Just Cuz You Can't See It, Doesn't Mean It's Not There!

I'm talking about progress.
As I'm sure many of us do, I have a tendency to scan my surroundings and be hard on myself if I can't SEE my work.

I've been kinda sick so I haven't posted in a couple of days. I'm still sick, but feeling well enough to sit with my laptop on my couch. The past few days have produced some good advances towards my goal. I think the MOST important thing for me to remember is that even when my work isn't tangible, it's still progress. For instance, I spent ALL day in bed yesterday, but still on my mind was my vision and goal. So I took mental inventory of what I needed to start clearing out of the storage room. I know what's in there, and what I need and don't need. So I figured out my plan of action for when I'm physically able to execute. That's time saved!

On Wednesday, before I got sick, I found myself without any bread. I started to write it down on my shopping list, then stopped. For almost a year, I made all of my family's bread. I didn't buy a single loaf at the store. Then I didn't one week and told myself I could take a break and buy it just this once. Well that turned into twice, three times, ... etc. So, I haven't made bread in months. I have a strict grocery budget and have not been replacing what I've been using from my canned goods in our food storage. WHY IN THE WORLD am I spending two to three dollars a loaf, about three to four loaves every week and a half, when I can spend about twenty-five cents a loaf by making it myself!? This is about $16 a pay period that I have been robbing away from what could be food storage monies! Do you know how many cans of green beans or corn you can buy with $16!? I made 7 loaves of bread and a dozen dinner rolls that day. You can find the bread recipe I love and use on my calendar below or under the "What's Brandy Making Now?" menu.

This inspired me to, while sick, take a closer look at my grocery/diaper budget. I've broken it down into percentages and created a budget within that budgeted money. I looked at my family's needs and found I could spend less in some areas leaving more for others. This is something I've decided I need to do on a regular, maybe semi-annual, basis. As my kids grow, their needs change. Re-evaluation is a very healthy thing for a budget. You'll find extra or hidden dollars being wasted on things you no longer need or find as important anymore.

While I'm sick, I'm limited in what I can do physically to show progress. But I'm still able to think through things and work out in my head a plan, or calculate needs, thus still being as productive as I can.