Cook Family Corner

Dinner This Week

2011-11-19T12:40:00.001-08:00

I noticed that I did not post last week's meals, and my cooking for this week has been done to boot!

Anyway, this was a very, very short cooking week, thanks to the Thanksgiving Holiday. We'll spend the holiday weekend with Ray's side of the family.
So, this is what we'll be having:

November 21-27

Monday: Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato sandwiches with various leftovers

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night @ Mark Rich's

Wednesday - Sunday: We'll be out of town & on the road.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

(Oops! - Last Week's) This Moment

2011-11-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week. A single, special extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

http://www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

http://www.soulemama.com/

Dinner This Week

2011-11-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Hello! I am a day late with this week's menu. I didn't even think about what to have for dinner last night until about 4:30 p.m., either. But, our chicken fajita's were quite tasty!

Anyway, here's what we'll be eating...

November 7-12, 2011

Monday: Chicken Fajitas
Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pollo-Fajitas/Detail.aspx

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night @ Mark Rich's

Wednesday: BBQ Baby Back Ribs w/ salad

Thursday: Rotisserie-Style Chicken w/ Steamed Broccoli & Salad
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roast-sticky-chicken-rotisserie-style/detail.aspx

We have company coming into town for the weekend, so I need to check with them for likes, dislikes & Whatnot. So, the rest of the week is to be determined...

Have a wonderful week!

Dinner this week

2011-10-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

With today being Halloween, I need to be quick with my meal planning for this week. We have friends coming over for a quick chili dinner before all of our kids head out into the neigborhood to gather their treats.

Here's what we're having this week:

October 31-November 6, 2011

Monday: Halloween Dinner
Cook Family: Chili (again, with pumpkin mixed in, and I may have to add beans this time)
Jacobson Family: Corn Bread
Adams Family: Scones & Salad
Source: http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/02/22/my-favorite-chili-recipe/

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night at Mark Rich's

Wednesday: Curry Fish Chowder w/ Crou-tains
Source: http://www.health-bent.com/soups/curry-fish-chowder-paleo-croutons

Thursday: Paleo Pad Thai
Source: http://www.health-bent.com/poultry/pad-thai

Friday: Moroccan Grilled Salmon with Asparagus & Salad
Source: http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/05/06/moroccan-grilled-salmon/

Saturday: Grilled Steak & Baked Potatoes w/ Salad

Sunday: Roasted Chicken w/ Roasted Vegetables & Salad

Have a wonderful week!

Dinner This Week

2011-10-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday, everyone! I thoroughly enjoy our new weekday morning routine - walking to school with the kids. It's a tiny bit of quality time I get to spend with my kids at the beginning of each day. I think they may even look forward to it now, but that could be wishful thinking.

Once seemed like an impossible after-school schedule, the kids' schedules are in an adjustment period right now. And, our afternoons don't seem to be as hectic as they once were, but we're still busy.

So, this is what we're having for dinner:

October 24-31, 2011

Monday: Chicken Picatta w/ Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and Salad (didn't get to make this last week)
Source: http://dandydishes.blogspot.com/2011/10/chicken-picatta.html

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night @ Mark Rick's New York Pizza - I may try their gluten free crust

Wednesday: Paleo Shepherd's Pie
Source: http://fastpaleo.com/paleo-shepperds-pie/

Thursday: On the road & headed to San Diego, CA - my vote is Chipotle!

Friday: TBD - we're headed to Legoland for the day with friends

Saturday: TBD - perhaps a barbecue?

Sunday: On the road

Dinner This Week

2011-10-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

It's already Monday?! Where did the weekend go?!

This is what we'll be eating this week:

Monday: Bacon Beef Butternut Squash with Salad
Source: http://www.civilizedcavemancooking.com/2011/10/bacon-beef-butternut-squash.html

Tuesday: Family pizza night at Mark Rich's

Wednesday: Smoked Apple & Walnut Stuffed Pork (we don't have a smoker, I'll use the oven) with Salad
Source: http://www.smokedngrilled.com/?p=1575

Thursday: (requested) Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Roasted Tomatoe & Basil Soup with Salad
Source: http://www.adventuresofpip.com/recipes/roasted-tomato-and-basil-soup/

Friday: Chicken Picatta w/ Garlic Mashed Cauliflower or Asparagus & Broccoli Rabe with Salad
Source: http://dandydishes.blogspot.com/2011/10/chicken-picatta.html

Saturday: Grilled Steak & Veggies with Salad
Source:

Sunday: Leftovers for kids @ home & Date Night for the adults

Dinner This Week

2011-10-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is what we'll be having this week:

October 10-16

Monday: Leftovers From the Refrigerator (Spaghetti or Sloppy Joes)

Tuesday: Paleo Stuffed Peppers Reloaded w/ Salad & Cinnamon Apple Butternut Soup
Source: http://friskylemon.com/2011/10/06/free-your-mind-paleo-stuffed-peppers-reloaded/?blogsub=confirming#subscribe-blog http://www.naturalfamilyawareness.com/health/index.php/2011/10/06/cinnamon-apple-butternut-soup/

Wednesday: Flank Steak w/ Roasted Zucchini
Source: (variation of) http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/03/flank-steak-with-citrus-marinade.html

Thursday: Rosemary Scallops w/ Roasted Squash & Grilled Asparagus
Source:
http://masteringtheartofpaleocooking.com/2011/10/05/rosemary-scallops-with-roasted-butternut-squash-and-grilled-asparagus/

Friday: Dinner & Bowling with Friends

Saturday: Grilled Fish & Salad

Sunday: I'm not ready to decided what we're having yet

Have a great week!

Dinner This Week

2011-10-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Oops! I'm a little late with this week's menu. Oh, well, better than never, I guess.

Here's what we'll be having:

October 3-9, 2011

Monday: Spaghetti with Pasta or Zucchini, Marinated Tomato Salad & Bread
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/marinara-sauce-recipe/index.html

Tuesday: Take out from Mark Rich's New York Pizza - Ian has a baseball game

Wednesday: Chili (I added in some pumpkin)
Source: http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/02/22/my-favorite-chili-recipe/

Thursday: Tongue Tacos with Refried Beans & Rice
Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/delicious-beef-tongue-tacos/detail.aspx

Friday: BBQ Salmon with Salad

Saturday: I'm not sure yet

Sunday: Something on the BBQ again!

Dinner This Week

2011-09-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

Well, I made it almost the whole 30 days on my Whole30 challenge (3 days short) due to a schedule conflict - the King Ridge Levi Leipheimer's GranFondo - where I'll be riding 64 miles on Saturday, and needed to alter my eating habits (just a little bit, for now) so that I would endure the long ride without "crashing".

My mom is arriving on Wednesday to stay with us for a week and a half, and will take charge for the starting on Thursday. So, I figured I'll let her choose what she and the kids will eat. Hopefully, I'll have time to add it to this post.

This is what will be served at our house this week:

September 26-October 2, 2011

Monday: Rosemary Chicken, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower & Salad
Source: http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/07/14/easy-skillet-rosemary-chicken-pecan-basil-parsley-pesto-and-more/ http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/04/garlic-and-herb-mashed-cauliflower.html

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night @ Mark Rich's

Wednesday: Herb-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Squash & Salad

Thursday - Sunday: Grandma's in charge!

Dinner This Week

2011-09-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

After being out of town for the weekend, I have some catching up to do around here. Hopefully I can get this week's meal plan set asap!

Here's what will be served at our house:

September 19-25, 2011
Monday: Sweetheart Scallops & Cucumber Salad
Source: http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/02/08/sweetheart-scallops/

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night @ Mark Rich's

Wednesday: Farmer's Market Meatloaf, Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower and Salad
Source: http://www.janssushibar.com/?p=11228

Thursday: Spaghetti w/ Meatballs, Salad and Garlic Bread
Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/marinara-sauce-recipe/index.html

Friday: Paleo Stuffed Peppers Mexican Style
Source: http://cosmopolitanprimalgirl.wordpress.com/2010/03/06/paleo-stuffed-peppers-mexican-style/

Saturday: Buffalo Burgers, Sweet Potatoe Fries and Salad

Sunday: Leftovers & Caveman Custard
Source: http://www.sonofgrok.com/2009/06/caveman-custard/

Progress

2011-09-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

After a busy week, we have...

paint...

baskets filling with crafting goodies...

organizers getting filled...

and furniture in the room!

