Menu 8/8 to 8/14 & Recipe

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday because I was basically just being too lazy. Sometimes it is really fun to just be lazy:) Don't judge me, please. My Sunday posts are going to be my book posts, so I will save that for later in the week. I am going to try to do a menu/recipe post on Mondays from now on. I think I will really like coming back to see what we were eating. I also know I get a lot of inspiration from other people's menus around the web, so maybe I can encourage some of you.
I am linking up with "Menu Plan Monday" on Organizing Junkie.


I didn't pick the best week to post a menu because I am trying to skip going to the store this week. Our pantry and freezer are pretty full, so once in a while I try to do a "clean out" to make room. This week would be one of those.

Breakfast:
I usually just switch around a few of the same things -
waffles
pancakes
eggs and bacon or sausage
cereal
french toast

Lunch:
Again, we just do a lot of the same week after week -
grilled cheese with apple slices
macaroni and cheese with peaches
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with goldfish
leftovers from dinner the night before
Bagel bites
we even throw in a $1.99 happy meal from McDonald's every once in a while (I just can't beat the price even though I know it isn't the healthiest option. Sometimes easy and cheap just win the battle.)

Dinner:
Sunday - Pizza at mom and dad's
Monday - Baked Ziti, salad and garlic bread
Tuesday - Farewell dinner for my brother at my parents (I will probably bring a dessert)
Wednesday - Taco Pie & Mexican Rice (recipe will be at the end of post)
Thursday - Chicken on the grill, egg noodles with burned butter, broccoli
Friday - We usually get pizza or some kind of quick dinner, so I get the night off:)
Saturday - This is open night. We either cook together or go out with friends or do whatever comes up.
Sunday - Pasta night. Every week Tim makes his special sauce, and we always do pasta dinner as a whole family.

Recipe for Tace Pie:
I don't have the exact recipe for this. I have seen differnet things around the internet, so I kind of made up my own version that we really like.

Ingredients:
4-6 tortillas (the mid size, not too big or too small)
1 lb. cooked ground beef (Cook it with a taco seasoning packet)
Salsa
1 can of enchilada sauce
2 cups of cheddar cheese

What to do:
*I use 2 glass pie plates to make these
*Start with a layer of enchilada sauce at the bottom of each pie plate
*Place a tortilla down.
*Meat on top
*Add a little salsa
*Lastly, sprinkle some cheese & repeat layers
*I stick with 2 layers, but you can do 3 if you want)
*Cook on 350 for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Doesn't that sound easy?
We top these with more salsa, lettuce and sour cream. You can use whatever favorite taco toppings your family likes.

I also make a homeade salsa and will put the recipe here as well. As if this post wasn't already long enough:)
Ingredients:
1 (28 ounce) can of whole tomatoes with juice
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of rotel with cilantro and lime
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove of garlic minced
1 whole jalopeno quartered and diced (I remove the seeds)
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cumin

Throw it all in the food processor and grind until desired consistency. I usually have to half it and grind two sets to get it the way we like it. It makes a lot. Refridgerate for at least an hour. It tastes better the longer it is in there. Serve with tortilla chips or taco pie:) I usually store it in a left over glass jar - a big one like the applesauce size.
Enjoy:)

Breastfeeding - Don't read if you don't care:)

I just heard that this week was World Breastfeeding Week. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but I am glad there is.

I have nursed both my babies, so I thought out of respect for this special week I would tell a little about my experience with breastfeeding. I will try to be somewhat discreet, although breasts must be involved (hence the title). I hope to encourage anyone who is trying to decide whether to breastfeed or not, but I am in no way acting like breastfeeding is the only way to go. I am not ignorant enough to think that formula fed babies aren't as terrific or exceptional as breastfed ones. This is just my story, and we will leave it at that.

When I had George I planned on breastfeeding from the get-go. I didn't worry about it too much and just figured if it was too difficult I would let it go. I was the first in my group of friends to have a baby, so I didn't have a lot of people my age encouraging me one way or another. I try to be a pretty "go with the flow" type of person, so I just looked at it as one of those things that I hoped worked out. If it didn't, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I did like the idea of saving a lot of money by not having to buy formula, so that contributed to my decision as well.

On the day I birthed George I immediately felt a type and intensity of love that I had never experienced before. I wanted to do anything and everything to protect this child and give him all the best I could possibly give. As soon as he came out the nurse asked if I was planning to breast feed. I said yes, and she put him on my breast. It was a little frustrating at first to get him to latch on, but after a few tries we got the hang of it. At least I thought we did. Over our 48 hour stay in the hospital we had good and bad feeding sessions. I did have the lactation consultant in the room once or twice. She helped both Tim and I understand what a good latch looked like and how to accomplish the best feedings. I definitely recommend using their services as needed.

Once we got out of the hospital my doctor really helped me when I got frustrated or scared because George didn't gain a lot of weight in the beginning. I did have to supplement with formula after each feeding for the first three weeks or so. I remember having to pump almost every feeding because instead of getting better at latching on, he seemed to get worse as the weeks went on. My doctor told me that if I kept trying eventually he would get it. I never gave up, which I honestly think is the most important trait you can have as a breastfeeding mom. Once I thought it might not work out, I got this determination I never knew I had. I can honestly say that I had never in my life been so set on something. I wanted this boy to take my milk from my breast. Wouldn't you know it . . . at about one month old he did it.

