2 inches tall. I'm really surprised I've not killed it yet. I've got nada in the fish tank.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
5 days old
2 inches tall. I'm really surprised I've not killed it yet. I've got nada in the fish tank.
Breakfast Math
1 big container of oatmeal, $2.04, for 31 days worth (not that I can eat it everyday for 31 days but that is the measurement lol). So seriously, if you are poor, oatmeal in a big canister is the way to go.
But who eats naked oatmeal? We all know that sugar, cinnamon, fruit, etc = extra
BUT
Thrifty alternative = mixing in stale raisin bran while it cooks.
Consistency? Slimey? Check!
Fruit? Check!
Sugar? Check!
Kid eats it? Check!
On a different topic, for those who remember my kitchen remodel, this is the granite tile I chose that ended up being about $400 less than laminate. When I get done with all of it I'll take pictures. My 3 month remodel has turn into 12-15 months lol
Its the little stupid things that thrill me. When the raisin bran is gone (and the worse part is, this is the good kellogs stuff, not store brand - why didn't I roll and clip the bag?) I am moving on to bigger things....
I got 9 boxes of kashi honey nuggets of doom on sale for 90 cents a box. I now know why it was so cheap. It's awful, dry, hard little pellets - but wait! With a touch of honey. And the meal is organic. Yippe skippy, pass me the honey combs.
So I am going to get rid of the Kashi cereal of doom one 1/4th cup at a time in our oatmeal. I should probably just throw it away or better yet donate it, but its really the first item I've bought in a long time that was organic darnit. And the box was like 100% recycled and everything. And I DO like opening my cereal cabinet and seeing boxes stacked all the way up. It makes me feel rich!
Anyway, we'll see how far I can hold out before I donate the rest. But I'm pretty determined - Kashi will not win! lol
But who eats naked oatmeal? We all know that sugar, cinnamon, fruit, etc = extra
BUT
Thrifty alternative = mixing in stale raisin bran while it cooks.
Consistency? Slimey? Check!
Fruit? Check!
Sugar? Check!
Kid eats it? Check!
On a different topic, for those who remember my kitchen remodel, this is the granite tile I chose that ended up being about $400 less than laminate. When I get done with all of it I'll take pictures. My 3 month remodel has turn into 12-15 months lolIts the little stupid things that thrill me. When the raisin bran is gone (and the worse part is, this is the good kellogs stuff, not store brand - why didn't I roll and clip the bag?) I am moving on to bigger things....
I got 9 boxes of kashi honey nuggets of doom on sale for 90 cents a box. I now know why it was so cheap. It's awful, dry, hard little pellets - but wait! With a touch of honey. And the meal is organic. Yippe skippy, pass me the honey combs.
So I am going to get rid of the Kashi cereal of doom one 1/4th cup at a time in our oatmeal. I should probably just throw it away or better yet donate it, but its really the first item I've bought in a long time that was organic darnit. And the box was like 100% recycled and everything. And I DO like opening my cereal cabinet and seeing boxes stacked all the way up. It makes me feel rich!
Anyway, we'll see how far I can hold out before I donate the rest. But I'm pretty determined - Kashi will not win! lol
2 important money things
One - the power company cut down the tree that I planned to cut down in 2012. Estimates were in the $500s. However, a couple of weeks ago, this tree was coated in ice and bent into the power lines and caught on fire. In the rain, covered in ice. I should have filmed it. The fire traveled up the power line to my transformer and torched it. And knocked out power to the whole neighborhood. Oops.
