Resolution II

So, my other resolution of sorts is to keep track of all the books I read this year. On one message board I am on, some people are participating in a challenge to read 50 books (so basically one a week) in 2010. I love to read, and I read quickly. But, I don't have a lot of time for reading these days. I do read some books for the English classes that I teach, though. Anyway, it made me wonder how many books I read in a year. I am not including all the books I read to the kids, but I am including the novels I read for teaching. At the end of each month, I plan to share the books that I read that month. So, here's my list for January with a little added commentary.

1) Eat, Shrink, and be Merry by Janet and Greta Podleski - a cookbook that is meant to be read

2) Mommywood by Tori Spelling - okay book, recommended in a parenting magazine I read

3) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - for school

4) Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury - one of my favorite authors, but not one of her best books

5) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - for school

6) The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan - quick, easy read

7) The Help by Kathryn Stockett - good book, didn't love the ending, though

94% Savings at Kroger

So, I know I said that I was done grocery shopping until Monday, but I ended up needing yellow rice (I accidentally bought the spicy kind on Thursday) and a pie crust for Sunday lunch. And I might have accidentally bought a few deals while I was there. I spent $2.28, which is about how much I would have spent for just the crust and the rice, and I saved $35.78. I'll just include this trip in my February grocery budget.

Old Lady

The kids got tons of new games for Christmas, one of which was Old Maid. They call the Old Maid "Old Lady" and scream when they get it. Jordanna even gets in on the action sometimes. Look how well she can hold her head up!

Alexa's Babysitting Service

Alexa watched my baby and her baby for me this morning while I showered.

A Beautiful Sight

Not just one
but two sleeping baby girls.
Although the first one later decided she would rather sleep here.
Meanwhile Caleb did some school pages.

Resolution

So I made a goal this year, a resolution of sorts, to pay closer attention to how much I am SPENDING at the grocery store. I love to see how much I am saving, but how much I am spending is really the bottom line. I gave myself a pretty ambitious goal of $250 per month. I've tried setting weekly goals before, but I thought that perhaps monthly would work better. As you can see from my posted menu plans, I try to plan a variety of reasonably healthy meals for dinner each week. I'm including in this $250 anything that I purchase at the grocery store (mainly Kroger and Publix) except for alcohol that I occasionally purchase for Dave and Sunday newspapers. Therefore paper products, diapers, Cokes, etc. will be included. Any money not used will carry over to the next month. Anyway, I finished my shopping for January (I go to the store on Mondays and Thursdays, and Monday is February 1), so I thought I would share my totals. I have my totals set up in an Excel spreadsheet (with a little, okay a lot, of help from Dave), which does all the calculations for me.

January grocery spending - $245.01
January grocery savings - $421.30
January savings percent - 66%

I also made another goal for the year, which I'll share sometime next week.

Non-napping Little Girl

Alexa has decided not to nap for the last few days. On Saturday, after she skipped her nap, we had a party to go to at some friends' house. She fell asleep in the car on the way home, and we just put her to be in her clothes.

Sunday we decided not to go to the evening service after she skipped her nap. Of course, she fell asleep in the car again. Here we are cuddling on the couch after we got home.
Monday, no nap yet again. She proceeded to fall down and hurt herself about 15 times that afternoon/evening and wail loudly every time because she was so tired.

Yesterday I had to work, and Grammy watched the kids. Alexa didn't nap again, so my mom got her up. Well, she was sitting on the couch with Grammy watching a movie and fell asleep. When I got home, I laid her down so that my mom could get up. She slept on the couch for all of 10 minutes before Caleb ran in, jumped on the couch, and kicked her without even noticing she was there.
We'll see what happens today especially since she got up on the early side this morning.