oscar follow up

Every year once the Oscar telecast is over, I say, "Self, you really must do something else worthwhile with your time."

Then 12 months later here I am blogging my predictions on a Sunday afternoon.

However, I've come to the conclusion that when I am choosing my potential winners in the various Oscar categories, if I write: "watch for ______ to possibly nab this" or "though it could be ______" and "______ would be my 2nd choice" - then whatever "blank" is, that is who I should be listing to take top prize.  Not the other film I've actually put in the winners seat.  Because if I'd done that last night I would have gotten 22 out of 24 categories correct.  Not 18.  18 is nothing to sneeze at, but last year it was 20 and I really hate to go backwards.

Costume/Production Design
The Costume Designers Guild awards in 3 categories: contemporary, period and fantasy film.  Usually the period film goes on to win the Academy award.  The CDG period film winner was 12 Years a Slave.  The Great Gatsby won the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) in both costume and production design.  It also had "period" costumes and Catherine Martin is a previous Oscar winner.  I should have known better.

Animated Short Film
I know nothing about these movies other than Get a Horse! was the short film before Frozen.  I picked it based on Frozen's popularity.

Live Action Short
Again, just randomly guessing here.  After reading some about the films I picked The Voorman Problem as it was the only one not in subtitles.  And people seem to not like films with subtitles.

Documentary Feature
I haven't seen any of these films.  The other Oscar blogs I read from people who get paid for it, split this up between The Act of Killing, The Square and 20 Feet from Stardom.  20 Feet from Stardom was my gut reaction.  Woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Foreign Language Film
The Great Beauty won the BAFTA and some other awards.  But I also read that people thought it was boring and had been done before.  Never listen to "people."  Go with the awards.  This was another gut reaction I should have stuck with.


Another trend I noticed last night in these particular categories were winners who had previously won or at least been nominated before, some of them quite a few times.  It's something to remember to check up on next year...

oscar predictions

It's that time of year again!  Oscar prediction time.  I usually do this on my other blog.  Yes, I have a second blog.  A Chick & Her Flicks doesn't get a whole lot of lovin' though as I have a hard time just keeping up with new nothings.

Since no one ever reads the other blog anyway, I decided to post my Oscar predictions here this year.

The top post over in "other blog land" has all my guesses from last year.  You can see what I picked, but I didn't do a follow up with what I missed.  I was put out, to say it mildly, that my Outguess Ebert registration didn't go through and that even though I outguessed him - with a perfect score - it didn't count.  Since Mr. Ebert sadly passed away in 2013, there is no contest this year.  After I initially won, but had to relinquish the prize due to our location in 2011, I had been hoping to possibly win again and this time being able to accept the grand prize.

Even though I didn't see many of last years nominees and waited till just before the ceremony to pick my winners, I still did well, 20 out of 24 correct.  As always, I am trying for that perfect score.  It's those darn documentary films and live action shorts, etc. that get me.  I don't watch them and I read a blog yesterday where a few academy voters had anonymously published their ballots and apparently neither do they.  One guy even said he fell asleep during one of the foreign language films.  So your guess, is as good as mine in those categories this year.

I'm pretty confident I am right on the money with a few of my choices, but if I wind up being wrong (it's happened many a time before) I'll be sure to report back this week with my reaction.

Please note that instead of typing out, as in previous years, who I think will win and why for every single category and listing all of the nominees... I've just typed up the category and my choice as winner.  It's Sunday afternoon and it's raining and I want to take a nap.

Best Picture
12 Years a Slave

Actor in a Leading Role
Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club

Actor in a Supporting Roll
Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club

Actress in a Leading Role
Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine

Actress in a Supporting Role
Lupita Nyong'o in 12 Years a Slave

Animated Feature Film
Frozen

Cinematography
Gravity

Costume Design
12 Years a Slave
(watch for The Great Gatsby to possibly nab this)

Directing
Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity

Documentary Feature
The Square
(though it could be The Act of Killing)

Documentary Short Subject
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Film Editing
Gravity

Foreign Language Film
The Hunt
(The Great Beauty would be my 2nd choice)

Makeup and Hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club

Original Score
Gravity

Original Song
"Let it Go" from Frozen

Production Design
Her
(this choice is my biggest risk, watch The Great Gatsby or even American Hustle to win this)

Animated Short Film
Get a Horse!

