It's January! 2018 Grocery summary

Well, this poor old dusty blog of mine, eh?  There are things I want to write here, but with kids, running, job...it just doesn't happen.

This past year, I set a grocery goal of $7800, or $150 a week.  This goal was a bit higher than 2017 of $7000.  My kids are growing, I'm getting busier, (we all are), and I wanted to "put my money where my mouth is" - so to speak - on buying local.

Well, we were doing "OK" this year, though I noticed by running average was around $151-152 for much of the year.  About 3 weeks before the end of the year, I did some math.  We had 3 more veggie boxes to be delivered (for $125).  The math told me that besides that, we had $232 left for 3 weeks.

So I decided to give it a shot. The best way for me to do that is to meal plan - so I created a google doc, and started filling it in.  I found a decent price on a very small ham for Christmas.  I found a sale on organic potatoes.  I planned some beans & rice curry dishes and lentil soups.  We (my big boy and I) ate some oatmeal.  I made homemade bread.  My spouse bought me some gluten free bread from a local bakery for a Christmas gift, which TOTALLY doesn't count against the budget.

Apparently I haven't lost my meal planning mojo, because I found myself with $50 left the morning of December 31.  So I did what any self-respecting meal planner would do, and I spent that on meat and treats - because I'm not rolling it over to next year.

In the end, I came in at $7789.01.  Almost $11 left for the year.

Below is a graph of my grocery budget since 2001, minus a few years when I was pregnant with #2 or had a baby/ toddler, and apparently didn't give a shit.

That spike in 2014 was when I was working super hard to lose that second baby weight.  I was successful!  A lot more protein that year.  2011-2013 are completely missing.

All in all, we aren't doing too badly.  Most of the increase in the last year has been due to produce - I get two boxes delivered each week, for a total of $65 a week.  That's more than a third of the budget.

Things you can get for $1

When you are self-enforced into a $19.55 week at the end of the year, you learn to be creative.

Creative with what you have left in the fridge and freezer (which is a good thing).

Creative with shopping.

Here's a list of things that you can get for $1 at the 99 cent store.  For the record, most things at the 99 cent only store are actually $0.9999.  So, $1.

2 bell peppers
2 lb carrots
3 pack Romaine hearts
6 oz mushrooms
1 lb persian cucumbers
3 lb potatoes
1 lb tomatoes
small pkg of liverwurst
30 corn tortillas
10 flour tortillas
1 lb dry beans
small can sardines
small tube pringles
1 can tomatoes
3 cans tomato sauce
2 cans tomato paste
24 oz can spaghetti sauce
1 lb pasta
3 lb onions
1 lb grapes
1 lb strawberries
1 pineapples
1 butternut squash
1 cake mix (but not a very good one)
4 bagels
1 lb frozen mixed fruit
1 lb frozen vegetables
6 oz sliced cheese

How did I spend my last $19.55?  So far:
$0.50 - 2 limes from a neighbor
$1 - 1 lb cucumbers
$1 - 2 lb carrots
$1 - 1 lb strawberries
$1.99 - 3 lb pink lady apples
$1 - 1 head cauliflower
$1 - 10 flour tortillas
$2.99 - strawberry jam
$2.99 - gallon milk
$2.29 - dozen eggs
$0.95 - 5 bananas

Leaving $2.84.  I could have spent it, but decided I needed to keep it as a backup, ha!

$19.55

Remember January, and earlier this year?  I had these goals, inspired by Mavis' goals at onehundreddollarsamonth.com.  I had food goals, craft goals, fitness goals.  Somewhere along the line, I got tired of checking in on my goals, which means... I sort of lost sight of them.

There are a lot of reasons for that.  I got busy running half marathons and up mountains.  Layoffs.  New responsibilities, a horrible 2017 filled with...ugh, politics.

Then when I thought it couldn't get any worse, December said "Hold my Beer!" and we were faced with the largest wild fire in CA state history.  Terrible air quality, cancellation of the last 7 days of school before the 2 week winter break, cancellation of the winter camp for the little kid.  Two unplanned and unforced evacuations, 7 days in hotels, a nasty head cold and chest cough. A 5 year old barfing in the hotel room.  Finally returning home and losing water due to a water main break for 24 hours.  Then a 48 hour boil water advisory.

