Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Ever wondered if you can freeze milk in the carton to make it last longer? I’ve been doing it for years, and these are my top tips for what works and what doesn’t.
Any tips on freezing milk in a paper carton? We buy organic milk in a half gallon paper carton. Can I freeze it in that carton or not? I’ve never done it before. Thanks! –Leisha
How to Freeze Milk in the Carton
I freeze milk all the time for later use. And honestly? I’ve never had a problem freezing it in a cardboard container. It will expand some when it freezes, so you might want to drink or use a half cup or so before freezing. But otherwise, just stick the milk in the freezer in the paper carton! It’s that simple.
How to Thaw Frozen Milk
When you’re ready to your frozen milk, you can thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Or, you can stick the carton in a sink full of cold water for 15 or 20 minutes.
I’m often able to find organic milk on clearance that’s close to the expiration date. We use what we can until the expiration date and then I freeze the rest. By buying it on clearance, we’re able to buy higher quality milk without spending a fortune to do so.
Can You Drink Frozen and Thawed Milk?
I don’t recommended using frozen and thawed milk for drinking. The consistency changes some and it just isn’t very appealing for drinking–at least our family doesn’t think so. 🙂
However, milk that has been frozen and then thawed works beautifully in pancakes, waffles, french toast, or other baked goods!
If you typically bake big batches of these items, you can just freeze the milk in the paper or plastic carton, thaw, and use. However, if you only make smaller batches, you’ll want to go ahead and divvy the milk up in one-cup or two-cup portions before freezing so that you can just pull out the exact amount of milk you need. You could use ziptop freezer bags or airtight plastic containers with lids.
You could also freeze milk in an ice cube tray (this one is perfect!) so that you can easily add small portions to your coffee, tea, smoothie, or baked good recipe.
Want to stretch your milk even further? Replace a fourth or a half of the milk called for in your pancake, waffle, or baked good recipe with water. You probably won’t even notice a difference!
Yes, you can freeze almond milk, although it will change the texture significantly. For this reason, thawed almond milk is best in a smoothie or other recipe.
Can you freeze coconut milk?
Yes, you can freeze coconut milk for up to three months. Because of its high fat content, coconut milk will appear grainy or curdled when it thaws, but don’t worry – this is just the fat separating from the water and doesn’t affect the taste. If you reheat the coconut milk, the fat and water will re-emulsify and work well in your recipe.
Can you freeze a gallon of milk?
Yes, you can freeze a gallon of milk, although I’d recommend portioning it into smaller containers before freezing. This will enable it to freeze and thaw more quickly. Also, since it is recommended to use thawed milk within three days of thawing it, smaller portions will likely be more useful. If you do freeze a gallon of milk in its original container, be sure to empty enough milk to leave an inch or two at the top so that the milk has space to expand as it freezes. We don’t think thawed milk tastes as good, but it works perfectly in recipes!
Can you freeze condensed milk?
Yes, you can freeze condensed milk for up to three months, but it will not freeze solid because of its high sugar content. If your condensed milk separates once thawed, a quick stir or shake should make it smooth again.
Do you freeze milk? If so, what’s your favorite way to use it?
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
You can see a little peek into our week last week here. It was quite the week! The kids are all home from school for at least the next week and a half, likely longer and everything else is cancelled. We’re choosing to self-quarantine and are staying home 24/7, except for Jesse who has gone out a few times to get essential stuff.
Last Week’s Goals — 2020 — Week 11
Personal Goals
1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.)
6. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.
It looks like we will be having another exciting week as likely be bringing home the preemie we’re fostering who has been in the NICU sometime this week (if all goes well!), so we’re doing some things to prep for that and I’m keeping my goals simple. Follow along on my Instagram stories if you want to be the first to know more details on that.
This Week’s Goals — 2020 — Week 12
Personal Goals
1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.)
Published: by Gretchen on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
We are planning to stay home the next several weeks and avoid grocery shopping so I spent a bit more this week stocking up. Our freezer and cabinets are full so hopefully I can stretch everything to last for 3-4 weeks.
