Menu Planning & Eating From the Pantry

With our recent home purchase/remodel, and attempting to sell our old place, finances have been so tight they squeak! In the end, we will be in a much better financial position- but for the meantime, things are rough. I've been trying to find ways to save money, and stretch the few allotted dollars we have. For several years I've read blogs that demonstrate meal planning, coupon shopping, and using up things from the pantry. I can blame nothing but laziness for not attempting them before now. Couponing seems too overwhelming for me at the moment, but I thought I could take inventory of our pantry and see what I could come up with! I love cooking so this should be an interesting challenge.

Menu Plan Monday


Monday-
B toast with homemade jam, yogurt, banana, milk
L out to eat with mom and sister ( I didn't pay so it doesn't count! :) )
D mexican scrambled egg burritos, broccoli, iced tea
Tuesday-
B oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar, milk or tea
L turkey sandwiches, carrot sticks, water
D pb & j sandwich @ work, turkey sandwich/chips/carrot sticks for hubby at home
Wednesday-
B scrambled eggs & toast, banana, milk or apple juice
L tomato soup & grilled cheese
D grilled salmon, broccoli, rice
Thursday-
B cold cereal, yogurt, milk or juice
L pb & j sandwich taken to work, carrot sticks, granola bar
D honey ham, garlic potatoes, frozen mixed veggie blend
Friday-
B oatmeal, raisins, brown sugar, milk or tea or juice
L chicken noodle soup, canned peaches
D ham/cheese/potato crockpot dinner, frozen mixed veggie blend
Saturday-
B cold cereal for hubby, yogurt & toast + banana (taken to work for me), at home for baby
L turkey sandwich taken to work and carrots, leftovers for hubby & baby
D homemade pizza, salad, homemade garlic bread
Sunday-
B lemon poppyseed muffins, bananas, milk/coffee/juice/tea
L sandwich + carrots for me @ work, leftovers for hubby & baby
D dinner @ my parents house

Whew! While that was certainly not the most creative menu I've ever made, it does utilize the things I have in the cupboard and fridge/freezer right now. I can probably spend $10 or less this week buying things to make meals. We were given a ginormous ham from my parents, so I'm sure we will be sick of ham by the end of the week but it will certainly stretch! We'll see how the week goes!

Wordless Wednesday

Big Week

My days are going like this : pack, pack, sand, prime, paint, chase baby, pack pack pack, paint, paint, chase baby, paint, pack, paint some more....repeat x100.

Back in May we purchased a foreclosure and have spent the entire summer remodeling. The.Whole.House. Top to bottom. It has been lots and lots of hard work and headaches, but it has come out beautifully. I can't believe were are homeowners and will finally be moving to a small town!

Also- my Power90 arrived today-woohoo! I spent some time this afternoon reading everything over and am super pumped to begin the workouts tomorrow.

Later this week I'll have a post about the remodel, and some before-during-after pictures, as well as how this whole being homeowners thing came to be for us.

Until then!

P90X For Wimps

I've been a yo-yo dieter all my life- I come by this honestly, many in my family are this same way. I could probably think of at least 10 times my mom lost a bunch of weight with Weight Watchers, only to gain it back before finally losing about 80 lbs 5 years ago and keeping it off. I was chubby during the latter half of Elementary schools, and into Jr. High. I was incredibly depressed and self-conscious and wanted to fit in, so I began a schedule of exercise and starvation. I became very thin, getting down to about 120 lbs ( which on a 5'10 big boned frame is about a size 3). Of course, it was incredibly unhealthy. Oftentimes I'd eat 500-700 calories a day and exercise several hours as well. I binged & purged, and worked out obsessively if I deviated from my diet at all. After several years, I finally came out of this as my health began to suffer.

What happened next was a gradual weight gain, over the course of high school and beginning of college. I hovered around a size 14, then up to a 16, and finally, 18 and got more and more depressed. When I got married two years ago, I refused to have engagement pictures taken because I was too embarrassed to put them in the local papers for fear of what former classmates and family friends would think. My husband has always been supportive of me, through thick and thin ( literally) but to be honest, I'm miserable.

When I became pregnant with my daughter, I lost weight. I knew I couldn't afford to gain so I ate healthily, and a hefty dose of nausea and acid reflux helped keep my eating in check. Even so, I was diagnosed with pregnancy-induced hypertension. I went on medication, and was monitored closely. Thankfully, my daughter and I are both quite healthy, but who knows? If I weighed 50 lbs less, it may have never happened. On the other hand, it might happen again no matter what I weigh..but still. After she was born, I lost a quick 20 lbs but managed to gain it back while sitting at home and being lonely with a newborn.