But it's Christmas Eve.  We've been back home and settled in since Monday.  Back to "normal" since Friday.  Yay!  Today I gathered up the various grocery receipts for the last week at hotels and put them into my spreadsheet.  Then I looked up my goal for the year.  What do you know?

My goal for the year was $7000, about $134 per week.  I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to hit it, as these later months were expensive.  But funny that, a week in hotels = eating out more, shopping less, and cancellation of our produce box.

Our total as of today, with 7 days left in this year? $6980.45.  That means if I want to hit my goal, I have $19.55 for the rest of the week.

Can I do it?  Do I even want to try?  I've decided: yes.  Why not.  The fridge, freezer, and pantry are full.  I should be able to get through the week on what we have.  The little bit of $ left in the budget can go to eggs, and maybe fruits and veg if we run out.  The only important thing is to be better at planning for the week.  I can do that, right?  We are home more this week anyway.  I am dangerously low on rice and beans though.

On the menu:
Christmas eve: Vegan chili from The New Fast Food and corn bread
Christmas day: Chicken legs, mashed potatoes, roast brussels sprouts and green beans

Rest of the week: leftover rice & chicken, more chili, probably a quinoa and lentil dish, lots of quesadillas with guac for lunch.  I think I'll be eating a lot of oatmeal for breakfast and salad for lunch.  Husband is getting sandwiches!

We have leftover fruit salad from this morning's pot luck.  Next week's potluck I'll make scones and an egg dish.  Instead of doing something for New Year's (who am I kidding, I go to bed early), we are attending a NYE party up the street.  Last year we did the same and one adult and all the kids came down to our house.  So, we can provide popcorn! 

So wish me luck.  Assuming I didn't lose a receipt here or there (and if I did, too late!), $19.55 left.  Let's do this!

Obligatory photo of peanut butter balls I made yesterday.

2017 Goals, weeks 12 & 13

1. Exercise: as of Saturday 4/1/17 

Running: 300 miles: To date: 62.9 miles  So, six weeks till the 1/2 marathon. And I'm only up to 6 miles.  Hm.
Biking: 500 miles: To date: 48.44 miles 
Swimming: 50 miles: To date: 7.96 miles (only once in two weeks).
Walking: 150 miles: To date: 51.99 miles
Weights/ yoga: 30 minutes a week (1560 this year): 368 minutes - nothing in 2 weeks eek!

Starting to stress about the half marathon.  Especially since they've changed it since I last did it. Now they are "nickel and diming you".  Like, you have to drive up (45 min or so) to pick up your race packet the day before.  If you want to pick it up here in my own town, it's $10.  (used to be free).  If you want to pick it up the morning of the race, it's $15.

So, just to kind of screw them, I was going to go with the "free" option. Except it will cost $10 in gas ($9.60 actually), even in my tiny car.  However, if I carpooled, or got several other people's packets at the same time, it would pay for itself.  Anyway.  I have time to decide.  But I won't be doing this race again.

2. Grocery bill: Keep it under $7000 ($134.62/wk): $96.77 & $83.69.  My produce box was missing something this week too.  Hopefully I'll get a  credit.  $1735.95 so far, or $133.53/ week.  This was a BIG week post vacation.  And party.

3.  Weight: I have no idea.

4.  Family:
Go on 12 family hikes: Well, we went on 3 family hikes on our trip last week.  They were very short. About 3/4 mile each, took an hour (you know, 4 year old pace, with snowball fights).
Do game night once a week: Not much of this.

5.  Crafts:
- Crochet a blanket - less than 30 days to go

- crochet a purse: nothing
- participate in my quilting group's exchange: I cut a bunch of blocks.  We are all making 20 half square triangle blocks for each other.
- make 12 snowflakes: nothing
- attempt to make socks: I've pinned a bunch of instructions?  I did make two pink "pussy cat hats".  One to donate to the Yarn Bomber.  One for a friend.

