Monday, April 27, 2009

Budget Cooking (week 1)

With the economy the way it is I thought I would share our budget cooking. We still eat good and sometimes even have leftovers. I am only posting our Dinner Menu. But we do budget cooking all 3 meals everyday. Most of these are for 4 servings (2 adults and 2 small children)

(this is not necessarily what we will be eating this week but just 7 days worth of budget dinners)

  • Pork Roast, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots and Rolls ($9.93)

Roast 6.05/Potatoes $1.17/Onion .52/Carrots 1.00/Rolls 1.19

  • Chicken Fajitas and Refried Beans ($7.53)

Chicken 2.03/Peppers 3 for 1.00/Onion .43/Fajita Seasoning .50/Tortillas 1.79

Sour Cream 1.00/ 1lb. Beans .78

  • Grilled Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Peas ($3.61)

Chicken(3 Breasts) 2.73/Corn 4 for 1.00/Peas(frozen) .88

  • Steak, Baked Potatoes, Salad ($8.36)

Flat Iron Steak 4.02/Lawry's Marinade .60/Potatoes(3) .93/Bag Salad 1.00

Ranch .43/ Cheese 1.00/ Tomato .38

  • Chicken Quesadillas and Spanish Rice ($7.09)

Chicken (2 breasts) 2.14/Cheese 1.00/ Tortillas 1.79/Rice 1.00/ Tomatoes (canned) .78

Onion .38

  • Pork Chops, Green Beans, Butter and Herb Pasta ($3.81)

Chops(3) 1.93/ Green Beans (Frozen) .88/ Knorrs Butter and Herb Pasta 1.00

  • Sloppy Joes, Homemade Fries, Pasta Salad ($7.02)

Buns .88/ Burger 1.78/ Potatoes(4) 1.17/ Seasonings <1.00/pasta>

TOTAL OF: 47.35

We make out our menus based on what is on sale at our local Fry's (Division of Kroger). I also try to match up coupons with what is on sale. We also buy most of our fruit and veggies at the "Ranch Market" due to they are about 1/4 of the cost of grocery stores. My biggest thing is: When meat is on sale...STOCK UP! That is the most expensive part of cooking! When Fry's had hamburger on sale for .88/lb I bought 45 lbs. Chicken is the same way...they will have it for .88/lb and we will buy 30-40lbs. On those weeks I don't buy much of anything else except what we need. This helps balance out the budget. You don't see many fruits on here because that isn't something we work into the menu because we eat them all day long! Also alot of our breakfast "budget" is cereal, fruit, bread and oatmeal...all of which on inexpensive. Our grocery budget is $70 for week for our family. Most weeks I only spend $50-55. I hope this helps everyone out there who reads my blog :)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Zoe update...

Zoe is out of surgery and of course pulled thru like a trooper! We will update more later...

Thank you for all the kind words and prayers!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Easter weekend...

I am going to be honest...sometimes I question God's way of testing people. Just yesterday Zada and I boarded the Light Rail for Phoenix for an afternoon of fun that included Disney On Ice! She loved it! I loved it! It was worth the $50 spent on JUNK! It was worth the $2.50 round trip ticket for the rail! It was worth the $60 for tickets! Her face was just a huge smile from the time we boarded the rail and the driver let her blow the horn. Here are a few pics... or maybe not. It seems as if the Sprint Wireless card doesn't have enough signal to load pics. :( I will post them once I am back home.

And now...I sit in the hospital with Zoe on Easter Day waiting on her pending surgery tomorrow. We came in for a high fever (104) and were admitted. They feel it is in her best interest to have tubes in her ears, removal of both her tonsils and adnoids, and going to top it off with clipping her tounge. She has been tounge tied since birth and they feel that is part of the reason she doesn't want to eat because...well it is hard for her. But despite spending the holiday in "The Clink" as we call it :) It has been a pretty good holiday. The Easter Bunny came in this morning and brought her a basket full of goodies. Child Life (a volunteer group) brought her in a Cow Beanie Baby and a new blanket. Her doctors are all great and answer all of our questions...like always :). We are not sure on the time of her surgery tomorrow quite yet but when we know I will update this post. I know it is just a small surgery but with everything she has already been thru in her short 4 1/2 years...I hate thinking about putting her under again...but it must be done to make her better.

It is 5:45 our time, her tests are all ran, she is sleeping very sound, Tom is laying on the "couch" watching cartoons and I am awaiting the arrival of our Easter Dinner. Zada is with Jaye and Lisa which of course means she is being spoiled ROTTEN!! With Mackenzie there it seems to be a good distraction and hopefully she won't notice we are gone until we get back home! HA! She was very excited that the Easter Bunny came to our house and to TT Wee's! She must have been extra good this year to get 2 baskets!

I will update more later...

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

2nd part of house...

Well here is the second part of the house...I have not taken pictures of the master bedroom/bath but those will come. Tom has been working on computers and I have been sorting out all of the girls winter clothing so it is not really camera ready ;)

playroom...futon...kinda dark...sorry :)


playroom


Mercedes room...


what used to be Mercedes bed...it will now become Tom's office


the girls' bathroom...about ready for a redo...so sick of the FISH!



The girls' room...we have tried their own rooms and with a 4 bedroom house i would love to use the space that we have...but they REFUSE!!


Zoe's bed


Zada's bed


a view of the pool from the 2nd floor...



and then on a side note...i was typing this and Zada was sitting beside me in her pj's.



She looked up at me and this is how our convo went:

Zada: Mommy you are my bestest friend.

Me: Oh really and why is that.

Zada: Because you make me cookies and cup cakes and hotdogs and puffs and you are taking me to see cind-a-lela (Cinderella).

Me: I love you Zada

Zada: I love you too mommy. Can you buy me something when we go see cind-a-lela?

Me: Well what do you want to buy?

Zada: Rootbeer, popcorn, hotdog, candy, chips, and you a snack.

Me: Well we are going to Paradise Bakery before we go are you sure you are going to be that hungry? and what about buying a shirt or something?

Zada: Oh Momma I will share of the food with cind-a-lela and I don't need a shirt cause daddy says we have too much clothes...

and then she was off to play...

Monday, April 06, 2009

Our house...

Here are a few pictures of our house...some have been asking about it so here it is for all little eyes to see:


The whole house...and my pretty orange (VERY DIRTY) car!

Up-close of the front door

Picture wall in play/2nd living room

"LOVE" wall in play/2nd living room

Wall dedicated to Tom's dad...the flag was surprise on Tom's 30th birthday! His brother pretty much ROCKS!! (and more toys and books)

Front window of play/2nd living room

Kitchen...I LOVE IT!

Dining area

Entertainment area...

the beloved's DVD and PS3 game collection...sliding glass door to back patio and pool

1st picture of Tom's TV room furniture

2nd of Tom's TV room furniture

...and tomorrow i will post the upstairs...