Tuesday, April 11, 2017
{March Madness...and I don't mean basketball}
Thursday, February 9, 2017
{Memory Keeping: January}
Are you also a collector of memories? Sharing today my pages for
January 2017, made using the Project Life App. Love Project Life or do
you scrapbook another way?
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 Edition. |
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 and Everyday Editions. |
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| Journaling cards from the September Skies and Just Add Color Editions. |
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 Edition. |
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 and Good Vibes Editions. |
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
{Goals: One month, One week}
Time for another goal check in, and asking myself how I'm doing.
I'm really challenging myself to make time to make dinners from whole ingredients, rather than using a lot of processed mixes, pastas, and sauces. I've lost a couple of pounds since the first of the year, but weight loss isn't really my overall goal here, it's being healthy and being fit. I'm also listening to days when my body needs time off of working out and when it's wanting to work out. Most days, I have at least 15 minutes for a good sweat session, which releases toxins but also releases negative emotion. I just finished a 30 day fitness challenge, have started teaching Oula again, and am really looking forward to springtime when I can begin running more consistently again. I began training for a half marathon in April, and then have had to take a few days off due to snow (literally everywhere!!!) and sickness, but I'm looking forward to getting back in this week. I am certainly enjoying feeling stronger, and am excited to start my next challenge to push myself toward being more healthy and fit!
We have also been through some difficult emotional times the last couple of months when we had some misunderstandings with friends. This experience has stretched and grown me in ways that were very uncomfortable at times, yet also very good. Some days, though, I have felt like the answer is to shrink back and not be vulnerable to others. It is a difficult thing to hold your heart and feelings out for others to trample on...especially when they take advantage of that opportunity! It's definitely a process of pushing and pulling, of taking steps forward and backward, to try to figure out this thing called life!
And while we've been more intentional about being with people as a couple, I can definitely reflect that I haven't been the best at reaching out to my friends personally over the last couple of weeks. I've definitely been in more introvert mode, and maybe that's myself trying to balance for the busyness in other areas of life. So that's a goal for the next little phase of this experiment. To reach out to others, and let them know what's going on with me.
How are you doing on your New Year's Goals? Have you all but given up? Or still going strong? What steps will you take this week to get back on track or continue to push forward? We are all in this together!!
xo,
Becca
- to listen to my body, intentionally.
I'm really challenging myself to make time to make dinners from whole ingredients, rather than using a lot of processed mixes, pastas, and sauces. I've lost a couple of pounds since the first of the year, but weight loss isn't really my overall goal here, it's being healthy and being fit. I'm also listening to days when my body needs time off of working out and when it's wanting to work out. Most days, I have at least 15 minutes for a good sweat session, which releases toxins but also releases negative emotion. I just finished a 30 day fitness challenge, have started teaching Oula again, and am really looking forward to springtime when I can begin running more consistently again. I began training for a half marathon in April, and then have had to take a few days off due to snow (literally everywhere!!!) and sickness, but I'm looking forward to getting back in this week. I am certainly enjoying feeling stronger, and am excited to start my next challenge to push myself toward being more healthy and fit!
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| Hubs and I after a quick run this Fall. |
- to intentionally give myself structured down time.
- to challenge myself to share more of "me" with those around me.
We have also been through some difficult emotional times the last couple of months when we had some misunderstandings with friends. This experience has stretched and grown me in ways that were very uncomfortable at times, yet also very good. Some days, though, I have felt like the answer is to shrink back and not be vulnerable to others. It is a difficult thing to hold your heart and feelings out for others to trample on...especially when they take advantage of that opportunity! It's definitely a process of pushing and pulling, of taking steps forward and backward, to try to figure out this thing called life!
And while we've been more intentional about being with people as a couple, I can definitely reflect that I haven't been the best at reaching out to my friends personally over the last couple of weeks. I've definitely been in more introvert mode, and maybe that's myself trying to balance for the busyness in other areas of life. So that's a goal for the next little phase of this experiment. To reach out to others, and let them know what's going on with me.
How are you doing on your New Year's Goals? Have you all but given up? Or still going strong? What steps will you take this week to get back on track or continue to push forward? We are all in this together!!
xo,
Becca
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
{Meal Planning: Back to it!}
Yep, I'm back to my meal planning ways!
I didn't really take January off, but as a part of the 30 day fitness challenge I did, I had my meals planned out for me, so I didn't really have much I could post about with meal planning.
But now, I'm back to my old ways, and I'm trying to really incorporate more whole foods into my plans. But lemme tell ya, it's a hard, hard thing to change old eating habits. Especially in winter when all those yummy colorful veggies are in shorter supply than during the summer. And when it's cold outside, creamy comfortable soup and bread sounds so much more appealing than a cold, heartless salad!
So here's my February plan!!
Week 1:
February 1: Chicken Enchiladas
February 2: Leftovers
February 3: Out~Red Robin, I had a yummy salad. :)
February 4: Snacks... not super healthy choices, I'm afraid.
February 5: Souper Bowl Sunday!: Potato Soup and then appetizers at the game.
February 6: Spaghetti
February 7: Tacos
Week 2:
February 8: Grilled Chicken w/veggies
February 9: Yellow Soup
February 10: Pork Stir Fry
February 11: Leftovers
February 12: Cheesy Chicken Rollups (with Corn tortillas instead of flour)
February 13: Tilapia and veggies
February 14: BBQ Chicken, fresh grilled veggies and baked potatoes
Week 3:
February 15: Lettuce Wraps
February 16: Beef Stew
February 17: Chicken Piccata
February 18: Leftovers
February 19: Nachos
February 20: Turkey burgers
February 21: ??? Meetings this night, so I'm not sure yet.
Week 4:
February 22: Grilled chicken & veggies
February 23: Crockpot chicken soup
February 24: Gyros
February 25: Homemade Pizza with Black Olives (per special request for my son's birthday dinner)
February 26: Leftovers
February 27: Shepherd's Pie
February 28: Beef in Stout
Yum, yum. I'm hungry now. Lot's of comfort food, but also lots of opportunities to alter some of these recipes and make them with as many whole foods as possible, instead of mixes and processed food. There are some sauces, or things with bread crumbs, etc, but the main ingredients for many of these are not from a mix or a box. Little changes at a time equals success in my book!
Happy planning!
xo,
Becca
I didn't really take January off, but as a part of the 30 day fitness challenge I did, I had my meals planned out for me, so I didn't really have much I could post about with meal planning.
But now, I'm back to my old ways, and I'm trying to really incorporate more whole foods into my plans. But lemme tell ya, it's a hard, hard thing to change old eating habits. Especially in winter when all those yummy colorful veggies are in shorter supply than during the summer. And when it's cold outside, creamy comfortable soup and bread sounds so much more appealing than a cold, heartless salad!
So here's my February plan!!
Week 1:
February 1: Chicken Enchiladas
February 2: Leftovers
February 3: Out~Red Robin, I had a yummy salad. :)
February 4: Snacks... not super healthy choices, I'm afraid.
February 5: Souper Bowl Sunday!: Potato Soup and then appetizers at the game.
February 6: Spaghetti
February 7: Tacos
Week 2:
February 8: Grilled Chicken w/veggies
February 9: Yellow Soup
February 10: Pork Stir Fry
February 11: Leftovers
February 12: Cheesy Chicken Rollups (with Corn tortillas instead of flour)
February 13: Tilapia and veggies
February 14: BBQ Chicken, fresh grilled veggies and baked potatoes
Week 3:
February 15: Lettuce Wraps
February 16: Beef Stew
February 17: Chicken Piccata
February 18: Leftovers
February 19: Nachos
February 20: Turkey burgers
February 21: ??? Meetings this night, so I'm not sure yet.
Week 4:
February 22: Grilled chicken & veggies
February 23: Crockpot chicken soup
February 24: Gyros
February 25: Homemade Pizza with Black Olives (per special request for my son's birthday dinner)
February 26: Leftovers
February 27: Shepherd's Pie
February 28: Beef in Stout
Yum, yum. I'm hungry now. Lot's of comfort food, but also lots of opportunities to alter some of these recipes and make them with as many whole foods as possible, instead of mixes and processed food. There are some sauces, or things with bread crumbs, etc, but the main ingredients for many of these are not from a mix or a box. Little changes at a time equals success in my book!
Happy planning!
xo,
Becca
Sunday, January 8, 2017
{Goals: One week later}
Time to check in on how those New Year's Resolutions are going.
We're just one week from New Year's Day, so most of us are still probably rocking and rolling on our goals, but checking in here and there is good to keep me motivated.
Here are the big 3 goals (condensed version) that I've set for myself this year:
I'm focusing a lot on making sure to listen to what my body wants, nutritionally, and in regards to activity and rest. I've cut back on my evening munching quite a bit, choosing instead to find something to drink before heading straight for the chips and salsa. I've found this week that much of the time when I feel like I'm getting hunger signals from my body, that they are actually thirst signals. I just haven't learned to recognize them as that. So I'm choosing to try getting something to drink first, and then to wait before I head for the munchie cupboard. So far, I feel like I am making better choices, which will eventually lead me into better health. I also focused this week on really listening to when my body is saying it is full, and not just continuing to eat because my mouth wants more. This part is REALLY difficult for me. It is really easy for me to overeat when things taste good, because I just want MORE! Taking my time when I am eating and stopping when I'm full (not overfull) has been a good challenge for me this week. Teaching my body not to feel deprived or disappointed when I don't have just one more helping will definitely be a process.
