Where is fall? Brrrrrrrr

Ok seriously 40 C with humid ex to now 4 C and rain? I'm confused where did our moderate temps go, ya know like 15C and sun? Oh right.... we are in Ontario so there is nothing moderate about the weather here. Note to self: move to more moderate climate.

I haven't been all that great at meal planning, we are opting for many meals out and unhealthy options lately. New job= later time home= immediate need for food + the need to enjoy whatever daylight we still have when its actually ah em moderate.

Sunday: Ham, Hash brown casserole and carrots (I needed comfort today can you tell?)
Monday: Beef Barley soup and buns
Tuesday: Deli sandwiches, veggie + dip
Wednesday: Leftover pulled pork, buns and coleslaw (5lbs of pulled pork = freezer portions)
Thursday: Chicken stir fry and rice
Friday: Ham + cheese ommelettes
Saturday: dinner with Nana (Frozen shepards pie I think)
Sunday: Thanksgiving and somehow I have to make a cheesecake and a veggie dish... Where is the extra time in a day?
Monday: Corned beef, cabbage and pototoes.

I LOVE FALL FOOD.

Mouth gives Mess a lesson in language

On a typical day a drive from our house to daycare is approx. 4 min. On that same typical day one of 2 things happen. Two children get buckled in and they chat quietly in their seats and we arrive happy. Or, on most days we are doing the dash and anxiety levels are high and it usually results in 1 or both kids having tantrums in the car because we have left X item inside.

Well... on this occasion we had left X item inside and Super errrrr pressed-for-time mom said we weren't going back in for it. Superkid (also known as Mouth) begins to have a screaming match (and if you didn't know cars are relatively sound proof when all doors and windows are shut).

Mess looks over to Mouth lovingly and says "Shut up" clear as day. The car goes quiet and I think well if that's all it takes to end a tantrum perhaps we should try this route more often, I mean. THAT IS NOT A NICE WORD. Mouth looks over at Tank and states "You can't say those words they are not nice, you can't say shut up, you can't say stupid and you can't say fuck it". *gasp... Yep there ya have it folks these are 3 simple rules of our house and if you adhere to them you will get along fine.

Thank you Mouth for your lessons in language.

Revisiting the quick and easy meals

So much for being on top of the blog eh? Sorry. Life got a bit crazy. However I am quite convinced my readership is non-existent and the hits from Russia are crazy spies trying to steal my identity. Or not.

A few minor updates, I left my old job, took my new job which also happens to be an old job- ha.

Superkid is 4.5yrs old and starts school NEXT WEEK. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. All the way along I said I wouldn't be THAT parent who blubbers like a tart the days leading up til their first departure (and so far so good) but I am sure as sure can be that I will be THAT parent who follows the bus to school to ensure she gets off, I will be THAT parent who stops in for random visits and I am sure I will be THAT parent who sits on the parents council. Yep that's me! So now she has thrown a wrench into meal planning because now I have to feed her for lunches, 4yrs of prepared lunches through daycare has not prepared me for independent thought. Crap.

Tank or also known as "Mess" is 2.5 and talking. In fact he is never quiet. If he's not talking, he's screeching at you. He's growing fast that's for sure and lets hope he doesn't attend his first day of school in diapers because potty training is not going very well.

Meal planning has taken a backseat these past few months due to work stress, work change and just all around bored with food. So here goes.

Sunday: Souvlaki with Tzaziki and cucumber salad.

Monday: Quesidillas with salsa and sour cream.

Tuesday: Potato Soup with buns

Wednesday: Caesar wraps with veggies and dip

Thursday: French toast with bacon and fruit salad

Friday: Our favourite panzarotti order out day

Sat-Mon: We will be in our Nation's Capital City doing the tourist thing!!!!

Any tips on balanced day lunches for school that starts the following week? HELP!

HELP US WIN!!!!

Ok folks....

This is a plea, our local dental office is putting on a contest whereby 1 lucky winner with the cutest kids brushing their teefers will win an iPad 2. I was up for some friendly competition however its gone a little haywire....

So I would be eternally greatful if a) you voted and b) you shared this blog post with your other bloggers and friends to help us win.

Step 1 LIKE Clarence Street Dental fan page

Step 2 LIKE These 2 Cute kids because well... they are cute!

Step 3 SHARE this contest with ANYONE you know that has a spare second to vote!!!!!

Contest is open for voting til May 31, 2011

Thank you in advance!!!!

Oh by the way....

Remember that lens I said I would take back? Well I didn't. Tee hee.

Can you see why I kept it? I can totally justify keeping it now! Oh AND I came in under budget for my groceries. That is what I call impressive!

