Travel Challenge- $150 Food Budget

Gosh, I blinked and it was Wednesday!

Here we are gearing up for Spring Break. Because we live so far from family, our breaks are always spent visiting family. I'm not complaining, I absolutely adore visiting our family. But this year, I wanted to do an actual family trip! So we are going camping. In a tent.

I enjoy the outdoors. I am not a super huge fan of camping after our last trip, when a bear ran through the campground just past our tent. I have never felt so completely subject to something not in my control. And freaked. I didn't sleep so well after that. But my children love it, or what they remember of it. So camping it is.

I bought a lot of food that we don't normally eat. Juice boxes, snack crackers, granola bars, hot dogs, brauts...and oh so much more in preparation for this trip. Plenty of fruit also. I think the kids may actually be more excited about the food than the actual camping.

Of course, with budgeting in my veins, I wanted to know what kind of a budget we're working with. We are only camping a couple of nights, then going to visit with friends in Tennessee. I like to get on the same page, spending wise. Jon thought we needed $150 for food. I almost choked! So I told him let me buy some food (of course we'd need to anyways for camping) and then we can talk. My total was $30 so far. There is still more to buy, but this should be good for the entire camping trip, snacks while we travel and some while in Tennessee.

I'll try to keep you updated on how our food spending is going. I cannot, however, guarantee I will post frequently because service may be spotty! I will take lots of pictures and post them when I can! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend about $20 on band-aids and first aid kit supplies. I like to be prepared.

Sometimes You Feel Like A Nut, Sometimes You Don't

Some days I got nuthin'. Do you ever feel like you completely overload yourself over the weekend? Then when Monday comes around...you got nothing left? I feel like that today.

It was a great weekend! Don't get me wrong. I just fit as much as possible into the weekend. So today, that's what I'll leave you with! I'm going to eat a Dove chocolate, take a quick nap, and then make some tea.

Happy Monday!

Check Me Out!

In an earlier post, I mentioned the website Crumbs and Chaos. They asked me to share a recipe with their readers, and I was so excited! I love their website and visit it often. Like pretty much every day. So head on over there today to view a family favorite recipe that I've shared.

*Warning* It's not budget! I know. We all have to get out of our comfort zone sometimes. Where it lacks in savings, it makes up for in taste. It's delish!

So You Think You Can SAHM...

First, before I get to the major part of my post, I would like to say Happy Friday!!!! I'm doing my Friday dance right now as I drink my Americano! I love the weekends. I really miss having all my kids home with me during the weekdays. I know. Crazy weird homeschooly mom. Look at that, though. Who wouldn't want to be around this lovey?! Possibly me when I haven't had my coffee and she's throwing some major 'tude.

Where was I? Oh yes, staying home with the kiddos.

I've never been able to give someone a step by step answer for their being able to afford staying home with their children. Each situation is so very different from the next. Every family is different from their neighbor. It's hard to say 'Do 1,2 & 3 and you can stay home'.

I tried to break it down to simple, (fairly) all encompassing steps that will help you afford to stay home with your kiddos. First, though, I think you should ask yourself some questions:

1. Is your spouse/other in agreement?
2. Do you budget?
3. What are your reasons for wanting to stay home with the kids?

Number 1- There has to be agreement for it to work. You've heard the phrase 'A house divided cannot stand'...well you can stand but it will be extremely difficult. Come to an agreement on a period of time where you get to try it, and then agree to re-assess the situation after it's over. Sometimes they need to 'see' it before they are ok with it.

Number 2- If you don't, do. You need to know how much money needs to come in each month. You need to know if the income from the one job is enough to cover the expenses. If you can trim then get out the butcher knife!

Number 3- You need to know why you're wanting to stay home. If it's from a desire to see your kids grow and really get to know them as a person you need to know that. If it's because you're tired of working...quit being lazy! Staying home with kids IS work!!

Now that you've sifted through all that, let's get to the good stuff. These are things that I think will get you well on your way to staying home with your kiddos, and enjoying it.

1. Live off one income for a few months before you quit. It will help you and your family get used to the smaller budget. On the upside, you will be able to save the second income!
2. Get out of debt. Not a necessity, but certainly will help trim down on your monthly expenses. 
3. Listen to 'In Praise of Stay At Home Moms' by Dr. Laura
4. Enjoy your kids!

If you're starting a 'trial period', then make it amazing! If you're going to be doing it full time until the kids begin school, I suggest joining a MOPS program. MOPS is Mothers Of PreSchoolers. They meet every other week (mine meets on Wednesdays) for 2 hours. They are encouraging and uplifting to mothers, while providing safe childcare for your children. Every mom needs to get away sometimes.

I may have forgotten something, so just ask! Like I said, every situation is different. But if it's truly something that you want to do, something in your heart, then I believe you can find a way! If it's something you sort of want to do, give it a shot! They are only young for a short amount of time. Enjoy it while you can.

