Megan's Grocery List and Meal Plan

Does grocery shopping stress you out?  It has been a great source of stress through the years for me too but I have to admit I've figured out a few things over the years.  I have come up with a simple way of planning my meals and grocery list that makes it more of a simple habitual routine...no stress!

These have become my best friend!  I'll tell you why...

I hang one of those Post-it notes on my kitchen cupboard door; there's one there everyday!  I always have somewhere to write a list of things we need to buy:  Spence runs out of toothpaste, Justin needs deodorant, Alli has to take snacks to school, I just used the last bottle of ketchup.  Whatever it is, I'm able to have one of the kids go jot it down quick or I can simple walk over there and write it down.  One less thing to try and remember in my brain is super helpful!

I try to make it to the store once a week.  Right before I go, I grab that Post-it note and flip it over.  I write a few things down:

1-  3 dinners
(Why only 3? Because our family usually has enough leftovers for another dinner.  If there isn't leftovers than I fall back on my famous "go to" meals:  burritos or canned soup with toast.  Then we always have a Friday night pizza night too.  That little plan gets me 7 dinners!)

2-  6 vegetables
(I usually steam fresh vegetables or make a salad but my favorite "go to" veggies are frozen peas or frozen mixed veggies.)

3- Any breakfast, lunch or snack items I need
(School days are oatmeal, eggs or cereal days.  Weekends get pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc.  Lunches are meat or peanut butter sandwiches or something to fill their thermos in their school lunches.  I always make sure I have a drawer full of fresh fruit in the fridge--we eat lots of fruit with lunches and snacks.)

4-  A dessert
(We make one dessert on Sunday nights so I just make sure we have ingredients for something fun.)

While I'm writing this plan down I can flip it over and add things I don't have on hand to my list I've already started for the week.

I can stick that post-it note to my phone and it's there when I make it in the store.  When I return from the store I stick it to my recipe book holder so I can follow my plan for the week.  Then a new post-it note is started on my cupboard for next week.

When Your Kids Argue About Everything

Justin and I have been on a mission for the last two weeks.  Sarah has had the worst behavior at school that we have ever seen and it doesn't stop there.  Home hasn't been peachy either.  She has always been a good arguer but recently has become The Queen!  When I came across this article today on facebook it set my mind on thinking about what other solutions I have "When Your Kids Argue About Everything".

I knew it was a prayer answered today when I came across a wonderful lesson with Sarah while working on her Personal Progress for her Young Women Group that she is apart of at our church.

One of the goals that she chose to work on today talks about Obedience being an attribute of the Savior. She is supposed to work on being more obedient to her parents and read Luke 2:40-51 and John 6:38.
 
Click on those links to refresh your memory of the actual scriptures but if you remember the story in Luke, it's talking about when the Savior goes to Jerusalem with his parents at 12 years old (hmmm, how convenient that Sarah's 12 yrs. old).  Remember when Joseph and Mary realized he was still back in Jerusalem teaching in the temple and it took them some time to find him again.

 Remember Mary's words:

"Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing."

Remember Jesus' words back:

"How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my father's business?"

It actually states that Joseph and Mary "understood not the saying which he spake unto them."  My favorite part, Jesus "went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them."  Adding the foot notes on the word "subject" that this covers the topic of duty of children and self-mastery means even more to me.

Then you can flip and read John 6:38...

"For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me."

As I read these scriptures today, my mind propelled back to when I would hold my newborn babies in the hospital.  In quiet moments with all three of my babies (nobody was around...not even Justin), I would hold those little faces right up in front of me and tell them "I just want you to Love God!"  That's it.  I would tell them that one wish I had for each one of them.  One Megan wish to her children..."I will do everything in my power to teach you to Love God!"

Oh ya....our Savior came to do "His Father's will" not his own.  He loved God!  He loved his parents and therefore didn't stay to teach in the temple any longer whether they understood each other or not he followed his parents back to Nazareth because he respected and honored them.

I was touched.  I sit here feeling touched again as I think how Sarah responded to reading all of this with me.  We talked about how Jesus followed his parents even though it wasn't his idea but just because they asked him to.  We talked about Jesus coming to earth and doing very very hard things not because it was his idea or what he wanted to do but because His Father in Heaven had asked him to do it.  All the sudden I saw connection and light bulbs turn on in her little blue eyes.  She said "Oh ya, and I need to follow Jesus' example!"

