Menus and Storytime

I love to read!  I love to pick up a good novel or a book about something that I am passionate about.  Right now it is mostly Dr.Seuss and The Very Hungry Caterpillar that I read, but that is okay with me.  Later on, I will be able to sit an enjoy one of my books that is waiting for me to open.  As for now, I am enjoying sharing the love for reading with my son.  I am so excited to see him already picking up on how wonderful books are.  We read tons of books together daily.  He loves it, he literally sits and reads books for over an hour sometimes.  I love my lil reader!

I decided that it is about time we start attending our local library's story time weekly.  Our first time going was two weeks ago and I was SO impressed with all games, songs, and stories.  The lady who runs the program is awesome and very energetic!  Watching Ayden dance, sing, and intently listening to the stories is amazing to watch.  Ayden loved it and I am pretty sure I loved it just as much as he did.  We are now going every week!  Being a mom is kind of like being a kid all over again.

For all you parents out there...if you don't already go to your local library's story time, I highly recommend it.

On to my weekly menu.  I am posting this really late week but sometimes that is how it goes.  As I am reading my new book on blogging, I am learning on how to write more with less computer time.  I will get there soon!  I have some fun, new things happening soon that I want to blog about, so I need to make sure I am consistent with this blog.  I am enjoying the seasonal cooking this month and the baking bug has gotten me!  A lot of my holiday gifts to others this year will be food items, baked treats, and canned goodies.  I am having a lot of fun being creative with it.  Don't you worry....I have some posts coming all about it.

MENU:

MON: Bronzed Sea Bass w/ Lemon Shallot Butter, Garlicky Green Beans, and seasoned brown rice.  (This was supposed to be our Sunday dinner but we went out to dinner with some friends instead.  And I replaced the Sea Bass with lean cod to save money.)

TUES:  Mushroom Stroganoff

WED:  Vegetarian Taco Salad.  (We subsitute the meat for Yves Meatless Taco Meat.)

THURS:  Spaghetti with homemade tomato and veggie sauce and a fresh garden salad.

FRI:  Fish Veronique with Garlic Broccoli & Mushrooms w/ Rosemary

SAT:  Mushroom Swiss Quiche and a fresh garden salad.  (Quiche recipe will be posted tomorrow!)

SUN:  Broccoli-Cheddar Chowder with leftover quiche.

Extras cooking and baking:
Thumbprint Cookies
Apple Muffins

Happy cooking and baking,

Alyson

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall." - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Imagine

I will be starting my Song of the Week back up soon but for this week...I am posting a song in remembrance and in hopefulness.

30 years ago today, John Lennon was shot to death in the name of hate and ignorance.  John Lennon was a beautiful human with a message of peace, hope, and truthfulness.  He touched this world with his music and beautiful words of peace.  I was born the same year John left this world, but I am glad that my parents played his music for me throughout my childhood.  Listening to his music as a child, helped me open my eyes to music and peace.  I will continue to dream of peace and do everything I can to spread peace.  Spend a few minutes today remembering him and refreshing your mind on why peace is important. 

Think peace.  Act peace.  Spread peace.  Imagine peace.






Peace, love, and understanding,
Alyson

"I see the world through different eyes now. (But) I still believe in love, peace, and understanding." -John Lennon

Menu Plans and Dreams

Sometimes I just have to take a break from blogging when life gets busy.  Traveling, work, holidays, and being a mom/wife had to be put first the past two weeks.  I am back in the game and ready to start working on some dreams I have made for myself.  I love blogging....every since I started in 2008!  I love being able to express myself in my own way and to sort out all my crazy thoughts through writing.  After lots of thought and talking to others I have decided to try and do it "professionally".  Yes....people have made this into a profession.  Since my husband's photography business is really started to grow rapidly, I will be at home helping him more with that business.  I couldn't think of a better way to do my own style of business and step this blog up a bit.  It will be a lot of work and it won't happen overnight but I am ready to make this dream come true.

