Saturday, October 12, 2024

What I Used/What I Used Up (Week 41)

 

What I Used of My Meal Plan-

Breakfasts:


Oatmeal in various forms
Super simple granola 

Lunches:

Carrot and romaine salads with shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot), salsa, and spicy ranch dressing (The Spiffy Cookie)
Iceberg lettuce salads with hardboiled egg, shredded cheese, and Caesar dressing
Instant Pot baked potatoes (Platings + Pairings) with toppings
Rice with green chiles (Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker), Instant Pot salsa chicken (Simply Happy Foodie), and cheese bowls
Tempeh oat brussels sprouts scramble (Oatrageous Oatmeals)

Dinners:


Chicken lettuce wraps (The Kitchn) and fried rice (Made by my husband)
Fusilli with herbed ricotta and grape tomatoes 
(Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook
Spaghetti carbonara (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook

Snacks:

All butter apple shortbread cookies from Trader Joe's
Apples
Bagels
Bananas
Belgian waffles (Rise and Run
Blender gluten free pumpkin muffins (Kroll's Korner)
Cajun peanuts (Cajun Cooking Recipes)  
Cantaloupe
Cheese sticks
Honeydew melon
Leftover pancakes
Monster cookies (Handle the Heat)
Oatmeal in various forms
Peanuts
Pumpkin cranberry crisps from Trader Joe's
Pumpkin spiced teeny tiny pretzels from Trader Joe's
Roasted pumpkin seeds (The Minimalist Baker)
Tortilla chips

What I Used Up--

Freezer:

Two pound bag of frozen broccoli
Chickpeas
Chopped carrots, garlic, and rutabaga for chickpea stew (Oatrageous Oatmeals)
Bag of frozen green beans
Rice with green chiles (Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker)
Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot),
Tomato paste

Fridge:


Cantaloupe
Five pound bag of carrots
Coleslaw mix
Old garlic
Pint of grape tomatoes
Container of Greek yogurt
Green onions
Package of ham
Head of iceberg lettuce
Half gallon of milk
Old onions
Ricotta cheese

Pantry:

Curry powder
Can of pumpkin
Four cans of tomato sauce
Fusilli pasta
Pumpkin spiced teeny tiny pretzels from Trader Joe's
Tuna

What went bad:

Nothing that I know of yet!

What I Prepped for Next Week: 

Chickpea stew (Oatrageous Oatmeals)
Curried lentils (Budget Bytes) over brown rice (Add a Pinch)
Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs (Omnivore's Cookbook)

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Real Life Marriage: Identity Shift

We've been married over five years now, and as the seasons shift, I am also sensing a shift in our identity as a couple. Our last close family members (my parents) left the state. We are starting to recover from our four year (plus!) grind to get my husband to graduation. We've been working at more fairly dividing our household chores for several months. And it feels like we are shifting to more of an us, not a mini his parents or my parents, but an us.

As much as I admire and respect my parents and their marriage, my husband and I are different, and we do things differently. We aren't going off the rails morally or ethically, but we communicate differently than my parents do. We divide household responsibilities differently. We practice our values differently. Sometimes we vote differently. It's us, versus a mirror image of the family in which I grew up. Honestly, that has taken some getting used to. It's probably taken some getting used to for my husband, too, as our relationship also differs from those of his parents.

Our identity is different from the culture around us. I do see my husband as the leader or our home and submit to his leadership, but we each submit to each other, too. This often results in us responding to questions of us individually, "Let me ask [spouse name]" and get back to you. We share a joint bank account. We don't count tit for tat. We are an "us," even as many couples we know live more independently, than corporately.

There is an "us" factor of the two of us being family, too. We don't have kids or pets, but we are a family. We have sometimes very separate interests, but still enjoy spending time together. We are a family. We live out our callings somewhat differently than others, with my job being at a ministry, for example, which results in us not serving in places like church. This is what it means to be us at this stage

I've heard people say before that what is most important is to get your horizontal orientation right, that is, prioritizing relationship to God above all else. By God's grace, Christ is the center of our marriage. He always will be, and in pursuing Him, we grow closer together. Horizontally, though, our marriage might not align with others. It might stick out instead of blending in. I am learning to be okay with that, because it is our marriage, not anyone else's. Not my parents', not our friends', not our churches. It is our marriage, created by God, founded in God, and lived out by us. That's our steadfast identity, one I hope that will stand amidst the shifting sands of life.

