We Love E-Mealz!!!

A little change of pace today. This is Mama aka Patty. My husband, Jeff, is really on a saving money kick. I know that is a good thing, but he really wanted me to trim our food budget. :-O I think I do pretty well because I only buy meat that is on sale and I clip coupons, etc. He recently came across E-Mealz and wanted us to try it. I looked at the sample menu and I was not sure at all, but I decided just to try it to shut him up.

Last week was our first week on E-mealz. You pay $1.25 a week for the service and what you receive is a menu for the week, along with the shopping list and the directions to prepare the food. You choose the plan you want and if you want low-fat, low-carb or portion control, there are plans for you, too. We chose the Walmart plan for two. There are other stores to choose from depending on your location or you can just use the any store plan. We receive a menu for five days along with the shopping lists that includes the prices. Their prices have been a little off, but I guess that's because prices change so often. I think you are supposed to spend $40 or less for the week. It only includes dinner though. There are also plans for larger families.

I really was not sure I would like doing this because there are foods that we normally do not eat. However, I have to say that I have loved everything that I have fixed including all the vegetables. I did not think I would like the cajun zucchini, broccoli salad or bacon spinach Caesar wraps, but it has all been so good! I loved the broccoli salad!

I was so excited after our first week and couldn't wait to see this week's menu. I was disappointed when I saw this week's menu because cooked cabbage was on it. Again, I thought for sure I would hate it, but to my surprise, I liked the cooked cabbage. Tonight's menu is beef tips and vegetables with white rice and Texas toast. It sounds good. I am fixing the beef in my crock pot instead of the way they recommend. I know it will be tender in the crock pot.

One of the best things about this plan is that they plan the meals so that you use some of the ingredients in two-three meals, so nothing goes to waste.

I do have to say that there is a chopping of vegetables and that's something I'm not use to doing. The recipes are easy to follow though, but it does take me a little longer than I'm used to due to the prep work. I may figure out short cuts to that after I get more experienced. The portion sizes have been good for us. We may actually loose weight without really trying. I know the foods we are eating on this plan our healthier than what we are used to eating. I am forced to try recipes that I would have never tried before, but I'm really enjoying it. I just thought I would pass this along since we are having a lot of fun with it and if you can't tell, I'm very excited about it. LOL

If you are interested in trying them, I have a link to their site on the right-hand side of the blog and they are also on Facebook under E-mealz. They do have sample menus so you can check those out before ordering. I used a coupon code of DAVE when I signed up. I'm not sure if that is still available, but you can try it.


Patty
Mama to Greyhounds Scout and Joey Who Think Our Kitchen Smells Really Good

Vet Visit, Company and Reunion - BUSY!!!

Hi Everyone,

It's me Joooey! We had such a busy weekend. We got up early for my vet visit on Saturday. We were disappointed to learn that the x-ray machine was broken, so no x-ray for me. The doctor did look at me and said I looked good. He said I could stay at the greyhound reunion all day on Sunday and I no longer have to use the sling all the time. Mama was very happy about not having to use the sling all the time and so was I. I hate using it when I do my "business" and sometimes I hold "my business" for 16 hours. I have a good bladder according to the vet. Well, now that I don't have to use it, I do my "business" quite often. Mama says walking me now is so easy and if I want to go under low branches that's fine. She used to have to crawl under the low branches with me and they would hit her in the face and leafs would get in her hair. LOL She did it because I like to do my "business" in that area and she said whatever it takes. Yes, Mama does talk about my "business" a lot. If Daddy takes me out and Mama asks if I did my "business", he won't tell her and just tells us it's my "business" and not hers. It drives her crazy not knowing what is going on with my "business".


Yesterday, was our Greyhound Companions of Missouri reunion. It has been our goal to have me better in time for the reunion. Mama was happy that I was doing well enough to attend. I met all the people who have been doing all they can to give me the best medical care and who sent us the soft-crate and the x-pen and just everything we need. I meant to thank them in person for the soft-crate because it's my favorite, but I forgot.

My cast was signed by lots of people. Mama will have to take a close up photo of my cast later to show you. Scout wore out long before I did. She didn't want to shop or walk around. She just wanted to lay on the blanket. Several people thought she was a boy because she's so big. She doesn't mind because she's not a girly girl as you know. There were lots of raffles to participate in, but we didn't win anything. We received a nice bag when we registered and it had lots of fun things, like treats. Mama bought a calendar and a few sweatshirts. The calendar has a lot of our friends in it that we have met online. Two dogs that we know from our group, Skye and Rocket are the August models. We were thrilled to find them in the calendar.

I met Jack's foster Mom. She didn't know that Jack had died. Mama told her that she thinks all dogs should go through her "boot camp" because Jack was so well trained when he came to them. She didn't think she really trained him, but Mama said he was definitely well behaved and he had to learn it from someone.

There were a lot of bees buzzing around at the reunion and I tried to catch them. Mama caught one in her soda. She took a drink and felt something in her mouth and it was a bee. Yikes! She said it was a strange feeling having a bee in her mouth.

We had a lot of fun and we stayed for the entire four hours. Mama at first thought we would just stay an hour, but the vet said it was fine for me to stay as long as I wanted even if I stood on my leg the whole time. I ended up laying down for a while, so Mama was fine with us staying. We mainly stayed in one area and people visited us when they passed by, so it worked out well for us.

I did move to the blanket after a while. Yikes, I look huge in his photo. I haven't gained any weight since my surgery. It's the camera angle...really it is. Plus, you know that white doesn't hide anything. Scout, at least has stripes.

