I am making a new menu plan. I have gotten really bad about planning breakfasts and lunches so I am getting back to that. As for dinner, I really don't see how anyone gets by without planning that (how do you shop otherwise?), but I am REALLY simplifying my dinner plan.
I'm going to trying having the same plan every WEEK. Yep, you heard me right. Beans on Monday, Taco Tuesday, and so on. It might get boring, but I really don't think the kids will mind. They might even like it! And it will make things easier for me in so many ways.
1. It will me one less thing (or LOTS of less things) for me to think about. My life is crazy full and busy right now. The last thing I have time for is making menus, lists, cooking things that I actually have to think about.
2. I won't have to make the dreaded shopping list every week. Type out one list and it's done.
3. The more I make these same meals week after week, the more I will be able to make them without even thinking. And if I include the kids in making these same meals week after week, they too will learn to make them well, they will be more and more help and eventually be able to even do it themselves.
4. I will save money by having the same inexpensive meals each week--and eating out less. It will also be easier to buy in bulk knowing that the same things will be used over and over.
5. Shopping will be much easier too. I will know exactly what I need and can zoom right through!
I decided to use the menu plan Debi Pearl shares in my old worn out copy of Created to be His Help Meet. If you have the book, it is on pages 149 and 150. There are many more details there. This is one of my favorite menus because it is extremely frugal, healthy, uses the crockpot, takes advantage of leftovers and cooking ahead, and is also delicious.
Monday--pinto beans. We eat "soup beans" with just cornbread and sometimes fried taters (you have to call it "taters"!) She suggests serving the beans with minute steaks and sweet potatoes so we might do that sometimes to mix it up.
Tuesday--taco salad, using the leftover beans for refried beans. We'll also do tacos and burritos some weeks to add variety.
Wednesday--Spaghetti
Thursday--Black beans and rice with smoked sausages. You can load toppings on this--cheeese, onions, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream. I like mine with just cheese. It really is so good.
Friday--Fried rice. I love this meal because you can throw in whatever leftover meats and veggies you have on hand. We order pizza on Fridays a lot and we still will because it gives us a fun night without daddy here. But I'm going to try to cut down. It's so expensive!!
Saturday--Cookout night. Hamburgers or hot dogs or chicken or steaks or whatever. This is hard to do with my husband gone because I really don't like to grill outside. Maybe I can invest in a countertop grill if I can promise myself to cut down on pizza deliveries.....
Sunday--chicken and dumplings. Her recipe is so simple and good, I might be able to give up McDonald's drive-thru on Sunday afternoons. Maybe.
I am excited about doing this, for this season of life anyway. She tells about another meal plan on page 151. Maybe eventually we can branch out to 2 weeks of meals. For now though, the simpler the better. Which is why all these meals will be eaten on paper plates.
ETA: I found the best little menu plan template! You can download it and fill it out yourself! I just made mine. So cute!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Love is...
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (highlights from various translations and paraphrases)
Amplified Bible
Love endures long and is patient and kind.
Love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy.
It is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly..
Love (God's love in us) does not insist on it's own way, for it is not self-seeking, it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best...Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].
Contemporary English Version
Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude.
Love isn't selfish or quick tempered.
It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.
Love never fails!
God's Word Translation
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love isn't jealous.
It doesn't sing it's own praises.
It isn't arrogant.
It isn't rude.
It doesn't think about itself.
It isn't irritable.
It doesn't keep track of wrongs.
Love never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops hoping, never gives up.
Love never comes to an end.
King James Version
Charity suffereth long, and is kind,
charity envieth not,
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil...
Beareth all things,
believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth.
New Century Version
Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others.
Loves does not count up wrongs that have been done.
Love patiently accepts all things.
It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures.
Love never ends.
New Living Translation
Love is patient and kind.
Loves is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand it's own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Love will last forever!
The Message
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first",
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.
Love never dies.
Today's NIV
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
NIV
When I was a child I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man I put childish ways behind me.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully...
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Two Hour Quick Clean Up
Today every room in my house is a disaster. Laundry is piled up, clutter is out everywhere, and floors are disgusting. If I followed my normal schedule today, I would never be able to catch up, so today is definitely a "Two Hour Quick Clean Up" day. It was written by Crystal Paine, but I can't find it on the web anymore. It really helps when your house is so out of hand you don't know where to start!
Two Hour Quick Clean Up
1. Put on an apron, turn on some uplifting music, light a candle, and start a load of laundry.
2. Go to the kitchen sink and wash, dry, and put away the dishes. Then, shine the sink (ala FlyLady!) and wipe down the counter tops. Try to get this completely finished in 30 minutes or less.
