Category Archives: Family

12.5 hours to Mommy’s weekend away…

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My annual “Girl’s Weekend in St. Augustine” is upon us.  Generally taken in November (to do some Christmas shopping at the outlet malls), this year we moved it to January for some post holiday relaxation time.  Always a restful and fun time and this year is dad’s solo weekend with the kiddos.  Though I like to think MY way is BEST, I know he will do great and the kids will have way more fun with him than they do with me.  And after last night’s dinner debacle, he certainly can’t do any worse than me on the food end of things…

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Speaking of dinner last night……I was inspired by my girlfriend’s crock pot dinner of ham, rice, cheese soup, broccoli.  It sounded so good, and we’ve really been using the crock pot like crazy these past few months, so I made my own version with chicken and brown rice, added in the broccoli and cauliflower and let it go.  Well.  At lunch I came home and OH.  MY.  GOODNESS.  The smell in the house was horrible.  I took the broccoli and most of the cauliflower out and covered it and returned to work.  Sadly, the fatal mistake was made.  Do NOT.  I repeat.  Do NOT cook broccoli and cauliflower in a crock pot ALL DAY.  Apparently they are a quick cook veggie and putting them in the crock pot not only forces you to open windows and light candles, it also brings you to Plan B:  pancakes and eggs.   I guess we all have a cooking faux pas from time to time, right?  RIGHT?

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Exercising is going well this week.  Have gotten in a few walks. A few times at the gym followed by soreness in all the right places.  Week 3.  I can’t begin to tell you how impressed I am with myself.  I usually lose steam by Week 2.

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Writing down my food this week is my newest addition to a healthier lifestyle change.  Something about putting it on paper.  In blue and white to see just what went in my mouth.  It becomes obvious.  The exercise thing I got (mostly).  It’s the mouth that needs attention.  Darn you cookies and cake and  your deliciousness.  It’s good to see where my challenges are and WHEN my challenges are and being prepared for them, adding more protein, fruits and veggies is really helping.  Still plenty of work to be done, but having it right in front of me, WOW!  (I won’t be logging this weekend……..but I will be walking!)

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Adding in a great new blog for some quiet time reflections HERE and re-attempting Scott Hahn’s book, “The Lamb’s Supper” are great additions to my quiet time and breaking my spiritual rut.  I feel like I’m in a better place to read his book, hopefully less distracted and ready to focus.

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Caramel the sweet little girl kitty who adopted us was spayed this week and lo and behold…..she…is a he.  Who has already been neutered.  Much to the vet’s surprise who had to OPEN HIM UP before they figured it out.  I’m still hot about that one.  OK, he’s a furry cat, but UM…isn’t that your JOB to make sure BEFORE you open up?!?!  Anyway….little boy has his shots and seems a little less PO’d at us.  Unless his purring at my head @ 1:30 in the morning is really a passive-aggressive cat move..I don’t know.  Still figuring out this whole “Cat thing”….he sure is a cutey-pie though!

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Have been totally and utterly sucked into Downtown Abbey.  For someone who really doesn’t watch TV..(well nothing I would qualify as quality TV anyway…).  I was wondering WHERE I’ve been to have missed this gem and now I am THRILLED that I have an entire Series ahead of me with a new one just starting.  Even my youngest will watch it with me AND so will hubby…and that says a lot when you have something for everyone!  This whole kicking the cable habit is working out quite nicely, I must admit….

 For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

On goals and progress..

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Week three is generally a pretty good waning time.  The thrill of new “goals” has subsided, the work portion is showing its necessity and the motivation is taking a vacation as the mind processes what in the world is involved in attaining goals.

True.  True.  True.  Sort of.  Though my “get healthier” goals are not showing progress as I would like–since I DO love instant gratification–I am finding my new groove and routine in regular gym attendance and walking.  And it feels GOOD!  I am sore.  Right where I should be.  And I am making better choices during the day as to what goes in my mouth and this week I started tracking to see where I can make improvements.  (yes, the brownies I made last night are one of those….but it’s all about moderation and living life, right?).  Today, again, I will pack my lunch and snacks for the day, my gym bag for lunch and my notebook for tracking.  (Sparkpeople is a good motivator, however, it requires online time and when I get home I just prefer to hang with my family, so time will tell where that goes….).  One day at a time.

