Mini lasagnas are fantastic for those of you who need single-serving recipes or easy on-the-go lunches! This is also a great freezer lasagna recipe to prep ahead of time and have on hand in the freezer for those chaotic weeknights!
Why you’ll love this Make Ahead Lasagna
Looking for an easy freezer dinner idea?
These individually-sized mini lasagnas are the perfect go-to lunch or dinner! They work amazingly well for single people, busy schedules, and hungry boys. 🙂
Take them to work (you might make all your co-workers jealous!), send them in your older kids’ lunches, or even bring them as a frozen meal to someone else!
Ingredients for Mini Make Ahead Freezer Lasagna
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 2 Tbs. minced dried onion
- 2 tsp. salt (divided)
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper (divided)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
- 3 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped (divided)
- 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 3 jars (24 ounces) spaghetti sauce
- 24 ounces cottage cheese (about 2 3/4 cups)
- 30 ounces ricotta cheese (about 3 1/4 cups)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 18 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken in half
- 2 pounds mozzarella cheese (1 pound thinly sliced, 1 pound shredded)
- Mini Foil Pans
Freezer Lasagna substitutions and variations
There are so many ways to tweak this recipe to fit your taste preferences… or just whatever you have in the pantry!
Here are a few ideas:
- swap ground turkey or ground sausage for some of the ground beef (it’s great with a mixture of meat)
- make your own sauce
- mix diced tomatoes (drain them first) in with the sauce for a chunkier lasagna
- mix up the spices and seasonings a bit (oregano adds a nice Italian punch)
- use multiple types of cheese — Parmesan is great with Mozzarella, and cheddar pairs well too
How to Make a Mini Freezer Lasagna
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Grease several mini lasagna pans and set them aside.
3. Brown ground beef with minced onions in a large pan. When meat is cooked, drain off the fat.
4. Stir in spaghetti sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, basil, 2 tsp. parsley, and Italian seasoning.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon parsley, and eggs.
6. Spread a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the mini foil pans.
7. Layer uncooked noodles, sliced cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and meat mixture as desired, ending with meat mixture.
8. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Place mini pans on a large sheet pan and bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is somewhat crispy.
NOTE: At this point, they are not 100% fully cooked yet. If you plan to freeze them, this is when you should pull them out of the oven, let them cool to room temperature, cover them, and put them in the freezer.
However, if you plan to eat them immediately, cover the hot lasagna with foil and bake for another 20-25 minutes.
How to layer Lasagna
There is no perfect way to layer lasagna — simply keep adding layers of sauce, noodles, and cheese until you run out of ingredients or until you reach the top of your pan… and always end with cheese!
We like to start with a layer of sauce — just to keep things from sticking to the bottom of the pan. And, as mentioned above, we always end with cheese!
Another helpful tip is to keep the layers quite thin. Spread just enough sauce and cheese to cover the previous layer. This will help assure you don’t run out of ingredients before you’re finished layering, and it also makes the finished product look really pretty!
How to freeze uncooked Lasagna in aluminum pans
If you prefer to freeze your mini lasagna before you bake them, simply let the layered ingredients cool to room temperature (the sauce will be warm yet) and cover each individual pan with aluminum foil.
Label the top of the foil so you know what’s inside (be sure to include the baking instructions), and then pop them in the freezer.
They should last in the freezer for months — just make sure you leave a little extra time to defrost the pans before you bake them (follow the baking instructions in the recipe after they are defrosted.)
Make Ahead Lasagna tips
Since these are tiny, we like to make as many as possible — more bang for your buck! This recipe makes roughly 18 mini lasagna pans, so make sure you have plenty of small disposable pans on hand, in case you end up with extra ingredients.
Also, make sure you have extra freezer space available before you make a big batch of mini lasagna!
And of course, make sure you label your pans as to what’s inside, if it’s already baked or not, and what the cooking/reheating instructions are.
How to serve Make Ahead Freezer Lasagna
Lasagna is one of those recipes that goes with almost anything!
- Fresh bread or rolls
- Garlic breadsticks
- Your favorite grilled, steamed, or roasted veggies
- Ceasar salad
- Any of your favorite salad kits or lettuce salad recipes
- Fresh fruit
- Applesauce
How long to cook Frozen Lasagna
Since these lasagnas are so teeny-tiny, they won’t take as long to bake as a full pan of lasagna.
We suggest letting the frozen lasagna defrost at room temperature for a few hours before baking. Then, depending on how defrosted they are, you’ll need to bake them, uncovered, at 350º for anywhere from 35 minutes to 60 minutes (check for doneness as they cook).
You can also prepare the lasagnas in the microwave — just pop them out of the foil pans, place them on a microwave-safe dish, and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes. (You may need to thaw them slightly in order to be able to remove them from the pans.)
Storing this Freezer Lasagna Recipe
We recommend storing the lasagna tightly covered, either refrigerated or frozen.
Can you make lasagna ahead of time?
Yes, lasagna is an excellent meal to make ahead of time as it can easily sit in the fridge for a few days or be frozen for later.
Just make sure you keep it tightly covered and put a date on it so you know how long it’s been sitting around.
How far ahead can you make lasagna?
Lasagna is such a wonderful make-ahead meal. I honestly think it tastes better as leftovers!
That said, cooked lasagna can easily last a week in the fridge (if you don’t eat it as leftovers first!)
And, as we mentioned above, you can freeze it months in advance!
How long can you keep unbaked lasagna in the fridge?
Unbaked lasagna does have raw eggs in it. With that in mind, you should be able to leave it in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking.
Freezer Lasagna Recipe FAQs
This depends on your taste preferences (and maybe what you already have in the house! )
We love the combination of ricotta and cottage cheese, as Ricotta brings a rich creaminess while cottage cheese lightens things up a bit. That said, if you only have one on hand, just use that in place of both cheeses.
They aren’t anything unique or special — we simply use regular lasagna noodles and break them in half.
We prefer oven-ready noodles as they are easier to break (and require much less prep time).
The taste is roughly the same no matter how many layers you create. Ideally, lasagna would be at least 3 layers, but in these small pans, 2 is sufficient.
Freezer Lasagna Recipe (Mini size)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs ground beef
- 2 Tbsp. minced dried onion
- 2 tsp. salt divided
- ½ tsp. black pepper divided
- 2 Tbsp. fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried
- 3 tsp. fresh parsley (divided) or 1/2 tsp. dried
- 1 ½ tsp. Italian seasoning
- 72 oz. spaghetti sauce 3 24-ounce jars
- 24 oz. cottage cheese
- 30 oz. ricotta cheese
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs
- 18 ounces oven-ready lasagna noodles break them in half
- 1 lb. mossarella cheese thinly sliced
- 1 lb. mozzerella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Grease mini lasagna pans and set aside.
- Brown ground beef with minced onions in a large pan. When meat is cooked, drain off the fat.
- Stir in spaghetti sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, basil, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, and Italian seasoning.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon parsley, and eggs.
- Spread a layer of meat sauce in the bottom of the mini foil pans
- Layer uncooked noodles, sliced cheese, cottage cheese mixture, and meat mixture as desired, ending with meat mixture.
- Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Place mini pans on a large sheet pan and bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is somewhat crispy.
- At this point, you can let the lasagna cool, then cover and freezer for later.
- OR, if you plan to eat them immediately, cover with foil and continue baking an additional 20-25 minutes.
Notes
Love this recipe?
Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!
