as cozy as spring

The more you know....

This feels like a goofy public service announcement, but I am mentally in the midst of Christmas budget planning and look!  Prismacolors are 40% off at Michael's this week.

Oh but also!  My friend and I went shopping on Friday night and found this most precious little book at Anthropologie: How to Speak Politely & Why.  Oh it is SO sweet and includes both manners and grammar instructions for children (like the bad habit of dropping "g".  My friend will surely laugh that I am mentioning it because I was a wee bit impatient as she looked at it for a full 30 minutes.  Anyway, that's another Christmas gift idea.  

'Tis a Lazy Sunday here.  We attended Mass last night.  My big plans include refilling my coffee and making the promised apple pie.  

Cheap, cheap

I just taught my children to cut the end of the toothpaste tube off and, as if by magic, there's a lot more in there.

And that's the only lesson I'm up for today. I didn't meant to scare anyone who has the procedure looming on the horizon, because the pain isn't so bad, but you do really need to block out at least four days of someone else taking care of you. I'm going back to bed.

Here's a photo I took at my mom and dad's over the weekend. A bad storm arrived almost exactly as I did. It was beautiful.

I'm working on this gorgeous lace scarf for my daughter's gorgeous ballet teacher's end of the year gift. And if my sisters comment that they like it I'll add it to the Christmas gift queue. It is an easy, free pattern I found on Ravelry. I heart Ravelry. Join up if you haven't already. It's amazing.

Grocery Budget - Part Is Anyone Reading Anymore?

I hope I'm not terribly boring this week, talking about food and money.  It's all I can think about.  I have tunnel vision.  I am hyper focused.  So here is what we, as a group, have come up with this week:

• Organic Food - 'Tis expensive.  I price compared today and 6 organic apples were going to cost me $8.49 - 6 standard apples - $1.00, on sale.  Now this was ONE store.  I know for certain Super Target carries organic apples in 3 pound bags for $3.49 or something, but it was shocking nonetheless.  I've linked to this before, but you don't have to buy everything organic.  Some foods contain very little pesticide residue.  Dirty Dozen List here.  I'm picky about this because I worked with pesticides for years and years, read too many warning labels, and can taste the stuff in my food.  The top suggestions I read this week when it comes to organics are: CSAs, home vegetable gardens, and frozen foods.  Buying frozen as opposed to fresh could really save us some money.  Frozen foods are normally frozen at peak times, so in many cases the quality can exceed fresh, which sit around in boxes for long stretches of time.  I plan on buying more frozen, chopped veggies to sneak into salsas, smoothies, and rice dishes.  Thanks to Crisanne for this reminder.
• Plan.  Kellie mentioned her awesome meal planning system.  And Barbara did as well (check out her food blog, with the emphasis on meal planning according to grocery store sales.  Frankly, I am usually so distracted trying to keep the children in line that I rarely notice sale items.  I am paying more attention lately though.  Eating in season goes along with all this.  Additionally eating seasonal produce should be something that's a real treat.  Plums in July, Apples in September, Clementines in December.  There's such a pleasant rhythm to that, where fruits and vegetables are a rare treasure.  I just purchased some inexpensive Hatch peppers tonight for our quesadillas.  Yummy.
• Roxanne mentioned limiting processed foods and baking at home.  We are already doing this and it's great for a number of reasons.  If I ever have problems here it's just choosing pricey recipes with additions like dried cherries.  Ina Garten, I'm talking to you! 
• Cheap foods - Here is a list Cheap, healthy foods and another.  I plan on trying a sneak attack when it comes to beans, the only cheap, healthy food that could round out the children's diet.  Tonight I am pureeing some beans and mixing them into some rice.  We'll see if anyone notices.  And I need to just force the issue on things like oatmeal and cereal for breakfast. 
• I still can't figure out bulk shopping.  I hope that my food goes bad.  Food that can sit in storage for a long time makes me nervous.  But buying larger containers of yogurt and applesauce as opposed to individual servings is certainly a change we could make.
• Rotating grocery stores.  We have a rough idea of which grocery stores have the best price on certain items.  To make my point, compare an Amy's frozen pizza that is $4.99 at Target and $7.99 at the grocery store nearby.  But it's not like that across the board.  I make a trip to Target once a week and my husband goes to the closer grocery store.  That way we can get the best prices offered at each store.
• And finally, my sister sent me a link to a budget estimating calculator where I learned, drum roll please, our grocery budget is actually right on for our income (excluding holidays).  So all this for nothing?  No, I still think we can do better.  It's a shift in priorities for me.  I want to spend my time and money on other things, but there's not much out there that's more important than eating well.  And I think if I go about this enthusiastically it could be a good change for the whole family. 

How to feed a family on bisquick and tomato soup

My sister has inspired me lately to take more control of our finances.  I am always in charge of actual bill paying etc. because I do it quite well.  But there have been times that I've become lazy about entering receipts into Quicken (ch-ching!).  This always ends badly.  Come back, pretty pie chart.

We don't use credit cards, our cars are paid off, we don't splurge on much at all.  But our grocery budget.  Wow.  This is where we have some trouble if I'm not paying attention.  Kellie posted her dinner system and budget a couple of weeks ago.  Her number is so teeny tiny I have convinced myself she has a magic wand - it's the only way I can sleep at night.  I can plan and do leftovers and still not come close to that number. 

The online grocery systems and coupons all seem to highlight highly processed foods.  Bulk food shopping frightens me (the initial investment).  And we pretty much buy organic across the board.  This is an area I'm not willing to compromise.  But I've been creative in the last week and made what we already had in the house stretch a few more days than it should have.  Yesterday I served spaghetti topped with (ick) tomato soup.  And I was delighted to find a box of Bisquick in the pantry.  That's pancakes right there!  A whole meal of pancakes for my hard working husband. 

So what's your secret?  Does anyone (besides Kellie with her super hero cape) have a wonderful grocery system they would share?  Keeping in mind cheap PB&J sandwiches and eggs for dinner won't work around here? 

Leave it in the comments if you would like or post and leave me a link.