The last two weeks has seen the neighborhood picnic,

braces,

 going to a friend’s cabin (photo from last year),

a sleep-over birthday party for my son

(that’s the gluten and dairy free Yoda cake I made for him),

the last day of soccer for my little one, back-to-school check ups, and the big kids marching in a parade…  Whew!

 I thought this was supposed to be the slowed down part of our summer!  I can’t believe we only have 15 days left before school starts.  Where did the summer go?

This week I have an exciting project (for me, that is!)…  I received a FREE bag of pears (not sprayed) from a generous person on the Freecycle (a yahoo list group) in our area.  It is a shopping bag overflowing with beautiful little pears.  I am so excited!  As I have a few projects going this week, I will be cooking them into sauce today, then freezing.  This weekend I will can part of the sauce and cook the rest in my slow cooker to make pear butter.  Woo-hoo!

For a TON of great menu plans, head on over to Laura’s blog for Menu Plan Monday.  The Gluten Free Menu Swap if hosted this week by Gluten Free [Cooking School].

 ***As a special request this week, please pray for my friend Cari , her family and her doctors.  She will be having a tumor removed from her brain on Friday morning.

Monday: big boy to youth Bible study/ Change hand towels in bathrooms/ Inventory fridge and pantry – menu plan/vacuum main rooms on 1st floor/ clean toilets/ prep for Wednesday’s class – print packets for class 

            Rice and some kind of stir fry with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and garden veggies (green onions, multi-colored peppers, bok choy and zucchini)

Tuesday:  big boy to baseball game with friends/ grocery shop / prep for Wednesday class/clean bathroom mirrors/ dust hallways and entryway           

                Roasted Fish with Potatoes, Tomatoes and Olives, and a salad

Wednesday: big boy to amusement park with youth group/ prep for class – Teach lunch box class/change hand towels in bathrooms

                Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken, salad   

Thursday:  Mom’s spa play date/ mop kitchen/dust living room/clean refrigerator door shelves/dust fan light in living room/ trim houseplants and water/clip kiddo nails/ dust kid rooms/post pear butter recipe for Slow Cooker Thursday

           French Dip Sandwiches, Cherry Tomato and Pear Tomato Salad

Friday:  little girl preschool playdate/ shop for and get together to make food for Cari’s family/ big girl doctor apt/change hand towels in bathrooms, sweep porch/ wash porch and entryway rugs/sweep mop bathrooms/ do a quick tidy and put away in each room of the house

           Left over day…

Saturday: water indoor plants /plan weekly menu/make shopping errand list/wash bedroom windows/

            Fair food day:  Mini gluten free corn dogs, mini  gluten free doughnuts, salad and melon.  

                            ***                                ***                                ***

To do this week:  A couple of carry-overs…

    -Finish my menu e-book. (I hope. I think…)

    -Prep for upcoming class.

    -Get WCCO web chat part 2 and 3 up on blog (after Wednesday’s class).

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

    -Finnish getting 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.

           -Make pear sauce and pear butter

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 *