Menu Monday- 2/27

Final week of February, and as I prepared my budget for March I increased the grocery budget.  My husband and I also decided to do the grocery shopping together, because he’s real strict about staying on list.  I’m excited to have him come with me, and hopefully we’ll find some ways to cut our grocery spending together   Plus- he’ll know what groceries we have, so if I don’t wanna cook…….  well…….    He’s usually good about pinch hitting for me when I’m not up to it…  This will just make it easier on him

Something does have to give, though, because we ended the month $200 over our grocery budget.  This area of our budget has been real difficult to tame.  This and gas money….  That’s out of control too   I can think of a LOT of other things I’d rather spend these large amounts of money on!!!  And I certainly would rather have my husband home more, rather than having to work so many hours just to keep us a float!!!!  Obviously, I write to you from a feeling of discouragement right now…..

Anywho- here’s the menu for the week:

Monday:  Court of Honor for Boy Scouts, I’m making Fruit Salad, Boys to make Pancakes for the babies for supper

Tuesday:  Date Night- I’m going to make some picnic foods for Mikey and I to have a picnic since we’re out of date night money for the month   I’ll leave some for the kids too …  Brisket, Potato Salad, Corn Bread Muffins, any left over fruit salad will be good I think

Wednesday:  Soup and Bread at the Church for our Lenten Series.  I’m making a Baked Potato Soup

Thursday:  Chicken and Sauteed Potatoes

Friday:  Pizza and a Movie Night

Saturday:  Trying some recipes out of my new WW Cookbook, “Best Darn Food Ever”: Super Refreshing Limeade, Boston Baked Beans with Spicy Mustard, Fresh Corn and Chive Spoon Bread, and Fried Fish

Sunday:  Turkey (yes the same one I’ve been saying I’m going to cook for weeks), Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Also, last week, Ashley asked for the Cheddar Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms recipe…  It’s not mine, and they were pretty good…  Hope you enjoy them as well

Menu Monday-2/20

 

Well, my attempts at reigning in my grocery budget so far have gone unmatched.  My grocery budget for the month is WAY over ….  I can only press on, I guess……  Ugh.

This week I shouldn’t spend too much, I’ve got some freezer cooking planned, so we’ll only close out the month a *little* over budget, I hope…  For March I’m going to keep all of my grocery receipts and try to determine from there how I can cut down the bill….

Here’s the menu this week:

Monday:  Fish Tacos

Tuesday:  Shrove Tuesday- Pancake Supper at the church

Wednesday:  Grilled Chicken, Salad, Cheddar Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Thursday:  Date Night

Friday:  Pizza

Saturday:  Subway Sandwiches because I’m making a cake

Sunday:  Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Rolls

Thoughtful Thursday- Time

I’m having a real hard time keeping up lately.  Here on the blog, I’ve been able to post only on average 2 times a week, and that is just an outward expression of how my life is going right now.  I’m drowning in a sea of responsibilities with not enough time to accomplish them all.  I’ve looked over my calendar a million times and just can’t find anything to cut.  I’m at a loss.  I’m sorry I haven’t been blogging regularly (with the exception of Menu Monday)…  but it’s the one thing I CAN cut.    I really like blogging, so this is sad for me .

I’m wondering, what do all of you do to help manage your time?  As I write this I can barely see the floor in my bedroom, my laundry is backed up (I’m currently washing clothes so I’ll have something clean to wear today), there are dishes in the sink, and I’m already exhausted…..  It’s 6:20 a.m.  My day hasn’t even started yet…….

