Can you say Enchiladas?

Good Tuesday morning!

I had an extremely quiet Monday, which after a busy weekend is not a bad thing, is it?

Our family is planning Faulkner Family Movie Night tonight, so I'll share a little tradition with you that you and yours probably already have. We try to have a Movie Night and a Game night three times every three months. It doesn't matter if it's back to back game nights (Friday and Saturday) or if we skip a month because of football games and other activities. It also doesn't matter if we don't meet our goal. However, I do keep a three month calendar, and on the last page of the calendar I write down all the things I would like for us to do as a family during those three months.

The list includes dates with the kids and Mike (we try to have three dates with each individual child in those three months, as well as Mikie and me having three couple dates), Movie Night, Game Night and anything else we do during that particular season. For example, our September/October/November list is as follows:

Fishing (3 times) X
Jon & Kate w/R (5 times) XXXX
Madden Party for Austin's friends
Movie Nights (3) X
Game Nights (3)
Family Date (1) X
Neighborhood Football Games for Austin/Josh (5) XXXX
Camping
Paintball for Austin (2)
Survivor w/Family (8) XXXX
Amazing Race w/Family (8) XXXX
Attend Auburn Games (2) XX

That's just a sample list. On the following page I have each of our names written down and whenever that person goes on a date, I mark a check beside their name. Right now, Mike has had two dates (with me), Roxie has had her three dates, and Austin and Josh are waiting for their dates. (Don't worry... They both have a "date" scheduled for this week.) They like going to breakfast with their Dad before school one-on-one, and Josh is going on a couple of driving lessons this week and weekend which will turn into a milkshake and some one-on-one time, too.

The point of keeping the list in the back of my calendar is not to induce stress by making sure we meet each goal, but to have something in writing so that at the end of the three months I'm not sitting wondering where the time went. Knowing we had done nothing (or only a few of the things we had planned) during those three months would bother me a great deal. Trying to do the things on the list doesn't make me feel bad at all. It doesn't bother me if there are empty spaces. It doesn't bother me if Roxie has more dates right now than her brothers. However, being aware of what has or has not been marked off helps me plan my time with my family more carefully. (And just so you know, Mike dating the kids counts in the goal of three -- it isn't Mom dating them three times and Dad dating them three more times. A date in our family constitutes one-on-one time with one parent/one child.)

We've been doing this since Austin was three years old, and we are very pleased that Austin and Josh still want to go out to eat, or to the movies, or to a football game, etc. with us. At 17 and 15, we do know there are certain things they don't want to do with their parents, and we are fine with that. Believe it or not, we have vague recollections of being 17 and 15 ourselves many, many years ago.

I cannot say enough good things about the dating. If it's something you don't do, get started today. It is never too late as long as you have kids in the house.

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

1 can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Pace Picante Sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (6"), warmed
1 small tomato (chopped)
1 green onion (sliced)

1. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.

2. Stir 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.

3. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam side up in an 11 x 8" shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining picante sauce over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion (or extra cheese).

Serve with a nice green salad, and you've got a really delicious and easy supper!

As I've said before, I don't create any of these recipes. This one came out of a magazine at a doctor's office. I ripped it out! However, I asked permission first, and since the magazine was almost 100 years old, the receptionist told me to go for it!

Tomorrow's Seasonal Tradition is strictly for Thanksgiving Day, but you'll need a little extra time to prepare. It's not hard... you just need to do it a couple of days ahead. And kids of all ages (and adults, too) get to participate. (And no, you don't have to wear a funny, homemade Pilgrim or turkey hat to Thanksgiving Dinner... unless you just want to.)

Have a great day and I'll talk to you tomorrow.