Once a Month Cooking

'One a Month Cooking' has always intrigued and intimidated me. It seemed to take a lot of organization and time (a whole day of cooking??) but not having to make dinner and therefore saving yourself 1-2 hours per day....that seems worth it to me. There are so many other things I could do with that time.....and so after some encouragement from my friend who does this all day cooking thing once a month, I bought the cook book. Now I have no excuses. GULP. Several weeks later, a fantastic opportunity arose to use this cooking method....my sister had just had her 4th baby and one thing I remembered about having a newborn was what a blessing those meals were that others had made for us. So, I thought it would be a great gift for Julie (and her family). I decided to try one of the 2 week menus (cuz that was only 14 meals to mess up and not 30!!) so I went grocery shopping and had the book open to the shopping list page as I perused  the store. Well laid out, (groceries divided into categories such as dairy, meat, produce etc) and easy to follow, I was done within the hour. My husband volunteered (Seriously....I didn't even ask him!!) to help me out and so we woke up early late and started the whole process around 10:30am (after the kidlets had left with Grandma) and when all was said and done, it was 2:15pm and we had 12 meals made and ready to be frozen! Not gonna lie....we gave eachother a high five and felt pretty good about it all....maybe he'll volunteer for the next cooking session??!! :) So, here are my thoughts about the whole process....from one rookie to another...

12 Meals made in 3.75 hours 

Pros
- Categorized grocery list cuts down on shopping time (no wandering the isles aimlessly.... except to try to find mango chutney???)
- Step by step instructions on what to cut up and how much, as well as when to start cooking what meal in order to maximize efficiency
- Gets all the major cooking over with in one day (all you need to do is prepare side dishes or rice etc)
- If you do this with a friend...its a social time and even....FUN! (important to have the kids being looked after by someone else...uninterrupted cooking!!)
- Saves money by buying exactly what you use...nothing goes to waste
- Cook book offers 2 monthly meal plans, 2 two week meal plans as well as a 2 week gluten free meal plan and a 2 week summer meal plan....so lots of options and variety
- Cook book only costs $13!!! Free shipping anytime/anywhere at www.bookdepository.com


Cons
- Half a day (2 week menu) or a full day (1 month menu) is required to make this happen as well as babysitting and coordinating a free day between friends and schedules
- Majority of recipes require meat which increases the cost (could be a bit cheaper if more dishes were meat-free)
- Requires a chest freezer to store the meals
- Shopping list provided needs to be edited or added to if swapping meals within the plan (can get confusing depending on what you are omitting or adding)

Suggestions
- Photocopy/scan the grocery list that the book provides for easier editing and carrying around with you in the store (I got some weird looks in the store as I pushed my book around in the cart) as well as protecting the book from wear and tear
- Do this with a friend....not only for social and fun reasons but two hands make lighter work, and it will be easier to stay on top of dishes while still preparing the meals
- Either put one of the meals aside for dinner that night, or plan to go out......no extra cooking for you!
- Label each dish and include baking time/temp and any extra instructions (permanent marker right on the foil)

Hope this helps those of you who are contemplating this cooking method......

March in Review

March was a very busy month for us.....Phil was away for a week doing some ground school training in Nampa, Idaho at the MAF US Headquarters. We spent one weekend babysitting some of our nieces and nephews which was fun but crazy! We had one road trip left to do and we saw some great friends in Toronto. Kaitlyn had her second ear surgery to replace the tubes that had fallen out....and now she can hear again! Then all 4 of us left for Nampa, Idaho to stay at the MAF Headquarters for 1 month while Phil completed the last phase of his flight training....and good news....He passed and is officially recommended for field service. We had a great time in Nampa, met some good friends (kids and adults), enjoyed some hot sun and relaxing before the craziness of packing begins. 

I am so thankful for our little camera.....it captures so many moments so we will never forget.

Phil reading to the brood of children we babysat for the weekend.

Sweet Lily turns 3

How can it be that my little Lily is 3 years old now? The older I get, the faster time goes....somedays that is welcome, other days I just want to hit pause for a while. As I was reflecting back on the 3 precious years God has given us with Lily, there were so many moments and memories I cherish....and some I could handle forgetting....we have loved having 2 sweet girls who love eachother so much and are best friends.....so here are some things about Lily that I want to remember forever.....

