Breakfast at BJ's

 Today I had breakfast with my Aunt BJ.  I have been excited for this since she invited me!  I love her.  She is this amazingly brilliant person who is just ALIVE!  She has this unique eclectic style and she is a true artist in every form.  She can sing with a beautiful voice and she is a brilliant song writer!  She also has such a great ability to write about her past and her experiences that make you feel as if you lived it yourself.  Today she read to me a story she wrote about the American Bandstand when she was a kid.  Her ability to bring the written word to life is not something that can be taught, its something one feels.  She is also talented in the art of wall hanging, painting, decorating, sewing and crafts!  She has retired from her "day"job, but she hasn't stopped living.  In fact, I think she is an inspiration as she chooses to do everything she ever dreamed she wanted to do and maybe didn't always believe she could.  Now, she is just doing it and I love that! She does Burlesque and she has tried pole dancing, she is singing, re-modeling and writing and so so much more!  I think we should all embrace the things we think we want to do and who we want to be and just do it.  We may not be great at it at first, but we should just try and learn and grow as people.  BJ is also an amazing cook!  She made the best breakfast.  Homemade goetta, eggs and a raspberry sauce!

 It was a great breakfast,  the food was delicious, and the conversation was stimulating.  When I told her I was heading to my dads to whip something up in the crock pot for his dinner, she generously gave me a jar of home grown green beans from her garden.  I made a pork roast with the beans and some potatoes for my dad.  (Thanks BJ)  I included some photos from my breakfast of her kitchen and the meal.  It is an adorable, cozy space that I wanted to share, so cute!

The challenge is continuing.  On our way home from our trip to Saint Louis, we skipped lunch but hit the Kroger's to buy some produce and some meat to cook with.  We didn't spend a ton of money maybe $20, but we got some potatoes, apples, watermelon, and broccoli.  While looking at these things my husband and I were sort of checking out the other goodies at the store.  I saw what was happening and I looked at him and said, "hey buddy, we got to reel it in and finish this challenge strong!"  So we hustled out of there with the fresh goods and that night my husband grilled chicken on the grill and we had baked potatoes and broccoli.  It was delicious and we had plenty of left overs for lunches.  We have only 11 more days to go in our "zero" spend challenge.  (We have changed it to our "spending much less" challenge.)  I feel confident that we won't be going to the store again for anything until November.