Making a Fool-Proof Grocery List

We've all done it. You write out a list of stray items you need around the house, you go shopping and less than 48 hours later, you're doing it all over again. Why? because we're busy. And when we get busy, we often get disorganized or forgetful.
I am both most of the time.

So I've formulated a way of doing my list that solves the problem, mostly. Does it mean we never make a mid-week trip for and extra gallon of milk? no. But When we moved to a small town a few months ago and realized that driving to the nearest city was the only way to keep our cost down on food, I had to figure out a way to condense our trips. Here's what I do:

1. Throughout the week, if I see something running low (like laundry soap or paper towels) I write it on a magnetic notepad on my fridge. That way it doesn't become an oversight since it's not exactly part of the menu.

I make a list of sales I'm interested in so that I don't
have to fumble around with ads. 

2. Check the ads. Work off of what's on sale, but be aware of cost. For instance- I can get chicken breast for $1.99lb most of the time, but if I'm doing enchiladas or stew, I don't need breast meat. I can always find boneless skinless chicken thighs for about $1.79lb. With a little trimming, It works just as well, if not easier. Don't buy something just because it's on sale.

3. Make a menu.
This is complicated if your lost for ideas, but it doesn't have to be. Give yourself a break and don't over-think it. We might do enchiladas one night and tostadas the next. I make on pot of beans, serve them on the side with enchiladas and then re-fry them for the next night's dinner. Using items like this in different ways gives your family variety AND helps you keep your cost down.

Hint- Use a pencil! I change my mind all the time, and I also
check with my Husband to see if he had anything in mind for
the next couple of weeks. Leave room for flexibility. 

Start with a basic notebook. Write "Breakfast...Lunch...Dinner" across the top and then, skipping lines, write your days on the side. I usually do two weeks at a time since we take our shopping trips after each payday. I also keep a calender handy so I can plan around upcoming events or holidays, for instance, if I know we'll be out of town for the weekend, I can plan what to pack for our trip and skip over meals we may have with family or at a restaurant. If I know it's going to be rainy on Thursday, I may want to plan for soup. Be practical, not obsessive.

4. Make a master list. This is simple- go through your menu and write down everything you will need to accomplish each meal. I usually categorize my list in sections of the store:
Dairy, Meat, Dry Goods, Produce and Household. Even if you think you're done with a section, leave at least 3 spaces just in case. This is when I grab my "stray items" list from the fridge and add it in, most of it falls in the Household section.

5. Take inventory. Some of you can probably eliminate this step while you make your master. If you know you have it, don't write it down. For those of us who forget things.. a lot.. take inventory.

6. The last thing I do is grab my sales list and then mark items on the master that are on sale. If it's on sale at Sam's I'll write "SA" next to it, if it's at Smith's I'll write "SM." Then I make a key for reference to help me remember and it helps if I pass my list to my husband so he knows what's going on.

It seems like a lot of steps for "just a list" BUT I think it's been worth it for me to be more thorough. Our monthly budget is at $360 a month, which is pretty modest for a family of four. We don't always stay on target, but fulfilling my menu, not buying impulse items and seeing the kitchen empty out every two weeks tells me we're not being wasteful, and that feels awesome.

Happy Shopping-
Lindarella

Why Do We All Want Genius Children, Anyway?

I am not convinced teaching is my gift. At least not the sit down and explain things kind of teaching. Relationships- I'm pretty good at that. I mean, I read most people like a child's board book, so I would hope that in my daily interactions and teaching moments with my boys, they're getting that. But I feel like a total failure when it comes to crafts, writing and even numbers. But I'm starting to wonder if all of the pressure to be better at these things is in my head?

I spoke with a Kindergarten teacher who said she really didn't think preschool made a difference as far a child's ability to keep up when they start school. And that's just it- we all want to push our kids and we already feel behind (aren't 4-year-old kids in China taking Algebra 1 or something?) Is it anything more than a game of comparisons with other families?

For me it's been more like a big attempt to make up for lost time. If I would have pushed myself, I could have been an A student. But I didn't. I would have loved an AP English or choir solos, but I was too timid. Some of those things, you just can't knock out of a person. How many times did my parents tell me to be brave and outgoing? It's not like they didn't. I was just shy.

My son is just shy. When he starts responding to me in a weird voice or hiding behind something, he's just being shy. I get it, too. We're all a little bit afraid to let people see what's going on inside our minds. Perhaps my best effort in teaching him new things is to just keep talking to him. Let him know he's safe. He can mess up. He can give me a wrong answer, and I will give him as many second chances as it takes. Why? because that's what God does for me. He lets me know I'm safe and He give out grace like nobody's business.

I want to teach them to go after what they want and to dream big and to love people with an unfailing type of love. That gets taught by example, and I think I can do that with the help of a very gracious God. If my kids are B students and don't raise their hand because they're shy, they will be okay. I am. Especially now that I see my child's education is not my big comeback.

