Menu Planning

At the request of my little sister, she wanted me to write up a post about how I do my menu planning. I'm not an expert and sometimes I procrastinate making one.  Sometimes my procrastination so bad I quickly throw a plan together right as we're getting ready to go to the store. I usually do a week at a time and sometimes I do 2 weeks.

The process I take to create my menu:

1. I ask Tracy if he has any requests. (Usually my fried chicken and homemade fries) Also I make note of days we won't be eating at home or have guests, like the missionaries.
2. I go through the weekly ad of the grocery store.
3. I plan meals around what is on sale, what I have on hand and what Tracy has requested.
4. I write my meals on the menu board and make my shopping list.

I try not to make it too complicated. Having a plan saves me from the "What's for Dinner?" syndrome. You know that time when you go to cook dinner and you stare at the fridge, then the pantry, then the fridge, then the pantry and so on and so forth and then still not know what to make.

Now I don't usually make plans for lunches or breakfasts. I just have stuff on hand to eat for lunch and have what James requests. For breakfasts it is usually cereal and occasionally on weekends I make something special, like eggs, bacon/sausage and waffles or some other yummy breakfast food.

My Menu Board.
If I plan a breakfast/lunch then they get written down.

So that is how I do plan my menu. What about you?

Oh, and I can't make a post about menu planning with out adding an awesome recipe at the end. Comes from the Betty Crocker Sunday Dinner Cookbook.

Pest Ravioli with Chicken
4 servings

• 2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 package (15 ounces) chicken tenders
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup refrigerated pesto
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil about 4 minutes, turning occasionally until brown. Remove chicken from skillet.

Add broth and ravioli to same skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 4 minutes or until ravioli is tender. Stir in zucchini, bell pepper and chicken. Cook over medium-high heat about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink in center. Toss with pesto. Sprinkle with cheese.

Being 3 is fun!

On February 8th James turned 3 years old.

Last Saturday the 16th we celebrated his birthday. We started the day off with putting a bunch of balloons in his room. He thought it was great to wake up to balloons.

Balloons in his room with him sleeping in his bed.

Our plan was to take the commuter train to the beach, but we couldn't get our car to start. After a push start down the hill we decided to just do some quick errands. Came home and the car was still having issues. We decided to go to lunch at the nearby shopping center. Had some yummy pizza from Canyon Crust and James played in the splash pad. 

Splash pad fun with cars.

Enjoying the fish too.

After lunch James took a nap. He of course played with his balloons before falling asleep. Then we went swimming in the pool. 

After swimming we enjoyed one of his favorite meals of Mac n' Cheese, then had cake and opened presents.  We also Skyped with Grandma and Grandpa, so they sang to him and got to see him open his presents as well. (I tried to upload the video but it isn't working.)

James's cake with his favorite candy.

He wanted a second try and blowing candles out,
so here he is trying again.

Happy to have succeeded in getting some out.

Opening presents.

His loot. He got a digger, a truck, a mickey mouse with car (in his  hand),
monkey stuffed animal, alphabet foam stickers, Cars dishes, puzzle and The Lorax by Dr. Seusss

I think he had a good day. He sure is loving all his new things. I wish he would stop growing up so fast. 

Valentine's Day is a Special Day...

... it's the day we went on our first date.

I figured I'd do a Valentine's day post since today marks the 10 year anniversary of our first date. We had known each other for about 2 months and became good friends in that short time. Part of that 2 months had been our Christmas break and we didn't talked or anything during that time. In fact we had only met about a day or 2 before the break. Little did I know this guy I just met would become my best friend forever.

I was thinking of listing all our Valentine's days together and what we did, but I have a horrible memory and can only remember a few.

2003: First date, attended the college Valentine's day dance. My friend Kendra made us and our friend Sara and her boyfriend dinner.

Look how young we look.

2004: This one was a 2 day event. I had no idea what I was in for. Evening of the 13th he took me to a movie "50 First Dates" (we still watch this regularly), then to dinner at the Chef's Table. The next morning after being woken bright and early around 5 he drove us to the Provo train station. There he surprised me with a train ride on the Amtrak. He knew I loved trains and had yet to be on one. We took a day trip to Colorado Springs and back. It was a great Valentine's day. One I will never forget.

2006: Had dinner at his parent's house. They were hosting a Valentine's day dinner giving by the Young Men and Young Women in their ward as a fund raiser. It was a nice dinner.

