Halloween Video: Room decoration by little monster

I haven't posted all the Halloween activities my little monster and I have done this year. Here is a video to tide you over I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Love that little man!

Easy Beef Sheperd's Pie

So, I owe you the finished product photo.  But I really couldn't wait to upload this recipe.  I don't even know if the name suits the recipe but here it goes.

Ingredients
1 lb of lean ground beef
1 medium size frozen mixed vegatables.
worchesshire
paprika
salt amd pepper
mash potaotes

Directions
First cook the ground beef then add the rest of the ingrediants.  The amounts here will make enough for one meal for 4 people. You may double it and separate and freeze half.  You may buy those powdered mash potato mixes but you are already cooking this in advance so making mash potaoes from scratch really isn't that hard to do on a weekday.  This is a meal my whole family likes and is just right for cold weather.

 
Once I make the finish product I will add the photo.  We are having this meal the week!

Easy Pot Pie

courtesy of Jhill345

Ingredients 
(This makes for two large pies)  I make you and freeze the rest of the filling for next time
deep dish pie crust (store brand)
1 package of frozen vegetables
1 can of potato soup
1 can of chicken cream soup
1 cup of water and 1 cup of milk
2 -3 chicken breasts

Directions
I boil breasts taking them out before they over cook.  Remember you will finish cooking in the oven.  In a large pot I mix all ingredients, seasoning at your pleasure.  Once everything is fully mixed I transfer everything to pie crust.  I bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Hope you enjoy it.  It is super easy and a very economic meal.

Weekly Round-ups

Hi there! So my round-ups are about a day late.  My little man is sick and I have been dealing with pediatrician appointments, pharmacies, work and home.  Gosh sometimes I think mothers should be given superpowers because there are days that we really need it.  Hope you enjoy my favorite posts!

Things you can make
Boy Booty Bag Tutorial   So You Think You're Crafty


Things for a Mom
The Rules of Effortless Parenting        Zen Habits
Link and Learn                        No Time for Flascards
Cookie Cutter Pumpkins         Modern Parents Messy Kids
Is Zero Tolerance a Form of Discrimination          Not Just Cute
An Organized October and Unprocessed School Lunches   Food for My Family
How and When to quit?         Life your way
Push down and play time       Not Just Cute
Fall audio books for kids       Lets Explore
Discipline vs punishment        Not Just Cute


Thing you can cook
Cake mix cookies                 Life  your way
Corner Bakery Cinnamon Creme Coffee Cake      Barbara Bakes
Green Beans in a creamy mushroom sauce             Closet Cooking
Smooth as Silk Pie               Bittersweet
Ravioli three ways               The Pioneer Woman


Things for the Soul
Do you need white space?            Simple Mom
How to Have Peace and Projects       Peace and Projects

Photo Monday: A glimpse into our weekend

I really love Autumn!



Weekly Round-ups

Hi!  After being absent so long, you can only imagine how behind I was with everything.  Did you know that once your Google Reader exceeds 1000 posts it will only say 1000+?  Yes, that is how behind I was.  I kept trying to read and star the posts that I found to be relevant for me between out of town trips and the endless amount of meetings that I seemed to have per week.  I have been going through my highlighted posts this past week and weeded some more out.  Some were just repetitive, some I had already posted on facebook and some just weren't where I wanted to go right now.  It is a pretty whimpy list but it is my favorites from over a month ago!

Things you can make
In progress   (Gingercake)

Things you can cook
Hunt, Gather and Host: quick jams and preserves party  (Design Sponge)

Things for a Mom
List of fun back to school lunch ideas  (List Plan It)
Organizing and decluttering childrens toys (Organizing your way)
Back to school a teachers perspective (Simple Mom)
 Handling back to school separation anxiety (New Latina)
A Guide to Poop  (Baby Mine)
Foolish kids. Bad parents.  (Motherhood your way)

Things for the Soul
One bite at a time (Simple Mom)
http://www.peaceandprojects.com/blog/2011/08/good-morning/
The 5 Principles of a Profound Workday  (Zen Habits)

Hope you enjoy the reads and get out and have some fun this weekend!

© Michael Pole

Prescool: Carr's first day!

Wow, this has been a whirled wind of a year.  This has been a year that I can describe as having many opportunities to grow (you can look at difficulties as a hindrance or as an opportunity).  One of the hardest things I have had to learn is letting go.  I have not by all means learn but I think that at least I have learned to keep an open mind and trust my spouse on the issues and things that matter most. Carr started preschool.  Deep breath, yes my little man is with strangers.  I know, I know, it is something that he needs, especially because he is an only child.  I know all the benefits, I am not stupid or crazy.  It is just so hard to let go of something so priceless and fragile.  Now that I am a mom, I see teachers under a whole different light and I also wonder if they see themselves in the same way.  Hold on a minute!  Please understand I don't think my son to be the coming messiah, but he is my special blessing and as such I have nurtured him, and tried to protect him from anything that I found that could hurt him.  I know that every one of the moms in his class think the same of their children, wow talk about pressure!

I took that day off, I knew I would be a hot mess.  What I didn't know was how he would react to all this.  He has always been pretty independent, he would stay at Mimi's no problem or go on play dates with my best friend and her children.  I felt confident that having to go to preschool and having his cousin in his same class would make everything easier.  He whimpered and I cried (without him seeing me), I am glad the first month is past and he is fully adjusted.  I am also blessed that it is my husband that takes him and not I.  I am a coward and I will be the first to admit it.  So glad it's my husband "leaving" him.  I wouldn't bear it, I would probably be convincing myself that homeschooling was the best avenue for us.

walking to class holding hands with his best buddy and cousin Henry

So happy to see us!

I told my husband that letting go started that day.  From now on it will be a constant in our lives, every time it will get easier for him but at the same time harder for us.  One day it will be college, or his first apartment or getting married, our baby is not a baby anymore...sniff.

HouseKeeping - it's all in the details

"Housekeeping is like being caught in a revolving door" (Marcelene Cox)

I can bet you a penny that this will not be the last blog post that will deal with housekeeping and changes I will be making to my blog.  I will keep making changes until I find a fit for me, funny thing is probably once I do our life will change or the circumstances which will demand another tweak.

I will keep posting my weekly menu on Mondays, the weekly round-up on Fridays and hopefully a blog post a week.  I am hoping that once a month, last Sunday, to deliver a monthly book review (books that Carr and I are reading).  I will be adding a photography post a week, just a photo and a phrase.

Thanks to Katy Kunz

I have a lot of work ahead of me, lots to catch-up on and much to do.  My big project for December is 31 posts in 31 days.  It will be about what is important in our lives, small glimpses into our home.  I am really hoping I can pull this off.  My boss has done this for years in another medium - scrap-booking, I hope it can translate to blogging.  Wish me luck!

Forgive the Silence

Every year since the conception of this blog, I disappear for the blogosphere during the months of August and September.  Some years, I have been able to squeeze a post or two during this time but this year it has been impossible.  You see I try to keep my professional life away from my inner world: my family and my hobbies.  This year it has been tough keeping my work and my private life apart.  If you read my blog you may have noticed that I have mentioned work more often than previously. What can I say, it has been a tough year.

I haven't posted but that doesn't mean that we haven't had fun. I have lots of catch up posts that I will slowly post. I can't wait to share our crazy life these past two months.  Once again thank you for your patience.   

Have a great Weekend!