Thursday, February 28, 2013

Community Offerings and Opportunities

I am always pleasantly surprised to find new things happen in my community. Such an abundance of classes, events and fun things to do no matter how old or young you are. Now these opportunities may not be hitting-you-in-the-face-obvious - you sometimes have to search them out - but still very awesome. Part of the frustration and surprise. We are a get-out-and-go type of family so these are always right up our alley.

Some recent things we have found are:


In the past we have enjoyed:

  • Free gardening classes at a local library
  • Free sewing classes at a local library
  • Free ornament decorating session at a local library around the holiday time where Delaney and I could make and take home an ornament
  • Going Green classes at a local library complete with "green" freebies like CFL lightbulbs, water reducing showerheads, outlet insulators and more!
  • Adult Easter Egg Hunts
  • Rentable Plots at Community Garden
  • Perrenial Plant Exchanges
  • The lists goes on and on!

So fun to get out of the house, meet new people, and learn something new!

Do you know about the local resources right under your own nose? Go check out your local library's and community center's or YMCA's websites (and in the next town or two over) - you might be surprised what you find!

Greenwood Community Offerings
Greenwood Library Calendar
Franklin Community Offerings
Franklin Library Calendar
Indianapolis Libraries' Calendar

Monday, February 25, 2013

Monday Meal Plan

Ok, so here it goes my sad attempt at a meal plan. :) I think we are finally to the point of using up the random leftovers in the fridge that we can think about actually making a few dinners again. :)


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Monday: Ravioli Filling Stuffed Shells with Marinara Sauce
(finally using up leftover ravioli stuffing from the heart shaped ravioli I made on Valentine's Day)

Husband is Home Tuesday: Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
(we have had this once and loved it - well over-due for a second attempt - will try to add the rice in a little later into the cooking process so it doesn't over cook and crumble into bits like last time)

Wednesday: The Worlds Best Chicken and Salad with Oriental Dressing (apple bee's copycat recipe)

Thursday:  Leftovers
(Will either be a date night due to an awards ceremony or an eat at home might if the husband has to work)

Friday: Chicken Parmesan Wraps or Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders -- with more salad

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Crockpot Beef Stroganoff or Marsala Chicken & Mushroom Casserole

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Recipes on the Rack: Recent recipes I have found and saved away to try.
Marsala Chicken & Mushroom Casserole
Chicken Marsala
Crockpot Beef Stroganoff
The World's Best Chicken
Coconut Crusted Chicken Tenders
Enchilada Pie
Chicken Parmesan Wraps
Oooey Gooey Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Possible Repeats: Good enough to try again and sounds good
Taco Stew
Black Bean Quesadillas

Stuff we need to use up: 
Hamburger buns leftover from a fantasy baseball draft the husband went to (maybe homemade sloppy joes??)
Pulled Pork - will get frozen for later probably
Half a jar marinara sauce
Half a jar spaghetti sauce
Half a package wonton wrappers
3/4 block of Fontina Cheese
Lettuce

Freezer Meal Items Stashed Away:
1/2 a pan of cut into single servings homemade lasagna
Tortellini Soup
Pizza Crust

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Meal Plan Confession/Phobia

While I love the idea and love seeing what are on other bloggers' meal plans...I am not good at doing my own...for one I never stick do it...like not even remotely close. A lot of reasons factor into this - life in general being the main one. :)

Some crazy event occurs and we end up having to run around town, or my husband is home and wants to make something totally different or suddenly whatever on the meal plan doesn't sound appetizing at all, or my little one falls asleep on my lap after we get home from daycare/work and I cannot move for fear of her waking in a grumpy awful mood, or she is already in a grumpy awful mood and the meal plan requires too much prep to do while holding/entertaining a toddler  - so pizza goes in the oven or we eat leftovers.

And really we somehow always have to many left overs when I attempt a meal plan - maybe because we are just a family of 3 yet and the #3 is only 2yr and doesn't consume that much of dinner yet - so cooking different meals every night of the week for 2.5 or really like 2 1/4 essentially...yields lots of leftovers that we either eat every single night of week it feels like (and still have some leftover) or we freeze a portion of it for later use...(i.e. we forget it about it and then realize one day that we have 4 months of leftovers stocked up in the freezer and won't need to cook at all for 2 weeks straight). :)

For us a meal plan goes something like this.

Sunday: Make Something for Dinner
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Make Something for Dinner
Wednesday: Leftovers
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Frozen Pizza/Wild Card Night

For reals.

But seriously I LOVE other people's meal plans - they give me so many ideas for what to do for dinner - love the internet for that! :)

Here are a few of my favorite meal plan resources: (besides Pinterest)

Queen of Free
http://www.queenoffree.net/2013/02/monday-meal-plan-2-10-13/

Amy's Finer Things
http://amysfinerthings.com/menu-plan-week-of-february-17

At Home with Kim Vallee
http://athome.kimvallee.com/2013/02/weekly-meal-planner-week-6/


I keep my recipes organized in evernote - it is a truly awesome tool!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

King Arthur Flour Sweet Victory Challenge at the National Maple Syrup Festival Ticket Giveaway!

To celebrate ramping my blog back up here in the last couple of weeks I am giving away 2 bracelets for entry to the upcoming King Arthur Flour Sweet Victory Challenge at the National Maple Syrup Festival in Medora, Indiana - taking place during weekends in March! Sweet, huh?!

I have always wanted to go - such a great excuse to get out the house for an awesome family outing (there's a petting zoo, we'll get to learn how syrup is made, eat some awesome food and so much more!)  as the weather starts to warm up for spring and who doesn't like maple syrup?? Especially the real stuff.




Here's a little more info: (the tickets are good for either weekend)

http://nationalmaplesyrupfestival.com/



The 2013 National Maple Syrup Festival will take place during the first two weekends in March:
Saturday, March 2nd and Sunday, March 3rd
Saturday, March 9th and Sunday, March 10th


The festival is located at:


Burton’s Maplewood Farm

8121 W. County Rd. 75 South


Medora, IN 47260

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Cute Toothpaste for Kids

Jack n Jill Natural Toothpaste

This is cute - that is all :)

P.S. Upon further investigation they have a really awesome little toothbrush that we are going to try out for our toddler - will see if it helps with the terrible toothbrushing time we experience every night.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Valentine's Week Activities for a Toddler

I scoured the web and found a handful of Valentine's Day activities that caught my eye enough to want to tackle with my toddler (2 yr old) this week. :)

Here is what made it onto my list for this year!

(from Babble.com)
Valentine's Day Thumbprint Cards
- ink from Joann for $2.49 / paper on hand


Thumbprint Valentine's
(from BlissfulandDomestic)
- includes printable template


Paper Tube Love Bug
(From Sheknows.com)
-for use up some of all the toilet paper rolls I have been saving up :)


Lollipop Flowers
- From spoonful.com


Valentine Lollipop Butterflies
- From Skiptomylou


And the grand finale!!!


Bird seed hearts!
- from intimateweddings