Here's what's new:

52 Books in 2023: From Tablet to Table

Brigette’s $102 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

52 Books in 2023: From Tablet to Table

In 2023, I set a goal to finish one book per week. I’m aiming to listen to 30 minutes of an audiobook per day (while cooking, cleaning, and/or driving) and read 10 minutes of a book. By doing this, I hope to fairly easily be able to finish one book per week.

You can follow along on GoodReads to see what I’m reading, what books I finish, and the star rating I give each of them.

Book #1 of 2023: From Tablet to Table

This book was a Christmas gift from my sister-in-law, Lisa. She said she had taken one of her classes for her Master’s degree under the author and found it to be so insightful and thought-provoking. This book was definitely that.

The author, Leonard Sweet, makes the case for returning to the table — both as families and as communities. He challenges us to slow down and savor good conversations and good food around a table. He shares many stories and Biblical precedents that point to the power of table and how we are losing depth of relationships due to being too busy to sit and eat with people.

I found myself nodding along in parts, questioning things in other parts, and being convicted in other parts. Overall, I felt like it was a really valuable read — especially with eating together around the table being one of my goals for 2023 and hospitality being something that I have become very passionate about.

That said, I’m giving it a three-star review because I felt like some of the message was lost in the medium of poetic words and his love of analogy and alliteration, I had some theological differences with him and a few parts where I felt like he missed the mark in exegeting a Scripture passage, and I would have loved for there to be less poetic language and more practical application.

Rating: 3 stars

Children’s Book Suggestion: Ten Little Night Stars

I thought it might be fun to share some kids’ books we love in these posts each week, too. We’ll start with one of Kierstyn’s longtime favorite before-bed reads: Ten Little Night Stars.

This is a quick read with bright pictures that counts up to ten using stars in the night sky. Each two-page spread is a little rhyme that incorporates bedtime routine with starts in the sky. You can see inside the book here.

We’ve read this one over and over and over again and Kierstyn almost always, without fail, requests to have it read every time we read before bed!

Did you finish any books this week? If so, I’d love to hear what you read and what you thought of it!

Brigette’s $102 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 6

We received a LOT of food items for Christmas. Obviously people know the way to our family’s heart – haha! I didn’t take a picture of all of the gifts, but I’ll be incorporating them into our menu plans the next few weeks.

Aldi

1/2 gallon Almond Milk – $2.29

1 gallon Milk – $2.49

1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $2.65

4 bags Broccoli Florets – $3.80

2 bags frozen Riced Cauliflower – $4.18

2 Avocados – $1.38

1 3-lb bag Gala Apples – $2.99

1 English Cucumbers – $0.99

1 Cabbage – $1.75

1 3-ct pkg Multi-Colored Peppers – $2.89

1 3-ct pkg Green Peppers – $1.69

1 head Cauliflower – $2.99

1 bag Mini Peppers – $3.29

1 3-lb bag Lemons – $2.89

1 3-lb bag Red Onions – $2.15

1 16-oz bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.89

2 pkgs Romaine Heads – $5.98

1 bunch Bananas – $0.88

1 bag Spinach – $1.79

4 cans Green Beans – $2.00

2 jars Pasta Sauce – $2.90

1 3-lb bag frozen boneless Chicken Breasts – $9.79

1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $3.99

3 dozen Eggs – $13.38

1 32-oz box Spaghetti – $2.09

1 jar Organic Unsweetened Peanut Butter- $3.99

1 bag Tortillas Chips – $1.79

1 bag plain Rice Cakes – $2.39

1 32-oz carton Plain Greek Yogurt – $3.49

6 single-serving cartons Greek Yogurt – $3.54

Total: $98.31

Harris Teeter

1 bag Organic Kale, reduced – $0.50

1 pkg Organic Mushrooms, reduced – $1.00

1 bag Beets, reduced – $1.00

2 pkgs Brussel Sprouts, reduced – $2.00

Total – $4.50

Grocery Total for the Week: $102.81

Breakfasts

Cereal, Oatmeal, Amish Friendship Bread, Yogurt, Veggie Omelets

Lunches

PB and Homemade Jam on Rice Cakes, Apples, Peppers, Cheese Sticks

Build-Your-Own-Salad Bar

Crackers, Cheese, Summer Sausage, Fruit Cups, Cucumbers x 2

Leftovers x 3

Dinners

Taco Salad (Shredded Romaine, Seasoned Ground Venison, Shredded Cheese, Chopped Onions, Diced Avocado, Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Plain Greek Yogurt), Rice

Venison Roast in the Crockpot, Baked Potatoes, Biscuits, Green Beans

Hobo Packets, Tossed Salad

Spaghetti (I use ground venison sausage), Kale Salad, French Bread, Broccoli

Baked Chicken, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Tossed Salad

Quiche, Broccoli, Blueberry Muffins

Meatloaf, Green Beans, Roasted Cauliflower, Homemade Bread