Giving myself some structured downtime has also been going well. My plan is this: when I get home from work, I take about 15 minutes to have some downtime. This can be resting, checking social media, chatting with family members if they are already home. Depending on how my day at work was, my daily workout sometimes falls into "me time" and sometimes I have to make sure I get it in after I've had some other form of rest, before I move into the tasks or plans for the rest of the evening. These can be household tasks, Oula or church things that need to be taken care of, or even leftover stuff from work that needs to be done. The key for me is that I've scheduled in more downtime at the end of the evening. From 9:00 on, I've given myself freedom to stop working on "scheduled things" and move into something of my choice (usually reading a book). So far this week, I've been able to remind myself of that scheduled "unscheduled" time, and have been able to move ahead with things I need to focus on, instead of retreating into a book at the first moment I get home.
Extending myself to others has already been a challenge this week. Heading back to work after winter break is always a little challenging, because I go from having a ton of free time, to almost none, especially not at times when other people tend to be available (9:00 gets a little late to hang out, haha). So I feel that lack of contact with others. And if you read my last blog post, then you already know that I'm still struggling with a lack of confidence that people actually want to hear what I have to say. I'm working on it. I knew going into this that this goal would be the most challenging one for me. I wasn't even sure I wanted to put it out there, but sometimes just saying it makes the difference between thinking and doing.
So how am I going to focus this week in each goal area? Here are some thoughts:
Eating/Wellness: Continue with daily workouts, and do one thing each day that physically affects Oula (work on a new song, practice old songs, do flexibility training, etc.). Continue to listen to my body, and focus this week on staying hydrated instead of reacting to dehydration.
"Me" time: This week I'm going to try to limit my social media "browsing". When you write a blog (and are trying to be more intentional about actually writing a blog), and promote small businesses through social media, this can be a time sucker and a pitfall. Which is why my focus this week will be to limit my browsing time.
Sharing: One area I've been working on is how to reach out to young moms/wives with meal planning. So, one focus this week will be to begin putting some feet to some brainstorms I've had about how to go about doing this.
How about you? How are your goals and resolutions going? What are you focusing on this week to achieve your goals?
xo~
Becca
We're just one week from New Year's Day, so most of us are still probably rocking and rolling on our goals, but checking in here and there is good to keep me motivated.
Here are the big 3 goals (condensed version) that I've set for myself this year:
- to listen to my body, intentionally.
- to intentionally give myself structured down time.
- to challenge myself to share more of "me" with those around me.
I'm focusing a lot on making sure to listen to what my body wants, nutritionally, and in regards to activity and rest. I've cut back on my evening munching quite a bit, choosing instead to find something to drink before heading straight for the chips and salsa. I've found this week that much of the time when I feel like I'm getting hunger signals from my body, that they are actually thirst signals. I just haven't learned to recognize them as that. So I'm choosing to try getting something to drink first, and then to wait before I head for the munchie cupboard. So far, I feel like I am making better choices, which will eventually lead me into better health. I also focused this week on really listening to when my body is saying it is full, and not just continuing to eat because my mouth wants more. This part is REALLY difficult for me. It is really easy for me to overeat when things taste good, because I just want MORE! Taking my time when I am eating and stopping when I'm full (not overfull) has been a good challenge for me this week. Teaching my body not to feel deprived or disappointed when I don't have just one more helping will definitely be a process.
Giving myself some structured downtime has also been going well. My plan is this: when I get home from work, I take about 15 minutes to have some downtime. This can be resting, checking social media, chatting with family members if they are already home. Depending on how my day at work was, my daily workout sometimes falls into "me time" and sometimes I have to make sure I get it in after I've had some other form of rest, before I move into the tasks or plans for the rest of the evening. These can be household tasks, Oula or church things that need to be taken care of, or even leftover stuff from work that needs to be done. The key for me is that I've scheduled in more downtime at the end of the evening. From 9:00 on, I've given myself freedom to stop working on "scheduled things" and move into something of my choice (usually reading a book). So far this week, I've been able to remind myself of that scheduled "unscheduled" time, and have been able to move ahead with things I need to focus on, instead of retreating into a book at the first moment I get home.
Extending myself to others has already been a challenge this week. Heading back to work after winter break is always a little challenging, because I go from having a ton of free time, to almost none, especially not at times when other people tend to be available (9:00 gets a little late to hang out, haha). So I feel that lack of contact with others. And if you read my last blog post, then you already know that I'm still struggling with a lack of confidence that people actually want to hear what I have to say. I'm working on it. I knew going into this that this goal would be the most challenging one for me. I wasn't even sure I wanted to put it out there, but sometimes just saying it makes the difference between thinking and doing.
So how am I going to focus this week in each goal area? Here are some thoughts:
Eating/Wellness: Continue with daily workouts, and do one thing each day that physically affects Oula (work on a new song, practice old songs, do flexibility training, etc.). Continue to listen to my body, and focus this week on staying hydrated instead of reacting to dehydration.
"Me" time: This week I'm going to try to limit my social media "browsing". When you write a blog (and are trying to be more intentional about actually writing a blog), and promote small businesses through social media, this can be a time sucker and a pitfall. Which is why my focus this week will be to limit my browsing time.
Sharing: One area I've been working on is how to reach out to young moms/wives with meal planning. So, one focus this week will be to begin putting some feet to some brainstorms I've had about how to go about doing this.
How about you? How are your goals and resolutions going? What are you focusing on this week to achieve your goals?
xo~
Becca
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
{Voices}
Remember when I said I was going to actively be working on ways to share myself with others, and to have confidence that I have something to offer? But that little, niggling voice that keeps telling that no one is listening, and that it's not really that important?
I hate that voice.
I hate it more when I listen to it.
Like the entire blog post I just deleted because I reread it and thought that no one wants to listen to what I'm saying. That the only person it matters to is me. That there are other bloggers out there who can say it better, do it better, blog it better, which is true.
But.
But.
The instant I hit delete, I was mad. Mad at myself for giving in and not revising and revisiting and taking a chance. Not having the confidence that someone might be interested, that it might be helpful to someone. Mad at that voice of insecurity that said my voice isn't worth my time. Such a lie.
We all have a voice. We can use it in various ways. This blog is just one of many ways I use my voice to influence my world. And when our voices are shut down, we lose our influence. When others shut our voices down, it is hurtful to us. When we shut ourselves down, it is catastrophic.
Your voice is part of the song. This part is so easy to say. It belongs to someone else. YOUR voice.
And so I need to stop. I have to take a minute and take that in. Make it real. Make it personal. My voice is part of the song. Each voice has a part to bring, and my voice, MY VOICE is part of the song. In this moment, when I am writing this, I believe it. And yet, even as I'm writing, the voice is creeping in. The one that says this is too much, or not enough. Will I let it silence me?
While I can't get that deleted draft back, I can choose to be a part of the ongoing song of life. Blog posts can be rewritten. But how will I go forward and not doubt myself in the future, to remember that my voice is important? I'll be doing some reflecting this week about how each person has a part to play in life. I often come to Ephesians 4:16, which speaks about how each person has a unique role, and that we grow in love and life when each person comes in and fills their place.
I picture it as a huge tapestry of life, and when each person steps in, and adds their voice to the song, eventually it can weave a beautiful picture of humanity and love. But this can only happen when we willingly choose to lend our voices to the sound.
My voice is part of the song.
I hate that voice.
I hate it more when I listen to it.
Like the entire blog post I just deleted because I reread it and thought that no one wants to listen to what I'm saying. That the only person it matters to is me. That there are other bloggers out there who can say it better, do it better, blog it better, which is true.
But.
But.
The instant I hit delete, I was mad. Mad at myself for giving in and not revising and revisiting and taking a chance. Not having the confidence that someone might be interested, that it might be helpful to someone. Mad at that voice of insecurity that said my voice isn't worth my time. Such a lie.
We all have a voice. We can use it in various ways. This blog is just one of many ways I use my voice to influence my world. And when our voices are shut down, we lose our influence. When others shut our voices down, it is hurtful to us. When we shut ourselves down, it is catastrophic.
Your voice is part of the song. This part is so easy to say. It belongs to someone else. YOUR voice.
And so I need to stop. I have to take a minute and take that in. Make it real. Make it personal. My voice is part of the song. Each voice has a part to bring, and my voice, MY VOICE is part of the song. In this moment, when I am writing this, I believe it. And yet, even as I'm writing, the voice is creeping in. The one that says this is too much, or not enough. Will I let it silence me?
