Showing posts sorted by relevance for query pizza. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query pizza. Sort by date Show all posts

3/9/18

Everything I've Never Told You About Friday Night Pizza

Going on almost a decade, I've religiously made homemade pizza on Friday nights. It has become a grounding family ritual we look forward to every week!

I've never done the math on homemade pizza, but I'm confident in saying it is a very frugal meal. I can buy all my ingredients once and make a couple dozen pizzas out of them. Seriously!
 

Occasionally I take a pizza sabbatical. But we always come back around to our trusty, homemade Friday night pizza.

Today, I share my secrets and tricks.

THE DOUGH AND CRUST

I have tried almost every crust there is to try and hands down the Artisan Bread dough makes the best crust. Even better, it makes a ton and keeps in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. The recipe makes enough dough for about 6 pizzas, so I make 3 pizzas one Friday and then my dough is ready to go for the next week.
 

This dough behaves. Once it's cooked it slides on and off the pan just like a pizza at a restaurant. Also, it actually gets better on the second week. Not sure what chemistry is going on in the fridge when it's sitting in there, but the flavor truly gets better with age.

I spray the pan with cooking spray and dust a little cornmeal on there before placing dough on the pan.

THE SAUCE (AND SEASONINGS)

I use store bought sauce, pesto (from Costco) and marinara (favorite brand is Victoria). I also love to sprinkle on a few red pepper flakes and dried oregano.



In the summer, I slice fresh tomatoes from the farmer's market and that is our ultimate favorite. But most of the year, store bought sauce is the go-to.

THE CHEESE

I like the huge bags of shredded mozzarella from Costco or Walmart. To store it, I fill plastic pint size Ziploc baggies with the cheese and keep them in the freezer.



One bag is plenty for 3 pizzas when rationed properly.

I used to do fresh mozzarella, but honestly found it to be a little too watery. Plus, the shredded is the more economical choice.

My kids love to help with sprinkling the cheese.

THE TOPPINGS

Pepperoni, black olives, onions, peppers, mushrooms...the sky is the limit!

THE PANS

After years of using cookie sheets, I splurged at the Dollar Tree and bought round, aluminum pans. I've had them for about a year now and they've held up beautifully.
 

CUTTING THE PIZZA

I used to use a pizza cutter, but we lost it. So now we use a knife. I share this only to make the point that you don't need a lot of specialty kitchen tools. Minimalist kitchens are the way to go!

IN THE OVEN

on 500 degrees for about 7-8 minutes



EATING AND ENJOYING

Sometimes we all eat at the table. Sometimes we all eat in front of the TV and watch a movie together. Sometimes I feed the kids early and then Stephen and I eat together sort of like we're on a date while the kids watch TV.
 

REHEATING

We usually have leftovers and this (scroll down) is the best way to reheat.

Do you make homemade pizza?! What do you like to eat on a Friday night?

10/6/16

I wish you could have tea with me

Hello, hello! 

Let's catch up! Over tea....


If you could come to my house and sit on my sofa I would make you a ginormous cup of this Bigelow vanilla chai tea. It is so delicious with a little milk and honey, seriously what all our tea dreams are made of.

I would then tell you that we all have colds (uggh!) and we haven't slept great and we had frozen pizza for dinner last night and that things are changing in the pizza department around here. After a 7-year-long stent of having homemade pizza every Friday night, we are switching to spaghetti and meatballs.

I'm tired of pizza, specifically my homemade pizza. Plus, this allows me to embrace frozen pizza more often, which is so wonderful because I can totally use another easy easy meal in my repertoire.
 .....

Switching gears...books. What are you reading? 

I've been reading too many things. I'm the kind of person that likes to have only one book going at a time. But lately, I've had four going at once. I'm now down to three. I just finished The Curated Closet: A simple system for discovering your personal style and building your dream wardrobe by Anuschka Rees. I thought it was fabulous.... F A B U L O U S! It's very technical and prescriptive, and it has totally changed my perspective on clothes and shopping and style. After the roller coaster of body changes from pregnancy and going from my 20's to my 30's, this book was the giant style therapy session that I needed. The author addressed the issue of budget throughout the book, and I found all her advice on that topic extremely helpful. Go read it!

The Thorn Birds is the next book I'm about to finish. I got this recommendation from one of the What Should I Read Next podcast episodes. I have really enjoyed this book. It sucked me in from the beginning, and I have found the setting in Australia to be so fascinating. Though it's a long one, and I'm ready to finish!