Looking for other freezer recipes? Try these:
- 20 Quick & Easy Make-Ahead Freezer-Friendly Dinners for Busy Moms
- 7 Make-Ahead Freezer-Friendly Pancake Recipes (Plus Tips & Tricks!)
- 9 Freezer-Friendly Breakfast Recipes to Simplify Your Mornings
- My Top 7 Favorite Freezer-Friendly Muffin Recipes (Plus Grain-Free Options!)
- 8 Delicious & Healthy Freezer-Friendly Snack Ideas
- 7 Freezer-Friendly Dessert Recipes
- 13 Easy Homemade Bread Recipes {Freezer & Budget Friendly!}
FREE DOWNLOAD: 60 Meals To Help You Avoid Takeout!
Meal time just got so much easier!
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ our current daily schedule)
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week (+ our current daily schedule)
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
What I Read Recently
Books read this week:
- Life After — a great read suggested to me by Anne Bogel (You know it was good because I stayed up until 1 am to finish it!)
- The Unhurried Homeschooler — some of this book felt a little too legalistic for me and some of her suggestions/principles would not work well for certain of my kids because of their personality types, but I still thought there was some valuable information in this book and would recommend it if you are a homeschooler or are seriously considering homeschooling. (However, as always, remember there are no one-size-fits-all plans! Do what works best for your own family!)
{See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 61 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What Our Schedule Looks Like Right Now
So many of you have asked for details on our current schedule. Because you’ve begged, I’m going to share it, but with this caveat: even though this has been working for us, I reserve the right to change it anytime if it stops working!
6-7:40 am — Up, ready for the day, breakfast, and family time.
7:40 am-1 pm — Drop kids off at school & go to work on blog/business stuff at my employee’s house while Jesse homeschools Kaitlynn (they usually make dinner together during this time, too).
1-2:30 pm — Homeschool Kaitlynn (Jesse leaves to spend the afternoon working/running errands/going to Crossfit, etc.)
2:30-4 pm — Pick kids up from school, cleaning/laundry/chore time.
4-6 pm — Free time (I usually hang with the kids, finish a few tasks, and have time to chill or take a nap).
6 pm — Dinner and family Bible time.
6:30-8 pm — Jesse hang out with the kids and I finish blogging work OR family time/evening activities.
8-9 pm — Kids to bed, hang out with Jesse.
9-10:30 pm — Exercise, shower, reading, to bed.
There you have it! Remember: this is what is working for our family, right now in this season. It’s subject to change when it stops working! ?
What I’m Celebrating
Almost exactly one year ago, I gave up coffee.
I never thought I could do it. It was excruciating for the first few weeks and I actually cried during my detox because I missed it so much.
But one year later, I don’t even miss it. I still love the smell, but I have discovered I’m so much calmer and less anxious without it. Plus, I sleep so much better!
You guys. I never thought I could survive and THRIVE without my daily doses of caffeine in a cup.
But I did. I have. And I AM! And it makes me feel so empowered to try other things that I never thought I could do!
What I’ve Been Pondering
No matter what I say or do or don’t say or don’t do, someone is bothered, upset, offended, or disappointed. I’m sure you’ve experienced that, too, in your life!
Someone asked me the other day how I deal with negative comments. Here’s what has helped me:
1) Don’t be surprised or offended. Part of the nature of putting out words on the internet means that not everyone is going to like or agree with you. Accept this.
2) Look for the nuggets of truth. Ask myself, “Is there truth in their words that I need to pay attention to?”
3) Don’t defend myself. I have a policy to never defend myself on the internet. Sometimes, things need to be clarified or responded to — but I commit to wait to respond until I can do it with grace and love for the person.
4) Believe the best. Always assume someone is using a kind tone of voice when they write and have your best interests at heart. Don’t make up stories or read into things.
5) Remember the truth. When I stay focused on my identity in Christ and how much I am loved and forgiven by Him, I don’t have to feel stressed, upset, or hurt by negative comments from others. I can rest in His finished work on the Cross and the fact that I am enough in Him!
What I’m Learning as a Mom
The knock came on our bedroom door and I was instantly annoyed. It was after bedtime, it had been a long day, and I was really, really ready for the kids to be asleep.
I opened the door in a bit of a huff and almost said gruffly, “What are you doing?!? Don’t you know it’s bedtime? Get in bed!!”
But before those words could come out of my mouth, I stopped myself and looked into my child’s eyes. And I saw sadness and hurt written all over their face.
“Can I come in?” They asked sheepishly. All of my annoyance melted away as my child shared their heart with me while cuddled up on my bed.
About 20 minutes later, they headed back to their bed with a smile on their face. You guys. I almost missed this beautiful conversation and opportunity to love on my child!
Motherhood is exhausting, I get that. As an introvert, it’s easy to feel people-d out and just want space. And I think it’s important to take time to refuel and recharge — but not at the expense of our kid’s hearts.
Here’s what I’m reminding myself: really look into their eyes. Really pay attention to what’s going on in their hearts. And be willing to bend the bedtime rules a little sometimes in favor of communicating to a child how much they are loved.
What’s Been on My Heart Recently
You guys. I’ve waited to say anything because I didn’t want to just add noise to the online space. But after a very heartfelt conversation with our kids about the events of last weekend, the words came and they were this…
Ultimately, I can’t fix or change anything or anyone else but me. The racial divides and hatred and anger… I can’t magically take it away.
But here’s what I CAN do: I can look for those who are lonely, left out, and hurting. I can look into their eyes, let them know that they matter, and offer my friendship.
I can raise my kids to know that ALL people are worthy of kindness and love. That ostracizing and marginalizing is not okay. That it only hurts.
I can pursue peace, believe the best, love wholeheartedly, give generously, and extend grace willingly.
I can’t change the world, but I CAN go out and love my neighbor and encourage my kids to do the same. Will you join me?
Links You Should Check Out:
- I loved this beautiful podcast episode from Emily P. Freeman on becoming a soul minimalist.
- Like freebies? We posted a HUGE list of 50 legitimate freebies you can sign up for right now.
- Missed my FREE blogging class? I’m offering it again here. Sign up for the date & time that works for your schedule!
- Ever wonder how I deal with negative comments? I share my philosophy & honest thoughts on it here.
