Meatloaf Magic!

Again, I am participating in Marcie's DWYH Homemaking Party. As always, I'm always on the hunt for hearty and fast meals to fill the bellies of my two hungry guys :)

Sooooooo, I  made the most AMAZING meatloaf last weekend. It was honestly the best meatloaf I have ever had! I'm not usually very cocky, I'm just being honest here. When I tasted it, I really felt like I'd done something special :)

I pulled out all my many meatload recipes, and pulled from each one what I thought would make a good recipe. Also, I didn't want to wait 1 1/2 hours for baking, so I skipped the "loaf" part and formed them into patties. This cut the cooking time down to about 30 minutes.

2 lbs hamburger meat
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup  ketchup
1 cup dry dressing mix ( I used Stove-Top Herb)

Mix all ingrediants well and form into patties. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. I brushed mine with ketchup during the last 10 minutes.

The dry stuffing mix is the magic ingredient I think. It absorbed some moisture while baking, but still stayed crunchy and flavorful!

I served this with mashed potatoes, a quick salad, and biscuits. It's rare to find a meatloaf that kids really like. Big G, my nieces Emily and Joey, and all the adults left smiling and full!

I literally cried right there in the grocery store!

Last weekend, Hubby and I had a little disagreement about grocery shopping ( of all things ). He couldn't understand why I didn't want to take the baby with me to the store.

Amidst my tears and exhausted sobs, I retold this story:

* After school one day last week I took both boys to our local grocery store ( which I rarely go to) to grab a few staple items.
* Big G was walking ( well actually running and jumping and grabbing and poking....) and Baby G was in his carseat, which I put down inside the shopping cart.
* As I shopped, I wedged the random can of pears or bag of rice down into the cart behind and beside the car-seat. Actually, there was a loaf of bread and bag of salad resting on his legs. Everything fit, all was well...
* After waiting 10 minutes in line, we began to check out. By this time, the baby was extremely fussy and gearing up for a total screaming session and Big G was looking at the candy bars with total determination.
* Trying to be efficient and speedy, I asked Big G to put the bagged groceries in the cart. He began putting everything ( including a heavy bag of potatoes) on top of the baby b/c the bags would no longer fit around the carseat.  
* I then instructed Big G to take them out and put them on the rack underneath the cart. Whew, crisis averted. We're sailing now.
* Receipt in hand, I push the buggy forward. CRUNCH!
* I look down and see that all the groceries were underneath the cart- in the floor. The cashier THEN told me that the store had removed all the racks in an attempt to thwart shop-lifting.
* Crisis returns. Screaming baby, laughing 6 year old, mangled groceries, and me in the front of the IGA crying and vowing not to attempt grocery shopping with both boys again for at least a few more years.


This may have been the most stressed I've been since we brought
Baby G home. Probably the most embaressed as well....

Soooooo, I think re-telling this story to my hubby must have worked. He kept the boys @ home, and I took a leisurely ( yea, sure) trip to the grocery. Whatever.  

So What Wednesday!

I really enjoyed last week's So What Wednesday, and have gotten some comments about how accurate and brutally honest it was. It's all in good fun, so here we go again!

SO WHAT IF:

* I sometimes hit snooze too many times and am forced to "baby-powder" my hair ( frugal version of dry shampoo)
* Even with concentrated detergents, I still fill to the line
* Hubby & I use the same toothbrush sometimes
* I will go without groceries rather than taking both boys to the store
* I do NOT understand the stock market ( I don't care to either )
*  Even with lesson plans, I'm usually only one or two days ahead of  my kids @ school
* I don't have time to read, but continue to download books on my new NookColor
* I seem to be the only girl/woman my age who loathes Jersey Shore

* If you are firmly opposed to E-readers, live for the fist-pumping action of the Jersday nights, or are grossed out by my germ-swapping dental tendencies,  I wholeheartedly apologize :)

Time Management for New Mommies!

I never dreamed being a mommy to two little ones would be as rewarding as fun as it has been so far! I also never dreamed that our daily life would change so drastically.

Getting out of the house with a fully clothed and fed 6 year old isn't always an easy feat. Adding a 10 pound screamer didn't really help matters!

Since Hubby works away during the week, I am on my own with the kids. Getting the housework done, dinners prepared, stories read, and baths given have proven to be a complete juggling act for me.

One issue I have had to wrestle with in my mind is that of community and church involvement. It is sooooo hard for me to tell people no, especially when the time committment is for a good cause.

After alot of praying, my thought process has started to change about how my time is spent outside of home. I am beginning to think of my boys ( hubby included) and my home as my mission field. I know that there are many needs in our community, but I cannot reason attending to those at the expense of our homelife.

Big G still does his karate, and I am still part of our local womens community improvement group. Sunday worship is still a priority, as is time with friends and family. Beyond that, my reply will probably be a gracious and polite no!

My 2 Blonde Boys!

Here are the birth announcements for baby G and they are so sweet. I wanted a two sided card to give to family and friends. The side with boy boys can be framed, and the other side has the baby's birth information ( I cropped it out for the blog).

 If I say so myself, I think I have two beautiful little boys!

 

Baby G just looks so cute propped up on that rocking horse. Big G said the photographer is magic because he made me disappear! I hated to tell him it was actually called photo-shop!

Ritz & Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

This is probably one of my favorite "go-to" dinners. It really is the simplest, most delicious casserole! After coming home from work yesterday and knowing I had two hungry boys ( and myself) to feed, this was on the table in less than 30 minutes.

To make prep easy, I start with a store-bought rotisserie chicken. The only other ingrediant I had to buy was sour cream, making the total for this meal about $7.00!

* Pull the chicken off the bones and throw into a large mixing bowl.
* Add one can cream of mushroom soup, 3 large dollops of sour cream, and one tbsp poppy seed
* Pour chicken mixture into 9 x 9 baking dish.
*Crush 2 sleeves of Ritz Crackers and sprinkle on top.
* Finish with another tbsp of poppy seeds and 1/2 stick melted butter
* Bake for 30 minutes and ENJOY!

Quick. Easy. Awesome! With it I served a quick tossed salad and King's Hawaiian dinner rolls. You really should give this recipe a try. If you do, let me know what you think!

So What Wednesday!

Today I am saying SO WHAT IF:

  *  I have lived in my house for 3 years and have never mopped ALL the floors. I mop what needs to be mopped. Period.
 * I never do tummy-time with Baby G. He hates it.
 * I am  horrible at sending " Thank You" cards. But I'm working on it.
 *  I like to listen to NPR radio in my car ( just like my dad does). Sometimes I listen to country afterwards just to balance things out a bit!
 * Sometimes I eat cereal for dinner b/c I'm too tired to cook.
 * I usually don't listen to the advice of others.
 * I spent way too much money starting a Mary Kay business, only to realize I hated selling makeup. 
 * I look for reasons to go to my mom & dad's house. Sometimes I make up a reason ;)
 * I usually can't stick to my " One Mt. Dew per day" rule. I CRAVE it!
 * I have thrown  socks away because I can't find the match. Whatever. 

I'm linking up to Life After I Dew for So What Wednesday.