Menu Plan Monday: Week of 1/9-1/15

I did fairly well last week with my menu plan & only had to make a few changes. Sat night we ended up going out for pizza because my daughter had a friend’s birthday party to go to that wasn’t over until 5:30. Right next door to the party place is a yummy brick oven pizzeria that was calling my name. This pregnant mama is weak when it comes to food!!!

The other adjustment we had to make was for Thursday night, where I had planned leftovers. My jambalaya on Wed turned out a little too spicy for the girls so they had leftover tacos that night which left not much for Thursday. Luckily I had ingredients on hand for a quick recipe we have often, Mexican Chicken Casserole. It’s fairly quick and easy and a go-to for our family at least once a month. I will be sure and post this recipe sometime this week!


Here is my plan for this week.

Monday
Leftovers/Quick meal- Daddy’s in charge of this one!
I have a Jr. League meeting tonight right after work so I won’t be home to make dinner.

Tuesday
Tasty & Lean Turkey Chili

Wednesday
Tilapia Piccata
Rice
Veggies

Thursday
Breaded/Baked Chicken Strips
Fried Okra
Mashed potatoes

Friday
Leftover Chili/Frito Pie

Saturday
Dinner out

Sunday
Whole Wheat Pasta
Spring Salad with Feta Cheese
Garlic Bread

If you haven’t started menu planning, I encourage you to try it. You will find it is such a time saver and sanity saver!

Head on over to Orgjunkie get recipe ideas and link up with your weekly menu!

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

As part of my menu plan this week, I made a delicious pork tenderloin using a recipe of my favorite Southern cook, Paula Deen. I found this recipe several years ago when hosting my family for Easter dinner. I don't know why I do not make it more often. I forgot just how good it is!! It's also pretty kid friendly, my 5 yr old said "Mmmm this is awesome mom!" and even my 2 yr old ate it all up. Nevermind we have to tell her that it is chicken. Any whitish meat like turkey or pork we have to just tell her it is chicken so she will eat it. I figure there is plenty of time later for her to learn the truth :)

Ingredients:
1 Pork Tenderloin

Marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 green onions tops, chopped

Add all ingredients to a large ziplock bag along with your tenderloin. Mix well and marinade over night. (Or if you are like me and forget this the night before, just marinade all day.) When ready to cook, bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 min or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

She also serves her tenderloin with root vegetables, like parsnips, turnips & carrots. We just used what we had on hand. I roasted some potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots with olive oil and salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a separate dish. Bake at 350 for about 25 min.

It's a relatively easy recipe since the marinading time does most of the work for you to give it this unique flavor! If you decide to try it please let me know how you like it! I promise you won't be dissapointed!

The Money Saving Mom's Budget Book & A Book Club

Amy over at Amy's Finer Things is starting a book club related to The Money Saving Mom's Budget book beginning with the book's release next week. I have been a follower of Money Saving Mom's blog for several years and am very excited to read her first book. I pre-ordered the book back in November and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival sometime next week!

If you have never read the MSM blog I highly encourage you to check her out! I look forward to reading with Amy and other book club readers as well.

Please comment below if you are joining in the book club or at least planning to read the MSM Budget Book!! I'd love to hear from fellow readers and MSM followers!

52 Weeks to an Organized Home-I'm Participating!!!

This week Home Storage Solutions 101 has begun their series called "52 Weeks to an Organized Home". I'm very excited to participate in this challenge!! I have several areas of my home that really need attention, may it be just general straightening or some serious over-hauling!!!

She has done a lot of work planning ahead and listing out each week what the focus area will be. We can follow along in the order listed or skip around and focus on what needs to be done in our own homes. You can click on the link for that week to get more details and ideas on getting this area clean and organized. The first week challenge is:

Week 1:Kitchen Organization- Countertops and Sink

I really needed this motivation to get me going. With 2 kids and another on the way, it's easy for me to get overwhelmed by all of the household tasks needing attention.

For even further help & inspiration, you can visit the "hall of fame" on her site and show/share your before and after pictures of what you've accomplished. I will share my own personal completed challenges here as well :) I can't wait to have a more organized home!!

Won't you join me!?

It's Definitely a BOY!!

I have a little news to report. Can you guess what it is? The week before Christmas I had another sonogram at the perinatologist to take a better look at the baby's heart and other anatomy. I'm so thankful to report that everything was looking normal!!

Also, the Dr confirmed that the baby is indeed a BOY! We are beyond excited to add a boy to our brood that includes 2 girls. My 5 yr old called it all along. She told me when I first informed her of the pregnancy that she "knew" it was a boy. Well, turns out she was right!