Aldi
1 box Fruit & Grain Bars – $1.35
1 pkg Tortillas – $1.25
1 box Strawberry Toaster Tarts – $1.49
2 dozen Eggs – $0.94 each
2 cans Beans – $0.49 each
2 cans Diced Tomatoes – $0.45 each
2 cans Cream of Mushroom/Chicken Soup – $0.49 each
2 pkg Chunk Cheese – $1.69 each
1 can Organic Black Beans – $0.89
1 box Raisin Bran – $1.95
1 box Cheese Crackers – $1.49
2 boxes Cinnamon Crunch Cereal – $1.39 each
1 box Thin Wheat Crackers – $0.98
1.18 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $1.12
1 bag Tortilla Chips – $0.89
1 loaf Bread – $0.95
1 bag Cara Cara Oranges – $2.49
1 bag Chocolate Chips – $1.69
1 bag Cinnamon Bagels – $1.49
1 pkg Hot Dog Buns – $0.85
1 bag Spinach – $1.39
1 Garlic Salt – $0.95
1 bag Baby Carrots – $0.89
2 Italian Dressing – $0.89 each
1 bag Oyster Crackers – $0.79
1 Yellow Mustard – $0.55
1 Ketchup – $1.35
1 pkg Hot Dogs – $0.79
2 pkg Grapes – $3.60
1 pkg Corn Chips – $0.75
2 bag Apples – $2.69 each
3 Cucumbers – $0.55 each
1 bag Tilapia – $3.79
1 box Elbow Macaroni – $1.39
1 box Rotini – $0.79
1 box MooTubes – $1.55
1 bag Sweet Potatoes – $1.99
2 Cantaloupe – $1.19 each
Total: $61.54
Local Country Market
All of the grocery stores in our area are completely out of meat so I made a stop at our local country market and saw they still had some in stock. This is way more than I usually pay, but that’s what happens when every other store is completely sold out of ground beef for weeks.
5 lbs Ground Chuck – $29.38 (This will last for 10 meals as I usually only use half the amount of meat in any recipe.)
5 lbs Chicken Breast – $12.32
1 bag Romaine Lettuce – $1.49
1/2 Gallon Local Honey – $18.99 (I couldn’t pass this up as we go through honey really fast and this was a great price! I’m hoping to make up a big batch of homemade granola bars so this will be perfect!)
10 lbs All Purpose Flour – $4.49
Total: $66.67
Total for both stores: $128.21
Menu Plan for the Next Few Weeks
I plan to just rotate through these meals through the next few weeks.
Breakfasts
Cereal, Oatmeal, Eggs, Bagels, Toast, Homemade Granola, Fruit Smoothies
Lunches
Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Baked Potato/Sweet Potato Bar, Fruit/Veggies/Crackers, Cheese/Crackers/Fruit, Hot Dogs, Mac & Cheese, Cheese Quesadillas, Leftovers
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
34 weeks! And what a week it’s been! Kathrynne getting stuck in Suriname because they closed the borders (gratefully, her group got on a special flight this past Monday — see below), spending hours at the NICU taking care of the preemie we’re fostering, everything else in our life getting cancelled… it’s felt like a pretty unprecedented week!
Highlights
Pregnancy-wise, I’m doing well. I feel like baby had a growth spurt this week and I’ve popped even more. Very few clothes still fit and I feel pretty big, but I’m not at the totally miserable stage yet, so I’m grateful.
Getting comfortable while sitting and sleeping is becoming more of a challenge, but that’s to be expected when you’re in your final weeks of pregnancy! 😉
Notable
I’m thankful to not be experiencing much swelling yet. My face is definitely a lot puffier, but other than that, so long as I keep my feet up for part of the day, I’m usually good.
We’re hopefully bringing our NICU baby home soon, so I’ve spent some time this week making sure everything is in order for both babies — baby clothes are washed, diapers are stocked, a second bed is ordered, etc.
I also sat down and mapped out the bones of a feeding/sleeping/life routine today — since our little preemie is on an every three-hour feeding schedule and will most likely continue that once released from the hospital. We’re getting excited to think of being a family of 7 soon — but also trying to savor our last few days of being a family of just 5.
Cravings
I’m mostly only hungry in the mornings now. I’m usually famished for the first few hours of the day and then I’m not that hungry after lunch. I’m eating lots of apples/peanut butter and Raisin Bran/milk.
Oh and we found that vanilla ice cream before bed helps me to sleep better and not wake up with heartburn as often. I have no idea why, but hey, if it works, it works! 🤣I’m also eating dates every day and drinking red raspberry leaf tea to help prepare for labor.
Weight gain: 27 pounds
She’s home!!! After being gone for 11 days, getting stuck in Suriname due to the country completing closing their borders, and being told she might not be able to come home for 30 days… we got to witness God move some pretty huge mountains in a very short amount of time. (The government arranged a special flight out of Suriname for them and a handful of others who were trying to get back to the US!)
