Eliza was up at 5:00, and is now laying down in her crib again. I don't have much hope of her actually going back to sleep just yet (though she looked like a zombie on the living room floor just a minute ago), so instead of going back to bed myself or hopping in the shower, I though I'd do the Quick 5.
1. BEST OF THE BEST first! Yesterday was a busy day: cleaning and getting dinner in the fridge to chill before heading to an afternoon of Bible study. The plan was to stick dinner in the oven when I got home and go on what I call a binge-clean before one of our high school girls come over for "d-group" (discipleship group without the group). My plans got derailed for the ultimate, best reason! Standing on my sidewalk by my door with both Mel and Kala. Yes, friends. Mel and Kala. (Mel, you might not know lives in Germany right now. Kala's up in North Platte. I don't see either of them often.) Nick told me this morning that my face was priceless. I thought my brain was having a serious malfunction. I think I might have said something like, "You're here!" but I don't really know. So the evening was spent in their august company, laughing and talking and loving the fact that my friends came to visit me as a surprise. They don't leave until Saturday afternoon sometime, so I'm pretty stoked to have a few days with them.
2. My sister-in-law Winter supplied me with a tote of leftover boy clothes that she had and I couldn't be more grateful! I plowed into them at 5:30 this morning to take stock and organize. It's wonderful, because the tote filled in most of the gaps I was feeling in our wardrobe for Simon and wasn't too excessive on the areas where we've got a good supply. She's got good taste, that Winter, so all the clothes are cute and classy. The only gap I have for my little guy are some pants/shorts for the 0-3 month range and an Easter outfit (but then, Eliza needs an Easter dress, too). But I'm feeling much better about where we're at, clothes-wise. Now I'm just ready to get that second bar into their closet and possibly another dresser, and get it all put away and organized. Yes, I must be nesting! But, THANK YOU, Winter! I'm so incredibly blessed by you!
3. We've started the Beth Moore study on Daniel in our Bible study. I'm interested to see what she has to say and how much I will learn. I'm no expert on Daniel, that's for sure, but it make up at least 1/3 of my first prophetics class, and it made quite an impression on me. How much farther will Beth Moore go in a lay study, I don't know, but I'm very interested to find out. We are covering chapter two in our homework this week, which is always fascinating as the dream Nebuchadnezzar had about the statue and how it's played out in history. Good stuff.
4. I may have a writing project on the horizon. I don't want to say much about it, not knowing any of the specs or constraints, but I think it will be good exercise. I look forward to the idea of writing and reading and studying for it. We'll see how things pan out.
5. I actually started this post at 6:30, hoping Eliza would want to go back down, and she didn't. In the interim time, I have washed dishes, half-tidied the living room (it still needs Simon's new clothes to be picked up and put away), taken a shower, dressed, entertained my daughter, and put her back down for a nap. Not all in that order. It sounds like a far more productive morning than our apartment looks. I should really go get on getting those clothes at least taken up so I can vacuum the floors. Maybe I'll feel better then.
I'm sure I have lots more I could write about, but everything seems so insignificant in comparison with the fact that Mel and Kala will be here in a few minutes to hang out for the day! Can it really get any better than that? Well, yes: being in the presence of Christ. But they are definitely towards the top of the "short list!" Hope you all have a good day too!
Friday, January 28, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tea
Tea is one of those things I really feel I should enjoy, but just can't seem to. After all, I love hot drinks. I'd likely take a coffee, hot chocolate, [absolutely] chai, or apple cider any time it was offered to me. But tea? I just can't get into it. I have lots of tea in my pantry; I'm fascinated by it, but I never seem to enjoy a cup.
Perhaps it's the bitter taste. I have a real aversion to bitter tastes. During my time in Africa, now twelve years ago (can you believe it?), we had to take two kinds of malaria medicine. The paludrine wasn't too bad, which was a blessing as we took it every day. The chloroquine, that was another matter entirely. There was a method to it. You had to "slam it down." You hold the chloroquine in one hand and a cup of flavored liquid in the other, preferably kool-aid, as it was sweet but not fizzy to help dissolve the tablet. Take them both in quick succession, gulping down as much of your drink as you can. And then it was best followed by a bite or two of food. The medicine had this wonderful way of spreading a metallic, bitter taste throughout the back of your mouth and coating your tongue. I have never encountered a flavor quite like it, as if you licked an old iron doorknob and chewed on burnt coffee at once. So strong, was it, that it flavored your food for the first few bites of your meal. Eating something after taking the medicine was an immediate need, as I found out to my detriment. I forced down my chloroquine one morning but then neglected to eat as I should have. Within minutes (I kid you not), I felt my stomach beginning to sour, to the point I wasn't sure I could have eaten anything. Not long after that, I just barely made it into the bathroom to vomit every last tasty morsel of the tablet back up. Think that's graphic enough? It's not. No superlative or description can quite grasp the taste, as any of my teammates from the trip could tell you.
