...not houses, but hosts.
You can now find the new and improved Home By Hanley at http://homebyhanley.wordpress.com/
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Hope to see you there!
Allison
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
How Many Steps in this Again?
I have another post in the works, but I couldn't resist posting right now. Arriving home from work today, I had one of those moments that just make you shake your head and wonder.
For the back-story: Shane works on Saturdays but has Mondays off. Since he's able to get to the store on a day and time without hordes of frenzied soccer moms and their whining children running amok up and down the aisles, Shane does the grocery shopping. I love the fact that he does it. It makes the weekends and weeknights easier on me since I don't have to fight the soccer moms and rush-hour shoppers. However, it is sometimes a struggle since I am a control-freak. (I'm Allison, and I'm a control-freak. That's the first step, right?) I have a hard time letting go of the meal planning and the shopping. Sometimes, I miss grocery shopping. I just like the grocery store and the inspiration of seasonal produce. I like to eat and I like to cook - enjoying grocery shopping fits right in. Occasionally, Shane forgets something, or is confused about what exactly I wanted him to pick up at the store and I have to run out at another time to get it. I'm not usually upset - it gives me a chance to get to the store. Other times I am left frustrated or shaking my head. Today was a head-shaking day.
I've been trying to be better about clipping coupons and using them. Actually remembering to bring the coupons and then handing them to the cashier is the biggest challenge for me. 90% of the time, I leave them at home. The other 10% I don't remember the coupons even exist until they've expired. Last night, I took action. I clipped new coupons, threw out the expired ones and organized them all into two piles: grocery store coupons and Target coupons. I placed each pile into its own labeled envelope and left them on the counter. My intention being to use the coupons as we had need for them. This morning I reminded Shane about the coupons and asked him to take the grocery ones with him to the store. Shane not only remembered to take the coupons - he remembered to use them too.
I knew something was up when I got home today and spied a box of Carnation Instant Breakfast sitting on the counter. I knew we didn't need any instant breakfast and since Shane doesn't use it, I couldn't imagine him buying it on his own. So I asked him if he remembered the coupons today. While talking to him, it slowly began to dawn on me that Shane hadn't just used the coupons for items we needed (e.g. the $1.00 off 10 Yoplait yogurts) but that Shane remembered to use all of the coupons.
We now have 2 lbs of unnecessary butter and two tubs of spreadable butter (boy, Paula Deen would be proud) along with two jars of jelly we didn't need and who knows what else. Apparently, the only coupon Shane didn't use was the second $1.00 off yogurt coupon we had.
All I could do was shake my head. He at least used the coupons, something I have not been too successful at doing. I had to calm the control-freak inside of me and let it go. I guess I have some baking in my future to make Paula Deen proud and use all that butter!
Is anybody else a recovering control-freak? Does your spouse take on some of the chores and leave you frustrated? Any ideas for all that butter?
For the back-story: Shane works on Saturdays but has Mondays off. Since he's able to get to the store on a day and time without hordes of frenzied soccer moms and their whining children running amok up and down the aisles, Shane does the grocery shopping. I love the fact that he does it. It makes the weekends and weeknights easier on me since I don't have to fight the soccer moms and rush-hour shoppers. However, it is sometimes a struggle since I am a control-freak. (I'm Allison, and I'm a control-freak. That's the first step, right?) I have a hard time letting go of the meal planning and the shopping. Sometimes, I miss grocery shopping. I just like the grocery store and the inspiration of seasonal produce. I like to eat and I like to cook - enjoying grocery shopping fits right in. Occasionally, Shane forgets something, or is confused about what exactly I wanted him to pick up at the store and I have to run out at another time to get it. I'm not usually upset - it gives me a chance to get to the store. Other times I am left frustrated or shaking my head. Today was a head-shaking day.
I've been trying to be better about clipping coupons and using them. Actually remembering to bring the coupons and then handing them to the cashier is the biggest challenge for me. 90% of the time, I leave them at home. The other 10% I don't remember the coupons even exist until they've expired. Last night, I took action. I clipped new coupons, threw out the expired ones and organized them all into two piles: grocery store coupons and Target coupons. I placed each pile into its own labeled envelope and left them on the counter. My intention being to use the coupons as we had need for them. This morning I reminded Shane about the coupons and asked him to take the grocery ones with him to the store. Shane not only remembered to take the coupons - he remembered to use them too.
I knew something was up when I got home today and spied a box of Carnation Instant Breakfast sitting on the counter. I knew we didn't need any instant breakfast and since Shane doesn't use it, I couldn't imagine him buying it on his own. So I asked him if he remembered the coupons today. While talking to him, it slowly began to dawn on me that Shane hadn't just used the coupons for items we needed (e.g. the $1.00 off 10 Yoplait yogurts) but that Shane remembered to use all of the coupons.
We now have 2 lbs of unnecessary butter and two tubs of spreadable butter (boy, Paula Deen would be proud) along with two jars of jelly we didn't need and who knows what else. Apparently, the only coupon Shane didn't use was the second $1.00 off yogurt coupon we had.
All I could do was shake my head. He at least used the coupons, something I have not been too successful at doing. I had to calm the control-freak inside of me and let it go. I guess I have some baking in my future to make Paula Deen proud and use all that butter!
Is anybody else a recovering control-freak? Does your spouse take on some of the chores and leave you frustrated? Any ideas for all that butter?