Not in Independence, KS I Tell Ya

One of the things I wish we had around here is an online food delivery service. You know, where you can order groceries from a website, fresh, frozen, etc and they're delivered the very same day right to your front door.

I know bigger cities have that option, but not here in Independence, KS. We're still a fairly small community where farmers sell their goods to locals and there's only one major shopping center.

I can't complain too much, however, since we do have our local farmer's market, which is currently offered all year round and there are many great shops downtown that offer some unique goods.

Still, when it comes to groceries, we're limited unless you count fast food places, and it would be nice if we had some healthier choices around here when it comes to food shopping. Okay, I'm rambling. It's been a very long day and a painful one at that, both emotionally and physically.

I'll Be Honest

I'm very grateful for my father-in-law having supplied us with nearly 2 weeks worth of dinners. It has helped our finances since I had to fix the van and pay several large unexpected bills. I'm just glad I had money saved back for everything.

Unfortunately, there's still a lot of craziness going on around here and jobs are still far and few and in between, so it's a tight budget with hopes of saving enough money for emergencies to keep everything afloat. And of course I really want to be able to do more for my kids. Here's hoping!

Have an Avocado or a Glass of Milk!

Did you know that there are actually foods that burn fat?Yep, it's true and I would know because I spent a lot of time researching and writing about diet and nutrition. Eating foods like jalapenos, avocados and even drinking milk can actually help you burn fat. Here's a quick rundown:

Jalapenos have a natural spice in them that burns foods like that fatty chop you had for dinner.
Avocados are a great alternative to fatty foods since they're considered a good fat.
Milk actually helps control your appetite and fills you up faster so you tend to eat less.

Of course there are a lot more foods that can help you lose weight and when you include them with exercise, you'll soon not only look great, you'll feel great as well.

AneMae's, Kids and Buckwheat

One thing I have noticed in this family is that the kids refuse to touch anything that doesn't contain some form of sugar. While a little bit of sugar is not such a bad thing, I've been trying to get the kids to eat healthier. Around here we lack the energy to do much of anything.

On Saturdays we try to head downtown which is less than 4 blocks and by the time we get there, the kids are so tired that they want to sit down for the rest of the day. I know adults tire easily, but you would think kids have more energy!

Going back to the sugar, the only way the kids will eat lunch or dinner is if it has sugar in it. Now by that I don't always mean cookies, candy, etc. What I mean is processed foods that contain con syrup, sugar, etc.

Lately I've been trying to cut back on those things and fix healthier foods that are not processed. We do include desserts as a special treat on some nights, but even that has become a problem lately. Unless there is dessert for after dinner, the kids won't eat. To eliminate the problem I've tried explaining to them if dinner is not eaten for the week, desserts are not allowed. It doesn't work. They won't eat unless the dinner contains some form of sugar. Lately they've even refused to eat pizza! They will eat some fruits, however!

So now I am wondering if the problem is that their addicted to sugar. I was thinking of trying to wean them off of it, but I don't feel it's right to eliminate treats all together. After all they're kids and even I love to indulge in a bit of chocolate or sweets once in a while.

Today we stopped by a coffee shop here in Independece, Kansas called, AneMae's. AneMae's also carries health foods which is awesome for a little town like ours. They also serve organic and healthy lunches!!! They are my second favorite specialty store here, the first being Magnolia's Health and Home where we buy our teas.

The kids chose juice that was 100% pure and they loved it! They also chose apples and ate those too. While the juice and apples are both a natural sugar, at least there is some hope when it comes to the kids' health. While we were there I picked up some buckwheat mix for pancakes and waffles. It contains cane juice (sugar), but at least it's a little healthier than your average white flour.

So, tonight I'm planning to make buckwheat pancakes for the kids and I for dinner! Wish me luck because I know damn well I'm going to need it!!! LOL

Strengthening My Back and Taking Out the Garbage

This past week I started doing yoga for my back and I feel great! I've only done the workout a few times too! How insane is that? I can imagine what my entire body will feel like if I start doing yoga for more than just my back. Wow. I started the exercise routine, simply because I needed to do something about the pain I've been having there.

