Traditionally Labor Day marks the end of summer, and for that I could not be more excited! I’ve always been more of a winter girl, and this year is no exception!

I feel grateful that we had a cool mild summer (minus a few days here and there) especially as little piglet has me carrying around extra weight right now, which is never fun in the heat!

This fall means that piglet is getting really close to joining our family, and I am ready! I’m also ready for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. This year I am looking forward earlier, and much more about the upcoming fall and winter seasons than most years!

To celebrate Labor Day this year we took Noel to spend time with her Mom, Aunt, Grandpa, and sisters. Usually there would be a BBQ, but I think this year we all felt a little off so we indulged in KFC and El Pollo Loco Chicken. The kids had time to play, and everybody got to visit.

I think Noel is Happy that her mom recently moved from Las Vegas over to Southern California, so hopefully they can enjoy each others company for more holidays to come!

Today marks week 28 for Little Piglet! I’m VERY excited. Although I hope to keep him tucked in nice and safe for the next 12 or so weeks, I’m feeling better that he is getting bigger, and each day he would stand a better chance of survival if things were to not go as planned. With Caden I struggled a bit with pre-term labor, so it’s feeling really good to know that this baby is hanging in there week by week, especially given we’ve had no issues at all!

Yesterday I had another doctors appointment. I’ve been getting ultrasound every 3-4 weeks to monitor growth because he was measuring so far behind for so long. I’m happy to report that he has not only has he caught up to where he should be, but he has actually surpassed it! And although all measurements and guesses at weight are somewhat arbitrary at this point, it makes me happy to know that he is now measuring at 31 weeks, and around 3.5-4lbs. Again all of this is an estimate, and the average range is huge at this point, but it’s nice to be on the higher end, not having to worry about further growth restriction or other issues =).

My OBGYN actually took the measurements multiple times because she herself was a little bit surprised that he had grown SO much!

Unlike ANY other ultrasound I’ve had, this one was super special. As we were monitoring piglet he swallowed some amniotic fluid. He then had it sitting in his tummy (which we could see as well) and then he peed it out! It sounds gross, but I think it’s one of the most entertaining things I’ve seen!

For the most part everything else is going really well. My glucose levels came back low so there is no concern on diabetes. My Iron levels are low, and although the labs results came in late in the day (so I did not get to discuss details with my doctor) it does look like I’ve become Anemic. In the big scheme of thing however, this is pretty minor and I’m sure we can get my iron levels back up. It simply explains why I’ve been SO tired lately.

So now the countdown begins. Depending on how the next visit goes I will be seeing my doctor every week or two until the baby comes out!

A few months ago I wrote a little bit about California’s Early Start Program. My Son Caden has qualified for this program to help address his speech delay. So far we have no real explanation for his speech delay (other than perhaps he’s a boy). This program has been a VALUABLE resource to us.

We have great medical insurance, yet because Caden’s speech delay is not labeled as a “developmental disability” our insurance declined speech services. Paying out of pocket for speech services could cost $100 or more per hour, and even then there is no guarantee it would make a big difference. This is where California’s Early Start Program comes in.

As I wrote before, the program targets children who are AT RISK for developmental delays (premature birth, low birth weight, loss of oxygen at a young age, etc.) as well as children who are already showing moderate to severe delays in a variety of areas (speech being ONE of them).

If your child qualifies (basically if their delay is moderate enough, and your insurance has formally declined coverage) the program steps in to provide the needed services for your child, in our case speech therapy. Caden has been receiving IN HOME speech therapy at no cost to us for about 4 months now. At first he was being seen once a week, however it’s recently been bumped up to twice a week.

We’ve noticed an improvement in the amount of  jargon (gibberish type speech) Caden uses, and we’ve had the addition of a couple new words (“stuck” and “NO”). Although the words themselves seem to be coming slow, he is using is voice a lot more, and communicating much more effectively.

I write this post partially as a praise to the California Early Start & Prevention Program. It’s one of the few state services I’ve been TRULY impressed with. I also want to encourage any parents out there who have worries about their children to contact their states Department of Developmental Services. In some states it’s easier to receive services than others, but if you have ANY concerns it’s definitely worth contacting them.

I’m sure that one day My Son’s speech issues will be behind him, however until then I’m grateful for all the help & support our family is receiving to aid in his success!

For those of you that have a Sprouts Market near you (and shop there regularly as I do) it may be good to know that they are currently having a promotion on gift cards!

