tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71791843968568153382011-11-29T13:39:41.913-05:00The Year of Feeling AwesomeFree to be Me: Embracing My Self During the Year of Feeling AwesomePeggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10560934660419956374noreply@blogger.comBlogger671100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-8743018636505595322011-11-07T11:25:00.001-05:002011-11-07T11:26:29.513-05:00menu plan monday: 7|11 to 13|11Have you heard of Menu Plan Monday? If you've read this blog more than once, especially lately, you have. MPM is hosted weekly by Laura over at orgjunkie.com.
It seems that all I manage to post these days is my weekly meal plan. (How many times have I said that over the last couple of months?) The time I have to sit at the computer for longer than a few minutes seems to be getting more and more tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-80253485988244399712011-10-17T23:03:00.003-04:002011-10-18T09:38:23.561-04:00menu plan monday: 17|10 to 23|10Last week I forgot to take into account the fact that my boyfriend was going to be in the bush hunting (or not hunting; more of a boy's week, really, and not so long on the hunting part) and, as my step-daughter is likely to stay at her mom's even on her dad's days since he'll be gone, it'll just be myself, the boychild, and the baby and there won't be much need for things like a huge ham shank tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-3154122854666302162011-10-16T23:19:00.003-04:002011-10-18T09:34:34.790-04:00caveat artoptaBe ye forewarned that baking bread while the usual household population of four-half-the-time-and-five-the-other-half-of-the-time is down to three, with one of those being a bottle-refusing nursling (who is not yet a consumer of solids), will be detrimental to your post-partum waistline. And just out of curiousity, how long can I say my waistline is post-partum? Babygirl will be five months old tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-70060074170698224472011-10-14T23:23:00.005-04:002011-10-15T08:30:26.493-04:00this moment{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.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-68867643141225743572011-10-12T14:33:00.001-04:002011-10-12T14:57:34.750-04:00WFMW: meal planningIt's been a looooong time since I've participated in Works for Me Wednesday but I think I remember how to do it. It's just like riding a bike.
I've posted about meal planning before. I seem to fall off the wagon and then hop back on a little while later. Repeatedly. I'm currently on the wagon and it's working out well for us. Having relatively recently merged two houses and families together as tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-25559121659113131592011-10-12T10:16:00.001-04:002011-10-12T10:17:50.295-04:00orange you glad?On my counter sit three lonely oranges, slowly shriveling up and getting soft.
Nestled in a cool metal twig-ish bowl right next to an overly ripe banana.
After the success of Monday's Carrot Wheat Kaiser Buns and the recent acquisition of some new loaf pans (metal though; I prefer glass), these guys have been calling my name. So I've been hunting down some orange-infused baking recipes. Quick tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-53353007146013331432011-10-11T18:53:00.000-04:002011-10-11T18:53:41.634-04:00undercover vegetablesI'm not a fan of sneaking vegetables and legumes into recipes in an attempt to disguise them but I do like adding in extra veggies. Spinach in rice pilaf or marinara sauce. Lentils in turkey sloppy joes. Celery in salmon patties. Clearly visible added nutrition and colour.
Monday night I tried out a new recipe. Two new ones, actually. In the past I've made sloppy joes with a mix of ground turkey tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-88084360432473556482011-10-10T13:19:00.009-04:002011-10-12T13:56:40.785-04:00menu plan monday: 10|10 to 16|10Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canucks!
We had Thanksgiving supper at my mom's on Saturday evening and my boyfriend is back to work today so our long weekend ended up being a regular (ie: not long) weekend. Yes, the kids are off school today but my step-daughter is at her mom's. The baby is currently napping and B is sitting on the couch eating popcorn and watching an episode in the all-daytyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-36027224096912414962011-10-03T22:33:00.002-04:002011-10-05T14:51:34.923-04:00menu plan monday: 03|10 to 09|10Last week's meal plan de-railed somewhere around Thursday, which was the night we had new counters installed in the kitchen but I ended up with leftovers from the first half of the week and have tried to incorporate those into the suppers this week. Last Friday's supper became Sunday's meal instead and there is enough left over for lunch a few more days this week.
This week's meal plan uses up tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-43085796024522182362011-09-26T16:53:00.003-04:002011-09-29T16:29:00.557-04:00menu plan monday: 09|26 to 10|02Menu-planning makes it easy to use up what is in the freezer and/or pantry and that is the plan for this week. There are plenty of potatoes, carrots, grains, pasta, meat, and canned good (like tomatoes and beans) and I'm hoping to not have to pick up anything other than possibly milk.
