suddenly frugal

I woke up the other day determined to cut our budget. Why I just can’t cut out going out to eat or cancel our Direct TV I don’t know.  As most of you know (particularly my poor husband) it’s always extremes for me.  I started with our grocery bill.  I like the kids to eat as wholesomely as possible consequently our grocery bill tends to fluctuate a great deal each week, generally heading in a higher and higher direction.  The first thing I analyzed was our produce budget.  How is it possible that I’m spending 20-30 dollars per week on fruits and vegetables when we live in a state where you can garden year round and furthermore live in a house that contains multiple gardens in the backyard.  Something wasn’t adding up, so I tweaked that budget category.  I am going to focus on only eating the produce we can grow. 

So you can imagine I was as pleased as punch when some one far less thrifty decided to throw these out.  On a side note, we showed up to the bus stop a little early the other day and I told the boys we needed to kill about twenty minutes.  I was quite surprised (and maybe a little pleased) when Tommy pointed out that it was garbage day and suggested we drive around the bus stop neighborhood to see if anyone was throwing out anything good.  Back to my point, I have no idea what these boxes where in their previous life, maybe some type of closet creation,  but I know what they’re going to be now.  Yup, more raised bed gardens.  Scott isn’t nearly as excited as me yet, I’m sure it’s coming though.  I’m currently researching how I can get the best quality cheapest organic soil.  This is no easy task I assure you. 

On the gardening note, I’m optimistic about that this theory of growing all the produce we eat can, I think it can actually work.  We are blessed to live in South Florida where we have gardening weather for much of the year.  We have more sunshine than I know what to do with most days.  Full of determination, I found a buy one get one sale on seeds at Lowes the other morning and stocked up.  Last night, Scott and I spent date night in the backyard with four of our favorite little men.  I planted new carrots, shallots, cukes, peppers and chives.  We will have our first heads of lettuce within days and have been enjoying a constant supply of onions, carrots and celery for the last few weeks.  Everyone has become accustomed to the “pull one plant one” rule.  When I send you out to the garden to pull three onions for dinner you will be given three new onions to plant.  You pull, plant and deliver your onions to the kitchen sink.  It’s a beautiful cycle and seems to be working well.  Scott cleaned up the banana trees and weeded all the prickilies out of the lawn. 

Still concerned about the rest of the grocery and household supply budget I found a great new passion.  Couponing.  I follow a website that helps stack manufacturer, competitor and store coupons against producst that are already on sale.  She focuses on our local Publix stores due to their generous coupon policy.  Mostly I get great deals on these products, occasionally I get them free and even more occasionally the store gives me money back.  Yippee!  My bill last week was $208, then I handed the cashier my 32 coupons and he gave me my new total $104.  I couldn’t contain my smile.  Erin 1 Publix 0!  This is not even a good day compared with expert couponers.  Chatting with them I noted that they often save 65 to 75%.   This being said, you do have less choice of what items you are buying each week.  If it’s relatively healthy, on sale and I have coupons, we buy it, if it’s not we don’t.  The expert websites note that most items go on sale roughly every 12 weeks.  So if you can get an item for a fair “stock up” price or better yet, free, you buy a 12 week supply.  Some things, like a 12 week supply of taco seasoning, don’t take up much room, but a 12 week supply of diapers and wipes, you better have some room set aside.  Right now, I’m building my “little Walmart” in my master closet.  But space is limited so I need to reorganize and redesignate some other underutilized spaces around our tiny house.  I am also super limited on freezer space as a certain, what’s the opposite of pack rat, minimalist mouse maybe, cleaned the garage the other day and gave away my chest freezer because he didn’t want to clean it.  So I am on Craigslist trying to buy another freezer.  I will not be happy if I go to pick up a freezer and find out I’ve just bought back the freezer than Scott gave away!

