Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

This is not a new thing.  It's an old thing.  A VERY old thing.  When we were kids, we loved to eat macaroni and cheese.  It is amazing and a staple of my childhood.  It's my dad's own original recipe.  We called it "light macaroni and cheese" not because it is good for you (don't make that mistake - this is NOT a healthy dish), but because it was either this kind or the "dark" kind from the little blue box.  If Dad asked which one we wanted, we always said light.  He would keep the little blue box around for convenience sake, but what we loved most, was his own invented homemade macaroni and cheese. Get ready.

This is what you will need:

• Milk (the thicker the better, obviously - mine is 2%)
• 8-10 oz Velveeta
• 1 pkg pasta
• 1 stick butter

We almost always have everything above on hand.  The only exception is Velveeta, which I have refused to buy as of late due to the fact that it cost $5.99/brick!  However, I realized that I can get at least three meals out of a brick of Velveeta, which really means I only spent $2 on that part of the meal.  I got the pasta on sale, the butter and milk were cheap, so this meal feeds my entire family for under $4.  And it's stinking delicious.  Okay - I'll cave.

1. Cook the pasta to desired tenderness.  While the pasta is cooking, chop Velveeta into bite-sized pieces.

2.  Once pasta is done, drain and return to pan. Slice butter into squares (so it melts quicker and more evenly) and add butter and cheese to pasta.  Cover.  Add milk as Velveeta melts. 

I always start with what I know is way too little milk, stir, and cover for a few minutes.  Then I come back, stir again, and add more milk.  Repeat this process until it looks like this:

 Ahh...perfection.  We had this dish this week.  My son gobbled it up, as did my husband who said, "This is particularly good tonight."  Well, I aim to please.  And this dish makes it super easy.

Yummy!

Menu Plan: Week 2

Week 1 went pretty well, though we did not do the pizza.  I can't remember what we did in place of it, but we did NOT eat out, so that was good.  Also, on our "grab something quick" night, the kiddo and I ended up eating with my parents and my husband was taken out to dinner by some folks he works with (which is good, because we still have two more weeks until payday and the grocery fund is dwindling...)

• MONDAY - Dinner at the WU dining hall! We are a "friendship family" to a couple of international students and we are meeting them tonight and eating dinner on campus.  A first since living in the LLC nearly 10 years ago!
• TUESDAY - Grilling! My cousins and their significant others are joining us for dinner Tuesday night.  We are taking care of drinks, chips, and meat of some kind.  I was planning to see what was on sale at the store this week and go from there, but it will probably be chicken or pork chops.
• WEDNESDAY - Homemade Macaroni & Cheese - this is the best stuff ever made.  And I'm not exaggerating.  I grew up on this stuff, and my family loves it. HOWEVER, it is pricy because it includes Velveeta, which is averaging about $6/brick. Yikes.  The good news is I can get several meals out of one brick, so we should be good.  My husband likes to cook up smoked sausage with this dish, and since we have some in the fridge, we should be in good shape.  If I remember I will photograph and post this recipe...it is my dad's, and it's the best.
• THURSDAY - Night at church...we grab dinner out.
• FRIDAY - We are headed to Tulsa to see my niece right after school, so this will probably be dinner on the road.

It truly is my goal to stick to our plan of only grabbing dinner out on Thursdays, but with our trip and our friendship family, we are unable to do so this week.  Oh well!

Teaching Year #7: New Direction

Looking at my job as a life mission is hard when I have a child at home.  I have mentioned this in so many words before.  Since my son was born nearly three years ago, my outlook on my job has become...well, dispassionate.  My focus went from my job to my family (nothing wrong with that), but I overshot it when I somehow convinced myself I would not be happy unless I stayed home.

