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The Grocery Challenge: Week #4 ($150)
It looks like I’m developing a pattern – one expensive week and one reasonable week. I’d like to make all the weeks reasonable, but I think I’m making progress. So far the biggest changes I’ve made are:
- limiting my market trips to two stores total of two visits per week. I had gotten into the habit of running out to get just one thing and spending $50. I’m glad that I’ve since changed that habit. It requires a bit more planning since I have to make sure I’ll have enough milk, eggs, bread, and bananas for the week for the kiddies. I’m doing great with it though!
- paying attention to food prices. I can’t believe how bad I had gotten at this. Kind of like my personal diet and exercise patterns, I had fallen into a slump. I would just accept whatever price was at whatever store I visited without paying attention. By now paying attention I’ve definitely saved a few dollars here and there. The biggest example is with the clementines which are sometimes more expensive at Whole Foods and sometimes cheaper there.
- menu planning. I had gotten lazy with this as well since going back to work after my maternity leave with Ali. I now have at least 3 dinners planned for each week. Three seems to be the magic number for me. Any more and I get mad when Trig has to work late, any less and we don’t have enough nice, real dinners for the week.
Here’s what I bought this week:
Trip #1: Pathmark ($30)
pretzels
graham crackers
sparkling water
cereal bars
Corn Flakes
Trip #2: Whole Foods ($120)
2 fresh mozzarella $10
1 gallon organic milk $4.49
whole peeled tomatoes $3
Stonyfield YoBaby $3.99
2.2 lbs red cabbage $2.84
4 avocados $6
bag of yellow onions $2
pancake mix (for my father in law) $4.69
2 lbs bananas $1.27
bread crumbs $2.99
2 scones $1.89
whole wheat english muffins $2.69 <- I just don’t enjoy other brands
2 pints blackberries $5
pint blueberries $4
loaf Italian bread $2.79
bag of clementines $5
2.25 lbs zucchini $7.92
ground beef (about 2 lbs) $10
Boston butt (about 4 lbs?) $14.32
rotisserie chicken $8.99
Previous posts:
Week #2: $175
Week #1: $251
Previous posts:
Week #3: $275
Week #2: $175
Week #1: $251
Ali’s 9 & 10 month update
Here are 9 things about Ali at 9 and 10 months old:
1. She has a word! Her first word! And it’s MAMA! UhHuhhhhh! Wicked exciting. I know it’s real because she looks right at me with her arms outstretched and says MAMA! Raffi only said baba for months before finally saying mama, so I’m really enjoying this.
2. Ali is cruising and loving it. She has stood on her own for a few seconds here and there, but she’s not quite there yet. One day she couldn’t cruise at all, and the next day she cruised along the whole couch, grabbed a toy, and let go of the couch completely. She is cautious, but willing to try something before mastering it. Raffi always had to know he could master a skill before trying it, but she isn’t like that. It’s so interesting to see their different personalities. She has mastered climbing up the stairs, and Raffi will run up ahead of her to cheer her on. It’s adorable to see them playing together.
3. Weaning. I’m down to nursing her 3 times a day – morning, 4 PM and night. In addition, Ali is eating 3 meals and a snack daily. She went through two weeks of only eating really soft foods, but she’s back to eating real meals.
4. Ali has separation anxiety for what I think is the first time.
5. Teeth. Our little pumpkin is still toothless! There is still no signs at all of a tooth coming. Well, I can see the two bottom teeth under the gum, but they haven’t moved in weeks.
6. Ali still loves sleep and takes 2 naps a day, a morning nap at 9 AM-10 AM and an afternoon nap at 1 – 2:30 PM. She sleeps overnight from 7:30 PM- about 7 AM.
7. Ali loves her brother more than anyone else. When he leaves a room, even if I’m still in it, she will start to squeal and chase him on her little hands and knees. She will also scream at the top of her lungs if he takes a toy away from her. He hates the scream so much that most of the time he gives the toy right back.
8. She will imitate lots of things now and it’s sooooo cute. She points her finger like a gun to show you something she likes or wants or notices. She says “uh ohhh” after you say it but doesn’t know what it means.
9. Ali is the biggest, happiest dancer I’ve ever seen at such a young age. I don’t even have to sing a whole song – I can just hum 2-3 notes and she will start rocking, wiggling her head, shaking her bum, and bouncing. It’s so different from Raffi and it’s so cute.
10. We started giving her a little blanket to sleep with. It’s a handmade Taggie that my sister in law made for Raffi when he was born. She snuggles up to it, sucks her thumb until she’s asleep, and then clutches the blanket for dear life for the rest of the night.
Click on the photos to enlarge:
Random facts:
Wears: size 4 diapers. 6-12 month clothing but most pants are becoming too tight. I’m squeezing her until the weather changes.
Favorite foods: whole blackberries, hard bread, American cheese, cold peas, meatballs, scrambled eggs
Lease favorite foods: broccoli, cauliflower, beans
Loves: playing the drums, dancing, climbing stairs, eating iPhones, listening to music, eating wipes, sleeping, playing with Raffi, hogging all the toys when Raffi isn’t there, following Raffi to the bathroom, eating
Hates: getting her diaper changed, getting out of the tub, staying up late
Favorite toys: 10 little ladybugs book, Radio Flyer walker wagon, mini board books, bath squirt toys, stacking toys, puppets, her little tea set, dolls
Read more:
Raffi’s 9 month update
Raffi’s 10 month update
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