Worms

Parker can do the worm!

Or just look cute trying.

Advice Welcome

I need help! Go easy on me, because I'm ashamed that I am graduate level educated but can't figure out my grocery budget.

In the last 2 weeks I have spent $320 on groceries (madness, I know.) Our usual budget is $450 a month. (Including diapers, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, etc.) This 450 has worked for our family for a LONG time. I used to be able to stick to it. Last 2-3 months... not possible. And there's only 3 people in my family!

Menu planning used to really work for me. But that also has led to my downfall. When I plan menus I get more intentional about what I'm making... and that leads to planning intriquite meals. I need simple/cheap dinner ideas to mix in with our more exciting meals. I also need help with lunches! With Mark and I both working 9-5:00 and neither of us enjoying preparing lunches, I find myself buying expensive pre-made things for us to just grab and go. (That are still cheaper than eating out and a little healthier.)

Kids snacks are expensive too!

How do I avoid filling my family's belly with either boring tasting foods or foods that are chalk full of pesticides, corn syrup, or refined everything but not spend a small fortune doing so??What works for your family?

The Things

I love :

how he says, "Bye dog. Love you. Have a good day." Everytime we leave the house.

how every farm animal says "moo" or "roar".

how he says "night cars, love you" just before he pushes them out of his crib to go to sleep.

I could do without

"no". "mine". "don't". "stop it". "go away".

This language thing really is a blessing and a curse.

The donkey licking all up on his ear, never got a "stop" or "dont".

But when I try to get close to the bowl of popcorn I'm quickly met with a

"no, don't, stop it, mine!"(in that order- every time- without fail.)

Introductions.

On Friday I took my team hiking in the Superstition Mountains. I had so much fun and it really helped me to realize I need to enjoy all aspects of my job before its gone. (Yes, funding has become really volatile... again.)

My team is stellar! I got the rare opportunity of getting to hire and hand pick my whole team. Which has allowed me to avoid some of the issues I faced with my first team... when I was younger than them, had worked in the program less time than they had, and had to come in an re-train them on how to do their job.

These ladies I work with now are just so FUN. I feel honored to get to spend everyday with them and can't believe the changes they're helping people make in their lives. They do some hard work and they handle it all with class!

There's Danielle, Priscilla, Tara, & Bernadette. I still have one opening on my team... its been hard to find someone that can live up to these guys.

I tend to get most of my local news from azcentral.com and tonight I was clicking around and saw this article about the Child Abuse Campaign me and a co-worker have been involved with. Work has been REALLY busy with things that don't always seem work related but reading this gave me a little boost. It helped me to remember it matters. That people- families-children- community- it all matters.

You know your from Arizona when your toddler walks out into the rain, crinkles his nose and says, "Uh-oh. What is it?"

*sorry to Breanne who has now heard this recounted three times in one day. I found it adorable.

Did anyone else cry while reading about the quake in Haiti? I've been home with a sick Parker the last few days so its given me time to read about what's going on. I didn't hear about it till this morning and the first article I read made me cry. Over 100,000 lives?? Its just so sad that such a "humble" nation has to endure something like this.

We don't have a tv, and I'm glad we don't I know I'd be sitting here watching devastating images repeat themselves.