So long Walmart

Well since I am still on my food storage kick I'd thought I share some of my recent accumulations. Perhaps this is a new hobby? It is kind of fun getting things for free or almost nothing. Perhaps it's related to our new situation here in Cache Valley. We are far from stores and money is tight especially with all the bad weather month after month and Brandon unable to fly.

Something that has really been great for me is I am no longer dependent on Walmart. In fact I maybe stop in once a month now. I have always known that Walmart really does not have the lowest prices. I know the argument goes both ways but if you are wise and know when and how to buy things you can beat Walmart's prices on almost everything even their Great Values brand. I can hear you all now. "What about diapers?" Even diapers are cheaper if you know when and how to buy them. For instance, right now at Walgreens when you buy $25 in Huggies products you get $10 back. Online there are $5 & $3 off coupons. Using coupons and Walgreens Register Rewards it is possible to get 3 jumbo packs of Huggies diapers and a giant pack of refill wipes for $11 out of pocket. Recently at Albertsons you could get Pampers for $2.50 a pack. Don't let Walmart fool you into thinking they have the lowest prices.

In the past I think I relied on Walmart so much because of convenience. It was 2 minutes from my house and they seemed to have the best prices. There is no such thing as convenience when it comes to shopping for my family here. It doesn't matter where I go, all the stores are the same distance so I might as well shop around and wait for the rock bottom prices. It certainly seems to be paying off. :)

This month I decided to spend the bulk of our food budget on our food storage. Every Associated Food store is having their case lot sale right now so it was a good time to stock up. I really researched and found that my Dad's store, Ridley's in Hyrum, had the best prices, beating Walmart and Macey's by a land side. I made my list and paired up coupons with the ad.

Each month our total food budget is $300 (up from recent years) which to some seems like very little but if you follow any of the Utah coupon mom gurus my budget is very generous for my family of five. And if you haven't figured it out by now we do not eat Hamburger Helper dinner. I actually cook almost every night. We also budget another $100 per month for other household items like diapers, paper products, personal Hygiene items, cleaners, etc.

Here is what $170 got me this month:

6 lbs of spaghetti

25 more lbs of flour

25 lbs of sugar

Case of 24 Chef Boyardee Ravioli

Case of 12 jars pasta sauce

12 cans mushrooms

12 cans sliced olives

Case of 48 cans tuna fish

Case of 24 cans diced tomatoes

12 cans black beans

12 cans red beans

Case of 24 corn

Case of 24 green beans

12 cans peas

12 cans pineapple

24 cans Cambell's Cream of Chicken soup

12 cans tomato sauce

72 rolls of TP

15 rolls of paper towel

Case 24 Mac & Cheese

24 assorted seasoning pouches

12 cans garbanzo beans

2 lbs dry pinto beans

12 cans Manwich

12 cans refried beans

6 boxes Pop Secret microwave popcorn

1 Gallon jug Pancake Syrup

5 more lbs ground beef. (I know I have a ton of meat but I couldn't pass up $1.30/lb)

This will last us a long time and save us lots of money in the long run.

I used some of my new food storage for dinner last night.

Taco Soup

1lb Ground Beef $1.30

1/2 onion chopped $.10

3 cans beans $1.50

1 can vegetable soup FREE from my Albertson's trip
1 can corn $.33

2 cans diced tomatoes $.90

1 packet taco seasoning $.30

1/2 jar salsa $.75

1/2 cup sour cream $.22

Some crushed chips $.25

1 cup shredded cheese $.80

Total for the whole pot $6.45

Feeds my family 2 meals so 1/2 will be frozen for another night.

Total cost for one dinner to feed my family of five using food storage $3.25

Heritage

Well here we are in Cache Valley. Who knew we would move to the home of my forefathers? Well at least a couple of generations back.

You see my maiden name is Bullen. Bullen is a pretty important name in Logan. At least I like to think so. My great-grandfather, Roy Bullen, was the mayor of Logan back in the day. You can read more about him here. My grandpa's (also named Roy Bullen as is my father Roy Bullen) cousin Reed Bullen was an Ex-senator and the Logan temple president.

