Saturday, May 26, 2012

I got in a fight with an Asian woman

Yesterday was Madison's and Ally's last day of school.  Because they completed the run/walk challenge at school this year (going at least 15 miles during the year--but they both completed over 50 miles) they were given free passes to a bounce house.  This particular bounce house is also closing next week so we needed to use their passes sooner than later. What is better than to celebrate the last day of school?

The last time we were there is was really quiet and clean, but this time I walked in and it's super busy and smelled like stinky feet. Ick!  Oh, well.  I only had to pay for two and we won't be coming come back.  The kids had a great time and since I couldn't go on the toys, Madison and Ally were really good about helping Matthew and making sure he was okay.

I had already told the girls we would be leaving in 10 minutes and Charlie called so I talked to him for a couple minutes.  While I was on the phone, an Asian women walks up to me and said that Matthew pinched her little boy's neck.  While she's telling me this I watch Madison and Matthew go into a play house and I'm not about to go after them.  I told her how sorry I was he did that and I thought that she'd drop it.  Oh, no.  She wanted me to go have Matthew say I'm sorry to her son.  I told her that he doesn't talk and that I'm really sorry again.  She finally left after a couple more minutes.

I finished up my conversation with Charlie and told the girls we needed to go and as I'm getting Matthew's shoes she comes up to me again.  I see her coming toward me and I am thinking, "Good grief, she's not letting it go!"  She came up to me and told me that I need to teach him to say I'm sorry and to not pinch and I told her that we are trying to teach him lots of things.  I also told her that I was sorry again.  She is still going on and on and nicely said, "It's fine."  She keeps talking and I'm not in the mood, so I turned to her and growled, "It's fine!" in my mean voice. I think that I got her attention because she looked startled and walked away.

What good is it going to do for me to discipline Matthew 10 minutes after he does something?  It won't make any sense to him because he has moved on. When we got in the car I asked Madison and Ally if they saw Matthew pinch the boy and Ally did.  She said that Matthew hardly touched him.

Good grief.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

School program

The girls spring program was themed "Under the Big Top" this year.  Madison also sang in the school choir (you have to at least be in third grade to participate).

Madison's solo:

She is singing with a boy named Evan from our ward and he's a cute little guy.

 Ally singing with her class:
(Matthew insisted on climbing on my lap so it's a little jiggly and I was trying to get around the guy's head in front of my so it is side-ways.  Just turn and look at it sideways.)



She is a cute little thing even if it is sideways. The second half:


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Freezer Meals

Lately I've seen a couple places on blogs where people do just a couple days of cooking for the month and put together a bunch of freezer meals. I liked the idea but I wasn't sure if I wanted to go that far so at least made a monthly calendar of what we were going to eat and still shop weekly. While it uncomplicated my meal planning (I didn't plan by what I felt like eating that day and it was really easy), I still got off plan by mid month because I had to go to the store and I'm terrible about making a good shopping list so then I go too much.

Last week I came across a website that had a plan for 15 freezer meals days, breakfast, lunch, and dinners. The idea is to spend one or two days cooking and you are done for the month. I already know that when I do multiple freezer meals at a time I can save a lot of money. So, I made a plan and came up with 9 meals that I would make 2 of each (18 meals total).  Saturday afternoon I spent 2 1/2 - 3 hours shopping and spent my entire food budget, but by the time I run to the store a couple times a week it is much worse, so I feel like I did okay. I don't know how you would fit everything in your cart for a whole month. I'd probably have to take Charlie with me and I'm sure he would love that.

So I made 9 different meals:
No-boil manicotti
Apple cider pork chops
Honey lime chicken
Apricot mustard chicken
Garlic ranch chicken
Baked teriyaki chicken
Chicken macaroni bake
Sweet and sour meatballs
Brown sugar meatloaf

I put them together over the course of two days but really only spent 3-4 hours. I did all of the chicken ones Saturday afternoon and then made the meatballs and meatloaf on Sunday.  I was already going to make sweet and sour meatballs so I just made a double batch and then Charlie and I through together the meatloaf while we were waiting for the rice to finish cooking.

A couple like the honey lime and the apricot mustard chicken are new recipes that we haven't tried before, but most are our family's favorites (Charlie LOVES sweet and sour meatballs). So far it has been really nice to not have to worry about what I'm going to make each day. I was busy running to kid stuff this morning and I'm tired and sore from helping a friend yesterday. By 2 I had the dreaded thought of "what am I going to make for dinner?" And it wasn't a big deal because it was already done. I will pull out tomorrow's dinner tonight to thaw though.

The nice thing is that I put my master shopping list on my computer so I can make this set of 9 meals again with minimal prep work.  I'm excited for this one.  So far it has worked really well and it's nice to feel like life is a little less complicated, even if it is a little thing.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Activity Days Garden Party


Last Wednesday, I went to Activity Days with Madison and Ally.  They did a garden party with their moms and one of the things they did was have each girl spotlight their mom.

Madison's spotlight:
Hello, my name is Madison. This is my mom, Sarah Grunig. My mom is a smartie because she knows how to play piano, read big books, and loves to cook.  My favorite feature of my mom's is her talents from Heavenly Father.  The impact she has on our family is that we do family prayers every night.  The funniest thing that my mom does is she says something like chair--is the stairs.  The nicest thing my mom ever did for me was plant the prettiest flowers that are just like her.

Ally's spotlight:
Hello, my name is Ally.  This is my mom Sarah.  My mom is very kind because she helps my family.  My favorite feature of my mom's is she is fun.  What I admire about her most is she comforts me.  The impact she has on our family is that she made a rule to say family prayer every morning and night.  The funniest thing that happens to my mom is sometimes she says something and she says something else.  The nicest thing my mom ever did for me was on my birthday my mom planned to go to the movies and see Alvin and the Chipmunks, Shipwrecked.

I do have to laugh because I didn't go to the movie--Charlie did.  I'm glad that Ally remembered it being a really fun day, though.

Madison and Ally are growing into beautiful young ladies.  It has been really neat to see them become more aware of the gospel and more sensitive to the Holy Ghost and those promptings.  I love them so much.

Mother's Day

The girls came home from school on Friday and insisted that I open their Mother's Day presents.  Ally's had a paper that she filled out about me.  Here is what it said.

Q. What is your Mother's full name?
A. Sarah Marie Grunig

Q. She is the mother of?
A. 4 kids.

Q. How old is she?
A. 31.

Q. How tall is she?
A. 5 feet.

Q. How much does she weigh?
A. 100.2

Q. What color is her hair?
A. Brown.

Q. My mother says of me?
A. I'm funny.

Q. What does she do around the house?
A. Clean.

Q. What is her favorite thing to eat?
A. Pizza.

Q. What is her favorite tv show?
A. Dancing with the Stars.

Q. Where does she like to go?
A. Stores.

Q. What is her favorite hobby?
A. Cook.

Q. My mother is a lover of?
A. My Dad.

Q. My mother is special to me and I lvoe her so much because?
A. She is very fun.