(Possibly the worst post title ever?)
Something really weird happened this morning.
I woke up at 7:41, 19 minutes before my alarm was set to go off, and I didn't feel like I was going to die! (When usually I hit the snooze until it is 8:32.)
Not only did I feel actually refreshed and well-rested (what on EARTH?), I actually thought that I could manage to fit in a little bit of exercise before feeding the kids and getting Reed to school....
and even MORE weird? I did. I DID exercise. In the morning. Before everything else needed to happen.
It was nothing short of miraculous, and quite honestly, I can only see this as 1% the result of my recently increased efforts (trying to be better about keeping the house clean, organizing, going to bed at a normal hour, etc.) and 99% heaven smiling down on me.
It had to have been divine intervention, because this doesn't often happen to me.
But it was awesome, really awesome, and it made my day.
(For something that's ALSO awesome and might just make YOUR day, go see what The DI Denizen did with her kitchen!)
Showing posts with label Progress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Progress. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
self-pity update
Yes, I am doing loads better this morning. A couple of things are helping me:
I am using FlyLady. I'm not rigidly following it, but I'm using helpful tips and soon I will be on "her" schedule. This morning I took care of some things I had been procrastinating, and that eased my overwhelmed feeling quite a lot.
I talked to Phill last night, barely keeping it together, and he encouraged me to start exercising again.
Wouldn't you know, I just haven't exercised regularly since October 3rd. And I have the padding to show for it! Not to mention the feeling of incapability that follows me everywhere when my body is not healthy. I once had a midwife tell me that minor chemical imbalances (the kind that cause mild depression and mood swings and such) can sometimes be corrected by regular exercise. I do believe I fall into that category. I am a different person when I am exercising!
Another thing, also the most important thing, I have been neglecting is my spiritual health. Isn't it amazing (annoying) how everything else falls to pieces when this one area isn't in line?
So this morning, I am starting with those two things--exercise and scripture study--in the hopes that if I do those two things, everything else will fall into place! It's amazing what some husband-pep-talk and a night's rest can do. Today I'm making efforts and I am hopeful that I'll see the dividends!
I am using FlyLady. I'm not rigidly following it, but I'm using helpful tips and soon I will be on "her" schedule. This morning I took care of some things I had been procrastinating, and that eased my overwhelmed feeling quite a lot.
I talked to Phill last night, barely keeping it together, and he encouraged me to start exercising again.
Wouldn't you know, I just haven't exercised regularly since October 3rd. And I have the padding to show for it! Not to mention the feeling of incapability that follows me everywhere when my body is not healthy. I once had a midwife tell me that minor chemical imbalances (the kind that cause mild depression and mood swings and such) can sometimes be corrected by regular exercise. I do believe I fall into that category. I am a different person when I am exercising!
Another thing, also the most important thing, I have been neglecting is my spiritual health. Isn't it amazing (annoying) how everything else falls to pieces when this one area isn't in line?
So this morning, I am starting with those two things--exercise and scripture study--in the hopes that if I do those two things, everything else will fall into place! It's amazing what some husband-pep-talk and a night's rest can do. Today I'm making efforts and I am hopeful that I'll see the dividends!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Resolved
I am not so much of a resolutions-girl anymore.
For most of my years, though, I was quite the goal-oriented person, feeling a little thrill with every endeavor I put in writing. I made huge lists of changes to make, getting myself so excited and pumped. It was great--except for the fact that two days later, the wind was gone from my sails, and I was horribly discouraged at my inability to instantly change every area of my life that needed reform.
My issue--which is a common one--is that I am sometimes so well-intended that I bite off more than I can chew, and then of course end up choking on those big old chewy intentions. It is obvious to me (and most definitely to those of you who read LuLu) that I struggle with balance.
When I finally realized how ineffective was my new-year's-reformations current method, I started narrowing my focus. Picking only one or two things to improve. But even that was daunting, because I made them so specific.
An example of my process and how it changed:
My typical age 12, 1996 goal list--
Write in journal 3 pages every day.
Never fight with Abby.
Be mature.
Shower every day. (I don't even do that now. You think that's gross? Whatever. Every other day and some deodorant does me just fine.)
Age 17, 2001 goal list--
Write a novel (HA!)
Work out 6 days a week for 45 minutes each time (even while training for a marathon, this didn't happen.)
Lose 2 inches in my thighs (I will tell you that I secretly hoped this would happen in 2 weeks....oh, me and my thighs. We're still in counseling together. It's a rocky road.)
Get a job, save up enough money to get my own apartment (haaaHAAAAA.....)
And even as a mom, my more ambitious (and less realistic) lists--
Never lose my temper (actually, I still have hope that one day I will not have the habit of yelling. Anger may come and go, but the yelling thing....that's one that I have to be mindful of every day.)
Wake up early every day (I've already run this issue into the ground; I've concluded that it is something I'll have to work on off-and-on forever.)
Work out 6 days a week for 45 minutes each time (Hi, 17-year-old Rae! Where did YOU come from?!)
Lose 2 inches in my thighs (Shut up, 17-year-old Rae. Just shut up.)
Write for an hour each day (I still have that novel in mind--no joke)
Practice my cello 30 minutes each day (told you this was the more-ambitious less-realistic list)
Drink 2 liters of water every day
Have only one small sweet treat a day--or none at all
It all comes from a good place--that part of me that so badly wants to do as well as I can at the things that matter.
I know that there is nothing wrong with ambition, and nothing wrong with a desire for improvement. But when I try to do it all at once, I am simply going to shut down. It is too much. Too much for anyone to do at one time.
The new way I think about how I want to improve--new as in only maybe last year and this year--is that I am very broad about it. Some people like one word to remind them of their areas of focus. I like to consider what is good about what I'm already doing, and then decide what most needs attention.
Oddly enough, this year, one word does sum up all of my areas of focus.
Balance.
This is a word that reminds me of women with soothing voices on yoga DVD's, telling you to balance your energy or balance your chi or your breath or your mind or whatever--a word that has, I think, been thrown around loosely. But in its purest sense, this word is just right for me.
At my worst, I am all-or-nothing. I can't play my cello today because I might not be able to play it consistently for the next few years. I can't write only a page today because I might not keep writing tomorrow. I can't do the dishes because I need the whole house clean first. I can't clean the house until I work out, I can't work out until I eat breakfast, I can't eat breakfast until I drop Reed off and I can't drop Reed off until I wake up and if I don't wake up early then everything goes south and--you get the point. Tying myself in knots.
At my best, I am mindful that a little bit goes a long way. Each effort has merit. Each day leads into another, with more opportunities to finish what I didn't the day before. I remember that progress is gradual, and that I might not see the fruits of my labors until much later. But none of my hard work will be for nothing. We get out what we put in.
So in a gentle way, I am applying the word "balance" to my life. I might not get up early every day, but I will keep chipping away at it, and maybe 7:00 will become habitual. I may find my temper flaring at moments throughout the day, but maybe with practice, it will become second-nature to act with patience and a quiet voice in these heated moments. I may not publish a novel this year, or next year, or in the next decade or two or three....and I might not be a virtuoso cellist....or have photos published in some notable magazine or win a prestigious photography contest or book more shoots this year than last. But I can still do something creative each day, and enjoy the things that feed my soul.
Even if the end result might not be perfection, the effort is worthwhile. (What a balanced sentiment!)
