Tag Archives: sunday

Let’s Talk – Some Changes & a Meal Plan

Posted on November 16 by Jillian416 • 9 Comments

Life is full of changes, and I don’t always cope so well with them – but if I want to become a successful solopreneur certain things need to evolve.

I have always enjoyed blogging, I’ve had 3 or 4 different blogs in my lifetime, and I’ve enjoyed writing for each one, but I always seemed to run out of post ideas. I never looked at the full picture, or the different angles that a topic can come from. Even with Baby Doodah! I haven’t fully grasped how many readers I could reach if I just buckle down and really look at this like a business. Yes, it is a hobby and I enjoy every single minute that I get to be at the keyboard, writing (90% of the time), but I do want to gain audience members, too.

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of reading, learning and personal development. I’ve been reading blog upon blog about how important it is to have a business plan for your blog. That is literally something I NEVER considered for my blog, in fact – even right now – I have NO Idea how to go about doing that. I have an idea, but I am one of those people who needs specific instructions before I can move forward.

I’ve managed to find a couple of fantastic resources (here are a few for your viewing pleasure, How to Build a Blog Business Plan and How to Create a Successful Business Plan for Your Blog) that will help guide me in the right direction, and I can’t wait to get started. It’s essentially grown-up homework for something that I really enjoy doing, that can only lead to success. Right!?

Things around the blog won’t be TOO different from the outside. I’m thinking I will change the days that I regularly post, right now I aim for Sun-M-W-F, and then my weekend link-up post. I am thinking it will be a good idea to switch to Sun-Tues-Thurs and my weekend link-up. I will be posting less, but my content will be more in-depth, I won’t feel rushed to pump out a blog post so that I can meet my own expectations and those of my readers. I’ll be able to spend time gathering information, thinking through and actually writing multiple drafts of posts. It all sounds really exciting to me! I can be such a nerd. HA HA

Anyway, I wanted to come clean to you, my loyal and valued readers. I love keeping you up to date on everything I have planned, because it is you that I write for. I really hope you stick around!!

Kind of random to put these two together, but that’s how I roll…

My Meal Plan

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs & bacon

Lunch: salad with ham and sliced chicken, sunflower seeds, bleu cheese, purple cabbage and honey mustard & baby carrots

Saturday: (we’ve started meal planning and shopping on Saturday evenings) Spaghetti Squash Fettuccine Alfredo

Sunday: Pork Fried Rice (we’ll be having cauliflower rice)

Monday: Rotisserie Chicken & Baked Potatoes

Tuesday: Homemade Steak Sandwiches

Wednesday: Greek Meatballs & Spinach

Thursday: Scrounge Night

Friday: Homemade Pizza

There you have it!! My confession on changes coming and my yummy weekly menu. We do have a lot of repeats this week, but why mess with what’s broken, right!?

I’m linking up with Laura from Mommy, Run Fast! and Jill from jillconyers.com. And, also linking up with the Motivate Me link-up hosted by Janice from Fitness Cheerleader and Rachel from RunningRachel.com.

Your turn!

How do changes of any kind make you feel?

If you are making a meal plan this week, what’s on it?

Looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to get your news? Check-out theSkimm and sign-up for your daily email box delivery of the world’s news, plus if you share your birthday, you get it listed at the bottom of the newsletter on your day. It’s like celebrating with thousands of people!!!!

Filed Under: Family, Food & Recipes, Uncategorized

Sunday Meal Plan – Week #26

Posted on August 17 by Jillian416 • 6 Comments

Happy Sunday, readers!!

Another great weekend is nearly in the books. We have had an astounding weekend. Saturday we went to Dunkirk to celebrate my dad’s birthday. His actual day was this past Wednesday the 13th, but weekends are always easier to celebrate on. We had a mini-BBQ, lots of hot dogs, hamburgers and pasta salad. I didn’t eat the greatest but it was really delicious!

One of the best parts of Saturday was that Emmett got to meet one of his idols, Rolley. 😉 He seriously loves Bob the Builder and was so excited when we took a walk by my mom’s house and they had this cement roller there. I wish I had video’d the whole thing, his excitement was ADORABLE!

And then today has been super productive!! I woke up at 5:30 this morning, thinking I’d get some time to get work done, but Emmett had other ideas. He wanted to wake up at 5:45 and spend some time cuddling on the couch watching Bob the Builder. I can’t say I blame him, I am pretty awesome, but it cut into my work time. haha

Ah well!! In the end it worked out. I pulled my laptop out while he watched TV, I got a few odds and ends done, and then eventually I made him breakfast. After breakfast, we woke Seamus up, mainly so I could get to our hamper and start our laundry. I’ve gotten 4 loads of laundry done, grocery shopping, food prep and some Beachbody stuff all complete and it’s only just 3 pm. Feels good to be so productive!!