This experience, even without experiencing it twice that one foolish morning, was enough to burn me on bitter tastes. I watch Food Network stars go into raptures on the bitter taste of frisee or escarole or endive, and I no longer want to try the dish. Salads at restaurants are sometimes an obstacle course for me, because I cannot enjoy bitter greens. Coffee I can enjoy with milk and sugar because they can mask the bitterness without losing the other indefinable flavors of coffee. Tea has no capability like this. It just tastes like milk or sugar, or still like bitter tea. So even as I sit here and try to sip my Chinese flower herbal tea (as Eliza would beg for hot chocolate), I am again trying to convince myself how much I like it.
Perhaps it's the bitter taste. I have a real aversion to bitter tastes. During my time in Africa, now twelve years ago (can you believe it?), we had to take two kinds of malaria medicine. The paludrine wasn't too bad, which was a blessing as we took it every day. The chloroquine, that was another matter entirely. There was a method to it. You had to "slam it down." You hold the chloroquine in one hand and a cup of flavored liquid in the other, preferably kool-aid, as it was sweet but not fizzy to help dissolve the tablet. Take them both in quick succession, gulping down as much of your drink as you can. And then it was best followed by a bite or two of food. The medicine had this wonderful way of spreading a metallic, bitter taste throughout the back of your mouth and coating your tongue. I have never encountered a flavor quite like it, as if you licked an old iron doorknob and chewed on burnt coffee at once. So strong, was it, that it flavored your food for the first few bites of your meal. Eating something after taking the medicine was an immediate need, as I found out to my detriment. I forced down my chloroquine one morning but then neglected to eat as I should have. Within minutes (I kid you not), I felt my stomach beginning to sour, to the point I wasn't sure I could have eaten anything. Not long after that, I just barely made it into the bathroom to vomit every last tasty morsel of the tablet back up. Think that's graphic enough? It's not. No superlative or description can quite grasp the taste, as any of my teammates from the trip could tell you.
This experience, even without experiencing it twice that one foolish morning, was enough to burn me on bitter tastes. I watch Food Network stars go into raptures on the bitter taste of frisee or escarole or endive, and I no longer want to try the dish. Salads at restaurants are sometimes an obstacle course for me, because I cannot enjoy bitter greens. Coffee I can enjoy with milk and sugar because they can mask the bitterness without losing the other indefinable flavors of coffee. Tea has no capability like this. It just tastes like milk or sugar, or still like bitter tea. So even as I sit here and try to sip my Chinese flower herbal tea (as Eliza would beg for hot chocolate), I am again trying to convince myself how much I like it.
Monday, January 24, 2011
The Power of Suggestion
It is strooooong with the pregnant one, just in case you didn't know. Case in point: reading through a little Facebook while I wait for my husband to come upstairs for bedtime, and I see a post from a friend about a Campus Life benefit at Smash Burger in Manhattan tomorrow night. Another friend of his has commented about fried pickles at Smash Burger on his post. Now, can you guess what I'm really, really wanting? Yes: fried pickles! Oh, it sounds so good. I want some. Like yesterday. Is there much chance of convincing my husband to go sometime? We shall see.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday Quick 5
Is it really Friday again? Where has this week gone? You'd think with a snow day I'd feel the week dragging by, but no. (I do, however, feel nap time flying by and live in fear that I will hear Eliza's plaintive tones signaling the end.) So here goes another five things:
1. There's a site called ListPlanIt that I've been delving through. Actually, a blog called Keeper of the Home is running a give away for a membership to ListPlanIt. I'm thinking about entering. And if not entering, maybe downloading some e-planners. Let's face it folks, I am the furthest thing from organized, and in starting to get so I'm always at a loss. It seems maybe a list to help remember household chores, do the meal planning, organize files, might just be the handy thing I need (especially if they come with suggestions). Why not make your own lists, you say? Well, I think it's because these people are far savvier than I am. Sometimes, I don't even know where to start, and these would be a helpful guide. Go ahead and check it out.
