UGH how I WISH it was something as easy as the ribbon on my bouquet (granted, I've been trying to put my bouquet together for a year now and haven't gotten it finished yet because I can't get it to look like what's in my head... 
) ... There's been some SNAFU's with the rings, and Friday we found out that DH2B's ring, which we ordered and paid for 3 weeks ago, and should've received 2 weeks ago, now actually may not even be made, nevermind that it's in their 2015-2016 catalog. We were able to find a ring that's similar, though a different metal, and we found out yesterday that they've ordered it and we should receive it Thursday... but both rings were ordered based off a picture in a book, knowing we could return them and look somewhere else if they weren't right. That was a totally acceptable plan 3 weeks ago, but now it's nerve-wracking! Saturday night's blow up resulted in us spending Sunday reworking the ceremony because some family members didn't feel like they had big enough roles in it... And yesterday we found out that the rules in TN have changed, so the friend who was going to act as officiant is no longer eligible. Now we have to find someone else to marry us so that we end up actually married... The easiest thing to do is to get married legally prior to the wedding date, and then do a fake ceremony on our date, but it's really hard to find someone on a few weeks' notice. We aren't church members so we didn't want to go through a minister, and it was really important to us not to be married by a stranger, but with several officiants and county clerks offices near us refusing to marry anyone at the moment, things are really tricky. We also can't really tell anyone in the family, as we both have very large old-fashioned Southern extended families, so we have to find someone to act as officiant for a fake ceremony on our original wedding date... Have I mentioned that I'm REALLY looking forward to food and wine??
Oh my! Those really are some REAL issues! Prayers that everything works itself out! Take a deep breath and RELAX..... if you have to get married by a stranger, so be it.... at least the people around you and supporting you are LOVED ONES! Make it fun.... have the officiant dress like an Elvis impersonator or Prince Charming or Winnie the Pooh! Write your own vows and have the officiant read them.... that will definitely personalize it even with a stranger there.
WHAT is egg pie?! I'm intrigued... Also, where do you get this energy?! Haha. Just reading about your day makes me tired!
Essentially it is a crustless quiche. I do put a bit of lowfat Bisquick in sometimes (helps firm it up quite a bit), but not always, as DH and I don't want to take the carb/calorie hit. I use lots of veggies and some cheese..... occasionally ham and on special occasions (like Christmas) bacon.... the guys really like it and they can eat a whole one by themselves, so I always make two..... a full-fat/real egg/real cheese version for them and an egg white/lowfat/light cheese/veggie heavy version for me! I will eat half for dinner and then have two big pieces left for breakfast later in the week or to take to lunch. I would be happy to share the recipe if anyone is interested. It is great way to use up leftover cooked vegetables and those little bits and pieces of stuff (meat, veggies, cheeses).
...but no really, HOWWW do you do it?! You are superwoman! I can't even figure out what to have for dinner tonight, much less make dinner for other people to eat weeks from now!
Don't be that impressed.... I spend plenty of my time sitting on my behind watching useless cat videos on the internet! As far as food goes..... I spent many years when my kiddos were younger SCRAMBLING at 5-6 pm trying to figure out what was for dinner when nothing was prepped/defrosted/planned. It gets exhausting and frustrating, especially when you hate to cook.
Fast forward to a time when DD started swimming and we were out of the house from 3-5 nights a week (I took DS with me because he was too little to leave at home and we always stayed out because the Y was too far from home to make it worthwhile to go back). If I didn't have SOMETHING planned or cooking we got home crazy hungry and again, it would be frustrating or I'd end up spending/wasting money on pizza or sandwiches.... and it was always from the local pizza shop or Dunkins because we live in a very rural area and have NOTHING ELSE out here (in fact, I think the Dunkins only opened in about 2008). Too expensive, too fattening, and too unhealthy!!
