Sunny Days

This week my spirits were lifted with a change in weather.  We actually saw the sun!  For more than one day!  And the temperatures rose, and we left the house!  Without being bundled like marshmallows!

I can't even begin to describe how much of a boost that was for me emotionally.  Following our new diet has meant a lot of work in the kitchen, and while I do enjoy cooking and doing things from scratch, there is something to be said for those quick, go-to "convenience" type of meals that are fall backs for busy days.  My number of these kinds of recipes has greatly dwindled!  Once I revamp some of our old recipes, I think the menu planning will be less of an issue than it has been over the past month.  This past week even has been a lot easier than the first couple of weeks were. 

But anyway, the stress of menu planning, re-learning how to grocery shop, and the sheer work load, not to mention regular responsibilities like taking care of little ones, schooling, laundry, business efforts, etc., was REALLY getting to me.  God is faithful--He continually sent me encouragement through various emails or phone calls from friends, a new ladies' Bible study, my amazingly wonderful husband, and kids who wrote me adorable notes for Valentine's Day.  (They DO appreciate my efforts!  Maybe once a year, LOL.)  And He gifted us with some great weather this week so that we all enjoyed fresh air and sunshine, and that went a long way toward helping me feel more like my normal self.

Wednesday Lucan conked out during his room time and ended up taking his two-hour nap two hours earlier than usual.  So we all got to go outside for about an hour and a half in the afternoon to play and chat with neighbors.  Sidra and I are planning a vegetable garden this spring and summer!  We talked with Chris, who offered her garden plot, since she won't be using it this year.  I'm so excited!  That will be very therapeutic, not to mention money-saving, LOL, given all the veggies our family is ripping through.  And it will be my very first gardening experience!  What a great homeschool activity...not to mention a way to keep the kids occupied, LOL.  ("Stop hitting your brother. Go pull weeds!")

Thursday was quite windy, but that didn't stop the kids from heading outside as soon as we returned from PE and a trip to our market store for milk and meat.  Lucan bounced around on the trampoline and toddled around in the back yard for probably at least an hour, even after the air grew chilly and the wind blew the girls, who were playing with him, back inside.

Spring still isn't here--the house was 63 degrees this morning when we forgot to turn the heat back on last night--but there are glimpses.  There's hope. :-)