Menu Plan Monday - Week of February 26th

Sunday:  Leftovers from the party (I am not cooking!) - Chili Cheese Dogs with chips and we also have some fruit and veggies leftover

Monday:  Cheddar and Ale Soup with Potato & Bacon

Tuesday:  Jack's 2nd Birthday!  Homemade Pizza, because it's his favorite!

Wednesday:  Crispy Baked Fish Nuggets with Roasted Broccoli - made these last week and everyone (including *gasp* Jack!) really enjoyed this meal so it's going right back on the menu

Thursday:  Chicken Tequila Burgers on Homemade Buns with Sweet Potato Fries

Friday:  Leftovers/Out

Saturday:  At a family birthday party!


I'm linked at Menu Plan Monday hosted by OrgJunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - Week of February 19th

Sunday:  Chicken Marsala with Mashed Potatoes

Monday:  Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tuesday:  Chipotle Bean Burritos - carried over from last week

Wednesday:  Turkey Pot Pie {from the freezer!} - carried over from last week

Thursday:  Crispy Baked Fish Nuggets with Roasted Broccoli

Friday:  Leftovers/Out

Saturday:  Jack's 2nd birthday party!


I'm linked at Menu Plan Monday hosted by OrgJunkie.com

Time to Muck Out the Inbox

I have a confession to make.  Part of my life is overwhelmed by clutter!  Where does it come from?  I don't quite know because every time I sort through it all and get everything cleared out it's back in the blink of an eye!

What am I talking about?

My email inbox!!!

For your entertainment, a screen shot of my current inbox:

2,346 emails in my inbox!  Two-thousand three-hundred forty-six. emails. in. my. inbox.

::head explodes::

Where does this all COME from?!

It feels like I just sorted through everything last week!  Okay... maybe it was more like Thanksgiving because I was a little untimely responding to an email from my Aunt regarding Turkey Dinner...

But anyway, not too long ago, I was in a very similar position {buried in unnecessary emails} and dug out and unsubscribed from a bunch of lists {some, I don't even know how I got on...?} and was rewarded with a nice clear inbox.  And now?  It's back!

Arrrrgh!

I really need to get things cleared out before I miss something important because as you might be able to see the 2,346 emails that are taking up space in my inbox are just glorified spam!  Yeah, maybe it's for one of the many a deal a day site that I belong to, or an update from Pinterest, but really... spam.  Needless junk! 

Times like this make me want to just move to a new email address :-/

Off to spend the next two hours getting friendly with my delete button.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who suffers from Overflowing Inbox Syndrome!

Friday Randoms

{one.}

It's been another long week.  Jack is definitely teething with his 2 year molars and because of this things have been... trying.  Sleep has been disrupted, naps have been laughable (seriously... the last 3 days I have spent hours getting him down for his nap only to be rewarded with less than an hour of sleep.  This results in cranky baby and cranky momma.), and I'm just ready for the weekend!  Let's all cross our fingers and toes that Little Mister goes down for his nap today.  I could really use a little break!

{two.}

{via}

I tried a macaroon for the first time this week (thanks to hubs swiping an extra one from a selection someone had brought in to his work for Valentine's Day) and I must say, I was unimpressed.  I mean, it was good, but I've seen these everywhere lately!  They're like the new cupcake (cupcakes are much better in my opinion)!  And although it was good, it wasn't what I was expecting, and definitely nothing special.  I'd take a cupcake or cookie over a macaroon any day!  Over-hyped, I say.

{three.}

Our normally quiet neighborhood has become police central.  Last week (two weeks ago?) two police officers were pounding on my door because apparently the renter next door had abandoned his dogs in the backyard and they wanted to know when the last time we had seen him was (Sadface.  I feel bad for the dogs, but I am SO glad they're gone.  They were barky!). 

And then, Last night as I was making dinner, Old Lady from across the street {I can't believe I've only mentioned her once on this blog!} comes over to let us know that she had called the police on a bunch of hoodlum boys who were allegedly prowling around her house.  Within minutes her whole brood was present: the Harlot (the granddaughter), Harlot's boyfriend, Vonda (the daughter), some guy in a white truck who is at her house periodically working on things, who came wielding a baseball bat to interrogate what appeared to be an 8-year-old boy {!!!}, and Old Lady's sister/girlfriend who is always about.  They swarmed in like nobody's business and all arrived long before the local police did.  I know who to go to if I need people on the double!  Sheesh. 

I don't even know what the result of all that mess was, but I'm sure we'll find out.  Old Lady loves to talk, but don't worry, she always starts her gossip with, "I don't like to gossip, but...".  Not that I mind though because she's my source for all neighborhood gossip!

