A while back, I had created a weekly menu plan template for the sake of keeping my sanity! I couldn't stand those 4:00 pm frantic moments of "what on earth am I going to make for supper?" only to have limited options because I didn't thaw any meat, etc... Out with the old way and in with the new, was my logic when I'd finally had enough.
I created this template and then figured out a four-week menu plan with associated grocery lists to simplify our crazy life. It worked great for almost a year but we got a little tired of the same meals and I've resolved that I will probably have a six-week rotating menu plan for winter and a different one for summer. After all, hamburgers, kabobs, and salads are so much more enjoyable in summer while soups, stews and casseroles are so much better in winter!
I then place my menu plan in protective sleeves along with photocopies of the recipes I'll need for the menu plan. That way, if I'm away from home and cannot return in time to get started on a recipe, either Antoinette or Melina can grab the menu plan, find the exact recipe for that day and get started on it for me. You can get loose leaf rings to keep these weekly plans together and they hang beautifully on cupboard knobs! Those protective sheets ensure that splashes and sloshes don't ruin a classic/favourite!
I've had many friends ask for a copy of this template and I've decided if it could bless our home, if it could bless our friends' homes, I pray it can bless your home, too. I've chosen a kid-friendly font for added fun. That which our Heavenly Father has helped me to create (as simple as it may be), I share it with you!
Happy cooking, happy organizing and happy menu planning!
PS - this is my first time trying to add a PDF document to the blog, so if it's glitchy, let me know and I'll do my best to fix it. Thank you!
Rita's Weekly Menu Plan Template - Blank if you have a google account or try clicking here if you have a Scribd account (easily registered via facebook login). Otherwise, I just can't seem to figure out how to upload a simple pdf document with a simple "print" to my blog!
Sunday, 17 February 2013
Saturday, 9 February 2013
Sivana dancing to Melina's rap music
Not sure if this will work or not, but I just had to share what Melina captured of Sivana dancing to christian rap. At one point, she tries to get on the ground to breakdance the way they are in the video... too funny!
Friday, 8 February 2013
A Driver for the Driver?
Melina had a scheduled surgical appointment this morning to get her wisdom teeth taken out. It would require being put under which means a designated driver. So she was put under in the chair and the whole procedure took less than an hour. Everything was ticketeeboo... I was sipping on my coffee trying to catch up with emails on my iPhone and then they called me in to see her and discuss care and maintenance over the next few days.
Well, I'm assuming you all know me well enough by now to know that I have a VERY active imagination fuelled by super mama-bear instincts so when the dentist stops me before walking into Mina's recovery area to say "there was a mild complication" you can imagine the self-control required to ask calmly "what do you mean?" When really in my mind I am grabbing him by the neck and bringing him nice and close to my face as I growl slowly "what did you do to my baby?"
The mild complication meant that with the pulling and stretching on her mouth, it caused the bottom left corner of her mouth to tear open. He let me see her and as she was coming to, her eyes were rolling and looking at me not quite understanding what was going on.
Mama bear instincts heightened over time!!
And then she tried to speak but with her mouth full of gauze, it sounded more like "ma-nana-ma-ma-nana?" As she spoke, the tear on the side of her mouth was pulling open and I started to feel very warm. And then I started to break into a sweat.
You've got to be kidding me! I've given birth six times including two C-sections, watched Isabel's eye laser procedure and THIS is what's going to make me faint?
The nurse was watching me closely and I asked "is it normal to feel queasy?" To which the doctor and nurse grabbed me and laid me down on the floor with my feet in the air beside Melina's chair! "I thought I noticed the color drain from your face" was all the nurse said. Are you serious? There's my baby girl bobbing her head around and mouth bleeding and I'm on the floor? This is NOT what's supposed to happen!
"Good grief, I am so sorry!" was all I could keep saying. The nurse smiled and said "You wouldn't believe how often this happens. Last time I had a 6'2 father faint after his daughter's procedure and I was the one who had to catch him! Ironically, it's usually the drivers who faint and not the patients."
Melina in all of her grogginess managed to eek out "Do I look like frankenstein or something? Why are you on the floor?"
"I figured this was a better way to talk with you." Watching her try to speak again and her sore opening up made me get dizzy again so I added "how about you stop talking for now, ok?"
"Do we need to call Duane to pick us up?"
NO! Good grief this was embarrassing enough! And that's saying a lot from this gal who has little to no boundaries nor dignity to go with it! So there you have it, my dears... should you know of anyone bringing in their child for a wisdom-teeth removal procedure, be sure to advise them to bring TWO drivers! In the meantime, please keep my baby girl in your prayers as she recovers.
Well, I'm assuming you all know me well enough by now to know that I have a VERY active imagination fuelled by super mama-bear instincts so when the dentist stops me before walking into Mina's recovery area to say "there was a mild complication" you can imagine the self-control required to ask calmly "what do you mean?" When really in my mind I am grabbing him by the neck and bringing him nice and close to my face as I growl slowly "what did you do to my baby?"
The mild complication meant that with the pulling and stretching on her mouth, it caused the bottom left corner of her mouth to tear open. He let me see her and as she was coming to, her eyes were rolling and looking at me not quite understanding what was going on.
Mama bear instincts heightened over time!!
And then she tried to speak but with her mouth full of gauze, it sounded more like "ma-nana-ma-ma-nana?" As she spoke, the tear on the side of her mouth was pulling open and I started to feel very warm. And then I started to break into a sweat.
You've got to be kidding me! I've given birth six times including two C-sections, watched Isabel's eye laser procedure and THIS is what's going to make me faint?
The nurse was watching me closely and I asked "is it normal to feel queasy?" To which the doctor and nurse grabbed me and laid me down on the floor with my feet in the air beside Melina's chair! "I thought I noticed the color drain from your face" was all the nurse said. Are you serious? There's my baby girl bobbing her head around and mouth bleeding and I'm on the floor? This is NOT what's supposed to happen!
"Good grief, I am so sorry!" was all I could keep saying. The nurse smiled and said "You wouldn't believe how often this happens. Last time I had a 6'2 father faint after his daughter's procedure and I was the one who had to catch him! Ironically, it's usually the drivers who faint and not the patients."
Melina in all of her grogginess managed to eek out "Do I look like frankenstein or something? Why are you on the floor?"
"I figured this was a better way to talk with you." Watching her try to speak again and her sore opening up made me get dizzy again so I added "how about you stop talking for now, ok?"
"Do we need to call Duane to pick us up?"
NO! Good grief this was embarrassing enough! And that's saying a lot from this gal who has little to no boundaries nor dignity to go with it! So there you have it, my dears... should you know of anyone bringing in their child for a wisdom-teeth removal procedure, be sure to advise them to bring TWO drivers! In the meantime, please keep my baby girl in your prayers as she recovers.
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