Staying Home

Over the past month I've had a lot of people ask me about staying at home with the kids-. 2 things mostly- how can I afford it and how do I handle it.

Well, the jury is still out on how I handle it! Some days are great...some days I'm lucky I didn't gain 25 pounds from stress-eating of chocolate. Before I had babies my head was filled with a montage of photos of how blissful and carefree each day would be. In those photos my kids all looked like me.

Obviously a dream on sooo many levels since my kids look so much like their dad.

Little tricks (like making a double batch of oatmeal and eggs) help a lot in the mornings getting Isabella off to school. I get up early to workout and shower, or do it during quiet time. When Isabella & Liana were little I would put Lia in a Snugli, Bug in the stroller and I'd do my walking with them. It was great to get out in the fresh air, and they loved it!

It was so much easier for me when they were little, because we'd just enjoy the day. Playing in the yard, finger painting, hide and seek...fun little kid stuff. As they grow, play time is more complex, attitudes need adjusting and school is thrown in the mix. But with three kids, they are constantly learning and so am I.

Life is messy! It's not clean and perfect and precise. So I try to roll with the imperfections. Don't we all? I'm not nearly as together, my house isn't always clean and I forget things if I don't write them down. But it's getting better.

One book (I actually did the audiobook) that was a wonderful tool and I would recommend to every Mom at home, is 'In Praise of Stay At Home Moms' by Dr. Laura Schlessinger. It's wonderful!

As for how I can afford it? Hmm...that deserves it's own post. So I'll save that for tomorrow.

Movie Night for $9

Right now on Living Social (click here), you can buy 2 movie tickets for $9. This is a great deal!!!! I got a deal similiar to this for Jon and I to go on a date. We saw the movie on IMAX 3D which was amazing!

Details to Know:
You have to buy the tickets off Fandango.com when you go to use your deal (it is actually through them) so there can be a convenience fee. When I got this deal before, I paid $11 for the two tickets. Sometimes the total value is applied (in this case it would be $30) but not always. So be prepared to pay $2-4 more than $9.

The first day you can use the deal is tomorrow, so keep in mind you can't go tonight.

Remember, if you buy the deal then forward it to 3 friends that buy it too, you get yours for free!

Go get it!

Salad is to Men...

what Mufasa is to Shenzi. Case in point, the video below. Not the best quality, but I'm sure it would resonate with your interpretation of how it would go, telling your man salad is for dinner.

 The nutritional value alone is a huge bonus. Getting a guy to eat it for dinner...what's the opposite of huge bonus? Huge depletion?

If I lived in an ideal world, I would eat raw fruit and veggies 95% of the time. I love salads, but do get burned out after a while a take a break. We have been on a break, so now I'm gearing up to start making them again! Jon likes salad too, so having it for dinner isn't really a no win zone.

One of his musts for having a salad, though, is it needs to have meat on it. I tried getting away with veggie only salads, but was quickly rebuffed. After a couple of years, I have quite a few salads that have been winners in our house. 

• Cobb Salad- Diced Ham, Diced Turkey (or chicken), Cheese, Tomato, Lettuce, Bacon, Croutons, Dressing & Avacado (if you want)
• BBQ Chicken Salad- Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese, Grilled Chicken Strips, Carrots, Cheese Quesadilla, BBQ Ranch Dressing (equal parts bbq sauce to ranch dressing)
• Monte Cristo Salad- Lettuce, Swiss Cheese, Diced Turkey, Diced Ham, Tomato, Raspberry Dressing
• Fajita Salad- Lettuce, Tomato, Carrot, Cheese, Fajita Meat, Cheese Quesadilla, Dressing
• Taco Salad- Lettuce, Cheese, Tomato, Carrot, Red Cabbage, Taco Meat, Crushed Tortilla Chips, Salsa & Sour Cream Dressing
• Black & Bleu Salad- Lettuce, Tomato, Red Cabbage, Steak (leftover!), Bleu Cheese, Croutons, Dressing

One thing I try to do to cut down on the cost, is buy iceberg and mix it with a leaf lettuce. Lettuce (the most I've paid) is $1.90 for a head of leaf lettuce. Use half for a salad and the other half for tacos another night.

Also, if we're doing a lot of Mexican/Southwest dishes, I might keep a black bean & corn relish in the fridge. It makes a great topper. 

A little tip for adding carrots to the salad... sometimes the flavor can be too much as a slice. After I peel it and cut off the ends, I use the peeler to make small thin peelings of carrot. Or I will grate it. Make sure you start at the fat end to use  the majority of the carrot.

These salads are a great way to use leftover meats from grilling, eating out, another meal...the possibilities are endless! And it's a one pot meal. All your vegetables, protein, dairy & fat (even carbs sometimes) in one place. Hmm, maybe salads will become the new casserole!