other at least once a month for meetings and our kids have met here and there but it's not too often we have moms and kids and dads all together!

Five Moms

Amy (Membership), Heather (Vice President),
Vivian (President), Shelly (Secretary), and Theresa (Treasurer)

AND

Twenty One Kids!
17 are ages 8 and under!
(15 are pictured here)

The kids played (very well I might add... I didn't hear any fighting) while the dads visited and the moms snooped through my closets. Just kidding, I guess it's not snooping if I let them.

Two dads, one baby, and a few older girls were missing but we still had a VERY impressive sized group. I am very thankful to have such a large kitchen table and especially one with benches! All the little kids sat at the table, two big kids sat at the island, and the grown ups sat in the living room.

I just have to poke a little fun at Jerry now because I know he can take it (sorry Jer, you know I love ya). When we were getting ready for this party he asked how many people would be coming. I told him there were four other people on the board, so that would be 10 adults plus the kids. "Do they all have kids?" he asked without thinking about it. Um, yes, they all have at least two or we wouldn't let them in the mothers of multiples club!

Now being the rebels we are we violate one of the laws of twins at our house quite frequently by lumping our boys together as "the twins" instead of referring to them as Eli and Justus to help foster their individuality. So sue us! Anyway, as Jerry was helping get the plates for our gang ready at dinner he happened to ask: "Hey twins! What do you want?" We all had to laugh at the possibility of TEN kids answering!

I know my family had a great time. In fact, my boys would love to party like that every weekend! Perhaps we've started a new tradition!?

A Little Recognition

Jerry has a post up on his blog about one of the Wisconsin's gubernatorial candidates here. He has been going to, and then writing about, various candidate "meet and greets" as they pop up the last several months.

Jer would never "toot his own horn" so I'm going to do it for him... mostly because I'm excited that his blog is getting noticed and partly so I can record this event so it makes it into the next book. :) Any good nurse knows: it didn't happen unless you write it down!

Before this last meet and greet, one of the campaign managers contacted Jerry about meeting with the candidate a few minutes before the session started to do an "interview" for his blog. I thought that was pretty cool and Jerry was happy to do so. He spoke with the candidate a little beforehand and then stayed to hear him speak (read about it here).

If you live in Wisconsin, especially the GB area, be sure to check out Jerry's blog as elections get closer. And if you have any questions about the candidates let him know... he's always happy to talk politics!

Why YOU Need A Reader!

One of my goals this year is to get more people reading blogs! [One of my other goals is to get more people writing them! So watch out!] The biggest reason people don't read more blogs is: "don't have time". What if reading blogs was as easy as checking your email? What if you didn't have to bookmark all your favorites and go to each site? What if each site came to you instead? That, my friend, is what a reader can do for you!!

Once you have a "reader" you just add all the sites you want to follow and then check the reader like you would your email. All the new posts show up as they are published. You just have to scroll through them. No more going to a blog only to see it hasn't been updated. You just "set it and forget it". [Hey, I sound like an infomercial!] If you have an Gmail account you already have a reader, just look at the top of your Gmail page and you'll see:

Click on the word "Reader" between Documents and Web.

A reader really is a huge time saver! You can organize your reader any way you see fit. So if you are only in the mood to read friends blogs but want to skip the others you can do so easily. I subscribe to all sorts blogs, including several "money saving" blogs. Now I rarely miss a great freebie or deal!Another great feature of a reader is the ability to search what you've read. If you want to look up an old blog post for some reason (ex: recipe) then, in Google Reader anyway, you can just use the search function. Again this is a great way to keep up with the deal blogs... just search the store you're looking for a deal at and all posts from all the sites you subscribe to will show up (sorted most recent first). This is how I make my CVS or Walgreens shopping lists.
Jerry and I both use Google Reader, but there are other readers available. They are easy to set up and easy to check. There really is no reason not to give it a try! I know some of you use the links on your own blog as a "reader" of sorts, but you are still clicking over to each blog to read. With a reader they are all on the same page. There's no need to click back and forth. You also won't miss any posts. If more than one new post has been added, those sidebar links will only show the most recent post not all the posts since you last checked. You might be missing posts... and you don't want to miss any posts (especially mine)!!

If you're skeptical, just give it a try... I think you'll be surprised!

Here is a YouTube video that explains it for you visual learners:

Proof Positive that Roz is Crazy!

UPDATE: Here is the link if you want to donate online!

Got word yesterday from Roz that she will be taking part in this year's Polar Plunge! This is a fundraiser for the Wisconsin Special Olympics. It is similar to a fundraising "run" or "relay" but instead of running you jump into the icy cold waters of Wisconsin... usually through a hole they have cut into the ice on a river or lake!