I'm listening to The Firm. And I'm reading this parenting book with my Kindle app. Both good.

When I finish all these I have Before We Visit The Goddess up next.
....

Yesterday, I got a little color put on my hair which I haven't had done in at least 5 years. I showed my girl what I wanted and she said "oh, you want a balayage." After she explained it more, I was like heck yes, I want a balayage. Why has no one ever told me about this before? It's a much more natural and subtle look than highlights. Also, it's way less maintenance. Here is my finished hair. If you need a hair person, go see Page at Amplify and tell her I sent you. 
....

We have a four day weekend, and I'm seriously so grateful because we need time to get over our illnesses.

I have a huge pot of red beans and rice going in the slow cooker for tonight.

Right now the kids are watching a movie, and I am for real about to go put on my comfy clothes and take it easy for the rest of the day.

So what's up with you? What would you tell me over tea?

6/25/15

Feeding My Family: How I Deal

I knew this would be a challenging summer to get food on the table. I have no childcare. I'm pregnant. The heat is debilitating. My husband works long hours.

But the show must go on! We have to eat.


One of the hardest parts of feeding my family is the thinking. Deciding what to have every night for dinner, over and over and over. It drains me. Does it you? 

So in an attempt to make life easier, I came up with a three-week meal rotation. The original idea was that we would rotate through the same, easy, 21 meals over and over, all summer long. Really 18 meals because 3 of the meals are homemade pizza on Friday nights. We always have pizza on Friday night. Going on 5 years now.




The way the plan has actually played out is I use the list as a reference for meal ideas. We don't eat the meals in the same order week after week. The rotation idea didn't work because the leftovers were always throwing me off (in a good way). Or I would want to put off going to the store and make do with what was in my pantry and freezer.

Maybe we would want to eat hamburgers two weekends in a row. Because we felt like it. Because it's a free country. So the rotation....didn't do it. But the sentiment of the list has been a life saver. 

Here it is. It has evolved over time. It's my servant, not my master.

Monday: chickpea chicken salad
Tuesday:  meatloaf
Wednesday: sandwiches
Thursday:  tacos
Friday: pizza
Saturday: grilled chicken sandwiches
Sunday: BLT's

Monday: shrimp and vegetables
Tuesday: spaghetti
Wednesday: hotdogs
Thursday: fajitas
Friday: pizza
Saturday: hamburgers
Sunday: pimento cheese

Monday: fish and vegetables
Tuesday: grilled chicken summer pasta
Wednesday: sloppy joes
Thursday: quesadillas
Friday: pizza
Saturday: BBQ
Sunday: egg and olive sandwiches 

So for example, as I set out to make my meal plan for next week, I will let this list be a loose guide. I don't have to think from scratch. It's been a couple weeks since we've had chickpea chicken salad and pimento cheese. So both those will probably make the plan this week.

All these meals are really simple dishes that I'm familiar with cooking and my family loves. I can come up with different sides depending on what we feel like and what looks good at the store.
......

Other things I've done to make dinner time and my role as food/meal provider easier....

-I always plan dinner in the morning. It's part of my ABCD's. Shortly after I wake up, drink coffee, start a load of laundry, and unload the dishwasher - I plan dinner. Often this looks like me pulling something out of the freezer, or making a quick list to pick up needed items at the store, or evaluating the pantry to see what I can pull together and call a meal.


-I cook meat in bulk. If I'm making meatloaf, I make two. Spaghetti, I double it. If Stephen is grilling chicken, I get him to grill mass quantities of it and freeze the rest for salads, sandwiches and fajitas. The best was Memorial Day. Stephen smoked two Boston butts. We had BBQ for days! And plenty to freeze.

If you have a meat, you have a meal. It really pays to do this in bulk and freeze it.

*Also, I often use ground turkey in traditionally ground beef dishes. It's cheaper and adds a little variety.

 

-I go with what I know. Tacos, spaghetti, hotdogs! It does not get easier. Pinterest and the masses of internet recipes make us feel like we always have to be trying new things. We don't! What freedom! I love being adventurous with food. But not in this season of my life. My mantra for right now is get the job done.

