Seeking Persephone with Stephanie

Nichole and I introduced our friend, Stephanie, to the movie, Seeking Persephone, in February. We watched the movie and drank herbal tea.

In March for our Girls Gather (Girls' Night) activity, we had a green foods potluck (because St. Patrick's Day was earlier that week) and introduced Seeking Persephone to even more friends.

I brought alfredo pizza with artichoke hearts and bell peppers and spinach and Nichole made cucumber sandwiches (from the cookbook, Whisk Me Away). There were some other green foods and we laughed because nobody brought a salad which is the obvious choice for green. At our February Galentines potluck, so many people brought salads. They were good, of course. I like a variety of salads. 

Now I'm craving alfredo pizza. Thanks a lot, blogging. I'm too busy to make alfredo pizza right now.

Lots of Lights

December 6 was a day for being around holiday lights apparently.

Since it was St. Nicholas Day, we found candy in our shoes. Lucky let me know that he had learned about that holiday in the library so when he saw it on the calendar, it reminded him that it was that holiday so he went to look in his shoes.

I need to take a little break from writing now because Jet wants his turn so this is my way of doing service for him now- letting him type.

 

60223.3..3.371336

6| 6434242642342 6 33333333333333333333333333333333 

22222222222222222222211111111111111111111111111111111111111111 

 kjjkjkikijkjjujuygtr4w3ww2q1p0poo9887t54ee2222222q141274580222526222

141461341641341461334361431

 85\9\|9

233262263652326652262363252662511255215212222214152125115144114111626=-09.25538538258295

59295225859885958952829858888259522592598233588888222222952980958982

ytygytytyybytutyttytytytgytygtgytgygtytgtygyrgy5rjkjhhunhnumnnjimibbumgubguvnfvunvfvvv
6666636666612162162222222222225005250110.2020200020062022000030203202022 

 

Now it's my turn (after I edited his a little). 

Besides St. Nicholas Day, December 6 was also Put On Your Own Shoes Day. That happened. 

Since the lights are on at City Center Park now, I wanted to get out for a walk on the first morning I could, which was that Saturday (because weekdays during school, there's not enough time). You know I like going for morning walks there when the lights are on. It was Play Outside Day as well.

It was raining that morning so I was worried about going out until Jeremy encouraged me to unlock my "inner Oregonian" and I realized I could use an umbrella. So I went and got a good walk in the rain and enjoyed the lights (and an audiobook). 

That evening, Nichole needed to go some places for homework so I took her to the mall and to BYU, both places with holiday lights. 

She pointed out the cool Nativity they had on the windows of the library at BYU. 

The moon looked cool that night.

We ate breakfast sandwiches that night because it was Microwave Oven Day and I made sure to cook my egg in the microwave as well as sausage links. 

 

Early November Holidays (with and without pictures)

I am thankful we can celebrate even if we don't get pictures.

November 2 was Plan Your Epitaph Day. I said several times during the day things like, "Here lies Jr. Jr. He wouldn't go to bed when his mom told him to."

November 3 was Sandwich Day. I told everyone to feed themselves sandwiches. I also quoted Lilo & Stitch.

November 4 was King Tut Day. Kids watched Batman: the Animated Series. Nichole and I had a discussion about the old Adam West series with King Tut as one of the villains.

November 5 was Stress Awareness Day. I was aware of stress. I took a picture of me aware of stress.

November 6 was Men Make Dinner Day. Jeremy took time the day before to make lecso (Hungarian food). It's good reheated. I enjoyed it for dinner on the holiday.

Sandwiches and Mummies

November 3 was Sandwich Day. Sometimes I will give Jet a sandwich on one piece of bread folded over. Sometimes I will give him a sandwich on two pieces of bread. On Sandwich Day, I gave him a sandwich on two pieces of bread which he told me should be folded over. So he folded it over and ate it like that. Tee Hee. 

 

November 4 was King Tut Day. I thought it was appropriate to make a pizza mummy. I made one in October and that one had eyes but the dough raised in such a way that it was like the mummy was lying with its head back. I didn't bother to put eyes on the King Tut mummy. 

November 5 was Guy Fawkes Day. I explained Guy Fawkes to a couple of my kids. I didn't burn anything, though, not even dinner. Ha Ha. 

Dinner was supposed to be Quick and Tasty Lettuce Wraps with Coconut Rice from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 4 (by Jordan Page), but because of shelf cooking, I made them into bowls instead, using regular rice, baby spinach (instead of making wraps), but I did put the filling on top of the rice and spinach and since I keep coconut in the freezer, I sprinkled some of that on top of everything.

November 6 was Stress Awareness Day. Several of us were very aware of stress that day.

It was also Nacho Day but apparently I didn't get any nacho pictures. I must have been too stressed.

November 7 was Men Make Dinner Day. Lucky made Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps, Jr. Jr. made braided rolls, and Jr. made Kool-aid. I went to sleep and missed dinner. I wasn't adjusting to Daylight Savings ending very well. I had my food for breakfast the next morning.

So You Want to Know Even More About August, Huh?

August 19 was International Bow Day. Jet and I did some coloring on a Minnie's Bow-Toons coloring page. We may have watched a little bit of the cartoon later (I can't remember).

Ah, bonding time.

It was also National Potato Day. Continuing with using A Season of Family Meal Plans by Jordan Page, I learned how to make "baked" potatoes in the Instant Pot. I like doing it that way. Along with the potatoes we had Sheet Pan Bell Pepper Chicken but I cooked it on the stove instead of in the oven. I can do that. I'm a shelf cooker.

