Menu Plan Monday

This week I'm pulling out a bunch of old favorites. I spent some time over the weekend making a list of the new recipes I have made and categorizing them by LOVE or HATE.  I'll have to post that soon :) But this week, here's a list of some of my favorites from the past few months of meal planning!

Monday- Loaded Potato Soup (321 calories, 11.1g fat, 3g  fiber per 1 1/4 cup) and side salad

Photo Credit

Tuesday- Grilled Chicken and Broccoli Quinoa Casserole (199 calories, 9g fat, 2g fiber per heaping half cup)

Wednesday- Chicken Parmesan (435 calories,14g fat, 4g fiber per chicken breast with 3/4 c sauce and 2T cheese) and Salad

Thursday- Tossed Chicken Salad with mandarin oranges and almonds (220 calories, 9 g of fat, 2 g of fiber, not counting dressing, serving size 1 3/4 cup), crispy bread

Friday- Chicken and Waffles - I don't have time to figure out the nutritional value of these puppies and to be honest, I'm a little nervous to know. But I'll try to do it for myself before Friday and I'll have to let you know :)

I'm linked up with organizing junkie

You Might Live in Scotland if...

... your outlets (called power source here) have ON/OFF switches and have a 3 flat pronged plug. It's always a bummer when you *thought you were charging your phone, but the outlet switch was OFF ;) Oh and to confuse the situation more, a light or outlet is ON when it is in the downward position -weird.

I thought it would be fun to do a series of blog posts on cultural difference here in Scotland for our American friends and family back home to have just a little window into this strange new world  ;) So expect a lot more of these posts! I've got a bagful of ideas already!

Menu Plan Monday (all meals with calorie counts)

Well, sad news- I GAINED a pound last week! Bluck. I didn't sleep well, so I only worked out 2x, and in turn just made some bad food choices. I felt like I was in a funk all week. Have you been there? Well, this is a new week and a new start (says my sweet husband :) - Sooo I worked really hard to enter all of these recipes(except those that already had nutritional info) into Livestrong to be sure I knew the calorie counts for each. Hope you can find them useful as well!

Monday- Chicken with Asparagus and red roasted peppers  and rice
(184 calories per serving without rice, 294 with 1/2 cup of rice)

I searched my blog and found the first time I made it was almost 3 years ago because I had the random ingredients lying around(asparagus, red roasted peppers, and chicken :)

Tuesday- Pioneer Woman's Sour Cream Noodle Bake. (333 calories per one cup)
See a pic of it here. I made this when Tim and Katie Barker were in town and they both seemed to really enjoy it :) Katie said that it was nice that the pasta/cheese/sauce was moist and not dry. We love it!

Wednesday- Chicken pot pie (430 calories per 1/4 of a 8x8 pan).
                 This one is totally worth the calories! Plus we don't have any other sides.

*Note - I made a bunch of changes because it turns out this recipe WAS 900 calories! So I cut the recipe in half and then used half and half (or single cream here) instead of double cream or heavy cream. I also used *light puff pastry sheet and since I cut the recipe in half I was only using half of the puff pastry.  I just use regular white onions, not pearl onions. I did not use crimini mushrooms, I used baby button because they were the cheapest. I also don't make the chicken broth by boiling all of those things - I just use pre-made chicken stock. That saved me a ton of time in chopping.

Thursday- Bacon, Tomato and Lentil Soup (237 calories per one cup), Bread

Friday- Mediterranean Chicken Wraps (217 calories per wrap), cucumber, feta, and tomato salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing

Find more meal planning ideas at Organizing Junkie

Maddy Says

*She dropped a box of raisins on the floor and I said, "Come on, I'll help you pick them up". So I quickly started scooping up raisins and dropping them back into the box while she stood there and stared at me not picking up one. In frustration I said, "Maddy, what are you doing?" She cooly said, "I'm waiting for YOU to pick up all the raisins." It was all I could do not to burst out in laughter :)

*Maddy: Mom, Daddy just leave to school.
  Me:Yup, he did sweetie.
  Maddy: Do sometimes you go to school?
  Me: No, I don't anymore.
  Maddy: yea - because you're short, so you don't got to school.
  Me: um, well....no...that's not the reason...

