Osh Kosh Coupon- - Through March 3rd

Osh Kosh

Way too Funny for Words

Norwegian Ski Team dances to Michael Jackson’s Beat It

Thursday's Houshold Tip- Set your Calendar for These Bargains

If you want to get the best deals, know when to shop. The best times to purchase items are when they are off-season.

Air conditioners- February, July, August
Appliances- January
Art supplies- January, February
Bathing suits- after July 4th, August
Batteries and mufflers- September
Bedding- February, August
Bicycles- January, February, September, October, November
Blankets- January, May, November, December
Books- January
Building materials, lumber- June
Camping equipment- August
Carriages, strollers- January, August
Cars (new) - August, September
Cars (used) - February, November, December
Car-seat covers- February, November
Children’s clothing- July, September, November, December
China- January, February, September, October
Christmas gifts- Anytime but Christmas
Clothes dryers- January- April
Clothing (spring) - End of June
Clothing (summer) - End of August
Clothing (fall) - End of November
Clothing (winter) - End of February
Coats (women’s, children’s) - April, August, November, December
Coats (men’s) - January, August
Coats (winter) - February
Costume jewelry- January
Curtains- February
Dishes- January, February, September
Drapes & curtains- February, August
Dresses- January, April, June, November
Fabric- June, September, November
Fans- August
Fishing equipment- October
Frozen foods- June
Fuel oil- July
Furniture- January, February, June, August, September
Gardening equipment- August, September
Glassware- January, February, September, October
Handbags- January, May, July
Hardware- August, September
House wares- January, February, August, September
In-line skates- January
Infant’s wear- January, March, April, July
Lamps- February, August, September
Luggage- March
Men’s clothing- August, December
Party items- December
Refrigerators/freezers- January, July
Resort/cruise wear- January, February
School clothes- August, October
School supplies- August, October
Sportswear- January, February, May, July
Storm windows- January- March
Summer clothes and fabrics- June, July
Televisions- May, June
Tires- January, July
Tools, yard equipment- May, June
Towels- January, May, August
Toys- January, February
Washers and dryers- March



If you have a tip and would love to share it, please add it below.

Wordless Wednesday- 2005 4th of July

My gorgeous husband

Post-Its

If you are interested in making your own Post-It Notes, please click HERE.

February Pantry Challenge- Week 4 (Final Week)

This is the final week for the pantry challenge. Yea!! I haven’t done very well with my menu execution, but the planning hasn’t been hard.

Here was the menu plan for last week.

Dinner Menu- WEEK 3:
Monday- Brian- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Venison Sausage leftovers;
Me- Pork. I might cut some of it up for Sam’s dinner on Tuesday night.
Tuesday- Black bean soup
Wednesday- Black bean soup
Thursday- Plum Tomatoes and Artichokes with Penne
Friday- Plum Tomatoes and Artichokes with Penne
Saturday - Chicken Wings
Sunday- Not sure (I need to check the freezer)

Here is what actually occurred.

Altered Dinner Menu- WEEK 3:
Monday- Brian- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Venison Sausage leftovers;
Me- Pork.
Tuesday- Pork
Wednesday- Cereal (I didn’t have a lot of time after I put Sam to bed to eat)
Thursday- Shredded chicken sandwich with veggies
Friday- Shredded chicken sandwich with veggies
Saturday - Chicken Wings
Sunday- Pork Chops

That’s not too far off. I’m actually pretty proud of myself for staying on menu (kinda). Here is my plan for this week.

Monday- Fish and veggies
Tuesday- Plum Tomatoes and Artichokes with Penne
Wednesday- Plum Tomatoes and Artichokes with Penne (if there is enough leftover)
Thursday- Shredded chicken tacos
Friday- Black Bean Soup
Saturday - Black Bean Soup
Sunday- Pizza

That will take us through the end of February. I still have a ton of things in our chest freezer in our basement. I’m going to continue to use those items before heading to the grocery store to buy more.

