Fred Meyer $36.99
I made a quick trip to Fred Meyer in the wee morning hours for rations… And I’m so glad I did. A new Fred Meyer super center {with clothing, shoes, tools and a garden center etc.} is opening next month and it’s a good thing because our little Fred Meyer is always packed unless you get there within the first hour of it’s doors opening. I LOVE small grocery stores, but our town is growing waaaaay to fast and basically shopping at any grocery store in town is really getting ridiculous.
It’s strange. We’ve been here 11 years and the population {and housing} has exploded like mad within the past 2 years. I hate to say it…. but Gig Harbor is really loosing it’s charm. That small town feel? It’s slipping away. And I think it’s sad. Getting to the freeways or trying to get through a roundabout these days is not for the faint of heart. Not one bit. 🙁
If you plan on taking a flight on Alaska Airlines anytime soon, the Tom Douglass turkey with butternut squash meal for $6 is pretty darn tasty.
Some of the homemade meals we enjoyed this week: Tuna casserole {no peas 🙁 } Salmon, rice and Brussels sprouts, crock pot chili, waffles and a turkey casserole freezer meal.
Snacks: Muddy buddies, apple chips and peanut butter cookies.
But I think my favorite meal of the week was the fried eggs, guacamole and toast I had for breakfast one morning.
Lunch with the parental unit at our favorite lunch spot. The Girl paid!!!
You can never go wrong with grilled cheese and tomato soup.
And last but not least, my Mother. And her Christmas stick. She thinks that just because the grand-babies aren’t small anymore, she can get away with this. It makes me CRAZY. And the ornament count on said Christmas stick is getting smaller and smaller every year too. I fully expect to see a poinsettia in it’s place next year. Or maybe even just a picture of a tree torn out of a magazine and tapped to the window or something.
We won’t even talk about the fact that those boxes were thrown under the tree at the last second because she said I couldn’t’ take a picture of a tree without presents under it.
BRING BACK THE CHEESY FAKE FLOCKED TREE of my childhood or even the plain tree with country blue gift bags we had to save year after year because they matched the ornaments on the tree!!! {Jessica McClintock dresses were the BEST by the way!}
I don’t think parents should be allowed to downsize their Christmas trees until their kids are at least … I don’t know, 60? There should be a rule about this. Don’t you think?
And don’t know about you people…. But to say I am eagerly awaiting my mother’s annual freebie Christmas boxes would be the biggest understatement of the year. {Here’s what she put in the boxes 2 years ago and then last years boxes for those of you that missed it}
Ahhh Christmas… It’s a week away. Are you ready?
~Mavis
Total Spent This Week $36.99
Total Spent in January on Groceries $202.99
Total Spent in February on Groceries $143.94
Total Spent in March on Groceries $183.35
Total Spent in April on Groceries $205.67
Total Spent on Groceries in May $248.60
Total Spent on Groceries in June $147.47
Total Spent on Groceries in July $293.63
Total Spent on Groceries in August $117.29
Total Spent on Groceries in September $172.91
Total Spent on Groceries in October $186.69
Total Spent on Groceries in November $289.96
Total Spent on Groceries in December $46.27
Total Spent in January on Take Out, Date Nights, and Bakery Treats $42.19
Total Spent in February on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $118.45
Total Spent in March on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $25.29
Total Spent in April on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $62.50
Total Spent in May on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $54.52
Total Spent in June on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $119.15
Total Spent in July on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $12.45
Total Spent in July on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $0
Total Spent in August on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $212.67
Total Spent in September on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $132.50
Total Spent in October on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $87
Total Spent in November on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $60.42
Total Spent in December on Take Out, Date Nights and Bakery Treats $168.34 {eating out while traveling will kill your budget every.single.time.}
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andrea d says
Oh my goodness! My parents were supposedly getting their (real, cut) Christmas tree last Thursday; I went over Saturday night and they had a small little tree on the table. Apparently the top portion of an artificial tree my brother got rid of years ago. What is the deal?! Not cool mom, not cool. Ha!
Mavis Butterfield says
It’s an outrage. 😉
Judy says
Hi Mavis, do you include things like toilet paper, laundry soap, hair shampoo etc. I never see them listed in your totals.
Mavis Butterfield says
Nope. Only food.
Sandy says
Did you consider that your Mom is aging and just doesn’t want the hassle of a large Christmas tree? Dragging all the decorations up from the basement, putting the tree up, decorating it? Then packing it all up and dragging it back to the basement. When you are in your 70’s and 80’s, you only have so much energy each day so you use it they way you want, not how your children want you to. Perhaps if you would like your Mom to have a tree, you could do all of the work for her. That would certainly be a gesture that a grateful daughter for all that your Mom has done for you could do for her.
Carolina says
Sandy, if you have been following “Mavis” for a while, you would know that she has a great relationship with her Mom. Is because Mavis is the only remaining child of hers? I don’t know, but I know they have been through a lot together, and they “get” each other, though they may be very different. As I understand it, long ago, Mavis started this blog originally for her Mom. If you get Mavis’ quirky sense of humor, you would know that her comments about her Mom—what she saves, what she wears, what kind of tree she does or doesn’t put up are all done “tongue-in-cheek” and with kindly good humor. All of that being said, lighten up, Sandy!!!
