No roots

Josie found a leaf outside the other day. It looked like a leaf from an ivy plant. She decided she wanted to grow it.
She proceeded to put the plant in an empty yogurt container, with some water. Then she decided to put it in a cooler. With soap. Then back to the yogurt container. And then changing the water every. two. minutes!
This meant coming in and out, in and out, thru the house, dripping water everywhere.
Being the patient mother I am (ha!) I just politely asked that she not come back in with her leaf.
She asked if she could put the container up on the kitchen counter, out of reach from her little brothers.

Now, you and I both know that leaf isn't planting roots any more than if I put a rock in there.
But, she was really IN to that leaf. And, kids do these kind of things.

That yogurt container sat on our kitchen counter for days. I worked around it. I left it right where she put it. That little leaf was just floating in there, happy as a little leaf could be.

Finally, I wanted to move it and picked it up, and looked at the little leaf and found out it was FAKE!! It was a leaf off my plastic plant I have out on the front porch!!

Poor Josie. I had to tell her it was fake and it was never going to grow. I expected tears and frankly for her to argue that it WAS real and it WOULD grow.
That's what Josie does. She will argue the sky is purple until you finally agree the sky is a lovely shade of purple.

She laughed and got a good kick out of her silliness. Actually, we both did.

Real helpful

Our local news programs have "budget tips" for grocery shopping. Here is a few examples:

Buy store brand instead of name brands.
Buy large packages of things then seperate into portion sizes.
Use coupons.
Plan ahead before you go to the store.

Well no duh, dumbo!!
Those are things any college student can suggest.

I would like some real help with "budget tips". Can someone please plan out a weeks worth of meals with the following criteria:
1: cheap
2: healthy, somewhat
3: easy to fix
4: oh, by the way my family doesn't like: chicken, rice, pasta or casseroles of any kind. My husband DOES like meat (as in beef) and fried stuff.
5: did I mention cheap?

I am just finding it harder and harder to stretch our budget any further and feed everyone. We have been eating many hotdogs/hamburgers from the bbq. And grilled meat with veggies. And lots of taco salads.

I am also finding it more difficult to eat healthy while on our tight financial constraints. Healthy food is more expensive. Why? I bet more people would eat it if it was the same price as the other things. Like fat free hotdogs. They cost about 2x the price as regular ones. And bread. Whole wheat is more expensive than the white, cheap stuff.

I know money is tight for everyone right now and prices have gone up so much on EVERYTHING. I used to be so proud of what I spent on food for my family: less than $75 a week! For a family of 6! That's pretty impressive, no? Now, I haven't walked out of the store spending less than $85 in a very long time. It's only a $15 difference but that's weekly.

I went shopping tonight and just was very frustrated with the whole process. Making a menu, making a list, going to the store, fighting the crowds, paying for the groceries, loading into the van, unloading into the house, putting everything away.

Only to have someone, certainly, say: "Are we having this? Again?"

I think there will be a special place in Heaven for grocery shopping mamas.

Only my children...

..would accidentally dial 911. While I am in. The. Bathroom.

Yes, I am serious.

I let my little kids play with my cell phone sometimes, it keeps them happy in the grocery store or busy for a minute while I get something done. Like going to the bathroom. But, I ALWAYS make sure it is key locked.
Yesterday, I was in the bathroom (have a mentioned I was in the bathroom?) and I could hear a little rough housing going on out in the living room but, heck, that's usual. Especially if (everyone now:) I'm in the bathroom. Well, Josie soon comes in and she's crying and has the cell phone up to her ear. She says "The lady wants to talk to you"
I say: Hello?
Lady: This is the 911 operator. It seems like your baby has called 911 and I need to make sure there is no emergency.
Me: Um. Who is this??
Lady: see previous statement made by Lady.
Me: I am so sorry! I don't know how that happened, it is key locked.
Lady: Ok. Maybe don't let the baby play with the phone.

I get off with her and I double check to make sure my phone was key locked and it WAS!!
I went online and found that even if a cell phone (at least mine) is key locked, all you have to do is hold down the dial button for at least 3 seconds and viola! You're talking to the 911 operator. While you're in the bathroom!