In The Refiner's Fire

Another shopping trip without a camera.  Seriously, I do so need to get that battery replaced!  Anyway, we still had a few extra dollars leftover from the previous weeks this month, so we "splurged" a little on some Easter Candy and store-bought jam.  Buddy has an aversion to my homemade (it's a texture thing for him), so it's a "treat" to have store-bought jam in the house for him!  We also stocked up on some chicken this week - I went over my "buy" price for chicken from $1 to $2 to have some boneless, skinless breasts in the house right now! We have about 4 whole chickens, a turkey and a jumbo pack of legs but no breasts, so we thought we'd take advantage of our "extra" money this week. Here's what we bought, spending $50.87: Store #1: Smucker's Simply Fruit Spread: 2 @ $2.34 = $4.68 Starburst Jelly Beans: 2 @ 3/$7 = $4.66 - $1 = $3.66 Bagged Garden Salad: $0.99 0.93lbs Yellow Sweet Onion @ $0.99 = $0.92 2.43lbs ...

Okay, so this is probably a big DUH but calories do count. I share before how much I like MyFitnessPal and how it's helped me work on my weight goal. Since the end of January I haven't logged in. Bad, bad me. While I haven't really gained anything, I haven't lost anything new either. And that's frustrating. And I haven't been eating as well as I should be.  No idea who's "watching" me on there as I haven't shared with anyone, so it's not like someone is really checking up on me. But I can feel it.  And I know that if I don't watch it I will start gaining back some of this weight I have lost. So back to counting calories for me!

A typical Sunday lunch - Oatmeal Muffins, Baked Eggs, Bacon, and Fruit! Yum! We have a busy, busy week here.  Evening events every single day.  John preaching at Lenten worship this week and being on call for most of the week as well. Crazy prep for Holy Week.  The kids having a day off school on a day when neither one of us can stay home with them.  It's a wild and woolly week for sure!  What does that mean food-wise?  "Easy peasy, lemon-squeezy", as my kiddos would say! So, what are we eating? Sunday, March 25, Annunciation of Our Lord:    Breakfast: Cereal and Milk    Lunch: With Friends    Snack: Popcorn    Dinner:  Tuna Sandwiches, Slices Apples and Pears Monday, March 26:    Breakfast: Pancakes and Strawberries    Lunch: Leftovers for Mom and Dad, Hot Lunch for the Kiddos    Snack: Yogurt    Dinner:  Chili, Cornbread, Tossed Salad, Strawberry-Apple-Mel...

Ah, yes. My weekly goals.  I've actually been doing pretty well of writing these out and getting to them, even if posting them here hasn't been such a high priority. So what are my goals for this week? Here they are: Work: * Submit my mid-term grades * Solution sets for this unit * Update the course web page * Notes for daily classes * Lab for this unit * Equipment list for my new course for this fall * Stay caught up on grading School: * Meet with my advisor * Finish with data through question #5 Jazzercise: * Learn 3 new routines * Set for first class * Set for second class * Organize my paperwork (again) Home: * Clean out bottom drawer of filing cabinet * Organize recipe collection (I pared this down a while ago) * Catch up ironing (again) * Six items from the mending basket * 30 minutes of cleaning out Family: * Family night this week - Celebrate the Annunciation of Our Lord * Twig craft with the kids * Cake decorating for my daught...

A very fuzzy photo of my lilacs (and a pink air rocket!) from last spring! It's hard for me to believe that spring is already here - almost a whole month (or more!) early compared to usual.  One year we had our church's annual Easter egg hunt in 4 1/2 feet of snow in April!  One year we had freezing rain on Mother's Day.  All the perennial flowers are popping out of the ground. My lilacs and my rhododendron are budding out. The daffodils and tulips are up. My chives are back up. The grass is soft and green. A bird "family" is making a nest in the bird house Buddy made at scouts (and he is so very excited about that!). Another bird "family" has reclaimed the nest it had last year in the far eves of our house. The sun is still up after my evening class (though just barely). The kids run for the swing set in the backyard as soon as they get home. The shoes get lost outside under the shrubs. Yes, spring is really and truly here. And I'm lovin' ...

My camera battery is on it's last legs so, unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the groceries for you.  We had approximately $70 to spend this week - we've been under budget the last 3 weeks.  And it was time to re-stock on so many things too. Today's shopping was done at two stores and cost a total of $64.12 Store #1: Palmolive Dish Liquid 25oz: $2.50 - $0.50 = $2 Lindt Cocoa Bar: $1.50 2 Packages Celestial Seasonings Tea: $5 4lb Naval Oranges: $2.50 1lb Strawberries: $2 Bananas 2.48lbs @ $0.54 = $1.39 Green Pepper: $0.59 Green Cucumber: $0.59 Total Store #1 (including tax): $20.80 Store #2: 5 Kellogg's Products @ $1.88 ea = $9.40 - $4 = $5.40 Store Brand Oyster Crackers: $1.09 Crisco Oil 48oz: $2.68 Tide 50oz: $5.99 - $2 = $3.99 Premium Oyster Crackers: $3.43 3 Steamfresh Veggies @ $0.78 = $2.34 - $2 = $0.34 Bic Soliel Razors 4pack: $4.99 - $2 = $2.99 Suave Body Wash 3@ $1.66 = $4.98 - $1.66 = $3.32 Cantaloupe $2.50 2.34lbs Fuji Apples ...