Today will probably be grocery shopping day for me. It's the one job of caring for my large family that I just don't like much. I think one reason is because I am so torn...
I want to be frugal. I joined The Grocery Game to help me organize coupons and save money (check this site out, and if you join, remember to tell them that Carla Raley sent you!!). I try very hard to get a Sunday paper each week just for the coupons. I shop several stores to save money. I feel like getting the best deals is part of my job as a stay at home mom - making the most of the money my husband works hard for.
But sometimes I get discouraged. After getting yet another bad watermelon at the local farmers market, in fact, getting TWO bad watermelons, I found myself at Central Market yet again last week while I was in Fort Worth. I could live on watermelon during the summer. It's so hot, and watermelon is the perfect food, I think. I know when I get a watermelon at Central Market, it's going to be good. So I went, and with spending just a bit more than I did at the farmers market, I brought home a wonderful, sweet watermelon.
So I sometimes struggle between being frugal, and getting what I know will probably be more pricey, and yet be something my family will enjoy eating, rather than just eating.
And yes, I have tried and failed many times with a garden in my yard. I did plant watermelons in my herb garden this year, and I have a few actually growing out there. If they work, I'll try it again next summer with watermelons that will ripen earlier. It's just that I've never been able to get more than a few, and I want watermelon EVERY DAY!!
I am pretty good at not buying processed food, and have learned that once you have weaned yourself off it, it doesn't even taste good anymore. We make things from scratch in our house, which saves a bundle!
It's not hard for me to be both frugal and "green". I don't like chemicals, they scare me a bit, so it's easy to use baking soda and vinegar and soap nuts and essential oils to keep my house clean. I know that this also helps Tommy, and all of us for that matter.
It's easy for me to be frugal in the clothes department. I have found so many places to be frugal there. Thrift store shopping, online sales: I just got two dresses for my little girl at an online store I recently found: The Dashing Bee, I was very pleased with what I received.
I want to be frugal, but the kids want blizzards when we go out. I
want to be not only frugal, but stick to Tommy's diet, but the snow cone
stand makes memories. I want to be frugal, but I want to be fun, too.
Food is so important to happiness, don't you think? So I struggle. Town Talk, or Central Market? Thankfully, these two stores, which are at opposite ends of the spectrum, are both an hour away from me, so I don't have to make that choice often. Within decent driving distance is Aldi's and HEB, and those are my main stores. So this afternoon, I will sit for a while checking sales and gathering coupons, and trudge off again. Saving money is all a part of it, but a happy family is important too.
I would love to hear how any of you handle this!!
Showing posts with label whole foods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label whole foods. Show all posts
Monday, July 30, 2012
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
book review: Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker
Many years ago, the second of my ten children, a daughter, kept getting strep throat over and over again. We would barely finish one round of antibiotics, when the strep would come back. Finally, after when she came to me saying her throat was hurting once again, I began to seek other ways of helping her get over this problem. I met a lady who sold Nature’s Sunshine Herbs, and my life changed.
She told me that most likely my daughter’s problems were caused by allergies. She sold me several bottles of capsules, and I had my daughter begin taking them. Sure enough, the herbs caught the problem before it became worse, and my daughter did not have another reoccurrence of strep.
I continued using herbs for many years to treat my children. For a while, I sold Nature’s Sunshine Herbs myself. But life got busy, we moved several times, had several more children, and I let my education on herbal products go by the wayside.
We recently added three more children to our family by adoption from the foster care system. Two of these children have asthma, and one of them and her full sibling baby brother are prone to ear infections. Being sick more than my other children seem to be, my mind once more turned to herbal remedies. I kept hearing about the book Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker, and I finally took the plunge and bought the book. I am so glad I did!
Within days of purchasing the book, my youngest child came down with a raging fever, and kept sticking his fingers in his ears. Since he is only 21 months, he couldn’t tell me what was wrong, but it was pretty obvious he had an ear infection. I got the book out, and first chance I had, which was almost 48 hours later, since he became sick on a weekend, I made a trip to the local health food store. They have a wonderful line of children’s herbal remedies in gummies and tinctures. I had a list in hand that I had made from the recommendations in the book, and I bought what I needed.
Within 24 hours of giving him the products, he had turned the corner, his fever was gone and his ear seemed much better. Another 24 hours, and he seemed almost well.
This book is not a ‘no doctor at all’ type book. Mrs. Parker tells you what can be treated at home and how, and when to seek medical help. She includes forms to help you evaluate and form a plan for your family’s health. She gives instructions for growing and harvesting herbs, how to make simple herbal remedies at home, and what to purchase for your medicine cabinet.
There are many pages of different ailments and what you can use for each one. She covers babyhood, the teen years, middle years and old age, and gives advice on things to have on hand for the unique needs of each time of life.
There are resource lists to find different products, and also recommended books to purchase to further your education on herbal medicine.
Pictures of the Parker family are scattered throughout, and it’s fun to see her healthy children doing various things.
I recommend this book, and personally plan on buying more of her books, myself. The link to this book is on the left. Click it to check or buy this wonderful book!
She told me that most likely my daughter’s problems were caused by allergies. She sold me several bottles of capsules, and I had my daughter begin taking them. Sure enough, the herbs caught the problem before it became worse, and my daughter did not have another reoccurrence of strep.
I continued using herbs for many years to treat my children. For a while, I sold Nature’s Sunshine Herbs myself. But life got busy, we moved several times, had several more children, and I let my education on herbal products go by the wayside.
We recently added three more children to our family by adoption from the foster care system. Two of these children have asthma, and one of them and her full sibling baby brother are prone to ear infections. Being sick more than my other children seem to be, my mind once more turned to herbal remedies. I kept hearing about the book Mommy Diagnostics by Shonda Parker, and I finally took the plunge and bought the book. I am so glad I did!
Within days of purchasing the book, my youngest child came down with a raging fever, and kept sticking his fingers in his ears. Since he is only 21 months, he couldn’t tell me what was wrong, but it was pretty obvious he had an ear infection. I got the book out, and first chance I had, which was almost 48 hours later, since he became sick on a weekend, I made a trip to the local health food store. They have a wonderful line of children’s herbal remedies in gummies and tinctures. I had a list in hand that I had made from the recommendations in the book, and I bought what I needed.
Within 24 hours of giving him the products, he had turned the corner, his fever was gone and his ear seemed much better. Another 24 hours, and he seemed almost well.
This book is not a ‘no doctor at all’ type book. Mrs. Parker tells you what can be treated at home and how, and when to seek medical help. She includes forms to help you evaluate and form a plan for your family’s health. She gives instructions for growing and harvesting herbs, how to make simple herbal remedies at home, and what to purchase for your medicine cabinet.
There are many pages of different ailments and what you can use for each one. She covers babyhood, the teen years, middle years and old age, and gives advice on things to have on hand for the unique needs of each time of life.
There are resource lists to find different products, and also recommended books to purchase to further your education on herbal medicine.
Pictures of the Parker family are scattered throughout, and it’s fun to see her healthy children doing various things.
I recommend this book, and personally plan on buying more of her books, myself. The link to this book is on the left. Click it to check or buy this wonderful book!
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