Savings and menu for the week

I love three day weekends, but it seems that the four days of work are always exhausting!

I ran a few quick errands and met a friend for lunch Saturday and used the rest of the day to clean and bake. That gave me a little time on Sunday to take a nap. I napped so hard I drooled all over my pillow!

Accomplishments:

*Made a batch of granola bars

*Made 2 loaves of whole wheat bread with a mix and recipe from my cousin. I finally made a decent loaf of bread!

*Made an apple crisp for Sunday dinner with some Granny Smith apples I needed to use up. 

*Attended a DoTerra essential oil class and got some free gifts. I signed up for their membership program and discussed becoming a product consultant with the teacher. I am taking the first steps toward this goal!

*I did some research on a good oil to help with the recurring warts Austin has been getting on his thumb. I've been to the dr multiple times and the creams (which are quite expensive) only cause the skin to rapidly regenerate and does not actually kill the virus. Oregano oil has been found to kill viruses so I added 5 drops to 1 tsp of olive oil to spread on his thumb twice a day.  It's looking better so far. 

*I also mixed some of the stronger oils with olive oil and put them in roll-on bottles.  I use an oil blend called Breathe quite often when the kids get stuffy. Allergies are bad here now, so I've been rubbing the oil on Austins feet, chest and nasal bridge and also diffusing it at night. I'm hoping this will help so he won't need to take Singulair. 

*I diffused a blend called On Guard to fight germs and boost the immune system. I added some drops of it in a spray bottle of water to sanitize the table and counters. I put some in a roll-on bottle to rub on the kids' hands. There is a stomach virus going around Austins school, so hopefully this will protect him. 

*Ryan and I were able to attend the Temple this week. 

*I made some handmade games for the kids and made a reading game for Austin to practice decoding CVC words. 

Menu:

Monday: lasagna roll ups and salad (I made these last week with the leftover lasagna ingredients and froze them). 

Tuesday: baked chicken strips, boiled potatoes, salad

Wednesday: I am going out with a friend, so I have frozen cooked beef for Ryan to do tacos with the kids

Thursday: broccoli cheddar soup and bread (I will use my dry cream of chicken soup with some broth as the base and add some shredded cheddar cheese and steamed broccoli and carrots)

Friday: eating out with my sister for her birthday with the family

Saturday: eating out again with my sister for her girls night on her 30th bday

Sunday: tangy crockpot chicken and salad

This is an eventful week. At some point I will also be making Kimi's cake and making a banner for her party. 

Three day weekend savings!

I ended up staying home most of the weekend as Amilia got sick so I didn't want to travel. Austin was bummed he didn't get to go to Cali, so Ryan's parents offered to take him to Disneyland with them. The 2 day park hopper was worth the price so I could actually clean the house without him messing up every other room!  I also did a major cleaning in his room too! Amilia took some nice, long naps so I had plenty of uninterrupted time for cooking, cleaning, and laundry. 

My accomplishments this week:

*Baked a double batch of pumpkin muffins for breakfasts

*Made chili and cornbread with enough leftovers for a few lunches. 

*Made lasagna for Sunday dinner and an extra pan plus some lasagna roll ups to freeze. 

*Ryan and I went to a free comedy magic show downtown with my house seats membership for a date. 

*Ryan finished the tile in the hall and bathroom!

*Made a double batch of laundry soap. 

*Made pancake mix and cooked a dozen to freeze. 

*Made cream of chicken soup mix

We had a fun Valentine's Day! I brought the kids each a balloon and got Ryan a quart of his fave Golden Spoon yogurt. 

My roses from Costco were gorgeous, but the best gift was a list of the 14 things that my husband loves about me. 

What's cooking this week:

Tonight: buffalo chicken wraps 

For a quick meal, boil a frozen breast and shred and mix in seasoning or a sauce. Add cheese and lettuce in a tortilla. 

