Menu Plan Monday From: OrgJunkie.com

And we are stocked up and ready to roll this week with an updated menu!

We are starting to change a few eating habits in an attempt to keep eveyone healthy.

1.  I am adding hot tea (herbal) to each evening time meal

2. I am adding a snack to the menu to help the kids get through the homeschool day.  They eat snacks now, but it is more "off-the-cuff" and not as organized as the rest of our menu . . . so that's that.

3.  We are feeding ourselves plenty of fruit, but we will be consuming it differently.  Eating it on an empty stomach & waiting 20 minutes before eating the rest of the meal.

The other perk about this week's menu is that I only spent $108 for the last 2 weeks worth of groceries.  I love that feeling of empowerment when I know that I am feeding my family in a healthy way and being a good steward of our blessings from the Lord!

Be sure to check out more great menu plans and recipes at Organizining Junkie.  Stop by and post your menu plan link today!

B = Breakfast, S = Snack, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Tuesday -

B: Cereal w/milk & Banana

S: Apple w/ Iced Water

L: Snack Plate (Turkey, Cheese, French Bread)

D: Spaghetti w/Meatballs Marinara, Salad, Hot Tea (Lemon Ginger)

Wednesday -

B: Sausage Quesadillas

S: Granola w/ Iced Water

L: Peanut Butter, Crackers, Cheese & Grapes

D: Talapia, Rice Pilaf, Brussel Sprouts & Hot Chamomille Tea

Thursday -

B: Cereal w/ Milk, Banana and Juice

S: Apple w/ Iced Water

L: Popcorn, Cheese, Fruit Salad

D: Chili w/ Beans, Cornbread, Hot Lemon Zinger Tea

Friday -

B: Oatmeal Pancakes/ Banana & Juice

S: Granola w/ Iced Water

L: Biscuit Pizzas w/ Apples

D: Hamburgers, Salad & Home Fries, Hot Ginger Tea

Saturday -

B: 2 Egg Omlets w/ veggies Hot Tea

S: Banana w/ Iced Water

L: Chicken Soup w/ Wild Rice

D: Turkey w/ Stuffing, Squash, Salad & Hot Mint Tea

Sunday -

B: Daddy cooks breakfast

L: Meatloaf, Potatoes, Green Beans

D: Leftovers

Have a blessed and prosperous week!

Heather Mac

http://www.themacrak.com/

http://www.mombooksmartstore.com/

Manic Mommy Monday: Live Not In Fear

MANIC MOMMY MONDAY: Live Not In Fear

The mainstream media seems to almost thrive by driving fear into the heart's of Americans.  The enemy must love that!  Why do we play so easily into the hands of the liberal biased media and there play on our concerns, turning them into outright panic?

The Lord is my refuge, of whom shall I fear? Or better yet . . . what shall I fear?

For those who are called by the name of the Lord (P.S. That's you and me), your mighty God is your dwelling place. Who or what can touch you when He is in control?

Your Lord is your Deliverer and your Strength. He is Love. He provides peace, mercy and all of your needs! That is ALWAYS enough.

Swine Flu, Bird Flu, Economic down turn, Marital Crisis, Family Woes, Panic!

It is all just noise compared to the comfort we find in Yahweh - - - Brother & Sisters, trust in the One to whom you belong!

He will deliver you from, by or through the trials that lay before you. He always delivers. Trust in Him that controls all!

Psalm 91:5-7,9-10

"You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plaque that destoys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you. . .

If you make the Most High your dwelling -

even the Lord, who is my refuge -

then no harm will befall you,

no disaster will come near your tent."

In His Service,

Heather Mac

http://www.themacrak.com/

http://www.mombooksmartstore.com/

FREEBIE FRIDAY: Christmas on a budget!

FRUGAL LADY Goes Outback

Here is a great idea on a fun and easy couple's Christmas gift - - -

Outback Steakhouse Coupon: Free Bloomin' Onion! Become one of the first 500,000 new fans of Outback on Facebook and get a coupon for a FREE Bloomin' Onion coupon good at your local Outback Steakhouse.  The coupon requires a purchase, so buy a $30 gift card and slip the gift card and the coupon into a handmade card for your parents, friend or minister.  What a great gift!

Thanks to Fiddledeedee! for this great tip.

Enjoy our very FRUGAL Christmas!

