Family Addition

 

Well, not quite. He's already my brother, but he has joined our house-, uh, apartment-hold. We are super excited. John(ny) is finishing his last year of college, and we offered our guestroom to save some money. Okay, okay, for way more reasons than just that. It helps that he takes us up on Settlers challenges. We know as newly married lovebirds this change with have it's challenges, but we've concluded that the shaping we'll go through will make it all worth it. My lovie and my brother get along as well as two guys could - so well that I might get a little jealous for both their attention, I think. They've already been talking hours on end about theology, philosophy, and who knows what else. Welcome to the fam, Oot!

Amazon Prime, Totally Worth It

My Josh is the king of shopping online, and I'm learning. The biggest disadvantage is outrageous shipping costs. So... we have Amazon Prime. How can you beat 2-day FREE shipping? Almost free. There's a yearly fee, but if you shop online as much as we do, it's totally worth it. We even buy paper towels online and save. Costco and Walmart aren't always the cheapest around.

There are so many more perks about shopping at Amazon. We use it for price checks and reviews. This is the process I go through.

1. Type in what I want.
2. Limit the search items eligible for Prime.
3. Sort by department and by bestselling.
4. Compare lowest and highest reviews of a few options. 
5. Compare with other sites like Froogle (I rarely benefit from this step).
6. Dump it on my wish list and talk to Josh about it.
7. Click buy or save for later, and don't get in my car.
8. Get it at home two days later. Amazing!

It saves me a trip, and I don't get stuck with items of poor quality.

P.S. Amazon's Customer Service and return policies/practices are the best we have ever seen.

It's true.

Granola, Helps Put on Pounds

Josh and I put on some weight when we first got married. We've been losing it now, but it took some research. Granola was our cereal of choice. Sounded healthy. Not! Look what I found out.

Worst Cereal

Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins (1 c)
420 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
6 g fiber
30 g sugars

"Granola, for all its good reputation, is usually weighed down by a deluge of added sugars. In fact, for the same amount of sugar, you could have a bowl of Cocoa Pebbles more than twice the size-and you'd get more fiber and save about 60 calories in fat. Calorie Equivalent: 8 chicken wings"

Eat This Instead!
Kashi GOLEAN (1 c)
140 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
10 g fiber
6 g sugars

Google Docs & Priorities

Each week Josh and I review our priorities and make a schedule for the coming week (sometimes two weeks). We have a working google document that both of us can edit simultaneously from anywhere that has internet access. This is important since we often think of things to add/change when we're away from home. This has been one of the most effective tools we've had for doing a weekly review, being productive, communicating expectations, and prioritizing. It prevents an enormous amount of conflict. Josh is a talented system builder and organizer, and I think that this is one of his best! So, I'm going to let you in on the fun. P.S. It's a great opportunity to grab some coffee and cuddle for an hour each Saturday. Do a "Save As" and organize your life!

Here's the masterpiece.

Tips Just for You:

• Designate: We designate each job to make it clear (e.g. r, do laundry; jr, drive to Illinois).
• Complete: We strike out tasks that are finished throughout the week and then delete them at the end.
• Project & Prioritize: The 4-section priorities chart is not just for weekly tasks. We have stuff on there for months to come and move them onto the weekly schedule as time allows. We mark time sensitive tasks (e.g. j, buy school books for management course (6/17); r, use shutterfly coupon (7/23))
• Reminders: Remember the Milk has a great reminder system that texts your phone. I get my task list every morning at 7am.
• Calendars: We keep separate google calendars and share them online.
• Have fun! This is to help you, not stress you out. 

 

Too Busy to Cuddle?

I have a full-time job right now, and I'm married to a man who is working full-time and going to school at night. I anticipate being a SAHM for a good chunk of my life. There are so many opinions out there on what a woman should do -- work outside the home, have a home business, stay at home. Josh and I have been talking about these sorts of things. One thing we've agreed on is that whether I'm working outside the home or not, and whether the Lord gives us kids or not, I need to be responsible for our home while he wins the bread. :)

I find that this responsibility makes me anxious sometimes. Are the dishes and laundry done? Will I get home from work one time? Do I have dinner planned? Will I accidentally poison our guests? I fall into patterns of I-better-not-have-a-free-moment-or-I'm-not-getting-my-jobs-done. Sometimes I "frantically attempt to erase every trace of relaxation from our days" (a great article). I'm thinking more about these things, and I realize that creating a relaxing, not-too-busy place of refuge for my sweet husband and for our marriage is also my responsibility - even more so than cleaning the fridge! So whether I work outside or inside the home, I must be intentional in planning ahead and learning efficiency so that we can take off our shoes, drink something warm, and cuddle on the couch.

There are several ways that we practice efficiency and time management. All of them are founded on communication. I'll write more about this on days to come.

Psalm 46:10 -- "Be still, and know that I am God. 

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Green Bags

Incredible.

It's hard to believe, but these things actually work! AND they're reusable. You know how you've always wanted your bananas to stay green and your bell peppers to keep from getting moldy? This brings hope.

I love that chalky green banana taste. Yum.