Menu...take 3

Alright...so this is working out okay!  

I forgot to post a couple other "corrections"...when we went to mooch spend quality time with my folks on Tuesday night, mom had already made the potato soup that I had posted for Friday night.  So Friday was date night anyway- so it was no big deal.  Then Saturday- I didn't really have leftovers, so we did chicken alfredo.  (Just the canned sauce...I have tried to no avail with homemade sauce and just wasn't feeling like Giada.)  

Okay...so tonight we had Italian chicken (easy peasy--- chicken tenderloin cooked in Italian dressing on the stove top til cooked through- yummy), green beans, wild rice, and rolls.  AND Jared and I even got to enjoy a quiet candlelit dinner!  Both of the boys took late naps today because it was SOOOOO  beautiful here (and yes- it did snow 5 inches 5 days ago and it was 70 degrees today.)  So instead of waking them up for supper, we decided to let sleeping dogs lie and enjoy our dinner in the quiet.  We got sat down and Jared said "I feel like we should light some candles or something."  So I did...I mean...it is Valentine's day!!! 

{{{And I'll have you know...we both showed great self-control...I really DIDN'T feel like cooking tonight-- feeling rather sluggish here lately...and he was going to go to the dip (or here)...but we didn't...we figured the good Lord was trying to tell us something when we landed on tails 3 times in a row}}}

So Tuesday:  I'd love to get the grill out and do hamburgers because it is supposed to continue to be BEAUTIFUL all week--- but we might just have to settle for tacos...burgers means a trip to the store to get buns and stuff!  Trying really hard to stick with stuff I already have in the pantry!  

(speaking of pantries...have you ever seen this?!  Isn't it so cute??  Jared is wanting to take the doors off our pantry because a our house has settled, the doors dont' shut right...but who wants an open pantry?!  If mine could look like this- I would do it!) 

Wednesday: I checked out church menu--- no red beans and rice- but meatloaf!!  Not usually a meatloaf fan unless it's the recipe I use from my good friend Anna Katherine, but it's yummy- and Miles will probably eat it if he doesn't see the chicken nuggets first!!

Thursday:  for sure something in the crockpot...haven't decided exactly what yet- but I've got a few recipes in stock.

Friday: Bible study at church reading this- it's great-- I would seriously recommend it to any parent even if their kid is calm, cool, and collected!  Such great insight on human emotions of anger and frustration- and really speaks to parent's heart's first before telling you how to "fix" your kid!!  

Saturday: my little Lumberjack's birthday party!!  Fend for yourself until party time!!  

Hope you have a great week!!  What's cooking at your house this week?!

Do this to your bacon...

Well...I was off to a good start!

{{{keep scrolling if you want the bacon part}}}

Except my poppyseed chicken that I said I was going to make turned into chicken and noodles.  (fantastic)

Easy Creamy Chicken and Noodles
(sorry for the approximate measurements...that's just how I roll cook)

egg noodles (i use about half a bag)
chicken stock to boil noodles in (or do water and about 2 Tbsp chicken bullion cubes) (about 3 cups)
2 big cooked chicken breasts, diced or shredded
1 can cream of mushroom
1 cup milk
1 can mixed veggies (or you can do frozen, just add them in time for them to cook.  the canned you don't have to wait to thaw and cook, just warm)
cheese (if you want it- I added it, but would have been fine without it)

Boil noodles in chicken stock.  Drain.  Add chicken, cream of chicken, milk, veggies, cheese. Mix all together and let it sit until milk and cream of mushroom evaporate into noodles.  I let mine sit for about 20 minutes on low heat.

I loved that this was sooooo easy and delicious!  Now...part of it was that my cooked chicken breast was cooked good--- I had it in the freezer from when i had cooked several breasts in the crockpot a couple weeks back.  I cooked it in some broth, water, s/p, and a little garlic and onion.  I had let the chicken thaw all day, so it was ready to add into the creamy chicken and noodles.

Then...

the snow came.

Okay- if you read my blog and you're not from around these Southern parts...snow shuts us down for days.  Half and inch or 3 feet...seriously folks.  My mother-in-law said this one was a "2 loafer" (she heard it on the weather channel) {and if you need further explanation like I did...it means 2 loafs of bread}

So of course church was cancelled...meaning I didn't get my yummy red beans and rice this week!!  Hopefully we'll have it next week!  So once I left the schoolhouse (knowing we weren't going anywhere for 2 days) I did what every good Southern woman does...I went to the Kroger(s) for toilet paper and milk.  {we seriously did need both}  And it seriously snowed while I was in there!!!  I also made the decision while in there to pick up some bacon, eggs,  and orange juice--- we were having breakfast for dinner at the Darby's.

So.  Wednesday night we had pancakes, bacon, and eggs.  Let me give you a few helpful tips and hints...

1.)  pancakes- use Pioneer baking mix.  I use it for my biscuits and pancakes and LOVE it!!  There have been times I haven't gotten the pancakes just right...and I've tried a little bit of everything.