For most of my years, though, I was quite the goal-oriented person, feeling a little thrill with every endeavor I put in writing. I made huge lists of changes to make, getting myself so excited and pumped. It was great--except for the fact that two days later, the wind was gone from my sails, and I was horribly discouraged at my inability to instantly change every area of my life that needed reform.
My issue--which is a common one--is that I am sometimes so well-intended that I bite off more than I can chew, and then of course end up choking on those big old chewy intentions. It is obvious to me (and most definitely to those of you who read LuLu) that I struggle with balance.
When I finally realized how ineffective was my new-year's-reformations current method, I started narrowing my focus. Picking only one or two things to improve. But even that was daunting, because I made them so specific.
An example of my process and how it changed:
My typical age 12, 1996 goal list--
Write in journal 3 pages every day.
Never fight with Abby.
Be mature.
Shower every day. (I don't even do that now. You think that's gross? Whatever. Every other day and some deodorant does me just fine.)
Age 17, 2001 goal list--
Write a novel (HA!)
Work out 6 days a week for 45 minutes each time (even while training for a marathon, this didn't happen.)
Lose 2 inches in my thighs (I will tell you that I secretly hoped this would happen in 2 weeks....oh, me and my thighs. We're still in counseling together. It's a rocky road.)
Get a job, save up enough money to get my own apartment (haaaHAAAAA.....)
And even as a mom, my more ambitious (and less realistic) lists--
Never lose my temper (actually, I still have hope that one day I will not have the habit of yelling. Anger may come and go, but the yelling thing....that's one that I have to be mindful of every day.)
Wake up early every day (I've already run this issue into the ground; I've concluded that it is something I'll have to work on off-and-on forever.)
Work out 6 days a week for 45 minutes each time (Hi, 17-year-old Rae! Where did YOU come from?!)
Lose 2 inches in my thighs (Shut up, 17-year-old Rae. Just shut up.)
Write for an hour each day (I still have that novel in mind--no joke)
Practice my cello 30 minutes each day (told you this was the more-ambitious less-realistic list)
Drink 2 liters of water every day
Have only one small sweet treat a day--or none at all
It all comes from a good place--that part of me that so badly wants to do as well as I can at the things that matter.
I know that there is nothing wrong with ambition, and nothing wrong with a desire for improvement. But when I try to do it all at once, I am simply going to shut down. It is too much. Too much for anyone to do at one time.
The new way I think about how I want to improve--new as in only maybe last year and this year--is that I am very broad about it. Some people like one word to remind them of their areas of focus. I like to consider what is good about what I'm already doing, and then decide what most needs attention.
Oddly enough, this year, one word does sum up all of my areas of focus.
Balance.
This is a word that reminds me of women with soothing voices on yoga DVD's, telling you to balance your energy or balance your chi or your breath or your mind or whatever--a word that has, I think, been thrown around loosely. But in its purest sense, this word is just right for me.
At my worst, I am all-or-nothing. I can't play my cello today because I might not be able to play it consistently for the next few years. I can't write only a page today because I might not keep writing tomorrow. I can't do the dishes because I need the whole house clean first. I can't clean the house until I work out, I can't work out until I eat breakfast, I can't eat breakfast until I drop Reed off and I can't drop Reed off until I wake up and if I don't wake up early then everything goes south and--you get the point. Tying myself in knots.
At my best, I am mindful that a little bit goes a long way. Each effort has merit. Each day leads into another, with more opportunities to finish what I didn't the day before. I remember that progress is gradual, and that I might not see the fruits of my labors until much later. But none of my hard work will be for nothing. We get out what we put in.
So in a gentle way, I am applying the word "balance" to my life. I might not get up early every day, but I will keep chipping away at it, and maybe 7:00 will become habitual. I may find my temper flaring at moments throughout the day, but maybe with practice, it will become second-nature to act with patience and a quiet voice in these heated moments. I may not publish a novel this year, or next year, or in the next decade or two or three....and I might not be a virtuoso cellist....or have photos published in some notable magazine or win a prestigious photography contest or book more shoots this year than last. But I can still do something creative each day, and enjoy the things that feed my soul.
Even if the end result might not be perfection, the effort is worthwhile. (What a balanced sentiment!)
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Next (drumroll, please)
I've relaxed on the couch since the marathon. I was pleased to find that after day three, I really wasn't sore anymore! Then I went for a run a week after, just a little 2-mile run, and let me tell you....it was ugly. I felt SO uncoordinated, SO stiff, SO slow, and just really out of it in general. And then I was very, very sore the next day. Like painful-sore. So I have rested some more, not all that unwillingly!
But I have decided I need another goal to keep me running/working out/not sitting on the couch all the time doing nothing but eating Halloween candy way before Halloween.
I found my next goal:
[from runningplanet.com]
I feel like I have a pretty good grip on the endurance thing. But speed endurance? Speed itself? Oh, no, speed is not my forte. So I'd like to get faster, and that is what I will be trying to do when I run a 5K in January. (Am I obnoxious yet? This running stuff/goal-setting stuff is addictive!) We did the 5K all the time in cross-country, and sadly, my very best time was something like 32 minutes. (3.2 miles....this is a ten-minute-mile pace) I'd be really happy, though, to get to that pace again, as I ran the marathon at an average pace of a 16-minute mile! Don't get me wrong--I'm proud of what I did. I just want to become a little faster now. And I am SO ready to have shorter training runs. No more 4-hour Saturday mornings for me.
Oh, and in case my glaring status on Facebook wasn't enough, do note that I posted on my photography blog today. It's here.
By the way: Have I mentioned how much I have loved all your sweet comments on my marathon post? You fill my heart to bursting....:)
But I have decided I need another goal to keep me running/working out/not sitting on the couch all the time doing nothing but eating Halloween candy way before Halloween.
I found my next goal:
Some runners have the mistaken belief that the 5K is an “easy” race because of its relatively short distance. If you have run a 5K at the best pace you can you know that statement is very far from the truth. Performing well at the 5K distance requires a mix of speed, speed endurance, strength, running economy and mental toughness that can only be obtained through a well structured training program.
[from runningplanet.com]
I feel like I have a pretty good grip on the endurance thing. But speed endurance? Speed itself? Oh, no, speed is not my forte. So I'd like to get faster, and that is what I will be trying to do when I run a 5K in January. (Am I obnoxious yet? This running stuff/goal-setting stuff is addictive!) We did the 5K all the time in cross-country, and sadly, my very best time was something like 32 minutes. (3.2 miles....this is a ten-minute-mile pace) I'd be really happy, though, to get to that pace again, as I ran the marathon at an average pace of a 16-minute mile! Don't get me wrong--I'm proud of what I did. I just want to become a little faster now. And I am SO ready to have shorter training runs. No more 4-hour Saturday mornings for me.
Oh, and in case my glaring status on Facebook wasn't enough, do note that I posted on my photography blog today. It's here.
By the way: Have I mentioned how much I have loved all your sweet comments on my marathon post? You fill my heart to bursting....:)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
I must be crazy?
I might throw up.
I just registered for the St. George Marathon. It was a planned move, trust me. Nevertheless, my stomach is in knots already, and I it isn't even until October.
Liz, I really REALLY hope you get to run it with me!
I just registered for the St. George Marathon. It was a planned move, trust me. Nevertheless, my stomach is in knots already, and I it isn't even until October.
