Rooted, Still Growing

The Scholarship Scramble: What Every Single-Income Family Knows Too Well

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At the beginning of summer, I had it all planned out. My daughter was about to start her senior year, and I told myself we’d use the summer to get ahead of it — start researching scholarships early, make a list, get organized before the chaos of senior year even started.

Then summer happened. The way summer always does. It flew by in a blur of everything else going on, and before I knew it, school had started and we were nowhere near where I thought we’d be. Now we’re playing catch-up, trying to get scholarship applications in order at the same time she’s adjusting to a new schedule, new classes, and everything else that comes with senior year.

If you’re a parent right now feeling behind on this too, I want you to know you’re not the only one.

Why This Isn’t Just a To-Do List Item

Scholarships aren’t a nice-to-have in our house. We’re a single-income household, and I can’t afford to pay for college out of pocket. That’s just the honest truth of it. So scholarships and financial aid aren’t extra credit — they’re the actual path to my daughter being able to go where she wants to go, rather than settling for wherever ends up being affordable.

That changes the weight of it. It’s not just “let’s fill out some applications when we get a chance.” It’s “we have to get this right, because her options depend on it.” That kind of pressure sits with you differently. It’s there in the back of my mind more often than I’d like to admit.

What the Scramble Actually Looks Like

Right now, it looks like trying to find pockets of time between everything else — work, her activities, the rest of the family — to sit down and actually search for scholarships that fit her. We did start a spreadsheet early on to keep everything in one place, and I’ve been trying to update it here and there whenever I come across a new link, but “here and there” is about all I can manage most weeks. On top of that, she’s in band, which means after-school practices several days a week, so between her schedule and mine, finding a stretch of time where we can actually sit down together and work on it adds a whole other layer to the chaos.

It also looks like having a conversation with her about what she wants, while also being realistic with her about what we can and can’t do financially, which is not always an easy conversation to have with your kid.

It also looks like guilt, if I’m honest. Guilt that I didn’t get ahead of this like I planned. Guilt that summer got away from us. But I’m trying to remind myself that the guilt doesn’t actually help anything — starting now, even later than I wanted to, still matters. A late start isn’t the same as no start.

If You’re in This With Me

If you’re a parent staring down senior year with the same knot in your stomach, here’s what I’m holding onto: this is fixable. It’s not too late. Scholarships get awarded all year, applications open on rolling timelines, and even a scramble that starts in September can still land real results by spring.

A few things I’m doing as we go, in case they help you too:

Keeping everything in that spreadsheet instead of trying to hold it all in my head — every scholarship name, deadline, and link in one place, so nothing slips through simply because I forgot about it, even if I can only add to it in small bursts between everything else.

Talking to her school counselor, because they often know about local and lesser-known scholarships that don’t show up in a general search.

Breaking it into small sessions instead of trying to do it all in one overwhelming sitting — twenty minutes here, thirty minutes there, adds up faster than waiting for a free afternoon that never comes.

Reminding myself that this is a marathon through her whole senior year, not something we have to finish this week.

By the way, here’s what my spreadsheet titles look like:

We’re Figuring It Out As We Go

I don’t have this fully figured out yet, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But I wanted to write this down, both for myself and for anyone else out there feeling the same pressure — the parents doing this on one income, watching the clock, wanting so badly to give their kid every option. We’re in the scramble together, and we’ll get through it.

If you’ve found something that’s worked for your family in this process, I’d genuinely love to hear about it. We could all use a little more help right now.

Senior Year Chaos (and the Calendar That’s Saving My Sanity)

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I knew senior year would be big. Milestones, memories, all of that. What I didn’t fully clock is how much *logistics* comes with it — on top of everything my other two kids already have going on. We are almost 2 weeks into the school year and I already feel like I’m running a small transportation company.

The Parking Spot, the License, and the Band Schedule

Let’s start with the fun stuff. My senior painted her parking spot last week — it’s a tradition at her school, and she’d been planning the design for a while. I helped her with it over a couple of days, and I will say: nobody tells you how sore your legs get from squatting over pavement with a paintbrush for hours. Worth it, though. It turned into one of those unexpectedly good bonding memories, and every time she pulls into that spot now, she’s genuinely proud of it.

And she can pull into it herself, because she just got her license. Like the week before school was supposed to start! Talk about last minute… But the timing could not have been better — my car has been in the shop, and having her able to pick me up from work has been an actual lifesaver. She can also now get herself and her siblings to school in the mornings, which sounds small until you’ve lived the alternative.