As for going to the store during the month, I have gone more than the 3 times that I was hoping. 95% of my purchases have been veggies and fruits for Sam that he is going through faster than I have expected. I bought pork for Sam (and us- buy 1 get one free) since he needs to add different types of food to his diet and we didn’t have any in the house. I also ended up purchasing breakfast bars, since I don’t have time to make eggs in the morning. I’m going to see about finding a breakfast quiche recipe that will last me for breakfast this week.

Wish me luck!!!

Benign Keratosis Update

Here is a new picture from today of my healing Benign Keratosis. It's looking better.

Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons- Through 02/24/10

Carter's




Osh Kosh

Benign Keratosis Update

Here is what it looked like when I got home from work yesterday when the cryosurgery occured.


Here is the Keratosis this morning (before Sam's accidently sliced it open). Ouch!!!


I put some petroleum jelly on it and a Band-Aid all day. Here is what it looks like now.


I need to keep it clean and covered and it should heal without much of a mark, if any.

Too Late or Early for a Sippy Cup???

I have read articles that say that “babies began to actually drink liquids from a sippy cup around 9 months of age.” Then the next article says “the sippy cup should be introduced at six months of age in preparation for weaning from the bottle or breast at 12 months.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that you should "teach your child to drink from a cup as soon as possible, usually by 1 year of age. Drinking from a cup does not cause the liquid to collect around the teeth, and a cup cannot be taken to bed. If you are concerned that a cup may be messier than a bottle, especially when you are away from home, use one that has a snap-on lid with a straw or a special valve to prevent spilling."

Sam is now 10.5 months old and we have yet to successfully offer him a sippy cup. I purchased three Thinkbaby Trainer Cups on sale (I heard that they were good), but Sam liked his bottles when he wasn’t drinking from me.

I’m not ready for Sam to wean, but I think that he needs to start to move away from a bottle when he is drinking other liquids (formula and water). He is a lot stronger now and can hold a 9 oz bottle and feed himself, no problem. This may now be the time to move to a sippy cup.

I have also heard that not every child does well with a certain cup, so it may take purchasing different cups to see what fits him best. That could cost a whole lot of money, so I put a question to a mom’s group that I belong:

What types of sippy cups worked best for your child?

So far I have received 4 responses with 4 different products.
• Take N Toss cup with a straw
• Playtex brand cups
• Born Free Trainer Cup
• Gerber sippy cups

I expect to get as many different cup brands as I do responses. I would love to have a Sippy Cup Lending Program where people would lend me some to experiment with first, so as to save money.

I might have to go to garage sales and buy some (of course sterilize them first) and try them on Sam.

Wish me luck.

Thursday's Houshold Tip- Floor Cleaner Tips

Ingredients
1 gallon hot water
2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
15 drops orange essential oil
10 drops lemon essential oil or 1/4 cup lemon juice


Instructions
Blend all ingredients in mop bucket. Mop floor as usual.
No need to rinse!

Orthostatic Hypotension/Vasovagal Episode and Benign Keratosis

What do these things have to do with me? I have each of them. First off, none of them are fatal (if you were concerned).

Let’s start with the first one- Orthostatic Hypotension/Vasovagal Episodes

On Monday night, I had my 3rd “episode” where, after waking up and heading into Sam’s room to comfort his crying, I felt dizzy, light-headed; I had a weird headache, muffled hearing and felt weak.

The first 2 didn’t worry me too much, but with the 3rd, I thought that I should go see my primary care physician. Thank goodness Dr. Bradley was able to see me yesterday afternoon or I would be a wreck until I was able to get in.

She asked me about the “episodes” and checked my heart, eyes and ears. She also had me put my feet together and close my eyes. I was a little wobbly, but I was able to stay upright.

Her diagnosis was Orthostatic Hypotension/Vasovagal Episodes. According to Wikipedia and WebMD, my episodes were:
"primarily caused by gravity-induced blood pooling in the lower extremities, which in turn compromises venous return, resulting in decreased cardiac output and subsequent lowering of arterial pressure. It can also be noted that there is a decreased systolic (contracting) blood pressure and a decreased diastolic (resting) blood pressure. The overall effect is an insufficient blood perfusion in the upper part of the body."

