AmyTriedIt.com

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:42:00 PST

Just wanted to put it out there that I finish grad school on May 11!!! That's also about the time I get hobbies back in my life and can start blogging again. I sure do miss it. See ya' then!

Snowflake Art

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 18:25:00 PST

I truly enjoyed completing these snowflakes with Miss P! We had a fabulous time working on our paint and glitter skills.

I got the idea from Ten Kids and a Dog blog. It was as simple as using masking tape to make a picture of a snowflake, painting in different color blues, and sprinkling glitter until our hearts content.

Miss P's

We specifically worked on washing out our paintbrushes after each blue and making sure it was dry enough to start again. She was totally into it...and I was too, actually.

Mine

I can see us doing this every year and making a little collection on a wall in the house.

{20 Fun Questions} to Ask Your Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 05:11:00 PST

I got the questions from this blog and thought it'd be cute and enlightening to see how Miss P views her mommy. Turns out, at one month shy of 4, she's still pretty egocentric.

Copy this note, ask your kid the questions and write them down exactly how they respond.

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
"Simon says" [We don't play Simon says often. I think she just took her cue from the word "says."]

2. What makes Mommy happy?
"To play with Addie & me together"

3. What makes Mommy sad?
"When I tear up things"

4. How does Mommy make you laugh?
"Going to the park"

5. What was Mommy like as a child?
"A cow" [I wonder if she'd just seen a cow on TV b/c I'm more cow-like now in my adult, nursing stage.]

6. How old is Mommy?
"22." [Nice!]

7. How tall is Mommy?
"This many (while holding her arms out in front front of her vertically)."

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?
"Go down the slide."

9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?
"Go to school." [She hit the nail on the head here.]

10. What is Mommy really good at?
"Pushing me on the swings." [Funny because she always tells me I don't push her as high as daddy does.]

11. What is Mommy not very good at?
"Listen." [This made me sad to hear. I thought I was pretty good at listening. But when I look at the validity of her other answers, I don't feel so awful.]

12. What does Mommy do for her job?
"Makes some crafts with me."

13. What is Mommy's favorite food?
"Cheese-Its and Gold Gish and popcorns." [Not even a little but true.]

14. What makes you proud of Mommy?
"At Jessi's party and at Emma's party." [These are two of the most recent parties we went to. I have no idea what I did to make her proud.]

15. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?
"Amy." [That's my actual name. Bummer...I wanted to be Doc McStuffins.]

16. What do you and Mommy do together?
"Play with me and Addie and Daddy."

17. How are you and Mommy the same?
"We can listen." [Redeemed #11]

18. How are you and Mommy different?
"We have different hair."

19. How do you know Mommy loves you?
"Because she loves me all the time."

20. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?
"To Target." [Perfect.]

Upcycled Gift Wrap

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:04:00 PST

Have one of these at your house?

If so, then you know that butcher art paper gets filled up FAST. (The portion shown above was only up for a few minutes before Miss P began creating her art there on the bottom.) Instead of just throwing the filled up paper away, try reusing it.

We like to wrap birthday gifts in her pieces of original butcher paper art and top it off with a big bow.

Elf On the Shelf 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:33:00 PST

This is a calendar I threw together so I wouldn't forget to actually make our little elf, Bryce, get into mischief this year. (Last year, we thought about him right before bed or after Miss P had already woken up. We'd just put him somewhere else without much thought or effort. No fun.)

So this is what we're doing this year. None of the photos are mine, and I wish I'd paid more attention to where I was saving them from. But they were necessary to remind myself where I got the idea and what it looked like. If you really, really feel the need to find out, you can start your "link trail" from my Christmas Pinterest board.

Click here for a PDF version.

p.s. "Playing with bows" is playing with hair bows. Bryce would have already been playing the gift wrap/bows previously. :)

The Great Pumpkin

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:05:00 PST

Halloween is fun...But all that candy! Yuck! My daughter doesn't need it on her teeth, and I don't need it on my waist. So I came across an idea somewhere in blogland to do The Great Pumpkin.

The Great Pumpkin only gets to eat ONE time a year. He goes from house to house on the night of November 1st - the day after Halloween - to fill up on leftover Halloween candy. In return, he leaves a fun gift.

I let Miss P choose 10 pieces of her favorite out of the gazillion pieces she had. I told her what we were doing ahead of time so she didn't freak out. She has a giving heart and truly wanted that pumpkin to eat. (The first picture is what she chose; the second pic is what was left behind. I'm still not sure what to do with it all.)

The next morning, this is what she found! A swing ball game, a letter from the Great Pumpkin, and...

...an empty bucket!!! She was amazed! I think her words, said in a whisper, were, "Whoa. It's all gone. *long pause* He ate it all!"

It was super cute and went over quite well. This will definitely be a tradition!

My Hubby's Birthday Gift

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 18:43:00 PST

So his birthday was aallllll the say back in August, and, yes, I gave him his gift on time. I'm just now getting around to blogging about it though. It could be a great handmade gift idea for a loved one for Christmas.

Wrapped simply in brown craft paper and natural twine. We went camping as a family over his birthday weekend, so the natural, rustic look fit the environment.

I printed out the maps on Google of where we met, married, and currently live. I cut these into hearts, printed the titles on pearlized card stock, tore the edges, and mounted them on a piece of matte board I found at Hobby Lobby. All of this went into a Hobby Lobby frame.

