fun times at Hyvee!!!

Thanks to the Chicks on Chicks Dig Deals, I was able to score a lot of FREE things as well as a few other things very cheap at Hyvee. I had to pick up some things for a pot luck at church tonight or else I would have done even better. Missing is a 1.00 water. How much did I spend?

19.32

Two transactions, 8.00 in catalina's, 13 coupons!!!

Softsoap - FREE

Harvest Campbell's soup - Free

Pie Crusts were on sale for 2.48 each...so just those would be 10.00:)

Now if analyzing my purchases you will notice that not much of it is very healthy. I have so much fruit in my freezer that it works to have an easy dessert with the pie crusts. I have not boughten Crescent rolls or cinnamon rolls for along time...so time to reward ourselves when Daddy has been gone so much.

Have a great night!

Meal plan for this week

Do you meal plan? I can't tell you how much it has saved me on time, effort, and just plain feeling like I get a good meal on the table for my family. I had a goal to clean out my bottom freezer. With just the meals from last week, I can finally see some free space in my freezer and I also have less in my cupboards, becauseI used excessive items paired with the freezer ingredients to clean both out at the same time. My grocery bills have been within the $20-$30 range the past month, because I am using what i have and TRYING to stay away from the sales. So with that being said...this is what I still have taking up space in our freezer that should be in our tummies.

Monday: Tacos with homemade salsa and beans
Tuesday: 4:30 Swimming lessons - Spaghetti and Meatballs (I will make tonight so that all we have to do is warm it up and make the noodles)
Wednesday:AWANA - Popcorn Chicken and homemade french fries
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Chix Pot Pie
Saturday: I think the boys and I are headed to the Apple Jack Festival in NE City. We will be back for supper, so I am thinking Green Bean Casserole.
Sunday: LUNCH - Roast, Potato, Carrots DINNER - Leftovers or hot beef sandwiches
I might try to make some homemade bread on Sunday...depending on my energy level.

Have a great week!
I along with my Aunt Kendra are starting to FLY This week with the FLY Lady. I have been doing baby fly steps, but I am starting to see about my weekly routine to see how it fits into our schedule. I HIGHLY suggest her website www.flylady.net. A bit overwhelming at first, but amazing if you do what she suggests and take BABY STEPS!
Rhi

RAndom August

We had a great time this weekend at the NU football game. Kenner has gone all 5 years of his life:) Patton is a bit of cheese here...but what is new! I love to see my boys walking with their great grandpa!

riding rides at the State Fair.

feeding the zebras

headed on the shuttle to go to the fair for my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary.

To the Kenner family...this is Comet. One of the last babies of Lucky's. We were very fortunate to get this photo as she lives up to her name, Comet. She was really sick recently, but she wasn't showing any signs of having difficulty.

Kenner on the "new" but old tire swing, borrowed from the "farm." Poor Grandpa Dennis was graciously pushing Kenner on here and accidentally scraped the tree. Kenner won't drop it...Grandpa Dennis couldn't be any more kinder of a person. He is getting more and more over it everday. But the minute he saw this picture he made a comment. Wow the kid doesn't forget a thing.

Mark this one down...getting to go to the library while Mommy is working full time. They are really into puppets these days.

Getting to go to the LAST Wild Wednesday with Lane and Heather.

Having fun on the turtle. I love these two! (you caught me on a good day...now yesterday I wouldn't have been able to say that so nicely). They decided to be the loudest kids at church, which frustrated me to the hilt, then decided to make a nice band with books and the fan while they were attempting to take a nap (and MOMMY NEEDED ONE DESPERATELY), and ran on the highest energy that I have ever seen them. It is Monday and we are starting over:)

Labor day weekend

Wow! What an amazing weekend. It was great to have Casey back early on Thursday. We ventured to Omaha and bought a new minivan - Pontiac Montana. The boys LOVE it. In fact, last night I moved the car seats back to the car. No sense in driving it around until we actually need it (aka when the baby comes). The boys were devastated that we weren't going to be riding in the van. I told them we could ride in it when we go to Grandma's house and when the baby comes. Patton decided to put those together and said,
"Mom, I have a great idea, we can take it to grandma's house so that we can show them the baby." That was a great idea Patton:)

We were able to spend a great Saturday at the Elge's. It is always a great time to relax, talk, and watch the boys play play play on everything and everywhere on the farm. They were a bit disappointed when traveling to the "real" farm that they didn't have horses any more.

After spending a day in Aurora, we traveled to Grand Island to a hotel with 47 other Wiedels for my grandparent's 50th Wedding Anniversary. It was such a blessing to be able to go to a hotel rather than cram us all in a house. Even though that has never stopped us getting together, I am voting for an activity like the hotel fun times again. Some of the clan went to the Martina McBride concert at the fair, while some of us watching littler ones swim and play a crazy dice game. The game consisted of 6 kids standing in a corner each with a number assignment. When their number was rolled, the one kid came out of their corner danced for 10 seconds tops, we clapped and they went back to their corner to wait for their number to be called. Yes it sounds crazy, but we were able to play this game for an hour without any difficulties....crazy! Casey also did a kids PE class. It was funny to see all of them lined up like in the military and following his commands.

