Breakfast, Pumpkins, Crepes

I find it sometimes really difficult to keep traditions alive.  During the week you are running around crazy and then by the weekend you are so beat you just want to be thoroughly entertained by restaurants, mindless television, and laying on the couch (one of my favorite pastimes).

This weekend my focus was making memories.  Friday none of us were feeling great so we spent the evening home and rested well.  Saturday morning we had my mom and dad over for breakfast and the evening was pumpkin carving.  Sunday after a nice lunch with friends, after our nap, and after a little mindless television and couch laying (I had to squeeze it in...just a little) I decided to enlighten Bella to a Grandma Owens' crepes.  I did this in the spirit of trying to make memories and get traditions going.  I had never made them for Bella before....or anyone else for that matter, but I gave it a shot.  When Bella asked what I was making and I replied crepes she said "ewwwwww!"  Once she saw the cinnamon and butter she began to be intrigued.

My grandmother always made them for me.  Every visit.  If I close my eyes- I'm in that kitchen: ducks, plastic table cloth, butter on the table, glass shaker with cinnamon sugar in it, and black & white chairs.  She made them so fantastically- they were always perfect, always hot, and always circular.

However every once and while she would get one that was little misshaped and she always ate it.  I felt bad because she gave me the ones that always looked perfect.  Today when I made them for Bella before I even realized it, I ate the two that in no way favored the resemblance of circles.  You know what, I didn't even mind.  I bet that is exactly how she felt.  It made me smile and it made me miss her.

time- more, please?

 

I went home from work sick on Tuesday. I picked up Bella and the first thing she said was "mom, you forgot my blankets." MOM FAIL! I felt terrrrrible! Luckily I picked her up before nap time so as soon as I got home we snuggled up real tight and took a almost a 4 hour nap. Both of us needed it! I woke up feeling better, but still sounding like a man.  The weather was so gorgeous so we went outisde to spend some time.  Although I felt pretty crappy, I took her out to play because I know the good weather will be gone too soon.  While we were outside, Bella found two "cottony wish flowers" (I have no idea what they are really called).   She picked them up and made a wish and blew hard. It sounds cheesey, but in that moment I thought my time with her is too short, she's grown up too fast, and she is far too smart. Those will be the last time those three year old hands hold a "cottony wish flower."  This time next year she'll be a four year old picking the dandeloins for me.  Atleast next year she'll still think they are beautiful flowers.

Sweatpants & It's 80 Degrees

It is simply impossible to gauge NWI weather in the fall.  It will be 32 degrees at 6 am and then by 2 pm it's 85 degrees in full beating sun.  I'm not complaining.  I loooooooove good weather, but it gets tricky when you are dressing your kid for daycare. 

The other day Bella had on a wind breaker outfit (play clothes...don't judge), t-shirt underneath, jacket, hat, & coat.  When leaving at 6:45 am this outfit makes perfect sense. It's dark outside and it's freeeeeeezing.  However, when I went outside on my lunch I practically broke a sweat from the building to my car because it was so hot outside.  Then I think about Bella at recess pitting out in her windbreaker sweatsuit :(. Poor girl.

Moral of the story- utilize the weather button on your phone and don't dress for 6 am weather. Lesson learned!

Discipline...eeeek!

I don't know about you, but about one hour into my workday on Mondays I begin feeling guilty for any discipline I may have dished out over the weekend.  In my mind, the weekends should be all shiny, happy picnic times that NEVER would involve yelling (my unrealistic mentality every Friday). 

I'm looking for creative ways of punishment- which does not  involve me having a Wal-Mart meltdown.  You know the kind I'm talking about too.  Bella is pretty obedient but pushes her boundaries much like any kid.  Especially, with me.  I"m thinking it is because she's upset I'm working and doesn't know how to articulate those emotions in words so she acts out and has called me a name like "poop cologne."  Funny- but disrespectful.

Mike says I let her "get over on me" way too much.  It's probably true, but I just feel so bad for being gone so much of her week.  Does this feeling pass when they are in school full day?

Bottom line: She is a super sweet kid! Time outs and harsh talks usually work. I just need to get over my Monday discipline guilt factor and keep reminding myself kids love discipline...even when you work.

Constant Exchange....SERIOUSLY?

Working moms are in a constant state of exchanging. You trade housework for quality time, quality time for exercising, errands for cooking, doing your hair "the good way" for more time to do kids hair in the morning, and healthy foods for convenient.  I haven't yet seemed to be on top of it all.

I have searched and searched again for wisdom in attaining a balance of looking good, feeling good, looking clean, being clean, meeting every one's needs for quality time, and making sure Bella feels extra special everyday- bottom line: I have not found it yet.

I'm constantly trading one for the other and then constantly feeling guilty I choose the "other."

This post is pretty emo and maybe a little whiny.  I'm open for advice.

How do friends "work"?

How do you manage friendships while being a working mom? I am no expert, but from trial and error (and mostly error) here's what I've found from my experience. Friendships are so important and so valuable to you being fulfilled while working, right? But where is the time for them? Friends who are moms and don't work or friends who work and don't have kids can leave you feeling guilty when you can't meet them for dinner or meet them for a movie. Here's what I've found to be successful for meaningful friendships:

Problem: phone conversations

Resolution: make your phone calls on the way to and from work or on lunch

Problem: hang out time

Resolution: I try to make "friend dinner plans" after 8:30 pm which is after bedtime

Problem: expectations

Resolution: have a conversation, a lot of hurt is developed when people start assuming feelings and situations about others.

