Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Menu Plan Monday (better late then never)

I have started doing Menu Plan Mondays again! I love it! It is such a wonderful way for me and my family to stay organized, healthy, and we have fun with it. I love food and I love cooking.....so it goes well together. Plus it is such a great feeling knowing exactly what is going in my family's bodies! I get recipes from all over but I usually will alter the recipe a little so that I am using as all organic, local, vegetarian, and healthy ingredients! So, when I post a recipe please know that we are using these healthy and organic ingredients. Our family has started making some major changes on the way we eat. We now focus on sustainable, local, organic, healthier foods. Cutting out processed foods is extremely hard and we are still struggling to fully accomplish it but we are trying and taking the steps we need to. In a post later this week, I will go into more detail about our changes and share some books and movies titles that I think everyone should check out! I am passionate about spreading the word of eating locally and organically for our bodies, this beautiful planet, the animals on the earth, and our local economy. Stayed tuned for more musings about this topic.

I will link any recipe that I found online. Any recipes that are my own or found in a cook book I will put at the end of my post. Have fun reading and if you want to see more menus check out www.orgjunkie.com. Happy eating and cooking!

MONDAY- Katie's (my sister) Birthday Celebration at Roses Deli

TUESDAY- Butternut squash ravioli with multi grain artisan bread

WEDNESDAY- Leftover buffet

THURSDAY- New Years Celebration in a cabin on Mt. Hood!
Baked Spaghetti with Ceaser salad and garlic bread

FRIDAY- 2nd night at the Cabin
Black Bean Burgers and homemade potato fries

SATURDAY- Veggie Stir fry

SUNDAY- Honey-Soy Broiled Salmon with roasted potatoes and winter squash

"The belly rules the mind." ~Spanish Proverb

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Long time, No Blog!

I'm back!!!!! Wow...what a year it has been! I definitely took a long break on the blogging but I am ready to get back into it! I have decided to stop using facebook as a way to update and post my musings. So I am here doing just that. I want to use this blog as a journal, a way to organize my crazy thoughts and ideas as a mother, woman, wife, and just being ME! I am going to try and blog everyday but I'm sure that it actually won't happen that way. I hope you all check back regularly to see how life is treating me and my boys.

Here are some 2009 updates since I last blogged (last Feb):
  • We did move back to Tualatin.....it was completely bittersweet! We are .5 miles from my parents house in a cute little house with the perfect yard for Jackson and Ayden to play in!
  • I went back to work at Olive Garden. BOOO!!! I am not a fan of working there but it is a job! I feel blessed that I have a job right now! I work 2-3 nights a week.
  • Drew and I are still in school. We are working really hard to get through school and get out bachelors degree! I think Drew will be done before I will!
  • Ayden turned 1!!!! (At this moment he is 21 months) It was such a surreal moment knowing my baby was 1 year old. It was bittersweet and I balled the day of his birthday. I am so blessed to have him in my life and he amazes me everyday with new things. Being a mother has been the greatest joy in my life and watching Ayden grow is just absolutely amazing!
  • I turned 29.......almost the big 30!
  • WE GOT MARRIED!!!!!!! Our big day was absolutely perfect in every way. It was everything I had imagined and more. It really wouldn't have been so perfect if all my family and friends hadn't helped in so many different ways. Everyone did so much for us to make our wedding happen and we appreciate it more than you all know! We will be posting wedding photos on our family blog site. I am so happy and feel so blessed to be married to my best friend who is an amazing man!
  • My brother got engaged!!! He proposed the day before our wedding to a wonderful girl who we all love. She is awesome and I am excited to have her as my sister in law!
  • Life is starting to settle down. I am working hard at reorganizing our home, redecorating, rearranging, and making it a comfortable and well functioning home for us. We are getting into a good routine and making sure our priorities are set right. My focus......family! They are my rock!

Well..this is my first blog in a long time but expect many more and a lot more frequently! I am going to be posting weekly menus, recipes, pictures, and lots of crazy musings!

Be well,

Alys

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."- Mother Teresa

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Busy Mama

Hey everyone......

Wow I have been slacking in all of my blogging. I have been busy being a mom, student, fiancé who is planning a wedding, and just life. I am getting back into the swing of things. We have more of a routine down and I feel I can accomplish more. Well.....sometimes it means I have to stay up late to get it done but I am getting it done. I have gotten use to getting about 4-6 hours of sleep. YIKES!!!! It's not as bad as it sounds. Maybe Andrew and I will get to go on a honeymoon (yah right) and then I can catch up on my sleep.

