WIS, WWA | ok, that was optimistic
Last week, I was all, "Oh, probably next week our eating will be more normal!"
Readers, I severely underestimated what it's like to move at the end of a semester. And this was not a "normal" move by any stretch of the imagination.
Suffice it to say: it was still a weird week!
And honestly, living here is still going to be weird in a sense, even when we get settled in. I have never really lived on my own; I lived with my parents and three siblings until I was 19, and then I got married.
So, this is the first time I have been the sole adult in the home.
Also a point of adjustment: right now, there's just Zoe and me here, since Sonia decided she did not want to move from the family home*. I joke with Zoe that she and I have become the Gilmore Girls...at least, until Lisey comes for the summer.
(*In case you are concerned: please trust that Sonia's ok. She's 18, she's free to make her own choices, she's got a car, she can choose to switch between homes any time she wants, I still see her regularly, and we chat every day.)
Anyway! On to the topic at hand: food.
What I Spent
I spent:
- $25 at Lidl
- $21 at Chipotle
- $155 at Aldi
So, $201. But this is obviously not a representative week; I was starting with a basically empty pantry! I am quite sure it is not going to cost $200 to feed Zoe and me each week. 😉
What We Ate
Saturday
Our last night at my parents' house and my goodness, I do not remember what we ate. Last Saturday feels like months ago! I'm guessing we had a salad, though. 😉
Sunday
This was the day Zoe and I moved into our rental, and we made a quick trip to Aldi to get some food. I was not in any shape to cook dinner (and my kitchen was not even vaguely unpacked), so we picked up bowls from Chipotle and ate them in our disorganized living room.
Monday
A weird evening; Zoe was at a movie with friends, so she had some snacks there, and I drank a smoothie for dinner because I wasn't that hungry. And after Zoe's movie, we went over to my brother's house to have a birthday dessert (it was my sister-in-law's birthday...the treasure house sister-in-law!)
Tuesday
Zoe had her college class, and while she was there, I ate a plate of tomatoes, avocado, and fried eggs. Afterward, I picked her up, got some fast food carryout for her and Sonia, and she and Sonia ate that together while they collaborated on some assignments.
Wednesday
I had grabbed some food from my chest freezer when I moved my stuff out of the house...so, we had some ham (frozen from Christmas!), some homemade applesauce, a random box of Paw Patrol mac and cheese (why did we have this? I DO NOT KNOW.), and some sauteed broccolini from Hungry Harvest.
Thursday
Some of our new neighbors had brought us a pan of lasagna (so kind!!) and I froze half and baked half for our dinner. I cooked the rest of the Hungry Harvest broccolini to eat on the side.
Friday
I am most definitely flying by the seat of my pants right now, so...I don't know. Maybe leftover lasagna?
You are doing so good, much grace.
@Rachel R.,
Perfectly said. We all love you Kristen! So much.
@Rachel R.,
Excellent comment! I hope Kristen reads it multiple times a day.
@Rachel R., Yes, this!
Just wanted to give you some virtual (((hugs))). My husband and I recently separated and when we told our kids that I was moving out, they both opted to stay there with him, in the only house they have ever known & lived in. As much as I “get” their thought process, what a hard hit t0 a Momma’s heart…..actually almost enough to make me rethink and stay there in the boring, roommate-type marriage. Stay strong❤️❤️❤️
@Heather, wanted to send you a virtual hug. I'm in the same boat only I stayed in our home and he moved out. Strength for you as well.:)
Oh Heather, I am so very, very sorry. It is super hard to not be with your kids, and super hard to not be in your house.
@Kristen, Thanks! We’re managing and some days even thriving. They are older “kids” (16 and 20) and my new place is 2 minutes away, so I see them pretty much every day. I drive my daughter to school each morning and we “share” our dog, so I’m in and out over there several times each day. The quiet at night time is always the hardest.
Oh, so your kids match up sort of with my Zoe (16) and Lisey (21). I think there are some ways in which navigating a separation is easier with older kids than it would be with younger ones; still hard, but they do at least have a little more capacity to understand what's going on.
I am less than 10 minutes away from Sonia, so that does make it easy to see her regularly. 🙂
I’m glad you are settling in. I’m sure it is weird to not have Sonia there, but I’m glad she is ok. Sending hugs and hope that this is a very happy home for you all! Having Lizzie there will be a great tonic! I’m also looking forward to my college students returning in the next few weeks. This maybe the last summer we have them for a solid 2-3 week stretch so I plan to love them up.
My husband meal planned and grocery shopped while I was napping last weekend, so our menu was set for me!
Sunday - fancy dinner out for mother’s day
Monday - no memory
Tuesday - cumin beef with butternut squash
Wednesday - pot roast with potatoes and carrots
Thursday - roasted chicken with rice/green beans
Friday -take out or pork chops
Hi Kristin. So many changes! So much emotion! You are eating. Give yourself some room to settle.
I don’t know you except for through your story, but send you love and hopes for peace.
You are doing it!!!
Much love to you and yours.
