Pantry Living Weeks 8 & 9

I can see the finish line.....This summer is flying past me and I am so close to the end of pantry living! It will be a pleasure to grocery shop again but I will miss my lazy days on the beach, late nights on the boardwalk and our adventures.

My amazing 10yr old niece just left yesterday. She made our family of 6 into a family of 7. She is tall and beautiful and ate as much as I did. This didn't hurt pantry living because I was prepared! I knew long before the summer she would be our live-in mother's helper for a month so I knew what I needed. We love her and miss her!!!! Can't wait until next year!

Pantry after week 9

Down to business (hope I can remember):
Unopened boxes of cereal after week 8: 23
Unopened boxes of cereal after week 9: 19
Jars/Bottles opened: peanut butter, Italian dressing, Ranch dressing, ketchup, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, olives, corn meal, flour, sugar, garlic powder, oreos, goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, chips, soda, box of candy bars, ziplock bags, juice, cake mix, can of pineapple, box of ramen noodles, paper towels, toilet paper, rice, tomato sauce, beans, macaroni and cheese, pasta, yellow rice, toilet bowl cleaner, capri sun, evaporated milk, syrup
Gifts: giant jar of peanut butter, baloney, clothes for my kiddos, candy
Cash purchases: doughnuts, treats on the boardwalk, Slurpee (bring your own cup day! we took a plastic gallon container from ice cream!), baskets, bday gift for a friend, picture frames, flip flops for my niece, sunglasses for me, tip at restaurant, strawberries, apples,bananas, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes, celery, ice cream, milkshakes, pizza, bowling, chuck e cheese,
Allowable credit card purchases: bread, milk, eggs, raspberries, gas, cheese,
Cheats (hold on to your hats! I ran out of cash while I was running errands): chips(we have nacho cheese left.....this was an emergency), underwear for the kids(too good a deal to pass up), the cutest leather sandals ever for Levi (only $4), Minecraft (I've lost my mind), a dvd for Levi's upcoming birthday, a full length mirror for the boys' room (only $5), footless tights for Lily ($1.50), Lysol wipes (technically a school supplies need), an adorable and super soft jacket for Lily for Christmas ($15, I'm sure this beautiful color will be gone in 2 weeks time when this would have been allowable), lunch at Red Robin after our entire family enjoyed the open house of the Philadelphia Temple ( I was short on cash by about $10 so unfortunately I had to cheat, but at least I tipped in cash!)
Garden goodies: LOTS of cherry tomatoes, a few baskets of green beans, a few peas past their prime

Lessons learned this week: be better at watering the garden, carry more cash than I think I need, pick sugar snap peas sooner,

2 MORE WEEKS OF SUMMER!

Happy Summer!