Hungry, Hungry Hippos

PLAYING CATCH UP?: We're on Day Four of the United Way of King County Hunger Challenge and the kids seem a bit hungrier today than they have been the past three days. They're asking for snacks more frequently and asking for more even after they get those. Though they certainly haven't been nutritionally or calorically deprived this week, I can't help but wonder if today is some delayed reaction to them having a little bit less than normal the past three days. ... Mercifully, we've been under budget ($22 per day, max) every day so far, so giving them that extra handful of pretzels or apple wedges wasn't a problem.
I took some time today to remind the kids why we're doing all the coin counting and food rationing this UWKC "Hunger Challenge" week - that it's because we're taking part in an event that helps us and others learn more about hunger experienced by our fellow earthings.

The kids both asked about the hungry people in Haiti, and I told that that the need there is immense and immediate, and that we'd donated to The American Red Cross to try to help, but I also made sure they realized there are people very close to home who are going hungry, too.
Then I asked the kids how they thought they could help hungry people.

CJ: "To help the hungry I would buy stuff for people." (The stuff including yogurt and Cheerios!) Annabelle: "To help the hungry I would make a giant ovan (sic) and bake cookies."

I think they have the right idea. :)

POCKET CHANGE: This morning, while walking to the library, I put my hand in the pocket of a coat I don't wear much and felt some coins. I quickly pulled them out to see how much treasure was there. "Twenty six cents!?" I thought excitedly. "That's a meal!!"

Funny how just three days of a "Hunger Challenge" has changed my way of thinking about pocket change. Prior to participating in the event, I wouldn't have given the 26 cents a second thought. Heck, I probably wouldn't have even given the coins a first thought. They would have just been along for the ride in that pocket for eternity. ...

And I'm not the only one with a heightened appreciation for the power of penny pinching. As she rounded up 67 cents to pay for a late morning treat, Annabelle remarked, "Boy, that yogurt is an expensive snack." Though just a kindergartener, she already realizes that at 25 cents, a banana is a bargain for a tasty, filling snack as compared to the yogurt she chose.

WHO SAYS THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH?: Today, Christian and CJ both had leftover spaghetti for lunch. Though it wasn't technically free (I counted the cost of it in the totals for last night's dinner), it didn't count against our $22 budget today - hooray!

Of course, this hammers home how important it is to eat leftovers when you're on a budget. After all, the best way to save money is by not spending it in the first place! And I have to admit it also reminds me that although I am so proud of how our family composts all of our food waste, that I should be less smug about our compositing and MUCH more careful about not wasting any food to begin with. ...
Thursday, by the numbers:
BREAKFAST = $2.53
CJ = Pop Tart & dry Cheerios = .20+.19 = .49
Bee = Cheerios (.28), milk (.12) = .40
Me = Cheerios (.28), milk (.12), coffee (.37 ) = .77
Xtian = Cake (.50) & coffee (.37) = .87
LUNCH = $2.93
CJ = leftover spaghetti, cost factored into last night's meal = FREE!
Bee = .20 bread + .13 cheese = .33
ME = Progresso soup = $1.69
Xtian = leftover spaghetti (cost factored into last night's meal = FREE!) + apple (.29) + banana (.25) + soda (.17) + Bugles (.20)= .91
DINNER = $4.23
Bacon (2.99) + Bread (.50) + Lettuce (.05) + tomato (.25) + mayo (.10) + apple (.29) + mustard (.05) = 4.23
SNACKS= $8.41
Kids = yogurt (.67) * 2 = 1.34
Me = Cheese stick (.25) Kids = pretzels (.25)Kids = cookies (.17*2) = .34
Kids = Three Musketeers (.12*2) = .24
Adult Malt Beverages : ) = $5.99
GRAND TOTAL: $18.10 (under budget by 3.90, even with a sixer of yummy Mud Slinger Spring Ale by Red Hook)
And now, we return to "regular" MPA programming ...
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HE WAS A GOOD EGG: Today marked the last day of Great Eggspectations, a series of experiments we've been doing with a chicken egg.

When last we left our egg, he was shriveled and showing his age. We'd put him in vinegar and watched his shell be eaten away. He'd been immersed in corn syrup and lost water due to osmosis. Then, yesterday he'd been dunked in a H20 in hopes of a rejuvenation. And sure 'nuff, water had made its way back through the membrane and our lil' egg was plump again!

However, Good Egg was showing signs of strain. He had stretch marks so large that you could peer through to his yellow yolk center.

Apparently CJ had grown quite attached to the egg during the two weeks we spent with it. He was visibly upset watching the egg ebb, down the drain.

"It looks like a popped balloon," observed Annabelle

IN OTHER NEWS: Today was also library day and ballet day, both fruitful as usual.

My laugh of the day came this evening, when we stopped by QFC. They were getting rid of anything with the Seahawks ( a/k/a losers :( ) logo on it. The kids desperately wanted a Seahawks car window flag, but there was no price on it. Because of Hunger Challenge week I'm in hardcore spendthrift mode and I tell them that if they want they flag, they would have to ask a QFC employee about it, and they couldn't have it if it was more than a dollar.

Well, as you might imagine, the cashier rang it up for $1 at Annabelle's urging/pleading. :)

Thrilled at her victory, "It's for the Seahawks vacation!" she declared. Ah, youth. What I see as a miserable season, she views as a longer vacation. :)