What I’m Into – June 2014 Edition

Today I’m sharing a fun monthly update post. You’ll find out what I’ve been listening to, some things I’m loving right now, and all about my {this-is-no-joke} baby brain & ensuing runaway van adventure!

photo credit Charming Carolina

Things I’m Listening To:

These days I have more time to listen to podcasts than to sit down and read since I have a 40 minute one way commute everyday to work.

Here are my favorites I listened to this month:

God-Centered Mom: Birds & Bees? Oh, Help Me Please! – if you have kids and are wondering how to teach them about the birds & the bees in a godly way…this is for you! I used her suggestions and successfully had an age appropriate conversation with my 5 year old on how the baby got into my belly and how it gets out. Golden stuff here, ya’ll!

God-Centered Mom: Generation Grit – new line of books and toys for boys to help develop character (think American Girl books meets GI Joe type action figures)

Inspired to Action: How to Have a Wardrobe You Love Without Losing Your Money or Your Mind – all about how to have a simple, beautiful, intentional wardrobe without spending a ton of money. Since we’re in a constant state of purging things we don’t use or love at our house, this was helpful as a I think through what clothing to keep and what to donate.

Things I Love:

A great meal planning calendar.

There are a million out there but this one is serving my needs perfectly right now. Simple, clear, and prints out in black & white just fine. My hubby has reminded me that we all eat better if our meals are planned out, so it’s back on the meal planning bandwagon for me. Combine it with my favorite place to store online recipes, and we have a winning combo people!

A quick, healthy chocolate snack. 

I know…healthy & chocolate don’t often go in the same sentence, but these No-Bake Chocolate Chip Energy Bites are made of real, whole foods and satisfy that craving for something sweet I’ve had this entire pregnancy so far. I’m using them to replace the bags of peanut M&M’s that otherwise graced my purse several weeks ago! I might have made a batch today and eaten almost all of them myself…

A beautiful journal. And a stocked gift closet. 

I’m always on the lookout for inexpensive but beautiful gifts to add to my gift closet to use for just the right moment. After attending the (in)RL Conference this spring, I was introduced to DaySpring, the Christian division of Hallmark and a fabulous website for buying all things encouraging. I love that they have incredible deals like 25% off any purchase through July 18th and this beautiful journal on clearance for $3.00 each after using the coupon code THANKS25!

Recent Happenings:

Baby #3 on the Way!

This month we announced we’re expecting baby #3.

Our daughter Salem has been praying for a baby sister since last Christmas and this baby is due just after Christmas this year. Gotta love prayers of children! Although we won’t know whether or not we’re having a girl or boy until August…we’re pretty convinced it’s a girl.

Children are such a blessing and we’re thrilled about this blessing on the way.

I do struggle with anxiety at the beginning of my pregnancies since our first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, but it’s an opportunity for me to remember who holds all things together and who loves this little one even more than me!

Runaway Van

So…baby brain is a real thing, ya’ll!

Two weeks ago my kids were spending the night with my parents, there was a thunderstorm rolling in, and I stopped by our post office to check our mail. I walked in, grabbed the mail, tossed some junk mail in the trash, turned around and walked out to get back in the van…

Except it wasn’t there.

Yep, totally gone. And there were no other cars in the parking lot. I literally turned around, went back into the post office and came back out because my brain couldn’t comprehend why my van was gone. At first I thought someone had stolen it. No, that didn’t make sense because I wasn’t in the post office more than 2 minutes. But I couldn’t come up with any other explanation…that is, until my friend showed up saying she had seen my van wrecked across the street in the ditch.

Still struggling to figure out what happened, the police officer drove me over to check out the van. Turns out it was still in Drive…meaning I had left it in Drive, pulled the keys out, and the van rolled away…right down the parking lot, down a hill, across a busy street, down another embankment, turned right 90 degrees, rolled across a large field, and ended up in the ditch.

I found out later that 2003 and 2004 Honda Odysseys were recalled due to ignition safety switch failure, exactly what happened to my 2002 Honda Odyssey.

Did I mention we’d only owned the van for two weeks? No joke. Our friends had owned the van for years before and never had any problems with it.

Once we realized what happened, all there was to do was laugh and be thankful that no one or nothing was seriously injured except the van itself and a small telephone wire box. And that we have awesome car insurance…thank you USAA.

In that moment, I have never been more thankful for a husband who doesn’t take life too seriously and who gives out grace freely. 

What a precious gift in the midst of our crazy life!

As a follow up, the insurance company totaled out our van (the underneath was completely smashed) and we were able to purchase a 2004 Honda Odyssey that is in fabulous condition. I’m convinced it never had kids in it since it was originally a lease and then an older couple owned it. That’s the only explanation for a 10 year old minivan to be in as good of condition as this one is.

And catch this…the cost for the new van? $10 more than our insurance payout…including our deductible. God-is-good ya’ll!

I’m linking up with Leigh Kramer for her monthly What I’m Into series. I also usually share on Emily Freeman’s site What I Learned, but she’s taking a summer break, so there’s no linkup this month.  Read my past posts in this series here.

What about YOU? What is one thing that stands out for you from June? I’d love to get to know my readers better…so go ahead, let me know in the comments something fun or interesting or anything really from the month of June!

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