A huge thank you to the many who prayed, the school administration who worked tirelessly to get them home, & the government officials who bent over backwards to make this happen.
Also, we are so proud of this girl! She handled the whole thing like a champ and told me she decided to focus on the positive in it instead of dwelling on the what if’s or unknowns.
She came back stronger, more resilient, more independent (in a good way), more aware of the goodness and provision of God, and so incredibly humbled by how many hundreds (thousands?) of people were praying for her and their team to make it home safely.
Thank you all to the many, many, many of you who wrote, texted, and messaged to tell me you were praying. It has truly been a humbling experience to be the recipient of so much love and kindness this past week… especially when SO much else is going on in the world. We are blown away how deeply you care about our family.
And now we’re hunkered down at home for the next few weeks trying to stay as healthy as possible and keep our home as germ-free as possible since we’ll likely be welcoming a medically fragile babe into our home very, very soon.
(Interested in seeing the creative things my kids are finding to do each day while home 24/7 or want to follow along with our foster care journey? Be sure to follow my stories on Instagram. I usually post there multiple times per day every week day!)
Speaking of Instagram, I posted this earlier this week and thought this might encourage someone today:
This is what the last 8 days of my life have looked like. Sitting in the rocker in the NICU rocking this tiny preemie we’re fostering and praying. (Note: The mask is just one of the many precautions the nurses are having me take to keep me and baby as healthy as possible.)
I’m usually a go-getter, a very driven person, who will have 15 balls in the air I’m juggling at any given time. My brain isn’t good at slowing down and I typically find living life at 100 miles an hour (with short pit stops here and there) to be exhilarating and fulfilling.
But right now, this is my season to rock, hold, comfort, and speak words of life to this precious baby. And that is enough.
I look down at this bundle I’m holding and realize, this sweet child doesn’t know anything about the chaos or fear going on in the world. Baby just wants to eat, sleep, and be held. And as long as I’m holding this child, they are almost always completely relaxed in my arms, resting deeply and peacefully.
As I sit here, I think of so many of you who are struggling today. Some of you have written in and told me how you are facing scary unknowns, big financial setbacks, possible job loss, fear of the future, worry over immunocompromised loved ones, separation from those you love, and so much more. This virus is personally affecting each of us in big ways.
I just want to remind you — as I am reminding myself — to crawl up into Jesus’ lap and let Him hold you. He loves you more than you can ever imagine. And He will give you what you need for today.
There are a lot of unknowns in my future right now — as I am positive there are in yours. If I let myself start dwelling on them, I can begin to feel scared and stressed. But God hasn’t given me grace for tomorrow or next month. He is giving me grace for today and I can rest in that.
And so, I sit here and rock — trusting Jesus that He has my future, my NICU baby’s future (and all the possible medical issues and things with that far outside my control!) my 34-week in utero baby’s future, my other 3 kids’ futures, my husband’s future, the future of our business, my extended family’s future… in His hands.
Published: by Brigette on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
My older sister, Brigette, shares her shopping trips and menu plans every week! You can go HERE to see all of her weekly menu plans and you can go HERE to read all about her family!
Aldi
Our Aldi was pretty picked over, and I wasn’t able to get a number of the things on my list. We will be relying on some of our freezer stash of meat this week (mostly venison) as any version of chicken or beef was unavailable. Hopefully next week there will be more selection – or we will just eat lots of rice and beans. 🙂
1 family-size box Corn Flakes – $1.09
1 family-size box Frosted Flakes – $2.29
3 dozen Eggs (limit 3) – $4.01
1 bag fresh Green Beans – $1.59
1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $2.19
1 10-lb bag Russet Potatoes – $3.49
1 3-lb bag Pink Lady Apples – $3.99
1 bag Mini Sweet Peppers – $2.19
1 large jar Unsweetened Applesauce – $1.95
2 cans Green Beans – $0.76
1 pkg Fresh Zucchini – $1.94
1 pkg Radishes – $1.19
2 bags Red Grapes ($0.95/lb) – $4.28
1 bunch Bananas ($0.38/lb) – $1.03
1 carton Grape Tomatoes – $1.19
1 pkg Romaine Hearts – $1.99 (for some odd reason, not pictured, although it definitely made it home)
2 16-oz bags Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $5.50
1 64-oz carton Orange Juice – $1.59
1 32-oz carton Half and Half – $1.55
1 16-oz carton Heavy Whipping Cream – $1.55
1 1-lb box Butter Quarters – $2.89
1 gallon Skim Milk – $2.75 (last carton of any kind of milk in the entire store)
5 single-serving size Greek Yogurts – $3.15
1 16-oz pkg Deli Meat – $2.95
1 pkg Turkey Bacon – $1.89
1-lb Country Sausage – $3.05
1 pkg String Cheese – $2.79
1 pkg Sliced Cheese – $1.79
1 can Whipped Topping – $2.89
1 carton Goat Crumbles – $2.39
1 pkg Plain Rice Cakes – $1.99
1 bag Nacho Chips – $1.19
1 loaf Sandwich Bread – $0.85
Weekly Total: $75.93
Weekly Menu Plan
Breakfasts
Everyone is responsible for making/cleaning up their own breakfasts. Choices include:
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Welcome to my weekly book update post where I share what books I read this past week + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.
