Menu Plan Monday/Pantry Challenge

The first week was a success. I was able to pull some stuff out of the freezer and use it. Mostly vegetables. I have bags and bags of frozen vegetables. I did end up picking up a shift at work and had to have the family make do with leftover freezer junk food from NYD.

Last week I went over my budget of $30 by $6. This week I'm proud to say I was under, $27.27. I was worried too becuase Campbells soup was on sale for $1 and I had a couple of coupons I wanted to use. So I added a little to my pantry. The hardest part shopping is not buying meat on sale. I look at the ads and this week, Albertsons had assorted pork chops $.98/lb. Nice price. Don't go anywhere near there or you'll spend $$.

Here's this week's selection:

Monday - Chicken Kabobs, salad, leftover veggies.

Tuesday - Crockpot Pinto Beans, cornbread.

Wednesday - Chicken and Dumplings

Thursday - Bean and Beef burritos (using leftover pinto beans from Tue.), green rice with cheese.

Friday - Sloppy Joe Meatloaf, veggie and salad.

Saturday - Steak, baked potatoes, veggie.

Sunday - Pizza

Lunch is leftovers, sandwiches, pasta.
Breakfast is potato/sausage/egg burritos, peanut butter baked oatmeal and iat applesauce muffins. Trying 2 new recipes this week.

For more menu ideas go to orgjunkie.com. To join the pantry challenge go to Money Saving Mom.

2010 Goals Revisited

Since it's January 8th, I should probably start looking at these goals and time them out.

1. $$$$
I'll find out Monday if I am returning to an old job of mine. Cross your fingers. I paid bills today and have started a budget. I need to try to figure out how to get $1000 in savings. But that's coming.

2. Break down goals.
That's what I'm going to start today.

3. Purge and Organize
This week/weekend I'm going to start with the kitchen. 15-30 minute increments. Go all out, take no prisoners and put nothing back that I haven't used in a while.
Next week - My closet/bedroom, linen closet, coat closet, toy cubby.

4. School
I've been trying to figure out why I haven't been accepted yet. SO I called today and got it all figured out. CHanged the school code on my financial aid. I should be able to register next week. Finally!!! Then I can order my books and get started.

I've been super lazy this week. Just been working a lot and hanging with the fam. Today, I'm starting to focus a little more before I have to go to work.

Thirsty Thursday

I picked up a bunch of shifts this weekend to help out my friend. One of the shifts I had to make a Scooby Snack. I instantly asked "Isn't that a Jamaican Ten Speed without the cream?" My fellow co-worker thought I was right. Well I wasn't. Ok, so I get confused between a Scooby Snack and a Jamaican Ten Speed. They are so similar. But thanks to a phone with internet access and my favorite bartending website, webtender.com, I was able to make them right the second time around. Just so you guys don't get all confused between them, or decide which one sounds better than the other, here are the recipes for all three.


Scooby Snack

3/4oz Malibu Rum
3/4oz Midori
1oz Pineapple Juice
1/2oz Half and Half

Pour over ice in a shaker, shake and strain.

Jamaican Ten Speed

1oz Vodka
3/4oz Midori
1/4oz Malibu Rum
1/2oz Half and Half

Pour over ice in a shaker, shake and strain.

Tuesday is the First Day for the New Goals

Today I'm off to find a new job. I've written down some places that have advertised on Craigslist, and I'm hitting a few others as well. Just some random places. I'm really hoping to find somewhere downtown because I'm transferring to a college down there and it could be a one stop shop.

I'm hoping to find something today, so I can breakdown the rest of my goals and start them tomorrow.

Menu Plan Monday

Good Morning.

I'm tired today. It's my birthday and I think the first thing I want to do is take a nap. I worked Saturday night and then the Broncos game yesterday.

So I went through my pantry and freezers to figure out my menu for the week. One thing I noticed is that I have 4 packages of hamburgers, beef and turkey. So that's an easy one once a week. I also have quite a few pizza dough balls. Another easy one. So I just need 4 or 5 other meals each week, which won't be hard.

I went to the store on Saturday afternoon with the goal of only spending $30. I went over and spent $35, but I needed cat food and shampoo. Not bad all in all.

Here's what's on my menu this week:

Monday:

Hamburgers and vegetables

Tuesday:

Tofu Parmesan and salad

Wednesday:

Chicken Soft Tacos, black beans and rice.

Thursday:

Pizza

Friday:

Sloppy Joe Meatloaf, baked potato, vegetable

Saturday:

Grilled chicken Parmesan, vegetable

Sunday:

Chicken and Vegetable kabobs, green rice

For more menu ideas go to Orgjunkie.

01-01-2001

So here it is. It seems to be a day of reflection for many people, I guess for me too.

Yesterday was a terrible day for me. I attended a funeral for a 15 year old boy. This boy is the son of one of my coworkers, Amanda. She is one of the sweetest people in the world. She's helped me out of binds and I've helped her. One of the bad parts about my job is that I mostly work alone. She is a fellow bartender and I only see her in passing and via text messages when we need shifts covered. Her son hung himself Christmas night. My heart literally breaks for her. I can not/do not want to understand her pain. I do want to be as empathetic to her and reach out as much as possible, so I went to the funeral with a group of us from work.

This hit home for me because her son was 3 months older than my eldest daughter. And I'm struggling with her right now and her teenage girl attitude. She has been so disrespectful to her dad and brother that I've had enough and scheduled family therapy sessions. I thought about this through the entire funeral and pretty much lost my shit at one point. I came home and hugged her and her bff and told them tearfully about what I had just witnessed. I had them tearing up at one point.

I was so emotionally drained yesterday that we stayed home. I really had no desire to celebrate anything. I didn't feel like I had anything to celebrate. So that was the end of my 2009.

Today I wake up to a new day. The sun is out and there is hope. My year begins with my birthday on Monday. This is also the first day of therapy for us. I'm forgoing a birthday dinner for this therapy, but I think it'll be a great birthday present eventually. I'm also working for Amanda 2 of her 4 shifts this week, which puts my work load up there. I'm used to working 2 shifts per week max, but starting on Saturday I'm working 5 shifts. I need the money, so I'm not complaining.

I reflect on my yesterday and look forward from here. I look at my list of goals and think in a way that they are trivial, but still needed in my life.

1. Work on my relationships
This is why we're starting therapy. I think we all need it in one way or another.

2. Make Monthly/Weekly Goals
I want to break down the big goals into smaller ones that way I'm more apt to do them.

3. Exercise Regularly
I joined a gym a month ago, I need to use it.

4. Purge and Organize
My house needs an overhaul and I need to be really cut-throat.

5. Get our Money in Order
I've worked on the budget, now I need to find a new job.

6. Keep up with school
I just need to keep it a priority.

That's it. I'm going to break them down tomorrow. Today I'm going to enjoy football and junk food day.

Eating from the pantry challenge

I saw this and took a look. Now that I think about it, I can totally do this. I have a full upright freeze and two half freezers that are full.

In order to do this, I have to be organized. Luckily I just went to Sam's yesterday, so I do have some snacks.

My budget for 5 is $80 a week. So I want to cut that down to $30 a week. That would save me $200 for the month, I can handle that. We're behind since my job isn't bringing in any money, so our extra will go towards catching up on bills. My shopping will be limited to milk, eggs, dairy, produce, and baking products for snacks.

I totally think I can do this and look forward to the challenge!