6.  Sleep: Been a pretty good week, though vacation - not so much.  Got kicked out of bed by the 4 year old.

7.  Food: eat vegan 2 days a week. I'm not sure when or if I'm going to jump back on this train.

8.  Cookbooks: Try 1 recipe from every cookbook I own.  Ditto.  See #7. I'm making a lot of things over and over again.

9.  Work:
     a. Skills: Learn enough programming to automate the data pulls for problem lots (which requires pulling data from 2 different databases).  Haven't worked on this yet.  REALLY need to.
     b. Personal:  Don't engage.  Really.  

10.  Home: Contact contractor/ architect on adding a second bathroom.Nothing. But we did talk to the plumber about (finally) replacing the sewer line.  Nothing like $8k bill!  Haven't gotten the written estimate.  But he did just come by this weekend (again) because our neighbor's backed up (again).  Yuck.

11.  Garden: need to plant stuff.  And more stuff.

12.  Spouse: we did manage March date!

13.  Beverages:
- Drink less coffee and more tea (one cup coffee per day): Uh, lots of coffee this week.
- Do not buy any wine aside from my two wine club memberships.  Been hitting the wine more the last few weeks.

- Drink two 24-oz bottles of water a day, minimum.  I managed this on my running days.

14.  Mom's nights/ dad's night once a month: Jan, check.  Feb, fail. March, fail.

15.  Host friends.  Jan, check.  Feb, fail.  March, fail.  April, success on day 1!!  It was a no-baseball weekend.

2017 Goals Week 10 & 11

Whoops, I guess I missed a week?  How did that happen?

1. Exercise: as of Saturday 3/18/17 

Running: 300 miles: To date: 54.19 miles  Whoo boy this went up a lot!  
Biking: 500 miles: To date: 38.84 miles (this week we had a birthday and sleep issues)
Swimming: 50 miles: To date: 7.31 miles (very sad.  Last week the pool was closed one day and the lifeguard didn't show one day.  This week I made it once).
Walking: 150 miles: To date: 44.14 miles
Weights/ yoga: 30 minutes a week (1560 this year): 368 minutes 

So, yesterday I ran a 10k race.  I finished in 1:12:19, a 11:39 pace.  Which is about 50 secs per mile faster than my training.  And I am PAYING for it today (ow).  I hit the carbs REALLY hard yesterday too.  I was pretty tired.

This was 3 minutes faster than the 10k that I did in September.  And it goes to show how they are all different.  I really enjoyed the course...along the ocean for a lot of it, quite a bit of it in dirt.  I run/ walk, so I played leap frog with 5 people for 4 miles until I could no longer leap them.  The old guy?  Turns out he's 73.

September was big, and I finished 47/87 in the 45-49 age group.

Yesterday was small, and I finished 10/10 in the same age group.  My coach was 3rd.

2. Grocery bill: Keep it under $7000 ($134.62/wk): $96.77 & $83.69.  My produce box was missing something this week too.  Hopefully I'll get a  credit.  $1323.51 so far, or $120.32/ week.  Not bad.  Hm.  I wonder if I'm missing some receipts.

3.  Weight: I have no idea.

4.  Family:
Go on 12 family hikes: fail. fail. fail.
Do game night once a week: More like daytime games on weekends.

I am enjoying the hikes with my friends on weekends with the run group, but have to get the kids out!  There's water in the creek!

5.  Crafts:
- Crochet a blanket - working on it.  It's looking good!

- crochet a purse: nothing
- participate in my quilting group's exchange: I cut a bunch of blocks.  We are all making 20 half square triangle blocks for each other.
- make 12 snowflakes: nothing
- attempt to make socks: I've pinned a bunch of instructions?  Right now we are cleaning out closets - never did dig through stuff after Christmas. Donating stuff to the elementary school rummage sale.  Not our school, but a different one.

