A fit family and our menu.

Another weekend come and gone,, almost half way through Feb!!  It really is true that as you get older life just moves on faster.  And the weekends sure do fly by.  Through the week our days are pretty much the same,, get up kids go to school Ben is at work, I babysit until 5:30 every night which then we have dinner, clean up dinner, workout, get kids ready for bed, watch a little TV, wait for 3rd shift babysitting girl to come and then go to bed to get up and do it all over again.  The weekends are always a little different and as of lately working out is part of those also.  I am really happy that fitness has taken over our household.  I cant believe I'm saying this but I am loving being active.  I really cant  wait until the weather warms up some I we can get outside more often and take walks and I"m dieing to go hiking somewhere.  Tennessee and all those hills are really calling my name.  I bet we could tackle them a lot better now than we did a few years ago! 

Jess and I right before doing The Shred.

 

We took a little sneak peak at level 3 of the Shred and since the mats were open Emma decided to do some of the stretches with Evil Jillian.

Saturday the sun was out and even though it wasn't really warm we took advantage of it and the whole family went for a walk. Gary wanted to ride his bike.  We went for 2 miles!  Our ears and cheeks were frozen but its all good.  I loved getting some fresh air. Emma was whining on the way home about being cold and tired but hopefully this summer when its not freezing she will be more into it. 

I really wasn't this far behind everyone, my shoe was untied so I stopped to tie it and snapped a pic while I was back there. 

 

Ive decided to start posting our menus again like I used to.  Keep in mind that lunches are always subject to change, just depends if we have leftovers or not and what the kids and I are in the mood for..I also don't always eat the same thing as the kids in the mornings and lunches,,if you want to see exactly what I eat find and add me at myfitnesspal.com  my user name is everydaymom. 

 

I also always have a veggie or two at dinner but dont always right then down on the menu plan because we just have whatever one sounds good that day. :)   More or less nothing is written in stone,I just like to have a basic plan.  This little markerboard came with a calander set my mom got me for Christmas,, I love it for posting our menus on the fridge. 

If you need some dinner inspiration check outhttp://orgjunkie.com/ There are tons of menu plans there every Monday morning

Menu plan

I haven't posten a menu plan in quite awhile so I decided to type it up. 

Tonight we will be having chicken tacos, refried beans, and tortilla chips---for the chicken tacos I just put some chicken tenders in the crock pot along with some salsa and am cooking it up until its soft and I can shred it up then well just throw it on the tortillas along with some cheese, lettuce and sour cream!

Other meals will be
-tuna noodle casserole with crescent rolls
-deer steak, mashed cauliflower and green beans
-spaghetti and garlic bread with a salad
-chicken breast, pasta salad, corn
-roasted chicken, baked potatoes,, broccoli
-chicken and noodles (with leftover roasted chicken)

Our weekend and a menu plan

We had a pretty lovely weekend. It sure went by way to fast! Saturday Ben worked a couple hours in the morning then went to a golf tournament. Mom invited us out to breakfast so the kids and I jumped on that offer, then we went up to the zoo with mom and Dave. It was fun. I'm so happy we purchased the zoo membership at the beginning of the season. We have defiantly got our moneys worth. I think we've been up there 5 times. The kids don't seem to get tired of it.

After the zoo the kids and I went shoe shopping. Jess said she needed a new pair of cleats for soccer and new soccer socks. She wanted certain shoes and I was so scared to see the price tag. First we went to PayLess and found a pair that fit her and was only 17.99! Of course they were only black and white and not really the ones she wanted. I told her we would go look at the other store but I wasn't promising anything. She found a pair she liked but they were 35. After much debating in my head I told her to ask if they had her size and if they did I was going to get them for her....I lucked out and everything was to big! So I asked her if she would like to go back to the other store and get that pair and she said yes! So back to payless we went,,, we got her cleats and Gary informed me that his shoes were coming apart... I said no way. He just got a pair not even a month ago. But I looked at them and the soles were barely connected ...ughhh.....luckly all shoes were buy one get one half off so he found a pair....then of course the baby Emma taken off her shoes in the store and trying on all the shoes while we were in there...she kept asking which ones she could get. Well,,, I'm a softy, and my own tennis shoes I've had for 2 or 3 years and every time I wear them they hurt me cause they are so worn out so I decided since the buy one get one sale I would buy myself a pair and get Emma one too. So four pairs of shoes later we were out of the store. I spent $64 in there,, but for 4 pairs of shoes I don't think that's too bad!

Sunday we went back up to the Dunes beach! We got to swim this time and it was so fun and relaxing! Again we only spent 5.00 to get in, and this time we didn't buy ice cream. We packed our lunch again. I LOVE it there and so does the rest of the family!

