Menu Plan, Week of May 30

This week we have a holiday, the last day of school, basketball camp, select soccer try outs, two soccer games, a birthday party, a graduation, a field trip and a wedding shower.

So our meals will be crazy to say the least. I am not quite certain yet exactly how or when we will eat. But I will start with a plan and then change as needed.

Sunday: breakfast was whatever you wanted to eat when you got up, lunch was sandwiches and dinner was grilled pork roast with buttered noodles, corn and watermelon.

Here is the rest of the meals for the week:

Breakfast: cinnamon rolls, cold cereal, waffles

Lunches: leftovers, spanish rice, sandwiches

Dinners: grilled hamburgers with maccaroni and cheese, grilled chicken with rice, spaghetti with homemade garlic bread, Cincinnati style chili, sandwiches and leftovers.

And let's hope that I make it through the week. I have to make cupcakes for my 4th graders school party and cupcakes for the end of soccer season party for my 5 year old. Plus I have to bring snacks for after the game for my 10 year old, no idea yet what I am bringing.

Wish me luck.

This post linked to Menu Plan Monday.

Graduation Day

This is my youngest daughter with her preschool teacher Ms. Coleen. This is the same teacher that my two oldest daughters had and we LOVE her. She is the best.

This is Ms. Jean, she was the assistant and new to Ms. Coleen, but the old assistant retired. We also LOVE Ms. Jean.

Here is a photo of her with her best friends. Not to mention her boy "friend". Sadly he isn't going to the same school as her and is a year behind her. She really liked him, his mother is from Germany and he could speak fluent German. What a smart boy.

She is now officially a kindergartner!

Gardening

I love gardening. I love eating fresh food that you grew in your own yard, and knowing exactly what has been sprayed on it. And yes, being frugal, I love that it is super cheap and organic to boot!

We don’t have a garden in our yard, our dogs, which are a Great Dane/lab mix and a German Shepherd/Coonhound mix, would not be kind to it. That being said, we still have a garden, it is simply at my parents house.

Growing up, we always had a garden. I remember shelling peas, snapping beans and shucking corn. It was not unheard of for me to go to the garden and eat a tomato right out of the garden as a snack. I still do that to this day.

This year we have put in green beans, beef steak tomatoes, salad tomatoes, onions, zucchini, carrots, radishes, peas and lettuce.

Last year I was able to can the tomatoes, the zucchini I shredded and froze for use over the winter in brownies, bread and cookies. The onions I chopped and froze for use in soups and casseroles throughout the winter as well. We had fresh salad fixins for the whole summer.

We didn’t get any green beans as the bunnies ate all the plants. We didn’t get to do anything with the peas as those were eaten by Poppy and my kids before they made it into the house.

I look forward to seeing what my garden will produce this summer. So far we have already gotten lettuce.

Growing your own garden is definitely a Finer Thing.

This post is linked to Amy’s Finer Things.

Menu Plan, May 24

What a busy week we have this week. With only one week and 2 days left of school for the kids, there are lots of end of year activities. I too am anxious for school to be out, for the slower pace of summer.

This week we have something every night of the week except for Friday. Monday is dress shopping for my oldest, Tuesday will be spent with my parents (weeding the garden), Wednesday is soccer practice night for 2 of the girls, Thursday is the 4th grade Awards night. Friday we have nothing! It is family night. We will have a much needed movie night.

Here is what we have for food this week:

Sunday: lunch was sandwiches and a hodgepodge of leftovers from Saturday nights cookout.

Breakfasts this week: breakfast bars, slightly sweet cornbread, cereal, waffles

Lunches: leftovers, sandwiches

Dinners: grilled chicken with sweet and sour rice, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, dinner at my parents, spaghetti and homemade garlic bread, roast (in crock pot) with potatoes and carrots, tacos, grilled pork roast.

Any of you have one go to recipe? I would love for you to share.

Another Birthday

During my hiatis from blogging, we celebrated yet another birthday. Spring is a very busy time of year for us, all but one birthday falls between February and May!

Happy 5th Birthday my sweet girl.

WW Update

Well, tomorrow will be day 4 of Weight Watchers. I am doing pretty well. I never realized just now much I grazed all day long. Then come meal time I would eat again, simply because it was meal time.

It really makes you realize what you are eating, knowing that you have to write it down, and add it to your points tracker. Plus, I can't eat junk, because that takes up so many points, I am forced to be really thoughtful in what I eat.

I have also realized that my trouble time is in the afternoon. Big time. So if I use up a little extra points there, it is okay because I am fine with a smaller dinner.

I already exercise on my days I work, I walk a minimum of  3 miles. I have been trying to do an exercise video or walk the neighborhood on the days I am home, but that is harder.

Weight Watchers

This is me last summer, but I haven't changed any and I don't even recognize that person!

Well, I did it, I signed up for the online Weight Watchers program. They were running a special 3 month deal and then I earned $10 from ebates as well.

I have had luck with this program before, after the birth of our second child. I was putting it off, not wanting to spend the money but was not having any luck with exercising and watching what I was eating. Maybe the point system is just what I need.

I am very excited about it and have started today. Between my exercise routine and Weight Watchers, my initial little goal is 10 pounds. I am however hoping to lose a total of 30 pounds.

Wish me luck, I will keep you posted!

Random Thoughts for Saturday, May 1st

Bear with me as I proceed to throw a few thoughts your way. None of these really required a full post but I feel I need to share them.

1. Today is my husbands birthday! I won't say how old he is, but he is very young at heart. Happy Birthday!
2. This week we ate the first produce from our garden, lettuce! It came up from last year but it was so good with some winter onions from my parents neighbors.
3. This weekend kicked off garage sale season! I love garage sales, you never know what kind of treasures you are going to find there!
4. I have been struggling with coming up with meals! When the weather turns warm, I want to be outside, not inside cooking!
5. My daughter has her final chorus show tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.
6. Why is it when I was younger I could eat a Snickers bar and a coke for lunch and was skinny as a rail! But now, I eat healthy, watch what I eat and exercise and still can't drop the baby weight?
7. Am I the only one who is looking forward to the kids being out of school? To have an occasional day where I don't have to get up with an alarm! What bliss.
8. You know you are done having kids when you see someone with more kids than you and think you think "oh, that poor woman" instead of longing for another one.

That's all I've got for right now. Enjoy the weekend!