Meal-Planning: "How do you do it?"

I LOVE to plan things: baby showers, birthday parties, youth rallies, meals, etc.  Almost NOTHING goes according to "the plan", but there is something therapeutic to me about the planning itself.  I try to make what I call "flexible plans".  You have everything available if the plan is going right, but, if it's not, you can change things up in an instant for Plan B (or C, D, or the rest of the alphabet--depending on the the day!)

I've often talked to my friends and family about doing weekly, monthly, and (most recently) yearly meal-planning.  I love knowing that a few hours of quiet planning results in less stress throughout the rest of the year for me.  When I first saw the idea on another blog, I was a little intimidated. "Meal plan for a year? I don't even know for sure what I'm doing in 3 days, much less in 3 months!!"  It's not really as hard as it sounds, so I'll tell you how I do it.

(DISCLAIMER: This is how I do it, and how it works for our family.  If you are completely intimated by this, hate to plan, or don't want to do it, DON'T! If it's not something that you can work with or that will work in your family dynamic, then it isn't worth the time involved to do it.  If you want to do it for a week, two weeks, or a month; try that first.  The important thing is to find what works for you (the cook) and your family.  You can take this whole plan, part of this plan, or none of this plan, and still figure out a workable option for your situation. Trust me!)

I used to menu plan for two weeks because the paychecks came every two weeks. (Pretty smart, huh?!) Then, I decided to go for a month.  Even though I grocery shop weekly or bi-weekly, the menu was already planned.  I stumbled across a blog on Pinterest that had a yearly menu-planning guide (with free printables--SCORE!) so I decided to try it. 

Here is my menu binder with the printables I found on www.boldturquoise.wordpress.com

It's just a plain binder with one of bold turquoise's neat printables on the front.  Inside are plastic sleeves with monthly calendars.  I sat down at the beginning of February (We're going to forget about January because I didn't find all this stuff until February.) and looked at our general schedule.  We generally eat more crock pot meals, soups, stews, and chili's during the colder months.  We eat more fresh fruit, fresh veggies, and grilled meats during the hotter months.   The kids' birthdays all fall around the same time each year (Imagine that!) so I have a general idea when the party will be.  Our church has a mission's conference and a revival during the year where we have dinner at church every night.  We usually know about the time we'll be taking vacation or going away to visit family for a weekend.  The same holds true for the major holidays.  Our family is very habitual--Independence, Memorial, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving Day, we're home.  Christmas Day, we're away.  See, it's easy to plan.  I may not know the exact date of each event when I do my planning, but I can tweak things as they get closer. Besides, if you've planned something, and you end up away from home, you can always fix that meal for someone else (a shut-in, new parents, someone who's just had surgery, or "just because" you want to bless someone.) 

I basically have between 30 and 50 meals that I have memorized or have the recipes for (that I can cook and my family can eat.)  Thanks to the generous gifts of my friends and family, I also have subscriptions to Runner's World, Better Homes & Gardens, and Eating Well (Thank goodness for new recipes when the old ones get boring!!)  I simply write a recipe down on each space on the calendar.  Yes, recipes get repeated! Some get repeated monthly because they are that good!  My family has their favorites so I try to make them more often, but I try not to repeat a meal twice in a month. 

Some recipes are painfully simple: Tacos=meat, taco seasoning, shells or tortillas, fixings. No recipe required!  Some are a little more difficult, but none are top-chef worthy feats.  I try to keep things healthy, but during times like softball season, Frito chili pie wins every time on a busy night.  We're learning to eat more fish and less cheese (Moment of silence, please.........) I rarely fry foods, but when I do, it's homemade fried; not some processed blob from a bag.

This is my major project for this year--my recipe book:

That's it.  It really is that easy.  Nothing is set in stone.  It is a plan, not a contract.  You have an idea of what you are going to cook, but you can always change it.  Hubby goes out of town, and you're left with the kids? Order pizza!  Every one's sick for three days?  Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup, it is!  You might think it's a waste of time if you aren't going to stick to it, or even a waste of paper.  Even if you only use it 50% of the time, it is well worth it.  I'd say we stick to ours about 95% of the time, just because it's so easy for me just to see what I'm supposed to be cooking instead of having to make a decision.  Try it, and let me know how it goes!

Happy planning, everyone!

Fish Tacos!!!

