Today a big, big, big change took place:  this morning my big girl got braces!  She has been excited/nervous for weeks.  For her first set of bands she picked purple, teal and light blue.  Very stylish!  As her teeth and mouth are going to be a bit tender for the week, we are making sure to eat softer foods.  I will be making baked goods with quinoa, amaranth, bean and nut flours, to get more protein in her with a nice soft texture and we are going to be making a LOT of smoothies this week!  I will need to make and extra batch of coconut yogurt this week to keep up with the demand.  I will also be making presoaked gluten free oatmeal (from Bob’s Red Mill) and Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa posted on 101 Cookbookswith the pecans chopped really, really small and using a mix of almond and coconut milk for the milk.

My menu will again super frugal.  We are using things we already have in the garden, freezer and pantry.  One, it’s easy on the budget (have any of you PAID for braces?  Oof!)  And also, it helps clear the way for my back to school/fall baking, freezing, drying, canning extravaganza that I do every year.  I am sure I am part squirrel.  I love to have the wind, rain and snow blowing around my house knowing I have a bunch of tasty things all set to nourish us through the winter months.  This and next month you will see a lot of my canning, drying, freezing, baking plans as things are getting ready to explode in my garden.  I love it!  I realize I am a bit nuts in this area and am at peace with that.  ;oD

The other thing my menu is doing this week is putting in a couple of delicious things from other people’s menus I have been wanting to try.  What’s the point of doing all the swapping, if I am not using this amazing recourse?

Head over to Organizing Junkie and join Laura for Menu Plan Monday to see what is on everybody else’s plate.  For the Gluten Free Menu Swap, Wheatstate Celiac is on deck to host this week, but it looks like she is having technical difficulties.  However, if you go to this post and also check the comments, you will be able to link to the gluten free menus for the week while she gets it sorted out.  I hope she gets her internet connection back soon!  I would be going crazy!

 Monday:  Big girl getting braces/big boy youth Bible study/Bake 3 loaves gluten free bread/start some more spouts

Roast chicken, roasted rosemary onions and carrots, steamed veggie  (Roasting 2 chickens- one for dinner, second chicken for tomorrow’s salad and lunch meat.)

Tuesday:  Make chicken stock, strain, cool and defat/gather canning jars from basement and wash

Quinoa pasta, chicken, and grape salad (walnuts on the side for everyone who does not have braces)

Wednesday:  Baby sit two little cutie boys for the day/heat, restrain, and pressure can chicken stock/bake 3 loaves gluten free bread

Gluten Free Pasta with Turkey Meatballs in slow cooker ( I got the idea at Chick in the Kitchen.  I will be making a gluten and dairy free version of this idea and post how it goes for Slow Cooker Thursday.)

Thursday:  Play time with some friends/back to school doctor appointments for the girls/bake birthday cake, crumb coat and chill

            Sticky Coconut Chicken with Coconut Rice and Salad (The chicken is from Life as Annie who got it fromHappy Tummies who got it from Your Homebased Mom.  Cool, huh?  For the coconut rice, I am counting on the amazingGluten Free Mommy.)

Friday:  Decorate cake/Birthday sleepover

            Pizza, Salad with Ranch, and a Millennium Falcon birthday cake

Saturday:  Sleep over continues in the morning

Salmon and wild rice cakes from Gluten Free Mommy (again!) using a bit of nutritional yeast instead of the cheese.

Sunday:  Church/Work on Daring Baker challenge

            Samosas and cauliflower wraps from Cooking and Uncooking if my big girl is chewing better by then…

 Before….

and after….  Groovy!!

To do this week:  

                –Shred zucchini:  freeze into 3 cup amounts for zucchini bread during the winter.  Also, bake some zucchini bread (no nuts due to braces) – one for the week, freeze two.  Make double batch of zucchini muffins to freeze for back to school breakfasts.(now that all the zucchini is shredded and frozen, I will bake on the weekend when more is grown large enough.)

    –Make waffle mix for big boy’s birthday overnight, precook bacon/sausage for the overnight.

    –Make a Millennium Falcon cake for my big boy’s 13 year old birthday party. He switched to a Yoda cake.

    -Try not to CRY because my baby is almost 13 years old (and 5′ 10″)!!

    –Keep working on my menu e-book.

    –Prep for upcoming class.

    -Get WCCO web chat part 2 up on blog.

    -Make double batch raspberry coconut muffins (1/3 for week, freeze the rest)

    –Start to get the outgrown clothes out of kids’ rooms.  Make list of what is needed in larger sizes.  (My kids grow like weeds in the summer!!)

    -Make the back to school supply shopping list.

(I am trying to keep myself accountable, so that explains this addition to my weekly plan.  I do not do this by myself; the kids help each and everyday with each job and my husband is a laundry and dishes master (big pots and pans are his specialty) along with a ton of other things.  I do not clean in huge chunks at a time.  Just with a rotating list of jobs that eventually hits each area.  That cleaning style works the best for me and actually keeps our house comfortable, but only if I stick to it.  If I don’t have a list to work from, I don’t do my stuff and our house quickly descends into chaos.  Plus, a list means I don’t have to nag at my kids as much.  They know to check the list.  When it’s done, we can play.  We have gotten a bit lax on this, so are buckling down before the fall schedule kicks into full gear.)

Housekeeping stuff:

Everyday (this is always the hope…a girl can dream…):

make beds *****

feed pets *****

dishes (all done before bed!!) *****

sweep kitchen, dining area, entry ways ***

clean kitchen and bathroom sinks/wipe counters ****

Change dishtowel/sponge and hand towels every other day****

Kids do a 15 pickup in their bedrooms and living room *****

Walk dogs***

Water porch plants *****

Weed 2 foot square part of garden/replant any greens etc. that are needed ****

load of laundry (wash/dry/PUT AWAY) ****

            harvest from the garden ****

Monday:  2 loads laundry, clean out fridge, cut up veggies for snacking, organize one cupboard in kitchen, vacuum/sweep upstairs, clean toilets, check t.p. stock (add to list if needed), change sheets

Tuesday:  Vacuum/sweep/mop downstairs, clean computers/mouse, clean bathroom mirrors, clean out purse, wipe down outside of washer and dryer, wash bathroom rug,take out trash and recycling (trash day tomorrow)

Wednesday:  Clean stove (inside and out), wash dining room windows/sills, clip little girl nails

Thursday:   Organize one cupboard in kitchen, dust living room, clean out van/vacuum, clean out bathtub

Friday:  Clean toaster, sweep porch, dust fan blades in bedrooms, quick pick up in each room (10 min or less!!)

Saturday:  Water houseplants

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 – 09:08 AM
the millennium falcon cake sounds like good fun. I think I may be part squirrel, too, and have been keeping my dehydrator busy!  Have a great week