Paleo Pot Roast, Take 2

Last week, I wanted to make this Savory Pot Roast and Butternut Squash recipe for dinner.  I had a long day planned for Thursday, so I was excited to try a new crock-pot recipe. I woke up extra early, found all the spices and vegetables I needed, and turned the crock-pot on. I got to step two of “How You Make It” before I realized I forgot to buy a roast.

This isn’t shocking. I do stuff like this all the time.

So, today, I thought I’d try again. This time I made sure I really had everything. I also made some brussel sprouts to go with it.

I’ve come to love butternut squash, but I wasn’t really a fan of the texture of it in this recipe. The meat had a great flavor, and the squash was okay- Just not my favorite.  But… after eating an entire pack of Chips Ahoy! Candy Blast Cookies this weekend… I’d say I needed a good serving of vegetables.

Making this Real Life

I spent the first three or four days after the Paleo challenge trying to enjoy my old food favorites. I was surprised to find out they weren’t really all that great. Not surprised to find out it’s difficult to digest a bunch of crappy food after 30 days of real food…. but I digress….

The last post had hundreds of views. Seriously. Like more than 700. I had a lot of emails and messages about what my daily Paleo menu looks like. I think I’m going to attempt to keep my blog updated with what our family menus look like. Maybe it will make a Paleo attempt seem more realistic for the people who are on the edge or maybe just prove a point for those who are skeptical.

Typically, our day starts with eggs and some kind of veggies, but sometimes I get an urge to bake something for breakfast. Yesterday, I took my kindergarteners on a field trip to a strawberry farm, so I came home with tons of fresh strawberries. I can only eat so many plain strawberries, so I started looking for Paleo strawberry muffins. I’m in love with paleOMG.com, and I think the author, Juli, and I could be friends. I used a recipe I found there for muffins.

Juli posted a recipe last spring for Strawberry, Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins. Here’s how I tweaked the recipe to make it work for the Garlands….

•   I used crunchy almond butter (because I love it and had plenty in the fridge) in place of sunflower butter

•  I didn’t have flaxseed meal, so I put some chia seeds in the food processor to make a “meal” with those.

•  Chia seeds tend to soak up any extra moisture in a recipe… so I had to add about 1/3 cup of almond milk to the recipe to keep it at a muffin-batter texture. 

The muffins turned out great. I know it can be scary to experiment with these recipes, but if you don’t have an ingredient on the list, it’s okay to find a way to make it work. You can’t be afraid to try. You will probably mess up along the way, but we all learn from mistakes, right?!?! It may not always turn out the way you plan (ask Jamie about my apple-cinnamon muffins from two weeks ago--- gag). But, you won’t learn anything from buying those 600-calorie muffins at the store.

Top Ten Paleo Lessons

First, I feel like I need to apologize for blowing up Facebook …. but not really.

I know I post to Facebook a lot, and I’ve posted more frequently over the past few weeks. I blame Paleo. And CrossFit. I’ve become border-line addicted to both, and it’s making me that obnoxious person who always talks about CrossFit and Paleo.

Ugh, annoying, I know. Unfriend me, I guess. Sorry I’m not sorry.

The last time I posted to my blog, I mentioned pictures from Mother’s Day 2013. These were my original motivation to get healthy, post-baby. I am really getting out of my comfort zone today; I’m gonna share those (I’m pretty sure my facebook-loving self didn’t post those last spring, but if I did, please correct me). I had thought about waiting until the 1-year mark at CrossFit Proverb, but I am just too excited to wait another month.

After nine months of just “crossfitting,” I signed up to compete on a team with great girls at the Garage Games in Georgia. Watching the athletes at that competition was the most motivating thing I’ve ever witnessed. They were all normal people, with real lives, who have made exercise and nutrition a priority. I thought to myself, “If I ever want to perform on that kind of level (ummm, not that I’ll ever be doing an Rx competition…. Just getting by at the scaled level, thanks), I have to do the same... AND…. lose some lbs.” 

After the competition, I started Paleo to help keep my nutrition in check. My goal was to be Paleo 90% of the time. I did pretty well with that on my own, but….  A few weeks later, a friend convinced me to do the Paleo Challenge at Crossfit Proverb.

