Our weekly meal plan! 29th June - 5th July!! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend. Ours was a quiet one, mainly sat in front of the TV watching sport. There was of course more of the World Cup and the Austrian Grand Prix.

Last week's meal plan went well, mostly. We ate some of the meals, a couple were swapped around and a couple scrapped. We had jacket potatoes with baked beans and salad, which wasn't on the meal plan but it was too hot to spend too long in the kitchen. I love my kitchen but at the same time I hate it. It is always the coldest room in the winter and hottest in the summer!

We have quite a few plans over the next few days which I'm really looking forward to. I won't say too much just yet because I'll be blogging about everything once it's happened. As well as the fun things, there are a few jobs around the house that need doing. One of those is defrosting the freezer. It's one of those things that I keep putting off because it's a bit of a faff but it needs doing. The good thing is that it gives me the chance to use up lots of what's already in there

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Chicken pie and mashed potato!

I made extra mashed potato yesterday, so tonight's tea should be nice and easy. I only have to cook the chicken pies, heat up the mash and warm the peas. The pies are chicken and gravy ones, so if it has cooled down like the weather forecast says, it should be an enjoyable meal.

Tuesday - Mango, coconut & lime chicken fillets with sweet potato fries.

I have these chicken fillets sitting in the freezer waiting to be used. I spotted them reduced in Tesco a couple of weeks ago and couldn't resist. I think I paid around £2 a pack instead of £5 each, or two for £8. I always love finding yellow sticker bargains. I also have four bags of sweet potato fries in the freezer which will go well with the chicken.

Wednesday - Freezer surprise!

Wednesday is the only day without a proper plan because once I start emptying the freezer I'll no doubt come across something that needs using up which I have completely forgotten about.

Thursday - Sausage fried rice!

This sounds like a good recipe to use up some of the sausages in the freezer. I will loosely follow the recipe. I don't have any oyster sauce, so that will be left out and I'll be using a normal brown onion instead of spring onions because that's what I already have. Over the years, I've learned that recipes don't have to be followed to the letter. If you can swap ingredients for things you've already got, it saves money and usually tastes just as good.

Friday - Fish and chips!

Homemade, not from the chip shop! I already have battered fish in the freezer and frozen chips so it will be a nice easy meal to make. I must remember to buy some mushy peas to go with it as we have none in the cupboard.

Saturday - A help yourself evening!

We have a busy day, so everyone can help themselves to whatever they want. I know I won't feel like cooking so for me, it will be something quick which doesn't need much time spent in the kitchen!

Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort!

It has been ages since we have had a roast dinner at home and I feel in the mood for one. It will either be chicken or gammon with roast and mashed potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots, peas, stuffing and of course Yorkshire puddings.

What are you eating this week?

A photo every day for a year! 21st - 27th June Week 26 of #Project365

Happy Sunday!! I hope you've all had a lovely week and are enjoying your weekend! We've had a great week, celebrating Father's Day on Sunday, a few outings, Ellie leaving college, lots of football and thankfully a quiet weekend! I feel like I need it. We have no plans at all for today! I think all the excitement over the last week along with the hot weather has completely worn me out. It has been so hot! It seemed like every day there was another headline saying it was the hottest day of June so far. I don't cope too well when it gets really warm. I spend half the day complaining I'm too hot and the other half wondering why I wished summer would hurry up.

Now for a photo every day!

172/365 21st June

This sign was one of Stu's Father's Day gifts from Becky and I think it is pretty accurate. I said it looks more than a mug shot than a wholesome photo. hehehe

173/365 22nd June

I feel like a farmer. hahaha I have wheat growing in the flower beds. I didn't plant it so I'm guessing a bird must have dropped a seed at some point and nature has just done the rest. It's amazing how things just appear in the garden without any help from me.

174/365 23rd June

We went to the cinema to see the new Toy Story movie and it was so good. The girls were worried about us being the only adults there without kids but there were about 15 people at our showing and only one kid. lol Toy Story is one of those movie series which is good for all ages, as most people my age were only teenagers when the first one was released.

175/365 24h June

There we have it, Ellie has left education! However, many years at school and three at college. It feels like the end of an era. This is the first time in about 20 years that I haven't had a child in education. Of course, I had to get a photo of Ellie. I've taken a last-day-of-school photo pretty much every year, so I wasn't about to stop now!

176/365 25th June

We went to see my dad and he was showing off his vintage truck that he has been painting. It hasn't been the ideal weather for it, so it has been a slow process as it needs many coats. It's coming along really well and you can tell how much work he's put into it from when he first got it.

177/365 26th June

This was about as much effort as I could manage with my makeup for a night out. A little bit of eyeshadow, some mascara and lipstick. When it's this hot I really can't be bothered wearing a full face of makeup because it would have been melted off before I got to the bus stop. I even had my hair tied up in a ponytail. Anyone who knows me knows I hardly ever wear my hair up but it was needed!

178/365 27th June

For a few minutes, I was convinced one of my tomato plants had started growing flowers that definitely weren't tomato flowers. It turns out the flowers were from something else growing behind it which Stu kindly pointed out. He was standing at a different angle, looking, so to him it was obvious.

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This week my Word of the Week is: Strange!! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

This week has been a brilliant but strange week! Everything has felt like it's off kilter. We've had days and nights out, big life things happening and lots of little things which are different from our normal.