The truth?  God doesn't want my happiness - he wants my holiness.  He wants me to obey Him, not me.  Our pastor preached about this last year and it has been all over me ever since.  You mean, God doesn't want me to be happy? (No, that's not what that means.) You mean, I am not going to get to achieve this life dream of staying home with my kids? (Again, not what that means.) You mean, God is going to call me to live in misery?  (Haven't you spent your entire life in church as a student of who God is?  Don't you know Him any better than that?)  I've tried to get rid of it, to convince myself that it doesn't apply to my life,  or (better yet) to find a place in scripture to refute that claim, but there is no escape.  This is a truth that has been VERY hard to swallow. 
 After this summer, I have realized - fully - that obedience:

1. Hurts - but only for a little while.  When we moved to Lawrence, we were following God's clear direction.  But that didn't make it hurt any less.  However, once there, I fell in love with the city, the people, the grocery stores - all of it.  Was I happy initially?  No.
2. Brings about true joy.  Lawrence was where we belonged - at least for that short point in our lives.  Once I got over my own hurt and frustration, I learned more, grew more, and loved more than I ever had before.  I was obeying, and, in short, God was making me holy.
3. Is a choice.  I have to choose to be obedient.  Circumstance can force it upon me, but until I choose to embrace it, I am just like my two-year-old - scowling at the world from the time-out chair, raising my chin and refusing to see that obedience
4. Brings freedom.  I have carried this burden of wishing things were different for the past three years.  If I can just surrender this, and embrace that my life is the way it is because God has ordained it that way, wouldn't things get easier? Wouldn't I have joy? Wouldn't I be...happy?

Yes.

Being passionate about my job - about my kids - does not mean I am loving my family less.  God wants me to experience joy, but His joy, not mine.  Mine is frail, shabby, and has no sticking power.  His is real and forever.  Being obedient now doesn't mean I am surrendering my life dream of staying home with my kids.  It's just not happening now.  And if I'm living in misery, it's of my own doing.

Armed with this knowledge, I am a different teacher this year.  I am remembering how I felt in my first few years, when bright, smiling - or better yet - indifferent, despondent, even angry faces, were a challenge I couldn't wait to get my hands on.  I am remembering what it feels like to invest in young people and begin to see the fruits of my labor.  And I am remembering that I am in this building with these co-workers teaching these kids because the God of the Universe has made it so.

Who am I to disobey?

New Recipies

I have tried several new recipes in the last few weeks...but I have been TERRIBLE about taking pictures :(  Here are my repeats:

Shrimp Pasta - Pioneer Woman

This was delicious fresh and SO GOOD as leftovers at lunch time!  I made a few changes to make use of what I already had:

• Used shredded chicken instead of shrimp (and I think tuna would work well, if you like tuna)
• Used dried spices instead of fresh :/

I'd like to make it again using actual shrimp, but I'll have to wait until it goes on sale.  The heavy whipping cream was also a bit pricy...

Honey Roasted Red Potatoes - RedPotatoRecipies.org

I made this for our life group and it was so yummy!  I (of course) chopped an entire onion instead of the three tablespoons and I chopped them into bite-sized pieces instead of dicing them.  I used the dry mustard and the whole thing turned out to be so delicious...and EASY!

Here are my probably-not repeats:

Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken - Cara's Creature Comforts

This was a colossal fail.  I was excited about this recipe because I could throw it in the crock pot before school and pull it out when I got home. It started out well:

And looked great in the crock pot:

But it was not good.

As best as I can tell, it should have cooked for 6-8 hours instead of 10.  I think it would have been much better, as the sauce seemed overcooked.  My husband was a trooper and ate one entire chicken thigh...and then all the rest of the corn bread. :)  He affirmed me for trying something new, which was very much appreciated.

Apple Breakfast Bread - Allrecipes.com

This recipe was okay.  I combined everything exactly as it stipulated in the instructions, but the batter came out doughy...like cookies.  I checked and rechecked and everything looked right, so I baked them anyway.  I put them in 3 very small loaf pans, and they turned out fine, but not as delicious as I was hoping.  I did warm a few slices and eat them with butter for breakfast this week.  I froze the others, along with four small loaves of banana bread, using my very trusty Better Homes and Garden recipe.  IT was delicious. :)

Menu Plan: Husband's First Week!

My husband starts school/work this week, so as I'm planning the menu, I must think now not only about dinner, but meals that yield enough leftovers for both of us to take lunch the next day.  I have a trusty supply of burritos in the freezer for the nights we are out or unable to squeeze leftovers out of our meals, but I'm going to try to do leftovers for nearly every meal.