Now, things just need to be put in their new homes. Oh, and there are a few other additions to the room that we're working on.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, and I can't wait until everything is in its place so we can start using this room again!

Dinner This Week

2011-09-12T09:57:00.000-07:00

Today begins week #3 of my Whole30 challenge (info here). I haven't forced my eating on my family, but it wasn't hard to squeeze in some items. It's cute that my kids have become aware of my eating habits right now, and my son made sure that my husband picked up foods that I could eat while they were at the grocery store this past weekend. It's been relatively easy, but I have certainly run into some challenges - this weekend's trip to southern California will be a big one. But, I can only do the best that I can do!

Here's what will be on our dinner table this week:

Monday: Chicken Fajitas with Refried Beans
Source: http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/06/skirt-steak-fajitas.html (chicken instead of beef)

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night @ Mark Rich's

Wednesday: Steak, Garlic and Herb Mashed Cauliflower & Salad
Source: http://www.primal-palate.com/2011/04/garlic-and-herb-mashed-cauliflower.html

Thursday: "Spaghetti" with Meat Sauce, Stuffed Mushrooms & Salad
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/health/22recipehealth.html, http://www.thefunctionalfoodie.com/2011/05/stuffed-portabellas.html

Friday: Somewhere on the road - I vote Chipotle!

Saturday: UCR Hall of Fame Banquet

Sunday: Same as Friday

What will you be eathing this week?

Dinner This Week

2011-09-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

Now that school is back in session, it's time for me to get back to my meal planning. Along with the school calendar, we have swimming, baseball, violin & (now) cross country. When to sit down for dinner is definitely challenging right now.

This is what will be on our dinner table this week:
September, 5-11, 2011

Monday: Co-Op Preschool & Kindergarten Fundraiser @ Chuck-e-Cheese
I just have to use up the stash of tokens we have before the monkeys are really too old! And, it will also be fun to see some other Co-op friends, and hopefully meet some new ones!

Tuesday: Family Pizza Night at Mark Rich's New York Pizza - a new weekly family tradition

Wednesday: Taco Salad
Source: Me (it's easy as pie & a family favorite in the summer!)

Thursday: Moroccan Chicken Casserole
Source: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/moroccan-chicken-casserole/

Friday: Burgers & Cucumber Salad
Source: Cecilia Leming
Saturday: Coconut-Curry Grilled Chicken with Basil Zucchini & Salad
Source: http://www.janssushibar.com/?cat=20

Sunday: Shrimp Tacos/Salad with Fresh Pineapple Salsa & Refried Beans
Source: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2204

I'm Making Progress

2011-09-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

Knowing that I ordered furniture for the room on Friday, I was bound and determined to get that black hole ready for some paint yesterday. Since my last two painting projects in our old house in Indiana seemed to take forever (they really did), I wanted to make sure that this one didn't. That is the reason I asked one of my decorating guru friends for help with this room. So, I went to work.

It's done, but now I just need to finish by selecting the exact shades of paint. Here are some updated pics:

Oops, this is blurry, but you get the point.

I'll be honest, the hallway outside the room is impassible right now, but by the end of today, that will be cleared out as well. Where is all the stuff that was in the room? It is in our office waiting to be organized in the furniture that has already arrived:

Hey, Ray can still use his desk!

Well, I'm off to Lowe's for yet one more paint sample. I AM GOING TO PICK PAINT TODAY!

This Moment

2011-09-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

This Moment

A Friday ritual. A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week. A single, special extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com

www.soulemama.com

The Dreaded Black Hole

2011-09-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this to come - the first week of school. We've had a busy and fun summer, and now it's time for me to buckle down on a project that I've been putting off for WAY TOO LONG - our "play" room. It's a total eye sore! This is just a glimpse of what it looked like over the summer:

That's funny. It's not exactly what it looked like, because walking into the room was not very easy.

It is time to pass on games & toys that have not seen the light of day in a couple years. My scrapbook materials havebeen collecting dust over the past couple of years as well, and THAT needs to change.

The past couple of weeks, I have been sorting through everything in that room. My ultimate goal is to have the room completely redecorated and ready to use by September 28th, when my mom comes out for a visit. It will be my craft area as well as the kids' homework room. I'm excited!

This is what it looks like today:

As you can see, I still have have plenty of work to do in there...I'd better get started!

This moment

2011-07-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

This Moment

A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A single, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

http://www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

http://www.soulemama.com/

This Moment

2011-06-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A single, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

http://www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

http://www.soulemama.com/

This Moment

2011-06-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week (o.k.-two weeks ago).

A single, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

http://www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

http://www.soulemama.com/

Dinner This Week

2011-06-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Boy, it has been very busy around our household these past weeks. We've been all over! So, now that we're actually home for an entire week, I am bound and determined to make a meal plan for the week so that nothing goes to waste! Besides, I did go to Costco a few weeks ago to "stock up" on some things for the coming month. So, here's what is on our menu for this week:

Monday: Chicken Marsala with artichokes, mixed veggies & salad
Source: Winder Farms & Me

Tuesday: Pizza Night!
Source: Mark Rich's Pizza

Wednesday: Grilled Salmon and Cucumbers with Salad & Baked Potatoes (some sweet, some russet)
Source: FOOD Everyday

Thursday: Friday: Skirt Steak with Warm Bean Salad & Rice

Source: FOOD Everyday
Friday: Hummus with Veggies, Pitas and Chicken Koftas with Cucumbers and Yogurt & Zucchini Fries

Source: FOOD Everyday

Saturday: Out on the town with family - we'll be down on the strip for dinner & a show!

Sunday: Father's Day Supper BBQ

Have a wonderful week!

Dinner This Week

2011-05-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone enjoyed their Mother's Day. I know I did, and Ray even made the coffee!

This is what's on our menu for this week:

Monday - Chicken Cacciatore & Spinach Salad
Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/print-recipe/94383/#sizeFP and family recipe

Tuesday - Taco Salad
Source: Leftovers in the refrigerator

Wednesday - Red Thai Duck Curry with Rice

Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/print-recipe/113664/#size4x6

Thursday - Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions over Pasta with Salad

Friday - Breakfast for dinner! Peanut Butter Waffles, Sausage & Fruit Salad

Saturday - French Dip Sandwiches & Fresh Cut Vegetables with Ranch Dip

Sunday - Something on the Barbecue!

Have a great week!

Dinner This Week

2011-05-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been some time since I've posted our meals. We left for California while the kids had their spring break, and then I was out of town, by myself, for most of last week and Ray was in charge. Of course, they ate out every night but one.

Since I'm trying to re-enter this week, I tried to pick meals that were easy and quick:

Monday - leftovers for everyone, but me. I had mahi mahi with rice and wilted spinach

Tuesday - handmade pizza with salad

Wednesday - boneless pork chops with couscous and sauteed peppers & asparagus

Thursday - peanut chicken (peanut butter, shredded carrots, chicken breast, green onions & rice)

Friday - buffalo burgers with cabbage salad & corn

Saturday - barbecue (need to figure that out at the store) outside

Sunday - whatever the family plans to do, it's a day off for mom!

Have a great week!

Dinner This Week

2011-03-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Our reserves are running low. Time to make a run to Costco for more than to gas up the car this week. Looking at what we have, and what's on our schedule this week, here's what our menu for the week looks like:

Sunday: Albondigas Soup with Rice & Salad - Thanks Victoria & Betty!

Monday: (Sandwich/Burger Night) Turkey Burgers in whole wheat buns with Green Salad & Broccolettes
Tuesday: Pizza at New York Pizza with friends (no baseball game tonight)

Wednesday: Pasta Shells with Pancetta, Peas & Shrimp
Source: Rachel Ray Just in Time

Thursday: Lasagna Casserole
Source: Rachel Ray Just in Time

Friday: Chicken Tamales with Re fried Beans & Spanish Rice

Saturday: Greek Mixed-Grill Kebabs and Pine Nut-Orzo Salad
Source: Rachel Ray Just in Time

I've been meaning to point out that although I do use cook book recipes quite often, I use them mostly as guidelines. That means that I don't follow the recipe to a T, especially if I have an alternative ingredient such as quinoa instead of couscous, or I'll use fresh vegetables instead of the canned or frozen variety.

What's on your menu this week?