A Word on My Star Ratings
The star ratings I give the books I read are based on a 5-star rating system. I rarely will ever give a book a 1-star rating (maybe never?), because my philosophy is that if a book is only worthy of one star, I’m more than likely going to quit reading it. 🙂 In the same vein, you’ll also notice that I’ll rarely give a 5-star rating as I reserve those for only my very, very favorite books.
I had high hopes for this book… but it sort of fell flat for me. It wasn’t that there weren’t some nuggets of truth in it, I just didn’t find a lot that spoke to me in the season of motherhood I’m in. Or maybe it was the writing style? Or the layout?
I’m not sure, exactly. I just know that I usually underline and dog ear at least a few pages of all books that I read and I didn’t do either for this entire book.
Also, I realized that I got to the end of the book and still am not entirely sure what they mean by the phrase “Risen Motherhood”. It didn’t seem really clear or obvious to me in the book, so that kind of perplexed me. I think they were using the phrase to mean, “Gospel-Centered Motherhood”, but unless I totally missed this definition somewhere (and it’s possible that I did!), it didn’t seem to be explained well in the book.
I debated whether to give this book 2 or 3 stars. Ultimately, I decided on 3 stars just because it does have nuggets of truth and I think it would likely be an encouragement to other moms in other seasons. If you’ve read it and loved it, I’d love to hear a differing perspective! Please share in the comments.
I was excited to read this book and I definitely did dog-ear and underline parts of it. If you need a shot in the arm to step out in faith, I think it will really encourage you!
Kristen’s faith and story has long encouraged me and this book chronicles more of her journey — the highs and lows, hardships and victories.
The one thing I didn’t love about this book was that it could definitely make some people feel guilty or that they need to follow in Kristen’s footsteps. I love her passion and heart for the work God has called her to, but I felt like some of it could make a reader feel like she needs to have the same passion and heart.
I know that wasn’t Kristen’s intent at all, but I wanted to mention this and just remind you that God has called all of us to different ministries, passions, and missions. We aren’t all called to be advocates for fair trade or fostering. We each have individual callings and it’s our job to see the Lord to how He would have us to use our giftings and abilities to make a difference in the world.
Verdict: 3 stars
What did you read this past week? Any books you think I really need to add to my long to-read list??
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
I know that the whole world is kind of in upheaval right now and there’s a lot of unknown and uncertainty. I debated whether to go ahead with publishing this podcast that was planned for the week as it didn’t really have much of anything to do with what’s going on in the world.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that probably some of you would like a break from the incessant stream of news. Also, I know that many families are going to be hunkering down over the next few weeks (or longer) and spending a lot of time at home as a family.
I realized that, with this in mind, maybe this was the perfect episode for this week. We moms need to be reminded that God has given us the kids He has and He knows that there is no better mom for the job of raising our kids than us, especially during hard days.
In this episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Becky Keife, author of No Better Mom for the Job, to discuss what it means to feel confident in your motherhood.
Becky had three boys in three and a half years… and I think that in itself is enough for us to sit up and listen to what she has to say! 🙂 While no parenting journey is easy, there are certainly those with more trials to go through. Becky shares what it was like having three boys at such young ages and how she managed during those times.
It wasn’t until she really leaned into her faith, however, that she found the confidence to take ownership of her motherhood. So many times she felt like she was failing her children and the the Lord had given those babies to her at the wrong time. She didn’t feel like the right mother for the job.
Through seeking the Lord and finding her confidence in His goodness and love, her attitude changed. In this episode, she shares her journey to more confident parenting, owning her gifts (and being okay with areas that weren’t her gifts!), how she has learned to embrace her active and “spirited” boys and the personalities God has given them, and how parenting has changed as her kids have gotten older.
