31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... When Grandpa Gene and Grandma Susan come and kidsit {day 31}

We traveled back to the Grand Rapids to teach missionary lessons to a couple of AWANA groups at one of our supporting churches.

School nights make it hard to cart the kids 2.5 hours away and back... all after school.

So we recruited Grandma and Grandpa to stay with the gang, see that they ate, didn't assassinate each other or destroy the house, made it over to their AWANA/youth group and back and that hopefully the littles would get to bed.

An extra treat?

New cousins Angelina and Peyton came to visit, too!

(And we can't forget one of Rebekah's classmates who needed a place to hang out in between school and church... She was there as well.)

I asked the girls if they were a good help when we got home.

They said they had fun.

And Nadia said she showed Grandma Susan where the food was.

Oh the things kids do... like NOT help when they could.

Oh well... We obviously needed Grandma there or at least the eating would not have happened.

Looked like they ate pretty doggone good stuff, too!

Nadia begged the leftovers so the kids could take it for lunch.

Since rain continues to trickle from the sky...

These kiddos are hoping for a sugar high from the Halloween candy we aren't handing out!

What a way to end 31 days of dinner chez les Wrightlings!

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}
...Chez Culver's... {day 26}
Homemade lasagna... noodles and all {day 27}
KFC {day 28}
Goulash {day 29}
Repurposed Food {day 30}

31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... ... Repurposed food {day 30}

Wednesdays are typically wordless around here.

And since it has been a long day... 

so even as a female with words as my love language and often my therapy, 

I think I've used up my share of words.

Tim and I just arrived back at the house after teaching AWANA groups on the northwest side of Grand Rapids.

Fun... always lots of fun...

Talking to children about Niger.

The kids at Ravenna Baptist were wonderful...

Apparently our crew, who we left at home, were too.

For tomorrow, I've got pictures from dinner with the Wrightlings 

AND

Grandpa Gene and Grandma Susan and the newer cousins!

But that doesn't help me with today's post because

I still haven't posted anything about last night's dinner.

It was repurposed food.

Sounds a little scary, but it wasn't.

A little of this & a little of that with a few changes here and there

makes something exciting and all brand new!

You see - there was still cabbage in the fridge from the night we had cabbage fritters.

And remember?

That lovely, lightly sweet onion gravy from the night we had toad in the hole?

Some of that was still hanging around in the back corner of the bottom shelf.

I didn't want it to start growing.

So I fried up some new fritters (with a different seasoning), more flour for a much crispier final, heated up the gravy, pulled out catsup (for those who eat it on EVERYTHING), 

some leftover salad...

and voilà!

A thumbs up dinner where even the littles wolfed down their cabbage

AND

asked for more!

There was only one problem

It left a big mess in the kitchen and I didn't get to clean-up until all homework was done at 11:00 pm... 

Thank you math... sigh...

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}
...Chez Culver's... {day 26}
Homemade lasagna... noodles and all {day 27}
KFC {day 28}
Goulash {day 29}

31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... Goulash {day 29}

Goulash is another quick and easy meal, especially if you've got already shredded cheese and leftover spaghetti sauce from lasagna (which was even more delicious as leftovers, in case you were wondering)!

I was hoping to get to the Women for Missions meeting at our church on Monday night, so I fixed the food and ran... almost literally... to make it on time. I handed the camera over to Anna, asking her to document the even for me in my absence.

So... no commentary today... just Anna's photos... which always make me smile.

So, I know I said no commentary, but why in the world are there three pictures of empty plates and none of Jonathan? The only thing I can figure is that Anna and Jonathan must have been fussing at each other about something. The other message I'm sensing from all those empty plate photos? I think they want to emphasize the fact that goulash is a favorite meal of EVERYONE.

How would you interpret Jonathan's absence?

Or? The fact that Anna took pictures of several empty plates?

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}
...Chez Culver's... {day 26}
Homemade lasagna... noodles and all {day 27}
KFC {day 28}

31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... KFC {day 28}

 

Sunday was a l000000000000000ng day ~

a good day, but a long one.

On the road by 6:45, off to visit another one of our partnering churches.

Sunday School - Tim and I with the adult class;

Rebekah, Nadia and Anna with the teens and middle schoolers...

...sharing about Niger.

There is a young man, an exchange student from Ghana, attending that church this year.

The girls really enjoyed meeting someone from nearly back home.

Then sharing, testimonies, preaching for Tim in the morning service.

Before, during and after - lots of mingling, visiting with those in the church - listening and answering questions.

Next came a pizza meal with several from the church,

followed by a small meeting with members from their missions committee.

Then it was back in the car and off to Gammie and Gampy's... not to play, though.

Gampy's been sick... all week; 

Gammie has been in SE Missiour/S Illinois helping with Nana and Poppop.

We decided to pop down and help get the house picked up and cleaned.

So we spent all afternoon.

We asked Gampy if he needed anything from the grocery store.

He wanted tuna (and mayo to mix with it), and a treat for his grandkids who'd helped quite a bit around the house - especially the big girls.

(Jonathan kinda hung out with Gampy, watching his new favorite thing - 

AMERICAN FOOTBALL.

His mama is tickled pink!)

Tim ran to the store... and KFC for dinner.

We enjoyed eating with Gampy and cousin Christina,

cleaned up our dinner mess 

(or we would have defeated our stated purpose for stopping by Lansing in the first place),

and hit the road back for Midland.

It was about 9:30 when we got in.

It was a long day.

Favorite quote... or misquote?

"I've got a riddle of life flowing out of me.

Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see..."

(Just who do you think was singing that?)

Actually --- pretty profound if you think about it a bit... kinda... sorta!

