Grocery Gathering Review

About a month ago, I came across this blog called, BeCentsAble, it is done by a couple of stay at home moms whose goal to share ways to make shopping and saving money just a little simplier for everyone.

Along with participating in some of bloggyland's carnivals, they have a few different carnivals of their own along with giveaways that one can participate in on a weekly basis. One of the carnivals that they do is called the Grocery Gathering.

What is the Grocery Gathering??

Basically it is a list of many(not all) grocery stores around the country. That list is linked to other blogs who write about the weekly deals that you will find at a particular store. So instead of trying to find all the different blogs that write about your favorite stores, you can find the stores of your choice all in one place! Also, they do TWO gatherings, one on Monday for the store ads that come out on Sunday; and one on Thursday for the stores who have Wednesday ads.

What I think about the Grocery Gathering?

I love it! I think it is a brilliant idea! I have been able to find the deals at stores that I need to make my grocery list. It has changed how I handle making up my grocery shopping list and where I go to do most of my shopping. I have even started saving all of my paper insert coupons so that I can find the coupons I need to complete the deals. I have even started posting some of the deals that I find at my local Meijer store on my blog trying to help Beth-Tea and Thee because my local Meijer stores do not double coupons and I have found that sometimes the deals at her Meijer are just a little different than what I have at mine (like this week my Meijer has strawberries 3lbs/$4 and her store has them 2lbs/$3!).

What would I change about the Grocery Gathering?

One thing I would change with the "gathering" is maybe work at getting a couple of blogs involved with each store. That way if the sales/deals are different based on the region or area, a person would not be mislead in what deals are available. Or maybe instead the featured blogs could state that these deals are only good in this particular area.

Another thing I would change is those that do the Monday gathering need to have their posts up for others to see early on Monday because then I am able to check them before making up my shopping list.

What I would NOT change about the Grocery Gathering?

Other than the couple of things to change that I mentioned above, I would not change anything else! The layout is very easy to navigate through on a weekly basis. I just click on the links of the stores that I need and follow the links to the various blogs. I think it is great that other blogs are involved so that "many hands make light work".

Overall, I think the Grocery Gathering is a great resource and I will continue to recommend it to others!! Thanks ladies for all your work!!

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays

Having a pantry/stockpile is a good thing, especially with rising prices. However, knowing when to use that stockpile so as not to waste good food is a fine line that I have been learning over the last few months.

Here is my suggestions based on what I have learned....

• only stockpile items that you know your family will eat or use.
• put the items that are going to expire first towards the front.
• do not buy any more items once your space is full. It will just become and look like clutter if you overfill the space!
• take the time to use up the items before buying more items.
• take inventory of everything so you can plan meals and snacks easily.

I am in week one of three(at least) in using up my pantry/freezer stockpile challenge so that I am not having to throw away food that is past its prime for usage. I am only purchasing fresh items(fruits, veggies, milk and eggs) and *need* items. I am not doing any stockpiling or deal shopping for the next few weeks so that I can get my stockpile to a more manageable level.

Part of my challenge is giving away/blessing others with my stockpile....I am planning on giving at least a bag to Stamp Out Hunger Campaign that the Postal Carriers are doing this Saturday, May 10th! I want to challenge you as well to do the same!! Set out a bag of non-perishable goods for your carrier to pick up to then donate to your local food bank! With rising costs of groceries, the food banks nationally have had an increase of families looking for food to help get food on the table! If you don't give to this campaign, think about donating food to your local homeless shelter or your church's food pantry.

For other kitchen tips, ideas, or resources, head over to Tammy's Recipes!

Homeschooling with Little Ones--Part One

How do you homeschool your kids with having a baby or little ones in the house? Homeschooling with little ones can be challenging! However, having a “game plan” always helps me to overcome the challenge.

Here is my “game plan” with a new baby in the house…

First, I decided when I was going to start school. Do I wait till after baby is born (which was the beginning of November) or do I get a head start? I decided to get a head start and we officially started our school year the week after the 4th of July. Needless to say, my kids were not too happy that they had to start working on school work again especially since none of the other neighborhood kids had started school. However, I told them when baby came they would be getting at least a six week break! They seemed to lighten up on the complaining when I told them that news.