I hope our conversation encourages you — wherever you are in your parenting journey — that there is no better mom for the job!
In This Episode:
[01:19] Becky shares about being a mom to 3 spirited boys born in 3 1/2 years!
[04:56] I read a quote from the book that discusses God’s love and how that contributes to confidence in parenting.
[07:09] Was it a long process to get to the place of finding your confidence in God as a parent?
[08:22] We talk candidly about how every mom is so different and Becky shares how she made peace with not being a mom who could take her kids to the park.
[12:51] How do you approach delighting in high-energy children without crushing their spirit?
[15:57] When you’re in the thick of things, you may not feel like you’re the right mom.
[17:24] What would Becky say to the moms who feel like they aren’t qualified and don’t have any special gifts or talents?
[20:42] There is a power in community. Learn how to build connections with other moms.
[23:37] Being fine isn’t the point. Hear why!
[24:49] How can you parent with confidence as your kids get older?
My Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Like I told you yesterday, last week panned out very differently than I expected. That’s definitely reflected in the fact that I didn’t cross off many goals.
Last Week’s Goals — 2020 — Week 10
Personal Goals
1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.)
6. Pop popcorn and watch another classic movie as a family.
It’s looking like this week is going to be a week of my family staying home and self-quarantining and me spending most of each day at the NICU loving on the little baby we are fostering.
This Week’s Goals — 2020 — Week 11
Personal Goals
1. Get in 54,000 steps total. (I use the FitBit Ulta HR to track my steps every day.)
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
33 weeks — and I’ve very much officially outgrown this non-maternity sweatshirt!
Highlights
Well, this was quite the week! As I mentioned yesterday, in addition to all the upheaval, unknowns, and cancellations due to COVID-19, Kathrynne also got stranded in Suriname (I hope to have a good report to share on her situation there soon! It’s looking hopeful that they aren’t going to be stranded for 30 days!), and we started fostering a newborn who was born prematurely and is currently in the NICU.
This foster placement is likely a long term placement (as with foster care, that could always change) and baby will likely be in the NICU for another few weeks.
So I spent the bulk of the last 5 days at the NICU and will likely be there much of every day until the baby comes home. I’m so thankful for the flexibility of my job and our lifestyle that is allowing me the opportunity to pour into and love on this little one. We are completely smitten and the kids look forward to me coming home every day to share the pictures and videos I take.
This is my first experience with time in the NICU and I’m so thankful for the amazing team there who has patiently taught me so much about how to care for a medically fragile child. I’m learning all sorts of new terms, bottle-feeding techniques, what all the beeps and alarms mean, what I need to pay attention to… Each nurse teaches me something new every day.
I’m trying to make sure to pace myself, eat healthfully, exercise, stay hydrated, try to get as much sleep as I can, and have downtime each day to hopefully stay well and continue to have a great pregnancy (the hospital won’t even let you in the door as a visitor right now if you’re not super healthy).
Notable
I’ve spent a lot of time this week sitting in a rocking chair in the NICU rocking two babies — one on my lap and one in my womb. It’s crazy to realize they are both about the same size right now!
And it’s also funny because the babe in my belly is constantly kicking the babe on my lap.
Also, yes, it’s looking like we’re going to have “twins” at our house in just 6-7 weeks. The kids are beyond ecstatic!! It should be quite the adventure! Feel free to hit me up with all your best advice for having two newborns at the same time!
Cravings
Milk, cereal, milk, and ice cream. Notice a theme?!?
Weight gain: 25 pounds
A Few More Peeks Into Our Life This Past Week…
I had the privilege of interviewing Becky Keife for my podcast this past week. Her book, No Better Mom for the Job, was one that really blessed me this past year. I can’t wait to share her episode with you on Tuesday. You are going to be so encouraged!
Like I said, Kathrynne left for Suriname last Friday morning to go on a special learning/serving/experiencing trip with a teacher and a small group of girls from school. (This picture was taken at a park there.)
This is the girl who — just 5 years ago — was scared and completely uncomfortable to be around kids her age.
This is the girl who has struggled with so many panic attacks and anxiety.
The girl who was incredibly angry with us when we made the decision to put her in school after always homeschooling (she was so fearful of having to be around kids she didn’t know and to be in so many unknown situations all day long).
This was the girl who was terrified to get on a plane to South Africa with us just 4 years ago.
It’s our heart’s desire to raise self-sufficient adults, not co-dependent children. So over the past 5 years, we’ve slowly pushed her to do a lot of uncomfortable things, because we knew the only way she would grow wings and fly was if we gently nudged her out of the safety of our little nest.
