Meal Planner: 6/23

So meal planning has definitely improved my food budget! I can proudly say that most weeks our food budget stays around $50. This is all due to planning out meals ahead of time! I love pinterest for ideas as well. We try so many different things I feel like we don't have a chance to get sick of anything! If you aren't meal planning, you should start!

Saturday: I am sure we will be full from the Greek festival but I plan on making this easy three ingredient crock pot meal...I love that it will cook while I play with the kiddos outside all day: Crockpot Ranch Pork Chops

I also like the idea of making mashed potatoes because that gravy looks awesome!!!

Sunday: Pork Loin, Rice and a veggie.

Monday: Oh my doesn't this look easy and delicious!! Forgotten Chicken

Tuesday: Chicken drumsticks, roasted potatoes with rosemary and tyme and a veggie

Wednesday: - This family is going to be chickened out! Italian chicken

Thursday - LEFTOVERS!! I just hope Dan hasn't eaten everything... :)

Riley Niamh: 3 months!!

Holy cow! You are actually 4 months now, but here is what you did in month 3:

- 5/22 - You rolled over! You rolled from you back to stomach first but have seemed to have mastered the belly to back.
- You love to take a bath and we recently discovered the bumbo seat makes a great bath seat!
- You love to be held and snuggled.
- You laugh and smile all the time. You stay true to your name smiley riley
- You watch your sister eat intently. I have a feeling we will be starting you on food soon.
- Your favorite toys right now are the crinkle book, sophie and your purple bunny rattle. You also love playing with mommys hands
- You are obsessed with your binky. It quiets you up immediately.
- I love that if I put a blanket over your face you fall asleep! Your sister used to do the same thing with roger. It's like you are a little bird and once the lights go out you pass out.
- You love going to the playground and going on the swing!
- You talk so much! Just baby talk but you love when someone talks to you and you patiently wait your turn to respond.
- You are very ticklish and belly laugh pretty much on a daily basis
- You are wearing mostly 6 month clothes!! Chunky Monkey!

Where did my little baby go?

"Babies Don’t Keep"

Mother, Oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren’t her (OR HIS) eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
~Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Twins??

I guess nobody will mistake them for sisters....

Oh in case you were wondering, Riley is on the left. Kayleigh is on the right. :)

This is how Rileys photo session ended. Hope that brought a smile to your face. 

"Living the life of Riley"

So Dan informed me the other day that he was doing a crossword puzzle and one of the clues was "Living the life of _ _ _ _ _." He later discovered it was Riley and thought it was a mistake so went to google to find out what this meant...if it was in fact correct. Well it was and what an interesting history to the saying as well! Check it out:

"Living the Life of Riley" suggest an ideal life of prosperity and contentment, possibly living on someone else’s money, time or work.  Rather than a negative freeloading or gold digging aspect, it instead implies that someone is kept or advantaged.  This expression was popular in the 1880s a time when James Whitcomb Riley’s Poems depicted the comforts of a prosperous home life, but it could have an Irish origin: After the Riley clan consolidated its hold on country caravan, they minted their own money accepted as legal tender even in England.  These coins called O’Rileys and Reillys became synonymous with a monied person and a gentleman freely spending was "living on his Reillys".

How awesome is that? I mean she is the most content baby I have ever met and I guess this is why. :)

I also hope this means she will be prosperous later in life!! Maybe I should look up similar names for our next baby.

So there is your history lesson for the day.

Maybe we should all try and live like Riley.....

Meal Planner: 6/12

So I just got back to Buffalo and I have to figure out what we are eating this week. Thank goodness pinterest still has some awesome recipes I have yet to try!

Tuesday: I have to babysit at jazzercise and unpack and blah, blah, blah....so CHIPOTLE!!! Woooo!

Wednesday: Pork tenderloin a la pinterest!

Thursday: I have to babysit at jazzercise again so I figured a crockpot meal would be yummy. I think we will have the Crockpot Italian Chicken again since it was divine! I think I may add some frozen broccoli for a little crunch and a veggie. Also, reheating the leftovers in some butter in a skillet is so delicious as well!!