The other super duper money saving idea I’ve come up with it my new latest and greatest part time career.  I must remain secretive to a certain extent here as my new profession’s code of honor allows little disclosure on the topic.  Let me just say that I may or may not have received a free oil change the other day possibly working under cover for a certain corporate headquarters.  I may or may not have had to measure the temperature of the coffee and check the date on the newspaper in the waiting area.  In the event that this actually did happen, I wouldn’t be picking up several other large stores where I am already doing shopping at to spy around a little for corporate headquarters.  Spy around at rather nice rates and benefits I may say. 

So here’s to saving money.  Look out for me Mr. Man because you’re not gettin any of my money today!

ashes

I went off to the office, Scott went off to Fed Ex, the bigs went off to school and the littles went off to Miss Tammie's.  We spent about eight hours tolling through the day separately then all reunited at church tonight.  It was Ash Wednesday today and we were meeting at five o'clock mass.

I was a little early with the boys so we attempted to kill time in the church parking lot.  I say attempted because as you can imagine four little boys in a parking lot filled with over achieving eighty year old super Catholic blue hairs can be a bit of a challenge.

Finn had a potty training accident at some point during the day so I picked him up from Miss Tammie's in nothing but undies.  He also had a bite mark on the side of his face courtesy of his smaller very short tempered little brother.  He's quite a sight with his lingering fat lip and newly bruised cheek.  I'm still waiting for the DCF investigation to start. 

Tommy's jeans decided to fall apart today and the hem on each leg now had a three or four inch tail dragging on the ground.  He also decided to leave his socks on the school bus today (I didn't even bother to ask how this was possible). 

Gavin had eaten a piece of chocolate pie and had pie remnants smeared on his chin and the front seat and consequently into the seat of his pants. 

Peter needed a new diaper and managed to dump my water bottle on his shirt while I was tending to the others. 

So there I am trying to corral the boys and make each one of the, church ready with a senior church member on either side of my van watching and most likely taking notes.  Lacking any input from mothers of young boys our church has decided to decorate using lots and lots of little white rocks instead of the more practical mulch.  Little rocks that can be picked up by the handfuls are not a good match for little boys. 

I'm laughing now as I recall when a certain rambunctious nephew of mine threw a handful of these very same rocks into the air conditioning fan outside the church while mass was being held.  Gun shots rang out, or so it sounded, as the rocks bounced off the whizzing fan blades.  Quite noticeable to the parishioners inside and even more noticable to his extremely embarrassed mother.  Whoops. 

Anyway, back to trying to keep my own boys under control in the church parking lot under the watchful eye of fifty of my closest critics who all raised perfect little boys that never threw rocks or peed in public. 

Stones were thrown, van doors were slammed, a certain small boy relieved himself on some of the landscaping, a statue was molested and mocked, and I was once again reminded how painful it is to be the center of attention when your children are super unpredictable. 

I stalled as long as possible prior to going into the church.  The boys were anxious to go in and I was seeing seats fill up fast but was still waiting for Scott's to meet me.  There was no way I was going in alone.  To occupy the boys I allowed them to be the official door holders.  Tommy held the left door and Gavin held the right.  How cute, what was less attractive though were the littles.  Finn questioned every one's sex as they entered.  "You a girl?"  "You a boy?" and so on.  This failed to amuse a few church goers.  Peter was the icing on the cake when he pulled on every purse that swung by at eye level.  I assure you few things make old ladies more nervous that people tugging on their purses.  After I pried Petey's hand off his sixth purse I finnally saw it, my beacon of hope, Scott was walking across the parking lot.  Thank GOD, literally. 

I was excited to see him but more excited to have another person on my team.  The boys leapt into his arms cutting in front of numerous people to get to their favorite person while screaming Daddy Daddy Daddy.  I was finally able to breath.  Hopefully we could gain control but worst case scenario at least I would have someone to go down in flames with if things continued spiraling out of control.