Live Action Short Film
The Voorman Problem

Sound Editing
Gravity

Sound Mixing
Gravity

Visual Effects
Gravity
(do you see the trend?)

Adapted Screenplay
12 Years a Slave

Original Screenplay
Her
(again, risky guess, could go to American Hustle - with 10 nominations they have to win something... right?)


That's a wrap.

happy birthday to me

So, I turned 30.  Like 6 months ago.

I've taken 6 months to post as I wasn't thrilled with how my pictures turned out.  My perfectionist side kept editing them.  Specifically I didn't like the ones of me personally.  My photographer was great (seriously, thank you dad for putting up with me while I tried to "pop a pose!") I just thought in my head I looked better (read: thinner) and then when *I* felt that I didn't, well... major delay on the blog.

I know, I know.  You're going to say, "you look great!" and I don't look like a troll, I'll admit that.  I guess I just wanted to look extra special.  And didn't think I did.  But I've been dealing with my issues, I have lots of them, if you tune in here regularly you know this.  And I've decided that whether or not my warped brain thinks I look ok, the point is: I had a great night, with great people and great food!  So at long last, happy birthday to me.  Read on for alll the details!  Like grab a cup of coffee or your lunch as the planning is as much fun to me as the event.  I kind of go on and on.

I think ahead.  Way ahead.  This sometimes creates massive stress, like when I dwell on children leaving for college in less years than they have been alive... but for the most part it works out pretty well as I don't often wait till the last minute to get 'er done.  So I started planning my late September birthday in January.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do, just had to fit it in my proposed budget.  (The farther you plan ahead, the more you can get done on a smaller budget as you can purchase/make a deposit on items over time and watch for sales, rather than all at once when it might not be the best price.)  The BIG idea was to have about 20 friends over for dinner and then watch a movie, all outside on our patio.  I wanted to have a vintage look and lots of flowers!   

I figured I'd make my own invites, dinner and dessert to keep the cost down.  And I would rent tables and chairs, a projector and screen.  I love antique items and wanted to purchase plates, silverware, glasses and linens so I could reuse them.  But that wound up being too expensive, so most of those things went on the rental list as well.  I did buy most of my decor such as votives, lanterns and flower pots, but I purchased them at Ikea and saved a ton.  I also purchased things at World Market and eBay.  I made sure what ever I bought I would reuse and I've gotten my money's worth!  

Sometime around June I realized my budget wasn't going to accommodate my grand plans and I decided to just can the whole thing.  It was a quite a bit of money I had been thinking of spending and I was feeling very wasteful.  Jason talked me out of it, noting I didn't have an 18th birthday party and on my 21st I was pregnant, 25 was shared with Liam's 1st and I should go forth and celebrate just me, the man said I was important too.  (Secretly I think he's a chocolate cake addict and didn't want to me to bail for that reason alone.)  My parents, agreeing with Jason and knowing how much I had been planning and looking forward to everything, happily offered to cover the entire cost of the party so we could ALL celebrate! 

So go forth I did with some adjustments.  The movie got scrapped.  And as I mentioned, the buying for keeps of tableware was switched to renting.  Thankfully my dear friend Elizabeth passed on the name of a fabulous rental company, Loot Vintage Rentals and they had everything my heart could desire!  Seriously, if you ever need vintage items, look no further.  The ladies were extremely helpful, prompt and accommodating.  Austin has so much to offer for events, and it was nice to not have to drive an hour or two for big ticket items.  I got my tables and chairs from Austin Party Central, I highly recommend them as well!  And I was able to purchase my flowers wholesale at Austin Flower Co. and they had such a great selection.  So beautiful.  

