Getting Back on Schedule

I would like to start this post by thanking you all for the loving comments on my last post. Thank you so much for including my family in your thoughts and prayers.

Now lets talk about the exciting news… I start nursing clinicals this fall! I have been on the waitlist for three years. (In Michigan, or at least our area the waitlist is a few years. First you complete the prerequesites. Then you sit and wait. Three years later, you complete the clinical portion (2 years). Finally you are ready to take your state boards.)

My husband and I actually had ourselves convinced that I probally wouldn’t get in until next Janurary. Needless to say, we are excited (a little anxious about the changes we have to adapt to, but excited).

My to-do list grew ten-fold overnight. So expect to see posts of freezer meals, sewing, and organizing my routine in the next two months.

Here’s what we plan on eating this week:

• Monday- Chicken Fried Rice
• Tuesday- Crockpot BBQ Ribs
• Wednesday- Roast in the crockpot
• Thursday- Leftovers
• Friday- Homemade Pizza
• Saturday- Tacos
• Sunday- Grilled Chicken

I have some fun stuff to share, hopefully all goes well and I can jump back into my regular posting.

Again, thank you so much for your support (and patience) while I spent time with my loved ones.

Week Goals…Keep the Family Fed…

Happy Monday, I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

This week is going to be an extra busy week. Our town wide garage sales start Thursday, run through the weekend, and are also next Thursday and Friday. Needless to say, I am not as prepared as I wanted to be. (Hopefully I can share a garage sale tips post later this week.)

I also have a test to take and clinicals to register for (hopefully this is my semester to start). We also have four softball games, and three baseball games.

My goals are actually to-dos this week. Things that I have to do. I’m not even going to pressure myself with anything extra this week.

Weekly To-Dos

• Garage Sale (this involves a huge list of to-dos)
• C.N.A. test
• Keep up on housework, and keep the family fed.
• 2 blog posts.
• Write guest post for July.

The same goes for the menu, Keep It Simple Silly. This week we are eating from the freezer, and utilizing the crockpot.

Menu

• Monday- Crockpot Turkey Legs
• Tuesday- Turkey/Rice/Veggie Casserole
• Wednesday- Tacos
• Thursday- Steak and Potatoes
• Friday- Meatloaf
• Saturday- Leftovers

Do you have those weeks where ‘feeding the family’ is on the to-do list? If so, what are your simple meals? I feel a little stupid putting this on my to-do list, but I also know myself. Busy weeks like this week, I forget about dinner until six or so, half an hour after we usually eat. Then my poor family is stuck eating peanut butter and jelly for dinner five nights in a row.

Muscle Tee Sneak Peak, Menu, and Goals

It’s official. Baseball/softball season is in full swing. My stepson had a game Wednesday night, and a double header Saturday. Hubby had a double header yesterday. And my stepdaughter decided she wanted to play softball this year. We are so glad she had changed her mind and decided to play, but in another week we will have two more games a week added to our schedule.

Whew… does reading this make you as tired as it does me? Needless to say, things may be a little slower around here until I figure out another routine.

Here’s a peak at the boys’ summer shirts (finally, right):

This weeks menu:

• Sunday- Hot Dogs
• Monday- Pork Steak
• Tuesday- Leftovers
• Wednesday- Meatloaf
• Thursday- Turkey
• Friday- Turkey/rice casserole
• Saturday- Birthday Dinner!

My goals for this week:

• Go through kitchen
• Go through my clothes
• Try to find time to put fence around garden (may not get done this week)
• Finish Listings (take pictures)
• Post Muscle Shirt How-to
• Sew: 2 muscle shirts, 2 pair of shorts, 2 pair of p.j. shorts
• Stencil game shirts for boys
• Type up 31 by 31 list
• Clean out freezer
• Make dishwasher soap and laundry soap

What are your dinner plans this week? I have been in a rut lately. We need quick, easy, and sometimes portable meal ideas.

Have you set any weekly goals? My list looks a little daunting this week, but I know the majority of things won’t take too long.