(haha -I think she said that because we say that when she is "big and tall" she can go to school too. Guess I never would have gone to school under those conditions (and she might not either!). Perhaps we should think of another way to say that :)

*She and Rose were playing in the bath and I started to take Rose out to dry her off and Madison quickly proclaimed, "Mom don't take Rosie out; she's my friend!"

*As she was drawing a little picture, "This says:  Happy - Birthday - Mama!"

You know your child is living in Scotland when she says:
"Mom could I have a biscuit please" (meaning cookie!)
"Mom could I have a pound for________?"
When I said the word "porch" and she said, "What's a porch? Is it a garden?"
When I tell her to put on her rain boots, she promptly says, "Mom in Scotland we say Wellies".
"My sock is wet, I'm just going to hang it on the heater to get it reaaaaaal dry!'
When we walk out the door to go somewhere, she says "are we walking or driving?"

Menu Plan Monday

Monday- Slow cooker potato soup ($5.87 recipe, $0.73 serving), (195 calories for one cup)
Tuesday- Whole Chicken in the Crock Pot  (160 calories per 3oz serving with no skin), baked sweet potatoes

Wednesday- Fajitas with fresh tomato and black bean salsa and chips

This is my first time trying this salsa recipe, so we'll see how we like it. It's hard to find good salsa here. As well, we don't like the taste of the taco/fajita seasoning packets here(plus they are pricey) so I'm making my own taco seasoning.

Thursday- Chili (leftover that I had frozen) - woohoo - no cooking :)

Friday- Smoked Haddock(145 calories per filet), grilled asparagus

For more great recipe ideas check out Organizing Junkie

Rosebud: A Blossoming Flower!

Time has flown by since we moved here to Aberdeen in the end of September. Rose had basically just turned one, was sucking a pacifier, only crawling, and barely saying any words. Now it's just 3 months later and our little Rosebud is blossoming into a beautiful toddler flower haha! Ok so I guess that's where my analogy breaks down, so I'll stop trying to use it :)

I did a post on her turning one, but realized that I had forgotten to post pictures of her little birthday party in Pennsylvania, so I wanted to share a few of those.

This is how I found her after her nap :)

Ballerina?

Kisses!

Well - it's hard to believe, but Rose is 16 MONTHS OLD now!

Even thought life has been so busy here, I want to make sure I document some of Rose's progression from baby to toddler so that I don't' forget how amazing the change was.

Here are a few areas she has changed in the last 3 months:
*Bye-Bye Pacifier! It was just about two weeks after we had been here, she had basically just given up her bottle in PA before we left and  was waiting to pull the paci until we got here and everything wasn't so new. Well, I only brought about 5-6 pacifiers and one day when we were walking with the stroller, Rose threw her pacifier out on the ground without my realizing it. I said to Tim, we'll I guess that's it. she cried a bit for a day or two going to bed, then it was over. I can't believe it! She immediate started seeming older!

* FIRST STEPS at Lloyds bank in Aberdeen just a week after our arrival(13 months).

* At 14 months she was saying: up(u), down(d), book(bu), apple(she would eat an entire apple core and all while we were taking long walks!), ya, that(dat), this(dis), dada, mama, uh oh, all done (ah duh)

* She started taking 3-4 steps consistently(prior to that she was much happier crawling and cruising) on November 12 (15 months)

* Now at 16 months she is also saying: up please (up, peas), dance(dac), juice(juc), Cheese(chee), Hat(at) - she love to put anything on her head and say, "at"

* SHE LOVES TO SLEEP! If we don't lay her down at 6 or 6:30 pm she is a mess! And she will sleep until 8/8:30am. Fortunately Maddy has been walking out of their room quietly when she wakes up around 6:45 or 7am and Rose keeps on snoozing away which really helps us get the morning going and me to get my workout in!

* Down to one nap - she will usually sleep from 12p -3p.

* She is a little climber, but is much more careful than Maddy and usually asks for help to get dow (down).

* She is happy to play by herself (in that fun mischievous stage of taking things out of cupboards and hiding them other places in the house - not so fun when I really need that mixing bowl to make dinner - haha!