September 20th eventually rolled around and my folks came down to help out.  I immediately stuck my dad on a project and he put my photo collage frame together for me.  And my mom was there with moral support as we drove downtown through a downpour the day before my outdoor party to purchase flowers.  Finally after a ton of time on Pinterest, at HEB and Sam's Club, in my kitchen, sitting at my dining room table and wondering what in the world I was going to wear, it was party time!   Enjoy the pictures.  I promise I'm done talking now.   

invitations

It POURED outside the day before the party, but we woke up to perfect weather.  My dad and Jason tried for an hour to yank this thing out so it wouldn't be such an eyesore.  They eventually just turned it around so we didn't have a basket hanging over our heads.

my photo collage

My mother, "Stop taking pictures.  Please go get your dress on.  I hear car doors slamming."

tables, chairs & pink tablecloth~ Austin Party Central

silverware, plates & crocheted cloth~ Loot Vintage Rentals

mason jars & napkins~ my own

my Better Homes & Gardens shot

always buy dresses with pockets.

dress~ Mod Cloth

I invited 20, but there were only 8, however we had a wonderful time!!!

I found this blog and Jason followed their directions and put up string lights for me (for cheap!)

I made both of my favorite cakes.

Chocolate-chocolate and a white cake w/ whip cream icing and red grapes of all things! 

mommy-guilt

Anytime I write something I feel is controversial with the intention of sharing, I end up editing into oblivion as to not offend.  This post has been sitting, ready to be shared for weeks.  But I've been so scared of upsetting anyone's delicate sensibilities, I've held off till now.  However...

Keep in mind, if you think this post is singling you out, it's not.  If you get offended, I'm sorry.  That wasn't my intention.  I just had a mental breakdown and thought you ought to know.

I have mommy guilt.  Not the, "I just hid in the pantry while I ate a pop tart" mommy guilt.  The soul deep, massive, overwhelming "my kids eat gluten and dairy and I don't buy organic everything and their teeth will fall out because I use granulated sugar and I buy fast food like once a week and we watch tv, use store bought deodorant, don't make our own laundry soap and they go to public school" kind of mommy guilt.  I am drowning in it.

I tell you, if one more person says to me that I shouldn't eat sugar/bread/pasta/non-free-range eggs/meat/poultry/dairy/processed-anything/canned food I will run screaming into Dunkin' Donuts barefoot and the police will find me there stuffing myself into a processed, sugary, gluten coma.

I often fall into despair when I make a grocery list.  My budget doesn't always allow me to buy only "the good stuff."

I feel shame because my kids *gasp* eat bread!

Why?!

Why do I beat myself up because I cook from scratch and yet I still feel like I'm not measuring up to Suzy Q. next door?

Am I really doing such a HUGE disservice to my family because I'm not gluten free, dairy free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, fruitarian or whatever the next "free-arian" is?

Why am I, and the way I live, seemingly not good enough anymore?

Please note: I realize that many of these diets are very necessary for some people.  I have friends who I love that eat fermented food and I don't shun them.  I have others that get violently ill if they eat gluten and I am not saying they should.  I don't want them to be sick!  Certain people NEED to eliminate many things from their diet in order FOR their bodies to properly function and for them to be at their best.  I am not upset or annoyed or anything else with them for sharing their lifestyle and diets with us. 

I just want to know when did it become not ok to eat a normal, balanced diet?

I'm not talking about ding-dongs and diet coke for breakfast, Taco Bell for lunch and potato chips and fried chicken for dinner all while you sit on your Hoveround.  I'm talking Brazil Butt Lift DVD's, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, a bit of dairy, chicken and beef... it's what's for dinner.

God gave us all one body and we should fuel it and take care of it to the best of our ability!  Which is what I try to do, but I can't do it ALL.

And everyday, on tv/facebook/instagram/pinterest I am bombarded by it all.  I am reminded that I'm not doing exactly what the experts say.  That somehow, in some way, I'm irrevocably messing it up.

