Punctual Dog

I love routine.....and so does our youngest dog! Every morning she patiently waits until I tell her to "go get up the boy" and then she runs up the stairs to do her job. She knows it is her job to get "the boy" out of bed. I love watching this production. Nothing is better than listening to early morning giggles from a half sleeping boy. She takes her job very seriously. If her internal alarm feels like I may be late she lets me know. She keeps my mornings on track. I am blessed to live with such a punctual dog :)








Head over to Chatting at the Sky for more Tuesday's Unwrapped Gifts!

Menu Plan Monday

It's going to be a long week! I have the 9am to 6pm shift. Add a 40minute commute in there and you have one tired Mommy when she gets home. I worked 1/2 a shift yesterday to make a little extra money. I didn't get as much cooking done as I wanted for the week but I have a great start.

Breakfasts: Cereal, Yogurt, Toast, Oatmeal
Lunches: leftovers or salads

Sunday: Potato Tacos

Monday: Cavatini

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes and Oven Fries

Wednesday: Tilapia (potato crusted)

Thursday: Weenie Roast and Baked Beans

Friday: Homemade Pizza

Saturday: Breakfast (pancakes, sausage, eggs, smoothies)

Simple Enough

I have been on a quest this year to simplify my life. Out with the overfilled scheduled life and in with the simple appreciative life. One of the first places I have been trying to simplify my life has been at work. Now it is is hard to simplify work when I have no control over things like census, procedures and policies, but there are a few things I do have control over.

1. Work is work and home is home. I used to be one of those that would stay until the work is done. Guess what.....it's never really done. I could work 12 hour days and still have more to do. I get there on time and I leave on time. I rarely stay later then 30m over anymore. Guess what.......nobody cares. Well my family cares....they are happy I am home earlier.

2. The power of delegation. I am a team member not an individual worker. I ask for help and give out tasks. I don't have to do it all by myself.

3. Patience. Something I have to practice. It will get done and happen when it is supposed to. Once I delegate tasks I back off. I trusted them to make it happen now I need to let them make it happen. Practicing patience has decreased the stress in my life.

4. Gratitude towards others. Simply showing appreciation to others has opened a whole new group of people in which to ask for help from. People like to be appreciated. Letting them know how much their help has meant to you will likely get you more help in the future.

5. Organization. Taking the first 20m every morning at work to gather my tasks, supplies and thoughts is the cornerstone of my day. I stay in a quiet area until I am ready. If I get ready up in my work area I will be approached before I know what is going on. I feel more stress when I can't answer questions or produce results. So taking that time to get it together sets a calm tone to my day.

6. Commute. I unfortunately have a 40m commute into the city. I take the quickest route with the least amount of traffic. If there is construction I find a different route. I listen to music, books on cd, or my own thoughts. I am not a fan of commuting and what it does to the environment but it is my only option at this time. I am working on finding a job in my town so then maybe I could commute by bike in the future!

These are just some of the ways I have been working towards a less stressful and more simple life at work. We have been making changes at home also but now it is time for me to get ready for work. I'll chat at ya later.

Menu Plan Monday - Huge Grocery Shopping Day

Yay! I have the day off. We really need to hit the grocery stores. I am working on a list right now. It's going to be a big trip today. I almost talked myself out of going and instead playing hooky. But my more level headed hubby changed my mind. He believes she should eat for the next month......so grocery shopping it is.

BTW.....I was going to play hooky to go to a Free Day at the Museum of Science and Industy......but there will be other days.

Museum of Science and Industry

Field Museum


Ok...Enough talk about playing......on to domestic duties......

Monday: Turkey Meatloaf and Mashed Taters

Tuesday: Mexican Deep Dish Pizza

Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes, eggs, turkey sausage links)

Thursday: Shepard's Pie

Friday: Homemade Pizza (BBQ Chicken)

Saturday: Chili (it's going to be a rainy chilly kind of day)

Tender Hearted Boy

The tenderness that you have in your heart amazes me. For being a ruff and tumble kind of kid you are so gentle. Animals and babies hold a soft spot in your heart. Your sweet tender nature made me feel extra special today....you picked tulips out of the neighbors yard for me (sorry I didn't get a picture of them). The tulips were sweet enough but your reaction when they started to close and fall apart made my heart melt. There will be more tulips sweet boy. Love you.

Menu Plan Monday - From the Road

Menu Planning Monday - from the road. We had a long weekend trip to see the family in Missouri. A new nephew, 2 birthday boys, and some time with the cousins. We had an excellent time. Pictures to follow the menu posting.

Monday: On the road
Tuesday: Noodles Alfredo with veggies and ham
Wednesday: Burritos
Thursday: Lemon Garlic Tilapia
Friday: Homemade pizza
Saturday: Turkey and Dumplings (freezer meal)
Sunday: Hot Turkey Melts

Just a Member of the Herd

Those of you that know me know I have been feeling overwhelmed the last few years. I have had a hard time putting my finger on what has changed. I am a "mover, shaker and list maker" I thrive on chaos and crisis (just look at my job as a medical social worker). So what has been going on? At first I thought it was just getting older. Then I chalked it up to not living near my family support system. I could throw in motherhood and a full time job as a possible reason for the increasing "head barely above water" feelings. Maybe I have too many goals?

I think I am finally getting it. It being the realization that my happiness is not dependent on my success in life, job, or money. I am realizing that I have been defining my success by measuring myself and my family against other families successes. How did I get like this? I am a drivin person but I have always felt I was an individual and not a member of a "herd of sheep" living in this great country.

So I have been setting out on a personal journey this year to try to determine my goals in life for me and my family. I have been reading books and blogs researching things like, "living simply", "goal planning", "frugal living", "green living" and "faith" etc....

I thought I would share a few of the blogs that I like to lurk and take notes in order to change my life.

One of my favorites is Illuminated Mind and Body . Jonathan is one smart man. He really cuts to the chase. Asks you to question what your real goal/purpose in life is. Is it what you want or what you think you want compared to others. Are you part of the herd?

Another site that I enjoy is mnmlist: just the essentials. It’s a site by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits and it reminds us that we need to minimilize our lives. Live simply, lighter, on less. We are too overwhelmed with things, stuff, lists. I like lists......... a lot. I notice that my lits are getting much more simple or minimal. I'll share some of my list making later.

A final place that I enjoy visiting is Chatting At The Sky. It prompts me to slow it down. Enjoy the small stuff. Keep my faith. Find beauty in the everyday. Even if it is not contributing to anything on a list or obtaining a goal. Because just being in a moment is usually a better memory then a pair of new shoes.

So follow along as I try to come up with a personal manifesto for myself and my family. As we try to break out of the herd!

Fish

Cole and I found these little guys. He loves to feed them (just click near them). I think I may add them to my sidebar so I don't have to go looking for them when he asks.

Writer's Workshop

Lots of great prompts over at Mama Kat's Writers Workshop. I chose 2.) What book captured your heart? Write about why the first book you loved is the first book you loved.

I am a reader. Or I used to be......before career, marriage and motherhood. The full time career/commute has forced me into being a "listener" to audio books. I enjoy them but not as much as reading. A mean holding, smelling, dog earring, and hi lighting a book is one of my favorite parts of reading. Really digging into the content and journaling my thoughts and feelings brings me great joy. Remember the dreaded book reports? Well I love em.

Some of my first favorites were, To Kill A Mocking Bird, The Great Gatsby, Of Mice and Men, and The Grapes of Wrath. All required high school reading, but still enjoyed today. I think my joy also had to do with my teachers. They taught me "how" to read, I mean really read.

As I got older and was introduced to new writers and books, I came across many others that made me think, or allowed me to lose myself. I started looking for excitement in other families saga's. I adore Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre , Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn

My all time favorite book that I have read at least 13 times is The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. I am not all that sure why I am so drawn to this book. This book has it all, triumph, tragedy, forbidden love, dreams, hope and sacrifice. Every time I sit down to read it I find some new passage that gets hooked all over again. I think I may go and pick it up right now........it's been awhile :)

Monday Post on Thursday?

I can't believe I have been such a slacker about posting! Things have been kind of sickly here. I started last week with yet another sinus infection and throat infection. This will be either a continuation of the big one in January, or the 4th one since January! I ran to quick care at work. He thought the tonsils needed to come out! That would not be a good time at 33!

So I made an appointment with an ENT. He said I can keep my tonsils! He put me on antibiotics and steroids for a month to try to kick this nasty infection.

Easter was a blast. The bunny visited, I cooked, Steve worked on the kitchen floor, and we saw a movie. Here is my menu plan for the week. We have stuck to it really well. I am very proud of us! We will be eating leftovers or things made with leftovers all week......Hope you like turkey and ham :)

Easter Dinner - Ham, Turkey (good sales so I prepared both), scalloped potatoes, stuffing, lemon bars, italian pasta salad


Breakfast - cereals, toasts, eggs, oatmeal etc....
Lunch - Ham Salad Sandwhiches

Monday - Easter leftovers
Tuesday - BBQ Turkey Sloppy Joes
Wednesday - Turkey and Dumplings
Thursday - Homemade BBQ Turkey Pizza (last of the leftovers!)
Friday - My Mom's in Missouri
Saturday - My Mom's in Missouri

Since we have an 8 hour drive on Friday to my Mom's I am planning on packing lunches instead of eating out. Deli sandwiches, carrot sticks, yogurt and chips are on the menu.