GratiTuesday: Demolition Man; er, Make that 'Reconstruction Man'

For several years now I've been worrying about our deck.  In slight need of attention when we bought the house, it just needed to be treated, but the time just never seemed right.  With infants and 118-degree-days, with damp fall days and clumps of wet leaves lying on the wood, with piles of springtime pollen collecting in all the cracks, when could I treat it?  When could it be dry and not have something falling on it?

With dishes and laundry and storytime calling my name, I ignored the call of the wood.  

Until a few months ago when I noticed that those furthest back, most leaf-collecting boards weren't just rough anymore - they were starting to splinter apart.

With the back of the deck nearly a full story off the ground, this is a big problem - and not the kind of project we could tackle just anytime.  The deck was built with benches included in the sides and the whole thing built on top of the deck boards - to remove a single board, we have to remove all surrounding sides, leaving the edges open for someone to fall off.

So when we began making plans for my husband's week of vacation, I knew what I wanted should ask for.

With a minimal amount of grumbling and an extensive amount of researching and measuring, my husband began to demo the deck.

The deck is actually built on top of a sloped driveway, under which the previous owner built a sketchy enclosure for his dogs - hence the plastic roof you see under the beams.


So this is what it looked like earlier today - but already, after two days of hammering and carrying away lumber, with bleeding knuckles and sore wrists and even with a reinjured back, my husband has begun to replace the floor.  A few boards have already been screwed into place, and his plan for the rest of the week is to replace all the rest.

I know that this isn't how he wanted to spend his vacation.  His work hours chop up his days and make it difficult to complete household projects or to spend the time he wants with us, and so he really looks forward to his vacation time as big family time - but this week it's both.  We have a few evening activities planned, but his days are dedicated to rebuilding the deck - and then sealing it to prevent this from happening again.

I'm proud of my husband for spending his time out of the office with the power tools he's not fond of - and so grateful that soon our deck will be in fantastic shape.

For more GratiTuesday, visit Heavenly Homemakers.

Menu Plan Monday - June 11, 2012

This week we're having a working stay-cation.  My husband has the week off, and with some much-needed projects to be done around the house, we're staying pretty close to home (though we might incorporate a day trip or two in there somewhere).

With the Big Helper out of school, the husband home but busy, and the Little Man determined to continue his volcano unit, I'm not sure what's happening this week.  I think that simple is the best plan for us right now - and healthy, too; we're all running in races on Saturday!

So here are some meals that I might make this week, assuming that there are people here around mealtime each day to eat them.

Now that we may be home a bit more, breakfasts might be less intense for the summer.  The kids need serious protein on days when they have to be out and about, but when we're home and lazy, or just plain out in the heat, we go for simple.

Breakfast:

- fresh peaches with Cinnamon Almond Granola (I discovered this over the weekend - the perfect breakfast!  The peaches I bought were sweet and juicy and complemented the granola perfectly.  I've found my new favorite summertime breakfast!  It's almost like eating a peach cobbler.)

- Grandma's biscuits with sausage and egg inside, fresh fruit on the side

- Whole Wheat Strawberry Muffins

- scrambled eggs, toast, and Sweet Strawberry-Watermelon Smoothies
- fruit, yogurt, and granola parfaits

Lunch will be whatever anyone grabs.  I'm serious about simple this week, so that usually means some kind of sandwich or leftover with fruits, veggies, and cheese.

Dinner:
- Crock Pot mac 'n' cheese with salad (carry over from last week)
- Grilled Barbecue Chicken Pizza, salad, watermelon
- dinner out during a day trip
- hot dogs, baked beans, carrot sticks, campfire cones - campfire night!
- Make-Your-Own Nacho Night
- Something grilled in honor of Father's Day - maybe steak, potato skins, corn, salad, Ice Cream Cake?
- Dinner out for Father's Day

What are you cooking up this week?

For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit OrgJunkie!

"After All" by Deborah Raney

Susan Marlowe is beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel after the tragic death of her firefighter husband David nearly two years before.  The fire that took his life took several others, as well, leaving few people in town unscathed.  Busy getting a homeless shelter up and running, Susan sees romantic possibilities and new friendship in Fire Chief Peter Brenneman.  Peter has also caught the eye of Fire Inspector Andrea Morley, who desperately wants to find home, hearth, and children.  With Susan's adult son back at home still dealing with the loss of his father, new information about her husband's activities, and clashes with the community, can Susan find a way to move forward?

Susan doesn’t seem like the cheerleader type.  She didn’t have the perfect marriage, she struggled as a parent, and she gets too focused on her work.  Yet despite her tendency to see only the rosy side of people, her situation draws you in like few others could – because she seems real.  As a reader, you can identify with her issues and want to know how she resolves them; you just might have the same things happening in your own home.  With the added stress of the firefighters’ jobs and the mystery man who keeps turning up, you’ll be turning pages as fast as you can to race Susan to the end.

I really liked the way that Raney didn’t spill the plot all in the first chapter.  Really great books have a hook, some information that the author withholds to keep you reading until the end; but Raney kept back more than the usual whodunit.  Without even knowing exactly what the mystery was, she drew you into Susan’s world, which at times looked incredibly bleak, but always gave you a shred of hope and a glimmer of what could be.  

After All is inspiring and encouraging with a sense of reality that is hard to find.  I'll definitely be reading more Raney in the future.

I received a free copy of After All from Glass Road Publications in exchange for an honest review.

