This week I'll see a new schedule change. I haven't really gotten locked into the last wo changes so I think I can be flexible with this, lol.
I don't feel I accomplished much last week. I couldn't find the bulbs I meant to plant in the new flower bed. I couldn't find new seeds to add to the flower bed, either. I couldn't find any items off my shopping list online. If the words "Out of Stock" and "Unavailable" don't look familiar to us by now then they never shall I don't guess.
I did look for recipes for summer use and I've about decided that for the most part, we're back to the crock pot, grill and toaster oven or stir fry meals on stove top which is fine.
I looked online for additional grocery stores and websites are non-existent or they simply have nothing up on the webpages. Makes it kind of hard for a potential new customer to determine if you might be the store for her, you know? Especially when you don't exactly live local to the area where you want to shop. I pretty much can add only Walmart to my list of possible stores.
I ordered a fresh lot of caffeinated coffee. I'm going to try the dark roast Solimo this time but I really like the dark roast from Barista Joe. The dog food is coming mid-month and I've now got cat food coming on a regular basis as well, which saves having to go to a store other than Aldi. I've had nothing but consistency from Target on my pet food needs thus far, much more so than with Amazon.
I have a birthday present for Josh, which I'm unsure of but John says is great, and nothing for my about to be 18 year old granddaughter. I want to send her something meaningful and special but what? Budget is a concern. A family heirloom would be lovely but would it mean anything to her or simply seem I'd copped out on her? And if yes, then which one? I'm not sure how she feels about such things. I don't have the budget to do the sort of thing I'd love best to do for an 18th birthday. I need to order something for Katie and Sam and Rosa as well, all from this month's pay. June is a tougher month to be gotten through with birthdays than any other. It seems that no matter how I save for them I'm always surprised when we come to June. This is something I definitely need to re-budget in future.
I did manage to postpone grocery shopping for a full extra week but we're now at the stage where there's no half and half, no sliced bread (John says my homemade makes great toast but lousy sandwich bread), no chicken breast, no cheese, no yogurt, no lettuce, no potatoes or onions, no fruit...Get the picture? It's definitely time to shop.
Work this week:
Figure out present for Josie. Katie's given me her item and I'll get it ordered. I really need to check Sam's list to see what I can afford on it. He's got some big wants which would benefit his home in one way or another. Rosa won't be hard to shop for just a matter of getting it done.
Groceries, which we plan to do after church on Sunday. Pay a handful of bills and get them mailed off.
Do some banking.
Homeschool Josh one day.
Plan for late evenings with the new schedule. This means possibly switching our big meal each day back to noon time or eating a smaller lunch and an earlier supper. All possibilities will be attempted to see which suits us best.
Plan a day with Mama to do her shopping.
Make a return of items I can't use.
Get started cleaning front porch rails.
Meals this week:
I didn't complete the rotation of meals last week, mostly due to an inability to plan anything with out a change being necessary. So we come into this weekend with the Stuffed Acorn Squash and the majority of the Roast Chicken. I don't think we even ate one whole breast of that chicken last night.
Sausage Pizza, Salad
Sausage and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash, Green Beans
Roast Chicken, Squash Casserole, Green Peas, Rolls
Chicken Fried Rice, Egg Rolls, Sliced Oranges
Taco Pasta, Green Salad
Meatless Tamale Pie, Avocado and Tomato Salad
Spaghetti DiAble with Zucchini, Salad
15 comments:
don't know how much you spend on birthdays and the 18th is a big one to most kids...when we were both working and had enough money we taped 50 $1 bills end to end, so it was like a garland. Then we rolled it into a tight circle. In case I am not explaining it correctly, it ended up like a roll of those raffle tickets places use, where they tear off one for each person who comes in the door. (Now I am probably making it even harder to visualize). Anyway, it was the best received gift we ever gave the kid. He hung it up in his room for months before he figured out what he wanted to spend it on. It seemed less impersonal than a gift card and also it is harder to hand over cash than a gift card, so I think he thought more about what he wanted to spend it on. We did a similar thing for a younger kid---only it was a jar of $10 worth of quarters. That was a big hit, too.
