Menu Plan (February 1)

Well, I learned a few very valuable lessons during the month of January.

1 - Planning our meals for the week is a practice I am going to continue.  It was a tremendous help to me not to have to worry about what's for dinner.  It also saved us a lot of money.  (I didn't have a written plan for the last week of the month, and our budget took a hit because of it.)

2 - I need to include weekends in the written plan.  While we were very good about not going out to eat very much, we let it slide a little bit toward the end of the month - again, no written plan. 

3 - I didn't make the $75 budget I'd hoped for in January.  I'm not going to consider it a failure per se, but a learning experience. I will strive again for $75 for the month of February and we'll see what happens.  Better grocery store and coupon planning is a must.  Milk was probably the biggest budget buster for me in January...so I need to get creative on how to get more milk for less money and figure out how to make it last longer.

I won't keep you in suspense any longer...here is our meal plan for the week.

Monday - Scalloped Potato / Ham Casserole, Sauteed Green Beans
Tuesday - Ultimate Chicken (based on a local restaurant fave), oven fries
Wednesday - Leftovers (Big B's night out)
Thursday - Chili
Friday - Homemade Chicken Lo Mein
Saturday - Girls Night Out (more to come about this!)
Sunday - Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I am still in the process of using up all that is in the pantry and freezer.  So hopefully for the next few weeks, my only grocery purchases will be for milk and bread.  We'll see how THAT goes!  Have a great week!

Pancake Makin'

Sometimes, a girl's just gotta have some pancakes.  And what better way to enjoy those pancakes than with giving Little A the opportunity to learn how to make 'em too!  I love the opportunity to bond with her when it comes to the kitchen.  She even has her own "tools"...

There are many lessons and skills one can learn when making 'cakes...

1.  Measuring - that's math, right?

2.  Stirring - builds biceps!  (Do you like my one-eyed pancake batter stirrer?)

3.  And my personal favorite...clean as you go!!  (Instill this habit EARLY!  Now if we could just work on her bedroom!)

4.  Last but not least, pouring.  Does this help with hand-eye coordinatation?  I think so!  This was as far as Little A was allowed to go in the process, much to her chagrin.  Armed with my bright orange Rachel Ray spatula, she assumed she was going to be allowed to flip those babies, but I had news for her.  Her feelings toward me by not letting her flip put a smidge of a damper on the bonding experience, but we prevailed.  So much so that we shared a plate of delicious Oatmeal Pancakes - and I was so immersed in their deliciousness that I forgot to take a picture.  Oh well, you'll just have to trust me...they were awesome.

Because we HAVE to eat, spending time together in the kitchen is one of the ways I like to spend quality time with Little A.  Now mind you, there are times when I am so tired when we get home at night that I have absolutely no desire, energy, strength, or patience to make it a bonding experience.  But the weekends, those are the best!  I'd love to hear from you about ways you incorporate bonding and learning experiences together with your little ones...(or your big ones for that matter!) 

Cheers!

Dee

God Knits...Who Knew?

As I've mentioned previously, we have a long car ride each morning and each evening.  One never knows what the topic of conversation will be on these journeys, but today's was extra special.

Little A: "Look Mommy, that cloud looks like a dolphin!"

Me:  "It sure does...what else do you see?"

Little A:  "That one looks like a snail!  And LOOK!  There's Jesus over there behind that cloud!"

Me: "How cool!  Is he waving at us?"

Little A:  "Yes... (while waving at the sky) and look over there...there's God!"

Me: "Really?  What is God doing over there?"

Little A:  "She's knitting."  Now mind you, she didn't sit there and think about that for any length of time...it is what automatically came to mind.  (And have I mentioned before that Little A thinks God is a woman?  Well, she does...anything that isn't very obviously of the male species is in her mind...a girl.)

Me:  "She's knitting huh?  (smile in my voice and on my face because that was the very last thing I expected Little A to say)  What is she knitting?"

Little A:  "She's knitting a rock-n-roll T-shirt for Jesus!!!"

So there you have it.  God was knitting a rock-n-roll t-shirt for Jesus.  This is what my 4-year old precious child said to me this morning.  I can't begin to tell you how incredibly awesome it was for me to start my day off this way.  Rock on!

Menu Plan (January 18)

We did a great job of following the plan last week, it's getting easier and easier.  Although, I must admit I've gone over my $75 budget.  I didn't plan ahead for subsequent trips for milk, bread, and cheese.  But now that I know, next month should be a little easier.