A $100 gift card is “on sale” for just $89.99. Given that I always shop there I figured it was a good time to buy a few as I’m going to be spending the money there anyway, and I might as well save!

Kelly at According to Kelly is hosting “The Great Menu Exchange” to help create a virtual cookbook of tried & true recipes from bloggers throughout the blogosphere. I’m helping contribute to this exchange, and below is a list of 7 recipes, as well as a weekly shopping list that is often used by my family. Hope you enjoy! Later in the week I’ll be linking back to share all the various recipes & menus contributed!

When I prepare our weekly menu, I generally don’t set what has to be eaten on each day. I generally make a list of food for the week so that I can do the shopping and prepare the ingredients. We can then select what to have each day based on our schedule, tastes, and time allotted.

Each week I also try to schedule at least 1-2 Crock-Pot Dishes, and 1 frozen dish. When possible, I also make one meal TWICE so that I can freeze it for a future week.

Dinner Meals for the Week

Chicken Lasagna**

Crock-Pot Turkey

Chicken Tacos

Crock-Pot BBQ Beef Brisket

Chicken Tortilla Casserole*

Beef Tacos

Baked Cranberry Chicken

(*For this week I would already have a Chicken Tortilla Casserole frozen, so I’d just have to defrost it in the fridge overnight, then place in the oven for dinner)

(** For this week I would make TWO dishes of the Chicken Lasagna, placing one in the oven for dinner, and freezing the second).

If you’d like a SHOPPING LIST for this menu, I’ve listed it below.

For Meals

6 lbs Chicken Breast (for chicken soft tacos, cranberry chicken,  and chicken tortilla casserole)

1 frozen turkey breast (for turkey dinner)

1 beef brisket (we use 1 1/2b for family of 4, up to you on amount) (for beef brisket)

1 lb ground beef (for beef tacos)

2 Box No-Boil Lasagna Noodles (for chicken lasagna)

1 bag Mozzarella Cheese (for chicken lasagna)

1 lb grated cheddar or mexican blend cheese (for chicken tortilla casserole)

1 can parmesan cheese (for chicken lasagna)

2 Large cans of tomato sauce (for chicken lasagna)

2 small cans of diced tomatoes (for chicken lasagna)

1 can WHOLE berry Cranberries (for cranberry chicken)

1 can cream of chicken soup mix (for chicken tortilla casserole)

1 can cream of mushroom soup mix (for chicken tortilla casserole)

1-2 can(s) green chilie’s (we use mild, for chicken tortilla casserole)

italian breadcrumbs (for chicken lasagna)

1 envelope Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix (for cranberry chicken)

1 Package Italian Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning (for chicken lasagna)

Either the gravy kit from within the turkey breast, or a gravy seasoning packet (for turkey dinner)

1 Package Chicken Taco Seasoning (for chicken soft tacos)

1 packet taco seasoning (or other seasoning for beef tacos)

1 Package Fajita Mix (for chicken soft tacos)

Chicken Broth (for chicken soft tacos)

2 Tomatoes (1 for beef tacos, 1 for chicken soft tacos)

2 Onions (1 for beef tacos, 1 for chicken tacos)

Shredded Lettuce (we get 2 bags, basically whatever your family will use for 2 taco nights)

Lemon Juice (just a pinch to taste, could be optional for brisket)

Tortillas (flour or corn, whichever you choose for chicken soft tacos and 1 package corn for chicken tortilla casserole)

Worcestershire sauce (only 1tbs for brisket)

1 bottle BBQ Sauce (for brisket)

Brown Sugar (2 cups for brisket)

1 bottle Catalina Salad Dressing (for cranberry chicken

2 cups OJ (for Cranberry Chicken)

1 cup milk (for chicken tortilla casserole)

1 box taco shells (for beef tacos, use tortillas if desired)

For Side Dishes or Extras

1 can cranberry sauce (to eat with turkey) Sour Cream (for tacos)

Fresh or 4 cans Green Beans (to go with brisket & cranberry chicken)

Fresh or Canned Corn (for cranberry chicken, and turkey dinner if desired)

Potatoes (enough for mashed potatoes w/turkey dinner, & twice baked potatoes w/brisket)

Bell Peppers (if desired for chicken tacos, we skip them)

Red Wine or Beer (for Brisket, optional- but adds flavor & alcohol cooks out)

Salsa or Hot Sauce (if wanted for tacos)

2 box of stuffing (for cranberry chicken & turkey dinner)

I can’t say that this meal tops our family favorite list, but it is an easy  and good tasting beef dish that we eat on occasion. I personally prefer to make sandwiches with the beef, although it could be served with veggies or other sides as a dinner as well.