That is exactly what the first week of a new house looks like. And I totally get the optimism. You're ready to find your new normal, but realistically, it might be a bit to get into your new groove.
The last time we moved was almost 21 years ago. I was six months pregnant and we moved from NYC to the midwest. The movers got our stuff to the house, and I thought, cool! After work I think I'll unpack the kitchen and maybe make a pie. Spoiler... kitchen was only partially unpacked that night, and there was no pie. And I'm sure we had takeout for dinner.
Your new house already looks great!
We've been camping all week so...
Monday we had dinner at Colorado Boy, a favorite pizza/brewery in Ridgway, Co.
Tuesday we had lasagna from the freezer that I brought with us and a salad. Also french bread.
Wednesday we had white chicken chili (also from the freezer) and a salad.
Thursday we had pulled chicken burritos, rice and beans from...ding ding ding! You guessed it! The freezer!
I have zero idea what we'll have tonight when we get home. Probably something from the freezer. Haha.
@Julie from GJ, Colorado Boy!! We discovered them on a camping trip last summer and it was so good! We were in Ouray and man what a charming beautiful area.
@Julie from GJ,
Just had to say hello from Ridgway, my home!
@Julie from GJ, I love love Ridgway. And I am looking at my Colorado Boy coasters right now that I brought home from my birthday meal at Colorado Boy. So they have traveled 2/3 thirds of the country.
I think you had the surprise Paw Patrol Mac & cheese for some unexpected good cheer! It's the little things, sometimes. I hope it gave you a chuckle or a smile.
I mostly lurk on here but wanted to send my support. You're knocking this out of the park! Such a difficult transition and you are handling it, girl! Thanks for the admission of "that was (overly) optimistic!" I'm facing some surgery next week and definitely have been having overly optimistic ideas of what I can get done this week to prepare and how "easy peasy" the recovery will be. It's important for me to tell the truth to myself! Thanks for the motivation to do so.
This week for us:
Sunday: My brother treated the whole family to delicious Mother's Day brunch. Dinner was Leftover broccoli corn chowder for me and leftover beans and rice for hubby
Monday: Broccoli corn chowder and pb on apples
Tuesday: Last of the beans and rice
Wednesday: Went out for fancy dinner to celebrate my promotion at work!
Thursday: Pesto linguine with sundried tomatoes and a few pinenuts (I love them but geez are they expensive!)
Tonight will be leftover pasta
@Martha C, congrats on your promotion!
@Martha C,
Once, when stocking up at Costco, I put three bags each of all the nuts we like in the cart (I might have been pandemic panicking). Anyway, I usually pay attention to the prices, but must have missed the sign for the pine nuts (maybe Costco deliberately printed it small?). I got home and was like "Holy #@&$!!! How did I spend 120 dollars on pine nuts?!?!?!" We kept them (in the freezer), but every time we used them, I refered to them as "the precious pine nuts" and made sure everyone knew to appreciate them!!!
Friday - your grilled pizza with my sister in law, niece, and my parents all visiting … always a crowd pleaser!
Saturday - your apple pfannekuchen for special breakfast, and then mcd’s for the kids and shawarma takeout for the grownups after an afternoon hike.
Sunday - grilled pork chops, bagged salad, and French bread
Monday - homemade chicken noodle soup
Tuesday - chick fil a with some of our daughter’s teammates after an evening soccer game
Wednesday - pasta with meat sauce
Thursday - chicken and veggie stirfry with rice
I love that you had the Paw Patrol Mac n cheese! So funny. Yes, moving is stressful and takes longer to get settled than you think.
Ah yes, The Moving Meals. I well remember my sons' relief when we had a "real dinner" (food cooked fresh) at our new house in New Mexico after over a week of meals out of a cooler on the road and random sandwiches and things in the first couple of nights in the house.
This week in my kitchen wasn't much better than your moving meals. I blame the unseasonable heat . . .
Saturday: T-bone steaks, garlic bread, carrot sticks, random things roasted in the oven while I was making bread (sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, potato chunks, etc.)
Sunday: Bunless cheeseburgers, dill potato salad, raw cabbage, leftocer roasted carrots/potatoes, chocolate pudding. And yes, I made my own Mother's Day dinner, and no, it does not bother me to cook on Mother's Day. As long as someone else cleans up. 🙂
Monday: Work day. So, leftover cheeseburgers, steak, and Male Stew (I'm glad this was such an amusing thought for many of you last week . . .)
Tuesday: Taco meat made with ground beef and half a can of black beans. Corn tortillas, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, green chile, sour cream, salsa . . . soft tacos.
Wednesday: Husband and eldest son went to the sports banquet at school, it was 90 degrees, and it was a work day for me. Thus, I took the path of coolest foods and made the three remaining children tuna salad sandwiches and smoothies. And I thought while I was making it, "Huh. Sandwiches and smoothies for dinner. This is very much a Kristen with an "e" sort of meal." Not the sort of thing I would normally make, but my kids enjoyed the novelty.