My husband bugged me for months to try fish tacos, but I hesitated because it sounded so.....fishy.  I looked at a couple of recipes on the internet, but none caught my eye (mostly because they all seemed so fatty and unhealthy.)  One day, he opened his Muscle & Fitness magazine (whole other post, I know!!), and said, "We are making these tomorrow!" So, I tried the recipe, tweaked it a little, and now we have a family fave!  I'm going to try not to comment, and just give you the recipe straight.  Here goes:

Ingredients:
6-8 frozen tilapia filets
salt & pepper
1 avacado
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup cilantro
1 Tbsp sambol or Sri Racha
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Flour or whole wheat tortillas

Thaw the fish, and cut into 6 inch pieces.  Salt & pepper, and place in a non-stick baking pan.  Cook for 10-12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

While the fish is cooking, mix the avacado, tomatoes, cilantro, and Sri Racha.  Blend together until creamy.

Once the fish is cooked, place it on warmed tortillas.  Top with cabbage, spicy guacamole, and sliced onions.  No cheese necessary, but you can add it if you like (along with sour cream or salsa, if you prefer.)  We love these without the added cheese and sour cream.  Oh, so yummy, and healthy too!!

Disclaimer:  The photo is the original photo from the Sept 2011 issue of M & F.  I take horrible food photos, and I ate all the fish tacos before I could even attempt a picture today.  The original recipe (before my tweaking) was from Chef Robert Irvine. Now, you can return to your scheduled programming.

Why Wait? Update!

I felt the sudden urge to blog today (with a little encouragement from a friend!)  Imagine my surprise, when I looked at my blog, and I realized that I haven't written anything since June--7 1/2 months!! It's amazing how time flies, and we don't realize the things we have put aside.  God has been doing some wonderful work in my life, and I have found some new hobbies and books to hold my interest.
My last post in June was to set some new goals.  How have I done?  Let's see.....

1. Get outside (weather permitting) or get on the floor and play with my kids for 30 minutes more every day. I'd say I'm doing pretty good with this one.  The kids and I are reading together, playing together, and even cooking together.  I love this time with my kids more than almost anything!
2. Eat a salad with at least one meal a day, plus all my other veggies. I've definitely been doing this one, and I can tell the difference in how I feel each day.  Eating healthy can be tasty, but it does require some preparation! Luckily, once you get going, you have more energy to do the preparing and the planning.  It's a win/win cycle!
3. Run a 5k this year (maybe two), and get a schedule set for next year. (Have to start running 3x's a week to obtain this goal. Gonna need some help!!) YES! I ran two 5ks last year, and I've already run one this year.  I have a 10k, a 15k, and a half-marathon scheduled also.  I'm running 3-4 times a week, and I've lost 20 pounds.  It has been a great thing for me physically, emotionally, mentally, but most of all, spiritually.  I truly love to run!
4. Start writing once a week (blog, book, anything to keep my writing skills up.) Um, this is a definite FAIL!  While I have been doing some sporadic writing, I definitely haven't kept up with my blog or written once a week.  I'm not giving up, though.  After all, I'm writing now, aren't I?
5. Spend at least one hour a week devoted to the ministries that I am personally involved with at my church (calling my class, working on lessons, tending to the classroom, writing cards, etc.) I have been able to do this, and it is such a blessing to me!  If you don't have the privilege of serving others in any type of ministry, you should find one.  You would be surprised at how much it will bless your heart.  Seems a little backward, doesn't it?  You get the blessing when you are serving others?  Well, if you aren't trying to get something out of it, but are trying to be a blessing to others; you almost always get a more wonderful blessing yourself.  It's God's amazing way of showing us how His ways are above our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) And I'm so thankful for that!

That tells you a little about what's been going on in my life lately.  I pray that each of my friends are having a wonderful start to the New Year, and that God is blessing in each of your lives!

Why wait?

New Years Resolutions. 


Do you make them?


........


Do you keep them? 

I've never been one to make resolutions, but I do try to have goals to strive for every year.  Something to continually motivate me to do better: physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally.  I am in a constant state of growth (or, at least, I hope I am.  If I'm not growing, then I'm slowly dying.)

I've noticed some things in the last few months that I need to take care of, but instead of waiting until a new year rolls around, I'm going to start right now.  (Once again, I'm striving for that public accountability thing.  Try not to be do hard on me when I fail, but please be generous with the encouragement! wink wink!)

1. Get outside (weather permitting) or get on the floor and play with my kids for 30 minutes more every day.
2. Eat a salad with at least one meal a day, plus all my other veggies.
3. Run a 5k this year (maybe two), and get a schedule set for next year. (Have to start running 3x's a week to obtain this goal.  Gonna need some help!!)
4. Start writing once a week (blog, book, anything to keep my writing skills up.)
5. Spend at least one hour a week devoted to the ministries that I am personally involved with at my church (calling my class, working on lessons, tending to the classroom, writing cards, etc.)