-I don't spend my energy couponing and going to different stores for sales. No sir, not with 3 (4) children in tow. My theory is that having a plan and avoiding restaurants saves us tons money. Maybe I could save more by shopping different stores, using coupons, and catching sales, but it's not worth the sacrifice of my mental health.

-I use fresh produce to make everything better and fancy it up. Ripe summer tomatoes on tacos. A fresh green salad with spaghetti. Roasted okra and squash as a side to meatloaf. Summer produce really dresses up the meal. Also, I love shopping at the Farmer's market. I usually go on Saturday mornings with $30 to $40 dollars to spend. I stock up on fruit and vegetables. A child or two is usually with me and I almost always say yes if they request something. This feels like a real treat. And the best kind because it's healthy.


So, do you feel like you over complicate the dinner hour? I know I have in the past.

I can't recommend enough making a meal "rotation" for your own family, catered to your tastes. It simplifies the chore but leaves enough room for variety and flexibility.

P.S. This has been my favorite method to meal madness I have ever put into practice. And I've experimented with a lot of "plans."

10/7/14

Mending + Reheating Pizza + eBay

Several months ago I gave up sewing. I did not have the time and it was not enough of a priority to make the time for it. What was once fun became frustrating because of interruptions and the fact that if I wanted do it, I had to neglect something vital to my schedule....like making dinner or sleep.

So I quit, hung it up, gave away my fabric. I almost sold my sewing machine, but my family recommended that I hang on to it....just in case. And I'm so glad I did because although I gave up sewing, turns out I did not give up mending!

Recently, I have hemmed, mended, and stitched so many children's clothes. One booth at a re-sale shop I like had a going out of business sale. I was able to buy George some things a size up and hem them.

It was freeing to give up the "big hobby" - sewing. But it is nice enjoy using the skill to repair and tailor some (not all) of my children's clothes. I'm saving money by doing it myself and it is not very time consuming at all.


I bought this plaid longall on eBay for $9, had a red G monogrammed on it, switched out the Scottie dog buttons and I'm calling it George's Christmas outfit.

>>>

Have you seen on Pinterest this best way ever to reheat leftover pizza? A skillet. This is genius. It is so delicious because it makes the crust nice and crispy.

This is Friday night's pizza served for Saturday lunch.


Confession: we dipped it in homemade ranch dressing.

 How to Reheat Your Pizza at Home

>>>

Another eBay find, this $11 Auburn cheerleader outfit.



I'm loving eBay these days!

12/19/14

Five Great Toys

Here are 5 toys that have stood the test of time in our house. My kids have loved each of these toys for a long time, and no matter how many times I clean house I never get rid of these. They suit a number of ages and stages and my three children (ages 2-5) are always inventing new ways to play with them. 
1. Wooden Pull Toy My babies have loved this as well as toddlers who pretend it's a dog on a leash. This is also is super popular with visiting friends.

2. Cozy Coupe Need I elaborate? Cozy Coupes are just the best.We have two and often if the weather is bad, I will bring them in the house.

3. Giant Stuffed Alligator My parents bought this for my oldest child almost six years ago before he was born. All three of my children actually play with it, pretending to ride it or wrestle it. More recently, my son started sleeping with it every night. I guess its kind of like a body pillow.

4. Toy Pizza This may be a pizza, but my children also pretend it's birthday cake or pie. The other night, behind my back, they turned the pan over and spread some leftover hummus on it, pretending to ice a cake. I wasn't real happy about that. But they were so thrilled with themselves I didn't have the heart to fuss.

My two year old also loves to cut and slice through the Velcro pieces over and over and over.

5. LEGO Duplos I actually put all our Duplos up a few weeks ago to take them out of circulation for a while and give them a rest. Within two days my children were asking where they were. These seem to hold their attention span longer than any other toy.

The beauty of each of these toys is they are all gender neutral and appeal to kids ranging from age 1 - 5. I think any of these would make great first birthday gifts.

What are your kid's all time favorites?

I've heard these Magnet building tiles are fabulous.


2/20/14

Grocery Shopping Week Three

$500 Grocery Budget
Grocery Shopping Week One
Grocery Shopping Week Two

This week I find myself with so much food in my house. My parents were here over the weekend, and they left nothing short of a small feast in my fridge and pantry.

1/2 box cheerios
1 gallon of milk
some leftover beef tenderloin
a whole ham
1 box lettuce
some cheese grits
leftover gumbo
a ba-jillion potatoes

I'd be a fool not to make the most of it.

