Tired!

This is why I don't like working full days. I am really tired and don't want to do anything, especially cook dinner. Luckily I threw some chicken breasts in the crockpot and we had bbq chicken sandwiches with chips and carrot sticks. We didn't have to go out. If you don't regularly use a crockpot you should. It can cook amazing dinners really cheap with little effort!

I took Ashley (12) and Natalie (10) shopping with me to Sams, Michaels, and Dollar Tree. They kept asking me to buy them stuff until I told them they had to spend their own money. Then they didn't want the stuff as much. Ha Ha!

I need to go to bed soon. Evan is racing his car the the cub scouts grand prix tomorrow. He is getting a cold and I hope he doesn't get croup or bronchitis again. Kids with asthma and allergies are not cheap, but I will keep them anyway!

Going in half day

I am subbing half day today. It is for pre-K which is the age I like. Second grade was too talkative yesterday. I am hopefully only subbing for a few more times then the little baby will start coming. I love babies so that should be lots of fun and I will be able to stay home and at least keep the laundry moving and the meals started. The girls are looking forward to it too. They can't wait to hold him.

For dinner last night we had omlets before heading out to church. That is another way to keep the food budget down, breakfast for dinner. We will have omlets, french toast, or sometimes pancakes. We will usually serve it with fruit and sometimes some sausage if I find it on sale. Last week Kroger had 2 1/2 dozen eggs for $2.50 so that makes it a pretty cheap meal. I added cheese that we bought at Sams (we love cheese and Sams is the cheepest place to get it per pound that I have found) and a fresh pineapple that I got for $2.50. Cheap and everyone ate until their plates were clean.

Tonight we might go to Stevie B's pizza. The kids have a free buffet that the earned at school and we have to use them before the end of the month and not on the weekend. So tonight might be the night if we do not have too much homework.

Well, I have got to go and eat some lunch. The pre-k eats early and I am filling in after there lunchtime.

A few more days of subbing

I am going to sub at the school tomorrow and Friday.  I am not going to start to watch the baby until the middle of February and I have no real reason not to work except that I don't want to.  I like being at home and getting stuff done and being able to be there in the afternoon for the kiddos.  I hate being really tired from working or feeling like I have to do laundry and then fix dinner.  Oh well, only a few more days.  I do enjoy the teachers and staff at the school and most of the children.

Above is one of the soup meals I often make.  This is a chili soup with homemade bread.  It is really good on a cold day.

For dinner I fixed chicken and rice soup.  I had some chicken stock in the freezer from a chicken we had last week.  I added some carrots, onion, celery, garlic and some rice bought in bulk at Sams.  I also added two chopped up chicken breasts.  I made grilled cheese sandwiches to go with it.  I buy bread at the outlet for $1 a loaf and bulk buy sliced cheese from Sams.  It is a pretty cheap meal.  Plus there is plenty of leftover soup for Steven and I to eat for lunches.  This is one of the many ways that I make the budget stretch.

I love being a stay at home mom!

I love  being a stay at home mom!  I have four children that are all school age and have been expected to go back to work when they started school.  I worked as a special ed para in the schools for two years, but it was so hard.  If I put all of my energies into work, then I had nothing left for my kids.  I hated having to take off when someone was sick or had an appointment (which is often, we have kids with allergies and asthma).  I wanted to be more involved in the kids schools and know what was going on better than I did.  I never felt like anything was caught up and I never had time for myself.  So, when we moved to a new town I decided to not go back to work.  I have tried subbing in the schools, but it is very hard for me to go to work at a moments notice and I don't like telling other people's children to sit down and be quiet every two minutes.  I am keeping a new born baby three days a week to subliment our income and trying to bargain shop as much as possible.  I want to try to show everyone that you can stay at home if it is your heart's desire.