Sunday, April 2, 2017

Menu planning & bike racing

Yesterday was a super fun day. We left the house bright & early for the school walkathon & auction/fundraiser. It's a huge event, with all parents participating. The money raised helps support the majority of expenses for the year, including two extra teachers to keep class sizes down, field trips, etc. I don't know a single family who doesn't contribute in some way. People run the carnival games, bake cakes for the cake walks, donate items for the silent auction, sponsor the kids running laps, bid on auction items, line up corporate sponsors, clean up the school after the big event, etc. It's so inspiring to see everyone pull together. It's a blind auction, and though I bid on a bunch of stuff, I have no idea how much I actually "won". All of the money goes to the school, so at least it's for a good cause? :-)

After the walkathon, the kids got in the pool (it was 82!) & then Nick had his first league soccer game. They lost in a very close 3-4 match, but it was a fun (& hot) game to watch.

We didn't get home from soccer until 6, so I threw together naan pizzas & salads, and then Nick's friend & his family stopped by to see the house & take Nick with them for a sleepover. He'll be hanging out with his buddy & then going bike racing this afternoon. And, because you can't really see his face very well. .. here is a picture of him last week, trying bike racing for the first time. (Picture for a limited time due to trolls with no life.) He's on the left.




My mom arrives today - super excited! I haven't seen her since the holidays, so we are all looking forward to having Nana around. :-) It's also a strange dinner week, with multiple meals not involving everyone. My dad arrives on Thursday as well.

 Menu plan:

Saturday - naan pizzas
Sunday - beef kebabs & rice
Monday - M is traveling for work, so the rest of us will have tacos
Tuesday - I have a team dinner - everyone else with have leftovers
Wednesday - out to dinner with my mom. M will make pasta & chicken for himself + the kids
Thursday - PF Chang's delivery (Sam's favorite), as I will be getting home late from picking up my dad at the airport
Friday - homemade risotto
Saturday - leftovers
Sunday - chicken kebabs & rice

When I got home from work on Friday, I looked around & we'd pretty much eaten everything that was originally planned as a leftover. I had no obvious ingredients lingering around for dinner, and no freezer meals. We ate through all of our freezer meals between my international trip & the packing/moving.

So, I quickly defrosted part of a rotisserie chicken (leftover from date night last weekend), made the very last of a bag of quinoa lingering in the pantry & added lime juice & a bunch of spices, unearthed the last of the tortillas from the freezer, and used the last of the cheese to make . . . chicken quinoa tacos. I also had to go to the grocery store to get cake stuff for the school fund raiser, and I picked up an avocado to slice on top (of the tacos :)). It was actually delicious! Necessity being the mother of all invention & all. M really liked it, and & I can see us having this again.

And, on to today's list. Here's what we're up to!


  1. Wash all sheets/remake beds
  2. Take Sam to soccer
  3. Go for a run, or do yoga. I now have a yoga area set up & have rearranged the furniture, so yoga is looking likely.
  4. Pick up my mom from the airport
  5. Go for a walk with my mom to show her how to get around the new neighborhood
  6. Make a to do list & schedule for my mom
  7. Buy any meal plan ingredients for things my mom needs. I'm hoping she'll make some freezer meals, muffins, breads, etc. 
  8. Sit back & enjoy the sunshine & the pool with my mom & a glass of wine this evening. :-)
What about you? What's the most creative meal you've made lately? And, what are you most looking forward to today? For me, it's definitely #8! :-) 
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12 comments:

  1. tahoegirl.blogApril 2, 2017 at 8:23 AM

    so glad you are close to your mom. My kids never really had any grandparents. They had all died when they were younger(my kids), although both my mother and father died at 52 and 50. My husbands father died in 2000 and his mother shortly thereafter. It's wonderful you can all be together.

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    1. Hawaii PlannerApril 3, 2017 at 8:41 AM

      It is such a great experience for the kids. They were thrilled to see my mom, and are already counting down the days until my dad arrives. I consider myself really lucky that my parents are still both active & healthy, and also that we enjoy spending time together.

      I'm so sorry to hear about your loss - your parents passed so early.

      Delete
  2. SAMApril 2, 2017 at 10:04 AM

    Your weekend sounds wonderful. I love the spirit when everyone pitches in-that's how show choir is, and how my last daughters elementary school was for the carnival, concerts, and other school wide activities. (The older two, not so much as since we were a newer, less built up neighborhood,they were bussed to a school on the other side of town and our neighborhood often felt like outsiders. Schools were consolidated by the time the third started, so we were back in the school with the surrounding neighborhoods, and felt like we were back with our people, Ha ha.))

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    1. Hawaii PlannerApril 3, 2017 at 8:42 AM

      It's great to see everyone pitching in. I love it! I won a bunch of stuff in the auction, so more than I had budgeted for, but great news for the kiddos. They will enjoy everything. :-)

      Delete
  3. CheapchickApril 2, 2017 at 11:19 AM

    Have fun with your Mom, so nice she is flying in. Tell me you put the avocado on your tacos and not topping on the cake?:) just kidding

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    1. Hawaii PlannerApril 3, 2017 at 8:42 AM

      I really laughed when I re-read my post. Yes, definitely for the tacos. I feel like you could blend avocado into a rich chocolate cake (I've done it with muffins before), but on top, definitely not! :-)

      Delete
  4. Anne in the kitchenApril 2, 2017 at 4:22 PM

    I think those school wide fund raisers are actually fun raisers. It is nice to get the community involved in the event.

    What a shame I think it is that you have to limit what you share because of internet trolls.

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    1. Hawaii PlannerApril 3, 2017 at 8:49 AM

      The fund raiser was super fun! I got in tons of steps, the boys had a lovely time, and we invested back into the community. Even more than I'd planned. :-)

      Oh, yes. The trolls. What a sad life they must lead.

      Delete
  5. rivuletApril 7, 2017 at 1:08 PM

    I bet he loved the bike racing! My dad got us dirt bikes when we were kids and they were SOOOO fun! Great photo too :)

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    1. Hawaii PlannerApril 8, 2017 at 7:11 AM

      He is saving up for a BMX bike, actually! It's on his wish list & is all he talks about. :-)

      Delete
  6. rivuletApril 7, 2017 at 1:09 PM

    Okay, I just noticed that they're on regular bikes, haha! The helmets threw me off. But still it looks like they had a ton of fun.

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    1. Hawaii PlannerApril 8, 2017 at 7:11 AM

      The place where he races requires the full face mask helmet, but I'm with you. The first picture I saw (sent by another dad) made me think of dirt bikes!

      Delete

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