What's Cooking
Recipes: Easy Potato Wedges
Crispy & Delicious Potato Wedges
Easy Potato Wedges Recipe:
- 4 Potatoes
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt (we like Lawry’s Garlic Salt)
- Wash potatoes, cut into wedges.
- Place potatoes skin down in a baking dish.
- Mix the next 6 ingredients together and brush onto potatoes.
- Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash the potatoes. Cut them into wedges. Place in baking dish.
3. Mix the olive oil, pepper, paprika, and garlic salt together and pour over the potatoes. Use a spoon to gently stir the potatoes so that they are evenly coated.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the potato wedges are cooked and tender.
Tray of Easy Potato Wedges
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Glad to have the kids out for summer break now! They have been busy and spent a lot of their time outside despite some of the rainy days we have been having lately. They are excited about having some time away from school. We have a lot of fun activities planned, therefore the menu will be pretty simple these next few weeks. Lunches will consist primarily of leftovers or a packed picnic lunch for our days when we are out and about. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Beef Enchiladas, Steamed Brown Rice
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Hamburgers, Fresh Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Special Event – Kids Date Night
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Pasta Casserole, Steamed Vegetables
- 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 seafood 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
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
The kids are out of school and we are already enjoying summer break with them. Thankful for extra time with the kids this summer. We have some projects and other items that we need to get accomplished this week, but we also have some fun activities planned. Hopefully, we get some of the items on our list completed while having fun together. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Finish reading The Pet Patrol #1 – Puppy Love by Betsy Duffey book to the kidsPlan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the Family– Herd Your Horses and a couple other games with the kidsPrepare for Upcoming Spring EventsSpend time Monday –Friday helping the kids with School ItemsAttend After School Activities & EventsLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforePrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer BreakRide Bikes with the KidsWork on special projects with the kidsGet kids Summer Workbooks Ready and StartedAttend Kids Awards Ceremony for School– so proud of our girls
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayContinue my YouVersion plan(s)Keep up with my FitBit GoalsGo to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily – a little behind on this one
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day – the kids did it and it took a little longerI
Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekClean House (Focus – Laundry Room)Organize Chaos (Focus – Storage Room Cleaned & Organized)- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Mow) – it rained this weekend
- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food) – adding it soon
- Repairs – (Focus – Girls Necklace Hangers) – need Jake’s help with this one
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 – 1 more project to complete soon
Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – made another payment
- Payoff Medical Bills – made another payment
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt) – made another payment
Pay Bills & File PaperworkGo grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading School’s Out by Ken Brynildsen book to the kids (it’s an older book & couldn’t find it on Amazon)
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Family
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time working on Summer Workbooks
- Attend Eventing Activities & Events
- Lunch Bags Packed for Work & Errand / Outside Activities
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for Summer Break
- Ride Bikes with the Kids
- Work on special projects with the kids
- Hang out at a park with Kids
- Go to the Library
- Find a new local place to sight-see or visit with the Kids
- Attend an extra-curricular activity or event
- Date Night with the Kids
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
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 – 3 Bathrooms)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Kids Rooms)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Mow)
- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food)
- Repairs – (Focus – Girls Necklace Hangers)
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
- Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
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.
Recipes: Low Carb & Low Calorie Brownies (with Walnuts)
Low Carb & Low Calorie Brownie goodness
I am super excited to share this delicious and healthy Brownie Recipe with you. It is both low carb and low calorie if you are trying to eat healthier, but occasionally want chocolate. Sometimes even while you are trying to eat healthier you just want something sweet and chocolate. This recipe includes walnuts, but they can be omitted.
A friend shared this recipe with me a couple months ago. I have made these brownies several times. They are delicious especially if you have been cutting back on sugar already! I especially like to pull them out of the freezer for a cool tasty treat during those hot days, but really they good any time.
This recipe makes 32 individual brownies. I like to make a full batch which is a 9 x 13 baking dish and store the individual brownies in the freezer for the chocolate cravings or sweet snack. Yes, these take longer than the box brownies, but they are healthier for you too. They are rich and filled with chocolate goodness that hit the spot, but it won’t set you back if you are keeping track of your calories and carbs. Once this recipe is baked and cool it has a similar texture of a real brownie, but without the extra calories and carbs in each bite. If you are looking for a healthy brown alternative try this recipe!
