Save time with meal planning...

I don't know about you, but most days I find there are not enough hours to accomplish everything I need to do in any given day.  I noticed many times after juggling all the priorities I was exhausted; and at the end of the day, the last thing I wanted to do was cook dinner.  This led to eating out, ordering in, or preparing quick, unhealthy meals.

What my problem was... I dreaded grocery shopping!   The process seemed to take up so much of my time when I already had very little to spare.  Instead of planning and purchasing what I would need for the week, I'd run in and pick up the priorities like milk, bread, and cereal and a few things to make a few dinners.  Then when I'd go to prepare the meal, I'd find that I had forgotten a key ingredient or didn't have something good to go with it.  This resulted in a repeat visit to the grocery store or dinner out.

After many frustrating evenings and a look at how much our family was spending on eating out, I decided that I needed to make a change.  I figured that if I planned out my meals for the entire week, made a detailed list of what I needed to purchase (and stick to the list) that I would save some time by not having to make several trips a week to the store and save money by reducing the amount of times we ate out.

There are many meal planning sites online, but the one I found very easy to use is on MealsMatter.org.  Good Luck!

Turn up the Volume

Its easy to lose ourselves underneath the piles of responsibility. Its even easier to forget who we are. I used to be young and free; I used to be independent and confident; I used to be me. I used to have dreams, aspirations, talents, and a name. Now, I was his wife and their mom.....and who was to blame? Somewhere along this road my voice had been muted; but, there came a day I decided to turn up the volume.

I love my husband and I am glad he is the man I married. I always wanted to be a mom and I have been gifted three amazing children.....each different in their own way. I had all of this and I wanted more? Yes. I felt lost below it all.

My husband owns a successful business, my children have countless activities and their successes were my focus. My job was to assist, prepare, drive, and schedule. I was a maid, a cook, a chauffeur, a secretary, a tutor--and held many more titles than that. I struggled for months trying to find a place in my life that was all my own. I wasn’t trying to be selfish, I was just trying to find out where I went. Looking from the outside in, one would think I had it all. But I knew something was missing and it was me.

I began with making time for me. I soon realized my husband was capable of handling things for a few hours, even a few days. I had friends who were in similar situations, so I planned a girls trip. This break made a world of difference. It was an opportunity to have a great time with girlfriends and know that things were taken care of at home. Little breaks like this made me a better wife, a better mother.

My next step was to get involved. I chose a cause that was close to me and began volunteering. I started my own small business and even went back to school. And guess what? It works. There are obstacles that cause doubt, but someway things always seem to work out. I think the busier we are, the more we can accomplish.

I know my choices may not be right for everyone, but they have been for me. I knew that if I didn’t change, nothing would change. I didn’t want to settle for that. I’m still his wife and their mother and wouldn‘t change that for the world, but its nice to hear, Oh, you must be Alaina’s husband, or son, or daughter, once in a while.

By: Alaina Dean Via Divine Carolina