Mondays are for Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie and it's a great place to pick up new recipestyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-82155667331095557582011-09-23T22:23:00.000-04:002011-09-24T13:23:39.549-04:00got smartphone?My last contract with my cell phone provider expired at the beginning of this month and I decided it was time to upgrade my phone as well. Previous to the contract expiring, I hadn't planned to upgrade to a smartphone seeing as all I did with my phone was talk and text. Somehow, in the days leading up to the end of the contract, I changed my mind. I was moving from an old Sony Ericsson, with tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-9887289872435449732011-09-19T21:54:00.002-04:002011-09-19T21:55:43.677-04:00menu plan monday: 09|19 to 09|25In March of this year, my son and I moved in with my boyfriend and his daughter, of whom he shares 50% custody.
In May, our family grew by one as we welcomed our daughter together.
In August, we decided that it was high time we got a budget going and we turned to YNAB, a program we had both used somewhat in the past when we were still in separate houses. Having never budgeted for a family of tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-43777535384646828382011-08-25T22:05:00.001-04:002011-08-25T22:07:18.186-04:00a belated tuesday and marinara sauceThis post was supposed to be done up on Tuesday, when the pictures were taken, and linked to Tasty Tuesdays, which Alissa hosts over at 33 Shades of Green. I didn't quite make it on Tuesday (or Wednesday) but here I am, on Thursday, linking it up.
My favourite recipe to use for marinara and pasta sauce was adapted from this super-simple and super-tasty Yummy Marinara Sauce over at My Square Foot tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-52030438157788237542011-08-22T23:57:00.000-04:002011-08-23T12:59:21.176-04:00menu plan monday: 08|22 to 08|28It's Monday again and time for Menu Plan Monday.
I'm sneaking this week's menu plan in under the wire so there is no lead up and no wind down for this post. This week's suppers will be like so:
Monday: lasagna (since Saturday's lasagna dinner didn't happen)Tuesday: cheese tortellini with Yummy Marinara Sauce (adding carrots and celery)Wednesday: chicken to be determined, Special Cauliflower, tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-18531653698525840652011-08-15T17:32:00.001-04:002011-08-15T17:34:17.383-04:00menu plan monday: 15|08 to 21|08The weeks are flying by this summer. Monday is here again and it seems like it was just Monday a couple of days ago.
Today brought about the start of two weeks of daycamp for my 6.5-year-old at our local conservation authority. One week after that ends, school is back in session. Along with menu planning, I plan to start making school lunches the night before, unlike last year when I was tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-81527775149165057922011-08-10T21:52:00.001-04:002011-08-10T21:58:08.068-04:00play with your kidsA friend on a message board posted a great article. She read it in a random newsletter she received (whether via email or regular mail or another way, I don't know). I'd give credit to the author and newsletter if I knew the source. It's definitely worth sharing though. We struggle every single day with my 6.5-year-old's behaviour and I do know that part of it could be helped by more one-on-one tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-22737261299270288072011-08-08T10:56:00.003-04:002011-08-11T14:53:41.313-04:00menu plan monday: 08|08 to 14|08I'm recycling a photo from a blog post from almost a year ago as my camera is dead and in need of repairs and therefore there have been no pictures of late. Not even of the sweet baby girl who joined our family in May. She's growing like a weed at nearly 11 weeks and the only recent-ish pictures I have of her are on my phone, for which I can't find my cord to connect it to the laptop.
I've spent tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-10475158969660234212011-08-01T20:56:00.002-04:002011-08-10T00:34:27.851-04:00menu plan monday: 01|08 to 07|08In my blog travels last week I discovered that Laura at Organizing Junkie has a handy dandy compilation of recipes from the weekly Menu Plan Monday contributors. It's aptly named the Recipe Index Round-Up. I anticipate that I will lose vast amounts of time there in the near future.
This week, however, I've pulled my recipes from other sources. As I attempt (yet again) to get back into tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-48545519690091500022011-05-23T22:20:00.001-04:002011-08-10T00:36:27.740-04:00menu plan monday: 23|05 to 29|05Today finds me one day before my due date and still no baby. Looks like this one wants to bake, which is perfectly fine. I believe babies come when they are ready. I was expecting this one to be a week early like my son was but apparently not.