We often wondered if we were making the right call and we spent a lot of time crying out to God for wisdom and direction for the next step. God has been so faithful to give us wisdom — even when it’s meant making really hard calls (like quitting homeschooling).
We look at her now and see that is was SO worth it — she’s a confident, outgoing 15-year-old with more friends than we can keep track of and a social calendar we struggle to keep up with. A girl who loves Jesus, life, adventure, travel, and people. A girl who excitedly jumped at the chance to go on trip to Suriname (her first international trip without us)!
We’re still finding our way in what it looks like to parent teens. And I know we’ve made plenty of missteps. But we continue to just look to the Lord to give us wisdom for each new day, each new situation, each new unknown… and we trust Him to be faithful!
Also, watching your kids go on their own adventures, jump out of their comfort zone, stretch themselves, and live courageously is one of the most rewarding things as a parent… even if it involves a lot of our own letting go!
How was your week? How are you doing in the middle of so much unknown and unexpected? Let me know in the comments! (And if you are feeling stressed and scared or just going through a rough time right now, leave a comment and let me know. I have lots of extra time to pray for people right now while I’m sitting in a rocker in the NICU!)
OVER-SPENDING EVERY SINGLE MONTH?Grab these FREE Budgeting Sheets!
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Want to see what we bought for this week’s $70 grocery budget? I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).
In addition to everything surrounding COVID-19… school cancellations, church cancellations, sports cancellations, my parents cancelling their trip to come see us, Kathrynne being in Suriname while all this was going down*, and just figuring out how to navigate life in the middle of all of the unknown, we’ve also personally had some pretty HUGE things happen at our house this week… namely, we said yes to fostering a newborn who was born prematurely and is currently in the NICU.
So, much of our week was spent at the NICU loving on this little baby and meeting with the social worker/DCS/the medical team and learning how to care for a medically fragile baby.
I had never stepped foot in the NICU up until 4 days ago, so it’s been a whole new experience. And of all of the weeks, this was probably one of the most unique and weird weeks to be spending a lot of time at a hospital!! (They have a screening process just to get in the door and then to get in the NICU is a whole other level!)
The nurses and staff and social worker and DCS have all been amazing throughout this process and they have taught me so much and walked alongside us so well through this new territory. Also, we are so thrilled that the baby is doing so well, has started to bottle feed a little this week, and maybe get to come home in a few weeks!
(And yes, in case you’re wondering, this means that we’re planning to have two newborns at our house soon!! The kids could not be more excited!! Of course, this is foster care, so things could always change at any time… we’re just taking one day at a time and seeking to love well in this.)
*As of last night, Kathrynne is currently stranded in Suriname because they closed the borders just hours before she was supposed to fly back home today! Her school is working hard to get this situation resolved ASAP and get the girls back home. In the mean time, she has such a good attitude about it all. You can read more details here.
Okay, enough of an update! Let’s talk about groceries!
We checked our stockpile and realized it was lacking in a few areas, so we shored up those areas so that we have a 30-day supply on hand — even though not everything was on sale this week.
I’m grateful that we did this earlier in the week, because our stores are pretty sold out of a lot of staple items now.
Jesse ran by Kroger on Monday to pick up a few things we needed:
I’m glad we got potatoes, because our store was completely sold out of them by Friday! (Who knew potatoes would be the big thing to stock up on?? That one surprised me!)
Kroger had some three-day sales that I wanted to try to take advantage of. I wasn’t sure whether they would have these items in stock when I went by on Friday night, but they did!
In thinking of making sure we have a 30-day supply of food and household items, I made sure we had enough on hand to make 30 dinners with our freezer and pantry items. I always love to have a few frozen pizzas on hand — especially for a quick dinner on busy nights or if the kids have friends over at the last minute! Yay for them being on sale for just $3.14!
Kroger Shopping Trip #2:
2 Kroger Pizzas — $3.14 each with the three-day sale
2 bags of rice — $1.99 each
5 packages Kroger cheese — $1.29 each with the three-day sale
Eggs — $1.19
3 packages strawberries — $1.67 each
2 bunches bananas — $2.71 total
5 packages Nathan Beef Franks — $1.99 each with the three-day sale
Milk — $2.99
Apples — $3.99
Total with tax: $45.42
Our Menu Plan This Week
Note: When you see the meals below, please remember this: I buy ahead often. Which means that when I find a great deal on something I know we’ll use, I buy as much as I can afford in our budget to have on hand.
