Menu Plan Monday 7/27

Grilled Spiedies Chicken and pineapples with rice and corn on the cob
Tacos and Corn Bread
Spicy Honey Mustard Chicken with mac and cheese
Grilled Worchestershire Chicken with potatoes and corn on the cob
Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner
Fried Rice with egg rolls and edamame
Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps and homemade french fries

The week last week was exactly to plan which is amazing!!  I love when things come together.  The only thing was that I didn't get the corn bread made which was totally fine because we had tons of food regardless.  We did pasta on Sunday instead of pizza hut so we are going to have that this coming week for sure but I think for lunch instead of dinner but we will see.  This week is going to be interesting and we will see how this goes.  I don't know exactly our plans for every day so I am just going to make a list of things to pick from for the week and we will get what works with the time we have available.  I guess we will see if I change some things up for dinner instead of lunch.

The Sunrise on Half Moon Bay Book Review

I have been reading a lot at night and in the morning so I go through a few books but I think that I was a little over excited when "shopping" at the library reserve system.  I have piles and piles of books that I have not gotten to read.  I have a bunch of books that came in at the same time and the library just announced that books are going to start having a due date soon which means that I have a bunch of books that don't have any renewals because there is a waiting list.  Sunrise on Half Moon Bay by Robyn Carr the first book that I read because I was on my mission to get those books read that I couldn't renew!

Sometimes the happiness we’re looking for has been there all along…

Adele and Justine have never been close. Born twenty years apart, Justine was already an adult when Addie was born. The sisters love each other but they don’t really know each other.

When Addie dropped out of university to care for their ailing parents, Justine, a successful lawyer, covered the expenses. It was the best arrangement at the time but now that their parents are gone, the future has changed dramatically for both women.

Addie had great plans for her life but has been worn down by the pressures of being a caregiver and doesn’t know how to live for herself. And Justine’s success has come at a price. Her marriage is falling apart despite her best efforts.

Neither woman knows how to start life over but both realize they can and must support each other the way only sisters can. Together they find the strength to accept their failures and overcome their challenges. Happiness is within reach, if only they have the courage to fight for it.

Set in the stunning coastal town of Half Moon Bay, California, Robyn Carr’s new novel examines the joys of sisterhood and the importance of embracing change.

Adele is the younger sister who left college to come home and care for her parents.  She has been home for 8 years and realized that she lost her life in the process.  Justine is the older sister who is 20 years older and settled in her life as a lawyer with her stay at home husband taking care of their two teenage daughters.  It seems that life is settled for both of them until they decide that everything has to change.  Adele goes out with a friend to a restaurant and sees her brother in law kissing another woman and she feels like she needs to tell her sister.  Justine tries to collect information with the help of a private investigator and researching their accounts, she realizes that this has been going on for a long time.  Both are heart broken and starting over their lives in new and different ways.  You have to pick up the book to find out how quickly they change their lives and how that makes them feel.  This is an inspirational book to change anything you might not like about your life so that you can be happy.  It shows the importance of friends and family and how they enrich our lives.  I hope that you check out this great read and enjoy the rest of the books by this author.  I thought it was a hard book to put down and it had me wishing there was another one in the series!!

Menu Plan Monday 7/20

Pasta (Penne for my son) with zucchini and garlic bread
Grilled Greek Chicken and pineapples with rice
Taco Rice
Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni and Garlic Chicken)
Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries
Pizza Hut or Pasta

This month is flying by and I can't believe how much of summer we are through but last week was a good week for meals although I did forget to get my pineapple on the grill on Tuesday and we switched Thursday and Friday because of the schedule.  I planned for a super easy week of meals and I was glad to get everything made that we were expecting.

I did run to the store for the first time this month and I spent under $30 to get a few things that we were low on and I have one more day I am going to go out and hit a few stores to get the things that Aldi didn't have.  I put in an online order at Target to get carside pickup which I have never done before so crossing my fingers on.  Making two other quick stops to get the items we need at Harris Teeter and Wegman's.  I don't think that we need too many more this month so we are putting off our big stock up trip until the beginning of next month.  I am sure it will be a high spend trip but super excited to have a low month and work on creativity in the kitchen with what we have already in the house.  How are you doing for your meals this month??

Sea Glass Winter Book Review

I was excited to read the next book in the series and Sea Glass Winter: A Shelter Bay Novel by JoAnn Ross was as good as the others in the series.  It is book five in the series so there have been a bunch that I read before getting off track with other series.  I was glad to get back to enjoying this cute small town but it was hard to put this book down.

He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.

