Menu Plan Monday: March 11th Edition

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Menu Plan Monday
March 9th – March 24th

 

Saturday, 9 (Party at Katies) – Sausage Gravy and Biscuits/ Eggs

Sunday, 10 – Shrimp Alfredo Pasta (Double)with Garlic Bread and Broccoli

Monday, 11th (working late) – Tater Tot Hotdish

Tuesday, 12th (Soccer @ 7:00) – Chicken Fajita Bowls/ Tortilla chips – emeals 469 (*Use the Chicken Thighs up with this recioe)

Wednesday, 13th – Vegetable Oven Omelet/ English Muffins (Emeals # 472)

Thursday, 14th (Soccer @ 8:00) – Swiss Turkey Tenderloin Strips – Carrots (Simple & Delicious Cookbook pg 30)

Friday, 15th (working late) – Fish Sandwiches/ Chips

Saturday, 16th – Short Rib Barley Soup – Yeast Rolls (soup cooks 5 hours)

Sunday, 17th (St Patty’s)- Corned Beef and Cabbage

Monday, 18th (Soccer @ 7:45) – BLT Chicken Salad/ Pita Crackers and Pear Slices  (Emeals # 472)

Tuesday, 19th (working Late) – Unforgettable Chicken Casserole/ Green Beans Crescent Rolls  (Emeals # 472)

Wednesday, 20th – Meatball Sandwiches/ Celery and Dip and Chips (Emeals # 472)

Thursday, 21st (Soccer @ 8:00) – Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta/ Sliced Pineapple (Emeals # 472)

Friday, 22nd – Broiled Tilapia Parmesan (Allrecipes)/ Risotto/Veggies

Saturday, 23rd (1st Communion Class) – Beef Enchiladas and Spanish Rice

Sunday, 24th – Saucy Pork Chop Skillet= (Taste of Home Feb/Mar 2013)

 

Recipes to Try:

Pesto Caprese Chicken

Roast Lemon Garlic Roasted Carrots

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie. and participate in Menu Plan Monday. More menu planning fun can be found at The Organised Housewife.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

EMEALS EASY AND DELICIOUS DINNER RECIPES

 

Financial Peace University: Leap of Faith

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This is your chance to make a new beginning.   Take the chance and take this leap of faith with us and get started on changing your financial future. You might be reading this and saying, right now my kids are little so this won’t work for my family. Or you might be thinking, we don’t have enough money to start this.

When your kids are young is the perfect time to start this journey as you will be teaching your children through example financial skills that they will take with them into adulthood. If you don’t have enough money to do this…..that means more than anything this is something you NEED to do. Have faith, you are stronger than you know! The biggest hurdle you have to jump over to start this journey is yourself. 80% of your success begins with changing your behavior.

Don’t go it alone, join a local Financial Peace class which is offered at many churches across the country. Go to Dave Ramsey.com to find a class near you.   Keep in mind; if you are married it is crucial that you and your spouse begin this journey together.  Couples must have agreement on spending, saving, debt reduction and planning or your plan will fail before it even starts. 

Learn how to beat debt and build wealth with Dave Ramsey’s Seven Baby Steps.  This is the foundation of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. 

Step 1:  $1,000 in an emergency fund

Step 2:  Pay off All debt except the house – debt snowball

Step 3: Three to Six expenses in Savings

Step 4: Invest 15% of income into Roth IRA and pre-tax retirement plans.

Step 5:  College Funding

Step 6: Pay off Home Early

Step 7:  Build wealth and give!

Where do I start???  Stop going into DEBT.  If you don’t have cash for your purchase, don’t buy it.   After our first class we took all of our credit cards out of our wallets and did not use them.  We even cut some of them up….not all of them, that was too scary!!!

Dave Ramsey on Baby Step #1 –

Focus on Baby Step #1 – $1,000 in an emergency fund.  This step is extremely important.  By having $1,000 in the bank, you end your dependency on Credit Cards for unplanned events.   We have saved $1,000 and spent it on an emergency more times than I can count!    But the whole point is we had the money we needed and didn’t have to rely on credit. 

