Monday, February 9, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

Wow...it's 8:45 on Monday, and I forgot about MPM. Yikes! Here ya go...

Monday: turkey breast slices, gravy, potatoes, green beans
Tuesday: roasted Boston butt, broccoli, salad, lima beans
Wednesday: baked pork chops, corn, green beans
Thursday: sloppy joes, peas, salad
Friday: ??? Jake's at a sleepover, so possibly Applebee's (we have a gift card)
Saturday: turkey a la king, green beans
Sunday: lunch - roundsteak and gravy, potatoes, salad; supper - leftovers

I've also already planned the two weeks after this...but I'm gonna make you wait for it! hehehe

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Devotional

I have to share a page from my morning devotion book. This was from January 22, but it's been on my heart since then...I had to share.

Show Me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long. Psalm 25:4-5

Start your day saying, "I am excited about this day, God. I can hardly wait to see what you are going to do . I believe You are going to keep me, help me, bless me, and give me favor. I love You, Father. I am waiting on You, Lord, and I am listening to You."
Ask God to put into your spirit everything He wants you to know. Ask Him to show you things to come and what you are supposed to do (see John 16:13). He will give you direction, and you will have much to praise Him for today.


This devotion is from Joyce Meyer's Starting Your Day Right. There are short devotions for every day of the year. I'm so glad I purchased the book last fall. If you don't have it, I highly recommend it!

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

my plan for now...

Unemployment has been filed. I found out yesterday that I am qualified and will make within a few dollars the same money I was making while working. Thank you God!

I'm hoping to get a call for an interview for the job that I really want at the hospital. I have a connection there...a former boss is the past president of the hospital foundation (that's where the job is), and she is currently still on the board. I've also been praying for favor for this job. I've not worked in the fundraising world before...I've lived it with football, band, church, etc, but never had to do it for work. I think this position would be exciting and not boring, but also one that I could do well as organized as I am. Please join with me in praying for favor with this position!

Today is the first day Jake's been back to school. They were already scheduled to be out yesterday for professional development. This is a day I would have normally been at work after dropping Jake at school. So far today has included dropping Jake at school, one load of laundry, updating the checkbook and organizing some bills, filing all the paid bills from the beginning of this year, grocery shopping at three different stores, putting said groceries away, and beginning to cook two boston butts I bought.

I also took some time while folding a load of laundry to watch the episode of Jon and Kate Plus 8 that I recorded last night. I just really like that show. She cracks me up most of the time. There are moments that I can SOOOOO relate to her, then, of course, there are others where I think she's way too hard on her husband. But we're all guilty of that at some time or another, aren't we? They're officially moved into their new home. This house seems amazing! They have so much more room and actual acreage with the house, too. I'm excited to see future episodes to see how the family adjusts to the new home.

I've officially completed my first whole scrapbook ever! I'd never scrapped our vacation to Orlando and Cocoa Beach from 2005. Now it's done. Guess I'll be moving on to do some more work on Jake's football book. I started it last year, but didn't get very far.

I'm also doing something new this year...Project 365. Becky Higgins designed a kit for Creating Keepsakes to help scrap these pics. Here's what it's all about...you take one photo per day for an entire year. At the end of the year you've got 365 pics. Well, the kit went on sale and sold out within an hour or two on New Years Day. Needless to say I didn't get one. Now you can order it, but it'll be on back order. I'm still debating on whether or not to purchase the kit. I know it'd save lots of time...but would be very individualized. In other words, my Project 365 book will look like hundreds of other's when we're all done. So, I'm still thinking of just winging it on my own. However, at some point pretty soon, I am going to have to begin the scrapping process of these pictures...'cause I sure as heck can't wait till the end of the year! =)

While I'm waiting for that call to schedule an interview, I've decided to make the most of my time. I'm going to try to get some extra cleaning done around the house and get some extra food in the freezer (already cooked). I know once I'm back at work full time things around here will have to change some. I haven't worked 40 hours per week in about two years. I'll admit it's been wonderful, and I have felt very spoiled. But I will also admit that having two full time paychecks coming into our bank account will be very nice, too! For now, though...I'm gonna be Miss Holly Homemaker...and enjoy every minute!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Menu Plan Monday



Last night's sports extravaganza prevented me from posting this early. Please forgive me. When I got back from the Super Bowl party we went to, I was in NO mood to blog. Argh! Let's just say the game didn't go my way. Oh well...

This should be a faily easy cooking week. I'm hoping to have to squeeze at least one job interview into my week. =)

Monday: baked pork chops, salad, peas
Tuesday: ham and cheese quiche
Wednesday: baked chicken breasts, potatoes, broccoli
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: eggs, hashbrowns, sausage and gravy
Saturday: chicken a la king
Sunday: leftovers

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A wrench...

Well a wrench definitely got thrown in my Menu Plan for this week. However, it wasn't because of the winter storm as I'd previously expected. My microwave decided to die last night (Tuesday). Tonight was to be turkey a la king over baked potatoes. Well, there was no way I was gonna bake those potatoes in the conventional oven. That'd take waaaay too long. Instead I made a nice pot of chili. It kind of "suited" the day anyway since we had about 3 inches of sleet/freezing rain topped with 3-4 inches of snow on the ground outside.

