Not Really

I'm still menu planning, and trying new recipes. Some good, some not so much. I don't know that I'm saving any money, but we'll see at the end of the week what it totaled out to. So, that's that.
I have been stood-up(kind-of) two times this week at Starbucks. I really wasn't in the mood to be social or drink coffee on either occassion, but, I did want to chat with those I was invited by, so I obliged the invites. One was an honest mistake and I couldn't find flaw in this person's no-show. But, it still sucked to sit in a parking lot, after you have gotten dressed to be in public( you know how us mom's like to drop our kids off still wearing our pj's and just come right back home :)) for approx30 minutes before you realize that it's not gonna happen. But, the make-up day was wonderful! I so need my girl time, and I don't know why I do it so little. Well, maybe cause I lead the kind of life I do. Anyway, the second no-show was this morning. I was super tired upon awakening this morning due to the fact that i only went to bed hours before. But, I still got up, prepared homemade muffins, ( I'm talking soaked grains, and shredding an apple up here-major deal, lol!) and make two lunches encouraged DS to shower before school, and got dressed to go out in public. My kids ate in the car because I was sacrificing my time in order to have coffee with a dear, dear person. As fate would have it, I sat in the parking lot again for quite some time before I came to understand that this person had other plans which didn't include coffee. AGAIN, another morning in the parking lot, dressed up. 
So, right now I'm not really feeling it. I don't feel like doing the laundry that needs to be done. Or the monstrous pile of dished( thanks to my muffins) that sit piled up in the sink. Or, for that matter the stinking check book that it's my "duty" to do. I don't know what I feel to be perfectly honest. Blah could possibly work. But, I can't be sure.
So, I'm blogging to get this out. And now it's done. I don't really feel better about it though. But, time will heal this. And never fear, I will get through.

A late Start

So, today I woke up with a headache. It literally had me rendered useless up until about 4pm :-( I didn't follow my menu plan for breakfast, as it called for too much exertion too early. But, breakfast was a simple toast with cinnamon and/or fruit with strawberry yogurt dip(homemade). I felt good about it.
Dinner is a new recipe tonight for my family. Beef stroganoff. I am using this recipe:
1 lb beef stew meat
1 c mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onion
1/4 c butter (you can sub coconut oil)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 c sour cream
1 lb pasta
I look forward to trying this out on the family tonight! DH is home for dinner. That is a welcome change. I just hope that he likes this healthier take on a classic recipe. He's used to making it in a restaurant setting, and I'm hoping he'll like my homemade version ;)
Tomorrow we'll have made-from-scratch Cinnamon Bread Rolls. I'll start preparing them tonight. The dough will take time.
We also have 2 games at the sports complex tomorrow. I will have to miss my daughter's game because my son's team is having an end-of-the-season party. I'm team mom, and by default I've gotta attend. Of course I want to. It's just that I want to be at my daughter's game equally as much.
Well, duty calls. I'm off to get meals ready!

Getting the Hang, sort-of

As I sit down to blog,(almost every day), I usually find myself caught up with reading someone else's blog, lol. And by the time I've finished reading, writing down recipes, and taking notes, I've little time left for my own paragraphs. But, I'm getting into the swing of things, albeit gradually.I'd like to figure out how to do some more things with my own page, but it seems that I'm entirely too busy to put much into it yet. All in good time, though.
 Today is the day before payday....ahhh using the lasts of things up around the house. Scrounging for another trash bag, the last bit of sugar, or the last bit of applesauce is what it's all about, lol. Seriously though, planning out our budget 2 weeks in advance takes some of the stress out of grocery shopping. I know exactly how much cash I have to work with and I also know exactly which foods to buy to go with foods on hand to make meals for us. It all works like a well-oiled chain. But, only when planned. 
 I look forward to purchasing a few of my grocery items from some new places. Places where I'll still be within my budget, but the quality of the foods will be higher. Does that mean that every thing's going to be all natural, preservative-free, artificial additives absent, all organic? Absolutely not. I'm a realist(or at least I strive to be). I understand that I live in a subdivision. That we have four kids in public school. That those kids sometimes don't pack their lunches, but eat the forbidden cafeteria food! I get it that they want convenience food occasionally. But, I'm striving to do a slow transition into the way we ate years ago. And I'm patting myself on the back for every baby-step I take :-)
Today I'm getting the hang of it....sort-of ;)