Thursday: More soft tacos with the leftover meat and beans. Second verse, same as the first. (Not worse, though. Just the same.)
Tonight: My husband is going to one of our market towns today and should be able to find the big, cheaper blocks of the asadero cheese that I use in place of mozzarella. And, since I already have the sourdough going to bake bread today, that means I can make pizza. I even have an open can of "spaghetti sauce" (thanks, commodities!) in my refrigerator to use as the sauce. And I can make one with some of the yet more leftover taco meat for the carnivores among us. Serendipity.
Hahaha, "Kristen with an e". I love it.
GO KRISTEN!
what did we eat? Full from late brunch Sunday.
Dan dan papperdelle Monday.
Tuesday, barbecued chicken and mash potatoes
Wednesday: leftovers.
Thursday: Pizza.
Tonight: pepper steak, which my son is complaining about, but too bad, I got a craving.
Man, so hard to see this unfolding even a little bit at a time. I can imagine it must be awful for the kids to have to choose where to be on a permanent basis just like I'm sure it's awful for the adults in this situation. Praying for Grace for all those involved in this situation.
Dinner was also weird for me this week but for a different reason. Basically to make a long story short, my wife has Covid. I had it and recovered from it last week (testing negative now and it was at worst a minor cold for me.) Our daughter has not had it though we suspect she did and just never had any symptoms that were different from her allergies.
Saturday: Pizza, I think. I know we ordered out for it but I can't remember what day.
Sunday: Mother's Day was a bit of a bust in our house because of said illness so we had breakfast foods for dinner.
Monday: BLTs.
Tuesday: Soup and sandwiches
Wednesday: Bought a chicken at BJs and had some mashed potatoes with it. I feel like we had either salads or broccoli. I can't tell.
Thursday: Took my daughter to a Dr. appointment and then we stopped to pick up some things at a grocery store. She misbehaved so badly that I cancelled our trip to Wendy's afterward and was prepared to take her home for basic leftovers. Then we got stuck in traffic due to an accident + rush hour and ended up in the car for over an hour. I ended up giving in and getting her a slice of gas station pizza (no restaurants on the rest of our route home) and I ate leftovers. Horrible day to say the least!
Friday: I am taking my daughter (against my better judgement) to a school event tonight where food is provided so we can eat there. My wife will have leftovers or whatever she wants to make.
Yes, there are so many layers of hard here. And I am grateful for the prayers!
I hope your wife is feeling 100% soon.
@Battra92,
Goodness! You had a week! I hope your wife feels better soon and your whole family has a relaxing weekend.
We suddenly got SUMMER this week, daily highs in the high 80s and low 90s after weeks of daily highs in the 40s and 50s. It's like Illinois just completely skipped late spring and went straight from early spring into summer.
So, that threw a bit of a wrench into my cooking!
Saturday: It was still cold, so leftover fettuccini alfredo with chicken and broccoli
Sunday: We were at my in-laws' for a Mother's Day dinner, my FIL made grilled chicken topped with peppers, onions, mushrooms, and swiss, with mashed potatoes. I brought a salad.
Monday: My son had a track meet that ended up going a lot later than we expected, so we scrapped our original dinner plans and my spouse brought Subway sandwiches to the meet (my daughter was already with me, watching big brother compete). First HOT day, we were melting!
Tuesday: Moved Monday's planned hamburgers to this day. Yum!
Wednesday: We have a small sandy beach on a lake near us, my son had an after-school club, but my daughter and I spent the entire afternoon at the beach after school. Then we came home and I quickly put together some steak fajitas (grilled the meat & veggies, made some guac, shredded cheese), took a super-fast shower, and then I had to leave for a PTO meeting. I ended up eating dinner after the meeting. Fortunately, my spouse fought the children off and saved me some guac!
Thursday: Spent the afternoon at the beach again. Leftover night. Leftover burgers and fajitas. No meetings, so we made s'more's around our firepit!
Friday: Spouse is making pizza tonight. I want to go to the beach again, both kids are claiming exhaustion, so we shall see how everyone feels after school. I may go swimming by myself! I also have to pick up some plants from a local nursery. I'm really glad I'm not cooking tonight.
@EngineerMom,
NE MO here. The weather did jump. Couldn't do anything outside because it was too cold, now can't because it's too hot. Break today. Neighbors will be glad if I get the yard mowed all at once!
I was thinking all of this last night when I couldn't sleep and realized my husband and I ate at home all week, an amazing feat for us!
Sunday: Leftover chili
Monday: Baked Ziti with Meatballs & jarred sauce
Tuesday: Pork Fajitas
Wednesday: Cauliflower Pizza from Aldi
Thursday: Rice and Beans
Tonight: Shepherd's Pie
The leftover rice and beans will be used for a Burrito Bake probably for Sunday night.
I always cook up double the shepherd's pie meat portion, so all I have to do is make the mashed fresh for the next meal.