Ellie left college on Wednesday. Officially, it's her last day today but she didn't have to go in for the rest of the week. There were tears from her and her friend when they realised they would never be in college again together. They'll still of course see each other and already have made plans. It's just the end of college and not their friendship. Everything felt a bit off on Wednesday, it's the end of an era. I have gone for 20 years with kids in education and now it is no more. I'm proud my girls have done so well but now I feel like a bit of a spare part. I thought I'd feel relief or maybe excitement for Ellie's next chapter but instead, I just feel strange. It's hard to explain. For so many years, my life has revolved around school and even when they got older, there was always something. Now suddenly there isn't. I know this is exactly what every parent works towards, raising independent young adults who go off and do their own thing but nobody really talks about how odd it feels when you actually get there.

We went to see the newest Toy Story movie early on in the week and it was fantastic. It was strange walking into the cinema with my girls who weren't even born when the first two movies were released and now they're adults. It was also nice because they had air conditioning in the cinema and it was such a relief from being outside! We got the bus into town and had to go to a different stop because workers were painting new lines in front of our bus stop and then there seemed to be roadworks around every corner which made the journey take twice as long, it felt like torture being on the hot bus.

Records have been broken again here in the UK when it comes to the weather. We've had the hottest day ever recorded in June and it's just getting silly now as I am sure we had the hottest day in May too! Schools have been closed, people have been told not to travel, roads are melting and I am trying to enjoy it because I know it is not going to last. We went to my dad's on Thursday and his place was roasting even with fans going. He'd been out all morning and with the door shut it felt like an oven, it was actually cooler outside in the shade. lol We went into the shed where one of his vintage cars is and because of the plastic roof, it felt like a greenhouse! How he works there I don't know! My dad is a strange one, the heat doesn't bother him at all, although my brother and I do have to keep reminding him to drink plenty.

Tuesday is usually the day when I watch Monday night's episode of the wresting and this week I haven't got around to it yet! It made me laugh a bit because if you’d told me a month ago I’d miss wrestling because I was too busy with life I would have rolled my eyes. I am blaming all the football I have been watching. I need to catch up today with Monday's episode of wrestling and last nights episode as there is a live event tonight. That is how this week has been, it has been all over the place. We went out on Tuesday night to watch the England match and I have said never again. They can be playing on top form but if we go out somewhere to watch them, they never seem to win. I know it's just a coincidence but it is a strange one. We went to my dad's a day early because Ellie was out with friends last night celebrating the end of college and even getting the food shopping delivered yesterday felt strange as that is usually a Thursday job.

How has your week been? I hope you have had a good one! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Raisie Bay to join in with her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 26. #FridayFavourites

Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a good week. Mine has been a busy one with lots going on. I feel like I am definitely going to enjoy the weekend when I finally get some time to relax. I have plenty of little things which I have been loving and I am of course linking up with Erika and Andrea to share.

Toy Story 5!

This was such a fun one and probably my favourite thing of the week! My girls and I went to see the new Toy Story film during the week and it was so good. I was so glad they didn't make Woody and Buzz the main characters again. I love them but we've already had so many stories about them. This time it was more about Jessie and it felt new and different. She has always been one of my favourite characters. The plot itself was heart warming and I had a little cry. The writers really know how to hit the parents right in the heart. hehehe

The World Cup!

I've watched so many matches and ended up staying way later on a night than I should but I keep telling myself it's only a few weeks every 4 years! England’s match on Tuesday wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, ending in a draw against Ghana but it was enough to get them through to the next stage. We have our last match of the group stage tomorrow. We went to the pub to watch it and it was such a good night. Sitting outside, watching the big screen, perfect weather and with a crowd watching along makes everything seem more exciting!

Hot weather!

It really feels like summer now! We've had a bit of a heatwave and today is supposed to reach 32C (90F) which is very hot for England. I know some people would laugh at me complaining about that temperature but our houses just aren't built for it and neither am I. lol. When I haven't had to do things, I have tried to move as little as possible. lol I am enjoying it because I know it won't last. Next week is supposed to be colder and wet.

The hosepipe!

This is such a simple thing but it’s been an absolute lifesaver this week. The garden is properly growing and everything needs watering, especially with the warmer weather we’ve had. Usually I just use a watering can and refill it over and over, so the hosepipe has been a great help. It is nice to go out there when it has cooled a little, turn the hosepipe on and have a few minutes peace.

Fizzy pop!

I don't usually drink much fizzy pop but this week I have been enjoying it with lots of ice. I have been drinking it by the pint and I am not even sorry. Pop always tastes good when it is hot out! It’s been one of those small treats that makes sitting down for five minutes feel like a proper break.

Sandals!

It's sandal weather and I have finally found a pair that are comfy and go with everything that I wear in the warmer months!

Pyjama Bottoms!

On Wednesday I went to put some leggings on, which I usually wear around the house but it was that hot and sticky. I thought not today! I reached for some pyjama bottoms and spent the day in them. I wasn't going anywhere and had no visitors coming, so why not? I was so comfortable and actually felt cooler than I would have in leggings. It won't become a regular thing but I came in yesterday afternoon and did the same thing so maybe it will. lol

My youngest has left college!

It was Ellie's last day in college on Wednesday and her last official day today as a student. I don't know how I feel about it at the moment. My baby is all grown up but I am excited about the next stage in her life. There was no graduation ceremony or anything like that but we will be celebrating over the weekend. There were many times over the years when I thought my girl wouldn't complete her education but here we are and she smashed it!

What have you loved over the past week?