2. I am in the midst of reading two books: Total Truth by Nancy Pearcy and Persuasion by Jane Austen. Total Truth is for during the day time of alert hours, those quiet moments I can steal when Eliza is not demanding complete attention. If I try to read before bedtime or when I first get up, or just when I need a nap, I find I take absolutley nothing in. And I want to. It's a good and compelling book about Christianity, culture, and the ability to use our minds. I'm sorry to say I'm reading it far too slowly, especially as our youth minister gave it to me and wanted to talk to me about it. (I'm sorry, Travis. I really am reading it and still working through it! I just want to think about it while I do!) Persuasion is just for the other purpose. I've read it before, so I read it in bed before going to sleep and I don't care at all if I fell a sleep a few paragraphs in and can't remember what I read. Same for naptime. It's nice to have a good, enjoyable book to do that for you.
3. Eliza is saying "Mo-ma" with more definitiveness now! (Daddy, too, for the record.) We always knew she could, but she didn't seem to really care to. There was a moment of motherly care towards my now-toddler (can you believe?) where I was trying to clean something off her face, and she shook her head and said quite clearly, "No, Mo-ma." Sigh. The joy of hearing your baby call you mama at the same moment she tells you no. I am still looking forward to the day when she wants a hug and comes up to tell me so by name.
4. Simon's approach is becoming more of a reality for me thanks to my sister's impending delivery. I've begun looking around Eliza's room and trying to imagine whipping it into shape while holding two. See, here's where I can use one of those List-Planners to help me accomplish the project! There needs to be room for a second crib, room in the closet to hang up his clothes, room in the dresser to fold away his clothes, or maybe just room for a second dresser (though I don't know where we'd find it). Not to mention toys, diapers, books... Poor Eliza has no idea what she's in for... Maybe the nesting is kicking in, but I have a sudden desire to go in there and start rearranging furniture. Thank goodness it's naptime and I know Nick would kill me for doing it! That will keep me from making a mess and instead think about what I'm doing.
5. I actually have three other things I could put in here for numero cinco. I opted for this one: now that my house has been relatively clean for a few weeks (have I finally found maintenance mode?), I need to have my sister-in-law over to hang pictures. I'm hopeless at it. I may have more than I have wall space for and I'm not entirely sure where to hang what. But she has this indefinable knack to come in, survey the options, look at your decor, your wall space, and put everything just where it should be. The only reason I haven't is that our bedroom is the last refuge of complete disarray. I need to get files cleaned out, new ones put in, things filed away, and everything picked up before I can open every door to her and say, "Have at it." (Winter, are you reading? Call me. Maybe that will kick me in the rear to get it done!)
Okay, I'll leave it there for the quick 5, as I'm not entirely sure how quick that was. So, without further ado, adios!
1. There's a site called ListPlanIt that I've been delving through. Actually, a blog called Keeper of the Home is running a give away for a membership to ListPlanIt. I'm thinking about entering. And if not entering, maybe downloading some e-planners. Let's face it folks, I am the furthest thing from organized, and in starting to get so I'm always at a loss. It seems maybe a list to help remember household chores, do the meal planning, organize files, might just be the handy thing I need (especially if they come with suggestions). Why not make your own lists, you say? Well, I think it's because these people are far savvier than I am. Sometimes, I don't even know where to start, and these would be a helpful guide. Go ahead and check it out.
2. I am in the midst of reading two books: Total Truth by Nancy Pearcy and Persuasion by Jane Austen. Total Truth is for during the day time of alert hours, those quiet moments I can steal when Eliza is not demanding complete attention. If I try to read before bedtime or when I first get up, or just when I need a nap, I find I take absolutley nothing in. And I want to. It's a good and compelling book about Christianity, culture, and the ability to use our minds. I'm sorry to say I'm reading it far too slowly, especially as our youth minister gave it to me and wanted to talk to me about it. (I'm sorry, Travis. I really am reading it and still working through it! I just want to think about it while I do!) Persuasion is just for the other purpose. I've read it before, so I read it in bed before going to sleep and I don't care at all if I fell a sleep a few paragraphs in and can't remember what I read. Same for naptime. It's nice to have a good, enjoyable book to do that for you.