I love the WIS WWA posts. Where else can you peak into the homes of such a diverse group of people conscious of how their choices affect themselves and the changing world we live in. It's the first time in my life that my choice of what I buy isn't just dependant on what's in my pocket but also what's on the shelves. And you have this, plus your whole world turned topsy-turvy and raising gen Z's with their bowls and veganism and tic-toc, and back to school and the knowledge a nurse has of nutrition. These posts should probably be required reading for sociology-anthropology studies. Lol. Anyway, I was on a BBQ kick this week. Lots of potato salad, coleslaw, beans and BBQ.
@Tiana, I was thinking along the same lines!
Moving is HARD and completely disorienting. Next week still might not be normal.
We had family visiting for the weekend so I departed from my eat-the-same-dinner-for-days-in-a-row-ways.
Saturday: breakfast tacos
Sunday: carnitas (cheap pork butt) and homemade refried beans
Monday: Pulled pork sandwiches w/coleslaw (also made with cheap pork butt)
Tuesday: pulled pork sandwiches
Wednesday: chicken quesadillas with beans and rice
Thursday: chicken quesadillas with beans and rice
Friday: chicken quesadillas with beans and zucchini
Big internet hugs from this corner of the PNW. You have an incredible amount of fortitude. Moving in the best of circumstances is the worst and totally destabilizing for a hot minute. The fact that you moved, had to move things out of the family home amidst a separation which was probably all sorts of things emotionally and logistically, continue parenting through a major life change for the family, AND had to study for a test and prep for finals next week surely took and is continuing to take an immense amount of brain power, focus and strength from the reserve caches. You are knocking it out of the park.
Aww, thank you for the understanding. And yes to everything you said; I feel seen!
@BeckyB,
Very well put, and I totally agree! Thanks for sharing this!
@Kristen,
What BeckyB said!! So proud of you! Prayers continuing!
I just wanted comment about something funny that just happened. Right below where you said "Friday I am most definitely flying by the seat of my pants right now, so…I don’t know." there was a pic of a bag of dry cat food and I thought "that seems like an odd choice for dinner" lol and then I realized it was an ad! lol Have a great weekend! 🙂
Haha! That WOULD be an odd choice for dinner.
Filling a bare pantry is such an expense. I'm surprised you got away with $201, with today's prices. You are doing well to have cooked at all this week, Kristen!
I did a little better this week on cooking, but I didn't work too hard at it, I'll be honest. My grocery total, including a farm dairy order, was under $100 for 2 weeks of groceries last time, but I'm ordering meat from two farmers next week, so that will be an expensive week.
What I ate:
I cut up and fried almost an entire chicken, so I had fried chicken three nights: sides were vegan slaw, applesauce, cauliflower mash, sautéed root veggies and mushrooms. I had it for lunch at least twice, as well. Chicken was floured with cassava, coconut and tapioca flour mix, fried in coconut oil.
I held out the upper and lower back and the neck, cooking them to make a big pot of chicken vegetable soup with herbs, parsley, celery, onion, garlic, zucchini, carrots, mushrooms. I had gluten-free biscuits on the side. I had this two nights.
Bacon (uncured) and egg sandwich on gluten-free bread, carrot sticks and homemade ranch. Strawberries for dessert. I can't eat a lot of eggs, but I can eat one now and then, which I really enjoy when I do.
AIP-approved "Polish" sausage with onions, mashed sweet potato and... something else. Strawberries for dessert.
Well...I wouldn't say my pantry is completely stocked yet. But yes, starting from scratch means buying all the things you usually just have around. Ketchup, mayo, honey, soy sauce, spices, and such add up.
No WIS, WIA from me this week (it's just the usual boring stuff). But two other things:
(1) Kristen, I'm adding my virtual hugs to everyone else's--and contributing my usual mantra whenever people start talking about "normal" this and "normal" that: "Normal is just the second button from the left on the dishwasher."
(2) Update on DH, for everyone who kindly expressed good wishes for my visit to him yesterday. The COVID has left him physically weaker. As his ward supervisor put it, "his legs are like noodles," so he'll be using a wheelchair for a good while, and they're using a Hoyer lift to get him in and out of bed. (He is getting PT, but results may take a while if they happen at all.) But he is still our dear Gentle Giant: He placidly accepted my usual attentions (combing his hair, feeding him a cut-up apple, tending to his fingernails, etc.); he seemed to recognize my voice and touch as usual; and he even managed a ghost of his old smile when I made a bad joke. My relief at this was immense.
Aww. I am so happy that you got to see him yesterday, and that you got a peek of his smile. Yay!
@A. Marie, Thanks for sharing the update on your husband; I'm so glad he's getting all that good care and still smiles with you (and I also heartily agree with your #1 - I rarely use the "normal" cycle even on the dishwasher : )
@A. Marie, What a relief! So glad to hear that you got to see him and get some reassurance that he's ok. You must have missed him so much!
@A. Marie,
I'm glad you had that time together! I was thinking of you two yesterday afternoon.
I usually use "storm wash" on my dishwasher. What that says about me and my life is left as an exercise for the reader.
