Scenes from Christmas at our abode

Little Ballerinas: Grandma Kathy made them tutus for Christmas, so cute!

Enjoying some snacks

On top of the snow mountain in the yard (funny aside...the snowpants she is wearing were a mixup from LL Bean...they weren't really for us but were supposed to be something else entirely! We didn't know so we dressed her up in them!)

Newlyweds playing "doctor"...so not appropriate! ;) It was much more innocent than it looked, they assured me.

The girls, enjoying a shopping cart and some doctor gear from Auntie Cole and Uncle Jon

Menu Plan and family update

You would suspect unusual busyness reports from me, seeing as how this blog has been silent for almost a week! Nope, just lack of computer time and spending time with family. But a couple of exciting things happened I wanted to share with you all:

~Our house has been officially rented out again! Its been empty for 2 months after we asked our previous tenants to leave but as of the new year, we have a new renter and she sounds great. A huge praise and a testimony to the God's faithfulness and the power of prayer. Many of you and many from our church started praying for us this last week or so!

~We now have a new laptop and reformatted the old one. Hence a lack of computer time. We were able to score a great deal on another Dell after thanksgiving which was also a praise since we will need it for our time in France (and the old one has some issues:)

~Christmas was a great time with family. The girls got too many gifts, but this will probably be the last Christmas here for awhile. And I ate too much good food! We are still working on all the leftovers!

Here's what we will and have already been eating this week:

Breakfasts: oatmeal, toast, eggs, yogurt with homemade granola

Lunches/snacks: leftovers, sandwiches, soup/salad (for me;)

Dinners:

Monday: Chicken Taco Salad (got 4 fresh express kits from Fred Meyer today for $0.49/ea!), beans, chips, salsa

Tuesday: Lentil Ham Soup in the crockpot, grilled cheese

Wednesday: Mashed potatoes with homemade roast beef gravy, with leftover roast on the side and a zucchini, onion and spinach skillet

Thursday: Spagetti, salad, use up leftovers before trip to Spokane

Friday: In Spokane! We are all heading to a hotel with a gift certificate and will be eating out. Either Tomato Street or PF Changs!

Saturday: On the road back to Wenatchee/Cashmere, eating out or PB&J on the road

Sunday: Leftovers, meal out


What's on your menu this week?

Merry Christmas from the Crosby family!

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17

Today's Albies deals

Total $4.50

So, I made peace with albertson's today. After feeling terrible a few days ago when several not-nice cashier's were cranky with me, I took a comment card home. I almost sent it in but decided I would try to talk to them first. So today I did...I asked what exactly their policy was with regards to getting and using twice the value coupons. I really want to make things go as smoothly as possible for us and them! And play by their rules. But I need to know what they are! So they said they'd give me one sheet of doublers at a time but that I could leave the store, and come back in to customer service and get another a total of 3 times. Not super convenient, but now at least I know what to expect and to leave enough time if I want to do more than one transaction! So...I feel better about that and things went very smoothly today (except for the torrential snowstorm and continually getting the kid's cart stuck in the parking lot!:)

Sleepy girl

M was just plain tuckered out from church. The girl loves her some Sunday School. She is a very social creature and usually Sundays are her most social day. This particular sunday she didn't even lay down right before she fell asleep. This is her normal "bed" by the way--a couch next to sister's pack n play:)

Twice the Value deals

All of the below at Albies for under $6 last week. Flour, veggies, eggs, oil, bananas, canned peppers, enchilada sauce...

Albies had some very good deals last week and this week is the same with Twice the Value coupons. I just wish the cashiers would treat couponers better here! Oh well.

Menu Plan

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

Breakfasts: banana oat muffins, scrambled eggs, baked oatmeal, leftover breads (various), fruit

Lunches/snacks: leftovers, sandwiches, soup/salad (for me;)

Dinners:

Monday: Enchiladas (using free sauce!)

Tuesday: Winter Bean Soup in the crockpot with grilled cheese...I really hope this is good because I am giving this as gifts to several ladies on Thurs! You know, like the bean soup in a jar... it smells and looks good, so that's a good sign I hope!

