Congratulations to Tina for winning a set of six What’s in the Bible DVDs!

[By the way, I use the And the Winner Is . . . plug-in to randomly choose giveaway winners. If you do blog giveaways, I highly suggest it. Just so you know.]

If you aren’t Tina and still want the set of six DVDs with goofy puppets singing catchy songs about the Bible (and who wouldn’t want that??), you can get a full set of What’s in the Bible videos for less than $50, including shipping. Just so you know.

Do you like to write – but sometimes don’t know what to write about?
Do you find inspiration to write at odd times and resort to scribbling on receipts or napkins?
Do you wish you had a place to put all the stuff of life – the ticket stubs, postcards, etc.?
Do you wish you could just find an easier way to catalog your life than scrapbooking?

Then Gadanke journals might be for you. Katie creates fun, whimsical journals that come with plenty of prompts and embellishments to help you celebrate your story in whatever cute, clever or even crafty way you wish.

I love the prompts she gives in her journals, because while I love to write (and, let’s face it, write about myself), I don’t always think of different questions to ask or answer. Gadanke journals ask all sorts of questions – simple, complex, silly and deep – and then leave room for your answers and your life on the page. I love that!

Gadanke wants to help you document who you are and what you crave and believe. The handmade journaling products – from baby books and travel diaries to prayer journals and food journals – are filled with creative writing prompts and tidbits to make you think (and laugh!). They’re also eco-savvy, made with 100% recycled papers.

A handmade journaling shop is such an interesting business, and I was interested to hear from Katie me how she came up with the idea for Gadanke:

A couple of years ago, NPR’s StoryCorp was in town. It was also my grandma’s 90th birthday.The two of us decided to hop into the recording studio to capture some pieces of her story. I had all sorts of prompts to help her with her story telling. (I was always the listener, the one who asked question after question.) The only problem? My grandma couldn’t remember. Too much time had passed.

Later, my dad turned to me and said, “Katie, I need you to write down your story.” I knew he wished he had his mom’s stories. So I started writing. I started wondering about all of the other women who have stories deep inside of them, and I started thinking about how my tendency to just listen and ask could help put those stories onto paper. Gadanke was born with fabulous writing prompts and recycled papers. I feel so lucky to be living my dream!

This week, Katie is giving away a $25 gift certificate to the Gadanke shop to one Giving Up on Perfect reader. To enter, visit the shop and tell me (in a comment) which journal you’d love to have for celebrating your stories – or perhaps which journal you’d like to give to someone on your Christmas list. This giveaway will be closed on Friday, December 9.

Before I quit my job to stay home with Annalyn, I didn’t give much thought to lunch. Annalyn ate at daycare, and I nuked leftovers or a frozen meal. But for the past year I haven’t had that luxury. (Yes, the luxury of someone else feeding my child while I eat a lukewarm meal at my desk while watching YouTube videos.)

Honestly, I didn’t anticipate this particular struggle as a stay-at-home mom (surprise #43!), but figuring out lunch is a constant battle at our house. But not in the way you might assume.

I can figure out what to give Annalyn for lunch. She’s occasionally picky, but she is a champ when it comes to eating fruits and veggies. So as long as I can produce a few chicken nuggets, a cheese quesadilla or a PB&J along with those, she’s happy.

The problem, I’ve found, is figuring out what to feed myself. I don’t want to cook a full meal, because that’s what dinner is for. I don’t want something that requires a dozen steps or parts, because then Annalyn has to either wait on me or eat by herself. (That’s right. Timing two different meals to be ready at once is not my strong suit.) And I don’t need something less than healthy no matter how much I want it.

After one particularly frustrating drive-thru run lunch, I decided to list out all the possible easy, healthy midday meal ideas I could think of. I came up with several ideas, and this is what I’ve been working from lately.

Top 10 {Healthy, Easy} Lunch Ideas

1. Grilled chicken salad
2. Bean burrito
3. Canned soup
4. Homemade soup
5. Chili
6. Chicken strips and fruit
7. Mac & cheese (because yes, I like it, too)
8. Turkey sandwich and fruit
9. Leftovers
10. Frozen meal

Most of these ideas require some advance prep: grilling chicken, making soup/chili, bringing home Chick-fil-A sauce packets, saving leftovers from Mark’s lunch box. Frozen meals, though? No prep necessary.

I’ve tried a couple Healthy Choice meals this fall, and all of a sudden, I remembered why I ate so many frozen meals when I worked in an office. They’re fast, easy and usually pretty tasty. And – especially helpful for me – portion controlled.

Much as I’ve loved frozen meals in the past, though, I’ve leaned toward meatless meals because really? Frozen meal meat seems a bit . . . mysterious. Healthy Choice – partnered with Top Chef – has figured out a way to solve that problem, however. The chicken in Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers Grilled Chicken Pesto with Vegetables? It was real chicken.

I don’t watch Top Chef, but it seems to me that this is a good influence on my lunch options. The Healthy Choice Top Chef Inspired Café Steamers feature bold, modern and exciting flavors (as opposed to other frozen meals that might possibly start to all taste the same). This line of dishes features quality ingredients such as slow roasted garlic, asparagus and grilled eggplant, and while I didn’t love the eggplant in the Grilled Vegetables Mediterranean with Rice, I appreciate the variety (and let’s be honest – I always appreciate garlic).

The trick to this line of Healthy Choice meals seems to be the unique steaming technology that separates the sauce from the rest of the entrée to steam the meal in the microwave, allowing for crisp vegetables, tender meats and al dente pastas. And, for this very lazy girl, not having to cut holes in my frozen meal package, heat in the microwave for a few minutes, uncover, stir and nuke for a minute more is nice. Seriously, the steamer technology means two steps: nuke and mix.

So, for now, my lunch dilemma has been solved. Frozen meals are a great option, whether in the office or at home (duh! Why did I forget that?). Now, onto the next stay-at-home mom challenge: figuring out how to stop the laundry from multiplying. Seriously.

What do you eat for lunch? Are you a fan of leftovers? Frozen meals like Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers? A four-course meal?

I received two Healthy Choice meals and will be compensated for this post. All opinions and ridiculous lunch struggles are, of course, my own.