A Change is Gonna Come

Well HELLO!  I have been terrible at keeping up with this little blog these past couple of years.  Look, I've even had another kid and he's not even on the side bar over there yet. #momfail  But then again, let's be honest.  He's absolutely the main reason that I haven't kept up with this blog very well.  So I guess that's an even trade (I want to put the raised arms/"oh well" emoji right here).  I digress.  Here's what's going on...

A few years ago, a friend of mine told me that when she turned 30, something changed in her.  Like all of a sudden she realized she didn't have to put up with other's people's crap; she stood her ground and stood up for herself; she just felt good.  That always stuck with me.  And let me tell you--I turned 30 last year...she was right ;)

It took a little while for me, closer to 31.  And although I do feel a little more sure in my own footing and care a little less when people get their feathers flustered, I more so found the umph to quit putting up with my own crap.  So here are some changes we've been making in this household lately:

1.  In May, something clicked and I decided that at 31 (aka, a grown ass woman...insert eyeroll emoji), it was time for me to start making my bed.  This is not a habit that ever ever stuck with me  My mom makes hers religiously, but never required it of us; and I had no interest in extra "work".  I'm just going to crawl back in it tonight anyway! Which is still true...but it is so much nicer to crawl into a made bed than have to figure all the covers back out.  But mostly, it just looks pretty.  My room automatically feels cleaner and bigger and more welcoming to me.  It took a couple of weeks of making myself do it (my husband telling me every night how much he loved the bed being made definitely helped).  But as they say, 21 days makes a habit--and so it was.  By week three, it was a breeze.  And now I'm to the point that I can't stand to walk back in my room if it's not made.  Literally less than a minute to make my whole day feel better--winning.

(This also made me decide to make my kids make their beds every morning.  Right now, that's just Arabella--Kaplan tries sometimes, but not regularly.  She knows she has to have it made/be dressed/teeth brushed before she comes in for breakfast.  It's lovely...and she likes the way it looks too!)

2.  I decided in March-ish that I was going to set a goal this year to read a book a month.  I would love for it to be a book a week, but that's just not realistic for me right now in this phase of life.  But I felt like a book a month was very achievable.  I love to read, but I had slacked off BIG time.  And the major culprit aside from my children?  The TV...  ugh.  I'm going to write a whole post about what all I've been reading so far, but I am happy to say that (thanks to the Harry Potter series!) I have smashed my one/month goal so far!  I'm on number 14 :)  I still watch TV some, but mostly just the shows that Hunter and I watch together.  If I have a chunk of time, now I reach for my book instead of the remote.  Beautiful.

3.  As we hunkered down for school to start up again, my sister told me she was making a schedule for their family to follow each week as far as chores and exercise and such.  Simultaneously--and without knowing my sister and I had talked about this--one of my best friends started asking what my schedule was for laundry and chores (it was "whenever whatever needs to be done").  The more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea of having a schedule and a defined routine.  So I took a look at the examples that had been commented on the book of faces, and I set out to make our own chore chart.

For some reference, Arabella is almost 7, Kaplan is almost 4, and Landry is almost 2.  My husband works full time and I stay at home.  And Rosie is our robot vacuum ;)  Pet care will be added eventually for the kids (we have an outside lab, so right now, daddy does all of her care taking).

Most of these are things I was already doing, inconsistently and irregularly (besides mopping--I mean hello.  That's hell with a handle).  This was fine, but it also meant I was doing it all.  And it's about dang time these kids started doing some chores!  We really started following this schedule this week, and so far they are asking me (excitedly) what their chore is.  Today they folded towels (Bella the big towels, Kaplan the rags and hand towels)...  This was a big "let go" one for me because a) they sat in a pile on my bed until Bella got home and I really wanted to fold them myself and get them out of the way; and b) I mean they're not great at folding towels...so the fact that I put them up the way they folded them (with a little help--it was their first time solo so I was showing them how as they went), well that's just huge.  Deep breaths, mama.

I tried to pick chores that needed to be done on a regular basis that were also age appropriate (Landry was tough, but he's learning as we go).  I also added in some things we weren't doing often enough (ahem mopping...and also ceiling fans, changing sheets, bathrooms, and cleaning out the van...I don't like to clean...).

