For the eighth week in a row I got together with Mrs. HB to do some grocery shopping and prepare some meals for the upcoming week. Those are the pictures you’ll see when you scroll through this post as well a few Mrs. HB sent that she took during the week.
So here we go…Week 8 in Mrs. HB’s own words:
What a week and they are going by so fast! It just seems like yesterday that I was writing you all. Well this week was, I what think was pretty normal. Starting out the week with a surplus from last week, I did do a few excursion things.
First as I mentioned on my last update, I took the HB kids out to lunch with friends that dropped me down 52 bucks but we all had a very nice time. I also went to Wilco and stocked up on a few items for the chickens. They are having a sale this month and thought it would be a good idea. That set me back 57 bucks. And as you know, Ms
Mavis has been raising some chicks for us during the week and we have been baby sitting on the weekends. But we thought all that transferring back and forth was getting a little ridiculous so we decided to keep them here. HB boy wanted to buy a big trough to house them… like the one that horses drink out of.
Ms Mavis has one and has allowed us to borrow before when raising chicks. So that’s what HB boy had in his mind that we had to have to house them in. I tried other ideas and nothing would do for his beloved chicks. You probably don’t know this but HB boy was the one that started us on our chicken journey.
He saved and saved until he could buy all the materials it would cost to build the coop and pen. Now it may not look like much, in fact we could call the the Hillbilly Inn, but we made it together and loved every minute of it.
Now those chickens are his babies. Soooo having said this, he wanted what he thought would be the best for them. So we went back to Wilco and split the cost of this trough, $40 each. A price I would gladly pay for this life experience with him. We are planning to upgrade and expanded over Spring break… more to follow!
I also spent $3.24 on Diet Cokes, $17 for HB girls haircut. She hasn’t had one in two years,thank goodness she finally got one! Another, and OOPS, $9.54 at Albertsons. I know I am not supposed to go back to the grocery store but the Hillbilly’s wanted lasagna. So I looked what I had and decided to make duck and sausage lasagna. I had everything but cottage cheese and sausage. We also bought one other thing but honestly I cant remember what it was.
Then there was one work lunch for a whopping $45 but it was for two. Mavis and I also used out gift cards to get free salads at Panera for lunch. So you be then judge… I didn’t go pleasure shopping and I only ate out twice. And, I am so surprised at how easy it has become NOT to go into THOSE stores. You know, TJ maxx, Marshall’s etc. And grocery’s? Quite surprising!
I thought this week at Costco it would be a huge expense because I didn’t go to Costco last week but not so bad and I spent $163 there plus $79 at Fred Meyer I even picked to two bottles, on sale, of CQ10.
I also am making more meals than I did last week, Jims beef stew, Lodge dutch oven chicken cacciatori, BBQ root beer pulled chicken, banana chocolate chip muffins and my beloved spinach quinoa salad. So all in all not bad I think.
Cooking … Well you all know I look my Moms, Moms cast iron skillet, I truly do and that my HB Hubby bought me a Lodge cast iron dutch oven for my B day. Well, I wish I had been introduced to this stuff earlier in my quest for cooking because I absolutely love it. First and foremost I love the clean up. Just lightly scrub with brush and tada, it’s clean. Soooo easy and it makes great brown stuff for sauces ect on bottom of pan without all the worry of messing up my skillet seasoning. Now if you don’t know what that is, I know you are not from the south. LOL. Seriously If you are looking….. this is what you are looking for. It is very heavy though!
Now to tackle my new challenge… healthy living… half full or half empty? I drank a lot more water! Ate a lot less rice, bread and pasta. But had just made that duck/sausage lasagna and had to have leftovers for about three days.
My HB Hubby took the family out for Sushi, which I LOVE! and of course there is rice, soo I didn’t do my best but better than I had I not been thinking about it. Exercise? I made the beginner’s mistake. HB boy and I went to the YMCA and I WAY over did it. I was so sore I could barely move for the next two days. I did walk/ run the stairs and did push ups, etc another day but honestly I exercised only two days. UGH!
