Musings From The Cable-less February 27, 2013

I have so many things on my mind these days.  I’ve been thinking of my life in Facebook status updates, but then I never follow through because I think no one would really care about what I was thinking.  Here are some of my latest “would be” Facebook posts.

• Why does my grocery bill spike by at least $50 when Jeremy and the kids go shopping with me?
• Getting the kids hooked on The Amazing Race…  I can totally see Jeremy and Mason running it together one day.   Season 32 winners?
• Finally ran 3 straight miles again after at least 6 months.  A little Zac Efron (in HSM3) can really motivate me!

But there is more to life than Facebook posts…  especially ones I don’t even write.  So here are a few other things on my mind these days.

• I’m desperate to find a house to buy, but not desperate enough to settle for a house I’m not in love with.  I’ll make sure to fill you all in on our house hunt soon!
• We officially got rid of our cable.  We’re using Apple TV and a digital antenna (for HD network channels) for all of our TV viewing.  I’m not totally convinced yet, but we’re weaning our dependence on TV for entertainment.  And I have a feeling that seeing our first bill cut in half will do a lot to convince me.
• We’ve had snow the past three weekends.  I know I live in New England now, but even native New Englanders are complaining, so I feel I’m allowed to as well.
• I’m so jealous seeing all the Facebook or Instagram pictures of people on beaches or at Disney right now.  I want a true vacation!
• I miss HGTV!  (One of the disadvantages of getting rid of cable.)
• I’ll be running a 5k with my coworkers next Saturday.  I’m working on a T-shirt to make for all of us, and Jeremy has inspired me to channel Phil Dunphy.   It just might work.
• My mom bought us beautiful flowers when she was here last week, and they are still alive and blooming.  I love coming home to fresh flowers…  no matter what time of year!

So these are the musings from the “cable-less.”  Hopefully without the cable now, I’ll be inspired to write more in my free time.  I feel I always say that, though, after I’ve been absent on my blog for a while.  But who knows?  Maybe this time it really will happen.  Hope everyone’s having a good week!

Playing With Nemo February 17, 2013

No, not Nemo the fish.  I’m talking about Winter Storm Nemo.  Last weekend, we got upwards of 2 feet of snow, and a 4-day weekend.  Thank goodness it occurred over a weekend because it allowed Jeremy and I to not stress over missed work or worry about how we’ll get around town.  We just hunkered down and enjoyed it all.  Between shoveling, snowball fights and sledding, we baked (thank goodness we had power!), we watched movies, we played air hockey, we snuggled under blankets.  It was a wonderfully relaxing weekend.

So much snow!

Jeremy and I battled the shoveling together. With so much, it was hard to figure out where to put it.

Snowball fights and snowcones with the neighbors.

Mason’s sledding buddies from school.

I never made it far down the hill. For some reason, I kept veering right.

Maybe it had something to do with the bay at the bottom of the hill.

Daddy was the preferred partner when they weren’t attempting it on their own.

After all the snow, in came the rain and higher temps.  The snow started melting bit by bit.  Roads and sidewalks got slushy.  And it wasn’t so pretty anymore.  But midweek, a dusting swept through and made it all white and fluffy again.  Now, just one week removed from Nemo, and we’ve got at least 4 more inches on the ground.  A blustery wind is blowing the snow everywhere, and it isn’t even fun to be outside.  So we’re staying inside appreciating yet another relaxing Sunday.  February break is ahead of us with Mason out of school all week.  Thank goodness Meema is coming to break up the monotony we’ve been experiencing the past two weekends.  We’ve also tried to change things up within the house because you know how antsy we get in the winter months.  More on those changes to come soon.  Enjoy the long weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things I Love February 14, 2013

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I would do a post about things (and people) I love.

1.  Let’s get the obvious out of the way…  I LOVE my family.  Immediate, extended, surrogate….  They all hold special places in my heart.

2.  I love playing UNO with Mason and anyone else who likes to join.  She kicked my butt three games in a row the other night, but I still had fun!

3.  I love baking.  I’m having to find new recipients of my baked goods, but as long as I can make someone happy with my yummy treats, then that’s all right with me.

4.  I love laughing.  Jeremy can get me to laugh all the time, and that is just one of the reasons why I love him so much.  Cooper and Mason have a great sense of humor as well, and I am so glad they got that from their daddy.

5.  I love hosting people at our home.  I mention this as an invitation for people to start planning their spring and summer trips up here.  I can’t guarantee where we’ll be, but I can promise you will be welcome.

6.  I love fresh clean sheets.  Who doesn’t?

7.  I love The Amazing Race!  New season starts Sunday.

8.  I love hearing Mason and Cooper relive their days with us over dinner.

9.  I love walking along the water – be it beach, river, cove, lake…  I can’t wait for spring!

10.  I love hugs.  Plain and simple.

The end.

p.s.  Happy Valentine’s Day!!

