Menu Plan Monday: 7/25-7/31

Happy Monday! I'm looking forward to the short break in the heat this week and a much-needed lunch & shopping date with my momma tomorrow. My parents took a 2-month road trip from mid-May to mid-July and haven't seen her much since they returned.

You can probably tell from our menu, but we have zucchini, yellow squash and lettuce coming out of our ying yang. Having a productive garden is so exciting! At first I was overwhelmed by it, but now I'm enjoying the challenge of finding new recipes and new ways to prepare it. Pinterest has proved a GREAT source for this research.

Monday: chicken meatballs, whole wheat pasta, zucchini rounds

Tuesday: tilapia in parchment packets, baked potato, sweet corn

Wednesday: Cheesy Zucchini Enchiladas, brown rice

Thursday: leftovers on the run (hub's softball night)

Friday: grilled chicken breasts served over salad w/ lots of toppings

Saturday: homemade pizza

Sunday: hamburgers, steak fries, salad

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Hey, hey, hey! Look at me, posting on a Wednesday and something other than a weekly menu. I've been eyeing this linkup for a very long time and I'm happy to be participating in my very first What I'm Loving Wednesday today!

I'm loving this dress, the Calm tunic by Lole. It's amazing. It's been in regular rotation since I bought it a few weeks ago. It's so comfortable and super versatile! I wore it for Peanut and I's trip to the zoo. The wicking fabric kept me dry even in the 90+ degree temps. I've also worn it with heels for date night and with fun sandals to a baby shower. I love multi-purpose clothes!

I'm loving this set of The Pool Party shower gels by Philosophy. These scents are all summer! They leave my skin feeling so soft and refreshed.

I'm loving these fabulous chrysanthemum earrings from Colored with Love. I have them in aqua, pink & teal. They add such a fun pop of color to any outfit!

I'm loving Pinterest. Basically, you create categories (called "boards") and "pin" your favorite things from the interwebs to them. It's so much fun and a little on the addicting side. Definitely check it out! Already signed up? Follow me so I can follow you back and see what you're pinning!





And as always, most of all...I'm loving these two:

Menu Plan...Tuesday? 7/4 - 7/10

Hope you all had a fabulous 4th of July holiday weekend. We did. It was pretty low-key and very relaxing. Peanut went swimming for the very first time in a friend's pool. She loved it!

I'm trying 3 new-to-us recipes this week and I'm pretty excited about them. Here's what we're eating:

Monday: cookout with friends

Tuesday: Chicken Pitas with Yogurt-Dill Sauce

Wednesday: Bangin' Good Shrimp (imitation Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill)

Thursday: Salsa Chicken (slow cooker)

Friday: BLTs (with fresh lettuce and tomatoes from our garden!)

Saturday: cheeseburgers @ camp

Sunday: probably grab pizza on the way home from camp

Menu Plan Monday: 6/27 - 7/3

Wow! What a week we have in our house! VBS started last night at our church and I'm volunteering. The theme is Panda Mania.

Last night was the first night and it was an absolute blast! As a "Crew Leader," I took the kids in my group (all 6th and 7th grade girls) around to various stations. We learned and acted out Bible stories, watched a movie, made crafts, played games, sang songs and had a snack.

We're very fortunate to have a WONDERFUL team of ladies providing childcare for the volunteers if they have kiddos who are too young for regular VBS. It's called Panda Preschool and this is where Peanut gets to be. They sang, colored and did other age-appropriate activities that were relevant to the theme. Pretty sure her favorite part was snack, though. Her teachers said she ate hers, 1/2 of one of the teachers' and most of what was left by the other kids. That's my girl! lol

Speaking of eating, dinners are definitely a challenge this week. Peanut and I have to be out the door around 5:15, but my husband won't be getting home from work until sometime between 6:30-8 most nights. I've tried to plan a menu of things I can make for Peanut and I, but that can be easily reheated and still be tasty when my husband walks in the door.

Monday: turkey bacon BLTs, salad

Tuesday: Bubble Up Pizza Casserole, corn or green beans

Wednesday: Coyote Quesedillas from Guy Fieri

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Cheesy Crockpot Spaghetti (subbing shredded chicken breast for the canned)

Saturday: Smoked Brats, salad

Sunday: Cheeseburgers, french fries, cole slaw

Some days...

...I'm just in awe.

I don't know what I did to get so lucky. Being the mom of such a sweet, funny, loving little girl is the most amazing gift God has ever given me.

We had a picnic in the back yard.

It was her first peanut butter & jelly sandwich. (No allergic reaction, thank goodness.)

She devoured it.

She made silly faces.

She did some exploring.

She drank almost all of my iced tea.

But that's okay. I don't mind sharing with my very best friend.



Menu Plan Monday: 5/23 - 5/29

What a weekend! Things were pretty hectic around here, but lots of fun. I ran a 5k Saturday morning. Then, we attended the wedding of my husband's uncle Saturday evening. Sunday was church and lots of hurried gardening as we tried to beat the thunderstorms.

We tried several new recipes last week. The Chipotle Sloppy Joes were a HUGE hit and we really liked the Makeover Poppy Seed Chicken. The Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce, not so much. I don't think it's because the recipe was bad. I think we've just decided that we're not fans of pumpkin in savory dishes. If you are, this one might be worth a shot.

Here's our menu for this week. A few are new recipes and a few are tried-and-true favorites.

Monday: Taco Salad with beef/black bean mixture

Tuesday: Pork Lo Mein (from the Weight Watchers Ready, Set, Go cookbook)

Wednesday: Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts (also from Weight Watchers Ready, Set, Go), salad

Thursday: leftovers in a hurry (church league softball night for my husband)

Friday: Campanelle with Zucchini, Ham, Yogurt & Scallions (subbing whole wheat rotini for the campanelle)

Saturday: Homemade Pizza (fresh mozzarella, basil & tomatoes)

Sunday: Cheeseburgers & French Fries

Hope your week is off to a great start! And I hope that everyone living in an area affected by these storms is safe.

Menu Plan Monday: 5/16 - 5/22

Happy Monday! After a week of warmer temperatures, we're back in the 40s. It was chilly and rainy yesterday when I was doing our menu plannning and I think that may have influenced my decisions. Most of the dishes this week seem comfort food-ish to me.

Monday: Makeover Poppy Seed Chicken, brown rice, salad

Tuesday: Chipotle Sloppy Joes, Simple Cole Slaw

Wednesday: Cheese Ravioli with Pumpkin Sauce, green beans or corn

Thursday: Tuna Salad on sandwiches (for my husband) or salad (for me)

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: wedding reception

Sunday: Cheeseburgers, french fries, salad

We may flip-flop Friday and Sunday if my husband's in the mood to grill when he gets home from work on Friday. Seems like he has been the last few weeks and I'm not one to argue when he volunteers to make dinner. :)

Do you ever plan your meals around the weather?