Friday, January 28, 2011

Grocery Shopping Friday #2

This is my plunder from today's grocery trip. I think I did quite well resisting all my unhealthy urges due to my pregmotional, hungry state.

Today we went to Target (where I used coupons for EVERYTHING I bought) , Ralphs, Vallarta, and the 99cent store. OK, ok - aaaaaand Whole Foods, for two vegan chocolate chip cookies for myself! (much needed and YUM!!!!)

This is our plunder, all for $60. 95 (plus just over $3 for my cookies)

Produce
Dole salad bag, 2 lb carrots, 3 lb granny smith apples, 4 lbs bananas, 4.6 lbs oranges, 1 stalk celery

Household
3 boxes kleenex, candle lighter, 1 roll paper towels

Bread-ish
6- 7oz bags of pasta (3 alphabet minis, 3 fillo), 6 top ramen, 2 bags of oatmeal, 1 bag tortilla chips, 1 box  (4 pack) Nature Valley granola bars, 1 bag tortillas, 2 boxes saltine crackers, 2 bags animal crackers, 1 jar peanuts, 1 Knorr pack chicken bullion.


Dairy/Fridge
1/2 gallon milk, 1 gallon orange juice, 2 packs Jennie-0 turkey franks, 2 dozen eggs, 1 pack mexican grated cheese, 1 pack mini franks,1 pack turkey meat

Canned, Etc
8 cans Del Monte veggies, 1 can Hormel chili, 1 can Hunts tomatoes, 1 can green chili salsa, 4 cans tuna, 1 Wishbone Italian salad dressing, 1 large container applesauce, 1 Heinze BBQ sauce, 2  Langers apple juice, 4 West Soy soy milk

I still have "happy o's"  left over from last trip, as well as some produce and meat.

Up next? MEAL PLANNING!!!!

God Made Dirt, So Dirt Don't Hurt

First off, Jewel LOVES the outside. I am pretty sure she would be content to live outside all of her days. She loves to watch the birds and squirrels, to mimic the dog barks she hears, to play with acorns, rocks and leaves... But I think most of all, she L-O-V-E-S dirt.

So it was no surprise to turn around to find her sitting in the newly weeded dirt beds playing to her hearts satisfaction, when we went outside to clean out our "stable" (storage/shed).  It was too cute, so I went and grabbed the camera and took a few snaps.

Here's my proof that this child is INDEED my own..... Ahhhh the glories of dirt! (I can't wait until she discovers mud).


Just playing away! 
hey mom!!! 

showing off her rock

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Not All Of Us Have Style....

..... but that doesn't mean we can't try.

I am one of those people.

I don't think of myself as having original style. I am not one who see's a piece and can in an instance think of the PERFECT outfit with ease: including earings, necklaces, rings, nail polish color, hair style, shoes, pants... etc. In fact, even when I am standing in front of my closet trying to find something to wear, it literally PAINS me to think of wearing any matching jewelry other than my "push present" necklace, whatever stud earrings are in my ears at that moment (that most likely don't match my necklace, since I don't have diamond studs (yet- I have faith), nor do I have anything else that is the same stone as my necklace), my promise ring and wedding ring.

I seriously envy people with creative spirits when it comes to mixing and matching outfits. My sister is one of those people. And sometimes her ability to put together such a fun and funky outfit just makes me ill. (Sorry sis, its true)

Now, I am not saying I have NO STYLE AT ALL... I've pretty much got the classic look down. Boring solid color shirts and pants. An occasional print here and there. And my other style I've got down is quite the opposite of classic.... HIPPIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh how I love tye-die and Burks and cut offs. I'm a hippie at heart. (Maybe that's why I love garage sales and thrift stores). Oh, and I can easily put together an outfit seen from a magazine (especially if I buy that EXACT outfit, which I have done multiple times throughout my life)

But I am lacking in creative juices to create awesome, funky, fun, mis-matched while completely working outfits out of thin air. ........ But that doesn't mean I don't try.....

Lately I've been trying to put together things that I normally wouldn't. We'll see how that goes. I still lie on the very conservative side. (Especially as most of my closet lends itself to either hippie or classic). So, every once in a while I will post my outfits so all you dear souls can either laugh at me or commend me on my efforts.


ENJOY!!!!

Cord Jacket- Gap, like 6 years ago
Top- Foot Fetish, AZ, 
Jeans- Citizens of Humanity
Shoes- thrifted Steve Madden-$2

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Past Project

A while ago I made something for a friend. (by "a while ago" I mean like 6 or 7 months). I generally liked the way it turned out, I definitely liked the material!!! Here are pics of the project.

Toddler Cloth Travel Highchair
Bib and Paci Holder

Monday, January 24, 2011

Currently

.... my dirt bed is BEAUTIFUL (dirt bed= flowerbed deprived of flowers) and my right arm is covered in welts from my backyards worst enemy- stinging nettle. At least  my daughter is now safe!!!! AND it's about time to start planting a garden!!!!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Husband Approved Vegan Snickerdoodles

I was craving some cookies the other night. SOOOO- I searched google, found an amazing site, located the perfect recipe, and made myself some cookies.

In actuality, I did change the recipe... Not on purpose, but because I ran out of white sugar. So, I actually used half white and half brown in the cooking, and rolled the cookies in brown sugar and cinnamon.  I need to try them as the recipe states now, to see which way I like better. =)

The result of my impulse baking was a very happy me, PLUS another HUSBAND APPROVED VEGAN DESSERT. =D

Here is the site and recipe, tell me what you think!
The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur

#2

As I sit here in my comfy leggings, lotion saturated toe socks, and sweater.... I can't help but notice that although my body seems to be in a restful state, my brain is not. NOT NOT NOT!!!! It just keeps thinking, and thinking! Organizing and re-organizing space. Thinking of things to get rid of and things to fix. Praying for specific cheap items to find their way to us.

It has been this way for a couple of weeks now. At first I just thought I was on a spree, but now I'm realizing that it's that crazy spurt of energy you get when a baby is on its way. YUP. It's like I'm on some crazy drug. And its a weird mixture of tired, yet can't stop thinking. I've found that the only time I think my brain gets some rest is when I'm asleep. But even then- I've been having some REALLY CRAZY dreams. Hormone induced, I'm sure.

At this point we are about 6 weeks along. I feel GREAT!!!! Yes!!! Thank you LORD!!!! I did the calculations yesterday as hubby, baby girl, and I went on a walk. I believe I started feeling a bit of morning  sickness with J at about 4 weeks. I realize I still have time to get sick, if I'm going to. BUT I have high hopes. Last time I wasn't very sick at all, so if it's supposed to get better the second time around.... =D  ..... I'm praying it stays this way!

We are super excited, too. The kids will (Lord willing) be 22 months apart. Just about what we wanted- 2 years give or take a few months. I would love to find out this time what we are having, but I'm going to have a hard time convincing Hubby of that one. I guess I'll just have to prepare for either way. This #2 is going to have multiple home made burp rags, bibs, peepeeteepee's, swaddle cloths, clothes, shoes,  and whatever else I can come up with. At least that is my plan right now.... haha. Realistically, it could change tomorrow.

Well, even as I've been typing my brain has been going a different direction, and I have to jot down some notes!

I hope you had a great Sunday, with a little bit more brain down-time than expected. =)

Monday, January 17, 2011

Meal Plan Monday

I told you I would post about what meals I come up with from the groceries that I bought...

First off, prep wise, I always cook the chicken whole (either boil or bake) and make broth. I pull off the meat and freeze in 4 or 5 portions, depending on how large the chicken was. I also either freeze the broth for later use or make soup right away.  This week, I also pre-cooked the ground beef and portioned it into 5 servings. 

Here are the actual meal plans. I will group them according to meat, just so we can see what I'm using.


Misc recipes:

  • Crock pot beans with turkey bacon and cornbread.
  • Baked Potato Bar (toppings: left over chili, salsa, grilled onions, cheese, turkey bacon)
Ground beef recipes: 

  • Manwhich sloppy joe's with homemade whole wheat buns, oven fries, and salad (Manwhich on hand)
  • Ground beef tostadas (tostadas on hand, toppings: refried beans, meat, lettuce, tomato, corn, salsa)
  • shepherds pie
  • cabbage roll casserole
  • chili (made with left over beans)

Sausage recipes:
  • Sausage Spaghetti , salad (homemade sauce on hand)
  • Sausage, sauerkraut and rice
  • Italian rice with sausage and pasta and cooked squash

Chicken recipes:
  • Lemon and garlic chicken pasta with baked broccoli
  • Chicken veggie, rice soup with homemade rolls (freeze leftovers)
  • Pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches with homemade bread and cooked squash
  • Asian shredded chicken coleslaw
WELP, that's it! As you'll have noticed, I only plan out dinners. Lunches usually consist of left overs or whatever else I feel like. We also have turkey breast lunch meat that I bought on super sale and put in the freezer. So, we've been taking some out when we want it and letting it thaw. Oh the wonders of the freezer when buying meats! OH, and you'll notice that I didn't use the other chicken. So- that is a nice little plus. But always there if we find we need it!

Enjoy your own meal planning!




Friday, January 14, 2011

Food Snobs BEWARE!!!!

I warned you.... if you are a food snob, you better not read this post. Because we in this household are definitely not. And I am about to share with you what a grocery day for us yields.

Some of you know our food budget, and have asked how we do it. (Food budget= food, drink, and any household items we might need). For those of you who don't know, it is somewhere between $199 and $201 dollars a month. That is for a family of hubby, baby girl, and me.  Today I am going to let you see what a pay day grocery shopping trip yields for me. I hope it helps you think out of the box with your normal shopping trips and encourages you by reminding you that the Lord provides all you need on whatever budget He has allowed you!

First things first, I try to always remember to pray BEFORE I go shopping. I know that the Lord is the one providing our foods, so I specifically ask Him to provide what we need within our budget and direct me to the right places. And it is AMAZING the deals that He has provided! It also helps me to keep a clear mind of buying what we need, versus all the fun things that I want. But it's so fun when He provides all those fun things I want too!

Second, since we don't get a paper here, I look at local grocers adds online. And I write down the sales. I shop according to sales, and then create the meals from what I came home with. Although, I have found that there are specific places that I generally end up for specific products.

  •  Ralphs- Sunday or Monday for meats, I LOVE manager specials. I buy meat when it's cheap and stock up our freezer. 
  • Vallarta- produce mainly. I have found that when selectively buying from the bins (nothing prepackaged), there is no problem with the produce going bad quickly. 
  • 99 cent store- YUP, I'm a dollar store shopper! Some things are DEFINITELY NOT good quality  or better prices, but again, when shopping selectively- they do have lots of good options (especially if you aren't afraid to try all those weirdly named brands. haha)

Here are some pictures of what today's shopping trip yielded:


10 total pounds flour, 20 pounds rice, 10 pounds russet potatoes,
1/2 gallon milk, 2 dozen eggs, 1 tub BestLife  "butter"

One thing that I'm sure impacts our budget is that I am allergic to dairy AND egg. Soooo, we are only buying those items for one member of our family, since baby girl has yet to be introduced to them. (I want her to be able to clearly communicate to us that her throat is closing before she tries them) OH- and I only buy my "butters" when they are at the 99cent store. I've found they are there semi- kind of- regularly. And I stock up when I see them. 

Foil, Wax Paper, Sandwhich bags, 2 Cleaners, Bleach
Thankfully that was all that we needed by way of "household" items this time.

8 cups natural applesauce, 6 cans of corn, 2 cans refried beans, 1 sm can tomato paste, 5 cans tomato sauce,
 pickle relish, pickles, sauerkraut, 2 cans pinneapples, organic tahini

1 head cabbage, 4 heads garlic, large amounts of tomato, mexican squash, granny smith apples, oranges, white onion, bananas, and broccoli. Also, celery, organic baby spinach leaves, and lettuce bag.

3 boxes of Happy O's (the 99 cent rip off version of cheerios, baby girl doesn't know the difference, and they're  a pretty good rip off if you ask me), 2 boxes of saltine crackers, two bags of popcorn colonels, two bags bagels, 1 box of rip off teddy grahams that I wanted to try. 

2 whole chickens, 1 5lb thing of ground beef, there were 2 of the Jennie O turkey sausages but we already ate one.


All in all, I think I have spent about 90 dollars? I still have to buy some apple juice and formula (with a Target gift card- PTL), oatmeal, and soymilk. Luckily the applejuice, oatmeal, and soymilk are on sale at Albertsons, I believe.  And if I have money still left, I would like to get some other items that are on sale, to stock up. OH, and in case you didn't notice, I don't buy much bread stuff. I make our breads thanks to our handy dandy $5 garage sale bread machine! =)

So that's what we got this time. As you saw, we are not name brand eaters. I'm always wanting to try new knock-offs to see what is out there for cheap. And, I wish I was, but I am not an avid coupon-er. Hopefully someday I will get the hang of it, but for now, I'm still a bit lost with it... so mostly all of what I get is without coupons. And it will last us 2 weeks or more, depending on how hungry we are and what kind of meals I create.   

And because I know you are all sooo curious what meals I come up with, I'll let you know as soon as I do! 

What are your grocery shopping tips?

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Improving Our Living Habits.

Lately I have been on a kick.... an organize, reorganize, decorate, declutter, deep clean kind of a kick. And our home is much better for it! It is a definite improvement on our living habits. Learning to live with less, and USE what we have. I'm quite enjoying the change! With my efforts of improving our home, I have been blogging a ton trying to find some great ideas to "steal". You can imagine my excitement when on of my friends, whose couponing habits I greatly admire, started a new blog about the very things I am researching! Go check her out at Simply Thrifty!

What kind of things have you been doing lately to organize, declutter and decorate? Any great tips or ideas for me? I'd love to hear!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Salvation Army JACKPOT!!!!

I am what you could call a thrift store junkie. I LOVE THEM!!!!  I credit my Grandma for taking me to thrift stores constantly, growing up. Those times are some of my fondest memories with her. Not only was it fun, but who doesn't like treasure hunting and getting a deal!?!?!  SO- Yesterday Jewel and I went on a venture to check out some local thrift shops. (I've lived in this area for 6 years, yet for some reason I had still only been to Goodwill. Why? I have NO IDEA) We headed out with a list of shops, but actually only got to one- The Salvation Army Thriftstore.  I was pleasantly surprised with what was there and the prices. Here is what i came away with. and- all for a grand total of TWENTY DOLLARS!!!

awesome little shoes for the baby girl.

a cute little bumper for the girl 

three awesome skinny belts for myself 

Forever 21 fun summer shoes

Steve Madden 
Upside down quilt. hah, sorry. ($4.00 bogo)
upclose of granny squares

upside down again- so sorry. (second of the bogo= FREE) 

"stained" - just needed to be washed ($2.00 damaged bogo)

my favorite

Actually damaged with some holes wool yarn quilt (second bogo= FREE)

too cute

my awesome tray!!!! 

upclose

oh so happy!


Now we need to go back out and finish our list of Thrift stores!!! Did I meantion, I LOVE thrift stores?!