Weekly Meal Plan: Feeding the Family 11/3/23- 11/09/23

 I'm keeping my fingers crossed that last week as the LAST crazy week for a while.  Things have been a little bit too busy lately.  And by too busy I mean completely crazy.  Too many commitments.  Too much to do.  I need to clone myself, because I can not do it all.  And frankly, I don't want to do it all.  But we made it and all was good.

Last Sunday was our neighborhood Halloween Trick or Treat.  We had a great time seeing all our neighbors and meeting some new ones.  We have 3+ acre lots and while it's not really that far between houses, it's far enough that we mostly wave at each other rather than interact.

Tuesday was the class Halloween party.  I think it went ok.  I have to plan our party with the other 5th grade class.  So that means I can't do everything I'd like to.  Well, I guess I could, but that wouldn't make me a very nice person.  I met with the other room mom and we decided on what to do.  I think the kids had a good time.  They seemed to have fun.

Then of course Tuesday was actual Halloween.  M wanted to go to my parents parents neighborhood to Trick or Treat since we did ours on Sunday.  My parents get 300-350 Trick or Treators every year.  It's quite the event.  Little M had a great time with his cousins.

And that night was bitter cold.  And it snowed.  I swear we went from fall to winter in one day.  Luckily for us, it's back in the 60's this week.  Y'all.  I'm not ready.

This weeks meal plan is trying to incorporate   Weight Watchers principles with Mediterranean diet principles.  This is a work in process.

Friday: Pasta e Fagioli with crusty bread

Saturday: Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas (from Skinny Taste)

Sunday:  Honey Mustard Pork Chops with oven roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli

Monday:  Oven roasted chicken thighs with potatoes and broccoli

Tuesday:  Tacos with beans and rice

Wednesday:  Chicken with rice and tomatoes (WW recipe)

Thursday:  Clean up for turkey meatloaves 

It's November now.  You know I'm working on Christmas.  No decorating yet, but I'm getting in the mood. I started shopping last week (on line and in person) and I have one child completely done, one child almost done, one child has yet to give me a list so he may just get money, the hubby is close to done, my parents are done, nieces/nephews are getting cash because why pay an extra fee for Visa gift cards, and I have ideas for everyone else.  

I say this every year.  But guys....this year I mean it.  I will enjoy the Advent season.  I'm going into my 54th year.  I don't have all that many years left (maybe another 50 😜).  I already have goals for the new year and one of those is taking my life back.  I'm taking control, instead of letting things control me.  I'm too old for this.  

Have a blessed week.  

Fall Decor

 The fall decor has been up for a while.  Halloween decor has been added for about a month, and will be coming down again next week.  Between helping family and friends who are going through health issues, helping at the school (I'm room mom this year), the kids, the hubby, and the house, I have been a tad busy.  Normally by now, I would have Christmas plans starting.  I'm not even there yet.  I'm still trying to find Marshmallow Peep Ghosts for next weeks class party. LOL.  I have to coordinate the party with the room mom for the other class and we just met last week to iron out what we were going to do.  That's fine, but according to the stores, Halloween is over and it's Christmas now.  I will have to plan better from the class Christmas party.  I did buy our Thanksgiving turkeys today.  So I'm ahead on that.  The grocery has turkeys on sell for 79 cents per pound or turkey breasts on sale for 99 cents a pound.  I bought one of each since we usually bake the big turkey (just under 20 pounds) and we fry a small one.  There weren't any small ones for 79 cents per pound.  They were all 18-20 pounds and our turkey fryer won't handle one that big.  The hubby likes to keep them around 8 pounds and 10 pounds at the max.  So I did pick up the 8 pound turkey breast.  If I find a smaller turkey, I will buy that too and save the turkey breast for a later date.  So they are both in my freezer waiting for next month.

Speaking of the freezer, It's loaded.  I keep stock piling things, but I think now is the time to start using some of it.  I got those turkeys in there, but not well.  And I'd like to start buying the fish we use for Christmas Eve (It's not because of supply chain issues.  It's just better to spread the cost out over a few weeks so it's not just one big hit at one time).  It's really just the calamari and the smelts so they don't take up too much room, but I'm afraid things are going to get lost in there and then I'll have to throw them out due to being in there too long.  I have a little experience with that and it's a terrible feeling to throw out food because it's freezer burned.  

I shopped for next week already, not realizing how much is already in the freezer, so I'll start shopping my freezer after that.  

The Halloween mantle 

The Halloween tree

Outside decorations

The squash borer moth killed most of our zucchini and pumpkins, but there two survived

He's a pug for Halloween

Family weekend at the boys college

Trunk or Treat at the little guys school

A trip to the Cleveland aquarium on a day off from school

Mother Nature decorating for fall

The color of the outside leaves with the colors of the inside tree