Grocery Shopping Paleo Style

What do you eat in a week? 

Do you purposely plan your meals? 

Do do you buy precooked food for the week and stop through the drive thru multiple times a week? 

Don't get me wrong, sometime it is a time saver to have a few frozen meals ready in a pinch. 

Who isn't tempted{and given into temptation} to drive thru your nearest fast food restaurant?

It all happens but after reading the following article it solidified the choice to eat paleo

Are you like the average american family?

This and the following photos is from an article Infowars

I have to say I was THOROUGHLY grossed out! 

Now if this is how your family eats I mean no offence but this is why the American

people are obese, diabetic, racked with disease and the like.

Now before you think that just Americans are poor eaters...

think again!

Great Britans weekly food consumption

Mexico...did you count the 2 liters of Coke? 12, TWELVE!!!!

Chad, this reminds me to NEVER complain about my grocery budget!

Now to show me mine now that I am eating a simple, natural, unprocessed diet

We eat pretty simply, my boys cereal/protein bars are probably the most processed food we consume. 

Now even though there isn't a lot of food don't equate this with a small amount of money spent. I made some yummy meals with this trip like sweet potato fries and breaded chicken, quiche, and garden meatballs.

I am very pro organically grown food, humanly treated animal meals and products, which all cost. 

But I would rather spend it natural foods than on medicine and Dr. visits. 

What does your weekly grocery shopping look like?

 

Taco Soup

This is one of my favorite freezer meal that I found on Biblical Homemaking that I adapted to our liking

1 lb of stew meat {or ground beef, chicken or turkey}

2 cans of corn

1 can of chili beans

2 can of pinto beans

1 can of black beans

1 can {1lb 12.oz} crushed tomatoes

1 can {1lb 12 oz} diced tomatoes

2 cans of Rotel{the Target brand works great too!}

1 package of Taco seasoning{I like Ortega because no MSG}

1 package of dry ranch seasoning{the Simply Organic has no MSG}

In a skillet

1. Brown stew meat

2. Add all ingredients {don't drain the tomatoes}to a large slow-cooker

3. Cook on low for 6 hours!

This meal freezes wonderfully and is a favorite for meal planing a goal I shared with you before! 

For our family I can get 3 meals {4 cups in ziplock bags} out of this one recipe

Enjoy!

Thrifting can be profitable

Last week my cousin and I had a ton of fun thrifting some outfits for her. She is a single mom and has to stretch her dollar. I love shopping so any excuse to thrift I am all in. I will be showing some of her outfits in the near future because they are just too cute to keep to ourselves. Since I was on a thrifting high I went by myself a couple of days later with no plan in mind. 

While shopping I happened upon these...

BRAND NEW TOMS for $9.99!!! 

I was pretty excited. I love it when thrift stores haven't a clue about brands Ever since seeing Mandy's the $10 business I have been thinking about finding a $10 item and making money off it. Well these lovely men Highlands Brown Botas are on Ebay if you are interested! 

But that's not all I found...

A Tory Burch tunic for $2.98!!!!

Unbelievable, if it wasn't a size 2 I would have keep it for myself. 

But instead I am selling it on Ebay too!

Do you sell on Ebay? Does it work for you?

Save $5 on $5 or more at Michaels

I love to browse the aisles at Michaels.  There’s always something there that I must have!  So I’m excited to see a new Michaels coupon that will take $5.00 off your purchase of $5.00 or more!

• Go hear to print your coupon.
• Offer is valid today & tomorrow, 2/3 & 2/4, and only in-store.
• Limit one coupon per customer per day.
• It does have some exclusions, so read the fine print carefully before you print
  
  
  Thanks Krazy Coupon Lady
  
  

My Pottery Barn Finds!

I am super excited about my Goodwill trip today!!! I found two awesome deals.  