So to prevent that from happening again, the power company started hacking away at it today. It was about 2-3 stories high and very wide. It was the type of tree that constantly shed sticks and always had limbs falling out of it. A locust tree maybe? (is that even a species? lol). They got it all the way down to a 15ish foot thick trunk. They will be back in the morning to finish the job. The $500 job. The one I don't have to pay for :)
bye bye tree! I won't miss you, I won't miss the 200 sticks you drop every month, I won't miss the weird bark that peels and drops off. Oh and the leaves? try to make your ugly brown leaves now wahahaha
Two - I think I have sold my car. I've had two cars in the 20 years I've been driving and I own them both still. My 1989 16th birthday gift is going away soon. The car my Dad gave me and just loved. It's going to a restorer. I could have it restored myself for about $6,000 and that would give me a car that would run for several years. But its not the type of car that a 36 yr old woman with a little kid who is pining away for more kids needs. I'll get anywhere from 1-1.5K for it. I'll know more tomorrow. The main thing is, I won't feel guilty about the neglect anymore, my Dad loved that car. And its going to a better home. Kind of like a farm for cars.
So to prevent that from happening again, the power company started hacking away at it today. It was about 2-3 stories high and very wide. It was the type of tree that constantly shed sticks and always had limbs falling out of it. A locust tree maybe? (is that even a species? lol). They got it all the way down to a 15ish foot thick trunk. They will be back in the morning to finish the job. The $500 job. The one I don't have to pay for :)
bye bye tree! I won't miss you, I won't miss the 200 sticks you drop every month, I won't miss the weird bark that peels and drops off. Oh and the leaves? try to make your ugly brown leaves now wahahahaTwo - I think I have sold my car. I've had two cars in the 20 years I've been driving and I own them both still. My 1989 16th birthday gift is going away soon. The car my Dad gave me and just loved. It's going to a restorer. I could have it restored myself for about $6,000 and that would give me a car that would run for several years. But its not the type of car that a 36 yr old woman with a little kid who is pining away for more kids needs. I'll get anywhere from 1-1.5K for it. I'll know more tomorrow. The main thing is, I won't feel guilty about the neglect anymore, my Dad loved that car. And its going to a better home. Kind of like a farm for cars.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
DD's Summer Clothes
I did a lot of purging last night from DD's stored clothes. I sorted everything by season then by size. I chose my favorite things and I pulled out a bunch of frilly girly stuff I knew she'd like.
In the end, I added about 40 pieces of summer size 4/5 clothes to the sell pile.
I know I buy too much stuff. I am really bad at grabbing things because "Its only a dollar". So although I find great items for $1 (or even a quarter) doesn't mean then need to make their way into my little house.
After the great purge, this is what I have left for Natalie for summer. And for fun. let's throw in prices but without tax, because that's like math and it's late :)
1. NWT ariel knit top with embroidery & NWT purple burmuda shorts - $4 & $3
2. AWESOME Hannah Anderson dress. It's beautiful. I might have to take a picture of it. $1
3. White cotton dress with little pink flowers on it - $1
4. really nice lined pink gingham dress $1
5. NWT happy happy shirt and Arizona blinged burmudas $3 and $1
6. Super cute yellow knit sundress and denim Gap capris $1 & $1
7. NWT ariel knit top with embroidery and a skirt I'm making (hold please for details) $4
8. NWT Cinderella knit top with embroidery & NWT arizona blinged burmudas with blue and silver rhinestones $4 and $1
9. peach paisley pillowcase dress from Etsy $5
10. NWT Old Navy white tank top and Old navy denim shorts $2 and $1
11. NWT Old Navy ice cream cone tshirt and NWT light pink tulle skirt $3 & $10
12. NWT Old navy Isan Girl tshirt & tan capris with matching embroidery $3 and $1
13. NWT pink Hula girl tshirt and skirt I'm making $3
14. NWT super cute hippie snoopy tshirt and a skirt I'm making. $3
That's it. 14 complete outfits. I've have 4 pairs of crocs for a total of $29. So I'm up to $85 now.
And here is the skirt fabric! YAY!
I paid $14.13 for this tonight including 1/4th of the ribbon spool (I can make bows from the extra to sell). the cream/teal/pink fabric is for this winter. So really, for summer I'm under $10 ($8.77 actually).