Going Well

So, things are going well in the home lately. Menu planning is steady once again. Thank you!!! I've ordered some remedies from iherb for my youngest two who are still battling this upper respiratory thing.
  I've got a small order in with a farmer for some meat. It's small mind you, but it's a start. Would have been much bigger had we not needed the ac serviced in the van. I've also got two prospects for produce. One is more cash upfront. But, it works out to less per week. Its a CSA based out of a nearby town. It's all locally grown from their garden and it's organic. However, the outgoing price is almost too hard to swallow. But, I know where all the produce is coming from! However, the drive to pick up isn't as close as I'd like :-(
  The other is option is just right down the way from my home. It's all organic, and it's on a week-week bases. I'm not locked in. I really like that a lot. However, the produce is from a local distributor who provides small/medium groups with some local produce from my state, and it's also supplemented with shipped produce from other states. That's the pitfall for me. However, it's got a lot more pros than cons.
 I'm going to try out the closer one for one week. Get a feel for the produce. If I'm happy, I'll stay with him. If not, well then I've got another option.
 I'm trying to reign in the money that we spend on eating out. Whether it's at a fast food, a restaurant, or at the ballpark. With 2 kids in sports, our family's up at the ballpark every day except Sundays. And, I can't always control the food situation. Sometimes we don't leave there until after 9pm at night. At that point we're all exhausted and hungry. We either eat at a drive through or at the field. Those nights are what they are. I can't beat myself up over that! I also don't like for my kids to feel ostracized. So, I give in and let them eat similar foods that their friends are munching on. But, it's only for a "season" and then it's not. So, okay :-)
  

Game Day

Today, we head to a nearby town for a softball game. My oldest DD plays girls' major league. One of the tough situations that we will face will most definitely be the concession stand. I've tried packing a cooler, but that just doesn't work for our family. So sorry :-( My youngest two kiddos are under the weather, and I really want to nourish them with good foods. But, I'm just going to have to chalk this morning/afternoon up, and move on...easier said than done.
So we leave in a few minutes, and I just pray that God will heal our family quickly.

Accomplished

So, today was my first day of trying to achieve my goals,(on my little goal list). I have done all but one, so far. And there is still plenty of daylight left. I am feeling rather accomplished. 
My DH and I went to a nice lunch, and a stroll downtown afterward provided the perfect offset to the fare's calorie count, I'm sure. It was great! Prior to that, we walked almost 2 miles around our neighborhood. It was nice to get the body going :-)
I've thus far stuck to my menu. And dinner tonight will be homemade(of course) chicken noodle soup. I figured this to be the perfect solution as my youngest two kids have been battling an irritating cough. Nothing like chicken noodle soup(GF noodles) to help with that! Coupled with Vitamin c, and homeopathic cough remedies, and Vick's rub on the feet, they should be in fine shape! And prayer. Don't forget prayer. God's so happy to heal them. He just can't wait to see them through this, and on the other side. 
I am still having to "cook through" the unhealthy food remains in my home. I am not about to waste what we've accumulated by throwing it away. So, my menus are consistent of nourishing ingredients and non. I'm on the path though!
This afternoon I will take D to softball practice. The soup will be simmering while she's there. I might stop by Target and see what kinds of healthies I can find for my coughing man. For Pete's sake, he's already eaten a half-clove of garlic today!
Until tomorrow..

Here I go, again?

It's a hectic, life that I've been a part of as of late. And, in many ways, it's wearing me down. I don't know if it's that I've become comfortable with this crazyness and consider it "normal." Or, if I just don't have the willpower needed to reign in my outstanding pre-teens. But, whatever is going on, I'm in need of a change of pace.

I totally need to incorporate a higher level of health into mine and my children's lives. Yes, we public school, and we are part of a sports organization that cheese fries and sodas are ingested. Do I like that? Sometimes...But, not as much as i don't. I'm so busy after 1pm every single day, that meal cooking, planning, ordering, and preparing are left unattended. And, that is critical if this family is to function at it's near best based on a healthy standpoint.

So, to sum things up, I'll start with some things that will help push me in the right direction;

* Make a list of small goals to be met daily. (start slow, expect little.)

*Don't be so hard on myself when failures come my way;

*Accept the fact that I live in the century that I do, and that my idealistic way of life is unrealistic for my family;

I look forward to meal planning and revisiting some of my previous menus. I look forward to showing my children that healthy is yummy ;-). I look forward to striving to keep all things in moderation.

Now, for dinner tonight.......