The Phoenix Zoo

We have a zoo membership. A Christmas gift from my dad every year. We love going when the weather is nice. Even in the summer it's fun to go right when they open and watch the animals eat. The best part about having a membership is that we can just take our time and know that we'll see another part of the zoo on another day. Or we can just go for a couple of hours, like we did today. I had an especially fun time today because I got to play with my new camera.

Dairy Food Club

I have told you about Angel Food Boxes and Bountiful Baskets. Today I will tell you about The Dairy Food Club. Now, if you don't buy organic or local, it's really not as good of a deal as the food programs listed above. But, if you do buy organic or local, then it really is a great deal.

I found out about it through a friends posting on Face book. We went this week to pick up our food. Once you are a member, you are always a member. That means they will automatically make your food. If you don't pick it up they will charge you. If you can't pick it up (pick up is every 2 weeks), you just send them an e-mail. They will just cancel your order or let you pick it up another day. You just have to tell them in advance.

Today we got 2 gallons of milk (they make us 2%, but you have to request it, otherwise everyone gets whole milk. They'll make 1% or skim too). We also got cheese curds, ice cream, and unsalted butter. There are a variety of cheeses, ice cream flavors, and butters to choose from. Last time we got autumn harvest butter. YUM!

They also add a mystery item each week. (The website explains this very well). This week was a basil plant and bay leaves. Previous weeks have been a bag of cookies, potato salad, cheese (different from what you can usually buy), and bread.

Remember, everything is homemade (made on-site or by a local vendor).

This week I went ahead and added a toy for Connor, potato salad, and salsa. My grand total was 35 dollars. Normally I don't add anything extra. If we didn't add the extra gallon of milk and didn't buy anything else, our bill would be 25 dollars.

Last week we bought eggs for 3 dollars and got to visit with the chicken who laid them. They were delicious. (Ryan said, "I feel sad eating unborn chickens". I said, "Um, what do you think you are eating from the grocery store?". Ryan, "well, it's just different I guess".)

Another great thing about this place, a free petting zoo and you get to visit a farm with out driving far. Well, for some of you it might be far.

Even if you aren't interested in the food, you should check out some of their events. They look like a lot of fun. We might actually buy a real live Christmas tree this year from them.

I don't know about you, but I love to support local small businesses.

Okay, I think I've used enough parenthesis for one day.

Let me know if you join or even just visit.

My New Camera

As an early Christmas gift my mom and Nick bought us a new camera. When I told them I needed a new digital camera, I was expecting a thin little camera, that just took quick shots. I was in shock that they got us a Canon Power Shot SX20 IS. OMG. I love it so much. I keep it way up high in the cupboard and won't let anyone touch it. I'm so paranoid something will happen to it. I might buy it a Christmas gift. It needs a storage bag, preferably one filled with a mountain of bubble wrap to keep it safe. It may take me years before I figure out all of its features.

I just wanted to post some pictures to show the awesomeness of my camera.

Enjoy.




At the park.

I had to post this one because the lighting was bad and it still came out clearer than any camera I have ever owned. (Inside Sweet Tomatoes).

The Armenian Church. Love the blue sky.

The very first picture I ever took with this camera. No wonder I fell in love.

Marco Greco

In 7th grade I had the biggest crush on a boy named Marco Greco. His mom was white and his dad was black. His skin color was the best combination. It was like smooth milk chocolate. He wore his hair in that box top square fashion that was popular in the 90's. He was oh so cool. He was funny too. Always telling jokes. He had the best energy. I remember talking on the phone with him for hours after school and just cracking up at his jokes.

One time we went to a school dance together. I have a picture of us sitting on the bleachers together. I don't know who took it or where it is. But whenever I think of Marco, I think of that picture.

He was only 12 years old when he died. I remember turning 13 shortly afterwards and crying, because Marco would never get to be 13. It was such a milestone.

We were all at a birthday party, my best friends in fact. Him and two other boys left to walk home. They ran across the highway and Marco was hit and killed instantly by a van.

Our lives were changed forever. I remember getting the phone call the next morning and not believing it, pure and utter denial. I actually called his home to confirm. Looking back I wish I hadn't done that. It must have been so hard for his family to have to tell someone else.

I remember running down the stairs and falling into my mom's arms, sobbing. Trying to tell her what had happened. She had been washing dishes and I can still remember the feel of her sudsy hands wrapped around me. I remember our good friend Karen (Auntie), coming over and just talking with me.

I remember the funeral and the wake. His mom was in jail at the time, for what, I don't know. But she got released for the funeral. I can't even imagine what it must have felt like for her to get told something so horrible and not have family to support her. Needless to say, there was a lot of drama at the funeral. I still don't know all of the details.

