Gaining (or Maintaining) Respect

I know, you've been patiently waiting since  yesterday to learn more about the Awesome Campaign's RESPECT system.

I can basically boil all the problems in my house to issues with RESPECT:

• Col Awesome doesn't put away his laundry... I feel like he doesn't respect my time and effort.  (Yes, I' realize the flip is true, not putting away his laundry for him, doesn't respect all the hours he puts in at work... I'm guilty too!).
• The kids complain about cleaning up and having to put away other people's things and it doesn't acknowledge (respect) the work that Mom and Dad do to keep them in the sweet life.
• We go to the grocery store and the kids beg for junk and if they don't get it, they complain and fight the whole way through the store (do I really have to explain the level of disrespect that's going on here?).  

In a stroke of both desperation and genius, I was lying in bed the other morning and Aretha Franklin's "RESPECT" started going through my head.  So I pulled out some office supplies:

• printable business cards
• laminating pouches
• Pen
• wet erase marker

I created my new "RESPECT" cards and because I was in a hurry to implement my genius, pretty is not the word to describe the results... EFFECTIVE is, however.

So it's quite simple...
One side of the card is for maintaining and exceeding expectations in regards to respect; the other side is for RAMOTU (Ruler And Master of the Universe).

When my kids behave their card looks like it does in the top of the picture.  Nothing  marked off... a clean slate.  The card starts this way each day. When the kids fail to maintain reasonable behavior (mouth off, refuse to do chores, fight, etc), I take out the wet erase marker and mark off a letter (I chose wet erase because it would be harder for someone to rub off their letter or for anything to get rubbed off in my purse since this system is portable).  In order to get a letter back, the kids have to choose a chore from my "bin of shame."  The "bin of shame" is a small basket with little slips of paper with various unpleasant chores like: clean out mom or dad's car, match up all the socks and fold them, clean bathroom.  If you're less twisted than me... you can just call it a "fix it bin" for kids to fix their mistakes.

When the kids get along well and are helpful, then they can earn bonus stars. I decided to give my bonus stars a monetary value but you can handle it any way you want.  In my house:
1 star = $.10
2 stars= $.25
3 stars= $.50
4 stars= $.60
5 stars= $.75
6 stars= $1.00

I suppose you're wondering what RAMOTU is?  A good family friend uses this acronym when we play cards as a sign of who's winner.  It's a bit like the "Iron Chef" winner... the praise and glory of the people.  However, the kids said they wanted to be able to do whatever they wanted for a whole day.  Now, I have no problem rewarding one of my kids for being well-behaved or at least willingly makes up for their mistakes. So if/when the kids get 7 days of good behavior they get to let loose for a day as well as choose our lunch and dinner menu for the day.

I decided that it didn't matter to me if it was 7 days in a row or 7 days period, after all everyone has bad days.  Oddly enough, the kids have gotten a RAMOTU point 4 days in a row.

So I dunno if my system is making sense, but it's working.  

Breaking the Silence

I've been quiet for quite some time and with some good reason.  You see Lent kicked off a season of busy:

• I celebrated my Confirmation. 
• My daughter had her First Communion.
• My grandmother turned 85 and I got to go visit her in Europe for 12 days!

You can imagine that with a lot of big family events all routine and reason have gone out the window.  They have not only gone out the window, they've moved at least six states away from this family.  Now that school  is out, we're down to finishing up baseball season and a few summer camps...Thank GOD!  But it's also time to restore law and order because we're all less than awesome around here without it.

Lemme back up a bit... I discovered on my trip to Europe that my family can function quite well and peacefully without me.  It was a bit of a kudos... because now I can run away and live like a hobo in Key West.  On the flip side... they were quite peaceful and organized without me.  I realized, I got all the laundry caught up, planned meals, and the schedule before I left.  I left the house not in perfect condition, but in maintenance mode.  

When I returned from my trip, I landed smack dab in the middle of dance recital week and end of the school year craziness.  Jet lag combined with a busy schedule = law, order, peace, justice GONE. It was fly by the seat of my pants and hope we all got everywhere we need to be when we need to be there.  Well now that's all settled, so it's clear that I need to get things under control or by September 5th, it's going to be bye-bye to law, order, peace, justice and my sanity all at once.

Here are some things I noticed about my house (and maybe you have the same problems in yours?):

• My daughter is a direct descendant of Looney Toons' Taz... disasater follows her.
• My son doesn't make messes mostly because he's glued to (as my mother calls them) "an electronical device."
• When my house is super messy, I'm super, uh, CRABBY.
• It drives me nuts when I wash and fold the kids laundry and they throw it all over their rooms.
• I complain way too much.

 In my never-ending mission to continue to be awesome... I needed to do something about all this.  So here's the plan:

• My daughter is going to be held accountable for all her mess trails
• My son needs to have his love of electronical devices redirected to interacting with humans... even if he makes a little mess.
• Clean up the house, get some exercise, eat healthier = super AWESOME
• I'm not going to fold the kids laundry any more.
• I'm re-committing to the Awesomeness Campaign (i.e. complain less, praise more!)

It sounds pretty easy, right?...  Theoretically, it is easy, but try giving kids who'd rather be making messes and talking to Super Mario some guidance and that's when you get some Awesome Genius going.  We don't need more rules... we need more respect: for ourselves, our things, others... so that's what this summer is all about RESPECT.  Oh but more on that tomorrow... because I've got some bonding to do with my little girl.

Motivational Monday:Lenten Edition #2

I confess... yesterday's soothing did not go as planned.  In fact, it was like the minute I typed it up everything went awry.  The kids fought, the hubbie was moody, and I felt sullen and grouchy.  The laundry is still waiting for me and the book... well, I think I read about 3 sentences and then gave up.  It's apparently not a book I can read right now.

The question is, do I put aside the book and pick a new one, so I can keep motivated and with my commitments or do I slog through it just on principle alone?  I think, I will pick a new book (it's not like I don't have about 25 different books waiting in the wings for me to read-- and that's just the "Catholic Stash").  I'm not admitting defeat with this book, but recognizing that right now, there is too much going on for me to be able to sit and digest the information and apply it.  I may still read a few pages, but I'm going to refocus my efforts on something that sits better with my schedule.

Speaking of schedule... I've come to recognize my own schedule as a challenge to my motivation.  You see, there's too much on it and baseball season is right around the corner.  Two kids playing at two different levels on opposite days means baseball daily and sometimes dance as well.  It's time to get situated for the "long haul" that's ahead.  I'll be giving up some things once spring hits on my own schedule in order to be more available to my family and cut down on stress.

Lucky for me, some of my stuff will be "wrapping up" in the near future.  I've made a big decision to give up one activity for good.  I've figured out that activity is not a good fit for me.  I find myself anxious before and afterwards.  Sometimes I feel hurt by the experience as well, which is a sure sign it's not a good fit.  During a recent Bible Study group, I shared something with the group and saw my prayers for God to show me what direction to be going in my Faith answered.  Unfortunately, due to the "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" policy on personal sharing in Bible Study, I can't reveal any more details.  I did see God affirming my decision to leave this commitment when my time is up and to move forward to something else.

The message here is... when you lack motivation and direction, prayer actually does work.  I will say it doesn't work quickly, or rather in our desired time frame, but more slowly in God's timing.  I've been praying the same prayer for guidance every Sunday for at least a year and a half.  I can see now how clearly things lined up but at the time, I felt I was fumbling.  In reality it was like walking on a tiny path through high grass.  I could see directly in front of me and directly behind me, but not around me.  Now I feel as though I've walked into a clearing on a small hill.  I can see the path I've been along and thank goodness for the high grass to shield me from shying away. Now, I can see a clearer path before me just past some more high grass.  I'm sure there's more fumbling along tiny paths ahead of me, but now I'm very willing to trust that this path is God's path and not mine.