Paleo. 100% for 30 days.

I thought for sure I’d die trying, but here I am. At the end of 30 days. 14 lbs lighter.

I thought I’d share some of the lessons I learned….

1.     FOOD is not really my personal biggest weakness; Beverages are (not extremely shocking).  

2.     Real, black coffee isn’t terrible.  My life will go on without cream and sugar.

3.     SUGAR is of the devil. Think I’m kidding? Talk to me on day 3, 4, or 5 (for some people—day 7-10) of no added sugar. Tell me your head doesn’t hurt and you don’t want to hurt people.

4.     My food processor really was a great investment. I think it’s kind of tired after the past 30 days.

5.     Almonds are the best things on the planet. I love almonds, almond milk, and almond butter. As if that’s not enough, you can even use almonds to make almond flour, with your exhausted food processer, and then make whatever baked-good your heart desires.

6.     Vegetables are great… until you get tired of them. Then, the Internet is your BFF because there are so many delicious things you can do with vegetables. You just have to seek out new recipes and then actually cook them.

7.     Reading an ingredients list on stuff at the grocery store can be scary.

8.      Coconut oil is expensive. But it is a wonderful thing to have on hand… especially when making sweet potato fries…. yummmm…. or for any delicious Paleo baked good.

9.     Don’t be afraid to try new things--- even if it means finding a way to open a real coconut just to have unsweetened coconut to make “Paleo Carrot Cake Energy Bites.” There WILL be some extra work involved. But if you want to eat real food, and make nutrition a priority, you’ll figure out a way to make it work. Which brings me to my last thing….

10.  Make it all work for you and be realistic. If you can’t afford grass-fed beef, it’s going to be okay. I can’t either (ahem, teacher’s pay). If you really think you must have a Snickers and/or Diet Coke on Friday at 2:00 pm, do it. Make being healthy an ongoing goal instead of a weight loss deadline. If it’s your birthday, (or a holiday or any other celebration) eat friggin’ cake. Real cake. Or whatever you need to indulge. Because that’s what real people do. Your body will adapt. Your mind will adjust. If you don’t make this your mentality, you’ll fall off the wagon completely.

Well… those are my thoughts. They are probably not earth-shattering thoughts, but I love to write. So there they are. 

I am down 60+ lbs since starting CrossFit at the end of last May, a time when I was looking for anyway to get back to myself. 14 of those lbs in the last 30 days.

CrossFit works. Paleo works. Find a way to make them work for you.

The Average Loser

I got a few SPAM-my emails this morning, and all of them referred to my blog. My somewhat tech-savvy self decided I’ve been targeted because I haven’t posted a new blog in a long time. SO, here’s what’s been on my mind… just in case you were wondering.

Two years ago, or maybe three, I started a blog to keep up with my New Years’ Resolutions. I did okay. My biggest goal was to run a 5k, which I completed, even at my snail’s pace. I also made a more deliberate effort to be thoughtful—and that’s still a work in progress.

2012- All I wanted was to have a baby, so the goal for 2012: become a mom.

2013- NO resolutions. It was great. The decision to make no resolution was mostly based on the fact I had a newborn baby. I couldn’t think past “When is the next feeding? How long has it been since I changed his diaper? OMG- we need to eat, too, I guess. How does anybody do all of this and have a job at the same time???” No time for a resolution; no crazy expectation to try to live up to.

Until I saw pictures of myself with my little boy from Mother’s Day last May. I thought to myself, “When he grows up, he will look at these pictures. What will he think about his mom—oh wait, … that’s me!?”

My mindset started to shift. I started going to CrossFit because I needed something new and different to motivate me — I know, rule #1, always talk about CrossFit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na9js7OQjXA). This isn’t meant to be an ad for CrossFit, despite the fact it has changed my life. I don’t think about exercise as something miserable that HAS to be done, and I don’t talk about going to “the gym” as an obligation. It’s something that has made fitness realistic for me, and it is part of my real life.

