Menu Plan Monday 4/6 - 4/12

**Another week is upon us so that means it is time for another menu plan! This is just a plan and it could change on a moment’s notice! Just take a glimpse into my week: Tuesday, the carpets on my main floor (living room and 3 bedrooms) are being cleaned, and my new Frigidaire Affinity washer is being delivered. Wednesday, my new matching couch, chair and ottoman are being delivered. Friday, my FIL and his wife are coming for a 3 day visit! So somewhere in all that chaos this week, I have to cook meals and get my house ready for guests!

Last week, I ended up not using 3 of the meals that I had planned. I planned to make a new recipe for us, Marlboro Man's Sandwiches, well I realized that I forgot to pick up more Worcestershire sauce at the store so those didn’t get made! I am going to aim for those this week! Also my Roasted Chicken dinner did not get done so I have that as well to use this week! I also did not do homemade pizza and breadsticks, so to make my kids happy that is on the menu for this week or bust! With guests coming on Friday afternoon, I am leaving Friday dinner open just in case we decide on take out for either Friday or Saturday.

Lunches listed are for the kids and me. Hubby usually will take dinner leftovers each day.

A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus, go check other delicious meal plans that have been linked at her site! **

Sunday (4-6)
Breakfast: eggs, hash browns, Canadian bacon, and jiffy muffins
Lunch: Pizza Rolls
Dinner: Shredded BBQ beef sandwiches/sloppy joes, fries, and carrots
Snack: snack basket

Monday (4-7)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: sandwiches and chips
Dinner: creamy chicken (#1), rice and peas
Snack: banana muffins

Tuesday (4-8)
Breakfast: French toast and sausage links
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Roasted Chicken(in crockpot & using chicken breasts rather than whole chicken), mashed taters & gravy, corn, and biscuits
Snack: snack basket

Wednesday (4-9)
Breakfast: bagels, yogurt, eggs

Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: homemade pizza and breadsticks
Snack: snack basket

Thursday (4-10)
Breakfast: waffles
Lunch: pizza
Dinner: Marlboro Man's Sandwiches, homemade fries and corn
Snack: snack basket

Friday (4-11)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: sandwiches and chips
Dinner: *out of town guests here*
Snack: homemade chocolate shakes

Saturday (4-12)
Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice”
Lunch: ?????(it’s the weekend anything goes!)
Dinner: chicken club sandwiches(#6), seasoned potatoes(use fresh rather than canned), corn
Snack: popcorn or snack basket

Singing Sunday

We sang this song in church this morning! However, just putting the words doesn't do it justice! Watch the video today! :)

Build, Plant, Multiply!!

I signed up to get this devotional from Kym Wright and this was one that I couldn't help but share with everyone! Sometimes it is so hard for me to stay focused on why *I* am homeschooling my kids and why I am staying at home. This devotional encouraged me that I need to stay strong and focused on my goal!

Build, Plant, Multiply


Build houses and live in them;
and plant gardens and eat their produce
.... multiply ... do not decrease.
Jeremiah 29:5-6


Build ... Plant ... Multiply


When this verse was written, the Israelites were in a foreign land. They were captives in exile. King Nebuchadnezzar had forcefully taken them from Jerusalem to Babylon. Free labor for the royals. Prize from the fight.


By the prophet Jeremiah, God sent a word of encouragement to His people.


"Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon ...
verse 4


Jeremiah's first point was that God, Himself, had sent them to Babylon, to captivity. As a result of long-term sin in Israel, this is their punishment. And God took responsibility for their situation – being exiles in a foreign land – and says He made it happen.


Secondly, He wants to tell them to enjoy it. Now that you’re here ...


Build ... Plant ... Multiply


Build houses – provide places of refuge, shelter and safety for yourselves and your families. This won’t be temporary. Don’t just make the most of it, but dig in your heels and get your mindset in gear. We’re in it for the long haul.


Plant gardens – provide for yourselves and your families the things you need. Food to eat and nourish your bodies. Herbs to season your food, garnish the dishes and to provide healing remedies for sickness.


