It is finished!

Over the last few months, I have gained a lot of respect for the parents of Eagle Scouts.  It has been such a roller coaster and hard to sit back while he figures things out.  As the Boy Scout Committee Chair for our troop, I really wanted to make sure my son's project fit all the criteria and accomplished the overall goals for an Eagle project.

My son had wanted to do an outdoor project but it was not going to fit into his busy summer.  So we started looking into other ideas, none seem to fit our timetable or criteria.  One day I was talking to my friend about projects that the Mountain West Strings Academy needed.  She suggested a few ideas, then remembered that our local elementary school wanted cello racks.  The custodian had said he would build them but he hadn't had time yet.  With that idea, we started to figure out the details.  

Here is the before, lots of cases everywhere.  Disaster waiting to happen!

Now a safe place to store 10 cellos and a very happy custodian!  I was so relieved to get them delivered and the paperwork signed.  There are a few little things to wrap up but at least what should be the hard part is done.

Some things I learned:

1.  Lower your expectations.  It just needs to be good enough not perfect.  Your scout won't do things quite the way you would but the point is for them to figure it out with your guidance.

2.  Don't do things for them that they should do themselves.  My scout didn't like making phone calls and I would just tell him what he should do then back off.  It was really hard for me not to jump in but he needed to learn from experience and a few mistakes.

3.  Take the time to read through the whole packet before deciding on a project. BSA had provided lots of great advice for parents and leaders.  It will help you make sure you have chosen a good project from the beginning.  Some projects that were suggested to us, in my opinion, were not worthy to be called Eagle projects. Choose wisely.

4.  Let your scout develop his leadership skills. Try to find the balance between offering advice and guidance to taking over the project.  I kept telling my scout if I do this then it will be my project not your's.  Give him the gift of really earning his award.

5. Your scout will surprise you.  I found it was a big step in letting him grow up.  I've been telling my kids that my goal is to raise them to be self-sufficient adults.  Now is them time to let them show you what they are capable of and see all your hard work payoff.

Green Chili Chicken Pasta

Everyone at my house was getting bored with my dinners and I wanted some inspiration.  So I started perusing my pins for something new to try. This one caught my eye and was different.  I always think pasta has to be Italian but why not Mexican? The genius behind this one is Joyful Momma.  I made some changes to her recipe to better suit my family's taste and what I had on hand. So feel free to make it her way or try some idea you have!

This recipe is basic and easy to adjust without risking a flop meal.  First, here is the original recipe.  My family likes a little kick, so I added some cumin and chili powder.  Also I changed the sauce to use my Cream of Chicken soup mix instead of the roux.  This recipe would be great for using up grilled chicken, it would add great flavor.  Also, I even skipped the baking step to save time and it turned out great, just heat it through.  So here's my twist:

Green Chili Chicken Pasta

1 box penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

2 cooked chicken breasts, diced

2 cans cream of chicken soup or equivalent mix

1 cup plain greek yogurt

1 tsp. cumin, adjust to taste if desired

1 tsp. chili powder, adjust to taste if desired

4 oz. can diced green chilies

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Layer cooked pasta and chicken.  Combine the cream of chicken soup, greek yogurt, cumin, chili powder and green chilies in medium bowl. Pour over the pasta and chicken.  Top with cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the top is bubbly.

Fruit Salsa and Baked Cinnamon Chips

Memorial day weekend involved lots of food and fun with family. I didn't want to totally derail my healthier eating, so I made this yummy fruit salsa.  The first time I went to make it, I didn't have kiwi or raspberries.  I thought that crushed pineapple might be a good substitute and I really loved it.  Summer is here and fresh fruit hits the spot!

Fruit Salsa (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

2 apples, diced

1 pound strawberries, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons sugar-free jam, I used blackberry

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  Chill in the refrigerator while you make the cinnamon chips.

Baked Cinnamon Chips

10 whole wheat tortillas

Cooking spray

Cinnamon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the front and back of each tortilla.  Cut them in 6 equal pieces. Arrange on greased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, as much as you like.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden on the edges and crunchy.  Re-coat with cinnamon sugar if desired.  Repeat with another batch.  Let cool, then serve with the fruit salsa.  Enjoy!

Notes:  It is best served the first day.  The salsa will get very juicy but still good the second day.  The original recipe called for kiwis and raspberries.  Don't be afraid to try other favorite fruits, the possibilities are endless! 

Cleaning your Pack'n'Play

We were so excited to have family coming to visit us, especially my little nephew!  I was busy getting the house ready for company and remembered that I wanted to try cleaning my pack'n'play.  I didn't recall it looking dirty but when I pulled it out I realized it really needed to be done.  The wee one deserved a clean bed too.

I went to my pin for instructions.  The Thrifty Mom posted a youtube video and had great results.  Her playpen was really gross and had tried other methods unsuccessfully.  Soaking finally worked and I'm happy with my results too.  I didn't use the detergent she suggested, but I just used 1 tablespoon of my homemade laundry soap.  After soaking as instructed, I tried to get all the water off that I possibly could.  I set it outside standing on the side to dry in the sun.  After a little while I squeezed more water out and then more time in the sun.  My boards in the mattress to did warp a little, but I'm still glad it did it.