Thank you for nine wonderful years together.  I love you very much!

Forever and Always,

Jen

FRIDAY – the day full of errands and surprises!

The building inspector came over to inspect the doors and windows installed in our home.  The inspection went ok, but we got a few surprises when I asked a couple of questions about our upcoming remodeling of the basement.  The windows in the basement are not egress. So we will have to have another window put in on the side where we will be adding a new bedroom for Josh.  The other bedroom down there was grandfathered in, but we have to meet all codes on the new construction.    ARGH!!

I left a message for a friend of ours from church who is a contractor.  We definitely need his assistance after the inspector told us of all the things we needed to have done.  My one brother had said the heating would be enough on that side, but the inspector said no.   So I was a bit freaked out after the inspector left as we have WAY more work to do than we thought.  ARGH!!

Then to add to the surprises of the day, our garage door broke!!  Yep it is stuck.    Gotta love a day of surprises. 

After all of our surprises, Josh and I decided to go run errands.  We went to Walmart and Sam’s Club.  We stopped at home and then I went to Aldi and Festival.  I also picked up a movie from redbox for family movie night.

Josh and Amy joined us for Family Movie Night.   We grilled out hotdogs. To have with our beans and had pasta salad while we watched the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop!.  It was a pretty funny movie.

While we were watching the movie, Andy, our friend from church returned our call and came over to discuss the basement remodel with us.   He pointed out a number of other things we didn’t know we needed to do.  He had some really good ideas.  We asked him to give us a estimate on completing the entire remodel job.   I hope we will be able to afford to have him just do the job, it would really be a huge weight off our shoulders!   We are leaning towards being broke, but experiencing less stress.  We will see.  Many things to think about and discuss for hubby and I. 

SATURDAY – Our day of work……

Josh was over on Saturday as well to work on the basement.   When he arrived, Hubby and I were just getting ready to leave to go to the bank, library and menards.   Josh , Amy, Steve and Tommy stayed at home and worked on cleaning out the basement.  

When hubby and I returned the basement was completely empty!!   So our afternoon was spent cleaning the floor.  We used vinegar and a electric scrubber to clean the floor.  This took the rest of the day!

Tommy enjoyed the empty basement and roller bladed around and around the pole!   It is hard to believe we finally have it all cleaned out.   We ordered 6 pizzas for supper and enjoyed a picnic out on the porch.   We contemplated camping out in the tent, but decided it was too cold and that Sunday would be a better night to do that. 

We needed to get up for church on Sunday morning and didn’t want to be too tired.

SUNDAY – Our Day of work not related to the basement…….

We were up on time and attending church services.  This week was MN Teen Challenge Sunday.  A great rehab organization that shared their faith and testimonies with the congregation. 

After Church I spent most of my afternoon avoiding washing dishes!!   Josh and I went outside and split the hostas and worked in the shade garden while hubby mowed the lawn.     Uncle Steven and Tommy played catch with the football.  We all spent most of our day outside enjoying the nice weather!

I finally did wash the dishes and then went outside to harvest the rhubarb.  I destroyed the plant!!  LOL!  Josh and I cut up alot of rhubarb.  I mixed up 6 pans of strawberry-rhubarb crumble and made strawberry-rhubarb=raspberry jam.

The aroma in the house was just yummy!!  We took a couple of the rhubarb crumble to the neighbors as well. 

This is was time to make supper!!   It is great having Josh around home more, but that always means I need to cook for extras!   While we were making supper Charlie came over.  We invited him to stay for supper as well so with Josh  and AMy we had 7 for supper.   Normal night at our house it seems!! I love looking around the table and see all these people enjoying my meals.   

I tried two new recipes at supper and both were a big success.   The first one was Cheddar Potato Strips – very good, but needed to cook longer than the recipe called for.   I also make Green Beans Almondine, which was also a hit!   Two new recipes to add to our online cookbook!

The rest of the evening was filled with bonfire and camping in the yard.  Here are some various pictures from the night!! 

Tommy’s highlights of the day – football and tenting!!

Bonfire Fun…………..

Even Baby our puppy was enjoying her night outside….

Mommy and Tommy by the fire…

Our sleeping arrangements for the night……can you say……BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

More Later…..time for me to head to bed!!  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend with family and friends!!

