Pantry Living Week 5 and my confession

Week 5 was another successful week of Pantry Living. No grocery shopping-check! and cash only shopping: double check!

We hit a speed bump though with milk. Dairy is an allowable purchase. We use between 2 to 4 gallons a week. (More in the winter because of hot chocolate addictions.) Well, Sam's club switched milk suppliers and the milk suffered. We had 2 gallons go nasty before the sell by date. We buy a combo of 2% and whole. My children are now terrified of blue labeled 2% milk. So we've gone entirely to whole milk and I buy only 2 at a time to prevent spoilage. (Btw Sam's refunded our money for the sour milk.)

Unopened boxes of cereal after Week 5: 16 

 During my normal non-pantry living life I get the weekly ad and pour over it. I list all desired sale items with their price. I then compare my list with my coupons and star all items with coupons. I recheck list with ad several times and hit the store on Wed or Thurs. (additional sales begin weds).

I enjoy grocery shopping. I love filling my cart and pantry. I love examining my receipt to price check. I especially love the section at the bottom that tells me my Total Savings!

I typically spend $60 a week on groceries from ShopRite and then $15 or so on milk and other items elsewhere. Truthfully, I miss the weekly shopping trip. But I've avoided the weekly ads and the shopping habit has fallen aside.

This brings me to my second minor speedbump, my awesome dad left the ShopRite ad at my home.

My first thoughts, recycle it or return it to Pop. Time passed and I began to peruse the front page. Oh the sales! Oh the specials! I know I have coupons that correspond with these lovely sales. Next thing I know I've written a short list of desirables.

I tortured myself during this 5th week of pantry living. Do I break my oath of no shopping? Back and forth I went. My sweet hubby reminded me this is self imposed and I'm welcome to shop.

Then my sweet mother showed up at my doorstep with a few of those items. Perfect! Crisis averted....almost. Mom supplied me with

1. 4 jars of peanut butter
2. 7 cans of beans (black, pinto, roman, pink)
3. 1 loaf of potato bread
4. 1 can of french fried onions

 Seriously my parents are awesome!

Week 5 ended on Thursday. I made it!

Well today we hit the store with mom, hoping to stick to resolution. I have to admit I did cheat, but only a little. The cart included

1. 2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (good sale $1.88 a box)
2. 2 bottles of Purex laundry soap (sale $1.99 each plus $1 off coupon)
3. Hazelnut spread (I've never had it before but Dave's been craving it for his newest recipe: crepes)
4. Swedish Fish (for the plane ride in our future)
5. V-8 Splash (that counts as a fruit, right?) 
6. Mini Pretzels 
7. 4 loaves of Potato Bread 
8. Carrots
9. Bananas
10. String Cheese
11. 2 deodorants
12. 2 notebooks (for plane ride also)

This all cost $29 and my Total Savings was $24. See? isn't that exciting!

I only feel a little guilty about bending my rules today. I guess I'm just really good at rationalizing. Here is to another week of no shopping and more saving! Happy Summer!

Pantry Living Weeks 3 & 4

You know the drill. No grocery shopping except for dairy, eggs, bread, and produce. I'm doing this to myself for two reasons: to see if I can, and to try and avoid shopping while my teacher hubby is on summer vaca. Also I try to use cash only, except for a few of the exclusions and gas for the car.

I'm happy to report I've done well these last 2 weeks. I haven't run out of anything.

1. I did buy more bread, eggs, milk and produce.
2.  I also bought orange juice. I group it with produce.
3. and some kool-aid bag drinks......well, its not something we use often and I thought it would be a nice treat for the kids at the beach. It was really really cheap and I used my cash. There, I think I've successfully rationalized that one.
4. Cereal update: I began with 31 unopened boxes. After 2 weeks we had  25 unopened boxes of cereal. Now after 4 weeks we have 19 boxes of unopened cereal. We might be able to make it to September :)

 There are a number of items we're running low on, so I'm trying to ration them out. ie-ranch dressing, granola bars, fruit snacks, popsicles, peanut butter, syrup

 
Almost forgot, I resurrected my tomato plant! I've already harvested 2 grape tomatoes. lol.

Pantry Living Weeks 1 & 2

I love shopping. I especially enjoy grocery shopping. Success varies by individuals. My success comes with a well-stocked pantry, full bellies, smiling faces, clean floors, clean faces. Week 1 and week 2 are successful.  I've resisted the strong urge to go grocery shopping. My mother heard me say I was bummed I was almost out of vanilla and corn starch (no additional in pantry) and she surprised me with both. Neither have been needed....yet. Giant shout out to my awesome parents who are always lending a hand.

On the other hand I've unexpectedly run through a few items quickly.

• canned beans- I make "Beach Burritos"(recipe included) for our beach days. I knew my supply wouldn't last 3 months but I hoped it would do better than 2 weeks. 
• Italian dressing- an ingredient in "Beach Burritos".....not prepared for all the beach days already.
• popsicles- can I just say HEAT WAVE
• frozen dinner rolls- I haven't decided if these qualify as 'bread' in my exclusion list. But I make the rules so I will say yes, they qualify :)
• spaghetti sauce- truthfully I haven't opened a single jar but my mom did. My uncle passed away last week and to save my mom a trip to the store to prep funeral luncheon food I offered her 3-45oz. jars of sauce. I don't think I'll really count this though cause she will replace them. 
• cereal- I started with 31 unopened boxes of cereal. But with family visiting for my dear uncle's funeral some food has gone quickly. I am now at 25 unopened boxes. 
• toilet paper- it goes quickly when my house is the largest in the area: best place for family cookouts, dinners and get-togethers.

 Overall we're doing fine. Even if I don't make the 11 weeks, I am thrilled to make it 2 weeks. I remind myself I am doing this by choice, I've much to be grateful for.