Next week we will talk about how we started on a budget for the first time in our life! There is that word; you knew it would be coming……BUDGET! It is a good thing, really! Until next week find those financial statements, make a list of your debts and total them up. It is very important to write them all down so you can see the number. That is the prep for Baby Step 2.

If you have any questions or would like us to blog about how we handle any aspect of our FPU journey, just leave us a comment. We would be happy to share what we have learned along the way.

Blessings,

Paul & Jen

 

Other Articles in our FPU Series:
Our FPU Story: That was then…..This is now
Financial Peace University
FPU: Leap of Faith
Budgeting…Time to Make a Plan
FPU: Inside Our Weekly Budget Meeting
FPU: Sink Your Debt with a Sinking Fund
Groceries: Cut the Dance and Start to Wiggle!
Summer, Soccer and avoiding the Golden Arches

 

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Menu Plan Monday: February 25th Edition

MPM-Winter

Menu Plan Monday
February 23rd – March 10th

Saturday, 23rd – Chicken Risotto – veggie

Sunday, 24th (Magnuson Sunday)- Short Rib Barley Soup – Yeast Rolls (soup cooks 5 hours)

Monday, 25 (Soccer 7:45) – Beef Stroganoff with Green Beans

Beef Stroganoff (double recipe) – Peas

1 lb ground beef
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
(1 t salt, 1 t onion powder)
(¼ c water, 1 t beef bouillon cube)
1 pkg egg noodles
1 pkg frozen peas

In large skillet, brown the ground beef; drain. Add sour cream, soup, salt, onion powder and water to skillet. Heat to a low boil; add bouillon. Stir to dissolve; reduce heat to simmer.

Tuesday, 26 (Soccer 7:00) – Mom’s Mac N Cheese (Double) – Polish Hot Dogs

Wednesday, 27 (Church 6:30) – Pesto Pepper Tortellini (Simple & Delicious Cookbook pg 33), Salad

Thursday, 28 (Conferences 7:20) – Chili & Frito Chips (crockpot) Double Recipe

Friday, 1 – Chilli Hotdogs – Fries

Saturday, 2 (Date Night) – Tater Tot Hotdish

Sunday, 3 – Swiss Turkey Tenderloin Strips – Carrots  (Simple & Delicious Cookbook pg 30)

Monday, 4 (Mom Works Late- Soccer 7:45) – Pot Pies

Tuesday, 5 (Soccer 7:00) – Bow Tie Beef Skillet – Salad (Simple & Delicious Cookbook pg 29)

Wednesday, 6 – Herbed Tuna Sandwiches/Pickles (Double)/ Grapes and Chips  (Simple & Delicious Cookbook pg 123)

Thursday, 7 – (Soccer 8:00) – Sausage Gravy and Biscuits/ Eggs

Friday, 8 – Pizza/ Cheese PIzza

Saturday, 9 (Party at Katies) – Chicken Fajita Bowls/ Tortilla chips – emeals 469

Sunday, 10 – Shrimp Alfredo Pasta (Double)with Garlic Bread and Broccoli

 

Homemade Chocolate PUdding

Pizza Ideas…

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie. and participate in Menu Plan Monday. More menu planning fun can be found at The Organised Housewife.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

 

Financial Peace University……

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Have you ever yearned for peace regarding your finances? Ever wish you were more prepared for emergencies and not living paycheck to paycheck? Our family had weathered a few financial storms over the years and long-yearned for financial peace, so we decided to check out Financial Peace University. Little did we realize how very much we needed FPU in our life! FPU teaches God’s ways of handling money.

We’d never made a big deal of discussing our finances. Once in FPU classes we realized we were not alone in being off-course with ourf inances and communications. We found the consistency of the weekly meetings helpful in really developing and keeping the consistent groundwork we needed for success.

FPU was life changing for our family. One revelation for us as parents was that we could literally change our family tree. We are providing our children with the tools and examples of how to handle their money God’s way. Even our 5th grader understands that when he earns money, he will divide it to give, save and spend.There is so much joy in knowing our children’s future will be brighter due to FPU. After watching a couple of the videos with us our son and his fiancé decided to take the course to start their life together on the right foot financially. It is with great joy that we now watch our son and his wife living within their means and enjoying financial peace of their own! We only wish we had started our marriage at the financial place they have.