After some hugs and kisses, we lined up to enter the church and find a pew.  Our family now takes up half of a pew.  Is it wrong to fantasize about having a family so large we would take up an entire pew?  Yeah, it's probably pretty dangerous to flirt with these ideas.  But speaking of pews, I'm particular about mine.  We need to find a seat with a good exit plan, minimal crabby ladies and located near the back.  We were lucky enough to find one available. 

We got comfortable and made it through the first five minutes before Scott had to take out a group of evacuees.  I stayed in the pew with the moderately behaved ones.  I was excited to have the boys take part in the ash ceremony.  They weren't as enthusiastic as I hoped, but they marched up one by one to have their turn. 

"Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return," Father reminded us as he smudged out foreheads. 

Finn was the only one who had issues with the ashes on his forehead.  He was quite vocal about it and let the entire congregation know this.  Scott retreated again to the back of the church with a howling Finn in tow. 

Between prayers and kneeling and standing and kneeling again, I whispered to Gavin and Tommy that we would need to decide what we were giving up for Lent.  Gavin confined in me that he would be giving up water.   I quietly explained through hushed whispers why we shouldn't give up something good for us and how we should pick a bad habit to eliminate or add a GODLY task to each day. 

I was relieved but satisfied when mass ended.  I like that we are able to show the boys how important church is to us and hopefully pass that down to them.  It's not always the most convenient thing to do or the most fun or the most popular activity, but church is important and I want them to know this. 

Gavin said some extra prayers after communion tonight.  When I asked him what he was praying so long for he explained that he was asking forgiveness for having a chicken patty for lunch at school when we were supposed to abstain from meat today and he was also asking for forgiveness for telling his class about the beads for boobs Mardi Gras tradition.  Hmmmmmm... I wonder who fed him that tidbit of information, Thanks Scott. 

After mass tonight I reflected on the message behind the ashes.  We are GOD's creatures and are on a journey of conversion, conversion to becoming better children of GOD and better Christians.  Lent is the season of renewal for this time.  It's a time to get back on track, assess your past year and make improvements for the following season.  Maybe the new year for Catholics.  New resolutions and plans to become stronger in our relationship with GOD.  This Lenten season our house will have a little less beer, a little less swearing, a little less chocolate and a little less soda.  These are just some of the habits anonymous members of our family have committed to giving up for the next forty days and nights.  I will say my prayers tonight as they all sleep faithfully with their ashen smudges. 

Happy Ash Wednesday to all and to all a Good Night.

blood

What’s that on the floor you say?  Blood.



What else could it be?  Finn’s blood to be more specific.  Bad things seem to happen in this house.  We have several injury prone children and one very clumsy very apologetic Daddy.  Many of you may recall the ceiling fan head injury several months ago. 

I was in the office doing some computer work when Scott called me.  I responded explaining I was right in the middle of printing the grocery coupons and the computer battery was about to die.  Geez he’s needy.  When he persisted, I slammed the computer shut and went out to see what he was so adamant about.

I walked out into the kitchen and the blood was already soaking Finn’s shirt and dripping on the floor.  I took a deep breath and flew into EMT mode.  Gimme Finn, a cold rag and a flashlight.  I assured Finn and Scott that everything was fine.  We had gathered an audience of sympathetic little siblings.  I held pressure on a, swelling before my eyes, spilt lip.  Once the bleeding was under control I examined further with my flashlight.  His tooth, his front tooth.  Shoot, it’s six pm on Friday night, I don’t have time for this crap.  This was all I could think.  His tooth was still intact, but not really pointing the correct direction anymore. 
I handed the now calm Finn to his still hysterical father while I searched for my phone.  First call was to my sister, real EMT and dental hygienist, definitely qualified to give dental advice via the telephone from 1200 miles away.  I called, twice, no answer.  I called my mom who offered sympathy, but no actual advice.  She suggested I text my sister.  I texted “Dental Emergency, call me.”  That got some attention.  I had her on the line in about 20 seconds. 