The Polar Plunge that Roz will be participating in is February 28th. If you are willing to help her raise money for the Special Olympics please mail her a check. (If you need her address let me know.) I will try to track down a link to donate online and post it later. Thanks in advance for supporting her!!

A Tale of Two Hotels

While on our AZ Trip we stayed in only two hotel rooms. One on the way down and one on the way home. Both fulfilled our three requirements: an indoor pool (for the boys), wireless internet (for the girls), and a continental breakfast (for all). [Jerry only required a bed.] At both hotels we got two standard rooms with two double beds. Neither was fancy and both had the usual no-one-will-ever-steal-this hotel decor. They cost roughly the same (actually the nicer one was cheaper), but there was a big difference.

It's hard to explain the difference since both seem so similar "on paper". I would highly recommend one and definitely not the other. One was just better, more welcoming. You could just tell the management of one hotel took pride in their property. It was well kept and clean. They took the time to replace, repair, and update as needed over the years. The owners seemed to understand things wear out, especially with daily use, and they kept up with the wear and tear.

The other hotel wasn't really "dirty" but it wasn't clean either. Things were more worn or just plain broken. They obviously were trying to get a few more years of use out of several items that had seen better days. The pool area was the worst; the ceiling was in terrible shape and we joked it might fall down at any moment.

I was talking to my grandma about this when we got back. Her house is over 60 years old and in excellent condition. Our old house (right across the street, built a few years after hers) wasn't (isn't) in nearly as good of shape as my Grandma's. We improved it some, but the forty years that house was around before we moved in definitely made it appear more it's age. I know repairs and updates cost money, but that isn't all of it. As Grandma says... just "taking good care of things" goes a long way. You know... an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure... and all that "old-fashioned" wisdom. [She also says it doesn't cost a lot to keep things clean. See? My disease is genetic. :) ]

It just struck me that two hotels, so very similar, gave off such different vibes. What motivates some people to take better care of their property than others? Is it just being cheap? Laziness? Lack of pride? Does geographical location play a factor?

I'm sure there is some lesson to be learned in this, although I'm not exactly sure what it is. If you've ever bought (or sold) a house you know that well cared for homes are worth more, financially speaking, but it's more than that. What do you think? Is a home (or property) a reflection of it's owners?

Crockpot Mac and Cheese

I had a request for this recipe and thought I'd throw it out on the blog to share. I got this recipe from my sister a few years ago and it has become a Sunday-after-church-lunch standby. We throw it in the crockpot while we're cleaning up breakfast and it's ready to eat when we get home.

Crockpot Mac and Cheese

1 pkg. (16oz) elbow mac
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine, melted
2 eggs, beaten (I have found these to be optional)
1 can (12oz) evaporated milk
1 can cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni noodles, do not over cook. While the noodles are cooking toss the margarine in the crockpot to melt (or you could microwave it). When it's soft/melted add milk, soup, evap. milk, cheese, and eggs (if you're adding them). Add cooked noodles to cheese mixture and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. If you're around give it a stir a few times while cooking.

*Optional: Reserve one cup of cheese and sprinkle it on top the last 15 minutes of cooking.
*If you like really creamy mac and cheese (like KFC), omit the eggs and cook just until heated through.

Heart Day

Happy Valentine's Day! We had a quiet day at home. Not that we ever do anything too exciting on V-day anyway, but it was extra quiet. We didn't even leave the house once. The boys have runny noses and terrible coughs so we didn't even go to church.
We don't usually go all out on the lesser holidays, but we do like to do a few fun things to celebrate. I made some delicious heart shaped scones for breakfast. I followed this recipe, except I substituted white chocolate chips for the almonds. The boys weren't too crazy about them but Jerry and I really enjoyed them. It's hard to tell from the photo but each heart has a center of strawberry preserves.

Then I made a heart shaped meatloaf for dinner. I took a picture but it doesn't do it justice. I thought about putting some red food coloring in the mashed potatoes but changed my mind. :) However, I did make red jello! Those who cleared their plates had a marble cake for dessert.

We have a busy week coming up so I hope the sickies heal quickly. The big AWANA Grand Prix is Tuesday. This year we will have three cars in the race. Eli made a gold car with lightening and a tornado on it, Justus made a blue car with Batman on the side, and Wesley's car was green with dinosaur stickers. The odds of a Shown family win are good for the next few years with so many cars in the race! Let's just hope that we don't have any brother vs. brother action!

We'll also be squeezing in a few follow up doctor appointments this week. One for Wes at the dermatologist and one for JD with the eye doctor. It should be interesting to hear what both doctors have to say.