Point is, Jamie and I have been watching The Biggest Loser on NBC over the past few weeks. I found myself feeling kinda bitter towards the show. I had to spend some time really reflecting about WHY this show, which does such great things for people, made me upset. These people get on the scales every week and post ridiculous weight loss. Some of these women are weighing in at numbers I HOPE for. I mean, it’s quite upsetting to see other women lose up to 7 or 8 lbs a week knowing that I worked so hard all week….

What bothers me is that life on the Biggest Loser Ranch isn’t real life for the rest of America. Working in the gym with a small group of contestants and a celebrity trainer for HOURS a day… having meals planned and prepped on the ranch… without the stress of a fulltime job and a family. Oh, and add the monetary motivation to win. I mean, really?! How could I even compare my weight loss journey to that?

I guess I shouldn’t. I don’t have an extreme amount of weight to lose. I don’t want to leave home for California for weeks. I want HEALTH to be a realistic part of my life.

The Biggest Loser has had its fair run and inspired so many viewers, but it has to be running out of seasons. If NBC is looking for a new show, how about The Average Loser? Let’s look at people in their real lives as they find a way to juggle exercise, nutrition, family and work. Can we document these lifestyle changes to show it’s possible for people looking to lose, eh... a little weight? Or even just to be a healthy role model for their own children?

Taking Charge

It’s been nine crazy-busy months since I sat down to blog, but I feel like today’s a good day to write. Writing is therapeutic for me. I’ve kept some kind of journal since I was eight years old – those are a real trip to read now. Anyway, getting my thoughts down on paper (or posted in a blog) helps me deal, helps me be reflective, and helps me grow.

I’ve always been a take-charge person. I like being in control, having a plan, and, let me just be honest, getting my way. Over the years, I’ve learned life doesn’t always work like that. I don’t always get to be in control. Plans don’t always work out. And, I can’t always get what I want (and know I just sang that classic song…).  Shocking revelation? Probably not. This isn’t breaking news to most people…

So here’s my spin on this today. No matter how much we plan & set goals/hopes/dreams for our lives, there will always be some factor we cannot control.

I can’t control the weather, the decisions and actions of other people, how many lanes are open at Wal-Mart, traffic, my husband’s obsession with shows about cutting down trees, death, sickness…. And a whole lot of other stuff.

But here’s the good news. These two things I know I can control…. 1. taking care of myself & my family and 2. how I treat others. Taking care of myself physically and spiritually, providing loving care for my son (and husband, too), and treating others with love and respect…. Those will be my main priorities. Focusing on these goals will make accepting the things I can’t control a little easier. 

That’s what I know today, friends. Happy Saturday.

Thinking about Friendship

But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine . – Thomas Jefferson

Friendship is one of the greatest testaments of love and kindness in our lives, and I love this quote because it’s a reminder to me that our friends are constant. We share the happiest moments of our lives with our friends, and we also share the most tragic times with our friends.

In the past week or so, I have experienced what Jefferson described as both the sun and the shade with my friends. As one friend is grieving a tragic loss, I cannot begin to imagine the pain she is suffering. It has touched my heart to see the outpouring of love and kindness from the people in her life. Watching her friends and family surround her with love gives me hope and reassures me that God is present to serve as a source of comfort. Although we never understand tragedy in this life, there is some peace in knowing you have friends and loved ones by your side.

During this same week, another dear friend gave birth to a handsome baby boy. Celebrating new life is such an exciting time, another time for family and friends to share together. Welcoming a baby into the world is a challenging task, and these dear friends are blessed with loving families and friends to help along the way.

After a very emotional week, I needed to write this to take time to reflect. I feel blessed to have such amazing friends in my life, friends who help so much in times of need and in times of celebration, in the shade and in the sun.

Four Months & Counting

For weeks, I have been brainstorming for blogging ideas (dorky, I know). And to be honest, the only thing on my mind right now is this baby. I’ve spent almost everyday this summer thinking and planning all things baby. We are now less than four months away from my expected due date, so I thought I’d get some thoughts down.