While I feel a little discouraged right now with having to finish out things that my heart knows I'm done with--  I made a commitment to others that I need to honor.  I also am seeing that there is something greater before me.  Knowing there is greatness before me motivates me and make what I'm experiencing now much easier to go through.

Soothing Sunday: The Second Sunday in Lent

Following along with last week's theme of having a Soothing Sunday focused on God.... I'm working on it.  It's been a crazy week and I need some soothing and focus back on my Lenten missions before going back to the "real world" tomorrow.

Presently, I'm goofing off a bit on the computer and watching the movie "Exodus" with my husband.  It's one of my favorite movies.  I first saw it in 8th grade social studies and the movie features Paul Newman (looking rather dreamy back in the 1960s) and is about the independence of Palestine from the British and becoming the Jewish state of Israel after World War II.  I have also read the book by Leon Uris.  It's a great story-- well done historical fiction.  It's not exactly a movie in line with watching movies like The Passion of the Christ or The Greatest Story Ever Told.  It does seem appropriate for Lent after all, Israel is the modern homeland of our Lord.  It also is a modern example of the rule of a foreign power-- for me, it makes understanding Israel at the time of the Romans more understandable.  I can understand the British Empire and modern Arabs and Israelis so much easier than the 2000+ years ago Roman Empire.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not launching into some kind of Arab-Israeli debate or political tirade about occupation... I'm simply saying the events portrayed in Exodus are easier for me to grasp and make the events in The Greatest Story Ever Told more accessible.

None the less... once this movie is over, I've got some laundry and reading to do.  I'm behind on my housekeeping because I worked and goofed off too much last week.  I'm also behind on my Lenten commitment to get through some books with solid Catholic teaching or Church history.  That's probably because I've picked up some big thick books that aren't easy to read.  The content is rich with information and I find myself floundering at times about what some terms mean-- the trips to grab my Catholic dictionary are getting more frequent.  My list of questions for my Confirmation sponsor and RCIA director is starting to grow.

The other hard thing is the reality of being distracted.  You'd think that giving up Facebook and gaining time in my day (I'm more efficient not checking all the time to see if something is happening in the world...I'm accepting that somethings definitely happening and I'm out of the loop and that is okay!).  In the evening, I find myself tired and in need of a "break." I've been justifying myself as not having been on Facebook so just a little computer game isn't too bad.  Hah... hours later, I'm no less relaxed, it's late and I've not accomplished a thing.  For someone who limits their children's game time, I'm doing a crap-tastic job of regulating myself.

So it seems, I have to give those up too.  After all the spirit of a Lenten sacrifice is not to take something else and use it as a replacement. For example, if you gave up your evening glass of wine and instead drink a daiquiri each day, you've really not given anything up.  So... is this soothing or more a diatribe on realizing why I have some make up work to do on this Soothing Sunday?  I'm not sure, but maybe my experience will help you to stop and think about why you're not feeling so soothed lately.  What commitments/replacements have you made when giving things up?  I know I'm guilty of this myself, so I'm not accusing anyone.  I'm simply examining my own conscience and found it lacking.

Web Wednesday: The Lenten Edition #1

Alright, alright! Technically, last Wednesday should have been the first Lenten edition, but I was too busy going to church and other things and avoiding food to even consider getting online.  The big danger was I'd end up on pinterest (or worse, Facebook) and start looking at food.  And the last thing a fasting person needs is pictures of food. [And I thought it rather cruel that our priest mentioned PRIME RIB during Ash Wednesday services... I still have a hankering for it!]

Things are still evolving here at Casa Awesomeness with regard to our Lenten decorations and activities.  I have to admit, now that I'm not on Facebook, I've replaced some of that distracted time with reading Catholic blogs and have found some fantastic inspiration.  No... you don't have to be Catholic to read the blogs... there's no blood test.  However, reading blogs from other Moms, regardless of denomination, is always inspiring to me.  So here are a few Web finds...

• Catholic Icing:  Almsgiving Lenten Idea for kids... and YES, I do now have an almsgiving box.  It's soo easy!
• Three-Sided Wheel:  Keeping Lent Holy::Lenten Mantel... and YES, I do now have a Lenten display (and no it's not the mantel, because my mantel is too skinny)!  I did not do the candles, either, since the we are doing Stations of the Cross at School each Friday in Lent.
• I'm kinda having fun this week surfing around Home Ec-101.  Why?  I dunno, maybe I can become the perfect housewife if I knew more about managing a home. That's my theory anyway... we wouldn't want to admit that going to bed at a reasonable hour might have something to do with why I'm tired ALL  day long, begging for a nap and avoiding housework because it seems like too much work (it's always a little humbling when I admit that it really only too 3 minutes to clean out the dishwasher when the mental dialogue to convince myself to do it took 45 minutes!).

I guess... those are my three choice "found on the web" websites this week.  Enjoy...

Tipster Tuesday: The Lenten Edition #1

If you didn't catch on, I gave up Facebook for Lent. It might not seem like much of a sacrifice to some people, but it is to me... and more importantly, it's been a huge distraction in my day.  I check on my computer, I feel compelled to respond immediately (never mind that if my doorbell rings unexpectedly and I don't feel like seeing someone, I just don't answer).  I look at my phone... I giggle at some stupid thing that happened to someone else and when I retell the story to my husband, he stares at me blankly.  I have actually told my kids, mind your own business, this is my Facebook page and it's none of your business.  Really, if it's on Facebook, it's apparently everyone's business.

I'll admit, the first day was difficult and I did start texting a friend random updates (she said it was okay).  I think I asked her how an egg wasn't meat when it becomes a chicken, after all if an embryo is a baby and egg must be part chicken?  I'm sure she was laughing at me... but I was kind of serious.

It's already gotten easier to resist.  I'm not thinking I need to "bean it out" anymore.  And I'm discovering I have more time than I thought.  This MUST be how I got more things done when my kids were little, I wasn't dinking with the computer all day long.  So in the event that you've enjoyed me on the Facebook fast... here are some alternatives.

From the Chicago Tribune: 10 Tips for Giving Up Facebook

• Although it does seem to mock something as simple seeming as giving up facebook, over a more significant vice... turns out the ones listed aren't things I do.  I did find their suggestions amusing.  I actually have written down my posts before and no I didn't give a %^$@# five minutes later.

Update the Catholic Gadget to your browser, so you can sink your teeth into all kinds of Catholic content when you get the urge to Facebook.  I've found some interesting suggestions.  And if you're not Catholic, under the concept of everything is on the Internet, I'm guessing your denomination has some kind of "gadget" or "widget" that does something similar... or just use Google.

Read a book... there are lots of them, but if you feel like you need to cling closer to God to resist temptation, read the Bible.

Call a friend who has also given up Facebook, chances are they have time too!

Alright, my friends, have an Awesome Tuesday!

Motivational Monday: The Lenten Edition #1

Today, I'm seeking motivation, like always. After all, it's always harder to get up out of bed on a Monday after an especially soothing Sunday.  And yesterday was especially soothing... I even did manage to get a nap in after our Lenten reading hour.

Today, I'm going to be focusing on serving my family:

• menu planning
• grocery list making
• grocery shopping
• working (paid)

I'm also going to focus on serving God:

• I have yet to read my Lent with the Saints book (it's in the bag with my bible study/RCIA stuff)
• Catching up/getting ahead on my bible study
• Taking care of my family, which of course is how I am called to serve on a daily basis

So as I set to my daily tasks and my extra tasks... how am I motivating myself?  By giving it up to God... or at least that's the plan.  A friend of mine always used to talk about "giving it up" and I never really understood until last Friday.  Why last Friday?  I attended Stations of the Cross with the school kids for the first time since I was a school kid.  