Brigette’s $39 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $39 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
After looking through my refrigerator, pantry and freezers – I realized we have lots of food that needs to be used up, and not much food we needed to buy at the grocery store this week. My youngest had his tonsils out this week, so we’ve had people show up unexpectedly with food gifts. It felt weird to have so little in my grocery cart this week. 🙂
Aldi
4 dozen Eggs – $2.68
1 8-oz pkg Cream Cheese – $0.79
2 1-lb pkgs Butter – $4.90
1 16-oz carton Egg Whites – $1.89
1 32-oz carton Greek Yogurt – $3.49
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.79
1 can Parmesan Cheese – $2.29
2 pkgs String Cheese – $4.58
1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.99
1 bag Potatoes – $2.69
1 bag Green Grapes (2.88lb @ $0.79/lb) – $2.28
3 large Zucchini (from a friend’s garden)
Total: $28.37
Harris Teeter
1 box Honey Nut Cheerios – $1.84, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – $0.84 after coupon
2 boxes Annie’s Organic Cereal – $5.00, used 2 $0.50/1 printable (doubled), plus $1.00/1 evic – $2.00/2 after coupons
1 box Cascadian Farm Organic Granola – $2.50, used $1.00/1 printable, plus $1.00/1 evic – $0.50 after coupon
2 boxes Lance’s Peanut Butter Crackers – $3.48, used $1.00/2 Lance Sandwich Cracker Variety – 7-23-17 RP; Includes 8.4 – 30.3 oz Only (exp. 08/27/17), plus $1.00/2 Ibotta rebate – $1.48/2 after coupon and rebate
2 Arnold’s Sandwich Thins – $3.98, used 2 $0.55/1 Arnold Bread Products – 6-11-17 SS or SS 8/13 (exp. 09/11/17) (doubled), plus receive 2 $0.75/1 Ibotta rebates -$0.28/2 after coupon and rebate
4 Larabars – $4.00, used 2 $0.50/2 printable (doubled), plus $0.50/2 evic – $2.50/4 after coupons
1 Butterball Turkey Bacon – $2.50, used $0.55/1 Butterball Turkey Bacon – 6-25-17 SS (exp. 08/20/17) (doubled) – $1.40 after coupon
1 Butterball Dinner Sausage – $2.50, used $0.55/1 Butterball Dinner Sausage – 6-25-17 SS (exp. 08/20/17) (doubled) – $1.40 after coupon
1 Sargento Balanced Breaks – $3.00, used $0.75/1 Sargento Balanced Breaks – 8-13-17 SS; DND (exp. 10/14/17) (doubled), plus $0.75/1 evic – $0.75 after coupons
Total after Coupons and Rebates – $11.15
Grocery Total for the Week: $39.52
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
(My older 3 children are all old enough now to make and clean up their own breakfast. We are starting school this week, and it’s easier for me to let them do this, rather than me making the same breakfast for everyone.)
Choices include:
Cereal, Fruit, Yogurt, Hard Boiled or Fried Eggs, Oatmeal, Zucchini Bread
Lunches
Baked Potato Bar, Grapes x 2
Peanut Butter Crackers, Cheese Sticks, Carrots, Apples x 2
Leftovers x 3
Dinners
Pizza Bierocks, Green Beans
Best Chicken Pot Pie, Tossed Salad, Fruit
Hamburgers on the Grill with Homemade Buns, Roasted Broccoli, Baked Potato Wedges
Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Homemade French Bread, Tossed Salad
Grilled Hobo Packets, Peaches
Cabbage Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Homemade French Bread
Leftovers
Gretchen’s $58 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Dillons
I used ClickList again this week because I had several coupons I wanted to use that were valid only if using ClickList.
2.49 lbs Bananas – $1.47
1 Del Monte Fruit Bowls – $2, used Free ClickList e-coupon AND $0.75/1 Checkout 51 rebate AND $0.75/1 Ibotta rebate – Free plus overage after coupon and rebates
1 Dillons Buns – $1.99
1 Organic Gatorade – $1.25, used Free ClickList e-coupon AND $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – Free plus overage after coupon and rebate
1 pkg Kroger Drumsticks – $4.67, used $1/1 e-coupon – $3.67 after coupon
1 Hillshire Farms Naturals Turkey Breast – $3.79, used $1/1 mailer coupon – $2.79 after coupon
1 International Delight One-Touch Latte – $3.99, used $1.50/1 printable – $2.49 after coupon
1 Jello Pudding – $2, used Free ClickList e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats – $2.50, used Free ClickList e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Kind Bar – $1, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $2, used $0.55/1 mailer coupon – $1.45 after coupon
2 bag Kroger Frozen Vegetables – $1 each, used $0.40/2 e-coupon – $0.80 each after coupon
2 Kroger Sliced Cheese – $1.99 each, used 2 $1/1 e-coupon – $0.99 each after coupons
1 bag Kroger Flour – $1.29, used $0.40/1 mailer coupon – $0.89 after coupon
3 Larabars – $1 each, used 3 Free ClickList e-coupons – Free after coupons
1 Romaine Lettuce – $1.29
1 Moms Best Cereal – $1.67
1 Nature Valley Granola Cups – $3.99, used Free ClickList e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Quaker Chewy Granola Bars – $2.50, used Free ClickList e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Ragu Sauce – $1.89, used $1/1 ClickList e-coupon – $0.89 after coupon
1 Ruffles Chips – $2.49, used Free ClickList e-coupon – Free after coupon
4 Welch’s Grape Jam – $1.49 each, used 4 $0.50/1 e-coupons – $0.99 each after coupons
5 Kroger Natural Peanut Butter – $1.49 each (I had $0.50/1 e-coupons for this but they didn’t come off at checkout. However, $1.49 is still not a bad price for this kind of peanut butter!)
1 Aussie Conditioner – $3.49, used Free ClickList e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Lay’s Kettle Chips – $1.39, used $1/1 ClickList e-coupon – $0.39 after coupon
Used $5 off catalina coupon (This covered the $4.95 ClickList fee plus gave me $0.05 extra!)
Total after coupons and rebates: $32.18
Aldi
2 pkg Strawberries – $1.29 each
2 pints Blueberries – $1.59 each
2 can Tuna – $0.65 each
2 dozen Eggs – $0.43 each, used $0.25/1 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.30 each after rebate
1 pkg Cheddar Cheese – $2.49
1 lb Ground Beef – $2.99
1 gallon Milk – $1.76
1 Half & Half – $1.79
2 Avocados – $0.88 each
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
2 Cucumbers – $0.29 each
1 bag Red Grapes – $1.58
1 lb Butter – $2.40
1 pkg Roma Tomatoes – $1.09
1 loaf Bread – $0.89
Total after rebate: $26.48
Total for both stores: $58.66
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Eggs & Toast x 4
Cereal x 3
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Carrot Sticks, Cucumbers x 2
Salad Bar x 2
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Fruit
Leftovers x 2
Dinners
Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili, Tortilla Chips, Veggies
Hoagie Sandwiches, Chips
Spaghetti, Biscuits, Steamed Broccoli
Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Peas
Soft Tacos, Fruit Salad
Easy Cheesy Tex-Mex Skillet, Tossed Salad, Fruit
Out to eat
This Week’s $65 ALDI Grocery Shopping Trip + Menu Plan
Since I’m following an online slow cooker menu plan that I found, I bought ingredients to make those meals + get our food for the rest of the meals this week. I decided to only shop at ALDI this week for the groceries to see if I could get everything for the Slow Cooker Menu Plan at ALDI.
I had to make one or two substitutions, but I was able to get everything we needed! We still need to stop by Kroger to get eggs and some more milk, but otherwise, we should be good for the week!
(In case you are wondering why on earth I did two different transactions… well, that was because I realized I didn’t have a quarter when I got to ALDI. Which meant that I couldn’t get a cart. I was going to go in and get a quarter from the cashier, but there was a long line at checkout. So I just decided to get a box and fill it up and check out when it was almost too heavy for me to carry and then do a second transaction. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that as the most comfortable or efficient way to do things, but hey, it worked! ;))
Watch my live video for details on what I bought, why I bought it, the prices I paid, plus some real-life commentary on ALDI!
Here’s what’s on our menu plan this week:
This Week’s Menu Plan
Breakfast — Cereal, Oatmeal, Toast, Eggs, Fruit
Lunches — Chicken Hot Dogs, Cheese Quesadillas, Caeser Salad, Fruit/Veggies, Leftovers, Snack-y Lunches, PB&J
Dinners — Leftovers, Easy Shredded Taco Beef, Chicken & Broccoli “Stirfry” in the Slow Cooker, Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Sandwiches, Beef & Bean Topped Potatoes, Whole Herb Roast Chicken in the Slow Cooker, Dinner Out
New to shopping at ALDI? Read how we save close to $1,000 per year by shopping at ALDI. Also, check out my post with my 25 Favorite Things to Buy at ALDI.