Happy Sunday-ing. We are off for a quick getaway to Great Wolf Lodge tomorrow and then back to begin the divorce painting of the entire basement. Benjamin Moore's Piedmont Grey.

Mama goes grocery shoppin'

It's always a fun event at our house... Ok I loathe grocery shopping. There is nothing I hate more then arriving to my favourite discount grocery store only to find out 3/4 of my sale list is out of stock. All in the name of saving a buck people! I'm trying to be frugal but it irritates me to no end when the chicken breasts a great deal of my 2 wk menu rotation depends on are out of stock (and the stock boy says 'come back Tuesday we should have more'). Dude I work. I work til 4:30 and then I pick up kids. Come back HERE on Tuesday with 2 kids? Mmmm no thanks 24hr Sobeys here I come.

Anyway my plan is to go to said favourite 'No bags and discounted prices' store tomorrow with my fingers crossed to pick up said items required for below menu plan! Feel free to borrow ideas, feel free to copy my plan in its entirety my only requests are: leave a comment to show me some love and track back if you use it in your own blog (oh and if you care to share new tips/ideas please do!).

I plan and shop according to a 2wk period. I also try to pick up at least 1 extra "meat" for a meal so that in case I don't feel like something on this menu at least there is a back up. We always have some soup on hand too!

Sunday: Chicken Stir fry with whole grain rice

Monday: We are off to Great Wolf lodge and packin our meals: Lunch- deli sandwiches, veg and dip, grapes and cantaloupe. That night we will likely venture off site for a meal at Pizza hut! (who can pass up a $35 family meal?).

Tuesday: Breakfast: Yogurt/bagels with cream cheese. Lunch: kolbasa, cheese, crackers w/ apples. Dinner: Tomato soup and tuna melts.

Wednesday: Club quesadillas with veggies and hummus

Thursday: Perogies and salad

Friday: Pulled pork on a kaiser with veggies and dip

Saturday: 20 Clove Chicken with roasted potatoes and roasted carrots

Sunday: Home made big mama feta burgers with salad (and probably chips- baked I hope)

Monday: Ham and Cheese calzones and steamed veggies

Tuesday: It's dance night so E-Z is important: baked beans + toast

Wednesday: spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread

Thursday: Sour cream chicken and baked potatoes with broccoli

Friday: Home made pizza w/ ham, mushrooms and pineapple on a whole grain crust

Now the biggest goal: purchase all items on the list for $200 or less. Challenge? yes'm it is. Especially seeing as food prices have gone up yet again and are only going to rise higher in the next few years. Oh but cost of living increases to our salaries? oh right... no.

Ferocious Four?

Is that what they call it? Because MAN... Superkid sure has a knack for being saucy. I mean really... we were destined for challenges when Superdad and I procreated however no one said "by the way you may want to drive your 4yr old out to a forest and drop them without a map".

So yeah- she turned four! See:

Do you see that smirk? That smirk only arrived at 5:31pm- I do believe it is the smirk of a 13yr old girl trapped in a 4yr olds body. That is the smirk that is going to make me want to go on vacation at multiple points through the year.

I mean I am all for raising a spirited and assertive girl, because that is what the world needs more of but because I too was a spirited and assertive only child female it puts an entirely new set of challenges in our life. Like how to survive til the end of the day without driving out to the forest. She's crazy. I'm crazy. We make a good pair.

Anyhow she went from being this fabulously innocent 3yr old:

To a 4yr old with A LOT of her own opinions and a way with words like this:

My favourite quote of today was Superdad "please don't point your fork at me its very rude and daddy doesn't like that". Superkids retort was "um then look I'll point it at my plate and point point point". Thanks... Sauce. I watch the cogs in motion all day long and try not to laugh at her snarky short responses. I spend a great deal of time hiding behind a cupboard or turning my head to snicker. Oh dear... I fear for her school days ahead. She's either going to be the bully or she's going to be the ridiculed one. I really don't want either of those options but I guess I will have to teach her to be an empathetic ridiculed one. Raising girls is HARD.

Oh and as an update to the voodoo doctor for those who are interested to hear the outcome. Well... in usual Supermom fashion I am awful with follow through. I lasted 4 days on the program FOUR days. You know, when you make things taste like fish coated apples and Jaagermister there's a good chance people will spend the $100 it costs to start a regime and then never follow through just because a) it tastes like ass and b) it requires an organized person and memory to take things like fish oil at random intervals with food throughout the day, then to take the other crap at random intervals without food. So thats how they make their money. So now both Superkid and Tank are getting daily smoothies with fish oil. Hey- if I am going to avoid taking it then at least it won't go to waste!