I can't believe it's JULY! And the start of a Pantry Challenge...

Last week was amazing, and extremely busy.

More about that in a moment.

This week, we're beginning a Pantry Challenge.

I am going to do my best to buy as little as I can from the grocery store, and use up some things that have been lingering in my pantry.  My freezer is in good shape, but I have cans and boxes of things that have probably been in the pantry longer than they should be, so I need to use them up.  This is my time.

Here's the plan:
Sunday~
the day after our oldest son's wedding reception.  We were tired!!!
Lunch & dinner are both leftovers - we have Italian from Thursday night's dinner and burgers from Friday's cookout.  We woke up too late to have breakfast so we went straight to lunch.
Monday~
Lunch: at the bowling alley for ds, leftovers from home for me.  Hubs disappeared somewhere so I don't know what he ate!
Dinner: Turkey breast (from the freezer), homemade gravy, on toasted bread for open-faced sandwiches, along with some fried okra that I bought to make while the big boys were home.  Dessert will be a cheesecake from the freezer.
Tuesday~
Lunch: at the bowling alley again for ds, leftovers or sandwiches at home for dh & me.
Dinner: BBQ chicken sandwiches (made from leftover chicken last week), leftover pasta salad, and perhaps a green salad.  We've finally got some tomatoes coming in!
Wednesday~ 
Lunch: bowling alley & leftovers or sandwiches.
Dinner: Spaghetti, homemade bread, zucchini fingers (from an enormous one given to us by a friend)
Thursday~
Lunch: bowling alley & leftovers or salad.
Dinner: Sandwiches & chips
Friday~
Lunch: bowling alley & leftovers or sandwiches/salads
Dinner: Out at a friend's house - bringing baked beans
Saturday~
TBA...I'll take inventory and reassess.

Check out Menu Plan Monday for some help getting your menus together!

And as for last week, here's what we did...
All my boys were at home for the first time in 4 years.  I loved every second...even the load of towels I had to wash every day. :) My son and his new wife were home for a wedding reception (since they married in Hawaii in the fall and no one could come.)

Thursday evening...a dinner for the families to meet for the first time

The daughter-in-love adored the "H" that we had filled with succulents.  I'll be shipping it home for them.

4th of July cookout - we had 26 people there, all friends of the bride & groom

They played corn hole for HOURS.

On Saturday: sons #2 & #3 with me, getting ready

And horsing around with Dad

The decor

And Marine Son w/his Dad

We are blessed beyond measure.