Song: “Miracle Maker” by Delirious
I am not sure where or when I first heard this song but a couple phrases stuck in my mind recently…. The other day as I was thinking about everything that has happened so far in 2012 I was reminded of the One who holds my life in His hands. He is the “miracle maker” and is working in my life as well as in the lives of those around me. How often do I seek Him, pray for a miracle, and step back to let him work in my life as He sees fit? He created me to serve during this time and place on earth am I making a positive impact on the lives I touch?
I am the type of person who enjoys having a schedule and being prepared for what I need to do for the day. Sometimes I have a hard time adjusting quickly to changes in my life. The phrase that really stood out was “I’m waiting here for my life to change, When the waters stir you can rearrange me.” I like a fresh outlook and change every now and then but the word “rearrange” seems like a pretty dramatic change which could be uncomfortable. Praying that God continues to move and direct my heart even when it calls for me to change areas in my life.
Here are some of the lyrics that caught my attention:
I’m waiting here for my life to change,
When the waters stir you can rearrange me.
Just one touch is all I need,
I’ve nothing much but the wounds I feel,
I’m looking for the hand of the miracle man.Holy, you are holy,
Who was and is and is to come.
Holy, you are holy, Saviour, Healer,
I’m standing at the feet of the miracle maker.10 Things God Wants You to Remember….
Book: “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift
My Mom started reading The Great Illustrated Classic Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift to the girls while I was in India. This week we finished it and both girls enjoyed reading about all the different places Gulliver traveled to, the people he met, and the adventures he had on his journeys. A couple parts had the girls on the edge of their seats because they might be scary but it ended up being fine.
Gulliver traveled and met people who were only six inches tall, the Lilliput’s who took him as their prisoner. On another adventure he encountered the Brobingnag’s which were giants even the flies were huge compared to him. He encountered many more interesting people in his journeys around the world including the Yahoos, Laputas, Lagados, Glubbdubdribs, and more!
Recipe: Hot Pink Smoothie
Hot Pink Smoothie
Oh, this was a fun smoothie to make for the girls! It came out hot pink, can you guess what is in it…….? And no it isn’t red food coloring. I had a couple extra beets to use up so I put one of the beets in a smoothie and it turned a beautiful hot pink. The girls gave it a two thumbs up for taste and color, probably one of the most unique ones I made so far. It is quick and easy to make too!
Hot Pink Smoothie:
- 2 cups Milk
- 1/2 cup Vanilla Yogurt
- 1 Beet (fresh or frozen)
- Few cubes of Ice
If you are looking for a healthy and pretty smoothie this is a great one to try. It does have a mild beet taste to it. I was thrilled the girls loved it!
Hot Pink Beet Smoothie
Memories of the Blue Lobster Named “Tsunami”
“Tsunami”
A long time ago before children and large pets……Jake and I lived in a little apartment. Our apartment was home but there really wasn’t a lot to it. We had a hand-me-down love seat from one of my clients who was upgrading her furniture, a bed, and a few pieces of other miscellaneous furniture. When a group of friends came over to our apartment the first year or so of our marriage we would sit on the floor and eat because we didn’t have enough chairs for everyone. Gradually over time we accumulated more pieces, most items were hand-me-downs or second hand items, but neither of us were picky.
The biggest piece of furniture I have ever bought personally was for Jake. One year I saved for several months to buy Jake a 72 gallon bow-front fish tank for our anniversary. He was thrilled. Thankfully fish were pretty easy pets. One of the most “unique” pets we owned was a blue lobster for our fresh water tank. It was so exciting to finally get one! On the way home from the pet store I was holding our new blue lobster in my lap when Jake went around the corner to our apartment I forgot to hold onto him and he went tumbling down my legs and to the floor thus resulting in his name “Tsumani”.
A few days ago Jake and I were discussing pets which brought me back to the many fun memories we had picking out and finding our first few fish. As I continued to think about the fish tanks and various fish “Tsunami” came to my mind. He was pretty neat looking in the fish tank and for the most part did really well. The other fish in the tank figured out that it is best to give him some extra space otherwise he might “snap his claws” at them. In the picture above Tsumani’s tail was tucked under his body but when he was stretch out he got up to 6 inches long.
Having a blue lobster was a great conversation starter. We got a lot of different reactions to seeing it in the tank. If you are looking for a unique addition to your fresh water fish tank you might enjoy one too!