I got the original idea from here and just made it a bit simpler. He actually liked this sentimental gift, and it's hanging sweetly in our bedroom.

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of October 14, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 15:31:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of October 14, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: pumpkin pie oatmeal L: Taco Casa D: leftovers	B: pumpkin pie oatmeal L: McDonald’s D: Crunchy Mexican Chicken, corn on the cob, Mexican Cesar Salad	B: pumpkin pie oatmeal L: sandwich D: Meal by Chef Melissa	B: waffle w/ peanut butter L: frozen D: Meal by Chef Melissa	B: waffle w/ peanut butter L: frozen D: Meal by Chef Melissa	B: waffle w/ peanut butter L: frozen D: leftovers	B: L: home D: out
Activities	M: church A: sew E: grill & organize Christmas binder	M: drop off dishes @ Melissa’s, call pest control (ants), groom appt for Lucy, & gymnastics A: finish Kiwicrate, go for walk to find a goof leaf, leaf craft E: study for mid-term	M: girls to school for dance, groceries, & read for class A: outfits for family photos, take a walk, pick up food, & see lawyer to update will E: mid-term online & prep for housekeepers	M: Girls to School (Tooth Fairy Day), housekeepers, & Internship A: same & pick up food E: TV downtime & work on presentation (read chapter)	M: Girls to School (Tooth Fairy Day) & Internship A: same & pick up food E: finalize outfits for family photos	M: Girls to School (Tooth Fairy Day) & Internship (Drug Free Pep Rally) A: same E: family movie night?	M: Breakfast w/ Baley’s & Presley Time A: Family Photos E: relax

Last Week’s Keepers

Texas Diablo Chicken Skewers - but I need to find a neater way to get it on the skewer

Mexican Chopped Salad - a tiny bit of cilantro would have been good added to this

Won’t Make Again

Smoked Salmon Lasagna - Not a good way to used smoked salmon b/c the process cooks it and takes away from the smoked part of it. Also, was too heavy a dish for us.

Barbies: I've waited almost 4 years for this!

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 19:34:00 PDT

A few weeks ago, I finally broke out my old-school, heavily made up Barbies for Miss P to play with.

She loved it! Play time was short-lived, but I had all warm fuzzies watching my baby girl play with some of my old dolls.

Now I should get her a few of her own - the new kind with smaller boobs and less make up.

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of September 30, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 16:10:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of September 30, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: Nutrigrain bar L: baked potato D: Wing Stop	B: biscuits & bacon L: out D: Grilled Asian Chicken Thighs, roasted broccoli, & garlic rice/quinoa	B: cereal L: smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, avocado, onion, & lettuce on pumpernickel D: Smoked Salmon Lasagna & roasted asparagus	B: oatmeal L: smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, avocado, onion, & lettuce on pumpernickel D: Crunchy Mexican Chicken, corn on the cob, Mexican Cesar Salad	B: cereal L: out @ CB’s D: leftovers	B: oatmeal L: frozen food D: Texas Diablo Chicken Skewers, Mexican Chopped Salad, & Baked Beans	B: cereal L: smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, avocado, onion, & lettuce on pumpernickel D: out on a date
Activities	M: church A: chores E: sew	M: precook food & gymnastics A: Addie 6 month doc appt. E: class	M: girls to school (dance day), groceries, dentist, & make dinner A: get girls early & Kiwi Crate and/or Halloween craft E: class	M: girls to school & internship (pink day) A: same E: relax...	M: girls to school & internship (lunch w/ Evan) A: same E: Costco w/ Heather	M: girls to school & internship (inservice) A: same E: Ladies’ Night @ Cornerstone	M: Hike A: BBQ @ Turner’s - bring Mississippi Sin dip E: date night!

Baby Food: Leek & Potato Puree (p. 68), Baby Cereal & Vegetables (p. 39) & Three Fruit Puree (p. 35)

Last Week’s Keepers

Whole Wheat Spaghetti Carbonara - add either peas or roasted grape tomatoes

Won’t Make Again

corn dog muffins - family didn’t love it...would rather just eat a corn dog...muffins were crumbly

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of September 30, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:56:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of September 30, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: biscuits & gravy L: pigs in a blanket w/ fruit D: Houlihan’s	B: cereal bar L: out D: Panda Express	B: biscuits & gravy L: smoked salmon & cucumber sandwich D: Crock Pot Chicken Thighs w/ Leeks & Mushrooms and Nutritious Chocolate Chip & Butterscotch Pie	B: cereal L: smoked salmon & cucumber sandwich D: Whole Wheat Spaghetti Carbonara	B: biscuits & gravy L: leftovers D: corn dog muffins, roast broccoli, & cinnamon sweet potatoes	B: cereal L: bday food D: grilled salmon w/ lime butter sauce, fontina mac n cheese,	B: apple pie oatmeal & bacon L: out D: leftovers
Activities		Morning: girls to school & conference in Richardson Afternoon: girls to school & conference in Richardson Evening:	Morning: girls to school, endo. appt., & crockpot Afternoon: start aprons & groceries Evening: Texas Night Out, Ab. Psych online, & tidy for housekeepers	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: girls to school & internship Evening: finish aprons & gymnastics make up class	Morning: girls to school, internship, & lunch w/ Evan Afternoon: girls to school & internship Evening: time with Grant	Morning: Audrey’s bday party Afternoon: Kiwi Crate Evening: work on quilt and/or stuff for baby Preston	Morning: Kid’s Day @ Calloway’s Afternoon: hike & nature hunt Evening: time w/ Grant

