Our weekly meal plan! 13th - 19th February. #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan went pretty well. We ate just about everything on the days that I had planned and the highlight of our week was the pea and ham soup. Ellie went from being dead against even trying it to having 2 bowl fulls and wanting more. It is something that I have added to my list of meals that will appear again and again on my meal plans as it is so quick and easy to make.

The chicken fajitas have been bumped from Saturday to this week as Stu and I had planned to get an Indian takeaway for Valentine's day but I realised it's closed on a Tuesday so we had the takeaway on Saturday and then we're having one of the Asda Valentine day meal deals on Tuesday. Roasted Mushroom Arancini Hearts for starters, Vegan Wellington, creamy mash and Chantenay Carrots with Yuzu & Lime for the main and Belgian Chocolate Raspberry Hearts with a glass of rose sparkling wine to wash it all down. I am really hoping Stu gets home on time as I don't want to be eating all of that late on in the evening.

It's half term here this week and we have a few plans so I am not expecting this weeks meal plan to go to plan but we'll try. I am hoping to get out in the garden and sort it out, clear the flowerbeds and I might even cut the grass. Ellie is going to help me so it should be fun, we are going to have a run into town and hopefully a trip to the cinema.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - We're out so we'll get something from town.

Tuesday - The Valentine's day meal deal for Stu and I and pizza for the kids.

Wednesday - Chicken fajitas.

Thursday - Sandwiches, crisps and cakes. We're having an afternoon of baking so there will be some yummy treats to eat.

Friday - Fish, chips and mushy peas.

Saturday - Beef nachos.

Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort.

What are you eating this week? 

Good soup! #MySundaySnapshot

I know a couple of Ellie's friends follows me on Instagram and Ellie and her friends are always looking at my photos at school. Now and then I will post a photo and say something in the description just to make them laugh. The other day when I made a pan of soup I said "This might look like a melted down Shrek but it's pea and ham soup which I have just made. It tastes so good". They laughed about it and Ellie was determined that she wasn't going to eat it, she doesn't like peas but once she got home smelled it, had a taste she decided it was good soup and it only actually tasted of ham. It was so good, we all have said it's going on my list of meals to have again and again.

A photo every day for a year! 4th - 10th February. Week 6 of #Project365

 We have made it to half term, I think it has actually came around really quickly. I am putting it down to the fact we're at that stage in school life where Ellie is revising lots for her GCSE's and I have a feeling it won't seem like long until they begin in May. She tells me it's only 90 odd days until her first exam. Eek! She is taking it all in her stride, it's me who's doing all of the worrying. 

I have been trying to think what I have been doing with my week and apart from rewatching all the Marvel movies all I can think of was that I got plenty of washing done, dried outside on the line as it had been so bright and quite warm. It wasn't yesterday though, as I am typing this I am sat with my heater on, a blanket on and a hot water bottle and it's only lunchtime so I imagine it's going to get even colder later on. I am so ready for it to be summer!

Now for a photo every day!

35/365 - 4th February

Ellie finally got around to making her Biscoff brownie thingy which she got for Christmas. It was one of those ready mix things with the little metal skillet which we keep and reuse as they are perfect for eggs.

36/365 - 5th February

I was stress eating on Sunday night after watching the final episode of Happy Valley, wasn't it good! It wasn't the ending that I expected but it was still good.

37/365 - 6th February

A pretty sunset, it's nice that it's starting to get dark later. Ellie is really loving it as it means she can go out with friends for an hour or so after school.

38/365 - 7th February

I hadn't dyed my hair since before Christmas and the red had all faded and I was left with a light pink and some ginger bits. This Directions hair dye is my favourite.

39/365 - 8th February

A couple of people were asking to see a photo of the before and after pics of my hair. I didn't get a before but this was the after.

40/365 - 9th February

I love fresh flowers in the house but I don't like paying full price for them. These cost me 66p which were a real bargain.

41/365 - 10th February

My new favourite drink from Asda. Pineapple, coconut and banana smoothie. I can just imagine it in the summer with a lot of crushed ice.

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

This week my Word of the Week is:

Happy Friday! This past week has really flown over considering we are heading into half term. This is the week that usually drags but half term seems to have came around really quickly this year. This week my Word of the Week is brighter for many reasons. 

I had a few weeks of feeling pretty rubbish and down, it started when I got my contraceptive implant changed and the doctors messed me around, the weather was rubbish and I just felt pretty meh about everything. I have been trying to pull myself out of that rut and I have finally done it and this week my mood has been brighter and I have got my motivation back. I feel so much better than I have over the past few weeks. I am putting it down to the January blues.

The brighter weather has really helped my mood and motivation, I've even managed to get washing dried on the line a few days this week. Having an almost empty washing basket really makes me happy. I saw on my Facebook memories that 2 years ago this week we had snow. Eek! At the moment it feels like spring is on it's way so I am hoping now the chance of snow has passed. I am sitting here now with all of the windows open, I can hear birds singing and people milling about outside. It makes me feel content and happy.

There are plenty of signs of spring showing and the days are getting longer. Ellie is now able to go and hang out with friends on an evening, she still has to be back by about half past five when it's coming in dark but at least she's getting that chance to go out. She said to me that in a few weeks she'll be able to stay out until 7pm and I said we'll see. I still want her to have time to eat and do some revision for her GCSE's.

I have got some supplies for the garden and I am planning on what to plant and when. Ellie has agreed to help me sort the garden out over half term as long as I take her for a Starbucks which is fine with me, it seems like a good deal. We have all the flowerbeds to clear and the grass could do with cutting. I am also going to ask my dad to do a trip to the tip with some rubbish we have in the garden which can't go in the garden wheelie bin.

It turns out Ellie is brighter than anyone expected. A couple of years ago she was predicted to scrape a 2 in her English GCSE which is an E or F, with the help of an amazing teacher and a lot of hard work she is now doing practice papers and is getting 5's and 6's which are C's and B's. She's expected to get more passes at grade 4 and above than below! I am almost regretting telling Ellie that we will pay her for any GCSE pass. I think we are going to be giving her about £60 at the moment. lol I would love the chance to speak to her old year 6 teacher who was so worried about Ellie going to secondary school and say just look at her now. The only subject that is letting her down is Geography, she hates that lesson because it was one that she didn't choose, she wanted to do history but it would have clashed with engineering and that was always her first choice of GCSE.

We are really looking forward to half term. We have a shopping trip and trip to the cinema planned and we're going to sort out the memory boxes, the garden and the cup cupboard. Ellie is not that sentimental so will help me get rid of all the random cups which we don't use. hehehe

How has your week been? I hope you've had a good one.