Dinner This Week

2011-03-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

Let me see...last week there were a couple nights that I didn't make what was planned. So, that means I get to make them this week! It is also going to be a "short" week since we're headed to California for the weekend. Easy shopping for me!

Since there are 3 half-days of school this week, on two of those I plan to do some cooking with my little peeps. I am going to let Ian choose, and I'll help him make, a dessert. He's my foodie.

Here's what is on our menu this week:

Sunday: Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/
**Since I was crunched for time last night, I didn't do the 2nd layer. I made one for my family, and made the other for the freezer. I think the double layer would have been even more yummy! This was a huge hit with my family.

Monday: Buffalo Burgers with Cabbage Salad
Source: The meat counter at Whole Foods

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Sausages with Pumpkin Polenta
Source: Another of Rachel Ray's 15-minute meals

Wednesday: Gnocchi with Spinach and Gorgonzola & Salad

Thursday - Saturday: We'll be eating out most of the time...yuck!

Have a great week!

Dinner This Week

2011-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Now that things are getting under control in my pantry and freezer, I feel that I can safely begin adding some things back into them. So, thanks to Rachel Ray, this is what we're having for dinner this week:

Sunday: Picnic at the Park

Monday:Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Mint Sauce with Quinoa & Pine Nuts with Bread & Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday: Provencal Tuna Melts & Collared Greens with Bacon & Mushrooms

Wednesday: Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Olives and Lemon & Steamed Broccolettes

Thursday:Panzanella Stoup with Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Salad

Friday: Gnocchi with Spinach and Gorgonzola with Salad & Garlic Bread

Saturday: I'm NOT cooking!

Since we're going to have yet another busy week, I'm only going to attempt to double the meatballs.

Have a great week!

Dinner This Week March 6-12

2011-03-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

Week #14. Last week, I didn't share our meals, but it was a good "from the pantry" week. I've also decided to change my routine, and plan the week's dinner menus on Sunday. Then, I can head to the store on Sunday afternoon if I need ingredients, or I can go on Monday. I should also be able to go around whatever vegetables we get from our CSA basket more easily since we get it on Thursday afternoon.

So, here's what we're eating this week:

Sunday: Spaghetti & Garlic Bread

Monday: Chicken Fajitas & Re fried Beans

Tuesday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Cole Slaw and Raw Veggies

Wednesday: Salmon, Spinach Salad, Broccoli & Bread

Thursday: Individual Tuna Noodle Cups & leftover Salads

Friday: I'm on my own (Ray is out of town & kids are busy with Make-A-Wish Night at school...looks like yummy leftovers for me!
Saturday: Take out (Thai) with the Jacobson Family!
I've chosen meals that have me mostly using items from our pantry, refrigerator and freezer as well as use some leftovers from last week. So, that means that I'll be going out of my comfort zone a little bit, and will be making things from scratch: adding items to my jar of pasta sauce for our spaghetti, using leftover chicken breasts from our Saturday night BBQ for our fajitas, making a batch of re fried beans in the crock pot, using gemelli instead of egg noodles for my tweaked tuna noodle casserole recipe. I will also make sure to use up whatever leftovers we have before the weekend arrives.

I can't wait!

This Moment

2011-03-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A single, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com

www.soulemama.com

State, or Bust!

2011-02-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Nevada State Swim Meet is every year, and switches from being up north, to down south every 2 years. This year's swim meet was up in Carson City, NV over President's Weekend. With Ian being at the "top" of his age group, he really wanted to swim as many meets as possible leading up to the meet in order to qualify for the meet.

In our team's meet in October, he qualified for his first event, the 100Y backstroke. He also shaved enough time to be close in the 50Y backstroke, and was closing in on qualifying for the 100Y breaststroke and 50Y breaststroke. He decided that he wanted to qualify for as many events as possible, and there was a definite improvement in his work ethic at practice.

In the Last Chance State Qualifier meet at the end of January, Ian qualified in the 50Y backstroke, and even cut off 13 seconds in his 100Y breaststroke (from his October meet) - his "bonus" event. This was a HUGE surprise due to the fact that Ian ended up swimming in only one swim practice due to the pool's yearly closure (4 weeks) and our family vacation. Needless to say, he was very excited.

So, he and Ray drove up north to stay with friends on Friday, February 18th. Luckily, it had just started snowing in Reno, NV when they arrived. Cesira and I ended up flying up since she couldn't miss her classroom's program practice.

Ray was concerned that my & Cesira's flight wasn't going to get in on Saturday morning due to the heavy snow. Well, luckily, the sun was shining on Saturday and there wasn't even a delay.

Ian swam in the 100Y backstroke on Saturday, and ended up getting disqualified in that event, because after his first 25Y, he flipped over onto his stomach to do a flip turn only to realize that he was already at the wall. Needless to say, we left the meet with an angry 10-year old. He was able to play with friends and relax for the rest of the day.

On Sunday morning, the poor guy still didn't want to swim. I tried a little pep talk (1 less stroke before your flip turn and he'd "kill it" in his 100 breast) - yeah, that helped...Anyway, he had a plan for the 50Y backstroke, and I told him that he'd have an awesome 100Y breaststroke.

FINAL REPORT: 14th place in 9-10 boys 100Y breaststroke, AND 3 points for the team!

On our drive back, Ian asked me if he could qualify for the meet next year even though he'd be at the bottom of his age group (11-12 year olds). I told him that if he can if he really wants to. He just needs to make it to practice, work hard at practice and swim his best at swim meets. I really hope his experience over the past 4 months has helps him realize that his hard work really paid off.

Dinner This Week

2011-02-22T19:57:00.000-08:00

In my attempt to "clean out" the pantry, the refrigerator and the freezer this time around, I realized that I'm on week #12 of my challenge. Yikes - that sounds like there was a lot of food stashed away, but I really haven't been that good at only using what I have...we have gone on vacation, my husband travels for work so we have quick things, I got together with a few friends to cook in bulk, and we occasionally eat out. There actually have been a couple weeks that I didn't have to go to the store at all - mostly thanks to our CSA basket to help fill in the blanks of my menu planning.

So, this morning while viewing what is in the house, and going through recipes, I made sure to pick things that used up what we have, for the most part. I made my list, double checked a couple things, and went to the store. This is what I came up with for dinner this week:

Monday: Pizza (in Beatty, NV)

Tuesday: Tomato-Apricot Chicken & Bok Choy Salad
Source: Better Homes & Garden

Wednesday: Winder Farms Ravioli with Pesto Sauce, Salad & a vegetable

Thursday: Tilapia Italiano, Rice & Salad
Source: Weight Watchers

Friday: Chicken & Pasta in Peanut Sauce
Source: Better Homes & Garden

Saturday: Left Overs or Steak, Baked Potato and Salad

Sunday: Chicken and Gnocchi w/ squash
Source: Better Homes & Garden

I am happy that I've decided to stick with the weekly meal plans after last week's attempt to "fly by the seat of my pants". I was very happy, though, because last week was the second week that I did not have to walk inside a grocery store at all last week.

This Moment

2011-02-18T06:23:00.000-08:00

{This Moment} A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

This Moment

2011-02-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

{This moment} A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com

www.soulemama.come/soulemama

This Moment

2011-01-21T08:25:00.001-08:00

{This Moment} A Friday Ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

Wow, there's snow!

2011-01-03T10:58:00.000-08:00

I went into Cesira's bedroom to wake her up at 6:45 a.m. this morning, and looked outside her window for a quick weather check. The driveway was dry, the street was a little wet from the flurries last night, and the sky was full of clouds. So, we went downstairs to begin our usual morning activities since today was the first day back to school after winter break.

I turn the local news on when I got downstairs to see what was in store for the weather today. They had mentioned snow was sticking somewhere in Las Vegas, so I looked outside. Sure enough, it was snowing here. I just HAD to grab my camera!

When we opened to garage door to head off to school, this is what we saw:

Thank you, kids, for letting me take your picture!

I had to take another picture of the house after the interesting trip to school. I just think snow on palm trees is funny!

It will all be gone by the time I pick the kids up from school. Bummer...

This Moment

2010-12-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

I have 2 this week!

{This Moment} A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com
www.soulemama.com/soulemama

Cesira's First Violin Recital

2010-12-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

I wish that I stuck with playing the piano, or that my mom would have pushed me a little more into sticking with it when I was younger. But, that is list for next year.

