This Week's Menu (March 4th)

I am so excited spring is just around the corner! I can hardly stand it! We have been going through some serious winter blues around here.

I am ready to get my hands dirty in our garden, to hear the beautiful sound of birds chirping, for the smell of fresh cut grass, and to get this crazy kids of mine OUTSIDE!! :) I don't know about you, but my poor house takes a beating from constant indoor activities from my children during the winter. From homeschooling to the random toy mess, I am ALWAYS cleaning up some sort of catastrophe caused from our cabin fever. -_-

We have such a great yard at our new home and a neighborhood park within walking distance. So I can't wait to use them this year. :)

Well my rant is over (for now :) ).... But this week's forecast is looking more like winter and less like spring so I am going to be making some cozy meals (hopefully for the last time this season).

I have been rewriting some recipes to fit my recent allergy diagnosis. Once they are hubby approved I will post them. :) Well here we go...

Monday
Homeschooling
Grocery Shopping
Dinner Out

Tuesday
Homeschooling
Doctor's Appointments
Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Red Potatoes and Carrots (substituting olive oil for butter)

Wednesday
Homeschooling
Church
Chili (last batch of the season)

Thursday
Homeschooling
Honey Lime Shrimp with Jasmine Rice and Broccoli

Friday
MOPS
Homeschooling
Taco Night

Saturday
Family Time
Cook out with our small group :)


For more recipes or to share your family's menu, go to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie!

Have a great week in the kitchen!
Blessings and Love!

My Sweet Little Valentines

Valentine's day was a blast this year. :) Here are few pictures I just had to share!

 

My beautiful flowers from my Valentine! ;) Lilies are my favorite! (sigh...he's a keeper)

 We made "valentines" :) They were so proud!

The kiddos favorite...pancakes! :)

Burning off some sugar while watching "Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown". 

  

Monkey see monkey do!

And of course we can't forget Evie...especially since it is her first Valentine's Day! :)

Thanks for stopping by! :)

Blessings and Love!

My 1st Gluten & Dairy Free Menu

Well, my friends...

I recently went to the doctor and found out some life changing news. I have been having some issues since Evie's birth with my hormone levels. She also ran some allergy tests (due to her seeing my eczema) and I am allergic to...drum roll...milk...sigh...AND wheat(gluten)...double sigh... :(

So I was in a state of shock for about a week or so after realizing that milk(whey and casein) and wheat(gluten) are in just about everything this nation consumes including myself. I know this is totally dramatic, but I was feeling like my love for chocolate and food for that matter was over.  I have this insane addiction to anything chocolate...as most of us women do. ;)  

But after some research and totally revamping my kitchen, I now am feeling better mentally and physically. :) I am ready to give it a creative go at this new way of eating...which is by the way making me feel like a new person. :)

So here we go with my 1st gluten free and dairy free menu :)

Monday
Homeschooling
Running Errands
Broiled Tilapia with Wild Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers

Tuesday
Homeschooling
Cleaning
Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Roasted Red Potatoes

Wednesday
Homeschooling
Church
Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Thursday
Valentine's Day
Homeschooling
Party with the kiddos
Heart Calzones :)

Friday
Homeschooling
Date Night ;)

Saturday
Winter Farmer's Market
Family Time
Chipotle Lime Haddock with Sautéed Zucchini

For more recipes or to share your family's menu, go to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie!

Have a great week in the kitchen!
Blessings and Love!!

This Week's Menu (Jan 21)

Well last week was some what of a disaster in the kitchen. We definitely had too many nights of eating out, but we were blessed to have such a great weekend celebrating my amazing hubby's 28th birthday (two nights out with family and one night away in a hotel for just me and the hubs...I love that guy)!

I must admit to you all that I am so guilty of quick fix not so healthy meals or grabbing something quick out. There is such a great season of change in our house that this is one habit that has to go.

I am making that change in our kitchen starting this week. I am not going to be buying any boxed/processed "food". I guilt-fully have been taking the "easy" route with our meals (or at least the kiddos meals) since Evie has been born. I don't want to set them up for poor eating habits as adults. So I am changing that habit for them while they are young.