This means that you aren’t going to see all of the groceries my shopping trip that I used to make all of the meals we ate.
Please also remember that I’m putting this out there and it’s not a perfectly balanced menu. This is just really what we ate — and I hope that it encourages you to see the real-ness and lack of perfection here.
Breakfasts: Cereal
Lunches/Snacks: Leftovers, Salad, Apples/Peanut Butter, Mac & Cheese, Banana Muffins, Danimals, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Cookies, Pears, Yogurt, Random other markdowns/sale items 🙂
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Welcome to my weekly book update post where I share what books I read this past week + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.
A Word on My Star Ratings
The star ratings I give the books I read are based on a 5-star rating system. I rarely will ever give a book a 1-star rating (maybe never?), because my philosophy is that if a book is only worthy of one star, I’m more than likely going to quit reading it. 🙂 In the same vein, you’ll also notice that I’ll rarely give a 5-star rating as I reserve those for only my very, very favorite books.
I read this book back in 2014 and it made my Top 10 Books Read in 2014 list. Since I’m writing some about the importance of recognizing how much you are loved by God in my upcoming book, I wanted to re-read this book again.
It was just as good the second time around! It’s packed with powerful and wise reminders of how we are pre-approved by God. As such, we don’t need to chase after the approval, the praise, the admiration, or the affirmation of others.
If you struggle to believe you are loved, enough, and valuable, this book is for you. It’s also a fantastic read if you battle against having perfectionistic, people-pleasing tendencies.
It’s well-written and engaging, but more than that, the message is powerful, freeing, life-changing!
Ever found yourself second-guessing a decision or stalled by paralysis analysis? Don’t Overthink It will give you practical suggestions, sage encouragement, and worthwhile strategies you can implement to stop over-thinking and make faster, better decisions that will bring you joy!
There were many great stories and examples in the book and I think it might be Anne Bogel’s best writing yet. Her words inspired both this Instagram post and this Instagram post.
(In case you didn’t click through and read those links, you do need to read the quotes they are based on: “Decisions made out of fear are not good decisions.” AND “When we assume we can’t, it’s guaranteed that we won’t.”)
I’ve loved Katherine Reay’s books and have had this one on my shelf for a long time. So I was really excited when it came up to download for free on Libby.
I have to be honest and say that it felt a little bit like a Hallmark movie and it seemed to drag on slowly at times and was pretty predictable in others. (If you didn’t pick up on it, I’m not much of a Hallmark movie fan. Should I admit that out loud??! However, if you are in the camp of people who love Hallmark movies, then it just might totally be your cup of tea.)
Overall, it wasn’t my favorite book by Katherine Reay, but if you’re looking for a light read and you love Jane Austen (or Hallmark movies!), you might enjoy it.
Verdict: 3 stars
Classic Movie We Watched Last Week
The kids decided — all on their own — that they want to start watching one old classic movie per week together as a family in 2020. They are helping me choose the list of movies and I’ll be reporting here what we watch each week and their thoughts on it.
I plan to do a big classic movie round-up post at the end of the year with their verdict on the best and favorites of the ones we watched. (Thank you for all the great suggestions for must-watch classic movies!)
Last week, we watched The Strongest Man in the World. It’s a little cheesy in parts, but overall, it was a fun, lighthearted movie. Silas especially enjoyed it. Have you seen it before?
What did you read this past week? Any books you think I really need to add to my long to-read list??
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Early Friday morning, Kathrynne (15) got on a plane to fly to Suriname (in South America) for 9 days with a teacher and a small group of girls from school. (This picture was taken at a park there yesterday.)
This is the girl who — just 5 years ago — was scared and completely uncomfortable to be around kids her age. This is the girl who has struggled with so many panic attacks and anxiety. The girl who was incredibly angry with us when we made the decision to put her in school after always homeschooling (she was so fearful of having to be around kids she didn’t know and to be in so many unknown situations all day long). This was the girl who was terrified to get on a plane to South Africa with us just 4 years ago.
It’s our heart’s desire to raise self-sufficient adults, not co-dependent children. So over the past 5 years, we’ve slowly pushed her to do a lot of uncomfortable things, because we knew the only way she would grow wings and fly was if we gently nudged her out of the safety of our little nest.
We often wondered if we were making the right call and we spent a lot of time crying out to God for wisdom and direction for the next step. God has been so faithful to give us wisdom — even when it’s meant making really hard calls (like quitting homeschooling).