Baby Food: Leek & Potato Puree (p. 68), Baby Cereal & Vegetables (p. 39), Sweet Potato with Cinnamon (p. 41), & Three Fruit Puree (p. 35)

Last Week’s Keepers

15 Minute Vegetarian Chili

Won’t Make Again

apple and carrot salad - just didn’t like it much

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of September 23, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 05:03:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of September 23, 2012

My sis is getting married this weekend, and I believe we’re going to have to attend a funeral in Houston on Wednesday or Thursday. So meals aren’t going to be top-notch this week. Sorry Weight Watchers...Gotta be realistic.

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: cereal L: McD’s D: Kabob hut	B: cereal & boiled egg L: tuna salad D: 15 Minute Vegetarian Chili w/ corn bread	B: cereal & boiled egg L: sandwich D: pigs in a blanket & apple and carrot salad	B: cereal & boiled egg L: Cobb Salad w/ Flaxseed Dressing D: Chicken Mushroom & Brown Rice Slow Cooker Casserole	B: cereal & boiled egg L: on the road D: leftovers	B: cereal & boiled egg L: Cobb Salad w/ Flaxseed Dressing D: rehearsal dinner (Italian)	B: pancakes, bacon, & fruit L: out D: wedding food (BBQ)
Activities	Morning: church Afternoon: Apple Store Evening: sew quilt	Morning: groceries & gymnastics Afternoon: class Evening: sew quilt	Morning: girls to school & dentist Afternoon: blood work Evening: class	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: same Evening: sew quilt	Travel to Houston for Wade’s funeral. Please visit BatterUp for ALS and The ALS Center to find out how your can get involved in finding a cure for this terminal disease.	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: leave early to start sis’s wedding weekend & Addie’s 6 month photo Evening: rehearsal dinner	Morning: hair appt. Afternoon: decorate Evening: Bobbie & Michael’s WEDDING

Last Week’s Keepers

Tortellini & Apple Salad - good but NOT a main course salad...not filling

Lemon Cream Pasta w/ Chicken

Pretzel and Butterscotch Cookies

Won’t Make Again

grilled salmon, pasta salad, & caramel grapes

L: Cobb Salad w/ Flaxseed Oil Dressing

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of September 16, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 18:46:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of September 16, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: biscuits & bacon (Thanks, Grant!) L: sandwiches D: Shenaniganz	B: cereal L: out D: Tortellini & Apple Salad	B: oatmeal L: sandwich from Kroger (get deli meat while there) D: Lemon Cream Pasta w/ Chicken, Sautéed Spinach, garlic bread, & Pretzel and Butterscotch Cookies	B: boiled egg & toast L: Cobb Salad w/ Flaxseed Oil Dressing D: leftovers	B: oatmeal L: shower food D: MYO Pizza (try this sauce)	B: boiled egg & toast L: Cobb Salad w/ Flaxseed Oil Dressing D: out	B: pumpkin spice oatmeal L: leftovers (clean out frig’) D: grilled salmon, pasta salad, & caramel grapes
Activities	Morning: church Afternoon: home chores Evening: Dinner w/ McClures	Morning: groceries, Half-Price Books, & gymnastics Afternoon: make wreath for shower, make oatmeal, boil eggs, & Mom over Evening: class & print templates for shower onesies	Morning: dentist & pedicure Afternoon: make lunches for the week & meal to Deadmans Evening: G @ work social & class	Morning: girls to school, internship, & housekeepers Afternoon: same Evening: decorate for shower	Morning: make snacks (bread bowl dip & veggie tray) for McClure Baby Sprinkle Afternoon: clean up & Kiwi Crate Evening: make Addie’s foods	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: same Evening: finish anything left for Bobbie’s wedding & try on dress	Morning: hike & nature scavenger hunt Afternoon: leaf art Evening: relax

Foods for Addie to Try: steamed spinach (add to sweet potatoes) & peas w/ rice

Snacks: yogurt w/ grape nuts, bowl of cereal, or fruit

Last Week’s Keepers

Chicken Masala

Won’t Make Again

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of September 2, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 10:19:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of September 2, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: cereal L: out D: Mi Cocina	B: cereal L: Sonic D: frozen pizza	B: boiled egg & toast L: & tea D: Chicken Masala, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus, & Brownies (x2)	B: cereal L: & tea D: Crockpot Lasagna & Salad	B: boiled egg & toast L: & tea D: leftovers	B: cereal L: & tea D: out	B: Starbuck’s L: sandwiches D: Bacon Maple Chicken Thighs. Havarti Grits. Tomato Corn Salad.
Activities	Morning: church/info table Afternoon: laundry & clean Evening: open	Morning: put up laundry, thaw chicken, gymnastics, & call Papa (birthday) Afternoon: tiday, prep for G, girls to Crystal’s, & class Evening: class & package everything for post office	Morning: girls to school. groceries. work on classes. make dinner. post office. Afternoon: pick up girls @ 2:30, meal to Rumbos, & prep crockpot for tomorrow Evening: class @ Commerce & thaw ground beef	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: same Evening: Study for Comps	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: same Evening: Study for Comps	Morning: girls to school & internship Afternoon: same Evening: Daddy/Daughter Date & Study for Comps	Morning: Comps Exam @ Commerce Afternoon: Feed the Ducks Evening: open *Dinner w/ McClures tomorrow

*Study for comps in the car on audio & do quiet times while pumping.

