and I am up to my ears in all things Christmas. I wouldn’t change a thing but, it is SO important that I don’t get so caught up in the doing that I forget the whying….What? I don’t know….
Anyway, I thought I would try to check in quickly….to catch up. I should be wrapping presents. That was on my “to-do” list today and I haven’t gotten to it yet. I’ve reached that point where I still have so much I didn’t get done today that I have decided to just give up and blog instead. I’ll try again tomorrow! We’ll see how “quick” I can actually make this!!
So…..where do I start?
Tuesday
Tuesday was Luke’s first Orchestra concert. I was so proud. I mean, let’s be honest, they are 11 year olds who have been playing for 3 months. I was prepared to have my ears bleed. But NO! They were fantastic!!! The 6th graders played Canon in D which is my all time favorite song probably EVER. I was sold. It made me want to go to a big time show. I am trying to get Jer to buy tickets to the Dallas Symphony for us….like every show. Isn’t that season tickets or something? Yes please!
Aidan and The Giant Nutcracker. He is obsessed with them. Every time we see one it’s the same thing. “Mommy! A Nutcracker! LOOK!” Plays with the handle, sticks his fingers in the mouth, pretends its eating him, laughs hysterically…..
After the concert we stopped at CFA for dinner.
Oh no, they don’t belong to each other AT ALL!
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Wednesday
Wednesday was our Date Day. We finished up our Christmas shopping FINALLY! I don’t know how families with more than two children do it. Much respect. We had planned on going to see Silver Linings (Bradley Cooper? Yes please!) but the only showing was at 1:50 so that was a no-go. We also ended up looking for a new desk….. for the office I will have eventually have…… in our new house…..when ever we actually sell our house! Don’t get me started on that…..it will happen….it will happen….it will happen……
Lets change the subject and look at some cute things….
This little brat is too much.
He hates that cat…..but she sure does love him!
I was feeling a little sassy on my Date Day so I wore my “Sassy Pants”. I rarely wear these. I have to be in just the right mood to pull them off.
Top and Sweater: Ross
Hot Pink Sassy Pants: Honestly I can’t remember the name but it’s a store in the mall. It’s like Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe.
Boots: Payless
We ate lunch at Corner Bakery again and I got my special Starbucks treat. Perfect Day with my love.
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Thursday
I don’t remember Thursday…..is that bad or what?
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Friday
Ugh, Friday….not a good day. I woke up feeling absolutely terrible with a number of unrelated ailments that kept me in bed all day. The only thing good about days like that are being able to catch up on some reading and Dr. Oz. I was also glued to Fox News with tissues. I was going to post that day but felt it was highly irrelevant. I don’t even have words to describe how heartbroken I was. I couldn’t keep my mind from going to those dark places that only a parent knows about. It was all I could do to not walk….no run over to the school and get my kids. I cried as I saw them walking up the steps and hugged them in a way I have never hugged them before. There are so many opinions out there that I agree & disagree with to an extent. But all I am going to say is God help us all.
This was Friday night. If it weren’t for Jeremy saying nay, I would have had a slumber party with two little precious babies. I didn’t want them even a foot from me.
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Saturday
I woke up Saturday morning with such a heavy HEAVY heart. I was reminded of how I felt after 9-11. I felt this vague sense of guilt as though I had an obligation to mourn with those who lost their children. An obligation to watch the news for hours on end. To cry until I had no tears left. But after reading a post by someone who I can’t remember now, I realized that I absolutely can not do that.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7
I was reminded to lift those who mourn up to God in prayer, pray constantly for all those involved and to live my precious life not in mourning or in fear, but in love and in power and in self control. We never ever know when will be our last moments here in this earth.
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After all that deep spiritual stuff, I had some power shopping to do…..grocery shopping that is. Am I the only who has a love hate relationship with grocery shopping? I love a full pantry and fridge, but I hate actually going to get the stuff.
After grocery shopping pretty much all day, I prepped some food for Jeremy to take to work this week. Since he is gone for 15 hours a day, he has to pack a snack, lunch, snack and more snacks….actually they are small meals for most people. He can stop drinking cokes and lose weight. I have to basically eat spinach all day in order to lose .5 lb. Yes, I might hate him a little for that. Anyway…..I was buying him frozen meals like Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisines….but it killed me inside a little each week to do that. The man needs food, like real food, like a lot of food. But he is also health conscience. Therein lies the conundrum. Healthy food with a lot of good fats and calories…..He is also on board with me to nix the sugar and excess carbs in our diet. So during lunch on our Date Day we brainstormed and came up with the most obvious solution. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before! I would make him homemade Lean Cuisines!!!! I decided I would make a one dish each Saturday just for him to take for his lunches the next week. When I make dinner for the family, we eat the leftovers until they are gone in order to stretch our grocery budget out. So there are no leftovers for him to take to work. I am thinking casseroles, a batch of veggies, brown rice, fish, chicken, turkey burgers ect. Something that will make 3-4 servings.
This week I baked some fish with lemon pepper seasoning, roasted some frozen veggies and cooked up a batch of brown rice.
I packed them in some containers. 3 for the 3 days he works this week.
And stacked them in the fridge for easy access and visibility at 5am.
I felt 100% better about his fuel for the week.
I also made some “Quick Energy Bites” for him to replace his Clif Bars.
There are several variations of these all over the internet. I’ll post the one I use with my variations sometime this week!
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Sunday
So that brings us to today…..finally. I woke up feeling pretty terrible with those same “ailments” as Friday. I was feeling better on Saturday but they came back today. I was scheduled to serve in the nursery this morning at church but I just couldn’t get myself together, let alone two children and the house picked up in case of a last minute showing. So I had to call in. I was so sad. I SO look forward to my “baby fix” each week. As the morning went on I started to feel better and got out and about this afternoon while The Boys were at a birthday party. I went to the library in search for a particular book I have been wanting to read. Couldn’t find it there so I went to Garden Ridge (I saw it there once) Target, Barnes & Noble, then Walmart. I must REALLY want this book if I (person who would rather go to the dentist than be in a crowd of people) braved the mall 11 days before Christmas. I couldn’t get in OR out of there! Parking was MAD! But….after all that, sadly I still can’t find my book. Fortunately my mother-in-law has it! Too bad she lives 300 miles away! She is bringing it to me on Friday when they come for Christmas!
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Well, that took much longer than thought…..so alas I must bid you adieu….Hopefully it won’t be another week before I post again!
Simply Southern 