Tuesday:  Citrus Chicken and salad

This is from Kraft recipes and is so moist and yummy. I have one more box of Stovetop from the Thanksgiving sales to use up. Butterfly 2 chicken breasts in a pan. Melt 1/4 c butter and add 2/3 c OJ and 1/2 c brown sugar, pour over the chicken. Add 1 1/2 c hot water to the Stove Top and pour over the chicken mixture. Bake 350 for 30 min

Wednesday: meatless night, one pot pasta with veggies

Thursday: hamburger stroganoff with grilled asparagus (I will freeze 1/2 of the cooked beef for another meal)

Friday: chicken teriyaki with veggies and quinoa 

Saturday: BBQ chicken pizza

Another crazy week

The living room and kitchen tile is done! Ryan just needs to put up the baseboards and change the hinges out on the pantry door. My man has worked every spare minute to get this done. Next weekend he will finish the hall and guest bathroom. 

I was still able to do some baking this week in the evenings and used Saturday to catch up on laundry and do Valentine crafts. 

Here's the accomplishments of the week:

*Made pancakes and banana oat muffins for the week

*Made granola bars

*Made choc chip cookies for my Primary Sunday school class

*Made Vday gifts and Valentine box for Austins class party, all with things on hand

*Enjoyed a girls night out with some coworkers Saturday night while Ryan and the kids went to dinner with his parents

*Got my first delivery from Winder Farms, so I did not need to go to the store this week, I got several items free or at a discount for my first order

*Ryan found a deal on an inversion table. I've wanted one for several years, so hoping it helps my back. 

Austin is loving his daily heart on his door and started one for me. Too cute!

Menu:

Monday: I'm making a big batch of creamy one pot pasta with veggies to take to my monthly card club potluck. I will make some chicken for the portion set aside for the family

Tuesday: beef pot roast with vegetables 

Wednesday: taco salad with leftover beef

Thursday: chicken Parmesan with salad

(I got several delicious pears in my Winder Farms fruit box, I've been adding them to my salads)

Fri-Sat: I will be going to visit my gram with the kids

Have a great week and Happy Valentines Day!

Valentine Crafts!

We have been busy getting ready for the big heart day! Valentine's Day is such a fun celebration for kids and my Austin was very excited to make his own Valentine holder to take to school next week. 

This is a Valentine ladybug. We limited our creations to what we already had on hand at home. 

We made these cute matchbook style Valentine sticker books. I wanted to go candy free this year, so I bought some Mickey Valentine stickers that we placed inside with three sheets of white paper.

  Instructions: cut paper 3"x10.5" and score at 4.5 and 9.5. I designed the front logo on Photoshop. The white paper behind the sticker sheet is 2.5"x4.25"

I made some cute heart wall hangings for teacher gifts this year. I cut a whimsical heart from a thin cardboard box and Decoupaged patterned paper over it. I sprinkled glitter all over and made a border with glitter glue. I hot glued a button that was finished with thin ribbon and thick ribbon on the back for hanging. 

I thought they turned out adorable! I was excited to use this coral colored chevron ribbon that I bought on sale a few months ago from Stampin Up!

Whatever you do this Valentine's Day, I hope you are filled with love and happiness! 

Accomplishments and menus

Ryan was able to finish the tiling in the living room throughout the week and on Saturday, he grouted the living room tile and got most of the kitchen done. So the kids and I were displaced most of Saturday. I set out food in the living room for breakfast since the way to the kitchen was still drying and then we ate out for lunch and dinner. We also had an afternoon birthday party to attend so that helped fill our day. 

Here's the rest of the weekly run-down:

*Took Austin to the free Home Depot kids workshop to make a wooden car Saturday  morning. 

*My sister watched the kids while I went to a free kickboxing class at Golds Gym. They are letting teachers workout free on Saturdays during the Well-Fit program.

*I baked 2 dozen breakfast muffins during the week since I didn't have access to the kitchen all weekend. 

*Started working on Valentines crafts. I also made a sign for Austin and Ryan and will be putting a heart with a reason I love them for each day in February until Valentines Day. 

Of course, Austin LOVES this!! 