First is a Pottery Barn Kids My First Clock. Each of the hours spins on a dowel rod and tells the time numerically, in dots, the written word and in seconds. I love it, especially since it is wooden I am sick of all the plastic stuff these days. It is in such great condition. I am not sure how much is retails for, looks like PBKids stopped making it. But I got it for ...drumroll please... $2.99!!! I know that's crazy! The totally didn't know what they had. 

My second treasure was a boys blue and red PBKids Fairfax small backpack! As you can see it is monogramed with Danny, but I am just going to rip that out and either have it re-monogramed or get some sports appliques and cover it up!  This backpack retails for $29.50. I got it for a mere $1.99! The appliques are going to cost me more then the backpack! I can't wait to show you guys the before and after on this one!

Love me some thrifty finds!

Meal Planning

I am very interested in simplifying my life. Everyone one is way too hurried in our culture.
 I don't want the memory I leave my boys to be;

  'Mommy was always in a hurry or Mommy was always rushing us out the door'. 

No I want to spend intentional time with my sons and not feel hurried to get it over with because I have something else I need to be doing. 

Thus meal-planning is going to be a HUGE help this year. Now that both boys are able to eat just about everything mom and dad eat I can concentrate on just one item per meal time. I have been checking out Onceamonthmom and I am looking forward to tailoring it to fit our family. I like to cook so I probably will want to do so more than just once a month but the concept will be very beneficial to our family and having dinner ready when daddy walks through the door.
I know that this will give me some freedom and elevate stress that happen around 5pm.
My goal is to share my recipes /meal plans with you.
This will defiantly be  a learning experience so join me as I learn. 

Garage Sale

So I am participating in  my first Garage Sale this weekend with my MIL . I have to say for not having any big items it has been a real hit. I had a TON of clothes probably 150 peices of clothes that I will "one day fit into"! Well I decided that if one day I can fit into them I want a new wardrobe! Plus storing the clothes was taking up valuable closet space in my 3 closet apartment! Yes only 3 closets. Anyway, between Thur and Fri, Fri produced more customers. We shall see what tomorrow holds. I can tell you this much I don't like running a garage sale 8 months pregnant! Even though I got the best complement ever, a lady asked me how many months and when I said 8 she had a shocked look then said " You are so SMALL!" I am thinking YES!!! Because I am measuring bigger than with number one! But anyway we will see how tomorrow goes. I am SO ready for it to be over thought. 

On a side not at my church we have a ministry called Building Blocks (its like MOPS) and the talked about the Truth about Women's insecurity I can't wait to share the great things I learned. I will tell you now that is laced with scripture so if you don't believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you may not get much out of it. I do hope you still read thought and maybe you will have some questions for me. That is tomorrow post ( I hope) 

Night, night!

Tasty Tuesday {Guest Cook}

Here is this weeks tasty recipe. My good friend from mommy moments made this for her family just last week and is sharing it here. She is in the chilly midwest right now enjoying great soup weather, so I can't wait for it to get a bit cooler her in Texas so that I can make this.

Side note: along the lines of saving money one groceries make more of this stock than you need for the soup and it will be ready for all kinds of recipe and will be much fresher than anything in a can.

The ideas are endless;

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Stir Fry

To make rice or mashed potatoes

Gravy

Chicken Pot Pie

Just to name a few.

Grace's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Stock:

2 carrots, in large chunks

3 celery stalks in large chunks

1 onion, quartered

4-5 garlic cloves, halved

2 tsp. thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. pepper

2 large chicken breasts

Put in pot, add 3 quarts water

Bring to boil

Cook over medium-low for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until chicken is done

Add water as needed

Remove chicken, shred

Strain stock

Use immeadiately or refrigerate

Yields: 2 quarts

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 onion, diced

2-3 garlic cloves, diced

1-2 jalapenos, diced (optional)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

2-3 tomatoes, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can black beans

1 16 oz. bag frozen corn

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

shredded chicken from the stock

In a large sauce pan, saute onion, garlic, jalapeno, bell peppers and poblano peppers

Add chopped tomatoes, cook down completely

Pour in stock

Add shredded chicken, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro

Bring to boil, then simmer, partially covered for 1-2 hours

Garnish ideas:

Shredded cheese, Avocado slices, Fresh lime to squeeze in, tortilla chips (or fried tortilla strips),sour cream or fresh chopped cilantro

Hope you enjoy the soup!

