8.01.2008

Random thoughts on thriftiness and the domestic lifestyle

I am sitting here drinking some iced nettle tea on this muggy day. I am listening to lullabies and our fan (the king of fans as it is known) is droning on upstairs because Lili is having her afternoon nap. The house is truly a disaster, but I hesitate to clean it lest I wake her. I don't know how with my genes in her she got such light-sleeping genes... That is one difficult thing about living in a house that has no doors- everyone can hear everything. Hence me not cleaning, and rocking out to Enya instead...

Alex and I purchased a budgeting program last week, and today is our official launch of our new budgeted, regulated life. I am not a crazy spender, but, budgeting has never been my forte (Alex is much better) However, now that things have been so tight financially (since having a baby. or... maybe since we started building a house. Or, maybe when I realized all I wanted to be was an artist... I guess I can't pinpoint the exact moment things started to feel constricted, but here we are) we decided we needed a little extra budgeting help. To tell the truth, the thing I am most nervous about is remembering and keeping track of all my receipts. You wouldn't think this would be so hard- but for me, receipts are like little birds that fly out of my jean pockets, or the bottom of a grocery bag, or my pocketbook, or my wallet, or the coat, or the car... I have faith that I can reign them in though...Never fear. Anyways, I will keep you updated on this exciting budgeting adventure you can be sure.

Speaking of being thrifty, I have been making baby food the last couple of months. Organic baby food in jars is expensive (around 90 cents a small jar) and she eats at least three a day jarfuls a day. Alex and I don't eat exclusively organic ourselves, but, I feel it is important to try and feed Lili organic food since toxins effect a baby's body more than an adult. We have this great store in town called "Amazing Savings" and they sell all sorts of discounted organic veggies and fruits. I stock up on them when I can, steam them if need be, and then I blend them in this hand held mixer:
Then I pour the blended stuff into ice cube trays. Freeze them, pop them out and put them in labeled ziplock freezer bags like this:

Then each day we pull out an assortment of food cubes to thaw, sometimes mixing them together like so:
This is a mixture of kale from our garden and ripe bananas. YUM. right???
It has been a little extra work, but satisfying too. I have been doing a little reading in this book as well and gotten some good tips.

I hope this day finds everyone doing swell!
XOXO

4 comments:

Supria Karmakar said...

Hi Kelcey:

Thanks for your recent comment on my blog...Actually I would have to say the admiration and /or the compliments echo back to you...I am so in awe of you, for your love of little Lilikoi, to make organic food on top of all the other loving things parenting necessitates (which is a lot of responsibility) ...that is amazing...HATS OFF to you, you are a role model. I know what it is like to renovate with a new born...we are living in an old rural farmhouse (1878 Stone home) that we moved into when I was 8 months pregnant with Maya....needless to say it has been 8 years and we are still renovating...a labour of love..only in the last year have I been brave enough to let go and delve into a fulltime career as an artist....

I have to admit getting your email was a blessing from the universe, magical timing...as I really needed to hear that perhaps what I provide as a mother does mean something...obviously it would not be appropriate or possible to necessarily get the true essence and meaning from my daughter, as she is so young. What these activities might mean to her at this point in time in her life....for her development is unknown but intuitively I think it provides her a richness money can't provide....

So know that your love, time and mothering is all that is needed....good luck with the budgeting...I know reality is hard to balance ...

Supria

Anonymous said...

We have that book, too. I'm super excited to start making Corbin's baby food.

Happy anniversary!

Erin said...

I am excited to hear about your budgeting adventure....we need to start that soon too! And hear about your baby food making. As, Adam said, we are hoping to make it too.

babyjenks said...

what fabulous timing! tom and i are looking for a budgeting program, what one did you buy? we need to start watching our pennies too.

i love your blog, it makes me feel so much more connected to you and your wonderful family. keep writing and don't forget to email me about what art you're making! we need to chat about etsy and stuff...