Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Burgers
Tuesday - Oven Tacos
Wednesday - Cocoa Wheats and toast
Thursday - Pepper Steak
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Southwestern Chicken Salad
Sunday - Nachos

I really need to start planning lunches for the weekends and during the week now that school is almost over! I buy for packed lunches, but lunches at home always end up being a free-for-all.

What do you like to have for lunch?

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Sloppy Joes, slop sloppy Joes
Tuesday - Taco Salad
Wednesday - Biscuits and gravy
Thursday - Chicken Fried Rice
Friday - Pizza
Saturday -
Sunday - Baked Ranch Chicken

Menu Plan Monday

Nothing to major on this week's menu. It's so much easier to have simple dinners that my family will actually eat! And now that it's warm, I can't wait to break out the propane and propane accessories (name that cartoon!)  and grill out!

Here's what we're eating...

Monday - BLTs
Tuesday - Chicken Enchiladas
Wednesday- French Toast
Thursday - Stir Fry
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - BBQ Chicken
Sunday - Cavatini

what are you having this week?

Menu Plan Monday

Can it really be almost May? After this month, I will have a second grader, a kindergartener and possibly a preschooler (more about this in a different post!) My babies are growing!

I've planned out the menu for the month using this template:

Mondays - Sandwiches
Tuesdays - Mexican
Wednesdays - Breakfast for dinner
Thursday - Asian
Friday - Pizza Friday, of course
Saturday - Mom's favorites
Sunday - Family Favorites

Figuring out what to eat is so much easier when start with a template to follow. I'm also changing my grocery shopping a bit this month. Normally I would make one giant list and buy the groceries to feed my family for two weeks. I only have to go to the grocery store twice a month, but it's a LONG trip and after the first week is over, we are out of bananas, lettuce, milk and other fresh foods and our grocery budget is emptied. So for May, I'm increasing our grocery budget by $100 ($600 instead of $500) and going to the grocery store weekly. The trips will be shorter, I can buy exactly what we need that week and we'll have fresh fruit/veggies more often.

Monday - Burgers (black bean burger for me)
Tuesday - Chicken tacos
Wednesday - Breakfast burritos
Thursday - Sesame noodles and vegetables
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Chicken Parmesan
Sunday - Pot Roast

What are you eating this week?

Menu Plan Monday

Our first meatless Monday was a hit last week! Well, it was a hit with the adults. The kids were pretty sure I was trying to poison them. I topped my black bean burger with avocado and tomato. YUM! I'm looking forward to trying more meatless meals. And I'll keep those frozen pizzas on hand for the kids.

Monday - Middle Eastern Rice with Black Beans and Chickpeas
Tuesday - Chicken and Biscuits
Wednesday - Penne and Meatballs (We didn't eat this last week.)
Thursday - Leftover Buffet
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Cheesy Beef Enchiladas

What do you have planned for this week?

Menu Plan Monday

In an effort to trim our grocery budget (and my waistline!) I'm going to try and start having a "meatless" Monday. I didn't discuss this with my family because I'm pretty sure they will hate the idea. But I will press on! And buy extra frozen pizzas just in case...

Monday - Black Bean Burgers and fries
Tuesday - Cheddar Chicken and Potatoes
Wednesday - Penne and Meatballs
Thursday - Leftover Buffet
Friday - Pizza, Salad
Saturday - my nephew's birthday party and I'm eating out with friends!
Sunday - Cowboy Quesadillas

MPM: Chicken Edition

For breakfasts and lunches, we just eat whatever we feel like so I'm just posting our options. I really DO feed my family every day of the week! I really should start planning menus for the weekend.

We joined Sam's Club over the weekend and got an amazing deal on chicken. So guess what we are eating this week!

Do you plan your meals on the weekend?


Breakfasts:
Oatmeal
French Toast Sticks
Cereal
Eggs and toast

Lunch:
Soup
Gwilled Cheese
Turkey wraps
Leftovers

Dinners:
Burbon Chicken (We had this Sunday night. I used less chicken and added broccoli. It was so good!)
Burgers with sweet potato fries
Chicken Enchilada Casserole 
Chicken Queso Wraps
Spicy Mexican Chicken Skillet with quinoa (my first try at  cooking quinoa!)
Veggie Pizza

Need menu ideas? Check out orgjunkie.com for tons of ideas!

