Menu for 5/27/13-6/2/13

Two years ago this weekend Aaron and I were preparing for a Memorial Day cookout with his family.  I was 3 months pregnant, couldn't fit in my normal clothes already, and the best part was that we hadn't told his family about the baby yet.  I remember standing in Aaron's parents' kitchen with his sister-in-law who glanced down at my belly (or probably just blinked but what I saw her do was stare at my belly) and I was thinking Oh my gosh!  Does she know?  Please don't let her tell his parents before we get a chance to.

She still says that she had no idea.  She says that every woman in her family has always assumed that she already knew they were pregnant before they told her.  She says that she is so oblivious to the world around her that she never knows until they tell her.  I'm sure that's true, but it truly felt like she knew.  I kept waiting for her to take me aside and ask me, but she never did.

Memorial Day always makes me think of Grandfather.  Dad's dad.  He was a Colonel in the Air Force.  He died in Vietnam on August 2, 1967.  Dad was only 10 at the time.  Dad is named after him.  Grandfather was a Jr, Dad is the III, and my Dad named my brother (he says) after Grandfather as well, so my brother is the IV.  Although I have no first hand knowledge of Grandfather's personality, Dad and his sisters say that he was a great man and a great father, and I believe it.  I miss him.  How is it possible to miss someone you never met?

My distant cousins found my Grandfather's name on the Vietnam memorial wall.

Anyway, it is Memorial Day weekend and we will be grilling on Monday.  I will be manning the grill again, making some delicious burgers and probably some hot dogs as well.  I may spend Sunday night working on hot dog and hamburger buns because homemade ones are just so much better than store bought.  What else should you enjoy on the unofficial opening weekend of summer?  In my opinion: Barbecue!

So last night I made barbecue chicken in the crock pot and some homemade sandwich buns.  We had french fries and baked beans.  I had some leftover cupcakes from Z's little send-off (the full-size ones, not the minis) so I brought those as well and we just had ourselves a little party!  What do you like to do to celebrate Memorial Day?

This is our entire menu for the week.

Monday:
Breakfast- doughnuts and bacon
Lunch- grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
Dinner- burgers and hot dogs, potato salad, grilled vegetables

Tuesday:
Breakfast- yogurt and berries
Lunch- Nana will provide lunch
Dinner- Yaya will provide dinner

Wednesday:
Breakfast- Cheerios and strawberries
Lunch- tuna salad on wheat honey yeast knots
Dinner- ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and honey yeast knots

Thursday:
Breakfast- blueberry muffins
Lunch- grilled chicken spinach and berry salad with poppy seed dressing
Dinner- spaghetti and meatballs

Friday:
Breakfast- blueberry muffins
Lunch- tuna melts
Dinner- baked macaroni and cheese with chicken

Saturday:
Breakfast- mixed berry pancakes, bacon, and cheesy scrambled eggs
Lunch- grilled ham and cheese sandwiches
Dinner- chili dog casserole

Sunday:
Breakfast- sausage, biscuits and gravy, and eggs
Lunch- leftover macaroni and cheese with chicken
Dinner- Admiral will provide dinner