My pantry after week 2

Beach Burritos Recipe(originally called River Burritos)

• 3 different cans of beans. I like Black, Pinto, and White.
• Italian Dressing- 1/2 a small bottle
• Optional- corn, green chilies, olives, tomatoes (note: these will make the salad require refrigeration and will mean it can't last forever.

Drain and rinse beans. Mix beans and dressing along with any optional ingredients. Serve on a tortilla with a slotted spoon. Roll
and enjoy. Watch out for drips, you don't want to stain your cute swimsuit ;) Also tasty with tortilla chips.

Pantry Living....can I do it?

My awesome hubby is a teacher. Teachers work 10 months of the year with a two month vacation. Sounds like a sweet gig. Unfortunately, summer vacation= no income. This awesome hubby of mine will be working a summer school enrichment program to make up for that, BUT it got me thinking. What if he didn't have work? What if that pay really stops? Or worse? Can I live off my pantry and freezer? Let's give it a go!

So here I am. Thursday was my husband's last day of work. I went to the grocery store for the last big trip of the summer. I did anticipate this so I've been stocking up on cereal, marshmallows, and salad dressing, you know the necessities of life. For the next 11 weeks I hope to prepare 77 days worth of food: 231 meals. It sounds daunting but its worth a shot.

Just some of the grub we'll be enjoying. (the giant box of popcorn is actually full of candles)

I allow myself to buy

1. DAIRY(milk, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, you get the point.), 
2. BREAD (but I did freeze a few loaves to delay this purchase a bit),
3. EGGS (no chickens allowed in our city, besides, that's not my thing)
4. PRODUCE(I wish I could garden all the fresh fruits and veggies we need but I've already killed the tomato plant I bought.)

Note: I reserve the right to take food from my parents. They are kind like that.

I also have a goal of Cash ONLY for the summer. Except for #1-#3 of my food allowances and for gas.

I'm so excited! Pantry living here I come!

Yard Saler, Ahoy!

Hey Peeps,

So I've started a Yard Sale Advice blog. Check it out!
Hosting a Yard Sale? Want to start searching for deals? The tips and tricks of it all will be found here!

http://yardsaleadvice.blogspot.com/


The first topic Top 10 Tips on How to Host a Yard Sale

Katy, my beautiful Katy

She is 3 1/2 months old already. Such a cutie!

True Conversion

The Lord blesses me constantly. I must acknowledge His loving generosity. I am a Latter-day Saint (ie. LDS, Mormon, I belong to the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints.) For the last 6 years I worked with the children in Primary, ages 3-11yrs on Sundays. Recently I was asked by the Lord to teach the 12-14yr old Sunday School class. I was quite worried. My mother told me I had something to learn with this new calling. She reminded me that each calling is an opportunity to learn and grow. She reminded me that I've always claimed to have a shallow knowledge of the scriptures and perhaps this was my opportunity to truly study and grow in my understanding of those precious books.

Last week I began teaching the new curriculum for the year 2013. Its an amazing program that is based on combining the word of God (scripture) with the inspired words of prophets and general authorities. It is called "Come, Follow Me". The time went well. The students participated, shared personal stories and I believe they felt the spirit. We discussed recognizing the Lord's hand in our lives. Oh, how blessed we are.

To conclude, I asked the youth to choose from the other topics what should be discussed and studied next. They chose one, we prayed and dismissed. Its only two days later and I'd forgotten what their choice was. I phoned one of the youth and left a message listing the two I thought it possibly was. In the meantime I began studying the one I felt it must be. "How does the Holy Ghost help me teach the gospel?"

After reading the provided scriptures, I studied the various talks and excerpts it provided.I learned so many wonderful things including this:

 "the Holy Ghost teaches by inviting, prompting, encouraging, and inspiring us to act. Christ assured us that we come to the truth when we live doctrine and act accordingly.⁸ The Spirit leads, guides, and shows us what to do.⁹ He will not, however, do for us what only we can do for ourselves. You see, the Holy Ghost cannot learn for us, feel for us, or act for us because this would be contrary to the doctrine of agency. He can facilitate opportunities and invite us to learn, feel, and act."

Matthew O. Richardson, “Teaching after the Manner of the Spirit,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 94–96

We need to be instruments through which the Holy Ghost can teach and inspire others and recognize that it is not our own ability converting souls but the Holy Ghost. Our ultimate goal is true conversion for each of us.

 Elder Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,  shared a marvelous article. He taught:

"gaining a testimony is not an event but a process." 

and then he quoted Elder Bruce R. McConkie who said,

"we are born again by degrees, and we are born again to added light and added knowledge and added desires for righteousness as we keep the commandments”

The image of celery came to my mind. You know when you place a stalk of pale green celery in a glass with water and a few drops of red food coloring.  The crisp stalk does not instantly turn red as if its been dipped into a paint can. The space within the stalk acts as a pathway and draws the colored water slowly up towards its leafy tip. I am that crisp vegetable. I am not instantly perfect and do not know all regarding my Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. I do not have a perfect knowledge of His gospel. But line upon line, precept upon precept I am converted and love my Heavenly Father more deeply and understand him more clearly. It is through His Spirit that I am inspired and converted.

So many wonderful thoughts and ideas, I was truly inspired. The moment I set down the tablet ready to find ways to teach these principles, the phone rang. The good youth returned my call and to my surprise I was wrong. It was a different lesson entirely, neither one I thought it possibly could be. I thanked him and recognized another tender mercy of the Lord. I learned so much in my study, how to be a better teacher and how to allow the Holy Ghost to use me as an instrument. It was not the lesson the youth chose for Sunday, it was the lesson the Lord chose for me.

I pray we may allow ourselves to take the time to be truly converted to the Lord. May we be like the stalk of celery.