Anyway, out of the blue one day after school had just started, Cesira told me that she wanted to learn to play the violin. Given her less than stellar record with practicing the piano, I was really hopeful that she would like it and it wouldn't be as hard to get her practice. So, I sat her down to make sure that she understood that once she starts, she will have to make it an entire year before she quits given the expense of the lessons and the violin rental. I must say that I am pretty impressed, and it has been easier to get her to practice - even though, her dad would periodically tease her about needing ear plugs. I also think that she's happier with it, because it is something that she chose.

She was in a class with 5 other children. Over the 12 weeks, they learned how to hold the violin, the rest and play positions, how to keep the violin clean, how to use the bow, finger positions for playing (actually, notes, but the Suzuki method doesn't teach "notes" until the 2nd year), and how to bow after playing. Her instructor said that she learned quickly, and is now ready for the next level which is a weekly private lesson as well as a weekly group lesson. I'm looking forward to her progress over the next half of the school year.

Her first violin recital (yesterday):

I loved seeing her "game face" while she was concentrating...she looks so serious.

We're very proud of her, and I can't wait to hear her play after the second half of the year. Hopefully, I've figured out how to add the video: http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqo4G5OrNI0

Time for the "From the Pantry" Challenge!

2010-12-13T15:04:00.000-08:00

I've decided to not wait for January to get here. It is time to empty that pantry by making our meals. Hopefully, it will take less than the 5 weeks it took me to empty it when I started in January.

The original goal was to make our meals out of what was in our pantry and freezer, and to only purchase the items we use on a daily basis (i.e. milk, vegetables, fruit, and spices when needed). At the end of the process, I came up with a list of things that I wanted to make part of a daily/weekly routine:

1. to look at what is in the refrigerator, freezers and pantry before selecting the main course.

2. only choose recipes that will use some, most, or all ingredients that I have in my house.

3. stick to my grocery list while at the store.

4. place the menu on the refrigerator and check it each morning to see what I'm making that night for dinner.

5. stick to the menu plan so that food doesn't sit around, or go bad.

I feel much better about my food spending habits now than I did back in January. I've become much better at buying food for our meals, and using the 'extra' for another meal in the same week. I've even become pretty good at doubling a recipe, and freezing half for another dinner down the road.

Many thanks goes to www.orgjunkie.com! Including this week, I only have 5 weeks left to complete the year of weekly menus that I had printed. I have to pat myself on the back for sticking with it!

Now, I just need to come up with my next challenge!

This Moment

2010-12-10T09:44:00.001-08:00

{This moment} A Friday ritual.

A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

That's my Boy Scout!

2010-12-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

After school yesterday, Ian and I met up with his school's Boy Scout Pack to serve dinner at Catholic Charities.

When we arrived we were given their instructions. The kids were really supposed to do the work, and we were supposed to watch(?) - you bet I helped.

I had to giggle, because after the boys were given their gloves, they decided to goof around and blow up their gloves, touch their hair, touch their faces, and touch the floor. Oops! Someone forgot to explain to the younger ones that the gloves were for sanitation purposes, and touching things was not a good idea. Oh, well. They definitely learned something new.

Now, for their duties. They held trays of cookies to offer the women and their children once they were sitting down to eat. They also offered some water for them to drink. And, when they were finished eating, the boys offered to take their trays.

The smiles on the women were so bright, and they were so thankful. We were told many times that we have nice sons. My thought each time was that I, personally, want my children to learn now how to help others less fortunate in our community when given the chance. One of the ladies even came up to each of us adults to give us a hug, and to thank us.

Before we left in our cars, we decided that we would like our next volunteer opportunity to be at the Youth Center. I think we'll be doing that in the spring.

On our way home, Ian said, "The best part of volunteering tonight was seeing their smiling faces and how thankful they were."

I know he gets it, and I hope he never forgets!

This Moment

2010-12-05T15:22:00.000-08:00

{This moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo, no words -

capturing a moment from the week (OK, last week).

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

This Moment

2010-11-19T09:33:00.001-08:00

{This moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo, no words -

capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

This moment

2010-11-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

{This moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo, no words -

capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special,

extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause,

savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

October went by WAY to fast!

2010-11-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

Our busy October began for our family with Ian's classroom's program, Symbols of Nevada.

Ian and his friends were really glad to get one more day's use out of our pool!

Ian's Webelos Den went to the Springs Preserve to work on their Forester Badge.

Cesira and I were able to join our Co-op family for the Harvest Festival, and Cesira was very happy to use her favorite tire swing one more time.

A day's trip to Red Rock with Cesira's classroom was an added advantage, eventhough the rains came.

There's nothing like going with friends to pick out pumpkins!

And, watch what happens to these pumpkins Ian picked out that morning:

"Best Halloween Theme", 4th grade.

Cesira liked Ian's idea so much that she wanted to do the same with some pre-stacked pumpkins from Michael's.

"Funniest" in 2nd grade.

Instead of buying a Halloween Bingo game, I decided to try out my creative juices by making a game. I'd love to toot my own horn, because I think it turned out great! In fact, it was well liked, because 2 of the game cards disappeared before I collected them from the tables.

Just a quick picture of the Halloween Party in Cesira's classroom. My co-room mom rocks when it comes to decorating the room!

Both kids swam in the Pumpkin Man Swim Meet that our swim team hosts. This was Cesira's first "big" swim meet. She surprised me by the fact that she was nervous. Both kids swam well, and Ian was very excited to qualify for the Nevada State Swim Meet. He's been trying to encourage Cesira to qualify, too.

After the kids swam, their next event was trick-or-treating. We had fun with the Jacobson family, and look forward to next year!

October seems to be a very busy month for our family.

This moment

2010-10-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

{this moment} - a Friday ritual. A single photo, no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

http://www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

Halloween is almost here!

2010-10-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween week! This past Saturday kicked off what was to be a busy, busy week. So, we started with breakfast at The Original Pancake House with the Johnson family on Saturday. I just love their pumpkin pancakes this time of year. Yummy!

Afterwards, both families headed off to Gilcrease Orchard to search for some pumpkins. It's really nice that we have a place to go pick them off the vine here in the Las Vegas area. We came home with 11 pumpkins, 1 large sweet potato, 1 Mexican melon (not quite sure of the name as it smells like melon, but looks like squash), a couple handfuls of tomatoes and a half gallon of apple cider (note to self: buy the gallon next time!).

It was a beautiful fall day, and all of us had fun.

Why 11 pumpkins? Well, we have some for carving, of course, and I'm actually going to make my own pumpkin puree to use over the next couple of months. I'll let you know how that goes. And, some were for the kids to use for the school pumpkin contest...

Both kids have entries in the pumpkin contest at school this week. After picking out pumpkins, we made our list, checked off what supplies we already had, and headed off to shop for the rest. I'm very proud of them as I let them to work on them alone, and I only cut, used super glue and use a little paint to turn them from white to grey before delivering them to school on Tuesday.

This is what they came up with:

This is Ian's. He liked this idea (thanks Michael's), and Cesira liked it so much that this is her version:

And, that was just the beginning to our busy week!

Arbor Day/Renaissance Fair

2010-10-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

Ian and Cesira's school has a yearly Arbor Day/Renaissance Fair in October. Due to the rain last week, the event was moved from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon. Ian was quite concerned that it would be flat out cancelled when he woke up and saw the cloud filled sky. Luckily, the weather held out, and we were able to join in the festivities after each of their respected after school programs. Oh, and the kids were thrilled that they could wear "normal" clothes to school for both days!

The Middle School students performed various skits and sang songs while the families watched and listened while having fun at the many booths: cupcake walk, digging for worms, face painting (some legs, stomachs & arms as well!), t-shirt decorating, candle decorating, pumpkin decorating and banana races.

Ian and Cesira love the banana races, and Cesira really enjoys digging for the worms. This year, both decided to decorate t-shirts. And, Ian even painted a pumpkin.

These pictures are from my iphone, so they're not the clearest. But, it shows that they had fun, and that's the most important part.