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
What’s Going On At Our House This Week
It was a summer of adventure for us. Filled with lots of spontaneity, memories, late nights, family togetherness, and a really, really relaxed routine.
It was good. So good. An amazing change of pace! And soul-filling for all of us.
But I’ll be the first to admit that my organized and structured personality is ready for a good schedule for everyone again! And I’m pretty sure the kids are, too.
So I was okay that this past week marked “Back to School Week” for us — even though there were a lot of mixed emotions along with it!
Kathrynne started 7th grade by heading to camp with all the 7-12th graders from her school (see below for more on that!), Kaitlynn started her homeschool year (Jesse’s homeschooling her in the morning and I’m homeschooling her in the afternoon), and Silas started 2nd grade.
I can already tell that this working full-time, homeschooling part-time, plus being a wife and mom and friend, and trying to get enough sleep + exercise + breathing room is going to be an interesting adventure! But this first week went really well!
I’m still tweaking our schedule somewhat and experimenting with a few things and I think it will be a few more weeks before I land on the right routine for this season, but I’m very hopeful based upon how this first week went that this year is going to be much smoother and less exhausting than I expected.
One of the biggest changes I’ve made is to get my focused work done from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. — I’m finding that’s when I’m freshest and most inspired and I get so much more done to work during my most ideal time versus waiting to start in on business work later in the day. Then, I’m focusing on homeschooling, time with the kids, and homemaking stuff in the afternoons. And then the evenings are reserved for chill time, hanging out as a family, exercise and reading.
What I Read Recently
I recently finished reading Ordering Your Private World (I savored a chapter every morning for the last few weeks. Highly recommended!) and A Long Way Home (fascinating story!)
{See my Reading Goals for 2017. Also, see the 60 books I’ve read so far in 2017 here.}
What’s Been Saving My Sanity
Systems are the key to a mom’s sanity! One of our systems: having the kids pack their lunches, pack their backpacks, and lay out their outfits (including shoes) for the next day — before dinner.
It makes mornings SO much easier and laid back. No scrambling to find missing shoes or clean uniforms and no stressing over discovering we’re out of sandwich ingredients.
Plus, having the kids do it themselves and me just checking on it gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership — and saves me time and effort! What are one of YOUR systems that save your sanity?
What I’m Pondering
Kathrynne went to camp for 4 days this past week (her school kicks off 7th-12th grades with 4 days at camp).
This is the first time she’s ever done something like this (we’ve never done sleepovers) and I found that I was constantly wondering about her… Is she sleeping okay? Is she doing okay? Is her introverted self feeling people-d out? And on and on it went.
The point of parenting is to raise adults to be sent out into the world to make a difference. But sometimes, I’m not so fond of thinking of that whole “sending out” thing. I want to keep my babes close to me forever!
But this slow letting go and letting them experience the world and learning how to function without my help for a few days is a good thing for both of us. And it reminds me that ultimately, I’m not in control of my kids’ lives and decisions.
I can do my best to make sure they are loved and cared for and nurtured, but I need to release them and their lives to God. My babes are His first, not mine.
There is so much more joy and less stress in parenting when I rest in that.
What I’ve Been Thinking About
“Crystal, I feel like you’re getting more done than you ever have before and yet you’re working less.” This remark from one of my employees last week caught me off guard.
I hadn’t really stopped to think about it, but after he said that, I mulled it over and realized it was true. The more I thought about it, the more I realized why I’m so much more productive these days than I ever used to be.
It’s two things, actually: 1) I stopped finding my worth in what I did and accomplished and checked off my list. 2) I’ve given myself permission to make REST a big priority in my life.
And by rest, I don’t just mean getting enough sleep. I also mean taking time to do things that restore, recharge, and refresh me. Not just once a week, but (usually) every single day!
I’ve stopped waiting until I was exhausted to take time to rest and recharge. I’ve started making it a part of my regular lifestyle.
Yes, it takes time — time that I used to think I didn’t really have! But now I realize that taking time to rest and refuel is some of BEST spent time!
What I’m Learning
See those flowers? No, not the colorful roses. I’m talking about the white tissue paper flowers. They represent something really transformative in my heart.
You see, my Kaitlynn (10) painstakingly made them and splattered them with gold paint for an extra special touch. They are absolutely beautiful.
But for years, I didn’t see much beauty in her creations. I only saw the “messes” she made in her wake. (Which to creative hearts aren’t messes at all but spaces where beauty and life is being birthed!)
I missed out on so much beauty because I only saw the mess. I didn’t appreciate the way God had wired my daughter because I tried to stuff her into my neat and tidy box. All the while, I was inadvertently crushing her spirit.
Her soul needs to be creating. She can’t not create. It’s in her DNA. Just like I am fulfilled by crossing things off a to do list and by having my kitchen clean, she feels fulfilled from creating.
It’s so different than me, but instead of being frustrated by it like I was for so long, I’m slowly learning to really savor and embrace it.
God knew that I needed a jolt out of my utilitarian, minimalist, INTJ, Type 8 world, so He sent me Kaitlynn.
And the more I fully accept and embrace her for who she is and how she is wired, the more I realize how much she adds to our home and to my life.
I don’t want to try to stuff her into that little box anymore! I want our home to be a canvas for her soul to breathe. So I’m proudly displaying these tissue paper flowers crafted with joy and sprinkled with gold!
They serve as a reminder to me to embrace everyone in my life for exactly who they are, instead of trying to make them into who I think they should be.
Links You Should Check Out:
- Looking for a work-at-home job? I highly recommend checking out this course! It’s an extremely well done, very encouraging course packed with advice, and offers a great listing of 100+ companies that hire at-home workers! (Read my review here.)
- If you wish you had more time for creative projects, be sure to read this post on Pocket Time.
- Need some parenting encouragement & inspiration? Check out this offer to get a HUGE bundle of parenting resources for just $29.97!
- Are you a mompreneur? Do you live within driving distance of Nashville, TN? If so, I’d love to invite you to join me on August 17, 2017 for a FREE Dream + Do event.
- I finally finished blogging about our East Coast Road Trip! You can read all the posts by following the links at the top of this post here .
- Are you in the middle of Back-to-School Shopping? Be sure to check out all the best deals we’ve been sharing .
7 Business Ideas You Can Run From Home
Guest post from Megan of Working Momtrepreneur:
In this day and age, women are looking to get more out of their careers. We want to call our own shots, have unlimited earning potential, and spend more time with our families, all while helping others and using our God-given talents.
Yes, I know…that’s a lot!
My friends often say that they would love to work from home, doing something that they enjoy and avoiding expensive daycare costs.
Thankfully, with modern technology, it has never been easier to start a business without spending a ton of money.
Here are some fun business ideas to get your wheels turning.
1. Sewing
Are you a talented seamstress? There are brides everywhere looking for a reliable and skilled seamstress to alter their dresses. There are moms that would love to have a personalized quilt made for their children.
So many people these days (including myself) do not know how to sew and are happy to pay someone to do it for them.
Do you want to create and sell your amazing projects outside of your geographic location? You can set up an Etsy shop and sell online.