Dear Hobby Lobby - oh how I love you. Your cotton fabric patterns are beautiful and you sell matching grosgrain ribbon at great prices to make hairbows. You are going to help me turn my DD's clearance rack tshirts from Old navy and Walmart into boutique creations that people will envy. I love you. A lot. We are Bffs.
Check out the "old lady I'm going on the cruise I need to make a festive dinner outfit gold lame sequin fabric". That is what the 3 yr old picked out. The tshirt is it being matching with has gold dots on it and its like a 99% match. She is SOOO excited. The green is for snoopy, the purple for ariel and the cream is for a winter top.
All the little one needs for summer is a pair of white sandals and we are done. This summer I'll actually be able to close her clothing cabinet. Things won't be jammed in. I'll have defined outfits, no more separates. I hate separates. Goodnight :D
Clothing - $14.13 spent $572.35 left (and its not even 2011 - bad kim!)
In the end, I added about 40 pieces of summer size 4/5 clothes to the sell pile.
I know I buy too much stuff. I am really bad at grabbing things because "Its only a dollar". So although I find great items for $1 (or even a quarter) doesn't mean then need to make their way into my little house.
After the great purge, this is what I have left for Natalie for summer. And for fun. let's throw in prices but without tax, because that's like math and it's late :)
1. NWT ariel knit top with embroidery & NWT purple burmuda shorts - $4 & $3
2. AWESOME Hannah Anderson dress. It's beautiful. I might have to take a picture of it. $1
3. White cotton dress with little pink flowers on it - $1
4. really nice lined pink gingham dress $1
5. NWT happy happy shirt and Arizona blinged burmudas $3 and $1
6. Super cute yellow knit sundress and denim Gap capris $1 & $1
7. NWT ariel knit top with embroidery and a skirt I'm making (hold please for details) $4
8. NWT Cinderella knit top with embroidery & NWT arizona blinged burmudas with blue and silver rhinestones $4 and $1
9. peach paisley pillowcase dress from Etsy $5
10. NWT Old Navy white tank top and Old navy denim shorts $2 and $1
11. NWT Old Navy ice cream cone tshirt and NWT light pink tulle skirt $3 & $10
12. NWT Old navy Isan Girl tshirt & tan capris with matching embroidery $3 and $1
13. NWT pink Hula girl tshirt and skirt I'm making $3
14. NWT super cute hippie snoopy tshirt and a skirt I'm making. $3
That's it. 14 complete outfits. I've have 4 pairs of crocs for a total of $29. So I'm up to $85 now.
And here is the skirt fabric! YAY!
I paid $14.13 for this tonight including 1/4th of the ribbon spool (I can make bows from the extra to sell). the cream/teal/pink fabric is for this winter. So really, for summer I'm under $10 ($8.77 actually).
Dear Hobby Lobby - oh how I love you. Your cotton fabric patterns are beautiful and you sell matching grosgrain ribbon at great prices to make hairbows. You are going to help me turn my DD's clearance rack tshirts from Old navy and Walmart into boutique creations that people will envy. I love you. A lot. We are Bffs.
Check out the "old lady I'm going on the cruise I need to make a festive dinner outfit gold lame sequin fabric". That is what the 3 yr old picked out. The tshirt is it being matching with has gold dots on it and its like a 99% match. She is SOOO excited. The green is for snoopy, the purple for ariel and the cream is for a winter top.
All the little one needs for summer is a pair of white sandals and we are done. This summer I'll actually be able to close her clothing cabinet. Things won't be jammed in. I'll have defined outfits, no more separates. I hate separates. Goodnight :D
Clothing - $14.13 spent $572.35 left (and its not even 2011 - bad kim!)
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
$268.45
That is about what I spend on lettuce in a year.
Yikes
So I read an article about growing lettuce indoors. This is my first attempt, it is 3 days old. I am using last week's lettuce container.
I also went down to the basement and brought up my fishtank. I put a couple of inches of organic potting soil that I already had and some lettuce seeds I had from last year. My bulb is still good and I'll be setting it up in a sunny window tomorrow ( I do plan to run the tank light about an hour a day to supplement the winter sun).
