Food Food Food Glorious food

Some days I have a hard time moving from one blog to the other. I get emotional and I hate emotions I would rather they sometimes would take a very long vacation and bug someone else.

This week I have been pretty lazy. I didn’t make it to the temple, because graveyard shift doesn’t make it really easy to make it to a session when the week from Wednesday until Saturday your unavailable and dare I say ornery and tired.

We did however try out our new card table and gaming room thanks to Marshalls mom and dad. I also played cards that night before that so Marshall was hoping I got my fill of cards, which I did now I just need someone to want to play ticket to ride :-)

Marshall played in a city basketball league. They made it to the final championship. If they won the first game they won the championship tournament if they lost the other team had to win twice to win the championship. They lost the first game but they did win the second game. But Marshall was pretty tired by the end because the games were back to back. They laughed after the game at how small the word "champions" was on the shirt they won.

My fun info for the week is that I, with 2 ladies from my ward are going to open a bountiful baskets site here in Spanish fork. I have spoken with one of the schools nearby and am waiting on approval from them so I can go ahead and get us up and running in mid April. If not and we have to find a new site it will be mid may instead. I am excited to be doing something. I have been wanting to do some sort of activity that makes me feel good about my life. Everything seems to be on hold and I am tired of holding I wasn’t to get moving. So what better way than volunteering in my community, since nursery doesn’t count as something productive its just free babysitting. So that will be exciting I will let you know when it is a for sure thing I am crossing my fingers I get a call tomorrow.

I also signed Libby up for preschool. Because her birthday falls in September she gets to hang out with mom for another year. Do we are opting for a music preschool this year and then off to Aunt Andy’s learning preschool. She is so excited to be going to go she starts in September and I know with her love of music she will fall in love with her class and teacher.

So on to better things like FOOD!!!



not my picture and not this weeks produce



Some one suggested I blog about my bountiful baskets (BB) and how I use for the 3 of us an entire basket in 1 week. How to incorporate it into my freezer meal menus as well.

Let me start with my BB produce. This last week I received: apples, cutie oranges, bananas, mangos, pineapple, grapefruit, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, asparagus, zucchini type squash, carrots, yams. First I come home and put away things that are already ready to eat such as I put the apples and oranges in the drawer; the lettuce gets bagged and is ready for salads at anytime. I then take all the food that need to be cut to be used and cut it up. I put them in easy to access places like Tupperware towards the front of the fridge (i.e. pineapples, mangos) I also freeze any fruits that are not going to be eaten to be used in smoothies. Who doesn’t want a healthy snack for their kids? I then decide what veggies are acceptable to be frozen; Items that I can use in stir fry, casseroles, and freezer meals. I try to make my prep time for other meals quicker by having frozen food items available if we don’t have fresh. I leave alone the items that need to be used, because we use them quickly or because they aren’t good frozen or cant be frozen (i.e. yams, asparagus, banana-can also be frozen-grapefruit). Now some weeks I use every last item in my baskets either freezer worthy or we eat it quickly. If I however get items I am not so fond of such as grapefruits I give them to less fortunate like my family who will usually eat the things I don’t like. Thanks everyone for making me feel like I have donated to a good cause. Teehee I don’t want to waste so I try to take things to family gatherings that I know I won’t use quick enough or items I get regularly. For example the last 5 weeks we have received asparagus in our baskets (sometimes I get 2) well I can eat asparagus but Marshall is not a fan, and Libby will eat it every other time I make it. So I take it with me on Sundays to share my abundance with those that will eat.

I try not to plan my menu until after I have picked up my BB because I never know what I am going to get. So using this week’s basket I will tell you what my menu was.

Sunday- Potato soup. I used the extra baked potatoes my mom gave me added my frozen broccoli and cauliflower from last weeks baskets. It holds up well in the fridge for several days I still need to try the freezer to see how it does.

Monday- sweet and sour chicken (a freezer meal recipe) and stir fried veggies with rice. I had carrots, zucchini, and asparagus and from last weeks I had broccoli that I froze. I julienned the veggies and stir fried them I saved money because I didn’t have to by a bag of stir fry veggies to make my dish.

