Grocery Shopping, Stocking Up and What to Buy When

 Disclaimer: This is not my area of expertise but I'm learning! We are stocking up because it is hurricane season and because our deacons just gave a talk on being prepared for times when food (or money) is less readily available.  I thought I'd try to find out  if I can try to purchase things when they are at their lowest price (which is also the best time to use coupons if you use them).
   June is the last month for great prices on fresh beets, carrots & lettuces according to this article.
    I found GroceryBudget101.com.  I've looked around the site and like the menu plans. I also downloaded their ebook on menu planning (free until tomorrow).
This is also a good list. There are not a lot of med/long term storables on these lists. So, we will pick up a few things that we usually do at hurricane season time and I will try to plan to stock up on things as they come more available. I also hope to do a little canning this summer as well.
I don't use many coupons because I find they are rarely for things I actually want my family consuming. We do use them for our junk foods (I can't get my husband to stop buying chips & soda!) - but those are not the sorts of things I want to stockpile. I also do not have large amounts of time going from store to store. I'm working on a storage list right now at my husband's request.

June is National Dairy Month:

So the following products can be found on sale. 

• Butter
• Cheese
• Cool Whip
• Cream Cheese
• Eggs
• Ice Cream
• Milk
• Whipped Cream
• Whipping Cream
• Yogurt

End of June/July 4th Sales:

• BBQ Sauce
• Charcoal
• Condiments
• Dips
• Hamburgers
• Hot Dogs
• Ketchup
• Potato Chips
• Salad Dressing

Seasonal Produce:

• Apricots
• Arugula
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Basil
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Boysenberries
• Cherries
• Corn
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Fig
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Grapes
• Green Peas
• Honeydew
• Lettuce
• Mangoes
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Peaches
• Potatoes
• Raspberries
• Red Onions
• Shallots
• Snow Peas
• Spinach
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Strawberries
• Summer Squash
• Sweet Vidalia Onions
• Tomatoes
• Tomatillo
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

 Found in this post.

Ouch!

   Some how, I've injured my shoulder. It hurts like the dickens! (What is the origin of THAT saying?) I have an appointment on Friday for an x-ray, meanwhile, mobility is limited and sleep is elusive.
Shayna and I will be working on her domestic skills a lot in the near future and I'll be getting a fair amount of reading done, I think.
  My only real concern right now is that I have 100 cupcakes and a medium wedding cake to do for the first of June. That's in two weeks! There is no way that my arm will be better by then, so I'm having to plan things carefully. I'm thankful for willing helpers and an easy-going bride who wants things fairly simple.
   Now to figure out how to make the best of conditions at an outdoor wedding on a June day in Virginia!

The Demise of Google Reader

Google Reader is going away July 1. Are you ready?
I just read this article about Feedly. I've just signed in and I think I've found the one and we'll be very happy together. I know that there'll be differences, but we'll work them out. I'm happy and relieved.
:)

The Weather; Nothing New Under the Sun

   We knew this would happen. One day, we are remarking about how long it's been chilly and how we are still waiting for Spring and then the next day, we are desperately trying to keep the AC off for one more day!
   I'm sitting on my couch as we enjoy the breeze from two fans going on high. I'm sorry that I planned to use the oven for dinner, but don't have enough energy to think of something else. Oh well!
   Life is busy. We have a new puppy. He's a border collie and boy is he busy! Looking after him is more nerve wracking than looking after a toddler! He rushes to swallow anything that hits the ground, nips and bites (though he's better than he was about that a week or two ago!) and generally keeps us on our toes. We just have to keep him occupied AND tired! That means extra activity for Mama - a good thing. 
 

Long time, no see!

   I'm playing around with the Blogger format to prepare for perhaps a return to blogging.?...
I'm kinda freaked out that Google Reader is going away. I am subscribed to well over a hundred blogs and sites and I'm not sure what I'll do. Any ideas out there in blog land? (Not that I expect anyone to be reading this!) So, for now, I've transferred some here.
Happy Spring, y'all!

The end of a season, for me, and the beginning of a new one

Go to my xanga. Thanks.

For a good cause...

Check out our Gabriel's fund-raising website for the Walk for Life.

Joyfully At Home: Cover Up!!

Miss Jasmine Baucham has done it again! Go over to her site and read this excellent post on modesty and loving our Christian Sisters.

Joyfully At Home: Cover Up!!

Well done, Miss Jasmine!

On To Do Lists...

Just read and found this article helpful. My Mom says that list making is my hobby.

I'm mostly posting this so that I can find the article again after I've read the book that she recommends. I don't tend to like Stephen Covey, but I found it on tape at the library so I'll bite.

What to Look for in a Mate A-Z

This is a terrific article at the Boundless E-Zine blog.

Not only are the lists excellent for singles to consider, but are you growing in all of those areas too, as a married?

The list for young men to look for in a lady:

If you're a man, ask yourself, is this woman I'm dating:

• A -- Aware; of the big picture, of the world around her
• B -- a Believer
• C -- open to having Children
• D -- Dignified
• E -- Excellent in her pursuits
• F -- Full of Faith
• G -- Gracious
• H -- Honorable
• I -- Inventive
• J -- Just
• K -- Kind
• L -- Loving
• M -- Modest
• N -- Noble
• O -- Obedient to the authority in her life
• P -- Pure
• Q -- capable of being Quiet
• R -- Resourceful
• S -- Skilled, Stable
• T -- Trustworthy
• U -- Under Authority
• V -- Victorious
• W -- a Worshipper
• X -- an eXample to others
• Y -- Yearning for God
• Z -- full of Zoe "life of God"

In which I'm thankful -

I'm battling my yearly bout of Bronchitis. I'm being forced to slow down. I slept most of the day, yesterday and took a two hour nap today.

