In the last six months we have started practicing portion control- not just for our food, but for our homes and lives, too. This year I really don't want to buy more than we *need.*
I had four kids in four years and believe me - it was a CRISIS if I ever ran out of anything. Now if I run out of something we can usually do without it until grocery day - or go to the store and buy it. For example - we were out of pepper for a week. That is a LONG time for us to be out of pepper, but we managed. There were no lasting side effects... probably... I wouldn't go a day without soap or toilet paper, though. Let's be reasonable!
The first month we started measuring our food it was tough- REALLY tough. We all felt really pathetic taking a half a cup of pasta or 1/4 cup of rice noodles. But now it is habit and we don't want or need more. No one is starving or even losing weight- except Luc and I and obviously we had some to lose.
It is the same with any kind of consuming, I think. When you cut back it *feels* painful at first, but you come to realize that you aren't going to starve. You aren't merely going to survive, either- you are going to thrive.
I have this sickness where I will buy anything for a dollar. I really will! It is a magic number. If I am at a garage sale I can buy pretty much anything for a dollar. I really can because sometimes the person holding the sale will sell me things for a dollar just to get rid of me... :-D It is a gift, really, but I have, at times, broken the first rule of super heroes... Only use your gift for good and never evil...
Sometimes, six months later I look around and think- what the HECK was I THINKING? Anything? Nothing? Probably closer to nothing... :-/
Our shopping has dropped a lot in the last 6-12 months and there are very few things that we miss. Brown Bear DOES miss take out pizza and gazes wistfully out the window when we drive past, but we get him a couple small pieces of nice cheese and make our own and he's pretty happy with that. You wouldn't think that $6 of deli cheese would be equal to Pizza 73, but apparently it can be.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
I made pizza crust...
with three kinds of flour made from gluten-free whole grains. I realize that people have been grinding whole grains and making their own flour for thousands of years, but *I* still think it's cool that I can do it myself.
So far I've done long grain brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat and they have all come out beautifully. I've never had FRESH flour before and I'm telling you it is not the same as what a person buys in the store. First of all, it smells like food! Second, everything I bake with it has an airiness about it. This is a minor miracle because gluten- free food can be stodgy. *Really* stodgy.
I *highly* recommend a grain mill despite the cost, noise and messiness. It is worth every penny.
So far I've done long grain brown rice, quinoa and buckwheat and they have all come out beautifully. I've never had FRESH flour before and I'm telling you it is not the same as what a person buys in the store. First of all, it smells like food! Second, everything I bake with it has an airiness about it. This is a minor miracle because gluten- free food can be stodgy. *Really* stodgy.
I *highly* recommend a grain mill despite the cost, noise and messiness. It is worth every penny.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Small spaces- teen girl's room
Sunshine's bed sits on these two 6 ft long benches. She has all of her art supplies on one side. You can buy something like this, but we realized that we already had it in the house... ;-P
Some day it will probably be converted back into benches for the dining room table.
Monday, December 28, 2009
The living room
We are living in a fairly small space, but we've lived her for nearly 5 years so we know what works and what doesn't, now. There are two entries to the living room and we've blocked one with a 6 ft. shelf. This makes more 'floor room' in the living room.
When we moved here we bought new end tables and a reclining chair. We intentionally chose furniture that was a little smaller and had storage. The tables are black wrought iron with tile top. We need furniture that can stand up to the pace of our life and still look okay.
Tip #1 - Get the best quality and the most functional piece that you can. Now, most of our furniture comes for free or nearly free, but I have discovered that you don't have to take what is offered. If it is not your style or doesn't really FIT with your life say no thanks! :-) There is going to be another free couch offer! Honest! Our latest free couch has a fold down center and reclining ends.
The thing about me is that I need everything away... but not away because if I can't see it - it's gone. The way I fix that is by having fewer things in the living room and everything has a place. I also have some things in baskets. I'm not a big fan of baskets, but I got some that I liked and in a neutral colour and they are very useful for things I need to contain, but not look at - like paper.
The blankets go in the blanket chest and DVDs go in the movie cupboard. I tried many cheaper options for a movie cupboard but I hated all of them. I got the cupboard (an old canning cupboard) for $20 at Value Village on half price day. I used it for school stuff for a while, but it wasn't big enough. It was re-purposed when we needed somewhere to put movies. I definitely do not want to SEE dh's movie collection all the time!
Tip #2- if you only have things that you love (or really like) they will all match in an odd sort of way. Also- if you paint everything the same colour- it will all match, too.
I'm at a place in my life where things REALLY have to work for me (OR ELSE!) I have very few books or knick knacks out. We live one km from the library and use it often. My kids are bigger so they have their own books in their rooms and the school cupboard is in the dining room.
Your rooms *really* have to grow with the ages and stages of your family.
When we moved here we bought new end tables and a reclining chair. We intentionally chose furniture that was a little smaller and had storage. The tables are black wrought iron with tile top. We need furniture that can stand up to the pace of our life and still look okay.
Tip #1 - Get the best quality and the most functional piece that you can. Now, most of our furniture comes for free or nearly free, but I have discovered that you don't have to take what is offered. If it is not your style or doesn't really FIT with your life say no thanks! :-) There is going to be another free couch offer! Honest! Our latest free couch has a fold down center and reclining ends.
The thing about me is that I need everything away... but not away because if I can't see it - it's gone. The way I fix that is by having fewer things in the living room and everything has a place. I also have some things in baskets. I'm not a big fan of baskets, but I got some that I liked and in a neutral colour and they are very useful for things I need to contain, but not look at - like paper.
The blankets go in the blanket chest and DVDs go in the movie cupboard. I tried many cheaper options for a movie cupboard but I hated all of them. I got the cupboard (an old canning cupboard) for $20 at Value Village on half price day. I used it for school stuff for a while, but it wasn't big enough. It was re-purposed when we needed somewhere to put movies. I definitely do not want to SEE dh's movie collection all the time!
Tip #2- if you only have things that you love (or really like) they will all match in an odd sort of way. Also- if you paint everything the same colour- it will all match, too.
I'm at a place in my life where things REALLY have to work for me (OR ELSE!) I have very few books or knick knacks out. We live one km from the library and use it often. My kids are bigger so they have their own books in their rooms and the school cupboard is in the dining room.
Your rooms *really* have to grow with the ages and stages of your family.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Decluttering
Remember when I changed the living room around. I'm still decluttering and reorganizing because of it. When you live in a small space you can't organize one room without having spill0ver to the other rooms.
Tomorrow I will share some of the space saving solutions I have for the living room. Most people don't need a bigger place- they just need better furniture. :-)
Tomorrow I will share some of the space saving solutions I have for the living room. Most people don't need a bigger place- they just need better furniture. :-)
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas Eve
I have to tell you that I have received a LOT of positive feedback about my Christmas choice. I really thought it would be a lot more controversial, but perhaps I'm not the only one that finds Christmas a bit of a chore. :-)
I do want to clarify that it is not that we can't 'afford' it... we just don't WANT it. There is nothing that my children want or need. There REALLY isn't.
So to expand on my thought from yesterday- when is it enough? When do we have enough stuff? Enough stress? Enough dessert? Enough debt? Well, my friends I've got plenty and don't want it.
I want more time, more love, more joy and more simplicity. And they aren't selling it in the store... :-)
I do want to clarify that it is not that we can't 'afford' it... we just don't WANT it. There is nothing that my children want or need. There REALLY isn't.
So to expand on my thought from yesterday- when is it enough? When do we have enough stuff? Enough stress? Enough dessert? Enough debt? Well, my friends I've got plenty and don't want it.
I want more time, more love, more joy and more simplicity. And they aren't selling it in the store... :-)
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
On Poverty
We are not poor and never will be. We are broke, not poor and there is a BIG difference between the two. Sadly, a lot of people are broke this year so there is a spotlight on people who used to have a lot and this year have less.
On the CBC Newsworld this morning there was a family that advertised on Kijiji (Canadian online classifieds) for donations because the father lost his job last month and the mother's part time job doesn't cover the basics. I understand how parents want their kids to have nice things or a nice Christmas. At some point, though, I think a dose of reality is required for the children AND for the parents.
When do you turn to the kids and say "Kids, if you don't have the money then you can't buy things." When do you turn to YOURSELF or your partner and say "no, we can't afford it."
Lest you think I am making too much of cyber begging - try typing cyber begging or online begging into your search engine and look at how many hits you get! WOW! I don't know if it all started with Karyn but I never heard of cyber begging before 'Save Karyn.'
I've heard the same rationalization over and over now for months- a person does what they have to do to feed their families. Believe me - I agree! *I* am doing everything I have to do to feed MY family, but I'm not lying, stealing or begging to do it. I am working two jobs, cutting back on everything and making a LOT of soup. That is everything that *I* can do to feed my family.
Now- I don't tell you this to illicit sympathy (OR MONEY) but to present another side to the argument.
There is poverty and there is a poverty of spirit and I fear that society has lost the ability to distinguish between the two.
On the CBC Newsworld this morning there was a family that advertised on Kijiji (Canadian online classifieds) for donations because the father lost his job last month and the mother's part time job doesn't cover the basics. I understand how parents want their kids to have nice things or a nice Christmas. At some point, though, I think a dose of reality is required for the children AND for the parents.
When do you turn to the kids and say "Kids, if you don't have the money then you can't buy things." When do you turn to YOURSELF or your partner and say "no, we can't afford it."
Lest you think I am making too much of cyber begging - try typing cyber begging or online begging into your search engine and look at how many hits you get! WOW! I don't know if it all started with Karyn but I never heard of cyber begging before 'Save Karyn.'
I've heard the same rationalization over and over now for months- a person does what they have to do to feed their families. Believe me - I agree! *I* am doing everything I have to do to feed MY family, but I'm not lying, stealing or begging to do it. I am working two jobs, cutting back on everything and making a LOT of soup. That is everything that *I* can do to feed my family.
Now- I don't tell you this to illicit sympathy (OR MONEY) but to present another side to the argument.
There is poverty and there is a poverty of spirit and I fear that society has lost the ability to distinguish between the two.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
3 more sleeps until Christmas... :-)
It snowed all day yesterday and all night, too, so snow blowers and ploughs have been out all morning trying to clear it.
Today I want to get my room tidied up a little so I don't have to spend my three days off cleaning.
The big news at our house... well, okay it's the only news... is that I put $250 on the Visa and we are now one tenth of the way towards our first party.
December is always a good time for me to pick up hours so I should have a few extra dollars next month to put against the debt - so watch for that!
I accomplished my debt goals last year and I want to do the same this year. I find that I can get a lot of momentum when I start this time of year. Sometimes there is an extra cheque in December, Christmas money, extra hours, too cold to go out to the store - whatever! It usually just works out that there is a little extra then it is income tax return time.
Now - about income tax! I have my with-holding set as low as it can go, but last year I got a refund and I'm sure I will this year, too. We are also far enough north that we get half of the Northern Living Allowance. The Northern Living Allowance is a bribe from the provincial government to live and work in the north.
It doesn't work out to very much and it is a drop in the bucket when you put it against increased living expenses, BUT it does help to make the return a little higher. Those lump sums *really* make a difference when you are trying to pay down debt.
Today I want to get my room tidied up a little so I don't have to spend my three days off cleaning.
The big news at our house... well, okay it's the only news... is that I put $250 on the Visa and we are now one tenth of the way towards our first party.
December is always a good time for me to pick up hours so I should have a few extra dollars next month to put against the debt - so watch for that!
I accomplished my debt goals last year and I want to do the same this year. I find that I can get a lot of momentum when I start this time of year. Sometimes there is an extra cheque in December, Christmas money, extra hours, too cold to go out to the store - whatever! It usually just works out that there is a little extra then it is income tax return time.
Now - about income tax! I have my with-holding set as low as it can go, but last year I got a refund and I'm sure I will this year, too. We are also far enough north that we get half of the Northern Living Allowance. The Northern Living Allowance is a bribe from the provincial government to live and work in the north.
It doesn't work out to very much and it is a drop in the bucket when you put it against increased living expenses, BUT it does help to make the return a little higher. Those lump sums *really* make a difference when you are trying to pay down debt.
Monday, December 21, 2009
The darkest day...
Today is the shortest, darkest day of the year and since it has snowed all day it really has been a dark day. It was like the sun didn't even BOTHER to show up today.
Today sunrise was at 9:20 a.m. and sunset will be 4:28 pm - that is 7 hours, 7 minutes and 50 seconds for those of you who want to know precisely.
We celebrated by going to the bank to deposit Christmas cheques (THANK YOU, Grandma and Grandpa!! :-P) and by waiting in post office line to send an international parcel. Oh, and we also made a debt thermometer!
What is a debt thermometer you may well ask. Sunshine and I broke the debt into four pieces of $2500 each. The debt isn't quite $10,000- but close! We are going to mark off how much is paid each month and at the end of each $2500 we will have a party... that doesn't cost anything... :-)
I thought maybe it could cost something, but Sunshine says "no, that would defeat the purpose."
