Pantry Challenge Begins

So it's here, challenge time.  I really should have no problem staying under $500 as I mentioned earlier.  If I meet that goal I hope to buy some tattler reusable canning lids with the savings. 

Our "food room", (our walk in pantry in our basement), as we call it is stuffed.  Both freezers are packed and right now the fridge is full. 

Here is what we are hoping to eat this week.   

Monday: burgers

Tuesday:  breakfast sausage over baked potatoes and veggie

Wednesday:  ground turkey- veggie meatloaf and mashed potatoes

Thursday:  taco soup and guacamole and corn chips

Friday:    baked chicken and rice

Saturday:  chicken enchilada dip with chips or tortillas from leftover chicken

Sunday:  Lunch- Salmon melts on toast or tomato slices.  Dinner- chicken sausages and whatever is left in the fridge. 

A little shopping will happen this week.  The hubby is hoping to eliminate a few foods that can cause bloating, onions, garlic, etc.  He already knows that gluten and corn are no good for him but there still is something bothering his stomach. 

Also grapefruits are $4.99 for 18 lbs. this week and I want to can some of those.  Hopefully I can hold it together and not spend too much:-) 

Pantry Challenge

Grocery Challenge time again.  I know I've tried time and time again but it's better to try and fail than to never have tried at all. 

Well Jessica at Good Cheap Eats, a blog that I just found- how have I missed it, is making it official. January is the month.   

The rules:  make up your own rules. 

Well my rules will be to try and shot for $500 a month WITHOUT depleting our food supply.  I know $500 sound like a lot and it is but we are feeding a family of 7 and a half:-)  The hubby tries not to eat things out of a box and is pretty much grain free.  And well I'm kind of a food snob.  So anything less would be extremely difficult and would cut into our pantry. 

I also want to freeze a handful of meals for when I just don't want to cook or I'm sick or something.  I could of used a few of those earlier this month. 

Also, can applesauce which I never did this fall.  After I finished those pears and the first trimester was upon me I just didn't do it.  The peoples love them some applesauce around here:-)

I don't want to deplete our food supply just clean it up and use anything that needs to be used. 

Here are the things I can think of off the top of my head that need to be used up.  

Frozen asparagus- why did I freeze #50 when I'm really the only one who eats the stuff with out force.
A case of "healthy" sun chips that no one is really digging.  Keep bringing them out until they are gone.
Butter I canned two years ago, use it and replace it. 
Try the cherry pie filling I canned this summer but have yet to use.

Well anybody else up for the challenge?  Should be fun!  See you in the kitchen. 

Kalahari 2011

The last few years we have been able to take advantage of Kalahari's BOGO free night.  Well this year we took full advantage and stayed 4 nights!  Fun for all.   We were upgraded to a stellar suite instead of our one room we were planning on.  Can you say full size kitchen and two separated bedrooms- yeah!  Thanks to Tara and Josh, who came too, for getting us upgraded, I guess it never hurts to ask.

(I just looked it up, for the room we had for four nights with the number of wrist bands for our family would need would normally cost $1519.00- ouch!!!) 
                                    
 Love these guys. 

 Lettie LOVED the wave pool, she spent a huge amount of her time in there. 

 My boys.  I know they're fat, must be all that butter:-)

 These two were inseparable. 

 Benna soaking it all in. 

I did a whole lot of this, it was great.

The wife does not like different but at least it works. cheerio

testing

if it works i will be happy

“God appoints people who do disappoint – to point to a God who never disappoints.”


Thanks to her for this.

So sweet..

Today at lunch I asked Racky to pray.

....and help mom to feel better. Not just because we want to go to Kalahari but just so she feels better. ....

He makes my heart melt! Love that kid.