This moment

2010-10-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

This Moment

2010-10-15T12:00:00.001-07:00

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

www.ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/

www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

Something new for me

2010-10-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

Finding time, or better yet, making time to blog has not been happening. So, I've decided to give myself a challenge. One of my friends has a wonderful blog: http://ladyofthearts.blogspot.com/ where she posts a picture weekly. So, I've decided to copy an idea from her that I really enjoy, her Friday Ritual. So, I am challenging myself to do the same. This will be my first:

{this moment} A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

www.soulemama.com/soulemama

Time to check those goals.

2010-07-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

Tonight while I couldn't sleep, I took a look at my goals for this year:

1. Get back to my blog.
Well, I haven't had any additions since February. I have one ready to go (and another in the works), I just need to add pictures before posting.

2. Make my part of the 'play room' more presentable and USE IT!
I've organized it a couple times since January, and it keeps getting messy...I have used it, but need to clean it soon so we can use it a couple times before school starts in a month.

3. See my friends.
I've been able to make time to see friends, even friends from Indiana! I was hoping to get friends from Las Vegas to meet up with my friends from Indiana, but it just didn't work out.

4. Spread out my 'to do' list.
I've been quite relaxed when it's come to my to do list, at least this summer. It's so hot right now that I don't want to leave the house unless I absolutely have to!

5. Be consistent with my menu planning.
I did great with menus until Summer started. We were gone a lot at the beginning, so I didn't plan a whole week's worth, but I am getting back into the swing of things this week.

6. Get back to doing something for Shari.
I was doing well with this for a while, but then the school year ended and it's been very, very hot. I've been pretty sad for most of the year, and I can't wait to get out of this rut.

7. Help my kids.
I came to the conclusion that my kids are just too young to sit at their desks to do their homework on their own, and they wanted to be with me after school. So, we sat at the kitchen table to get their homework done. Their school year ended on a good note, and Ian made it on the 'A' honor roll for the 4th quarter. He was very excited and plans to be on it from here on out!

8. Spend more time getting to know our neighbors.
This has been fun for me. I've enjoyed being in one of the neighborhood BUNCO groups, and have even gone out for dinner with some of them. I have also made more of an effort to get to know more swim team parents.

9. Keep up with the housework.
The best way to keep up with the housework during the summer is to enlist the short people that live in it. We take an hour to work on a floor, or sometimes their bedrooms, and then we can have some fun. Their 'No Nagging' boards have had a break over the summer.

10. Family.
I'm very fortunate to have the family that I have - meaning my parents, in-laws, brothers, sister-in-laws, nephews and nieces. But, I'm still not the best at talking with everyone, and that can be improved.

They're all a work in progress, and I'm happy with that.

I made it! Is that good, or bad?

2010-02-03T11:21:00.000-08:00

Last month, I joined in on a challenge to cook from my pantry for the month of January (many thanks goes to www.orgjunkie.com). It is now the 3rd day of February, and I made it through the month to cook things from my pantry and freezers (kitchen & garage) . On the left of this post are the meals we ate over the month-long process. I only had to purchase the items that we used on a daily basis: milk, fruit, vegetables, a few spices.

This challenge was very good for me and I now:

1. Look at what is in the freezers, refrigerator and pantry before choosing the main course ingredient (i.e. chicken, beef or fish).

2. Look for menus with ingredients that are in my house.

3. Stick to my grocery list when I do my shopping.

4. Place the week's plan on the refrigerator and check it every morning so I can do any preparations ahead of time.

5. I really try to stick to the menu plan and make what I've planned for to use up the ingredients instead of having them sit to either go bad, or old.

Now that I'm in week #5, I still have some things that I can use in my pantry, but I have almost emptied both of our freezers.

I really wish that I would have taken "before" pictures of our freezers and the pantry at the beginning of the month to remind me that I don't want to do that again. I'm just happy that I have lots of room to add some freezer meals to use over the next month.

Hmm...maybe I could turn that into my next challenge...

Hair!

2010-01-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

Last week was the week of hair in the Cook household. Ian finally went in for a hair cut, and Cesira cut her own! Ian's hair is so fine that it gets unruly when it grows, and Cesira wanted to know what it was like to have hair in her face, like some of her classmates. Ian went with Ray for cheap hair cuts, and came home with some blue gel to put in his hair - only on the weekends. Cesira's hair is too short for bangs in the two spots that she cut, and will have to wait for it to grow before she can have bangs. Right now, it's not that visible, but give it some time...

And me? I just plucked a few gray hairs!

A new year, and new goals!

2010-01-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

I have not blogged in months! I could list my "reasons" like our back up drive crashed, helping Ray after his bicycle accident, helping the kids with their adjustment to their new school, my laptop crashed, holidays, and then there's the family vacations we've taken...but I won't. Oh, wait, I just did.

Anyway, I'm going to list my goals for the year to see what I accomplish! Here we go:

1. Get back to my blog.
-facebook.com certainly is a way to update things quickly, but there aren't any stories to go with it.

2. Make my part of the 'play room' more presentable and USE IT!
-I have so many piles of things to go into the scrapbooks, and scrapbooks minus the things! I am 5 years behind now...

3. See my friends!
-I had so much fun when we went to breakfast on Tuesday morning! When Ray got hurt, I had to stay home, but to turn into a home body?!

4. Spread out my 'to do' list.
-sometimes I have a list of up to 30 things to do. I want to plan my whole week, like I do my menus, so that I can feel like I've accomplished something! Anyone want to make my Christmas exchanges for me? They're still on my list, and living room table.

5. Be consistent with my menu planning.
-If I keep my menu planning up each week, I'll eat the food that I buy at the store instead of having it stock piled in my freezers! I started the 'Eating from the Pantry' challenge on January 4th, and have only been purchasing things that I need (dairy, fruit, vegetables, laundry soap, etc.).

6. Get back to doing something for Shari.
-I really like to scrapbook and read. I have 2 scrapbook weekends planned in the coming months and have also been making time to read those book club books. I am also going to 'host' 7 scrapbook days at one of the libraries here in town for the Vegas Valley Scrapbook Club. "Wahoo Wednesday" is my day.

7. Help my kids.
- It's a constant process. Ian's adjustment to school has been HUGE, and we're trudging along. I am also going to work on Thank You notes with them. I still get reminded that they just need a hug sometimes when they don't even realize it.

8. Spend more time getting to know our neighbors.
-We have lived here for 2 1/2 years, and we still have yet to get to know our neighbors besides the short conversations here and there. I'm also in a neighborhood Bunco group and am looking forward to our first game in a couple weeks - thanks, Barbara!

9. Keep up with the housework.
-That would be easy if there wouldn't be so much clutter in the way!

10. Family
-I talk with my parents weekly, but I really need to talk, write, or even e-mail with my brothers and their families more often. I'm also very fortunate to have my in-laws and need to do the same with them.

Well, that's a pretty good list to work on for the year. Time to go fold some laundry!

I have my camera again!

2009-07-06T18:29:00.000-07:00

Ian used my camera on his last day of school only to leave it in his friend's father's car. They went on vacation, and then we went on vacation, and they were gone again when we got back. I've been missing that camera the entire time.

But, my camera's back, my camera's back...I've been doing the snoopy happy dance, or maybe it's the Ian dance. I was so excited to have it back that I've been wanting to use it all day long today!

Tonight, Ian, Cesira and I went with friends to roller skate for family night. Ian was excited and went right out to skate. He's been on roller skates a few times, and has been on ice skates as well, so I wasn't worried about him not having fun.

Cesira, on the other hand, was nervous and was clinging to the wall. I pulled her off the wall to skate with me, and her evil twin started to make an appearance. But, I just let her be and when I found her again, she had a big smile on her face. After I skated around with her a few more times, and she was having more fun. The kids had a blast and didn't want to leave. There was even talk of making it a weekly event!

Cesira with her friends Alex, Jacob and Katie. They were pretending to play instruments for the picture.

My little poser.

I'm glad that we all had fun and are looking forward to doing it again, and again. Maybe next time we can get Ray to go with us...

Boy, does time fly!

2009-07-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

Boy, summer is just flying by and June has come and gone. It seems like just yesterday that Cesira had her stepping up ceremony at the Co-op, and Ian said farewell to the second grade.

June began for us with a trip up to Cathedral Rock Picnic Area for a picnic with the Johnson and Danner families. After a late start (who knew it would take 2 hours to clean up one's bedroom?!) we joined them at the site.

Ian and Cesira with Kyla and Jacob.