So it was a good day... A good, dark day. Don't worry- tomorrow will be SIX seconds longer!
Today sunrise was at 9:20 a.m. and sunset will be 4:28 pm - that is 7 hours, 7 minutes and 50 seconds for those of you who want to know precisely.
We celebrated by going to the bank to deposit Christmas cheques (THANK YOU, Grandma and Grandpa!! :-P) and by waiting in post office line to send an international parcel. Oh, and we also made a debt thermometer!
What is a debt thermometer you may well ask. Sunshine and I broke the debt into four pieces of $2500 each. The debt isn't quite $10,000- but close! We are going to mark off how much is paid each month and at the end of each $2500 we will have a party... that doesn't cost anything... :-)
I thought maybe it could cost something, but Sunshine says "no, that would defeat the purpose."
So it was a good day... A good, dark day. Don't worry- tomorrow will be SIX seconds longer!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Sigh
There is supposed to be a wonderful picture right HERE here of Schmidt lighting the candles. Sadly, the camera battery is DEAD. If I were perfect it would only discourage you, right? ;-)
Tomorrow I'll try and be more interesting - no promises, though! Tonight is night six of my rotation (6 on, 1 off, 4 on, 3 off) and I am *ready* for a day off.
Tomorrow I'll try and be more interesting - no promises, though! Tonight is night six of my rotation (6 on, 1 off, 4 on, 3 off) and I am *ready* for a day off.
Friday, December 18, 2009
The stress free Christmas... One week to go...
Everywhere I go in real life and on the Internet there is only one question - are you ready for Christmas. Why, yes! Yes, I am! :-)
So far in the spirit of Christmas we've put fuzzy socks on the Giving Tree at the library. They collect socks, mitts and toiletries for the kids at the women's shelter. If those items are donated then it doesn't take out of the operating budget to provide them for women and children in need.
We've watched the fireplace on TV and listen to Christmas carols in English and French.
We've watched hockey in English... and French.
Schmidt (the authour) started reading about Hanukkah for a story he was writing. He asked if we could like Hanukkah candles and I said - Sure... why not! :-) No more about that now- there are pictures to follow.
Sunshine donated all her candles to the living room and we've lit them each night and keep them burning after the other candles are blown out. Something we discovered when it was colder than -40... Candles put out a fair amount of heat.
Now- how many presents have I made? None.
How many presents have I bought? None. My youngest is nearly 16 and they are all very aware of our financial situation. I told them that we would keep satellite TV for another couple months and everyone was happy with that.
Oh- and I want to say that I've checked with them and none of their spirits were crushed in the making of this stress-free, guilt-free Christmas. 'Don't Know/Don't Care' went over to her friend's house and they did a cookie exchange there. She also decorated the tree with her friend.
The kids know that any money we don't spend goes into savings and I think they are all old enough *and* mature enough to understand that.
Cards? :-) Not sending any!
Mall trips? One this month- I zipped in to check on the grain mill situation.
Travelling to family? We've been invited and declined. There is only enough room for half of us in the truck. We'll just stay home together, instead.
Decorating? None! :-) Just candles everywhere. We might still do something... but we might not.
So far, we are having a great time. This is the best Christmas of my adult life. :-)
So far in the spirit of Christmas we've put fuzzy socks on the Giving Tree at the library. They collect socks, mitts and toiletries for the kids at the women's shelter. If those items are donated then it doesn't take out of the operating budget to provide them for women and children in need.
We've watched the fireplace on TV and listen to Christmas carols in English and French.
We've watched hockey in English... and French.
Schmidt (the authour) started reading about Hanukkah for a story he was writing. He asked if we could like Hanukkah candles and I said - Sure... why not! :-) No more about that now- there are pictures to follow.
Sunshine donated all her candles to the living room and we've lit them each night and keep them burning after the other candles are blown out. Something we discovered when it was colder than -40... Candles put out a fair amount of heat.
Now- how many presents have I made? None.
How many presents have I bought? None. My youngest is nearly 16 and they are all very aware of our financial situation. I told them that we would keep satellite TV for another couple months and everyone was happy with that.
Oh- and I want to say that I've checked with them and none of their spirits were crushed in the making of this stress-free, guilt-free Christmas. 'Don't Know/Don't Care' went over to her friend's house and they did a cookie exchange there. She also decorated the tree with her friend.
The kids know that any money we don't spend goes into savings and I think they are all old enough *and* mature enough to understand that.
Cards? :-) Not sending any!
Mall trips? One this month- I zipped in to check on the grain mill situation.
Travelling to family? We've been invited and declined. There is only enough room for half of us in the truck. We'll just stay home together, instead.
Decorating? None! :-) Just candles everywhere. We might still do something... but we might not.
So far, we are having a great time. This is the best Christmas of my adult life. :-)
Thursday, December 17, 2009
On trimming the budget
A year ago this time we had about twice as much income as we do now. We also had a lot more debt and a lot more savings, but that is not what this post is about.
I flipped open my book to the budget from a year ago. First of all, it is a chicken scratch mess and I can't really tell what I was thinking at the time, but I was mostly concerned with debt repayment and the food budget.
I trimmed the debt repayment. I know that doesn't SEEM right, but the debt repayment has to fit your current income not your income today. We started started off the year with two credit cards, the line of credit and a vehicle loan. I whittled away at the lowest credit card to pay it off and saved up enough to put against the vehicle and pay it off. I did it because I knew I would be able to make those payments now. The remaining credit card and line of credit are from the same place so only one creditor. This saves a minimum of $350/ month.
Food - my food budget started at $1200+ and I *KNEW* it would be hard to cut it drastically so I did it in stages. I cut to $900, then $800, then $700 and we are down to $500 now. I always give myself a couple practice months when I'm cutting back (and save the difference) so even though I was $69 over last month - I don't beat myself up about it. I think I'm close to $100 lower than I've EVER gone.
We eat a LOT of bulk whole grains, very little bread or pasta and whatever vegetables are on sale. This week it is yams... We are going to be eating a lot of yams in the next two weeks... :-)
We also eat mostly free meat from family. This time we had to go get it (hence the increased transportation costs) but it was an upright freezer full for about $30 so it was worth it. We only eat meat a couple times a week, at most. It's not meatless Monday - it is more like meaty Monday. ;-)
Transportation- We used to fill the gas tank every other month or so. Now we are filling every 3 or 4 months. We can't let it get too low in winter, obviously, or it won't start. I was buying a bus pass every month ($54) or pass pack three times a year ($162.) Lately I've been walking or staying home. I have tickets in case it is very cold or icy. I won't endanger myself to save $1.40, but when I can bundle up and walk I do. I've walked to work 94% of the month (so far.)
Entertainment- We never were big on entertainment, but we would usually do something like get pizza once a month or something like that. One time neighbour boy and his brother were over when we ordered. The pizza place called to make sure it was a real order and not kids playing around. No... it was real alright! =8-|
Our entertainment budget is now zero. We can get movies from the library and inter library loan or DD and her friends trade. The kids are buying their own computer games (used) instead of us buying them. Between books, pizza, movies and the occasional game for the kids we save about $100-$150/ month.
School- I used to buy things every month through out the year. This year I bought in September and we haven't gotten anything else.
Clothes- It was never very much ($25- 50,) but it is zero, now, too. We buy something when it is really needed and the item it is replacing is worn out. You can get a lot more wear out of clothes than you think you can! It helps that my kids are all bigger and not growing much. It also helps that the clothes horse is buying her own clothes!
Cell phone- first we put a hammer lock on DD's thumbs then 6 months later we severed the contracts (AND talked them out of the $300 fee to sever!) This is saving us between $50 and $150/ month.
Hobbies. It was $50, but I never spent that much every month. Some months it was $30 or zero or $70... $30-$50 was more the normal average. This is now, sadly, zero. All that buying did provide a fairly healthy stash and I don't really NEED anything. I helped Brown Bear make a card for his girlfriend in Australia. I didn't even KNOW I had stickers that say Happy Birthday. I would have bet money that I didn't, but I do. Why the HECK would I need to go to the store?!
We are in the process of getting rid of the home phone. Everyone in my life HATES it and it will save about $40/ month.
We are also in the process of getting rid of the satellite. That will save $60- $75/ month depending on the package we have at the time.
So that was basically it- I trimmed and trimmed and trimmed. We are also practicing using less. Sometimes stuff only has one more day left in it and you just use it for one more day. Sometimes it has one more day left in it- three times or ten times or twenty times.
Your efforts will be rewarded. :-)
I flipped open my book to the budget from a year ago. First of all, it is a chicken scratch mess and I can't really tell what I was thinking at the time, but I was mostly concerned with debt repayment and the food budget.
I trimmed the debt repayment. I know that doesn't SEEM right, but the debt repayment has to fit your current income not your income today. We started started off the year with two credit cards, the line of credit and a vehicle loan. I whittled away at the lowest credit card to pay it off and saved up enough to put against the vehicle and pay it off. I did it because I knew I would be able to make those payments now. The remaining credit card and line of credit are from the same place so only one creditor. This saves a minimum of $350/ month.
Food - my food budget started at $1200+ and I *KNEW* it would be hard to cut it drastically so I did it in stages. I cut to $900, then $800, then $700 and we are down to $500 now. I always give myself a couple practice months when I'm cutting back (and save the difference) so even though I was $69 over last month - I don't beat myself up about it. I think I'm close to $100 lower than I've EVER gone.
We eat a LOT of bulk whole grains, very little bread or pasta and whatever vegetables are on sale. This week it is yams... We are going to be eating a lot of yams in the next two weeks... :-)
We also eat mostly free meat from family. This time we had to go get it (hence the increased transportation costs) but it was an upright freezer full for about $30 so it was worth it. We only eat meat a couple times a week, at most. It's not meatless Monday - it is more like meaty Monday. ;-)
Transportation- We used to fill the gas tank every other month or so. Now we are filling every 3 or 4 months. We can't let it get too low in winter, obviously, or it won't start. I was buying a bus pass every month ($54) or pass pack three times a year ($162.) Lately I've been walking or staying home. I have tickets in case it is very cold or icy. I won't endanger myself to save $1.40, but when I can bundle up and walk I do. I've walked to work 94% of the month (so far.)
Entertainment- We never were big on entertainment, but we would usually do something like get pizza once a month or something like that. One time neighbour boy and his brother were over when we ordered. The pizza place called to make sure it was a real order and not kids playing around. No... it was real alright! =8-|
Our entertainment budget is now zero. We can get movies from the library and inter library loan or DD and her friends trade. The kids are buying their own computer games (used) instead of us buying them. Between books, pizza, movies and the occasional game for the kids we save about $100-$150/ month.
School- I used to buy things every month through out the year. This year I bought in September and we haven't gotten anything else.
Clothes- It was never very much ($25- 50,) but it is zero, now, too. We buy something when it is really needed and the item it is replacing is worn out. You can get a lot more wear out of clothes than you think you can! It helps that my kids are all bigger and not growing much. It also helps that the clothes horse is buying her own clothes!
Cell phone- first we put a hammer lock on DD's thumbs then 6 months later we severed the contracts (AND talked them out of the $300 fee to sever!) This is saving us between $50 and $150/ month.
Hobbies. It was $50, but I never spent that much every month. Some months it was $30 or zero or $70... $30-$50 was more the normal average. This is now, sadly, zero. All that buying did provide a fairly healthy stash and I don't really NEED anything. I helped Brown Bear make a card for his girlfriend in Australia. I didn't even KNOW I had stickers that say Happy Birthday. I would have bet money that I didn't, but I do. Why the HECK would I need to go to the store?!
We are in the process of getting rid of the home phone. Everyone in my life HATES it and it will save about $40/ month.
We are also in the process of getting rid of the satellite. That will save $60- $75/ month depending on the package we have at the time.
So that was basically it- I trimmed and trimmed and trimmed. We are also practicing using less. Sometimes stuff only has one more day left in it and you just use it for one more day. Sometimes it has one more day left in it- three times or ten times or twenty times.
Your efforts will be rewarded. :-)
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The new grain mill is here!
Very exciting stuff! I can convert anything to flour and it is SO exciting! I did some brown rice yesterday and it is exactly the same as what I buy in the store only it SMELLS like rice.
Okay - true confession time! I spent $569 on food this month. I did put $1300 into savings, though! I know people are going to email me at home and ask where I got it so here is the breakdown.
Extra EI cheque- $886
Rent from DD#1- $300
Skimmed wherever I could- $114
Extra expenses this month- Vet bill - $100
Transportation- half a tank of gas + 20 bus tickets put me $6 over
Food- $69...
medication- $89. I bought an extra 3 weeks for ds to keep us out of Costco and dh is weaning from one med and starting a more expensive one so there is extra costs this month.
Grain mill -$40 was the difference between Christmas money from my mom and the cost.
