We decided to try some new things with the kids this week.
First, Grace has a Job List. She has about 15 things to check off every day, such as personal care, taking care of her room, picking up her stuff, helping with the kitchen, feeding the dogs, etc. We decided to start her on an allowance of $2.00/week if she accomplishes her tasks every day and she'll also get an extra reward--this week, she wants to see Hannah Montana at the movie theater. Additionally, "go to bed nicely" is on her list, and since we've started this, she's had NO problems! Looks like I'll have to pay up come Saturday.
As for AJ, we had a moment on monday when I tried to make him take a nap. He was quite upset with me and after about an hour of helping him sleep, I allowed him to get up, with the stipulation that he act like a big boy. No more whining, crying, or diapers. If he began acting like a baby, he would immediately take a nap like babies do. Ever since, he's used the potty and been much more mature. :) Change is in the air!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Eating Out is fun.
But saving money and calories is MORE fun! Terry and I have always gone out to eat several times a week, not because I can't cook, but because we enjoy dining out, not having KP afterward, not needing to plan ahead, etc. And when you have kids, McDonald's is sooo easy to drive thru!
This week I determined that we would NOT eat out. At all. I spent a bit more than usual on groceries, but the savings on dining out made up quickly for that! I have a stocked freezer, and we've eaten well this week. I made bratwurst and cheddar in the crockpot; ham, broccoli, pepper and onion quiche; hot and spicy wings; and now tonight we are having planned-overs of more quiche! Tomorrow we're having beef sandwiches, cooked in the crockpot.
I went to Saving Dinner and ordered the summer crockpot mailer. It's a wonderful tool, including the grocery list for the week and 5 meals per week for 13 weeks in the slow cooker. There is a great variety and I've always loved Leeann's recipes. I go through the ads on Sunday, clipping coupons and determining what is the best sale. Then I look through the summer mailer and find recipes that use food I already have or that is on sale.
It feels so good to keep money in my pocket, rather than forking it over to McD's or Panera! The "little" fast food trips really add up over the course of a week. I have been drinking water instead of buying coffee at Dunkin Donuts and Panera, and having boiled eggs leftover from Easter made great breakfast with toast this week! Quick and cheap! And healthier!
One interesting thing I've noticed is that the dishwasher is filling up more with plates than cups now. It's always been the other way around! I guess that's a good way to tell at a glance if we're being responsible or not for the week!
And since we're not going out for meals, I'm home more. My home is the cleanest it's EVER been, and I'm so proud of it. I can invite people in without apologizing for the mess!
I'm loving this.
This week I determined that we would NOT eat out. At all. I spent a bit more than usual on groceries, but the savings on dining out made up quickly for that! I have a stocked freezer, and we've eaten well this week. I made bratwurst and cheddar in the crockpot; ham, broccoli, pepper and onion quiche; hot and spicy wings; and now tonight we are having planned-overs of more quiche! Tomorrow we're having beef sandwiches, cooked in the crockpot.
I went to Saving Dinner and ordered the summer crockpot mailer. It's a wonderful tool, including the grocery list for the week and 5 meals per week for 13 weeks in the slow cooker. There is a great variety and I've always loved Leeann's recipes. I go through the ads on Sunday, clipping coupons and determining what is the best sale. Then I look through the summer mailer and find recipes that use food I already have or that is on sale.
It feels so good to keep money in my pocket, rather than forking it over to McD's or Panera! The "little" fast food trips really add up over the course of a week. I have been drinking water instead of buying coffee at Dunkin Donuts and Panera, and having boiled eggs leftover from Easter made great breakfast with toast this week! Quick and cheap! And healthier!
One interesting thing I've noticed is that the dishwasher is filling up more with plates than cups now. It's always been the other way around! I guess that's a good way to tell at a glance if we're being responsible or not for the week!
And since we're not going out for meals, I'm home more. My home is the cleanest it's EVER been, and I'm so proud of it. I can invite people in without apologizing for the mess!
I'm loving this.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
It's Friday, but Sunday is coming.
I LOVE the drama behind these words. I heard someone read this who had a deep rumbly voice and it gave me goosebumps. I always think of this essay/poem around Easter time. I *think* it came from something repeated by Tony Campolo.
"It's Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter's denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It's Friday; but Sunday's a coming.
It's Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, "Father, forgive them." It's Friday; but Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, "My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?" What a horrible cry. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. And at the moment of Jesus' death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that's because it's Friday, and they don't know it, but Sunday's a coming.
And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.
Now it's Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn't the only thing that was shaking because now it's Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it's Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it's Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.
It's Sunday, and the crucified/resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It's Sunday. And now everything has changed. It's the age of grace, God's grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it's Sunday.
