meal planning: saving pennies & calories

I've lived on my own since I was 18, and I got married at 25. In the seven years I have lived on my own, I quite possibly have only cooked about 100 meals. Perhaps I am exaggerating, but it can't be too far off from the truth. I wasn't really raised in home where we all gathered around the kitchen to watch mom cook. Most of our meals consisted of whatever canned food concoction my mom could throw together, or the cheap fast food deal of the week 

(Sunday .50 cheeseburgers from McD's, anyone?).

As I was approaching marriage, I told myself that I wanted to change this. I wanted to start our marriage off on the right foot. I read a few blogs about meal planning, and how it was a really efficient method to stick to a budget and also enforce nightly dinners at the table. I brought the idea up to Jamey and he was all for it! We are coming up on four months of being married, and I can confidently say that meal planning has been such a blessing to our home. I am no expert in this area, and I have a long way to go before I enter to be on Master Chef, 

but I'd love to share some tips that work for us!

• Choose a day where you will go grocery shopping every week (ours is on Sunday)
• Look at your planner or calendar to see which nights you will be at home. This is helpful for budgeting purposes. You won't always need to plan out 7 meals for the week, so don't waste food (or money)!
• When planning your meals, gather all of your cookbooks and pull up any recipes you've pinned.
• Don't do it alone! Your spouse has a voice too! Make sure to discuss the meals together, this way you're both included on what you'll be having for dinner.
• Make a list. I don't know about you, but the second I get to the grocery store, I tend to go blank on what I need. Having a list will help you stick to the ingredients you need to make the meals you've already planned. Again, helping to save those pennies!
• Write down each meal in your planner/calendar. This way you're more organized, and there are no surprises as to what you'll be having for dinner. We especially need to do this because we use our crockpot for half of our meals. Ever get up in the morning and realize you have to prep tonight's dinner? Not fun. Which sometimes means you decide to eat out instead -- meaning, not saving pennies and not saving calories!
• Thumbs up or thumbs down? Be sure to talk about the things you like and don't like about the meal. We have our top go-to meals, and then we have meals that only lived to be tasted once, and now we've buried them for good. 
• Love brews in the kitchen (cheese, I know!). I absolutely LOVE cooking with my husband. It's one of my favorite things to do. By the end of the meal, we both feel accomplished and appreciated. I don't know about you, but our meals taste much better with a dash of love in them. 

A meal that we planned out for this week turned out to be one of our favorites, 

so I figured I'd share the wealth!

Mini Pizzas 

(BBQ Chicken & Pesto Chicken)

Items Needed:

• Sandwich thins (we used the Sara Lee brand) 
• Pesto Basil spread (we used Classico)
• BBQ Sauce (we used Lucille's - delicious!)
• Grilled chicken pieces
• Mozzarella cheese
• Cilantro
• Red onion
• Minced garlic

• Preheat oven at 350 degrees
• Begin prepping your mini pizzas by spreading the sauces (pesto basil & bbq - separate, not together!) on the sandwich thins
• Add minced garlic on top of the sauce
• Add a layer of mozzarella cheese 
• Add chicken pieces
• Add another layer of mozzarella cheese
• Add red onion and cilantro
• Place in the oven for about 8-10 minutes

**Note: We do not own a stove (crazy, right?) so we used a toaster oven. 

Adjust the temperature and time according to your own oven.

And there you have it, your very own mini pizzas! I can't wait to make these again and experiment with other ingredients. I also want to find a way to make the sandwich thins come out toastier like a real pizza. If you have any ideas or suggestions, make sure to comment below! 

I'd love to hear what you come up with.

XO

Brenda

embracing the season

The other day I tweeted about how I want to live in a place where I could experience actual seasons. Being a California native, I generally have only experienced about one season: summer. Year round, temperatures don't drop much lower than 70 and can reach up to degrees of 90, even 100. 
I've always loved this about living in the Golden State. 
I hate being cold, and have always claimed summer as my favorite season. 

Until now.

This has been such an incredibly hot summer. While most of the country is bringing out their scarves and hot cocoa, we're still wearing tank tops and drinking iced coffee. I don't know if it's because I am getting older, but I am definitely over this heat, and ready for the season to change. I'd never be excited about the weather being in the low 70's, but today I got so excited! 
I dusted off my tights and brought out my lace up shoes. I'm feeling good today :)

This will be our first fall as a married couple. I know Jamey loves this season, and that makes me want to enjoy it even more. This time last year, I wrote a blog post about creating traditions. I am excited to experience those traditions again this year, as a wife. 

Here is my fall bucket list (so far) :

• Go to a pumpkin patch
• Carve pumpkins while watching a classic horror film
• Make our home decorative for the season
• Dress up for Halloween
• Pass out candy on Halloween night
• Learn a few pumpkin recipes
• Stay the night in a cabin (if not for the fall, the winter)
• Start working on my first home project: the patio

I am sure this list will grow the more and more 

I am inspired by the wonders that fall brings, but for now this will do. 

Last year at our first pumpkin patch!