Wednesday: Leftovers made into a ham, potato and cheese casserole, mixed vegetable medly (green giant freebie)

Thursday: Spagetti, salad

Friday: Appetizers for dinner- chicken wings, artichoke dip w/crackers and veggies, cheese ravioli from costco, sparkling cider

Saturday: Ham, Roast, Twice Baked Pots, green beans, Waldorf salad, yeast rolls, peppermint icecream, veggie/cheese tray for lunching. We'll have gingerbread pancakes with real maple syrup, farmer's casserole, fruit for breakfast.

Sunday: Leftovers, meal out


What's on your menu this week?

Reading with Grandma

Here the girls are reading with Grandma Kathy: The Caboose Who Got Loose.

Snow Fort (the small one) and recipe link

Here is a link to almost 400 nourishing recipes all in the same place that I want to keep and thought some of you might enjoy too!

Whew!

We are almost at the end of our busy "partnership development" season. Traveling, letter writing, speaking at churches/in groups, and entering endless amounts of information will be taking a hiatus soon! I'll be sending out the last few of our hard copy newsletters tomorrow morning and will be happy to see them gone!

We are certainly in a blessed season of life where we get to spend copious amounts of time with family, serving in the local church and telling people about our missions plans, but there are some parts that just have to get done.

I am thankful for my hard-working hubby and the support we receive from Wycliffe during this time. I know all are not so blessed and I am grateful!

Looking forward to a few days of focusing on my little ones, enjoying pregnancy to the fullest and baking more! Maybe I'll update the blog once in awhile too;)

Menu Plan December

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

Breakfasts: banana oat muffins, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and Amish Friendship bread


Lunches/snacks: leftovers, sandwiches, soup/salad (for me;)

Dinners: (well. I've already deviated from this quite a bit...oh well! making it work for us!)

Monday: Taco Salad

Tuesday: Meatloaf and Roasted Red Potatoes, spinach

Wednesday: Chicken Orzo Pasta Dish (thanks Jane!), garlic bread (homemade) and cheesy cauliflower

Thursday: Stuffed Green Peppers, leftover garlic bread

Friday: Homemade Easy Pizza

Saturday: Fried Rice, egg rolls?

Sunday: Leftovers, meal out, clean out the fridge, grilled cheese!

Looks like this week is an all-easy week, but we need to keep it simple so the extra holiday activities plus our end of the year Wycliffe tasks don't overwhelm us!

What's on your menu this week?

Little Princesses...or something like that

Dress up with grandma:)

40-day Menu Plan

This is primarily for my friend Cindy, but I am excited to have a larger compilation of recipes that we like all in the same post (with lots of links!). Hope this helps others with ideas too:)

#1: Baked Spagetti, corn on the cob, peas, garlic bread

#2: Taco Soup!

#3: Homemade Baked beans in the crockpot, corn on the cob, hot dogs

#4: Tator Tot Casserole and a green salad

#5: Homemade Easy Pizza, carrots and tomatoes with homemade ranch dip

#6: Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken and Mashed Potatoes, veggies

#7: Meatball subs, salad, chips

#8: Turkey Tetrazzinni, spinach salad

#9: Penne w/alfredo sauce, mushrooms and spinach, homemade breadsticks and broccoli

#10: Chinese Turkey and Rice

#11: Chili Dogs, Veggie Sticks, or hamburgers and fries

#12: Tacos, corn, spanish rice

#13: Split Pea Soup, cheesy biscuits

#14: Spinach Cheese Frittata with leftover salad and biscuits from monday

#15: Roast in the crockpot, with potatoes and carrots

#16: Taco Soup, Pumpkin Soup, peasant bread and a big spinach salad with feta and apples

#17: Enchiladas, brown rice, and cooked spinach

#18: Homemade Mac N Cheese, turkey sausage, green beens

#19: Grilled Cheese, Tomato Soup

#20: Italian pasta bake, squash w/olive oil and kosher salt

#21: Crockpot Chili and Cornbread

#22: Roast Chicken and Potatoes in Crockpot (carrots and onions too!)

