The new year usually brings a lot of resolutions that we do not keep. I have been guilty of making these every year and this year I am sure is no different. There is a wedding I am supposed to go to in June and I am hoping to be a little lighter before then. The resolutions that I am hoping to keep are cultivating better friendships and changing my grocery shopping methods. On the first it is not that I do not have friends or even good friends but I feel like I am not as good a friend as I should be. I also do not slow down enough to just chat with friends. It seems that I always have something going on and they are accessories not the center as they should be. The second goal is to not shop once a month anymore which since having Clark has not worked. The boys drink more milk that I can store from the first of the month and these extra trips were really adding up because of additional items picked up. My new plan is to look at what produce I get in my produce co-op baskets every other week and then make a rough menu using these items. I will then shop weekly with $50 cash for items we need for this menu and staples. This will really be a change for me as I have literally shopped on the once a month method since I moved out of my parent's house at 18. Getting this zebra to change it's stripes will be something to see. The budget will go back to the $200 a month as before Phillip had been laid off since he has gone back to work and we will no longer qualify for SNAP or WIC.
Hope everyone has a wonderful new year and that you make resolutions for a happier you.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Monday, December 21, 2015
Books Nov 20th Through Dec 21st
My turn for In Cold Blood came back round and so I picked up where I had left off. The story is just so tragic and the book well written. After that was finished I listened to A Duty to the Dead. I liked this book at the beginning but it became predictable and wore on longer than it needed. It is the first in a series but I am totally ok with not continuing. Once I finished this one I listened to Troublemaker which was a really good book. I listened to this one almost non stop so I could hear the whole story. Tom Cruise was not my favorite before this book and now I really do not like him at all. Due to my speed listening session I was able to finish the book in a couple of days and then listen to Stuffology which has to be on the worst book ever list. The book had absolutely no point and I am not sure why I even committed any time to finishing it but I did. After that book I started listening to My Story by Elizabeth Smart and I have to say it was not much better. My wish is that people with a story to tell would get ghost or co writers who will focus them as well as be honest with them when they make no sense. After that nonsense I started Born to Run which I found interesting. There was a lot of information in the book and it jumped around some to the point I was confused who some of the people were but I still would recommend it. Yesterday I started listening to The Road to Character which I had originally started physically reading until I noticed there was an audio version.
Print books that I have read make a shorter list but are still present in my life. I managed to finish Your Money or Your Life and did not really glean any new insights. The next book I picked up was one I had previously started and needed to finish, Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Pst-Consumer World and really did not find anything new in it either. I had initially started The Road to Character before switching to the audio version. So I picked How to Be Idle up and that is where it currently sits. I am hoping to be done with How to be Idle within the next couple of days.
Print books that I have read make a shorter list but are still present in my life. I managed to finish Your Money or Your Life and did not really glean any new insights. The next book I picked up was one I had previously started and needed to finish, Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Pst-Consumer World and really did not find anything new in it either. I had initially started The Road to Character before switching to the audio version. So I picked How to Be Idle up and that is where it currently sits. I am hoping to be done with How to be Idle within the next couple of days.
December with a New Job
We have vaulted into the month of December! This is a month when stretching the dollar becomes an Olympic sport. We do not have credit cards and so all our holiday purchases have to be made with money we have or made from supplies we have on hand. This year it is a little harder as Phillip got a job, at first this seems like it would make it easier except it will be a while before he gets paid. In the weeks leading up to payday we are still having to pay our bills but also have to add in gas money for him to get to and from work as well as paying the sitter for both kids full time.
We are just going day by day hoping to make it through to steadier time.
We are just going day by day hoping to make it through to steadier time.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
November Totals: Disappointment Again!
November totals are in and since I did not keep up with posts here are the totals without itemized lists
$223.58 Cash
$91.00 SNAP
In the past I have made excuses for the totals as I could this month with Thanksgiving and gifts as well as some non food items I needed for the house but I am not. I need to know what it costs to eat each month and get a better handle on the budget.
$223.58 Cash
$91.00 SNAP
In the past I have made excuses for the totals as I could this month with Thanksgiving and gifts as well as some non food items I needed for the house but I am not. I need to know what it costs to eat each month and get a better handle on the budget.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Stuff in Our Purse
I have decided to clean out my purse which has become scary cluttered. The thought crossed my mind that I should take a picture of the nonsense and catalog some of the odder items that appear.
1 checkbook
1 penny collector book ( think someone else put this in my purse)
1 hair clip
1 paper clip
2 bottle caps
1 hot wheel
1 domino
1 emory board
1 bottle lotion
2 feminine napkins
1 birthday party invitation
2 purse sized note pads
10 club cards rubber banded together
1 hair brush
1 battery pack to recharge cell phone
1 coupon container
4 loose coupons
1 grocery store ad
3 pieces of trash
1 straw
9 wet naps
1 toiletry pouch
1 change purse
1 Swiss army knife
1 CPR face shield
2 bookmarks
1 reusable bag pouch
2 handkerchiefs
1 map
1 water bill
10 recipts
1 email address
5 pieces of candy
2 packs of sugar
1 pack mayo
2 packs of pepper ( 1 of which is leaking)
1 pack of gum which has dumped out
2 dollar bills
$1.61 in coins
wallet
1 checkbook
1 penny collector book ( think someone else put this in my purse)
1 hair clip
1 paper clip
2 bottle caps
1 hot wheel
1 domino
1 emory board
1 bottle lotion
2 feminine napkins
1 birthday party invitation
2 purse sized note pads
10 club cards rubber banded together
1 hair brush
1 battery pack to recharge cell phone
1 coupon container
1 grocery store ad
3 pieces of trash
1 straw
9 wet naps
1 toiletry pouch
1 change purse
1 Swiss army knife
1 CPR face shield
2 bookmarks
1 reusable bag pouch
2 handkerchiefs
1 map
1 water bill
10 recipts
1 email address
5 pieces of candy
2 packs of sugar
1 pack mayo
2 packs of pepper ( 1 of which is leaking)
1 pack of gum which has dumped out
2 dollar bills
$1.61 in coins
wallet
Getting Ready for Thanksgiving
Saturday was a day when nothing went according to plan as usual.
Friday night on the way home I actually remembered to stop and get the vodka to make cranberry liqueur over the weekend. This has been a staple gift and trade item over the last few years and I needed to get it made since it has to set up for 3 weeks. I picked up the vodka and then headed to get the boys from the sitter. Phillip was still feeling horrible so I was thinking of taking the boys to McDonald's so they could play and eat. This would have also given me a few moments to read some of my current book. When I picked them up though Logan asked for Rosa's so that is where we went. After dinner I took the boys to Albertson's to pick up some items they had on sale and get some ginger ale for Phillip. The kids were acting crazy in the store so I was in a hurry to get out of there and then checking out turned into a disaster. The cashier hit herself in the eye with one of the handles on my cloth bags, the kids were still carrying on and then my WIC card would not work because she needed to put in a code. I was glad to get out of there and home only to discover I had been overcharged. I took a picture of my purchases and will head by there tonight I think to get a refund. Once we made it home I was not in the frame of mind to make anything so the kids got baths and played for a little while before we headed to bed.
Saturday morning I had to be at the co-op for pick up at 10:15. The kids were still asleep so I got up and started getting ready. It was not long before Clark was outside the door screaming so I let him in the bathroom with me. Then it was time to get breakfast and head out. Logan wanted to stay home so I took Clark with me for the first couple of errands and then told Logan to be ready when I came back to get him. I should have realized this was the beginning of the end for my orderly errand running.
Here is what the list originally looked like:
BB pick up
Bookstore for gifts
Target for sale items
Donation drop off for needy family
Half Price Books for event
Library
Goodwill drop off
home for cleaning and crafts
This is what the day looked like in real time:
BB pickup with Clark
Bookstore with Clark
head toward home to pick up Logan for haircut since Phillip is too sick to take him
Get a call haircut is rescheduled because hairdresser is also sick
pick up Logan and items to be donated after unloading produce
Clark is asleep in car during this
Head to drop off donation Logan wants to play with Max
Send message to Caren to see is Max can play
Drop off donation for needy family
notice Little Free Library on same street so stop to see what they have and make a mental note to bring books by in exchange
Hear from Caren that Max really wants to play
Head toward Library to drop off books that are due, skip Half Price because Clark is still asleep and Logan does not want to go.
