Menu Plan Monday - April 5th

 
Even though I skipped posting my menus last week I did continue to cook from my menu list.
I apparently hate to be tied to a strict schedule and ten to swap around the whole 2 weeks of menus to suit my time and taste needs but it is still working.

I have noticed now that I have been menuing for a month here that I have more food on hand than I would if I just winged each meal and shopping trip. I've also taken more time to prepare foods ahead so my freezer keeps fuller as well.

I've been setting Tuesday's aside as Kitchen Days and work on baking, cooking and cleaning for as much of the day as I can. By doing this I have been able to make and freeze: mega muffin mix x5, cooked hamburger x6, burritos x12, runzas x20, cooked beans x10 cups and cooked chicken and chicken broth. This has made prep for meals and afternoon snacks much easier.

Tomorrow I will be making and freezing: meatballs, cooked chicken and broth, brown-bag burritos and more mega muffin mix.

On to the Menu Plan for this week!
I keep my menu list in a clear vinyl cover sticky-tacked to my fridge.

BREAKFAST:
same old, same old
Oatmeal - cooked, baked, boiled and fried....it's cheap and nutritious so it's a big staple for us:)
Rice pudding
Eggs and Toast


LUNCH
Beef & Cabbage Soup
Homemade Mac and Cheese
Brown Bag Burritos
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Scalloped Potatoes

(I add veggies and fruits to each meal just depends on what is in the freezer or fridge. We usually have at least 1-2 sandwich meals each week as well.)

SUPPER
Spanish Rice
Chili & Cornbread
Ranch House Chicken Casserole
Meatball Chowder

Hmmmmm, I need some more recipes here but what is on my list won't work because I ran out of cheddar cheese again and I am low on rice until I order it from my food co-op. I've got lots of chicken but need to do a refresh on my menus since it's getting warmer here and I don't like to cook many soups or casseroles in the spring and summer.
I'll probably work on supper meal ideas tomorrow during Kitchen Day.

If you are hitting a wall with recipe ideas I'd encourage you to check out books that your library has. I recently did this and came away with a great Amish cookbook as well as some "old" favorite type recipes. I find it helps to peruse a cookbook as opposed to a recipe website. If you are on a budget then I would recommend staying away from any recipe book that calls for odd or rarely used ingredients

Happy Cooking!

As always go Here to find tons more ideas and recipes.

Menu Plan for this 4th week of March

I'm really liking the general menu plan that I've made and have found it very easy to switch around the order as needed to help and not hinder my days.

I hang my menu list on my fridge so that it is always visible and I am working on getting myself into the routine of preparing my supper meal right after lunch or right along with preparing lunch.
I do need to start getting more detailed with my side dishes so will be trying to add that to this next set of menus.

Last time I went shopping I forgot to list exactly how many blocks of cheese I needed to buy to prepare the listed dishes so I did run out early but have been able to make needed adjustments without too much trouble.


BREAKFAST:

• 7-grain Cereal
• Oatmeal
• Rice Pudding
• Scrambled Eggs
• Blueberry/Raisin Biscuits
• Baked Oatmeal

LUNCH:

• Fried Rice
• PB & J
• Goulash
• Potato Soup
• Runzas

SUPPER:

• Honey Ginger Stir-Fry
• Baked Beans 
• Crockpot Hamburger Veggie Soup
• Crock Cabbage Rolls
• Chicken Lasagna
• Crockpot Spanish Rice
• Homemade Pizza

You will probably find repeats from last week here but that is simply because I didn't make it last week and swapped some meals around :)

I like the flexibility that this open-ended menu gives me. I have a tendency to get locked into a calendar menu and feel like I can't possibly prepare the Wednesday meal on Monday or I'm simply doing it all wrong......neurotic, I know.

Make sure to check out more menus and recipes at Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Mondays.

The Pantry is Full - What's for Dinner?

Finally after wandering around searching for the last 5 minutes looking for my Home Management Notebook where my menus are kept.
Which proves that you don't have to be super or even mildy organized to make and use menus!

Last week went pretty well and I mostly stuck to my menu plan.
This week my cupboards are full though my fridge still needs some organizing and wiping.

Instead of using a specific day plan I'm using a general plan of options for each day.