After a quick lunch, the kids headed out for another hike and made a teeter totter with some logs. After everyone else left, Ian and Cesira still wanted to hike around a little bit. So, we put out the fire, packed the car and went for a short hike to the structure they had seen on their earlier adventure. The picture of the structure is from my blackberry, so it's not the clearest.

We had plans to go to the Lied Children's Discovery Museum a few days later, but the stomach flu interrupted the kids' fun for the week. Poor Cesira had no clue what was happening to her, and was half asleep when it "hit". I had to sleep on the floor outside her room to make sure she made it through the night.

Cesira went to Camp at the Co-op June 16-18. She surprised me by telling me that she was "bored" the first day, and didn't want to go back. BORED at the CO-OP?! I've never heard such a thing! The other 2 days went much better, and she came home with a smile on her face and wanted to go back "next week". Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures since my little camera was left at someones house, and the big one is just too cumbersome at times.

Ian was able to attend Camp Invention June 15th - 19th. It was money well spent! He had a blast all week long, and can't wait until next year. On Friday afternoon, they had a group presentation, and then the kids were able to show us the fruits of their labor.

Ian and CR-200

He was so excited to get his own patent for it. And, oh, by the way, CR-2000 is now a statue in our living room.

His group was charged with making a Viking ship, which was tested on Friday morning to see if they floated or sank. I am happy to report that his team's ship floated, and it also floated in our pool once we got home.

Each team also made a car, but his team's didn't turn out so well...dare I say, "the wheels fell off the cart"...

And, the last thing Ian was excited to show me was his super hero. Of course, I can't remember it's name, but I DID get a picture of it!

Few! What a fun week. Saturday morning started our family vacation, and we headed in our rental (mini) van up to Reno...that's for next time.

The "end" of the Co-op

2009-06-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

With the preschool kids having finished classes for the year last week, the kindergartners had the run of the school. They spent most of their time over these last 3 days outside, and the last two days of kindergarten were filled with the bike rodeo yesterday, and the stepping up ceremony today.

For the bike rodeo, all the kids brought their bikes and were given a tag listing the 5 stations they needed to go to: #1-bike inspection - all the bikes needed to be safe; #2 bike and helmet fit - all helmets needed to fit properly, and bicycles needed to be at the right height; #3 start and stop - the kids start their bikes and ride up to the stop sign, stop and step off their bikes; #4 scanning the area - they had to look around to notice things around them; #5 balance - they rode their bicycles around a line of cones. And, at the end, they received a bicycle license. The kids had a good time, and a couple of her classmates took their training wheels off - Avry and Jacob were ready to take that plunge - way to go! I casually asked Cesira if she wanted to take hers off, and she replied, "No, not without Dad." Ray has a date with his daughter when he gets back into town this weekend.

Today was Cesira's last day of kindergarten, and her last day at the Kids' Co-op. When we arrived this morning, Mrs. Ferraro had a place set for each child, and in the center of each table with the centerpiece were 2 packets of kleenex for the parents. She knew what she was doing!

The day started with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Pledge to the Earth, the kindness pledge, and then the poem Mrs. Ferraro found that was a perfect fit for the Co-op experience:

Dirt on My Shirt

by Jeff Foxworthy

There was dirt on my shirt

And leaves in my hair

There was mud on my boots

But I didn't care

Playing outside was so much fun

To breathe the clean air

And feel the warm sun

To stomp in a puddle

Or climb a big tree

Made me quite happy

Just look and you'll see.

Mrs. Ferarro talked a little about her year with our kids, which got me quite choked up. It started to really hit me that Cesira was now finishing with this stage in her life, and mine.

When it was time for the kids to step up, she called each one up and cited what she will always remember about him or her as well as the other 3 students that have left the class throughout the year. She will always remember Cesira's hair on Wacky Wednesday and how excited she was for the 100th day celebration. The kids were all smiles, and we barely got a group shot at the end before they dashed to the snacks.

It was a nice end to a great year. Next step: 1st grade! Meadows, here we come!

Together, we have learned some amazing things, met many people, and made some amazing friends over the past 2 years and will look forward to continuing our friendships and attending Co-op events in the future as an alumni family.

Iron Horse has come and gone

2009-06-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

One of our family's favorite places to vacation is Colorado. Although we seem to frequent the Telluride to ski in the winter, Ray and I have been there in the summer, and in the fall (for the Imogene Pass Run), and now we have been there in the spring.

As I've mentioned before, Ray was training for the Iron Horse Classic Bike Race that goes from Durango, Co to Silverton, Co. That race was over the Memorial Day weekend. We were able to "secure a sitter", a.k.a. Grandma Shirley, for the kids so we could go away for the weekend by ourselves and the kids wouldn't miss any school.

The weather report called for "snow" over the weekend, Ray pointed out to me from his desk in Louisiana (he had to be there for business), he was considering changing to snow tires on his car. I guess I should mention that he was due back here in Las Vegas, NV from Louisiana on Wednesday evening, and we were planning to leave first thing on Thursday morning. But, he spoke with someone living in Colorado that said the snow would only be flurries.

So, Thursday morning we started one of "Ray and Shari's Big Adventures" and headed towards Durango, Co. stopping only for lunch and gas along the way. Since we didn't have our kids with us, it was a smooth car ride, except for the extra hour due to trees being planted once in Flagstaff, Az.

On Friday, we drove up the mountain pass so Ray could check out the course, go for a ride, and then we had a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant.

Saturday came, and I needed to get by the ski area before the road closed so that I could be at the finish when Ray was done. Going to road bike races is a new thing for me, I was basically clueless as to when to expect him at the finish. So, I made myself useful and offered to help with setting up the finish area. I will definitely offer to help with this race next year if Ray rides in it again. I met so many people while helping out. Can I just say that Ray was so concerned that he wouldn't do well in the ride, that I didn't have my camera ready to get any pictures of him finishing the race? I was watching the race, and then noticed that he was all of a sudden there! I felt badly that I was taking pictures of the professional riders earlier, but didn't get one my my own husband as he was finishing the race later. I did yell for him, does that count?

After the race, we headed for Telluride, Co. The curvy mountain roads didn't seem to bother me as much this trip as they did when we drove a couple years ago. I was quite relieved. We stopped in Ouray, Co for lunch on the way, and purchased our groceries on our way up to hill.

All in all, it did rain, and even sleet, quite a bit over the weekend. And, it was pretty chilly, but Ray and I both had a nice relaxing rest of the holiday weekend at the Chapus guest house (Thank you Vickie & Jean Marc). It was nice to have some quiet time until Monday morning when it was time to head home. I hope we'll be able to do it again before eight more years go by.

Thank you, Mom, for coming to spend time with the kids. They loved having you with them for, and I quote, "one of the BEST weekends, ever!" I also enjoyed spending time with you. Sorry, we kept you running. Hopefully next time won't be so busy.

A Family Weekend

2009-03-29T19:54:00.001-07:00

Boy, I've come to accept that I have made myself WAY too busy this school year with Ian and Cesira being in separate schools. But, I am able to squeeze in some fun for them between homework, piano lessons, Kid Shine, soccer, baseball and swimming.

Ray has recently gotten into cycling, and since Cesira didn't have a soccer game yesterday, we drove to St. George for him to ride in the Tour de St. George. That meant a 3:00 a.m. wake up to get us there by 7:30 a.m. Mountain Time. After he registered, and we ate breakfast, he was off and riding at 8:00 a.m.

We didn't see the start, because we drove to Starbucks to sign Cesira up for swimming lessons via the internet. The kids and I then drove along a part of the course to see if we could find Ray.

Ian took most of these pictures with our little digital camera. I think he did a nice job.

I took these pictures of the kids when we stopped at one of the parks along the way.

They got bored with trying to find their dad on the course, and the map wasn't the best, so I decided to take them the the Dinosaur Discovery Park to learn a little about dinosaurs. Again, Ian took these pictures, and he had fun walking around with the camera. He even took a couple videos that I'll try to add if I can figure it out.

As the photo states, this is a velociraptor mongoliensis skull.

This is a Theropod Dinosaur egg replica.

He even took a picture of his little sister holding her artwork.

Well, the kids were having so much fun in the sand box outside the park, that we ended up missing Ray finish the ride. He finished it much quicker than he had anticipated. So, this is the only picture we have of him.

