The Ups and Downs and Outs

Life lately has been interesting, to say the least.

The Downs? I spent several days on the couch fighting a stomach bug, wondering if I would ever recover. Have I ever mentioned that I am pitifully short-sighted when I'm sick? I usually succumb to the "I-will-never-feel-better-because-I-feel-terrible-at-this-moment" mindset, whether I have a head cold or the 'flu. As I tried to keep liquids down (to no avail), our little one on-the-way decided it was time to up the activity level, and pummeled my digestive tract with gleeful abandon. Which was comforting, though uncomfortable. It was reassuring to know that at least one part of my body was functioning properly! Little Man had way too many graham crackers (or "cookoos," as he calls them -- aka, "cookies") while I was recuperating, but I think he'll still grow up to be a successful adult.

Delights of the Season

The Ups? By the end of the week I was able to eat again (not taking that for granted in the near future), and ready to catch up on the plethora of tasks that fall by the wayside when you can't get off the couch. Can I admit that I felt a bit affirmed when I saw just how bad the house looked when I did nothing? So nice to know that even on my less productive days, apparently I do something!

The Outs? Well, a hefty amount of stuff is on its way out our door. Just as I was feeling some strong decluttering/nesting vibes, I stumbled upon Rachel's Minimalist Mom Blog, which I'm absolutely loving. (if you visit, please be aware that she occasionally use language I would not approve of -- so please use discretion). I've been skimming my way through the archives and trying not to pester Pablo with too much "The Minimalist Mom blog had this post..." I think I've only been partly successful with that, but he's listened patiently nonetheless. I really like that Rachel's version of minimalism is not extreme, and that she is very honest about her experiences. She also has many posts that put the accumulation of stuff into perspective by exploring the reason we accumulate -- in other words, she addresses the root of the problem,  rather than just the problem itself.

Sweet baby footprints

I don't think I'll ever be a minimalist, but I certainly embrace the idea of purging objects that require time, energy, and money to maintain, while they offer little advantage or pleasure in return. By the way, did you know that minimalism is the new trend? I didn't. As someone who is wary of my own attraction to trendiness, that's a bit off-putting. But I'll try to take the good and leave the bad. Less unneeded stuff and more money saved? That sounds good to me. That also sounds like the plain old Biblical concept of good stewardship. I may muse on decluttering more in another post. We'll see.

The past month has been a whirl of baby showers, graduations, doctor's appointments, and sewing. My maternity wardrobe is still mysteriously... well, minimal! Apparently my mama body is different this pregnancy (I think mostly in the rib cage), and for some reason styles that were super comfortable the first time around are now unbearable. I'm so grateful now that I invested so little in my maternity wardrobe. It's easy to part with something when you only paid $1 for it, or used stash fabric to make it.

More baby shower goodness

Food has also been on my mind lately, further highlighted by an unaccountably shocking grocery bill for May. Still no clue how that happened, as we could hardly be called extravagant in our food choices. At any rate, my long-time good intention of tracking specific grocery spending (beyond the monthly total that I record currently) is now firmly on my to-do list for July. I've also been finding recipes for freezer crockpot meals, which marry the convenience of the crock pot and the freezer meal into one delightful unit. Oh, how I love that! I think they'll be invaluable when the new baby arrives. I've pinned a few helpful recipes/websites to my Recipe board, if you (like me) hadn't heard of this idea before. Hopefully better menu planning (I should say, "starting a menu plan in the first place") and a breakdown of our exact grocery costs will help reign in any superfluous spending and make our budget more predictable.

Lensbaby + baby shower = Happy me!

And last, but not least, I've been taking advantage of sales and coupons to indulge in what may be Britain's greatest gift to America -- the Magnum Bar. I'm so happy that these delectable British confections have finally crossed the Pond! If you haven't tried one yet, I highly recommend them!

Yes, life is interesting these days. Sometimes busy, sometimes slow, but always interesting. And throughout it all, God is so very good.