Side yard update

Here is just a tiny update on the side yard

We cleared out all the grass and dirt and added a raised bed filled with compost and dirt. I planeted a variety of seeds to see what would germinate well since it only gets partial sun. Quite a few things did well. However, they building a grocery store behind our house and as soon as most things germinated they cleared the field and a hoard of grasshoppers invaded our yard and ate everything. I did plant a few chard plants that they didn't get to. So I was able to actually eat from the garden this fall. 

Cleaning up clearing out.

We started work on the new garden space this week. I spent an afternoon last week clearing out the random things that had accumulated over the years.

View of the "side yard" from the main back yard area. I made a quick barrier to keep the toddler away from the area last year because of sticker plants. 

Another view of the same space. I am thinking next year I will have tomato and squash plants along the right side and  maybe raspberry canes and strawberries along the left with a path down the middle. You can also see the beginnings of the shed my husband is building. 

Here is my garden helper showing off the other part of the garden. This is where I will start the fall garden. It gets almost 6 hours of full sun. But I plan on planting roots and greens so I should be good. It faces east so it will be in the shade during the hottest part of the day. 

At the very back under the small tree I plan on putting in a small patio big enough to put a tiny storage closet and a couple of chairs. 

New beginnings

A bunch of new starts are happening around here. 

- I have never really decided on what I want this blog to be. I think I'm settling into the idea of making it a "home journal". Which I guess means keeping track of the fun things I'm doing in homemaker-ville. 

- The hubs and I are starting to get back into healthy habits. We are back on weight watchers which seems to really work for us. Thankfully the weather will start to cool in about a month and we can get back to our afternoon walks. 

- We are starting work on my garden this weekend. I have had a garden in 2 different spots since we moved in 5 years ago. I think I have found the perfect solution to the problems that the other spots had. 

- Last but not least the most precious new thing is this little guy. He is already living up to his name and is a happy and content baby. 

Pot roast

Dinner last night - pot roast with carotts and onions. Roasted potatoes and home made rolls. 

I am attempting to be a better bread baker. I figure it will take me a few months to find a couple of recipes that work best for our fam. These rolls had a good flavor but they didn't really puff up like I wanted them to. I suspect that it was the fault of the baker and not the recipe. 

I made these really yummy iced oatmeal cookies for small group last night. I was pleasently suprised to see we still had some left this morning to go with my coffee. 

I did a ton of baking and cooking yesterday. And I only survived because my sweet hubs came one and cleaned the kitchen then the bathrooms and then the kitchen again. 

This week's groceries

So. I may have forgotten that I wanted to start a blog. For like a year. Sheesh. I guess there were other things going on. Like pies and a toddler. 

Anywho… the hubs and I are on a kick to be better about our budget this year. Like actually sticking to one and being patient about the fun things we want to do/buy. 

So for me this means $50 for groceries a week. This includes paper goods and toiletries and whatever else we need. 

To start the story of today's shopping tripI'll tell  you about last Thursday. I looked at the weekly specials at Kroger and found what meats were in sale. This was going to be the only meat I bought for the week so I needed it to be cheap because I was going to buy a ton of it. From there I created a menu plan for the week that included fruits and veggies that were also on special. 

Here is my haul:

Aldi total $21.48

2% milk - 1.79

Sandwich bags - 1.99

4.5 lbs bananas - 1.93

Large eggs - 1.49

Shredded cheddar - 2.99

Unsalted butter - 2.19

Sliced cheddar - 1.99

5lb bag potatos - 1.89

Bag of carrots - 1.19

Bag of white onions - 1.69

Ranch mix - .69

Beef broth - 1.49

Tax - .16

Kroger total $26.87

Tortillas - 1.00

Deli meat - 3.49

Lettuce - .99

Pineapple - .99

Lime - .20

Cilantro - .44

Jalapeño - .05

Avacado - .99

Two red bell peppers - .1.98

Six gala apples - 1.98

Two Roma tomatoes - .45

Round roast - 11.29

Here is the menu plan:

Breakfasts: will fluctuate between eggs, toast, oatmeal, fruit, or cereal. 

Lunches: meat/cheese/lettuce sandwiches for the hubs. Pbj for me. Carrot sticks and ranch, pretzels, and fruit. Or leftovers. 

Dinners:

Monday - Pot roast with onions potatoes carotts and homemade rolls

Tuesday - beef stew with rolls and salad

Wednesday - cheese quesadillas with pico salad

Thursday - shredded beef and cheese sandwiches with tater tots and veggie sticks

Friday - leftovers or grilled chicken with veggies and rice. 

Saturday - usually our day to eat out

Sunday - lunch with the family after church. 

That's the plan at least. This is the very first week attempting this so we will see how it goes. 

Also, I'm typing this up on my phone so let's pretend any grammar/spelling errors are due to that and not my laziness.