Menu Monday- 2/13- Thought on Love

Ah Valentine’s Day…..  A day of eating out, eating chocolate, getting flowers, etc…..  Not in my house!  My husband and I have gone out for Valentine’s Day ON Valentine’s Day only ONCE in our 16 year relationship.  That was the first year.  We decided after that that we would most definitely stay in on Valentine’s Day   It works for us.  My husband doesn’t like crowds, so we avoid them if possible.  We also don’t go out for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

So, for years, we have celebrated our love for our FAMILY on Valentine’s Day, and you know what?  I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world!  Why does this holiday that’s all about love seem to be reserved for adults?  Don’t our kids deserve to have a day on the calendar that is about loving them too?  Shouldn’t we focus on TRUE love?  That is, the Agape Love that GOD has for us?

I don’t do anything really big, I just got each of the kids (and the hub) a small box of chocolates.  I might decorate the table and stuff, depends on how my day goes LOL…  And, I’ll have a Valentine’s Day themed meal   It’s what works for us   Michael and I will go out for our regular date night later in the week and enjoy each other’s company minus the crowds

So, how do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Here’s the menu for the week:

Monday:  Biscuits and Gravy, Eggs, Bacon

Tuesday:  Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Wednesday:  Snack Dinner for me and the babies

Thursday:  Date Night   Kid food for the kiddos

Friday:  Pizza and a movie with the kids

Saturday:  Kids Night In at the church, I’m thinking of taking the older boys to a movie

Sunday:  Sloppy Joes, Fries

Weight Loss Wednesday- Getting Serious

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for me.  Heck, it’s been a rough couple of months!

One thing I’ve learned to be true, though I don’t want to admit it and I don’t like it, is, I HAVE to exercise to lose weight.  Period.  I will not lose weight if I don’t.  The thing about that is, I really don’t have extra time.  I was doing so well this Spring and Summer because I had the time.  I was walking 30 miles a week, 5 miles M-Th and 10 on Friday.  That equated to about 1 1/2 hours M-Th and 3 hours on Friday.  I enjoyed it.  I really did.  But then, school started back up again, the babies therapy schedules increased, and I found that I didn’t have time to do it.  (Even though I was walking from 6-7:30 am.)  Before I knew it weeks had passed with no walking.  Then months…  Then the weight started to come back on….  EVEN THOUGH I WAS WATCHING WHAT I WAS EATING….  Yes, I’ve been going over my points allowance, but that’s part of the problem.  I can’t seem to stay in my range, I NEED THE EXTRA ACTIVITY POINTS.

So, one of my goals for this year was to participate in at least 3 public events (5K’s etc).  I am signed up for one this weekend, I’ll be walking it, pushing a stroller with TWO babies..  That ought to earn me something, right?  LOL 

In addition, I want to RUN a 5K this year…  Now, I am NOT a runner.  I can walk and walk and walk…  But I have NO endurance for running…  But I’m going to give it a real go.  I’ve started a training program called 3 Weeks to a 30 Minute Running Habit.  I’m on day 3.  It is an interval training program, days 1 and 2 started with 1 minute of running/1 minute of walking 10 times.  Today is a rest day and it increases tomorrow.  The first day I wasn’t sure I was going to make it through all the cycles…  Yesterday was much easier and I almost think I’ll be able to make the 2 minute runs tomorrow LOL    I figure if I can make it through this program I’ll move to a 5K training program, and I am planning on running a 5K in May…..  I’m hoping this will kick start my weight loss too…

Menu Monday- 2/6

I’ve had a little bit of a problem lately.  Come time for Friday and Saturday I lack any and all motivation to do anything in the kitchen.  Does anyone else have this problem?  I think I need to make sure that I either have super easy meals on the weekend, or plan to get something out…  I’m not sure…..  How do you handle that?

Here’s my plan for this week:

Monday:  Left over Chicken Enchiladas

Tuesday: Cranberry Chicken (meal from my pampered chef show a couple of weeks ago) with Rice

Wednesday:  Snack Dinner

Thursday:  Biscuits and Gravy, Bacon

Friday:  Sloppy Joes, Fries

Saturday:  Chicken in the grill pan, Sweet Potato Fries, Layered Salad

Sunday:  Chili, Fritos