Here's the menu plan for this week...

Monday - Hungarian Goulash over noodles, broccoli
(I made the recipe listed almost exactly as written - except that I had some sirloin steaks that needed to be dealt with...so I substituted there.  I also cooked mine in a pressure cooker, so it was cooked in 20 minutes, NOT 9 to 10 hours!!!)  It was awesome and so tender...


Tuesday - Italian Sausages (turkey) with peppers and onions, roasted potatoes

Wednesday - leftovers (Big B's night out)

Thursday - Homemade Cheeseburger Pizza

Friday - Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes, ham & cheese omelets, potatoes) - honestly this one will be whichever I feel like making!

Looking at this on paper, it might not be the healthiest of weeks, but we'll add greens and veggies or fruit to each meal to round it out.

Bon Appetit!

And on the 7th Day...

I can't quite believe it, but I FINALLY put all of the Christmas decorations away today. One corner of our living room has been stacked (more like strewn) with my nativity collection, snowman collection, ornament box, wrapping "stuff", etc. It has been hanging out there, staring at me, calling to me to just put it away for weeks now. I avoided it like the plague. I'm really not sure why. I'd like to think that it was because I was longing to hold on to the joy that the holiday season brought us this year, and I choose to ignore the notion that I might have just been plain lazy about it all. That being said, I must admit I do feel a little bit of accomplishment - wow! Is that all it takes these days?

Do you have something that you know you should just go ahead and do but haven't? Well take it from me, just do it. Get it out of your hair so you don't have to dread it anymore. You'll feel much better.

Cheers!

Menu Plan (January 11)

Well, I made it through last week, although Friday night's meal moved to Saturday night, and we strayed from the plan on Friday night.  Both Big B and I gave in to our burger cravings...'nuff said about that.

So, on to this weeks menu.

Monday - Chopped "Steak" with Sauteed Onions and Brown Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, & Green Beans

Tuesday - Baked Chicken Spaghetti

Wednesday - Leftovers - Big B's night out

Thursday - Chicken Quesadillas w/ Mexican Rice

Friday - Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein

What's on your menu this week?

It Only Takes a Spark to Get a Fire Going

Yesterday I got a little nudge...one little inkling that the plans and dreams which occasionally swirl about between all the commuting, working, meeting deadlines, commuting some more, making dinner, giving baths, cleaning kitchens, doing laundry, worrying about finances and loving my peeps, might just actually materialize one day.

You see, I needed to get out for a few...a little "me time" if you will.   I started driving around my little country town - my sweet, quiet, a little rough around the edges, too far from the city where I work town.  It was snowing (ok, flurrying), the fields were covered as far as the eye could see, and there was quiet.  Just me and the jazz station.  Ahhhhh....

On the edge of town there is a consignment house that I have passed many times, it was just never the "right" time to stop in.  But yesterday was different, so I decided to stop in and see what was up.   I walk in, and the most pleasant woman (Beth the owner) was behind the counter.

The great thing about the consignment house is that it's just that...a house.  Each room has different items, and there are even "kitcheny" things in the kitchen.  But to me, the greatest thing was the sense of community I felt when I walked in.  A woman in town who runs her own business, supporting other women in our town.  There are items from women who create jewelry, women who make the most deliciously scented homemade hand sanitizers and lotions and really unique artwork, in addition to the usual consignment type clothing items. 

The curious me started asking Beth how the business came to be, how business is considering the pace of our town, etc.  The more we talked the more encouraged I became that one day I will have my own photography business.  I started divulging to Beth that "when I grow up" I want to make pictures for a living.  As I browsed the racks of gently used shoes, I heard a voice coming from the other room.  "Hey Dee..."  "Yes ma'am?"  "I have an idea!"  "Oh yeah?"  "Do you take pictures of just people or other things"  "A little bit of everything, actually."  "Why don't you bring me a few of your pictures.  I'll hang them around here...that way people will see them and you can get your stuff and your name out there."  "Really, are you serious?"  "Yes, totally!" From there, we continued to talk for about thirty more minutes about stuff as I continued to browse throughout the house - and I was VERY excited about my new opportunity.  (I bought Little A's valentine's gifts too!  Supporting the local small business!!) 

As I brought my purchases to the counter, Beth gave me papers explaining the consigning policies.  Then she said "Dee S, I'm going to remember you...you're fun!"  And with that, a dream just got a little bit closer to becoming a reality.