While I can't get that deleted draft back, I can choose to be a part of the ongoing song of life. Blog posts can be rewritten. But how will I go forward and not doubt myself in the future, to remember that my voice is important? I'll be doing some reflecting this week about how each person has a part to play in life. I often come to Ephesians 4:16, which speaks about how each person has a unique role, and that we grow in love and life when each person comes in and fills their place.
I picture it as a huge tapestry of life, and when each person steps in, and adds their voice to the song, eventually it can weave a beautiful picture of humanity and love. But this can only happen when we willingly choose to lend our voices to the sound.
My voice is part of the song.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
{Let's talk goals}
Goal setting is on my mind lately. Call them intentions, call them goals, call them New Year's Resolutions, it's all the same in my mind. I've never really been a big fan of the whole New Year's Resolution thing, because I've failed so. many. times. (You feel me, I know.) But, as I've mentioned on this blog before, I do like the idea of starting something fresh, and the start of the New Year is a great time for that. And, I'm turning 40 (wow!) in just over 2 weeks, so making some goals to accomplish this year just feels right. Plus, I don't know about you, but I ate waaaaay too many cookies during the holidays, and it's time to dial that down a LOT.
So that said, I do have some pretty intentional goals this year. And I'm limiting myself to just a few goals, so that I can actively and intentionally work toward completing them. And I'm putting them out there for you all to see!! It's a little scary and out of the comfort zone. But, that's where growth happens, right? So here they are, my main goals for 2017:
I have some other goals, too. I have some really huge ones, that aren't quite ready to share with the wide world yet. They are still marinating in prayer and planning. I have work goals, such as finishing the process of getting my National Board certification. I have smaller personal goals, such as continuing to catch up on memory keeping, and completing projects around the house (one of my living room windows has been without a window covering for almost 2 years!!). Seriously.
So what about you? Did you set some goals for 2017? Or are you taking each day as it comes? Either way, I hope you have the opportunity to challenge yourself to grow in 2017, and to enjoy the beauty that happens along the journey.
Happy New Year!!
xo~
becca
So that said, I do have some pretty intentional goals this year. And I'm limiting myself to just a few goals, so that I can actively and intentionally work toward completing them. And I'm putting them out there for you all to see!! It's a little scary and out of the comfort zone. But, that's where growth happens, right? So here they are, my main goals for 2017:
- to listen to my body, intentionally. I often find myself eating out of habit, or giving into cravings just because I can. My goal for fitness and wellness this year is to stop and listen carefully to my body before giving into those feelings. Is my body really asking for chips and salsa, or is it actually asking me for something else? (cookies!! wait. no.) I also have a goal to re-ignite my passion for Oula and to push my body toward the best health level I can this year. (Fabulous, Fit and 40... that can be me, right?)
- to intentionally give myself structured down time. I'm an introvert by nature, and it's really easy for me to escape into books and movies when my life feels stressful, and to let my relationships suffer in the meantime. It is my hope that by scheduling some time into each day for some automatic "down time," that I will have more energy to put into relationships with others, instead of feeling the need to just veg out.
- to challenge myself to share more of "me" with those around me. This includes my time, my activities, my weaknesses and my strengths and knowledge. I know a lot of people focus so much on their weaknesses, and that includes me. I am my own worst critic, and often feel like "well, who am I to speak into (fill in the blank)?" Even though I *KNOW* there are things I'm good at, there's still this doubt in my brain that it's not quite good enough. A sweet friend recently reminded me that I *DO* have something to offer, especially in the areas of homemaking and family. Exploring ways to share and stepping out of my comfort zone is going to be a challenge for me, but I hope that I can help others and grow in my own self-confidence as well.
I have some other goals, too. I have some really huge ones, that aren't quite ready to share with the wide world yet. They are still marinating in prayer and planning. I have work goals, such as finishing the process of getting my National Board certification. I have smaller personal goals, such as continuing to catch up on memory keeping, and completing projects around the house (one of my living room windows has been without a window covering for almost 2 years!!). Seriously.
So what about you? Did you set some goals for 2017? Or are you taking each day as it comes? Either way, I hope you have the opportunity to challenge yourself to grow in 2017, and to enjoy the beauty that happens along the journey.
Happy New Year!!
xo~
becca
Thursday, December 29, 2016
{2016 Christmas Letter}
Here we are again, at the close of another year. 2016 was quite the eventful year for the Mighty Meeks! Our biggest highlight of the year was being able to take our whole family on a 2 week trip to England. We loved sharing London with our kids, and were able to enjoy time with friends while we were there. We saw so many fun things, and had a wonderful time!
Gabe (18 and a freshman...in COLLEGE!) had a very busy and joy filled year. He turned 18 in February and ran track in the spring. He worked very hard for his team and was part of a first-ever podium sweep at the District meet for the 3200m run where all top 8 places were from North Central. May and June were filled with "last" moments of high school... Last band concert, last AP exam, last track banquet...until, finally, graduation! Gabe graduated as a Distinguished Valedictorian from North Central High School in June. He was also honored as one of the Outstanding English Students of the Year, and earned many accolades from his AP scores, and hard work at maintaining his 4.0 the whole way through high school. He is now attending Whitworth University here in Spokane. He is living at home, which is saving him a pretty penny, but is connecting and making friends through the Cross Country and Track teams. He ran as 3rd man on the squad for most of the XC season and is enjoying college and college running. His hard work continues to pay off both in school and on the XC course... He moved up to 2nd man for the final meet of the season, and is finishing his first semester of college as I type...having taken courses through the Honors program at Whitworth and keeping his grades up. He is technically still undeclared, but leaning heavily toward and English major.
Bethany (16 and a junior) lives for her running career. She started her winter training by doing PT for a knee injury, which kept her out of track season until the last few meets. She worked very hard to get her knee back in shape, and was able to qualify for the regional meet in the mile. Her summer consisted of training, training, and more training. She was a girl with a goal for State, and she came so close. Her XC season was amazing, she ran the whole season with no injuries (a first!), and PR's around every corner. Her dream of State came up short this year, but we are very hopeful that a strong team next year will finally realize the dream of an NC Girls State Title. She has also done a great job in the classroom this year, earning mostly A's and B's. However, she is quite ready to be done with Math! Beth is still dating Mica, who is now a freshman at WSU in Pullman. They keep in touch via facebook and text, and enjoy time together any time he is able to make the trek back to Spokane on weekends. Beth is beginning to consider her options for beyond high school, and while she isn't excited about heading to college, she is looking at some programs that may lead her into personal training, which Jon and I think she would be excellent at. She loves to encourage her team to work hard, and is able to inspire them to give their best.
Michaela (13 and an 8th grader) has explored lots of new things this year, while still continuing with old favorites. She turned 13 in January (all my babies are teenagers now!), continued to work hard at her studies and Irish dance, ran track in the Spring and ran cross country in the fall. She ran with the NC girls during some of their summer "off-season" practices, and has made some great friends that she is excited to join in high school. She is still attending the North Central IST (Institute of Science and Technology) program, so she is already at the high school, just not able to participate in sports with her sister and her friends yet. She has been struggling a little bit with a knee problem because of the strain of dance and running, but so far she isn't ready to choose one or the other, so she is in PT to get strong and hopefully be able to continue with both. She is keeping her grades up and has studied and learned a lot as a part of this program. She has major goals of becoming a humanitarian aide worker when she grows up, and she works hard at her studies to help her reach this goal. She has also donated school supplies to our local refugee agency, World Relief, and was very helpful with our Grace Church refugee dinner on Christmas Eve (as were Gabe and Bethany).
Dolly, our sweet pup, is now 6 years old. She has mellowed a bit in her middle age, and spends her days lying on Micci's bed, "guarding" the neighborhood from rogue cats. She has become quite lazy, but she is still a sucker for affection, and loves to curl up with us in the evenings for some cuddle time.
Jon and I are both doing well. We celebrated 20 years of marriage this year (the reason for our England trip), and we are still very much in love. We really enjoyed taking our kids to England this year, it was probably the highlight of my year. We are both still running, not as often as we would like to be, or as consistently as we would like to be, but still involved and enjoying it. For some reason, my autumn and back to school were very busy, and so I have taken a season off of teaching Oula, but I am really hoping to get back to it this Winter and Spring. I am still teaching at Holmes Elementary, and Jon is still teaching music lessons and pastoring our small church. We are still loving Spokane, and enjoy being a part of the many different facets of our community.
2016 was such a full year, I'm sure I will look back on it with joy and great memories. We had many friends and family come to visit us this year, we hosted Thanksgiving, and had our wonderful trip. We watched our amazing children continue to grow and change and become amazing young adults with big dreams and big hearts. There are too many pictures of so much fun and wonderful things from 2016 to share here. If you would like to follow my instagram (beccameek), I post regularly, so you can keep up with the happenings of the #mightymeeks.
