Mack is back!

Twice in 2 months.  How did that happen?

 

Needless to say, I was less than thrilled when I picked David up at preschool on Friday and found out that Mack the monkey was coming home with us again!  Not that I mind having a stuffed monkey at my house.  I do, however, mind having another weekend project thrown onto my plate at the last minute.

 

So mack came to spend another blah weekend with us and I sent this lovely little report to school with David on Monday morning.  What I didn't mention was the Mack spent a lot of time sitting around while David was in TIME OUT.  This weekend will not go down as one of his best behaved!

 

(In case you care how we got Mack twice in 2 months, it's because David just started this class in January.  He got Mack the first week because all the other kids had already gone once the previous semester.  Then, they started drawing names for the second round and David was the second person drawn.  It's a flawed system, I know!)

Menu Plan Monday: February 11-17

  

For breakfast: Quinoa and Kale mini quiches

For lunch: leftover  Slow cooker garlic lime chicken (very good but leave salt out of recipe ... soy sauce makes it salty enough), Baked white cheddar mac & cheese w/kale & bacon (excellent) and Cilantro lime chicken enchiladas (kind of bland ... added 4T. salsa to chicken mixtures and extra can of green enchilada sauce on top).

Here is the dinner plan for the week:

Monday: Jerk Pineapple pork chops and cilantro lime rice, Hawaiian bread rolls

Tuesday: Pasta with sausage, tomatoes and cream, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday: Pan-fried pork tenderloin with mustard sauce, kale chips, baked sweet potatoes

Thursday: Amy's amazing white chicken chili, tortilla chips

Friday: Slow cooker salsa chicken, black beans & rice

Saturday: Belated Valentine's Day date night

Sunday: Leftovers!!
 

Check out Laura's blog for more Menu Plan Monday.

Almost Famous?

WSMV Channel 4

Will made the news when he was eating lunch on Tuesday with his boss.  (His boss' face is in the bottom left corner of the screen right now.)  They both declined to be interviewed, but Will was shown several times chowing down on some hot chicken (he is wearing the blue half-zip sweater). 

His favorite line was when the cashier said "We call it 24-hour chicken".  And then something to the effect of whatever goes in comes out 24-hours later.  Will can verify that this statement is TRUTH!

Christmas Around the World

I  chaperoned David's Christmas around the world

  day at school back in December.  Claire was my sidekick helper as well.

 

First stop: Italy.  Apparently the nativity scene in Italian art.  The kids made a fingerprint nativity.  And the brown paint permanently stained the only Christmas tee David owns.  Oh well, so much for washable paint!

 

Next stop: Mexico.  My favorite ethnic food (with Italy and Greece running a very close second).

 

Ms. Tama spoke about the Mexican tradition of the poinsettia. 

 

And then they sang "Feliz Navidad".

And then they ate chips & salsa.

 

Then it was off to Belgium.  I kind of missed how being dressed as a Christmas tree related to the Belgium holidays but the kids seemed to like her.

 

Pointing out Belgium on the globe.

 

The tree lady demonstrated some kind of smoking St. Nicholas Belgium tradition.

 

And then they ate crepes.  David was not a fan.

 

Last stop: Australia.  It's summer there at Christmastime.  And there are Koala bears.

 

The kids learned lots of other fun facts about Australia but I headed out since the kids were back in their classroom with their teacher (world traveling complete).

Best. Day. Ever

That is what Claire said to Will when he came home from work on Monday. 

 

Claire got to visit a 1st grade class at a private school we hope she will be attending next year.  They made her fell so special and everyone was so excited for her to be there. 

 

The school sent this fun little photo page home with her.

 

 

She really is a little sad that she can't return there for the rest of the school year.  God made it VERY CLEAR that we made the right decision to send her to school next year instead of homeschooling another year.  Claire told me that she "forgot all about me" while she was at school today.  Gee, thanks!  But, I am glad she had fun and felt welcome.  She is super-pumped to start school in the fall!

 

{Photo editing note: I had to delete the teachers name and cover all the school insignias on the private school uniforms.  In case you were wondering what all those dark sploches were on their shirts.}

I heart Valentine's Day

Claire is always super-sad that she doesn't get valentine's day card from her classmates each year.  You know, mainly since her classmates are me, myself and I.  Ha! 

 

This year, I actually got my act together early and put together 12 days of Valentine's Day treats for her.  So she gets a little treat each day.  I got the idea here.  (There is a link to a PDF document with all of the little sayings.)

 

"I love your BEAR HUGS!  They are so special"-Teddy Grahams

 

"Life is a circus with you around"-Animal crackers

 

"It's o-fish-al!  You're the best kid ever."-Goldfish crackers

 

"You color my world with happiness"-box of crayons

 

"Hope your day is Marvelous & Magnificent just like you"-bag of M&Ms

 

"I love you more than Chocolate ..." - any kind of chocolate candy

 

"You make my heart GLOW"-small flashlight, flashlight wand (party favor section @ Target), glow sticks/wand

 

"You make my life a little sweeter"-suckers or any kind of candy

 

"You're a great catch ..."-Swedish fish or Goldfish crackers

 

"You blow me away"-bubbles or balloons

 

"You're the apple of my eye"-apple juice, apple

 

"You're my treasure"-chocolate coins, change for piggy bank

 

{I think I spent about $12-$15 total for all of these little treats}

 

For David and Luke's classroom valentine's, I turned to Pinterest.

 

David's classmates will get these Star Wars cards with glow stick light-saber swords. 

 

Source: cinnaberry-suite.blogspot.com via Susan on Pinterest

 

 

Luke's classmates will get these cute jars of playdough.

Source: positivelysplendid.com via Susan on Pinterest

 

I also plan on making my favorite Valentine's Day cupcakes!

 

Source: iheart2stamp.com via Susan on Pinterest

 

Menu Plan Monday: February 4-10

  

Here is the dinner plan for the week:

Monday: Chili (leftover from superbowl party), fritos, salad

Tuesday: Slow cooker garlic lime chicken, brown rice, green beans

Wednesday: Baked white cheddar mac & cheese w/kale & bacon

Thursday: Cilantro lime chicken enchiladas, mini corn on the cob

Friday: Jerk Pineapple pork chops and cilatro lime rice

Saturday: Dinner out with LifeGroup supper club

Sunday: Leftovers!!
 

Check out Laura's blog for more Menu Plan Monday.