Thursday, April 24, 2014

Menu Plan Monday, Easter Monday

**My morning bike commute have been so gorgeous lately. It makes being healthy so much easier!!**





Menu Plan Monday with Laura at Org Junkie
Upcoming week: 
Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie
We had a big Mitchell family dinner on Monday and there was half a pan of veggies left (I'd made two huge pans), and a half a pan of roasted potatoes added to that. I diced the potatoes smaller, and mixed them with the veggies, one can of corn, a shredded roasted chicken, and two cans of cream of chicken soup. I pulled out two refridgerated pie crusts and rolled them long and flat, lying one on the bottom of my 9x13 pan. Filled that with the leftover mixture, and then topped it all with the other pie shell. Bake 45 minutes at 450. So tasty. 

We were doing our taxes Tuesday night, so it was nice to have this made Monday night and just cooked Tuesday, while I worked on other things. 

Wednesday: YOYO
Wednesday night we were out at our friends, the Whitton's, house. Ana made some wonderful BBQ pulled chicken, cornbread, corn and roasted potatoes. Paul was over the moon with the very american meal. We played Settlers of America and talked (more than Paul would like during game play). It was one of those hang outs that made me feel like I was on vacation with people I really like. It was lovely. It made it possible to forget, for a while, that it was a work night!

Thursday: Paul Meal
Thursday I am out with my admin co workers to celebrate yesterdays Administrative Professionals Day. I've left Paul in charge of feeding our home crew. After dinner I'm headed to my sisters for a final Women's Retreat meeting - our retreat is coming up soon! 

Friday: Chicken Rollatini stuffedMini Pommes Anna, Roasted Vegetables x2 + Dessert
Friday I'm having a coffee date with my cousin LeAnna (it's been a year since we were in the same town!), then hanging out with my nephew Austin (we'll hit up Costco for a new pot set, and make some desserts together), then prep food for a dinner I'm having that night. I'm going to be having some of my coworkers over for dinner - I'm stoked to have them over!

I am not sure which dessert I'll make, I'm going to make two types. Here are the nominees:


Saturday: YOYO
Saturday Paul will be away hunting, so this becomes a "Tara" day. I get to sleep in (!!), then will head downstairs to catch up on some Grey's Anatomy and Survivor. I will probably work on some little projects around the house (I have a sewing machine project brewing, lets see if I'm brave enough!) then I will join the Whitton's and Roos' for dinner and Settlers - they have kindly invited me along to crash their double date and I can't wait!

Sunday: Breakfast Enchiladas / YOYO
Sunday morning I get to make brunch for my Auntie Sandy and cousin LeAnna (and her kids). I'm looking forward to time with them both. It's been way to long. The three of us hung out last February for a weekend and it was lovely. 

Then it's time for church (final sign up for our Womens Retreat), Transformations and then a pre-wedding planning dinner for Mila and Bennie! Woot woot.

In Review: 
Monday: Hot Dogs with sauteed onions, roasted vegetables and salad.
1. I have been craving hot dogs since I bought the Harvest Brand ones at Costco on Friday - they are amazing and hearty and tasty and not cheap at all. 
2. It's warm and sunny and Hot Dogs remind me of summer. 
3. Therefore we are having Hot Dogs for dinner tonight. Boom. I love being in charge. 
May I just say, this dinner was awesome. And after I was done dinner, I went to bed. At 7:30 I went to bed to read, then at 8:30 I went to sleep, while it was light out. #yolo

Tuesday: Lasagna Soup
Thankfully we had a batch of frozen soup left for such a night as this: we had plans before LG to meet with someone. The Soup was great reheated, but I also added meatballs to make it a bit heartier and had Hanne whip up some garlic bread hassleback style. Lifegroup was really great - lots of prayer and time sending out friends out on a missions trip. 

Wednesday: YOYO
Wednesday night we drove out to White Rock to have dinner with our friends, the van Vliets. We had such a lovely time with them - great dinner (seriously, Morgan is a great cook), great conversation - we've been friends with these guys for years and I'm so thankful that married or single (before) we have always connected well with them. We left at 8:30 since the tiredness was coming on strong - I got home at 9 to make lunches and prep the crockpot meal - in bed by 9:45. So tired!