And then I feel guilt.  Which leads to frustration.  Which leads to me hiding in the pantry and crying while I eat Stevia with a spoon.

It needs to stop.  And not just because Stevia is gross.

God doesn't ask me to be perfect.  (Which is a really good thing.  Because I obviously have "issues" with perfectionism...)

So this year, I'm just going to do my best.

And sometimes if my best is pizza from Papa Murphy's so I have more time to go play at the playground with my kids, or spend a few extra minutes talking to my husband about his day and not ignore him to go make dinner, then that's what it will be.

I will stop reading every-single-thing-about-every-single-diet so I don't feel shell shocked.

I will continue to mainly cook from scratch with quality ingredients.

I will make small dietary changes when necessary and not feel overwhelmed.

I will be confident in the knowledge that my family is happy and healthy, even though they didn't have $5 a doz. cage free eggs for breakfast.

I will be thankful that even when I can't afford a cart full of only "the good stuff" at the grocery store, I am provided for and able to afford groceries period.

Because I am good enough.

And if I stop stressing so much about food, maybe I'll have time to make my own laundry soap.

the 52 project

For Christmas 2012 I got a "fancy" camera.  An awesome Canon Rebel and I told myself I was really going to get off the auto settings in 2013 and learn how to shoot in manual, but alas, it didn't happen.  I mean, I definitely learned more than I had previously known, but the auto settings are still my best friend.

So at the beginning of this year I seriously put some thought into joining the 365 project.  A picture a day for a year.  Then I remembered that I don't always get my teeth brushed or a shower every day and making sure I got my big camera out every. single. day. seemed overwhelming.

Then I stumbled upon a hashtag on Instagram for the 52 project.  A photo a week for a year.  Much better.

I'm already behind, but it's ok.  I missed the very first week of the year, but got a shot in last week and will try and make up for my slacker tendencies this week with 2 pictures.  So much pressure...

Anyway, here is my first shot- a Texas road on a foggy day.  (Don't worry mom and dad.  I checked both ways for cars before I stood in the middle of the road.)

1/52

christmas "letter" 2013

As much as I would like to send every-single-person I know an actual Christmas card every-single-year, I just can't.  So while a few of you got a real life card, most of you will have to settle for this.  And by "this" I mean a few pictures.  I wanted to write a short blurb about each of us and get it up on here by New Year at the latest, but then I got sick a couple days after Christmas and now it's January 10th and I just don't have it in me.  But the great thing about a blog is that YOU can go back and see all my old posts and catch up with our new nothings.  Tada!

We did our own pictures this year.  I went into it with Mary Poppins positivity, a $15 tripod and some staging ideas from Pinterest.  Getting 6 people to all look at the camera and smile on cue for a timer is not easy.  Folks, we got this money shot on the 3rd try!  As soon as I saw it I shouted out, "WE DID IT!" and there was joy in the land.  

For about 3 seconds till I told the kids I wanted to get a few shots of just them.  There was some initial moaning and groaning but then I explained I wanted them to stand on the couch and jump.  That was more up their alley and the four of them happily climbed on-

I neglected to mention that I just wanted a little jump.  When I told them to sort of bounce, this is the reaction I got-

Deciding this was not working out I told them all to sit and first we made funny faces to lighten the mood-

Then we tried some nice smiles-

The boys were up next-

Then I asked Liam if I could take one of just him-

For some reason this was the only one I took of the girls together-

Jason and I used the tripod, just give us a barn and a pitchfork-

Then to make up for shed tears in the couch jumping debacle, I told Liam to hop on and show me what he's got! After I cut off his head (the kid can JUMP!) and a photo bomb, we got a good one-

I took individual pictures of the girls at the park because I also wanted to use them as "school" photos.  (I decided not to buy pictures from the school this year.)  We got some lovely shots!  I also asked permission at the library to take a photo of the girls as they both have quite a passion for reading and I thought it would be a nice addition if I wrote a Christmas letter-

