SNOW!! In Palmdale!!!

It snowed the entire day yesterday! I think we got somewhere between 9-12 inches! I've lived in this house for about 29 years of my life and I think I only remember it snowing twice. And neither of those times were this much! Unfortunately, that meant the freeway was closed and Jason wasn't able to get home from work. He stayed at my mom's and is on his way home early from work now. I got an extra day (maybe two if they don't keep the freeway open) off work so we're relaxing at home! I am so excited that we're having a bit of a "White Christmas" even though the snow will be long gone by next week.

Here's to snow in SoCal! Woohoo! I'll add pics once Jason gets home. The camera was in his car....of course!

New Layout!

Now that winter is upon us, I thought my blog needed a little update. Thanks to Elizabeth for making me a wonderful new banner and siggy! Such a wonderful friend!

Happy Winter All!

Menu Plan Monday~ 12/14/08

I missed MPM last week! I did a menu plan (how could I grocery shop without one?) and we sorta followed it but I never posted it. We haven't stuck to a menu plan completely in a while and things are going to be so hectic until Christmas, I'm sure we won't stick to one until the New Year!

DH is going to be SWAMPED from now until Christmas in order to get shipment of race cars out by Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, that means he'll be working 10-12 hour days from tomorrow until the 24th, including the weekend! Not very good for my menu planning (the extra money rocks though! LoL). So I'm trying to stick to simple meals or meals that reheat easily for when DH gets home (or to take as leftovers the next day).

We're also going to be baking this week (and next). Kinda just for the heck of it. I'll take some to work because the busy folks in the ER sure like cookies! The stuff we make next week will be for Christmas day and to take to Hannukah at my dad's as gifts to my step-brothers families. We're making the basic sugar cookies etc. but also going to buy a candy themometer to make fudge from scratch! My mom always made it growing up and it was never creamy, always crumbly (but SO good). We'll see how I fare! I'll post the recipe next week and let you know if mine turned out!

Sunday 12/14: Chicken Potpie
Monday 12/15: Breakfast Bake
Tuesday 12/16: Chili (Freezer), Cornbread
Wednesday 12/17: Crockpot Roast, Carrots, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy
Thursday 12/18: Roast Beef Sandwiches
Friday 12/19: Grilled Cheese, Soup
Saturday 12/20: Take Out
Sunday 12/21: Chicken Parm, Spaghetti
Monday 12/22: Hotdogs, Chips, Fruit

Head on over to OrgJunkie for more menu plans!!

MPM~ 12/1/08

We're officially in the Christmas season! I'm ready for baking cookies and other treats! Yummy! I have Finals coming up soon though so most of my baking won't start until next week. I do want to try making Cinnamon Quick Bread. I can't remember which blog I got it from so sorry for not giving whomever you are credit!

We didn't use all of our meals last week (again) so there was some roll over. Hopefully we can stick to plan this week!

Monday 12/1- Shake N Bake Chicken, Rice, Broccoli
Tuesday 12/2- Leftovers/Daddy Cooks (Stats Test)
Wednesday 12/3- Homemade Pizza, Salad
Thursday 12/4- Turkey Sausage, Red Beans and Rice, Broccoli
Friday 12/5- Tacos, Chips/Salsa
Saturday 12/6- Chicken PotPie
Sunday 12/7- Out to Dinner (Date Night!)

One of those meals will probably be scratched because we're trying to plan something with my Dad. :)

Check out Laura's for more menus!

Menu Plan Monday~ 11/24/08

Not much of a plan this week! We didn't eat a few meals from last week which moved to this week. We'll also have a lot of leftovers from Thanksgiving! Plus my FIL and his wife are coming into town for the night this weekend and are taking us out to dinner. (SEAFOOD! YAY!) At least this week's plan will help with our budget since there isn't much to buy. I have a TON of household stuff to buy so it helps to have that extra leftover from our grocery budget to use!

Monday 11/24: Pizza (friend over)
Tuesday 11/25: Chicken Potpie (didn’t get to last week)
Wednesday 11/26: Hotdogs, Tatertots, Corn (didn’t get to last week)
Thursday 11/27: Thankgiving! (Making the stuffing and asparagus with hollandaise!)
Friday 11/28: Turkey Day Leftovers!
Saturday 11/29: Out to Dinner (In-Laws in town.)
Sunday 11/30: Shake N Bake Chicken, Rice, Broccoli
Monday 12/1: Turkey Sausage, Red Beans and Rice, Broccoli
Tuesday 12/2: Leftovers

Check out Laura's for other Thanksgiving week plans!

Menu Plan Monday~ 11/17/08

Late again this week but at least it's here! :) We're rather tight on money for the next few weeks so I'm trying to keep the budget down. A lot of the meals this week are coming from what we already have on hand. The produce is a bit pricey this week but well worth it for the Chicken Stirfry and Fried Rice!

We didn't have hotdogs on Hannah's b-day last week because we had leftovers from lunch. The Chicken Potpie turned out AWESOME and DH requested it again this week.

I want to bake this week also but I'm not sure what I want to make yet. Maybe oatmeal cookies?

Tuesday 11/18: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Wednesday 11/19: Crockpot Potato Soup, Sourdough Bread
Thursday 11/20: Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Friday 11/21: Garlic Chicken Stirfry, Veggie Fried Rice
Saturday 11/22: Chicken Potpie, Salad
Sunday 11/23: Take Out (Garage Sale/Christmas Decorating!)
Monday 11/24: Hotdogs, Tatertots, Salad
Tuesday 11/25: Leftovers


As always, check out Laura's for more menu plans!

Menu Plan Monday~ 11/10/08

We're doing quicker meals this week. I have a Chem test on Friday (I thought it was last week but it's this week) that I REALLY need to study for so I'll be spending time on that instead of cooking as much as I did last week. However, the Homemade Graham Crackers were AWESOME and I'll be making them again tomorrow!

Hannah's 3rd Birthday is on Sunday and we're going to Chuck E Cheese for lunch so I'm not sure if we'll be eating dinner or not. I just planned something fast that I know she'll eat. We'll probably have leftover cake from lunch too!

Monday 11/10: Nachos
Tuesday 11/11: Chicken Pot Pie, Salad
Wednesday 11/12: Leftover Spaghetti Pie, Salad, Bread
Thursday 11/13: Chili, Cornbread
Friday 11/14: Take Out (Chem Test)
Saturday 11/15: Spaghetti, Salad, Bread
Sunday 11/16: Hannah’s Birthday! Hotdogs/Corndogs, Tatertots, Fruit
Monday 11/17: Chicken Parmesan, Salad, Bread
Tuesday 11/18: Leftovers


For more menu plans, head on over to Laura's!

Simple Woman's Daybook~ Week 1

Visit The Simple Woman for other Daybooks!

For Today...November 3rd

Outside my Window...it is dark and cool. Fall weather is finally here and we’re relaxing after the girls have gone to bed.

I am thinking...how nervous I am about my interview on Wednesday! This is an AMAZING opportunity for us and I so hope it works out.

I am thankful for…being able to stay home with my girls as much as I have in the past 2 years. I may be working FT again soon and I’ll really miss spending so much time with them!

