Camping & an El Paso Morning

This morning, I walked outside with Andrew for his morning cigarette and as I was looking around a memory hit me. I smiled really big and told Andrew about it. The memory was girls camp. In the LDS/Mormon faith, when a young lady turns 14 she is invited to go on a week long camping trip with the other young women of the church. There might be about 200 girls in a campsite. This mornings air was so crisp and fresh, I was just taken back to the mornings of early awakenings by a bugle horn. The mornings of these camping trips were so refreshing. Everything was so natural. I learned so much about myself. I can't believe how much I have changed since then, but at the same time I haven't changed that much. How interesting. It made me think about camping with my parents and siblings. One year we went to Padre Island. 

It was the only time I have been to the beach. I wore a neon orangy red one-piece swimming suit. We all had our own plastic shovel and pail, I filled mine with beach sand and sea shells. My favorite memory [which is pretty foggy] is walking sown the beach with my dad. I don't remember what we were talking about. We saw a beached jelly fish. Some people say they are the most beautiful sights to see, I thought it was gross looking. I remember it was tiny. I don't remember if it was the evening or if it was early morning but it was kind of dark and the horizon was beautiful. I don't think I have ever seen pictures of that trip.... We have also gone to the Gila [pronounced "heela"] Wilderness A LOT, [I took this picture, honestly, during my first girls camp trip]

and we have been to the City of Rocks. 

I can't wait to go camping with my sons and husband. Andrew used to go camping every fall with his dad and best friends. Once, I talked to him about how interesting it will be. When I went, My parents were there, they made it safe and I could go have fun. [Even though most of the time I was helping instead] And the same is with Andrew, his dad was there. The next time we go camping, WE will be the parents, making sure everything is safe. I asked myself before we got married, if I trusted Andrew with our family in the wilderness. Will we be able to work together to keep our kids safe and still have fun and make memories with them? I'm pretty sure I do, or elese I wouldn't be this excited, but I will have to reaccess when we get to that point.... 

Lemon Bars

I have been craving sweets lately but lack the money to run to the store for something. So I started through my cupboards and discovered a box of lemon bars! I loooooove lemon bars. Homemade are much more delicious then boxed but it will have to do. Also, I don't have any powdered sugar to top them with, but perhaps it's for the best, seeing as I really should not indulge myself in the sweets in the first place and the less sugar the better, ha ha ha!
Well, it also seems I have begun to treat my blog as my old journals, as I feared, procrastinating an entry for days. This week has been a bit stressful. On top of some personal issues that surfaced, it seems Andrew and I have met a financial pothole. We needed to make a huge final payment on the car it seems we were obligated to buy and it took up most of his recent paycheck. We were able to receive some help from relatives [that needs to be paid back ASAP] so that we could keep some money for groceries. We had to postpone paying important bills for the first time ever, it makes us feel terrible. We have always prided ourselves with the fact that we always paid our bills early or on time. Now this paycheck, our bills alone add up to $50 more than his check will be. That leaves no money for groceries or other household items that have run low. Currently, I have nothing to clean everyday messes with, I usually use clorox wipes or a paper towel with clorox spray. I have resorted to using the dish washing sponge, which I personally find gross. We also need some things for the medicine cabinet. Our cupboards are pretty bare. Since I decided to buy less food items last week so I would use up the items that have been just sitting around for a few months. We have $20 for gas left this paycheck. I am trying really hard not to show Andrew how stressed I am, But it's hard because he is not trying to hide his concern. I hate seeing him so stressed, he looks especially tired when he is. I keep telling him not to worry, but I can't think of anything to help our situation. Really all we need is to find a bill or two to postpone a little longer so we can buy groceries this week. We are just waiting for his last w2 to come in the mail so we can pay off two major financial hangnails. Hopefully it will come in soon so we can start buying baby stuff. We still have two car seats and a double stroller to buy. I used to think that the stroller was a luxury but the more I think about my daily life the more I think of it as a necessity. It will basically be how I will transport my little loved ones together, ha ha ha! stick the car seats in there and roll! 


Well, lately my posts have been more journal then house tips so I need to much on a lemon bar or two and think of something to write about.... More in a bit.

The black beans were kind of difficult to mash, not at all like pinto beans! I mashed about 2 cups separated into thirds in a shallow, square tupperware container with a regular fork. I couldn't believe I had made an entire bag of beans without realizing I don't own a masher. Maybe it would have been easier if I had a masher, ha ha ha! They looked really weird and dry and I decided they wouldn't work in a burrito at all, so I went to my freezer to see if I could find something to moisten and bind them. I was looking for ground beef or something but saw I had a whole package of chorizo. If you don't know what chorizo is I'm going to tell you to look it up and don't tell me because I don't want to know. All I care about is that it is a pork product and it is spicy. I defrosted the first half and cooked it then threw in the beans. It was delicious! Remember, we had them with cheddar cheese and corn tortillas. I limited hubby to 4, I think, and I had the same. When Andrew came home - he always tells me the house smells good from dinner - he cut some cheese slices and warmed the tortillas. 

This morning I put the left-overs [about a half cups worth] into four scrambled eggs. I make my scrambled eggs with a small amount of milk and no seasonings. That was split in two and we had green grapes on the side with chocolate milk. No, it was not healthy chocolate milk, like Ovaltine, it was just Hershey's syrup in skim milk. [Ovaltine is about $4 a can, and Herheys is only $1.50] Andrews tea pitcher was empty and he was out of the pomegranate-blueberry juice he likes, AND he doesn't like regular milk, so I made him chocolate milk. I knew it would also prevent an argument about the grapes on the side [the fact that they are there would have been the argument]. Ha ha, and people think I'm too young to have kids. Bring it on! I also had chocolate milk, even though I don't like Hersheys milk, because of the irritation in my throat from being sick [I have a cough remember]. It would have left a nasty taste and feeling in my chest and throat. Since Andrew is also sick, I took a sip from his to see if I could handle my own glass before I made it, ha ha ha. I could only drink half of it so I gave the rest to him, which of course he didn't mind. Actually, now that I think about it, I didn't ask if he minded. Well, that was kind of rude of me, oops! 