Blessings,

Menu For May 25 – June 6th

Happy Memorial Day!!  We are enjoying a very quiet day at home today.  Last night Tommy, Josh, Amy, Charlie and I slept in the backyard in the tent. Can you say…BRRRRRRRRRR!!   We did make banana boats on the fire a great new treat and of course smores.   I am so happy to finally have my menu and shopping done.  I will tell you the weeks that I don’t have it ready, I really struggle at figuring out what ot make for supper.  I hate that!!! We even ended up ordering pizza one night because

Mon – Beef Enchiladas, Salad, Corn – Touch Down Taco Dip

Tues – Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Pasta Salad

Wed – Crockpot Cowboy Stew, Savory Mexican Cornbread

Thurs – (Book Group Night) Mu Shu Chicken Wraps/ Oriental Salad/ Artichoke Dip

Fri – French Bread Pizza

Sat -  Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing,  Green Beans

Sun – Baked Pork Chops and Rice

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Mon – (Working Late) – Taco Bake, Salad, Corn

Tues – Easy Grilled Chicken, Pasta Salad (peas, noodles and cheese), Corn on the cob

Macaroni Salad -(no real recipe – I just throw it together)

2 cups Elbow Macaroni, cooked
Thawed Peas to your liking
1/2 cup or so Cheddar Cheese Cubed
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup mayo (approximately)

Combine the first 5 ingredients into a large bowl.  Stir in enough mayo to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Wed – Meatball Subs, Chips and Dip

MEATBALL SUBS

1- (18 0z) package frozen meatballs, thawed
1 (28 oz) Jar chuncky spaghetti sauce
6 submarine or hoagie buns
1 (12 oz) package of shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a saucepan, combine meatballs and spaghetti sauce and heat until hot.  Shave thin layer off top of each roll. With fork, remove some of soft interior of bun to make a trough.  Place rolls on large baking pan and spoon about 3 heaping tablespoons cheese in the bottom of roll. Bake about 5 minutes or until buns are light brown and cheese melts.  Spoon about 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce and 2 or 3 meatballs in each bun.  Top subs with little more sauce and generous topping of cheese.  Serve Hot.

Thurs – Drama Club – Crab Alfredo, garlic bread

Fri – Hamburgers, Seasoned Tater Tots

Sat -  Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken, Basil Green Beans, Salad, Fruit

 In a runt on what to cook???  Head over to Laura’s site “I’m an Organizing Junkie” and see what the many participates on Menu Plan Monday are having this week!! 

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 Tried – Add to Website:

Tuna Noodle Casserole,

Crockpot Salsa Chicken (new), Rice, Green Beans, Salad

Recipes To Try

Chicken Mozzarella (new), Garlic Muffins, Salad

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Cheeseburger Pasta, Applesauce, Salad

 Grilled Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Hot Dogs

 Creamy Chicken Breasts, Rice, Brussels Sprouts, Salad

Hope you have a great week!!!

Since it is a long weekend I am going to try and get some things made with the rhubarb we have.   I found a great post with a couple of ideas that look very good!

Cindy Crawford’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble (add Strawberries)

Strawberry Raspberry Rhubarb Jam

Ingredients
5 cups of diced strawberries and rhubarbs
2 cups of sugar
1 3 oz box of raspberry jello

Directions
1. In saucepan, combine diced strawberries and rhubarb pieces with 2 cups of sugar. Let sit for at least 20 minutes, allowing time for sugar to draw out the juices.
2. Once juices have appeared in the saucepan, bring to a boil. Stir often. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until rhubarbs have softened.
3. Reduce heat and let bubble. Add jello packet and stir continuously until the jello dissolves.
4. Remove from heat, let saucepan cool, then place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Jam will thicken. Place in Mason jars. Jam will last one month in fridge. Put in the freezer if you don’t think you will use it all within a month.

I plan on making a few of each and freezing the extra for later.  Do you have a favorite Rhubarb recipe that freezes well????  Let me know!!

Review:  Across a Hundred Mountains by Reyna Grande

Title:  Across a Hundred Mountains

Author:  Reyna Grande

Pages:  259

Publisher: Atria (June 20, 2006)

ISBN-10: 0743269578

This is the story of migration, love and loss as two women (Adelina and Juana) find the path of their lives crossing.  Juana’s family suffers a tragedy which greatly affects Juana’s relationship with her mother.  Juana’s father, Miguel leaves to go to the United States to find work and money for the family.  Juana and her mother struggle greatly in the absence of Miguel.   After two years, Juana leaves Mexico to search for her father.  

Juana is befriended by a young woman, Adelina in a Tijuana jail.  Adelina was born in the United States and came to Mexico with her boyfriend.  The two make plans to leave their life in Mexico behind them and go to the United States.  Juana is desperate to find her father and find out why he did not return to Mexico as he had promised. 

The story is told in alternating chapters by Juana the young girl living in Mexico in poverty with her mother and Adelina a 30 year old social worker in Los Angeles.     