Does anyone grow stuff indoors to eat? What do you grow and how to do you grow it?
I can only eat small quantities of regular lettuce. Too much and I'll break out in a rash and puke. It's the pesticides and such, which is why I only buy organic at the store. I am interested to see long it takes to grow an 11 ounces of lettuce indoors, the size of the tub I buy each week.
I also sent a "pretty please" email to Dole asking for coupons. If anyone sees Dole lettuce coupons out there let me know please!
Yikes
So I read an article about growing lettuce indoors. This is my first attempt, it is 3 days old. I am using last week's lettuce container.
I also went down to the basement and brought up my fishtank. I put a couple of inches of organic potting soil that I already had and some lettuce seeds I had from last year. My bulb is still good and I'll be setting it up in a sunny window tomorrow ( I do plan to run the tank light about an hour a day to supplement the winter sun).
Does anyone grow stuff indoors to eat? What do you grow and how to do you grow it?
I can only eat small quantities of regular lettuce. Too much and I'll break out in a rash and puke. It's the pesticides and such, which is why I only buy organic at the store. I am interested to see long it takes to grow an 11 ounces of lettuce indoors, the size of the tub I buy each week.
I also sent a "pretty please" email to Dole asking for coupons. If anyone sees Dole lettuce coupons out there let me know please!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Meal Plan Monday December 27, 2010
Meal plan didn't go as planned last week. My boyfriend took us out one night and we ate the leftovers for lunch. One night I had to do a burger king run because I was out finishing up stocking shopping. Now that the Christmas rush is over, we should be better.
Edit: I just dug through our fridge and pantry. I totally forgot about the loaded mashed potatoes from Christmas that we needed to eat (soooo good). Then the little one requested more chili so I was able to dig through the freezer and pantry to come up with everything I needed there too. So meal plan Monday - take 2!
Um - take like 8. I don't know why I plan meals when I can't stick to them?
What we'll be eating:
Monday
Breakfast - french toast & juice
Lunch - canned turkey chili on loaded mashed potatoes (freeze rest of potatoes)
Dinner - lentil/sausage chili on rice
Tuesday
Breakfast - Raisin/pecan oatmeal
Lunch - salad with shredded chicken, cheese, egg, peas & carrots (DDs favorite btw)
Dinner - lentil/sausage chili on rice leftovers (freeze rest for Sat lunch) & salad - taco bell. I suck. $5 blown.
Wednesday
Breakfast - Oatmeal or cereal, will let the little one pick
Lunch - salad with shredded ham, cheese, egg, peas & carrots egg salad sandwiches - I let the kid choose - she really likes eggs - we also had some of the lentil chili
Dinner - spaghetti & frozen veggies & salad In a week moment, we went out for Chinese with my Mom. I have to try to curb that in 2011. $12 blown.
Thursday
Breakfast - sausage, eggs, grit & cheese casserole I'm not going to make this. We have so much cereal and oatmeal to eat up.
Lunch - salad with shredded chicken, cheese, egg, peas & carrots
Dinner - beef tacos & leftover veggies from Monday night (ground beef from last week is now gone!) & salad Date night! The boy is going to feed us! woohoo lol (actually he feeds us one a week if not twice, I should have planned for that).
Friday
Breakfast - french toast & baked apples
Lunch - sausage, eggs, grit & cheese casserole leftovers (freeze all leftovers) - use up the last of the lentil/sausage chili - try to freeze it and not toss it - I'm already sick of it.
Dinner - at boyfriends - party
Saturday
Breakfast - omelets
Lunch - lentil/sausage chili on rice leftovers & salad - please nooooo more lentils! I'll make the salad extra fancy somehow.
