New Menu

Next week's menu includes....

Spaghetti with Meatballs
 

Blackened Tilapia and Green Bean Bundles


Raspberry Breakfast Bars


Texas Queso


Crockpot Pizza Pasta



Dinner Meatloaf Muffins



Crescent Chicken



Doritos Taco Salad


Crescent Sausage Bites


Just a quick shout out to my oldest for making the 8th grade cheer squad!!  So proud of a great group of girls for working hard!!

 We were blessed to get to go to a Mandisa and Brandon Heath concert with friends from church a few weeks ago. God has placed some amazing friends in the lives of my girls and me, and it was fun to spend some time with them.  It had been YEARS since I went to a concert and I had a blast!  We plan to make that an annual event!!

It's been a while.....

I'm really a little embarrassed to write this since it has been so long since my last post.  But, a friend posted on Facebook that she needed a menu rescue, and it convinced me that I needed to start again!  I'll spend some time later posting updates from life, but first things first.  What to eat!! Below is this coming week's menu.  I tend to plan at the end of the week, shop and prep over the weekend, and then I don't have to think about food during the week!  This one's for you, Lorna!! ;)

Tonight--Crispy baked tilapia (or seasoned tilapia baked in oven), green beans (I prefer fresh ones steamed with a little salt and pepper), and mac and cheese for the girls.....Nothing fancy!



Saturday--Guinea Grinders....a family favorite!!  I make mine a little different than this recipe.  I use sausage, burger, caraway seeds, cheese, and low sugar marinara sauce with wheat buns.



Sunday--Venison fajitas (and fajita salad.....your favorite salad ingredients topped with fajita meat and peppers)


Bag-n-season pork chops, greens (canned ones will work in a pinch), and Stove Top Stuffing.....We have activities at church Sunday night, so we need something that will be pretty quick to prepare after church!


Monday--Baked Chicken Nuggets (I sometimes use a combination of wheat bread crumbs and panko but have also just seasoned them and cooked in a skillet with a very small amount of olive oil), baked beans, and oven baked potato wedges




Tuesday--crustless pizza



Wednesday--Roast in the crockpot



Thursday--LEFTOVERS!!  I am teaching class until 8:00 so I'm taking the night off.  Everyone in my house is on their own!!

I'm still working on breakfast for the week.   The girls have Benchmark testing all next week, so we need good hearty breakfasts.....

Dog days of summer

I don't know about where you are, but it is so incredibly hot here.  Like the kind of heat where the breeze when you ride the windows down does not even provide relief.  Like the kind of heat where the air conditioner (thank you Jesus for air conditioners) can't keep up.  Like the kind of heat where the swimming pool is even hot.  I know people are tired of hearing about heat, but it is dangerously hot with no rain and no relief in sight.  Thankfully, our Lord has a plan and provides relief for us from all situations in HIS time. 

I have had to remind myself of this today.  HE has a plan and it is in HIS time....not my own. 

It has already been a super busy summer.  The girls went on a trip with grandparents, Audrey went to band camp last week, and she is at a worship arts camp this week.  We travel next week but they will be home for a few weeks after that.  It seems as though this summer is flying by.  Wow!  I'm so not ready for school to be starting back up but it will be here before we know it.  When does life slow down? 

Time to count my blessings....Cory got a promotion and will eventually change roles and schedules.  This will mean having him home on a more regular schedule, and this has not happened in our 15 years of marriage.  Super excited about that!  We have healthy, happy girls who are such a joy.  We have air conditioners (have I mentioned that I am SO thankful for this?  I'm a wimp in the heat.).  We have some family time coming up in 36 days....yes, 36....I have a countdown thing on my phone.  That's how excited I am!

It's amazing how cathartic it can be to blog.  I started out with all of these heavy, intensely personal issues on my heart and mind.  But, as I write, I realize that I have so much to be thankful for.  I looked back and read, and this whole blog seems to be struggle....thankful....menu.....kids.....struggle....thankful....menu.....kids....and so on.  Maybe I should get a life and live a little! lol

It's summertime!!

Summer is in full swing with lots of fun activities going on.  The girls returned last night from a week-long trip with grandparents to visit family and do a lot of fun things.  They came in talking at full speed, anxious to share their adventures and fun.  Camps begin next week, so things will continue to be busy.  Most importantly, the girls are having a wonderful summer so far.  Time with lots of family and friends, cool experiences, and time to just play and be kids....that's what summer is for!!

I have not done a lot of cooking in the last week or two, primarily because I don't cook much when it's just me at home.  But, I'm back on the wagon....planning next week's menu!

Friday--tacos and taco salad

Saturday--guinea grinders
                 turkey ranch club wrap
 

Sunday--double crunch honey garlic chicken


Monday--grilled chicken/shrimp and veggies

Tuesday--meat crust pizza

Wednesday--beer chicken in crock pot










Thursday--tortilla chicken casserole

I found recipe for breakfast burritos that you freeze.  I'm thinking of trying those so that we all have healthy breakfast options that are easy. 
 
I also found a recipe for apple pie egg rolls.  I love apple pie and MUST try these!!

Last week of school menu!!

Not sure who is more excited about the last week of school....the girls or me! lol  Here's the menu for the week!

Sunday--chicken and rice

 
             
meat crust pizza



Monday--guinea grinders

 

Tuesday--grilled shrimp



Wednesday--stir fry

Thursday--honey glazed chicken bites

New heart

A very dear friend of mine has a nephew who had a heart transplant as a baby.  He is now a teenager, and he went into cardiac arrest about 3 weeks ago.  He has been on the transplant list the last few weeks.  They found a heart this morning, and he is headed to surgery within the hour.  It struck me how difficult this is for his family.....not only the obvious concern and fear about his health but the realization that another family lost someone and is struggling as well.   My prayers today are for Jonathan's surgery and recovery to go smoothly, for his family to feel peace as they wait and watch, for his medical team to have skill and steady hands, and for the donor family to feel the loving arms of Jesus as they mourn.  Makes me want to go home and hug my girls and Cory.....because we are never promised tomorrow.

Light in the midst of darkness

I have discovered that in the midst of a lot of darkness, you can always find light.....if you are looking for it.  There has been a lot of turmoil in the last few weeks in parts of my life.  Our pastor abruptly resigned, and we have since found out the reasons.  The entire situation has created quite a divide in our congregation.  Satan is certainly at work as he attacks the body of believers.  Then, we lost a very dear friend this week to brain cancer.  As a matter of fact, he passed away 4 years to the day after surgeons eliminated most of the cancer from my body.  Irony.  Survivor's guilt.  Sadness.  Darkness  It is very easy to sit back and ask "why" when there is so much sadness, destruction in families, division within the church, and cancer.  Trust me....I've had plenty of time in my life to ask "why". 

But, "why" typically solves nothing.  It leads to bitterness and anger.  Searching for that answer will eat me up.  So, I am holding on to the one thing I have....hope and faith that God is in control.  He has a plan so much greater than any of ours.  He is in control in the midst of turmoil and sadness.  He is the light that we can cling to...the light at the end of the tunnel.  As a young child, when I would ask my mom hard questions, she always told me to "put it on your list" of things to ask Jesus when I get to heaven.  And, if "why" is still important then, I can ask it then.  But I don't think I'll care then. 

Rather than hold on to the negative things in my life, I am striving to find the positive things, to trust in HIS plan, and to appreciate the blessings that I've been given.  I CHOOSE to worship Him in ALL things.  I am blessed beyond measure.  I WILL find the light....because the light is my SAVIOR.