We've spent the weekend and this Victoria Day Monday working like crazy to get the house cleaned up and my boxes put away. We've done well and thrown out tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-31049319045364433792011-05-17T23:35:00.000-04:002011-05-17T23:35:04.220-04:00FOM'dAs the week marches on towards my due date next Tuesday and as I was sitting in front of the shredder with a box full of papers and waiting on the shredder to cool down enough to be run again, the parcel delivery guy pulled up in front of the house. I'm expecting a woven wrap (for babywearing) to arrive as well as a couple of other things so I met him at the door. He handed me a small box and tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-87557523281251673722011-05-16T23:03:00.001-04:002011-08-10T00:39:01.269-04:00menu plan monday: 16|05 to 22|05It's been about two months since I last posted and the blog has a new look. I'd like to think that it will help me pay more attention to it, neglected as it has been, but I don't know that it will. I'm going to try. I do miss blogging, however I haven't been taking very many pictures or doing very many projects of late.
At the moment, I'm one week away from my due date with this Belly Bean. I tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-87390580146581677432011-03-21T16:07:00.001-04:002011-08-10T00:40:05.890-04:00menu plan monday: 21|03 to 27|03Long time, no post. I desperately need to get back into meal planning though and as I often find most of my recipes online, it's easier to link them here rather than writing them out or otherwise noting where to find them. Laura's weekly link party over at I'm an Organizing Junkie makes it easy to find tons of great new recipes and discover new blogs in the meantime.
I'm trying to use up some oftyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-20701846436624087852011-01-19T18:21:00.001-05:002011-01-19T18:23:06.450-05:00oh where, oh whereWhere have I been for the past two and a half months? Right here. At home. Not here on the blog, obviously. Living life.
Sewing diapers.
Growing a baby.
Parenting my now 6-year-old. Eating, sleeping, working. I'm not really sure why I stopped posting. I think I just ran out of things to say and the motivation to write.
Belly Bean is due in the last half of May, so I was 22 weeks along tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-56777866022981594382011-01-17T14:53:00.002-05:002011-08-10T00:41:03.064-04:00menu plan monday: 17|01 to 23|01Menu Plan Monday post first, Where Have I Been for Two-and-a-half Months post second.
Despite my knowledge that everything runs much smoother when I know what my supper meals are going to be for the week, I've again fallen off the wagon. Here's hopping back on! This is a no-spend, make-it-instead month so most of the necessary ingredients are from my freezer and pantry.
Monday: supper at my tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-8612340137408315092010-11-01T10:51:00.002-04:002011-08-10T00:42:05.529-04:00menu plan monday: 01|11 to 07|11Menu Plan Monday is here for another week. I missed it last week and our meals really reflected that. It's so easy to let it slide when you miss one week so I'm jumping back in with both feet today. They're heavy on pasta and cheese apparently, but here is how our suppers will look over the next seven days:
Monday: Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake (thanks Laura!)Tuesday: Baked Potato tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-18607356421985474052010-10-30T21:37:00.000-04:002010-10-30T21:37:40.536-04:00more newborn sewingMy diaper stash sewing is on hold for a few days while I wait on some supplies to arrive in my mailbox but I did get a couple more done before I ran out of the fabric I'm using for my inners and hidden inners.
These are from the same pattern as the pink velour diaper, however, while the dinosaur one is the same size as the velour, the other two are from the smaller newborn size of the same tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-68082847114149515802010-10-23T22:52:00.001-04:002010-10-23T23:39:55.611-04:00squee!!Cuteness overload today. I've been sewing! I've been wanting to start on this for awhile but told myself that I had to get my sewing room in better shape first. It's not quite perfect yet but it is a FAR cry from what it was. So on to the pictures...
Diaper fluff! This is the free newborn pattern (this is a pdf file) by Amber of Darling Diapers. So soft and squishy! This particular diaper has a tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-75076184938808588622010-10-18T22:58:00.002-04:002011-08-10T00:43:07.873-04:00menu plan monday: 18|10 to 24|10I hope to never again get out of the habit of planning the supper meals in advance each week. For a period of time, I had let that habit go. It is so much easier to shop, to get supper actually on the stove or in the oven each night, and I've found it really does save me money as well. I save money because I'm buying what I need, not what I think I might need, and because I'm making the vast tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-13877918225087795322010-10-18T20:11:00.003-04:002011-01-19T18:04:07.968-05:00it's only taken three yearsIs three years a long time? To finally start to make a house home-y, that is? I bought my little 790-ish square foot 1950's house in July 2007. Just now, over three years later, am I beginning to put things up on the walls. Just in time to sell think about selling it. What can I say? I am the queen of procastination. I own the crown.