Weekend Review, Menu, and Goals

We had such a busy weekend! We celebrated an eleventh birthday. The birthday girl’s dinner choice was steak and potatoes. She also requested a vanilla cake with strawberry lemonade frosting. (A different request, but accomplished!)

I used this cake recipe (its egg-free), minus the raspberry filling. Absolutely delicious! The frosting also turned out pretty yummy, look for a post in the future.

We took the family and four extra girls (aged 9-11) swimming at the Y. (Are we crazy or what!) They had a blast. Then we all came home and continued the birthday celebration. Our weekend was finished off with the birthday shopping tradition.

I love celebrations and having friends and family over, but my goodness am I glad to see Monday!

Want to know what we are eating this week?

• Monday- Clean out the fridge (we have so much food left over from this weekend)
• Tuesday- Spare Ribs
• Wednesday- Spaghetti
• Thursday- ? Chicken maybe.
• Friday- Fish
• Saturday- Easter get together with my family, ham and cheesy potatoes
• Sunday- Dinner at husband’s parents

Goals:

Last Week Update

1. Work on etsy shop. I have been putting this off for too long, I really need to get moving on it.
2. Post 3 blog posts, work on two others.
3. Work on baseball tee tutorial.
4. Clean/purge attic.
5. Make some lunches for the freezer.
6. If I find time, peel wallpaper border from living room, and wash walls.

This Week:

1. Easter presents/baskets.
2. Post 3 blog posts.
3. Finish all unfinished projects on sewing table.
4. Clean/purge spare bedroom closet

This looks like a short list, but oh my do I ever have the pile of half-finished sewing projects building up. I plan to finish these this week, and spend the rest of the time working on Easter stuff.

Do you have any Easter gifts to finish up this week (or are you like me, and just starting them)?

Monday Menu and Weekly Goals

If you have been following for a little bit, you know Mondays are usually the boring post days around here. I try to post a menu for the week, and my weekly goals. (Although I haven’t been very consistent with goals lately.) So here’s what I am planning this week:

• Monday- Chicken Fingers
• Tuesday- Chicken Fried Rice
• Wednesday- Tacos
• Thursday- ??
• Friday- Steak
• Saturday- Party food

Goals/To-Dos

1. Work on etsy shop. I have been putting this off for too long, I really need to get moving on it.
2. Post 3 blog posts, work on two others.
3. Work on baseball tee tutorial.
4. Clean/purge attic.
5. Make some lunches for the freezer.
6. If I find time, peel wallpaper border from living room, and wash walls.

What are you eating this week? Do you have any goals this week?

Stop back tomorrow for a twin tip! And thanks for sticking through the accountability posts!

How We Menu Plan

Menu planning has been a struggle for me. I have the freezer cooking down. I love my crockpot. The problem I usually had was sticking to the menu.

This is how it used to go; I’d start the week off good. I would get two days in, realize that I ALWAYS cook too much food, get discouraged with myself, and just give up on our menu. Not anymore. (Well, I do still cook way too much.) I have devised a plan that works for us, and that’s what is important- that it works for us.

Want to know what works around here? Here is a step-by-step (well, sort of):

Menu planning goes on all week. When hubby mentions something that sounds good, I make note of it. No, not a mental note, because I lose those notes, but I actually write it down.

On Friday or Saturday I ask the family what sounds good for dinner this week. I write those suggestions down. If nobody offers any suggestions, there is absolutely no complaining about what is for dinner.

Next I look at our schedule. For instance, my step-son’s sports schedule. On busy days we eat from the crockpot. Every Wednesday everyone is here, so I need a picky-eater-friendly meal. I usually take my step-daughter’s suggestion (since she’s the picky eater) and put it down for Wednesday, or we have roast or spaghetti.

Every other Friday is pizza night. I make pepperoni for the kids, and some version of pizza using whatever is in the fridge for the adults.

I fill these meals on the board. Then I get to work filling in the blanks. My goal is to have 5-6 meals planned for the week, and one leftover day. I then make sure we have everything needed to make these meals.