BREAKFAST
(I don't rotate daily necessarily, depends on how the night with little one went. Our staple is oatmeal)

• Apple Oatmeal
• 7-grain Cereal
• Rice Pudding
• Oatmeal
• Biscuit Egg Sandwiches

LUNCH

• Brown Bag Burritos
• Pepperoni Quiche Squares
• Macaroni & Cheese
• Goulash
• Sloppy Joes
• Potato Soup
• Baked Ziti

SUPPER

• Baked Chicken Legs
• Taco Soup
• Chicken Licken (crockpot)
• Crock Cabbage Rolls
• Homemade Pizza
• Pancakes & Eggs
• Chicken Pot Pie

I'm using the FREE downloads for menus and shopping lists from Money Saving Mom this time around and I'm really liking the layout and how many different options you can choose from.

I'm going to be working on organizing a Baking Day alongside my Kitchen Day and I'll start by using the basic recipes given in this E-Book from the Family Homestead.


As always don't forget to check out all of the wonderful menu plans on Organizing Junkie.

Thoughtfulness

In a thinking mode lately and seeking and praying for direction and guidance.

Do I switch to workboxes?

Should I start Wes with Kindergarten work?

How do I fit in everything I feel we are missing?


Mostly, I'm fighting to keep my focus. To not be distracted by what others are doing and what works for them, but prioritizing what our goals are and how to meet them.


Praying:
His priorities become mine
I do not waste my time on frivolous ways

Reading:
Magnanimity Newsletter
PNEU articles
For the Children's Sake
School Education

February Flab

Anybody else feel the need to trim things up a bit?

Yes, my waistline is in dire need of this but mostly I'm talking in school/home terms.
Somehow my bookshelves have multiplied and even though I have 5 boxes of packed away books in my basement my 2 bookshelves are overflowing!

I'm sure it has nothing to do with my inability to pass by my libraries used book corner......seriously, can you pass up a 50 cent copy of a favorite or needed book? I can't.

Thankfully, after much prayer and thinking God inspired me and I was able to rearrange our livingroom so that I can squeeze in a couple more bookshelves.
Now just need to actually get those shelves......have to talk to hubby about this one:)

I'm hoping to organize my shelves kind of like a library does...not dewey decimal but more along the lines of a shelf for each year in Ambleside. We'll see what I actually manage to get done.

Here are some different ideas for how other moms have organized their "space".

Our Homeschool Space @ Gaze Into the Heavens

Our Classroom @ Sunshine and Lemonade

Avoiding February Homeschool Burnout before it happens @ Like Mother, Like Daughter

Organizing Children's Books A Category Simple Method @ The Tranquil Parent

Organizing Part Two: The Bookshelves @ Everyday Snapshots Explores Homeschooling

Bookshelf Organization @ Higher Up and Further In

Organizing our Homeschool @ Color me Orange

How you Organize your Home Library @ Mental Floss

Not to beLabor the point, but... @ The Pioneer Woman

(I could probably keep going all night just to avoid exercising but, for my children's sake I had better knock this off!)

How do you keep it all together?
Do you wing it?
Do you have a "school room"?
Are you drowning?
Does your space flow well?

WFMW-Bathroom organizing

Sometimes it take awhile for me to figure out how best to use organizers. But after a couple of years of these baskets sitting around with no particular use, I finally hit upon an idea that has worked.
Years of having brushes on the bathroom counter and hair paraphernalia in a hard-to-open drawer has made this carrier so helpful. I divide the brushes, hair elastics and barrettes into each separate slot so that everything is easy to find and grab when needed. I keep this on a shelf in the bathroom cupboard under the sink.
(I do have more brushes than is shown but a couple of long-haired children tend to wander off with them and not return)



Although daddy keeps his brush separate to avoid sharing with the kiddos this has helped so much in keeping the kids' toothbrushes from ending up on the floor or the counter smeared in toothpaste. This also sits under the sink on a shelf. Yes, my toothbrush is also in that mix somewhere but a few minutes of running under hot water before use does away with any phobias I might have:)

Menu Plan Monday.....on Wednesday

BREAKFAST
oatmeal
eggs & english muffins
baked oatmeal
eggs & toast
coffee cake


LUNCH
hot dogs, chips, fruit
sandwiches, carrots & celery
goulash, salad
crockpot spaghetti, green beans, french bread
hot dogs, veggies
fried potatoes with ham, green beans
pot roast, potatoes, carrots, salad (Sunday Lunch)


