Monday, June 7th. I made Malt-o Meal for breakfast and then worked on the computer all day as I had to make changes to my dissertation. We still have some of the taco meat left so I think most people ate that with either tortillas or chips.

I did make a batch of black beans from scratch. Many times they just eat the beans, or they mix them with rice or meat. They are cheap, easy to make, and last for 5-7 days, and you can refry them, mash them, or mix them with other stuff for variety.

Tuesday, June 8th. Today I made another batch of powdered milk. I wanted to make the easy cake mix white brownies with chocolate chips in them (as I WANT something sweet, but CANNOT buy any candy...auuughh...whose idea was this?). I did not have any more milk, so I had to mix some up. What a pain! It is a lot easier to just have a gallon of milk sitting in the fridge. WOW! We take so much for granted!

I also made Lasagna. I had everything to make one batch, but I ran out of Mozzarella cheese. I still have American slices, and two large bags of cheddar, but now I am forced to start thinking of how long they will last and what I can cook...this is really frustrating, but at the same time, it is challenging to try to make do with what I have.

I do know how to make cheese, and have the Rennet tablets to do so. I still haven't found a dairy yet...I will keep looking...or life will get really rough next week when we run out of cream and cheese! Can life even go on without milk, cream, or cheese?!?

Wednesday, June 9th. Today I made a batch of homemade granola. I had not made my granola for more than 3 years as I had been lazy and content to just buy cereal. However, I forgot just how GOOD homemade granola is. IT IS GREAT!! It is chewy and crunchy, sweet, but not sugary, WOW! You need to try it, and it is good for you and a whole lot cheaper and better than store bought granola.

Rebeca also helped me to make homemade popcicles. We made cherry and lime. We found all the plastic molds and handles (they have these at Wal-mart). She was so excited to make them and of course, opened the freezer about 20 times while they were freezing.

For supper, I took the leftover taco meat and we ate it with chips, refried beans, and some shredded cheese on top.

Thursday, June 10th. Today, everyone was on their own as I was on the computer and phone all day. I am planning a Pioneer day in July, and I spent the day contacting people to come and demonstrate different skills.

I think some of the children ate the granola with powdered milk, while others just ate some of the snicker doodles. For lunch, I did smell someone cooking eggs, while I think some of them just had PB and jelly sandwiches.

For supper, I took a #5 can of cheese sauce that I got at Sam's and made cheese sauce (see recipes). We ate it with salsa (that I canned last year) and fresh cilantro from my garden, and refried beans, and chips.

I like to have at least one meal a week that does not have meat. In the summer, when there is corn and watermelon it is easier to avoid meat.

Friday, June 11th. I worked again today so I did not cook today except that I did take the leftover Rabbit that I had cooked on Saturday and I deboned it. I had a medium sized plastic container of meat when I was done. I then took the broth and made a batch of Spanish rice, but when it was time to add the water, I added the broth first and then added the extra water needed.

I was going to do something with the Rabbit, but the children had already eaten. They had made Ramon Noddles...whatever in the world will they do when they run out...as this is their "save me from eating what Mom cooked" or "I don't want leftovers food".

I also sent Maria to a Dairy I found and she bought 4 gallons of FRESH unpasteurized milk. It still has the cream on top so I can skim the cream and make my own butter and cheese.

(Matthew says I am cheating on my experiment by buying the milk at the dairy, but I said that I have not gone to a grocery store and that I will sell my Poppy Seed Bread and Homemade Salsa in order to be able to buy the fresh milk. To me this is still self -reliance as I am out of the ordinary loop--or am I just rationalizing?)

This is like having heaven, especially since we had been drinking powdered milk. I will still use the powdered milk for cooking or baking and will save the "real" milk for cereal, drinking, etc.

We should run out of regular cereal this week, and bread too. That means I will have to start baking my own bread and have to come up with some more cereal type recipes...we do love our cereal...

Saturday, June 12th. Matthew, Felipe, David, and I went to a service project this morning. We were helping to clean up downed trees from the tornadoes of a couple of weeks ago. We left early, but David didn't feel like granola so he made himself a few eggs. I noticed yesterday, too, in the morning, he ate chicken noodle soup for breakfast, because we didn't "have anything good". I really hadn't paid attention to just how accustomed the younger children had become to having foods that they like.

Sometimes I wonder if affluence isn't worse for children than poverty? There are good and bad things about both, but it definitely is easier to say no to your children when you have nothing, because that is simply the way it is. They also have a desire to help you when things are worse.

Anyway, I am glad for our experiment, because I think the longer it goes on, and as we run out of foods...they will learn to appreciate everything more later on.

We got back from the project about 2:30. I took the Rabbit and used some cheddar cheese and made quesadillas. We ate those with the rice and oh! They were really good or was it just that we were so hungry from working so hard.

I used a chainsaw today!! I was so proud of myself. I have not used one for perhaps 15 years. I used to always help Fito when we cut wood before, but then we had those boys and they quickly became his helpers and they didn't need me anymore.

I haven't even mowed the lawn for more than a year! But at the same time, as I grow older, I do not want to lose any of my work strength, so I feel the need to keep doing these things so I will not be weak.

Sunday, June 13th. Today we had a special conference for church so we got up exceptionally early. The children ate either cereal or toast, then we headed out the door.

After church, we ate quesadillas, rice, and beans. We had the cream skimmed from the fresh milk and we add just a pinch of onion and garlic powder and salt to taste. Also, we usually add some sour cream to thicken it...but we will have do do without the sour cream, unless, I get busy and learn how to make sour cream...something that I have never done.

For supper, we really weren't hungry and Fito made slushies, so technically, I guess we had slushies and homemade popcicles for supper.