~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 2022 Frugalistas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[JustEm]

1 minute ago, mommyoffive said:

That is so cool.  How did he do that?

He has graphic design skills so he took the pictures and pixelated them to a level that would have enough details and fit the large flat base plates.  Then he sorted all our loose Legos to get flat pieces of the colors he'd need and put them together.

[mommyoffive]

A Third of Americans Report Financial Stress in Census Survey (msn.com)

The next shock for homeowners: Surging property tax assessments (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

Just now, hjffkj said:

He has graphic design skills so he took the pictures and pixelated them to a level that would have enough details and fit the large flat base plates.  Then he sorted all our loose Legos to get flat pieces of the colors he'd need and put them together.

Wow!!

[historically accurate]

Well, 3 of the 5 of us have covid, so I am not working, which will make things even tighter. I don't even know where to cut back anymore. I am sneaking out later today to pick up a Walmart grocery order, since we were really low on food, and my youngest two are in charge of food currently. 

Since middle DD is still negative and is the one most likely to have problems with covid, the three of us who are positive are hanging in the master suite. DH is working from the walk-in closet (where he normally works from when he works from home), DD & I are scrolling side by side on the bed. 

We're all doing fair. I have massive sinus congestion and an occasional cough. DD has an occasional cough and some body aches (although she had surgery last week, so it could be that). DH's cough sounds horrible, but he says he feels ok. 

Neighbor mowed our lawn this morning. 

[historically accurate]

18 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

He has graphic design skills so he took the pictures and pixelated them to a level that would have enough details and fit the large flat base plates.  Then he sorted all our loose Legos to get flat pieces of the colors he'd need and put them together.

That's really cool. 

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, historically accurate said:

Well, 3 of the 5 of us have covid, so I am not working, which will make things even tighter. I don't even know where to cut back anymore. I am sneaking out later today to pick up a Walmart grocery order, since we were really low on food, and my youngest two are in charge of food currently. 

Since middle DD is still negative and is the one most likely to have problems with covid, the three of us who are positive are hanging in the master suite. DH is working from the walk-in closet (where he normally works from when he works from home), DD & I are scrolling side by side on the bed. 

We're all doing fair. I have massive sinus congestion and an occasional cough. DD has an occasional cough and some body aches (although she had surgery last week, so it could be that). DH's cough sounds horrible, but he says he feels ok. 

Neighbor mowed our lawn this morning. 

Sending some hugs.  I am glad you are feeling ok.  I hope that you guys get better in a few days.  Do you not have any sick leave at work?  I really hate that companies got rid of Covid leave.

At least the weather is ok so you can have the windows open and try and keep middle dd from getting it.  

I hope you all feel better soon.

[saraha]

22 hours ago, hjffkj said:

Dh got the promotion!!! Extra week of vacation, normal 8-5 Mon through Fri, and a 34% raise. This was very needed

Hurray!!!

[historically accurate]

Just now, mommyoffive said:

Sending some hugs.  I am glad you are feeling ok.  I hope that you guys get better in a few days.  Do you not have any sick leave at work?  I really hate that companies got rid of Covid leave.

At least the weather is ok so you can have the windows open and try and keep middle dd from getting it.  

I hope you all feel better soon.

No sick leave from my new job - it doesn't kick in for 6 months, and I've only been there since Feb. I do still have some left at my second job, so my boss let me take a little extra from there (I took 8 hours pay instead of my missing 4 hour shift yesterday). I'm crossing my fingers that I can return to work on Monday - I've been sick for a few days, but didn't test positive until yesterday (about 6 days after symptoms).

Yep, all the windows are open until the storm blows through. 

Thanks for the good wishes!

[saraha]

Aww, I’m sorry @historically accurate. Praying for your family

[prairiewindmomma]

So, I am coming at things from the perspective of trying to find recipes we could eat if we were eating nearly solely out of our pantry. I'm basing a lot of things over rice, beans, chickpea/garbanzo bean (whichever regional word you use), quinoa, or the like. I'm trying to hit complete protein status with things I can buy in 25# bags from either the restaurant or ethnic grocery stores.  We're still sorting out what we like and don't like, but we're trying to find some favorites before we might *have* to eat that way, iykwim. 

I'm using a lot of Indian cooking techniques also---blooming my spices in fat (olive oil or butter), layering complexity of flavors, and utilizing my instant pot to reduce cooking time.  I'm really grateful to my neighbors for helping me figure this out because the techniques are not how I was trained as a girl from a cattle ranch in the Midwest who took some French cooking classes for fun. French cooking is all about ratios.  With Indian cooking, you just kind of focus on the spice/flavor profile and then toss in whatever you have---ratios DON'T matter as much, and nearly every component is interchangeable with whatever you have. 

I'm also working on reviving my South American recipes and cooking techniques. Dh is much better at rolling empanadas and tortillas than I am, because he's had a lot more practice, but those recipes that are cross over with beans, rice, etc. but with different spices are being pulled back out.  I've tried blooming my cumin and chiles with those recipes, and I recommend it.

And, I'm just starting to play with Korean and Thai food....taking a bit of meat protein and then stretching it out over meals. I don't think my knife skills are that great yet---I can't do paper thin slicing--but I have access to some of those chiles and herbs and stuff to mix up my rice meals.  To keep the shopping list easy, you can use regular basil instead of Thai basil in the Pad Krapow Gai, and I'm using serrano peppers across my Thai and South American dishes for a mild chile with a tiny kick of heat. I'm not buying shallots either...just very finely chopping yellow onion. 

chicken thigh recipes:

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/257938/spicy-thai-basil-chicken-pad-krapow-gai/

https://www.theendlessmeal.com/peanut-butter-chicken/ (most Thai peanut butter chicken recipes use coconut milk, but I have a coconut allergy)

https://pipingpotcurry.com/chicken-curry-pressure-cooker/ (I skip the cardamom, use serrano instead of the green chili suggested, use grated pepper, and use basic chili powder if I'm out of the Kashmiri stuff.)

I'm going to post the vegetarian recipes in a minute after I switch loads of laundry. Ping me if I forget. It's a morning here, iykwim.

 

 

[Brittany1116]

Sunscreen costs, ya'll. I am stunned. We are in Florida and always have some on hand but I pulled the last one from the closet. When browsing for backups, I was shocked. I can't afford to be too picky about brand/ingredients now. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Just now, Brittany1116 said:

Sunscreen costs, ya'll. I am stunned. We are in Florida and always have some on hand but I pulled the last one from the closet. When browsing for backups, I was shocked. I can't afford to be too picky about brand/ingredients now. 

I 100% recommend buying UV rated clothing. It's cut back on our sunscreen use A LOT. We're pretty much down to faces and necks at this point.  When we first moved to Texas we were spending $100/month on sunscreen before we figured out that I would be better off with rash guards and swim leggings....and going out to the pool in the evening.

Amazon sells UV rated swim leggings and rash guards for cheap if you can't time a good Lands End sale.  Columbia outlet also carries a lot of UV rated clothing.  Coolio and some of the better known uv rated brands are just too $$$.

[Brittany1116]

4 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I 100% recommend buying UV rated clothing. It's cut back on our sunscreen use A LOT. We're pretty much down to faces and necks at this point.  When we first moved to Texas we were spending $100/month on sunscreen before we figured out that I would be better off with rash guards and swim leggings....and going out to the pool in the evening.

Amazon sells UV rated swim leggings and rash guards for cheap if you can't time a good Lands End sale.  Columbia outlet also carries a lot of UV rated clothing.  Coolio and some of the better known uv rated brands are just too $$$.

All 3 guys have UV tops and suits. We wear hats a lot. I really need to find myself a top, though. I am busty with a long torso and probably need to just start wearing a log sleeve Columbia sun shirt over a regular swim top. I usually buy a tankini and spray the rest.

We joke that one kid is Cherokee and the other is Scottish because of which genes appear prominently. One requires far more protection to keep from frying. 

[mommyoffive]

30 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I 100% recommend buying UV rated clothing. It's cut back on our sunscreen use A LOT. We're pretty much down to faces and necks at this point.  When we first moved to Texas we were spending $100/month on sunscreen before we figured out that I would be better off with rash guards and swim leggings....and going out to the pool in the evening.

Amazon sells UV rated swim leggings and rash guards for cheap if you can't time a good Lands End sale.  Columbia outlet also carries a lot of UV rated clothing.  Coolio and some of the better known uv rated brands are just too $$$.

Oh I never have heard of swim leggings.  Gotta look into that. How do they feel when you are swimming? I love sun shirts.  

[mommyoffive]

22 minutes ago, Brittany1116 said:

All 3 guys have UV tops and suits. We wear hats a lot. I really need to find myself a top, though. I am busty with a long torso and probably need to just start wearing a log sleeve Columbia sun shirt over a regular swim top. I usually buy a tankini and spray the rest.

We joke that one kid is Cherokee and the other is Scottish because of which genes appear prominently. One requires far more protection to keep from frying. 

I have kids like that too.  Not surprising given all dh and my backgrounds.   

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, historically accurate said:

No sick leave from my new job - it doesn't kick in for 6 months, and I've only been there since Feb. I do still have some left at my second job, so my boss let me take a little extra from there (I took 8 hours pay instead of my missing 4 hour shift yesterday). I'm crossing my fingers that I can return to work on Monday - I've been sick for a few days, but didn't test positive until yesterday (about 6 days after symptoms).

Yep, all the windows are open until the storm blows through. 

Thanks for the good wishes!

OH that stinks about the new job's policy.  I am sorry.  It shouldn't be like that.   Do they have any restrictions on when you come back?  

Is your oldest still at school?

Edited May 20, 2022 by mommyoffive

[prairiewindmomma]

Chana masala: https://www.feastingathome.com/chana-masala/

Chana dal: https://pipingpotcurry.com/instant-pot-chana-dal/  asofetida smells awful, but has an onion flavor, so you can substitute any oniony thing in its place if you don't want your kitchen to smell like skunk when you open the spice jar

https://thewanderlustkitchen.com/indian-red-lentil-dal/  red lentil dal

https://www.powerhungry.com/2018/05/1-ingredient-red-lentil-tortillas-grain-free-vegan/ red lentil tortillas---just red lentils and water, haven't made this yet, but it's on my list for this next week...

Dum Aloo: https://ministryofcurry.com/dum-aloo-instant-pot/

Aloo Gobhi: https://ministryofcurry.com/aloo-gobhi-instant-pot/#wprm-recipe-container-9419  I think you can probably use frozen cauliflower for this. I have always made it with fresh--make sure your chopped veg pieces are small

Cauliflower and lentil tacos: https://cookieandkate.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-lentil-tacos/

https://reciperunner.com/wp-json/mv-create/v1/creations/285/print

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/black-bean-and-sweet-potato-burritos/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241422/easy-zucchini-fritters/

https://kalynskitchen.com/recipe-for-baked-falafel-patties-with

https://theveglife.com/vegan-fajitas-2/: not pantry friendly, but really delicious

https://ministryofcurry.com/chana-saag-chickpeas-and-spinach/

[prairiewindmomma]

4 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Oh I never have heard of swim leggings.  Gotta look into that. How do they feel when you are swimming? I love sun shirts.  

They don't bother me at all. The only time they were ever a little weird was when I would wear them to Six Flags. The drying off process of walking a lot with them on when they were wet could lead to chafing. I recommend letting them be mostly dry before doing a lot of walking, iykwim. It isn't as bad as chub rub in short shorts, but it was the only time when the texture was a bit weird for me. They only take about 10 minutes to dry in summer--so not really an issue at all.

[mommyoffive]

Getting rid of tons of stuff today.  One of the vans is fully loaded and I need to run to a donation center.  

[prairiewindmomma]

I just looked up my amazon order--the brand I usually order is Private Island Hawaii.

[HomeAgain]

We had a family meeting this morning about rising grocery costs.  How we're going to be switching around some of our choices because they make more sense, week by week.  Given that our movie choice last night was the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie & Literary Society, ds is cool with it.  Particularly if we eat more potatoes. 😂

Frugal fun today: a 3 hour bike ride, continuing to put together our large puzzle, and tonight is a fire pit in the backyard.  We're holding off on turning on the AC as long as we can this year, and then only at nights on the top floor.  I need to get our family swim pass by the end of next month  ($60) so we spend our days doing that instead.

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

We had a family meeting this morning about rising grocery costs.  How we're going to be switching around some of our choices because they make more sense, week by week.  Given that our movie choice last night was the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie & Literary Society, ds is cool with it.  Particularly if we eat more potatoes. 😂

Frugal fun today: a 3 hour bike ride, continuing to put together our large puzzle, and tonight is a fire pit in the backyard.  We're holding off on turning on the AC as long as we can this year, and then only at nights on the top floor.  I need to get our family swim pass by the end of next month  ($60) so we spend our days doing that instead.

I am doing the same thing.  I told the kids to expect that I am going to make changes to make it cheaper, even though I have still been at the same budget I was before Covid.  

That is a really great price for your family swim pass.

We had to turn our ac on already because we had a bunch of days in the 90s.  Boo!!!!  Only 2 days before we had the heat on.  