Much love and happiness to you all in the coming year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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| Gabe (right) and his best friend, Mica (left) show off their graduation shirts. |
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| Bethany and Mica look great as they head to Prom. |
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| Micci and Jon after the St. Patrick's Day parade. |
2016 was such a full year, I'm sure I will look back on it with joy and great memories. We had many friends and family come to visit us this year, we hosted Thanksgiving, and had our wonderful trip. We watched our amazing children continue to grow and change and become amazing young adults with big dreams and big hearts. There are too many pictures of so much fun and wonderful things from 2016 to share here. If you would like to follow my instagram (beccameek), I post regularly, so you can keep up with the happenings of the #mightymeeks.
Much love and happiness to you all in the coming year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sunday, December 4, 2016
{December Meal Plan}
December is a fun month to plan because there are always so many parties and things to plan around, it gets my meal planning creative juices flowing. I love holiday baking and all the fun holiday foods that we never seem to eat at any other time of the year. Parties and special days are great for whipping up a tried and true recipe for a favorite dip or cookie to take along. It's not always so good for my waistline, though!
I also had the chance to purchase a new kitchen gadget this month with the great Cyber Monday deals. I got an Instant Pot through Amazon for a great deal. I'm still learning this new gadget, but so far, I am liking it! However, this post is about my menu plan for the month, not my new kitchen toy, so here is the plan:
Week 1:
1st (Thursday): Crock Pot Chicken (but instead of cooking it all day, I used my new Instant Pot and went from frozen to done in about 30 minutes).
2nd (Friday): Pizza (couples night, we had Papa Murphy's)
3rd (Saturday): Leftovers (and a new Mac and cheese recipe to test out the new toy)
4th (Sunday): Pot Roast
Week 2:
5th (Monday): Enchilada Casserole (I have had this in the freezer and I have a late meeting, so it's perfect for Jon to just throw in the oven and bake it til it's done!)
6th (Tuesday): Creamy Chicken Piccata (going to try it in the IP, because we also have a strings concert for the youngest)
7th (Wednesday): Spaghetti
8th (Thursday): Homemade Pizza
9th (Friday): Chili
10th (Saturday): Leftovers (also my big cookie baking day for a couple of fun events later in the month!)
11th (Sunday): Paninis
Week 3:
12th (Monday): Chicken teriyaki with rice
13th (Tuesday): Beef Stew
14th (Wednesday): ??? Still thinking about this one. Possibly Ramnoodle and Kielbasa
15th (Thursday): Beef Stroganoff
16th (Friday): Potato Soup
17th (Saturday): Leftovers (I have a fun Christmas event this day, to which I'll also be taking my favorite artichoke dip.)
18th (Sunday): Tacos
Week 4:
19th (Monday): Leftover Tacos
20th (Tuesday): Stromboli
21st (Wednesday): ??? Gotta leave some room for fun during Winter Break.
22nd (Thursday): ???
23rd (Friday): Chicken with Angel Hair and Bearnaise sauce
24th (Saturday): Christmas Eve: we are hosting a dinner at our church. I'm supplying a roasted turkey.
25th (Sunday): Christmas!! We are traveling.
From here, the menu plan gets a little more open and free flowing. We will be traveling for at least 3 days of the next week, which means little cooking for me (yay) but also eating out probably. Once we get back, it will be enjoying the last few days of Winter break before we go back to school on January 3rd. I may want to use that time to create culinary masterpieces (ha!) for my family, or I might want to use the time to enjoy being with my family. Or maybe a combination of both. Either way, it'll all come together.
Enjoy your December, and Merry Christmas!!
xo,
Becca
I also had the chance to purchase a new kitchen gadget this month with the great Cyber Monday deals. I got an Instant Pot through Amazon for a great deal. I'm still learning this new gadget, but so far, I am liking it! However, this post is about my menu plan for the month, not my new kitchen toy, so here is the plan:
Week 1:
1st (Thursday): Crock Pot Chicken (but instead of cooking it all day, I used my new Instant Pot and went from frozen to done in about 30 minutes).
2nd (Friday): Pizza (couples night, we had Papa Murphy's)
3rd (Saturday): Leftovers (and a new Mac and cheese recipe to test out the new toy)
4th (Sunday): Pot Roast
Week 2:
5th (Monday): Enchilada Casserole (I have had this in the freezer and I have a late meeting, so it's perfect for Jon to just throw in the oven and bake it til it's done!)
6th (Tuesday): Creamy Chicken Piccata (going to try it in the IP, because we also have a strings concert for the youngest)
7th (Wednesday): Spaghetti
8th (Thursday): Homemade Pizza
9th (Friday): Chili
10th (Saturday): Leftovers (also my big cookie baking day for a couple of fun events later in the month!)
11th (Sunday): Paninis
Week 3:
12th (Monday): Chicken teriyaki with rice
13th (Tuesday): Beef Stew
14th (Wednesday): ??? Still thinking about this one. Possibly Ramnoodle and Kielbasa
15th (Thursday): Beef Stroganoff
16th (Friday): Potato Soup
17th (Saturday): Leftovers (I have a fun Christmas event this day, to which I'll also be taking my favorite artichoke dip.)
18th (Sunday): Tacos
Week 4:
19th (Monday): Leftover Tacos
20th (Tuesday): Stromboli
21st (Wednesday): ??? Gotta leave some room for fun during Winter Break.
22nd (Thursday): ???
23rd (Friday): Chicken with Angel Hair and Bearnaise sauce
24th (Saturday): Christmas Eve: we are hosting a dinner at our church. I'm supplying a roasted turkey.
25th (Sunday): Christmas!! We are traveling.
From here, the menu plan gets a little more open and free flowing. We will be traveling for at least 3 days of the next week, which means little cooking for me (yay) but also eating out probably. Once we get back, it will be enjoying the last few days of Winter break before we go back to school on January 3rd. I may want to use that time to create culinary masterpieces (ha!) for my family, or I might want to use the time to enjoy being with my family. Or maybe a combination of both. Either way, it'll all come together.
Enjoy your December, and Merry Christmas!!
xo,
Becca
Saturday, November 12, 2016
{November Meal Plan: a little late}
Well, it's already mid-November, but I finally have a meal plan for the month to post. I did finish it last weekend, as I planned. But I didn't get it posted because my daughter is taking an online math class this year, and seems to always have the computer when I want to write a post! Not much in the line of trying new things this month, Thanksgiving is a big enough production to worry about!
Without further ado:
November 7: Breakfast for dinner
November 8: Yellow Soup w/Sourdough bread
November 9: Chicken Alfredo (we forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer, so this ended up being Pizza Night from Little Caesar's instead!)
November 10: Spaghetti
November 11: Date night
November 12: Leftovers
November 13: Creamy Chicken Piccata
November 14: Cheeseburgers
November 15: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
November 16: Salmon Patties and roasted veggies
November 17: Open...Maybe leftovers or maybe a teriyaki noodle dish I just found
November 18: Homemade Pizza
November 19: Leftovers
November 20: Church Potluck (I'll probably make mac and cheese or something like that)
November 21: Tilapia and Rice
November 22: Chicken Tikka Masala
November 23: Stromboli
November 24: Thanksgiving!
November 25: Leftovers
November 26: Still leftovers (or not... depending.)
November 27: Bacon Mac and Cheese (by family request)
November 28: Tilapia and Rice
November 29: Breakfast for dinner
November 30: Burrito/Nacho Night
In looking at the list, I don't feel like my family gave me very many "healthy" options when I asked them for ideas. But I have some ideas of how to make a few of these a little more healthy than they seem at face value. And then there are the ones that just aren't. *wink* Time to focus on making my lunches more "clean" when my dinners aren't!
Without further ado:
November 7: Breakfast for dinner
November 8: Yellow Soup w/Sourdough bread
November 9: Chicken Alfredo (we forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer, so this ended up being Pizza Night from Little Caesar's instead!)
November 10: Spaghetti
November 11: Date night
November 12: Leftovers
November 13: Creamy Chicken Piccata
November 14: Cheeseburgers
November 15: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
November 16: Salmon Patties and roasted veggies
November 17: Open...Maybe leftovers or maybe a teriyaki noodle dish I just found
November 18: Homemade Pizza
November 19: Leftovers
November 20: Church Potluck (I'll probably make mac and cheese or something like that)
November 21: Tilapia and Rice
November 22: Chicken Tikka Masala
November 23: Stromboli
November 24: Thanksgiving!
November 25: Leftovers
November 26: Still leftovers (or not... depending.)
November 27: Bacon Mac and Cheese (by family request)
November 28: Tilapia and Rice
November 29: Breakfast for dinner
November 30: Burrito/Nacho Night
In looking at the list, I don't feel like my family gave me very many "healthy" options when I asked them for ideas. But I have some ideas of how to make a few of these a little more healthy than they seem at face value. And then there are the ones that just aren't. *wink* Time to focus on making my lunches more "clean" when my dinners aren't!
Friday, November 4, 2016
{Meal planning fail}
It's November 4th, and I don't have my menu plan done yet for the month. I feel like I'm flying blind. So those of you who tell me that I inspire you... Well, I don't always have it all together. Hopefully that will inspire someone. We all fail at times, which is actually pretty encouraging, if you stop to think about it.