Ellen suggested not repositioning, checking his bite to see if the new tooth position affected his bite and following up with my dentist for an xray next week.  She also suggested I call my dentist for a follow up and second opinion.  I called my dentist’s answering service and received a prompt reply. She gave me the exact same advice and told me to make a “baseline trauma” appointment for next week. 

When I asked the dentist what our options were, I was surprised.  Leave it alone or pull it.  The tooth may fall out on its own or it may stay in its new position.  It can turn an array of colors from beige to yellow to black.  All sound charming but at least better than the tooth falling out all together.  Three year olds aren’t supposed to have missing teeth, it’s just wrong. 

I never want to say things like, I can’t wait for Finn to be five or six, but I will be sooooooo excited when the crooked tooth falls out.  As long as it can hang on till then and hopefully remains a normal color. 

Alright, time to go scrub that blood off the floor.  Some things never change around here.

paint

The boys make far too much artwork.  I could never display each and every creation.  I will be completely honest though, I like some artwork better than others.  I’m not really a fan of crayon work or pencil drawings.  These are the ones I set on the counter until after bedtime, slowly slip them into the garbage, tie up the bag and take it out tell Scott to take it out.  I feel a little guilty, but I would have to be on an episode of hoarders if I kept them all.

Paint projects though, I can appreciate a little more.  They always turn out beautiful regardless of the skill level of the artist. 

 

This has only recently turned into an outside project since the last time we painted inside and I now have many silver puddles around my kitchen table.  I think they will eventually come off, I just need to find someone who is willing to spend about 20 minutes on their hands and knees with a scrubber.  I’m still looking for this person as it surely isn’t me.

 

Gavin is really struggling with the less is more concept.  If it takes more than three days for your artwork to dry, you may have used a little too much paint.

 

I also showed him how to press another paper on top to use up some of the extra paint.  This was the technique he used to crank out 23 (wish I was joking) master pieces this weekend.

Messy, but able to keep their attention for quite some time.  Painting also seems to channel some of that same energy they otherwise spend on arguing and taunting and annoying each other.

 

Soon my patio was covered with Gavin originals.  Like I said, I do have a special place on my frige for paintings, but am still going to have to file some of these in the recycling bin.  Sorry Gavin, maybe I’ll photograph them so that I can keep the guilt at bay. 

we’re goin on a tortoise hunt…

we’re goin on a tortoise hunt…
I’m not afraid…
Got a few good friends…
By my side…
Uh-Oh…
We’ve come to the woods…
Can’t go over them…
Can’t go under them…
Must go down the trail…




We’re goin on a tortoise hunt…
I’m not afraid…
Got a few good friends…
By my side…
Uh-Oh…
Looks like a tortoise hole…
Can’t fit in it…
Can’t see in it…
Must get low…





We’re goin on a turtle hunt…
I’m not afraid…
Got a few good friends…
By my side…
Uh-Oh…
Looks like a tortoise butt…
Somebody’s home…





We’re goin on a turtle hunt…
I’m not afraid…
Got a few good friends…
By my side…

Fun day at the Gopher Tortoise habitat near the beach.  Poor tortoises, they all  ran  slowly walked for cover.

beach walking

We’ve been in Florida now for just over five years.  We live very close to the ocean and have been there many times. The strange thing is it still feels like I’m on vacation in a foreign place each and every time we visit. 

We love to walk the beach with the boys and see what kind of creatures we can find and poke with sticks and bring home (this only applies to the dead ones as I am very afraid of FL Fish and Wildlife).  


This big guy was washed up on the sand the other day.  Jellyfish maybe?  Some marine biologist is probably shaking his head right now at my ignorance.  It wasn’t a plastic Walmart bag, I know that much for sure.
 