@A. Marie,
I'm relieved to hear #2. My unspoken fear was that he wouldn't know you after so much time plus an illness. That he smiled at your joke, even, is good news.
Thank heaven he is living in a place with full-time care. What on earth would you have done on your own, trying to manage a big man who needs a lift just to get in or out of bed, and can't walk right now? Best wishes for him to recover his strength!
@A. Marie, Thank you for the update.
@Rose,
LOL! I always use the "Power Wash" (or whatever the stronger wash cycle is on my dishwasher). None of this "normal" stuff for us. 🙂
@A. Marie,
So glad you got to visit your Gentle Giant, and that you saw a hint of his smile. I hope the PT helps him regain some of his strength, though you're right - it will likely take awhile to see results, if results are forthcoming. Hugs to you.
@A. Marie, I’m glad you were able to see your Gentle Giant. I am sure his smile was a priceless gift.
@A. Marie, This made me happy. Okay, happier. But it is a good, good thing. So happy for you.
@A. Marie, am so glad it went well. may he continue to hold his own.
Just wanted to send some words of support and encouragement. So much going on for you but recognize you're making your way through it. One foot in front of the other, one hour at a time. It may not always feel like it, but you got this.
I remember when I moved into our house. I don't think I cooked for almost two weeks, so you are off to a much better start than I did. It is an interesting feeling, being on your own for the first time as an adult. I lived with roommates during college, but it isn't the same. I am glad you are having this time, if only to enjoy a space that is your own.
Monday- zucchini and corn flautas with beans and guac
Tuesday- zucchini and tomato flatbread (do you sense a theme). I also found out that labne makes a decent substitute/mixer with ricotta cheese
Wednesday- rice bowls with avocado, kimchi and fried egg (this has become a new comfort food as of late)
Thursday- rigatoni with chicken sausage and broccoli
Friday- maybe date night? I haven't totally decided
Saturday- we will be out a lot of the day, so either eating out with friends or something super easy at home. I have a lot spring veggies and haven't made risotto in awhile...
Sunday- I leave for training, so whatever the fair city of Sacramento has to offer me and Lord knows what my husband will feed himself
Sunday: We hosted a big brunch for my mom's retirement, so we had leftovers of salad, lox, bagels, cream cheese, baked macaroni and cheese, and fruit.
Monday: We had more party leftovers and my husband made some spaghetti with sauce.
Tuesday: I made split pea soup
Wednesday: Husband made pizza.
Thursday: We had a friend over, so I made salmon, ravioli, salad from a salad kit, grapes, and homemade brownies. I could definitely tell that the salad kit has been shrunk by about 30% while remaining the same price! Definitely not buying it again.
Kristen, you are doing amazingly! Sending grace to you.
This weekend: I know I had pasta one night but forget about the other
Monday: I went out for pizza with my mum
Tuesday: Mushroom and cheese omelette
Wednesday: Aubergine with onion, mushroom and tomato sauce
Thursday: Cream cheese and spinach and mushroom with pasta
Friday: Baked sweet potato with various vegetable toppings
Echoing what others have said, those meals are impressive for a moving week!
The electrician came Tuesday so we finally had a working oven again. It’s induction and we had gas before so the majority of our pots and pans wouldn’t work on the new stove. Serendipitously, someone in my buy nothing group posted a box of pots and pans that would work on our new stove so I picked those up and they are great, no need to buy new!
Saturday - takeout fish n chips
Sunday - takeout Indian food. No one else in my family will eat Indian food so we never get it but since it was Mother’s Day, that’s what I chose, takeout for 1 haha My kids ate some of the naan and some reheated chicken and rice casserole leftovers. My husband microwaved himself some leftovers too. I really enjoyed my Indian food and the 3-4 additional leftover meals I had from it!
Monday - last night without an oven so I found some more freezer food to microwave. Leftover ribs and mini meatloafs, a bag of frozen prepared fettuccine Alfredo that I cooked in the microwave (not great tasting but the kids liked it because it was pasta)
Tuesday - first meal using the new oven. Steamed some carrots to try out the stovetop, and baked some Irish soda bread and then baked chicken and asparagus.
Wednesday - ground turkey and mushroom stroganoff
Thursday - pulled pork from the freezer for pulled pork sandwiches, tater tots, peas and corn
Friday - taco night, ground turkey taco meat with cheese, lettuce, avocado, sour cream and salsa. Served with corn and saffron rice.
Blessings to you in your new home! Life can throw so many things at you that you don't expect, or want, so I am saying extra prayers for you to settle in with some peace and strength.
Kristen, your optimism and fortitude are remarkable. The layers of the situation you are experiencing right now are so much to deal with all at once. You are doing a phenomenal job! Sending love and light your way; may you be blessed and comforted as you have blessed and comforted so many others.
Sunday: took the MIL to Applebee's for dinner.
Monday: work night for me, so I made seasoned chicken for chicken soft tacos.
