Valentine's Beach Trip

So, this year Nelson decided to plan a Valentine's trip for us, which was a nice surprise! My only complaint was that he told us about it before it happened, so it wasn't a surprise. He has yet to surprise me for any gift or present. But, he wanted to make sure the trip was in the budget, so I totally understand!

Nelson took a 4 day weekend, Fri-Monday, which was gift alone, so much time together and so much help with Kalaya, all wonderful things! He planned our trip in Lincoln City, at the coast. He could not have picked a more perfect weekend, the weather was GORGEOUS! In the low 60s and not a cloud in the sky! Did I mention this was in February?? In OREGON?? Unheard of! It was wonderful!

We left on Friday, around mid-day and drove to Portland to drop off Pippy at my parent's house. Then we took the longer, scenic route down 101, along the coast. It ended up being almost a 5 hour drive, but it was really pretty. Kalaya did great. I brought a whole bunch of toys and she took a good long nap. Nursing in the car seat does wonders! We stopped on the way to each lunch.

Picnic along the way

We got to our hotel around 5 and checked in. It was really nice, Nelson did a good job! Our room had a beautiful view of the ocean and had 2 beds in separate rooms so that Nelson could get plenty of sleep without being woken by late night feedings. It was within walking distance of the main drag, shops and restaurants. We went out to dinner at a home-cooking-type place (Nelson had pineapple pancakes, I had chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. mmmm. Oh, and Kalaya had peas and brown rice, though not off the menu) Then we went back to the hotel and tried out the (indoor) pool with Kalaya and she LOVED it!! I'm signing us up for swim classes, she was a total water bug! Then, watched the Olympics and bedtime.

Dinner, sitting in a high chair now!

View from the hotel with Daddy

Swimming with Mommy

Saturday we got up, had breakfast at the hotel and walked around the shops for awhile. We bought a couple of small things, including some salt water taffy. We then decided that salt water taffy all kind of tastes the same! Then Nelson discovered an indoor batting cage/miniature golf place, so we went there to play and do both, as they weren't very expensive. Kalaya was strapped to me in the Moby, (the single greatest wrap EVER!) so it was no trouble to golf. We did take turns holding her while the other was in the cages though! We discovered our bodies are not as young and in shape as they once were, but we were both able to get some good hits in! We then had lunch at a fun little soda fountain place and went back to the hotel for a nap. Then we walked on the beach and explored. Then some outlet shopping (Carter's was having a MAJOR sale!!) and dinner at a local pizza joint. Then back to the hotel for more swimming and bedtime!

Mad at golf, we wouldn't let her put the golf balls in her mouth!

Future softball player like Mommy!! Heck yeah!!
Vintage high chair at lunch
Walking on the beach
Swimming with Daddy

Sunday we got up, packed, breakfast and drove home, this time the shorter route through Salem. We made a quick stop to say hi to Uncle Theo and then back to Portland. We had to get back by 3 for Elena's 1st birthday party! So fun, but oh no! It means Kalaya's first birthday is just around the corner!! THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE!! Then a quick dinner with Mom and Dad, pick up Pippy and back home. A good time was had by all!

Sunday morning nap

Coupon and Shopping Update

So, I continue to strive to find ways to save money on food. I am still clipping and printing coupons, but only for things we NEED and SHOULD be eating, rather than just good deals. I've started searching online for more organic coupons. Going to specific sites for brands we like, such as Seventh Generation and Organic Valley has resulted in awesome coupons!

The last 2 shopping trips I have planned my meals for 2 weeks, made my lists and shopped accordingly. I am using a lot of the "tips" I've gotten, such as stocking up when items are on sale. I try to shop at Trader Joe's as much as I can, but, unfortunately, we don't have one very close to our house. Fred Meyer is very near by, as is Safeway, both of which have a pretty good selection of organic and un-processed (is that a word??) foods. They also both have sales, so I stock up when things when this happens. Trader Joe's doesn't have sales, but I have been doing a lot of price comparing and their constant prices are actually really good. Their prices are often the prices of other stores' sales. (did that make sense?) And almost every item in their store comes in an organic version, which is great!