Saturday, October 5, 2024

What I Used/What I Used Up (Week 40)

 


What I Used of My Meal Plan-

Breakfasts:


Lunches:

Carrot and romaine salads with Instant Pot salsa chicken (Simply Happy Foodie) or tuna, salsa, and spicy ranch dressing (The Spiffy Cookie)
Creamy vegetable lentil soup (Budget Bytes)
Easy egg salad (The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook) on whole wheat bread (Sally’s Baking Addiction)
Iceberg lettuce salads with hardboiled egg, shredded cheese, and Caesar dressing
Slow cooker black bean oat groat soup (Oatrageous Oatmeals)
Sunflower seed and bean oat balls (Oatrageous Oatmealswith broccoli and carrots

Dinners:


Breakfast for dinner: Fluffy buttermilk pumpkin pancakes (The Modern Crumb) and sausage
Chicken lettuce wraps (The Kitchn) and fried rice (Made by my husband)
Creamy pumpkin ravioli (The Modern Crumb)
Hamburger bowls modeled after 
Fit Foodie Find's air fryer steak bites recipe
Spaghetti carbonara (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook

Snacks:

All butter apple shortbread cookies from Trader Joe's
Apples
Bananas
Belgian waffles (Rise and Run
Blender gluten free pumpkin muffins (Kroll's Korner)
Cajun peanuts (Cajun Cooking Recipes)  
Cantaloupe
Cheese sticks
Chocolate mousse pumpkins from Trader Joe's
Leftover pancakes
Oat flour pumpkin muffin bread (Hungry Hobby)
Oatmeal in various forms
Peanuts
Pumpkin banana oatmeal muffins (Hungry Hobby)
Pumpkin spiced teeny tiny pretzels from Trader Joe's
Pumpkin overnight oats from Trader Joe's
Peanuts
Red hott cupcakes (unfrosted) (Just a Pinch)
Roasted pumpkin seeds (The Minimalist Baker)

What I Used Up--

Freezer:

Bacon
Brussel sprouts
Bag of frozen green beans
Cooked hamburger
Oat potato pancakes (Savory Spin)
Ravioli

Fridge:


Ripe bananas

Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Celery
Two pound bag of cheese
Carton of 18 eggs

Half gallon of milk
Parmesan cheese
Red onion
Romaine lettuce
Roma tomatoes

Pantry:

Brown rice
Costco container of cinnamon
Liquid smoke
Can of pumpkin
Whole pumpkin
Rice

Box of spaghetti
Tuna

What went bad:

Nothing that I know of!

What I Prepped for Next Week: 

Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs (Omnivore's Cookbook)
Instant Pot salsa chicken (Simply Happy Foodie)
Steamed broccoli
Tempeh oat brussels sprouts scramble 
(Oatrageous Oatmeals)

Monday, September 30, 2024

Everything I Read in September

A lot of political reading this month because, well, it's that time of year, and to whatever extent the Lord directs, I want to be faithful in the civic arena. I also have a growing interest in why people are opposed to the church and things of faith and have read some towards that end, and well, there's some other books that just seemed interesting thrown in:

68) Church of Cowards: A Wake-Up Call for Complacent Christians by Matt Walsh—This is a scathing rebuke for Christians, if there every was one. Yes, Walsh identifies as Catholic, and some of his writing reflects this, but much more of what he writes is about/against evangelicals. Walsh, a political commentator for The Daily Wire starts by calling out Christians as “not worth killing” because of their wishy-washy faith. He notes the obsession of the world with being tolerant, rather than being truthful, lambasts the self-centered nature of American living, and has a lot to say about the public education system (not all of which I agree with). Walsh's book is pretty doom and gloom, but as he concludes, he writes that “this has been a book about despair, not a book of despair.” He calls believers to hope, to trute religion, to a crusade of evangelism and gospel living. If this book is not convicting, maybe readers need to examine if they have true faith at all.

69) The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go From Here by Kaitlyn Schiess—We are all biased, and we all tend to proof text. Look no further than this book to be convicted about how not only politicians have proof-texted scriptures, but also how believers have used scripture to champion their personal platforms, scriptural or not. With very little bias, Schiess walks through the misuses of scripture in politics from the early days of The United States to the present. She does not favor one political party over the other, but rather challenges Christians to read their Bibles, in context, in the church, and in the community. She emphasizes neither withdrawal nor over-involvement, but rather asserts, “We should strive to build flourishing families and churches, but not at the expense of the commission God gave at the the beginning and never rescinded: to care for all of creation (Gen. 1:27-28).” This book is pretty easy to read, and it is convicting. Interested in history and politics or not, this is an important read for all of those who call themselves Christians in America!

