An Update and a Money Saver

Okay... so it's been a little while since I've posted.... here are a few of the things I've been up to, in no particular order...

• Corn harvest.... we had to pick, shuck and process all the corn in one day.... about 170 ears
• I turned 40
• Classes are crazy busy.... lots of projects to try to keep up with
• I got 10 new gray hairs
• Flew down for a weekend visit to Temecula and had a great time with my friends Teri and Suzy
• Laundry
• Suffering dissapointment with the news about remaking of the movie Footloose... some things just need to be left alone....
• Packing away my flip flops and capri pants
• Shopping for long underwear and snow boots
• Thinking about all the things I should be blogging about
• Getting ready for a visit from my friend Lauren

So, if you can imagine, I've been a little busy.  But I had a break in the action this afternoon so I thought I'd catch everyone up.  Actually, my break isn't long.... just long enough between loads of laundry, but I'm making the most of it.  Before the break, I was busy making sandwiches and I thought I'd share my strategy for saving time and money when it comes to lunches for school.

My boys love peanut butter sandwiches in their lunch box, whether they are made with honey or jelly, they love them.  They always ask for the Smuckers Uncrustables but it pains me to pay $5.00 for 10 little sandwiches, so I came up with an alternative.  Here's what I do:

Start with bargain bread.... either use a coupon or find a thrift store.  It just so happens I had a coupon for a free loaf of store brand wheat bread and was also able to pick up a loaf at the thrift store for .68 cents.  Each regular size loaf should make 10 sandwiches, more or less depending on the size of the loaf.

Spread half of the pieces with some peanut butter, then drizzle on honey (or spread jelly).

Top with the other piece of bread and squash it like a bug.  Then cut off the crusts and crimp the edges with a fork.

Put each sandwich in a ziploc baggy and then pack them all back in the loaf wrapper.  Since they are compacted, you should be able to get all 20 sandwiches into one wrapper.  Then put it in the freezer.  Each morning, just grab a sandwich for the lunchbox... it's thawed and ready to eat at lunch.

I figure each sandwich cost me .05 cents in peanut butter and nothing in honey and .03 cents in bread, so easily under 10 cents each.  It's a great deal and with about a half an hour on one Sunday to knock out 2 weeks worth of sandwiches for my boys, it's really a time and money saver!

This week I have some other good posts for you.... an update on the basement and some tummy-warming Fall recipes!