Budget July 27-Aug 9

I'm combining two weeks to get caught up. Also you might be like, how can you post a budget when it's August 4th? Because we spent all the money by August 2, so...we are enjoying a few days of a no spend challenge. Adulting is such fun.

What We Spent July 27-Aug 9

Budget: $1400

• Pandora Subscription: $13
• Trash Pickup: $26
• Brian Phone $35
• Internet $20
• Credit Card Payment $246
• Nintendo Game for Reuben (downloaded) $10
• Walmart Gas $32
• Savings $100
• Tithe
• Azure $300
• PJs x2 for Each Child: $72
• Cleets for flag for Eldest Child plus pair of slip on shoes: $118
• Walmart Groceries: $217
• Gamestop: $52
• Foodlion Run: $18

After all that we had $72 left and I bought becky a pair of sandals on our credit card with a pair of shoes for Esther and a pair of shoes for Reuben that was over the amount of money sooo... I'm going to put that on next week. 

In my defense, I wanted to get all the fall shoe buying done all at once! Everyone's feet changed sizes. Becky is a 2 now, Reuben is a woman's 7.5 (he's half a size away from me!!!) and Esther is a toddler 9. Now they all have fall shoes on the way and I think their mama is the most excited.  Anyway, it was fine and will fit in next weeks budget BUT spending before the week hits its never a good idea. I don't know why I do it except for that I have a hard time waiting and because I can.  

Once again we spent all the money in the budget. I really want a week where I'm like wow, we have 500 left over! But I have only myself (and I guess my husband, we shop mostly together) to blame. 

So, I suppose I could have tried to thrift the PJs. I went to goodwill twice last month and tried that and found one pair for Esther but nothing for the other two. So I just bought them new from the Carter's website which I think is pretty affordable, they have sets of 2 for only $24. And they have good sales. But this is me criticizing my budget after the fact and yes, I could have spent more time searching for deals. But I'm not perfect and it was easy just to order them and I know the quality of their cotton Pjs are fantastic.  

My husband is the one who took the kids to GameStop and he picked up another copy of Animal Crossing New Horizons so we can play together, and he also got a squishy hello kitty ball for Becky which wasn't needed. 

For Walmart we stuck to only food items with one exception: Esther got a fuzzy bluey blanket. She needs a blanket now that she is older and I don't worry about her suffocating herself, and with fall coming it seemed like a good idea. But we could have waited.

And that's a wrap. What did you buy this week? It's kinda crazy to put this online but I am learning a lot by writing it all down and when I know I have to report it later, it does help me say no to things I know I really don't need.

 

We all got covid

this is what her spots looked like on Friday

Day one of school last week turned out to be the only day of school, because Wednesday night my throat started to hurt and I woke up Thursday with the covid. Or flu, I mean I didn't take a test or anything but my gut says covid. I had a temperature of 102, full body aches and the worst sore throat I have had in years and no energy. I spent the day in bed sleeping and taking care of the kids. Becky did a lot of care for Esther. Reuben also woke up with the flu so whenever I would make myself tea or dose myself with homeopathic medicine I did so with him too. (though I didn't realize until after Esther's nap he wasn't drinking any of the things I was bringing him) Reuben never naps but he took three naps and one herb bath just like he was 2 months old again. He and I were really sick.

It was hard walking up and down the steps to fetch and administer all the things. Thursday is a complete blur. I think it was for Reuben too. I did one garlic enema Thursday and one on Friday.

Becky did so well with Esther. They basically watched television all day except for 12-2:30 when Esther blessedly took a nap with me.

The only thing I could get Reuben to eat was fruit. He ate his way through strawberries and watermelon and grapes and I am so glad because I couldn't get him to drink anything but I knew with the amount of fruit he was eating he was probably okay.

I had leftover soup that I am so glad was in the fridge. I don't think there was a dinner.

Oh, I just remembered. My husband brought home some fresh market meal stuff and I slept through it, but Becky said it was good. 

At the end of the day I was feeling a bit better and I was actually able to shower and eat a bagel. Reuben woke up around 5pm and asked what was for breakfast. He thought he had slept through the night and was really confused to find it was still Thursday. We all laughed. 

farmers market time

Blessedly, my husband had Friday off and he spent it taking care of us and we rested, ate soup, and well, mainly me--tried not to look at how messy my house was. Friday is also a blur. 

Saturday we were all on the mend but I was starting to get a cough and I had a double ear infection. Luckily due to Reuben's recent ear infection I knew exactly what to do. My right ear is better but my left one needs more garlic oil.

I spent Saturday deep cleaning the house from our sickness. We also made it to the farmers market and went grocery shopping. Esther was pretty much spot free by Saturday so no, I wasn't trying to infect anyone. She did not catch covid, and neither did Becky or Brian. I am so grateful it was only Reuben and I and we had three well people to take care of everyone. Well, Esther is a baby and doesn't really count...but babies are extra work when they are sick so just that she was well enough to be distracted by a 8 hour Bluey marathon was great. I swear every time I try to lower the screen time in my house God laughs and sends a virus.

Now it's Sunday and I just have the lingering sore throat and left ear pain. 

Esther's spots are gone--I think it was chickenpox but I could be wrong. I googled the difference between pox and HFM and the internet said it's where the spots are. According to that she had chickenpox, but who knows. If she did, that's great. If it was HFM, at least it's gone.

Tomorrow we will try to start school again. 

What a week! We better not be sick all fall. I'm dosing everyone with fermented cod liver oil and raw butter and elderberry syrup my mom dropped off. Immunity 2025, here we come.