Then when I rejoined WW and was DETERMINED that it was going to work this time....and I also started working away from home part time, I decided it was time to GET SERIOUS with my meal planning... and it has been a LIFESAVER!! I cannot say enough about it. YES, I still hate cooking and YES, I would love the option of take-out once in a while..... but eating a home is SO MUCH BETTER for my wallet, my health, and my family life! Despite a crazy schedule when DD was in high school and swimming 2-3 x a day (during the high school season) and 1-2 x a day the rest of the year, plus meets nearly every weekend for several months of the year, PLUS Rainbow Girls, PLUS DS's robotics schedule, PLUS I was coaching robotics for the first 3 years and then DH started coaching with me the last two years......and of course the kiddos played soccer and basketball and baseball during all of this as well.......... well anyhow, suffice it to say our family life/schedule was absolutely crazy, but we still managed a family meal together a few times a week.... yup, sitting at a table, with napkins and real silverware...even if was just breakfast!! I"m sure anyone on here with kids can relate!!
Sometimes the meal planning during those years was just how many different kinds of sandwiches I could pack because we would all be eating away from home all day! I learned you can bring food and warm it up in the microwave at the gas station mini-mart and they don't mind! I learned you can ask the guy at the Target snack bar to warm up your son's soup in his microwave and they will do it if you also are buying a milk! I used to DREAM that instead of driving my Honda I would be driving a small RV that had a full kitchen!! I could store/prep/serve meals on the road, from parking lots, at away meets, etc!!
In reality, I even occasionally had a meal cook in the crockpot all day.... then go home and grab the entire crockpot, insulate it with some towels and bring it along in the car with a tote bag full of paper bowls and silverware and we would eat on the sidelines while watching one of the kids games/matches/meets!!
Anyhow, I digress. I have tweaked my meal planning system over the years to what it currently is and it works for me. I now usually only plan a week at a time (when life was crazy I planned 6-8 weeks at a time). I use a combined system of using what I've bought on sale (I stock up on sale meats and such when I can), what is fresh from the garden (and from Dad's garden when I can
), what needs to be used up (pantry and freezer overages do occur), and of course, what we are craving!! I also like to try new recipes at least 2-4 x a month and ask the family to rate them. If they are keepers they go in my "Tried and True" binder..... the losers go in the trash. I refuse to keep a recipe that wasn't loved by at least half of the family.
I also cook ahead whenever possible..... double/triple batches are my friend! I LOVE pulling a fully-cooked batch of soup or stew or chili from the freezer at night and then warming it when I get home the next day..... dinner is done in MINUTES!! Or to pull out some stew beef that I browned before I froze it.... toss it into the crockpot with carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, parsnips that I diced the night before, dump in some stock or a bit of tomato juice and hit COOK..... dinner is warm and ready when I get home..... it is almost like having a chef!!
Anyhow..... all of the rambling is really just to tell you that I am NOT superwoman, I am NOT super organized, and I am NOT a great cook..... but the benefits of meal planning outweigh the work involved. Plus I cannot IMAGINE what my men would eat while I was gone if I didn't leave prepared food. DS would probably eat a frozen pizza every night and DH would eat eggs, yogurt, sardines, and peanuts.... every day!! It was nearly as quick to make three egg pies yesterday as it would have been to make one or two.... and now I have dinner for Friday for 3 (with leftovers) and dinner for the men while I"m away! And I only had to run the oven once and clean up once!
I am so behind! Dragged myself home from the office today and collapsed into bed where I've been flickering in and out of sleep for the last six hours. I'm still trying to convince myself it is allergies but I'm beginning to think I've got a nasty little head cold. Hopefully of short duration because I've got things to do!
I hope everyone has a great night! I look forward to getting properly caught up tomorrow!
Fingers crossed you feel better quickly!!
QOTD - September 23
Woohoo Wednesday! As we head into our final week of September (and First Day of Fall!) what is making you woohoo today? Stand up and cheer!!!
My woohoo for today>>>>>>> SURVIVOR STARTS TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!
Plus I am here, at work, with free time and computer access so I can talk to you all and get paid for it!!!
TTYL.................P
Also, I was already jealous that you can go to Disneyland whenever you want... But you've been to Disneyland Paris, too?! I have got some serious catching up to do.