But she’s also in band, which I underestimated. There are rehearsals throughout the week, concerts on the calendar, and Friday nights are spoken for all season because she marching at the football games. Band is not a casual after-school activity — it’s basically a second job with a uniform.

Trying to Make It Memorable Without Making It Weird

Here’s the part I keep chewing on. I want this year to feel special for her — but she’s not really a “standard senior year traditions” kind of kid. She’s introverted, like me, and a lot of the stuff that shows up on those senior year bucket lists just isn’t her. And I have to keep checking myself, because some of the push I feel toward doing All The Things comes from my own list of regrets — stuff I wish I’d done at her age and didn’t. That’s not good enough reason to hand it to her.

So I’m trying to hold it loosely. The parking spot was hers, start to finish — her design, her idea, I was just the extra pair of hands. That’s the version of “memorable” I actually want more of this year: things she’s genuinely into, that we do together because she wants them, not a checklist I’m running because the calendar says senior year only happens once. If that ends up looking nothing like a typical senior year, that’s fine. I’d rather she look back and feel like it was hers than feel like she performed a highlight reel for me.

Meanwhile, Everyone Else Has Somewhere to Be Too

My other daughter that is a junior is playing flag football this year, which has honestly been really fun to watch. But that means practices after school several days a week, plus games in the evenings — on completely different days than her sister’s band commitments, of course, because why would the universe make this easy.

And then there’s my son, who’s at vocational school for IT. Some days he needs a ride home, some days he doesn’t, and figuring out which day is which has its own small learning curve.

Add in my own doctor’s appointments and whatever else pops up during the week, and I was starting to feel like I needed a full-time scheduling coordinator just to keep our household from colliding with itself.

The Thing That’s Actually Saving Me

For a while we were doing the usual thing — a wipe board and calendar on the fridge, a few reminders typed into my phone, everybody just sort of *knowing* what was happening. That fell apart fast once three kids’ schedules started overlapping.

A few months ago we set up a digital planner in the kitchen, it has an app that syncs to everyone’s phone, and it’s honestly changed how our house runs. Whoever has something going on — band, flag football, a ride request, an appointment — just adds it themselves, and it shows up for everybody in real time. No more group texts asking “wait, do you have practice today or is that tomorrow.” No more me being the only one who knows the schedule, which, if you’re a mom, you know is its own kind of exhausting.

It’s a touchscreen calendar that syncs with my phone (no monthly fees) so nobody has to log into anything special to add their stuff. It’s got a list function that I actually use for groceries all the time, and when nobody’s touching it, it just cycles through family photos, so it’s not even an eyesore sitting on the wall.

This not going to fix everything, but it’s taken a real weight off my plate this year. If your house is in a similar season of everyone-going-different-directions, This is the one we’re using— sharing in case it helps someone else the way it’s helped me. *(Small note: that’s an affiliate link, so if you end up buying through it I might earn a little something at no extra cost to you.)*


The Honest Truth

I won’t pretend I have this all figured out. Some weeks still feel like controlled chaos, and I’m sure I’ll double-book something eventually. But having one shared place where everyone’s activities live — instead of it all sitting in my head — has taken a real weight off.

Senior year is only going to get busier from here, and next year I get to do this whole thing again with twins. Twice the activities, twice the schedules, twice the “wait, who needs a ride.” At least this time, I’ll have a system for the logistics — the memory-making part I’m still figuring out as I go, one low-key, actually-their idea at a time.

If you’re in the thick of a similarly overloaded family calendar right now, I see you. Find whatever version of this works for your house — a shared app, a whiteboard, a color-coded system, whatever — and use it relentlessly. Future-you will be grateful.
 

Three Days in the Dark

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We’ve all seen the warnings scroll across the bottom of the TV screen a hundred times. Severe thunderstorm watch. Take shelter. Secure loose objects. Most of the time, you shrug, maybe bring in a lawn chair, and go about your evening. This time was different.

The storm that rolled through Northwest Indiana this week wasn’t the kind you shrug off. By the time it passed, our power was out — and it stayed out for three days.

While It Was Happening

Before we ever lost power, there was a stretch of the storm that genuinely scared me. We have old trees around our house, and I stood there watching them sway harder than I’ve ever seen, listening to branches crack and fall. Luckily, nothing came down on the house itself, but I wasn’t taking that chance — I got everyone into the basement and kept us there until it passed.

