The No Grocery Store Challenge {DAY 2}

{breakfast}  Cinnamon swirl pancakes + eggs scrambled with mozzarella cheese
*Better than yesterday's breakfast.  A newly acquired recipe but already a favorite.  This is definitely one recipe we always want to have the ingredients for.  Eggs and butter can also be purchased in powder form, and so can buttermilk.  The buttermilk powder surprised me---it can keep up to a year after it's opened.

{snack}  Wheat bagel + strawberry cream cheese
*Fortunately bagels are good a number of different ways, and I'm not under any pressure to make my own cream cheese once it's gone.

{dinner} 
*My husband and the boys ate out while Mommy took a bit of a break.  Though I didn't buy any groceries, I had Treats I'd Fight Through A Zombie Mob For on the brain and I bought myself the decaf Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino before attending a holiday arts and crafts show.

The No Grocery Store Challenge {Treats I'd fight through a zombie mob for}

4*  A decaf Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino

3*  One of the best caramel/chocolate/ice cream combinations I've ever found

2*  The other best caramel/chocolate/ice cream combination I've ever found (the marshmallow swirls are an added bonus)

1*  Admittedly I drink too many of these, but I do love them

The No Grocery Store Challenge {DAY 1}

Off to a strong start with 
{breakfast}  Mini frosted sugar cookies + a Coke 
*Thankfully my oldest was at Grandma's house where healthy foods and snacks are plentiful.  I cheated and grabbed the most immediate "foods" I could find.  I admit it.  The baby went down for an early nap and I could not wait to enjoy having a quiet house to myself.  Who knew how long it would last!  


{lunch}  Grilled cheese sandwich    
*Bread, butter, and sharp Cheddar cheese.  Absent a fruit, or a veggie, it was a world better than my breakfast of champions.  You only have to be faster than, oh, ME to outrun the zombies.


{snack}  String cheese + hot dog


{dinner}  Chicken breast + fettuccine alfredo 
*I love my husband, who made me dinner again tonight.  He reassured me that zombie bait is an important role too.  He knows I've had a rough week, and he's kind to me.  Thank you Honey.

Distractions kept me from eating well on my own today.  Though I have never been good at creating or sticking with a meal plan, I am convinced of the value of one.  

The No Grocery Store Challenge

courtesy of Zombies and Toys

After putting in a full day of his own, my sweet husband came home and made us yummy chicken curry over rice, and smoothies for dinner, using only items we already had on hand.  This is a great way to begin my own version of The No Grocery Store Challenge:  The Zombies Have Overrun the Grocery Stores(...and Farmer's Markets, and Local Farms).  


I'll attempt to retrieve our final gallon of milk, and one package of diapers each for our 2 boys. Mommy may also need some chocolate...

There will be no grocery shopping for 7 days.  Not even_on_my birthday.  I am interested in the quality of our "survival" on the food we typically have on hand.  I have an arsenal of cookbooks and recipes, but how many of them would be usable?  

I'm certain that as of now, in a zombie survival movie no one would even bother to learn my name.  I'd be credited "Middle-aged Woman in Red Shirt."  Zombie bait, as I can't think of any special survival skills I bring to the table.   

I'm determined to earn a name for myself.  Until tomorrow...

Our Zer0 Budget Gratitude Branch

Last week I was considering a mash-up of a Thanksgiving Leaf Garland from Simple As That and a Thankful Tree from Simply Vintage Girl as our way to visually express our gratitude this month.

I got this far on a budget of zer0... 

From a larger fallen tree

branch we found/collected for

our Halloween graveyard.

For gratitude leaves or ornaments, I

left behind as many branches and 

nubbins as possible.

Green split peas = filler

I also use beans, oats, and rice as

"vase filler" in the kitchen.

All of the above + a

container, ribbon, and

a runner I already had.  

(Ribbon---Michael's, $1)

Little Man in all his craftiness

If I never succeed in finding my paper leaf cutouts, don't you agree our branch still makes a nice centerpiece?  

*If you have a toddler and/or need a breath of fresh autumn air, you could go on a nature walk and collect small stones to add to your container to keep your branch upright.

I'm not after the perfection captured in some of my favorite magazines.  Not exactly, because look closely and you can often find at least one giveaway that the room has been arranged specifically for the photo shoot.  Not even the people who live in that room really live in that room.  The photos are still something to behold.


Life happens in our home, and it should.  But after spending an entire afternoon cleaning---when all I really wanted to do was relax with my boys---and finding it all undone the next morning, I was determined to spend as little time as possible maintaining the stuff in our lives and as much time as possible experiencing the best of what life had to offer with the people I love.  Then, I stumbled upon three little words that made a big difference---leave no trace.

They're not magic words I chant to summon a stampede of bounding woodland creatures to clean my kitchen, or to send my vacuum twirling under its own power across the rug.  Neither has happened---yet.  But something magical is happening.  

In truth, it seems silly to give the idea a name.  To apply the principle, you simply see each task of the day through to its end---leaving no trace of it.  

When the bread, butter, butter knife, cheese, and skillet come out for that grilled cheese sandwich, the loaf of bread is returned to its place just as soon as I've taken the slices I need.  The butter and cheese are put away, and the knife is rinsed and loaded all before the first side is browned.  By the time my toddler is enjoying his sandwich, the skillet has already been rinsed and any breadcrumbs have already been wiped from the counter.  If not for the trail of crumbs from the kitchen to the living room, you'd never know I'd just made it!  

Little Man is really pretty good about cleaning up his toys, but he is two.  There are days when a room needs extra attention, but this simple idea has done a lot to save my sanity from total destruction.  More importantly, my little men are too soon to be grown men with their own little men and I will be forever grateful that I spent as much time with them as I was able.

Gratitude

November 1st, 2011 will heretofore be remembered in our household as the day our oldest little Man first pee-peed in the 'big boy toilet.'  All he needed was a toilet seat (vs. his licensed plastic toilet), his step stool and a little privacy.  (At 2 and 1/2 he told us to leave and close the door.)


This October we took a 'Halloween tour' of California and had a great time.  I was able to spend a week with my 3 favorite boys.  We made it home in time to 'Trick or Treat' and to hand out a few treats of our own.  


The bit of decor I managed to break out this year has been put to bed, and Fall has inspired a new arrangement in our living room:

The idea of visually expressing gratitude keeps coming back to me.  Thinking about the things I enjoy and am fortunate to have keeps the "I need"s and "I want"s in check, and I am reminded that I have a lot to be happy about.  

I'm considering a mash-up of:

 courtesy of Simple As That

and:

courtesy of Simply Vintage Girl

October was a great month and November began strong.  I hope I can (start and) finish this project before the weekend is out.