As is obvious from my blog, last week went all to heck. My dad, who was supposed to just have a minor surgery the Friday of week 4, wound up being transferred to ICU at another hospital, had a second surgery on Tuesday, and will remain in the hospital for a few more weeks. He is out of ICU now, and should be transferred to rehab later today, so things are looking up. However, to add insult to injury my kids and husband came down with the exorcist flu on Friday, and I woke up with it on Sunday.

So, last week’s meal plan is being reshuffled for this week.

Sunday: I have no idea what my family ate, as I slept through the entire day.

Monday: Fish baked with lemon and herbs, potato packets, and artichokes

Tuesday: Fried chicken, roasted brussels sprouts, baked potatoes

Wednesday: Split Pea Soup (yeah, we didn’t have it – again)

Thursday: Spaghetti

Friday: Challah, steak, cauliflower, fried new potatoes

Saturday: Pizza

Dear Flylady,

I’ve never written before, and honestly never thought that I would. Today though, I have to let you know how wonderful you have been for our lives!

I’ve been flying for about 3 years now, with many crashes, but luckily no burns. We have a 2 year old, and a 10 month old.

A few months ago, my father started having difficulty walking, and in the last month it really came to a head. He was falling and could no longer be alone. So, he started coming over here first thing in the morning when my mom went to work, and staying with us all day.

Then a week ago, he could no longer walk at all. Because of house layouts, it was decided he would simply stay with us, as he wouldn’t have to battle stairs.

Obviously, things here have been a little crazed what with a toddler, a baby, and now a non-mobile adult. So yesterday he went in for surgery and today, my in-laws are coming into town to help out.

Well, my goal has always been 10 minutes from company ready, just like you say. And, after the complete insanity of the last few weeks, today we were not only 10 minutes from company ready, but only 1 hour from Mother-in-Law ready! And that includes time to wash the guest room sheets, and remake the bed since my dad left yesterday!

Thank you Flylady!

I’m beginning to think that I should just not make a plan for Saturday night. Somehow, it always seems to get thrown by the wayside. Last night, instead of having the planned tacos, we picked up fried chicken and took it over to my folks house. So, tacos need to get moved to a night this week.

Also complicating this weeks plans, Friday is my mom’s birthday, Shabbat, and my father is having major back surgery that day. How do I make a Shabbat meal, that is birthday celebratory too, and that can be eaten at whatever time my mom and I get back to the house from the hospital? Do I ask my husband – who will be home with the kids that day so I can be at the hospital, to make Challah and the rest of dinner? Ack!

Oh, and my inlaws are coming in this weekend too. I love them and they are coming to help, but it makes meal planning even more “interesting”.

I guess the jist of all this prefacing this week is that the plan for this week will probably get thrown out completely due to all the complications, but here goes anyway.

Sunday: Pizza (probably will just pick one up at Costco today)

Monday: Tacos, beans, and rice

Tuesday: Dinner with my folks, which will probably actually be here, but I don’t know what yet.

Wednesday: Baked halibut, rice, veggies

Thursday: Split pea soup (week 3 split pea soup night wound up being 11 bean soup instead), homemade bread

Friday: Challah, salad, and lasagna

Saturday: Gumbo

Sunday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, salad

Monday: Beef stew with Guiness, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, and homemade bread (transferred over from Saturday night of week 2)

Tuesday: Dinner with my folks, which means I don’t have to cook!

Wednesday: Oven fried chicken, roasted veggies, mashed potatoes

Thursday: Split pea soup (DH’s favorite, and I’ve never made it – so if you have a great recipe, send it over. Oh, and I’ll be using a smoked turkey leg instead of a ham bone.)

Friday (Shabbat): Homemade challah, duck confit, salad, dessert, and all I’m responsible for is the Challah because this week Shabbat dinner is at my folks house.

Saturday: tacos, beans, and rice

Before going to bed last night, I made my husband help clean up. We got the living room all clean. The rug was vacuumed, the toys were all put away, floor swept, sofas straightened out, etc. It didn’t look like a spread from Better Homes and Gardens, but it did look reasonable. I was pleased.

90 minutes after the children woke up, this is what I’m looking at.

It’s snowing like crazy and 16 degrees outside, too cold to take my monsters out.

Anyone know if Calgon still answers?

Okay, trying something new here. I’m planning out meals for the next week in advance. Okay, to be truthful, I’m planning out dinners only.

Hopefully this way I can make a shopping list, do my shopping, and be done with it. My goal is that this is one of my New Years Resolutions, and I’m starting it a bit early in the hopes that will make it more likely to stick.

As always, this is flexible. if my husband suggests we go out to dinner one night instead, or if I don’t feel like making what is scheduled, I reserve all rights to alter, modify, change, or entirely throw out the plan as needs warrant.