Grand total - $294
Now, I know people are going to say- but Kim, *I* didn't get an extra cheque this month so it is really unfair that you would say that if you can save I can save. That may be true, but I think everyone gets an equal amount of chances in life. We could have taken that money had a traditional family Christmas with it. You know - the kind with a Wii... :-) My family *Really* wants a Wii. And just as soon as dh gets a job we'll get one, but not before.
So that brings me back to my point that ALMOST every family can save. I really want want to encourage people to get in the habit of putting SOMETHING away each month. Even if it is $5 every pay cheque it is still more than zero and if you are in the habit of doing it you will save more when you have more- trust me!
Okay - true confession time! I spent $569 on food this month. I did put $1300 into savings, though! I know people are going to email me at home and ask where I got it so here is the breakdown.
Extra EI cheque- $886
Rent from DD#1- $300
Skimmed wherever I could- $114
Extra expenses this month- Vet bill - $100
Transportation- half a tank of gas + 20 bus tickets put me $6 over
Food- $69...
medication- $89. I bought an extra 3 weeks for ds to keep us out of Costco and dh is weaning from one med and starting a more expensive one so there is extra costs this month.
Grain mill -$40 was the difference between Christmas money from my mom and the cost.
Grand total - $294
Now, I know people are going to say- but Kim, *I* didn't get an extra cheque this month so it is really unfair that you would say that if you can save I can save. That may be true, but I think everyone gets an equal amount of chances in life. We could have taken that money had a traditional family Christmas with it. You know - the kind with a Wii... :-) My family *Really* wants a Wii. And just as soon as dh gets a job we'll get one, but not before.
So that brings me back to my point that ALMOST every family can save. I really want want to encourage people to get in the habit of putting SOMETHING away each month. Even if it is $5 every pay cheque it is still more than zero and if you are in the habit of doing it you will save more when you have more- trust me!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
-42 C this morning, Blog Fans
The weather channel doesn't tell me how cold the wind chill is - only that there is an extreme wind chill warning. So that is nice! :-/
Luckily I put the vegetables in the crock pot last night to make stock for soup at lunch. :-) I wanted to get up early and get bread going for lunch, too, but I haven't been out from under a blanket so I don't think it is going to happen. A hearty soup should be enough.
Now- my grocery shopping quandry! I told you all that I was going to spend $500 this month on groceries and I'm on track with that- BUT if I spend $220 this week I get 8000 points. I haven't entirely reconciled to giving up the points. I think I'll just go and get what I need for the rest of the month and not worry about it, though.
I bought one of those step exercise things at the thrift store the other day ($10.00) and the kids and I have all tried it. It is much harder than you would think it would be! Even with out the treadmill we are still losing weight. I am 139.6 lbs (down from 163 lbs) this week and Luc is 294 lbs (down from 310 lbs) He fed himself for a couple weeks and his weightloss slowed down a bit, but that is all over now and he is back to losing 3 lbs/ week. He's only been losing for a couple months, though, so he is doing pretty well.
Last night on the food channel they were talking about roasts for Christmas day. I swivelled my attention that way because we are having roast for Christmas day! Then he said pork and beef. PORK and BEEF? Yuck! What about Venison and bison? We are going to have a lovely and tasty bison roast. Bison is a free range, organic, local meat. Why would I eat anything else?
Oh, and that brings me to veganism. Luc and I are eating mostly vegan meals, but sometimes we have an egg or a little cheese on something. We just keep animal products under 5% of the calories for the day. We aren't starving and we don't miss it. In fact most of the time we don't WANT it. We are getting protein from seeds, nuts and quinoa. So that brings me back to Christmas roast. We are having roast beast for Christmas, but I will have a tiny slice (or maybe none depending how I feel on the day) and Luc will have a small slice. The kids aren't limited, but are encouraged to make healthy choices with regards to portions.
Luckily I put the vegetables in the crock pot last night to make stock for soup at lunch. :-) I wanted to get up early and get bread going for lunch, too, but I haven't been out from under a blanket so I don't think it is going to happen. A hearty soup should be enough.
Now- my grocery shopping quandry! I told you all that I was going to spend $500 this month on groceries and I'm on track with that- BUT if I spend $220 this week I get 8000 points. I haven't entirely reconciled to giving up the points. I think I'll just go and get what I need for the rest of the month and not worry about it, though.
I bought one of those step exercise things at the thrift store the other day ($10.00) and the kids and I have all tried it. It is much harder than you would think it would be! Even with out the treadmill we are still losing weight. I am 139.6 lbs (down from 163 lbs) this week and Luc is 294 lbs (down from 310 lbs) He fed himself for a couple weeks and his weightloss slowed down a bit, but that is all over now and he is back to losing 3 lbs/ week. He's only been losing for a couple months, though, so he is doing pretty well.
Last night on the food channel they were talking about roasts for Christmas day. I swivelled my attention that way because we are having roast for Christmas day! Then he said pork and beef. PORK and BEEF? Yuck! What about Venison and bison? We are going to have a lovely and tasty bison roast. Bison is a free range, organic, local meat. Why would I eat anything else?
Oh, and that brings me to veganism. Luc and I are eating mostly vegan meals, but sometimes we have an egg or a little cheese on something. We just keep animal products under 5% of the calories for the day. We aren't starving and we don't miss it. In fact most of the time we don't WANT it. We are getting protein from seeds, nuts and quinoa. So that brings me back to Christmas roast. We are having roast beast for Christmas, but I will have a tiny slice (or maybe none depending how I feel on the day) and Luc will have a small slice. The kids aren't limited, but are encouraged to make healthy choices with regards to portions.
Friday, December 11, 2009
The treadmill
The repair guy came out yesterday and replaced all the buttons. Sadly it wasn't the buttons, but the ground wire that need replacing so they are going to order all new electronics. It will take ten business days. Yes, that IS Christmas eve and no, I don't think they are going to run right over with it so we can get in exercise on Christmas weekend. :-/
No treadmill until the new year, I'm sure.
No treadmill until the new year, I'm sure.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Money for savings
I want to put more than a thousand dollars into savings this month and I will share as I go.
Everyone can save something and I hope that my ramblings inspire you to save a little, too.
:-)
Everyone can save something and I hope that my ramblings inspire you to save a little, too.
:-)
Monday, December 7, 2009
Busy day
Today we are cleaning up the entry and the coat closet. Honestly- how did it get to be December and this hasn't been done? =8-o
After that we are going to the grocery store for dh's medication then Costco for Brown Bear's medication... and laundry soap. I hope I won't be standing in line for hours because I need to come home and do hours of laundry instead.
I tried to convince the kids to plan a Christmas vacation, but they weren't having it. They told me in September that they weren't having a vacation at Christmas so I should have known... okay... Fair enough. They do need to keep working if they want to meet their goals.
Now... aren't you glad you came today and read this post? Aren't you glad that I'm not one of those perfect people with everything done and reading my posts just makes you feel badly about the state of your own life.
:-) Now go make yourself a hot drink (if you have a clean cup...) and think of one thing that you could do today that would make a difference.
After that we are going to the grocery store for dh's medication then Costco for Brown Bear's medication... and laundry soap. I hope I won't be standing in line for hours because I need to come home and do hours of laundry instead.
I tried to convince the kids to plan a Christmas vacation, but they weren't having it. They told me in September that they weren't having a vacation at Christmas so I should have known... okay... Fair enough. They do need to keep working if they want to meet their goals.
Now... aren't you glad you came today and read this post? Aren't you glad that I'm not one of those perfect people with everything done and reading my posts just makes you feel badly about the state of your own life.
:-) Now go make yourself a hot drink (if you have a clean cup...) and think of one thing that you could do today that would make a difference.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Trying something new at the grocery store.
This month we bought everything that we could on 15% off day. We bought any fruits and vegetables that would keep two weeks or more and anything we could freeze like soy milk. We got enough eggs for two weeks and cheese for the month. I used to only shop once a month and I saved a lot of money doing that so I'm going to try and go back to that.
A person might think why not just buy soymilk weekly. Good question! While we are in the store for soymilk and perishables the cart usually gets filled with other not so necessary things- especially this time of year. Soy milk is $4/ 2 litres, but I had a coupons for 60 cents off and it was 15% off day so that brings it down to $2.89. I was pretty happy with that because I was going to buy my usual 1 litre rice milk 2/$5.00 Just the savings of the 15% off is significant, but I was very happy to get the deal with it.
I'll shop once more for more fruit and vegetables, but I should be set for everything else. I usually spend $250-300 on 15% off day and shop 2 or 3 more times in the month. This is very time consuming and can be more expensive. We didn't really try to keep it low, but we did fill two carts rather quickly with fruit and vegetables so that makes you think twice about what you put into a second cart.
My goal for the month is $500, but I have more and I'm very willing to go over that amount if I need to. I figure it is all a lesson and will help me keep on track in a couple months when I really will need to spend less.
I will let you all know how it goes! :-)
A person might think why not just buy soymilk weekly. Good question! While we are in the store for soymilk and perishables the cart usually gets filled with other not so necessary things- especially this time of year. Soy milk is $4/ 2 litres, but I had a coupons for 60 cents off and it was 15% off day so that brings it down to $2.89. I was pretty happy with that because I was going to buy my usual 1 litre rice milk 2/$5.00 Just the savings of the 15% off is significant, but I was very happy to get the deal with it.
I'll shop once more for more fruit and vegetables, but I should be set for everything else. I usually spend $250-300 on 15% off day and shop 2 or 3 more times in the month. This is very time consuming and can be more expensive. We didn't really try to keep it low, but we did fill two carts rather quickly with fruit and vegetables so that makes you think twice about what you put into a second cart.
My goal for the month is $500, but I have more and I'm very willing to go over that amount if I need to. I figure it is all a lesson and will help me keep on track in a couple months when I really will need to spend less.
I will let you all know how it goes! :-)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Noel Nog
Noel Nog is a gluten free, dairy free, egg free seasonal soy product. It is pretty tasty and good for calories, too.
Egg nog and fruit cake are my favourite things about Christmas and I did have a moment of sadness when I realized that there is no such thing as gluten free fruit cake. :-( I fondled the bin of glace cherries when I was in the bulk aisle of the grocery store yesterday. Mmmmm.... sickly sweet fruit...
I've come to my senses, though. I'll drink my soy nog and eat an apple and just be glad for the good instead of the sticky fruit. I cheated with some wedge potatoes last week. What was I thinking?? It wasn't worth the side effects at all.
Egg nog and fruit cake are my favourite things about Christmas and I did have a moment of sadness when I realized that there is no such thing as gluten free fruit cake. :-( I fondled the bin of glace cherries when I was in the bulk aisle of the grocery store yesterday. Mmmmm.... sickly sweet fruit...
I've come to my senses, though. I'll drink my soy nog and eat an apple and just be glad for the good instead of the sticky fruit. I cheated with some wedge potatoes last week. What was I thinking?? It wasn't worth the side effects at all.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
In search of a grain mill...
I've always been deeply interested in making my own flour. I am not going broke buying gluten free flours... but... I'm not getting rich either.
I'm nearly out of egg replacer and it is $8.00 a box. $8.00! It is soy flour and a couple different kinds of starch. I bought soy flour instead, but it was $3.00 for a small bag. It's soy beans that have been turned to powder. That's it.
And this brings me to my search for a grain mill. I went all over the city and talked to some very interesting people. On a tip from the restaurant supply store I did find what I was looking for - a small grinder that will grind anything and it only costs THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. The nice lady in the store is checking for some that don't plug in. I have four teenagers- surely to goodness one of them can grind the grains and do the hard work of making flour!
I got a large electric coffee grinder ($40) and it works really well on buckwheat and quite good on brown rice. It wasn't heavy duty enough for popcorn, but come on! Popcorn is hard!
It only convinced me that I really, really, really want a grain mill because the bread that I made with it was very beautiful and filling whole grains.
The whole grain mill experience was a bit of a snipe hunt, but I'm not giving up! I'm going to get it and I'm not paying $300 for it, either!
I'm nearly out of egg replacer and it is $8.00 a box. $8.00! It is soy flour and a couple different kinds of starch. I bought soy flour instead, but it was $3.00 for a small bag. It's soy beans that have been turned to powder. That's it.
And this brings me to my search for a grain mill. I went all over the city and talked to some very interesting people. On a tip from the restaurant supply store I did find what I was looking for - a small grinder that will grind anything and it only costs THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. The nice lady in the store is checking for some that don't plug in. I have four teenagers- surely to goodness one of them can grind the grains and do the hard work of making flour!
I got a large electric coffee grinder ($40) and it works really well on buckwheat and quite good on brown rice. It wasn't heavy duty enough for popcorn, but come on! Popcorn is hard!
It only convinced me that I really, really, really want a grain mill because the bread that I made with it was very beautiful and filling whole grains.