From the kitchen...I didn’t get to cook today…I worked and then we got home late. But I’m off for the next 3 days and we’ll be baking Breakfast Cookies, Graham Crackers AND Vanilla Almond Biscotti! YUMMY!

I am wearing...My Atlanta Thrashers sweatshirt! Relaxing after a long work day!

I am reading...I just finished Eragon. Amazing that a 15 year old wrote that! I’m hoping to buy the next two tomorrow as they are really hard to get at the library…

I am hoping...I am able to get the job on Wednesday. It would be nice to be closer to home and finally get ahead with money.

I am hearing...Jason playing a video game on the new TV his mom bought us as an early Christmas present!

Around the house...We have a ton of cleaning to do! The house is a mess and Nana is coming over to watch the girls on Wednesday!

One of my favorite things...Is seeing Avery’s face light up as she toddles over to me when I come to pick her up after work. It makes my day to see how much she loves Mommy!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week…Busy day tomorrow…trying to vote as soon as the polls open in the AM and then Hannah has class. After that I have a Statistics test to finish and grocery shopping to do. Whew! Then my interview and class on Wednesday…Thursday will be a day at home!!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...
Isn't she the cutest little Ducky you've ever seen? I can't believe she's a toddler now! I don't have any more babies at home... :(

Menu Plan Monday~ 11/03/08

We're trying some new recipes this week! I haven't tried anything new lately so I'm actually excited. Hopefully it won't put us too over budget though. I may also bake something this week. Not sure what yet this week but maybe Breakfast Cookies or Homemade Graham Crackers. Maybe even Vanilla Almond Biscotti!

Jason has joined me on WW and I'm going to start adding WW points to our menus next week. I may update later for this week's points as well.

Monday 11/3: Steak Ums Sandwiches, Salad
Tuesday 11/4: Leftovers
Wednesday 11/5: Breakfast Bake, Fruit
Thursday 11/6: Pizza Pockets, Spinach/Artichoke Dip/Chips
Friday 11/7: Take Out (Chem Test)
Saturday 11/8: Beef Stroganoff, Salad, Bread
Sunday 11/9: Leftover Spaghetti Pie, Salad, Bread
Monday 11/10: Nachos
Tuesday 11/11: Chicken Pot Pie, Salad

Check out OrgJunkie for more great menus!

Better Late Than Never! MPM 10/27/08

I've been a bit under the weather this past week and SO tired! I just realized part of the tiredness has been caffeine withdrawl. No coffee for 5 days does not work for me! Anyway, I *did* do my menu plan for the week. I just was too lazy to post it! So here it is! And now I have to get started on NEXT week's! LoL

Monday 10/27: Subway Sandwiches
Tuesday 10/28: Pizza
Wednesday 10/29: Shake N Bake Chicken, Broccoli, Rice
Thursday 10/30: Ham, stuffing, broccoli
Friday 10/31: Halloween/Birthday Party!
Saturday 11/1: Spaghetti w/ Chicken Meatballs, Salad, Bread
Sunday 11/2: Bunless Turkey Mushroom Burgers, Corn, Baked Potatoes

Head on over to Laura's for more menus!

Menu Plan Monday~ 10/20/08

Finally back to a full menu plan! Between DH being gone for two weeks and our Atlanta vacation, we haven't had an actual menu plan in 3 weeks! I'm so happy to be back cooking!

Next Sunday DH is going to join WW with me. Up until now, I've tried to eat low point breakfasts and lunches so I have a lot of points at night to eat a "normal" dinner. Well I don't think DH will have that much control at work so I'm going to have to really look at our portion sizes and make our dinners lower points. Hopefully I can take some time this week to calculate point values for some of our go to meals.

We already had our Sunday dinner and I made my first ever pizza crust! I have the recipe on another computer but I'll have to post it soon! It turned out so yummy! I'll definately make it again. Way better (and healthier!) than the Pillsbury kind!

Sunday 10/19: Homemade Pizza, Chips/Guacamole
Monday 10/20: Turkey Burgers (With Swiss Cheese and Turkey Bacon), Salad, Fries
Tuesday 10/21: Shake N Bake Chicken, Broccoli, Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday 10/22: Chicken Tacos (Leftover Enchilada Chicken from freezer), Chips/Guacamole
Thursday 10/23: Garlic Chicken Stir Fry, Veggie Fried Rice
Friday 10/24: Breakfast For Dinner
Saturday 10/25: Friend's Birthday Party!

Head on over to OrgJunkie for more great menus!

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee.

My mom sent me this in an e-mail and it really made me think! We do spend too much time sweating the small stuff!

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee.

When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.T

he professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more i f the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the e ntire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things--your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions--and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else--the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important t o you.

'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

'One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked.It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Menu Plan Monday~ 9/29/08~

This is a really blah menu plan this week! LoL DH is out of town and we're joining him in Atlanta on Saturday. So I have less than a week to get the girls and I packed for the trip. I've been on airplanes plenty of times but never with the kids especially by myself! We're taking a midnight flight and I'm so hoping they'll sleep! If not, I'm going to have a problem with A-babe. Hannah I can distract easily (bought some new cheap toys for the trip) but I'm concerned about how to keep a 1 year old occupied for 4 hours...Any tips?

Today is also Avery's 1st birthday! We're doing a fun recipe tonight just to do something special since her party was last weekend.

There won't be a menu plan next week because we're in Atlanta from Saturday-Saturday. No cooking for me! I'm trying not to have to go grocery shopping this week so nothing will go bad but I probably have to get a few things.

Monday 9/29: Mummy Dogs, Mac & Cheese, Carrots/Dip (Probably get cupcakes for dessert.)
Tuesday 9/30: Frozen Pizza, Fruit, Carrots/Dip
Wednesday 10/1: Leftovers/Clean Out the Fridge!
Thursday 10/1: At Nana's
Friday 10/2: Takeout on way home from Nana's
Saturday 10/3: More leftovers (if any left) or takeout before we leave for Airport!

Have a great week everyone!

*~*~*Happy Birthday Avery*~*~*

Avery-baby is 1 today! It's gone by so fast and I can't believe she's pretty much a toddler now! She is such an amazing gift and I don't know what I'd do without her. I know they say parents aren't supposed to have favorites but we all know that's just not the case. There's always one child you connect with more. And for me, that's Avery! I love Hannah more than anything but there's just something about A-babe that meshes with me.

So Happy Birthday Princess Pie! I can't wait to watch you grow more and more!

Avery One Year Ago


Avery Today!

Fun Recipe!

I planned quick, kid-friendly meals at the end of this week because Jason is going to Atlanta for a race. Monday I planned hotdogs and mac & cheese. I felt bad because it's Avery's birthday and that's a pretty basic meal. (Not that she cares but still! LoL) We're not having cake or anything since we did that at her party last week. So I remembered a recipe I wanted to try before Halloween (which is Hannah's favorite holiday).

So we'll be making Crescent Mummy Dogs! They're not the healthiest things but I'm used reduced fat crescents and 2% cheese so they won't be too bad. At least they'll be fun!

Here's what they're supposed to look like. I'll post a pic of ours on Monday!

New Look!