Or, in layman’s terms, when I would jump up to take care of Sam, my blood pressure fell and it caused all of my symptoms. As long as it doesn't happen frequently, I'm perfectly fine.

Secondly, Benign Keratosis.

I have been noticing that my freckle under my right eye was looking different than it had been years ago. Since my father had 3 bouts of basal cell skin cancer, I thought that I should have it checked out.


I have never had a full body check of my skin by a dermatologist, so I made an appointment with Dr. Karen Johnson at Rose Medical Center and crossed my fingers. I was able to get an appointment 9 days later. If I couldn’t make that appointment, it would have been March before I could get in.

Meeting someone for the time when you are in your undies, bra and a gown leaves you feeling a little exposed, but how else would she be able to take a look at my skin.

Her initial test was to take a look at the skin below my neck to check it out for any issues. She then looked over my face neck and hairline to make sure that nothing was hiding. She said that everything looked good. Then she took a look at the spot that I was most concerned about. She had this cute little lighted magnifying glass to get in there close. What a really cool little tool.

Her diagnosis was Benign Keratosis. It is the most common skin lesion. It tends to be most common on sun-exposed areas in older patients (over age 40- I’m 37). They have no malignant potential. Most people will develop at least one during their lifetime.

They treated the area with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery), which is not a very comfortable feeling. The can looked like a high tech hairspray can and felt like getting a tattoo. I will have a pink circle surrounding my lesion until it blisters and pops (nice mental picture, right??) I guess I need to buy some more moisturizer with SPF 15.

I tried to take a picture with my phone and send it to my Facebook page, but I don’t have a browser. I’ll take a digital picture tonight and post it tomorrow.

Wordless Wednesday- Not Today!!

I know that I normally participate in "Wordless Wednesday," but not this week. I have a post that I'm working on that will be forthcoming.

First Central Incisor

No this is not a train route through Denver. It’s what has started to poke through Sam’s upper gums, his first top tooth. I noticed it starting to come through on Saturday, but it didn’t seem to bother him.

But (Help Us) it totally bothered him last night. He was not interested in sleeping at all until he practically fell asleep mid cry. I was so worried that he would wake up multiple times screaming, but he slept until he wet through his diaper, around 2am. By 4am, he was up for the day — Lucky me!!!

Since he wasn’t very upset this weekend I was hoping that he would not have problems with this tooth so I wasn’t prepared with remedies (cold teether and a semi-frozen wash cloth). I will make sure that they are always on hand now.

Here are some tips that I found to keep in mind when Sam is teething:
• Wipe your baby's face often with a cloth to remove the drool and prevent rashes from developing.
• Give your baby something to chew on. Make sure it's big enough so that it can't be swallowed and that it can't break into small pieces. A wet washcloth placed in the freezer for 30 minutes makes a handy teething aid — just be sure to wash it after each use. Rubber teething rings are also good, but avoid ones with liquid inside because they may break or leak. If you use a teething ring, be sure to take it out of the freezer before it becomes rock hard — you don't want to bruise those already swollen gums!
• Cold food has also been found to be helpful by some parents. Chilled applesauce, yogurt and pureed peaches may be more appealing to your baby and also more nutritious than a chilled teething ring.
• Rub your baby's gums with a clean finger.
• If your baby seems irritable, acetaminophen may help — but always consult your doctor first. Never place an aspirin against the tooth, and don't rub alcohol on your baby's gums.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), after your child's first tooth appears, but no later than the first birthday, begin regular dental check-ups for “smile” insurance.

I better start doing research on a pediatric dentist in my area.

Pantry Challenge- Week 3

Here was the menu that I was planning on doing last week. Here was the plan.

Altered Dinner Menu- WEEK 2:
Monday- Chicken and mashed potatoes
Tuesday- Chicken pasta
Wednesday- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Venison Sausage
Thursday- Ham (Sam needs to try it)
Friday- Ham leftovers
Saturday - V-Day Dinner out with Brian and Sam
Sunday- Not sure (maybe pizza again)

Here is what actually occurred.