You've heard of writer's block? I feel like I have menu planners block. My last two months were great, and we mostly stayed on track, but leading into November, I am just at a loss. I've added in a few things here and there, but mostly the month is blank. Sometimes, even when we are good at something, we still have moments where we fail.
Here's what I do when my own brain capacity begins to fail me. I reach out and ask for help. I text my family and ask them to send me menu ideas. Usually I hesitate to do this, because the responses I usually get are all the comfort foods they love... Which makes for quite the fattening month! With the holidays coming up, I try to make an effort to eat mostly healthy during the "normal" days, but then my family sends back things like this:
They're so helpful.
My main goal for the weekend? Finish planning the month. Otherwise, Red Robin and Papa Murphy's are going to take all my money. I'll be spending some time on Pinterest, reviewing what we've had recently (last 2 months), and filling in the gaps. And, planning our Thanksgiving holiday, which will be no small feat.
Wish me luck!!
xo,
Becca
You've heard of writer's block? I feel like I have menu planners block. My last two months were great, and we mostly stayed on track, but leading into November, I am just at a loss. I've added in a few things here and there, but mostly the month is blank. Sometimes, even when we are good at something, we still have moments where we fail.
Here's what I do when my own brain capacity begins to fail me. I reach out and ask for help. I text my family and ask them to send me menu ideas. Usually I hesitate to do this, because the responses I usually get are all the comfort foods they love... Which makes for quite the fattening month! With the holidays coming up, I try to make an effort to eat mostly healthy during the "normal" days, but then my family sends back things like this:
They're so helpful.
My main goal for the weekend? Finish planning the month. Otherwise, Red Robin and Papa Murphy's are going to take all my money. I'll be spending some time on Pinterest, reviewing what we've had recently (last 2 months), and filling in the gaps. And, planning our Thanksgiving holiday, which will be no small feat.
Wish me luck!!
xo,
Becca
Monday, October 31, 2016
{Baked Potato Soup}
This one is a family favorite. I got the original recipe years ago from a church cookbook that our church produced, so I can't take full credit for it. I have adapted it a bit over the years, but the main recipe is the same, courtesy of my friend Kevin Overbeck..
Creamy, delightful goodness. We can't wait for dinner when it is Potato Soup night.
Here's the lowdown:
Potatoes (I usually use 10 medium size russets, but roughly 2 per person)
Water to cover potatoes and a couple of cubes of bullion; I adjust a bit based on how many I'm feeding
~OR~
Chicken broth, enough to cover the potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
Generous sprinklings of garlic salt and white pepper
1 pkg bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 C milk
1 C sour cream
1/2 C butter
1/2 flour
Green onions
Cheddar cheese
Bring potatoes, onion, garlic salt, white pepper and water or broth to a boil. Boil until potatoes are tender. While boiling, melt butter and add flour to make a roux. When potatoes are finished, reduce heat and add milk and sour cream. When the sour cream has blended, add roux and stir until thickened. Ladle into bowls and serve with green onions and cheddar cheese as garnish.
Creamy, delightful goodness. We can't wait for dinner when it is Potato Soup night.
Here's the lowdown:
Potatoes (I usually use 10 medium size russets, but roughly 2 per person)
Water to cover potatoes and a couple of cubes of bullion; I adjust a bit based on how many I'm feeding
~OR~
Chicken broth, enough to cover the potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
Generous sprinklings of garlic salt and white pepper
1 pkg bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 C milk
1 C sour cream
1/2 C butter
1/2 flour
Green onions
Cheddar cheese
Sunday, October 30, 2016
{When SOMETHING HAPPENS}
That dream you have? Take action. Take a step. Move toward making it a reality. SOMETHING HAPPENS when you do.
Maybe that means that you make a big change. Maybe it means a small change. For some, moving toward a dream means a series of small steps and changes over time. For others, it means taking a leap of faith and jumping straight in with both feet.
My dream versus my current reality? I want to write more. I long to be a published author. I want to finish my children's book. Reality says I don't have time, I'm too busy, I'm too stressed by my day job to fuel my creative juices. In all truthfulness, I'm not sure I know the solution and all the steps I need to take to make something different happen. But I also know that the last time I made a step toward my dream, instead of away from it, SOMETHING HAPPENED.
Earlier this month, I blogged about how I took a step toward my dream and was rejected. I submitted my first article for publication and it was not selected. Rejection is something that can be devastating, or something that can be a catalyst. In this case, I decided that since my submission wasn't selected for publication, that I would go ahead and publish it on this blog. You can read it here. I shared it via my usual social media outlets, Facebook and Instagram. Many of you read it. And SOMETHING HAPPENED.
No, I didn't get "discovered" as a blogger or author. I didn't suddenly achieve my dream. But taking a step toward my dream effected change in my life. It's a small thing, really, but IT HAPPENED.
After publishing my little piece about my amazing grandparents, several family members read it. In the process of my family members reading it, both of my aunts realized my need for my grandma's Cottage Cheese Pie recipe. Within days of publishing my post on my blog and sharing it on Facebook, both of my aunts contacted me and sent me copies of the recipe. One of them is even in my grandma's handwriting. The tricky thing? The recipes don't match! Of course, no one is disappointed, in fact, we're excited to make them both so we can A/B them and decide which we like best. I wrote something, that caused my aunts to realize a need, that caused them to take action, and now I have two copies of a recipe that I didn't have at all before. SOMETHING HAPPENED.
This small change in my life would probably have gone mostly unnoticed, if not for my amazingly observant and perceptive hubby. He is the one who made the connection between taking a step toward my dream, albeit a small one, and that step causing a change in my life, albeit a small one. But when he pointed it out to me, the significance of the small step and the small change became huge to me. I took a chance. I stepped toward a dream. And even when that dream didn't happen the way I hoped, it created a change in my life. SOMETHING HAPPENED. And when something happens, it causes hope to grow and dreams to fly.
And so, even though my reality tells me that I don't have time, and often my creativity feels used up by stress and a busy life, I know that continuing to write and continuing to dream is something that is essential for me. Taking those small steps toward my dream, even if it never ends up looking like what I hope and wish for. But SOMETHING HAPPENS in my heart when I take a chance on my dreams. What steps (or leaps) will you take toward your dream?
Maybe that means that you make a big change. Maybe it means a small change. For some, moving toward a dream means a series of small steps and changes over time. For others, it means taking a leap of faith and jumping straight in with both feet.
My dream versus my current reality? I want to write more. I long to be a published author. I want to finish my children's book. Reality says I don't have time, I'm too busy, I'm too stressed by my day job to fuel my creative juices. In all truthfulness, I'm not sure I know the solution and all the steps I need to take to make something different happen. But I also know that the last time I made a step toward my dream, instead of away from it, SOMETHING HAPPENED.
Earlier this month, I blogged about how I took a step toward my dream and was rejected. I submitted my first article for publication and it was not selected. Rejection is something that can be devastating, or something that can be a catalyst. In this case, I decided that since my submission wasn't selected for publication, that I would go ahead and publish it on this blog. You can read it here. I shared it via my usual social media outlets, Facebook and Instagram. Many of you read it. And SOMETHING HAPPENED.
No, I didn't get "discovered" as a blogger or author. I didn't suddenly achieve my dream. But taking a step toward my dream effected change in my life. It's a small thing, really, but IT HAPPENED.
After publishing my little piece about my amazing grandparents, several family members read it. In the process of my family members reading it, both of my aunts realized my need for my grandma's Cottage Cheese Pie recipe. Within days of publishing my post on my blog and sharing it on Facebook, both of my aunts contacted me and sent me copies of the recipe. One of them is even in my grandma's handwriting. The tricky thing? The recipes don't match! Of course, no one is disappointed, in fact, we're excited to make them both so we can A/B them and decide which we like best. I wrote something, that caused my aunts to realize a need, that caused them to take action, and now I have two copies of a recipe that I didn't have at all before. SOMETHING HAPPENED.
This small change in my life would probably have gone mostly unnoticed, if not for my amazingly observant and perceptive hubby. He is the one who made the connection between taking a step toward my dream, albeit a small one, and that step causing a change in my life, albeit a small one. But when he pointed it out to me, the significance of the small step and the small change became huge to me. I took a chance. I stepped toward a dream. And even when that dream didn't happen the way I hoped, it created a change in my life. SOMETHING HAPPENED. And when something happens, it causes hope to grow and dreams to fly.
And so, even though my reality tells me that I don't have time, and often my creativity feels used up by stress and a busy life, I know that continuing to write and continuing to dream is something that is essential for me. Taking those small steps toward my dream, even if it never ends up looking like what I hope and wish for. But SOMETHING HAPPENS in my heart when I take a chance on my dreams. What steps (or leaps) will you take toward your dream?
Monday, October 17, 2016
{Around the Kitchen Table}
I've had the dream and itch to write and tell stories for about as long as I can remember. This little blog is just one small expression of that dream. I recently got a little audacious and actually submitted some writing to an online magazine. My first article was not accepted, and I'm still waiting to hear about the second. But I was recently encouraged to dream Big, Hairy, Audacious Dreams, and so even though this little piece wasn't deemed mag-worthy, I'm going to post it here. Usually I'm writing menu posts around here, but this fall-ish weather always has me thinking about family, and so this is what came out...