Today is actually Andrews day off, but he decided to go in at eleven and get some extra hours. So by the time he left, I was very ready for a nap. **Now I have a HUGE dislike for my upstairs neighbor. He is a nice guy, as far as I can tell, but very inconsiderate in my opinion. Kind of in a normal, manish way though, if you know what I mean. Loud T.V. and music during the day is basically my problem. [or his, whichever way you prefer to look at it] We don't have many problems with noise at night. Now, the reason I have a problem with his otherwise normal noise, is because I need quiet to sleep. If there is a T.V. on my brain will follow the conversation and being pregnant my mind is already hard enough to shut off.** Today was such a day that I desperately needed a nap, [I had a headache, my eyes were starting to hurt, and it was making me nauseous.] and I could not because the neighbor decided he wanted to listen to 3 hours of the same CD, which was full of loud Mexican music. I could hear all the lyrics perfectly and my bed was vibrating to the "too loud it was fuzzy" bass beat. I do not find this soothing, I find it a terrible nuisance. Anyway, I tried putting on classical music - I could not put it loud enough to drown out his music, plus with different beats it was more annoying than just his music. I tried ignoring it, but started to cry out of frustration, and because my head hurt so bad, so I took a hot shower. My head started feeling better but his music was still on when I got out so I went to make a sandwich and he turned it of right when I sat down to eat. Yay! Except for the fact that now I was too awake to try to nap. *sigh* Oh, well.At least I didn't shoot his stereo. Like I said, the neighbor is nice enough, it's his stereo that I hate. 

About 2 hours ago, I found out that my childhood best friend is throwing me a baby shower. I started crying really hard because I think she is the perfect person. We have a loooooong history and just recently reconnected. This is such a historically sentimental gesture, I wonder if anyone understands why it made me cry. Basically, we used to play house, dress-up, and talked about our first crushes and marriage together. Who better than the person who knows exactly why this moment and time in your life is important to you? It's not just a baby shower to me. It's everything and it represents everything. I don't think even my husband understands the importance, completely. If she is here in town for her first baby, you can guarantee I will be throwing her first baby shower. 

My best friend, Daniella [in case you don't remember] just delivered her baby boy, 5lbs 8oz. His lungs are not fully developed and so he was having trouble breathing alone at first, but they think he will be healthy enough to go home in regular time [3days] I have said a prayer for her already. She delivered via C-section and is doing great. He was 8 weeks early and they have not picked a name yet. Heck, they don't even have all of the baby stuff yet, like a car seat, poor mama. She is so happy he is finally here though and she can't wait to see her daughter [14 months] and introduce her new brother. Her daughter is quite the attention queen and so this is going to be interesting to watch. I will definitely be asking her about sibling rivalry later, since hers will get there first and it might be different than the twins rivalry.

This is my last week in the second trimester! How exciting! Unfortunately, my husband got me sick. I have a cough that is ripping up my throat. This morning I had an amazing burst of energy. I just felt like I had to go, go, go!


I want to make Valentines Day cupcakes for a few friends and neighbors of mine this year. I'm not yet sure if I'm going to need to buy a muffin tin or not. I think I will make a practice round this way - Will the cupcakes be O.K. if I just put them into the paper cups and line them up in a metal casserole dish? I can give the practice round to my mom and dad so hubby and i don't get stuck with a bunch of cupcakes, ha ha ha! I think my siblings would enjoy them, even if they come out awkward looking. Anyway, let's see how much this project is going to cost me:

Pillsbury Valentines Funfetti Cake Mix [makes about 16]                - $1.15

Valentines Paper cake cups (40)                                                - $1.00
1 package of large Sweetheart candy hearts (8oz-about 70 hearts) - $1.00
16oz frosting                                                                           - $1.65
_____________________________________________________________
Total                                                                                       $4.80




So about $5. Not bad! I already knew what I wanted them to look like so I went to Google, thinking maybe I could find a picture to remember by, but it just crashed my server so I can't show you. I'm sorry. I will definitely show pictures of my finished product. Look for it the day after Valentines Day, [the 15th].


Today I had the coolest afternoon. I have become pleasantly acquainted with a lady at church that crochets. We have been trying to get together for a lesson for a few weeks now, and today it finally happened. She made the most adorable blankets and baby beanies for the twins! 

Now, my project is to make more of the adorable little beanies to match their outfits. This is what I have so far - 

I think I am doing newborn -6 months size. [She also makes the most delicious fresh bread!]

Tonight for dinner I am making black bean mash and cheese burritos. In corn tortillas, because that is what my husband likes. 

Gimme, Gimme, Gimme...

Right now I want a Tombstone supreme pizza, with a crispy crust and ranch dressing. Or a Dominoes pizza with bacon, mushrooms, and extra cheese. Instead i'm eating leftover chicken spaghetti with wheat toast and asparagus. But, I'm imagining it's pizza. MMMM....


My mom would like it noted that she times the electronic usage. The 7 year old is only allowed an hour a day on the combined electronics, which is the recommended amount of time. The 14 year old, and 19 year old also have the same time limit. I had the same time limit when I lived with my parents. 

Productive Day!

