After busting my butt all last week, I decided to take the weekend off from cleaning. I had a bunch of leftovers ready to go, we were going out one night anyway, and the house was more or less spotless.
Spotless no more.
I really had planned on getting back on track today, but D got hives head to toe in the morning. This produced a flurry of googling and facebooking, both equally useless and fruitless. Then just before I got dinner in the oven, N got the biggest splinter I've ever seen in her big toe. No kidding, the local health center wanted me to take her to the ER so they could numb it or sedate her. My father in law came over to try to help, but it wasn't budging. Since going to the ER at 6pm wasn't a very attractive prospect, I opted to pop in her doctor's office in the morning. After D went to bed (still hivey) I decided to take a crack at it. One needle and 20 minutes later, success! Nice.
N ate frozen fish sticks, D had boiled chicken, and I'm getting ready to eat freezer pizza. The house looks like a bomb went off and I could fall asleep right now. For the sake of my blog and my goals, let's pretend today never happened.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Weather back to crap
It was easy to feel the motivation on Thursday and Friday when the weather was unseasonably warm. (60-70 in the middle of February!) It's supposed to snow 2-4 inches overnight tomorrow. Poo. I want to start my garden now that I'm thinking about it! N and I did go buy some seeds this weekend, but I still have to wait another month to start the seeds inside. I guess I need to focus my energies elsewhere for now.
I suppose my current goal is to get the inside of my house in order so that when spring finally gets here, we can spend all of our time outside. One of the daily battles that I wage with my 3 year old (actually it's MANY times a day) is over the TV. She wants to watch it all day, and I want it OFF. We've gotten into a rut of watching a show or two after breakfast, one before her afternoon nap and then again after dinner. When I write it out like this, it's embarrassing to see how much TV she watches. At least there are no commercials since we watch on Netflix or DVD. Once I manage to get the TV off, she's perfectly happy playing with her Disney figurines or "baking" me something in her kitchen. I guess little ones can get into a rut the same as us and she's just used to doing it. It's gotten MUCH worse since winter started. The weather is crappy, I feel tied to the house with D so we can't go anywhere, when D's up she's an attention hog, and when she's sleeping N needs to keep it down.
Hmmm... goal #2? I need to find more crafty, fun and creative ways to keep N occupied and to keep the TV off. Part of that will be leading by example, since I recognize that I need to unplug myself, too. It not fair to tell N she can't watch TV when she sees me cruise by Facebook whenever I walk past the computer. The first step I took toward that was to stop playing those time hogging Facebook games. I would remember that I needed to harvest a crop or something stupid like that so I would log in just for a "minute" that inevitably turns into 30 while N is occupied. Then I think "damn, I just wasted time I could have been..." Aside from the games, I like to feel connected to friends and family that I rarely get to see. Living where we do is fabulous for the kids, but is a little remote for my liking. I love our 1.3 acres and I know that the schools are good around here, but it is at least an hour away from my family and closest friends. I need to remember that there are other ways to connect, and that not everyone is so far away. I was enjoying the nice weather and making a few phone calls on Thursday, just reconnecting with people I haven't spoken to in months, and it turns out my cousin works 20 minutes away from my house and would love to come to dinner some night when A is working late. I need to make myself take advantage of situations like this.
Anyway, this is turning into a ramble. Turn off the computer, clean the house, find something super awesome for N to do that is more attractive to her than TV. Seems like a tall order, we'll see what happens.
I suppose my current goal is to get the inside of my house in order so that when spring finally gets here, we can spend all of our time outside. One of the daily battles that I wage with my 3 year old (actually it's MANY times a day) is over the TV. She wants to watch it all day, and I want it OFF. We've gotten into a rut of watching a show or two after breakfast, one before her afternoon nap and then again after dinner. When I write it out like this, it's embarrassing to see how much TV she watches. At least there are no commercials since we watch on Netflix or DVD. Once I manage to get the TV off, she's perfectly happy playing with her Disney figurines or "baking" me something in her kitchen. I guess little ones can get into a rut the same as us and she's just used to doing it. It's gotten MUCH worse since winter started. The weather is crappy, I feel tied to the house with D so we can't go anywhere, when D's up she's an attention hog, and when she's sleeping N needs to keep it down.
Hmmm... goal #2? I need to find more crafty, fun and creative ways to keep N occupied and to keep the TV off. Part of that will be leading by example, since I recognize that I need to unplug myself, too. It not fair to tell N she can't watch TV when she sees me cruise by Facebook whenever I walk past the computer. The first step I took toward that was to stop playing those time hogging Facebook games. I would remember that I needed to harvest a crop or something stupid like that so I would log in just for a "minute" that inevitably turns into 30 while N is occupied. Then I think "damn, I just wasted time I could have been..." Aside from the games, I like to feel connected to friends and family that I rarely get to see. Living where we do is fabulous for the kids, but is a little remote for my liking. I love our 1.3 acres and I know that the schools are good around here, but it is at least an hour away from my family and closest friends. I need to remember that there are other ways to connect, and that not everyone is so far away. I was enjoying the nice weather and making a few phone calls on Thursday, just reconnecting with people I haven't spoken to in months, and it turns out my cousin works 20 minutes away from my house and would love to come to dinner some night when A is working late. I need to make myself take advantage of situations like this.
