Looking back, I see the error of my ways. This week’s plan was a very pretty week, and I feel like I need to make sure my meal plan is pretty, and will be up to snuff for friends and strangers reading it.

In reality, I was pretty sure my week would look nothing like this list. I did try to take things into account–I knew Tuesday would kick my ass, so planned for a crockpot meal, Thursday I made a guess at a birthday meal for Tiny.  But with DH’s new work schedule, four (!) sleepovers, and a movie night party at the house, this was likely the worst score yet. Let’s see the box score!

Here’s the Goal Post:

• Mon: chicken korma, rice, stir fry broccoli and carrots, raspberries
• Tue: crockpot beef stew, green salad, peas, cuties
• Wed:  grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and leftovers
• Thur:  salmon, angel hair pasta, caesar salad, pears
• Fri:  Backyard Movie Night! Popcorn and S’mores for all!

And the Actual:

• Mon:  spontaneous date night, kids ate at home. Score: 0 points.
• Tue: kids: grilled cheese, carrot sticks, cuties, apples. adults: grilled ham and cheese and soup. 5 people, in shifts. Score: 0.5 points.
• Wed: crockpot beef stew. 4 people. various times. Score: 0.5 points
• Thur: P Terry’s, at request of the birthday kid. 6pm. 4 people. Score: 1 point.
• Fri: Backyard movie night! 6pm. 5 people + guests. Score: 2 points.

I’m giving myself leniency here, and I’m still only at 4 points! Even if the meal wasn’t correct for that day, I gave myself a half point for Wednesday, because it was in the week, and everyone home that night ate some.

Tuesday was a throwback to something I did a lot when the kids were younger. My husband works late, and usually gets home somewhere from 7-9pm. So I’d do ‘nursery supper’, which was feeding the kids earlier, and eating with him when he got home–usually in front of the tv. I gave myself a half point for all of us eating at home, if separately.

I don’t regret doing this, because it was necessary given our schedules. Well, maybe not the tv part. That might not have been strictly necessary, though we did bond a lot over My Name is Earl  (Stay rad, Crab Man!).  I do think that early pattern is playing part in how difficult it is to get everyone to the table at 7pm on a regular basis.  Getting this new routine in place hasn’t happened yet, but I am still hopeful!

The spontaneous date night was funny, because I actually brought up that I would have to give myself zero points for the day. Husband said, ” Okay, no points for you!”, and grabbed his coat. The lure of quiet, calm talk and deep fried things won over the Internet Accountability Plan. I love my Cheepsters, but I don’t turn down fried jalepenos very often.

So this is a step backward, here at the end of Month 1. That’ll happen. It was a week with three home-cooked meals, four if you were a kid living here, and that’s better than some weeks we’ve had her at Rancho del Cheepie. Still a solid fail, but it was a fail ending in style–that movie night rocked!

Lessons from this week: be more honest about what the week holds.

Week 4

• Score: 4.0 /10
• Plan followed?: 2.5/5 (half-point for the crockpot meal on wrong day, full points Thur/Fri)
• Effort?: tiresome. 75%.

Tomorrow the new weekly plan will be up. Cheep Cheep!