It's 6 p.m. and the end of yet another hectic day. You're stressed and rushing around the kitchen like a mad woman. You've got hungry kids underfoot, a barking dog, homework deadlines, soccer practice sooner rather than later, and on top of that... you have no worldly idea of what to prepare for dinner.

Sound familiar?

Although it's a common scenario in many  households around the dinner hour, it doesn't have to be for your family.

One option that I've found to be a no muss, no fuss way that simplifies getting dinner on the table
for my family (without the chaos) is to use the two week meal planning method.

The basic idea is to make a list of 10 to 14 of your families favorite main dishes (I usually plan 5 meals a week, leaving 2 days open for leftovers and/or take-out) to build your meals around, and then simply put them on a two week rotation, serving a different one every day.

That's it, it's that simple.

Now granted there's not a ton of variety here, but chances are you're probably regularly preparing a handful of tried-and-true winners anyway.

Think about it, your family is eating meals whether you take the time to plan for them or not, so then why not put some forethought into it, right? You will save time, money, and your sanity!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning meals for your family:
Always keep staples on hand. A variety of frozen vegetables, pasta, peppers & onions, potatoes, rice, salad greens, etc.

Be flexible, nothing has to be written in stone. Work in a new recipe now and then, serve the meatballs on Tuesday instead of Thursday, if the zucchini is looking a little withered this week, buy the broccoli instead. You get the idea.

Determine what ingredients you will need before heading to the grocery store. After you have decided what recipes you want to make for the upcoming week, check your cupboards and fridge to see what you already have on hand. If you've got it, use it. Grab the remaining items from the grocery store.

Love your leftovers. Allow some space in your weekly schedule for "Leftover Night." Just heat them up and add a nice crispy green salad with crusty bread and let the family go to town! You practically get the night off and a chance to clean out the fridge.

When planning your weekly menus, be sure to keep your families schedule of weekly evening activities in mind. On nights when your family has many activities planned, go for something quick and easy like. Save the meatloaf for a lazy Sunday afternoon when time is on your side.

As you can see, meal planning doesn't have to be a complicated or time consuming ordeal, especially if you give the 2 week meal planning method a try.

Wouldn't it be such a relief to know that you don't have to worry about dinner every night? You will no longer dread dinner time, but in fact, you will actually look forward to it.

Bon Appetit!

Originally posted on FrederickMommies.com

My mom visited this past week (a whole blog on its own I assure you) and of course, when the ‘rents visit, we try and do something extra throughout the week for fun. One of the activities we did this week was to go bowling. Now bowling sounds like a safe, friendly thing to do with kids. I thought so. I mean, I used to take Zavi once in a while when we lived back in Mass and we never had an issue. So what could possibly go wrong bowling with 2 more kids added in and a grandmother? Oh. My. God.

To anyone who may be reading this and was at the bowling alley the same time we were, I am so sorry. I hope Ashe did not erase your computerized game thingy. I tried to keep him away, I really did. But that bugger is fast!

We got the Citi guide coupon book a few weeks ago and I saw you could get one game free of bowling. So on Zavi's early release day from school we piled into the car and drove to the local bowling alley. The older boys were excited, Soren was passed out in a drunken stupor, and my mom and I had high hopes. Bowling! Yay! Fun! Good times!!! We park the ginormous minivan (I'm getting better at parking that monster!) unload the kids in less than 5 minutes (a new record!) and head on in. And that’s where all hell broke loose.

You see, Ashe hates loud noises. He went to the fireworks this past July 4th and freaked out. I mean FREAKED! The whole time he sobbed yelling "FIREWORKS ALL DONE ALL DONE DADDY FIREWORKS ALL DONE" for the entirety of it. Stupid me, I didn’t even think that the sounds of bowling would mirror that of fireworks. Crap. And it’s dark in there with the black lights going, the music bass thumping and vibrating the floor. Ashe took 2 steps in and froze like a deer caught in headlights. And then started shaking. And I couldn’t take him home. J was working on a huge project and I had promised Zavi we would do this. He had been looking forward to this for weeks with Grammy. So I gave the car seat with Soren in it to Grammy, picked up Ashe, and cuddled/dragged him to get our shoes and lane. I had this thought that maybe I could get him used to it in time and he would be ok. I kept whispering "its ok honey it’s not fireworks (Yeah can I get shoes in size 8 kids, 13 kids...) Mommy’s here I won’t let you go (adult size in 8 and 10? Lane 4? Great...) I promise you are safe and ok, it’s not fireworks, no we can’t go back to the van sweetie (Here's my card.... can you hold the top so I can sign?... thanks) sweetie stop kicking Mommy that hurts...no I won’t put you down..."