Tuesday: work night-pprk tenderloin, potatoes and carrots in the crock pot
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: "Weeknight chicken tortellini soup"
Friday: planning on salmon, asparagus or broccoli and maybe a rice dish
Saturday: out to dinner
Love you Kristen! I don't know you but your sweet personality shines through always. Kudos to you for handling all of this, moves, people coming and going, so many dynamics. I have moved 10 times in the last 17 years. Moves are never easy. You deserve all the grace and virtual hugs. I admire you so much - Much Love to you!
Oh the memories (or at least the memories of things being a blur) that your post is bringing up. Smart move getting a stand-alone house (post-separation, I spent 3 years in a townhouse with “quirky” neighbours before thankfully moving into my own house). You may not see it right now, but deciding to live life according to your own terms, needs, and values demonstrates tremendous courage.
Anyways, WIS $230. WWA:
Saturday-leftover bbq mixed grill & potatoes, general fridge scavenging
Sunday-bbq chicken, roast potatoes, green beans, plum & blackberry upside-down cake
Monday-leftover chicken, potatoes, green beans
Tuesday-homemade borscht from CSA veggies I froze last summer, baguette
Wednesday-bbq hamburgers & chicken burgers, oven fries
Thursday-bbq cedar plank salmon, leftover potatoes, green beans
Friday-plan is for freezer lasagna
Grace to you, Kristen!
I pray that the extra one-on-one time with Zoe is a blessing to you both in the midst of hard times.
This week we ate...
Saturday: Leftover pizza and honeydew, then to make sure the leftover pizza was enough for everyone I had a big salad instead
Sunday: Too. Much. Food! We had 2 big meals... Lunch at my house that my husband made (steak, seasoned fries, veggies, chocolate mousse pie) and then dinner at my parents' house with my brother (grilled chicken, corn on the cob, beans, more sides that I don't remember, and cheesecake)
Monday: My husband needed to make a lady minute trip to get something from a bigger city so he took the 2 younger kiddos and the oldest kid stayed home with me and picked Domino's Pizza to eat while we watched a movie that her siblings aren't old enough for yet. She's been asking to do something special with just me, so this worked out great.
Tuesday: Burrito bowls using up some leftover steak and chicken from Sunday, grapes, and smoothies
Wednesday: Chicken broccoli fettuccine Alfredo (using up the last of the leftover chicken!) and asparagus from our garden. Unfortunately this is a year that my kids have decided they're not really into asparagus. Every year is a surprise.
Thursday: Grilled pork chops, zucchini, Sunday's leftover baked beans, and fruit
Friday: Grilling hot dogs and brats, broccoli and cauliflower
@Ruth T, how do you grill your pork chops? I have never done them that way.
ty in advance!
@Connie C,
I didn't do anything fancy. I put seasoning on them, grilled them on medium-low, and used a meat thermometer to try to not overcook them. They didn't take long to cook and they turned out well!
Kristen,
I don't comment much at all but wanted to offer my support. I divorced when I had a 3 year old and an infant. It was a low point for sure - but they are now grown, and we more than made it through everything. I hope things look up now that you have a place to settle into.
I continue to be amazed at how rational and organized you sound, Kristen. If I had to balance all the changes and responsibilities you have, I am afraid I would spend a lot of time going in circles and feeling sorry for myself.
Sat/Sunday: moose chili with some of last summer's frozen shredded carrots thrown in. I am not going to grow as many carrots this year!
M/T/W: Last summer I canned some salmon. I cannot abide the mealy, pale stuff in commercially canned smoked salmon; home canned is in chunks and I use the best fresh salmon. Anyway, I made a salmon dip, mostly because I had cream cheese and sour cream that needed using up. We had that with crackers and jicama slices for dinner for three nights. It is a good thing both of us are fine with eating the same thing for days in a row. Cuts down on waste, time spent cooking and time spent cleaning up.
Thursday: chicken breasts topped with a thin slice of ham and a thin slice of cheese. Cole slaw.
Friday: Husband is having home made hash excavated from the freezer. I found an oldish bag of fish sticks so I will finish those off. The rest of the cole slaw will also make an apperance.
You had quite a busy week indeed. Very impressive!
I don't remember what I spent this week, but I got Panera once and used a Trader Joe's gift card.
Meals in no particular order:
Chicken and rice soup
Halibut (that my dad caught) and rice
Asian chicken salad (Panera)
Snacky bits (pickles, cheese and crackers, nibbles)
Sunday I picked up pizza and caesar salad per my mom's request for Mother's Day.
Tonight I'm planning leftover halibut and other random fridge leftovers. I may run to New Seasons (local organic market) this afternoon for some yogurt but we will see! Have a great weekend everyone.
Wishing you lots of peace and grace during this time of transition for you.
This week we had:
takeout BBQ from a local place
Baked veggie and spaghetti casserole and a watermelon
7 layer salad
Leftover spaghetti casserole and asparagus
Pork chops with pan gravy, roasted cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus
Tacos with mahi mahi, lime cabbage slaw, and homemade sweet potato tortillas and chips and cowboy caviar on the side.