Logan is now hungry
Send message to Caren to see if Max would also like Mcdonald's, get their order, go through drive through
Play with Max and talk with Caren
Decided to leave and Logan tells me he peed on himself a little
Head toward home so Logan can change clothes and notice that tire light is on as well as low fuel light
Go home and get clothes changed as well as a fresh bottle for Clark
Head to the gas station and next door to Goodwill to donate remaining items
Go to discount tire where they tell me all my tires are low and by the way the front 2 are reaching hazardous status so looks like I will be getting tires for Christmas. Of course this upset me as I do not have the extra money to drop on tires and will have to figure out something next month in the middle of the holiday season.
Left discount tire and ran by Winco to pick up some items for Phillip's mom and then went home
Target was off the list totally because I was tired of being out and I need to save up money for tires as well as it was cold and getting dark.
Once home we worked on cleaning the house and making the cranberry liqueur. There were a few of the produce items we were not going to use so I listed them on the trade group and had a trade set up pretty quickly. Sunday morning was going to be pot luck at church and so I needed to get the stuff made and packaged ready to go. I made Cranberry Apple Bake and Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble. I stowed these in the fridge and cleaned up most of the mess.
Sunday morning went a touch smoother as I got up and got ready for church. The boys had breakfast and played while I loaded up the car and then we headed to church. Once we made it home Clark and I took a nap while Logan watched TV and Phillip worked on homework. After naps were over I got started cleaning up the house and then the boys got baths. After baths we made some more cranberry liqueur until I ran out of vodka. I will have to swing by and pick up more tonight so I can make more batches.
Friday night on the way home I actually remembered to stop and get the vodka to make cranberry liqueur over the weekend. This has been a staple gift and trade item over the last few years and I needed to get it made since it has to set up for 3 weeks. I picked up the vodka and then headed to get the boys from the sitter. Phillip was still feeling horrible so I was thinking of taking the boys to McDonald's so they could play and eat. This would have also given me a few moments to read some of my current book. When I picked them up though Logan asked for Rosa's so that is where we went. After dinner I took the boys to Albertson's to pick up some items they had on sale and get some ginger ale for Phillip. The kids were acting crazy in the store so I was in a hurry to get out of there and then checking out turned into a disaster. The cashier hit herself in the eye with one of the handles on my cloth bags, the kids were still carrying on and then my WIC card would not work because she needed to put in a code. I was glad to get out of there and home only to discover I had been overcharged. I took a picture of my purchases and will head by there tonight I think to get a refund. Once we made it home I was not in the frame of mind to make anything so the kids got baths and played for a little while before we headed to bed.
Saturday morning I had to be at the co-op for pick up at 10:15. The kids were still asleep so I got up and started getting ready. It was not long before Clark was outside the door screaming so I let him in the bathroom with me. Then it was time to get breakfast and head out. Logan wanted to stay home so I took Clark with me for the first couple of errands and then told Logan to be ready when I came back to get him. I should have realized this was the beginning of the end for my orderly errand running.
Here is what the list originally looked like:
BB pick up
Bookstore for gifts
Target for sale items
Donation drop off for needy family
Half Price Books for event
Library
Goodwill drop off
home for cleaning and crafts
This is what the day looked like in real time:
BB pickup with Clark
Bookstore with Clark
head toward home to pick up Logan for haircut since Phillip is too sick to take him
Get a call haircut is rescheduled because hairdresser is also sick
pick up Logan and items to be donated after unloading produce
Clark is asleep in car during this
Head to drop off donation Logan wants to play with Max
Send message to Caren to see is Max can play
Drop off donation for needy family
notice Little Free Library on same street so stop to see what they have and make a mental note to bring books by in exchange
Hear from Caren that Max really wants to play
Head toward Library to drop off books that are due, skip Half Price because Clark is still asleep and Logan does not want to go.
Logan is now hungry
Send message to Caren to see if Max would also like Mcdonald's, get their order, go through drive through
Play with Max and talk with Caren
Decided to leave and Logan tells me he peed on himself a little
Head toward home so Logan can change clothes and notice that tire light is on as well as low fuel light
Go home and get clothes changed as well as a fresh bottle for Clark
Head to the gas station and next door to Goodwill to donate remaining items
Go to discount tire where they tell me all my tires are low and by the way the front 2 are reaching hazardous status so looks like I will be getting tires for Christmas. Of course this upset me as I do not have the extra money to drop on tires and will have to figure out something next month in the middle of the holiday season.
Left discount tire and ran by Winco to pick up some items for Phillip's mom and then went home
Target was off the list totally because I was tired of being out and I need to save up money for tires as well as it was cold and getting dark.
Once home we worked on cleaning the house and making the cranberry liqueur. There were a few of the produce items we were not going to use so I listed them on the trade group and had a trade set up pretty quickly. Sunday morning was going to be pot luck at church and so I needed to get the stuff made and packaged ready to go. I made Cranberry Apple Bake and Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble. I stowed these in the fridge and cleaned up most of the mess.
Sunday morning went a touch smoother as I got up and got ready for church. The boys had breakfast and played while I loaded up the car and then we headed to church. Once we made it home Clark and I took a nap while Logan watched TV and Phillip worked on homework. After naps were over I got started cleaning up the house and then the boys got baths. After baths we made some more cranberry liqueur until I ran out of vodka. I will have to swing by and pick up more tonight so I can make more batches.
Friday, November 20, 2015
Next Wave of Stomach Bug
The boys are both over the stomach bug and now Phillip is down for the count. He was supposed to go for an oral board interview today but had to let them know he was not going to make it since he has been up all night throwing up. We shall see what tonight brings and how everyone is doing tomorrow. It is supposed to be a really full weekend and I would like to keep a ton of laundry out of the equation.
Books Oct 30th Through Nov 19th
After finishing M Train I was still in the queue for In Cold Blood so I went ahead and listened to Room. Not the best book I have ever listened to but I really did like it as disturbing as it was. After I finished Room I discovered another book I had in print was available on audio so I listened to Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America. Another book I am on the fence over. It is totally her view of living in poverty and I respect that. It is not the view I have but again I have never made some of the decisions she did. After finishing that one I had nothing else to listen to. I am on the waiting list for several and with my luck they will all come up at once.
In print I finished Gardening with Nature in Texas which I found almost a waste of time. It really could have been condensed to a pamphlet that told me other sources for information. After I finished that one I picked up Pastrix which I absolutely love. It was a really quick read, but full of information and thought provoking points. It was an inter library loan so I had to jump it in line ahead of other books because it can not be renewed. I did read a ton of kids books with Logan during this, we try to read 2 every night. After Pastrix I read Forbidden Hunger which is a new series by an author that I like. I really prefer the other series she writes, this one did not have enough character development. It was a really quick as in 1 day read so I am back to Your Money or Your Life and The Great Beanie Baby Bubble.
I am pretty confident that I will not be able to clean everything off my currently reading list but I still going to try.
In print I finished Gardening with Nature in Texas which I found almost a waste of time. It really could have been condensed to a pamphlet that told me other sources for information. After I finished that one I picked up Pastrix which I absolutely love. It was a really quick read, but full of information and thought provoking points. It was an inter library loan so I had to jump it in line ahead of other books because it can not be renewed. I did read a ton of kids books with Logan during this, we try to read 2 every night. After Pastrix I read Forbidden Hunger which is a new series by an author that I like. I really prefer the other series she writes, this one did not have enough character development. It was a really quick as in 1 day read so I am back to Your Money or Your Life and The Great Beanie Baby Bubble.
I am pretty confident that I will not be able to clean everything off my currently reading list but I still going to try.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Catching up on Life and a Missing Receipt
Life has been full tilt here. I put off this post initially because I lost a receipt from Winco that had the majority of this month's grocery purchases on it. Looking everywhere I can think of it being has proved futile. That pretty much means I will just have to give totals from the beginning of the month and list purchases after that. We have also been down with sick kids. In fact this is my FB post from the day I was starting this blogpost:
"Was going to post yesterday but could not get Logan to bring me the phone! Clark threw up all over the bed, his clothes and me when we got home from church and I was putting him down for a nap. I immediately put him in the bath tub and changed my clothes. He promptly pooped in the bathtub which meant a water change and another soap off. After all this I was cleaning up and he was still fussy so I sat in the comfy recliner in our bedroom and let him sleep on me. There was a brief moment in time when I was tempted to put him on the bed and continue cleaning but instead just sat there and held him for an hour and a half. As stated earlier though the older child could not find my phone even though I told him exactly where it was so I could not take a picture of a sweet sleeping baby."
This was followed by a good weekend where I took the kids to an independent kids bookstore and had a great experience. I will be going back there whenever I want to purchase kid's books, however I may go without the kids. Clark is getting to be a hand full whenever we are out somewhere.
Last weekend was a trial by vomit! Clark started throwing up about 30 minutes before I got home and continued until 12:47am. By that time I was pretty much out of towels and blankets. Saturday morning Phillip took Logan to his build and kept him out for a few hours while I worked on cleaning everything up. Laundry went all day! I will admit that while cleaning all of that up I got carried away and just started spring cleaning. I took the curtains and blinds down in our room and cleaned them as well as started sorting through some more stuff. About 2pm our modem went out and AT&T could not come until Sunday morning to fix it. So I stayed home with the kids and cleaned house some more while we waited for the internet to come back up. Clark was doing a ton better by this time so we went out to get some lunch and groceries. We had been trapped inside over the weekend cleaning so I took the boys to Rosa's to eat and then to Winco.
The calm was really the calm before another storm. At 2am on Monday Logan started throwing up. He threw up as kids do all over the bed, his clothes, and the floor in his room before I got in there and got him into the bathroom. I brought him to our bed and put a garbage can next to the bed. Needless to say it was a long night! I went to work and left all the boys asleep at home. The evidently slept until about 10am and everyone was better by the time I got home. Logan's teacher told me Tuesday that he was not the only boy out Monday with a stomach bug.
"Was going to post yesterday but could not get Logan to bring me the phone! Clark threw up all over the bed, his clothes and me when we got home from church and I was putting him down for a nap. I immediately put him in the bath tub and changed my clothes. He promptly pooped in the bathtub which meant a water change and another soap off. After all this I was cleaning up and he was still fussy so I sat in the comfy recliner in our bedroom and let him sleep on me. There was a brief moment in time when I was tempted to put him on the bed and continue cleaning but instead just sat there and held him for an hour and a half. As stated earlier though the older child could not find my phone even though I told him exactly where it was so I could not take a picture of a sweet sleeping baby."
This was followed by a good weekend where I took the kids to an independent kids bookstore and had a great experience. I will be going back there whenever I want to purchase kid's books, however I may go without the kids. Clark is getting to be a hand full whenever we are out somewhere.
Last weekend was a trial by vomit! Clark started throwing up about 30 minutes before I got home and continued until 12:47am. By that time I was pretty much out of towels and blankets. Saturday morning Phillip took Logan to his build and kept him out for a few hours while I worked on cleaning everything up. Laundry went all day! I will admit that while cleaning all of that up I got carried away and just started spring cleaning. I took the curtains and blinds down in our room and cleaned them as well as started sorting through some more stuff. About 2pm our modem went out and AT&T could not come until Sunday morning to fix it. So I stayed home with the kids and cleaned house some more while we waited for the internet to come back up. Clark was doing a ton better by this time so we went out to get some lunch and groceries. We had been trapped inside over the weekend cleaning so I took the boys to Rosa's to eat and then to Winco.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Sick Kids
This weekend was crazy even without Halloween. Friday Phillip had a couple of job interviews so the boys were at the sitter. I picked them up and on the way home Logan asked for pizza bread but I told him no since the pizza place was not on our way home. I did ask though if Rosa's was ok since we were driving by them and Logan was game for beans. I went through the drive through and picked up beans and 2 orders of nachos. As soon as we walked in the door the first words out of Phillip's mouth were " I did not know you were going to Rosa's." and my reply was " I did not either until I picked them up". By this time I had made it into the kitchen to see a pizza and a package of garlic bread on the counter. We went ahead and had the nachos and saved the leftover pizza for the rest of the weekend. Logan was able to have his bread sticks and beans after all.
Saturday was a day Logan had been looking forward to for a long time. We tried to sleep in but the kids have no concept of that. Phillip ran a couple of errands while the boys and I ran some others. We went to Target first where Logan picked up a couple of minecraft toys. He had made a deal to do some chores in exchange for another mini figurine. After Target we headed by the library and then to Albertson's for a couple of items they had on sale. The last errand was Winco to pick up a couple of items and some things for Nene. We made sure to finish the errands in time to get home for trick or treating. Logan of course could not wait and kept asking every 2 minutes if it was time to go. After 30 minutes of this I was ready to say no to trick or treating! Finally it was dark enough for Logan and Phillip to head out. Clark was taking a nap until just before the first trick or treater came by. He just stared at each set of kids that came to the door. There were a couple of strange incidents where kids with no boundaries came into the house instead of just coming up to the door. This was the first year I actually ran out of candy and had to turn out the light. I had Clark in the bathtub when Logan and Phillip made it home and after I got him out we started going through the candy. Bedtime was uneventful and I was happy thinking I was going to get an extra hour of sleep.
Sunday we got up and headed to church where we decided to go out to eat again and see how the kids would do. After leaving there we headed home with the hopes the kids would stay asleep. Logan woke up and did not want to go back to sleep. Clark needed to go back to sleep so I headed into our room to lay down with him. I was hardly settled when he started throwing up on me. I went to put him in the bathtub while I changed my shirt. By the time I put on a different shirt the water was running and Clark was sitting there looking at me.....he was also pooping in the bathtub. After a quick scoop and water change he was back in the tub getting cleaned up. Once out of the tub he was playing on the floor of our bedroom while I tried to get the sheets off the bed and laundry going. He was still fussy so I sat in the recliner with him and he promptly went to sleep. I really really debated putting him on the bed so I could finish cleaning but instead sat there holding him for an hour and a half. It was nice to just hold him while he slept since I know this is not going to last forever. I did try to get Logan to bring me the camera so I could get a sleeping baby picture but he kept telling me he could not find it. Because Clark was sleeping Logan was getting in his TV time before the chores he promised to do in exchange for the toys. That is an error I will not make again. The chore I chose for him was to clean up his room and 2&1/2 hours later he had not made any progress. Phillip was getting a little short with him and it ended with Logan being regrounded from electronics on Monday.
Saturday was a day Logan had been looking forward to for a long time. We tried to sleep in but the kids have no concept of that. Phillip ran a couple of errands while the boys and I ran some others. We went to Target first where Logan picked up a couple of minecraft toys. He had made a deal to do some chores in exchange for another mini figurine. After Target we headed by the library and then to Albertson's for a couple of items they had on sale. The last errand was Winco to pick up a couple of items and some things for Nene. We made sure to finish the errands in time to get home for trick or treating. Logan of course could not wait and kept asking every 2 minutes if it was time to go. After 30 minutes of this I was ready to say no to trick or treating! Finally it was dark enough for Logan and Phillip to head out. Clark was taking a nap until just before the first trick or treater came by. He just stared at each set of kids that came to the door. There were a couple of strange incidents where kids with no boundaries came into the house instead of just coming up to the door. This was the first year I actually ran out of candy and had to turn out the light. I had Clark in the bathtub when Logan and Phillip made it home and after I got him out we started going through the candy. Bedtime was uneventful and I was happy thinking I was going to get an extra hour of sleep.
Sunday we got up and headed to church where we decided to go out to eat again and see how the kids would do. After leaving there we headed home with the hopes the kids would stay asleep. Logan woke up and did not want to go back to sleep. Clark needed to go back to sleep so I headed into our room to lay down with him. I was hardly settled when he started throwing up on me. I went to put him in the bathtub while I changed my shirt. By the time I put on a different shirt the water was running and Clark was sitting there looking at me.....he was also pooping in the bathtub. After a quick scoop and water change he was back in the tub getting cleaned up. Once out of the tub he was playing on the floor of our bedroom while I tried to get the sheets off the bed and laundry going. He was still fussy so I sat in the recliner with him and he promptly went to sleep. I really really debated putting him on the bed so I could finish cleaning but instead sat there holding him for an hour and a half. It was nice to just hold him while he slept since I know this is not going to last forever. I did try to get Logan to bring me the camera so I could get a sleeping baby picture but he kept telling me he could not find it. Because Clark was sleeping Logan was getting in his TV time before the chores he promised to do in exchange for the toys. That is an error I will not make again. The chore I chose for him was to clean up his room and 2&1/2 hours later he had not made any progress. Phillip was getting a little short with him and it ended with Logan being regrounded from electronics on Monday.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Rest of the Shopping List and Totals
This is a list of the grocery items I purchased after my last post. I will total them and then provide a total for the month also.
2 Dublin sodas
1 pack gum
1 box risotta
1 suet cake
1 box granola bars
6 pack pepsi
2 bags snack size chips
2 jars marinara
4 cans petite diced tomatoes
2 peach pies
1 case wipes
1 tube diaper cream
1 jacket/Halloween costume
2 bags Halloween candy
1 jar face powder
3 boxes snack cakes
1 dog bone
2 packages pepperoni
3 bottles apple juice
~1/4lb chocolate rocks
1 loaf bread
2 packages baby wipes
2 packages biscuits
1 box animal cookies
2 packages cinnamon rolls
1 can refried beans
2 packages crescent rolls
1 package fish sticks
~2&1/3lbs bananas
2 pints blackberries
1 quart strawberries
there is an item I can not discern on a receipt......
Subtotal: 77.67 Cash
Totals for October : $91.00SNAP
$223.91Cash
Seeing the totals makes me sad and mad at myself. I know there was a Halloween costume/jacket for Logan in there and candy but still I should have tried harder to keep the total under my budgeted amount. Failing month after month is really depressing.
2 Dublin sodas
1 pack gum
1 box risotta
1 suet cake
1 box granola bars
6 pack pepsi
2 bags snack size chips
2 jars marinara
4 cans petite diced tomatoes
2 peach pies
1 case wipes
1 tube diaper cream
1 jacket/Halloween costume
2 bags Halloween candy
1 jar face powder
3 boxes snack cakes
1 dog bone
2 packages pepperoni
3 bottles apple juice
~1/4lb chocolate rocks
1 loaf bread
2 packages baby wipes
2 packages biscuits
1 box animal cookies
2 packages cinnamon rolls
1 can refried beans
2 packages crescent rolls
1 package fish sticks
~2&1/3lbs bananas
2 pints blackberries
1 quart strawberries
there is an item I can not discern on a receipt......
Subtotal: 77.67 Cash
Totals for October : $91.00SNAP
$223.91Cash
Seeing the totals makes me sad and mad at myself. I know there was a Halloween costume/jacket for Logan in there and candy but still I should have tried harder to keep the total under my budgeted amount. Failing month after month is really depressing.
Books Oct 16th through Oct 30th
I finally managed to finish listening to Under the Banner of Heaven . There was a lot in this book that were hard to listen to because of the brutality and profound disregard for human life. After that I was on the waitlist for most things I wanted to listen to so I started The Highlander Takes a Bride. Same as the others from this series....ok for what they are. By the time I finished listening to this one In Cold Blood was available so I started listening to it. I am probably one of the few people in the world who knows the story but has not actually read the book. Trying to remedy that I checked it out and have had to step away for a little bit. After how heavy Under the Banner was I just could not listen to more murders. Interestingly the narrator is the same for both books and that may be why it felt like too much for now. I stopped for a little bit and instead listened to Accidental Saints which I can not recommend enough! While I did not agree with all of her theology the book really spoke to me. I just finished it a couple of days ago and I am still digesting some of the information while listening to M Train by Patti Smith. Patti is always so deep and yet accessible.
Print books have not gone as quickly. I am determined to get them off my list so I keep reading! I finished Culture Crash last night. This is another that I recommend for a view into the current state of the arts community. It has definitely made me more aware of my own "cultural" patronage. I picked Gardening with Nature in Texas back up. It is never too early to start thinking about next springs yard projects.
Print books have not gone as quickly. I am determined to get them off my list so I keep reading! I finished Culture Crash last night. This is another that I recommend for a view into the current state of the arts community. It has definitely made me more aware of my own "cultural" patronage. I picked Gardening with Nature in Texas back up. It is never too early to start thinking about next springs yard projects.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Weekend of no Electronics and Rain
Sometimes having to enforce punishments for your kids is worse than the actual punishment. We are at the point that going out to eat anywhere besides McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A or Rosa's with the kids is a test of my patience so the last time we informed them which really means Logan that we were not going out to eat on Sunday afternoons anymore. This has worked easily the last 2 weeks since we went to the pumpkin patch the first week and this last Sunday was Loralee's birthday party so we ate there. The next stressor was Logan losing electronics. He has no electronics for 9 days which means in addition to enforcing this I have to work on keeping him busy. Friday was not as difficult since he was at school for part of the day and once I was home I put on storm coverage of hurricane Patricia.
Saturday morning the boys were up early which always amazes me since they could sleep but choose not to. We lazed around for a good portion of the morning since it was still storming. After getting breakfast fixed, a load of laundry in the washer and the kids dressed we headed out for some errands. We really did not need to get out but Phillip wanted to take his final and the quite would make that easier. The boys and I headed by the library where Logan could only check out books and then he told me he was very hungry so we headed to Chick-Fil-A so they could eat and play. After spending a chunk of time there we headed to Albertson's for some sale items they advertised. While shopping there we ran into Logan's teacher so he was excited and hugged her many times. From Albertson's we headed to Winco and picked up a couple of items for us and some for Phillip's mom. By this time I really had no where else to take the boys in the rain so we headed home. Phillip was finished with the final and was working on some other stuff by this time. Clark was really tired by this point so I laid down with him for just a couple of minutes and then he fell asleep. This gave Logan and I time to unload the car, make a volcano, clean up some stuff and start on a craft project.
In the post here you will see we planted an awesome terrarium for Logan and Clark's room. It lasted a couple of months and then we managed to kill it. I have had it sitting on the kitchen counter waiting to be rehabbed for a couple of months so this time while Clark was asleep seemed perfect. We are trying ivy this time since it is traditionally hard to kill.
Of course it is now less about the plant and more about a scene for him to play with. It was nice to have a little quiet time with Logan while getting some things accomplished. After Clark woke up the day went back to me trying to get stuff done and the two of them playing/trying to get away from each other.
Dinner was Crock Pot Garlic Paprika Chicken with sides which have slipped my mind. I have made the chicken before and really liked it but this time a little less so. I think the issue was trying to cook it on high in a short time versus leaving it on all day while I was at work. Cooking it on high for the short time does not allow a lot of "sweating" which soaks into the paprika. It was a bit gritty this time versus soaked in last time.
Sunday was church and then Loralee's birthday party directly after service. The boys fell asleep on the way home but Logan woke up as soon as we pulled into the garage. Clark was unloaded into the bed and then Logan and I headed to Target for Halloween candy. Once we made it home with more candy than was actually necessary we made up bags for neighborhood trick or treaters. By the time we made the bags up it was time to fix dinner which ended up being chicken and dumplings using the leftover chicken. Everything about it tasted good except the dumplings which is for me an issue since that is the part I like best. In the past I have made them with Bisquick and loved how fluffy and gummy they turn out. This time I made them from scratch and they were flavorless and gritty. I am going back to the processed Bisquick dumplings.
The boys played great that evening and then we headed to bed.
I am about to sort through the receipts and get totals together for this month. I will post them soon as I get that and next month's budget penciled in.
Saturday morning the boys were up early which always amazes me since they could sleep but choose not to. We lazed around for a good portion of the morning since it was still storming. After getting breakfast fixed, a load of laundry in the washer and the kids dressed we headed out for some errands. We really did not need to get out but Phillip wanted to take his final and the quite would make that easier. The boys and I headed by the library where Logan could only check out books and then he told me he was very hungry so we headed to Chick-Fil-A so they could eat and play. After spending a chunk of time there we headed to Albertson's for some sale items they advertised. While shopping there we ran into Logan's teacher so he was excited and hugged her many times. From Albertson's we headed to Winco and picked up a couple of items for us and some for Phillip's mom. By this time I really had no where else to take the boys in the rain so we headed home. Phillip was finished with the final and was working on some other stuff by this time. Clark was really tired by this point so I laid down with him for just a couple of minutes and then he fell asleep. This gave Logan and I time to unload the car, make a volcano, clean up some stuff and start on a craft project.
In the post here you will see we planted an awesome terrarium for Logan and Clark's room. It lasted a couple of months and then we managed to kill it. I have had it sitting on the kitchen counter waiting to be rehabbed for a couple of months so this time while Clark was asleep seemed perfect. We are trying ivy this time since it is traditionally hard to kill.
Dinner was Crock Pot Garlic Paprika Chicken with sides which have slipped my mind. I have made the chicken before and really liked it but this time a little less so. I think the issue was trying to cook it on high in a short time versus leaving it on all day while I was at work. Cooking it on high for the short time does not allow a lot of "sweating" which soaks into the paprika. It was a bit gritty this time versus soaked in last time.
Sunday was church and then Loralee's birthday party directly after service. The boys fell asleep on the way home but Logan woke up as soon as we pulled into the garage. Clark was unloaded into the bed and then Logan and I headed to Target for Halloween candy. Once we made it home with more candy than was actually necessary we made up bags for neighborhood trick or treaters. By the time we made the bags up it was time to fix dinner which ended up being chicken and dumplings using the leftover chicken. Everything about it tasted good except the dumplings which is for me an issue since that is the part I like best. In the past I have made them with Bisquick and loved how fluffy and gummy they turn out. This time I made them from scratch and they were flavorless and gritty. I am going back to the processed Bisquick dumplings.
The boys played great that evening and then we headed to bed.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Birthday Parties and Pumpkin Patch
I am not sure why I have not posted for a bit. I use the excuse that I do not have time which is only a half truth. The weekends are really busy normally and while we have still done a lot of stuff I have had some down time recently but still did not get on here. I also use the excuse at home that Phillip is on the computer doing his homework which is true since he uses the time that I can corral the kids to work in relative peace but that is not a whole truth. There is time late in the evening or the option of the laptop but I have not taken advantage of either. When I think of the true reason I will post it but I suspect it is disappointment in myself more than anything. I am not getting as much done as I want or accomplishing my goals as I hoped so it is easier not to put that out to the universe. It is easier to hide it and pretend it is not so.
That is all the self reflection for now, I have a couple of weekends to briefly cover. The weekend that this post was originally started to cover was fullish. Phillip tested with another police department that Saturday morning while I was home with the kiddos getting breakfast and cleaning the house. He made it home in time to take Logan for a hair cut which I picked him up from and then we headed to a birthday party. The kids had a great time playing at the park and breaking the pinata.
After the birthday party we headed by Winco to pick up something for Phillip's mom and then home for the evening.
Sunday we headed to church and then to the pumpkin patch where we got some good pictures and 4 pumpkins. Logan wanted to turn his pumpkin into a creeper pumpkin so we started on that and then Phillip helped him finish.
That is all the self reflection for now, I have a couple of weekends to briefly cover. The weekend that this post was originally started to cover was fullish. Phillip tested with another police department that Saturday morning while I was home with the kiddos getting breakfast and cleaning the house. He made it home in time to take Logan for a hair cut which I picked him up from and then we headed to a birthday party. The kids had a great time playing at the park and breaking the pinata.
After the birthday party we headed by Winco to pick up something for Phillip's mom and then home for the evening.
Sunday we headed to church and then to the pumpkin patch where we got some good pictures and 4 pumpkins. Logan wanted to turn his pumpkin into a creeper pumpkin so we started on that and then Phillip helped him finish.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Menu from this week
This week I made an effort to go home from work and take the kids out for a walk each evening. It has been good exercise for me, Clark gets outside which he loves and Logan gets to pick up pine cones from the house down the street which he loves. After coming home from the walks we would get started on dinner which meant it was a little late a couple of nights.
Monday: We had baked potatoes along with a green salad. I put spinach and romaine lettuce together along with mushrooms, carrots, squash, zucchini, dried cranberries, shredded cheese, bacon bits, croutons and ranch dressing for the salad.
Tuesday:I used up almost all the tortillas, all the precooked chicken I had in the freezer, and some spinach making Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas. I served these with refried beans and as always it was really good.
Wednesday: I made Eggplant Parmesan with garlic breadsticks and it was quite yummy. I will actually say this recipe was 100% better than the last one I tried and this one was baked instead of fried.
Thursday: I of course had to make adjustments to this Zuppa Toscana recipe. The "sausage" I had was actually ground chicken with a spicy Italian seasoning so that is what I used. I also used a potato from my co-op purchase instead of bagged frozen ones like the recipe suggested. As for the kale, I had a bunch to use up so I put way more in than the recipe called for. It was a hearty almost stew but was spicy. Phillip thought it was actually hotter than the Olive Garden's but I am not so sure. It was served with the leftover breadsticks from Wednesday night and topped with parmesan cheese.
As for tonight I have not totally decided yet. We have some leftovers but not anything I can really remake so I will see what I can figure out.
Monday: We had baked potatoes along with a green salad. I put spinach and romaine lettuce together along with mushrooms, carrots, squash, zucchini, dried cranberries, shredded cheese, bacon bits, croutons and ranch dressing for the salad.
Tuesday:I used up almost all the tortillas, all the precooked chicken I had in the freezer, and some spinach making Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas. I served these with refried beans and as always it was really good.
Wednesday: I made Eggplant Parmesan with garlic breadsticks and it was quite yummy. I will actually say this recipe was 100% better than the last one I tried and this one was baked instead of fried.
Thursday: I of course had to make adjustments to this Zuppa Toscana recipe. The "sausage" I had was actually ground chicken with a spicy Italian seasoning so that is what I used. I also used a potato from my co-op purchase instead of bagged frozen ones like the recipe suggested. As for the kale, I had a bunch to use up so I put way more in than the recipe called for. It was a hearty almost stew but was spicy. Phillip thought it was actually hotter than the Olive Garden's but I am not so sure. It was served with the leftover breadsticks from Wednesday night and topped with parmesan cheese.
October Grocery Totals Thus Far and a Produce List
I decided to by as little meat/freezer items this month as I could get away with. The idea is to try to use up what is in the freezer and that list was posted here. I picked up the following items from my co-op on Saturday (trying to remember them all):
2 heads Romaine lettuce
1 bunch Kale
3 cucumbers (traded these on BBT)
5 tomatoes ( traded these on BBT)
3 onions ( traded 2 on BBT)
20 pounds baking potatoes
~3 lbs red grapes
~2 lbs bananas
3 Asian pears
3 plums
5 granny smith apples
1 honeydew
1 personal watermelon
From the farmer's market I picked up:
1 yellow watermelon
1 cantaloupe
mix of squash/zucchini and a pattypan thrown in
~1/2 lb fresh green beans
This really filled up my fruit/veggie drawers on the fridge and a long with the items I picked up at the grocery store I am trying to get through this month.
Since I am behind on this I am going to combine all stores and just put the overall total at the bottom.
2lbs baby spinach salad
1 eggplant
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
3 pkgs crisp snap peas
1 pkg gnocchi
1 box tea bags
2 muffins
~2.5lbs bananas
2 cans refried beans
5 bags chips
5 gallons milk
4 boxes snack cakes
~1lb bulk penne pasta
~1&1/4lbs bulk elbow macaroni pasta
~1&1/4lbs bulk shell pasta
2pkgs pecan rolls
2 bottles apple juice
1 pkg breadcrumbs
2 loaves bread
1 loose facial powder
1 bottle water
7 containers yogurt
~1lb spicy ground chicken
2 pkgs cinnamon rolls
4 pkgs biscuits
1 quart whipping cream
1 container spreadable butter
1 head lettuce
2 lbs ground turkey
2 pkgs pepperoni
1 pkg wonton wrappers
1 pkg velveeta
1 pint sour cream
1 bottle cranberry juice
1 dublin root beer
1 peach pie
~1&3/4lbs bulk pancake mix
1 can ranch style beans
~2lbs bulk rice
~ 1/8lb gummy butterflies
1 box dishwasher detergent
1 can enchilada sauce
1 container trash bags
1 gallon vinegar
3 cases dr.pepper
4 -6 packs of pepsi bottled
2 pkgs goldfish crackers
2 boxes pasta roni
2 pkgs snack size chips
1 lb dried navy beans
1 bottle ranch dressing
1 pkg bacon bits
1 lb colby jack cheese
1 jar pasta sauce
1 box toaster struedel
3 Think Thin bars
1 pkg wipes
1 box moon pies
3 pkgs hot dogs
2 cases diapers
Total: $91.00 SNAP ( we received a $2.00 increase each month)
$ 146.24 Cash
The items marked as traded were traded for some paper towels and toilet paper.
2 heads Romaine lettuce
1 bunch Kale
3 cucumbers (traded these on BBT)
5 tomatoes ( traded these on BBT)
3 onions ( traded 2 on BBT)
20 pounds baking potatoes
~3 lbs red grapes
~2 lbs bananas
3 Asian pears
3 plums
5 granny smith apples
1 honeydew
1 personal watermelon
From the farmer's market I picked up:
1 yellow watermelon
1 cantaloupe
mix of squash/zucchini and a pattypan thrown in
~1/2 lb fresh green beans
This really filled up my fruit/veggie drawers on the fridge and a long with the items I picked up at the grocery store I am trying to get through this month.
Since I am behind on this I am going to combine all stores and just put the overall total at the bottom.
2lbs baby spinach salad
1 eggplant
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
3 pkgs crisp snap peas
1 pkg gnocchi
1 box tea bags
2 muffins
~2.5lbs bananas
2 cans refried beans
5 bags chips
5 gallons milk
4 boxes snack cakes
~1lb bulk penne pasta
~1&1/4lbs bulk elbow macaroni pasta
~1&1/4lbs bulk shell pasta
2pkgs pecan rolls
2 bottles apple juice
1 pkg breadcrumbs
2 loaves bread
1 loose facial powder
1 bottle water
7 containers yogurt
~1lb spicy ground chicken
2 pkgs cinnamon rolls
4 pkgs biscuits
1 quart whipping cream
1 container spreadable butter
1 head lettuce
2 lbs ground turkey
2 pkgs pepperoni
1 pkg wonton wrappers
1 pkg velveeta
1 pint sour cream
1 bottle cranberry juice
1 dublin root beer
1 peach pie
~1&3/4lbs bulk pancake mix
1 can ranch style beans
~2lbs bulk rice
~ 1/8lb gummy butterflies
1 box dishwasher detergent
1 can enchilada sauce
1 container trash bags
1 gallon vinegar
3 cases dr.pepper
4 -6 packs of pepsi bottled
2 pkgs goldfish crackers
2 boxes pasta roni
2 pkgs snack size chips
1 lb dried navy beans
1 bottle ranch dressing
1 pkg bacon bits
1 lb colby jack cheese
1 jar pasta sauce
1 box toaster struedel
3 Think Thin bars
1 pkg wipes
1 box moon pies
3 pkgs hot dogs
2 cases diapers
Total: $91.00 SNAP ( we received a $2.00 increase each month)
$ 146.24 Cash
The items marked as traded were traded for some paper towels and toilet paper.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Books Sept 16th through Oct 15th
There was a chunk of time I was not listening to or reading books since my sister was in town and we were running around.
These are the books I managed to listen to since the last time I posted.
I finished The Theft of Memory , while it is not the best book I have listened to recently it was decent. You really get the feeling for how much he loved his parents but I did not feel close to them, the book kept them distant. The next book I listened to was True Story by Michael Finkel. I am on the fence with this one also. Once listening I realized I had heard this story before on one of the news programs. I wanted to feel for the author but he spent way too much time in the book justifying what he did. After that one I listened to Brokenomics, do not waste your time. This book had no actual tips and was not funny enough to make up for it. I just found it pretentious and out of touch. Once this horrid book was finished I started on Under the Banner of Heaven, this is a hard read. It is the crime that is horrible and makes this hard to read. The book itself is well researched and while not objective is informative and well written. I had to turn this one in before I was finished and just recently picked it back up. In the meantime while I waited on it I listened to Browsings by Michael Dirda. This was a fairly academic book but I did like his insights and the material he covers. After that one I listened to The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric. This one was ok, nothing earth shattering. Honestly there were several of the speakers who gave conflicting advice. I am back to Under the Banner of Heaven which I hope to have finished in a couple of days.
As for physical books I have read Plastic Free which was really less like a book and more like a series of ads for products she uses. I felt no connection to the author and no passion for her cause which is saying a lot since environmental issues are usually huge for me. After I finished that one I started Culture Crash but then had to turn it in and wait to check it back out. While waiting I started Life Without Oil but ran into the same issue and had to turn it in and wait to check it out again. I picked up If Nuns Ruled the World which is a book I recommend for everyone to read. I really, really loved this book. I really related to the sisters and their causes. I found them to be an example of compassion that we should all strive for. After reading that great book I went to the other end of the spectrum and read To Marry a Scottish Laird. It was ok for what it is, a period romance. There was one flaw with it that always bothers me, the "hero" calls his wife by the wrong name randomly on one page. I finished it last night and I am back to Culture Crash.
These are the books I managed to listen to since the last time I posted.
I finished The Theft of Memory , while it is not the best book I have listened to recently it was decent. You really get the feeling for how much he loved his parents but I did not feel close to them, the book kept them distant. The next book I listened to was True Story by Michael Finkel. I am on the fence with this one also. Once listening I realized I had heard this story before on one of the news programs. I wanted to feel for the author but he spent way too much time in the book justifying what he did. After that one I listened to Brokenomics, do not waste your time. This book had no actual tips and was not funny enough to make up for it. I just found it pretentious and out of touch. Once this horrid book was finished I started on Under the Banner of Heaven, this is a hard read. It is the crime that is horrible and makes this hard to read. The book itself is well researched and while not objective is informative and well written. I had to turn this one in before I was finished and just recently picked it back up. In the meantime while I waited on it I listened to Browsings by Michael Dirda. This was a fairly academic book but I did like his insights and the material he covers. After that one I listened to The Best Advice I Ever Got by Katie Couric. This one was ok, nothing earth shattering. Honestly there were several of the speakers who gave conflicting advice. I am back to Under the Banner of Heaven which I hope to have finished in a couple of days.
As for physical books I have read Plastic Free which was really less like a book and more like a series of ads for products she uses. I felt no connection to the author and no passion for her cause which is saying a lot since environmental issues are usually huge for me. After I finished that one I started Culture Crash but then had to turn it in and wait to check it back out. While waiting I started Life Without Oil but ran into the same issue and had to turn it in and wait to check it out again. I picked up If Nuns Ruled the World which is a book I recommend for everyone to read. I really, really loved this book. I really related to the sisters and their causes. I found them to be an example of compassion that we should all strive for. After reading that great book I went to the other end of the spectrum and read To Marry a Scottish Laird. It was ok for what it is, a period romance. There was one flaw with it that always bothers me, the "hero" calls his wife by the wrong name randomly on one page. I finished it last night and I am back to Culture Crash.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Our weekend and adding to the Freezer Inventory
Saturday morning came around and I woke up when I normally would for work and then realized I did not need to. Sadly I could not stay in bed as long as I wanted because we had to get up and going. The kids were still asleep since they were up past their bedtime the night before so I went ahead and got myself ready and put some biscuits in the oven for breakfast. Luckily Phillip needed to go to the post office so I pawned my packages off on him. Not having to go to the post office did save some time which considering the amount of stuff we needed to do that morning was great. I was trying to juggle a 10:00 build and grow at Lowe's with a 10:15 pick up of produce at bountiful basket. We left the house later than I wanted so I headed straight to the produce pick up site and noticed the truck was still there unloading so I did not even stop. We headed by Lowe's to pick up the build and grow with plans to build it later. After loading the kids back up we headed back to the produce site just in time to be the last pick up. Once that was all loaded into the car we went by the farmer's market where I picked up some squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon, and green beans. One of the farmer's gave me a pattypan squash for Clark since he was trying to eat the other squash raw. We managed to finish all of this just a little past 11am which was when the scarecrow build at the garden center started. They were offering all supplies free if you brought a shirt and pants so we did. During the process I became the exception to an unspoken rule. I actually let my child do the scarecrow mostly by himself. He needed help with the stuffing so I helped him with that and when he used all of his paint I fetched some more but I let him paint. As I looked around I noticed all the other moms and dads were painting "perfect" faces on their scarecrows. One family even brought a crayon to draw on the face before they painted it. I will totally admit to getting frustrated with Logan when he insisted on painting the pants and the shirt and then redoing the hair but I can say it is completely his scarecrow.
I will take another picture once we get our front yard decorated and the scarecrow has a home. After we left the garden center with the scarecrow and some plants we headed to McDonald's for lunch. After lunch it was the library and then home to unload. The unloading turned into several hours as I needed to hang some laundry out and the tiny one needed a nap. I worked on the house and worked out pick up of this month's donation for the needy family. By the time Clark woke up Phillip was heading out for his 20 year high school reunion. We could not afford for both of us to go and pay a sitter so off he went. The boys and I loaded up again and went to Winco for some grocery shopping and then on to a trade. After the trade we went by and picked up some pizza and breadsticks for dinner. I should have just bought the breadsticks for Logan since that is all he really wanted to eat and I was not all that hungry. Once we were home we unloaded again and then had some dinner. Baths and bed came late again since dada was not home.
Sunday the boys were horrible! Logan pouted his way through church and lunch out. Clark was not intentionally being bad but he does not want to sit anywhere so a restaurant is really hard for him. We decided to not eat out after church on Sunday anymore until the boys are older. This of course will save us some money and honestly a ton of stress. After we unloaded from church on Sunday the boys and I headed back out to finish our grocery shopping for the month. Once that was unloaded and put up we worked on the yard and hauled out the Halloween decorations. I underestimated how deep some of the tree roots in the front yard were. I ended up just cutting one of them off when I had dug down the length of my leg. I also discovered I am going to have to do a lot more prep work than I estimated to get my path laid in the front yard. Oh well, I guess the reward will come when it is finally finished. I am going to close out this post with a sweet picture I took at the Garden Center on Saturday.
Sunday the boys were horrible! Logan pouted his way through church and lunch out. Clark was not intentionally being bad but he does not want to sit anywhere so a restaurant is really hard for him. We decided to not eat out after church on Sunday anymore until the boys are older. This of course will save us some money and honestly a ton of stress. After we unloaded from church on Sunday the boys and I headed back out to finish our grocery shopping for the month. Once that was unloaded and put up we worked on the yard and hauled out the Halloween decorations. I underestimated how deep some of the tree roots in the front yard were. I ended up just cutting one of them off when I had dug down the length of my leg. I also discovered I am going to have to do a lot more prep work than I estimated to get my path laid in the front yard. Oh well, I guess the reward will come when it is finally finished. I am going to close out this post with a sweet picture I took at the Garden Center on Saturday.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Dealing with Drama at Work
I do not want to go into a whole lot of detail on a blog but there has been some drama at my workplace which really came to a head last Tuesday. It has reinforced the point to me that I need to make a plan to move on. I have been in this job for 12 years and really have become comfortable which is itself not a bad thing. I generally really like the people I work with and our patients. The newest drama has made me step back, enlist some help with my resume and delete most of my co workers off my facebook account. I have to trust that this will be the best decision in the long run.
Tuesday evening I used some roast leftover from church potluck, the rest of the sour cream I had on hand, the ends of 2 types of pasta and rehydrated some mushrooms to make stroganoff.
Wednesday night I grilled hot dogs and made homemade mac and cheese.
While my sister was here I cleaned out my freezer, reorganized it and made an inventory list with the hopes of making a meal plan.
Thursday night I fixed the frozen pizza off the inventory because I once again did not take anything out of the freezer before leaving for work.
Friday night was crazy in that Phillip had to take the kids with him to run the sound for a concert at the last minute. It was a benefit concert for our pastor's wife to walk in the Komen 3-day walk. Since that changed plans I ended up leaving work, completing a last minute trade on the way and then getting to the church and picking up the kids. They had McDonald's for dinner on the way to the concert so I did not fix anything for dinner until a few hours later when Logan told me he was hungry again. They both got baths and stayed up way later than they should have. We got a little house cleaning done and stuff together for Saturday which was a crazy busy day. Clark fell asleep about 11pm and then I snuggled with Logan for a bit and then carried him to his bed. By this time it was almost midnight and Phillip was still not home after texting that he was leaving at 11pm. I sent him a text which he responded to that he was just leaving. I fell asleep shortly after that and when I woke up at 3:30am he was still not in the bed so I texted him a question mark. As soon as I sent the text he walked in, evidently he had come home a little after 1 and just went in the office to do some homework.
Tuesday evening I used some roast leftover from church potluck, the rest of the sour cream I had on hand, the ends of 2 types of pasta and rehydrated some mushrooms to make stroganoff.
Wednesday night I grilled hot dogs and made homemade mac and cheese.
While my sister was here I cleaned out my freezer, reorganized it and made an inventory list with the hopes of making a meal plan.
Thursday night I fixed the frozen pizza off the inventory because I once again did not take anything out of the freezer before leaving for work.
Friday night was crazy in that Phillip had to take the kids with him to run the sound for a concert at the last minute. It was a benefit concert for our pastor's wife to walk in the Komen 3-day walk. Since that changed plans I ended up leaving work, completing a last minute trade on the way and then getting to the church and picking up the kids. They had McDonald's for dinner on the way to the concert so I did not fix anything for dinner until a few hours later when Logan told me he was hungry again. They both got baths and stayed up way later than they should have. We got a little house cleaning done and stuff together for Saturday which was a crazy busy day. Clark fell asleep about 11pm and then I snuggled with Logan for a bit and then carried him to his bed. By this time it was almost midnight and Phillip was still not home after texting that he was leaving at 11pm. I sent him a text which he responded to that he was just leaving. I fell asleep shortly after that and when I woke up at 3:30am he was still not in the bed so I texted him a question mark. As soon as I sent the text he walked in, evidently he had come home a little after 1 and just went in the office to do some homework.
Rest of the Staycation!
The other post was going on and on enough that it was not letting me add anymore text.
Friday morning I dropped Clark at the sitter and took Logan to school, then swung by the house to jump in the truck with Phillip and Gail. We then headed to Canton for First Monday. If you are not familiar First Monday is the largest flea market in the state and only operates as the name implies the weekend before the first Monday of each month.
Amidst all the random junk and homemade items I found some amazing deals.
In addition to these finds I scored some legos for Logan as well as jelly from my regular supplier. It was a lot of walking which ended up looking like this on my pedometer app
We grabbed a hamburger at Whataburger which is our tradition on the way home and then picked up the kids.
Saturday Phillip had to go weed eat the church's lawn as well as film a speech so Gail, the boys and I ran a couple of errands including the farmer's market and then had lunch at Chick-Fil-A. It was the first time I took Clark into the play area and he loved it.
The boys were not finished playing when we left here so we headed to the park. Clark gave out pretty quickly but Logan had fun playing with other kids.
Of course in the picture of Logan none of the other kids show up. After all this play we ran by the grocery store and then went home where I ended up detailing my car while I thought Gail was taking a nap but was really watching her shows on her phone. That night we had steak and cream peas from the farmer's market for dinner. Gail and I ducked out for a few minutes to the liquor store for some stuff she could take home for coworkers.
Sunday we went to church and since it was the first Sunday of the month we had potluck lunch. After church we went home with the hopes of naps but that was not to be. We ended up working in the yard for a little while and then meeting one of our cousins at Rosa's for dinner.
Monday morning it was back to school for Logan and then Gail and I headed out for a couple of errands. We picked up some more stuff for her coworkers and then headed to another Kaloche bakery I knew of for her kaloche fix. After that we walked around the mall to waste time where she found some more do dads to take home. Our normal tradition is to eat at Cracker Barrel before she heads home but this year she decided on the Cheesecake Factory so that is where we shared an appetizer and a piece of cheesecake.
It was bittersweet since the lunch was amazing but we knew the next stop was the airport. We were both sad to see her go and I could not believe it had been 8 days. After dropping her off though I drove swiftly in to work so I would not use any more vacation time. Because I was only there for half the day it went really quickly!
I had some leftover rice and mongolian beef from pf chang's as well as some leftover corn from dinner on Saturday and some leftover squash, zucchini and carrots from a veggie platter I took to church for potluck Sunday. I combined all of these for a fried rice dish, as well as some frozen broccoli I had in the freezer and it was ok. We did not eat the corn the other night because it was pretty gummy and I thought frying it would help but it really did not. Leaving it out would have made the dish fantastic.
Friday morning I dropped Clark at the sitter and took Logan to school, then swung by the house to jump in the truck with Phillip and Gail. We then headed to Canton for First Monday. If you are not familiar First Monday is the largest flea market in the state and only operates as the name implies the weekend before the first Monday of each month.
In addition to these finds I scored some legos for Logan as well as jelly from my regular supplier. It was a lot of walking which ended up looking like this on my pedometer app
Saturday Phillip had to go weed eat the church's lawn as well as film a speech so Gail, the boys and I ran a couple of errands including the farmer's market and then had lunch at Chick-Fil-A. It was the first time I took Clark into the play area and he loved it.
Sunday we went to church and since it was the first Sunday of the month we had potluck lunch. After church we went home with the hopes of naps but that was not to be. We ended up working in the yard for a little while and then meeting one of our cousins at Rosa's for dinner.
Monday morning it was back to school for Logan and then Gail and I headed out for a couple of errands. We picked up some more stuff for her coworkers and then headed to another Kaloche bakery I knew of for her kaloche fix. After that we walked around the mall to waste time where she found some more do dads to take home. Our normal tradition is to eat at Cracker Barrel before she heads home but this year she decided on the Cheesecake Factory so that is where we shared an appetizer and a piece of cheesecake.
I had some leftover rice and mongolian beef from pf chang's as well as some leftover corn from dinner on Saturday and some leftover squash, zucchini and carrots from a veggie platter I took to church for potluck Sunday. I combined all of these for a fried rice dish, as well as some frozen broccoli I had in the freezer and it was ok. We did not eat the corn the other night because it was pretty gummy and I thought frying it would help but it really did not. Leaving it out would have made the dish fantastic.
Staycation with my Sister!
After a rough week my sister came in town! She usually comes out here once a year on vacation and we try to squeeze in as much as we can. This year things were just off but we still had a good time.
She came in on Sunday morning so the boys and I skipped church and picked her up at the airport. We picked her up and brought her luggage by the house. Once we dropped her luggage at home we put the stroller in the trunk and headed to the mall to get Logan's teddy fixed. Build a Bear was amazing, they restuffed and sewed up Teddy. We then let Logan ride the train they have that goes around the mall and throw some money in the fountain. After leaving the mall we went by Target to get a couple of items Phillip needed and let Logan spend his birthday money on Minecraft stuff. Once we left there we got a bite to eat at Rosa's! When my family comes in town we always have to get some BBQ and Mexican food.
My mom chose this moment to call and make sure that my sister had arrived. After this we headed home and I can not promise other than take a walk what we did the rest of the afternoon. For dinner I made meatloaf with velveeta and some boxed mac and cheese which I added some more cheese to. That night was the "blood" moon so we were outside with everyone else watching the eclipse. I took some bad photos with my phone but Phillip got a couple of good ones.
Monday I took Logan to school and then came back home for Clark and my sister (Gail). We then headed to Granbury to visit with Nene and Mimi as well as walk the square. We visited several shops on the square and then had lunch at Springcreek as it was the only BBQ place I knew of in Granbury. Clark enjoyed his corn on the cob and was not happy at all when I took it from him so we could leave.
After this we headed for some afternoon shopping at the thrift store and found a few good things. From there we headed home and took another walk through the neighborhood. Dinner was homemade fajitas.
Tuesday we let Logan skip school and we slept in a little bit. After getting up and going Gail, Logan and I headed to West for some kaloches. West is on Gail's list and so I combined it with a trip to a dairy farm.
So after the Czech stop at which we had more kaloches than we needed to eat we headed back toward town and the dairy farm. Along the way we came to this great rest stop. I am a sucker for great rest stops and this was an awesome one.
After the rest stop we headed to the dairy farm which supplies a milk/dairy/beef co-op that some friends use. We were seriously disappointed.....here is what I wrote a friend after we came home.
"1.) Thought I was in the wrong place, farm consists of a double wide trailer which I guess they live in and a lean to which housed the "store".
2.) Store had only homemade jam, everything else was store bought in bulk and repackaged or store brands. I could see the large bags behind the counter.
3.) Girl who helped us was wearing a lime green dress which is not generally a color you see Mennonite or Amish wearing.
4.) Boy who was watering the chickens was wearing a polo shirt, no head covering and driving a mule(cart).
5.) There were cars, trucks, tractors, mules and various other power equipment everywhere.
6.) Free range chickens consists of chicken coops with small fenced areas next to them. Not large fenced areas for the number of chickens.
7.) We counted maybe 15 cows and about 5 calves.
I could be overly suspicious and I know some sects of the Mennonite faith are a little more accepting of modern conveniences but this almost seemed like a put on gimmick."
After we left the farm which I was hoping to actually purchase some of the items they offer on the co-op we ended up going to McDonald's. Gail and I were not hungry but Logan was so we went there for him to play and eat. This McDonald's had some cool seating and play equipment.
After eating here we headed home for the evening where we used the leftovers from the fajitas to make tortilla soup for dinner.
Wednesday I dropped Logan at school and then Gail and I headed to the State Fair! This is actually why Gail comes in town this time each year. We had a good time although several of the regular things we usually see were not there this year. We also managed to go on the only day the Marine Corps band was not playing. Here are a few pictures from the day.
We picked up a pizza on the way home for family dinner and then tried to relax at home with the boys. Thursday Gail and I hung around the house in the morning while Phillip ran a couple of errands and then we headed downtown to PF Chang's for our annual lunch.
After a really yummy lunch we walked around some of the shops downtown and then headed to pick up Logan from school. After picking him up we went by the post office and then to drop off some household cleaners at the city's drop off station. Then we swung by the say old bread store for our monthly supply and some for Gail to take home. I was still soo stuffed from lunch that dinner was not something I wanted. I fixed the boys some chicken nuggets from the freezer and spent the evening prepping for Friday.
She came in on Sunday morning so the boys and I skipped church and picked her up at the airport. We picked her up and brought her luggage by the house. Once we dropped her luggage at home we put the stroller in the trunk and headed to the mall to get Logan's teddy fixed. Build a Bear was amazing, they restuffed and sewed up Teddy. We then let Logan ride the train they have that goes around the mall and throw some money in the fountain. After leaving the mall we went by Target to get a couple of items Phillip needed and let Logan spend his birthday money on Minecraft stuff. Once we left there we got a bite to eat at Rosa's! When my family comes in town we always have to get some BBQ and Mexican food.
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| He is never still |
After this we headed for some afternoon shopping at the thrift store and found a few good things. From there we headed home and took another walk through the neighborhood. Dinner was homemade fajitas.
Tuesday we let Logan skip school and we slept in a little bit. After getting up and going Gail, Logan and I headed to West for some kaloches. West is on Gail's list and so I combined it with a trip to a dairy farm.
After the rest stop we headed to the dairy farm which supplies a milk/dairy/beef co-op that some friends use. We were seriously disappointed.....here is what I wrote a friend after we came home.
"1.) Thought I was in the wrong place, farm consists of a double wide trailer which I guess they live in and a lean to which housed the "store".
2.) Store had only homemade jam, everything else was store bought in bulk and repackaged or store brands. I could see the large bags behind the counter.
3.) Girl who helped us was wearing a lime green dress which is not generally a color you see Mennonite or Amish wearing.
4.) Boy who was watering the chickens was wearing a polo shirt, no head covering and driving a mule(cart).
5.) There were cars, trucks, tractors, mules and various other power equipment everywhere.
6.) Free range chickens consists of chicken coops with small fenced areas next to them. Not large fenced areas for the number of chickens.
7.) We counted maybe 15 cows and about 5 calves.
I could be overly suspicious and I know some sects of the Mennonite faith are a little more accepting of modern conveniences but this almost seemed like a put on gimmick."
After we left the farm which I was hoping to actually purchase some of the items they offer on the co-op we ended up going to McDonald's. Gail and I were not hungry but Logan was so we went there for him to play and eat. This McDonald's had some cool seating and play equipment.
After eating here we headed home for the evening where we used the leftovers from the fajitas to make tortilla soup for dinner.
Wednesday I dropped Logan at school and then Gail and I headed to the State Fair! This is actually why Gail comes in town this time each year. We had a good time although several of the regular things we usually see were not there this year. We also managed to go on the only day the Marine Corps band was not playing. Here are a few pictures from the day.
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| The Killdaires |
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| I actually had a pair of these when I was little |
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