I remember seeing Marco's body in that child size coffin. I remember thinking it looked like him, but it didn't at the same time. I've hated open casket funerals ever since.

At some point we went to Marco's home a few months after his death. His dad sat with us and told us how he slept at his grave site on his birthday, and that every night he slept in his bed in his room.

Why did I think of Marco today? Well, every once in awhile he just pops into my head. A few things triggered it today. 1: I heard Bohemian Rhapsody. We pretty much played that song on instant repeat at that party. It was so popular that year. 2. Ryan came home from school today and was showing me his class picture and all of the girls he has crushes on.

Ryan will be in 7th grade next year, he'll be 12. Same age that Marco was. I was so absorbed in my own loss at the time that I couldn't even fathom what his family was going through. As a parent, I get it now. I wonder how they are coping after all of these years. If I was sad about Marco not turning 13, I'm sure they are sad about him not turning every age. I'm sure they wonder if they would have had grandchildren. Losing a child is the most tragic thing on earth. If I could barely get out of bed after my miscarriage, I don't know how people go on after losing a child that they have known, held, and kissed. I pray I never find out.

I wish I could tell his family that 18 years later, I still remember their little boy and I always will.

Health Care Reform

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/08/health.care/index.html

I'm not a sports fan, but I imagine how I feel about this is how many people feel when their favorite team wins a major event, like The World Series or The Super Bowl. I want to talk about it, cheer about it, and cry with tears of joy. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the final outcome. I had butterflies in my stomach when I checked the news.

There are a million blogs out there that can describe why this is so important better than me. I truly don't understand why people don't want health care reform. I have had people who are against it explain to me why they are, I have read the blogs of of people with differing opinions than my own. I still don't get it, I never will.

All I know is that I will continue to pray for this to become a law.

Thank you to everyone who is fighting the good fight.

Bountiful Baskets

Some of you may already know about this fabulous co op. Bountiful Baskets. You order your food Tuesday or Wednesday on line and pay for it. There is a 3 dollar first time user fee. The price of each basket is 15 dollars. 20 dollars for organic. You can add on too. I added on the Italian products for an additional 7 dollars. They also offer bread.

Pick up locations are all over the place, see for yourself on the web site. I drove 10 minutes to get to our location. Pick up times are every Saturday. You don't have to do this every week.

This was our first week and I am just in shock at how much food we received. We definitely won't need to do this weekly. Some of it I'm going to freeze too. I have a bag set aside to share with a friend.

I wouldn't have known about this if I hadn't have been talking about the Angel Food boxes. It prompted a discussion with a good friend about Bountiful Baskets. She warned me that there is enough food to feed a few households and I didn't quite believe her.

My total price: 25 dollars. Wow.

I am allergic to a lot of fruits and vegetables. My basket initially contained avocados. I loved them once but am severely allergic now. I had 3 in my basket that I was able to exchange. I picked out 2 more ears of corn and an apple instead. Someone else who maybe had an allergy or a dislike of spinach, say, would be able to exchange it for my avocado. It's a win win.

Pick up took all of 15 minutes. It was like grocery shopping with out any of the work.

I hope you'll try it and tell me what you think. If you try the Angel Food, I want to hear about how you liked that too.

Angel Food

I have been sharing a lot of money saving tips with a few of my friends lately. I also follow a lot of blogs that offer great deals and free items. I'm not a big coupon cutter. I should be I know. A lot of times I find that buying generic is actually cheaper than buying name brand even with a coupon though.

I haven't had any trouble buying groceries in several years. Kevin is in school right now, so he is working less. In anticipation of less income I started looking into ways to cut costs. A friend of mine is addicted to mommy blogs and told me about this program.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

First, I looked into it to make sure I wouldn't be taking away from someone who truly can't afford groceries. Turns out that they want more people to join so that someday they can make the cost even lower. It reminds me of a co op.

I went in a skeptic and now I am getting ready to order for a 5th time.

I can't believe how much yummy food I have for such a low price. It's healthy and tasty. It's so nice to have extra money to go towards bills.

When I first told Ryan about it, he asked if we were poor. He thought it was like picking up food from the food bank. Trust me, it's not. And don't worry about us, friends and family. We are doing just fine. I use the money we save towards bills, debt, and retirement.

I hope you will look into this and try it just once for your family. What do you have to lose? Make sure you pull up the menu. I posted 1 picture, but there are other items too. I got the senior convenience meals for work (for Kevin and myself) and I have purchased the fruit and veggie box. I tried the allergen box for Ryan's milk allergy once. I can not vouch for the meat boxes though. But the meat in the regular box is delicious. The prices speak for themselves and the food is as good as it looks and so fresh. Each month is a different menu and we just ordered the Thanksgiving box.

Stay tuned for more money saving tips. I have a few more to share.