Because of the shoe purchase I'm skipping grocery shopping again this week. Seems like its pretty much been averaging about every other week around here. I spent a lot last weekend though on groceries so were not too low on much. I've got a menu plan layed out and you can see were still having plenty of yummy food with what's on hand...

-goulash with cornbread muffins
-deer steak, baked potatoes, corn
-roast with potatoes and carrots
-tater tot casserole
-easy Swiss steak with rice
-beef and noodles, mashed potatoes

ThisWeeks Eats. ...

Here is what we'll be having to eat this week:

*hamburgers, homemade fries, carrots
*beef and broccoli stir fry with rice
*veggie soup with homemade bread
*venison steak, garlic potatoes, green beans
*fajitas
*Ribyees, baked potatoes, corn

The only things I had to buy at the store for these meals were, tomato juice for the veggie soup, tortillas, and sour cream! Of course I also had to buy milk, fresh fruit, and things for lunches. My husband likes to go around telling everyone that I don't go grocery shopping. This is not true.... .I guess the problem is we run out the food I buy to fast. I guess I'm still shopping with the mentality of of family of 4, but really we are a family of 5 plus I feed extra kids that I babysit. Emma eats a ton! You wouldn't think a 2 year old could eat that much but she is constantly wanting food. I would call her a grazer, eating little bits all throughout the day. I cant deny her the food,, she is a growing girl. Also Jess and Gary's appetites seem to be growing quite a bit too. An example is I bought a big thing of bananas last Thursday and by Friday night they were gone. I guess I need to start buying 2 things of bananas, and try and figure out how to
s-t-r-e-a-c-h my grocery budget even more :(

Menu plan

Here's what we'll be having for dinner this week:

Monday-round steak, garlic potatoes, green beans
Tuesday spaghetti
Wednesday-sirloin stir-fry and rice
Thursday-tacos, refried beans
Friday-pork chops, baked potatoes, spring veggies

Most everything on my menu I already had in the house! I was able to only spend 16 dollars this week groceries. Although I need to still get some fresh fruit.

Menu plan

Here is what we will be eating this week.

*taco salad
*poor mans meal
*spaghetti
*chicken stir fry with rice
*hamburgers, macaroni salad

Sat. -lunch-leftovers,, dinner,- we have a wedding to attend,, I'm thinking there will be food at the reception.

A menu

Since its been awhile I thought I'd post our menu plan for this week... I have still been planning our menus, just not posting them..... Lately due to lack of funds,,, I have been looking at the sale fliers and then planing our menu around whats on sale. And if the main stores don't have anything good I go to Aldi's..... It really does seem to be my go to store,,, almost always they are cheaper, unless one of the other stores is having a really good sale on meat.

Sunday:cereal, L-leftover chicken enchiladas, D-homemade pizza

-hamburger zucchini over rice
-BBQ chicken legs, suddenly salad, veggies
-fish tacos
-spaghetti and garlic bread
-?????

Sat.-????

This is what I have groceries for. It really stinks not having meat in the freezer. I cant wait til our beef is ready!!( I think I've been saying that for like a year now! ) Soon I hope.


Grandma told me that we should have garden green beans in less than a week, so hopefully those will be thrown into the menu somewhere this week!

June menu

Tentative June menu: dinners

6-8
hamburger casserole
green beans

6-9
tacos
re fried beans
6-10
sirloin roast, flavored rice, peas
6-11
casserole made with leftover roast
6-12
lasagna soup
6-13
spaghetti(made by Ben),I will be at sisters bachelorette party
6-14
soup beans, cornbread
6-15
bean and cheese burritos on homemade tortillas
6-16
baked steak, potatoes, corn
6-17
biscuits and gravy
6-18
hot dogs, pepperoni pasta salad
6-19
rehearsal dinner
6-20
eat at wedding
6-21
hamburgers, french fries
6-22
crock pot steak, potatoes, corn
6-23
spaghetti and garlic bread
6-24
grilled chicken, flavored rice, asparagus
6-25
baked potato bar
6-26
homemade BBQ pizza
6-27
hamburger casserole

Of course any of this could change depending on whats ready in the garden or if there is a superb sale at the grocery store! Most of this is based on what I already have on hand or things that I know will be fairly cheap to buy!

Menu plan for the week of May 31

Sunday--oatmeal for breakfast, leftovers for lunch, and poor mans meal for dinner

Weekday meals:
-pork roast, garlic potatoes, salad
-broccoli chicken casserole
-crock pot roasted chicken, potatoes, corn,
-BBQ chicken pizza
-chicken sandwich, french fries, fruit

Saturday:? Something on the grill probably

The kids last day of school is Tuesday! That means we will be going through more food around here. :) I'm gonna have to be creative and make more homemade goodies again. And hopefully granny's garden will do well this year, and we can have some fresh veggies to eat!