A few years ago I was working as a CNA and because I was told to do an entire floor by myself, I ended up lifting a person that was more weight than I could manage and it did something to my back.

I have not been to a doctor about it because I cannot afford insurance and the time has elapsed for my husband to put me on his at work. So I've been dealing with the pain. There are times when it's very hard though. I can be doing something as simple as changing the trash bag in the trash can and it will put my back in severe pain.

So, this past week I was in pain again. Instead of baring through it, I went online and looked up exercise for strengthening my back. Of course yoga wasn't the only exercise there was for it, but since it's the only one that does not require tons of expensive workout equipment, I decided to give it a try. And like I said, Wow. It's been great! So I will continue to strengthen that area and hopefully it will improve.

I am also considered eating a little better. Lately, I've been eating tons of junk food. I can definitely tell a difference at how my body has been reacting just from the breakouts on my face and the sluggishness in my body! I've had very little energy and it's wearing me down inside and out. So I think it's time to take out the garbage and get my body back into a healthier shape.

What do you think? Any suggestions, ideas that work for you?

Saving Money and Hormone Issues Thanks to the Kansas Cows

Since we still have the rental car until this evening, yesterday I made a trip to the grocery store. Normally we go to the store at least once a week, but because gas prices have gone insane, I decided to stock up for a few weeks worth of groceries.

Usually I spend on an average about $100 a week for groceries, but this time I only spent a little under $40 a week. That's really good, especially since our cabinets were completely bare! I managed to save quite a bit because I ended up cutting out beef and dairy entirely. Instead, I stocked up on soy milk and cheese, fish, turkey and veggie meatless crumbles. I didn't do this to save money either. I did it because my husband and I think he may have a hormonal imbalance (which could explain his mood swings, lack of energy and foggy memory lately). I was doing some research about hormonal imbalance in both men and women and learned that one of the major culprits could be due to the chemicals and hormones that manufacturers add to beef and milk.

I honestly don't know if it will really make a difference, but it's a healthier choice in the long run anyhow.

Cheap and Easy Japanese Lunch

By Thursday our cabinets are generally back down to the basics since we always do our shopping on a Friday. Today I was craving something different than the ordinary peanut butter and jelly sandwich. So after finding some brown rice in the cabinet and surfing online for a good rice sauce. I found this one:

Japanese Ginger Sauce

• 1TBSP
• 2TBSP water
• 4tsp soy sauce
• 1garlic clove minced
• 3slices fresh ginger-about dime size
• 1tsp sugar
• 2TBSP oil

Add oil in a stream into blender.

The above sauce is actually used for steaks, but it sounded yummy enough for rice, so I gave it a try. I did adjust the recipe just a bit. I omitted the water and used ground ginger instead of fresh. Also I added some crushed red peppers since I love spicy foods! The result: Absolutely Delicious!

Saving Money My Way

Lately with prices rising in both food and gas, many families are beginning to struggle. Most households are only earning at a minimum wage and that is not nearly enough for today's rising prices.

Yet, it's not just low income families who are suffering. Middle class families are being effected by the price rises as well.

I know here we are paying $3.55 a gallon for gas! Since my husband drives an old pickup truck, we tend to spend around $60 a week or more for gas. One way we help to make our dollar stretch is by limiting our driving. We drive to and from work (he drops me off and I walk home or have a friend pick me up) and plan a once a week trip to our local supermarket.We also try to plan any other trips on that same day.

Even though food prices are rising, cutting back on food is not something we will be doing. However, we're not opposed to trying off brands in both gorcheries and household goods, to save some money.

One of my favorite areas to shop is the day old bread rack. It's usually the first place I hit when we got to the store. Day old breads can be frozen and will last at least a week, sometimes a bit longer.