Altered Dinner Menu- WEEK 2:
Monday- Chicken and mashed potatoes
Tuesday- Chicken pasta
Wednesday- Ham Sandwich
Thursday- Ham Sandwich
Friday- Cereal
Saturday Lunch- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Venison Sausage (I didn’t like it, but Brian did)
Saturday - V-Day Dinner out with Brian and Sam (we went to Old Chicago).
Sunday- V-Day Dinner leftovers

That’s not too far off. I’m actually pretty proud of myself for staying on menu (for the most part). Here is my plan for this week.

Dinner Menu- WEEK 3:
Monday- Brian- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Venison Sausage leftovers;
Me- Pork. I might cut some of it up for Sam’s dinner on Tuesday night.
Tuesday- Black bean soup
Wednesday- Black bean soup
Thursday- Plum Tomatoes and Artichokes with Penne
Friday- Plum Tomatoes and Artichokes with Penne (if there is enough leftover)
Saturday - Chicken Wings
Sunday- Not sure (I need to check the freezer)

Wish me luck!!!

The Olympics Start Tonight

If you haven't heard (unless you are on another planet), the 2010 Winter Olympics start tonight with the Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver. I'm so excited. I set up my DVR to tape everything that NBC is putting out there (unless it conflicts with my previously set up recordings). I'm not the super crazy person that will be taping everything on every channel, just NBC. I may end up checking out MSNBC for any extra coverage, but I'm not going to become fully obsessed.

Sam will not be able to really appreciate the athleticism of these competitors for a few more years. Once he can, we might simulate some of the events on solid ground (meaning not on ice and snow), maybe in the living room or his bedroom.

My favorite events are figure skating, bobsledding, ski jumping, snowboarding and curling.

What is your favorite Winter Games event?

Thursday's Houshold Tip- Big Bad Excuses for Clutter Cop-Out

Big Bad Excuses for Clutter Cop-Out from The Family Manager’s Everyday Survival

• Everyone has one, so I must need one, too. Or the opposite: it’s unique, so I’ve got to have (or keep) it.
• It may come in handy someday.
• I’ll keep it until I find someone to give it to.
• I don’t have time to sort through my stuff.
• If I get rid of things, I’m throwing money away.
• I don’t know where to start.

Points to Ponder
• Buy things because they are useful, not because a Madison Avenue ad exec says they’ll make you prettier, smarter, in the know, or in the flow.
• Refuse to be propagandized by the purveyors of modern gadgetry.
• Look with a healthy skepticism at all “buy now, pay later” schemes.
• Develop a habit of giving things away.
• Learn to enjoy things without owning them.

Wordless Wednesday- My Little Angel

My little Boo Hoo!!



30 seconds later he was laughing like crazy.

Pantry Challenge- Week 2a

I already have to adjust my menu for this week. I didn't know that I have 3 full split breasts in the fridge, so the chicken will last a while.

Altered Dinner Menu- WEEK 2:
Monday- Chicken and mashed potatoes
Tuesday- Chicken pasta
Wednesday- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Venison Sausage
Thursday- Ham (Sam needs to try it)
Friday- Ham leftovers
Saturday - V-Day Dinner out with Brian and Sam (early dinner since Sam’s bedtime is 7pm).
Sunday- Not sure (maybe pizza again)

I will make the Pasta with cooked eggplant tonight and take for lunches tomorrow and Thursday.

Since the shredded chicken is still frozen from last week, nothing will be wasted. I can still make the following dishes next week.

• Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches
• Shredded chicken tacos

Pantry Challenge- 2nd Grocery Store Trip

Here is the breakdown my shopping trip to Sam's Club on Saturday.
7 items for a Total of $43.68

Not Included
Fish Oil Pills- $9.98
Fiber Pills- $9.84
Total (with tax)- $21.43

For Sam's Food
Gala Apples (14)- $5.98
Kiwi (10)- $4.77
Avocado (5)- $3.88
Total- $14.63


The Challenge
1 Gallon 2% Milk- $1.98
2 loaves of wheat bread- $3.64
Total- $5.62

If we include Sam’s food with the challenge, the total is $20.25 and that leaves $59.34 left in the Pantry Challenge Budget.

I won't have to go to the store again this week, maybe even next week.