Low Carb & Low Calorie Brownie Recipe (with Walnuts):
- 1 stick Butter or Margarine (room temperature)
- 2 cups Erythritol (powdered is best, but works with granulated too)
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
- 4 Eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate (melted)
- 2 cups Flax Seed Meal
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1/3 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2/3 cup Water
- 1 cup Artificial Sweetner
- 1 cup Walnuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
2. Cream butter or margarine until fluffy. Add the Erythritol and cream until fluffy (want a fluffy texture). If you use the Erythritol granulated it will not turn out as fluffy, but the brownies will still taste good (I have done it both ways).
3. Add the vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat the eggs into the mixture one at a time. Add salt and cocoa powder; beat well.
4. Add the melted unsweetened Chocolate and beat until fluffy.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. This recipes has the walnuts added, but they are optional.
6. Pour brownie batter into 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool and cut into 32 squares.
These taste delicious fresh, cooled, or even frozen!
Total Calories: 113 Total Net Carbs: 1.19 Per Brownie (including walnuts)
Net Carbs is calculated by taking the Carbs minus the Fiber.
If you omit the walnuts the Total Calories: 88 Total Net Carbs: 0.94
The total calories and net carbs are based of the ingredients we used while cooking this recipe. It is good idea to calculate based of the specific brand and ingredients you are using in your recipe because it may vary slightly, but this will give you a good base guideline. As long as you use the ingredients listed above it should be fairly close.
Cutting the brownies into individual pieces to enjoy
Tried some for a few days then decided to see how they tasted from the freezer. They are awesome! These brownies contain walnuts, but you don’t have to add them!
Bagged and ready to go into the freezer!
2 fresh ones were eaten now the remaining 30 are bagged to be frozen!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
It will be a busy week with the girls last week of school, special events, work, and other fun activities. I recently cleaned out the Food Pantry so I am basis my menu off some of items that need to be used up. Hoping to make simple and easy meals so we can attend the events on the calendar this week. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Beef & Veggie Stew, Corn Bread
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Homemade Pizza, Garlic & Herb Vegetables
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Lemon & Herb Chicken, Homemade Bread
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Steamed Vegetables, Brown Rice Casserole
- 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 seafood 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
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Happy June 1st! This year is flying by so quickly still cannot believe we’ve hit June already! This is the girls last week of school! WooHoo! I always love it when they are on summer break. It is a great time to spend together doing a lot of fun things that we don’t always have time to do doing the school year like summer reading, swimming, hiking, biking, traveling, hanging out with family and friends, and so much more. We are looking forward to a lot of fun over the summer and making some treasured memories. Jake had to travel some last week for work, but thankful he is back home this week! There is a lot I want to get done this week before the kids are out of school, hopefully I will be able to accomplish most of it! Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Finish reading The Trumpter Swan by E. B. White to the kids– we did some extra reading this week since they didn’t have homework and finished this book. They loved this classic story!Plan one special activity with the family– took the girls out for dinner one night while Jake was out of town and went to the library to check out some good books to read together.Play a Game with the Kids– we played a classic this week Sorry! More than once!Prepare for Upcoming Spring EventsSpend time Tuesday –Friday helping the kids with Homework– No More Homework this year! YAY!Attend After School ActivitiesLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforePrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)– lots of fun in store the next couple of months!- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break – getting closer to getting most of the details finalized
- Ride Bikes with the Kids – need to get my bike down off the rack
Work on special projects with the kidsKids orthodontist appointment– B no longer has to turn her expander every night! Yay!STEM Club Meeting– last one of the year, the kids learned a lot and did well!
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each day- Continue my YouVersion plan(s) – a little behind, my app isn’t updating so it is harder to track the days
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals – so close
Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this weekUpdate Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
Home (Yard & Pets) Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day– the girls did laundry from start to finish so it took more than one day this week, they did a good job!Weekly Dinner Menu planned out for the weekClean House (Focus – Pantry Cleaned Out & Organized)– got it done and looks much better now!Organize Chaos (Focus – Organize and Re-Fill Snack Bins)– the kids were happy to get new snacks in their drawersYard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Outside Containers Cleaned, Organized, and Put Back in Place) –they are cleaned and organized and put away except the ones on the deck because we need to do another coat of stain on the flooring before putting items back on the deck (waiting for a rain-free 2 days which has been hard this week).- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food) – hoping to get it mixed and transferred into the bin soon
Repairs – (Focus – Jungle Gym)– we re-stained the jungle gym, need to work on the sandbox next
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 clientsPrep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch– thankful for family and friends who take the time to hang out and speak truth in my life.
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – working on it
- Payoff Medical Bills – working on it
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt) – made an extra payment this week, it wasn’t much, but every little bit helps!
