Buying in Bulk

We do our grocery shopping once every two weeks and we save some money, but mostly a lot of time (and time is money, right?). I buy my ground beef in the big bulk packages and it is so much cheaper! So, once I have it I make a few meatloafs and bake them altogether and then once they have cooled, I freeze them in freezer safe bags. This saves me more time later on since I can just pull them from the freezer and heat it with no fuss or extra prep. Then, I will do either one of two things.

1. Take the remaining 2/3 and make a huge batch of meatballs. I freeze portions in bags and then just heat with my sauce and they are done by the time the pasta is

2. take 1/3 and make some seasoned hamburgers. I freeze these before cooking and will just take them out that morning to heat on a skillet at dinner time.

This has saved me tons of time and money. Happy cooking all :)

Oh, Christmas Tree

This has always ben my favorite times of year and the kids and I have been having fun keeping busy while daddy is at work (this is his busiest times of year). Last week all 3 of them helped me decorate our tree-- well, it has becomemore theirs then mine. What did I ever hang on my tree before kids? I know we only had one Christmas alone as newlyweds, but I am thinking it was a pretty bare tree those first two years. Now, I love all their picture and hand made ornaments and how they hang them all around the same spot. They like to take them off and look at them and as long as they are not glass (those are high out of reach) i don't care since its only up for a little time andI want them to feel like they can enjoy it how kids enjoy things-- by exploring. They have been playing prarie Christmas and placing things from around the house under the tree and then crawling under it for a fort (we dont put the bottom two rows of branches on our tree since we know it makes a nice little hideout). They can only do this if I am close by just in case it tips, or, per se, Mommy wants to put her head underneath and play too. We have also had to take some ornaments o hot glue gun hospital, but they are the same ornaments that get glued every year and by the time the kids leave me (sniff sniff), the will all have rather long necks and legs and will be some of my favorites since they were so loved by little hands. merry Christmas!