Foto Friday

Love it when brothers dwell together in unity! :)

Here is a GREAT article for weekend reading on a blog I LOVE!  This is exactly how my hubby and I believe and might explain our life a little better!

Enjoy your weekend!

Thankful for food Thursday!

This is one of my kids FAVORITE meals.  They actually call it "burger King Chicken".  They say it tasts like the chicken they have.  (Not sure if that is good or bad)  I am sure this will be a hit!

Easy Chicken Casserole:

2-3 lbs of chicken cubed or shredded
1 stick of butter
2 packages of Club crackers (we have used Ritz)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup water
1/2 teas. garlic powder
1 teas. basil
1/2 teas. pepper

While cooking chicken, crush crackers and add melted  butter.  Set aside about 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top.  Put the rest on the bottom of 9x13 pan. 

Mix soup, sour cream, water and spices in a large bowl

Place chicken on top of crackers and pour soup mix over it.

Sprinkle rest of crackers on top and place in 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes until bubbly.

DELISH!!

My thoughts...

Many things on my mind today...

~ I DID not want to crawl out of bed this morning!

~ I am glad I can to wake up to my children's beautiful faces!

~ lunch with a good friend can revive my spirit

~ tired of rain, heat and humidity!

~ ready for fall!

~ Christmas will be over in 5 months and it will be 2011! 

~ after having 2 cars out of 3 not run, it is great to beable to have one fixed so we can actually go somewhere as a family again!

~ my 13month old is getting wayyyyy to big wayyyyyy to fast!

~ this is one of the longest time frames I have gone without having another baby on the way!

~ I WOULD be 28 weeks pregnant this week if I had not miscarried

~ it is hard for me to think about that without being sad

~ I want another baby so bad

~ so do my children

~ my coffee pot is broke and I REALLY want a cup of coffee

~ thankful for a teen who can run errands for me! :)

~ excited to see my mom tonight and spend the night in the house I grew up in

~ now that my reunion is over, my "diet" is not as important  HA! :)

~ going over Proverbs with my children, makes ME realize how much wisdom I need!

~ everyday I hear something that makes me wonder about my children's future in this country

~ for the first time ever, I am wondering if a different place would be better to raise children

~ New Zealand sounds good right now!  (Google it you will see what I mean!)

~ I have lots to do today

~ I want another baby

~ sorry, it really is a thought I have a LOT!

~ 11 kids have so many different personalities

~ if I can learn how to help them love God, then I have truly succeeded!

~when all is said and done, that is all that matters!

How I shop~ part 3

I thought I would answer the 3 questions I got on my comment page:

Debbie~  I only buy 4 1/2 lbs of deli meat that costs $1.99 a lb or whatever is on sale.  I budget $5 every paycheck so every once in a while I can't buy as much as I would like but make up for it with something else such as p-nut butter sandwiches for an extra meal. :)

Carole~  I do have some recipes on my blog if you go to the side and click on them.  I am going to start including a  recipe once a week starting this Thursday.  If you would like to e-mail me personally, I can pass along a couple of them to you.

Robin~  I do not have access to warehouse shopping. I have used them in the past years ago and was never able to save much after comparing how I have to shop.  I have to buy in small increments and can't really afford to buy the way they sell things.  We do have a very small farmer's market in our dinky little town, BUT it is not very reasonable.  I do have great friends and giving people that love to share with me!  Two weeks ago, I recieved 60 ears of corn from people at church and froze it all.  Winter months is not as easy but God has always provided! 

Somethings to remember is this is just a sample of what I do.  My menu's vary but I have a VERY strict budget that I have to stick to.  I have had to learn to make do with what I have sometimes.  Breakfast meals are very economical and I have had those extra nights when it is close to payday!  :)  I will admit sometimes I get to the next payday and wonder how we did it but somehow it always works out.  I have NEVER once had an empty tummy or had to listen to my children cry from hunger or even know what it feels like to TRULY be hungry!!  We are VERY well fed!  Healthy foods are a must and although I don't find it necessary for us to eat organic foods or never eat sweets, my kids are hardly ever sick and growing great!  God knows our needs and gives to us above and beyond anything I could ever imagine!  

I would still love to hear how you cut costs and maybe a sample of your menu and lists! 

