Sunday, December 18, 2011

Meal Plan Sunday

Monday: Bean soup from the freezer
Appetizer for party: Italian Veggie Dip

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

Thursday: Turkey noodle soup with dumplings (broth and meat left over from Thanksgiving)

Friday: Pizza

Monday, December 12, 2011

Weekend festivities

I had a fun end-of-the-week. Thursday night was the the evening Relief Society meeting and we made cards to be sent to military members who are away from their families this Christmas. They might be overseas serving, or in a hospital either here or abroad. The cards will be delivered via the American Red Cross. I brought macaroons for the dessert table.

Saturday evening was C & E's piano recital and these pictures prove I did accompany them.

I practiced hours and hours to prepare a simple accompaniment that went with the girls' melody line. Did I say hours and hours?? Over several weeks?? I am so not a piano player, although I pretend to be for FHE and other such family events. I knew I could play with E pretty well because hers was easier, but at the last minute I asked the piano teacher to accompany C. But when it came time to introduce her piece, he gave me that puppy-dog look and I changed my mind again and played with her. I had to drop a few notes but it went better than I expected.

The girls were cute and the music was great. They went in order of skill, so my girls were near the beginning and culminated with a 15 year old that is already a wonderful piano player. The teacher is a senior in high school and my only dismay is that he'll be off to college in less than a year. We'll never have this kind of sweet deal again when it comes to piano lessons (good price, he comes to the house, the family loves him). Here he is with E.

I brought macaroons for the dessert table. :-)

Sunday night was our ward's annual Christmas music and stories. The children sang first and it just about brought tears to my eyes it was so pretty and perfect. They sang "Angels We Have Heard On High." Ward members were asked to present favorite Christmas memories and they ranged from traditions in a Mexican/American family to a Christmas in the military in Afghanistan, interspersed with singing Christmas carols. Outstanding. Oh, I brought macaroons for the dessert table. LOL And when Conor got home he asked if there were any left. They were a hit!

This morning I got up and checked my email and found a forgotten picture from someone's camera. It's Kevin's graduation day 18 months ago. Today he leaves the Brazil MTC to go to Florianopolis to start the proselytizing part of his mission.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Meal Plan Sunday

Monday: Corn dogs, chips, guacamole

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Spicy Sausage and Peppers

Wednesday: Pumpkin pancakes and maple syrup

Thursday: Lentil Minestrone Soup

Friday: Pizza

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Messiah! (and some weight loss)

I know, I know, I write that every year. It's because I like participating in our community Messiah Sing Along so much! Actually, last night I had two musical performances to enjoy.

C and E's class sang "holiday" songs (3, 4, 5th graders each sang a group of songs). Tonight are the K,1,2's so we'll pick up S's class then.

Right after than was the annual community Messiah sing-along at a church very near ours. Because Conor is here, dh and I were able to send the girls home with him and he and I go to it together. He'd never been to one. Of course, with his being in the Tenor section and my being in the Alto we couldn't see each other, let alone actually sit together. :-) I ran into the several LDS ladies that I always see there. The whole thing is fun, although a little stressful when we're coming up to the songs I know I used to always blow even after months of practice in Gallup's choir. Haha, I guess that is part the the fun too, laughing with the other ladies when we all blow it!

I've hit a milestone in my weight loss; now I weigh what I did when Kevin was born. LOL It's actually been a number of years since I've been down to that and I'm at exactly the halfway point, 22.5/45 lbs lost. In fact, last Saturday the first person who didn't know I've been dieting noticed my weight loss! It's taken just under 4 months, so I assume it will take me another 4 to get to my goal. I've had a change in mindset about losing weight. Eight months seemed much too long to wait before, but now it seems like a change in my habits instead of a hurry-up-and-get-there kind of thing. And since I started in August, I should reach my goal before bikini season. Haha, JK!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Meal Plan Sunday

Monday: Slow Cooker Maple Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

Tuesday: Baked potatoes topped with chili and sour cream

Wednesday: Three Cheese Manicotti

Thursday: Egg and "sausage" breakfast casserole

Friday: Pizza