Get Ready.......Get Set..........Prepare!

I have felt like I have been in a race all week. I am getting closer to the finish line but not quite there yet. My family is preparing for a huge change.....me going back to work. Although it is a good thing, there are many things that will change in the Weed household. For 8 years, I have been the taxi, cook, maid, referee, stylist, secretary, teacher, banker, planner, organizer, counselor, etc. Even though many of these titles I will keep, it is time to recruit some help. We have had a trial run this week and I must say they have impressed me. I could not have made it through this week without them stepping up to the plate. Yes....we are still in the training process but hopefully not for long.

Here is how we are preparing........

Probably about a month ago I started to think of ways to help with the upcoming transition. My first thought was freezer meals. I am sure I am not going to feel like cooking once I get home in the afternoon. And lets face it......the hubs a certain someone is not going to shop and cook a meal each and every night. 

Side story:  When we first got married, he made up the rule whoever gets home first from work would cook dinner. Since I only lived 5 minutes from my work and got off by 3:15.........guess who arrived home first. Now that the rolls are reversed, he has become oblivious to the rule he created.  Go figure!

Here is what I  we did  split up into 2 days:

The kids helped with the potatoes

Laney and Griffin peeled them while......

Ella grated them to make hash browns later.

While shopping at the commissary for my cooking day, they had chicken breast on sale so I grabbed several knowing I could do something with them. I also got a whole chicken to cook in the crockpot. I needed broth to make condensed cream of chicken soup. Carmel begged was chosen to pull the chicken off the bone.

What's the verse in the bible.......ask and ye shall receive.

With all the chicken, here is what we made.

chicken salad for lunches next week

chicken casserole x 2

chicken pot pie x 2

Broccoli, cheese, chicken and rice casserole x 2

The rest of the chicken we had for supper one night.

Pictured: cheesy shells with marinara sauce

sausage pasta x 2

spaghetti sauce x 2

shrimp bisque

taco meat

meatballs x 2

Since catered lunches at school cost $3.50/day x3 kids, I am trying to find easy yet good things to put in their lunch. These are yummy and so easy to fix.

Cheesy Spinach Pinwheels

1 can crescent rolls ( I made my own using whole wheat)

Laughing Cow spreadable cheese

thin slices of deli ham/ turkey/ chicken (whichever you prefer)

spinach leaves

Separate dough into 4 rectangles. Spread the cheese, layer the spinach and then add the meat to the top.

Next, take one side of the rectangle and roll it. Seal the edges.

Now cut the roll into slices and place on a baking sheet.

Cook for 12-15 minutes on 375*

Once they cooled, I placed them on a baking sheet to flash freeze. After about 30 minutes, pull them out and place into freezer bags. These will be easy to pull out and put in there lunches. At lunchtime, all they have to do is warm them up in a microwave.

I also made a batch of homemade granola. I am planning on taking yogurt with fresh fruit and the granola. Very satisfying lunch for me. 

I am hoping to have another day of freezer cooking this weekend.

Check back tomorrow when you can see a sneak peak into my classroom.

Griffin and Laney's First Day of School

I feel like it has been a week since I last posted.......wait a minute it has been a week. I have been going nonstop this whole week. The teachers started back Monday morning with lots of meetings and getting our rooms ready. I don't think there was a single night this week that I returned home before 6:00. We had Open House Thursday night. I was able to meet 8 out of the 9 students that are in my class. I am finally getting  excited about the upcoming year. I have mentioned before how I have been torn and emotional about returning to work. After this morning, I knew I had made the right choice. You see my wonderful son Griffin went to class with a SMILE on his face this morning. That is something I have not seen in 3 years. Sniff....sniff I am getting emotional just thinking about it. Many of you may  know the many struggles we have had the past 3 years with him and school. God has truly blessed us by opening this door for us. We have spent the last few years praying and waiting patiently for  him to answer. Today was that day! So the long hours, dedication, and sacrifice for me returning to work is worth it. 

Here is Griffin on his  first day of school last year( 2009).

Here is his first day of school this year( 2010).

God is Good!

Here is Laney.....excited about returning as well. 

Even though she loved her teacher last year, we are both excited for the lady she has this year!

Ella does not start until Monday. Her daddy will be escorting her to class........1. My Kindergartners first day will be then. 2. I don't think I would be able to keep it together. My babies first day of school. My........where did the last 4 almost 5 years go???????

After school, we headed for a first day of school celebration lunch and to say goodbye to  wonderful friends who are moving to Alabama.

Ella and her friend Alexa. 

Check back tomorrow to see what kept me so busy this week.

How do you know when you have to much on your mind?

It is either too much on my mind or I am loosing it. I would like to think the first!