Thanks to my friend Elizabeth, I have a wonderful new look! Fall is my favorite season and now my blog shows that. The layout is from a cool website, The Cutest Blog on the Block and Elizabeth made me a matching banner.

Now that my blog looks great, I need to post more to get some readers! I'd like the do more daily posts like MPM. What are everyone's favorites?

Menu Plan Monday~ 9/22/08

It's a special edition of MPM this week! We're all posting some of out family's favorite meals/recipes! Unfortunately for me, DH leaves again on Saturday for Atlanta and since I plan Wed-Tues there aren't many days to plan! We are having a couple favorites though! And next week, we'll be taking a bit of a break because the girls and I will be heading to Atlanta to meet up with DH! :)

Avery's birthday party was yesterday and we had a blast. I'm going to upload pics tomorrow afternoon so check back!

Sunday 9/21: Turkey Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Corn
Monday 9/22: Tacos, Chips/Guacamole
Tuesday 9/23: Crockpot Potato Chowder, Cornbread
Wednesday 9/24: Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
Thursday 9/25: Shake N Bake Chicken, Broccoli, Noodles
Friday 9/26: Take Out with DH!
Saturday 9/27: Staying at Nana’s!
Sunday 9/28: Pizza Pockets, Apples, Carrots/Dip
Monday 9/29: Hot dogs, Mac & Cheese, Fruit/Veggies
Tuesday 9/30: Frozen Pizza, Fruit

The Crockpot Potato Chowder has become a major staple at this house since I found the recipe a few months ago. It is absolutely wonderful and so easy to make!

We also LOVE the Pizza Pockets. I make a bunch at a time and stick them in the freezer so we always have them on hand for a quick meal. We don't put much sauce inside so we heat some up as a dip. Less messy for the baby (no dip for her!).

My meatloaf and swedish meatballs are a hit here too. I cheat though because both are seasoning packets! LoL We use ground turkey and the swedish meatballs go over mashed potatoes instead of noodles. Yum!

I also tried my hand at making guacamole for the first time the other day and it turned out GREAT! All I did was mash up 1 avocado, 1/4 cup diced onion, 3/4 diced jalepeno, salt, minced garlic (a lot for us garlic fanatics), and a squirt of bottled lime juice. It was so yummy with chips. I'm making it again Tuesday with our tacos!

Hope you enjoy some of these recipes! Have a great week!

Check out Laura's for more Family Favorites!

Menu Plan Monday~ 09/15/08

Just a quick post since I'm at work! I'll be doing some recipe reviews tonight on another post so check back! DH is out of town until Wednesday so it's just me and the kids Mon/Tues.

Monday 9/15: TV Dinners, Fruit
Tuesday 9/16: Breakfast for Dinner
Wednesday 9/17: Turkey Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Corn
Thursday 9/18: Red Beans/Rice, Turkey Sausage, Broccoli
Friday 9/19: Chicken Parmigiagna, Pasta, Bread, Salad
Saturday 9/20: Avery's 1st Birthday Party!! (BBQ)
Sunday 9/21: Crockpot Potato Chowder, Cornbread Muffins
Monday 9/22: Tacos
Tuesday 9/23: Leftovers

Check out Laura's for more menus!

Menu Plan Monday~ 09/08/08

It's just me and the girls for the next 10 days while DH is on a work trip. I'm also getting a little break Tuesday and Wednesday since I have class at night. The girls will be staying at Nana's house! :) The menu is super simple since I don't want to make a lot for me and the girls. We're also staying at my mom's this weekend so I'm cooking a meal there.

Monday 9/8: Grilled Cheese, Top Ramen with Egg
Tuesday 9/9: Subway for me!
Wednesday 9/10: Panera for me!
Thursday 9/11: "Pizzadillas", Mac & Cheese, Chip/Carrots with Dip
Friday 9/12: Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes, Corn
Saturday 9/13: Takeout at Mom's
Sunday 9/14: Breakfast for Dinner (Waffles, Eggs, Turkey Sausage)

Head to Laura's for more menu plans!

Happy Anniversary!

Today Jason and I have been together for 5 years and married for 2! I am so thankful to have such a wonderful husband! We've had a lot of challenges in the past few years and I know our relationship is stronger for it.

I love you, Jason! Happy Anniversary!

Menu Plan Monday~ 9/1/08

Happy September! I'm so happy that Fall is right around the corner! I absolutely LOVE Fall and can't wait to start pulling out my Fall decor! Not to mention I can start making hearty meals without them feeling so heavy! (Like the Easiest Chicken and Biscuits I reviewed a few weeks ago.)

I want to review two receipes that I made the past week or so that were amazing! The first were Apple Pie Muffins. They were SO yummy! Jason is a Type 2 diabetic so I'm always trying to cut sugar out of recipes. I made this with Splenda Brown Sugar blend (even for the topping) and they were perfect. There probably wasn't as much topping as there would be with regular brown sugar (you only use half the amount when using the Splenda blend) but it was fine for us. It made about 24 muffins so I froze half. I took them out this week and the defrosted great. They tasted like they'd never been frozen. They make a great breakfast or even dessert!

The other recipe I was so glad I tried was the Pizza Pockets I made last night. I am starting to really enjoy making things from scratch so the dough was fun to make. I've never made a dough like that before and was really excited that it turned out well! It took a few tries to figure out the right amount of toppings to put in and still be able to seal them but they all stayed closed! :) We added turkey pepperoni, pizza sauce, lowfat mozzarella, black olives and mushrooms (plus onions for the hubby). I think they're actually pretty healthy. We had them with a salad and were very satisfied. I froze 6 of them to have for lunches and a dinner this coming week! I was very impressed with these and will definately be making them again and again!

Onto this week's plan! I'm trying to make this a really good week because Jason leaves for another week next Monday. There won't be much of a plan that week!

Monday 9/1- Veggie Fried Rice, Garlic Chicken Stir fry (Made by Hubby!)
Tuesday 9/2- Leftovers
Wednesday 9/3- Spinach Lasagna, Salad, Garlic toast
Thursday 9/4- Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas, Chips/Salsa
Friday 9/5- Pizza Pockets (from freezer), Mac & Cheese, Veggies/Dip
Saturday 9/6- Ham, Stuffing, Broccoli, Salad
Sunday 9/7- Turkey Mushroom Burgers, Tater Tots, Corn on the Cob
Monday 9/8- DH out of town- Grilled Cheese, Top Ramen with egg
Tuesday 9/9- ?? Nana and Aunt Nessa watching kiddos!

Head on over to Laura's for more menu plans!

Art Project of the Day~8/27/08

I decided I'm going to try and do a new art project with Hannah (and Avery once she's old enough) at least once, hopefully twice a week. I'll post the project and pictures here on my blog! We don't do enough together (they normally play on their own) and now that I have a cleaning schedule down (I'll post that later!) I have a lot more time to spend with them!

So here's today's project: Lunch Bag Puppets!

Hannah's making a dog: http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mbagdog.htm

I'm making a cat: http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mbagcat.htm

I'll update with pics once we're done!

Menu Plan Monday~ August 25th!

I start school again Tuesday and will be going 2 (sometimes 3) nights a week so those dinners need to be fast! I'm also having problems with my wisdom teeth (well the spot where one was removed last month) all of the sudden and am going to try and go to the dentist tomorrow. This might put a damper on the first few meals this week. At least for me...we'll play it by ear!

