Chicken Soup Visit

So, the illness that has been making me miserable for nearly three weeks seems to finally be loosening its grip on my sinuses, though I do still get an annoying cough & some congestion from time to time.  Though I love being pregnant, there is nothing worse than feeling terrible & being able to take nothing but Tylenol...which basically does nothing to help.  So, I had to tough it out & try my best with the homeopathic treatments as well as lots & lots of rest!

Knowing how under the weather I've been, my mom planned a visit for this past weekend.  It was originally intended as a trip to make me chicken soup & let me lay in bed all weekend resting.  But, because I was (finally!) starting to feel better, it turned into a restful but also very productive weekend.  I was able to sleep in...words can't describe how wonderful that felt!  But more than that, I love having my mom come for visits like this because she has the ability to kick me into gear on some projects I might otherwise be finding excuses not to complete.

For starters, we took down all the Christmas decorations.  I had already taken down the tree, but all the other signs of Christmas still remained.  And with the arctic cold temperatures that we've been experiencing this winter, I didn't really appreciate the reminder of how long winter is likely to remain.  So, I packed everything up & we did a quick clean of every room.  Then, I brought up what few Valentine's Day decorations I have & put them up.  The girls enjoyed helping put up the window clings, but I also got a little crafty & made a couple really simple decorations.  I'm so proud of them & think they look super cute!

One of the unexpected things that I finished (and that gets me on track with the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year) was to complete our pre-approval application so we can finally start house shopping.  It is painfully obvious that we are outgrowing our current rental house.  In addition to needing more space, I am greatly looking forward to getting a dishwasher.  I can't even describe how exciting that will be!

Overall, I owe my mom a huge thank you for helping me feel better, making me chicken soup, letting me sleep in & kicking me into gear on a few projects to start off the new year right!  I've been trying to continue this attitude & move forward with some other things that need done around the house.  So far I've been fairly successful, but it's only been a couple of days, so we'll see what happens over time!  I'm very blessed to have her as a close friend who always has a willing ear & open heart to help me out.  I hope someday to be able to provide the same loving care for my daughters as adults as my mom does for me.

From my sick bed...

I have been home sick for a week now.  I got this lovely respiratory flu that seems to be going around.  Between  the aches, sinus pressure & coughing, it's all I can do to get from room to room.  Perhaps the worst part is that because of my pregnancy, I can't take anything but Tylenol & Sudafed.  I'm getting close to surrendering & just going to the doctor, but I don't think they'll be able to give me anything either.

I don't get sick very often.  In fact, I'm rarely ever sick.  If I do get a little cold, I'm always able to push through it.  Jesse said to me last night that this was really the first time he could remember seeing me this sick & miserable.  And I have to agree with him.  I've felt just awful, but it goes beyond the physical pain because I haven't been able to be the mommy that the girls are used to.  They've watched me lay on the couch, not being able to play or color with them.  I feel terrible about that, but I keep trying to remind myself that I need the rest in order to get better.  I just wish it would start happening already.

I've had to spend a couple of days home with the girls while Jesse works.  Those days have been the hardest because all I want to do is lay in my bed & sleep, but when you are in charge of two little ones, you have to be a bit more attentive.  So, we've been watching lots of cartoons & reading books.  And I absolutely relish their nap time!

And now I have to stop this post because I have a three year old that wants to cuddle.  It's enjoyable for both of us since that's about all I'm able to do with them.  Until next time...hopefully I'm feeling better.

Bank Account Fears

I have a confession to make...I hate logging in to check our bank account balances.  It's a stress-filled event and (unfortunately) I usually put it off until I have to pay bills.

"But Jessica, you have an accounting degree, an MBA & work with finances all day at work?"

I know, I know, but it's a different beast to deal with your own finances!  Goodness knows, no one ever gets financially rich working for the Church.  Add to that some debt from Jesse's college days, rent & other bills...it adds up.  Not to mention, we've recently started the process of looking for a house & although we've never done it before, I guarantee that won't be cheap!

I've tried several different formats for managing our finances, most of which I copied from others.  But I was never able to stick with it.  So, I think it's time for me to come up with my own system.  Something simple, that doesn't require a lot of fiddling.  Jesse has given me control of managing our accounts, which I appreciate, but it's also intimidating to try & manage, so it's up to me to figure out what works.

My short-term goal is to get to a point where I don't cringe every time I log in to our online banking.  Long-term, I'd like to get more tucked away into savings & pay off some debts.

I'm posting about this not because I want pity for our financial state.  It's more like an accountability thing for myself.  If I post about it, I feel that I need to follow-through & even provide updates along the way of our successes!

Welcome to a New Year!

Welcome to 2014!  I've spent the last two weeks relaxing with my family, enjoying the holiday, spending all day in my pjs, taking time away from work & all other nuisance distractions to just slow down & take in all the wonderful people around me.  I even read a book from cover to cover...shocking!  Having this down time reminded me that I'd like to enjoy a better balance in my life once the chaos of work/school/religious ed/etc resumes next week.  So although I'm not usually one to make resolutions, I'd like to post some of my goals/things I'm looking forward to in the coming year...

- The arrival of Baby #4!  This pregnancy has been slightly different from the other three, so I'm not sure if I should interpret that in any way, but I am anxious to meet the new little son/daughter that God has placed in our lives & hearts.

- Finding more time for reflection/prayer.  I have a wonderful book that provides daily reflections/activities & a weekly saint specific to Catholic Moms.  Plus, Jesse bought me a Chartres labyrinth for meditation & I always feel more calm when I routinely use it.

- Prenatal yoga.  This is the one form of routine exercise that I (try to) follow.  I'm sure it's shocking that I don't spend hours at the gym, but seriously, chasing three children is more than enough of a workout!  Plus, it's fun when Sophie & Bella get out their mats & mimic the poses!  And during pregnancy, I always appreciate the benefits of stretching my muscles & joints.

- House hunting - Ok, this isn't exactly something I'm totally looking forward to.  I know we need the space & I like the idea of going to look at houses to see if they would fit our needs.  What scares me is the immense amount of debt that we will be in once we have a mortgage.

That's a pretty ambitious list & is about all I think I can handle right now.  I'm always trying to be the best wife/mother I can be, but that's a daily task.  So, here's to the new year & all of the possibilities that it holds!