It's just another Monday

How is it Monday already? I don't know about you, but our weekends just fly by. We had a great weekend spending time with friends and family. From BBQs to farmers market and from touching trucks to playing at church, we had a packed weekend at home.

On Saturday, we took Calan to a Tons of Trucks local event. He was in HEAVEN, but unfortunately the toddler in him was in full force. He wanted to drive every truck, but he had to wait his turn. Normally, he is pretty good about waiting, but I think trucks bring out the best and worst in him. Even Maisie was a little fussy because she didn't have a morning nap. While the event was great, it was not one of our better family moments. I think Bob and I were both sweating by the end of it. Calan loved it all, so I am sure we will go to similar events again, but pray that he acts a little lot better.

Plus, all my freezer meals have come in so handy. I love just opening the freezer and having so much to pick from. We ended up having Bob's extended family over on Sunday. Usually this takes a bit more planning than an invite on a whim. But, we made pork tenderloin and asparagus, and to fill out our menu, I just grab some of the chicken and broccoli with rice meal to use as a side dish. It was so stress free feeding 12 adults.

As for this week, we have a bit planned and bit up in the air.

Menu

• Monday: Leftovers (we had a bit of leftovers to use up from the weekend)
• Tuesday: Cheese burgers and sweet potato fries and apple slices
• Wednesday: BBQ Bacon Wrapped Chicken with broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes
• Thursday: Pork tenderloin and TBD sides
• Friday: Homemade pizza
• Saturday: Leftovers or Broccoli Chicken and Rice 
• Sunday: Family dinner

Events

• Monday: Mom's Club play date in the morning; meeting a friend at a park in the afternoon.
• Tuesday: Maybe a park play date in the morning with the Mom's Club or just sticking around home to get laundry and what not done. Plus, must mail Calan's birthday invites out.
• Wednesday: Maisie has a follow up eye doctor appointment. She was suppose to go in April, but I gave her eggs that morning and you know how that turned out. With the allergic reaction, we did not make the appointment. I think that she is still pretty near-sighted, so we shall see what they recommend for her age.
• Thursday: Maybe going to Kensington Park for Fun on the Farm - Sheep event and storytime
• Friday: CLEANING. It is a must
• Saturday: Finally able to celebrate with friends who got married in December. Bob and I will be gone almost all day. Bob's mom will be watching the kids. It should be a good time for Bob and I spend time together.
• Sunday: It will probably be a pretty regular Sunday for Bob and the kids, but I will be heading to a friend's wedding shower.

Refreshed, renewed, and still loving life!

What an amazing weekend! It was so amazing to get away. I had a great time with friends and really feel like I learned more about what God's vision for women can look like and be. And let me just tell you, His vision is very freeing!

But, like any great weekend, reality still exists and life does keep going on. So our week is going to be pretty tame since once again we have a busy weekend up ahead. I am going to really try this week to get a lot accomplished at home and try not to play too much like I did last week.

I, also, have decided to try and stock my freezer for the summer to make meal planning easier and giving myself more time to play with my two pretty amazing children. Through another blog (I can't remember which one), I found out that Money Saving Mom is doing a 4 week challenge to stock the freezer with breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. I am going to take on that challenge and start by doing the dinners this week, which will be my meal plan as well.

Menu

• Monday: BBQ meatballs with rice and a side of broccoli and a salad
• Tuesday: Lasagna casserole with a salad and TBD veggie
• Wednesday: Chicken and broccoli casserole
• Thursday: Leftovers
• Friday: Marinated chicken with English peas 
• Saturday: Leftovers or dinner out for Bob's birthday
• Sunday: Family dinner TBD

