Hello my friends!

I have returned from....well, nowhere actually. I'd like to think that I have a crazy busy life full of spectacular adventures (does keeping your two-year old from mistaking deer poop as jelly beans count as that?) and that is why I've been on blogging hiatus. Actually, I've just been busy with family and normal every day life (in other words...laundry and other various chores).

Anyway, here I am and I am going to try and get back into doing this thing. Since my last post, I have acquired a 2nd 4 legged beast that thinks she needs to eat her weight (plus mine) in food each day. Dogs are fun, aren't they? :) Needless to say, my budget has changed a bit. Not by too much, but I have had to adjust to the extra mouth and the fact that my two kiddos eat as much as teenagers (oh how I fear those years!) now.

My weekly budget is now $100...but this has to include dog food, diapers, paper goods, toiletries, etc. As usual, it's a challenge. I've even come around to using the occasional coupon....GASP! It's all good. I'm not trying to be a grocery hoarder or willing to stand at the checkout for 2hrs in order to get my 18 bottles of Scope for free. I just want $0.50 off of my coffee creamer, thanks.

Okie Dokie. Let's do this thing.

This week summer has decided to grace us here in Colorado with it's presence. About dang time.  That being said, I do not have a/c and the thought of cooking over a hot stove just about makes me break out in hives. I'm going to try and cook all week without using anything other than the grill or crock pot. Well, I may have to throw a bowl of beans in the microwave once or twice...but that's still not the stove. This is what my menu looks like for the moment:

Fri - Cheese Burgers, corn on the cob, baked beans
Sat - Pineapple Chicken Salsa w/ tortillas
Sun - Grilled shrimp skewers, rice pilaf
Mon - Hot dogs (I don't feel so ghetto about hot dogs any more.  I have discovered the glory of all beef dogs and now wonder what the heck I have been feeding my family for the past few years. I am a changed woman.)
Tue - BBQ Chicken, baked potatoes, grilled bread
Wed - Mel's Tuna & White Bean salad over grilled sourdough
Thur - Baked beans & sausage

Wish me luck! Tomorrow is shopping day!