3. Eliza is saying "Mo-ma" with more definitiveness now! (Daddy, too, for the record.) We always knew she could, but she didn't seem to really care to. There was a moment of motherly care towards my now-toddler (can you believe?) where I was trying to clean something off her face, and she shook her head and said quite clearly, "No, Mo-ma." Sigh. The joy of hearing your baby call you mama at the same moment she tells you no. I am still looking forward to the day when she wants a hug and comes up to tell me so by name.
4. Simon's approach is becoming more of a reality for me thanks to my sister's impending delivery. I've begun looking around Eliza's room and trying to imagine whipping it into shape while holding two. See, here's where I can use one of those List-Planners to help me accomplish the project! There needs to be room for a second crib, room in the closet to hang up his clothes, room in the dresser to fold away his clothes, or maybe just room for a second dresser (though I don't know where we'd find it). Not to mention toys, diapers, books... Poor Eliza has no idea what she's in for... Maybe the nesting is kicking in, but I have a sudden desire to go in there and start rearranging furniture. Thank goodness it's naptime and I know Nick would kill me for doing it! That will keep me from making a mess and instead think about what I'm doing.
5. I actually have three other things I could put in here for numero cinco. I opted for this one: now that my house has been relatively clean for a few weeks (have I finally found maintenance mode?), I need to have my sister-in-law over to hang pictures. I'm hopeless at it. I may have more than I have wall space for and I'm not entirely sure where to hang what. But she has this indefinable knack to come in, survey the options, look at your decor, your wall space, and put everything just where it should be. The only reason I haven't is that our bedroom is the last refuge of complete disarray. I need to get files cleaned out, new ones put in, things filed away, and everything picked up before I can open every door to her and say, "Have at it." (Winter, are you reading? Call me. Maybe that will kick me in the rear to get it done!)
Okay, I'll leave it there for the quick 5, as I'm not entirely sure how quick that was. So, without further ado, adios!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Another snow day
I hear my teacher friends around the area groaning. State testing is approaching, likely all too quickly, and there is a great deal of pressure on administrators, teachers, and students alike to do well on state tests; after all, precious funding depends on it. If it weren't for my stint in education ed. I probably wouldn't really understand. But I do, a little. The pressure comes from many sides. First off, funding depends on results. Without funding, important programs are cut, teachers are cut, and that often leaves the students in overcrowded classrooms with overworked teachers and not enough resources to provide the education our society claims we're so willing to give. For teachers, this means far more work and very little compensation, making it a very difficult job to do and expectations so high that they are practically unreasonable. Secondly, there's the joy of having the results published for the public to pick apart without really understanding what it takes to teach the standards, prepare students for tests, and motivate them to do well on a test (yes, a test, which we all know that we as kids hated). Where does the responsibility lie? That's a hot topic I'm not sure I want to touch on.
I hadn't actually meant to talk about testing, or the affects of a snow day during a very critical period in teaching and preparation could have. I'm hoping that my teacher friends are taking a moment to sit back, take a deep breath, relax a little, and bless the extra time to prepare. A well-rested, prepared teacher is an effective teacher.
For me, a snow day means another day in doors (no big deal, as Eliza and I spend a lot of time inside in colder weather anyway). It does mean not getting out and going anywhere, likely. But I've been to the store. Eliza is fairly easily entertained, unless she has her heart set on playing with something she shouldn't. I know it: I've got a pretty easy kid. What'll I do when the next one comes? My only qualm about the day is that we need to get our sidewalk shoveled and whether or not and when I should do it. I know Nick's not hot on the idea in my pregnant state, and I wouldn't have even suggested it (as I know he'd take care of it) except for the fact that he's not sure when he'll get off today, and he has obligations tonight. So we shall see. But I think my little one has finally fallen asleep and now may be the time to go out and strap on my inadequate boots and do some shoveling.
I hadn't actually meant to talk about testing, or the affects of a snow day during a very critical period in teaching and preparation could have. I'm hoping that my teacher friends are taking a moment to sit back, take a deep breath, relax a little, and bless the extra time to prepare. A well-rested, prepared teacher is an effective teacher.