The whole grain mill experience was a bit of a snipe hunt, but I'm not giving up! I'm going to get it and I'm not paying $300 for it, either!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The buy nothing Christmas
or as I like to call it- the stress free Christmas. So far - it's great! I walk past the Christmas ornaments and feel free to ignore them. Since I am not having Christmas I can also ignore commercials, sales and general appeals for gifts and cash.
It's nice and I like it! So far this is the best Christmas season that I've ever had. And let me tell you- it isn't all about money! It is about STRESS and not living up to other people's Christmas expectations. My mother and my daughter are cut from the same cloth and it's not regular cloth- it's holiday cloth. If there isn't a turkey (gag!) then it isn't Christmas.
People generally think I'm a scrooge. I'm really not a scrooge. I just resist the notion that a 'perfect' Christmas involves shiny gifts under a decorated tree before you eat turkey. I especially resist the turkey! =8-|
It's nice and I like it! So far this is the best Christmas season that I've ever had. And let me tell you- it isn't all about money! It is about STRESS and not living up to other people's Christmas expectations. My mother and my daughter are cut from the same cloth and it's not regular cloth- it's holiday cloth. If there isn't a turkey (gag!) then it isn't Christmas.
People generally think I'm a scrooge. I'm really not a scrooge. I just resist the notion that a 'perfect' Christmas involves shiny gifts under a decorated tree before you eat turkey. I especially resist the turkey! =8-|
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Since yesterday's recipe was a scam...
Sometimes I forget who I've said to whom... And you already got the sour milk cake earlier in the month.
So how about Blueberry wild rice pancakes...
1 cup rice milk or milk
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh (snicker...) or frozen blueberries
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, wild rice and sugar. Heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and bubbles appear around the edge. Remove from heat. Sitr in egg yoke and vanilla. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine rice flour, baking powder and salt. Add to milk mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in blueberries. Beat egg whie until stiff and gently fold into the batter.
Heat a lightly greased nonstick skillet over medium heat until water dropped on the surface bounces before evaporating. Scoop out 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and cook until bubbles appear all over the top surface, then flip and cook until bottom side is lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Keep warm and continue with the rest of the batter.
Serves 4.
Now I know everyone is going to have a pause about wild rice. Yes, it is expensive, but just pause for a moment. Open your mind to new and delicious ideas. Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass and the Ojibwa people people call it a 'gift from the creator.'
Reasons to eat wild rice:
-It's delicious
-It's whole grain
-It's gluten free
-A 100 gram serving contains 26 grams of folate (a B vitamin that assists in red blood cell formation- Something to consider if you are pregnant!)
To cook wild rice take one cup of wild rice and boil it gently in 2-3 cups of water. The amount of water depends on your rice. It takes ABOUT 45 mintues. I boil for several minutes then turn the heat off and it finishes within an hour. You know it is ready when about half of the grains are curled and broken open. It is very chewy, but don't worry it is done!
You can just do extra water and drain it when you are done,but you are losing nutrients that way. One cup of wild rice makes three cups cooked- so just think what a SMALL amount 1/2 cup of cooked wild rice really is. It's just a little bit of leftovers really. :-)
1 serving = 1/2 cups of cooked wild rice
81 calories
3.2 g protein
17.2 g carbohydrates (don't worry- these are whole grain carbs. They are good for you.)
0.3 g fat
1.5g fibre
4 mg sodium
Each serving is 1.4 servings of whole grains. Most people put a little in with white or brown rice, but I encourage you to try it on it's own. Make it the star of your meal instead of meat. :-)
So how about Blueberry wild rice pancakes...
1 cup rice milk or milk
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh (snicker...) or frozen blueberries
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, wild rice and sugar. Heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and bubbles appear around the edge. Remove from heat. Sitr in egg yoke and vanilla. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine rice flour, baking powder and salt. Add to milk mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in blueberries. Beat egg whie until stiff and gently fold into the batter.
Heat a lightly greased nonstick skillet over medium heat until water dropped on the surface bounces before evaporating. Scoop out 1/4 cup of batter per pancake and cook until bubbles appear all over the top surface, then flip and cook until bottom side is lightly browned, about 1 minute per side. Keep warm and continue with the rest of the batter.
Serves 4.
Now I know everyone is going to have a pause about wild rice. Yes, it is expensive, but just pause for a moment. Open your mind to new and delicious ideas. Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass and the Ojibwa people people call it a 'gift from the creator.'
Reasons to eat wild rice:
-It's delicious
-It's whole grain
-It's gluten free
-A 100 gram serving contains 26 grams of folate (a B vitamin that assists in red blood cell formation- Something to consider if you are pregnant!)
To cook wild rice take one cup of wild rice and boil it gently in 2-3 cups of water. The amount of water depends on your rice. It takes ABOUT 45 mintues. I boil for several minutes then turn the heat off and it finishes within an hour. You know it is ready when about half of the grains are curled and broken open. It is very chewy, but don't worry it is done!
You can just do extra water and drain it when you are done,but you are losing nutrients that way. One cup of wild rice makes three cups cooked- so just think what a SMALL amount 1/2 cup of cooked wild rice really is. It's just a little bit of leftovers really. :-)
1 serving = 1/2 cups of cooked wild rice
81 calories
3.2 g protein
17.2 g carbohydrates (don't worry- these are whole grain carbs. They are good for you.)
0.3 g fat
1.5g fibre
4 mg sodium
Each serving is 1.4 servings of whole grains. Most people put a little in with white or brown rice, but I encourage you to try it on it's own. Make it the star of your meal instead of meat. :-)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Recipe to share... :-)
I used to make a sour milk cake with cornmeal in it and the kids really liked it. This recipe is pretty similar.
1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole grain flour (I used brown rice flour, whole wheat works well)
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (or sour soymilk OR probiotic yogurt - this will make it less like a brick and more like cake or cornbread)
2 tbsp melted butter (or other fat of your choice)
In a bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs (very important if you are using gluten free flour), add milk, butter and beat well. Pour wet and dry together and blend. If you are using gluten free flours let it sit on the counter for a couple hours. Spread in a greased pan and bake in a preheated oven until the top is golden and the edges are beginning to pull away from the sides (about 30 minutes, 400 F) I make it in the toaster oven.
This is a good recipe to get ready the night before and mix up quickly in the morning or make at quiet time and have ready for supper. If you serve it with jam you can get away with calling it 'dessert'... if your family hasn't had cake in a while.
This makes 8 servings and is *about* 200 calories/ serving. Because meals are a lot simpler, now, at my house I might serve just this with apples or a light soup or just by itself with tea. Of course it is lovely with chili.
Adapted from "The complete whole grains cookbook" by Judith Finlayson.
1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole grain flour (I used brown rice flour, whole wheat works well)
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (or sour soymilk OR probiotic yogurt - this will make it less like a brick and more like cake or cornbread)
2 tbsp melted butter (or other fat of your choice)
In a bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk to blend.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs (very important if you are using gluten free flour), add milk, butter and beat well. Pour wet and dry together and blend. If you are using gluten free flours let it sit on the counter for a couple hours. Spread in a greased pan and bake in a preheated oven until the top is golden and the edges are beginning to pull away from the sides (about 30 minutes, 400 F) I make it in the toaster oven.
This is a good recipe to get ready the night before and mix up quickly in the morning or make at quiet time and have ready for supper. If you serve it with jam you can get away with calling it 'dessert'... if your family hasn't had cake in a while.
This makes 8 servings and is *about* 200 calories/ serving. Because meals are a lot simpler, now, at my house I might serve just this with apples or a light soup or just by itself with tea. Of course it is lovely with chili.
Adapted from "The complete whole grains cookbook" by Judith Finlayson.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
That's MY sister!
Jam Tart (and some strangers that I don't care about) talking about steel fabrication.
Linking you breaks my rule about not showing faces, but I asked permission first. She's much cuter in real life... you know... if you know any single guys in their twenties...
Just saying... :-P
Linking you breaks my rule about not showing faces, but I asked permission first. She's much cuter in real life... you know... if you know any single guys in their twenties...
Just saying... :-P
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
General update :-)
There is a lot of stuff to update, I guess- the living room, gluten-free living, bulk shopping... and my Christmas bonus!
The Living Room- All the furniture is back in place, but stuff is not on the book shelves. I have a place that is on the small side and a family that is on the large side so rearranging anything is a little like a puzzle. The 'dining room' AKA the 'treadmill room' got rearranged so things would fit a little better. This prompted a little rearranging in the kitchen and entry, also. I haven't been just sitting around ignoring you. I've been busy! :-)
Gluten-free living- Everyone came to me last night with a two week update. The general consensus is that it is good and they will eat whatever they are given at the end of the month. Everyone feels better, BUT (this is the caveat so pay attention) I think anyone WOULD feel better if their junk food intake went WAAAAY down. We are basically following the Canada food guide for serving sizes. Snacks are measured portions of nuts, pumpkin seeds, apples and popcorn and the meals are 95 %+ whole grains. I am still using white rice noodles sometimes.
The first 10 days were the worst for cravings, but they dropped off dramatically this week. The first week was BAD, though! You know that scene from 'The Two Towers' where Gollum is rolling on the ground, shreiking because he is so hungry? Well, asking teenage boys to give up bread is a little like that!
I've lost about 7 1/2 lbs in 7 weeks and dh has lost 11 lbs in a month. His Dr was SO impressed with him. Dh has only been doing the gluten-free for 2 weeks, but it was a lot of whole grains for a week or ten days before that- SO- that brings me back to the caveat: Eating whole grains instead of processed is what makes you loose weight not gluten free. In my opinion.
Also! I am very careful about what the family is eating so that it is BALANCED meals and snacks. We are also taking daily vitamins. (B, C, D, Calcium with magnesium, multivitamin and lecithin or Omega 3,6,9)
Bulk Shopping- Now, it has been pointed out to me that I was a little vague on my bulk shopping experience. There is really no mystery. When apples are on sale you find the guy wearing an apron and stocking in the produce section and ask him for a case of apples. After you do it a couple of times they recognize you.
We use the same cashier, shop on the same day of the week and at the same time of day- so it is the same people that we see every week and they do know us. Several of them know us by name. I have four teenagers and I buy a LOT of food. Well a lot compared to a single college student, anyway!
So back to the fruit. It depends on mark up what kind of price I get at the till. Sometimes I get a better price and sometimes I don't. I always buy cases of sale things on 15% off day so I am definitely getting a sale.
So things like whole grains, pumpkin seeds and brown rice flour I was buying from the bulk section. I can't get brown rice flour anywhere BUT the bulk section. Anyway- I asked our cashier if I could get things in cases from the bulk section. She took my number and passed it on to the bulk manager who phoned me back and quoted prices for me on cases of grains, etc. She also told me the size of the cases so that I would be able to do a little planning. Many of the cases are between 3 and 5 Kg. so there is little chance of them going bad before we can eat them.
When I was ready to order I went to customer service and asked for someone from the bulk department. It is not a top secret facility- they just tell you who works in that department. There are only three of them, on a rotation, so they all know me or know of me, now. Believe me- if you order ten pounds of Quinoa your bulk manager will know you, too!
So- no secret - just ask!
And now... my Christmas bonus. It is probably called a yearly bonus, instead, though since it comes in November. I got the bonus for providing a special service to the company- I didn't quit. :-) Anyway- I spent 1/5 of it on a new breadmaker. It was a completely deccadent purchase. I didn't NEED a new breadmaker, but the new one has a gluten-free cycle!
I've been making bread in my old breadmaker and it is okay... fine... if you have forgotten what bread tastes like or feels like in your mouth. If you haven't- it is a reasonable facsimile, at best.
The other great thing is that the new breadmaker makes CRUST on the bread. Gluten free products are usually made with more of a batter than a dough and can end up kind of spongey. I made the first loaf last night and is a lot like the gluten-free bread that you buy in the store, but perhaps, slightly less dry.
And when I take the price of the machine and the cost of ingreadients compared to buying bread it will pay for itself after 28 loaves. 28 loaves might sound like a lot to some people, it isn't much at this house!
The Living Room- All the furniture is back in place, but stuff is not on the book shelves. I have a place that is on the small side and a family that is on the large side so rearranging anything is a little like a puzzle. The 'dining room' AKA the 'treadmill room' got rearranged so things would fit a little better. This prompted a little rearranging in the kitchen and entry, also. I haven't been just sitting around ignoring you. I've been busy! :-)
Gluten-free living- Everyone came to me last night with a two week update. The general consensus is that it is good and they will eat whatever they are given at the end of the month. Everyone feels better, BUT (this is the caveat so pay attention) I think anyone WOULD feel better if their junk food intake went WAAAAY down. We are basically following the Canada food guide for serving sizes. Snacks are measured portions of nuts, pumpkin seeds, apples and popcorn and the meals are 95 %+ whole grains. I am still using white rice noodles sometimes.
