Category Archives: Life

When do YOU have time to blog???

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Be not of those who think perfection consists in undertaking many things, but of those who place it in doing well what little they do.  For it is much better to do little and to do it well, than to undertake much and do it ill.”  St. Francis de Sales

My  blog posts are becoming fewer and further between.  WTH?  When do you people have time to write?  Do you pound it all out at one sitting or draft and edit and edit?  I’m a sit down, get it done, publish kind of girl.  I like to wrap it up.  No loose ends.

My writing time is in the morning and since I started morning boot camp last week that killed 3 days during the week of “writing” time.  We also implemented a new scheduling system at work that has opened up a whole box of cluster for our company as there are MANY people trying to learn (all at different paces) AND utilize the system all at the same time.  We’re waiting to see if a head will roll (or two), but in the meantime our company has offered OVERTIME (unheard.  of.) to get the backlog of scheduling caught up.  Yours truly is all kinds of up on that train.  We have back-to-school in 4 weeks (already?!?!?) and the OT will definitely ease the burden of supplies and new shoes, shorts, shirts, etc., which means even less time for blogging!!!  I guess until the blogging pays for itself that’s the way it will be and since I’m not really in it to market anything, nor really found (or am looking for) a niche to fill, I don’t foresee that any time soon!  So, in the meantime, (or at least the next 3 weeks I have boot camp in the mornings) my blogging will be sporadic.  Unless you all give me some good ideas.

This weekend when I wasn’t blogging I was here:

Walking with one of my oldest and dearest friends for ONE WHOLE HOUR on the beach early Saturday morning! Great sweaty girl time!

Then, later in the day when I wasn’t blogging we were here:

Ending the day with friends on the beach

So, really.  How and when DO you blog?  Does the beach (or other fun) get in your way?  I really want to know….

By the way, it is Natural Family Planning Awareness week.  For those of you thinking it’s the ol’ Rhythm method here are a few sites to check out and learn a little somethin’ somethin’ about your body (or your wife’s), save a little dough and avoid added carcinogens in your body (because don’t we get enough from everything else we face on a daily basis?).  So, I may (or may not) have a few re-blogs here this week on interesting NFP stuff.  Excited, aren’t ya?  😉

iusenfp.com

1Flesh.org

Speedbumps

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We all get them.  Those pesky little speed bumps along the way.  When life is just a plugging along and all is hunky-dorey and BUMP….not so much.  Like a car, we adjust our speed, take a little more care navigating and then move on along until the next one.  And there WILL be a next one.  It’s just life.  Therefore, there is the matter of how you react to each little (or big) speed bump.  You can let it completely derail your day/week/month/year or you can accept that such is life and do what you can to live your life IN SPITE of the speed bump nuisance.  I suppose personality has a lot to do with how we deal with problems, as well as faith, support systems and how we were taught to deal with life’s “unfairness” or inevitable changes.

This week we have been dealing with a “stomach ache” x several days with our youngest.  I HATE stomach aches.  When there are no other symptoms, I generally view it as a cry for attention.  Compassionate, aren’t I?  However…….when it continues for days, accompanied by sloth behavior and limited appetite?  Now you have my attention.  So off to the doctor’s we go and leave with a prescription in hand for Strep throat.  Again.  Now I just feel guilty.  Blah.  Stewing in it isn’t productive so I own my guilt for  a bit, realize I didn’t overreact (because seriously, if I went to the office for EVERY symptom, #1 I’d be broke (more than usual) and #2 I’d be Facebook friends with the entire office!).  Anyway, I went with my gut, it paid off, hugs and drugs administered….moving on.

We also had an issue come up with a dear friend who is really dealing with some challenging life choices and a denial of sorts as well as with poor coping skills.  It’s truly turning into a snowball of complications and it’s difficult to watch it happen.  Hubby was able to begin a dialogue with him, as his friend, and hopefully it’s the beginning of SOMETHING.  Sadly, we can only make our own decisions.  Sometimes we have to be the friend who steps in and speaks the hard truth out of love.  And that’s a tricky situation, stepping way out of the comfort zone.  At the end of the day though, we have to live with the choices WE make and if we’ve done the best we could, sometimes that has to be enough.

Here’s to navigating life’s speed bumps one at a time, fully focused and wisely adjusting our speed for each one!

He who fights even the smallest distractions faithfully when he says even the very smallest prayer, will also be faithful in great things.

— St. Louis de Montfort

Lazy cat

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Having never owned a cat before, the last few months have been interesting.  Lots of figuring out on both sides.  However, amusement at our little feline’s expense is never-ending.  One thing we never tire of is his sloth-ness.  Cats TRULY do sleep alot.  Apparently chasing and eating chamelons takes quite a bit of effort, as does stalking birds and rooting around in the stickly bushes in order to tramp half the sticks into the house on the fluffy tail.

Morning coffee time—he only likes to sniff it, promise.

So confident that no one is going to mess with him….

ZZZZzzzzz

and again…

loves the backpack!

claws out….stop with photos already!!

Weekly warbling..

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Joining in with the usual suspects @Conversion Diary for a wild weekly wrap-up.  You never know what you’re going to get, there’s some great stuff in those who join in, from theological discussions to Pinterest, to Youtube silliness, funny kid stories and so on….check ’em out!

This will be quick because I need to get the girls and I out the door in the next hour…I’m an envelope pusher like that.

1.  It’s been a good week in the exercise category, what with switching it up and all.  I’m back to the a.m. workout cycle AND mixing in some afternoon lunch cardio as well.  It worked THIS week.

2.  As an added motivator in my switching things up, I’ve been positively obsessed with success stories and Socially Fit has their usual every Friday, as well as Peak313 on Wednesdays, so if you need a little boost they are a good place to start!

3.  Also from Peak313, I stole this and put it on my Facebook….

4.  I also snuck in some veggies to our pseudo Thanksgiving-in-July dinner the other night with Cauliflower Mashed potatoes.  It’s the little changes.  The kids loved it AND it was a bonus veggie.  Win-win all around.  well, except for the extra gas….

5.  We have passed the 1/2 way mark of Summer.  Can I get a Hallelujah??  We have 5 full weeks of summer left.  If you shop at Wal-mart or Target you might think it’s next week….since they have all the school supplies displayed in plenty.  I just can’t even go there mentally yet.  I still have some beach time to get in and some non-rushed mornings and homework-free afternoons left!!  But…..I do miss the routine (hence the need for a Hallelujah).  It’s a double-edged sword…

6.  Anyone who is using NFP and Marquette, we are finally online charting with an interactive model.  You can find it here and the staff is very helpful if you have any questions.  You can find it HERE.  Just takes a few minutes to register and you are good to go.

7.  A few months ago my neighbor made a reference to his “Outlaw” neighbors as a young guy on his Harley rode by.  He has a dry little sense of humor and I thought he was joking….the subject of their Very.  Loud.  Bikes.  had come up a few times. Since they kept rather late hours and early mornings, sleeping with the windows open was a bummer with these guys.  Anyhooo….  This morning I was walking and they were leaving (later than usual) and lo and behold….HOLY COW, they really ARE Outlaws.  Wearing their colors and all.  wow.  To be fair, aside from their noisy cycles they haven’t bothered us, nor do I expect them to.  It’s just that you don’t expect to see infamous motorcycle gang dudes riding out of your sleep little ‘hood in the a.m.  On that note….

I’m out.  It’s time to make lunches and get rockin’ and rollin’…..Y’all have a good weekend ya hear?!

Sneaking it in…

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Turkey was on sale this week at our grocery store.  A whole turkey.  Like Thanksgiving.  So turkey was on the menu this week.  Mostly because I figured it would be great leftovers.  Hubby was home so he put it in the oven.  Once it was almost finished cooking I got started on the sides.  I had decided on mashed potatoes and green beans.  I had 3 potatoes.  Hmmmm.  BUT.  I had a whole head of cauliflower also.

And so, I boiled up those 3 potatoes and that head of cauliflower.  Added in some butter, 1/2 a block of cream cheese and some skim milk.  Topped it off with a 1/3 of a block of cheddar cheese and Voila!  Rave reviews.  Not completely healthy, but not ONE person complained.  Not one.  OK…OK….not COMPLETELY healthy but absolutely healthier than straight up mashed potatoes fully loaded.  There has to be balance.  Moderation, folks!

I also spied a can of sweet potatoes.  So I topped it off with a little brown sugar, marshmallows and graham crackers and next thing you know……

Thanksgiving in July!!!

No complaints.

Not much in leftovers either.

Ah well.  At least my family was happy.  And full.  And fed (mostly) healthy.