Menu Plan Monday

I have seen several friends and blogs post their menu plan for the week with "Menu Plan Monday". I have decided that I want to do the same. Our goal over the last several months is to eat at home more and eat out less. Results of this goal should be saving money and hopefully a slimmer waistline.

We have talked about "planning" out our weekly meals for weeks now, but I finally made the effort this weekend. It definitely helped on our grocery store trip. We didn't get TONS of random things in case we wanted this or that.

Most people spell out what meal will happen on what day. I can change my mind fairly quickly on dinner ideas if I am just not in the mood for something. So I decided to make a list for the week and we will go from there. Maybe in the coming weeks we will create a more "set plan" but I like the idea of knowing this is what we have to eat this week, what sounds best tonight or what do I have time for tonight. Hopefully this will cut down on our "I feel like this instead so lets run out and pick something up" whims.

Here is our menu for the week:

Hungarian Goulash Casserole*
Slow Cooker Pepper Steak with home made fried rice*
Ranch Crispy Chicken with veggies*
Sandwiches
Spaghetti
Breakfast for dinner TBD

* Indicates this is a new recipe

At the end of the week I plan to share the new recipes with you on my cooking blog, Old Army Kitchen.

Hopefully this will be a successful endeavor and you will see a new "Menu Plan Monday" next week!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Fascinated with sports...

Taryne is definitely my child. She loves sports. Her word "baball" is technically the same for all sports (we are working on this), but who cares! She wants to watch sports. A lot. In the morning, she runs in the living room and points to the tv and states "baball!!". So I turn the tv on to ESPN's Mike & Mike in the Morning and she is content. Strange child, but I love her!

Last week I won tickets to the Aggie Softball game against Texas State. Taryne has SOOOO much fun at the game. She could not sit still (in a good way) and was on pins and needles (and her tip toes) watching the game. She was so involved and entertained.

After the game, we picked up a team poster for her. This morning I finally had a chance to pin it up on her wall and she just stared and pointed and ooohhed and awwwwed for a very long time. We have a softball signed by the Aggie team that made it to the championship series of the Women's College World Series in 2008. I handed it to her to see and it was like Christmas to her. I guess we need to get her an age appropriate T-ball set...or at least a softball to play with in the backyard.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Sick day...

Last week, I got a call from day care that Taryne might have pink eye. Great. I told them she has bad allergies and chances are the little bit of "gunk" in her eyes was from that. Well, they said that is fine, but I would need that in writing from the doctor.

So I left work, picked up Taryne and later that morning we visited the doctor. Guess what, it was pink eye. So that meant Taryne needed to stay home that day plus the next.

We spent both days playing, having fun and I baked. She was not "sick" so she could still play and do all the fun stuff.

She decided to find random things from around the house (especially my Thirty One stuff) and stockpile them on the front of the treadmill. She loves to sit there and stare out the window.

She loved getting into everything....

She LOVES this farm animal set from my aunt and uncle. She plays with it all the time.

Enjoying a lollipop...she eventually let Phoebe have a lick and Phoebe stole it...

Just being cute...

We made huckleberry pop-tarts from scratch....they were soooo good. If you want the recipe, visit my other blog.

We played outside with Cassie and Phoebe...



She is pink eye free and now is suffering from her awful allergies that were passed down from her momma.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Catching up...

I have been busy lately with work, Thirty One, and life. After we played in the snow, we came in to get warm and get some things done. Taryne must have loved the scarf she was wearing because she didn't want to take it off.

Until next time...Gig'em!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Taryne was dressed and ready to go to school today for her Valentine's Day party. The outfit was inspired by her Dr. Seuss Valentine's shirt.

Until next time...Gig'em!!

New Recipes...

....have been posted on Old Army Kitchen. Stop by and see what's cooking!

Until next time...Gig'em!

Snow Day!!

So it RARELY snows in Texas and when it does, EVERYTHING shuts down. It can just be a threat of snow and things start to close. As long as I live in Texas, I will take advantage of the snow and snow days. Maybe one day we can live someplace to get snow on a more regular basis, but not the huge amounts in certain parts of the country. Just several light dustings and maybe one or two times with more.

Taryne was a little unsure of the snow at first. She wanted to play in it so bad, but just didn't know what to think. We had gloves for her but they were HUGE and she would not keep them on. We finally resorted to putting a pair of her socks over her hands.

When it was time to go in, she saw us stomping our feet to remove the  snow and she did so as well.

Until next time...Gig'em!

It's Here!!

The new Thirty One Spring catalog has arrived!!

I am so excited about this catalog and all the new patterns and products offered. There are more items for kids, both boys and girls as well as a great gender neutral elephant pattern for babies or for the kids too! I sure wish this elephant pattern was around when Taryne was born since her room was elephants.

Here are a few of my favorites...

The Market Thermal is a large insulated and lined thermal that is great for those trips to the grocery store or for the beach, campout or picnic. You can use ice and it is waterproof.

The Short Utility Bin is the size of a regular laundry basket. It comes in the 31Kid prints and it is great for laundry, toys or anything you want to store. And just because they are the 31Kid prints, doesn't mean it has to be for the kids!

Since I mentioned the 31Kid prints, let me tell you what they are! There are robots, elephants and apples. And they are all just too stinkin' cute! Taryne already has several of the products in the girl prints (the apples) and she is in love with them!

Taryne is posing with the new Lil' Hostess Apron. While it is still a little big for her, she absolutely fell in love with the apron and would not let us take it off. She "cooked" and played all afternoon with the apron.

Some of the items now come with a liner and are waterproof and easier to clean. For example, the Cosmetic Bag is now lined and makes a make-up clean-up much easier. The Picnic Thermal tote is now lined as well making it waterproof. As you look through the new catalog, if you notice a water drop next to an item, it is lined and considered waterproof.

There are several new skirts for the popular Skirt Purse. You still choose a black or brown base and you still get one skirt when you buy the purse. Now you have more and several new options.

If you liked the Retro Metro Bag, then you will love the new Mini Retro Metro Bag. It is smaller in size, but still has plenty of room. It comes in three colors, all with a flower accent.

Speaking of flowers, do you remember the cute small ivory and large black flower clips available in the Holiday Gift Guide? Well, now you can get the small and the large in either ivory, black or pink! All the clips come with a pin and clip so you can attach them to almost anything.

So, that might be enough of a preview!

You can go here and view the new catalog. It will be up on my website later today.

If you live close to Bryan/College Station, please stop by my Spring Open House this Saturday, February 5th from 2-4 pm. There will be prizes so come by and bring a friend! Please email me for directions.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Until next time...Gig'em!