Quiet time.  Today I added in some reading after my daily Readings.  5 Conversations you must have with your daughter by Vicki Courtney.  The first chapter is on body issues and how society has completely changed how women/girls have gone from worrying about virtue and inner beauty to vanity and Photoshop perfection.  Oh how timely a chapter.  Followed by todays Old Testament reading from 1 Samuel on David’s battle with Goliath.    Oh how timely a chapter.  I am beginning to see a pattern here.  There is nothing too big for God.  Personal body issues.  Societal expectations.  Food for thought.  I think I’ll be chewing on that all day.

Finally, finances.  Plugging along.  Cash is king.  blah, blah, blah.  With the exception of a major car repair last week, we are doing well.  Again with the baby steps.  Rome wasn’t built-in a day and with a goal in sight, we will get there.  It’s a marathon not a sprint.

Carry on, people.  Keep your eye on the prize!

GOALS: Week Two and counting

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Second week of January.  Typically “resolutions” wax and wane about 3-4 wks in and by mid-February the gym is back to its regular clientele.  Since adopting the “GOAL” method rather than resolutions, my mental outlook is far less stressed and overwhelmed.  I don’t feel the need to do it all at once, but rather slowly and methodically approach my goals in a fashion that I can reasonably and realistically weave into my life routine.

And thus far, here’s the update:

  • Finances.  Moving along nicely.  Paid bills the other day without all the general anxiety that accompanies that task.  Hubby and I are going to look into Yodlee or Mint to have everything in one place and have a snapshot “real-time” look-at-a-glance rather than update the Excel sheet monthly.
  • Quiet time in prayer.  Continuing with my Daily Readings, however, that’s a several-years-old habit; more attention to working toward picking which spiritual book I’d like to work on in addition to my Reading time in the morning.  This week I have an interview with Pat Gohn on Among Women and have some retrospective digging to do prior to the interview; THAT will be some intense mediation time!!   So this week is covered.  Moving on.  One day at a time.
  • Healthy eating/exercise.  I’ve hit the gym twice this week.  Hard.  So sore.  Walked twice.  Pilates video for an hour with sore core following.  Incorporating oatmeal and fruit (working on protein) for breakfast, and additional fruit/vegs during the day.  (Taking this Clean Eating slowly…)  Not rocket science and I’m not dropping lbs like crazy, however, these are good solid habits that I can live with and that’s really the important thing.  If I can see some progress over the next few weeks and definitely by my annual check-up in February that will be motivating.  Baby steps.  One day at a time.

Last night we went to 6 p.m. Mass followed by a concert by Steve Angrisano with the kids.  What a tremendous family time.  Even our “very-14”, 14 year old was enjoying himself within 15 minutes much to his surprise.  (The only downside was, in hindsight, perhaps we should have either left the girls home or saved Mass for this morning…they were absolutely melting down by the end…WAY too tired.  Wish I could say I was gracious about it, but not so much……) Either way.  Great show and bed time was a breeze!

Off to take the girls to church and their Faith Formation class and I’ll be walking, catching up on podcasts, and praying.

***images from the web

Somehow we end up with a cat…..WTHeck?!?!?!?

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For the past two weeks we’ve had an influx of cats in the neighborhood.  We have SEVERAL neighbors who have outside cats and with some new neighbors they apparently brought new cats.  great.  Did I mention I’m not a cat person?  After college, my roommate had two cats and they were pretty cool.  Just did their own deal and once in a while they’d snuggle.  That was it.  No commitment on my part and it was a peaceful coexistence.  Unfortunately, as I’ve gotten older, I have noticed a propensity to sneezing and itchy eyes after prolonged exposure to cats.  Which made it easy to rebuff the kids as they know “Mom is allergic”.  Instead they’ve begged for dogs, rabbits, hamsters…..even fish.  For the last few years I’ve had my hands full enough with kid-business, never mind adding in a pet, regardless of the variety.  Now with Daddi-O home, the requests have doubled.  tripled.  quadrupled.  ugh.  they.  are.  relentless.  I sometimes have to resort to feigning confusion to their requests, not understanding English.  whatever it takes.

And then.  This cat showed up.  Shoo.  Shoo.  Go home, kitty.

The other cats left us alone.  But this one, named Caramel by the little girl who visits the neighbors occasionally, came over, ALL THE TIME .  (Interestingly enough, we asked around and no one claimed her.  she belonged to no one.  yet several neighbors fed her.  it’s a total mystery where she came from).  She stared us down from the storm door.  Stretched on the windowsill.  Mewed.  Purred.  Basically captured the kid’s hearts one by one, hook, line and sinker.  Shoo. Shoo.  Go home, kitty.

She started sneaking in the house if the door was left open.  I had to pick her up one day and scoot her back out.  That furry body.  That swishy tail.  The ginger and white coloring (in a house FULL of redheads, we notice these things…)  Those big hazel eyes.  Puss-in-boots.  Without the boots.  Then I realized she’s not a cat yet, but that kitten/cat.  Dang it.  She reeled me in, too.  And I didn’t sneeze.  Hmmmmmm.  Nevertheless, I was NOT taking this kitty.  Shoo.  Shoo.  Go home, kitty.

I compromised, she became my mission to find a “No-kill” rescue home for her.  My good friend, whom I affectionately refer to as “Cat Lady”, steered me toward a group who did this.  The gal was super receptive and had contacts to get her to a vet and update shots and spay her on the cheap.  But…….with adoptions “in the tank” according to her, she’d see what she could do. It’s a conundrum of what to do in the meantime.

Hubby and I talked about my conversation with the rescue group gal and agreed to donate to her shots/spay, but then I realized I was willing to give it a go.  If he would.  I had to give him the hard sell:  cats are independent, she’s very social, the kids love her, it would TOTALLY get us off the hook for a pet.  Quite honestly it was an easy sell.  We agreed if the allergies got out of hand, we’d find her a new home….which would be excruciating, but we agreed to take it one day at a time.  A quick trip to Wally-world and we were supplied up.  Her vet appointment is this coming week.

For now, I am washing my hands and not touching my face.  harder than you think.  She is cuddled up and purring.  In my lap while I work on my laptop.  In Hubby’s lap while he works.  Sleeping soundly while we watch a movie.  Chasing her catnip mouse and feather stick.

Goals. Part 1: Those pesky finances

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In a recent post of mine, I outlined a set of resolutions goals that I want to focus on for this coming year.  After reading my friend’s post on GOALS, I loved that term and along with the original blog I read HERE on how to successfully manage and keep resolutions goals, I have begun to attack them.

Having had the house purse strings in my total control for 7+ years I am happy to hand them back to my hubby.  And I am reluctant. As we navigated those dark and murky waters of change several years ago and I went from a happy-go-lucky, stay-at-home mama to a night shift, full-time worker balancing family, sleep and work (in that order) I also had to have a quick lesson on family finances.  ICK!  Despising the checkbook and the whole organizing of bills, it was a chore I was thrilled to have nothing to do with for most of our marriage, happily acquiescing to my hubby all financial decisions–it’s his strong point, not mine.  However, once it was necessary, I realized how foolish I was to have kept my head in the sand for so long.  What a burden for one person to carry alone.  It was a conversation we never had with small children running around, one I never found important nor interesting.  Stupid girl.  Until it was important.  It occurred to me how many friends I had/have in this  situation and it was one I vow to not find myself in again.  It’s crucial to running a household and marriage, to be on the same page; balancing the budget sucks, however, to live within one’s means it’s imperative to know what’s coming in and what goes out.  In these past years of economic downturn, I am sure many, many people have learned this lesson the hard way.  Like me.  The left hand MUST know what the right hand is doing.

I did an OK job for the first 5 years of hubby’s incarceration.  We were with my parents and I was able to keep debt to a minimum or nil.  After buying our house a couple of years ago, expenses began to creep up and in and while nothing was ever late or unpaid, the debt grew.  Extravagance wasn’t an issue, just 4 kiddos and LIFE.   It is what it is.   And now it’s time to dig out.

Fast forward to 2012, and after having hubby home for 6 months and working, we are both in a good spiritual and mental place to discuss finances.  Lay it all open.  Full disclosure.  I looked forward to it as much as pulling off a band-aid.  But it is necessary to be united in this area.  Finances are widely known to be a MAJOR factor in marital discord and we’ve had enough of that for a long while, thank you.  Time to address the elephant in the room:

Luke 8:17  For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

So we laid it out, put it on an Excel sheet (TypeA hubby), and have the beginnings of our “plan” to start chipping away.  It won’t be overnight.  It’s going to take some discipline.  I’ll tell you what though, it is an enormous weight off my shoulders to have faced that beast and shared that burden.  I know everyone has their own system and you do what works.  For us though, we share it all: income and expense.  For us, that’s what works.  And we march forward.   How about you?  Head in the sand or fully aware?  It’s a difficult topic and generally finances are off-limits as a discussion.  Unfortunately, I think that’s one of the reasons our economy got to be where it is, no one discusses finances.

Now onto tackling the remainder of the resolutions goals.  Quiet time in prayer and Health. To be continued…..