WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK!

It doesn’t matter how good you are at meal planning. At some point, you have to execute that beautiful plan you sweated (& shopped) over (or composed using your favorite calligraphy pen). 

No matter how well you plan (or don’t), emergencies, KIDS' PRACTICES,  interruptions, KIDS' PRACTICES AND KIDS' PRACTICES happen to the best of us.

There’s nothing quite as frustrating as finding yourself in the drive thru line again for the 3rd time this week because  you realize it’s too late to bake that pot roast you had been planning.

 

Here are some quick, easy meals and strategies that can help a real family get through dinner on a crazy busy week.

Monday- Pepper Steak and Gravy in the crockpot!

For my family of six, I add 2packages of stew meat, one container of beef broth, one yellow onion, 1/2 of a red bell pepper (sliced), 1/2 of a yellow bell pepper (sliced), garlic powder, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, and your favorite steak seasoning! Cook on low for 6 hours and serve over rice. I add a veggie on the side and dinner rolls. The peppers and onion pretty much cook down until they basically dissolve in the gravy so don't worry about your kids not wanting to eat this one! Mine ATE IT UP! This meal is SO EASY and what better way to start off the week than with a simple delicious meal?!

Tuesday- Crockpot Meatball Subs!

Tuesdays seem to be a very busy day in our house! Yesterday when I ran home after work to get Ryker to then meet Josh at pratice I knew if we were going to avoid fast food again it had to be something that would be ready in about 2 hours (and cook itself while we were at practice.) So- I literally threw frozen meatballs and some pasta sauce I had in the pantry in the crockpot and cranked it on high for the 2 hours we were at practice. When we got home I served it on hoagie rolls and topped them with mozzarella cheese and served them with chips. (My plan was to serve them with a veggie or baked fries but the kids wanted chips so I compromised gave in.

Wednesday- Pizza Casserole!

Wednesdays are also super busy, too. We have church till about 8PM. Tonight I will be taking our leftover meatballs and revamping them into a dish my kids LOVE! I'll cook pasta (any pasta will do) and mix in my leftover meatballs. I also will throw in mushrooms, black olives, and pepperonis! (Tip: I always cut my meatballs to make them go further AND put those peporonies on a cookie sheet and broil them in the oven till they are crispy- ALL THE DIFFERENCE PEOPLE. I serve this with fresh bread from the bakery and steamed broccoli.

Thursday- Leftovers

(If there aren't any we will be eating out!)

Friday- Steaks and Loaded Mashed Potatoes.

I got a great deal on steaks this week at Walmart! And luckily Josh LOVES to grill so I will just tackle the sides. I always use store bought potatoes and add sour cream, cheese, bacon, and green onion. Tastes like your grandma made them, haha! AND bonus they will only take me about 10 minutes! I'll pair this meal with a store bought salad and we will be good to go!

 

Welp friends! There's a peek at what we are eating this week and how we tackle dinner on these busy nights! I'm not complaining though- I know one day I won't be so busy and that breaks my heart to even think about that!

The Season of THANKFUL.

As we approach the “thankful”  season God brought my mind to something… Why do I feel like I need new things in order to be approved or excepted by others and to feel good about myself?

And I’m all like, “stop that God do we really have to go here?”

 I feel like this is an important lesson for not only me but for my kids too. It’s an example that needs to be set for them.- an example of being thankful.

 I often find myself falling into a sense of envy and I feel like I need new things in order to feel good about myself. Whether it’s new clothes, a fancier car, or a bigger house!

( Sidenote Josh and I house hunt all the time! We are constantly looking at real estate online.)

So- you, too, Josh! Listen up! We DO NOT need a new house! 

I would like to just take a moment to brag, though. My kids (minus Ryker, 🤣) almost always practice being thankful and often they are the ones who remind me to be thankful. 

 You remember when I mentioned how Raigen always writes “thank you letters and notes” to everyone! And I mean everyone! To me, her teacher, friend’s parents when she spends the night with them (😂) God, and even the hotel staff! It absolutely melts my heart.

And you can always hear CJ yelling “thanks Mom” when I treat them for McDonald’s after church every week. If you would’ve heard him you’d think my kids never get to eat out… It’s quite the opposite though. I love that he is thankful for something as simple as McDonald’s.

 And Rilyn, oh my little Roxie. ☺️ She not only looks like me but is just about as bossy as me too! The other day she told me she hope she had a girl first so she could look just like me and her. She is always, and I mean always, offering to help and doing things with her baby brother. She absolutely adores him and often tells me how thankful she is that we had another baby.

 I am so thankful for my little people and I am so very thankful for their hearts.

 Here’s the thing though… A couple weeks ago I order some cute Tory Burch sandals because I’ve been eyeing them for a while and I just NEEDED them, you know? 

And God placed it on my heart that I didn’t need them. And I don’t. 

So, therefore I cancelled that order. 

I don’t eat need anything new,  bigger, or fancier.

 My house may be small but the kids will only be here for a short time but let’s not talk about that. 😭

We have exactly what we need and more.

 So I don’t need that big fancy house or the newest fanciest car. And I surely don’t need $200 flip-flops in order to feel good about myself. 

 Heck, you know what makes me feel really good? Spending five dollars on a new super cute top! I know you’ve seen my IG posts. In fact, maybe will I will inspire you more by sharing my savings with you because perhaps a lot of you are in a similar place as we are. Maybe you have a butt load of kids and you’re kind of poor. 😜

Or maybe you’re like us and just like to save money, too.

 So I’ve been praying that God will change my heart into one of thankfulness, not comparison or wanting, and instead be more grateful for the things that we do have. 

Isn’t it funny how the calendar seasons can often coincide with the seasons of our hearts? 

So this season I am choosing to be (more) thankful.

Girls pink & black shared bedroom!

The girls room is not finished but it’s close so I figured I give you guys a little peek. The room is tiny and it’s kind of difficult to fit two girls in this room but I think we’ve managed well. We know this is not our forever home and plan to move within two years anyway.

Rilyn’s getting older and her only must have was a vanity area so I was happy to oblige and give her her own special space!

  

We still have touch up paint to do in frames to fill but it’s coming together!

And just for fun here’s a pic of how we stay organized! The shoe holder on the back of the bedroom door is perfect for hair ties, hair bows, jewelry, extra make up, perfume, deodorant, pretty much anything! It keeps the clutter away and makes this mama happy! 

Thanks for taking a peek at our girls’ little space!