Events

• Monday: I have 2 doctor appointments in the morning and then I have to do laundry and cook doing nap time and then hopefully we will head down to our neighborhood park in the afternoon. 
• Tuesday: Play date with my wonderful and pretty amazing friend and her son in the morning and then cooking during nap time. My cleaning goal for Tuesday is dusting. I swear every room in my house needs a deep dusting, so that is my mission. In the evening after the kids go to bed, I am going deliver team member packets for this year's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. 
• Wednesday: I think we are going to go to the Barnes & Noble story time in the morning and maybe have lunch in downtown Royal Oak. My cleaning goal for Wednesday is to vacuum the house. 
• Thursday: I want to head to Home Depot and grab several bags of mulch to lay in my flower beds, which will be my nap time mission if I get it. And then I will need to clean the bathroom at some point. Hopefully, we will get a night time walk in before bed. 
• Friday: I will need to run errands and get ready for Race Day on Saturday. It is going to be a day full of odds and ends to say the least. Busy, Busy, Busy.
• Saturday: RACE DAY and Bob's birthday celebration!!! 
• Sunday: Bob's actually birthday. Probably going to head to church in the morning and then have family dinner at our house in the evening. 

So that's our week. Could be pretty crazy, or it could be absolutely manageable. I think I just need to stay as far away from the computer as I can, so I can stay focused and organized. After this weekend life should slow down, just a little. We have a lot going on this summer. I just pray I can keep up!

Weekend getaway

Calan testing out the pilot's seat. He was in button heaven.

Maisie and I at Crocker Park in Marblehead, Mass. This is looking into Marblehead Harbor. Bob and Calan are  down on the dock behind us. 

Maisie being introduced to a lobster head. I wish we could get good seafood in Michigan. Bob and I could live off of  lobster and crab, though our bank account wouldn't be happy about it. 

Flying with kids totally not easy, but totally possible. Even with just a few days notice, we survived just fine traveling with both of the kids. We were pretty lucky that every flight we took had extra seats available, so we were able to spread out and Calan was able to have his own seat once we were in the air. It also was a huge help that my sister borrowed pack-and-plays and car seats from friends, so we did not have to worry about those items either. It was a huge relief.

The highlight by far was when Calan was able to sit in the cockpit. On our flight from Philadelphia to Boston, Calan had easily won over the flight attendant with his smiles and giggles. When we landed, everyone stood up and the flight attendant asked if Calan want to come up to the cockpit. With out hesitation, he walked right up there, but we were stuck where we were because of people in the aisle. So for the most part, he was just up there with the pilots and flight attendant. He had a ball and loved all the buttons, of course, and did not want to leave when it was time to go. 

We had a great time hanging out with my sister, brother-in-law, and nieces. The girls absolutely love the kids. 

Now we are back and I am trying to motivate myself to get the house organized and laundry started. It is just so nice out. We were meant to be outside today and not doing laundry. Responsibilities just stink sometimes. 

This week we have a few things planned:

• Monday: I had my annual mammogram this morning and then we played at our neighborhood park. This afternoon, I think I am going to take the kids to Home Depot to get some flowers and wood chips to get my flowerbeds in order. 
• Tuesday: Going to the zoo in the morning and then hanging out at home and grocery shopping in the afternoon.
• Wednesday: Cleaning day. Must get the house clean. 
• Thursday: Laundry and getting things in order for my weekend away. 
• Friday: Picking up my team's packets for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in the morning and then packing for my weekend away. Leaving around 3 p.m. for a camping retreat with women from my church. 
• Saturday: Not sure what Bob and the kids are going to be doing, but I am going to be rejuvenating.
• Sunday: Bob will probably take the kids to church and I will be home mid-afternoon. My mom and step-dad will be spending the night Sunday night and heading back to the UP Monday afternoon. 

Pretty busy week for us. Life is just not slowing down, but to be honest, I am grateful that we get to do so much. Our life with 2 kids is not always easy, but it is fun most of the time. 

As for meals: We are having chicken and vegetables tonight and I am grocery shopping tomorrow, so I'll post my meal plan tomorrow. 

Have a good week everyone!

Monday Game Plan: Routine and Girls Nights

I can already tell that this week is going to be pretty good. I feel like our life is settling back into a nice routine and when there is a nice routine, there is peace in our house.

Last week, I reworked our daily routine, which is working way better for our family and seems to reduce stress and TV time and increases productivity and peace. I feel good and effective, which makes for such a better household. 