2009: I made dinner and we watch the movie "How to Murder your Wife".

2010: James was just a week old and Tracy's mom was staying with us. She made a nice dinner and Tracy bought me a box of Chocolates. He took his mom to the Symphony as a thanks for helping us out with our new born. I was perfectly content to sleep my evening away while James slept too.

2011: We bought a new bed and had dinner. Just can't remember exactly where we went for dinner.

2012: Had a night in with heart shaped pizza and maybe a movie once the little guy went to bed.

2013: This year the plan is I'm making a pizza this year (probably heart shaped if I can get it right) once Tracy gets home this evening from his long Thursday school. He doesn't get home till 7 on Thursdays. Not that romantic of a day, but it will be a great night.

I wish I had a better memory and could remember what we did each year. Maybe someday more will come to me.

Happy 10th year anniversary and Happy Valentine's Day to Tracy.

As well as, Happy Valentine's Day to Everyone! 

More about Berkeley, well actually San Francisco, well maybe a little of both

Now I have finagled pictures from Tracy's camera. I figured I'd post them in a new post instead of updating the ones I already made. Plus I left out a few things I wanted to say. (Sorry, this is like my journal so I try to post as much detail about things as I can.)

All of these are from our San Francisco day taken with Tracy's awesome new camera.

The fiery building (again)

Just waiting to cross the street with a cool building in the back ground.

A ship going under the bay bridge.

View of the city from the top of Lombard St.

Looking down the hill out to Alcatraz from the same spot as above.
We walked down that hill to the piers. It is crazy steep..

Making our way down.
See me in the bottom corner, next to the poor old man using the wall to get up the hill.

James checking out the ocean water and the boats.

The view from our lunch spot in the Fisherman's Grotto restaurant.

Sea Lions at pier 39.

and a fun video of them turning the cable car around.

So on this trip I experience a few firsts.

• First time in San Francisco.
• Rode in a subway which also goes under the bay to San Francisco. Good thing I'm only a little claustrophobic   I just sat there the whole time thinking "please don't let the train break down."
• Rode on a cable car which is fun. Can't wait till I don't have a kid to hold on my lap and I can sit on the outside seats or stand on the side.
• Learned that it can be dangerous to be in a city with an NFL team in the super bowl if they win.
• Drove, rather rode in a car, across the Golden Gate Bridge.

I also realized James has now been on an airplane 3 times. The same amount of times I had been on one by the time I was 25. Now I am up to 6 only double what he has been. He is one traveling champ.

So, now I am officially done with posting about my trip. Hope you have enjoyed my long winded posts about it.

Berkeley part 2.

Now part 2.

Friday morning I left to pick up milk and rubbing alcohol. I went right to work cleaning up the wall. Thank you rubbing alcohol. You saved me from having to pay damages for the hotel. That afternoon Tracy gave a guest lecture to the geology department at the university. His parents attended the lecture. James and I hung around campus. After his lecture, we all had lunch at Cancun. A Mexican restaurant that farms its own food. It was delicious. Then James I headed back to our hotel for nap time. Tracy and his dad went back to his work at the museum and his mom hung around downtown Berkeley. That was about it for Friday. We just enjoyed another evening in the hotel. (I know we're such late night partiers.)

Having snacks under the bell tower.

Then some playing around on the grass.

Saturday morning we drove into San Francisco or the city to meet up with Tracy's parents' friend who lives there. Shopped around a bit while visiting and had a nice bowl of Clam Chowder at Boudins. Then we drove up to Santa Rosa to visit Tracy's step-grandma. We all got into cars and headed to Bodega Bay for some beach time. It was a little chilly and the waves were large. James enjoyed playing with his new beach toys. When we had enough beach time, Tracy's dad treated us all to dinner at Lucas Wharf. I had the Lobster Ravioli. It was extremely good. Then we drove back to our hotels.

The fiery building in San Francisco.

Sunset over the beach.

Awesome waves.

Complete with family picture.

Sunday, Tracy's parents headed home. We headed back to the city and had a day of sight seeing ahead of us. We enjoyed a cable car ride. Walked through and by some of the shops by the pier. Bought some chocolate from Ghirardelli's. Ate lunch at #9 Fisherman's Grotto. The food was amazing. Then explored more shops on pier #39. Bought some fridge magnets for our collection. Saw the sea lions. After all the sight seeing left the city before any craziness began after the super bowl game. They actually stopped running the cable cars around 5, so they wouldn't get vandalized and stopped some buses in certain areas. There sure were a lot of people around wearing 49er gear. Once back at our hotel we enjoyed the last part of the super bowl while eating as much of the food we had as we could.