#23: Homemade chicken noodle soup, peasant bread

#24: Fried Rice (using up whatever is on hand)

#25: White bean and greens soup, Potato or Artichoke Gratin

#26: Chicken Divan

#27: Tuna Croquettes or Tuna melts and canned soup

#28: BBQ Sloppy Joes, Carrot Sticks, French Fries

#29: Taco Salad and Layered bean dip w/chips

#30: Teriyaki Meatballs over rice with spicy bok choy

#31: White Chicken Chili and Cornbread (didn't get to this last week)

#32: Huge Baker Potatoes (crockpot) with leftover chili from last night and other toppings (bacon, broccoli, cheese, sour cream, butter), corn on the cob

#33: Baked Spaghetti Casserole, green beans

#34: Homemade Calzones, veggies and dip

#35: Steak, mashed potatoes, salad

#36: Tuna Melts, apple wedges, Chips

#37: Brown Sugar Meatloaf, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, veggies

#38: Chimichangas, fresh homemade salsa, chips

#40: Quick Lasagne, french bread, green beens

Menu Plan

Here's what we'll be eating this week:

Breakfasts: scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and Amish Friendship bread


Lunches/snacks: leftovers, sandwiches, soup/salad (for me;)

Dinners:


Monday: Beef Lentil Soup in the crockpot, Friendship Bread, homemade MAc N Cheese

Tuesday: Papa Murphy's Pizza (we're having game night with my brother and sis-in-law) and I won't have time to cook tonight. We'll add some raw veggies and dip, maybe some breadsticks if I feel ambitious.

Wednesday: Penne w/alfredo sauce, mushrooms and spinach, homemade breadsticks (if time) and broccoli

Thursday: Chinese Turkey and Rice (didn't get to last week)

Friday: Hot Dogs, Veggie Sticks, popcorn, leftovers (ladies are going to a cookie exchange, gift wrapping party for less fortunate families in our church tonight so easy is a must!)

Saturday: Going Sledding with the extended family in Leavenworth!! Taco Salads, quesadillas, rice (need to buy sour cream, lettuce, rice still) but lunch will be out in Leavenworth.

Sunday: Leftovers, meal out, clean out the fridge!

Looks like this week is an all-easy week, but we need to keep it simple so the extra holiday activities plus our end of the year Wycliffe tasks don't overwhelm us!

What's on your menu this week?

Life in our winter wonderland & our schedule

It is SO beautiful here right now! The snow and the mountains are gorgeous. The only downside is living outside of "big" town so its tricky to go anywhere safely in our car and it is too cold for the girls to play outside.

So...we have been getting creative with time inside and trying to stick to a schedule.

Here is one of the few times we braved outside:

And the beautiful view outside the house: (and the cute girl).


Some creative play inside, lots of sister activities:


Here's our morning schedule:
6:30am girls can get out of bed (they usually wake up MUCH earlier though!)
dressed, potty (M), eat breakfast, have family devotional time. We are memorizing Psalm 1 and 139 as a family and reading a small portion of O.T. each morning. Daniel has recently started teaching us the Westminster Catchism(sp) too.
7:30breakfast done and get Liv dressed
7:30-8:15am play in room together (the girls) while I start dinner prep and clean kitchen
8:15-9:00am "quiet time". They color, play puzzles, supposedly quietly:) and sometimes watch a short video
9:00 snack time! favorite time of the day:) and some pictures of the typical snack tray (fruit, veggie sticks, cheese, crackers or quick bread), sometimes nuts



9:30-10:45: outside play or in the garage or take a walk. I still haven't figured this one out for sub-zero temps yet. Sometimes we go to the library here or take a short walk
10:45: mommy prep lunch while girls watch a video or play
11:15 lunch
noon, finish cleaning up lunch and play for a while before heading to naptime! The rest of the day is unscheduled except for dinner which is between 5:00 and 5:30 almost every night and bedtime is 8:15pm.

I'd love to hear what other families do for schedules, I love and need ideas!