PSST! [this weeks secret indulgence - Chester's flaming hot fries]


Very productive day for me! I woke up about 10 minutes before Andrew left for work, unfortunately, so I haven't had anytime with him besides texting today. But I stayed up, instead of going back to bed like I really wanted to. I got online and started my research on protein. This is what I discovered - 

1. The soybean contains all essential amino acids and surpasses all other plant foods in the amount of protein. [tempe, soy dogs, and soy burgers, soy ice cream, and of course soy milk]
2. Other rich sources of non-animal protein include - nuts, seeds, yeast 

                 Legumes - especially Garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils [my personal favorite], navy beans, lima beans, and split peas.

                 Vegetables - especially artichokes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, green peas, green peppers, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, onion, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip greens, water cress, yams, and zucchini. 

                  Fruits - especially apples, bananas, cantelope, grapes, grapefruit, honeydew, oranges, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple, strawberries, tangerine and watermelon.

      3. Vegetable protein is easier to digest then animal protein. 

      4. Most nutritionists, dietitians, and official sources agree that we need only 2.5%-10% of our calories from protein and ALL vegetables offer us more than that. 

So I decided to make the bag of black beans I had in my pantry so I could freeze some for quicker use and actually start using them in meals. I separated them from the rocks and nasty ones, rinsed them out, and put them on low in the 4 quart crock-pot my mom bought me. I covered them with water and have had to add two more cups while they are going. I can make black bean and cheese burritos, have them mashed or whole with some eggs in the morning, or put them in a soup, stew, or as a side for anything else.

They are still cooking but should be ready to put in bags and freeze by 9 - 9:30. It's only 7:45

Now, I also have been given the knowledge from reliable human sources that it would be smart to freeze dinners and other meals. So today I also decided to try out a new recipe. This recipe is my late grandmothers, on my moms side. It's called Chicken Spaghetti. I have told my husband about it and he thinks it sounds good, but I haven't actually come around to making it. Until today! Here is the recipe the way I did it - [I hope my mom doesn't get mad about me sharing it]

1 16-oz box of spaghetti noodles 

4 large chicken breasts

1 14.5-oz can diced or crushed tomato

1 10.5-oz can cream of mushroom soup

about 2 cups shredded cheese

Boil the chicken in enough water to cover it well [about 20-30 min] Take chicken out of the water and place on a cutting board to cool off. You want to shred the chicken as soon as you can handle it. Cook the noodles in the chicken broth [the water you just boiled chicken in] After they are done, drain, leaving some of the water. Add the shredded chicken, cream of mushroom soup, tomatoes, and cheese to the noodles and stir until the noodles are evenly coated with the soup and tomato color. After this, I let it sit for about 30 minutes and then separated it into two quart size freezer bags, filled 4/5 of the way full and put them in the freezer flat and label side up. The rest is for dinner tonight. This amount will serve 8-10 people proper portions. However, my husband usually has seconds and really does not like proper portions so it will feed two people 3 time... 6 servings. Once we eat it I will edit in a photo here. I forgot to take one of it in the pot. Variations- I love to use linguine rather than spaghetti. I used a salt free can of tomato, of course you can put fresh into a blender or under a knife, just make sure its juicy. My mom has always used shredded mexican cheese, but I wasn't able to get any so I used a shredded mild cheddar block. [1/4 of the block actually] 

I was also going to make whole wheat waffles but I will probably do that tomorrow. I got tired. I'm going to use a recipe my mom gave me for pancakes. She said she got it from a lady on ivillage.com back when it was a chat or forum. [I don't actually remember what she said] Then I will try a recipe I got off food.com and see which I like better. I'll post both of them tomorrow.

I also had some fun editing photos on lunapic.com

This is a photo from yesterdays post. Cropped and turned to black and white. 

This is my sister and I this past December. We were at my cousins baptism. I turned it to sepiatone.

After I finished cooking I did the dishes. Then I discovered my cat like this - 

She dumped our shoes off not only the shelf she wanted to curl onto, but the one on top of that as well. Apparently she was also playing with the bag I have underneath for goodwill items because thats not how it usually looks, ha ha ha! I do love her so and I 'm 100% sure Andrew will get a kick out of seeing this picture. I'm going to go pick up whatever mess my cat made in our room, clean some of the bathroom and living room, then curl up on my love seat and read my new Parents magazine. I love when I get this magazine. I have never had a paid subscription before and this is no excuse! Yay, free magazines! Another post tomorrow.

In-laws and McDonalds....

Yesterday, my mother-in-law asked me if I was O.K. with them making the tradition of taking the grandkids to McDonalds every Saturday morning. I was so shocked all I could do was laugh at first. I ended up trying to get out that I did like the idea of a tradition of some sort, but that I wanted my kids to eat healthy. She almost totally blew it off. Almost, as in she continued trying to convince me in a way that said, "we already made up our minds, this is just a courtesy." I remembered my mom asking if I knew if they were trying to turn our kids into a "grandparents competition". I am really starting to wonder. She SAID it was so we could sleep in, but I don't know if I believe that. I am actually really looking forward to our kids waking up for Saturday morning cartoons, eating cereal in their pajamas till mom and dad wake up. Thats what we did! Can you imagine the trouble it would cause us if our kids went to McDonalds EVERY FRICKEN SATURDAY?! I''ll tell you what I imagine it would be like - 

1. Way too much salt, sodium, and grease in their little bodies every single week. 
2. We would have to get up ANYWAY in order to get them ready to go out with a grandma and grandpa. That would require baths, cute clothes and teeth brushing.
3. They will be super hyper afterwards and WE would have to deal with it. 
4. How would I get a Saturday routine set for them if that is what they did? 
5. Would I ever get to enjoy a Saturday morning with my kids? What if I plan on making waffles or pancakes with them every Saturday morning? 
6. Would Grandma and Grandpa bring them back when I ask them to? Breakfast does not need to last 4-5 hours. 
7. Would they want to go to McDonalds all the time? Does anyone know how hard it is to say no to a toddler or pre-schooler when it comes to going to McDonalds?! I do remember how it was with my little brother and my parents. We older kids did not help the matter. 
8. I already know Andrew will want to cook them breakfast every once in awhile and his breakfast foods are worse than McDonalds, Burger King, and Jack In The Box put together. But I cannot deny daddy this privilege, or my marriage might suffer [he he he]