Now, what in the world am I going to do with a boy?? I really don't know. And admittedly, I'm a little nervous. Having only girls, all I know is pink, princesses and tutus! I guess that is what my husband is for!

Here are a few photos from the sonogram. I loved seeing his little face!

Here is a good profile shot.

Hi Mom!

He has been very active and kicking away. Here is proof. Maybe he will play soccer like his daddy!

Right now I'm at 24 weeks, 5 days. I've been feeling good overall, although I've had a few days that were somewhat rough. I realized I have not been keeping up with my water intake as well as I should and it was causing some major braxton hicks contractions. Also flying last week caused a little swelling. No bueno. After a few days though of guzzling water, my swelling has subsided.

I have an appt with my regular OB tomorrow. It's been 5 weeks since I have seen her and I'm a little nervous to see that # on the scale. Holidays + Little Exercise = Crazy Weight Gain! Whatever the # is, I think I will blame it on the fact that I'M HAVING A BOY!

Menu Planning Monday

In an effort to get better organized I have recently started menu planning. It's been a process trying to get used to doing it every week and sometimes I get busy and it never happens. Part of my plan in 2012 is to be diligent about weekly menu planning. There are a ton of great recipes and menu planning websites out there to help you get started. One great resource I have found is Org Junkie.

Here you can link up to her weekly Menu Planning Monday posts and get meal ideas from others.

My goals with menu planning are:

1) Save time by already knowing the answer to "What's For Dinner?"
2) Have ingredients on hand for healthy family meals
3) Save $ by not grabbing food to go
4) Use store circulars to plan meals around what is on sale
5) Try new recipes frequently and swap ideas with others

I know it's Tuesday, so I am day behind :) In the future you will find Menu Planning Monday as an every Monday post.

Without further ado, here is my menu for this week:

Monday
Tacos, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans

Tuesday
Salmon, Cheesy Broccoli, Parmesan Garlic Risotto

Wenesday
Jambalaya, Cornbread

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Out for dinner- my sister's birthday!

Saturday
Homemade Pizza

Sunday
Pork loin, Roasted Potatoes, Green Beans

What's for dinner at your house this week? I'd love to hear!

Christmas 2011 and Pregnancy Photos

Hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas!! Ours was a little hectic but a lot of fun. We traveled with the girls to VA over Christmas to my in-laws and got back late Wed night. Thankfully our flight was pretty uneventful. Callie didn't nap a wink either flight but over all she was very good. We had brought along plenty to entertain them; dvd's, books, coloring, snacks & blankies. Once we got home & put the girls to bed, we got out all of their Santa gifts we had hidden and finish wrapping a few more of their gifts. Thursday morning we all got up and had Christmas part 2. Keira thought it was really cool to have Christmas twice!! They got many fun gifts and we basically spent the day in our jammies, they playing with their new toys and I was unpacking and doing laundry and trying to bring some sort of order to the crazy house!! We were able to bring many of our gifts home from VA but the girls had a few toys that just wouldn't fit. Kevin's parents are nice enough to pack them up and ship them to us which is so awesome. The girls can have fun playing with their gifts here and then in a week or so, their box will arrive and it will be like Christmas all over again!!

Here are a few pictures we took over Christmas.

Callie's favorite gift by far: Let's Rock! Elmo with his guitar, drums & microphone. It was one of the first gifts she opened from grandma and grandpa and then she could care less about opening any more presents! Too cute.









Keira got a kareoke machine with a Taylor Swift cd (she is obsessed with Taylor!!) but I didn't get a good picture of her in action. I will have to take one when the box gets here. It's kind of nice having a few days break from listening to that cd!! Don't get me wrong, I like Taylor Swift too, but she and her cousin were playing and singing it over & over every day!!

Keira with her giant princess pillow from Aunt Karen.

Keira loves books so I got her Silverlicious from the Pinkalicious book series.

From Santa they got a small wooden table and chair set for their dolls. Here they are playing tea party :)

Blowing bubbles














I can't forget these adorable photos of Callie in her Preschool Christmas program. Her teacher helped them make their shirts. They are Christmas trees with their handprints :)

I have been slacking on taking as many pictures throughout this pregnancy and I know I will kick myself for it later!! I made sure to take a few over the holidays though and also a few from a wedding I was in 2 weeks ago.

22 weeks

23 weeks- Big belly in a red dress!!! Thank God it fit!!!

Me & my Hubby :)

24 weeks-New Year's Eve










These are a few highlights from our December/Christmas season. Now if I can just make myself upload all of the other pictures I have taken in the past few months, I will be in good shape!

Happy New Year!!!