Change Is In the Air

Things sure have changed since Art started his new job. And they aren't bad changes. But I'm still definitely getting used to them.

He and I get up at the same time every morning, which I love. It's easier getting ready for work when I'm not tip-toeing around, dressing in the dark because I don't want to wake him by turning on lights.

And just the fact that he has a regular, predictable schedule. 7-4, Monday through Friday. (Also, the extra money certainly doesn't hurt either.) :D

Now that he's working during the day (as opposed to being home during the day), I suddenly feel compelled to cook, because I know that he isn't going to eat a small meal around 3:30 like he used to. So he's really hungry when he gets home.

It's good for me, because I want to become a better cook, and there's no other way to do that then to cook. It does make my evenings shorter though. I get home from work at 5:00, tidy up a bit, start dinner at 5:15, Art gets home around 5:45, we're eating by 6:00, I start the dishes around 7:00, done by 7:30, and any other cleaning that needs to be done, I try to get it done before 8:00. Art and I have an agreement that I won't do chores past 8:00 (because sometimes I start something late, and I get caught up, and I'm still going strong at 10:30, when I should be in bed.

So I'm done chores by 8:00, and from then on it's relax and unwind time. I'm trying to get through a book that Art really wants me to read (because it's due back at the library next week). It's called "Financial Peace Revisited" by Dave Ramsey. It's REALLY good stuff, and we definitely need it. It's helping us figure out how to be smarter with our money so that we can save quickly and pay off our debt quickly. But I'm not getting through it as quickly as I'd like, because (getting back to my daily schedule) bedtime is 9:30. So I read from 8:00 till 8:30, and then I shower, and then dry my hair, and then get ready for bed.

Yeah. Half an hour a day for reading won't get me very far very quickly. And, (as you've perhaps noticed) it leaves me no time for blogging (or pretty much anything else having to do with the computer). And I realize that feeding my husband, taking care of the house, and organizing our finances are more important than blogging or Facebook, but I do miss it a little. I guess that's what the weekend is for.

What I'm trying to say is, this is going to be the new trend for quite some time. I enjoy blogging, and I enjoy reading all your blogs, but I just don't have as much time for it. So there it is. There is going to be less Jenene on the internet from now on. I'll try to blog once a week, because the main purpose of this blog always will be for my family back home to keep up with my life. If I don't post for a while, I promise you're not missing anything. Unless you're REALLY interested in knowing how many dishes I wash each and every day. In that case, you're probably a stalker, and I don't blog for stalkers. I should make that into a bumper sticker.

I really will try to blog each weekend, because my weekends are always enjoyable. Friday night, Art I went out on a date. He insisted that we go somewhere new, so we tried a Thai restaurant that we had never been to. We shared an appetizer of chicken skewers dipped in peanut sauce and our main dish? Duck. Art is absolutely in love with duck, and know I know why. I don't love it as much as I love sushi (I could eat sushi every day for the rest of my life). But duck is so delicious. You gotta try it at least once.

We went to Dairy Queen for dessert, because we're really classy like that. And it was cheaper than dessert at the restaurant. I remember when I used to think that couples who went out for a fast food date had no concept of romance. But now I realize that just intentionally setting aside time to spend with Art fosters romance. It doesn't matter where we go. Or even if we go out at all. Romance is not a fancy restaurant, or expensive new jewelry. Romance is making sure that, in all the busyness of life, we don't forget about our marriage and each other.

I'm glad I figured that one out. Otherwise, I would be feeling pretty unloved by now. Because we cannot afford fancy anything right now.

So. The rest of my weekend. Saturday I slept in. And then I got up and lounged around in comfy clothes all day. I love Saturdays. Then our friends came over and brought DDR. And we played that almost all evening. My calves are a just a little sore. And there was UFC, and I made delicious Beef and Broccoli... (Speaking of cooking, I have a new recipe to share with you.)

And then today, we went to church and put together Thanksgiving food baskets for various families in the area who struggle to buy even the most basic things, like groceries. The rest of today has been spent relaxing, talking to my mom, making Christmas gift lists. I also did a little baking, and I went for a walk to buy groceries. And tonight, I might learn how to crochet. I heard it's quicker and so much easier! I'm kind of excited.

Well, my friends are here, so I should get off the computer now. Have a great week!