Grocery Budgets?

Hey People. I've got a question for you! Would you participate in my little poll? How much do you spend on groceries? Because I go over my budget every month. I'm trying to determine what is reasonable for a family of 4. So if you are feeling bold, leave me a comment. Or, would you sign in as "Anonymous" and tell me how much do you spend each month? I'd also be interested in knowing how many kids you have, if you have to buy diapers or formula, and if you have pets included in that budget.

Thanks in advance!

Outtakes

Every time I look at this series of photos, I laugh. Ethan was sitting in my lap during the rodeo in Texas. I decided to try to take a picture of the two of us. So I thought I held the camera out, aimed accurately, and took my picture. But instead, it came out like this:So I told Lance to get out of my shot, and I aimed again, and took what I thought would be a better picture: For REAL?!? Get out of my picture, and stop looking Brain dead! So I try again. At least I got myself in the picture this time:And finally, I resort to elbowing him out of the picture. It still didn't work:I laugh every time I look at Lance's faces. You know what Lance has to say about it? "I'm sorry you're married to an idiot."

Creative Dad

So I come home yesterday morning from a run, and Ethan, Katie Belle & Daddy were doing CRAFTS! And it was an awesome looking one! How cute is this little aquarium? My boys did a great job, I do believe.

CSA, Week 13

CSA, Week 12

This week's CSA: Wax Beans, Potatoes, Cantaloupe, Tomato, Yellow Tomatoes, Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Squash, Cucumber, Cabbage, Eggplant, & Corn.

Oh My: This squash recipe is awesome. Summer Squash Custard with Goat Cheese. Make it today & let me know what you think! Yum.

Happy Birthday Katie Belle!

My little girl is one tomorrow! And what an ridiculously perfect July weather day it was for a birthday party!! Seems like just yesterday that we were welcoming her into this world!Look at this beautiful cake that my sis-in-law Libby made!And it was yummy too!Katie Belle loved the balloons too!

Ethan's Chair - Before & After

Lance & I just refinished a chair frequently referred to around here as "The Chair Lance Hates." I bought this (and another just like it) for $5 at a garage sale. Everyone who saw it thought it was so ugly. But after almost 3 years, we finally got around to it!It actually took more work than I thought and it's still a bit rough around the edges. But I think it will look awesome in Ethan's room. Thank you God for spray paint.

Church Veggies

The church garden is producing like crazy right now. So in addition to my garden, and my CSA, I also have veggies blessed by God. :)

There is nothing that beats the freshness of summer. Pictured are a few from the church garden from last week. The church garden is now growing TONS of hot peppers, banana peppers, bell peppers, okra, herbs, (still green) tomatoes, squash, zucchini, & cucumbers.

The weekly menu now includes: corn chowder with white cheddar, pesto, squash casserole, grilled zucchini, okra with tomatoes and stuffed banana peppers!

"Check out my Muscles!"

CSA, Week 11

In this week's CSA box, we got green peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, onion, purple hull peas (or are they pink eye peas? anyone?), potatoes, corn, cantaloupe & garlic.

This week, I'm thinking these things look yummy: Pink Eyed Pea with Smoked Paprika, Texas Style Fresh Field Peas, Ratatouille, Eggplant & Ground Beef Casserole or some eggplant patties, from "The Essentials of Italian Cooking."

I'm looking for a tomato sauce recipe. Last year I used this one, but I'd like to try a new one. Anyone have any good recipes for tomato sauce

Be on HGTV

Every once in a while, I google something like "Be on HGTV" because who doesn't want a room makeover for free? (I'm really needing to pull some rooms together, but budget & inspiration are on hold!)

Anyway, today I found that HGTV is looking to feature some outdoor living spaces in Nashville. We have none to show (I don't think a rehabbed playset counts), but if you do, click here to find out more.

Looks Like New!

Lance has been working hard on some home projects the past few weeks. First, he installed some irrigation in the flower beds & veggetable garden. And yesterday, he finished freshening up our playset, which was looking a little sad & worn. Also, the ladder had broken a few months ago, so Lance put in a little climbing wall! Here's the before:After a pressure wash, and a few coats of solid stain, and some climbing holds, it looks like a brand new playset!!

Canning Lessons

My good friend Marge is helping me get together some "canning lessons" for anyone interested in learning. She's got some expert friend on hand who can come give us expert advice. Before she asks, she wanted to see if there would be enough people interested.

So...Wanna learn to can? If so, drop me a line! If there's enough interest, we'll get a lesson together. Hopefully we'll get this pulled together pretty quickly, since the tomato season is beginning locally! More info to come!

This Ain't My First Rodeo

Just getting home from my Granddad's 96th birthday in Texas! We had a great time! Traveling with kids is quite a chore! I hope we don't have to do that again anytime soon!!! Here are the two kiddos, first time meeting their great-grandfather. (Here's my granddad way back when. I always thought he was the handsomest granddad ever.)
And then we went to the 4th of July Parade. His FAVORITE part was the tractors. Go figure.
Me & my babies
My Uncle Don is a Corvette fanatic. For as long as I can remember, he's had one which he keeps super-shiny & clean. Ethan is having more fun than he's letting on.
>We went to the rodeo & Ethan got himself a light "saver." He loved it so much he fell asleep with it in his hand!
Ethan, his dad & papa (my father) watching his cousins on the mechanical bull.

Advice for my Babies

Lance & I have just started our list of Things We Want our Children to Know. Hopefully we'll combine it into a little book for each child, complete with a few additions from the grandparents. I was inspired by this blog, Prudent Advice for my Daughter (above image from here). Another website with the same principle (although a bit more edgy, perhaps) is Rules for my Unborn Son.

So...what are some things you would hope your children knew? Any that I should add to my list?

CSA, Week 9

This week's CSA gave us green pepper, zucchini, pole beans, blackberries, cucumbers, potatoes, corn, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic & carrots. I'm planning on freezing the green pepper, zucchini (shredded), pole beans (blanched). I've made some potato latkes, cucumber salad, and maybe I'll make some more bierocks with the cabbage. The CSA is lots of fun these days!
Ethan eating potato latkes (pancakes)!!

The Lake

Last weekend, we went to the lake with the McInteers & Adcocks. We had fun hanging out with them. It was my first time ever on the lake in TN. I went once when I was little with some family in TX, but that's it! As you can see, KB did not like the life jacket.Lance & E loved playing in the water. Ethan LOVED riding on the boat! A few more pics on Christine's blog.

Make-A-Wish Wall

Lance, his dad, & some other volunteer contractors just built this climbing wall in a little girl's home for Make-A-Wish. Doesn't it look cool? They just have to add some climbing holds & pads underneath.

Allergy Support & Giveaway

Hey Friends. For a while, we have been organizing a support group for Middle TN for food allergies. We meet every 2 months and have speakers talk about stuff such as research, psychological impacts of food allergies, etc. Our next meeting is Tuesday July 7 & we will have a nutritionist come talk with us & answer questions. If you would like to receive my email updates about meetings, please let me know.

Also, I have a super-cool giveaway on my food allergy blog, AllergySupport.blogspot.com. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment! Anyone can enter to win!! Please check it out!! (I mean please! No one ever comments on that blog - it's a ghost town!)

Am I Just Crazy?

Or have you ever thought your kids were so cute you could eat them?