Of course with that being said, my weekly grocery budget isn't going to change. So I am going to get creative and make a lot of snack from scratch...(recipes to come as I make them). But this week I am going to be stick with some favorites...some of these are roll overs from last week. Well here we go... :)

Monday

Homeschooling 
Grocery Shopping
Broiled Tilapia with Jasmine Rice and Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday

Homeschooling

Play Date with my sweet friend and her precious children

Chicken Taco Stew (Crock pot) I used this linked recipe originally, but I now have made so many changes that I will post the recipe I've changed it to this week! :)

Wednesday

Homeschooling

Church

Pot Roast (Crock pot)

Thursday

Homeschooling
Cleaning

Savory Pork Tenderloin with Carrots  

Friday

MOPS

Homeschooling

Dinner Date with my sister-in-law and her fiance :)

Saturday

Family Time
Cleaning 
Grilled Pineapple Chicken with Zucchini 

Sunday

Church
TBA or leftovers
Hosting Small Group :)

For more recipes or to share your family's menu, go to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie!

Well I hope you all have a great week in the kitchen!
Blessings and Love!

This Week's Menu

It's that time of the week, menu planning time!! :) I am so excited to get back to the normal things of life. Nothing give me greater joy that to have a happy and organized home. This week is looking like a nice calm week, which we have so desperately needed. :) Well off with the menu...

Monday
Homeschooling
Ice Skating Field Trip :)
Teriyaki Chicken with Sautéed Veggies and Jasmine Rice 

Tuesday
Homeschooling
Making Laundry Soap
Broiled Tilapia with Jasmine Rice and Steamed Broccoli

Wednesday
Homeschooling
Church
Chicken Taco Stew (Crockpot)

Thursday
Homeschooling
Dave's 28th Birthday!!
Dinner out with our "little" big family :)

Friday
Doctor's Appointment and Errands
Homeschooling
Birthday Dinner Date! :)
Corn Dog Muffins for the kiddos

Saturday
More Birthday Celebrating
Chicken Fajitas

Sunday
Church (kicking off our 40 Days in the Word Series, which I am so excited about!! :) )
Leftovers
Small Group

For more recipes or to share your family's menu, go to Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie!

Have a great week in the kitchen!
Blessings and Love!

Happy New Year!

Hello there friends!

The Jones' have been one very busy household lately (new baby, starting to homeschool, job changes, moving, and the holidays...yikes did I really go through all of that in a 5 month period??). So... I am so very ready for the routine and structure a new year brings. Now with the holidays behind us, I can get back to homeschooling, menu planning, and some of the fun things I love to do that I just can't find the time to do with all of the Christmas hustle. :)

With that structure and routine, blogging will become a 2 to 3 times a week escape for me. :) (Due to the insane changes and seasons I have been going through, blogging had to take a back seat.) So stay posted and feel free to follow me for the fun posts to come starting next week. (A tour of our new home will be included! :) )

Thank you all for reading and following me here at Life & Love. :)

Blessings and Love!

Of course I couldn't leave you without a photo of the kiddos from the holidays... :)

Have a great week!!

My Weekly Menu (Nov 12th)

Well I am happy to say we are all moved in! :) *insert happy dance* I can't say that we are completely unpacked yet unfortunately, but its a work in progress.

Last week, I intended to have a menu plan, but I didn't and it definitely showed. So I am excited to get back into a routine this week.

This week I am hoping to get the rest of the house unpacked and finished up so that next week we can decorate for Christmas...wow did I just type that...and enjoy some fun Thanksgiving festivities. 

So here is our week:

Monday

Doctor Appointments and Errands  
Grocery Shopping
Rotisserie Chicken and Green Beans

Tuesday
Homeschooling
Finish up the some unpacking and hang the curtains
Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken and Steamed Broccoli

Wednesday 
Homeschooling 
Cleaning and more organizing
Church and Choir Practice 
Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Thursday
Homeschooling
Play Date
Crazy Slow Cooker Pork Chops and Carrots  

Friday
Homeschooling
Cleaning 
Making Laundry Detergent
Broiled Tilapia and Steamed Broccoli
    
Saturday
Homeschooling (making up a few days because of the move)  
Family Time 
Dress Shopping with my sister-in-law for her wedding :)
Pork Tenderloin and Green Beans  

Sunday
Church
Relaxing with the family
Menu and Lesson Planning
Taco Salad
For more recipes or to share your family's menu, go to Organizing Junkie!

Have a great week in the kitchen!!
Blessings and Love!