Money!

I'm trying to figure out how to get our finances in order.  It's a sorry sight.  DH is a public school teacher.  He makes an okay amount of money, thought not enough for our whole family to live on.  I used to be a public school teacher, but now I teach preschool.  I almost love everything about teaching preschool, but the one big downside with it is my pay, which is just a fraction of what I would be getting as a public school teacher.  And here comes the summer.  So many people say, "I wish I was a teacher - don't have to work all summer!"  What they don't realize is that we don't get PAID all summer, either!!!  DH's paychecks are spread out over 12 months instead of just 10, but mine are finished soon and won't start up again until September.

DH's dad used to be career military, so we have access to USAA, a financial site for military families.  I just received a refund from our oil company (paid a budget amount all winter and was left with almost $800 that they were going to put towards next year - umm...think I could use the money now!) which will be used to pay off the credit card from USAA - woohooooo!!!  We still owe on our Discover Card AND have a line of credit from when we changed our garage into a playroom AND our mortgage.  Now I'm trying to determine if maybe we should transfer everything to USAA.  I guess I need to determine if they have the best rates around.  I THINK they do, being geared for our military, but guess I should check first.

I know, this is not an exciting post, but it's what I'm thinking about right now!

Menu Planning

While I haven't stepped on a scale to see if this new eating plan (I can't think of it as a diet) is working yet, I'm proud that I'm sticking to it.  Just keeping in mind that I only get two carbs a day allows me to plan my meals around that, making sure I still can have my end of the day bowl of cereal.  Hey, I'm a cereal addict, what can I say?  So here's my menu plan:

Lunches for me this week Endame Salad, Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Salsa

Monday Grilled Sesame Salmon

Tuesday - Thai Basil Chicken

Wednesday - Very Veggie Omlet
I think if I promise them toast for eating a few bites, the kids might try it and discover they like it!

Thursday - A serving of whichever of the other three meals I liked the best
Mac and Cheese for the kids with frozen fish sticks

Friday - Potluck Shabbat dinner at my synagogue
My contribution will be Sauted Green Beans.

Saturday - Mish Mash (A.K.A. Finish all the leftovers)

Sunday - Dinner at my in-laws'

Be sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu plans.

Menu Planning

Okay, it's not Monday, but I'm still trying to do:

Let's review last week first, okay?

Last week, I made a big batch of Quinoa Vegetable Salad for lunches, which I'm still eating a little of this week.  It was pretty good, but not great.

Tuesday I made Peanut Butter Vegetable Chicken Soup, which also was pretty good, but not great.  The kids tried it (though A spit it out), but no one really loved it.
Wednesday was Tuna Casserole - everyone but A liked it.
Thursday should have been Sour Cream Chicken Quiche, but that didn't happen.
The rest of the weekend involved no cooking on my part - woo hoo!

Now let's get back to this week.  Again I am going to try to use what I have here at home as much as possible - money's tight!
Tuesday:  Spaghetti and meatballs
Wednesday:  Sour Cream Chicken Quiche
Thursday:  Frozen Raviolis
Friday: Shabbat dinner at my parents'
Saturday: BBQ at my sister's (and boy do they know how to BBQ!)
Sunday: Dinner at my IL's

And I have everything necessary for those recipes here already. 

Diet Plan

Here's the new plan:

• 2 protein
• 2 dairy
• 2 carbs
• 2 fruits
• 3 or more vegetables

So what's that going to mean for me?

• Breakfast - Bowl of cereal with milk (carb and dairy)
• Mid-Morning Snack - Piece of fruit (fruit)
• Lunch - Large salad (2 vegetables) with some kind of protein like tuna or chicken (protein)
• Mid-Afternoon Snack - Some other kind of fruit (fruit)
• Dinner - Hot vegetable or two (vegetable) with whatever protein I make for the family (protein)
• Evening snack - Bowl of cereal with milk (carb and dairy)

I'm addicted to my carbs, especially cereal, so maybe planning things out this way will help, knowing I would still get my bowl of cereal, will help me avoid all other carbs.  I think I'm still going to allow myself my one can of Coke a day as a splurge.

Tomorrow I'm going to a BBQ.  As far as I can tell, everything would still stay the same except for dinner.  I could cut up a hamburger as my protein and bring some kind of veggie side dish/appetizer to make sure I stay on track.

Alright, sounds like I've got a plan!