I've also started a "Healthy Living" blog so check that out as well. See my last post for the link!

I'll be review some recipes later this week as we've been trying more. The Apple Pie Muffins were awesome and a great way to use of apples that were getting mealy. But more on that another day!

Monday 8/25- BLTs, carrots/chips/dip, fruit
Tuesday 8/26: Leftovers
Wednesday 8/27: Garlic Shrimp Alfredo, salad, bread
Thursday 8/28: Swedish Meatballs, Egg noodles, Salad
Friday 8/29: Chili dogs, tater tots, salad
Saturday 8/30: Pizza Pockets, salad
Sunday 8/31: Out to Dinner for Jason’s Birthday
Monday 9/1: Jason’s Making Chinese! Veggie Fried Rice and Garlic Chicken
Tuesday: Leftovers

Head on over to Laura's for more menu plans!

New Healthy Living Blog!

I've been meaning to create a blog strictly for my journey to healthier living. I finally bit the bullet and started one today! Check it out if you'd like! Road to a Healthy Me!

Weekly Cleaning List

Anyone who knows Jason and I, knows that cleaning has never been a strong point for us. We're both pack rats and tend to have a lot of clutter. In the past year or so, I've started getting really irritated with junk and having stuff lying around. I've gotten pretty good at de-cluttering and have started getting rid of a lot of stuff. Most of the time the house is pretty neat though very lived in. (I'm not sure what else to expect with two little girls who can't really clean up after themselves!) However, while I'm being good about getting toys up off the floor before bedtime and stuff, major cleaning tasks get overlooked (bathrooms, mopping etc). I'm working PT and going back to school and I just get overwhelmed with all of the stuff I have to do.

Jason admits he just doesn't know how to clean. He sees the living room a mess or a sink of dished and for some reason, the thought that he should clean it just doesn't occur to him. That means I get left to either do it myself or nag him constantly. That obviously does not create a very happy husband and wife team!

So I've decided to impliment a Weekly Cleaning List. Both Jason and I have assigned jobs each day. The amount of work decided by who has what else scheduled that day (i.e. I go to school Tues and Wed nights so Jason gets the kitchen those days.). I still handle a heavier load but I'm home more days of the week. Other "big chores" (cleaning out the garage, major yardwork etc) will be added on a weekly basis. And if for some reason one of the chores can't be done, something else has to be done in it's place. For example, I was out of gas for the lawn mower this morning so I did a major cleaning of the dog area in the backyard instead.

Here is my Weekly Cleaning List: (Please let me know if you see something not on there that probably should be!)


Weekly Cleaning Schedule

Monday
S- Kitchen, Vacuum
J- P/U Computer room

Tuesday
S- Laundry, bathrooms, trash, vacuum
J- Kitchen, cat litter, trash

Wednesday
S- Grocery shopping, laundry, kids' rooms, vacuum upstairs
J- Kitchen, vacuum

Thursday
S- Kitchen, sweep, mow lawn
J- Vacuum

Friday
S- Kitchen, Master bedroom
J- Master Bedroom

Saturday
S- Dust, Clean Glass, Vacuum
J- Kitchen, laundry

Sunday
S- Kitchen, sweep/mop
J- Vacuum upstairs

Every Night
De-clutter: Pick up trash, toys, clothes, shoes etc and put in proper places.

Menu Plan Monday~ 08/18/08

Another menu plan with just a quick post! Hannah is at Nana's for the next 3 days going to Disneyland so DH and I are alone with just Avery! :) She'll be in bed early and we'll have some much needed relaxing time alone...

The grocery bill last week was a lot higher than I'd like and we didn't end up making all of the meals on last weeks menu. So I pushed those back to this week and am making a majority of the meals from what we currently have in the fridge/pantry. Hopefully I'll only need to get the basics (milk, juice) and produce for the salads we've been having with dinner lately. A $40 trip would be great!

Onto this weeks menu:

Monday 8/18- Leftovers
Tuesday 8/19- Crockpot Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Carrots, Salad
Wednesday 8/20- Roast Beef Hash, salad
Thursday 8/21- Turkey Mushroom Burgers with Homemade Buns, Salad, Fruit
Friday 8/22- Taco Salad (Homemade Taco Seasoning)
Saturday 8/23- Red Beans/Rice, Turkey Sausage, Broccoli
Sunday 8/24- Spaghetti, salad
Monday 8/25- BLTs, carrots/dip, fruit
Tuesday 8/26- Leftovers

I always shop on Wed so the plans overlap on MPM.

I also reviewed some recipes in the prior post! Check them out!

As always, visit Laura at OrgJunkie's for more wonderful menu plans!

Recipe Reviews!

I've been trying a TON of new recipes in my menu plan lately and I've been really impressed with most of them! The only one we didn't enjoy was the Bubble Up Enchiladas. I was actually really surprised since a lot of people make them but for us, the biscuits were doughy in the middle and we thought there was too much "bread" in it. I prefer the normal enchiladas I make better. I think it's a good recipe but more of a personal dislike here.

The rest have been pretty great though. The absolute BEST recipe we've tried is the Crockpot Potato Chowder! I think I'm making it for the 3rd time in less than two months tomorrow! We didn't use bacon last time though DH seems to like the bacon. (I prefer it with just shredded cheese and also add a can of corn to the mix.) I'm SO excited to have found this recipe. My DH's favorite soup has always been Marie Callendar's potato cheese soup. He could eat a vat of it at a time. LoL So after having this soup, he said it was EXTREMLY close in taste to that soup. Well today, we happened to take the kids to MC for lunch and of course had this soup with our salad bar. And what do you know? DH and I BOTH like MINE better! Woohoo! Such a great (and really frugal) recipe! Plus it reheats great and since the kid's don't eat much at this point, we have leftovers for lunches!

The last entree recipe I have tried lately was Easiest Chicken And Biscuits. I really liked this one! DH liked it too though it wasn't his favorite. He thought it had too many biscuits in it and not enough chicken. He said he'd eat it again but would prefer it in the colder months. It was too heavy for a summer meal. I'll definately make it again come fall but will probably use less biscuits and maybe add a bag of frozen mixed veggies. It also reheated well when I took leftovers to work the next day.

I never got around to making the Potato Chip Mac and Cheese or the Homemade Chicken Nuggets. I'm going to hold off on those as a chips are a VERY bad thing to have in this household! They don't last long!

The other things I have made have been baked goods or side dishes. I'll save those reviews for another time. However, if you look back at some of my past MPM you will find great recipes for Homemade Hamburger Buns, Whole Wheat Torillas, Spinach Artichoke Dip and Breakfast Cookies. All of these will be made again in this household! (As will the Whole Wheat Waffles I made this week!)

Hope some of you will try these out for yourselves!

Menu Plan Monday~ August 11th

I missed last week because we were out of town for my birthday! We had a blast but I'm ready to get back on track and back into our routines! My last menu plan from 2 weeks ago got tossed aside in the scramble to get ready for our trips. I ended up using some of the ingredients in other dishes so nothing went to waste.