The Frugal Lady

http://www.themacrak.blogspot.com/

The Return of The Frugal Lady: Sunday Coupon Preview

FRUGAL LADY FRIDAY

couresy of Sunday Coupon Preview

O.K. ladies - ready to feel empowered, successful and joyful about your next grocery shopping excursion?  What you don't feel that way everytime you shop for the family's groceries?

Well, stop paying to much for that over priced bag of potato chips and let's be big girls!

We are bringing back the Frugal Lady and her helpful "penny-pinching" ways!

Start by taking a look at this upcoming Sunday's coupons.  The newspaper should include two set of coupon insert's this week.  There are a lot of good deals for baking items and Christmas gifts.  Save those coupons and be on the look out for the Return of The Fugral Lady . . . Hey, sequels pay better, right?

Happy Clipping and Saving.

The Frugal Lady

http://www.themacrak.blogspot.com/

FREE Book from Rick Warren

Here is a great FREE offer from Rick Warren

Get his latest book The Purpose of Christmas FREE

You can go HERE and complete the form to receive your free book.

There are also some great free downloads of resources, too.

Enjoy the true reason for the season!

Thank you to Frugal Coupon Living for sharing this deal.

Merry Christmas - - - planning!

Mrs. Mac

http://www.themacrak.com/

http://www.mombooksmartstore.com/

FALL CRAFTS: Colorful Tissue Leaves

Courtesy of http://www.freekidscrafts.com/

These are beautiful colored leaves for decorating.  It is has simple materials used in creating these wonderful leaves.  The leaves are all unique and different, that makes them fun!

Supplies:

Heavy weight paper or cardstock

Leaf Pattern (see below)

Tacky glue
Tissue Paper: red, yellow, orange and green

Scissors

Click here for printables

1.  Click on printables and print out Leaf patterns.

2.  Cut out the outline before you glue the tissue paper.

3.  Cut tissue paper into 2"squares.

4.  Crumple each piece into a tight ball. Dip into white glue and place onto pattern. Start with the small sections first to make sure they keep their definition.

5.  Continue crumpling and gluing down pieces until the entire pattern is filled.

You can use these leaves to make a fall mobile.  Use a hole punch to make a hole in the bottom of the leaf and hang upside down with string and attach to a hanger.

Have a super crafty day!!!

Heather Mac

http://www.themacrak.com/

http://www.mombooksmartstore.com/

FALL CRAFTS: Leaf Bookmarks

This project is reprinted courtesy of CraftyNoodle.com

This is a fun fall craft idea. It is super quick and easy to do, even for PreK students.  You can use this fun craft to make bookmarks, Put in a clay pot to make a cute center piece, Stick it in your shirt pocket for a fall decoration or Use to mark place settings by writing names on the bottom of stick.  Have fun with these fall cuties!

Supplies:

Wooden ice cream spoon (alternatively a popsicle stick would do)

Silk fall leaves or Collect real leaves

White craft glue

Crayons or paints

Eyes

Instructions:

1.  Color or paint the wooden spoon ( or popsicle stick)

2.  Glue leaf to the stick (if you use real leaves coat them with glue and let them dry before gluing to the stick) Add eyes to leaf by applying to small dots of glue.  Allow to dry completely.

Have a crafty fun day!

Heather Mac

http://www.themacrak.com/

http://www.mombooksmartstore.com/

Faithful Home Keepers: Thought Corner

 Keepers at Home My journey as a work-at-home mommy has not always come as a natural position to me.  I was certainly raised in a culture that was anti-tradition and was an easy follower of my surroundings.  Ouch!  That still is painful to confess, but there it is!  I was raised by a single mother and had unsteady contacts and relationships with my father, and in the course of time other males, with much the same outcome.  Fight or flight with me, that was my way. God is so faithful and patient with his children.  He sent me a series of circumstances that the only place to go was running to His most capable arms.  What loving and tender arms they are, too.  After much time and much more discipline, God chose to take me out of the main stream workforce and into a life of submission and subservience.  Not quite a position that I was used to taking!  However difficult a task for me, embracing the natural role the Lord intended for me as a woman, has become the greatest honor of my life. I am finding joy everyday in staying busy in my home and with my children.  The Lord is disciplining me in the ways of a true godly keeper of the home.  I am now taking pride in every lesson He teaches and I finally absorb!  The joy of teaching my own daughter these precious lessons is the icing on the cake.  To see her grow to become a godly wife and mother, is one of my highest held hopes and prayers.  I long to be the help meet my husband needs and to lift him up constantly as the Lord intends.   Dear Lord, Make me as Your perfect will intends for me to be.  Wife, mother, teacher, friend and child of the one true God of heaven and earth!  Lord be patient with me and extend to me Your grace and mercy.  Help me to love and teach my children.  Guide me in loving and helping my husband.  Keep me steadfast and true in Your ways and Your Word.  Let the work of my hands be blessed, for Your glory!  I thank you for my lot and my portion, today and everyday to come! In Christ's victorious name I pray, Amen! Amen! In His Service,Mrs. Mac  

