SURPRISE!!!  I’M BACK!!!  Yes, I am still alive and kicking (in case you were wondering)!   The past few weeks (umm….months really) it has been a little wild around our house.  All good stuff, but a lot of transitions, adjustments, work, school, travel, and everything else.  Also, was experiencing some technical difficulties with my blog and my IT person was super busy so I didn’t want to bug the daylights out of him.  Now that everything seems to be back up and running smoothly again, it is my desire to get everything back up and moving along for you.  A big shout out to those who have commented, emailed, called, texted, and checked in with me to make sure I was still alive during this little blogging siesta.  A huge THANK YOU for being patient and hanging in here with me as my family made some adjustments.  Will have to share more about what has been going on these past few weeks….lots of good stuff and a very full calendar!  It gets easier and quieter as the kids get older, right!?

It is my goal to stay on top of our dinner menu once again.  We have found a good rhythm for the most part (now that school is wrapping up for the year, ha).  We are finalizing several details regarding our summer schedule, but overall I hope to be available and more up to date in the blogging world.

It is nice to have people who help keep me accountable and organized throughout my week.  It is encouraging to know that other Moms have to work through all the balancing fun of family, work, home, and a multitude of other activities that I seem to experience.  If you have it all figured out, let me know because I would love to be able to get my ducks in order, have a positively balance life in every area plus a happy family and clean house (at least longer than 5 minutes).  If you haven’t reached that level yet, no worries, I am there with you.  We can do our best and   I am going to give it my best shot to stay on top of everything and organized so here we go!!!!  Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:

Our Weekly Menu Plan

• Monday (Beef or Pasta Entree): Crockpot Roast, Mash Potatoes & Brown Gravy
  
• Tuesday (Seafood or Soup Entree):  Tilapia Fillets, Italian Herb Bread
• Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Sweet & Sour Chicken, Steamed Rice
• Thursday (Pork Entree or Kid‘s Night to Cook): Mesquite BBQ Pork Tenderloin, Green Beans
• 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