The first 10 days were the worst for cravings, but they dropped off dramatically this week. The first week was BAD, though! You know that scene from 'The Two Towers' where Gollum is rolling on the ground, shreiking because he is so hungry? Well, asking teenage boys to give up bread is a little like that!
I've lost about 7 1/2 lbs in 7 weeks and dh has lost 11 lbs in a month. His Dr was SO impressed with him. Dh has only been doing the gluten-free for 2 weeks, but it was a lot of whole grains for a week or ten days before that- SO- that brings me back to the caveat: Eating whole grains instead of processed is what makes you loose weight not gluten free. In my opinion.
Also! I am very careful about what the family is eating so that it is BALANCED meals and snacks. We are also taking daily vitamins. (B, C, D, Calcium with magnesium, multivitamin and lecithin or Omega 3,6,9)
Bulk Shopping- Now, it has been pointed out to me that I was a little vague on my bulk shopping experience. There is really no mystery. When apples are on sale you find the guy wearing an apron and stocking in the produce section and ask him for a case of apples. After you do it a couple of times they recognize you.
We use the same cashier, shop on the same day of the week and at the same time of day- so it is the same people that we see every week and they do know us. Several of them know us by name. I have four teenagers and I buy a LOT of food. Well a lot compared to a single college student, anyway!
So back to the fruit. It depends on mark up what kind of price I get at the till. Sometimes I get a better price and sometimes I don't. I always buy cases of sale things on 15% off day so I am definitely getting a sale.
So things like whole grains, pumpkin seeds and brown rice flour I was buying from the bulk section. I can't get brown rice flour anywhere BUT the bulk section. Anyway- I asked our cashier if I could get things in cases from the bulk section. She took my number and passed it on to the bulk manager who phoned me back and quoted prices for me on cases of grains, etc. She also told me the size of the cases so that I would be able to do a little planning. Many of the cases are between 3 and 5 Kg. so there is little chance of them going bad before we can eat them.
When I was ready to order I went to customer service and asked for someone from the bulk department. It is not a top secret facility- they just tell you who works in that department. There are only three of them, on a rotation, so they all know me or know of me, now. Believe me- if you order ten pounds of Quinoa your bulk manager will know you, too!
So- no secret - just ask!
And now... my Christmas bonus. It is probably called a yearly bonus, instead, though since it comes in November. I got the bonus for providing a special service to the company- I didn't quit. :-) Anyway- I spent 1/5 of it on a new breadmaker. It was a completely deccadent purchase. I didn't NEED a new breadmaker, but the new one has a gluten-free cycle!
I've been making bread in my old breadmaker and it is okay... fine... if you have forgotten what bread tastes like or feels like in your mouth. If you haven't- it is a reasonable facsimile, at best.
The other great thing is that the new breadmaker makes CRUST on the bread. Gluten free products are usually made with more of a batter than a dough and can end up kind of spongey. I made the first loaf last night and is a lot like the gluten-free bread that you buy in the store, but perhaps, slightly less dry.
And when I take the price of the machine and the cost of ingreadients compared to buying bread it will pay for itself after 28 loaves. 28 loaves might sound like a lot to some people, it isn't much at this house!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Did you ever wake up and just HATE everything?
My living room is just NOT working and it is making me crazy. Those in real life would say I am always crazy. I take exception to the term 'always.' And Jam Tart will say, "you are rearranging your living room AGAIN?!"
Sigh... I am. I put a bison chuck roast in the crock pot because the family won't be fed supper, otherwise. We *could* just order pizza from the place that opened up right down the block from us, but pizza isn't gluten-free, is it? :-) Everything is made more complicated by eating this way.
If you don't hear from me in a couple days send rescue personnel. I may be buried and need assistance. The family would notice me eventually, but not until the roast is gone...
Sigh... I am. I put a bison chuck roast in the crock pot because the family won't be fed supper, otherwise. We *could* just order pizza from the place that opened up right down the block from us, but pizza isn't gluten-free, is it? :-) Everything is made more complicated by eating this way.
If you don't hear from me in a couple days send rescue personnel. I may be buried and need assistance. The family would notice me eventually, but not until the roast is gone...
Monday, November 9, 2009
A proper breakfast...
What is a 'proper' meal? This is something that has come up a lot in the last week in my house.
When I was growing up breakfast was cereal with cow's milk or white toast with jam or white flour pancakes or sometimes bacon and eggs. My mother ALWAYS said, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
Breakfast is the meal where you break your fast- the 12 hours, or so, that you didn't eat during the night. It is probably as important as any other meal.
We have discovered wonderful gluten free cereal that we eat with soymilk, but it is expensive (about $8/750g) and wouldn't be something that I could reasonably afford to feed six people every morning.
We made friends with the people from the bulk department of our local grocery store and they ordered some grains for us. I can buy them one little scoop at a time, but I have to be careful about not running out before the week is up. I can also get a much better price on things if I buy them a case at a time.
The cases are not very large- most under 5 kgs each- and reasonably priced/ Kg. I measured it all so I know how much each cup costs- which may be a little too compulsive for some, but it helps keep me on track budget-wise. The long grain brown rice is the exception as it comes in an 18.40 Kg (40 lb) bag. I had never even SEEN that much brown rice before!
And that brings me back to breakfast which is the whole point of this post! I made a large pot of brown rice and I know it cost a dollar to make it. I made the rice and everyone had it the way they wanted.
I had leftover egg salad and rice with a little butter on it. A little fatty perhaps, but I'm cold!
DH had rice and egg fried together with a little cheese and two slices of pepper ham on the side.
Brown bear had the same minus the ham.
Sunshine Girl had cheese on hers.
Everyone got what they wanted and had a hot, gluten-free breakfast for a lot less than the $7/ meal that is the maximum that the budget will allow.
We all had a discussion about it this morning, though. Is it a proper breakfast? It isn't really any different than eating oatmeal for breakfast, in my opinion, but a couple of the kids declined. It's okay because the rest of the rice is still there and they will just get it for lunch instead. :-)
A long, but interesting history of breakfast for those that are interested.
When I was growing up breakfast was cereal with cow's milk or white toast with jam or white flour pancakes or sometimes bacon and eggs. My mother ALWAYS said, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
Breakfast is the meal where you break your fast- the 12 hours, or so, that you didn't eat during the night. It is probably as important as any other meal.
We have discovered wonderful gluten free cereal that we eat with soymilk, but it is expensive (about $8/750g) and wouldn't be something that I could reasonably afford to feed six people every morning.
We made friends with the people from the bulk department of our local grocery store and they ordered some grains for us. I can buy them one little scoop at a time, but I have to be careful about not running out before the week is up. I can also get a much better price on things if I buy them a case at a time.
The cases are not very large- most under 5 kgs each- and reasonably priced/ Kg. I measured it all so I know how much each cup costs- which may be a little too compulsive for some, but it helps keep me on track budget-wise. The long grain brown rice is the exception as it comes in an 18.40 Kg (40 lb) bag. I had never even SEEN that much brown rice before!
And that brings me back to breakfast which is the whole point of this post! I made a large pot of brown rice and I know it cost a dollar to make it. I made the rice and everyone had it the way they wanted.
I had leftover egg salad and rice with a little butter on it. A little fatty perhaps, but I'm cold!
DH had rice and egg fried together with a little cheese and two slices of pepper ham on the side.
Brown bear had the same minus the ham.
Sunshine Girl had cheese on hers.
Everyone got what they wanted and had a hot, gluten-free breakfast for a lot less than the $7/ meal that is the maximum that the budget will allow.
We all had a discussion about it this morning, though. Is it a proper breakfast? It isn't really any different than eating oatmeal for breakfast, in my opinion, but a couple of the kids declined. It's okay because the rest of the rice is still there and they will just get it for lunch instead. :-)
A long, but interesting history of breakfast for those that are interested.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Food Thoughts
Surely it is the responsibility of each generation to take the knowledge of the last generation and build on it. We all want our children to be one step better, smarter and healthier than we were were, right?
I've always been interested in where my food comes from, but it is TOUGH to make healthy choices and still be socially responsible, though, isn't it? :-)
The other day Sunshine Girl mentioned something about rice chocolate... Sunshine is a purist. She says she will eat any gluten free chocolate, but the Organic, Vegan, Kosher, Gluten-free, Equality Trade, Rice milk dark truffle bar must give her a small feeling of piety when she eats it!
It also has no artificial colour, preservatives, hormones, antibiotics or GMOs. If *I* ever ate anything that virtuous I'd certainly tell you all. Every day I'd tell you how wonderful I am! It never occurred to me that Fair Trade might not be FAIR ENOUGH... it's got fair in the name.
And that is why we have the next generation to show us something new, right? :-)
I've always been interested in where my food comes from, but it is TOUGH to make healthy choices and still be socially responsible, though, isn't it? :-)
The other day Sunshine Girl mentioned something about rice chocolate... Sunshine is a purist. She says she will eat any gluten free chocolate, but the Organic, Vegan, Kosher, Gluten-free, Equality Trade, Rice milk dark truffle bar must give her a small feeling of piety when she eats it!
It also has no artificial colour, preservatives, hormones, antibiotics or GMOs. If *I* ever ate anything that virtuous I'd certainly tell you all. Every day I'd tell you how wonderful I am! It never occurred to me that Fair Trade might not be FAIR ENOUGH... it's got fair in the name.
And that is why we have the next generation to show us something new, right? :-)
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Sour Milk Cake
This is my *favourite* frugal cake recipe. It is something that I would make when I had lots of sour milk and not much else in the fridge.
Sour milk cake
1 tsp soda
1 1/2 cups sour milk* (I use sour soy milk or yogurt)
1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp. butter, soft or melted (or margarine or oil)
1 egg
1 cup of cornmeal and 1 cup of whole wheat flour whisked together.
*You can use fresh milk, but let the batter sit on the counter for several hours so it can thicken up. It should be the consistency of a thick cake batter when you put it in the oven.
Add the soda to the sour milk then give it a little stir. Add everything but the flour mix and whisk it together. Add the flour and cornmeal mixture and blend.
If you want to make this gluten free you use whatever mixture of GF flours that you like for the 1 cup of flour. I used 1/2 cup white rice flour and a combination of brown rice flour, millet flour, egg replacer (soy flour) and a couple tablespoons of ground golden flax seeds. It came out quite nice. In GF baking terms- it wasn't a brick like the 'bread' I'm expirmenting with.
I bake mine in the toaster oven 325F for 30 minutes. 9 inch pan or greased muffin tins. I use Pam spray instead of greasing because life is short, my friends.
When the kids were little I used to make this a couple times a week for breakfast. I would blend the dry together and the wet together before I went to bed. In the morning it was easy to get the wet bowl from the fridge and dump it into the flours. Then I would put it in the toaster oven and wander away to start my morning routine while the kids slept.
It's also something you can make up during quiet time in the afternoon and just let it sit in a covered bowl on the the counter to bake while the rest of the meal is cooking. It is good with soup, stew, curried vegetables or just as dessert.
I bake it in the 13 inch pan that came with the toaster oven so everyone can have lots of little squares. Schmidt says he put Cool whip (leftover from Brown Bear's birthday) on the last piece he ate. Dh asked him how many pieces he ate. He replied, "I don't know... about 11."
=8-| It was probably an exaggeration, but you can never tell. Those teenagers are HUNGRY.
Sour milk cake
1 tsp soda
1 1/2 cups sour milk* (I use sour soy milk or yogurt)
1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp. butter, soft or melted (or margarine or oil)
1 egg
1 cup of cornmeal and 1 cup of whole wheat flour whisked together.
*You can use fresh milk, but let the batter sit on the counter for several hours so it can thicken up. It should be the consistency of a thick cake batter when you put it in the oven.
Add the soda to the sour milk then give it a little stir. Add everything but the flour mix and whisk it together. Add the flour and cornmeal mixture and blend.
If you want to make this gluten free you use whatever mixture of GF flours that you like for the 1 cup of flour. I used 1/2 cup white rice flour and a combination of brown rice flour, millet flour, egg replacer (soy flour) and a couple tablespoons of ground golden flax seeds. It came out quite nice. In GF baking terms- it wasn't a brick like the 'bread' I'm expirmenting with.
I bake mine in the toaster oven 325F for 30 minutes. 9 inch pan or greased muffin tins. I use Pam spray instead of greasing because life is short, my friends.
When the kids were little I used to make this a couple times a week for breakfast. I would blend the dry together and the wet together before I went to bed. In the morning it was easy to get the wet bowl from the fridge and dump it into the flours. Then I would put it in the toaster oven and wander away to start my morning routine while the kids slept.
It's also something you can make up during quiet time in the afternoon and just let it sit in a covered bowl on the the counter to bake while the rest of the meal is cooking. It is good with soup, stew, curried vegetables or just as dessert.
I bake it in the 13 inch pan that came with the toaster oven so everyone can have lots of little squares. Schmidt says he put Cool whip (leftover from Brown Bear's birthday) on the last piece he ate. Dh asked him how many pieces he ate. He replied, "I don't know... about 11."
