Menu Plan

Just a few ideas since we'll  be having company this week (yay!)

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

Tartiflette

We've been making these like crazy (sourdough crackers!)

Have about 20 lbs of potatoes to use...any good recipes for me?

Last Hurrah with friends (before Cameroon)

Our neighbors who will also be heading to Cameroon have finished their language studies and are back to the states for a few months before heading to Cameroon.  We got a few precious moments with them in the shared courtyard this afternoon. 

Nom nom...all the colors of the rainbow in my mouth

 Louis loves to do what the sisters do and since the sisters love to color and draw, he does too.  Most of the time that just means he is eating the colored pencils and crayons though.  And since he is baby #3, I often don't even take them away anymore right away.  Bad mommy. 

Yes, he is in a drawer here.  I was trying to clean the art drawer out but he got to it first.  Oh well. 

Menu Plan

I've found that although I am on the lazy side for certain things naturally (although marriage and having kids has changed me A LOT), I don't enjoy having to do nothing while my family picks up the slack.  So this partial bedrest is killin' me!  I am trying to be thankful for the time to rest, work on studying french (and catching up on a lot of french t.v. programs that I don't the time to watch), and mess around on the computer, its still hard knowing how stressful this time is on the rest of the family.  And to be honest I feel very isolated from the rest of the Christian community here right now.  Two weeks without being able to go to church plus missing a new Bible study and surprise birthday party for our new neighbor has been sad.  I guess you can say I am having to work really hard on not throwing myself a pity party right now.  So, to combat that I will mention what I am thankful for too!
~Time to catch my breath and think, a rarity with three little ones!
~Time to watch the final of "Top Chef" a french cooking competition show:)
~For the motivation to again cut back on sugar and eat healthier while I am in no-exercise mode.
~That yesterday my hip started improving finally..yay!

Anyway, one of the things Daniel has picked up doing is the cooking.  It is the biggest area of "stretching" for us besides child-care because I love doing it and it is just not natural for him.  Thankful that he is willing though!

Here is our simple menu, but with breakfasts and lunches specifically included since its better to more explicit when someone else is in charge!

Sunday:  B: leftover oatmeal, german pancake and yogurt.  L: picnic of leftover pizza, veggies, fruit (I had day 3 of white bean chili!) D: Black beans are in the crockpot for tacos(we have salsa and avocados that need to be used)
Monday:  B: Scrambled eggs, toast  L:  Leftover tacos  D: Sloppy Lentil and Beef Joes (I love these but always forget about sloppy joes!)  Super kid friendly, cheap if you use half lentils and easy if you use the crockpot...what's not to like?
Tuesday:  Green Smoothies, Oatmeal L:  leftover Sloppy Joes (if there are any!) green beans,  D: Spaghetti, bread from bakery, peas
Wednesday: B: Baked Oatmeal, yogurt L:  Spaghetti, D:  Crustless Bacon Quiche, bread
Thursday:  Scrambled eggs, green smoothies, L: Leftovers, popcorn, veggies D:  Brats & Cowboy Beans in the Crockpot
Friday:  B:  oatmeal (raisins, kefir, cinammon, bananas), L:  Leftover brats & beans D:  Burgers and Fries
Saturday:  B:  German Pancake or Zuchinni Bread  L: leftovers D:  BBQ at a prof's house!

Oh, I had to come back to edit this because we just made this chocolate chip (bean) cookie recipe and it is so healthy and delish!  I used unrefined cane sugar for the sugar and it was still tasty.  Try it!
What's on your menu?  Any good ideas for how to use time wisely on bedrest? 

Dancing Boy

Group 4 and au revoir

 Here is my beautiful class just last week before two precious friends departed for Africa.  Below is one of them (and the other is actually in the background:): 

The bummer part of the way this school is set up is that people are always coming...and going.  So hard when you get to know someone and then they leave!  Ah...the life of a missionary.  I need to get used to it but I don't think I ever will. 

Somehow I ended up in group 4 out of 5 this past month, but I think I will either stay there forever or go down a group...the class is introducing a ton of stuff I just haven't learned.  Plus I missed almost the whole week of class this week because of my bum hip.  On the brighter side, I got more conversational practice than I ever have going to the doctor, one session with my awesome tutor and then talking in French with my tutor as she drove me to and from two doctor visits. 

Funky stuff growing on my counter

Here is a tutorial that I am following to make my own (hopefully!) sourdough starter. Looking forward to some homemade sourdough pancakes, biscuits, crackers, etc. Yum! The other thing is Kefir, which we make with the cheap UHT milk here, but it works just fine. One night on the counter and we have a yummy jar of kefir for our green smoothies. Apparently the stuff is awesome for your digestion (better than yogurt) and its super easy and cheap to make. So, I am! The other things in the picture above are dried beans, whole grains, whole sugar, real sea salt, lentils, etc. There are white beans in the crockpot, a pretty typical thing around here.

Do you have any weird things growing on your counters?