Hopefully with a laundry "schedule", the clothes we need will always be clean.  And if I don't have SO much to fold at a time, maybe I'll actually just fold it once it dries...hmmm.  But seriously--I have found now that I make my bed, if I'll bring my pile of laundry in there to fold, it gives me a chance to listen to a podcast away from as much children noise...and I'll fold it that same day because it's on my bed.  The pile on the couch used to sit there for daaaaaays on end because I just didn't want to fold it. And then we were wrinkly and it was an actual mountain of clothes and we were digging through the pile for what we needed and I just hated it.

4.  Hunter and I have talked regularly for the past year+ about needing to be healthier.  We are both the heaviest and most out of shape we've ever been (let's face it, I've never been in shape)...but yet all we ever did was talk.  Well when I made the chore chart, I also told him I wanted to start getting up early to exercise (who the heck am I??) every morning.  WUT.  So for the past two weeks we've been exercising, and since school started, we've been getting up at 5:30 to do so.  Help me, Jesus...it is so early.

He enjoys running (I absolutely do not...  He convinced me to run with him way back in the day before children, and it quickly got to the point that I didn't want him to come home from work because it meant we had to run.  The worst.  He however loved it and took the dog every morning to RUN 3 miles...the whole way.  I can't breathe just thinking about it.  But then he broke the tip of his toe the week before we had Arabella and that was that; hasn't run much since.)  So now, once again, he wakes up in the morning and goes for a run.

I really enjoy my CU24 Advocare video.  I did it consistently the first time I did the 24 day challenge several years ago and enjoyed it then (and could tell a difference).  So I wake up friggin early and do my video.  My schedule:  MWF are actual workouts and TR are core stretch exercises.  The weekends can be whatever.  Each video is only 24 minutes (so manageable) and are broken into 9-12 different exercises that they repeat.  There's also a beginner/intermediate/difficult pose for each exercise as well as a beginner/intermediate/difficult time limit.  So you do what you're able for as long as you're able and don't feel like a failure when you can't keep up.  Plus I turn down the volume on the video and turn up my pumped up playlist--music really does help you get pumped!
**PS--just found out that these videos are on YouTube!  So you can check em out if you're interested.

5.  And here's the kicker...FOOD.  I mean come on.  We're from south Louisiana.  Food is everything to us (and hardly any of it is healthy).  I'm pretty good about cooking most nights...but I'm not great about making sure things aren't loaded with carbs and cholesterol and sodium and processed everything.

My sister and I were able to sneak away and go see Rachel Hollis's documentary "Made for More" last week...incredible.  I already loved her, but this attracted me to her like a moth to a flame.  And I also went home feeling ready to keep some promises to myself.  Since I was alone on the way home, I listened to one of her podcasts and she talked about going from a size 14 to a size 2 (I had NO idea she had struggled with that...she's a tiny person at only 5'1" and I've only ever seen her tiny waisted as well).  She mentioned that she had done a podcast with the nutritionist whose book changed her diet (not as in a fad, but as in the food she consumes), so I went and listened to that one too.

And it all just made a lot of sense.  Kelly Leveque wrote the book Body Love which goes into a lot more detail (it's next on my to read list!).  You can go to the "Rise" podcast and listen to her interview with Rachel for some details and an interested conversation.  She talked a lot about blood sugar, and why carbs are needed but can also be really bad...in a way that I understood basically (and I have very little knowledge about all that jazz).

So now, after our early morning workouts, we start our day with one of her fab four smoothies for breakfast.  The ones we've tried so far have actually been pretty good.  And I can guarantee you they're better for us than the pop tarts, cereal, oatmeal, or straight nothing we'd been eating...

For lunch, we've been trying to eat lighter.  He usually has leftovers; or if he goes out to eat, he's mindful of what's on the menu and balances his entree and sides.  I eat a salad for lunch almost every day (which is HUGE because I'm not a salad person).  I also keep boiled eggs on hand at all times.  Cucumbers, sweet potatoes (very little sugar, a little cinnamon), apple with peanut butter, a small scoop of chicken salad (with a green salad or cucumber)...some combination or variation of any of that.

And for dinner--that hasn't changed a ton.  I don't do rolls or bread anymore just for the sake of having them.  And most of our vegetables are fresh now instead of canned (although we do still have some green beans/peas/corn every once in a while).  I've done a lot of broccoli, zucchini, squash, and cauliflower chopped up, seasoned, and baked (in whatever combination you choose).  Also asparagus.  And salads some nights too.  But last week we had lasagna to go with it.  And tonight I made some rice a roni.  And this weekend we had macaroni as a side.  We even had key lime pie Sunday night (and it was SO good)! And I'm ok with every bit of that--because we used portion control.  And instead of having heaping helpings of all those things, we got an actual serving...and ate our vegetables first to fill us up more before we even got to the starches.