Liz, I really REALLY hope you get to run it with me!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Growth
Last night we had something of a milestone reached in the form of Reed taking a shower.
That's right. He just stood there and laughed crazy-happy while the water poured down. And Jaxon decided it looked fun, and still thought it was fun when he got a turn!
What's happening? They're growing way too quickly! I HATED showers until I was 15. (That is to say--I took baths whenever I could and hated showers unless a bath was impossible.) Actually, sometimes I still hate showers. (Because I love baths that much.)
Anyway, tonight, I decided to put Savvy in the shower, too. She sat on her tiny hiney and quietly enjoyed the steam and the spatter of water nearby, but was furious when I stood her in the actual stream. (Go figure. She's only 19 months--the crazy-happy laughter will take some time, I suppose.)
It cut our bedtime routine in half. And made it easier. And the kids were cleaner.
They're just so.....growing.....fast. (sigh)
Speaking of growing. Phill leaves for the second half of BNCOC (Army training that Phill has to complete to have a chance of being promoted) starting tomorrow.
He'll be gone for six weeks.
I've been pondering ways that I can grow during this little while, as opposed to regressing and turning into a cranky hermit. (As I seem to do when he's gone.) I'm making myself a list of tips, because I become lazy and overwhelmed and forgetful when he's gone, instead of doing the things that I know will make his absence less difficult. (Mostly.)
Take the kids somewhere each day or at least every other day. The park. The post office. The library. The grocery store. On a walk. To a friend's. Anywhere! Just not at home all day every day, while they beg to "do something" or "go somewhere". This isn't good for any of us.
Ask for help when it's really necessary, but just buck up and do it when I can. *I have a hard time with this one. I am either too afraid to ask for help, even when it's really necessary, or I cease to function under the incorrect and uber-dependent assumption that I can't do anything without Phill.
Do something good for myself each day. This usually falls under reading my scriptures and working out, but I need to work in Girls Night In or Go Take Photos more often. I get so destructively detail-oriented ("Reed, please put your shoes in the drawer facing the other way," I've heard myself say....) when I don't take some good old down time, or even just the pre-requisite scriptures/workout/shower/makeup routine.
I did just come off of a little break in the form of going to Payson to be in the temple with my cousin, who received her endowment. So at the moment I'm not necessarily hungry for an escape. I'm tanked up and ready to go, so to speak. I'm just being mindful of the way things tend to go, which is why I'm making myself a list.
Feel free to add on your own advice!
That's right. He just stood there and laughed crazy-happy while the water poured down. And Jaxon decided it looked fun, and still thought it was fun when he got a turn!
What's happening? They're growing way too quickly! I HATED showers until I was 15. (That is to say--I took baths whenever I could and hated showers unless a bath was impossible.) Actually, sometimes I still hate showers. (Because I love baths that much.)
Anyway, tonight, I decided to put Savvy in the shower, too. She sat on her tiny hiney and quietly enjoyed the steam and the spatter of water nearby, but was furious when I stood her in the actual stream. (Go figure. She's only 19 months--the crazy-happy laughter will take some time, I suppose.)
It cut our bedtime routine in half. And made it easier. And the kids were cleaner.
They're just so.....growing.....fast. (sigh)
Speaking of growing. Phill leaves for the second half of BNCOC (Army training that Phill has to complete to have a chance of being promoted) starting tomorrow.
He'll be gone for six weeks.
I've been pondering ways that I can grow during this little while, as opposed to regressing and turning into a cranky hermit. (As I seem to do when he's gone.) I'm making myself a list of tips, because I become lazy and overwhelmed and forgetful when he's gone, instead of doing the things that I know will make his absence less difficult. (Mostly.)
Take the kids somewhere each day or at least every other day. The park. The post office. The library. The grocery store. On a walk. To a friend's. Anywhere! Just not at home all day every day, while they beg to "do something" or "go somewhere". This isn't good for any of us.
Ask for help when it's really necessary, but just buck up and do it when I can. *I have a hard time with this one. I am either too afraid to ask for help, even when it's really necessary, or I cease to function under the incorrect and uber-dependent assumption that I can't do anything without Phill.
Do something good for myself each day. This usually falls under reading my scriptures and working out, but I need to work in Girls Night In or Go Take Photos more often. I get so destructively detail-oriented ("Reed, please put your shoes in the drawer facing the other way," I've heard myself say....) when I don't take some good old down time, or even just the pre-requisite scriptures/workout/shower/makeup routine.
I did just come off of a little break in the form of going to Payson to be in the temple with my cousin, who received her endowment. So at the moment I'm not necessarily hungry for an escape. I'm tanked up and ready to go, so to speak. I'm just being mindful of the way things tend to go, which is why I'm making myself a list.
Feel free to add on your own advice!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Goal reached!!.....Motivation lost
Remember when I had that goal of working out regularly (4 days a week at least for 25 minutes at least) for three months straight? Remember how I was super pumped-up and how a while back I mentioned that I'd lost a little bit of extra poundage through the whole process?
I forgot to mention that I MET MY GOAL! I EXERCISED REGULARLY FOR THREE MONTHS!!!!
*confetti-throwing*
*raucous shouts of triumph*
*dancing with glee*
Anyway. Enough celebrating. The point of the three months was to make a habit. I did make a habit of working out. The waking-up-early part wasn't as easy to keep, especially given the three weeks that Phill was at BNCOC and the kids were in the bed with me (mysteriously) at 6:00 each morning....and I wasn't about to ruin that with a loud treadmill!
The point is: Even though I met my goal and even dropped about ten pounds in the process (surprise!), I didn't keep the early-waking habit so well, and I took a break after my three months was up.
Don't get me wrong. I felt that a break was deserved and even advisable. But due to some events out of my control (being up in Provo for a couple of weeks off and on) and some events I could have controlled (just getting out the stupid jump-rope or going to Gold's while I was in Provo), I, how should I say, fell off the wagon? I exercised a paltry four times in two weeks. And ate shamelessly, the way I believe one should eat during the holidays....so I'm paying for it. And I've adopted a late-night schedule that isn't helpful at all.
So if I have any resolutions at all this year, it would be to strengthen my resolve in the first place, revive my motivation, and return to my focus on those big matters: getting out of bed at a decent time, reading my scriptures, and knocking that stupid workout out of the way before I can procrastinate it all day!! I refuse to go further than this in my goal-making resolution-enthused headiness that is an integral part of January. I know myself. I know my love of list-making, my tendency to be a sucker for a grand idea. I know that in the past, my downfall was always too many areas of improvement with very specific goals in each. Needless to say, I soared for two days, then plummeted, depressed that I hadn't measured up.
So instead, I'm making an effort to return to what was working before everything was temporarily upside-down. It worked before! It'll work again! And if I can keep those important things at the top of my priorities, everything else falls into place....sparing me the drama of a 12-point list with 4 subtitles per point, The Grand Idea, the Everything Now mistake. Line upon line....a little here, a little there.
So....speaking of resolve? Remember the cheesecake I made? My very first one? You'll be happy to know that it was insanely delicious. Or sad to hear that, if you can envision me polishing off three (okay, four, that last one was HUGE) slices today. And yesterday. Today while I savored the last third-and-fourth piece, I was thinking how great it was that I was doing myself a favor and finishing all the cheesecake, because then I would stop eating it. (Yes, that warped reasoning worked. It always works with a mouthful of cheesecake.) I also decided that I wasn't going to shame myself....because that cheesecake was good, and I made it to eat it! So.....hah! (This is not working. Confessing to all of you and pretending I'm unaffected by it....I'm still quietly flabbergasted at myself! Just play along.)
