Because I Had Children

I hate to shop.  Loathe it.  I dislike it almost as much as wearing anything purple.  But, there is one day of the year that is the best day for me to go shopping.  It is the day I get my state tax refund!!  I use mine to shop for non-food items to replenish my supply so I don't have to shop throughout the year. That is how I choose to spend my refund every year.  I'd like to go on a fancy trip (not that that is a bad choice, just not my choice), I'd like to splurge on something fantastical (I did spend some of it on Marly's senior year sports camp in August), or I'd like to fix up some stuff around the house. For me, I like knowing that almost everything I need is on hand without making a special trip to the Chevron to buy a package of toilet paper. (not that I would ever do that, but you know what I mean) Some of you are wondering why with a family as large as mine, why don't I do the coupon thing?  I think it is too much work and the stuff I get...

As I have been getting "older," several times over the last few years, I have wanted to have a makeover of sorts, you know, buy a few new outfits, wear makeup more often, do my hair every day.  I do good for a few weeks and then I sorta revert back to the "old" me.  I get it in my head that I need to act my age better, or dress the part of a 40 year old.  It isn't that I feel old or even think I need to wear old people clothes, that's not my point.  I just feel like I dress like a 13 year old boy because I wear tennis shoes and t-shirts every day, just like I did in the 8th grade. When I was in the 9th grade, I tried a little harder and it was fortunate that on the days that I cheered for football, we had to wear our "game day" clothes and when I played basketball and ran track, we had to dress up for school on those days. When I was in high school, I loved to go shopping at the thrift stores and buy my clothes there.  My friend Renee was so go...

Sometimes people don't grasp the reality of what grocery shopping means to a woman who shops for a family of ten.   I might throw in there that of those ten family members, three of them are teenage boys.   I do my bulk grocery shopping once a month and stock up on things that can be stored on the shelf, frozen, or purchased for cheaper when I buy in bulk.   Things I purchase monthly include: 8lbs of ground beef 10lbs of assorted pork chops, ribs, and roasts 20lbs of chicken breasts and a few fryers 10 dozen eggs 4-6lbs of bacon or sausage 16lbs of cheddar cheese 8-10 packages of assorted lunch meats 25 packages of assorted frozen vegetables 200 diapers Throughout the month, I make a bi-monthly trip to the produce market in town in order to stock up on fresh vegetables and fruit that my family eats a ton of.   My neighbor works next to an Alpine bread store in town and    he brings me home day old bread that sells for $.50 -$1 per loaf for both families. ...