Crockpot BBQ Beef Brisket

Ingredients

* 1tbs worcestershire sauce

* 1 cup red wine or beer (adds flavor, alcohol cooks out, although you could just skip it)

* 1 bottle of BBQ sauce

* 2 cups brown sugar (you could lower this amount to be healthy, but we like it)

* Lemon Juice to taste

* 2 cups water (or beef broth)

* 1 brisket (I usually get a 1.5-2lb brisket)

Procedure

Throw all ingredients in crock-pot, & set to cook for 6-8 hours. DONE! How easy is that? Great for busy days filled with sports practices or other events!

I like to eat the brisket as a sandwich, although we’ve also eaten it with twice baked potatoes, green beans, and salad.

This recipe was given to me by my grandma. I’ve changed it up just a little to fit the tastes of our family, and we love it. This is one of Noel’s favorite dinners, I suspect because the chicken comes out rather sweet!

Baked Cranberry-Catalina Chicken

Ingredients

* 8 Chicken Breasts (we use boneless and skinless)

* 1 Can (16oz) WHOLE BERRY Cranberries (not jellied cranberry)

* 1 Bottle Catalina Dressing

* 1 envelope Lipton’s Onion soup mix (dry pouch)

* 2 cups Orange Juice

Procedure

1) Marinate chicken breasts in a baggie (or other container) with Orange Juice. I usually do this for at least 4 hours, but of time is up to you.

2) Place Chicken breasts in a large baking pan (I sometimes use the same baggie/container I used w/ the orange juice)

3) Mix cranberries, Catalina dressing, and dry soup mix. Pour evenly over chicken.

4) Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour OR up to 24 hours to allow flavors to soak in.

5) BAKE- Place Chicken in a 350 degree oven for around 1 hour, or until fully cooked.

I like to serve this with corn & green beans (and occasionally stuffing). It would also go well with rice & peas, or other side dishes of your choosing.

Enjoy!

I’ve been posting a lot more recipes lately. And although I will never be a “food blogger” I’ve been posting them because in the next couple weeks I hope to be posting more about menu planning, and how our family has adapted it to work for us.

When I was growing up I thought that food came from restaurants. While we occasionally ate homemade meals, our schedules were pretty busy (as many are these days!) and it always was quicker/easier/more convenient to pop through a drive-through, pick up food to-go, or go to a restaurant.

When I got married my husband had grown up without a Mother most his life (she sadly passed away when he was a young child) and thus he was used to eating out or getting pre-made meals as well. In the early days of our relationship we ate out together quite often, and I think my Step-Daughter began to think it was as normal as we did!

After my Son was born I felt more motivation to learn to cook, and to make nightly meals as a family work for us. Partially because I noticed that my step-daughter was not accustomed to eating at home, partially because I did not want my Son to think that way, partially because I wanted to SAVE MONEY, and LARGLY because toddlers don’t take well to sitting and following directions quietly in public.

When I first started cooking more for my family it was VERY challenging, primarily because I did not know how to cook! We had many meals that went straight into the trash can. It was SO depressing! Once I finally got the hang of the cooking part, it was a nightmare to shop, prep, and clean after each meal. After we kept up with it long enough we figured out a routine, and now it’s normal.

I know it’s “normal” for lots of people to cook meals each night and they’d likely not understand why some find it SO challenging. But for those of us who did not have it ingrained in us, it can be quite a challenge to figure things out.

I’ve now got a routine down where I shop at one  store each week (for produce and meat), and a more generalized box-store every 2-3 weeks for canned food, boxed food, etc. I’m able to PLAN our menus ahead of time, know what I need to buy, and know when I need to use it by. I’m also able to plan our menus based on what’s on sale, or what I can get for a good value. I’ve learned to mix our cheap meals in with more fancy ones, giving us a decent variety each week. I’m also learning to freeze stuff each week, partially to build a stash for when piglet arrives, and also for those days I just don’t have time or energy to REALLY cook. The frozen meals paired with crock-pot meals can often leave me cooking only a couple days a week. It’s great.

Again, I know to some this is SO obvious, but I have to say, it’s certainly does not come easy for everyone!