2. Blogging
If you have been following Your Blogging Mentor by Crystal Paine, you know that you can make money by blogging. Blogging is a great creative outlet that allows you to write about the things in life that you care about most or that excite you.
You can write about something you went through and support others doing the same thing. You can create a niche such as sewing, being a single parent, or home décor. You can blog about anything.
There are many ways to monetize a blog. You can promote products, sell your own products, and include affiliate links and advertisements.
3. Crafting
Do you enjoy creating beautiful masterpieces? Why not sell them? If you are a talented crafter, you can sell your projects at fairs, farmers markets, on Etsy, through a blog or a website, etc.
You can even rent space at a local store to showcase your goodies.
4. Pet Sitting or Doggy Daycare
We all love our pets. We want the best for them when we leave town for the weekend or take a family vacation that they can’t attend.
If you have the space at your home and set your own restrictions (example: dog must be house trained, friendly, spayed or neutered etc.) you can run a dog sitting business.
You can charge extra if you are willing to go to the owner’s house to take care of their dog(s).
Some pet owners will even pay you to dog sit just for the day while they are at work. This is a great opportunity for a dog lover with a big backyard.
5. College/Financial Aid Consultant and Advisor
Navigating through college applications and all of the fun stuff that goes with financial aid is a nightmare for some families. If you have the knowledge, you can advise and consult students and families on these things.
Once you figure out how one school works, you will find that they are all pretty similar with a few exceptions. Some things that might vary from school to school are due dates, acceptance dates, types of admission, tuition and fees, room and board, start dates, etc.
6. Graphic Design
Most, if not all businesses need a website, some marketing materials, and a logo. If you have the knowledge and programs to create beautiful images for marketing purposes, logos, and websites then you can run your own graphic designing business and charge for your services.
7. Music Lessons
If you know how to play an instrument well and have the patience to teach, this could be a great opportunity for you. People are willing to pay for someone to teach their children how to play an instrument, sing, or even dance.
With this, you can charge by the hour and schedule around your day (within reason so you still accommodate your customers).
The best part about starting your own business is you don’t need a Bachelor’s Degree or $10,000 cash, like you may think. All you need is some persistence, guidance, and access to a few resources.
There is no reason why you can’t own your future and create the life that you desire. Stop trading hours for dollars and start taking action.
Do you like the thought of starting your own business but need more ideas? Sign up for our newsletter to download a list of 20 jobs you can do from home!
Megan Englund is the owner and creator of Working Momtrepreneur. She is also a wife to a loving husband, a mommy to a sweet little girl, a Business Instructor at a community college, and a Blogger whose goals is to help working moms learn how to start their own businesses doing something that they enjoy.
Looking for more in-depth advice on how to make money from home?
Be sure to check out my book Money-Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make A Difference, where I share creative ways to manage money, generate income and–most importantly–live a life of deeper meaning, fulfillment, and generosity than you might have ever imagined possible. This book is packed with hard-won wisdom, real-life stories, and practical tips to help inspire and motivate you!
I also highly, highly recommend Angie Nelson’s eCourse: How to Land Your First Work-At-Home Job. This step-by-step guide is packed with valuable information and tips!
Brigette’s $83 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Brigette’s $83 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6
Aldi
1 32-oz carton Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt – $3.49
1 24-oz carton Cottage Cheese – $1.79
2 64-oz cartons Orange Juice – $3.78
1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.79
1 64-oz carton Almond Milk – $1.99
1 gallon Whole Milk – $2.05
1 1-lb pkg Butter – $2.45
4 dozens Large Eggs – $2.68, plus receive $0.25 back from Checkout 51 – $2.43
2 16-oz cartons Egg Whites – $3.78
1 Cabbage – $1.19
2 8-oz pkgs Blueberries – $2.58
2 pkgs Broccoli Crowns – $2.78
1 16-oz pkg Organic Baby Rainbow Carrots – $1.69
1 16-oz pkg Baby Carrots – $0.99
2 Avocados – $1.58
2 cartons Strawberries – $2.58
1 bag Smoked Almonds – $4.99
1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.79
1 Cauliflower – $2.29
1 large tub Organic Spring Mix – $3.59
1 3-lb bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.79
1 bag Zucchini – $1.79
1 8-oz tub Organic White Mushrooms – $1.99
1 bunch Organic Bananas (2.04lb @ $0.59/lb) – $1.20
2 bags Red Grapes (4.92lbs @ $0.79/lb) – $3.89
Total after Rebate: $61.26
Harris Teeter
4 boxes General Mills Cereal – $10.00, used 2 $0.50/1 Cheerios printable (doubled), and 2 $0.50/1 Chex printable (doubled), plus $1.00/2 evic – $5.00/4 boxes after coupons
1 box Cascadian Farms Granola – $2.50, used $1.00/1 Cascadian Farms printable, plus $1.00/1 evic – $0.50 after coupons
1 box Hamburger Helper – $1.00, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupon
1 box Old El Paso Taco Shells – $1.00, used $0.50/1 printable (doubled) – FREE after coupon
2 cans Dole Pineapples – $1.50, used $0.75/2 Dole Canned Fruit – 6-25-17 SS (exp. 08/31/17) – FREE after coupon
2 pkgs Lenders Bagels – $1.99
5 8-oz bags Shredded Cheese (B2G3) – $6.78
1 4-lb bag Popcorn Kernels – $1.84
1 18-oz jar Harris Teeter Strawberry Preserves – $1.79
1 16-oz jar Harris Teeter Peanut Butter – FREE, wyb 18-oz jar Preserves
1 pkg Galbani Cheese Sticks – $2.34, used $1.00/1 printable – $1.34 after coupon
1 6-count pkg Sunmaid Raisins – $1.14
2 4-ct pkgs Go-Go Squeez – $2.98 – used 2 $0.50/1 GoGo SqueeZ Yogurtz – 8-6-17 SS; Includes 4 pk or Larger Only; DND (exp. 10/05/17) (doubled) – $0.98/2 after coupons
1 2-lb bag Carrots – $0.99 (Aldi was out of regular-size carrots, so I picked them up here. I got a spiralizer for my birthday, and really like spiralized carrots!)
5 Yoplait Yogurts – $1.85, used $0.50/5 Yoplait Yogurt Cups – 6-25-17 SS (exp. 08/19/17) (doubled), plus $0.50/5 evic – $0.35/5 after coupon
Total after Coupons: $22.70
Weekly Grocery Total: $83.96
Weekly Menu Plan
Some friends brought us a big basket of peaches from a local orchard – they are SO good!
Breakfasts
Cereal x 2
Mufflets (recipe from the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook) x 2
Yogurt, Peaches
Fruit, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Toast x 2
Lunches
Baked Sweet Potatoes, Build-Your-Own Salad Bar x 2
Peanut Butter and Jelly on Rice Cakes, Raw Veggies with Dip, Fruit x 2
Leftovers, Raw Veggies with Dip x 3
(Stir-Fried Spiralized Veggies with Eggs for me on a few of the days)
Dinners
Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Roasted Carrots
Tacos, Green Rice, Fruit Salad
Bagel Pizzas (Shredded Cheese, Pepperoni, Veggies, Sauce on Bagels), Tossed Salad
Egg Roll in a Bowl, Cauliflower Fried “Rice” (I’ll leave out the pork since I’m serving this as a side dish)
Chicken Pot Pie, Fruit Salad
Grilled Chicken, Cheesy Hashbrown Potatoes, Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Leftovers
Snacks
Popcorn, Raisins, Smoked Almonds, Fruit, Go-Go Squeez pouches, Cheese Sticks
East Coast Road Trip: Our Last Day!