So, to that wonderful face book article I read this morning and loved...one more thing I would add...the most important thing...remind them and you that it's because you Love God!!!  What I should do when she doesn't stop arguing is find a moment to teach both of us with the spirit about our Savior and he obeyed his parents (earthly and heavenly parents).

When it's calm and we are able to feel our love for God, I as a daughter can do and say and command my children the way he wants me to and in turn those little children can follow because they are following their Savior.

My 3 Daily "Mom Jobs"

It's been a new kind of school year for me.  My youngest started full day Kindergarten so I find myself in a whole new era of my life.  I've chosen to "go back to work" and pick up more piano students.  I have a part-time job (maybe more--28 piano students is a lot) and it's been interesting trying to balance all of my responsibilities.

I had a friend ask me the other day how I stay on top of all my "Mom Jobs" when I'm working so much.  It's simple.  I do 3 things every single day--that has made all the difference!

1. Do the Dishes
It's my goal to have the sink cleared and kitchen clean before my kids come home from school.  It
works the best if I do this first thing in the morning but that doesn't always happen.  This might sound funny to some but because Justin is rarely home at night, I'm not always able to square the kitchen away at night and there is always the morning mess.  I also consider the kitchen squared away when I put homework assignments at the kids table spots with their after school snack...waiting for their arrival.

2. Do Laundry
I used to have one day in the week when I would do all the laundry but it's impossible now so I've been doing at least one or sometimes 2 loads of laundry every morning.  I fold right out of the dryer and there is always a clean pile of clothes for the kids to put away each night when they're getting ready for bed.  I've never ever stayed so caught up with laundry before!!!

 

3. Prepare Dinner 
I'm very diligent about putting dinner in the crock pot each morning or putting together a casserole that can be tossed in the oven between piano lessons. Sometimes I just prepare as much as I can like cooking the chicken, dicing the veggies, or making the salad to put in the fridge.  It's so nice to have dinner already prepared at the end of the day!

These things might seem so simple but because I take the time to do them first thing and it's habit then I can skip through the house and have them usually done in under an hour.  This leaves me hours to fill with not only piano lessons but exercise, scripture reading, school volunteering, family history, helping friends with kids, temple attending, dates with my honey and even attending institute!

When my weekend approaches I'm ready to have an unhealthy pizza night (been eating healthy all week) and just hang out on our Friday nights because the house is all squared away and the family helps me deep clean with our Saturday Job Jars.  It's been a perfect way to upkeep!

Life Goals Define My Daily Choices!

It's been a super rough, explosive morning.  Taking a look at my priorities is seeming mighty important to me right now.

Maybe a list of what/who I want to be right now???

Here it goes...

A Mother (happy and patient one)
A Wife (forgiving, happy, uplifting and supportive one)
Thoughtful Sister
Grateful Daughter
Obedient Daughter of God
Builder of God's Kingdom
True & Loyal Friend
Knowledgeable and Inspiring Piano Teacher
God's Tool as a Relief Society Teacher
Real Visiting Teacher
Descendent that's aware (learns from the past and helps the present)
Finds Joy in my posterity ever day!!!
Completely Sustains all my church leaders
Always a Missionary

Boy...that really works.  I feel much better now.  I know who I am again and what I want to be.  Each of these things are what God would want me to be or has already asked me to be.  Sooo....every place I go or thing I do today I'll fit into each one of these with my choices and it'll be a successful day.  Onward and Upward!!!

Empowerplus Supplement Update from Megan

It's been three months now that I've been taking Empowerplus Supplements.  I haven't posted for a little while because I've been off on another project in all my free time (posts to come soon on my Family History projects).  Now that I'm gaining a little more history with these wonderful vitamins, I'm wanting to let those interested in on some details.  I'm going to try to post more consistently.

Things I've learned:

My ups and downs haven't all been controlled by the supplements but don't let this deceive you...I want to still have ups and downs!  It's human to have these ups and downs.  I want to have "normal for me" good and bad days.  What is important is that I feel like these supplements have taken my "Extreme" ups and downs away. 