How I shop~ part 2

Because of space, I am going to give you a sample of a menu plan for only 1 week and a list for 2 weeks worth of groceries just to show how I shop.  Usually I do them both for 2 weeks.  So when talking about money, the budget would just double with a different dinner menu, everything else would be the same.  We alternate breakfasts and lunches every week, but dinner every two weeks for variety.  (In other word's, we have 14 different dinner's every month.)  Here it goes:

Menu~

Saturday:

Breakfast~ egg sandwiches, milk

Lunch~ lunchmeat sandwiches, fruit, cheese and crackers

Dinner~ homemade pizza, veggies/fruit

Sunday:

Breakfast~ cold cereal, p-nut butter toast, milk

Lunch~ pizza casserole, garlic biscuits, fruit

Dinner~ grilled cheese, fruit/veggies, chips

Monday:

Breakfast~ baked oatmeal, milk

Lunch~ quesadilla's, fruit, granola

Dinner~ beef stroganoff, homemade applesauce bread, veggies

Tuesday:

Breakfast~ smoothies, muffins, milk

Lunch~ homemade mac and cheese, fruit

Dinner~ taco's/fajita's, nacho cheese dip with tortilla chips, mexican rice, fruit

Wednesday:

Breakfast~ pancakes, milk

Lunch~ sandwiches, fruit, granola, nuts/raisins, veggies

Dinner~ burgers or grilled chicken, grilled potato's, baked beans, fruit/veggies

Thursday:

Breakfast~ cold cereal, p-nut butter toast, milk

Lunch~ left overs

Dinner~ spaghetti, garlic bread, veggies/fruit

Friday:

Breakfast~ french toast, milk

Lunch~ sandwiches, chips, fruit

Dinner~ Omelets, toast, fruit and veggies are IN the omelets!

*Not all my kids like lettuce, but salad is offered for every dinner!

*Water is served with every meal except breakfast and we have pop/kool-aid with pizza!

I have other meals that I alternate and they vary depending on the seasons!  Chili and soups are HUGE at our house in the winter!  Not so much in the summer!  Grilling is done LOTS in the summer!  This is just an example of a menu I use just to give you an idea how I plan. 

Here are the items I would put on my list for my trip to the store  (Remember this list is doubled and actually for 2 weeks budget BUT I would normally have other items because I would need them for my 2nd week menu.):

• 
  
  4 dozen eggs  $4
• 
  
  8 loaves bread/2 texas toast  $9
• 
  
  6 boxes cereal  $8
• 
  
  yogurt ( 2 economy size)  $4
• 
  
  yeast  $2
• 
  
  soft taco shells (40)  $4
• 
  
  granola (bulk 3lbs)  $4
• 
  
  raisins (bulk 3lbs)  $4
• 
  
  pasta (6 boxes multigrain)  $6
• 
  
  hotdogs   $3
• 
  
  crackers (2 boxes)  $2
• 
  
  chips (2 bags)  $3
• 
  
  peanuts/nuts  $4
• 
  
  pizza sauce (3)  $3
• 
  
  cheese  $17
• 
  
  4 green peppers  $3
• 
  
  2 onions  $3
• 
  
  fresh fruit  (seasonal)  $35
• 
  
  apples for sauce  $6
• 
  
  veggies  $25
• 
  
  oatmeal (bulk 6 lbs)  $6
• 
  
  sour cream  $2
• 
  
  cream of chicken soup $2
• 
  
  milk  $20
• 
  
  spaghetti sauce  $6
• 
  
  butter  $5

Subtotal:  $191

Meat:

• 
  
  Brats $3
• 
  
  hamburger  (6lbs)  $10
• deli meat  $5
• 
  
  breakfast meat $5
• 
  
  pepperoni  $3

Subtotal:  $26

I am slightly under my $225 budget for the week but I intentionally do that in case I need items such as flour or baking items.

AND...

 I put on my list the most economical prices.  Sometimes depending on coupons and store sales, I pay even less!  Remember, I also use my local 'bent and dent', Hostess discount store for bread items AND I plan my meals around the sales at the grocery stores for the week to make sure I get the most for my money!  Sometimes very time consuming, but as they say, "Time is money!"  :)  I DO put the prices on my list when I shop just to keep me in check!  I find out it helps keep me honest! 

My family as of now, eats about 1 1/2 9X13 pan with at least 2 sides at our dinner meal!   Our kids range from 16 down to 13 months.  Keep that in mind!

Part 3 depends on you!  If you have questions, hints, idea's you use or something else you want me to expand on, let me know!  I would love to do another post on this topic! 

                       

How I shop~ part 1

Shopping for 13 people on a VERY limited budget takes lots of creativity and work!  I have always been able to make my money stretch and sometimes by the next paycheck, I wonder how we did it.  God has given us the resources and taught me along the way how to make it work.  I am going to share some of the things I do and how we get 13 tummies full at the end of each day!

