Welcome Spring Party

On March 20th Spring Began!!!!

Since our weekend was crazy with having additional kids in the house we are postponing our Welcome Spring party for April 1st, plus Bryson doesn't have school that day.

For our Begley Welcome Spring party we are going to do the theme of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 

Our decorations will consist of the kids making the different food items from within the book!  I also have a large Hungry Caterpillar book so I made copies of the pages to decorate with as well.

Our menu will consist of:

• Strawberries
• Watermelon
• Hot Dog (represent Sausage)
• String Cheese (represent Swiss Cheese)

Our activities will include:

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar DVD (rented from the library)
• Reading the Book
• Building a Caterpillar, Cocoon and Butterfly out of paper
• Clips From the Book
• Caterpillar Cards 

Well see how it all turns out!!!

Cute websites I found from parties that were done (I might have to do this for Keelin's party)
First Website- Super Fun Party
Second Website- A super cute cake

Handy Gadget: Quesadilla Maker

I am sure you have seen it before a "Quesadilla Maker".  I always wanted one but just didn't want to buy one.  Well my mother-in-law got one and didn't use it that much so she let me have it - yah!!!!!!!  I am SO happy about this new addition to my kitchen appliances.  I love Quesadilla's because you can create whatever you want on it and it is definitely great for when lots of people come over. 

Some may think, why would I need this for one meal every so often.  Okay so let me tell you that you can make Breakfast Quesadillas, Use it for a fast, healthy warm lunch or even for dessert. 
The dessert I made was delicious- use two torts, apple pie filling- cook it and then spread some butter and cinnamon & sugar on it and serve with Ice Cream- Delicious!!!

Here is one that I found on Amazon just in case you are not sure what it looks like:

Quesadilla Maker on Amazon

I am sure you can find one in a garage sale this summer!

Dinner Menu for Week March 21st-26th

This week is pretty simple too.

Monday- Pizza (because I haven't went shopping yet.  Will be going tonight)
Tuesday- BBQ Roast Beef Sandwiches with Chips
Wednesday- Pesto Pasta with Bread
Thursday- Hamburgers and Fries
Friday- Chicken and Stuffing Bake, Mashed Potatoes and Corn
Saturday- Quesadillas with Rice

If you are looking for recipes, send me an email at salbegs@gmail.com

St. Patrick's Day Celebration March 17, 2011

Today is St. Patrick's Day and we are celebrating!  B had no school today either so we had to do something to make the day go by.

Let me into our day!
We started the morning with my favorite childhood cereal:

 Next we did a Scavenger Hunt- I did the little riddles and I am not that creative so don't laugh.  The kids loved it!

My Shamrocks

The First One- Where you find a knife and fork so you can eat your pork.

Second was Where we sit and cuddle tight especially when it becomes night

Third was Where we make our cake and then we watch it bake

Fourth was Where you scrub a dub dub in a great big tub tub

Fourth was Where we watch our favorite TV show, you know Wipe Out Yo

Sixth was Where you lay your head at night and sleep until the morning light

Under their pillows were a few treats- Kee Kee's

B's Treats

 For lunch we had a wonderful yummy fun spread

Took Refrigerated Bread sticks and made clovers - sprinkled them with green sugar and cinnamon and baked them!

Pot of Gold Jello, Bread stick Clover, Green Mac-n-Cheese and Green Kool-Aid

Next we did our rainbow cupcakes for dinner tonight- Yummy!

This is what we did for St. Patty's Day!!!!

For more details on how to celebrate check out my previous blog entry at http://organizingparent.blogspot.com/2011/03/st-patricks-day-celebration.html

Dinner Menu for Week March 12th-19th

I decide to share my menu for the week.  Maybe it will help give you ideas on how to plan your weeks menu.  This week is very simple.  Eat what we have:)

Saturday 12th- Marlboro's Man Sandwich, Mac-N-Cheese, Flat Apple Pie (From The Pioneer Woman Cookbook)
Sunday 13th- Beef Stew (Pre-Packaged at Wal-Mart)
Monday 14th- Mac-N-Cheese (from the box)
Tuesday 15th- Pierogis and Sausage (Mrs. T Frozen Pierogis- delicious)
Wednesday 16th- Spaghetti and Garlic Bread
Thursday 17th- St. Patrick's Day Meal- Pesto Pasta, Salad, Rainbow Cupcakes
Friday 18th- Eat Out (Going to pick up my niece and nephew)
Saturday 19th- Hamburger, Fries and Ice Cream dipped in chocolate (My niece's birthday)
Sunday 20th- Eat Out (Taking my niece and nephew home)

We Are Raising Servants!