Our birthdays are all bunched up, too. I have a birthday budget that gets added to every month so that the birthdays are funded when they come around. It really helps and I never have to give it a thought. Adults get checks in our family so no shopping for them. Our Germany family gets money by PayPal and our daughter does the shopping for those grandchildren. I am thinking about the 18th birthday and will comment again if I have a brilliant idea.
A Bible with a sweet handwritten note from you on the inside cover would be so special and a keepsake that would last a lifetime. Just a thought!
I love Carolyn’s idea! Once our grands have passed the ‘toy stage’, we switched to books and a bit if cash. Since up to around 13 years, the budget is $25/grand, we gift the balance of that money that the purchase of the book did not take, i.e. if the book is $15, a ten dollar bill accompanies. I have much fun researching current best selling books for the age we are gifting, then often buy a used ‘like new’ copy through Amazon for less.
Lana, I used to send the North Dakota grandkids cash but unless I enclose it in a package they don't get it. I have a monthly amount to set aside for birthdays but it's obviously not enough.
Mable, I was thinking in the twenty-five to fifty dollar range. We've been giving anyone 7 and over $10 and $5 for the younger ones but it's not enough to buy anything even at the dollar stores which I pointed out to John. I know EXACTLY what you mean about the raffle tickets...Good idea, just not one I can mail off.
Carolyn, I hadn't thought about a Bible. I think that and a card with cash would make a nice gift.
Conni I could do that with Goodwill books...Good idea!
If her ears are pierced, a nice pair of classic earrings. It is something special from the grandparents she can keep.
I love the birthday ideas.
Perhaps include something that has a special memory for the two of you. Maybe a picture with her when she was little. Is there something she enjoyed playing with or a favorite book that you read with her?
Hope you have a good week, and I hope that your schedule will get better.
Anonymous, yes, I'd thought of that too...
Kathy, A few years ago I sent her a photo necklace of her with John and I. She only visited here perhaps three or four times and I hadn't collected things for children to play with way back then. But that would be a lovely thing if there was something special.
Hmmm how about a pretty journal or a heartfelt letter. You have a beautiful way with words. I'm sure she will love whatever you give her.
Have a lovely week.
About the other grocery stores-try a Facebook search for Wise Buys Grocery. That is one of my discount stores and it is a small chain in the SE. Even if you don't have one in your area it may bring up other stores. Also Grocery Outlet may be in your area. I found the ones I shop at by seeing that Facebook friends had commented on their posts.
I don’t know if you have a Costco/sams club. Ours has lovely pairs of earrings around the 50.00 range. I think your granddaughter would love something like that. It’s pricy, but will last forever, and she will always think of you when she wears them. Especially if they are real gold. My family is like yours, wall to wall birthdays starting in February, so I barely get a month recovery time from Christmas spending. Somehow we manage. Have a great week, liz
Hello - I just wanted to say thank you for your lovely blog. i enjoy it all - the darling pictures, the "wallpaper" - not to mention your text. Also wanted to thank you for not using your blog as a bully pulpit, as so many bloggers do Many thanks.
birthdays are $10 for kids and grandkids... special birthdays like 1 , 13, 16 , 18 , 21 40 , soon to be 50 (LOL) get that amount. Great grandkids get the amount of their age until they are 10 and then they will go to $10 also.Graduations and Weddings get $100.
Lana, I will check on facebook. Thanks for that tip!
Liz, I had thought of earrings. I know her ears are pierced. Need to see what sort of earrings she likes...
Anonymous, Occasionally I will share an opinion that is mine and only mine and not meant to become anyone else's opinion. I give everyone a heads up when I'm about too and I don't argue. So you won't see that on my blog overmuch. Occasionally there are those who want a death fight over their opinion vs. mine but I feel strongly that it's my blog and my opinion and I don't idly come up with my beliefs so if I feel strongly enough to share them it's just my belief period. I'm so glad that you find this blog to be a refuge and for that reason I try to keep it free of political opinions overall, since I do believe every person has the right to make a choice based upon their own beliefs!
Juls, Yes, we have a $10 limit for the older grands but I do feel 18 is a bit special and I didn't do anything for her 16th though I think it is a 'big' birthday too in a lot of ways. And yes, graduations and weddings would be another matter. None of them thus far have gotten to that stage except our own children.
What about a simple pearl earring? They could be worn for special occasions for the rest of her life.
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