May in Oklahoma

"April Showers Bring May Flowers"  That's how the old saying goes.  In Oklahoma, though, April showers (or drought, depending on the year) bring May showers.  The bulk of our rain seems to come in May, and oftentimes, it comes with some pretty severe weather.  The state song of Oklahoma is "Oklahoma" from the musical, Oklahoma. (Very easy to remember!) Part of the song talks about how the "wind comes right behind the rain."  For anyone outside of the Oklahoma or the bordering states, that's a fancy, show-tunes way of saying, "When it rains, your gonna get some really nasty wind."

Rain + Wind = Tornado

Now, that's not the technical formula, but it's pretty close!  I've lived in Oklahoma most of my life, and I'm well-versed in tornado precautions.  I've been near them, and I've had close friends and family lose everything (including loved ones) because of them.  They are nothing to play around with.  And when you've lived in Oklahoma as long as me, everyone has their tornado story.  I have two--both with happy endings.  This is the second one:

On Tuesday, May 24th, I had 10 children in my daycare--four of my own children and six extras.  Since we are required to monthly tornado drills anyway, I decided to take them all out to the storm shelter.  I knew there was a chance of severe weather later in the day, and I wanted to be prepared. They did a great job, and actually thought it was pretty fun. 

As it got later into the afternoon, the forecasters started giving more intense and frequent updates, and parents began coming to pickup children.  Slowly, the ten dwindled down to six.  As the last dad came for his two boys, my father-in-law and mother-in-law came over prepared to head to the shelter.  Memaw came from next door too.  It was just minutes after the last child left that Poppy (my father-in-law) told us to head out.  Each child had an adult (plus one dog!) and we piled in just about the time our cousin arrived with her three children. 

Down into the storm shelter we went.  Poppy manned the door, and I was right next to him.  (I'm a little extremely claustrophobic.)  Being the true Okies that we are, we were waiting for the very last minute to shut the door.  As he and I looked out at the sky, we couldn't see this horrible monster that they said was coming our way.  We just saw a big black rain cloud.  It wasn't until we looked straight over our heads at the grey outer clouds spinning around that we realized that rain cloud WAS the tornado. 

We locked the door tight and listened. 

No hail.  No freight train. 

Our ears popped and we waited until the wind began to die down, and then we waited just a little more.  Poppy peeked out to see if it was safe to come out.  The storm was over.  As quickly as it had come, it was gone--off to continue its path of destruction.  The first sight we saw was another cousin's house:

Then there was the neighbor's shed:



So much damage in so little time.  We were spared.  Not only our lives, but also our home and vehicles.  Some were not.  Just a half mile down the road, some very dear friends lost all their worldly possessions, and they nearly lost their lives.  Thankfully, they are alive, but it will take a long time to heal and rebuild.  I cannot  fathom, nor do I even want to ask why. 

The storm took a path that spared some and destroyed some, but, in all of it, God is good.  He gave us each a place to be, a prayer to say, and a way to be a blessing to someone else.  Some bring chainsaws, some bring food, some bring water, and some take the children for the afternoon.  Strangers helping strangers, friends and family coming together to help, a community united around those who lost it all. 

It just makes me wonder how much better we could make the lives of those around us if we lived each day like it was the day after a tragedy like this.  What if we always prayed fervently for others?  What if we were willing to offer food, water or a change of clothes to someone in need?  What if we took a meal to our neighbors just because we wanted to be there for them?  How much would they see God every day--not just on the bad days?

Sausage & Lentils

A friend of mine is having a frugal recipe contest on her blog, Coupon Newbie.  I remember a lot of things that my Mom used to cook for us, Roast & Potatoes (yummy!!), Breakfast for Dinner (my fave!) and Hot Dogs (always my birthday pick!).  Being the kid I was, I didn't know when she was serving a "frugal" meal, though.  I just knew what I liked and what I didn't. 

So, I called her to find out what she fixed when money was a little tight.  This is the one I remember and am going to start feeding my family (even if money isn't tight.)  It's that yummy!

I'm adding in prices so you can see just how much little it costs.

1 pkg. smoked sausage ($2.50-$3.00)
1 lb. lentils ($1)

Start cooking lentils according to package.  When lentils are almost done, cut smoked sausage on a diagonal and cook for just a few minutes in a skillet.  Drain on paper towels.  Add to the lentils.  Salt and pepper to taste.  (You can experiment with different seasonings to fit your family's taste.  My husband loves to spice it up with peppers & Tabasco; I prefer it with just some seasoning salt and onion.)

