At our new place, we have not yet had a garden. The yard is actually quite a mess and needs a lot of clean up - including roots and stumps to be removed, as well as major weeds - not to mention the clay soil that makes it hard to dig in.


That was the garden at our previous house. Oh, how we hated leaving it (and are saddened to see that the new owners are letting the weeds take over the garden boxes). But here we are - would love a garden, but...

Last weekend we bit the bullet and made some space. Both my hubby and I worked for many hours weeding, digging up plants and small stumps, turning sod. Our city has compost free for the taking (if you load it yourself) so we now have some compost mixed in with the soil.

Next up, deciding what to plant and getting the seeds in the ground. Likely candidates: cucumbers, peppers, corn, beans

I love gardening for 2 main reasons: it can save money on fresh veggies (and I love sharing from the bounty of the garden with others) but it's also such a great educational opportunity with kids.

The law of sowing and reaping, the necessity of nutrients, the process of how food goes from the farm to the market, the requirement of work in order to get the desired food in the end, the miracle of life bursting forth from a tiny seed... all this and more coming from discussions taking place in the garden!

Got to love spring and planting time!

Monday again. Where did the weekend go? My husband has to work about one Saturday per month. He did this past Saturday. Whenever that is the case, the weekend flies by even faster than usual (since we have basically a one-day weekend).

Nonetheless, Monday is here and we need a plan for what we're eating for the week. So here it is:

• homemade pizza and salad
  
• creamy baked chicken over pasta
• meatball stroganoff and potato wedges
  
• tacos
  
• chicken parmesan alfredo
  
• tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
• leftover buffet :-)

Last Saturday was a GREAT mail day! I received two high-value freebies in the mail. First, a Huggies coupon for a free package of diapers! But also a brand new Bible!


Often times I sign up online to receive a free sample or something and then promptly forget all about it. That was the case with this one. I was surprised! Enclosed in the box was a note, reminding me that I was to receive this Bible for signing up and indicating that I have a blog. They requested I review the Bible and post my review on my blog. So I will do that, once I've looked it over and used it a bit.

High fives for freebies!

Six weeks ago I heard about Hot Prints - a photo-sharing website that was offering free photobooks (one per month). I tried it and was very pleased with the product I received in the mail last week. They had many templates and layouts to choose from and you completely personalize the book, with your own title, captions and obviously photos!

There is an insert in the middle of the book with advertisements but it can be easily removed without damaging the photobook.

I just placed my "order" for this month's free book and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. You can't beat free!

These would make great gift ideas (think of a book of baby pictures to give to Grandmas). I created one focusing on my daughter's year of 1st Grade (homeschooled), showing all of the fun field trips, crafts and adventures we experienced this year.

Works for me!

As promised last week, I have compiled a list of 30 menu ideas - meals that my family enjoys that we could rotate through on a 4-week/once-a-month basis. This really isn't hard. Just sit down with your family and think of what meals you all enjoy. Simple brainstorming produced at least 15 of these ideas. Then I thumbed through my recipe files and found the other 15 meals that we have had in the past and liked. I also came up with others that are good for occasional meals, but not ones that we want in our regular rotation.

Here is my list of main dishes only (a side of veggies is assumed with all our meals):
1. tuna cakes (made with stuffing) - serve plain or on buns
2. mac and cheese lasagna
3. creamy baked chicken over pasta
4. french onion pork chop skillet
5. wet burrito casserole
6. meatloaf
7. sloppy joes
8. crispy country chicken and potato wedges
9. zesty cheeseburger mac casserole
10. chicken cutlets and rice (my mom's recipe - and it is wonderful!)
11. angel chicken and pasta
12. tater tot casserole
13. homemade chicken and noodles
14. homemade pizza
15. tacos / burritos / enchiladas / quesadillas
16. ham and bean soup
17. diced ham with pasta alfredo
18. chicken pot pie
19. homemade spaghetti or baked spaghetti
20. crisp-n-creamy baked chicken
21. ranch chicken strips
22. tuna swiss pie
23. chicken cordon bleu
24. hot dogs, french fries
25. bowtie pasta bake with ham
26. pasta primavera pronto with chicken
27. chicken parmesan alfredo
28. meatballs or meatball stroganoff
29. ham and scalloped potatoes
30. chicken lasagna
31. cheeseburger soup / potato soup / chili / tomato soup and grilled cheese


Occasional items:

• beef and rice skillet
  
• cheesy tuna and rice
  
• chicken noodle veggie soup
• wet burrito skillet
  
• crockpot chicken and rice

It's Monday and around here that means getting a plan together for meals this week. Do you have a plan?