I haven't been eating only junk, though, rest assured. I made these delicious rolls, and I have learned that I love to make and eat soup. After the broccoli cheese soup, I couldn't help myself. Last night was My Kitchen Cafe's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (fantastic), and tonight was a recipe from a pasta cookbook I got 50% off at Barnes & Noble. Oh, it was soooooo good!! Here's the recipe (almost verbatim):
White Bean Soup
from Pasta: 40 Wonderful Classic Pasta Recipes
Serves 4
Beans feature widely in Tuscan cuisine. This smooth, comforting soup, in which beans are simmered for 2 hours, is very simple to make. Garlic and parsley, stirred in just before serving, complement the flavor, and a drizzle of olive oil adds the final touch.
¾ C dried cannelini beans, soaked in cold water to cover overnight (I actually used canned already-soaked beans instead)
1 ½ quarts chicken or vegetable stock
4 oz dried coralline, conchigliette piccote, or other soup pasta (and I just used elbow macaroni; the picture looks like elbow noodles, but ribbed, and lightly curly….the name of which pasta I assume is one of those tongue-twisters listed)
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper
fresh crusty bread, to serve
-Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large, heavy-bottom pan. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat, and let simmer for 2 hours, or until tender. (OR just use canned cannelini beans and skip this step entirely.)
-Transfer about half the beans and a little of the stock to a food processor or blender and process to a smooth puree. Return the puree to the pan and stir well to mix. Return the soup to a boil.
-Add the pasta to the soup, return to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.
-Meanwhile, heat 4 Tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden. Stir the garlic into the soup and add the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into warmed soup bowls. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve immediately with crusty bread.
I forgot to mention that I MET MY GOAL! I EXERCISED REGULARLY FOR THREE MONTHS!!!!
*confetti-throwing*
*raucous shouts of triumph*
*dancing with glee*
Anyway. Enough celebrating. The point of the three months was to make a habit. I did make a habit of working out. The waking-up-early part wasn't as easy to keep, especially given the three weeks that Phill was at BNCOC and the kids were in the bed with me (mysteriously) at 6:00 each morning....and I wasn't about to ruin that with a loud treadmill!
The point is: Even though I met my goal and even dropped about ten pounds in the process (surprise!), I didn't keep the early-waking habit so well, and I took a break after my three months was up.
Don't get me wrong. I felt that a break was deserved and even advisable. But due to some events out of my control (being up in Provo for a couple of weeks off and on) and some events I could have controlled (just getting out the stupid jump-rope or going to Gold's while I was in Provo), I, how should I say, fell off the wagon? I exercised a paltry four times in two weeks. And ate shamelessly, the way I believe one should eat during the holidays....so I'm paying for it. And I've adopted a late-night schedule that isn't helpful at all.
So if I have any resolutions at all this year, it would be to strengthen my resolve in the first place, revive my motivation, and return to my focus on those big matters: getting out of bed at a decent time, reading my scriptures, and knocking that stupid workout out of the way before I can procrastinate it all day!! I refuse to go further than this in my goal-making resolution-enthused headiness that is an integral part of January. I know myself. I know my love of list-making, my tendency to be a sucker for a grand idea. I know that in the past, my downfall was always too many areas of improvement with very specific goals in each. Needless to say, I soared for two days, then plummeted, depressed that I hadn't measured up.
So instead, I'm making an effort to return to what was working before everything was temporarily upside-down. It worked before! It'll work again! And if I can keep those important things at the top of my priorities, everything else falls into place....sparing me the drama of a 12-point list with 4 subtitles per point, The Grand Idea, the Everything Now mistake. Line upon line....a little here, a little there.
So....speaking of resolve? Remember the cheesecake I made? My very first one? You'll be happy to know that it was insanely delicious. Or sad to hear that, if you can envision me polishing off three (okay, four, that last one was HUGE) slices today. And yesterday. Today while I savored the last third-and-fourth piece, I was thinking how great it was that I was doing myself a favor and finishing all the cheesecake, because then I would stop eating it. (Yes, that warped reasoning worked. It always works with a mouthful of cheesecake.) I also decided that I wasn't going to shame myself....because that cheesecake was good, and I made it to eat it! So.....hah! (This is not working. Confessing to all of you and pretending I'm unaffected by it....I'm still quietly flabbergasted at myself! Just play along.)
I haven't been eating only junk, though, rest assured. I made these delicious rolls, and I have learned that I love to make and eat soup. After the broccoli cheese soup, I couldn't help myself. Last night was My Kitchen Cafe's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (fantastic), and tonight was a recipe from a pasta cookbook I got 50% off at Barnes & Noble. Oh, it was soooooo good!! Here's the recipe (almost verbatim):
White Bean Soup
from Pasta: 40 Wonderful Classic Pasta Recipes
Serves 4
Beans feature widely in Tuscan cuisine. This smooth, comforting soup, in which beans are simmered for 2 hours, is very simple to make. Garlic and parsley, stirred in just before serving, complement the flavor, and a drizzle of olive oil adds the final touch.
¾ C dried cannelini beans, soaked in cold water to cover overnight (I actually used canned already-soaked beans instead)
1 ½ quarts chicken or vegetable stock
4 oz dried coralline, conchigliette piccote, or other soup pasta (and I just used elbow macaroni; the picture looks like elbow noodles, but ribbed, and lightly curly….the name of which pasta I assume is one of those tongue-twisters listed)
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper
fresh crusty bread, to serve
-Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large, heavy-bottom pan. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat, and let simmer for 2 hours, or until tender. (OR just use canned cannelini beans and skip this step entirely.)
-Transfer about half the beans and a little of the stock to a food processor or blender and process to a smooth puree. Return the puree to the pan and stir well to mix. Return the soup to a boil.
-Add the pasta to the soup, return to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.
-Meanwhile, heat 4 Tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden. Stir the garlic into the soup and add the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into warmed soup bowls. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve immediately with crusty bread.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Exercise Report Card
I keep thinking that it has been forever since I last posted, that my blog is threatening to become a barren wasteland--but today I realized it has only been 5 days since my last post. Silly me.
Pictures of Ava coming soon.
Today is a bit of a milestone for me! I have been working out consistently, according to the rules I set for myself, for one month! It's said that it takes 30 days to create a habit. Well, ladies (and gentlmen?), I think I've made a habit of it. I actually look forward to my early-morning wake-ups. (Yes, I typed that, not some mysterious morning bird ghost floating around in the computer.) I have found unexpected peace in those hours, when I read my scriptures (exercise my spirit) and run (exercise my body). I'm noticing all kinds of blessings--physical, spiritual, emotional--from doing this, and it's exciting to me that I am able to overcome (continually overcoming, really....) what was one of my greatest weaknesses. It makes me hopeful that I can overcome other weaknesses of mine. Lots of other weaknesses.....hard to pick just a couple to work on. I made a chart for myself at the beginning of this venture, because, well, I like charts. I like visual ways to track my progress. I like the little sense of self-satisfaction I get from coloring in each square. (I would probably love doing kindergarten all over again.) And my chart has all my reasons for exercising listed. The funny thing is, as I've been getting up early to get my workout done, I find that I don't care about my reasons--it's this: I'm up. I'm up this early just to work out. I can get this done and out of the way right now, before the kids are even up or at least before they are listing their first needs of the day. So here's a scanned picture of my chart. Note the way my routine becomes more consistent and regular on the 8th, the day I started waking up earlier. I'm so happy this "method" works so well for me! One hurdle cleared.....five million to go.....
p.s.-If you're tired of me blogging mostly about exercise, I apologize, but it has been huge for me. I promise I have more things about which to post, and I actually usually post this stuff on an exercise blog I have. But I couldn't help but share. I have shared so many times how hard it is for me to wake up early/in general, so why wouldn't I share when I've started to overcome that difficulty? I share in the hopes that it might help someone else feel like they, too, can overcome some of their own difficulties!