Last Week’s Keepers

Meatloaf

Sour Cream Cheesecake

Arugula Salad

Slow Cooker White Bean & Kielbasa Stew

Won’t Make Again

Kid Friendly Salmon - Not any better than the other marinades I use. No need to keep it in the arsenal.

Hot Sweet Drumsticks - A good sauce but the inside of chicken lacked flavor. Chicken would need to be marinaded or just use recipe for sauce.

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of September 2, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 07:57:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of September 2, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: Cinnamon Rolls L: Mi Cocina D: Slow Cooker White Bean & Kielbasa Stew w/ Bread	B: Cheese Toast & Boiled Egg L: Leftovers D: Hot Sweet Drumsticks. Fontina Mac n Cheese. Roasted Broccoli.	B: Cheese Toast & Boiled Egg L: Leftovers D: Kid Friendly Salmon. Instant Quinoa (Costco). Easy Creamed Spinach.	B: Cheese Toast & Boiled Egg L: Pot Pie. Fruit. D: Crock Pot Lasagna. Arugula Salad.	B: Cheese Toast & Boiled Egg L: Leftovers. D: Leftovers.	B: Cheese Toast & Boiled Egg L: Pot Pie. Fruit. D: Meatloaf. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad .Panfried Asparagus. Sour Cream Cheesecake.	B: Donuts L: Leftovers D: @ Football Party (make Pizza Pinwheels but use crescent rolls)
Activities	AM: Prep Crock Pot. Mow. Church PM: Community Group Lunch Evening: Groceries for Week	Labor Day AM: Hike. Swim @ Memaw & Papa’s. PM: Quilt. Salmon out of freezer. Evening: Grant work out. Prep food for week & for meeting w/ Rachael.	AM: Marinade salmon. Meet w/ Rachael. Study for Comps. Internship. PM: Internship. Study for Comps. Evening: Family walk. Tidy for housekeepers. Work on 503 online. Prep Crock Pot.	AM: Housekeepers. Study for Comps. Internship. PM: Study for Comps. Internship. Evening: Grant workout. Wedding pillow.	AM: Study for Comps. Internship. PM: Study for Comps. Internship. Evening: Family walk. Mr. Mrs. Sign	AM: Study for Comps. Internship. PM: Study for Comps. Internship. Evening: Chuck over	G & Chuck in C.S. AM: Kiwi Crate PM: A&M vs FL watch party Evening: A&M vs FL watch party (Bobbie over tomorrow for wedding stuff)

Fall Bucket List

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 18:25:00 PDT

Download the PDF doc here. Or just save JPEG image from here.

My Sweet Cry Babies

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 17:12:00 PDT

Besides gearing up to start my internship and resume classes (after a nice, long, needed summer break), I thought I'd display what I've been up to lately.

Aren't they precious! :P

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of August 26, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 13:17:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of August 26, 2012

School & internship start this week. Wish us luck...

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: oatmeal L: cereal D: Breakfast casserole S: Starbuck’s	B: Egg sandwich. L out D: 30 Minute Tuna Noodle Casserole S: fruit & cheese. nuts	B: cereal L: leftovers D: Spinach Lasagna Rolls & garlic bread S: chips & dip	B: Egg sandwich. L: leftovers D: Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes. Salad. S: fruit & cheese. nuts	B: cereal L: bacon tomato avocado pasta salad D: Slow Cooker White Bean & Kielbasa Stew w/ Bread S: chips & dip	B: Egg sandwich. L: bacon tomato avocado pasta salad D: leftovers S: fruit & cheese. nuts	B: Carrot Cake Oatmeal. L: out D: spaghetti & roasted broccoli S: chips & dip
Activities	Grant’s Bday AM: drive home PM: unpack & laundry Evening: Memaw & Papa visit. Celebrate. Make eggs for week.	AM: Groceries & bottle. P to gymnastics. PM: Prep dinner. Girls to CLR. Class. Evening: Unwind	AM: P to CLR. Addie monthly photo. PM: Make ring pillow. Prep Crockpot & a salad. Evening: Class.	AM: Turn on Crockpot. Girls to CLR. Internship. PM: Girls to CLR. Internship. Evening: Prep Crockpot.	AM: Turn on Crockpot. Girls to CLR. Internship. 2nd grocery trip (bread & oatmeal stuff) PM: Kiwi Crate. Addie mobile & iron on labels. Evening: Unwind.	AM: Girls to CLR. Internship. PM: Girls to CLR. Internship. Evening: Unwind.	AM: Hike.Unwind. PM: Make Mr. & Mrs. Sign. Mommy & Me Time: Make brown sugar oatmeal coconut chewies Evening: MNO (Movies w/ H.)

Last Week’s Keepers

Cherry Turnovers

Mushroom Bourguignon . Perfect Glazed Carrots & Cranberries. Garlic bread.

