Monday, April 13, 2009

a whole lot of random all mixed into one

It's Monday! A start to a fresh new week. Time to get back into my weekly schedule that I desperately need for me to get productive once again!

And, well....I woke up to a couple piles of throw up in my son's crib. The week is starting out not so fresh anymore.

For me to have a little bit of "normalcy" on a day where it's anything but normal, I thought I would do a little housekeeping and get some things in order. A little random, but in order nonetheless.

Muffin Tin Monday
visit Her Cup Overfloweth for more!
One of Mikayla's favorite meals these days is meat, cheese, and crackers. I love how she wraps her cheese and cracker up in her meat and eats it like a sandwich.
Today's muffin tin includes meat, crackers, carrots, yogurt, grapes, and cheese.


Friend Makin' Monday
Kasey at All That is Good asked us this question:
What is the best advice someone
has ever given you?
Snuggle with your little ones as much as you can. They don't stay little forever. If that means cuddle in bed on a lazy morning, do it. Or read some books with your babes in your lap, do it. Let them fall asleep on your chest when they don't feel good (like today!). Just BE with your kiddos and enjoy those little moments...while they last.


Menu Plan Monday

This will be my third week IN A ROW that I have successfully planned our menu. It has saved me so many "what's for dinner?" headaches...and a little in the pocketbook, too!

This week's menu:

Monday - Chicken Tortilla Soup (similar to this one)
Tuesday - leftover Chicken BBQ from last week (yummy for sandwiches!)
Wednesday - Steak Fajitas? (anybody have a good recipe??)
Thursday - Chicken Pasta Pesto (changed the name to this one)
Friday - Take Out (busy, busy, busy day!)
Saturday - MIKAYLA'S FAMILY PARTY
Sunday - Slow Cooked Corn Chowder & Grilled Cheese


Recipe Swap

Anissa at Learning Together Hand in Hand
is having a recipe swap today.



Here's a favorite in the Boos household:

This is a great dish that can easily make two meals for two families of four. I usually freeze one of the square dishes or make the other to bless another family with dinner.

Taco-Stuffed Pasta Shells

16-18 jumbo pasta shells, prepared
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 can refried beans
1 cup shredded cheese, divided
1 jar salsa, divided

1. Cook beef in large skillet until brown; drain. Add seasoning mix and water; cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.
2. Add beans and 3/4 cup cheese; mix well.
3. Spread 1/4 cup salsa over bottom of each two 8-inch square baking dishes.
4. Fill pasta shells with beef mixture; place half of shells in each baking dish, filled side up. Spoon remaining salsa over shells.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve with sour cream.

**To bake frozen shells, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove plastic wrap; re-cover with foil. Bake 45-50 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve with sour cream.


And, oh, how we tried to get the
perfect picture of the kids on Easter.
Seems to get a little more difficult each year!

23 comments:

Xazmin said...

Okay, THAT sounds delicious! I'm totally tucking this one away for the grocery list next time I go shpping! (well, I have everything but the shells!)

I have a good fajita recipe I tried a couple months ago. I made it with chicken, but I'm sure the recipe said steak or chiken. I'll go find it and email it to you!

I hope your little one is doing better!

Christie in Dallas, TX said...

Wow, you are busy on Mondays! Great advice about snuggling with your kids. Your kids are so cute!!

Miller Racing Family said...

What a post! Where shall I begin?
I am going to have to try the muffin tin idea, that looks so fun.
Great advice about cuddle your baby! How I wish I could do this all day long.
Once again I am so proud of the menu planning. If you need a simple steak fajitas recipe click on my recipe button on the left hand side and there is a crock pot fajitas recipe that we like.
I am totally printing off your taco stuffed pasta shells, it sounds wonderful.
Hope you have a blessed Monday!

vicki said...

Hope Austin feels better soon. The kids look so cute in their outfits. Wish we could have been there to see them in person.
Love,
Mom

Val in the Rose Garden said...

You tin looks like a lunchable. My kids would love that.

