Mini Clay Night With My Girls

The other night, I decided to try something different with the girls and have a mini clay night! I had seen this idea and thought it would be something fun for us to do together.

With the girls getting older, it's not always easy finding things that they both want to do. Between school, sports, friends, and everything else we have going on, our weeks are pretty busy. So I'm always looking for little things we can do together that don't involve leaving the house or spending a ton of money.

For our clay night, I bought some colorful clay and put together a list of random things for us to make. Instead of picking whatever we wanted, we randomly picked an idea and had to try to make it.

And let me tell you, apparently I am NOT very good at making miniature clay creations! LOL! Mine came out so wonky that the girls couldn't stop laughing at them. I guess we know who the artists in the family are, and it's definitely not me! 

But honestly, that made the night even more fun. We were just sitting around the table, laughing at my terrible creations and enjoying some time together. Nothing fancy, just a fun night at home.

I feel like lately we've been so busy running from one thing to the next that it's nice to have a night where we don't have anywhere to be. Plus, with the girls being teenagers, I'll take any opportunity I can get to hang out with them!

If you're looking for something fun to do with your kids, I definitely recommend trying this. You really don't need much, and it would also be a fun idea for a sleepover or girls' night.

I made a printable with a bunch of miniature clay ideas that you can cut out and put in a bowl to randomly choose from. I'll link it below in case you want to try it!

Download My Mini Clay Night Printable

I also shared a little video of our night over on my TikTok, so you can check that out too! 

I'm hoping to start doing more little activities like this with the kids, especially now that we're getting into the colder months and spending more time at home.

If you have any other fun ideas for nights at home with teenagers, send them my way! I'm always looking for something new to try.

xoxo, 
Erika

Our Weekly Meal Plan

What's for Dinner This Week?
Meal Planning on a Budget

If there's one thing I struggle with every single week, it's meal planning and staying within our grocery budget!

Feeding a family of five isn't cheap, and trying to come up with meals that everyone will actually eat can be a challenge. I try to keep our weekly grocery budget around $200–$250, depending on what we have going on that week and what we already have in the house.

I'll be the first to admit that meal planning is definitely one of my weaknesses. Some weeks I feel like I have it all together, and other weeks I'm standing in the kitchen wondering what in the world we're going to eat for dinner. Please tell me I'm not the only one!

One thing that has helped me is using ChatGPT to come up with dinner ideas. We tend to rotate through the same handful of meals, which is fine because I know everyone will eat them, but sometimes I just want to change things up a little!

I'm trying to get better about planning ahead, using what we already have, and making grocery shopping a little less stressful.

So, here's what's on our menu this week!

This Week's Dinner Menu

Sunday – Birthday Party for My Niece 🎂

No cooking tonight! We're celebrating my niece's birthday, so dinner is taken care of.

Monday – Crockpot Chicken Pot Pie

This is a new recipe for us, so we'll see how it goes! I love a good crockpot meal, especially on busy weekdays. If it's a hit with the family, I'll definitely share the recipe!

Tuesday – Hamburgers with French Fries & Salad

Keeping it simple with a family favorite. Nothing fancy, just an easy dinner that everyone enjoys.

Wednesday – Crispy Chicken Wraps

Another easy dinner for a busy weeknight! I love meals that don't require a ton of prep or time in the kitchen.

Thursday – Breakfast for Dinner

Eggs, bacon, and waffles! Breakfast for dinner is always a good idea, especially when you need something quick and easy.

Friday – Pizza Night 🍕

Our Friday night tradition! After a long week, there's nothing better than keeping dinner simple and enjoying pizza.

Saturday – Chipotle for a PTA Fundraiser

We're ending the week with dinner at Chipotle while supporting a PTA fundraiser. No cooking for me!

Keeping Meal Planning Simple

I'm learning that meal planning doesn't have to be complicated. Not every dinner needs to be homemade from scratch, and it's perfectly fine to repeat meals that your family enjoys.

For me, it's about finding a balance between our busy schedules, grocery budget, and getting something on the table that everyone will actually eat.

I'll be sharing our meals throughout the week over on TikTok, including how I make them and whether our new chicken pot pie recipe is a keeper!

So make sure you're following along at @esuzan27 for easy dinner ideas, realistic meal planning, and a little bit of everyday mom life.

I'd love to know: What's one dinner your family never gets tired of? I'm always looking for new ideas to add to our rotation!

xoxo, 
Erika 

Weekly Meal Plan

Well it has been a long time since I posted our weekly meal plan! I have been going strong with the meal planning which is great for us...It helps us save money and we are eating out way less now! So here is the upcoming meal plan for this week. As always it is super easy! 

Monday - Chicken Alfredo Bake 
Tuesday - Taco Quesadillas
Wednesday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches with mac & cheese
Thursday - Breakfast Night/Leftovers
Friday - Pizza Night 
Saturday - Family Night 
Sunday - Roasted Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, & Green Beans! 

As I said it is a super simple meal plan. I like to plan meals that I can prep ahead or use the crockpot. What is your go to meals that you make? 

xoxo, 
Erika