Financial Peace University has been wonderful for our marriage.The FPU principles keep us on track financially as a couple. We have a simple weekly budget meeting to make financial decisions and pay bills together. We have shared goals and values which has increased the sense of unity in our relationship.

Since graduating from FPU we’ve loved serving as course panel members! We are reinvigorated in our journey and renewed in our commitment by the new FPU graduates. We are lucky to also be joined on the panel by our son and his wife. This strengthens our commitment as a family to live peacefully, free of debt.

Through participating in FPU you not only experience a transformation; you witness how FPU gives others the tools to be more at peace financially, and spiritually. Watching the transformation from a sense of despair to a sense of hope and possibility is incredible to witness. Truly, through Christ all things are possible!

We love sharing our passion for FPU with family and friends so they may enjoy the financial peace we are discovering. We choose to live like no one else, so later we can live like no one else…DEBT FREE! We would like to invite you to check out the upcoming Financial Peace University at First Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake. Join our family in the journey to beat debt and discover the financial peace we all yearn for.

For more information on attending FPU contact Jeff at First Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake.  FPU starts Tuesday, February 26th at First Lutheran.   Don’t live in the White Bear Lake area???   Use the find a class page on Dave Ramsey’s website to find a class near you.  

Financial Peace University will teach you to take control of your money, invest for the future and give like never before.  Take the plunge, you will not regret it….FPU is life changing! 

Blessings,

Paul and Jen

Look for more articles in the future about our Financial Peace journey…….

Other Articles in our FPU Series:
Our FPU Story: That was then…..This is now
Change Takes a Leap of Faith

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Above the comment box is the heading SIgn in to Comment –
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Then simply comment and hit submit!!

 

Menu Plan Monday: February 11th Edition

MPM-Winter

Menu Plan Monday
February 10th – February 24th

Sun 10th – Confetti Chicken Bake with Cheddar Biscuit Topping (good)

Monday, 11th – Chili & Frito Chips (crockpot)

Tuesday – Split Pea and Sausage Soup (Simple & Delicious Dec/January 2013 – page 73), – Crockpot – 7 hours

Wed – Tortellini Spinach Casserole (Simple & Delicious Feb/March 2013 – page 20), Salad

Thurs – Steak – Chive Red Potatoes (Simple & Delicious Feb/March 2013 – page 29), Veggies (Sam’s Medley) – No Bake Cherry Cheesecake

Friday – Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches/ Chips (Emeals – #468)

Sat – Shrimp Alfredo Pasta with Garlic Bread and Broccoli

Sunday – Pork Chops with Mushroom-Tarragon Sauce and Vegetable and Barley Pilaf   (Simple & Delicious Feb/March 2013 – page 30)

Monday – Rib Dinner – Baked Potato and Salad

Tuesday –  Monte Cristo Sandwiches – Apple Slices – Chips (Emeals – #467)

Wednesday – Creamy Cavatappi & Cheese / COrn- Cantaloupe (Simple & Delicious Feb/March 2013 – page 19)

Thursday – Tortellini & Sausage Medley with Garlic Bread (Emeals – #467)

Friday – Crunchy Fish, Rice and Veggie (green Beans)

Saturday – Chicken Risotto – veggie

SUnday- Short Rib Barley Soup – Yeast Rolls  (soup cooks 5 hours)

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie. and participate in Menu Plan Monday. More menu planning fun can be found at The Organised Housewife.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

 

Recipes to try……

Chocolate Frosted Brownies

Menu Plan Monday: January 28th

MPM-Winter

Menu Plan Monday
January 26th – February 10th

 

Saturday, 26th – Split Pea and Sausage Soup (Crockpot) (Simple and Delicious Dec/Jan 2013pg 73) – GOOD

Sunday, 27th – Prosciuto-Pepper Pork Chops (good) and Italain Mixed Veggies (No) (Simple and Delicious Dec/Jan 2013pg 66)

Mon 28th (soccer 7:45) – French Toast, Sausages

Tues 29th (Gala Mtg 6:30) – Crockpot Chicken and Noodle Soup  (good add to site)