Tuesday-breakfast- Marshall Libby and I all have a fruit smoothie. Strawberries (frozen), banana, mangos and fuse add flavor and liquid( i use whatever juice is avaliable. This makes a very delicious drink that on my part does not need to have sugar added to make it taste better.

Wednesday- Spaghetti (a freezer meal) I took and added some zucchini to the sauce to add a bit more to it. And a salad on the side, using carrots, lettuce, and cheese.

Thursday- BBQ Beef sandwiches (a freezer meal) served with sweet potato fries. You cut them into wedges, olive oil and salt them bake at 350 for 15 min (these are great on the grille to). What a yummy dinner.

I have taken apples for this week and turned them into apple pie mixes that are great for a quick on the go pie. You can make your own crust or have a premade one like I do for those days that you forget you need a dessert.

I can take and use my fruits for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack and add a healthy side. We try to make the most out of what we have. I have a small budget (because I made it, not Marshall, he would like the entire blame to go to me) I want to make the most of what I get every week in my BB. SO I plan my meals around what I already have. I try to make my basket go for more than just that week I freeze or can the items I know I can use later. It keeps the budget where I want it and my family eats much healthier and we are constantly trying new foods. Who knew I would love pineapple, or mangos, or asparagus, I still don’t like grapefruits.

So to those wondering how I use my entire basket. I make every last item go as long as it can. That’s how you save money. And make good food.

A little FYI: I have been adding all my blog worthy recipes to my recipes page I have mentioned a few above that others have made for me. I am working on getting those recipes so I can share. I only put the BEST meals on my blog as Marshalls says to keep my cooking reputation. I am looking at helping Haley find organic and easy to digest meals so will post about what we find in the future so keep an eye out for that.

PPS: Private adoption agencies charge ridicules amounts of money to adopt. I can’t decide if the wait of possibly 2 months to get a baby is worth $30,500. What do you think?

Shopping, Shopping and more Shopping!

Life comes pretty quick when nothing really happens. Some days you think the end of the week will never come then others, the month is already over and who know what happened to the time.

Life seems to be busy and I don’t know that I did anything really productive.

Marshall has been playing basketball in a league with some guys from his work. He really does love to play and stay active. His team has made it to the championship game tonight. Libby is so excited to go watch him play.

He also has made it 5 years at USSynthetic!!! YEAH for him! That means he gets a five year gift from the company. He had been debating over a few things the last year but finally decided on a Mountain bike. It has had him all excited for the past week since he picked it up. The problem has been the weather has not been nice enough for him to go take it for a real ride.

                                          

We also splurged this week. Since we are really frugal with our money, taxes and bonus all have purposes well before we ever see them (baby, they can be so expensive :-) ) we bought something for the house. Our house sometimes bothers us with how not functioning it can be. We have a lot of wasted space that we wish we could use. So while browsing at Ikea (new favorite store for household items) we found a cheap table top, and bar stool chairs. No we did not change our kitchen table again ( some days I wish). We made ourselves an entertainment area upstairs in our loft.  We put the table top over the stairs. There is now a place to play games, do homework, eat food, or house all sorts of stuff that we are to lazy to put away (hehe). We are really excited to be able to use this new table for cards and not be keeping Libby awake while doing it. Sorry I went to take a picture,and it looks really odd...but it is not... you will have to come see for your self.

I went shopping the past week. I hate shopping and I hate it even worse when I have to take Libby with me. I hate not being able to have her attached to me. I don’t want to lose her, and she loves to wander. But the best part of shopping with her is seeing what things she is drawn too. I would have thought scarves or pretty dresses? But she loves the bracelets. It does not matter which little shop we go to she finds and wears one the entire time. A bracelet on each arm and she looks cute in them too.

She has also found a new love, the tool skirt she got for Christmas 2 years ago. She has worn that thing everywhere. Sorry to all those who have seen her crazy wardrobe she wont change not even with a bribe. When that skirt is unavailable she has a purple dress my mom got her and it looks like a flower girl dress (with tool and all) and she loves to dance around the house in it.