The Bullen family still owns a lot of the land in town as well as Bullen’s Inc. owned by my grandpa's 1st cousin Charles William Bullen, Sr. is an agricultural supply and irrigation implement company serving small and medium scale farmers of the Cache Valley in Utah and in Southern Idaho for over 30 years. His company provides alfalfa and corn seed as well as irrigation equipment from several vendors in the U.S. and remains a chief resource for farmers in the area.

There's the Bullen Center next to the Eccles Theater on main street and even Bullen Hall on the USU campus. My great-grandpa and great-grandma even have scholarships in their names. The Roy Bullen Memorial Fund for Engineering Students and Annie (Nan) Nibley Bullen (my great-grandma) Scholarship for The College of Family Life. I have always been proud to be a Bullen.

Every year my entire life growing up we would pay homeage to our great name and family by visiting Cache Valley on Memorial Day. We would spend time at the cemetary visiting the graves of loved ones and every year I got told how much I looked like my dad's cousin Sidney when she was a little girl. EVERY year, I kid you not! The best part of the visit was alway eating at the Bluebird Restaurant downtown.

Brandon and I decided it was time to take our kids downtown and tour historic Logan. We also read the histories of Mendon and Petersboro online with our children. It is amazing how hard the early Saints, many of them our ancestors, had to work to build the town we live in today. History is so cool!

Parish Family Affairs

Here's a little update.

Stuff happens here.

The kids keep growing.

Brandon is finally busy. Thank goodness! Just look at his crazy schedule! I had to make myself a chart to keep things straight.

I made the most adorable meatloaf muffins in the oven. I had the bright idea of wrapping some of them in bacon. Despite putting the muffin pans on a cookie sheet I set the smoke alarm off 3 times in one meal causing permanent hearing loss I am sure. Needless to say, Easyoff became my new best friend.

I got a new dishwasher today! Thanks Chris and boys for coming and installing it.

Christian got an award for being in the top 10% of all 3rd graders nationally!

He's earned his Bear rank in Cub Scouts as well as 6 arrow points, 3 belt loops, and 3 academic pins. All in 5 months time. He's been busy!

Parker is reading! He is also a model student. Who knew he had it in him? He's wearing the pants Christian was wearing in the fall when school started. I told you they were growing.

Ella is keeping us really busy. She is in the dumping stage. She dumps everything, games, cereal, craft supplies, anything with lots of parts.

We decided the kids needed to experience a little more of what Cache Valley has to offer so we took them to see the elk at Hardware Ranch. For a meager 20 bucks we got a real sleigh ride and guess what? It smelled just like Hyrum and Nibley!

What was the kids favorite part you ask? The sleigh ride? Seeing the big Elk? Learning something? NOPE! Elk poop. Isn't it amazing?!!

The cool Dad

A long time ago Brandon set off on a journey to fulfill his life dream and become a pilot. He had graduated from WSU with only his Associates of Science and stopped because he knew there was no major at Weber he wanted to waste his money on.

We had been talking marriage and at the same time looking for flight schools. The closest at the time we could find was ASU in Arizona. I was just finishing up my teaching degree and refused to leave my family so we got married and stayed in Ogden putting Brandon's dream on the back burner.

Then one day an opportunity presented itself. A friend of his dad's at the airport said he would give Brandon flight lessons. It was an AWESOME opportunity. He was able to borrow his dad's plane and only pay for the cost of gas and insurance saving hundreds probably thousands of dollars in plane rental fees. Then, Kevin, the flight instructor only charged $15 per hour! Brandon started going out to the airport most days after work and on Saturday. Before we knew it he was ready to take his FAA exams. I was 8 months pregnant with Christian when we went together to take his written test in SLC. He was SO nervous. I should say we because I think I was feeling just as uneasy and almost sick with nerves. (Isn't it funny how spouses do that?) Well I guess Richard S. Drury had it right when he said, "A pilot lives in a world of perfection or not at all" because Brandon passed with 99%. You only need 70% to pass and get your license. He was SOOOO mad that he missed one question because after reviewing his test he knew the answer he had missed and was mad at himself.

Christian was born and the talk of ASU surfaced again. With a new baby there was NO WAY I was leaving. Somehow, and I don't even remember how, we found out USU had a new flight school. Oh happy day! Phone calls were made, admission apps were submitted, and trips to talk to advisers and financial aid people were taken.