It really does bother me. I asked Andrew how he felt about her asking [since it's his mom] and he agreed with my opinion. He was annoyed. Didn't actually say much about it but voiced that it annoyed him. I think this is one of those "don't worry till we get there" things but oh man. During the conversation I told her that it might not happen till the twins are like 5 or something. She blew off the age and was like "oh well I know it's not right away, I can't give them hash browns till they are almost a year." I was like "WHAT?!" I am not sure I am O.K. with my babies eating hash browns at 7 months. I actually read an article in Parents Magazine two months ago that gave us advice on how to say no to relatives that want to feed baby something over the holidays. It put it in an "Aunt Flo and her famous casserole" perspective.  It didn't give much advice on what to say but it did make me realize that I will have to deal with these issues, especially from Andrews side of the family. Now I wonder, is it just because I trust the women in my family on the topic of kids more than his? If my abuelita or mom wanted to feed the twins something I think I would be O.K. But I am picturing them trying things like mashed beans, mashed potatoes, a roll, cranberry sauce, and yams. I know how unhealthy husbands family cooks their holiday and regular food. It's loaded with salt, pepper, heavy creams and lots of butter. Plus his Grandma is just the kind of person to want babies to try her "famous" whatever. Oh, man. 


I am at a complete loss on this. I feel like I'm discriminating against his family, and that's wrong and unfair. But there are things that I will have to monitor from my family too. My family is much more into electronics than I would like my kids to be. But I was able to talk to my mom about this issue and I felt much better afterwards. I even found out she is planning homemade church activity kits that are 100% electronic free. I was ecstatic and felt bad. I never liked my moms disciplinary ways. I hear that is almost ALWAYS an issue between mother and daughter though. [I actually am not looking forward to my MIL and discipline more] I worry I will get told in front of my kids things like -

1. Ya like they understand what you are telling them.
2. Let them do it, it's cute
3. Don't tell them that

Or that they will be told to do it anyways and not to listen to mommy because she is mean. Maybe it will maybe it won't. My mom bought me a really great discipline help book this Christmas so maybe it's not. Now, in conclusion, I know I will not be the perfect mom. I know I will have times I forget and do something I shouldn't. I know I will yell or even ignore more than I should. I also know most moms would read this and say I'm delusional on the way I see how having kids will be. I don't think I am and I will try my hardest to raise my kids as mine and to be better than good people. My goal is similar to most parents and I will have my own way of getting there. My husband is my partner in this task my Heavenly Father entrusted upon us and that is how I see it. 

What a long day. Hubby and I were supposed to wake up at 8:30 am, but Andrew has been sick and finally got up after a long, almost sleepless night about eight. I thought he had a cold so I bought him some generic DayQuil. Now at the end of the bottle I think it's just allergies. His nose is runny and he has mild congestion, and a dry cough. He has allergy induced asthma so this might have been more obvious if it wasn't cold season, ha ha ha. 
I made me two strawberry toaster strudels [with the frosting] and Andrew had chicken nuggets with ranch dressing for breakfast. He eats stuff that I think is meant for lunch or dinner for breakfast all the time. It makes me worry about him feeding the kids. [I joke, I kid] We showered and by the time I was presentable I was hungry again so I made a waffle sandwich. My waffle sandwich is two toasted, whole wheat waffles with creamy peanut butter and Nutella spread on it. Nutella is a chocolaty hazelnut spread my uncle brought us from Germany once. Then we discovered they sold it here. I love it and have been eating it with peanut butter for maybe a decade. I really need to find a recipe for whole wheat waffles. I am sure I can make them healthier than Eggo can, which would make my favorite snack that much healthier. It would also save us money. I think I could make 5x the amount Eggo sells for the same price..... I will have to research this and make another post later with my findings. 
We left the house in our lovely car, Polaris. Andrew named our car Polaris because it is white and has hail damage all over it. WE JUST FINISHED PAYING FOR IT!!! We made the final payment on our car this past weekend and are totally suffering from it, but IT IS OURS NOW!! OUR FIRST VEHICLE!!!  YAY! We decided to look at apartments today before my doctors appointment. We had two that we saw online that we really liked. One was 930 sq ft for $650 but they did not allow pets. We love Moonlight, and really can't make the choice to find her a new home. It was so beautiful. Foliage everywhere and brown European style roofs. The second was 1000 sq ft for $650. Andrew lived there with his parents back in the day and I really like it. Very comfortable. With a $400 pet deposit.... We love our cat... but that much? We don't know yet. One we found just driving around was our favorite. It is only 815 sq ft for $799. Ridiculous pricing but oh my gosh it was perfect! We would have so much privacy, with enclosed patios, lots of space in between the buildings and the space was covered in grass and trees and shrubs and ivies! It was just gorgeous. But again with the $400 pet deposit. It breaks my heart because right now she is purring next to me and is so glad to have us home. My doctor notified me that I needed to start a high protein diet, in order to help the babies grow as much as possible before they arrive at approximately 36 weeks. He told me to buy the BOOST drinks for older people and eat lots of chicken and fish but I think it would be cheaper and more effective to just buy better vegetables. I know this amazing woman and I follow her blog. She is a very healthy eater and of course so are her kids. Now I discovered from a post that certain vegetables have more protein than meat. I think I also understood that said protein is more efficient than that from say a steak. I am also going to research this so I can buy proper protein next grocery trip. Well Andrew and I get a kick out of eating unhealthy after the doctor because I feel I eat healthier than is enough and get annoyed with the doctor implying that I could not possibly be capable of doing so. Probably because of my age? We pigged out at Sonic. Seriously not the smartest move on our part but somehow we spent $17 at a fast food restaurant for 2 people. We now have $15 left for the next two weeks. 
After Sonic satisfaction we drove around looking for apartments we might like but found none. I texted my mom after I got annoyed with Andrew for constantly turning the wrong way and discovered she was on her way to take my baby brother to his BMX practice. I decided we would go too. I'm so glad we did, I miss that kid so much and he just looks adorable in his gear. Of course it was good seeing my mom too. I think its hilarious to find out who she tells about her grandkids coming. Seems it's EVERYONE. 

