Here’s a Quick Look back at our week :
And then attended my Uncle Jerry’s funeral and was able to see some cousins.
It was a fun but busy week.
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Our weekly snapshot
Friday, July 18, 2025
Weekly Menu
As I sit here and look at the calendar, I feel like I can maybe take a little breath and enjoy a slow down with everyone home. Don't get me wrong, as I've said before, I love that my guys are doing what they love and what they want to be doing along side so many great friends BUT I also love when everything slows down to a speed that is better associated with the slow summer feel! Here is the plan for the next week.
Friday - My guys are home! We are attending a funeral in the evening so it’s a grab and go at home dinner.
Saturday - We are planning to have dinner at my moms
Sunday - tacos
Monday - beef and pasta Soup and Crescents
Tuesday - dinner at my moms with my brother and sister-in-law
Wednesday - Youth Groups? Maybe. Otherwise Waffles and Sausage
Thursday - Broccoli cheesy noodle soup, ham, and biscuits
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Recipe Fun - Asian Beef with Mushrooms and Snow Peas with Butter Rice
I used to post a recipe almost weekly. If you recall, recently I went back through my blog and tried a few recipes from years past. I also found that we tend to always revert back to the same favorites even after all of these years. In another endeavor to ward off meal planning boredom, I recently cleaned out and organized my recipe file and have been working on planning meals a little better with a little more variety.
A week or so ago, I brought out an old favorite that I haven't made in quite a long time and parred it with a brand new recipe. I wasn't sure how they would go over now but, considering the fact that there was absolutely nothing left, I think they were both a hit.
The first recipe is Asian Beef with Mushrooms and Snow Pea which can be found HERE. I love good Chinese food but it is honestly hard to find and often times expensive (especially when it is REALLY good). This recipe is so flavorful and really quite easy. One trick I learned through other recipes is to dust the beef in cornstarch before cooking it and it will get nice and crispy on the outside. Another great thing about Chinese influenced recipes is that vegetables can easily be switched out or even left out. For example, if you don't enjoy mushrooms, feel free to leave those out or substitute onions or carrots. Next time I make this recipe I will add more meat and veggies and, well, we all wanted more and it was gone! BUT, the recipe itself makes plenty of sauce (at least in my opinion and I'm a saucy girl LOL).
The second recipe is Stick of Butter Rice and can be found HERE. Quite a few years ago I found a basic Baked Rice recipe (HERE) that I have used often for meals like stir fry. It is super easy and the oven does all of the work (Instead of needing to watch a pot). This particular recipe has shown up either in Pinterest or on Facebook quite a few times over the past few months so I decided it was worth a try and I am so glad I tried it! It is easy, makes the house smell amazing, and tastes just so good! It is full of beefy flavor and really added to the Beef stir-fry. I cooked it in a 9x9 pan and it turned out perfectly but other recipes mentioned using and 8x8 or even a 9x11 and they all turned out. I did not slice the butter - I just laid the whole stick right on top. When you take time to stir the rice at the 30 minute mark, the butter is melted and can be fully incorporated at that point. Now, here's my "sneaky" moment - there is one person in my household who doesn't care for chunks of onion in things but this recipe calls for 1 can of condensed French onion soup which is full of (wonderful) onions. I drained the soup into the rice so I still had all the flavor but none of the onions!
These will both become more frequent residents in my menu rotations! They are both so tasty and also easy to throw together!
Sunday, July 13, 2025
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Our Weekly Snapshot
Here’s a look back at our week:
Joshua got a haircut this week too.
Here are a few more photos from Nate’s week of camp and, yes, he is in every photo if you search. 🤣
Friday, July 11, 2025
Weekly Menu
We have what I call a "quick turn around weekend". Why? Simply because one kid comes home and we have about 24 hours to get everything washed and repack before BOTH kids head off to a week of camp. Whew! Yes, that is right - both boys are heading off to camp for a week. I'm thankful they both get to go together :-) I'm hopeful to accomplish some things I want to get done.