Oh, my word. No I can see why I have zero recollection of my experience as a child.  I'm going to assume because there was a lot of kneeling which for me as a child would have thrown me off-- I would have been figuring out when to do what and hoping I didn't screw up, so I'd be struck by lightening.  Attending Stations on Friday, something clicked.  I was going along with the assistance of one of the teachers, repeating the prayers, kneeling when I was supposed to, singing when I was supposed to... and for the first 3 stations, I was trying to figure things out.  For the next 3 stations, I was mentally bemoaning all the kneeling-- my back hurt and  my knees felt wobbly.  For the next 3 stations, I got really comfortable with the prayers and the motions of the stations.  For the next 3 stations, I was lost in the prayers...   And then somewhere around the 10th Station, something in my head clicked.   My RCIA director has said, either it's true or it's the biggest hoax.  Suddenly, I was filled with the sense that it was not a hoax... people had to have seen this happen. They would have known, even if some crazy people spread the word, how could this rumor persist across the ages.  [Go ahead, say I'm delusional... I'll be enjoying heaven someday... you can go be sorry for saying I'm delusional elsewhere.]  I was further lost in the rhythm and prayer. So much so I looked over my shoulder and was startled to find that Father was standing about 3 feet from me.  I realized I'd lost all sense of where I was until I saw him at the end of Station #14. I watched Father say and participate in the 15th Station of the Cross and felt this bizarre sense of awe at his reverence.  

Did I have an awakening?  I can't say... though in some of my reading about Lent and the New Evangelization of the Catholic Church, there was an Guide to Spiritual Makeover on the Our Sunday Visitor website, that talked about us needing to be evangelized ourselves in order evangelize others.  I think that's what happened... so I needed to share it with you.

My motivation today is simple... how can I complain about the mundane details of being a Mommy, when someone can willingly die on a cross.  And not just any someone, but the Word made Flesh, Jesus Christ. So when I feel like bemoaning my chores, I will give it up to God... not just to God but for God.  

Amen, I say to you, Amen.

Soothing Sunday: The First Sunday in Lent

My previous Sunday soothers have all be focused on me and doing something for yourself, rather than everyone else.  However, since it is now Lent, our soothing Sunday activities here in Casa Awesomeness are focused on our Faith.
We have been very purposeful about our Faith activities since this past Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) and spent some time preparing beforehand for our Lenten sacrifices.  Our preparations included:

• signing up for Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure. I also additionally ordered the workbooks and the road map (if you go to the site, you'll understand).  Many of the printables are available online but not all.  My kids and I are enjoying the videos and the rosary recordings that are out there.
• Making a Lenten Goal poster where we all participated by writing our sacrifices/plans on heart-shaped colored pieces of paper.  It's been very handy to point to and gently remind my son (who put "I will stop pestering my family members" as his sacrifice).  We plan to color in a thermometer type thing, like you would see for a United Way campaign, instead of money, it's tracking progress towards Easter.  The idea is to encourage each other to keep working towards our sacrifices to God.  [Oddly, today's homily on temptation, stressed that we can not fight temptation all on our own just "me and Jesus" style.  I guess I was ahead of the homily on this one!].
• Using some resources found online at Mrs. Walker's Frog-tastic Web Site, we made a bucket fillers display and have talked about filling each other's buckets rather than stealing goodwill from others.  My kids have been really enjoying getting their little notes and writing them.  I really do feel like they are seeing the efforts.

We've been adding some things to our sacrifices and activities here and there to focus on the sacrifice our Lord made for us.  In the Catholic Church, that's really at the crux of Lent, focusing on the sacrifice that was made on our behalf and be repentant.  It's really so much easier to make little sacrifices when you imagine and see the image of Christ on the Cross.  

• Inspired by another blogger (who's site I didn't pin on pinterest or bookmark, however, it's quite prevalent on Catholic Mom blog sites-- the twist was that this person tied a crucifix to theirs) and the Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure suggestion of making a bean jar, we've all been enjoying doing things as asked or for others and putting a bean in the jar.  By the way, we decided to use chickpeas, because they are easier to pick up and seemed like something we could easily imagine that Jesus may have snacked on. By the way, at Easter, those chickpeas (aka Garbanzo Beans) will replaced by Jelly Beans.  It was a quick and inexpensive craft and we ended up making 2 (one for my Confirmation Sponsor). In addition, the crucifix I chose to decorate it with is the Blessed John Paul II crucifix.  I chose that crucifix for it's "look" and already have a connection with the Blessed JPII.  I would definitely credit him with the turning point to my eventual return to the Faith after many years away. The kids and I decided to let this be a kitchen table centerpiece so that we can all be reminded to do things for others. 

To bring things around to Soothing Sunday, my kids' school has a Lenten reading challenge each year.  Families are asked to turn off the electronics and read for an hour each day.  The resulting reward is your name is entered into a drawing for a bicycle.  They give away (through generous donations) one bicycle per grade, one for a family, and even the teachers get entered (though without fail, for the last 5 years that we've been there and I'm sure long before that, the donate the bike back).  

Today our family activities will include, catching up on Holy Heroes (we were "naughty" yesterday and skipped it), saying a decade of the rosary together (we're on the second Sorrowful Mystery-- which is available on the Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure page for today), and then we plan to read together.  All this family activity is bound to lead to something good. Surprisingly, as much as my kids groan about getting up and going to school/church/anywhere that isn't "fun," they are very into the Lenten Adventure.  It's really fantastic.  

I'm going to have to look around, but I may be following Holly at the Three-Sided Wheel's Domestic Church idea for today as well and redecorating the mantle.  We had already purchased a small tealight candle holding grotto to light during our rosary time. [I was lucky enough to find it on the 50% off shelf, covered in dust and looking sad, lonely and not all that inspiring, at my local Catholic Shoppe.  After running it under some cold water and letting it air dry, it's turned a gleaming and inspiring white.  I think it would go nicely with Lenten mantle display, as will my Infant of Prague crystal  (the infant image is engraved into the lead crystal and coated with an iridescent finish)that a dear friend brought me from the church of Our Lady Victorious which houses the Infant statue.]

The Return of Family Friday

Have you been missing Family Friday?  I have.  I was so excited just a few weeks back when we cancelled movie night and the kids got along great.  We're back at that point and I have to say, I'm not excited.

We're going through a patch of tough love here in the Awesomeness House.  Again, it doesn't feel so awesome, so it's harder for me to blog about how to be Awesome. 

Yes, the reality is, everyday, I struggle with being Awesome.  My kids are "normal" kids in that they aren't perfect.  In fact, some days, I'm convinced they really are trying to make me insane.  Do you ever have that feeling?

I thought it best to focus on how I'm raising myself up in order to keep my head just above the Awesome line, while my arms are grabbing at the kids trying to keep their heads closer to the surface of Awesome.  That's really it... part of being a family is not only spending time together doing meaningful things, it's also about bringing each other up towards God. 

For my family, we're heading towards the Lenten season... it's less than a week away.  Lent is a great time to raise yourself up above the Awesomeness line and focus on God.  In fact, those 40 days and 40 nights... that's what they all about.  It's a time of extra reflection on Jesus' sacrifice.  So as we get ready to pack up our "Alleluia," I'm reflecting on some things we can do as a family to move closer together and closer to God.