If have a lot of leftovers or something came up, I just push a planned meal to the next week. (Have you noticed that some meals show up repeatedly on my menu posts?) After trying many ‘meal planning techniques,’ I think we have found what has worked for our family.

Here’s what we are eating this week:

• Sunday- Leftovers
• Monday- Spaghetti
• Tuesday- Sloppy Joes 
• Wednesday- Chicken Fried Rice
• Thursday- Leftovers
• Friday- Pizza
• Saturday- Steak and Potatoes

Do you plan a menu? If so, what method have you found works for you?

Crochet Creation, Menu, and Goals

Weekends fly by around here. Actually time in general flies around here. The good news is that I think I am out of my winter slumps.

I haven’t posted any of my crochet creations lately (mainly because I have forgotten to take pictures before giving them to their new owners). Here is my latest:

Ms. Multi-Personality Grey”

This is the second hat that I made like this (I wish I had taken pictures of the white one). The hat pattern is from Red Heart. I really wish I would have taken notes both times I made this. I had to change the increases, then frog it because it was too big, do it again, and on and on. I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn. Please don’t ask what size hook, that’s how early I quit taking notes…

I made up the small red flower, so no pattern. The pink flower is from this pattern. I used this tutorial as inspiration for the white flower (I didn’t stack the flowers, just made a larger center and crocheted both layers into the center). The larger red flower is made following this pattern.

I sewed a button to the finished hat. When making the flowers I used a chain 6 ring for the center. This ensured the flowers’ centers were the same size, and large enough to fit and stay on the button.

And because I have to, here’s the boring stuff:

MENU

• Sunday- Chili
• Monday- Red Beans and Rice
• Tuesday- Asian Chicken
• Wednesday- Spaghetti
• Thursday- Tuna Noodle Bake
• Friday- Pizza
• Saturday- Leftovers

*A little note about our menu: You may notice that some meals carry over from the previous week. My goal for our menu plan is to have everything in the house for 5-6 meals at the beginning of the week. Another goal is to have easy meals planned for busy nights (like nights of step-son’s basketball games). Usually I make way too much, so that meal turns into two, and another meal gets pushed to the following week. It’s what works for us.

GOALS

• Finish minimum of 3 etsy listings
• Make spare bedroom toddler-friendly (or at least walk-through-able)
• Clean out my closet
• Deliver maternity clothes
• Spend 30 minutes/day sewing
• Blog 3 times this week

Your turn, go make some goals.

Hope your week is wonderful!

Menu, on Tuesday…

No Twin Tip this week.

I know, I know; I’m sorry.

The thing is, I have been in a bit of a funk this last week. I have been unmotivated, uninspired, and feeling pretty lazy.

I even failed at my 365 days of creating. I would go into my sewing room, look around, wander a bit, wallow about how I need to do something, and then not do anything.

Anyways, enough of the boo-hoo-ing. Want to know what we are eating this week? (a little late…)

• Sunday- Ginger Chicken or leftovers (the leftovers are for the picky eater around here)
• Monday- Nachos (step-son’s choice)
• Tuesday- Chicken Pot Pie
• Wednesday- Tuna Noodle Bake (hubby’s request)
• Thursday- Roast
• Friday- Leftovers, or possibly chili (request by hubby)
• Saturday- see Friday

Menu planning is one of those things that seems daunting to me, but once we I get into the groove life becomes that much easier.

Lately the family has been paying attention. My step-daughter and the neighbor girl were reading the menu board. Neighbor girl says, “Oooh, you guys are eating good food this week. I should come over for dinner.”

The step-son likes knowing what to expect after school or sports. He usually makes a comment on the way to school about what is on the board for dinner tonight. His newfound attention to details has its highs and lows. High- I know he’s paying attention, and dinner is one more security we can plug into his teenage life. Low- I know he’s paying attention. There is no way I can make up a quick batch of grilled cheeses when tacos are scheduled.

