My homemade soup is on the stove and it looks so yummy....great color with many different veggies.  We will see how the boys are with all the veggies!    It is only 2 pts...so that is good.   I am going to make grill cheese sandwiches with ham in them too.  I know the boys will like those!    I better get busy on those now too!  

AAAh.....just woke from from a lovely nap.   Man do I love naps.   We did our errands this morning, we were a little behind since hubby and I really didn't sleep that well last night.    We went to the library.   I picked my book that was on reserve and others are waiting for it so I have to read it in two weeks.    So I guess I will stop reading the book I am for book group and start this one.   After the library we went to Goodwill and picked up a few shirts for hubby and I.   Then we stopped at Target to get sudafed and socks for Tommy.  

Lunch and then nap time!!!   YEAH!!  I told my hubby I wanted my bike fixed for mother's day so he tried to take it in today while I napped.   But they were closed.   I also asked him to fold the sock load of laundry for Mother's Day.  He wanted to buy me an I-pod and I asked him to do just a few things that I wanted and that was good enough for me.  Acts of service mean more to me than things he could buy.  We are going out for supper tomorrow with family.  

Josh and Erik are working on a building project outside and Tommy is playing outside with Daddy.   So time for me to make supper. 

ARGH...insomnia.....I woke up and can't fall back to sleep and Tommy wasn't even in our bed with us.  Sometimes my mind goes a mile a minute and doesn't allow me to sleep.  I will pay for this tomorrow I am sure.  At least I will have a few minutes to check others blogs a for a while.  I am way behind.  Later!

The chicken was pretty good tonight....I liked it more than hubby.   But everyone ate it.   I made fruit parfaits as well which Tommy loved.   Erik made roast potatoes to go with supper as well and did a great job with them.  They were very good!   Hubby couldn't get enough of them.   I made chicken stock tonight and will make some soup tomorrow..so I got three meals out of the one roast chicken.   Gotta love that!

The boys and I played Dinosaur dominos and HI-HO the CherryO.    Tommy won twice....he was pumped about that.   So overall a very nice quiet evening at our home.  Josh went out for the evening with his Jim-Dad.   Tommy and Erik are both in bed now...and I am thinking of going that way myself. 

While the boys were playing guys for a while I read a few chapters of my book.   I have two books that I want to finish before my parents come so I can give them to my mom.    My goofy son is IMing me from the other room.   LOL!!   At least he talks to me I guess. 

I bought tickets for the play at Lakeshore Players for my Mom's birthday...so I hope to take her to that on the 13th.    Well off to bed I go.....Have a great weekend!!!  Ours looks like it will be very relaxing and peaceful.  AAAH....not much going on. 

MENU FOR THE WEEK:

FRIDAY -Crock Pot Chicken Provencal and Roast Potatoes

SAT - Chicken Soup and Grill Cheese and Ham Sandwiches

SUN - Cheese Strata and then out to Supper

MON - Left overs

TUES - Dad's Choice

WED - Quick Baked Cod

THURS - Herb and Spinach Cakes

FRI - Sloppy Joe Pizza

SAT - LUNCH - Pasta Salad to be determined and Make Own Sandwhiches

SUPPER - Hamburgers, Potato Salad (Josh's B-day Celebration)

SUNDAY - Brunch - Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

Home from grocery shopping...now I have to put it all away...I hate that part!   I stayed within my budget and even bought some pop for next weekend when we celebrate Josh's birthday.   I am not sure what type of cake I will make for him.....budget constraints mean I will make a cake most likely and not go to the bakery....hmm...unless I check out Sam's club!   We will see......

I styaed within my budget and only spent $68.79 for a weeks worth of groceries for my family of 5 or 6.  Depending on how many friends eat over..LOL!    Last night I make BBQ sandwhiches and Amy thought they were great.   Josh complained since he thinks I try too many new recipes.  He doesn't necessarily like that too much.   Maybe one or two new ones a week, but when I do menu mailer it is a new one every day.   Amy offered to trade places with him since she said they eat chicken and mash pots alot.  He would like that!   LOL!!  I lvoe variety....hubby could eat the same thing over and over too.  Not me....but then I love to cook! 

Well I better finish putting the rest of the groceries away.  YUCK!

I am done with my menu and grocery list.....so now I will go pick up Tommy and then go get groceries at two different stores, Aldi and Rainbow.  Hopefully I will stay within my 80.00 budget that i have for this week.  I think  I will.....I use a calculator as I go and won't get snack food if I am going over.   Later!!!!

Supper Tonight.....

Crock Pot Chicken Provencal
Serves 6

6 skinless chicken thighs
2 medium red bell peppers, sliced 1/4" thick
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 28-oz. can whole plum tomatoes - drained
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon basil
3 pieces orange peel, each about the size of a quarter (25 cents)
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a crock pot; mix thoroughly and cook on low 7 to 9 hours (or high 3 to 4 hours).

Before serving, remove the orange peel, taste the sauce and correct the seasoning if necessary.

Per serving: 132 Calories; 3g Fat; 15g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 57mg Cholesterol; 72mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat   - 2 pts!!

Friday.....my day off.....this just means that I have to get caught up around the house today.   I had a hard time waking up this morning, I am so stuffy....hopefully my alleriges will be better soon!

Today....Tommy has preschool from 9:15 to 11:30.   During that time I will pay bills and make my grocery list and menu for the next week.   Then Tommy will go to daycare at his aunties so I can get groceries.  Then I will pick him up from daycare and our weekend will begin.  We really don't ahve anything planned this weekend, except for going out for supper with family on Sunday.  

FRIDAY TO DO:

Pay Bills
Make Menu/Shopping List
Get Groceries
Tommy To Preschool
Clean my room: Dust, Sweep and Straighten Closet
Laundry...Laundry...

Time to call it a night....Josh and Amy are home from the concert.  They had a great time.  Josh's farovite band Kutless were there so he was happy.  He got a T-shirt.  He is taking Amy home right now then he will be heading to bed....this is very late for a school night for him. 

Hubby and Tommy are in bed.  I thought I would wait up until Josh is home and in bed.  I am that way....can't go to bed until my kids are in the house for the night. 

Tommy isn't very tired since he was so hard to wake up from his nap.  I started waking him at 7:00 but didn't get him fully awake until 8:00.   Then he was SOOO crabby!   He is never in a good mood when you have to wake him.   So I let him watch a movie while I vacuum and mopped.   Then he took a bath and I washed the dishes.  

The house is pretty tidy again so tomorrow on my day off I will do laundry and get groceries for the weekend I think.  I am not sure if my hubby will be working on Saturday or not.   We will see...  Tommy had preschool tomorrow in the morning so I better get to bed.    Good Night!!