MPM - Back in the Saddle

The most mundane things fascinate me. I'm thrilled when someone goes grocery shopping, piles all of their goodies on the table for a picture, then blogs about it. (Rachel used to do this all of the time and it's one of the reasons I got hooked on her blog.) The same goes for menus. I LOVE reading what people eat. Sometimes I think, "Ooh that sounds good!" and other times I think, "There is no way I could get my family to even try that."  Mostly I'm just intrigued by the everyday-ness of what people shop for and eat.

I used to blog my menus and stopped. But I kept planning (for the most part) and kept reading menus, just stopped writing them down. So since I'm sure I'm not the only menu-dork out there, I'm blogging mine again for your reading pleasure.

You're welcome.

Breakfasts
Waffles
Cereal
Apple Strudel muffins
Scrambled Eggs and toast


Lunches
Gwilled Cheese
Quesadillas
Chicken Nuggets
PB&J
Leftovers

Dinners
Chicken Fajitas
Breakfast Burritos
Taco Salad
Burgers
Stir Fry
Pizza

"Gwilled" cheese is not a typo! Ever since we saw this on Looney Tunes, we can't manage to say it the normal way!



What are you eating this week?

*I'm linking this up over at OrgJunkie. Hop over and read the TONS of menus posted!

Scary Stuff

Last week during an ultrasound I got some very unexpected news. There was something "off" about the baby. The radiologist couldn't give me any information because "he's not a doctor and I would have to speak to my doctor about it", but the words "baby...enlarged ventricle...brain....spine...sudden" were floating around the room. Terrifying words to hear, especially when you aren't given any more information than that. My doctor was out of the office already, but thankfully I had an appointment scheduled already with her first thing the following morning. She advised me that the ultrasound seem to show that the baby had an enlarged ventricle in her brain. It can mean several things: hydrocephalus, spina bifida, and many other scary things you can find if you google it (Note to self: Never google something if you don't want to see the absolute worst case scenarios.)

Since it was showing up so late in my pregnancy and wasn't there at a previous ultrasound just three weeks ago, my doctor was convinced it was an error or a fluke but referred me to a specialist just to be sure. After a more detailed ultrasound, the specialist agreed that the ventricle was enlarged, but gave us some very encouraging news. In the brain there are three ventricles. The one that is enlarged in Grayce's brain is the one that produces spinal fluid. It then dumps it into the second chamber to be distributed around the brain via small channels. He made it clear that there are no definites in medicine, but with his previous experience, he felt the issue was that the channels going from one ventricle to the next just haven't been developed fully. Since there are no other signs of abnormalities - no blood clots or tumors that could cause a blockage and she is perfectly healthy in every other way.  To quote him:

I'm going to assume that this baby is perfectly healthy until proven otherwise. If you hadn't had an ultrasound this late, no one would have known of this 'issue' and she would have grown up to be Einstein.

But since they DID find the 'issue', I have to have an MRI next week and meet with the specialist again to confirm that no other abnormalities are present. So while there are no absolute answers yet (and truthfully won't be until after she's born), we're very encouraged that our little girl is just fine.

I'd appreciate any prayers and positive thoughts you can send our way early Wednesday morning when I'm in the MRI and again Friday afternoon when we meet with the specialist. And as a "Thank You" in advance, I'm leaving you with a menu and the song that inspired Graycie's name. :-)

Monday - Chicken, bacon, ranch sandwiches
Tuesday - Tacos
Wednesday - Baked Ziti
Thursday - Hamburgers
Friday - Breakfast burritos and sprinkle pancakes (more about these later in the week!)

You Know What Really Grinds My Gears? (and a menu!)

I normally like to pride myself on being an optimist. No one likes a Debbie Downer, Nelly Negative or someone who just can't seem to find enough to complain about. (At least I don't like them anyway!) I've found life is just much easier when you can find something good in everything.  But lately there have been so many things that have gotten under my skin that I can't help but give in and complain. So here goes...

