children

3/19/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.Leave a comment

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to Meal planning on Sundays. We receive an email on Saturdays from   Yasukochi Family Farms letting us know roughly what will be in our CSA box that is delivered on Monday afternoon.

Sunday I tend to prep proteins, make a batch of soup (incorporating a majority of the leftover veggies from that week’s CSA box), take stock of the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and lay out our basic meal plan for the week.

Today I’ll be making a few big batches of soup- half to go in the freezer, and half to serve this week. I may also make a batch of spaghetti sauce too.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: Lots of veggies this week! We’re running low on meat, and with the price of it increasing, we’ll be enjoying plenty of vegetable-based meals this week.

  • Sunday: Chili on baked potatoes, roasted asparagus (kids will be having baked potatoes dressed to their preference)
  • Monday: Soup and salad (or protein shakes and salad)

  • Tuesday:  Vegetable Soup and Cheese Toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday: Ramona’s Mess (Recipe coming up this week), fruit salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers

3/5/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to Meal planning on Sundays. We receive and email on Saturdays from   Yasukochi Family Farms letting us know roughly what will be in our CSA box that is delivered on Monday afternoon.

Sunday I tend to prep proteins, make a batch of soup (incorporating a majority of the leftover veggies from that week’s CSA box), take stock of the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and lay out our basic meal plan for the week.

We have a lot of soup in the freezer. Like… 6 different types. We’re having a lot of soup this week. Thankfully, it’s soup weather, and everyone enjoys soup.

I’m planning on a few batches of roasted veggies to be served throughout the week as well.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: We’ve got Soup several times for dinner, which is great. All I have t0 do is take it out to defrost the morning of!  And I have one Dream Dinner remaining, so we’ll be having it this week as well.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers
  • Monday: Dream Dinner, roasted veggies

  • Tuesday:  Soup and Cheese Toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday: Soup, roasted veggies, toast

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Salad Bar Night

Planning a Mermaid/Under the Sea Themed Party? Dollar Tree To The Rescue!

Abby H.

I’m working on planning a mermaid-themed party for a certain little girl in my house. Thankfully, Dollar Tree has some great supplies on the cheap! These are available in-store and online.

First off, check out these cool iridescent shell-shaped eggs. Perfect for hiding candy or tiny gifts like bracelets or rings. In the store, there are a lot of beaded necklaces, like there.

There are mermaid-themed party paper goods too. Plates, cups, and napkins. One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that with the rising costs of everything, I’m able to host cute themed parties and stay on budget.

I’m loving these cute mermaid buckets, they would be great for goodie baskets. If you aren’t sure what to put in them, I’d suggest mermaid facial masks, nail polish in “mermaid” colors- there are tons of colors in stores, mermaid tail shaped hand soaps,  Nail art sets, nail files (there are ocean/mermaid themed ones in the stores, and bath bombs- some stores have mermaid tail-shaped bath bombs. All locations have bath bombs in various scents and sizes.

Don’t forget to hit up the home decor area to look for beach, ocean, and mermaid themed signs.

As for snacks and menu, we’ll be serving:

  • Strawberry lemonade, complete with frozen strawberries (available in the stores) as our beverage.
  • Cold Pasta Salad using shell pasta (recipe is forthcoming)
  • Goldfish crackers
  • Fresh Fruit cut into star shapes- Watermelon, pineapple, apple (with a hole cut in the middle where I remove the apple core)

I love using the plastic “crystal” serving ware from Dollar Tree too. It makes the party look fancy, without worrying about little hands breaking anything special or vintage.

And for those wondering, we only invite 4-6 of Bitty’s good friends to parties. I can’t have a house full of 20+ kiddos. My neighbors would never forgive me. We may have a viewing of The Little Mermaid while we eat.

And of course, I’ll be making invitations on Canva for free, saving the image as a PDF, and either printing them out to hand out or emailing them to friends parents/guardians.

Tea Collection MegaSale! Up to 65% off Sale & Clearance prices!

Abby H.

Now through Tuesday, January 31, 2023, you can save an extra 25% off sales and clearance styles at Tea Collection! That means savings of up to 65% off regular prices.

Tea Collection is one of my favorite brands for littles. The clothes are well made and the fabric is high quality. Tea Collection lasts and lasts- It’s one of the few brands our local kids’ resale shop buys year-round.

Remember to use coupon code: JAN25OFFSALE at checkout!

 

12/12/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m pausing our  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box subscription until January as we have a lot going on, and I’m having a hard time cooking all the veggies each week.

Over the weekend I made roasted veggies using Urban Accents Veggie Roaster seasoning blends. I use the Citrus pepper for green beans, and carrots, Italian Squash, and onions. For the baby Brussels Sprouts I use the Balsamic Onion kit. 