Just so you know I did purchase a beautiful dress but once I got home I realized that it was a linen dress and I am in nursery and have a toddler. I took it back and bought a couple of cardigans instead. I am trying to add to my wardrobe one piece at a time.

Oh and I did a bracket for the March madness, my first one ever.  Marshall laughed when I picked my teams I went by name, mascot, color and rank (which ever one Marshall knew) and I did pretty good considering I know nothing about college basketball.  I don’t think he will ever ask me to do a bracket again.  But you just wait and see how well I do.  This morning I was 28^th and one of Marshall’s is coming in at 12^th.  So I think I am doing pretty well.

Marshall informed me that I have not written anything about Haley here at all. Haley is my 17 year old sister who, runs track (and was in state championships the last year). Played piano and taught it. She had a job she worked at when she did not have track training every day after school. She was taking several AP classes trying to get as far ahead in college as she could. She never stopped going. At the beginning of January she got sick and has not gotten better. After being in and out of the hospital and emergency room and seeing numerous doctors they …think… she has a paralysis of her digestive track.

In her words “

My stomach is not digesting food very well. So my diet is extremely limited. (here is just a comparison, a regular person digests food in about 103 minutes, mine is taking 430 minutes before it really is digesting much) is not fun and very painful. And since my stomach is having all these issues, it has caused my joints to swell up and become arthritic and so I walk like I am 90. It’s great. But we are trying holistic doctors and hopefully they will find something. We think it might be an auto immune disease or auto immune sickness we just don't know what yet. So hopefully they start finding things. I’ve pretty much dropped out of school and am doing my work slowly. That’s just a quick brief overview. But I am not feeling any improvement in the joints or the stomach and that’s been there for about a month and a half. But my attitude has been better. I just try to be positive :) cuz that’s about all I can do!!”

I stole it off face book hehe. She really is looking a lot better the last 2 weeks. I know that it has nothing to do with her feeling better it just means she is learning how to deal with it. She is a real trooper and I know I could never handle the pain and loneliness she has been dealing with. I am proud of her for her change in attitude and thinking. It has been a testimony to me and a faith builder to see her struggle and rise above and make the best of what she has been given. We pray every day that they can find something to help her feel better and get rid of the pain. But she says she just goes 1 day at a time.

Also check out my recipe page for a great easy and cheap dessert.   Also I updated my menus page.

Children know how to try your patience

 Last week I was beyond help and when I wrote. This week I have my wits about me. However that does not mean that being a mom is any easier than last week its just that I am working on my patience this week.

Marshall and I took Libby on Saturday to the zoo. I choose not to go without him because there is no way on this earth that I have the strength to push her around those hills. I do my bountiful baskets and then spend the rest of the day exhausted on the couch so sorry for all those who want to do stuff on Saturdays I just am not usually up to any more physical exertion. But on to the zoo. Libby Loved it. We called my brother Joe and his wife and asked if they wanted to join us. Cousin time YEAH!!! The kids had a blast and loved to see each other. We rode the train together and Marshall said “the look on her face was worth the drive up here” she loved the train ride. She loved all the animals.

We hit up Ikea to get a few things of necessity like their cinnamon rolls. And some other stuff. Yes we love the cinnamon rolls they make us smile, but not our waists. We headed home to finish writing our talks for Sunday.

Talks … well next time we give our talks I hope it is not on daylight savings time again that made it a bit more difficult to plan our sleep and get ready schedule. Marshall slept in not on purpose. And his talk was not done I felt bad. Libby did not want to get out of bed. I was all ready and prepared for the talk ahead of me. Looking back at it now, something usually goes wrong when you need everything to go right. Well we got to church and both our parents came to watch us speak. Libby walked in and saw my dad first. She got really excited and went running to where he was sitting. When she got there Marshall’s dad was on the end by the isle and she stopped and looked so excited surprised, happy and didn’t know what to do because she did not want anyone to move because she wanted all her grandparents all at the same time. Well we got seated on the stand and set to be a nervous nelly until it was my turn to speak (I was first). Well the meeting went as it usually does and then the sacrament came around. I guess I grabbed 2 pieces of the bread well one fell…right down my shirt! I was already so nervous I just started laughing. It was almost uncontrollable laughing. Marshall leaned over and I told him what I had done and he just about died laughing. So I waited until the prayer and went digging for bread…yes down my shirt…I sure hope that only a couple of people saw what I did because I was sure embarrassed. But it made for a great laugh at bunco on Monday night.

