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PS One hotel/picnic meal everyone enjoyed was tostadas - tostada shells, refried beans, lettuce (kids also just ate lettuce leaves plain), cheese, salsa. Heat the beans and cheese in the hotel microwave or if picnicking, just eat room temp. Really good!
Made Italian soup using the roasted tomatoes I froze the other day. It was awesome!! Also cooked/cut and bagged 2 doz ears of corn for the freezer. Made a natural cold remedy recommended by a friend. Next on the list is to try making homemade horseradish. Found a recipe that will allow me to can it.
Haven't bought anything at all in a couple of weeks - we're eating up everything from the fridge and shelves, and supplementing with garden stuff.
It's been fun - but will have to make a grocery run soon.
I have tried to be frugal this week. I put on a crock pot of pinto beans yesterday for supper, but dh wouldnt touch them. He said they were not any good:0!
So he got leftovers from the night before, so I guess it was sorta frugal. I went to goodwill Tuesday to find luggage but no go. I will just have to keep looking.
I splurged today and bought the Deadwood complete seasons dvd for 60 bucks. But I am hoping that this will help push us over the edge to doing away with cable. We have been spending alot of time watching The Shield on dvd and it has been nice.
Welcome, nickiefriend!
Great ideas Bastelmutti! I need to make a list of travel food ideas so I can remember them.
Welcome nickiefriend!
Today we are going raspberry picking with a friend of mine. I think we will bring a picnic. It should be some good FFF.
Other upcoming FFF events in the next week are a visit to a historical farm, free with membership, and a visit to a nature center with a new nature play area that Rosemary told me about. We have been to the nature center, but I looked up the nature play area on their website and on facebook and it looks like so much fun! That is free.
It isn't exactly frugal as the annual membership costs quite a bit, especially when you add it up for four people, but we have been making very good use of our gym memberships since we got back from our trip. I have made it to the gym for my own workouts about 5 times a week, plus taking the kids swimming nearly every day. DS and I have developed a routine where we alternate swimming laps while one of us keeps an eye on his little sister, who is not a strong swimmer yet (but getting stronger every day). I was really struggling when we first started, but now can easily do 10 laps in groups of 2-4, as can DS. I am really noticing the effect on my muscles and body shape after just two weeks of this -- everything is firming up quite a bit. So, getting a good overall body workout that is helping me meet my health and fitness goals without spending anything I hadn't already spent -- score! And the kids are loving the swimming and getting great daily exercise, too, which is nice. They also are so tired in the evenings that they go to bed without a fuss -- priceless!
Inflation has really kicked in here and it is harder and harder to be frugal with our meals. Part of it is related to change of diet (more organic, more high quality protein, less starch and filler), but most of it is inflation. I usually stock up on meat once a week, and what used to cost me about $7-8 is now $10-12 for the same amount of chicken, beef and pork. Meat costs are as much or higher than in the US. I don't know how people on Chinese salaries manage. We have good managerial level expat jobs/salaries, and I am feeling the pinch. But at least we have wiggle room in our budget. We're going out to eat much less than we used to, so overall our spending on food is not going up as much as it could.
BTW, Stella, just want you to know that if we ever decide to leave Beijing I am SERIOUSLY contemplating moving to your neighborhood so we and our kids can hang out! I love your descriptions of your daily life and all the cool stuff you do with your kids for very little cost. Inspirational!
lhamo
Went to Kohl's today with a coupon for 20% off and an idea to buy a blazer. Didn't find anything good enough and then went to Goodwill and bought 2 blazers for $13.50 which were better quality than brand new! Will pay something to adjust sleeve lengths as I am petite but well worth it as I work in a job that a suit jacket adds a layer of warmth and looks professional. Yay!
Lhamo I would love that! I do live in a great place. Minneapolis/St. Paul in general is a really good place for kids and my particular neighborhood is just full of awesome people and fun stuff to do.
We got four pints of raspberries today. Not as much as I was hoping, but with four little kids in tow it was good enough. The kids had such a great time. Even James was excited. I'd hand him a berry and he would get all excited "I help you!" and put it in the bucket. It makes for slow picking, but it was worth it. I made a big batch of raspberry sauce for pancakes. We'll have raspberry pancakes tomorrow for breakfast with some sausages we got at the farm.
After school got out for the public school kids the girls took off to play "Christmas Kitty Cafe" with their friend. They have been playing this often. They drew a menu, a welcome sign and tables and chairs on the sidewalk with chalk and invite the kids that pass by to eat at their cafe. It is apparently decorated with pretend Christmas ornaments, which is why it is called Christmas Kitty Cafe. Today, because it is Cheyenne's half birthday (which she has written on the calendar and reminded me of a dozen times today) I let her take some brownie bites Dad brought home from a meeting out to eat at their cafe. After that they went swimming with their friend and her dad. They came home and the kids had a pillow fight and popcorn for dinner. She has declared it "The Best Half-Birthday Ever." Good Deal.
Tonight will not be frugal. Tonight I am taking my friend, who has been in a negative rut at work and at home for far too long now, out for a night on the town. My treat, as she is very stretched for money right now. I seriously think that girl is about to explode. It's mostly just a bunch of little things that seemed to come to a head last week when she had to fight the State Fair traffic at work everyday and go in by 6AM, 3 hours early. You know, just one thing after another until you think you're losing your mind. She loves karaoke so I think we are going to find somewhere for her to do her thing. She'd do the same for me if the roles were reversed and that is priceless.
Nothing important to add, other than a little clothesline drying today! On the second load as I speak. Additionally, two bag-loads of cans and bottles ready and waiting for drop-off at the recycling/bottle depot for Monday. So nice to return those empties and wave bye-bye!