Menu Plan Monday ~ My First

I usually plan my menu a week at a time and post it on my refrigerator. I plan the dinners based on a combination of what I have on hand and what is on sale that week. Having a plan definitely cuts down the temptation to just "go out and grab something quick" and it certainly keeps me more organized.


This week I am joining in with my menu plan for Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie. Check it out and see what everyone is cooking this week and get some new ideas!





This Week's Dinner Menu...

Monday ~ Creamy Chicken Casserole, Honey Carrots, Green Beans

Tuesday ~ Tacos

Wednesday ~ Breakfast Dinner with scrambled eggs, sausage, toast and fruit

Thursday ~ Oregano Chicken, rice, broccoli

Friday ~ Sloppy Joes, chips, veggie dippers

Saturday ~ leftovers

Sunday ~ out


I'm in the mood to make some desserts too...not sure what I will make. Just pulled out a recipe for Hot Fudge Cake so don't be surprised to see that on my blog very soon!

Some Of My Favorites...

One of the sites I subscribe to gives me a little bit of encouragement everyday. Have you discovered this one yet? It is called (in)Courage. Each day includes a short post written by a variety of women...all meant to inspire and encourage. Part of The Heart behind this site states...

More than anything, (in)courage is about relationships - with God and each other.

We realize that our readers are in many different places in their journeys of faith. All of you are welcome.

Today's post on (in)Courage is written by one of my favorite bloggers, The Nester. She has written I Decorate Wrong and I Don't Care. Check it out...

Check out The Nester's blog too. She posted yesterday about a new book coming out written by another blogger that I enjoy, Sandy at The Reluctant Entertainer. Plus, she is giving away 5 copies of the new book.

Check out both of these ladies and be inspired that you do not have to be perfect to be beautiful and a worthy entertainer.

Dishing It...Summer Reading

Amanda at Serenity Now is hosting another one of her Dishing It parties and it's always a fun way to mix and mingle with other bloggers and find some neat people along the way. Thanks for hosting Amanda!

The theme this time is all about Summer Reading...love it! Reading is one of my favorite things to do and always has been. I love to curl up with a good book and get lost in the pages. I love the idea of settling in with a good book while lounging at the beach or lake, all nice and quiet, listening to the sounds of...quiet. But really, how often is that going to happen? So, typically I pick up my book before bed and read for about an hour before ending my day.

A couple of the books I've enjoyed recently have included...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter

And next on my list is Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

(picking it up from the library tomorrow!)

If you know anything about me you know that I am a frugal kind of girl. So I don't usually go out and buy books. I am a big supporter of my local library, which is where the majority of my books come from. I mean, you can't beat FREE, can you? Sometimes I borrow books from friends and occasionally I pick up some at Goodwill or yard sales.

It is rare that I will go to a bookstore to buy a book...unless it is something by Nicolas Sparks because I know I will read and re-read his books over and over again...love his stuff!!! I'm such a sucker for love stories (but NOT romance novels).

I also love to sit with my children and read with them. I like to see my love of books is being passed on to them as well.

My daughter just started The Sisters Grimm series (she is going into 4th grade).

And my son is into the Flat Stanley books right now (he is going into 1st grade).

I am anxious to see what everyone else is reading...What are some of your favorite books? What are you reading this summer?