I also made spiced apple sauce, which is a kid favorite.

We’ll be having those throughout the week with our dinners.

I cleaned out the fridge and reorganized the freezer, and this really helped me see what we have on hand.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week looks to be on the slower side, but we’ve still got a lot of holiday fun stuff going on. It’s cold here at night (for California), so I’m turning the oven on to make dinner with greater frequency.

  • Monday: Chicken Pot Pie (recipe later this week), roasted veggies

  • Tuesday:  Baked mac and cheese, Spiced Apple Sauce

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday:  Shakshuka, Sourdough toast, fruit salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Breakfast for dinner (egg and veggie scramble, toast, fruit salad)
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

Tea Collection Black Friday Deals: $10, $12, $15 & $18

Abby H.

** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

So many styles at $10, $12, $15 & $18!

It’s here—time to shop Black Friday deals. From tees to tops, rompers to dresses, pants, shorts, and so much more. Tea Collection has tons of styles at amazing prices.

I’ll be shopping for my youngest Niece and Nephew.

11/21/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgOur  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box is arriving today and I am looking forward to making a big batch of soup! The cold dry weather we’ve been having recently has me in the mood for soup!

This week we’re leaning a lot on what we already had on-hand. My grocery trip for this week is bagels, coffee, cheese, and some garlic (I’m all out!!).

The kids and I are off school/work this week, and we plan on using some of our summer reading program museum passes, visiting the zoo, going to the library, and hanging out with family and friends.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday: Butternut Squash Bisque, rolls, roasted veggies

  • Tuesday: Frozen entrees,  Kale Cranberry Salad

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday:  Thanksgiving dinner with family

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Soup (I have several varieties in the freezer, I’ll defrost one in the morning), garlic bread, salad
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

20 Years Of Tea Collection= $20 Styles

Abby H.

** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Tea Collection is celebrating their 20th Anniversary with a great sale. Select items (found here) are just $20 each! Dresses, rompers, shirts, and more. There are so many cute styles to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites:


 

 

 

 

This sale is the perfect chance to start holiday shopping, or pick up some clothes for the next season!

Most items included in this sale are over 50% off of their original prices!

2022 Holiday Resources

Abby H.

I will be updating this post as more information becomes available.  This year is very light on programs that are open to anyone, so I recommend that you lean on your community resources:

  • If you receive WIC or SNAP benefits, check in with your social worker to see if they have any information on holiday help programs. Events like Toys for Joy are being held on a referral basis only. You have to receive an invitation from the event to attend. These are being given out by social workers and those with connections to the group.
  • If you attend church/synagogue/mosque, check with your religious leader or the secretary/office staff. They may have referrals to programs offering holiday help.
  • Check with your kids’ school. Talk to the school counselor, resource teacher, or school secretary.
  • If you frequent local food charities or co-op’s, they may have some resources on holiday events or toy giveaways.

Here is my monthly list of free food opportunities within San Diego County. Many of the food pantries also have special holiday distributions, so it is worth a call to find out of any additional food or gift distributions will be done.

As of now, I am not aware of any free Christmas tree giveaways, however, as I gather more information, I will update this post.

  • The Salvation Army does an Angel Tree program to gather gifts for children in need. For more information about this program, contact your local Salvation Army location.
  • 211 San Diego has a listing of all sorts of holiday assistance from food to toys, and events- all free. Some programs/events require proof of need, but not all.

santeesantas.pngIf you live in Santee and need help with food and gifts for the holiday, contact Santee Santas. You can download and print forms, check into eligibility (it is income-based and they are very strict from what I’ve been told), and see what forms you need in addition to the application here.

The window to apply for Santee Santas is closing in a few weeks, so if you want to apply, I recommend checking their website TODAY and apply ASAP.

Talk Back: If you know of any CONFIRMED free local holiday events in 2022, please leave a comment. 

 

10/31/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

I’m hoping this week starts an easy descent into the end of 2022. This year has been rough, and I really need some rest.

We are finishing up with TBS therapy at about the end of the year, and it’s really been helpful for the whole family, especially the big kid. It’s been a big part of our lives over the past few months.

I went to the grocery store on Friday night. I didn’t do much meal prep this week. I was exhausted from all the driving and other work I’d done last week. So this week is going to be a lot of low-effort meals. This would be a great week for Dream Dinners, but I didn’t have time to place an order for October.

We’ll be eating a lot of vegetarian/low-meat meals this week. With the ever-increasing cost of groceries, we’re leaning on pantry staples and what’s in the freezer again for this week.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Protein shakes, fruit, and toast (and trick or treating)

  • Tuesday: Beans, Rice, and cheese bowls with roasted veggies

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday:  Pasta with red sauce, spinach salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:    Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers