We Joined A Club!

Well, we did it.  We joined Costco.  With our family growing by number, and going over just how much food a two- and three-year-old can actually put away, we decided that it was finally time to start buying some things in bulk.

It was an interesting experience - from driving into the indoor parking lot, to waiting a half hour in line just to sign up, to spending two hours in a store and still not seeing everything they had.  My mom has been a long-time member of Sam's, and I've always really enjoyed visiting there with her. But going in to a big place like this and having to be a responsible adult in a store full of, well, everything?   That was an overwhelming feeling!  I wanted it all!

Our first choice was the type of membership we wanted to own.  We chose the more expensive one, with the promise of receiving 2% back on every purchase and a gift card to start our shopping.  David did the math, and we'll need to spend an average of $229 a month in order to earn back every dollar we spent on the "upgrade" membership.  I don't think that will be a problem.

Honestly, who could resist spending part of that "welcome" gift card on this?!?!

That being said, we certainly don't intend on regularly spending our money on such things unless we're celebrating a special occasion!  How quickly our budget could be blown . . .

The goal is for us to go to Costco once each month and stock up on things such as canned goods, dressings and sauces, etc.  I noticed how much junk food there is, which will probably be another temptation we'll avoid for the most part. 

Here is a shot of some of the things we bought on Saturday.

I don't really have any doubts about being able to finish off the pickles, celery, grapes, cheese, or cream cheese.  What I'm a bit concerned about is what we're going to do with all that lettuce!  Any ideas for using it before it goes bad?  So far I've thought of BLTs and lettuce salads, but that's about it.

I have a couple of other questions for anyone who may be willing to share thoughts regarding buying in bulk.

1. As I've written about previously, I am a menu planner.  I usually go shopping every two weeks and buy very specific items that will be eaten and not much more.  So, for those menu planners who also buy in bulk, do you have any hints on how to keep track of what we have stored and how to plan for each meal without wasting things?

2. We are thinking of investing in a vacuum sealer for our foods.  Has anyone used one, or does anyone have any different thoughts regarding preservation for things that won't be eaten quickly such as meats, cheeses, etc?

We didn't buy a whole lot on Saturday just because of these uncertainties.  The number one concern I have is buying food that goes to waste, which is a complete no-no in our house.  I can see this new venture of buying in bulk as being beneficial in the long run, and I'm excited about it, but I'd really like to get a plan in order before we do any major buying there!

A last thought about our new Costco membership: When pregnant and for the most part feeling great but still getting woozy from time to time, it is not the wisest idea to grab every single sample in the store without first thinking about food combinations.  This leads to an evening of tummy troubles. 

That being said . . . any sage wisdom will be much appreciated regarding my questions or any other thoughts, and I look forward to sharing future finds at Costco!

A "Blessings" Update

I've been spending a lot of time weeding my garden and pricing things for my upcoming garage sale lately, which has given me quite a bit of time to think.  I've been overwhelmed by how many things I have to be nothing but grateful for! 

The number one "blessing", of course, is my salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.  It is astounding to me how God would love me so much that He would condemn His only son to a cross, to suffer in my place for the punishment that I deserve!  If I had only this promise - that I have been saved from my selfish sin - I would have everything.  I would need no more.  And yet, because God loves me so much, He chooses to give me tangible, earthly things as well.  So when I list these blessings, please keep in mind to whom it is that I am grateful. 

James 1:17 - "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."

Family
1. My wonderful husband David, who loves and cherishes me far beyond what I had ever hoped for.   Just this past weekend, he saw that I was down and he arranged for me to go out with several girlfriends for a night without children, just to enjoy conversation and food.  David works hard to provide for us all and is a great dad, a godly example, and a good friend to many.

