What's for Dinner 3/11-3/16

Last week we stuck with our meal plan detter than ever before. We only deviated on Friday and Saturday. Friday we were out and we found an Irish pub nearby so Sean had to check it out. Saturday and Sunday we visited with Peanut's grandparents. This week I have a paper due and we both have a ton of work so I'll being keeping things really simple and using the slow cooker again.

Monday: Mac'n'Cheese with hamburger meat and tomato (We were visiting last week and we did have this as planned. So we had it last night and it was delicious.)
Tuesday: Leftover Mac'n'Cheese (Sean's working late so I'll be on my own with Peanut for the evening.)
Wednesday: Sausage and peppers over pasta (This is a slow cooker recipe I found here.)
Thursday: Leftover sausage and peppers (I might serve on rolls for some variety.)
Friday: Tacos (This is pretty much my go to meal.)
Saturday: Homemade pizza (We've both been craving this.)

Stop by next week to see how it goes.

Painting Plastic Buckets Take Two

I have finally finished painting the buckets for my pantry. You can read about my first attempt, and the importance of patience here.
When I rushed to finish the buckets last time, the paint was too thick and I got lots of drips. My first step was to sand down the drips so I had a smooth surface. Now it was time to paint again. I laid out my drop cloth and brought the buckets outside. For future reference, spray painting in New England in the winter is not the best plan. Even on the nicest days I was so cold after being outside in my painting clothes. This time I did several very light coats of paint. I made sure to let each dry for at least 15 minutes before putting on the next coat. I think I did 4-5 coats on each. I left them to dry overnight before moving them. Then I just put the handles back on and they are done.




Just need to make labels and fill them up and my pantry will be complete. Now that I know how easy spray painting is, nothing is safe…“Here Kitty Kitty…”

What's for Dinner 3/3-3/9

With all the excitement last week, I never posted our meal plan. Actually, we didn't really have one. Our routine was so messed up we just tried to throw together whatever we could and get through the week. Now we are back to thenormal routine and its time to get back to meal planning. So, here is the plan for the week.

Sunday: Salad with grilled chicken (We ate this yesterday and it was delicious.  We splurged and bought some fresh sourdough bread to make croutons.)
Monday: Grilled chicken paninis (I grilled extra chicken yesterday so today I just assembled and grilled the sandwiches.)
Tuesday: Cilantro-lime chicken and black beans (This is slow cooker recipe I found here. I made this last week and froze it. It is cooking in the slow cooker right now and tomorrow we can just re-heat it when we get home.)
Wednesday: Sushi (Sushi is 20% off at Stop and Shop on Wednesdays. We are looking forward to a special mid-week treat.)
Thursday: Leftover Cilantro-Lime Chicken and black beans
Friday: Tacos (Nice and easy for the end of theweek.)
Saturday: Mac'n'cheese with hamburger meat and tomatoes (I will be in class all day so I'll definitely need some comfort food.)

I'll let you know how it goes at the end of the week.

Peanut's First Ambulance Ride

Peanut's First Ambulance Ride

I know I've been a terrible blogger this week but we've had some excitement which has kept us busy.
       It all started last Thursday when daycare called to say that Peanut was fussy and running a fever. I had to go to class so Sean took her home and gave her some Tylenol and lots of extra cuddles.
I took her to the doctor on Friday because I suspected she had an ear infection after her cold last week. She had two ear infections, conjunctivitis and RSV. After the appointment, I went back to work and Peanut went home with my parents. At this point she began refusing her bottles and even the milk they tried spoon-feeding to her.
   When I got home she had spiked a fever of 103 and was having difficulty breathing.  We packed her up and rushed off to the hospital. Her fever was up to 105 by the time we got to the hospital. When I saw that I felt like the world was shattering, I couldn't breathe. Luckily, she had a great team of doctors and nurses who quickly gave her Tylenol and IV fluids. Her fever only dropped to 103 and her breathing was still labored.  We decided to transfer her to Boston just in case she needed more care. Peanut and I waited for the transport team and nursed, and nursed, and nursed. When transport arrived, she was asleep in my arms with a belly full of milk. When she woke up she was all smiles and LOVED being center of attention. Finally mommy could breathe.
        She improved so much that they decided to send us to a regular hospital room, not the PICU. Peanut and mommy shared their first ride in an ambulance. Peanut watched Baby Einstein videos and smiled at the team while mommy rode up front and wondered what all the laughing was about.
When we arrived, Peanut's temperature was down to 99.2 and she hasn't had a fever since then. Between all the examinations and being in a strange crib hooked up to monitors and an IV, Peanut and I only got about 4 hours of sleep that night.  Truthfully, that is 4 hours more then I was expecting. Saturday, we took the IV out and mommy nursed almost nonstop to make sure Peanut stayed hydrated. She continued to improve throughout the day and we were able to go home. Peanut continued to improve and so excited to crawl around on the floor and play in her exersaucer.
We are so grateful she is feeling better for all the wonderful doctors and nurses who cared for her. It is wonderful to see her smile again. We are totally spoiling her with all the extra hugs and snuggles.