In addition to the food they left me, I have in my freezer one turkey meatloaf, two packages of chicken thighs, and a spaghetti pie (made from leftover spaghetti on week one). In my pantry I have various canned goods, pasta, and plenty of red sauce. I also have enough frozen vegetables to make vegetable soup and all the ingredients to make another round of pimento cheese.

Truly I did not need to buy many groceries this week. But I was our of trash bags and shredded Mozzarella cheese for our homemade pizzas - both big ticket items I like to buy from Costco.

When I set out to grocery shop at the beginning of the week I had $32.23 roll over from the previous two weeks. To that amount I added $100. My goal has been to spend $100 or less each week. If I stick to this plan, which I have so far! then I will have minimum $100 remaining out of my $500 monthly budget to stock up on goods for the month of March.

Tuesday I went Costco with $132.23 in my envelope. I spent $78.57. I also received a $10.99 refund for some chicken salad I returned because we did not like it, and Costco has an amazing no questions asked return policy.

Here's what I bought...

eggs 2.79
trash bags 14.99
rolls 3.69
bananas 1.39
huge bag of Mozzarella cheese 14.59
strawberries 4.99
frozen broccoli 6.49
cheese slices 8.99
orange slices 7.59
goldfish crackers 8.19
________________
total with tax = 78.50

Because this experiment is going so well and I'm ending up with such a surplus of funds here at the end of the month, I decided to waver on a couple of my original stipulations and I bought Laurie's classroom snacks with the family grocery budget money instead of paying for them out of a different fund. She had the snack bucket and typically I like to pay for things like this out of a different budget category.

Also, I paid it forward and bought a $30 Publix gift card for a family in our community. I hesitate to share this here. It's so not Matthew 6:3. But you need to know where I spent that random $30. Also, one of the many gifts of being a good steward is having the freedom to give. What a joy!

My total spending so far this week comes to $108. 50. Plus, the $10.99 refund.
That leaves me with $34.72 to roll over into next week.

My meal plan this week has been very relaxed.

Monday: leftover beef tenderloin, salad, potatoes
Tuesday: church event
Wednesday: chicken (from freezer) and broccoli
Thursday: more leftovers or something from freezer
Friday: homemade pizza
Saturday: probably will grill out and make a quick trip to the store or get take out
Sunday: eggs, grits, toast or leftovers

The two biggest lesson I've learned so far are

1- Make good use of the food you already have. Don't waste a thing.
2- Map out a spending plan for the whole month. Pace yourself.

The reason I started this challenge in the first place is I always start off strong at the beginning of the month, keeping our grocery budget on track and organized. But by the end I (almost) always overspend. I get tired and I lose my resolve to finish strong. Everything competes for my grocery cash. $5 here for a pizza party at school. $2 for that drive through coffee. $10 I owe a friend. I have so much trouble behaving and using my grocery cash for groceries.

I'm gaining from this experiment exactly what I'd hoped - more deliberate, calculated, and controlled spending habits. I can't wait to carry over these lessons next month!

Stay tuned, one more week to go!

2/5/14

Grocery Shopping Week One

$500/month grocery budget.

Monday I did my first round of grocery shopping for the month of February. My goal was to keep my spending well under $100 for this first trip. I only spent $66.95 between Costco and Publix. Success!!!

I want to spend as little as possible on the front end of this month so that I will have some reserve for later. This is not my natural tendency. I tend to splurge at the beginning of the month and come up short by the end.

There are two things I know about saving money on groceries. It takes 1- organization and 2- a little extra time in the kitchen.

So as I approached this first shopping trip, I made a thorough meal plan and list.

meal plan
Monday- salad topped with chicken and a side of vegetables
Tuesday- spaghetti
Wednesday- chicken fajitas
Thursday- chicken curry
Friday- homemade pizza
Saturday- dinner with friends (us), frozen pizza or leftovers (kids)
Sunday - eggs, grits, bacon, toast or leftovers

afternoon snacks: cut up strawberries, energy bites

I made this meal plan with FIFO in mind. My brother has worked in the restaurant industry, and he told me about FIFO (first in first out), meaning you eat the food that came in first and will spoil the quickest. It's common sense. But how often do we let our mood determine what we are going to eat versus what will make best use of our food supply.

Knowing my lettuce only had a little life left in it, I made a big salad for Monday. Avocados need to be eaten by Wednesday, so we plan to have fajitas.