Today, we went to ESPN Zone for lunch with a friend of Ray's, here for the last part of spring break with his two daughters and their friend from Northwest Indiana. Our nice weather was a nice change for them from the crazy winter weather they've been having. Somehow we were lucky to get seated in a little room since there were 7 of us. Ray and Jon planned to watch College Basketball, so after we ate all the kids and I ran upstairs to go play games with a couple of the 3-hour cards I won at the Co-op Fundraiser. Here are some pics from our afternoon.

After we were finished playing, we headed down to Ben & Jerry's for some ice cream...yummy!

Now, the kids are asleep in bed, and I am back to my reality of laundry, cleaning and running around.

We'll Miss You, Terra!

2009-02-24T00:27:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I took Terra to the vet to have her put to sleep. She's had a great 14 years, and it was really hard for us to see her suffering and so unhappy. Ray and the kids were able to say their goodbyes, and I was able to sit with her until the very end.

After I got home, I learned that Cesira didn't really understand that Terra wasn't coming home with me. I think she's the most sad, because she's gotten quite attached to Terra over the last year. Ian and Ray were sad, too. And, of course, I am too. It was the hardest decision I've ever made.

Terra, we miss you already!

Kid Shine mini concert

2009-02-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

This is Cesira's second year of Kid Shine. In this class, the kids sing, dance, play music games, and have a mini concert mid-way through the season, and then a concert at the end. Mrs. Thompson, the teacher, is amazing with the kids. This is a little clip from their performance this past Thursday:

My little Valentines

2009-02-14T23:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Although Ray and I choose to not do much for this day, we do give each other, and each of the kids, a card. Ray usually buys his at a store, and he always finds good ones for each of us. I try to make mine, but have been known to buy them as well. Ian and Cesira like to make theirs as well.

I was really proud of Ian. He made cards for each of his classmates this year. He allowed me to peek at them, and he really put thought into each them as well as write a note to each of them. The unfortunate side is that he didn't start working on them until Thursday afternoon and was up until 10:00 p.m. on Thursday night doing this (after taking time out for dinner and an hour of swim practice). Next year, he will need to start working on them much earlier.

I was in Cesira's classroom on Friday morning and was able to be there for their heart collections. Instead of giving out Valentines, each child brought a heart for everyone in their class (including the teacher). Some of her classmates have been there since they were 2 years old and have a large collection - especially the teachers. Cesira came home with 12 different hearts, and each one of them was different: glass, stone, cling, glittered, sewn, foam with glitter & tissue paper, just to name a few. I love that they do this as the kids are quite excited to see what everyone brings. After each of them handed out their hearts, Mrs. Ferraro had them sort their hearts: big ones & little ones, ones with one color & multiple colors. Cesira will have her collection (last year's and this year's)forever should she choose to keep it. That might be a new tradition, like the Christmas ornaments I give Cesira and Ian each year, that we'll carry on once she's left the Co-op.

Today was a family day. We all had breakfast together, made by Ray, before he went for his bike ride to Red Rock. For dinner, we went to Sushi Mon for dinner. Ray, Ian and I had the "all you can eat" while Cesira enjoyed a bowl of rice and a California roll. After dinner, we came home and played some tennis on the Wii. It was a good day.

Co-op Snow Day

2009-02-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

Last Friday was the highly anticipated Snow Day Field Trip for the Kids' Co-op. I tried and tried to get Ray to go with us, but had no luck. So, Cesira and I went with a couple sleds, a sack lunch and a bag for picking up trash. It was fun to see the kids, their parents and the teachers having fun in the snow, and it was a beautiful day. I took the 'big' camera with me so that the pictures would be that much nicer - if I only really knew how to use it properly, I'm sure some of the pictures would have turned out even better.

Mrs. Ferraro, Cesira's Kindergarten teacher, was at the top helping the kids get on their sleds, and even went down with them a time, or two. The kids will always remember that day.

Knowing what some of the kids are like when they are at school, I found myself surprised by how some of them were acting in the snow. I was a little surprised that some of the kids were afraid, and timid while sledding. That must be due to my always being around the snow while growing up. At the end, we were able to get most of the Kindergarten class together for a class picture.

Of, course, we had to get a silly picture too!

Catching Up

2009-02-01T17:39:00.000-08:00

OK, I give up! I kept working on a post to "catch up" since we got that snow back in December, but it's just not going to happen. We had a great last half of December, and have many, many pictures for me to scrapbook - if I ever make the time to actually work on scrapbooks, I'll have lots to do. January has proved to be just as busy.

Here's to the new year and all that it will bring!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...in the desert!

2008-12-16T03:49:00.000-08:00

I absolutely LOVE winter, and yesterday was one of the best days for me while living here in Las Vegas. It was my favorite type of snow - like I'm in my own personal snow globe. And, it wasn't sticking on the streets - all the more better!

My day started out not so hot as I could barely swallow. I went to the UMC clinic after taking both kids to school only to find out I had tonsilitis. But, a trip to Walgreen's afterwards has so far been a blessing.

Cesira had a birthday party after school, and then we went to pick up Ian from school. The closer we got to his school, the more I realized that the snow was sticking. Luckily for them, I had canceled their piano lessons for the afternoon, because I was not up to driving around anymore. When we got home they got dressed in their winter clothes (and then even have boot this year!) and went out to play. Ian and Cesira were so excited to see the snow, because they knew that when we moved from Indiana, there wouldn't be anymore snow at our house in the winter.

It's FINALLY Gone!

2008-12-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

Cesira's stubborn tooth is finally gone! Her dentist only said that it needed to come out the last week in October, or I needed to make an appointment to have it pulled out. Already having one kid that had teeth pulled out (Ian had 2 pulled out when he was 3, he injured one and the other was fused to it) I didn't want to do that again. I'm sure that this time would have been different, but I was afraid to ask.

Anyway, tonight I noticed that her new tooth had broken through her gum, and was pretty far back. So, I told her that it needed to come out tonight. I think the damage is already done, though - the tooth has broken through the surface, so she'll probably need an appliance at some point. So, I told her that we could do it the old fashioned way, and we went to the laundry room to get some string. I cut a piece, tied it around her tooth, and tied it to the door. She said that she was scared, and I told her that it would be really quick. I then said that I could pull it out with a pair of my crafting pliers, and she opted for that. So, we went upstairs to our play room and I pulled out my pliers that haven't been out of their container since I purchased it some years ago and had her sit down on the floor in front of me (by the lamp so I could see what I was doing!). I pulled a little and a corner came out easily, but she felt her mouth starting to hurt. So, before she pushed my hand away, I pulled a little harder to get it out. It came out all right...and flew somewhere in the room. There were tears from the pain, and a little blood, for a few minutes. She's one tough cookie! I looked for it, but couldn't find the tooth, so she and I will write a letter to the tooth fairy (writing letters takes a long time for her right now) tomorrow afternoon and put it in her tooth fairy doll. I wish my losing Ian's expander was that easily remedied!

Anyway, It will be interesting to hear what she tells whom tomorrow at the Co-op.

Family Field Trip

2008-12-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

Ian, Cesira and I went with the Kids' Co-op on a field trip to the Magical Forest put on by Opportunity Village (like OE in Indiana). After a cool, crisp start, today ended up being absolutely beautiful day in Southern Nevada. The kids were able to visit with Santa, slide down a couple slides, ride a merry-go-round and take a walk through the forest where each tree was decorated by a different group or company.

Our Picaso

2008-11-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

Ian really enjoys his art class (and his other 'specials' as well). They learn about an artist and then get to do their version of the artist's work, and she is very creative when it comes to using someone's 'scraps' for art projects. Our house has quite a few items on display from last year, and I'll have to find places for what will come home this year. He brings home an art project every other week, or so, from this class.

Last week, we received a letter stating that his artwork was going to be on display at the Summerlin Library with a reception for everyone. A handful of classrooms were chosen for this event, so I'm sure that each class will have the same opportunity. So, Ian, Cesira, my mother-in-law (visiting from CA) and I met Ray at the library to check out his artwork and to take pictures (of course!) for his scrapbook. It was great to see him be so excited that his artwork was chosen, and he said that he had no idea what was chosen. He was so proud to show us his work. I'm really glad we made a point to attend the event.

Our Little VIP

2008-11-16T19:58:00.000-08:00

In Cesira's kindergarten class, a student was chosen each week to be the VIP for the following week. Being the VIP meant: they got to wear the VIP sash, bring home the VIP bag, ring the "bell" (more music triangle-type) for clean up and of outdoor time, show and tell 1 item each day, and design the VIP board.

