Monday, Monday!!

What a week!

~WOW~

These past 2 weeks have been very trying on my nerves! First, my laptop goes out...Found out it could be part of a lawsuit (and if it is, I will get a brand new one!), so I am having to go old school with the desk top...which runs slower. Second, The kids have been battling double ear infections and hubby and I have been sick with the head/chest cold stuff. I have been going on 7 days with it but I am much better today.

As far as menu planning, schedule planning and so forth, there has been none of that. But, I have managed to get groceries this week.
 

I went up to Whole Foods and bought some meats, milk, cheese and fruits. I love knowing that I am purchasing items that have not been tainted with growth hormones and pumped full of antibiotics and sprayed with gallons of "pest" killers that are so called "safe" for human consumption. I must add that the Applewood fresh bulk bacon that I purchased was very delish and I will be purchasing more of that in the future....next week!!

I borrowed my moms juicer about 2 weeks ago in hopes of juicing, but I have not managed to get that far yet. Maybe over the weekend I can get things together to start next week! I will be posting a couple of blogs about juicing and the health benefits!

I had to pick up a few things at WalMart today and as I was walking past the magazines, I picked one up...CHICKENS. Yes, I purchased a chicken magazine. We have a chicken coop with 4 chickens and I wanted to read more about them and possibly learn some new tricks for keeping them occupied and not bored. I am only half way through and I am hooked! I love all the varieties out there. We are planning on getting more chicken in the spring and expanding our coop so this is a great way to learn how, the proper way! Its all about raising your chickens on a farm, not industrially. The Hobby Farm Magazine put out this edition and there are 3 more coming this year. I will be purchasing those as well!!

As far as exercise and diet goes, I have not stuck to a diet since I have been sick. It's one of those "only eat because you have too" sicknesses. Before I got sick, I was doing Zumba on the Wii a couple of days a week and I must say....I AM ADDICTED!!! I Love it!! I highly recommend that if you have a Wii, you purchase this workout. You don't really feel like you are working out! It is fun for the kids too, they get to try and dance as well! It has programs that you can set up and it changes up your dances. SO MUCH FUN!!!

Menu Planning.....UGH!!

I take a very deep and long breath as I contemplate on what to write....

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Ok, I have come to the conclusion that though I may plan a certain meal for that day, I want to eat what I plan on making the next night..... So, instead of sticking to set nights for meal plans, I am going to make a list of main dishes and sides that we can have that week. That way, when I wake up in the morning, if I don't feel like making stuffed Pork Chops, I can make Chicken  Tender Salads instead, because I know we have the items in the pantry and I just mark it off the list. I will "officially" start this Monday. We are kinda "flying by the seat of our pants" the rest of the week and weekend. 

We have a busy weekend ahead of us! We must finish tiling the shower (which we started 2 weekends ago and have been using the kids bath since) and we are going to The Home Show Saturday! I am so excited! We have plans of remodeling the house this year and this will give us many ideas and FREEBIES!! Love it!!

I know this blog has been long today but I had some catching up to do!! I should be back on schedule! I hope everyone has a very blessed and HEALTHY day!!

~Remember to put God first, and everything else will follow~

Yet.....Another Snow Day!

Is it really that obvious? Can you sense the sarcasm in my writing?

Another Snow Day.....

Now they will have to start making the days up for snow....On our 5th round of snow storms this year, though this one wasn't as bad. 

Don't get me wrong, I love having my kids home! But, I am going to hate them having to go longer than expected. 

Enough!

How has your week started off so far?

Mine has been great! 

Sticking to the 1500 calorie diet is much easier than I thought. I am eating more filling, low calorie foods and I am eating the right portions! Even though is has only been a couple of days I already feel better! 

It's amazing what eating right can do for your moods!

As far as a meal plan goes this week, there is not one! Well, there is but i just made it today and its not completely filled out...

So far this week we have had:

Monday:

Tilapia, Green Beans, and Salad

Tuesday:

Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, and Steamed Mixed Veggies with Cheese sauce

Tonight we are having Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops, Cheesy Potato and Turkey Bacon Hash, Green Beans and Salads!! And yes, it will fit all into my calorie points!! 

Thursday:

 Homemade Pizza Night (Per Dillon's request)

Friday:

Dinner at my mom's to celebrate a daddy's birthday! No matter how old I get, I will always call him, daddy!!

Saturday:

We have a Leadership Dinner with our church and its a ?Semi-Formal?. Better break out those Semi-Fancy clothes...you know the ones you only wear once a year! 

Sunday:

???? Another place I hadn't finished!

Needless to say, I need to do some searching in my pantry and freezer to see what I can scrounge up! 

Monday, I purchased a book....Twilight Saga's Breaking Dawn. It is 754 pages long and as of right now, I am on page 525....nearing the end! I had not seen any of the other movies until a couple of weeks ago. I did however, spend a weekend watching all 3 movies with my hubby! He likes them too, but he doesn't like to admit it! What man, in his right mind, wants to admit they have a softer side and occasionally likes a good Love Story?!!?!  