Trader Joe's is also fantastic, because they only have one or two choices for each food. So, if I need diced tomatoes, for example, there's one type, one can, one brand. I don't have to sit there and waste time deciding which one to get. Occasionally this can be annoying (for example, if they only have one size and it's WAY more than you need), but for the most part, it's great! And my favorite part is that everything in the store is made so much better than most foods in regular grocery stores. I am a big reader of ingredients on food labels. You will not find things like "high fructose corn syrup" at Trader Joe's. Even their "junk food" is healthier. The ingredients are all things you can pronounce and recognize. They taste better! And you don't have to support those huge coorporations! It's great!

After 2 different shopping trips of buying only organic foods, I feel that I'm still helping our family budget. My Fred Meyer trip 2 weeks ago cost us $115 for 2 weeks and yesterday's trip to Trader Joe's cost $74. (for 2 weeks) I think I'm going to try Whole Foods next time I need to buy organic chicken or ground turkey, when I see them on sale. We decided (well, I decided and Nelson was in total agreement) that part of our tax return is going to pay for a chest freezer, so I can stock up even more when things are on sale and cook even more meals ahead of time, so we avoid going out to eat because I get too lazy to cook!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Incase anyone has ever wondered, I am incredibly lucky to be married to a wonderful man that I love very, very much. I don't go around shouting it to the world, but I am so thankful that God blessed me with a wonderful husband who has turned out to be a fantastic father. (as I knew he would be!)

Nelson and I have now been married for 3 1/2 years and I've loved every minute of it. We've known each other since April 4th, 2002, where we met in PLUS team class. (orientation team at our university) We clicked instantly and he announced to our entire class, "I'm going to marry that girl some day!" (If you know Nelson, you will know that this is sooooo out of his character. God was already intervening there folks!) We got married July 22, 2006 and it was one of the single greatest days of my life. I cannot wait to have more babies together and grow old together. The longer I know Nelson and the more that I learn, the more I realize that God brought us together and that we are meant for each other. We compliment each other so well and look at the world in so many similar ways and want to raise children the same way. All who have met him know how incredibly kind, thoughtful, sensitive and just darn hilarious he is. This year I have also learned just how selfless he is.

Now, I'm about to share something that I (we) haven't told too many people. Mainly because this is now a private blog read only by women. I should say that this information has to do with intimate issues between my husband and I, so those related to us may get slightly uncomfortable. (though it's not really that bad) So, here goes.

Since my daughter was born, I have had to choose between intercourse and breastfeeding.

Now, those of you who have ever seen my child or read this blog know that I am an avid breastfeeding mama, so I think you can easily guess what choice I made. Yup. 9 1/2 months of practicing abstinence. Not since the night before she was born.

I found out that this was an issue around that magic 6 week mark, when we were given the go. We waited a couple of weeks more, because I was still having pain at my incision sight. I learned that I was having major dryness issues and nothing was working to help with the challenge, at least nothing that could be purchased at the drugstore or otherwise. I went to my doctor and she said it was very, very common and that many nursing mothers experience this. She prescribed a cream, told me it would solve the problem and sent me on my way.

I should insert at this point that I don't like to put anything in my body that can alter the quality of my breast milk. I'm not on ANY hormones for birth control. I don't drink anything with caffeine. I don't have any alcohol at all. No pop. I avoid product with high fructose corn syrup and most other processed foods. I eat organic as much as I can. I avoid red meat. I eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy. I don't take any meds unless I know everything I can about them. I've only taken pain killers 3 times since I got pregnant and only for major migraines.

That being said, I got home, read the warnings on the cream and discovered the sentence (written in all caps) WARNING: THIS WILL GET INTO BREAST MILK. PLEASE CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE USING. It totally freaked me out. I called and talked to the nurse advice line. I called my doctor. I looked online. I talked to my doula. I talked to everyone who could tell me anything about the prescription. No one could give me enough confidence that it was completely safe to take the product. It is hormone based and no one could assure me it wouldn't get into my milk or affect my milk production. I didn't want any hormones going into my baby that I could avoid.

So, I told all of this to my husband. I cried and told him how guilty I felt about my "duties as a wife" and that I love him and want to be able to share that expereince with him. But, I was worried about my milk. And since I want to nurse until she self weans, that could be 2 or 3 year without sex for him.

He didn't even flinch.

He just said, "I'll wait, we have years to do that. Breastfeeding our babies is far more important."

Just like that.

And, he gave me the most romantic gift he ever could have.

I love my husband.


