My mom and Joe
Jacob in a fort that his cousins built
My Grandma!
Jacob and his aunt Abby playing musical "leaves"
Aunts and children playing musical "leaves"
I planned to do a whole post about all my cookware but decided instead to focus on cast iron today. I've written about my cast iron skillet before but wanted to write about the benefits of cast iron cookware.The first benefit of cast iron is that during the cooking process a bit of iron is leeched into the food. This benefits those who are low on iron or just need that added supplement in their diet.
The second benefit is that there are no harmful coatings on this pan (such as teflon) that could chip off into your food. The seasoning process means that the pan becomes non stick with use. The more you use it, the better it becomes.
An iron skillet takes a bit more care. The suggested cleaning method is just wiping down with hot water and not using dish soap but I have to admit that I often add a teeny tiny amount of soap just to make myself feel better. I then heat it up on the stove to dry and rub with a little cooking oil. If your pan becomes rusty or begins to stick you can re-season it by scrubbing with steel wool, rub it with oil or shortening, and bake in an oven for a few hours.
A properly taken care of cast iron pan or skillet will outlast you and will be something that can be passed down to your great-grandchildren. It is a wonderful investment for the kitchen. A few years ago I paid around $13 for my skillet (a Lodge one from Walmart). I will only make my fried potatoes and sauteed green beans in that pan as it adds a unique taste that no other pan can duplicate. When a recipe calls for a skillet I always reach for the cast iron one first and only use my other skillets if the cast iron one is already in use. I also love that it can go from stove top to oven and looks nice as a serving plate as well!
Do you use cast iron cookware in your home?
The little stinker really is entering his terrible twos, and just had to stick his tongue out to prove it; along with a few crumbs of his chocolate cake! 
It wasn't MY child who left the faucet outside running (for who knows how long!), which in turn got the basement all wet. We have carpet in the basement, but luckily it comes out in pieces, so it was not us who have several pieces of carpet laying in the yard to dry out last week!
One of my children did not smear cherry yogurt all over the carpet on the stairs and the toy room last week. He, who shall remain nameless, did not make sure to grind the cherries deep in the carpet. He also did not decide to decorate his sister's stick horse and his brother's Spiderman car with the yogurt.
My child did not turn the dial on the big chest freezer to "off" at least a day before I noticed it. Everything was not thawed out by the time I noticed it and we now do not have soggy vegetables and pizza that need to be eaten.
Nope, my children would never be so destructive and bad!
Why, just because his uncle is trying to get him to smile for some photos! Happier birthday photos later this week! 
I've fallen off the wagon this week.No, I'm not an alcoholic or trying to steer clear from drugs. Well, actually I am trying to steer clear from drugs, but it isn't a difficult task. No, it isn't as life altering as those two things.
I've not been sticking to my grocery budget this week, nor have we stayed away from fast food. (Hanging head in shame.) I've been to the grocery store twice this week and hubby has made a grocery run once. Not a big deal, you say? Maybe not, but I can so see the difference in what we spend when we make multiple trips to the store as opposed to one well planned out one. My grocery budget goal each week is $75 and for the past couple months I have made that goal, and often beating it by coming in around $65. This week I estimate that we've spent around $100 to $115. It isn't going to break us, but we didn't need to spend extra. One run was for Parmesan cheese that we forgot and that hubby can't live without on his spaghetti. The run to the store, for that one item, ended up bringing home treats for each child, M&Ms for myself, salt & vinegar kettle chips and cookies for hubby. I didn't ask hubby for the receipt yet but I'm thinking that trip cost about $15...all for junk food. Yikes! That is where the truth lies...the more often you go to the store weekly the more unnecessary items you will pick up. I don't mind picking out the kids a treat on our weekly grocery trip, but I do mind picking them up a treat four or five times in one week.
Because of extra stress lately, and not having planned a good menu at the beginning of the week, we have also gotten take out more often than usual. Saturday we went shopping and stopped at Wendy's and spent $9. On Sunday we spent close to $20 on hamburgers and ice cream. On Wednesday I was stressed and spent $11 on hamburgers and fries for us. I won't count our anniversary dinner out for Chinese because I do consider that necessary. Close to $40 in one week on take out?! Not good...for the budget or waistline.
Which brings me to MY waistline. I have been gaining 1/2 a pound to a pound steadily for the past couple weeks. It's no one's fault but my own. Take out, junk food, and not enough exercise are to blame and I need to get back on track! I can fix all three of these problems by just planning a better menu and shopping list at the beginning of the week.
Here's to getting back on track this week and sticking to it!