To save money on milk, we will stop by braums ice cream store, since their milk is a dollar cheaper than our local supermarket. Plus Braum's milk is much better in taste and free of hormones.

Another way we are able to save money is by browsing the local yard sales for clothing, household goods, books, toys, etc. Despite what some people think, you can find very good gently used clothing at fantasitc rates.

A few weekends ago, we stopped at one yard sale where I was able to find some great clothes at a dime each! Many of the clothes were brand new! The lady who was holding the sale just wanted to get rid of the clothing. I was able to buy a brand new daskin jacket for a dime! My best bargain yet!!

Last weekend my husband was able to find peices to one of his favorite games (Heroscape) for fifty cents! We also found a gently used leap pad that came with educational games that all of our kids can enjoy.

The above are just a few ways we are able to make a dollars stretch during these insane times.

What are some ways you save money? I would love to hear some ideas and I am sure others would love to hear them as well!

There's a Cat Where?????

Okay, so maybe those rumors I heard are true! Whatever the truth may be, this song certainly had me giggling and that's rare nowadays.

What's For Dinner

Every Friday we head for the supercenter wal-mart to do our weekly grocery shopping. For a family of 7 (when we have all of the kids) I can generally manage to spend around $150 per week. I have been trying to cut down on this bill, but without sacrificing taste or healthy foods. Lately a lot of our dinners consist of pasta since it is reasonable. While pasta may be reasonable it isn't always healthy! Another problem is, pasta gets very boring. So this week I am cutting out the pasta and adding other yummy dishes instead.

The great thing about summer is fresh produce from the local farmers! I love fresh produce and look forward to dropping by their vendors when I am able to. This is a big advantage towards the grocery bill since they are much more reasonable that wal-mart's produce.

Once in a while I do add treats for the kids like snack crackers, puddings or other kid favorites. I would much rather them have fresh fruits and veggies as a snack when I can, but I don't see anything wrong to treating kids to a junk food favorite once in a while.

We also indulge in a dessert once or twice a week. This week I am planning to make a carrot cake with a caramel sauce. I made carrot juice a few nights ago and because I have a juicer, I am able to save the carrot pulp for things like cake. :) It's the first time I will make a caramel sauce to go over the cake, so I hope it turns out well!

My Passion For Sushi

I was going through articles with www.carefair.com when I ran across an article on sushi. I absolutely love sushi, but it didn't dawn on me until now... How good sushi can be for you when it comes to trying to stay healthy. As quoted by the article, "Consuming foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids are good for the body because of its ability to lower blood pressure, helps with blood clotting, and improve cardiovascular health." 

See, I knew there was a reason I loved sushi! Now they just need to open a sushi restaurant closer to here and I'll be good to go!

BTW, if you have never tried sushi, it is an acquired taste since it's primarily raw fish that is eaten. If you're open to new foods, then you should definitely try it!

Sushi Lovers, Unite

 

For the Weekend Fans

This past weekend was quite interesting. We decided to camp with friends of ours, but before then I needed to get the kids some clothing, since they didn't really have any when they came to visit. I'm on a budget and as much as I'd love to run out and buy everything new for my kids, I didn't. Simply put. Instead I went yard sale shopping with a friend of mine, early Saturday morning. The first sale we stopped at I was able to get a lot of nice clothing for my five year old. Then we stopped at several other sales and found clothing for my 10 year old as well as clothing for my soon-to-be step-daughter. My oldest son and my soon-to-be step-son were a little more difficult to find. I did manage some books while I was out and about for the kids and then it was off to wal-mart for shopping with two other friends of mine for a camping trip.

While we were there, I spotted my cousin and his wife. I ran (yes ran) over to him to say hi and let them know I moved the wedding to July. Then from the distance my friend P called me over, so we could get a move on with the grocery shopping for the camping trip. With her of course was my friend O. My cousin looks over at them and says who's that and I tell him. Yeah M, I know you were checking them out! It was funny, but I doubt his wife saw it that way!

