Menu Plan Monday

Forgive me for saying "I'm back" and then disappearing for a week.  We had a family trip planned to Disney, and it gave me some time to get back to me...

Anyway... for this week's Menu Plan.  It's a short one, as I'm taking the kids up to my parents for Thanksgiving at the end of the week.  JGD will be at home, as he has a class to teach Wednesday nights. :(

Sunday

Dinner:  Veggie Pot Pie Soup and biscuits (J.P.'s Big Daddy Biscuits).

I used Rachael Ray's recipe as a base.  I think I used too much wine, but the concept was good.  

Monday

Breakfast: Yogurt and Cereal
Lunch: ???
Dinner: Parmesan Tilapia, Spinach and Wild Rice

Tuesday

Breakfast: ???
Lunch: Tuna (and Elbows)
Dinner: Chili and Cornbread

Wednesday

Breakfast: ???
Lunch: ???
Dinner: Probably Breakfast for dinner.  I will let Sprout pick.

If you want to join us and share your menu plans for the week, you can do so here.  Thank's Organizing Junkie.

Wordless Wednesday - Disney

Flower and Garden 2010

Happy Birthday to me.

When I started the new blog, I felt that it better fit what I was trying to achieve by blogging.  Like so many other mothers, I am struggling with the need to do it all and do it "perfectly".  Well, I know that it can't be done perfectly, but still...  So, I began my quest to find the best me.  This is an adventure that will never end, and I'm prepared for it.  I, also, felt that I could use the blog to try to hold myself accountable for the things I am trying to accomplish.  A few days ago, I realized that the reason I hadn't posted anything to that blog recently, was because it didn't feel right.  So I decided to come back here.

Now, a couple things have changed since I took my "blogcation."  The biggest of these is that we have a new addition to our family.  Squeaker joined us on February 20th, 2011.  (I'll save the story of his birth for another day.  It's a good one.)

Squeaker, a few days old.

8 months

Sprout is now 3, almost 3 and a half.  Where has the time gone.  I can't believe my little itty baby has become such a little person.  Well, "big girl" as she calls herself.

Sprout's first Halloween.  (Dronkey from Shrek)

Sprout, age 3.  Cowgirl (like Jessie and Woody, not supermodel.)

The rest of the changes are mostly, within me.  As I mentioned above, I am trying to be a better me.  On Friday, I decided that this is an important objective for me over the next year.  I have decided if I want the world around me to be the best it can be, then I need to look at how I view the world differently.  Some of that means that I need to work on my physical surroundings, and some means it is time to work on how I think about things.

My goals for the next year:

Have a clean house, or at least one that can be company ready (without a dash and stash) within 15 minutes... Everything needs a place (even if it means leaving the house).  I plan to use the FlyLady strategies to do this.  I have found them to be a good way to start to integrate this into my life.  One of the things I love about this strategy, is that FLY actually stands for For Loving Yourself.

Get fit.  I don't care about the number on the scale (well not too much).  I want to feel like I'm in shape. I want to have energy to keep up with my kids.  I'm also debating trying to start running.  I go back and forth on this.  In the past, I found that I didn't like running, but there is something in me, that says I need to try again.  I would really love to run in one of the runDisney events.  I would, of course, start with a 5K.  I'm also thinking that I might try to do a run to earn money for charity.

I want to spend more quality time with my family.  I love them and enjoy spending time with them.  I really want to make that time be the best it can.  Which does mean that we need to turn the technology off more.

I want to make and stick to a budget.  No matter what income bracket you're in, there is always more you want, but still less that you could live with.  I think we often forget this.  I am working to remember this, and trying to make our family the best it can be for less.  This does include couponing, like this trip to Walgreens, and I'll be investigating other deals too.

I also want to find me.  I'll let you know what that means when I figure it out.

So why, did I make this resolution, and why did I make it last Friday?  It was my birthday.

Here is a picture of the chocolate chip cookie cake, I made.

Here is the cake as I made and decorated it.

Sprout wanted to help.

Mental note, need to add sprinkles to the shopping list.

The final product.  The sprinkles made it better.

This year, my birthday gift to myself, is me!

Trip to Walgreens

So, the Jolly Green Mommy is not only trying to be green.  I'm trying to save some too.  I am going to try to keep track of the deals I get and what I spend.  I hope this is helpful to other people who are starting to coupon.  I know I like knowing I'm not alone.

Jolly Green Daddy was saying that the stockpile of deodorant I had gotten a couple months ago is now gone (guess I need to keep better track of it).  So I was looking for deals on Old Spice.  They were few and far between, but I did find that Walgreens had it as part of a deal with razor blades.  If you bought $30 worth of product you would get a $10 RR.

