Menu

We are serious about saving money around here.  One of the ways that we have saved a lot of money since I started staying home is by very carefully managing our grocery budget.  In fact, it's become somewhat of an obsession of mine to spend as little as possible on groceries and still feed my family decent food.  Over the last few months, I have gone from doing a weekly or bi-weekly shopping trip to a monthly one.  This has really made our grocery budgeting a lot easier, and we save money too.  Everything is planned for the month...sticking to a plan saves money.  Plus, fewer trips to the store, means fewer impulse buys, which means money saved.  So, I've started making a monthly menu and shopping for the whole month.  We still have to make small trips for bread, milk and produce, but Mark usually picks that stuff up for me, which means I'm only going to the grocery store once a month.  (Insert angels singing "Hallelujah" here).

The hardest part is planning a whole month of meals at one time.  Here's our menu for the month...we can get 2, sometimes even 3 meals out of many of the things I make because the girls aren't really eating huge portions yet.  Some nights we will just have sandwiches, and on rare occasions, we eat out.  So, I don't plan something for every night.

1. Cranberry Apple Pork chops
2. Mini Cheddar meat loaves--a friend gave me a recipe for this a couple of years ago...so good.  It's quick and easy, and I usually have all the ingredients on hand.  I'll have to post this recipe in a later post.
3. Beef enchiladas--I'm trying this recipe I found on Pinterest for the first time...hope it's good.
4. Crock Pot cashew chicken
5. Chicken Spaghetti--from Pioneer Woman
6. tacos
7. taco soup--this is one of our favorite soups, and it makes a ton, so you can freeze some for later
8. Crock Pot Red beans and rice--found this on Pinterest, I love how easy and yummy it is
9. Pulled pork sandwiches--Aldi sells pulled pork, already made, and it is really good.  It's nice to have on hand for those nights that you need something quick.
10. White Chicken Chili--this recipe makes a lot.  You can either half it, or make the whole batch and freeze some for later in the month.  It is quick and easy.
11. BBQ ribs
12. Baked Spaghetti--another recipe that I will post in a later post.  It's a good twist on traditional spaghetti, and it is one of Mark's favorite meals.
13. Salmon Patties
14. Pizza
15. Chili

So, what is your family eating this month?  I'm always looking for new ideas. :)

Ten

Aidan is ten.  He's been 10 since December, but I've just now taken the time to process it.

Aidan in Arkansas this fall

Aidan, the day I brought him home from the hospital  

I can hardly believe it.  I've been really emotional about ten.  This ten years has sped by at an unbelievable pace.  And if the next ten go by just as fast, well, he'll be a man before I know it.  And, that makes me get a little choked up. 





I remember when I was pregnant with Aidan, wondering what it would be like to be a mom...I had no idea how wonderful it would be.  And now, I've had ten years of wonderful.  I am so lucky.  Words escape me when I try to describe the ways he has blessed my life.  Like most things in life that are amazing, kids don't make sense on paper.  They cost a lot of money, they destroy all of your nice things, they never let you sleep, they take up all your time, but you love every minute of it. 


How do I describe Aidan?  He is my only son.  I've discovered, through him, that there is so much more to boys than I thought.  He is this sweet mix of rough and rowdy and loud and gentle and nurturing.  One minute he is running through the house with a cap gun, yelling and shooting everything in sight, and the very next minute, he is holding his baby sister and telling her how sweet she is, and that she is the cutest baby he's ever seen.  He finds potty and booty humor endlessly funny.  One minute he is driving Ella crazy and the next he is being unbelievably sweet to her.  Like, when he offers her his jacket when it's cold outside, or helps her clean up her toys, or tries to teach her to read.  He is developing this wonderful sense of humor that I just love.

He loves to play with Legos, and he is crazy about video games.  He loves to be outside.  He likes to shoot his bb gun, and he is a good shot.  He loves to throw a football or baseball, and to run...he's always running. He could play hide and go seek or tag all day, every day if we would let him.  He loves riding his bike, or scooter or his green machine...he's been fascinated by anything with wheels since he was little bitty.  He has this faith that catches me by surprise sometimes.  He doesn't talk about it much, but whenever he's worried he will grab Ella by the hand, kneel with her by the couch and pray.  I love that she sees him doing this...she looks up to him so much.  He's good at math and reading.  He loves science.  Even at 10, he still adores his mommy.  :)  He looks up to his daddy and his pawpaw; he says he wants to be a good man like they are.  I would say, he's well on his way.

