Here, There and Everywhere plus a Meal Plan

Oh my goodness, would someone please stop the world just for a day or two?  Things have been crazy around here.  I can't figure out a way to do justice to each event, yet I also can't seem to move forward until I do, so here's a hurried recap of some highlights.

We went to Cincinnati this year to celebrate my birthday with my parents.  It was a lot of fun and I felt very lucky to share that day with them.  I look around my house and I see many, many wonderful things my parents have given me over the years, but the most important thing that they've given to me was to instill in me a sense of family.  I know, without a shadow of a doubt that the best thing I have in my life is my family--I am blessed to have parents who love me completely, I have a husband whom I love and who loves me, I have 4 wonderful children who I could not love anymore and who I am blessed that they show that love to me in return.  Truly love of family is the driving force in my life and it guides the decisions that I make.

The Sunday after my birthday we came home and Jason, Lori, Matt & Lily came over to celebrate with me.  Jason made me an incredible dinner.  Chicken!  (Exclamation is because Jason's a vegetarian and he not only does not eat meat, it grosses him out to handle it as well.  That was true Mommy-love and very much appreciated.)  Lori baked me a delicious cake, chocolate, with chocolate frosting, yum!  They brought me beautiful flowers and great movies, but most of all it was fun to feel so spoiled and loved.

Last week, we celebrated Passover and Easter and it was wonderful.  I missed Rebekah, lots, but that's the way it goes sometimes.  We got to share other times with Jason, Matt and Lily (Lori was away), or my parents, and Jacob and Julianna always love being surrounded by family.


Of course, there was cooking.  Oh the cooking!  I'm feeling a little cooked-out, but hopefully that's temporary.  I need to get much better about taking pictures, I'm sorry that I don't have any here, too busy living in the moment, I guess.  (Okay, truth in advertising here, too busy running around like a chicken with my head cut off is much more accurate.) Some of the highlights from the last three days:   Matzo Ball Soup (delicious!), Wedding Soup (yum!), skirt steak fajitas, grilled veggies, con queso rice and beans, citrusy-spicy black beans, sausage-egg pizza roll (Wow!, so delicious, easy and well-received, I cannot wait to make this again.  My version used breakfast sausage, mushrooms, eggs and cheddar-jack cheese, seriously yum!), brown sugar-honey glazed ham (best ham I have ever made!  I wish everyone in my family enjoyed ham, but sadly my guys do not), the Holy-Grail of sweet potatoes, crockpot green beans w/ham hocks...I've been cooking a lot, and thankfully, everything turned out really, really well.  Ironically, last night I had to go buy a new garbage disposal, I guess the weekend was just too much for it.  :)


This week, for better or worse, is going to be much easier.  Well, at least until the weekend.  Saturday Rebekah's coming home (Yay!) and bringing a friend with her (Yay! Yay!), so it will be back to cooking.  :)  Check out more Meal Plans at Organizing Junkie's.

Tonight, there's leftover Matzo Ball Soup or Wedding Soup.
Tuesday (dance, piano):  Spaghetti & Meatballs w/baby broccoli, brownie bites
Wednesday (I'm out with some friends):
Thursday:  Pulled pork sandwiches, cole slaw, baked sweet potato fries
Friday (date night)
Saturday lunch: 
Saturday dinner:  Marinated flank steak, loaded baked potatoes, garlic butter roasted mushrooms, salad
Sunday brunch:  Waffles w/ strawberries and ham
Sunday dinner:


Mark's still struggling with his cough.  He's having some testing this week, I'd appreciate it if you said a prayer for him that it's nothing serious.  I'm mostly sure it's not a big deal, but it's been going on a very long time and it does worry me.