Waiting to take the cable car.

At the top of Lombard Street.
The crookedest street in the west.

Alcatraz in the back ground.
Can't wait till next trip when we can take a tour.

Monday we packed up and checked out. Went up the campus, where Tracy finished his work. James I had hung around and fed squirrels. Then headed to the airport. We made it home safe and sound around 7 that evening.

A squirrel on campus. It would eat out of your hand.

Waiting to board the plane to come home.

That was our trip to Berkeley.

Trip to Berkeley.

Where to start.... This past week we took a trip to Berkeley, CA. For those of you who don't know where that is, it is in Northern California just north of Oakland. Tracy went to look at the collections at the University of California-Berkeley Paleontology Museum for his thesis project. So, James and I tagged along as a sort of family vacation. Then Tracy's dad volunteered to come help him by entering data and his mom decided to join us for part of the trip. One big happy family vacation.

Monday afternoon, We (Tracy, James and I) flew into Oakland. From there we took public transportation to our hotel. There is a train that dropped us off about 2 block from our hotel. Since, Tracy only gets reimbursed for his hotel and his flight, public transportation (mostly the train called BART) was a lot cheaper then renting car. Plus it made for an adventure in trying to pack for a week in a way that was easy for us to carry, while pushing a stroller. We arrived at our final destination in the evening so we didn't do much but eat dinner and settle into our home for the next week.

At the airport.

Making faces at me on the plane.

At the hotel.

Tuesday morning sometime before we woke. Tracy's dad arrived in his car and met us at our hotel. We all walked up to campus. It is fun to see the collection area of museums that the general public don't usually get to see. Tracy and his dad got right to work. James and I walked back to our hotel. On the way we stopped into the Trader Joe's. Had lunch at our hotel, then nap for James. After nap time we found a nearby park, James and I enjoyed some play time. Another evening and dinner in our hotel room and bedtime. (It is nice having a room with a fridge and microwave. Save by not eating out.)

Looking at the bones and tracks.

Wednesday was much the same for Tracy and his dad. I decided to take James exploring. There was suppose to be an out door shopping mall about a mile away. I found the shopping mall. Wasn't too impressed with it. However it did have a book store. One must always go into a book store when you see one. :) Found a book (Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer) to add to James's collection. I felt it was perfect cause the boy and his dad go camping. After the book store it was still a little early in the day, so I figured why not keep on heading to the marina. It is just on the other side of that freeway right there. Well, it turned out to be a lot further then I thought. But it was a fun little walk. James loved the ocean, the boats, the playground and the squirrels. When we got back to our hotel room for lunch and nap, I calculated how far we had gone, thanks google maps. It turned out we had gone 3 miles which meant a 6 mile round trip. Wow, no wonder my legs felt like jello and my feet were killing me. Tracy returned after nap from his museum work and we enjoyed another night in our hotel room.

Looking at the kayaks from the walkway over the freeway.

Lots of boats at the marina, even house boats.

View of Oakland from the marina.

Feeding the squirrels at the marina.
One of them kept trying to climb on James to get the food.

Thursday morning we all headed out our separate ways. This morning James and I went to another park. There were lots of kids at this particular park and he had fun playing with them. Really more by himself but he loves to watch and copy or try to copy what the other kids are doing. That afternoon we all took a ride to pick up Tracy's mom from the airport. Then had dinner the Applebee's near their hotel. After dinner we were dropped off at the near by BART station and headed back to our hotel. Tracy stayed up working on some grant proposals. First he went to work in the lobby while I worked on getting James ready for bed. Mayhem ensued. I had taken out James's dry erase book for him to draw on for a bit before bed. Next thing I know he had taken the markers and written on the wall. First time he's ever done that and it just happened to be not at home. Thanks James. The cute thing was I have been teaching him to get a tissue and wipe the book clean. When I said it was time to clean up, he got a tissue and started wiping the wall. At least he tried to fix his mess. Too bad dry erase markers don't just wipe off the wall.

At the play ground.

Will I be able to get the marker off? What fun things did we do on the weekend? What day did we head home? Stay tuned for part 2 for the answers to these questions.