Pay Bills & File Paperwork- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went over this week
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Pet Patrol #1 – Puppy Love by Betsy Duffey book to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Family
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time Monday –Friday helping the kids with School Items
- Attend After School Activities & Events
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break
- Ride Bikes with the Kids
- Work on special projects with the kids
- Get kids Summer Workbooks Ready and Started
- Attend Kids Awards Ceremony for School
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
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 – Laundry Room)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Storage Room Cleaned & Organized)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Mow)
- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food)
- Repairs – (Focus – Girls Necklace Hangers)
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
- Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
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.
Organized Chaos: Cleaning Out the Refrigerator
Time to be cleaned
Have you ever reached into the refrigerator for something specific and couldn’t find it because everything is a mess? I have. Every once in awhile our refrigerators need a good cleaning and scrub down. It is best if you do it on a regular basis. I try to do a quick clean and organizational update every week or two, but it still need a thorough cleaning about once a month.
We are usually pretty good about eating up leftovers and not letting them go to waste, but every once in awhile something gets tucked in behind another object or in the back until it starts growing extra crunchies on it. You pull it out thinking what’s this? When you open the lid and take a whiff you are instantly gagging. Yup, been there too many times. The good news is if you clean out your refrigerator regularly you will minimize these fun science experiments with growing mold, mush, and who knows what else. It really doesn’t take long to fully clean out the refrigerator if you take the time to maintain throughout the month.
When I do a thorough cleaning here are some steps I take to make sure it looks good and is organized:
- Start from the top of the refrigerator and work your way down that way any crumbs that fall down you can get on the next level.
- Do one shelf or drawer at a time.
- Take everything off the shelf or out of the drawer. Wipe down the shelf. Check all the items for expiration dates. If they have expired throw them away, if they have not expired wipe them off and put them back on the shelf only if it belongs on that specific shelf. If it doesn’t belong on that shelf wait until you come to the shelf where it belongs to put it away.
- Continue making your way through the refrigerator shelf by shelf until you are at the bottom and have cleaned and organized each shelf and drawer in the refrigerator.
- Do not forget to wipe down the top, sides, and bottom inside the refrigerator as well. These areas can get splattered with food, drinks, or contain finger prints.
- Your refrigerator should now look shining and organized. I LOVE looking into a sparkling clean refrigerator! 🙂 If only I could figure out a way to keep it that way for a longer period of time!
- If your refrigerator is clean, but seems to still have a smell to it (especially if there are no items that are causing it to smell) it may be time to change your air filter in the refrigerator. Also, putting an open box of baking soda inside the fridge will help absorb some of the extra odors.
Condiments need checked for expiration dates
Items facing every which way with some shelves or drawers over loaded while others are empty
Needs some cleaning and organization
All done and so much better! Everything facing the correct way and on the right shelves or drawers so we can easily find items. You need to organize your refrigerator in a way that best suites your family and your needs. Make sure the items you want most accessible are in front or easy to reach. Also, every refrigerator will be slightly different so do your best to make it look good, smell fresh, and organized. Enjoy your sparkly clean fridge!
Nice, shiny, and organized! Now I am ready to start cooking!
Recipes: Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
Our family enjoys fruits and vegetables. We like our produce with breakfast, take it in our lunches, and have it at dinner too. Asparagus is one we really like and we love finding new ways to cook it. Whether it is baked or grilled these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles come out very tasty. It is easy to assemble and the kids love eating this delicious vegetable.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles Recipe:
- 1 Bundle of Fresh Asparagus
- 12 oz package Bacon (we like the center cut with more meat)
- Dash of Salt
- Dash of Pepper
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Butter or Margarine, melted
- Sesame Seeds, optional
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse and trim the ends of the asparagus. Remove any hard stems on the asparagus stalks too. Generally, the smaller the asparagus stalk the better because it is more tender.
3. Divide your asparagus up into equal piles (3 to 8 stalks). In these pictures we divided our asparagus up into 4 bundles (one for each family member). We have done smaller bundles too. Pick the number of bundles you want to do and divide it up as equal as possible.
4. Lay 1 asparagus bundle in the center of a slice of bacon. Wrap the bacon around the asparagus bundle and place on a broiler pan. Repeat this step until all your asparagus bundles are wrapped. If you have extra bacon you can cook that on the pan beside the asparagus bundles if you want.
5. Sprinkle each bundle with a dash of salt and pepper. Mix the brown sugar and melted butter or margarine together and pour over the asparagus bundles. Top with sesame seeds.
5. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the bacon is cooked.*
*GRILLING – You can also place these Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles on the grill at your next cookout! Make sure not to put it too close to a really hot spot or open flame on the grill for a long period of time. It will usually take less time on the grill to cook these bundles. Once the asparagus looks like it is started to wilt a little and the bacon is cooked these will be done.
Sometimes we make up a big tray of the Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Bundles because the kids love them re-heated as well.
Ready to bake and eat!
Delicious!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
Thankful for a long weekend with my family over Memorial Weekend. It’s been a busy weekend, but glad to have some time with all of them. It was nice, however, it went by too fast. We did got a lot done and had some fun along the way through the weekend. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef or Pork Entree): Special Event
- Tuesday (Kid’s Night to Cook): Homemade Pizza, Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken or Vegetarian Entree): Special Event
- Thursday (Pasta or Seafood Entree): Tilapia, Steamed Vegetables
- 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 seafood 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
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Thankful for a long weekend with my family. The girls and Jake both had the Monday off and we stayed home this weekend to get some projects done. The big project for our weekend was cleaning and re-staining our deck. The girls were a big help cleaning out the bins, making meals, and more. Last week was the girls last full week of school, next week they only have 4 days and the following week they have a couple half days. The kids and the teachers are both ready to be done with school. The last days for grades is this week so they have some fun stuff planned. Hoping to get some items done this week even though it is a shorter work week. Here are my goals for this week:
Last week’s goals
Family Goals
Finish reading Boxcar Children’s Blue Bay Mystery (Boxcar Children Series #6) by Gertrude Chandler Warner to the kidsPlan one special activity with the familyPlay a Game with the KidsPrepare for Upcoming Spring EventsSpend time Monday –Friday helping the kids with HomeworkAttend After School ActivitiesLunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night beforePrep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break – working out some of the extra details
- Ride Bikes with the Kids – the kids went riding, but I didn’t have a chance
Work on special projects with the kids- Attend Science Fair Project Presentations – the girls were selected as top in their class, very proud of them!
Annual Pest / Termite Inspection Completed– completed on MondayKids orthodontist appointmentSTEM Club MeetingSpend extra time with the Family over the Memorial Holiday WeekendFinish sending out the remaining Graduation Cards– I got to go to my nephews 4K graduation last week too
Personal Goals
Drink 8 glasses of water each dayContinue my YouVersion plan(s)Keep up with my FitBit GoalsGo to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily – got a little behind on a couple days
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 – All Winter Clothes Pulled out of Closets & Dressers and Put into the Attic) – did other items as a family
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Laundry Room) – did other items as a family
Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Deck Cleaned & Prepped)- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food) – still needs to be put in the container
Repairs – (Focus – Take Slide Off Jungle Gym)
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 get 2 more items completed this week
Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car – working on it
- Payoff Medical Bills – paid a couple more this week
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt) – working on it
Pay Bills & File Paperwork- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget – went over budget this week with the whole family home all weekend
My goals for the upcoming week
Family Goals
- Finish reading The Trumpter Swan by E. B. White to the kids
- Plan one special activity with the family
- Play a Game with the Kids
- Prepare for Upcoming Spring Events
- Spend time Tuesday –Friday helping the kids with Homework
- Attend After School Activities
- Lunch Boxes & Book Bags packed the night before
- Prep for upcoming Family Adventure(s)
- Prep & Figure out Schedule for upcoming Summer Break
- Ride Bikes with the Kids
- Work on special projects with the kids
- Kids orthodontist appointment
- STEM Club Meeting
Personal Goals
- Drink 8 glasses of water each day
- Continue my YouVersion plan(s)
- Keep up with my FitBit Goals
- Go to my Doctor Appointments Scheduled this week
- Update Counting My Blessings and Other journal entries daily
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 – Pantry Cleaned Out & Organized)
- Organize Chaos (Focus – Organize and Re-Fill Snack Bins)
- Yard / Garage Cleanup (Focus – Outside Containers Cleaned, Organized, and Put Back in Place)
- Pet Care (Focus – Mix Extra Vitamins in Goat Food)
- Repairs – (Focus – Jungle Gym)
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
- Prep, plan, and organize content for upcoming summer months while the kids are out of school
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
Financial Goals
- Payoff the Car
- Payoff Medical Bills
- Payoff Other Outstanding Debt – (replacement microwave, refrigerator, hot water heater, bed, HVAC unit, and other debt)
- Pay Bills & File Paperwork
- Go grocery shopping one time to one store this week and stay within budget
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.
