Dear Friends,

Today we are finishing up our zone missions, and for some of us, we are also finishing up the Weekly Home Blessings. If you are thinking about putting these off until tomorrow, I want you to set your timer and do what you can right now. Involve your children in whatever you need to do around the house. You might need an hour or so, but it will be worth it when you can enjoy your weekend.

If you have been in the habit of cleaning house and doing big projects on Saturday, I want you to work on getting your zone missions and Home Blessings done during the week. If you need to do a home project, such as painting, only tie up your weekend time once in a while to do this. Don’t spend every Saturday in project mode.

Plan your Family Fun Day activities. One of the ladies I talk to each week takes suggestions from each family member for activities. Then, they take turns each weekend doing one of these activities.

Having fun as a family is important. It builds your family bond. It also gives everyone something to look forward to each week. It’s the reward for everyone.

Another thing that really helps me enjoy my weekend is to have my menu planning and shopping finished. I typically do my menu planning on Thursday, and I grocery shop on Friday afternoon. This takes a lot of decisions off my plate for the weekend. We know what we are eating, and we know what things need to be moved from the freezer to defrost.

Having my menu planned for the week and the groceries on hand also helps me on Monday morning when I start my week off. One of the first things I do on Monday morning is check the menu plan and make sure I have things ready to prepare.

Menu planning truly saves you time and money. It also helps you keep your stress level lower. Sit down for a few minutes today and work on a menu plan for next week. Consider foods you can cook in bulk if you have some busy days ahead.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Your Home Blessing for today is to empty the trash, sweep, and mop.

My menu plan for Friday is take out.