Menu Monday 1/13-1/25

I know its been almost a year since I have posted. I will do an updated post (hopefully) later; going to try and get back into blogging, I miss it.

Anyway, I am on a new budget plan for this year, so far so good, its going to be an adjustment, still have some things to fix, but on a good plan so far.

One of the budget things I am changing is instead of grocery shopping every week, I am going to try and go every two weeks. My husband and I went yesterday, with my list, and did fairly well. What I normally spend in one week vs what I spent yesterday and how it all worked out, I saved a good $75 (and that included not just dinner stuff also). So I am pretty happy about that.

So here is my two week dinner menu

Sunday-1/13/13

Cheeseburgers on the grill

Chili Cheese Fries

Monday-1/14/13

Meatloaf

Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday-1/15/13

Lasagna

Garlic Bread

Wednesday-1/16/13

Chili

Thursday-1/17/13

BBQ Chicken Sliders (crockpot)

Fries

Friday-1/18/13

Frozen Pizzas

Saturday-1/19/13

Sloppy Joes

Mac N Cheese

Sunday-1/20/13

Sausage Dogs on the grill smothered in onions/peppers

Chips

Monday-1/21/13

Turkey Breast

Green Beans

Stuffing

Tuesday-1/22/13

French Dip Sandwiches

Wednesday-1/23/13

Hot Dogs

Fries

Thursday-1/24/13

Tacos

Friday-1/24/13

Take Out

So I know technically its 13 days (12 if you don't count the Take Out night), but its definitely more nights I planned for than normally (which is 6 nights).

Quick Update on Us-2/11/12

Wow, its been about four months since I have updated anyone. It was a crazy few months, busy with holidays, the kids were out of school, we did some traveling back to Wilmington a couple of times, and then had to get back on a routine once school started back.

Pretty much things are going good, we had a good Thanksgiving, got everyone (Brian's family) together here for a couple of hours. Christmas was spent with just us five, which was nice & relaxing. Had our nieces down for about a week right afterwards. Its been fairly calm here the past few months.

Haven't seen any snow yet,. and the way these temperatures have been, I don't think we will either. Its been in the mid 50s lately (and even not long ago, it was in the high 60s)! But I am looking forward to Spring weather, and to see everything come back in bloom (so not looking forward to the allergies though).

I have been kinda on a photography block since we moved, so don't have any photos to post. I really hate that I am on this block, but with the kids getting older, and doing their own thing, its hard to snap photos every month now of them all; and any photos I do snap, are taken with my cell phone. Hopefully this block passes, I miss taking and editing photos.

Well that's pretty much a quick and short update on us, hopefully I will be able to give a better update in a short couple of months.

Jen's Wreaths - Fresh Balsam Fir Christmas Wreaths Review

I can't say enough about Jen's Wreaths! Last year, an old friend of mine recommended the facebook site to me, due to Jen doing a giveaway for a free Christmas wreath. Hey, free giveaway, whats the harm in trying right...worst thing that could happen was that I didn't win. Well I did win, and received it a few weeks later.

OMG, the quality is amazing, the freshness and smell (because they are real) were outstanding. I got my package, and instantly opened it up, (with everything still intact) and hung it over my mantle-piece in the living room. By that evening, the smell from the fresh wreath was throughout my house. Now the smell is not overpowering, its just right, just a hint of it spreads through the house. I received it about 10 days before Christmas, and even a month later, it was still in excellent condition. I cannot say enough great things about Jen's Wreaths and I HIGHLY recommend you put in an order today, in time for the holidays, to add this to your decorations for the year; you will NOT be disappointed!

This is the wreath that I won last year, beautiful!

Wordless Wednesday-11/9/11

Election Day at my son's school, signs everywhere!

Wordless Wednesday-11/2/11

Brrr, I think Fall skipped us this year

 

Monday Coffee Talk

This goes back to last week's writing prompt; now having to elaborate on one of the 20 Things.

It was a little tough deciding which one to elaborate with detail on, but I decided to go with my story of becoming a Teen Mom/Wife, because being a mom & wife defines me as a person, its who I have been the past 14 years.

I met my husband at my 17th birthday party, in January of '97, I was currently in a serious relationship, so I did not think twice about him. We were introduced, and that was that for me; he on the other hand, felt a connection between the both of us, but due to myself being in a relationship already, he left it alone.

It was the summer of '97, things had just ended with my current boyfriend of over a year. I started hanging out more with my girlfriends, now that I was single. My husband & I were reintroduced (although he had become one of my regular customers at work the past 6 months, so I knew him already, knew we had the same mutual friends). We started hanging out more, with our group of friends...and eventually we got serious about one another. Our relationship moved fairly quickly, it was one of those relationships that you feel like you have been together forever; 2 weeks felt like 2 years.

Within one year of us being reintroduced, we had gotten pregnant, moved in together, gotten married, and had our first born, daughter; I was 18, hubby was 22.

When my daughter was 15 months old, we found out we were expecting again; I was 19,. hubby was 23. Three years after my husband & I started dating, our middle child, our son, joined our family.

Then finally, seven years after my husband & I started dating, our youngest was born, completing our family. I was 24, hubby was 28.

Its definitely been an adventure, but an adventure I wouldn't change for the world. My husband & I were able to grow together as a family, as a couple, as individuals. In a few years, I will be able to say I have been with my husband half of my life...and I continue looking forward to growing old with him.

Wordless Wednesday-10/26/11

Beautiful, cool-crisp, Fall Morning