Menu

• Monday: Shrimp Jambalaya
• Tuesday: Penne pasta
• Wednesday: Baked Disjon Salmon
• Thursday: Baked Spaghetti pizza
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Leftovers
• Sunday: TBD (Family Dinner)

Activities

• Monday: Chores and organization. Day at home.
• Tuesday: Doctor appointments for the kids in the morning. Maisie's 9 month checkup and ear infection checkups for both of them. Lunch with Bob afterward and I am heading out for dinner with Bob's aunts, sister, sister-in-law, and girl cousins. 
• Wednesday: Hanging out at home most of the day. Maybe some errands here and there. I'm meeting friends for dessert. 
• Thursday: Play date with a dear friend of mine and her son. Bob is having friends over for the Draft, so I will probably be cleaning in the afternoon.
• Friday: TBD
• Saturday: Possibly a mom-2-mom sale in the morning and maybe the farmers market before it closes at 1.
• Sunday: Church and family dinner

Have a good week everyone!

Reboot and Bring on the Crock-Pot

Today I woke up feeling more like myself than I have in weeks. I also went to bed last night at 8 p.m. rather than 11:30 p.m. Pretty sure that had something to do with it. I have dinner cooking, laundry running, dishes done, and both kids are napping. I'd say this week is starting off FANTASTIC. I'm just praying it stays that way!

It has not been easy planning meals this past week. Without the ability to taste anything, the idea of cooking has made me feel nauseous. We unfortunately ate out A LOT last week. I just didn't have the energy. It is kind of a vicious cycle because you want to eat well in order to feel well, but because you feel sick, nothing healthy sounds or tastes good.

So with the forced help of my wonderful husband, we did plan meals for the week. And to make it easy on me and with the least amount of effort, we planned only three Crock-Pot meals. Leftovers will fill in the end of the week. So here it is:

Menu
Monday: Slow-Cooker Chicken and Rice
Tuesday: Mile-high Enchilada Pie
Wednesday: Slow-Cooker Stuffed Peppers
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: TBD
Sunday: Easter (not sure yet what we are doing family-wise)

Events
Monday: Clean and organize and play outside
Tuesday: Royal Oak story time
Wednesday: Play date with Brandi
Thursday: Clean and organize
Friday: Bob has the day off not sure yet what we are going to do. We are kind of waiting to see what the weather will be like.
Saturday: Grocery shop and dye and decorate Easter eggs
Sunday: Special Easter breakfast than church and maybe brunch or dinner with family

They maybe cute, but they are energy zappers in disguise

Well, life is once again not going smoothly at the Wilson household. I once again think I have 2 teething babies at the same time, which makes for great cranky babies.

While Calan's 2-year molars have yet to make an appearance, I swear that is what keeps bothering him. He is barely eating, waking up in the middle of the night for hours at a time, and chewing on anything and everything.

At least, I am hoping it is teeth. I can't figure what else it would be. I keep checking his ears. He has never had an ear infection, but could it be that even without a fever or without more than normal ear discharge?

Every night this weekend he was up for at least 3 hours. Sometimes rocking, sometimes laying with me, and sometimes playing. But if he is up, I am too, which is making me a walking zombie.

Not to mention Maisie's top teeth are coming through. She has been at least sleeping well and for the most part pleasant, but man she is drooling like a Saint Bernard. Her bibs are lasting for about 15 minutes at a time.

Unlike with Calan though, I see her teeth and know that there is an end to this soon. One of Maisie's top teeth is through and the other is right there, so it can't be too much longer.

How long did it take for 2-year molars to come in for your little ones? I need know what to expect.

On a brighter note, my goal this week is to get back on a routine. We have gotten away from it with all the night wakes ups and whiny behavior, but I think routine will help Calan. So, praying that goes smoothly.

This week we are:
Monday: Staying in and doing laundry and resting.
Tuesday: Story time at the library and grocery shopping
Wednesday: Not sure yet. Might be a another day at home focusing on our routine.
Thursday: Tour of a Royal Oak fire station. (Calan is going to love this. Kind of excited about it.)
Friday: Bob is taking the day off. The kids and I are going to go to a playdate in the morning and I am FINALLY get my hair done in the afternoon!! Just in time for a girls' night out in the evening. Yeah!
Saturday: Hopefully we will make it out to eat and to the farmers market. It has been 2 weeks since we have gone.
Sunday: church in the morning and a first birthday party in the evening.

As for our menu:
Your guess is as good as mine. It is a winging it kind of week in terms of food. Sorry.

