Tag Archives: blogging

Week Recap and Meal Plan {31.03.2013}

This week, for me, was mostly about work. I had a day trip on Tuesday to Washington DC….there is nothing like leaving at 5:30 am and getting home at 8:00pm ;-). I was very thankful there is a Starbucks, right as you get past security at the airport, for a much needed morning coffee. The other thing is, my team is growing at work, to be ~10 people, so I spent most of the end of the week trying to put a plan together to help our group be successful.

While embarking on this exercise, I realized I needed a little more structure and realistic expectations in my life, as a whole. I need to gain more balance. How else can I (as a working mum) remain engaged with family, work, look after myself, an etsy store and have some fun ;-).

To start, I came up with a rough schedule for my blog. I say rough, as I might not have anything to share or I might be running a little behind:

DAY Blog Activity
Saturday Weekly Recap + Meal Plan
Monday Weekend of Small Finishes + Fabric Stash
linking up with Plum and June for “Lets get Acquainted”
Tuesday Recipe of the week
Wednesday WiP (Work in Progress) Wednesday
linking up with Lee @ “Freshly Pieced” 
Friday Finish it up Friday
linking up with Amanda Jean @ “Crazy Mom Quilts

Now, on to the other planning piece the family uses,  our meal plan. We have decided that the important thing here is to make it sustainable. We are going with 4 vegetarian appropriate meals a week to see if we can stick with the plain a little better. This is our plan for week 12:

DAY BREAKFAST DINNER EXERCISE
Sunday Egg + Fruit + Soy Latte Creamy Vegetable Shepherds Pie (Hopefully 4th time the charm) 20 mins. HIT
Monday Granola + Fruit + Soy Yoghurt Split Pea and Ham Soup
Tuesday Berry + Banana + Spirulina Smoothie Gluten Free Pasta Bake 3-4 Mile Walk
Wednesday Oatmeal + Banana and Almond butter Zpizza (Pizza with whole wheat crust and organic ingredients) 20 mins. HIT
Thursday Granola + Fruit + Soy Yoghurt Meatloaf + Potatoes + Steamed Vegetables
(Meatloaf is made with zucchini and carrots)
Friday Berry + Banana + Spirulina Smoothie Vegetable Biryani (adding broccoli and left over vegetables from Sunday) 20 mins. HIT

As mentioned last week, I thought I could share how we are spending $70 a week only, for our meals, by providing a shopping list. So, here was this weeks grocery list:

Grocery list (New Stock) In the cupboard/fridge
  • Pineapple (TT)
  • Watermelon (LF)*
  • Strawberries (TT)
  • Bananas (TT)
  • Broccoli (TJ)
  • Cauliflower (TJ)
  • Green Beans (TJ)
  • Mushrooms (TJ)
  • Carrots (TJ)
  • Zucchini (TJ)
  • Soy Milk (TJ)
  • Soy Yoghurt (WF)
  • Ground Beef 96/4 (TJ)
  • Ham hocks (TT)
  • Juice (TJ, TT)
  • Split Peas (TT)
  • Brown Rice (TJ)
  • Gluten Free Pasta (TT)
  • Vegetable Stock (TT)
  • Onions (TJ)
  • Potatoes (TJ)
  • Butter (TJ)
  • Flour/ WW and GF (TT)
  • Granola (TT or BJ)
  • Oats (BJ)
  • Marinara Sauce (BJ or TT)
  • Eggs (TJ)
  • Frozen Peas + Corn (TJ)

NOTE: We shop majority at Trader Joe’s (TJ), Target (TT) with an occasional visit to Whole foods (WF), BJ’s , Harris Teeters (HT), Lowes Food (LF) and Fresh Market (FM).
NOTE: We do not typically use coupons mainly due to time.
NOTE: Items indicated by * are specials for the week we took advantage of.

Well – that is it for this long post today. Thanks for going through my thoughts with me. Hope everyone has a good week. I would love to see what you are doing for meal planning or trying to balance your life – leave a link to your post in the comments below 🙂

Liebster Award

liebster

I just was nominated for my first blog award. I am honored and excited for this recognition of my blog. Thank you, Anthea from Quilting Antics.

To accept the award there are a few rules to follow:

  • The Liebster Award is given by bloggers to bloggers who have less than 200 followers.
  • Each blogger should answer the questions the tagger has set for you.
  • Choose eleven new bloggers to pass the award on to and link them in your post.
  • Create eleven new questions for the chosen bloggers.
  • Go back to their page and tell them about the award.
  • Each blogger should post eleven random facts about themselves.
  • No Tag Backs!!!

Here are the questions that Anthea gave me.

1. What was your greatest adventure and why?
This was one of the harder questions, I have done a lot that I would consider in this category – I suppose the biggest adventure I have had, was when I moved from Australia to Germany for my job. I did it on my own at 27, and did not really know anyone when I arrived in Germany. I also hardly spoke any German at the time.