70) Maybe Baby: 28 Writers Tell the Truth About Skepticism, Infertility, Baby Lust, Childlessness, Ambivalence, And How They Made the Biggest Decision of Their Lives Edited by Lori Leibovich—I have watched friends and family: single, married, and in dissolving marriage, wrestle with decisions (and abilities) to have children and raise them. This book was far from what I hoped it would be in discussing those struggles. Rife with liberal values, frequent depictions of abortion and really, a lack of value of children all together, it is just a sad read overall. This is not a “maybe” read, it's a hard, “No.” Surely someone else can bring better awareness to this nuanced topic?

71) When We Were On Fire: A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love, and Starting Over by Addie Zierman–The Christian faith is complicated. It can become cult-like. Many people leave it, and never come back. Addie Zierman tried, but found her way back, through a series of poor, some nearly disastrous decisions, the steadfast love of her steady husband, and a good EMDR therapist. This is her journey, from evangelical, to nearly ex-vangelical, and back into a non-static, struggling relationship with Jesus. Zierman's book is real and raw, with descriptions of alcohol abuse and language that would not fit in most churches. Still, it is a worthwhile, and I would say refreshing read, when the world is on fire and most people are just letting it burn, rather than wrestling with it and trying to douse the flames and forge a new way forward.

72) Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance—If there ever was an honest look at life for the white working class, this is it, and it's written by a former marine turned lawyer, US Senator, and now vice president elect. This book is rife with language, descriptions of abuse and neglect, and substance use. It raises some real issue and encourages taking responsibility for making a change, but without being able to name what that change should be. While it is helpful to know the origin story of JD Vance, this book left me with a bad taste in my mouth, more aware of the crisis for “hillbillies” such as Vance, but without much hope of it changing. The one “jewel in the rough” is Vance's grandma, aka “Mawmaw,” but even she was a bit hard to read about. How about an elegy to Jesus and his redeeming power? That's one I would want to read and from which I would gain hope!

73) God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America by Lyz Lenz—Lyz Lenz grew up in the church, but began to feel distant from it as over and over again, her progressive beliefs clashed with the churches she attended. Ultimately, her beliefs led her to leave several churches, get a divorce, and study the conflictual nature of the institution of church and Christianity as a religion in Middle America. While I don’t agree with many of Lenz’s stances, and I can’t recommend this book because of its intermittent and unpredictable swearing, I do think Lenz raises some good questions. Why is the church in America so wrapped up in politics? Why is it that sports are the greatest competition for the church, often becoming a religion of their own? Why are so many Christians hypocritical, not practicing what they preach? As Lenz herself queries, “What is happening to our souls?” While I don’t agree with Lenz’s move to seeing faith more as spirituality than a saving trust in Jesus for salvation, I do think the church has work to do. I don’t think America, Middle America or anywhere, is a “God Land” anymore, and if any institution is going to change that, it is going to have to be the church of Jesus Christ made up of true believers.

74) Compassion & Conviction: The And Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement by Justin Giboney, Michael Wear, and Christ Butler—This book was recommended (and given to us) as the best current book on politics. I can’t agree more! Grounded in the gospel, this book encourages Christians to engage in politics civilly, and for the glory of God. Using biblical and historical examples, this book shows that this type of civil engagement is indeed possible. Politics, for Christians, is not ultimately about partisanship, but about people, people with whom God calls believers to faithfully engage.

75) Instead: Navigating the Adventures of a Childfree Life by Maria Coffey—Maria Coffey writes that she chose a life of adventure instead of the life of motherhood. At first, it seems as if she does not value children, but as time goes on, she reveals that she chose this life, in part, because of fear. By the end of the memoir, Maria is a mother, just not in the traditional sense, having mothered and cared for many children that have come into her path. This book contains intermittent language and morals and values which which I do not agree, but I think this subject deserves more exploration. I hope that a Christian woman someday writes a memoir about child free living, not necessarily representing its adventures, but presenting how a woman can live faithfully instead of as flippantly, as Coffey sometimes does.