You will truly be missed

Grandma Wilson holding Calan at the hospital. She had 3 great-grandchildren.

My husband's family is closer than most that I know. From aunts and uncles to cousins and siblings, we see each other often. Their love for one another and loyalty to each other is incomparable. And I am positive that the love and loyalty that they have for one another comes from one person, Bob's Grandmother.

This past Saturday she passed away suddenly and we are all feeling a bit shocked. It is all feeling a bit surreal. Her 77th birthday would have been Sunday.

His Grandmother was seriously the most selfless caring person I knew and she had such a forgiving heart. In her life, some have not always been so nice, and yet, she never had an ill-word for anyone or anything. 

She was blessed with an unbelievable servant's heart. She put every one's needs above her own. And her family loved her so much and cared for her so much that to lose her so suddenly leaves us bewildered. 

This week Bob and I will be spending quite a bit of time with family. Tomorrow will be the visitation and Wednesday will be the funeral. 

This will be another survival week. We just need to get through. I am lucky that a friend and my mother-in-law will be helping with the kids, so that I can be there for Bob. 

It is going to be a long week, but like everything it is just one step at a time. 

Another Monday

Who did not enjoy yesterday's AMAZING weather? Our kids are still getting over their colds, but we still played outside and soaked in the sun. After a rough week last week, I needed the sun and vitamin D.

This week is going to be a lot of the same for us with Bob working late and me home with the kids. I am praying that by Wednesday their noses have stopped running and we will be able to leave the house. Fingers crossed. I am so tired of snot!

I'll be honest. I am kind of winging it this week. Because of weekend plans and some laziness, I have not had a chance to plan out our week and dinner menu. I have a few things frozen in the freezer, so I'll probably use up those leftovers today and go grocery shopping tomorrow.

It is amazing how easy it is to get off routine and how difficult it is to get back on.

So right now, I am just enjoying my cup of coffee pretending that everything on my to-do list is already done.

I am also praying that our new double stroller gets here before the weekend and we are able to get out for a walk before the nice weather ends (though it's raining today). For those interested, I decided on the Zooper Tango double stroller. It was the original stroller that I wanted back when I was pregnant with Maisie. It is a bit heavier than our other double stroller that I lost (literally lost), but it has some great features that I want in a double stroller. It will be a little larger in the back of our car, but it should fit on an angle.

(I'll post my menu later today or tomorrow when I get it done.)

Monday Game Plan: Still surviving

If you are an accountant's wife, you understand that there are just times in the year that they work insane amount of hours, and as a wife, you know that it won't last forever and soon enough life will be back to normal till the next busy season. However, this year, I am so ready for it to be over, and to be honest there really is not an end in sight. Bob and I are both exhausted and we both need a vacation to say the least. But, it is time to just Buck Up and move forward because it is what it is and we will get through it.

In order to cope with the week, I think I am going to try and stay out of the house as much as possible. We have plans Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday so far. It is a lot easier to ignore chores when we are just out and about. So, here is the plan:

Events
Monday: Staying home in the morning to clean and organize. Already have laundry going and dishes done. Going to head to the mall this afternoon to let Calan run around the play area.
Tuesday: We are going to head to the Southfield library's story time. The building is amazing and the kids' area is so incredible. Anyone want to join us? It starts at 10 a.m.
Wednesday: We are going to try out Java Jungle in Farmington with the Royal Oak Mom's Club (though it doesn't seem like a lot of people are going). I have always wanted to try it. Coffee and play area, I don't think I can go wrong.
Thursday: Nothing planned yet. Maybe a day to stay home and clean, but we shall see.
Friday: A long overdue play date with a friend and her daughter. Hopefully everyone is well so we can actually get together.
Saturday: Typical family day for us. Breakfast out, farmers' market, and errands.
Sunday: Church and the our couples' small group. (And then it is Monday all over again. Seriously.)

Menu
Monday: Pre-made broccoli stuffed chicken and for me, artichokes and salad.
Tuesday: Spaghetti and salad
Wednesday: Chicken strips and corn pudding
Thursday: Fajitas (A new Calan favorite where my non-veggie eating child will eat the peppers, so we have been eating them once a week)
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Pasties and broccoli
Sunday: Leftovers or TBD

So that's our week. What are you doing? Anybody want to get together Thursday?