After we left the track we went to go see Andrews parents. His mom was in such a fantastic mood it was almost annoying. [I joke, I kid] Andrews dad was bragging about some rice and chicken that he made for dinner so I tried it and man, it was worth bragging about. Darn good rice. Kinda tasted like stuffing. After I ate I noticed how miserable my husband looked so we took off. I asked if I could drive because he was coughing again and I was worried about him coughing and driving. HE SAID YES! So I got to drive home, then decided to ask if I could drive a little more. [No, I don't have my license yet so this is me practicing to pass the test soon] My husband said yes so I drove around the neighborhood for like 10 minutes. 


Now, today was not a very healthy food day but I have lots of things to do tomorrow. Research and maybe cooking. I had a fantastic day out with my husband and can't wait to go to sleep next to him. Thanks for reading!

Sing a song!

I wrote a song yesterday. It is like nothing I have ever written before - 

"I might not know your name,

but your right in front of me

So I'm going to say, 

Hi! Hello! Good Morning!

With a smile on my face."

If I can remember that I wrote this, I think I'm going to teach my kids this. My grandma sang the funniest songs to my mom and us. But they were so nice. This kind of reminds me of the song that goes like this...

"Kookaburra sittin' in the old gum tree,

eating all the gum drops he can see! 

Laugh Kookaburra, laugh!

Kookaburra sittin' in the old gum tree!"

I loved when I heard that song. I really need to study and catch up on my nursery rhymes. I think it's going to be so much fun to do things like sing a clean up song, a brush your teeth song, a getting ready for bed song, a eat your veggies song, and just be nice songs. Fun stuff! I definitely need to look them up.

Saving money on food

   When it comes to saving money on food, period, there are thousands of tips and suggestions. However I find hardly any that actually work for my lifestyle. When I want to save money, a few things run through my mind - I don't want to spend more money to save money. Example: this Sundays paper held a coupon that offered to save 30 cents when you buy TWO rolls of Grands biscuits. I really only want to buy one. I don't like to spend more money to eat healthy. How many meals can I get out of this? That item is on sale, will we really eat it? What about snacks and easy lunches? I need a bigger breakfast variety.

Here are some tips I actually use and find useful for my lifestyle:
When you go out to eat to a restaurant, there are numerous ways to save money. I practice these -

1. Don't order an appetizer. If you just love appetizers, ask about half orders (they are half as expensive, and usually more appropriate sized) 
2. When ordering an entrée, look at daily specials or even kids meals. I like to continue eating healthy at restaurants. I cut things out of my order, ask for no butter or salt on my veggies or potatoes or even the entire meal. 
3. I have yet to convince Andrew to share an entrée but this is also an EXCELLENT way to save money. Entrées are usually huge. I can hardly ever finish mine, if your date is willing to share, find one you'll both like. You share appetizers, why not the main course, too? I know Chiles is thriving on this tip. 
4. Order water, it's free. Most drinks cost from $1.25 - $2.50 You could save around to $5.00 by ordering water. Plus it's the healthiest drink choice. 
5. Doggy bags are the bomb. Repeat that. Don't force yourself to finish a meal. It can be your lunch the next day. I am currently eating soup from Avila's that I ordered yesterday, when Andrew insisted on going out to lunch. It is todays lunch. Sometimes meals taste better after reheating. True story! Plus your not bloated and tired after the meal, which is unhealthy unless your planning on walking it off for like an hour or two. 

At the grocery store:

Grocery shopping is my biggest challenge. Buying healthy food on a budget is quite a task. I like light breakfasts, quick things for lunch, and light but satisfying dinners. I don't want a meal at home to cost as much as going out to eat. I have looked at $5 meals and such online and think they are really expensive items that you can use for a couple meals, or three. Or its $5 per serving. Like I mentioned, coupons aren't really worth it to me because they are usually for items I don't really need to buy. I want items that don't cost much at all that will make more than one meal. I love to cook from scratch rather than buy frozen meals because I can monitor how much salt or fat makes it into the meal. I also enjoy natural flavors more than seasonings. But this has proved quite expensive. My mom makes a menu for two weeks, then buys the items it requires to make the meals on the menu. She will put a meal on there more than once, or an item like chicken or beef in more then one meal. I have not found a method that works for my family, but she has six people to cook for while I only have two.

