Monthly Menu

I've decided to start cooking hot and homemade meals for my family every night. I don't always do this, I used to just make stuff that was quick and easy...but for over 3 weeks now, I've been cooking, and they love it! Not to mention, I have saved a lot of money on groceries. I actually have always enjoyed cooking but I don't enjoy the mess involved, because I'm the one who gets stuck cleaning it. Most of my recipes come from myself, mommyskitchen.net, Southern Plate, or Pioneer Woman. Items in red mean I've already made them this month. The (*) means I'm planning on making those this week.

Here's my menu for October.

Monterey Chicken

Upside down Supreme Pizza

Fried Porkchops

Beef Stew

Pizza Bread

Baked Spaghetti

Ham, Baked potatoes, glazed apples

Spaghetti & meatballs, salad & toast

Fried Chicken Strips

Ground beef stroganoff

Slow cooker chicken & rice

Pintos & ham w/ cornbread

Easy Peasy chicken legs*

Beef Tips

Friendship Casserole

Salisbury Steak

Pulled BBQ pork sandwiches

Baked Ribs

Quesadillas

Ham & scalloped potato bake

Chicken & dumplings

Hashbrown casserole*

Swiss steak

Potato Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Biscuits & gravy night

Italian Beef sandwiches*

Chili

Lasagna

Goulash

Chicken & Rice casserole

Desserts

Butterscotch cake

Pumpkin bread with struesel topping

Blueberry donuts

Canned biscuits donuts

buckeye brownies

pumpkin carob cookies

Self talk

4Lora is patient, Lora is kind. Lora does not envy, Lora does not boast, Lora is not proud. 5Lora is not rude, Lora is not self-seeking,Lora is not easily angered, Lora keeps no record of wrongs. 6Lora does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7Lora always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

What's been going on............

Well, let's see. I've been so extremely busy with life. I haven't posted much except to vent about my frustrations.



August 7th my 2 older sisters and their families drove up from North Carolina and we all put on a big party for our parents. It was our parents 60th birthdays as well as their 30th anniversary. We held the party at their home in Michigan. Us girls and our children camped out, we had a huge bonfire, food, friends, family. It was wonderful. I will post pics at a later time, I am at work right now. ;)



August 30th, my 'real' Mom came to visit from New Mexico. (My dad has been married to my 'step-mom' for 30 years - just to clarify.) My younger sister picked her up from the airport and drove to my house, they all stayed for 2 nights, then Mom went to my sisters house for another day, then back. Very short trip. It was fantastic, getting to see her.



School started for my kids on August 17th. All five kids are in school all day this year!!! I can't believe it. I thought it was going to be an amazing amount of stress relief, having days to myself, but I don't! I started a new job a while back, I've been insanely busy all the time.



The kids are so busy - Aaron is in Cross Country right now. Dylan has Spell Bowl. Gavin JUST finished up baseball and began football. It even doubled up for a weekend. Jaden & Landon don't do any extracurricular activities yet besides Awana. I don't know how people do it. I know all these moms who say they are taxi's, and I can't believe how much I'm in my car. How much gas we use. Back & forth, back & forth, back & forth. It's nuts! Not to mention, we are a one vehicle family, so I'm also transporting DH to work and meetings, and whatever else.



My birthday was yesterday. I turned 35.



Blueberry Festival was last week. It's the biggest fest in the mid-west, right in my hometown. It's fun, but very exhausting. This was the first year we were actually able to be part of it daily. Usually we just do the fireworks and parade because it's EXPENSIVE!!! This year, DH got his retention bonus at work, and we were able to purchase mega-passes for the two older boys, and pay-one-price bands for the younger 3. That means, the older two were at the festival when school got out on Thursday, until Labor Day Monday at 6. Pretty much. The little 3 and I spent the entire day Friday at the rides. They were open 12-10 for the POP bracelet, so we took full advantage. Saturday we had baseball games, Sunday bb games, fireworks, then Monday, we skipped the parade.

Gotta run - working. I'll finish up later.

Does sanity exist?

I feel like I'm being pulled from every direction. Ever feel like that? I wish my husband was my "go to man" rather than a puller.

If I played the lottery, and won...the first thing I would do is hire a nanny. I would love someone to clean my floors, keep the kids rooms up and the laundry, and always cook our meals. Those things fly by the wayside. I don't hate to cook, but I do hate the thought of making a huge mess, for the kids to inhale, feed the pets, or shove around their plates and complain about.

If I had a nanny, I could do more fun stuff with the kids, instead of all the 'dirty work'. It's no fair!!! I don't have a happy light burning bright, for all the world to see. I have both ends burning and I'm exhausted, overwhelmed and even depressed....and all I want to do is QUIT. I'm so sick of myself.

Who is this gross, deprived woman with all these issues? I used to be something besides the crazy woman who's kids are loud & wild & obnoxious, who is always late & frazzled. I had substance and a heart! I cared, enjoyed, dreamed....lately all I do is try to make it through and then cry because my life is flying by unlived.

The next thing I'd do if I won the lotto would be a vacation. I have ideas of tropical paradise...or brisk, salty breezes of the New England states....or anywhere beautiful and tranquil. I need rest for my soul.

What would you do if you had the money???

What is sanity, and how do you grab ahold of it?

Where do you find rest?




Lora

Creativity Quiz Results

Take the quiz here to find out your creative style. Dont forget to post results!

http://www.psychologies.co.uk/personality-tests/whats-your-creative-style/

You feel that creativity provides insight into your own being. In fact, it is like therapy for you, enabling you to get to know yourself better. You seem to be looking for a way into the mysteries of the subconscious. It’s not really self-expression you are seeking, but rather the tools of self-expression: discovering what your creation will reveal about yourself. Art helps you reflect on, analyse and expand your personality. You long to be creative, and it’s not just because you need to deal with your emotions. It’s the tension between contradictions, and the need to resolve doubt that drives you to be creative. Painting pictures, decorating rooms, arranging shells in the sand — these are all creative processes that allow your introspection to roam. You can trace your life through the different ways you have exercised your creativity. For you, art is there to make sense of life. You are more attracted to artistic activities that demand reflection, planning and solitude, and the personal discoveries you make often provide answers for others, too. • To find out about how to tap into your creative side, see our feature in the August issue out now.


Lora

Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out. - Oliver Holmes

These are a few of my favorite things....

Beach days
Bonfires w/ friends
Shopping
Road trips
Walking on piers & lighthouses
Watching sunsets
Feeding the ducks
Quiet kids
Smiling kids
Painting
Garage sale shopping
Movie theatre movies
Drive in movies
Eating out at restaurants
Visiting friends
Vacation
Having friends & family visit
Spa days