As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest minefield: fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…

Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps… 

I was happy to read this book and meet Dillon Slater who retired from the military to start his life in the small town of Shelter Bay.  He took a job that transitioned soldiers from the battlefield to the classroom.  He became a teacher and a basketball coach.  The team has had many loosing seasons and the boosters were interested in turning that around.  The get a new player moving to the area who happens to be an amazing player.  They put all their hope in Matt Templeton but Dillon isn't sure that he wants to start him because he wants to make sure that everyone is a team player.  Claire Templeton is starting over in the small town of Shelter Bay because she just lost her mom and her son was getting into trouble at the old school.  She moved both of them across the country to start over.  She is working on her glass work and supporting her business while getting Matt settled into the new school.  Dillon is very helpful to the settling process but finds himself drawn to Claire.  Claire refuses to get involved with her son's coach because she doesn't want other mothers on the team to think that her son is getting better treatment.  It is a tough fight but you have to pick up the book and find out for yourself what happens.  I hope that you enjoy this book and the others in the series as much as I have.  This one was a great book that was hard to put down and I read it very quickly.  It is a wonderful summer read and I look forward to the next in the series.

Moonshell Beach Book Review

I was excited to get back to the Shelter Bay series when I got the rest of the books from the library.  Moonshell Beach: A Shelter Bay Novel by JoAnn Ross was the next book in my pile and I was excited to read it.  I knew that once I started that I would have trouble putting the series down again.

He no longer believed in anything.
But she believed in him.

J.T. Douchett has returned home to shut out the world and escape the memories that haunt him from his final mission as a Marine. When he reluctantly agrees to provide security for a town event, the last thing he expects is to experience unbidden feelings for Irish movie star Mary Joyce. Mary has surprised everyone—including herself—by accepting an invitation to a film festival in Shelter Bay. The Oregon coastal town immediately charms her, and an even larger surprise is encountering the stoic man who could be everything she's dreamed of.

As J.T. struggles to keep Mary at arm’s length, she reminds herself that she’s never been attracted to the strong, silent type. And having known so much sorrow, he’s afraid to risk getting close to anyone. But in Shelter Bay, even the most strongly guarded heart is no match for love. 

JT Douchett is back from his final mission with the Marines and he is trying to integrate back into Shelter Bay.  He is assigned to guard the celebrity, Mary Joyce, that is coming into town because the sheriff doesn't have the staff to do it.  Mary Joyce comes into town and he expects the Hollywood spoiled star but finds that she is more of a small town girl.  JT learns that he feels a pull to Mary which he doesn't want to answer because he wants to be alone.  Spending more time together makes it so clear how many things they have in common but you have to pick up the book to find out what happens.  I hope that you check out this book and all of rest of the books in this series.

Once A Rancher Book Review

I was excited to get to Once a Rancher (The Carsons of Mustang Creek) by Linda Lael Miller. It is the first book in the series.  I was ready to get back to the beginning because I actually started with the middle of this three book series.  I was excited when the library opened so that I could find out what happened in the rest of the series.

The Carsons of Mustang Creek: three men who embody the West and define what it means to be a rancher, a cowboy and a hero in this brand-new series from the queen of Western romance 

SLATER CARSON might be a filmmaker by trade, but he's still a cowboy at heart—and he knows the value of a hard day's work under the hot Wyoming sun. So when he sees troubled teen Ryder heading down a dangerous path, he offers the boy a job on the ranch he shares with his two younger brothers. And since Ryder's guardian is the gorgeous new Mustang Creek resort manager, Grace Emery, Slater figures it can't hurt to keep a closer eye on her, as well…

GRACE EMERY doesn't have time for romance. Between settling into her new job and caring for her ex-husband's rebellious son, her attraction to larger-than-life Slater is a distraction she can't afford. But when an unexpected threat emerges, she'll discover just how far Slater will go to protect what matters most—and that love is always worth fighting for.

Back to the first book in the series which of course since I read the second book, I knew how it would end but I was ready to see how the book went and I was super surprised.  Slater is the filmmaker and he is finishing up one project and starting the next one so he is home.  He decides that he is going to help Ryder with a job on the ranch to make him have responsibility after Ryder gets into trouble for stealing something off his set.  Grace Emery is the person taking care of Ryder because his father is deployed and his grandmother couldn't handle the trouble anymore.  Grace is his ex-step-mother but she loves him and wants what is best for him.  She is working to try to make sure that he knows that he has people that care about him.  Although it is very tough until he gets the structure of working at the ranch.  It is great to see the relationship between Grace and Ryder develop and the relationship between Slater and Grace.  I know that you will enjoy watching them become a family.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the series.  I am sure that you will enjoy them as much as I have.  Stay tuned for the third book in the series review posting soon.