Jamie was home for a few weeks this summer—yep, that administrator thing definitely takes away from his time at home. During that time, I put him to work in Baby G’s nursery. I know it seems a little pre-mature, but once we get back to school, time goes by so fast. It was just better to get it done while we had some spare time. So far, we’ve painted (well, Jamie painted) and assembled the basic furniture necessities. The assembly process was … trying, and we’re glad it’s done.

At my 20 week ultrasound, doc said everything looks great. For the most part, the little guy was quite stubborn. Even with the tech being rather rough, pushing and shaking him around, he didn’t budge from his balled-up, sleepy and snug position. It took over an hour to get all of his measurements. It was an 8:30 appointment in July. I really can’t blame him.

Now it’s time for me to get ready for going back to school. I know I’m in my second trimester, and everyone tells me I should be full of energy. The truth is, I’ve become quite accustomed to my lazy summer schedule. I go to the gym or walk, eat lunch, nap, watch tv, eat dinner, maybe read a little, and sleep. I’m going to be exhausted if I have to stay awake for more than nine hours at a time. And hungry, too! I’m hungry all the time right now. I may come home from work this week and eat dinner by five and be in bed by nine. I’m tired right now just thinking about it…

One thing I’d like to do in the next few weeks is schedule a maternity photo session. We’d like to take a few pictures outside this fall, like mid-October, to keep record of this bump. If anyone has suggestions or recommendations for locations or local photographers, let me know. We don’t need a ton of pics; I mainly need a good portrait for Christmas cards. J

Less than four months to go…

Sunning & Swelling

Sunning & Swelling…. That sums up my trip to the beach last week with friends. It was definitely a lot more difficult than I had expected, sitting in the sun all day… growing a baby. My typical beach schedule of beach by 10:00, sandwich at noon, beach ‘til dinnertime needed serious revision this year. Even with a few Bubba Kegs of water and plenty of snacks, I grew tired very quickly. Not to mention what the heat and salty air did to my poor fingers and toes… Wimpy, I know.

Being there with our friends and their young children gave me a glimpse at what our future beach trips will be like. I believe our days of packing a cooler and setting up camp for the day in the sand are behind us. We will now be towing beach toys, bottles, baby sunscreen, extra diapers, etc. along with us, and our beach time will be significantly less.

Despite these changes, I honestly believe our best beach memories await us. Watching the love- even through some rough patches- among these parents and their children made me rather emotional on multiple occasions. We’re blessed to have some great parenting role models around us.

Jamie and I couldn’t be more excited to have a little one of our own to bring along for the beach fun next year, even though our “routines” will never be the same. Growing up, I guess… 

Just for fun, here's a picture of one of my nephews on the beach last week. Oh, to sleep like that...

Pregnant and Slightly Crazy

It’s been a while! The end of the school year always makes life hectic around our house, and this year even more so as we are expecting our first baby. Even at three and half months pregnant, it still is a little strange to get used to saying that.

 A baby- another human we will be responsible for… feeding, changing, bathing, getting ready for school or daycare. Not to mention all the financial responsibilities. Yikes. Imagine my deer-in-headlights face as I’m brainstorming these things even now.

Please don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled to be having a baby! My husband is beyond excited. I’m just in awe of the huge responsibility we’ve signed up for.

Since we announced our pregnancy, we’ve been blessed with genuine excitement and support from our families and friends. Even people we barely know are eager to offer advice or share their own pregnancy stories – something I’ve been warned gets more interesting as the baby starts to “show”.

It’s no secret that I am frequently a selfish person and pretty self-conscious, especially about my weight. Pregnancy has forced me to step back from my usual frame of mind; I’ve had to think about the health of this baby rather than what I want or how I want to look. It’s a tough balancing act, especially in our society. Mix in with that all of the crazy pregnancy hormones I’ve had, and you can imagine my fragile state of mind. My poor husband!

I’ve been quite the basket case for the past few months, and I’m sure the remainder of the pregnancy will be an adventure for me and my loved ones. I apologize in advanced for hormonal outbursts, either in the form of tears or anger. You can also expect some blogs about my emotions, the baby’s growth, and some of the interesting encounters I have with others offering their own personal commentary.

It’ll be a journey in itself, but it will all be worth it when this baby is here!