2. Samuel, my sweet little boy who calls himself  "Mommy's 'nugglebug".  I am forever being showered with kisses and hugs, which I never turn down!  Samuel is learning to be courteous to others because he tends to be shy in public.  He's doing a great job answering when adults ask him questions, opening doors for others, and helping me to clear the table after we eat.  Samuel seems to have my personality but is all boy to the core, following his daddy everywhere and always telling us he has "lots of work to do."
I am so happy to report that Samuel has not had an asthma-type attack in a few months now - we will be seeing our allergist to check on his progress from the past year very soon. We have also been working with a dermatologist who understands us and we feel is on our side, and his eczema is almost completely under control at this point!

3. Julia, our little princess with a big personality.  She's opposite of her brother and doesn't know a stranger!  Julia has her own ideas about everything, and keeps us laughing with all of her antics.  I love to watch her with her baby dolls as she takes care of them, feeding them bottles, changing diapers, and rocking them to sleep.  Julia is 100% proof to me that God has created boys to be boys and girls to be girls!  She is all about her clothes and hair, keeping her nails trimmed and painted, princesses, babies, etc.  Julia is a Mommy's girl . . . and I am okay with that!  She is also what I would call the "picture of health", which is huge for us after we've struggled with Samuel's health for the past year.

4. Baby L3 has been growing as well - I am now feeling lots of kicks and wiggles, and we're looking forward to having an ultrasound on August 6th!  As I had mentioned previously, I felt far more sick with this pregnancy than with the other two.  It did last about 2 weeks longer than the others, but I am now feeling great!  We are so looking forward to Christmas season this year, with a new niece and our own new baby coming in just a few short months!  Here is a picture of Baby a few days ago, at 18 weeks.

5. My parents and in-laws.  What blessings they are in our lives!  All four are awesome at the grandparent thing, and our kids beg to see them all the time, which we try to do as often as possible!  We got to take a vacation with the Larsons in June, and are really looking forward to going with my parents on a trip to Dubuqe in a few days.  I am grateful to have both my mom and my mother-in-law, as they are always up for a nice chat, meeting to shop, or coming to help out with the kids.  Along with this part I also must include my awesome sister, as well as the 3 sisters and 4 brothers that I have been given as a bonus for marrying into the Larson family!  They're all great aunts and uncles, and are always there for us as friends and helpers when we need them!

Friends
1. What a neat group of friends we have at Harvest, our church!  We are so thankful to have people we know we can count on of all ages to get together just for fun, or for serious conversation.  We have everything from a young marrieds Bible study, to friends our parents' age to act as surrogate "grandparents" when we need them, to friends our grandparents' age with whom we can just enjoy a great visit!

2. David and I both keep in touch with a few of our college friends.  We get together often with David's best friend Rick, and are thrilled that he and his wife are expecting their first baby in February!  Though I don't see my college girlfriends as often, when I do, we can always just pick up where we left off.  I recently got to spend a whole week visiting with them - Sarah, who lives just an hour from me, came to visit one day.  The next day, the kids and I went to Illinois to see Heidi, who returned on the 6th of July from two years in Peru.  Then we drove down to St. Louis to see Becky and Joe, dear friends of ours who just had their second baby.  How wonderful to have friends we've known for years and who know who we are and who we used to be, and they still love us.

3. I recently received forgiveness from an old friend that could only have been given through the grace of God.  I am so grateful that He restores relationships, and am so humbled by His working in my life as well as friends' so that we can live for God and be at peace with each other!

4.  David and I both have co-workers (mine are former, from pre-SAHM days) with whom we enjoy spending time.  It is so nice to have friends from all walks of life, and we both enjoy all the opportunities we can get to see them.

Finances
1. God's provision of jobs for both of us when we needed them.  Though it was miserable on our family life, we felt that God provided a second job for David at McDonald's last year that we used to get out of the "hole" we'd been in since shortly after our wedding.  When that job was too much, He provided a job for me with just enough to help us get ahead and earn some savings.  Both of these jobs were brief, as they should have been, but during that time we discovered how much we needed each other and for our family to be whole! 

2. Shortly after we quit doing everything but David's full-time job, God provided for us in so many different ways, that it more than made up for that extra income we had been receiving!  God sure does work in mysterious ways.

