Coming back to "the office" after a day off

As you know, I spent almost 20 years in the corporate world, and the last two as a part-time teacher and stay at home mother and wife (a domestic!). I had a great realization this week about the similarities of the two... including the concept of "vacation".

This week, I was able to take a day "off". In the world of stay-at-home mothers, that means a day away from the house - doing "me" things. In order to understand, let's take a look at what gets done in a normal day at home -

• laundry washed and hung out, then folded and put away - anywhere from 1-2 loads
• three meals cooked, from scratch
• the dishes from cooking and eating those meals washed and put away
• house picked up
• detailed cleaning (in whatever room I'm working on that day) - de-cluttering, dusting, etc.
• kitchen swept
• flowers watered - and garden, if needed

And of course - there is the morning coffee, and GMA - cannot start the morning without that!

So on a day "off" - the above mentioned list? NOT DONE!

Tuesday - I got up at 4:30am to get the corn frozen before I left, made a salad for church, watered the flowers and garden, put lunch for the boys in the crock pot, and was headed out to craft day by 8am. Back at 3, I was changed and out the door by 4 to head to a going away party and to do the grocery shopping. By the time I got home at 8, the dishes from the day were piled up and begging for me, and the house was a mess. So I spent a couple of hours doing the bare minimum - dishes, picking up the living spaces, etc.

As I was doing the dishes that night, I literally laughed out loud. I had a flashback to my corporate life. Every time I would take a vacation day - there was overtime prepping before leaving (just like getting up early before going Tuesday), and coming back took hours to dig out of all that didn't get done.

So while I may be a SAHM now, I have realized that some things have not changed... and that makes me smile. I may have changed my "office", and the "staff" I manage is drastically different, but my life isn't so different after all.

shattering dreams...and rebuilding

Sometimes life doesn't go the way we want. And even though we may have great dreams and ideas, they are just that. Dreams are those plans and ideas that keep us going, giving us something to strive for. Dreams color our thoughts, drive us, and very much affect how we live.

Once in awhile, our dreams are shattered. Something happens that takes away that possibility. That is life.

But it's our job to rebuild those dreams. Even if they can't be the original dream. Then we have to create new dreams.

Because without dreams, life has little direction. And little color.

So here's to rebuilding those dreams, and dreaming new ones. Bringing life back to color and direction.

My mom's AMAZING freezer corn

I have a lot of recipes from my mom.

Tonight I am freezing corn. Sweet corn, corn on the cob, turned into the most amazing frozen corn.

And it's the truth.

I know - because my FATHER-IN-LAW said so. He once told me it couldn't be frozen corn, it had to be fresh, because it was too good to be freezer corn. Told ya. It's THAT good.

I don't worry about sharing recipes - I love doing that. It's how great things continue on! So here it is - THE recipe - enjoy!

12 cups of corn (cut off the cob)
1 cup of water
2 Tbsp of sugar
1 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of butter

Combine the corn, water, sugar, and salt in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and boil 8 minutes, stirring to ensure equal heating. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add the butter, stirring to melt. Cool completely. Place in freezer containers or bags and freeze!

The beauty of this corn, is there is no need to add anything when you are enjoying it down the road. The sugar, salt, and butter make it melt-in-your-mouth delicious!

Being pampered like a queen, and pumpkin lattes - my day with filled with Blessings!

Last night my oldest came home for a long weekend. It's been over 2 months since I've seen her, and I am so glad to have her around the house, chatting, cleaning with me, cooking/baking with me... Oh, how I miss her energy.

This morning, I woke up knowing my entire family was under the roof, and what a wonderful feeling that was! After the kids got up, my daughter came with me to the store, to put together a catering order. Working together was a hoot - and she fit in so well with everyone. The 2 hours flew by!

When we got home, we baked! Zucchini brownies, and cinnamon bread... And we cleaned the house, did some laundry, all the while hanging out and chatting. Even took time to watch a chick flick!

I had to work again - for a couple of hours - and got home to the two kids washing dishes and making a new recipe - for a caramel apple pie tart - for dinner! I got to sit down to watch the news while they made dinner! It was a fabulous chance to relax, and what a treat - one I'm not often afforded!

Tonight, my daughter and I have been relaxing - hanging out - watching Big Bang Theory reruns, and trying out pumpkin latte recipes - in search of the perfect one! Our first one isn't too bad! And made with decaf, fat free milk, pumpkin, and honey, it's really not too bad for us either! We have one more recipe to try yet tonight. Then we'll make our decision.