4 Chicken Breasts, 1 Packet Zesty Italian Dressing Seasoning, 1 8 Oz. Cream Cheese (softened), 2 Cans Cream Of Chicken Soup; Cook On Low For 4 Hours. If Sauce Is Too Thick, Add A Little Milk. Serve Over Pasta

Friday: Slow cooker honey sesame chicken!

Saturday - I really hope Kayleigh eats this...

Sunday - We're going to try ribs for the first time...recipe here. Dan makes these awesome roasted sweet potatoes that I think will go perfect with the ribs.

Monday - Chicken drumsticks, rice and a veggie

Now I have to shop for everything :)

Meal Planner: 6/1

I know...why am I meal planning starting on a Friday...well this is my husbands Sunday so I can get a lot done today!

Friday: BBQ Beef Stir Fry...recipe here

Saturday: Baked Ziti dinner...this is actually a surplus meal that is in my freezer and ready to be heated in the oven

Sunday: Turkey Burgers and Potato wedges!

Monday: Crockpot Italian Chicken...Pinterest Recipe!!

4 Chicken Breasts, 1 Packet Zesty Italian Dressing Seasoning, 1 8 Oz. Cream Cheese (softened), 2 Cans Cream Of Chicken Soup; Cook On Low For 4 Hours. If Sauce Is Too Thick, Add A Little Milk. Serve Over Pasta


Tuesday - Dortmunder Kielbasa and Pirogis...thanks Westside Market!

Wednesday - Split Chicken Breasts, Rice and a veggie!

Thursday - Dan is left to fend for himself since the kiddos and I are off to Buffalo!

Where have all the children gone??

WARNING: This blog post may insult some people...if you are one of the ones insulted...bring your kid out more!

So this is my third attempt in six months to write this post and I hope I actually follow through with it this time. I guess I am writing out of frustration. Where have all the children gone? I take my kids to one of the following everyday: playground, library, friend's house, indoor amusement park, mall play space (ok, those are usually packed). Anyways, you get my point. The sad thing is that sometimes, we are the only people there.

For example, a few weeks ago it was about eighty degrees out and it was perfect playground weather. Dan had off so we decided to go to this large playground by our house. There was probably three other families there, besides us. It was 4pm on a weekday...and beautiful out. Why aren't the playgrounds packed? Where are all the children?? What's funny is that my husband has heard me complain about this before but he turned to my while pushing Kayleigh on the swing and said: "Why aren't more kids here?" My head almost exploded!

So, maybe they are all playing in their backyard several-thousand dollar play sets I see around my neighborhood. Well, since we walk pretty much everywhere I can say...that unless they all just run indoors right when we are coming up the block, no no kids in the backyards either. THIS IS A PROBLEM. Everyone is very concerned about what their kids eat, I don't want my kid to get fat, etc. However, I see very few children actually out and about on a regular basis. People need to be moving constantly to stay in shape. I am not speaking from experience since I need to get out MORE and move more. I do think that there should be a healthy balance of exercise and diet in a child's life though and all I am seeing is the emphasis on diet. I know, its a different world even from when I was growing up. Fifty years ago kids were thrown out of their houses and told not to come back home until the street lights came on....you would be arrested for child abandonment nowadays...if a pedophile didn't scoop your kid up first. This doesn't mean they have to sit in the house all day though. Babies, toddlers, children and teenagers should get out everyday for hours at a time. It's good for them and for you!! Try it! Maybe you will be a happier person.

Forget happiness...how about skinny? Alright, it won't make you skinny but chasing your kid around a playground is a lot more work that putting that Elmo DVD in or handing your grade schooler their DS. I admit, I have my lazy days but Kayleigh can't stand being in the house and I think that's a great thing.

So there it is. Take your kid out more. It will make them healthier, happier and maybe they will even sleep better from all that fresh air! If you are so concerned about their diet then take them to a farmers market one day and help them pick out some fresh fruits and veggies. Park the car at the very end of the parking lot when you drive somewhere so you have that extra five minutes to walk and chat with your little ones...they have a lot to say! GO TO THE PLAYGROUND...YOU ARE PAYING TAXES FOR THEM!! Grab a book and read while your child runs off energy in the backyard...or on that several thousand dollar play set. Getting them active now will help them be active later. Think about it, are you raising a couch potato?