Some of the meals where we always have plenty of leftovers are:

• Spaghetti
• Baked Ziti (I'll post this recipe sometime...it's phenom and SO easy)
• Tacos
• Chicken Enchiladas (a staple at our house)
• Roast!
• Homemade Mac & Cheese
• Ham & Cheese Rolls
• Bierocks
• Braids (like this one)
• Any kind of soup

I think I'm going to try to sneak a soup into this week's menu!  I say "sneak" because my husband is not a fan of soup unless the weather is cool.  Also, over the past few weeks I have used grocery cash for several things for which I'm waiting to be reimbursed.  Translation?  I need to spend very little money this week.  Here is what I'm thinking:

• MONDAY -  BLTs, pasta salad, and fruit - This makes good use of what we already have -  I don't need to buy a single thing! 
• TUESDAY -  Homemade Pizza - If we use left over bacon from last night and cheese, we should have everything for this recipe, too!  No leftovers, but for lunch Wednesday we'll take ham and cheese rolls, which I plan to make over the weekend.  I have all the ingredients for them, too!
• WEDNESDAY - Wednesday is our church/class night.  My son and I go to Awanas at church and my husband goes to class.  That means he eats on his own and we eat on our own.  It will probably be something quick, like Grilled Cheese or PB&J.
• THURSDAY - Night at church...we grab dinner out.
• FRIDAY - Chili!  Yum...how I love me some chili! We are having a friend over that evening, so I think it will be very nice, especially if the weather stays cool! We have all the ingredients for this too, including cinnamon rolls!

So this is my dinner menu without making a trip to the grocery store.  I did hit up Hy-Vee yesterday for $.99 eggs, $1.18 shredded cheese, $.79 cake mix, and cheap laundry detergent. We may still need a few things, like milk, cereal, and fresh fruit, but it shouldn't be more than $10.

New Step: Daycare

Our moms rock.  For the past two-and-a-half years, they have cared for our son, saving us thousands and thousands of dollars and, more importantly, giving us peace of mind knowing he was in the diligent and capable hands of the women who raised us.  There are no words which would adequately convey the depth of our gratitude for this service.

But it's time.  My son is two-and-a-half and in desperate need of regular contact with peers.  We have always been of the belief that socialization with his peers throughout his young years and into school is one of the most important experiences we can give him.  And now, thanks to my husband's GTA, we are able to afford it!

I checked all over looking for a preschool that would take my son this year, but in our area, preschool doesn't start until age three, and he won't be three for several months yet.  So, when a friend at church said she was toying with the idea of starting an in-home daycare, I immediately told her she'd have at least one part-timer.

We start Monday.  She's got a curriculum set up and everything!  I've already been obsessing over what we need to bring, what route to take in the mornings, and what kind of report I should expect at the end of the day.  Many of my friends have sent their kids off to kindergarten for the first time this week.  In watching them do so, I've found myself looking forward to that day, not for me - I'm sure I'll be a mess just like everyone else when that day comes - but for him.  My own school experience was just like everyone else's, I'm sure - full of ups and downs, but rich in relationships and an adventure I wouldn't trade for anything on Earth.  I know it's not kindergarten, but I am so excited to drop my son off at daycare Monday and pick him up in the afternoon.  I know it's going to be so good for him, and I know he is going to love it.

And We're Off...

Today was the first day of school.  You many not be able to tell from the picture, but kids have definitely been here.

I really love the first day of school.  My desk is covered in papers, there are miscellaneous supplies all over the place, and yes, I found a homework assignment on the floor.  Ooops.  I helped open lockers, I walked kids to class, I helped them find buses, I stood ALL DAY LONG, and I am hungry.  My feet hurt, my voice is sore, and I am exhausted, but I have 122 bright, new faces to see each day.  I have co-workers I love and administrators I trust. 

It's going to be a great year.

Menu Plan: First Week of School

I basically took a break from menu planning all summer because, well, it's summer. One of the perks is lack of schedule, right?

But now that school's starting up, I figured I'd better have one in place for the coming week - and this will be a week of serious chaos!  I stumbled upon this blog written by a friend of mine from high school and found several new recipes to try. Check it out!

