Writers Workshop

I was about ready to scream with joy when I saw that Mama Kat herself had chosen one of my prompt ideas for Writers Workshop this week - I've had a total blog crush on her since I discovered the awesome writing prompts so that totally made my week. I didn't know if it would be appropriate to choose my own idea, so I decided why not do something else and I'll blog about spring another day (our lovely Ohio spring rains are going to start today).

So instead I chose prompt four - what lights your fire? Write about 5 things you are passionate about!

1. Photography: I love to take pictures of everything that I do and see. I never want to forget about a moment, how I was feeling and what was going on around me. People often get annoyed that I am always taking pictures, but that is just a part of me. I love to use film and digital cameras and someday I'd love to have my own darkroom.
2. Reading: I think that everyone should read something for fun every now and again. Okay, so you might not like to read novels, but you can always read a magazine or an article online. For example: Andrew isn't into books, but he loves his Jegs catalogs, Hot Rod Magazine and internet forums on fishing and fixing cars. But me, well as you know lately I've been into vegetarian books and biographies.
3. Bargain Hunting: I bet you're all sick of hearing about this one - hehehe but really I am a woman on a mission to save money - whether its clothes or groceries, I can't stand to pay full price unless its totally necessary.
4. Cooking: I love love love to cook after a long, difficult day - nothing seems to make my stress melt away. I like to try new recipes and even make things up as I go along. In the summer there is nothing better than being able to cook with fresh vegetables and cook on the grill.
   
5. Spending time with loved ones: For me this also includes my friends, they are all like family to me. I love being with my parents (when we're not arguing), my brother, Andrew, his family and all of my wonderful friends. Sure there are times when we all just want to be alone, but for me being around other people is always a great feeling!

What are you passionate about? Do you share any of my passions?

If you'd like to participate in writers workshop, click the button below!

Becoming a Lady Blogger

When I started this blog, I didn't have much direction and I wasn't quite sure what all I wanted to say - I wrote about life, participated in things like Haiku Friday and did little surveys. I never found a blog group that was for women (and not just moms like most of the ones that are out there) until I found Lady Bloggers. I had seen the button on my friend Maya's blog and clicked to check it out!

FINALLY a place where you didn't have to be a mom to fit in (not that there is anything wrong with that, but I'm not a mom yet and I wanted to find a place to meet other woman bloggers). I decided this would be my first step into developing my blog and finding great blog ideas! If you're like me and want to meet more women who blog, check out the Join Here section of The Lady Bloggers. To me, its all about connecting with other women, finding interesting blogs to read and getting a better feel for this whole adventure.

Each Sunday there is a Tea Party social where you can take the opportunity to check out blogs that interest you and they are all divided by topic, which makes finding something great even easier! I hope that my woman blogger friends take a chance to check this out and mention my blog if you decide to join! They have a fantastic contest going on right now so check it out and let me know what you think!!!!

Weekend in Photos

We shaved off Andrews winter beard he's been growing since Thanksgiving Friday night.

Before

After

When we went to dinner that night the guy at La Fagota (our fave mexican place) laughed when he ordered a beer - does he really not look 27 without the beard??

My brother turned 21 on Sunday - he wanted a giant cookie cake with a monster truck and so that's what I did! We had stuffed cabbage and mashed potatoes for dinner and took him to the American Legion for his first legal drink afterward!

My brother got a dog a few weeks ago - he found Max on Craigslist and kind of adopted him without telling my parents. He's two and really needs to be neutered. He's a little jumpy and wild but he's been better. They've had him for about three weeks.

That's about all the excitement for me this weekend - I've got a few blogs in the works for this week!

Blind-sided

For months the topic was at the top of the list in my house - the new CEO was going to eliminate my dads job. For nearly a year it weighed heavy on everyone's mind until one Saturday in February of 2009 when my dad came home from a meeting and told us it was finally happening. In April he would loose his job. I wanted to throw up, I wanted to scream, I wanted to march down there and punch that guy in the mouth and ask him what he was thinking. They were going to keep one person, but in the end it wasn't my dad (one of the long time employees of that department and one of the hardest workers). Instead he was left jobless on April 17, 2009 and is still unemployed. It was so hard at first and with each day grew harder, I watched my dad go from a laughing, happy person to someone who didn't sleep and didn't laugh as much anymore. My heart would break every time I saw him. I would love to help them out but I can't, the economy hasn't been easy on me either, like most Americans.