[prairiewindmomma]

We had soft tacos last night, but we only used a .5lb of beef. I started with onions, garlic, and a couple of red peppers that were looking a bit old. I carmelized those down and then added the beef and a can of Rotel.  Once the beef was brown, I added 1 lb. of cooked black beans and taco seasoning. I rinsed the cans out with RO water and then dumped the swish water into the skillet to give it enough liquid so that the spices could really simmer in. I used my really huge skillet so that I made two meals worth of it. One meal was with soft taco shells. The other will be over either rice or tortilla chips. No one could tell from the taste profile that I had reduced the ground beef again. I used to make it with three lbs, then two, then one, and now we're down to half. I won't go lower, though, I think.

[HomeAgain]

19 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

We had soft tacos last night, but we only used a .5lb of beef. I started with onions, garlic, and a couple of red peppers that were looking a bit old. I carmelized those down and then added the beef and a can of Rotel.  Once the beef was brown, I added 1 lb. of cooked black beans and taco seasoning. I rinsed the cans out with RO water and then dumped the swish water into the skillet to give it enough liquid so that the spices could really simmer in. I used my really huge skillet so that I made two meals worth of it. One meal was with soft taco shells. The other will be over either rice or tortilla chips. No one could tell from the taste profile that I had reduced the ground beef again. I used to make it with three lbs, then two, then one, and now we're down to half. I won't go lower, though, I think.

We've been doing a very similar recipe!  The best part is, the meager leftovers get used for flautas or quesadillas the next day.

I have jalepenos, poblanos, and Thai chilis in my greenhouse this year.  Some will go in the garden, but I'm planning on keeping a few safe from any animals that might wish for a taste.  We use them so much to stretch the meal.  During the summer I get a good price on corn and char the kernels to go with grilled poblano, onion, and a lime dressing.  Simple, easy side that everyone likes and stretches the main dish a little more.

[Brittany1116]

Fried rice recipes...

It's not something we make but the kids would like it. I keep seeing different orders for the rice/veggies/eggs. What order actually works best, if it makes a difference at all?

[prairiewindmomma]

When I make it, I start by heating olive oil. I add cold cooked rice (the cold is essential). When the rice has started to fry up a bit, I move the rice to one edge of the pan and scramble 3-4 eggs directly in the pan, then mix that through. Then I add part of a bag of frozen mixed veg, seasoning, and a bit of water. 
 

Others make it a bit differently.

Edited May 21, 2022 by prairiewindmomma

[HomeAgain]

Grocery shopping today and update on our thoughts on Hello Fresh..

HF: we got spoiled with Blue Apron.  In comparison, Hello Fresh is missing the complexity of flavors and vegetables that we enjoyed.  We're still sticking with HF because it is keeping our grocery budget low, but our cart today was definitely colorful, since we threw in any fruit or vegetable that was a good price and would supplement our meals. We have a lot less waste than we did buying meal ingredients at the grocery store, and leftovers almost always get eaten.  One dish was a definite no: a pork and rice dish with sweet chili sauce.  It was the same sauce used to dip lumpia in, and the lack of carrots and cabbage made this a one note dish that nobody wanted.  We've since learned to ignore most of their instructions to sweeten with sugar or something like that chili sauce and grab something more savory from the cabinet instead.

Prices are continuing to spiral.  Pasta was "on sale" for $1.50, the same pasta that was $.99 last month at its regular price.  I took inventory of our grains when we got home.  We have enough risotto rice for 10 meals, enough "curved" pasta for another 10, the ingredients for me to make ravioli and straight pasta, and we are low on some rices (jasmine, wild grain).  Couscous has about another 5 meals in there.  Plus 10lbs of regular flour.  So, I'll be upping the rice and trying out fried polenta this fall.  Doubt I can get my family to eat grits, but hominy might be something that piques their interest.

Next will be upping the dried legumes and some of our more interesting spices to keep the meals interesting.

 

[Brittany1116]

I had the older kid inventory the freezer and pantry and we have enough complete dinners for 8 days without shopping. Plus 3 breakfast options and sandwiches, sardines, or fried rice for lunches. Just enough fruit to get us through a week, so no buying anything until we eat all that up. He has a loaf of honey wheat in the oven, and I have rice cooling to fry another day. Components for lentil stew tomorrow are pulled, and dinner is under way. A friend wants to treat me to dinner tonight for a "long time no see" date. The guys will have grilled chicken, pasta salad, and Bush's tuscan garbanzo beans that they love.

