FREE CHOCOLATE!!!

It's Friday and you know what that means! FREE CHOCOLATE!! Just go here to get yours. Limit of one per week, four per household during the promotion period.

Menu Plan Monday

I know that I am a wee late in posting this, but I have good reason (at least I think so)...my parents are here for a visit. YEAH!

Anyway, with no more guilding the lily and with no ado...here is my plan for the week:

BREAKFASTS

baked oatmeal, strawberries

Ezekiel muffins, smoothies

pancakes with homemade straw-peach syrup

whole grain coffee cake

cereal

pita pockets with scrambled eggs

breakfast out (parents last morning here-our treat)

LUNCHES

leftover chicken and noodles

cheese, crackers, carrots, applesauce

PBJ's, chips

leftover spaghetti

leftover beef and noodles

spinach rice with ham added

homemade pizza

DINNERS

beef and noodles

ham, green beans

spaghetti

beans and rice

chicken and noodles

PBJ's at the beach

dinner out with parents (again, our treat-we have 2 birthdays in our family to celebrate this week)

There you have it...nothing too wild or extreme. I do not plan on taking time to go to the grocery store this week at all since my family is in town. We are going to do some fun stuff like blueberry picking, HealthWorks museum, swimming at the hotel, and just enjoying good company. I will try and post deals as I see them and have time. Ya'll have fun this week!!!

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HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

And thank you to all the men, women, and children who sacrificed so much so that I can continue to say that.
My favorite song for this day:

Nearly Free Ground Beef and Salad Mix at Meijer

I just had to share this deal with you! Meijer has a catalina deal where you can get free salad mix and ground beef for a very awesome price and you can keep doing it over and over until you are stocked!
Here is how it works:
Buy 2 Dole salad mixes (coleslaw also works) for $.98 each and 1/2 lb. of NatureWell natural ground beef (approx $1.70) for a total of approx $3.60 of and get a $3 catalina (coupon) printed out for your next order! You can then use that to get 2 more salad mixes and another 1/2lb. ground beef for about $.60! Some stores have a $1.50/2 Dole salad mixes, making that a money maker, but my store didn't have any. What a great deal! You can do this again and again through July 11!

Day 15 of Pantry Eating-Menu Plan Monday

It's been 15 days since I have stepped foot into a store. It's kind of a good feeling, you know? I was amazed that I could stretch the food last week, and now I am working on stretching it as far as I can this week. I have made a menu plan for 5 days so far, and to be honest, needed some more inspiration. So, here is my Menu Plan for this week:

BREAKFASTS

oatmeal and strawberries (2x)

Ezekiel muffins

whole grain pancakes

baked oatmeal

LUNCHES

PBJ's, meat sandwiches (only had a little left), crackers, cheese, applesauce

mac and cheese, corn

quesidillas with homemade tortillas

leftovers (2x)

DINNERS

venison steaks with gravy, peas, homemade bread, cherry pie

spaghetti, garlic toast, salad

homemade pizza, salad

broccoli rice casserole

ham, salad, biscuits

Life lessons

I have seen this via email before, but really wanted to share it today:

ENJOY!

LIFE LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone..
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9.. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21.. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."