Hello, food plan

This week I went a little nuts with my meal planning and planned everything: breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. I was a little bored on Friday and feeling like I was in a bit of a food rut, so I decided to map everything out.

I will be the first to admit that my weekly meal plans are not the most healthy, but I try to be a little health conscious and work in variety.

During the winter months, we get organic produce delivered to our house. Each Friday, they send out a list of what we are getting the following Wednesday. To make my weekly meal plan, I took that list and what I already had and tried to use as many fruits and veggies as I could.

Blueberry and Mango muffins with coconut streusel

Menu
Monday

• Breakfast: Blueberry and Mango muffins with coconut streusel (So good!)
• Lunch: Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches
• Snack: Cheese stick and apple slices
• Dinner: Broccoli and Mac and Cheese with Bacon and Potato Nugget Topping (Really trying to get Calan to eat green veggies)

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Birdies in a Nest and orange slices (We called it eggs in a frame as kids. Just a fried egg cooked in the center of a piece of bread.)
• Lunch: Leftover Mac and Cheese
• Snack: Banana and animal crackers
• Dinner: Chicken Fajitas

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Blueberry and Mango muffins
• Lunch: Roasted butternut squash, animal crackers, and apple slices
• Snack: Orange slices and cheese stick
• Dinner: Ravioli

Thursday

• Breakfast: Yogurt and banana
• Lunch: Italian sausage tortellini soup
• Snack: Rice crackers and apple slices
• Dinner: Shrimp stir-fry

Friday

• Breakfast: Pear bread and mango
• Lunch: Butternut squash and grilled cheese
• Snack: Banana and yogurt
• Dinner: Leftovers

Saturday

• Breakfast: Eating out
• Lunch: Leftovers
• Snack: Rice crackers and yogurt
• Dinner: Either eating at our church swim event (that I thought was last week, but is this week) or at my mother-in-law's house.

As for our weekly plans, we do not have much going on. Today we went to our Royal Oak story time and Saturday we have a family swim event, but other than that it is pretty open. Looks like a good week to lay low and clean. Oh the fun stuff.

Have a good week everyone!

Winging it

So this week I am kind of winging it. Bob isn't sure what nights he will be home for dinner, and while I love my children, I hate cooking full dinners with all the dishes that go along with that for just us. Because of that, I am pretty sure, my meals will be pretty flexible this week. We also have some fun stuff going on that should keep us pretty active. Hopefully, I can keep their running noses at bay and keep them healthy long enough to enjoy this week.

Events
Monday: Play date with the Royal Oak Mom's Club to officially join. Do laundry and start cleaning for Wednesday.
Tuesday: Clean and prepare and finish craft for Wednesday
Wednesday: I am hosting a Toddler Busy Bag Swap. I'll share more about this on Thursday, but it should be a fun play date with several of my friends.
Thursday: We are going to Playaway to make up a class we missed last session. Because of Calan being sick and one day having a dead car battery, we just didn't make it to any this session.
Friday: CLEAN AND ORGANIZE. It is getting harder and harder to stay on top of everything.
Saturday: Normal Saturday morning with breakfast and farmer's market. And not much going on Saturday evening. I thought that we had a swimming event, but just realized that is next week. Oops.
Sunday: Church and then our church small group is meeting for our church-wide study on "The Hole in the Gospel." I am still reading the book, but so far, it really does challenge you to live differently and open-handed. Bob and I have decided to forgo family Sunday dinner while doing the four-week study. It was just a little much the last time. (We haven't told our family yet, so if you read this, sorry. It was just too stressful for us last time.)


Menu
Monday: Cheeseburgers, carrots, sweet potato fries
Tuesday: Lawry's Southwest Chicken Skillet
Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Chicken pot pie

Friday: Quisadillas with salad and sauteed peppers

Saturday: Chicken stir-fry

Sunday: Leftovers

So that is our week. Luckily Calan is starting to sleep better at night and Maisie is just waking up once, so I am finally getting more rest to make it through these busy weeks.