6.  Sleep: Um.  So little guy had a cold.  Monday night, he woke up crying every hour.  So little sleep.  Tuesday night I slept like the dead.  Turns out it's because hubby slept with him.  Weds night was worse than Monday, because he just wouldn't let me leave his room.  I was awake for hours.  Friday night I couldn't sleep because of race nervousness and last night was awful because big kid had a sleepover.  Please don't ask me how last week was - I don't remember!

7.  Food: eat vegan 2 days a week. I'm not sure when or if I'm going to jump back on this train.

8.  Cookbooks: Try 1 recipe from every cookbook I own.  Ditto.  See #7. I'm making a lot of things over and over again.

9.  Work:
     a. Skills: Learn enough programming to automate the data pulls for problem lots (which requires pulling data from 2 different databases).  Haven't worked on this yet.  REALLY need to.
     b. Personal:  Don't engage.  Really.  

10.  Home: Contact contractor/ architect on adding a second bathroom.Nothing. But we did talk to the plumber about (finally) replacing the sewer line.  Nothing like $8k bill!  Haven't gotten the written estimate.  

Honda is going to be fine, still driving the rental.  It's an SUV and pretty sweet, but kinda big.

11.  Garden: actually plant tomatoes this year.  Baby steps. Nothing
Ooh, need to add: put some ground cover in the back dirt patch.  Now we are discussing hiring a landscaper to do the work.  Friend in the neighborhood.

12.  Spouse: once a month lunch date.  We went to the school fundraiser last weekend and had a great time.  Wasn't much of a date - we tend to socialize with others!

13.  Beverages:
- Drink less coffee and more tea (one cup coffee per day): Uh, lots of coffee this week.
- Do not buy any wine aside from my two wine club memberships.  I don't even drink that much anymore, but I did open a bottle Friday night. Bought two bottles at the school fundraiser.

- Drink two 24-oz bottles of water a day, minimum.  I managed this on my running days.

14.  Mom's nights/ dad's night once a month: Jan, check.  Feb, fail.

15.  Host friends.  Jan, check.  Feb, fail.  We did make it to the neighborhood potluck today.

2017 Goals - Week 9

1. Exercise: as of Saturday 3/4/17 

Running: 300 miles: To date: 33.15 miles  (4.1 miles in pouring rain today)
Biking: 500 miles: To date: 19.4 miles 
Swimming: 50 miles: To date: 6.74 miles 
Walking: 150 miles: To date: 37.89 miles
Weights/ yoga: 30 minutes a week (1560 this year): 353 minutes 

2. Grocery bill: Keep it under $7000 ($134.62/wk): $127.23.  My produce box was missing 2 baskets of strawberries!  First ones of the season.  They said they'll give them to me next week.  I was really looking forward to them! 😪

3.  Weight: 139

4.  Family:
Go on 12 family hikes: fail. fail. fail.
Do game night once a week: More like daytime games on weekends.

5.  Crafts:
- Crochet a blanket - working on it

- crochet a purse: nothing
- participate in my quilting group's exchange: nothing.  I don't even remember what this is.
- make 12 snowflakes: nothing
- attempt to make socks: I've pinned a bunch of instructions?  Right now we are cleaning out closets - never did dig through stuff after Christmas. Donating stuff to the elementary school rummage sale.  Not our school, but a different one.

6.  Sleep: Meh, okay this week.

7.  Food: eat vegan 2 days a week. I'm not sure when or if I'm going to jump back on this train.

8.  Cookbooks: Try 1 recipe from every cookbook I own.  Ditto.  See #7.  Did make some blood orange/ lemon muffins that we improvised on.

9.  Work:
     a. Skills: Learn enough programming to automate the data pulls for problem lots (which requires pulling data from 2 different databases).  Haven't worked on this yet.  REALLY need to.
     b. Personal:  Don't engage.  Really.  

10.  Home: Contact contractor/ architect on adding a second bathroom.Nothing. But we did talk to the plumber about (finally) replacing the sewer line.  Nothing like $8k bill!  Haven't gotten the written estimate.  

On top of that, our car just got crunched pulling out of the driveway today.  Same thing happened EXACTLY 8 years ago.  A row of 3 big-ass SUVs parked in front of our house, blocking view of oncoming traffic.  Here's to hoping it's not totaled.  The car is 8 years old with only 60k miles on it.  It needs to live another decade.  It's a honda!