Organized Chaos: Clean Pantry
Organizing the Large Kitchen Pantry
Since I cleaned out the white pantry cabinet it is time for the large pantry to be cleaned out. It is wonderful having a large pantry in the kitchen but when it gets all disorganized it makes it difficult to find the items that you need. Thankfully I have a system where the different types of food go but there are times when they don’t get put away in the right place so it becomes a little crazy over time.
Organizing the left side of the pantry
- First Shelf (from the top) – Flour and Sugar
- Second Shelf – Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar & Powdered Sugar
- Third Shelf – Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Chicken, Mushrooms
- Fourth Shelf – Tomatoes (Diced, Whole, Paste, Sauce)
- Fifth Shelf – Pasta & Spaghetti Sauces
- Bottom Shelf – Pasta & Spaghetti Sauces, Oatmeal, Oils
The middle shelves hold a lot of other food items from soup, pickles, olives, salsa, tuna fish, jam, jelly, frosting, and more! It is nice having it all organized. Now I know exactly what items I need to pick up at the store and which ones I have plenty of in the pantry.
Organizing the back right side of the pantry
I didn’t get a picture of the full right back side of the pantry. The first two shelves have boxed items from desserts to pancakes to muffins and more.
- Third Shelf – Boxed Food Items
- Fourth Shelf – Canned Fruit
- Fifth Shelf – Canned Vegetables
- Bottom Shelf – Canned Beans
It makes me happy having a clean and organized pantry! Let’s hope it stays somewhat organized for at least a few months (who am I kidding maybe a few weeks) with both of us and the kids going in and out of it! Although I am thankful for a husband and kids who enjoy helping out in the kitchen.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of April 11 – 17, 2012
The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience. It is a great time to stock up on some Save A Lot deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Ground Beef – $2.18 lb
Boneless Pork Loin – $1.98 lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – $1.98 lb
Boston Butt Roast – $1.69 lb
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs – $0.99 lb
Matlaw’s Shrimp Ring with Sauce (10 oz) – $4.99
Hickory Springs Sliced Bacon – $2.50
Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage (16 oz) – $2.50
Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage (12 oz) – $1.99
Use $0.55/1 coupon from insert 3/25 Red Plum (Expires 5/15/12)
$1.44 each after couponPick 5 for $19.99 promo on going! Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts or types of meats, vegetables and more. Here are a few of the specials they have going on with the Pick 5 for $19.99 this week (each item approximately $3.99):
Fridge and Freezer
Mrs. Smith’s Pies (32 oz) – $2.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from insert 3/25 Red Plum (Expires 5/5/12)
Use $0.75/1 coupon from insert 3/25 Smart Source (Expires 5/5/12)
As low as $1.99 each after couponPillsbury Grand Biscuits (16 oz) – $1.00
Use $0.30/1 coupon from insert 2/5 General Mills (Expires 4/28/12)
Use $0.30/2 coupon from insert 2/5 General Mills (Expires 4/28/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 3/11 Smart Source (Expires 6/2/12)
Use $0.40/3 coupon from insert 4/1 Smart Source (Expires 6/23/12)
As low as $0.70 each after couponTotino Pizza Rolls (15 count) – $1.00
Blue Bonnet Spread (45 oz) – $2.49
Buyers Best Hash Brown Patties (18 count) – $1.00
Borders American Cheese Singles (12 oz) – $1.88
Banquet Brown ‘n Serve Sausage, Big Bag (39 count) – $3.49
Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt – $1.00
Home Churned Butter Quarters (16 oz) – $1.99
Coburn Farms Cream Cheese (8 oz) – $1.00
Imperial Spread Quarters – $0.99
Morning Delight Crescent Rolls (8 oz) – $1.69
Creamy Whip Whipped Topping (8 oz) – $0.99
Coburn Farms Sour Cream (16 oz) – $1.69
Armour Fun Kit Lunchmakers – $1.99
Fairgrounds Lunchmeat (16 oz) – $1.99
Produce
Red or Green Seedless Grapes – $1.29
Parker’s Baking Potatoes (10 pounds) – $3.99
Onions (3 pounds) – $2.99
Navel Oranges (4 pounds) – $1.98
