Menu Plan Monday

So, I'm a complete stalker fan of I'm An Organizing Junkie and have decided to jump on the bandwagon of Menu Plan Monday. Mostly, I'm jumping on to make sure I start making my plans on Sunday. :)

I've been a menu-planner for years now. I really don't know how people survive without doing it, but I hear they do. I make my plans "forward" meaning I start with the store circular and base all my meals off of what is on sale for that week. I would LOVE to make them forward by walking around a fresh, open-air market and picking up what looks best, but, yeah. I live here. So.

I have a few tools in my toolbox and one that I've just added. In addition to a handful of tried-and-true cookbooks (Hello, Mark Bittman), I keep a binder full of page protectors. When I pull a recipe out of a magazine or print one offline, I stick it in a protector and put it with my meal plan. If I make it and it gets rave reviews it goes in the Family Favorites Binder. (I'm working on adding all of these recipes to Tastebook and one day I will print the Toney Family Favorites cookbook, but that day is not today!)

My new tool is a coil-bound, 52 page, Weekly Meal Planner book. I made a cover for it and enough copies for one week of the year. See, I've been doing this for years, but have made one fatal error. I have recycled them. I'm currently organizing my meal plans by loss-leaders. In one year I should have a book full of meal plans. I should be able to pick up the grocery ad, determine the loss leader and find a plan that corresponds with it. Each page also has a column to make a grocery list so I shouldn't have to make the lists each time, just cross-check with my pantry. I can't even begin to imagine how much time this will save!

Without further ado, here is my first plan for Menu Plan Monday!

Monday - Blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs and sausage
Tuesday - Baked ham, cheesy potatoes, salad, fruit
Wednesday - Hamburgers, baked beans, baked fries
Thursday - Squash, Bean and Cheese Enchiladas, corn, spanish rice
Friday - Spaghetti and meatballs, cantaloupe, garic bread, peas
Saturday -  OUT (Holiday dinner)
Sunday - Honey Garlic Chicken, brown rice, salad, grapes

Santa Claus Best be Gettin' to the Toy Store

I awoke to a very marked-up Toys R Us ad in front of me and a sweet 6-year-old voice letting me know that "Its a one-day sale and you probably will want to take the truck." Who taught her how to read? Literally, it was placed over my face before my eyes were even open. 


I have to say I love all these Catholic moms that have their kids enthusiasm for commercialism under control. Its running rampant around here! At least she kissed me at the end of it.

How Dare I?

I had the audacity the other night to pour a can of pineapple in a bowl, set it on the table and call it a side dish. As soon as G saw it she says, "Is this from a can? Is it even organic?"

Roomba


One thing we try to do with the girls is to talk about the cost of things. It is unfortunate, I think, that we rarely use cash and so it is easy for them to lose perspective with the "swipe factor." In the world of direct deposit and debit cards money is so rarely seen coming and then -inevitably- going. We also talk about saving up money for things we want to buy, watching for sales and using coupons when we can.

 After putting in our hardwood flooring, I decided to purchase a Roomba to keep them clean on a daily basis. (Dog-hair dust bunnies drive me crazy and so does any visible dirt.) Now, the thing about the Roomba is that it falls into the category of "Unnecessary Purchases." So. I had to sacrifice some things I wanted to save enough money to get it. ;)

This whole parenting mentality had an bit of an embarrassing side effect for me recently. I thought I would combine a money lesson with a math lesson for C while at the store. I had "saved my money" and brought a 20% off coupon to the store to make my purchase. (See? Aren't I responsible?) I had C look at the price, figure out the discount and get the final price before tax for me. At the end of this little math problem she looks at me and says (NOT quietly), "Do you even HAVE that much money?!?!"

Cabin Fever

Well, we are dealing with illness early around here this season! I only hope it means we are getting it all out of the way for a healthy winter to come.

There is some sort of "super-cold" going around and its taking us out one by one. I went down last Thursday, G fell on Sunday, C 2 days ago and J yesterday. Better this week than next, right?

I am being reminded of what life is like to be "stuck" at home with kids. Its been interesting. Day 1 with G wasn't too bad - she felt well enough to read, make play-doh, create a band worth of musical instruments, paint, and snuggle. Day 2 was a bit trickier since they were BOTH home. Today its just C - lots of napping, TV watching, listening to Adventures in Odyssey, crocheting and generally whining a bit to make sure your mom knows you don't feel well.

I love my girls and love being able to take care of them when they are sick. I realize, though, that I need some time outdoors and my exercise. I'm getting a little crabby! Of course, I did go outside yesterday for some doggy doo duty. That counts, right?

Am I Back?
Wow. Last month is the first month since 2005 that I have not blogged at all. Its official. I can't balance being in the office, being at home and being on the internet. I suppose that surprises no one.


Here are a few little life gems I don't want to forget:


G 
"Mom, I can spell dog backwards and it makes a REALLY important word. G-O-D."


(On Veteran's Day) "Mom, we watched this video today about soldiers and stuff. That thing made my eyes wet!" 


J and I were preparing for our monthly staff meeting over lunch. While in the middle of talking about where our production goals should be set, G walks in and looks at us very seriously. "Mom, Dad, if you really want to make more money you should probably just set out a jar that says 'tips.'"


"Mom! I think my face is shrinking! Wait... Maybe I just need a haircut."


C
My dear sweet girl is slightly less "quotable" than her sister, but no less delightful. Can I just say that she is SO 9? Can I just say that there were really valid reasons that I cried when I found out I was having a girl at that ultrasound? Can I just say that I was RIGHT?


She is a combination of this amazing, beautiful girl and a sullen, staring, quiet, infuriating one. IT'S BEGINNING, PEOPLE! I am treasuring every little girl moment that she has. I love that she has a little sister to pull her into imaginary games still. I love (but a little bit less) that she is starting to explore the world outside our home and family. I adore that she is embracing some great books lately. I must admit hating that occasionally my opinion ranks right above that of the dogs', but hey....a girl has to have her sources, right?


Now...next blog goal is some photos. 

Love is Crazy

So...remember G's little friend from last week? You know, the one that bought her a trip the nurse's office? Today when I pick her up from school she comes catapulting out of the door:

Gillian: "MOM! (Insert boy's name here) told me LOVES ME today!"
Mom: "Oh? What did you say?"
Gillian: "I said he was INSANE!"