Organized Chaos
Travel & Vacation: Family Vacation…..Way Up NORTH!!!
Picture of the last Alaska Airline plane we got on!
North to ALASKA!!! We took a family vacation to Alaska this summer! We had a blast! We packed a lot in our time in Alaska. We flew Alaska Airlines. The girls did amazing on all the flights. We flew through the night both on the way to Alaska and on the way home too. They went through the airports fine, helped with the luggage, entertained themselves on the plane (and even rested). Thankful for kids who love to travel and explore new places.
Jake and the girls getting on the plane….notice they are entering the back half the plane. First time on this type of plane!
Sleeping Beauty on the plane!
Another one bites the dust….
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family, ways we relax, and tips on how to make trips more enjoyable. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Don’t Be Upset By …
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
We are back now after an amazing family vacation! We had a blast exploring Alaska and Canada. It was the first time any of our family had been to Alaska. The girls and I have never been on the west coast prior to our trip. I’ll share a little bit more about our adventures soon.
This week we have a mix of activities on the agenda. We are getting back into the work and regular schedule as well as gearing up for fun with family, friends, and the upcoming school year. We have friends coming to visit for a few days, the girls are attending their last summer camp, and we have the Meet the Teacher night this week which means school is around the corner. Our menu is going to be simple and easy. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pasta Entree): Crockpot Roast, Potatoes, & Green Beans
- Tuesday (Seafood, Soup, Salad, or Sandwich Entree): Minestrone Soup, Garlic Bread
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Grilled Mustard Chicken, Fresh Fruit
- Thursday (Pork Entree or Kid‘s Night to Cook): Special Event
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or pasta entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.http://www.blessingsmultiplied.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Last week was amazing, refreshing, fun, and fantastic! I LOVED spending the extra time with my family. It was great to focus on spending time together and not worrying or concentrating on all the tasks, goals, and items on my “To Do” list. I needed the break from the “normal” so I could focus on enjoying the people I love dearly in my life. The kids are growing up way too quickly and I treasure the time that I have with them. I want to pack in as many awesome memories with the entire family while they are still growing up. This week will be a mix of focusing on my family and gearing up for the regular routine again. I don’t want to switch too quickly as to shock my system, although I do need to get back on track with my tasks and goals. I figure if I gradually ease into it again I will be good to go soon! The shorter list was nice and much easier to tackle (and enjoy), but I cannot do that every week if I want to stay on top of life, schedules, and everything else going on with the family. I am keeping it pretty close to the same as last week, but will be adding on a few items each day. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Forgotten Filly by Karle Dickerson to the kids – was able to get a good chunk of the book read with the kids
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids. – had some good laughs reading this one
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids. – learning more everyday
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids. – interesting trivia
Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.Plan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the KidsCreate Memories with the FamilySpend Quality time with each family memberDo a new, unique, or different activity with the family this week
Kid Goals
Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grow their skillsAt least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water, wear FitBit, and do yoga (or at least stretch out) each day
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
Business Goals
Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
Ministry Goals
Quality time with my family
Financial Goals
Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Forgotten Filly by Karle Dickerson to the kids.
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.
- Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Create Memories with the Family
- Spend Quality time with each family member
- Do a new, unique, or different activity with the family this week
Kid Goals
- Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grow their skills
- At least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water, wear FitBit, and do yoga (or at least stretch out) each day
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
Business Goals
- Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
Ministry Goals
- Quality time with my family
Financial Goals
- Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
It was a busy week packed full of work, summer camp, and more fun activities. We were able to get a lot done around the house too. Thankful for my family and the many blessings I have been giving every day.
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week.
Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday –Thankful for that I was able to get Jake’s haircut done today. We’ve been trying to get it done for over a week now, but finally found a good time to get it done.
Tuesday – Thankful for a great chiropractor who helps keep our family in line.
Wednesday – Thankful for the girls hard work as they finished up their Summer Reading Programs from the library.
Thursday – Thankful for a family that pitches in to help when there is items that need to be done around the house and yard.
Friday – Thankful for the girls having an opportunity to go to Roper Mountain Science Camp this week. They learned a lot and had a terrific week!
Saturday – Thankful for technology and the way we can stay connected with family, friends, and others even if there is a lot of miles in between.
Sunday – Thankful for extra time with my family and a chance to relax, have fun, and make memories.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day.