My 200th Posting on this Blog

I wish that I had something more profound to say on such an occasion, but I don’t so here goes.

At the beginning of February, The Wilson Family decided to take the “Pantry Challenge.” Since February started on a Monday, I will be listing our weeks from Monday- Sunday.

Here is what I was hoping to have for dinners this past week:
Monday- Lasagna and bread
Tuesday- Turkey tenderloin and canned corn
Wednesday- Leftover turkey tenderloin with another canned vegetable
Thursday- Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches (using the crock pot) with rice
Friday- Chicken thighs and artichoke hearts in Italian dressing
Saturday Dinner- Pasta
Sunday- Frozen pizza

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday’s dinners came out just as I had hoped.

Tuesday morning I put a frozen whole chicken in the crock pot (along with spices and a quartered onion) and was hoping to have at least 2 dinners out of that. When I got home, turned off the crock pot and started removing the meat from the bones, the entire chicken fell apart. It was cooked so long that it was not able to hold its shape. That doesn’t mean that it tasted bad; it was wonderful

The meat falling apart was great for the BBQ sandwiches, but there was no way that we were going to have the chicken thighs and artichoke hearts in Italian dressing in the presentation that I was hoping. That’s not a BAD thing, but it wasn’t like I wanted it to be.

Before having Sam, I had time to cook and took some pride in what was put on our table for dinner. Since Sam’s arrival, my time has been cut severely to prepare meals. Saying that, here is what I had for dinner on Thursday and Friday; cereal. Brian ate the chicken on Thursday, but had cereal as well on Friday. Saturday, we both had brinner (pancakes) and Sunday was pizza.

Looking at this, it looks like to don’t eat very well rounded meals. I’d have to agree. This week, I’m going to do my best to make sure that we do eat better organized meals.

Here is what I’m hoping to have for dinners this week- WEEK 2:
Monday- Chicken and mashed potatoes
Tuesday- Pasta with cooked eggplant
Wednesday- Rigatoni with Cheese and Italian Sausage
Thursday- Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches (that we didn’t have last week)
Friday- Shredded chicken tacos
Saturday Dinner- V-Day Dinner out with Brian and Sam (early dinner since Sam’s bedtime is 7pm.
Sunday- Not sure (maybe pizza again)

There should be enough each night for me to take the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Next Monday I will post our results from this week. Wish me luck!!!

Weekend Wrap Up

Here is my "To Do" that I went into the weekend with.

• Vacuum the entire house
• Plan dinners for next week (Pantry Challenge- Week 2)
• Start thawing dinners for next week
• Sam’s Swim Class
• Watch Super Bowl just for the commercials
• Go to Sam’s Club for vitamins
• Start researching hotels & activities for our Philly/DC vacation in June/July (never too early to start)
• Cook meat/fruits/veggies for Sam’s lunches and dinners for the month
• Go to the grocery store (maybe)
• Clean all of Sam’s toys
• Denver Art Museum (free) or Museum of Contemporary Art ($0.01)- probably won't go
• Hunt down overdue library books before I have to pay for them
• Go to the gym or go running outside (maybe I could take Sam in our jogging stroller)
• Watch “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” before it is due back to the library
• Laundry
• Hang up Sam’s clothes

That's a pretty lofty list for me. Here is what I was able to accomplish:

• Vacuum the entire upstairs—That’s a good start for me.
• Start thawing dinners for next week (some have been determined and started to thaw)
• Sam’s Swim Class
• Watch Super Bowl just for the commercials- I finished up the rest this morning.
• Go to Sam’s Club for vitamins (and fruits for Sam- apples, kiwi, bananas, and avocados). I didn’t need to go to the grocery store since I was able to get the fruits at Sam’s Club.
• Cook fruits/veggies for Sam’s lunches and dinners for the month- white potatoes, eggplant, and apples (no need to cook the kiwi, bananas, and avocados) I should have taken pictures of all of the cooking, cutting, packaging and freezing that I did, but I will next time.
• Watch “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”
• Laundry

We were able to watch “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” on Saturday after Sam’s swim class. It was okay, but I want to record it so that Sam has another animation video in his collection (or should I say “my” collection). Hee hee!!

