More Room

I'm getting my times down, FINALLY!  It takes 7 minutes to get to Felix's preschool, 9 if I hit all the lights.  So I have at least 12 minutes more in my alone time morning.  Bam.

I woke up early this morning.  Even before Ian.  Felix wandered in at 5:10 and snuggled for about 1 minute until he begged to go downstairs.  Us three all descended and it was so nice.  Felix was in a rambunctious happy mood and wanted to be carried and snuggled lots.  I can't believe my baby boy is going to be three next month.

This morning is gorgeous.  It's warm and breezy.  I got my errands done quickly and went for a run.  I'm finding my loops around the neighborhood and find it's bringing me so much comfort to be running back where my running all started.  I had my high school captains practices for cross country right across the road at the middle school.  Nearly every run I took ended up on the trail at least for a bit.  I'd forgotten how peaceful it is to run on.  Ah.

This week I'm feeling that spring bug.  After months of setting up house and getting the kids and myself all squared away I'm excited to get our new household budget in order.  They say moving is expensive and it's not just the boxes and moving trucks and down payments and bigger house payments, but all that setting up and readjusting.  Our space feels moderately settled and I know the things we have left that we need (or rather that I'd like) can fit into a monthly budget like they used to.

My main problem, again is food.  I am not in a routine yet with groceries and that's hard.  I get bread at one specific place, coffee at another.  I still love trader Joe's best but it's a bit further so I only make it twice a month or so meaning I binge stock up every time I go.  I waffle between loving a very full freezer and pantry and wanting the freedom to get take out or make what sounds good on a more spur of the moment basis.

This week we are living off of one of those TJ's splurge runs.  Tonight it's marinated chicken on the grill (how could we not grill in this weather?!) sweet potatoes and salad.  I have a whole list of possible meals taped to the inside of the pantry and am looking forward to just choosing each day what works.  Right now that's working.

The one thing that really works for me in regards to budgeting food and other household needs is just writing it all down.  I add up the grocery and household amounts each week and total them at the end of the month.  By that last week of the month I know exactly how much I can spend (or not spend!) to stay on track.  There is such a comfort in that. So as much as it STINKS to spend $50 at Target on toilet paper and printer ink, I can because it's written down and accounted for.

With that things are starting to feel a bit more in control.  I'm able to wrap my mind around summer, a bit.  Past years have been so up in the air that having the certainty of where we are is so wonderful.  June is shaping up to be full and fun, I'm hoping July is mostly up at the cabin and August should be lazy and long just the way we need it to be.  I find I'm excited to enter this new season with my family, nervous too.  The uncertainty of the first years of our lives together was a sort of crutch. This really feels like go time, like it all counts so much more. Truthfully it's always counted and I know that, but, does that make sense?
Looking forward to an entirely new groove in this new place, one with less angst and uncertainty and more room both literally and figuratively!