Maybe We Really CAN Live on a $75/week Grocery Budget!

I can't show you any pictures of what I got because of the chocolate milk incident, but I can tell you what we're having for supper this week! I didn't have time to do any great coupon/deal collecting, so I just hit Aldi. I have such a hard time figuring out where everything is at that store and it's not as fun as couponing, but it really is a great place to save some $ on groceries.

For a grand total of $48.86 we are going to eat: Beef tacos with tortilla shells, toppings of cheese, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions with Mexican rice on the side; Chicken fried chicken tenderloins with mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and other veggies; Grilled pork tenderloin with macaroni salad, homemade biscuits, and veggies; Spaghetti with garlic bread and salad, Waffles with fruit and a ham/egg scramble. This leaves one eating out night, and one throw something together quickly night. Breakfasts consist of egg dishes, pancakes/waffles, and lots of cereal. Lunches are leftovers or sandwiches with fruits/veggies. Snacks are fruit/veggies and milk. We go through a LOT of milk and a LOT of fruit. I'll have to add a gallon of milk and probably some more grapes into the above total before the week is over, I'm sure.

Well, that's it for the groceries! We didn't need any toiletries or cleaning supplies this week, as I'm still well stocked from previous awesome couponing trips.

Later!

Changes are Coming

I have a few new ideas for this blog. There will be many changes happening over the next few weeks/months. I'm so excited! I'll post more about that later, as well as Part 2 of the Grooming at Home series: Bathing.

Can We Really Live on a $75/week Grocery Budget?

"Budget Day" is coming. Starting tonight, Joe and I are going to work on our organization methods around the house in preparation for B Day. We are actually going to sit down, make a realistic budget, and stick with it.

Since I am in charge of all of the grocery shopping/menu planning/cooking, I will be in charge of creating the grocery budget. I'm shooting for an initial goal of $75/week. Do you think that sounds crazy? A few months ago, I probably would have! However, I've done a TON of research and learning about how to be a savvy grocery shopper, and I've been putting it into practice for a while now. Sadly, since we haven't been budgeting, I haven't really been keeping track of what I've actually been spending. I'll know soon enough :)

I know I can do this. I bet I'll even find that we can significantly lower this limit. My ultimate goal is to get it down to $50/week. Hey, think that's crazy? One of my money saving mentors, moneysavingmom is making it on $35/$40 with a husband and TWO kids!

I'll keep everyone updated with our progress, complete with purchase pictures and deal details!

Holiday World!

We are going to Holiday World today :) Joe's company provides the families with tickets every year and we always try to go! It's a fun little theme park that is a fairly short drive and very family friendly. They even have free soft drinks and free sunscreen! We missed it last year because Cameron was so young, but I'd say at 17-months he's going to be rip-roaring and ready to go.

It's too bad that I spilled a whole glass of chocolate milk in my diaper bag the other day and totally ruined our digital camera... I guess we can snap a few cell phone pics but that's just not the same! I'll post them anyway. Wish us lots of fun and lots of luck for a happy toddler!

Keeping Your Furbaby Tidy Between Grooming Trips, Part 1: Brushing

This is the first post in my series about how to keep your precious fuzzy pup beautiful, comfortable, and healthy between trips to your professional groomer.

Brushing and combing your dog is probably THE most important thing that you can do at home to ensure that your cuddly pup's coat stays happy and healthy. I can't tell you how many times I've had to strip a dog "naked" or report skin problems to an owner who either doesn't know better or just doesn't take the time to keep their dog's coat in shape at home. It breaks my heart!

It's very easy to do, especially if you start the routine while your dog is still a puppy. The sooner, the better, but it's still worth the effort even if your dog is 15 years old. Keep plenty of small treats handy and make the experience as pleasant for your dog as possible!

Tools for the job:
-If you have a thin, short haired dog then you will do fine with just a bristle brush and/or a slicker brush. If you opt for a slicker, get one labeled "soft," and be gentle! If you are too rough then you can scratch the skin with this kind of brush.
-If your dog has thin, long hair then you will want to start out with a pin brush, followed by a thorough combing. Be sure the comb goes all the way down to the skin, and pay attention to the "high friction" areas such as behind the ears, armpits, and belly area. Slickers are not a good idea on long hair as it can cause split ends if used improperly.
-Is your furbaby's hair thick and short? Try the pin brush and follow with the comb. Be sure to really dig that comb all the way through the hair to grab as much undercoat as possible.
-Finally, we have the thick, long haired dogs. Use a sturdy undercoat rake to get out as much of that undercoat as possible, follow that with a pin brush and finally a comb. I cannot stress enough how important it is to use a COMB on your long haired dogs. It does wonders for preventing mats.

For the health of your pup, as well as to keep the tumbleweed floaters in your home minimal, you and your pet should have a brushing session at least twice a week. When we bring our puppy home, we plan on making "brushing time" a part of our nightly wind-down routine. I'll be sure to post pictures of little Cameron brushing his puppy when the time comes :)

*Special tip: No matter the coat type of your dog, you can use a bristle brush on his feet to brush out dirt in a snap!

Do you have any special tips to share? How often do your brush your fuzzy one? Is it a family affair? Tell us all about it!

A Little About Little Ol' Me and My Blog

I love my name. It's Kendra Ann. I was named after my Dad's dad, Kenneth, and my Mom's mom, Shirley Ann. It sounds pretty. It looks pretty. I love my name! Conceited? Not me, never :)

I live in beautiful Southern Illinois, a few miles "out of town" with my wonderful husband, Joe, and our 16-month-old wild man who also has a beautiful name: Cameron.

While reading this blog, you are going to sneak a peek into the life of a twenty-something woman who is trying to figure it all out. I live, I love, I work, I play. We'll talk about my struggles and triumphs as a wife, a mother, a struggling home "co-maker," a pet groomer extraordinaire, a budding frugal shopper, and any other hat that I might try on.

I look forward to sharing all of this with you. Maybe I can help another woman who is going through the same things that I am. Maybe you can help me! At least we can laugh and cry and stand on our soap boxes together.

Are you ready for this? Let's do it.

The Beginning

So, this is the beginning of my blog. My wonderful, therapeutic, inspirational, comical, inspiring, insane blog.

Welcome! :)