Brianna says
I like the twig tree! I wish my parents would downsize, they claim they have been in the process. Their house appears empty to the eye, but open and closet or cupboard and you will see so much stuff organized in neat containers and bins. It drives me nuts. I haven’t seen their house for Christmas in 6 years and my mother loves Christmas. Her house is a magical winter wonderland and everything is staged and decorated with expensive Christmas stuff. I keep my decor minimal for the holidays because I want Grandma’s to be the special lace for Christmas wonderland for my kids. I’m really not a Christmas person.
I love your Mom’s gifts. Has she always done them or did she just start a few years ago? I find them amusing. My favorite are the little jelly and honey jars. I really think those are special. I saw an advent calendar filled with them and it made me think your mom could make you a jelly/honey a day advent calendar if she wanted to expand beyond just the gift box. I think her gifts are so much better than boring cash. I told my parents to stop giving me cash….I get it every single year and the last several years I just haven’t ever spent it on anything special. I gave my mom a list of needs and wants and hope she can get me something instead.
Mavis Butterfield says
I LOVE the idea of a jam advent calendar. My mom isn’t especially crafty, but I think she would like creating one. I’ll have to tell her. Thanks for the idea!
Sue P. says
Oh Sandy, I could be Andrea’s mom because that is totally me this year and I am only in my 50s!! It has nothing to do with if my daughter is grateful or not, or needing help dragging the decorations out, or I need help taking it down. And it’s not because I am grumpy and not in the Christmas spirit. I have the best Christmas spirit!! It’s just the fact that I have done it for many many years, my house was an explosion of Christmas! And now I’m minimizing everything but the spirit! And my fake, tiny Charlie Brown tree cracks the kids and grandkids up! And I love that!!
Carrie Council says
I’ve known my in laws for 12 years and they have never had a tree in the time I’ve known them. It all started when MIL went rogue and had an all amber and purple tree with no personal ornaments. My husband apparently flipped when he came home from college and no tree since. I put all of his ornaments on our tree. A twig for a tree is better than no tree at all!
Aunt G says
To each their own. Personally I’m a minimalist at heart. So a free cedar tree out of our pasture with branches cut out for a sparse Charlie Brown tree with one red ball on the top makes my heart sing. But traditions are hard to part with no matter what your age.
I love the freebie boxes you get. Lots of fun. Can’t wait to see this years!
Merry Christmas, Mavis!
AJ says
Someday Granny Mavis will be the one with a minimalist tree and when The Girl* wants to know where the big tree is, Mavis will tell her she planned to donate/toss 1000 items for the year and the tree and a few ornaments were just what she needed to reach her goal. 😉
*Monkey boy probably won’t mind the missing tree as long as there are still Doritos in his stocking, don’t you think?
Mavis Butterfield says
Hahaha! Yes.
Linda says
you’ve been following Mavis for awhile!!!! Too funny!!
Teri says
It’s funny cuz I would think being the minimalist that you are, you would have something like your Mom’s tree!! Love the photo of you in your youth —
Merry Christmas and thank you for all the great blogs throughout the year.
Pauline in Upstate NY says
Never mind the tree, I have a serious case of *glove envy*! Those loonng gloves were just so much fun…
Lisa MTB says
Totally with your mom on this one (and my grandparents, who started going minimalist before the grand kids were all grown). I promise you that the neighbors’ decorations will make up for any and all minimalism (and I DO enjoy my neighbors’ decorations)!
Deb says
Gig Harbor was not a cute little small town 11 years ago but it certainly was a lovely place 40 years ago before it got yuppified. It was a working town with generations of families in the fishing and lumber business. Now it’s suburban sprawl with views.
Helen in Meridian says
Did you sing Carols around the Twig? Maybe there is the Carol of the Twig? Her bird ornaments would look good year round on that Brass tree….sorta like the old Feather Trees of the Victorian era. Did you see Victoria on PBS last night? Tell your mom Merry Christmas….how is she ever going to survive with you on the East Coast. I loved all of her Dynasty Era cocktail outfits.
Beryl says
Mavis, your Mother is a hoot! Love her tree. And you’re a hoot too, love your blog…your ideas,recipes,sales. Thanks so much
Barbara says
I loved all the comments. I have always loved Christmas and all the traditional things that go along with it! Now, that I am in my senior years, just being together is the most important- tree or no tree.
Mavis, thank you so much for your blog. Each day, I can’t wait to read it!! Have a Merry Christmas and the best to you and your family in 2018!! PS- it is wonderful that we aren’t all alike!!
Mavis Butterfield says
Oh what a boring world it would be if we were all alike.
Melanie says
Your mother’s Christmas gift boxes are my favorite presents of the year! Seriously, I enjoy seeing what’s in those boxes more than the gifts I receive! Haha!
Sarah says
Oh my, I LOVE your mom’s boxes. I totally meant to do that this year, but forgot. There’s always next year!! I *think* my mom and sister would get a kick out of it. I think it’s hilarious! !!!!!! I can’t wait for that post!
Sue says
Oh joy! I just love your blog, best read of the day. I love your mom and her stick.
Living in central Alabama growing up my daddy was a big hunter. He would always fine the most perfect cedar tree. That’s what we had then and it was free. How I wish I had one now to decorate for the memories. Waiting to see the goodies from your mom.
Stephanie says
I love your mom’s twig, birds and all! Thanks for the laugh and all the great stories over the years. My favorite was about HH, a saw, painkillers, and the Hillbillies.
You will be missed around the harbor but I understand it’s time for your next big adventure. Merry Christmas, Mavis, and best of luck in the next year!