After finally hauling 4 pairs of shoes and a squirming screeching two year old to our lane, waaaaay on the other end of the alley, I tossed shoes at Grammy and Zavi and took Ashe toward the back. Holding him I calmly told him how much fun bowling is, how he gets to choose a few really cool balls, and try to knock down things without getting yelled at. It took about 10 minutes of constant soothing whispers with a few thrown out yells to Zavi (Hang ON! I'll get the computer set up in a minute... ask Grammy...oh Grammy you don’t know how to do it? Dammit... ok hang ON!) until I could get Ashe to accept sitting on my lap closer to the bowling lanes. While Zavi went searching for the perfect ball, and Grammy took forever putting her shoes on, I tried figuring out the technological savvy computer to set up our game with a squirming two year old clinging to me like we were going down with the Titanic.

So after working the computer one handed, and everyone is ready to go we start bowling. Zavi goes first. And he does pretty darn well (with the bumpers on). Next up is Grammy. She also bowls well (with the bumpers on). Then it's Ashes turn. I ask him if he wants to roll the ball and he says YES so I stand up. To which point he grabs my shirt and clings so hard I’m afraid my cleavage and then some is apparent for all to see. Hauling him up and my shirt back into place, I waddle over to the bowling ball stand and ask him which color he wants. He points to a blue one, of course, 36 pounds. I pick it up with Ashe still stuck stronger than superglue to me, and slowly make my way to our lane. I put the ball down, wrestle to get his chubby STRONG fingers off my shirt, and gently show him how to roll the ball. He screams, throws himself on the floor and begins to cry. I sit down next to him; ask him if he wants to play. After a minute he agrees, wipes the tears from his eyes, and allows me to help him. We get a good roll going and he stares fascinated as the bowl rolls towards the pins, taking eons to make it there. But they go down and his face lights up and......

He’s hooked.

By our 6th round, Ashe has taken over my game, Grammys game, and his own. We found a child roller which helps little kids roll the balls down better. He would whip it into place, point at me to put his ball down, then shove it hard (rolling over my fingers a few times...OUCH!) and jump up and down screaming for joy. When it was Zavi’s turn, he would run to any computer in sight and start jabbing buttons (Sorry!!!!) If he wasn’t doing that he was running to put his head by the bowling stand where the used balls were racing back. I swear he came close to having three concussions in 15 minutes, despite my frequent attempts at keeping him far away from the darn thing. And Soren, my precious baby, was an angel. He slept for almost the entire thing. If he was fussy I just think I would have lost my mind.

Walking out afterwards, everyone was in high spirits. Except for me. I was happy the boys had a ball in the end (no pun intended) but all I could contemplate at that moment was how much tequila I had left in the freezer and how big of a margarita I wanted. I figured I earned it and then some.

Submitted by Brittany (Rhaven) of TriangleMommies.  Originally posted August 23, 2009 on Suburban Rebel Mom.

Dirt cake is one of my favorite desserts. Brings back memories of childhood when I played softball in a summer league. Every summer we would have a end of season banquet to pass out trophies and to have a cook out. One of the mother's would always being dirt cake.  It was always the hit of the cook out. The recipe below has been doubled since I am using a large flower pot. If you want to use a smaller potion please half all the ingredients.

Taking photos of your families is something we do all the time. I have over 1000 photos of my daughter's first two years of life! Even after all that practice, I could still use a few pointers!