We look at her now and see that is was SO worth it — she’s a confident, outgoing 15-year-old with more friends than we can keep track of and a social calendar we struggle to keep up with. A girl who loves Jesus, life, adventure, travel, and people. A girl who excitedly jumped at the chance to go on trip to Suriname (her first international trip without us)!
We’re still finding our way in what it looks like to parent teens. And I know we’ve made plenty of missteps. But we continue to just look to the Lord to give us wisdom for each new day, each new situation, each new unknown… and we trust Him to be faithful!
Also, watching your kids go on their own adventures, jump out of their comfort zone, stretch themselves, and live courageously is one of the most rewarding things as a parent… even if it involves a lot of our own letting go! 😉
Tackling the Timely Topic of Fear
On this week’s episode of the podcast, Jesse and I tackle the timely topic of fear. We discuss the current fears over recent tornadoes in our area, COVID-19, political unrest, sending our daughter to Suriname, and a recent situation of a lot of unknowns with potentially fostering a newborn.
If you struggle with fear — especially when it comes to unknowns or your kids — I think this episode will really encourage you. Fear isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it’s how you choose to act as a result of that fear.
[01:44] Our area was hit by some devastating tornadoes, which is rare and has shaken up our community.
[03:33] On top of that, the first case of COVID-19 was reported in our area the day we recorded this. We also just sent our daughter on a plane to spend 9 days in Suriname and we’ve walked through a lot of unknowns in foster care. We’ll talk more about what we’re learning from all of this later on in the show.
[05:14] But first, AT&Ts international plan is saving Jesse’s life right now and lotion is saving my life this week.
[08:52] To go along with this week’s theme of fear, my book pick is one I highly recommend:Raising Worry-Free Girls.
[11:41] We’ve been receiving some amazingly kind reviews on the podcast lately. Thank you!
[14:44] Get ready to dive into fear. First, I share the entire emotional journey we went through while waiting to potentially foster a newborn. (We’re still waiting on the call!)
[19:00] How I let go of the fear and anxiety I was feeling around this whole fostering situation. It wasn’t easy, but it was so good for me to work through.
[21:13] We discuss the emotional turmoil our community is feeling with the tornadoes, COVID-19, and political unrest and we share lessons and thoughts on fear.
[23:31] Did you know fear can actually be helpful and isn’t necessarily a bad thing?
[24:25] Fear can either propel you to healthy action or paralyze you from taking action.
[26:20] We want to raise adults. Letting Kathrynne go on this trip and prep for this trip is one more step in the right direction.
[28:38] How are you going to act or react when fear arises?
My Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scenes photos and videos, my grocery store hauls, funny stories, or just anything I’m pondering or would like your advice or feedback on!)
Have feedback on the show or suggestions for future episodes or topics? Send me an email: [email protected]
Published: by Crystal Paine on | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Want to see what we bought for this week’s $70 grocery budget? I’m currently challenging myself to stick with a $70 budget for our family of five. This includes almost all of our breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners + most household products (toiletries, laundry soap, etc.).
This week we had a lot of different things going on — Jesse got home from the men’s Discipleship retreat on Sunday, we had things going on almost every evening, Kathrynne left for a 9-day trip to Suriname on Friday, and I spent Friday-Sunday out of town at the women’s Discipleship retreat (both Jesse and I are small group co-leaders for our church’s Discipleship Intensive program).
We also went with our youth group to the indoor waterpark at the Gaylord Opryland on Wednesday evening (Jesse and I both co-lead a small group of teens in our church’s youth group, too).
So, when you see our menu plan below, you’ll notice we didn’t have a lot of “normal” dinners as a result. 🙂 But hey, this is real life right now!
5 jars Prego (only 4 are pictured because we accidentally dropped one while bringing in the groceries!) — $0.99 each as part of the Friday-Saturday deals — earned $0.75 cash back from iBotta
Note: When you see the meals below, please remember this: I buy ahead often. Which means that when I find a great deal on something I know we’ll use, I buy as much as I can afford in our budget to have on hand.
This means that you aren’t going to see all of the groceries my shopping trip that I used to make all of the meals we ate.
Please also remember that I’m putting this out there and it’s not a perfectly balanced menu. This is just really what we ate — and I hope that it encourages you to see the real-ness and lack of perfection here.
Breakfasts: Cereal
Lunches/Snacks: Leftovers, Salad, Turkey/Cheese Sandwiches, Apples/Peanut Butter, Mac & Cheese, Danimals, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Cookies, Pears, Random other markdowns/sale items 🙂