Even down there, my mind wouldn’t settle. We have a sump pump, and all I could think about was whether it would hold. The battery backup kept cycling on, and every time it did, I felt this little spike of panic — if that thing failed and the basement flooded, we’d lose everything we keep down there. It’s strange how a storm can make you afraid of two different things at once: what’s above you and what’s below you.

Day One: Waiting It Out

Once the storm passed and the power was confirmed gone, we did what most people do. We waited. Surely it would come back in a few hours, right? That’s usually how it goes. We lit some candles, kept the fridge closed as much as possible, and told ourselves it wouldn’t be long.

It was long.

Day Two: What We Saw on the Way to My Brother-in-Law’s

By day two, “waiting it out” had turned into logistics. We packed up phones, laptops, and whatever food was still salvageable and headed to my brother-in-law’s house, which still had power.

The drive there is what really got me. It wasn’t just our street or our neighborhood — the damage swept across two whole counties. Trees toppled everywhere, power lines down, poles just snapped in half like they were nothing. It was honestly heartbreaking. Someone’s yard that they’d clearly put years into, just wrecked. A car that had been fine and running the day before, now with a tree across the back end of it — and you can’t help but think, okay, now what? How does that person get to work tomorrow?

Seeing that much damage spread across such a wide area puts things in perspective fast. It made me grateful for what was, honestly, just an inconvenience for us in comparison. I found myself praying for people as we drove, checking in on family and friends, just hoping everyone was safe. And in the middle of all that heaviness, there was something genuinely good too — the way neighbors pulled together. We have a well at our house, but with no power, we had no way to run it. Our neighbors did, though, and they gave us water so we could flush our own toilets and keep things sanitary. Small thing, maybe, but it mattered.

Day Three: Almost Leaving

By the third day, we’d made the call. We were going to pack up and head to another relative’s house, because at that point, it didn’t look like our power was coming back anytime soon. Bags were basically by the door.

And then, right before we left, the lights flickered on.

I can’t fully describe the relief of that moment. Not just because we got to stay home, but because for three days, home hadn’t quite felt like home. It had felt like a place we were waiting near, not living in.

What Stuck With Me

We were lucky. Genuinely lucky. Some of our neighbors are still without power, and some will be for another week or more. That’s not lost on me. Three days of inconvenience, a scary hour in the basement, and a sump pump that thankfully held — none of that compares to a fallen tree taking out your car or a roof, or wondering when the lights are coming back with no real answer.

It was stressful in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it. The fear during the storm itself, the low hum of figuring out logistics for days after, the gut-punch of seeing how much damage was out there once we finally drove somewhere else — it all adds up, even when you come out the other side okay. And I think that’s worth writing down, if only so I remember it the next time a storm warning scrolls across the screen and I’m tempted to shrug it off.

If you went through this storm too, especially if you’re still without power, I hope things get back to normal for you soon. And if you weren’t affected, maybe this is a nudge to check on the neighbors and family who were.

Take Care Guys

I Was Trying to Protect My Peace…

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Trying to protect my peace when life keeps interrupting it.

This morning started exactly how I wanted it to.

Coffee in hand.

Sitting out on the porch.

The birds happily visiting the feeder.

Just enough quiet to clear my head before the workday began.

I even took a few minutes to sit in the silence, breathe, and remind myself that today was going to be a good day.

Then I walked back inside.

Have you ever had one little comment completely change the direction of your morning?

Nothing dramatic. Just one of those conversations where somehow you end up talking at each other instead of with each other. By the end of it, nothing was solved, everyone was frustrated, and I found myself wondering why communicating can sometimes feel so hard.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn’t really the conversation.

The conversation was just the tipping point.

It landed on top of everything else I was already carrying, and suddenly my peaceful morning didn’t feel so peaceful anymore.

Then there’s tonight.

A friend I haven’t seen in a while wants to get together, and normally I’d be excited. But after this morning, part of me just wants to stay home in my comfy clothes with a good book. Then the guilt starts creeping in because I know I should go. Add in the summer heat, whatever my hormones have decided to do lately, and suddenly everything just feels… louder.

Maybe that’s what this season of life is sometimes.

Not one big problem.

Just a lot of little things asking for our attention all at once.

Work.

Marriage.

Family.

Trying to build a business.

Trying to stay healthy.

Trying to keep a positive attitude.

Trying to remember that tomorrow will be a new day.

Individually, none of those things feel impossible.

Together… they can feel heavy.

But here’s what I know.

I don’t want one difficult conversation to define my whole day.

I don’t want one frustrating moment to erase the peace I found sitting on that porch this morning.