Dinner - ham, corn, green beans, cooked cabbage & leftover baked apples & salad (freeze cabbage)
Sunday
Breakfast - Oatmeal or cereal, will let the little one pick
Lunch - chicken tacos & salad (if the salad has lasted this long lol)
Dinner - at Moms
I will need to buy:
Milk (3.44)
tub of lettuce (4.78)
eggs (1.64)
a head of cabbage (X 2 - 1.36)
loaf of bread (.78)
chips ($3 for 3 cans of pringles on special)
ham (2.98)
3 chicken breasts ($3.28)
4 apples ($1.90)
bag of frozen peas (.87)
This all came out to $27.60 with tax. The only thing that might roll to next week is some of the ham. They had a special on a non-lunchmeat pack for $3 a pound. It actually looks like real ham instead of weird rectangles. Oh and the cabbage, I plan to cook it all and freeze the leftover. It was 25 cents a pound and I got 5-6 pounds.
What I'm using from our stockpile:
butter
bread
syrup
eggs
carrots
fruit (we have tangerines & apples from last week)
the GB from last week
tortilla shells I found in the back of the pantry
oatmeal or cereal
some cheese from last week
salad dressing from last week
turkey sausage X 2 (I'm down to like 2 of these, oh joy oh joy!)
6 small cans of tomato sauce (I am so glad to see these go, I'm overstocked and have been for a year)
2/3 bag of lentils
bell peppers from freezer
bag of veggies from freezer
onions
grits
chili seasonings X 2
can of chili
corn
green beans
Edit: I just dug through our fridge and pantry. I totally forgot about the loaded mashed potatoes from Christmas that we needed to eat (soooo good). Then the little one requested more chili so I was able to dig through the freezer and pantry to come up with everything I needed there too. So meal plan Monday - take 2!
Um - take like 8. I don't know why I plan meals when I can't stick to them?
What we'll be eating:
Monday
Breakfast - french toast & juice
Lunch - canned turkey chili on loaded mashed potatoes (freeze rest of potatoes)
Dinner - lentil/sausage chili on rice
Tuesday
Breakfast - Raisin/pecan oatmeal
Lunch - salad with shredded chicken, cheese, egg, peas & carrots (DDs favorite btw)
Dinner - lentil/sausage chili on rice leftovers (freeze rest for Sat lunch) & salad - taco bell. I suck. $5 blown.
Wednesday
Breakfast - Oatmeal or cereal, will let the little one pick
Lunch - salad with shredded ham, cheese, egg, peas & carrots egg salad sandwiches - I let the kid choose - she really likes eggs - we also had some of the lentil chili
Dinner - spaghetti & frozen veggies & salad In a week moment, we went out for Chinese with my Mom. I have to try to curb that in 2011. $12 blown.
Thursday
Breakfast - sausage, eggs, grit & cheese casserole I'm not going to make this. We have so much cereal and oatmeal to eat up.
Lunch - salad with shredded chicken, cheese, egg, peas & carrots
Dinner - beef tacos & leftover veggies from Monday night (ground beef from last week is now gone!) & salad Date night! The boy is going to feed us! woohoo lol (actually he feeds us one a week if not twice, I should have planned for that).
Friday
Breakfast - french toast & baked apples
Lunch - sausage, eggs, grit & cheese casserole leftovers (freeze all leftovers) - use up the last of the lentil/sausage chili - try to freeze it and not toss it - I'm already sick of it.
Dinner - at boyfriends - party
Saturday
Breakfast - omelets
Lunch - lentil/sausage chili on rice leftovers & salad - please nooooo more lentils! I'll make the salad extra fancy somehow.
Dinner - ham, corn, green beans, cooked cabbage & leftover baked apples & salad (freeze cabbage)
Sunday
Breakfast - Oatmeal or cereal, will let the little one pick
Lunch - chicken tacos & salad (if the salad has lasted this long lol)
Dinner - at Moms
I will need to buy:
Milk (3.44)
tub of lettuce (4.78)
eggs (1.64)
a head of cabbage (X 2 - 1.36)
loaf of bread (.78)
chips ($3 for 3 cans of pringles on special)
ham (2.98)
3 chicken breasts ($3.28)
4 apples ($1.90)
bag of frozen peas (.87)
This all came out to $27.60 with tax. The only thing that might roll to next week is some of the ham. They had a special on a non-lunchmeat pack for $3 a pound. It actually looks like real ham instead of weird rectangles. Oh and the cabbage, I plan to cook it all and freeze the leftover. It was 25 cents a pound and I got 5-6 pounds.