* She also loves to follow Maddy around and just do whatever she is doing. They really have started to play well together. I have learned that sometimes when I hear a frustrated squeal from the other room when I'm doing dishes, that I need to let them work it out. And they seem to have found a "peaceable" way to play together ---most of the the time :0)

*She nods her head vigorously when we ask her a question that the answer is "yes" and shakes it no too! It's so fun to see her express her opinion.

* She has a great attention span! THAT she did not get from me - Thanks Tim!

*Even though she is still itty bitty - she eats a ton. I swear she eats all day long!

Just met with their doctor for the first time here(very nice lady!)
Weight: 8kg (17.6 lbs) 9%
Height:  74.5cm (29 inches) 9%

LOVE this sweet girl. She is so calm, mild natured, easy going, happy, and loving!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday- Shepherd's Pie - Last time I made it I froze half of the base so that I could make it quickly this time. Yay!

Tuesday- Chicken Roulade and roasted carrots - never got to make this last week because we had leftover chili and ended up doing a pizza night because there was a buy one get one free deal :)
     *Last time I made this, I made it with pasta and just added some of the extra cranberry's, nuts, and  spinach to the pasta. It was yummy! This time I'm just doing baked carrots to trim down the calories.

Wednesday -Baked Chicken, crispy broccoli(drizzled  with olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and baked at 425 for about 7 minutes
Thursday- Chicken Quesadillas - I am usually able to use the leftovers from the baked chicken above to make the next two meals!
Friday- White Chicken Chili, crispy bread

Madison You're THREE!!!

Dearest Madison,
It's hard to believe, but just a few short weeks ago, you turned 3 while in Scotland. I honestly can't believe it! It really seems like yesterday that your Dad and I met you for the first time on that cold winter morning in Chicago! Here are our first few moments with you. It was like time stood still.

Our lives became fuller and more meaningful that day Maddy! 

We thank the Lord for you. 

Soon you started to grow up and even make lifelong friends (maybe husband?) right Kim and Sam?! :0) Your personality and zest for life became evident. 

I love this precious picture of you and your Daddy napping together. I treasure those moments!

 Before we knew it, a year had flown by and you were toddling around like you owned the place

(and still do might I add :)

 

And you were only 1 1/2 when your little sister Rose was born. You were so brave and such a great big sister, even though you were so little yourself!

And ZIP - there went another year. You turned two and had a My Little Pony party with some of your favorite buddies in Chicago.

 I remember distinctly the fun you had running around the house playing with your friends on your big day. It made your Dad and I so happy!

 You and your sister bonded quickly, although not always seamlessly ;) You always took such good care of her and were very protective of her - that is unless you were the one doing the damage ;() 

Soon we started packing to leave Chicago to move to PA for a month, only to move to Scotland for 3 years! What a big transition! There were a few tough times, but all in all in time you handled it beautifully and bounced right back to your happy self! Your Dad and I were amazed!

~~~~~~~~

Now here we are and you just turned 3!

You asked specifically for a Disney princess party and the little girl in me was happy to oblige! 

Star wand cookies

  You can name every princess now and have seen every Disney princess there is to see I think.

 You think yourself a little princess and your Mommy and Daddy King and Queen - I certainly don't mind that when you bow and say "Thank you your Majesty" when your Dad or I get you something :)

 You were so antsy waiting for your friends to arrive to your party...

 You sang, "Bippity Boppity Boo" to your party food, pretending that they themselves were turning into princesses. Could you please not grow up any more sweetie? 

I just can't get enough of these precious moments!

 It's only been 3 short months that we have been in a new COUNTRY and yet you have managed to make little friends already -that's when I'm grateful for your happy outgoing personality.

 Your friend Rebekah, who you look up to like a big sister, gave you her "well-loved" Belle dress for you to have now that she's outgrown it and you almost wear it every day!

 You were in tears when you friends had to go home... but I love that about you. 

You feel things with such passion.

 Your Dad and I have enjoyed three wonderful years with you and we are so thankful that you are part of our lives! You make us smile, giggle, dance, sing, play, and just plain enjoy the little moments of life more. You are precious in the eyes of the Lord and in ours too! 

Your sister adores you and loves nothing more than to toddle around after you. I love to see that you are such wonderful friends already! 

You are becoming such lovely young lady and we just can't wait to see all of the amazing things God has in store for you!