The No Spend Challenge

A few times a year a try to do a "no spend challenge" for an entire month.  My husband has been off work since the end of June so we've already been living pretty tightly but I still wanted to try to tighten our belt a little more and also to get back into a budget mind.  We are praying that Darryl can go back to work this month so until he's been back to work for awhile, we really have to stick to a super strict budget plan in order to get back on our feet so this will just be the start of that plan.

So what exactly is a "No Spend Challenge"?  There are many different ideas and versions out there.  Some say that you cannot spend any money the entire month so your cupboards and freezer had better be stocked.  I'm not into that :-)  Instead, I fall along the lines of planning and then not spending any money outside of that plan.  I also only plan the "musts" - bills, groceries, gas, and yes, a little money to eat out (very little) because, if I don't, I know we'll fail!  I also look at other things such as the boys soccer photos, knowing I need to buy some clothes for the boys and even dog food :-) 

I spent some time over the holiday weekend and really looked at our month and made our tight budget and we are starting it as of September 1st (so it has already started!) 

I probably won't say a whole lot about our plan until we get to the end of the month.  Truth be told, we have zero extra money right now anyway so we shouldn't be spending anyway :-)  I may have to redo this in October again but again, this is always a good exercise!

Homeschool Happenings - Week 1

We started school last Monday.  The boys were beyond excited and I was just ready to get the first day under my belt so then, we could move forward.

 Nate has been dying to learn to read so to actually begin Kindergarten was a huge deal to this cutie pie!

 Josh was very excited to start school but he had an idea that he might be in charge HA! 

The first day did not go off perfectly.  I had two very silly boys on my hands.  We got through all of our lessons for the day but I needed a nap by the time we were done!

The rest of the week went better - we all learned some things this first week.  I figured out that I need to do our "Fred" Math first since it is based on a story and problem solving together.  We then work through our Math worksheet which is based on discussion.  We follow that with our Phonics lessons so the boys can finish their worksheets individually. 

Darryl and I are also working on finding ways to teach the boys things throughout the day and on Thursday the boys got a lesson in road painting.

We've watched the construction on our road throughout the summer and it was finally time for painting.  They loved being able to stand right by the road for a few minutes while Darryl explained the process and they got to watch the work truck for a bit too.

All in all, our first week went well.  Next week I'll add a more things to our lessons  - I planned this first week very simply so we could get used to the process :-)

Things my Kids Say

* We had fresh (from the neighbors garden) green beans for dinner one night last week.  Both Josh and Nate and to "dissect them" and took out all of the little beans.  Then, they took the beans outside to plant them.  Why?  So they could grow a beanstaff.  Yes, you read that write.  HA  We finally got Nate to understand it is a beanstaLK but Josh did not believe us !!!

* I love how kids interpret things.  The latest "Joshism" is when he talks to the cat and calls her "Porshesh Kitty" aka Precious Kitty.  :-)

Camping and Food

Camping is all about food; well at least a large part of it seems to be about food!  Over they years, we have kind of perfected our camp food especially since we generally only camp for two nights.  Well, we THOUGHT we had it all perfected until our most recent trip when we did everything completely differently.

This time around I tried to plan food for less eating out but that totally backfired HA!  Listed below were our plans and what we really did!

Friday: 
The plan: I precooked Brats to take with us and planned to roast Hot Dogs and Brats over the fire.  I had also made Potato Salad and a new recipe for Macaroni Salad (not our favorite so I won't be sharing).  Plus there were chips and stuff for S'mores too.
The Reality: 

Yep, McDonald's.  I mentioned this already but, well laid plans of mice and men do not always work out well.  We arrived about an hour later than we planned and then, it took us almost 3 hours to set up camp so by the time we were done we were STARVING and STILL had to get wood, start a fire and let it get hot enough to cook.  Thankfully those Golden Arches are all of 10 minutes away so we enjoyed a relaxing dinner there instead. 

After stopping to get wood on our way back to camp, the boys asked for Ice Cream so we stopped at our traditional ice cream place and all got a cone. 

For the record, once we got the stubborn fire going (we had some pretty wet wood which we don't usually get from "our" great wood guy) we did roast a few marshmallows for S'mores before the night was done.

Saturday: 
Breakfast - The Plan - We love cooking breakfast at the campground.  Thanks to an electric skillet and a simple toaster, breakfast is wonderful.  We had bacon, eggs, bagels, and fruit.  Other than the cream cheese being frozen thanks to me putting it under the little freezer in the little fridge we have (it came with the camper!) the "Plan" is exactly what we ate!

Lunch - The Plan - 

We love Bernie O's pizza in North Muskegon and we always plan to eat one meal there. Often we eat dinner there on Friday evening but opted for Lunch this time.  It was as good as always and, like always, we ordered too much food.  I think we finally have it figured out though - One small order of breadsticks (mostly for Nate since he isn't a fan of pizza), 1 small pizza for Josh with just cheese (it's like $3.99 - that's not bad and he eats the whole thing) and a pizza for Darryl and I.  :-)  So, yes, the plan is exactly what we ate for lunch

Dinner - The Plan -  Our normal Saturday evening dinner has almost always been steak kabobs that have been marinated all day, Fried Zucchini and the salads that I always make to bring with us.  That did not happen this year.  We had gone to the beach during the afternoon (which was a BLAST).  By the time we got home and I got the boys and I through the shower (which was like a sauna room made worse by a 90 degree day with humidity) I was well beyond over heated and needed to lay in front of the fan for awhile.  Darryl got a very stubborn fire going again but by that time the last thing I wanted to do is really cook. 

The Reality - 

Josh asked to roast hot dogs over the fire so that is exactly what we did - the boys and Darryl had a hot dog and I had left over pizza :-)  Throw in the salads and chips and we were good.  I will admit that this time frame of our camping day we got a little discouraged.  Darryl and I realized that one of the things we love about camping is taking off for part of the day Saturday and exploring the area.  So yes, we got a little bit bored but then we decided to go for drive and get ice cream again, see the sun setting over the lake and just get away for a bit and that was all we needed.  We came back to camp and had so much for fun over the next few hours with the boys until they literally crashed!

Sunday
The Plan - Breakfast - I like to keep breakfast simple on the last day and that is exactly what we did.  It was just cereal, bagels, fruit, and donuts.  On our outing to the store on Saturday after pizza, the boys picked out donuts.

The Plan - Lunch - Our plan was to stop at fast food after loading up and heading home and that is exactly what we did.  Taco Bell never tasted so good after being so hot from tearing everything down!

We did take snacks - chips, crackers, fruit, popcorn and more - way too much HA!  I'll pack a little differently next time and take less food but, hey, at least we never went hungry!
 


 

 

Food Friday - Crazy Brownies

Crazy Brownies
adapted from Pioneer Woman

I debated what new recipe to share this week but decided on these awesome brownies because they would be great to take to a Labor Day Party!  Often, when I make a dessert, we eat about 1/2 of it and then it kinda sits for the week.  We might nibble on it but I end up throwing a good portion of it away.  Well, these brownies were gone in about 24 hours HA!  Yes, they are that good!  The brownie mix (made from a cake mix) is so moist and tasty - then add all of the candy in the middle well, oh my!  I KNOW I will make this for the next pot-luck or picnic I attend! 

Ingredients

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted, plus more for greasing pan
1 box chocolate cake mix (18 ounces)
1/3 cup evaporated milk
9 peanut butter cups
12 chocolate-covered caramels, such as Rolos
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup candy-coated chocolates, such as M and Ms
1/4 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.

Put the dry cake mix in a large bowl and stir in the evaporated milk. (The mixture will still be dry.) Next, pour in the melted butter, stirring gently until the mix just comes together (don't over-mix).

Divide the mixture in half and press half of it in the bottom of the prepared pan. Lay the peanut butter cups over the top. Peel the caramels and place them in the spaces between. Sprinkle the nuts into the cracks, followed by the chocolate candies. Finally, sprinkle the salt all over. Put the other half of the batter on a cutting board and press it into a square a little smaller than the pan (it will be very sticky). Transfer it to the pan and lightly press it to cover all the ingredients.

Bake until the batter is fully baked, 22 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely, then place the pan in the fridge, covered in foil, for a couple of hours.

Remove the brownies from the pan in one piece, then sprinkle on plenty of powdered sugar. With a sharp serrated knife, cut into small squares.

Gobble 'em up!

 

Weekly Menu - The one with Labor Day Weekend

We are slowly getting into our new routine with School each day and then, soon, the munchkin will be heading out daily to his preschool.  Fall is coming which means I can start adding some favorite recipes back into the menu and I'm so excited! 

Here's the plan for this week:

Saturday - We are ALL hungry for some burgers - Josh has been asking for them for a few weeks - so it will be burgers and Corn on the Cob for dinner tonight!

Sunday - Stuffed Shells, Garlic Bread and Green Beans YUM! 

Monday - Labor Day!  We are going to do brunch today - Eggs, Bacon, Toast, Pancakes and Sausage.  Fabulous!  Then, for dinner we will have burgers again and French Fries with some Strawberry Shortcake for dessert! 

Tuesday - One of my favorite money saving foods is . . Ham Steaks.  They are only about 3 dollars for a steak and they feed all of us.  So, tonight, we'll have Potatoes, Green Beans and Ham in the crock pot with Rolls. 

Wednesday - Lasagna, Garlic Bread and Green Beans - I can't wait for this . . .one of my all time favorite meals!  Plus, I love to freeze the left overs and use them for lunch later :-)

Thursday - Pan Fried Pork Chops, Mac and Cheese, Corn and Rolls

Friday - TACOS!  This is a no brainer :-)

Camping Planning

This past weekend we went camping for the first time in 2 years.  Last year, we planned to camp with our tent but as each reserved weekend approached, we checked the weather and saw oodles and oodles of rain so we cancelled.  This year, we had planned to camp several times this summer but Darryl's surgery date was pushed to the end of June which left us hoping for camping by the end of August.  Thankfully, it worked out!!  We've come a long way from our first camping days.  The first summer we camped for the very first time, we used a borrowed tent that was, well, old.  The second evening, it blew down in a gust of wind and was done for - we had to pack up and go home at midnight.  We purchased a new tent later that summer and enjoyed a great vacation Labor Day Weekend despite having our truck broken into and things stolen (I did get my camera back and that was really all that mattered!).  Darryl and I were laughing about the fact that the first few years we camped we were "glampers" in the sense that every morning we got up, went to the showers, and got ready for the day including him shaving and me blowing drying/curling my hair and putting on make-up.  This past weekend - somehow I ended up in the shower once without soap because it got left behind by my husband in his shower and the second time, it was only a quick rinse off in my bathing suit with the boys after swimming in the lake.  Yikes! 

I will toot my own horn and say that as of two years ago, I was one of the most organized, well planned campers around.  I had everything down to three bins - two that always stayed packed and one food bin.  I had lists and plans and knew exactly where everything was and could pack up the truck in about 20 minutes.  Throwing kids in the mix makes it a little more complicated though especially now that they are older and require more stuff HA! 

This is how I plan:

The first step is that I do a basic overview of the days we are going to be gone, what needs to be done, the recipes, activities and anything else special.  I tend to do this about 2-3 weeks before the trip because it allows me time to pull together any crafts or special activities, change items or look up directions to whatever is needed (or where ever we are going!)  I can almost guarantee that this list will change by at least 75% by the final packing!

About a week before our trip, my list turns into this three columns of sweetness.  By this point I've changed the meal plans to something more concrete so the first column is every single food/meal making item I need.  I put the items in bold that I need to purchase but then just list everything so I know what I need.  The second column is everything needed for activities/crafts for the kids.  Again, I use bold to show what I need to purchase.  The final column is my misc. column - I just list everything that doesn't fit the other two categories!  Again, this is not set in stone but it does give me something to go by when I start shopping.  One of my favorite things to do this time was to go to the Dollar Store first and look for items for camping - especially for the kids - like glow sticks, army figures, small trucks and cheap, cheap playdough. 

The final list!  This is my brain for the weekend to make sure we have it all!  I usually take time to type this up (using the previous lists as helpful guides) about 2-3 days before the trip so I can start gathering things.  This includes everything from food items to pack, craft items to pack and everything else including a folding chair for Darryl :-) See how "Shims" is circled . .. those were to help start the fire and guess what we forgot? YIKES!  We managed but we won't forget the bundle of shims next time!   Funny side story, we had everything packed and loaded - I went back into the house to check that everything was off and lock the doors.  Guess what was sitting in the dining room?  The bag full of mine and Darryl's clothes OOPS!  Good thing I went back inside! 

Truth be told, my packing this time was a little crazy.  As this was the first time with the pop-up we really learned that I need to pack differently and we need to return to the idea of bins for everything and not pack in bags thinking there is tons of room for stuff in the pop-up!  (There isn't!)  Which brings me to the last part of my planning -- it is making a list of what I need to change or ideas to make things easier.  Here's a few of the brainstorming ideas that Darryl and I talked about:

1) Pack less food :-)  We don't tend to camp in the middle of no where so we can (and usually do) go to the store every day just to get out somewhere.  Instead, just pack what we really need.  I plan on spending a little extra in the future and purchase individual packages of things like chips, cookies and cereal.  This way, we can open what we want and not have full bags of chips or full boxes of cereal open and getting stale all weekend. 
2) Use a large rubbermaid bin for the food - stuff doesn't get crushed and then, we just keep that bin in the truck all weekend which keeps it out of the way but easy to get to anytime we need a snack.  We also tend to like to keep the coolers in the truck too so if we take off for the day we have everything we need for an impromptu picnic
3) Plan a simple pre-prepped meal for the first night.  This time I had planned Hot Dogs/Brats but - by the time we got there, got the camper and camp set up and STILL needed to go get wood . . .well, it was already 6:30 and we were HUNGRY so we ended up heading to town and getting McDonald's.  Next time I plan to have something simple like tacos so we can put the meat in the crockpot as soon as we get there to heat up and be ready to eat when we are hungry!!
4) Have a bin in the camper for "stuff" - by "bin" I mean a small container where we can throw bug spray, keys, even a phone so it doesn't fall out of a pocket.  Several times Darryl said, "I don't know where to put stuff". 

Anyway - we are learning as we go that's for sure.  We are tentatively hoping and praying to be able to camp one more time this fall because the boys love it so much but even if we don't we ARE planning to camp often next summer and look forward to perfecting our planning.