I wasn’t too excited about the actual Super Bowl, since none of my teams were in it this year, so I was most excited about the commercials. They weren’t as good as in past years, but I did like the Snicker’s commercial with Betty White and the “Gym Ninja” Doritos commercial. Very Funny!!!

There are a few more things that I have to do this week that can’t be put off until the weekend.
• Cook meat for Sam’s lunches/dinners (tonight and tomorrow night)
• Clean some of Sam’s toys (tonight and every night until they are all sanitized)
• Hunt down overdue library books (tonight and every night until they are found)

Brian's work schedule is changing starting today, so I really hope that he is able to get home in the evenings before Sam goes to sleep.

Busy, But Not Fun, Weekend

I wish that I could say that I have a lot of interesting and exciting things going on this weekend, but unfortunately, I don't.

My weekend is going to be full of cleaning (one thing or another), something to do with food (cooking, thawing, grocery shopping), and researching.

Here is my fun, exciting list.

• Vacuum the entire house
• Plan dinners for next week (Pantry Challenge- Week 2)
• Start thawing dinners for next week
• Sam’s Swim Class
• Watch Super Bowl just for the commercials
• Go to Sam’s Club for vitamins
• Start researching hotels & activities for our Philly/DC vacation in June/July (never too early to start)
• Cook meat/fruits/veggies for Sam’s lunches and dinners for the month
• Go to the grocery store (maybe)
• Clean all of Sam’s toys
• Denver Art Museum (free) or Museum of Contemporary Art ($0.01)- probably won't go
• Hunt down overdue library books before I have to pay for them
• Go to the gym or go running outside (maybe I could take Sam in our jogging stroller)
• Watch “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” before it is due back to the library
• Laundry
• Hang up Sam’s clothes

I hope that everyone else has a better weekend than I do.

Free Photo Session and High-Res CD Winner!!

First, I would like to thank the people that entered this contest. It received 72 entries.

Using Random.org, of the 72 entires in my contest, the winner of the Free Photo Session and High-Res CD is #22. If my counting is correct, the winner is:

cutiefrmbk on January 22, 2010 1:00 PM said...
I am following on facebook!
cutiefrmbk@aol.com

Congratulations Jennifer! You have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail.

For those that were not winners, Kelsey Bigelow, is doing a day of mini-sessions and donating all the session fees to an organization that can help rebuild Haiti. A friend of hers suggested they get other photographers involved as well. Photographers for Haiti was born.

They now have over 110 photographers involved across America and in Canada, Japan and England. hey are supporting 4 organizations, ThirstRelief, Compassion International, Danita's Children and UMCOR. They have sponsors ranging from print companies to graphic designers.


Mini-Session Information
Date: February 13, 2010
Location: Niwot, Colorado
Times: Session times start at 10 and end at 4:30. They are scheduled every half hour.
Session fee: $30 - 20 minutes shooting time and 10-15 images
Charity of Choice: ThirstRelief

To book your session, email bookings@kelseybigelowphotography.com or call her at 720-308-9662.

Please contact Kelsey to get some great photos at a discounted rate and support a good cause.

Please let her know that Angie Wilson referred you to her.

Photo Session Giveaway ends Tonight!!!!

As of this posting, there have been 71 entries in this contest. I’d love to see more. I just love my photographer.

Please click HERE to go to the post with the giveaway instructions and enter TODAY.

Giveaway ends Thursday, February 4th at 11:59pm.

Osh Kosh & Carter's Coupons- Through 02/10/10

Carter's




Osh Kosh

Thursday's Houshold Tip- Freezing Food

Taken from the USDA.gov website

Because freezing keeps food safe almost indefinitely, recommended storage times are for quality only. Refer to the freezer storage chart below which lists optimum freezing times for best quality.

If a food is not listed on the chart below, you may determine its quality after defrosting. First check the odor. Some foods will develop a rancid or off odor when frozen too long and should be discarded. Some may not look picture perfect or be of high enough quality to serve alone but may be edible; use them to make soups or stews. Cook raw food and if you like the taste and texture, use it.

