Menu Plan Monday - 12/28

The name of the game this week is CHEAP! With Christmas just behind and college looming ahead, we've got to do some major cutbacks for the next month or so, plus my family is visiting this week, so what I fix has to feed 8 people while they're here (Tuesday & Wednesday). So here is my cheapskate menu for the week...
Monday Lunch: baked chicken, Dinner: company chicken (not cheap but I have the ingredients at home, so I'm using what I have!)
Tuesday's Lunch: sandwiches, Dinner: chicken and dumplings
Wednesday's Lunch: taco soup, Dinner: sandwiches
Thursday's Lunch: fish sticks, Dinner: chicken with egg noodles
Friday's Lunch: sandwiches, Dinner: hot dogs (my son is having a friend sleep over)
Saturday's Lunch: chicken and egg noodles, Dinner: hot dogs
Sunday's Lunch: fried raviolli, Dinner: fish sticks

A reminder...

I just read this on Yahoo, and it was just the reminder I needed to see. This is why I'm gonig back to school and going into dental hygiene...

Dental hygienist
Of all the jobs that require a two-year technical degree, this one promises the most opportunity in the new decade, boasting a whopping 36 percent growth rate, Shatkin says. Why? Because "dentists try to shrug off more work to dental hygienists so they can see more patients," he explains. As a bonus, Shatkin adds, many of these positions are part-time with flexible hours, making them ideal for parents with young children.
Median annual salary: $57,100

You can check out the full story on other hot jobs on Yahoo.

Martyr Moments

I've really wrestled with whether or not to go through with going back to school, and I've decided that the long-term payoff will be worth it, but it's been a decision I've struggled with. Lately I've been having "martyr moments" a lot, and I've got to stop.
Martyr moments are major self-pity parties...like the one I had when I found out our family will have the opportunity to go to San Antonio in April, except I'll be school, so my hubby and kids can go, but I'll probably be stuck at home. I had a total emotional meltdown.
I've been a wreck since I decided to do this. It's been a stressful and difficult decision. I know I'm going to have to make sacrifices for this - we all are - but wallowing in self-pity will do nothing but make things worse. I've got to just keep going, trusting God and the decisions I've put so much prayer and thought into. My family will be behind me all the way. We have a good plan in place to get through this, and we can tweak it as go to make it work even better. In the end, I'll be glad I did this...we all will. It's an amazing opportunity I've had thrown into my lap, and I can't walk away from it.

Merry Christmas!

I'm taking a break from blogging this week to focus on my family during Christmas. I will be back this weekend. Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Thankful Thursday - relaxing days at home

OK, so these are few and far between now, but I love spending the entire day at home. I love to start my day with my Bible and coffee before everyone else gets up. I love cooking for my family and enjoying meals with them. I love stealing a few minutes to curl up on the couch with a good book. I am really a homebody, and I love relaxing and enjoying our newly remodeled home. It's a warm, cozy, loving home, and being there makes me so happy.

Menu Plan Monday - 12/14

Monday Lunch: chicken packets (even though they were on last week's menu, we ended up eating out a couple of meals, so I'm using the ingredients I already have at home), Dinner: sandwiches
Tuesday Lunch: chicken in a pot (slow cooker meal), Dinner: Christmas party
Wednesday Lunch: leftovers (chicken packets), Dinner: sandwiches
Thursday Lunch: leftovers (chicken in a pot), Dinner: a quick fix favorite at our house - pot pies with rice
Friday Lunch: raviolli, Dinner: tacos
Saturday Lunch: EAT OUT, Dinner: hot dogs
Sunday Lunch: dinner at church (I'm taking my oven baked mac and cheese), Dinner: chicken ricotta bowls

One wild week...

I couldn't shut my brain down last night to go to sleep. (I ended up staying up entirely too late reading the latest Ted Dekker book, which I'm reviewing for Thomas Nelson, but it helped me relax enough that once the lights were out, I could actually fall asleep...but that's beside the point.)
The week ahead is going to be one of those insane weeks when I need to be superwoman to get it all done...I need about five of me, scattered around in all the places I need to be. We have three Christmas parties, two major church events, extra shifts at work for me, plus we're taking the kids to see Curious George Live (thanks to my oldest winning a coloring contest in the local paper - yea Bobby!). I stayed up late to make sure everything was scheduled so I can get it all done...I hope...I just want to get through the week with nothing falling through the cracks.