That's my husband, looking so good! :)

I think another reason I want to live somewhere I experience actual seasons, is because I see so much beauty within transition. Season to season, there is warmth, or coolness; the springing of flowers, or the build up of snow. There's a constant reminder that grace is around the corner, and mercies are new each morning. I suppose for now, as we live in California, I can just imagine the seasons drastically changing. So to you, 79 degree weather, I will ignore you and drink hot chai and keep my tights dust-free.

XO,

Brenda

the itch to leave, the desire to create

he is the best thing

I have an itch.

I want to go on an adventure soon. Or, maybe I just am desiring a little bit of change. Am I crazy for wanting that, considering the fact that it's only been a little over a month since I got married? I'd say that's one of the biggest changes/adventures you can ever experience! I think what it really comes down to is that I want to go on an adventure/experience a change with my husband. 

There. That sounds much better.

I've moved 20+ times, had 17 jobs and have done some pretty radical things in my life. I am used to change. I used to hate it, but now I believe it's just innately in my blood. I have always wanted to turn that into something for the better. That's why I believe I grew up being a creative person. Creating became something I would do when I'd have that itch to move, quit, leave, etc. Instead of doing those things which may have set me back, I'd create. Whether that be writing, music, performing, art. Heck, even learning a new recipe. 

I have learned to just create in the midst of those awful itches.

Now that I am a wife, I want to learn how to have a healthy balance between the itch to GO and the choice to just CREATE instead. The fact is, both are great; both are necessary to experience a joy filled life. And, it really comes down to another fact -- I no longer am living this life according to my own desires and inclinations. I have made a commitment to journey through this life with Jamey. 

The best part is I am pretty sure he and I experience these itches and creative moments at similar times.

We're going to have a great life together.

XO,

Brenda


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marriage: year one

Oh hey there, Blog. I’ve neglected you for a long while now, I am sorry. It’s not personal, I promise…

Two and a half weeks ago, I married the most genuine, kind-hearted, handsome man I’ve ever met. Since we said “I do”, my life has never been the same. Everything tastes better, sounds sweeter, and looks more beautiful. Life truly feels perfect. I am not naïve to believe that it will always feel this way, but I also am not negative enough to believe we can’t always strive for it to be.

When we got engaged, I heard many tips and advice from those who were married. Some great, some not so great. A common tip, or warning I should say, was that the first year was the hardest year. That frightened me. Who wants to walk into their marriage fearing the first year, and just wishing you could skip pass it altogether? I took that fear and I used it as motivation. To not only make year one not be the hardest, but instead the easiest & one of the best years of our marriage.

Jamey & I made the decision to write our own vows, and I am so happy we did.  When we exchanged vows, we put our entire hearts and souls into what we wrote. To my groom I vowed, 

“to always fight for our marriage & defend our love” 

and 

“to protect our love & not allow anyone or anything tear it apart”.

I want those words to not just be vows I simply said on our wedding day, but to be commitments I make to him on a daily basis. Jamey and I want to break the statistic of year one, and instead make it monumental & memorable. It is going to take work, and it will definitely take effort. But, we believe in our love, and when you believe in love, you have to fight for it; you have to defend it. The moment you stop fighting for it, or worse, when you feel you don’t need to fight for it -- that is the beginning of a downward slope.

So, to year one of marriage, I welcome you with open arms & an open heart. This year, I will be intentional to make memories, go on adventures & adore my husband. I will refrain from getting too content within our marriage. I will ensure that my Darling feels appreciated & cared for, on a daily basis. I will plan things out so that year one does not slip right passed us.

>>>>> 

If you’re married, I’d love to hear about your first year of marriage. 

Any regrets? Any proud moments? Please share!

XO

Brenda

2012, my best year yet

For the last several years, I've posted a New Year's blog. I have enjoyed reading them and seeing just how far I've come. To see how many things I've set out to accomplish, and actually fulfilled. I'm quite the dreamer, though, and sometimes I aim really high. But, you know what? I am okay with that. 

On January 1st of 2012, my aim was to pursue good health -- specifically in the areas of emotional, physical, spiritual and financial health. It was so neat to see that I really came a long way this year. I had my moments, and I was not nearly perfect in my endeavors, but I sit here proud of the woman I am today.

Here is to 2012 : 

You were beautiful, you were graceful. You gave me hope and you healed old wounds. You gave me the strength to dream big, and cling to the possibilities. But most of all, you gave me another chance; at life, at self-worth and at love. You brought back together what was thought to never be again, and for that very reason, I deem you the best year of my entire life. 

So, to 2013, you have a lot to live up to. But, I am quite confident that you will deliver. I have many things to look forward to. This year, I will continue to pursue good health, and on top of that I will embrace the newest chapter of my life: becoming a wife. I can hardly wait! But, I think for now, that is a large enough resolution/goal in & of itself. There is so much preparation I have ahead of me to becoming the wife Jamey deserves. I will cling to the Lord in this time and seek out His will
for me and for us.

XO,

Brenda