• When you find out that this is my third pregnancy, DO NOT say the following:

• "You need to slow down!" (Why? Is my pregnancy pace to much for your stupidity to keep up with?)
• "Don't you know what causes that?" (Yeah, it's called sex. Unfortunately, I don't know what causes you to say such rude things.)
• "You had a boy and a girl! I thought you were done!" (Oh, I'm sorry that I've screwed up YOUR vision of MY perfect family.)
• "Are you getting your tubes tied after this?" (Not that it's your business at all what happens to 'my tubes', but no. I'm not. Are you getting your mouth wired shut so you can't ask things like that?)
• I'm fully aware that my house can be "a mess". When you mention something about it, I'm going to assume that you're being funny and sympathetic. When your twelve year old mentions it, I'm going to assume that you haven't taught him any manners.
• I've chosen to be a stay-at-home mom. This does not mean I am lazy, uneducated, or not ambitious. It also does not mean that I have nothing better to do than be at your beck and call - no "job" does not equal no life.
• Not everyone is obsessed with their size. I may be fat, but I'm also smart, funny, cute, and a thousand other wonderful things. Get over yourself.
• I don't go to church because I think I'm better than you. I go to church because I think I can be a better me.

I wish I could say that this made me feel better. But it didn't really. So that will conclude my "You Know What Really Grinds My Gears?" series. :-)

It is no use to grumble and complain;
It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice;
When God sorts out the weather and sends rain -
Why, rain's my choice.
~James Whitcomb Riley

And here's whats for dinner:
Monday - Hacienda leftovers (Super YUM!)
Tuesday - Hamburgers, corn on the cob
Wednesday - Buffalo Chicken Dip and salad
Thursday - Enchilada Pie
Friday - Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Forbidden Fruit and a Menu!

I've never been much of a drinker. I don't have a problem with those who drink (responsibly!), I've just found that:

1. Beer is nasty
2. Wine gives me migraines
3. Everything else just makes me sleepy/grouchy

But for some reason, everytime I'm pregnant I WANT BOOZE. And just the fruity stuff - Mike's Hard Lemonade, Coconut Rum, Strawberry Vodka, Blueberry and Lemonade Smirnoff....mmmmmm. Strangely I never have the desire to drink any of these when I'm not pregnant. I think it's just a case of "I Want What I Can't Have". I did recently see chocolate wine at the grocery store. Just the thought of that makes me want to throw up. EW.

Any strange cravings while you were pregnant?

Anyhoo, here's the menu plan for this week:

Monday - Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Tuesday - Roasted Vegetables and Penne
Wednesday - Carolina Marinated Pork Tenderloin (I don't like pork, but hubby does. I'm taking one for the team!)
Thursday - Leftover Buffet or Bubble Pizza
Friday - Frozen Pizza 

Mario Wisdom and a Menu

This weekend I was playing Mario Brothers with Riley on the Wii. He is getting better, but still feels like he has to physically jump when Mario jumps and often runs into the Goombas (And then yells at them, because it's clearly their fault.) I was trying to patiently (read - "through a clenched jaw")  help him when I had video game epiphany...playing video games with Riley is a lot like how it will be to watch him grow up. No matter how many times I try to run ahead and get rid of the bad guys or point out all the goodies (gold coins)  for him, ultimately I know I just have to sit back, trust he remembers what I've taught him and let him figure it out on his own - no matter how many times he jumps into the same pit.

Pretty deep for Mario Bros., eh? :)

And now that we have the beautiful Black Betty , I can plan my menu again!

Monday - Taco Salads
Tuesday - BBQ Chicken Sandwiches and Corn on the Cob
Wednesday - Lasagna
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Beef and Noodles 

Menu Plan Monday, My Kids and Prayer Request!

I accidentally threw away the menu I had written out...so I hope I remember what I'd planned!

