Hey, Y'all!
Yep, I have returned to wish you all a wonderful end of summer and crispy fall. My husband and I returned to Maryland a week ago from our 6,700-mile (roundtrip) cross-country trek. We completed the last two state visitations and have now visited all 50 states of our great America. North Dakota and Alaska were the only states we had yet to visit. And for all those who told us there was nothing to see in North Dakota, we have news for you. North Dakota is a beautiful state with wide-open spaces, big sky, and friendly folks. Alaska took our breath away! Once I get organized, I will post a link to our month long trip.
Thankfully, we had only a couple of minor hiccups along the way and the Lord sent us an angel each time to watch over us. We saw only one wildfire and it was almost out by the time we drove through. But, we did see lots of scorched land and mountains where the wildfires left their mark.
Now, for the good part. I started a refrigerator/pantry/freezer challenge on September 1st. The challenge means that we will eat only from our three freezers, two refrigerators, and pantry for at least the next 6 to 8 weeks. We will only buy fresh veggies, fruit, eggs, and dairy, as needed. We cannot justify buying any more food when we have yet to use what we have. So, I am asking you all to join me on this great quest to save money the old-fashioned way, just stay out of the stores! I will let you know how we are progressing with the challenge. My husband loves to grocery shop. So, I really do not know how that weak link will factor into the challenge.
Next, I have finally figured out how to keep from spending my entire day in the kitchen. When I prepare a meal, I actually prepare three, four, or more meals at the same time. I simply freeze the remaining meals and incorporate them into my weekly or monthly meal plan. I also purchase the large family sized frozen meals from Costco and Sam's Club. There are days when I want to give myself the day off and all I have to do is tear open the carton and cook the meal in the convection oven. A quick side of a veggie, rice, salad, and/or garlic bread and dinner is on the table with minimal prep. Thankfully, the youngest five kids love to cook and are really a great help. The teenagers...not so much. They will help when asked but they drain my energy just watching them do it all in slow motion. :o)
Finally, I feel like I have been spending the last three years in Mega Family University. In fact, I am entering my fourth year this fall and I will be a senior at Mega Family University. I have studied other large families, interviewed friends who came from large families, and watched videos on youtube, read blogs, and just lived the mega family life every day for the last three years. I am so very excited to be able to share what I have learned with other mega families.
So, if you are a parent of a mega family with more kids than hands, I invite you to come to "A Mega Family Gathering" at Queen's Chapel United Methodist Church. The gathering will be on Saturday, September 22nd; 8 AM to 9 AM. Door prizes, meal prep & planning, exchange ideas and find solutions to our common challenges for meal planning, clutter, and more. Download the flyer for more information. The gathering is free. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate children. Please, register by sending a reply to this email or send your response to OurMegaFamily@gmail.com. Oh, by the way, you do not have to have a whole bunch of kids to attend. All families at one time or another may feel like a mega family even with just one or two kids. This may be a one-shot event depending on the response. We shall see!
Love to you all!
ShaRon :o)
John 21:18
