Meal Plans Week of 1-16-11

Half way through another month already.  And the rest is going to fly by.  How did January become so busy?  At least I'm getting quite a bit done this month.  Setting goals...and writing them down/looking at them is such a huge help.  There is still a lot to do before the baby arrives, but I feel like I'm making progress.  Last week I finished Rebecca's pj pants.  And I even had to teach myself how to do some new stitches/techniques.  They turned out pretty well.  Especially for my first attempt.  I have to decide which project to start next...and get to the fabric store.  I was able to get some organizing done.  I cleaned/organized some of my kitchen cupboards, cleaned the kitchen floor and sink and cleaned/organized the craft room (good time to do that after finishing a project :).  We accomplished some shopping.  I got my new cell phone (free upgrade).  We got our new digital SLR camera (also free with credit card points).  I used my Christmas gift card and bought some maternity clothes (hopefully I'm set now).  I stocked up on cloth diapers and some accessories.  I may need a couple little things yet, but we're mostly set to start our journey with cloth diapers now :)  And we shopped for furniture for Rebecca's room.  I think we've picked out her dresser.  We just need to order it.  Once we get that I can finally get her new room ready.  But that won't be until some time in February.  I also got a baby book for baby #2 :)  Time to start working on that.  As always there was plenty going on in the kitchen.  I made chocolate ice cream, granola, bagels, crispy almonds and started a bottle of vanilla (thanks, Sara!!).  Other goals I've worked on...I made more smoothies and hope to continue that.  I can tell they really help my tummy.  I made one BC recipe and will be doing one more this week.  I finally wrote another healthy lifestyle post.  I did EFT several days this week.  I think that really helps my anxiety.  And I slept :)  Again, I know this is a crazy one for most people.  But for me it's a huge step.  I slept an extra 1/2 hour one day this week.  And yesterday I slept in 50 minutes.  And I had breakfast at 6:40 am.  I think that's the latest I've had breakfast in at least 3 years.  Baby steps :)  I'm doing pretty well with eating the way I know I should to help out my tummy.  But last night and this morning I'm definitely feeling the effects of being "bad" and eating that muesli the other day.  Oats just don't work for me :(

I guess that was a pretty long recap of a week.  But it's good to see a very productive week.  And it's good for me to see that I'm making progress when most of the time all I can think about is the stuff that I have to get done yet.  This week there will be a lot going on.  We wouldn't have any days to just relax at home, except now I don't think Rebecca and I will be going to church today.  She has a cold.  We'll see how she's doing this morning, but I doubt she's ready to be around other kids yet.  So we'll probably be home all day today.  Justin will be going to church...both morning and evening services.  Monday Justin has off for MLK Jr. Day.  Which means he can come to gymnastics with us!!  I know Rebecca will be excited about that.  We will also make a stop at Harvest Health.  I have nursery cmt in the evening.  Tuesday is groceries, milk pick up, and Justin has class.  Wednesday morning I will be taking Rebecca to get her blood drawn to test for lead.  We don't have any reason to suspect a problem, but we are finally making work of double checking since we do live in a very hold house.  And she's been ingesting whatever is in/around the house since birth with teething, thumb sucking, etc.  Wednesday afternoon I have an OB check up, including a blood draw for me for my glucose test.  In the evening we have to pick up our co-op order, and Justin has worship team.  We haven't worked out the details of how that will go, but I'm thinking we will be eating separately and taking turns watching Rebecca so I can get to the co-op and he can get to church on time...and Rebecca can stay home :)  Thursday morning I have a playdate.  In the afternoon/evening Justin has a classis meeting.  So that'll be 2 days this week that he leaves for work in the morning and doesn't get home until after 9 at night.  Friday morning is MOPS.  Saturday we are going to another Calvin basketball game with some of my family and having them over to eat/play/visit.  I think I'll be blinking and it'll be time to write next weeks meal plan post :P

Not much time for extras this week.  I will hopefuly be finishing reading Total Money Makeover.  And doing a book review on it shortly after.  And continue to work on budgeting.  This is something that I've never really had to do.  And I know it's important.  And something important for Justin and I to do together.  So we've already started some work on it.  But I want to keep going since it's already mid-January.  We need to finalize our budget soon.  And I have to get used to sticking to it :)  I need to feed my sourdough.  But I don't think I'll have time to use it for anything.  I also plan to bake a cake for my grandma's birthday.  I am tentatively planning on having my parents and my grandparents over next week to celebrate her birthday.  So I want to get the cake baked this week and then decorate next week.  Other than that it's mostly just cleaning and keeping up with day-to-day stuff (laundry, ironing, meals, etc.).

Well, I could keep going, but I think that's long enough for now.  Here's what's on the menu this week.
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S (prep lunch, make kefir, feed sd, church?)
  B - leftover quiche
  L - crockpot chicken noodle soup, sourdough bread (from freezer)
  D - bacon cheese burgers, peas, oranges


M (prep/clean up dinner, HH, gymnastics, nursery cmt, MLK/vacation)
  B - yogurt, crispy nuts, beans, peas (me), sd english muffin, banana (Justin)
  D - (early, easy clean up) - chicken and bean enchilada bake w/ avocado, salsa and sour cream, corn

T (prep smoothies, iron, Meijer, milk, organize Rebecca's closet, class)
  B - blueberry, strawberry, cherry, pineapple, avocado kefir smoothies
  D - leftover enchilada bake

W (prep dinner, cut up fruit, make kefir, lead test, Dr. E., WT, co-op)
  B - scrambled eggs, toast, avocado
  D - (early, easy) - cp 7 layer dinner, home canned pears

Th (prep smoothies, playdate, bake cake, classis)
  B - pineapple, strawberry, peach, avocado kefir smoothies
  D - stove top mac 'n' cheese, hot dog, peas (Rebecca), salad (me)

F (clean, MOPS, make AP cleaner)
  B - soft boiled eggs, toast, avocado
  D - leftover 7 layer dinner, pears

S (prep smoothie, prep salad and toppings, make sloppy joes, laundry, Calvin bball, family over)
  B - kefir smoothie (me), breakfast cookie, small smoothie, orange (Justin)
  D - sloppy joes (me), fresh fruit (SIL), spinach/romaine salad (me) w/ shredded cheese, dried cranberries, baby carrots, croutons, homemade dressing (SIL), TBD side/salad (mom), chips (me), zucchini brownies (SIL)