The release for the 4th movie, in case you wanted to know, is 11.18.11 and the one for the 5th is 11.??.12!! Don't really remember the date on that one.

Onto another subject....

I promised a recipe for the Lemon Shrimp Parmesan Pasta! 

You will get that recipe soon....

~Remember to put God first, and everything else will follow~

WOW! What a week....

I would like to find a stew that will give me heartburn immediately, instead of at three o'clock in the morning.  ~John Barrymore

This week has not gone to plan by far! Trying to get back into a routine from having the kids home from school a whole week because of snow was not easy. And to top that off, They have another snow day today! So, since winter break, they have had 13 days of classes which they only attended 7 because of snow...

Enough venting!

How has your week gone?

Are you still doing the Pantry Challenge?

Speaking of Pantry Challenge, we have not really stuck with the menu plan this week. It went a little something like this...

Monday: BBQ Bacon Sloppy Joes

Tuesday: Fried Pork Chops, Mashed Potatoes and Salad

Wednesday: Pasta with Red Sauce 

Thursday:  Chicken Bites, Pasta Salad and Salad

We were going to have fish Wednesday night instead of Goulash but the fish ended up being to mushy and didn't look right, so when in doubt, throw it out. Luckily, I had a stocked pantry and was able to throw a dinner together. 

Thursday night was the only night that I actually went and bought chicken. I forgot to lay something out that morning and the kids were getting out of school early due to snow and I was in a hurry. I know, but it was on sale and I got a good deal! 

Tonight, we are having homemade Pepperoni Pizza!! Yes, this is completely from my pantry! I made a batch of pizza dough last week and froze 3 of the crust dough! My hubby and kids (and I) LOVE Pizza!!!! We could eat it everyday, well, I could!! Homemade just makes it better!! 

As for this weekend, we are having some friends over for dinner tomorrow night. What was planned before was BBQ Chicken Sammies left over from the Roasted Chicken during the week. Since that never got cooked, I am going to make it Saturday night...with Baked Potatoes and Green Beans! I will let them bring the dessert! I might even make some homemade rolls! 

As for Sunday, We will eat out for lunch and for dinner I will stick to the original plan and have Grilled cheese and Soup!

Starting next week, I will be adding in some new topics!! I hope you join me!! Don't forget to follow and refer me to your friends! 

Have a blessed weekend!!

~Remember to put God first, and everything else will follow~

Let's get started!!

I am one who loves, loves, LOVES to make list....but not one who likes to follow them all the time! I love having a routine...but I don't like to follow it all the time. I LOVE having a menu plan...but I don't like to follow it all the time...getting my drift?? This year, one of my personal goals is to stick with whatever I am doing! If I make a list for the grocery store...stick with it. So on and on...

Over the weekend, I am planning on tackling my freezer planning meals, grocery list, cutting coupons and organizing them, meal planning for the rest of the month, chore planning, and catching up on house work! In with that, I am going to get hubby to help me inventory our pantry/fridge and both freezers. WHEW, come Monday I am going to be ready for another weekend! There are many, many blogs that I love to read and follow! I get ideas and learn lots from reading them. Though I have had a blog since 2009, I have only mostly been posting recipes and a few couponing adventures. This is what I am revamping my blog with this year:

* Coupons- how to, where to, organization, and using. Deals that I get and how you can get them too!

* Frugal cleaning tips

* Menu Planning

* Freezer Cooking

* Our journey to saving money

* And my life in general- very exciting, I tell ya! LOL

My husband has been blessed with a awesome job. Though he works long hours most days, we have been blessed! I have been able to stay home with our 2 children since I had our oldest, Emma, 6 years ago! I did hold a Real Estate license and plan on getting back into it part time this year. We are a 1 income family. Its works for us. Our grocery bill use to be around $800 a month for a family of 4. I have cut that down to less than $500 a month with couponing and menu planning and so on. I will share with you how I do it later on in more post! My ultimate goal is to get down to $75 a week, including all personal and toiletries items. It can be done! That doesn't mean we will be living on oatmeal, beans and rice, It just means, MENU PLANNING and FREEZER COOKING!! Some of the ways I plan on doing so is by:

* Gardening (we have had a garden the past 4 years and last year we got over 500 tomatoes which I canned)

* Freezer Cooking

* Eating less processed foods and more made from scratch.

* Getting local farm raised beef, pork and chicken

That is just a few. Late last summer we added a Chicken coup to our backyard so we get fresh eggs everyday!! I make my own Chicken stock (most of the time) and I make homemade bread and rolls (some of the time). I will be doing this a lot more than I did last year! Another one of our goals I have set for us is to see how frugal we can get. We are planning a trip to Disney World this year so we have to get frugal!!


I plan on blogging everyday if possible! I may have to switch blogging sites but I will make sure y'all know!! If you have any suggestions, please comment!! and Follow my blog....who knows what you might read! LOL!!!



~Remember to put God first, and everything else will follow~