I have a thing about people wearing shoes in my house.  It tracks dirt and germs into my home and onto my carpet.  My only problem was that I hated having a pile of shoes by my front door.  We tried many solutions to that problem.  First I tried a rug for the shoes to sit on, but they got spread and tossed all over the room.  Then we tried a laundry basket.  That worked to corral them, but it wasn’t the prettiest thing in the world.  Finally we found a leather storage bench.  It is big enough to sit on and has plenty of room inside for all our shoes.  What do you think?  Ain’t it pretty!

Now that school is out, I will be listing breakfast and lunch menus as well.  I will only list five days worth, but that is becuase we will probably repeat a couple of them.  Hopefully that will keep the kids from trying to live oof of popcorn all summer.  Most of these recipes are the same as last week as far as dinners go.  For some reason I ended up making other things.

Here is my Breakfast menu for this week:

• Buttermilk biscuits w/fruit spread and milk

• Mini Breakfast Quiches w/juice

• Yogurt w/grapenuts and drink of your choice

• Cereal w/milk and strawberries

• Cheesy grits w/oranges

Lunch menu for this week:

• Cheesy Hamburger Macaroni w/strawberries

• Chicken & Stars Soup w/cheese toast and oranges

• Octopi Hotdogs w/”seaweed” ramen noodles and strawberries

• Meat and cheese sandwiches w/oranges

• Crockpot Beef Stew w/buttermilk biscuits and cube cheese

Dinner menu for this week:

• Chicken Paprikash with spaetzle and peas

• The Blue Mill Tavern Loosemeat Sandwich with french fries and apples

• Shepherd’s Skillet with green beans

• Japanese Mum’s Chicken over rice with steamed veggies

• Curried Red Lentils with rice, naan, and salad

• Italian Wedding Soup with french bread

• Breakfast for Dinner: pancakes with bacon.

Head on over to Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans.

Most of my breakfast and lunch recipes came from Kid Approved Meals - Weekly Breakfast and Lunch Menus Moms and Kids Love!

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 1st marks the start of hurricane season. As you put your hurricane plan in place to protect your family and your home, CPSC is urging consumers to include a plan for after the storm.

If a storm knocks out power, consumers who use portable gasoline generators to restore power can place themselves at risk for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Only use portable generators outdoors, far away from the doors, windows and vents of indoor spaces. Generators should never be used indoors, including inside homes, garages, basements, crawlspaces and sheds.

The amount of CO from one generator is equivalent to hundreds of idling cars in a garage and can kill consumers in minutes. At least 65 people died from CO poisoning associated with portable generators in 2006.

CPSC also advises consumers to keep charcoal grills outside. Never use them indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of CO.

If flooding occurs after a storm, do not use gas or electrical appliances or equipment that has been submerged. The electrical components and safety controls may be damaged and burner parts may be plugged with debris, leading to a fire risk. Have fireplaces, furnaces, and other heating equipment inspected by a professional to make sure they are working properly.

CPSC recommends that consumers install CO alarms in their homes as a line of defense against CO poisoning. Battery operated CO alarms or plug-in alarms with battery back-up add an important layer of protection in consumers’ homes. Remember to replace CO alarm batteries annually.

For more information on protecting your family against CO poisoning, visit  www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/468.html.  To visit the original posting from the CPSC click here.

It is going to be a crazy week here.  We have scouts, a preschool promotion ceremony, a field day, and I have three job interviews.  Hopefully I haven’t picked any meals that are too complicated.

Here is my menu for this week:

• Crockpot Cream Cheese Chicken with rice pilaf and green beans

• Real English Fish and Chips With Yorkshire Beer Batter and salad

• Good Ol’ Southern Soup Beans for Pressure Cooker with corn bread

• ” Ant” Kelly’s London Broil with Zucchini Slice Casserole

• Chicken Paprikash with spaetzle and peas

• Old Fashioned Corn and Potato Chowder

•      Breakfast for Dinner: Pancakes, eggs, & bacon

I’ll also be making a triple batch of these No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies this week (one batch for the preschool program and two batches for snacks)!

Head on over to Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans.