Menu Plan 7/20 - 7/26

My week always starts on Saturday...I usually plan on Thursday and shop on Friday.  Last week was a little different though.  We had to go to the doctor on Thursday evening for a wound check and then on Friday we went to Six Flags.   My meals for those days carried over to the weekend and I did my shopping on Sunday, which I don't like to do!    But here's our plan:

Saturday - Housewarming party at a friend's house

Sunday - Chilli - Trevor's been requesting it for 3 weeks.   

Monday - Southwestern Bean Salad

Tuesday - Zucchini Lasagna - with zucchini fresh from the garden

Wednesday - Crockpot Minestrone Soup

Thursday - Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Friday - Grilled Chicken Pesto & Tomato and salad

We have a busy week ahead of us.  

Menu Plan Monday - July 6 - 12, 2013

Saturday, July 6 - graduation party...we had sandwiches for lunch.

Sunday, July 7 - Beef short ribs on the grill w/ zucchini and potato salad.

Monday, July 8 - Veggie and Alfredo Pasta

Tuesday, July 9 - Fried Cabbage with bacon, onion, garlic   and a side of watermelon

Wednesday, July 10 - Lowfat chili tacos (crockpot recipe)

Thursday, July 11 - Crockpot pulled pork w/ potato rolls and coleslaw (putting the dry rub on it on Monday evening so it will be good and seasoned)

Friday, July 12 - Meatloaf w/ mashed potatoes and green beans. 

I will be back to doing my grocery shopping on Fridays!  Thank goodness for small favors.  

Menu Planning - February 2 - 8, 2013

I finally feel like I have a handle on our meal planning.  I created a board (it's called 2013 Meals) on Pinterest for menu planning.   After I decide what we're having, either from Pins or family favorites or new recipes, I write down it down on paper and write the ingredients needed to purchase.    Then, I go to the store.  Our grocery bill has decreased.  Our eating out has decreased (except for this week, but these are planned meals out and not an "Oh what's for dinner?")

Saturday -  Leftovers for lunch and dinner with family, I took a Chocolate Sheet Cake.

Sunday -   Chilli - it's Superbowl Sunday

Monday - Squash Mac & Cheese  and a salad

Tuesday - Uncle Meaty pizza from Armand's for S & the boys (it's T's birthday and I am working 2-8)

Wednesday - Sausage and Bean Soup with Pasta

Thursday -  Out for T's birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse (family tradition usually on their birthday)

Friday - Skinny Slow Cooked Pernil (Puerto Rican Pork)

And so planning begins for next week.  I'm glad this week's grocery store trip was small (I did not have to purchase any meat because I planned around the freezer) because next week's will include a family dinner and the birthday boy has not decided what he wants other than lemon bars, lemon cake and mousse. 

The Greatest of these is LOVE...

The second reading at Mass today was 1 Corinthians 12:21 -13:13.   The verse is very special to me and my husband.  We used this reading as our 2nd reading at our Wedding Mass.  The verse was chosen because of the words and how beautiful it was, not for what it truly means.  

The priest presiding over our Mass today took those words and put the in a different perspective.   We all know that God is Love.    So look at the verse again but change the word love to God:

"God is patient, God is kind.
He is not jealous, He is not pompous,
He is not inflated, He is not rude,
God does not seek his own interests,
He is not quick-tempered, He does not brood over injury,
He does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
God bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.

God never fails."

He then asked us to use this verse as an examination of conscience and to ask ourselves are we living out this verse as God lives out this verse.   And here is how that would look:

1. Am I patient? 
2. Am I kind?
3. Am I or have I been Jealous?
4. Am I or have I been rude?
5. Am I pompous?
6. Am I inflated? 
7. Do I only do things that will benefit me?
8. Am I quick tempered?
9. Do I rejoice over wrongdoing? 
10. Can I bear all things, believe all things, hope all things and endure all things?

I teared up as I realized that to answer these questions honestly, I had to honestly say "No".   I am not living this verse/my life as God intended.  Change is not easy, but sometimes necessary.   I find myself not being patient or kind with the boys.    I should be rejoicing in the time we have together and the time spent on homework and housework and cooking.    But many days, I am not, I'm angry, upset and definitely not patient.  

