Taking Stock – May 2020

Hello!

Today is the last day of May 2020.

May is one of my favourite months of the year. The temperature is starting to change from boiling hot to a nice and cool climate. I’m not a fan of the cold weather, but I do love a warm sunny winter day where I am comfortable in jeans and a shirt.

This month we remembered my Dad. It’s hard to believe ten years has flown by so quickly. The first of May 2010 is a day we will never forget. Mothers Day was fun even though a few of us have had head colds (Definitely not covid-19). We also celebrated our youngest daughters birthday this month. Seriously, how did 14 years fly by so quickly?

The Covid-19 restrictions are being lifted little by little. Thank God! I have really loved my time at home, and I have really enjoyed not being expected anywhere. Church at home has been amazing, although I do miss physically seeing my people. It’s nice to come to a Sunday morning, make a yummy breakfast for the fambam, and watch church online.

Homeschooling didn’t change for us, despite our extra curricular activities dutifully cancelling everything. Thankfully, they will be back in term 3. Our eldest has been doing tafe at home. This may change in the next few weeks, so we will do what we need to do when the time is right. Hubby is loving working from home.

Making: I made a massive mess in our room. I pulled out all my clothes and sorted through what I want to keep, and what I want to donate. I had done this last month, but I wanted to do a ‘take 2’ declutter because I wasn’t as brutal as I really wanted to be the first time around. There was a bunch of great clothes that are no longer me, so when I find where all the charity bins are hiding, I will pass them on.

The one thing I make a lot of is….. Meals! Lots and lots and lots of meal making! Every single day….it never ends!! 🙂

Cooking: Pressure cooker cooking is my favourite type of cooking. It’s fast, and its fabulous, and I am not sure how I lived without one for so long. It seriously makes my life easier. The more I use it, the more I feel comfortable in using it.

This month we made a vegetable risotto, Beef stroganoff, chilli Con Carne, Beef Chilli, Cracked chicken, Chicken Tika Misala, Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken Pasta with tomato sauce, shredded chicken burrito bowl (best ever recipe), Pumpkin soup, Rissoles with roasted vegetables, and a few other things.

Sipping: Always soda water and lemon.  

Reading: Nel and I are reading ‘Facing the Giants’ by Bill Winston (For School). This month I haven’t read as much as I usually do because my glasses broke and I had to get new glasses. Hubby superglued them a number of times to help me get through to when I could pick up my new ones. Now that I have my new glasses, I am going to get back to my reading, just as soon as I have done sorting out my washing baskets.

Looking: To the future, and beyond!

Listening: I have been listening to a lot of podcasts this month. When I can’t read, I catch up on podcasts. I really like Dr Eric Berg who talks a lot about a lot of health related issues for women. I’ve also been enjoying Rebecca St James podcast, Another one by the Holderness family, Calvary kids podcast, Life with Lisa Harper, Awaken, Raising Girl shaped flames (parenting teen girls) – This one is a must!

Wishing/Praying: For the end of Covid-19.

Enjoying: Having a chance to potter around at home, and be with my family.

Eating: Good food. Its about quality over quantity. I have been avoiding bread for the month of May. Only slipped up twice (patting myself on the back). I really love fresh bread, but it doesn’t love me back. I accidentally found low carb pasta at Coles that turned out to be super yummy. I have also decided that if we are having a meal that requires pasta or rice, I am halving my serves. I’m breaking up with carbs. Carbs are not my friends!!!

Liking: Less is more. I’m starting to feel like my world at home is coming together. Its been a process, and it feels like its taken longer than I wanted it too, but I do feel as though getting more organised, and feeling more organised at home is finally coming together.

Loving: My new glasses. Seriously love them. I decided to get transitions this time around, and its been great because I don’t need to stress about where I put my sunglasses last. I can never find my sunglasses. I need prescription sunglasses, so its not like I can buy a bunch of cheap $10 ones to replace my good ones. Transitions allow me to stand out in the sun, go for a walk and not squint. Squinting causes wrinkles. I should have gotten transitions years ago. I’d have less wrinkles!

Buying: Nel’s Birthday present. It’s not easy to buy for teens, but Nel loves to create. We decided to buy her modelling clay and tools related to sculpting. She also got a sewing maniquin, and a couple of other little things. True to form outside of school life, she has spent much of her time this week creating.

Watching:  The ACCTV app has started replaying ‘When Calls the Heart’ Season 7. This is my all time favourite show! I have just started watching a show on ACCTV called, ‘Bringing up Bates’. They are a family with 19 kids. I really love how parents Kelly-Jo and Gil love and balance the chaos in their big funny family.

Hoping: To achieve my 20 for 2020 goal list despite Covid-19 virus. I don’t want to throw away the year just because of covid. Certain elements are different, but overall its still a good year. It is all about our attitude toward the situation that arises around us.   

Needing: I don’t really need anything. I’m quite content and happy.

Wearing: Clothes. 🙂

Following: This month I started following ‘She Reads Truth’ and ‘Life with Lisa Harper’ on Instagram.

Noticing: How tall my kids are getting! It won’t be long till they are all towering over me.

Sorting:  I’m determined to have our household sorted out and better organised by the time all the restrictions have been lifted.

Getting: Excited for our eldest. Our eldest has such a good work ethic. She is working so hard on her assessment pieces. She is very creative and while I don’t want the year to zoom by, I am excited to think of all the possibilities that could come to her over the next little while. Lots of prayer happening for her at this time.

Saving: For a family holiday.

Bookmarking: Pressure Cooker Recipes, health related articles, home organisation ideas.

Feeling:  Happy!

Hearing: The kids laughing together in the garage. My favourite thing to listen too.

Highlight: Lots of family time, Chanel’s birthday, New glasses with transition lenses, Women’s conference at church, connecting with extended family.

Lowlight:  I don’t believe I had a lowlight moment this month. If I did – I can’t remember it.

Grateful:   So many things. The internet allows us to have church online, and attend the women’s conference at church (Online), and for free. Family and good friends! Time at home to get some of those pesky jobs around the house done. Hubby working from home and is happy.

And so, here we are at the very end of May. Not quite ready for June, but prepared to hit the road running. Day 2 of June means reporting for Semester one. We have a lot to do come Monday, so the last day of May was preparing for Monday, and planning for Tuesday.

Hope you are doing well?
Chat Soon.