My Self-Help Bookshelf February 7, 2013

It seems like just weeks ago I was writing about how much time I’ve been spending on my Kindle.  (It was actually from October! Where does the time go?)  Lately, though, I have barely picked it up.  I have a few books loaded on there, but they are not enticing me quite yet.  I think it is because I feel guilty if I read anything for pleasure right now.  I have three other books on my nightstand that are getting the most use.  I’m either reading about discipline techniques, how to deal with a 7-year-old girl, or how to get skinny and stay skinny.  Let’s dive into my self-help bookshelf…

1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 – Jeremy and I took turns reading this one so we could get a handle on the kids’ behavior.  We only got through the counting part, and honestly, we’re not being very consistent with it.  We need to remind ourselves of the rules and then start reading the positive behavior encouragement section.  It’s a great book, and I highly recommend it.  The counting is having an effect on the kids, but I want to be more consistent with it so they know what to expect every single time.

Your Seven-Year-Old: Life in a Minor Key – This book was recommended to me by a friend who is going through the same thing with her daughter.  It’s pretty old school since it was published in 1987, but not much has changed in seven-year-old behavior over the years.  I haven’t been able to really delve into this one, but I desperately need to.  Winter Storm Nemo might give me the chance this weekend.

The Skinny Rules: The Simple, Nonnegotiable Principles to Getting Thin – This is another book that Jeremy and I are reading together.  It’s actually been really interesting to learn about whole grains, proteins, and the science of fiber.  We read a few chapters, discuss what they are about, and then start implementing the rules.  This week, we’ve focused on Rules 4-6.  It’s a lot harder than it seems.  For instance, Bob Harper says to not even think about buying bread that does not have whole grain wheat flour as the first ingredient.  Not just whole wheat flour, it has to be WHOLE GRAIN wheat flour.  I literally looked at every single brand of bread at our grocery store and NONE of them had whole grains as the first ingredient (or the second, or the third) even if the package advertised “Made with 100% Whole Grains.”  Blasphemy, I tell you!  I don’t want to have to start making special trips to Whole Foods for certain things.  It’s not really in our budget or lifestyle to do that, so I”m hoping we can find some other solutions because living without bread just isn’t going to work for us.  I’ll fill you in as we continue to learn through this book.

So these are my go-to books right now.  Like I said, I feel guilty if I read anything but something to make me a better mother or a healthier person.  I know I should give myself a little break, but I actually do want to be a better mother and a healthier person, hence my self-help bookshelf.  The self-help journey is never over, but I hope I can get to a place of comfort and confidence soon and then get back into my chic lit!

What’s A Baker To Do? February 4, 2013

I love to bake.  I consider it a stress-release.  And on a cold winter weekend, there is nothing more perfect than a warm chocolate chip cookie or brownie.  The unfortunate part is that we’re trying to be more healthy at our house.  Jeremy has pretty much sworn off sweets, and I am majorly cutting back (much to my dismay!)  

I still want to bake, though.  I love trying new recipes, and I love going back to favorites.  Instead of leaving them at the house for us to eat for a week, I have been taking them to work with me or having Jeremy take them to work.  But now I’m getting major flack for it.  Many of my coworkers are voicing their wish that I don’t force them to stray from their diets by bringing in baked goods.  Granted, it is their will power they should be questioning, but I know that if there is a cookie offered, I will take a cookie.  (Just last week, an attorney’s office dropped off a box of bakery cookies.  I had 2, and they weren’t even that amazing.)  So I can’t blame them too much.  

But if I can’t keep my baked goods at home, and I can’t bring them to work, what am I supposed to do?

The Birthday Man February 3, 2013

I always love telling people about how Jeremy and I met.  It involved a ridiculous party, yummy cookies, several of our friends, and declarations of knowing the other was the one.  Love at first sight?  Pretty close (except for the whole part about meeting one time before and me not acknowledging him.)

Ever since that time, though, Jeremy has been my boyfriend, then husband, father to our children, supporter of all I do, entertainer, and, through it all, my best friend.  We took a leap in the last year and moved away from all our family and friends.  It wasn’t easy, that’s for sure. But having him by my side and pulling me through when I wasn’t pulling him through has made it a bit easier. We accepted the challenge and made the best of it through laughter, conversation, exploration, and understanding.  I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else, and I love my life with him no matter where we are.  

So Happy Birthday, Jeremy!

You are an amazing husband,

a silly dad,

a dedicated family man,

a goofball,

and A-OK in everyone’s books.

We love you!

 

P.S. Go Ravens!