76) American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church by Andrew L. Whitehead—Associate professor of Sociology at Indian University-Purdue University is a professed Christian, and in this book, he calls out fellow white believers for their idolatry. Whitehead names power, fear, and violence and idols of Christian nationalism and lays out how and where he sees the church practicing them. While he does make some suggestions for finding and listening to marginalized voices, and while he references the gospel, I think he really falls short in integrating true saving faith in the fight against Christian nationalism. Yes, Christians can be idolators. Yes, Christians can co-opt faith to serve political uses. But how do believers faithfully witness and evangelize and bring to saving faith? That has to be the basis for all change, and for even the existence of the church! Maybe Whitehead has an answer to this question, but I did not find it in this book.

Saturday, September 28, 2024

What I Used/What I Used Up (Week 39)

What I Used of My Meal Plan-

Breakfasts:


Lunches:

Carrot and romaine salads with shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot), salsa, and spicy ranch dressing (The Spiffy Cookie)
Hamburger bowls modeled after Fit Foodie Find's air fryer steak bites recipe
Rice with green chiles (Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker), Instant Pot salsa chicken (Simply Happy Foodie), and cheese bowls
Sunflower seed and bean oat balls (Oatrageous Oatmealswith broccoli and carrots

Dinners:


Breakfast for dinner: Fluffy buttermilk pumpkin pancakes (The Modern Crumb) and sausage
Dinner out at Gadzook's
Dinner out at Kuka Sushi 
Homemade ravioli (My husband)

Snacks:

All butter apple shortbread cookies from Trader Joe's
Apples
Apple cobbler (Sally's Baking Recipes)
Bananas
Cajun peanuts (Cajun Cooking Recipes)  
Cantaloupe
Cheese sticks
Chocolate mousse pumpkins from Trader Joe's
Fruit pouches
Honey crisp apple cinnamon Greek yogurt and peanut butter protein granola from Trader Joe's
Leftover pancakes
Oat flour pumpkin muffin bread (Hungry Hobby)
Oatmeal in various forms
Peanuts
Pumpkin banana oatmeal muffins (Hungry Hobby)
Pumpkin spiced teeny tiny pretzels from Trader Joe's
Pumpkin overnight oats from Trader Joe's
Peanuts
Red hott cupcakes (Just a Pinch)

What I Used Up--

Freezer:

Chickpeas
Rice with green chiles (Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker), Instant Pot salsa chicken (Simply Happy Foodie), and cheese bowls

Fridge:

Last old apple
Applesauce jar
Ripe bananas
Cantaloupe
Five pound bag of carrots
Cilantro
Cream cheese
Carton of 18 eggs
Green onions
Head of iceberg lettuce
Head of leaf lettuce
Mushrooms
Sunflower seeds
Swiss cheese
Tortillas

Pantry:

Coconut milk
Jelly beans
Lentils
Powdered sugar

What went bad:

Nothing that I know of!

What I Prepped for Next Week: 

3 ingredient apple pie donuts (Kirbie’s Cravings)
Creamy vegetable lentil soup (Budget Bytes)
Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs (Omnivore's Cookbook)
Steamed broccoli and carrots for lunches


What I Froze for Future Me:



The rest of a jar of apple cider that I did not use


Creamy vegetable lentil soup (Budget Bytes)

Friday, September 27, 2024

The Simplified Life (September)


Sometimes, simple does not mean minimal. Sometimes simplicity has a cost. This month has been a case study in that.

For example, I recently decided to invest in a good pair of shoes for work. I had been reusing old running shoes as work shoes, as they aren't really that worn out, the foam has just compressed to the point of discomfort while running. Doing this worked, but only if I alternated regularly between pairs, so as to avoid foot pain from the lack of cushion. I got to a point where all the pairs in my work rotation were really bugging me though, and my husband encouraged me to buy one new pair, in a brand recommended by coworkers. Man did they cost a lot, but so far, they feel good! The purchase of new footwear reduced the number of shoes on our shoe rack (clutter), as I recycled the old pairs through which I had been rotating. Additionally, this purchase eliminated the decision fatigue of daily shoe choice. My comfort level has improved, which reduces body strain and fatigue. The weight of life overall feels lighter.