As for the wine consumption? No problem. None for the week. I know you are all curious and I hate to drag it out any more so I got on the scale and to my surprise I had lost 2 and 3/4 pounds! I guess baby steps do matter. Looking forward to next week!
~Mrs. HB
From Mavis – Do you have any questions for Mrs. HB? I would love to do a question/answer session with her for next week’s post. If you have a question, please leave it in the comment section so I can include it. 🙂
Em says
Ms HB, you’re doing great! I love the chicken coop! It is much nicer than I could come up with! I wonder if HB boy could make and sell those for people. My neighbor was wanting a chicken coop just last week.
Mrs HB says
I do need to clarify . Jim the chicken man here were we live made the coop, HB boy bought that and we made the pen that surrounds it . Lol if we made the coop it wouldn’t look anything like that!
Tracy says
I stumbled on an amazing blog that has the best bird/chicken care information I’ve ever seen. It has a great search engine capability to address preventative care, what to do when various symptoms present themselves, coop facts and optimization, etc. The author, Terry Golson, really is a backyard chicken expert and speaks on the subject, has written books, etc.
http://www.hencam.com
Ellen in Clackamas says
I do have a question for Mrs. HB–also regarding the chicken coop. I see they used chicken wire on it and wondered if they had any trouble with predators getting in. Almost all of the chicken experts recommend using hardward cloth but it is so expensive. We only used chicken wire growing up and never had a problem but wondered if she had.
Mrs HB says
We had to reinforce the corners because a raccoon reached in and got one. But since then nothinging .
Linda says
I love the chicken coop!! It beautiful!!
Jessica says
I have loved following Mrs. HB’s journey!
What has been the most difficult part?
What has been the easiest part?
What has been the most surprising part?
I would love to hear what her family has to say about how this journey has been from their perspective too!
Mrs HB says
The most surprising is how easy it has been once I got through my own mental blocks of how hard it would be . The easiest is the cooking because I am doing it with Ms Mavis ….. later I don’t know how this will go .moat difficult time. Still with work and trying to fit it all in . I have found doing things on different days speaadjngbitnout works best . Deciding what to cook early in week , making list of what I done have starting grocery list and then do shopping w Mavis and cooking on same day . Maybe not all of it but having what I need to make other meals is a huge mental relief.
Janet Parks says
Mrs HB, how often were you eating out as a family compared to now?
Have you gone through your freezer and pantry?
I enjoy following your journey, we can all do better!
Mrs HB says
The most surprising is how easy it has been once I got through my own mental blocks of how hard it would be . The easiest is the cooking because I am doing it with Ms Mavis ….. later I don’t know how this will go. Still with work and trying to fit it all in. I have found doing things on different days works best. Deciding what to cook early in week, making list of what I done have starting grocery list and then do shopping w/ Mavis and cooking on same day. Maybe not all of it but having what I need to make other meals is a huge mental relief.
Melanie says
Good job, Mrs. HB! I’m so proud of you! Always remember that any journey is about progress, not perfection. 🙂 And trust me, I’ve been on a journey or two of my own…. LOL
Suzanne says
BBQ root beer pulled chicken sounds amazing. Any chance you’d be willing to share the recipe?
Dionna says
I was thinking the same thing!
Heidi says
Mrs. HB,
I have a question and it is not judgy in the least. I am so, so very curious. Do you have a lot of food waste? I have a large family, 4 boys and I am curious why your Costco trips are so high. Ugh that sounds judgy. I don’t know how to word it. I just think if I spent that at the grocery stores I would have a lot of food go bad. Or are you buying non food items? Like maybe clothes, books, socks?
I really love this series and I think you are doing a great job. I wish more people had the desire to learn and change in the area of money. Debt and consumption are really hurting Americans. You are way above the average as you have no credit card debt.
Mrs HB says
Before this I did have a lot more food waste . But now not so much if any. Plus we have chickens so they get to enjoy anything that may go too long in frig. I do buy my cleaning products , some medicine s, vitamins tolitries there as well . I haven’t bought any clothes except a pair for black leggings that I just couldn’t pass up. I am also trying not to go to Costco but every other week . It’s a process though always trying to do a little better each week . Thanks for the support !!!