I spent $75.17 at Aldi's yesterday and worked the menu plan around what I had on hand. DH has taken the girls to their dance class which is on Chicago's South Side. We had a basketball game for oldest son, and all the homework is done.

I've spent the past hour in the kitchen. This is what is cooking up:

Monday's Dinner: Meatloaf and baked potatoes

Tuesday's Dinner: Stew and vegetables

Wednesday's Dinner: Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup and salad

Thursday's Dinner: Oriental chicken stir-fry

Lunches for DH:

Monday: Beef barley soup made in the Vitamix

Tues-Fri: Black beans and rice

The kids are straighforward sandwich, snack item, and fruit (grapes or apple slices)

I'm not feeling well, still fighting a cold and sinus head-ache, so my parents are coming to the resuce again with Little Ceasar's Pizza when everyone gets home and my mom is helping my daughter with her final "Catcher in the Rye" project.

Personal point of interest:

I had a difficult relationship with the parent of my daughter's friend several years back. Since I volunteer much more within the parish office and less in the school, my contact with her has been sporadic and faded to something cordial. She called yesterday in a state about her daughter, wanting the gossip and adivce. It is Turnabout Time, and she (the daughter) has gone against her parents' wishes and invited a boy of anothe race. We're not people concerned with things like that - and my daughter is conidering a vocation as a Sister and not interested in boys other than friends at this point. I was able to be polite, advised to know what the desired outcome would be after she has *the* talk with her daughter tonight. I refrained from gossip and kept the entire topic to myself. I've been reading up on the role of the deacon's wife. I think I'm coming up with some good parameters for my interactions.