Missing my running...

I've run one time in the past two weeks due to weather. Ugh...I love living on the Gulf Coast because the weather is usually so great, but that's not the case lately. So far I have finished week 2 of the Couch Potato to 5K plan, and I'm loving it...if I can just get back into it! I think the weather is supposed to be much better this next week, so hopefully I get back into my routine!

5 Favorite Movies

1. Sabrina (the newer version, with Harrison Ford)
2. While You Were Sleeping
3. Julie & Julia
4. Roman Holiday
5. The Passion of the Christ

Thankful Thursday - The Internet

Okay, I'll admit, sometimes I wonder if the internet is a blessing or a curse for me. I spend entirely too much time in cyberspace, but I'm so grateful it exists!
I live 6 hours from the small town where I grew up. A lot of my childhood friends also moved away from the area. My husband's family is scattered all over the southeastern U.S. So we really depend on the internet to keep in touch with each other, especially since most of us are now on Facebook.
Then there's all the research I do online...for children's church, work, home, cooking, homeschooling, and more, I am constantly turning to the web for new ideas. I love spending time online!

College - the decision

I have wavered back and forth so much about going back to college. I made the decision to go, then I started having second thoughts about the effect my insane schedule will have on me and my family. I've talked to lots of women who went back to school when their kids were young and asked their opinions and advice. I've thought about it, prayed about it, wrestled with the decision...and finally I reached one. I AM going back to school.
I'm absolutely terrified. It's been almost 10 years since I went to college! When I was in college before, I was single, childless, and living with my grandparents. I went to school full-time on scholarship and didn't work. Now I'm married to a pastor, I have 2 kids, and I work almost full-time. I'm petrified. But in the long run, I think this opportunity is too good to pass up. It's going to be so good for my family once I finish college. Plus it's something I've dreamed about for years - finishing my degree is something that is so important to me. So I'm going for it, scared or not. Janunary 11th I'll return to college once again. It's definately going to be an adventure...

Menu Plan Monday - 12/7

Monday Lunch: chicken packets (quick, easy, and really tasty - I'll post my recipe for them tomorrow), Dinner: creamy chicken pot pie (this is a new recipe for me)
Tuesday Lunch: lunch on the run - eat out, Dinner: goulash
Wednesday Lunch: leftovers (chicken pot pie), Dinner: sandwiches
Thursday Lunch: leftovers (goulash), Dinner: chicken in a pot
Friday Lunch: sandwiches, Dinner: Mexican hamburger casserole
Saturday Lunch: leftovers (chicken in a pot), Dinner: raviolli
Sunday Lunch: pork chops, Dinner: chicken packets

Thomas Nelson Book Review Program

Finding this program was like a dream come true to a book lover like me! It's so simple...agree to read each book you receive, then post a review on your blog and on a major book site such as amazon.com and you can receive free books! I've reviewed several books for Thomas Nelson...and the best part is, it's the publishing company for my favorite author, Ted Dekker, so I get free hardcover copies of all his new books. What an awesome hobby! You can find out more at Thomas Nelson Book Review Blggers.

My 5 Favorite Books (Fiction)

1. The Awakening - Angela Hunt
2. Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
3. Adam - Ted Dekker
4. Thr3e - Ted Dekker
5. The Atonement Child - Francine Rivers

Thankful Thursday - My Bible

My NASB study Bible was a Christmas gift from my husband 7 years ago. I don't have a Bible for church, on for the car, one at home, like a lot of people do - I have my one Bible that goes everywhere with me and that I use for almost everything. Over the years, it's slowly filling up with sermon notes, markings from my inductive Bible study, and underlined verses. I can't wrap my mind around the fact that Christians in other countries can be arrested or even killed just for owning a Bible...it's so wonderful to be able to have mine.