Is it Sunday already? With several days away, a day at Michigan’s Adventure and Justin on vacation all week I’ve kind of lost track of the days 😛  Back to a “normal” week now. Plenty busy for sure. That seems to be the theme of August.

Last week we were gone a lot. We went to Double JJ for a few days. And we spent a day at Michigan’s Adventure. We picked out a new sink faucet (can’t wait for it to be installed!). And we got our mini van fixed. I also had to make a run to Harvest Health yesterday since we were almost out of milk. So I didn’t get a whole lot done at home. But I did manage to freeze beans, make pesto, roast beets, make mud balls and make ice cream cone cupcakes (a fun baking project with Rebecca on a rainy, lazy Saturday).

Not much down time this week. Today is church. Monday Abram gets another vaccine (no check up). If he’s up for it I want to make a quick stop at Meijer afterwards. In the evening I have nursery cmt. So early dinner. We haven’t decided yet which kid will stay home with Daddy and which one will come with me. Tuesday is farmer’s market. And there is a toddler story time at the library that we might go to. Wednesday I might go to Heffron Farms. Depends if I need stuff for next week’s meals or not. In the afternoon I have  dentist appt. to get 2 cavities filled 🙁  Thursday is open right now, but I might try to do a fun activity – zoo, children’s museum, park, play date. Friday is still TBD. Some of my cousins and their kids from out of town will be visiting. I think there is going to be a lunch get-together with them. Not sure about our participation yet. My parents and my SIL/nephew might be coming for that as well. If my SIL comes we might go to another farmer’s market. And there is also a 2nd hand sale that morning that I might go to. Still trying to figure it out. Saturday I think we are going to the Grand Rapids Art Museum. On Saturdays they have All Day with the Arts for families. I recently won a perks card from a giveaway from Natural Living Moms. It’s from GRKids.com. Each month there is a discount for a different venue. This month it’s the art museum. So we’re hoping to go. And I want to use this to try new things…do the activity on the perks card each month. It goes from July 2011 to June 2012. Lots of fun things to try! Next month it’s Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park. Never been there, but maybe we’ll have to go 🙂

Plenty to keep me busy in the kitchen this week too. Our beans are still going strong, so I need to keep freezing those. I might try to start freezing corn this week. And there is a chance I’ll try to can peaches now that the free stone variety is ready. I want to make a batch of hummus, chewy granola bars and sd english muffins. I’m making lots of crispy nuts. I might also attempt coconut milk ice cream. Not sure I’ll actually have time for all of this, but I’ll try.

Somehow August turned out to be such a busy month. We’ve already done a lot. But I still have a long list of places to go/things to do before it’s over: visit my grandparents, go to WI, have our old neighbors over, visit the zoo (have to make use of our membership!), go to the children’s museum, the art museum and the beach (haven’t gotten there yet this summer!). Possibly schedule a play date. Plus some random errands. We’ll see if we squeeze it all in or not.

As crazy as it sounds I’m wondering if Abram is teething already. He chews on his hands non-stop and drools. He bites sometimes when he’s eating. And sometimes seems fussy for no reason. Rebecca had her first teeth at 5 months. So I don’t think it’s out of the question for him to start at 3 months. Not sure I’m ready for it yet 😛

Still making progress with Rebecca and behavior. I found a great book on Sarah’s book list at Nourished and Nurtured called How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will Too! I checked it out from the library. I have only skimmed through a few things and I can already tell this book will be a huge help. And it made me realize one very important factor. Before I can expect Rebecca to change her behavior I have to change mine. This book focuses a lot on positive reinforcement, encouragement, rules, charts, expectations. I have only glanced through it, but I have already found things to start implementing…that seem to be helping. I think I might have to buy this book.

No major updates on me. Just trying to get my gut back on track after a week of travel, changed routines and compromised food. Bring on the broth this week 🙂  Here’s what’s on the menu.
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S (cook beans, dry walnuts, pecans, almonds and macadamia nuts, soak and dry cashews, make hummus, church, make kefir, make granola bars)
  B – veggie soup w/ egg and avocado (me), blueberry buckle (Justin)
  L – beef, bean and veggie soup, grilled cheese
  D – grilled burgers, peaches, hummus w/ veggies and chips

M (Dr. S., Meijer, nursery cmt)
  B – granola bars, yogurt (Justin), soup (me)
  D – coconut pecan chicken, french fries, cucumbers and crackers w/ hummus

T (Dr. S., FM, make english muffins)
  B – soup (me), blueberry buckle, fruit (Justin)
  D – egg, zucchini and sausage casserole, sd english muffins, beans

W (put away laundry, freeze corn, dentist, prep smoothies, make kefir)
  B – sd english muffin (Justin), leftover casserole, avocado (me)
  D – squash and sausage soup, crackers w/ cheese and hummus

Th (children’s museum, make pesto, soak beans)
  B – kefir smoothie, zucchini bars (Justin), soup (me)
  D – cheeseburger zucchini/pepper boats, corn on the cob, beans

F (cook beans, clean, family gathering, MOPS sale, make corn pesto)
  B – zucchini bars (Justin), soup (me)
  D – pasta w/ corn pesto and bacon, beans, broccoli, avocado

S (freeze beans, clean floors, laundry, art museum, make coconut milk ice cream)
  B – zucchini boat w/ pesto (me), banana bread, fruit (Justin)
  D – grilled steak, grilled corn on the cob, grilled zucchini