Still learning here-
Lindarella

Gloves Off- The Marital Argument

This morning I was pretty angry. I think it was about 70% sleepiness and about 25% annoyed with the coffee maker. It wasn't working and all I really wanted to do was make some coffee for Allen and I to start our day. And then the mudslinging began- "are you sure you ground the coffee right?" "do you think I'm an idiot?! of course I did." and some how all of his "helpful" little suggestions just seemed to spiral me into a state of fury. FURY! really? it's coffee. Not a big deal, maybe not all my fault and certainly not worth ruining our day over. So as I sat, sulking at the table with the light off, drinking my coffee made with a french press, he started to laugh it off. And as he walked out the door and said, "love you" I replied, still with a little attitude in my voice and my arms crossed, "love you too."
But if we're going to have disagreements I'm glad it's this kind. I'm glad it's the stupid cup of coffee fight and not a question of loyalty fight. I'm happy. A day where maybe your biggest problem is coffee seems like a pretty privileged life to me. But you know- it's how we handle those little ones that determine what some of the other fights are about. I mean if he would've kept up or if I would have decided not to help him get out the door on time, we'd have a pretty ugly night ahead of us.
In the midst of an argument, ladies, take a step back, take a deep breath and trust God. Do good regardless of what you think will teach the lesson. But most of all, do not start being irrational. The whole "I can't even do this one thing! why would he still love me if I can't...blah blah blah" It's not becoming. You're getting into your own head and ruining your own day and it's just not worth that. Don't give the enemy the satisfaction of having a day off from you.
The ugly truth is that fights happen. But the beauty of it is that it works out our insecurities. In the midst of it, God shows His grace for us and gives us some helpful hints along the way to do less and less damage each time. THANK GOD! Because if it were up to me and my rebellion, I would have tried to prove my point right out the door.
I'm going to try and swallow my pride and focus on fighting the things that try to divide us, not the person I multiply with. (math humor.. eh? eh?) But really, I'm refocusing my energy- not on flesh and blood but on the darkness that constantly tries to creep in.

Fight the good fight 
Lindarella

Simplicity

It's been a while since I last logged on. We have been living in our new place for three weeks now, so we're finally feeling settled a bit. We have yet to sign up for internet service of our own, so that's mostly why I haven't been writing here. But before you think I've just logged off completely and am living some sort of primitive life, know that I spend LOTS of time on my iPhone. Too much maybe.
See the thing is, living in a small town makes my whole life seem a bit small. I find myself digging into just about anything I can to feel added purpose in my days; and I hate that. It seems it's hard for me to accept that a life that's not busy can still be very full.
I think about my children. The one thing that reminds me of God's mercy on my worst days is how He trusted me with these amazing lives. I get to show them through my life how centering everything around God and His word can bring peace to any sort of day. I get to influence the way they think about their lives. I get to be the voice in their head reminding them of how to act and react to situations in their lives, and hopefully I can build a relationship with them that will bless their lives and mine as they grow.
I don't believe standing on a stage somewhere with the full attention of thousands could be nearly as vital as my role as a mother. And while all I really want to do is reach the lost, I have to remember that my sons are part of that group. They are young, but they are not innocent. They need salvation as much as anyone right now, and that is my assignment. Quite honestly, giving food to the needy in a foreign country seems less intimidating than the task I have at hand, but I refuse to run.
I refuse to run to the church every waking hour of our week, hoping someone else might be able to do the job. I refuse to drag my kids around to a bunch of stuff they hate just to stay busy. I refuse to tune them out because making my name known means more, it doesn't. Social media doesn't really matter. I mean, not more than my children's eternity.
A quiet life still holds its weight in heaven, as long as I am obediently taking every opportunity God gives me to pour out His love in my tiny little world.
Let's not forget- He pursues us. He doesn't do it just to put us to work. He wants to know us and for us to know Him! Relish the relationship. Dive into His word. Enjoy the beauty of the day, and appreciate its maker. Sing to Him, rejoice in His mercy!
Drop the guilt of feeling like you're not Billy Graham. You were, after all, bought at the same price that he was. Your days are just as important to God.
From my little world to yours-
Lindsay

Capture-vated

I've wanted a new camera for a long while. My fellow bloggers know what I mean when I say you have to have great pics to grow your blog. Lucky me, my hubby got took advantage of the Sam's bundle (camera, tablet and photoshop lite) As my Valentine's Day present!
I just want to note that that is the most he has spent on me in LOOOOONG time. So I was pretty surprised. And excited. And that's why I've been MIA lately. I've been busy playing with my new toy.
That thing is smarter than I am. It's taking a lot of practice to figure out all the settings and when and where to use them, but I thought I'd drop in just to share a few of my photos. I've played around with editing too, so that's been fun.

Outside pictures on a windy winter afternoon are a little weird. The sun's not too bright and everything looks sort of blah. I still think I have great subjects to work with ;) 

salted caramel panna cotta from The Range Cafe

I didn't do much to this one, just a crop and an increase in black. I like the way it makes the colors pop a bit more. I'm a sucker for contrast.

I love a good black and white, especially for something not too serious. Ever notice most people only do serious photos in black and white? Well I wanted the attention on my silly boy who doesn't take off his bike helmet to play. And there's still plenty to keep your eyes moving here with all the different shapes and shades of grey.


{Not a professional* Don't take my comments as anything but opinion. I will inevitably steer you wrong.}

So that's basically all I've got for now!

and.. umm.. blogger doesn't seem to like my multiple photos in different places and sizes, so if this looks weird, just know I tried!

Do something fun today-
Lindsay

Remain

God's word has this really magical way of tying up every loose end of my little life into the truth that is and will always be His love for me. I saw that shine through today stronger than I have in a long time.

So sit back, I've got a story to tell:

Sometime about five years ago, I had a very vivid dream and I believe to this day that even though I didn't fully understand it then, God's voice was the narrator.
In the dream I was in a large van on my way to a picnic at the bottom of a mountain. I was heading there with some people I considered to be spiritual role-models at the time. I knew that my husband didn't really care to go, but I had the feeling that this was something I didn't want to miss, and so I went. I'm not sure if we actually hiked that mountain, but I think we did.
On our way back, we saw my husband on the side of the road. He was struggling to climb a significantly smaller hill than the mountain I had just been to. So I got out and tried to help him, but he fell. Now, under natural circumstances, this wouldn't have been a big deal because of the size of the hill, but in the dream he started to die! I, feeling helpless, looked at him hoping for some sort of instruction about what he needed me to do, but sadly I watched him wither away.

I have always felt that God was telling me not to go chasing after the hype of Christianity; But know that my battles were going to be fought alongside my spouse, even if they seemed insignificant at the time.

It's easy when you're young and passionate about serving, to feel like the "God thing" could be your claim to fame. Let it be known, He is the one we make famous through our gifts and our serving.

The truth is that I've got a lot of little hills in my life that I need to conquer. And fortunately, God gave me a very strong man to stand beside me, help me up and give me some cold, hard facts when needed. That's the guy I need by my side on those little hills, when I feel like it's not even worth the bother. When I think that somehow I can go around it instead of over it and just worry about the mountains.

So hear me in this- I'm an ENFP. Spirituality is more real to me than my next meal. I don't even have to think about some things that might seem a little bizarre, because it just feels natural to BE spiritual. In fact sometimes I have to really guard myself from false teachings because I'm quick to trust without question. I'd say that my hubby is pretty opposite of me in this way. He knows God, believes God, his hope is in God. He wants to hear God's voice and he wants to make God centered choices. But MAN he has a hard time showing it. I want to jump into ministry head first and he is like "don't spend too much time at church." And so, sometimes I go on the defensive, feeling like our priorities are not in line. I'm pretty sure I said something like "I want to smack you in the head with a Bible right now.." just a few days ago. Yeah.. I did. That was effective. Not.

But today, as I dove into the last week of bible study reading for the class I'm currently taking, God smacked me over the head with His word.

John 15 Talks about God's way of shaping our hearts to be more like His. Cutting off all that does not bear fruit and pruning all the things that do, so they can be MORE effective.

That's hard to hear. Even the good stuff is going to take a painful process before it can really start producing.

But over and over again as I read, I just kept hearing those 3 little words:

Remain in Me

I have to stop trying to make everyone around me fit into my mold of "being spiritual." I don't want to stop. I want to keep pushing it because I'm happy here. But that's not what God is speaking. He is saying love each other. If anything ever had the power to get through to people, it's love. And I do not say that as a means of manipulating people, (because it can do that too, but it will backfire because it's not genuine.) But remain in Him. Remain in Him. Remain in Him. Remain in Him.  

Lindsay

Our Snowy February Day

This is a story about a mama who did something for perhaps the very first time. 

She planned ahead. 

our library loot!

The two times a year that it snows in New Mexico, everybody talks about it. We cancel everything and hole up in our houses because we do not know how to drive in the snow. So, when I heard that a "storm" was on its way this week, I figured I should run (drive) to the library and stock up on some books to keep us happy at home.

I'll use any excuse to read children's books, actually. They're pretty much my favorite.

Clearly we didn't stray from the R-S shelves. I had a 2-year-old running around during after-school hours. We had to keep it short. 

Except I forgot my library card. Ahem- I don't know where it is. Luckily, Ira saved the day! His was tucked away in his car seat, where he left it the day we got it. Take that! librarian. 

So this afternoon, after a long winter's nap, we had a book fest. 

Ira wanted a picture with his favorite. 

I just want to say that I was against the whole idea of this book. It's a parody of Curious George by H.A. Rey and that is treading sacred ground in my mind. But he insisted on taking it, so I caved. Opinions aside, I will not deny my son the joy of finding a book he wants to read. 

You win some, you lose some. 

I'm still winning because he loves books!

Even Rey joined in the fun! He's the fuzziest cuddliest lion I know and sometimes he gives rides through the living room. This is the stuff I LOVE about being a mama. Building up a world of silliness and imagination. I do in hopes that, when the world tries to crush their spirit, they will remember that ordinary life can be magical.

Happy winter! 

Lindsay

Rey is our friend. He hangs out in the boys room and eats monsters. Nothing gets past him.