Freezer Storage Chart (0 °F)
Note: Freezer storage is for quality only. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely.

Item and Freezer Storage Time (for best quality)
Bacon and Sausage, 1 to 2 Months
Casseroles, 2 to 3 Months
Egg whites or egg substitutes, 12 Months
Frozen Dinners and Entrees, 3 to 4 Months
Gravy, meat or poultry, 2 to 3 Months
Ham, Hotdogs and Lunchmeats, 1 to 2 Months
Meat, uncooked roasts, 4 to 12 Months
Meat, uncooked steaks or chops, 4 to 12 Months
Meat, uncooked ground, 3 to 4 Months
Meat, cooked, 2 to 3 Months
Poultry, uncooked whole, 12 Months
Poultry, uncooked parts, 9 Months
Poultry, uncooked giblets, 3 to 4 Months
Poultry, cooked, 4 Months
Soups and Stews, 2 to 3 Months
Wild game, uncooked, 8 to 12 Months

My Next "101 Things in 1,001 Days" Project

I was reviewing the books listed in Peter Boxall’s book 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. I thought that I would have read more of them than I had.

Of the 1,001 Book, here are the 42 that I have read.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard
The Cider House Rules by John Irving
Contact by Carl Sagan
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The Shining by Stephen King
Interview With the Vampire by Anne Rice
Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow
Fear of Flying by Erica Jong
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Native Son by Richard Wright
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Trial by Franz Kafka
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life Among the Lonely Harriet Beecher Stowe
Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos

That leaves a lot left to read. During my next "101 Things in 1,001 Days" Project (which I won’t be able to start until after September 2011), I’m going to add 20 of these books to my list.

Here are some that I’m most interested in reading.
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje
The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi
Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
The Godfather by Mario Puzo
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carré
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
The Last Temptation of Christ by Nikos Kazantzákis
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett
The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Ulysses by James Joyce
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham

I don't think that I'm going to run out of books to read anytime soon.

* If you are interested in the list electronically, please let me know. I can e-mail it to you.

Wordless Wednesday- 2002 Vacation in the Tetons

February Pantry Challenge- Day 2- Part II

Here is our planned meals for the week. If you missed it, here was the breakdown:

Monday- Lasagna and bread
Tuesday- Turkey tenderloin and canned corn
(The turkey tenderloin is so big that once if bake it all, I should be able to stick half of it back in thee freezer for later in the month.)
Wednesday- Leftover turkey tenderloin with another canned vegetable
Thursday- Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches (using the crock pot) with rice
Friday- Chicken thighs (and legs) with artichoke hearts in italian dressing-- CHANGED
Saturday Dinner- Pasta
Sunday- Frozen pizza

It's only Tuesday and I already have to make changes to this list. Brian was able to eat the lasagna last night, but since I was doing stuff with Sam, I ate 2 hard boiled eggs (the whites only) and an apple for dinner. I should have brought it for lunch today, but I will eat it tonight, so I will be one day behind Brian for part of this week. I know that Brian does not like to bring meat leftovers to work for lunch, so it won’t take me long to catch up.

I’m going to start the tenderloin right when I get home tonight and it should be done when I put Sam to bed and when Brian gets home. We will still have that as leftovers tomorrow.

I’m going to add an onion and a few spices (Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, a few garlic cloves) to the chicken tonight to save time. I’ll turn on the crock pot with the chicken tomorrow morning. It should be done when I get home. After Sam goes to bed, I’ll shred some of it and add the BBQ sauce for dinner on Thursday and lunch on Friday.

Knowing our family, I may have more changes to this tomorrow.

February Pantry Challenge- Day 2

It's only February 2nd, but I was forced to take our first trip to the grocery store. Sam is almost out of food.

If you haven't read the comments that were listed under the intial post, I made a few stipulations to this challenge.

1. This challenge does not include prescription medications that we purchase at the grocery store.
2. This challenge will not include my son's food. I make all of his food from scratch and that can be expensive (fresh frutis & veggies). I will still keep a counter on what we spend on him, but it will not be part of the $100 maximum spending limit.