Also, over the weekend I made a huge batch of sandwiches so we could grab and go with a quick, convenient lunch.


...........

What I bought at Costco 

3 gallons of milk
2 pounds strawberries
3 frozen pizzas
2 loaves bread
1.5 dozen eggs
_______________
total 32.55

.......

What I bought at Publix

2 boxes of cheese its (BOGO)
1 bag potatoes
1 pound pork sausage
1 green cabbage
celery
1 jar marinara
small bag of sugar
large bag of flour
2 bags frozen vegetables
oatmeal (BOGO)
jar of planters peanuts (BOGO)
2 cans tomatoes (BOGO)
bag of mini chocolate chips
bag of dried coconut
______________________
total   $34.40

This first week, I'm relying heavily on the food I already have in my pantry and freezer. The things I bought at the store will be used to round out my recipes and for lunches and snacks.

Knowing that I'm not superwoman and that anything could throw off my plan, I bought some frozen pizzas for back up. Gotta plan for the unexpected.

.................

Energy Bites

I love this quick snack to have on hand. It is filling and super easy to make.


1 cup dry oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup coconut flakes
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup wheat germ or flax seed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix. Chill mixture in fridge for 30 minutes. Roll into 1.5 inch bites.
Store in fridge in ziplock bag.

1/28/14

Budget fail + Meal Plan + Lollie Bean Recipe

I blew it. Our grocery budget for January. I'm not talking $20. More like $200. This happens sometimes.

It started with me having the flu. We went to Chick fil a and Five Guys. Fine, fine. But even before getting sick, I was pretty burned out in the grocery store going - cooking department.

And then there is George, my one year old who eats more than I do.

Also, I made dinner for a few friends that had babies and we entertained a several times, all of which we were glad to do! Beyond these things, I was just plain ol disorganized, and I probably under funded the grocery category.

So there's my excuse(s). I try not to beat myself up, but use it as a learning experience.

What happened in January stays in January. All I can do is get back on that horse in February.

I don't have a game plan yet, but I'm working on one. Maybe I should chronicle it on the blog and see what public accountability does for my budgeting skills?!

I'm still loving my new system of meal planning on Sunday night (or sometimes Saturdays) and shopping on Monday morning. It's a job that has to be done and having a "set" day prepares me mentally for the task.

............................

Here's my menu plan for this week. Thankfully, I had most of the ingredients and I didn't have to buy too much yesterday to make our dinners this week.

Monday: loaded baked potato soup
Tuesday: pot roast
Wednesday: chicken quesadillas
Thursday: leftovers
Friday:pizza
Saturday: turkey burgers
Sunday: eggs, toast, grits or leftovers 

............................

On my menu last week, we enjoyed a family favorite, Lollie bean. It's an oldie, but a goldie. I like this meal because it is chili-like, but has some different flavors




1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 cup diced celery
1 large onion diced
3 cans Campbell's Minestrone soup
2 cans Ranch beans, drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 cup water
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

white rice
shredded cheddar cheese
Fritos or tortilla chips

In a large pot, cook celery and onion in vegetable oil until tender. Add the ground beef and brown thoroughly. Drain. Return to stove and add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes until nice and warm. Serve over white rice. Top with cheddar cheese and Frito scoops.


 Bon appetit!

5/29/18

Notes on Summer

Summer...I love it. But I also understand the complex nature of my kids being home all the time! Yikes, it can be so so much togetherness.

 

This post, I'm basically sharing my personal notes and thoughts I wrote down about summer. It's a very loose, tentative guide. By no means do I know exactly what I'm doing, but it helps me to frame up a plan to keep things from going to heck in a hand basket.

Let's start by lowering expectations. Life is hard and unpredictable. Tropical storms come and keep you up all night (this was last night for us). I (you, we) are not going to live up to all we want summer to be. There may be some days when your TV is on all day and you OD on pimento cheese. It's okay.


Now that I've said that...let's talk about a kid schedule. There are certainly weeks where we have plans - VBS, trips to see family, camps, swim days, etc. But there are also a lot of days at home.  The schedule is a guideline to benefit me (the mom) and the children so we can get into a rhythm and people can know what to expect around here.