Pictures of Ava coming soon.
Today is a bit of a milestone for me! I have been working out consistently, according to the rules I set for myself, for one month! It's said that it takes 30 days to create a habit. Well, ladies (and gentlmen?), I think I've made a habit of it. I actually look forward to my early-morning wake-ups. (Yes, I typed that, not some mysterious morning bird ghost floating around in the computer.) I have found unexpected peace in those hours, when I read my scriptures (exercise my spirit) and run (exercise my body). I'm noticing all kinds of blessings--physical, spiritual, emotional--from doing this, and it's exciting to me that I am able to overcome (continually overcoming, really....) what was one of my greatest weaknesses. It makes me hopeful that I can overcome other weaknesses of mine. Lots of other weaknesses.....hard to pick just a couple to work on. I made a chart for myself at the beginning of this venture, because, well, I like charts. I like visual ways to track my progress. I like the little sense of self-satisfaction I get from coloring in each square. (I would probably love doing kindergarten all over again.) And my chart has all my reasons for exercising listed. The funny thing is, as I've been getting up early to get my workout done, I find that I don't care about my reasons--it's this: I'm up. I'm up this early just to work out. I can get this done and out of the way right now, before the kids are even up or at least before they are listing their first needs of the day. So here's a scanned picture of my chart. Note the way my routine becomes more consistent and regular on the 8th, the day I started waking up earlier. I'm so happy this "method" works so well for me! One hurdle cleared.....five million to go.....
p.s.-If you're tired of me blogging mostly about exercise, I apologize, but it has been huge for me. I promise I have more things about which to post, and I actually usually post this stuff on an exercise blog I have. But I couldn't help but share. I have shared so many times how hard it is for me to wake up early/in general, so why wouldn't I share when I've started to overcome that difficulty? I share in the hopes that it might help someone else feel like they, too, can overcome some of their own difficulties!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Me?! I did THAT?!
Like everyone else, there are times when I am all too aware of my faults, my character flaws, my great shortcomings. When those times bowl me over and I feel like I'm a lost cause, I pray. I pour my heart out. And then while I do what I can, I wait for counsel, and when counsel comes.....I listen.
This isn't always easy. In fact, it's usually very, very difficult, and most often very uncomfortable to do what is asked of me.
One of my great weaknesses (as I've mentioned before) is getting up in a timely fashion. When I wake up earlier than I want to (I wake up earlier than I want to all the time, really, but I'm talking about really REALLY earlier), I'm blazingly aware of the weakness of my physical body, and disheartened by the fact that I just don't pop out of bed with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Like I've said before, my emotions at these times seem to be magnified, and so sometimes I cry or almost throw up. (I feel like such a baby even admitting that!) Then once I've been up and moving for, oh, usually an hour, I start to feel like it's possible to be happy again.
So.....lately I have been praying for help to be more productive, more healthy, more spiritually sound, more.....more the person I'm striving to be. I have prayed about this for a while. Fasted about it, too.
Well, a few days ago, I was crying on the phone with Phill, who was patiently comforting me and hearing me out (I can't say enough what a good man he is), and my answer came through him. I was saying specifically how I just didn't feel that my workout efforts were making any difference. (This was after only ten days with my regular workout plan, but I was uber-hormonal and sick, which made things seem so much worse.) He said, "Sweetie, I know you're going to hate this suggestion, but I think we're just going to have to buck up and do it." Then he suggested (softly and patiently) that we wake up early together, so that after he runs, I could go running in the morning even before the kids are up, get showered, dressed, and make-up'd, and read my scriptures either right before they woke up or as they woke up. I realized (with a sinking heart and nervous stomach) that he was absolutely right, that this was really the best way to not only get my workout done and out of the way for the day, but also to help me be better organized, better energized, and more cheerful throughout the day! (Which translates to: Happier person > happier wife > happier mom > happier family)
We started this morning. When Phill came in, sweaty from his run (after which he vomited, ladies and gentlemen) and gently, smilingly, woke me up, I was inwardly angry and hardly said a word. I put my workout clothes on, picking them up from where I'd set them out right next to the bed, peering at the clock with dry aching eyes and trying not to cry. (Yes. Really.) Then I came out of the room and felt sicker when I realized it was still dark outside. I don't know why, but it is 100 times harder to get up when it's dark outside.* The world just seems so sad and sleeping and-and-and-shouldn't I still be sleeping if the world is still sleeping? Stalling for time, I went on the computer to find out what time the sun would rise in Saint George on Monday September 8th. No luck. It was 6:20, and the sun wouldn't rise until 7:15. I stared angrily at the screen for four minutes until Phill said kindly, "Honey, you'll be fine. There are lots of other joggers out there and it'll lighten up." I said, "I know!" in a croaky about-to-die-or-cry voice, and then quelled the very furious face I was shocked to find myself making, and walked out the door.
The first ten minutes of my run I went too fast and was still mad. But I kept going, and eventually started to feel a little less like pushing the other joggers off the trail. Still not excited, still not euphoric, still not feeling the pride in myself for doing something I didn't want--but needed--to do. The sky did begin to lighten around 6:45, and that made me feel a little less murderous. By the time I got home, I was not quite cheerful, but certainly not the bear I had been 45 minutes previously. I was showered and dressed when Reed woke up, and put my make-up on while Phill got ready. When I came out to read my scriptures, Reed wrapped me in his big 5-year-old hug. (And as cold-hearted as I can feel in the morning, boy, did that warm me up.) Reed woke up at 7:30. Jax woke up at 8:30. And Savvy woke up at 9:30. Tender mercies, I'm telling you. I made a YUMMY breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast for all of us and I was finally feeling like being nice was second-nature around 9:00. I hope that over the next few days my coming out of the morning fog will happen faster as I adjust to this.
Now, 9 hours after the fact, I'm proud of myself, and I'm happy that I was able to do what I know I need to do. I'm sleepy, but I took a 30-minute cat nap. I'm sore, but I'm enjoying how strong I feel. I'm sad that I will probably not be able to stay up very late to read my book (Harry Potter series for the 3rd time), but I now have more hours in the morning to do that. And Phill's doing this too, helping me, cheering me on with his wonderfully impossibly boundless kindness in my dark mornings.
*I think that another good thing about this is that I'm going to learn to associate my early mornings with something happy. One thing that makes dark early mornings make me feel sick is that at least two of the more nerve-wracking and depressing memories I have took place in early dark mornings:
--Getting up for my very first day of high school (having just moved to Belgium, too) and going to my very first day of early-morning seminary. Although my mom was my teacher (so wonderful), I couldn't still the horrible feeling in my stomach until I was well into my second-period class and the sun had been shining for a while.
