The things that RILE me UP

Before I begin, I have to state some disclaimers.

1.  I am NOT a political follower.  (Brent leaves that up to himself to be in charge of all the listening to Rush, etc.  Then he painstakenly tells me all about what is going on.)

2.  I am trying to be compassionate.

3.  I work hard to have a family budget in place so we are Okay.

4.  I am not a person who would have a public confrontation.

Those of you who follow me, or just read me on a once-in-awhile basis, I will not be offended if you are offended about what I have to write.  I do not want my one time rant to come between us. 

That being said, are you wondering what I'm going to talk about?

GROCERIES and food stamps.

This has happened to me twice in two different grocery stores in the last month and a half.

I have been stuck behind someone paying for their cartload (and I'm talking HEAPING) of groceries with a food stamp card.

Now, let's just say, I have nothing against people buying food with food stamps, IF they are supposed to be in the system, and if they are not abusing the system.

I don't know from this day to the next if we would ever be in the situation that we needed to be on food stamps.  I can't say that, but I hope and pray that I've prepared our budget enough over the years that we would be ok. 

Anyway, the first instance occurred before Christmas.  The woman in front of me had two older high school children, two preschool/early elem. children, and one baby with her.  Her cart was OVERFLOWING.  I think there was actually two carts involved with the food gathering that she had.  She paid for her entire order with food stamps.  I know this for a fact because the cashier was asking her about it.  Almost all the food in her cart was the "real deal," no store brands involved.

Her two older children were both dressed in top to bottom Abercrombie attire and both had their cell phones out texting.

Now, I know for a fact how much those clothes cost.  My daughter begs me for them, but we only buy them at Goodwill, a resale shop, or on clearance, and STILL they are slightly overpriced.  I also know how much my cell phone bill is for just Grace and I, so I can't imagine what they might be paying.

I stood behind this lady, with my cart 1/4 of the way full, and wondering, hoping I would come in under my $100-$120/week budget for groceries, and paper products. 

I felt very unChristian for thinking the thoughts I was thinking,  I felt my blood boiling for being so upset at the Government our country has to be giving all these people SO MUCH FOOD that I HAVE TO PAY FOR MYSELF.

I couldn't help myself, and told Brent all about it when I got home.

He shook his head in resignation, knowing full well what I was feeling.

Then, two nights ago I was in a different grocery store with my kids, when I had another encounter.

The very young woman in front of me had a cart OVERFLOWING with groceries.  She was young, no kids, classy clothes, and she obviously knew the cashier because they were talking about mutual people they knew.  She didn't have a job, and said so, and she was thinking of finishing up college.

I unloaded my groceries on the belt, thinking it would be a quick transaction since the lady in front of me was almost done being checked out.

I was wrong.  I stood behind her for at least 10 or 15 minutes while she ranted and raved to the cashier when her total order came up to $5 and change.  She ranted and raved that her food stamp account had $200 in it, and she paid for her makeup, etc. with gift cards...SHE SHOULD OWE NOTHING!

They called a manager over, who went over her receipt with a fine tooth comb, and finally found that her gift cards hadn't totalled up to what she thought was on them.

She walked away with an overflowing cart for nothing.

Once again, I had a $100 budget with a 1/4 of the cart full.

I HATE feeling like we are sinking in this world who gives SO MANY people things for free.

I HATE complaining about this, but I'm running into this more and more all the time. 

THIS is what our generation is coming to.

NOT people who work to support their families, and who try to follow a budget.

It's sickening.

It's sad.

And now it's commonplace.

I know I am no better than those people with food stamps.  I'm not.

I even researched it all online this morning, but what I found the strangest was that when I searched government regulation of food stamps, I couldn't find how the government was checking on those who maybe get a job to cover their food needs, or who in other ways are abusing the system.

After venting, I'm feeling slightly better, but only a little.

Feel free to disagree.  Feel free to yell at your screen.  Feel free to not read me for awhile.

I promise not to post things like this really ever.

I will act like it's not happening in our world while I show you how to make crafts or what Pinterest boards I have.

I will struggle to cut out $15 more a week out of my budget cause that's how much my husband's check went down from higher Social Security taxes.

I will plant more in my garden this year, and put more away, although I can't imagine where I will put it.

I will still be who I am.  I will still love the Lord, and Brent and I will raise our kids with that in mind.

But I can't promise that I will go to the grocery store and come home happy about it.

What about you?

Time of our lives

We have a set of friends, Ryan and Kristin, who we LOVE to hang around with, but our busy schedules often get in the way.

It's unfortunate.

We have two kids each who are close to the same age.

We are in swine club together, and share alot of the same interests.

Last night we had what you'd call a date night...but with ALL the kids.

We went out to eat pizza, and then went bowling.

It was really fun.

It's silly, but each time we're together it takes the kids half the night till they start talking, and then they have so much fun, they forget why they were shy with each other in the first place.

ANYway, the bowling...it was great.  More fun than I remembered.  When we were finished, and ready to leave, they turned off the lights and bowled in the dark with strobe lights...we're doing that the next time!

As usual, my score was the lowest, which means I lost.    Which means I also stink!  But it was fun anyway.

Grace dug the shoes...

I dug all the colorful bowling balls.

After bowling, we went back to their house to play a new game.  It was great.  We left at midnight and vowed to do it again really soon.

Or whenever we can fit it in.

We have great friends.  Thanks Ryan and Kristin!

It's what we do

Flower Patch Farm Girl (my idol and blog crush) has Money Shot Mondays whenever she feels like it...

The Pleated Poppy has What I Wore Wednesdays...(link on my sidebar) and Lisa Leonard has Hello Mondays (link on my sidebar).

I don't have a certain day that I do something special on the blog.

Maybe I should.

Today, I took the kids to the Mall 45 minutes away because they had hard earned and saved up allowance money to burn, and wanted to shop.

First we had to stop at the Post Office (to send out AGAIN another Verizon Wireless phone..don't even get me started on what we've been dealing with with our cell carrier lately...), the bank, the gas station, the Library (to return things), Target (for Evan to buy his first Ipod Touch), and Game Stop (to trade in games of course.)

THEN we headed to the Mall.

Our first stop...to refuel.

At Chick-fil-A.  (The kid's pick...not necessarily mine.)
They thought it was funny to get Franklin books in their kids meals.

I remember when they used to like Franklin...

After lunch, Grace and my favorite shop...Forever 21.  You can get the BEST jewelry for so cheap, and Grace usually finds cute clothes cause she's so little.

One of my buys...a "diamond" ring that I only wish was real.

The Apple store was next.  When you have a boy and a girl and you are shopping at a mall, you have to even out the stores or someone is not happy.  This is often the case...

Mom was next.  I wanted to visit the new J Crew that wasn't open at Thanksgiving.  My dream necklace awaited me inside the door.

The rest of the prices...we're so nice to me.  So we moved on.

I think we headed to American Eagle next.  Another compromise between Grace and I.

We each scored some marked down already clearanced items.

I've wanted a plaid shirt to wear under things and I finally found one for only $14.  Score.

Grace made a killing with her buys...Evan was super pleased with his traded-in game from Game Stop, and his new Ipod Touch (last year's version).

On the way home...Meijer.  We needed groceries and that is never fun!

We have 3 more days of break before we go back to school and work.
As always, I have mixed emotions because I never seem to have enough time to get my to-do list finished.

I still have three more days though...much coffee will be drunk, and a lot of work will be accomplished.  I might just make it!