Menu Plan Monday

I am feeling very lazy (and tired) this week. My daughter is off this week for Easter vacation plus yesterday was her birthday. Today she has three friends over which is probably just the right number. Do you think it would be rude (or lazy) if I layed down on the couch or in my bed and maybe took a nap. Yeah, I am thinking that does not sound too polite. I am going to need to push myself to get cooking done this week.

Monday-Hamburgers, baked beans, cheesy potatoes (leftovers from party) and corn on the cob

Tuesday-Shake and bake chicken breasts, cheesy potatoes, and green beans

Wednesday-Taco casserole and green beans

Thursday-Out for supper with friends. They have hauled our tractor and cattle for us and this is to thank them plus they are our buddies!

Friday-Tilapia or haddock, french fries, and coleslaw

Saturday-homemade pizza

Check out OrgJunkie for more menu ideas.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday-Brat patties, pork and beans, green beans

Tuesday-Turkey tacos and corn on the cob

Wednesday-Chicken breasts, alfredo sauce over pasta, broccoli, and green beans

Thursday-Tilapia pan-fried, baked french fries, and salad

Friday- Something made with hamburger either a casserole, hamburger helper, or spaghetti

Saturday- Leftovers or frozen pizza because I will be getting ready for Maclayne's birthday party

Check out OrgJunkie for other menu ideas!

Big Fat Lie

The other day when I last blogged...Tuesday or so. I thought it was about time that I delete the draft that were in my posts listing. Well what do you know! When you delete the drafts (posts that were never posted), the number of your post count goes down. I was only on post 183. So happy 183rd post you ding-dong.

I am going to go back to the couch and look through my Sunday paper. I just could not continue to relax until that was off of my mind. Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow for a meal plan.

PS-My high school girl's basketball team made it down to the state semifinals. So excited!!!

200th

This is going to be pure randomness as my whole blog is based on randomness (I think).

• Maclayne stayed with my parents while we were away. She woke up at 5:55am and went into my mom's room and said, "Grandma, I'm awake." You got to love how she states the obvious. Friday morning there was a 2-hour delay due to fog and she slept until 8:30. She has always been an early riser at their house.


• To say I am unmotivated this week would be an understatement.


• Tomorrow I have an eye appointment which means I am going to order some contacts. For the last year, I have been wearing my 5-year-old glasses. The low milk price is to blame...still is...


• I am going to work this morning for two hours or so, but I need to dry my hair. I am waiting for Kurt to get out of the bathroom. The joys of only having one bathroom.


• Kurt's grandma is turning 95 in a week.


• Maclayne is turning 8 in 12 days.


• I know what I am making for her birthday food wise.


• I don't know when she'll have her friends over or a party with them since the next weekend is Easter weekend.
• This is the second day I have hung laundry out. Take that WE Energies!
• Thursday the high is suppose to be around 65. That is pretty close to Meghan-Perfect weather!
• This was my 200th post, hence the title.
• Photos from our trip to Door County coming soon!

Red Barn Part II

I am a Red Barn employee. Actually I am the only Red Barn employee. I am so lucky! On a Friday I was offered the job and the Monday before I had gone on an interview to work at a hospital about 25 miles away. The hospital job would have been all different shifts which with farming is okay to a point. When you get into the busy season, which would be April through October that would be another story. On Friday when Terry was here making sure that Kurt was definetly going to start selling our milk to Red Barn, he asked me how much he would have to pay me. Did not say do you want to work for us but how much do I need to pay you. I was thrilled! A job landed in my lap. Not just a job, but a chance to help promote the dairy industry and hopefully brainstorm new ideas, clients, etc for Red Barn which helps Lime-Acres make money.

My job duties are kind of vague at this point while I get trained to do the accounting and bookwork that Terry who is a veterinarian also has been doing. My first job opportunity happened two weeks ago which was my first week as a Red Barn employee. I went to a wine tasting event to offer samples of the Red Barn cheese. It was fun but the weather was horrendous! The event took place outside and it was on a hill and I was facing north. It was windy and then it started snowing after about two hours. I was so cold and I could not wait to get home. The crazy thing was people kept coming and coming. I wondered who was more nuts-me or them.

For right now, I will be driving over to Terry and Paula's house and entering info into Quickbooks. Terry mentioned as I get going I will be doing the milk slips into Excel, inventory, maybe invoicing, and hopefully getting it so I can do this stuff mostly from my house that can be done here. It is the most flexible job. Its on a work as I can and I love it! It feels like the tide is starting to turn for us. Ugh, the tension and stress is something I can do without!