Maybe protecting our peace isn’t something we do once at the beginning of the day.

Maybe it’s something we choose over and over again as life keeps handing us little interruptions.

So that’s my goal today.

Not perfection.

Not pretending everything is fine.

Just finding my way back to that peaceful porch—even if it’s only in my mind until I can sit there again.

Tomorrow morning, you’ll probably find me right back out there with my coffee, watching the birds, reminding myself that every day is another chance to begin again.

If you’ve ever had one conversation, one unexpected comment, or just one of those days where everything feels a little heavier than usual… you’re not alone.

We’re all carrying something.

And we’re all doing the best we can.

Take Care Guys 💗

Why Does It Feel Like Every Time I Get Ahead…

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When Life Keeps Changing the Plan

Life has a way of interrupting our plans when we least expect it. If you’ve ever felt like every step forward is followed by two steps back, you’re definitely not alone. Here’s what’s been on my mind lately—and how I’m trying to keep moving forward anyway.

I don’t know if anyone else ever feels like this, but lately it seems like every time I take a step forward, life throws something new my way.

A little while back we celebrated paying off our van. It felt like a win. Then shortly after, my husband was in an accident. Thankfully, everyone is okay, but now we’re dealing with unexpected repairs and another expense we weren’t planning on.

It feels like that’s been the pattern lately.

Building a Better Tomorrow While Handling Today’s Emergencies

I’ve been working hard behind the scenes too. I’m building this blog, creating digital products, learning AI, trying UGC, and even working on my own app. Some days I wonder if I’m trying to do too much. Maybe I am. But these are all little pieces of a future I’m trying to build.

I’ve realized I’m always trying to build a better tomorrow while still handling today’s emergencies.

That sentence alone probably explains this season of my life.

The good news is… I’m still hopeful.

I’m still learning.

I’m still creating.

Maybe the pace isn’t what I imagined, but I’m moving forward one step at a time.

That’s really what this blog has become for me. A place to share what’s going on in real life—the good days, the frustrating days, the little wins, and hopefully a reminder that none of us are figuring it all out perfectly.

I’ve learned that staying positive during difficult times doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. It means choosing to keep moving forward, even if the progress is slower than I hoped. Some seasons are about big leaps, and others are simply about not giving up.

If you’re in a season where it feels like life keeps interrupting your plans, I hope you’ll keep going too.

We’ll get there.

Maybe not as quickly as we’d like…

But we’re still growing.

Take Care Guys 💗

It’s Only Wednesday …

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Has anyone else had one of those weeks where you look at the calendar and think, “Wait…it’s only Wednesday?”

Our weekend started with thunderstorms rolling through. At first, it was just another Indiana storm. Then we discovered one of our sump pumps wasn’t keeping up. Whether it’s burning out or just waving the white flag after years of service, water started creeping into the basement.

Nothing says family bonding quite like standing in a basement at 11 p.m. in your pajamas, barefoot in an inch of water, trying to save rugs.

Thankfully, the kids jumped in to help. My youngest showed up holding a single beach towel like that was going to fix everything, and somehow we made it work. We managed to get the water level back down, and while a few rugs didn’t survive the adventure, it could have been much worse. Still, it wasn’t exactly how I planned to spend my evening.

As if that wasn’t enough excitement, we’re also working through some paperwork issues on the car we recently bought for the kids.

Buying a first car for three teenagers felt like a milestone. We intentionally looked for something used and practical. Not because we don’t want nice things, but because when teenagers are learning to drive, “practical” feels like a safer investment than “perfect.”

Unfortunately, I missed a detail in the paperwork, and now I’m trying to get everything corrected so we can get the title properly transferred. It’s fixable, but it’s another item on the growing list of things demanding attention this week.

Then Father’s Day decided to throw in its own surprise.

I ordered a Chromebook for my husband because the computer he’s been using is hanging on by a thread. He’s not especially tech-savvy, so I thought a Chromebook would be simple, easy to use, and a nice Father’s Day gift.

The tracking information said it was delivered.

Great news, right?

Except the delivery photo wasn’t my house. It wasn’t my garage. It wasn’t even recognizable. Somewhere out there, a stranger got a picture taken of their garage while I got a notification saying my package had arrived.

So now I get to add “play detective and track down a missing Chromebook” to this week’s to-do list.

At this point, I’m almost afraid to ask what Thursday has planned.

