Happy Mother's Day

Mom this one is for you!

Family

Well, it's almost Friday! Which means Mom and Dad Hauptman are heading into town for some good old Wisconsin fun! Hey Mom and Dad! Can you say brats and fried cheese curds? Cause they are coming at you whether you are ready or not! :)

In all seriousness, I'm excited to spend a weekend with them and to be able to show them the town that I am beginning to fall in love with. And who knows, maybe a mosquito or two will drop by to say hello as well!

Food Stamp Challenge

I was on a fellow staff worker's blog and noticed his reference to a challenge in Oregon that was reported on by NPR.org. I guess Oregon is issuing a challenge to spend only $21.00 a week on food which is the typical amount someone on food stamps has to spend. Even the governor has decided to try and survive only on $21.00 a week.

His grocery store shopping trip is detailed in this, The Register Guardian, article: Governor struggles on food stamp budget:

"Coffee and organic bananas weren't the only casualties: The governor pined wistfully for canned Progresso soups, but at $1.53 apiece, they were too dear. He settled instead for a collegiate staple, three packages of Cup O'Noodles for 33 cents apiece. Kulongoski also gave up his usual Adams natural, no-stir peanut butter in favor of a generic store brand, but drew the line at saving money by buying a 21st century innovation: peanut butter and jelly in the same jar. "

What's even worse is according the the challenge rules, you have to start with empty cupboards!

It's pretty sobering to think of what $21.00 a week on grocery's would look like. Matt and I try to survive on $60-$80 a week on groceries. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes not. We'd have to cut so much out to get down to $21.00 a week. No soda, no chips, no canned soups, no instant breakfast, no bagels, no stakes, no ice cream. It'd be an interesting challenge to try for a month.