=8-| It was probably an exaggeration, but you can never tell. Those teenagers are HUNGRY.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Olympic Flame!
We were THIS close to the flame this morning! I have always been a big fan of the Olympics and it was a personal thrill to not only see the flame, but to be SO close to it.
I knew there would be heightened security, but I have honestly NEVER seen so many police in one place in my life. Not ever.
There was a moment where I got fan girly and did a high pitched squeal, but Sunshine held me down and admonished me NOT to run into the road to touch it...
You will all be happy to hear, I'm sure, that I did manage to contain myself. Mostly. :-)
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Customer Appreciation Day
It was customer appreciation day at the health food store. A lot of things were 20% off and there were samples of a few products.
I tried a detox lemonade that cures EVERYTHING. It was powdered lemon and magnesium . I didn't buy it.
We ate delicious cheese made by milk that was produce by very happy cows. We didn't buy it. We drank sugar free organic lemonade. We were tempted, but didn't buy it.
We DID buy a loaf of gluten free bread for poor, bread craving Brown Bear who turns 17 today. And a box of gluten free, chocolate covered biscuits. We are having celebratory cheese toast for lunch today and everyone is pretty excited about it.
It was a fun outing and we supported a local business.
I tried a detox lemonade that cures EVERYTHING. It was powdered lemon and magnesium . I didn't buy it.
We ate delicious cheese made by milk that was produce by very happy cows. We didn't buy it. We drank sugar free organic lemonade. We were tempted, but didn't buy it.
We DID buy a loaf of gluten free bread for poor, bread craving Brown Bear who turns 17 today. And a box of gluten free, chocolate covered biscuits. We are having celebratory cheese toast for lunch today and everyone is pretty excited about it.
It was a fun outing and we supported a local business.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
'Tis the Season...
The snow is on the ground... the commercials have been on since the first... it must be time for Christmas. Except, perhaps we've forgotten Remembrance Day!
Yes, I hope the irony of that statement wasn't lost on you... :-|
Veteran's Affairs Remembrance week
Sgt. Schmidt says he will be VERY disappointed if you don't observe Remembrance Day!
Yes, I hope the irony of that statement wasn't lost on you... :-|
Veteran's Affairs Remembrance week
Sgt. Schmidt says he will be VERY disappointed if you don't observe Remembrance Day!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Free pumpkins! :-)
Today is grocery day and you could get a free pumpkin with purchase. DD and I each got one. I've got them cooking down right now and tomorrow they will be soup... or maybe muffins. There will definitely be toasted pumpkin seeds and we will have to fight over them because there is never enough.
Pumpkins are the best thing about fall!
Pumpkins are the best thing about fall!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Cutting back... the land line.
Dh and I have been talking about whether or not we need the land line. It's not horribly expensive- just $40/ month (+ long distance), but dh has been unemployed for ten months and we are looking at cutting back where ever we can.
We set up the answering machine and turned off the ringers. The answering machine comes on and records the message. We have the cell phone and it is our new 'house phone.' We still have the cell because of contract reasons.
When I was a kid we lived in a small mountain community in B.C. and had no running water or electricity. We also had no phone. One of the people further up the mountain had a phone and there was some kind of system where you could use the phone or get messages. If you had an emergency someone would come down and deliver a message. If you wanted to go visit you planned ahead with people or just dropped in. I think people planned better and life wasn't so tightly scheduled.
I'm going to strongly encourage people to e-mail me instead of calling. For more than a decade my mom insisted that she couldn't e-mail because she didn't have time and didn't want to. When she got the answering machine yesterday she e-mailed. If my mom can e-mail me then so can everyone else...
It has been strangely quiet without the phone ringing all the time. I like it! :-)
We set up the answering machine and turned off the ringers. The answering machine comes on and records the message. We have the cell phone and it is our new 'house phone.' We still have the cell because of contract reasons.
When I was a kid we lived in a small mountain community in B.C. and had no running water or electricity. We also had no phone. One of the people further up the mountain had a phone and there was some kind of system where you could use the phone or get messages. If you had an emergency someone would come down and deliver a message. If you wanted to go visit you planned ahead with people or just dropped in. I think people planned better and life wasn't so tightly scheduled.
I'm going to strongly encourage people to e-mail me instead of calling. For more than a decade my mom insisted that she couldn't e-mail because she didn't have time and didn't want to. When she got the answering machine yesterday she e-mailed. If my mom can e-mail me then so can everyone else...
It has been strangely quiet without the phone ringing all the time. I like it! :-)
Sunday, November 1, 2009
All Saints Day or the day of half priced candy...
We aren't Catholic so it is the day of half priced candy. :-)
Yesterday the boys paced around the house moaning, "cake... caaaaaake." Brown Bear practically accused me of neglectful parenting because I never took HIM begging for candy. It is just the cravings talking so I asked him if the problem was that he wanted half price candy. Of course he said - yeeeeees.
This is something that I've noticed with the gluten free diet. When we stopped eating gluten we started to CRAVE sugar. We didn't eat white flour before or high sugar products so this was odd to me. Because of the cravings I've started to do several mini meals a day (or three meals and two or three snacks.) I'm eating the same (gluten free) food and the same number of calories - it is just spread through out the day.
I've been mostly gluten free for a couple weeks, but I have noticed a difference in my sinuses. I can breathe through my nose. Is that what those two face holes are for?? =8-D I am sleeping better at night and I don't have the same level of pain. I have always had muscle, joint and bone pain. ALWAYS. For as long as I can remember.
So if that is the only benefit I ever get - breathing through my nose and being able to get out of bed in the morning without pain it is probably worth it. I wouldn't trade a battered fish stick for it, I can tell you that!
Oh, and a disclaimer before I go. I don't think gluten, cow's milk and sugar are the root of all evil. I think if you these things aren't a problem for you then quitting them won't fix anything, right? I am only saying that 3 days of gluten free whole grains was enough to change *my* life and *I* am never eating it again.
Yesterday the boys paced around the house moaning, "cake... caaaaaake." Brown Bear practically accused me of neglectful parenting because I never took HIM begging for candy. It is just the cravings talking so I asked him if the problem was that he wanted half price candy. Of course he said - yeeeeees.
This is something that I've noticed with the gluten free diet. When we stopped eating gluten we started to CRAVE sugar. We didn't eat white flour before or high sugar products so this was odd to me. Because of the cravings I've started to do several mini meals a day (or three meals and two or three snacks.) I'm eating the same (gluten free) food and the same number of calories - it is just spread through out the day.
I've been mostly gluten free for a couple weeks, but I have noticed a difference in my sinuses. I can breathe through my nose. Is that what those two face holes are for?? =8-D I am sleeping better at night and I don't have the same level of pain. I have always had muscle, joint and bone pain. ALWAYS. For as long as I can remember.
So if that is the only benefit I ever get - breathing through my nose and being able to get out of bed in the morning without pain it is probably worth it. I wouldn't trade a battered fish stick for it, I can tell you that!
Oh, and a disclaimer before I go. I don't think gluten, cow's milk and sugar are the root of all evil. I think if you these things aren't a problem for you then quitting them won't fix anything, right? I am only saying that 3 days of gluten free whole grains was enough to change *my* life and *I* am never eating it again.
Friday, October 30, 2009
The gluten free project...
Yesterday we started cleaning out the cupboards. Dh and I have decided that the family is going to live without gluten for a month. The kids are all on board, too, but slightly less enthusiastic.
Well, they were pretty excited yesterday when I said to eat all the perogies in the freezer... ;-)
It all started when I had my Stay-cation (that is a vacation at home - for those of you who don't watch Corner Gas) and I refused to cook the entire time. I bought a lot of bread and sandwich stuff and left the family to fend for themselves. By the end of the week Sunshine was sick, sick sick...
Sunshine has always CRAVED pasta. You *could* get between her and a bowl of macaroni, but it wouldn't be safe... and I've mentioned to her before that I didn't think that was normal. She was much more willing to try an elimination diet when she was sicker than a dog.
For the last 2 months + she has been as faithful to the gluten free diet as she can be and her health is MUCH improved. She hasn't gained any weight, but she looks like she is a healthier weight and she isn't PALE anymore. It is noticable enought that many people have commented on it.
In an effort to streamline things and make her life a little more fibre-filled we got some whole grains and were trying them all. I started feeling really good then I ate barley and felt not so good. That was when I started looking around the house at the rest of us...
Dh - depression and anxiety.
Me- Osteoporosis, chronic sinus infections and numerous digestive complaints
Don't Know, Don't Care- Irritibility, fatigue, and severe PMS (One time I threw a chocolate bar at her in order to distract her and save myself... Not my finest moment, but I was in danger!)
Sunshine - Cyclical vomiting, choronic ear infections and numerous digestive complaints
Brown Bear - Chronic sinus infections
Schmidt - Chronic sinus infections and NO sense of smell
So I was talking to the Dr yesterday (who coincidentally did his internship with pediatric celiac patients...) and he said that gluten is hard to break down and "your diet will improve if you stop eating gluten regardless of whether you have Celiac disease or not."
We were going to try it for a month anyway, but when I came home armed with that tidbit the kids were more willing to try. We packed up all the food that has wheat, gluten and all the hidden gluten and it was a lot. REALLY a lot. There is wheat in everything, but we started looking and there are lots of wheat free/ gluten free things, too.
There are new labelling laws in Canada and that makes it a LOT easier to find the gluten. Companies that aren't trying to hide gluten will tell you on their websites which products are gluten free and which aren't.
This project is really challenging us to look at our relationship with food. Food *should* be something that takes time to cook and doesn't come out of a cardboard box. It also doesn't have to be four food groups and dessert. Boy is that one a tough sell for me!
We begin officially on Sunday, but most of us are starting today. 'Don't know Don't care' is going over to her friend's house to 'wheat it up' tonight though... :-)
Oh, and I've already been asked about cake. I make delicous gluten free cake... I'm not giving up chocolate cake...
Well, they were pretty excited yesterday when I said to eat all the perogies in the freezer... ;-)
It all started when I had my Stay-cation (that is a vacation at home - for those of you who don't watch Corner Gas) and I refused to cook the entire time. I bought a lot of bread and sandwich stuff and left the family to fend for themselves. By the end of the week Sunshine was sick, sick sick...
Sunshine has always CRAVED pasta. You *could* get between her and a bowl of macaroni, but it wouldn't be safe... and I've mentioned to her before that I didn't think that was normal. She was much more willing to try an elimination diet when she was sicker than a dog.
For the last 2 months + she has been as faithful to the gluten free diet as she can be and her health is MUCH improved. She hasn't gained any weight, but she looks like she is a healthier weight and she isn't PALE anymore. It is noticable enought that many people have commented on it.
In an effort to streamline things and make her life a little more fibre-filled we got some whole grains and were trying them all. I started feeling really good then I ate barley and felt not so good. That was when I started looking around the house at the rest of us...
Dh - depression and anxiety.
Me- Osteoporosis, chronic sinus infections and numerous digestive complaints
Don't Know, Don't Care- Irritibility, fatigue, and severe PMS (One time I threw a chocolate bar at her in order to distract her and save myself... Not my finest moment, but I was in danger!)
Sunshine - Cyclical vomiting, choronic ear infections and numerous digestive complaints
Brown Bear - Chronic sinus infections
Schmidt - Chronic sinus infections and NO sense of smell
So I was talking to the Dr yesterday (who coincidentally did his internship with pediatric celiac patients...) and he said that gluten is hard to break down and "your diet will improve if you stop eating gluten regardless of whether you have Celiac disease or not."
We were going to try it for a month anyway, but when I came home armed with that tidbit the kids were more willing to try. We packed up all the food that has wheat, gluten and all the hidden gluten and it was a lot. REALLY a lot. There is wheat in everything, but we started looking and there are lots of wheat free/ gluten free things, too.
There are new labelling laws in Canada and that makes it a LOT easier to find the gluten. Companies that aren't trying to hide gluten will tell you on their websites which products are gluten free and which aren't.
This project is really challenging us to look at our relationship with food. Food *should* be something that takes time to cook and doesn't come out of a cardboard box. It also doesn't have to be four food groups and dessert. Boy is that one a tough sell for me!
We begin officially on Sunday, but most of us are starting today. 'Don't know Don't care' is going over to her friend's house to 'wheat it up' tonight though... :-)
Oh, and I've already been asked about cake. I make delicous gluten free cake... I'm not giving up chocolate cake...
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Bead love
When I was little I would visit the farm where my mother grew up. It was a simple, wholesome (read: no TV...) place. I was fed milk still warm from the cow and played with sticks and chased chickens. Well, I chased chickens until I got caught by my Grandpa who would bring me to my Grandma.
My Grandma would usually try to engage me as 'helper,' but sometimes she would put me in a quiet room with the button box. My first love is cake, but my second love is beads. This unnatural bead love comes from sitting on my Grandma's bed with the button box.
