Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday is always such a blessing to me.

And when life is frazzled and hectic, I feel like I need to count every blessing I have.

I am thankful for my sons. There was a time that I lamented having no daughters. But now, I realize that God gave me exactly what I needed and that I am well suited to be the mom of boys.

I am thankful for my husband. Many would consider him a diamond in the rough, but to me, he is a true gem - a balance for me, helping me stay grounded and real.

I am thankful for my job, even though it is often a source of stress for me. God supplies all I need to do it.

Take time to count your blessings today.

Roller Coaster

Oh, the agony of watching my son wait for friends that were supposed to be here an hour ago...
catching him crying in the garage because he thinks they forgot...
wanting to cry along with him....
and then the relief when I tell him I've called and they are on their way....
and the ecstasy when they finally arrive...
and the agony again of not wanting to sleep....
and the tears of being uncomfortable in a room where they insisted on building a 'fort' with the door closed....
and then the quiet after they are all emotionally spent.
The Birthday Sleepover.

Menu Plan Monday

I can't believe that October is almost over... and we will be celebrating my baby's 8th birthday. WOW... it doesn't seem like it could have been that long ago.
We've got another eventful week ahead. Check out more menus on Menu Plan Monday!
Sunday~ sandwiches & chips (Hubby had a work day at a local cemetery with his History Club, and we have an entire SIX FOOT SUB left over... so that will cover lunches for the week!!)
Monday~ Pasta fagioli (I add beef to mine), breadsticks
Tuesday~ BBQ pork sandwiches, pasta salad
Wednesday~ Turkey club salads, twice baked potatoes
Thursday~ Fend for Yourself - mom's got rehearsal!
Friday~ ds#3's birthday celebration begins: pizza for buddies who are spending the night
Saturday~ after a birthday party with friends, we will be going to the FAIR!

Menu... Monday... PLAN!

It's October. It is amazing to me... how time flies, yet can drag on a daily basis. This is a very busy week (next week will be also), so I'm planning accordingly. I'll be using the crock pot and food from the freezer this week to make things go a little smoother.
Last week... son #2 ended up taking us out to eat on Wednesday as his treat before he had to report to his base, so we enjoyed that, and he was proud that he could treat us. The jewelry party previously scheduled for Friday was canceled, as I was feeling under the weather, and darling hubby brought dinner home.
On to this week...
Sunday~ out to eat (son #3 went to a birthday party, so it was just hubby & me)
Monday~ chicken breasts with mushroom gravy (like this recipe without the mustard, and in the crock), egg noodles, tossed salad, crescent rolls
Tuesday~ concert at school, includes pizza & drinks!
Wednesday~ breakfast for dinner: waffles, hashbrown casserole, bacon, eggs
Thursday~ must-goes OR roast & mashed potatoes from the freezer (Mom has an evening rehearsal)
Friday~ Soup & sandwiches that I never made last week
Saturday~ Beef tenderloin on the grill, baked potatoes, broccoli

Check out more menu marvelous-ness at Menu Plan Monday!

Monday, Monday, Monday... Menu, Menu, Menu

Isn't the new "fall banner" from Organized Junkie just too cute???! It makes me feel autumnal... even though here, we don't really get an official SEASON of fall... it's more like a few days of cooler temps and then more HOT, and then BOOM! It's winter. Anyway, it's time to plan another menu, so here goes.
Sunday~ another roast in the crock pot, with pearl onions and mushrooms, served over mashed potatoes, and a green salad on the side.
Monday~ I have learned that Mondays require the crock pot. Or else my husband will look at me and say, "You're too tired to cook" (which is true) and then "Let's go out to dinner" (and I cave). So this Monday, it's Brown Sugar Chicken, which is like a teriyaki style chicken. We'll have rice and steamed broccoli to go with.
Tuesday~ Pasta carbonara, tossed salad, breadsticks (my recipe is loosely based on Robin Miller's, but I don't make it as saucy, and I usually add a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese because I love it!)
Wednesday~ Soup & sandwiches (we're having those 'fake fall' temperatures that make me think I might actually see some changing leaves...)
Thursday~ Pizza and cheese sticks from the freezer.
Friday~ supposed to be a jewelry party originally planned for August, but we never made it. So if no one gets sick and the river don't rise... we'll have a houseful of ladies eating lady-style finger foods and the boys will probably run away and fend for themselves. With burgers & fries or something.
Saturday~ probably either leftovers or something on the grill.
What's cookin' at your house? Share at Menu Plan Monday.

Thankful Thursday

My son is home. YEA!!!!!!!! He graduated from Air Force basic training in June, and we have not seen him since then. Before that, it was April. We missed him terribly and are thrilled to have him home for a couple of weeks.

I have also had some technical issues at school, and those are now resolved. Which makes my life much easier.

And finally, my classes seem to have settled down just enough to make them a little more tolerable... things are still crazy, but should start to taper off, and we can all begin to get into a routine of sorts. I think.

Thank you, God, that your grace is sufficient for me.
Share your thanks at Thankful Thursday.