Sunday: Lasagna, salad, garlic bread, cheesecake (DH plans to make the cheesecake)

Monday: Potato Ale soup, homemade bread

Tuesday: Dinner at my folks. (who knows?)

Wednesday: I eat at Pepe’s for SnB, kids and DH get mac n’ cheese.

Thursday: Shabu Shabu in honor of New Years Eve

Friday: Indian Food at Gaylord’s with the SnB gals. DH and the kids get to fend for themselves (they’ll probably have leftover lasagna)

Saturday: Roasted chicken, pasta, and veggies

edit: 20 minutes in, and we’ve already made a change.

Sorry about the long absence, life kinda gets in the way sometimes. Just a quick update here.

For Chanukah, we got Miriam and Asher a play kitchen! Miriam thinks it is the best thing, ever. It may even be a better toy than her Uncle N, we’ll have to see when he comes over for Shabbat dinner.

Anyway, DH and my dad put the kitchen set together last night and the kids only got to play with it for about an hour before it was bedtime. So, this morning I got Miriam up, made her breakfast, and handed her a sippy cup of milk, just like normal. She took one sip of the milk, and then went and put it in the play fridge! She was so proud of herself!

I think we’re going to have to be checking the play kitchen for real food regularly.

Everyone has their simple pleasures.  Amelie (yes, from the film) loved to put her hands in tubs of lentils. My husband’s favorite time of day is when Asher falls asleep on his chest in the evening. Everyone has one. Take a moment and think about your own simple pleasure.  Just a little thing that makes you happy.

Well, mine is a cool pillow.  I don’t mind getting up 3 times during the night to feed my growth spurting baby, because when I get back to bed, my pillow is nice and cool.  It makes me so happy.

Except for when my darling husband decides to snuggle my pillow while I’m awake and get it all hot, and oh ugh, drooly.

Then it is not so much fun.

Today was a shopping day.  For the very first time, Jason kept BOTH kids, all by himself, for several hours.  He survived, the kids survived, and the house survived.  But that isn’t the part I’m all jazzed about.

Oh no.

My mother and I went shopping.  Not only did we go shopping, we kicked some shopping ass, and I did my part to stimulate the economy, believe you me!

I bought a dress.  No, not a dress.  A gown.  An amazing gown that will make my husband forget that I am a mother of two, and see me as the goddess fallen to Earth that I am.

I also bought shoes.  Otherwise known as FM Shoes.  Oh yeah, those.

And a wrap, just in case it gets cold at Navy Pier this Wednesday, where Jason and I will be attending a wedding.

Also, jewelery. Earrings and a necklace.  Lovely lovely lovelies.

A purse.  Too hold of my necessities, what with still being a nursing mama.

And of course, appropriate foundation garments.

All in one day, and all for UNDER $200.

The dress was in fact the 3rd one I tried on. First (and only) trip to a fitting room.  And it was 50% off.

I never have this kind of luck, this is what in my family, we call Megan luck after my sister who can wear anything off the rack and buys a swimsuit in less than 10 minutes and looks amazing in!

Well, the whole shebang took me a little longer than 10 minutes, but we were home before 5, and I got everything I need to look amazing.

I should go buy a lottery ticket with luck like this!

I need one good reason to not kill my husband.  Please.

He twittered today that his Ipod was dying, so I chatted him back and asked how bad it was. He didn’t reply.  I said that if it was indeed dying, we’d go get him a new one.  He uses the thing all day at work, and it is more than 2 years old. It’s a justifyable expense.  Not what I was planning to use our “entertainment / household” budget category for this month, but okay.

I figured that I need a few things at the mall anyway, and I could certainly use to get out.  Lord knows I can’t do a mall trip by myself with both babies.

Several hours later, my darling husband calls me.  It turns out he already went out, leaving work, and bought a replacement.  A zune.  Considering what all he does with his Ipod, a Zune is not an appropriate replacement, but Mr. Know-it-all with a history of buying inapropriate MP3 players (you think I’m kidding) and having to replace them within 48 hours (again you think I’m kidding) is sure he did just fine.

Did I mention he used up an hour of comp time to do this?  One of his 8? With which we had already discussed that he was going to take a full day off and give me a hand?  Yeah.  One of those hours.

So now, I don’t get a mall trip (which I was actually looking forward to), he blew the budget on a non-returnable item which will not meet his needs, and I lost my day of having help.

Oh, and he called to tell me all this after Asher projectile-vomited 5 times in an hour.  Each time immediatly after I got him bathed, cleaned up, changed, and changed the blanket etc.  Seriously, I’d get everything all clean and nice, and 5 seconds later, erruption.

Oh, and Mr. Helpful has to work all weekend, after working all of last weekend, and two 12 hour days this week.  In addition to his normal 8+ hour days.

And it is supposed to snow.

Well, both kids are crying again. There goes my break for the day.