These guys were all over.  I think they must be some kind of starfish.  We were able to pick them up (same marine biologist shutting his computer now and again shaking his head).  They were super squirmy and fun to hold.
It’s always educational, even if the teacher herself is uneducated in all things marine.  We splash and photo and collect.  The ocean is always impressive and gives the boys an outlet to burn some energy and most importantly, it’s free.
Beach patrons and sea creatures and FL Fish and Wildlife can relax this week because we are all still nursing sunburns and won’t be back to the ocean for awhile.

cartwheels

 

I can’t do cartwheels.  Furthermore, I have never been able to do cartwheels.  Not even when I was young and limber.  I just couldn’t ever fathom the idea of my feet flying up over my head.  It still doesn’t sound like a good idea.

But cartwheel Gavin can.  He can do cartwheels and round offs and one armed cartwheels and several cartwheels in a row and cartwheels on the beach and in the living room and in the front lawn. 

Last year in break dance, Gavin’s instructor Antonio taught him and he’s been refining it every since.  Jealous I am, but bitter I’m not.  It’s nice that some people are blessed with these talents and some of us are more the observing type.  After all, who would cheer for the cartwheelers from the side lines if we were all out there cartwheeling around?

messy marshmallows and bumpy beds

We had the pleasure last week of hosting some travelers from the frozen tundra.  They have a whole mess of snow and ice right now so a little sunshine was in order.  My mom, sister and sister-in-law flew in.  We also were lucky enough to receive a visit from another sister-in-law whom hadn’t met yet.  She flew in all the way from California. 

We decided to do a little camping.  Although there's still some debate whether or not this really qualified as camping since no real tent was involved. 
But, I’m pretty sure it felt like camping and looked like camping and tasted like camping.
 
We had a limited supply of clothing like you do when you camp.  We may not have packed them in our hiking backpacks, but reusable Fresh Market shopping bags are close enough I think.


We had to travel to get water just like camping.  It may not have been fresh from a mountain stream and maybe we only had to travel about 30 feet, but I did make at least 2 or 3 trips each day.
 
We had no real schedule just like camping.  A few lucky ones got to sneak in a nap.  For the record, I wasn't one of these lucky ones.
 
We spent lots of time with family just like camping.  We all got to know each other a little better.  Evie was a hit.  She has a wonderful Super Nanny accent which gave her instant authority with the boys. 
 
We had a campsite with a humble temporary home just like camping… sort of.  Maybe not the classic tent, but nonetheless bumpy beds and humid and uncomfortable. 


We even had firewood just like camping.  We did pay about $8.00 a bundle.   This seemed like a foreign concept to the Up North Folks, but this is FL.  I don’t think you can just cut up a palm tree and burn it the way you can an oak or maple up North.
 
We sustained actual camping injuries.  Blisters and bug bites and sunburns.  Old trusty served us well once again.  Each time I would put it away, my nephew would squeal “anti itch, anti itch”  so the kit lay open on the picnic table for most of our trip just waiting for the next injury.
 
We had campfires just like real camping.  Even though we had to pay $10 per day to rent it.  It is possible that real campsites come with fire rings, but we made this work.  We had S’mores and let the boys play in the fire.  Well not really in the fire, but at least let them burn paper plates and napkins and sticks and probably a lot of other things when I wasn’t looking. 

I had actual gross dirty camping feet.  Blistered and unpedicured and filthy, I think this qualifies.

The boys spent plenty of time being goofy just like camping everyday.  They ran in a pack and laughed and bickered and schemed and got dirty just like camping.


We had to provide our own bedding just like camping.  Even if it was a Thomas the Train comforter and not an actual sleeping bag I think it still counts.  To make it more like realistic camping uncomfortable our cabin shared only two pillows.  That’s three family members per pillow.
 
We all had chores just like real camping.  We took turns holding down the porch swings.  Napping and texting and fighting and cuddling, these swings were very popular.
 
So although our accommodations may have been a little plush and I was reminded on more than one occasion that none of my camping equipment was actual camping equipment and it wasn’t an actual State Park (very popular in my family)

I still think we...

CAMPED!
 

We came home with dirt under our fingernails and pink from sunburn and with sore backs from the hard beds and full of fun camping memories. 

I think it’s official, we’re CAMPERS.