Menu Plan for March 28th

Here is my plan for the week =)

Monday - Chicken alfredo & salad

Tuesday - Sweedish meat pies, salad, red potatoes

Wednesday - Soy balsamic chicken, green beans & I'm gonna try quinoa for the first time!

Thursday - Stroganoff & cauliflower

Friday - Potato Bar

Saturday - Split pea soup

For more meal planning inspiration, visit Organizing Junkie.

Blessings,

Recipe Organization

My recipe organization has always been lacking. A lot of the recipes I use (when I use a recipe, lol) I have printed off the internet or scribbled on a scrap of paper. Then they got shoved in a drawer, or cubbie, or pretty much wherever I could find when I was done with it! The biggest problem with that system was finding it again later. Here are some examples of my recipes:

This is a bunch of them laid out on the counter.

Here is a close up of one. You can't see it very well in the picture, but this one is actually splattered with Teriyaki sauce!

(This one got me a new kitchen floor, but that's another post, lol)

Here's another close up of a recipe. Can you tell what it's for? This would be one of the times I just scribbled the ingredients on a piece of paper rather than printing off the recipe.

I also have a few favorites in these cookbooks.

And this shelf has the rest of my cookbooks, which I only use occasionally.

So, back to the organization issue. The other night I looked everywhere for a recipe. It happened to be one that I had scribbled on a piece of paper and I didn't even know what site I had found it on so I could look for it again. It was imperative that I find the recipe, our dinner depended on it! I did finally find it (it was on top of the paper towel holder. Great place for it, I'm sure), but it took me close to 20 minutes.

Since I'm also the type of person who suddenly goes "Oh shoot! I should have started dinner 10 minutes ago!", spending 20 minutes looking for a recipe can be a real drag. So, I decided it was time to do something about it (finally!).

I went to Michaels and got these cute recipe cards for $1 a package.

Then I went through all the recipes I had stashed different places and wrote the ones I use frequently on the cards. I then filed them in this old picture album that I already had.

For a couple of bucks, my recipes are now organized! I do still have a stack of recipes I want to try and one of recipes I only make rarely (like desserts). But they are all together in the SAME drawer. I will, also, probably add recipes to my book as I go.

Another thing I discovered while working on this project; I don't actually USE a recipe very often! I didn't realize it because it always seemed like I was searching for a recipe. But I went through a bunch of old menus to see what recipes to gather, I kept passing meals by because I didn't need a recipe for them! I guess most of the things I cook, I know what goes into and I just wing it, lol.

This realization of my cooking does pose a new problem, however. I'm trying to be more diligent about having my kids in the kitchen with me when I cook, so that I can teach them how. But I don't have a recipe to hand them for the majority of the things I cook. So, I will be getting more recipe cards and as I cook something that I don't already have a recipe for, I will write it down on a card. Eventually I will have a collection of recipes that Munchkin can take with her when she marries. I will also be able to use them as copywork, since she will need to make a copy of the recipes for her sister :o)

Blessings,

Are you a Mary?

So, this morning as I sat down to do my morning bible study, I felt compelled to share my journal entry here on my blog. This was interesting since I hadn't even opened my journal yet, let alone written anything! Then as I finished my reading and opened my journal...Nothing. Hmmm....The plot gets thicker!

Usually I start my journal with what ever verse or verses jumped out at me in my reading. This morning, however, nothing did. As I sat there staring at a blank page, wondering where on earth I got the conviction to blog a blank page, the verse I included in my post last night came back to memory. So, I started with that and ended up with four pages! And, since I felt compelled to blog, here it is:

_____________________________________

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called. - Ephesians 4:1


Nothing jumped out at me in my reading this morning, but this verse did last night for a blog post. This is one I struggle with a little bit. I very much want my life to reflect Christ. I want my walk to be worthy of my calling. I do my best to make good decisions and to choose the right path. But when I look at our struggles I wonder if I really am? If I was walking worthy of my calling, would we be struggling so much? Am I doing something wrong? Am I missing the right path?

For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. - Matthew 7:14

Have I missed the gate? "The gate is small and the way is narrow", did I pass it in my haste to do good, to walk in a worthy manner? Maybe I should go back, retrace my steps and look again?

Two weeks ago our pastor talked about how all through the Gospels, the disciples listened, but didn't really hear what Jesus was saying to them. All through the Gospels they are surprised when things He said come true. Even after His death they are not there, at His tomb, waiting for Him to be risen. He told them several times what would happen, and yet, they still did not expect it.