Menu:

Monday: corn chowder and salad

I found a copycat recipe I'm going to try

This will give some leftovers for lunch too!

Tuesday: Buffalo chicken pita pockets 

Shred some chicken and mix in some buffalo sauce, put in a pita pocket with shredded lettuce, ranch, and a little Parmesan. The kids don't like the spicy sauce so I will leave it off of theirs.

Wednesday: chicken teriyaki stir fry with quinoa  

Thursday: lasagna from the freezer with grilled asparagus

Friday: pita pizzas with turkey pepperoni and salad

Saturday: 

Breakfast: pancakes

Lunch: out

Dinner: crockpot beef roast with carrots and potatoes

Sunday: 

Breakfast: eggs and toast 

Lunch: nachos with the leftover shredded beef 

Dinner: in laws

Hope everyone has a great week!

Sometimes you just need a $5 footlong!

I really did myself in with the craziness of last weekend.  I finally got my house mostly back together Friday night.  By Thursday, Ryan and I were completely exhausted so instead of cooking, we got some $5 footlongs from Subway!  Then Friday I got paid and went to a Jamberry nails party, so the kids and I snacked there and then I did my Costco run with the kids and we split a slice of cheese pizza and a frozen yogurt along with some yummy samples!  I have been wanting to buy some Jamberry nail wraps for awhile, so it was the perfect opportunity to see some old friends and take advantage of the buy 3 get one free deal.

My last sample lasted 2 weeks.  Can't wait for my order to come.  Patty's Jamberry Site

Savings for the week:
*I finally stuck to my budget at Costco which is $250 per month (not including big ticket items, we needed a new Shark so I bought it while it was on sale even though we won't be cleaning floors until we actually have them again!)

*I put $20 in each of the kids savings accounts.  I have been putting $10 a month for the past 6 months, but now I'm going to do 20 so that whenever they need clothes or shoes, I can use this money and also save up for birthday/Christmas gifts.

*I made pancakes and breakfast muffins for the week.

*I made one of my yummy light yogurt pies

*On Saturday, I went to the kick-off event for the Teacher's Health Trust Well Fit and weight loss program competition.  The health trust is the organization that oversees our health insurance.  I entered a team with my friend from school.  We have 10 weeks to lose weight and log our exercises for some great prizes!

*At the event, I signed up with Winder Farms fresh food delivery service.  I have thought about doing this before because it's good quality, organic food but it was expensive with purchasing the cooler for the delivery program and they charge a 4.99 delivery fee.  However, for the event, they offered free cooler, $15 in food credit, and 30% off all purchases!  So the discount off-sets the delivery fee and I found that some of the items they sell were the same or less than comparable organic products I get at the stores.  I signed up to have some dairy products and produce delivered weekly.  The guy also gave me free juice, bread, and a huge box of fruit for putting a great first order!  The bread was amazing, the apple juice was the best I've ever tasted and the mangos I tried from the fruit box were the best I've had in Vegas!

*I stocked up on sale items at Smith's.  Boxes of Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta and Kraft BBQ sauce just 49 cents each!  I also got some other non-perishable grocery items to stock up so I don't need to go shopping for a few weeks.

*Ryan's parents babysat the kids so we could go to the temple last week.

*Ryan was able to get almost half the living room tiled while we were away on Saturday.  He will do it in sections so we can still get around and move the furniture around inside the house.

*I went to my cousin's on Sunday after church and used his wheat grinder to grind up the rest of my whole wheat.  His wife gave me some bread making tips and shared one of her freezer mix packs so I can try out her recipe.

This week's menu:
Monday:  chicken parmesan and salad (this is the Weight Watcher's recipe: dip thin chicken breasts in flour, egg mixture, then italian bread crumbs and place over a light layer of tomato sauce.  Top with more sauce, then a slice of mozzarella cheese, bake 350 for 30 minutes)  Really moist and delicious!  One of the boys' faves.

