Texas Tuesday

While the kids are busy embracing Texas this week at school (more about this when all is said and done) I thought I needed to continue providing insight on all things Texan.   One of the places I've been wanting to feature is:  

Yep, you read that right.   Cheaper Than Dirt GUNS, is located right next to my neighborhood Target.   It's "nice" to know that one can pick up any of their gun needs while out running errands.   More Texas insight (hopefully from my kids point of view) next Tuesday...stay tuned!      

These are a few of my Favorite Things + Recipe

Can I bare to repeat how awesome EMEALS has been for me?    Just wanted to encourage you once again to join because not only do they now have an all organic plan AND a Whole Foods plan that matches up the coupons and specials deals of the week, BUT I also found out I get a pretty awesome kickback if you do : )   So make sure if you are convinced by my sales pitch to click on this link:

 

 eMeals Easy Meals for Busy and Frugal Families

Due to some new diet changes in our family (namely the removal of dairy) the Whole Foods plan has been pretty awesome for our family and believe it or not has fit in our budget (as long as I replace 2 of the meals with a spaghetti and breakfast night!).    Let me give you an example of a recipe that my mom and I had last week that I NEVER would have tried before, but was delicious : )   (mom, this is the round about way I am sending you this recipe...)   

Sausage, White Bean and Collard Green Soup

1 lb hot Italian Sausage, casings removed 

1 c chopped onion and 1 t minced garlic

6 c low-sodium chicken broth   (**another $$ saving tip is to make your own!)  

16 oz pkg frozen chopped collard greens, thawed

2-15oz cans cannellini beans, drained.   

In a lg Dutch oven (aka a big ol' pot...) cook sausage, onion and garlic until sausage is browned and crumbly.   Drain.  Add broth, collard greens and beans.   Bring to a boil and reduce heat.  Simmer 20 min. Serve with cornbread (Found in the bakery section of Whole Foods if you're short on time!)   

Enjoy!   I'm off to make Fettuccine in a olive oil sauce with peas and lemon zest for the night... (and believe it or not I think Eli and Anna are stuck in Anna's crib and I need to bail them out.)  

EAisms

Anna: 

*"Uh Oh.  I dropped Jesus, Mommy."   (in reference to dropping the bible.) 

*"Look mom.  Birthday fire!"  (in reference to birthday candles)

*"Lets pick up emails" (in reference to picking up mail from the mailbox)

*Lately she's been calling Todd, "Daddy-O".   We love it : ) 

*Every time we read a book to her she then has to repeat her version back to us. 

*The other day I was singing and she looked at me with a stern look on her face and said, "No.  M'am." 

Eli:

*Back in December I told Eli he needed to dress up for his Christmas program.   It took him a while to figure our what that meant.   He went from wanting to Dress up like Santa, to wanting to dress in Christmas pajamas.   I guess we don't use the term 'dress up' in this house unless we are referring to costumes : )  

*Also during December while all the Christmas tunes were filling the radio waves Eli heard Lois Armstrongs version of "Zat you Santa Clause?" and asked if it was Elmo singing.   It seriously does if you just close your eyes and listen : )  

*While watching a commercial intently Eli said, "mom!  Anna needs that!"   I look over and it's a commercial about a college savings plan : )   (By the way, yes you are right Eli.   She does. ) 

*One night at bedtime Anna was throwing one of her new 2 year old fits while Todd was tucking Eli in.   Eli told Todd, "Dad, could you go and get Anna?   Her crying is hurting my feelings".   

*For my birthday he was dreaming up what my cake should look like.   He said, "I know...you can get a cake with FAMILY icing".   He knows what I love : ) 

*He has two ages he does not want to reach for various reasons.   He's frightened to turn 5 because he thinks that's when his teeth will start falling out.   He's says he doesn't want to turn 11 because ONE TIME I said, "Eli please don't ever turn 11"...{sigh}.   

*His occupational therapist is reevaluating him (more on this another blog) and she asked him to draw a person.   This time he DID draw the outside of a person (unlike last time when he drew the heart and lungs) but when she asked for him to describe the different parts he pointed to the fingers and said "those are the phalanges". 

*** Hope this made your day!  Especially  you, Jewels : )  ***

Lets Roll!

Sorry dear blog.   It's been awhile.   I have a lot of ideas brewing in my head to share with you, but before I move on I want to make sure I document a monumental event in my son's life.   HE LEARNED TO RIDE A BIKE!!   Todd and I always heard that if he learned to ride on a skuut first he would be able to go straight to a bike without training wheels.   As he was outgrowing his skuut (quite literally he was too tall for it!)  we new it was time to see if the rumor was true.  After dragging our heels for a few months we finally bought him a bike for Christmas.   We took him to the neighborhood school parking lot and 5 minutes later he was riding a bike!!  We are all elated!!!  It is our new favorite thing to do...every day.   He has 2 lightposts that he is allowed to ride between on our street and he can do it for over an hour! : )   Way to go buddy!!!

P.S. I am also tagging this as one of my "Favorite Things" because I highly recommend if you have a toddler/preschooler that you go out and get a skuut!!!