Our Weekly Meal Plan

This weeks’ meal plan has some new recipes on it, ones that I am REALLY excited to try!!

Sunday: Chili & corn bread (carry-over from last week)

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: White Pizza Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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Wednesday: Chicken Shawarma

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Thursday: Steak, Chick Pea & Tomato Salad

Friday: Marinated Chicken with Sauteed Corn with Bacon and Leeks

Saturday: BBQ Bacon Hot Dogs and Baked Fries

The BBQ Bacon Hot Dog is going to be a Seamus creation. He went to a food truck that sold that type of hot dog, but didn’t get the chance to try it, so now he wants to make it at home. We’re saving it for the weekend, since we like to be less indulgent during the week. I’ll be sure to report back on how delicious (or not) it ends up being. 🙂

Like I said, we’re trying a few new things this week and I am very excited about that! We needed to spice up our Sunday meal plan.

I’m linking up with Laura from Mommy, Run Fast! and Jill from jillconyers.com

Your turn!

How was your weekend?

Have you tried any new recipes recently?

Looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to get your news? Check-out theSkimm and sign-up for your daily email box delivery of the world’s news, plus if you share your birthday, you get it listed at the bottom of the newsletter on your day. It’s like celebrating with thousands of people!!!!

Filed Under: All About Me, Family, Food & Recipes

Sunday Meal Plan – Week #23

Posted on July 20 by Jillian416 • 12 Comments

What an awesome Sunday we had!!

We’ve had an exciting several days! My sister and her family are in town visiting and since I had off at the same time we’ve spent a lot of time together, allowing our children to play and have a good time.

Friday we went to Midway Park in Beamus Point, NY. I’m really glad we did too, it’s a really small park, perfect for 2 year olds and with very few people there. The kiddos were pretty much allowed to run from ride to ride with us following behind. They had such a good time and used up a TON of energy. I’m not much of a ride person, I prefer to people watch so I wasn’t sure what to expect with Emmett. He LOVES rides! Ones that spin, especially! Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law for taking Emmett on several rides that I wouldn’t do (me and spinning just do not mix).

Then on Saturday we celebrated my mom’s retirement and Emmett’s birthday. My siblings and I got together and hired a photographer to come to my mom’s house to take family photos of all of us. We hired J. Lee Photography and she was awesome to work with! She arrived promptly and never rushed us. She was open to us taking as many different poses as we wanted and was eternally patient!! If you’re looking for someone in the Dunkirk/Fredonia/Buffalo area who is affordable, I highly recommend her. As soon as we get our prints, I’ll be sharing with you.

Since the photo shoot was late, Emmett and I stayed the night in Dunkirk. Emmett was excited to wake up and know he got to see his grandma again and play with his cousin. He really had such a blast with her! Once we got back home Emmett and daddy did some cuddling, we had some lunch and then it was nap time for Emmett and I. You never sleep quite as well at someone else’s house, as you do at your own. After he woke up we grabbed some iced coffee, went to the playground, picked up pizza for dinner and then spent the evening playing together. This is what Sundays were made for!

This will be another exciting week for Emmett! It’s his birthday week! Tuesday I’ll be taking him to the Chautauqua county fair with his cousin, then Wednesday we’ll be going to the zoo and out for Linner (lunch + dinner). I am loving this time with him!!!

So onto our Sunday meal plan for the week:

Monday: Marinated Chicken and Zucchini

Tuesday: Dinner at the fair (yum!!)

Wednesday: Linner out for Emmett’s birthday

Thursday: (back to work) Hot Dogs and Oven Fries

Friday: Teriyaki Pork Loin & Cauliflower

Saturday: Fish Tacos & Fresh Veggies

It’ll be a pretty easy week cooking wise, but we need to get back in the habit of shopping and cooking after a week off. I love vacation, but MAN it does a number on the waistline! 🙂

I’m linking up with Laura from Mommy, Run Fast! and Jill from jillconyers.com. Join us!

Your turn!

What was the best part of your weekend?

Anything fun on your menu this week?