I read articles on Yahoo daily about this Jim Bunning who has filibustered the passing of a law that would extend unemployment, now he will be my new mouth punching victim. Everyday that my dad goes with out a job is heart-wrenching and it hurts me to think that they could soon loose their home and everything they worked so hard for because of what happened in this economy. This man probably has millions of dollars and can't see what his vote is doing to millions in this country. Then I read the comments, people saying that the jobless are lazy?!?! You have to be kidding me! And that collecting unemployment is making them even lazier, its just like another slap in the face.

I doubt that most honest Americans want to be "living off the government" but in times like this they have no choice. My parents do not get food stamps, Medicaid or Welfare and my dad paid into unemployment all the years he worked so he is entitled to collect what he paid into. The jobless rate in Ohio is at 10%, that isn't his fault either. People say they should move, do you really think they could sell their house right now or afford to pay rent and a mortgage on one persons pay?! I just don't think that anyone understands.

Thankfully after I began writing this post, unemployment did get extended until December for the millions of Americans like my dad. I was afraid the next blind siding moment would be my parents selling their home and everything they've worked for.

I know this is a rather depressing post for Writers Workshop, but its honestly the worst kind of blind-siding that I've ever experienced. Do you know someone effected by the economy? Did you or a loved one loose your job?

Learning to be a saver

I will admit that I'm bad at saving money (except maybe when I was a kid), but now that I live with a total tight-wad I've found it easier to save money. The biggest expense in our household seems to be food, at first I would spend close to $175 on food for the two of us and it would last for two weeks (most of the time). I didn't understand why I was spending so much, but one day I cleaned out my pantry and found I was continually buying things I already had multiples of. I never made a list and I never checked to see what we were really out of besides staple foods like milk, bread and eggs. Needless to say, I have started making lists and checking my supplies a few times before I head to the store.

Part of my saving has consisted of going to two grocery stores each week - Aldi and Meijer. If you live near an Aldi, go there, ignore the people who say "oooo its all off brand food and why would you want to go there" - off brand = amazing savings. Here are my tips for shopping at Aldi:

1. Bring your own bags: Or you can buy the shopping bags they have that are huge and reusable for about $2. I have two and I can fill them both for around $40 depending on what I get. They have paper bags you can buy for $0.06 as well but I don't care for them.
   
2. Buy your staple foods and dry goods: Their prices on canned goods, pasta, sugar, flour, cooking oils and other kitchen staples cannot be beat. They have 3 cup bags of shredded cheese for $2.89, which is what a small bag would cost at most other stores. Even there butter is cheaper and its the real stuff too!
   
3. Be careful of the produce: Unless you are going to use it right away or its an item that will stay fresh for a while you might want to buy it somewhere else. There onions I've found start to get nasty faster, same with the potatoes and bell peppers. But the lettuces and apples are usually good just as long as food from other stores.
4. Bakery items: I get all my bread and buns there, super cheap, sometimes under a dollar for a pack of hamburger buns or around a dollar for a loaf of wheat bread, and they have all kinds of stuff. Donuts, english muffins, dinner rolls and a variety of bread loafs from Italian to Whole Grain. Sometimes I buy a little extra and freeze it when possible.
5. Meat: I do purchase some meat here, but not all of it. One thing I love are the little Cornish Game Hens, they make a great crockpot meal during the week, for two people I make two hens and just put in some onions, lemon slices, chicken stock and salt and pepper, set the crock pot on low and let it go for 8 hours while we're at work. The meat will just fall off the bone. Other good meat items: Frozen chicken breasts or tenders, frozen shrimp and ground turkey (fresh or frozen).
6. Personal tips on what NOT to buy: There "Velvetta" it doesn't melt right, salsa, potato chips, cleaning products (there paper products are fine though, paper towels and toilet paper if its 2-ply), frozen meals are hit or miss you have to try them to see if you like them, frozen hamburger patties, frozen fish (it all still has the skin on it, gross). What will always be a GREAT buy: The Fit n Active line of lower fat foods (salad dressings and wheat crackers are my personal fave), cheese, baking staples, canned goods.
   

Once I get everything I need at Aldi, I go to Meijer, which I've found is much cheaper than Kroger or Giant Eagle (again if you have one, shop there, its kinda like WalMart but with better stuff). I get some of my produce and seasonings at Meijer, as well as my milk and eggs since they seem to have a longer shelf life than the items at Aldi. I try to only buy items that are on sale and buy the Meijer brand - I've come to learn that it all tastes just the same and will save lots of money! They also have a line of organic items that are pretty reasonable!

What do you do to save money on groceries or food? We also don't eat out for lunch and only go out to dinner once every other week. Any tips I could add for another frugal food blog?

Next installment of being a saver will be about thrifting and consignment stores!