I cut the cokes out again (not that hard since I wasn't drinking them often, and he hasn't had one in like 13 years).  We cut back on the wine/beer.  And I cut back on the sweet tea :(  He switched to half and half a couple years ago, and now actually enjoys straight unsweet tea (gag me with a spoon).  I however am a proper southern lady and want my tea as thick as my accent and sweet as I am too ;)  I don't ever keep it at home--it's that urge to stop at Sonic that's harder to break...but I've done well!

It's been harder at some times than others, but we already feel better.  I went into this food thing refusing to do Paleo or Keto or Atkins or whatever named diet there is...I also refused to count micros or macros and anything (I don't do numbers and that crap confuses me).  I really just wanted this whole experience to be about making better choices for our bodies.  We're not that far from 40 (eeeesh) and that's kinda when you're body can start working against you more than for you.  And I don't want to be in a bad place then and have to do a major overhaul...so we're trying to just be better to our bodies and ourselves in general.  Plus, we want these changes to be something that we keep up with, not a phase we go through.  Learning to make good choices is something we can keep.



Phew, that was a lot!  I know this seems like a ton of change, but it's happened semi-gradually for us.  And none of it is so major that it's hard to manage.  I just wanted to share what was working for us in case you might be interested in making some changes too, but just don't know exactly what you want to do yet.  Change is never easy, but it can be so so good!  You really can do it ;)

xoxo, angie

Life Limbo

I have never been a fan of the game of limbo.  For starters, I have never been great with flexibility.  The V-sit stretch in PE was my nemesis (okay, I'll be honest.  PE was my nemesis).  The only backbend I could ever do was the cheater when you started out on the ground and lifted your torso.  I'm just not a flexible person.
Second, it consistently gets harder.  Ya know, it starts out all simple and  kinda fun, heading into something that you're pretty sure you can do fairly easily...and then with each level the bar gets lowered, the intensity grows exponentially.  You know for each person how sudden that one round goes--at one point, it's a little tight but still very doable; and then the very next round, you're out.
Third, when you're out, you either have to duck and dodge, or you have to fall...and both of those options are a low to no on the fun scale.


Anyone sensing that this is going to turn metaphorical in 3...2...1...?

Our life has been a game of limbo the past 12-18 months, and I am so incredibly over it.  It is even less fun when it's your life that is in the constant guessing phase, especially when that inflexibility tends to rear its head in my heart as well as my limbs.

Basically, we've been told for years now that we'll be moving soon.  The job and the location and the time frame have changed so many times, I've lost count.  We are kept very much in the dark about their plans for him and everything can change at whoever's whim that belongs to (I don't even know who it is that makes these decisions..."the man").

I very much feel like a pawn in someone else's game, not allowed to know what the next move is but forced to take it whenever "they" (again, whoever that is) see fit.

We're at the point in this limbo game, that I really do feel like it's the last round.  Bending and bending and bending so much that it hurts.  And although I'm ready to duck and dodge, I have a feeling it's going to be more like a fall.  Or who knows...maybe that flexibility will kick in when I need it most.

This year and a half of turnarounds has made me a stronger person in a lot of ways.  I've been forced to become more independent; to find strength I didn't know I had; and strangely, I've become a better housewife.  But on the other hand, it has completely drained me.  Hunter and I don't even get to talk much anymore; I do most of the parenting experiences alone...I do a lot of stuff alone actually (always in the company of my 3 yr and 7 mo old however); I'm constantly spent.  <---  and all of those things only amplify how much I hate life limbo.

I'm really trying to lean into this as a lesson my God is teaching me about letting go of control.  About learning to listen for his guidance instead of making my own plans.  About embracing opportunity and not getting in the way of something great.  I've been reading 7 and Interrupted and Barefoot Church and they are wrecking me...in all the best ways possible {thank you, Hatmakers,
for messing up my mind!  no seriously, thanks}.  And I'm trying to look at my life through those lenses of actually leaning into God and trusting where we are taken.  But at the same time, I feel so unsettled right now...just not right, like something is just off and I can't identify exactly what it is.

This post really wasn't meant to inspire pity, but instead to let myself vent and process a bit.  As my best friend put so well tonight, "I have a schizophrenic heart"...and that, dear people, will wear you plum out.