Welcome to my 14-day series on our East Coast Road Trip where I share our adventures along the way, how we’re doing this on a budget, honest reviews of attractions & restaurants we visit, and money-saving tips and ideas. If you missed it, read Day 1 here, Day 2 here, Day 3 here, Day 4 here, Day 5 here, Day 6 here, Day 7 here, Day 8 here, Day 9 here, Day 10 here, Day 11 here, Day 12 here, and Day 13 here.
Our 14-day East Coast Road Trip came to an end on this day, but we went out with a bang for our last day in Cincinnati!
We started the day with Tom + Chee (our first time ever to go to this restaurant — we loved it and we’re SO excited to discover they have one in Nashville!! Apparently we’ve been living under a rock!).
I got a salad (sorry! I know!), but it was a Grilled Cheese Salad and had squares of grilled cheese on it (like croutons) and was amazing!
And then we headed to Smale Park to eat our lunch and enjoy the beautiful surroundings (thank you to everyone who recommended this park to us!)
You all will be very happy to know that we did indeed stop at Graeter’s for ice cream. That was the one place everyone said we HAD to go to in Cincy and it didn’t disappoint.
I was going to split a cone with Jesse and was hoping he might go for the Raspberry that you all recommended, but we compromised with Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip. Yum!
We spent the afternoon and early evening at the Ark Encounter. We really enjoyed our time there! It was our big splurge of the trip and one of the things we had planned our trip around. I will say that it was pricey (and we even got half-price tickets from a friend of a friend who works for the company!), but we would highly recommend it if you get a chance to go!
And then we hopped in the car and drove the 4ish-hour trip home! It was good to be back in our beds!
It was such a good trip for so many reasons and I feel like we all have been stretched in really valuable ways as a result of it. We will carry so many memories and lessons with us in the months and years to come.
I came home feeling closer to Jesse and the kids because of the conversations and experiences we had, grateful for the simple rhythms and routines of our life that I sometimes take for granted, and inspired to be more adventuresome in my every day life right in TN.
(Thank you so much for letting me share our trip with you all here and for being so helpful and encouraging as we traveled. Our trip was so much better and richer because of you all!)
Gretchen’s $2.70 Walgreens Shopping Trip
Walgreen’s Shopping Trip
1 Colgate Toothbrush – $3.49 (Buy 1, Get 2,000 Balance Reward Points)
Used $0.75/1 printable
And used $0.50/1 Ibotta rebate1 Colgate Total Mouthwash – $2.99 (Buy 1, Get $2 Register Rewards)
Used $0.75/1 printable1 Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers Candy – $1.50 (Buy 1, Get $1.50 Register Rewards
1 Mentos NOWmints – $1.99 (Buy 1, Get $1.99 Register Rewards)
Used $0.75/1 Checkout 51 rebate2 Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergents – $1.99 each
Used 2 $1/1 printableUsed $1.50 Register Rewards from last shopping trip
Redeemed 5,000 Balance Reward Points from last shopping trip (like $5)
Total before coupons, rebates, Register Rewards and points: $13.95
Total after coupons, rebates, Register Rewards and points: $2.70, plus received $5.49 Register Rewards AND 2,000 Balance Reward Points (like $2)
New to shopping at Walgreens? Be sure to head over and check out Walgreens 101 where you can find details on how to maximize the mileage of your money at Walgreens. See more deals at Walgreens this week here.
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Click here to download!
East Coast Road Trip: Exploring Cincinnati
Welcome to my 14-day series on our East Coast Road Trip where I share our adventures along the way, how we’re doing this on a budget, honest reviews of attractions & restaurants we visit, and money-saving tips and ideas. If you missed it, read Day 1 here, Day 2 here, Day 3 here, Day 4 here, Day 5 here, Day 6 here, Day 7 here, Day 8 here, Day 9 here, Day 10 here, Day 11 here, and Day 12 here.
We had an amazing day in Cincinnati for day 13 of our trip… and by some sheer miracle, there was almost zero arguing or people who were annoyed at each other!!
Instead, the day was filled with lots of laughter, fun, joking, experiencing new things together, and just generally really liking being together. Which, ahem, wasn’t necessarily the case the previous few days.
(We’ve decided that the 10 day mark is where we all kind of hit a wall and were ready to be home and feeling grouchy and tired of sleeping in one room, spending so much time in the car, and being off our usual routine and rhythms. I was wondering if we were even going to like each other by the time we got home. So the turnaround in attitudes was such a gift!)
We started off our time in Cincy with lunch at Skyline Chili. I got a Greek salad… yes, I know that flies in the face of all that is good and true. But y’all, I just didn’t know how my stomach would take the chili!
My family (mostly) really loved the chili, though some of them weren’t so sure that they liked it the next day. Yeah, it does a number on your stomach if you’re a Skyline Chili newbie.
(I tried a few bites and I’m not sure what to think of it. It was different, that’s for sure! ;))
Then, we went to the Creation Museum and got to spend an hour with their cartoonist (who is a friend of a good friend). Not only did he get us passes so we could get in for free (!) and go to the planetarium show for free, but he also gave us a behind-the-scenes tour, and showed us how he creates his cartoon strips using Adobe Photoshop. It was fascinating!!
The grounds at the Creation Museum were so beautiful. We loved walking around the grounds/visit the petting zoo!
We waited to go to the special effects theater & main exhibits until 5:30 pm and it wasn’t crowded at all — unlike earlier in the day when we heard it’s usually packed!
We then headed to Jungle Jim’s and had a blast there! What a fun and unique store! We let the kids pick a few treats there and they were SO excited about getting some candy from other countries!
I was super stoked about the South African food, the entire aisle of tea, and the hilarious bathrooms (you just have to see them… people had told us not to miss them and they were so right!).
Just one more day in Cincy and then we head home.
To be continued…
Gretchen’s $47 Grocery Shopping Trip and Menu Plan
Aldi
2 Avocados – $1.19 each
3 Frozen Pizzas – $0.99 each
1 pkg Frozen Strawberries – $2.09
1 pkg Frozen Blueberries – $2.29
1 lb Ground Beef – $2.99
1 dozen Eggs – $0.44
1 Half & Half – $1.79
2 cans Pineapple Chunks – $0.89 each
2 cans Cream Mushroom/Chicken Soup – $0.49 each
1 gallon Milk – $1.76
1 bag White Tortilla Chips – $1.19
1 bag Mini Marshmallows – $0.89
1 Cantaloupe – $0.99
1 pkg Zucchini – $1.29
1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $0.99
1 pint Grape Tomatoes – $0.79
1 Sour Cream – $1.19
1 bag Spinach – $1.49
1 loaf Bread – $0.89, used $0.25/1 Checkout 51 rebate – $0.64 after rebate
Total after rebate: $28.93
Dillons
1 box Cheerios – $3.99, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
1 Simply Lemonade – $1.29
1 bag Frozen Chicken Breasts – $6.99, used $1.50/1 e-coupon – $5.49 after coupon
3 Mission Flour Tortillas – $0.49 each
2 Kellogg’s Rice Krispies – $1.79 each, used $1/2 e-coupon – $1.29 each after coupon
1 box LaraBars – $3.99, used $1/1 e-coupon AND $1.50/1 SavingStar.com rebate – $1.49 after coupon and rebate
2 bags Kroger Shredded Cheese – $1.49 each, used $1.15/2 e-coupon – $0.91 each after coupon
1 Kroger Chunk Cheese – $1.49
1 Airheads – $0.50, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Gatorade Fuel Bar – $1, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Stur Liquid Flavor – $2.50, used Free e-coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon
1 Nestle Chocolate Chips – $3.59, used Free e-coupon – Free after coupon
2 cans Mandarin Oranges – $1 each
2.86 lbs Bananas – $1.40
Total after coupons and rebate: $18.78
Total for both stores: $47.71
Menu Plan for This Week
Breakfasts
Toast, Eggs, Spinach x 5
Cereal x 2
Lunches
Smoothies, Granola Bars, Carrots x 2
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Cucumbers, Carrots x 2
Cheese, Crackers, Fruit, Veggies x 2
Leftovers
Dinners
Cook out with LifeGroup (I am bringing 5-Cup Salad and Lemonade.)
