For Your Viewing Pleasure

My sweet helper
Reading with Daddy

Happy 3rd Birthday, Alexa

A Princess in Her Castle

Alexa's 3rd birthday is tomorrow. Since we are busy at church on Sundays, we let her open her big present today. We do have a few small gifts for her tomorrow, too.

Starting to unwrap and making her silly camera face

Almost open
Silly camera face again
It's a princess castle with a tunnel! Climbing through the tunnel
Inside with Caleb

Now with her princess dress on
My crazy princess
Dave and Jordanna watching the princess
Caleb, who said he was Prince Charming
And finally, her last nap with a paci. Hopefully it won't be her last nap ever. We took Caleb's paci away at 3 as well. I'm not sure what we'll do when Jordanna turns 3. Cut her arm off?

The Grocery Weekly June 19th - 25th

My normal grocery budget is $80 a week, but since we are hosting a Korean student for a few weeks this summer and having a combined birthday party for Caleb and Alexa next week, I gave myself more to spend this week. So, here's how I did.

Publix - Spent $8.01, saved $15.18 or 65%
1 head red leaf lettuce - $1.49 (lettuce seems to generally be cheaper at Publix than Kroger)
1 carton Tropicana orange juice - FREE
1 gallon Publix milk - $2.49 (more expensive than Kroger, but we were out)
1 carton raspberries - $.50
1 carton blueberries - FREE
1 dozen eggs - $1.19
1 package potato rolls - $2.64
2 packages Dannon Dan-o-nino yogurt - $.17 each (Thanks, Mom, for the coupons)

Kroger - Spent $69.63, saved $33.81 or 33%. I didn't get any amazing deals. I did buy some bread and chocolate milk on manager's special, and I used about 4 coupons.
1 box Minute Maid juice boxes
1 box Reynolds aluminum foil
2 boxes Pop Tarts
1 bag croutons
1/2 gallon chocolate milk
1 package Havarti
2 packages bacon
1 package Oscar Mayer deli sliced chicken
2 packages Perdue chicken breasts
1 pork loin
1 chuck roast
1 box onion soup mix
3 hunks Kroger cheese - cheddar, Colby jack, and monterey
1 package Kroger American cheese
2 cans Grands biscuits
1 package Pillsbury cookies
1 package Kroger butter
1 bunch bananas
Crisco shortening
2 loaves wheat bread
1 loaf Italian bread
1 package sub rolls
1 package cheese bread sticks
1 box donuts
1 bag bagels
1 carton strawberries
1 bag grapes
1 ear of corn (I already had 3 at home, so I needed to get one for our student.)
3 apples

Publix - Spent $6.25, saved $21.79 or 78%2 bottles Louana oil - $.95 each
2 cartons raspberries - $.50 each
1 carton blueberries - FREE
2 cartons Ben and Jerry's ice cream - $1.40 each
2 packages Dannon Dan-o-nino yogurt - $.17 each (Thanks, Molly, for the coupons)

Publix AGAIN - Spent $24.74, saved $68.86 or 74%
5 half gallons Smart Balance milk - $.70 OVERAGE each (Yes, they paid me to take home milk.)
2 bags Ruffles potato chips - $2.00 each - for birthday party
2 packages Chinet crystal tumblers - $1.00 each - for birthday party
2 packages Dixie paper plates - $1.00 each - for birthday party
1 package Yoplait kids yogurt - $.40
1 package Publix hamburger buns - $1.17
2 bags Chex mix - $.25 each
1 carton Daisy sour cream $.50
2 cartons Deans French onion dip - $.59 each - for birthday party
2 bottles Ken's marinade - $.40 each
2 6-packs Mussleman's applesauce - $.42 each
1/3 lb Publix deli hard salami - $1.80
1 hunk Kraft colby jack cheese - $2.99
2 packages Sargento sliced cheese - $1.45 each - for birthday party
5 lb bag Domino sugar - $1.49
2 packages Oscar Mayer beef hotdogs - $1.50 each - for birthday party
1 box Lucky Charms - $1.40

So, here are my final totals.
Spent - $108.63
Saved - $139.64
Percent saved - 56%

From My Kitchen

I've actually cooked a lot in the past two weeks, but I can't share the recipes since they came from my E-mealz subscription. I've used E-mealz for 2 weeks, and I've made 5 out of the 7 meals each week (there seems to be a fish meal every week, and we aren't big fish eaters). We've liked all the meals, some better than others.

Here's one light, summer meal to share, grilled chicken salad, fruit salad, and 5 grain bread
I've been cheating some and making break and bake cookies lately, but the kids and did make some homemade chocolate oatmeal peanut butter cookies tonight. I've shared the recipe before here.

Summer Fun

It's shaping up to be a very hot summer here, so the kids have been enjoying splashing in the small pool on the back deck. Jordanna, however, was not amused and preferred to be held.

Teaching Time

Our author of the week is Marc Brown who wrote the Arthur books. One interesting fact about his books is that he hides the names of his kids, Tolon, Tucker, and Eliza, throughout his books.
Caleb still loves playing with his math blocks. As he was building a tower with them, he told me that 6+3+1=10 and that 6+2+2=10.
Alexa working with the pattern blocks.
Working in the new wipe-off workbooks that Oma and Opa sent them

For Your Viewing Pleasure

Holding a sleeping baby girl, a rare treat (she normally goes to sleep by herself in her crib)
Caleb and Dave playing Mario Kart

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's on the menu this week.

Tonight - Garlic fried chicken, corn on the cob, salad, biscuits

Tuesday - Pot roast, oven roasted potatoes, green beans

Wednesday - Pork loin with blueberry sauce, rice, broccoli

Thursday - Bacon cheeseburger loaf, chips, strawberries, carrots and dip

Friday - Egg casserole, biscuits, fruit

Saturday - Out to eat

Sunday - BBQ sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, corn, fruit, birthday cake

What We've Been up to This Week

Coloring with new markers from Aunt Andrea

Dressing up in crazy costumes

Playing with our preschool activity box (I did a swap for this with some friends online. I made 20 identical preschool activities and placed them in Ziploc bags, which I mailed to the coordinator. Then I got back 20 various activities, one of which was the one I created. The kids LOVE playing with these.)
Sticking stickers on faces
Falling back asleep on Mommy's bed after getting up from a nap
Opening Father's Day presents (both of which have to be returned/exchanged, sigh)
Practicing sitting up