Brandon officially enrolled in USU's Engineering Department's Aviation Technology - Professional Pilot program in the fall of 2000. He started commuting to USU everyday and Christian became my new best friend because Daddy was never home. Christian doesn't remember but we made many 1 hour trips to Logan just to see Daddy for a few minutes. Christian was never very patient. We would watch planes come and go. "Is that Daddy?" "Where is he?" "When is he coming?" And then there we would be as Daddy was landing, standing on the tarmac with Christian yelling, "DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" When Brandon realized that was us his eyes would light up and his hand would start waving fiercely as he taxied by. After coming to a stop and getting out of the plane we would all run to each other. Most of the time there was only a few minutes for some hugs and kisses and then I'd pack Christian back in the car for the hour drive back home. He was Daddy's biggest fan!

(Brandon still keeps this note in his flight bag that barely 2 year old Christian gave him before his instrument pilot check ride)

Eventually Daddy Graduated Cum Laude, Parker was born 2 weeks later and for reason's only Heavenly Father knows Brandon got sick and our plans were put on hold for a LOOONNNGGG time.





Fast forward 6 years. . .

Today coming home from a cub scout swimming activity I realized as we were passing the airport Brandon was getting ready to take off. I pulled into the parking lot, left the van running full of cub scouts and Ella, and ran into the Jet Center. I quickly asked the dispatcher, "Has Brandon Parish and his student taken off yet?" He pointed out on the tarmac to a running plane and said, "That's him. He just started the engine. Do you want me to call him on the radio and stop him?" Feeling a bit disappointed I said no we'd see him sometime tonight and ran back to the van. I yelled at the boys to get out and run to the fence to see the plane take off. With the van still running and the all the doors wide open we all ran to the fence. Brandon and his student started taxiing past us and Christian started yelling again, "DADDY! DADDY! DADDY!" This time Daddy didn't see us. The other boys began asking, "That's your dad?" "He can fly that plane?" Christian with more pride in his eyes than I have EVER seen answered, "Ya! That's my dad!" We stood there and watched as Brandon took off and disappeared into the horizon.

As we got into the car, the "What does your dad do" conversation started. Ryan's dad is a dentist. Ian's dad is a pastry chef. Christian's dad is a pilot. Christian has a cool dad. Something Christian has known for a long time.

Where's the Beef?

Dear Dad and Lin,

Thank you again so much for your generous Christmas gift! We picked up our meat on Saturday. Our freezer is CHUCK full.

We love you,

Brandon, Steph and kids.

In case you are wondering all this meat came from Sniders Family Meats in Ogden Utah. It is a local family owned butcher. We were so thrilled when we got our gift certificate for Christmas! I started to do some research as I have never actually shopped for meat at Sniders. It's pretty $$$$. If you haven't figured it out by now I like to save as much money as I possibly can so I compared and crunched lots of numbers and made several phone calls.

Turns out if you order one of Snider's Bulk Packages you save anywhere from 15-20% off their regular prices for the same cuts bought separate. I also found a $10 coupon online! Imagine that. LOL

So for $2.95 out of my pocket I got:

12 lbs lean ground beef

5 lbs steaks

5 lbs boneless chuck roast (2 roasts)

5 lbs boneless pork roast (2 roasts)

7 lbs fryers (2 whole chickens)

7 1/4 lbs boneless chicken breast

We have a total of 80, yes EIGHTY, pounds of meat in the freezer and I am beside myself with joy that I don't have to worry about buying any meat for our meals for at least 3 months if I don't want too. We are SO blessed! <3

Food Storage

I have been talking a lot lately with my mom about food storage.

This is not food storage. These were canned by me in the fall of 1997! If I haven't used them by now I am probably not going to use them EVER.

Food storage is food your family eats on a regular basis--not something that will be stored in your basement for years until it goes bad. And I promise even though a list somewhere says something will last for 30 years it may not always be the case. For instance, I recently opened one of the above 11 year old #10 cans of rice from family canning. It was SO rancid and gross.

I buy foods my family will eat and rotate through them on a regular basis.

Coming up in the new March Ensign is an article about food storage. It is titled "Family Home Storage: A New Message". This article talks about how home storage/food storage is now taking on a new and simplified approach. Getting a year supply for any family, especially in today's economy, can seem daunting. I think many of us get overwhelmed and think it is out of our reach and so we don't start.