Best friends & fun

These two are like two crazy peas in a pod. They seem to get along really well most of the time. Louis gets really excited when sister comes around to play with him.

Louis working hard at his fine motor skilz

Menu plan (in which I am getting old and injured my leg edition)

This weekend I managed to injure my right hip joint without knowing how I did it and am now in some pretty significant pain if I try to walk (or move...). I went to the Dr. but she seemed rather baffled. I have an x-ray scheduled for Thursday and some anti-inflammatory drugs for a possible joint injury or something. Hoping it gets better quickly so I can get back to actually being able to do stuff around the house and go to class!

Monday: Pakistani Kima (a kind of curry with meat, vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes and lots of spices) over rice

Tuesday: Chicken and Potatoes in the crockpot, side of broccoli and corn

Wednesday: White Chicken Chili, bread

Thursday: Taco Salad or another salad? We have a HUGE head of green leaf lettuce so I need to make salad soon!

Friday: Burgers, Homemade oven fries, salad (leftover)

Saturday: Pizza with friends (bring salad of some sort)

Sunday: Spinach Rice Casserole or egg salad sandwiches (we just scrambled eggs, toast some bread and put mayo on it)

Breakfasts are now a rotation of (mostly): scrambled eggs & green smoothies (I finally got a combo Daniel liked: kefir, frozen bananas and mache(greens), with another fruit added or some honey!), oatmeal, or German oven pancake (usually with yogurt or fruit).

In other news I am trying to start some sourdough...so now I have two weird things growing on my counter.

My peek a boo boy

I now remember why we ended up expecting Olivia and Louis at about the age that Louis is now with the previous two kids. It is SUCH a fun age! This video demonstrates one of the many super cute things Louis is starting to do. Seems like 11 months to 18 months or so is one of my favorite stages:)

Louis is really started to get interactive and he smiles all the time. He is still very much a mama's boy and when he isn't feeling good or is tired or teething he is super clingy...BUT the rest of the time he is soaking up the world around him. He explores, calls out to his sisters, and loves the outdoors and new experiences. Such a fun sweet boy!

Louis chattin' with his sweet peeps

Spring has Sprung in Chambery

A few pics of our recent trip to a park near our apt. with some of our friends.

Menu plan (tuesday)

Monday: Leftover Lamb, scalloped potatoes and green beans (from Easter)

Tuesday: Lamb bone Broth soup (with potatoes, peas, mushrooms, onions and spices), fresh bread from bakery

Wednesday: Chili in the crockpot, chips, creme fraiche

Thursday: One skillet Mac and Cheese, Broccoli

Friday: Burgers, Homemade oven fries, salad

Saturday: Dinner with Friends

Sunday: TBD

Breakfasts are now a rotation of (mostly): scrambled eggs & green smoothies (I finally got a combo Daniel liked: kefir, frozen bananas and mache(greens), with another fruit added or some honey!), oatmeal, or German oven pancake (usually with yogurt or fruit).

First Hair Cut for the Boy!

Louis, looking rather sheepish because his hair was getting longer than Livvie's!

Louis after: his new "do"! If you look close its pretty terrible, but mostly because he wouldn't stay still! I had to be fast which resulted in a few crazy spots. But from a few feet away for farther, it looks pretty handsome on the boy!


This past few weeks have been a little better with Louis, most days he is exploring more and not fussy 90% of the time like previously. He still has bad days and mornings(and evenings...) but its been a little bit improved. And he's back to only waking up once a night most nights, which is really good for him! Louis is cruising a lot and crawls lightening fast, but is not walking. He waves "bye bye" and is babbling a ton. He'll be ONE in a few short weeks!

Daddy snuggles and other randoms from our week

French Birthday Party

We were invited to a french birthday party with some friends we know from Marianna's school. It was held at a beautiful park on a hill and we learned some traditions for French bdays. For example, we didn't know that it is normal to bring a small cake or the like to share and a drink too and the gifts are usually small and simple. They played lots of games and the party went from 4pm-7pm! The kids were SO hungry by the end (ours!) because we usually eat at around 5:30 or 6:00. French kids are used to eating at 7:00pm or later so this was no problem for them! Oh and it is apparently fairly normal to not have a bathroom at public parks! So that was another first: having to deal with a 2 1/2 year old who had ummm "loose business" and no tp! Anyway, here are the only two pics we managed to take.

Menu Plan

Monday: Baked Eggplant in the crockpot, smoked chicken, potatoes.

Tuesday: Chicken veggie & Quinoa Soup, bread

Wednesday: Beans in the crockpot (topped with lots of avocado, tomatoes, creme fraiche and cheese

Thursday: Pasta Carbonara possibly?

Friday: Burgers, Homemade oven fries (we just slice somewhat thinly lengthwise, lightly coat with oil and sprinkle sea salt and seasoning salt over it. Bake at 400 or higher until the outsides are a little crisp and the insides are soft! Salad

Saturday: Taco Salad

Sunday: Snacky meals, leftovers, or??

Making banana banana bread this morning...love this recipe!