In my running journey thus far, I have primarily preferred to use fruit pouches for long run fuel. They are less expensive than gels, healthier, and easier to buy at the grocery store. After making a splurge purchase on running gels and trying them out, however, I am hooked. Running gels are much more concentrated, and take up less space, meaning I can transport them more easily. They give me energy fast, versus slow. (On the run, versus in real life, I want fast, rather than slow digesting fuel.) Yes, the gels cost double the amount of fruit pouches, but they are making my running life more enjoyable. My runs are also more productive, in terms of performance goals.

On that note, the cheapest place to buy gels for running is yes, Amazon. Other places have the same price, but require shipping fees. I considered an Amazon order, but realized it would mean buying flavors of gels I did not like. Would I save money doing so? Yes. But would it simplify life? No, not really. I would be complicating life by trying to force down fuel I don't like. So, I paid the extra $7.95 shipping cost and ordered from The Feed to get just the gels I wanted, and none of the ones I did not. Minimal cost? No. An easier, more enjoyable life? Yes.

I made yet another purchase to solve the problem of running gels littering the counter. I could spend my time continually rearranging the bags that came from The Feed, or buy an organizer. I chose the latter. Yes, it is another thing in our home, but one I can use for multiple purposes (eg organizing other kitchen paraphernalia, if not in a season where I have tons of gels lying about). Win on that front.

In terms of multiple purchases, I have discovered that my husband and I can use the same shampoo/conditioner (that is, I can use his product). It has a neutral scent, and as long as I add conditioner, it works. Why buy another product and add to the overwhelm in the shower? He's good. I'm good. Less products purchased there.

On the subject of multiple products to do one thing, I use lotion to remove eye makeup. Is it meant for that? No. Do I really care? No. In another life, might I buy a product specifically made to remove eye makeup and enjoy it? Yes. But right now, I am prioritizing my running, and my money and efforts are going there. While I may not be simplifying the number of things in my house as I invest more in more running journey, I am simplifying my priorities.

I continue to try to reduce decision fatigue by making decisions immediately. For example, when I got my hair cut this month, I scheduled my next appointment. Yes, I might overthink it later (wonder if I need it and want to spend the money), but at least it's done for now and I don't have to monitor my hair to figure out when to schedule next. I just have my haircut on a schedule. Rinse and repeat.

Did I spend a lot of money this month? Yes. Does my life feel more organized as a result? Yes. I've been choosing my battles, and this month, order mattered, so that's where my money went.

Saturday, September 21, 2024

What I Used/What I Used Up (Week 38)


What I Used of My Meal Plan-

Breakfasts:


Oatmeal in various forms
Super simple granola 

Lunches:

Carrot and romaine salads with shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot), salsa, and spicy ranch dressing (The Spiffy Cookie)
Buffalo chicken pasta (Budget Bytes)
Steel-cut oat bean chili (Oatrageous Oatmeals)

Dinners:

Hamburgers from Freddy's
Homemade ravioli (My husband)
Nachos with shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot, taco dip (Budget Bytes), and pico de gallo (Rise and Run)
Oxtail ragu (The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbookover creamy polenta (Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)
Potato, spinach, and mozzarella frittata Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook) and Instant Pot baked potatoes (Platings + Pairings)

Snacks:

Apples
Apple cobbler (Sally's Baking Addiction)
Bananas
Cajun peanuts (Cajun Cooking Recipes)  
Cantaloupe
Cheese sticks
Chocolate molasses cookies (Rise and Run)
Fruit pouches
Grapes
Kheer (Indian pudding oatmeal) (Oatrageous Oatmeals)
Leftover pancakes
Oat flour pumpkin muffin bread (Hungry Hobby)
Oatmeal in various forms
Peanuts
Pumpkin banana oatmeal muffins (Hungry Hobby)
Tortilla chips

What I Used Up--

Freezer:

Apple
Potato, spinach, and mozzarella frittata (
Good Housekeeping Family Italian Cookbook)
Red cooking wine
Shredded chicken (365 Days of Crockpot)
Steak meat

Fridge:

Ripe bananas
Old broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Carton of 18 eggs
Half gallon of milk
Parmesan cheese
Old jar of peanut butter
Store bought ranch dressing
Head of romaine lettuce
Sour cream

Pantry:

Cornmeal
Can of pumpkin

Can of whole tomatoes

What went bad:

Nothing that I know of

What I Prepped for Next Week: 

Apple cobbler (Sally's Baking Recipes)
Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs (Omnivore's Cookbook)


What I Froze for Future Me:


Brussel sprouts


Red hott cupcakes (unfrosted) (Just a Pinch)