--Getting up early to take Phill to the airport to say goodbye when he was deployed. (Dark early morning both times.)
So I'm hoping that as I create better dark early-morning memories--peaceful ones, healthy ones--that this will somehow become easier for me. And if not easier, then at least routine and habitual. I trust that I'll start to see the blessings of doing this.
This isn't always easy. In fact, it's usually very, very difficult, and most often very uncomfortable to do what is asked of me.
One of my great weaknesses (as I've mentioned before) is getting up in a timely fashion. When I wake up earlier than I want to (I wake up earlier than I want to all the time, really, but I'm talking about really REALLY earlier), I'm blazingly aware of the weakness of my physical body, and disheartened by the fact that I just don't pop out of bed with a smile on my face and a spring in my step. Like I've said before, my emotions at these times seem to be magnified, and so sometimes I cry or almost throw up. (I feel like such a baby even admitting that!) Then once I've been up and moving for, oh, usually an hour, I start to feel like it's possible to be happy again.
So.....lately I have been praying for help to be more productive, more healthy, more spiritually sound, more.....more the person I'm striving to be. I have prayed about this for a while. Fasted about it, too.
Well, a few days ago, I was crying on the phone with Phill, who was patiently comforting me and hearing me out (I can't say enough what a good man he is), and my answer came through him. I was saying specifically how I just didn't feel that my workout efforts were making any difference. (This was after only ten days with my regular workout plan, but I was uber-hormonal and sick, which made things seem so much worse.) He said, "Sweetie, I know you're going to hate this suggestion, but I think we're just going to have to buck up and do it." Then he suggested (softly and patiently) that we wake up early together, so that after he runs, I could go running in the morning even before the kids are up, get showered, dressed, and make-up'd, and read my scriptures either right before they woke up or as they woke up. I realized (with a sinking heart and nervous stomach) that he was absolutely right, that this was really the best way to not only get my workout done and out of the way for the day, but also to help me be better organized, better energized, and more cheerful throughout the day! (Which translates to: Happier person > happier wife > happier mom > happier family)
We started this morning. When Phill came in, sweaty from his run (after which he vomited, ladies and gentlemen) and gently, smilingly, woke me up, I was inwardly angry and hardly said a word. I put my workout clothes on, picking them up from where I'd set them out right next to the bed, peering at the clock with dry aching eyes and trying not to cry. (Yes. Really.) Then I came out of the room and felt sicker when I realized it was still dark outside. I don't know why, but it is 100 times harder to get up when it's dark outside.* The world just seems so sad and sleeping and-and-and-shouldn't I still be sleeping if the world is still sleeping? Stalling for time, I went on the computer to find out what time the sun would rise in Saint George on Monday September 8th. No luck. It was 6:20, and the sun wouldn't rise until 7:15. I stared angrily at the screen for four minutes until Phill said kindly, "Honey, you'll be fine. There are lots of other joggers out there and it'll lighten up." I said, "I know!" in a croaky about-to-die-or-cry voice, and then quelled the very furious face I was shocked to find myself making, and walked out the door.
The first ten minutes of my run I went too fast and was still mad. But I kept going, and eventually started to feel a little less like pushing the other joggers off the trail. Still not excited, still not euphoric, still not feeling the pride in myself for doing something I didn't want--but needed--to do. The sky did begin to lighten around 6:45, and that made me feel a little less murderous. By the time I got home, I was not quite cheerful, but certainly not the bear I had been 45 minutes previously. I was showered and dressed when Reed woke up, and put my make-up on while Phill got ready. When I came out to read my scriptures, Reed wrapped me in his big 5-year-old hug. (And as cold-hearted as I can feel in the morning, boy, did that warm me up.) Reed woke up at 7:30. Jax woke up at 8:30. And Savvy woke up at 9:30. Tender mercies, I'm telling you. I made a YUMMY breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast for all of us and I was finally feeling like being nice was second-nature around 9:00. I hope that over the next few days my coming out of the morning fog will happen faster as I adjust to this.
Now, 9 hours after the fact, I'm proud of myself, and I'm happy that I was able to do what I know I need to do. I'm sleepy, but I took a 30-minute cat nap. I'm sore, but I'm enjoying how strong I feel. I'm sad that I will probably not be able to stay up very late to read my book (Harry Potter series for the 3rd time), but I now have more hours in the morning to do that. And Phill's doing this too, helping me, cheering me on with his wonderfully impossibly boundless kindness in my dark mornings.
*I think that another good thing about this is that I'm going to learn to associate my early mornings with something happy. One thing that makes dark early mornings make me feel sick is that at least two of the more nerve-wracking and depressing memories I have took place in early dark mornings:
--Getting up for my very first day of high school (having just moved to Belgium, too) and going to my very first day of early-morning seminary. Although my mom was my teacher (so wonderful), I couldn't still the horrible feeling in my stomach until I was well into my second-period class and the sun had been shining for a while.
--Getting up early to take Phill to the airport to say goodbye when he was deployed. (Dark early morning both times.)
So I'm hoping that as I create better dark early-morning memories--peaceful ones, healthy ones--that this will somehow become easier for me. And if not easier, then at least routine and habitual. I trust that I'll start to see the blessings of doing this.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The end/beginning of an era
Today I went to pick up Reed from preschool. Since today is their last day of preschool, they were allowed to play outside for almost the entire day. He was on the swing, going extremely high and pumping his legs. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were bright, and I stood there trying not to cry. At the beginning of the year, he was afraid to swing. I would push him ever so slightly and he would scream. He didn't know how to pump his legs and do it himself yet. And now, at the end of his preschool year, he is perfectly proficient at this wonderful art. He has overcome a fear and replaced it with progress and bravery. So I waited for a while, just trying to memorize the way he looked, perfectly happy in his hilarious pajama ensemble, blazingly proud of his ability to swing high with bravery and ease.
And all I can think is this: now that the ball has been pushed, it will keep rolling. Next year is kindergarten. Then first grade, and so on and on until he is eighteen and leaving home to go to college and go on a mission and get married and/or whatever else his brave heart will lead him to do. Although I'm more than happy for the progress of my children, all I wanted to do while watching him go higher and higher was stand there and keep watching. Stand there, keep watching, keep smiling at him smiling at me, and never have to say, "Okay! Time to go home." But eventually we did have to go home, and I walked him to the car while he pointed out all the interesting things he sees outside. "Look, Mom! A bird! It's singing!" When he looked at me in concern because my reply was muffled and heavy, I said, "I just have a little frog in my throat." And then I cried and smiled quietly all the five minutes home.
Oh, Reed. You are brave and smart and funny and kind! I'm so proud of you, so proud to call you mine, so honored to have the responsibility of being your mother.
And all I can think is this: now that the ball has been pushed, it will keep rolling. Next year is kindergarten. Then first grade, and so on and on until he is eighteen and leaving home to go to college and go on a mission and get married and/or whatever else his brave heart will lead him to do. Although I'm more than happy for the progress of my children, all I wanted to do while watching him go higher and higher was stand there and keep watching. Stand there, keep watching, keep smiling at him smiling at me, and never have to say, "Okay! Time to go home." But eventually we did have to go home, and I walked him to the car while he pointed out all the interesting things he sees outside. "Look, Mom! A bird! It's singing!" When he looked at me in concern because my reply was muffled and heavy, I said, "I just have a little frog in my throat." And then I cried and smiled quietly all the five minutes home.
