Menu Plan Monday

     This is the last week of September and I survived the first month of school!  I feel like I deserve a shirt that says that.  I love being at home with the kids, but mornings are the hardest part of my day.  Currently I get all four kids up, dressed, fed and out the door before 8:30.   I then do school drop offs, so far everyone has made it to where they need to be on time, before heading off to our morning activities or coming back home.  I wish we came back home more often, but we have been extremely busy lately with playgroups and doctor appointments.  Some days I don't think the title "stay at home mom" is completely appropriate as I don't do much staying at home.

     And this week we are adding two more changes- the first is that Jon is now teaching night school.  He was told that a position opened up and by teaching one night a week he will be more likely to obtain a summer school position next year.  While we enjoyed having him home the past two summers, our savings needs a boost and summer school will do that for us.  It makes for a long day on Mondays for both Jon and I, but we agreed it will be worth it in the long run.  He is also looking forward to teaching science in a different atmosphere.

     The second change is that I am finally getting back to tutoring.  I have been waiting for a few jobs to come my way and one has.  I start this week.  While I love being at home with my kids, tutoring a few hours a week provides a change for me, a chance for Jon to be dad on his own for a few hours (which he enjoys) and it adds a little to our income.  This week I start with one student but hopefully in the next few weeks I will be able to pick up 2 or 3 more.

     Someone asked me recently about having four kids, how I would describe it (she wants four of her own).  I thought about it for a minute, and before I could answer she said, "Is it crazy but worth it?"  And that is the perfect way to describe my life, crazy but worth it. 

    In an effort to make meal time a little less crazy, here is our meal plan for the week:

Breakfasts
*cereal
*oatmeal
*toast
*fruit
*pancakes (homemade and then frozen for easy weekday breakfasts)

Lunch
*peanut butter and jelly (Owen would not survive without it!)
*macaroni and cheese
*grilled cheese
*hot dogs
*bologna and cheese
*leftovers

Dinners
Monday- crescent roll pizzas (an idea I saw on pinterest)
Tuesday- roasting chicken, vegetables and rice
Wednesday- nachos (using leftover chicken from Tuesday)
Thursday-  Big E
Friday- sausage and peppers in the crockpot with homemade french bread
Saturday- picnic at a friends' house.  I have not decided what I am bringing yet.
Sunday- spaghetti pie and salad

For more meal ideas visit I'm an Organizing Junkie