Halloween Costume

Happy Little Pumpkin!

Yeah! Getting excited about Fall! Now that I have my own little one I am so excited that I found a costume at the thrift store for only $6! Pottery Barn Kids on Knox/Henderson is having a Halloween Fashion show with face painting, contest and giveaways. So we will be a pumpkin. I will be sure and take pictures to show you!

About to Start on my Desk!

So am about to start my furniture painting. I bought some Ivy Leaf spray paint by Krylon and Krylons white primer. Wal-mart didn't have the Kilz that Brooke from All things thrifty recommends and since trying to get out of the apartment with a 8 month old and being 5 1/2 month pregnant is a chore hopefully I won't regret my choice.

Since I wasn't sure how that color would look out of the can and on something I experimented with a picture frame. Just not in the mood to redo a WHOLE desk if I like the color. The best part about this upcoming project is that it will probably cost me only $12-$15!

• Spray paint~ I'm estimating 3 can @ $2.97/ea = $9 basically
  
• Primer ~ 1 can $2.97
• Sealer for the top not even half a can ~ less than $1.50!
• Maybe if I feel ambitious I will line the drawers with paper ~$1-2
• Desk~ FREE!!! MIL gave it to me, because she didn't have a use for it but didn't want to throw it away. SCORE!
  

Now to get started... during the next nap time I plan to get going!

Let's Paint some furniture!

So I have been blog surfing and love what I found All things thrifty... talk about inspiration! I have some work to do. I have about 5 pieces of furniture that are begging for and uplift. Since we are renters I see this as an awesome ways to had some much needed color to bland color that is beige BLAH! So stay tuned for the following project. (hopefully I remember to take pictures!)

1. Changing table
2. China Cabinet
3. Desk
4. Bookshelves
5. Corner Cabinet
   

Yard sale pondering

So I am planing to have a joint yard sale with my MIL at the end of the month/beginning of October. Things that I plan to sale:

• Men's clothes
• Women's clothes
• Accessories
• Baby boy items
• Furniture - TV hutch, possibly a queen size bed frame sleigh style
• Dishes, and kitchen odds and ends
• Misc. items

I am realizing that there is a lot to be done to help make it successful. For about a month I have been going thought closets, cabinets and rooms getting rid of no longer needed items. It is amazing how much stuff I have collected in the 2 1/2 years of marriage.

I really want to have a group sale. So those of you whom I know let me know if you want to combine forces. Send me an email.

I love the Nesters thought on How to Yard Sale, with tips for buyers and sellers. Getting excited about the yard sell. Trying to decide what I will do with my money!

Projects

For some reason when I am pregnant I have this desire to do projects. Like I have extra time to do them! Recently I have become obsessed with card making and all that can be done with them, heat embossing, stamping, stickers, fun/cute paper etc. My newest obsession is sewing. Now I have made maybe a handful of sewing project in my 25 years but I hope to make them a regular part of my life! I have a whole list of project I want to complete before little man make his appearance:

1. Apron; I found some different ideas from 50 free Apron Patterns
2. Mei tai carrier; this might be the most complicated project!
3. Curtains
4. Burp clothes

I think I might be a little ambitious but maybe I will get 2 done! Let me know if you would like to tag along with any of these projects.

Bargain shopping is my hearts desire!

I am so about bargains, free stuff, and nearly free stuff. There are so many ways, and avenues to help you find them. I feel that as a stay at home mom my way of helping is to maximize the most out of the finances my husbands has worked hard to make. I have several website that help me find those deals and bargains. Here are a few that I LOVE!

