I have a cold, similar to ccfree, some of the kids were under the weather and I thought I dodged that bullet. Nah. And I watched the second-to-last-game of the soccer season yesterday and it was COLD. So, now I have a massive sinus head-ache, popping ears and a sore throat. Will head back to bed for a nap, or at least curl up with my book ("Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn who wrote "Gone Girl". I'd be enjoying it more if my best friend's boyfriend's daughter wasn't currently inpatient due to cutting)

The budget pots are pretty low this week (due to the poor timing of property tax payment/mortgage). The cupboards are a rather odd assortment of mish-mash that I'll finish for my lunches during the week.

All is well. Off to catch up on the blogs, and I'll end with a wish that everyone stays healthy.

I planned on spending $95 for household (groceries/toiletries/pets). I spent $87.50 between Ultra and Aldi's (saved $4 at Ultra). I cooked yesterday making a big vat of cabbage/tomato soup for DH, along with curried chickpeas and spinach (from budgetbytes.com). I also made vegetable stew in the crockpot and homemade mac and cheese. I shop on Fridays, so Tues will be leftovers, Wed will be scrambled eggs and waffles, and Thurs will be sandwiches and pasta salad.

Big news is my grandmother (who is 95 and in California) is moving in with my mom and stepdad. In two weeks. She's lonely and losing weight and misses all of us. My uncle and his wife are in CA and both work full time and only see "G" on the weekends for grocery shopping. Here there is also my brother and I, my 5 kids and my brother's getting married in July and he'll have two stepkids, so there is always something going on here.

My kids pressed me for a birthday gift - something to open. I told them to pool their resources and I'd like one charm for my Brighton bracelet. Something birthday related or Thanksgiving related. I think the most they'll have to pony up is $5-$7.50 each. And for my "party", my mom will make pizza from scratch and a triple chocolate whammy cake.

We're having our plumber friend out to give us a quote on some leaky drains/pipes. Our family room ceiling has two holes in it. Hoping to get that done by end of November. In January we'll formally move on the home study. We've decided on an agency other that the one we originally were going to deal with because it is more universally accepted, and we are open to several options.