Cumin-Lime Black Bean & Avocado Salad

Homemade Chicken Nuggets. Roasted Broccoli.

Chili Dogs. Grilled veggies in foil packets. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of August 19, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 13:43:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of August 19, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: Cereal L: Taco Casa D: Salmon Croquettes w/ Simple Tartar Sauce. Corn on cob. S: Boiled egg. Strawberries.	B: Cherry Turnovers L: Pizza @ pool D: Mushroom Bourguignon . Perfect Glazed Carrots & Cranberries. Garlic bread. S: Boiled egg. Nuts.	B: Oatmeal L: Cumin-Lime Black Bean & Avocado Salad D: Homemade Chicken Nuggets. Roasted Broccoli. Old Fashion Mac n Cheese. S: Boiled egg. Cheese.	B: Cereal L: Out D: 30 Minute Tuna Noodle Casserole S: Boiled egg. Strawberries	B: Oatmeal L: @ G’s work D: Leftovers S: Boiled egg. Nuts.	B: Cereal L: Bacon & Cheddar Potato* D: Out S: Boiled egg. Toast.	B: Breakfast casserole (add spinach & make on Fri) L: Sandwiches (turkey, avocado. cheese, spinach, tomato). Chips. Fruit. D: Chili Dogs. Grilled veggies in foil packets. Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (make on Fri). S: Local treats
Activities	AM: Church (work info table) PM: Memaw & Papa visit. Jenny visit. Make dinner & turnovers. Evening: Relax w/ G	AM: Schedule hair cut. Spray pool play date. PM: Presley hair cut. Kiwi Crate. Evening: Lauren & JR for dinner	AM: P @ CLR. Sew. PM: Sew. Prep for weekend. Evening: Tidy & prep for housekeepers	AM: Both girls @ CLR. Housekeepers. Meeting @ Crockett. PM: Pool time. Evening: MNO (Movies)	AM: Lunch w/ Grant. PM: Play date w/ Zerchers. Evening: Prep for weekend	AM: Both girls @ CLR. Maybe hair appt. Shop for G’s bday food. PM: Finish G’s bday gift. Get ready for weekend. Evening: Birthday weekend surprise.	AM: Birthday weekend surprise. PM: Birthday weekend surprise. Evening: Birthday weekend surprise. (Grant’s bday is tomorrow. Breakfast: Cinnamon rolls. Bacon. Fruit. Fall semester begins Monday.)

Last Week’s Keepers

Grilled Salmon Kyoto w/ rice & Asian salad - I used bok choy in the salad b/c it was cheaper, & use less oil.

Grilled Asian BBQ Chicken Thighs & Asian Potato Salad - No bell peppers in salad & use less mayo. Leave a comment for the really easy, really yummy thighs.

Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos - Put on warm at 6 hours.

Rolo Stuffed Ritz - Kids can help w/ this 2 ingredient snack.

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip - Not bad for a 2 pt. Weight Watcher recipe. Could use more garlic and other spices.

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of August 12, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 17:15:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of August 12, 2012

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: granola bar & boiled egg L: out @ BWW D: leftovers (clean frig)	B: boiled egg & cereal L: Bacon & Cheddar Potato* D: Grilled Salmon Kyoto w/ rice & Asian salad Strawberry Rhubarb Pie	B: Cherry Turnovers L: Easy Bean & Cheese Burrito* D: Grilled Asian BBQ Chicken Thighs & Asian Potato Salad	B: Cherry Turnovers L: out D: Crock Pot Beef Carnitas Tacos & Corn and Black Bean Salad*	B: oatmeal L: Grilled Mozzarella Cheese Sandwiches w/ Marinara Sauce D: Salmon Croquettes w/ Simple Tartar Sauce w/ corn on cob	B: oatmeal L: out D: leftovers (clean frig)	B: Glazed Donut Muffins, fruit, & bacon L: Homemade Chicken Nuggets & Roasted Broccoli D: Bread Bowl Dip, Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa, Old Fashioned Mac n Cheese, & Lemon Cookies
Activities	AM: church PM: pedicures w/ P Evening: family time	P @ CLR (Wear Blue) AM: QT, walk, switch wall photos PM: rest of to-do list, mail bows & Eli’s bday gift, make dinner Evening:	P @ CLR (Dance Day) AM: QT & catch up on ALL sewing PM: catch up on ALL sewing Evening:	AM: Beautiful Butterflies Event @ Calloway’s PM: Evening:	AM: open PM: make & plan surprise for Daddy’s bday, prep for D in D party (make Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip & Rolo Stuffed Ritz Evening: Damsel in Defense Party	P & A @ CLR AM: Meet w/ supervising counselor & make hair appts. PM: open (a random Pinterest project?) Evening:	AM: Lemonade Stand?? PM: End of Summer BBQ Evening: End of Summer BBQ

*Recipes from Weight Watcher’s Power Foods Favorites ebook.

Last Week’s Keepers

Spinach and Quinoa Salad w/ Grapefruit & Avocado - Refreshing

Chicken Tikka Masala - Still searching for a recipe that taste like Masala Wok’s, but I like that this recipe is low in points. Also, I don’t have to marinade the chicken a day in advance, & it was still tender.