Spaghetti, Biscuits, Steamed Zucchini
Tacos, Chips & Salsa
Pancakes, Eggs, Cantaloupe
Grilled Chicken, Green Beans, Spinach Salad, Mashed Potatoes
Chicken Noodle Casserole, Cantaloupe, Banana Muffins
Leftovers
A Peek Into My Life This Past Week
Welcome to my weekly post where we take a break from money-related posts and I share about what I’m loving right now and give you a little peek into our life from the past week.
We spent this past week at Bull Shoals Lake with all of my extended family this week (a tradition we’ve had since before I was married!). I was mostly been offline and it’s been fantastic to have time to just hang out with my family, have in-depth conversations, laugh together, enjoy swimming and water sports, and just have time to breathe and savor a quieter pace of life.
For the past 10 years or so, there’s been angst for me during this yearly lake vacation because I’ve felt the stress of trying to run a business plus take a “vacation.” So I’d either wake up really early or stay up really late or miss out on a lot of the activities and fun because I “had” to be back in the cabin blogging.
This year, even though I didn’t have as much time to prep ahead like I’d hoped, it truly has been a vacation for me. It’s not necessarily because my workload has decreased, but because my mindset has changed.
For instance:
- I’ve stopped living life feeling like I was a victim of my calendar and my inbox.
- I’ve stopped feeling like so many things were urgent and must-do’s.
- I’ve stopped believing the lie that I was the only one who could do most of my business tasks.
- I’ve stopped sacrificing sleep on the altar of productivity.
- I’ve stopped feeling like I have to post something every single day or at a certain time every day.
- Instead, I’ve started realizing that I am in control of my calendar and I can choose to say “no”.
- I am not obligated to say “yes” to other people’s requests (or even demands… because unfortunately, there are quite a few people who think that because I have a blog, it’s okay to get pretty bossy about what I should and shouldn’t post.).
- It’s okay if I disappoint people. It really and truly is.
- I can choose to get 7+ hours of sleep at night instead of feeling like I must wake up really early or stay up really late working.
- I can guiltlessly be offline for half the day and know that it’s going to be okay. As one of my friends reminds me often, “Did anyone die while you were offline? No? Well then I think you’re okay!”
- I’ve gotten really good at deleting emails and tasks that just aren’t really essential or necessary.
- I’ve gotten a LOT better about trusting my team to take care of things for me instead of exhausting myself by trying to micromanage all the tasks.
- It took a lot of heart work and personal healing and letting go for me to be able to get to this place, but the more I adopt this mindset shift, the more fulfilled and at peace I feel. The more I’m able to enjoy the present moment, savor what’s right in front of me, and love my life!
What I’m Feeling Bittersweet About
He starts SECOND GRADE on Tuesday! How did this happen??
We went to the back-to-school meeting yesterday. We met his fellow classmates. We saw his classroom. And the whole time my mama heart was all torn up inside.
Seeing our kiddos grow up is a beautifully bittersweet thing.
On the one hand, I’m SO proud of him. He’s grown up a great deal this past year. He’s come out of his shell in a big way. He’s thriving and living life with zest and gusto.
He’s become fiercely independent and highly responsible and so capable of taking care of himself… and he needs very little oversight from me.
And he’s going to Grammar School all by himself this year instead of with his two older sisters like last year. (Kathrynne is going into 7th grade so she’ll be in Lower Division this year and we’re homeschooling Kaitlynn.)
I know this is the best decision for him. I know that this is where he’s going to excel this year. And I know that he’ll be just fine, but it still makes my mama heart feel all the feelings to realize that my baby has grown up into a self-sufficient boy!
However, I’m so happy that in spite of how much he’s grown up and matured this past year, he still begins almost everyday telling me, “I love you, Mama!” And then coming and wanting to snuggle next to me for 10 minutes or so. It’s one of the best parts of my day!
Despite all the responsibility and self-sufficiency, deep down, he still loves and needs his mama! 😉
What I’ve Been Contemplating
“How do I make you feel most loved?” “What do I do that makes you feel most unloved?”
I asked my kids this question in the car on the road trip and then I listened to their honest answers, without defending or explaining myself.
You guys, I learned so much about my kids through these two simple questions.
Love is spelled T-I-M-E. And they want lots of it. Quality and quantity.
They want to know that their voice matters. That I care deeply about what they are interested in.
That I’m really listening when they are talking. That I want to hear about what they are excited about.
When they show me their artwork or creation or experiment or project, they want me to show genuine interest and enthusiasm and ask questions about it, praise specific parts of it, and appreciate the effort they put into it.
It’s so easy to get busy with life, with our own projects, with keeping everyone fed and clothed and on track, that we fall into a rut of not really paying attention.
Sure, we might act like we are listening, but when they are talking a mile a minute, we’re actually thinking about our projects and to-do’s and saying “uh-huh” and nodding along and responding “oh wow” or “cool” without really stopping to appreciate these amazing people and their gifts and their talents.
They are more perceptive than we realize. And if we stop really listening and paying attention when they are younger, they will eventually stop talking to us and find someone else to share their accomplishments and excitement and interests with.
I want to be my kids’ biggest cheerleaders. I want them to know that I’ve always got their back. I’m always FOR them. And even if no else else cares, I will always care.
As a result of my conversations with them, I’m more committed than ever to make really listening, really paying attention, really noticing, and really genuinely caring about what they care about my priorities as a mom.
It requires work, effort, sacrifice, and time. But I truly believe it’s one of the best investments I can be making right now in my life.
A few links for you to check out:
- My favorite menu-planning service is on sale for as low as $1.21 per week through tomorrow only (August 7th). Read all the details and my full review here.
- I shared my favorite Bran Muffin recipe this week on the blog. These are so healthful and yummy!
- As I mentioned above, we’re homeschooling Kaitlynn this coming year and I’m really excited about it! See what curriculum we’re using & more details here.
- Haven’t gotten a copy of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode yet? The Kindle edition is on sale for just $0.99 right now and you can get the hardcover book for just $3.33!
- Starbucks is offering all customers buy one, get one free Macchiatos through tomorrow (August 7th), from 2 to 5 p.m. each day. You’re welcome!
- My friend, Bekah, is starting this amazing monthly gathering for women called Pasture. It’s going to be incredible and if you’re in the Nashville area, I’d love to invite you to come! Read more about it here.
- I’m hosting a free class on Wednesday how to make a part-time income every month with my friend, Chandler Bolt. Sign up for free here.