So it's been a pretty amazing day from beginning to end. Even though it was just a "normal" day, it turned out pretty darn special. Another one of those when I realize just how Blessed I am.

A Fantasy Football Virgin!

I have a family of sports fanatics. We love watching (and playing) sports. Now understand, I play the violin. I act on stage. I sing. And now I watch football, basketball, and baseball - from school to college to pro. And I love it. Sports Center is on in our house many hours a day. It's a life I've morphed into. And it's something we all enjoy together. My daughter is even going into sports journalism and public relations. Yep. We have it that bad.

So it is a little surprising that I've never entered a fantasy football league before now. I've never been invited, so I never joined.

But the kids thought it would be fun to create our own family league.

Here we go.

Tonight was the draft, and what a hoot. Three of us here, and our daughter on speaker phone. The three of us with only two computers - so logging on and off, oye. Only caused a couple of glitches with auto picks happening when we couldn't log in fast enough. But what a hoot. The groans as one of us picked what someone else wanted.

All in good fun. I am really looking forward to this. As dorky as that sounds. Bring it on people. Bring it on.

Mama's playing football!

Just visiting

Wow, if there are two words to describe my summer, it's "just visiting".

Those of you who have followed me for awhile may remember a past post about the lost art of visiting. How we've lost the face-to-face contact in today's too-busy world.

The older I get, the more important it is to me to actually take time to see the people that mean the most to me. And this summer, I've had MANY chances to do just that.

Earlier this summer, I had a chance to visit with high school friends, and then college friends, and then some extended family, and then our former Pastor and his wife. July was a whirlwind month of weekend travels...

This weekend, I was both on the receiving end of visitors, as well as the giving end!

Every year, a dear friend and her mom come to visit for a long weekend, during which we do a little exploring. It's always a ridiculously fun weekend, including lots of coffee and laughter. This year was no different. It's just so nice to slow down our lives enough to "hang out".

to visit

While they were here, we headed north, to visit a store owned by a friend from high school. A friend who I have not seen in 26 years. It was wonderful to walk in the door and see her smiling face, virtually unchanged after all of these years, and see that recognition. We had a wonderful time catching up - the "fast forward" version of our lives, embracing how life got us to the amazing places we are now, even if not the path we had planned originally.

I love the feeling after leaving a visit like that. The feeling that even after 26 years, it's so easy to catch up. And I very much look forward to seeing her again, on a planned visit - lunch, etc.

So as summer comes near its end, I have two more sets of visitors coming, and one more trip of my own. I might say it's been one of the best summers in a long time. I'm glad to have reconnected, to enjoyed family and friends.

Take some advice from a wise old woman. Find the time. Slow down life. Go visiting.

Company's Coming! Company's Coming!

Every summer, a dear, dear friend from college and her mother road trip from Nebraska to Wisconsin for a mini vacation. We always have a BLAST. Each year, I try to come up with some different things to take them to, and we relax with coffee on the deck in the morning, and beer or wine on the couch late into the night, chatting and catching up on our lives. It is one of my most favorite times of the year, something I look forward to EVERY year.

and they'll be here in less than two hours!

so I'm a bit excited.

just a bit.

I've spent the day baking breads - wheat and rye, prepping dinner - chicken enchiladas, black beans, rice, and dessert, and getting the house company ready.

The house smells amazing (who doesn't like the smell of baking bread?), and I'm just waiting... Wine is chilling for dinner. The table is set.

It's going to be a wonderful, wonderful few days, and it starts SO soon.

Cheers to time spent with amazing friends!

Farmer's Market Friday - eating well and buying local!

There is nothing more wonderful in the summer than taking a walk to the farmer's market, finding the yummy treasures for the week, and then heading home to start cooking and planning menus! I love the aspect of the farmer's market. The true farmer's market. Our town, only 800 people, has a farmer's market every Friday - and it's just a few of the local gardeners and farmers sharing their harvest. Pricing is VERY reasonable, and it's so good for all involved - for me, who can't grow everything (YET!), for the vendors - with a chance to sell their produce, and the environment - grown locally, transported minimally, never processed or packaged. You cannot lose.

This morning I was a little late - so I missed out on tomatoes (I learned my lesson - no waiting next week!), but was able to score a cucumber, beets, sweet corn, broccoli, and patty pan squash (a first for me!) Just enough for the three of us - to have some yummy fresh produce for the next couple of days! (And all of this cost me $4.30!)

