Working on Meal Planning...and a few Freebies!

Last week in the Weekly Frills, i mentioned that I am trying to get better at meal planning/grocery shopping.  Lately I've noticed that we have been eating out more and more, and that's just not cool.  Plus, Mr. B and I are working on a plan to pay down our debts faster, so saving money will help with that!

So this past week I've been scouring the internet (and getting help from some awesome relatives!) for meal planning advice, templates and more.  There is a TON out there.  Learned that fast.  But I knew what I was looking for - a meal idea sheet, weekly planning sheet, food staples sheet, and grocery shopping sheet.  I couldn't find anything that I immediately loved, so I made a typical Amanda decision and made my own :)

And now I am going to share them with you!  Click below to download the PDF files for the meal idea and grocery shopping sheets (the food staples one needs a couple tweaks before I share it!).  They're a cheery color combo too! Because it's much better to do work like groceries and meal planning if you're looking at a cute piece of paper.  At least that's what I tell myself. 

Enjoy :)

Linking up @:

- I Should be Mopping

- A Pinch of Joy

The Weekly Frills! 6.27.14

Random things I'm digging this week:


Blingy Lighting

This tutorial for how to make an adorable crystal ball chandelier is great!  I really want to put something like this in my craft/office area to bring a little bling to the room! And, i'm totally digging the wallpaper too

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I Heart Organizing Blog

I will admit, I'm more than addicted to this blog.  The writer, Jen (and her amazing team of contributors) consistently post awesome organizing, cleaning and decorating tips.  I am always inspired to think differently about our house, how we use space and how to keep things clean and tidy.  Amazing!
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Meal Planning

I've been slacking in this area lately, mostly because I don't have a great system down.  I want to meal plan so that I don't have to think as much when I get up in the morning or get home in the afternoon!  Plus it will mean less trips to the store which means less money spent!  I have found a few great run-throughs of how different people meal plan - hoping to implement a plan of my own soon!

How to Menu Plan (using Google Calendar) via The Art of Simple

How to Meal Plan for a Clan via iHeartOrganizing (told you I was addicted!)

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MyFitnessPal

One goal of mine is to get healthier and lose a little weight along the way.  I'm working hard to get my blood sugars under really good control (I am a Type 1 diabetic).  My Fitness Pal is a great, easy way that I have found to track my food, set a goal for calories each day, and encourage myself to get some exercise (calories burnt means I can have a little extra to eat!)  I've been using it for about a month now.  Though I haven't lost any weight, I can tell that eating more healthy choices and wanting to exercise have made me feel much more energized than they have in the past. Now to get through a weekend of birthday celebrations for Mr. B without eating all of my calories for the next week......

Can a blog have a mascot?

I'm sure hoping so, because I have officially nominated our pup Fitzgerald (also known as Fitz/Fitzy/Fitzmeister Flex/Colonel Floppy Ears/Senor Floppy Ears)  As you can see, he is now proudly featured in the blog header, wrapped up in pompoms.

Now before anyone tells me that I'm a horrible person for making him sit still while I torture him with pompoms, I PROMISE he liked it.  I was innocently trying to take pictures of some pompom garlands I had made (hopefully soon to be available on my Etsy Shop!) when Fitz barged in and decided HE wanted to be the focus of the photo shoot.  So, I shrugged my shoulders, put him in front of the backdrop, and went with it!  It only took a few treats to keep him from eating the pompoms, and he was as happy as a clam.  Or as a puppy who is getting treats for sitting still.  And then extra treats for being so cute.

Here are a few more pics for your enjoyment/laughter:

Look for the weekly frills on Friday!

The Weekly Frills

Random things I'm digging this week:

Chip It! by Sherwin Williams

It's a simple internet add-on that lets you hover over any picture you find oneline and have a color palette developed for it in Sherwin Williams paint colors!  I can see myself using this a lot when I spot a color that I would love to use in paint form.

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Young House Love blog

I love their style and attitude towards life, decorating and making a house a home!  I really want to get their book!

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Outdoor Swinging Chairs for grownups!

Since a hammock isn't really a possibility for our backyard (there's just not enough space for it), I think one of these cool swinging chairs would be a great compromise!  I love the feeling of swaying in the breeze...hint hint Mr. B!  Plus, they go on a stand that can be moved around, so we could even put it in the basement during the winter

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Pom Poms

I've been trying to figure out what do with the a bunch of yarn and fabric I have left over from projects of all kinds.  I have found some really nice tutorials on things you can make with such items...here are a few to check out!

DIY Fabric Pom Poms via OnceWed

Yarn Pom Pom Garland via OneStylishParty

Enjoy the inspiration!