Stone Soup for Five: {2019 Week Review} Meal pre-prep and more

{2019 Week Review} Meal pre-prep and more


For this new year, I'd like to do a post every week or so to keep me accountable to you guys and to share some behind the scenes and normal life stuff around here.  I'm in NO way trying to say that I have it all together (because I definitely do not).  If I did something somewhat amazing this week, there are lots of things that were left completely undone.

Last Saturday I did some meal prep.  If our schedule for Saturday allows, I try to use Saturday as a plan and prepare day so Sunday can truly be a day of rest.  When I get a Saturday to do this, every night that week it's like having one of those mailed to you meal prep dinners, but cheaper, and recipes you know your family will enjoy.  So last week Past Kari was a hero for dinner!  Even doing just a  little bit of the work (browing meat, chopping veggies) makes a ton of difference.

My Bullet Journal meal plan for the month. 
(I don't always draw and color, but sometimes, in the evenings, doodles happen.)

When I meal prep, I gather all I'll need... recipes, pots and pans, cutting boards, bowls, knives, and fill the sink with hot, soapy water.


Some of the meal prep (especially if I don't have a lot of time) is just simply chopping, slicing, or browning the meat for the week.  The burger was for the tacos (I leave it just a little bit pink, so when it reheats it finishes cooking) and the beef cubes were seared for the stew.  (Anne Burrell always says, "Brown food tastes good.")



Also, as much as I can, I try to make a meal once a week that doubles and freezes well.  This is like a free bonus meal when I don't feel like cooking or if someone needs a meal.  

This week I had some peppers in my veggie drawer that were getting soft, so I diced them up and froze them. I love to use these in scrambled eggs in the morning.  I also set aside some cauliflower and broccoli for salads or to eat raw.

I par-baked a tray of veggies (chop, drizzle with a little evoo, salt and pepper, and bake at 450 for 5 min, toss around and bake for another 5 min).  These make simple side dishes for dinner.  They are also great stir-fried for lunches with chicken.

I also made a crockpot meal, and washed and chopped lettuce for salads.  It took about an hour and a half.  It's super quick when you have everything out and the dishwasher empty, the garbage can handy, and a sink full of hot water.  The weeks I do this mean super easy clean ups during the week and no temptation to run out to eat because dinner is just a few steps away!

Quote of the week:
  
"Of all the things I want to control, 
I want to control myself the least."  

(I've had this in my prayer binder for months and months and forgot to write down who said it, if you know, let me know.)

Watching:  
A Series of Unfortunate Events, Season 3 on Netflix.  (They did such a great job with this and kept pretty close to the books.  We read these as they came out when the boys were little and we all LOVED them. The actress who plays Carmelita Spats is AMAZING!)


Listening:
For our 9am morning meetings, Ryan and I are listening to a new sermon by Paul Washer, "Signs of Maturity in Young Men."  So good and so very needed for all young men today.  We only watch 10 minutes or so at a time, so we're not through it yet, but as with all things Paul Washer, it is excellent.


Needing:
Already we need to weed our yard!  In Oregon, where it is pretty temperate so far this year, weeds are already popping up!  From now till April it's a constant battle. 

I also need to make a dentist appoint.  I dread it but I think a tooth needs some attention and I don't want to wait till it's killing me to deal with it.  Ugh.  Ask me next week if I did it.

Making:
I'm not making, but I want Mr. Measure to make this amazing coffee table for me.  But first, we have to get the garage organized a bit more.  Maybe I can surprise him with a clean work area and all the supplies?

Reading:
Just finished Gospel by J.D. Greear.  Excellent book, I'll have a review up on Goodreads soon.

Currently working through The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield  (Wade through the first three chapters or so before you give up on this.  Also, if you think of it as a memoir instead of non-fiction that helps too.  Lots of good stuff, but I was rolling my eyes through the first few chapters.  But I've heard that in the later chapters, there is gold.)

My empty shelf challenge, Week 2.

How was your week?  What are you watching, listening to, needing, and reading?

