December was wonderful for us, but it was very busy. My girls had a craft fair with their homeschool group early in the month. As Christmas approached, their Granny (my wonderful mother-in law) arrived and we did all our usual shopping, wrapping, baking, etc. We shared lots of laughter and fun. It is always bittersweet when we get into January … [Read more...] about January 2026 Dinner Menu
menu planning
December 2025 Dinner Menu
I can’t believe we are at the beginning of December! This past month was busy and absolutely flew by. Thankfully, the government shutdown ended, so my husband (who is a federal employee) is once again getting paid. We’re so grateful for this! My kids enjoyed their Friendsgiving celebration at homeschool group and we are delighted to have cold … [Read more...] about December 2025 Dinner Menu
November 2025 Dinner Menu
Last month ended up being a bit of a mixed bag for us. Our weather has finally cooled a bit. We love it! I’m able to open the windows to enjoy the crisp air in the morning and my kids have been playing in the backyard during the afternoons. My kids also had a great time at a Halloween event put on by their homeschool group. Unfortunately, our … [Read more...] about November 2025 Dinner Menu
October 2025 Dinner Menu
The days are all blending together and passing quickly now that we are back in school. Though they miss summer break, my girls are so happy that their homeschool group is meeting weekly again. This month should be pretty routine for us. We will enjoy this because we know things will get busier as we approach the upcoming holidays! We … [Read more...] about October 2025 Dinner Menu
September 2025 Dinner Menu
August was a bit of a whirlwind for us. We started school midway through the month. Getting back to the school routine is always a little challenging, but it has gone smoothly. My parents spent two weeks with us last month, so perhaps their presence was a buffer of sorts from the disappointment of summer break being over! This past weekend my … [Read more...] about September 2025 Dinner Menu
August 2025 Dinner Menu
Our July was mostly routine. It passed pretty quickly. We’ve had temperatures in the triple digits, so popsicles and ice cream (including my homemade mint chocolate chip) have been my kids’ preferred snacks. As is likely true for many of you, August will be busy for us. We’ll be wrapping up our back-to-school shopping and starting … [Read more...] about August 2025 Dinner Menu
July 2025 Dinner Menu
We had a wonderful trip last month! My youngest daughter, who is autistic, typically has a difficult time when we travel. However, she did pretty well on this trip! I’m so grateful she was comfortable, and for the time we had together as a family. Not surprisingly, this month is shaping up to be hot. While we are spending time indoors, … [Read more...] about July 2025 Dinner Menu
Easy Meals to Prepare in a Hotel Room
As I noted in my post of this month’s menu, we will be taking a short trip this month. We’ll be staying in a suite-style hotel, so we will have a full kitchen in our room. This means we will be able to prepare many of our meals in the hotel room. I’m working on our meal plan now. Drawing on my previous experience cooking in hotel rooms … [Read more...] about Easy Meals to Prepare in a Hotel Room













