Monday...

I can't believe I went another week without posting anything between Mondays! Busy week still getting back into the swing of things with school. Also started speech therapy with Lyndee and it's totally the middle of our day and I am so scared I am going to forget it completely one of these days! Last week I remembered 20 minutes before it started...luckily we live 3 minutes away!

On to the good stuff...our menu!
I ROCKED the budget this week...using coupons to get a few things at Walmart (two items I got paid for) and then only spent $26 for the week at Aldi. All in all I came in $10 under my $50 a week budget!

Monday - breakfast turkey bacon, biscuits, eggs
the kids have been begging and I have to admit it's quick easy and yummy so I don't mind!

Tuesday - enchiladas
we were supposed to have this last week but I ended up doing like tostadas with the corn tortillas so I still had plenty tortillas and the enchilada sauce left

Wednesday - New potatoes with soups
Jeff has Chili on his and I have broccoli cheese soup on mine! The kids usually have some "character soup" on nights like this (Campbell's soups)

Thursday - playground with the kids
Jeff is getting more work done on his tattoo so I am taking the kids to a restaurant with a playground so we can burn off some energy!!

Friday - hot dogs baked french fries and fruit
Another quick and easy meal but I had a B1G1 coupon and got these great sounding Angus hotdogs so figured we would grill out

Saturday - Spaghetti homemade Italian bread
what would a week of me posting on here without spaghetti be?
I always "mix it up" this week I am doing homemade meatballs, whole wheat rigatoni, and adding some pesto to the sauce

Sunday - BBQ Chicken corn, green beans
grilling out. Doing corn on the cob in foil packets with butter and cajun seasoning. Green beans in a foil packet cooked with butter and bacon. I will probably do some bread in the bread machine too


Hope everyone has a great week!!

what we are eating this week

It's Monday again....where did the weekend fly? Lyndee had her 3 year old check up and got a fly shot on Friday so our weekend was not very fun! She was miserable!!
Here's what we are eating this week. Find many more menu planning ideas at orgjunkie.com


Monday - Oven Fried Chicken corn green beans and homebaked french bread
haven't tried this before but going to try it tonight!

Tuesday - Enchiladas refried beans
using ground turkey and corn tortillas

Wednesday - Spaghetti homebaked Italian bread
yes I know it's a weekly thing but it's my hubby's favorite meal and the kids ask for seconds so we have it a lot!
This week sausage as the meat and using whole wheat penne noodles

Thursday - breakfast
Pancakes, turkey bacon and maybe eggs (see what I feel like by Thursday)

Friday - Chicken Lo Mein
I am adding broccoli this time hoping the kids won't notice shhhh

Saturday - homemade pizzas

Sunday - going to the in laws

My baby is 3!!!

My little Lyndee turned 3 on Monday! I can't believe it...seems like yesterday we were finally able to bring out little 4 lb. 14 oz 8 day old baby home from the hospital!




We had a Dora/Diego party on Sunday with family and a few friends! I got her a pink shirt (which of course I monogrammed) and a cute orange skirt so she could be Dora!

I did a cupcake tree with Dora rings on top, we made yellow bracelets like Dora with pony beads, and all Lyndee cared about was presents presents presents!!



Here is her opening a few of them with the help of her cousin Whitney, friend Ella, and her Nana


She got tons of goodies including some PJs for her "Hello Kitty" (technically mine that the kids got me for Mother's Day but she's taken it over)
Here is a pic with her in her new PJs along with Hello Kitty on her birthday eve!



Here are the favor bags I made for all the girls (Parker was the only boy there and he was too cool for monogramming

Fun was had by all and now I have to work on Parker's 8th birthday party which is in 6 weeks....whew

Birthday weekend

My little girl turns 3 on Monday! I can't believe it. I honestly feel like she was just in my tummy!
We are having a Dora/Diego party (shocker I know) and she's getting the concept a little! We have been singing Happy Birthday all week and she blows "out the candles" at the end of the song. Also we have been practicing saying thank you after each present. She kept going to get some of her presents out of the closet (my oh so smart hiding place) so I had to go ahead and wrap everything and they have been on top of the entertainment center since. She keeps pointing them them saying "mine". So she kind of knows what's going on!
We are having the family that is in town and then one of our good friends with 3 girls that Lyndee adores over for the party! Small and sweet but has to be that way in our little house! Which reminds me I should be cleaning the house "company worthy" yes there is a difference in cleaning levels....instead of sitting here typing!

Menu Planning Monday

Well it's Monday again...time to post the menu Get many more MPMs here

Monday - Chicken N Dumplins
I have never made these before but thought I would try! I am using this Cracker Barrel recipe so I will let everyone know how it turns out! This is a family fav so I better not screw it up!

Tuesday - Steaks with Potatoes and Green Beans CROCKPOT NIGHT
I am using some more of those "free mini steaks from Schwann's" but this time in the crockpot.

Wednesday - Dinner at my parent's house (finger foods..yes it's a pun)
It's a surprise dinner for my dad...it's the anniversary of him having two fingers amputated (long story I will get into some other time) and he jokes on the 12th of every month about where is his card or anniversary present so now for the one year anniversary my sister and I are surprising him with an anniversary party!! If you know my family, especially my dad, you will totally understand this whole thing!

Thursday - Sausage Roll Pizza and salads
Get a french bread loaf (I use the one in the can or make dough in my breadmaker)
Cook sausage (you can also use pepperoni, ground beef, whatever other pizza topping you like) Drain.
Mix in a bag of shredded mozzerella cheese, fresh parsley and a handful of bread crumbs...mix until cheese is melted then on the laid out bread dough scoop mixture down the middle then ROLL the dough! Cook according to regular bread instructions

Friday - Chicken Parm Sandwiches baked french fries
Cook Chicken Patties put on a bun topped with cheese and tomato sauce
Couldn't be easier

Saturday - breakfast
Pancakes and turkey bacon

Sunday - My little Lyndee's 3rd birthday party is today! Haven't figured out dinner yet!

Hope everyone has a great week!! I have been busy as heck trying to get everything ready to start homechooling next week!! On top of throwing a birthday party Sunday and getting the house ready!

Getting Back in the swing of School things

This weekend is tax free here in Tennessee for Back to School stuff!
I have gone through everything seeing what all we need for the school year! The only big thing I need to buy is a dry erase board! I didn't buy one last year since we started the school year in the middle and just went with what we had but I think it's going to be a big help and lots of fun to be able to write spelling words, practice math etc...
Also Office Max is doing some great specials (as is everywhere else) I am going today to get some 1 cent Sharpies 12 cent rulers and 5 cent folders and notebooks!
Gotta love those deals!

Monday......

This is getting repetitive lately since I haven't been posting much besides MPMs but still I am getting those done! woohoo
Getting everything ready for a new year of homeschooling so we have been busy!

Here's what I am cooking this week! Check out tons more menu planning ideas here


Monday - Frito Chili Pie
My hubby lived in Texas for a few years so this is one of his favorites! I always make a double batch of chili and freeze half so this is a QUICK meal! Just reheat chili, put fritos in the bottom of the bowl, add chili, and top with cheese (I usually put a dallop of sour cream on mine if I have some on hand)

Tuesday - Pineapple Chicken Broccoli
Crockpot Tuesday..everyone should know this by now! I love crockpot cooking
Put chicken in crockpot top with teriakyi sauce and crushed pineapple in a can and viola!

Wednesday - Brats, corn, and green beans (mini corn dogs for the kids)
Grilling out Bratwursts on the grill, then doing some cajun corn/green beans and baking some mini corn dogs for the kids since they aren't thrilled with brats to quote my son "this is a funky tasting hot dog"

Thursday - Taco Night and refried beans
Ground turkey tacos with all the fixins

Friday - Steaks baked potatoes
I got these mini steaks free from Schwann's since they were doing a new customer $10 coupon so steaks were delievered to my front door and I owed .08 cents tax! That's a frugal meal!!

Saturday - breakfast
quick, easy, crowd favorite

Sunday - dinner at the inlaws

Hope everyone has a great week!!