Week of July 31

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
L: Leftovers D: Crockpot Minestrone	L:  D: Tomato & White Bean Soup (Clean Eating, July 2011) & Grilled Cheese	L: Leftovers D: Light & Easy Prawn Pasta w/ Sweet & Sour Snow Peas (Clean Eating, July 2011)	L: Leftovers D: Out (Windy City Dawgs using Groupon)	L:  D: Spaghetti w/ The Best Meatballs You’ll Ever Have w/ Salad	L: Leftovers D: Birthday Party (BBQ)	L: Out D: Black Bean & Corn Quesadillas w/ Guacamole
Activities:	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Snacks
	P @ Pre-School AM: 517 Reading & Lecture, 517 Test 10 PM: 534 Paper	P @ Pre-School AM: Doc Appt, 517 Discussion (DUE), 534 Reading & Lecture PM: 534 Paper & Discussion (DUE)	AM: Kindersmusik PM: Kid’s Party Town (Wanna come?) or play date w/ Emma & Jill	P @ Pre-School AM: 517 Assessment Review (DUE) PM: 534 Paper (DUE), 517 Test 14	AM: Austin’s Bday Party PM: Presley & Mommy Playtime (pool @ home and a good deed) or play date w/ Emma & Jill	Lemon Poppy Blueberry Muffins Pink Hummus (Parents, Sep. 2009) Choc. Chip Cookies

Expected Blog Posts: quiche, family photos & outfits, Austin's Bday Gift

Expected Projects: Bday gift for Austin

Linked to Meal Plan Monday

Kirchhoff Home Makeover: Drawers

Love Target's Dollar Spot. It's like a treasure hunt. Last week, I found these for $1 a piece.

Chicken Breast & Salad {An Update}

Last week, we ate this

 and this

This first is Grilled Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad with Honey Lime Dressing. If you make this, make absolutely no changes. It's perfect how it is. So pretty and fresh and just plain good. 

The chicken breast was made using this Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes recipe (sans sweet potatoes). It was too spicy for the toddler. I'd make sure to get all the seeds out of the chipotle peppers next time. The first time I made it, it was kind of bland. This time, I marinaded the chicken in the chipotle-hone-garlic-olive oil mix for a day. MUCH BETTER! I loved the funky sweet spicy savory flavor. (And that's only half a chicken breast. They just keep getting bigger!)

Linked up to Whatever Goes Wednesday & Chick & Crafty Thursdays

Week of July 24

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
In Colorado	In Colorado Hubs in ND D: Veggie Pizza Delivery	Hubs in ND L: Leftover Pizza D: Vegetable & Edamame Pasta w/ Basil Cream Sauce	Hubs in ND L: Out D: Crockpot Minestrone	Hubs in ND L: Leftovers D: Alien Hotdogs w/ Eggplant Tomato Sauce	L: Leftovers D: Hot & Sweet Drumsticks, Baked Potatoes, & Cesar Salad	L: Leftovers D: Leftovers for P & Date Night (Happy 7th Anniversary, Gfunk!)
Activities:	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Snacks:
	In Colorado	P @ Preschool Splash Day AM: 31, Blog, School, Catch up PM: School  & Groceries	AM: Kindermusik PM: Swim Play Date - make Jell-O Fruit Bars	P @ Preschool AM: Yoga, School PM: Sew	P @ Preschool AM: School PM: Clean	Lemon Poppy Blueberry Muffins

To Do: catch up on school, nursery bumper complete for bff, begin bedskirt, sew vacation softie

To Blog: Thirty-One's new fall catalogue, 31's monthly specials, brie & bacon quiche, honey chipotle chicken w/ corn salad, & organized drawers

Linked to Menu Plan Monday

The Red, White, & Blue Strawberries

These have been popular this July, and I totally see why. They're beautiful & so easy.

Embroidered Napkins for Wedding Gift

As you may have gathered, my middle sister just got married. Since I've begun crafting & sewing, I've become one of those obnoxious people who won't buy off that well-thoughout registry, especially if I know you well. This holds true for one of my sister's shower gifts as well. 

