Meal plans, menus, and a picky 7 year old.

I don't mind cooking.  I even enjoy it at times.  But I have found that after working all day, the last thing I want to do is plan dinner, make it, and clean everything up.  So I decided to plan a menu with 30 full meals... KID friendly of course!  That was the main challenge.  Cadence is a very picky eater, but not in the typical way.  She LOVES fruit and vegetables, but refuses to eat things like chicken nuggets, chili, and white cheese.  Orange cheese is fine, just not white cheese.  So Cadence and I sat down to make a menu that we both agreed on.  Part of the deal was that since she gave the okay for everything on the menu, she has to eat it.  If she doesn't like it, we won't put it on the menu again.  So far, so good!  After making the menu, I made a complete shopping list for the MONTH.  (I will probably have to get milk, but hopefully that's it.)  I have everything I need to make healthy, complete meals for Cadence and myself.  I no longer have the excuse that there is nothing to eat in the house or that I don't have everything I need for a meal, since I purchased everything I needed to make 30 meals.  Since I work late a few days a week and Cadence eats at Grandma's, I don't cook every night.  

Last week we enjoyed taco pizza (first time I've ever made it!  Cadence loved it, even though it had "white cheese.")  We also had egg and spinach breakfast sandwiches with clementines, 

Last night I made salad with Morning Star fake chicken, avocado, and strawberries in a lime, honey, and cilantro dressing.  Tonight we had stuffed portabello mushroom burgers with leftover avocado/strawberry salad.  While this was cooking, I prepped dinner for tomorrow; crock pot sweet and sour "chicken" (Morning Star fake chicken) with red/yellow peppers, onion, homemade sweet and sour sauce, and brown rice. 

Salad with fake chicken, avocado, and strawberries in a lime, honey, and cilantro dressing.

My favorite part of the whole experiment is that Cadence and I are both eating healthy, complete, and TASTY meals that don't require a lot of thought or energy to make.  A lot of them are crock pot meals that I can prepare the night before, turn on in the am, and have dinner ready when I get home!  I also love having leftovers so I have a great lunch the next day.  I've also found that Cadence asks for dessert less, as she's so full from dinner that she doesn't have room for dessert.  I'm hoping that it continues to go as well as it has so far!  If anyone has any delicious recipes, I'd love to have them!

2011 Fosters

A look back at our RAGOM fosters in 2011!

Bo - aka Bo Bee.   A chubby 18 month old boy with hip dysplasia.  We fostered him for 6 weeks while he lost weight, then he went to a new foster in MN so he could have surgery in Minneapolis.  He loved to play, chew on bones, and would squint his eyes when he got very excited.

Getting attacked by 3 month old Sadie.

 

Shylo - a sweet little 1 year old girl that was found as a stray near Sioux City, IA.  She was very high energy, but loved to cuddle and play with toys.  She also loved wrestling with Sadie!  She was adopted by a very wonderful couple who already have an older Golden that they adopted from RAGOM.

Kisses for Cadence!

 Jack- aka Jackers, Jacky.  A crazy 18 month old Golden Retriever/Irish Setter.  He was high energy, but was well behaved most of the time.  He loved running and following his nose.  He was adopted by Pat, who lives just north of the Twin Cities.  They go hunting often and go to the dog park every day.  Jack was Cadence's favorite foster.

Tired after running and swimming at the North Liberty pool!

 

Gracie - aka Grace.  She came from a shelter near Des Moines, IA who could not afford her treatment for Heartworms.  She was around 5-6 years old, and was an absolute sweetheart.  The treatment was very hard on her and she was a sick dog for awhile, but she did as well as we could have expected and made a full recovery.  She was a very mellow and well behaved girl.  She LOVED her "Justin Beaver" stuffed toy and sleeping on the couch.  Grace was adopted by Cheri, and now lives in SW Minn.

Excited to go Trick-or-Treating!

Grace with "Justin Beaver"

First, and only, snowfall!