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}
...Chez Culver's... {day 26}
Homemade lasagna... noodles and all {day 27}

31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... Homemade lasagna... noodles and all {day 27}

Several years ago, I tried making homemade lasagna noodles. I think I considered it an epic fail. But it is one of those things that I've had on my list to try again... someday...

Saturday, October 25, 2013 became that some day.

I figured I already had the other stuff frozen as far as relative ease in pulling together the rest of the meal.

I thought my family would be home to eat it with me when I put it on the menu plan.

And on the coldest week of this fall yet, on that Saturday, I knew we weren't planning on traveling - but rather at home, cleaning the house and just hanging out.

And I made lasagna from scratch... noodles and all... although my little smarty-mouth daughter (I'll let you wonder which one) informed me that unless I milled my own flour, I couldn't say it was from scratch.

I wasn't too happy with that comment, oh daughter of mine...

One true comment? 

Rolling out lasagna noodles was more work than I expected. Not difficult, but just required more physical energy/strength than I figured it would. That might have something to do with strep throat... But then again, maybe if we all spent more time doing the work required to prepare our food, we'd find it easier to maintain a healthy weight.

Just wondering?

We actually fit at the table... since the second shift didn't arrive to eat until more 

than an hour later.

Everyone liked the homemade noodles!

I'm pretty sure I'll be doing it again.

It has to get easier with practice.

Yummy oatmeal cake (with the most delightful butterscotch icing that I've decided will be wonderful on doughnuts the next time I make them)!

Uncle Harold, Cousin Mike, Tim and Jonathan joined us and echoed earlier sentiments... even had compliments on the home made Italian dressing...

Sometimes a twist on a good 'ole standard is a pretty good way to go.

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}
...Chez Culver's... {day 26}

31 days... of dinner chez les Wrightlings... Except it was chez Culver's, as in the restaurant {day 26}

One of those really kind things people do for traveling missionaries is gift them with gas or restaurant gift cards. A few weeks ago, we had a church as well as some folks in the church do just that.

Then I was abandoned by Tim and the big girls on a Friday night.

So Anna and I decided to take the littles to Culver's, use up that gift card, and just have a little bit of fun.

Funny thing is? When I only took five kids out to a restaurant, we felt so small. People didn't treat us that way, though.

Apparently this Friday night was a BIG night for folks from the kids' school, because we ran into several people that we knew. My little extroverts thought that was super cool... to run into their friends from school out and about in town.

The littles ordered the chicken tenders. Anna had a chicken sandwich. And I had a swiss mushroom burger type thing. The french fries were yummy and chocolate milk to drink is always a treat for the munchkin crew. Mostly.

It was fun to sit and listen to the kids talk:

• Elsie convinced me and the mama of her friend sitting in the booth behind us that we needed to arrange a play date for the two little girls.
• Jonathan chattered away with his two buddies about the best kind of ice cream.
• Tori's eyes were, once again, bigger than her tummy. She philosophized about that and then she brought home leftovers.
• Anna lost one of her shoes, which she promptly kicked off as soon as we sat down in the booth. She did finally find it again, wrapped up in Jonathan's coat which had slipped to the floor underneath our booth.
• All six of us easily slid into a single booth - because it was much warmer... actually much, much warmer that way. Our crowding was very intentional.
• The littles were super excited that a free scoop of ice cream came with their meal. They discussed how they were going to dress up their scoop. Mary Michelle informed me that I was not a nice Mama because I insisted she just have plain vanilla. Jonathan, however, was the only one to finish his.
• Mary Michelle's ice cream leftovers found their way into Anna's cup full of root beer.
• It is a confirmed fact - Anna is the practical joker in this family. Elsie Mae dropped her spoon on the floor. While getting a spoon, Anna took her ice cream and hid it from her.
• Of course, the next time Elsie Mae dropped her spoon, I did the same thing - and blamed Anna. That might be called provoking a disagreement between progeny.
• It is another confirmed fact - Elsie Mae has now taken over the title (one which Nadia carried for many, many years) of the clumsy one at the dinner table.
• Tori and Anna discussed events with their classmates, and the fact that their school schedule is so full, they rarely get time to socialize with their friends. I don't get that... because there was an awful lot of talk about what their friends were saying and doing.

When we got home, we noticed that the trash barrels were still laying out by the side of the road. So Anna bundled up and headed out the door to drag them back to the garage. She put on my hiking books.

And she was taller than me.

THAT is gonna take some getting used to... serious getting used to, in fact!

 

Previous Posts

Squirrel Soup {day 1}

Chimichangas {day 2}

in which I start conniving... {day 3}

in which I have absolutely NO IDEA... {day 4}

when the Taco Bell cooks decide... {day 5}

 Cheese Quesadillas... {day 6}

Eggs, Bacon, Buttery Toast and Watermelon... {day 7}

Rice and Sauce... {day 8}

Grilled Cheese, Creamy Chicken Soup, Salad... a Church Program and an Ice Cream Social {day 9}

We got Brendan! {day 10}

(modified) Italian Chicken Pita {day 11} 

Borscht {day 12} 

Doughnut Saturday {day 13}
...nothing more than junk food {day 14}

Dredging the Fridge... {day 15} 
Egg Fried Rice {day 16}
Amidst much moaning and groaning {day 17}
...dinner chez Grandma Edith instead! {day 18}
Butternut squash mac and cheeze {day 19}
Black bean and butternut squash burritos {day 20}
Butterscotch pumpkin bread with chocolate pumpkin butter {day 21}
Chili, conversation, baby oranges and "really cute little girls..." {day 22}
Comfort food, otherwise known as ~ potato soup {day 23}
Cabbage fritters with a yogurt dip and a yummy fall fruit salad {day 24}
Toad in the hole and roasted squash - seriously! {day 25}