It was also Mr. Snuffleupagus' Birthday. Our kids don't know who Mr. Snuffleupagus is. They didn't grow up with Sesame Street. Jeremy and I had to explain to them who he is.

August 20 was National Lemonade Day (it used to be in May). We made a pitcher of lemonade to go with our Tex-Mex Bowls (using leftover fajita filling) and spanish rice. I made Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 3. The recipe in there is simpler than the recipe I've used in the past to make cilantro lime dressing. I liked it better after it had been refrigerated for at least a day. Mmmm.

Jet was my little kitchen helper again. He decided to help spin lettuce this time. He didn't bother waiting for me to cut it up first. That's fine. I'm so glad he likes to help me make food. I hope it continues.

August 22 was Be an Angel Day. Dinner was angel hair pasta (of course) with leftovers. Jet was an angel and ate better than any of the other kids when it came to dinner. He got first choice of cupcakes for dessert.

After dinner, Nichole and I went to a Relief Society activity, a sourdough class. It was cool to again see a demonstration but it reminded me that I am not in the season of my life to make sourdough. It is a long complicated process. I did enjoy the samples and socializing, though. I do like to eat sourdough. I just can't commit to it right now.

August 23 was National Cuban Sandwich Day. I tried out some new techniques with cooking (I am constantly learning) and made Cuban Sandwiches (even if they weren't authentic).

August 24 was National Waffle Day. We made a whole bunch of waffles with the intent to freeze some of them for easy breakfasts. Ha. They didn't last long enough to be frozen. 

That day, Nichole, Jeremy, and I went on a UCB field trip to Jordanelle Reservoir- Rock Cliff area. That felt good.

Jeremy also decided to try out a new look that day. Look closely.

August 26 was National Toilet Paper Day. I used some to wipe up tears while I was crying.

August 27 was Banana Lovers Day. After our Cajun Green Beans & Pork Bites and roasted potatoes (both from that same cookbook listed above), we had Frozen Banana Bites (also from that same cookbook). 

August 28 was National Bow Tie Day. We had bowtie pasta along with macaroni with our dinner. We also had Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps, apples, and carrots.

Sandwiches!

April 11 was National Submarine Day. There was definitely some singing of The Beatles song, "Yellow Submarine," in our home. I was going to make submarine sandwiches but Jeremy picked up some croissants at the store so I made Asian Chicken Salad Sandwiches from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 1, on croissants instead. As a side dish, I roasted some veggies in the oven. Jet was my big helper in the kitchen. I cut up veggies and he put them in a mixing bowl. We had apples to round out the meal. Yum.

 

April 12 was Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. We ate grilled cheese sandwiches.

Let's Get To This Catching Up

February 4 was Homemade Soup Day. I wasn't going to do Butternut Squash Soup even though it was in "A Season of Family Meal Plans" by Jordan Page because it was Fast Sunday and sometimes I don't do so well with my energy making dinner on Fast Sunday. But I asked Jeremy and he said he was interested in trying a new taste (we've had a lot of new tastes with these books and we're only on volume 1) so I made the Viral, No Knead Rustic Bread in advance and made the soup that day. It was worth it. Jeremy really liked it.

 

We had some rolls in the freezer that I was able to get out for the next night's dinner, Smoky BBQ Beef Sandwiches. We used pork.

Here's what I've been doing as far as shelf cooking. First, pork roast is cheaper than beef roast so I sub pork for beef. Second, I usually only need about half a roast for these recipes so I use what I need for the current recipe (which often is used for more recipes in the same week) and look at another recipe in the future that would use the other half. I cook it up according the future recipe and freeze it until it's needed. Handy.

 

Another thing I'm doing with shelf cooking with these books, whatever I want. Combine recipes from one meal with recipes from another meal.

I made Sour Cream & Bacon Skillet Chicken but instead of the Classic Creamy Mashed Potatoes that is paired with it in the book, I made Crispy Mashed Potatoes again like Week 1 except with a different type of potatoes this time. I can do what I want.

Then of course there are the tried and true recipes I use. February 7 was Fettuccine Alfredo Day. I made spaghetti alfredo (#shelfcooking) because we didn't have fettuccine. I used the Guiltless Alfredo Sauce recipe from ourbestbites.com and it was so good. We've been using this recipe for years and it's our favorite alfredo recipe. Better than the jarred stuff Jeremy says.

 

February 7 was also Ballet Day. Nichole made this cute picture to celebrate.

 

We used more pork for more sandwiches, this time with hamburger buns I made, with sides of Adirondack Beans and Jojo Potatoes. Yumm.

OK. That's enough catching up for this post.

Winnie-the-Pooh Day 2024

You know I like to menu plan based on holidays. Well, I kept it really simple on Winnie-the-Pooh Day this year on January 18. Peanut butter and honey sandwiches and in some cases just honey sandwiches. I had planned on apple slices and carrots but I ended up saying, "Eat whatever side dishes you can find." This was because Lucky, Jet, and I were in a hurry to get to a Winnie-the-Pooh even at the library where we were able to play games, listen to a beekeeper (get some honey sticks), and get some prizes.

I love the Orem Library and of course the librarians.

 

There was some Winnie-the-Pooh movie watching that day and we got out some plushie friends to play with. Jet loved that. A couple of them even came with us to pick up Jr. from school.

After the Winnie-the-Pooh activity at the library, I dropped the kiddoes off at home and went to a Relief Society activity where we talked about Self Care.

We did facials (I was humming "Wizard of Oz" music), self massage, drank hot chocolate, and did some meditation. It was relaxing.

 

It was a nice Winnie-the-Pooh Day.