Mama thought I would sleep on the way home, but there's no way I'm going to miss the scenery passing by the window. I slept good once we got home though.

Yes, of course, Scout slept good. It's her favorite thing to do after eating. She slept through the entire night, which is rare for her.

Joey
The Greyhound Who Had A Very Fun Weekend

It's A Small World

When Mama adopted Jack, she met his half-brother, Woody. Later, through e-mails and this blog, she was introduced to Jack's half-sister, Wanda. Mama met Scout's sister and brother through Greytalk and Scout even got to see her sister again at a greyhound event in Kansas. Her sister lives on the East Coast, but they made the trip to Kansas. Well, imagine my surprise when we discovered this week that my half-sister is none other than Miss Bunny. Bunny and her Mama are the authors of the blog Tales and Tails and they have commented on our blog many times and we have done their same on theirs. We had no idea that Bunny and I were siblings. We do not look alike. I look like our father.

Be My Bubba (Our Daddy)

Me -UCME Bubbasparks aka Joey

Bunny is a blue fawn and definitely takes after her mother's side of the family.

Mama was looking at Bunny's Dogster's account the other day and that's when she figured out we were siblings. We were both born in November, but Bunny was born the year before me. Our Daddy produced 640 offspring, but Mama thinks it's a small world because Bunny was our friend before we ever knew we were related.

Joey
The Greyhound Whose Half-Sister Is Just A State Away

I'm Stylin' Now!

My cast protector arrived today. You should see how color coordinated I am with my black sling, my black ID collar and my leg protector. Mama says I look nice.


It definitely beats wearing an IV bag. When it rained, I had to wear a trash bag and the IV bag. It was so embarrassing. I feel much better about myself now.

Joey
The Greyhound Who Could Be Starting A New Fashion Trend

I Know What I Want

As you may remember, I never lived in a home before now. I lived on a farm and then about a month before I moved here, I lived in a kennel. I don't have a lot of life experience, obviously. I love watching people and things. Mama laughed at me Monday night on the way to the doctor's office because I fell in love with a motorcycle. What could be better than having the freedom of no doors and windows and feeling the wind blow your ears? Mama asked me how I would ride on it. I was so disappointed because I didn't know how I would ride on it. My disappointment didn't last long because we pulled up next to a FedEx truck. Now, that is something I could ride in and there are no doors! I definitely could get a good breeze in one of those. I spent the night dreaming about getting a FedEx truck. Yesterday, while I was outside, a Hostess truck passed by. Okay, now that has to be the ultimate vehicle. It has open doors and food! The smell of Twinkies lingered in the air after he passed. I want a Hostess truck!!!! I told Scout about the Twinkies and she said she would give me her treat fund money to help buy us a truck. Mama helped us search the Internet last night and the blue book value of one truck we found was $12,000. Yikes! That's a lot of treat fund money. It could take me a long time to reach my dream. I'm thinking I may need to go back to racing, but I will probably have to put that off until next year since I'm in a cast right now. I guess for now, Scout and I will just chew some bully sticks and dream about our Hostess truck.


Joey
The Greyhound Who Knows What He Wants!

Joey's Vet Visit

Hi Everyone!

I went to the vet last night to have my cast checked. The vet had said he was going to change it, but after he saw it, he said there was no need to change it this week. I have to go back in two weeks and then I will get a new one. Mama asked him if I could go to our group's greyhound reunion on Sunday and he said "YES!". He wants me to come in on Saturday and he's going to do a quick X-ray to make sure my leg looks okay since I will be standing on it more than normal on Sunday. Mama was hoping he would do that last night, but he wanted to wait until Saturday. Mama is anxious to see/hear that everything is healing correctly.

We were disappointed to hear that I have to wear the cast for 6-8 weeks. What?! What happened to the 4-6 weeks? We have a week long camping trip planned in a few weeks and we were hoping my cast would be off by then, but it won't be. The vet said to take the trip and not worry about the cast. Daddy said it's probably better that I will still be in a cast instead of freshly out of it. My foot will be more protected that way. Mama said I will have to take my soft-sided crate because I can't get on the bed. So, we will have to make adjustments and coming in and out of the RV will be harder with my cast, but the vet said I will be fine.

Mama ordered me a cast protector last night. She found them online last week, but didn't want to order one until she knew I would be in my cast for a while. She hopes it makes it easier taking me outside. Mama told the vet that I have an iron bladder and it drives her crazy at times because she thinks I should have to go and I don't. My record so far is 16 hours. The vet said he wished he had a bladder like mine.

Oh, Scout signed my cast. Do you see it? LOL

Joey
The Greyhound Who Is Feeling Better

15 Days Post-Surgery

Well, it's been 15 days since Joey had his surgery and our life has turned very boring. This is a typical day.





When I'm not resting with Joey, I'm helping Mama. I help her give Joey his medicine. If Daddy is home, then I go out with Joey for potty breaks. He goes faster if I'm with him. I can only go if Daddy is home because Mama can't handle me, Joey and the sling.

Joey has been doing good. He's been a little more active the last few days. We think it's due to the cooler weather. Active is not good, so he has to be crated when he won't just lay down. He doesn't always like that, but Mama says he has to be so he can get better. Mama just zips him in his crate and then we all relax for a while. Every night we mark the day off on the calendar. We are so anxious for him to be all better.

Scout
The Greyhound Whose Brother Goes Clump, Clump, Clump when he walks