 

*My budget and food goals:

 

Not by choice but out of necessity, I have $200 every 2 weeks for food with an extra $50 a month for meat and milk.  So basically $450 a month I spend on all of our groceries.  My goal is lots of fresh fruit and finger veggies with every meal.  This time of year makes it very easy to do that!  Winter is a little harder!  So I do use canned fruit and frozen veggies during the cold months!  We use about 6-8 gallons of milk a week and I make sure it is hormone free!  We have a great christian creamery that sells milk for very resonable!  (Aldi's just switched over to hormone free milk, if you have one around you)

 

 

A breakdown:

• $200 a month for pasta's (whole grain), grains, fresh fruit/veggies, crackers, rice, oatmeal, cereals, and spices

• $100 a month for sauces, baking items, ketchup (HUGE in our house! It is a vegetable right?)  :)

• $75 a month for yogurt, cheese, frozen veggies if needed and bread item

• $75 a month for meat and milk

Tips for saving money:

•  I use a local 'bent and dent' store to buy some of my pasta's, crackers and cereals~ I save lots of money doing it!  Over half the price!  Also cheaper to buy grains and baking items at our local Amish  store!  It is also where I can by 28lbs of straberries for .$50 a lb!  See if there is something similar around where you live!  Even driving 30 miles away will save you money!
• I use our day old bread store that really is not a day old, just has a couple days left before the date expires.  I also make bread but sometimes just way easier to but it for $.79 a loaf!  I go there once a week and freeze it.  Includes buns, sandwich bread and Texas toast for french toast!  It is Wonder Bread, so it is great quality!
• 
  
  coupons along with store sales~ i never leave for the store without checking online for brand coupons for items on my list!
• 
  
  buy in quantity~ I have been known to buy 10 ketchup's, 50 lbs of hamburger, 50 lbs of flour, at a time if they are on sale!
• 
  
  Don't go to the store more often than necessary!  More trips means more money unless you are like my hubby and go in for 2 things and come out with 2!  Unlike me!  I go in for 2 and come out with 20!
• 
  
  Plan for how many meals you need before you shop and break it apart so you know EXACTLY what you will need.  Eliminating another trip to the store! 
• 
  
  Make things from scratch!  Prepared meals are costly and not as good for you anyway!  (That includes cookies and desserts!)
• 
  
  Make enough for 2-3 meals of main dish so you can have leftover night once a week or use it for lunch in the next day or two.  Also sometimes make an extra casserole to freeze to eliminate the temptation to order pizza when you don't feel like cooking some night!  :)
• 
  
  spoon out meals onto plates so portions are according to you NOT those who's eyes are bigger than their tummies!  (I am talking about younger children!  Older ones can do it themselves but it also helps establish proper portion control as they grow!)  I rarely let my kids have seconds unless it is fruit and veggies!
• 
  
  we only have milk with breakfast and drink water for every other meal and in between meals. They only get kool-aid, pop or juice with pizza and movie night with their popcorn.  It is a BIG treat!
• 
  
  I rarely EVER let my kids snack.  We have never created the habit with any of our kids and they just don't need them!  IF we do have one on occasion, it is popcorn, raisins, graham crackers or peanut butter toast.  Nothing boxed or prepared.
• 
  
  We hardly ever eat out.  But, if we do, it is somewhere kids eat free, reasonable pizza place ordered in, or the $1 menu at Micky D's!  :)  Also a HUGE treat for our kids!
• We have never had the joy of being able to have a garden!  We are city folk, but that is also a great way to cut costs!  I have been given lots of free corn, strawberries, beans  and tomato's in the summer months that I freeze for future use! 

Stay tuned to Part 2 when I will give a sample of my 2 week menu plan and list I use to shop with!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going home...

Tonight, we will be home and back to REAL life!
Have enjoyed our time without a schedule and time to relax!
But, it is time to go home and I am so thankful I have so much to go home to!

So long Chicago and Milwaukee!  You have been good to us!

Away...

For the first time in years, my husband and I have had the chance to take a little vacation!  I have done more in 5 days, then I have done in 10 years!  Kiddo's are split up at grandparents house and we are...
ON OUR OWN!!

First thing we did was go to my class reunion, then it was off to see my dad in Chicago.  (I had not seen him for 11 years!)

We went on his boat on Lake Michigan and had an INCREDIBLE time!  Next, we left for my childhood friends house in the MIDDLE of good old Chi-town!  Had dinner on the beach and got a tour of the big city!  (Glad I was not driving!)

We arrived at our hotel in Milwaukee at 1:30 in the morning!  Not used to those hours but all I had to do that day was relax anyway so it made no difference!  (Strange feeling!)

We have shopped, gone sight seeing, and introduced our taste buds to some unusual foods.

2 more days left and it looks like we will be going to a Brewers baseball game and dinner on the Lake tonight.

I am having an identity crisis having to take care of nobody but myself and my hubby!  I am ready to see my babies but they seem to be doing fine without me!  And I thought they would be so miserable! HA! 

Here are some pics of our first experience of the trip "flying by the seat of our pants".  We passed a miniature golf course and decided to just stop and play a couple rounds!  We actually had to turn around and go back because we forgot we did not have anything else to do or naps to worry about!  It was so fun!

Hubby tee's off

sporting our favorite colors with our golf balls

Off on a boat ride and a day on Lake Michigan

Best place to grab a Wisconsin Brat!

More pics to post later, I am off to the pool to read a good book! :)