Pasta w/ Mascarpone, Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, & Spinach - loved this! used Canadian bacon instead of chicken

mini apple pies - kids loved it! served w/ Blue Bell vanilla

Won’t Make Again

Easy Garlic Chicken - no flavor except on outside of chicken

Matar Pulao - uses ingredients we do not normally have on had, but will make a version of this sometimes

{Peek @ My Pinterest} Wedding Shower & Gift Ideas + My Littlest Sister's Real Life Shower

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 08:41:00 PDT

Looks like I missed the Back To School buzz, but I totally meant to do a Peek @ My Pinterest for that board. So, with no upcoming holidays or events, I thought I share my Wedding Shower & Gift Ideas board. I just hosted a shower for my littlest sister this past Saturday, and I loved planning it! There are so many great ideas out there. Here are a couple that were used, starting with the most important...

Food

Cucumber & Dill Sandwiches (my own recipe) | Spicy Sun-dried Tomato Dip with Veggies | Spicy Chicken Rollups

Creole & Green Onion Dip w/ Veggie Chips | Pimiento Cheese Checkerboard Sandwiches

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries | Baked Brie (added raspberry jam) Served w/ Crackers

Coconut Lime Cupcakes | Strawberry Cupcakes, both made my Chef Melissa

Beverage

DIY Mimosa Bar w/ Orange, Red Orange, Grapefruit, & Strawberry Lemonade Juices | Summer Water (Cucumber, Berries, & Mint)

Favors

Printable Party Package | Favors Were Necklaces with Individual Bead from Michael's

Decor

Framed Invitation | Pennant Banner | Framed Welcome Sign on Door (all from Party Printable Package)

There was also a coordinating gift table, a repeating slideshow of the bride & groom put to music, and photos of them mounted to coordinating scrapbook paper hung around the house.

Games

Pass the Gift Poem | How Well Do They Know Each Other | Prizes: Frames from Target's Dollar Spot with this Print (Games were designed on graphic paper included in the Party Printable Package.)

So that was my most recent shower. Here are some other great ideas taken straight from my Pinterest board.

Invitations

Kitchen Bridal Shower | Red & Aqua | She Said Yes | Flower Shower

Themes

Feather Their Nest Couples Shower | Lavender & Grey | Party of Poppies

Games

Retro Housewife | Complete the Sentence | Candy Bar Game | He Said, She Said

Favors

Rosemary Sea Salt | Satin Sachets | Bath Tea

Bachelorette

Invitation Inserts | "I Do" Stickers | Help the Bride Write Her Vows Game

Gift Ideas

Photo of 1st Dance w/ Lyrics of the Song | Little Anniversaries DIY Gift Set | Est. Sign | Embroidered Linen Napkins | Mason Jar Drinking Glass Gift Set

Made to Crave Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 17:47:00 PDT

My most recent conviction appears to be related to vanity at first glance. I need to lose weight. Specifically, I need to be healthier. Since having Addie in March, I've lost 30 pounds. That's great, and I'm happy that my body is responding to the appropriate doses of thyroid. (I've had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis on and off and chronic hypothyroidism since having Presley 3 years ago. It's been a long road, but I believe my endocrinologist and I have finally figured out the dosing needed to keep me functioning correctly.)

But 30 pounds is not enough, and I should not become content with it since, to be in a healthy BMI range, I need to lose 20 more pounds. It's those 20 that have crept up on me and stuck around since getting married in 2004. You see, I hate to work out. It's not only boring to me - yes, I've tried TONS of different activities - but it makes me hot, sweaty, and itchy. I don't like that feeling. If that wasn't enough, I love food. Good food. Fast food. Foodie food. All of it. These two issues combined with mothering 2 little ones, grad school, and the hobbies I do like (i.e. sewing, blogging, Pinterest) create a hostile environment for getting and staying healthy.

None of that was news to me. In the past few years, I've taken steps to get healthy and lose weight. On and off, I've detoxed, gone organic, eaten clean, subscribed to Eating Clean (does that count?), done yoga, started the Couch to 5K program, walked a lot, tracked in MyFitnessPal.com, and probably other things. I have the knowledge and know how: The problem is the commitment.

Then steps in God. After Addie was born, I remember praying that I'm giving my weight issue over to Him. I wasn't going to obsess and take away time from family, even in the form of thoughts, over losing weight. I couldn't do any drastic, crazy eating change because my toddler and husband need to be fed, and I didn't want to make two meals. With school and a new baby, working out was not a real option. So a miracle is what I needed. But, again, I seriously was at peace with God about it all after praying.

Literally, the very next day, Amazon recommended this book.

Get it here.

"Why not?" was my thought. I bought it for my Kindle, breezed through it, and my heart was seriously changed. (I am now rereading it with greater intention and reflection.) After reading this book, I realized two big things: 1. God does care about my physical body and what I do with it. Because He cares, I should also. 2. Since I now wanted to get healthy for Christ and it was Him convicting me instead of me convicting myself, I can rely on His strength in this battle instead of my own.

I should also insert here that the Sunday after finishing Made to Crave the first time, a guest speaker and friend of ours at church also reiterated the fact that God cares about our physical body and how we take care of it. This was confirmation that what was going on in my heart wasn't just me.

So what next? I know what it takes to lose weight. I've read the books. Joined the clubs. All of it. So the next step was applying this information the same as would before but with a whole different motivation. The plan now was to sacrifice for, rely on, and give to God. So I put these little reminders from Made to Crave all over the house.

