If you’re a DWW member, I just updated the bonus area for you. Enjoy!
http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/members/bonus.htm

It’s a great night…. The snow is dumping down, hubby is going out Christmas caroling with a Bible Study group from church (too cold for Annika, so we’re staying home) Chili is in the crock pot - I’m about to go make some corn bread, and it’s the Biggest Loser finale tonight! (Do you watch that?)

Annika had her 2 month check-up today - I can’t believe she is that old already! She was 10 lb. 12 oz and 23 1/2 (give or take - they weren’t very precise) inches long. She got her first batch of shots - poor baby! But she did great.

We are just about finished in Christmas preparation. It feels good to be almost done and just relax. School gets out on Friday and then grandma comes to visit on the 26th. It will be a fun next couple of weeks!

I don’t get to blog as often as I would love, but I stop in every day at www.twitter.com and update my day to day events. Feel free to head on over there, create an account (if you don’t have one) and follow me - themenumom is my username.

I wish you a wonderful week!
Christine

If you are still trying to decide what to ask for for Christmas… I highly recommend taking a look at the VitaMix Blender. It is my absolute favorite kitchen appliance - you can see why here: http://smoothieblends.com/why-we-love-the-vita-mix If you do decide to purchase, you can receive free shipping with coupon code: 06-001694. If you do get one, please let me know what you think! We LOVE ours!

Hi there! I posted a recipe for Apple Jack Cookies and the story behind them over here: http://www.themenumom.com/apple-jack-cookies

I also thought you might want to see Annika again, so here she is!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We had a nice time. We continue to stay busy as advent season is upon us and with my hubby being a pastor, nothing slows down that’s for sure! We do enjoy the Wednesday night suppers and church services at church though.

How is your Christmas shopping going? I am just about finished shopping, and now have to get ready to ship it all as our family is not close. Lots of work, but definitely worth it to bring joy to others.

Baby Annika is growing lots and starting to get in a slight routine, which is nice. She also has caught a little cough, which I am hoping will clear up quickly and not turn into any kind of infection. She’s starting to coo and “talk” a bit which is fun to listen to.

The boys have their Christmas Program at school tomorrow night, which they are ecstatic about and then my oldest and youngest have friends (from the same family) staying over for the weekend so their parents can have some time away. That should keep us busy! 5 boys and a baby this weekend.

We have had a couple bouts of snow, but some has melted so I can see the grass again through the snow. I’m sure that is just a small taste of what is to come later in the winter. The kids love it though!

Have a great week!

How’s your week going? I am FINALLY starting to feel a tad better. I had a fever for 7 days and my terrible cough is still sticking around - the joys!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow! We have so much to be thankful for! We will be running a Dine Without Whine Sale
Thanksgiving Day, November 27th through Monday December 1st.

Here’s what we have to offer:

25% off a 6 or 12 month membership - Coupon Code: GIVETHANKS
Lifetime Membership for $85 – Coupon Code: LIFETIME85

This is also good for Gift Subscriptions – A great way to surprise a loved one for the holidays! http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/gift-subscriptions.htm

The FINE Print:

- If you currently have a monthly recurring subscription and you want to purchase one of the above options, you will need to cancel your monthly subscription or you will continue to be charged monthly. Simply access your account at www.dinewithoutwhine.com/amember/member.php and you can both order and cancel there. Be sure your pop-up blocker is turned off and if you have successfully cancelled you will receive an e-mail notification. You may also e-mail to cancel at support@dinewithoutwhine.com .

- We are not able to offer price adjustments for past purchases.

- Yes, you may share this sale with your friends and family! If you are interested, you may even earn a commission for each sale you refer by joining our affiliate program at www.dinewithoutwhine.com/affiliate.htm

Have a great weekend!
Christine Steendahl
“The Menu Mom’

I’m just having a lazy week. The virus my kids and hubby had finally caught up with me. Thankfully baby is still healthy so far. I haven’t had a fever in a long time, but am on my third day of what seems to be a week long fever and 2-3 week cough bug. Blech! I’m looking forward to being over it for sure - no fun! By that time the kids will probably pick up something different from school with my luck - let’s hope not! Needless to say aside from taking care of baby I haven’t been doing much at all besides sleeping and watching T.V.

Don’t forget to check out the my most frequently asked question in the report we released last week.

Christine

Hey there, how’s it going?

All right, I’m on a rant and rave at the moment… We have two grocery stores in town - both are small without major selection, but they work. However, I have a couple grocery store pet peeves! What are yours? (leave them in the comments below) Here are mine.

- The ad shows a picture of something but when you go to check-out they say “Oh it’s only select items that one isn’t on sale” For example, hubby’s favorite Chili - ad shows it on sale (a good sale) so we put several in the basket. The picture clearly shows Chili - no beans, his favorite, a picture of the exact can he likes… go to pay - I’m sorry mamm, that kind is not included. What?!? Why does the picture show this exact can? “I’m sorry must be a misprint, but we’re not able to offer that kind on the sale.” ARGGHHHHH! So annoying! Lucky I even noticed it rang up wrong - which leads me to my next one…

- Sales not marked correctly on the shelves. Says 5/$10 in the ad, 4/$10 on the shelf - or it might not be marked sale at all on the shelf. So…. when I check out I have to watch every item to see if it is REALLY on sale… Sometimes it is sometimes it isn’t… That leaves me annoyed too…

- FINALLY, yesterday I bought a 12 pack of fat free Jell-O pudding. I ate one last night and thought hmmm, tastes a little off. I go look at the date and it is TWO MONTHS past due! ICK! I can understand a week or so, but two months? That’s a bit much… This isn’t the first time I have had that issue either - last time it was EGGS…. (I didn’t buy those, caught it before we left the store) But C’mon!

Okay, I’m done ranting. I’m just sayng I’m busy and I don’t feel like dealing with stuff like that.

Anyway, we as a family are doing good. Annika is actually napping (not on top of me) So I better run and go get a load of laundry going, grab lunch, fix my hair and get ready to drop Dane at a friend’s house and take her to her Dr. appt. Hope you are doing well!

C-

Well, life has certainly been busy with 4 kids! I am re-learning what it is like to have 10 minutes to do something followed by 2 hours of holding baby and then another 10 minute slot. She likes to be held A LOT! But hey, it is all worth it! So here’s a 10 minute slot for ya!

Unfortunatley, our 4 year old has had a fever for 101.5 - 102.5 for FIVE days now! It is getting old! Yes, I took him to the doctor… She looked him over real good, did a strep test, and there was nothing major wrong with him, so she ruled it just a virus. I hate that! That means no medicine will make it better - it just has to run its course! I think I could take stock in Motrin, Tylenol, Mucinex, and Delsyn this week. Poory kid has to be drugged up constantly to feel well at all. Hubby has it as well, and I have a touch of it, but the 4 year old has it the worst! I am just hoping no one else catches it (especially baby)! BLECH! It’s a cold/cough thing with a nasty fever that NEVER ends….

Anyway, other than that we are doing pretty good! I’m not getting much work time in these days, as mentioned above, that thankfully I have some great assistants! If you need anything, just send at e-mail to our support desk and they’ll help!

Other than that, I am grateful the election is over - how about you? That seems to have been taking over so many things the last few weeks.

Well, of course baby is waking up, I told you, 10 minutes, and it’s almost up!

I hope you have a great week!

FYI Amazon (my favorite place to shop) is having an 48 hour online kitchen sale. This is a great way to get some Christmas shopping or wedding shopping done. Or perhaps your kitchen needs something! Happy Shopping!