The first thing I need to "dig" up is my 40 Ways for 40 Days book.  I used it last year for something inspirational to do during Lent and ended up adopting a Catechumen (someone who is going through the process of becoming a Catholic).  I'm happy to say, I supported my adoptee's Faith during the final few weeks before her baptism/Eucharist/confirmation and I was inspired to finally move forward towards my Confirmation. [I'll be Confirmed at the Easter Vigil Mass this year-- yes, now would be a good time to pray for my strength of Faith.] This year, I want to do something different.

The second thing I'm doing is, I've joined the Lenten Adventure at the Holy Heros website.  It's free... and I'm hoping it will be fun.  Despite the fact that one of my children is not supposed to be having any electronic media for the next week, I'm definitely going to be "indulging" him with Faith education.  [And no, you don't have to be Catholic to join in... so if you're a Christian, you may want to look into doing this with us.  You may just find some deep inspiration for your own faith.]

A third thing I'm considering is implementing a Family Rosary time.  I haven't quite worked out how I want to do it.  Do I want to do a full rosary each day?  A weekly rosary focusing on one mystery?  A decade a day each week focusing on one mystery a week (this is what the kids do in school)?  Does anyone have their two cents they want to post in the comments or on the FB page?  Please do!  As Awesome as I am, I still need a little guidance. I know that if I announce we're going to do a Family Rosary, my son will groan, my husband will give me a skeptical look and my daughter will remind me every day and ask if it's time to say the rosary yet.  As part of this, I am going to put  Rosary: Mysteries, Meditations, and the Telling of the Beads, by Kevin Orlin Johnson as the next book in my reading list (right after I finish the last hundred pages of a book about Abraham) and jump over a few others I was planning to read.

Lastly, I think we're going to take some time on Mardi Gras, next Tuesday, or on Ash Wednesday next week and all put together our Lenten sacrifice goal.  I think I may make up a poster this weekend that we can all decorate together as part of our family time.  After all, with no TV, computer, gaming system privileges for one child, we all have to find something else to do.

How do you plan to implement or continue Lenten traditions in your home?

** UPDATE**
I forgot to share some Lenten Reading suggestions for the Catholic Publication, Our Sunday Visitor.  The Lenten Reading List has some great suggestions (I even own a few already and my local Catholic Shoppe carries several of the options!)

Not sure it's motivational, but it is Monday.

Today, I'm overwhelmed by the trail of mess my youngest child has left behind.  She's a Tasmanian Devil (and if you remember the old Looney Toons cartoons... she even makes the noises while she's running around... spitting craft supplies, dolls, paper schnibbles, clothes and mayhem in her wake).  I'm not sure how to get through to her.  She's begun to think that "putting stuff away" means plopping it in the center of the carpet of any given room.  I know she knows where it goes, because when someone says "where are the crayons?" She goes to the aptly named "Craft Cabinet" and looks around.  They aren't there because she's left them in the center of the carpet, but can't see them any more because they are under a pile.

I'm afraid, the only choice I have left is to motivate her by loss.  Yes, loss.  She doesn't care about her things, or our things, so the only choice I have left is to permanently remove them from her.  She was given a blanket this weekend as an early Valentine's gift.  It's in the center of the floor in my living room.  It's mine now.  I just need to find a place to put it to keep it safe (after all it's brand new).

Unfortunately too, the only answer I have left for her today is "No, you may not." I hate saying no to her... it feels like I'm crushing her individuality.  Then again, constantly being frustrated and annoyed with her behavior is probably also not helping her self-esteem.  And really, this isn't about self-esteem, is it?

It's really about respect.  Can she respect herself enough to not be a complete slob?  Can she respect that people have worked hard in order to be able to afford to purchase her the things she has?  She's going to have to learn.  And I'm pretty sure no one is going to like it.

So now, I'm off to motivate myself into grabbing some storage bins to pack up all the stuff she didn't put away.  I should probably steel myself for the wailing and gnashing of teeth... Oh, it's going to be awesome alright!

Thinner Thursday has been re-named to "Cookin' with Awesomeness"

No, this does not mean I've abandoned my quest for a healthier me.  I just felt like "Thinner" was so limiting and potentially discouraging.  The truth is... you're probably NOT going to get thinner making these recipes alone and they won't all be "low cal" recipes.  However, the reality is... a little bit of this and a little bit of that go a long way. 

I love to cook, so if I can catch myself cooking with Awesomeness (the Godly one) in mind, I'm pretty sure dinner will taste awesome (the worldly one).  I'm not talking seven deadly sin awesome, but be truthful.. a good home made meal always tastes better than take out or something out of a box.

Today is not so much going to be busy schedule-wise, but I do have Bible Study this afternoon, my daughter has ballet, and my son has a Dr's appointment.  It's going to be stressful an afternoon of just getting everyone where they need to be on time and properly prepared for their activity.  I know... it does sound busy but yesterday was so much busier [grocery shopping needed to be done, lunch with a friend, Dr appt for me, basketball practice for the boy, first communion meeting for the parents of 2nd graders (i.e. me with kids in tow), along with usual homework.]  Today's a piece of cake comparatively. 

It's a good day to use the crockpot because we will all be arriving home at the same time and all hungry at the end of the day.  No one is going to want to cook and stopping by McDonald's (or something of that nature) is not going to provide my family with the nutrition that we need.  I'm convinced if you eat badly, you behave badly because your belly is full but your body is still hungry and needs fuel. 

In the crockpot today... "Ralf's Venison Chili." [No, the venison (aka DEER MEAT) is not Ralf's but his chili was so good, I actually cooked venison for the first time in my life.  It's venison from my Dad's freezer from November's catch (kill? harvest?  what's the right term here?).  Funny, when I asked for ground venison, my Dad's voice got a little lower (with a tinge of excitement) when he said I could "take whatever I want."  I think it was manly pride that he was providing for others sneaking out.  If you know my Dad, you can imagine how endearing that was to see.]   Anyway... because it's Ralf's recipe, I don't feel right sharing (but Ralf, if you're reading this and you want to share it in the comments, go right ahead!).  I will however, share my own "Sneaky Chili Recipe." 

I call it sneaky, because I've fed it to the manliest carnivores and they've said... mmm... this is really good and meaty tasting.  It doesn't have any MEAT in it, but it's not completely a vegetarian chili (because I use beef bullion).   And it's so good and easy to make that it's just gone on my menu for Good Friday when I have a bunch of guests, including my sweet baby sister who is a vegetarian (and I will use veggie bullion instead). My "sneaky" secrets for this recipe are a variety of beans and soy crumbles/TVP crumbles. 

I'd like to expound on the soy crumbles/TVP crumbles before I launch into the recipe.  If you're a "Tofu is gross" kind of person, it's not that glob of unflavored rubbery/gelatinous gunk you may have been fed before.  You taste what the rest of the ingredients are... and get that meaty satisfaction along with the protein.  My local grocery store sells TVP (Texturized Vegetable Protein) in the frozen food section from a brand name Q'uron, but I prefer (and will compromise my common sense and go to Wal-Mart for it) the Morningstar Farms brand Meal Starters.  Be careful if you're going to by Morningstar Farms, because they also sell as sausage flavored one which is really nasty in chili (great in breakfast foods though).  Now, clearly the words texturized vegetable protein is a little "gross out" sounding... but it's good.  [And if you know my husband and can imagine him saying "this is good, uhm, texturized vegetable stuff" then you can maybe trust me a little more and give it a try].  I have also seen dried TVP in the gluten free area of my grocery store (so apparently, it can come gluten-free?!  I'm not sure, because I've never checked the label closely).