PS There are many OTHER ways to be intimate with your spouse. : )

9 Months

It occurred to me this week that we're about to reach a significant date. Miss Kalaya has just about been out of my body longer than she was in it. : ( !!!!!! The thought makes me a bit sad. And it makes me miss being pregnant. But only a little bit! She must be getting older, because we are starting to get, "So, are you thinking of starting to try again soon?" My first reaction is NO!!! She is still a baby!! But, then you realize that the babies would be 18 months apart and that's only if we got pregnant right away. My brother and I are 2 years, 6 days apart. That's not that long to try from now either!! And, we don't want our kids to be too far apart. No more than 3 years. Which means we had planned on trying again in 2011. Seemed far off, but it's already 2010!!!

I should mention the fact that my body in no way appears ready. Since were are still nursing, with only 1-2 solid food meals per day, I haven't started menstruating again. (TMI, but, all my readers are female) No complaints here, believe me!! I am also going to let Kalaya self-wean, so that could happen any time from now until she's 3 or more. Who knows??? Though I am aware that women do get pregnant while nursing. However, I don't think that's really in God's plan right now. However, we do know that we can't wait TOO long!

Each day it's as though Kalaya is figuring out new things. Her language skills are going into overdrive. She sounds so, so close to saying actual words. She adds a new consonant sound to her vocabulary almost every other day. She is saying, bababababa, dadadada, mamamamama, nanananana, papapapapa, gagagagaga and many other random sounds. We love when she experiments with her voice and whispers the sounds. It is very cute. It is fascinating to watch her play independently with toys and any other things she can find. She especially loves kitchen gadgets, such as spatulas and measuring cups. She is very easy to entertain, even things like clean yogurt cups and other recycled things are new toys! Bath time is her absolute favorite time of the day. She would stay in there for an hour if we'd let her and if the water stayed warm long enough! Nelson and I alternate nights getting in the tub with her; we're still not completely confident in her skills sitting up that long, especially since she arches her back when she gets bored or tired. Plus, it's fun!

Kalaya's 9 month appointment is a couple of weeks away. I'm curious about how much she weighs and how long she is. She is wearing all 12 month clothes now and they fit comfortably. We have finally gotten to go shopping, because people don't like to buy larger clothes for baby showers!! Pretty much everything we got (at a total of 5 showers!) was for 3 and 6 months. We got a few 9 and 12, from veteran moms. So, even though we actually have to spend money now, it's fun to shop! I have discovered this GREAT consignment store called "Once Upon a Child" and it is awesome!! The clothes are like new and so in-expensive! We've gotten a LOT of cute stuff there for so cheap! And, it goes up through like size 7, so we can shop there for the next several years. Plus, it's such a green option! Love that!

Every day Kalaya does something new and exciting. She just started pointing today! It doesn't really have a purpose, but she's doing it! She waves now too. She is pretty determined that she is going to figure out this crawling thing soon. She bounces up and down while she's sitting and sometimes launches herself forward at things like toys or the dog. But, she hasn't figured out her back legs yet, so she just flops over and scares herself. She'll get there soon, I know!! Again, I am not in any rush to have a mobile child; I'm savoring these last few weeks (days?) of her reaching to be picked up when she needs help. We can't wait to see what happens next!

Playing with toys, sitting up is her favorite thing to do!

This was the last time she sat in her seat out to eat; she can sit in the high chair now!

Bath time with buddy Elena!

She sits in the rocker and rocks herself! (though one of us has to be RIGHT there, she can slide out!) This was her Valentine outfit!

Moral Dilemma

Okay, so couponing (that's a word, right??) has caused a serious moral dilemma for me. Yes, I have this big high when I go to the grocery store and see the "amount saved" part of the receipt. It makes me feel awesome! But, here's confession #1:

For the last 2 weeks, we have been eating crap.

I take that back.

We have been eating like SHIT.

Yes, this is usually a family friendly blog. But, I have to use that word. It's that bad.

So, couponing (spellchecker is saying that's not a word, but I'm sticking with it) has been going well. In a sense. I have been looking in store ads for deals. I have been finding coupons on top of those deals. I have been getting things dirt-cheap and finding amazing bargains. I have planned my meals around these thing too.

The meals are not the problem. Not really. I can talk myself into thinking that the meals have been healthy. They are certainly not total junk. They contain vegetables, are not high fat, etc.

However, very few of the ingredients have been organic.

I know, I know, what's the big deal right?? The big deal is, that is not the norm in our house. And I miss it. And my body totally knows the difference. (this is not the eating like s*** that I referred to. I'll get to that) My conscience feels terrible. I have been buying what is cheapest, rather than what is healthiest or best for the planet.