Problem: inconsistency

Resolution: Be consistent - the thing I most regret when I went back to work is the pattern of inconsistency I developed while working.  I couldn't find balance. I have learned to set reminders in my cell phone to call people back.

Problem: homebody

Resolution: This is me: guilty as charged. I have no idea for a resolution for this one. Accepting suggestions. Please comment below. :)

DISCLAIMER: These are opinions and come mostly from screwing up. :)

Who's bringing the White Castles?

One of the past holidays this year I ended up having to work. Although the work day ended short I had to work passed closing time.  Working late left me with no time to prepare an appetizer I was supposed to cook and bring to the family party. At this point I was stressing because either I went home to cook my dish and show up 2 hours late or I could get something store bought (which ended up being completely sold out of ready-made dishes). I didn't want to show up empty handed so I opted for White Castles. Classy, right?

That story got me thinking about my life over the last year and half back in the work force. I began thinking about the areas I seemed to really accomplish well as a mom with 55,000 things on her plate.  I felt really great about my ability to balance schedules of my own family's day to day activities.  It seemed I have been really great at the day to days, but it's the "extras" I seemed to be lacking.

The "extras" in working mom lingo is anything outside of the 8 to 9 to 10 hour day (which ever your reality might be).  The sheer energy of getting ready and getting a kid to daycare or family member's house is just about all the energy a normal person would have left...for the ENTIRE DAY, but then you have to work, pick them up, go home, make dinner, give baths, do random household stuff, spend time with your spouse, and then finalllllly go to sleep.

The "extras" might be that family dinner on a week night or going to the grocery store after work. It's not that us working moms despise these "extra" activities, we love them! It may just mean we go to those "extra" events looking a little tired, maybe a little late, or maybe the dish we bring isn't homemade. The most important thing is that we are THERE sharing our precious moments with the people we work so hard to enjoy. So don't feel guilty about bringing the White Castles.

Traveling Salesperson

‎August ‎09, ‎2010
7:43 PM

I used to think the "traveling salesperson" (my attempt at being politically correct) who I rented cars to at my previous job were so annoying when they complained about their job.   I mean seriously. I was just as educated, if not more, and I was renting cars...and cleaning them. I pretty much despised people who had uber-cool jobs which allowed them to TRAVEL and get paid- how unfair!  Well, I became one of those annoying people this week.

I started a  new job which involved a two week training to Minneapolis, MN (I like to call it Minne-AN-apolis just because).  Amping up for the new job, the travel seemed really exciting. Staying in a nice hotel flying in Sunday to Friday, jetting home for the weekend and shooting back for the last week of training. After the FIRST night of the FIRST week, I felt terrible for despising all of those rental car customers.  I completely knew why they hated it.

When family is removed from the traveling equation, it's just sad :( You are not the one getting your husband coffee in the morning or wiping your kids butt. You're certainly not home to tell them you are going to cook them a homemade meal and then regretfully get their favorite drive-thru because your too tired.  I missed all of the things that so annoyed me. Suddenly on my weekend home, dirty underwear on the floor didn't really bother me, wet towels on the carpet will inevitably picked up, and Candyland can certainly be played passed the third round and not be as annoying as you think.

I miss home :(

But I love my new job. I love my family more. I love Jesus the most :)

DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE ALL OF THE CUTE THINGS BELLA SAID TO ME ON THE PHONE MY FIRST WEEK GONE & MY WEEKEND HOME- IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ IT'S FINE, I DON'T BLAME YOU.

• "Do you remember me, Mom?" - my heart broke
• "Ahhhh. Just what I needed. The sun to go down because the sun was burning my eyes."
• "I will neber (how she says never) be too big for you to hold me, Mom."
• "I love you more than Daddy."
• "I love Daddy more than you."
• "Member when I was a baby and I just wanted you?" -I love it when kids say "member" instead of "remember" and tell stories about themselves being a baby.
• "Why are you going to Minnesota again?"

My FIRST Blog :)

August 7th, 2010
5:29 p.m.

So this is it...My Blog. I feel a little 90's just now beginning this endeavor, but I have meant to do it since the Perez Hilton craze in the early 2000's.  Then, there was high school graduation, then college, then marriage, and then three months later pregnancy...BELLA (who was undoubtedly the best one year wedding anniversary present ever).

I actually thought in the hospital  I would definitely be taking up blogging now I would be a stay at home mom, but between my procrastination of losing my baby weight (all 65 lbs. of it), nursing for 13 months, and returning to the workforce when she turned 2, it moved to the bottom of the pile. Now I'm starting a new career, getting ready to begin my masters degree, and enrolling Bella in some kind of Saturday Extra-Curricular, I decided now would be the perfect time (sarcasm).

Major motivation: I want other working, born-again mothers to know, they are NOT alone. They are not the only one who forget to pick up their kids at daycare. They are not the only ones who make meals which require one baking dish and less than 4 ingredients. They are not the only ones who can't remember where their kid goes on which day and who the heck is picking them up. And most importantly, a diary for my precious Bella, so she knows just how much of my 8 hour work day was spent thinking about her & trying to give her the BEST example of career & Christ. :)