For me, a snow day means another day in doors (no big deal, as Eliza and I spend a lot of time inside in colder weather anyway). It does mean not getting out and going anywhere, likely. But I've been to the store. Eliza is fairly easily entertained, unless she has her heart set on playing with something she shouldn't. I know it: I've got a pretty easy kid. What'll I do when the next one comes? My only qualm about the day is that we need to get our sidewalk shoveled and whether or not and when I should do it. I know Nick's not hot on the idea in my pregnant state, and I wouldn't have even suggested it (as I know he'd take care of it) except for the fact that he's not sure when he'll get off today, and he has obligations tonight. So we shall see. But I think my little one has finally fallen asleep and now may be the time to go out and strap on my inadequate boots and do some shoveling.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Friday Quick 5
This is a practice that a college classmate of mine has on her blog (which I love, by the way). Every Friday she posts 5 things that might be going on in her family, that she might be thinking about, what have you. Basically, you get five mini-posts in one. It never fails to be interesting. I hope she doesn't mind me stealing the practice for today, at least. (I've thought about switching the day and number in case that might be a problem, but who can really write a Tuesday Ten or a Sunday Seven? Okay, maybe Sunday Seven is doable. Maybe.) Anyway, check out my blogroll on the right hand side of the blog, and I'm sure you'll find her blog if you'd like to check it out.
1. This week I washed all of the clothes we've gathered for Simon and sorted them by size. This kid is well-outfitted for next fall/winter, but as for when he makes his entrance we have three sleepers (one footy, two the gathered night-gown type), a t-shirt, a onesie, and what will likely be his home-from-the-hospital outfit. I mean, who can resist a soft little overall set that says "Heaven Sent"? I would be tempted to be seriously worried, but as my mom has pointed out a few times to me, now is not the right time to be buying warm weather clothes for the little guy. And of course, when warm-weather clothes were on sale or in garage sales, we didn't know it was going to be a little guy. I still need to go through Eliza's newborn things, as I think I have a small handful of gender-neutral things for her. But overwhelmingly her clothes are pink with flowers and bows, so we may have to hit some garage sales as soon was warm weather hits.
2. I am drinking my first coffee of the day currently, and I actually sat here for a moment with both hands wrapped around the mug, savoring the flavor on my tongue, and thinking, "Oh, coffee, how I've missed you." Nick is usually faithful in making me a cup of joe in the morning, but this morning we didn't have any coffee ground. As it's a loud grinder, he refuses to do it in the morning. I have now resolved to make sure there is always ground coffee while I'm doing chores in the kitchen!
3. Menu planning started out well: using several tips and tricks I've gathered from friends, comments, and reading material on the web, I came up with a working menu plan. And then the 8 inches of snow we received this week (plus a nearly flat tire when Eliza was overdue for both lunch and a nap during grocery shopping) blew the first week and a half to bits. Not to worry: it's the beauty of having a month long plan. I moved some meals around, improvised, and we'll hopefully be back on track by the middle of next week.
4. I think we need to have friends over more often. We had guests over both Friday and Saturday night last week and let me tell you, my house has never been cleaner. The floors were well vacuumed (of course I did them both days), the bathroom was spotless (Eliza was not allowed in), and the dining room actually looked like a room and not a repository for lost or random things. The only exception was the kitchen, after Nick cooked. But no one's complaining there: it was a fabulous dinner and a scrumptious dessert. We have some filling leftover, so I'm going to make him make dessert again, really soon. With coffee. However, now the living room looks like Eliza blew something up, the kitchen is still struggling to recover, and there's a mess on the dining room table again. Who'd like to come over next week? ;)
5. My sister is due in just two weeks. It's actually fun (to me at least) that we're both having boys within a few months of each other. I look forward to them growing up together. I'm looking forward to holding my new nephew and telling him, as I did his brothers, that I am going to be one of his favoritest people on earth. That worked with both Jimmy and Mikey, until just over a year ago. Now suddenly, I have to beg for hugs while I tell them to not stick their faces into Eliza's all the time. By the way, they are her favorite people on earth, too.
That's it! And that was kind of fun. Becky, I hope you don't mind, but I might just have to steal this every week!
1. This week I washed all of the clothes we've gathered for Simon and sorted them by size. This kid is well-outfitted for next fall/winter, but as for when he makes his entrance we have three sleepers (one footy, two the gathered night-gown type), a t-shirt, a onesie, and what will likely be his home-from-the-hospital outfit. I mean, who can resist a soft little overall set that says "Heaven Sent"? I would be tempted to be seriously worried, but as my mom has pointed out a few times to me, now is not the right time to be buying warm weather clothes for the little guy. And of course, when warm-weather clothes were on sale or in garage sales, we didn't know it was going to be a little guy. I still need to go through Eliza's newborn things, as I think I have a small handful of gender-neutral things for her. But overwhelmingly her clothes are pink with flowers and bows, so we may have to hit some garage sales as soon was warm weather hits.