Christmas at Cardwell Ranch and Keeping Christmas Book Review

I got a book of my unread book shelf and it was actually two books in it.  Christmas at Cardwell Ranch & Keeping Christmas (Harlequin Intrigue) by B.J. Daniels was the next book in the stack.  I hadn't read anything by this author or in the series but I decided to check it out to see if I might want to read the rest of it.  Plus I am always ready for a good Christmas story!!  Although it was fast to read, it took me over a month to write the review.

In CHRISTMAS AT CARDWELL RANCH, Tag Cardwell caught Lily McCabe off guard in more ways than one when the two became entwined in a murder mystery. But before they could lose themselves in each other they had to trace a killer. Or risk finding a crime scene under the Christmas tree. AT CARDWELL RANCH, THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE BRUTAL... It had been years since Tanner "Tag" Cardwell's boots touched Montana soil. This Christmas he was determined to change that. Until a run-in with local Lily McCabe revealed dark secrets from his past and deep trouble for his future.  Cowboys came and went in these parts. The dreamy eyes… The rugged physique… The protection she felt in his strong arms…But before they could lose themselves in each other they had to trace a killer. Or risk finding a crime scene under the Christmas tree.

In the holiday favorite KEEPING CHRISTMAS, Chance Walker was the cool-eyed cowboy hired to bring Dixie Bonner, a wild child on the run, home by Christmas. But when the bad guys started to close in, two stubborn souls needed to trust each other if they hoped to survive the season.

The first book was Christmas at Cardwell Ranch which is about Lily McCabe and Tag Cardwell.  Tag comes back to spend Christmas with his father.  He normally lives in Texas with the rest of his family but his father lives in Montana.  He starts by going to his fathers house and seeing a suspicious jacket but things go down hill quickly when he meets his father and uncle at the local bar.  Everything gets complicated fast and he ends up working to try to solve a mystery and make sure that he protects himself and the people he cares about.  You have to pick up the book to find out what happens in this story but you will be amazed and the action in this story.

The second book was Keeping Christmas which was about Chance Walker and Dixie Bonner.  The story started off quickly with the odd feeling that something bad was going to happen or that something was off when she went into the parking garage.  People came out and took her to her house to find a journal and more that they were looking for but she woke up and escaped.  Chance Walker was living in a cabin off by himself when he gets a request from Beauregard Bonner hired Chance to find his daughter.  Chance was trying to relax and enjoy some down time but it is a job that he couldn't turn down.  Dixie was the sister of the girl that got away from Chance before.  It is a great story and you have to see what happens because it seems like it might turn quickly.

Both books were really good but I thought that description was so bad because I didn't even recognize the description as something that I even read.  It made it even harder to write the review because I had to re-look at the book to figure out what it was I hope that you check out both of these books.  I hope that I can check out a few more of these books by this author. Have you read anything by B.J. Daniels?? I am going to have to check out more by the author because they were a fun change for me.

Menu Plan Monday 7/13

Pasta (Penne for my son) with zucchini and garlic bread
Grilled Sweet Chili Chicken and pineapples with rice
French Dip Sloppy Joes with mac and cheese
Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni and Garlic Chicken)
Fried Rice with egg rolls
Leftovers or Breakfast for Dinner
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

 These are the weeks that make me wonder why I make a meal plan because it was crazy.  We had dinner with friends on Monday and then everything was a little crazy.  We did Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps with french fries and tater tots on Tuesday.  Wednesday was leftover pizza which we ate before going to the pool.  Thursday was everyone with a different meal.  My husband had homemade mac and cheese that was leftover, my son had a fresh pot of Penne pasta and I made friend zucchini.  We decided that Friday would be homemade pizza night since we missed it.  Saturday was Grilled Chicken and Pineapple with rice and corn on the cob which used up the last of my corn.  Back on track with Saturday, we stuck with our normal Sunday meal which is my son's favorite meal.

We are running low on a few things like lunch meat, ice cream and milk so I might have to go to the store soon to get a few things to add to the fridge and freezer.  I think that we have a bunch of things ready to go but I have to go through my meal plan for the rest of the month and see if there is anything else that I need to get to fill in the blanks.  I have so many things that I hope for only a few small trips to the store this month and I am going to push off my big once a month shopping trip to the beginning of next month.  I am going to work on creativity because there are going to be a bunch of things that we are going to be out of by next month like toilet paper, chocolate chips and bread flour so I will probably use both months budgets to get anything we need.

