Pantry Challenge Update and Bats in the Belfry!

Well, I think I finally caught up on responding to all the comments that I've received lately! Thanks everyone, for all your input. It's so much fun for me to read your comments. :)

I wanted to share how my pantry challenge is going. So far, we are doing pretty well. Here is what we ate for suppers in the past week:

Thursday--steak & cheese subs, salad
Friday--burgers and salad
Saturday--Greek pasta salad and corn on the cob
Sunday--leftover pasta salad and corn (lunch), pizza (supper)
Monday--crockpot lasagna, salad, garlic bread
Tuesday--leftover lasagna, bread
Wednesday--Cobb salad wraps, corn

I mostly only plan my supper menus and Sunday lunch. For breakfasts, we eat cold cereal most of the time, and for lunches we eat sandwiches or leftovers, along with applesauce, string cheese, baby carrots, and cookies (homemade).

I "cheated" a little and bought one "extra" this week. On Saturday I saw that the fresh sweet corn was in at a local farm stand, and I just couldn't resist buying a dozen. But at only $4/dozen, I think it's a good deal! And I like to support local farmers and buy yummy corn when it's in season. :)

Today was shopping day and I headed for Walmart, armed with a short list and determined to spend a much smaller amount than usual. I'm happy to report that I spent $35.26, which is about half or less than normal! Here's what I bought: oats, 2 birthday cards, an 8 roll pack of paper towels, 1 1/2 dozen eggs, one box of spiral pasta, Oakhurst milk, 2 loaves of bread, a bag of animal crackers, a pack of diapers, peanut butter, applesauce, and Montreal chicken seasoning. So I spent $15.70 on "non-grocery" items, and $19.56 on grocery items. Not too bad. We will see how this week goes, and whether I can get away with spending a small amount again next week.

I also cleaned out my freezer and fridge today, of all old food and "science projects." :) It feels good to know more or less what I have to work with, especially of the food that's in the freezer. Some of it was well-buried!

THE BAT STORY

Tonight I was sitting in the living room, holding Julia and reading a book, when I noticed something fly into our storage area (that doesn't yet have a door) up above Sam's room. What in the world? It happened so fast that I just thought it was a large moth; I didn't get much of a look at it. Then it came back out and I realized it was a very large BAT!!! I screamed and put the book on my head (like that was really going to protect me), Sam looked around, bewildered, and I hollered for Jim to come DO SOMETHING!! The bat continued to swoop between the storage area and the living room, while Jim tried to figure out how to get it, and I took the kids and ran for Sam's room, where we shut ourselves in and read books on his bed. The bat ended up disappearing, and Jim searched the storage area in vain. He filled in a spot where it might have gotten in, with expanding foam. We are hoping that it was a smart bat and got itself back out however it came in. We have checked all the rooms and can't find it, so hopefully that's what happened! It's kind of funny that we have lived here almost a year already, and no bats have ever wandered in here before. Thankfully!!! I HATE BATS!!!

Well, I better wrap this up and head for bed. Thanks for all your encouragement; I enjoy hearing from all of you! If I don't get a chance to write again in the next few days, hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!