Monthly Menu: August

Hello August, and hello to the last month of Summer break. One more addition to August’s menu is one that I am happy about, take-out Friday’s! We’ve stumbled across some pretty awesome coupons, and I really don’t mind a night out of the kitchen. The kids are pretty happy about it too.

I’ve been working on trimming our weekly grocery budget, and I hope to stay on track this month with August’s monthly menu.

8/1/2014: Take-out night: Sugarfoot and Peaches, local super-tasty BBQ
8/2/2014: Cinnamon Rolls, Bacon, Breakfast Potatoes, and Scrambled Eggs
8/3/2014: Pot Roast with Potatoes, and Butter Rolls
8/4/2014: Tacos, Homemade Salsa, Cheese Dip, and Tortilla Chips
8/5/2014: Panko Chicken Tenders, Hominy, and Mashed Potatoes
8/6/2014: Chicken Burritos, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, Cheese Dip, and Re-fried Beans
8/7/2014: Panko Popcorn Chicken and Tater Tots
8/8/2014: Take-out night!
8/9/2014: Pancakes and Bacon
8/10/2014: Chicken Noodles, Mashed Potatoes, Dinner Rolls, and Chocolate Bundt Cake
8/11/2014: Quesadillas, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, and Cheese Dip
8/12/2014: Salmon Bites, Salad, and Homemade Garlic butter Rolls
8/13/2014: Tacos, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, and Cheese Dip
8/14/2015: BBQ Wings, Pizza Rolls, Chips and Dip
8/15/2014: Take-out night!
8/16/2014: Biscuits, Scrambled Eggs, and Cinnamon Rolls
8/17/2014: Panko Chicken Tenders, Spaghetti, Hominy, Green Beans, and Homemade Bread
8/18/2014: Beef Soft Tacos, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, and Cheese Dip
8/19/2014: Panko Popcorn Chicken and Curly Fries
8/20/2014: Chicken Burritos, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, Cheese Dip, and Re-fried Beans
8/21/2014: Spaghetti, Black Olives, and Homemade French Bread
8/22/2014: Take-out night!
8/23/2014: Pancakes and Bacon
8/24/2014: Homemade Pizza: Pepperoni and Cheese
8/25/2014: Quesadillas, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, and Cheese Dip
8/26/2014: Salmon Bites, Salad, and Homemade Garlic Butter Rolls
8/27/2014: Tacos, Tortilla Chips, Homemade Salsa, and Cheese Dip
8/28/2014: BBQ Wings, Pizza Rolls, Chips and Dip
8/29/2014: Take-out night!
8/30/2014: Toast, Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, and Oatmeal Muffins
8/31/2014: Pot Roast with Potatoes, and Butter Rolls

I’ll be baking lots of homemade goodies for the kids, and it looks like a lot of homemade breads too. I had better stock up on flour. Time to make some shopping lists, and get to it.

Aug 1

This Week

This week has been crazy. There has been something going on at our house every single day, and the place is looking good.

We’ve had a crew here every day painting, pulling off old siding, and putting on the new. We spoke with our contractor last night, and he hopes to have the project all wrapped up be next Tuesday. I’m so happy with how the project has been going, and I can’t wait to have this old house all fixed up.

While the work has been going on, we’ve been going for walks. The pup has loved the extra walks, and the kids enjoyed a walking trip to the park too.

I’ve been reading, crocheting, and baking a bunch. I’m racking my brain trying to crunch the numbers and get my grocery budget trimmed. I’m currently failing at this task.

Better go and get to it.

Jul 31

Nine Years Today

Nine years ago today, I posted my first blog post, not really knowing what to do, or just what NicoStuff.com was going to be about. I was a first-time mom in a small town, I had no idea we would be moving in a few months, I was just trying to figure out who the new-mom-me was.

Nine years later, we’ve moved twice, added two more amazing kiddos to the family, and I’m confident in my skills in motherhood. I’ve learned how to cook, how to crochet, and I am in love with my life as a homemaker.

I want to thank you for reading along, posting comments, and all of the amazing friendships over the last nine years. Thanks for being there for me through the good times and the rough times too.

Here’s to what lies ahead….

Jul 30

Let’s Not Talk About It

I promised my biggest kid that I wouldn’t even mention the word to him until the month of August. He doesn’t want to go, and I can’t say that I blame him. School is on the way, and I don’t think that we are ready to get back to the routine.

I’m trying to make the transition back into a school routine easier… In a bit of a sneaky fashion.

I’ve started off by rolling back the Summer bedtime for the kids. A little extra sleep doesn’t hurt, and I appreciate the extra quiet too.

I’m also making the boys get up, dressed, and get going. Agnes is my early riser, and she wants to get ready as soon as her feet hit the floor. The boys would be content to lounge around in their pj’s for days and days.

We are sneaking in reading where we can. Dylan is reading to Agnes a few times a day. This is getting her interested in school, sitting still, and improving early reading skills. It also keeps his reading out loud skills up.

I’m holding off snack times… I’m trying to get their tummies back in sync with school hours. This year our school district is adopting longer school days, so I know the kids are going to be hungry. I’m also hoping that the school will add in afternoon snack time, because I know my boys get a little grumpy when they are hungry.

Lastly I don’t drag my kids down the school supply aisles. I haven’t asked them about lunch-boxes, backpacks, or water bottles. We’ll get all that we are in need of when school is a little closer. No need to rush off Summer just yet.

I am a little excited about the return of the school-year. Agnes will be going to preschool, and this is the last year at both of the boy’s attendance centers. I hope we can start off the new year stress free, and ready to go.

Jul 29

Construction-time

Last week the painting got going, and this week the new siding is going up. I am so excited about the new siding. Our old house is going to be brand new.

I absolutely love the new color too. Good-bye faded yellow, hello contemporary grey. It is a little noisy, but so exciting at the same time. I’m really happy that this major project is in full swing.