Monthly Archives: January 2013

menu plan Monday

This will likely lead to increased media consumption

We took the Christmas stuff down this weekend, so now the living room looks wide open and a little less cozy. We’re going to address that — I’m not sure “fix” is the appropriate word — by putting a TV in the living room this week. We have a TV downstairs and one in our bedroom, and I haven’t really missed having one in the main living area. Rockford has, though, so we’re going to give it a try. The basement is pretty chilly this time of year, and I’m looking forward to not shivering while we watch movies.

I think I’m on the forward edge of a migraine — the text on my screen is leaving shadows of itself everywhere — so I’m not even going to try to come up with a connection between moving the television and making a meal plan. But I will say that it feels like this is the first week in years that I’ve actually made a menu plan, so that feels like an accomplishment. (Update! It was the forward edge of a cold. Blargh.)

Sunday: Beef stroganoff

Sometimes I get a hankerin’ for beef & noodles. This was one of those times. I found a 4.5-star recipe for beef stroganoff at AllRecipes.com, but nearly every review for it had a change or two to suggest. My finished project only vaguely resembled recipe as it was published. (Another update! I spent the whole day in bed, and Rockford and the kids went to Subway after they discovered that the beef was too tough to chew. I left it on low in the CrockPot overnight, the beef became acceptably tender, and we ate it for lunch today.)

Monday: Football party

Some friends are having a national-championship-watching party, too which I’ll be bringing Crimson Tide Woopie Pies. I’m not sure what’s on the menu, but I’ve heard rumors that it might be corned beef.

Tuesday: Chicken Taco Soup

Poppy has an American Heritage Girls meeting at the same time as Pete’s first basketball practice tomorrow evening, which makes it a great day to haul out the slow cooker and make some soup.

Wednesday: Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

I think I originally saw this on Pinterest, and then I ran into it again while browsing the Everyday Food section of Martha Stewart’s website. So I thought I’d try it. Don’t let me down, Martha.

Thursday: Fish sticks and mac ‘n’ cheese

Usually Wednesday night is kids’ choice night, but Rockford is in charge of dinner prep on Thursday and he requested something simple. Can you guess whose week it was to choose the kids’ night meal this week?

Friday: Pizza

We’ve ordered Pizza Hut for the last few pizza nights, because Poppy had a surplus of BookIt coupons to use. She used the last one last week, though, so I might actually make a pizza this week. (Or I might not.)
Flotsam / Jetsam

Resolved

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I don’t make New Year’s resolution every year, but I did this year. Not because I have a burning desire to change, though. I was just trying to figure out how to use Evernote, and it was January 1st, and it just seemed like the thing to do. And because today is January 2nd and I’m trying to get in the habit of blogging regularly again, I’m going to share my resolutions with you.

And so here they are:

Lose 25 pounds

In actuality I need to lose something closer to twice that, but 25 seemed more manageable in that particular moment.

Download Mountain Lion

And I’ve already completed this one; take that, resolutions!

Be present

By which I mean, of course, spend less time on the internet. I’m going to try to keep the computer closed and the phone down during the day, with the exception of during Quiet Time which coincidentally is right now. This resolution leads us directly to the next one:

Tech-free Sundays

Keep in mind that I made this list on a Tuesday, when Sunday was eons away. I’m pretty sure this Sunday evening will find me trying to plug the modem directly into my brain.

Make the garden beds presentable

Our house came with one meticulously landscaped garden bed in front and several more around the back yard. They are no longer meticulously landscaped.

Exercise regularly

This should help with that 25-pounds resolution. I slept through Zumba this morning, though, so I’m already off to a weak start.

No McDonalds

We had a McD-less year several years ago. I suspect we’ll all feel a little better if this one sticks.

At least one date night every month

I like Rockford, and I’d like to spend more time with him.

Keep up with the housework

We aren’t living in filth, really, but it would be nice not to need to fly into Hurry Someone’s Coming Over Clean The Things mode when people visit.
Diversions

Hello January, hello 2013

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Why, hello there! It’s been awhile. I hope you had a lovely, peaceful holiday season. We were guests, and we had guests, and we were guests again; we showered one another with gifts; and it was all hectic and pretty great.

Here are a few things I accomplished during my unplanned blog hiatus:

  • We went to Indiana to visit Rockford’s grandmother & aunt, and Poppy and I were sidelined by a stomach virus. I do not recommend a 6-hour drive home under such conditions.

  • I made another buche de noel, and it was no prettier than the first time I made it. It was tasty, though.

  • I installed a new belt on the vacuum cleaner.

  • I installed the Mountain Lion operating system on my Mac and in the process lost access to Word and Excel. I did not see that coming. Also, the touchpad scrolling seems to be in exactly the opposite direction from my old OS, and while I’m sure I’ll get used to it, it’s been a little irritating in the 45 minutes since I finished the install.

  • Our garage door started doing a weird, twitchy, jumpy thing.

  • I won an iPad mini from Virtual Piggy. (!)

    • So, all ye iPad users, what apps do you recommend? I’m looking for helpful and productive things, and I plan to not load any games at all onto it so that it remains my iPad. (Terrible but true fact: I’m possessive of my tech toys.)