Meal Plan 2/9/15 and books, and other things

I'm sad I dropped of the ball writing down my plan last week.  We had some good food!  I've been to Costco the past two weeks to stock up on some things (pantry stuff, cheese, jammies, that hott crew neck sweater for Ian).  I feel like we have so much food in the house I'm reluctant to shop more, but the inevitable 5 more things trip turns into a full grocery cart every time. I'm getting better about letting that go, knowing we rarely throw out food and I'm feeding 5 people, and when I do buy I buy the best stuff at the best value I can find, every time.  Oh well!

This weekend I was craving veggies amundo so I made two new soups from Moosewood.  I made the vegetable chowder and cauliflower cheese soup.  Both are really excellent.  We had them for lunches all weekend and will have them again for dinner tonight with bread, with lots more for more lunches this week.  I love big weekend cooking.

Other than that we're eating...

Ground Nut Stew with brown rice, cooked carrots and parsnips (at least two meals for our family)

Baked mahi mahi with broccoli bake ( I bought 5 lbs of broccoli at Costco!)

Gnocchi with pesto and grilled marinated chicken

We have about 3 pounds of chuck roast in the freezer that I'm thinking has beef stew written all over it.  That may be a Sunday project because Saturday is Valentine's Day and in our house that means showing love with food, again.

Ian's been dying for a good seafood bisque so I'm going for it.  At trader Joe's they have a frozen seafood blend (shrimp, scallops, and calamari) for a mere $7.99 so I snagged that up with some wild caught frozen cod pieces, San Marzano canned tomatoes, broth and heavy cream and we should be good to go.  He requested raspberry cream cheese pie on a graham cracker crust for dessert.  For lunch I may really splurge and make the kids Velveeta shells, Ainsley's all time favorite, and hot dogs of course.  I love fun weekend cooking.

I just finished racing Delancy.  I liked it and the last page about marriage and life and change, is exactly what I needed to read last night.
Have you read Homemade Life by the same author?  It's one of my all time favorites.
After two successful, quick (for me!) reads I'm trying to keep momentum up but need to choose something!  Perhaps an NPR booklist book?  I had eyed lots around Christmastime...I'm also excited to get Twig from the library.  A friend highly recommended it as a read aloud for the girls' names and I can't wait to read it!

I've started a new groove with Ainsley and reading.  She's been reluctant to read to us, I think because she doesn't like not knowing words.  When she does read she reads the whole sentence silently over and over until she knows it well, then blurts it out loud and confident and fast.
Now we sit down each night after dinner, up in my bed and she reads me one book, then I read her a chapter of a book, just us two.  we're working out way through the Julie books, which she's loving, and sometimes throw a chapter from Heidi in there.

First books she's loving reading to me...
Bob Books and Dick and Jane
Usborne Very First Readers (we've been getting them through our library, oh how I wish Usborne books were more accessible!)
Mo Willems (cat the cat books...SO GOOD!!!!!)
Dr. Suess (Hop on Pop and the first parts of Cat in the Hat)
Things are just starting to truly "click" for her and she's sounding out words she doesn't know with relative ease.  It's such a great thing to witness.  I'm proud of my girl for working so hard and thankful for this special time with her each day.

I'm still trying to find a better time to carve out reading chapter books to both girls without little man around.  I may just start reading aloud to Louise too.  Mercy Watson were favorite firsts with Ainsley, and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle.
We're almost 100% sure we're sending Louise to kindergarten next year.  I guess I just needed some time to get used to it.  I'm definitely sad in many ways but I know it's the right thing for her and that she's ready.  I just wish there was a half day option for kindergarten. :o(
On other Louise notes, that girl is coming into her own.  She's reading signs when we're out and about (while driving! which means she's reading them fast).  It's still shocking to me because that girl hardly knows her alphabet some days.  Haha!  She is hilariously specific about her clothes these days.  All she'll wear in our house (and to bed) are tiny bike shorts and oversized t shirts.  She then puts school clothes OVER these for school and outings ALWAYS with her red mama made sweater over the whole shebang.  It's so dang cute.
She also loves toting around adult chapter books "reading out loud' and making up languages of her own.

I'm itching to do some sewing of my own.  I love this pattern and this pattern.  Perhaps I'll treat myself to an early birthday present and make a gauzy top I can wear in Florida?  That'd be more practical than the dress, but that dress and these shoes?  Hmmmm.  I feel my willpower waning, especially since I'm pretty committed to making the girls this dress for spring, I love how simple but cute it is.  AND!  I found a big kid quick change trouser pattern!  I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!

Well, I'm off to pick up Ainsley from school, head to the library and finish some Valentines.  Happy Wednesday to you all!