I love Costco. I know that some items can be found cheaper by using coupons but honestly I still love going to Costco.  The main reason for this is that I like being able to buy in a quantity that will last our family of seven for around a month and not have 3-4 boxes of each item. I really like being able to come home and “stock” our shelves with the food, knowing I want have to go out again for at least a week.

I am careful when we go to Costco, if we are only buying things we need then I plan that trip around lunch and if we need ALOT then I usually try to take a good list.  My pantry has started to look a little bare lately.  I have been shopping the sales and using coupons but things like snacks and crackers are still disappearing. Initially my plan was to go shopping at Costco last week but between work and quizzing it just did not happen.  Today with the severe weather causing a delay in school today which resulted in me working later than plan, we decided to bite the bullet  and just go to Costco after school. Haley stayed at home and did some of her chores in the quiet.   Matt, myself and the 3 smaller kids were on an adventure. During my hair appointment, Matt took our master list and we tried to make sure we included things we needed but also didn’t forget anything.  The plan was to eat dinner as well. Matt and the kids LOVE the hot dogs and you can’t beat the price. I , however, am not a pizza or hot dog fan but tonight I actually ate and really enjoyed it. I decided to purchase a whole rotisserie chicken. I simply got a fork and knife from the food side and enjoyed the juicy chicken while the kids ate hot dogs and pizza.  Even with purchasing the entire chicken, which will be at least enough for my lunch tomorrow if not that in addition to chicken salad, we spent less than $10 on dinner.  The rest of our trip was expensive around $400 but we were able to purchase the meat for at least 18 meals and other foods for both breakfast and lunch. We came home and separated out most of the meats as well as the cheese. Everything is put away and after looking at my grocery budget for the month I am still right on track with $550  spent so far. I hope that today’s trip will keep up in good supply until Christmas!

I ended up working till after 7pm last night and with Bible Quizzing in Raleigh today, (Saturday), I missed posting the list of things I am thankful for on Friday but here they are a day late…

1. Freedom- Thank you to the Veterans who are have fought and are stilling Fighting for mine!
2. My Job- yes it is taking alot of time and I constantly complain but God has provided me with 2 awesome jobs that are allowing our Family to get back on track and also start to enjoy some things.
3. Computer/Internet- It is so easy and fun to find about anything in the world now with the use of a computer.
4. My parents who even today love and support me in ways that I could not have imagined when I was a child.
5. My car- God provided it last September and it is awesome.  I actually think it is the nicest car I have ever owned and it works so well.
6. Friends who will listen and pray whenever I need them.
7. The Bible.

Hopefully I will get another post up tommorow but …. who knows with this crazy life?

This is a question I have often wondered myself. I do know that I think most of the stockpiles that you see on TV are just over the top. I was reading over some blogs this morning and found a guest post over at Couponing To Disney in which a very nice list was given about what amount of food they felt should be kept on hand in order to have a month supply of food. I changed most of it a bit to be more of what I thought was realistic.  I am planning to use this list to actually make my shopping list. Meaning when I go for a huge stock up trip, I will take a look at this list and see what needs to be added to make me feel comfortable with the items on hand.  I will also use it for a guide of buying things, so if I find an awesome deal of toilet paper but already have the amount noted then unless it is free, I don’t need it.  I am share in hopes it will help someone else.

Dry goods
2 5lb bags of flour
2 10lb bags of sugar
1 boxes of baking soda
1 can of baking powder
1 canister of salt
2 boxes of baking mix (like Bisquick)
2 boxes of Pancake/waffle mix


Canned Goods
20 cans of assorted fruit
15 cans of soup (including cooking soups)
5 jars of spaghetti sauce
2 jars of peanut butter
2 jars of jelly
5 cans of tuna


Freezer goods
2 packs of Hot dogs 
1 pack (20) Hamburgers
10 lbs of chicken breasts cut in various ways
4 packs of bacon
5 lbs of hamburger
2-4 packages of lunch meat
3 2lb bricks of cheese and at least 1 pack of American slices
15-20 bags of a variety of frozen vegetables. 
Pork chops
3 bags of tortillas
2 canisters of bread crumbs- I have been saving all old/odd slices of bread and we process these so I don’t plan on every buying this.