In the past several weeks I've done some work in the living tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-33189905994078455782010-10-11T10:05:00.002-04:002011-08-10T00:44:49.545-04:00menu plan monday: 11|10 to 17|10This will hopefully be the last week in which Menu Plan Monday is the only post. Posting our menu here makes it handy for me to refer back rather than writing it down and having to look the recipes up.
This week I have half a small smoked ham to use up, a couple of night shifts at work, and a Thanksgiving dinner at my mom's. Meals will be relatively simple fare.
Monday: Thanksgiving family tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-88190950239251022862010-10-04T13:59:00.002-04:002011-08-10T18:30:54.326-04:00menu plan monday: 04|10 to 10|10Someday soon I'll get back to posting regularly. In the meantime, posting my weekly menu keeps me on track meal-wise.
This week we're going for quick and easy preparation:
Monday: Chinese take-outTuesday: massaged kale salad with mangoWednesday: spinach salad with strawberriesThursday: creamed peas on toastFriday: Impossible Cheeseburger PieSaturday: baked macaroni and cheeseSunday: tuna noodle tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-81752636168273953432010-09-27T09:50:00.004-04:002011-08-10T18:32:42.287-04:00menu plan monday: 27|09 to 03|10It's been a whole week since I've posted to the blog. Things have taken a huge turn at our house and I've been otherwise occupied (and preoccupied). More to come on that at a later date. It's a big change but it's all good.
I very much like to know in advance what's for supper on any given day so without further ado, here is how supper will be shaping up for us this coming week.
There aren't tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-9139488941009132432010-09-20T08:07:00.002-04:002011-08-10T18:34:38.645-04:00menu plan monday: 20|09 - 26|09It's time for another edition of Menu Plan Monday. We're going to stick with tried and true recipes this week.
Our suppers for the next seven days will be:
Monday: spaghetti and Caesar salad
Tuesday: tuna melts on rye bread
Wednesday: massaged kale salad with mango and pistachios
Thursday: Moroccan-Spiced Tomato Chicken with Almonds
Friday: Carrot and Roasted Tomato Soup with garlic bread
tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-80611306449245747052010-09-16T21:36:00.002-04:002010-09-16T21:39:34.298-04:00lemmingI've joined the bandwagon.
I'm not so sure it's a fad as much as a trend but whatever it is, I've been seeing more and more blogs and magazines showing chalkboard walls of varying degrees and I've decided that I like it. We'll see how I feel when the chalk dust is backlit by the early morning sun streaming in through the windows.
It took me awhile to figure out where to put such a wall. I knew tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-87961641610598046742010-09-14T07:21:00.008-04:002010-09-14T07:52:10.281-04:00ahead of the gameI am a procrastinator and as far as gifts go, despite having a "Christmas 2010" list drafted up giving me more than ample time to do what I need to do, the week before Christmas is going to roll around and I will not be ready. Which is why I'm surprised that I'm 3/4 of the way done with a wedding gift that is to be given towards the end of October.
I posted the other day about the gorgeous cherrytyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-66455792388369198102010-09-13T02:47:00.008-04:002011-08-10T18:36:23.786-04:00menu plan monday: 13|09 to 19|09For some reason I was actually looking forward to planning this week's supper menu and, instead of scrambling to do it Sunday night or Monday morning, I had it figured out by Friday night.
This week all of our supper meals are at home as I have no night shifts until the following week. Our suppers for the next seven days use up several items in my freezer and pantry. I will have a few tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-25353985386243856552010-09-12T11:37:00.000-04:002010-09-12T13:28:31.058-04:00spread the love sundayThis gray and dreary Sunday morning seems like the perfect day to spread some link love. I am still pouring over DIY blogs, tunneling deeper and deeper into this amazing community. I am quickly filling up my bookmarks with projects and ideas as well as populating my blog reader with new blogs to read. The creativity and vision out there astounds me, probably mostly because I do not have much of tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-64561837580852454312010-09-11T13:26:00.002-04:002010-09-11T13:30:33.590-04:00supporting the localsEvery summer our city has a Saturday farmer's market, which runs from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving weekend in October. I don't think I made it to the market at all last year; this year I've only been twice. The first time was to pick up a pail of honey from a local vendor and the second time, today, was to pick up a hand worked cherry wood bowl from a booth I had noticed the first time.
tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-70059262119608015662010-09-10T12:33:00.001-04:002010-09-12T13:29:10.684-04:00drowning in ideasI have spent far too much time the last few days reading through incredible crafty blogs and I'm feeling deliciously overwhelmed with all the inspiration and amazing-ness out there in DIY world. I am a person who has a bit of a hard time taking a circular piece of corkboard, three nails, a piece of tinfoil, and a picture frame and, using only my own imagination and whimsy, turning it into a tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-85494784829319284452010-09-09T13:01:00.001-04:002010-09-09T14:57:20.362-04:00thrifty thursdayI'm not sure if this post will really qualify as being thrifty seeing as I spent $92 acquiring these items but they did come from a thrift store...
I was at Value Village yesterday looking for a small bookshelf (which I didn't find). While there, I noticed and debated over two wall shelves. They were $5.99 each and would need refinishing in the form of painting. Though I held them in my hands andtyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-17759422712375969822010-09-08T20:50:00.002-04:002010-09-08T20:52:44.778-04:00works for me wednesday: shopping at homeIf you're anything like me, you'll go along fine in your home until you suddenly decide that you need a certain piece of furniture or home decor item and you need it NOW. You'll almost immediately head out in search of said item, finding and purchasing numerous other items along the way, yet return home without that item in tow. And then, the next day, you'll head out again because really, you tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-27806066078906819882010-09-06T08:09:00.007-04:002011-08-10T18:37:32.979-04:00menu plan monday: 06|09 to 12|09Menu Plan Monday happens on, coincidentally, Mondays and it's time once again. This week only sees us having two supper meals at home due to my schedule but I'm including my work suppers here as well.
Here goes.
Monday: Honey-Baked Lentils over rice
Tuesday: tuna noodle casserole
Wednesday: Potato Leek Soup
Thursday: leftover lentils
Friday: leftover casserole
Saturday: massaged kale salad
tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-79286607446663268892010-09-03T17:23:00.002-04:002010-09-05T13:28:25.587-04:00everything's coming up tomatoesThis cheery Aster and a few of his Aster friends are out in full bloom following some rain that visited us last night and this morning. A very nice sight for a somewhat gloomy day. The sun is trying to peek out now and is slowly pushing away the grey clouds, making way for big, white, fluffy ones.
I took a quick walk around the yard when I got home from work and saw that it was time for a tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-34477077037329805252010-09-02T12:11:00.003-04:002010-09-02T19:40:11.777-04:00like riding a bikeMy niece's birthday is today and it was only yesterday that I realized that it wasn't just approaching anymore, it was here. She is reading the Mandie books by Lois Gladys Leppard and I bought her the movie that was made for the first book. As I was scrambling yesterday to think of something else to put with her gift, I took a look through my internet bookmarks. I came across a ponytail elastic tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-82375862667782344332010-09-01T10:50:00.002-04:002010-09-02T02:27:49.284-04:00the great outdoorsNature is amazing. Take the following two pictures, for example.
Such textures and patterns and intricate details. It makes me wonder just how the bark grows like that or if it grew relatively smoothly and then took on that pattern as the tree got older and the bark dried out. The roots blow my mind. It's so amazing to see them laying on the ground how they might appear underground, all tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-23497983466786458202010-09-01T09:26:00.005-04:002010-09-02T19:47:58.987-04:00reality bitesYesterday morning my son and I arrived back home after three days away. We were up at my boyfriend's parents' house on the Montreal River. Three days of sun, heat, breezes, boating, fishing, late bedtimes, and no schedules makes it hard to come back home to get ready for work tomorrow. I get five days off in a row (five days off, four shifts on, five more days off) twice in my seven-week scheduletyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-64845052766006511832010-08-31T10:23:00.002-04:002010-08-31T10:40:08.494-04:00two things tuesdayWhat's on the list for this week? Nothing huge. If the truth be told, I'm still not completely done from last week (which carried over from the week before). Where's the bag-over-head emoticon?
This week, until I go to bed on Monday night, my challenge is going to beTo finish sawing the grout out of my bathroom floor tiles so I can re-grout. The floor had a dark brown grout on light tiles and ittyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-53430987515172200372010-08-30T09:36:00.003-04:002011-08-10T18:38:14.561-04:00menu plan monday: august 30 - september 5Monday has found us once again and also once again, I'll be trying to use up ingredients from the pantry, fridge, and freezer as well as leftovers instead of doing a big grocery shop for new items.