-Lily is obsessed with her pink 'bankie' and her mama kitty, her kitty has been mailed across Canada several times (different directions) as we have forgot kitty at various locations....and it still lives on!
-She is fiercely independent....("no ME do it!!").....if I do up her zipper for her, she will undo it, only to try to zip it up herself, only then to ask me for some help....the key is that SHE is the one who asks for help....it cannot be given without her approval :)...frustrating at times, but she is a fighter and doesn't give up easily
-She does this funny inchworm motion in bed at night when I am singing her to sleep
-Lily has a voice that can pierce eardrums....but it is sooooo cute when she says words that make her adorable lisp stand out......I sing the wheels on the bus just to hear the "mommies on the bus say sh, sh, sh"
-Lily loves those 'one step shy of plastic' cheese slices and enjoys getting them from the fridge herself even more....I have bought them while here in the states cuz cheese is beyond cheap down here!
-Current songs that lily sings ALL THE TIME is "this old man, he played one, he played knick knack on my door" (as lily sings), and "this is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made".....all at the top of her lungs!
-Current favorite book: 'Harry by the Sea', as well as 'Frog and Toad Together'
-She likes wearing a 'slip' in her hair (clip) and nothing else....no pony tail, no braids
-Lily is not concerned about what she wears, unlike her big sister Kaitlyn who has about 15 outfit changes during the day
-Lily's smile is contagious as her legs fly around and around on her little tricycle, her hair blowing in the wind of her speed
-Lily loves to read books, and I love to peek in her room during quiet time and see her little feet sticking out from under a book on her lap
-She loves to color, and is very set on staying inside the lines, and she proudly shows Kaitlyn when she thinks she's done a good job at that...Kaitlyn being such a good big sister always says "good job lily!"
-If lily could live on a swing, she would.....I think I've spent half my time as a mother pushing someone on a swing, hay, at least we are outside!
-She is a bit unsure about leaving mom and dad on sundays for sunday school, and now that we have been travelling so much this past year, lily has mostly chosen to stay with us in church, which is totally fine....she eats a snack, colors and reads books quietly....hoping she will have the courage to be without us one day.... and am hoping that all this transition hasn't scarred her for life as far as consistency and security
-She loves to watch the Berenstain bears episodes
-Lily is scared of the cat 'lucifer' in cinderella
-Food obsessions: eggs (scrambled or hard boiled)
-Her shoes somehow always end up on the wrong feet....
-Lily loves to create mustaches....with her smoothie, peanut butter, mashed potatoes....and then wants me to take a picture of her so she can see it :)
-She asks often for "stories from your mouth" before bed (which is a story that we make up for her)

Some Birthday Highlights and Wishes....
-You loved your 'swiper' birthday cake (one day you'll realize how many HOURS your dad spent on that cake!!!) and the swiper picture daddy drew for you

Phil's creation.....he is amazing!! Mine would've been a stick
figure with a tail and teeth! :)

-You had a blast with the kids in the 'gunny sac' race, the spoon race and hot potato, and had a huge smile on your face as you ran around the block with the kids, boots on the wrong feet, running like the wind
-Now that you have a little space of your own (your new play tent!), i wonder if you'll stay in your room for quiet time?
-Your prayers to Jesus are always so sincere, and I hope you know how much He loves to hear from you and cares about what you care about......top 3 things to be thankful for this past night for you were: a nice warm bed, your blankie, and your kitty
-I cannot wait to see the plans God has for you Lily.....but this I do know....that if you love Him with your whole heart and serve Him with your life.....you will have lived.....that is my #1 desire for you Lily. This will be my prayer for you for many years......

A quiet place that's just for Lily

So excited about her presents!

New markers from Gramma!

Lily's favorite breakfast.....EGGS!

Perfect for the girls....

The Party Crew

Attempting a 3 legged race.....

No potato sacks, so garbage bags will have to do!

Craft time....color your own stickers

Waiting for the cake....

Sweet Lily in her tent with blue lips from her lollipop

Having fun with her sister

To my sweet Lily, I love you more than words can say, I am so proud of the little girl you are becoming, and the sister that you are to Kaitlyn. I thank God that He made you part of our little family.....I hope and pray that I can be the kind of mama that you look up to, the kind of Christian example that is so important in your life. I hope you are bold in your faith, courageous, resilient, loyal, determined, gentle, a defender, empathetic, loving, and selfless....the kind of girl/woman that God wants you to be.
Love you peanut.

