September Frugal Challange

Love this challenge!

Going from $200 (what I did before our trip to AK) to $300 a month for food was a breeze! I even had a bit left this week to stock up on things that don't normally come on sale. I ended up right at $300.

My goal for October is to stock my freezer and start making more things with my wheat/oat/bean food storage. Nothing like putting it in writing!

i hate my best friend.

I know... we look happy in this picture. I know.... she came all the way to Alaska to be with me. I know, I know... she has to finish raising my kids if Robert and I die. (don't go feeling too bad for her, there's plenty of life insurance for a house cleaner, therapy and lots of ice cream)

Why the sudden animosity, you ask?
She is paying her house off!!
Now. Not in years (like me and most of my REAL friends) but in actual DAYS it will be completely free of debt. I realize that I should be happy for her. Even celebrate with her... she is the one that got me into the whole "coupon-frugal" craziness that made my trip to AK a reality and will eventually help me pay off my house. But no. I can't get past the jealousy. I'm shallow and self-centered.

Playing..

Last week Shea and I had lots of fun.... Monday was a half day at school so we had a girls afternoon with Sophia. We had lunch at Rosa's and played the rest of the time.



Friday after school Sophia and I picked up Shea, Kiersten and Brenda and headed over to pick out pumpkins...
Then we went to Legacy Park. Lots of fun!!

Karaoke Kayla

I don't know that Kayla wants me share video :) But hey, what can she do about it!!

Pictures from Kayla!

Kayla sent me the disk from her camera... FULL of pictures! I picked out a few fun ones and will post more later.

Doing the happy dance

in Alaska pj's

(Shea has matching ones - of course:)

Kayla and Sister Graf

This is Adam Rose...

he grew up with our kids in American Fork, UT

and his parents bought our house when we

moved to TX. Weird that he we sent to Seattle...

just like Kayla!!

All the best missionaries must go to Seattle!

Kayla, Adam Rose and Sister Graf

emailing their moms at the library on P-Day

Busy young man....

Braden's life had become crazy busy! Here's what last Friday/Saturday looked like for this great kid:

Friday
6:30 a.m. Seminary (where he is class president)
7:45 early band practice (trumpet)
8:30 - School. boring school
Went with marching band to Midland for a football game... didn't get home until 2 a.m.!

Saturday
9:00 - half day merit badge clinic - earned his communications badge. He is a life scout getting ready for his eagle.

Afternoon - I had a few people that needed a place for their kids to be on Saturday - so Braden played host and did a great job entertaining them.

Evening - Braden went over to his "job" of doing yard work for Carol Weathers. She pays him good money to pull weeds and he's been pretty good at saving much of it.

Saturday night - exhausted !!

here is Braden checking his facebook account...

in his spare 2 minutes a day :)

UGH!

photo taken at 5:45 a.m.

he has actually been fabulous about

getting up for seminar!

Western Day!

Shea performed fabulously at her 5th grade

Western Day

Line dancing queen...

Having fun with BFF Courtney

Doing the chicken dance...

Making Korean Food

When I grow up

I want to be a great cook....

like Sophia!

Kolene came over and the three of us made

Bi Bim Bop

Chicken and Shrimp Heaven

(I don't know the real name - that's what I call it)

and

a big mess.

It was absolutely delicious~

Since he was VERY small, Andrew has NOT

liked me to take his picture....

So I sent Shea on a mission to

photograph her brother.

He was very accommodating....

So handsome!

self-potrait of photographer and her brother

I have my camera back!!!!!

Tonight we had Song and Sophia over for a lesson with the missionaries. They have been interested in learning more about our church for a while now. We all think they are wonderful!! They are from Korea and Song is a graduate student in Robert's department at Texas Tech.



Last week they brought Korean food - it was fabulous! And luckily for me, Sophia is going to teach me how to make it. Yum!!!

Song & Sophia
Elder Root, Elder Bawden and Robert...
being missionaries :)

Sophia helping Shea with the piano.