This week is looking like so:
Monday: Broccoli Soup
Tuesday: Mexican Lasagna
Wednesday: Easy Shepherd's Pie (using shredded beef)
Thursday: Vegetarian Brown Rice Casserole (using this lentil soup tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-21092158892142906762010-08-28T02:29:00.004-04:002010-08-28T09:15:46.545-04:00four to followIt is technically Saturday. I've just come off an evening shift and am heading to bed but, as I plan to be offline for the weekend, I wanted to share a few blogs that I've been enjoying for awhile now. Maybe you'll find a quiet moment this weekend to check them out if you're not already familiar with them.
Alissa of 33 Shades of Green writes regularly and her blog is filled to overflowing with tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-35304728029907939862010-08-27T12:10:00.004-04:002010-08-27T12:20:13.291-04:00you capture: outsideThe lovely Beth over at I Should Be Folding Laundry hosts a You Capture carnival each week, posting the theme on Thursdays. This week's theme, August 26 through September 1, is Outside. The rules for participating are simple and can be found in any of the weekly You Capture posts on Beth's blog.
It is an absolutely gorgeous day here with a nearly cloudless brilliant blue sky. The sun is tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-65757734004838017372010-08-25T23:35:00.000-04:002010-08-25T23:35:23.077-04:00works for me wednesday: just do itI'm sneaking in under the wire to contribute to this week's Works for Me Wednesday, which is hosted by Kristen of We are THAT Family.
Tonight I did something that I need to do a lot more of - just doing it. Whatever "it" might happen to be. Tonight it was deciding to go into the sewing room (the sewing room that is the subject of last week's failed Two Things Tuesday and the return subject of tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-12489839412534201092010-08-24T12:37:00.000-04:002010-08-24T12:37:13.876-04:00two things tuesdayI'm a little disappointed in relation to last week's Two Things Tuesday. I had said that I would get the rec room and sewing room in order and neither one is complete.
The rec room fared better than the sewing room but it still hosts a small pile of winter clothing that need to be donated as well as a cheap 2-cube shelving unit that needs to find a new home. I did tidy up and dust and hang a tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-91731261494068203672010-08-23T11:41:00.001-04:002011-08-10T18:39:00.414-04:00menu plan monday: august 23 - 29Last week ran nearly perfectly smoothly in terms of meals and the meal (ie: supper) plan I'd made up. I was impressed! This week's supper menu took a little more thought for some reason and includes nights where I'll be eating supper at work instead of home.
Monday: Broccoli Soup (adding in a potato and a carrot too)
Tuesday: Lasagna Casserole, garlic toast
Wednesday: Easy Pumpkin Pancakes with tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-36860335488420434162010-08-20T23:19:00.001-04:002010-08-20T23:23:10.206-04:00this moment{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. Via Soulemama. If you're inspired to do the same, leave your link in the comments here and on Soulemama's blog.
tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-31607911098440765692010-08-19T20:57:00.001-04:002010-08-19T20:58:30.339-04:00hempaliciousDid you know that you can eat and drink hemp? It's not just for textiles, paper, and fuel. Up until a few months ago, this was news to me. I first learned of hemp as a food product via Gena of Choosing Raw and I found hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) at one of my local bulk food stores, which also has a large selection of natural and organic foods.
The following bullet points, taken from the tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-36385084056260181352010-08-18T10:50:00.002-04:002010-08-19T19:31:45.814-04:00works for me wednesday: on my listLists. You either love 'em or hate 'em. I love them and hate them. But they usually work for me.
I sometimes keep a running list of things that need to be done. A few months back while blog surfing, I came across a post in which the blogger mentioned that she keeps a notebook in which she records her To Do list. She starts by putting the date at the top of the page and throughout the week adds tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-61115775907785635352010-08-17T15:28:00.002-04:002010-08-19T19:32:20.744-04:00two things tuesdayIt's the second edition of Two Things Tuesday and as it lends itself well to a short post, it works out perfectly because I'm heading out the door to work.
This week, I have two tasks that I've been avoiding for no other reason that they take time and more effort than I have felt like exerting. In addition to continuing to do the two things from last week, I am doing to tackle the following two tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-23946312383185190652010-08-16T12:07:00.005-04:002011-08-10T18:41:13.585-04:00menu plan monday: august 16 - 22One of the changes I implemented last week was meal planning. I've done it in the past with great success but somehow fell off the wagon. I loved how easy it made it to grocery shop, prepare supper, and free up time but apparently I didn't love it enough. Back in the saddle.