Trust me, when you can just sit down to dinner with your family and attempt to enjoy the moment... you will feel Awesome.  Chances are, the kids will say, "Mom, this is awesome."  It feels good to be complimented and it feels good to feed your family a healthy meal. You will feel like the day's cares are not so significant because  you can enjoy a stress-free meal and not have to tip anyone.  In fact, people may be so excited, they'll do the dishes.  Okay, so after all that... here's the toss it in the crockpot and have a busy day recipe.

SNEAKY CHILI
1 bag Morningstar Farms Meal Starters (plain)
1 can black beans
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can chili beans (your preference on strength and brand)
1 can Great Northern or White beans (not cannelini beans)
2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic
1 pkg pre-chopped red onion/yellow onion and green pepper from the produce section of the grocery store.*
1 tbsp chili powder
dash of cayenne (or to taste)
1 tbsp beef flavored bullion

Drain all the beans (except the chili beans-- don't drain those or you lose the flavor) and  put them in a crockpot sprayed with non-stick spray.  Add all ingredients into the crockpot, breaking up the soy crumbles and stirring them in.  [Don't worry about the ice chunks that come with it, it's just extra water].
Set your crockpot to low for 4-6 hours and either manually switch to warm (or if you have an awesome programmable crockpot like mine, it will switch for you) and eat it when you're ready.

I usually put out sour cream, cheese, crusty rolls (or crescent rolls) and (if my Dad's around) hot sauce to garnish.

*If you have the time and inclination, you can chop 1 onion and 1 pepper up and place in your chili... but if you're in a hurry or you realize one pepper costs $1.99 and it's $3.19 for the mix with the right amount with no waste... you may decide your money is worth it. You do what works for you. 

Welcome Back Wednesday!

The best laid plans of mice and men usually involve plans... and they go awry.  Mine certainly did.  I'm hoping I'm back... you see, I suffered a bit of a "dark night" the last week.  I moved from Awesome (the Godly focused definition) to awesome (the worldly focused definition).

For starters, I pulled a muscle in my neck leading to messing up my lower back (again).  It's hard to see/feel the Awesome when your sciatic nerve is so pinched your whole leg feels like it's asleep. Several things were in play to accomplish this level of awesome pain in my butt (quite literally):

• I assisted in the first grade classroom with a stiff neck.  Leaning over miniature sized table and chairs only leads to 2 things:  numb butts and strained lower backs
• I lost some weight... in my case, this shifted the pressure on my, admittedly, weak stomach, hip and knee muscles... so I've had to adjust my own expectations based on my body.  I have to realize that the full steam ahead for me might just look like B-52 bomber taking off, rather than a fighter jet.  [Ooh, just revealed my Air Force Brat roots there... but I tell you, I need to look more at the long term strategy-- and a B-52 is a strategic plane... a fighter jet, not so much]
• my son tackled me after I had JUST BEEN to the chiropractor.  He's a 5 ft tall ... very solidly built (deceptively so-- his weight is much higher than expected based on his body fat). 

Then, I started to let the doubt creep in.  Yes the evil, evil doubt. 

• Is anyone reading this?
• Does anyone care?
• I'm yelling at my kids while stuffing my face with chocolate creme oreos (that have been smeared with peanut butter)... who am I to claim awesomeness.

Then I realized (during my week long hiatus), that I set myself up quite a tough goal.  Blog every day for a year, all while maintaining or increasing my home and work duties.  Yes, the phrase, "Am I nuts?" creeped into mind.  So here's the deal, peeps.

I want to blog every day, but because I'm so busy being Awesome, that's just not going to happen all the time.  [Yes, I could write a week's worth of blogs and just schedule them to post, but where's the awesomeness in removing the reality of being a real person with real responsibilities?].  It all comes down to feeling obligated vs feeling inspired.  And by the end of January, I felt obligated. 

It's my belief that when you do things out of pure obligation, you lose the heart of the matter.  The LOVE of it is gone.  Yes, I am obligated to feed my children dinner.  The difference is I LOVE my children and this is a responsibility I chose to take on when I acted with/out of love in order to conceive them.  So that kind of obligation is different from "I really should do this because I arbitrarily set up this idea of being (worldly) awesome."  If I'm not feeling the fire of inspiration, I cannot light a spark within you as well.

So, I'm going to try to stick to my themes... but I may need to adjust things a bit.  So bear with me, because I'm bound to hit Awesome/awesome again. 

I just have to remember for myself that the Awesome is not in projecting perfection, but rather seeing the divine within myself and allowing that Awesomeness to shine through. 

Just for kicks and giggles, if you're reading the blog, please comment here and on Facebook-- it will motivate me to share more than if I don't know whether or not anyone really cares.  And showing the LOVE is part of being Awesome.

Oh, by the way, I hope  you like the slight redesign.  I, uh, wanted to change themes and kinda screwed up and then settled on this library type thing.  Yeah, it's not that original and a bit "canned tuna" but I'm a librarian.  Nothing  brings me more comfort than being around books.  So this actually felt more relaxing to me.  There you have it... an accidental Awesomeness.

Web Wednesday #5

Typically, I've used Web Wednesday to highlight some fun stuff around the web.  Great resources, ideas, ways to entertain your kids/family... Like I said, fun stuff.

Today, I'm not feeling so "fun."  I'm not generally very political... I've already announced numerous times, that I'm Catholic.  Generally, I let people form whatever opinions of me they might with a lot of concern.  Today, I'm throwing my concern out the window.  If nothing else, your opinion of me today should include the idea, not that I'm the most Catholic person you know, but someone willing to stand up for what they believe... unashamed.  You can disagree with my opinion, I don't mind.  You can even decide you think I'm narrow-minded. I can't control what you think... but I do think you need to take a look at these:

• Bishop Earl Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing speaks out HHS Mandate
• Catholic Bishops speak out enmass about HHS Mandate
• Occupy Wall Street protesters accost Pro-Life protesters
• PepsiCo  and Kraft/Cadbury Adams continues it's contract with Synomex, using flavors developed using electively aborted fetal kidney cells
• Go here for a list of affected products

Yes, I have an opinion on abortion  and yes I have an opinion of the violation of freedom of religion.

There you have it... found around the web.

Tipster Tuesday #5

[Due to a stupidity error, this was not posted on Tuesday... I hit save as draft, rather than publish post-- because I'm that awesome!]

In case you haven't picked up on it... some of my key focus points this year are getting organized and getting healthy.  Lately there's been a few hiccups trying to impede my progress towards my goals:

• The schedule
• The behavior
• The Fizzle

But I'm not letting it get me down... I'm recommitting myself to myself... or my goals.

• Block off parts of your schedule for YOU... not the kids, not work, nothing but you.  Use that time on weekends to refresh and during the week to keep on top of what matters most to you.
• Define what matters most to you... I know that sounds like I've turned into a cross between Dr Phil and Stephen Covey.  There's a reason why they say these things.  You can't be awesome if you don't have a good eye on what matters.  In my world:
• Faith
• Family
• Self
• The rest
• As you try to reach whatever goals you've set, who are you accountable to?  (Yes, besides yourself) Involve others in your goals and make a "pact" with someone to get you going.  Get excited and share what you're doing.  You never know... what ever it is that you're doing may be inspirational to others.  That's what God put you here for... to inspire others in whatever you're good at.  I see great Moms every Tuesday at Mother's Club and each week, I think they're doing such awesome things, I must be able to get at least half that out of myself... and I push myself harder. 
• Stand up for what you believe in... unabashedly...

Motivational Monday #5

Holey Moley!  I've been doing this for 5 weeks.  Wow... that alone motivates me, because that means I've been consciously focusing on being awesome and getting back on track when I'm a little less than awesome.

Tonight my friend and I are starting a new exercise/spiritual life program together: PrayFit by Jimmy Pena.

