A New Week - Rebounding from Surving Back to Thriving

Last week was one of those weeks when it was just about all I could do to keep us fed, clothed, transported to all our activities, and maintain some level of acceptable cleanliness around the house.  I came down with a head cold.  It wasn't bad enough to make me want to stay in bed all day, but let's just say that I didn't have the energy to do anything extra. 

We did still manage to eat some good dinners last week, but I didn't take too many photos or sit at the computer to write the anecdotes to accompany the recipes.  This blog is my hobby, after all!  There may be some extra posts this week as we did have a few new yummy things!

We'll see what this week brings!  I'm already a day behind with my menu post for the week as it was nearly an all day chore to get the house picked up and get the laundry back under control yesterday.  If nothing else, last week reaffirmed that the little bit I do every day to keep the house organized does make a big difference. 

We have a bit of an up in the air weekend coming, so my menu is a little sketchy for those days.  I have plenty of things around here to eat, so I know we won't go hungry!

Here's what we'll be eating at our house this week.  As always, we'll round out our meals with salad and fresh fruits from our produce drawer.

SOUP NIGHT MONDAY - Spaghetti Soup, Cheesy Garlic Bread, Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Frosting
ONE DISH TUESDAY - Chicken Enchiladas, Rice and Beans, Salad (never had this last week as planned; had chicken tacos instead)
SANDWICH WEDNESDAY - Sloppy Joes (from freezer), Corn Casserole (from freezer), Strawberries
KIDS PICK THURSDAY - Basil Chicken Strips, Parmesan Noodles, Broccoli
QUICK BITE FRIDAY - Fish Sandwiches, some side dish yet to be determined
SATURDAY - Kids in the Kitchen (I plan to cook something with the girls for our special Girls' Night; we haven't yet looked through the cookbooks)
SUNDAY BRUNCH - Baked Oatmeal, Ham Slices, Fruit Parfaits (never had this last week as planned; went out to brunch after church)
SUNDAY DINNER - Make you own pizza, salad

Breakfast Choices This Week:
Cereal/Toast
Yogurt
Hard Boiled Eggs/Sausage Links
Waffles

Snack Choices This Week:
Trail Mix (nuts, fruit, M&Ms)
Granola Bars/Cereal Bars
Pretzels/Cheeze Its
Cheese and Crackers/ Peanut Butter and Crackers
Pizza Bagels
Fruit/Veggies with Dip

If you need more menu planning inspiration, please visit Menu Plan Monday at orgjunkie.com. 


I did a BIG grocery shop on Friday, Feb 17.  I spent around $120 which included my husband's Starbucks coffee for the next several months, toilet paper, wax paper/aluminum foil/parchment paper/various plastic bags, and laundry detergent.  But my mother in law was here and the kids were hungry and ready to have lunch when I got home, so I never took a photo of what I purchased, and quite honestly now I don't even remember all the deals I snagged that day.  I know I put 3 loaves of whole wheat white bread for $0.79, some slider buns for $0.49, and 3 meals worth of boneless pork chops (sliced by the butcher into chops from a boneless pork loin) for $6 into my freezer! 

I did hit the Meijer last Friday morning to take advantage of the 10 for $10 sale.  I picked up quite a bit of $1 produce including spinach, bagged salad, peppers, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, and strawberries.  I also found a good deal on Gogurts for the kids' lunches/snacks at $0.92/box, Sargento Shredded Cheese for under $2/bag, and several boxes of Hamburger Helper for 50 cents and cans of chicken noodle soup for $0.30 to donate to our local food pantry collection for our oldest's Upward basketball team. 

Total Spent: $62.34

Total Saved Using In Store Specials and Coupons: $47.29

Ever had one of those weeks were it was more like surviving than thriving? 

What's on your menu this week?