How I Save with ALDI Special Buys
Guest post from Rachael of Mumbling Mommy
Conversations like this are common in my house…
Husband: “We could use a new skillet/bath mat/camping tent/lawn chair/veggie spiralizer/etc.”
Me: “Okay. I’ll wait until ALDI sells it and then I’ll buy it.”
If you aren’t familiar with ALDI, the discount grocer carries a selection of Regular Buy food products that are always on the shelves, such as produce, milk, bread, eggs, baking supplies, canned goods, frozen produce and entrees, etc.
In addition, each week the store sells a small selection of non-food Special Buy products — or what the grocer now likes to call ALDI Finds. These Finds usually revolve around a theme: kitchen gadgets, camping, or exercise, for example.
Most ALDI products are of decent-to-very-good quality and are almost always less expensive than similar items at other retailers like traditional grocery stores, Walmart, Target, and even warehouse clubs like Costco or Sam’s Club. For that reason, I buy 90 to 95% of my family’s groceries from ALDI. It makes financial sense to buy as many of our household food and non-food needs from ALDI as possible.
When the weekly ALDI ad comes out, it’s a little bit like looking at a Christmas catalog. My husband and I look forward to seeing what limited-time Special Buy or ALDI Find items will be on store shelves.
With patience, we can get many of our household necessities from ALDI: bed sheets and blankets, bath towels, lawn furniture, gardening supplies, camping gear, cookware, lamps, shelves, home organizing supplies, and more.
The only catch is that because ALDI is a low-inventory store, it doesn’t sell all of those products all the time. However, ALDI does tend to sell the same or similar Special Buy items on a yearly rotating schedule, so if you’ve seen it in the store before, chances are good that it will come back at some point. So patience is important.
It’s also helpful to know that many themed Special Buy or ALDI Find products are sold at predictable times of the year.
- Exercise and fitness items hit the shelves around the New Year.
- Spring through summer is prime camping, gardening, barbecue, and lawn furniture season.
- Late summer is a good time to find twin bedding, bath towels, lamps, shelves, and other items that college students might use in their dorm rooms, or that you can use in your own home.
- Thanksgiving and Christmas are good times to find cookware, serving ware, and other kitchen items.
Rather than feeling frustrated or shopping elsewhere because I can’t buy what I want when I want from ALDI, I’ve learned to view this as an advantage. I could simply go to Walmart or another retailer to immediately buy what I need, but often I don’t, especially if the need is not urgent.
Here are three reasons why I like waiting for ALDI to stock a product:
1. Waiting helps cut impulse spending.
Waiting allows me to think about whether I really need a product.
Often after giving it some thought, I’ll realize I don’t need a new comforter because the old one still looks fine, or I don’t need a shiny new skillet because the old one is still serviceable. I might decide I don’t really want or have a need for the kitchen gadget I was thinking about a few months ago.
Waiting also allows me to plan and budget for when I do eventually make a purchase. I feel more confident when it’s a purchase I’ve planned (and budgeted) for — perhaps months in advance, and I know it’s something I truly want or need.
2. Waiting may give me a lower price.
ALDI’s non-food Special Buy items are not always cheaper, but they often are, even if it’s only by a small amount. This is sometimes true even of name brand items that you could find at other stores.
Earlier this year, for example, ALDI sold an inflatable raft, the Intex Explorer 200, for $10.99 … significantly less than what Amazon, Walmart, or any other retailer was selling it for at that point!
3. Waiting allows me to support a business I like.
Sure, ALDI is still a chain store, but ALDI compensates its workers better than most other retailers and grocers. Workers are paid well and receive excellent benefits. An ALDI employee told us last year that, while the work is hard, workers receive full-time benefits if they work 25 hours or more a week. That’s unusual in the modern working world.
Sometimes waiting for ALDI to stock an item is not possible, like when my daughter’s bed sheet suddenly ripped and she needed new sheets right away. It happens. Or if a lawn chair broke and we needed a new one during the busy summer season. However, when I can wait, I do wait. It’s almost always worth the cost savings.
How about you?
Do you sometimes wait for items you need or want to come around as Special Buys at ALDI, or do you always buy them immediately from other stores?
Rachael is senior editor of Aldi Reviewer, a website offering reviews of Aldi products, and she also writes for the parenting blog, Mumbling Mommy. In her spare time, she battles squirrels in her garden, reads Charlotte Bronte novels, and edits her husband’s science fiction novels.
East Coast Road Trip: A Day in Pittsburgh
Welcome to my 14-day series on our East Coast Road Trip where I share our adventures along the way, how we’re doing this on a budget, honest reviews of attractions & restaurants we visit, and money-saving tips and ideas. If you missed it, read Day 1 here, Day 2 here, Day 3 here, Day 4 here, Day 5 here, Day 6 here, Day 7 here, Day 8 here, Day 9 here, Day 10 here, and Day 11 here.
I learned a lot of things on our 14-day road trip, but one thing I’ve definitely learned is that you all have the BEST recommendations! Case in point: we had an amazing day in Pittsburgh and every single bit of it was because of your recommendations.
The day started with doing laundry… in the hotel parking lot! Well, not totally. We washed and dried it in the machines at the hotel, but we had to check out of the hotel before we could get it folded.
So we folded it in the parking lot/back of our car. Which I wouldn’t really recommend as ideal, but it got the job done! 😉
Oh and as an update: The 5-day packing system worked SO well on this trip and I think we’ll definitely be doing some sort of rendition on it for most of our trips from here on out.
We had a blast going up the Duquesne Incline and seeing the incredible view of Pittsburgh. We loved reading more about the history of the inclines in the Pittsburgh area and we all thought it was a pretty cool experience.
The views from the top of the incline were really cool!
Note: I thought the fares were on the expensive side: It was $20 for round trip tickets for all of us + $5 for parking, but it was a unique experience and memorable experience.
Then we headed to the Strip District. And I’m just not sure how to even describe it.
There were all of these incredibly unique restaurants and grocers that covered a plethora of cultures and ethnicities — and almost every store was really, really inexpensive (at least compared to most of the prices we’ve been seeing on this trip!)
We were bummed that the Peace, Love, and Little Donuts Shop was already closed for the day when we got there. (We discovered that a number of restaurants and shops close around 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., so we wished we had gotten there a little earlier.)
Our favorite store was probably the Allegheny Coffee & Tea Exchange. They had a huge selection of coffees and coffee beans and teas and their prices were very reasonable! We bought loose leaf tea and coffee beans at Allegheny Coffee & Tea to take home, plus some coffee for Jesse, drinks for the kids, and tea for me.
The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company was such an interesting store. You felt like you were in a different country when you were in it — especially because the foods were all Italian!
We loved finding South African candy at the chocolate shop + various products made with Schweschwe fabric (very traditional South African) in another little shop. We split a delicious chicken quesadilla from this basement Mexican restaurant.
And we oohed and aahed over the produce prices at the open air “farmer’s markets” — a bunch of roses for $4-$5 and tubs of strawberries for $1!!!
Oh and we ate at Primanti Bros. like you all said we must. (I got a salad which is probably not what you’re supposed to order there, but it was delicious!!)
Then we hopped in the car and hit West Virginia for a little bit (our first time in the state) and then headed to Cincinnati for the last two days of our 14-day road trip.
Any suggestions on other inexpensive things to do in Pittsburgh? I’d love to hear!