So we have no idea where we're going, when we're going, or what we're doing...but that's pretty much life in a nutshell anyway, huh?  This causes a lot of emotions to flood through me--anger, fear, exhaustion, uncertainty, anxiety...most prevalent tonight is some anger because I'm so over the changes.  Wrapping my head around major change is not something that's easy for me.  Little stuff, no sweat, I can roll with the punches and normally pretty laid back.  The big stuff, I need a lot of warning, a lot of process time, and usually a lot of tears.  So when I mentally prepare myself for something only for it to be shot down and changed, that just sucks and takes a big toll on me.  And it's happened a lot lately...

Hopefully this is just a season.  The lessons learned best are the ones that come through struggle.  So whatever we are being taught here should surely stick.  I still have a husband who cares so deeply for me and two absolutely beautiful children.  So come what may... (I really don't feel that way, but I'm trying, dad gum it!)

love, angie

Cooking up a storm

Probably the best thing I did as far as baby prep with Arabella was cooking and freezing several meals.  Those few months when you're heavy in the newborn stage (aka the "fourth trimester"or quarter I guess...or constant insanity/zombie-esque...or to some, close to Hades...I digress), cooking a full on meal is one of the last thing a mama wants to worry about.  Thankfully, we have an incredible support system of church family and close friends that provided us with meals the first few weeks.  But once those waned away, those frozen meals were a life saver.

My little mama is about to have back surgery at the end of the month, so our cooking day had to move up some-- #1, she needs meals of her own frozen this go round! and #2 who knows how long recovery will take and if she'll be able to help me much with that closer to baby time.  So this weekend, we're gathering up all our pots and pans and crockpots and putting her stoves to work.

I plan to make double batches of most of the recipes I'm making which will give me about 4-6 portions of each (a quart size bag is perfect for Hunter, myself, and Bella to all eat from).  For the ones that require noodles and rice and what not, we just make the sauce and freeze.  I can easily boil some noodles or rice while the sauce is heating on the stove.  Throw it all in the pan and dinner in done-zo.  Just stinkin' fabulous.

I'll be making:
--Crawfish Soup
--White Chili
--Broccoli Casserole
--Pork Chops and Gravy
--Roast and Gravy
--Crawfish Fetuccini
--Johnny Marzetti (tomato based casserole)
--Red Beans and Rice

And later I'll whip up some gumbo and spaghetti (and possibly a few others I run across...)

With Bella, I was able to have over 40 meals frozen and ready to go after one cooking spree with mom.  That would be amazing to have this time as well--and I plan on having just that (and maybe more!)

I may not be able to move well next week after all that kitchen time...  But I know I'd rather feel slow now while baby no name is contained than have to worry with all the cooking after he's out and about with his sister!

Do y'all have any good freezer meal recipes?  I'd love to know them if you're willing to share!  Hopefully one day soon I can share some of the ones listed above.

And if you know anyone who is having or recently had a baby--food is a great gift and was always well received by us!  And if you portion and freeze it, they can pull it out when they need/want it :)

happy cooking
love, angie

My 2013 Planner!

I am a loyal follower of Jen at IHeartOrganizing!  I stumbled across her blog through Pinterest--she was actually the first blog other than my friends' that I started following--and boy am I glad I did!  Her habits and home are ones over which I swoon...  She does such a great job at not only organizing spaces (and keeping them that way), but also making them all visually appealing and just so much fun!

At the beginning of the month, she posted her planner that she created, and I immediately fell in love.  Enough so the I ordered the planner kit from her, as well as the similar system she used to hold the pages.  Well, it all came in today and I am SO pleased with it so far! 

(If you go look at hers, which I strongly encourage you to do, I will warn you that it is SO much prettier than mine!  The girl has skill--perfect, beautiful, Midas Touch of Organization skill.)

I loved the planner documents so much (purchased electronic files) that I visited her Etsy shop and got a few more organizational documents that I could use in our family planner.  Oh, the color and coordination and personalization is almost too much for me to take in!  I just love it.

*The pictures are horrible because the lighting in my house is horrible--but I went ahead and took them without any natural light because I have time to blog and I'm just that excited about it!*

I ordered the Discbound System (by Martha Stewart) from Staples.  I loved this pattern; although, the one Jen got was the Discbound System also, her cover is a different material and offers other features (pocket and pen holder) that mine doesn't.  Had I known that, I might have swayed my choice; but regardless I still love the pattern!  Mine is also a soft cover so it bends like a notebook would. (she got the textured cover--offered in Black or Blue Wave--and I got the smooth)

There she is!  I love the cover sheet (well, I actually just love all of the pages SO much!) as the first thing I see when I open it.  All of my little tab labels off to the side add a bit of character while keeping things in order.