A little piece titled, "Around the Kitchen Table" by Rebecca Meek
I grew up on stories also.
I learned to describe my world at my grandfather’s typewriter, always in
his “spot” at my grandma’s kitchen table, unless it was time for dinner, of
course. I was impressed by his use of words and how he could sit in front of
his typewriter and create pictures out of words, pictures of a world he could
no longer see. I learned at his knee to
describe my life in ways that would enable him to “see” what I was describing. When I came home from school and sat at the
dining room table to discuss my day, it was not good enough to say my day was
“ok,” or even “fine.” Details were important.
I still recall his stories of life and imagination, so vivid and
descriptive, perhaps because he was telling from his memory, and was not bound
by what he could see.
When my grandfather lost his sight, my grandmother became
the breadwinner for the family. I heard
stories of the great Mike Mansfield, Montana senator at the time, who was able
to bring my oldest uncle home from Naval duty to help the family. My mom would talk about how she was able to
get a farm driver’s license at age 13, due to the special circumstances
surrounding my grandpa’s loss of eyesight.
My grandpa passed away when I was just 13, and I have missed his wisdom
and his stories.
As a young wife and mom, I was not confident in my cooking
skills unless I was making mac and cheese from a box or heating up some ravioli
from a can. I wanted to cook nutritious
and delicious food for my young family, but I was extremely insecure about
getting it wrong. As I began to branch
out from things I already knew how to cook, my grandma was on the other end of
the phone every time. The first time I
cooked a pot roast, I called her to find out how to make gravy. When I wanted to learn to make Rahm Nudeln, that
family comfort food I had grown up on, I learned in her kitchen. I recognized as each Christmas passed, that
eventually some of the things I wanted to know would pass on with her, and so I
learned how to make pink applesauce, how to roast a turkey, and how to make the
perfect pie crust. Now that I am older,
I miss being able to pick up the phone to ask questions, because I sometimes
forget how much sugar she used in her apple pies, and no one in the family
seems to have the exact recipe for cottage cheese pie.
In my grandmother’s kitchen, I learned not only to cook, but
I learned the value of time given to others.
Friendships were formed over cups of coffee at the kitchen table. Hours spent after family dinners playing card
games or just talking over pie and cookies are some of my best memories. If you wanted to dunk your cookie in coffee,
you had to have your own cup, because dunking in Grandma’s coffee was not
allowed. So many stories were told
around her kitchen table: how they planned to rent out the little house that
Grandpa built but no one would move way out to Target Range so they moved the
family there instead (and lived there until they both passed away); how Grandpa
called Grandma the day he couldn’t see enough anymore to make the drive home
from his worksite (“Hon, I can’t see to drive home”); how my aunt and uncle
used to live in a mobile home at the other end of the property and they had an
old phone line that ran direct between the two houses (which was eventually sold off). Stories that were funny, others that were
sad; stories that told of sacrifice for others, and stories of how love made
our family stronger. These stories gave
me a foundation as a child that love, family, and tradition are important.
Different stories are told around that kitchen table
now. The setting and characters have
changed, but the themes are the same.
These days, stories of glory of cross country teams and races permeate
our home, and how working hard for something you believe in brings brother- and
sisterhood friendships for life. Sacrifice. When we talk about our days,
and my daughter is required to tell me more than that her day was “fine,” and
we all laugh as she rambles as she makes sure to give us ALL the
backstory. Even as we laugh, we “see”
what she tells. Stories. We still tell the
story of Uncle Russell and his cigarette, and I imagine that someday, she will
tell her children and grandchildren, with a laugh and a smile, as she shows
them the burn mark on the edge of the table.
Tradition. I teach my children how to make Rahm Nudeln, and
they help me make the pink applesauce. Family.
My children have learned the same lessons I learned around this
table. And underlying it all, we find
that we have love.
A little piece titled, "Around the Kitchen Table" by Rebecca Meek
Around the kitchen table, she is always full of stories.
“Mom, remember last year when Chlo texted me that random
thing about my salad drowning in sauce?”
(No, I don’t remember.
And when did she stop calling me Momma?)
“Mom, a girl in my French class told me that I need to shape
my eyebrows.”
(Whatever. Your
eyebrows are amaze-balls.)
“Mom, today I got to pretend to be a farmer’s wife in
history class…”
(Laughter. Lots of
it. But only on my insides.)
It’s not like I can blame her. She has been told stories since she can
remember. She heard stories of how her
dad and I met (in our high school biology lab), and how the cigarette burn got
on the edge of the kitchen table when it still lived in my grandma’s kitchen (Uncle
Russell couldn’t reach the ashtray), and how you can’t lift the lid of the
frying pan too early when you are making Rahm Nudeln (a family recipe) or they
will burn. She knows that life lessons
and one-liners are found in the pages and frames of Harry Potter, the Lord of
the Rings and the Princess Bride.
I grew up on stories also.
I learned to describe my world at my grandfather’s typewriter, always in
his “spot” at my grandma’s kitchen table, unless it was time for dinner, of
course. I was impressed by his use of words and how he could sit in front of
his typewriter and create pictures out of words, pictures of a world he could
no longer see. I learned at his knee to
describe my life in ways that would enable him to “see” what I was describing. When I came home from school and sat at the
dining room table to discuss my day, it was not good enough to say my day was
“ok,” or even “fine.” Details were important.
I still recall his stories of life and imagination, so vivid and
descriptive, perhaps because he was telling from his memory, and was not bound
by what he could see.
Even as a child, I knew the value of giving something more
than the value of a single word. I
slacked off during my teenage years, when everything was “rad” or “cool.” When I
was around 8 years old, my grandpa asked me to describe the color blue. “What does blue look like, Bec?” My heart hurt when I discovered that I
couldn’t really, truly describe it, and also that he could no longer see
it. He lost his sight from diabetes
complications about 13 years before I was born.
When my grandfather lost his sight, my grandmother became
the breadwinner for the family. I heard
stories of the great Mike Mansfield, Montana senator at the time, who was able
to bring my oldest uncle home from Naval duty to help the family. My mom would talk about how she was able to
get a farm driver’s license at age 13, due to the special circumstances
surrounding my grandpa’s loss of eyesight.
My grandpa passed away when I was just 13, and I have missed his wisdom
and his stories.
If I learned my love of words from the stories I heard from
my grandpa, I learned my love of family tradition and good food from my
grandma. My grandma was an extremely generous person, in her love, her time,
her home, and her experience. I had the wonderful blessing of knowing her well
into my adult life, and for my children to be old enough to really know her and
her love.
As a young wife and mom, I was not confident in my cooking
skills unless I was making mac and cheese from a box or heating up some ravioli
from a can. I wanted to cook nutritious
and delicious food for my young family, but I was extremely insecure about
getting it wrong. As I began to branch
out from things I already knew how to cook, my grandma was on the other end of
the phone every time. The first time I
cooked a pot roast, I called her to find out how to make gravy. When I wanted to learn to make Rahm Nudeln, that
family comfort food I had grown up on, I learned in her kitchen. I recognized as each Christmas passed, that
eventually some of the things I wanted to know would pass on with her, and so I
learned how to make pink applesauce, how to roast a turkey, and how to make the
perfect pie crust. Now that I am older,
I miss being able to pick up the phone to ask questions, because I sometimes
forget how much sugar she used in her apple pies, and no one in the family
seems to have the exact recipe for cottage cheese pie. 
In my grandmother’s kitchen, I learned not only to cook, but
I learned the value of time given to others.
Friendships were formed over cups of coffee at the kitchen table. Hours spent after family dinners playing card
games or just talking over pie and cookies are some of my best memories. If you wanted to dunk your cookie in coffee,
you had to have your own cup, because dunking in Grandma’s coffee was not
allowed. So many stories were told
around her kitchen table: how they planned to rent out the little house that
Grandpa built but no one would move way out to Target Range so they moved the
family there instead (and lived there until they both passed away); how Grandpa
called Grandma the day he couldn’t see enough anymore to make the drive home
from his worksite (“Hon, I can’t see to drive home”); how my aunt and uncle
used to live in a mobile home at the other end of the property and they had an
old phone line that ran direct between the two houses (which was eventually sold off). Stories that were funny, others that were
sad; stories that told of sacrifice for others, and stories of how love made
our family stronger. These stories gave
me a foundation as a child that love, family, and tradition are important.
Different stories are told around that kitchen table
now. The setting and characters have
changed, but the themes are the same.
These days, stories of glory of cross country teams and races permeate
our home, and how working hard for something you believe in brings brother- and
sisterhood friendships for life. Sacrifice. When we talk about our days,
and my daughter is required to tell me more than that her day was “fine,” and
we all laugh as she rambles as she makes sure to give us ALL the
backstory. Even as we laugh, we “see”
what she tells. Stories. We still tell the
story of Uncle Russell and his cigarette, and I imagine that someday, she will
tell her children and grandchildren, with a laugh and a smile, as she shows
them the burn mark on the edge of the table.