Take a Great Photo
Photographs are an important way to preserve special memories and document events in the life of a family. Following are some tips to help you get the most out of your camera:

1. You never know when a good photo opportunity will arise. You are at the park and your child learns how to climb the monkey bars all by himself. Or you are at lunch with a friend and Junior decides to kiss the waitress. Photo opportunities pop up when you least expect them! Be prepared by keeping your camera and a spare roll of film with you all the time. If you can't do that, invest in a small disposable camera to keep in your purse or diaper bag for those surprise moments.

2. Avoid posing your subjects. The subject of your photo does not need to be looking directly at the camera to get a good photo. The best
photos I have of my daughter are "the mistakes" -- the ones where she moved when she wasn't supposed to or turned slightly away from the camera. These types of photos show action which makes them more interesting than a formal, posed shot.

3. Use the right kind of film. For all purpose use, 400 speed film is best. If you know that all the photos you will be taking with a roll will be inside, you can use 200 speed film. Don't hesitate to experiment with black and white film. It lends a timelessness to your photos that color film sometimes lacks.

4. Pay attention to the background. Sometimes a tree that looks fine while you are taking a photo looks like it is growing from Uncle Harvey's head when you get the print. Pay special attention to the composition of your shots and look for possible problems. Don't hesitate to recompose your shot by having your subjects move a step or two to the left or right. That will usually clear up and problems.

5. Include yourself. So often, Mom is the one behind the camera. Remember that you are an important part of the family too! Hand the camera over to Dad or the grandparents every once in a while and jump in the shot with your family. Better yet, invest in a small tripod for group shots. Don't let your kids look back on your old albums and find you MIA! Join in the fun!

Some special tips for digital camera users:
1. Make sure your camera is set to the highest quality and resolution possible. When you take a digital photo, it is important that the camera get the most information possible. The higher the resolution, the more information your camera is collecting. Your prints will be clearer and more precise. You will also have more flexibility when editing your photos. Beware -- this will take up more memory space. However, memory cards are reasonably priced and are a one time cost. When the card is full, it is quick work to burn the photos to CD, clean off the card and get back to taking more photos. Make sure you purchase a card that will hold an outings worth of photos!

2. Take lots of photos. Keep only the best. Since digital cameras don't need film, you have the flexibility to take photo after photo. Take advantage of this! Don't hesitate to take the shot of your child playing. You may take fifteen shots before you get "the one," but that is okay because you only need to print the ones you want.

3. Avoid using the flash when possible. Flash lights up shadows, which is not always a good thing. Shadows can add a depth to your photo that the flash will take away. Experiment with the flash and learn the best times to use it. You will be surprised at how little you actually need it!

4. Watch out for digital zoom. Optical Zoom is similar to a magnifying glass -- it makes the photo bigger. Digital zoom is not the same as optical zoom -- it essentially crops the photo as you take the picture. Sometimes when you don't want to mess with photo editing software, this cane be a real timesaver. As I said before, however, you always want to get as much information with the shot as you can to give you flexibility while editing your photos. So only use your digital zoom when time is more important than flexibility.

We hope these tips help you to take great family photos! Enjoy!

Originally posted on CharlotteMommies

Butterscotch Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
One 12-oz package (2 cups) butterscotch flavored morsels, divided
3/4 cup butter, softened, divided
Two 8-oz cans sliced pineapple, drained, reserving 3/4 cup juice
8 maraschino cherries
1 cup sugar
2 eggs

Cooking Instructions:
Mix dry ingredients, set aside. In 10-inch cast iron skillet over low heat, combine 1 cup butterscotch morsels and 1/4 cup butter. Stir until morsels are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Arrange pineapple and maraschino cherries in skillet. In large bowl, combine sugar, remaining 1/2 cup butter and eggs and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the flour mixture alternately with the reservered pineapple juice. Stir in remaining morsels. Pour over pineapple. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. Immediately invert onto serving plate.

Submitted to The Mommies Network recipe database by a member

Whether we see them or not, wildflowers bloom with each passing year. They blanket uninhabited mountainsides with carpets of beautiful color with each season. Our children bloom with new attributes to their personalities with each passing day as well:whether we take notice or not. Time has a funny way of slipping away from us right under our noses, and we must be careful not to miss out on the beauty of everyday.

