Apple Picking Pictures

Sometimes you just need a break

I did not create a menu for this week *insert shock*. No instead my week or at least the past several days have been incredibly painful both physically and emotionally therefore I chose to take some time off and just wing dinner. Yesterday I had my 32 week appointment and the Dr said I was measuring slightly larger than normal. I am not sure if this is the cause of my pain or if it is just my bad back. Eric and I both got a kick out of the measuring large part because the name we have chosen for this little guy means "giant" so it fits well.
On Saturday we did take the kids Apple picking.  I must say fresh produce is SO SO SO much better than the store bought stuff. I am so thankful I live close enough to a place we can pick our own apples, peaches, berries etc. We made homemade applesauce with some of the apples we picked which the kids love!

Grace has had quite the week with getting to take home her classroom monkey named Maxwell. He is sort of like a flat Stanley so we got to do many things with him this week and write about them in a journal. Her class also had their first good behavior party day so today she got to wear her pajamas to school! She is loving Kindergarten and eating up everything she is learning. Jonah keeps asking when it is his turn. He can't wait to go but I must say one child at a time is all I can take right now. They grow up entirely to fast.

Menu Planning and Meal Planning Monday

I've been working on our grocery budget again by reading Family Feasts for $75 a week. I must say there are some really good tips in the book besides the normal coupon tips you see or read about. I especially found her break down of meat costs and canned items helpful. My favorite tip so far has been buying the bagged beans instead of canned and freezing them, something I would of never thought of on my own. She even has a tip in there about cooking them in your crockpot in which I have utilized all week long and got really excited when shopping at Super wal-mart and found 1 lb of beans on clearance for .60 cents which is about equivalent to 10 cents a can. Beans are a staple in our house we use beans in pretty much everything from soup, chili, to casseroles. It's the Texan in me and the love of Mexican and Tex-Mex food.

So this week's Menu-

Tonight-Bringing the Enchiladas over from last week.
Tuesday-Tuna Casserole
Wednesday- Roast in Crockpot
Thursday- Veggie Soup with the leftover Roast
Friday- Leftovers(maybe)
Saturday- Homemade Pizza Night

The Lady at Red Lobster

A few months ago can't remember exactly when it was June/July maybe our Pastor during his sermon challenged us by asking us to come to the front of the Church and take an envelope with us. We were asked to put our name, Church and the sentence "Jesus loves you" on the front of the envelope. There was a certain amount of cash in each envelope and we were to give it to a person who we didn't know by asking the Holy Spirit to lead us. Now if you know me well you know how hard it was not to give it to the first person in need that I heard about or saw and honestly I was fully expecting to hand my envelope off to someone on the street who was homeless or needing some help never did I except to hand my envelope off to the lady who was waiting our table at my birthday lunch. It was just Eric and I out for my birthday lunch, we were seated and it took a while for our server to come over. When she finally approached us I could tell she was very pregnant and as I looked her in the eye I could just sense something was troubling her and all the sudden the envelope that was handed to me some months ago came to mind. It had been sitting in my wallet since the Sunday I received it, I had pulled it out a time or two thinking I would give it away on this day but it never happened.
I told Eric "I think I am suppose to give my envelope to our waitress but how do I do it?" I thought I could leave it on the table with the tip but felt that God was leading me to actually hand her the envelope and say something. So as she was handing our check to us I asked if I could give her something and told her about how our Pastor challenged us to find people to give these envelopes to and felt that the Lord was telling me she needed it. Her first statement was please tell me there is a check inside, I am six weeks away from giving birth and don't know what I am going to do. It was just the Lord working he knew her needs I didn't, I just followed the leading and let God do the rest. Her whole countenance changed after I handed her the envelope and spoke to her. It was a perfectly orchestrated happening. Who knew my homeless guy I pictured giving my envelope to would turn into a very pregnant lady working at Red Lobster? God did.

BBQ and Birthday Week-Meal Plan

BBQ and Birthday Week September 5th-11th

Monday-Pork Steaks and Brats
Tuesday- Smoked Meat of some sort
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday- Egg Sandwiches and Funnel Cake
Friday- Birthday Lunch with Eric(Leftovers from Red Lobster!)
Saturday-Cheese Enchiladas and Cinnamon Rolls for my Birthday! Eric cooks them I just enjoy them isn't he a sweetie?

So thankful for Fall

This morning is absolutely beautiful weather wise. Right now as I type I have a 21 month old and a 3 year old throwing fits because they don't want the windows open. Yes my kids are strange.

 I live for this time of year, it wasn't always the case because growing up in central Texas there weren't the seasonal changes like here. No Fall colors, no cooler crisp air that I remember anyway, no pumpkin patches, no apple picking, boy did I miss out or what? Since moving from Texas to Illinois 3 weeks after I married finding the good in Illinois has been tough especially when family and friends were left behind and for those that know me know how close I am to my family and how the move has been. Thankfully the Lord has given me Fall and yes Winter too. I love everything about Fall well except for the gross costumes and decorations around Halloween those are just well yuck. For me Fall rejuvenates me. It reminds me of my Creator and how much he loves me.

 It has been eight years since our move and how I would love to say my discontentment is all gone but it is something I still struggle with from day to day. I still dislike a lot of things about Illinois and living far away from family but I am so thankful that God moved us to a place where I can anticipate Fall each year. One of my favorite new things to do is to go Apple picking on my birthday. It is just another reminder that Yes God does know what he is doing although at times I still question his ways but that is another post.