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
It was a little bit of a wild week, but we got through it! Thankful for my family and the opportunities we’ve had throughout the week. The girls enjoyed a week of Summer Camp at Roper Mountain Science Center. Glad they were able to learn a lot. Jake and I had a busy week at work, but were able to get some items accomplished. This upcoming week I have scaled back my goals list to allow some more free time to spend with my family. There are only a few more weeks left in the kids summer vacation and I want to have the opportunity to spend some down time with them and Jake. My main goal for the upcoming couple of weeks is to focus on my family, have fun, and create memories. I will give you an update on my goals, but next week will be a much slimmer list! 🙂 Every once in awhile it is good to have a week like this to refresh and regroup. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Forgotten Filly by Karle Dickerson to the kids. – have not finished reading it yet
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids. – getting through a few each week
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids. – read some
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids. – continuing to read through these with the kids
Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.Plan one special activity with the family- Play a Game with the Kids – did not have a chance to play a board game this week
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Attend After Work Activities Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activitiesPrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer BreakWork on family projects togetherDaily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under controlOne-on-One Meeting with Jake to go over this week and future events on Calendar
Kid Goals
Have kids do work in their Summer Workbook(s)Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a day- Have kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week) – we were not home to do these activities
- Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skills – they did not have a lot of computer time this week
Each kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blogSpend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skillsAt least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day- Attend Summer Camp – the girls went to Roper Mountain Science Center and had a great time learning!
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – it has been a busy week, came close
Do yoga at least 5 times a weekGo to my Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries dailyTackle some lingering projects on my “to do” listRead over the kids blog posts
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one dayWeekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week- Clean House (Focus – Family Room) – work in progress
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Laundry Room) – made some progress
Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Clean up items under deck – toys, bikes, wood, etc…)Pet Care (Focus – Refill Goat & Dog Food Bins / Clean Out Pet Water Buckets & Refill)- Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received) – on hold
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsRespond to Inquiry – Business Relation EmailsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionWork completed for clientsNotes typed for workFolders Labeled for workTraining on new projects- Do at least 5 blog posts this week – didn’t get to all the ones I wanted to this week
- Catch up on Hootesuite – hoping to get caught up soon
- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update – got it started
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchOne-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Meet with Jake to go over Finances and Status Update – went over part of it
Sign up for Work 401K program- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor – on my list to schedule for August once our schedule calms down a little bit
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – made another small payment
Pay Bills & File PaperworkGo grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budgetSell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use– made another Goodwill donation this weekTake items to the recycling distributorMake meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Forgotten Filly by Karle Dickerson to the kids.
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.
- Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Create Memories with the Family
- Spend Quality time with each family member
- Do a new, unique, or different activity with the family this week
Kid Goals
- Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grow their skills
- At least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water, wear FitBit, and do yoga (or at least stretch out) each day
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
Business Goals
- Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
Ministry Goals
- Quality time with my family
Financial Goals
- Focusing on my Family not the “to do” list
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
It was wonderful starting last week off with a Holiday! We were able to get some extra items done around the house and spend some time together as a family. Having the holiday on a Monday did through off our week a little bit, but we adjusted just fine! We had a spontaneous dinner and gathering midweek with extended family which was a lot of fun too! The girls had fun at bike camp while Jake and I tackled projects at work. We’ve been busy working through a lot of items and project around the house as well. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids.– finished reading it, the girls loved it!
Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.Plan one special activity with the family- Play a Game with the Kids
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Attend After Work Activities Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activitiesPrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer BreakWork on family projects togetherDaily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control
Kid Goals
Have kids do work in their Summer Workbook(s)Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a dayHave kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skillsEach kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blogSpend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skillsAt least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayKeep up with my FitBit Goals- Do yoga at least 5 times a week – not so great on this one, got out of my regular routine
Go to my Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries dailyTackle some lingering projects on my “to do” listRead over the kids blog posts
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – it took more than 1 day with everything going on this week
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekClean House (Focus – Clean Living Room)Organize Chaos (Focus – Label & Hang Up Kids Necklaces)Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Pick up Sticks found in the yard from the past couple of storms)Pet Care (Focus – Work of the Goat & Dog Fences)- Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received) – haven’t been able to do this one yet
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsRespond to Inquiry – Business Relation EmailsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention- Work completed for clients – need to wrap up one more
- Notes typed for work – need to update with new information
- Meeting regarding work goals and upcoming tasks completed – update and review
- Folders Labeled for work – working on it
- Training on new projects – making progress
- Desk drawers organized – getting it there
Do at least 5 blog posts this weekCatch up on Hootesuite- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update – have more of them completed
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchOne-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor – narrowing down the schedules
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – working on it
Pay Bills & File Paperwork- Go grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget – went more than once with the impromptu family dinner with 17 people on Thursday night! 🙂
- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use – making good progress, but still have a ways to go
Take items to the recycling distributorMake meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Forgotten Filly by Karle Dickerson to the kids.
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.
- Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Attend After Work Activities
- Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activities
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break
- Work on family projects together
- Daily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control
Kid Goals
- Have kids do work in their Summer Workbook(s)
- Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a day
- Have kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)
- Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skills
- Each kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blog
- Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skills
- At least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Do yoga at least 5 times a week
- Go to my Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
- Tackle some lingering projects on my “to do” list
- Read over the kids blog posts
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Clean House (Focus – Family Room)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Laundry Room)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Blow off deck, sidewalk, & driveway)
- Pet Care (Focus – Refill Goat & Dog Food)
- Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
- Notes typed for work
- Meeting regarding work goals and upcoming tasks completed
- Folders Labeled for work
- Training on new projects
- Desk drawers organized
- Do at least 5 blog posts this week
- Catch up on Hootesuite
- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- One-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget
- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use
- Take items to the recycling distributor
- Make meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Counting My Blessings: Week In Review
It was a busy week, but we had a lot of fun. The girls came into work with me first thing in the morning for a little bit. They helped unlock the doors, turn on lights, and get set up for the day before spending time working on their summer workbooks for some time before I took them into camp. They did a Music & Technology camp in the morning and a Rube Goldberg creative experiments in the afternoon. It was super neat seeing what cool creations they developed over the course of the week.
I want to be accountable to you so the following are snip-its of some of the things I am thankful for this past week.
Counting My Blessings – Week In Review:
Monday –Thankful for an opportunity to spend some time chatting with the girls on the way to work and their help getting everything set up for the day.
Tuesday – Thankful to have an chance to see and hear all the neat things the girls are learning and creating in their week at Summer Camp.
Wednesday – Thankful for a dentist near home, that gets me in for an early appointment, and that I didn’t have any cavities or items that need to be done! Yay!
Thursday – Thankful for the girls curious and inquisitive minds. They are not afraid to ask questions so they can learn more from people in various areas.
Friday – Thankful for some quiet one-on-one time with Jake. It was nice to relax, catch up, chat, and spend some time together. Grateful for his thoughts and for being a sounding board regarding my crazy ideas. He brings peace, calm, and great insight to areas that am I trying to figure out.
Saturday – Thankful for an opportunity to spend time my family! We got a lot of accomplished, but also had fun together!
Sunday – Thankful for the freedom to attend church, learn, and grow. Grateful for a refreshing and much needed moments with my family.
What are you thankful for today? I encourage you to take the time to write down a few blessings that you have in your life today. It will help cheer you up and turn your focus on the amazing blessings you encounter each day.
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Thankful for extra time with family. It was a week with a little bit of an adjustment with the girls on the summer camp schedule. They had a blast. This week is going be another fun adventure for them. Thankful for the opportunity to spend extra time with the girls during the summer schedule. While they are in camp I will be at work so we can have time after work and camp. I want to keep our menu fairly simple and easy not only to save time, but to not heat up the house too much. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pasta Entree): Holiday Event
- Tuesday (Seafood, Soup, Salad, or Sandwich Entree): Baja Fish Tacos, Fresh Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Sweet & Spicy Teriyaki Chicken, Steamed Rice
- Thursday (Pork Entree or Kid‘s Night to Cook): Seasoned Pork, Grilled Summer Squash
- Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Leftovers, Family Preference, and Hosting
I have a general pattern I try to follow for my weekly Menu Plan (for example Monday we have a beef or pasta entree and so forth). It is my goal, at least in the beginning, to have at least the main dish and one side planned. I will put together the remaining side dishes (veggies / fruits) based on the food items that need to be used up first and compliment the main entree.
Setting a weekly menu plan helps me utilize my time better, thus freeing up extra time to spend with my family. On the days that I am working longer hours I can prep the meal in advance so it will be easier to pull together once I am home. As I go through the menu planning process I will try to share some of our favorite family recipes. If there is a specific recipe you would like please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate (some recipes are a toss together meal and I do not use any set measurements).
As a family of four our life can get busy. What’s for Dinner is our weekly menu planning series and one of the ways to help keep us organized, on schedule, and within budget. Our family typically eats 6 to 7 dinner meals at home a week. We do try to go out to eat at least once a month as a special treat. Breakfasts are eaten at home before work and school, lunches are eaten at work, school, or home, so dinner is our main meal together as a family. Dinner is our time to reconnect, share, and enjoy being together after a busy day. Our weekly menu plan covers Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only because the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) is our time to spend with family and friends. The weekends tend to be more spontaneous and my husband (who is the better cook) likes pitching in therefore we keep the menu open for variety. We use up the leftovers throughout the week for our lunches and on the nights that we are busy or can’t cook.