You can fix this with potatoes ($3.00/5 lb.) or pita bread ($2/8) or a tossed salad.  Even if you fixed all of this (which would feed 6-8 people), you would probably have a meal for about $11.  Definitely frugal fare!!

Yum! Now I'm hungry, and I know what we're having for dinner!

I'm Guilty, and Now I'm Doing the Time!

As a teenager and young adult, I was fairly (maybe even extremely) healthy.  I worked out often, ate moderately healthy (because I couldn't resist pepperoni pizza!), and maintained a healthy weight.  After I got married, I continued this lifestyle even after I had children.  With each subsequent pregnancy--5 in all--I used my "condition" as an excuse to eat unhealthy instead of one to eat healthier.  You've probably heard this excuse.  I said, "I'm pregnant so those extra three or four cookies won't matter. After all, I'm eating for two!!"  When I should have been saying, "I'm pregnant so I should skip the cookies and have some veggies sticks instead."  I know we all have our little indulgences and those are fine in moderation, but pregnancy seemed to release all my inhibitions when it came to food!

So, after five pregnancies--one miscarriage and four healthy babies--I'm sitting here looking down at my scale.

It's scary......really scary.

For someone who's always been fairly healthy to realize that I am 32 pounds overweight is a very SCARY thing.  That's like carrying around a jumbo size bag of dog food on my body---ewwww!  There is absolutely no reason why I couldn't weigh the same as I did when I began having babies.  It was a healthy weight for my height. 

Now, do I expect my body to look the same as it did before I started having babies?

Oh my, NO!

That is physically impossible.  My body has borne children, and it has the scars, stretches, bruises and bags to prove it.  Honestly, the bearing of the children isn't even the hardest part.  It's the raising of the children that's really hard, and there is bodily damage that goes along with that too! 

So, being the crazy numbers person that I am, I figured out just what I need to lose.  I need to lose the birth weights of all four of my children.  8lbs. 1oz., 7lbs. 13oz., 7lbs. 9oz., and 8lbs. 1oz.=31lbs. 8oz.  (I'm really not sure which is scarier--the fact that I let myself go like that or the fact that I sat and figured that out!)

Thankfully, my children's birthdays are spaced out pretty well, and I'm beginning my journey TODAY.  I need to lose Abi (8lbs. 1oz.) by her birthday on June 12th.  I started making better food choices today, and hopefully that will get easier the longer I do it. PALEEESEE let it get easier!!!  I got up and did a mini-workout this morning with the free weights.  Mini, because I didn't get up early like I had planned to, but I wasn't going to NOT workout.  Weather-permitting, I will start running again this week, and I will get in at least three 5k runs before the end of the year.

Why am I telling all of you this?  Because you all care so deeply about my health and body image!

Ok, not really!

ACCOUNTABILITY

I am horrible about being accountable to myself.  I tried being accountable to my husband on this particular subject and it didn't turn out so well.  <Picture flying free-weights and someone strapped to the TotalGym being tortured with Whey protein powder!>  So, I am making myself accountable to you.  Thankfully, this blog only has a handful of followers so I'm hoping you'll be nice about it! *Hint!Hint*  I need some encouragment and someone to watch my kids (Ok, I'm just kidding about that last part. Sometimes.)

These are my goals:

1. Lose each one of my kids' birth weights by their birthday: (Abi-June 12th-8lbs.1oz; Jada-August 1st-8lbs. 1oz; Hannah-November 16th-7lbs.13oz; Connor-April 24th-7lbs.9oz)  That gives me roughly a year to lose 32 pounds.  I think I'm being very generous with myself.
2. Get into a regular routine of exercise (3-4x's a week) and running a consistent 5k(3-4x's a week.)
3. Bring back those healthy eating habits! I am not brave enough to post my food diary on the internet, but I want to bring back my healthy recipes.  Thankfully, grilling weather is now upon us, and it's so easy to grill healthy!
4. Run a half-marathon.  I'm not setting a definite date on this one, but I watched the Memorial marathon on TV this year and just about cried because I was sitting on my behind.  I would love to do it by next year, but we will have to wait and see.....

Today begins my new life sentence, and I plan on enjoying it!

Saving the best for last, I have at least three people that have inspired me:

• First, a little girl from my old youth group who is all grown up now.  She's a runner, and she's amazing.  Jodie Smith makes me want to be young again!
• Second, a woman I've never met, but I know through many conversations on the net, that is winning her own battle for her health.  Jenn Carr inspired me to get started, even a little step is a step forward!
• Third, another woman I've never met, but has had three children and she ran a triathalon after her third.  Barbie Smith would be running another one this summer if she wasn't pregnant with her fourth, but I know she'll do another one soon!