[historically accurate]

Well, I talked to the county today. I am in quarantine until Wednesday. So, 4 days with no pay. Ick. But I feel better today, so I'm pretty stoked about that. DD feels pretty good. Other DD's are still holding in negative land. DH's cough has gotten worse, but his oxygen is still really good. So, all in all, not too bad.

Received an unexpected check today - whoo-hoo!

Turned in our purchase of at home covid tests to our prescription company to cover it.

Youngest DD has been making really easy food, which has been pretty cheap, so maybe groceries won't be too bad this next week.

I've been purchasing books for next school year, and I spent today making an answer key for myself for Vocabulary from Greek and Latin Roots. 

 

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, historically accurate said:

Well, I talked to the county today. I am in quarantine until Wednesday. So, 4 days with no pay. Ick. But I feel better today, so I'm pretty stoked about that. DD feels pretty good. Other DD's are still holding in negative land. DH's cough has gotten worse, but his oxygen is still really good. So, all in all, not too bad.

Received an unexpected check today - whoo-hoo!

Turned in our purchase of at home covid tests to our prescription company to cover it.

Youngest DD has been making really easy food, which has been pretty cheap, so maybe groceries won't be too bad this next week.

I've been purchasing books for next school year, and I spent today making an answer key for myself for Vocabulary from Greek and Latin Roots. 

 

I am glad you are feeling better.  I hope your dh feels better soon too.

[mommyoffive]

Analyst on why gas prices are so high (msn.com)

Oil companies are benefiting from the spike in prices at the pump. In the first 3 months of the year, Chevron's profits rose 33% over the last three months of 2021. Shell's profits jumped 42% while Conoco Philips is up 43%, and British Petroleum's profits soared 51%

 

. Borenstein said it may be a while before gas prices drop as experts predict gas prices could hit $6.20 per gallon nationally by August.

"I think that the reality is we are in for higher gas prices, certainly through the summer and probably through the end of this year, possibly gradually going lower. But we're not going to see $2 or $3 gasoline even in the near future," said Borenstein. 

[prairiewindmomma]

The profit reports lately have me a bit frustrated. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I saw gas at $5.49/gallon today on my way out to Wal-Mart. 🤬

I went by the farm store today looking for straw for my garden. I didn’t find any, but I did find vermiculite and cover crop seed for this winter. I picked up another set of grow lights and a couple more trays for seedlings so I will be ready to start my fall seeds next month. I hope to get the last of my summer seedlings planted tomorrow. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Doing home repairs now….still may have to call in a pro. 😞 

[mommyoffive]

59 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Doing home repairs now….still may have to call in a pro. 😞 

Oh no.  Did something break?

[prairiewindmomma]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

Oh no.  Did something break?

Our neighbor’s tree dumped a bunch of needles on our roof (by wind). It clogged the gutters, which we dealt with, but not before it clogged the drain pipe that goes out to the street. (Gutters here drain into the sewer, not into lawns like elsewhere.) Neither the 25’ or the 40’ drain tools cleared it the clog. 😞 

I really hate Douglas fir trees. They are great in forests, but they generate an endless stream of needles, pine cones, and other crap.

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Our neighbor’s tree dumped a bunch of needles on our roof (by wind). It clogged the gutters, which we dealt with, but not before it clogged the drain pipe that goes out to the street. (Gutters here drain into the sewer, not into lawns like elsewhere.) Neither the 25’ or the 40’ drain tools cleared it the clog. 😞 

I really hate Douglas fir trees. They are great in forests, but they generate an endless stream of needles, pine cones, and other crap.

OH no!  I am sorry.   I hope it isn't an expensive fix.

[mommyoffive]

Donated all the stuff.

Grocery pick up.  I think we are going to try grocery pick up at Aldi.

The kids had their dance show this weekend and it went great.  Not $ related, but the county we did it in has the highest covid rates.  Sigh.  So even though there were some precautions, I am going to be worrying all this week. 

Ended up spending $4.84 on fast food because I had failed to plan for pack up food for the show weekend which was Sat and Sun.  And dh was gone all week and I was handling all the insane running.  So it feel on the wayside. 

Gas.

And buying more intensive dance wear for kids.

[prairiewindmomma]

$4.84 is amazing. Even $48.44 would be great for a missed meal. Chik-FIL-A for the family here is $80.

[Brittany1116]

I am trying to line up as many appts for the year as I can since I hit my max OOP. Derm is scheduled, need to find an allergist. 

Chicken feed is up even more. The lower cost feeds were decimated. Pine shavings are up 20%. I'm planning to get a few more birds next month. 