There is nothing wrong with buying foods that are not organic. Fruits and vegetables, meats, pastas, all of that is good for you.

But we deserve better. All of us. The PLANET deserves better. Because in all honesty, most of the food, even the healthy stuff, in our grocery stores is almost an insult to the true foods. I bought oranges, because they were on sale. They were fine. I ate them. They're good for me, I liked them. But, they had a serious lack of taste.

I would like to mention that my grandmother would tell me at this point, that this is all in my head. Maybe she's right.

However, I remember the first time I tasted an organic oranges. Mmmmm. So juicy and full of flavor! And organic peaches. And grapes....oooohhh organic grapes. If you haven't had organic grapes, go to a farmer's market next year and ask to taste them. More money, but sooooo worth it. And farmers will let you taste for free.

Anyway, I feel guilty for not buying organic. Not that I always by everything organic all the time, especially not meat or cheese. I justify that by how expensive they are. I usually buy organic produce and dry goods. We always buy organic milk. Often yogurt. And cereal. And Miss Kalaya has never had anything that isn't organic.

I'm ready to quit couponing.

Here is why: I HAVE NO SELF CONTROL.

Seriously.

Besides eating so many non-organic items the last 2 week, I ate: An entire bag of Doritos (in 2 days), 2 boxes of Cheeze-Its, 2 bags of Kettle Chips, 2 boxes of Chewy granola bars, and 2 boxes of rice-a-roni. No wonder I've been constipated. TMI, but it has to be said. But, I had coupons. Those items were cheap.

Now, there is nothing wrong with eating those foods. They're not going to kill you. (technically....) Healthy people eat those things all the time. In moderation, they are just fine.

But, I'm better than that.

YOU are better than that. And we're worth so much more than the processed crap (s***) that our country passes off as food. And, unfortunately, it's hard to find coupons for the good, healthy, planet-friendly food we should be eating. Even if I stopped buying that junk food, I can still do better.

You know why the best foods are expensive? Not enough demand. The stores will get rid of that crap they sell, McDonald's will switch to outdoor, free-range, grass fed cattle for their burgers and corn will stop dominating our diet when we demand it. It's basic marketing.

So, even though I'm just one person (well, I shop for 3 people and a dog. Yes, Pippy eats organic dog food only), I'm going to keep doing my part to increase demand. Oh, I can still watch for sales and coupons for the foods I like and try to get good deals. But the truth is, I spent about the same amount on our regular foods as I do when I shop at our favorite store. So, back to Trader Joe's it is. No coupons, but consistent prices. And no brand names to confuse me. Natural ingredients. ORGANIC ingredients. And much, much, MUCH more time going to farmer's markets. Mmmmm.....

Oh, and I'm ready to make the switch to all organic meats. We don't buy pork or beef already. But, I'm ready to eat organic chicken and turkey too. I'm going to start buying meat at Whole Foods when it's on sale and storing it. We only eat it 2-3 times a week anyway.

I'm going back to the goal I made for myself when I got pregnant:

Eat to nourish your body. Not to fill it up.

Because we're all worth it.

(and I'll let you know if it's really that big of a difference in money spent!)

PS I will still occasionally allow myself Doritos or other junk. The Super Bowl is this Sunday after all. But, my stomach will remind me why I shouldn't not too long after......

PPS If you think it's not worth the extra money, go read Fast Food Nation. Or The Omnivore's Dilemma. Or watch Food Inc. Or King Corn. PLEASE

Worried

So, all of a sudden, nursing has become a stress for me. Kalaya is up to 5 teeth now, with more on the way and has started biting. And it HURTS. I am so frustrated, because she still likes to nurse and so do I. I am hoping to nurse her as long as she wants, preferably at least until she's two. I don't think she's ready to wean, because she's not refusing. She is still wanting to nurse, she just gets distracted and pulls off without opening her mouth and HOLY CRAP IT HURTS. I feel bad, because I get frustrated about it. I usually put her down for a minute, so that I can collect myself, because I don't want to take out the anger on her at all. I have just been getting my finger in her mouth as fast as possible to get her off. I am stumped, I have no idea what to do!!!

Coupon Shopping: First Attempt

Sooooo, my first coupon shopping trip felt pretty successful! Here's what I did:

1. Decided on Safeway and Albertson's, since both are very close to our house. Fred Meyer is nearby too, but I hadn't had a chance to grab their weekly ad. Plus, I have club cards for both of those stores and Fred Meyer's "rewards" card doesn't mean anything. Other than gas.