The one who’s attention impressed me the most last week? Hubby. He had to make a trip to the store before he was done with work. He picked up shredded cheese for taco night, because he noticed we didn’t have any left, and tacos were scheduled. (I was just planning on shredding up a block.) Thursday night was the best. Hubby says, “we’re still having homemade pizza tomorrow…..right? Pizza sounds really good.” (Funny thing is; this is the man that said I shouldn’t put pizza on the schedule every other Friday because we would just get bored. Good thing I took the kids’ advice.)

How about you, do you find menu planning easy, necessary, daunting, difficult, or unnecessary?

Any tips for getting out of the winter funks? (Besides a tropical vacation, not in the budget)

Back to Basics, Menu Planning and Goal Setting

At the beginning of this blogging adventure, I used to post my weekly goals and menu plan, you know my to-dos. I stopped doing this because I felt it was monotonous and boring for anyone who did happen to read this blog.

After looking at my 30 by 30 list, and having an ‘I’m not getting done what I should get done’ feeling lately (not to mention “what’s for dinner” panic) I have decided to start posting my goals/menu again. Hopefully this can help my direction throughout the week. Thanks in advance for bearing with me!

MENU

• Sunday- Crockpot Steak (used for quesadillas)
• Monday- Leftovers
• Tuesday- Mini Meatloaves (from the freezer)
• Wednesday- Tacos (freezer/crockpot)
• Thursday- Ginger Chicken (freezer)
• Friday- Pizza
• Saturday- (?) Spaghetti or Soup

GOALS

• Start cleaning/purging/organizing spare bedroom
• 3 blog posts
• Work on Etsy listings, at least 3
• Start boys’ journals
• 1 refashion

What are you having for dinner this week? (We LOVE new recipes around here!)

Goals and Menu for the week

We had such a wonderful weekend! Hubby got home Saturday afternoon. Say the family was excited to see him!

What did I learn? Being a single parent is hard! He was only gone a week. A long week. Nonetheless, I am so thankful that I have a husband that after a hard day of work jumps right to Daddy mode. Hugs, kisses, games, diapers, baths, feeding- yup he helps with it all!

How did I do on last weeks goals?

1. Work for 15 minutes a day cleaning computer room. I did 15 minutes a day for the first couple of days, then Wednesday I worked on it during the boys' two and half hour nap time, and after they went to bed. Still needs much work.
2. Refine my own chore chart. Nope. I know having it in my head isn't helping me. This week I am committing to writing it down, even if it is only a basic routine.
3. Find 7-10 meals for 30 meal list. Again, things don't work so well if I keep them in my head.
4. Make journals for the men in my life. Procrastinator!
5. Read to the boys everyday, take reading charts to the library. We read, but didn't go to the library (vehicle problems).
6. Continue to get up between 6:30 and 6:45. Doing great, think this is a habit now.
7. Sew 2 headbands, 2 bibs, and 2 burp cloths.  *Find dress to make.
8. Crochet 2 dishcloths. Didn't do this week.
9. Work on etsy shop. Worked on, need to get over my fear of imperfection and just list items!
10. Get resume together. Nope.

*I did get a lot of my unfinished projects finished this week.

This week:

1. Resume!
2. Make journals for the men in my life.
3. Find 7-10 meals for 30 meal list. Involve the family.
4. List items in etsy shop.
5. Finish computer room.
6. Make journals for my men.
7. Sew 2 headbands, 2 bibs, and 2 burp cloths. *Find dress to make.
8. Crochet 2 dishcloths.
9. Continue reading to the boys everyday.
10. Make 2 Christmas presents.

What we're eating:

Our pantry and freezer are a mess (this seems to be a continuing theme in my life). Hubby made the suggestion that we focus on eating what we have this week to clean stuff up. So this may be a mash-up month.

• Monday- venison steak, beans and rice
• Tuesday- hamburger (or tuna) helper. Yeah, I know this stuff is gross and unhealthy- but we are not the throw away food type of people.
• Wednesday- chicken on the grill
• Thursday- roast
• Friday- homemade pizza
• Saturday- eating with friends
• Sunday- chicken fried rice.