For more great menu plans visit orgjunkie.com

Menu plan

Weekday meals;
*steak, baked potatoes, green beans
*chicken cacciatore over spaghetti
*homemade pizza
*broccoli chicken bake
*hamburgers, pasta salad, chips

Saturday-cereal
*hot dogs

Menu plan

Sunday(Mother's Day): eggs and toast, Olive Garden, leftover ice cream cake

Weekday meals:
Mexican chicken casserole
smokey mountain chicken, asparagus, baked potatoes
cavatini(from freezer), garlic bread
chicken sandwiches, chips, green beans
Friday we have a grad/bday party to attend

Saturday-b=eggs and toast, l=grilled cheese, d=taco salad

Menu plan

Here it is the first full week in May already!! How time flies. I feel like we've been running around like crazy people lately, defiantly out of my comfort zone(I'm the one that likes to just exist at home normally). Everything has been fun though. Working out is paying off. The kids are enjoying the soccer games. We had a garage sale on Sat.,, it was a pretty good success. My mom, grandma, and both sisters, plus me all put stuff in the garage sale. My youngest sister came to help after everything was set up and said it looked more like a flea market than a garage sale, lol :) It did to, we had at ton of stuff! We sold a lot, but still ended up with a lot left, so off to goodwill we went! Well, all except for the baby stuff, there is another sale that I will try and sell that stuff in. So here is the menu plan for this week, this coming Sun, is mothers day and Jess's birthday. We are gonna let her gave some friends over on Friday night so she is picking the food for that night, but she hasn't decided yet.

Sunday-B-bagels, L-hamburgers, baked beans, tortilla chips, D-Richards restaurant

Weekday meals:
leftover BBQ and hamburgers
spaghetti, garlic bread
tacos
baked steak, baked potatoes, green beans
Jess' choice

Saturday-eggs and toast L-subway, D-poor man's meal

Late menu

I just realized I didn't post my menu for the week-----and can you imagine the world didn't come to an end??? lol------I've just been super busy with lots of things. And as I was writing out May on my marker board calender today I realized this next month isn't gonna slow down any!! We are having a garage sale this Sat...,, there is gonna be so much stuff here it isn't even funny,, because my whole family is bringing all there stuff to my house to try to sell!! I dont care as long as whatever doesn't sell they take right back with them upon sale ending because I certainly dont need all of it to stay here!! Then after the sale we are going over to my mom's to celebrate her and my grandpa's birthday. Then the next weekend is the weekend of Jess' birthday and mother's day,, they actually fall on the same day this year, May 10. She is gonna be 10 years old,, double digits,, its crazy!!!! Any who, back to this weeks belated menu:

Sunday-B-pancakes, L-lunch meat, D-hot dogs on grill, mac n cheese, carrots, cucumbers

Weekdays:
subway,
chicken tacos and re fried beans
ham, scalloped potatoes, green beans
salsa chicken, and rice
homemade pizza

Sat_B-oatmeal and toast, L-lunch meat, D-at moms

I have noticed that as it gets warmer I am losing my want to cook...... Obviously I am gonna continue to cook but I think things wont be quiet as fancy, lol,, not that they ever really were. :)

Mondays stuff

Wow,, what a weekend. Saturday the big kids had the first soccer game/practice of the year. So its on.. we will be busy with that for the next couple of months. It really is fun though to see them doing something they truly enjoy,,, I found out though it will be a little more difficult for me to actually get to see the games this year due to our adventurous 15 month old.... Sitting in the stroller is just no fun, she wants to be out and running around like everyone else!

Then Saturday Jess got sick, then Sunday morning I was sick and down for the count pretty much all day. Emma had had it on Thursday, so I think shes in the clear,,, she actually started it all I think. Gary wasn't feeling to hot yesterday either.

I don't feel 100% today but I really think I need to get out and go over to the Y this afternoon. We cant go on Thursdays or Saturdays now due to soccer :( I know right now exercising doesn't sound to appealing to me but maybe by this afternoon I'll feel better. On Friday we went and did 60minutes of cardio!! 20 on treadmill, 20 on bike, 20 on elliptical,, one right after the other... I thought I would die,, but we managed. It was Ben's idea,, crazy boy!!!

MY menu plan is kinda lacking and thrown together this week but I did manage to figure one out so here it is:

Sunday----all up to Ben, due to my illness
Weekday meals:
fried veggie rice
tuna noodle casserole
crock pot steak
homemade pizza
Fri-Ben and I will be going to Paige's Crossing for a IPFW Warsaw center night out so the kids will probably eat at grandma's
Sat- ??

