Meal Planning

Meal planning keeps me sane.  It saves both time and money.  Once a week I plan our meals for Monday -Sunday and make a grocery list based on what I need to make those meals.  It doesn't take that long and is totally worth it during the week.  Here is the plan for this week:

Monday- Dinner with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law for Jason's birthday
Tuesday- Tilapia, rice, green beans
Wednesday-Roasted Chicken, sweet potato, broccoli
Thursday- Creamy Vegetable Orzo
Friday- Out to San Juan (date night)
Saturday- Chicken, Bacon, and Tomato Pasta
Sunday- Vegetable Pizza

How do I do it?  Normally I plan on a Thursday night/Friday morning for the next week.  I grab a pen, paper, planner, and cookbooks/recipes and start the planning.  When planning I keep in mind what we have going on the next week (that's why I use the planner).  This way I am able to plan a fast cooking meal on the days that we have a commitment and know what day we have free to go out or have a friend over for dinner.  As I look for good recipes I look in the pantry/freezer to see what I need to use, sometimes I base recipes off of that.  Whatever I don't have on hand I put on a grocery list. 

I have been meal planning close to 2 years and it only gets easier as time passes.  If you are just starting stick with it and it will pay off. 

Happy Birthday Jason!

A few weeks ago Jason and I, along with some friends, watched Courageous.  It was a fantastic movie and I recommend it to anyone, married or not.  The movie was about a group of men who decide (after a tragic accident) to stand up and start leading their families in the way the Bible calls a man to lead.  Without spoiling the movie I will say it included men in all different areas of life who were dealing with vastly different situations.  Here is just a taste of what the men resolve to do:

"I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children. I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home. I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me. I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

As we were driving home that night I was thinking about my husband.  I feel like so many women probably walked away from watching this movie and thought something along the lines of "I wish my husband would be more like those guys.", but I don't have the chance to say that. 

Jason is a man of honor in all circumstances.  He is honest, compassionate, hard working, and loyal.  All of that would be enough, but he is also hilarious, a wonderful story teller, and quite the looker.  I can honestly say it is only by the grace of God that I can be Mrs. Faircloth.  I do not deserve this husband.

Since we will be in the mountains on Jason's birthday to see my sisters and brother I threw a birthday party for Jason last weekend.  We gathered at a friends house and roasted marshmallows for smores.  I don't have pictures of the people who were there but this is how we set it up:

Date Night Ideas

Jason and I recently went to a marriage retreat put on by our church Crossway.  It was a great time full of both encouragement and challenges.  One (of the many) thing we were challenged with is establishing a regular date night.  Not just a time to be together and hangout, but a time of purpose that gives us a neutral and expected setting to ask, "How am I doing as a husband/wife?".  Then talk about ways we can improve or about the things that have gone well in the past week.  The idea is that this would be a weekly event.  In the past we have tried but, have gotten discouraged by either finding the time or by finances.  So, in an effort to overcome the discouragement we brainstormed some free/inexpensive dates and will choose an evening that we stick with.

It is just a beginning but here are the dates we came up with. 

Free Dates:

Cape Fear Museum (on the free day)
The park to play tennis
The park to play horse
Bike ride and picnic
Rent a movie from the Library
Plan for Italy @ home or coffee shop
Dinner @ home and a walk

Cheap Dates:

Attractions Book Dinner (a local coupon book that has tons of B1G1 Free dinners)
Beer and pool at Blue Post (a place downtown Wilmington)
Barnes and Noble Coffee date
Camping at Carolina Beach
Wine tasting
Beer and Baseball game at a local place (since we don't have t.v.)
Sharks or UNCW baseball game
Check out plays at Thalian hall


Also, I am making these tonight for Jason's birthday.  YUM!