Lunch Ideas

I am all the time trying to get lunch ideas for my family ---  lunches that we eat at home, on the road as well as at school and work.  I have looked at many ideas and here is the list I came up with: 

apple slices and peanut butter or almond butter or Nutella
 

bagel with butter

baked potato

buttered noodles

carrots, pepper strips, celery & hummus
celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins
chicken nuggets

cold leftover meatloaf with ketchup
cottage cheese and fruit

cream cheese and jelly
 

Egg salad on bread or crackers

English muffin pizzas

fruit cup

fruits and veggies

fruit salad
 

grilled cheese

grilled veggies
guacamole and chips or crackers

ham slices and cheese not on a sandwich
hard boiled eggs

hot dogs and baked beans

hummus and pita and/or veggies
 

kabobs --cheese cubes, fruit cubes, chicken cubes, and veggie cubes

leftovers--which at our house we call "Venegas Buffet"

lettuce leaves to wrap a sandwich instead of break

muffins

nutella and banana

oil-based pasta salad with veggies and meat or tuna
 

pasta salads
PB and banana and/or honey, instead ofjelly
pasta with a bit of butter and grated Parmesan cheese

salad in a container with dressing packed separately
sandwiches with cheese, vegetables, roasted veggies, hummus

sliced oranges
smoothies
soup in thermos*

taco salad

trail mix

tuna salad or chicken salad stuffed into a hollowed out tomato or pepper
 

whole-wheat crackers and cheese, meat, or hummus or pretzel or pita chips
 

yogurt

*Thermos tip: In the morning, heat up soup or the leftovers.  Pout boiling water into your thermos, then pour it out and put the heated up food in there.  Put the thermos lid on.  The food usually will stay warm until lunch time.

Do you have any lunch ideas to share?

Having lots of choices and a list on hand, is my friends, 

Green habits

This year, I chose for one of my resolutions it to develop two new green habits. I have decided one habit it to use more reusable bags to cut down on the plastic bags that are brought into our house.  I don't know about you, but plastic bags seem to over take us. Plastic grocery bags are made from natural gas and petrolium.  I hate the idea of having, yet, another petroleum based product in our house. Someday I would love to be rid of my petroleum dependance.  I have a bunch of canvas bags, but for various reasons, they are not always used.

My new plan is thus:

1. Keep a few canvas bags in the car near the driver's seat so I will see them.

2. Make a note on my grocery list to bring bags.

And, that my friends, is

 

This Year's Goals

'Tis the season of the new year and the accompanying resolutions.  Here is a list of mine for 2013.

Personal
~ In bed by 9:30 - up by 6am (during the week)
~ Treadmill 4x/week
~ Work on photo albums 2x/month
~ Find more ways to perform service for others
~ More gratitude in my heart
~ Cut back to part time work

Family/Marriage/Mother
~ Family Time each Sunday afternoon
~ Miss M plays outside the house 2x/week
~ Date night w/sweetie 2x/month
~ Christmas gifts all ready for wrapping by Thanksgiving.  (Usually I do this, but this year I was behind and it was too stressful for me with last minute gift buying.)

Homemaking
~ Continue to work on being organized by following 52 weeks to an organized home
~ Redo kitchen
~ Paint the downstairs
~ Try two new habits to be more 'green.'
~ Host another community garden
~ get ride of (donate/sell/throw out) 50 boxes of stuff

Financial
~ Pay off medical bill
~ Increase monthly savings amounts for retirement & emergency funds
~ Pay cash for our vacation to Colombia

Business
We are still deciding what direction and what we want to do with our jewelry business.  Those goals will be posted later.


2012 was quite hard for us.  I look to 2013 with a very optimistic heart with many surprises awaiting for us. 

What are your goals for the year?

A Thankful Heart

Last year about this time, I listed 101 things I am grateful for.  This year, I add another 101 reasons that fill my heart.

This year's list:

Mi Colombiano ~ tissue paper ~ bows ~ barrettes ~ lotion ~ tulips ~ sunrises ~ locks ~ skeleton keys ~ laughs ~ riddles ~ arches ~ sand ~ arepas ~ compass ~ trees ~ chocolate kisses ~ philanthropic ~  electricity ~ second chances ~ breakfast in bed ~ gardens ~ savings ~ Utah ~ Oregon ~ Children Museums ~ explorers ~ curiousity ~ parents ~ health ~ siblings ~ goals ~ children ~ raises ~ help ~ Valentine's Day ~ hammocks ~ pebbles ~ Mr. Darcy ~ hikes ~ happy endings ~ septic tanks ~ gifts ~ treasures ~ movies in the park ~ wool ~ cotton ~ ironed sheets ~ Latin ~ running water ~ cut and paste ~ candles ~ bees ~ goat's milk soap ~ FMH ~ God's Country ~ alumni ~ closure ~ new thrift stores ~ game night ~ super glue ~ sticky notes ~ pictures ~ mashed potatoes ~ secret canyons ~ emeralds ~ puzzles ~ holidays ~ vacations ~ quality ~ country ~ old haunts ~ holidays ~ roses ~ traditions ~ Baroque music ~ big speakers ~ history ~ local concerts ~  flirting ~ fresh milk ~ hush puppies ~ PBS ~ lullabies ~ pillows ~ recliners ~ razzleberry pie ~ bon fires ~ Scrabble ~ iron ~ rags ~ birthdays ~ twinkles ~ valleys ~ grace ~ answered prayers ~ paint ~ cousins ~ bubbles ~ new books ~ old friends posing as books ~ Miss M 

For last year's list: CLICK HERE

top 9 posts of 2012

Here are the top 9 posts of my blog viewed in 2012. Enjoy.

9. The ending of summer  I love my summers. The freedom, vacations, gardens and beauty. This past summer thought, was a rough yet blessed summer for us.

8. Frugal Living A -- Z   Being frugal is a top priority for us.  These are some ideas to save money without going insane.

7. Saving $ with the laundry  Quick and cheap--- making your own laundry detergent and stain remover.

6. getting back in the saddle--  Organizing. uggh. Not my strong point.  Here is another attempt at trying again.

5. Money  Life through us a curve ball last spring regarding our finances. Ouch. But, always,  life goes on.

4. Clearance sales  One of the ways we save money is shopping the clearance sales. Fun finds indeed.

3. The Pile  Yep. I am a pile person. (Yes, I know it goes hand in hand with lack of organization.)  And yes. here is the follow up: The Pile No More.

2. disappointments....   they happened a lot this past year, but there is joy in the midst as well.

1. Week 7 of being organized This past year, I took on the 52 Weeks to an Organized Home Challenge.  There were some high points, and some sluggish points.  Week 7 was a good one for me.


Here's hoping for a fantastic 2013 that will be debt free, simple and joyful.  Cheers.

And that, my friends, is