Menu Plan Monday From: OrgJunkie.com

Welcome to Menu Plan Monday

brought to you by Luara at http://www.orgjunkie.com/

I believe that menu planning is essential to every household budget.  If you are taking the time to plan your meals, then you can take the time to clip coupons and shop the local flyers for the items you need.  It is the first link in a chain of good household habits.  Take a look at what are family is cooking up this week, then head on over to this link http://orgjunkie.com/2009/10/menu-plan-monday-oct-26th.html to see lots more moms and what they are planning for the dinner table this week.  It is great fellowship, fun, tips and recipe searching for everyone!  Come take a look.

Menu Plan @ The Macs

Sunday -

Breakfast: Oatmeal with a bannana

Lunch: Spagehhti with Meatsauce

Dinner: Hot Dogs & carrot sticks

Monday -

Breakfast: Cereal with fruit

Lunch: Pizza Pita Pockets with carrot sticks

Dinner: Taco Soup with tortilla chips & salsa

Tuesday -

Breakfast: Eggs, Toast with cheese & sliced tomato

Lunch: Grill Cheese & Celery sticks with peanut butter

Dinner: Baked Potato Bar - broccoli, plain yogurt, cheese, chili

Wednesday -

Breakfast: Peanut butter toast with fruit

Lunch: Taco Soup leftovers

Dinner: Sausage & Vegetable Frittata - Cooking outside with Dutch Oven (Cub Scout project)

Thursday-

Breakfast: Oatmeal with a bannana

Lunch: @ Co-op / Sack Lunch

Dinner: Chicken Soup with Wild & Brown rice

Friday -

Breakfast: Cereal with Fruit

Lunch: T.V. dinner

Dinner: Fish with rice pilaf, steamed veggies, salad & roll

Saturday -

Breakfast: Pancakes with turkey bacon & fruit

Lunch: Leftovers

Dinner: Meatloaf, Corn, Salad & garlic mashed potatoes

Tah! Dah!  That's all there is to it.  Now off to clip coupons!

Have a blessed week!

Heather Mac

http://www.themacrak.com/

http://www.mombooksmartstore.com/

http://www.themacrak.blogspot.com/

WORSHIP WORD: Road Trip - Week 1

WORSHIP WORD: Sunday

Today our Worship Word is from Jeremy White, Lead Pastor at Stonewater Church.

The series was started last week is titled: Road Trip - Week 1

You can listen to the podcast here

http://stonewaterchurch.com/audio/

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This was a relavent and thoughtful word for me last week. I have been meditating on it all week & been in prayer. This message hit me hard. Why? I am guilty of quick action decision making. I am no stranger to the culture I live in, unfortunately, especially when it comes to making decisions. I must confess that it does not come naturally to slow down & wait for God to lead me. It is not a spirtual principle that I have yet mastered. In fact, most of the bumps, bruises & scars that I have sustained thoughout this life, are most likely from "instant action"!

I took this word to heart and it has been a slow procees this week (I'm sure it will be a slower process still). I guess that means that God is truely working in this area of my life. I choose now to wait on the Lord. I choose to be still & know that He is God. Nothing is such an emergency that it cannot be poured over with time and prayer. I am commited to whatever "road trip" he has mapped out for me to complete.

"Lord, help me to seek YOUR will each moment of the day. Help me to wait on YOUR urging. Father, I want YOU this day to be more, and me to be less. Forgive me for every "road" not taken out of selfish ambition. I glorify YOU alone as my God and King, Jesus! Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to what YOU have for me to do in this life. In Christ's victorious name I pray these things, Amen!"

* Leave your comments on the Worship Word below*

Be blessed & proserous in the Lord!

Heather Mac