I've been trying a lot of new recipes lately and will try to post reviews this week. Some were awesome and have already been repeated multiple times (Crockpot Potato Chowder is a rave!). Others I keep putting on the menu and they don't get made for one reason or another (Easiest Chicken and Biscuits for example). I'm going to try and get to some this week and the rest next week.

My main goal for this week is to increase our veggie/fruit intake. Hubby and I aren't very good about that (though the girls tend to have a fruit/veggie at every meal) and it's showing in our overall health. Jason is a newly diagnosed (as of April) Type 2 Diabetic and while his levels are good, I know it's only because of his meds and not diet/exercise. I've also stalled in my weight loss and need to jumpstart it again!

As always, I shop Wednesdays and my budget is between $60-80. We're on our last can of formula and then we'll be switching to whole milk. Avery doesn't seem to want formula anymore (not sure if it's taste or just because her table food has increased so much) and I want to switch her a bit early any way so we can make sure she has no problems before our trip to Atlanta right after her birthday. That will definately help with the budget too!

Head to Laura's for more Menu Plans!

Monday 8/11- Turkey Bacon BLTs, Spinach Artichoke Dip/Chips
Tuesday 8/12- Breakfast- Eggs with Cheese, Sausage/Bacon, Biscuits/Gravy
Wednesday 8/13- Turkey Mushroom Burgers with Homemade Buns, Salad, Fruit
Thursday 8/14- Easiest Chicken and Biscuits, Salad
Friday 8/15- Red Beans/Rice, Turkey Sausage, Broccoli
Saturday 8/16- Turkey Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Salad
Sunday 8/17- Crockpot Potato Chowder, Corn Bread, Salad
Monday 8/18- Leftovers
Tuesday 8/19- Crockpot Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Carrots, Salad

Have a great week everyone! Come back to read my recipe reviews!

And BTW, it's almost 10pm and now I'm STARVING after doing my menu! Figures!

Menu Plan Monday- July 28th!

Back to a normal menu this week! Hubby comes home Monday afternoon and doesn't leave again until the following week! Next week there won't be much of a plan because the girls and I will be headed to Mammoth while Jason is out of town.

For this week, I'm trying a bunch of new recipes! I'm hoping to still be able to keep my grocery bill down to $60-80 though I need a ton of ingredients for our dinners. Most I can get store brand though so I think it'll be fine.

I'll review the recipes next week! Now onto the menu plan!

Breakfasts: Waffles, whole wheat pancakes, bagels/cream cheese, eggs/bacon or sausage, Carnation instant breakfast, fruit

Lunches: Chef Boyardee, BLTS (turkey bacon), Tuna, PB&J, hotdogs, leftovers, fruit/veggies

Dinners:

Monday 7/28- Easiest Chicken and Biscuits

Tuesday 7/29- Stouffer's Manicotti, bread

Wednesday 7/30- Crockpot Potato Chowder, FF Cornbread

Thursday 7/31- Swedish Meatballs and homemade mashed potatoes

Friday 8/1- Potato Chip Mac & Cheese, Homemade Chicken nuggets, green beans

Saturday 8/2- Out with my dad for my birthday! Probably a steak place!

Sunday 8/3- Turkey/Mushrooms burgers with Homemade Buns, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Tortilla Chips

Monday 8/4- LEFTOVERS!

Head to Laura's for more great menus!

Tag! I'm It!

Here are the rules:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers blogs letting them know they've been tagged.

I was tagged by Elizabeth at Our Small Town Blessings

My Quirks:

1. I love the sound of running water. Since I was a kid, I've been known to sit in the bathroom with the shower running to relax and read a book. Such a waste of water but I can't help it!

2. I ama list junkie. I'm constantly making lists of random things (menu plans, cleaning lists, bills, gifts, etc.). I only use some of them for an actual purpose. The rest are more of a way to organize my thoughts!

3. I love grocery shopping. I used to go with my mom as a kid and got really excited about it. No idea why. I just think it's fun!

4. I read multiple books at a time. I'm constantly reading one of the Harry Potter books and at least one other fiction.

5. I am obsessed with timelines. I want things (like finishing school, having another baby, buying a house) to happen at specific times in the future. It frustrates me to know end if I don't have any control over the schedule.

6. I am horrible at cleaning/organizing. I lack motivation. However, I am an obsessive organizer when I finally do it. I organize clothing in closets by type and socks by color!

Tag! You're it!

Kylee at The Kerby Family
Lorie at Honey, I Shrank Myself
Kari at C'est la vie
Emily at Little Home
Laura at Heavenly Homemakers
Teresa at A Life At Home

Menu Plan Monday~ July 21st!

I can't believe July is coming to a close soon! This year is flying by! I'm already planning A-babe's first birthday... :(

I realized I haven't been blogging much (considering my last post was last week's MPM!) and my goal for August is to post one blog a day. And a picture every day as well! Anyone have any favorite memes they'd recommend I try?

Now onto the MPM!

Last week's menu went pretty well! The homemade tortillas (I'll find the recipe and post later.) turned out pretty well! They were fun (and cheap!) to make too! The only problem was the Weight Watchers points (2 each). Normally I use low carb 1pt tortillas. I'll make them again though!

I was also able to keep my grocery shopping to $60 for the week! It's definately feasible and I'm going to try and stick to it!

Homemade Hamburger Buns are on tomorrows menu. I'm hoping I can make them in the morning because we're going to my sister's in the afternoon to visit since she had surgery Friday. That way all we have to do is grill up the turkey burgers when we get home.

This week's menu is a bit off because DH is gone Tuesday-Monday so it's just me and the girls. I'm also getting my wisdom teeth out Friday so we're staying at my mom's Thurs-Sun (so I can have help with the girls and because she's watching them when I work Sunday). Meals are up in the air those days since I'm not sure what I can eat!

As always, my plans overlap because I shop on Wednesdays.

Breakfast

Monday 7/21- Whole wheat pancakes, fruit, turkey sausage
Tuesday 7/22- Work- Waffle, Carnation Instant Breakfast
Wednesday 7/23-
Thursday 7/24- Whole wheat pancakes, fruit, turkey sausage
Friday 7/25- Starbucks breakfast sandwich and coffee! Kids at Nana’s!
Saturday 7/26- No idea…depends on how I’m feeling.
Sunday 7/27- Work- Waffle, Carnation instant breakfast
Monday 7/28- Work- Egg white burrito
Tuesday 7/29- Work- Egg white burrito

Lunch

Monday 7/21- Grilled cheese, soup, carrots/dip, fruit
Tuesday 7/22- Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, pears
Wednesday 7/23- Mac & cheese, carrots/dip, fruit
Thursday 7/24- Out to eat at the mall.
Friday 7/25- Kid’s at Nana’s! Nothing for me. Getting my wisdom teeth out! L
Saturday 7/26- Depends on the teeth!
Sunday 7/27- Work- Boston Market
Monday 7/28- Work- Lean Cuisine, carrots/dip, pears
Tuesday 7/29- Work- Leftovers

Dinner

Monday 7/21- Hamburgers (with homemade buns), corn on the cob, oven fries
Tuesday 7/22- Sandwiches, chips, fruit (DH out of town)
Wednesday 7/23- Pizza!
Thursday 7/24- At Nana’s!
Friday 7/25- No idea…probably soup!
Saturday 7/26- At Nana’s!
Sunday 7/27- Breakfast for dinner! (Eggs, pancakes, turkey bacon)
Monday 7/28- Easiest Chicken and Biscuits (New recipe!)
Tuesday 7/29- Cheese Manicotti, bread, broccoli

Check out Laura's blog for more fantastic menus!