So, when I found out that my new Team Coordinator, Curly Sue, makes beads... that's right... *MAKES* beads- I nearly swooned! This morning she said she has an Etsy store so I took the bus to get home faster and look at them. She said, "it is only six beads."
If I made ONE bead I would carry it with me, in my pocket, and show everyone that I ever met. For the REST of my LIFE! Because I love you all I will share... :-)
My Grandma would usually try to engage me as 'helper,' but sometimes she would put me in a quiet room with the button box. My first love is cake, but my second love is beads. This unnatural bead love comes from sitting on my Grandma's bed with the button box.
So, when I found out that my new Team Coordinator, Curly Sue, makes beads... that's right... *MAKES* beads- I nearly swooned! This morning she said she has an Etsy store so I took the bus to get home faster and look at them. She said, "it is only six beads."
If I made ONE bead I would carry it with me, in my pocket, and show everyone that I ever met. For the REST of my LIFE! Because I love you all I will share... :-)
Monday, October 26, 2009
Tea and Cake- or death.
If you know who Eddie Izzard is you will think that is funny. If you don't ... You'll think - WOW! Kim is *Weird* with a capital W. True enough, but I'm not talking about my weirdness, today. I'm talking about cake.
So, Brown Bear turns 17 in about a week and a half and my thoughts naturally turn to cake.
This is Zu. She is from Singapore. Her blog is called quick and easy treats. It seems 'easy' in a way that few detail oriented North Americans can replicate... My favourite part is where you just HAVE 30 egg whites to make this cake.
The Zebra Cake... basically a marble cake. Seems like we are narrowing in on something. Wouldnn't it be great for a party where you had to take it and impress a bunch of people?
The blob cake.... Now we are talking... This cake has gone too far in the other direction. Too many chemicals and colours, but I am going to steal the blob idea.
Wouldn't it be fun, I thought, if it was done in shades of chocolate and made into a camouflage pattern? And chocolate on top?! There would be very little food colouring in that... :-)
I thought this was a very versatile idea, though, and you could do shades of pink for little girls or your child's favourite colour. Or a white cake with smaller blobs of colour. I have thought of a lot of unit study enders in the last couple days...
This is a good time of year to look for sparkle sugar in the bakery section of your store. It is a lot cheaper than edible glitter and nearly as wonderful. Of course you can dye your own sugar, for free, with one drop of food colouring or (bit on the end of a toothpick if it is gel) and stir it up.
I know! I am an evil genius of cheapness! You may now praise me without holding back. ;-P But before you run off and post my camo cake idea on all your lists and every soldier's wife on three continents comes running over to look at it- just remember that you saw it here first.
Alright- that's all. I know all you can think about is cake, anyway, right? Go bake!
:-)
So, Brown Bear turns 17 in about a week and a half and my thoughts naturally turn to cake.
This is Zu. She is from Singapore. Her blog is called quick and easy treats. It seems 'easy' in a way that few detail oriented North Americans can replicate... My favourite part is where you just HAVE 30 egg whites to make this cake.
The Zebra Cake... basically a marble cake. Seems like we are narrowing in on something. Wouldnn't it be great for a party where you had to take it and impress a bunch of people?
The blob cake.... Now we are talking... This cake has gone too far in the other direction. Too many chemicals and colours, but I am going to steal the blob idea.
Wouldn't it be fun, I thought, if it was done in shades of chocolate and made into a camouflage pattern? And chocolate on top?! There would be very little food colouring in that... :-)
I thought this was a very versatile idea, though, and you could do shades of pink for little girls or your child's favourite colour. Or a white cake with smaller blobs of colour. I have thought of a lot of unit study enders in the last couple days...
This is a good time of year to look for sparkle sugar in the bakery section of your store. It is a lot cheaper than edible glitter and nearly as wonderful. Of course you can dye your own sugar, for free, with one drop of food colouring or (bit on the end of a toothpick if it is gel) and stir it up.
I know! I am an evil genius of cheapness! You may now praise me without holding back. ;-P But before you run off and post my camo cake idea on all your lists and every soldier's wife on three continents comes running over to look at it- just remember that you saw it here first.
Alright- that's all. I know all you can think about is cake, anyway, right? Go bake!
:-)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Extreme (?) frugality...
This month I've been measuring food and being more thoughtful about what I eat. I am not restricting calories, but eating only the amount of food that I need and not more. So far I've lost about 14 lbs in 3 months.
The first two weeks was TOUGH! You know who wants to eat a half cup of pasta? Me! Four times in a row! Once I got used to the smaller portions it was a lot easier.
Now I'm eating a lot of whole grains and counting fibre. I need 25 grams of fibre/ day. I'm getting the hang of it. I'm adding ground flax to my morning oatmeal. Lunch is always soup so I've been making big pots of whole grain & vegetable soup and the family LOVES it! The last couple nights for supper I've made a whole grain/ gluten free option for Sunshine and I.
One night the men had perogies and I had whole grains with fried mushrooms and onions on top. Brown bear likes those spinach pizzas that come in a box 3/ $10 so I told him that he could make that himself and last night he did. Schmidt made a quick stir fry one night and we just mixed the millet in with the veggies instead of serving it on a bed of rice.
Cabbage is on sale at Co-op next week... :-)
The first two weeks was TOUGH! You know who wants to eat a half cup of pasta? Me! Four times in a row! Once I got used to the smaller portions it was a lot easier.
Now I'm eating a lot of whole grains and counting fibre. I need 25 grams of fibre/ day. I'm getting the hang of it. I'm adding ground flax to my morning oatmeal. Lunch is always soup so I've been making big pots of whole grain & vegetable soup and the family LOVES it! The last couple nights for supper I've made a whole grain/ gluten free option for Sunshine and I.
One night the men had perogies and I had whole grains with fried mushrooms and onions on top. Brown bear likes those spinach pizzas that come in a box 3/ $10 so I told him that he could make that himself and last night he did. Schmidt made a quick stir fry one night and we just mixed the millet in with the veggies instead of serving it on a bed of rice.
Cabbage is on sale at Co-op next week... :-)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Aloo Gobi
Since my sweet sister, Jam Tart, asked...
4 tsp Ghee (I used olive oil)
1/2 tsp cumim seeds
1 onion chopped
1 1/2 inch (4 cm) piece fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
1 fresh green chili, seeded and thinly sliced (I used dried red chillies)
1 large head of cauliflower
1 lb large waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (I used leftovers)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp of garam masala
1/4 tsp of salt
Heat your oil or ghee then stir in onion, ginger and chili, stir for 5-8 minutes until the onion is golden. Stir in cauliflower and potatoes, followed by all the spices. Cover the pan and reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer until everything is hot and vegetables are soft enough to make you happy.
You can make it a more traditional yellow curry by adding a little tumeric (1/4 tsp or so) but it isn't necessary. Everyone in the house liked this. It doesn't seem like it would be very filling, but it is and if you use leftover potatoes it cooks very quickly.
4 tsp Ghee (I used olive oil)
1/2 tsp cumim seeds
1 onion chopped
1 1/2 inch (4 cm) piece fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
1 fresh green chili, seeded and thinly sliced (I used dried red chillies)
1 large head of cauliflower
1 lb large waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (I used leftovers)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp of garam masala
1/4 tsp of salt
Heat your oil or ghee then stir in onion, ginger and chili, stir for 5-8 minutes until the onion is golden. Stir in cauliflower and potatoes, followed by all the spices. Cover the pan and reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer until everything is hot and vegetables are soft enough to make you happy.
You can make it a more traditional yellow curry by adding a little tumeric (1/4 tsp or so) but it isn't necessary. Everyone in the house liked this. It doesn't seem like it would be very filling, but it is and if you use leftover potatoes it cooks very quickly.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Grocery shopping
I do not grocery shop according to the traditional, frugal method. I don't shop with a list except for things I need and don't want to forget. When you get to a certain age... not everything sticks.
There isn't usually more than ten things or so on my grocery list.
I look at the flyers and see if anything is an especially good sale, but it usually isn't. I am always on the look out for a really good deal, though. For example- one week this summer cauliflower was on for a really good price. I bought about 10 heads. We had cauliflower in soup, stir fry, aloo gobi, boiled, mashed and mixed with mashed potato and under cheese sauce. The family didn't really realize that they were eating cauliflower every day, but they were.
Whatever is avaialable and affordable- that is what we eat. Sometimes it is a little challenging to come up with meals from the ingreadients that I have in the house, but that is when I stretch myself and try some new recipes- like aloo gobi.
If fruit is on sale we try to get a case per month. I hate those thin plastic bags that rip when they are full and when you are buying fruit for 6 people the bag better be full! Today we got a 40 lb. case of apples for $35. Sometimes when you buy a case you get a little better price on it, but it depends on their mark up.
When I'm done with the flyer sale items (always at the front of the store,) fruits and veg I go through the bulk whole grains. We are buying a lot more whole grains now that Sunshine can't eat gluten. She cried two big tears when we had chicken balls for lunch today! :-(
After the whole grains we go up and down every aisle and get the few things on my list, but we mostly look for unadvertised sales, marked down items and discontinued products. Some examples of things from todays shopping trip:
Unadvertised sales: Cheemo perogies- $2.40 off, Stash tea - Save $2.58 on two boxes, mouthwash- save $1, tapioca 50 cents off.
The only thing we were' shopping for' was mouthwash and bought the one that was on sale. We all like perogies, but don't usually buy them because they aren't gluten free and the large bags are expensive. Since they are on sale we will eat them when Sunshine girl is working! :-) Stash tea is my favourite and I never buy it (or any herbal tea) unless it is on sale. Today the stash tea was the same sale price as all the other tea. Tapioca... it was on sale and it is gluten free ... and I hope Sunshine likes it...
Discontinued and marked down items. At my store marked down items are about 70-75 % off and discontinued items are 90% off. Some of the things I got today include whole grain crackers $1.44/ box, box of yogurt $2.75, and dark chocolate mousse $.68. The pudding is gluten free and we are all pretty happy about that!
Things might be marked down or discontinued because they are close to the expiration date, they weren't a good seller or they are getting rid of them so they can change the packaging. The cashiers tell me that a lot of people won't buy them, though, because they think something is wrong with the products.
We have bought some things that weren't absolute favourites, but nothing that was inedible. Fortunately Schmidt has no sense of taste or smell and he will happily eat pretty much anything.
We try for a good balance of the food groups and it isn't all about the money. We have a budget that we stay under, but we are definitely not going to eat the cheapest food there is just to save a few dollars. For example, if the crackers I bought today had been anything but whole grain I wouldn't have bought them.
There isn't usually more than ten things or so on my grocery list.
I look at the flyers and see if anything is an especially good sale, but it usually isn't. I am always on the look out for a really good deal, though. For example- one week this summer cauliflower was on for a really good price. I bought about 10 heads. We had cauliflower in soup, stir fry, aloo gobi, boiled, mashed and mixed with mashed potato and under cheese sauce. The family didn't really realize that they were eating cauliflower every day, but they were.
Whatever is avaialable and affordable- that is what we eat. Sometimes it is a little challenging to come up with meals from the ingreadients that I have in the house, but that is when I stretch myself and try some new recipes- like aloo gobi.
If fruit is on sale we try to get a case per month. I hate those thin plastic bags that rip when they are full and when you are buying fruit for 6 people the bag better be full! Today we got a 40 lb. case of apples for $35. Sometimes when you buy a case you get a little better price on it, but it depends on their mark up.
When I'm done with the flyer sale items (always at the front of the store,) fruits and veg I go through the bulk whole grains. We are buying a lot more whole grains now that Sunshine can't eat gluten. She cried two big tears when we had chicken balls for lunch today! :-(
After the whole grains we go up and down every aisle and get the few things on my list, but we mostly look for unadvertised sales, marked down items and discontinued products. Some examples of things from todays shopping trip:
Unadvertised sales: Cheemo perogies- $2.40 off, Stash tea - Save $2.58 on two boxes, mouthwash- save $1, tapioca 50 cents off.
The only thing we were' shopping for' was mouthwash and bought the one that was on sale. We all like perogies, but don't usually buy them because they aren't gluten free and the large bags are expensive. Since they are on sale we will eat them when Sunshine girl is working! :-) Stash tea is my favourite and I never buy it (or any herbal tea) unless it is on sale. Today the stash tea was the same sale price as all the other tea. Tapioca... it was on sale and it is gluten free ... and I hope Sunshine likes it...
Discontinued and marked down items. At my store marked down items are about 70-75 % off and discontinued items are 90% off. Some of the things I got today include whole grain crackers $1.44/ box, box of yogurt $2.75, and dark chocolate mousse $.68. The pudding is gluten free and we are all pretty happy about that!
Things might be marked down or discontinued because they are close to the expiration date, they weren't a good seller or they are getting rid of them so they can change the packaging. The cashiers tell me that a lot of people won't buy them, though, because they think something is wrong with the products.