Hopeful Getaway, Confirmed Getaway

We are going away. It has been a long year and eight months but who is counting! Since we are scraping the bottom of our wallets, I am managing to save money while going away for the weekend.


Go during the off-season. We are going to Door County which is booming with tourists in the warm months. March is super quiet since there is not a whole to do outside besides hike throughout the many parks if you are an outside person. Of course there is always shopping and wineries. With going during the off-season, we are also saving on our lodging. When I called to reserve a room, I was given another discount just because March is a slow month. I did not ask for a deal. We are staying in the largest suite and saving a $110 off the price of a two night stay. I opted to pay $30 more to stay in the largest suite when he offered the second discount. Kurt and I have separate bedrooms now how wonderful is that!? Haha! Most importantly we are self-employed and work 365 days a year. Which means we have to pay someone to do our work and I would say is a downside to being self-employed. Our lodging and hiring someone cost us about the same.


Limit eating out. We'll be away from home for five to six meals. I was told when I called that a goody basket comes with each suite and includes maple syrup, homemade salsa, and coffee. We don't drink coffee so I'll give that to someone who does but the rest sounds wonderful. I'm bring frozen pancakes that were leftovers from last Friday night. Saturday morning breakfast is taken care of and I am also bringing cereal for Sunday morning. Our suite has a full kitchen so I could really bring all the food and cook our meals, but what kind of vacation would that be? We will probably be going out to eat twice and picking lunch up from Subway. The object is to spend as least as possible without being as anal as possible : ) I'm also planning on bringing milk, pop, tea, malted beverages (Boones), sliced cheese (Kurt needs it with his pancakes), apples, oranges, crackers, cookies, chips, popcorn, peeled carrots, and any other snack food Kurt wants. I also have an Entertainment coupon for a restaurant only one problem. This restaurant does not seem to exist but if we find it the coupon is buy one entree get the next entree for free (up to $11). Half price is worth my time to look for this place.


Cheap entertainment. There are many, many parks in Door County and we are planning on visiting one of the state parks which will cost us $7 for a day pass. I like to drive around so we will do that and maybe visit a few shops. We will also bring DVDs since we never seem to have time to watch them while at home. I'm hoping with a little more rest Kurt will be able to watch a movie the entire length instead of falling asleep halfway through. I count going out to eat as entertainment. There these are our big plans for our getaway!


This works for me!

Red Barn Rules

Hoping that 2010 is a 180 from 2009 we are very hopeful for the future. At the end of 2009, we were courted by Red Barn Family Farms to start selling our milk to them. We thought the business was great but there is always a but and kinf of a dumb but. We rent the farm from my father-in-law. We want to buy our own farm one with a bigger barn so we can milk more cows and maybe something a little newer or up to our standards (that sounds really snobby but it isn't meant to be). First I'll tell you about Red Barn. Red Barn is all about the family farm and preserving the family farm and all it stands for. Red Barn farms are also certified by the American Humane Association which as far as we know no one else is doing this. Cows are also individually assessed by a veterinarian twice a year. More Red Barn Rules here. Take this for what it is worth but organic farms are not held to this high of standard. Bottom line the best cared for cows make the best tasting milk and cheese.

The BUT is we need to remodel the stall on one side of the barn to become certified by the Humane Association. Earlier this year and last year not by choice, we were afraid we might have to sell the cows (this is a whole other post). We did not want to stick money into a place we did not intend on staying at nor did we have the money to remodel. Kurt had already paid for half a silo (10 years earlier) and put in comfort tie stalls on the other side of the barn (7 years earlier). BUT here is Terry from Red Barn trying to get us more money for our milk, and we already have the throttle wide open. Doing all we can to pay down debt so we can try and buy a farm. Since the milk price is not cooperating, this is our chance. God is all but shoving Red Barn in our face. We are jumping with both feet in and we are very vested in this business's success. A side-note--Terry from Red Barn came around looking to buy our milk about two years ago when he first started. Better late than never!

It's business but we have to say good-bye to our current milk truck drivers and owners. I am going to miss those purple and pink trucks backing in our driveway all the same.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday- Swiss steak, mashed potatoes, and salad (leftovers, but goood leftovers!)

Tuesday-Chicken fried rice and green beans

Wednesday-Shake n Bake pork chops, baby red potatoes, green beans

Thursday-Tacos or leftovers

Friday-I will not be at my house.

Saturday-I am going to Door County!!!!!!!!!!! Also known as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest" oh how fitting for me to go there...hahaha!