Week of July 17

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
D: Corn on the Cob, Asian Chicken Thighs, & Garlic Green Bean Stir Fry	L: Leftovers D: Corn, Avocado, & Tomato Salad & Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken (no sweet potatoes) *Grant @ Top Gun Study	L: Brunch @ Fatted Calf w/ Hip Mamas (sans toddler) D: Salmon Cakes w/ Lemon Aioli & Great Green Salad	L: Pizza Pinwheels made with this pizza sauce  D: Leftovers or Out (Clean out frig for vacay)	Colorado	Colorado	Colorado
Activities:	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Snacks:
	P @ Preschool: Dance Day AM: Take car in for repairs. Articles & discussion reply for 517 PM: Hang w/ long-time friend, Jessica	P @ Preschool Splash Day AM: Lessons 4-6 & 517 Readings, Lesson 6 test, 1st assignment PM: SEW!!	AM: Kindermusik PM: Clean house & pack. Maybe swim if time. Take Lucy dog to kennel.	Leave for Colorado.	In Colorado.	Fresh Fruit Lemon Poppy Blueberry Muffins(for travel) Flavored Popcorn (for travel)

Expected Blogs: napkins for wedding gifts, strawberries, recipe review

Expected Crafts to Finish: bumper for bff's new kid's crib

Linking up to Menu Planning Monday.

Bad Parking Notes

Ever seen this?

While We're Away Book for the Toddler

I was a wreck before leaving for Mexico last week. The toddler and I had never spent more than two nights apart (barely) and had definitely never been in separate countries. I whittled my fears down to two things: 1) What if something happened to us while we were gone, leaving Presley not remembering me or my love for her? 2) What if she doesn't understand that we'll be back and misses us so much that she doesn't enjoy her time with her grandparents and aunt? 

To combat the first, I wrote an "In Case of Emergency" letter to her that I threw away when we got home. No words can express what I want to tell her over a lifetime. The second was less emotional: I made a While We're Away Book.

Week of July 10

The hubs and I just got back from a wonderful trip to the Riviera Maya, Mexico for my middle sister's wedding. We stayed at the perfect El Dorado Maroma. The entire vacation was dreamy, but I'll talk more about that later when I have pictures.

Of course we missed the toddler like crazy, though. She was in good hands with my in-laws. It was wonderful to come home to clean laundry, fresh sheets, groceries, leftovers in the 'frig, and a happy little girl who was so excited to see us. As exhausted as we were from the travel home - always a bummer - we spent lots of undivided time with her before putting her to bed. Now this is finished, and I will be sinking into my cozy bed with my already snoring husband in about 5 minutes from now.

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
L: Airplane D: Leftovers from Oma	L: Leftovers D: Brie & Bacon Quiche w/ Fruit Salad (berries, applies, & bananas) *Grant @ Top Gun Study	L: Leftovers D: Baked Parmesan Tomatoes & Brie Mac n Cheese w/ Mushrooms	L: Out D: Leftovers	L: Pizza Pinwheels made with this pizza sauce  D: Salmon Cakes & Green Beans (hard copied: comment if you want the recipes)	L: Play Date: Kid-Friendly Apple Stuffing Bites D: Tuna Noodle Casserole & Salad	L: Leftovers D: Out *Happy 1 week anniversary, Jenny & Matt! :)
Snacks:	Activities:	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Pimento Cheese & Whole Grain Crackers Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Dried Fruit		P @ Preschool: Dance Day AM: Yoga, Errands, & Unpack PM: Get a handle on new Summer II classes & Catch up on blogs	P @ Preschool AM: Yoga, Work on classes, & start planning baby sprinkle for bff PM: Begin sewing crib bedding for bff	AM: Kindermusik PM: Splash Park	P @ Preschool AM: Yoga, Work on classes PM: Sewing crib bedding	AM: Breakfast Play Date PM: Something from Busy Bag or Swim @ Heather & Ben’s

Linking to Menu Plan Monday

Kirchhoff Home Makeover: Painted Furniture Projects

I just finished two long-overdue projects, both painted pieces of furniture. The first was this old school child's desk.