Grocery shopping is hard. I feel like I am put in a position every shopping trip where I have to really make choices between needs and wants. You see, I realistically can only get "needs" on grocery trips. Today, bagels, crescent rolls, cream cheese and tortillas all got nixed from my list... didn't "need" them as much as I needed produce, milk and cheese. I am so grateful for programs like WIC that make it a little easier to feed Zoey. It is one less thing I have to worry about.
I guess one positive, is I'm slowly figuring out ways to stretch a dollar. For example, on any meal with rice, I'll make twice as much rice, so we'll have left overs for the next day. Or I buy bean-less chili, and add cans of beans that we receive from WIC - It makes enough for Dinner AND lunch the next day. Pasta bulks up meals, and I make homemade rolls a lot too. I try to portion out dinner and put leftovers away for the following day, before we even eat. That way we aren't tempted to eat seconds. Frozen veggies are GREAT finger food for Zoey. Healthy and dirt cheap.
I am excited for the day when I can buy fruits and vegetables in bulk from Costco. Or go to the store and buy a few steaks for dinner! And when we no longer have "pasta and beans" in the dinner rotation (seriously... pasta...covered in baked beans...).
I know there is an easy solution to the problem - I can start working again. But truth be told, if I have to choose between being home with my daughter and really getting to see her grow up... or eating great food... I'd choose my daughter. Every time.
So in the end, I guess it isn't so bad. Okay, maybe grocery shopping is a drag. But today, I got to make a blanket fort with my daughter. Taught her how to finger paint. Went on a walk and looked at the leaves. Played in the rain, and read dozens of books. And it was pretty awesome.
5 comments:
Being able to stay at home to take care of your kids definitely makes it easier to handle the hard stuff. It's still tough though! You should look into the extreme couponing thing. My sister gets all kinds of free stuff that way. The other day she posted that she went to home depot and got everything including like 20-30 boxes that they needed for moving for free. Of course, she didn't explain how she did it exactly, but she definitely knows what she is doing. I know they have mentioned that they have at least a year supply of shampoo/soap/etc. stocked up that they actually made money off buying. Somehow she finds coupons where she saves a dollar for one item that costs 80 cents and makes 20 cents off it. If I weren't spending my free time working, I'd be doing to couponing thing. Woodinville isn't the best place for it either since it is a higher income zipcode. We don't get the double coupons, etc. that make it possible. I hope you guys had a great Thanksgiving!
Amen! Me too!
Look on the bright side - everything is better than expired vending food! But not as good as the Student Card days. Oh Jamba Juice - where is Cami's card when I need it? How many did you buy me? Oh memories. :)
That's how I want to be, a stay at home Mom! It takes sacrifice but it's so worth it in the end. C.S. Lewis said Motherhood is the ultimate career and every other career is just to support that ultimate career.
I wish your blog posts had a "like" button.
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