My mother-in-law recently gave me a copy of book that teaches people how to blog professionally and spend less time in front of the computer.  I just started reading it and I will let you all know how it was in a small review when I am done.  Spending too much time in front of the computer is what has kept me from trying to blog professionally and everyday.  My family and being a mom is #1 in my life and I don't want anything taking my precious time away from that.  My hope is that this book will give me some tips and the knowledge to be able to be successful with my blog while keeping my family and kids #1!  So, keep a look out on some new changes but be patient...it won't happen overnight!  I am excited!

Here is my menu for this week.  I love being back in my kitchen again after some traveling!  We continue to be a part of the food revolution and eat as local, organic, and healthy as we can.  I hope that you are too!

MON:  Driving home from my in-laws.  We found a cute little local Thai place in Boise, Idaho

TUES:  Vegetable Fajitas

WED:  Vegan Tofu Pot Pie

THURS:  Vegetable StirFry

FRI:  Salmon with Red Wine-Morel Sauce, Vegetarian Stuffing, and Steamed Broccoli

SAT:  Civil War Game!!!!  We will be snacking all day at a friends house.  I am bringing my famous spinach artichoke dip.  Recipe will be posted on Saturday.

SUN:  Bronzed Sea Bass with Lemon Shallot Butter, Garlicky Green Beans, and seasoned brown rice

My Extra Cooking:

Homemade Applesauce and Canning
Dulce de Leche Apple Pie


What are you cooking this week?

Happy thoughts,
Alyson

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."-Dr. Seuss

Menu Plans and Breathing

Frustration.....this is something I felt the past two mornings.  It is a common emotion that occurs in daily life that we as humans have to learn how to deal with in a healthy way.  The frustration that I have felt the past couple days wasn't from my husband leaving a dirty dish on the desk, my toddler not wanting to take a nap, the guy who cut me off on the freeway, or when that persistent sore throat just won't go away.  Those are such small issues that I refuse to spend any energy being frustrated or angry when they occur.  This frustration that I am talking about has been swirling inside of me for awhile now, to the point that I feel annoyed that it is even there.  I want to let go.  I want to put this frustration in a little box, lock it up, and send it off to sea.  I especially want to release this frustration because at this time in my life I need to be my healthiest...mentally and physically (I will write more about this special time in a special blog tomorrow).  I need all toxins out of my body right now and I believe that frustration to a point can be toxic.  How do I let this go?  How do I cleanse my mind and soul of something that has been bugging me so much?

I decided to read...I read an article and some passages written by Thich Nhat Hanh whom is a Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist.  He is an extraordinary person with many amazing teachings to share with the world.  After reading some writings from Thich Nhat Hanh, I realized that my frustration is my own.  I need to take responsibility for it, embrace it, breathe, and release it.  Sounds easy....it really isn't.  So I am learning...I'm learning to meditate, breathe deeply, and let it all go.  I am going to bring some things back in my life that I have pushed away..... yoga and meditation.  Which all really ties together quite well.  I have decided to make a small comfy space in my home that I will use in the early hours of the morning when I will get up before my family does for some thinking, reading, breathing, and meditation.  And my first yoga class in several months will be tomorrow evening.  I am making a better routine for myself and my family.  This is all to better myself as a person, mother, wife, and woman.  Don't get me wrong...I'm not this big ball of walking frustration.  I am an extremely happy mama for I am so blessed with many amazing things and people in my life and I am so grateful for all of them.  I just have a couple things that keep arising when I think I have let them go and every time they arise, I realized I haven't.  So I feel it is time for me to conquer these couple things and move forward with a clean slate and a soul that is ready to start a new beginning. 

Now for some organic sustainable food talk!  And what a great way to nourish your body and soul but with some healthy delicious food.  I think I might have become a foodie.  I am okay with that!  We have another great menu planned this week with some new and old recipes.  Last week we had a couple fun things come up and so our menu plan got a little scrambled.  That just means...we can move a couple recipes into this week, which makes it a little easier for me.  Anyone found any yummy new recipes lately?  Feel free to share some of them on here!  I hope your love for organic healthy food is still growing!