What' for Dinner 2/17-2/23

I'm a few days late but here's our dinner plan for the week.

Sunday: Grilled cheese and soup (It's so cold and windy we wanted to curl up by the fire with a hot cup of soup.)
Monday: Homemade Pizza (We all have the day off so we'll have time to prepare this and the Loaded Alfredo for Tuesday night)
Tuesday: Loaded Alfredo (I'll make enough so we'll have left overs for Thursday night)
Wednesday: Pineapple Chicken This is a slow cooker recipe I found here)
Thursday: Loaded Alfredo (Left over from Tuesday night)
Friday: Pineapple Chicken (Left over from Wednesday night)
Saturday: Pad Thai (I'll make extra so we have some for next week)

I'll let you know how it goes at the end of the week.

Valentine's Day Oreo Truffles

A few weeks ago I was browsing the sale rack at Target and came across these cute heart shaped ice cube trays.

I was sure I could find a cute Valentine's Day treat with them. I decided to make heart shaped oreo truffles.

I mashed one sleeve of Double Stuffed Oreos Target brand double filled creme cookies (I'm cheap). I mixed the cookies with approximately 4 tablespoons whipped cream cheese and pressed the mixture into the heart molds.  I put the molds in the freezer overnight (I'm sure they would be cold enough after 2-3 hours if you need them sooner).
The net day, I melted a bag of milk chocolate chips and popped the fillings out of the molds and dipped them in the chocolate. This step was harder than I expected. I think the key is to keep the molds in the freezer until right before dipping in the chocolate. If the filling warms up it breaks apart in the chocolate. I cooled the truffles overnight on my porch (gotta love these New England winters).
To decorate the truffles I melted some red vanilla candy making wafers. I put the melted vanilla into a ziploc bag and cut out a tiny hole in one corner. By squeezing the bag gently I drizzled the vanilla over the truffles to make them festive. Here they are.

They taste great and I love the red drizzled over the top.

10 Ways to Get Motivated

We all have days when we just can't seem to get going and get anything done. Since we all have too much to do and not enough itme to do it, I'll share some of my strategies to fight the blahs and get back on track.

1. Recognize you have a choice. As simple as it sounds, the first step to getting out of a rut is to recognize you are in one and that you have the power to get yourself back on track. Try not to berate yourself or dwell on lost time, you'll only lose more time. Instead, focus on what you can do to get back on track.

2. Clear your head. Close your eyes and breath deeply. Think about what is weighing you down, is there a task that is frustrating or overwhelming you? Something you are dreading? Give yourself a few minutes to worry and formulate a plan to deal with whatever is bothering you and move on. If you catch yourself worrying, remind yourself of your plan and return to the task at hand.

3. Splash water on your face. This will refresh you and give you energy to tackle what needs to be done.

4. Drink a glass of cold water. So many times I find my lack of motivation and energy is due to dehydration.

5. Eat something healthy. Too many times when I'm in a rut I find myself snacking on cookies or candies that are easily accessible. Unfortunately, these snacks don't provide the fuel I need. Something with protein or fresh fruit will help you get moving again.

6. Brush your teeth. This will help you feel refreshed and will cut down on mindless snacking (see #5)

7. Start small. Is there a simple quick task you need to do today? Maybe send an e-mail or pay a bill. Starting small will keep you from getting overwhelmed and give you an immediate sense of accomplishment and energize you to tackle the larger tasks.

8. Spend 15 minutes working on something. Working on a task for a set period of time keeps you from getting overwhelmed. Getting started on a task is the hardest part so start slow to make it more manageable.

9. Get your heart rate up. Exercise releases endorphins which improve your mood and can get you out of a funk. Don't have time to go to the gym, put on some music and see how quickly you can empty the dishwasher, fold laundry, or vacuum a room.

10. Change your scenery. Get out and run errands, get the mail, or work outside for a bit. Changing your environmet will improve your mood and help you be more productive.

I hope you find these tips helpful. I'd love to hear your rut-busting strategies.