11.  Garden: actually plant tomatoes this year.  Baby steps. Nothing
Ooh, need to add: put some ground cover in the back dirt patch.  Now we are discussing hiring a landscaper to do the work.  Friend in the neighborhood.

12.  Spouse: once a month lunch date: nothing.  We need a date.  We will at least get one at the school fundraiser this coming weekend.

13.  Beverages:
- Drink less coffee and more tea (one cup coffee per day): Okay on this one.
- Do not buy any wine aside from my two wine club memberships.  I don't even drink that much anymore, but I did open a bottle Friday night. Something about having to drag my 4 year old out of preschool - carried him screaming and kicking to the car.  (He wanted daddy.)

- Drink two 24-oz bottles of water a day, minimum.  I managed this a couple of days.  I do best when I just fill my big bottle twice.

14.  Mom's nights/ dad's night once a month: Jan, check.  Feb, fail.

15.  Host friends.  Jan, check.  Feb, fail.

2017 Goals - Week 8

1. Exercise: as of Saturday 2/25/17 - Not my best week due to rain and sleep.  I ran 2x, but didn't swim at all, and didn't bike either.

Running: 300 miles: To date: 29.01 miles  
Biking: 500 miles: To date: 9.6 miles 
Swimming: 50 miles: To date: 5.04 miles 
Walking: 150 miles: To date: 35.44 miles
Weights/ yoga: 30 minutes a week (1560 this year): 319 minutes 

2. Grocery bill: Keep it under $7000 ($134.62/wk): $993.88.  This was a big week.

3.  Weight: 136.2!  Stomach flu weight hasn't come back yet.

4.  Family:
Go on 12 family hikes: fail. fail. fail.
Do game night once a week: Lots of UNO

5.  Crafts:
- Crochet a blanket (a "thermometer" granny square blanket, based on the temperature each day). Moving along.  Afghan #1 will be 120 blocks and will end by the end of April.  Unfortunately, they must never reorder yarn at my Michael's.  I had to sub a different blue for the 50-60F already, and now it's almost empty.  And I had to sub ANOTHER blue.  The only way to get it online is to buy 3, and shipping is expensive.  So I could spend $49 and get free shipping, but that's WAY more yarn than I need, KWIM?

- crochet a purse: nothing

- participate in my quilting group's exchange: nothing.  I don't even remember what this is.
- make 12 snowflakes: nothing
- attempt to make socks: I've pinned a bunch of instructions?  Been really busy taking care of sick people.

6.  Sleep: Meh, okay this week.

7.  Food: eat vegan 2 days a week. I'm not sure when or if I'm going to jump back on this train.

8.  Cookbooks: Try 1 recipe from every cookbook I own.  Ditto.  See #7.  I made chili, but does it count if I change almost everything in the recipe?

9.  Work:
     a. Skills: Learn enough programming to automate the data pulls for problem lots (which requires pulling data from 2 different databases).  Haven't worked on this yet.
     b. Personal:  Don't engage.  Really.  

10.  Home: Contact contractor/ architect on adding a second bathroom.Nothing. But we did talk to the plumber about (finally) replacing the sewer line.  Nothing like $8k bill!  Haven't gotten the written estimate.

11.  Garden: actually plant tomatoes this year.  Baby steps. Nothing
Ooh, need to add: put some ground cover in the back dirt patch

12.  Spouse: once a month lunch date: nothing.  We need a date.  We will at least get one at the school fundraiser in March?

13.  Beverages:
- Drink less coffee and more tea (one cup coffee per day): I only had one cup today!
- Do not buy any wine aside from my two wine club memberships.  I went to pick up my wine shipment today. I hadn't been in awhile - and this is the winery that is 45 minutes away.  She said I had 2 shipments.  But I ended up with 6 bottles of wine.  That's more like 3 shipments (I get 1 red, 1 white - 3 times a year).  I was going to hit them up for donations for the auction - but I chickened out because they were packed.

So, I'm confused because when I get home, my 6 bottles are 2 white and 4 red.  Maybe they changed my membership?  My 2 bottle membership is old, and they don't offer it anymore - I got grandfathered in for years.  Anyway.

I figured since I rarely drink anymore, and my OTHER wine shipment comes in a week (another 6 bottles), that I would just donate wine from my personal stash to the auction.

- Drink two 24-oz bottles of water a day, minimum.  I managed this a couple of days.  Was really dehydrated this week.

14.  Mom's nights/ dad's night once a month: Jan, check.  Feb, fail.

15.  Host friends.  Jan, check.  Feb, fail.

2017 Goals - week 7

1. Exercise: as of Saturday 2/18/17
Running: 300 miles: To date: 26.51 miles  
Biking: 500 miles: To date: 9.6 miles (made it one day, then got sick)
Swimming: 50 miles: To date: 5.04 miles 
Walking: 150 miles: To date: 32.11 miles
Weights/ yoga: 30 minutes a week (1560 this year): 276 minutes (School dance, weights)

2. Grocery bill: Keep it under $7000 ($134.62/wk): $828.20, only $19.20 last week.  That's super low for a few reasons: 1. I got a mild version of whatever stomach flu the kids had.  So I didn't eat much. 2. We were on vacation, so we ate out more. 3. We were on vacation, so we didn't get our produce box.  Actually, I'm *pretty* sure the total is bigger than this.  I think there's a missing receipt with milk and applesauce that's in my husband's wallet somewhere.  It will turn up later and end up on the year-end total.

3.  Weight: Scale had me down 3 pounds before the trip, and my pants were falling off me.  I'm sure they will come back though.

4.  Family:
Go on 12 family hikes: fail. fail. fail.
Do game night once a week: We played cards on our vacation to Legoland.

5.  Crafts:
- Crochet a blanket (a "thermometer" granny square blanket, based on the temperature each day). 50 blocks done out of 120!

The photo really doesn't do it justice.

- crochet a purse: nothing
- finish a quilting baby blanket: done.  Mailed.

- participate in my quilting group's exchange: nothing
- make 12 snowflakes: nothing
- attempt to make socks: I've pinned a bunch of instructions?  Been really busy taking care of sick people.

6.  Sleep: keep track of it and see if the low dose estrogen helps.  I was sick. Slept like crap. I'm having a really hard time with heat. It seems like I go to bed cold, then get hot.  When my husband comes to bed I have to strip down, and have been ending up on the couch.  The estrogen is NOT helping.  I think it's making it worse.  And I'm getting headaches.

7.  Food: eat vegan 2 days a week. No attempt at this while I have been sick.

8.  Cookbooks: Try 1 recipe from every cookbook I own.  Nothing this week.

9.  Work:
     a. Skills: Learn enough programming to automate the data pulls for problem lots (which requires pulling data from 2 different databases).  Haven't worked on this yet.
     b. Personal:  Don't engage.  Really.  Ugh Facebook.  Ugh Trump.  Americans are so stupid.  Do you know that in a single month, the cost to the US Taxpayers for him to go to FL has been $12 million??  That was the ANNUAL budget for the Obamas.  Make America broke again!!  I'd rather my tax bill go to subsidize the ACA.

10.  Home: Contact contractor/ architect on adding a second bathroom.Nothing. But we did talk to the plumber about (finally) replacing the sewer line.  Nothing like $8k bill!

11.  Garden: actually plant tomatoes this year.  Baby steps. Nothing
Ooh, need to add: put some ground cover in the back dirt patch

12.  Spouse: once a month lunch date: nothing.  We need a date.  We will at least get one at the school fundraiser in March?

13.  Beverages:
- Drink less coffee and more tea (one cup coffee per day): I haven't had coffee since Tuesday.  Tummy bug will do that.  Been enjoying green tea.  The hotel on this trip had Tazo Zen green tea with lemongrass and spearmint.  Yummy.
- Do not buy any wine aside from my two wine club memberships: I had a glass of wine at my winery before Valentine's day, and bought a bottle to donate to the school auction. 
- Drink two 24-oz bottles of water a day, minimum.  I managed this a couple of days.  Was really dehydrated this week.