Oh, Reed. You are brave and smart and funny and kind! I'm so proud of you, so proud to call you mine, so honored to have the responsibility of being your mother.
Phill got these socks at the Bodies exhibit in Las Vegas. Reed took a liking to them and hasn't taken them off for longer than a night. He calls them "the bone socks". I think Phill has worn them a total of ten minutes. 
This is what Reed wore to school today. You can't see his pants because he's sitting down and his pants are tucked into the bone socks. His shirt says "Got Brett?" which is a reference to Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. Obviously Phill doesn't really fit into that shirt anymore--it was my Christmas present to him--because it shrunk so much with the first wash. So it has become some of Reed's favorite pajamas.
Reed and his sweet teachers, Jocelyn Arave and Beth Snoddy. My camera-savvy photo-accustomed child was struck with sudden shyness the moment I asked him to stand with his teachers for a photo.
This is what Reed wore to school today. You can't see his pants because he's sitting down and his pants are tucked into the bone socks. His shirt says "Got Brett?" which is a reference to Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. Obviously Phill doesn't really fit into that shirt anymore--it was my Christmas present to him--because it shrunk so much with the first wash. So it has become some of Reed's favorite pajamas.
Reed and his sweet teachers, Jocelyn Arave and Beth Snoddy. My camera-savvy photo-accustomed child was struck with sudden shyness the moment I asked him to stand with his teachers for a photo.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Whaddya know?
I'm making my way through the laundry. I actually do have pictures of my house all clean from another time, but not the master bedroom. Maybe I'll post those. I'm done pressuring myself about getting the home clean in one fell swoop. It'll happen. Some time. I'm chipping away at it, little by little.
In the meantime, I've discovered that there are two things I'm actually okay at--and these are two things I thought I should just stop attempting! First: I thought I had the Black Thumb of Death. Turns out, I can grow plants in tiny pots on my windowsill. So we'll say that maybe I have a pale green thumb. :) Second: I thought I was horrible at crafts. But now I think that I do fine if the craft is something I'm excited about. Read further for evidence:
Remember Reed's ill-fated clementine seed? Well, my mom sent some parsley seeds after reading that post. So I went and got a couple of other pots, as well as mint seeds and lavender seeds. We planted them in the small pots and put them in the windowsill, and every day, Reed and I water them and talk sweetly to them. (Reed: "You can do it, Parsley! Don't be shy! Come out to see your friends!") The parsley has four sprouts, the mint has nothing, and the lavender is like a little field in the pot. I think it may be Reed's soft touch that's making these plants grow! It makes it easier for me to endure the winter when I have a tiny bit of un-frozen green in my windowsill.
When I saw what Marie did to attractively store her earrings, I thought it was really creative and cute, and wished that I had more dangly-ish earrings to store that way. I left it at that. But that was before the boys discovered the incredible fun of my jewelry box on the dresser. And before Carlisle decided that a necklace would make a very good cat toy. Eventually, after picking up beads from the carpet two many times, and worrying that Savvy would eat them, I decided I needed some way to store my necklaces up and away from the boys. I googled something like "necklace storage", and was not really impressed by what I saw. So, along the lines of what Marie made, I started to think about how I could do something myself. Here's what I came up with:
If you were to use a frame you have around the house, this project is $4. I bought my frame because I liked having one that matches our bedroom furniture so well. My cut edge looks a little rough on the right, doesn't it? Oh, well! It looks great hanging up!! Anyway, I bought a placemat that was on clearance, cut it to fit right inside the 11x14 frame, sewed the buttons on and glued the whole thing to the inside of the frame--to the glass. I think the only thing I would change (and only if I were to do the whole thing over) would be to use bigger buttons. (The necklaces hang around the buttons, and some necklaces are thicker and would do better with more edge.) I bought the buttons for 88 cents (for a pack of 200), and the placemat was $3.00. I'm sure any fabric would work, although I liked that the placemat was thick. (That makes it fit in the frame more snugly). I imagine if you were to use regular fabric, you might want to glue it to foam board or cardboard after you'd sewn on the buttons. Oh, and I chose buttons because I thought they'd be more aesthetically pleasing than hooks, and I didn't know how well the hooks would stay in, if I had used cardboard or foam. So....ta-da! :)
In the meantime, I've discovered that there are two things I'm actually okay at--and these are two things I thought I should just stop attempting! First: I thought I had the Black Thumb of Death. Turns out, I can grow plants in tiny pots on my windowsill. So we'll say that maybe I have a pale green thumb. :) Second: I thought I was horrible at crafts. But now I think that I do fine if the craft is something I'm excited about. Read further for evidence:
Remember Reed's ill-fated clementine seed? Well, my mom sent some parsley seeds after reading that post. So I went and got a couple of other pots, as well as mint seeds and lavender seeds. We planted them in the small pots and put them in the windowsill, and every day, Reed and I water them and talk sweetly to them. (Reed: "You can do it, Parsley! Don't be shy! Come out to see your friends!") The parsley has four sprouts, the mint has nothing, and the lavender is like a little field in the pot. I think it may be Reed's soft touch that's making these plants grow! It makes it easier for me to endure the winter when I have a tiny bit of un-frozen green in my windowsill.
When I saw what Marie did to attractively store her earrings, I thought it was really creative and cute, and wished that I had more dangly-ish earrings to store that way. I left it at that. But that was before the boys discovered the incredible fun of my jewelry box on the dresser. And before Carlisle decided that a necklace would make a very good cat toy. Eventually, after picking up beads from the carpet two many times, and worrying that Savvy would eat them, I decided I needed some way to store my necklaces up and away from the boys. I googled something like "necklace storage", and was not really impressed by what I saw. So, along the lines of what Marie made, I started to think about how I could do something myself. Here's what I came up with:
If you were to use a frame you have around the house, this project is $4. I bought my frame because I liked having one that matches our bedroom furniture so well. My cut edge looks a little rough on the right, doesn't it? Oh, well! It looks great hanging up!! Anyway, I bought a placemat that was on clearance, cut it to fit right inside the 11x14 frame, sewed the buttons on and glued the whole thing to the inside of the frame--to the glass. I think the only thing I would change (and only if I were to do the whole thing over) would be to use bigger buttons. (The necklaces hang around the buttons, and some necklaces are thicker and would do better with more edge.) I bought the buttons for 88 cents (for a pack of 200), and the placemat was $3.00. I'm sure any fabric would work, although I liked that the placemat was thick. (That makes it fit in the frame more snugly). I imagine if you were to use regular fabric, you might want to glue it to foam board or cardboard after you'd sewn on the buttons. Oh, and I chose buttons because I thought they'd be more aesthetically pleasing than hooks, and I didn't know how well the hooks would stay in, if I had used cardboard or foam. So....ta-da! :)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Update: Mess and more mess
Well, the spring cleaning started off with a bang....and then 5.5 hours later, with a tired back, three cleaned out closets and half a trash can of broken toys from the boys' room, I decided to rest for the day. I still have the master closet to finish, which is where Phill found me buried yesterday. (Truthfully, I wasn't buried...but when he did find me, he said cheerily, "You found the floor!") As far as cleanliness itself, the house is pretty awful right now. And I'm not exaggerating. To prove my point, I'm going to post a picture of what it looks like at this moment. And then at the end of the day, I will post some more. Warning: These are very real pictures. This is my real house, the one you don't see when I have a day's warning before you come over. And this is the thing that happens when so many things don't have a designated place....which is why I'm in deep organizational mode right now. Somehow, this mess you're about to see only takes about ten minutes to create when you have three sets of little hands more than willing to "help"....onward I move into cleaner territories. Meanwhile, here's the current wilderness:
Sorry the pictures are dark. I think subconsciously my right finger refused to move the dial to the left and allow for more light. Why make it easier to see my mess? :)
Sorry the pictures are dark. I think subconsciously my right finger refused to move the dial to the left and allow for more light. Why make it easier to see my mess? :)
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Spring cleaning (in 30-degree weather)
I've been struck today by an awesome thing--the mood to spring-clean. Out will go everything that isn't needed, whole, or easy enough to put in our amount of space, and by the end of the day, we will have a more organized, clean, and peaceful space. Maybe I should do before-and-after photos. I love throwing things away. This is going to be a fun day. :)
Friday, February 15, 2008
Waking up, pretend guitars, holes in the knees and bags on sale
So the waking-up-at-7:30 thing is actually going pretty well! The first two days I did it quite well, but yesterday, Phill didn't go in to work (because of the short-and-not-too-sweet snow storm), so I slept 'til 9:00. And this morning, I had a really hard time dragging myself out of bed, even though I did wake up at 7:30 and stay awake! (I couldn't put down Gone With the Wind last night....) So it's going really well, for the most part. I'm proud of myself, because this is really difficult for me! Thanks for all the supportive comments.
We bought Rock Band. I'll have to post pictures later. Reed is crazy about it, and it reinforces his recent desire to have a "homawk". We'll probably give him a homemade one today. He can't exactly play for real yet, so we just let him pretend, and it did come with a few other games, one of which he loves and can play pretty well. Phill and I are like little kids and play Rock Band once the kids are in bed each night. I'm pretty good at drums and miserable at guitar, and Phill's great at guitar and close-to-hopeless at drums. :)
On another note, just because I'm rambling...Reed PLOWS through the knees of his pants in no time at all! I got him some pants in December that were nice quality (I thought?) and they already have holes in the knees. And it doesn't help that he is quite tall but also quite skinny--I have to find pants that are Slim or have adjustable waistbands. Anyway, it's just a pain. I don't mind patching his pants, but it would be nice if he had a pair that didn't look so worn, you know?
Who knew jeans shopping for a five-year-old could be as exasperating as it is for me?
Lastly: I was lucky to hit the Down East Outfitters outlet here and find several things for five dollars and under. Yay for sales! :) I found a bag (pics later) that's J. Crew, which was originally $60.00 (Are you KIDDING me?!), marked down at this outlet for $14.99 (better, but still more than I like...), then with an orange label saying $11.49 (Nice, but no cigar for frugal-but-mostly-stubbornly-cheap me), and then because it was an orange label, it was 50% off of THAT price--$5.74 (Aaahhh...there's the price I was looking for!!). So I got a bag for less than a tenth of its original price. Thank you for the applause. :)
We bought Rock Band. I'll have to post pictures later. Reed is crazy about it, and it reinforces his recent desire to have a "homawk". We'll probably give him a homemade one today. He can't exactly play for real yet, so we just let him pretend, and it did come with a few other games, one of which he loves and can play pretty well. Phill and I are like little kids and play Rock Band once the kids are in bed each night. I'm pretty good at drums and miserable at guitar, and Phill's great at guitar and close-to-hopeless at drums. :)
On another note, just because I'm rambling...Reed PLOWS through the knees of his pants in no time at all! I got him some pants in December that were nice quality (I thought?) and they already have holes in the knees. And it doesn't help that he is quite tall but also quite skinny--I have to find pants that are Slim or have adjustable waistbands. Anyway, it's just a pain. I don't mind patching his pants, but it would be nice if he had a pair that didn't look so worn, you know?
Who knew jeans shopping for a five-year-old could be as exasperating as it is for me?
Lastly: I was lucky to hit the Down East Outfitters outlet here and find several things for five dollars and under. Yay for sales! :) I found a bag (pics later) that's J. Crew, which was originally $60.00 (Are you KIDDING me?!), marked down at this outlet for $14.99 (better, but still more than I like...), then with an orange label saying $11.49 (Nice, but no cigar for frugal-but-mostly-stubbornly-cheap me), and then because it was an orange label, it was 50% off of THAT price--$5.74 (Aaahhh...there's the price I was looking for!!). So I got a bag for less than a tenth of its original price. Thank you for the applause. :)
Monday, February 11, 2008
I'm committing....
I've had it with my laziness! I am going to get out of bed at 7:30 Monday through Friday. And I'm posting it here because I think it makes me feel a little more accountable, a little more committed.
There. I said it. Now I really have to do it. And now, somehow, I want to go take a nap in preparation for tomorrow morning.
I can do this! This will be good for me!
Gulp....what have I done?
:)
There. I said it. Now I really have to do it. And now, somehow, I want to go take a nap in preparation for tomorrow morning.
I can do this! This will be good for me!
Gulp....what have I done?
:)
Friday, August 31, 2007
Changes
This week could be called The Week of Adjustment. Monday found me starting the second week of my going-to-the-gym routine, and Reed had his first day of preschool (Note his oh-so-proud smile). When we got to his school, he hung up his coat, put his backpack in his cubby, and said, "Bye, Mom!" in a cheery voice. I hadn't expected it to be so easy for him! So, with a bit of a lump in my throat, I asked, "But....can I have a kiss?" He said (just as cheerfully) "Sure!" planted a big one on me, and then walked into the class without a backward glance. Wednesday was the only day he had any apparent nerves. He said, "Mom, I don't want to stay here today." And I explained that this was something we'd be doing for a long time yet, four days a week. I offered to stay a couple more minutes, and before five minutes were out, he forgot all about his nerves.
I'm somewhat at a loss as for what to do with this 3 hours and 45 minutes of less demanding time. The first day, I just wandered around the house while Jaxon and Savanna slept, doing completely pointless things like straightening pillows and re-arranging papers that were already in a neat stack. And now that I've finished the seventh in the Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling is a genius!), I no longer have that as an excuse for passing the time. I suppose I could clean. Or organize. Or sleep. But I find that I'm paralyzed, not wanting to move off the couch until I'm sure I'll enjoy the chosen use of those hours.
Isn't it nice to be needed so badly? Isn't it nice and exhausting and overwhelming and exhilarating and rewarding?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
* * * * *
To make note of a rare (but sweet) five-star moment:
The house is clean. I managed to shower before nightfall, so my hair is clean. My clothes are absent of boogers, drool, peanut butter, and poo. Reed and I made cupcakes together. Jaxon just finished a two-hour nap. Phill is coming home hours early from drill. Basking in the glow....
The house is clean. I managed to shower before nightfall, so my hair is clean. My clothes are absent of boogers, drool, peanut butter, and poo. Reed and I made cupcakes together. Jaxon just finished a two-hour nap. Phill is coming home hours early from drill. Basking in the glow....
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