I've been busy getting a presentation together for my mother's of multiples club. The first week of March I'll be talking about cleaning and organizing your home. (If you have any suggestions on what I should cover let me know.) When I signed up to do give the presentation it seemed so far away! I had thought that March, being almost spring cleaning time, would be a good time to do it. Now I can hardly believe that it's almost spring! The days are already getting longer. Is it just me or did winter seem short this year?

It Was a Dark, Dark Night

During the winter months we have a little tradition of turning on the fireplace (that's sound funny doesn't it?), eating marshmallows, and telling stories. The boys lovingly call it "campfire". As in: "Can we have campfire tonight?" We usually do this when Daddy is gone for some reason (political meeting), but occasionally he is here for the fun.

I usually tell the first story which goes something like this:

It was a dark, dark night in a dark, dark forest. In the dark, dark forest there was a dark, dark trail. At the end of the dark, dark trail there was a dark, dark house. In the dark, dark house there was a dark, dark hallway. Down the dark, dark hallway there was dark, dark room. In the dark, dark room there was a dark, dark closet. In the dark, dark closet there was something sitting in the corner. It was furry and had shiny eyes that reflected off the flashlight... it was a... TEDDY BEAR!

I tell the story in my best "campfire" voice and by the end the boys are usually all glued to me in fear. Even JD buries his little head. The stories are never really that scary, but you'd think they were if you could see the little listening faces. I guess fire light and darkness make even the lamest story better!

After I finish telling my story everyone else takes a turn. Their stories are basically mine retold at various levels. We don't have very many original story tellers here! This last time JD took a turn telling his story which was... mumbling interspersed with a few loud and clear words like "DARK" and "BEAR". It was pretty funny and he was pretty darn proud of himself. This was the first time he really participated in the story telling part, he's normally just in it for the marshmallows.

When we run out of "scary" (and I use the term loosely) stories, we tell tales about when each boy was born or, our new favorite, who has had what injury and how they got it. Thankfully (or not!) we have plenty of stories to share in that area (stitches, casts, dislocations, knocked out teeth, etc.). There's a benefit of having lots of kids you don't hear about too often! :)

When we're all done we turn off the fireplace, turn on the lights, and start getting ready for bed. A few minutes after we turn it off, as the metal cools and reshapes, the fireplace has it's say... it always makes a loud "BANG!" and we all, including fearless mom, jump a foot!

The Good Ol' (Blog) Days

I've been working on my next book and it's almost done! This book will be longer than the first since it will cover a year and a half of our lives. I made an executive decision to get my blog books on track with the calendar year versus yearly on my blogiversary, which is in May.

As I work on the finishing touches, I have been thinking back to how this blog looked when I first started it. I think the dots template was my first, but I seriously don't remember what my first header looked like! So, just for fun, I am planning to add a few screen shots of more recent changes (headers especially) to the new book. I want to remember what this little ol' blog looked like years from now.

Just like you take pictures of the kids to show how they've grown, I wish I would have done a better job taking "pictures" of my blog along the way. I can go to any post I've ever written, but I haven't really kept a record of the actual appearance of the blog on the screen. That's too bad because my blog has evolved a lot over the years. As I've learned more, it has become more "custom" and less "template".

So, if you have a blog (and you're a bit sentimental like me) you might want to take a screen shot once in awhile to help you remember what your blog looked like "way back when". I don't have any full screen shots but here are a few old headers...

Header Fall 2008

Header Christmas (December) 2008

Header Winter (January) 2009

Header Christmas 2009

(Cleaning) Lesson Learned

I recently read a great blog post titled: "What I learned from having a cleaning lady, and 5 reasons you should learn too." You should read it too!

Long post title, short lesson. One good deep cleaning will save you a LOT of time in the long run. I know some of you thought my cleaning lists were a little over the top but I'm telling you... taking a few days out to work through those checklists will make your house a lot cleaner from here on out with much less effort.

I spent the better part of Friday working on cleaning the kitchen, (it's the one room I didn't get to before the holidays and vacation) but I'm not quite done yet. I'll write up a post and a checklist to share soon... get ready though... the kitchen is the hardest room in the house!

Best Internet Finds of 2009

Last year about this time I posted my personal "best" internet finds of the year, so I thought I would do it again. There are so many wonderful websites and blogs out there! I know a lot of people use the internet for the wrong reasons, but there are lots of good, even uplifting, sites out there as well.

In my opinion, blogs are where it's at! No matter what your interests or hobbies, there are blogs out there for you! Google a few of your favorite things and see what comes up. Then get yourself a reader! It will make your blog reading so much faster and, therefore, more enjoyable. [I'm planning a post on readers soon. Seriously, everyone should have one.]

Freebies 4 Mom- this one isn't really "new". I've been reading this blog for way more than a year, but for some reason I didn't put it on my "list" last year. Heather will hook you up with THE best freebies online. Don't let the "mom" part fool you... there are freebies out there for everyone!