The Perfect Storm

My goal yesterday was to get everyone's lunches finished way before bed, cook and clean up from dinner, cook and clean up a healthy lunch that I could take to school the rest of the week, make a grocery list, go grocery shopping, and put said groceries away.  In between trying to do all that, I would make sure the girls stay alive, get the boys to do their jobs and finish their homework, drive J to dance class, and then feed the kids their dinner and put them to bed.  I also was able to keep calling DuPont (a children's hospital in Delaware) until I finally got through to a live person in order to schedule appointment for both boys to be evaluated by the developmental pediatrician.  We're on the books for an appointment in NOVEMBER, but are also on the cancellation list, so I'm hopeful we can be seen before then.  I'm not complaining; that's just the kind of day it was.  And I managed to do everything on my list.

DH's responses? 
When I returned from the grocery store: "Did you remember my O'Doull's?"
When he was leaving to return to school for an awards ceremony (after I returned from J's dance class but before I fed the kids dinner):  "When I get back I'm going to head upstairs because I'm really tired, so I won't be able to help clean up anything.  Do you think you can get it all?"
Separate conversation, also before he left for school:  "Could you please try to pick up a little before I get home from work tomorrow?  Maybe vacuum the rug, too?"

In case DH pops on over to this blog and has just read my take on his responses, please understand that he is an incredible husband and father.  He pitches in all the time.  In fact, when he got home from the awards ceremony, he did clean up some of the stuff I hadn't gotten to yet.  He is a great guy!

However, after having rushed around all afternoon to accomplish all that I did, it pissed me off to no end to not hear, "Wow, this place looks great!" or "Thanks for making us dinner!" or "I know how tough it was to get appointments for the boys; thanks!" or even just to see a smile when he walks in the door before he sighs and starts picking stuff up.

I try really hard to straighten things up before he gets home.  I totally understand how stressful it is to walk in the door and see crap everywhere.  I am working on getting things more organized so that it won't be like that when he comes home.  But sometimes, in my effort to do some other important stuff, it doesn't happen.  And those are the days that he just happens to be extra tired, or he had a bad day, or whatever, so it creates this perfect storm of sighs and passive aggressive behaviors that are really hard to take, especially when I have not just been sitting on the couch eating Bon Bons (or on Facebook playing Tetris)!

Ahhhh, that felt good to get off my chest.  And when he gets home in an hour, since he was out last night and will not be home late Thursday night, I will be taking my computer and going out to focus on end of the year school stuff and other important tasks (again, Facebook, Tetris, you know).  So in reality, it's all good.  But every once in a while, I have to blow off steam!
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My goals for the rest of the afternoon, which is rapidly slipping away:

1. Put in a load of laundry and fold and put away the load that is currently in the dryer.
2. Fill small, snack-sized containers with snacks for the kids. 
3. Make lunches for tomorrow.
4. Begin dinner.
5. Clear off DR table and put out a snack for the boys for them to eat while they do their homework.
6. Do a quick sweep through the LR, DR, and kitchen to straighten up.

Six Secrets of Organized Moms

This is what I'm talking about!

Menu Planning

Menu planning is key to making sure I don't go crazy. Tonight I didn't plan ahead, but at least last time I was at the store I stocked up on some last minute meals the kids like, so we had frozen ravioli with sauce. I have the chance to run to the grocery store alone while J (my daughter) is at her dance class and A and B (my sons) are home with my DH. I am going to try to make my menu plan based on what we already have at home, as much as possible. Here's the plan for the rest of the week:



For my lunches this week: Quinoa Vegetable Salad

* I bought all the ingredients for this last week, so do not have to buy anything new.

Tuesday: Peanut Butter Vegetable Chicken Soup

I never made this before, but it got lots of stars on Allrecipe and it sounds REALLY good. For my children who are not as adventurous as I am, I will serve them some of the already cooked chicken and some of the cooked veggies and potatoes that will also be in the soup. Our rule for new food is they have to at least try it. I refuse to make an alternative meal for them, but have no problem separating the basic parts of any soup/casserole for them as long as they try it in its original form.

* Already have every ingredient!

Wednesday: Tuna Casserole

I have tuna, I have mac and cheese, I have peas, put it together: Yum!

Thursday: Sour Cream Chicken Quiche

Can you tell I have some cooked chicken to use up? This is another one I have never tried before, but not only does it sound so good, I have all the ingredients for this, too!

Friday: Shabbat dinner at my parents

Every Friday night we get together at my parents' house (they live about ten minutes away): my family (5), my sister and her family (4 + any of the many extended family members from my BIL's family that might be staying at her house at any given time), and my parents (2 + up to three foreign college students that they host) - just a nice, quiet, cozy dinner.

Saturday: Mish Mash

Otherwise known as "Eat all the leftovers in the fridge."

Sunday: I've going out to dinner with my mom and sister; DH and the kids can fend for themselves.