Here's our very loose, flexible, ever evolving "schedule"

wake up
eat breakfast
listen to music
clean up rooms
free time/ run errands if needed

11:00 lunch
summer work book/ memory work
read aloud to little kids (George and Caroline)
free time

2:00 Caroline - nap
TV/screen time for big kids
3:00 snack
free time

6:30 dinner
read aloud to big kids
bed
.....

So, that's how I'm directing my kids' time.

 

Now let's talk about ME. This is how I'm dividing up my time and activities.

Calling it MY SUMMER MANIFESTO

morning things
read Bible, pray, drink coffee
ABCD's of housework 
e-mail
nursing continuing ed
read to George and Caroline

afternoon things 
yoga/Pilates for 12 minutes
read and rest
dinner prep
listen to something good (audiobook or podcast)

Nights are for free time and fun, and I hope to get some reading in with the older 2 kids.

TUESDAY- Walmart grocery pick up day
Friday night meal - spaghetti or fish + vegetables, taking a break from our usual homemade pizza

signature drink - Michelob Ultra


big goals for me-
get away one time per week for several hours by myself
finish RN continuing education for my nursing license renewal
update family photo albums
go on at least 4 summer date nights
_______________________

Some other little side tips....

Each child has a simple wardrobe and everything fits in ONE drawer - clothes, socks, underwear...everything.

I keep all the swimwear in a laundry basket in my closet. Swim bag stays packed with towels and sunscreen.We can be ready for a swim and out the door in about 10 minutes.

"Say yes as much as possible" is sort of my parenting mantra, especially for my oldest who could use more autonomy.

The food plan is it's own thing and it deserves it's own post. All you need to know is I'm on it. I am the boss of food.

..........

Over this past weekend, like a good millennial, I had an episode of anxiety. Y'all, in all my days I have never experienced this. I was short of breath and I just felt so frazzled. In my mind I was FINE, but my body was not.

Honestly, I think it was a delayed anxiety from surviving the school year and more specifically, the month of May. My brain was overloaded and my body was beat. Also, the constant stimuli of kids...it adds up. Summer will cure what ails me. I can already feel it!


Cheers to corn dogs, chillaxin', and keeping things simple!
What are your summer "manifestos" ? 

9/18/14

Every Household Needs a Box of Rubber Gloves

A little GI virus has been making the rounds through town. And our littlest one got it. Thankfully it wasn't too bad. But still, a 20 month old + tummy bug is still bad at best.

The worst went down in the middle of the night one night (of course). So Stephen let me sleep in the next morning and he fed the boys leftover pizza for breakfast.

{his Instagram}

Anyways, my point is.... go buy a box of rubber gloves. Every household needs some. I always have a box. I had some the other night and I was SO happy.

It makes the task of cleaning up vomit and/or diarrhea a thousand times better [than it would be without gloves].


$9.34 off Amazon 
How to Keep the Stomach Bug from Spreading Through your House

1/7/14

George Turned One

My George turned one on December 21st. One?!

My mom threw him a Crayola themed birthday bash. My cousin decorated this awesome cake.We ate spaghetti, sang happy birthday, and honored our tradition of having guests sign a birthday book.

The Day the Crayons Quit fit the theme. It's so cute and hilarious.

Party favors, colorful wine corks for the adults and crayon boxes for the children, hung on the little fake Christmas tree in my parents' kitchen. My mom is so clever.


It goes without saying that we are total nuts for George. He is the sweetest, easiest baby. He hangs right in there with his brother and sister. He loves a hug, hates a bath.

I'm a firm believer that it takes a full year to reach your new normal after having a baby. And it has been no different with George. This past year I have had to change the way I do things, lower my standards and expectations, ask for help, give up hobbies, live with the mess, almost stop blogging, say no, eat carbs, go to bed earlier, not proof read texts or e-mails, shop less, cook less, and clean less. Heck, we even started eating frozen pizza again. And it is well with my soul.

Happiest birthday to our bundle!
Thank you Jesus for our little George.

7/26/17

No Spend Month...A Few Things

I'm having a no spend July and all my blogging this month will be about managing the financial side of home life. I'm sharing what I'm learning and ideas about saving, spending wisely, and generally being responsible with our resources.

.....

I have a confession. I bought something.


I have been stalking this GAP, 100% cotton open cardigan that has been out of stock for quite some time because it's awesome and everybody wants one.

The other day it popped up in an ad in my sidebar. When I clicked over, my size available in one color - the gray. I had to snag it, on sale for $15. Open cardigans are my favorite, and it's very difficult to find one that's not made out of synthetic materials.

