M's 1st Birthday Party

Well, it's hard to believe that a year ago today my lil' man joined our family!  It's been one of the best years of my life!

On Saturday we had an Airplane themed birthday party.  I really had a lot of fun planning all the little details (I was definitely channeling my crafty mom)!  I can't wait till he is old enough to choose his own theme.

And just in case anyone else is looking for ideas for an airplane party here is some of the things I did.
-Boarding Pass Invitations from MH (his initials) Airlines
-In flight Meal (Turkey and Ham Croissants in to go containers with chips & cheese square)
-Baggage Claim area for gifts
-Captains Chair aka Birthday Boys highchair
-I had a banner made welcoming guest to MH Airlines to Gate #1
-Airplane cookies with cotton candy clouds for guest to take home
-His smash cake was blue with white clouds, the #1 and a red airplane on top.  Guest could chose from vanilla or chocolate cupcakes with either clouds or windsocks on top
-I had guest sign a photo mat so we could frame it along with a smash cake picture
-Made water bottle labels with MH Airlines Jet Fuel
-and I found some wooden airplane coloring kits at Michael's as thank you gifts for the lil' guest.

30 Days of Thanks-Day 4

I am thankful that today is National Candy Day and that it gives me an excuse (like I need one) to get sweet treats all day today!  Happy Friday!

30 Days of Thanks-Day 3

Today I am thankful for my wonderful husband.  For having a man you TRIES to understand me and supports me no matter what.  I am thankful to have a husband who works hard both on the job and at home.  I love my Husband/Superdad!

30 Days of Thanks-Day 1 & 2

Like a lot of people on various social sites, I would like to make a post a day (being 1 day behind already) on what I am thankful for in my life.  Although this is really something I should do all year, this is a particularly good time of year to stop and take a second in our busy schedules to reflect on the positive things in our lives and to truly be thankful for them.

Day 1
I am thankful for my job.  For being able to provide for my family and allow us many comforts.  I am thankful that I am able to have a job that I enjoy!

Day 2
Today I am thankful for M sleeping in until 6:15 (even though I got up at 4:45 so I could get ready because I just KNEW he would be awake by 5:30!)


PS.  Sorry for the lack of post lately!  IT has blocked blogs and it's hard to get time on the computer at home and try and keep up with little man!

Petrifying Pumpkins!

We took Michael to the Scott Pumpkin Patch on Saturday.  It was a really nice place.  There is lots of stuff for kids, especially those that are a little older than Michael.  He loved the swing, petting chicks and bunnies, and watching the pig races.  However, he DID NOT like the pumpkins.  We tried twice setting him down among the pumpkins to try and get a cute photo to send out on some Halloween cards but all the pictures pretty much look like the one below.  It might not be the happiest picture but it still made for a great memory! 

Wordless Wednesday-WORK

Wrap It Up

Today is supposed to be Wordless Wednesday, but I have been meaning to post things every day this week so today it will be Wrap Up Wednesday.

Menu Monday

So far the No Eating Out is going pretty well for J & I!  The only time we have eaten out over the last 2 ½ weeks (and we paid) was a date day lunch at a Japanese place and donuts this last Sunday for our drive down to Stuttgart for church.

I can’t say that I have noticed any savings yet, but it has been nice knowing what is for dinner each night and having everything set out and ready to go the night before. 

The only (somewhat) downside is that I am doing all the work even though this was J’s bright idea!  I have made the menus, bought the groceries, and have done all the cooking and most of the cleaning!!  What’s up with that!  I don’t guess I should really complain.  It was at least 3 months or so after M was born before I did any cooking!  But next week will be J’s!  J

I am excited today that I found out about a local business that makes homemade meals everyday for $8 a person.  I figure this could be the best solution for those days that we really just don’t have time to cook, but we can still get a home cooked meal and not something fast food for about the same price.  They send out a menu every Sunday with the menu for each day.  There are a couple this week that sound really good.  I am sure we will probably try this soon and I will let you know how it is!

Tackle it Tuesday

There are always a million things on my list to try and get done each week.  I am totally a list maker and LOVE when I can mark though each item!  Before M, I would get a little stressed if by the end of the week most of the stuff hadn’t been marked off, not so much these days.  I’ve learned to do what I can, things can wait!  Here are a couple of the bigger things on the list for now…

1.       Organize all of M’s photos

2.       Finish up the remodel in the living room (this whole project has been going on for almost 2 months now!) so that we can move on to the dining room!  I want this done before the holidays!

3.       Order M’s Halloween costume

4.       Clean the house

5.       Bathe the dogs

6.       SLEEP

                       

Wordless Wednesday

Stickin’ with It!

One of my goals is to keep up with this blog better than I did my previous one; I am also hoping not to totally bore you all to tears.  So, I have now a theme for each day (don’t worry, I won’t be posting everyday) to help me have a little more structure to my lil’ space on the World Wide Web!

Menu Mondays

This I am hoping also helps with the NO EATING OUT!

Tackle It Tuesdays

Wordless Wednesdays

Failed at this yesterday

Thankful Thursdays

Foto or Focus Fridays

Let me know what you guys like or don’t like about what I post here.  I may (or may not) change it up a bit!  J

And for a Thankful Thursday

I am most thankful this week for the beautiful weather we are having and that I can finally take M outside to play or for a walk without us all sweating to death!

Saying NO to Eating Out!

J decided that for the month of September we are not going to eat out.  I think this is a great idea, not just for saving money (those $5-7 lunches add up quick, plus dinners out sometimes too) but more for spending that time at home and setting a good example for our son. (which will also include actually eating at the dinner table, but more on that in a later post after renovations are complete)

The 1^st big problem for us with this plan is that we typically only have about 8 meals that we rotate through, so new recipes are in order.  I have printed off a stack of about 20 or so, hopefully at least a couple of these will turn out and we can add them to our weekly menus. 

Weekly menus are another thing we have to get better about.  We buy the same stuff at the grocery store every two weeks and when it comes time to decide “What’s for dinner” we basically just peek in the cabinets and see what’s there and what’s easiest.  I know as we get better with planning meal that this will our spending at the grocery store and hopefully help cut out some of the junk food we by on impulse!

So here is my 1^st new recipe…

Feta and Bacon Stuffed Chicken from allrecipes.com

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/feta-and-bacon-stuffed-chicken-with-onion-mashed-potatoes/detail.aspx

It turned out okay.  J said he liked it but I wasn’t all that impressed.  To me it was a little salty and part of my chicken was dry.  The dry part could just be my cooking skills, which hopefully will also improve by the end of the month!  The time it takes to make this dish is good (about an hour, I cut some time by buying the already cooked bacon) but you will have a sink or dishwasher full of dishes before you even sit down to eat it.

I plan to periodically post the Good and the Bad of my TRAILS BY STOVETOP!  If you have any great recipes or cooking tips PLEASE share!!

Wordless Wednesday

Oh Baby

Our lil man M turned 8 months old this week.  It's amazing to me just how quickly the time has flown by and just how much he has changed since the day he came into our lives!

From such a sweet and innocent little thing. 

To an adorable little boy!

Who sometimes shows his alter ego "Crankie Frankie"!

I almost don't remember the days before M!  We are truely blessed to have such a sweet baby boy.  I can't wait to see what the days ahead will bring us.  As my dad would say "it'll be a hobbit's adventure for sure!"

I will try not to make all the post about M...but no promises!  :)