I am so sorry your baby is sick. Hope he feels better really soon!

Val

Mozi Esme said...

Looks like a yummy muffin tin lunch!

Hope your kiddo is feeling alright...

And those photos are sweet - imperfect always is!

Kasey said...

Cheese, crackers, meat, and fruit are one of Kane's favorites too!

And that is great advice! Sometimes I think to myself that I need to take this advice more often! Cause when they're big they're not going to be as willing to let me love on them! I'm always telling Kane that I don't want him to grow up, that I want for him to stay little. He tells me not to worry that he isn't going anywhere that he will just grow up and marry me that way he can live with me forever! He's so sweet!

by the way! the kiddos are lookin' way cute in their Easter clothes!

Kelli said...

I love the random post! I'm sorry Austin is not feeling well, that advice is coming in handy I'm sure. I love to snuggle with my little ones.
Good job on the meal planning. This is week 2 for me and so far so good!
Don't we hope that pictures get easier as they get older? They're still adorable!
And thanks for commenting about my slump. I'm trying not to be too down about it!

Becca @ The Texas Darlings said...

Wow- sounds like a busy day for you! Love you FMM advice- I still cuddle with my 8 & 6 year olds- as much as they will let me!

Also, don't worry about the "perfect" Easter Picture- it will never come and that's what makes the photos more endearing!

Have a great week!

Becca

Dawn said...

Hope your son is feeling better this morning and nobody else gets it. Your dinners for this week sound yummy-thanks for your recipe too. I didn't even try to get a picture of all the kids together on Easter-it gets too stressful and I didn't want that on Sunday :)

Unknown said...

When you get the recipe for the fajita let me know! I love those things. I so need to start making a menu for the week! Love the kids pictures they are to cute!

Thanks for playing along and for sharing.

boosmom said...

Cute photos...hope you had a great Easter, and look at you go with the menu planning!! Yeah Heidi!

Be Brave, Keep Going said...

wow! You pack a lot into your mondays!!

SO sorry Austin isn't feeling well! HOpe he gets better quick!

Xazmin said...

One more thing...TAG you're it!!!

Xazmin

It Feels Like Chaos said...

Hope Austin gets better quick and nobody else catches it! Sweet Easter pics. I am going to have to try the muffin tin meal; it looks like so much fun!

' said...

I love your flower muffin tin! That lunch looks like the ones my kids enjoy most.

Missy said...

Well, waking up to throw up is not fun! Hope the rest of your week starts a little better.

The recipe sounds really good. Your kids are super cute sittin' there on the couch.

jennykate77 said...

I'm over from Kelsey's FMM post. Great advice! Cuddling is the best part of any day!! I love the recipe, it sounds soooo yummy! Your kiddos are adorable!

Hope you have a terrific Tuesday!

Shelley @ My Treasure Hunt said...

That recipe sounds good! Perfect pictures are nearly impossible, aren't they?! It's a good thing the imperfect ones are sometimes even cuter! Hope your boy gets better soon!

heidi said...

I keep saying I'm gonna do the Muffin Tin Monday thing - even with the girls but then I never do. LOL At least I am consistent in my suckiness. ;-)

Good advice!

NICE job on 3 weeks in a row with a menu!!!I can't believe someone as organized as yourself didn't have one before!!! I'm adding the Corn Chowder recipe to MY menu for the next couple of weeks. Thanks!

I have a salad recipe that I think you'll really like - it's like a lunch salad kind of thing - and I just haven't gotten it to you yet. HARRASS me if you don't see it soon!

They look so cute! Where'd you get his orange vest? I'm a sucker for sweater vests on little boys. :-)

Tammy Williams said...

The pasta shells sound so good that I'm gonna have to try it. Love the Easter pictures. Hope Austin is back to normal real soon.

Homeschool Friend said...

Cute muffin tin! Thanks for sharing!

(I followed your link from Her Cup Overfloweth!)

Shelby said...

Still pretty cute pictures, even if they aren't "perfect." They grow so fast!

 
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