Sunday, March 28, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

 Here is this week's plan:

Sun - Over baked Bar-B-Q Chicken Quarters
Mon - Gymnastics so something quick on the way
Tues - Leftover chicken or maybe Bar-B-Que Chicken Salad
Wed - Sandwiches before soccer
Thur - Tacos, Beans, and Rice
Fri - Shrimp Scampi Pizza and Salad
Sat - Something grilled
Sun - Easter Brunch

I hope everyone has a great week!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

It is Spring

Or atleast that is what I am saying.  I have decided that I am done with winter and ready to move on to Spring.  To help celebrate, today I:

Switched out some of my daughters' clothes to the warmer weather clothes (yes I left some jeans)
Truly enjoyed my daughter's soccer game after I lathered both girls in sunscreen
Spent multiple hours pulling weeds (and I am only half way through the front yard)
Started drooling over our first three strawberries that are blooming off last years plant
Would not let me daughters go into the house between nap and dinner. 

I am now looking forward to:
Weekend days outside all day long (except during Spring Showers)
Fruit picking (come on Blueberry season)
Longer days

Are you ready for Spring??

Friday, March 12, 2010

Kroger March To Savings

I finally won!!!  It only took 9 entries but I won a $5.00 store credit.

If you are not sure what I am talking about it is a very easy instant win game.  All you need to do is go to Kroger.com and register your card.  Once it is registered, click on the March to Savings banner and get ready to play.  Just click the basketball to try your shot.  There is a wide variety of instant prizes.  I am so excited for my $5.00 store credit (as if you can't tell from the first sentence).

Best of luck!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Randall's Frozen Food Month

I normally shop at Kroger, but it is Randall's Frozen Food Month (but $25 of specially marked items get $10 off your next purchase).  It is not as good as last year, but my freezer has way too much room right now, so I am trying to take advantage of it.  Here are my two transactions from last night:
Transaction 1:
12 Weight Watcher's Smart Choice Meals at 2/$5.00
Used an IP coupon for $5/10 (not sure of the link but there is also a $3/10 in 1/31 RP)
Used Get 1 free SC breakfast with the purchase of 5 (RP 1/31)
Used Get 1 free Flatbread Sanwich with the purchase of 5 (RP 1/31)
TTL is $20 with IP ($23 w/insert) get $10 off next purchase

Transaction 2:
Bought 4 Contessa Meals (at $5.99 each)
Bought 2 Green Giant boxed veggies (at $1.68 each)
used $2.00 Contessa coupons (I can't remember which insert) and Green Giant insert and EQ
TTL was about $6 with coupons and the $10 cat from the 1st transaction and I got another cat

I don't believe the Green Giant is still that price, but there are plenty of other fillers and don't forget your coupons and your EQ's from shortcuts and cellfire.

Tonight and tomorrow night I am getting together more coupons for another trip before the weekend starts and if I can stay organized, I will let you know what I get. 
Happy Randall's Shopping!!!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

Menu Planning Madness

I want to start this entry with a huge success from last Friday.  I made a shrimp pizza.  My original intentions were to make the crust from scratch as well as make the pizza.  However, I got busy and could not find a way to get it done and get the pizza made and have us eat before 10:00 pm, so I cheated and used Pillsbury refridgerated pizza crust.  So here is what I did:

Sauted cooked shrimp, green peppers, and red onions in olive oil, garlic powder, and basil.  Then on the pizza crust I added a little spaghetti sauce (had some left over), the sauted items, and then covered with italian cheeses.  I baked it based on the instructions on the Pillsbury packaging.  Then I took my another pizza crust and brushed on olive oil and covered with cheese to make cheesy bread.  My MIL's response "You can cook this every Friday night during Lent.  Actually you can cook this every Friday night".  I love when my experiments go right!!!

Here is this week's Menu:
Sunday - Brats, Salad, and Mac and Cheese
Monday - Something light due to gymnastics
Tuesday - Taco Salad and refried beans
Wednesday - Sandwiches before soccer
Thursday - Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Green Veggies
Friday - Trying to decide between shrimp pizza again or lazy man's lasagna
Saturday - Hamburgers, veggies on the grill (I am hoping to go to a local Farmer's Market)
Sunday - Roast a chicken in hopes for good leftovers!

Leftovers is something I am working on this week.  I did not have good leftovers for lunches last week, and we bought too many at work!  I am going to really try and cook enough each meal for each of us to have lunch atleast once!!!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Kroger's Instant Win Game

Have you played Kroger's Instant Win Game? 

It is very easy.  Just make sure you have signed up on Kroger.com and play!!! 
You can:
Play once a day
Each time you play you are entered in the Grand Sweepstakes
Win 2 items (I have heard of people winning $5 off next purchase, free CPK pizza, free coffee)
Even after you have won two items you can continue to play to be entered in the Grand Sweepstakes.

Good Luck!!!

Finding time to Exercise

Or maybe I should title this "Finding time to catch up with friends".

Two of my big struggles are finding time to exercise and finding time to catch up with friends.  However on Monday night I was reminded of a way to do both.  A great friend of mine and I have decided to start walking twice a week.  We would love to do it more, but there are only so many hours in a day.  We met at 9:00 pm and walked for almost an hour.  I was amazed at easy it was to walk at a brisk pace when you are catching up with a friend. 

Even though we see each other a few times a  month, it is usually during playdates.  This was our time to talk about what ever we wanted and we did!!  When I got home, my husband asked what we talked about and there were so many random topics he just smiled and nodded. 

I had posted this on my facebook status and one of friends who is a trainer in Austin responded with "I tell my clients this all the time! Even chatting on your cell makes the time go by much faster." 

What a great idea.  Do you have a friend (or two) that you really want a good 30 minute conversation once to twice a week?  Schedule a walking date.  Even if they don't live close - we all have cell phones.  Just grab your tennis shoes and your cell phone (or your friend) and head out walking!  Thanks Karen!!!