Menu Plan Monday~ July 14th!

I can't believe it's already going to be Monday again! The week just flew by! I've been trying to do a lot of baking lately and am going to take it one step further this week in my quest to stick to a low budget ($80 a week plus an extra $100 a month for formula until September.). I'm going to attempt to make my own tortillas and hamburger buns. That'll save me a bit extra this week! I hope they turn out well!

I'm not sticking to WW very well lately but I'm going to try again this week! I really want to get down to my pre-preg weight soon! I'm going to try and have low point breakfasts/lunches and "normal" dinners like I used to. I'm not doing a day to day plan for breakfast/lunch tonight but I'll probably add it tomorrow.

Breakfasts will be whole wheat pancakes, Bagelfuls, eggs/turkey sausage, fruit etc. Nothing fancy this week! I do have a recipe I'm planning for the next week I think though...

Lunches will be leftovers, tuna sandwiches, fruit, carrots/dip, homemade chicken nuggets etc.

My dinner menus are going to start overlapping. I shop on Wednesdays at this point so dinners for the first Monday and Tuesday were technically last weeks menu. :)

Monday 7/14- Shake N Bake chicken, rice a roni, broccoli, rolls

Tuesday 7/15- Frozen pizza, carrots/dip, fruit

Wednesday 7/16- Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, fruit

Thursday 7/17- Pepper Bellies (Frito Pie), fruit

Friday 7/18- Tacos (with homemade tortillas)

Saturday 7/19- Crockpot Spaghetti (made last week and froze), bread

Sunday 7/20- Leftovers

Monday 7/21- Hamburgers (with homemade buns), corn on the cob, oven fries

Tuesday 7/22- Sandwiches, chips, fruit (DH out of town)

I'll post some of the recipes if all the new stuff turns out! :)

Visit Laura's blog for more MPMs!

Enjoying Being a Homemaker!

Less than a year ago, I was unemployed (for over a year total), struggling with having a toddler and a newborn and just feeling like I wasn't cut out to be a SAHM. I started working PT in January and am off 7 days out of every 14. After I got used to working again, I realized I really enjoy being home on my days off. I'm still not the best at housework/cleaning but most days I don't really mind cleaning. It's nice having a clean house when we go to bed! I'm meal planning like crazy and have even starting baking/making new meals every week. The kis and I go to the library every Thursday and I try to do new projects with Hannah. I'm finally enjoying being a homemaker!

I've realized my problem last year was that I was under so much stress trying to find a job that I just couldn't focus on enjoying being home. Now I have more of a plan and I'm really glad I decided to go back to school to be a nurse. Not only will I be doing what I love (hopefully working with babies in the NICU) but I'll be able to be with my kids and trying to give them the best home life possible!

I feel so much better that I'm at least heading in the right direction. It's not easy having kids so young (I had just turned 21 when I had Hannah.) but I think I'm starting to finally figuring out how to balance things!

Though I gotta say, you have to have a lazy day once in a while...hence the pile of clean laundry sititng next to me waiting to be folded while I write this!! LoL

MPM July 7th!

A bit late but at least it's here! We tried the Bubble Up Enchiladas this week and they didn't turn out well. I'm not sure what happened but it was all doughy in the middle. Ugh!

No set breakfast/lunches this week. Just can't get focused enough to plan them. Breakfasts will be Breakfast cookies, pancakes, eggs/sausage etc. Lunches are sandwiches, leftovers, mac&cheese, veggies/fruit etc. Might make some whole wheat cookies this week also.

I have my menu planned through next Tuesday since I do my shopping Wednesdays. I'll only post through Sunday though...

7/8 Tuesday- Homemade pizza or Stromboli
7/9 Wednesday- Ham and cheese omelets, toast, fruit
7/10 Thursday- Chicken parmigiana with pasta, bread
7/11 Friday- Homemade chili, FF cornbread
7/12 Saturday- Mac and cheese with hotdogs, veggies/fruit
7/13 Sunday- Crockpot Spaghetti, salad, bread

Visit Laura's blog for more great menus!

Menu Plan Monday~ June 30th!

A little late but it's here! :) Hopefully I can stick to the breakfasts/lunches this time. Have a great 4th of July everyone!

Breakfast

Tuesday 7/1- Work- Waffle, Carnation Instant Breakfast
Wednesday 7/2- Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, toast
Thursday 7/3- Whole wheat pancakes (need to find a good recipe), fruit
Friday 7/4- Work- Egg white sandwich, orange juice
Saturday 7/5- Eggs, turkey bacon, biscuits/gravy
Sunday 7/6- Whatever sounds good!
Monday 7/7- Work- Egg white burrito
Tuesday 7/8- Work- Waffle, Carnation instant breakfast

Lunch

Tuesday 7/1- Work- Potato soup, cornbread, watermelon
Wednesday 7/2- ?? I have a job interview at 11!
Thursday 7/3- Something while we’re out at a well child visit.
Friday 7/4- Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, FF pudding
Saturday 7/5- Leftovers
Sunday 7/6- ???
Monday 7/7- Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, fruit
Tuesday 7/8- Work- Leftovers

Dinner

Tuesday 7/1- Filet Mignon, corn on the cob, baked potatoes
Wednesday 7/2- Bubbleup Enchiladas (didn’t make last week)
Thursday 7/3- Leftover
Friday 7/4- BBQ chicken, ribs, corn on the cob, homemade chips
Saturday 7/5- Out to Dinner
Sunday 7/6- Homemade pizza
Monday 7/7- Ham, stuffing, broccoli
Tuesday 7/8- Hot dogs, corn on the cob, oven fries (need a good recipe!)

Is There An End In Sight?

Jason and I have been struggling since I lost my job to years ago. (Right after we got married.) Money has been a constant source of stress on us and it seems like it's never going to end. WE keep getting hit with more and more expenses and we just can't pay it all! Lately it's just gotten worse. With the gas prices (it costs $60 to fill each car and we both have to fill up every 2 work days.), Jason being a newly diagnosed diabetic ($125 a month in meds) and the estimate for his periodontic work (gum disease from the diabetes) at $5000, we just feel like we're drowning! And on top of all that, yesterday our Jetta got a flat tire. Ugh!

I keep telling myself that God is just testing our strength. I'm trying to stay positive that things WILL start looking up at some point. We're both looking for new jobs (my current PT gig is actually COSTING us $200 a month after you factor in gas and child care) and hopefully we'll get some calls soon. Hopefully God will be done testing us soon!

Menu Plan Monday- June 23rd!

Last week wasn't the most successful planning week. We pretty much stuck to the dinners but kept moving them around. We also went out one night while my sister had a sleepover with our oldest. Much easier to take just the baby out! Anyway, I spent a bit more time planning breakfasts and lunches for this week because I ended up not really sticking to those this week.