Laura at Organizing Junkie hosts Menu Plan Monday each week and you'll find all the meal ideas and recipes you'll ever needtyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-56005977565398080662010-08-14T20:46:00.001-04:002010-08-14T20:47:23.080-04:00thriveMy volunteer tomato plant is thriving in its moderately sunny location on my patio, its stalk growing through a crack between the bricks. The dirt in these cracks is so dense and gravel-y that water takes a very long time to soak down but I suppose once the water has soaked in, it stays pretty well trapped under there, watering the plant over an extended period of time.
The plant is in full suntyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-23983887305578471692010-08-13T14:16:00.003-04:002010-08-20T23:23:41.873-04:00this moment{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. Via Soulemama. If you're inspired to do the same, leave your link in the comments here and on Soulemama's blog.
tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-80380611057255486592010-08-12T18:15:00.004-04:002010-08-19T10:59:42.955-04:00thursday harvestI planted my little gardens later than usual this year because I spent so long deciding if I was going to plant at all. I'm glad I decided to do it. Days like this (and every other day, really), when I look out at my gardens and see them in all their healthy greenery, fill me with pride, with a sense of "I did that!"
Today's harvest brought in just enough for this small family - a medium-sized tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-67237649084752132042010-08-10T15:03:00.003-04:002010-08-17T15:28:56.762-04:00two things tuesdayTuesday seems like a good day to make some changes. Monday puts on too much pressure and Friday leaves too little time, consequently putting on pressure as well. Tuesday is perfect. Today's short and sweet post is brought to you by the very first edition of Two Things Tuesday.
This week, I am going to implement two changes in my daily routine.I am going to start meal planning again and will tyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-48931035025124494412010-08-05T21:04:00.006-04:002011-08-10T21:57:13.521-04:00rock bottomRock bottom. Not a fun place to be.
If you haven't been there already, it's quite possible (inevitable maybe?) that you'll be there at some point in your life. I was there on Tuesday night in my relationship with my boyfriend of nearly three years. It was gut wrenching, agonizing, and just plain awful but at the end of that night, when we looked up, way up and through the tears, there was a lighttyofahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06904037485229845872noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-91488497942125093082010-07-29T22:52:00.003-04:002010-07-30T21:48:36.425-04:00as the garden growsI got a late start to gardening this year because I didn't know if I was going to put one in. I think it was close to the end of June before I put in any seeds or already-started plants. I ended up buying my plants because I'd obviously left it too late to start my own.
I use the square-foot gardening method and have four raised beds which are roughly 4x5 (feet) each and one smaller, roughly 2x4,Peggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10560934660419956374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-6075598900061313602010-07-26T23:19:00.003-04:002010-07-30T21:49:36.761-04:00fear revisitedI am not a fan of heights. The roof of my own single-story 1952 house is higher than I want to go. Back at the beginning of July, however, I climbed a fire tower.
Standing 100 feet tall on top of Caribou Mountain, the tower rises 400 feet above the town of Temagami and 1300 feet above sea level. I know there are much higher towers and heights to be scaled but this particular tower was my Mt. Peggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10560934660419956374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-81358984151903898752010-07-20T12:10:00.007-04:002010-07-29T23:25:26.062-04:00new best friendI often ask my 5.5-year-old son, "How do you know you won't like it if you don't try it?" I had to ask myself the same thing the other night as I was getting ready for bed and a short sleep before my alarm rang at 4:45 the next morning. I like oatmeal and I like oatmeal for breakfast. Getting up at 4:45 for a 6 o'clock shift doesn't leave a lot of time for washing my hair (it's very short so I Peggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10560934660419956374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179184396856815338.post-20963051187262995772010-07-19T09:29:00.000-04:002010-07-23T04:16:40.167-04:00the year of feeling awesomeI'm not new to blogging; I'm just starting over. Again. Most recently my blog (hosted on various sites including my own domain) was "rainberryblue". Over the years I've grown tired of that name (it has no significance, I just liked it) and of trying to write a blog that wasn't about anything in particular but more a jumble of my life.
At the beginning of 2010 I dubbed the new year as my YearPeggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10560934660419956374noreply@blogger.com0