Thirfty Thursday

So a while back I found a recipe for making your own babywipes. We go through these thigs so fast. What with one butt to still wipe and quick cleanups of faces, hands and anything and everything else you can think of. I thought to myself "I can definatly make these things for cheap" so I did. I dont have a exact breakdown of cost but a good estimate is a weeks worth of wipes = about $.55

So how do you make them?

1 roll paper towel (Bounty works best)
2 cups boiled water
2 tbls baby wash
2 tbls baby oil ( I like the kind with aloe)

First you are going to need to cut your paper towel roll in half. Just use a sharp knife and its actually pretty simple. Try to avoid a serated knife as it will leave fluffy stuff all over!


Stuff one half of each into a tupperwware container.


boil the water. once boiled add 2 tbls baby wash and lightly mix in. you dont want to create a bunch of bubbles, just blend it. Then mix in the 2 tbls baby oil.


Pour mixture over papertowels and let cool. Once cool pull out the paper tube. It should come really easy, but if it rips just dig a fork in there to greab it!



Then start the center pull. and replace the lid. It really is that easy!


Since these wipes contain no alchohal they dont have a perservitive in them and will mold if they keep to long. I only make about a weeks worth at a time so that I dont have waste from molding. You can also make your own clorox wipes and antibacterial wipes usingthe same method.

Clorox Wipes
1.5 cups water
1/3 cup bleach

Antibacterial Wipes
1 cup rubbing alcohal
1 cup baby lotion (the pink stuff)
mix well and pour over towels. This makes for a great on the go clean up since it kills germs too!

Menu plan and weekly shopping trip

So first off let me say that last week went not according to plan and even though we didnt get to eat what I had planned for Thursday or Friday we did still manage to not eat out. We pawned the kids on Grandma and Grandpa one day and the other we ate leftovers. So this week will have those two meals on the plan, we are not just eating the same stuck in a rut food.

Breakfast this week will be mostly quick on the go (cereal, fruit, muffins) withthe exception of Saturday which I intend to make my favorite Big Apple French Toast Casserole YUM!

Lunch will be the usual, withthe exception of I am packing lunches for Brian again! YAY for jobs!

Dinner
M - Tuna Noodle Casserole
T - Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
W - Crock Pot Taco Soup with Chips and sour cream
TH - Creamy Garlic Chicken Pasta and Broccoli
F - Left Over buffet!
S - Roast Chicken and Veggies
S - Chicken Potpie (using left over roast chicken)

The Shoppng Trip Roundup!

Winco

3LB ground turkey - 6.78 (2.26 a pound!)
2 5LB Whole fryer chickens - 9.74
2 pie crusts - 5.28 (1.00 coupon)
5 cream cheese - 7.40 (5.00 coupon = .48 each!)
silk soy milk - 3.00 (.75 coupon)
creamer - 2.50
2% milk gallon - 1.98
half gallon nonfat milk - 1.51
buttermilk - .38
10LB potatoes - 1.98
cantalope - 1.05
2.4LB apples - 2.35
1.44LB broccoli - 1.41
4LB oranges - 2.98
1LB pasta - .74
fabric softner - 1.95
2 canned veggies - 1.72
Parmesan - 1.98
Goldfish - 6.48

Coupons minus 6.75

Total = 55.89

Costco

Black forest ham - 7.26
eggs - 2.99
bananas - 1.32
salad - 3.99

Total = 15.56

Grand Total = 71.45





Okay so really I could have done with out the big box of goldfish but hey the kids need a treat now and then and whats better with PB&J than fish crackers! I also stocked up on ground turkey and fryer chickens since it was a good buy. I strive to be under $60 per week but somethings just cant be helped.

Check out how others did this week. Grocery Cart Challenge

Five

Five years since we said I do. So much has changed since then. We have two wonderful little boys who bring us such joy. We have experienced struggles and made it through. With you I can do and be anything. Together we are stronger than we are apart. Thank you for making each day as special as our wedding day.