For more menus go check out OrgJunkie

March-the First Week

What a week! The temperatures have slowing been rising and it was around 40 degrees or more a couple of days. My mood really changes with the sun being out.
The cows go outside most days. But are only in the concrete barnyard in the winter months because there is usually a pile of snow blocking the entrance to the pasture along with some wire. Thursday I happened to look out the kitchen window and saw that one of the cows busted the wires. The cows all headed out to their beloved pasture. They kicked up their heals and raced around. I had to go to the porch to take this picture but it also shows the heifers running in their pasture with a few cows in the background.

I picked up this reduced-priced marinated turkey tenderloin and made turkey stirfry. My meal plan may have some repeats as well as still eating leftovers from certain meals.

I love cheese. I just wanted to show you all that I bought when I went grocery shopping. I also had a little wheel of Gouda but I forgot to pull it out for the picture. In case you are wondering and if you are not the cheese above is Heritage White Cheddar from Red Barn Family Farms (more about this cheese and Red Barn in another post), two mild cheedars, a baby swiss, parmesan, extra, extra super sharp cheddar which are from J&S in WI, and shredded mozzarella and cheddar/monteray jack. Like my facebook page says. Drink milk, eat cheese, and buy ice cream...

A Hopeful Getaway

If anyone needs a vacation, its me and my husband. This is our chance to get away but not too far. If we go past March, field work starts happening and the warmer it gets the more work there will be to be done. Obviously we need to pay someone to do our work while we are away. This expense is about equal to the lodging expense. If your pennies are super pinched (our always are-Smile), staying with family, friends, or at your family's cabin or cottage would be excellent ideas. We are going to splurge and stay in a hotel nothing fancy and definetly on the cheap side.

We will only be going at the most 70 to 80 miles from home. Not much gas expense maybe a fill up. Right after Thanksgiving I bought an Entertainment Book for our area and the majority of the deals are good through November 1, 2010. The book cost $30 but using it a handful of times and you have your money back easy. Use it all the time and you are saving some serious change. I am planning on eating out atleast twice while away. Each time only paying for one of our meals as we have buy one get one free coupons from the book. Less money out of our pocket. Yippee!

There is a museum I would like to go to which I still need to check into but I can't imagine it costing too much for admission. Otherwise this will be a time to relax. We will be near Lake Michigan so lots of pretty driving I planning on. My expectations are very low for this getaway. I am only looking to get away from the farm and be somewhat entertained. But that works for me and maybe it will for you too!

Oh its March

I have a love hate relationship with the month of March. Love it because my cuddly soon-to-be eight-year-old daughter was born this month. The weather can also be quite nice (and not so), but overall sloppy which we have to go through to get to great weather. My dislike for the month of March would be I feel pressed for time during the entire month. There is something going on almost each weekend...obviously one is a birthday party. I believe I told my mom I was running on empty today. I'm not sure if she thought my gas tank in my car was empty (its full) or that I was tired. By the response she gave me I don't think she really cared I was running on empty, and I am okay with that.


In March, we would also be teaching the Adventures in Dairyland unit to fourth graders at the elementary school. This year we decided not to because we wanted more time for ourselves how selfish right?! Well now I'm helping my mom get some materials/ideas/information on Adventures in Dairyland for the fourth grade teachers at her school. I think I'm feeling like I need to be a perfectionist on this because we are doing halfway from scratch and this is the teachers first time. Usually ag students or dairy farmers come into the school at teach the class...I feel like I need to give the teachers a class or something if they don't have any notion of a dairy farm. This school is in the city so none of the kids come from a farm. I'm probably getting my undies in a bundle for nothing but I feel so responsible! And I just wanted a break from it for two years until my girl was in fourth grade.


And the 28 day Organization Challenge will be completed just not today. I need to take Kurt by the hand and tie him to a chair with a pile of papers. That is the only way this room will be complete because Kurts stuff is kind of an eye sore and then some. Not that I am perfect, but I can't start putting his stuff where ever I please. Because when he wants something of his, then I will be responsible for getting it because he will not know where to find his precious paper(s).


With Maclayne's birthday, comes a clean house. That is wonderful except I work on it for the entire month because her birthday is the 28th. I get the curtains all washed which probably woudn't happen unless they started looking unbecoming. I am planning for the food, she is going to make her invitations this week, and hopefully the office will look like an office. I have no idea what to get her for her birthday. She sure is a funny girl though. She asked the other day when she could go to Florida for her birthday. Probably the same time I get to go for mine. Next year! Haha, waaahhh! Boo! I think I want to go more than her! Atleast I have 25 days to find something equal to going to Florida!