Blissfully Domestic

Blissful Buzz: Week in Review

Rumors, rumors, rumors, and more RUMORS!

Attention hogs, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt are rumored to be faking a pregnancy scare for the upcoming fourth season of The Hills on MTV. (photo source)

Rumors are swirling that Kate Hudson and Lance Armstrong are an item!

Despite reports of their break-up, Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo were spotted together in Hollywood.

Are the Today Show's Kathie Lee Gifford and The View's Joy Behar feuding???

Weekly Menu Plan - May 17, 2008

Image from Divine Domesticity

Monday: Calico Beans and Cornbread Supreme

• Time Saving Tip: Rather than taking the time to cook and crumble the bacon for the Calico Beans, buy a package of pre-cooked and crumbled bacon from the grocery store.

Tuesday: Korean Hamburgers, Oven Fries

• Time Saving Tip: Mix the burgers the weekend before and portion into patties. Stack the patties, separating layers with wax paper, and cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Add however many burgers your family will eat in one meal per freezer storage bag. Store in the freezer. This works great when making double batches . All you have to do is pull out one of your packages and stick it in the fridge in the morning.

Wednesday: Veggie Sandwiches, side of fruits of your choice

• Time Saving Tip: Cut and store all vegetable ingredients in the morning. At dinner time, arrange all ingredients on the counter and allow kids and adults to create their own veggie sandwich with the ingredients of their choice.

Thursday: Sweet and Savory Spinach Salad

• Time Saving Tip: In the morning, place the salad ingredients in a large bowl, starting with the toppings, then the spinach on top. Cover and store in the fridge. Add the dressing immediately before serving.

Friday: Chicken Waldorf Pizza, side salad of your choice

• Time Saving Tip: There are many pizza dough options out there. To save even more time, buy an already baked pizza crust from your grocery store.

Saturday: Broccoli, Ham and Cheese Egg Bake

• Time Saving Tip: In the morning, combine the ham, Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese in a Ziploc bag. Set inside a large mixing bowl. Add eggs (not cracked!). Cover if needed. Pull out the bowl with your prepped ingredients when it is dinner time.

Sunday: Pastrami Mac and Cheese, side of store bought garlic bread

• Time Saving Tip: When you buy the pastrami at a meat counter at your local grocery store, ask them to cut it into one thick slice. This will make dicing quick and easy.

*For the printable version with recipes included, click here.

Do you have a great recipe that should be included in a Blissfully Domestic menu plan? Email Ali the foodie chick!

Broken Linkies

To go along with my article about broken bones in children, I have compiled a list of helpful links!  The links, however, aren't broken.  Phew!

Written by a pediatric orthopeadic surgeon, this short article has some interesting facts.

The American Academy of Pediatrics offers more in-depth information regarding broken bones...good stuff to know just in case.

Curious as to how an X-ray works?  I was...here's what I found.  Fascinating stuff (yep, I'm a geek)!

This is a fun, interactive site for kids who've broken bones.

Have a question about healthy living for you and your family that you would love answered in one of my columns or want to discuss this one more? Come on over to Blissfully Domestic Living and join the conversation!

Blissful Buzz

I'm certain you were glued to the Today Show this morning when the New Kids on the Block reunited for the first time since 1994. If you missed it **GASP** you can see their performance here!  (photo source)

Remember Jackson, Suki's husband on Gilmore Girls?  Well his real name is Jackson Douglas and he's expecting a son in September.  Well, his wife, actress Alex Borstein, is the one actually pregnant.

Shania Twain and her husband, Robert "Mutt" Lange are divorcing.  I remember when her story was featured on VH-1's Behind the Music...I thought it was incredibly odd that there were no pictures of the couple.

American Idol winner, Taylor Hicks will be hitting Broadway!  He'll play the teen angel in Grease, singing Beauty School Dropout.

Helping Your Children With Their Homework

Homework is not fun, for the student or the parent.  And, in all honesty, not too fun for the teacher (who grades it) either.  Here are some ways you can help your child be successful with homework.

• Provide a quiet work environment, but recognize that some kids do do better with soft music playing in the background.  Provide easy access to any needed materials.

• Set aside a certain time each day for homework.  Right after school isn't always best as sometimes kids need time to work off some energy first.  But, for some, that may be the best time.

• Make sure your child understands the directions before they begin.

• The teacher does not care how well you can summarize a social studies chapter or how well you know your times tables.  Explain concepts to your child if he doesn't understand, but be sure the homework is done by your child.  If she cannot correct mistakes on her own, leave them.  Your child's teacher needs to know that your child needs to practice this skill some more.

• Your child's struggles with a subject does not mean you are a bad parent.  Contacting your child's teacher to discuss what more can be done shows that you want your child to be successful and are ready and willing to help.

• Most important, remind your child to turn in the assignment!  No matter how long you spend on homework, if your child doesn't turn it in, it most likely will not count.

What are your tips for homework success?

Photo by lusi