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Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
The Reason I Don't Add Up is I'm Using the Wrong Equation
I have a confession that will shock the world. Ready?
I am NOT Super-Wife/Mom/Woman.
Ok, maybe not so shocking. And I can already hear all you moms saying, 'Me neither!' And you probably all believe that. You would say that you are just living as best you can, and you make mistakes the same as everyone. But, I have to say, please don't take offense, I just don't believe you. I believe that every other mom out there (with the exception of the truly crazy ones) is light-years ahead of me.
I read blog after blog of these moms who cook these great meals. Not gourmet all the time, but healthy and nutritious and tasty. They keep the house in at least a decent working order. They can shelves and shelves of fruit and vegetables, grown in their own backyard. They do this, and they do that. Then I look at myself and I seem to be sorely lacking.
Yet if there is any specific theme to all the stuff God has been speaking to me these past months, it is that everyone's walk with God is unique to them. And His timing in our lives is different too. We don't all have these cookie-cutter lives, where they all look the same. Even if we are all listening to His voice, our decisions may still look different. Homeschooling, church-going, working or staying at home, family size, head covering, children raising, house buying, so many decisions in life. And everyone makes different ones.
And while there are a few decisions that only have one right answer, most of them don't. Two different decisions can both still be correct. This I have to keep telling and reminding myself. My life doesn't have to look like Jane Doe's and neither does Jane Doe's life have to look like mine.
So that's it for tonight. Now I'm off to can some peaches for my husband. (Though I'm still hoping that some magic Canning Fairy will drop through my roof and do it for me.)
I am NOT Super-Wife/Mom/Woman.
Ok, maybe not so shocking. And I can already hear all you moms saying, 'Me neither!' And you probably all believe that. You would say that you are just living as best you can, and you make mistakes the same as everyone. But, I have to say, please don't take offense, I just don't believe you. I believe that every other mom out there (with the exception of the truly crazy ones) is light-years ahead of me.
I read blog after blog of these moms who cook these great meals. Not gourmet all the time, but healthy and nutritious and tasty. They keep the house in at least a decent working order. They can shelves and shelves of fruit and vegetables, grown in their own backyard. They do this, and they do that. Then I look at myself and I seem to be sorely lacking.
Yet if there is any specific theme to all the stuff God has been speaking to me these past months, it is that everyone's walk with God is unique to them. And His timing in our lives is different too. We don't all have these cookie-cutter lives, where they all look the same. Even if we are all listening to His voice, our decisions may still look different. Homeschooling, church-going, working or staying at home, family size, head covering, children raising, house buying, so many decisions in life. And everyone makes different ones.
And while there are a few decisions that only have one right answer, most of them don't. Two different decisions can both still be correct. This I have to keep telling and reminding myself. My life doesn't have to look like Jane Doe's and neither does Jane Doe's life have to look like mine.
So that's it for tonight. Now I'm off to can some peaches for my husband. (Though I'm still hoping that some magic Canning Fairy will drop through my roof and do it for me.)
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Permanent Sister Sleepovers Beginning Soon
My project today has been to move Leigh over to Abby's room. I haven't finished yet since Leigh needed her afternoon nap, so I just left her in the old room. But after the nap, I'm thinking it's time.
We've discussed moving the girls into the same room for a few months now. It was never a question of IF we should, it was just WHEN we should. As soon as we have another baby and that baby needed the crib, Leigh would be moved over to Abby's room to share with her. But we decided to move her now, while still in the crib. Really, just for fun? I don't know if I have any huge, good reasons for moving earlier.
Maybe with all the toys in the one room, I will only have that one room to tidy? (HA fat chance!) Maybe they will adapt to being in the same room, so that once Leigh moves out of the crib they will be fine to sleep together, since Abby has a double bed and we are planning on making them share it. So mean, yes we are! (I say that as I'm thinking of their arguments once they're older.)
Or the reason I'm doing this is that I am stuck at home all day, every day, and I need some variety in my life so I get my kicks by rearranging the furniture! Yes, I think that's it!
I am on a rearranging kick, actually. We moved the TV back OUT of our room now and back into the living room, and I am so so so so so happy for it to be gone. My room is again a safe haven for me and my hubs. Yes, the kids still invade it (that probably won't change until they're grown) but there is no more Dora or Diego or Gerbert or any other animated/puppet-like characters in there. I can sleep in peace.