Here's what I bought:

Transaction 1:

2 - Gillette Venus Embrace Refill      $16.99 each       $33.98
2 - Old Spice Deodorant                    $ 3.99 each        $ 7.98   (on sale, normally $4.99)

Total (pre-coupon)                            $41.96

Gillette Venus Embrace                  - $ 4.00/2
Old Spice                                        - $ 1.00/2

Total Spent                                       $36.96 + tax
                                     Received $10 in Register Rewards

Transaction 2:

Nursery Water                                  $ 1.69
Garnier Fructis Curl Crea                 $ 3.99    (on sale, normally $4.49)
Walgreens Cotton Balls                    $1.79
Conair Bobby Pins                           $2.99

Total:                                                $10.46
Register Rewards                            -$10.00
Total Spent                                       $0.46 + tax

Total Purchased: $54.92
Total Spent:     $37.42
Saved:             $  17.50 (32%)            

I'm Back

It's been a while since I've posted on this blog.  For a while, life just got too busy for me to keep up.  I started another blog, but it just wasn't home for me.  So, I'm coming back to Jolly Green Mommy.  I was going to write a good first post, but I've been too busy checking out the changes blogger has made, and playing around with the blog.  My first real post will have to wait for tomorrow, as I am off to bed now.

Good night.

Blogcation???

For the past past week or two, I haven't been blogging much.  I seem to have been in another world.  And honestly, I'm not sure I can tell you where.  I think my brain has been so obsessed with Sprout's 2nd birthday, can't believe she's going to be 2 next week.  My parent's visit (yea!).  Our crazy mixed up life.  Keeping up with Sprout and just trying to keep up with life in general.

I had all of these ideas and objectives about what I wanted to do over the past few weeks, and I feel like I have accomplished very little.  Even with Sprout, I have had ideas as to what I wanted to do with her, and for the most part it just hasn't happened.

The other day, while I was doing laundry, Sprout came into the laundry room (where her supplies are stored) and pulled out the paint and a tray to put it in.  It was almost time for bed, so I told her that we would paint the next day and put the paint on the counter.  Then next morning, she was sitting next to me on the couch, while I was talking on the phone.  I looked at her to find that she had opened the paint, and had a little in the tray (thankfully not all over my couch).  Man, did I feel oblivious!!!  I got her set up at her easel with the paint she picked out.  As she painted, I thought about the fact that this wasn't an activity I picked for a tot tray, or an art project I planned out, but that my daughter was having a great time.  Isn't that what it's all about???

The other thing we've been doing a lot recently is Preschool Time Online.  Sprout really enjoys this as she works on letters, numbers, shapes, computer skills, etc with all of her Disney friends.  I love watching her as gets something.  It amazes me how she picks up on the things.  She pointed at the letters on The B Book  and said "B-O-O-K."  I know she didn't really spell a word, but I loved listening!!

We've also been trying to get outside, but with the crazy hot weather we have here, it hasn't been much.

Though this isn't a typical Tot School week for us, I am going to link up with Tot School, as this is what we have been up to recently.  I will try to do a post of the other activities we've done when I have a chance.

Menu Plan Monday - 6/14

I was going to post this yesterday, but last night I realized my original plan needed some rethinking.  I had planned to make Veggie Pot Pie for dinner Sunday night, but after being outside for a very limited about of time, I realized that when it's 90 degrees out, veggie pot pie doesn't sound all that great.

This is a kosher meal plan for me and my family.  This means that there will be some meat for JGD and Sprout, but there will always be a vegetarian (or fish) alternative for me.  We try to eat as naturally and organically as we can.  This is limited some by budget, but we're doing the best we can.

*** means that we have no tried this recipe yet, but I will try to give you a review later in the week or in next week's MPM post.  I know I owe you a couple from last week.  I'll try to get to them for you.


Monday - Drumsticks (if they defrost in time) for JGD, still not sure what I'm eating
Tuesday - Pioneer Woman's Pasta Primavera
Wednesday - Lo Mein (chicken for JGD and Sprout and Tofu for me)
Thursday - Falafel (didn't make it last week)
Friday - Chicken


Recap of last week
Monday - Rachael Ray's Fettuccini Alfredo *** & Caprese Salad. 
Didn't make the caprese salad, and wasn't a fan of this recipe.  Maybe it was the pre-grated cheese I got at the grocery store.

Tuesday - Tilapia (probably picata), broccoli and angel hair (salad?)
This is an old standby that I haven't made in a while.  I will say a bigger pan would have been good, and I need to work on that whole sauce concept.

Wednesday - Skirt Steak ***, portobello mushrooms, tofu?, carrots (salad?)
Turns out JGD wasn't home this night so I didn't make meat.  Sprout and I had veggie fried rice.

Thursday - Falafel ***, pita bread ***, hummus, tahini
The skirt steak had been marinating from the day before so we at that instead.  I used lemon juice instead of lime as that's what we had.  JGD said it was good.  My mom told me I totally changed the recipe.  I'll have to do it the right way next time.  I also did sweet potatoes, onions and green beans on the grill.  Yummy!

Friday - Honey Glazed Chicken Dump ***, Gardein, Green Beans, Challah 
I did make chicken, but forgot I had planned this recipe.  We'll do this one this week.  I made a Rachael Ray recipe instead.  This is a good one to make for us because the sauce is made separate so it's not hard to do real and "fake" meat.