We never looked back from that point on. He never needed anymore formula, and I nursed him until he was 13 months old. We had a few struggles along the way, but as I said before my determination kept us both on track. One book that I always tell people who plan on breastfeeding to buy is The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

I do remember feeling the strain of the sacrifice as I couldn't travel or really do much of anything since I had to be there when he woke up and when he went to sleep. Looking back though, it really wasn't much of a sacrifice at all.

When I had my second son, I obviously was a little more educated on the subject. He was a much better nurser from the get-go, but we did have a few (one MAJOR) hiccup in our journey. On his second night home, Ethan spit-up blood. I knew this was in no way normal or right, so we rushed him to the emergency room at 4 am. It was an awful experience, but the problem ended up being me not him. He was such an aggressive nurser that he had punctured one of my milk ducts and then gotten my blood in his milk. I didn't even feel it, but that should tell you about Ethan's personality. He never lost a pound after birth because he ate so good.

He is now 11.5 months old and still going strong on the boob. He loves to nurse and still does it about 3-4 times a day. I plan on weaning him around 13 or 14 months like George. I felt like it was a good age, but again, I know people who do it much longer.

I do plan on breastfeeding all my babies. I really feel like it gave me a bond no one else could ever duplicate with my sons. I feel like God gracefully allowed me to accomplish what I set out to do. It really is a beautiful thing, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Laundry & Friday Favorites

I don't have too much time to write today. This is what I have been doing all morning and what I will be doing for most of the rest of the day.

The pathetic part is that I took the picture after I already put away a load of towels and sheets. I also still have about half a load in the boys' hamper and a full load of darks and whites for Tim and I. So is the life of a mom, right?

Now on to the fun stuff . . . Friday Favorites:
1. Favorite Hairstyle of the week. I don't love this hairstyle because it is so beautiful (it is cute, but that is not the point). I love it because it seems to work best for coarse, curly hair. That is my kind of style. It also looks easy, which is something I desperately need at this stage of my life. My most favorite thing about the style is that it keeps all the hair up, which is a must for the blistering heat we have here in Florida 9 months out of the year.

2. Favorite moment of the week. Ethan is officially walking. I know I am in for it now, but there is something so sweet about a walking baby. He is pretty steady for a beginner, but it is so funny to watch him shift his weight with each step and concentrate so hard for each inch he moves. He has been such a blessing in every way, and I can't believe how fast he is growing up.

3. Favorite outfit of the week.
Can you tell I am sick of the hot weather? I like the comfortable look of this outfit, but I love the yellow pop of color in the tights.


Have a great weekend!

A Day In My Life - Disney World

This week "Gussy Sews" inspiration prompt was A Day In The Life. I know I did one of these recently about my time at home with the kids. I thought I would change it up and give you a picture of how we spent our Saturday at Disney World.


6:30 am - Our two lovely children begin to rustle and make us aware that it is time to start the day.
7:15 am - Go downstairs in our hotel for breakfast. It is a continental breakfast, but this does not stop Goerge from taking an hour to eat one piece of peanut butter toast and one donut.

8:15 am - In our car and on our way to park at the Pop Century Hotel. It has the quickest bus to Hollywood Studios, which is where we are spending our day.
9:00 am - Arrive at the park and head in. Tim runs to the Toy Story ride to get fast passes because they are always the first to run out.
9:15 am - We are in line to meet Donald and Daisy. We get their autographs and give hugs before moving on.

Side Note: Buy an autograph book before you go. I figured those puppies were going to be expensive, so I bought George a little notebook from Party City with Mickey Mouse on the front. The book was perfect for George, and the price was perfect for Mommy - Win, win!
9:30 am - Get our picture with Mater and Lightning McQueen - vroom, vroom.

9:45 am - Mommy gets in line to wait for Phineas and Ferb, while Daddy takes the boys to the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground.

10:00 am - We are second in line to meet, hug, and get autographs from Phineas and Ferb. It was our first time meeting these characters in the flesh, so it was an exciting morning.

10:30 am - Disney Junior show with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, and Jake & the Neverland Pirates. Lots of dancing and laughs were had by all.

11:00 am - Went in the imagination studio, so George could meet Mickey, Winnie the Pooh, and Mr. Incredible. Mommy and Ethan stayed in the foyer area of the air conditioned (THANK GOD!) building, so Ethan could nap and Mommy could read.

Noon - Daddy and George went to get lunch and bring it back to the air conditioned room. Side Note: The best lunch in Hollywood Studios is at Min & Bill's Dockside Diner. The chicken ceasar sandwich is super delish. Most quick service food at Disney isn't the best, but you will thank me if you ever have a chance to get your hands on one of these.
12:30 pm - We wake Ethan up to go to the first "American Idol" show of the day. It is Mommy's favorite. It did not disappoint.
1:30 pm - We use our fast passes to go on the Toy story ride. It is so much fun, even though Daddy got the highest score.

