Menu Plan Monday - July 21st

I can't believe the weekend went by so fast. Just as I was getting relaxed, it's Monday again! And how lucky is my husband - he's on vacation this week!

Here's our menu for the week. For more meal plan ideas, please visit Laura at I'm An Organizing Junkie.

Breakfast & Lunch: For breakfast, it's usually something simple and quick like cereal or oatmeal with a touch of brown sugar. I add soy milk to the water when I cook my oats so they come out nice and creamy.

Lunch is usually items already on hand or leftovers. Ashleigh has requested grilled cheese sandwiches for her lunch box. And I found FREE after coupon organic snack bars to add in her lunch box as well!

Dinner:

Saturday - Crockpot Potato Chowder

Sunday - Marinated London Broil with steamed organic carrot sticks & brown rice

Monday - Cheeseburger Casserole

Tuesday - Brown Rice & Black Bean Burritos

Wednesday - Smoked Sausage, Green Beans & Potatoes

Thursday - Shrimp Etouffee & brown rice

Friday - Breakfast for Dinner!

Grocery Totals:

Total Spent $ 78.69

Total Savings $ 74.10

For a breakdown of my good deals this week, visit Super Savings Saturday!

Super Savings Saturday

Good news! The coupons I feared were lost in the mail, finally arrived on Wednesday! And what a good thing that was because I got to use my Motts for Tots coupons before they expired yesterday.

Not much shopping this week. I've got to start getting prepared for the rumored triple coupon promotion coming up at Harris Teeter next week!

Grocery Totals:

Total spent: $78.69
Total savings: $74.10

CVS:

2 Huggies Pull Ups (sale 8.99 - 1.50/1 Q)

Total oop: $16.19
Total savings: $11.00

Kroger:

5 Bounty Basic paper towels (sale 1.00 - .50 eSaver - .25/1 Q doubled)
3 Hunt's ketchups 24oz (sale 1.00 - .20/1 Q doubled)
3 Hunt's canned diced tomatoes
10 Horizon Organic single size milks (sale 1.00 - 1/2 Q)
1 KR frozen green beans (sale 1.00)
organic bananas

Total oop: $14.66
Total savings: $16.51

Harris Teeter:

3 gallons Organic Valley milk (5.99 - 1/1 Q)
5 Mott's for Tots apple juice (sale 2.69 - .75/1 Q doubled)
5lb bag white potatoes (sale 3.49)
1 HT canned black beans (sale .60)
3 Beech Nut DHA yogurt juice blends (FREE! 1.39 - .75/1 Q doubled)
1 Clif Kids Organic chocolate chip bar (FREE! .99 - .50/1 Q doubled)
2 Kraft shredded cheeses (sale 2.50 - 1/2 Q)
1 HT tortillas (sale 1.50)

Total oop: $31.33
Total savings: $21.72

Lowes Foods:

3 Curves Fruit & Nut cereals (sale 2.00 - .75/1 Q doubled)
4-1lb Low Sodium Smithfield bacon (sale 2.50 - .75/1 Q doubled)
2 Barilla Whole Grain penne (sale 1.00 - .50/2 Q doubled)
4 Barilla Whole Grain spaghetti (sale 1.00 - .50/2 Q doubled)
1 lb fresh strawberries (sale 1.89)
LF cream cheese 8oz
LF kitchen drawstring trash bags 20ct (sale 3.99)

Total oop: $16.51
Total savings: $24.87

A Little Lunch Hour Fun!

Who said a lunch hour is just for eating? Today, I used my lunch hour for a little couponing fun. Not far from work, nestled next to a fancy, fancy country club (the Porsche club sponsors roadside cleanup for this place LOL!) and some luxury apartments is a quiet, little Lowes Foods. I know you're saying, "Who wants to spend their lunch hour at the grocery store?" But I really enjoy coupon shopping (and shopping in general)! It's such a rush to pay half price or less for things you used to pay full price for. And to walk out of the store marveling at the savings total on your receipt instead of fretting about the amount you spent. Plus, I get to shop alone (read: kid-free) and during a time of day when the store isn't busy.