All of the kids really wanted to be the next VIP, and worked on trying to wait patiently for their turn. I must admit that it was a little difficult for Cesira to be patient at first, but she worked through it. It was a wonderful lesson in learning to be patient.

Mrs. Ferraro decided to pick the VIP on Thursday, November 6th (a day early) just in case the kids would pick Cesira first (Cesira and one of the boys were the last 2), because we were flying to Chicago that afternoon and she wouldn't be at school the next day, Friday. Well, Cesira was picked, so I made a pretty big deal about it in hopes of getting her excited about it.

Since we were going to be out of town for a long weekend (neither kid had school Nov. 10th & 11th for Veteran's Day) I referred to her being the VIP, and decorating the board, on the flight to Chicago, in the car on our trip to Kentucky on Sunday, while visiting my brother and his family in Lexington, KY, and then again, on Tuesday, in the car on our trip back to Chicago to catch our fight home, and again during the flight. She just didn't seem all that thrilled about it, and I couldn't figure out why. I grabbed some pink paper and ribbon to put on the board, and she liked it. Then she and went to pick out some pictures for it. She selected 4 pictures and a flower that she made for me last year in preschool for Mother's Day to put on it. It just looked so bare to me...but it was done and she was fine with it and went to bed.

When she came home from school on Wednesday, she had the VIP bag. We went through the bag and read the books and filled out "the important thing about Cesira" page. I know that we're supposed to get it with the board, but I wasn't convinced that it would have helped her figure out what the board meant. Anyway, back to the important thing about Cesira. She drew her self portrait, and then proceeded to tell me that the important thing about Cesira is that she likes candy corn. There were other parts to it, like she loves her family, but I just thought that one part was really funny! It was so hard for me to not laugh when she said it. I hope that Mrs. Ferraro will give those back to us, because each child filled it out, and they're priceless. That reminds me of the time when Cesira told her preschool teacher that potato chips and broccoli were my favorite foods! These are definitely things that will be added to her scrapbook.

Cesira had a nice VIP week. After talking with one of the other moms in the class, I know that Cesira just didn't understand the concept of sharing herself with her classmates. To her, her friends at school already knew her. But, having show and tell each day, and ringing the "bell" was really neat.

Oh, my scrapbooks!

2008-11-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

I used to scrapbook often...I used to make cards, too...I have a room full of these supplies that has been calling my name for over a year and a half! Since moving to Nevada, I have pulled out these supplies a handful of times, less than 10 to be honest. Two of those times were for the scrapbook weekends in Illinois (last November, and just last weekend) with my friends from back there. Ian, Cesira and I flew to Chicago on November 6th so that they could spend time with to see some of my side of the family, and for me to spend Friday, Saturday and part of Sunday with my friends to scrapbook. It was really nice for me to spend a that time with them as I miss them dearly. I wish it could have been longer. I realized that I am now acclimated to the weather out here in Nevada, because whenever I left the hotel, I shivered!

Now that I am back, I have grand plans to keep at it! I have a list of things to accomplish for Christmas, and a monthly goal. Let's hope I can stick with it!

Halloween Fun

2008-11-09T22:53:00.000-08:00

Wow, it has already been a week since Halloween. Sorry, I was a little distracted the past week in getting ready for my trip to Illinois to scrapbook (that's another post). Where has the time gone?!

At any rate, the following is what I intended to post exactly one week ago today:

This past Thursday, both kids were able to wear their costumes to school. Cesira's class only had plans to wear their costumes, and they were all very excited. With only 10 in the class, not one costume was duplicated. I couldn't help but to take pictures of them. Ian chose to be Scream Blood - only, he wasn't able have the blood in his mask, and he wasn't allowed to wear his mask at school for that matter. For Ian's class party, I was in my witches costume and was able to read a few Halloween stories.

With Halloween being on a Friday this year, it just happened to also be Nevada Day, so it was a day off school for the kids. With a new addition to Victoria's family, Elodie Elizabeth, we drove to California to spend the weekend with my mother-in-law, Barbara, and to visit Ray's sister and the baby. Our kids are always up for seeing their cousins - no matter which side of the family. And, given that we still don't know any of our neighbors all that well, it was an easy decision.

Our drive to California went well, and the kids were looking forward to trick or treating with their cousins, Nico (reaper) and Christian (ghost) and Las Vegas friends, Lennox (victim) and Quinn (wizard), for trick-or-treating. The kids had a great time, and it was actually fun to dress up for a change. Our brother-in-law, Jean Marc, Las Vegas friends, Irena (mask) & Scott (camera man), joined Ray and I in wandering the neighborhood.

It's been a nice weekend. Unfortunately, Ian had a temperature on Saturday, so he and I did not get to meet Elodie.

Babysitting & Harvest Festival

2008-10-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

Last night, I offered to babysit, with 2 other moms, for parents in my moms group (Summerlin Fun Moms) so that they could have a night out. I brought toys and movies down to our family room and closed all the doors upstairs to keep everyone from playing on the stairs. Ian and Cesira wanted to have their doors locked so that they didn't have to share ALL of their toys, so I obliged.

Sharing was a little difficult at the beginning of the night, but they got used to each other and everyone calmed down. We had pizza and put on a couple movies. I know that we had some tired kiddos at the end of the night, and I think everyone had fun.

Ian came up to me at one point and was sad. He was afraid to get in a fight with one of the 3 year olds over one of his hot wheels. I agreed with him that it wasn't nice to take it away from him and gave him a hug. I also told him that he needs to speak up when something upsets him. I gave him a couple options: 1) say that he was playing with the car, and she could have it after he was finished with it, 2) pick out another car and tell her that you are going to play with it for a while. The first time he spoke up I could tell that he was unsure, but by the third time, he was confident. I was so proud of him. I can only hope that Cesira will follow in his footsteps...Actually, Cesira did have a good night. I tried to make sure of it by having her take a nap before everyone arrived. She was very happy to have made a new friend, Lacey.

I'm happy that the night ended with no scraps, bumps or bruises. I got my baby fix. And, most of all, I was glad that I was able to offer a place for the other parents to take their kids so that they could have a night to themselves and not break the bank!

After we all slept in this morning, Ian, Cesira and I went to the Harvest Festival at the Kids' Co-op. Ian didn't think he was going to have fun. Boy, to be bored at the age of 7! While I was helping with the chili cook off and the dessert contest (my apple cake wasn't a winner, I didn't plan for it to be in the contest), they were off and running. Ian was able to swing around, and around, and around on the tire swing, bob for apples, help build a river in sand pit, eat some food, drink lots of water, and have a bucket of water poured over his head - I think he had fun. He did come up with the quote of the day, though: "Mom...do you think we've been here too long?" He said this right before he went over to get wet. There were so many good photo opportunities there today, I can't wait to see pictures. Not one of them will be from my camera since I FORGOT it! I'm not too sure what Cesira did, because I didn't see her much. I did see her on the monkey bars a lot, and she figured out how to bob for apples (with some guidance from her older brother). I saw them even sitting together to eat with Jacob, his mom, and his grandma. When asked if they had fun, they both said "yes" and then asked if we could go home to relax for a while since they were still tired from last night.

Today has been a nice relaxing day.

Let's get started

2008-10-16T20:08:00.000-07:00

Well, there is no better time than the present to get started. Ian is finishing his homework for the week, and Cesira is having one last snack before bed. So, I'll sit here with them and type away. I'm not really sure what to say, though.

Both kids were ready at 8:20 a.m. this morning, a full 10 minutes before our daily departure time. This is an unusual event in the Cook household as Ian and Cesira are usually dragging their feet, goofing around, or staring into space on a daily basis. All of which makes Ray and I not happy campers in the morning. I sincerely love being part of the Co-op, but it will be much easier next year when they attend the same school. Ian can't wait to ride his bicycle to school every day next year (that whole 0.9 mile trip, each way).

I don't know how I got so busy when school started. All I wanted to do was volunteer in Ian's classroom, and do my required working parent duties at the Kids' Co-op...It feels like I'm never home during the day. Well, I made my bed and now I have to lay in it!

I started this at 7:45 p.m. and its now 10:35 p.m...I think I need to get some sleep.