Aidan at 15 mos. old

Even though 10 is hard on me, this year has been really rewarding.  Over this last year, I've seen a lot of the teaching and training that Mark and I have done really start to sink in.  I hate that he's not my baby anymore, but I am so excited to know the young man he is becoming.  He is compassionate, funny, a good friend, and so very smart.  God has blessed him in big ways.  I cannot wait to see what God has in store for his life.  Even if that means he has to grow up....

Aidan in Telluride

It's About Giving

Without a doubt, Christmas is the best time of year.  If you ask my kids, they will tell you it is the best time of year because of the gifts.  Now, if Mark raised his eyebrows or if I crinkled my forehead, they may remember to dutifully say it's the best time of year because it is when we celebrate Jesus' birth.  But, I know they really love the gifts.  And that's okay.  Who doesn't enjoy getting gifts...a surprise under the tree...the anticipation for days and days of what Santa will bring.  I love that too.  I think you have to know how good it feels to get a much needed or wanted gift before you can fully understand the joy of giving a much needed and wanted gift. 

But, what I really love about this time of year is the giving.  And not just the giving of gifts, but the giving of time and resources as well.  I love how people go out of their way to decorate their yards...all to delight the children, and neighbors and anyone else that happens to drive down the street.  I love how people shop for just the right gift to make someone else happy.  I love how we are all out shopping, trying to find the gift that will make the recipient feel loved and special.  We give gifts of gratitude to teachers, postal workers, co-workers and neighbors.  What makes this time of year special, is that we all spend so much time thinking about how to make the holidays special for someone else.  What if we always spent that much time trying to make things special for other people?

It's about giving...and that is why we have such fond memories and special attachment to this time of year.

We're never more Christ-like than when we're giving. The very purpose of His entire life, was to ultimately, give it away.  He stored up nothing for himself in this life--no home, no riches, no children, nothing.  He gave it all up to fulfill his purpose and give us eternal life. 

When we give, we are reflecting the heart of God.  But, where we are happy to give out of our excess---what is left over after we have everything we want and need---God gives us his all, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son..." (John 3:16).  We are happy to give if we feel like the recipient deserves it, God gave to us even when we don't deserve it:  "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)  Fortunately for us, he didn't wait for us to get our lives together.  God gives good and perfect gifts all the time.  And as Christ followers, we should try to emulate him, at all times of the year.

Are you looking for a good litmus test of where you are in your walk with God?  How giving are you?  When we are where we should be with God, we give...without counting the cost.  When we fully understand who is backing us, and who has given us everything we have, we can't help but be cheerful...hilarious...givers.  We can give without fear, because we know that we can't out-give God.  We know that the more we give...of our money, our time, ourselves, the more God fills us back up.
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

So, this Christmas, my hope for you is that you do find that perfect gift for those special people in your life.  I hope their eyes light up on Christmas morning; I hope your kids squeal with delight and fully enjoy the magic of Christmas.  And I hope that they understand that the magic of Christmas is giving.

But, I also hope that you remember, while your children are dreaming of sugarplums and video games, somewhere there is a mother crying out to God for someone to help her children before they starve.  While you are covering your house in enough lights to make Clark Griswold proud, there is a father somewhere hoping that he can figure out how he's going to afford to send his children to school and buy them clothes.  While we are fretting about the 3 or 4 holiday pounds we're going to gain, there is a child that can't sleep because they're hungry, really hungry.

And now, so that I don't completely ruin your holiday, I'm going to tell you what you can do about it.  Because, those prayers that they're praying??  We're the answer to them.  God has blessed US.  So, this Christmas, sit down with your family and take a little time to browse through the Compassion catalog.  Maybe buy a few less Christmas cookies and spend that money on something that can change the life of someone living in poverty.  There are enough options in this catalog that families with all different budgets can help.  Teach your children how good it feels to give.  #itsAboutGiving

Make this the Merriest Christmas yet!!

Anna Kate is One!

Can you believe that Anna turned one last week?  I cannot.  This year has gone by in a flash.  I took Anna to the doctor today.  She is still tiny.  She only gained 1 1/2 lbs. in the last 3 months!  She is 16 pounds, and 30 1/2 in.  That makes her 4th percentile for weight and 92nd percentile for height!  She wears 9-12 month clothing and size 3 diapers.  (Really, she could probably still wear size 2 diapers, the 3s are a little big...tiny baby). 