I just needed a few things from Lowes this week, mostly stockpile buys. Here's my little haul:

3 Curves Fruit & Nut cereals (sale 2.00 - .75/1 Q doubled = .50ea)
4-1lb Low Sodium Smithfield bacon (sale 2.50 - .75/1 Q doubled = 1.00ea)
2 Barilla Whole Grain penne (sale 1.00 - .50/2 Q doubled = .50ea)
4 Barilla Whole Grain spaghetti (sale 1.00 - .50/2 Q doubled = .50ea)
1 lb fresh strawberries (sale 1.89)
LF cream cheese 8oz
LF kitchen drawstring trash bags 20ct

Total oop: $16.51
Total savings: $24.87

And I earned more green points to use for deals later!

I did get a few chuckles when I put 4lbs of bacon in the office fridge. But once they found out I only paid $1 each, they were quite amazed!

What!?!

How is this even possible!?! Jimmie Johnson gets the Espy for Best Driver? Over Kyle Busch? I'm scratching my head in disbelief. That's okay Kyle. 2008 Sprint Cup Champion has a nicer ring to it :D

What's Stealing My Peace?

Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His Word.

But Martha was encumbered with much serving, and came to Him and said, "Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me."

And Jesus answered and said unto her, "Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things.

But one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38-42

Despite my name, Martha and I are really kindred spirits. Encumbered with much serving, anxious and troubled about many things, yep that's me! Mostly of my own doing (and probably the same for Martha too) from trying to over extend myself or live up to an unrealistic expectation I've created.

Lately I've been thinking about the things which steal my peace and cause me to be anxious and worried. Surprisingly, it's not big things. There's nothing really major going on in my life on a constant basis. Every day is pretty much the same, drama free and relatively stable. It's the small things. The coupons I really needed getting lost in the mail. Having to change my well crafted grocery list mid-shop because the store is out of the milk I want to buy with my coupon. A fussy baby, a phone ringing as I'm completely involved in my evening routine, going through the drive thru then having to park and go inside because they forgot to put buffalo sauce in my bag (really what good are the Arby's popcorn chicken shakers without the buffalo sauce?!?). The TV starting to die. Seeing someone in the office sporting a great outfit and awesome new haircut when I look like I dressed myself in the dark!

All these things, though small and insignificant on their own, seem to accumulate. Their compound effect seems to literally weigh on my shoulders and physically manifest themselves in tightened muscles and constant headaches. How can I have peace if I'm constantly piling on one thing after another?

The answer is simple, yet difficult for me to practice - to cast my cares upon the Lord. All my worries great and small. To simply lay them down at His feet. And to rest in Him. Seeking the greater part and finding a peace which surpasses all understanding. Are you with me Martha?

My Biggest Fan

Last month as I began taking steps to renew my spirit and bring more order to our home, God placed on my heart that one of the first steps was honoring and serving my husband. I asked Dave what things were important to him or areas in which I could improve. He told me he would think about it and get back to me. Of course we both got busy and never had a chance to talk more in depth about my question. And I figured he had just forgotten anyway.

A couple of days ago, I found this note in the bedroom:

Mary,

You asked me some weeks ago to come up with some ways you could improve yourself with respect to your relationship to me. I have given your request immense thought and have come to the conclusion that I can't think of anything I would like to change about you. I love you just the way you are.

Your loving husband & Biggest Fan.

Awwww..... :)

Menu Plan Monday - July 14th

Getting off to slow start this week. Having trouble with my sinuses again {blah!} Dave helped me to get dinner ready last night - Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy. We don't cook together often, but it was kind of fun LOL! And the result was absolutely delicious! We even used fresh basil from our own little container garden.

Here's our menu plan for the week. For more meal plan ideas, visit Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Breakfast & Lunch: Items already on hand. Still working on wowing Ashleigh with her lunches. Maybe grilled cheese will do the trick this week.

Dinner:

Saturday - BBQ Turkey Meatballs w/boiled potatoes and organic salad mix with herbs

Sunday - Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy

Monday - Sloppy Joes on whole wheat buns (subbing diced green peppers for celery)

Tuesday - Smoked Sausage w/peppers & onions over brown rice

Wednesday - Stew Beef & onions w/gravy over brown rice

Thursday - Spinach Enchiladas

Friday - Taco Style Lentils & Rice in warmed, hard taco shells with the fixings - lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa & sour cream.

Grocery Total: Total spent this week: $80.05

To see my grocery deals for the week, check out Super Savings Saturday!