Mama

A Servant Heart - Finding Purpose in the Day

A Servant Heart.....my good friend once said that depending on the day, she was either having a servant day or a non-servant day! It is so true. As wives and mothers, we are called to serve in many ways, most of which in my opinion seem trivial, repetitive and somewhat meaningless. I'm talking about the day to day tasks that life requires......dishes, meals, laundry, cleaning, groceries, wiping bums and noses, cleaning up after everyone, putting everyone to bed and then waking up and repeating it all the next day. I found myself getting stuck.....stuck in the mundane and I felt tired, grumpy, unappreciated, bored and just downright unhappy. GASP! Did i just admit that out loud?
To be honest, there were some key things lacking in my life, things that had been tossed to the wayside in the midst of a busy life, a life where I thought I was giving giving giving to everyone but me, but ironically, I was living very selfishly.  I have learned this lesson over and over in my journey of motherhood, so why do I continue to go through these melancholy times? I get to thinking I don't need anyone to help me out in this life....I got it. I mean how hard can it all be? But I realize it is not what you do but how you do it (aka my attitude...which has been kinda sour these past weeks...and what directly affects my attitude? my focus in life). My life has been lacking in personal time with God, and exercise.....two things that I love but for some reason had cut out of my daily routine. Why was it so hard to re-introduce those important parts back into my life? I truly believe it is Satan, wanting to keep me down and as far away from my Savior as possible.....and it was working for quite some time. Anything was a distraction.....housework, TV, facebook (!!), friends, the kids.....and by the time the evening rolled around, I was just too mentally done to process anything deep....or so I thought and that was the excuse I told myself.
Well....it is day 3 in my 'rehabilitation' program.....and I feel 100% different. Nothing has changed in my life....all those mundane tasks still await me, but my attitude has been given a huge adjustment and focus and my spirit has been refreshed and I've been reminded of my Purpose in life.....to give glory to my Creator in everything I do. What purpose that gives me!!......no matter what mundane task I  do, I can confidently accomplish it knowing this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing at this point in my life. And that feels amazing. I am back in the game of life....excited and raring to go! Thanks God!
Romans 12:1, 11-13
"....offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.....Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer...."

I'm a sucker for sunsets.
I love the colours of the sun going down,
the beauty it brings and the promise it leaves
....the promise of a clean slate, a fresh start, a new day.

I'm leaving on a jet plane......

Well, we are here in Nampa, Idaho (yes.... potato central) for about 1 month while Phil spends most of his days in a plane, flying/landing/taking-off in all sorts of conditions and terrain in order to prepare him for the diversity he'll experience as a pilot in Chad, Africa. Kailtyn, Lily and myself are here to support Phil as he trains......we get to have a lot of fun, relax, meet new friends, soak up the sun and explore the city of Nampa. So far we've hit up the beyond massive WALMART (seriously, that store is a city in itself!!), and made our way across town to a dollar store to purchase some craft supplies.....all of which we would have never found had it not been for our trusty GPS. (okay, so phil would have found them.....but I would still be driving around if it weren't for the GPS!!!!)

The place we are staying in is super nice, comfortable and just the right size for our little family of 4. Our front door opens up into the sandpit/playground which is a dream come true for the girls....and there are a bunch of kids living here as well so instant friends!! 

I think we will enjoy our time here....on the menu for tomorrow is visiting the local library for a story time.....and if the weather is as good as today.....we'll hunt for a park with swings for sweet Lily who would live/eat/sleep on a swing if she had the chance too! :)

There are two other families with 3 kids each, and both are missionaries in the Congo.....we look forward to getting to know them a bit better during our stay here.

Here are a few pictures from Phil's point of view documenting our way down to Nampa.....oh and ps if you are wondering why i am looking less than impressed in every picture....it is because I was feeling so sick (coughing up a lung!!) and just wishing to be in my bed sleeping.....but I survived and made it here and now I am feeling a whole lot better!

** the pictures work sometimes, but not other times....argh!! sorry if you can't see the pics.....I'll try to get phil to look at it and fix it!!**

6am: Bright and early breakfast – hot waffles, omelettes, yogurt and fruit loops for Kaitlyn! 

7am: The girls loved the “big bus” shuttle and the fact that they didn’t have car seats for the short trip across to the airport.

So much to see. Shrieks of delight at 7:30am every time another plane…did anything. Other passengers already hoping our row numbers are far apart!

Kaitlyn ready to “go fast”.

Merilee…grinning and bearing it…haha. She was more prepared than the stewards. Made for a very smooth flight. The atlantic crossing is starting to look doable…perhaps enjoyable?

Handy colouring pages. These all in one colouring kits deserve a medal. They shone today!

Many books...

…and you can get a good 20 minutes out of the doomsday card if you spin the story right. Lily kept wanting me to tell the part about the baby’s life jacket and wondering where the Mommy was in the pictures. The built in slides were compelling as was the fact that you can float on your seat cushion. I’d love to know what’s going through their heads when I’m explaining these “cartoons” to them and end it with…but that probably won’t happen.

