New Years

Do you make New Years Resolutions?? Are you making any this year? As the husband and I were talking about this we decided that we NEVER stick to a New Year's resolution anyway so why make one. So this year we decided to make a set of goals that we want to work on through out that year. These goals are a bit more attainable then the resolutions we've set in the past.

I will not share Jeff's because they are personal and maybe he doesn't want the whole world (or the 2 of you who read this) to know his goals for himself. I made 2 sets of goals. Personal and Financial

1. Patience!
2. Eating healthier as a family (as in less eating out more cooking)
3. Cook my way through at least 1 cookbook this year
4. Being more active. (working out at least 3 times per week)
5. Run/walk in the 5k in July.
6. Less Internet/me time, and more family activities
7. Work on my relationship with God/Family/Friends

Financial:
1. No credit card debt.
2. Pay off our vehicles
3. Less "wild hair in my butt" spending sprees

Obviously some of these are more long term, but it gives me something to work towards instead of say this is exactly what I'm doing!

Make sure to comment on what your goals for 2011 are! :)

Master Jeff

I'm so very proud of my amazing husband. He graduated this past weekend with his Masters in Education! He can now be a principle! He is so excited to finally be finished and be able to do what he has always dreamed of doing! :)

Dogs and Best Friends

It's been a while since I posted. I did find a picture I wanted to show off though! Madisyn is SCARED of any type of animal. We decided it was time to get a dog so she could get used to it! Here she is 6 months later (and many tears later) with her new best friend!

Menu

My menu this week was even easier then last week if you can believe it! My amazing husband graduates on Friday with his Master's in Administration!!! We are SOOO proud of him, but that also means a little more eating out too!

Monday: Nachos I found in a biggest loser cookbook (recipe to come)

Tuesday: Shepard's Pie (freezer)

Wednesday: WW Chicken burrito soup

Thursday: Left Overs

Friday: Eat out (GRADUATION DAY)

Saturday and Sunday: Jeff and I are going on a little vacation for his present, so we are off to the casino's and will be eating prime rib and crab! :)

Menu Planning

This week was very easy to menu plan. We have a lot of different activities going on, so it was easy to fill in the blanks!

Monday: Pizza night on homemade wheat dough

Tuesday: We are going to a concert so we are eating at Chili's

Wednesday: Chicken

Thursday: Chili Feed (fundraiser for school)

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Meatballs

Sunday: Christmas party for work

There ya have it. Pretty simple. Lunches will be leftovers and other hodge podge stuff we have around :)

KIKU

As promised more on our trip to Illinois. Now, being from a small, okay tiny, town we have yet to experience a Japanese restaurant. We had the pleasure of going to Kiku's in Naperville, Ill. This was quite the experience to say the least. The big fire at the beginning scared the crap out of my 2 year old, but she was also freakishly good at using chopsticks.

We all ordered basically the same thing we had chicken/salmon and our friends had chicken/steak. The kiddo's all had Pirates chicken. They all loved it. They soaked in every minute! They watched very intently and I have to admit that it was the best my kids had eaten for a LONG time. We decided whenever we wanted them to eat, we would start letting them help us cook. Which I realize we should usually let them help in someway, but I do NOT like messes so it had always been hard for me to let them help. I am getting better though!

All in all it was a fantastic experience and I will definitely be trying that again! :)
M was seriously amazing at using her chopsticks!

J had a hard time at first, but once he got the kid ones he rocked them! :)

Recipe of the Week

Healthy Chicken PotPie

This is a recipe I found a few years ago when I was doing weight watchers. It is an awesome alternative to the normal fat packed food. This is a perfect comfort food! I had actually forgotten about how delicious this was until yesterday. I cooked this for lunch and new right away that this would be my recipe of the week!

Ingredients

• 1 cup reduced fat Bisquick ( I use the one in the white box the Heart smart one)
  
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 2 cups frozen mixed veggies, thawed (any style)
• 2 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and chopped
• 2 cans Campbell's fat- free cream of mushroom ( I used 1 can of the mushroom and 1 can of the chicken)
  
• Cooking spray

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with Pam
• Mix together vegetables, chicken and soup
• Pour into prepared pan
• In another bowl, mix Bisquick, milk and egg
• Pour dough mix over the top of chicken mixture
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden