Loving Home

Life has been very crazy since the new grand baby was born.  He was born end of February and two weeks later he and his family moved in with us.  So we went from empty nesters (just two of us and a dog) to six humans and two dogs in a starter house (about 1400 sq foot).  Having two little humans - now 5 months and 20 months - means that the house is never quiet.  Dd has been battling post part depression and has needed my help with the kids.  In this time frame, about 5 months now, they were officially edited, had their cars repossessed and have experienced unemployment.  It has been frustrating for everyone as their goal and ours is to see them be independent again.  He, SIL, is currently working a temp job on third shift.  We are praying that a first shift full time job comes open that pays enough that the can get their own place. Dh is back at work, school teacher, and is working very long days.  He has a difficult group this year and is...

He is here !!!  Simion David Anderson made is appearance on 28 February 2018 at 9:58 pm.  He was 8 pounds 1 ounce and 20.5 inches long.  Other than a little jaundice mom and baby are doing great and got home today.  Big brother James doesn't know what to think yet LOL.  We are over the moon in love already.

I am starting to see a pattern developing and I need to stop it.  I am going to the grocery store almost everyday.  I didn't realize how much I really went.  Stopped yesterday to pick up lunch items for dh and prescriptions were not ready yet so I had to go back today.  Here is what I got:.. 2/15  Kroger 1 loaf honey wheat bread 3 pkgs lunch meat Total :  $8.71 2/16  Kroger 1 chocolate bar (Friday Freebie) 1 pkg cookies 6 cans Redgold tomatoes Total:  $4.41 Like I said above the first group of items were for dh lunches.  She has to have low sodium lunch meat now and it is more expensive.  When I went in for my prescriptions today I checked out there markdown section and found Redgold tomatoes with green chilies marked down to .49 cents each so I got 6.  This is my pantry purchase for the week.  So I spent $3.23 for the pantry.

This week I have picked up a couple of things here and there.  I discovered this morning that I am going through more bread and lunch meat than normal as dear husband is taking more sandwiches to work now so he can eat one coming home to avoid a low sugar.  So I will go back to the store today for that. Here is what I have purchased so far this week: 2/11  Kroger         1 box popcorn  Total:  $1.07 2/13   Sam's Club           1 box of baked chips           2 bags kale salad mix Total:  $17.51 2/14   Kroger           1 head green leaf lettuce Total:  $1.38 Total spent:  $19.96 Left for pay cycle:  $30.21 These purchases were mainly with dear husband in mind.  He had wanted popcorn REALLY bad and we didn't have any so I bought a small box and he got to enjoy it on Sunday.  Kale salad is a favorite around her...

Today was my first time food shopping for February.  I am really going to try hard this month to stick to my budget of $100 per pay cycle.  A pay cycle is two weeks.  This is also my first shop of our new "diet".  It will become a way of life now so diet is the wrong word really.  With dh's heart issues and both of us being diabetic if has to happen.  So today I went to Kroger.  Here is what I got: #1 5 # of unsalted butter @ $1.99 each total:  $10.62 #2 2 cards ( 1 birthday, 1 Valentine) 2 pkgs of sliced cheese 1 pkg low salt turkey 1 pkg low salt ham 1 loaf honey wheat bread 18 ct eggs 1 small box candy (Friday freebie) mustard mayo 2 bottles Italian dressing 2 small bottles orange juice 5 # unsalted butter 2 bags of pistachios 1/2 gallon skim milk 2 bottle dish soap total:  $44.84 Total spent:  $55.46 2 cards (not food):  $5.29 Total spent on food:  $50.17 Left for pay cycle:  $49.83 K...

Here is what I hope to fix the next two weeks: Breakfast:  muffins, eggs and toast, frozen waffles, boiled eggs Lunch:  leftovers, sandwiches Dinner:  baked pasta               chicken, sweet potatoes, veggie  X 2               beef roast, potatoes, carrots and onions               pork chops, sweet potatoes and veggie               sausage, corn and veggie               pork lo mein               pork roast, sweet potatoes, veggie               pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw               leftovers X 3               sloppy joes X 2 Snacks:  homemade cookies, pretzels, chips and salsa

Finally got to the store today though the roads were not as bad as I thought they would be.  Boy is it snowing now though.  Got what I need for the next two weeks except maybe fresh stuff.  Here is what I got: Krogers: hamburg buns popcorn (free) hot dog buns hot dogs X 2 baby cereal 18 ct eggs sliced cheese tortilla chips X 2 wet dog food X 4 drink mix X 2 coffee - for school slaw dressing rotel tomatoes X 4 coke zero - 3 12pks ramen X 20 canned mushrooms X 2 2 lb velvet cheese carrots 1lb mushrooms .86 lb potatoes ham lunch meat veggie tray Total spent:  $69.98 The ramen was on sale for .17 cents each.  Hot dogs were BOGO. I used Ibotta and will get back $1.35 for my purchases.

I was running dd and gs on some errands when she needed to stop at Kroger to use some of her WIC vouchers.  Both she and gs received vouchers for fresh items so she used them both today.  While she was deciding I found some deals.  Here is what I found: 4 yellow bell peppers 4 green bell peppers 6 apples, mixed types each of these were bagged and were 99 cents a bag 2 pkgs canadian bacon marked down to $1.29 each 5 bags of Birdseye steam fresh veggies for 99 cents each 2 bags Kroger frozen veggies for $1.00 each 1 tub spring lettuce mix marked down to $1.79 2.39 lbs of green grapes  rang up wrong so they gave me my money back. Spent:  $26.16 - $7.12 refund =  $19.04 I am going to cut up the peppers and freeze them leaving out one each for fresh cooking and salads.  The canadian bacon will be used for pizza and for breakfast meat.  Once I got home I decided on salad for lunch and discovered that the tub of spring mix was worse than I ...

Okay as promised here is the meal plan: Breakfasts:  eggs and toast, eggs and fried potatoes, oatmeal, cold cereal, pumpkin chocolate chip    muffins, banana bread Lunches:  leftovers, sandwiches or soup Dinners:  chicken, stuffing and carrots                 grilled cheese and soup                 baked pasta                 pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw                 zuppa toscana soup                 chicken, sweet potatoes and green beans                 pork chops, baked potatoes and veggies                 homemade pizza X 2                 sausage, corn and green beans               ...

It has seems like I have lived in the grocery store the past month but today is different.  You see Friday was payday and after paying the bills and the incidentals I have $30 left for food for two weeks for two adults.  Now I have quite a bit of meat in the freezer and the pantry is not overfull but it is not empty either.  Doable but scary.  So I made my grocery list, listened to dh's requests and went to the grocery store.  Here is what I got: 2 big bags of tortilla chips 2 lb velvetta  cheese 1 pkg hot dogs 1 pkg hot dog buns 2 cans of mushrooms 2 small boxes of fish sticks 1 container sour cream 1 container cottage cheese 1 bag whole wheat flour 1 container ice cream bologna, 1 pkg 1 dozen eggs drink mix 2 containers wet dog food 1 can enchilada sauce I spent $32.07.  I did have a couple of dollars that I had found extra.  Not bad really I think.  Dh had requested the tortilla chips, velvetta cheese, fish sticks and hot...

I can't believe that it has been over 3 months since I have posted last.  Life has indeed been busy.  As in watching my grandson up to 50 hours a week busy.  My daughter, who expecting her second son, is home now full time so I only get him a couple of hours a week now when she needs a break.  Second one is due in March but she is having a lot of issues this time and fell down the stairs a couple of weeks ago and that is what brought her home.  In other news, my ds and his wife have decided not to adopt the young man they have fostered in their home since March.  He is to removed from their home this week.  He had unfortunately gotten violent towards my dil.  Here is a photo of the little guy.  It is hard to believe he will be one next month.  Have a blessed day.