I'm also trying some new recipes this week. Hopefully they turn out ok!

Breakfast

Monday 6/23- Work- Bagelful, Carnation Instant Breakfast
Tuesday 6/24- Work- Waffle, Carnation Instant Breakfast
Wednesday 6/25- Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese, apple slices
Thursday 6/26- Breakfast Cookies (New recipe)
Friday 6/27- Over easy eggs, toast, turkey sausage
Saturday 6/28- Work- Breakfast Cookie
Sunday 6/29- Work- Egg white sandwich, orange juice
Monday 6/30- Work- Egg white burrito
Tuesday 7/1- Work- Waffle, Carnation instant breakfast

Lunch

Monday 6/23- Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, FF pudding
Tuesday 6/24- Work- ½ Tuna sandwich, soup at hand, Light yogurt
Wednesday 6/25- Ham and Mac Casserole (leftovers), fruit
Thursday 6/26- Freezer Meals, fruit
Friday 6/27- Leftover soup, grilled cheese, fruit
Saturday 6/28- Work- Turkey/Ham sandwich, carrots/dip, FF pudding
Sunday 6/29- Work- Leftover beans/rice, WW tortillas, yogurt
Monday 6/30- Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, granola bar
Tuesday 7/1- Work- Leftover Enchilada bake, fruit

Dinner

Monday 6/23- ShakeNBake Chicken, rice, broccoli
Tuesday 6/24- Sandwiches on fresh French bread, carrots/dip, apple slices
Wednesday 6/25- Turkey Mushroom burgers (no bun), corn on the cob, fruit
Thursday 6/26- Crockpot Potato Chowder (New recipe), bread, fruit
Friday 6/27- Crockpot Spaghetti with Meatballs, garlic breadsticks
Saturday 6/28- Red beans and rice, sausage, broccoli
Sunday 6/29- Steakum sandwiches with mushrooms, fruit, carrots/dip
Monday 6/30- Bubble Up Enchiladas (New Recipe)
Tuesday 7/1- Filet Mignon (freezer), corn on the cob, baked potatoes

Hoping to have an under $60 grocery trip this week. Last week was a stock up week and we spent $140. I'm planning on $60 a week for the next 3 weeks. Hopefully I can stick to it!

Have a great week! Stop by Laura's MPM for more menus!

Menu Plan Monday- June 16th!

It's that time again! (Well, really, it's only Sunday but I work Monday's so I post early! LoL) I LOVE Menu Planning! It seriosuly a stress reliever for me to sit down and make my list and then plan the shopping trip after that. I type it all and print it for my fridge. I love it! My hubby says I should be a Nutritionist!

Anyway, last week I decided to plan all my breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the week. I'm on Weight Watchers and it really helped to keep on plan. I actually stuck to the whole list! I'm trying it again this week though my lunches for work are getting boring! On the days I work, the breakfasts and lunches are just for me. The other days they're for me and the girls.

FYI, I shop on Wednesdays so my posts are going to overlap Mondays and Tuesday. The first M and T of the list are from last week's plan. My new ones runs Wed-Tues. Hope that makes sense!

Hop on over to Laura's for more MPM!

Breakfast

Monday 6/16: Work- Egg white sandwich
Tuesday 6/17: Work- Waffles, carnation instant breakfast
Wednesday 6/18: Sausage and cheese omelets, toast, fruit
Thursday 6/19: French toast, turkey sausage, fruit
Friday 6/20: Work- Waffles, carnation instant breakfast
Saturday 6/21: Out to breakfast!
Sunday 6/22: Work- Egg white sandwich
Monday 6/23: Work- Egg white burrito
Tuesday 6/24: Work- Waffles, carnation instant breakfast

Lunch

Monday 6/16: Work- Tuna sandwich, pretzels, pears
Tuesday 6/17: Work- Cornbread, Soup at Hand, carrots/dip, fruit
Wednesday 6/18: Subway or McDonald’s (Dr. appt)
Thursday 6/19: Leftover Boston Market, fruit
Friday 6/20: Work- Leftover Cheddar Mac and Ham Casserole, carrots/dip, diced pears
Saturday 6/21: FF Hot dogs, chips/veggies w/ dip
Sunday 6/22: Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, pretzels
Monday 6/23: Work- Ham/Turkey sandwich, pretzels, fruit
Tuesday 6/24: Work- Tuna sandwich, carrots/dip, pretzels

Dinner

Monday 6/16: Chili, rice, fruit, fat free cornbread
Tuesday 6/17: “Pizzadillas” (Turkey Pepperoni, cheese, black olives, pizza sauce in WW tortillas) Wednesday 6/18: Boston Market- Rotisserie chicken, dill potatoes, mac&cheese, cinnamon apples, corn bread
Thursday 6/19: Cheddar Mac and Ham Casserole, fruit
Friday 6/20: Spicy ShakeNBake Chicken, rice, broccoli, fruit
Saturday 6/21: Turkey/Mushroom burgers, grilled corn on the cob, fruit
Sunday 6/22: Ground turkey spaghetti, broccoli, fresh baked French bread
Monday 6/23: Sandwiches (on leftover French bread), chips/carrots w/ dip, fruit
Tuesday 6/24: Leftovers!

This obviously isn't going to be a $60 grocery week. Time to restock. Next week will be another $60 budget week.

Have a great week!

Menu Plan Monday~ June 9th

DH will be home this week so we'll actually have dinners to cook! LoL I'm still trying to keep the grocery bill under $60 a week. I need to buy formula and diapers this week so I'll really have to look at everything else to keep to budget. A lot of the meals are still coming from the pantry/freezer so that will really help!

Head to OrgJunkie for more MPMs!

Monday 6/9: Ground Turkey & Black bean burritos, Spanish rice

Tuesday 6/10: Filet Mignon, Rice, Corn on the Cob

Wednesday 6/11: Homemade pizza (turkey pepperoni, sausage, olives)

Thursday 6/12: Steak sandwiches, fruit

Friday 6/13: Bertolli frozen meal, blueberry muffins

Saturday 6/14: Jill’s (My sister) B-day BBQ. Will be making the cake for this.

Sunday 6/15: Father’s Day BBQ at my Dad's.

Menu Plan Monday- June 2nd!

This is the 2nd week of my pantry challenge! The first worked out great (see the last post to see my frugal shopping success!) and since DH is out of town pretty much this whole week, I'm going to push a bunch of meals back to next week (since it's all from the pantry/freezer). So that make 3 weeks of pantry eating. My goal is to spend less than $60 each week on groceries, including formula.

This week is just me and the girls (DH leaves Tuesday and comes home Sunday) so not many actual meals planned. DH is cooking Monday's meal since I have a dental appt, can you tell? LoL

Breakfasts: Waffles, Eggs, Turkey Sausage, Cereal, Oatmeal, Fruit, Yogurt, Carnation instant breakfast (Any combo...)