I will have to get a picture up of all of us. There were 47 of us, 7 were missing and 5 are on the way. We will need a bigger place to house all of us at once.

Freezer Cooking SIGN UP for Oct

Our first freezer cooking exchange will be held on Sept 7th at 7:00 at Zion. If you want to be a part of October's exchange, post a comment or email me. Sign up before Sept 3rd.

Rhi

Meal plan for this week

Casey is in Dallas this week...so easy and simple food to help clean out the freezer while Daddy is gone:

Monday:
D: Frozen Pizza with beans

Tuesday:
D: Mom's Burger Casserole

Wednesday:
D: CARNIVAL AT ZION 5-9 :)

Thursday:
D: Creamy Potatoes with Ham and peas (still have yet to make this recipe from a few weeks ago)

Friday:
D: Leftovers or Spaghetti (depending if Daddy is home or not)

Saturday - Monday: we will be traveling to Aurora and Grand Island for the big NEW STATE FAIR.

Have a great week!
Rhi

Scrapbooking 2 years later...

the boys and I have had a very productive day. I have been reading the book, Sink Reflections by the Fly Lady . It is about home making. She has really inspired me. She tells me to do things that Casey has requested me doing. Little did I know that actually listening to my husband would make things easier for me in our house. I am just LOVING our new carpet. It is an amazing feeling to have a great foot massage on the way down the stairs in the morning.

What have we done today?

-Laundry

-Chores (boys put two loads of dishes away from dishwasher)

-Freezer cooking

-Made two pies

-Made homemade maple syrup

-Ate 3 meals at home today:)

-Cleaned out closets and put things where they belong

-Played outside

-SCRAPBOOKED. I am only 2 years behind...yikes! I was able to do all these pages (plus the double for the other boy) thanks to Scrapbook Factory Deluxe. I just ordered the 5th version of it for $20.00. It has many premade sheets, so I am using them and adjusting them to our life. I am saving them as JPEG's then putting them immediately into a Walgreen's photo book. I will order the book when they go on sale. It has been fun, while the boys are playing with all the NEW toys that we found while cleaning out closets. It was great to have the windows open this morning and able to put up the red N on the porch...one week until game day!

Meal plan for this week

I really did have a meal plan for the last few weeks...but somehow they never got on to the computer. We have been RUNNING this week. Casey and I got to go to a Counting Crows concert on Monday (thanks to Aunt Annie for letting the boys sleep over). Tuesday we came home to recoup, Wednesday the boys and I went to the LAST Wild Wednesday and got to hang at home tonight. I am looking forward having a weekend at home.

Meal planning to continue next week:)

trying something new

I am going to try to scrapbook instead of blog our adventures with pictures. I think I have posted this before...but this will really work if I stay on top of it. You can click on the picture to enlarge it to see our adventures in writing:)

Have a great FRIDAY!
Is it Friday ALREADY?
Rhi

August fun

Sprague Fun Days

This weekend was the Annual Sprague/Martell Fun Days at the Center (aka Ball park outside of Sprague). Casey always has guard drill and we hardly ever make it out. With the BEAUTIFUL weather and a nice fresh pile of sand by the playground, I decided to let the boys take three inside trucks outside and play up a storm at the ball field. I had fun seeing people from Crete and around Sprague as well as see the boys play and meet new friends. We took a total of 4 baths in 2 days, but was a grand ole time. I even got to play one game (which I can still barely walk due to soreness) and got to work in the concession stand. It was a great weekend, but no pictures...too busy just soaking up the great weather and atmosphere.

Have a great week! This one has started off a great one again (waiting for the grass to brown a bit on this side of the fence....) tonight I was able to clean out Casey's car (an all night chore in itself), play candyland, cook dinner, clean up the house (shine my sink;)), and put two boys to bed by 7:30. This is the life:)

Meal plan for this week

I am going to start to do my meal plans on Wednesdays. This allows me a better outlook on the weekend and the week ahead. *= Freezer cooking

Thurs:
L: leftovers/sandwiches
D: Homemade Pizza

Friday:
L: leftovers
D: SPRAGUE/MARTELL FUN DAYS

Saturday:
L: Frozen Pizza
D: SPRAGUE/MARTELL FUN DAYS

Sunday:
L: Sandwiches
D: SPRAGUE/MARTELL FUN DAYS

Monday:
L: Sandwiches/Chimichangas*
D: Donna's Strombolli*

Tuesday:
L: Leftovers
D: April's Chicken* with cheesy potatoes

Wednesday:
L: Sandwiches
D: Creamy Ham and Potatoes with peas

Random August

Boys busy at the corn boil. For those of you there...I hope there wasn't any short hairs in the corn. It would have been from my boys loving to dip their head in the cool water...neat! Love, love, love this pic. Hmmm maybe a gift idea!?!!?

the boys with Mommy's new cousin (yes 31 years apart:) Kenna Jo

Kenner was so responsible when holding Kenna. Bub just wanted to read her stories.

THE ICE CREAM TRUCK graced it's presence in Sprague tonight! Such a novelty item!

don't fall over...