So my room is being rearranged, we rearranged the living room to fit the TV in again, and now it's the kids' rooms. And it is such a refreshing feeling. But back to the girls.
So what are everyone's views on room sharing? Is it cruel and unusual punishment to make your children share a room? And even a bed, once it comes to that?
We've discussed moving the girls into the same room for a few months now. It was never a question of IF we should, it was just WHEN we should. As soon as we have another baby and that baby needed the crib, Leigh would be moved over to Abby's room to share with her. But we decided to move her now, while still in the crib. Really, just for fun? I don't know if I have any huge, good reasons for moving earlier.
Maybe with all the toys in the one room, I will only have that one room to tidy? (HA fat chance!) Maybe they will adapt to being in the same room, so that once Leigh moves out of the crib they will be fine to sleep together, since Abby has a double bed and we are planning on making them share it. So mean, yes we are! (I say that as I'm thinking of their arguments once they're older.)
Or the reason I'm doing this is that I am stuck at home all day, every day, and I need some variety in my life so I get my kicks by rearranging the furniture! Yes, I think that's it!
I am on a rearranging kick, actually. We moved the TV back OUT of our room now and back into the living room, and I am so so so so so happy for it to be gone. My room is again a safe haven for me and my hubs. Yes, the kids still invade it (that probably won't change until they're grown) but there is no more Dora or Diego or Gerbert or any other animated/puppet-like characters in there. I can sleep in peace.
So my room is being rearranged, we rearranged the living room to fit the TV in again, and now it's the kids' rooms. And it is such a refreshing feeling. But back to the girls.
So what are everyone's views on room sharing? Is it cruel and unusual punishment to make your children share a room? And even a bed, once it comes to that?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
What Goes on in the House When Daddy is Away
My hubby is away overnight for work, so the kids and I are on our own. It's funny, he works long hours in the summer, usually leaving before the kids, and a lot of the time I, are awake, and not returning home until close to 7, which is only a half an hour before it's time to start getting ready for bed. Yet even though he's only here for those hours in the evening, it still feels different, even during the day, when he is out of town.
It must be the knowledge that he isn't coming home. It sort of feels like when the boss is out of town. You know, you can relax a little, not be so work driven, maybe chat with the office ladies a little longer. For me, it means I don't have to stress over what I am cooking for supper.
Mark eats a fair amount for supper, since he works such a physically hard job. And on top of that, he likes to take leftovers for his lunches. This means that I have to make enough food for all of us for supper and at least one more meal for him (bonus if there's enough for me too) and I should try to make the food something that he enjoys. But we differ in our tastes quite a bit. My favourite foods are not his, and vice versa.
I can be very emotionally sensitive sometimes (okay, maybe all the time) (okay and maybe it's more like over-sensitive). If I make something that he doesn't LOVE and RAVE over, I feel a little bit of a punch to the gut. Don't get me wrong, he is very appreciative of almost everything I make, whether it's a favourite or not (the only time he is unappreciative is when it's a complete disaster, like Pan-Fried Mustard Glazed Salmon, that both looks and tastes like cat poop). So because I live to please him (hahahahaha, well I try) I want to make foods that he enjoys. But man, do I hate planning meals. I think it is worse than the actual cooking.
So for this reason I try to plan our meals out weeks in advance. I usually have a four week calendar on the go. And in it I try to balance out the meals between the ones he likes and the ones I like. So it is very convienent for me when he goes away because I can make whatever I want and there is no gut-punching regret! Or, I can eat leftovers for the third time that day. (he doesn't like to eat the same thing for supper that he ate at lunch.)
Today, for example, I cooked a salmon for supper. He likes salmon, but he likes it done a little fancier than me, with some kind of lemony-dilly-ish like sauce. I eat mine with all the goodness of melted butter. Mmmmmmmmmm. So I got to cook it plain, and eat it like that. My kids also get a kind of supper break when Daddy isn't home, since I don't really enforce our dinner table eating time. They can have what they want, whenever they want it. Today they wanted toast at 4, and then bread for supper later. Yes, they ate mainly bread. Leigh did eat a few potatoes. Mom of the Year award over here please!