Today I am thankful for friends and family.  I have a small circle of close friends and I am blessed to have them in my life. There is Susan, my bestie, who is my partner in crime.  We met when she worked for me at a needlepoint shop.  She loves the needlepointer in me and my crafting ways.  We love to sit in silence and stitch all day long.  She is younger than me and more like a little sister.  I love her dearly. Next is Gayle.  I meet her went we were working in side by side businesses.  We were both members of manager and we used to help each other with change on the weekends.  My children were little then, just in elementary school and hers were in middle school.  It is hard to believe that we have known each other that long.  She is my sewing buddy, really a sewing mentor.  She can sew anything she puts her mind too.  I am blessed to have her in my life. Finally there is Beverly.  We met at church many man...

Ok off to the grocery store again.  Today I got: 3 small bags of pistachio 1 bottle of pinot noir 2 6 pk of diet pepsi 1 bottle of Irish Spring Total spent:  $21.61 minus Irish Spring - $3.99 New Total:  $17.31 Will post next weeks menu later.

Here is how I am planning to use what I have. Sunday - D:  Hot dogs and potato salad Monday - B:  Cereal and milk                 L:  Grilled cheese sandwiches                 D:  Chicken, zucchini and corn Tuesday - B:  Eggs, sausage and apples                  L:  Hot dogs and slaw                  D:  Pork Roast, squash and potatoes Wednesday - B:  Protein shake                       L:  Grilled Cheese and soup                       D:  Pulled pork sandwiches and slaw Thursday - B:  Eggs, sausage and apples                   L:  Hot dogs and slaw             ...

When we got home from vacation my daughter took me grocery shopping.  So here is what I got. 18 eggs 1/2 gallon of milk 2 boxes of instant iced tea mix (dh will only drink this) 2 small bags of pistachio 12 cans of dog food 1.51 pounds of cabbage 2 pounds of carrots 5 apples 1 pkg of diapers Spent:  $31.25 Minus diapers:  $5.49 Spent on food:  $25.76 Daughter took eggs, milk and most of our fresh stuff while we were on vacation.  I had put bread and buns in the freezer before I left so I didn't have to buy bread.  The dog food is 3 weeks worth as we only give her half a can at a time to take her meds with.  The pistachios were on sale really cheap so a treat for dh. Hopefully won't need anything at least until Saturday.

I had surgery shortly after the last post on my left wrist and elbow and dh took over cooking.  Mistake.  Blew the month's budget out of the water.  Then we went on vacation.  So we are back and I am starting again.  I will post shop in a min.

June 2 was the first paycheck of June, and our anniversary, so I can now say that the challenge has officially started. Saturday saw me at the grocery store needing canning supplies, which is a different category.  I decided to pick up a few items then.  I forgot to take a picture but here is what I got: Snyder cheese crackers (wanted to try, they're ok but won't buy again) 2 boxes turkey sausage patties 1 container baby food 2 bottles of yellow mustard 1 container grape tomatoes Total spent:  $20.32 Total left for the week:  $4.68 I can do this.  I will post my menu in a little bit.

Finally remembered to take a pic.  Just needed milk, lemon juice and half and half.  The milk and the half & half was needed for potato, sausage and kale soup that was on the menu for lunch today as dh took a day off of work. total spent:  $6.11 total so far this week:  $20.07

In anticipation of next months pantry challenge I am trying to buy as little as possible the rest of this month. I went to Kroger this afternoon and came away with: Ritz crackers  (free) hamburger buns hot dog buns 1 loaf of bread celery mushrooms 2 containers of dog food 2 pkgs of gum 2 containers of yogurt 1 container of formula Total:  $25.12 Subtract baby formula:  $11.16 Total spent:  $13.96 I forgot to take a picture before I put it away.  The gum and yogurt will also get rebates back from Ibotta. Not bad.  I may have to go back and get lemon juice as I forgot that but I can't think of anything else.

Starting June 1 I am going to try a pantry challenge as I have a lot in my freezers and pantry.  June seems like a good time to start as dh is home for the summer from school and we tend to travel in June. Some of my self imposed rules: 1.  Items for grandson's care are not included.  Such as formula or diapers. 2.  Only food items, not cleaning supplies or paper goods. 3.  Farmer's market purchases will be included as this is food. ~smile~ 4.  Eating out is a separate budget though we need to drastically reduce this budget line. 5.  Garden is already in place so it is not included. 6.  Dog food is included for now. We will see if I am able to do it.