To plan or not to plan?

Sunday was Anna's 14th Birthday.  I was so happy to hear her say that she didn't want to have a party.  She just wanted family, her "boyfriend" and hamburgers!  Yes!!!  Music to my ears!!  THIS I could go for!!  After church, she and Tanner went to the waterfall to meet some other kids to swim and I got busy on her cake.  It wasn't professionally baked, but she seemed happy with it.  They got back around 5, I ran out the door for a building committee meeting at church, back by 7 and we had some pretty good hamburgers just in time for Shark Week on Discovery Channel.  Jake, Joe and Anna LOVE Shark Week. Me? Not so much.  I suffered through the majority of it, but was glad when bedtime came around!!

Things are starting to pick up around here in anticipation of the beginning of school.  Anna has been getting to the field at 7:30 two mornings a week for cheerleading and this week, she has band from 9 am to 3 pm every day.  They are marching outside (in 100-107 degree temperature)....I know several schools around have cancelled football practice due to the heat.  It is UN bearable!! I don't know that I remember it ever being this hot for this long.  

Jake found out who will be his teachers for the year.  He has Mrs. Vire, Mrs. Snow, and Ms. Golden.  He really wanted different teachers, but I think he will do fine regardless.  Anna will get her schedule tomorrow.  

I, personally, love the start of school!!  I miss the kids being here during the day, but I like having a schedule and some sort of organization.  It really isn't THAT organized when I think about it; we have something after school practically every day, either tumbling, football practice, ballgames, etc.   This year Anna will go to all the ballgames.  She cheers for Jr. High football on Thursday nights and then on Friday nights she plays with the band at the highschool ballgames.  She will go to ALL of the away games.  Then, somewhere in all the chaos, Jake will have ballgames also.  It seems so overwhelming sometimes, but it always works out.

I was on facebook this morning and saw a post that peaked my curiosity.  It was a post by Becky Higgins that asked if we plan out our meals during the week, month, etc.  I was IMMEDIATELY interested and have been reading the comments all day long!  I have always thought that would be a great idea, but not sure how to go about it.  I couldn't believe all the ways that people plan for meals!!  There were some that didn't plan at all, some that planned one week at a time, some that planned one month at a time, some that planned 3 months at a time, and even some that planned for the entire season (spring, summer, winter, and fall)!  How organized are they??  Several made all of their food on Sunday, froze them, and served them during the week.  One girl commented..."We are suppose to plan?"  Haha!!  That was CLASSIC!!  I felt a scary sisterhood with this clueless woman!  My mom and I seem to work well together on the "planning".  Actually, I just try to buy a few different types of meat and pray I will have something to go with it during the week.  Mama usually cooks a couple of times a week and I cook a couple times, so it ultimately works out, except for the days that neither of us feels like cooking...then we eat out!  Anyway, back to this meal planning thing...I had talked to a friend last Sunday at lunch (out) and she was saying that her husband heard someone talking about a website that would plan your meals for the week and even create a grocery list for what you needed for those meals.  I'm thinking all of this was God's way of telling me..."Get organized." Anyway, I found that website in one of Becky's comments and looked at how it works.  Long story short....it allows you to pick the store you frequent more often and plans your meals for the week according to what is on sale that week at your particular store.  The website is e-mealz.  I'm going to give it a try...I'll let you know how things go.  I have already received the menu for the week and I saw a couple of things that I would NOT be able to feed my kids (Cheesy Tuna Cakes), but I figure that will probably be switched to a night we have a ballgame and will substitute a hotdog/hamburger and nachos.  Do you plan?

Better get moving. Got to pick Anna up at band, then the kids are going to Alma Waterpark with the church for the night.  Think the hubby and I will eat out!

Bye for now...