I have become more aware of my lack of organizing when it comes to planning meals, grocery shopping, and cooking and have decided to make an effort to improve that aspect of my job as a homemaker. In the seven years that we've been married I have never been one to look at the calendar and plan my week and the meals that we'd eat ahead of time. When I go to the grocery store it is usually because we don't have ANYTHING to eat and I am feeding my children raisins and popsicles for lunch, at which time I buy the usual staples at the grocery store. I tend to get into a rut buying the same snacks, cereals, etc. but it makes for quicker shopping. When I'm there I try to buy food for that night's dinner (which I am usually trying to remember the ingredients to because I forgot the recipe- I usually fail and end up calling Rob and get him to stop by and bring home the one missing ingredient- which he loves!). If I'm really on the ball I can come up with the ingredients for TWO night's dinners but that's usually my max. Most of the time I am going to Publix for that night's dinner and that's all I get.

I have to say I do come by it honestly- I remember going by the grocery store almost daily when I was growing up so I guess I figured that's how most people did it and I would venture to say my mom would be impressed if I only went to the grocery store 3 time a week (which usually means we would eat out at least 2-3 times a week). So when one friend told me that she not only always has a list at the grocery store but that it's also organized by isle, I gave her a really hard time and figured she had too much time on her hands (even though she's got 3 kids)! Then we asked some other friends to go out to eat with us last week and she proceeded to tell me that they were already off for the week for what they were supposed to eat each day so it would be fine.

So, I decided maybe I can do a little better at this organizing thing and maybe I'd spend a little less time at Publix (and maybe save some money in the meantime)! Yesterday I went to AJC.com and downloaded their seven-day menu planner, wrote down all of the ingredients that I would need for the dinners, make a list of what we would eat which night, and actually bought everything on my list. Maybe everyone else regularly does this but it seems a little too binding to me- I am pretty spontaneous and don't like to be too committed in case I change my mind and decide to do something else- which gets me in trouble periodically. But I decided that we'd spend less money eating out and I would be better prepared if I got a little more organized so I'm trying. Hopefully Ansley won't be too disappointed that we're not eating at "Welcome to Moe's" quite as often!