Work has been busy, life has been busy, and the weather can’t seem to decide what season we’re in. And after a day of solving problems, making phone calls, dealing with paperwork, cleaning up water, and tracking down packages, the first question I hear when I walk through the door is:

“What’s for dinner?”

I know they’re not trying to be annoying. I know they’re hungry. But sometimes I just want someone to hand me a grilled cheese sandwich and tell me I’ve done enough for one day.

The good news is that today’s storms moved through much faster than the weekend’s storms. The basement stayed dry. The family is safe. The car situation is frustrating but solvable. The Chromebook will hopefully find its way home. And tomorrow is another day.

One thing this week has reminded me is how quickly life can pile things on. Rarely is it one big thing. Usually it’s a dozen little things that all show up at once demanding attention.

A repair. A phone call. A missing package. A paperwork issue. A weather emergency. A difficult conversation.

None of them seem impossible on their own, but together they can feel overwhelming.

Still, here we are.

The kids helped when we needed them. The water situation could have been much worse. The car will eventually get sorted out. And someday, hopefully soon, we’ll laugh about the mystery Chromebook sitting in front of someone else’s garage.

So if your week feels a little heavy right now, you’re not alone. If you’re dealing with unexpected repairs, paperwork headaches, family stress, surprise expenses, missing packages, or just trying to figure out what’s for dinner after a long day, drop a comment and tell me about it — I could use the company.

Tonight, I’m making myself that grilled cheese, putting my feet up, and calling this week’s chaos good enough.

And somehow, we’ll make it to Friday.

Take Care Guys

💗

Raising Teenagers Is Exhausting (But I’ll Miss This Someday)

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Emotional exhaustion

I really try to remember what it is like being a teen and how the small things that upset them are big things for them. But did I really stress over these same things?!

I will say I am glad my kids want to look nice when they go to school and not just in pjs or something but really, you can’t wear those shoes, sneakers that go with everything- with that outfit? It is exhausting to listen and let them be them sometimes.

One is so bothered by a friend, the other is stressed with grades, and one is just chill and going with the flow. They are all so different and trying to match their energy so they hear me is challenging. They are good kids, but some days …

Repeating yourself 100 times

Did you do your chores? This is basically on repeat daily so you would think they remember!

We have one rule if friends are coming over, chores must be done. And not just the one with company coming. Nope, all chores so you better get your siblings on the same page. And does the kid coming over care? No. But I refuse to have someone come over to a dirty house. And the one time a parent came in unexpectedly proved my point to cleaning up.

I asked my son if the trimming outside was done already because it seemed fast. His reply? Oh yeah, it’s easy and doesn’t take long. You don’t say! Remember that next time I ask and you whine!

It really is some of the same conversations weekly. I do have a board up that has chores and rotates each week. I just change the name so I don’t have to remind them who’s doing what for the week. That cut down some of the frustration, some.

I should make one for snacks. I try to make healthy types at home but they are bottomless pits and I can’t keep them stocked!

So while I still feel like I am repeating myself daily, the few organization tools we have in place have helped. I always tell them, write it down!

We use the calendar like below. And if something is used up in the kitchen, write it on the list. It’s a good habit I am glad I got them used to!

Loving them while wanting silence 😂

Love them with all my heart but some days, boy can they yap!

Don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful they want to talk and share with me but why is it most times when I just want to sit in silence and read or something?

I feel like the Peanuts cartoon where the adults just sound wah wah wah, just reverse! lol I know I’ll miss it how they come home from school and come to my office and sit. Or how the living room is empty, I sit down and all 3 slowly make their way out and sit with me. Sometimes no conversations (my favorite … kidding!) just being together.

My eldest will be 18 this year. Phew .. I am excited and scared. Will she want to continue sitting with me and sharing her day or what’s going on in her friend group? I hope so, even on the days I just want some peace and quiet.

Take Care Guys

💗

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Cliche but it really does fly by!

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Oh wow, a whole month and it feels like just last week. I am doing too much I think …

Here I am trying to share my daily life and don’t make it back daily. Sorry about that, the daily grind and all that.

So many little things buzzing around my head.

  • Eldest will be a high school senior, let’s see what we have to get in order for scholarships. Definitely need those
  • Check on the two youngest, make time with them so they don’t get missed in the mix
  • Make sure I take care of me, still haven’t schedule my annual tests for my own health. Yeah, got to get on that
  • Get 1 or 2 of these kids to drive! Terrified of their driving but just got to get some practice in, yeah that’ll help. So get one driving but also get in some driving practice, check.
  • Love the Spring, got to get out there and see how I want the flowers and garden to look this year. And oh my the weeds, don’t get me started
  • Wasn’t Mothers Day this Month? Dang, I might have missed it!
  • Try to have one conversation with Hubby without ending in an argument (Challenging One)
  • Last time I talked with Bestie? Sis? Make sure I don’t wait too long to keep in touch
  • Missed the vet appointments again, got to make those

Well you get the point right? I feel like my brain is always switched on and I can not find the off switch.