Monday Game Plan (on Tuesday Sorry)

Well, as you might have noticed, it is getting a little crazy around here and I am finding less and less time to blog. The kids seem to be in a tag team match 24/7, which has kept me on my toes. This week is pretty busy, so hopefully I am able to keep up on the house and all the little things. My fingers are crossed.

Menu
Monday: Chicken Brushetta (we do this one a lot)
Tuesday: Chicken Fajittas
Wednesday: Sweet kielbasa and tri-pepper pesto pasta (sauteed peppers with bow-tie pasta mixed with a pre-made pesto sauce)
Thursday: Chicken with brocolli and carrots
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Leftovers/takeout
Sunday: Superbowl TBD

Events
Monday: We stayed home and I did laundry and cleaned. The fun stuff.
Tuesday: Southfield story time. (P.S. What a gorgeous library! The story time was not as structured as I would have liked, but the children's area is just simply AMAZING!)
Wednesday: Maisie's 6 month well visit and both kids get shots. Yeah me. Luckily Bob will be at the appointment to help out. I can't wait to see how big Maisie is. This last month, she has exploded!
Thursday: We have another day sticking close to home. I will probably clean as much as I can since our weekend is pretty busy.
Friday: Playdate with an old friend and Calan's first friend Emmy. Then girls night out hosted by my sister-in-law and her family at Sole Sisters in Royal Oak.
Saturday: Bob is going to a men's breakfast with our church. And then hoping to do something with the family like heading to the library or maybe the local mall that has a toddler kids area to play in.
Sunday: I have a friend's baby shower in the morning. (I think I might be on of the few people who actually enjoy's showers. Call me crazy.) and then Superbowl party. Though we have not RSVPed yet, we are probably going to Bob's aunt's for dinner and the game.


(Sorry for the delay, but I will post my Toddler Tuesday post later tonight. I will get back in the swing again. Promise.)

Monday Game Plan: Surviving

I thought I was doing really well. I thought I was getting good at parenting 2 babies and then 18 months hit for Calan and the last 2 weeks have been horrible. The poor guy has had a flu bug, a cold, and now I think his 2-year molars are coming in. Either way he is a snotty, whiny mess that is barely sleeping.

My goal for this week is to SURVIVE and hope that he gets better soon. I miss my happy playful little guy. This terrible whiny monster is not as much fun and is pretty much exhausting. 

I  was able to get a few things finished last week despite Calan's neediness. I did get all my handwash laundry done, as well as Bob and I (mostly Bob) finally reorganized the basement storage. Two things that I had been avoiding since before Christmas. 

Main goal: Survive

Menu

• Monday: Perogies, carrots, broccoli 
• Tuesday: Chicken, dumpling squash, cauliflower, mac & cheese (Tip: Lightly pound your chicken and sprinkle with a little lemon pepper and garlic salt. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. I swear, it turns out perfect every time)
• Wednesday: Chicken caesar salad
• Thursday:  Chicken parmesan
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Leftovers or takeout
• Sunday: Family dinner not hosting

Events

• Monday: Stay at home and try to get Calan better. Bob is heading to a Wings game tonight, so just me all day.
• Tuesday: Suppose to go for a stroller walk with the Royal Oak Moms Club that I am thinking about joining. Making dinner for friends who just had a baby.
• Wednesday: Again, suppose to go to my second event with the Royal Oak Moms Club, but we shall see how Calan is doing
• Thursday: Calan's Playaway class, hopefully he is better!
• Friday: Nothing going on so far. Probably a fun cleaning day
• Saturday: Standard breakfast out and farmers market
• Sunday: Standard day of church and family dinner

Have a good week everyone!

Monday game plan: Keeping it easy

Last week went almost as planned. Some days were better than others.

I did end up rescheduling Calan's doctor appointment. I just did not want him to get shots when he was still a little sick.

 Friday was a good surprise. A friend had her baby and we were able to watch their 18-month-old for a little while so they could get to the hospital. Fun and exciting play date.

Saturday was just too gorgeous to clean inside, so we headed to the zoo. It was such a wonderful family day. I wouldn't change it for anything.

