Weekend Wrap-up

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  Mine was pretty uneventful, which is pretty good in my mind.

Yesterday I tried to get clothes switched over from spring/summer to fall/winter.  I still left a few warm weather outfits as the upcoming week is supposed to be in the 80s. I did manage to pin all of Miss E’s 18 month/2T summer clothes on hangers to be ready for the spring/summer consignment sale.  I also went ahead and removed some 18-24 mo. fall/winter clothes that are getting a little snug for her and pinned them as well.  There is another consignment sale in November, so I’ll attempt to sell them then. (I’ll do a post tomorrow about how much money I made from this current consignment sale.)

The work I did yesterday was the same as last weekend… I feel like I did a lot, but if you were to look around the house, it doesn’t appear as though much got accomplished.

This morning I made our menu for the week and grocery list.  I got to go grocery shopping by myself this morning as well!  It was GLORIOUS! Unfortunately Hubs was sick, so he stayed home from work, which was the only reason I was able to go alone.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

Here’s what’s on the menu this week:

Sunday: Roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, bread, and sweet potatoes
Monday: Chicken fajitas, corn
Tuesday: OMG Chicken, bread, green beans
Wednesday: Spaghetti, bread, raw veggies (carrots, cucumbers, celery)
Thursday: Chicken and veggie stir fry, rice
Friday: Crockpot Chicken Parmesan, green beans, bread, spaghetti noodles
Saturday: Mexican Stuffed Shells, corn, chips

That’s our (my) goal!  I think I can… I think I can.  These are all recipes I have made before, and most of them are enjoyed by more than just 1/4 of the family.

What’s on your menu this week?

Consignment Sale

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Ever since Miss C was little, I have visited consignment sales twice a year.  This year is no different, except that it will be first time I go without my mom.  This year I am going with two co-workers. I’m looking to have a good time with them!

One thing I did this year that I have never done before was sell clothes at the consignment sale. When I went through E’s winter clothes at the beginning of spring/summer, I pinned them on hangers. When the consignment sale came around, all I had to do was type up the tags, print them out, and pin them on the clothes! It was easy peasey!

I have two main reasons to sell these things.
1.) Get things out of the house!  We have SO. MUCH. STUFF! I know that once we get the basement done, we will move many things downstairs and it won’t feel as full. But right now the clutter is driving me nuts!!
2.) To make some money! The money is all just fun money. I did not count it in my budget, as I don’t know how much I’ll make.  My goal is $100.  At this sale there is a $10 selling fee that they take it out. Also, you make 65% of your total sales.  It’s not a whole lot, but again, it’s more than I had before.

As of right now I have sold $20 worth of stuff. My actual profit (after the $10 and the percentage taken out), I have made a whopping $6.50.  There are a few items that were Miss C’s, and I told her that if they sell, she will get the money from them.  The consignment sale just started today, and it will go through the weekend. I can check the website and see what has sold, which is super fun!

How are some ways you make a little extra money?

Monday Money

I’m hoping that if I blog, it will be the push I need to get more things done today.  I had a lot of motivation yesterday, but today it has dwindled quickly. I feel like I got a lot done yesterday, but if you were to visit my house today, you would laugh at that thought.

Yesterday I did laundry.  And more laundry.  And more laundry. I think in total I did 6 full loads. I folded 4 of those loads. I have all of Miss C’s clothes folded in a basket and waiting for me to put them away.  I have two loads of Hubs’s and my clothes that are ready to fold and put away.  I have a load of Miss E’s clothes that are folded and ready to be put away.  Why is putting it away the hardest?

I took today off work so I could get all kinds of things done, but that hasn’t happened.  Miss E and I went to Target to get groceries and other miscellaneous things.  It was one of those trips that end up costing a lot more than expected because it was a stocking up trip.

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Here is the breakdown of my trip:

Diapers: $54.50 (Buy 2 boxes, get a $10 gift card– total ends up being $44.50)
Cleaning Supplies: $35.64 (Buy 2 boxes of dryer sheets, get a $5 gift card, plus 10% off laundry pods with Cartwheel app– total ends up being $29.10
Clothing: $33.62 (All items were on clearance- 2 shirts for me, 2 dresses for Miss C– they will probably be Easter gifts– and 2 pairs of play shorts to go under dresses for Miss C)
Groceries: $139.54 (This included food and some Ziploc bags that we needed.)
Health/Beauty: $20.73 (All items were on clearance- two bottle of face wash for me, rubber bands for Miss E and hair clips for both girls)
Christmas Gifts: $33.74 (All items were on clearance- 1 game for Miss C and 2 craft/coloring items for Miss E)

All in all, it wasn’t too bad of a trip. The original total almost made me gag, but looking at the breakdown it makes a lot more sense. Here’s how it works:

Diapers: We put away $40 a month, although the two boxes of diapers plus the ones we still had will last for over a month. This is how we can spend more than $40 a month on diapers.  (P.S. I am counting down until we don’t have to buy diapers anymore!)
Cleaning Supplies: We put aside $20 a month for cleaning supplies. We won’t have to buy laundry detergent or dryer sheets for at least a month now. I also know that we have a stock of fabric softener, dishwasher detergent, and other cleaners that we need.  We will be able to save up our $20 a month for a while until we need more!
Clothing: My clothes ($15) will come from my MAD money. I have the cash and will redeposit it in our checking account.  Miss C’s clothing will come from our Easter savings account, since it will be gifts for that.
Groceries: I budget $130 a week for groceries, but had $11 left over from last week, so we came in under budget on that one.  I will just deposit the $10 bill that I had in our envelopes for groceries and that will square us around for that one.
Health/Beauty: I put $20 aside a month for toiletries. This will come out of that.
Christmas Gifts: We have our Christmas budget at the max that we were hoping for. I will transfer out the $33 from there into our checking account to cover that. I also think we are getting pretty close to being done with gifts for the girls for Christmas.

So there ya have it: a breakdown of our shopping trip today.  Now to update my budget spreadsheet and find some motivation to get more things done today!

How did your weekend budget shape up?

It’s Sunday!

Good morning!

Wow!  That’s all I can say.  I can’t believe the outpouring of love from my friends and my readers after my last post.  I really didn’t think anyone would read my post, but I’m blown away by how many people visited this site yesterday.  Thank you!

I have spent the past hour updating all of the sidebars and the pages on this blog.  I couldn’t believe how long it had been since I updated them last. 

Today is a catch-up day.  I have so much laundry to do and quite a bit of cleaning.  The house is a disaster, and I’m anxious to get started cleaning!  I also plan to menu plan later today.  I am toying with the idea of ordering groceries online and having them delivered today. Last week when I took my two sweet, darling daughters with me to the grocery store, it was a disaster! I texted Hubs and said I was never taking them with me again.  If I can get my act together today and get my menu planned and grocery list compiled, then I may look into having groceries delivered!

That pretty much wraps up my day.  Hubs works weekends, so it’s just me, the girls, and Bandit.  It’s always an “adventure” to clean while there are children around.  If I have a chance, I’ll try to check back in later tonight and let you know how things went!  Wish me luck!

What’s on your to-do list today?

I’m Back…

Wow!  It’s been a very, very, very, very, very long time since I have blogged.  I hadn’t really thought about starting it back up until a few of my co-workers thought it would be a good idea for me to start back up. Many things have changed since I last blogged.  I figure this first post back would be a bit of an overview of tings that have changed since my last post.

