Monday Menu December 31st

So I am back to writing out menus now that our personal chef has gone away(ahem, just kidding ---our fabulous friends that brought us meals) and Christmas is over. I am not even sure where to begin. I feel like I should plan out some superb meals and such....but, being on a very strict budget and pretty well stocked pantry and freezer, I am left to sorting through those option to come up with a plan for us this week.

Happy New Years Y'all!

Sunday

• Dinner at Olive Garden ( A special treat with our gift cards)

Monday

• New Years Eve Party Menu at our home

Tuesday

• Pesto "Chicken" Pasta
• Green Salad
• Homemade Bread

Wednesday

• Split Pea Soup
• Bisquits

Thursday

• Creamy Polenta
• Almond -Topped Fish
• Steamed Broccoli

Friday

• Curry Lentils
• Brown Rice
  
• (Veggies & Pita Bread, Hummus)

Saturday

• Leftovers

New Years Eve Menu

It would be nice to have something gourmet and delightful for our New Years Eve dinner...but, having a newborn baby and two sugar overloaded girls, I decided on something simple. We are having over our close friends for food, fellowship, and fun. Maybe for our annual Couples Valentine Party, I will be more fancy. Happy New Years!

• Homemade Pizza (BBQ Chicken & Pineapple, Pepperoni, Veggie Delight)
  
• Green Salad w/ reds (red tomato, red bell pepper, red onion, cranberries)
• Assorted Chips & Dips
• Martinellis, wine, champagne
• Assorted desserts
  

Recapturing --New Years Fun

Kelli from There is No Place like Home wrote a blog about recapturing the past year of blogging. I loved the idea and thought I would join in too.

Here is a peek from my past year of blogging. You should join in too.
Post the first sentence of your first blog post of each month. You can also add a favorite picture or two from each month.

~January ~
How was your New Years Eve celebrations?


Remember Targirl?

Lydia and her love of reading!

~February~
This week at our home: Rest

Our 2nd Annual Couples Valentines Party

~March~
From the encouragement of my friend...reminding me that my,"blog has not been updated in awhile...and wondering what happened...is everything okay with you?"

Sweet Grammie Mae ---with the Lord in Heaven March 15th

~April~
I love contests and I love games:
However, I am not "one of those" people that seem to win everything

Blogger!

~May~
A few days ago I had the honorable duty of attending Jury Duty!

Spring Girls!

Do we remember the NUK?
Bye Bye NUK!

~June~
Very simple this week.

Garden goodness

Happy 2nd Birthday Lydia
She had a doggy birthday

~July~
So, your Mama and Grandmama always told you "Eat your crust, it is the best part". Of course, you always believe your Mama, right?



~August~

The Lil' Daisies peeking over the fence at our neighbors. What snoops!

It's a GIRL! Rosalia!

~September~
I watched this on 20/20 about the most frugal family in America.

Sophia our ballerina girl.

~October~
I think I have been "nesting" since this baby has been conceived! But now... I am really really really "nesting".

Happy 5th Birthday Sophia.
She had a Tweety Bird Birthday

~November~
Yesterday I went to have my day at the Spa. Let's just say I would dream of having that done every night before I go to bed.

Happy "Birth" Day Rosalia Mae! We welcome you!
You are a blessing!

~December~
By having a newborn, two young girls, and a wonderfully hungry husband, I have been blessed by friends and church family giving us yummy bountiful meals.

Christmas Baking

Rosalia is one month old!

Encouragement

It has been a time of restoration here at our home...
I haven't been able to blog much (although I do have lots to blog about). I have been catching up on life here ---cleaning up messes! And, I have been catching up on reading other's blog entries.

Go HERE for an encouraging blog entry. I was truly uplifted after reading this. Sally in her remarkable way with words portrayed gracefully what I needed to read (hear).

Here was a snippet from her blog post.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” I Cor. 15:58

He knows about my work as a mom! He lovingly reminded me that my toil is not in vain. He understands how much I need to be encouraged because He understands weariness—Be steadfast—hang in there—commit to a heart of steadfastness, choose to be steadfast and immovable—why? Because, my work matters, it is changing history, one life at a time—I am soul-building—it counts.

One Month

Today Rosalia turned one month old. I can't believe it has already been a month. She is so beautiful and such a blessing. She is lovely.

Candy Cane

The girls and I baked candy cane cookies. I will share the recipe later.
After our cookies were baked, we ate them warm with some hot cocoa. We sat by the fireplace and I read the book called The Candy Cane Story. This was a fun, yummy way to learn about the history of the candy cane and how it was based on a Candymaker relating it to Christ.

Pour, Stir, Roll, Bake, Decorate....

Mimi and the girls set out to make some Holiday cookies.

Elephants on Parade

Christmas Parade Dec. 1st.
Ric took the girls out into the cold air to watch locals put on a festive Christmas parade. Mimi, Kristin, and Jannik were able to join in with the fun. Jannik loved the "Amercian" parade. So festive with lights. And look there is an elephant on parade!

You would never really know there are elephants in California. And...who would dress their elephant up in lights?

All bundled up for the show. They loved watching the floats, especially the floats handing out sweet yummy things to lick and get stickies all over fingers.

Wow...what a sight to see....the Ms Grinch on a Quad next to Starbucks? I'll have the Green Tea Latte!

Trimmin'

Decorating the tree...

While decorating the tree, we had Christmas music playing throughout the house. I lit a yummy scented candle that made our home smell like fresh baked gingerbread.... The girls enjoyed opening up the tub of ornaments and finding their special ornaments. The train and houses were placed under the tree and we had lots of fun watching the train go round and round!

After trimming the tree, we read THIS story about the Christmas Tree... it tells the about the history of the Christmas tree and how it came about....and of course it all relates back to the true meaning of Christmas...Jesus!