Monday, January 23, 2017

We've Got a Plan...again!!

We're back to planning our menus!! I forgot how much I missed not hearing "What's for dinner?" every day and wondering the same thing myself while staring into the freezer. Once I figure out what we're eating that week it gets posted in the kitchen, no more guesswork (except for which veggies to have each night :) )

It can be so easy to get into a food rut, especially when majority of the family doesn't eat fish and can't eat much pork. We have 32 meals we rotate every month, but even our favorites are starting to taste bland. So we are trying to include at least one new recipe a week. Here's what this week's menu looks like for us.

Sunday- Taco Salad (using this taco seasoning)
Monday- Chicken Chili & corn bread
Tuesday- Bow tie Chicken Caesar Salad (new meal for us)
Wednesday- Meatloaf, homemade fries
Thursday-  Loaded Baked Potato Soup (new meal for us)
Friday- Marinated chicken breast, stuffing, and sweet potatoes
Saturday- Leftover buffet

 Linking up with Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

Looking to add something new to your menu? Check out her blog, there are so many amazing meals shared every Monday!!

Friday, January 6, 2017

New Year, Same Me

We usually set some sort of new year's resolution, but decided against it this year. We start off strong but after a few months life gets in the way and we forget about them. The end of the year rolls around and our focus flips to what we didn't accomplish or which goals we let slip in favor of setting different goals, instead of remaining focused on how much we have grown and accomplished. How awesome is it when you lose 15 pounds you have been trying to shed and keep it off all year?! You're goal was to lose 20, you start thinking about what you could of, should of done to get those other 5 pounds; and you have just stolen your own joy.

I would love to see all my boys back on the honor roll (so would they), but we're going to keep doing what we've been doing. If they are struggling in an area then we'll focus on that area until they understand it. If they are trying their best and studying and only pulling a C+ then so be it. When their organization style is not longer working for them, I'll step in and help get that back on track. If they have been handling things on their own - keeping their grades up and getting assignments turned in, then there is no reason for me to step in just to push for higher grades. I want them striving for their best, not perfection.

We all have fitness goals we want to reach; I want to lose some weight, Jordan wants to work on building more muscle, Joey wants to gain some weight, and Jacob wants to be conditioned for soccer. There will be no weekly weigh-ins, no extreme workout routines, no major menu makeover, and no intense drills. We're still going to eat healthy, with the only change being we have recently decided to try not to eat as much over-processed prepackage foods. We'll be staying active with plenty of time playing outside, playing the sports they enjoy (soccer, basketball, and skateboarding/scooters), going on our hikes/nature walks, and no screen time Monday-Thursday. If during that time I lose weigh, Jordan gains muscle, Joey gains a few pounds, and Jacob is ready for soccer than fantastic! If none of that happens then fantastic, we are healthier than we thought :)

We have no set goals for 2017, other than being better people then we were last year. Learning new things, trying new things, continuing to grow in our relationships and spiritually.