Menu plan and shopping trip round up

Brian is back at work! WooWho! This is a great thing for lots of different reasons but one benefit is it gives me a little leniency with breakfast planning. The boys are more than happy with cereal and fruit, and I could eat my Dawn McMuffins everyday and never get bored. Same with lunch, I could just be happy with left overs and the boys well PB&J are the best in their opinion. I suppose I will need to plan his lunches now but that shouldn't be to hard. Just need to wait to hear word if his new job will have access to a microwave (think leftovers) or if he is the sandwich king. So congratulations to my wonderful husband on your new job! Now for the good stuff :)

Breakfast

M - Cereal and bananas
T - Oatmeal with fixins (nuts, berries, brown sugar)
W - Eggs and toast
TH - Cereal and fruit
F - Banana muffins and fruit
S - Brian's big breakfast
S - Mom and dad out ALONE!

Lunch

Lunch will be sandwich's, nuggets, wraps and salads

Dinner

M - Chicken chow mien
T - Zucchini boats
W - Turkey Joes and fries
TH - Tuna casserole
F - Crock pot taco soup
S - Mom and dad ANNIVERSARY, kids eat at grandma's
S- Pizza


The shopping trip roundup

Winco

2 kix - 4.72 (1.00off coupon)
2 fruit loops - 4.94 (1.50 off coupon)
diced tomatoes - 1.00
2 cream of celery soup - 1.62
rotel - 1.08
kidney beans - .68
2 tuna - 1.00
salad dressing - 2.78 (.50 coupon)
creamer - 2.50
6 yoplait - 3.00 (.40 off coupon)
egg beaters - 2.27 (.75 off coupon)
toaster struddles - 3.56 (.50 off coupon)
baby shampoo - 2.93 (1.00 off coupon)
chips - 1.98
hidden vally ranch - 1.32
chow mien noodles - 1.20
3 pounds flour - .77
red pepper - .68
.65 pound pasta - .51
2 onions - .65
2 green pepper - 1.16
.74 pounds mushroom - 2.21
2.3 pounds apples - 2.25

$44.81 minues the $5.90 in coupons
Total = 38.91

Costco

Grape tomatoes - 5.49
salad - 3.99
bananas - 1.32
celery - 2.89
milk - 3.96

total = 17.65

Grand total = $56.56!






Check out and see how others did! grocery cart challenge

POP!

Bubbles, could life be any better?

Need to make some awesome bubbles? try this.

6 cups water

2 cups dish soap

1 cup Karo syrup

pour Karo syrup into water and mix well, then add dish soap and gently stir trying not to make foam up. enjoy!

A new first for Eli

Its been a while since Eli has had a first anything. First teeth, first steps all that is behind us, Long behind us. But today he did have a first. His first day of preschool!

I was so excited for this day to come. It means that my little boys is starting his journey of learning. From this day forward for the next 13 years (at least) he will be attending a place of learning and getting to explore new things. He now gets to forge his Independence and find things that interest him. He gets to meet new friends, friends that mommy didn't know first! He gets to practice learning how to solve problems on his own and work out his differences with others. I know that he will be great.

But I still cant help but feel a little nervous too. I wont be able to always be he one to guide him, and teach him, and help him. I wont always be in control of what he sees and hears. Its a little nerve wracking to know that sometimes his feeling are going to get hurt, that someone doesn't want him to play with them, to not get picked first. But I realize that these are the things we all had to learn and that's what makes us who we are. If it wasn't for struggle we can never triumph. Good Luck little man, but I know you wont need it ;)

On a memorable note. In their first class they were to make fruit loop necklaces to bring home. Eli's slip said that his necklace was made with 5 fruit loops. None of which were on the necklace by the time we picked him up!

Menu plans and shopping round up

Since breakfast and lunch are kinda predictable (sandwiches, eggs, cereal, etc) I wont go into details and highlight just our dinners.

M - Lemon Pepper chicken
T - Crock pot potato soup
W - Crock pot BBQ chicken burgers
TH - Crock pot Mac and Cheese
F - Crock pot Lasagna
S - Mom and Dad date night at Chopstix!
S - Pizza

Notice the theme this week? without much thought my crock pot will be getting a workout.

Shopping Trip

Winco
2% Milk gallon - FREE
Nonfat milk Half gallon - 1.51
CoffeMate creamer - 2.50
Eggbeaters - 2.27 ($.50 off coupon)
Bacon - 2.18
hash browns - 1.50
ricotta cheese - 2.33
28oz crushed tomatoes - 1.86
BBQ sauce - 1.28
peroxide - 1.04
butter - 2.00
3.5 pounds sugar - 1.66
bread - FREE
onions - 1.13
english muffins - 1.77
lasagna noodles - .51
mozzarella - 1.69
2 cheddar cheese - 3.38
elbow macaroni - .70
2 broccoli crowns - 1.01
green onions - .38
2 pound baking soda - .86
4 pound naval oranges - 2.98
cream cheese - .98
cheerios - FREE
grape tomatoes - 5.49
apple juice - FREE

total $40.50

Costco

Bananas - 1.32
tillamoos - 8.99
grilled chicken strips - 14.45
crinkle fries - 5.99
salad - 3.99

total $34.74

weekly total - $75.24

over budget by $15.24
(had I left the husband at home some of those overages wouldn't be there :))

menu plan and shopping trip round up

For a few months now I have been following this blog Grocery Cart Challenge and striving to spend only $60 a week on food. This feeds all four of us 3 times a day plus snacks 7 days a week, although I do allow us one meal out! So far I have done great coming out at a average of $59 and some change. Its been challenging but fun, and we actually are getting to eat a lot of new meals since I have had to get creative a few times. Its basically done by menu planning around what you already have at home. Here is this weeks menu and shopping trip totals.

Breakfast
M - egg scrambles
T - Cereal
W - Dawn Mcmuffins (like a healthy verzion of a egg mcmuffin)
TH - Chocolate chip muffins and melon
F - Eggs and toast
S - Big apple french toast casserole
S - out to eat

Lunch
we mix it up between sandwich's, chicken nuggets, burritos etc

Dinner
M - We had a coupon and went out for mexican!
T- Tuna noodle casserole
W - Shrimp scampi
TH - Lemon garlic chicken
F - Guy night (means the boys eat what they want, usually mac and cheese!)
S - Italian style turkey burgers
S - Crockpot roast chicken and veggies

the roundup

Winco
frozen chicken breast (6 lbs)- 11.96
Shrimp (1 lb)- $3.50
Milk - FREE
White vinegar - 1.98
Corn Syrup - 2.12
Hersheys - 1.68
apple juice - FREE
provalone - 3.48
Dill relish - 1.65
Egg beaters (2) - 4.54
Cream cheese - .98
tomato sauce (4) - 1.12
salad dressing - 1.88
rotini pasta (.84 lb)- .66
penne pasta (.90 lb)- .67
Powdered sugar (3.25 lbs) - 2.24
broccoli (1 lb) - 1.17
tomatoes - .78
bread - FREE
Cereal - FREE

total $40.41

Costco
Milk - 3.96
cheese - 5.69
salad - 3.99
croutons - 5.35

Total 18.99

Fred Meyer
36ct Eggs - $3.00

Total $3.00

weekly total = $62.40



To see how this is done and how others do it check out this blog Grocery Cart Challenge

Who is this kid? and where did my baby go?

We cut Kai's hair and all of a sudden I went from shaggy little baby to clean cut toddler.

primadonna

He just HAS to blow dry his hair after his shower!

Arghhhhhhhh.

Pirates descended the small town of Anacortis, WA on August 13-15th. We were in that floatilla somewhere. The folks went to the 9th annual Latitudes & Attitudes pirate cruising party and invited our family to join them for a overnight on the boat. The weather couldn't have been nicer and the boys had a blast playing with the other little pirates and raiding the village.