7 Quick Takes - The Freezer Meals Edition

1.

I am due in a little over a month and I am starting to stock the freezer with meals for after the baby is born.

2. 

The main dishes I am going to be making...

Hamburger patties
Cincinnati Skyline Chili
Honey and Spice Glazed Pork Chops
Sloppy Joe's
Slow Cooker Chicken BBQ
Creamy Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
Beef Enchiladas
Ground Beef Burritos
Oven Baked Chicken Chimichangas (From Cook's County Magazine)
Jerky Chicken
Roast Chicken with Spring Vegetables and Lemons
Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta
Lasagna
Sausage Spaghetti
Slow Cooker Meatballs and Marinara (From Cook's County Cookbook)
Brown Sugar Chicken
Slow Cooker Chili

3. 

The sides I am going to make,,,
Pinto beans (whole and refried)
Freezer Fries
Mexican Rice
Cornbread

4. 

If there is time then I am going to also make the following baked treats...
Slab Apple Pie with Crumb Top
Pumpkin Carrot Cake Muffins
Freezer Smoothies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Banana Oat Muffins
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Apple Crisp
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins 
(Did you notice that we like peanut butter and apples?)

FYI...if the recipe doesn't have a link then it is either a family recipe that I don't actually have written down or it is something I have written down, but have no idea where I got it from. 

5.

So far this is what I have done...

Made hamburger patties (We still have a ton of ground beef from the cow we bought last year so I formed some of it into patties, freeze on a cookie sheet and then once they are frozen store them in freezer bags.)
Made the Honey and Spice Glazed Pork Chops
Made the Jerk Chicken
Made the Brown Sugar Chicken
Made the Freezer Fries

Today I am planning on starting on some of the baking.

6.

This is my view at 35 weeks.

7.

The box of homebirth supplies are ready and the cute little clothes are waiting for our little bundle of joy. I wonder if we will have more pink or blue in the house. 

Thanks to Jen for hosting 7 Quick Takes!

pretty, happy, funny, real

~ Capturing the context of everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{pretty}

A few weeks ago we got around 3-5 inches of snow and this is what happened to the clothesline.

{happy}

Seeing my two little girls in matching outfits makes me very happy. I can't wait to see them in their Easter outfits. 

{funny}

My 2 year old is refusing to sleep in his bed...I have no idea why and he won't tell us. He will get out of his bed and sleep on the floor. We decided to just put a quilt on the floor and most of the time he will sleep on it. He prefers to sleep right behind the door so when you try to go in his room you hit him...sigh. This was Greta and Frank having some play time before they went to bed.

{real}

 Greta is FINALLY starting to stand up against stuff! She is still a little shaky and prefers to crawl, but at least she is trying to stand up every now and then. 

March Up-date on Goals for 2012

February just flew by for me and since March is the final full month before the baby comes, I have a feeling March is going to go by just as quick. Here is how the goals for 2012 are coming along:


1. Start a garden in our yard
Nothing has actually been done in regard to this one and I am starting to think nothing is going to get done until after the baby has come. :( I need to talk with my husband on this one and we might be able to get the beds in this month if he has the time to work on it since I just don't think I am going to be able to do it at 8 months pregnant. 


2. Read an average of one book per month.
Check out my progress here. 


3. Spend at least one hour a day working on the blog.
How am I doing on this one?? I think I am doing better, but not sure.


4. Paint the inside of the house.
I finished painting Frank's room and it looks really nice. (I still need to take pictures. Honestly, I don't think I am going to be able to do any painting in March. 


5. Make 2012 a Year of Romance
The first step was taken and completed...we have two babysitters! (Read about finding the babysitters here.) We did go on one date night last month and we have another one coming up.


What about you…are there any things you want done by the end of the year?

March Up-date on Books for 2012

Sigh...reading keeps getting put on the back burner, but I did manage to read at least one book last month. 


1. Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI I am currently reading this one for the Lenten season.
2. In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir by Dick Cheney I have put this one down until Lent is over.
3. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson
4. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas
5. The Death of the Adversary: A Novel by Hans Keilson
6. Style, Sex, and Substance: 10 Catholic Women Consider the Things that Really Matter by Hallie Lord
7. Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre by Brett L. Markham Finished!
8. Homemade Living: Keeping Chickens with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Care for a Happy, Healthy Flock by Ashley English
9. Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables by Mike Bubel and Nancy Bubel Finished!
10. Handmade Home: Simple Ways to Repurpose Old Materials into New Family Treasures by Amanda Blake Soule
11. The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons by Amanda Blake Soule and Stephen Soule
12. Large Family Logistics by Kim Brenneman
13. NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
14. The Handbook for Catholic Moms by Lisa Hendey This book wasn't on my original list, but decided to read it during the Lenten season. 


How is your list going?

Where I Write

Jen over at Conversion Diary has a fun post asking people to post pictures of where they write. I thought I would join in the fun since I like looking into people's houses and it is only fair that I let you look inside of mine.

I actually have two main writing areas. Here is my desk where I write when kids are napping or in the evening when kids are asleep.

 I have a laptop so this is where most of the writing on my laptop gets done. It is very comfy. :)

Here is the view from the other side. It is currently raining out so the kids are watching "Fireman Sam" while I took a break from preparing freezer meals.

Where do you write? Make sure you show everyone at Conversion Diary!