tecnically speaking

So one of the good things about a new week is a new chance to try to spend less than $30 on groceries. I think the only way that I can successfully do this is to stay away from all stores. Makes sense, right?


Here's the deal: technically, we've already spent beyond $30 in groceries this week. Sunday we stopped at the grocery store for a few items that turned into $21. Secondly my husband decided he wanted to scoop up the last of the fresh apples from our local farm to freeze and enter a dessert contest. One box of fresh apples = $18. So while that shouldn't really count as our groceries for the week, we spent the money this week. How does that work? Anyone who's done this before have suggestions? And what do you do for those things that you have to buy but last a long time-- like corn starch, flour, etc. Do they count in your weekly $30?? I need help please!!

ps Happy Wednesday!

target failure

The Target trip for $30 for groceries was a major major epic failure. It failed in bad, bad ways. I spent sooo much money there! So much money on groceries. So much money on other stuff. I obviously way overshot my $30 goal. Tremendously. I'm very disappointed in myself. And have in fact, since been to Target for another terribly expensive trip. What is wrong with me?!?!?

today's challenge

Today I am going to Target. Target is my favorite place and my arch enemy. I cannot go to Target and buy one thing or 2 things, or 10 things. It's ridiculous. Today I am determined. I am determined to spend less than $30 on groceries that will get us meals for tonight, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The beginning of the week has been crazy so I didn't have a full meal plan. We had leftover Minestrone soup from my in-laws on Monday and Tuesday. I love this soup so much! It was so nice to have a delicious dinner that I didn't have to cook! :)

Rest of the week's menu:

Thursday:
Farmhouse BBQ Muffins (my mom's recipe)
Green Beans


Friday:
Petro Night!


Saturday:
Bean burrito/taco/make your own night
7 layer taco dip


Sunday:
Leftovers.


Less than $30! That's the goal...

back in action

If anyone is still reading my blog, thank you. I know it's been a long long long time since I have posted anything. I, like most people I think, took some time to evaluate my blog and the time I was spending reading and writing (although a lot more reading than writing as you can tell) blogs. I miss it. I miss being in the blog world. I miss sharing things and learning things and want back in. So I'm back and ready to take on the challenge of improving this blog.

A few updates on life first...


BABY NEWS!
Tommy and I are so blessed and happy to announce that we will be expecting our first little baby in May! I am 15 weeks and we are trucking along getting more and more excited for our new addition to the family. We are so thankful for this blessing and cannot wait to see how we grow and how our lives change as a new family.


Holidays
Thanksgiving was wonderful. We spent the holiday in Tennessee for a much needed and extra much enjoyed vacation and time with family. It could not have been a better time. My only complaint is that it went by way too fast!


House
A mess. We moved 4 of the rooms in our house around and are still trying to get afloat from that craziness. It was a good decision and works well for us but who knew it would be so challenging. On top of that we have lots of unpacking to do (still) from the trip to Tennessee. And I have not gotten out one Christmas decoration yet. But tomorrow's the day! We are hoping to get our tree tomorrow.


Work
I am learning a lot about the direction that I want to go as a dietitian. Working in a clinical setting is something that I have always wanted to do, but it's not living up to the dream. It is a fine job that I am thankful for but not what I had envisioned. I am glad that I am learning this now, and I'm glad that I am getting clinical experience. Thinking lots of thoughts for where I want to be in May and after Baby Morgan arrives, as well as long-term. Working on thinking outside of the box.


I think that is all for now. I'm on a new mission that you will be seeing a lot of on this blog. Cheap groceries. I go through phases but I mean this one :) I want to see if we can really spend under $40 a week on groceries. ??? I don't know if it can happen but it's my new challenge. I know the keys will be menu planning and grocery list making and not going to Target because I spend $1.6 million EVERY time I go there!

a saturday.

What's a Saturday to look like? What do your Saturdays look like? I feel like as fall is getting underway and we don't live near our beloved Vols, our Saturdays tend to be pretty open. It is nice to have free time to work on things. Usually we would spend this time working on our house-- taking on a project or 2 or 10, but since our house is for sale we are keeping things as they are for the time being. I guess now we spend the bulk of our at home time cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning.


What do your Saturdays look like? Are they packed full? Are you out enjoying the beautiful fall weather?

ever have those days?

I had been thinking about dinner all day. I knew what I was making, and I was excited about it. Nothing too special- it didn't take me more than 25 minutes to get it all together. But... it was a homemade meal nonetheless. Broccoli chicken casserole was prepared and in the oven and I was counting down the 35 minutes until we could eat. The oven timer went off and I sprinted upstairs to get the casserole out. And that's when it happened. There was Pam spray on the side "handle" parts of the dish and I was using a dish towel to get the casserole out because my dogs ate my oven mitts with the grip on it. This is what happened:


Yeah, my dinner ended up upside down on the oven door. It was pretty devastating. I don't have a picture of this next part but my husband and I definitely sat and ate the top layer off the oven door with our forks. It was a pretty sad looking sight. And then we had cereal for dinner.


The dogs were happy though because even after we had cleaned up there was still some chicken and cheese stuck to the oven. Lady took care of that.

RD!

Today I passed the exam that makes me a Registered Dietitian! I am so excited to be here and to be an official RD!


Hope everyone's having a nice weekend!