Sure, we all have floors to clean, laundry to wash, bills to pay and running around to do day after day. All the chores we do are for the purpose of providing a safe and clean environment for our families, but the more important task at hand is to take notice of our children's emotional and spiritual needs.

It's very easy to get into a strict schedule:off to school, do chores in between, home from school, homework, dinner, bath, and then bed. Day after day we stick to our schedules and rely on things remaining the same for the sake of sanity.

Having a schedule is wonderful; in fact it's a great way to provide stability for our children. However, there are times when we need to break away from our schedules; be free to have fun and spend time sharing in our children's childlike spirit!

Make time to enjoy your children:play tea party, army men, board games or whatever suits their fancy! Playing with your kids is not only fun for them, but it's also relaxing for you. For a brief moment in time, you're not the waitress, disciplinarian, dietitian, or taxi driver:you're just "ma" having a good time with your children.

Just this once, don't yell at the kids for running down the hall laughing out loud because your favorite television show is on:turn off the T.V. and run down the hall with them and play a game or two of hide and go seek!

Loosen the bun from the back of your head and get some dirt under your fingernails and dig for worms on a hot summer day; and then go rinse off under the sprinkler with them, clothes and all!

I challenge you to have more fun being a parent and interact with your child's playtime more often.

Although it can be difficult to manage a household, raise kids and take time for yourself on a daily basis; you should enjoy your little wildflowers while you can, for someday they will bloom into adulthood and tend to their own wildflower gardens!

Originally posted on SaltLakeCityMommies.com

Balsamic Roasted Artichokes

Ingredients:
2 whole fresh artichokes
1 can reduced sodium chicken broth
5 cups of water
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Cooking Instructions:
1. Wash artichokes in cold water.
2. Snip off sharp points and trim the stem.
3. Cut artichokes in half length-wise.
4. Carefully cut or snip out the spiny inner leaves and remove the "choke" completely.
5. Place in a bowl of water with lemon juice to avoid browning.
6. In a large pot, combine chicken broth with water and bring to a boil.
7. Boil covered artichokes for 20 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
9. Remove artichokes from pot and baste them on both sides with the oil and vinegar mixture.
10. Place artichokes cut side down on a grill set to medium.
11. Turn after 5-7 minutes and baste again.
12. Pour remaining mixture into the cups of the artichokes.
13. Cook an additional 5-8 minutes, careful not to char the artichokes.
14. Serve hot with or without dip.

Submitted to The Mommies Network recipe database by "Eileen"

Are you like me and do you find yourself eating out a lot with the family? We don't do it that often, but in this summer heat and the crazy busy weekends we tend to have we find ourselves picking stuff up out and about more often than we normally would.

So while sometimes I make sure to hit the grocery store for a full and complete shopping trip, recipes planned for the week ahead and all (because honestly there's nothing easier than tacos and frozen pizza - sometimes!), there are other days where I find the money sliding out of my account more quickly than I can imagine.

And I am always looking for ways to save, so I figured I'd share some ideas with all of you ...

First and foremost, it's essential to look for those Kids Eat Free deals. It's not always the place you feel like eating at, but if you can do it - DO IT. Chick-fil-a on Tuesdays has kids eating free, and did you know that if you trade in your kids' meal toy they get an ice cream? And it's not just a small tiny scoop, either. It's the real deal. Last time we went kiddo got her choice of toppings. I mean, seriously? How can you beat that?

I know that places like Moe's also have free kids night, as do Backyard Burger (newly advertised!), and Twisted Fork has kids eat free after 4pm on Sundays! And oh my goodness, for those weeknights when it's just too danged hot to cook? Torero's Mexican Restaurants have kids eat free Monday through Thursday nights! What? That's insane. But totally amazing news!

Fat Daddy's has a great 99c kids' meal which is large enough to feed an adult, honestly. And most of these places usually have child-friendly entertainment at their locations, as well, to keep the kids busy while mom and dad eat their dinner.