I think your decision to blog during this busy and challenging time is more valuable (for others) than you may appreciate right now. So many of us experience home changes or lack time, be it through children leaving home resulting in an empty nest, changes in marital or relationship status, geographic moves, losses of jobs/income or changing jobs/going back to school. Having to (re)build a pantry is a huge investment and observing how you (Frugal Girl!) do so could be highly instructive for others. It’s so hard to keep juggling but you are valuable and so relevant and have the benefit of years of cooking skills and a good knowledge of nutrition.
Kristen, when we moved ten years ago, it was more than a couple of weeks before I cooked anything. I think I was in mourning for the small, clean, bright, super-efficient kitchen I'd left behind. My family finally rebelled at a constant diet of cereal and take-out burgers. 😀
It's been hot this week, so lunch and supper have both been sandwiches and other fresh cold things like strawberries and baby bell peppers. Except last night when we went out for Mexican food. Half of my supper entree became my lunch today. It was yummy.
You are a remarkably strong person! Wishing you lots of love and peace.
I am still so impressed by all of your who remember what you ate in the last week!
@Jody S.,
My secret is I take pictures of the table each night. 😉
@Becca, Well, that sounds much easier than keeping a list! (And it is also completely not what anybody would have said 25 years ago. )
@Jody S.,
Ah, the many small conveniences these helpful rectangles bring us. 😉
Once your tests are conquered, Kristen, I genuinely hope you give yourself the freedom, time, and space to just fall down somewhere for a while. The boxes will be there when you’re ready for them. I say this as someone who is terrible at giving myself recovery time. After two months of working on our new house while also packing and moving, I finally gave in to a weekend of movies and naps with the cats on the couch. The drive is always to DO, to be PRODUCTIVE, but sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.
Also, if Paw Patrol mac n’ cheese isn’t to your liking, Amy’s Bunny mac n’ cheese is our Responsible Adult (TM) go-to for when we need a quick dinner and a smile.
It’s May, last month of school and super crazy!
M sheet pan dinner, asparagus, sausages, sweet potatoes
T Meatball sandwiches, raw veggies
W Chicken, rice, salad, fruit
Th Spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, fruit
F Pizza, salad, fruit
Dear Kristen,
You are doing a good job. None of this is easy and you are handling it with such grace. I am in awe of you. And please take your own advice that things don't have to be perfect to bless others. In fact, sometimes imperfect is more of a blessing because it's more real and doesn't encourage anyone to harbor unrealistic expectations.
Now, food...
WIS: 0.00!!! Next week will likely (definitely!) be higher, though.
WWA:
Sat: salad and leftover focaccia
Sun: salad, homemade bread and "bits and bobs" soup (My mother's day request was to have a soup made out of a bunch of random leftovers, so it used homemade chicken stock, broccoli stems, a frozen container of beans and ham bone stock, some other older veggies from the fridge like onion, carrot, celery, etc, and about a quarter of an ancient bag of frozen tortellini which was in the freezer because there was not enough left for a meal by itself. It might sound crazy, but it was very good and I get a thrill out of getting tasty food from what someone else might have tossed. I am weird.) We had sourdough doughnuts for dessert.
Mon: salad and cauliflower soup with saltine crackers
Tue: salad and leftover soup (both kinds) with matzo crackers
Wed: salad with crispy tofu and rice and beans with avocado and cheese
Thu: salad, air fried brussel sprouts, pasta with broccoli tomato sauce and sourdough baguettes
Tonight: salad and focaccia
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
I'm actually thankful that Sonia still has a relationship with her Dad and feels safe enough to stay there. I am praying for your marriage to be restored. I am a child of divorce and I wish it on no one *and clearly it's needed in some cases.
Moving is no joke.
Hugs to you as you adjust to this new normal, no matter how long it lasts. I'm glad you have new neighbors who care enough to provide a meal.
What I ate this week:
Saturday-snacky food and leftovers; (we went out to breakfast with my parents and that pretty well covered our big meal for the day)
Sunday-fruit, cheese and crackers, and probably other snacks (we had a spread following the baptism of my middle child, and it was enough to cover us for dinner0
Monday-mac and cheese with veggies and meatballs
Tuesday-black bean tostadas with salad
Wednesday-chickpea and rice bowls with tomato and cucumber salad and sauce
Thursday-Post counseling dinner date with husband at a burger place; kids had tortellini
Friday-fancy shmancy Black Tie Mess for the adults (two nights out in a row!) and leftovers/PBJs with fruit and veggies/hummus for kids
Dear Kristen - I'm sending support, prayers, and virtual hugs to you. You're an inspiration to me! Some seasons of life are so very hard. Your new home looks beautiful. Blessings to you and your kids, and a shout-out to your kind neighbors who brought you the lasagna.
Leftover lasagna sounds fantastic, and a good reminder that it’s good to hit the easy button sometimes. We moved last year all in one day but couldn’t actually occupy our new house until 2 days later, and we bought a bunch of pizzas for our friends who helped us move, and then ate leftover pizza for several sequential meals - which included pizza for breakfast! Not a nutritional high point, but it made things so much more manageable.