 We are looking foward to motivating and encouraging each other through making our bodies better so we can accomplish the Awesome mission God has lined up for us.  We don't know what it is, but if we are in our 30's and groan at getting up off the couch at the end of the day... we clearly need to do better.  [Rumor has it that a certain Catholic Shoppe may be looking to stock this book as well.]  I'm super excited... how can I not get into a program that is Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.  Yeah, that sounds good.  PLUS, you can go to PrayFit.com and read daily motivation, order books/paraphenelia, or get on their mailing list and get your PrayFit daily right in your mailbox.

Can you tell I'm excited?  Seriously, if you could see me typing at you, you'd see... I'm typing "super fast speed" (as my Godson, Daniel, says).  

In addition to that, I'm pretty sure God reached his hand into my life and tried to stop me from my own stupidity.  This morning, I pulled into Tim Horton's to grab breakfast after a quick run through  Wal-Mart.  Now I drove into that drive thru line with the best of intentions, when I was wracked with a coughing fit.  Suddenly I found myself  trying to say, "Powdered sugar jelly filled donut of some sort, please" while choking.  Oddly, they didn't have any, but offered me 5 timbits instead.  I bought them, plus a fruit & yogurt.  After 2 timbits I was satisfied... and feeling less guilty.  What do you think would have happened if they'd had the whole, fatty donut available? I'd be lying on the couch right now in a sugar coma.  As it is... I'm fired up!I've got a list of things I'd like to get cracking on, so off I go to be motivated!

Okay, I confess, the other 3 timbits looked lonely, so I ate them too!  I've got a list of things I'd like to get cracking on, so off I go to be motivated!

Soothing Sunday #4

Thank Goodness for Soothing Sunday.

We had considered getting up early to get Church "out of the way" at an earlier time and have more relaxation time at home.  Ha ha... we decided to sleep later instead.  Good thing too... it's the start of Catholic Schools Week and my kiddos had to "represent" their school at Mass.  All in all, we still relaxed by sleeping in, right?

My son had to work on a video for school, so I had to sit QUIETLY for an hour while he prepped and recorded himself.  A whole hour of being quiet.  Now that's weird... and I was awake too.  I wanted to do laundry, clean out the dishwasher, etc, but I had to just be quiet.  Not easy to do... especially when you realize, you forgot to eat lunch before he started and you are hungry.

My hubbie and I decided to check out the new show on FOX called Alcatraz.  I'm still undecided... on one hand it's my favorite genre "Crime Show" and on the other hand, there's that X-File-y/Fringe-ish aspect where you know there's more to the show but you don't know what it is and you're not sure you're going to like the show when you find out.  Yet, I still want to watch another episode, so I guess I've fallen for the "schtick."

Hmmm... I'd love to say I have some pithy advice on making your Sunday Soothing, but the above highlights one thing: taking time to just relax.  Maybe for you it's a mega work out... or a family meal (and that's still on my agenda) or perhaps, playing board games together.  Today I'm just hoping to recharge my batteries and get my brain functioning properly again.

I had a week of forgetfulness that as beyond belief... my favorite (which my friends and husband really got a kick out of) was going to the grocery store and realizing after I had checked out and walked into the parking lot that I had unpaid groceries on my cart.  I turned back around, paid for them, went back out to the parking lot and loaded my groceries into the car.  After going home, unpacking and putting away the groceries and then going to a Dr appointment, I realized, I left that stuff in the cart anyway.  

I also managed to stop at green lights, misplace my phone for a day, and forget which kid activities were scheduled when... oh, sigh!  Here's hoping my  brain re-wired today! 

Super Saturday #4

Here at the "Awesome Ranch" we're all hibernating.  Seriously... the weather forecast was for occassional snow that would not accumulate.  It's not a  blizzard outside, though I'm guessing someone who has never lived in North Dakota might claim it is one.  It's cold, windy, and snowing with a smidgelet of accumulation. 

I have to admit... the house is a bit trashed.  My kids have been playing and there's kid stuff all over.  As much as I'd love to have my house look like one of those organized beauties from an issue of a magazine.  The reality is... today, we're busy living in our house.

So... my goals are minor this Super Saturday... get the dishwasher cleaned out and have a nice family dinner together.  I know I can manage to delegate both those tasks.  In fact, it's my son's job to clean out the dishwasher.  I also "outsourced" dinner to my husband.  I believe he's planning to make spaghetti with garlic bread and a salad.  That's fine with me. 

In addition, my husband is busy doing some work on the basement and I'm playing "keep an eye on the kids animals."

How are you making your weekend a special time for your family?

Family Friday #4

It's Friday and I'm so glad it is... I seem to have finally gone from treading water to standing in shallow water.  I'm not totally on my game (as I'd like to be) but it's okay.  I'm making progress towards my goals.

I'm looking forward to tonight's movie night.  I haven't picked a movie yet, but I have a feeling it will involve either princesses or super heros.  I'm inspired like that.

As I alluded to last week, we had to severely restrict our kids priviliges last week.  I'm happy to say, that it's working.  My son has mostly found a new attitude and my daughter realized mommy wasn't kidding when I refused to take her dance class this week.

Sometimes it's hard, because when your kids turn it around and act well-behaved for a little bit, the instinct is to just give them back their priviliges.  After all, the kids are soo sweet and (mostly) innocent, you want to be forgiving.  I always try to recognize that as important as forgiving is, so is respect and consequences.  My kids are currently under 10 years old and it's my firm opinion that if you've got a sassy one at this age, it's only going to get worse.  Don't get me wrong, some sass is good-- so you know your kid can stand up for themselves.  However, I don't need my kid to tell me "it's a free country and I can do what I want.  I don't have to listen to you."  [If it had been summer I would have pitched the tent in the backyard and sent someone outside to sleep.  Fortunately for them, it's too cold.]

I've had people tell me, "Oh if my kid had said that, I would have given him ___"  You fill in the blank with what people talk up how cruel they are to their kids.  I don't want to be cruel.  I want to be even-handed and forgiving.  If you read the Bible, you see mankind repeating the same behavior over and over again in the Old Testament while God punishes them for their transgressions.  However, then in the New Testament, the full picture of a kind, loving and forgiving God develops.  You can see the path to salvation, how to live righteously and how to do things differently.  As a parent, I want to mirror that image of love: kind, forgiving and showing my kids how to live right.  

I guess that's my message for the day... being even-handed without being heavy-handed.  When you are giving your child reasonable consequences for their inappropriate behavior out of love then you are following what God has shown you to do through Jesus Christ.

I'm not perfect, by the way, just awesome.  So sometimes, I'm a little more heavy-handed with my consequences (as in they might be too severe for the situation) and then I explain to my kids, I'm not perfect and I mess up.  Yes, I really do.

So for this family friday, stop and enjoy your kids. And in the moments you are enjoying them, think of what values you want to pass on and how you mean to accomplish that.  Feel free to share some here or on Facebook. 

Happy Friday, ya'll.

Thinner Thursday #4

Sorry folks, there was no post today due to technology upgrades.  Nothing you'd notice but my internet speed is faster. 

Web Wednesday #4

Okay peeps, I got a lot to do today... but if you're taking a break (like me)... here are some fun web finds.

• 3 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Soda... short and to the point article. 
• If you recall me saying, don't re-invent the wheel yesterday, you'll definitely want to check out FlyLady.net... especially the Launch Pad.  You can get yourself in gear and on track with just a little encourage ment.  BTW, today is Anti-Procrastination Day (as is every Wednesday).  What do you need to make finally tackle today?  [for me it's the leftover nasties in the fridge!]
• Upcycle some boxes into cute storage bins... because we have nothing else to do? [Credit Pinterest and Mandy's Krafty Exploits]

Have fun today... tackle those out of control corners in your house and ROCK it... because you're AWESOME!