That wraps up our card creating adventure and if you're wondering where Finn's individual pictures are, so am I.  Did you know I have 4 kids?  Because I apparently forgot.  Hopefully I haven't scarred him for life.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!  Keep up with us here because you'll probably just get another picture card again next year...

granola

Granola: 
1. A tasty treat.
2. An adjective used to describe people who are environmentally aware (flower child, tree-hugger.) 
3. Someone who, despite never having held a full time job, still manages to purchase several thousand dollars worth of expensive outdoor equipment which they strap to their overburdened 1995 Subaru Legacy station wagons. When not actively outdoors, granolas can be found together in small to medium sized packs smoking marijuana, listening to Jack Johnson and watching Warren Miller videos. They usually reside in Oregon, Washington or Colorado.  (This definition is sometimes confused with hippie.)
4. A suburban middle class mom who does yoga, has a blog, values natural things (i.e. food), makes her own laundry soap and can usually be found at the park or GAP.

There are many forms of Granolaism, but one of the most severe is denial.  Once a Granola reaches a state of denial about his/her current condition, there is really no hope.


I often dream that one day my blog will be "discovered" and I will found to be funny and cute.  Then either A. be asked to write for SNL, B. get paid to sit and type my dribble, or C. (since I'm so cute) finally get my big break and be cast in the next Quentin Tarantino film. (Come on, I'm sure I've got as much talent at Jessica Alba or Lindsay Lohan... maybe even more.)

But because none of those things has happened yet and taking care of 4 kids leaves me with so much extra time... I spend my days doing yoga.  Writing on this blog for all 9 of my followers.  I bake my own bread and add things like shredded zucchini to my brownies.  I cook things I have a hard time pronouncing, like quinoa.  I asked Jason the other day if it was ok I try my hand at making my own laundry soap.  I enjoy being outdoors and you can usually find me playing with my children at the park or shopping at GAP.

The other day, I made my own homemade granola...

because those who matter, don't mind

"..... I moved a lot as a child and wherever I went people always seemed to already have their set of friends. I wasn’t needed. I was liked and accepted but never as fully as I wanted to be. I wanted the “best” friend. I wanted the person you called all the time and in whose time you had first dibs. But it happened differently....."

I borrowed this quote from my friend Elizabeth's blog, but I could have easily said it.  We moved around when I was a kid (not as much as some, but more than others) and I remember handling it pretty well with the one exception that I never really felt like I had close friends.  Sometimes I felt like I didn't even have semi-close friends.

There was this one incident where I invited someone over and when she got there, she told me she'd invited her friend (who lived in my neighborhood and didn't like me) over to MY house to hang with us.  It didn't go well.  It was clear she only accepted my invitation to invite someone she liked better over.

And another time, when the person I was on the phone with didn't cup her hand over the receiver well enough- I plainly heard her telling her mom that she didn't want to come over, she didn't like me.  Needless to say, I never called that gal again.

When Jr. High and High School rolled around I was in a small private school where the kids had pretty much known each other since Kindergarten.  They most definitely already had their set of friends.  I was liked well enough, but I didn't have, as Anne Shirley would say, a "bosom friend."

"A bosom friend--an intimate friend, you know--a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul. I've dreamed of meeting her all my life. I never really supposed I would, but so many of my loveliest dreams have come true all at once that perhaps this one will too. Do you think it's possible?"

I figured that I wasn't pretty or cool enough.  Maybe I didn't wear the right clothes.  Or perhaps I talked too much.  I wasn't Christian enough, or sometimes I was too holy.  I tried to fit myself into whatever mold I thought would shape me into the person I needed to be, to be accepted.

For a time, well honestly, the last 10 years while I've been having kids, I haven't really felt like I had to fit.  I just was.  (If you don't know who you are by the time you have kids, they'll show you.)  And the friends that I made accepted me for myself.

When you move though, your friends don't come with you.  And then you find out who really cares... long distance... about you.  And sometimes the people you felt closest to are the ones who don't respond to your calls or emails.  The ones who you've shared big pieces of your heart with, now have no time for you.  And you find yourself questioning once again what you could have done to fit into their lives better.