Sunday was not as much fun. I did go to my cousin's daughter's first birthday and that was nice, but when I got home, our 8-year-old dog seemed pretty sick, so we rushed her to the emergency vet to find out that she was basically dying from rat poison. I will blog more about this later, but it was scary and so glad that she is actually going to be OK and is probably heading home this afternoon.

Bob is going to be pretty busy this week at work, so dinners are going to be pretty easy and no fuss. So here is what this week should hopefully look like:

Main goal: To get the laundry organized and hand-washed items that I have been avoiding done

Menu

• Monday: Spaghetti and salad. (Tip: Use bulk Italian sausage in your spaghetti sauce instead of ground beef)
• Tuesday: Pizza night (making dinner for friends, so we will keep it easy around here)
• Wednesday:   Pasty (U.P. tradition)
• Thursday:   Chicken Tortilla soup (frozen leftovers from a few weeks ago)
• Friday: Baked chicken, carrots, and mashed cauliflower
• Saturday: Leftovers  
• Sunday: TBD (hosting our family Sunday dinner. Not sure yet.)

Events

• Monday: Grocery shopping and laundry (the fun stuff).
• Tuesday: Taking dinner to friends who just adopted a son Calan's age from China, as well as dropping some off to our friends who just had a baby on Friday. So many new little additions. Love it. 
• Wednesday: Calan's rescheduled doctor appointment. Cleaning some of the house.
• Thursday: Our Playaway class in the morning and a play date with friends in the afternoon
• Friday: Nothing planned so it will be a much needed day at home to organize and catch up on things. 
• Saturday: Farmer's market in the morning and not sure what we are going to do in the evening yet. 
• Sunday: Church and then prepare for Sunday dinner. 

Have a good week!

What's going on?

I am a blog addict. I love reading about others' lives and struggles and tips and joys. I love connecting with people. I love writing out my thoughts. I love blogging.

I know that there are a ton of mommy blogs out there. I am just ready to be one of them. 

My goal for 2013 is to expand our small family blog. 

Over the last two weeks, I have changed a little how I post. Each day will be a new post that correlates with that day's theme. As you might have noticed over the last two weeks, I have started to do this. Here is what you will find:

Monday Game Plan: This is where you will find what we are hoping to accomplish this week and a quick review of what did or did not get done from the week before. I will also be posting our dinner menu with a few links to the recipes that I am using. Most of the recipes are easy to prepare and convenient for a mom with her hands full. I decided that this would be a good topic for those that might feel a little overwhelmed each day. Setting my weekly goals keeps me sane, so I thought they might help someone too. 

Toddler Tuesday: Who doesn't need more ideas on how to entertain their toddler? Each Tuesday, I will share an activity or craft that I have done with my crazy toddler. I feel like he is a good test model since he has the patience of a fly, so if i can get him to do it than most likely your child will too. 

Wordless Wednesday: I am sure if you follow any blogs regularly, you might have come across a Wordless Wednesday somewhere else. On Wednesdays, I will share fun photos of my little ones from that week. What mom doesn't like to show off a little? 

Anything Goes Thursday: Here is where I will discuss any parenting issues, tips, or thoughts. Anything that is on my mind like cloth diapering for those who have liked those posts in the past. 

Grateful Friday: I will share anything I am grateful for (obviously). As my life gets busier and busier, it is nice to remember all that I am grateful for. For me it is a great way to refresh and get excited about the weekend. 

Although my daily blogs cover a lot of what I want to blog about, I will share more recipes, crafts, tips, thoughts, etc. throughout the week. My daily blogs are just a starting point of what to expect from Wilson's (almost) Irish Twins. 

I have also set up a Facebook fan page for the blog to better connect with readers as well as friends and family. Be sure to become a fan and share with your friends, too. 

Happy Blogging!

Monday Game Plan: Doctors and Organization

Well, last week didn't go exactly as planned. We went to my mother's, but Calan got sick, so we basically just hung out at home the 4 days we were there. We were suppose to come home Thursday evening, but decided to stay until Friday morning.

Calan went from having a stomach bug to a bad cold, which took up a lot of our time and attention. We still have to regroup from the holidays and take down our Christmas decorations. I felt sick yesterday, so didn't do much yesterday and Bob goes back to work tomorrow, so there is a lot to do today before he goes. And not to mention, our alma matter Michigan State University is playing in the Outback Bowl today, which means I lose Bob for most of the afternoon.