Each month gets a full page calendar like this one...

and also a full spread per week like this one (LOVE this feature).

The full spread includes a space to write out the meals you have planned for that day, making it super easy to get a glance at your complete day.  Each page also has a space for notes--we all have to have those little reminders--and that quote that I have come to love as such a fun reminder: 

"It's a FABULOUS day to have a FABULOUS day!"

The year, month, and week's end are also written at the top of the left page of the week at a glance.

While a full month's view of the past, current, and future months and a space for the weeks goals are on the right page.

I also have coordinating "Notes" pages at the back for those random lists that I always find myself writing; a Special Dates page where I have important birthdays and anniversaries are written out in one easy to see format; an idea sheet for blogging (personalized); and a media inventory list (I'm a bit of a movie fiend--and the worst is being at the store and not remembering if I already have the movie I'm thinking about getting--especially in a series...).

I've only had it for 5 hours and I already LOVE it!  Who wouldn't want to look at all those fabulous colors and layouts on a daily basis?  So pretty and yet so functional!

I started a family binder last year (again, after following Pinterest to a blog of ideas...).  I've seen multiple variations since and will probably use this more and more as our family grows.  However, since I was already on a spree, I went ahead and gave it some sprucing!  Since I am a sucker for all things chevron, this cover design had me at first sight.  And now all of the colors and patterns blend between it and my planner which makes me super happy :)

I had a flimsy planner in the front of this last year and it was my main family calendar.  It worked well except carrying around a hard binder all the time or to go grocery shopping or on trips was just annoying.  It was too bulky, and I didn't need to tote around all of the information in the other tabs all the time.  So I printed out the same calendar that's in my planner (only the whole month views).  So I still have a calendar here that gives me a reference, but it's no longer my main source of schedule organization.

With the planner kit came these fabulous meal plan sheets.  I had used a variation of these last year, but they weren't near this pretty!  I love having the space for the meals and the grocery list so that all of the planning gets done at once (my other sheets also had this feature so it's already something I appreciate, but again, they were just too dull).  I have 52 of these bad boys printed out and ready to go for 2013.  My plan is to fill out my menu and grocery list as I'm able to--even weeks at a time--and then when pay day/grocery day comes around, the two weeks I'll be shopping for will get punch and put in my planner.  I plan to carry that planner most (hopefully all) of the time, so this way I won't be carrying anything extra to the store.  I tried shopping with that bulky binder a few times last year and it was terrible (especially now with trying to juggle it and a toddler).  Then I resorted to just taking the paper, but I ended up folding it and shoving it in my purse or just flat out forgetting it at home--both of which strongly annoyed me.  So hopefully this method will ease my shopping woes!

I ordered this Babysitter planning sheet to fill out when we have a sitter (especially someone who doesn't sit for us often).  Again, I already had something similar to this, but it wasn't as pretty and I liked the info spaces on this one better.  Since they're digital files that I now own, I can print out as many as I need whenever I need them! (huge score in my book...)

I love having a place that I can organize my gift ideas and what I've already bought.  Plus this design has a place to track your spending budget--all must haves in one pretty location!

Here are the party planning documents that I fell in love with!  I regularly find myself hosting some sort of shower or shindig, making so many lists in so many different places that I can't keep track of them all.  This way, I can keep all my info together, and I can always write random thoughts and tid bits on the back.  Regardless, it's all together.

I also ordered the Password Log (who doesn't need help remembering the usernames and passwords to all of those online subscriptions and memberships?!) and the Paint Color Reference (to keep track of where you used a color and what it's name was) that both live in the binder.

How pretty are all of those pages?!  She is such a great designer of all things, but here we're focusing on those printables.  Again, these are sold as digital files, so once you get them, you can print them out as you need them.  The personalization is something else that gets me giddy.  Function + Beauty + Organization = Happiness and Sanity

I'm so excited to get this year going!

What do you use as your planner/home organization system?  I'd love to hear any tips or ideas you have that work for you and your family!

love, angie

Reminder:  I bought these printables from Jen at IHeartOrganizing.  Please visit her blog and her store and show her some love for her fantastic work!  You'll fall in love quickly!

Blog

Etsy Shop