I'm a cotton girl through and through.

This was worth the splurge.
.....

My goal for groceries this month was to spend only $600. I had a ton in my freezer that needed to get eaten and I wanted to challenge myself to not be so lazy in the kitchen and to really stretch our food supply. I'm so close to the finish line! I have enough food to get us to the end of the month and $40 left in the budget. I think I can...I think I can...


One little tip if you love tomatoes as much as we do, save the little bits and leftovers and freeze them in a plastic bag. Also, if a tomato is mealy or partly bad you can salvage the good part and freeze it. Later you can use them in soups or pasta sauces. Lately I've been making pizza sauce with our freezer tomatoes bits.

Don't waste! Food is $$.

.....

This month, I evaluated the money we spend on subscriptions. I decided that my Audible subscription of 2 books per month is definitely a keeper. My 8 year old Stephen and I enjoy it the most.


I'm currently listening to and LOVING America's First Daughter.

Stephen is on the second Harry Potter.

A subscription I decided to cancel was to a Pilates site that was costing $13/month. I wasn't using it much any more. It was perfect to jump start my exercise plan when I was struggling with the craziness of school. But lately I have been walking in the evenings and finding great workouts on YouTube.

.....

Over all I'm loving the no spend month. It's not as hard as I thought it would be, and I find it very freeing to not have to decide or agonize about spending. Of course, it's not sustainable. I have to buy things. But the spending break has brought so much clarity and taught me how to be more disciplined with money.

6/28/21

Personal Pizzas + Stocking Up

With George being an only child last week (others at camp), my plan was to minimize time in the kitchen. But a boy's still gotta eat. 

Hello, personal naan bread pizza. 

naan bread
mozzarella cheese
pepperoni 

In the oven 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Stephen's method is to layer a little cheese, then the pep, then a little more cheese. This makes it extra good. Trust us.



Of course you could serve naan bread pizzas to a crowd (and I have), but it is especially handy for a meal of one. Keep it in your back pocket if you're hosting a grandchild or dining solo...or cooking for an 8 year old boy after a long swim.

It's no more trouble than making a sandwich.


....

In other practical matters,

I'm working on getting a comfortable stockpile of consumable items and toiletries. This is not about earthquakes or end times. It's about convenience. 

How to: go to Walmart and get three of everything you need. 

Why three? Because that's what Jordan Page said to do. One for now, two for later. It's extra, but not excessive. 



Of course some things come with multiples in a package...like soap.

Do you keep a stockpile of household goods? 

Traditionally, I've bought things as needed, but after being inconvenienced a couple of times lately, I'm changing my system.

Happy Monday!

2/18/15

Valentines + Links

So, I have this thing about homemade Valentine's. I love them! My kids' enthusiasm for making them grows every year. The simpler the better. Cut out a heart and write your name on the back. Or in the case of this year, watercolor a heart.

These watercolor Valentines were our inspiration. Laurie adored this project. She watercolored her heart and soul out.



Stephen requested we send candy hearts with his. He counted out 10 candy hearts for each classmate and 11 for his teacher. That's love.




..............
Life has been a little overwhelming lately.

We have all been sick with various viruses and bugs that will not quit. I feel like I run an infirmary. I've dished out so many meds I finally ordered some of these disposable medicine cups. They are much more sanitary than rinsing out syringes and reusable medicine spoons.

I'm thinking spring cleaning is in the near future. Reading How one house cleaner only uses 3 products makes me want to try Krud Kutter. Have you ever tried it?

As our children's book collection has grown, we could sure use some more bookshelves. I'm hoping that I can recruit Stephen to build something like this one from the Land of Nod. I love the cubbies at the bottom.

I've made Margo's pizza crust 3 times now and it's here to stay.

Sometimes it really is as simple as cake Thought this blog post was so touching.

George is in real need of some new pj's. If I could trust him to not strip down to his birthday suit, I'd order these from Old Navy. It's still zippers and footies until we can establish that trust.

We all love this show - The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Stories. It's free on Netflix, and it is precious. Several of the Eric Carle stories are told and the music is beautiful.

What are you into these days?!

1/13/14

Systems and Routines are My Friend

We all have a lot on our plate, and I find one way to manage it all is to get a few good systems going. A couple of phrases that run through my mind when regarding systems is "no fuss" and "uncomplicated" - "just do it, even if you don't feel like it."