1. While driving on the interstate, I go all the way to the next city before I realize I passed my exit.

2. I make a huge dessert for Monday Night for the Master at church, arrive only to find out no one is there and it is next Monday. Guess who gets to make the dessert all over again?

3. The smell from the washing machine reminds me I forgot to dry the towels.

4. It only took me 2 hours today before I realized my zipper was down while at work.

 Can't wait to see what adventures await me tomorrow.

My freedom is officially gone!

I will be leaving in about 30 minutes to my first day back at work. Technically, I have already been "working" trying to prepare but still had the freedom to choose when I go and how long I stay. I am really going to miss being a stay at home mom. . I am so blessed to have had the chance to be at home with my kids and watch them grow.  When this opportunity presented itself  I knew God was opening a door and wanted me to take it. The hardest day will be Monday. Ella's first day  will be then so I am sure that will be an emotional and bitter sweet day for me. To top it off mother nature is scheduled  to pay a visit then so it will be hard to hold it together. I have meet Laney's teacher and really like her so far. Right now there are only 6 students in her class so that is a plus. I am confident that she is ready to enter 3rd grade. Griffin seems to be excited about going. I see more enthusiasm for this school than I have with  any of the others in the past 3 years. I think he is really excited with the fact that we will all be there together. Well, I guess I better go so I am not late for my first official day. Okay........quit laughing.....I am not going to be late.

Check back later to see how my first day went and what I have done to prepare for going back to work.

Six Flags

This week has been filled with a lot less posting due to the fact that I have been racing to get my room ready. I  have been working but my official start date is on Monday( REALLY not looking forward to early mornings again!). The kids will start their  first full day the following Monday. For our last activity before school starts we went to Six Flags this past Thursday. The last time we went was when I was pregnant with Ella. So it has been a while. I only took these pictures before we went into the park. I did not want to have to keep up with my big camera all day.

As usual, Laney is making crazy faces in both pictures.

We got there around 12:00 about the time it was miserably hot. We rode 1 ride before heading to Skull Island( a water play area). After cooling off there, we rode a couple of more rides before heading to Thunder River( a water ride). So to say the least.....we did not ride a whole lot during the hottest portion of the day. To our amazement around 4:00 a majority of the people at Six Flags left. Some due to heat I'm sure but most were camp groups. So from 4 - 9 was the time to be there. NO LINES ....NO WAIT......NO SWEATING! It was wonderful! We looped a second time around the park and rode whatever we wanted to ride. Sometimes twice! 

A few tips for Six Flags

1. They open at 10:30 but we got there around 12:00 so we could eat lunch before going in.....saved $50.

2. There is a hotel across the street that will allow you to pay $5 to park. Other wise you can pay $15 inside the park( we chose this since we were going to be there until closing), $20 directly across from the park or $25 for valet.

3. Sign up for the Six Flags Reading Program. It is a program that gives a free ticket to each child of elementary age that completes 6 hrs of reading time. Since I homeschooled, I received a free ticket along with Laney.

4. Look or ask around about coupons. We had a friend who gave us a coupon off a cereal box for a free child's ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket.

5. Go on days when they have specials. Right now it is everyone pays kids prices. Full price for all of us on a regular day would have been $218 but instead we paid $79 for 5.

6. Since it was so hot, you get thirsty. We purchased 2 souvenir bottles for 19.99 which included unlimited refills all day. We definitely got our monies worth on this one. We mostly kept ours filled with Powerade.

7. Instead of buying supper, we bought a snack and ate after we left the park.......$40 saved. It says no food can be brought in but I saw several with sandwiches and snacks.

How do you celebrate turning 40?

Well, for me I would not know because I am not there yet....still just a babe. For my hubby this is how he did it.

I wanted to plan this huge 40th party but he suggested we go away for our anniversary instead. I am so glad we did! So we kept it simple......

We went and ate at Applebee's for lunch. When we got home, we gave him his presents. What do you do when you have been gone for about a month, getting a classroom ready, attended a family reunion the day before.......you get gift cards.

For the cake....no problem. Griffin put this together.

If you look a little closer, he even added his own personal touch.

It was yummy!

Look who turned 40 today????????

So your not that young guy anymore......... your definitely  just as hip.
So your starting to forget things.........you still have me to remember for you.
So you do not have as much hair.........less maintenance.
So you have put on a couple of pounds...........shoot.... you ran a marathon!
So you feel like your body is falling apart......that's what all that free Bengay, Tylenol,  Metamucil, etc is for.

Even though your getting older.......I'm more in love with you today than when you took me from my cradle.
hehehe!

Happy 40th Birthday!
xoxoxox