Menu Plan Monday - March 17, 2014

 We're scheduled to have a record week around here - with nothing on the schedule!  I'm excited to say that other than a child's birthday and youth group, we have nothing on the calendar.  Whoo-hoo!  I'm expecting to see lots of games, shorter school lists with fun interactive projects, and perhaps spontaneous dinner plans involving short people.  :-)

Here's a tentative plan, though, to prevent myriads of trips to the grocery store.

Breakfast: 

- Perfectly Pumpkin Waffles, fruit - birthday breakfast

- Cinnamon & Sugar Baked Doughnuts, fruit

- scrambled eggs, juice, bananas

- 

- Cinnamon Almond Granola and fruit

Dinner:

- Fish & chips in newspaper with a side salad

- birthday request:  pizza, salad

- Chicken enchilada soup, tortilla chips & salsa, fruit

 

- Angel hair pasta with Easy Bolognese Sauce

 

-  Loaded cauliflower & chicken casserole with cous cous @ applesauce

 

- Taco bar - beans, beef, grilled onions & peppers, cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa, Spanish rice

- Leftovers

 

We've got about half of a birthday cake left from this weekend's party and some ice cream, too.  We'll be feasting on that this weekend - and I'll share more about this crazy cake tomorrow.

What are you cooking this week?

For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit OrgJunkie.

Hearts for Home Blog Hop - March 12, 2014

Introducing ... the Hearts for Home Blog Hop!  A Nest in the Rocks is now one of the co-hosts for this weekly link-up, which means that every Thursday you'll find lots of great tips, recipes, and other family-friendly ideas listed throughout this post.  If you're a blogger, we'd love to have you link up your posts and join us.  You can find information about the other co-hosts of this hop here.

The most clicked-on post from last week was Free Family Friendly Devotions for Lent from A Nest in the Rocks.

Some of my favorite posts from last week were:

-  25 Books That Have Inspired our Creativity - Crystal's Tiny Treasures

- new look for an old canvas

-  9 books about St. Patrick's Day for kids

If your post is listed above, please grab one of our 'Featured Blogger' buttons!  Congratulations, and thanks for writing such inspiring posts.

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Link up your family-friendly blog posts below. Please add our button to your post to link back to this one. Happy hopping!

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Please share your family friendly posts here:

An InLinkz Link-up

Menu Plan Monday - March 10, 2014

Breakfast: 

- Perfectly Pumpkin Waffles, fruit

- cinnamon bagels & oranges

- scrambled eggs, juice, bananas

- 

- Cinnamon Almond Granola and fruit

Dinner:

- Grilled turkey sausages with baked potatoes and steamed broccoli

- dinner out at a banquet with friends

- Cheese & broccoli quiche, fruit

- Beef & Bean Burritos, chips & salsa

- Lasagna, salad, garlic bread

 

- Nacho bar - beans, chili, grilled onions & peppers, cheese, lettuce, tomato, salsa

- Leftovers

 

With birthday stuff galore happening this weekend, we'll probably have some kind of cookie happening for portable, quick desserts and then a 'landscape' cake for the big event.  For our happiness this week, we'll be dessert-ing on pumpkin cake.

What are you cooking this week?

For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit OrgJunkie.

Hearts for Home Blog Hop - March 6, 2014

Introducing ... the Hearts for Home Blog Hop!  A Nest in the Rocks is now one of the co-hosts for this weekly link-up, which means that every Thursday you'll find lots of great tips, recipes, and other family-friendly ideas listed throughout this post.  If you're a blogger, we'd love to have you link up your posts and join us.  You can find information about the other co-hosts of this hop here.

Some of my favorite posts from last week were:

-  8 amazing art ideas your kids will love

- Adventure Bible Website {Link Party}

-  WinterPromise: “Ready to Learn: On the Farm"

If your post is listed above, please grab one of our 'Featured Blogger' buttons!  Congratulations, and thanks for writing such inspiring posts.

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.upsidedownhomeschooling.com/hearts-for-home/" title="Hearts for Home Blog Hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r505/upsidedownhomeschool/HFHFeature_zpse5060e68.jpg" alt="Hearts for Home Blog Hop" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 
Link up your family-friendly blog posts below. Please add our button to your post to link back to this one. Happy hopping!

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.upsidedownhomeschooling.com/hearts-for-home/" title="Hearts for Home Blog Hop" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1169.photobucket.com/albums/r505/upsidedownhomeschool/HFH150_zpsf22ef64f.jpg" alt="Hearts for Home Blog Hop" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 

Please share your family friendly posts here:

An InLinkz Link-up

Job-Inspired Snow Day Art

 
I love the end of the book of Job.  I realize that might sound a bit strange, but I love the way that Job, Elihu, and God talk about just how amazing God really is.  

One of those sections talks about how He controls the weather.  It says in Job 37:6-7 that "He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down.   Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power.” 

 
I happened to see a random Pin about how some noodles look like snowflakes, and this project was born.  Our church's elementary-aged youth group made these one night, and we all had fun.  Some kids painted snowmen, others painted buildings or trees or entire scenes, but My Big Helper decided to go for symmetry. 

Here's what you need:
- snowflake-shaped pasta
- white paint, two parts
- rubbing alcohol
- blue paper
- paint brushes
- a printable of the verses above (optional)

Directions:
1.  Mix your pasta, a few tablespoons of white paint, and 2 T. of rubbing alcohol in a zip-top bag.  Shake and squish carefully until the pasta is covered.
2.  Spread out the pasta on old newspapers until dry.
3.  When you're ready to be creative, pass out the painted pasta, paper, brushes, and glue.  Paint a snowy scene on blue paper.  
4.  Embellish with painted pasta. 
5.  Add scripture verses or write on by hand.

How do you connect scripture and art?

PRINCESS EVER AFTER $200 “Princess” Giveaway and Facebook Party with @RachelHauck!

Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of her latest "swoon"-worthy romance,  Princess Ever After, with a fun $200 "Princess" prize package giveaway and a Facebook "Princess" party on March 6th. Grab your tiaras and RSVP today!

  One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card (buy your very own "princess ever after" gown or tanks of gas for your "royal" ride)
• Princess Ever After, Once Upon a Prince, and The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 6th. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "Princess" Facebook Party on March 6th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of "royal" book chat, princess-themed trivia, laughter, prizes, and an exclusive look at the next book in the Royal Wedding series!

So grab your copy of Princess Ever After and join Rachel and friends on the evening of March 6th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!

Menu Plan Monday - March 3, 2014

Yesterday we spent the afternoon outside, reveling in the sunshine and temperatures near 70.  Today we're snuggled inside as a winter storm overtakes our area, threatening us with 1/2" of ice and snow on top of that.  I think we're moving back to fires, baking, and comfort foods!

Breakfast: 

- Caramel Pumpkin Doughnut Hole (Muffins), oranges

- Pancakes, grape juice

- omelets, juice, bananas

- 

- Cinnamon Almond Granola and fruit

Dinner:

- Wild rice soup & salad with Italian herb bread - it's happening TODAY!

- dinner out at a banquet with friends

- Smoked Sausage Foil Babies

- Dinner at church

- Breakfast for supper - Blueberry Biscuits, oranges, and scrambled eggs

- Southwestern Chicken Skillet, chips & salsa

- Leftovers

With the weather as cold and yucky as it is, I'm definitely thinking that we need to bake something - I'm just not sure what yet!  Maybe chocolate chip oatmeal cookies ... they're always good.  :-)

What are you cooking this week?

For more Menu Plan Mondays, visit OrgJunkie.