Homeschool Freebie of the Day- speaking of freebies, this is another awesome site. It's not just for homeschoolers. There are free e-books, audio, and downloads of all kinds. If you have kids or are just interested in learning something new... check it out.

Fit to the Finish- one of my favorite finds of the year. Diane is a fellow mom of many who lost over 150 pounds and has kept it off. Inspirational and practical. I want to be like her when I grow up. :)

Picnik- need to edit a photo? Make a collage? Add a funny caption? This is the site. Free and fun.

Librovox- offers tons of audio books all for free. All the books are read by volunteers. I highly recommend A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (read by Steve Anderson). I was truly sad when the book ended.

Swagbucks- need free money? Okay, maybe not free money but free gift certificates (to place you shop already, like Amazon). Just search the internet through Swagbucks and earn! Several bloggers mentioned that they were able to pay for Christmas using gift certificates earned through SB. [If you are interested in joining, please click through this link or email me. I get a few extra "bucks" for referring people.]

Grammar Girl- need to brush up on your grammar? I know I do! Sign up for the GG daily email and especially the podcast! You'll learn all sorts of stuff and laugh while you do.

Cake Wrecks- Need a good laugh? Look no further. Photos of cakes gone horribly wrong with the funniest commentary around. A new favorite!

6 Year Med- Stories from a med student. Heartbreaking at times and always very interesting.

Facebook- I finally joined the fun this past year. I've had a great time connecting with old friends and getting to know people better. If you're thinking about joining FB but aren't quite sure... just do it! (Peer pressure... it's a wonderful thing!) And if I'm not your "friend" on FB yet... add me!

The Prudent Homemaker- I don't even remember how I came across this site. What I do know is... it's a wealth of information on saving money and living within your means. Recipes, links, crafts, and just encouragement!

MomAdvice- Amy's blog is full of ideas to save you money and have fun with your family. I absolutely LOVE her weekly link roundup. I have found so many awesome recipes, crafts, books, and blogs through her links!

The Cutest Blog On the Block-want to add a special background to your blog? Check out all the cute (and really easy to install) backgrounds available. And if your brave enough to try and make your own there is a tutorial here. I've been dying to try it!

Go read last year's post for more... there are lots of great sites listed... most of them I still visit daily... via my reader, of course! And, please, share your favorite sites in the comments.

Date Night (at Home)

This past fall, my dad shared some venison with us. He suggested we save the best cut to fondue and serve it with some shrimp cocktail. So... being good, obedient children that's exactly what we did! Instead of using the fondue pot my dad also suggested using the FryDaddy, which worked quite nicely. To round out the meal we had some bread with two dips (one store bought spinach, the other homemade oil and herbs), both were delicious.

We fed the children early and kicked them out of the kitchen to watch a movie. We set out our spread, then ate and chatted. The food was excellent. We took a short reality break to clean up the kitchen and get the boys to bed before we settled down to watch a movie. We had Netflix send us "The Proposal". You won't get glowing reviews from either of us, but it was still fun.

I voted we should make this a monthly event. Coming up with delicious food to eat is easy (although if you have any recipe suggestions I'd love them). It's the movies that are hard to choose... we don't sit down to watch movies together very often because our taste in movies differs so much. Got any good movie suggestions?

Belated Birthday Post

Better late than never, right? We celebrated the twins birthday with just a small family party on the Saturday before their birthday. We thought we'd squeeze the celebration in before Roz left to go back to school. Since Grandma Linda and Pa are gone on vacation it was even smaller than normal! We actually had a good bit of cake leftover! Not that there were any complaints about that!


The boys didn't really express an interest in any crazy cakes this year so I just made a simple (aka boring) cake for each. Eli requested chocolate and Justus requested white. We had pizza burgers with several other favorite snack-ish foods (taco dip, olive bread) and, of course, the cakes.

Cousin Cooper enjoys a good party!

On their actual birthday we had pizza and cookie bars for dessert. A birthday package arrived in the mail so the boys were able to open a few gifts as well.
There's nothing like a birthday to remind us how time flies! Hope you had a very happy birthday Eli and Justus!

February Menu

Here is the February menu. As a reminder we have two week rotating lunch menu, one planned big weekend breakfast, and usually something in the crockpot for lunch after church on Sunday. I don't really plan veggies and side dishes ahead. We usually have a nightly salad and then some kind of frozen veggies. Side dishes are usually whatever sounds good and I have on hand (potatoes, rice, breads, etc.). If you want any recipes let me know.


Click the calendar above to enlarge. The monthly menu is also available anytime by clicking on the "Monthly Menu" tab near the top of the blog.