SUPPER
abc soup, french bread
enchiladas, corn, green beans
au gratin potatoes, peas & carrots
leftovers
pepperoni pizza, salad
baked beans, cornbread, salad
biscuits & gravy, fruit


SNACKS
frozen fruit cups
muffins
coffee cake
oatmeal raisin bars
cookies
popcorn & fruit


My goal today and tomorrow is to bake and prep some food ahead of time to make the flow of meal making a bit easier.
I'm hoping to:
brown hamburger, make biscuit mix, cut up veggies & freeze, bake french bread, freeze pizza crust, shred cheese, make cornbread mix, make frozen fruit cups, bake & freeze muffins, bake oatmeal raisin bars & some cookies, make coffee cake mix.

Right now this list seems impossibly long considering that I can not walk through one room in my house without tripping over something. And of course since I've spent the last hour that Sadie has been sleeping on the computer instead of cleaning it may take a bit to get started! But I do feel better and more focused just by having this all written down and planned so that is success.

I think I've lost my Marbles!!

Week 36

I'm not sure if it's the 5 kiddos that I have, the 1 I'm expecting, the extra gray hairs or the fact that I'm now in my 30's. But I seem to have lost my short term memory!
Distraction doesn't even cover my current condition and unfortunately I don't see much hope for the near future.
I throw away things I should keep, I forget bills that need paying, I sit when I should be cleaning, and I can't trail a paper if I wanted to. Unless I intentionally pay very close attention to exactly where I lay something down or put it away, it's pretty much a guarantee that I won't remember anything about it later.

This pregnancy has been very different for me for the reason that I haven't hardly focused on it at all! Usually I re-read several childbirth books and pregnancy books and I track everything and keep all sorts of lists. This time, with schooling and extra activities my whole pregnancy seems to be a bit of a side issue:)
A couple of weeks ago I panicked to realized that I had nothing ready for the baby, so in a splurge of energy I deep cleaned our bedroom, got the playpen set up, baby clothes washed and diaper bag packed. Phew! That felt better.
Now I'm panicking that I don't have my things packed or my birth kit ordered or freezer meals made up!
It's always something.

For my sake I am listing here the things that I need to take care of in the next couple of weeks.

1. Order Tummy Wrap for postpartum
2. Make up Comfrey Tea Pads for postpartum care
3. Order Birth Kit
4. Pack Overnight bag for hubby and myself
5. Make at least 14 meals for the freezer.
6. Balance Checkbook and write out Budget for June.
7. Make Menus for the next couple of months.
8. Write out phone contact list and/or program numbers in cell phones.
9. Hit a few more garage sales to add a bit more to my baby stash.
10. Declutter, Clean, Declutter, Clean, Declutter, Clean.

A Bundle of Savings

I have been working on reducing our monthly money outflow recently by learning more about couponing and cutting our grocery budget and to help me out has been these ebooks.
Right now you can purchase a whole bundle of ebooks for a low price of $17 here.
You will receive "Supermarket Savings 101", "Grocery Shopping on a Budget", "Money saving Meats" and "Saving on Cleaning Supplies". Plus 13 other ebooks full of frugal living advice and low cost recipes!
I've been working through Supermarket Savings and have been inspired to change the way I've been shopping with the goal of reducing our monthly grocery budge by $300! And now I have all the tools at hand to do so.

If you haven't been to these great websites yet please visit them today. You will be amazed at what you didn't know about grocery shopping cheaply with very little extra effort.

SAVING 'O' THE GREEN EBOOK PACKAGE DEAL!

Frugal Homeschooling

Grocery Cart Challenge

Miserly Moms

Saving Cents with Sense

The Simple Dollar

Money Saving Mom

Menu Plan Monday

Here we go! In an effort to establish a much needed habit and to become better organized for baby's arrival I am jumping on board to create and use a menu each week.
I'm going to go ahead and list the plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'll provide links when and where I can.