She is starting to talk up a storm (all 3 of my kids have been early talkers.  Maybe I talk too much?).  She says: mama, dada, bubba, Aya (Ella), and woof!  When she hands you something she says, "go."  I think she's trying to say, "Here you go."  She can point to your nose, your eyes and your mouth.  Her favorite games are patty cake and peek-a-boo.  She is a mama's girl...seriously.  Whenever anyone else approaches her, she grabs the back of my arm and holds on.  She does not want me out of her sight. The doctor assures me this is normal and that I will be able to go to the bathroom alone again sometime in the forseeable future.

She did the army crawl exclusively until she was 10 months old.  Then she started crawling up on all fours.  She is all over the place.  She is pulling up on the furniture and cruising.  She shows NO interest in walking on her own yet.  She hasn't even tried it.  She's my 3rd, so this is perfectly fine with me. 

She has 2 cute little bottom teeth.  She loves to hug Aidan and Ella.  She lays her head on their shoulders and says, "awww," while patting them on the back---sweetest thing, ever.  She has always been a very laid back baby, but in the last month, she's developed a tiny temper.  She growls at people.  It is hilarious to see such a tiny little thing growling.  If you tell her "no," she cries like you broke her little heart. 

She loves to dance, and therefore, loves any toy that plays music.  She is fascinated by dropping things into buckets.  She loves cashew chicken and cheesy chicken with rice, honey nut cheerios, and crackers.

She has 2 dimples and big blue eyes and is as sweet as she can be.  I can't believe a year went by that fast, but I also can't remember what we ever did without her.  We all love her dearly.  Ella says, "when she gets older, I'm going to tell her about how cute she was as a baby," and "she is so cute, I love her little head."  Aidan says, "she is the cutest baby ever, I just love her so much."  And her parents are just as smitten.  I foresee one very spoiled little girl.  :)

 

Happy birthday sweet girl.  We love you so much. 

Dear Santa,

This made me smile:


Dear Santa,
     I want a medium-sized big horse that's black, and a medium-sized big horse that's brown, and a small medium-sized small horse that's an old paint.  Santa, I hope you give good presents to my baby sister that she will love and make her smile.  Santa, I love you when you give awesome presents to everyone in the townville at Christmas.  Santa, tell the boss elf to make good presents for everyone in the world that God made.  I love you Santa and the awesome presents you bring on Christmas Eve.  And, dear Santa, I know if I love you, you will love me back.  I love Christmas.

                                                                                                                  Love,
                                                                                                                    Ella

A Few More Things I've Heard Lately:

Ella (to her friend Ellie):  I have to hide to do bad things.
Ellie:  What kind of bad things?
Ella:  Sometimes I stick my face between the couch cushions and spit.

Lovely.  Don't go digging around in my couch cushions.  You're welcome.

Aidan:  When I die, I hope they fly the flag at half-staff.  I want to be important. 

Aww

Me (to my nephew, Cooper):  Hey Cooper, it smells like Up Dog in here.
Cooper: Oh, I farted.
(Ideally, he would have said, "What's up dog?" and I would have said, "Nothing, what's up with you?)

I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!

We Bring These Gifts

The last 2 Christmases I have felt like I needed to do a better job helping my kids focus on Christ's birth.  We talk about it, but let's face it, for them, it's all about the presents.  I knew I needed to do a better job with holidays when I asked Aidan why we celebrated Easter and he said, "because that's when Jesus killed Adam and Eve."  sheesh. 
Anyway, I've had this idea to write a family devotional for Advent for the last 2 years.  I wanted it to be fun, but also meaningful.  I wanted it to have concrete ways that we could focus more on Jesus and on helping others.  So, this year, I finally wrote it.  I wrote a Bible study that not only teaches the Chrsitmas story, but also teaches families to be intentional about strengthening their relationship with Christ, to be intentional about loving on others and to be more appreciative of the amazing gift of God's son.  In the study, I have the kids think of one thing every day that they can do as a gift for Jesus.  I am excited to see what our family comes up with and how we are able to bless other families this Christmas season.
I wrote it with my kids in mind.  Then, I thought other families could really use this too.  So, I've been furiously working on it the last few weeks, and now it is finally ready.  I self-published it on Amazon tonight (only a digital version for now).  I would love it if you would check it out.  If you love it, please write a review so others can buy it and love it too.  Here's the link to Amazon:



 



The Bible study was written with families in mind, but I think it would be good for individuals and couples also.  If you're children are very small, you may have to modify a few of the activities for them.  I would love to hear your feedback.
Thank you so much!