3. Set the timer for 15 minutes and briskly go through the house and pick up as many items as you can which are out of place and return them to their proper places (and if it's trash, throw it out!).
4. Switch the laundry in your washer to your dryer or clothesline and start another load of laundry.
5. Take some all-purpose cleaner and a few rags and go quickly spray and wipe down all the bathrooms. Remember, this is just a simple spray and wipe of your bathrooms which should only take five minutes maximum per bathroom. Save the heavy-duty cleaning for later!
6. Do a quick sweep and mop of your kitchen and bathroom floors if they need this (and if your home is anything like our home, they will need this!).
7. Vacuum the main living areas of your home--don't worry about moving furniture or going over every inch of carpet, just make sure and hit the main traffic areas.
8. Pull the laundry out of the dryer and fold and put it away. Switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, and start another load in the washer if you still have more laundry to do.
You're done! Make a pot of tea or coffee (or a glass of iced tea or lemonade since Spring is finally here!) and put your feet up for a few moments. Way to go! Your whole family will enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Monday, May 03, 2010
My Kids
I haven't blogged in so long, I thought I would give a quick update on each of my children. They are all growing up so fast! It makes me sad, but at the same time, I wouldn't trade who they are now for their younger selves either. They are each so unique and fun--it is such a joy to watch each of them develop into their own person with their own personalities and interests!
Justin is 8 now. He has always seemed so much older than he really is. He's so mature and smart and will do anything for you. I don't know what I would do without him. He is such an amazing help to me and never once have I gotten the impression that he resents a single thing he's asked to do. On the contrary, he's on the lookout for how he can help and wants to be a help. He just has that giving spirit. He's very into sports and video games, and although he wouldn't admit it, sometimes I find him hiding in a corner with a book too.
David turned 6 in February. He is the one who broke his arm and currently sports a cool blue cast. He broke it when he fell from a tree and that statement tells a lot about him. He is adventurous and brave. He'll try anything once. He's also the one who brings in various bugs and crawly things to show me. He recently decided to keep a caterpillar for a pet in a jar and although he supplied little Bob with an assortment of grass and leaves, he didn't last the night. David was pretty upset that Bob would never be a butterfly and now lets all the bugs live outside where they belong.
Isaiah is 4 and he is such a sweet little guy. He has always been very quiet, but I can tell a lot is going on in behind those blue eyes. He has the sweetest smile and a little dimple in each cheek. He loves to do school with his big brothers and has successfully worked his way though his preschool workbooks, but after a while he is just more interested in playing superheroes or building a robot out of Duplos.
Zachary is 2, but will be 3 next month. Zachary--oh Zachary! He is the child God gave me after I pridefully thought "I can do this mothering thing. It's not so hard! This child-training thing is easy!" When God heard that, He laughed and sent Zachary to teach me a lesson! Oh my, this child is a handful all on his own. He gets into everything and is mean just for the sake of meanness, is so strong-will that he laughs in the face of discipline, and is not scared of anything! He has the bumps, bruises, scars, and injured teeth to prove it. One minute he makes me tear out my hair and then next he's running to me with his arms open, saying just "Mommy!" just for the sake of saying it. And he is so sweet with his little sister and brother. There aren't many 2-year-olds out there that have both a little sister and a little brother, but he got the job and he's good at it. He might terrorize his older brothers, but you better not mess with the little ones with him around.
Cara Grace, my little princess and one and only baby girl, is already 18 months old. Oh she is a sweetheart and melts my heart all day long. I am so sad to realize how her babyness is slowly slipping away and she is becoming a big girl. She still sucks her thumb and has to have her blankie to do so. She has her big brothers wrapped around her little finger and they spoil her rotten. If Cara wants it, Cara gets it. They beg me to buy her what she wants in the store so that she won't cry. She was a daddy's girl before he left, and even though he's been gone three months, she still cries out "Daddy!" when she sees him on the webcam or hears his voice on the phone. She hasn't forgotten him at all.
Tyson is 2 months old. Already my tiny newborn is gone, but now I have a sweet baby who looks at me so adoringly and giggles and coos when I talk to him. He is such a sweet spirited baby! He sleeps all night, which I don't strive for, but I don't argue with either! He prefers his own bed but occasionally will sleep in with me in the mornings. He loves each one of his brothers and sister. It is amazing how even a baby knows his family. He sits in his swing and just watches everything that is going on like it is so captivating. Although he was born with hair, he is now quite bald except for one thick and long patch of hair right on his crown that I like to call his toupee. He is such a cutie!