Here's what I've got for this week:

Monday:
cold cereal
hot dogs & grapes
meatloaf & salad
(none of this was on my actual menu but it is what we had)

Tuesday:
7-grain porridge
fried rice
chicken noodle casserole

Wednesday:
rice pudding
tuna noodle casserole
crockpot chicken & gravy

Thursday:
oatmeal
fried potatoes
chinese pork over rice

Friday:
oatmeal
baked potatoes & bacon
bbq meatballs

Saturday:
eggs & toast
sandwiches
baked beans

Sunday:
baked oatmeal or coffee cake
leftovers
navy bean casserole

Well that's all for this week. I'm sure I'll switch a few things around but after writing this out here I know what I need to prep for tomorrow!

Make sure to pop on over to Organizing Junkie to check out other posts about menus.

This week you can visit a whole slew of blogs that participate in Menu Plan Mondays at $5 Dinners blog.

Striving to live cheaper

At the beginning of the year my hubby and I made a commitment to not let our finances go to pot like we have for many years. It is sad to think of all the money that we have wasted simply by not paying attention or taking the time to keep track of things.
So, I have really dedicated myself to keeping our checkbook balanced and following a written budget plan. (see Dave Ramsey if you need help with budgeting)
It has taken me several attempts and different forms to come up with a budget plan that is simple and easy to use. I tried Larry Burkett's system when we were first married but as soon as kids came along I found it almost impossible to manage, I also tried this plan, and have worked Dave Ramsey's plan as well. But invariably they were all too detailed or for whatever reason I had a hard time sticking with them.
After much trial and error I have come up with a simple one-page monthly budget plan.d

Along these same lines I have run into a problem that will not be solved by adding more money to the budget category. FOOD! This is a major budget buster in our house and I'm totally to blame for it. We hardly ever eat out so that's not the issue but I've been averaging close to $700 a month on groceries for our family of 7!!!!!! I know that I can do better than this without sacrificing our health.
Part of my problem has been that while I make out a grocery list I don't usually have a menu written out as well, so I impulse buy. Also I have a bad habit of borrowing from other envelope categories if I've overspent at one store so that I don't have to cut very much from my list. Very bad idea!

Thankfully there are much more frugal and creative souls out in the blogsphere and internet world that have readily shared winning strategies on saving money and living more frugally, so I wanted to share some posts that have especially hit home for me.

The Simply Dollar - The Happy Minimum

Biblical Womanhood - Frugal Friday Menu planning

Money Saving Mom - 100 Different ways to save $100

Life as Mom

I love this website for really good, simple, cheap recipes as well.
The Family Homestead

Spring Cleaning

I don't know about you but I really need this. I'm feeling very overwhelmed with what I want and need to get done before the baby comes and of course since spring is almost here most of it involves cleaning, organizing and decluttering. And of course when I'm feeling overwhelmed I have a hard time getting myself started and tend to bounce around on several different projects. This is also my first year of homeschooling full-time and trying to get ready for a baby so I can no longer focus all my time and energies on the house. I'm gradually learning to do little bits of decluttering when I can instead of taking a whole day to do something.
Anyway I thought I'd share this link for all those of you who like me need an extra kick in the rear to get on the road to a cleaner more organized home!

I've decided

After some consideration and pondering (o.k. not that much) I've decided to use this blog as a "picture of my life and family" blog and my other blog as a "home education" blog.
How I'm going to maintain two blogs when I can barely keep up with one is beyond me, but I don't want to give up either of them.
I hope you'll keep track of me on both and since my blogger account is working again I'll be able to leave comments on all these great posts that I've been reading!

Thoughts floating through my brain tonight

I need to get organized........again.

Anybody else feel that way?

With spring just a month away and only 12 weeks of school left and baby due in a short 14 weeks I'm really feeling the urge and need to get my act together in a better fashion. We've made a lot of progress over the past few years but life never stops so it's time to reevaluate how things are currently working and what needs to change and what areas are problem areas.
So here's where I've been going to get some ideas:

Flylady (scroll down the page to the "Flying with Kids" section. There are some great tips from other moms.

Lindafay has some good tips for keeping things simple with clothes, schoolwork and daily life.

Amy shares her heart for cleaning and organization.

And just to get my decorative instincts moving (they died somewhere between the 3rd and 5th child) I wing my way over to The Nester and see what she's got cooking and what I can do with my own nest.