Of course, if after combining Sam's food with the household food, it comes out to under $100, that's good, too.

The total bill for my shopping trip this morning was $10.41 for 6 items. Here is the breakdown.

For Sam's Food
Gala Apples- $1.38
Bananas- $0.87
Anjou Pears- $1.51
Carrots- $1.29
Total- $5.05

Except for the bananas, each will be steamed and packaged.

The Challenge
Potatoes- $3.49
18 Eggs- $1.92
Total- $5.41

I know that the combined total adds up to $10.46, but we received a $0.05 deduction for bringing in my own bag.

Left in our Pantry Challenge Budget- $89.59. I won't have to go to the store again this week.

Only 3 Days Left- Free Photo Session Giveaway

My Photographer, Kelsey Bigelow, has graciously offered one lucky Wilson Family Adventure reader a chance to win a free photo session for a CO resident!

This giveaway ends at 11:59pm on Thursday, so please visit my blog post and enter today.

There are at least 9 ways to enter this contest and currently, only I have only received 61 entries.

Enter TODAY!!

UPDATE: Top 50 Things We Must Do With Our Kids In Denver Before They Grow Up

I was assuming that we were going to be able to cross of another item on the "Top 50 Things We Must Do With Our Kids In Denver Before They Grow Up" list, but it guess it wasn't in the cards.

Traffic was terrible heading up to Breckenridge. We thought that it was just ski traffic, but once we got into town, we realized that there were a lot of people heading to the International Snow Sculpture Competition. We drove around for about 20 minutes, and after still not finding a parking spot (even in the pay lots), we ended up turing around and going home.

I'm going to make sure that I ask off of work on a weekday next year. If anyone has pictures of the competitor's entries, please forward a link to me as a comment. Thanks.

February Pantry Challenge

If you are unsure about what the Pantry Challenge is, please click HERE to find out where I got the idea.

After speaking with my husband in depth more about the Pantry Challenge, we have decided to start it this month. Actually for us it is more a “Freezer Challenge.” I did not take stock of everything in our freezers, but I think that we might have enough to squeak by (especially since February is such a short month).

Based on the original “Pantry Challenge,” we have altered the original goals to fit our family.

So here are our family’s goals for the “Eat From The Pantry Challenge”:

1) Stop at the store a maximum of three times in February.
2) Only buy dairy (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.), produce (fruits/vegetables), and breads (we eat too many sandwiches to not have fresh bread).
3) Spend a total of $100 or less on groceries during the month of February.
4) Donate the extra $85 leftover (or more) that we would usually spend on groceries to Sam’s college fund.

We may have to suspend this challenge on February 13 if we decide to go out to dinner for Valentine’s Day, but I will post about our progress then.

In thinking about this, the only things that we will have problems not buying are breakfast. Brian eats cereal every morning and I usually eat breakfast bars. [Right after we determined that we were going to do this challenge, Brian went to the grocery store yesterday (January 31st) and purchased several boxes of cereal. He made it under the wire.]

Breakfasts will be the toughest for me since I’m going to do everything that I can to not buy any breakfast bars. I know that we have waffles in the freezer and we have a couple of eggs in the house that I can cook up the night before and pack for breakfast the next morning.

To get ready for the challenge, last night I pulled some stuff out of our freezer for the week; an entire chicken, 2 servings of lasagna (my grandmother’s recipe- yum!!), and a large turkey tenderloin.

Here is what I’m hoping to have for dinners this week:
Monday- Lasagna and bread
Tuesday- Turkey tenderloin and canned corn
(The turkey tenderloin is so big that once if bake it all, I should be able to stick half of it back in thee freezer for later in the month.)
Wednesday- Leftover turkey tenderloin with another canned vegetable
Thursday- Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches (using the crock pot) with rice
Friday- Chicken thighs and artichoke hearts in italian dressing
Saturday Dinner- Pasta
Sunday- Frozen pizza

Brian and I will try to eat as much leftovers for lunches so that nothing is wasted.

I hope that the lasagna is thawed for tonight’s dinner or Brian and I get to each some of the cereal that he purchased.

Wish Us Luck!!!