Updates and Valentine's Day

I'm super happy to report that the 2 weeks worth of meal planning was a complete success! I shopped for 12 days worth, and left 2 days for leftover eating and outings ... it worked out perfectly! Even with all of my doubt that I would be able to stick to my plan, I did it, we did NOT eat out ONCE during that period; saving almost all of our allocated "restaurant funds" for another time or a nice date, just Paul and I. I think this is going to have to be a regular thing in this household :) Possibly more on this another time, I've even thought about blogging about some of the new recipes I try, who knows ... we all know I'm not great at this! Anywho!

Also, I know it's a little late, but I thought I should post about our fun Valentine's Day! We had a blast making heart-shaped necklaces for Paul, heart-shaped tortilla chips, and heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch! Here are some pictures -


And just because every year I like to take a picture for Valentine's Day, here's this years -

A New Fad

Today I went grocery shopping with a list complete with 2 weeks worth of meals! First time ever folks ... but it is SO comforting to know that for TWO WHOLE WEEKS we don't have to come the grocery store for anything besides maybe milk and diapers!

I had been just buying random things when at the store, for meals that I never had any plans of making, always forgetting something! I was at the store THREE times last week ... NOT fun! So I'm trying this whole menu planning thing ... this is my little template (I'm so proud!) -

Hopefully this will ease what I like to call the Fritz Family Rush Hour - the hour the family is all together on the nights I work, which usually includes me running around trying to get dinner on the table, the kids to pick up and a second for me to update Paul on the day and any rules I've set for the kids, along with any chores I'd like him to help me out with ... whew!

My hope is that I can have most the meals already made or frozen so that at dinner time, before I leave, it's already made, in the process of being made and Paul will know exactly what he needs to do.

Then at the end of the week, just make up next weeks menu along with any groceries I might need and take that to the store, get what I need and restart ... seems pretty simple to me now! Haha wish I got this concept awhile ago. But we'll see how it goes, with me it's future isn't guaranteed, but at least I'm trying :)

Here are some of the things I plan to make and put on the menu (and maybe I'll post about em and the process, if you're lucky!) -

Chicken pizza
M.I.L. meatballs and green beans
Sloppy joes, baked beans and tater "tops"
Chicken broccoli bake
Tacos
Chicken meatballs, noodles and peas
My "special" burgers and fries
Chicken casserole
Chicken croissants and green beans
Chipotle pork chops, corn and mashed potatoes
Breadcrusted ravioli and garlic toast
Spaghetti and meatballs

You see most meals include a chicken base - Paul once asked me if I could make something other than chicken so I had to REALLY get creative! haha I can't help it, I like chicken!!!

Keep an eye out, perhaps if I have public pressure, I'll actually keep up with this ... wish me luck!

____________


Here's what we've been doing in our fun time -


Notice the "K" - that's Kenna ... SHE GOT A STRIKE!!! Go her!
(We went bowling with the kids' twin friends ... they had a blast!)

Sickness and Sass

Not only have I been lacking energy and motivation to get back on our homeschooling adventure, but lately, we've been plagued with Mommy working tons of hours and sickness. Seems I can't get ahead at all. But I thought I'd share a little SASS with y'all ... hope you love it as much as I! :)


I'm hoping to get back on track one week here or another! Keep an eye out

They Should Call Me Slacker

I think I'm fighting a case of seasonal depression lately, so my blogging and homeschooling efforts have just gone unnoticed :( I daily convict myself that I need to get my act in gear and get back in the groove. I never thought being a full-time Mom and a part-time working citizen would be so draining, but here I am slacking, finding little time to do much of anything, let alone breathe!

So for those of you trying to keep updated on the Fritz family's adventures, I apologize twenty million times. I have medium-sized hopes (not little, thankfully, but not high either) that things will pick up soon here and we will continue back on track with our curriculum.

For now, you can be praying for us - for me, that I can find better ways to transition from being a full-time SAHM to working PT - for the kids, that they will find ways to use their imagination and keep their learning desire active while I'm finding my motivation.

Thank you everyone, and I hope soon to be back here in full swing!

Past, present, future

Well, with me working now, I've definitely been slacking a lot more than usual. But we're trying to get all caught up on our Advent calendar, which is currently ~11 days overdue (PAST).

But in the meantime, we're doing a lot of other winter/Christmas things! (PRESENT) Here are a couple pictures -


Kennady wasn't too fond of the big furry dude, but alas, she never has, so I wasn't surprised.

We're headed home to MN Christmas Eve day, so we've got lots to catch up on and do before we go. Still have to figure out when "Santa" will be coming to our house, pack our bags and get our family's presents finished! Whew ... we'll be busy! (FUTURE)

:)

ADVENTure updates

Look at that turn around baby! I'm thinking I've got to publically declare my procrastination more often haha ...

Here's my idea laid out, I think it's ammature, but it certainly will do :)


Kennady's will have to wait for tomorrow though, that stressed me out a little lol!

ADVENTures of getting Mommy's butt in gear

I'm having a hard time working on the kids' Advent calendars. I bought huge posterboards yesterday and they have just been haunting me, as to how I want to display the lessons we're doing everyday. So progress is better than no progress and here's the idea I came up with (now, actually doing it will be REAL progress) -

That's just the outline I came up with. The table is of the days we're going thru, counting down til Christmas. The little boxes inside there, are the coloring squares they are doing, pictured here -


It's not as glorious as other peoples' ideas, but for our 1st year doing this, I think it's good. They have something daily to learn and color and in the end, they will have a beautifully colored calendar of Advent! I'm excited ...

Now off to get my idea in motion!