Meal Planning

IT'S RAINING...IT'S POURING... The old man is snoring...he woke up in bed and bumped his head and couldn't get up in the morning...

When I looked out the window today that's exactly what I thought. I also must have bumped my head because I didn't want "to get up in the morning". We had kind of a lazy day, packed with loads of games, stories and mom knitting. Lots of tea, too! Sometimes, even though I can't kick everyone outside in the sun all day, I love these lazy kind of days. I especially like lying in bed listening to the rain falling outside.

This was a day to play and plan. Since this is my shopping week, I'm planning meals for the next two weeks and getting my shopping list in order. Over the past few months I've been lazy about actually planning meals and have been running into the dreaded zone of "what's for dinner?" and not having a clue. Or the zone of thinking of what to make only to find you don't have all the ingredients. Quite frankly meal planning is my least favorite thing to do. Coming up with dinners and ensuring that it's something that the majority will eat. I'm sure none of you have ever had this challenge!

I have been making meals for a life time. Since it was just me and dear ol' Dad growing up , I began cooking at an early age. Little did I know that once you begin making meals for people you never get to stop! At times I feel like a walking menu. Do you ever feel like that? A child comes to you with the complaint, "I'm hungry". You respond, "what would you like to eat" only for them to answer, "I don't know". Grrrr.... I then offer options and to each the reply is "no, I don't feel like eating that". Grrrr....

Maybe you don't have this dilemma in your home, but I go through this on a regular basis!! So any time I am invited any where for dinner or any meal for that matter it is such a blessing!! You could serve me a TV dinner and I'd be happy as a clam! Just thought of what to eat and then making it is a chore I really would love to avoid. I have often said if I was wealthy that is what I would have, a full-time chef! Even though I do like to cook, some times the chore of coming up with what to cook is more than I can bear. I'm a big baby, huh?? I know that's what you're thinking. Anyway I feel like I've taken a trip down the 'bunny trail' here....

Back to the topic at hand... Did I have a topic? Oh yeah, I was going to talk about Allrecipes.com. I love them! Even though I've gotten out of the habit of using them lately. I can get new recipes or use my own and can build a menu complete with a printable shopping list. Or I don't even have to print it, I can just use my "smart" phone. Love that!! Over the last couple of years I have added my recipes so that I can have a digital way to organize them. It's wonderful. I have a menu for fasts, strict fast, fast free weeks, etc. It's great!! So now I'm back to using it and I happy to say I'm almost done with my shopping list for my outing!! It takes the stress out of it, at least for me. That's always a good thing!

I was also able to get more done on my knitting project. In between Wii Sports tournaments with the boys. I guess I don't mind video games when we are all doing them together. And I'm happy to report my foot is on the mend after my spill the other day. Hopefully I'll be able to wear a shoe for a more significant length of time soon. Hope you're enjoying the weather too! Blessings!

And it's beginning to look like a sweater!! I'm so happy!