(Not that all of my pals are like this!  I have some that have kept in touch, sometimes quite often and sometimes sporadically (hey, we all get busy) over the years.)

But now I find myself in a new place, with new people to "impress" and I've caught myself lately trying to squeeze into the mold again.  I'm finding though, that this time, I really don't fit.  And after 28 years, I'm slowly coming to the realization that it's ok to be, me.

So instead I worry about the kids.  I see them being 2nd choice.  I see them being liked and accepted, but not as fully as they want to be.  I remind them that God is all about friends!  We read about Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan and even Job had his 3 friends...  'Cause it's about quality folks, not quantity...  I tell them to give it some time.  And when time doesn't move fast enough, I try to tell them that they are who they are and while that might not be enough for some, it's enough for God.  And that God is the greatest and best friend we can ever have.

"Today you are You, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive who is Youer than You." ~Dr. Seuss

time flies

Time flies when you're having fun!  Or in my case when you are busy and feel totally uninspired to sit and do an entire blog.  My cousin had recently been absent from the blogging world for a time and when I was catching up on her new post today she mentioned that her, "days are spent in small increments... increments that a quick Facebook status update can fill, but a blog entry intimidates."  Exactly.  I READ a lot of blogs and I see these moms writing away while they are busy with life and I think to myself, "I wonder how they do it?"  And then I realize that a lot of them have sponsors on their page and probably get paid to post.  If I got paid to blog I'd be more consistent with it too!

I still wonder who actually reads my blog.  I struggle over the fact that I seem to type and post just for me and that can get really boring.  So if you follow along, let me know.  I'll feel better putting together a post that I know will be seen by anyone other than myself.

days of thanks

A few friends on facebook had the thought to post something everyday that they were thankful for this month. I decided that this was a fabulous idea! I read somewhere, "What if you woke up only with the things that you said you were thankful for the day before?" Does that hit home for you like it did for me?

We should say thanks more often.

Days of Thanks

#1- I am thankful Jesus loves me.
#2- I am thankful for my parents, for the way they raised me and the Godly influence they are in my life.
#3- today I am thankful for my brother Jake and the fact that even though we don't always see eye to eye, he's still one of my best friends and I enjoy spending time with him. (My brother's response to my heartfelt comment: Awww!!! That's really nice!!! You're my best friend too! And we don't see eye to eye cause you're shorter than me...)
#4- I am thankful for my husband Jason and the hard working, fun loving, God fearing, hugs & kisses giving, daddy and husband that he is! I love you!
#5- today I am thankful for my kids. Even though they drive me crazy, I'm blessed to have them and love them very much!
#6- whoops, missed this day!
#7 & #8- I am thankful for yesterday and todays rain!
#9 - oh dear. Blank again.
#10- today I am thankful for children who (most of the time) say please and thank you. It's a really nice feeling when your 4 year old sits at the counter and says, "Thanks mom for making me a turkey sandwich with mustard!"
#11- today I am thankful for all of our veterans, past and present! Thank you (and your families) for you service and sacrifice!
#12- today I am thankful I have survived 3 weeks with no soda. I've been missing my caffeine!
#13- today I am thankful for biscuits and honey. When you're sick (which I am) there is nothing better. Well, at least in my opinion.
#14- today I am thankful that I appear to be the only one who is sick in the family. Praying no one else gets this.
#15- I am thankful for rainy days, where I can just lounge around in my comfy sweatpants and watch movies with Liam.
#16- no thanks today. This was all I posted-