So here is the plan:
Menu

• Monday: Chicken pot pie 
• Tuesday: Pork chops with stuffed dumpling squash
• Wednesday: Chicken primivera
• Thursday: Taco salad
• Friday: Leftovers
• Saturday: Chilli with Beer bread (Tip: Add 3 tsp. of baking powder to 3 cups flour to make self-rising flour)
• Sunday: Family dinner (not sure if it is my turn to host or not, so I will figure that out at some point this week)

Events

• Monday: Organize and take down indoor Christmas decorations (too cold for outdoor)
• Tuesday: Library storytime and errands in the afternoon
• Wednesday: Calan's 18-month well visit. He is just getting over his cold, so I might reschedule
• Thursday: Maisie eye-doctor appointment. Bob is working from home and maybe taking Calan to Playaway class.
• Friday: Clean house
• Saturday: Tackle basement dumping ground 
• Sunday: My cousin's daughter's first-birthday party and Wilson family dinner

Every week I have high expectations, and every week, something doesn't get done. I guess it is just one day at a time and there is always tomorrow. 

Monday Game Plan: U.P. bound

I can't believe that it is already 12:30 on Monday. I have been running around like a crazy person trying to get us all packed for our trip up north to my parent's house. It is about a 5.5-hour trip without kids; with the kids it takes us little over 6.

We are officially in the car on our way up. Praying Calan falls asleep quickly and stays asleep for most of the trip. I am hoping to only stop once, but we usually have to stop twice. Once we are up there, it is pure relaxation. I mean, who takes better care of you than your mom?

So here is the plan:

Goal: To have fun and relax as a family and hopefully have fun in some snow.

Monday: Packing and driving up to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to visit my parents and relax.

Tuesday: Take the kids to Tequanimum Falls.

Wednesday: Go visit my grandfather (who is in a nursing home up there) and head to Grand Marais for dinner at Bob's favorite brewery.

Thursday: Relax and pray that there is snow to play in. We will head home at some point depending on weather and what we are doing.

Friday: I have a doctor appointment in the morning and then just spending the day at home catching up. Probably grocery shopping and laundry.

Saturday: Pack up Christmas decorations. Probably just staying home for New Year's Eve. We just use family members for babysitters and hate to ask them so we can go out, so home it is.

Sunday: Home sweet home. Relaxation. Our church is not having services, so we will have a well deserved pj-type of day.

I don't have meals planned for this week since we are obviously on vacation. But, I will be making us at some point the baked egg muffins I made for us on Christmas Eve. I am seriously in love with them.

Have a good week!

Monday Game Plan: Holiday week is here

All Christmas shopping is done, all presents are wrapped, and now it is time to get all loose ends tied up before Sunday. Bob is on vacation this week and next. This week we are getting some loose end items taken care of and getting ourselves ready for the holidays.

Here is this weeks game plan:

Goal: To stay organized and not feel rushed through the holidays.

Menu

• Monday: Italian sausage with sauteed green peppers and onions over brown rice. 
• Tuesday: Baked chicken with butternut squash and sliced apples
• Wednesday: Chicken tortilla soup
• Thursday: Leftovers
• Friday: Chinese takeout after church
• Saturday: Christmas Eve
• Sunday: Christmas 

Events

• Monday: Wilson/Hewines' women cookie exchange. (I made Peanut Butter Oatmeal cookies. The easiest cookies to make and a family favorite.)
• Tuesday: Meeting Eleanor M., friends' daughter who is a week younger than Maisie. Also, my parents fly back from Boston and are spending the night.
• Wednesday: Search for Christmas outfits for myself and Bob. (Of course the kids are all set.)
• Thursday: Clean house and start packing for our trip to the UP (we leave Monday). 
• Friday: Visit with the Pisano/MacLachlan family. Christmas service at Kensington Church.
• Saturday: Christmas Eve. Morning exchange with Wilson siblings. Evening dinner at Bob's aunt's with all of my father-in-law's family.
• Sunday: Christmas. Brunch with my mother-in-law. Finish packing for UP. Dinner with my mother-in-law's family. 

Here's to a good and busy week! Merry Christmas.