Hello blog viewers - I hope that you are still out there. It is always crazy in the Svitak household, so it has taken me awhile to adjust to a new schedule (both work and cleaning *flylady.net). I feel more than ever that God has placed me in the correct work setting in order to allow me to feel a balance to my life.



I know I can't speak from too much experience, but working 7 hours a day and being able to leave at 7 hours and not bring anything home has been great. I love being in Lincoln as it saves me 40 minutes just to run errands. I have been blessed with a better than ever babysitter for the boys. Kenner has done more writing in the 4 days that he has been in daycare than he has in the past years at other places. I was again worried and questioned God's opinion about me switching jobs which placed the boys in a new daycare and Kenner without preschool. Why do we question God? I am thankful that he has reminded me subtly that he is always in control and knows what is best. If I could only write this on my forehead to remember every day.



Another blessing has been the flylady and her outlook on keeping the house clean. When I mentioned this on facebook, everyone thought she was quite overwhelming and crazy. Well right up my alley. I like her, because you can do as much or as little and still feel like your house is put together.



I am so thankful for a more than generous and loving family. I came down with a kidney infection on my 2nd day of work last week and was out of it for two days. Casey was able to pick up the boys and take them to Elge's, then my mom picked them up from Elge's for a few days. I am so thankful to have so many Grandparents involved in their lives. They learn so much without even others knowing what they learn:) While Casey was busy with the boys, Kendra and Trevor were assisting me back to health (while Kendra was more than 9 months along). Their self-sacrifice to come to my aide is so humbling and inspiring. Words can't describe the thankfulness I have for everyone to helped me in some way last week. I love you!



My job is interesting, challenging, and stressful BUT ONLY if I allow it to be. I have great supports that are allowing me to learn. It is SUCH a change from the school setting, much more laid back and less stress. Although I won't have next summer off...I have so much more time after work with my boys that I don't need an entire summer off. I continue to pray for my patience and for the patiences of others to cont to allow me to learn more about my job.

Have a great Wednesday...is it already Wednesday?
rhi

Corn Boil

I am attempting to scrapbook as I put them up on the blog...this saves me time later and also saves me time by just uploading one picture.

Random July/August Pics

Our Annual picture in front of the sign. Can you say CHEESE bubbi? The boys LOVE minnesota. Except the ride. Patton has been into saying really. For example, about an hour away from my Grandparent's house Patton wined, "Mommy Minnesota is really really really really really really really really far away." It was hillarious.

Having fun on the swing and the foot rest...but the perfect size for a swing for 3 year olds.

this is a great picture of my Grandpa and my cousin Carter...had to include it.

On our 5 minute sailing trip...the boys had to relief themselves.

Kenner and Carter had a blast together. We enjoyed have someone to show the boys how to swim in the lake, fish, and just plain have some good ole lake fun. Thanks Carter! Baseball buddies

One of my favorite things at the lake...campfire:) Thanks to my youngest son requesting to burn marshmellows (aka start the fire) from noon until it was time to actually start the fire, we had one about every night.

Patton also loved the jet ski. I love this picture.

Having some fun with Daddy as he teaches the boys how to fish.

Carter, my cousin, looks completely scared...but he must have just been talking or something:) Bubbi was a pro at catching fish (or the hook he used was just the right size). Pontooning with Great Grandpa!

Playing around with Dad

Nothing cooler than driving around with Great Grandpa

Grandpa makes sure you look just right...with his hat:)

Canoeing with Grandpa. Thanks to Grandpa the boys were occupied from 6:15 am to 8:00 when the rest of the world woke up. Love you Grandpa!

Look what we finished this summer...the summer reading program. Wow do they give a lot of freebies for just completing simple activities:)

Mini recap

We have had a fun filled week before I head back to work, since I am writing this the morning that I start my new job...I thought I would be brief.

- We finished the reading program at the Library. What a great treat!
- We traveled to Minn last Tuesday and came home on Friday. Kenner was always the first one up and got to go tubing. Patton and Kenner enjoyed fishing and playing with their cousin Carter.
- We went to Aurora on Saturday to put up a BUNCH of sweet corn. All of us had a great time. What a process, but fun to experience it with everyone else.
- We rushed home to take a quick shower to go to our friend's grandson's 1st year party. Casey got to put his ice cream machine to use-we had mango flavor. Yum!
- Got to go out as grown ups last night at my friend Patty's house for supper. It was fun and the boys had fun with Laura at the park. we need to do this often.

Today is a big day that I have been wanting/dreading this whole summer. I start a new chapter in the game of life today. I pray that I can at least pretend to go through the motions and gain the knowledge I need to become a great SLP for the company. I pray that all my coworkers be patient with me as I learn a new system and a new way of thinking. I pray that my family is able to transition to a new job for mommy, new daycare for the boys, and new system of being in Lincoln all the time. I am thankful that I have an opportunity for a new job, a new start, and a fresh positive outlook on the field of Speech Language Pathology. I pray that I am able to work less and have more time for my family, but continuing to fulfill my need of helping others through the field of Speech Language Pathology.

Thank you for your thoughts for us this week as we transition.:)
rhi