Painting Pumpkins

We painted small pumpkins Saturday. It has beeen sort of a family fall tradition around here. :)

Here are the girls posing:

Here is Gracie concentrating:

Lillie working away:

The finished pumpkins:


Now, they are just waiting until we carve a big pumpkin.

Catch-up

I really liked my meal planning the past two weeks and am going to try and implement it from here on out. I am currently getting ready to plan the next two weeks out and hopefully have good results. I don't know why I haven't really made more of an effort to stick to it in the past.

School it going pretty good. For the most part, we have great days, but every once-in-awhile a grumpy (not so good) day sneaks in. It is those days that I feel like I should just throw in the towel. However, the good out weigh the bad and I can't imagine not having them home and teaching them.

Lillie has made me stand in amazement at how much she has picked up. The other day I caught her reading the subtitles on a movie!! Which makes me smile extremely big. :) Her favorite subjects are math and history and she loves making her timeline for history.

Gracie has learned quite a few of her letters, but only a few from me. lol Lillie has sat down with her and taught her how to write and make the sounds of most the letters. Gracie loves the attention that Lillie is giving her. She loves her big sister and any time she can "play" with her makes her day.

My Menu

Here is my menu for two weeks:

Week 1
Monday:
lunch - Nuggets/fruit/pretzels
supper - Roast/Potatoes/Carrots/French Bread

Tuesday:
lunch - Burger King (We went to IHOP and I ended up having to buy them lunch)
supper - lunchables (we went to the movies so I didn't want to fix a big dinner, so I flipped-flopped with Wed dinner. Wed is usually a busy evening)

Wednesday:
lunch - Fish Sticks/Cheez-it/fruit
supper - Beef-N-Noodles/Mashed Potatoes/Corn (the beef was from part of the roast I cooked on Monday.)

Thursday:
lunch - Grilled Cheese/pretzels/fruit
supper - Pork Chops (hopefully grilled)/roasted potatoes/peas/biscuits

Friday:
lunch - Noodle Soup/PB crackers/Fruit
supper - Tacos/Mexican Rice

Saturday:
lunch - leftovers
supper - Breakfast for supper

Week 2
Sunday:
lunch - planning to go to Little Caesars
supper - sandwiches or leftovers (we have church so nothing fancy)

Monday:
lunch - PB&J/fruit/pretzels
supper - Stir-fry (chicken/veggies/rice)

Tuesday:
lunch - pizza rolls/pretzels/fruit
supper - Lasagna/garlic bread/green beans

Wednesday:
lunch - Nuggets/fruit/cheez-its
supper - lunchables

Thursday:
lunch - Noodle Soup/crackers/fruit
supper - Roasted Chicken/potatoes/broccoli/corn bread

Friday:
lunch - Grilled Cheese/pretzels/fruit
supper - Chicken-N-Noodles/mashed potatoes/corn

I should note, that I don't do a big lunch. It is the basics and pretty much the same sides with each meal. I keep a variety of fruit (grapes/apples/bananas/ raisins/fruit cups/applesauce) on hand for some choice. I usually offer them leftovers as well, if they don't want what I have planned.

Plan in Progress

I sat down last Friday and wrote out two weeks worth of meals (lunch and dinner). In the past, I have just planned the main course, but this time I listed out everything I needed for the WHOLE meal.

Then Saturday (the worst possible day to go)I went shopping for my groceries. I made goal of how much I wanted to spend and made myself stick to the list. I even put something back after I had it in my cart for two aisles. lol

I got to the check-out and waited for my total after-coupons and it was $32 under budget - yay!! I really didn't plan around the sales or used a ton of coupons. In fact, my savings percentage was only 19% (pretty pathetic, I know). This told me that I spend too much money on things I think I will need, but in reality don't. I am sure telling my hubby NOT to come with me helped greatly too!! hahaha

I am doing well this week with sticking to my lunch and dinner plans, I know it is only Wednesday......

Wasted Time

I am currently doing the devotion Jesus Calling 365 Devotions For Kids by Sarah Young with my girls. I really enjoy it and would recommend it for school-aged children. Not only does it minister to my girls, but also to me.

Today's devotion talked about shaking off things that don't go the way you want them to. "With enough practice, you will discover that most of the things you worry about just aren't that important. Your energy and time won't be wasted on things that really don't matter..." (pg 275)

I don't consider myself a worrier, but there are times I let little things add up causing unnecessary frustration and wasted time. Most of the time I ask myself if it is going to matter tomorrow, 1 yr from now, or ever going to matter and if not then I let it go. This has helped me handle life's little curve balls. By shaking off the little things, I will have more strength to take on the big things.

And according to Proverbs 20:24 "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?"

Just sit back and enjoy life and all the blessings that God has given to you.

To plan or not to plan......

How many of you do meal planning? If so, do you do a weekly or monthly plan? And how detailed to you plan?

I have tried to do a meal plan before, but fail to maintain it. We get busy and one meal gets bumped, or I realized that I am out of something (or didn't buy it) that I thought I had then scrapped the meal. This all leads to getting frustrated and stopping. :(

I really think that if I planned my meals out, not only would it help my sanity (because I wouldn't be frantic about 5 pm wondering what in the world I am going to fix) but I firmly believe it would save me money. I do plan them vaguely based on the sales, but maybe a little more detailed will work better.

I follow a blog where she does a monthly meal schedule and then goes shopping accordingly. I am thinking that I need to start with one premade (preplanned) for me and then make changes according to my family's tastes. It may be nice to plan out every meal (well, at least lunch and dinner).

Okay, I am really do want your opinion on what I should do. So please, please, please share your secrets for not having a frantic whats-for-dinner dash around my kitchen.

8 Years

8 years and 2 beautiful girls later



Happy Anniversary, Alex!! I love you!!