There was one, though, who did. Mary.

Mary of Bethany. That's right, Lazarus' sister. She was the one chastised by her sister, Martha, when Jesus came to visit them. Martha was upset because Mary wasn't helping her. But Jesus said to let her alone, she was doing what was right. She was keeping her eyes (and ears) fixed on Jesus.

Later, it is she, Mary of Bethany, who pours expensive perfume on Jesus shortly before His crucifixion. Again she is chastised, this time by the disciples, for wasting such a costly oil. But, again, Jesus told them to let her alone. He knew that she was preparing Him for what was to come. She had HEARD what Jesus had been telling them all. That soon he would be sacrificed.

Mary was also there when Jesus rose from the tomb. She kept her eyes fixed on Jesus.

I find it interesting that all through the Gospels, as Mary does what is right, she is chastised by others. Not by the world, as you might expect, but by other believers. She kept her eyes fixed on Jesus, and literally everyone thought she was wrong! But she never wavered. Their negative remarks fell on deaf ears. The only voice she heard was Jesus'.

I want to be like Mary. To keep my eyes on Jesus no matter what. Maybe, just maybe, with this as my goal, I will turn a corner in my walk and spy that narrow gate.

Lord, help me to be like Mary of Bethany. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you. And lead me to that narrow gate. Amen.

Blessings,

Blog Split

I've recently been convicted to blog more about... well... life. In the past, I've always waited for something "important" to blog about. But the reality is, LIFE is important. Things that happen every day, shape who I am and who my kids are and will be. Everything that happens each day, good or bad, is important.

"...I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Ephesians 4:1

So, I'm turning this blog back into what I originally intended. A place for me to jot down snippets from everyday life. That may be my menu, or something silly one of the kids did, or my bad day, or a great day of school. I will, however, be moving my photography posts and link-ups to a new blog. Don't worry, I will still post pictures of life here, just not all the post that were dedicated to photography =)

Blessings,

Menu Plan for March 21st

Here is my menu plan for the week:

Monday - Pot roast, mashed potatoes, green beans

Tuesday - Crock-pot rotisserie chicken, rice & salad

Wednesday - Baja bowls

Thursday - Chicken stir-fry w/rice noodles

Friday - Beef tips & rice

Saturday - BBQ chicken pizza

Sunday - not sure yet

For more meal plans, check out Organizing Junkie. She's also having a giveaway for the book, 7 Day Menu Planner for Dummies. All you have to do is leave a comment on her blog! Head over and check it out.

Blessings,

Menu Plan for March 14th

Our power was yesterday afternoon and didn't come back till early this morning. Consequently I'm having a bit of a slow start this morning! I finally got my plan together, though, here it is:

Monday - Leftovers or sandwiches

Tuesday - Tortilla soup

Wednesday - Sweet & sour pork, rice & broccoli

Thursday - Cheeseburger buns & salad

Friday - Crock-pot chicken dinner

Saturday - Carne asada, beans, rice & tortillas

Sunday - Not sure yet :o)

For more menu plans, visit Organizing Junkie.

Blessings,

Menu Plan for March 7th

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted my menu! I've had a lot on my plate lately and menu planning has been pushed to the back burner. Things are starting to look better now, so hopefully I'll be a regular participant in MPM again! Here is my menu for this week:

Monday - Chicken rice-a-roni, salad

Tuesday - Crock-pot potatoes and sausage, brocoli

Wednesday - Brown rice and lentil casserole, cauliflower

Thursday - Honey ginger chicken & rice

Friday - Grandma's 90th birthday party!

Saturday - Crock-pot chicken dinner

Sunday - Crock-pot stew

For more menu plans, head over to Organizing Junkie.

Blessings,

LEM Photo Challenge - Reflections

This week the theme at Live Every Moment is Reflections. I never got the typical "ring" shot at my wedding. To be fair, I didn't know I wanted it ;o) However, since getting into photography I've seen a lot of really neat ones and planned to do my own "one of these days", lol. Well that day finally came about a week ago. This is one of the shots from the shoot. I have a couple shots that are better shots of the rings, but I really liked the reflection in this one. Thus the reason for entering it in this weeks competition.



For more great Reflection shots, head over to Live Every Moment.

Blessings,