2. I looked through the Safeway and Albertson's ads to get an idea of what was on sale. I then planned my meals for the next two weeks. I'm sure you want to know what they are, so here goes:

Mon Penne a la Betse (new recipe, shrimp was on sale, as was tomato sauce and the pasta I buy)
Tues Fresh Pesto over whole wheat pasta (already had pine nuts and spaghetti. Hmm, pasta 2 days in a row....delicious!)
Wed (out to Sweet Tomatoes with Heather, with a coupon of course, while Nelson worked late)
Thurs Cauliflower (on sale) Soup (stock was on sale too!)
Fri Shredded Chicken Tacos in the slow cooker (chicken on sale, had a coupon for taco shells!!)
Sat leftovers
Sun Turkey Chili (ground turkey, pepper jack, beans & Fritos all on sale. Oh, and Rotell too!) PLUS, I had coupons on top of that!)
Mon Baked Lemon Pasta (lemons on sale!) with spinach salads
Tues Turkey dogs wrapped in crescent rolls (both on sale!) with steamed veggies (coupon!)
Wed Turkey Burgers (turkey on sale, already have buns & cheese) with roast potatoes and veggies (both on sale)
Thurs Eggplant Parmesan (organic tomato sauce on sale, splurged a little for eggplant)
Fri (out) Probably to cheesecake factory, we have a gift card from Christmas. Mmmm....
Sat leftovers

3. Okay, I got a bit ahead of myself, because I just get so excited!! So, after planning my meals, I made my initial grocery list, including other things we need like toiletries, paper products, you know what I mean.

4. I looked through my coupon websites, uploaded coupons to my card online (or printed them out) and cut coupons for any matches for sale items or anything else I need. I also took note of other things on sale that I wanted to stock up on.

5. I made my final grocery list. It was 2 columns with a box at the bottom. 1 column for Safeway, 1 for Albertson's. The box is labeled "If on sale at either store". This was a list of things I didn't necessarily need this week, but had a good coupon for and would buy if they were on sale too. (as indicated, duh.)

6. I highlighted the sale items and starred the coupon items, so I'd remember in the store. (I tried to make this idiot proof, because, well....not that I am, just, I wanted it to be easy!!)

7. I have a fancy coupon sorter thingy (from Office Max for 5 bucks) and sorted the coupons for each store, plus the if-on-sale coupons. I included my club cards in each section so I wouldn't have to scramble for those in my wallet. Because, remember, I grocery shop with a baby attached to me! : )

8. Off to the stores I went!!!

The result?? Safeway receipt: "Total Savings Value $48.30 Albertson's receipt: $52.30

That's a grand total of $100.70 in savings!!! It was a purely amazing (2) moments.

Almost orgasmic.

But not quite.

So, I'm still new at this, but I hope it's only the beginning of things to come!! I may try Fred Meyer at some point. I would be more encouraged if they improved their rewards card. It seems like a lot of work (wow, 8 steps!!), but it went really fast. And, it will only get faster with practice. It maybe took me 2 hours of work total, spread out over a few days. And, remember, this was my first attempt. So, it took longer than it will. And it was worth every second!!

(Now, if only I could go back in time and teach this to myself several months/years ago. All that wasted money!!!)

8 Months

Everyone tried to warn me when I was pregnant and I swear I listened, but no one mentioned that no matter how hard you try, life speeds up when you have a baby!! I promise, I am cherishing, enjoying, treasuring every moment, but it is going too fast!! There are times when I look at her (usually more than once per day...) and I get choked up, I can't believe she's already 8 months old. Where has the time gone?? How did I live without her for 26 years??? Nelson and I don't remember what life was like before. What the heck did we do with our time?? It's like every day, she turns a little more into an actual person and a little less like a baby. (Please explain to me why children are babies for such a short time and teenagers for so long!) She'll do seemingly simple things, but it something she's never done before! Like last night, she and I were in the tub together and she just started splashing like crazy!! She's been interested in the water, but it was like it suddenly dawned on her how to play and she kept doing it and she loved it!

Private blog, so here's a naked baby! She loooooves taking showers!