2. What is your favourite colour and why?
I don’t have a permanent favorite colors. I would say at the moment it would have to be the teal/aqua color. I love the fabrics that are currently available at the moment. 

3. What would be your dessert island disk?
Hmm. I like such a range of music and it varies depending on my mood…..I would have to take Best of (David) Bowie or Foo Fighters Greatest Hits.

4. Which event has been the most profound of your life?
Having my son 

5. If you could go back in time where would you go to?
Probably medieval England/Scotland….I was always interested in stories of King Arthur, Robin Hood and William Wallace

6. If you could have been born into another culture which one would it be and why?
I wouldn’t want to be born into any other culture than the one I was born into. I am a proud kiwi and couldn’t image being anything else.

7. Are you mummy’s girl or daddy’s girl? (boy if your male)
I think I was, and still am a little of both

8. What is your earliest memory?
My earliest memory would be getting my tonsils out at the hospital when I was four, and getting a ride in the ambulance to go to the theatre for surgery.

9. What is your favourite board game?
Trivial Pursuit or Chess

10. What is your favourite season?
Spring – the excitement of everything new and able to get out and about after the winter (I wish our spring would get here already)

11. Who was your best friend at school?
In primary school – Vivienne W., High School was Nikki B./Valerie D.

These are the 11 blogs that I would like to nominate:

  1. WIP in Progress Girl
  2. A Little Bird Made me
  3. The Original Thread
  4. Under the Maple Canopy
  5. Little and Lots
  6. Sew. Knit. Grow
  7. Wombat Quilts
  8. L. White Limited
  9. 3 and 3 quarters
  10. Jeanne’s Blog
  11. Sew French

My 11 questions to you are:

  1. What is your favorite memory from childhood?
  2. What is your favorite city you have visited?
  3. What item that you have made are you most proud of?
  4. What was your nickname in school?
  5. What would you like to see change in the world?
  6. What is your dream job?
  7. What do you like to eat for breakfast?
  8. What was your favorite class/subject in high school?
  9. Who inspired you most growing up?
  10. What is your favorite book?
  11. What fat-quarter bundle would you like to win at the moment?

Finally, 11 facts you may not know about me:

I love the all blacks rugby team
My favorite cities in Europe are Lisbon, Prague and Rome
My husband and I honeymooned in the Cook Islands and Tahiti
My favorite “special occasion” restaurant is The Melting Pot
I am a night owl and love to sleep in, in the morning
My favorite books growing up were by Susan Cooper – The Dark is Rising Series
My favorite movies are Princess Bride and Highlander
I have a BSc in Statistics and Biology, an MSc in Marine Science
We are vacationing in New Zealand, Germany, and New York this year
If I did another job, it would either be a Physiotherapist or spend more time on my Etsy store
Bucket list places to visit: the Great Wall of China, the Rose-Red City of Petra, The top of the North Island , New Zealand (above Russell), Pompeii

March Goal Progress Report

I feel I have made quite a bit of Progress on many of my goals this month. I still may have bitten of more than I can chew. Reminder for April – no more than 3 craft goals !!! Checking in with Lovely Year of Finishes.

A Lovely Year of Finishes

Before I move into where I am at for March, I have planned the new technique to try for June (how’s that for planning). For my birthday (June 8th), I booked a workshop with Lotta Jansdotter who does amazing fabric printing, and to top it all off, I can spend the weekend in NEW YORK!!! You can check out her website here. I am so excited.

Ok, back to the now!!!  I did finish a little hexie coffee cup sleeve for a custom order, in addition to my March goals. Here is where I am at for March:

  1. Bottom, Baste and Quilt, the “Four Seasons in one day” (named after a crowded house song).
    Back finish, Basted, and my first line of quilting done.
    IMG_6974 IMG_6980
  2. Finish 2 sets of chair bags.
    No Progress.
  3. Finish 1 set of pot holders (custom order)
    Fabric Ordered.
  4. Finish a E-reader case
    No Progress.
  5. Sew + Finish the Triple zip pouch
    Fabric Cut, ready to start sewing.
  6. Kiwi Paper Piecing Cushion Cover
    Completed on Friday. This by far has been my favorite project and I love how it turned out.
  7. Make 1-2 Blocks for our Madrona Road Challenge
    Design decided and first block complete

Continue with my more general goals

  1. Continue with Life Style Challenge with a focus on:
    – No Sugar or Processed Food
    I am doing ok on processed food but awful in avoiding sugar – need to work on that the next two weeks
    – Exercise 3 times a week
    I have executed a plan and suckered in a friend to walk with my twice a week – Thanks Su 🙂
  2. Post 3 times a week min.
    Definitely doing well on this one
  3. Post a new recipe each week
    Yes, at least one recipe a week