Tradition. I teach my children how to make Rahm Nudeln, and
they help me make the pink applesauce. Family.
My children have learned the same lessons I learned around this
table. And underlying it all, we find
that we have love. Saturday, October 8, 2016
{October Meal Plan}
Wow, time sometimes gets away from me. The start to this school year has been very busy, with new schedules and lots of cross-country meets. When I have weeks like last week and this week, my menu planning saves the day!
Here is my October plan! (Links provided where I have them, if you'd like recipe that's not linked, comment or shoot me an email, and I'll get it to you!)
October 1: Leftover day, usually, but we had guests, so I did a pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob!
October 2: Leftover day for reals.
October 3: Cheap Chicken Monday (our local Safeway has deals on fried chicken, and Jon was "cooking").
October 4: Baked Potato Soup
October 5: Leftover soup
October 6: Irish Pastie Pot Pie
October 7: Pizza Nite!
October 8: Leftovers
October 9: Thai Peanut Chicken Quinoa Bowls
October 10: Chicken Tikka Masala
October 11: Homemade Gyros *Here is how I season the meat, but I cook it differently than their directions. I make the meat into large patties and we grill it, then cut the patties into strips for our gyros. I also just use lean ground beef, but you could do ground turkey, lamb, or a mixture of your preference.
October 12: Chicken Fried Rice
October 13: Crispy Chicken Tortilla Rollups
October 14: Homemade Pizza
October 15: Leftovers
October 16: Lasagna
October 17: Moroccan Chicken Stew
October 18: Beef Stroganoff
October 19: Creamy Chicken Picatta
October 20: Leftovers
October 21: Taco Bar
October 22: Chicken with rice pilaf and roasted asparagus
October 23: Roast with Mashed Potatoes
October 24: Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew
October 25: Leftovers
October 26: Shepherd's Pie
October 27: Baked Potato Soup
October 28: Leftovers
October 29: Pizza night
October 30: Paninis
October 31: Halloween... who knows?
Here is my October plan! (Links provided where I have them, if you'd like recipe that's not linked, comment or shoot me an email, and I'll get it to you!)
October 1: Leftover day, usually, but we had guests, so I did a pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn on the cob!
October 2: Leftover day for reals.
October 3: Cheap Chicken Monday (our local Safeway has deals on fried chicken, and Jon was "cooking").
October 4: Baked Potato Soup
October 5: Leftover soup
October 6: Irish Pastie Pot Pie
October 7: Pizza Nite!
October 8: Leftovers
October 9: Thai Peanut Chicken Quinoa Bowls
October 10: Chicken Tikka Masala
October 11: Homemade Gyros *Here is how I season the meat, but I cook it differently than their directions. I make the meat into large patties and we grill it, then cut the patties into strips for our gyros. I also just use lean ground beef, but you could do ground turkey, lamb, or a mixture of your preference.
October 12: Chicken Fried Rice
October 13: Crispy Chicken Tortilla Rollups
October 14: Homemade Pizza
October 15: Leftovers
October 16: Lasagna
October 17: Moroccan Chicken Stew
October 18: Beef Stroganoff
October 19: Creamy Chicken Picatta
October 20: Leftovers
October 21: Taco Bar
October 22: Chicken with rice pilaf and roasted asparagus
October 23: Roast with Mashed Potatoes
October 24: Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Stew
October 25: Leftovers
October 26: Shepherd's Pie
October 27: Baked Potato Soup
October 28: Leftovers
October 29: Pizza night
October 30: Paninis
October 31: Halloween... who knows?
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
{September Meal Plan}
It was only August 23rd, and my September meal plan was all good to go. Now I'm finally getting around to posting it for you all!
I've left room for myself to make some changes along the way, since we will be adjusting to being back to school, having a college student with a different schedule from the rest of us, and balancing the running and XC meet schedules as well.
Recipe links are included if I have them, but much of this month is planned from tried and true standard fare from my kitchen. Give me a comment if you are wondering about a recipe with no link. Here you go!
September 1: Eating out, on our way to Gabe's XC meet in Moscow, ID.
September 2: Teriyaki chicken stir fry and rice
September 3: Beef in Stout with Dumplings (from my Irish pub cookbook, can't wait to try this!)
September 4: Leftovers
September 5: Creamy Chicken Penne
September 6: Beef Stew
September 7: Fried Tilapia and Rice
September 8: Taco Soup
September 9: Chicken Enchiladas
September 10: Leftovers
September 11: Paninis
September 12: Yellow Soup
September 13: Sausage & Ramnoodla (a family recipe!)
September 14: Chicken with Angel Hair and Bearnaise sauce
September 15: Dublin Coddle (also from my pub cookbook!!)
September 16: Steak Burritos
September 17: Leftovers
September 18: ??
September 19: Chili
September 20: Enchilada Casserole
September 21: Leftovers
September 22: Chicken Fried Rice
September 23-25: Travel to Missoula, so we will eat out or with parents
September 26: Lettuce Wraps
September 27: Spaghetti
September 28: Teriyaki Chicken stir fry with rice
September 29: Leftovers
September 30: Homemade Pizza
We are trying a couple of new things, but they are from an old school cookbook, so no link! I'm hoping to try some more new things in October!
Cheers!
I've left room for myself to make some changes along the way, since we will be adjusting to being back to school, having a college student with a different schedule from the rest of us, and balancing the running and XC meet schedules as well.
Recipe links are included if I have them, but much of this month is planned from tried and true standard fare from my kitchen. Give me a comment if you are wondering about a recipe with no link. Here you go!
September 1: Eating out, on our way to Gabe's XC meet in Moscow, ID.
September 2: Teriyaki chicken stir fry and rice
September 3: Beef in Stout with Dumplings (from my Irish pub cookbook, can't wait to try this!)
September 4: Leftovers
September 5: Creamy Chicken Penne
September 6: Beef Stew
September 7: Fried Tilapia and Rice
September 8: Taco Soup
September 9: Chicken Enchiladas
September 10: Leftovers
September 11: Paninis
September 12: Yellow Soup
September 13: Sausage & Ramnoodla (a family recipe!)
September 14: Chicken with Angel Hair and Bearnaise sauce
September 15: Dublin Coddle (also from my pub cookbook!!)
September 16: Steak Burritos
September 17: Leftovers
September 18: ??
September 19: Chili
September 20: Enchilada Casserole
September 21: Leftovers
September 22: Chicken Fried Rice
September 23-25: Travel to Missoula, so we will eat out or with parents
September 26: Lettuce Wraps
September 27: Spaghetti
September 28: Teriyaki Chicken stir fry with rice
September 29: Leftovers
September 30: Homemade Pizza
We are trying a couple of new things, but they are from an old school cookbook, so no link! I'm hoping to try some more new things in October!
Cheers!
Thursday, August 11, 2016
{Meal Plan~ August}
After a long hiatus, I'm back.
I've been asked to share a meal plan, so here we go. Just a few words up front about my meal planning process:
First, I started by revamping my Master Meals list for the upcoming school year. I get creative in the kitchen during the summer because I actually have time and energy to experiment in the kitchen and create tasty meals for my family (which I LOVE!). In August, I always like to update the Master Meals list with additions from things we tried over the summer (and possibly since the previous August) that we want to make regular menu appearances.
Second, I take a look at what we might have going on each week. For example, I know that on Mondays, I teach Oula at 6pm. During the summer, this is no big deal, because we can just eat early, but during the school year, things change and we get busier, I work later, etc, so I usually try to plan an easy, quick meal, or a crock pot meal on those days.
Third, I usually only plan 4-5 dinners each week. I know my family well enough to know that we often have days where we say, "Hey, *THIS* sounds super good tonight!" and we go with it. You can already see from this picture and what I have below that meals got shifted around because of the movie night my kids planned. I also plan at least one leftover day during the week because we end up with a large amount of food sitting in the fridge if I don't.
The last thing I do is take a look at what I have planned and upcoming for the next week to determine my grocery list. If I need to do a Costco run, I will try to make sure I buy anything on my list that will keep (I don't usually buy produce at Costco) to get me through the month so that I don't have to make another trip.
All that said... Here is the menu plan for the rest of August (links to recipes included where sources are known):
Thursday 8/11: Teen Movie night at our house, Papa Murphy's Pizza (starting out easy!!!)
Friday 8/12: Chicken Penne *New recipe, might be adding to the master list*
Saturday 8/13: Leftovers (if there's enough), Tacos if not
Sunday 8/14: Pork and asparagus Stir Fry
Monday 8/15: Panini sandwiches and salad
Tuesday 8/16: Chicken Enchiladas (chicken mixture prep in crockpot, then assemble and bake)
Wednesday 8/17: Leftover or Free day
Thursday 8/18: Red Thai Curry
Friday 8/19: Homemade Pizza
Saturday 8/20:
Sunday 8/21: Both of these days are free days because of company in town, and I'm not sure of the plan at this point. :)
Monday 8/22: Chicken Tikka Masala (I usually use this recipe, but I'm trying this recipe to see how it is.) I'll be back in my classroom this day making sure all is ready, and teaching Oula in the evening, so it's the crock pot to the rescue!