Menu plan 4-12

Here is whats on our plates this week. If you wanna join us, just call first! :)

Sunday:biscuits and gravy
grilled chicken salad
Easter dinner at moms

Weekday meals:
boneless pork chops, garlic potatoes, corn
grilled chicken, baked potato, green beans
????? this night is still up in the air,,, its gonna be a crazy night and I haven't figured it out yet
stir fry and rice
homemade pizza

Saturday: scrambled eggs, toast
steak, baked potatoes, corn

Big menu plan for week 4-6

This is our spring break week so all my kids plus the babysitting kids will be home! So I had to make sure I planned well so I wouldn't run out of food! So this week you will see breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner.

Sunday: eggs in a nest, sausage patties
cavatini, salad

Monday:B-oatmeal, L-tater tot casserole, S-purple cow, D-bean burritos, nachos

Tuesday:B-eggs, grapefruit, L-grilled cheese, chips, grapes, S-cheese and crackers, D-toastado casserole

Wednesday:B-cereal, L-noodle stuff and fruit cocktail, S-cinnamon crisps, D-BBQ sandwiches tater tots, green beans

Thursday:B-french toast sticks, L-lasagna skillet, S-popcorn and grapes, D-spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

Friday:B-cereal, L-pizza wrap, S-fruit snacks, D-fried ravioli, garlic bread, salad

Saturday:B-cereal, L-pizza, D-cheesy bread, broccoli salad

Menu plan for March 29

Here is the plan for next week:

Sunday: scrambled eggs, bacon, toast
dinner at moms (lasagna)

Weekday meals:
*baked chicken, chicken flavored rice, green beans
*chicken fried rice
*beef stew
*poor mans dinner
*steak, corn, applesauce

Saturday:leftovers for lunch
cavatini

Menu plan and our Sunday

This weeks menu will go as follows:
Sunday-waffles
beer and cheddar brats, fries, macaroni salad, cantaloupe
Weekday meals:
BBQ chicken, green beans, chips,
open faced quesidiellas, guacamole and chips
spaghetti Alfredo, garlic bread
Swiss steak, mashed taters, buttery rolls
pizza

Saturday: steak on grill, baked taters, corn and salad

Yesterday I made a huge batch of homemade waffles and they were so yummy, since it made so much we had enough to put into the freezer! The kids wanted to try them out this morning so I took them out of the freezer and popped them into the toaster,, they tasted just like yesterday, but with the ease of a Eggo! Awesome! Now we've got breakfast burritos and waffles in the freezer.

It was so nice outside yesterday we grilled out and the kids really wanted to eat outside. My first instinct was to say no,, but then thought,, its not really gonna hurt anything so we did it! They loved it and it really wasn't any harder than setting the table inside:)

I think all to often I just say no when they request things and I am really trying to work on that. I don't want to be a "no mom", I want to be a "yes" mom. Obviously some things need to be said no to, but most of the time what they are asking for isn't that much more work and its just something simple that would make them so happy. An example is the other day we brang out all the pillows and blankets and watched a movie on the living room floor together. It thrilled them! It was like a little slumber party in the living room.

Overall we had a pretty good weekend. And here's to a even better week ahead!

Menu plan and brekfast burritos

This morning hubby and I put together some brekfast burritos! We used sausage, potatoes, onion, eggs, and cheese! Yummy! Total we had 20, the family ate 5 and we had 15 to put in the freezer. With Ben going back to work tomorrow morning this can be an easy option for him if he wants some brekfast to grab and go. Just get one out and pop it in the microwave! Here is how our little assembly line looked this morning.

And as far as our menu plan for the week, Here ya go!

Sunday: brekfast burritos

dinner at mom's

Weekday meals:

*roast with potatoes and carrots

* bean chili mac ( we never got around to having this last week)

*crockpot roast chicken with potatoes and corn

*cheesy chicken enchiladas

*spagetti and garlic bread

Saturday-pull out some breakfast burritos,,, be in Ft.wayne by 11am for Gary's dentist

*lunch in Ft. Wayne

*free for all if anyone wants dinner :)

Menu plan March 8

Here's this weeks menu plan. It includes a meal called poor man's meal. This is coming from a little show I saw on you tube. Its this 93 year old woman who lived through the depression and she gives recipes that they made during the great depression. I think its pretty interesting if you want to check her out. So here we go

Sunday-muffins and smoothies
eating lasagna at moms

Weekday meals:
* spaghetti and garlic bread
* baked steak, potatoes, corn
* steak fajitas(with leftover meat from day before) re fried beans
* poor mans meal
*Friday night--is our school carnival and we will be eating there

Saturday- pancakes and sausage
tuna noodle casserole

Anyone eating anything exciting this week?