One "system" is I keep a tube of chap stick by the kitchen sink. I never have to wonder where it is. I stand there and apply it and keep the rule to put it right back.

Another system, I started feeding my older two children Cheerios with sliced bananas, milk, and a little sugar every single morning with no variation. They love it, they eat it quickly, I don't have to cook it, and it is nutritious enough for my standards. For years we have been eating oatmeal, scrambled eggs, toast or smoothies. But decisions! I'm weary of them. I don't want to make these decisions in the mornings anymore.

A couple of sysytems I'm trying to get going are a Sunday night system and a Monday morning system or routine rather.

Sunday night: put kids to bed, make sandwhiches for the week (made 13 last night), clean out purse, take e-mail down to zero, glace at my calendar, meal plan, make a thorough grocery list, shower.

Meal Plan this week
Monday- chicken fajitas
Tuesday- Italian Meatball Soup
Wednesday- salmon with vegetables and pasta
Thursday- French dip sandwhiches
Friday- homemade pizza
Saturday- turkey burgers
Sunday- eggs, grits, toast or leftovers

Monday morning: rise early, read Bible, get kids dressed and ready for nursery school, drop them off, go to Pure Barre class, grocery shop (multiple stores if needed).

A few weeks ago I shared my evening routine. I strayed from it over the holidays, but I'm finally getting back on track.

People often ask how life with three young kids is. I always say the hardest part is keeping up the home and maintaining order, both physical order and scheduling order. Babies turn into people with lives and dentist appointments and school applications. It's seriously like running a small business to meet all the needs of family life. Flying by the seat of my pants just doesn't work. 

And so I streamline and make systems and build routines.



Thoughts? What systems do you have in place?

9/20/17

Fall Meals

A while back I learned the magic of having a meal bank, a list of meals our family eats regularly that I can easily refer to when meal planning.

I recently switched out my summer list for fall and winter foods, whoo hoo! Though it's still summer temperatures where we live, it is time to change up the menu and embrace soups, glorious soups.

The beauty of fall and winter food is that much of it freezes well and is even better the 2nd or 3rd time around.

Today, I'm sharing my fall meals. I will link to some of the recipes, but honestly I am not a strict follower of recipes. I'm always substituting up and improvising. If I left a link off a recipe, it's because I can't find one close enough to the one I use. I will do my best to do separate posts on those meals....especially this slow cooker chicken curry pictured below.


Fall Meals

taco soup
turkey chili with black beans
super food soup
chicken and quinoa soup
lentil soup
vegetable soup
chicken tortilla soup

red beans and rice
chicken pie
hot ham and cheese sandwiches
sloppy joes
hamburgers/ turkey burgers
greens, black eyed peas, corn bread
sheet pan chicken

roasted sausage and veggies
tacos
enchilada casserole
slow cooker chicken curry
spaghetti
fish and roasted vegetables
homemade pizza

We don't strictly eat from this list. I do a lot of roasted vegetables and salads as sides. I use up leftovers and make random soups. Also, I use a lot of ground turkey instead of ground beef. This list is here for reference when times are tough and I'm stuck.

What are you favorite fall meals?

.....

P.S. Using Walmart's online grocery pick up is keeping me sane!

7/17/14

First Meal at the New House

Monday night Stephen was working late at the new house, so we took a pizza over for dinner and had a picnic in the front yard. It lasted all of 3 minutes before the mosquitoes ran us inside.

We are working on kitchen, master bedroom, and bath renovations. We will (hopefully) move in the first of August. I'm anxious to get in there before school starts.




One thing I'm really excited about is painting the entire interior. I love the idea of a clean slate. Because I'm generally bad a picking out paint colors, the plan is to pick one color, a neutral, and paint the entire house that color. We will do the trim in the same color but different finish.

Right now we are leaning toward French Canvas by Benjamin Moore per the suggestion of this blog post by the girls at PARISH. Here is a blog post I found that gives you a good idea of the color.
 

I'm so excited about a brand new kitchen. I mean - so excited!

I'm also just ready for a new season and for a change. This has been a tough summer. Somehow, the idea of baking pumpkin muffins in my new kitchen comforts me. Also, I'm ready for school to start. I'm looking forward to the relief from constant childcare that school provides. I'm losin' it over here, y'all.
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