 

I love cooking (you all know that) - so having such a great variety to work with will be wonderful. Yesterday I had a zucchini and summer squash from a friend - made an amazing stir fry with onion, garlic, red pepper, summer squash, zucchini, broccoli, and carrots. Today - I took one of the patty pan squash, some of the broccoli, and sauteed it with onion and garlic, added some cooked quinoa, and had a vegetarian lunch that was amazing.

 

Everyone knows that we are supposed to get a variety of colors of veggies every day. So here's my challenge to you. Check out a local farmer's market. Pick up something new. Google it, and enjoy. It helps you, the environment, and the farmers. How can we not!

 

Here's to summer! 

Catching my Breath!

I know it's been a week since my last post! We've been busy, but what is new?

Spent a night last weekend with my crazy family - a blog post in itself - hanging out with my oldest sister and her two daughters, who are my age, at their cabin. Too many laughs and fun.... such fun. I have a crazy, amazing family, and it's a blast hanging out!

Sunday I went craft shopping with a friend - paper, fabric, oh so many wonderful things! We hit great sales, and I came home with the supplies to make my husband's Continental Divide scrapbook, a dresser scarf and two pillows for my bedroom, and lots of other goodies!

So this week has been a chance to catch my breath. Back to normal. Cleaning the house, baking, cooking, and just being normal. Zumba started up for the final session of the summer. Been working a few hours at the store. Just normal. Such a good thing.

Today I made two loaves of French bread, and buffalo chicken pizza for lunch. Two loads of laundry on the line. Kitchen cleaned, living room picked up, and bedding changed.  Zumba. Such good things. Even took time to read my book and a little nap today.

I love our life, But sometimes it is just too busy. Weeks like this are so refreshing! It's important to slow down and catch your breath once in a while!

What a crazy crazy day!

What a crazy, crazy day! As the second batch of Grandma's banana bread goes in the oven, at the crack of 11:00 pm, I realized how quickly this day took a turn!

I started the morning enjoying the BEAUTIFUL weather (below normal for this time of year, we've been Blessed with temperatures in the low 70s!) out in my "mom" garden. I was loving the relaxed morning, when I realized that I had to make several baguettes for the student trip tomorrow.

Late morning, I started making bread - 4 batches to be exact. My baguette recipe is a quick one, but making 8 loaves is still time consuming, and much of it hands-on. So while I was baking, I tried to stay ahead of making lunch for the guys, and cleaning the house.

Before I knew it, it was after 2, and time to get ready to head to town for appointments. After the dentist, the bank, the drugstore, and the grocery store, it was 5:30pm before we hit the driveway back home! Not enough time to make and eat dinner before our meeting at school, it was cheddar hot dogs for the boys to hold them over until a very late dinner.

Do you see how this is snowballing?????

I was able to prep dinner before the sports meeting at school. I had intended on lasagna (at the request of my dear husband), only to find I had no lasagna noodles. So baked penne lasagna it was! At 6:45 pm, dinner was prepped, a second one in the freezer, and we headed out the door.

We returned from school at 8:15pm. I turned the oven on as I walked in the door, dropped my purse, and got dinner in the oven.

Who eats at 9:30 at night????

I decided I had better get all the dishes from the bread baking and dinner prep done during my hour of cooking time. During that hour, I asked my son to pack for his school trip tomorrow, only to realize his swim trunks just went in the dryer. So no final packing tonight. I could finish the laundry while finishing up the kitchen.

It was at this point, at 9:00pm, that my darling son approached me.

"Soooo. Were you still going to be able to make some treats for the trip tomorrow?"

Bless his heart. I had forgotten that I promised him we'd make granola bars.

"Banana bread ok? I have a lot of bananas."

With his approval, I started making banana bread. But only after the Penne was out of the oven, and my husband's lunch was packed.

At an hour per batch, I had only planned on making the one loaf for him to take, but the smell was so good... And while he is on his school trip, I am staying with my niece. And it's Grandma's recipe. I have to make a loaf to take to her house.

Which is how we get to now. 11:15 pm, and the second batch is baking. One half of my mom garden weeded, 8 baguettes baked, 2 pans of Penne made (one frozen for future), 2 loaves of banana bread, and last minute laundry. One heck of a day.

It all started so innocently. Weeding the garden. So relaxed....

mmm. Just another day in paradise. ;)