Kalaya really is changing before our very eyes. She has become so interested in EVERYTHING. Those arms are a foot longer than we think they are. Her vision must be crystal clear because she is drawn to everything and everybody. (Enjoy it while you can sweetie, good eyes do NOT run in your family) She likes to grab and explore everything. She has a LOT of new toys from Christmas and her current favorite game is see-how-many-toys-I-can-grab-at-once. Her hands only hold about 1 each, but sometimes she wraps others in her arms. She often has one in each hand and another in front of her, so what does she do? She opens her mouth and leans toward the 3rd. It doesn't usually work, but you have to give her credit for problem solving! :) Her favorite toys are probably her stacking cups, her squishy blocks and her stacking rings. She still loves her jumper too. She likes her, sigh, cell phone (that we did NOT get her) but I only bring that out occasionally. I'm thinking of taking the batteries out too. I am just not a fan of light up, noise making, plastic cheap toys. It's not because the noises bother me or anything. (although I can only take so much) It's just that they can be way too stimulating. I also think that they don't really do anything to promote using imagination or creativity. I prefer simple toys that encourage these parts of development. There's a (limited) time and place for the others. Of course, Kalaya's favorite new form of amusement is Pippy! I swear, she's going to follow in her mother's footsteps and her first word will be 'dog'.

She (and I!) still love our baby sling!

Kalaya has started rolling from back to front! She really took her time with it, but she's doing it so easily now that I think she was able to sooner than she showed it. It won't be long before she's mobile, so we're starting to think about some baby proofing. We're going to get a guard rail (usually for a toddler bed) for our bed soon, just to keep it extra safe. We've lowered the mattress to the floor too. Yup, co-sleeping still happening at this house! Now that she's over her cold, she's sleeping well again and I finally feel rested again!! There was about a 3 week span where she still was getting stuffed up at night and waking frequently. We're back to once or twice between 10pm and 6:30am, with nursing back to sleep until usually around 9:30am. It's wonderful!!

Playing with Daddy in Alabama, daddies are the best!!

New Year, New Budget

I am writing this down, so that I try to STICK TO IT. As many people right now are, we are on a budget. Big time. Especially now that I am at home with Kalaya and only have my small income from being the youth minister at our church. The "problem" is that we like to eat healthy. That didn't come out right. I'll start over.

This year, I am determined to learn how to use coupons and save money, especially at the grocery store. This is the one area I tend to splurge. In a sense. I try not to buy cheap, processed food. I try to stay away from big brand names and anything that isn't organic. That being said, it gets pretty spendy. I love Trader Joe's and we shop there often. But, I feel like I'm missing out on savings. They do not have coupons. Their prices are decent, but I feel like I could do better.

In the past, I've tried to save money on food as much as I can, while still eating healthy and avoiding processed foods. I love to cook. Food is amazing. There will not be diets at this house. Ever. My only form of "dieting" is to eat more healthy foods and not buy unhealthy crap. (by the way, Santa did not get this message and filled my stocking with candy. Luckily, I tend to stretch that candy out until Easter most years, only eating a little bit at a time. Or, I send it to work with Nelson and it disappears) ANYWAY, back to my new goal. Since I started living on my own/got married and started being in charge of food preparation for a household, I've tried different things to keep costs down. In the beginning, that meant buying store brands only. That was about it. (Hey, give me a break, I was new at it!) I actually managed to only spend about $100 a month on groceries. And I ate like CRAP. My pantry and cupboards were always crammed full with processed, easy-to-cook junk that was cheap. I shopped at the beginning of the month one time and it lasted until the next month. I ate somewhat healthy the first 2 weeks, but then the fresh food got eaten, or, more likely, spoiled and got thrown away. I bought (and ate) a lot of things like Totino's Pizzas, those 5 lb ground beef logs (not in one go obviously), Hamburger Helper, Pasta and Rice-a-Roni, jarred pasta sauces, canned soups and things like store brand ravioli. ICK ICK ICK Not to mention chips, crackers, cookies, etc. The goal of eating was to fill up. Not to nourish. I look back at those couple of years and the more shallow side of me thinks of all that FAT and all those CALORIES. I also think back to all that I did when I shopped was make a random list and buy whatever I thought looked good.

Then I got married and started working full time, almost an hour away. The exciting this was, I had my own kitchen and 2 good incomes to shop with at the grocery store. I started spending time with healthy eaters, who introduced me to organics and healthier foods. But, I was dead tired. By the time I got home from my commute to my hungry husband, we did whatever was quickest and easiest, which usually meant drive-thru. I got optimistic that year and asked for some cookbooks for Christmas. I tried a few recipes. We ended up throwing away a lot of food, because I didn't take the time to prepare the things I bought. I was trying to eat healthier, but I thought that meant things like Lean Cuisine and low fat items. I was going to Curves that year and my mentality about food was more about eating enough to get by, but not too much that I'd gain weight.