Multiply – don’t decrease. Increase your numbers. Enlarge your sphere of influence. Grow larger, and stronger. Keep your eye on the big picture. Don’t let the hard times kill you. Choose good things in your hard situation. Don’t just make the most of it, but make more while in it. Prosper.


As homeschooling moms, many times we feel we’re held captive to things – a certain curriculum, the law of our state, an superfluous standard trying to "keep up with the homeschooling Joneses," or having many little ones, a special needs child we feel inadequate to teach ... and the list goes on.


If we can just glean from the plight of the Israelites, we could believe that God’s word says to us that He’s put us here. This is no accident, it is divine direction. God takes responsibility for our situation, yet He wants us to own up to our part.


And just what might our part be? To "build ... plant ... multiply."


Build – dig in, lay a foundation, plan to stay a while. Let these homeschooling years provide shelter, refuge and safety for you and your family. Let it be a time of building up.


Plant – provide life-giving teaching for the children, good support systems and things which will help them grow. Then provide the fun stuff – the garnishes in life. The things that make us purr and hum. Add in the extras to feed the soul.


Multiply – bring in others. Be a good ambassador for homeschooling, so others will want to know all about it. Get involved with a support group, or start your own – big or small – to encourage others, and help them stay the course.


When it seems we’re held captive by the four walls, the math book, or the schedule – that’s the time to quit fighting and begin the process to


Build ... Plant ... Multiply

From one mother to another,

Kym Wright

Target, CVS, & Walgreens Shopping Trip

I found some good deals at Target this week!! The above picture shows all except the 4-12pks of Pepsi products that I bought today. I purchased:

• 2 boxes Kellogg's Cereal @$2.33/each =$4.66
• 4 boxes General Mills Cereal @ $2.33/each= $9.32 minus 2-$1/2 Target coupons and $1/2 coupon = $6.32 or $1.58/box
• Johnson's Buddies Soap @ 94 cents minus $1 off coupon = 6 cents PROFIT!
• Johnson's Baby Lotion and body wash $6.00 minus $2 off 2 coupon = $4.00 or $2.00/bottle
• 2 boxes Ziploc bags(30/40 count) $6.09 minus $1 off 2 coupon. This was a bad "grab" on my part due to the sale signs being goofy!! From what the signs were telling me it looked like all Ziploc "big boxes" were on sale for 2/$5 but I found out differently at the checkout! I grabbed one box that was reg. price while also grabbing a box that was on sale for $2.50! UGH!
• 2 bottles Softsoap Spa body wash $6.66 minus 2- $1/1 coupons =$4.66 or $2.33/bottle. My CVS was out of this soap/deal so instead of waiting and making another trip(& wasting gas) I just decided to get my soap at Target. :)
• 4 -12packs of Pepsi Products $10.00 minus using 2 $1 off 2 Target coupons =4/$8.00 or $2.00/12pack!!! Plus of course for MI there is $1.20 bottle deposit/12 pack that we have to pay when we buy so most of my savings with the coupons was "eaten" up with the deposit!

My Total OOP with tax and bottle deposit was $38.65!!!

NOW come on my trip to CVS......

I would have to say that my trip to CVS was the best out of the THREE trips that I have done since starting to shop at CVS!!! Here is what I purchased at CVS....

• 2 bottles of Palmolive dishsoap $1.98 minus 25 cents coupon = $1.73 or 87 cents/bottle
• Fantastik Spray $2.99 minus 55 cents coupon = $2.44
• Shout $2.99 minus 75 cents coupon = $2.24
• 2 pkgs. Twizzlers $2.29(BOGO)
• 2 pkgs. Colgate Total Toothpaste $2.99(BOGO) minus 2 - $1.50/1 coupons = 1 cent PROFIT!
• 2 bottles Clean & Clear Acne Cleanser $11.18 minus 2-$2 off 1 coupon =$7.18 or $3.59/bottle.

