Oh Autumn, I love thee.

The weather has turned  bit cooler here in Chicago. I’ve spent the last three days in jeans and long-sleeved shirts. This is my favorite time of year for cooking. For me, nothing is as soothing as the smell of apples and cinnamon. I love eating hearty, hot soups and chili, and nothing beats throwing on a hoodie and enjoying a cup of coffee on my porch while breathing in the crisp Fall air.

There have been some, eh… changes in the Frank household as of late; some as a result of outside pressures and some internal. For example, Josh’s ministry job has been terminated, so the outside pressure of not having a steady income has resulted in us having to cut our food budget. On the other hand, the internal pressure of knowing that I can’t fit into a good number of my clothes has resulted in me giving up (or nearly giving up) dairy. I don’t eat cheese any more, and I only have a splash of cream in my coffee in the mornings. I do still eat keifer when I use it to make raw oatmeal, but I imagine I’ll find an alternative to that in time. Additionally, I’ve been cutting down on my sugar intake. I no longer sweeten my coffee, and I’ve been incredibly successful at not eating sweets since I began this journey (about three weeks ago).

As I was thinking about our new budget, I was wondering if anyone would have any interest in reading about my grocery shopping habits? What I’ve bought and for how much? In other words, are you interested in how I feed my family healthy, whole foods on a budget? Yesterday I went shopping at three different stores, and between the three, I spent less than $60. Some of the food I bought was conventional, but a fair bit was organic. The groceries I purchased yesterday should easily get us through the week food-wise, though I suppose I may need to run to the corner market near the end of the week for more fruit. That’s always a possibility. Anyway, please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Here’s what’s cooking this week:

Breakfast
Eggs with chopped tomatoes and spinach
Keifer oatmeal
Hot oatmeal

Lunch/Dinner
Chili
ALTs
Curried channa
Eggplant and chickpea stew
Refried bean quesadillas/burritos
Pasta with marinara sauce and homemade focaccia bread

Want more? Check out the Weekly Menus archive.

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll.

On Thursday we’re heading to my in-laws’ house to celebrate my brother- and sister-in-law’s pregnancy and my nephew’s first birthday. I’m looking forward to getting away for a big. I’m looking forward to being with family.

Here’s what on our short menu this week:

Breakfast:
Keifer-soaked raw oatmeal
Oatmeal
Eggs and toast
Green smoothies and peanut butter toast

Lunch/Dinner:
ALT sandwiches
Minestrone soup
Breakfast for dinner: Eggs and bagles
Pasta with fresh basil and spinach pesto
Home made pizza
Linguine with sauteed squash, garlic, and fresh tomatoes

Want more? Check out the Weekly Menus archive.

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll.

Can you blame me?

Annnndddd my weekly menu plan is back. Reader(s), I’m sorry I’ve been MIA for the most part these past few months. I have no excuse, just day to day life stuff getting in the way of writing. I can’t promise this time around will end any differently, but I promise I’ll try!

Our family is actively trying to cut back on our monthly expenses. We recently started sharing our internet connection with our upstairs neighbors, we’ve canceled our gym memberships, and I’ve taken to line-drying all of our laundry except for our bed sheets, which I simply don’t have the space to hang. Additionally, I’m doing my best to chip away at our grocery budget. I’m not sure how much lower I’ll be able to get it, but I figure every penny counts, right? So! Here’s what’s cooking this week:

Breakfast/Lunch
Keifer-soaked raw oatmeal
Oatmeal
Eggs and toast
Green smoothies and peanut butter toast

Lunch/Dinner
Homemade falafel with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, hummus, and tahini dressing in whole wheat pita pockets
Potato and fresh rosemary soup
Costa Rican rice and beans
Pasta with fresh basil pesto
Homemade pizza
Breakfast for dinner: Eggs, bagels, and fresh fruit/smoothie
ALTs

Want more? Check out the Weekly Menus archive.

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll.

It’s amazing what a clean-swept floor and some new (free!) chairs can do for the decor of porch. For the first time since moving into this apartment, Josh and I were able to really use our porch space. And! Jude was finally able to play on the porch. Up until this point it has just been too dirty or cluttered. Now, after installing some screen around the porch railing and the rain gutter planters earlier in the season, and cleaning the space top to bottom, it’s finally a Jude-friendly space.

Since Friday, Jude has been going in and out and in and out from the living room to the porch and back. He has a spray bottle of water and a rag out there that he cleans with; he loves to spray the sliding glass door and wipe it clean over and over. Josh had the fantastic idea to make sidewalk chalk paint, so Jude has been having a blast painting all over the porch walls with that as well. I’m hoping to pick up a few cheap spray bottles so that we can try spraying the walls with our new “paint.” I’m really loving having access to our outdoor space. The other night, Josh and I had a cup of tea together while sitting out there, and just this morning I took my morning cup of coffee out there to drink.

