What’s Up Wednesday

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I’ve decided to try something new.  This will be a way for me to talk about my favorite and least favorite things at the end of every month.  I’ll share a recipe, give a review, and discuss what I am most looking forward to in the next month.

Favorites of July

Naturebox – We have been a NatureBox subscriber for some time now and it’s probably our favorite delivery service.  We typically buy the not-so-good-for-you snacks and this is a great way to try something new and have it be certified by a nutritionist.  We receive a new shipment twice a month and get five snacks.  My favorite snacks this month were the Lemon Tea Biscuits and the Mocha Almond Bars.  Rion loves the NatureBox, too!  We typically get him the animal crackers or flavored nom noms.  This month we tried the chocolate whole wheat animal crackers and I’ve had a hard time giving them up. Have you tried NatureBox or any snack subscription service?

Vacation – You can read more about my vacation to Chincoteague Island, Virginia here. I really do think I could live on vacation forever and I love the quiet retreat Chincoteague Island has to offer.  I couldn’t afford to do it at the moment, but we had such a blast at the beach.  Rion was great and actually slept better than he does at home.

I wish I had the flexibility to head to the beach more often.  We lived in St. Thomas, USVI for a few years and I am really starting to miss living close to a beach.  We’re three hours from a beach now and with Rion not doing too well in the car we rarely get the chance to go.  We’ll make it a yearly thing and have aimed to be on the beach once a month during the summer.  We’ll need to plan our August trip.

Working From Home – This hasn’t happened yet, but it’s on the table and is really exciting.  I am hoping by the end of next month I have some great news to share with you about how I made the switch to being a work at home mom.  For now, I’m still a corporate mom, working hard, and waiting to make the switch.

Fitness –  I’ve worked so hard at my fitness journey. I haven’t weighed myself for the end of the month, but I generally just feel better about what I have been doing.  I’ve been walking more and doing more strength training.  It helps my mood and hopefully that scale will move too.

Could Do Without

Bluum Box – I don’t know.  It’s just not my favorite subscription box.  I’ve done a few makeup and beauty subscription boxes and the Bluum Box isn’t anything like it.  I have to pick the items that I want because the first box was a dud.  You can read my initial Bluum Box review here.

Sleep Training – I cannot stress this enough – I’ve tried everything.  My son just wants nothing to do with switching up our bed sharing arrangement.  I wish I could say that the bed sharing arrangement was working, but it isn’t.  Rion still wakes several times and at this point I am exhausted.  The Montessori bed trial is not going well a little more than a week in for us.  I really am trying, but he’s waking hourly.  I’ve given him a blanket, a lovely, I’ve laid in the bed with him.  It’s just not working.  I am at a loss for what I need to do going forward.  We want to try for more children soon, but I don’t see how I can handle all of this not sleeping business if he doesn’t start soon.

Stitch Fix – This is a tough one for me.  I really do like Stitch Fix and have been receiving fixes for about a year now so it makes me sad to review the box in this way. I think it’s a fantastic premise for people like me who just might not have time to shop or just need new ideas to freshen up what they already own. When I first joined, it felt like new and exciting clothes and I couldn’t wait to get my next box.  Now?  I am seeing everyone in my clothes.  I kept my entire box the last go and have so far seen four people in the DC metro area including a coworker in the same outfit I’ve been sent.  Just yesterday as I walked into my building, I saw a woman wearing my favorite new dress.  This might not be an issue for some, but it just no longer has the same appeal if it’s as widely available as, say, Old Navy or any other mass retailer.  I’ve been debating canceling it as the cost has gone up for the clothes as well and I don’t think they’re any better quality than what I see in lower price point stores.  I’ve convinced a few friends to try it out and they have been underwhelmed as well. I don’t know if I will keep the fixes coming.  I might give it one last go in the fall.

Favorite Recipe 

This Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri and Watercress Salad is one of my favorite Whole30 recipes.  I just wrapped up a Whole30 at the beginning of July and this is a go-to for me.  The Whole30 compliant chimichurri sauce is delicious on salads too.

Looking Forward to In August

John and I are working on a bunch of financial changes to bring more money in, save more money, and look to begin the process of buying a home.  We’re always working on spending more time together as a family, too.

We haven’t set a date for a beach day, but it’ll be soon.  Maybe we will head to the Chesapeake Bay instead of taking the three hour drive to our nearest ocean front.  I’m a bit sad that it feels like summer is almost over so I want to make the most of our time outdoors before fall and winter creep up on us.