MENU

MON-  Breakfast for Dinner-  Mexican Breakfast Casserole and vegetarian sausages

TUES-  Alpine Mushroom Pasta

WED-  Homemade Pizza with homemade dough and Garden Salad

THURS-  Fish Tacos and homemade Spanish Rice (I will post my recipe this week)

FRI-  Dinner at our wonderful friend's new home.

SAT-  Pad Thai Noodles and Miso Soup  (I will substitute the chicken for tofu.)

SUN-  Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup


Peace, love, and understanding,
Alyson


"Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion." — Thich Nhat Hanh

To Write with Light

The word photography comes from two individual words.  Photo meaning "Light" and Graph meaning "To Write."  Literally it means: "To Write with light."  A photographer is a "Light Writer" and a photograph is an image written with light.  That is the perfect way to describe photography!

Most of you know that my husband has his own photography business.  He grew up with a camera in his hand and started taking his photography skills seriously in high school.  It has been his passion and love since.  When we first met he took photos all the time and helped run the local community college's darkroom.  We would meet there and work on photos together.  His work always amazed me and I constantly told him to start doing it in a professional manner.  Finally about 3 years ago he decided to take that big step. 

I also had a love of photography in high school when my mom gave me her old Pentax K1000 film camera.  I loved it.  I loved seeing the world through the camera lens and showing people how I perceived that moment in time.  I stopped using the camera in my early 20's because being a social butterfly was way more important to me than doing things I was passionate about.  After meeting my husband, he influenced me to pick up the camera again and start shooting.  I again started taking more photography classes in college.  Short story long........I have recently become a part of my husband's photography business as his partner in crime!  I have a lot more to learn and he is a great teacher but one thing I have decided to do on my own, it to take at least one photo a day.  This is my way to get better acquainted with the digital world of photography which is a lot different then when I was doing film!  So most of the photos you will see on my personal blog will be taken by me!  I will still occasionally use some of my husband's photos but I will of course give him the credit.  There will be more pictures to be seen on my blog and that is my way of "practicing" this digital photo world! 

Happy photo taking,
Alyson

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” -Aaron Siskind

Menu Plans and Elections

Happy Election Day!  I am glad this day is here for many reasons!  I like voting...it makes me feel like my opinion matters even just for one day.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to voice my opinion, especially knowing that a lot of people in the world don't have this right.  I am quite interested to see the results in this election.  I am glad that all the wasteful paper will stop filling my mailbox and doorstep.  I am happy to stop hearing all the bashing and hate towards both parties.  Why do we segregate ourselves in this country especially during election time.  I mean...I get it....we all have different opinions and concerns but why so much hate?  I would think that we would all want the same goal......for freedom, kindness, better education, and to help those in need.  I have the feeling that this isn't the goal for many politicians or the general public.  It makes me sad but it also makes me realize how much I need to get out there and be the change.

Thanks for listening to my election rant!  Maybe it will make you think....or make you vote!  We are starting a new week with with a new menu!  I started going to a mom's cooking/playgroup with some ladies that I work with.  We get together once a month and let our kids play.  While they play we cook a meal to bring home for our families.  It is so much fun.  Girl chat and cooking......what more could we ask for.  Our first one was this Monday.  The kids played so well together and we made a delicious meal!   Hope everyone is working towards that healthy organic eating.

MENU:

MON-  Mashed Potato and Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas.  (This is what we made at the mom's playgroup.  We made some substitutions....we used real mashed potatoes and homemade enchilada sauce.)

TUES-  Spinach Ravioli with homemade pesto sauce.

WED-  Hungarian Mushroom Soup and garden salad.  (Recipe will be posted on Thurs.)

THURS-  Veggie Fajitas

FRI-  Leftover Hungarian Mushroom Soup and Vegetarian Cobb Salad

SAT-  Baked Lemon-Pepper Salmon, Roasted Potatoes, and Thyme Braised Brussel Sprouts.

SUN-  Breakfast for Dinner!  Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole and Vegetarian Sausages.

EXTRA GOODIES:
Pumpkin Cheesecake (Made this at the Moms/PlayGroup!  YUM!)
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
More Zucchini Bread and Muffins (Using the Food Saver and Freezing these)

Happy Cooking,

Alyson

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." -Mahatma Gandhi

Wordless Wednesday