• MONDAY - Tacos! I have rediscovered tacos now that my son likes them and asks for them. I have never really liked them because of the mess, but just got over it.  Beef was on sale a few weeks ago and my favorite cooking blog has a great recipe for making your own taco seasoning! I love it! I'm planning to brown a few pounds of it this afternoon and freeze to make this an even quicker meal.  I'm planning to use any leftovers to make burritos for the freezer.  These make great, quick lunches for me at school.
• TUESDAY - (first day with kids) Grilled cheese and ravioli.  This will make for a quick, easy meal at the end of a LONG day.
• WEDNESDAY - Crock pot Honey Garlic Chicken.  This is from my friend's blog.  It looks delicious and it's a crock pot recipe that literally cooks all day!  I am gone for ten hours a day, and most crock pot recipes I have found call for cooking 6-8 hours, and since my crock pot isn't timed, I have to pass or risk burning the food :/ I'm excited to try this one, which cooks from the time I leave to the time I get home! And, I already have all the ingredients except chicken thighs, and those are relatively cheap!  I think I'll make some potatoes and a veggie as a side, and I picked up both at the farmer's market!
• THURSDAY - Thursday is our one night to grab dinner out.  My husband works at the church that day and we usually meet him with dinner before rehearsal that night.
• FRIDAY - Life group, and we will bring some kind of dish appropriate for the occasion - probably dessert. :)  I am thinking these, or perhaps just brownies and ice cream :)

I am also looking to try this recipe tonight for dinner.  I have heard much about the Pioneer Woman, but have never visited her site or tried a recipe until yesterday when I was killing time online.  I'm going to have to use chicken instead of shrimp, but I will let you know how this new recipe goes.

My New Classroom

This is my seventh year of teaching.  I had gotten pretty comfortable in my classroom, but when my next-door co-worker left us for another school (boo), I realized the silver lining was that I could now have his classroom!  It's way better than mine - it has a sink and bookshelves!  It was really designed to be the reading classroom, so I moved in.

Enter a TON of work.  I knew it was going to be a pain, but it was, like, ten times the work I expected!  However, after 1.5 days during the summer, a little bit here and there over the last three in-service days, and today's work day, it looks like this:

View from the door

View from my desk - the counter needs work, but I have to wait for the tech guys to finish setting up my workstation first.

View from back corner

In addition to the new room, I'm trying a few new things this year.  One of them is keeping glue sticks on the tables.  Each time we use our ISNs - which is very often - students need to use glue sticks to glue their work into their ISNs.  Last year I had them in one location, which meant transition time. In order to eliminate this, I have placed a basket on each table with glue sticks.

It also includes highlighters and a pair of scissors.  I bought them in six different colors as well 1) because I like it that way and 2) because when I do seating charts, I can just say "This group at the red table" instead of "the table closest to the door" or whatever.

I'm a little nervous about my last new thing, and that's having the students keep their ISNs in these crates at the front of the room:

Last year I kept them on a shelf, but this year I wanted books on my shelves, now that I have actual built-in bookshelves.  I got the idea for crates from a co-worker.  She sets it up so that the first student in gets all the ISNs out and lays them on the carpet nicely.  Then students can just come in and grab theirs.  We'll see how it goes.

This is a very exciting time of the year. I miss getting to spend so much time with my family, but I love the normalcy of a routine and being productive all day long.  I also really love seventh graders at the beginning of the year. They are so nervous and afraid they are going to get lost or shoved into a locker. It's nice to be able to help put their minds at ease.

School starts Tuesday...can't wait!

Happy Anniversary: Mom & Dad

Today is my mom and dad’s 37^th wedding anniversary.  When I was a kid, anniversaries didn’t really mean much, but now that I’m an adult and married myself, I understand what an accomplishment 37 years of marriage really is.

My parents have been through a lot during their marriage – being poor, schooling, multiple jobs, being without jobs, sickness, depression, having two children within two years of each other and all the hardships that go along with raising children, losing parents, becoming empty nesters – and a whole host of other things, some of which I don’t even know about.

I have learned a ton about marriage from watching them. I have learned when to speak and when to be silent (though I don’t always execute it appropriately).  I have learned how to bear an unequal share of the load while the other invests in the future.  I have learned how to be a parenting team, united not always in method, but always in dedication.  And I am learning how to love him more than me.

But the most important lesson my parents taught me is commitment. My parents rarely argued in front of us, but I do remember hearing them one time and asking whether they were going to get divorced.  My mom dropped the conversation with my dad and immediately got down in front of me and said, “No.  We may argue and fight, but we will never get divorced because we made a commitment to each other.  A commitment is when you make a promise you will never ever break.  And that’s what marriage is.  Never forget that, and don’t let anyone tell you different.”

I haven’t, and I won’t.  I love you both.  Happy Anniversary.