Grace with her teddy bear that her new adoptive mom, Cheri, sent.

Grace with her 2 favorite things - laying on the couch and "Justin Beaver"

Moby - aka Moby-Bo-Bee, Mo-bers, Moose.  An 8 1/2 year old 105# love bug!  He is so sweet!  He loves tennis balls and stuffed toys, and always has to have a toy in his mouth.  Very mellow and trustworthy, loves cozy dog beds and belly rubs.  He reminds me of "Shadow" on Homeward Bound.  The perfect Golden Retriever family pet. 

VERY patiently waiting for me to say that he can have those treats!

New year, new blog, new traditions...

My 2012 New Year's resolution is to start a new blog... and actually post regularly on it!  

 

2011 was a year full of new beginnings, lots of changes, heartbreak, and learning what life is all about.

2011 in review:

In January, I bought a new car!  Or, at least, new to me!  Cadence was incredibly sad to see the Buick be sold... me, not so much!  

GOODBYE BUICK!

 

 HELLO 2009 NISSAN SENTRA!

Also in January, I stopped smoking!  My quit date was 1/8/11, and I haven't looked back since.  I was very apprehensive at first, but quitting turned out to be much easier than I could have ever imagined!  I also said goodbye to my glasses, and jumped into the wonderful world of contacts! 

At the end of January, after going to the UIHC for a CT scan, I was diagnosed with a kidney stone.  NEVER have I been in that much pain.   I was very thankful for powerful pain killers.  I was only bed-ridden and doped up for about 5 days, but it took FOUR months until the stone exited my bladder.  

As if I didn't have a stressful and eventful enough start to the year, February brought many more new changes for me.  I interviewed and was hired at a vet clinic in Marion, IA.  Almost everything about Heartland Animal Hospital was/is different than the last vet clinic I worked at, but that's why I love it so much!  I work with 2 wonderful doctors and the techs are absolutely amazing!  I am very blessed to work with so many great people!  

 

As spring went on, my entire family was anxiously awaiting the birth of my sister and brother in law's baby.  On May 29, 2011, Clayton Michael Henning was born, and our lives were changed forever.  We were blessed to have Clayton with us for 26 amazing days.  I will never forget the time we were able to spend with him.  Clayton made us realize what is really important in life and to cherish every single moment of every single day.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of Clayton, that my heart doesn't ache, and I think it will always be like that. 

From "Clayton's book"  Wherever you are, my love will find you. 

""In the green of the grass...in the smell of the sea...
in the clouds floating by...at the top of a tree...
in the sound crickets make at the end of the day...
"You are loved. You are loved. You are loved," they all say."

In August, Cadence turned 7 years old!  We celebrated by going to the Dubuque National Mississippi River Museum, getting together with family at Emily and Marcus' house, and we also went to Lost Island water park in Waterloo.  

Meteorology station

Inside a beaver lodge at the National Mississippi River Museum

Lost Island water park!

Having a snack at the Lost Island water park!

Between work and school (for Cadence), fall passed pretty quickly and uneventfully.  

 First day of 2nd grade!

Cadence's All About Me

Tinkerbell for Halloween!

We also found out that Emily and Marcus are expecting - a girl!  They had DNA testing done, and she is 100% healthy and is NOT a carrier for Myotubular Myopathy.  We are absolutely thrilled and look forward to being an aunt and cousin again! 

The holidays this year seemed to take on a new meaning for us.  We know that family is the most important thing and not a day passes by that we weren't incredibly thankful for everything that we are blessed with.  Christmas seemed bittersweet,  but we still had a wonderful time with family and friends and making precious memories.  Cadence was in charge of the gingerbread house this year, and she also decorated most of the cookies that I baked.  

 Homemade wreath

 Cadence and I at the Christmas tree farm.

 VERY excited for her new fish tank!

Looking back over the last year, there has been many stressful and life changing events.  I know that I am personally a stronger and better person for having gone through it all.  I look forward to all the new and exciting things that 2012 will bring!