Getting Back Into A Routine

Our little one is five weeks old tomorrow.  I'm amazed every week because she seems to have inherited my genes.  She is bulking up a little bit, but nothing like the three middle siblings-they have definitely taken after their daddy.  It's been awhile since I've had a baby stay in newborn clothes for more than a few weeks!  For my arms, it's nice. She's a little cuddle bug and with all the storms we are getting lately she wants nothing more than to be held and rocked. I'm trying to write this post while she sleeps, but we had a low pressure system move in last night which means this momma needs lots and lots of coffee.  

I'm working on getting us all back into a routine. Less TV time, playing learning games and the all important cleaning schedule.  Along with that, I'm getting lesson plans ready and school things organized and rearranging the dining room to include room for the homeschool stuff and find a place for the baby swing, I'm missing that and it seems Hannah likes to rock so I'm hoping she'll like the swing.  

One of the big things on my list this week was to clean the van.  It gets too cold up here to do more than keep the trash picked up and the toys in their little toy baskets during the winter, so once we get the spring thaw I deep clean the van.  Our van is designed so there's basically two carpets, the top carpet on the entire van floor comes off in pieces, the bottom carpet basically stays clean.  So I'm loving cleaning the van when needed and I do better at keeping it clean in the summer.  One of the things I still need to buy for the van is plastic sealable containers to keep blankets, extra clothes and diapers in that fit under the back seat.  This will keep them handy when needed, but clean and out of the way until needed.   

My meal planning is also getting revamped-I'm working on that this week and next as well.  My shopping trip is getting postponed until next Saturday for two reasons.. Our new Aldi's opened up in the city and I want to go in the first time with as few as kids as possible. And the power company decided it needed to shut off the power for five hours next week... So we need to get away from the house anyway.  As for the meal plan, we got Fitbits to help (more my husband, but I have one to help support him) us keep track of calories, exercise and such.  I need a diet rich in protein to help my blood pressure and with nursing Hannah, I need the extra protein to keep going. My husband needs a diet lower in calories, which sounds simple, but he's a bigger guy so we have to balance it out so he's still getting what he needs, but lower  than he's getting now. 

That's what's happening this week.  

Have a good week!
~Tabitha