Thursday: Crockpot Soyaki Chicken with green beans and broccoli
I wanted to try a new crockpot recipe but couldn't find the original - I used a bottle of soyaki from Trader Joes and marinated 4 chicken breasts in the sauce overnight, then put in the crockpot for 8 hours on low. I also marinated some green beans in the Soyaki and then sauteed them just before serving. I followed the above recipe for broccoli and it was excellent. Great meal choice. 

I then headed over to my sisters house for our sister night - I got to play for a long time with my nephews - we jumped and wrestled and it was so sweet. I read them a bible story before bed then cuddled with austin, while Jenna cuddled with Connor. I asked Austin what we should pray about and he said we should pray for me (Tara). I said, ok, you can pray I have a baby then. He prayed: "God, I hope Auntie Tara has a baby. I hope she has a baby in her belly. I hope you make her feel better, with medicine." Oh my gosh, my heart melted. From his lips to God's ears, Lord!

I got home around 10 prepared to crash into bed. Paul and I climbed into bed to watch a movie (2012). At 11:30 we paused it to head into the kitchen - I wanted popcorn and he had to meet a friend (John P) at our back door to give him something. John ended up coming in to chat for a bit - just as our roomie Lyndsay came upstairs. The four of us chatted for an hour, then Duncan came in. The five of us chatted until 1:30. Lovely. We sat around the kitchen table with wine and talked late into the night. Then we realized the time and all headed to bed, where Paul and I proceded to finish 2012 until 2:30. Thank goodness for a holiday night!

Friday: Chicken Parmesan WrapsChicken Toquitoes with mexi Rice, chips & sauces. 
We slept in until 10:30 (LOVE IT), cleaned the house, tidied the kitchen and prepped the lunch to take with us to the McCarthy's. We ate with Lindsay, John and Lindsay's mom Anita. Then we lounged on the couch and chatted - I got to hold Wyatt and he was SO SWEET. I loved it. 



Then we headed home, picked up the Roos' on our way, and spent the afternoon prepping for a Mexican Family dinner at my house. The Roos' are amazingly helpful and Hanne brought the cutest Easter treats. Lyndsay was around to help also and I was so thankful for them all! Drian even vacuumed our floors! Can I tell you how blessed I am??? Seriously. 



Then the Mitchell's, and my parents, and Hannah arrived the house was ALIVE with people - 18 of us! We ate, the boys played football outside, and we chatted - the conversation continued until well past 10pm. Love it!

Saturday: YOYO
Saturday we were up at 6am to head down to the states. May is busy so I won't be able to go again until early June so we wanted to do one big stock up - and we discovered a great mexican place for brunch. We got back around 1pm (only a 2 car wait!!) and I did a bunch of food prep and cleaning before we headed off to celebrate Easter with paul's family. It was a lovely night but by 9:30 we were exhausted. We headed home and were asleep by 10pm.

Sunday: YOYO
Which meant that Sunday morning I woke up at 7:30 and couldn't sleep. So I decided to make the most of the day. I got up and removed everything from all the cupboards and moved everything around to streamline our kitchen - I'm so pleased with how it turned out. It took 4.5 hours but by the end it looked awesome. Then I finished organizing all the goods from our shopping trip and loaded up the cellar downstairs and all the food was away! Felt so good. 

I quickly dressed for church and we headed to practice in the Easter Choir. It has been years since I sung in a choir and I LOVED it. We practiced for an hour, sang through the church service and MAN, by the end my throat was sore! Then it was time for an Open House at the Mitchells. It was so great to eat and hang out with the church at large. 







Easter Monday: YOYO
Monday I worked all day, then left at 3 to head home to a family dinner at my the Mitchell's. There were over 30 of us total! Mitchell's, Maxwell's, Morgan's, Wiebe's, Porters, Duerrings, and more! It was a great time to reconnect as family, and play with the kiddos. I left early to go home and prep lunches and the next night's dinner and was in bed by 10pm. Phew! And like that another Easter was over. 

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