{four.}

I had a 9am hearing this morning and per usual, that's the day Jack decides to wake up early to throw things off :-/  But more importantly I have decided that I really dislike morning hearings.  It always ruins my sleep.  Not because I have to wake up early (I'm usually up by then anyway), but because I worry that I'll oversleep so I keep waking up to check the clock.  So annoying!  I'm a really heavy sleeper and have absolutely been known to sleep through my alarm.  Because Mark leaves for work before I get up there would be no one to make sure that I wasn't sleeping through said alarm and I'd be in big trouble if I slept through the hearing.  So yeah... it kills my sleep and I'm tired ::yawn::

{five.}

We don't have any real plans for this weekend, but I suppose at the top of my list should be working on things for Jack's birthday party because we're 1 week and 1 day out from the event and I have yet to do anything besides secure a location to host it and send invites.  Yikes!

{six.}

Why is making rice (brown rice, especially!) so hard?  I don't get it.  I think the directions that come on the bag are faulty.  Have to be.  Because it's the only thing I can't seem to successfully make despite the best of intentions!  But last night I finally, FINALLY used a method that produced perfect brown rice!  I found the answer {HERE}.  Try it, you'll love it!

{Semi-} Wordless Wednesday

Jack insisted that we invite Bear Bear to join us for breakfast this morning.  Bear Bear gladly accepted our invitation and was a perfect gentleman, waiting patiently on Jack to finish his breakfast so they could play together.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of February 12th

::dusts off the old blog::  Last week I didn't feel like I had enough going on {sarcasm} so I decided on a whim to change up my blog a little bit.  New name {more fitting as the original came about when I was newly married}, new design, it was time for a little change!  I also added new contact and follow buttons.  If you're subscribed in a reader click through and check out the changes!


Sunday:  Chipotle Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

Monday:  Bourbon Chicken with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Tuesday:  Valentine's Day!  Penne alla Vodka, Harvest Salad, and Crusty Bread with Heavenly Chocolate Mousse for dessert!

Wednesday:  Chicken Tikka Masala (CrockPot) with Brown Rice and Naan

Thursday:  Turkey Pot Pies (from the freezer!)

Friday:  Chipotle Bean Burritos

Saturday:  Leftovers/Out

I'm linked at Menu Plan Monday hosted by OrgJunkie.com

This Week

Oooh, this week.  It has been a crazy one. 

It's my fault mostly.  I took on far too much and I knew it was too much at the time I agreed to do it, but when I accepted all the cases I did I was just all, "MONEY!" and now I'm dealing with the logistics of actually earning that money, which isn't quite as fun as the paycheck itself. 

Anyway, 5 conference calls to prepare for hearings, 6 completed hearings, and 4 days later I've come out the other side.  My family is fed and clothed and things around the house are {mostly} kept up with.  Additionally, my sanity is still {mostly} intact at this point and our savings account will be several hundred dollars richer once I receive my paycheck.  Busy, busy, busy! 

Other things of note:

Our taxes are mostly done as of Sunday - Federal and State have both been filed.  Once I get at least one of those refunds back I'll file our local taxes because we always owe and I want to pay out of the money we'll be getting back from our other filings.  Good stuff. 

On this same note, WHY does all the tax stuff have to be so hard, hmmmm?!  They want everyone to file taxes, yet they seem to make the process as hard and as difficult to understand as possible.  I refuse to pay someone else to do something I can do myself so every year I muddle through preparing everything on my own.  It's worth it in the end, but I develop a headache every time.  Simplify, people.  Simplify.  Oh wait, that would be directed at a governmental body so... don't think that's happening anytime soon!  On a better note, I have discovered that being self-employed {as I am now with my little part-time/contract gig} and working out of my home is pretty much awesomesauce when it comes to tax time.

The invites for Jack's 2nd birthday party (WHAT?!  I'm going to have a 2 year old in just a few short weeks?!  Impossible, I say!) were mailed yesterday and, late as always, we're starting to formulate some ideas for his party.  We have invites, we have a place to host it, we have a date and time.  That's the important stuff, right?  Now we just have to figure out a few fun decorations and some food and we'll be good to go.  Now that I've gotten through this crazy week my attention will be turned to party planning!  Two weeks is enough time to put together a whole party... right?  Right!

Sooo glad we're headed towards the weekend, but Mark has had an equally busy week and thinks he might have to go into work on the weekend.  Whomp, whomp.  Let's hope this is not the case!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of February 5th

It's going to be a very busy week for me so I've planned simple dinners that don't take a lot of time or effort to put together.


Sunday:  At friends' house for the Superbowl, I'm bringing Buffalo Chicken Dip

Monday:  Leftover Lentil Tacos with Queso Blanco Dip

Tuesday:  Clam Chowder with Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Wednesday:  Buffalo Ranch Chicken Wraps with Ranch Potato Wedges

Thursday:  Tomato Alfredo Pizza - carried over from last week

Friday:  Leftovers/Out

Saturday:  Apps night!  Making a couple of dips/bites for dinner.


I'm linked at Menu Plan Monday hosted by OrgJunkie.com.

Wordless(ish) Wednesday

With a toddler in the house sometimes you find food in strange places.  Like on the top of said toddler's fire engine.  Apparently Jack's bread crust needed to take a ride.