Sleeping baby

I never know how I'm going to find Nytis sleeping when I walk in there. Half the time he's pulled the blanket over his head, but I thought this was super cute with the blanket almost wrapped around him. Usually he's under it, not in it.

Here fishie, fishie

We've had passes to the aquarium for a long time now, thinking we'd go often. It took Catherine being invited to a birthday party there and I'm not comfortable with my daughter being driven around by someone I've never met to get us to go. It worked out well though. Dan stayed home with Nytis and I took the other three. During the party, Megan and Jonah and I walked around and saw all the fish. Here's Megan trying to touch the stingray. She eventually was able to. Jonah all excited about the "Nemo" fish.

"The Big Green Frog"

Jonah was so excited about the "ish" it was so cute. He's at such a fun age.

A boy and his cars

This has always been one of Jonah's favorite ways to play with his cars. Even when he was very little a first discovered the joy of cars, he would line them all up and play with them. Dan's mom said that his older brother used to do the same thing. He can play with his cars for hours and be happy. For Christmas he got this cool ramp with "Mater the greater" and now he also likes to line up the cars and "jump" them just like Mater, which, if you haven't seen the show, means he just rolls over the tops of the cars saying "ouch,ouch, ouch." Too cute.

Coupons & Shopping

For about a year and a half now I've been trying the coupon thing. A lady in my ward is amazing and taught a class which inspired me. I think this is the best I've ever done, so far. I got all this for a whopping total of $41.58. Pretty inpressive, huh? And that does not even include the $17.50 I'll be getting back in rebates, making my total for today a whopping $24.08. And, as you'll notice, that's all name brand stuff too. Nothing generic. If only I could do this every time, but I am working on it.

My menu's

I found that once a week I was spending longer than I wanted trying to figure out a menu for the next when I realized that it takes just a little more time, but not much, to figure out the whole month and then I only had to do it once a month instead of four times a month. Thus, I only had the headache once. I still only go shopping once a week for everything, but now that once a week I just look at the already made menu and just create a shopping list, not also spending time doing the menu. The other advantage, if something is on sale when I go shopping and I'm planning to have it later in the month, I can buy it and save money. The last reason, I found out later, if you are trying to build a food storage, you need to know what you eat on a regular basis and how much of it so you can stock up on those items. I am trying to cut down my grocery budget and have learned a lot about couponing and saving. For now I haven't cut it down much, but I definately buy a lot more for the same amount, thus building up food storage which I will then cut down how much I spend (because I will have already bought it on sale).

So here is an example of this month's menu. It's not fancy and I am going to change a few things because I found some recipes that look really yummy, but it's a start and I know what I need.

(Yes I'm typing it in because I haven't figured out how to upload the spreadsheet)

Sundays
(7) Chicken Rolls, Jello, Salad & Rolls
(14) Lasagna, rolls, salad
(21) Roast, Rolls, Green Bean Casserole
(28) Pork Chops, rolls (some kind of side)

Monday
(1) Broccoli & Cheese Soup, bread
(8) Hamburger, French Fries, Vege's
(15) Leftover lasagna
(22) Clam Chowder, crackers

Tuesday
(2) Dinner @ Paula & Larry's (for Groundhog's day)
(9) Spaghetti & Vege's
(16) Potato Soup & Bread
(23) Deluxe Chicken Breasts, Mashed potato's & vege's

Wednesday
(3) Chicken Parmesan, Spaghetti Noodles, Vege's
(10) Homemade Mac n' cheese, vege's
(17) Macaroni Salad
(24) Chimichanga's, Bean & Cheese Burrito's, corn & Corn bread

Thursday
(4) Hot dogs, chili, mac n cheese, vege's
(11) Brown rice burritos, bean & cheese burritos, vege's
(18) Spaghetti & Vege's (maybe rolls)
(25) Burrito Casserole & Vege's

Friday
(5) BLT's & French Fries
(12) Taco salad
(19) Hoagie sandwiches
(26) Spaghetti & Vege's

Saturday
(6) Breakfast burrito's
(13) Pizza bagels
(20) Cheesesteak Sandwiches, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & French fries
(27) Fajita's & Cheese Quesadilla's

I have a spreadsheet that list all the meals we usually make so I don't have to think of them myself each month. They are just right there to pick from and when I sit down to do my menu. And I reprint it every now and then when I add new recipes (which I am constantly looking for). Speaking of new recipes, on my side bar is a blog with lots of recipes from the girls in my neighborhood and I can't wait to try some of them because they look yummy.

Cute pictures

Nytis is 7 months old now. Can you believe it?

Jonah loves his ice cream and cupcake.

Cute Catherine

Cute Megan

Megan's 5th birthday

It's hard to believe that Megan is already 5 years old. She is in preschool now and starts Kindergarten next year. She is still as loud and silly as ever and a lot of fun to be around. We had a really low key family party for her so far. Her sister and her want to have a combined birthday party this year, so later in February we'll have a birthday party for both of them