Friday Five

Wow!  We're going for two weeks in a row...a big accomplishment for me!  I had a lot of fun this week "collecting" five ideas/recipes/etc that I found interesting, and I hope that you'll find something useful from the post!

Number 1 - Pajama Walks
I can't take credit for this, I actually found it in my Parents magazine this month.  It was in their article titled "Savor the Moments", which talked about focusing on the moments you have with your children because we all know they go way too fast!

One thing I didn't realize - there are only 940 Saturdays between a child's birth and their start of college...and by age five, 260 are already gone!

One way they suggest to capture the moment, is to finish supper, get the kiddos bathed, brush teeth, put on their pj's, bundle them into the stroller (or put on comfy shoes), and head out for a evening stroll.  Take the time to talk about your day with the older children, or just enjoy the babbles and chatter of your younger tots...no matter what you discuss, it will be a nice way to finish up the evening and wind down as your little ones prepare for bed.

I'm now looking even more forward to warmer weather!

Number 2 - Turkey Enchilada Pie
We made this Weight Watcher recipe last night, and it was really good.  I enjoy cooking with ground turkey, and love finding new ways to use it.  Give this one a try, you'll like it! 

Ingredients:
3/4 lbs. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 t. chili powder
3 T. flour
1 c. skim milk
4 oz. canned jalapeno peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 t. ground cumin
3 large tortillas
3 c. fresh tomatoes, chopped (I used canned from the garden, and just drained off the juice)
10 T. fat free shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Place turkey, onion and chili powder in skillet and cook until turkey is browned.  Remove turkey mixture from skillet and set aside.
• Place skillet over medium-high heat and add flour.  Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium; simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in turkey mixture, jalapenos and cumin.
• Place one tortilla in bottom of a 9-inch prepared pie plate.  Spread 1/3 of turkey mixture over tortilla.  Spoon one cup of tomato on top and sprinkle with 4 T. cheese.  Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.  
• Cover pie plate with foil and cook until cheese melts and filling is warmed through, about 15 minutes.  Let stand, covered, two minutes before cutting into six wedges.

Six servings - 5 points/serving

Number 3 - Lenten Sacrifice Activity for Kids
Lent is right around the corner...Ash Wednesday is February 22nd!

Every year, since I was a child, I've struggled with what to "sacrifice" for the Lenten season. I know Ben is too young to fully understand what the Lenten season means, but I want to start bringing it to life for him.  I came across this idea on a Catholic website for kids; catholic icing (you can find it here).

Even if you're not Catholic, this would be a great idea for kids to begin learning about Lent and the sacrifice that Jesus made for us...

the greatest sacrifice of all.

The idea is to have your child fill a box with toys that are special to them...something that would be a sacrifice to give up until Easter.  Put the lid on and label it with a note that says "Goodbye for Lent...see you at Easter!"  Tuck it away, out of sight, and bring it out on Easter!

What a great way to start teaching children about the sacrifice Jesus made for us and the great joy of everlasting life that comes through Him.

Number 4 - The best crib/toddler sheet I've ever found!
Pottery Barn Kids carries the best crib sheet.  I received one at my baby shower, and Ben has slept on nothing else since.  I love these sheets so much, that it is my standard gift for new babies!  Just thought I'd share one of my baby favorites :) 

They're called chamois sheets, and the great news is that they are available from cribs to queen size beds! 

Number 5 - Dreaming of Summer!

 All this weird weather (wind, snow, rain, fog) has me dreaming of summer sun and fun!