Marshall started school last week on Tuesday night from 6:30-8:30. It is an online class and he does class upstairs. I know it is nice because he is home, but Libby does not quite understand that dad is in class and can’t be bothered. She will get used to it though repetition does that.

Some days being a mom can be really trying such as when you notice that your child has drawn all over your walls with crayon. I tried really hard not to yell at her but I made her scrub the walls clean with the magic eraser. I hope that she learned not to color on the walls. I am sure that it will happen more times… but I will be ready…because children really like to push parent’s buttons.  Libby is cleaning the walls in both pictures.

don't forget to check my recipe page.

week of thoughts

Most days I don’t think about the fact that I can’t have another baby. Most days it doesn’t bother me much. I remember a long time ago that the doctor had told me that the chances of me having children were not great. I was like 14 and who wants kids at 14. Well life went on and I grew up. I always knew in the back part of my mind that I probably wasn’t going to have kids the way everyone else did. But that never bothered me. Like I said most days it doesn’t. I guess this week was one of those that it just did. I was reading the twilight series for like the 4th time. I like reading it because none of the things she goes through are things I go through. A different life story…until it hit me I was in the 3rd book and one of the characters was saying that all she wanted was a baby, something she could never have. It hit hard, something that should not bother me but every once in a blue moon it does. So I put the book down mad, that it bothered me and went to my iPod hoping that someone had face booked something to change my thoughts for the moment. My wonderful cousin had posted beautiful pictures of her new baby. She really is beautiful. Her beautiful baby reminded me of Libby and she has the same black hair the same little cheeks. I guess I just got jealous. Some days I am glad that it is just Libby, Marshall and I, Some days I wish I could have another baby, most days I am glad that I cant (for health reasons only). But those moments that I am jealous make me sad I hate feeling that way. I love to see how happy families are. I love to see the joy that a child brings into the lives of mother’s, fathers, brothers and sisters. And I just pray even harder that the Lord will one day answer my prayers. But I am not sad! I am Happy that I have Libby she may have the 2 year old horribleness some days, but its when I need it most that she says I love you mom you’re my best friend… then all the sadness I have melts away into gratitude that the Lord blessed me with One wonderful little girl. And I know I am lucky to have that.

Libby has been trying to decide if she still needs naps. I think she does and some days she thinks she doesn’t. But on Monday morning she woke up at like 4 am (Marshall heard her before he left for work). This is how I found her at 8 am. All her books every last one. All her puzzles, cards, magnets, puzzle pieces. Everything that was on her book shelf was now on her bed. She had been reading all night.  Nap times have the same feel and look to them that monday morning did.  Marshall laughed, I just signed…ohhh no... she is growing out of naps.  I hope not, I still need that 2 ½ hours of quiet time for my sanity’s sake.

I got a hair cut. I love it

Also check out my recipe page.  I put on a great chicken recipe!

Libby answers all my questions with an "UUMMMMM"

 I had a suggestion to ask Libby Questions and get her answers so here it goes

What is your name? I wibby

When is your birthday? It’s daddys birthday yeah!

How old are you? I two

Who is your mommy? britty

What does your mommy do? Play toys

Who is your daddy? He marshall

What does your daddy do? UUUMMM I don’t know He play his friends

What is your favorite color? blue

What is your favorite food? waffles

What is your favorite animal? Little bear

Where do you live? I live in Spanish fork

What do mommy and daddy do after you go to bed? Go to sleep!!!

What does daddy say? Your my best friend

What does mommy say? Go ni-night

What is your favorite song? Twinkle little stars

What is your favorite movie? Dip me (despicable me) just shake booty

Who is your favorite person? Emily her babysitter

Who is your best friend? I am (she says she is her own best friend)

What is your favorite book? Jonah and the whale

What is your favorite thing to do? I know…read book and play sea shells

don't forget to check out my recipes page for the recipe of the week!