Tuesday:  taco night (I will brown a pound of beef and save half of it in the freezer)

Wednesday:  BBQ chicken pitas (I will cook a few breasts in BBQ sauce in the crockpot and shred it and then everyone can do what they want by making a wrap with half a pita or make a pita pizza with some chicken and cheese)

Thursday:  italian casserole and salad (I will use the frozen cooked meat leftover from Tuesday)

Friday:  chicken pot pie, I should have some of my yummy veggies from Winder Farms by now, so I will boil some chopped veggies in broth and some cream of chicken soup mix with some shredded chicken (I will boil the night before) and throw in some other seasonings that I think will be good and throw a little crust together with some wheat flour, water, and a little butter and hope it turns out (thanks to my friend Audrey for this inspiration, she made us one for lunch at work and it was delish!)

Saturday:  Breakfast: my weekly big batch of pancakes
Lunch:  I am hoping to try a new soup and salad restaurant by my sister's apartment
Dinner:  white chicken chili  I'll be making this deliciousness every few weeks til it gets too hot outside!
serve with cornbread (just follow the recipe on the container of corn meal, sub applesauce for oil and honey for the suga if you want to go healthier)

Sunday:  Breakfast:  eggs and toast (brown cage free eggs from Winder!)
Lunch: leftover chili and cornbread
Dinner: in-laws

This week's insanity and menu!

Talk about a crazy week!! Three appointments, semester exams, and phase one of the house tiling project!

Pulling the old floor up was a group effort for sure!  On Saturday, the baby cooperated by taking a long nap and Austin helped daddy pull up the bamboo in the living room while I packed up the kid's bathroom and kitchen before the tile removal. We learned this the hard way when Ryan took all the old tile and hammered thin set out of the master bath, there was dust over EVERYTHING!  We had to wash all our clothes and wipe all the stuff down in the bathroom, closet and bedroom. So as much as taking every single thing out of the two rooms was a huge pain, it was worth it!  I also realized that we have enough towels and kitchen supplies to last us a lifetime and got rid of the things we don't use.

Even with all the craziness of the weekend,  I was able to watch the rest of Downton Abbey Season 4 and a few episodes of The Paradise (another excellent British period drama) and even took a nap on Sunday after church!

We had the day off for MLK day, so I entertained the kids while the old tile was removed from the bathroom, kitchen and entry way. We went out to breakfast and then to the Springs Preserve with our family membership. When we got home, the baby napped while the rest of us cleaned up the dust from the cabinets and fixtures. It was nice to do a good, deep cleaning before I start moving things back over next few nights. Train ride through the Las Vegas Springs

Waiting for the flash flood exhibit to start!

We ate out a few times this weekend simply because we didn't have access to cook at home, but I planned ahead enough to save for the rest of the week. 

Savings from last week:

*Waited to run an errand across town until Austin's Dr. appointment which was nearby so I could combine trips and save on gas

*Made breakfast muffins, pancakes, and granola bars

*I made enough white chili to freeze a quart for another meal this week and a pint for lunch 

*I made homemade corn bread to serve with the chili and froze the leftover pieces 

*I made two small pans of lasagna to freeze for quick weeknight dinners

*We used a gift card someone gave me for one of our meals out

This week's menu:

Tuesday: one of the freezer lasagnas with a salad  lasagna recipe 

Wednesday: leftover chili and cornbread 

Thursday: BBQ chicken sandwiches (2 frozen breasts with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce on low) serve with buns and veggie sticks

Friday: creamy one pot pasta  recipe here

Saturday:

Breakfast: pancakes 

Lunch: out

Dinner: crockpot chicken and dumplings

2-3 frozen breasts in crockpot, add 2 cups broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup (I make my own dry mix found here), sliced carrots and celery, dried onion and garlic powder.  Cook on low 6-8 hrs, 30 min before serving, stir the pot and break up the chicken and add a can of refrigerated biscuits (I slice each biscuit in 3 strips).  

Sunday:

Breakfast: oatmeal

Lunch: leftover chicken and dumplings 

Dinner: at the in laws