So here are some updates on me and my crazy life:

-Ayden is almost a year. Congrats to us! It has been an amazing year and I am so thankful for every second I have with Ayden.

-We have decided to move back to Portland. I have some crazy mixed feelings about this. I know that it will be the best decision for us. We will have better job opportunities, better schooling, and extra help with Ayden in Portland. BUT I love Bend SO much and I have this overwhelming sadness every time I think about moving away from this city. Andrew and I fit in so much here and it really is the "perfect" city for us. I love my little house here. It really does feel like home and this is where Ayden was born. Well...maybe we will move back after graduation.

-When we move back I will be looking for work. It has been a little hard financially with only one income. Especially since we are planning a wedding. So if anyone knows of a job that I would love, let me know.

-I am close to getting a wedding dress. I have a couple that I really like. I am going to try on more one more time. I must find my dress by the end of this month!!!!

-Andrew has continued his passion with photography and started his own photography business. This is a dream that he is finally pursuing. We have been talking about it for about 2 years now but he is finally making the first steps towards starting it. He is building his own website by himself. I am SO impressed. He is doing it from scratch with almost no help. It means that he is up all hours of the night working on it but it will be a nice reward when its done. It is still under construction but check it out www.andrewpaulphoto.com.

-7 months till we get married!!!! Wedding plans are slowly getting planned. Financially it is not the greatest time to be planning a wedding but we are working on it. I am positive that it will all work out.

-I am maid of honor in my best friend's wedding. Melanie asked me a few weeks ago and I am so excited!!! It truly is a honor to stand by her side and watch her marry her love and best friend. I am so happy for her and can't wait to celebrate their engagement this weekend.

-Ayden has tons of new tricks. I am posting pictures, updates, videos on our family blog. Check it out in the next couple of days. www.alydrew.blogspot.com

Well...I am sure that I have forgotten a few updates but that is ok. I will be trying to blog almost every day.

I started menu planning again this week. I did not post it but I will next week.

love always,
Alyson

"I can hold you in my own two hands and I can comfort you with my own two hands"- Jack Johnson and Ben Harper

Monday, January 12, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

Hello everyone.....it's another week!!!  January is flying by!  School is going great and we have a wonderful routine going on.  My weight loss goal is going really well and I feel more and more motivated everyday.  I have lost 2 pounds since Jan. 2nd.  I think that is pretty good! 

Drew and I have also set a budget for food weekly and we need to stick to it.   We have cut out restaurants for the most part.  We rarely eat out.  This really helps out in our weekly budget.  We have to save for our wedding in Sept.  Plus it is just so much healthy for all of us, if we cook at home.  

I got some pretty cool cookbooks for Christmas and I am starting to use some of them.  I will post the cookbook recipes after my menu planning post.  This week is a little shorter cause I am leaving for the weekend to go to Tualatin for a WEDDING EXPO!!!  :)  I hope everyone has a wonderful week.  

Monday- Veggie and tofu stir-fry (Andrew's cooking night)

Tuesday-  Paprika Shrimp and Green Bean Saute (didn't get to make it last week)

Wednesday-  Angel hair pasta with olives, capers, and tomatoes and a garden salad

Thursday-  Mediterranean Stew and Orzo & Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes (Cookbook recipe) 

Friday- leftovers

Saturday- In Tualatin

Sunday- In Tualatin

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." -Dalai Lama

Monday, January 5, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

Why am I always one day off on this......Oh well!!



I hope everyone had a good New Years and enjoyed your loved ones. Winter term started today and I am enjoying my classes so far. We are getting back into the routine of school again and actually enjoying this new schedule. We have to wake up really early (6am) most days of the week but I have found that I really do well with it. I get more done throughout the day when we get up early.



I am also doing really well with eating better and exercising more. Thank you Andrew for giving me the WII fit for Christmas. It is awesome!!!! I seriously do at least one activity on it daily. I really don't like video games but this one is an exemption. Andrew and I are enjoying it. I am trying to find more healthier recipes. If anybody has any good ones, send them my way.

Check out more menu planning at orgjunkie.com.

Monday- Tacos

Tuesday- Mushroom and broccoli Quiche, steamed green beans, and a salad

Wednesday- Black Bean Soup We replace the chicken stick with veggie stock and omit the chicken pieces.

Thursday- Crab stuffed mushrooms, lasagna, and salad. Our friends Kyle and Kelsey will be coming over for dinner. It's so fun to have friends over for dinner. Friends, food, and fun!!!!

Friday- Vegetartian fajitas with spanish rice.

Saturday- leftovers

Sunday- Paprika Shrimp & Green Bean Saute with brown rice

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity." -Joseph Addison