Libby’s Mini Corn on the Cob (4 count) – $1.00
Mini Carrots (16 oz) – $1.00
Dole Salad Mix (12 oz) – $1.69
Grocery
Ritz Crackers (14 oz) – $1.99
Maxwell House Coffee (23 oz) – $4.99
Use $1.00/1 coupon from insert 4/1 Smart Source (Expires 5/1/12)
Use $0.60/1 coupon from insert 4/1 Smart Source (Expires 5/1/12)
As low as $3.99 each after couponGeneral Mills Cereal (11 to 12 oz) – $1.77
Use $0.50/1 coupon from 2/26 Smart Source (Expires 4/21/12)
Use $1.00/3 coupon from 3/11 Smart Source (Expires 4/21/12)
As low as $1.27 each after couponCrisco Oil (48 oz) – $2.99
Betty Crocker Au Gratin or Scalloped Potatoes (8.5 oz) – $1.99
Pasta Roni or Rice-A-Roni (4 to 7 oz) – $1.00
Prego Italian Pasta Sauce (28 oz) – $1.50
Tipton Grove Applesauce – $1.99
Kraft Pudding Cups (4 count) – $1.00
Toast-em Toaster Pastries (8 count) – $1.00
Pringles Super Stacks – $1.39
Use $1.00/4 coupon from insert 3/18 Red Plum (Expires 4/30/12)
$1.14 each after couponTGI Fridays Potato Skins Snack Chips – $1.00
King’s Hawaiian Dinner Rolls (12 count) – $2.49
Use $2.00/1 printable coupon from King’s Hawaiian
$0.49 each after couponWelch’s Chillers Juice Drinks (64 oz) – $1.99
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix – $0.49
Potatoes on the Side, Instant Mash Potatoes – $1.49
So Cheezy Shells & Cheddar or Deluxe Mac & Cheese – $1.59
Stuffing on the Side Stuffing Mix – $0.89
Betty Crocker Suddenly Pasta Salad – $1.00
Use $0.50/2 printable coupon from Betty Crocker
$0.75 each after couponLibby’s Pineapple (28 oz) – $0.99
Kaskey’s Cream of Mushroom Soup – $0.69
Wylwood Crispy Onions (8 oz) – $2.19
O’Day’s Mac & Cheese – $0.50
Portside Chunk Light Tuna – $0.69
Portmann’s Mayonnaise – $2.49
Ginger Evans Cake Mixes – $1.39
Ginger Evans Powdered Sugar or Light Brown Sugar – $1.79
Crystal Drinking Water (24 Count) – $2.99
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends. For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Organized Chaos: Re-Organized Pantry
Kitchen Pantry
I had some motivation to clean out our white kitchen pantry recently…..we had company coming! It was time to clean out some of the stuff that was getting close to expiration and re-organize the items that go together. Plus I wanted to find out what we really had so I could re-stock with items we need before company arrived. I forgot to take a “before” picture but here is the “after” picture:
- First Shelf – Instant Strawberry & Chocolate Milk, Power Bars, Magic Straws, Raisins and Nuts
- Second Shelf – Hot Pasta Sides, Cold Pasta Sides, and Regular Pasta Noodles
- Third Shelf – Lasagna Noodles, Potatoes & Potato Mixes, Rice & Rice Mixes
- Fourth Shelf – Fruit Chews, Chips, Crackers, and Rice Cakes
It always makes me happy opening cupboards and seeing them organized. Somehow the pantry areas have a way of getting messy quickly when everyone is busy cooking (including me, ha!). One of the best parts about re-organizing is it gives me an opportunity to put the items that are expiring the soonest in front to make sure I use those first. Next step after getting the cabinets in order is to make a list of items I need at the store!
What’s for Dinner: Our Weekly Menu Plan
I have taken a few weeks off from posting the menu with all the traveling. It was wonderful traveling around the world (India, Charleston, and a few places in between) but thankful to be back home again. We have some family coming into town for a visit so I will do my best to stay up to date but my regular menu may not be back on track for a few weeks once life “returns to normal”. This week the menu is based on what I already have in the freezer / pantry that needs to be eaten so it does not necessarily follow the “meat” for the day. Here is our menu plan for the upcoming week:
Our Weekly Menu Plan
- Monday (Beef Entree): Lasagna, French Bread
- Tuesday (Seafood or Pork Entree): Green Bean Tator Tot Casserole, Fresh Fruit Salad
- Wednesday (Chicken Entree): Chicken Noodle Soup, Bread
- Thursday (Pasta or Vegetarian Entree): Enchiladas, 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 entree, Tuesday a seafood or pork 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
You are loved more than you will ever know….