It has been almost 2 full years since I posted.  2 years ago, this is what my life looked like:

• I was a second grade teacher
• I was a mom of two (an almost 4 year old and a little 8 month old)
• I was a mom to two furbabies (Bandit and Rose)
• We were deep in debt, still clawing our way out
• I was deeply depressed and in denial of it
• I was struggling with anxiety that was fueling my perfectionism and obsessive compulsive tendencies

Here is a glimpse into how my life looks now:

• I am a math test development assistant for an organization called ATLAS. We make alternative assessments for students with severe cognitive disabilities.  We are a small organization that is growing quickly.  I have met 5 of the most wonderful people by working there, and I enjoy getting to spend my workdays with them. (Although one of the 5 has recently abandoned us to take a job that will provide more opportunities for him.)
• I am still a mom of two, but they have grown so much!  The oldest started kindergarten this year, and the youngest will be 3 in January.
• We are down to just one furbaby: Bandit.  Unfortunately we had to re-home Rose. Cadence was trying to get Rose to go outside and was pushing her from behind.  Rose turned and snapped at Cadence and bit her forehead.  It was not a bad bite and was more defensive than aggressive, but it was enough that we knew we needed find her a home with a family that didn’t have children.  We took her to the Humane Society, and she was adopted by a couple within a month. I still miss her, but we are going to remain a one dog family. Bandit is an old man with more white fur than brown fur. We estimate that he is about 12-13 years old, so we don’t want to stress him out with a new dog in the family… (And Hubs doesn’t want another one right now).
• We are no longer in debt!  Due to our budgeting, frugal living, and a some unexpected monetary gifts, we were able to pay off all of our debt, aside from our mortgage. It is amazing to no longer be in debt!  The most interesting thing, though, is that it is harder now to stay really disciplined and stick to our budget because we have more wiggle room. I’m hoping that by blogging again, it will help with the accountability in this area.
• Last year I spent some time in an inpatient facility due to my depression.  I was suicidal and really struggling some areas of my life. I was able to get my medication adjusted and learn some great coping mechanisms.  I feel that my mental health is better than it has been in a very long time.
• Along with my depression, I was diagnosed with general anxiety.  This was exhibiting itself as perfectionism and obsessive tendencies.  I was so incredibly hard on myself anytime I didn’t do something right or if I didn’t live up to the impossible standards I set for myself.  Again, spending time in a behavioral and mental health facility was the best thing that happened for my mental health.  I am in a much better place now, and I have been a big advocate for mental health.
• One thing I had always wanted to do, finally came into fruition in March:I got a tattoo to help signify my struggle with mental health and my continued growth.  Here is the explanation behind it all:
  • I got the word strong to help remind me what I have been through, and that I am strong enough to get through anything else.
  • The arrow: An arrow is always pulled back before it launches forward.  For the longest time I was pulled backwards and didn’t feel I was making any strides forward.  This reminds me that no matter how much I feel life is dragging me down, it is preparing me for an amazing ride that is coming up.
  • Semi-colon: To the left of the word strong is a semi-colon. The semi-colon movement has been going around social media quite a bit. It is a symbol recognizing the struggle with mental health or suicide. The semi-colon is used when an author could end a sentence, but chooses not to. It is a reminder that my story is not done.

So, there ya have it!  I quick(ish) glimpse into what I’ve been up to the past couple years.  I’m not sure if anyone even reads this blog anymore, but I do miss blogging. If anyone does read this blog, let me know what you would like to see!  If this is your first time here, feel free to poke around and see what’s here.  I can’t say it’s really interesting, but I like my little corner of the internet.

(My first goal will be to update the progress bars and the different pages on this blog.  Hopefully that will happen sometime today.)

Hello Out There!

Anyone still remember me?  Yeah, I figured not.  It’s been a very long time since I last posted… months and months.  Those months and months have been hectic!

Since I last posted Hubs and I had our second little one… a sweet baby girl!  We definitely love our family of 4, but having 2 kids is no joke!  I don’t know how people with more than 2 do it.  I am not sure I will ever know what it feels like to not be tired anymore.

I also started my 10th year teaching.  I am still in second grade for my third year in a row.  I have definitely enjoyed it, although one of my dear friends was moved down to 1st grade, and we don’t share a door anymore.  We do make sure to see each other daily and occasionally bring each other yummy treats.

Our oldest daughter started her first year of preschool!  She loves it and although it is hard at times for this momma, I love hearing the stories that she comes home with.  I sure do wish I could be a fly on the wall in the classroom.

I still haven’t gotten into a groove with working full time and being a mom of 2.  I am not sure if there is a groove that I will ever get into.  Right now it’s doubly tough because of Hubs’ schedule.  He currently works weekends, so I am on my own on the weekends.  He is on his own on Wednesday-Friday.  Despite not having much time as a whole family, we do make the effort to sit and have dinner together every night.  We also try to enjoy our time when we do have the occasional day off together.

Because I haven’t gotten into the groove of life, I have not been able to get organize or stay on top of things around the house.  I am constantly feeling like I am treading water… both at home and at school.  I hope that by blogging again, I will have that accountability that will help me stay on top of things.

One thing I am going to do is have a No-Spend November.  My goal is to buy nothing that is not a need.  I have been a little loosey goosey with our budget lately, I need to get reign things in.  I want to try and make more meals at home, not buy coffee, not buy any clothes or shoes that are not a necessity. (I believe C is going through a growth spurt, so some clothes and shoes may become a necessity down the line.)  I haven’t figured out our budget for November (which was on my to-do list for this weekend… but again, can’t get into the groove of things).

I hope to be back tomorrow with more November goals and hopefully a budget!

A New Kind of Planning

Hello my lovely readers.  Sorry for my absence.  We are still working on figuring out a routine around here, and it’s been rough.  I am sleeping in 2.5-3 hour chunks through the night still, and Miss E doesn’t seem to like napping most days.  Luckily she is napping right now, so I am able to blog about something I am super excited about!

As a serial resolutionist, I am always looking for a perfect planner.  I like to keep track of my goals, to-do lists, and everyday life.  I had never really found planner peace, no matter what I tried.  I would end up having multiple notebooks for different reasons: gratitude journal, to-do lists, planner, meal plan calendar, etc.  But all that is changing!

Introducing: The Bullet Journal

The Bullet Journal (I will refer to it as Bujo) is not a new concept.  It was originally created by Ryder Caroll.  I don’t want to get into the nitty gritty, but you can check out his explanation video here.  Basically it is a system to keep up with everything you can imagine.  It is a running to-do list and planner with the flexibility to be anything you need it to be.  There are some basics to setting it up, and I thought I would give you a glimpse into my bujo!

One thing you will read a lot about is that any notebook and pen will do.  I found a cheap notebook at Target and thought I would give it a try.  Unfortunately cheap was the right word.  The pages started falling out in no time.  So, I went ahead and ordered a book that is recommended by many people who bullet journal: a Leuchtturm 1917.  I had an Amazon gift card from Christmas, so I went ahead and splurged on it.  This book is recommended because the pages are already numbered, it lays flat, and the paper quality is very good.  You can get a ruled one, dotted, or grid paper.  I went with grid paper, and I love it!!  For my pens, I use Staedtler fine tip pens and my Sharpie fine tip pens.

Without further ado, here is what it looks like:

The first page is a Table of Contents.  It is referred to as an “index” by the creator, but in reality it is a contents.  You can see that I have started filling out my contents.  I don’t know how much I will actually use it, but I will stick to it.

Next we have the legend.  This is where I have a list of my icons and what they mean.

Here is my first spread: Our savings goals.  I haven’t filled any of them in yet, but I have them drawn out and ready to go.  I was inspired to do this page by Boho Berry, who has an amazing bujo… You should check out her site if you want to see a beautiful example of a bujo.

My next spread is a wish list.  I have a few things floating around in my head that I want to add to this page, but I took the pictures before I filled out many of my pages.  I like this spread because I know there are things I want, but I never seem to remember them when someone asks for gift ideas.  This way I can have a quick reference.  I went ahead and kept the page next to it blank in case I ran out of space on the first page.  I plan to keep this journal until I run out of space, so I figure it will be around for a while, and I may need space.

This next spread takes up 4 pages.  It is my future planner.  I have space for each month, and even a large square for 2017.  This is where I would write down future appointments that I would then migrate to my monthly, weekly, and daily pages as they came up.

The next spread is my monthly spread.  This is how the original creator set up his month, so I thought I would give it a try.  I know a lot of people prefer to draw out a monthly calendar and do that, but I thought I would try this out.  On the second page are my goals for the month.

This next page is one of my favorites and one of the reasons I was so drawn to bullet journaling: the goal tracker.  I have always wanted to track my goals and habits, but never could figure out the best way to do it.  I have found this method and can’t wait to use it!  Each day that I complete a step towards my goal, I color in the corresponding day.  This makes me so excited to actually accomplish a goal because I want to color in my box.

Then I have a running log.  I like to keep track of my distance and pace.  Hopefully I can get back to it and fill this baby out.

Next is my weekly spread.  The original creator did not have a weekly spread, but I don’t think I could manage without it.  This is where I plan out my week and also have a few other mini trackers for my week.

My final picture is where I start my dailies.  Each evening, I plan to make out my daily spread for the next day.  I have a tracker for my water and my meds that I take in the morning and evening.  I will write down my to-do list, appointments, events, notes, etc. for the next day.  Then during that day, I can add to my list or make new notes or do whatever I want!  That’s the beauty of bullet journaling: it can be whatever you want it to be.

The bujo can be intimidating.  I did a lot of looking on Pinterest and Instagram before I started.  There are some people out there who make their bujos works of art.  Then there are some minimalists who stick to the original creator’s plan and just make simple bulleted lists.  I like to think I am in the middle somewhere.  If I get to the end of the week or month and realize something isn’t working for me, I can simply change it for the next week or month.  If I think of another list I want to create, (which I already have… gift ideas) then I just find the next open page, start my list, and make sure to write it in my index.

I think this is going to be an amazing thing, and I can’t wait to really delve into it and use it!  Now that I have completed this blog post, I get to color in a box on my goal tracker!  Yay!

6 Weeks

Today is the official 6 week mark since Miss E joined our family.  At times it feels like it has flown by, and at other times it feels like time is crawling.

Let’s recap a few lessons I have learned in the past 6 weeks:

I can survive on less sleep than I ever imagined.
I have never been more sick and tired of spit up.
Miss C spoiled us when she was a newborn.
I could hold Miss E for every nap if I let myself.
I am not someone who can just “let the housework go” even though life is crazy.
I hate hand washing bottles and pump supplies.
It doesn’t matter how bad a night or day is, when Miss E smiles it melts everything away.

I am sure there are more lessons I have learned, but that is all I can think of right now.

One of the big parts of being 6 weeks out is going back to the doctor to have everything checked out.  I had my appointment yesterday morning.  This 6 week check was very different from my 6 week check with Miss C.  When I went for my first 6 week check, I was a starry-eyed new momma.  My baby girl was perfect and our lives were rainbows and unicorns (with one occasional hiccup every now and then).  The only bad part about that check up was that my stitches had not dissolved and had to be plucked out by my midwife.  NOT FUN!

This 6 week check up was much different.  The doctor came in and of course oohed and ahhed over the little nugget.  Then she started talking to me about how things were going.  We talked about how hard it is with two kiddos, and how hard it is with days and nights mixed up.  She asked how I was doing physically, and my answers were good.  I shared my concern about stitches not dissolving (which they did… woo-hoo!), but besides that all was well.

Then she asked how I was holding up mentally.  At this point it took all my strength not to burst into tears.  In all honesty I am not too fond of the momma I have become in the past 6 weeks.  I have become snippy with Miss C.  I become angry and mad at night when the little nugget won’t sleep.  I am not handling things well at all.  Then the guilt sets in if I ever have to ask for help.  I have shed my fair share of tears.

Once my doctor saw and heard my concerns, she recommended an antidepressant.  I talked to her about running and how that helps, and she agreed that it was the best thing possible for me.  She still recommended the medication to help take the edge off things.  I have been on antidepressants in the past.  I hate the stigma that is associated with them.  I am not a fan of being on them, but I know that I am not happy with myself right now.  I need as much help as I can get.  Running will remain a big part of my therapy, but for now I need the additional help of medication.

My hope is that I am able to come off of them in the next 6 months or so.  It takes about 6 weeks for them to reach their maximum “working power.”  Hopefully once we have some sort of schedule, and I am back to work, then I will be able to wean off them completely.

Admitting my mental health struggles is not an easy thing to do.  It is a part of me that I cannot erase, but it is a part of me that I can use to help others who struggle as well.  I realize that some people’s view of me will change with this, but if I am able to help someone out there who thinks they are alone or who thinks they are damaged because of their struggle, then it is all worth it.

The mixture of medication, exercise, and support from family and friends is the best thing for me right now.  I am still working on completely coming to terms with the fact that I cannot do this alone.  Someday I hope to take the medication out of the equation, but until I am healthy enough to do that, I will do whatever it takes to be the best momma I can possibly be.

Menu Plan Monday

Even in my absence, I have still attempted to create a weekly menu.  It is definitely more difficult to follow through with the meals now that we have a newbie around here.  For instance, today we had some high class frozen pizza for dinner.  I managed to eat mine on the couch while nursing the little nugget.  I am just pretty darn proud of myself that I did not drop any on her.

It has been a slow process getting back into the routine of cooking every night.  The first week of being back from the hospital we were grateful to have multiple families from church bring us meals.  Some were even gracious enough to provide multiple meals that could be frozen.  After that, we had some gift cards from Christmas that helped fund some meals out.  Not the most healthy, but definitely very convenient.  Now we are at the point of just trying to eat in and not spend money on meals.

The worst part is making lunches.  I hate making lunches!  I like lunches to be easy and light.  I don’t want to spend a lot of time making them or feel like we are just eating dinner during the noon hour.  Because of this, they end up not being very healthy. (Mac and cheese, frozen ravioli or pizza, grilled cheese, etc.)  Today we did do leftovers from last night, so that’s good.  But none of us are big fans of leftovers.  I guess we just need to suck it up and deal with it.

I am at the point now that I feel like I make the same meals every week.  I have been sticking to meals that are easy and that I know everyone likes… although after eating them week after week, I don’t know if everyone still likes them.  So, without further ado, here is our menu for the week:

Monday: Roasted chicken, stuffing, potatoes
Tuesday: Crock pot BBQ pork sandwiches
Wednesday: Chicken stir fry
Thursday: Spaghetti
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Crock pot roast and veggies
Sunday: Crock pot lasagna

Using the crock pot definitely helps during the witching hour.  Dinner can basically be completely done.  All I have to usually worry about are the sides, bread, and drinks.  That way I can deal with a fussy baby.

What is on your menu for the week?  I would love some new meal ideas!

Hard Work

I ran today.  It was hard.  My legs were still sore from Wednesday’s run, but I ran.  I went farther than I did last time, although I am nowhere near what my old mileage was.  I also went faster, although I am nowhere near what my old pace was.  I ran more than I did last time, although I used to not have to stop and walk at all.

There is a lot that is not what it used to be.  I am coming to terms with that.  My physical fitness is not what it used to be.  My life is not what it used to be.  My body is not what it used to be.  Things are much different right now than they were a year ago.  We are still working on finding our new normal around here.  I do know that I want my new normal to have parts of our old normal intertwined… including my running routine.

I am about to do something that scares me so much… I am going to start this journey with a before photo.  We always see the beautiful after photos, but a journey doesn’t just end.  It is a culmination of hard work and determination.  So, without further ado, here are my before photos.  (They were taken today before I went on my run.)

I can’t believe I am putting this out there on the interwebs for everyone to see.  I am almost 6 weeks postpartum.  I know that a lot of people will see this and say that I look fine, but I am not happy with it.  I need some major toning.

I hope that by putting this out there for everyone I will be more motivated to get my rear in gear.  I plan to be back with updates, maybe monthly or so.

Anyone else out there starting a challenge or working on making a big lifestyle change?