TOTAL with tax before coupons =$25.39
Total after coupons= $16.84
Total after ECBs used =$14.84
Total after using $4 off $20 purchase =$10.84 (e-coupon came from signing up my card for e-mail alerts)
So my TOTAL OOP =$10.84
Today I saved $22.23!! I got no more ECBs but I did get $3 off $12 purchase of shampoo, conditioner, or hair styling products. After a couple of the comments below, I thought I would clarify that I would *need* to get $10.86 more of products between the Palmolive and the Clean & Clear to get $10 of ECBs. I would gladly go and get it but my budget doesn't allow me to do that so I will just try again another time to get more ECBs. I got what I could with the $$ and coupons that I had to use. I am still learning the ropes so to speak. Thanks ladies for your help!

NOW come with me on my WALGREENS shopping trip....

Here is what I purchased on my trip....

• 3 bottles Downy fabric softener $12.00
• 3 bottles Softsoap $2.97 with 7-day Walgreens coupon minus 35 cents/1 coupon =$2.62 or 87 cents/bottle
• 3 tubes Chapstick $2.97 with 7-day Walgreens coupon
• 2 tubes Colgate Total Advanced Clean Toothpaste $5.00 with raincheck minus $1.00 off coupon = $4.00 or $2.00/tube

Total with tax and after coupons $22.97
Total OOP after using $5 Register Rewards = $17.97
Total Savings after coupons and sales for the trip $18.32

Plus I earned $4 Register Rewards with buying the 3 bottles of Downy so I guess that would make it only $13.97 OOP at Walgreens. :)

Now after shopping this week at these places and Meijer, I think I am going to take a sabbatical on shopping for at least TWO weeks!! My freezer, pantry, and linen closet are bursting at the seams!!! Next order of business is taking inventory of all three so I know what to get the next time I venture out on a shopping trip!

To find more savings head over to Money Saving Mom and BeCentsAble!!

Weekly Meijer Shopping Trip

I try to do my shopping each week based on what we need and what the sales are for the week. So I find myself getting really good deals one week and then the next week or two not doing as well.

This week for me, Meijer did not have as many deals as what they did last week. However, I still came out of the store with a savings of $83.53!! Most of the savings coming with just sale prices rather than sale prices and coupons. I only use $9.30 in coupons this week. So after sales, coupons and tax my out of pocket(oop) was $110.01.

This week Meijer has a "Buy One Get One Free" sale or in some cases "Buy One Get TWO Free".

I only picked up one of the BOG2F sale items. That was Dynamo 2x free and clear 100 oz bottle. I got 3 bottles for $12.99.

In their BOGO sale items, I got 8lbs. quick frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts for $14.98($1.87/lb). I would have gotten more if I had more room in my freezer!! I also got 2lbs quick frozen cod fillets for $5.99($3/lb). This wasn't the greatest deal but hubby likes cod and he needs to be eating fish for health reasons. :)

Other items that I purchased at Meijer worth noting...

Green Giant Veggies on sale for 5/$5.00 I purchased 6 pkgs/$6.00 minus 2-$1.00/2 coupons, 2-50 cents/1 coupons =6/$3.00 or 50cents each!

I used my Raincheck for Life Cinnamon Cereal that was 5/$10...I got one box for $1.00 after coupon. I forgot to print off more coupons for the cereal before going to the store BUT I guess that was a good thing because when I got back home I realized I have 32 boxes of cold cereal!!!!

Post Cereal(Family Size boxes) 3/$6...I only grabbed 2 boxes because I didn't have any coupons!

Era 2x Laundry detergent on sale for 2/$6...I got one plus I had $1/1 coupon making the bottle $2.00!

Ground Round at the meat counter is 1.89/lb!! My Meijer also had "price dropped" the ground chuck to $1.69/lb. I decided to get 4.5 lbs of ground round. I like using the ground round for burger patties because of the leanness of the meat.

Pork Loins for 1.69/lb...I grabbed one!