Meal Planning...Hopefully and there's a Cow and a Pig in my Freezer!

I realize that as a SAHFW you end up winging it from time to time...Well, a lot of the time during spring, summer and fall. Winter, I guess is the predictable time. You stay in all day because it's too cold and if you are lucky, you find a way to still wear your kids out so they will go to bed.

I do notice that when I'm home, I have a tendency not to plan things out as much. I think this is a problem. I think it leaves me without goals to achieve and without goals to accomplish, I think my sense of self worth diminishes a bit. It's sadly, a self-esteem thing.

Those who know me really well know that I am a fan of the Fly Lady. She really sets up everything in organization on the premise you can do anything for 15 minutes, I think she is right. I haven't been "flying" lately, but I notice when I try, even just trying, I feel more pulled together and accomplished. I tended to use her steps more when I was working, I realize now that I am home full time, I might need them more than ever. It is so easy to let things slide and "do it later," when you know you are going to be home.

Some Fly Lady stuff I have always kept doing. When you wake up, get dressed to your shoes.  I need this, when I don't, I feel like a slug and lack all motivation. This was especially important when I am dealing with my depression. When things have been bad, I've always been able to say, "At least I got dressed!"

But, one thing I never have done well, but really wish I would is meal planning. 1) I know it would save us money because we wouldn't waste food. 2)It would help me with the ever looming question, "What am I going to make for supper tonight?" 3)I would try new things  because I would be prepared to cook them.

I think we have started a good Saturday family routine. Dustin tends to stick around for Saturday mornings (this all goes out the window when seeding starts!), but last Saturday, I baked bread and Ian helped me make cookies while the dough was rising. It was fabulous and Dustin thinks it should be our Saturday morning. We cleaned house, so that was all done by noon too, it was great! It made the day oddly special.  So, I think if I can plan my menus for the week too, that would be great.

The other exciting news on the farm is yesterday Dustin and I went to Valley Meats and picked up our beef and our pork. We ordered a whole cow and whole pig. And now, two freezers are graced with the wonderful stuff. Dustin and I are not going to finish this on our own, that's about a 1/2 a ton of meat. This is meat for us, his parents and my parents. The whole family will benefit from this prize.
We hope we can get back to fattening up one of our own steers and bringing it in for butchering, that would be fabulous! (I see future 4-H projects in the making.)

So, now that I have a good assortment of quality meat to choose from, I think I should find it easier to meal plan as well. I have every cut imaginable. But this first week will be for cleaning out the last of my grocery store meat in my freezer. Now that I only have to buy poultry, I am feeling on top of the world.

So, tomorrow, hopefully I get buns made in the morning and we will have barbeques in the evening out of the crock pot. We shall see...