Happy Wednesday, y’all! I can’t believe we’re are already one month down in 2019! I’ve seen a lot of people talk about how long January as been, which is actually pretty accurate, but it’s still a little hard to believe that it’s over! Today is What’s Up Wednesday with Shay and Sheaffer!
What We’re Eating…
Monday- blackened catfish, steamed rice, green beans (and a slice of chocolate cake from Rosa’s… 😉 )
Tuesday- garlic lime shrimp, bacon wrapped asparagus, bacon ranch potatoes
Wednesday- brisket, cole slaw, mac and cheese (Here is my recipe for brisket- it literally could not be easier!)
Thursday- chicken tetrazini, garlic bread, some sort of vegetable
Friday- Probably leftovers from Wednesday and Thursday, or maybe something out? We are going out of town on Saturday, so we won’t need to make something with a bunch leftover.
What I’m Reminiscing About…
It’s almost Olivia’s first birthday, so I’ve been thinking a lot about how different things were a year ago! I was definitely ready to have this baby!
What I’m Loving…
Steven got me a Pure Barre on Demand subscription as a Christmas gift, and I love it so much so far. Barre has always been my favorite way to work out, but it’s not typically something you can really do on your own (it typically requires a teacher, haha!), and it hasn’t been super convenient to go the last few years. I went to studio classes around a year ago, but they are so expensive and it was always a little stressful scheduling a class to fit everything that we had going on and making sure I was getting our money’s worth out of the membership (plus, for an hour class, I was having to block out at least an hour and a half because the studio was 15-20 minutes away from our house so it was a pretty decent time commitment).
I knew going into the first of the year that I needed to figure out a better way to work out that I would actually enjoy, and so even though the initial price tag of this was a little scary, I do think it’s worth it. I love doing the classes (they are recordings of either actual classes, or master teachers with models on video), and I don’t dread doing it every night (I’m in the process of transitioning to doing it in the mornings instead). They release a weekly set of videos, so it’s really similar to just going to the studio because you aren’t as in control of what you are doing– I mean, you could go through and pick which one you want, but I tend to be a slacker if I let myself really choose what I’m doing, haha! Plus, this keeps it fresh and switched up so you aren’t doing the same routine over and over (just like going to the studio!). I’ve never felt like Barre was breezy (even though I really love it), but these workouts are no cupcakes. You definitely feel it even though you aren’t there in person! And, obviously, one of the biggest benefits is that I can squeeze this in whenever it fits instead of blocking out a larger section of time (and having to worry now about what to do with Olivia- I typically do this now after she heads to bed). I’ve been doing 30-45 minutes 4 night a week (the weekly videos alternate 30-45-30-45-30 for the five days of the week), and using the Pure Barre on Demand app on the Fire stick on our bedroom TV and the Roku in our living room so it really couldn’t be simpler. Steven has been faithful to running, lifting weights and alternating in some HIIT type workouts, and I’m planning to run with him at some point. I’m just such a wimp with this cold weather!
What I’ve Been Up To…
A lot has happened since the last What’s Up Wednesday! Steven matched for fellowship, we knocked out two weeks of night shifts plus a few weeks of wards, and we celebrated Christmas with all our families. I’ve got a wrap up of 2018 post in the works with more details!
What I’m Dreading…
Well, this is a love/hate thing… I’m dreading Olivia’s birthday in a way. I love how she’s growing and progressing and developing, but it hurts my heart a little bit to see how much she’s grown in just a short time. I know that everything will hit warp speed and she’ll be grown up before we know it. She’s been so fun as she’s grown, but I dread the time she’s not a baby anymore!
What I’ve Been Working On…
Listen. Marie Kondo makes me what to simultaneously roll my eyes and break out in hives. I can’t de-clutter like that or to that degree (And let’s get really honest– if I got rid of everything that didn’t spark joy, there would be a lot less adulting going on because all our bills would be out the window, am I right?). But, I have been trying to reorganize some here and there. We have a small sitting room attached to our bedroom, so I moved my dresser in there along with my desk and one of our armchairs a few weeks ago. So, I feel like it’s now basically my she shed but without having to go outside to get there, haha! It is my little space to get ready, do work, read, do my Bible study, just really all the things. It’s also the space I iron and store clothes I need to get rid of and other junk, but it’s getting there. Small steps. 🙂
What I’m Excited About…
I took all of my back log of ironing to the dry cleaners last week and got completely caught up. And that is super exciting. We’ve been talking about just making the dry cleaners a regular thing since Steven will be wearing dress clothes basically every day through fellowship (he wears scrubs about half the time now so I have more time to catch up). While I was dropping everything off, they asked if I wanted to be added to the route service. Y’all. They are going to come by our house, pick everything up, and then drop it back off in the same day. For free. And that was one of the most exciting things of my week last week. And I think that’s the very definition of being an adult!