Pantry goods
12 boxes of cereal
5 lbs of rice
30 packs of instant  oatmeal
2 jugs of syrup
1 jar of vegetable oil
1 jar of olive oil
2 cans of Pam spray
4 boxes of crackers
4-6 boxes of Pop tarts


Personal care- In this section, I already have more than what is listed in my stockpile so I use this as a guide of where I need to start actively looking for more of an items instead of grabbing only things on the “best deals list”. But Free means I get it no matter what!
 2 sticks of each persons deodorant
2 tubes of toothpaste
2 bags of feminine pads
6 bottles of shampoo and conditioner
2 bottles of Hair spray
6 bottles of body wash

Cleaning supplies- In this section, I rarely have this much on hand unopened. This is considered the only get it if it is free when we have this much of a supply
2 bottles of hand soap
2 bottles of dishwashing liquid
2 boxes of dishwasher tablets
3 bottles of laundry soap
1 box of dryer sheets
2 cans of scrubbing bubbles
3 tubs of cleaning wipes- I only buy the Kirkland brand so if they are on sale then I grab extra otherwise I buy when we start the last bag.
120 rolls of toilet paper
10 rolls of paper towels
1 bottle of pine sol
1 boxes of garbage bags


Snacks-   I don’t think this is a necessary list, I prefer to keep some fruits on hand for the kids to eat and we usually stock up at Costco at least once every couple of months. This is the exact list I found on line. I left incase you do feel snacks are necessary. With that beginning said, I will add that we like to keep a candy and chip stash in our bedroom.
2 boxes of popcorn bags
6 bags of tortilla chips
2 jars of salsa
5 bags of jerky
35 fruit leathers
2 bags of cookies


Pet supplies
1 20lb bags of cat food
2  jugs of cat liter


Extras
5 boxes of Ziploc sandwich bags
5 boxes of Ziploc freezer bags
20 batteries of each size


Staples – This final list is things that I personally don’t freeze so I buy in bulk if I can and rarely find on sale so I usually purchase at Costco. If  I do find a sale then I stock up with what I can use in a couple of month time or before the expiration date
2-4 gallons of Milk- we are not big Milk drinkers so a gallon last around a week
4-6 gallons of Apple Juice-a months supply
7 dozen eggs- these usually last 2 months purchased from Costco
2 loaves of bread.
5lb of potatoes
3lbs of onions
4-8oz containers of Sour Cream
2 8oz containers of Cream cheese
4 boxes of butter
1 large tub of Margarine.

Do you have any suggestions I should add or take away?

Blogging: I have dropped some in October with only 11 post. Just kinda of a average month. I am super late in getting this review up so hopefully things improve in November.
                                              Goal: 15 per month
Devotions: Slowly but surely, I would guess 2x a week still working toward the goal.
                                              Goal is 3 a week.

I seem to have alot of these today so I thought I would share . . . . . . .

• I have set a new “weight loss/fitness” goal. In order to earn my full day of PTO at work I have to exercise 3 times a week and lose 20lbs. So I am going to focus on exercise 3 times a week to start. I did use the Wii tonight and it was encouraging in some way but I don’t even want to read or think about the other numbers. I am currently at the same weight as when I was 9 month pregnant with Zach..not pretty I told you!
• I found a new book that I am reading called When God Winks at You  it is basically based on the idea that there is no such thing as  a coincidence. I have said this for year so it is nice to read that i am right. I need the encouragement right now.
• Last Friday morning, a dime fell out of Zach’s sleeper when I was dressing him prior to my surgery. That was my “God wink”
• Lily has a dermatology appointment in the morning, then Haley,Lily and Kendall have Flu shots tomorrow afternoon.
• I am planning on ordering most of our Christmas presents this weekend.
• I only have 2 more weeks of working at the Nursing home.
• The girls have a chance to dress up 3 times this year for Halloween, once tonight for church, a fall festival on Saturday and the actual event on Monday. Hopefully we will get lots of pictures and I will post.
• Lily got her first school pictures today and I forgot how unflattering they can be!