How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways...

Confession: I'm only with Todd cuz he can cook.

He doesn't (and won't) do it often, but when he does, it's Heaven in my stomach. :-)

I've been craving tator tots for about a week or longer now. So what does he do? Make me these babies!!! Not tator tots, but OMG FRIGGIN DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!

Yes, I think I'll have his firstborn.....

Thanks to My Loving Teet...

...Temi can be the next spokesbaby for Gold Fishes.....

She goes crazy for them....she even knows how to knock the box off the table to get them herself

What’s Cookin’ Doc?

A while back, I wrote about my venture into meal planning. I’m happy to report that it’s going well for us. I create our menu for two weeks, then use the menu to lay out our grocery list. Todd likes the menu because he doesn’t have to decide what we’re eating for dinner. I like the menu because Temi’s able to sorta eat with us. Given that she hasn’t quite mastered how to feed herself without 1. Turning her plate/bowl upside down and 2. Using her hands as a fork or spoon, one of us still has to feed her. But she eats what we eat. :-)

Our last trip to Walmart was a personal feat thanks to the meal planning…we only went over budget $9. Lately we had been super overspending whenever we went grocery shopping. It was really bad. We had a habit of grabbing stuff that wasn’t on the list. Or grabbing stuff because we may want to cook it or we haven’t had it in a while. With the meal plan, we only buy ingredients that we are going to use in the next two weeks. I can really dig this.

In case you’re wondering, here’s what’s cookin’ for T3. I’m including next week’s since this week is almost over:
9/23-9/29
Soul Food Nite – Nothing because we were travelling
Italian Nite – Baked Spinach spaghetti casserole w/ Italian sausage; pan-fried pork chops
Remix Tuesday – We had leftover spaghetti casserole because it was enough, but normally I create something from any leftovers we have, adding a twist to it. Or we just wing it if there’s no leftovers.
Soup/Salad Nite – Chicken Soup
Mexican Nite – Burritos
Fried Goodness Nite – Beer battered fish
Pizza Nite – Try a local pizzeria

9/30-10/6
Soul Food Nite – Roast w/ potatoes, carrots, celery; spinach; sweet potato cornbread
Italian Nite – Mostaccioli w/ spinach; pan-fried chicken
Remix Tuesday –
Soup/Salad Nite – Chili
Mexican Nite – Chipotle burrito bowl
Fried Goodness Nite – Fried chicken; mac n cheese; salad
Pizza Nite – Try a local pizzeria

I’m super happy about my meal planning accomplishment. Cooking dinner has been a struggle for Todd and I the past year and I feel like I finally came up with a system that works for both of us. (Well mainly me since someone decided that cooking was my “thing”.) Knowing what’s for dinner and being able to unthaw any meat ahead of time (night before, morning of) has been a huge time saver and one less thing for me to worry about. One less thing on my ever-growing to-do list. It’s a small step, but it feels HUGE. Makes me feel proud. Like I’m doing something right.

Now if only I could create someone to load the dishwasher….oh wait I did….what’s the proper maturity and age for using your kids as dishwashers???


~ Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

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Meal Plan Isn't Just for College Students

Four years ago if someone said those two words - meal plan - to me, I immediately thought of my BU ID and the invisible cash on it I used to eat in the cafeterias. Now, as a post grad working mom, those words mean more time in the evening.

I got the idea from one of my mommy blogs, but never got around to doing it. Every time I sat down to create a meal plan, a menu if what we would eat for dinner every night for two weeks at a time, I got overwhelmed. I would give up in frustration before I could even write down one item. I knew I needed to do something because Temi was increasingly eating more and soon she'd be eating with us. She's in bed by 830 at the latest, so me and Todd's 10 o'clock dinner time just wouldn't cut it.

Then I was talking to Keisha and she had this awesome idea: have food nights, like Taco Night, Chicken Night, etc. She didn't really suggest I do it, but more like we were both complaining about our lack of progress and she was telling me that was her goal.

So I took her idea and ran with it. I created our meal plan by starting with the nights first: Soul Food Night, Italian Night, Remix Night, Soup/Salad Night, Mexican Night, Fried Food Night and Pizza Night. Once I did that, it was easy to come up with a menu for the next two weeks.

And the best part: Temi gets to eat with us since dinner is now ready by 730. :-)

Check out my Remixed Dirty Rice, courtesy of Remix Tuesdays.

Brush, Brush, Brush Your Teeth

Temi takes her dental hygiene very serious. She refused to leave the health of her precious four teeth in the hands of some amateurs like Mommy and Daddy.

Momfessions #3

When Temi goes away, I be all like ":-'( I miss my baby bring her back NOW!!!!!!"

Then she comes back and I'm all like "Will this child's parents PLEASE come get her before I lose my mind?"

Happy Labor Day!

The Sparkman/Jenkins household celebrated by doing the opposite of labor. After all, the weekend provided more than enough labor for us.

Temi spent the entire weekend with her Nana. My baby finally came home Monday night. :-) She immediately settled in my lap and devoured my ribs smh.

Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday!!!