Wed 30th (4:00 HV) – 3 Cheese Baked Penne, Ceasar Salad, Garlic Bread (Emealz – 466) (No – too dry)

Thurs 31st – (Soccer @ 8:00) – Potato Leek Soup (Simple and Delicious Dec/Jan 2013pg 17)

Fri 1st  – Beef and Cheese Chimichangas/ Corn (Emealz -466) (good at to site)

Sat 2nd – Pancakes, Eggs and Bacon

Sun 3rd-  Roast and Winter Vegetables (very good veggies)

Mon 4th (Mom Not Home) – Bertolli Pizza

Tues 5th (soccer @ 7:00) – Beef Stroganoff with Green Beans

Beef Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef
8 oz sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
(1 t salt, 1 t onion powder)
(¼ c water, 1 t beef bouillon cube)
1 pkg egg noodles
1 pkg frozen peas

In large skillet, brown the ground beef; drain. Add sour cream, soup, salt, onion powder and water to skillet. Heat to a low boil; add bouillon. Stir to dissolve; reduce heat to simmer.

Wed 6th (CHURCH) – Sausage Gravy and Biscuits/ Eggs

Thurs 7th (Soccer @ 8:00) – Shrimp Alfredo Pasta with Garlic Bread

Fri 8 th – Hamburgers and Fries /Onion Rings

Sat 9th – Chicken Pot Pie Soup -Biscuits (Taste of Home Mag -Feb/March 2013 – pg 64)

Sun 10th – Confetti Chicken Bake with Cheddar Biscuit Topping

 

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie. and participate in Menu Plan Monday.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

 

To Try….

Pink Sugar Cookie Bars

 

Menu Plan Monday: December 31st Edition

MPM-Winter

Menu Plan Monday
December 30th- January 13th

 

Sunday 30th – Thai Thighs, Ramen Noodles, Apple Peanut Cole Slaw

Monday 31st – Appetizers – Chicken Wings/ Parmesan Potato Wedges/ (good add to site) Apple Peanut Cole Slaw/

Tuesday 1st – Prime Rib, Smashed Red Potatoes (Simple & Delicious Cookbook -Pg 157 – Add to Site), California Blend Veggies

Wednesday 2nd – Wild Rice & Vegetable Beef Soup (Biggest Book of Soups & Stews -page 326 – Good add to site)

Thursday 3rd – Pork Chow Mein – (New Taste of Home Cookbook –  page 173) (good – Double recipe for our family)

Friday 4th – Hot Dogs and Hamburgers – French Fries  and Secret Sauce

Saturday 5th – Chunky Potato & Ham Chowder – (Biggest Book of Soups & Stews – page 170)

Sunday 6th – Roasted Chicken in Dutch Oven,  Corn and Mashed Potatoes (good)

Monday 7th – Lazy Lasagna – Garlic Bread

Tuesday 8th – Creamy Prosciutto Pasta Garlic Bread (good)

Wednesday 9th – Breaded Pork Chops (Simple & Delicious Cookbook -Pg 20), Creamy Italian Noodles, The Frugal Girl’s Roasted Carrots (excellent, Carrots!!)

Thursday 10th – Chicken Risotto, Vegetable

Friday 11th – Fish and Chips

Saturday 12th – (Grocery Day) – Left Overs

Sunday 13th – Old Fashioned Beef Stew – (Biggest Book of Soups & Stews – page 250)

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie. and participate in Menu Plan Monday.

Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

 

Recipes to Try:

Instant Oatmeal Packets

French Toast Sticks

Valentine’s Thin Mints

 

Menu Plan Monday: December 17th Edition

MPM-Winter

Menu Plan Monday
December 1st – December 16th

 

I am only planning a weeks worth of meals this time.  My plan over the Christmas week is to complete a pantry/freezer challenge in preparation of buying 1/2 of a pig with a friend.   Since I am on vacation over Christmas, I will have time to cook and plan meals to use up everything in the freezers!