I’m also excited because the next session of #TheFives starts this Monday! This is an online Bible study that my sweet friend from grad school Courtney introduced me to last fall and I’m so excited to do it again! It’s called The Fives because you meet online with your group for an hour of prayer and devotional time at 5 AM five days a week for five weeks. 5 AM is a little rough, but this was so good through the fall that it was worth it. And I’m hoping this is the push I need to get up and get my workout done in the morning, too.
What I’m Watching/ Reading…
We are actually in the market for a new show right now. From December- January, we watched all the seasons of Breaking Bad and then Better Call Saul, and now we’re all caught up and need something new. We definitely liked Better Call Saul better than Breaking Bad, and now we’re anxious for new episodes!
I’ve been reading The Wondering Years by Knox McCoy (of the Popcast) for several weeks now (I have a hard time giving myself permission to sit and read for periods of time, honestly), and it’s really good! My main consistent reading is various blogs (I have a list of links to the ones I love the most on my home page!), and this post from Life in the Tumbleweeds has really stuck with me the last few weeks. It’s a short read, and so, so worth your time.
What I’m Listening To…
I’ve been really more of a podcast fan than music most of the time. I’ve heard about the That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs podcast for a while, but I listened to it for the first time a week or so ago, and it’s so good! My first episode was the Melissa Radke interview, and oh. my. goodness. I’ve never done such a fast 180 from laughing to crying in my life. Melissa is so funny most of the time, but she talks about what it was like to lose their child a few hours after birth after 7 miscarriages and I was crying so hard driving to Popeye’s to get us dinner. There are some things you listen to that just make you better for having listened to it, and I think that was one of them. She also has a really great interview with Jamie Ivey on The Happy Hour podcast about her marriage that was a blessing as well.
My other favorites that I still love are The Popcast and I Hate Green Beans, especially now that it’s Bachelor recap season! And Sophie and Melanie on the Big Boo Cast are a fave as well.
What I’m Wearing…
Target’s A New Day sweater line has been my favorite lately! I bought two of these roll neck sweaters from Target on clearance several weeks ago, and it’s basically my new uniform. I wear them all the time because they are so cozy, so flattering, and so comfortable! (And I’m so sure people think I don’t own anything else!). I got the green and tan at our Target first, and then found the gray at the Target in Odessa when we were at Steven’s parents’ for Christmas. (And clearance meant they were all under $15, what what!). The first two are smalls, and the gray is a medium, but both fit well- it’s more a matter of how you want it to fit (the gray is basically just a little longer).
I also got this white roll sweater on clearance in Odessa and it’s an extra small, but fits fine (just a little shorter, but still long enough).
I don’t have a picture, but my sweet SIL got me another blardigan (the original style) in the gray/black ombre and it. is. so. soft!!! I’ve been wearing it so much too!
What I’m Doing This Weekend…
We are going to my parents’ to celebrate Olivia’s birthday early on Saturday, and see Pecos at the trainer’s. We decided to put him in retriever training at the beginning of December with a very respected trainer that actually lives in my hometown and I have known her for years. She is going to finish up Pecos’s advanced training and run him in some hunt trials for us later in the year. On Sunday, we are going to head a little further north to Steven’s brother and his wife’s new land to help work for the day. They are clearing out some parts and getting it ready to start building, so we’ll be meeting my in-laws and Shelby’s parents to get some work done! Then we’ll head home and start a new week on Monday!
What I’m Looking Forward To Next Month…
Well… even though I said I’m dreading it, I’m also looking forward to Olivia’s birthday. She’s been so much fun so far, and I know it’s going to keep getting better! She is pulling up on everything, and jabbering like crazy, so it seems like she’s just around the corner from walking and talking!
What Else is New…
Baby girl is growing so fast! She eats like a teenage boy now (even stealing chicken strips off my plate at Cracker Barrel in a flash), and she is so full of personality!
Bonus Question: Favorite Valentine’s Day Tradition…
Well, we don’t really have a Valentine’s Day tradition. We usually have dinner, but we’re pretty low key about holidays. Honestly, we typically buy our own gifts, but we do that for pretty much all the gift giving holidays, haha!
Red Bank Life 