It's now 8pm, and I have a nice, shiny, SPOTLESS, new black microwave installed over my stove. Jim was able to get it done with very minimal grunting and grumbling (for which I am extremely thankful). I know installing a microwave was not what he had planned for his evening. I'm am so thankful he is a great handyman!

He boiled some water in the new appliance, so it's been initiated. It's workout will come tomorrow when we're reheating all the leftovers from the first half of the week.

I'll wrap this post up with one of the cutest pics ever taken of our dog, Tuffy. He LOVES the snow. It's like he's a puppy again - running and cavorting in the fluffy white stuff. Anyway, I made him wait to come in until after I could snap this pic this morning. He looks none to happy about it either! =)

25 Random Things About Me

This little beauty is running all around Facebook right now. My cousin tagged me, so I had to do my part. Figured I'd post it here to my blog for posterity's sake.

25 Random Things About Me:

1. I am most times embarrassed by how many jobs I have had...especially now that I'm looking for a new one AGAIN. But, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God led me to each of those jobs for a reason.
2. Jim and I talked on the phone every night for at least 3 or 4 hours the week before we met.
3. Jim and I got engaged after only two weeks of dating.
4. I have the most wonderful husband in the world.
5. My desk/work area at my job MUST be completely in order for me to be able to work, but my house is cluttered. Go figure...
6. Some nights from out of nowhere I still have extremely vivid dreams about my mom (she passed away in February 2004).
7. I will never, ever forget the details of the last night/hours of my mom's life. It was a horrible night, but God was gracious enough to place a handful of "sweet" moments thoughout those hours.
8. I still get giddy at the thought of missing work for a snow day.
9. One of my eyebrows is slightly higher than the other.
10. I love to work word search puzzles...I keep a book of them in my car, in the living room, and even in the bathroom.
11. When I was in high school cruising the "big block" I used to have everyone's headlights memorized so I could honk at the people I liked. (yes, I was/am a dork!)
12. I love staying in hotels.
13. I love planning trips...even if we never get to take them.
14. I have a notched ear from falling onto a fireplace hearth as a child. My son was born with a notched ear just like mine. That's how Jim knew the nurses were bringing us the right baby while we were in the hospital after his birth.
15. There are times I miss my Mom and Granny so much I think my heart will explode.
16. Any time I hear a siren near my house I am VERY tempted to get in my car and chase it. My eyes get big, and Jim just laughs at me.
17. I love monster trucks, mud races, NASCAR and football.
18. I love nail polish that stays on even after showering and washing dishes.
19. Snakes up close and personal make me need clean underwear, but put them behind glass at the zoo and I could watch them ALL day.
20. I love going to the zoo.
21. I have had a few paranormal experiences, but think I'd be too scared to ever do an investigation with TAPS.
22. 99% of the time I no longer need an alarm clock to wake up by 5:30 or 6am every day.
23. If someone calls our house and can't pronounce our last name when they ask for Mr. or Mrs. Monteith, I usually just hang up on them.
24. I hardly ever cook something according to the recipe...I usually have to "tweak" something in it. Amazingly, I have only had to throw out TWO dishes of food in our 15 years of marriage. One of those I even followed the recipe exactly.
25. Other than the dog, I am officially the shortest person in my home now.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Menu Plan Monday

What a great weekend! It's been fun! I attended my first ever scrap. There's a small group Bible study at church that meets once a month from 9am to 5pm that I've been trying to get to for almost a year. However, every Saturday it's been planned I've had something already planned. Until yesterday! There were about 15 of us that showed up. Some stayed just a few hours, and some stayed all day...like me. I really didn't know what to expect. I spent Thursday and Friday evenings putting together about 9 spreads to take and complete. I had everything planned, so all I had left to do was piece it all together. By the end of the day I had completed 5 spreads (10 pages). I had the best time, too. It was nice spending time with the "girls"...something I don't do nearly often enough. What was funny, though, was that the "girls" ranged in age from late twenties to early seventies! It was a blast. I'm already ready for next month's meeting!

I think I'm FINALLY gonna get the snow I've been hoping for. Right now the National Weather Service is calling for us to get at least 4 inches of snow plus some sleet between Monday night and Tuesday night. OF COURSE I'll HAVE to go to the grocery store tomorrow. Not really because we need all that much, but just to experience the mayhem. =)

I've got my Menu Plan ready for this week, but if the snow comes we may throw caution to the wind and just eat whatever we want. And if the power goes out I'm not promising any plan will be followed!

Here's what's on the books for this week:
Monday - turkey pot pie, broccoli, salad; Tuesday - marinated chicken breasts, hominy, salad or green beans; Wednesday - turkey a la king served over baked potatoes; Thursday - chicken stir fry; Friday - Mexican take-out probably (my guys will be at our church's annual Wild Game Feast); Saturday - tacos; Sunday - velveeta dip and bacon-wrapped little smokies while we enjoy the Super Bowl.

I'm also chugging right along with the job hunt. I applied for another job Friday with the foundation of one of the local hospitals. I'm praying for favor with that application. One of my former employers is on the board of the hospital foundation. I was able to speak with her on the phone Friday afternoon and give her a heads up that I applied for the spot. I believe this is a job that I'd really enjoy. It's full time and has great benefits. I'll keep you posted!