2. I am drinking my first coffee of the day currently, and I actually sat here for a moment with both hands wrapped around the mug, savoring the flavor on my tongue, and thinking, "Oh, coffee, how I've missed you." Nick is usually faithful in making me a cup of joe in the morning, but this morning we didn't have any coffee ground. As it's a loud grinder, he refuses to do it in the morning. I have now resolved to make sure there is always ground coffee while I'm doing chores in the kitchen!
3. Menu planning started out well: using several tips and tricks I've gathered from friends, comments, and reading material on the web, I came up with a working menu plan. And then the 8 inches of snow we received this week (plus a nearly flat tire when Eliza was overdue for both lunch and a nap during grocery shopping) blew the first week and a half to bits. Not to worry: it's the beauty of having a month long plan. I moved some meals around, improvised, and we'll hopefully be back on track by the middle of next week.
4. I think we need to have friends over more often. We had guests over both Friday and Saturday night last week and let me tell you, my house has never been cleaner. The floors were well vacuumed (of course I did them both days), the bathroom was spotless (Eliza was not allowed in), and the dining room actually looked like a room and not a repository for lost or random things. The only exception was the kitchen, after Nick cooked. But no one's complaining there: it was a fabulous dinner and a scrumptious dessert. We have some filling leftover, so I'm going to make him make dessert again, really soon. With coffee. However, now the living room looks like Eliza blew something up, the kitchen is still struggling to recover, and there's a mess on the dining room table again. Who'd like to come over next week? ;)
5. My sister is due in just two weeks. It's actually fun (to me at least) that we're both having boys within a few months of each other. I look forward to them growing up together. I'm looking forward to holding my new nephew and telling him, as I did his brothers, that I am going to be one of his favoritest people on earth. That worked with both Jimmy and Mikey, until just over a year ago. Now suddenly, I have to beg for hugs while I tell them to not stick their faces into Eliza's all the time. By the way, they are her favorite people on earth, too.
That's it! And that was kind of fun. Becky, I hope you don't mind, but I might just have to steal this every week!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Utter failure
What's an utter failure? Me and grocery budgeting. I've read a fair amount on the tips and tricks of cutting your grocery budget: couponing, sales, buying in bulk, buying seasonally, not buying processed, homecooking, etc. And it seems no matter how much I try to implement those things, my grocery budget always gets the better of me. And believe me, I think the budget we've set is more than reasonable for two adults and one infant/toddler. So where am I going wrong?
Maybe I'm trying to do too much with my budget. Is it too much to ask to be able to eat healthy food (not low-fat, low-car, but healthy, nutrient-rich, nourish your body food) on a budget? Some yes. Some say that if you want to eat good, nourishing food, then you need to be willing to pay for it, that good, nourishing food should actually be a priority in your budget. I totally see their point. But we don't necessarily have the resources to be spending all kinds of money on just food. There are other things this money needs to do: give back to the Lord in the measure He's blessed us, pay down our debt (with the goal of being debt-free), provide for the maintenance of our cars, doctor check-ups, clothing... not to mention that we hope to someday buy this house and afford to inhabit all of it. So, we have to assign a portion to just food and stay within it.
Others say yes! Yes, you can! And I've read their tips and tricks, and not on everything do we agree on the definition of "healthy". But then again, there are LOTS of opinions on what's healthy and not all of them jive. Go figure. We need to find some middle ground and go with it.
I can't fix all of the problems with our grocery budget at once. This is where I get overwhelmed, break down, and the problem spirals. So, for the time being, I'm just going to focus on getting organized with the groceries. What does this mean? Step 1: Meal planning.
It seems to be a general consensus that if you want to save money, you need to be organized, and the first step is knowing what you're going to be making. Makes total sense. If you know what you're going to be serving throughout the week/month, then you'll only need to buy things to fit that and nothing extra (or not too many extras as you're learning). So, we begin at square one: meal planning.
I've done weekly meal plans, and for the most part they've worked out for me. But as the trend has become to do a big shopping day once a month (usually when the grocery budget falls into my hands), and then only smaller supplementary trips as needed (for things like milk, eggs, perishables), it makes more sense to start a monthly menu plan. In-tim-i-dating. Yes. We emphasize almost every syllable here.