Tipster Tuesday #4

Okay, I just gotta say it... I feel great.  Fizzle?  What Fizzle?!  My January Fizzle is gone.  I just needed to give myself permission to feel a little worn out and then regenerate.  So my hottest tip for the day is give yourself permission to feel what you feel... don't try to pretend things are great.  If they aren't, that's okay... give yourself some time to collect, process and refocus your energy. 

I must also confess, that I read a blog yesterday (January 23) that hit the nail on the head for me.  It's called The Mary Mission.  Yes, it's a Catholic blog and no, I don't always agree with her posts... but I don't always agree with the person sitting in the room with me, either.  But yesterday... she touched on a sentiment we all feel sometimes: Something's Missing.  Yes, yes... that's what January Fizzle was all about.  However, Mary Mission blogger Barbie Nesbitt is much smarter than this blogger.  Although I had given myself permission to feel what I feel, I hadn't quite come around to what was missing.  At the end of her blog, which articulated how many of us may feel, she captured it in this prayer: "Make me wise, O Lord. Help me to understand that my lack of wisdom is the only real lack I am experiencing. Amen."

Genius... and truly inspirational.  So now that I'm fired up (and you will be too if you read the blog, regardless of whether or not you are Catholic).

So on to today's tips... because I know you're feeling pepped up and inspired right now. 

• Don't recreate the wheel.  If you're having trouble getting on top of things, keeping up with house work or exercise... don't feel overwhelmed because there are tons of resources out there to help you.  We live a time when we are blessed (and at times cursed) with the Internet and social networking.  [I'll be posting some great ones for Web Wednesday #4 tomorrow!]
• Reach out and touch some one.... Are you old enough to remember those old Bell Telephone commercials?  Yes, feeling disconnected... grab your phone and call a friend.  It doesn't matter which friend... but I'm betting the one that pops into your head first is the one who needs the call more than you do! 
• Keep drinking your water!  If you gave up soda/coffee/tea, you'll find you're craving it, when you are thirsty.  Guess what... a cool glass of water is actually just as effective.  It will pump you up better than caffeine will... really.  [Yes, I probably have posted this tip already and I'll keep posting it because it's a good one]
• Last, but not least... if you want to get something done, make yourself accountable to someone!  That's right!  If  you're working on being awesome like me (ha ha), tell someone.  Get someone fired up just like you are and make plans to accomplish something.

Have a wonderful day, readers!  Let's go be awesome!

Motivational Monday #4

It's so easy to be motivated on the 2nd day of the year, isn't it.  Anybody else got the January fizzle going on?  You know... full steam not head?!

If you've ever watched an exercise video, or been in an exercise class, you know that there's the warm up, the work out and the cool down.  Well... if you're watching Richard Simmons.  In the newer workout videos, there's the 2 minute warm up, the workout, and the cool down too.  Now adays, however, it's "cool" to have intensity bursts in the middle of those work outs.  Trust me, my behind is still sore from last week's Turbo Fire!  After those intensity bursts, there can be a "break for water" command issued or a bit of a mini-cool down and lowing of the intensity. 

Life is like that... sometimes we're moving so fast everything is a blur and other times (vacation, perhaps?) is like that cool down period.  In order to be able to keep going we have to speed up and slow down to keep our energy flowing.  So  if you're feeling the fizzle this week, it's okay to have a mini cooldown.  I'm not saying, "Jump of that wagon and hope to heck you can get back on."  Nuh-uh.  I'm saying, "Back away from the tailgate of the wagon and get yourself all cozy up against the side with people to hold you in and relax a bit."

So if the work out/wagon analogies aren't working for you.  Here's a retail one (yeah, we ALL love to shop for something!):  I was in The Gap one time between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  If you've ever shopped there you know, the shelves always look pristine.  Well, they looked more like my daughter's closet after she's looked for "just the right thing" to wear.  As I'm browsing, and oddly very close to the only customer in the store, the manager called out, "Recover." Then all the employees went into action and it looked like a clean up fire drill.  Folding, straightening, rehanging... you get the picture.  I asked one of the employees, "Is there an inspection or something?"  The answer was, "During the Christmas season, there's no point in trying to follow everyone around and straighten up when the store is so full.  So we plan it out, rather than just keep doing it.  It keeps us sane."

This week, let's all call out "Recover" in our lives and spend the time getting things back in line so that  we can keep our sanity and our motivation going.

Soothing Sunday #3

Ever feel like you're stuck in the mud?  I don't mean with a car... I mean, there's just one issue in your life that just won't move forward?  I do!

And it's hard to find anything soothing, when half the time, you're seething.  Really... and I'll be honest, it's the mouth on one of my kids that has me ready to head for the hills.  Literally... I want to escape from this child's presence because I'm not sure I can be calm much longer.  At one point today, I was so fed up, I wanted to call a divorce lawyer. 

If you know me, you know I'm completely and utterly not a proponent of divorce as a method of solving problems.  The reality is, I wanted out of the room, off the same floor, out of the same house, out of the same town away from my own kid.  If you've been a reader for even just a week, you know Family is super important to me.  So I hope you're getting that it's just that bad.  I did what any sane person would do... I just played possum.  Yep, I went limp: emotionally and physically.  If I didn't shut myself down, I was going to join my child in an outrageous display of how not to behave.  In fact, I played it so well... I actually fell asleep. 

Apparently, it's hard to keep arguing with a sleeping person, because now, said child is quietly reading a book next to me as though nothing happened.  I'm quite sure this is not the proper way to resolve things. I wonder if the thought went through this child's mind, "Oh, Crap!  I broke mom!"  I doubt it.  I doubt there was even a realization on conflict resolution or the fourth commandment (Honor thy mother and father.). 

It comes down to this... (and I rarely feel this way)... I can't wait for them to go to school on Monday, so I can relax for an hour... uninterrupted.  And I'm going to do it. 

I know, not exactly the most awesome sentiment I've posted for Soothing Sunday.  If you've been following my posts this week, they've been late since some stuff went down on Wednesday.  My whole week has been off since then.  In fact, considering the things I accomplished today, I'm pretty sure today was Super Saturday... maybe I'm off because of the holiday last Monday, maybe because of personal issues, maybe because my child seems to be affected by full moons/falling barometric pressure/rising barometric pressure/flowers blooming in South Africa/a monkey in a zoo somewhere eating a banana.  Either way, it doesn't matter... there's a lesson here. 

You have to find a place to carve out some peaceful time for yourself.  If you're one of those people who can refresh yourself with a cuppa tea (like I can most weeks), great!  But it's really okay if you're not.  You're still going to be awesome.  Why? Because being awesome is about acknowledging your own faults and shortcomings and praying for assistance.  And believe me, I have!

If you read Friday's post, I mentioned a book that a friend had returned.  And I feel this comes back to Soothing Sunday (after my whining intro above), because it's evidence.  Of what you might ask?  Well, I need to back up a bit further...

I'm doing a fairly intense bible study of Genesis.  It was supposed to be 6 weeks in Genesis and here we are, 15 weeks later just coming up on Chapter 26!  A little more slow, but my Bible Study leader and group have all extensively discussed, that we'd all rather drag our feet through the Word than gloss over it.  One of the things that's been niggling at my brain is... how much easier it would be to truly believe without any doubts or challenges coming in, if God was seemingly reaching his hand into my life as he does in the Old Testament.  In there he's just in everyone's lives and then in the New Testament, it's all Jesus.  But in our day and age, it can really feel like he's just not here... like we're just not "worth it."  After all, why would He hear my voice over all the others crying out to him? 

