MIA...for like, two weeks?

It's true....I had a whole host of things to write about prior to our big trip and now I've been off the map for well over two weeks. Right now I'm blogging from Tampa--awaiting our delayed flight home.

That's right, I spent the last 10 days in Florida...and they had unseasonably high temperatures as well. We spent 6 days in 4 different Disney Parks, attended Mickey's Not-so Scary Halloween party, swam in the Ocean, flew over the Ocean, and even slept near the ocean.

I'll be sharing more about our trip in the next few weeks--complete with photos.

I'm sad to be heading back--I mean, it's always nice to go home...but it's been much nicer to be away from reality for awhile. My husband and I have had some great talks about new ways to save money---and have started planning our "goals" for the month of November...more on that later as well.

But, I'm also glad to be heading back. The break from "reality" is just what we all needed---even if we're coming back exhausted and sun-burned...I'm excited for the fresh creativity I have and some neat ideas for blogging, freelancing, and managing my home.

Vacation does a mind good...even if it wore out this pregnant mama's body.

Speaking of which, I'll have pregnancy updates as well!

So, lots to write about upon our ACTUAL arrival to Kansas!

Stay tuned!

16 weeks, aka 4 months pregnant!

(so, the baby belly is come and go...but this week we're definitely noticing that it's starting to harden up, as in, take shape and not just look chubby all the time :)

Size of baby? Avocado

Total weight gain/loss? Zero pounds--as of my visit to urgent care a few days ago

Gender? Don't know & probably won't be finding out!

Maternity clothes? Yes! And LOVE them. God bless the inventor of stylish maternity clothes....and men's sweats that sneak out of my husband's drawer and into mine :)

Movement? Thought I might have felt something the other night laying in bed--but can't be sure

Sleep? Getting some finally

Symptoms? No nausea to note this week and the cramps have let up...just super sleepy....

What I miss? lifting Lucy without worrying about it giving me a side stitch

Cravings? Sweet tarts.

Best Moment this week? Realizing on the way to the library that I'm going to have TWO babies in a matter of months!

Looking forward to? Our trip to Florida!

I have my good days....

I don't have it all together. I don't pretend to have it all together. Take for example right now, my daughter and I are both still in pajamas (it's 11am)---she has refused a morning nap and our kitchen floor still has remains of last night's dinner. What you see is what you get here. My goal is to keep the major things MAJOR (loving my daughter, treasuring this time with her, encouraging my husband, etc..) and the minor things MINOR (keeping a clean home, always looking put together, etc...) It's easy for these things to get out of balance, and my God is faithful to convict me when they start to.

Yesterday Lucy went down for her morning nap at the scheduled time. I ate breakfast, got dressed, did hair/make-up, and finished up my bible study during that hour and twenty minute block of time. We played a lot after nap time until it was time for lunch....and then we played a lot after lunch time. Around 1:45, I loaded her up in the stroller and we walked up to the library for story time. I was feeling pretty "put together" yesterday and then I walked into the library and sat down on the floor.....and then I realized that I had dried applesauce all up and down the legs of my black pants, a slight mishap from lunch. And I started to let thoughts of "oh my goodness, I bet these people think I don't care about my appearance/think I don't know how to wash clothes/think I'm a bad wife for not trying to be attractive for my husband..." And then I looked at my daughter who was dancing to the music, blissfully unaware that her mom was wearing her lunch....and I stopped caring.

Now I don't purposefully do those sorts of things, but those things humble me enough to remind me to keep the major things major....and to throw the minor things out the door.

We checked out some books and came home yesterday afternoon and read them. I taught her to roar like a dinosaur and we played with my make-up brushes until Daddy rolled up. We ate dinner as a family before I rushed off to Bible study. Around 10pm last night she woke up and would not go back to sleep, instead of getting frustrated--I took her out of the crib and we cuddled under a big blanket on the couch.

I have my good days....

for everything there is a list...

Armed with the first glass of warm apple cider of this season I set out to complete a major project this afternoon.

I wrote 7 lists....well 6 new ones and updated my ongoing to-do list :)

1. I made a "crafts I'd like to work on" list.

2. A "focus area" list---as in, whenever there's a spare afternoon---I can refer to this list for large projects I can work on (ie: going through our massive bookshelf, DVD collection, etc..)

3. A home inventory list. I stockpile personal care items, paper products, pantry staples, and cleaning items when I get great deals--but sometimes there will be less than desirable sales and we'll find ourselves out of a particular item--which ultimately leads to a trip to wal-mart....which typically leads to finding 2-3 more things we need. So, I have an inventory list to check once a week and see if we're in need of (or will be needing soon) a particular item that can be added to the shopping list.

4 & 5. A BF and AF list, as in "before Florida" and "after Florida". We're headed out of town for ten days in the next couple of weeks and there is a LOT do do before the trip---and I'm assuming there will be many things that need to be on the "after" list as well, I'd just like to be prepared

6. And finally, a cleaning/activity schedule for the home. I had a cleaning schedule in the apartment that worked fairly well. The concept is assign tasks to each day---if they don't get done, it doesn't get done. Now, I have 5 things that are on EVERY DAY with the hopes that if the dishes don't get finished on Monday, they will on Tuesday. I made a list of every chore that needs to be completed and how many times a week I'd ideally love to have it done (ie: mop kitchen floors 3 times, pick-up bedroom 2 times, etc) I added to this schedule what activities we have on each day and I added a "paper pushing/etc" section which includes items like bill paying, coupon clipping, bank account updating, set aside reading time, craft time, and focus area time. This list has been a work in progress for a few weeks and I'm finally happy with how it looks.

Now, I need to rewind a bit---I love lists. I crave organization. I appreciate a nice clean home...BUT it is NOT and (never will be) my top...or even close to the top of my priorities list. I am a realistic gal who is quite aware that I don't have it all together and never will---and I'm certainly not going to pretend that I do :) I have a very active lil' gal who sleeps less than I would like her to and a husband who works a very varied schedule---those relatioships get my whole attention first...and if that means nothing gets checked off that week, it's quite ok with my husband and I.

The second reason for this list is that I have a very hands-on husband. Yes, I "stay home" (which is quite deceptive--because I actually work 20 hours from home a week, but I digress...) Anyways, Mr. B and I share just about every responsibility in the home...though I am solely in charge of updating our bank account (I have a special system for that) and he's solely responsible for taking the trash out :) I'd say that's pretty fair...

Anyways, my sweet husband often asks what he can help me with and some days I'm so frazzled that I have a really hard time thinking about what I need help with--our hope is if he can see a visible list and what is checked off, he'll be able to help and bypass talking to a crazy woman :)

So that's our October goal---which is probably the worst possible timing given the aforementioned trip....so it'll probably just be a "fall" goal. Having a schedule and seeing if that helps maintain order and actually make "keeping house" easier...

so, how'd we do?

At the beginning of September we set out with the goal of spending less than $160 on groceries for the whole month ($40 a week)

We've continued to cut spending in all areas, but our grocery budget has always been a struggle to really cut significantly.

Well, the total is in and we spent $164.72 for the entire month. Now I'll admit we ate out more than normal this month, but honestly I don't think that affected our grocery spending. We still have many items in the freezer ready to be eaten and many items in the pantry for the making of more meals.

We're hoping to continue cutting the budget in the next few months--but this month we are headed on vacation and will be buying groceries for the trip and in Florida--so I expect some higher spending.

All in all, we're pleased. We attribute a lot of our "success" to having a handful of freezer meals ready to go, adding to our stockpile of pantry staples throughout the month, and shopping for the best prices.

15 weeks (a few days late...)

(I'll answer the survey questions next week---I think I'll do those every 4 weeks...and maybe I'll be able to get a belly picture again!)

So to mark the celebration of being 15 weeks along...cause I mean, it's like less than 1/3 of the way, right?? :) Anyways...we made a pit stop to the Doctor's after hours office last night because the cramping had increased and the OB on call thought it wise to see if I had an infection. A few abnormal cells--but nothing to indicate an infection. So, lots of fluids and lots of "takin' it easy" this weekend to see if the cramping reduces.

With this past weekend being not high on rest, we all went into the week worn out and it's been downhill since. My husband stayed home to work on Thursday morning which allowed me to get some much needed rest and take away some of the cramps throughout my body.


I've been nauseous everyday this week...I really thought we were passed that and all of a sudden it's back and I've brought back the saltine's and pregnancy pops.

But, we're excited! We're talking about whether or not Baby #2's gender will be a suprise---right now we're leaning towards not finding out with this pregnancy...and that's made things a bit interesting to think/dream about! I can't believe in a matter of months (ok....like 5 months) we'll have a second little one to snuggle with! What a great unexpected blessing!