Tuesday 8/23: Ginger Beef & Veggies *New recipe!!*
Wednesday 8/24: Staff Back to School BBQ... I'll probably bring a pasta salad.
Thursday 8/25: Baked Potato Soup (My youngest has been begging for this even though it's summertime!)
Friday 8/26: Creamy Chicken Picatta
Saturday 8/27: Leftover or Free day
Sunday 8/28: Burgers on the grill and roasted veggies
Monday 8/29: Leftover or free day... It's the last day of summer!!
Tuesday 8/30: Beef stroganoff... First day of school
Wednesday 8/31: Pork steak on the grill and grilled zucchini & onions
There you go! I'll try to let you know how the new recipes turn out, and post September as soon as I get it done!!
I've been asked to share a meal plan, so here we go. Just a few words up front about my meal planning process:
First, I started by revamping my Master Meals list for the upcoming school year. I get creative in the kitchen during the summer because I actually have time and energy to experiment in the kitchen and create tasty meals for my family (which I LOVE!). In August, I always like to update the Master Meals list with additions from things we tried over the summer (and possibly since the previous August) that we want to make regular menu appearances.
Second, I take a look at what we might have going on each week. For example, I know that on Mondays, I teach Oula at 6pm. During the summer, this is no big deal, because we can just eat early, but during the school year, things change and we get busier, I work later, etc, so I usually try to plan an easy, quick meal, or a crock pot meal on those days.
Third, I usually only plan 4-5 dinners each week. I know my family well enough to know that we often have days where we say, "Hey, *THIS* sounds super good tonight!" and we go with it. You can already see from this picture and what I have below that meals got shifted around because of the movie night my kids planned. I also plan at least one leftover day during the week because we end up with a large amount of food sitting in the fridge if I don't.
The last thing I do is take a look at what I have planned and upcoming for the next week to determine my grocery list. If I need to do a Costco run, I will try to make sure I buy anything on my list that will keep (I don't usually buy produce at Costco) to get me through the month so that I don't have to make another trip.
All that said... Here is the menu plan for the rest of August (links to recipes included where sources are known):
Thursday 8/11: Teen Movie night at our house, Papa Murphy's Pizza (starting out easy!!!)
Friday 8/12: Chicken Penne *New recipe, might be adding to the master list*
Saturday 8/13: Leftovers (if there's enough), Tacos if not
Sunday 8/14: Pork and asparagus Stir Fry
Monday 8/15: Panini sandwiches and salad
Tuesday 8/16: Chicken Enchiladas (chicken mixture prep in crockpot, then assemble and bake)
Wednesday 8/17: Leftover or Free day
Thursday 8/18: Red Thai Curry
Friday 8/19: Homemade Pizza
Saturday 8/20:
Sunday 8/21: Both of these days are free days because of company in town, and I'm not sure of the plan at this point. :)
Monday 8/22: Chicken Tikka Masala (I usually use this recipe, but I'm trying this recipe to see how it is.) I'll be back in my classroom this day making sure all is ready, and teaching Oula in the evening, so it's the crock pot to the rescue!
Tuesday 8/23: Ginger Beef & Veggies *New recipe!!*
Wednesday 8/24: Staff Back to School BBQ... I'll probably bring a pasta salad.
Thursday 8/25: Baked Potato Soup (My youngest has been begging for this even though it's summertime!)
Friday 8/26: Creamy Chicken Picatta
Saturday 8/27: Leftover or Free day
Sunday 8/28: Burgers on the grill and roasted veggies
Monday 8/29: Leftover or free day... It's the last day of summer!!
Tuesday 8/30: Beef stroganoff... First day of school
Wednesday 8/31: Pork steak on the grill and grilled zucchini & onions
There you go! I'll try to let you know how the new recipes turn out, and post September as soon as I get it done!!
Monday, March 7, 2016
{Menu Monday}
Track season has begun, Spring is just around the corner, and March is a fun time at the Meek household. This week, we have St. Patrick's day performances and track practices, Oula classes, and Daylight Savings. It should be a good week, except for losing that one hour...
Here's the plan for the week:
Monday: Jon cooks :)
Tuesday: Chicken on the grill with Pesto Penne (with sauteed portobello, sun dried tomatoes, and goat cheese), roasted sweet potatoes
Wednesday: Spaghetti, caesar salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Italian Wedding Soup (Jon's mom's recipe)
Friday: "Tammy's Chicken," (chicken with a spicy paprika rub and mustard/tarragon sauce), roasted potatoes, pear gorgonzola salad
Saturday: Leftover Day! (Set those clocks ahead before you go to bed!!)
Sunday: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, Cheesy veggies
Next week will be busier. It's times like this when I am thankful that I took the time to make my plan earlier, because then it's done! There are lots of ways to meal plan, and my approach works for me. I've tried shopping and planning based on weekly sales, I've tried a basic monthly/weekly plan, I've tried theme nights (Meatless Monday, Chicken Wednesday, etc.), but this more low key approach is what works for me. What have you tried with menu planning that has worked for you? What have you tried that hasn't worked? Meal planning is all about adaptation and finding a system that works for you!!
Have a great week!!
Here's the plan for the week:
Monday: Jon cooks :)
Tuesday: Chicken on the grill with Pesto Penne (with sauteed portobello, sun dried tomatoes, and goat cheese), roasted sweet potatoes
Wednesday: Spaghetti, caesar salad, garlic bread
Thursday: Italian Wedding Soup (Jon's mom's recipe)
Friday: "Tammy's Chicken," (chicken with a spicy paprika rub and mustard/tarragon sauce), roasted potatoes, pear gorgonzola salad
Saturday: Leftover Day! (Set those clocks ahead before you go to bed!!)
Sunday: Roast beef, mashed potatoes, gravy, Cheesy veggies
Next week will be busier. It's times like this when I am thankful that I took the time to make my plan earlier, because then it's done! There are lots of ways to meal plan, and my approach works for me. I've tried shopping and planning based on weekly sales, I've tried a basic monthly/weekly plan, I've tried theme nights (Meatless Monday, Chicken Wednesday, etc.), but this more low key approach is what works for me. What have you tried with menu planning that has worked for you? What have you tried that hasn't worked? Meal planning is all about adaptation and finding a system that works for you!!
Have a great week!!
Thursday, March 3, 2016
{Menu Monday... Or not.}
With my attempt to rejoin the blogosphere, one goal that I have made for myself is to begin posting my weekly menus again. I enjoy menu posts, because I always get inspiration from reading those posts from other bloggers. Today isn't Monday, but I'd like to post this week's menu anyway, so that anyone interested can see the whole month and follow my family's progress and see how we do in our goals to eat at home more frequently. So, without further ado, here we go:
Monday: Jon cooks: Spaghetti {Jon and I made an agreement a few months ago that he would plan and cook for Mondays, to give me one day a week to relax.}
Tuesday: Rahmnudeln, Polska Kielbasa, and Cabbage
Wednesday: Lettuce Wraps
Thursday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup + Salad for those of us who want some green
Friday: Homemade pizza with all the fixins
Saturday: is usually leftover day, but we are doing a quick overnighter away and will eat with family
Sunday: We travel home this day, so lunch after church will be out with family, and then we will scavenge the leftovers in the fridge for dinner when we get home.
So there you have it!! Enjoy!
Monday: Jon cooks: Spaghetti {Jon and I made an agreement a few months ago that he would plan and cook for Mondays, to give me one day a week to relax.}
Tuesday: Rahmnudeln, Polska Kielbasa, and Cabbage
Wednesday: Lettuce Wraps
Thursday: Grilled cheese and tomato soup + Salad for those of us who want some green
Friday: Homemade pizza with all the fixins
Saturday: is usually leftover day, but we are doing a quick overnighter away and will eat with family
Sunday: We travel home this day, so lunch after church will be out with family, and then we will scavenge the leftovers in the fridge for dinner when we get home.
So there you have it!! Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
{Sneaking back in}
My blog has been very silent for a very long time.
My life is busy. We've all been there. It's where I'm living at the moment. I still love to write and share with you. I have dreams of being a mommy blogger/author. I have no idea in the middle of the chaos how it's ever going to happen.
And then it hit me.
It won't happen.
Unless I make the choice to write.
And so, even if they are short updates, or just menus here and there that gives someone an inspiration... I'm going to begin to write again. It's been a long, dry season, but I sense that rain is coming.
My life is busy. We've all been there. It's where I'm living at the moment. I still love to write and share with you. I have dreams of being a mommy blogger/author. I have no idea in the middle of the chaos how it's ever going to happen.
And then it hit me.
It won't happen.
Unless I make the choice to write.
And so, even if they are short updates, or just menus here and there that gives someone an inspiration... I'm going to begin to write again. It's been a long, dry season, but I sense that rain is coming.
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