What I'm using from our stockpile:
butter
bread
syrup
eggs
carrots
fruit (we have tangerines & apples from last week)
the GB from last week
tortilla shells I found in the back of the pantry
oatmeal or cereal
some cheese from last week
salad dressing from last week
turkey sausage X 2 (I'm down to like 2 of these, oh joy oh joy!)
6 small cans of tomato sauce (I am so glad to see these go, I'm overstocked and have been for a year)
2/3 bag of lentils
bell peppers from freezer
bag of veggies from freezer
onions
grits
chili seasonings X 2
can of chili
corn
green beans
Cheap Clothes for 2011
I had a fight with DD one morning about what she was going to wear. It was a top and jeans, a princess top no less. But she wanted to wear a dress with her jeans, she wears that type of stuff a lot. Well, I was behind on laundry and didn't have what she wanted clean. So she pitched a huge fit and I realized I was dressing my kid in stuff she didn't like. Later that day, we went through all her clothes. She vetoed 50% of them, all the same type of stuff. She only wants bottoms if there are dresses with them, she only wants tops if they are with skirts. The fluffier/sparklier/shinier/pinker the better.
So I felt rotten. I've bought her whole next summer wardrobe already. Its basic stuff, I thought it was cute, she isn't going to think so.
So I am going to rethink her clothing choices. She normally has 20-30 outfits because I pay a buck or two for them. I think now, I am going to pare it down to 7 outfits. I'll have to by a few things to bling them out for her but that is ok. I remember being little and having to wear clothes that I thought were ugly. I won't do that to her too. It will cost more per outfit but we won't be doing the mix and match separates anymore.
So anyway, I am now going to add a ton of her summer stuff to the consignment sale in March.
This is what I bought her last week for her stockpile. It all met with her approval. The blingy capris (arizona nwt) go with her princess tshirts for next summer. The dress (old navy) is long enough to wear alone. The ruffle sweater (mary kate) goes over her ballet leotard. So does another white cropped sweater than I didn't get into the picture. The burgundy shirt & skirt (gymbo) are for this year, the meet her criteria because the skirt twirls. The pink skirt (gymbo) is really big but it sparkles so I'll save it.
(please ignore the unmade bed lol) So this was my $6 splurge. There will be another $1 tag sale in Feb, it should be winter styles.
Clothing balance remaining $586.48
So I felt rotten. I've bought her whole next summer wardrobe already. Its basic stuff, I thought it was cute, she isn't going to think so.
So I am going to rethink her clothing choices. She normally has 20-30 outfits because I pay a buck or two for them. I think now, I am going to pare it down to 7 outfits. I'll have to by a few things to bling them out for her but that is ok. I remember being little and having to wear clothes that I thought were ugly. I won't do that to her too. It will cost more per outfit but we won't be doing the mix and match separates anymore.
So anyway, I am now going to add a ton of her summer stuff to the consignment sale in March.
This is what I bought her last week for her stockpile. It all met with her approval. The blingy capris (arizona nwt) go with her princess tshirts for next summer. The dress (old navy) is long enough to wear alone. The ruffle sweater (mary kate) goes over her ballet leotard. So does another white cropped sweater than I didn't get into the picture. The burgundy shirt & skirt (gymbo) are for this year, the meet her criteria because the skirt twirls. The pink skirt (gymbo) is really big but it sparkles so I'll save it.
(please ignore the unmade bed lol) So this was my $6 splurge. There will be another $1 tag sale in Feb, it should be winter styles.Clothing balance remaining $586.48
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