They give us four easy steps in the article to help simplify our goals of food storage and self reliance.

1- Gradually build a small supply of food that is part of your NORMAL, daily diet until it is sufficient for three months.

2- Store drinking water (14 gallons per person).

3-Establish a financial reserve by setting aside a little money each week, and gradually increase it to a reasonable amount.

4- Once families have achieved the first three objectives, they are counseled to expand their efforts, as circumstances allow, into a supply of long-term basic foods such as grains, legumes, and other staples.

The article talks more in depth on each of these four guidelines.

The article ends with a quote from Dennis Lifferth, the managing director of the Church Welfare Services. It says, "Perhaps in the past accumulating a year's supply of food may have been a little intimidating. But this new approach asks us to do the best we can, even if all we can do is to set aside a can or two a week. If the prophet asks us to do something, we can find a way to fulfill the commandment and receive the blessings. The new program is within EVERY ONE'S grasp. The first step is to BEGIN. The second step is to continue. It doesn't matter how fast we get there so much as that we begin and continue according to our abilities."

I have also found food storage becomes FUN & easy overtime. Right now we have 3+ months of food we eat everyday stored in our home. It is such a relief to know that I have everything I need right here.

Some of my food storage additions from this week were:

12 cans of diced green chilis. -- I have been planning our menu by month for 6 months now. Although every month is different I have found we eat one meal per month that has green chilis in it. This week at Macey's they were .50 cents a can. That is a rock bottom price so I stocked up.

Pasta. -- We eat some sort of baked pasta casserole every month. This week again at Macey's they had 16oz bags of various pastas for .85 cents! This is way cheaper than even the church sells theirs at the family canning center. Plus Macey's has a much better variety. I stocked up on these too.

Bread. -- I found a great deal on day old bread this week. And it wasn't even really day old. It was just close to it's date. We go through about 2 loaves a week. I got it for .69 cents a loaf. I have 7 loaves double bagged in the freezer.

25 lbs of flour from Family Canning(cost $9.10)

17 lbs of pancake mix from Family Canning (cost $13.40)

5+ lbs cocoa from family Canning (which is Steven's Gourmet cocoa by the way. You know that costs $3.99 on sale for a 12 oz can in the store. I paid just over $6 for the whole can)

Then there's the Albies sale where I got a ton this week for next to nothing!

I use my food storage EVERY day. Here is our meal last night that was made using items from our food storage.

1 4.23lb whole chicken fryer -- .59cents a lb at Smiths a couple of weeks ago. I bought several to freeze and cook as needed. We only ever eat 1/2 for one meal so this counts for 2 meals. The leftovers will be used in Chicken Enchiladas next week.

1 box Uncle Bens long grain and wild rice -- .60 cents after buying several boxes on sale and with coupons a few months ago.

2 cans corn --.33 cents each bought last year at Kent's case lot sale. I buy a case each year.

1 loaf homemade bread with butter--MAYBE .50 cents for the ingredients all from our food storage none of which came from a #10 can. LOL ;)

Spices and seasonings --Maybe $.10 cents.

Total cost last night to feed my family of 5 -- $3.11

To me, being self reliant just makes sense! It is such a smart way to live and shop. Blessings have come to our family because of the storage we have in our home.

The day I almost killed my kids

Since moving here we have heard about the great sledding hill out in the "back 40." Well really the "back 35." We have not taken advantage of this wonderful amenity yet. Realizing that the snow is not going to last forever I decide to WALK with the children through the snow to the sledding hill. How far can it be really? Before leaving I warn the boys about the long walk through the snow. Delirious with sledding dreams they tell me they can do it! They don't care as long as they get to go sledding.

So, I bundle everyone up including myself and we start our trek. The boys run ahead and I bring up the rear pulling Ella in our much-too-small-for-her baby sled.

Halfway there!

After ONE hour and much murmuring we finally got there.

And then it was time to go back home. Parker cried the whole way. He. Did. Not. Stop. Like a good mother I tried to remind him about our pioneer ancestors, many of them children. Remember they "sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked?" And just as Parker was sure he was going to DIE we made it home. ONE hour later.

Evidently it was pretty hard on Ella too.