This is a debut novel by Reyna Grande.  I love discovering new authors!   I can only imagine the Reyna Grande enhanced the story by using some of her personal life to shape this story.  When Reyna was 5 years old her parents immigrated to the United States and left her and her siblings in the care of their grandmother.  At the age of nine, Reyna immigrated to the United States to be with her parents.    She currently resides in Los Angeles.    Author’s Website is http://www.reynagrande.com/

My Review:  This book was recommended to by my friend, Syd.  I thought the writing was good.  The book was engaging and had a good flow to the story.   The descriptions of life in Mexico were interesting and heartbreaking.     I felt a bit confused in the middle of the story by the alternating chapters by the two women, Juana and Adelina.  The author quickly brings it all together and it all makes perfect sense.  Once everything started to come together, I had a hard time putting the book down.   Once again I stayed up too late reading!

4/5 – Recommended/ A Good Read.

Happy Reading!

Jen C

The gift I desire every Mother’s Day is the assistance to get my garden ready for planting.   My wonderful hubby rented a tiller this morning and after 4 hours and some stump removal my garden plot is ready to go.  The plot is a bit larger this year, it is approximately 25″ x 20″.  

Hubby and Steve getting the garden ready.

The Mother’s Day Weekend Work Crew:   Josh, Amy, Steve and Hubby.   Everyone took their turn in tilling the garden, even Amy.   I enjoyed watching everyone from by the bonfire.  

Tommy’s job for the day was to drive his truck into the swamp and fill it up with leaves.  Then he would drive back to the garden and Dad would till the leaves into the garden. 

This is where I tend to spend most of my summer.  I can’t wait until it gets a bit warmer so I can spend the evenings out reading my book.   Josh and Amy surprised me last weekend and came over the put this all up for me.  They are soooo  good to me!  I truly appreciate them both very much. 

After the everyone was done with the garden prep, we headed off to buy seedlings and garden seeds.   This year we have only decided to grow the things that we are good about freezing and get eaten the best.   This year we will be planting, Roma Tomatoes, Cherry tomatoes, Brussels Sprouts, green beans, sugar snap peas, broccoli, carrots, radishes, peppers and cucumbers.   I also will have a small herb garden up on the deck in planters.  This year I am planting, Cilantro, Parsley, and Sweet Basil.  

Our garden plot awaiting planting……I have to work at church in the AM, but plan on planting in the afternoon.  I hope the weather cooperates.   Today my back is really hurting and I don’t feel up to planting.   Tomorrow is another day, right??

I hope that I am now back to blogging.  I started hanging out on facebook and not blogging.   I need to keep up my blogging as it is like a scrapbook for me.   Even though I haven’t been blogging I have been keeping up with all of you.   I have especially been praying for a lovely xanga friend who is struggle through chemo.  You and your family are often in my thoughts.    

I am on vacation this week due to having some medical tests completed on Wednesday so you should be seeing me posting a bit more.  

Blessings,

Jen C

Had to share this picture from last weekend.  The bonfire season has officially start at our house!  My hubby couldn’t be happier.

Who needs a Flash when you have my hubby’s fire!!!

Hubby went to the library for me this week and I had alot of reserves in! It was like my birthday when he got home. I was excited. I need to make time this week to get some serious reading done. Josh, my oldest came over and set up my gazebo/outdoor living room. It is all ready for me to sit out there and read. The MN weather hasn’t been cooperating too much yet. today does look promising.

May 2nd, 2009

1. Novel About My Wife – Emily Perkins
2. Still Alice - Lisa Genova
3. The Ten Year Nap - Meg Wolitzer
4. Across A hundred Mountains – Reyna grande
5. Sarah’s Key – Tatiana DeRosnay
6. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet – Jamie Ford
7. The Girl She Used To Be – David Cristofano

To see what other bloggers are reading, stop by the weekly Library Loot Event hosted by Eva at The Striped Armchair.

Happy Reading!!
Jen C

Menu Plan

Saturday, May 2nd – Steak, Baked Potatoes, Veggie

Apple Crisp

• 6 apples, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon and/or nutmeg
• 1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange apples in well-greased baking dish. Blend all remaining ingredients except water. Spread evenly over top of apples. Pour water over the topping. Bake 45 minutes until apples are tender and top is crisp. Serves 6.

Sunday – French Dip Sandwiches, Seasoned Tater Tots

Monday – Chicken Taco Casserole

Tuesday – Cinco De Mayo Casserole / Spanish Rice/ Peach Burritos

Wednesday – Unstuffed Cabbage

Thursday – Baked Ziti

Friday -  French Bread Pizza  (Movie Night)

Saturday – Vegetable Pasta Salad (pg 21)  – Easy Grilled Chicken Breasts – Veggie

Sunday – Slow Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Chicken – Uncle Ben Rice – Veggie

Monday 11th -  Pizza Pasta Toss -(pg 23) Garlic Bread – Salad

Tuesday 12th – Biscuit and Gravy / Scramble Eggs

Wednesday – Over-Fried Fish and Chips

Thursday -  Meatloaf – Rice and Roni/ and Vegetable

Friday – Hamburgers/ Fries/ Beans