Crazy Cooking Challenge: Sweet Watermelon-Strawberry Smoothies

So this month's Crazy Cooking Challenge is all about smoothies - and I found the perfect one!  This Sweet Watermelon-Strawberry Smoothie from One Frugal Foodie is healthy and delicious.  It tastes of summer - sweet, simple, wholesome, and it comes together very quickly.

My husband is the smoothie maker in our house, mostly because he's good at fixing my flubs.  This time I froze the watermelon as well as the strawberries, and that left the smoothie without enough juice to work in the Ninja.  My husband added watermelon and got the mixture all going again - and I'm glad he did!  This made a very refreshing evening snack.

So to make your own Sweet Strawberry-Watermelon Smoothie, here's what you need:

• 1 c. frozen strawberry halves
• 2 c. watermelon chunks, not frozen
• a few teaspoons of lime juice - adjust according to your love of lime
• 1 packet of Truvia

To make your smoothie, just:

1. Start with the watermelon chunks.  Blend them until smooth.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth.
3. Pour into your favorite fun glass.
4. Enjoy!

Thanks, One Frugal Foodie, for a fabulous smoothie!

GratiTuesday - Sleepy Mornings, Here We Come!

Last August 27th our schedules got a lot crazier when our Big Helper headed back to public school for first grade.  Suddenly there was another lunch to be packed, a person to wake up each morning, to rush to pick up each afternoon, and then to work on homework with afterwards.  In between the morning and afternoon rush life was fairly calm.

Except for those few minutes just before dropping her off or picking her up - especially on days when My Little Man was still asleep.

My husband usually drops our girl off at school, and they love that time together, but on certain days of the week his work schedule doesn't allow it.

Enter the Little Man and I.

Since it's not every day, his body doesn't adapt to it.  Since it's not every day, I hate make him get up early every day for those few.  Since he's not in public school right now, I try to afford him those few small freedoms - and sleeping in occasionally seems reasonable, especially for a young five-year-old who rarely naps.

So on those early mornings, I wake him up just in time to trundle him off to the car for the ride to school.

Sometimes he perks right up, eager to see his big sister before she leaves for the day.

Sometimes he's not nearly ready to be awake and the tears fall.

But after tomorrow morning, I'm done waking him.  We're done with random early mornings.  WE'RE DONE WITH FIRST GRADE!  I can't wait to have my Big Helper home again!

I'm so looking forward to settling into our summer schedule together, and while most of our summer plans will be happening in the next few weeks, after a few special activities, we'll be able to establish our own summer routine.

Where I don't have to wake anybody up.  :-)

For more GratiTuesday, visit Heavenly Homemakers. 

Menu Plan Monday - June 4, 2012

We're in the home stretch now!  School ends on Thursday, and there are big things happening there every day in preparation.  My Little Man and I are also trying to squeeze in a few special things while it's still just us, and my husband's work schedule looks crazy this week.  We've also got an end-of-youth-group party, an end-of-school party, and an anniversary happening.  With all of that in mind, we're keeping meals low-key around here - I have no idea when we'll really be here or not!

So, here's the plan:

Breakfasts:
- pancakes, fruit

- Cinnamon Almond Granola, fruit
- scrambled eggs, toast
- strawberry muffins - recipe coming Wednesday!

Lunches will be our usual assortment of leftovers or sandwiches with cheese or yogurt and sliced fruits and veggies.

Dinners:
- Turkey taco salad, baked corn, watermelon
- Pizza @ a Youth Group Party
- Grilled steak, baked potato bar, roasted carrots, fresh fruit
- Pancakes, fruit (these pancakes will be part of a school lesson - stay tuned!)
- Crock pot Mac 'n' cheese, salad, fruit
- Chicken nuggets, cucumbers, cubed cheese, watermelon
- Grab it and Growl

The weather forecast is calling for a fantastic week.  I may try to bake a few things and get them into the freezer before the heat returns.  Maybe some chocolate chip  pumpkin brownies?

What are you planning to eat this week?

For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit OrgJunkie!

"Brush of Angel's Wings" by Ruth Reid

Rachel Hartzler is not your typical Amish maiden.  With a less-than-excellent reputation in the kitchen and all thumbs with a needle, Rachel prefers more active pursuits outside, and her father accepts her help - until he hires Jordan, an Englischer with an Amish mother who's trying to find his way.  As he grieves for his mother after her passing, he takes a job with the Hartzler family until he can plan out what to do next.  With his presence comes pressure for Rachel to accept a more traditional role, which doesn't go down smoothly.  As Rachel and Jordan dance around their attraction for each other and struggle to find their place, tragedy strikes the community.  Will death ultimately throw them together - or forever apart?

Rachel is not a typical Amish girl, and this is not your typical Amish book!  While the Amish vs. English romance has been done before, the drama that Reid writes into the story takes this book far deeper than most. What really makes it stand out, however, and what kept me up late reading is the parallel story.  The Bible says that we do not fight against what we can see, and Reid makes this evident through paragraphs inserted into the action of this story that describe what is happening in a more celestial realm.  An angel named Nathaniel and a demon named Tangus are each fighting for Jordan and Rachel, and these asides make this story much more thought-provoking.

Brush of Angel's Wings alone is a great story with likable characters and exciting action; but the addition of Nathaniel and Tangus take this book to a whole other level.  You won't want to miss this story.

I received a free copy of Brush of Angel's Wings from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.