Menu Monday

Well, Whole30 was going great. Until it wasn't. I made it 16 days in and was just so grumpy about it that I decided to quit. I think 2 failures means it just isn't quite for me! I am doing whole-ish30 but not obsessing. The worst part of quitting on day 16 was that I had gone to MOPS, skipped the most delicious brunch because it was not-compliant, and then decided that night that I was done. MOPS brunches are my favorite! I'm still trying to limit my bread and dairy & drink lots of water. SO, here is what we are eating this week!

via

Monday: Chicken Zucchini Casserole (this is an old favorite of ours!)

via

Tuesday: Sloppy Joe Baked Sweet Potatoes

Wednesday: Chicken & veggie stir fry over rice noodles -- using the Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce!

Thursday: Burgers (I love this copycat Fuddruckers burger recipe but I have been omitting the brown sugar!) I put an egg on my burger last week & some compliant chipotle mayo. I think I will try the sweet potato bun this week! Serving with roasted Brussel sprouts.

Friday: Thai Coconut Chicken Curry over rice noodles -- this is a Skinnytaste recipe & she uses shrimp. Sadly, I am the only one in this house that loves seafood so I switch a bunch of her things to chicken! It is really good!

Saturday: homemade pizza night! (I will probably skip this meal and do meat sauce over spaghetti squash)

Menu Monday

I have made it to my second week of Whole30! I have to say, I didn't love some of the meals this last week & that makes it a lot harder. I'm more excited about the food this week...let's hope the new things turn out the way I want them too! Whole30 is a huge mental thing for me. Learning when I am truly hungry and not just stress/comfort/bored (I haven't been bored in 6 years. who am I kidding?) eating. I had some people ask where I find meal ideas. Most of my recipes I have found while scouring Instagram. I follow a lot of really great whole30/clean eating/paleo people & they post recipes a lot. Here are some of my favorite IG accounts:

@hungryhungryhaneys

@livewhole365

@whole30recipes

@againstallgrain

@moorefitfamily

@emilyeatsrealfood

Here is what we are eating this week!

via

Monday: Slow Cooker Chicken Chile Verde -- Ben & the kids will make soft tacos with the chicken & I will eat over cilantro lime cauliflower rice!

via

Tuesday: Sweet & Sticky Asian wings, sautéed sugar snap peas, & roasted sweet potatoes


Wednesday: Tacos for the family & plantain nachos for me! (Making the taco meat with my own compliant seasoning & topping with tomatoes, avocado, & red onion.)

via

Thursday:  Meat & Veggie chili

Friday: Chicken & Veggie stir fry (chicken, bell peppers, sugar snap peas, & broccoli sautéed with coconut aminos)

Saturday: leftover chili

Sunday: Burgers (mine with no bun or cheese) and roasted potatoes

it's a snow day!

I never know if I should listen to the weather people when they predict we will get snow. We live in what people jokingly call "the snow dome" and it seems to snow everywhere around Nashville but misses us. Well, they predicted snow for us earlier in the week and I woke up to Grayson yelling, "MOM!!!! IT SNOWED A TON!" I stumbled out of bed at 7am, looked out my window, & it was snowing but definitely not a ton.  Luckily for the kids, it kept snowing all morning and we ended up with about 2 inches (us Southerners think that is a lot, ya know) of fluffy snow! We also ended up with a high of 18 degrees. yikes!

I do love the way our house looks when it snows! Even if it is missing a shutter and we still have our outside Christmas decorations out.

The kids were SO EXCITED to go outside. I don't mind playing in the snow. However, I do look forward to the days where my kids can get themselves ready for the snow. No joke it took about 40 minutes to round up all the gear and get all 4 of us prepped for 18 degree weather and snow. It was exhausting!

It was so cold. But, we trucked along in the backyard for about half an hour. The boys played on the playset and Cheney rode in the dune buggy with Griffin. Ellie and Hudson LOVE to frolic together in the snow. They were so funny!

Grayson loved making snow angels!

Cheney loved the idea of the snow, but did not love the freezing wind and the fact that she couldn't really use her hands. There was lots of, "I cold, Mama!"

The one thing that Griffin has been asking about since our huge snow storm last year is snow ice cream! We came in to warm up & made a batch of snow cream and they pretty much licked the bowl clean. I am still doing Whole30 but I was bad & gave it a taste test. shhhhhh.

Ben even got to come home early from work!

Griffin enjoyed the snow the most! We were all freezing after our second round & came in to warm up. He stayed out for about an hour and a half playing in our yard with the older neighbor kids. This boy just loves people and loves being included. He had so much fun! He looked like an icicle when he finally decided he was ready to come in!

The kids are already wishing for more snow later this winter so we can actually build a snowman!

I got goals, y'all.

I am not usually a resolution person. I've just never really made big, specific goals for a new year. This year is a little different. I have decided that 2017 will be the year of me.  That sounds a little narcissistic. I don't mean it in that way, promise. I just mean that the past 7 years have been all about housing babes in my body, caring 24/7 for very small children, and pouring myself out for my kids. I don't say any of that like I didn't appreciate it; it is just hard to focus on yourself when you are in a cycle of having small humans. Are you with me on that?! Well, the baby days are ending at our house & I feel like I can really set goals for myself & not feel overwhelmed about achieving them. I can put a little more time in for myself.

My first goal is to read the entire bible in 2017. Cover to cover. I have tried to do this a couple different times but have never succeeded. My soul has just been hungry for the Word. I'm craving it. What better way to dive in than read the entire bible? I have the Bible app on my phone and downloaded a reading plan. It's even going to send me push notifications every morning reminding me to stick with it. I really feel like the Lord has made me step out in faith a lot over the last several months. He has opened doors for us & it has just been a big season of growth for me. I want that growth to continue. I've gotten back into journaling -- something I had not really done since high school -- and it has been good for me. I love writing & looking back at how things have changed over the last year. How God has answered prayers. How He has paved the way for certain things to happen. If you see me, hold me accountable! Ask how my reading plan is going...I know I will need accountability.

My second goal kind of goes a long with the last. I want to get back into blogging. I hate that I have been so inconsistent since Cheney was born. I did not do well at actual baby books & I haven't made a Shutterfly memory book since Cheney was born...this was supposed to be how I kept track of memories! oops. I know; life happens. But, I really love having this as a way to look back at our life and I will always love my little blogging "community." I need to make time for things that are important to me & even though it may sound silly, this is important to me. I think it would make my Granddaddy happy, too. Hi, Granddaddy!

My third goal is to be more intentional with my time. I mean this in lots of different ways. Not spending my nights after the kids go to bed watching meaningless tv (looking at you, House Hunters & Hoarders). Not wasting time on social media.  Just being intentional with my time regarding getting stuff done around the house & with people. Filling that alone time at night with more meaningful things...spending time with Ben where we actually talk, reading, being creative.

My last goal is to change the physical part of me. I am starting Whole30 tomorrow. I tried to do it in December and made it 10 days. I will finish this round. I just need to take better care of myself. I'm really doing it to adjust my lifestyle. I have never had a great relationship with food and need to change that. I have also been using my kids as an excuse to not go to the gym instead of making them my reason for going. Even if it is not their favorite place, it is something I need to do for myself. I have to remind myself that I am allowed to do things for me. One thing that is also so important to me (especially having a little girl) is to teach my kids about being healthy. Making good food choices, taking care of your body, exercise. God gave us ONE body and we need to take care of it. I want to clean up my diet and feel good.

I am excited for 2017. What are your goals??