Yes, you read correctly…at least six weeks!! Sometimes I have gone for as many as 8 weeks without doing “formal” schooling with my kids after a baby. It basically is a time of adjustment for everyone. It gives me time to rest after having a baby. It gives me time to get into a routine with a new addition. It gives me time to plan. It gives me a relaxed time with my family without any pressures of meeting any goals. It is also a time where I can fit in field trips, errands, and other things (like read alouds, board games, and art/craft projects) that I normally can’t fit in during our school year. I figure that my kids are learning even by playing Legos or K’nex, watching videos, playing with each other and helping me out around the house that doing “formal” schooling is not a necessity while trying to adjust to the new addition.

Once we get back into a routine, ie knowing when baby is going to take naps or needing to be fed, I start working back in the “book work” starting with Math. You probably are wondering why I start with Math? We start with reviewing basics and work back up to where we were before our new addition. Math seems to be the subject that my kids seem to lose the facts the fastest.

Once we get going on a routine, it looks like this at first….Reading and Math usually ends up only taking us an hour at first to get thru those subjects. Then as the weeks progress we add back in Writing/Language Arts/Spelling, History and then Science. Science is the last of the subjects that I add back in because usually I find it harder to keep up with doing experiments and such. Usually Science is added into the mix at about week 3 of getting back into the school routine.

The bottom line is to take the amount of time that you need to take to get yourself and your family into a routine that works well with everyone.

Next week, I’ll be giving some suggestions as to how to handle having that toddler pulling at your leg or begging for things while trying to school the older children.

Part Two of the series--keeping toddlers occupied

Menu Plan Monday 5/4 - 5/10

**Another week is upon us so that means it is time for another menu plan! This is just a plan and it could change on the cook’s whim!

I made it thru my difficult week, this week is not as difficult or busy so menus should be a breeze! Last week, I finally made my Chicken Veggie Stew (#8), and homemade honey oatmeal rolls dinner that I had been putting off for several weeks! It was delicious! I remember to get pictures of the meal to put on my blog! I am challenging myself with pantry shopping for the next several weeks. This is the first of at least THREE menus that will be coming directly out of my stockpile!! I will be doing limited to no shopping for the next three weeks.

Lunches listed are for the kids and me. Hubby usually takes dinner leftovers each day.

A special thanks to Laura-Organizing Junkie for hosting Menu Plan Monday! Need help with your menus, go check other delicious meal plans that have been linked at her site! **

Sunday (5-4)
Breakfast: eggs, sausage links, hash browns, and chocolate donuts
Lunch: leftover spaghetti
Dinner: Kentucky Fried Chicken (after church)
Snack: sandwiches (before church)

Monday (5-5)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: leftovers
Dinner: Taco bar (celebrating Cinco de Mayo)
Snack: snack basket

Tuesday (5-6)
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: sandwich, chips, apple slices and carrot sticks
Dinner: roasted pork loin, mashed taters, carrots, and rolls
Snack: cookies & milk

Wednesday (5-7)
Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice” (18mo to healthy check-up)
Lunch: out with grandma
Dinner: cordon bleu/chicken nuggets, fries, and corn
Snack: snack basket

Thursday (5-8)
Breakfast: waffles
Lunch: sandwich, chips, apple slices and carrot sticks
Dinner: saucy chicken, rice, green beans and biscuits
Snack: snack basket

Friday (5-9)
Breakfast: cereal and toast
Lunch: pizza rolls
Dinner: homemade grilled burgers and fries
Snack: homemade chocolate shakes

Saturday (5-10)
Breakfast: “Cook’s Choice”
Lunch: ?????(it’s the weekend anything goes!)
Dinner: grilled chicken/catfish/shrimp, potato pockets, and corn
Snack: popcorn or bbq lil’ wieners (church small group here)

Singing Sunday