It's Friday! But Sunday's a Coming!"
"It's Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter's denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Those Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The Son of man stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. See Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It's Friday; but Sunday's a coming.
It's Friday. See those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and hands of my Lord. Hear my Jesus cry, "Father, forgive them." It's Friday; but Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, bloody and dying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, "My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?" What a horrible cry. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. And at the moment of Jesus' death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that's because it's Friday, and they don't know it, but Sunday's a coming.
And on that horrible day 2000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory. Surely he had destroyed the Son of God. Finally he had disproved the prophecy God had uttered in the Garden and the one who was to crush his head had been destroyed. But that was Friday.
Now it's Sunday. And just about dawn on that first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. But that wasn't the only thing that was shaking because now it's Sunday. And the angel of the Lord is coming down out of heaven and rolling the stone away from the door of the tomb. Yes, it's Sunday, and the angel of the Lord is sitting on that stone and the guards posted at the tomb to keep the body from disappearing were shaking in their boots because it's Sunday, and the lamb that was silent before the slaughter is now the resurrected lion from the tribe of Judah, for He is not here, the angel says. He is risen indeed.
It's Sunday, and the crucified/resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin and the grave. It's Sunday. And now everything has changed. It's the age of grace, God's grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary was buried and rose again. All because it's Sunday.
It's Friday! But Sunday's a Coming!"
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Sushi Night
I know I've mentioned my new love affair with sushi. Tonight, we decided to make our own. I went to my friend Dawn's website, Happily Barefoot to learn how. It was so fun! And we learned that less is definitely more, in terms of fillings. We made crab (well, imitation crab made from Alaskan Pollock, but still . . .crabby), avocado and cream cheese rolls; shrimp, cucumber and carrot rolls; and many combinations of the above. Don't forget the soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger slices! Grace really enjoyed it. She decided that for every sushi serving, we should also get two shrimp on the side. She took more than two. But it was Terry's share, so it's all good. :)
THEN we went to Ben and Jerry's for a B&J's in your PJs night. If you wore your pjs, you got your icecream at half price! Grace wore her handsewn nightgown and brought her Waldorf doll in the matching gown, sewn by yours truly. AJ wore orange Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas with a black and red satin Batman cape. Except when the girl behind the counter commented on his Batman cape, he insisted he was Spiderman. The award for best pjs wins a year's worth of free icecream from Ben and Jerry's!!! Keep your fingers crossed for us! I wore my workout pants and Tshirt, fearing that my red snowflake unflattering pjs, most appropriate of all my pj's for public viewing, would make it into a picture. Terry pretended that he wears cargo shorts and T-shirts to bed. No one believed him. But the kids got us the halfprice icecream, so it's all good. (And can I say the Banana Split with hot fudge, walnuts, new york thunder, chunky monkey, and choc chip cookie dough was divine!) We spent an hour eating icecream and playing Hungry Hungry Hippos with the kids. They also had Candy Land, but my pre-reader doesn't play very nicely and my kindergartener reacts poorly to any semblance of cheating. Boggle or Taboo would have been fun sans children, but alas, the price we pay for creating new people.
Perhaps we'll host a game night with our friends sometime.
THEN we went to Ben and Jerry's for a B&J's in your PJs night. If you wore your pjs, you got your icecream at half price! Grace wore her handsewn nightgown and brought her Waldorf doll in the matching gown, sewn by yours truly. AJ wore orange Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas with a black and red satin Batman cape. Except when the girl behind the counter commented on his Batman cape, he insisted he was Spiderman. The award for best pjs wins a year's worth of free icecream from Ben and Jerry's!!! Keep your fingers crossed for us! I wore my workout pants and Tshirt, fearing that my red snowflake unflattering pjs, most appropriate of all my pj's for public viewing, would make it into a picture. Terry pretended that he wears cargo shorts and T-shirts to bed. No one believed him. But the kids got us the halfprice icecream, so it's all good. (And can I say the Banana Split with hot fudge, walnuts, new york thunder, chunky monkey, and choc chip cookie dough was divine!) We spent an hour eating icecream and playing Hungry Hungry Hippos with the kids. They also had Candy Land, but my pre-reader doesn't play very nicely and my kindergartener reacts poorly to any semblance of cheating. Boggle or Taboo would have been fun sans children, but alas, the price we pay for creating new people.
Perhaps we'll host a game night with our friends sometime.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Please pray
A friend of mine from the church we went to a few years ago was in a devastating car accident. Her 15 year old daughter died. Her husband was in surgery at 2am last night. She had broken bones. And she was the driver. I can not imagine what she is going through. Please lift up Nelsie and Gerard in your prayers.
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