I’m excited about getting to use this space year-round. I can imagine my family eating bowls of chili out there on cool Autumn nights, and I simply cannot wait to string Christmas lights all around the porch railing. Next Spring, I plan to expand our container garden… This place is really turning into home.

Demery is a writer, and her blog features daily writing prompts. She invites her readers to compose their own take on each day’s prompt and to share it in the comments section of each post.

So! Head on over to Write Away Every Day and see what prompt Demery is sharing with us today.

In the same vein, Jude learned how to manipulate an iPod Touch over this past week. Josh’s sister Makenzie was visiting, and she was kind enough to let Jude play with hers. He likes the drawing app she has on her Touch and likes to access her playlists and select a song to listen to. Honestly, the kid just gets it. Well, he gets it more than I do, at least.

So! With all of these recent developments, we’re in the market for fixing our old iBook G4 for Jude. We think we need to replace the hard drive, and luckily for us that will only cost about $25! At that point, we’ll each have our own Apple laptop to play and learn and communicate on. I’m guessing Jude will start using his Twitter account on his own sooner rather than later. Keep an eye out for his recent tweets!

For those of you with computer-using toddlers, do your kids have any favorite websites you can pass along? I imagine that Jude will get tired of the two or three he frequents rather quickly.

Aren’t they beautiful? And all matchy, to boot.

You left at 6:15 this morning, and I’ve been missing you ever since.

This morning, Jude and I ate oatmeal for breakfast. He did a bang up job of eating. I trimmed the cats nails and scooped the litter box. After picking out some clothes to wear, he and I got the bike trailer hooked up to my bike, and we headed out to shop at The Harvest.

After huffing it home from the co-op, Jude and I put on our bathing suits and headed to Jarvis Beach to play with Dash and Stella and their families. Jude rode in his wagon and ate a peanut butter and honey sandwich on the way. Atena gave me a beautiful dress that I think you would love to see on the floor me, but sadly, it’s just a touch too big.

Nap time followed beach time. Sadly, the boy napped for less than an hour. When he woke up he was fairly pleasant, and for that I was grateful. Jude and I ate pasta while watching Toy Story 2 and reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, respectively. As the movie wrapped up, we filled our mop bucket with water and headed out to the patio to water our plants. Jude and I found a BUNCH of new little tomatoes on our tomato plant! We were both very, very excited. I can’t wait to harvest them.

Since I didn’t get to around to all the food shopping I needed to for the week this morning, Jude and I walked to Dominick’s and the fruit market after we got done with the plants. Jude alternated sitting in the wagon and walking alongside me while in each store. We picked up some ice cream to help us through the week without you.

Tracie made enchiladas for dinner tonight, and she offered to share some with us! They were fantastic. I was worried Jude might not like them because they were a bit spicy, but he ate his right up (that and some split pea soup). While Jude ate dinner he watched Toy Story; while I ate I read more HP.

Bedtime was about 40 minutes ago. Jude got up once (so far) and told me he wasn’t tired. When I insisted that it was indeed time for bed, he looked me in the eyes and said, “NO, Woody.” Then I told him that he “Need[ed] to recharge [his] batteries, Buzz.” That got a smile out of him, and now he’s (seemingly) asleep.

The bed looked awfully big tonight as I pulled down the sheets and centered Jude’s and my pillows. I wish you were home. I don’t like sleeping without you.

Be safe, and remember I love you.

Love,
me *=

Boo. My dear husband left today. He’s leading his youth group’s mission trip to Kentucky, and he won’t return until next Saturday evening. I am sad and a bit overwhelmed. While Jude and I had a lovely day together, I know it would have been even more lovely to have enjoyed it alongside my partner in crime.

This week, I’m eating simply. Some leftovers, lots of sandwiches, and a surprise dinner of enchiladas from my friend upstairs, Tracie! I have great friends, and I’m very, very grateful for them. Here’s what cooking (or reheating!) this week:

Breakfast:
Raw soaked oatmeal with hemp protein, chia seeds, hemp seeds, frozen fruit, and honey
Hot oatmeal with frozen fruit, cinnamon, flaxseed meal, and honey
Eggs and toast
Green smoothies

Lunch/Dinner:
Split-pea soup
Lentil soup
Enchiladas (thanks to our upstairs neighbor, Tracie!)
Avocado, lettuce, tomato, and cheese sandwiches (ALTs)
Peanut butter, honey, and banana sandwiches
Breakfast for dinner! Eggs and toast and smoothies
Pasta with fresh basil pesto
Refried bean quesadillas on homemade flour tortillas
Homemade pizza

Need more dinner ideas? Check out Jenna’s Mindful Menus Blog Roll or I’m an Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday Blog Roll.