Another way that I tend to save money is my trusty CitiPass book. There are loads of coupons in there, and there are also plenty that I don't use. So I try to approach local moms (especially on TriangleMommies) and we do lots of coupon swaps. So if there is a restaurant in Holly Springs I likely won't get to, and there's one closer to me you won't see, either, we can make an excellent trade and I'm going to happily go there and get one entree for free after I purchase the first one!

This next suggestion might not work for some places, but I have the best find in buying myself a kids' meal at Pei Wei. They have no problem with my purchasing the kids' chicken lo mein, which actually tastes better than the adult one (less odd spices, I guess) and is way cheaper. It's a smaller serving, but it suits me just fine, and I recommend considering it for yourself, as well. Places like Cracker Barrel will also serve adults off the kids' menu, for no extra charge. What a steal!

And an option for those who might want a smaller serving and find themselves not in the mood for leftovers is to ask if you can order a half order/plate. I do that at IHOP all the time as I'm usually not going to get myself four large pancakes for breakfast. And pancakes don't reheat all that well after hanging out on the plate for a bit. And if a half-serving doesn't work, why not check out the a la carte menu? Restaurants like Bob Evans have that available and you can order that way any time of the day.

Now I know some of these places may be local to me, but there have to be opportunities to save this way by you, too. Just look into the details. Don't be afraid to ASK questions. These restaurants want you to take advantage of these deals, because it's going to bring you back and have you ordering your grown up meals for yourself, and maybe even a drink or two!

So head on out ... and be sure to report back on your findings and experience. It's info we absolutely NEED to share with one another. Because seriously -- in this heat -- who really wants to turn the oven on every night?

-- NOT ME!

Andrea blogs regularly over at http://goodgirlgoneredneck.blogspot.com - she is a SAHM who enjoys reading, writing and lots and lots of ice cream! You can also find her on twitter @goodgirlgonered.

As the beginning of school fast approaches, we are faced with another year of lunch box choices. Children form their eating habits ealry and it is wise to get them into the habit of packing and eating a healthy lunch.

Most heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis and other life long diseases begin to develop in childhood. Usually, it is a handful of foods that do the most damage and so a handful of changes can go a long way towards a healthy diet.

Let your children help pack their lunch box and offer them healthy choices. Tell them the benefits of their choices. Children truly do like to be educated and it is amazing at how much healthy information they will retain and perhaps even share with others. By offering them choices, they will feel as if they have had a say in their lunch and you will be confident that they will make a wise healthy choice. By adjusting your child's lunch box menu, you can add energy to their day, years to their life, and a healthy attitude about eating in the future.

Remember the following tips and do not forget " A handful of changes goes a long way".
1. Milk should be 1% or fat free. Whole milk is the largest source of saturated fat in a child's diet. Milk keeps hearts healthy and arteries clear.
2. When using cheese, opt for low fat or fat free. Cheese is the 2nd largest source of artery clogging fat.
3. Switch from regular lunch meat to low fat or fat free. Often they taste quite the same!
4. Always offer a fruit choice. Apples, oranges, grapes, bananas, fruit cups or applesauce. Try serving them in a variety of ways to keep it exciting. Also offer yogurt or peanut butter as a dipping sauce.
5. Always offer a vegetable choice. Vegetables reduce your child's chance of heart disease, cancer, stroke and blindness later in life. Offer small carrot sticks, celery, cucumbers. broccoli or small salads. Offer ranch dressing for vegetable dip.
6. Use whole grain bread instead of white bread. The label must indicate that it is "whole wheat".
7. Limit sugary snacks such as sweets, cakes, candy and doughnuts. Most teachers will appreciate this as well.
8. Replace regular potato chips with baked chips, pretzels, nuts, breadsticks or low fat crackers. Also beware of Olean (olestra) products, these can cause cramping and diarrhea. They can also rob your child's body of important cancer fighting carotenoids and phytochemicals. One ounce of Bugles contains as much fat as a McDonalds Quarter Pounder.
9. Use 100% fruit juice, water or flavored water for drinks. Most other juices have only 10% fruit juice and as much sugar as soda.
10. If you use Lunchables, buy the low fat Lunchables. Regular Lunchables get 2/3 of their calories from fat and sugar.

Have a safe and healthy back to school!!!

Originally posted on CharlotteMommies.com

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