[JustEm]

Signed up at a gym today with ds13. Not my frugal choice, which would have just been making workouts at home. But D's desperately needs to get out of the house more for his mental health so that is what we're doing for him. $24.99/month total for both of us to go an unlimited number of times. We're aiming for 4 days a week to start out. 

[HomeAgain]

Yesterday hit 84 degrees.  We managed to avoid running the AC by moving downstairs when it got to hot and a lot of outside play.  It was 65 again by 7pm, so we had some time to run the fans upstairs and open all the windows before bed.

Tomorrow is a not so frugal day, lol.  I'll be writing a check for ds's uniform supplements: two shirts and a sweatshirt.  I tried getting around it by looking in the box of handed down pieces from older scouts, but sadly, none his size.  So he'll get new this year and hand off to a younger scout when he outgrows them.

[mommyoffive]

anyone looking for baby formula?

Similac Infant Formula Possibly Available from $5 on Walmart.com (May Sell Out!) (hip2save.com)

[mommyoffive]

18 hours ago, hjffkj said:

Signed up at a gym today with ds13. Not my frugal choice, which would have just been making workouts at home. But D's desperately needs to get out of the house more for his mental health so that is what we're doing for him. $24.99/month total for both of us to go an unlimited number of times. We're aiming for 4 days a week to start out. 

I think that is really frugal.  That is a great price for a monthly gym membership for the both of you.  Mental health is pretty much worth any amount of $.  Have fun!

[historically accurate]

I'm negative today!! I'm going to get some cooking done before I return to work tomorrow. DD has very few symptoms: she's on Paxlovid. DH still sounds very congested/bad cough. Other two kiddos still hanging out in negative land. 

Have to get more tests today, since we're going through at least 2 a day to check the negative ones. 

Ordered kids' online classes next year. Ack! Lots of $$ out the door, but I can't teach foreign language and older decided to take chemistry there as well. 

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, historically accurate said:

I'm negative today!! I'm going to get some cooking done before I return to work tomorrow. DD has very few symptoms: she's on Paxlovid. DH still sounds very congested/bad cough. Other two kiddos still hanging out in negative land. 

Have to get more tests today, since we're going through at least 2 a day to check the negative ones. 

Ordered kids' online classes next year. Ack! Lots of $$ out the door, but I can't teach foreign language and older decided to take chemistry there as well. 

Yay for negative!!  I am sorry to hear your dh isn't doing well.  Did he get sick after you?  I am glad dd is doing well too.  I didn't know kids could get Paxlovid.  I hope it work for her.

Crazy that the other 2 are still  negative.  I hope it stays that way.  

[historically accurate]

2 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Yay for negative!!  I am sorry to hear your dh isn't doing well.  Did he get sick after you?  I am glad dd is doing well too.  I didn't know kids could get Paxlovid.  I hope it work for her.

Crazy that the other 2 are still  negative.  I hope it stays that way.  

I think they gave Paxlovid to her since she is still recovering from surgery. She only had symptoms for about a day. 

DH did get sick after me; I got sick about 3-5 days before anyone else. He does say that it isn't much worse than a bad sinus infection, but he sounds pretty bad. He's working from home for the time being.

We've all been holed up in the master bedroom area since Friday to try to keep them negative, and they did just have their boosters about a month ago. 

[Brittany1116]

I ordered the new TGTB safety unit I wanted to do this summer. Shipping is $9! I was pretty surprised. 

I have a few CTC books and a Progeny Press guide to buy later to be totally done buying curriculum for next year. 

I am contemplating doing a stock up in July of consumables I know I plan for the youngest to use over the next few years of elementary. I have most of the nonconsumable parts. The ones I need are mostly inexpensive items but everything keeps going up and I know we will use them. Has anyone done something similar?

[prairiewindmomma]

1 hour ago, Brittany1116 said:The ones I need are mostly inexpensive items but everything keeps going up and I know we will use them. Has anyone done something similar?

I have, and sometimes it has worked out and sometimes it hasn’t. I loved Singapore math and so did my oldest. I thought for sure that was what we would use for all of my kids. Only, some needed a different approach. Likewise with science. Kids 1,2&5 had/have a similar learning style. Kids 3&4 need a different approach in a few areas. My budget had the flexibility to make changes, but I know some people just need to make things work. 

 

 

[mommyoffive]

Majority of Americans say they are ‘getting worse’ financially: poll (msn.com)

'I go hungry': What parents are sacrificing amid soaring inflation to feed their families (yahoo.com)