2:15 pm - We leave the park to go back to the hotel for a nap.
2:45 pm - We get back to the hotel and a fire alarm is pulled. We have to wait for the sirens to go off before laying down to sleep.

5:45 pm - We all get up and head out for dinner.
6:30 pm - We eat dinner in Downtown Disney at "Earl of Sandwich." It is super yummy.
7:30 pm - We are back at Hollywood Studios to do a few things we missed in the am.

8:00 pm - George and I ride Star Wars, and Ethan and Daddy go watch The Muppets show.
9:00 pm - We all ride "The Great Movie Ride."
9:30 pm - We take the kids to "Rockin' Rollercoaster." The employee at the entrance lets us go in the single rider, fast pass lane, so we can go one at a time while the other waits with the kids. It was so fast and so fun.
10:15 pm - We go in the huge amphitheater to wait for "Fantasmic" to start. We have never seen this show before and were pleasantly surprised. It had fireworks and everything.

11:00 pm - Show is over, so we begin our long trek to the bus.
12:00 am - We finally get back to our room and all hit the sack for the night:)

Wow, that was a long day:) The next morning we had breakfast with some characters, so I will leave you a picture of the whole Bettelli family.

Question of the day

Yesterday, George and I were in the car. He asked me a very intelligent question:
"Mom, when daddies get old like grandpas can they still put the baby seeds into mommies?"

Background: We had a converstaion with George a while back about where babies come from. He is a very inquisitive little boy and doesn't forget anything we say. I knew we had to be strategic about our story, but I also didn't think honesty would be the best policy in this situation with a four year old. I am leaving that conversation to Tim when both the boys get older . . . Ahem.

Anyways, the best story I could come up with was that daddies plant seeds in mommies' bellies. Those seeds then grow into babies over the course of nine months. Then the mommies deliver the babies from their bellies. He did ask where they came out, but I avoided that one with a good old game of distraction.

It gets even better because like I said, George never forgets anything. One night my friend (name will be changed to protect the innocent) "Plate" came over to go out to dinner with me. I hadn't seen her in a long time, so she came in to see the kids really quick before we left. She is a thin little thing, so it wasn't like she had a big ole belly or anything. George went up to her and asked her if she had a baby seed in her belly. She said "no," and as is the natural course of conversation for a four year old, he asked "why?" She said she wasn't sure (as she is cracking up). He told her she better tell her husband to put that baby seed in there. It was pretty crazy because "Plate" had been trying to get pregnant and was actually with child at that point, although very early on and not telling many people.

So, I am sure you are dying to know how I answered the question from yesterday . . . I just told George that "no, eventually daddies run out of baby seeds. That is why grandpas and grandmas can't have babies when they are old."

That was seriously all I could come up with on short notice. Don't judge me, ok?
Anybody have any better ideas about explaining all things baby and birth related to young children? I am obviously at a loss:)

Classic George

Funny story from our drive home on Sunday . . .

George has some "imagination" friends. He has one named Bongo, one named Tree, one named Lake . . . you get the picture. These dudes show up in all sorts of random places as we go about our day. It is really funny because George totally knows they aren't real. He will talk to them and talk about them, but if you try to pretend they are real he will say, "Mom, they are just imagination friends, not real ones." Ok, George, whatever you say:)

On our way home this past weekend we were having a conversation about these friends. George asked Tim and I if we wanted to talk to a new friend on the phone. This new friend was named "Cup." Tim said he would love to talk to Cup, so he carried on a short, imaginary conversation with this friend. Tim then proceeded to tell George that he had a new imagination friend too and his name was "Plate." George said (and I quote), "Dad, Plate? That is a really weird name."

Oh, George, we love this about you:)

Reader Submitted Recipe

I found this lovely recipe waiting for me in my inbox yesterday. I have not tried it yet, but I thought I would share it with you. It was submitted by one of my faithful readers:) Thanks, Rosie!

So I was going through my recipe box and found this breakfast recipe that I thought you might like you can add it to your collection.

Sour Cream Waffles
- 5 large eggs
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1 C all purpose flour
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger, cardamom or cinnamon
- 1 C sour cream
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- olive oil, veg oil or melted butter for the waffle iron
- 1 C berries, fresh or frozen (frozen berries should be heated prior to serving)

1. Beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 to 8 minutes. When the beater is lifted, it should trail a ribbon of batter.
2. Whisk together the flour, salt and spice. With a spoon, alternately fold into the mixture half of the flour mixture, the sour cream and then the remaining flour mix. Lightly stir in the melted butter. Then let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
3. Heat a nonstick or well greased waffle iron to medium high. Brush iron lightly with oil or melted butter. Puor 1 3/4C batter and cook until golden, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes per side for a stovetop waffle iron. If you have an electric iron it will beep when the waffle is done. Serve with berries or berry sauce on top. You can also top with a little dolp of sour cream.

My husband and son love these when I make these on Saturday mornings so I thought I would share with you since you have your blog now. As I go thru my recipies I will send you one here and there if I think you may like it.