We have bought some things that weren't absolute favourites, but nothing that was inedible. Fortunately Schmidt has no sense of taste or smell and he will happily eat pretty much anything.
We try for a good balance of the food groups and it isn't all about the money. We have a budget that we stay under, but we are definitely not going to eat the cheapest food there is just to save a few dollars. For example, if the crackers I bought today had been anything but whole grain I wouldn't have bought them.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Decluttering
You know that feeling you have when you move into a new, empty place? That is what I'm going for, but without the move!
I have decluttered my environment as much as I'm reasonably able. I have kids who are 18 and 19 1/2 and the few extra things that I have around here are going to go with them when they move out. The 18 year old is chomping at the bit and can't wait to go.
Anyway- now I've started on all the OTHER clutter in my life. I got on the national Do Not Call list. I still get the recordings... and the bill collectors who have the wrong people... but it is not 5 or 6 calls a day like it was before.
The other thing I'm decluttering is email. I've had my address for about 8 years and I haven't been as protective of it as my home address. So I've signed up for newsletters and 'special offers' and a lot of educational things. I figured out they don't REALLY want to help me or save me money- they only want to market to me. They are email FLYERS and they must all go.
I'm coming down to the end of that, I think, and the next thing I'm going to tackle is television. How much television am I watching for background noise? Quite a bit I think.
I have decluttered my environment as much as I'm reasonably able. I have kids who are 18 and 19 1/2 and the few extra things that I have around here are going to go with them when they move out. The 18 year old is chomping at the bit and can't wait to go.
Anyway- now I've started on all the OTHER clutter in my life. I got on the national Do Not Call list. I still get the recordings... and the bill collectors who have the wrong people... but it is not 5 or 6 calls a day like it was before.
The other thing I'm decluttering is email. I've had my address for about 8 years and I haven't been as protective of it as my home address. So I've signed up for newsletters and 'special offers' and a lot of educational things. I figured out they don't REALLY want to help me or save me money- they only want to market to me. They are email FLYERS and they must all go.
I'm coming down to the end of that, I think, and the next thing I'm going to tackle is television. How much television am I watching for background noise? Quite a bit I think.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
"Only the pure of heart can make a good soup"
Well according to Beethoven anyway! I make a lot of soup and it is what we usually have for lunch. The problem with good soup is that it takes a long time to cook.
I have an ice cream pail in the freezer and all the scraps, peels, skins, vegetable water and bones go into it. When the pail is full I put the frozen lump into the crock pot on low over night. Then in the morning I can deal with the stock and make soup. I have enough scraps to do this 2-3 times a week.
I usually add some acid to the stock if I'm using bones. I just use vinegar or there is usually a soft tomato kicking around in my fridge. I've also used a little tomato juice, V-8 juice or salsa.
There is no real recipe. You just use whatever you have. You don't have to serve it with a tablespoon of sour cream and a buttered multigrain bun... but I'm going to!
I have an ice cream pail in the freezer and all the scraps, peels, skins, vegetable water and bones go into it. When the pail is full I put the frozen lump into the crock pot on low over night. Then in the morning I can deal with the stock and make soup. I have enough scraps to do this 2-3 times a week.
I usually add some acid to the stock if I'm using bones. I just use vinegar or there is usually a soft tomato kicking around in my fridge. I've also used a little tomato juice, V-8 juice or salsa.
There is no real recipe. You just use whatever you have. You don't have to serve it with a tablespoon of sour cream and a buttered multigrain bun... but I'm going to!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Pedestrians are people, too.
So I forgot my bus tickets at work and didn't realize it until I was on the road. :-/ It looked pretty bare and dry so I decided to walk home. I have a limited number of tickets and have to walk 5 more times this month, anyway. I only work 2 kms from home so it isn't bad.
I get as far as downtown (where I live) and I'm nearly killed in the cross walk by a woman in a burgundy minivan. And I'm a little bit annoyed by it!
I still have a lot of work to do and if I am killed today- it won't get done! Seriously! It won't.
On the agenda today- bank, grocery store and car dealership. We are going to check how much we owe on our vehicle. Oh, yeah! We also need the hardware store. You know I don't have a furnace filter, yet, don't you?
It's Tuesday, but it sure FEELS like a Monday...
I get as far as downtown (where I live) and I'm nearly killed in the cross walk by a woman in a burgundy minivan. And I'm a little bit annoyed by it!
I still have a lot of work to do and if I am killed today- it won't get done! Seriously! It won't.
On the agenda today- bank, grocery store and car dealership. We are going to check how much we owe on our vehicle. Oh, yeah! We also need the hardware store. You know I don't have a furnace filter, yet, don't you?
It's Tuesday, but it sure FEELS like a Monday...
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Thanksgiving Sunday
So it is Thanksgiving Sunday and a lovely long weekend for most people and stat holiday for the rest of us. I only work 2 hours tomorrow, but it still works out pretty nicely with stat pay. Stat pay is the good thing about working in a rotation. The bad thing is that you never get that day off.
The traditional meal is, of course, turkey. I think turkey is disgusting so we are having a cross rib bison roast with potatoes and carrots. Schmidt will probably want to make tarts. Any time there is an event he wants to make tarts. It is usually butter tarts, but we are out of raisins so it will have to be a jam tart or something like that.
We've been eating through the freezer a little bit and last week I found a chunk of Costco roast. We ate it, but privately agreed that beef is pale and insipid next to wild meat or bison. We also agreed that we are never going to buy beef again!
The traditional meal is, of course, turkey. I think turkey is disgusting so we are having a cross rib bison roast with potatoes and carrots. Schmidt will probably want to make tarts. Any time there is an event he wants to make tarts. It is usually butter tarts, but we are out of raisins so it will have to be a jam tart or something like that.
We've been eating through the freezer a little bit and last week I found a chunk of Costco roast. We ate it, but privately agreed that beef is pale and insipid next to wild meat or bison. We also agreed that we are never going to buy beef again!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Thanksgiving weekend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=518XP8prwZo
This is the girl from the Ukraine that draws pictures in sand on a light box. If you know history- prepared to be moved! Even if you don't know history I'm sure you'll be able to follow the story.
Most of us have a lot to be thankful for... :-)
This is the girl from the Ukraine that draws pictures in sand on a light box. If you know history- prepared to be moved! Even if you don't know history I'm sure you'll be able to follow the story.
Most of us have a lot to be thankful for... :-)
Friday, October 9, 2009
The emergency kit
Included in our emergency kit we have first aid supplies, water, medication, emergency crank lights, hand warmers and candles. One of the lights has a radio and a siren.
I also have food for at least 72 hours.
Not pictured is the dog food and emergency plan. The emergency plan is a notebook with colour copies of our ID (Provincial ID, health care card and birth certificate) and health information. I have the medical histories for each person and family history where relevant.
Each person has their own page so if we are separated the pages can be ripped out and go with the person. We also have a family code word and my teens know not to go anywhere without the code word.
You may notice the neon 'juice' and cookies. Those are for the kid who can't eat the other supplies. Next time I go to the store I'll beef that up a little. Last time I went through the kit (3 months ago!) she was still eating everything.
This brings me to my last point. Don't just make the kit- check the kit every three months. In the last three months I've found out that one kid is allergic to wheat and gluten and another was diagnosed with epilepsy. Go through it, check the expiration dates and really give it some thought. What kind of emergency are you planning for? Can you truly survive in your home for 72 hours with those supplies? Can you evacuate and survive elsewhere for 72 hours or longer?
Get prepared
Thursday, October 8, 2009
All the news from my house
Sunshine girl turns 18 today and she took the picture. She opened the door leaned out the back door and click!
So far today I've waited for the bus in the snow, made and eaten oatmeal, wished happy birthday, Congratulated Schmidt for being promoted to Sergeant, helped Brown bear solve for X while adding fractions, stopped talking to dh, starting talking to dh (I need a ride...) and talked to the booking co-ordinator from work.
But it's 9:30 a.m. now and I have to go to pandemic training. :-)
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The first snow...
This was the scene in my living room this morning. 'Brown Bear' and the furry dog were all curled up in a ball together, on the floor. The purple blanket is Sunshine and the taupe blanket is Schmidt. So.... Maybe it is time to get the plastic on the windows? In my extra perky, morning sort of way I said- "let's make TEAMS!" :-)
Yeah, it didn't go over as big as you would expect.
The plan is to get plastic on the windows and turn the furnace on for 15 minutes... if we have filters. What are the chances we have filters? I mean filters that FIT. But we don't. Of course we don't! We were at the hardware store yesterday and could have done that then.
Today, there is a snowstorm. Do I feel like risking my life by going out in the first snow of the year? Not so much. My Dad was a paramedic for 25+ years and he always said, "there is nothing in the world that is so important that you need to go out for it on the first snow fall of the year..."
Well... CRUD! Apparently I didn't buy a permanent filter last year...
It's a good day for soup. In the spirit of sharing and pantry use I will give you a link I found recently.
http://www.recipepuppy.com/ Recipe puppy finds recipes from a variety of sources using the ingredients that you need to use. This is highly useful when you are using things from your pantry and want to try something new.
Have a good day, my lovelies! Tomorrow I have pandemic training so who knows what I'll have to say about that.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Pantry
So this is the pantry... You kind of have to use your imagination. There are 4 shelves 5 ft high and nearly 3 ft wide. You can't really see the top shelf, cleaning supply shelf, etc.
In all it is food for about a month and baking supplies for 3 months. We also have probably 6 months worth of cleaning supplies, soap, and dishwasher detergent as well. The cleaning supplies are on their own separate shelf.
When things are going well it seems excessive to use up this amount of space for food storage, but when things aren't going well it has been a real blessing and, at times, a life saver.
15 year old 'Schmidt' is the Keeper of the Pantry. Everyone carries food to the basement, but Schmidt puts it away in its correct spot. You probably can't see from the poor quality photo, but every shelf is labeled. And everything is lined up like in a store so you can instantly see how many of that item you have left. I can't function if it is all in a jumble on the shelves.
Okay, I'm feeling a little compulsive, but honestly I know that even if my family is not going to get a tremendous variety there is still going to be food. For a month. :-)
Now, you are probably noticing announcement emails. I've turned that on as a special favour to one of my followers, but I know that can be annoying so I apologize.
Tomorrow may be the dog on the treadmill or perhaps the adventures of Kim and the Window Plastic.... stay tuned...
Monday, October 5, 2009
Thoughts on a frosty morning
Even the furry dog wasn't that impressed with the back yard this morning!
So, Sunshine Girl has a cold. We made The Cure. Cure is made from strong green tea, honey, lemon and sliced ginger. There are no real amounts. The only rule is that you need enough honey and lemon to make the ginger feel hot.
Anyway- it's not a guaranteed, 100% FOR SURE cure and she is still snuffy and miserable. Well, as miserable as she ever gets. We don't call her the Sunshine Child for nothing, you know.
This morning I suggest cough syrup- you know- the kind in a bottle. She went rummaging in the medicine cabinet and came back with Buckley's ( http://www.buckleys.com/home.html ) The tag line is, "it tastes awful, but it works."
It DOES taste awful. In fact it is really fun to watch people take it for the first time. Okay, well, when you are broke you have to make your own fun, right?
The picture this morning is my sister, Jam Tart. The person facing the camera is some random tourist. There will be new pictures soon. I found my camera cable this morning, but there is something about how the computer doesn't recognize the cable or something. It's all monkey to me!
I'll stand in the middle of the room and yell, "I need HELP getting pictures off my CAMERA!" until a teen comes and does it for me. Tomorrow is grocery shopping day and maybe I will let you see my pantry. I know you care!
Before I forget - I don't twitter or tweet of face space or my book or any of that. Also, this isn't one of those fun blogs where the owner bribes her readers with small appliances and other presents just for showing up and reading. You have to just come and read my stuff cuz you love me. And I know you do! :-)
Sunday, October 4, 2009
My first unfiltered thought
So first post... no pressure. =8-| I'm not sure I have any thoughts worth sharing, but here we go.
I suppose I should introduce us. I am Kim and I live with my husband, 4 teens and 1 furry dog in Northern Alberta.
I won't be sharing any identifiable photos of my kids or family, but I've got some great before and after pictures of my dog when we had him shaved this year!
I am a frugal, homeschool mom. I also work sleep over nights in a group home for developmentally disabled adults. I have learned a lot of things from those tasks and I'll probably share. In an unfiltered kind of way.
Sadly, I was born without a filter between my brain and my fingers and sometimes I just say whatever comes into my head.
Let me introduce my teens to you: Teen #1, 19- "Don't Know Don't Care"- DKDC for short. Teen #2, 18- Sunshine Girl. Teen #3, almost 17- Brown Bear. Teen #4, 15- Schmidt. There is also a kid who isn't ours and doesn't live with us. He is just here every day and eats our food. He's almost 15 and we'll call him, "Neighbour Kid"
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