July Freezer Cooking

Yesterday was a rainy day here in Northern TX. I decided it would be a perfect time to stock my freezer with frozen meals. And, that’s just what I did. Here’s what I was able to accomplish yesterday. Below that list, I will list what I still need want to do.

• I made a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread for a quick breakfast. I sliced the loaf, bagged it, and popped it in the freezer.
• I made a batch of white bread dough in the bread machine. I made yeast rolls from this dough. After flash freezing the dough balls (prior to 2nd rise), I bagged them. When I’m ready to use them, I will take out the amount needed and let them rise on the counter. Then, I’ll bake them.
• I made 3 dozen strawberry muffins.
• I made pizza for dinner last night. I browned a lb of italian sausage. I used half for dinner, and froze the rest for a future pizza night. I also portioned out enough cheese and sliced onion for 2 pizzas. (Our 2nd pizza is always a pepperoni pizza, but I don’t freeze the pepperoni.) I bagged each ingredient in small zipper bags and froze them together in a larger bag.
• I made a crockpot full of pinto beans. I bagged beans in 2-cup portions. I also mashed half of the pot of beans into refried beans. These I will use in burritos during my next cooking day.
• I used THIS recipe to make a meat mix. From this mix, I made 2 meatloaves and several dozen mini-meatballs.

To do on my next cooking day:

• Add taco season to 2 lbs ground beef
• Use ground beef, refried beans (above),and cheddar cheese to prepare burritos.
• Make several marinades for chicken. I have 10 lbs of chicken to prepare. I plan to just use several marinades mixed in gallon-size zipper bags. I’ll add the chicken breasts, and freeze them. Then, I can pull the bags out to thaw in the morning and cook them for dinner.
• I also want to make some blueberry muffins or a blueberry loaf.

**COMING SOON: I made Cranberry Apple French Toast for breakfast this morning. I have pictures and a recipe to share. It was to.die.for!

I got a job!!

Yeah me!!

My good friend owns 3D Travel. 3D Travel is a travel agency that specializes in Disney experiences – Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line. Carol Beth and her travel agents (which now includes me) organize The Ultimate Field Trip – a homeschool Disney field trip Labor Day week. This year, 3D Travel is putting together their first Disney Homeschool Graduation.

I’ll be in training until June. After that, I will be able to book trips for others!! I can’t wait! Above you can see how I found out I got the job!! A special thank you to the moms I used to work with at MOPS who read the script I sent them spoke to the interviewer when he called to check my references! :)

I am so excited! I get to work from home helping people create a magical Disney experience! Got lots of work to do before training starts, but it will be well worth it when I can start working with others! I’ll post here when I’m trained and ready to book…

BTW, I will have to create a 'business' blog. Any ideas for a catchy name for a "Disney travel" themed blog? :)

Book 2 – 52 in 52

The second book I read for the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge was The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.  I know it’s been around for a while, and it’s one I’ve been meaning to read for a while.  I found a copy for sale at the library and picked it up.  I enjoyed it, and I may rent the movie one of these days.  Not sure.  I’m really not a movie person.

I’m currently reading Hole in Our Gospel (another review for Thomas Nelson Publishers) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (from the top 25 Book Blogger suggestions list). 

Book 1 – 52 in 52 Challenge

I read (and reviewed for Thomas Nelson Publishers) The Sweet By and By. You can read what I thought of it here. This is book one of my 52 books in 52 weeks challenge.

365 Photography Goal

FOCUS.  Remember that word?  It’s my word of the year.  One of the things I want to focus on is my family.  Sounds like a “duh”, huh?  Well, obviously, as a homeschool mom I do focus on my family, right?  Well, kind of.  I focus on what needs to be done.  I don’t always focus on my family as a unit.  What’s that mean?  It means I get the chores done, errands run, and food cooked.  I get school work done and kids to classes/practices.  But, sometimes I get so focused on those parts of “family” life that I forget to FOCUS on us. 

In an effort to focus more on “us”, I have set a goal to create a “365 Album” this year.  My goal is to photograph my family – events, moments, and everyday stuff – every day this year.  I found this awesome scrapbook/photo album to help me organize all these photos.  If you knew me years ago, you know how “into” scrapping I was.  That, however, was before Emma was born, and I learned to sew.  Then, I found a new passion.  I didn’t lose my desire to photograph everything, I just lost my desire to scrap those pics.  So, where are they?  On CD’s!!!  I don’t print them, because I don’t scrap them. 

That’s about to change, though.  My goal is (as soon as my album arrives) to edit and print my photos once a week.  Then, I’ll sit down one evening each week and journal the photos from the previous week and put them in my album.  As I edit my photos, I’ll also upload them to my blog in a “week in review” post so my friends and family can keep up-to-date with our family fun.  I’m excited to see this come to fruition over the course of the year. I’m excited to FOCUS on my everyday, ordinary, “just mine” family!!

**And, because I am always one step ahead of myself like to plan ahead … I’m already thinking about other ways I could use this album.  Of course, I would have to order more, but that’s OK.  I’m thinking I want one to put all of our Disney pictures in one.  This way, I can tell all of my stories, but I don’t have to embellish or cut any paper!  I’m also thinking about doing one for Emma’s dance years.  I’m thinking about a 2-page spread for each recital (so far she’s been in three) and a 2-page spread for each competitive dance season (this is our first).  As I said, I am getting way ahead of myself here just thinking aloud…**

Fall Into Reading 2009

Yep, it's another reading challenge. I love to read! These challenges tend to keep me motivated. Sometimes, life gets busy, and I slow down on my reading. Can I read 10 books this fall? We'll see.

Here's what's on my bedside table:

Take Two by Karen Kingsbury
Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
Along Came a Cowboy by Christine Lynxwiler
A Biblical Home Education by Ruth Beechick
Praying God's Word by Beth Moore
Fearless by Max Lucado

If I can make it through this list, I will add more. I am also setting a goal to read through and file/toss/give away my stack of magazines. They are accumulating on my countertop, and I need to move them along...

One more goal - I want to read through the Little House series with Emma at bedtime.