End of flight #1. Detroit to Denver. The crowning moment: meeting the pilots and seeing the cockpit…the girls enjoyed it too. That one was 3.5 hours.

The next flight was only 2 hours from push back to touch down…Franklin’s turn to baby sit.

February in Review

Another month has flown by, and I must admit, I did not take as many pictures as I should have. It is amazing how 29 days can go by and I wonder what we did? Besides Valentines Day, and Phil being away for a week at the end, the days just flew by without too much excitement. We have enjoyed a lot of park time as there has not been a lot of snow or severely cold temperatures (nope...don't miss Alberta winters at all!!), and Kaitlyn also finished her swimming lessons. Lily and Kaitlyn spend a lot of time playing with each other, and get along for the most part.....At any given time, at least one of the girls will be wearing a) a Princess Dress, b) a swimsuit, c) nothing!! :) I'm so glad they have each other for this stage of our lives, with travelling often, they don't have the kind of friends they had in Three Hills to play with.  Homeschooling is going well now that we have our schedule set and I have a better idea of what I am sopposed to be teaching Kaitlyn. We are over halfway through the alphabet, and Kaitlyn has been reading 2 words (ie: Bat) that I write out for her each day on her own (sounding them out) which is a good start. I wonder when she will be able to read her first book to herself?!

Here's a snapshot of what we did in February:

Making Heart-shaped Cupcakes for Valentines Day

Place a marble in the muffin tin for a heart shaped cupcake!

Practising her letters

Lily painting her wooden monkey notebook

Kaitlyn LOVES arts and crafts!

Making "boo-tiful" cupcakes :)

Valentines Day Sweetness

Tea Party!

My sweet Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn was so excited about her mask,
but quickly realized she needed a cape to complete the look!

Wedding # 300......it is a daily occurrence in our house! 

This time they managed to recruit a Prince.....

Face Painting Fun

Do you see any similarities? 

Kaitlyn had to be a cat too.

Adventures in the Kitchen: Week 3 - Veggie Lasagna

I was in the mood for some comfort food......so I thought let's make pasta!!! But keeping health in mind I wanted to avoid the fatty cheese/sauces and get my vegetable intake in, so I went on the hunt for a scrumptious veggie lasagna.....and I found it!! This one made enough for 3 meals for a family of 4, so put the work in now, and freeze 2 extra meals for those nights you don't feel like cooking.
So here it is folks, your meal idea for tonight:

Adventures in the Kitchen: Week 3

Less-On-Ya Lasagna
Prep: 25 min    Serves: 10-12  

Not my picture (forgot to take one again!)
but isn't your mouth watering right now? :)

3 Cups sliced mushrooms
2 Medium Zucchini's unpeeled and chopped
1 Yellow Pepper, chopped
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Red onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Teaspoon each dried rosemary; dried oregano
1 Cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 Cup low-fat (1%) Cottage cheese
1/3 Cup Parsley
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 egg white
12 Lasagna noodles*
3 Cups Spaghetti Sauce
1 1/2 Cups part-skim Mozzarella Cheese shredded

1. Mix mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, onion, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary and oregano together, place in roasting pan uncovered at 400 for 25 min, stirring at halfway point.

2. While veggies are roasting, a) cook pasta,  b) prepare cheese mixture: Combine 1/4 Cup parsley, Parmesan Cheese, Egg white, Ricotta Cheese, Cottage Cheese  and mix well, refrigerate until ready to use.

3. Assemble Lasagna: 9 x 13 inch baking dish (spray with non stick spray), spread 1/4 of the spaghetti sauce over bottom of pan. Arrange 4 lasagna noodles over sauce. Spread 1/2 cheese filling over noodles, followed by 1/3 roasted veggies. Sprinkle 1/3 Mozzarella cheese over top. Repeat layering. Layer final 4 noodles over mozzarella, followed by remaining spaghetti sauce. Top sauce with remaining roasted veggies.

4. Cover with foil and bake @ 375 for 35 minutes.
* (If using oven ready noodles, change baking time to 1 hour)

5. Remove Lasagna from oven, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parsley, return to oven uncovered, for 5 minutes.

6. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  (Important to follow this last step as it helps the lasagna stick together and absorb juices)

So, let's just say this was gobbled up in no time! Healthy veggies, comforting pasta/sauce combination and a scrumptious mix of low-fat cheeses are what made this meal a new favorite! The major bonus was that I was able to freeze 2 other dinners from this recipe......which made up for the work that I put into making this. All in all, a great dish but it takes some prep work to put it all together. 

~ Recipe taken from "Crazy plates" Cookbook by Janet & Greta Podleski ~