Ramblings on Books, Lent, Baby Shoes, etc.

A few weeks ago on a dark winter day, I reserved a bunch of books online from our local library. Many were waitlisted, some for longer than others. But, they seemed to all become available for pickup at the same time! So now that I have them, I am reading away as much as my schedule allows, which isn’t always much (as I like to sleep at night) in order to get through them before they are due. I cannot recheck them since they are in high demand.

Domino
(I have heard from many that this is their favorite home decorating book.)

Simple Country Wisdom
(This is my current read and is good inspiration for keeping a lovely home, by many definitions. It is also a good reference for practical homemaking tips.)

The Creative Family
(Recommended by Lindsay.)

Master Your Metabolism
(I am interested to see how her advice on food compares to the recommendations in Real Food, one of my favorite books from the past year.)

And coming soon… The Eco-nomical Baby Guide. I am going to read and review it, and then have a give away here! Probably at the end of March.

On another note, I am trying to recall what I felt like a year ago, when I was pregnant, and not craving sweets at all, but instead preferred cheeseburgers. Why? Well, I have been hearing about several friends online who are cutting out sugar, whether for the new year, to detox, for Lent, or whatever. And to tell you the truth, it was getting annoying. Because I LOVE dessert. I can go without fried food or salty food for nearly ever, but I love chocolate, cakes, cookies, ice cream, etc. But then yesterday my friend Chanie from work wanted me to go cold turkey with her for Lent. We both have issues with self-control when it comes to eating dessert. We can’t eat just one. And I knew that the reason I didn’t want to was because I knew it would be REALLY hard. But Chanie wanted an accountability partner. And the truth is I don’t want it bad enough to do it on my own. But doing it for someone else? To not let them down? I am doing it. It could get ugly. But will be good for me in the process.

(We are not going completely no-sugar. Like we can have sugar in oatmeal, coffee, gum, whatever. But not if it is something we have trouble with. And we know what those things are. We’re talking about pans of brownies.)

So since I can’t make my baked goods that I typically do, I am thinking I may spend more on groceries in March – like on yogurts, healthy snacks, etc. But if it makes me healthier, it will be worth it. More importantly, self-control is a Fruit of the Spirit.

Meanwhile, to get me through this brutal winter, I have been doing Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. Love it. 20 minutes a day. It is (pathetically) taking me longer than 30 days, but I am almost there. What is funny is that my 2 and ½ year old loves to do it with me.

My mother-in-law sent my son some new shoes that she bought from the girls she knows. They are darling and very well made, just like his previous ones. Those were all cotton, but these are a little sturdier, with suede/leather bottoms to hold up when he starts crawling/walking. I think they are a very reasonable price… you could probably even get some custom made in the fabric of your choice.

Here’s their…
Blog.
So Sweet Baby Boutique website.
Etsy shop.

Enjoy!