Ah, this week. What week?!?! I forgot how much of the week can be spent sitting a ball game everyday, but it has left me with very little time for preparedness. 

I did, however, get a few things done. I added to our food storage at home. Hy-Vee was having a fantastic sale this week on a few things: Ragu pasta sauce, Skippy’s peanut butter (we will be trying the all-natural this time), Wishbone salad dressings, and HyVee brand canned fruit (I buy the stuff canned without syrup). I had coupons for almost everything – woohoo! Thanks Angie for those coupons! I added 4 jars of sauce, 4 salad dressings, 2 jars of peanut butter, and 12 cans of fruit. The sad thing is that I thinks I might run back on Monday to get more!

I did also make 8-1/2 pint jars of Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam. Umm…delish!

(That bottle of vodka in the back of the photo is my homemade vanilla extract. It should be done this week!)

When I say food storage, I don’t mean that we put it in the basement and forget about it. We constantly eat from the food storage and keep it rotated and fresh. I just like to make sure I keep adding to it more than taking from it. If there is a fantastic sale on something, I always buy at least two, if not more, to add to the food storage.

I also bought several jars for canning this week. I found some at a reasonable price at the Dollar General store and I found some at garage sale for even better prices. I now have 24 more quart size jars and 12 more pint size jars. 

Also, my admission will made here. I fear I am becoming a garage sale addict. I have been so blessed in what I have found this year that I don’t want to miss one! I also think about all the money I saved and that makes me happy. On Friday, I found Shali and Jordan a bunch of name-brand clothes for 50 cents to $2.00 a piece at one garage sale. They also loved the clothes which is even better! The thrill of the hunt has got me hooked!

The garden is growing despite the fact I have been ignoring it this last week. The ground was too dry to hoe and weed. I felt like I was trying to tear into rock! Now that we have had some rain, maybe it will be better to weed later on today. Now if only the mosquitoes could die, I would be a happy camper!

This has been linked to the Preparedness Challenge #12 at Homestead Revival!