2.) Do this to your bacon:  mix about a 1/2 Tbsp. each mustard and honey, and about 1/2 c brown sugar in a plastic bag.  Put your bacon in there to coat it.  Place it on a wire cooling rack, then onto a cookie sheet (lined with parchment or foil for easier clean up).  Put in 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes---- DELISH!  Even the burnt parts are delicious because they're drizzled with honey!!  

Okay--- the rest of the week went as planned (except that darn roast...but now I can't even think of what we did instead!) Our date night at church was cancelled because of the snow, but Meme and Jimbo came through for us!  So we house-swapped!  They came down and kept the boys while we ordered a pizza and got a movie at the Redbox and went back to their house to watch it in the quiet!!  So nice!  

Next post will be this week's menu!  

And the Dentist Story Continues...

Thought this was too funny not to share...this was in the mail today--

Bday Post, Part 2 + Tales from the Dentist

Here are some pics I told you I'd post!  But first...I'm going to make you endure my thoughts from the day...

Have you taken your child to the dentist yet?  My dear friend shared with me today that her dentist had told her that your child will handle the dentist similarly to how they handle getting their haircut.  Well- I'm glad sweet friend didn't tell me that before we went to the dentist this morning, because I would have been sadly disappointed!  It was the worst experience to date with my dear 3 year old.  He does beautifully when getting his haircut!  Now, he always has his game face on- but there is no screaming or worrying if he will be cut with the scissors!  The dentist on the other hand was a completely different story!

Now, in explaining to Miles last night what we'd be doing this morning, he told me "no".  This morning, when telling him what we'd be doing today, he said "no".  On the way to the dentist office, he said "no".  I mean, it's not like I would have canceled his appointment or anything, but I guess I should have taken a clue that this was not going to be pleasant.  So we get there and of course there are a few toys to play with (we're at a pediatric dentist).  He continued on in his grumpy mood by not wanting to share with the other children (usually not a problem, especially when we're not on his "turf").  {Important to note: I had Owen with me, too- I had woken him up from his nap to take Miles to the dentist.  Luckily, he was still in a daze from being woken up, so he just chilled in the stroller throughout the whole fiasco.}  So they call us back, and he says he doesn't want to go.  Now seriously- he is usually a little more compliant after this much insistence on my part.  So I stroll Owen on through the doors and he comes screaming after me.  We get to our "station" and I was quite impressed with the whole set up- not too busy or "circus-y" but just enough to make a kid feel comfortable.  I mean, they did have Scooby Doo going on the TV screens on the ceiling.  But he clung to me like white on rice.  He wouldn't let me put him down, he didn't want to pick out his toothbrush- nothing.  I tried convincing him to be like the big boy in the next chair who looked to be about a year older than him.  {I didn't want to bribe him with candy at the dentist, so I refrained from that.}  But he wasn't budging.  The dentist came over to give the poor hygienist some help.  She was a little soft-spoken and said that this happens all the time, but she didn't act like she knew what to do with this temperamental three year old going nuts!  So long story just a little big longer- the dentist just did a "lap check" (which sounds terrible and I did give him a double-look when he said it) but Miles sat in my lap facing me, then I laid him down so his head was on the dentist's knees.  I had to restrain his arms and legs while he forcefully brushed Miles' teeth and checked out what he could through the gritting teeth!  {gosh, as I read this it seems even worse than it was!}  So by the time we were finished, Miles didn't even want to pick a toy out of the toy box or get a sticker!  He said "I want to go!"  Luckily, we have dental insurance, so that horrifying experience only cost us $10.  If it had been what our doctor visits are- we would have stayed a while longer- screaming kid and all.

Oh- and to make matters worse- I officially feel old.  I went to the eye doctor today (with the 3 year old who was so "three" at the dentist--- I'm a glutton for punishment) and I have to have reading glasses.  Now this may not be a big deal to many and there are those younger than me who have reading glasses-- but for some reason, with the gray hairs I continue to find popping up all over my used-to-be-blonde-head...this was just another layer of icing on the cake sending me into old age.  I mean...no offense mom, but you and dad have readers...am I seriously there now?!  {typed with all the love in my heart and a smile on my face}  Oh, and Miles did fine- he had "Arthur's Reading Race" and a sucker.  That I did not give him.  As bribery.  Seriously.  I didn't.

Alright--- here are those pics.  Do you have any horrifying doctor or dentist visits?!  Please don't let me be the only one!!

had to add this one- my recent favorite family pic taken at our church's fall festival (yes, i know owen's hat is too small and that miles is eating the world's biggest blow-pop!)

miles and the noisy gift i picked out

i wish you could see how he's blowing his candles out- he is making the "f" sound (do it, you'll see why it's funny)

party favor tags

bday boy and his precious shirt meme made him!

great cake!

finding nerf darts everywhere- this was on the fridge.  i also found one on the crown molding in the kitchen.

jared's orange creamsicle cake

we used the dining room AND lit the candles!

he's happy- especially when he has food

notice jared's mom...

getting some pointers from jimbo

the middle was.....marshmallow.creme.yum.