A friend remarked recently during a discussion on joy that joy truly is a gift from God. A Christian will often find joy welling up at the most inexplicable times, making itself manifest in the most awful circumstances.

I find this is also true with Thanksgiving, they are closely related, after all.

I wrote this post lying in bed, having stopped fighting the need to just stop and rest and was overwhelmed by God's goodness to me.

The Sun is streaming through the window in the late afternoon. It's shining down on melting snow. God has kept those of us who had to venture forth on dangerous roads safe.

I'm thankful for antibiotics - I only have 6 pills to take! Amazing!

I'm thankful for cough syrup with Codeine, lovely stuff!

I'm thankful for lots of books to read and my Bible reading plan.

I'm thankful for friends taking kids to hang-out with so I and my sick hubby can rest.

I'm thankful for ready made pasta, frozen meatballs and canned spaghetti sauce! I'm thankful for a competent daughter who can make dinner and I don't have to worry about a thing.

I'm thankful for homeschooling - that it is such an organic way to learn. We can always be discovering and discussing no matter what's going on.

I'm thankful for a church family who really tries to love and care for one another.

I'm thankful for my amazing sister who just keeps going and going. I know her Frankie would be proud of her and the little girls she is raising.

I'm thankful for my Mother who just won't stay put - she's being a snowbird again this year. She sent me a note in the snail mail with a limerick that she wrote about the books she's reading - "A Tale of Two Cities".

My brother is rejuvenating his house with his flock of little boys learning right alonside him - I wish they were closer so that Isaac could join them.

My husband gets up and goes to work at crazy hours! He always has! He continues to lay down his life for us and I'm humbled and oh so grateful.

It seems as though everytime I think of something to be thankful for, several more new things come to mind.

The LORD has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3

A well-written answer...

to a good question.

Jasmine Baucham answers the question that I've heard asked in many different ways. The questioner asked her what she will do as a daughter who chooses to stay and serve at home if she is not married by the magical age of 30. Jasmine answers the question with grace and eloquence.

I'm linking as an encouragement to the young ladies who I know are trying to work these things out in their own lives. I'm also hoping to help those who honestly don't understand this way of doing things to understand better.

First Question of the New Year

My Christmas Book Stack

YUM!

Remembering one of my Dad's favorite authors

"Is there no refuge from strife? Is there no place of refreshing where a man can prepare for the battle of life? Is there no place where two or three can gather in Jesus’ name, to forget for the moment all those things that divide nation from nation and race from race, to forget human pride, to forget the passions of war, to forget the puzzling problems of industrial strife, and to unite in overflowing gratitude at the foot of the Cross? If there be such a place, then that is the house of God and that the gate of heaven. And from under the threshold of that house will go forth a river that will revive the weary world." (Christianity and Liberalism [1923], 180-81)
Greshem Machen

Hat Tip to National Center for Family Integrated Churches blog.

A thought for the New Year

	“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein Hat Tip to Teaching Good Things

Coming out of hibernation to share...

We went to the conference that the National Center for Family Integrated Churches annual conference a few years back and it was such a blessing!
I would have loved to go this year, but alas, was unable.

I do intend to hear the CDs that contain the talks by many of my favorite speakers, though.

Why don't you go on over and get a set as well?

Go to Life in a Shoe for a giveaway chance...I did!

Looking for things to keep the kiddos occupied this Thanksgiving?

There are lots of downloads here, of little projects such as thankfulness lists and lapbooks.



And something we are definitely doing!

I was convicted and inspired by this post. Do you do this? Do you read The Word with your family this often? I think that the father of this family has given his children a priceless gift, they know what is supposed to be important. Think about this statement: "Parents taste conviction, confess, repent." Wow. I know I've said it before, but find a way to read A Holy Experience, often. I just realized that I haven't gotten out our "Thankfulness Banner" this month! Things have been pretty crazy-busy here and I'm just beginning to realize that the Holidays are upon us. Sigh! So as usual, I pick myself up, dust myself off and resolve to do what is important and try to ignore the unimportant. Dear Lord give me strength and wisdom! Amen

Some links for Tuesday...

Sew Mama Sew is doing a month of Christmas projects. Definitely get over there and get some ideas, and while you are at it, comment and enter to win a prize.

Andrew Kern has written a great post on When and How to Teach Grammar. I love it when people write what I think, because I can't write so well. I especially love these quotes from the article:

"We must not think about grammar as an academic study. Life is not for school; school is for life. We should always teach grammar for the simple reason that we always do teach grammar."

"If you are speaking to another person, you are helping form the pattern of that person’s thinking. You are contributing to his vocabulary (maybe that’s more obvious), and you are also contributing to the structure of his thought.

If you constantly speak to your two or three year old child in one and two word sentences, that is how your child will tend to think. And that’s more or less OK with a one year old, less so with a two year old, and horrible with a three year old."

If you don't subscribe to Quiddity on your "reader" do so, you won't be sorry!

Happy Reformation Day!

Here are some Reformation Day Links for you:
Questions and Answers about Reformation Day
Chart of Reformers
In Honor of John Calvin's Birthday, the Calvin Five Hundred Blog
The Reformation Polka at Valerie's Blog