Photo by Liz
- Monday (Beef or Pasta Entree): Holiday Event
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
It was a whirlwind week of work, summer camp, and activities. We had a lot of fun, got items done, and made progress along the way. Even though we were exhausting by the time Friday hit we were very thankful for a relaxing and productive weekend at home. Glad to have some time with my family and get some projects moving along at home too. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids. – almost done!
Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids. – did some of them
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.- did not make it through 7 pages
Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.Plan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the Kids-
Attend After Work Activities Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activitiesPrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break- Ride Bikes with the Kids – the girls road, but we did not get a chance
Work on family projects together– the girls were a big help getting items done around the house and yard this weekendUnpack suitcase from last family adventure- Daily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control – we did a lot of cleaning, but didn’t get to the speed clean everyday (some days by the time we got home, ate dinner, took showers, we were ready to just hit the bed).
Kid Goals
Have kids do Summer Workbook(s)Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a daySign up kids for the Easley, Anderson, & Greenville County Summer Library Reading Programs– signed up for all 3 counties Summer Reading Programs near us since we are in each county eveSign up kids for Barnes & Noble and other similar reading programsHave kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skillsEach kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blogSpend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skillsKids start packing suitcases for next family adventureAt least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – some days were better than others
- Do yoga at least 5 times a week – did it three times during the work week, but had a couple mornings that other priorities popped up
Go to my Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries dailyTackle some lingering projects on my “to do” list
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – it took 2 days because we were busy working on other projects together as a family
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekClean House (Focus – Normal Maintenance Cleaning)Organize Chaos (Focus – Start getting the Laundry Room back together and organized so we can clean up the family room downstairs)Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Plant Lilly Flower and Blueberry Bush – weather permitting)Pet Care (Focus – Refill Skipper’s Feeder)- Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received)
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsRespond to Inquiry – Business Relation EmailsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attentionWork completed for clients- Notes typed for work – want to get caught up on some of my notes for easy reference
- Meeting regarding work goals and upcoming tasks completed – worked on some of these items but need to fine tune it
- Folders Labeled for work – got some of them labeled but need to get more
- Desk drawers organized – getting closer
- Do at least 5 blog posts this week – did my regular posts but was not able to get the additional ones that I wanted to done
Catch up on Hootesuite- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update – got some of them completed, needs more work
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchOne-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor – narrowing down some dates with Jake so can confirm our schedules
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – working on it
Pay Bills & File PaperworkGo grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use – getting through some of the items we need to get organizes
- Take items to the recycling distributor – hopefully taking those in this week
- Make meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending – doing better this week
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein to the kids.
- Read 7 more Stories from the Bad Pets on the Loose by Alan Zullo book to the kids.
- Go through 7 more Brain Quest Flash Cards with the kids.
- Read through 7 more pages of History Trivia with the kids.
- Reflect on our blessings and prayer time with kids every night.
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Attend After Work Activities
- Lunch Boxes packed the night before work & other planned activities
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break
- Work on family projects together
- Daily 15 minute “Speed Clean” for entire family to keep the daily clutter under control
Kid Goals
- Have kids do work in their Summer Workbook(s)
- Encourage Kids to read independently at least 30 minutes a day
- Have kids work on our approved educational websites to encourage growth (at least 2 hours for the week)
- Have kids work for at least 1 hour on this week on improving their typing skills
- Each kid finish creating at least 2 blogs posts for their Fun with Sis blog
- Spend time Monday –Friday encouraging the kids to find creative ways to learn and grown their skills
- At least 30 minutes of outside play, fresh air, or activity time a day
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Do yoga at least 5 times a week
- Go to my Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
- Tackle some lingering projects on my “to do” list
- Read over the kids blog posts
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the week
- Clean House (Focus – Clean Living Room)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Label & Hang Up Kids Necklaces)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Pick up Sticks found in the yard from the past couple of storms)
- Pet Care (Focus – Work of the Goat & Dog Fences)
- Repairs – (Focus – Check on Water Heater Recall Notice we received)
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Respond to Inquiry – Business Relation Emails
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- Work completed for clients
- Notes typed for work
- Meeting regarding work goals and upcoming tasks completed
- Folders Labeled for work
- Training on new projects
- Desk drawers organized
- Do at least 5 blog posts this week
- Catch up on Hootesuite
- Upload pictures from last few weeks and update
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- One-on-one quality time with Jake (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
One-on-one quality time with Brina (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)One-on-one quality time with Karlie (talking, date night, or doing an activity together)
Financial Goals
- Schedule a meeting with the Financial Advisor
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time this week and stay within budget
- Sell, giveaway, donate, or through away items no longer use
- Take items to the recycling distributor
- Make meals with items from pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to use up what we have and eliminate any extra spending
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