Of course I believe that children are blessings whether you have 1 or 20, but I have to say that the more I have, the more blessed I feel! Each one that comes along is just so precious and so unique and brings something special to the family that only he could bring. The dynamics of a large family day to day is just an amazing thing--it is so hard for me to describe, I think only you mothers of large families will understand what I'm trying to say. It is hard to imagine when you haven't been there, but it just works. Children ARE a blessing from the Lord. The fruit of the womb IS a reward. Happy IS the man that has his quiver full of them! I just love my children so much it hurts. I feel so undeserving of them. They are amazing.
Justin is 8 now. He has always seemed so much older than he really is. He's so mature and smart and will do anything for you. I don't know what I would do without him. He is such an amazing help to me and never once have I gotten the impression that he resents a single thing he's asked to do. On the contrary, he's on the lookout for how he can help and wants to be a help. He just has that giving spirit. He's very into sports and video games, and although he wouldn't admit it, sometimes I find him hiding in a corner with a book too.
David turned 6 in February. He is the one who broke his arm and currently sports a cool blue cast. He broke it when he fell from a tree and that statement tells a lot about him. He is adventurous and brave. He'll try anything once. He's also the one who brings in various bugs and crawly things to show me. He recently decided to keep a caterpillar for a pet in a jar and although he supplied little Bob with an assortment of grass and leaves, he didn't last the night. David was pretty upset that Bob would never be a butterfly and now lets all the bugs live outside where they belong.
Isaiah is 4 and he is such a sweet little guy. He has always been very quiet, but I can tell a lot is going on in behind those blue eyes. He has the sweetest smile and a little dimple in each cheek. He loves to do school with his big brothers and has successfully worked his way though his preschool workbooks, but after a while he is just more interested in playing superheroes or building a robot out of Duplos.
Zachary is 2, but will be 3 next month. Zachary--oh Zachary! He is the child God gave me after I pridefully thought "I can do this mothering thing. It's not so hard! This child-training thing is easy!" When God heard that, He laughed and sent Zachary to teach me a lesson! Oh my, this child is a handful all on his own. He gets into everything and is mean just for the sake of meanness, is so strong-will that he laughs in the face of discipline, and is not scared of anything! He has the bumps, bruises, scars, and injured teeth to prove it. One minute he makes me tear out my hair and then next he's running to me with his arms open, saying just "Mommy!" just for the sake of saying it. And he is so sweet with his little sister and brother. There aren't many 2-year-olds out there that have both a little sister and a little brother, but he got the job and he's good at it. He might terrorize his older brothers, but you better not mess with the little ones with him around.
Cara Grace, my little princess and one and only baby girl, is already 18 months old. Oh she is a sweetheart and melts my heart all day long. I am so sad to realize how her babyness is slowly slipping away and she is becoming a big girl. She still sucks her thumb and has to have her blankie to do so. She has her big brothers wrapped around her little finger and they spoil her rotten. If Cara wants it, Cara gets it. They beg me to buy her what she wants in the store so that she won't cry. She was a daddy's girl before he left, and even though he's been gone three months, she still cries out "Daddy!" when she sees him on the webcam or hears his voice on the phone. She hasn't forgotten him at all.
Tyson is 2 months old. Already my tiny newborn is gone, but now I have a sweet baby who looks at me so adoringly and giggles and coos when I talk to him. He is such a sweet spirited baby! He sleeps all night, which I don't strive for, but I don't argue with either! He prefers his own bed but occasionally will sleep in with me in the mornings. He loves each one of his brothers and sister. It is amazing how even a baby knows his family. He sits in his swing and just watches everything that is going on like it is so captivating. Although he was born with hair, he is now quite bald except for one thick and long patch of hair right on his crown that I like to call his toupee. He is such a cutie!
Of course I believe that children are blessings whether you have 1 or 20, but I have to say that the more I have, the more blessed I feel! Each one that comes along is just so precious and so unique and brings something special to the family that only he could bring. The dynamics of a large family day to day is just an amazing thing--it is so hard for me to describe, I think only you mothers of large families will understand what I'm trying to say. It is hard to imagine when you haven't been there, but it just works. Children ARE a blessing from the Lord. The fruit of the womb IS a reward. Happy IS the man that has his quiver full of them! I just love my children so much it hurts. I feel so undeserving of them. They are amazing.
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