How is your month going??

Heart of Hero Book Review

This is the second book of the three book series and I haven't read the first one but I was ready to jump right in.  I had read other books by the author and I was excited to check out this new series that I hadn't read before.  Heart of a Hero (Global Search and Rescue) by Susan May Warren was a book that I got a chance to review.  It was mailed to me right after the libraries opened so I got to put it on my pile of other books to read.

Jake Silver may not be able to put the memories of his time as a sniper and Navy SEAL behind him, but at least he can put his skills to use as a part of the Jones Inc. rescue team. Saving the life of pediatric heart surgeon Dr. Aria Sinclair on Denali helped too. Now he can't get her out of his head, and when he hears she is in the path of a hurricane down in Key West he can't help but jump on a plane to rescue her.

Aria has dedicated her life to helping children born with defective hearts. After all, she was one of those children. Now driven to succeed, she lives a lonely, stressful life. One she would have lost on Denali if it hadn't been for Jake. Jake is exciting and handsome, but he's also dangerous, and she's already lost one person she loves. She can't bear it again.

It's not until she finds herself trapped in the middle of a category 4 hurricane that she can admit she needs Jake desperately. With their very survival in the balance, can they hope for a second chance at life . . . and love?

I was excited to jump right in and I can tell you that there were a lot of characters that I wish that I could have started with the first book in the series but once I got into the book I was really excited to get to read the rest of books in this series.  Jake Silver was a Navy SEAL who came out and started working in a search and rescue team.  In the past book which they reference, he was in Alaska and met Dr. Aria Sinclair.  They had a connection but Aria pretended not to know him to avoid the connection when they got home.  This book is an amazing adventure in Key West where Aria goes to a conference to also get  break.  She ends up sick and in her room and she left a message for Jake instead of her friend Jenny. Jake got worried and wasn't sure what to do because there was a storm headed to Key West and it seemed like Aria wasn't herself.  He decided to go down and find her to make sure she was okay.  You have to pick up the book to find out what happens because it was an amazing adventure.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest in the series.  Even if you can't get to the first book in the series, I recommend starting with the second book because you won't be disappointed.  I was really pulling for Jake and Aria to be happy and safe.  I know that you will enjoy it as much as I did once you figure out who everyone is!!

**I got a copy of this book to read to review but I was not required to give a positive review.  All opinions here are my own.

Month End Budget for June Groceries and Eating Out

I normally have a monthly budget of $160 for groceries and $40 for eating out so during this time we decided to go with $200 for groceries and skipped eating out.  Prices have gone up so much so it was much needed.  Also without the ability to shop sales and use coupons to get the lowest price, there is an increase in the amount things cost.  In addition, we are getting more treats because we are stuck at home so we are all getting something a little special to enjoy and look forward to.

We have been trying to go to once a month grocery shopping which has been an adjustment but I think that this month was getting way closer to accomplishing.  I went out to the store on three different days stretched in the month so I wasn't out too often but I had a few different stores to go to in order to get the things we normally use. 

Harris Teeter $34.84

I went to the store because I saw some sales that I couldn't pass up and I decided to  grab Turkey Hill ice cream because my son loves it.  I got cereal with the printable coupon and sale.  I got two containers of eggs.  I got key lime yogurt.  I grabbed a bunch of tropical punch and grape Kool Aid.

Aldi $8.31

I went to the Aldi that was close to the Harris Teeter but the stock was horrible and the costs were so much higher so I decided to drive all the way to the other Aldi to get the other items while I was still out.  I did get two sugar and two flour and one bag of pepperoni.

Aldi $24.91

I went to my second Aldi of the day and grabbed the last items that I needed. I got two more flour but they were out of sugar.  I got two bags of pretzels and my son's favorite Ranch chips.  I got a container of oats and bottle of oil to add to the stockpile.

Walmart $45.51

I decided to order online for grocery pick up at Walmart for a few things that I haven't been able to get at other stores.  Super great because I got my son's favorite granola bars which I haven't been able to find for months. I got the Kool Aid flavor that is discontinued at a bunch of other stores and is my son and husband's favorite.  I also got another pack of ice pops because we were out.  I got a 25 lb bag of sugar which I built up my muscles with pouring into my container.  Sadly, they took the flour out of the order so I didn't get any flour.

Wegman's $31.34

Since we were in the area, I went to get ground beef.  I think that I was so surprised that they had only 90/10 ground beef and the price was super high that I didn't even stop to think that I also needed to get bread flour or the flour that I didn't get at Walmart so I only got meat in this purchase which we made into 7 meals to enjoy for the next month. I did remember that we were almost out of lettuce so I grabbed a head when I was walking through produce.