18 comments:

  1. I LOVE this post!!! Your doodles on your BuJo Meal Plan are amazing!!! I have really enjoyed reading your “goals” posts. I still have not had time to finish ironing all my goals out yet, but that’s because I’ve been busy “doing” them:). Watching: I, literally, do not watch tv. I think it would be fun, but I simply do not have the time. Listening to: I just listened to a podcast by Hal and Melanie Young yesterday that really inspired me re: having our children join us for “big church”. I’ve also been catching up on “What Should I Read Next” and “Cultivating the Lovely” podcast episodes. Needing - I had been needing a date night with my hubby, which we got this weekend! Yay! On my own I’m currently reading “Endurance”, a biography about Ernest Shackleton’s attempt to cross Antarctica, and Mr. Popper’s Penguins to my children.

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    1. We Literally laughed out loud with Mr. Popper’s Penguins! Loved that book! What do you think of Endurance? I need to catch up on those podcasts too!

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  2. Thank you for sharing your Bullet Journal. I was wondering how to incorporate it with my planner. Do you use it as your planner? This thank you is a long over due one (like by at least 2 years!) and that is for sharing your prayer binder. I was so intimidated to start one because I thought everything had to be perfect. So I just didn't do it. But after reading your blog posts and watching the videos I made one. It has made a huge impact on my prayer life! I enjoy waking up every day and spending that daily quiet time with my prayer journal and my Bible. Over the years, I have been able to add many different categories and the time and quality of my prayers has developed and grown into something that I have been able to encourage others with. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! I always look forward to reading your blog and find it a source of encouragement in my faith!

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    1. Hi Michelle, Yes, I primarily use my bullet journal as my main "big picture" planner for life. I have a separate goal oriented planner for work and a timeline daily planner for the details of each day. I used to only use the bullet journal, but realized that I really need a more detailed plan to know when I can realistically accomplish daily things. I'll be sure to do a post on it when I work the kinks out of the system as it's still new!
      I'm thrilled you jumped in and did the prayer binder! My prayer binder is by far my favorite tool to keep me focused! Man, I wish we had time to sit with our binders and just chat about prayer over a cup of hot coffee!

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  3. Sorry that it say that my comments are written by "unkown" but my name is Michelle:)

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  4. What is the empty shelf challenge? I am in a majour Decluttering mode and this challenge sounds interesting.
    Thanks for sharing your food prep accomplishments. It is a great way to be accountable. I might have to do that, too.

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    1. Hi Susan! The empty shelf challenge was started by Jon Acuff years ago. I did it then and my friend reminded me of it this year, so I thought I'd do it again for 2019. Basically you empty a book shelf and try to fill it with books you've read in the year. There's a little more information here on his site: https://acuff.me/2013/12/empty-shelf-challenge/

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  5. What a fun post to read! I always love seeing your Bujo pages!! Watching: the new Christopher Robin movie Listening: to my daughter teach herself a new song in the piano Needing: more sleep Making: a dr appt to get my ankle checked (dreading what they will find) Reading: Where’d You Go, Bernadette and re-reading the Trim Healthy Mama plan book.

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    1. Oh, and I’m definitely going to check out that sermon series for our 18 year old son. I’d never heard of Paul Washer, but someone happened to mention his name at church yesterday.

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    2. I still need to watch the Christopher Robin movie! Thanks for the reminder! Any Paul Washer sermon you can get for your son to listen to is well worth it. He is so good!

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  6. Your meal prep looks great - I wish I had a freezer or even a large refrigerator to do some of that. A group of friends read The Gospel Comes with a House Key. It was good to read and discuss together.

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    1. At first, I really wansn't into The Gospel Comes with a House Key, but these later chapters are full of great stuff. Glad I didn't give up on it!

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  7. Thank you for sharing this! I used my monthly page to write 1-3 things I am thankful for. The boxes certainly would be big enough for meal planning... which I have NEVER done. I am more the 4:00 person who says "What can I make for dinner?" or as in todays case, took too much out of the freezer in advance and says "What needs to be cooked first." lol...
    A while back you had shared a sauce you made for topping Egg Roll in a Bowl (all I remember is it had Sriracha and Mayo in it, so I have been just adding those to mine. Would love to see you share that recipe if you still have it! Thanks.

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    1. I hear you on the 4pm what's for dinner crisis. That was our life for many, many years! I don't think the Egg Roll in a bowl was from my blog, but it sure sounds good!

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    2. Oh well, who ever it was did not have ER in a Bowl as a recipe, just a sauce she topped hers with ... well, thank you for all you do for us!

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  8. I just found this blog and love it! Thanks Kari!

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