Thanks to everyone who shared their love story this weekend. If you didn’t have a chance to write your story…please feel free to add your link! Your stories have been so much fun to read!
Well…I sent Matt off to the airport a few hours ago where he is flying to his grandfather’s funeral. We’re so thankful he’s able to go be with his family. Ooh, but I don’t like it when he’s gone. I usually get weird and try to make the hours go faster by re-arranging furniture and stuff when he’s out of town. You know, because it’s always smart to move heavy things when you don’t have help. I’ll try to hold back and leave the beds and couches alone.
Maybe.
I usually don’t enjoy cooking as much when Matt’s gone either. Does anyone else feel that way when their husband isn’t home? Thankfully…we’ve worked it out to have an extra person or two over during the next few days…which is extra motivation for me to actually put a real meal on the table. The boys have a buddy (Remember the red head? Love that kid.) who needs a place to stay one day…and I decided to invite a special lady over who just lost her husband for dinner on Monday. This means I will not give in to the temptation to feed my children toast, apples and popcorn the entire week. Yay.
Here’s the plan that I’ll try to stick to instead. Oh, and since it’s Valentine Week, it’ll be fun to make some heart shaped meals too! See? All kinds of motivation to cook! (Not to mention the ever helpful Menu Plan Mondays over at Organizing Junkie.)
Sunday, Feb. 8
Oatmeal, toast
BBQ beef sandwiches, carrot sticks, fresh pineapple
Leftovers
Monday, Feb. 9
Whole wheat waffles
Bean dip with tortilla chips and salsa, peaches
Chicken noodle soup, fruit salad, relish tray, chocolate chip cookies
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Scrambled eggs, oranges
Melting snowflakes (except heart shaped of course), strawberry-peach slushies
Cheeseburger mac, green beans
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Peanut butter and honey on sourdough, pears
Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup
Shepherd’s pie, tossed salad (Matt gets home!)
Thursday, Feb. 12
Heart shaped pancakes
Chili, veggies
Fish and chips, carrots
Friday, Feb. 13
Pumpkin bread, bananas
Baked potatoes with leftover chili and cheese, broccoli
Lasagna, tossed salad, corn
Saturday, Feb. 14
Cream cheese breakfast pastries
Heart shaped soft pretzels, strawberry fruit dip with apples
Heart shaped homemade pizza, tossed salad
On the blogging menu this week…I’ll be joining JessieLeigh for a Valentine’s Exchange of Ideas and Inspiration. Join in the fun if you’d like! To start off the week, stop by Kate’s to see other fun valentine meal ideas. Then Tuesday, join me here for a special edition of Gratituesday…where we can share what we love to be grateful for. Wednesday, JessieLeigh encourages us all to share fun ways to celebrate valentines day with little ones. Thursday, we’ll meet at Jessica’s for a recipe swap. Then on Friday we’ll wrap up the week at Amy’s for a Finer Valentine’s Things Friday.
And..somewhere in there I’ve just got to post a random post…because it’s been way too long since I’ve allowed myself to just go entirely random on you. I’ve been having random post withdrawals at random times during the past few weeks. Brace yourselves.
What kind of week do you have ahead of you?
I was just telling a friend the other day that aside from all the obvious, the hardest thing about having a deployed husband is the eating. I can’t quit cooking because my four girls have to eat, and I at least try to provide healthy meals. Only trouble is they are incredibly picky and planning meals to include at least something that everyone likes then to have them not eat much at all is such a discouragement. At least when DH is home there is someone here who will actually eat what I cook!!
Oh, I know what you mean. My husband was gone with work last summer for a couple months, and since it’s just the two of us, I was alone for a couple months. Even worse for me, being a teacher who had the summer off. I spent nearly the whole two months trying to fill the time… with something meaningful… The house felt so empty. I hope you and your family have a great week, even though part of you is missing.
I know exactly what you’re talking about. DH used to be a truck driver (before his work injury), and it was like I changed into a different person while he was gone. I would deep clean every crevice, move all the furniture around, eat mac and cheese out of the pan, and somehow wind up nearly nocturnal (sleeping 9am-6pm) until he came home. Then we’d be normal for 2 or 3 days until he left again. I can totally relate. I don’t know why it happens, but you are for sure not alone.
It is hard for me to make nice homemade meals when my dh is gone, too. I usually resort to easy things. Hope it isn’t too hard for you.
Love your Valentine day menu!
Love the heart shaped pizza!
Oh, it IS hard when hubby’s away! Absolutely. Love the ideas you’ve come up with though- heart-shaped pretzels are a great one. May have to steal that. :)
I get a bit lazy when the hubs isn’t around if I’m honest. I’ve seen the child and I eating cereal and toast for dinner:)
I love all the heart shaped foods you’ll be making.
I feel the same way too…and I think it’s okay. I usually ‘work’ more when he’s gone and cook less. The kids and I usually take on a big cleaning project, paint a room, rearrange, have ‘cooking classes’, make a project, or I do some sewing. A couple of times, we’ve had ‘youtube classes’ all day…one day we did a study on John, there’s neat video of Patmos!………….Your menu looks great! I’d be happy to come over so you would have to cook!! ;-)
I always make so much food and I wouldn’t want to if my husband wasn’t home. It would take practice to scale it back.
When my hubby is gone I will break out a project or run through the house reorganizing, rearranging or whatever. I also will cook differently too.
Random posts are fun. Mine are always a little wierd but still, fun.
One without my husband too…he is leaving at 2:45 am for a week long mission trip to Haiti!! The first couple of days without him are so hard because he sends us on our way to school and ends our day in bed with prayer…