Yes, books are the answer!

How do you relax or shut off the noise? I try a couple things but two of my favorite are quiet meditation like a reset and relaxing while I listen to an audio book. I know, audio book uck. But give me a minute here.

I use to be a die hard book in the hand kind of person, then I discovered Ebooks and oh my could I down load a new book so fast. No more waiting to get to the store. Although, I started to buy physical books again just because they are making them so pretty again. All the colorful sided, I love it.

Anyway, from ebooks, I jumped to audio books because one, it would look bad at work to be reading at my desk all day, and two, multitasking!

So today’s goal is to remind people that books are amazing. They can take you to a whole other place for a few minutes or hours, whatever you have time for. I listen while I am cooking, driving, working, or relaxing in the freshly cleaned-out sunroom.

And here is a little cheat for you if you have a kindle, I have Kindle Unlimited and some books that you borrow may also have and audio book. Well if you add the book to your library, for some, if you go back to get the audio too, it could be pretty cheap. Not all but most I find are half if not more than just going to audible and getting it there first. I just grabbed one for around $4 today. Much better than the original $25 if I didn’t download the ebook.

Hope that made sense, let me know if you have any questions on that.

Well I’ll try not to stay away so long next time. And cheers to all you other Moms out there trying to do it all. Remember, you are doing wonderful. And get the kids to help more 😉

Take Care Guys

💗

I get some time too right?

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So why do I feel some kind of way ….

I couldn’t tell you the last time I went out to just chat with a girlfriend somewhere. I am always with my family, which is fine with me. I’m a homebody, and I have plenty to tend to at home.

But .. is it guilt? That I am taking one evening to myself? I’m not getting dinner ready because come on, hubby is a grown man, and these teenagers do know how to cook. I’m taking the evening off, and while I sorta feel bad, I also don’t. Make sense?

Why do we do this to ourselves? Thinking we don’t deserve some self-care. It’s not just me, is it?!?

How easy it is for us to just push aside what we need for others. Yes, we should help others. Yes, we should be there for them. But that shouldn’t mean at our own expense.

So today was just a little rant. I treasure my time with my kids. They are growing up so quickly, and next year one will be gone at college. But for the health of myself and safety of everyone else, I need me time.

Take Care Guys

💗

Foreman for the win!

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What I always need is a fast and easy way to make dinner. That’s what we all need, right?! Because no matter what, the repetitive act of deciding what to make for dinner can drive you crazy!

And lately, I’ve been focused on finding quick and easy ways to make family dinners that save time and help us avoid eating out. So when I find something that I love, I always share it with my friends or family. But I’m going to share it here too. 😊

So I have used the George Foreman grill for the longest time. I’m on my third one, and this newest one has to be the best one for me. I didn’t like the last one because you couldn’t remove the plates, and you had to basically put the whole machine in the sink, which was very inconvenient, but this new one that I got doesn’t. It’s not as big, but I just did four bigger burgers at one time, and it cooked them so quickly and perfectly!

I just can’t wait to try it out on other stuff. I do like to make a panini sandwich a lot for a quick meal. I just use different types of breads, like jalapenos and cheddar, and I’m definitely going to use this to make those sandwiches.

I linked it above on Amazon, but I did find mine on sale at Walmart. It was the last one and was on sale since the box was a bit damaged. I took a chance and glad I did.

What are your secrets!? 😃

Please share other shortcuts for family dinners you use. I am constantly searching for quick ways to cook at home.

Why I Try to Cook More at Home…

Eating out is such a drain for a family of 5, so I try to mix it up. It ain’t easy though! The cost for fast food or even picking up at a restaurant is insanely expensive. Maybe once a week or every 2 weeks, but my wallet can’t handle more than that!

What helps me with quick dinners:

Remembering to take the meat out of the freezer 😅

Writing out a simple weekly menu – you don’t have to stick to it. Even using it as a guideline helps.

Keeping ingredients on hand

Using tools like the George Foreman grill

Having a few go-to meals ready

Again, please share any shortcuts you have!

Take Care Guys 

💗