Tomorrow I will be back as a slave to quality(ish) food. Hubs is coming home, and my in-laws are coming also, so I will really be putting out my best efforts...or just regular ones! But I have had my salmon, and I'll have it for lunch tomorrow too! (And maybe breakfast)
It must be the knowledge that he isn't coming home. It sort of feels like when the boss is out of town. You know, you can relax a little, not be so work driven, maybe chat with the office ladies a little longer. For me, it means I don't have to stress over what I am cooking for supper.
Mark eats a fair amount for supper, since he works such a physically hard job. And on top of that, he likes to take leftovers for his lunches. This means that I have to make enough food for all of us for supper and at least one more meal for him (bonus if there's enough for me too) and I should try to make the food something that he enjoys. But we differ in our tastes quite a bit. My favourite foods are not his, and vice versa.
I can be very emotionally sensitive sometimes (okay, maybe all the time) (okay and maybe it's more like over-sensitive). If I make something that he doesn't LOVE and RAVE over, I feel a little bit of a punch to the gut. Don't get me wrong, he is very appreciative of almost everything I make, whether it's a favourite or not (the only time he is unappreciative is when it's a complete disaster, like Pan-Fried Mustard Glazed Salmon, that both looks and tastes like cat poop). So because I live to please him (hahahahaha, well I try) I want to make foods that he enjoys. But man, do I hate planning meals. I think it is worse than the actual cooking.
So for this reason I try to plan our meals out weeks in advance. I usually have a four week calendar on the go. And in it I try to balance out the meals between the ones he likes and the ones I like. So it is very convienent for me when he goes away because I can make whatever I want and there is no gut-punching regret! Or, I can eat leftovers for the third time that day. (he doesn't like to eat the same thing for supper that he ate at lunch.)
Today, for example, I cooked a salmon for supper. He likes salmon, but he likes it done a little fancier than me, with some kind of lemony-dilly-ish like sauce. I eat mine with all the goodness of melted butter. Mmmmmmmmmm. So I got to cook it plain, and eat it like that. My kids also get a kind of supper break when Daddy isn't home, since I don't really enforce our dinner table eating time. They can have what they want, whenever they want it. Today they wanted toast at 4, and then bread for supper later. Yes, they ate mainly bread. Leigh did eat a few potatoes. Mom of the Year award over here please!
Tomorrow I will be back as a slave to quality(ish) food. Hubs is coming home, and my in-laws are coming also, so I will really be putting out my best efforts...or just regular ones! But I have had my salmon, and I'll have it for lunch tomorrow too! (And maybe breakfast)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Great Combo Post - Only 99¢
I have missed the last two Friday Weigh-In posts. Just because I'm too lazy to do anything. Not because I am giving up dieting or that I have binged so bad that I have gained 20 more pounds. Actually, I am doing quite well and I am so very pleased with myself. I have lost 10, count 'em 10, pounds since I started as of today!!! That is a huge victory in my opinion. There was a part of me that didn't think it was such a huge deal at first since this is actually 10 pounds that I have put on on top of what could be called pregnancy weight. I have no little children to blame on this.
But that doesn't make it less important of celebration-dance worthy! Now I am 163lb, and about 40 inches in the waist. But I'm not confident on my waist measuring skills. I know it should be easy, but I get different readings almost everytime. Obviously I made the right choice in not becoming a tailor.
Abby started preschool this week. She was supposed to start on Friday, but she woke up with a bad chest congestion. On the first day of school! Sick days aren't supposed to happen until at least October. So I was slightly panicky because I wasn't sure how I was supposed to get ahold of the support worker. But it all worked out, obviously. I worry for nothing. And I sent her on Monday, even though she was still a little stuffy.
She had a great time, from everything I can gather. She isn't the easiest to understand, right, but she wasn't upset when I picked her up so that was a good indication. And another miracle, was that she didn't throw a fit when we left! She just let me put her shoes on, grabbed her backpack, and headed out the door with me. I was amazed, and SO thankful. That was my biggest worry, that she would have a huge tantrum because she didn't want to leave.
I am so glad that it all worked out. Oh and something else that made me happy was that, totally by accident, I stumbled across a site of a Christian home schooling group that is in a nearby city. They do enrolling or registering, and even if I enroll I still can pick our own curriculum, at least for the first 9 grades. I just feel like it was God leading me because I never found anything about them before or even heard about them here. But I think that they are what I was looking for. There is a home group here in town, but they aren't Christian based. Not necessarily a big issue, but if I had to choose, it's always nice to have people who are on the same page as I am.
So this is my sort of catch-up topics that I've thought about for the last week. All in one convienent place.
But that doesn't make it less important of celebration-dance worthy! Now I am 163lb, and about 40 inches in the waist. But I'm not confident on my waist measuring skills. I know it should be easy, but I get different readings almost everytime. Obviously I made the right choice in not becoming a tailor.
Abby started preschool this week. She was supposed to start on Friday, but she woke up with a bad chest congestion. On the first day of school! Sick days aren't supposed to happen until at least October. So I was slightly panicky because I wasn't sure how I was supposed to get ahold of the support worker. But it all worked out, obviously. I worry for nothing. And I sent her on Monday, even though she was still a little stuffy.
She had a great time, from everything I can gather. She isn't the easiest to understand, right, but she wasn't upset when I picked her up so that was a good indication. And another miracle, was that she didn't throw a fit when we left! She just let me put her shoes on, grabbed her backpack, and headed out the door with me. I was amazed, and SO thankful. That was my biggest worry, that she would have a huge tantrum because she didn't want to leave.
I am so glad that it all worked out. Oh and something else that made me happy was that, totally by accident, I stumbled across a site of a Christian home schooling group that is in a nearby city. They do enrolling or registering, and even if I enroll I still can pick our own curriculum, at least for the first 9 grades. I just feel like it was God leading me because I never found anything about them before or even heard about them here. But I think that they are what I was looking for. There is a home group here in town, but they aren't Christian based. Not necessarily a big issue, but if I had to choose, it's always nice to have people who are on the same page as I am.
So this is my sort of catch-up topics that I've thought about for the last week. All in one convienent place.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Start of September
Where on earth did July and August go? I sure would like to know. One minute they were here, and now, POOF! They're gone. Suddenly September is upon me with all this new school/speech stuff. And then swimming lessons and Awanas and who knows what else.
Today was preschool orientation. We got to go for one hour and let the kids play while us adults learned what all our duties would be on our duty day at the school. Well, obviously we won't be having any separation anxiety issues about leaving Abby there. She was gone from me first thing, straight to the rice table. (Boy am I glad we don't have one of those at home. Sweeping rice would get really old really fast.)
I am so very glad that she liked it there. She even told the teacher her name when asked! Score! I was a little worried that her shy side would win out. But that didn't come until we had a meeting with the speech pathologists and the support worker she will have with her.
It was just a sort of meet and greet meeting, since I hadn't met the worker yet. And I am so SO thankful to my Lord that He obviously worked His ways because I felt good, almost great, after the meeting. I didn't feel antagonistic or defensive with the one speech worker, and actually felt like we were working as a team for my girl. Hurrah.
So Abby's first official day is Friday. This day I will pack a snack in her new Barbie lunch box (that is not a metal one but I suppose I can survive) and put it in her not-new backpack and send her off into the world for 3 hours without me. I think I might start having an anxiety attack now.
Today was preschool orientation. We got to go for one hour and let the kids play while us adults learned what all our duties would be on our duty day at the school. Well, obviously we won't be having any separation anxiety issues about leaving Abby there. She was gone from me first thing, straight to the rice table. (Boy am I glad we don't have one of those at home. Sweeping rice would get really old really fast.)
I am so very glad that she liked it there. She even told the teacher her name when asked! Score! I was a little worried that her shy side would win out. But that didn't come until we had a meeting with the speech pathologists and the support worker she will have with her.
It was just a sort of meet and greet meeting, since I hadn't met the worker yet. And I am so SO thankful to my Lord that He obviously worked His ways because I felt good, almost great, after the meeting. I didn't feel antagonistic or defensive with the one speech worker, and actually felt like we were working as a team for my girl. Hurrah.
So Abby's first official day is Friday. This day I will pack a snack in her new Barbie lunch box (that is not a metal one but I suppose I can survive) and put it in her not-new backpack and send her off into the world for 3 hours without me. I think I might start having an anxiety attack now.
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