Saturday and OAMC update

I *finally* made it to Wal-Mart (which is always a HUUUGE mistake a) on a weekend day and b) when a "weather system" is moving in). I think everyone and their dog was there. It was a MADHOUSE! However, progress was made! I *almost* got everything on my list (I didn't get EVERYTHING because I was TIRED!) I don't have much left, however.

I am so VERY thankful that my wonderful sidekick, Josh, wanted to go with me to push the second buggy so that we could keep the hot stuff hot and the cold stuff cold and the canned goods on the bottom!

I will say that it was quite odd to have to shop for items such as diaper creme, Lanisoh, nursing pads, baby wash and diapers. So, those items definitely added to the total at the check-out but you have to start stocking up somewhere. I DID use my coupons, however. From now on, I'll definitely start watching the CVS sales and such since I have subscribed to so many fantastic blogs, like Keli's where she talks about the awesome deals she gets! I need to pick her brain to learn to shop like that! I'm so jealous! Ha ha!

Felecia and Mary (love you ladies!) have given me some FANTASTIC advice on the OAMC front and I have heeded their advice whole-heartedly! First off, since this baby seems to want to ride on my sciatic nerve, it's literally impossible for me to stay on my feet for an extended period of time so I, by necessity, had to break the cooking session into multiple ones (thanks for that idea Felecia!)

Also, since I didn't go to Wal-Mart until TODAY, I obviously couldn't have done a tremendous amount since I really only had the meat and none of the accompaniments for the entrees. And, although all the books say NOT to shop and cook in the same day -- I just had to be a rebel. You know me.

However, after my large Costco run and my even larger Wal-Mart run, I have begun to make masterpieces from the madness! The past two days have proved quite fruitful. I have made:

3 beef/turkey meatloaves
2 servings Swedish meatballs
1 serving meatball sub
2 servings spaghetti sauce
2 servings taco meats
2 servings balsamic marinade chicken breasts
1 Italian pot roast marinade
1 pot roast w/veggies
1 tater tot casserole

I've started working on making 3 pans of lasagna. I was going to do some of the "lazy lasagnas" I've read about in most all the books but honestly, I just don't want to skimp on my lasagna. I love my lasagna and frankly, it's worth the trouble and time. The taste is unsurpassed, it feels and tastes gourmet/unprocessed and it is just delicious (in my humble opinion). It will SO be worth it in the end! So, the meat is cooked for that. I just need to make the rest of the sauce to accompany it and then finish the assembly.

I still have several chicken meals to prepare and I think I will marinade more breasts since we all love grilled chicken and it's a quick and easy meal (and since I have plenty from my meat load-up at Costco.) But, like I said, that will all be saved/reserved for tomorrow as, for now, I'm tired.

I think I'm a little dehydrated too. I started having Braxton Hicks contractions ... have actually been having them fairly regularly each evening so I know all this prep work is a GOOD thing! :)

One lesson learned so far is that... as I made my grocery list this time in such a stupid rush because I added no only the "stuff" for my meals for the freezer but also this coming week's worth of meals. So, honestly, my grocery list was a FREAKIN DISASTER which caused me SO much extra time in the grocery store. HAVE AN ORGANIZED LIST! That is SO important. If I'd just used the one I'd prepared on the computer in Excel, it would have gone SO much faster but since I was preparing my list in my bedroom on my bed leaning back on my tower of pillows, I didn't have access to the file at that time. However, with this major lesson learned, I will never ever not have an organized grocery list again.

But, like I said, since I shopped for the upcoming week, I'm excited to actually have a "Menu Plan Monday" again to post since I know a huge bulk of this cooking is out of the way.... This will enable me to be able to focus on the future AND the present as far as meal prep.

And, as promised, once I'm totally finished with this session, all of the recipes I used will be posted on the OAMC page on my blog! I want everyone to have access to these recipes!

One of my childhood friends, Gene, stopped by tonight with his son, Jacob. I've known Gene since I was in the 6th grade (that's a long time). He recently was transferred from Minot AFB in North Dakota to the one in Norman, OK so he's MUCH closer and it's SO nice to see him so often. He's a bachelor. He eats out -- a lot. Lets say probably TOO MUCH! :) He was watching me put things together and was intrigued. I think I may have a bachelor convert! He wants to buy all the stuff and have me do some individual portions for him rather than the big family sized ones that I make. Easy, easy, easy when you're doing all the leg work in advance!

I'm actually enjoying a couple of hours of silence (though I'm seriously getting very very sleepy. 10pm is my bedtime!) The boys went to a pajama party at ASI gymnastics. It started at 7. They're going to run themselves ragged and eat pizza and sleep great tonight. I dropped Andy off to have some "guy time" with a responsible driver (namely, me!) I'll be picking him up about 10:30 and then the boys thereafter. I'll let him tuck them in and I'll tuck myself in.