So after the shopping trip, we were headed to the camp grounds. Meanwhile, my fiance needed to pick up his kids for the trip at their mom's house. She lives about 20 minutes from us. Then 20 minutes back to town and another 20 to the lake where we camped at. In between he would stop at wal-mart and then his dad's house to pick up a tent. Well, the rest of us decided to head out to the camp since we didn't think it would take very long for my fiance to meet us. It took my fiance 4 HOURS before he finally made it to the camp! Apparently, he had to listen to his dad warn him about a family member, then he had to talk to his ex about the kids and he picked up more supplies than we anticipated at wal-mart, plus made a stop at the bait shop. I wonder if he stopped in electronics at wal-mart to browse as well....LOL So by the time he got there, it was getting dark. I think the best part about the camping trip was when O's son was found the next morning, sleeping in his that he'd managed to turn upside down in his sleep in the middle of the night. For the most part the trip was great! It was nice to be able to get out and spend time with family and friends.

While we were there however, we learned that our cell phones didn't have a signal. Not a big deal to us, but apparently it was to my father because when I returned I had several voicemail hang ups and when I finally did call him back, he nearly chewed me out for no signal! I mean WTF? That is a bit ridiculous. Maybe I could understand if it were an emergency, but it wasn't. So much for a finale of a nice and relaxing weekend.

Now that I am back to work, it's been enjoyable. Today I was surfing a few other blogs when I ran across this one: http://adventuresincyberia.blogspot.com/
It pokes a little fun at Paris Hilton using The Sims characters. Very Cute!

Now, it's time for me to slip out into the real world now and get some dinner for the kids.

A Busy, Busy, Day....

It's been a busy day here. Actually to be exact, a busy few days. Unexpectedly I received a phone call from my oldest son who wanted to come down to visit. Of course I was excited to hear that he wanted to come and visit, so I said ok. It was also common knowledge to know that if my oldest son would be visiting, my youngest would want to as well. My middle son was planning to visit as scheduled at the end of this month, but when he came down with his brothers, he made a last minute decision to stay as well. So was I prepared?? Of course not! LOL But I did have enough groceries to tide us all over until next pay day.

To make sure of that however, I decided to drop by our local food bank, just in case. I've used them once before in such emergencies and received enough food to last for a few week.s This time however, they were only able to supply us with about 2 days worth of food. The food bank can only be used 3 times a year and I dropped by not long after Christmas for my first visit. Meaning I have one more visit to go and that's it for the rest of the year. I am hoping I will not need to use it again.

I do know about a program called Angel Foods, but you have to dish out $25 in advance and believe it or not even $25 is hard for us to come by at the moment.

5 kids, a large mortgage payment, bills and a job and a half just doesn't stretch as far as we'd like it to. On top of that, my middle son does not have clothes, so I have to figure out what to do there. Hmmm

Sooo until my boss pays me, we're scrimping big time to make ends meet. We'll be fine though, but I think it has my fiance freaking out. So in the mean time I'll be walking on eggshells...

9 Things You Never Knew About My Life and Never Want To Know Again!

1. I'm a mom and step-mom to 5 wonderful kids. 4 Boys and 1 Girl!
2. I have a passion for Sushi!
3. I am a freelance writer for a great beauty company called, Care Fair.
4. Actor Keanu Reeves is my idol.
5. The Late-Actor Christopher Reeve is my hero.
6. I think Drew Barrymore and Angelina Jolie are both awesome!
7. I secretly wish I could finish writing that Damn Novel!!!
8. We have a total of 4 rats, a chinese hamster, a snake, 2 dogs and a cat who thinks he owns the place.
9. My fiance could pass for Actor Matthew Mcconaughey in a heartbeat if he had short hair and didn't look like a mountain man, but I love him just the way he is!