Lidl $67.64+ $2.95

I was ready with my once a month list of all of things that I needed to get and I was on the hunt for everything that I could find.  I was super excited to get most of the things that I wanted and needed while going through the store.  My new list to try to shop once a month really helped.  I had all of the items and amounts listed and got to find most of them. I got two dozen eggs, bacon, 7 mozzarella cheese, 3 large cheddar cheese, celery, turkey lunch meat, blueberries, 2 ketchup, can of pineapple, jar of salsa and carrots.  I bought a lot of treats including 4 tortilla chips, Lidl Oreos, box of brownie mix, vanilla wafers, Crispy Rice, 3 bags of marshmallows, 2 bags of ice pops.  My husband and son decided that Lidl Cran Grape juice was good enough so I got 6 of them to last through July.

I had to go back across the street because I needed the cream and there was a bigger and cheaper container there so I went back and also grabbed another bag of marshmallows because I got a second package of Crispy Rice at Aldi so I needed them to make more Rice Krispie Treats!!  I am sure that you can't see everything in this because I piled it in the garage before cleaning it off and bringing it in the house.

Aldi $50.58

I went to Aldi second to get the items that were left on the list.  There was a sign for the potatoes to get them cheaper then they have normally been so I grabbed three bags but the cashier had to override the price.  I got white rice because my son isn't loving the Wegman's rice we got last time.  I got zucchini which was done by pound instead of by package this time which was a little of a surprise.  I got a package of bacon because more is always better.  I got and two more dozen eggs and three mozzarella because they were cheaper at Aldi.  I got three packages of pepperoni because we have been using lots of them with pizza and more.  I got another package of Crispy Rice so that we could make more treats.  I got two bags of pretzels and three bags of Ranch chips.  I got one salsa and one Cran Grape to do a taste test against Lidl brand.  I got one gallon skim milk and one half gallon whole milk.  I got an extra bag of Chicken Fries which is my son's favorite.

Giant $10.02

I stopped at the store to get the corn on the cob for 10/$2 which is a favorite and a few deals that I found online.  I saved the coupons on my card and I decided to get Cheerios and Oat Crunch Cheerios which were on sale for $1.99 and there was an electronic coupon for $1/2.  I got the Juicy Juice juice boxes which were on sale for $2.50 and there was $1 electronic coupon and I two $1 coupons from the newspaper so it was $1 for each one.  I also got 2 Gerber bananas even though they weren't on sale and I didn't have a coupon because we were out of them.

Lidl $3.97

I had to go back because the Aldi receipt rang up incorrectly so we had tried the Vanilla Wafers so I went back to get three boxes.

Total Retail $529.45
 Total Savings $249.38
Total Rebates $1.10
Total OOP $278.87

I know that I was way over budget this month but we have a ton of things in the house so we are really set for a little bit even though I spent $78.87 over budget.  We are only low on ice cream, milk and lunch meat so I will have to go to the store to get those things and a few more I am sure.  My son also wants apple juice so adding that to the list.  It has been a tough few months for the budget with everything going on.  I think that I have finally adjusted to shopping less and it is an interesting new way even if it does cost a little more.  

Although those expenses have gone up, most other expenses have gone down.  I just filled up my car with gas for the first time since March for almost 4 months on the same tank of gas.  I normally fill up every 6 weeks so this is obviously a lot less.  We are doing a lot of walking around and only going out a few times a month.  We are also getting all our haircuts at home instead of going out.  How are your expenses and spending going?

Menu Plan Monday 7/6

Dinner with Friends
Pasta (Penne for my son) with zucchini and garlic bread
Tacos Rice or Chicken Wraps with Tater Tots
Homemade Pizza (Pepperoni and Garlic Chicken)
House Autry Chicken with Mac and Cheese
Grilled Chicken with rice and corn on the cob
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

Summer is in full swing with us at the pool every day with social distancing and scheduled times so meals have been a little all over the place.  I might have to switch to a weekly list and pick the items based on whether we are at the pool during the day or at night.

We had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday per the plan and then Thursday we decided to skip pizza to have Friday's meal so that we could get take out pizza for the first time since early March. We changed Saturday to have friends over for a cookout so we made Hot Dogs, Brats, Mac and Cheese, Rice, Corn Bread, Beer Bread, and Broccoli. Sunday was leftover night because we had so much in the fridge.  Now we are starting over for another week and hoping for the best with the current menu plan but we might change out for a breakfast for dinner or fried rice if we need to with the nights that we can't make work.

How is your summer meal plan going?