Do you make weekly goals. If so, do you have suggestions on getting them done?

Weekly Goals and What We're Eating This Week

I like lists. I like the visual a list gives (things look achievable when written on a list). I also like crossing things off the list. But... no matter how long or short my lists are, I have a problem finishing them (and throwing it away). This is a habit I am committing myself to- Finishing.

This weeks goals:

1. Work for 15 minutes a day in the computer room.
2. Refine my own chore chart.
3. Find 7-10 meals for 30 meal list.
4. Make journals for the men in my life (hubby and twins).
5. Read to the boys everyday, take boys' reading chart to the library.
6. Continue to get up between 6:30 and 6:45.
7. Sew 2 headbands, 2 bibs, and 2 burp cloths. *Find dress to make.
8. Crochet 2 dishcloths.
9. Work on etsy shop.
10. Get resume together.

This weeks menu:
Sunday- pork steak
Monday- venison
Tuesday- leftovers
Wednesday- homemade mac and cheese
Thursday- chicken of some sort
Friday- ???
Saturday- Going out to eat

Does anyone else have a hard time focusing? Any tips on getting back on track?

Potato Bread Fail #2, and What's for Dinner This Week

I tried bread machine potato bread again. I finally found my digital thermometer, so I made sure to bring the water and potatoes to temp. I also bought new yeast, just in case mine was old (who am I kidding, it was old). I measured everything according to the recipe, turned on the bread machine, and patiently waited. What happened? I got a very lovely bread bowl again! Actually, the first bread bowl looked more lovely- this last one was pretty dark. (I did not take a picture, because potato bread take 2 was a lot like potato bread take 1. I will try one more time, this next time I am going to use my bread machine to make the dough, and bake it in the oven. We'll see...

What's for dinner this week? (Some is the same as last week because we had leftovers a few times, and didn't get to the planned menu for the day.)

Sunday- grilled chicken, potatoes, and veggies
Monday- something from the pantry (tuna helper)
Tuesday- pork Steak on the grill
Wednesday- roast, potatoes, and veggies
Thursday- leftovers
Friday- chicken burritos
Saturday- something crock pot and grab-n-go; thinking sloppy joe's

Dinner Plans

The menu board has been working great! I have been properly utilizing it for almost a month now. I am happy to say we haven't wasted a ton of food, bought a bunch of take out, or even had to buy too many groceries. Now, sometimes we don't follow it perfectly, but it is working for us.

Here's our plans this week:

Sunday- Grillin; brats, corn, potatoes, etc. (this was supposed to be dinner Sat, but we had a banquet I forgot about.)

Monday- Stuffed Peppers Leftovers

Tuesday- Pork on the grill (getting moved to next week) Stuffed peppers

Wednesday- Homemade Pizza

Thursday- Beef Burgundy (crock pot)

Friday- Grilled Chicken

Saturday- Roast (crock pot)

What's for dinner this week?

This past winter I made a dry erase menu board. It is can be very helpful when used. I have trying to get the hang of this meal planning business.

This is what I have been doing: Our menu goes from Sunday to Saturday. On Saturday I look in the freezer and pantry for dinner ideas. Then I ask hubby, "What sounds good for dinner this week?" I wipe the board clean, and write down our plans. Then, if needed, I find recipes and stick with a sticky note so they are easy to find. Next I write our shopping list, buy the goods, and we have a home-cooked meal most nights of the week.

We have a very busy household, our son is currently in track and baseball, and our daughter is in softball and pom-pom. If I know everybody's schedule, I can try to avoid costly takeout all week. I try to do easy dinners, or crock pot meals (LOVE my crock pots) on the busiest days. Actually that is what I do most days, but it still helps to have it wrote down, another to-do.

Here's our plan this week:

Sunday: Crock pot Mac n Cheese
Monday: Jambalaya
Tuesday: Enchiladas
Wednesday: Tater Tot Casserole
Thursday: Crock pot Italian Chicken
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Grillin! (Burgers or Brats)