These are on my refrigerator. "My pity party is a clue that I am relying on my own strength." "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness. -2 Corinthians 12:19" "Let the peace of God reign in my heart (not the piece of junk in my tummy."

The pity party quote resonates with me because I actually get fussy internally when I'm denying myself something I was craving. The 2 Corinthians verse is perfect because just as I'm about to cave and eat something I know I shouldn't, I'm reminded that my weakness is when God's strength can take over if I let it. Finally, the last quote/verse is one of my mantras when I'm gnawing on celery and grumbling about it. The part in parentheses was added by me.

View of my pantry.

"I pray...that you be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. -Ephesians 3:19"

This reminds me that I'm already full of the Holy Spirit.

View into the pantry. Just want to note here that I have since organized the whole thing using pretty containers from the Dollar Spot at Target. So I'm not going to be embarrassed by this clutter.

"________ (fill in food item here) doesn't love me. The only lasting thing that I get from is the cellulite they leave behind. God's love is here in this moment and in many more to come. His love is true and carries with it only positive residual effects."

"Old lie: I need these ________ (fill in blank with food item). New truth: The thought that these ____________ will fill me is a lie. They will taste good for just the few minutes it takes to eat them. Then that hollow feeling of guilt will rush in as soon as the food high dissipates. If I truly need a snack right now, I am capable of choosing a healthier option."

"Old lie: I am a failure at dieting. New truth: I am not a failure. I am a lavishly loved child of God. Part of my right as a child of God is to operate in a power beyond myself. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to me. So it is possible to use the self-control I've been given."

I love these Old lie/New Truth quotes and find them empowering. They, again, are teaching and reminding me to rely on God only.

"Exercise. This one act un-divides my heart and reminds me of the deeper purposes for moving my body."

This one is on my laundry room door, so I see it as I leave the house. Gotta be honest, I'm not "there" yet regarding exercise. Perhaps the 105 degree heat has something to do with that??? My bf and I like to joke that Pinning exercise plans is a start at least.

"I want to lift up my willingness to the Lord and dedicate my exercise as a gift to Him and myself."

This one is on my mantle - underneath the T.V. The placement isn't as effective as I intended it to be.

"Just as God promised the Israelites blessings for obedience, He warned them of consequences for not rebuilding the temple as He desired. (Story in the book of Haggai.) While we may not feel effects of ignoring our health immediately, our choices eventually catch up to us."

The reminder of the story in Haggai is taped to my bathroom mirror. It's pretty self-explanatory. To summarize the story, God told the people to repair a temple and if they did, blessings and good things would happen. But the people got flippant and repairing the temple was not a priority to them. After years of neglect, drought and some other negative consequences happen. The people finally repair the temple - and it's probably more work after all that time versus had they just kept it up in the first place - and all is well with them and God. Substitute "my body" for "temple" in this story, and you got yourself the perfect parable.

It's been a couple of months, and, honestly, I've gotten worn out and tired and bored of this ordeal. That's my pity party. I keep motivated by rereading the Made to Crave and referencing the verses. I also needed more of a "plan" that allowed me to still enjoy food and feed my family balanced meals, so I joined Weight Watchers 2 or 3 weeks ago. It's going steady and all is good...Kind of like God. Steady and good.

I have 20 difficult pounds to lose. Prayers are appreciated as well as healthy, Pinterest-worthy recipes and personal stories of your own dealing with weight loss, Made to Crave, Weight Watchers, or anything else related to the post.

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of August 5, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 16:36:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of August 5, 2012

Big deal this week...Starting Miss Addie on some solids. Starting next week, there will be baby compatible recipes popping up in our weekly plans.

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: My Cinnamon Bread Casserole L: Schlotzsky’s D: Zanata’s S: pear	B: My Cinnamon Bread Casserole L: turkey & pear sandwich* D: Chicken Tikka Masala, Matar Pulao, & Raita S: chocolate chip cookies & pb/pear sandwiches*	B: breakfast sandwich & berries L: dinner leftovers D: Chili’s (kids eat free) S: Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip w/ tortilla chips	B: bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon, & watermelon L: easy cheese & bean burritos* D: Easy Garlic Chicken & Spinach and Quinoa Salad w/ Grapefruit & Avocado S: cheese & pear	B: breakfast sandwich w/ berries L: bacon & cheddar baked potato* D: Pasta w/ Mascarpone, Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, & Spinach S: warm black bean dip* w/ baked chips & celery	B: oatmeal w/ walnuts & blueberries L: leftovers D: tacos @ home S: soy energy nut mix	B: breakfast sandwich w/ berries L: out D: pizza delivery S: mini apple pies
Activities	AM: church PM: G & P to circus while I plan for week Evening: upload pics	AM: marinade chicken, groceries, make rest of cookies, Katy & kids over PM: make eggs for breakfast sandwiches & mosaic sticker craft Evening: night w/ hubs	P @ School (Dance Day) AM: last touches on my part of wedding stuff & make ring pillow PM: mail bows to girls from last week & put together sewing basket for P Evening: catch up on sewing	Mom’s Bday AM: housekeepers & picnic in the park PM: play with sewing basket Evening: catch up on sewing	P @ School AM: Make magnetic chore chart for Presley PM: teacher appreciate gifts & teach Presley chore chart Evening: catch up on sewing	P @ School AM: pull up garden PM: prep canvases for girls & make apple pies Evening: catch up on sewing	AM: Visit Turners PM & Evening: tidy house, watching Layla, paint canvas, dinner, baths, snack, movie, story, prayers, & bed

*Recipes from Weight Watcher’s Power Foods Favorites ebook.

