Happy Monday!

So, I guess as long as I can manage a post a week, I'm going to just have to be happy with it.  I'd rather give you lots of good stuff than a few posts here and there!  So, as usual, we've been busy around here.  For once, it's not been as much running as usual though.  Just enjoying life.

Thought I might start with giving a glimpse into our menu for the week ahead.  I haven't done that for awhile, and thought it would be a good start to the week...

Keep in mind that breakfast and lunch are geared toward the daycare kids, and may include meat.  Dinner is for the hubby and I, and occasionally the boy, and won't include meat.  :)

Monday:

Breakfast: Banana Smoothie, Toast, Lunch: Chicken & Rice Bake, Dinner: Veggie Soup & Grilled Panini\

Tuesday:

Breakfast: Applesauce Baked Donuts, Lunch: Pizza Stuffed Pita Shells, Dinner: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadillas

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Pancakes, Lunch: PB Banana Wrap, Dinner: Veggie Stromboli

Thursday:

Breakfast: French Toast, Lunch: Egg & Potato Hash, Dinner: Large Salad, Corn Fritters

Friday:

Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal, Lunch: Spaghetti, Dinner: Out with Friends!

So, there's our plan for the week.  I try to plan flexible meals and I change things up as needed. I have to say that I am looking forward to Friday night's dinner the most!!  We're headed out with some very good friends to Gettysburg and going out to dinner and then are doing a ghost tour through downtown Gettysburg.  The hubby and I did it last year and, besides the frigid weather of last year, it was a great time.  We're doing a different tour this year, with a different company and there will be 8 of us.  The weather is looking perfect too!!  No hat, gloves and boots required!  I will try and snap as many pics as possible to share with all of you.  :)

Now, what have I been making this past week, you wonder???



A great sauteed veggie platter with potatoes, kale, feta cheese and some spinach and feta pierogies added in.  Delicious and healthy!



And this was our Sunday breakfast...yummy!!



And while I was at it...I made some buns for Sunday lunch to use with our veggie burgers.  :)



And these are the apple hand pies I made for the daycare kiddos breakfast last week...they were tasty!



And this was the inside of the apple pies.  I used my Pampered Chef cut and seal tool to make them.  I love that tool.  I make my own uncrustable PB&J with it too.  Kids (and the hubby love it!)

So, I've shared our menu, shared our past meals and I guess all that's left to do is share about my running.  Of course!

I had a rough week last week.  Healing up from running my unofficial marathon was a little time consuming.  My ankles were the most sore I guess from running all that uneven surface of the Appalachian Trail.  So, I did 2 runs - one on Tuesday that was only 4 miles and speedwork at a local park, and then the next day on the trails I love at Rocky Ridge I did 6 miles.  Then I took Thursday and Friday off and had a great run at an alumni 5k for my high school.  The cross country course was tough but I broke 30 minutes and I was thrilled.  29:59 is breaking 30, right!?!  I did take first place in my age group too, but it was a pretty small field.  But I got a trophy.  My first one.  Even more special that it was from my high school and my hubby paced me the whole run!

Then, I skipped my long run yesterday.  I just wasn't feeling like running.  WHAT!?!  I hope that by listening to my body I can prevent injuries and hopefully I'll still hit my 1000 miles for running this year.  I am at 816 miles.  SO CLOSE!  So, I really want to keep that momentum going.  Fingers crossed I make it.

Anyway.  Enough rambling.  Time to wrap this up!

Have a fantastic week everyone!!

Sheri

 

 

Weekly Menu 1/23-1/29

I do try and get to my menu planning on the Friday before the week starts, but more often than not, I'm working on getting it together as the week starts.  Luckily, I have a pretty well stocked freezer and did lots of canning over the summer, so only the freshest ingredients need purchased and that happens throughout the week anyway.  So, I am getting my menu finally completed this afternoon and it looks like a pretty yummy week!

When I plan my menu, I take into account how much time I will have over naptime to throw the meat into a marinade, or ingredients into a crockpot and I think every home has it's own rhythm for that sort of thing. I've been asked how I prepare such great meals for the kids and still have time (and money!) left over to feed my own family healthy, whole meals in the evening.  It really comes down to planning.  I stock up on freezer goods on sale, and waste nothing.  I am a big fan of the freezer because it is so versatile.  I include the kids in our plans and in the kitchen for prep or helping to mix ingredients.  My passion spills over to them and they enjoy their time in the kitchen a lot.  I also am flexible.  If something just is too expensive when I get to the store, I will swap it for another ingredient or another meal if need be.  I buy almost all of our fruits and vegetables organic and local and am getting there on our meat.  It's more difficult to plan for I've found because good supply is hard to rely on.  All in all, our grocery bill for my husband and me, our 16 year old son and our 20 year old daughter, who may or may not eat at home each evening, as well as the six daycare children is less than $125 a week.

So, here's my menu for this week:  enjoy and please ask questions if you need more info.

Family Menu Table