My son is 5 years old and I know he is capable of doing chores around the house.  Of course I ask myself "Which chores?".  Last week I started to experiment with what he could handle.  He didn't know it was an experiment:)

Last week, I showed him how to spray the dusting stuff on his cloth and how to dusting in rows- back and forth.  He did the WHOLE house!  I couldn't believe how well he did.  Let's just say he earned himself a job.

Today I sat down to fold laundry and put all of his clothes in one pile.  Off and on I have showed him how to do some folding but I have never had him fold all of his clothes and put them away but today was the day.  He did his pants, shirts, underwear, socks, PJ's...he even helped me with a few things too.  It was great.  Guess what- he earned himself another job!

In the evening, B is in charge of setting the table as well.  It might not be perfect but one more thing he can do to serve the family.

KeeKee, 2 years old, helps too.  She loves to clean so she helps clean with the vinegar and water on the floors or counters.  She is great at helping put the kids dishes and cups away from the dishwasher.

Some people may think why would you do this to a 5 year old and a 2 year old?  At my Mom 2 Mom study last Tuesday we discussed How to Be A Mother and a Person Too.  One of the main things I took from this study was this...
"This "servant season" is not forever; our children will grow up to serve us and others!" - as moms we think all we are just servants to our kids but it doesn't last forever.
AND the big thing I took away was...
"We are raising servants". 
I didn't say "slaves", I said "servants".

(I put these two says on my frig)

Also we were at our friends house on Saturday and the husband had just come home for a parents conference and one of the things he learned at a break out was "don't do for them what they can do for themselves"- to me that is responsibility.

Rant: I learned responsibility early on when one day my brother complained about his basketball clothes not being cleaned and from that day on we were in charge of our own laundry.  We learned young!

I want my children to be able to take care of themselves but ultimately serve others - their families, their friends, their church, their community.  Why not start early!

Plus as a mother why not get a break from doing everything!

Book: Cake Pops

I finally got it!!!  The Cake Pops book that I have waited for from the Library was finally available.  I was reading through it last night and was SO excited.  Not sure how artistic I will get but I am going to try a few things and see what happens.  If you haven't seen it, check it out!

Here is the link to Amazon! - http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cake+pops&x=0&y=0

Free Spring Movies at Canton Cinema

Here is the link to the website for the schedule:

http://www.gqti.com/freemovies.aspx

St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Next Thursday the 17th is St. Patrick's Day!  We are going to celebrate as a family.  I am starting to collect my ideas and I wanted to share them so maybe you could do some of them with your family.  B doesn't have school that day so we will be doing things throughout the day.

I was surprised about the history of St. Patrick's Day, so read up if you haven't already.

**I will continue to add as I find things.**

St Patrick’s Day Party

History: http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-history-971546/

Breakfast:

• Lucky Charms

Lunch:

• Jello Squares for Pot of Gold: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/st-patricks-pot-of-gold-685044/
• Sweet Shamrock Pretzel: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/sweet-shamrocks-685500/- I am going to try and figure out how to fill these or well have something to dip them in.  
• Fruit Rainbow (Thanks Katie- picture above) 
• Green Mac-N-Cheese
• Green Kool Aid

Dinner:

• Pesto Pasta
• Green Salad
• Rainbow Cupcakes: http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/taste-a-rainbow-cupcakes-842128/

Craft:

• Leprechaun Face Mask- P 32 & 33 of Crafts for St Patrick’s Day By Kathy Ross (found at Library)
• Shamrock Pattern: http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-printables/shamrock-pattern-for-st-patricks-day-703395/

Games:

• Scavenger Hunt: http://familyfun.go.com/st-patricks-day/st-patricks-day-games/st-patricks-day-scavenger-hunt-708446/
• Place the clover in the grass- Like pin the tail on the donkey, but we will put the clove in the grass.  My kids LOVE games!!

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad

All I can say is delicious!  I have never really had Blue Cheese before but I had to try this salad when my friend made it.  I feel in love with it.  I have cravings for it like I am pregnant, no I am not pregnant, but I love this salad.

Blue Cheese Chicken Salad
Ingredients:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Chicken Breast
• Grapes
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Blue Cheese
• Candied Pecans
• Blue Cheese Dressing

Boil the Chicken Breast.  Let them cool and cut into bite size pieces.

Wash and cut up the romaine lettuce and place in a bowl.

Place cut up chicken in with the lettuce.

Cut up grapes and place in the bowl.

Add some shredded Mozzarella Cheese.

Add Blue Cheese to the bowl.

Chop your candied pecans and add to bowl.

This dressing is delicious- Marzetti Blue Cheese!

Add a little bit of dressing and mix.  Add more until you have the right amount for you!  Enjoy!