Hope that you have a successful end of the semester and can then enjoy cooking and making your new home your own soon.
What a week you've been through. You have every right to be tired, sad, maybe scared, whatever emotions you are feeling. Take it very easy on yourself.
A lottttt of sad this week. Which, as I understand it from my reading, is quite normal for someone in my shoes. And it also sounds like the sadness will not hang around forever, so I am trying to remind myself of that when it feels overwhelming.
It's nice to see pictures of you settling in; moving is an overwhelming process and I'm excited for you to feel more and more at home.
It made my heart swell to read about your neighbours. Those little acts of kindness make the world go around!
Last week--Shaws $48.27; Aldi $37.28
During the week, I came down with covid, so it got to the point that what I felt like making is what we were going to eat.
This week--$25+ my biweekly coffee order $22 I added in $5 to my daughter who picked up a few things for me when she went shopping.
Friday: Naan pizza to clean out some ingredients in the refrigerator.
Saturday: Taco casserole and cornbread
Sunday: Pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, green beans
Monday: Left over casserole, etc.
Tuesday: Leftover pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc.
Wednesday: Grilled cheese sandwich, pickles
Thursday: Egg salad, tomato
Friday: Greek turkey burger and tomato.
I'm happy you are settling a bit. In a couple of weeks hopefully you can take a breath.
Your world seems pretty out of whack this week, but I have no doubt you will right it soon. After all, you have a good head on your shoulders and mostly, from what I read, you have plans that you are putting into action and making the best decisions that you can along the way. Anyhoodle. This week at my house:
Monday - Seasoned chicken breast, couscous with quinoa and veggies (a frozen thing)
Tuesday - Gnocci, kale salad with lemon vinaigrette and avocado
Wednesday - Thick cut pork chop, Italian beans with broccoli
Thursday - Walnut Enchiladas, salad with avocado
Friday - Happy Hour with The Girl: burgers and tots, wine, venting
Saturday - TBD {wine club pick up, beer release at STW, check on Highlands}
Sunday - Freezer meal {visiting my mother for the first time in months}
I'm kind of sick of cooking so I really look forward to tomorrow! Happy Weekend!
https://cannaryfamily.blogspot.com/
Gina
You got married at 19?!?!!
Ohh my heck!!!!
Maybe look at life and this change as living your life In reverse (in the traditional sense) and now you can live those years of twenties and thirties travelling, schooling and being independent! Always a nice silver lining with change
Would I make the same choice again? Nope. I think I was too young to know myself as well as I should have.
But it is done now, and yep, I can look forward and see what kind of life I can make for myself now. Life doesn't have to be perfect in order to be beautiful, and I think that life also doesn't have to look as we expected in order to be beautiful.
@Kristen, I agree, 100%!
Life DOESN’T have to look like we expected for it to be beautiful. My first born was born with cerebral palsy. Not exactly my “dream” for my child! But God has blessed and always been there for each need, even when I didn’t see Him at first. Looking back it is much clearer. Praying for you. I always appreciate your choosing a positive attitude.
Sending you ongoing support & good thoughts, as you continue to follow & embrace your new life & family situation.
I was in London (for work), last week, and have zero ideas what the family ate. I'm all of the jet lagged feelings (don't sleep on flights), so meals these days have been questionable.
-Friday - we were supposed to eat at the airport, but the teen who placed our order determined that there were no salads available for me, and thus skipped my order altogether. This was not realized until the flight took off. I had peanuts. And a cocktail, as I was upgraded to first class, by myself. 😉
Saturday - a very small amount of chicken & potatoes at the wedding. And a piece of chocolate.
Sunday - Mother's Day in the sky. I had some sort of pasta bake, and a glass of champagne.
Monday - skipped dinner, because of jet lag & all I wanted was to sleep
Tuesday - shared mac & cheese at a British pub with my coworker, and we also had a beer.
Wednesday - went to my all time favorite Indian restaurant in London (Dishoom) & ate all of the delicious things
Thursday - ate a passable but not great gnocchi at a restaurant with colleagues, but did share a lovely bottle of NZ sauvignon blanc with some friends.
Friday - my husband heated up a Costco freezer lasagna, so we had that, while I tried valiantly to stay awake
So glad you got moved in and are getting settled. I laughed at the paw patrol mac & cheese. I have a bunch in my house as well. It was on clearance, so I bought a bunch. The kids don't like it as much as the regular.
I know you have finals this week, so just wishing that they go well for you. I'm not wishing you luck because it is all hard work and I know you've done the work. So instead like you tell an actor "break a leg"--break a pencil lead. ;o)
A&P was only eclipsed by neuro-anatomy and neuro-physiology for me, but I took neuro in the summer as my only class so I could devote 100% attention to it and did well. I remember how hard it was, how interesting it was, and how satisfying it was to do well. So I wish the same for you!
I'm glad Sonia's okay! I was scrolling back hoping you'd updated about where she was.