I'm not great at menu plans. My problem is coming up with enough ideas. I often sit and scour cookbooks, websites, and rack my brain for something that sounds interesting and non-repetitive. I've tried to find good and easy info on menu planning, and the most you might get is a single blog post on what a specific person does or with very vague tips. I need a step-by-step process here, people. It has taken me some time to sift through this info and find some things I think might just work for me.
I'm just starting. In fact, I'm sitting here with pen, paper, outline, and grocery list trying to get started. I'll update to let you know how it's going. But if I were to have a resolution for this year, it's to get the grocery budget under control and take some of the stress out of what I'm going to be feeding my family this year. One step at a time.
Maybe I'm trying to do too much with my budget. Is it too much to ask to be able to eat healthy food (not low-fat, low-car, but healthy, nutrient-rich, nourish your body food) on a budget? Some yes. Some say that if you want to eat good, nourishing food, then you need to be willing to pay for it, that good, nourishing food should actually be a priority in your budget. I totally see their point. But we don't necessarily have the resources to be spending all kinds of money on just food. There are other things this money needs to do: give back to the Lord in the measure He's blessed us, pay down our debt (with the goal of being debt-free), provide for the maintenance of our cars, doctor check-ups, clothing... not to mention that we hope to someday buy this house and afford to inhabit all of it. So, we have to assign a portion to just food and stay within it.
Others say yes! Yes, you can! And I've read their tips and tricks, and not on everything do we agree on the definition of "healthy". But then again, there are LOTS of opinions on what's healthy and not all of them jive. Go figure. We need to find some middle ground and go with it.
I can't fix all of the problems with our grocery budget at once. This is where I get overwhelmed, break down, and the problem spirals. So, for the time being, I'm just going to focus on getting organized with the groceries. What does this mean? Step 1: Meal planning.
It seems to be a general consensus that if you want to save money, you need to be organized, and the first step is knowing what you're going to be making. Makes total sense. If you know what you're going to be serving throughout the week/month, then you'll only need to buy things to fit that and nothing extra (or not too many extras as you're learning). So, we begin at square one: meal planning.
I've done weekly meal plans, and for the most part they've worked out for me. But as the trend has become to do a big shopping day once a month (usually when the grocery budget falls into my hands), and then only smaller supplementary trips as needed (for things like milk, eggs, perishables), it makes more sense to start a monthly menu plan. In-tim-i-dating. Yes. We emphasize almost every syllable here.
I'm not great at menu plans. My problem is coming up with enough ideas. I often sit and scour cookbooks, websites, and rack my brain for something that sounds interesting and non-repetitive. I've tried to find good and easy info on menu planning, and the most you might get is a single blog post on what a specific person does or with very vague tips. I need a step-by-step process here, people. It has taken me some time to sift through this info and find some things I think might just work for me.
I'm just starting. In fact, I'm sitting here with pen, paper, outline, and grocery list trying to get started. I'll update to let you know how it's going. But if I were to have a resolution for this year, it's to get the grocery budget under control and take some of the stress out of what I'm going to be feeding my family this year. One step at a time.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Happy Family
Ok, I admit that the title sounds a bit like a Chinese dish. (Doesn't it? Can't your order Happy Family? It's been so long since I've been to a Chinese restaurant, I can't remember. We tend to just order the same thing for take-out.) But I have to say: it's quite true.
Yesterday was Nick's birthday. The slight euphoria and gratitude from knowing he's lived another year, that I've been able to share that year with him, and the joy at anticipating another one hasn't quite worn off yet. Do we sound a little sappy? Maybe. But I'm so grateful for this man, and so very grateful for every year the Lord gives me on earth with him. We didn't do a lot of incredibly special things: he had the day off from work, went bowling with a friend, and picked up Applebee's Curb-Side-to-Go (I had no idea how good their ribs were). But it was nice just to look at him and smile and think, "I get to spend every day of his year with him." It's quite a privilege.
Yesterday was Nick's birthday. The slight euphoria and gratitude from knowing he's lived another year, that I've been able to share that year with him, and the joy at anticipating another one hasn't quite worn off yet. Do we sound a little sappy? Maybe. But I'm so grateful for this man, and so very grateful for every year the Lord gives me on earth with him. We didn't do a lot of incredibly special things: he had the day off from work, went bowling with a friend, and picked up Applebee's Curb-Side-to-Go (I had no idea how good their ribs were). But it was nice just to look at him and smile and think, "I get to spend every day of his year with him." It's quite a privilege.
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