3. Though I cannot yet share many details (I don't know them all, to be honest!), our great God has provided once again for something that David and I most definitely did not bring upon ourselves.  I can just say that David has been asked to help out an older gentleman in our church for a while this fall.  He will be doing one of his favorite things while earning extra income, and I believe there will be other perks to go along.  More information to come on this one . . . let's just say we are in awe and we are thrilled!

I think this will do for my listings as of now, though the great things God has done just keep on rolling into my head!  Something that I did last fall was to keep a daily "thankful" journal, where I wrote five things each morning that I had to be grateful for.  I would love to start that up again - I truly saw a difference in my attitude when focusing on the good rather than the bad! 

Scones and Coffee, and a Really Good Friend

My original menu plan for the 4th of July included waffles, but I just wasn't in the mood when I woke up yesterday morning.  The whole family was still sleeping at 8:00 when I woke up (which, by the way, definitely sets a record for all of us ever since early-riser Julia came into the picture!), and I really wanted to try something different and fun.  So, I cracked open my trusty Better Homes and Gardens  Bridal Edition Cookbook that hasn't failed me in all its 5 years.

I flipped through it for a bit, focusing on the "Breads" section.  And then I saw it.  Scones.  I love them, and have always wanted to make them, so I thought I'd give it a shot!  Samuel woke up in time to help me roll out the dough, so he felt like they were extra special after he'd helped make them.

We had such a wonderful, leisurely morning sipping coffee and nibbling (okay, probably scarfing) scones, and the rest of the family enjoyed their fair share of sausage as well.  I just thought it was so picturesque - sitting in the morning sunlight in the kitchen while visiting.

On another but related note . . .

One of my very dearest friends, Heidi, is on her way home as I write after spending the past 2 years teaching in Peru.  She had spent a year prior to that as a student/missionary there.  I am really looking forward to seeing her next week sometime, and have been praying all day for her safety as she flies back to the United States!

Why is this a related topic?  I am picturing having much conversation with Heidi over morning coffee and a pastry!  The whole time I was making the scones yesterday, that was the picture I had in my mind.  So Heidi, when you read this, here is what you have to look forward to!

Scones - recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

2 1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. cold butter
2 beaten eggs
3/4 c. whipping cream or whole milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips, snipped raisins, or dried currants
Milk
Sugar

1. Combine flour, 2 T. sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut butter into pieces and, using a pastry blender, cut into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center of the mixture; set aside.

2. Combine eggs, whipping cream, and chocolate chips or fruit.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture and stir with a fork until just moistened.

3.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead dough by folding and pressing for 10-12 strokes or until nearly smooth.  Pat or lightly roll into an 8 inch circle.  Cut into 8 wedges.

4.  Transfer wedges to an ungreased baking sheet, placing 1 inch apart.  Brunch each wedge with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar (we thought coarse sugar would have been a nice touch). 

5. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until golden; serve warm. 

We also decided that next time, I will make a glaze using powdered sugar and milk.  I happened to have some leftover cake frosting which I may have dolloped on top this morning.  It was delicious.

Menu Week of 7/2

Is it really July already?!  I've had my menu set for awhile now . . . but I didn't realize this heat spell would stay so long!  That means we've been pushing supper back until later, when we're sure everyone is cooled off enough to enjoy it.

Breakfast:
cereal, eggs
banana chocolate chip muffins x2
4th of July brunch - scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles, fresh fruit
wheat bagels and cream cheese

Lunch:
bagel sandwiches (egg), cottage cheese, apples
leftovers x2
cheese quesadillas & black beans
brunch on the 4th

Supper:
Biscuit sloppy joes, coleslaw
White Chicken Enchiladas, rice & beans, chips & salsa
Pork steaks, baked potatoes, steamed broccoli (4th of July!)
Pork stir-fry (using leftover pork & broccoli plus carrots & onion), rice
Hamburger/pepperoni stromboli, marinara dipping sauce, garden salad

Snacks:
Popcorn
Orange-banana smoothies
Watermelon, grapes, & cheese

Happy 4th of July week and happy eating - hope you all get to grill at least once in this steamy weather!