21 and some change

I am a bit disappointed in my $100 month for groceries because I don't think it is fair for me to be sitting at grandmas eating all her food saying that I did a great job at keeping it under $100. So I went to Aldi today and got some fruit and brown sugar and candy for Sam's birthday and sour cream and potatoes and spent $21 and some change. I think that is all I got this week, except 4.58 on ice cream. So I think Once our house gets back in order i will try again. I do think I did a pretty good job at clearing out some food at home and keeping it to the basics. I think everyone should try it if they are trying to do better on a budget. I know $100 is not very much, but you could pick the amount that you think you could use to just skim by and then just do the best you can. I bought only food with the $100. I didn't use it on toilet paper or anything that was not edible.

3.88

Meijer

Rice milk 3.88

Monthly total 92.56

I know now that we are staying with Grandma and Grandpa due to the water situation I feel like I am cheating. I may have to do this again next month and see what happens. Although Mary says I made it happen because there is no way I could have made it.

Ever exciting at our house

I know life has seemed a bit boring at our house lately, but we have just been busy. Sam has been trying to get the rest of the trim done and we have both, with the Sister missionaries help, been working on the garden. I just really wanted the garden in by now and it just hasn't happened yet.
So to crank up the excitement here, the water softener decided to explode. Oh yes, yesterday morning about 9:11 in the morning I heard a loud crash like something had fallen in the other room. The girls were eating breakfast and I was confused at what the noise was, so I started looking around. Then I heard the softener start to reset, only then did I notice it was not resetting, it was gushing out water by the gallons.
I first called the water company and then I got that lovely recording with buttons to push, well that started pushing my buttons so I called Sam. He rushed home and by then I was talking to someone at the water co, but I couldn't get the water lid off so I could shut off the main water. And you ask yourself, "Why didn't she shut off the water with the water main shut off inside the house." Well, I will tell you. I did. I found the faucet with the tag that said, "Main water shut off." And I turned it and nothing happened.
Oh by then I was a bit frantic. The water was not dripping out, but gushing 100's of gallons of water into our house, on to my nice new wood floor. Yes, that is what I was thinking about. My new wood floor. Well finally we got the lid off out side after Sam came home and were able to stop the water. They came and set up fans and other equipment to dry it out, but the professional came to look at it and assess the damage today and she said it does not look good. We will probably have to rip up our floor, and all of you who laid it down with us know how sad we will be to see it go.

Snow cones

The girls love snow cones. And they love to help make them. I prefer these to ice cream, although I don't know why they are packed with sugar. I think it makes me feel better that I can choose the amount I put on their cones, and I am sure I don't put as much on as they would.

7.11

Meijer

Rice Dream 7.11

Monthly total 88.68

I know we are cutting it kind of close here. My mom threw in a few donations when she came yesterday so we have quite a bit of food for this week. Hopefully 11.32 will cover the last week of the month.

55.31

Well we have been running low on fresh foods the past few days so I packed up the crew and we went to the grocery. Plus it is Tiny's birthday so we had to find some fabulous gifts.

Aldi

Sweet potatoes 1.99
Sugar 2.49
Hot dogs 1.99
Cucumbers 1.49
Zuchinni 1.99
Lettuce .99

Sam's Club

Bananas 1.32
Avacado 3.98
Strawberries 3.49

(I kind of cheated on this one. I also bought pretzels $5.68, but I am giving them to Tiny for his birthday so I don't have to count it. I just thought that since I wouldn't of had to buy them if he wasn't "special" that they should count.)

Meijer

Jello .55
Pudding .86
Yogurt 1.93
Hamburger 3.92
Tomatoes 2.59
Eggs 2.41
Hominy 1.34
Orange Juice .99
Corn 1.00
Doritos 3.99
Kix 7.50
Ice cream 2.50
Lunch Meat 5.00
Cake Mix 1.00

Today's total 55.31

Monthly total 81.57


I am going to have to rethink this a bit. I had to spend a bit more due to Tiny's birthday and having lots of guests over during the next few days. We will have to see.

3.99

I bought apples for RS meeting treats and we didn't use them so I guess I have to add them to the grocery list.

Kroger

Apples 3.99

Monthly total 26.26 (kind of creepy)

Frozen veggies

On days like today when my children didn't have a stellar lunch it makes me feel like I have done my job as a parent to teach them to eat their veggies when they say,

"Can I have frozen peas?" "Can I have frozen corn?" with out any prompting.

What could be easier than that? I love it.

Isn't he such a cutie?

22.27

Aldi

Hot Dog Buns .79
Hamburger Buns .79
Broccoli 3.58
Pears 1.89
Bananas .81
Cottage Cheese 1.99
Carrots 1.98
Chips 1.29
Milk 1.89
Lunch Meat 1.99

Total 16.78

Monthly total so far is 22.27

So far so good, but we are having a family of four for dinner on Wednesday and Tiny turns one next week so we are having a big BBQ next Saturday. I kind of like this. I really think I can keep it under $100 even though it seems impossible.

Ducks have decided that our yard is the place to nap and play. I guess it doesn't help that the girls love to feed them and chase them. I know you can hardly see the ducks in the last one, but they are there. Every time they are in our yard they want to feed them. I have to limit it to once a day or they would be out there with three square meals and two snacks for them.

Locate ticket has been found

About 10 days ago we called to have our lines located in the back yard so we could plant a garden. Well, yesterday he finally came and Sinclaire followed him around the whole time. She would walk by him or behind him and just talk and talk. It was so cute. And I just love that she was dressed as a fairy. Unfortunately it is hot now so I will get to dig the grass up in the sweltering heat. Oh well, let's just hope the beans and tomatoes are worth it.

$5.49

I thought I would share what I bought with my $100 throughout the month and where I purchased it.

Kroger

3 boxes black berries $3
1 sour cream $1
1 pint cream $1.49

It was Grandma's birthday so we had to make a cake. So I have $94.51 left for the month.

2 Challenges

Tonight I came to share two challenges.

1. Get all trim in the house done by May 1, with the exception of Sinclaire's room, the bathroom, and the laundry doors.

Well, I think we will almost make it, with the exception to the small side pieces to the window aprons. Also we couldn't put the apron in our room because we need to putty. But hey, I thought that was pretty good. Sam has to prepare a lesson or he could have finished the small pieces also. I figured Monday would be just fine for that.

2. Spend only $100 on groceries this month.

Yes, that is right only $100. We have reviewed our budget and I spend WAY too much on groceries. I know I have five people to feed, but I need to slow down. So remember, I have lots of meat frozen and LOTS of beans already, so I think we can make it. Even if we have to have beans one night and rice the next. I was tempted to stock up yesterday and buy tons of groceries, but I thought that defeated the purpose. Although I have 3 birthdays this month, so I might add on an extra $30 dollars.