Meal Planning 1/20-2/1

 Budget...
     Busy....

Two B words that are unfortunately in my daily (hourly if we are being honest) vocabulary. So instead of ignoring them or begrudging them, I am going to have to embrace them. I am slowly phasing out my day job and fully focusing on Shine A Little. This is exciting and exhilarating and I am scared down to my bones.

This is something I have slowly been transitioning to this point. This is what I want but along with it comes good and bad. Less money, more time for my family. I think the trade off is worth it, but changes have to be made!

People also throw around the idea of simplifying. But I believe this is something different for every person. For me, to simplify my life means adding some structure and dependability. For me, chaos is crazy. It makes me pull my hair out. And it is super easy for me to get to that point. Especially with all the hats I wear (or the balls I have in the air.... pick your metaphor). For me to simplify, I am going to play a game. I call it what is the least I can spend at the grocery store and still feed my family yummy meals. Maybe I need to work on coming up with a catchier name.

The Menu:

1/20: Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu
1/21: Stuffed Buffalo Chicken, Italian Green Beans, velveeta mac and cheese
1/22: Open.
1/23: Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
1/24-26: I will be out of town so I am leaving frozen meals for my family from my freezer cooking group.
1/27: Slow Cooker Hashbrown Casserole (I will serve this in tortillas)
1/28: Chicken Parmesan Rollups, roasted potatoes
1/29: Frozen Meal from cooking group
1/30: Open
1/31: We have plans out.
2/1: Mexican Manicotti, Spanish Rice (Recipe Below)

The Fine Print

On days that we have activities outside of the house (dance, gymnastics), my crockpot becomes my best friend. It is sooo easy for me to justify eating out when we are out during dinner time, but I won't waste money. So, if I can get dinner going in the crockpot, I will always go home and eat it.
I also don't like throwing away food. So, the days where I have written open is there for leftovers or a day of buffer in case my life doesn't go as planned. That happens!! My husband is NOT a fan of leftovers, so I tried to plan without those in mind. If we do leftovers, we do those for lunches the next day. That keeps us from spending money on food while out. Mostly my husband since his job is mainly spent in his car traveling all over town.
I keep homemade salsa on hand. For Christmas I got a pressure cooker, so look for canning recipes to come.

Spanish Rice:

3c White Rice
1 Onion
1 green pepper
Garlic to taste
1 7oz can of green chilies
1 can of diced tomatoes
4 cups of chicken broth or water
Cumin, salt, chili powder for spice

I saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper. Add the rice dry. Brown for 1 minute. Add the broth/water and the rest of the ingredients. I add the broth slowly to make sure the rice doesn't get mushy. Cook for 20-30 minutes covered, stirring periodically. Once some of the water/broth cooks down, add some more.

I hope this helps and gives you some good inspiration for new recipes. I will be back in two weeks with a new menu!

Humbling Reflection

Starting with my God Calling daily devotional again is a powerful thing and humbling experience. January 14... I made it two weeks into the plan to read the book on a daily basis. And that was two years ago. I am not sure that I even attempted last year. The entry for January 4th (because I am already behind) discussed not planning ahead and relying on God.

"Do not limit God at all"

"Do not plan ahead, the way will unfold step by step. Leave tomorrow's burden."

I am reading my reflection on these words from two years ago. It is hauntingly familiar. I can get upset with myself for putting myself in the exact same place on a yearly basis. For failing in my quest. Instead of chastising myself for my shortcomings, I can 

"Be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord"

I can find courage to trust God. I can behave like a child who follows without asking. Who accepts the world as is without judgement, then I can start to understand God's planning. Maybe there is a reason that I continue to get stuck on the same verse. The same point. I need to be present. I wrote about about this not just last week. 

You mean God is okay repeating himself? That he is constant and a rock for me to lean on? Oh wait, I knew all those things, but I was to busy living in tomorrow to remember it. 

Resolute. Not resolutions.

Yesterday my head was a swirling mess of thoughts. What did I want for the new year? What can I change? What do I *want* to change? This time of year everyone is discussing resolutions and starting new routines that will be one more thing on their to-do list. One more thing that will cause stress when the idea behind it was originally the opposite.

I have things in my life I want to change. Things I want to right and areas in my life I want to grow.

But I really don't like the idea of resolutions.

I don't need another thing on my to-do list. This is my problem. This is what I need to change. My husband pointed out to me that I have four full-time jobs. What person in their right mind does this to themselves. Me, apparently.

In my attempt to not write the obligatory New Year's Resolution post, I am afraid I am about to do just that. But hear me. I am resolute. But this post will be about life changes. Not promises to break.

I am going to....
             quit jobs
                    reorganize priorities
                                          Be present                              

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
God is already there. 
I spend a lot of time planning for the future. Being excited about what is going to happen a year from now. Why can I not be excited about what is happening now? I need to appreciate giggle. Every Mommy. Every comforting hug I get the chance to give. Because those are happening now. Not a year from now. There are changes every year. But tomorrow. Next month. A year from now. God is already there. So, I don't have to be. 

Okay... so I am present. I am currently sitting in the middle of my house trying to figure out what is present in my life. I am surrounded by babies... some belong to others and a few to myself. And I smile. But this is also two jobs on my list. I am a mother. To my own kids. To other people's kids. 
Deuteronomy 6:5-8
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

This is my first job. 
Period. 

I have always done things for them and with them in mind. But I haven't been present. I have concentrated on them and unfortunately, I haven't concentrated on them. I thought providing for them was more important than being with them. Being present. I was wrong. This will change. Just like my priorities.

I am excited. I am ready to conquer fear because when I was busy running around with my head cut off, it was easy to ignore the fear that I won't make enough money. That I will fail as a mom if it is the only thing I do. Fear about many other things. I won't let  fear win. So, I will be present. I will take fear off the priority list.

I am CEO at the Higgins House. I will not fail because God is there. We will have plenty of money because God will provide. And I will be present because God has already taken care of tomorrow. 

Titus 2:5

To be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

I am ready.