Friday - We will probably get something out tonight. .
Saturday - Planning for dinner at my moms :-)
Sunday - Crock Pot Spare Ribs, Applesauce, and cheesy potatoes
Monday - Breakfast Enchiladas, Fruit Salad
Tuesday - I'm planning to be able to pick up something for dinner.
Wednesday - Beef and Pasta Soup and Bread
Thursday - It is our last night of no kids (that went fast LOL) so tonight, again, I'm hoping for something that we can pick up.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
July Goals
We are unofficially have way through the summer (isn't that what July 4th symbolizes??) Plus we are officially 1/2 way through 2025! July is always a good time to regroup on goals, look at what still needs to be done, and figure out how to accomplish the things that are most important to me. July "should" actually slow down a little - yes, my guys both go to camp but that just means they are gone leaving me (hopefully) more time to get some things done my "list". Have I ever mentioned that I love lists? HA! (Because I do!!)
Here are my goals for July!
1. Declutter the basement. I have made steady progress on this and am continuing with my goal of basically going through one bin/box/bag/shelf a day - but when I start with one I usually end up going through several depending on how much time I have available. I don't have a set goal in mind of where I want to be on this project by the end of July - I just want to continue on with progress.
2. Scrapbook - If you read by 101 in 1001 days goals you know I have quite a bit of scrapbooking to get done. Based on what I specifically want done this year - I have a few goals for July. 1) Finish two total months in 2011 2) Finish January and February of 2025 3) Get all of the memorabilia in an album if completed or ready to go in albums not completed.
3. Finish up the last things in Josh's room - he and I have already talked about this and what needs to be done and plan to do it the week Nate is at camp. Really, we have 2-3 hours total of work to do so it isn't much.
4. Fix a board in Nate's bed - this is really Darryl's item BUT it goes on my list LOL It's not a hard task - just have to find a board, cut it to size and screw it in! (We've done this before)
5. Figure out Google Workspace (Nate is helping me with this so hopefully he can figure it out HA!). Then, once I can actually access it, I need to upload all of our co-op documents to our workspace for others to access.
6. Clean out all of the co-op documents on my computer.
7. Nate has asked to paint basketball lines in the driveway so I do have a goal of helping him accomplish this project - my part comes more in the motivation and buying the paint - - his part comes in painting what he wants!
8. Sell our unused homeschool books (or attempt to sell).
9. Deep clean the living room. This will also include figuring out and organizing the "cord" situation behind the TV and in other areas of the living room.
10. Re-learn/Master "It is Well with my Soul" piano arrangement.
11. Memorize a scripture verse (part of my 101/10001 is to learn one verse a month)
12. Read at least 6 books including at least one non-fiction (part of my 101/1001)
13. Repaint everything that is white in my house (trim/doors). This is on the list because we have some painting to do in Josh's room that includes, well, white paint. I figured that if I have it out, we might as well use it!
14. Steam clean the dining room rug. I did not do this when I deep cleaned the dining room as I wanted to wait until I was doing the Living Room carpet anyway. This will get done this month!
15. Deep clean my truck - I usually do this during Worship camp but it didn't get done. Hopefully this month!
16. Plan and Prep at least 4 of my Joyful classes.
17. Clean out my jewelry.
18. Wash the kitchen rugs.
19. Deep clean/organize the garage - this might sit on my goals list until fall but just in case we get a surprisingly cool few days in July, I'll add it.
20. Complete the Flylady room cleaning each week.
21. Go on a date with Darryl.
22. Finish up Joshua's transcripts and plan for the fall (11th grade!)
23. Find time to have a bonfire or two - with hot dogs and smore's!
24. Once the living room is done, deep clean the bathroom.
25. Complete at least 1/2 of these goals! (This is always my favorite goal LOL )
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