Monday, May 14, 2012

Considering Motherhood





Happy Mother's Day!

I had a great Mother's Day with my kiddos.  We enjoyed some simple home-cooked food, ice cream sundaes and some homemade cards and gifts.  Because of little Anna's feeding issues I didn't make it to church with the family, but enjoyed a quiet time of reflecting on motherhood and a sweet time of worship, aided by a great queue of songs on Pandora.  I was very put off earlier in the week when I heard a radio ad for a mall for Mother's Day with the basic message from a mom that it is "all about me".  I was disgusted by the selfishness and entitlement communicated in that short ad which rings true to our culture's mindset, but then considered how often I fall prey to wanting to be admired, celebrated, affirmed, given gifts, etc.  Truth be told, it is more often than I care to admit.  In reality, mother's day is every day.  Every day to serve and nurture, every day to delight in the blessing of a home filled with children, every day to die to self so I can become more like Christ.  And there are so very many opportunities to die to myself in this journey of motherhood!  I've half-jokingly mentioned to friends what a refining fire raising children is, and that is absolutely true.  Motherhood is changing me and requiring more of me than I ever dreamed possible, but it is such a blessing not only because children are precious but because this process is growing me.  May I press in to this calling, with all its joys and challenges, by His strength in the year ahead.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

May Menu

We have been so blessed with lots of help and meals since our little girl arrived, but it is time to start being self-sufficient again.  Thankfully our freezer is very full right now so I made my menu plan based on what is plentiful around here to save me the time and money of going out for a big grocery run. Both resources are in short supply right now due to lots of medical and dental bills (and the birth hasn't even been billed yet..oy!) and our sweet baby girl is still not feeding well so we are working on that twice as hard for the same benefit.  Anyway, the rest of the family has to eat, too, so here we go.  I post this on our fridge and cross off meals as we go.


Dinners
Chicken mozzarella ravioli, spinach salad, three-cheese bread
Chicken pot stickers, brown rice, steamed broccoli
Homemade pizza, veggie tray (x3)
Hot dogs, homemade baked beans, potato chips, raw vegetables (x2)
Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches w/ pickles & homemade sauce, baked beans, carrots
Omelets (cheese, ham, peppers, broccoli), cranberry orange scones, orange juice
Chicken pot pie, salad or fruit
*Meatballs, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans
*Lasagna, salad, garlic bread (x2-3)
Homemade macaroni & cheese, peas
Carnitas burritos (cilantro lime rice, black beans, sour cream, cheese,*carnitas, etc.), chips & salsa
Enchiladas, green salad
Spaghetti & meat sauce, peas & carrots
Orange chicken, brown rice, peas
Sweet & sour turkey meatballs, brown rice, steamed broccoli
Baked potato bar (cheese, sour cream, bacon, broccoli, etc.)
Chicken soup w/homemade noodles, biscuits
Out to Chick-Fil-A w/ gift cards
Rice pilaf & fruity dessert (to potluck)

Lunches – served with vegetables and/or fruit
leftovers
*Runzas (x2)
*pizza rolls
*Beef & yellow split pea soup (x3), rolls or biscuits
turkey sandwiches (x2)
macaroni & cheese
chicken salad sandwiches (x2)

Breakfasts – served with fruit and/or yogurt
oatmeal
steel cut oats
pancakes
banana bread
whole wheat cinnamon rolls
cold cereal
ham & egg bake
french toast
whole wheat waffles

Baking & Snacks
popcorn 
chocolate chip cookies
caramel corn
key lime bars 
chips & homemade salsa

* denotes frozen item ready to heat & eat