Enter living on a teeny budget. We moved to Indiana while Nelson was in grad school and I taught half-day preschool. We lived on $1300 per month. Total. I started planning my meals each week and making lists accordingly. I didn't have an exact budget, but I spent about the same each time. I started buying a lot of organics, because no one wanted them in Indiana and they were actually on sale a LOT. I had more time to cook, because I was working half time. I started trying out new recipes on a regular basis and got more comfortable in the kitchen.

Last year we lived with my parents for half the year and then on our own again. We were back in Oregon and had a higher income. We were at the mercy of my parents for food until December, which was fine, but I didn't have a ton of control over what we ate. I did introduce my dad to some new ideas about food though! (not that he stuck with too many of them....he is a meat and potatoes kind of man!) And, the main thing that happened was that I was pregnant! Being pregnant totally changed my outlook on food. Suddenly it wasn't about counting calories, it was about making sure I was eating enough! (although for awhile it was only about finding something that actually tasted good!) I've pretty much kept this mentality about food, with breast feeding, but I think I will stick with it in the future. I think of eating more as, "Oh, I have to make sure I get enough healthy food today!" rather than, "Oh no, I can't eat any of this today..." It's more optimistic and more fun! I've realized that I can eat lots of healthy foods and still feel good about myself, rather than stressing over eating too many calories. I like to pig out, so I just make sure I have healthy things in the house to binge on, rather than junk food. I try to make sure there's always things like fresh spinach, hummus, cut up veggies, fresh fruit, yogurt, salsa, whole wheat tortillas, etc in the house. Of course, there are definitely times when there's no subbing for things like ice cream, Doritos, and other crap like that. And I eat it, it tastes good and I feel okay about it! But, usually they're not in the house, so I can't have them anyway! And, I've noticed that the less I eat those things, the less I crave them! In fact, things like fast food (other than occasional Burgerville), beef, and highly processed things (like Kraft singles, YECH!) make my stomach upset and I don't want them any more. Haven't been to Taco Bell in months!!! My mind sometimes still thinks I miss that stuff, but my tummy reminds me it doesn't!

SO, with all that being said, here are my goals for food and groceries:
*Keep planning meals ahead, but look at grocery store ads to plan around what is on sale
*Coupons, coupons, coupons!! (the main focus of my goals right now)
*Continue to make meals that don't focus around meat as a "main course"
*Buy things on sale as much as possible
*Have an amount in mind that I want to spend at the grocery store and stay within $10 of that amount
*Don't grocery shop when I'm hungry!!!
*Continue trying new recipes, especially ones that feature veggies as the main ingredient
*Buy organic as much as possible, but only if reasonably priced
*Keep taking walks every day that last at least an hour, if not more
*Fit in Yoga or Pilates 2-3 times per week (small goal to start)

I'm starting this process for my shopping trip this weekend. I'm working on my lists (meal and grocery) right now, using Coupon Mom (amaaaazing!!! watch her videos, she is my new hero!), as well as other sites. I've been debating about which stores to shop at. Initially I was thinking Win-Co, but I've been asking other moms and they say that it's not worth it, because yes it's cheaper, but the quality it lower. I'm not willing to sacrifice quality too much. We've been shopping at Fred Meyer this year, but their "rewards" card is a joke. They don't change prices for it at all. I'm going to try Safeway, which I never thought I'd do, because they always seem so expensive. On closer examination, I think I just have let them take advantage of me. I'm going to use my club card religiously. Did you know you can upload coupons to your club card online so you don't have to clip them??? And they stay on there until you use them and you can check to see which ones you have! It's pretty great. So, Safeway is the first stop for my experiment. I am excited to see how it goes! I was pretty motivated by my friend's post about how she is doing the same thing!! Hopefully I'm not getting my hopes up too much!!!

More Christmas Pictures

Sitting in front of Oma and Grandpa's tree on Christmas Eve

Trying to open a present

Family Christmas picture 2009

I love her entire Christmas outfit; I got everything for under 10 bucks, shoes, tights, bow, and dress at "Once Upon a Child", such a great consignment store!