Monday – Crispy Baked Tilapia, Roasted Asparagus/Brussel Sprouts/ Baked Potato

Tuesday – Shepherd’s Pie, Buttery Baby Carrots

Wednesday – Italian Steak Salad Garlic Toast

Thursday – Bacon Cheeseburger Pizzza, Tator Tots

Friday – BBQ Nachos

Saturday – Coymas – amazing food by Dan Miller!!!

Sunday – Thai Thighs, Ramen Noodles, Apple Peanut Cole Slaw

**All meals this week are from Emeals – Aldi Classic Family Plan #459

 

For more Menu Planning inspiration stop by and visit Laura at Organizing Junkie. and participate in Menu Plan Monday.

What is on your Menu this week? Wishing you all a wonderful week!!!

Happy Cooking!!

A Week of Random Act of Christmas Kindness

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We continue to perform Random Acts of Christmas Kindness, but I can’t seem to find time to blog about them.   We were not always able to complete the act we had planned, but always found something that we could do to bless someone each and every day!
 
Acts of Christmas Kindness this week include:
 
Drive Thru Difference – paid for the lunch of the car behind us at Wendy’s drive through.  It took a bit to convince the drive thru employee this was what we wanted to do!  He said to us, “What do I tell the guy??”  Hubby and I looked at each other and said, “Merry Christmas!”
 
Shoveling – I will admit this Random Act was completely done by my hubby and sons while I was in bed.  Hubby and the boys went to the church at 6:45am to shovel before the congregation and I came to service!   We experienced a big snow storm in Minnesota and had about 14 inches of snow during that storm.  There was ALOT of shoveling going on!
 
Treats to church staff – we are blessed with wonderful church staff and brought them treats one morning to let them know how much we appreciate them.
 
Our furnace needed repair, so of course we blessed the repairman with homemade caramels!  It was cute, he said as I gave them to him, “My grandfather used to make caramels.”  It was nice to remind him of that memory!
 
Treats and notes of encouragement to friends!  We are blessed with such amazing people in our lives.  It was a great time to remind them how wonderful they are.  We hope we brightened their days.
 
Generous tip to the Jimmy John’s delivery man.   I order Jimmy Johns about once a month and have it delivered to my office.   I usually have the same delivery man, so this time I gave him a 100%+ tip.  He started to give me change and I said, “Keep the Change”.   He looked at me and said in disbelief, “Are you serious??”   I told him, “Yes, Merry Christmas”   I can’t tell you how many people meet kindness with disbelief.  
 
Random Act of Christmas Kindness: Day 14
 
Today is such a sad day, that I felt the need to bless others with my youngest son!
 
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Our first stop was at Festival to buy two small poinsettias.   We took these to St John’s hospital and gave them to the head nurse to give to patients she felt needed a little brightening of their day!
 
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Next stop – Maplewood Mall
Tommy and I armed ourselves with Coloring books, Crayons and Matchbox cars. We went to the play area near the food court and gave out gifts to families/children there.   We would ask the parents if we could give their child a gift as a random act of kindness.   All said, “yes”.  I was happy to empty our bag as it was HEAVY!  
 
I found it interesting that one Dad asked me, “What church are you with??”   Hmmm…did we have to be Christians to be doing nice things?   Well, of course we are,and I told which church we attended but I did find the question interesting.   I explained to him that my family is trying to do a Random Act of Kindness each day to shift our focus this Christmas from receiving to giving.  We want to teach our son about compassion, generosity and the true meaning of Christmas.  
 
Another Dad asked us if we were sure we wanted to give his little girl the coloring book.  Of course we did!!  Merry Christmas dear families – hug those little ones near as they are such blessings.
 
 
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We had quarters that we used to fill all the little kid candy machines.  While we were filling them two little boys came up and I pointed out to them that there were already quarters in the machines and they should turn the knob!  Oh, the smiles those quarters produced!!  I was impressed that they each turned only two, as every machine had quarters in them!
 
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We had a few quarters left so we taped the exact change to the pop machines too!   I will admit we got a few weird looks, but we have never prided ourselves on being normal!
 
If being kind is not normal……we don’t want to be normal!
 
 
 
We hope your Christmas season is filled with peace & joy! 

Merry Christmas!!

The Coyan Family – Lighting up WBL with Kindness

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