Beating the system

We have had a crazy week around here and it looks like it will continue for a while.  I think I over committed us.  However, we are having fun!  We are just all exhausted.  So we have had a good, relaxing calm Saturday which has been good for the Stroh souls!

Some one even made me breakfast this morning. 

See how excited he looks?

We started watching this show called "Breaking Amish" on TLC...it is SO interesting.  Auntie and Uncle T live in Amish country in Ohio.  Every time we have been to see them I have been so intrigued with the Amish way of life.  I would ask Jean all sorts of questions.  She is my Amish expert!  HA!  Anyways this show is very interesting.  However, the men don't do ANYTHING in the home.  They are served by the women in their homes.  Nate said that since he had to make my breakfast this morning that he would be shunned from the community.  Thus, the happy face! 

In my defense, I could not make breakfast at the moment he wanted it because I was feeding this little face:

Which brings me to my second point of this blog.  I have been beating the system!  And the system being expensive, over processed foods!  I have three new finds that aren't ground breaking, but they are cheap and they are easy and they are healthier!!!!  Love it!

First is this:

Which is what was getting fed into that happy little mouth!  I was spending probably about $10 a week in yogurts.  Yogurt for me (mainly for smoothies), for the boys and a separate one for Caroline.  Well my beating the system has been buying non-fat plain greek yogurt for everyone!  AND using it for sour cream...shh...don't tell Nate...it freaks him out.  I've tried replacing mayo, but it doesn't work well.  But i don't think you can tell at all with it as a replacement for sour cream.  Anyways. CJ's new favorite breakfast is this!  I am smashing up fruit and adding it straight to the plain greek yogurt.  So I am saving $7 a week.  That is $28/a month people!!!  And it's not bad!  For the boys I blend it in with a touch (and i mean tiny touch) of honey and use it straightt up for my smoothies.  So not added sugars, no sweeteners, more protein and less money!  GREATNESS!

Here is numbers 2 and 3

First - oatmeal.  We eat a lot of oatmeal around here.  I normally buy the strawberry instant kind.  Problem - I bought a box a week, it was high in sugar and it never kept anyone full.  I saw on pinterest someone bagging their own.  So I tried it.  It.is.awesome!!!!  I put 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a baggie add 1/2tsp brown sugar.  It is much more filling and get this.  one box of the premade has 8-10 bags for 2.50.  I can make 30 bags for the same price!  Plus it's whole grain...plus no additive...plus less sugar!  WIN!

And lastly - popcorn.  We eat popcorn once a day in this place.  It is Blake and Owen's favorite snack.  I was getting the 100 calorie pack for 10 for $3.50ish.  I was watching a show recently and they had a health expert on it.  She cut open a bag of popcorn and showed how much yuck was added in it.  So she suggested buying the kernels, putting 1/4 cup in a brown paper sack, folding it over twice and making it in the microwave for 3 minutes.  Then you can add how much salt and butter you wanted.  HELLO!  I got that bag for $.80!!!  And it makes 10 servings.  However, I think we could easily get away with using 1/8 of a cup. So we could have 20 servings!! 

I love beating the system!!!!

Lastly, here is my sweet lady who beat the hierarchy system in our house and worked her way to a bean bag chair this morning.  She's like her mama :)