Dinner:

Tonight I plan on making shrimp tortellini alfredo. I had a coupon for the Buitoni package. It saved me a dollar. I bought a 20 oz package that was $5.98 before the coupon. The package says there are approximately 5 servings per package, so I will get two meals and maybe a leftover lunch. I bought a 14 oz package of large shrimp for $5. I'll put 1 - 1 1/2 cups of shrimp into the cooked pasta. I can use the rest for another meal or two. The alfredo sauce you can get for a dollar for about 25 oz. which is like 2 meals for us. So the way I see it is I spent about $11 on items that will get me two meals. Plus my husband loves shrimp and alfredo pasta, so he will be happy. Pasta is filling and light at the same time, at least I think so. I personally would like it better with tomato sauce in it but Andrew likes alfredo much more. Plus I think tomato sauce (spaghetti) is more expensive.... I spent $65.84 on groceries for the next two weeks this Friday. That is including Hubbys $2.85 egg nog treat, and basically giving in to things like lean pockets, toaster strudels and hash brown patties. A big money saver is not buying sodas and chips. Andrew drinks Lipton sweet tea. I buy the tea bags that come in $1.50 packages of 100 bags. They last about 2-3 months. He also recently started drinking cran-blueberry juice which is about $2 and lasts about 3 weeks. I drink water and WIC bought orange juice. His parents buy so much soda. I think they spend like $30 a month on it. It is so unhealthy for you. If your trying to lose weight, don't drink soda! You can eliminate bloating. Plus we all know its bad for you teeth and bones in many ways. Andrews parents have noticed and voiced a serious difference in the color of his teeth since he stopped drinking so much soda. (since he is going to read this, YES I know you get them at your moms house and work still). Tea is pretty bad for you too, but his mom trained him to it and he almost can't live without it. Chips are salty, full of sodium, and fall under the empty calorie list, like pretzels. They cause you to bloat too. Buy apples and peanut butter instead for a yummy snack. Or rice cakes (I love the chocolate ones), oranges, Craisins, fruit and nut cookies (or better yet MAKE THEM YOURSELF! You'll burn calories while your baking).

1. Looking online is a good way to find and print coupons for the items you actually buy. I have found coupons for Andrews tea, bread, and cereals. 
2. A fun way to save money is with your neighbor. Split the cost of things like meat, raw veggies and canned goods. If you want to buy that huge brisket but its $20 and 3X what your family would eat, ask your neighbor if she wants some. Chances are she'll give ya ten bucks for half the brisket, or half the chicken legs, or half the veggies that will go bad in a week. My neighbor and I do that every once in awhile. 
3. We also pantry swap. Sometimes you think your going to eat stuff but it's been there for months and you don't want to throw it out. My neighbor and I ask if she needs this, or wants this, or if I have that. Grocery shopping without spending money. 

This is all I have for today on saving money on food...

OMG, it has been 5 days since I last wrote. I hope this doesn't turn into another diary I WAS excited to get. I have about 8 that have no more than 5 pages used. Some of them with dates once a month. This is way better than a diary. I get feedback AND my mom reads it. Way cooler. 


In the last five days....
I have seen a lot of my dear friend, Daniella, whom I call Danie most of the time. We have run errands together or gone to her sisters house to help her mom watch the young ones in the family. I got to help Danies mom make plates of food for the soldiers. Danies husband is in the army and had to stay on base for a week for something that I should remember but don't. We made the most delicious smelling pork chops ever, mashed potatoes and Spanish rice. I felt so helpful. It was a nice change from staying home. On the 13th I went to the hospital in the morning. Not a good day. Apparently a single tamale can cause major indigestion for a pregnant lady. It turned into dehydration and that triggered contractions. I'm only 26 weeks so it was kind of scary. My husband made it so much easier. You know when everything is just going wrong and your brain feels incapable and you just need someone to lean on? I don't think I have ever found anyone to lean on better than Andrew. He was so there, He has such a soft spot for taking care of me. Even though I was not quite an invalid he was awesome. Poor man hardly slept. I think I want to make a movement to require all hospitals to provide comfortable accommodations to the husbands or Significant Others of the patients. I hate that he was so wonderful and he had to sleep on the most uncomfortable pullout couch I have ever seen. Poor man woke up with knots in muscles he did not know he had. He also remembered to come home and feed te cat. The beef broth I was allowed to eat was the most delicious tasting broth I have ever tasted. I wanted the recipe so I asked. LOL the nurse said she was curious also because I asked for 2 more bowls. She told me it was just bouillon cubes in water, I couldn't believe it. Maybe I really was starving! I feel I got quality healthcare. My nurses were so nice, and I enjoyed their company. They did not make me feel stupid for going to the hospital for indigestion. We joked and laughed. I was able to provide practice to a lady maybe 3 years older than I. She is studying to be an ultrasound technician and was excited to do thorough work on twins. She was so awesome. I found out most of my intestines are now lodged up under my ribs. I had to stay over night and I really don't know how I will be able to stay there for like 3 days after delivery. The only complaint I have is having to lay there with only bathroom breaks. FOR HOURS. My RLS was so bad. I talked to the nurses about it but they said I had to stay hooked up to the fetal monitors and IVs. Hubby was VERY good about massaging them my legs, even in the middle of the night. He brought me warm socks and snuck me crackers from the vending machine in the middle of the night when I got hungry and the cafeteria was closed. 


Today I finished a craft project. That is our family name, I'm going to have Andrew hang it above our front door when he gets home today. 

   


I love doing crafts like these. I first decided to make this about 3 months ago. I asked Andrew to take me to Hobby Lobby for some craft stuff, I said I didn't know what I was going to make. He loved the idea of me making this. We share a love for neutral colors, so I picked black and gray. One day I want a wall color that compliments the black frames and artwork I love.


Well I am stuck on what to write, now. I think I am going to nap...

Secret Pregnancy Sin...