Monday - lasagna
Tuesday - turkey manhattans
Wednesday -  Mexican Chicken and Rice
Thursday - chicken, bacon, ranch sandwiches
Friday - homemade pizza

I realized that I haven't posted pictures of the kids in forever! So here's a few...

Here's Riley modeling the robot shorts I made for him.

Brenna found her winter hat one morning and decided to wear it.

One more thing! There have been lots of babies on my mind lately. First is James. His mom and I went to school together and he is working on recovering from a big surgery. Next is Paxton. His mom writes one of my favorite blogs and is a brand new parent! William was also born recently - his mom also writes one of my favorite blogs. Last but certainly not least (and no link for him!) is Kellen. He was born a month early but is doing remarkably well and already at home! Babies are such a special part of life and certainly change everything.  If you could say a little prayer for these babies and their parents, I'd appreciate it!

Menu Plan Monday

Last night we had hamburgers on the grill, corn on the cob and fresh tomatoes...one of my favorite spring/summer meals! Unfortunately, I found another food that the baby does not like (the hamburgers!) so I will be avoiding nearly ALL cookout food from now on! The corn, tomatoes and strawberries we had for dessert were yummy though! I'm practically vegan!

Monday - Cavatini
Tuesday - grilled chicken and baked potatoes
Wednesday - taco salads
Thursday - leftovers
Friday - homemade pizza

Find more menu ideas at Org Junkie! 

Menu Plan Monday

I feel very off this week - so who knows what we will end up with for dinner! But here's the plan, Stan...

Monday - tonight it was Easter leftovers
Tuesday - turkey burgers and baked potatoes
Wednesday - Crockpot Creamy Chicken with rice
Thursday - something Italian...maybe stuffed shells?
Friday - taco night

I've been really inspred by a blog I found - Inspired to Action. Today she posted a challenge to create a goal - I'm following her lead and working on a mission statement for myself as a wife, mother, house manager, etc. I'm looking forward to sharing it with you all when I finish!

What is your mission statement?

Menu Plan Monday

Monday - Breakfast burritos
Tuesday - Chicken Enchiladas
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Grilled Chicken (eating outside to celebrate the nice weather!)
Friday - Probably eating out

I CAN NOT wait until the weather gets nicer! It's suppose to be a beautiful week and I'm really looking forward to spending as much time outside as possible - swinging, sliding, blowing bubbles and just enjoying my babies.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of March 22

I'm moving closer to my second trimester so I'm hoping the pregnancy fatigue goes away quickly! I have so many things I need to post and no energy to actually sit and do it, but hopefully I'll get back on the ball this week. We'll see!

Here's our menu for the week!

Monday: BBQ Beef Sandwiches and Roasted potato wedges
Tuesday: Smarter Fettuccine Alfredo
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Chicken Enchiladas
Friday: Pizza and breadsticks

Need more menu ideas? Check out orgjunkie's website!

**I scheduled this to post on Monday and it didn't....weird! So it's late!

Menu Plan Monday

After consuming tons of pizza, chips and cake this weekend it will be nice to get back to a 'regular' eating schedule!

Monday -chili
Tuesday- leftover chili (it's even better the second day in my opinion!)
Wednesday - Lasagna
Thursday - Spanish Rice Dinner
Friday - Leftover Buffet

(After reviewing this, it's fairly clear that my tomato craving is in full swing. My poor family will be eating tomato-based foods for the next eight months! And I guarantee I'll have a glass of chocolate milk with each meal. That's how this pregnant girl rolls...)

Check out more menus at orgjunkie.com! 

Menu Plan Monday (On Tuesday)

Better late than never, right? Between the trips to the bathroom, Riley sleeping in his big boy beds, a cold and our dogs I have not been sleeping very well! So my motivation to do anything productive is very hard to find. But here goes!

Monday - we had grilled smoked sausage, loaded mashed potatoes and green beans

Tuesday - Chicken and Dumpling soup and Beer Bread

Wednesday - Enchilada Cassarole

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Probably eating out

Saturday - Riley's 4th birthday party! I can't believe he's four. So we'll be eating lots and lots of his favorite Cristano's Pizza and some awesome cake made by Myra!

What are you eating this week?