14.  Mom's nights/ dad's night once a month: Done for Jan, not for Feb yet.

15.  Host friends.  Done for Jan, not for Feb.  Not gonna happen.

2017 Goals - Week 6

Let me see if I can get back on track after taking care of sick people for 4 straight weeks, 3.5 of which were spent sleeping on the couch. I get to sleep in my own bed tonight, whee!

1. Exercise: as of Saturday 2/11/17
Running: 300 miles: To date: 22.4 miles  
Biking: 500 miles: To date: 0 miles (rain, sickness, more sickness)
Swimming: 50 miles: To date: 4.19 miles (oy, been gone weeks)
Walking: 150 miles: To date: 24.95 miles
Weights/ yoga: 30 minutes a week (1560 this year): 276 minutes (School dance, weights)

2. Grocery bill: Keep it under $7000 ($134.62/wk): $809.10, avg of $134.85.  Funny how a couple of weeks of sickies will do that.  Homemade bread, white rice, applesauce, saltines, and plain pasta are cheap!  Last 2 weeks were $101 and $71.  I don't expect that to stay that low.  I think my $7000 goal is going to be tough this year with growing boys.

3.  Weight: Still good.

4.  Family:
Go on 12 family hikes: We failed this month
Do game night once a week: Lots of games this week - Candyland, concentration, Olympus.  Not full family but pairs of people playing.

5.  Crafts:
- Crochet a blanket (a "thermometer" granny square blanket, based on the temperature each day).  It's coming along really well.  The low so far this year was in the 30s (purple) and the high was in the 80s (orange).  For reference, there are 3 unused colors.  Magenta (under 30), which we might not hit.  But if we go to the snow for spring break, we will.  (I want to use the temps where we physically are, not necessarily here in town.)  Red is 90-100, and Pink is >100.

The photo really doesn't do it justice.

- crochet a purse: nothing
- finish a quilting baby blanket: done.  I need to mail the sucker.  My friend is due ANY DAY.

- participate in my quilting group's exchange: nothing
- make 12 snowflakes: nothing
- attempt to make socks: I've pinned a bunch of instructions?  Been really busy taking care of sick people.

6.  Sleep: keep track of it and see if the low dose estrogen helps: It was okay.  Maybe I'm getting used to the couch.  I did not get up and go to the gym, however.

7.  Food: eat vegan 2 days a week. No attempt at this while kids are barfing and hubby is sick.  I'm losing steam.  But honestly, vegetarian has been easy.

8.  Cookbooks: Try 1 recipe from every cookbook I own.  Nothing this week.

9.  Work:
     a. Skills: Learn enough programming to automate the data pulls for problem lots (which requires pulling data from 2 different databases).  Haven't worked on this yet.
     b. Personal:  Don't engage.  Really.  Did okay here, unless arguing on FB about politics counts?  I can't help myself.  Some people are so young.  And stupid.  And young.

10.  Home: Contact contractor/ architect on adding a second bathroom.Nothing. But we did talk to the plumber about (finally) replacing the sewer line.  Nothing like $8k bill!

11.  Garden: actually plant tomatoes this year.  Baby steps. Nothing
Ooh, need to add: put some ground cover in the back dirt patch

12.  Spouse: once a month lunch date: nothing.  He was sick and I was doing triple duty (work/ kid/ household).  He's finally  healthy but was sick for almost 3 weeks.  I think we might try for a lunch date on Valentine's day.

13.  Beverages:
- Drink less coffee and more tea (one cup coffee per day): I think I managed this 5/7 days.
- Do not buy any wine aside from my two wine club memberships: No wine here!  I don't remember the last glass of wine.  But my winery is having a cupcakes and wine tasting this afternoon.  I'm tempted.
- Drink two 24-oz bottles of water a day, minimum.  I managed this at least 4 days.

14.  Mom's nights/ dad's night once a month: Done for Jan, not for Feb yet.

15.  Host friends.  Done for Jan, not for Feb.