Monthly Archives: January 2016

menu plan Monday

Maybe next week I’ll make myself some DIY Lunchables

I’ve been tracking my meals again over the last few weeks, and it has become glaringly obvious that I have some very unhealthy eating habits. I always used to take my lunch with me back when I was working, and I tried to choose at least moderately healthy foods. Once I became a stay-at-home mom, though, I had the entire kitchen available for grazing. That made it really easy for me to slip into some bad habits. I don’t eat breakfast and I rarely eat lunch, so most days around 3:30pm I’m ravenous and subsequently eat everything in the kitchen.

I’m trying to mend my unhealthy ways a bit, so this week I didn’t stop at dinner when I made my meal plan. I have Cuties and blueberries on hand for breakfast, and I bought a rotisserie chicken and planned some simple lunches based on that. I spent some time yesterday preparing the ingredients so I can put my lunch together easily. I’ll be having a burrito bowl today — it’s already prepped and just needs to be drizzled with its chipotle sour cream sauce — and the rest of the week will be some combination of Thai chicken wraps, chicken salad and at least one more burrito bowl. Now I just have to recondition my brain to get used to eating an actual meal during the day.

Here’s my dinner plan for the week:

Monday: Coconut Curry Chicken
I moved things around a little last week, so we never had the Lavanya’s. Barring major mishaps, it’s happening today.

Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner
Last week’s BFD was such a tremendous success that we decided to do it again.

Wednesday: Leftovers or sandwiches
We’ll probably have leftover chicken curry. If not, we’ll have some kind of sandwiches. Basketball practice has made Wednesday nights a little chaotic on the dining front.

Thursday: Sloppy Joes
We’ll have frozen french fries, too.

Friday: Pizza
Last week I grilled cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza and BBQ chicken pizza while my brother and his family were visiting. I’m thinking I may try to do a barbacoa version this week.

What do you usually have for lunch?

More Monday Menus at OrgJunkie!

Homeschool

This week in homeschooling: I need to buy some peanut butter

In retrospect we had a fine week, but it felt like a slog while we were in it. The kids seemed to be struggling to focus, and they asked for lots of breaks every day. In the spirit of trying to be less stressed (and less stressful), I acquiesced. They did get most of their work done, but drawing the school day out far into the afternoon wasn’t terribly enjoyable for any of us. Poppy missed out on an impromptu playdate because of it, and I felt like I was on a treadmill all week. I’m sure it didn’t help matters that I stayed up at least an hour too late every night this week.

US Geography

Did you know that Atlanta is the most densely forested city in the United States? I’d noticed that there were a lot of trees around the city, but I didn’t know it was the most tree-filled until we studied Georgia this week. We also read a picture-book biography of Martin Luther King Jr. this week. I wanted to read about Eli Whitney and President Jimmy Carter, too, but it didn’t happen. I may need to spend more than a week on each state if I want to get through more than one biography.

Our state-specific recipe this week is the simple and delightful peanut butter cookie, which we have not yet made because I don’t have my act together today.

Language Arts

Reading

Pete and I started taking turns reading “The Jungle Book” to one another this week, and Poppy is reading yet another “Warriors” book. We’re also still reading “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

Grammar

The kids finished “Grammar Island” this week. While I continue to hem and haw over whether to buy “Grammar Town,” the kids and I will be reading and doing exercises from “The Giggly Guide to Grammar.” The first exercise we did had us liven up some sentences to give the reader a more vivid mental picture. Here’s what the kids came up with:

My weird neighbor has a house full of strange stuff.
My weird neighbors Joe has a shack spilling over with expired snacks, ceramic kitten plates, mismatched treehouse materials and empty Keurig pods.

My crazy relative talks to inanimate objects.
My crazy cousin Sam has long conversations about financial planning with his cigarette.

The athlete demonstrated his strength by tossing a huge object.
Odell Beckham Jr. demonstrated his strength by launching a 2015 Ford Explorer across Nottingham.

The “Giggly Guide” exercise was, in my opinion, the most enjoyable thing we did all week.

I’ll be working to rediscover a happy medium next week, both in my sleep routine and the kids’ school schedule.

How was your week?

Wanna read more about homeschooling? Check out the Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers weekly linky thing!

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Macy’s marks sixth year of partnership with Haitian artisans

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Recycled Metal Trays from Macy's Heart of Haiti product line
Recycled metal baskets from Macy’s Heart of Haiti product line
A few months ago I told you about how I spruced up our holidays with a Heart of Haiti piece. This month, Macy’s sent me a late Christmas gift to further beautify our home. I’m taking that as a kindness rather than as a suggestion that I need extensive decorating guidance. Although — who am I kidding? — I definitely need extensive decorating guidance.

Anyway, they sent me one of their Heart of Haiti recycled metal baskets. The pieces are made in Crois-des-Bouquets by metal artisans who forge bowls, lanterns and other decorative items out of recycled oil barrels. Here’s a short video that demonstrates how it’s done:

I didn’t know much about Macy’s Heart of Haiti initiative when I first agreed to write about it a few months ago. The more I’ve learned about it, though, the more I love the idea.

Macy’s started the program after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti as a way to help the artisans rebuild, and for many it has become a sustainable livelihood.

Heart of Haiti was and still is a “trade-not-aid” program. Rather than a one-time charitable event, Macy’s program is an ongoing partnership with individual artisans in Haiti. Today is the 6th anniversary of the 2010 earthquake, and the Macy’s program is still giving back. Specifically, the Heart of Haiti artisans get 50 percent of the wholesale cost of their handmade goods, which helps them feed their families, send their children to school and help support their extended families.

The Heart of Haiti line is available online and at select Macy’s stores.

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Macy’s Heart of Haiti line in conjunction with Everywhere Agency. Nichole was given a product from the Heart of Haiti line in exchange for the post. All opinions are Nichole’s own.