Anyway, this is turning into a ramble. Turn off the computer, clean the house, find something super awesome for N to do that is more attractive to her than TV. Seems like a tall order, we'll see what happens.
Beanbags for D's birthday. So they can be even more comfortable lounging in front of the TV.
Cinderelly, Cinderelly. Night and day, it's Cinderelly!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Why the blog?
I realized after I already published yesterday's blog that I didn't really cover WHY I was creating a blog for this. The main reason is for accountability. I feel that when I *think* I want to accomplish something, that there's a high mortality rate for my resolutions. When I put it out there, I'm much more likely to get it done. Case in point: last year I decided I wanted to lose weight. (Who doesn't?!) I've half-heartedly tried before, but never really got anywhere. This time I posted up on Facebook what my goals were and put up weekly updates on my progress. I managed to lose almost 40 pounds in three months, and I've kept it off for about 6 months. THAT is what I want to happen to my life. I want to make some sweeping changes, with my blog to keep me motivated, until it becomes a habit and the change is made for good. It doesn't matter if anyone reads it, because by posting, I've made the comittment. At least this way, my Facebook friends won't be subjected to it every day. If someone wants to cruise on over for a look-see, have at it. If not, don't.
Today started out pretty good. My internet was down in the morning as if it was a message from above saying "get off your butt!!" So I did. The girls and I took a walk, I did dishes and laundry and made lunch that wasn't pre-frozen. I will say that the internet is my main distraction in life. (And that I'm not oblivious to the irony of creating a blog where one of my main goals is to unplug.) We don't have cable and our antenna sucks, so I never watch TV. My other distraction is reading. While not as brainless as watching TV, it's still a time sucker when I could be doing something productive. Along those lines, I have started a new hobby that has taken the place of my mindless reading: crochet! I can do something that I don't have to think about when I need a break, but still be productive.
These little things are important, but there are larger goals on the horizon. My first big goal that is coming into play soon is starting a garden. N is happiest outside, and D will be much more steady on her feet by the spring. It seems like the ideal time to jump in. I plan on starting it inside, and then moving it all to our side yard when it gets warmer. I have to do some research to make sure I time it right, but I'll probably pick up seeds soon. I'm thinking tomatoes, squash, cucumbers... Maybe I should start reasonably and leave it at that. I'm NOT a gardener, so I have a feeling that this is going to be one of those "hard at first but becomes a habit" things. I know N will be all about it, so that should make it easier. I'll get stuff for it this weekend, I think.
See, I'm making commitments already!
Today started out pretty good. My internet was down in the morning as if it was a message from above saying "get off your butt!!" So I did. The girls and I took a walk, I did dishes and laundry and made lunch that wasn't pre-frozen. I will say that the internet is my main distraction in life. (And that I'm not oblivious to the irony of creating a blog where one of my main goals is to unplug.) We don't have cable and our antenna sucks, so I never watch TV. My other distraction is reading. While not as brainless as watching TV, it's still a time sucker when I could be doing something productive. Along those lines, I have started a new hobby that has taken the place of my mindless reading: crochet! I can do something that I don't have to think about when I need a break, but still be productive.
These little things are important, but there are larger goals on the horizon. My first big goal that is coming into play soon is starting a garden. N is happiest outside, and D will be much more steady on her feet by the spring. It seems like the ideal time to jump in. I plan on starting it inside, and then moving it all to our side yard when it gets warmer. I have to do some research to make sure I time it right, but I'll probably pick up seeds soon. I'm thinking tomatoes, squash, cucumbers... Maybe I should start reasonably and leave it at that. I'm NOT a gardener, so I have a feeling that this is going to be one of those "hard at first but becomes a habit" things. I know N will be all about it, so that should make it easier. I'll get stuff for it this weekend, I think.
See, I'm making commitments already!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Not sure where to start...
...with either my goal or my blog. I had all these great ideas in the shower - prosaic lines and all that - but when I'm actually sitting down to write, it's all gone. I guess I'll start with my reasons behind both.
As a bit of background, I'm a relatively new stay at home mom with a three year old (N) and a one year old (D). I quit my part time job when my youngest was 4 months old, and I've been home ever since. Home a lot. I was hoping that I would adjust to my new place in life with a little more grace, but there it is. I have a hard time not seeing my family and friends, and since D is still taking two naps a day, we don't get out much. I also cringe at meeting new people, which is ok I guess, since we live in a more rural area where I don't get the opportunity very often.
For the past few months, my youngest daughter D has had chronic diarrhea. It's not catastrophic or anything, just mysterious and annoying. We went to a Pedi GI specialist this week and one of her suspicions is a wheat protien intolerance. Being the sometimes proactive mother I am, I decided to go ahead and cut gluten out of her diet. This has forced me to be less lazy, which I hate, and a little more creative in the kitchen, which I am also not that fond of. As I'm sifting through the boxes of cereal, individually wrapped fruit and grain bars, and other bags of snacks that we have trying to find anything that she can eat, I step back a bit (physically and mentally) and realize that most of it is JUNK! This wasn't really an earth shaking revelation, I know that we buy way more convenience foods than we need. Now that a mysterious 'something' is affecting my daughter, I have the motivation I need to clean up my act. Making healthy food for D and junk for the rest of us would just be more work, so might as well do us all a favor and make my life a little easier. Because I'm all about that!
Speaking of making junk, out of desperation last week I made macaroni and cheese for my older daughter, N. She was feeling feisty and I was feeling frayed. After I made it, the neon orange goo of cheese(?) on pasty white little macaroni elbows was just too much. I vowed never to buy it again. Boxed macaroni and cheese has got to be the epitome of processed, pre-packaged crap. (But sometimes it really is yummy!) I need to clear my kitchen of freezer pizza, frozen chicken fingers, fish sticks and the like.
I've come to realize that since staying home, I've been drifting along day by day without a Purpose. I guess my purpose is to make it to bedtime with my sanity and temper intact. Which rarely happens. I spend my day glaring at the piles of laundry and toys, and willing the mess to go away. Not only are my kitchen cabinets full of junk, my house is full of junk. My house is full of junk because my head is full of junk. I need to sweep out my brain and find the clarity I need to focus on what is important.
I need to rid myself of the Mac & Cheeses of life - overprocessed junk food, clutter, needless distractions, and all the aimless wandering I do in a day. I need to be whatever the antithesis of Mac & Cheese is. Roasted asparagus? Homemade guacamole?
I'm not sure what exactly, but I think it's going to be good.
As a bit of background, I'm a relatively new stay at home mom with a three year old (N) and a one year old (D). I quit my part time job when my youngest was 4 months old, and I've been home ever since. Home a lot. I was hoping that I would adjust to my new place in life with a little more grace, but there it is. I have a hard time not seeing my family and friends, and since D is still taking two naps a day, we don't get out much. I also cringe at meeting new people, which is ok I guess, since we live in a more rural area where I don't get the opportunity very often.
For the past few months, my youngest daughter D has had chronic diarrhea. It's not catastrophic or anything, just mysterious and annoying. We went to a Pedi GI specialist this week and one of her suspicions is a wheat protien intolerance. Being the sometimes proactive mother I am, I decided to go ahead and cut gluten out of her diet. This has forced me to be less lazy, which I hate, and a little more creative in the kitchen, which I am also not that fond of. As I'm sifting through the boxes of cereal, individually wrapped fruit and grain bars, and other bags of snacks that we have trying to find anything that she can eat, I step back a bit (physically and mentally) and realize that most of it is JUNK! This wasn't really an earth shaking revelation, I know that we buy way more convenience foods than we need. Now that a mysterious 'something' is affecting my daughter, I have the motivation I need to clean up my act. Making healthy food for D and junk for the rest of us would just be more work, so might as well do us all a favor and make my life a little easier. Because I'm all about that!
Speaking of making junk, out of desperation last week I made macaroni and cheese for my older daughter, N. She was feeling feisty and I was feeling frayed. After I made it, the neon orange goo of cheese(?) on pasty white little macaroni elbows was just too much. I vowed never to buy it again. Boxed macaroni and cheese has got to be the epitome of processed, pre-packaged crap. (But sometimes it really is yummy!) I need to clear my kitchen of freezer pizza, frozen chicken fingers, fish sticks and the like.
I've come to realize that since staying home, I've been drifting along day by day without a Purpose. I guess my purpose is to make it to bedtime with my sanity and temper intact. Which rarely happens. I spend my day glaring at the piles of laundry and toys, and willing the mess to go away. Not only are my kitchen cabinets full of junk, my house is full of junk. My house is full of junk because my head is full of junk. I need to sweep out my brain and find the clarity I need to focus on what is important.
I need to rid myself of the Mac & Cheeses of life - overprocessed junk food, clutter, needless distractions, and all the aimless wandering I do in a day. I need to be whatever the antithesis of Mac & Cheese is. Roasted asparagus? Homemade guacamole?
I'm not sure what exactly, but I think it's going to be good.
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