Lunch: Lots of sandwiches (ton of turkey/ham to get through before it goes bad), mac and cheese, carrots/dip, baked chips, cheese, apples, mandarin oranges

Snacks: Whole Grain goldfish, cheese and crackers, fruit, carrots/dip, granola bars

Dinners:

Monday 6/2: Velveeta mac & cheese, boneless buffalo wings

Tuesday 6/3: Leftovers

Wednesday 6/4: Out with Dad for Stepmom’s Birthday

Thursday 6/5: TV Dinners

Friday 6/6: Take Out (Mom’s)

Saturday 6/7: “Pizzadillas” (Turkey Pepperoni, cheese, black olives, pizza sauce in WW tortillas)

Sunday 6/8: Ground Turkey & Black bean burritos, Spanish rice

Have a wonderful week! Check out Laura's blog for other MPM's!

First Time at Frugal Shopping!

I decided (out of neccessity due to budget) to eat mainly from the pantry for the next two weeks. For the first time I went to 2 seperate stores to do my shopping based on the prices/deals. I had to pick up a prescription for DH but that's a seperate budget so that isn't calculated into my food budget. I orginally had 10 items on my list but I added a few because of deals and coupons. Here's a break down of my shopping: (c)= coupon Prices are before coupons.

Wal-Mart
Apple Juice- $2.50
Envelopes- $0.94
Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage- $2.14
Pizza dough (c)- $1.24
Bread dough (c)- $1.24
Formula- $25.56
Total: $32.62
Coupon- -$0.50
Grand Total: $32.20

Vons
Gerber puffs (c)- $2.20
Gerber mini fruits (c)- $2.75
Gerber meal (c)- $2.25
Kraft Mac&cheese 5pk (c)- $3.99
Storebrand soda x2 (c)- $1.00
Kraft singles- $3.50
Dz Eggs (c)- $2.39
2 gal Milk- $5.39
Sandwich kit (c)- $2.50
Lunchables x3 (c)- $1.66 each
Bananas- $1.11
Mandarin oranges- $2.50
Total: $52.89
Coupons- -$10.38
Club card savings- $12.04
Grand Total: $30.46

Vons was doing Double Coupons (do they always?) so I got some great deals. The sandwich kit ended up only costing me $0.50!

So my total spent for the week was $62.66! I normally spend about $150. And I took out the cost of the formula because I have no control over having to buy that one (LoL) and my "grocery" bill was only $38.10.

Hopefully I can keep this up!

MPM Week of May 26th!

I've been doing menu planning for a long tme but last week was the first time I posted with Laura's Menu Plan Monday. I'm happy to stay week stuck COMPLETELY to the plan! We don't usually do that.

I just sat down and planned the next two weeks of dinners using my own "Pantry Challenge". I'm trying to keep the grocery shopping to a bare minimum and I'm actually excited about this week's list! Only 10 items and one is hubby's prescription med! I'll post my shopping list below. Thanks for hosting MPM, Laura!

Jason is out of town Mon-Wed this week so it's just me and the babies for Monday and Tuesday dinners.


Monday 5/26: Sandwiches, baked chips, apple slices

Tuesday 5/27: Grilled Cheese and Soup

Wednesday 5/28: Pancakes, Ham/Cheese Eggs, Hashbrowns

Thursday 5/29: Take Out (Dr. Appts)

Friday 5/30: Spaghetti sauce (from freezer), bow tie pasta, garlic bread, salad

Saturday 5/31: Ground Turkey & Black bean burritos, Spanish rice

Sunday 6/1: Homemade pizza (turkey pepperoni, sausage, olives)


Breakfasts: Eggs, waffles, turkey sausage, oatmeal, cereal, fruit

Lunches: Sandwiches, Leftovers, Soup, Freezer meals (pizzas, burrito, KidsCuisine)

Snacks: Popcorn, cereal, fruit, baked chips, pretzels, granola bars, crackers/cheese
_________________________________________________
Shopping List:

Eggs
Milk (2)
Kraft 2% Singles
Turkey Sausage
Melon
Apple Slices
Pizza crust
Diet Soda (store brand)
Formula
DH's prescription

Hopefully I can keep from picking up any random things at the store!

Have a great week!

My Own Pantry Challenge

While looking at Laura's Menu Plan Monday post, I've noticed a lot of mom's doing a "Pantry Challenge". It looks like most of them are trying to cut grocery costs and whittle down their pantry stock. Money's pretty tight for us for at least two weeks so I decided to do a little "Pantry Challenge" of my own!

I just took an inventory of what I have in the freezer/pantry/spice cabinet and am going to try and figure out 2 weeks of meals using mainly those ingredients. I'm hoping to keep my grocery bill under $50 each week for the next 2 weeks. (Not including formula since I have no choice on that one!)

I'm also using coupons again, but there were no coupons at all in today's paper! Grr! I'm going to go get the LA Times later and hopefully there will be some in that one.

Wish me luck!

Exciting Stuff (At Least IMO!)

I've been looking for someone to come watch my kids in my home while I work for a while now. Right now family watches them which is great but both hubby and I work pretty far from home which means we have to get the girls up ridiculously early to get them to my family's houses and to work in time. Today I met with a young mom who wants to be a Nanny for my girls. She is amazing! She has a adorable little girl who is 14 months old and has watched kids in her own home before she moved here. She got along great with the girls and she's going to start watching them here on Monday! Now DH and I won't be so rushed in the AM!

On another note, we bought a Wii Fit yesterday! It was a tad expensive but it's really important for DH to start exercising to help control his diabetes/cholesterol. Neither of us are very into exercising but we are major gamers and it looked fun. I was concerned that it wasn't going to truelly be a workout. Let me just tell you, DH and I both played for 45 min each and had a blast! Not to mention, we were both sore and sweating afterwards. Definately a great investment for us! I wonder if it could be a tax deducation as a medical expense? LoL!
Everyone with a Wii should check it out!

Back On Plan!

I've been doing Weight Watchers on and off since my oldest was 3 months old. I've lost almost 40 lbs since I had Avery (almost 8 months). I haven't been staying on plan lately but I finally decided I want to lose the rest of the baby weight before she's a year old! That's really only 13lbs so hopefully it'll be well before September! So I started fresh yesterday (my weigh in day) and am really trying to stay on track. I'm also really working on making healthier, low-carb dinners since Jason found out he has Type 2 diabetes. I'm already working on next Monday's Menu plan and it's only Wednesday! :) Wish me luck that I can stay on track!

Menu Plan Monday!

I've been planning out our dinners in a weekly menu for a while now. It makes things so much easier especially when it comes to shopping! I actually really enjoy planning our menus and it's going to get even more involved now that I have to balance hubby's diabetic diet. I'm also on Weight Watchers so I try and make somewhat healthy meals! Not very good at it though...

So every week I'll be posting with Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday's! I usually plan Wednesday to the following Tuesday but I plan pretty far in advance! Here's our week, starting tomorrow!

Monday 5/19: Turkey burgers with turkey bacon and cheese, corn on the cob, fruit

Tuesday 5/20: Turkey roast, stuffing, broccoli

Wednesday 5/21: BLTs (with turkey bacon), fruit, baked chips

Thursday 5/22: Cheddar Mac and Ham Casserole, corn on the cob

Friday 5/23: Shake N Bake chicken, broccoli, rice

Saturday 5/24: Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread

Sunday 5/25: Take out

Now Blogging!

A friend of mine has been blogging for a while and I finally got around to start my own! I'm hoping this will help me find balance in my life!