What is it about autumn that makes it so hard for me to get to scribblin’?
Let’s get you caught up:
JULY 2018
I came home with a bunny. It was from an unexpected litter between a full-size and a dwarf bunny pair, so I still am not sure if she’s going to get big or stay small. Never dreamed I’d have a rabbit, but she needed a home and we’ve got the space, snacks, and love, so here we are. Sweet Bunny Baboo. She loves crunchy vegetables, picking on Orange Bob, and hopping in my lap for a petting.
Summer vacation at the beach was awesome! I have to share this clip of the boys arguing over siren sounds.
AUGUST 2018
Sterls started Kindergarten. Goodbye $200 a month tuition!
SEPTEMBER 2018
We brought in 7 laying hens and a rooster from one of my customers who was downsizing his flock and they’re producing pretty brown eggs. *update 9/2019–we’ve got one Easter Egger!*
OCTOBER 2018
I started an instagram channel @burtons_bites to post all the fun I’m having making lunches for the boys.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpje6VYFiVZ/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpElRTlBk5M/
NOVEMBER 2018
Debt Update: $163,841.08 left on the mortgage. Boy, that feels big.
Aaaaaand I’m back again. This last year has done a number on me.
DECEMBER 2018
I started a really involved project at work that took nearly four months to complete and involved a great deal of travel. Have you ever felt like you were barely keeping your head above water?
JANUARY 2019
My boys’ birthday month! This month, Sterling tells me, “Mama, I like your cooking, even when it’s not good.” LOL And Augustus answers a “Stop being rude!” command with “like Ruuuuuudolph the red-nosed reindeer?” These boys!
FEBRUARY 2019
The boys’ first time soccer tryouts were this month. They’re so excited and tryouts were hilarious. I now see why parents put young kids in soccer!
MARCH 2019
This month, Augustus insists he loves me “seven” and Sterling lost his first tooth. Parenting hard this month.
APRIL 2019
I have decided that I will not be planting a garden this year because I’m exhausted and fat. But I will continue mulching my 1800 square foot garden bed with cardboard boxes to keep the weeds down. By September, this will look a mess, as the tree-weeds will have won.
MAY 2019
For Mother’s Day, Clint and the boys bought me some petunias and dusty miller. I planted eight planters out front (four window baskets, four hanging) and they’re still going five months later. Also in May, a trip to Texas yielded a lot of wandering jew, pothos, sweet potato vine and other fun plants to put in my boxes out front.
JUNE 2019
We’re trying to bring the fun back to family. I made some Ooblek for the kids to play with and Clint camped in a tent in the backyard with the boys. They even made s’mores over their campfire.
JULY 2019
I broke my toe way up high in the foot. This is not my first break, but totally my first experience in an Air Cast Boot. I’d like to blame it on my kids for leaving that little exercise trapoline directly in my path from the kitchen to the compost, but I guess I was doing the walking. Besides that, I’m crawling out of the mom-hole and feeling more like myself again, kind of. Looking forward to what’s coming!
AUGUST 2019
I’m still posting fun lunches that I make for the boys @burtons_bites and really getting into it as a necessary creativity outlet.
SEPTEMBER 2019
What happens when you stop paying attention to your money? It sits on the couch, eats cheetos, and watches reruns, that’s what. Well, I guess, if you’re lucky, and I am. It could have run off with some punk friends, I suppose.
As I’ve made a renewed commitment to my physical and mental health, I am also renewing my commitment to the family budget so we can get this house paid off before we retire in 15 years (or less). When I look at what we still owe on the house, I’m throttled back two years in time. UGH. At least all the credit cards are paid off and there’s no other outstanding loan.
My youtube playlist has a lot of Dave Ramsey call videos on it, and they’ve been on continuous play this month. I’ve been thinking about Dave Ramsey’s plan a lot, but I have reservations, as one of my credit cards, which has no running balance, has over $200 in cash rewards just waiting for it to be discussed with Clint and be named. Most financial advisors would reject turning away free money.
“Mommy, where’s the grocery buying game?”
~ Augustus
Have you tried one of those grocery pick-ups yet? Yeah, I’ll be doing that again. So far, I’ve tried Instacart (for Aldi) and both Wal-Mart and Kroger’s grocery pickup. I heard Publix is in the game, too, but haven’t tried it. It’s worth it if you don’t have time during the day to shop, but I find that it takes me nearly an hour to put all the things in my cart when I’d rather be playing at home. Something’s obviously wrong if my kid thinks the “grocery-buying game” is something I like doing and wants to play, too.
Well, that’s enough catching up for now. I’ve still got a few minutes of sunrise to go catch.
Best Wishes, y’all.
Erica