Setting (and Cutting) a Budget

Posted on by Ansen

People get pretty nervous when they hear the word budget. It sounds a lot like some scary weapon your spouse brandishes at you to prevent you from having any fun. At best, a budget sounds like a lot of stress.

In reality, I believe a budget can be remarkably stress relieving. At least most of the time.

A budget is really just a plan. By spending your money on paper before the month even begins, you’re making sure that when the time comes for those bills to be paid and for money to start disappearing from your checking account, it’s not any more than you were already expecting. And if things are working correctly, that same amount of money will subsequently be replaced by your income…

Spring Cleaning

Posted on by Dri

Since we’ve had the windows open for the past 2 or 3 days, I’ve begun to get some spring fever! Today, I decided to spend my afternoon finishing what I started weeks ago: cleaning out my closet. After having a baby, there are maternity clothes to go through, put away, give back to their rightful owners… and a few to keep out, at least for a little while. Unfortunately, you can’t just go back to wearing all your old clothes right away, for some, not ever, so I had to go through everything else, trying it all on and figuring out. I came up with a few other categories: clothes that fit, clothes I’d like to fit again, clothes that there is no hope for, and clothes that just don’t quite fit the same anymore…

Ain’t that a shot in the arm?

Posted on by Dri

Or the thigh? Well, 3 total, actually. And one vaccine by mouth. Monday was Avie’s 2 month check up… and it came with shots. I know there are all kinds of controversies regarding whether to immunize or not, so we’ll just skip that part and get right on to the fact that she got them, and they made for one unhappy little lady.

Or, maybe it was just an excuse to cuddle her on the couch once we finally got home, but cuddle we did. I’d like to think it made her feel better, but I think I had rather selfish motives. It made me feel better about the fact that she was fussy and that her little legs hurt. I don’t think I can forget her little face. Uncertainty. Complete shock. Realization. Pain. And cue the frantic crying…

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Posted on by Dri

This post could also be called, “Being faithful in the small things?”

I always get excited in spring. It’s so full of potential. The expectation of things to come: flowers, leaves on trees… warmer weather! (For one who hates being cold, this is ALWAYS an exciting thing!) In my hopeful state, I always seem to get a little over zealous with what I think I can accomplish…

Sleep Update

Posted on by Dri

As promised, a new post!

As an update after 2 days of sleep training (Monday and Tuesday) little Avie lady is doing ok. We have had some moderate success. Monday, we took a “nap” in the morning in my bed. She didn’t really fall asleep on her own, but I got some much needed sleep. Then we got up and ate, and played, and I “caught the wave,” so to speak, of her sleep, and put her down for a nap at just the right time! I put her in her bed, drowsy, but still slightly awake and not a peep…