August!!!

Everything has been pretty hectic all of August. The move, work and more work. I hope to get back on a regular "schedule" for myself.

Sadly, Ryan wasn't able to land a job in any local schools. However, had he gotten a job, we would have had to buy another car (hello increased gas and insurance prices) and find child care for Ivy (which is, duh, expensive). He did some math and figured out that we'd be making (saving, keeping, whatever) less money that way. So he has joined the ranks of Stay-At-Home-Dads. Of course, I'm going to try to generate his photography business for senior portraits for him too.

Work for me has been.... different. I had 7 days of in-service. And I just got through my first week with the kids. The difference with the kids is the schedule. I have only 3 classes, but they're about 90 minutes each. And so far, the kids themselves are great. But of course, I have high opinions of all my students anyway. Class sizes are rather large due to RIFs, but my food science course really needs to have fewer students. There's no possible way 30 students can work in such a small room with 4 kitchens.


It is really different working with a department of teachers, instead of being THE department. I get to have ideas and share with other teachers who teach the same thing as me! Such a difference. I get ideas! The downside is that I (we) don't have our own classrooms so we share for now. I think we may have our own once the building gets completed. It's hectic moving classrooms and not having my own space. But the good thing with that is... I don't accumulate stuff. People are asking me "Do you want" and I cut them off right there. Even my buddy teachers... "Don't you want to set up an area for yourself over here?" Nope, not really. I accumulate too much. And I am now in the wonderful habit of getting things out. Throwing out, donating...



I'm excited about Homecoming though. I've already got two students ordering mums. I'm venturing out and offering more choices. Wrist mums, hair mums and ring mums. A lot of the kids seem interested. So there will be a week in September that I will be working only on mums. I love being crafty though.

I have been coupon crazy lately though. Let's see, some highlights for August... A free gallon of milk, a free pack of bacon, free Kraft singles cheese, free Pantene, free Herbal Essences. All this free stuff here... $16.28. WAHOO!!!

Another highlight is back to school supplies. I missed the $.10 composition notebooks at Staples. But I did snag $25 worth of notebook paper for $.25. TWENTY FIVE CENTS! A whole whopping QUARTER!

And one more worth mentioning. Got some rib eye steaks. With my shoppers card, they were $3.99 a pound. They looked good so I went ahead and got them. A pack of 4. Normal price, $60. On sale for about $36 (no shoppers card, that's a pretty good deal anyway). But with my shoppers card... $21. And Ryan and I can probably share each one, they're that BIG. That's FOUR steak dinners. Oh! And speaking of meat. There was a sale going on somewhere else where pork chops were BOGO. No kidding! I THINK that was a $7 savings. Compared to the steak, that's all whoopdeedoo, but still BOGO?

So August savings... $172.51

And FYI, my total savings for July was $62.82. HUGE improvement.



Now, here's where things get strange-ish. Since I have to be presentable for work, I had to get some actual clothes. Last year, I got to wear chef gear. Not anymore. Everything I've gotten has been discounted, on clearance, or on sale. I paid full price on only TWO things - out of about 25 pieces, including shoes. I've learned my lesson. Sign up for the freaking emails. Discounts galore! I will not pay full price anymore, or rarely will.

Menu Plan Mondays...
Here is last weeks - August 21

Sunday - Enchiladas
Monday - LO
Tuesday - Hamburgers
Wednesday - Pork chops and mashed potatoes
Thursday - Pizza
Friday - LO
Saturday - Brisket and potato salad

Here is this week's MPM -
Sunday - Pork chops and LO potato salad
Monday - Chili dogs
Tuesday - Enchiladas
Wednesday - LO
Thursday - Nachos
Friday - Pizza
Saturday - Pizza