In A Galaxy Far Far Away...

In a Galaxy Far Far Away....say, New Paris, there is a little boy named Evan who is FANATICAL about Star Wars, and Star Wars Legos. He dreams about them, constructs new ships daily, and even draws them in his spare time.

He wears Star Wars shirts. And thinks he's super cool for doing it, even though he doesn't smile about it in pictures.

On a daily basis, I find my desktop filled with ships that I don't recall the name of...

action packed battles...

and vignettes of all the characters...

When my boy falls hard for a toy, he really FALLS HARD.

Several times over the last week or two, he'll start talking about a ship, or part in one of his star wars movies, or even a certain character. Then he'll ask me a question about it, or ask if I remember it? Most of the time this is how the conversation goes...

>Evan: "Mom, remember in the 6th movie when...?"

Me: "Uh, I guess hon."

Evan: "How come you always say I guess?"

Me: "Well, it's because I just don't remember as much about it as you do. I don't know the names of the ships and parts of the movies."

Evan: "Brother, MOM!"

Sorry buddy, I try to keep up with your thought process, but I just don't have the energy or memory that you do!

I still love you though, babe. Your passion for things astounds me!

Dinner and a Book(s)

You can always count on me to be reading a book of some sort. I can't get enough reading.

This is the book I just finished for book club. It was VERY good if you like mysteries/suspense. We've read The Time Traveler's Wife by the same author, and this was just as good.

Since I finished the above book, I've started reading my old annual spring standby...

I know I've went on and on about this book before. It might not be for everyone, but I love it. I'll be honest, I skip some of the boring technical stuff about seed companies, etc., but the meat of the book is great. I read it in the spring because it makes me remember why I work so hard with my garden. Why it's so important to me what I'm feeding my kids and my family.

Which brings up what this post is really about. It's been awhile since I posted about my menu of the week. Now that we're hot and heavy into softball/baseball season, I've had to become more creative again. So here goes...

Tues (today)

get groceries, mow the yard......frozen pizza, eaten at 8:00pm because we were working outside

Wed. BLT's, cornmeal crusted zucchini in the oven, cottage cheese, applesauce, carrots

Thurs. Pretzel crusted chicken breast, green beans and bacon, rice pilaf, strawberries

Fri.
evan game 5:30, grace game 5:30...sandwiches or eat at the ball diamond :-(

Sat. Pepperoni and sausage stuffed Stromboli, peas

Sun. Mother's Day....I'm hoping for dinner out....

Mon. Fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, eggrolls

Tues.

PTO meeting led by me, swine club meeting...Tuna patties, mac and cheese, vegetable

Wed. Smoked sausage jambalaya, green beans, rolls

Thurs. breakfast with smokie links, pancakes, eggs, yogurt

It's a little random...it's a little unexciting, but it works with the sale flyer from the grocery this week. I only went $3 over my $100 budget for the week. Not bad. I'm getting better!

Every week I post what we're having for the week on our fridge. Mostly for my information. However, sometimes it'll come around to supper time and I don't feel like making what I planned, and I might change it at the last minute. My kids, who surprise me when they actually pay attention to me, and who I don't think even notice there is a menu on the fridge, will say, "Hey, I thought we were having THIS for supper." Can't a girl change her mind? Sometimes I just don't feel like going the extra mile.

Let's just say, my menus, with the hectic sports schedule we're trying to maintain, have been less than stellar. I'm ready to have my garden producing vegetables I can just go out and pluck whenever I want. I'm ready for good tasting tomatoes and lettuce on my BLT's.

THIS is why I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle EVERY spring. It fuels me. It fires me up!

Happy menu planning to you all this week.

One big happy family

Animal family that is.

Our sheep are finally back, with babies in their bellies. Sometime this month we'll have little lambs running around the pasture.

I can't wait!

Lambchop, the oldest at 2 1/2 years, is on her third pregnancy. She's looking a little unkempt, but it's just her winter wool shedding off.

Lily, Sally, and Daisy are all excited about the long grass growing just for them in the pasture.

The hens are excited we FINALLY moved them off my garden and into the grass as well.

They keep it fertilized and our egg yolks are so much more yellow when they're eating grass.

The pigs.....well, they are just the cutest things I've ever seen.

Saturday was a big day for them. They got loaded on the trailer very early and taken to the fair where they got new earrings/well....ear tags for the fair. I was awoken by the fiercest squeals ever!

They are getting VERY TAME. Whenever someone takes their food out, they surround them and munch on their boots until the food goes into the trough.

Our little farm/petting zoo respectively, is growing a little more every year.

I never thought I would be happy about this kind of life, but I am, I really am.

I'm hearing a version of the Green Acres song in my head.

"Farm Living is the Life for Me!"