1. Hip2save
2. TotallyTarget
3. Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
4. Freebies4Mom

Some of the best places I have found savings are:

1. Kroger
2. Tom Thumb
3. Target
4. CVS

What I do to save a ton!

1. I check Hip2Save, she updates several time a day the deals at different stores
2. I have signed up for different stores email, especially clothing stores
3. Clip coupons, and have them organized! I keep a coupon binder (There a a TON of youtube videos on how to make one!)
4. CLEARANCE, CLEARANCE, CLEARANCE!!!
5. Double up on the coupons, (ex. Store coupon like Tom Thumb has coupons in the weekly ads,+ manufacture coupons you get in the Sunday ads, or online = double savings!)

This is just a few of the ways I save money. When it comes to clothing and household items, the clearance is where I go. Many of the blogs I follow boast thrift store shopping. I haven't gotten the hang of it myself. I tend to have great luck with store clearance bargains, especially places like Target, Kohls and Macy's. This is where signing up for store emails helps, they tell you when sales are and sometimes send you coupons.

Seeing as I love bargain shopping, I am always looking for better ways and more ways to save money. So please share what you do!

More Wall Art

I am kind of obsessed with wall art. After my intense nesting I noticed just how bare the walls in my home are. So my quest for easy, fugal ideas began. Several blogs I like have some really neat ideas!

Hear is one, this is a groups of pictures from Ballard Design Catalog and Sarah from the Thrifty Decor Chick made it for much much less

All she used was, MDF board, and scrapbook paper, then nailed them directly to the wall. The Ballard Design cost $200, hers cost $25! So simple and affordable!

I came up with an idea for some art to go over my living room doorway

I bought wood letters that spell FAMILY each letter was $1.49

Then I got a 8 x 24 canvas for $4.99

Lastly whatever colors you want in acrylic paint, Michael's had then $0.77/ea

I will post pictures of the art when I am done,

so far I have painted the letters a Brick red mixed with white pearl.

I plan to paint the canvas a dark brown/bronze color

Affix the letter to the canvas then hang on the all!

Super Excited!

Wall Art

I must be nesting, I look at different blogs and go " OH I want to do that!" Today's moment was looking at these wall art ideas. I was thinking my bedroom is blah. Nothing decorative in it at all. The ideas I saw was actually a headboard. Basically wood, covered in batting, then wrapped with a pretty decorative fabric, stapled on the back and using picture hanging systems hung on the wall. I mean SUPER easy. So today I bought half of what I need, fabric and batting

I already have the staple gun, and need to get the picture hanging systems, and wood. I am going to Home Depot or Lowes tomorrow to buy scrap wood to make 4-12" squares and the hanging systems. I wonder just how many of my project I will get to finish. Still have to buy grommet for my No-Sew Curtains. Hopefully David give me till after tomorrow!

Baby Food

So I am very interested in making my own baby food. Where I nannied last, the mom made a lot of her son's food. I have been looking at all the different gadgets that can be used to make food. Though initially I want to say, why in the world would you pay that much for a baby food maker (i.e. Beaba Babycook $149)?

Beaba Babycook

a steamer, blender, warmer and defroster all in one

steams veggies, fruit, meat,&fish in 15min or less

preserving vits &mins

quickly reheats or defrost precooked food

BPA free

Recipes are included when you buy

Then I think about just how much it cost to buy baby food. Those little jars are expensive, I know that the number 3 Gerber are close to $0.80/jar. So then I think OK, if I am going to feed my child every meal from a jar, that would be what 2 jars or so a meal, so 6-8 jars a day. That would be about $6/day, $45/week, $180/month ( if we are feeding w/#3 jars) . So, I KNOW I can't afford that. So maybe buying a machine that does all that the Beaba Babycook does isn't so bad. Now to be sure there are cheaper machines, or you can use your own steamer and blender. But I have neither. So I would like to know what you veteran mom's did. I know I will have to buy something, but what should it be?