Last Week’s Keepers

Garden Vegetable Soup - quick, easy, & 0 points!

Italian Turkey Sliders - Presley ate them.

Creamy Avocado & Yogurt Dip - healthy & creamy

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities: Week of July 29, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:46:00 PDT

Kirchhoff Menu & Activities

Week of July 29, 2012

I have two things going on this week: prepping for my sister's bridal shower & starting Weight Watchers. (I actually started tracking last week to get in the habit, but this week I'm actually going to choose "good foods" & sort of follow suggested meal plans.) As far as the shower goes, I'm kind of wigging out that so many things are still not finished. Pray for diligence for me in regards to both WW and the shower...

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Food	B: breakfast sandwich & berries L: leftovers around the house D: out S: carrots & ranch	B: oatmeal w/ walnuts & blueberries L: White Bean & Tuna Salad D: Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches w/ Marinara & Garden Vegetable Soup S: yogurt w/ Grapenuts	B: breakfast sandwich & berries L: White Bean & Tuna Salad D: Slow Cooker Angel Chicken, rice, & Easy Creamed Spinach S: chocolate chip cookies	B: oatmeal w/ walnuts & blueberries L: play date D: Italian Turkey Sliders & Spinach and Quinoa Salad w/ Grapefruit & Avocado S: yogurt w/ Grapenuts	B: breakfast sandwich w/ berries L: Salmon Sandwich D: Chicken Tikka Masala, Matar Pulao, & Raita S: chocolate chip cookies	B: oatmeal w/ walnuts & blueberries L: Salmon Sandwich D: leftovers S: yogurt w/ Grapenuts	B: breakfast sandwich w/ berries L: shower food D: out S: shower food
Activities	AM: church (work info table) PM: time w/ Aunt Brenda Evening: time w/ Aunt Brenda	P @ Pre-School AM: groceries & Addie 4 month checkup PM: hair removal appt @ About Face & prep food for week Evening: shower wreath	8 year anniversary P @ Pre-School (Dance Camp Day) AM: love banner, tub from target, & Costco for serving stuff PM: move stuff from dining room & set out serve ware Evening: assemble napkin stuff	AM: make Creamy Avocado & Yogurt Dip & 1/2 bday party @ Ashley’s PM: tattoo rocks & groceries Evening: finish up favors	P @ Pre-School (Splash Day) AM: meet w/ Katy & Endo appt. PM: groceries for shower & prep tomorrow dinner Evening:	AM: something w/ Evan, Owen, & Kyle PM: pre make shower food & get flowers Evening: clean house	AM: Prep for shower (water, mimosa bar, move furniture, ice, food out) PM: Bobbie’s Shower Evening: clean & rest

Kirchhoff Home Makeover: Crazy Living Room Pillows

noreply@blogger.com (Amy Kirchhoff) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:30:00 PDT

I vow to not purchase new furniture until my daughters are double digits in age.

So in the meantime, we are left with this not-so-pretty, hand-me-down couch that is, fortunately, very comfortable. To make it lively, all it took was my sewing machine, some scrap fabric, and a bit of Pinterest inspiration.

You can't see the true "before" because we'd already covered it with a slipcover I'd won from Ugly Sofa, but the entire couch is the same dark mossy drab green as the all the pillows you see here. By the way, the slip cover is a dream! Goes on pretty easy, comes off easy, and cleans easy. We just dip an old toothbrush in bleach and scrub to spot clean. Then the entire thing goes in the washer and dryer. Simple and perfect for our home.

The first pillow cover I made was super simple. I just used a remnant of pretty fabric from Joann because I loved the colors - bright, summery, and can coordinate with most things in my home. I used this envelope backing technique for all of the pillows.

The one, lone finished pillow.

The next pillow required a bit of math. I used this pattern but had to alter the measurements. For this former English teacher, trying to figure out this should-be-simple math took forever. I ended up laughing at myself but finally finished it out.

And this one definitely ended up being my favorite.

I used my machine to embroider a cute lil' "K" in the center to a bit of personalization.

Here are the two finished ones together.

Oh...I forgot to mention I sewed these INSIDE-OUT!!! I didn't feel like hanging out with my seam ripper, so I got creative and used pinking shears around the edge. That wasn't quite enough to keep it from fraying from everyday wear, so I ended up stitching a decorative edge all around.

Okay, the 3rd pillow took forever, but it's one I'd wanted to try for awhile. I got the idea from here.

The brown needed to be broken up some, so I hand-stitched a quick A+G inside a heart. (The hubs's name is Grant. I'm Amy.)

Cute.

Three down. One to go.

I loved these little quilt squares and wondered how it'd look on a larger scale. Well, here's how it looks.

It makes me kind of dizzy and isn't my favorite. But I'm over it for now and will work on another another time...

So here they are all together.

Bright. Clean. Cheery. And I got to use up some Pinterest ideas I've had hanging around for awhile.