Filed Under: All About Me, Family

Sunday Meal Plan – Week 11

Posted on April 15 by Jillian416 • 4 Comments

Hi everyone! I apologize for this being a few days late, things haven’t been going so well with our apartment and the noise and when one part of my life is sucking, I often let it spill into other areas. In this case, just the thought of putting any effort into blogging sounded awful. What makes this the most sad, is that I love blogging, I know I do, but when things start to overwhelm me I just lose any joy I felt in everything. 🙁

Likewise, since I was feeling so down, my Sunday meal plan was lacking. Seamus and I just barely pulled together enough ideas to fill the week, and it’s a pretty easy week. We went to my parent’s for dinner Sunday, and my birthday is Wednesday, we needed 5 meals and it took forever to create our menu. Oh well, we’re finding we don’t have a lot we can do to get them to stop the noise, which makes the whole situation even worse. However, if anyone is a lawyer or specializes in this sort of thing, and can offer some advice, please email me.

I really am sorry for being so depressing, I know most people don’t come to someone’s blog to read the negative crap, they come to be lifted up, but I’m feeling really lost and wanted to be real with my readers. I hope you can all understand.

Now… Here’s our Sunday Meal Plan

Breakfast for the Week: GF bagel with Egg and Cheese

Lunch: Romaine lettuce leaves wrapped with Ham and Cheese, Grapes, Watermelon and Baby Carrots

Sunday: Mom and dad’s house

Monday: Leftover Chicken Fried Rice with Veggies

Tuesday: Steak with chick pea and tomato salad

Wednesday: Out to celebrate my birthday!

Thursday: Marinated Chicken and Zucchini

Friday: Hot Dogs and Fries

Saturday: Leftover Pulled Pork and Mac ‘n Cheese

Certainly not the healthiest menu we’ve ever created, but at least we made a menu, shopped and are sticking to it. You have to focus your happiness on something, I’m going to focus on the fact that we still made a menu and that we’re not just eating our emotions.

And for the fun of it, because he’s just so darn cute – here’s a little picture of my Emmett, playing at grandma’s.

As usual, I’m linking up with Mommy Run Fast and JillConyers.com. Check them out, and link-up!

Your turn!

Do you struggle to find focus for the things you enjoy, when other parts of your life are a little bleak?

What are some of your fun eats for this week?

Filed Under: Family, Food & Recipes

Life is Good!

Posted on July 21 by Jillian416 • 0 Comments

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for several years. The best way to combat the yucky feelings is to venture outdoors for some exercise and sun, I did exactly that this morning!

Most Sunday mornings start out the same way in our house, Emmett lets us know he’s awake by yelling a little bit, I head in, change his diaper and nurse him and then we head back into our bed for some cuddles. I seriously dread the day when Emmett decides he no longer is interested in the cuddles. This time is one of my absolute favorites! It allows Seamus and I to gradually wake up, plus we get to cuddle our sweet boy. We then usually progress into breakfast, getting Emmett dressed and play time but I wanted to try something different today.

I work full-time outside the home, so I struggle almost daily to find time to workout. Last night, as I’m drifting off, it hit me, why not workout while Emmett is eating breakfast and getting dressed, then I’m not missing out on time with him AND I’m getting a workout in. I let Seamus in on my plans and he was A-OK with it, so out the door I went after, our ultimate cuddle session.

I did about 6 miles on my bike and I made sure that I hit some serious inclines so that I got a good burn. I felt amazing! It was sunny and warm, but not humid, it just felt great to be out there moving.

And in case you’re one of those skeptics that think there is nothing beautiful in Buffalo, then you’ve never ventured into the city. There are gorgeous old homes, lakes, trails, views, etc., to look at while you move along. The picture below doesn’t do the scene justice, we have a beautiful little lake about a mile from my house where they rent out rowboats. At night they chain them all together in the center, every morning I pass it going to work and I just envision the stunning pictures that could be made with a better camera than my iPhone.

I also want to mention, that if you live in Buffalo, or even if you don’t and are looking for somewhere to donate, consider the Buffalo Zoo. They currently have a campaign going on to try and build a new habitat for the Polar Bears and they need the help of our community to do so.

On my way home I swung by Starbucks and grabed an iced coffee, because really, is there anything better in the world than Starbucks iced coffee? I think not.

Venti Iced Americano with a shot of Vanilla and splash of cream, please! Thank you!

I took my water bottle in with me so that I could chug some of that while I waited for my coffee.

Once home, I walk in the door and get the biggest smile from my little boy. Whether he missed me or not, I have no idea, but there is no doubt of the love he has towards me. It makes me so so blissfully happy seeing him smile! I had some breakfast while I cooled down and hung out with E-dog.