December Menu Plan

1. Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken
2. Loaded Potato Soup
3. Baked Chicken Parmesan 
4. Pick up something on the way home from rehearsal
5. Concert Night! Sack lunch
6. Concert Night! Sack lunch
7. Baked Potatoes
8. Cafe Rio Soup
9. Black Bean Tostada
10. Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta
11. Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Soup
12. Orange Chicken Stir Fry 
13. Leftovers
14. Kalua Pork with Mashed Potatoes
15. Lasagna
16. Omelettes
17. Turkey Dinner with Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, and Rolls
18. Turkey Soup
19. Turkey Pot Pie
20. Tacos
21. Pizza
22. Kristin's Enchiladas
23. Chicken Salad Sandwiches from Sister Kinney
24. Soup and Bread
25. Christmas Dinner
26. eating out
27. eating out
28. eating out
29. eating out
30. Pasta with Meatballs
31. Shrimp

December is a fun time for our Family Home evenings (every Monday night we gather as a family to sing, learn, and share treats!). We have a tradition of doing fun family activities.

1st  We decorate our tree the first Monday. The kids love to put on ornaments and drink hot coco.

8th Temple Lights! We always loved visiting the LA temple and visitor's center and we are going to  miss it. But we are thrilled that the Mesa Temple does lights too. If you are near either of those temples check out the beautiful lights. It's a great Family Night to bundle up and feel close to our Savior.

15th Decorate Gingerbread Houses. This is great activity! Sometimes we cheat make it easier and use Graham Crackers. (Note Sam's Club crackers don't break nicely) Then each child could make his own. Grady impressed all the boys by making a creeper from mine craft for his house. We love inviting friends over for this one.

22nd Christmas Caroling. "The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear!" We have been caroling since our oldest was a baby. Sometimes our group is big, sometimes small. In the last couple of years we have enjoyed walking instead of driving. And it's okay to not be amazing singers (I know I am not) because we can still spread Cheer. If you still aren't sure, watch the movie Elf.

29th Game night with family. It will be my birthday and I am thinking a family game night might need to happen.

Our Dinners and Family Nights....

So I find I am so much better at making dinners when there is a menu planned. (Big surprise, I know!) Earlier this year I found with busy life that after the week where I planned our dinners it quickly became the next week. So I started planning two weeks in a row so if I was going to the grocery store at the end of one week and I could pick up something I might need for the beginning of next week. Then I thought, Why don't I just plan the whole month. And so I did.

And I love it! I try to add leftovers, knowing what dinners make more. And I try to make extra rice one night, when I can add fried rice the next day or so. Of course these plans aren't  written in stone. I will switch some nights or make adjustments, especially if something yummy is on sale or life happens. And I try to plan around holidays and I make sure to do something in the crock pot on Thursday because we don't get home from choir till 6 and my sweet diabetic boy needs to eat on a schedule. And I love keeping things simple on Sundays and Date Night. My dear friend Pam always has a special Sunday dinner. I love the idea, but I love my Sunday nap even more.

So I thought I'd share in case it might give you some ideas.

October
1. Kalua Pork with Mashed Potatoes
2. Leftovers. (I'm thinking leftover pork in a salad)
3. Grilled Cheese on Sourdough
4. Steak Tacos (General Conference weekend) Haven't made them yet, but I pinned them awhile ago. Love looking at my pinboard to get ideas...
5. Leftovers (I love not cooking dinner conference Sunday due to our special breakfast)
6. Breakfast Burritos (Family Favorite!)
7. Steak Quesedilla (with leftover meat, nice and east before cub scouts)
8. Homemade Pizza (some one's birthday request)
9-13 Vacation
14. Chicken Tacos (Taco Tuesday)
15. Pork Chops with Shake and Bake (hubby's favorite)
16. Taco Soup (recipe from my mentor)
17. Pizza (same as listed above, my kids favorite)
18. Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice (recipe from my mom)
19. Taco Salad (cooking extra meat to freeze)
20. Omelette's 
21. Fried Rice
22. Pesto Pasta
23. Southwest Chicken Soup
24. Baked Potatoes
25. Spinach Wraps 
26. Leftovers
27. Enchiladas (My co worker Kristin's recipe)
28. Black Bean Soup (Even my picky one will eat this)
29. Au Jus Sandwiches Just Roast Beef on toasted hoagies with this sauce. Yum!
30. Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken
31. Pizza (A Halloween Tradition)

Of course I throw in vegetables and salad. I try to get what is on sale. And while I have been planning my dinners and writing them down on my large calender I went ahead and planned Family Home Evenings (FHE) as well. This month I decided to have more of a routine.

1st Monday night- A fun family night from my Church Pin Board that my kids will enjoy!

2nd Monday night- A Latter Day Prophet. I thought it might to do a lesson on each of our latter day prophets of this dispensation so my children can become better antiquated with them. (You can check out the link that already has lessons for you)

3rd Monday night- a talk from the most recent General Conference (so excited for this weekend!)

4th Monday night- Preach My Gospel. We usually have a small lesson out of this book to prepare my 3 boys for their missions. We keep it simple and kid friendly.

5th Monday night- Family History. We can read stories or play games to get to know our family that has gone before us. Especially namesakes. 


I love having family night. Monday nights are our night to learn and grow as a family. We usually keep our lesson short and sweet. We sing hymns and pray as a family. And, of course, we have treats. It's a great way to strengthen our family and help us grow closer to each other. It also helps my children to learn more about our Heaven Father. Even if you don't go to my church, I know holding a weekly family meeting will bless your family. Take time to play games, eat and visit while eating, and teach good values. I am so thankful for this sacred time. It has blessed my family tremendously.