I am 100% sure every pregnant woman has been unable to do everything people say they should. There is just something they can't give up, or even begin to do. Some women it's cigarettes. Others it's sweets. I can't give up lunch meat. They say it is so bad for you because of nitrates and listeria. Pre-packaged lunch meats often contain high levels of a preservative called sodium nitrate.  There have been few studies related to the effect of sodium nitrates on pregnancy, but some experts suggest that nitrates may cause problems during pregnancy. The biggest concern with lunch meats during pregnancy is the risk of listeria.  Listeria is a bacteria that can be found in deli meats as well as vegetables and processed foods.  This bacteria can cause an illness known as Listeriosis, which can cause any number of problems during pregnancy. I am very aware of these risks...but it's just so good! There is just something about the cold sandwich. I love refrigerated wheat bread with mayo and a slice or two of  honey ham, or smoked turkey lunch meats. Now I don't eat it everyday in fact the the last time I had such a sandwich, before today, was maybe three months ago. I had one everyday for a week. I added spinach and tomato to them though. Today it's just the bread, mayo, and lean turkey. I call it a sin because I don't even have the excuse that it was already in the house, for hubby. I went to the store and bought me some lunch meat. Mmm, mmm, mmm!! It is sooo good.


Yesterday, something kind of cool happened. Have you read pregnancy stories of the mom-to-be being told what she is carrying by a complete stranger? I always thought that was weird and the strangers just wanted to show off, but I still wanted it to happen to me, ha ha ha! Well, it did! I was at church, sitting in the foyer with my mom and two younger brothers and only sister. The Spanish ward was mingling after their Sunday service. Maybe about half an hour into sitting there a lady from the Spanish ward came up to me and started speaking in Spanish and pointing to my belly. I don't speak Spanish very well so I politely said, "I'm sorry...?" She said, "It's a boy" Unfortunately for her, I already knew that. In fact I know I am having TWO boys. So I told her. She looked offended and said, "mm, no" and walked away. I thought it was hilarious, and interesting. My mom started telling me stories of that happening to other women she knew. Most of them were wrong. Oh, well. It's still fun for me.


Also, yesterday, Andrew got off of work at 6 pm instead of his usual 9 pm. So he rented a movie from Redbox. We sat on the floor and watched Centurion and ate chicken tortilla soup leftovers. Chicken tortilla soup has become an obsession of Andrews and mine this month. I have been growing tired of the same recipes over and over again so I went looking for new ones. I started out asking for the recipes my mom would make that I missed and had enjoyed. Well, one day we were at the hospital visiting Andrews mom, when I got really hungry. We went down to the cafeteria. The special of the day was Tortilla soup. At that point I remembered when my mom had had surgery, some women form church brought dinners for us. One lady brought chicken tortilla soup. It was delicious. So was the hospitals. I got on Facebook when we got home and asked everyone if they had a recipe for the soup, or even the recipe of the lady from church. Someone did! I had never made soup before so it was kind of difficult to follow the vague directions, but it came out phenomenal! A huge success. We ate the whole pot that night. So, I decided I needed to learn how to make more of it so it would last more than one night. I have not managed much of a difference yet. This is a bowl from the first night we ate it, and here is the recipe:

2 whole chicken breasts
2 cubes or 2 tablespoons Knorr calde de polle chicken bouillon
1 can diced tomato with green chiles
2 cubes cons-mate (tomato/chicken bouillon
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 can cream of chicken


Boil chicken. Add bouillon. Add tomatoes. Serve with avocado, sour cream and tortilla strips.

Now a healthier version - I add only one chicken bouillon and one tomato bouillon. Less salt/sodium. Hubby and I don't like cooked tomato that much so we also only add the can of diced tomato with green chiles. Canned food items have lots of sodium. Too much sodium is very unhealthy. We add more chicken, 3 or 4 of Tyson boneless frozen chicken breast. You can use fresher chicken too, of course. I did once. 

O.K. well I really need a nap. Maybe I will write more tonight.

This morning has already been a good one. Hubby and I woke up to his best friend, Jebus, texting him that he wants to go donate blood with him.Jebus had an appointment at noon, we got the text at 11:30. It's Andrews day off so we were sleeping in. Well, he was, I'm just pregnant and can sleep forever. So Hubby jumped up and ran through a shower while I made him breakfast. --Andrew never used to eat breakfast. His mom used to bake brownies in the morning when they lived in Denver, Colorado, and he would just grab one on the way out. It was very hard to get him to eat, I pushed it because I know how important the first meal of the day is. I am currently helping him maintain a healthy weight and to actually consume healthy meals. -- Anyway, when I opened our bedroom door this is what I saw:

  Moonlight had noticed the yarn I stupidly left on the coffee table all night. The yarn was there because I'm trying to remember how to make these-

  Jebus showed up right when I was done making a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on wheat bread for Hubby. He brought in our paper and started reading it, after laughing at the yarn mess I hadn't cleaned up yet. Hubby came out, ate, and left. I had the option of going with them but I was already feeling sick and hadn't eaten my own breakfast so I stayed home. I also remembered Hubby had not been out alone with his friend in a long time and figured he would appreciate the minor change. I can't donate blood, being pregnant, and so it was pointless for me to go. Andrew has been a loyal blood donor for a long time. I'm actually not sure how long, I have to ask him. His mom would take him every time they were able to and donate with him. So this is about how far my morning has gotten. 


I made a list of things I would like to accomplish in this blog. I want to make it as maybe a guide to women like me. Here is a list of things you will eventually be able to find in here:

1. The fun things you go through when getting married young, like having to deal with rude comments, dirty looks and missing your parents doing way more for you then they do now. 
2. The adventure of being a young Homemaker. I am choosing to stay at home and raise my kids. My in-laws don't like it and promise some interesting days ahead. I will share my experiences with learning to get stains out, keep a clean house, cooking for a growing family, and how I get my frustrations out.
3. I am expecting twin boys this year and I think it will be very helpful for me to share the things we go through. They are my first children and also promise some very interesting days, months, and years to come. I will share how I cope and my process of raising them to be charming members of our society. 
4. Since we currently live in a 600 square foot apartment and are expecting two babies soon, it's very obvious that we will be expecting to move at least once if not definitely more in the future. Hubby and I have never moved a family before so it will be interesting figuring out how relocating will work for our little family. 
5. I have recently discovered that my mom actually had her 5 kids eating very healthy their whole lives. I have thanked her for cooking in a way that allowed the figure I have easy to keep. She has strong, very healthy, hardly sick kids and did it off a usually pretty tight grocery budget. I hope to learn how to do the same and will share my findings with my readers. My husband does not particularly enjoy healthy food but has noticed the difference in his weight and energy since I became his primary chef. I don't know how picky my kids will be so that also will be a challenge to come.
6. My weight fluctuated between 115-120 lbs. for the past 5 years. I didn't have rock hard abs and buns of steel but I was thin, flexable and healthy. I will share my adventure on getting my pre-pregnancy body back after I have my twins. 
7. My husband will be the primary, if not only, bread-winner in our family and that makes money tight. We are struggling with things right now, trying to get everything balanced before babies arrive. I want to share how I keep a home going on a very tight budget. How tight? I currently spend between $40-$80 every paycheck on groceries and we still eat pretty well. Now adding two babies who need diapers and moving to a bigger apartment will change the budget and I plan on sharing what I research and discover for myself.
8. I miss my family so much, my mom and I have become better acquainted and she has proved to be very helpful in helping me through this switch from dependant to wife and homemaker. I miss all of my family, so I will also be sharing how I make sure my 3 brothers, 1 sister and parents don't feel like I have left them in my past. I also will share how hubby and I deal with in-laws and how we are able to go trhrough a parent with cancer. Andrews mom has "blood cancer" and it is very hard on Hubby. I will share how I support my spouse in this trying time.
9. I grew up Mormon. Now I am not a hardcore follower but I do beleive in and try to follow the majority of their gospel principals. I am not going to try to convert anyone, but there will be my religious views mentioned often, and my kids will be growing up with the same views instilled in them. My parents are Mormon, also. Andrew does not follow a specific faith, but has chosen to support my decision of raising our kids in the Mormon faith. Also, His family has now religious views.
10. I have recently acquired many older friends. I have learned a lot from them and enjoy their company. I will be sharing the projects we do together and what words of wisdom I hear form them.
11. I have always been a crafty person. My mom is a scrapbooker but had many hobbies before this. She made my sister and I our headbands be wore for like the first 12 years of our lives. She made lots of t-shirts, sweatshirts, and house decorations. I drew and wrote literature when I was in school. Now I have moved on to house decorations. My husband really enjoys seeing the finished product. With our tight budget, these crafts are not a common thing but i hope they will be as my boys get older. I feel doing crafts with your kids is a fun, easy bonding time and teaches many things. So I will also be sharing what our crafts are.

These are alot of the things to look for in my blogs future, once again. So stay in tune. My husband just got home and we have errands to run and lunch to make. Our lunch is going to be leftover, homemade creamy potato soup with a wheat bun. He will have iced lipton tea and I will have iced water. Have a good day! I will probably post again tonight. I have alot to catch up on before a regular posting schedule is appropriate....

My name is Kayla and 20 years old.  I decided to start this blog today because I am currently a bored unemployed pregnant woman. However I enjoy looking for new things to entertain myself. I'm really bad at introducing myself, in case you haven't noticed. I guess I'll describe the basics in my life right now:

This is my husband, Andrew. He's 21. This was taken the day of our wedding, by me. We had been dating for exactly 2 years before we got married September 2, 2010. We didn't have a big wedding, we just went to the courthouse, didn't even have any family there. Yeah, we felt bad but we were so tired of waiting, we just did it and glad we're married now. He enjoys reading WAY too much but I secretly love to see him enjoying a good book. He is the most handsome man in the whole world and makes me laugh everyday and usually every night before we go to sleep. We have DEFINITELY  had our ups and downs, our relationship has been tried many ugly times... but we made it. It is kind of hard to get him to do stuff together because he is usually short of time, or too tired from working his long hours. Even though I have to drag him and beg him to do stuff he almost always looks me in the eyes and tells me he really enjoyed the day/activity we had. We compliment each other perfectly. P.S. I love to talk about him.

This is the most recent picture of our fraternal twin boys. They are due April 29, 2011. They are extremely active already and they are the main reason I decided to start this blog. I hope to turn this into a memory book I can never lose or pack away, and to look back on many years from now when I miss them being little. We have not agreed on any names yet, but I will definitely be sharing all about them, for like... ever I hope.  

This is our cat, Moonlight. She was originally supposed to be my husbands cat. He got me her sister for my birthday in 2010. Her sister turned into a menace and a disaster and we gave her to my mom who loves her. Unfortunately for her, she adopted my sister, or so is my understanding. Moonlight has 100% adopted both of us as her caregivers and enjoys cuddling with me. This actually didn't start till about 3 months ago. Later I will add pictures of her cuddling, it's more like her getting really close to me and hugging my belly protectively.  She has a routine of playing with Andrews bootlaces every morning while he is putting them on. Her other fun habits include:

- Running to the microwave and stretching up with an extended claw every time we push the buttons to start it. We have not figured out why, this also only started about 3 months ago.

- Darting into our bedroom EVERY SINGLE TIME the door opens. We are both allergic to cats and so we don't like her on our bed. The easiest way to do that is to keep her out of the bedroom completely. Unfortunately we live in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment. We are sure she does this because she needs more space AND has figured out that we cuddle with her together if she goes in there. Shame on us. 

- Her favorite tall item to lounge on is Andrews shoulders, while he is reading at the kitchen table. She also enjoys curling up in his lap when he is on the floor playing video games. 

- We bought her a toy fuzzy ball with feathers at Wal-mart for Christmas. She loves it. Boxes are #2 on her list of favorite playthings. 

Well, I have to go contemplate dinner for tonight. I swear these will get more interesting to follow. Good night.