4 Days Left on the Great Food Storage Giveaway!!!

It is not too late to enter the awesome Giveaway!!!!

I have this vague memory of being in about 1st or 2nd grade and my ma picking us kids up from school and me running to the car saying, "Ma??? MA???? Can I have a quarter??? PLEASE?? They are selling ice cream over there and it's just a quarter!! Can I have one? Please? For ice cream? MA???? Can I?!?!?! ICE CREAM?!?!"

And my ma saying, "Lorinda, remember? The Bishop challenged us not to spend any money on food for the whole week."

And I remember thinking- Aw man! That's right!

Or at least, this is how I remember it, I am sure my ma will correct me in my comment box if I am wrong.

Fast forward to about 12 years ago. I am a mother now and at church my Bishop encourages us, without warning, to not spend money, as of today, on food or any other unnecessary items for a week.

Without warning because that is often times how a calamity occurs. You don't have time to make that last trip to the store to stock up, you have NO notice. So it was my Bishop's way (and probably my childhood Bishop's way) of showing us how sometimes- there are no warnings. So.... are you ready?

It's a great thing to be a part of. It really does catch you off guard and makes you think and it's a nice little practice drill. And I personally love a good challenge. Preferably a practice one over the real deal, but that's not reality, is it?

So.... not that it's any of your business, but Gary's paycheck was not the norm last week. His place of employment closes up for maintenance this time every year for a day or two, but this year they had a hard time starting things back up so two days became more.

So as Gary and I discussed it and I tried not to giggle during the discussion because I do that- (refer to my profile)

I first said, "Welp, dearie pie, that's what the savings is for, now ain't it?"

And he said, "okay"

But then, as I went on about my business I thought, "Maybe not... maybe that's what food storage is for, maybe it's time for a challenge, maybe I could challenge myself.... ooooh, wouldn't that be fun!! I love me a challenge!!!"

So a few days later I told Gary and he liked what he heard. Because anything involving not spending money, he likes.

So, not that it's any of your business again, but when he got paid, after things were paid, we had $80. That's better than the $0 spending that past Bishop's challenged, but we are going 2 weeks here, and we started out with not having been grocery shopping for two weeks, with half tanks of gas and we still had things going on, like kids sick and needing medercine (that's how my aunt says it) and school field trips with a fee and.... and.... and....

So here I sit, one week down and one more to go.

Gary asked me Monday, "How's it going???"

And I said, "Well yesterday I got excited telling myself I was doing great and then I realized it had only been 4 days!"

In other words, so far so good, but a little too early....

But we're making it! I still have a little cash left and I have 1 week to go.

Let me show you one thing we originally planned- to try this sweet lady's recipes. Gary kept waiting for me to make one of her meals and the other day he said, "Come on, when are we going to have a Great Depression meal?!"

Don't you love her!!! (Thanks for sharing her Cheryl)

So- we actually had her Egg Drop Soup last night for dinner. It was hard not to add some of my spices and kick it up a notch but I wanted to do it just like she said, to experience it for real. My kids ate it up and all.

This has been a neat experience. I am more drawn to The Food Network and my recipe books, maybe I also like to torture myself. But it's really been neat.

It's also given me clarity on some things I don't have in food storage that I need.

I've liked it. I've liked the challenge I've given myself.

Good job Self!