Mystery Squash...

I have started my garden!!! The first plants were peppers, followed by onions... The onions are growing alright. I  took too long to move them from the water force start to soil... But they are slowly recovering. The soil I used was, compost. It was too cold to dig some from outside. This morning I noticed I had more than just onions growing...

Now I will have to wait until more mature leaves grow and possible a fruit before we know if it is a pumpkin or a zucchini...

Spring has Sprung!!!

I love spring on the Palouse! It has the most interesting weather patterns of all the seasons here. Plus it brings the SUN, FLOWERS, and lots and lots of ANIMALS!!! I am counting down the days to being able to plant our garden! Monday after graduation, I will be weeding and planing where I want to put our peppers, onions, broccoli, tomatoes, zucchini, and pumpkins!!!

We have been taking some long hard thought into moving. We want to upgrade our one bedroom apartment to a three bedroom. I wanted Brody to have a room to study in especially after we have a baby. But with us not expecting a baby in the next 9 months and not having a budget to cover more rent, baby costs, and Brody going to school full time... We decided we have MORE than enough space, so lets get creative! Brody has grand plans for the basement, he wants to turn it into his study. I think it is a great idea, our basement is creepy! Well I guess all basements are...Since we aren't moving we are going to be able to plant our in the garden not in pots, and this years get to have some space in my mother-in-law's garden! I am so excited to be able to have lots of time on my hands!

With spring and the increase of sun, our cat, KiKi, is very much enjoying her life! And since we do not have children yet, we have a funny cat we like to laugh at, so for your enjoyment!

She loves paper bags and cardboard boxes. Here are some pictures of her playing with some bags.

We did not put anything in those bags. I was actually getting ready to toss them when Brody notice KiKi's attachment...


Today, I was working on some thing in my office (which is a re-purposed half room area...) and she found the sun! The only problem... it was shinning right onto on of my bags of jewelry stuff. That did not stop her! She wanted the sun, and a table mirror wasn't going to stop her...

How I save money at the co-op! (Part Three)

Part Three: How I do it!

I have been debating the best way to show/tell you how I do it, and I think I am just going to give a rundown of the entire process. I believe that this will be the best way to fully show you how the process works.

1.       Make a menu. I make a menu of 7 dinners. I do this whenever we are out of meals or out of food, usually about 1.5 to 2 weeks.

2.       Make a list of items need for the menu items. Don't go through your cupboards yet! Just go though the cookbooks you got the dishes from and write down everything! (Salt, pepper, EVO or other items you always have do not need to go on the list.) I mean if all call for a medium onion write down 7 medium onions. Let’s call it the "ingredient list”.

3.       Now go through your pantry and cross of what you have and add what you need.  Plain and simple, just write a new list of items you need to restock.

4.       Next compare the lists. I find that writing the lists on different slips of paper help. Write a new list of the items that you need to purchase (or want to get).

5.       Separate what you want to purchase at the Co-op and at Winco. I do not buy everything at the Co-op. Now, I had a $500 food budget for the two of us I would, but we have $150 and so to save where I can some things are just cheaper at Winco.

What I ALWAYS Purchase at the Co-op:

VEGETABLES

FRUIT

Pasta (Only because I like the brand of Whole Wheat pasta they carry)

DAIRY (MINUS Cheddar and string cheese)

Cereal (UNLESS Winco has the same brand and it is not on sale at the Co-op. The Co-op sale price is lower that Winco’s everyday price.)

HONEY (a- it is local, b- there is about a 5 cent price difference)

Bread (if I know I don’t have time to make it that week)

MEAT

Rice

Dry Beans

What I Purchase at Winco:

Items that are the same but cheaper at Winco

Cheddar and String cheese

Spices (If they don’t carry it in the bulk section I get it at the Co-op because they more than likely will have it bulk)

Specialty meats (ex: Pot Roast or a ham, and I actually get it at Dissmore’s or Safeway I do not buy meat at Winco!)

Frozen Vegetables (I get the organic brand though)

Canned Items: Tomatoes, beans, pineapple…

Well now you have finished the shopping list now is time for getting ready. This step is all about how to 'shop the co-op'. It is also a reiteration of some things previously stated.

a)      Join the co-op! The Moscow co-op has the LOWEST membership dues! $10 A YEAR!! If you shopped every week there it would be just under 20 cents a week! Plus being a member gives you access to great saving opportunities! The 10 cent bag credit, a bi-monthly coupon book, and their monthly in-store member only discounts. You can even get a discount on ordering bulk items (not the bulk bins).

b)      Invest in those reusable shopping bags. They are about a buck at most places, and are WASHABLE!!! The co-op gives members a 10 CENT discount for each bag you bring, and use! They will ask you if you want to use or donate the discount. Do not feel guilty about taking it, you are on a budget and are trying SAVE while shopping locally!!! I try to keep a few in the car just in case (as I often do, I forget to grab them…) I also put my list with the bags to help me remember them.

c)       Reuse containers! You get another 10 CENT discount for buying items in bulk, but using your own containers. Save money and save the planet!

d)      Check the website before you go! This way you can check to see in store specials before you get there. For example: I was getting ready to go, so I checked online, and the brand of pasta we get on was on sale! Good thing I looked before so that I knew I was going to be stocking up on pasta and needed to adjust our monthly budget for it!

e)      Don’t be afraid! Sometimes I feel like I am not ‘hippie’ enough to shop at the Co-op. But it just like going to the gym, no one cares about what you are doing there. They are doing the same thing, shopping at the Co-op.

f)       Don’t go hunger! They have a bakery, and they have a café, so eat there and take a moment, if you forgot to eat. Otherwise you will be drooling and grabbing items not on you list!

Well I think that is all I have to say, for now… I am currently working on a follow up with Recipes. Comment on what kind recipes you are looking for! I have a few bread, and meatless dishes I am perfecting!

Winter Wonder Land...

With 19 days to the first day of Spring, we awake to 12+ inches of snow! It has been snowing for just over a week and with culmination it is 2 feet deep in places! Here are a few pictures of our fun this morning!

Brody showing how deep it is. His boot is covered!

Brody shoveling a walk down to the car.

Our car usually is parked by the grill, we have been unable to make it up our driveway.

The front yard, I hope to build a snow man later...

I had to pull the ruler up some so it could be seen...

A limb that fell off our tree. Notice how the snow is all most level with our neighbors yard!

I hope all of this snow doesn't hurt my tulips, and irises!

Brody digging out the car! Yup the snow is covering the fender!