Time for some small, simple changes for us.  

I'm reading Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma.   Why am I reading it?  Because I need to rid my home of youth entitlement.     Yep, I admit...my kids are spoiled and do very little for themselves.   My hopes are that by teaching the boys how to help me (do for themselves), I will be raising them into young men that can care for themselves.  


I'm also participating in the Let. It. Go. online bible study that is being hosted by Melissa Taylor.   Signing up for this was last minute...like in, the study starts today and I signed up yesterday.  Thank goodness the book was available for Kindle. 

Wendy

I choose....HAPPY

I have spent so many days being mad, sad, upset, angry, etc.   I woke up early today, not tired and I laid in bed and thought what can I do to make today better, we're always rushing, I always seem to be screaming, the boys are not angry and frustrated when I am.  What can I do to make us happy?

To be happy!  I chose today to be happy, feet hit the floor, showered and picked up 3 out of the 4 bedrooms.  I opened curtains, made breakfast, packed snacks, emptied backpacks, and all with a smile.    The boys are leaving the house happy and I know they will have great days at school because they left the house happy.  We did not fight and argue.  I only raised my voice once and as I caught myself doing it I said to myself...I choose to be HAPPY, no yelling allowed.  Yelling and getting angry only make us not happy.   

Maybe it's TMI for my little spot, but I needed to put it into words for myself.  I guess the old saying is true "If momma ain't happy no one's happy." 

My plans for today include keeping a smile on my face and remaining happy.  But I also have my weekly home blessing, some zone cleaning in my kitchen, my daily load of laundry, putting some leftover laundry away from the weekend, working a little bit in the basement (purging and organizing 15 minutes at a time), a menu plan for the week based on what we have in the house, some time in prayer, a little time sewing,  a walk or bike ride and the daily workout from Kick-Ass April and Six-Pack March and then my evening includes a practice baseball game for my oldest.  Sounds like a lot on my schedule but not really.  I'll break it down into 15 minute segments and take regular me time breaks (which is when the sewing and prayer time will happen). 

But most importantly, I'm going to choose to be happy all day, no matter what happens.

FWQS - Farmer's Wife Quilt Sampler

I asked for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Sampler for Christmas.  After a bit of miscommunication I did not receive the book for Christmas but did use a a gift card and purchased it after Christmas.   I did not want to start because I had / have a few projects that are not completed that I REALLY need to finish. 

I finished one of those projects yesterday and decided that I would allow myself to start working on the blocks as long as I continue to work on the other projects that I have going.  We'll see how long it lasts.  

First off, printing issues has caused me not to be able to print my templates yet.   So I needed a block that I could either find a block online and use the dimensions OR based on a 6 inch block figure out the dimensions myself.  I'm up for the challenge. 

I looked through the book, block 2 Autumn Tints seemed easy enough to figure out and that's what I did!  

And here is the finished product.

I'm very happy with how it turned out.    I need to work on another project and then give myself a reward by making another block! 

Strawberries & Creme Scones

On Wednesdays I have coffee with a group of friends that I met through my children's preschool days.   I look forward to those mornings.  We used to meet at Starbucks because it was close to the preschool, now we meet at Panera.   Who knows where we will meet next year but I'm sure it will be something that we continue. 

While there last week, I had received a free pastry on my Panera card.  Hmmm, what to get.  I tried their Strawberries and Creme Scone.  I knew that I had to 1) find a recipe and 2) try to make them.    That's exactly what I did today! 

The recipe that I used came from King Arthur Flour Co.  and you can link to it here.  I followed it exactly except for 3 changes.  The first change is I did not have enough  white flour so I used whole wheat white flour, the 2nd change is I added a handful of dark chocolate chips and the last change was for the glaze I added an extra 1/2 teaspoon of water (the glaze seemed too thick).    Used a medium Pampered Chef scoop and baked them for 17 minutes on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. 

How did they turn out....moist, tender and very good.   I will be making these again! 

Where is the picture you ask?  My camera battery has quit working and I am currently awaiting my new one to arrive.    The next time I make them I will snap pictures to post!!!