Here's mine (based entirely on items we already have in the pantry, fridge or freezer):

• Tuna cakes (made with stuffing mix); frozen veggies
• Mac and cheese bake; salad
• Chicken wet burrito skillet
  
• Breakfast for supper (sausage links with fresh waffles or french toast)
  
• Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
• Crockpot chicken and dumplings
• Cheesy tuna and rice; frozen veggie on the side

It's Monday once again. I'm behind on getting my menu plan together for this week. So I will take my own advice - get off the computer and get a plan made!

If you need some inspiration, as I do, check out www.orgjunkie.com for hundreds of meal ideas.

Maybe you have fond memories of earning free personal pan pizzas at Pizza Hut when you accomplished reading goals as a child. I do! And now the tradition continues with a new generation of students, including homeschool students!

If you homeschool and would like to learn more about Book-It or sign up to receive the free pizza certificates (which you award to your child) for school year 2010-2011, go here.

Free pizza - works for me!

A week or so ago I received quite a compliment. My friend Carrie asked what my secret is to getting so much done every day! After I assured her that I am not and never will be SuperWoman... we agreed to get together at Applebee's for dessert last Thursday and talk further about time management.

This got me to thinking. How do I manage my time? What do I accomplish in a day and what have I placed into my life to help get more done? I also asked my husband and my daughter about it. Here are some things we came up with, which I shared with Carrie.

1) We don't watch TV. I firmly believe that is how we have been able to accomplish so much, especially in terms of home improvement, part-time work and pursuing further education.

2) We get 8+ hours of sleep every night. My kids sleep 10-12 hours each night and function well during the day because of it (I have often heard of both my kids - Are they always this happy? Are they ever fussy?" - and I attribute a lot of the good attitudes to getting enough sleep every night). My hubby and I aim to get plenty of sleep each night too, helping us be more productive, more focused and in a positive mood during the day.

3) Make a list and check it twice. I am a list person. I love lists and love crossing things off my lists! Having a list of what I want to accomplish each day helps me stay on track. It is a goal to shoot for. And I can feel good at the end of the day because I know what I got done. We have a daily schedule for my daughter for homeschooling. We have a weekly menu plan for meals. We have a master calendar hanging in the kitchen, which tracks all birthdays, anniversaries, appointments and any other plans we need to remember.

4) Even if you're staying home all day, get dressed in the morning. Being dressed (even dressed up, above and beyond casual clothes) helps me feel like I have a job to do. If I lounge in my PJs all day, I feel unproductive and tired all day. If I shower and get dressed up nicely by 9 am, I feel in control of my day and ready to tackle whatever the day will hold. Not to mention, then I am ready for any visitors who stop by and any unexpected trips we need to make out in public.

We also discussed ways to cut grocery costs. I shared the following basic steps.

• Set a budget and stick to it, no matter what
  
• Use cash to pay for purchases - it hurts more to lay down cash than to use a card, so you're more likely to only buy what you really need
• Always have a list of what you will buy and allow yourself less than 5 impulse purchases
  
• Always shop the sales and use the weekly ads to find the lowest possible prices
• If possible, use coupons to make the lowest prices even lower (like FREE)
• Keep a price comparison book, noting the lowest possible prices of items you frequently buy. For example, Kroger has boneless skinless chicken breast on sale this week for $1.87 a pound. Is this a good deal? Do you know? If it is low, then it's the time to stock up. If it's high, then wait for a better sale and then stock up.
  
• Make a menu plan for the week based on what you already have in your freezer and pantry. Your grocery store trip should be the time to restock your surplus. This way, if you don't have the money for a trip this week or just don't make it to the store, you can carry on with your menu plan and you're not going to starve.