Monday Updates

I haven't been around this blog much have I?! I have been spending most of my computer time over at Sharing Memories, blogging pretty much every weekday about some sort of scrappy inspiration! We have had a busy couple of weeks around here - Sam's birthday party and Father's Day celebrations, soccer wrap up and various fun activities like playdates with our friends, visits to the Zoo and Calaway Park. Most days we are outside and weekends have been spent ouside doing yard work and finishing off the landscaping projects begun last year (planting, putting the slats in the fence etc.) We are heading off for a family reunion in a couple of days so the meal plan this week consists of eating all the leftovers from the fridge and BBQing whatever is in the freezer! I'll get back into my menu plans once we are back from holidays.

I am taking another inspiring online class at BPS called "The Challenge of ME" with the wonderful Lisa Day. I haven't been able to keep up with one-layout-a-day, but I am creating LO's about myself, which is new and different and challenging in a whole new way. I am enjoying it and looking forward to having a bit more time to devote to it for the rest of the month.

To my Canandian friends - Happy Canada Day on Wednesday and to my American friends - Happy Fourth of July on, well, the fourth!!!

Happy Scrapping!
Noreen

Menu Plan Monday

This will be a quick post and more for my own reference than anything. I am having a lot of fun on my re-newed Sharing Memories Scrapbooking website and have been posting every weekday about themes, inspiration, great links, layouts and more. I would love you to drop by and let me know what you think. I am planning an official launch for the beginning of July with giveaways and lots of fun, so right now I am simply trying out the features and getting into the habit of writing everyday. So, again, this blog will be just my personal and family stuff, if anyone is interested!

Menu Plan Monday. So here's what's on the menu at the Smith/McAllister house this week: (Oh, and notice how many times Shane gets to exercise his grilling skills this week!)

Sunday - BBQ Hamburgers, potato salad, veggies and dip

Monday - BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, mixed green salad (*make extra chicken for quesadillas on Wednesday)

Tuesday: Orange Ginger Salmon (I marinate salmon fillets in VH Orange Ginger sauce or Knorr Sesame Ginger 30 Minute Marinade then bake in the oven) with white rice & brocoli

Wednesday: Speedy Salsa-Chicken Quesadillas, veggies and dip

Thursday: Soccer night = pasta night! Tortellini in creamy 4 cheese sauce (cook frozen tortellini, drain, add half a jar of bottled Quattro Fromaggio -aka 4 cheese sauce - and a splash of cream. heat until sauce is hot. Add parmesan cheese on top) with a mixed salad.

Friday: Normally pizza night, but I think this week it will be leftover night. Whatever is still in the fridge or freezer is fair game to eat while watching a movie.

Saturday: BBQ steaks, wild rice, asparagus.

That's it! A pretty easy, straightforward week!

Don't forget to check orgjunkie.com for lots (and I mean LOTS) of links to great menus - most of which are way more inspirational than mine!

Have a great week!

Noreen

Miscellaneous Monday

How do you like the new blog design? I love the funky bird! I think I like playing with the blog design as much as I like blogging itself. I spent some time surfing to find a new design and came across Simply Fabulous Blogs (which ARE simply fabulous!) and downloaded this baby. If you want to update your blog here are 5 great sites with cute, FREE blogger templates.

Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates
LeeLou Blogs
Cutest Blog on the Block
Delightful Dots
Birdie Blogs (The little birdie in these blogs is a cutie too)

Have fun!

In addition to playing with the blog I played with the all new Sharing Memories Scrapbooking website. I really like the new design (which I did all by myself thank-you-very-much!) and although I still have a few things to fix and tweak, it is pretty much ready to go. I am planning for a big "grand opening" for the beginning of July, but do drop by and tell me what you think.

I plan on posting regular scrapbooking features, articles and layouts on that site and will leave this site for my personal and family stuf. I love keeping this blog because as I look back on it, it becomes like a diary or journal - priceless.

In other news...it's Menu Plan Monday!

What an easy week! I only have to really "cook" a couple of nights and I have most of the ingredients in the house so it will be a quick trip to the grocery store as well.

Sunday: BBQ Steaks with baked potatoes, asparagus and salad. (Since Shane had a conference meeting, we didn't have the steaks as planned last week for Saturday night, so this was ready to go on Sunday)

Monday: Texas Two-Step Chicken with rice

Tuesday: Meatloaf with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursdays: Soccer night = Pasta night! Meat tortellini (frozen) with 4 cheese sauce (bottled) with veggies & dip

Friday: Pizza & Caesar salad. (And a little red wine for the grown-ups)

Saturday: EATING OUT! YAY!


Don't forget to visit orgjunkie to see all the inspiring menu plans others have posted. I have found many a good recipe out of that list!

Have a great day!

I Like Mondays.

*edited: I started playing around with my blog design while writing this post and have screwed it all up! Sorry if it was messed up while you were reading. I'll be fixing it in the next couple of days!

Call me crazy, but I like Mondays. I like the feeling of having a fresh start and a day to get organized after the busy-ness of the weekend. A day to get back into our routines and plan out the week, including of course what we will eat! So, here's this weeks Menu plan:

Sunday: (we had) BBQ hambrugers, buns, corn on the cob, potato salad

Monday: Pork chops in mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, mixed veg.

Tuesday: Chicken, wild rice pilaf and broccoli

Wednesday: Leftovers!

Thursday: Skillet Mac & Cheese (sort to flike Hamburger Helper, but homemade and MUCH better) along with veggies & dip

Friday: Pizza and Caesar Salad

Saturday: BBQ steaks, asparagus and new baby potatoes

As you can tell, now that the weather is good we cook outside a lot! I love that we can BBQ again - our grill was out of commission for a while, but Shane is back at it, tongs in hand. And whenever the weather is decent, he is ready to go!

(I can remember when I was young my dad used to be crazy enough to BBQ in the middle of winter - he would be outside with his down parka and touque when it was 20 below, tending to those steaks! What can I say - We Love Alberta Beef! But I wish I had a picture of that now!)

Anyway, Sammy is still sick, so I am not sure how much work I will actually get done today, but I am hoping to plan his upcoming first birthday party, get several loads of laundry done and organize my scrapbooking supplies after finishing up LOAD yesterday. Yes, I actually scrapped one layout per day for 31 days straight! Not all of them of stellar, but I learned how to choose my themes, photos and products quickly and get them together FAST! I loved it! And If Lain does it again, I'm signing up!

You can see all 31 LO's here, but I will leave you with a few of my favorites:

Happy Scrapping!
Noreen