I'm not trying to challenge Him, really.  I'm trying to illustrate that there's a lot more junk getting in the way.  But when I pray (including a rosary for the intention of my son) and I ask people to pray for me and for the child referenced above, and I still feel lost.  I wonder... maybe I'm overreacting, maybe there's no soul in jeopardy, maybe I'm not really Awesome.  I gotta say, when my friend handed me that book, I was confused.  I didn't even remember reading the book at first. 

And slowly through the course of the evening on Friday, it occurred to me that God had indeed reached his hand into my life.  Would I have found or remembered that book if it were on the shelf in my "library"?  Probably not.  So he took it away from me, knowing I didn't need it and wasn't ready to hear it just yet.  I feel like he's leaned down and placed his hand on my shoulder to say, "I'm here and you have forgotten my Word.  Here you go... I've pulled out what you need right now. "

And as I wrap up this post and reach for my book,  with a notebook, pen and highlighter nearby, I truly feel soothed.

So when things don't go right in your world and it seems like you're lost and forgotten, you're not really.  What do you need to ask God to help you with right now?  What's stopping you from asking?  Do you think that you aren't worth his time?  If I am, you sure as heck are!  After all, we're Awesome in his eyes.

Super Saturday #3

Kinda late on Super Saturday... I know... unlike me right?  Hah, not this week.

And I needed today to be more Super than Awesome.  It's been a draining week. We're fully back in the swing of school and after school activities.  I've seen the inside of my van more than my house this week... whew... I'm feeling OVERCOMMITTED to my kids activities.  And it's bitterly cold out the last few days... the urge to eat fattening foods and hibernate for a month or two is pretty strong.

On my agenda for Super Saturday: 

-- Volunteer at the kids' school's Monthly Fundraiser (which I'm training to be the co-chair...). 

-- Stop in my favorite store and browse

-- Stop at the grocery store and pick up cat food.

-- Laundry mountain!

My reality for Super Saturday:

-- Volunteer at fundraiser... pretty sure I was the worst co-chair trainee today.  Honestly... I wanted to sleep in today

-- Stop in at my favorite store and browse... my daughter had a stinking meltdown because she needed $12.95 to buy a book and she only had $6.  Sorry... babe... do some extra chores and you'll have that money in NO time.  She did not like that at all.  But her pouting and tears made me want to help her out even less.

-- grocery store... ugh... it was too close to noon to have been a nice calm visit.  Again, I don't like shopping on Saturdays and I did it AGAIN this weekend.  Will I never learn?

-- Laundry mountain... I got the pile folded, but it's not put away and there's the "waiting in the wings" batch that needs to be washed, dried, and folded... Soothing Sunday is going to suffer a bit!

There's only one way to have a Super Saturday... that's to stay on task during the week to keep on top of things so weekend work is minimal.  This week, that wasn't a possiblity for me, because I had some personal emergancies to tend to (well, okay... that sounds bad, but visiting someone in the ER trumps laundry any day!  So it was someone else's emergancy that I [without question] had to assist with and that person is okay.).  Things didn't go according to my plans this week and that, frankly, makes me GRUMPY.  So here I am on Saturday evening, feeling more tired because I'm grumpy at all the things that have piled up. 

Yep, I'm human... but since I'm awesome, I'm going to roll up my sleeves and dig in.  The reality is... it's all a pile of minor stuff and if I just make a list and tackle it... Soothing Sunday is still possible.  So I'm going to champion early Mass attendance so I can get my shizzle done before noon.  So my daughter and I can finally watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  And yes, I own the DVD!

 

Family Friday #3-- Awesomeness Deficit Edition

It's already late on Friday evening and since my kids displayed a phenomenal inability to get along in the last week, our usual Friday Night Movie is postponed until better behavior arises.  Yep... we've had to can movie night here.  [If I told you why, you'd cancel too!]

Instead, I'm listening to the muffled sounds of my 2 kids playing basketball in the basement as the temperture drops below freezing.  My husband and I are fiddling with our respective electronic devices.  Oddly, we're actually getting family time.  We ate dinner together. We talked about our day.  We are doing our own things right now... and that's okay.

I know, it sounds odd... but our "own thing" this week means respecting each other. 

What strikes me as odd, is that I loaned a book to a friend months (maybe a year) ago... she returned it today.  It is about "heart-oriented" discipline.  It takes things from a biblical perspective and references Proverbs quite a bit.  It is precisely the book I needed to pop back into my life.  So tonight's family tradition has been replaced with my kids playing, not fighting; my husband being intrigued by a book on discipline and corralling the kids; and me... just wondering.

As far as awesomeness goes... this has been a week of displaying our awesomeness deficit.  Sometimes, as a family, it's absolutely key to just stop and do nothing.  Not every minute has to be jam packed with creating memories and moments.  I'm pretty sure that my kids will one day look back and say... remember that night our parents let us play basketball in the basement.  Sometimes, moments happen when you're not trying.

[For the Record:  the above referenced book is: "Don't Make Me Count to Three!" by Ginger Plowman]

Thinner Thursday #3

O Dear... my first truly late post. 

In my own defense there were some family matters to attend to yesterday and I was just too beat to write up a decent post for you all.  In fact, it's still questionable today as to whether or not this post will be decent. 

In my quest to eat healthier... I totally fell off the wagon this week... with my low point being a hot dog with french fries for lunch yesterday (Thursday).  Oh and thinking I "deserved it," I sucked down a big glass of  orange soda with it.  Yep... and I felt crummy and grumpy all afternoon and evening... talk about getting what you deserve.  Today, in contrast, I ate half a chicken salad sandwich... and I oddly wasn't hungry.  Why?  Apparently freshly made chicken salad has more nutrients (and veggies) in it that a hot dog.  No surprise there.  Wait, there kind of is a surprise... I ate less food and felt better because the food was healthy.

Kinda gives you something to think about, doesn't it?  What are you stuffing into your mouth thinking, "I've earned this indulgence," that's really just doing more harm than good?  Just as your body will ache when you (perhaps foolishly) think you can do a 1 hour work out called "Turbo Fire," it will also tell you when you have (completely foolishly) stuffed junk in your mouth.  Bad moods... bloated belly. Calories aside, because I could "afford" them yesterday... it just wasn't worth my choice of calories.

So... here's tonight's dinner recipe.

Italian Sausage Skillet.

1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 bag Simply Potatoes diced potatoes with onion [you can do this yourself, but I was in a hurry!]

1 tbsp. Olive oil

Drizzle olive oil in skillet and cook sausage, browning outsides.

While sausage cooks, clean and dice peppers.

Remove cooked sausage from skillet and add in peppers and potato mix. 

Cook potatoes until browned and peppers have softened.

Slice sausage and add back in to potato mixture to warm back up.

Serves a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids... no teens... double the recipe if you have teens!)

Seriously, that's it and it's healthy.  In fact, my husband was surprised to discover the sausage was made of turkey. 

Web Wednesday #3

I must confess... I love Subway Art.  LOVE IT!  I want to paint my hallway like the London Underground, put a big "Paddington Station" symbol up and hang inspirational Subway Art UP and DOWN the (10 ft) hallway.  

Chances of that happening are like zero!  In the interim, I've fallen into a bucket of pinterest and have these goodies to share. Chances of some of these making it to my walls... 99%!

From Silly Bean's Idea Space [inspiration]: 

From Simple Crafter [free printable and it matches my kitchen... JOY!]:

From Realistic Wedding [a great post for a bridal shower-- again, inspiration]: