Brown B(r)aggin' It - 3/7

Here's what the kiddos are finding in their lunch bags this week:

Monday: Peanut Butter and Jelly or Pimiento Cheese Sandwiches; Pistachios; Rice Cakes; Apple Sauce

Tuesday: Turkey Sandwich; fresh berries; blue corn chips

Wednesday: Veggie Wrap; carrots and hummus; applesauce

Thursday: Hard-boiled eggs or Turkey Sandwich; Rice Cakes; Apple Slices

Friday: Peanut Butter and Jelly or Gumbo; pretzels; carrrots

Weekely Menu 3/7

As my last post said, I've started making my menus in pencil. Good thing since tonight's plan was butchered by the 11 year old who had only read three pages of the book for his book report that is due TOMORROW! And, he left his book at school. After finding the book at Barnes and Noble (the library's copy was checked out) I knew, my plan for dinner wasn't happening. So, with a couple swipes of the eraser, it was not zucchini pizza boats for dinner but fried egg sandwiches.

Monday:

fried egg sandwiches (and a Tall Chocolate Mocha I picked up at Starbucks inside Barnes and Noble)

Image via Wikipedia

How do you like your eggs?

Tuesday:
Chick Fil-A (We're going to be out late and are going to have to grab a bite to eat before we get home.)

Image via Wikipedia

Wednesday:
Brats & Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday: Sausage Gumbo and Whole Wheat Baguette

Friday: Cornmeal Crusted Chicken Nuggets with Blackberry Mustard; Broccoli (Followed by a trip to Menchies for dessert.)

Saturday: Eating out with out-of town company

Sunday: Matzo-Crusted Salmon; Green Beans; Whole Grain Rolls; and Fresh Fruit Parfaits

I know I'm not off to a great start with this plan since it is just the first day of the week and I've already used that eraser. But I guess allowing myself the use of the eraser in the first place is a huge step for me. Just hope I can use that zucchini before it goes bad...

Escaping Chaos

After a few weeks of attempting to make sense of my family's newly acquired chaotic schedule, I've come to the realization that something's gotta change. OK, a lot's gotta change.

The Princess turned 7 at the end of January. We were just able to fit in a party for her last weekend! Not too Big to Say He Loves Me turned 11 two weeks ago. I have no idea when a celebration of that will happen. Add to that the fact that every weekly menu I have made recently has had to be reworked on a near daily basis. I've had to embrace eating out on a weekly basis. The reason for all this chaos: Track & Field, Lacrosse, Tutoring, Drum lessons, and Daisies. Oh, and a new position for the hubster which has him working 60 hour weeks and traveling a great deal more.

So, the changes I'm making (and hoping beyond hope that they make a difference) are...(drumroll, please)

1. Ordering my groceries online. Placed my first order today. I'm really quite good at online shopping so it made perfect sense that I should be able to grocery shop online as well. I carefully went through the inventory of the store, put it in my "cart", included notes to the angel shopper (like nearly green bananas, large onion, etc), and processed the order. I had ZERO impulse purchases! ZERO. And, I've been told by other customers, you can bring your coupons and they'll be deducted from your next order. Awesome!
2. Figuring my menu out a day earlier. I've always done that on Monday. Now, I'm doing it on the weekend. That way, if I have time to go ahead and prepare a meal and put it in the freezer, I can.
3. Penciling in instead of penning in. I've always written everything in pen. Now, with a constant need to change plans, meals, and schedules, I've discovered the practical use of a pencil.
4. Starting to plan all three meals of the day. I used to plan lunch but stopped. Mornings got rough. So, back the lunch planning comes. And, I'm adding breakfast to the plan. No more standing in front of the pantry or freezer with blank looks. This family's got a plan!

Yep. This family has a plan to escape Chaos and find our way back to the Family Value Meal.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Broccoli & Corn Calzones; Salad

Yummm...

Tuesday: I'm not going to lie. We have three different kids at three different activities tonight.

We're eating out!

Wednesday: Taco Salad; fruit

Thursday: Turkey and Balsamic Onion Quesadilla; Salad

Friday: BBQ salmon; roasted fingerling potatoes; green beans

Saturday: brats; slaw; baked beans

Here's to a delicious week!

Kit

Menu Plan Monday (Tuesday)

Today is finally MY Monday! Only it's Tuesday. Yesterday, the kids had a snow day. Only there wasn't any snow. See, that's just how we roll here on the South Carolina coast. We're used to balmy. The weatherman says possible ice and the schools shut down and folks don't leave their homes. So, my Monday was spent as an extra weekend day. No menu planning. Nothing constructive.  I did, however, enjoy the roads all to myself. Today, the kids had a 3 hour delay. The weatherman said that word again! Thankfully, they are all nestled quietly in the desks and I am enjoying MY Monday. On Tuesday. So, without further ado...

Monday: Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup; Grilled Cheese for the kiddos and bread for Hubster and myself

Tuesday: Barbecued Raspberry-Hoisin Chicken; brown rice, orange slices (OK; you caught me. This was on last week's menu. Truth: Life got in the way and I never fixed it. I think we ate Chick Fil-A instead. This week, I vow to make it.)

Wednesday: Corn & Broccoli Calzones; Salad

Thursday: Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash, cous cous

Friday: Chicken Larb

Saturday: Date night with the Hubster! (We deserve it. We've been trying unsuccessfully to get to our haven on the Ridge. We keep getting snowed out. By actual snow. Having no 4WD, we cannot possibly make it up the mountain. So, a date night is in order. We need to plan our next attempted visit.) 

Wordless Wednesday

Even Trouble Maker #2 was happy with his gift.

Menu Monday

Image by Christopher Chan via Flickr

How did you bring in the New Year? This is how the folks in Sydney did it. I, however, was home on my couch.

Well, it's 2011....Happy New Year!!! It's good to be back to structure, schedules, and ME-time. (That's what I'd hoped to write. Instead, I'm sitting her with the Princess who came down with a fever two days ago. She's better now but hasn't met the fever-free for 24 hour period yet. So, here she is with me on my last day off.)

Most of what I had planned to do today has been squashed. My menu, however, must get done!

Monday: turkey and balsamic onion quesadillas; green salad

Tuesday: barbecued raspberry-hoisin chicken; brown rice; orange slices

Wednesday: spaghetti with turkey meatballs; green salad

Thursday: soup; grilled cheese

Friday: homemade pizza

Saturday: We're celebrating Christmas for the last time this season with my brother and his family. No cooking for me!