When I get feeling extra moody or more headaches come on then I take a look at things like my water intake, my hours of sleep, stresses around me, have I done something for me lately and then decide if those are all doing well than I'll take more amino acids.  I usually see a difference if not by the end of the day than the next day...proving to me that my body is just simply lacking in this needed nutrition.

I have a goal to get in with my doctor soon and have a blood draw across the board to just see where my levels are.  I would suggest this to any of you that are trying these supplements.  It'd just be so wise.  I'll make it there one of these days!

For me, 2 Empowerplus supplements and 2 amino acids at breakfast and then the same at lunch is doing it!  I feel balanced energy and moods.  I'm not feeling like I need naps in the afternoon on the days that I get 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. 

I love that I'm seeing side affects of taking medication go away.  I love that my skin seems to be a little healthier and my hair seems to be even a little healthier.

Through the phone support I have learned it's very important to not add other vitamin supplements and such to what I'm taking.  They have a unique balance that works together so just adding capsules and taking away capsules has been the answer for me.  I do however still use Doterra oils, Epsom Salt Baths and my Calm drink.  Click and follow links to read more!

Last but certainly not the least...I've learned that many of you that have started taking these too are having wonderful results.  It's precious to me to learn new things and I love that not only my nutrition is improving greatly but that somehow I'm able to help others find answers they are seeking!!!

If you're wanting to try a sample...  http://www.mymojoback.com/

Wanting "More?!?!"

I'm delighted to report that I'm now completely off of all my medications!  I haven't skipped a beat until the monstrous flu bug took over our house this week.  I thought for sure it was going to pass over me as I kept swallowing vitamins and scurried about taking care of Justin and the kids.  Not true.  It got me last.

Spending the last few days in bed may be boring me to death but at least I have had my computer with me and have been making a slide show of our last year, setting goals, checkin' the budget...you know all that stuff!

Through this self evaluation, I rediscovered a moment I had a couple weeks ago. Some may call it an "ah ha moment."  I like to call it complete inspiration from my Heavenly Father.  He taught me that I have an inherent quality from Him to want more, to grow, to take the next step.

I was standing over my kitchen sink, hands in the soapy water and eyes out the window.  My mind was reflecting on 7 years ago when Justin and I moved to this home.  We had 3 things we were working for and wanting: a house, a third baby and a second car!  No small tasks--that's for sure!  Well, we were blessed to buy our home. After a miscarriage, years of waiting and 3 months of bed rest our Allison was born.  Six months later, we finally purchased our mini van!

I guess as I stood over those bubbly dishes, I was feeling a sort of guilty feeling because I was standing there wishing for the next house, Justin's next job...wanting more.  I was just wanting the next step up.  I was telling myself I should be so grateful that those wishes and desires had been granted me and shouldn't want more.  It was that very moment that my Heavenly Father taught me.

I had a deep feeling of "wait a minute, you're God's daughter!"  My very Divine Nature is to progress, perfect, to grow. This scripture came to mind:

"I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept,...and blessed are those you hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him who receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them that shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:30)

I should want more.  I'm made to progress and create.  Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf's words came into my mind:

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.  No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before." (Happiness, Your Heritage, Conf 2008)

As long as I'm following God's commandments and in Elder Robbins words "facing the Lord"and moving my mind and feet forward than God will keep giving me more in order for me to be able to progress in my talents, my education, my family, my missionary work.  My progression means I can help His Kingdom grow!  He wants us, His children, to continually improve upon those lines and precepts!

It's not bad that I want more.  It's what is that "more?"

As I'm trying to pass through this flu bug and into this new year, I realize and see much progression behind me and I'm grateful.  I have a great year of "more" to come.  I am looking forward to seeing where my Divine inherent ability to create and progress takes me.

I'm so blessed to have had a year of building more knowledge and how to take care of my mind and body.  I'm blessed to have had a year of learning what it's like to be a working mother of 3 children all at school.  I'm that much better at being a pilot's wife.  I know a little more about standing in front of a room full of women I look up to and trying to teach them.  There's a never ending list of all I've learned and I feel a pivotal moment into this next year of "more."  I admit.  Yes.  I want more.

Great way to end the year--family bike ride! No more training wheels!