New Year -- New Start!

I love starting out new . . .

new year . . .      new semester . . .      new week . . .

Always an opportunity to improve . . . or fail   :( 

I'm not going to dwell on the Fail end of the opportunity spectrum!

What am I going to do this brand new, fresh, happy new year? 

For one thing . . . I started weight watchers.  I guess it's time to lose the weight from having my last 2 babies . . .  Afterall, the last baby is almost 4! 

So far I have been doing very well and staying on plan.  My goals this week were to drink 6 bottles of water a day, take a vitamen every day, and track my food everyday. 

I will add exercise later.  Maybe next week . . .

My next new start is . . . . I'm going to try menu planning for my family.

I've actually done this a couple of times in the past, and it worked out great. . . . while I did it. 

I've done some research at menu planning websites.  I'm going to try an incorporate some of their menu planning suggestions. 

Here are a few of the websites I found with lots of great information about menu planning:

***     I'm an Organizing Junkie -  
Laura has lots of information about menu planning.  She hosts a Menu Planning Monday where hundreds of people post their weekly menus.  She has lots of recipes (even some gluten free recipes) with a printable grocery list for each recipe too.

***     Living, Laughing, and Loving  -
Renee makes her whole week's meals in 1 hour on a Sunday.  I am amazed at that ability!  She has all her menus on her website with the recipes too.  She also explains how to do the 5 dinners in 1 hour method of menu planning.  I am going to try her method one week for sure!

 ***     Make 5 Dinners in ONE hour blog  - 
Michelle has a monthly menu plan that you can subscribe to that gives you the menu, grocery lists, detailed assembly for the recipes, lowfat options and kitchen tools list for the recipes -- all for making 5 dinners in one hour!  She has a free menu you can try and I'm thinking about it. . . .   

The good news for me is I came across lots of new recipes to try so I shouldn't have any problem coming up with a menu for next week!  Just making them weight watcher friendly will be the real issue!

Anyway . . . I'm going to start working on the menu and grocery list tonight and tomorrow.  Hopefully this will help us save some money on our food bill as well as make dinner a "no-brainer."

Check back to see the menu for next week at Ferrell Farm!  If you decide to join me in menu planning, let me know.   Maybe we can help each other!

Thank goodness it's been a quiet night at the farm for

the Ferrell boys and me!