A relaxing weekend

What a really nice weekend we just had. It was one of those weekends where everything was calm, relaxing, and everyone was in a good mood.

Friday night I took the girls to small group. It is always a bit of a chore to do this, especially since Todd works nights. But I put Ella in her pj's beforehand, so all I had to do was put her in bed when we got home. The girls were really good that night. Emma played with her friends and Ella stayed with me and played with the other babies in the group. I had some fellowship, and while it wasn't purely alone time with the other grownups, it was nice all the same.

Saturdays are glorious around here! Todd is home for two days straight and all us girls are happy to have him around! Saturday morning was spent just chillin out. The girls watched cartoons and Todd slept till about 10am (he worked till 3am the night before). I made baked oatmeal and we had a relaxing breakfast, complete with Dunkin Donuts' coffee which I replenished the stock of the day before.

I've been feeling like I need a little more order in my life, so I began to tell Todd of all my intentions for the weekend. I began with making a detailed menu plan for the next week. Many of you do this already, I'm sure, but I have never been good at this. I normally just think of some meal ideas and buy groceries for those ideas. Plus a few extras. Not only do I not ever have all the ingredients that I end up needing, but we usually change our minds and end up making something else instead. Well not anymore. I have plans for the next week, lunch and dinner. I spent more on groceries than I normally do, but I stocked up on chicken and ground turkey, since they were on sale. That should give me about a week and a half worth of meals. It feels good to have a plan, and I'm enjoying trying the new recipes that I picked out.

Saturday was supposed to be a Body Shop party, but it cancelled at the last minute. So I chose to do my grocery shopping then, all by myself, instead of doing it with the family later in the day as we had originally planned to do.

Yesterday was another fantastic day. Todd and I had gotten some chicken marinating the night before and I got dessert in the crockpot before church. Sunday dinners is a big area that I need to work on. We often are without a plan, and right after church is not the time to try to come up with one! The kids are hungry and ready for a nap by the time we get home. That, in turn, makes us tired and cranky.

After a nice service at church, we arrived home and started dinner. I got the chicken in the oven and got to work making tossed salad, green beans, and garlic bread. Todd made some chicken nuggets and apples for Ella and we got her fed and off to bed so that the rest of us could enjoy our meal. Do I even have to mention how nice it was to enjoy our meal in peace and quiet? Emma was wonderful- she ate all of her food without complaining (that never happens!) and we sat at the table for about 45 minutes altogether. Here's what was on our menu:

Balsamic Chicken (marinate with rosemary, black pepper, fresh minced garlic, and olive oil. When it is baking, scrap up the drippings with a little white wine and balsamic vinegar. We used the fig vinegar that my parents gave us for Christmas. Yum!)

Green beans

Green salad with onion, cucumber, cheddar cheese, and Maple Dijon dressing (we just bought this dressing and it is fantastic! If you live near a Meijer store, it is their brand.)

Garlic bread- made with Everything bagels, butter, garlic powder and salt

Apple Brown Betty-click here for the recipe.

A nice bottle of 2-buck Chuck (Charles Shaw, $2 a bottle) Chardonney

Can you see why I enjoyed it so much! After cleaning up, Todd settled Emma down on the couch for a "rest", or so she calls it, and I got dinner going in the crockpot. A big batch of cheesy potatoes. Todd and I took a small nap and then I headed off to the laundromat. I got all of our laundry done in 2 hours- something that would've taken me all day if I'd done it here. (We don't have a washer and dryer, just the units in the basement of our apartment building.)

Todd and I finished out the weekend by watching a little of The Amazing Race All-stars, and then switching over to the Oscars. I have to admit, the Oscars seemed REALLY boring, but I just wanted to stay up to watch Jennifer Hudson win for Best Supporting Actress, as I knew she would.

Well, enough of the details. Since I am feeling so domestic these days, I'm off to do some more cleaning and to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I told Todd that I'm done buying processed, packaged snacks for our children. I'd like to get a really nice cookie jar and keep it filled with cookies- and make it a treat for the children, not an expectation. At least then I can control the ingredients that are in the treats that they eat.

On a side note, Emma has to go to the doctor tonight. She's been complaining of an earache, and we need to get it checked out. I only wish it could've waited till Thursday- when our health insurance will kick-in again! Oh well, things happen. Hopefully it won't be anything other than an ear infection and maybe I'll be fortunate enough for them to give me some samples in lieu of a perscription!