So, where does this leave me 1 year after her birth? Ready for a new lifestyle, that's for sure! I do not want to slip back into obsessive calorie counting and exercise again, as I know I'm prone to do. So my goal is simply to eat healthily, eat smaller amounts, and get a consistent exercise routine going.

I'm sure y'all have heard of P90X, well...I'm not in good enough shape for that. But the same company has a 'baby P90x' of sorts, called Power90. It is designed for out of shape people, and is 3 months long. I ordered it today and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. I'm hoping a structured, daily workout will help me gain strength and get in the habit of working out & feeling better about myself. In addition, I am logging my food intake at sparkpeople.com, and using some of their goal tracking tools.

I hope to document this transition on the blog..the successes, and plateaus, new recipes and hopefully some inspirational stories. My first goal is 50 lbs, and I'll re-evaluate after that. I also indulged in a tried and true pick me up this week :



And tonight I'm coloring my hair, so that should be interesting as well. Its sad to say, but in many ways I feel like I've given up, because I feel so unattractive. Hopefully I can strengthen not just my body, but my relationship with God as well, because if I look for fulfillment in appearance alone, I will always be lacking.

'I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me'

Phil 4:13

New Season, Big Changes

As summer draws to a close, and Fall begins to creep in, I've decided to do some reflecting on my priorities. Blogging has fallen behind a long list of other things occupying my time, but not for my lack of desire to write. I've tried many things to start a new post...and found nothing that sparked my interest to blog about.

But in the end, I've realized that writing really is an outlet for me, something that helps break up the monotony of day to day chores and routines. Other blogs inspire me to think critically, examine other ideas/ways of life, and inspire me with ways to enrich my own.

So here I go- I'm going to just start writing until I get back in the hang of it. I don't even know if anyone checks this blog anymore, but I'm hoping to have some interesting & thought-provoking posts here soon! :)

I repent, I repent of my pursuit of America's dream
I repent, I repent of living like I deserve anything
Of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
In our suburb where we're safe and white
I am wrong and of these things I repent
I repent, I repent of parading my liberty
I repent. I repent of paying for what I get for free
For the way I believe that I am living right
By trading sins for others that are easier to hide
I am wrong and of these things I repent

I repent judging by a law that even I can't keep
Of wearing righteousness like a disguise
Just to see through the planks in my own eyes
I repent, I repent of trading truth for false unity
I repent, I repent of confusing peace and idolatry
Of caring more of what they think than what I know of what we need
Of domesticating you until you look just like me
I am wrong and of these things I repent


Derek Webb's " I Repent"

Shameless photo post

Every Season

The last few months have been some of the best-and most challenging- of my life. The joyous arrival of a healthy baby girl, and time spent learning what it is to be a new family- are wonderful things. However, all of these wonderful events have had a dark side for me. Blame it on postpartum hormones, blame it on a discontented spirit; either way, I haven't been happy. Whether it was struggling with nursing, extremely low self esteem, weight loss, or super tight finances..each day has been a battle. First it was TV- if only we had cable and internet back, I'd have something to watch or keep me entertained while I was up all hours with the baby. Then it was my husband's car breaking down (thus turning us into a one car family)- which left me at home with a newborn and no ability to go places, every.single.day. If only we had 2 cars again, I'd be happy. Then it was fantastic weight loss, which turned into weight gain as I started taking Domperidone, a medication to help with milk supply- which also made me pack back on the pounds. If I lost weight I'd be happy. Other days I'd think if only we had a bigger/better house, I'd be happy. If only my husband graduated sooner and got a better paying job quicker, life would be better. I especially thought this after more than one argument about where my maternity leave savings had gone; because it had all but vanished- whoosh! Gone. That's right, more money would make me happy.

Except...

Contentment in where I am now, with what I have now, is the only thing that will be fulfilling. We've never gone without, are taken care of and have endless things to be thankful for. I've got a loving husband, a beautiful daughter, great friends and family, and no material object or social ideal will ever compare.






This is one of my favorite songs- one that reminds me that no matter where I am, or whats going on- I have much to be thankful for. God teaches us lessons in every circumstance, if we are willing to see and to listen. I'm actually pretty ashamed to admit my lack of contentment. Wise people have always told me that faith-like life- is about the journey and not a destination. May I remember this and purpose to see the good in each small thing, and to take joy in where He has me.


And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28, ESV

Being Still

To be silent does not mean to be inactive; rather it means to breathe in the will of God, to listen attentively and be ready to obey.

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Meditating On The Word

Taking a deep breath...

I'm attempting to revamp my blog, and add new fonts, gadgets etc. Only problem is- I do NOT do html code very well. I usually mess things up by one small keystroke and then get really angry, and want to chuck the whole computer out the window.

Anyway.

Please be patient with me- I'm sure things will look a little goofy for a while as I stumble through this. Looking forward to lots of posting soon!!

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice You
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

-Nichole Nordeman