Dinner Plans

The last of the sticky buns I made for breakfast today.

 

I went scootering with Levi (2 yo) today.  You watch a little of him on his brother's scooter.  The other scooter you'll see in the video is the one I used.   Right after the video we went and go this helmet to put on.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2WIru4hlpU

 

 

 

Planning:  Each week I make a schedule for the kids for the week for their school work ,  on a Word document, and occasionally I include any extra events for the week, such as people's birthdays, field trips, and holidays.  

When I'm making their schedule I also try to make a schedule for dinners for the week taking into account what days there is little/no time to cook dinner at dinner time.  On those days I either need to make a crock pot meal or have a casserole ready to put in the oven, or if someone is home and I'm not they can put it in the oven.  As I said before, I don't like cooking so, not surprisingly, I have a pretty small repertoire.  Also, a fw years ago I asked Steve if he would be responsible for dinners on Sundays when he was home, which at that time, was about 2 Sundays a month.  So, I don't have plan for dinner on many Sundays!  I'm responsible tomorrow since he's gone and I have no idea what we're having!  But two of the kids will be eating out for dinner, so I just have to cook for me and the younger 4.

I'm also trying to have the older kids learn how to cook a few basic meals so they can could when necessary.

The soccer season is winding down for some of the kids, so there aren't as many evening practices as before.  And with Sophia not doing gymnastics we actually don't have anything regularly schedluled on Thursday nights excepts scouts once a month.  I thought for sure I had forgotten something this past Thursday with no scouts or sports. 

I usually get out my recipes and maybe a cookbook or 2 and look for things that are easy, that I've made before, and that most of the family  likes.

So this week dinners may be something like:

Monday- Spaghetti with meatballs

Tuesday- I have an afternoon appt so I may have Josh grill hamburgers.

Wednesday- Quiche

Thursday- Chili

Friday- going to a funeral about 3 hours away, so probably pizza

Saturday- Chicken something (haven't figured it out yet)  I need an easy chicken soup/stew recipe

Sunday- a roast (pork or beef)

For awhile I kept a list of a week of dinner meals.  I had 3 or 4 weeks of meals and at the end of a week I would just pick out a different schedule that I had used before so I wouldn't have to think of a whole new week of meals.  But for some reason I stopped doing that.  I may start that up again.  The other thing I did was make Friday pizza night (frozen or delivered), but somehow I stopped that routine too.  I had planned to have a least one child make at least one meal each week.  I need to implement that on a regular basis. 

I also have to plan a week of lunch meals.  Maybe I'll put an example of that on a future post.   I used to always make lunch for everyone and we would all eat together.  I like it when we all come together and relax a little at lunch time.  Now that some of the kids are older I will have them be responsible for lunch for themselves or make it for everyone.