#17- today I am thankful Jason has a job.
#18- I'm thankful it's Friday...
#19- Mmmmmm, homemade pumpkin spice donuts! SO good! Days of Thanks #19 - I am thankful that my mom was the kind of mom that let me help her make cookies and such as a kid! It instilled a love of baking (and cooking) in me! I need to be better at letting my kids help me in the kitchen, so they develop a love of cooking as well!
#20- I am thankful for red nail polish and 2 sets of tiny toes to paint on the girls.
#21- I am thankful for hugs. There is nothing better than a good squeeze.
#22- I am thankful for a live in plumber. It's so nice to not have to call someone to come change out a faucet, fix a shower head or unplug a messed up toilet.
#23- I am thankful for imaginative children. Even when it results in my vacuum attachment being broken because one of them was pretending to be Poseidon with his trident and threw it down the hall at a Greek foe...
#24- I sang this song for the kids on Thanksgiving and posted the words on facebook. Now... I could have recorded myself singing it, uploaded and edited the video and then posted it here, but I thought I'd just share this rather cool YouTube clip instead.

#25- I am thankful for Turkey Day leftovers!
#26- I am thankful for shopping with the parental unit and that they bought me a cute shirt, hat and scarf as an early Christmas present!
#27- I am thankful for popcorn, hot chocolate and a movie with my family on a Sunday afternoon!
#28- today I am thankful for a bread machine. I can just toss all my ingredients in there and voila, a few hours later I have a hot, yummy loaf of honey wheat bread.
#29- today I am thankful for my happy, happy Finnegan! He's always smiling and is rarely fussy anymore. It makes my day every single time I go to pick him up, or just walk by him, or call his name, or start singing and he grins at me. :)
#30- today I am thankful for you. Yes, YOU! For all the laughs we've shared. The tears we've cried. For all the hugs. For midnight movies and long talks into the wee hours of the morning. For crazy adventures and times of boredom. For old friends from years and years ago and for new friends. For history- good or bad. Whether I know you a little or a lot you've made an impact on my life and for that I am thankful.

tiny freezer, lots of food

The other day I opened the fridge and it looked like this:

No milk, I think there were 2 eggs in the carton, no fruit or veggies. As you can see, there was bread and salsa, some minced garlic, grape jelly, Hershey's syrup and whip cream.  The only things in the freezer were half a bag of peas and corn and a frozen pie shell.  It would have been an interesting meal.

A trip to the store was sorely needed.  So I went to Sam's Club (I used to have to drive 2 hours one way to get there, now it's 15 minutes away!) and did some bulk shopping.  One of the nice things about living in Austin is that you're only charged sales tax on non-food items at the grocery store and that includes Sam's.  So if you only buy food, you get out of there tax free.  I've never "just" bought food at Sam's, but I digress.

After Sam's I hit the grocery store and got the rest of what I needed there.  Then it was time to go home and cook!

Now, I've done once a month cooking before, see here, but I've always had a deep freezer along with the one that's apart of my fridge.  I've never just used the little freezer before.

Let me just say that after employing some mad packing skills I got the following in there:

2 bags of taco meat

2 bags of chicken tortilla soup

1 chicken and wild rice casserole

3 pans of chicken enchiladas

2 balsamic-garlic pork tenderloins

10 dijon burgers

4 bags of spaghetti sauce

2 bags of meatballs

2 bags of honey-orange chicken breasts

10 twice baked potato halves

12 egg & sausage sandwiches

6, 2-packs of waffles

a family size bag of peas, corn and green beans

(and I have all of my frozen pumpkin puree in there too)

The pie shell previously in the freezer didn't fit, so it was turned into pumpkin pie.  :)

All in all it comes out to about 20 dinners and then some breakfast items.  I had planned to freeze some pizza dough as well, but it won't fit.  Dough is easy to make the same day however, so not a big deal.

Oh and my fridge looks happier better too!

Now that I know I can get quite a bit in my little freezer I will definitely get back into the "bulk" cooking.  It saves me quite a bit, I think it was around $200 for all of this (I used no coupons and I had to replace/purchase quite a few staples that didn't survive the move like balsamic vinegar and a big package of tinfoil pans from Sam's) so that comes to about $10 a meal.  Now that I have some basics, my next trip will be even less.

Phew, I think after all this cooking and blogging I need to go enjoy some of that pumpkin pie!