End of the Year Laughs

Blogging has been on hiatus over the past several weeks as the school year gets begins to wind down. I thought today I’d share a few of the hilarious things my students have said to me lately. Yes, I keep a pen and paper near at all times to record these for future laughs.  These are keeping me sane as all the kiddos are beyond ready for school to be out.

I’m pretty sure these each came from a different child, so this is a glimpse into the wonderful world of my kindergarten classroom… Enjoy!

1.     Student: “Me and my brother are going to be in a wedding in June. I get to dress up like a cowgirl.”

Me:  “Oh really? That will be so much fun.”

Student: “Yea, and my brother gets to be the ring BARRIER.”

2.     Student: “Mrs. Garland, we’ve been outside too long for recess today. I’m getting STUN-burnt.”

Me: Shaking my head.

3.     Student: “I had to go to the doctor yesterday cause I’m having surgery this summer.”

Me: “Oh no. What kind of surgery? Are you nervous about it.”

Student: “No, I’m not scared or anything. I’ll be asleep when they cut me. And when they’re all done, they will put SNITCHES in it.”

4.     Student: (Sniffs my arm. I know, right??) “Mrs. Garland, you smell like the Easter Bunny.”

Me: “Not sure what that means, but thanks I think. Is that good?”

Student: “Yea, you know, like jelly beans and chocolate.”

5.     At the police department for a field trip, and the K-9 Unit is doing a demonstration when….

Student: “Is that dog a werewolf?”

Officer: “No, she’s just a German Shepherd.”

Me: Shaking my head.

6.     Again, at the police department for a field trip, and the officer is describing the tools he uses for his job.

Officer: “This is our gun… This is a taser…. This is a flashlight…. These are handcuffs.”

Student: “My mama’s got a pair of those”

Officer: “Does she now?”

Me: Doing that silent laugh that hurts because something was too inappropriately funny, shaking my head, and wishing sometimes I had a video camera to record these priceless moments.

We’ve almost made it to summer, people. I will miss these children next year, but I know they will share some great wisdom with their first grade teachers.

Spring Whistling

From our back porch in early March

I’ve been brainstorming ways to start this, so I searched for a quote about spring. My intentions were to blog about the beauty of spring and the promise of new life, sappy stuff I will get to eventually, but I wanted to share my wise crack first. Insert sly grin here.

 “Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.”  ~Doug Larson

So true, right? In springtime, we all are filled with fresh air, bright eyes, and a hope for new things as the seasons change. We see life outside again. The past few weeks have definitely been whistling weather, even though I’ve had my share of slushy shoes.

Our only blooming azalea

I am always an early victim of spring fever, but as I get, ah-ahem, older, my reasons are maturing. As a student, I definitely understood spring fever to mean summer is quickly approaching, a defense for slacking off in my schoolwork. Spring was simply a route we all walked through just to get to summer—hot & sunny days at the pool, beach trips, shorts & tank tops, late nights, etc.

In my more adult perspective, spring is a miracle, not just a stepping-stone. The beautiful changes- color in the grass, birds in the sky, and blooms (especially our gorgeous irises) everywhere- are reminders of God’s love and greatness. These are the reasons for my spring fever, wanting to be outside more than inside, this year.

I’m using my newfound spring energy to help shed some of the pounds I picked up during winter “hibernation.” After all, summer will be here before we know it. That’s just how the calendar works. And it’ll be time for those hot days at the pool, beach trips, shorts & tank tops, late nights, etc.  

Pinning

Hahaha. I’m sure someone, somewhere has already made this reference to Charlie Sheen’s epic interview, but it made me feel clever.

The past few weeks, as part of my resolution to learn to sew, I’ve spent countless hours #pinning. Looking at Pinterest for ideas and sewing tutorials, and then attempting to complete the projects. Of course that means I’ve also spent money on craft supplies and I’ve neglected my housework, but that’s okay. At least I made something.

So far, I’ve been fairly successful, minus today’s “Thing One & Thing Two” cupcakes, so I thought I’d share three things I’ve learned from DIY/Crafts on Pinterest.

1.     Before you login, have a general idea of what you’re looking for. If you don’t, you’ll end up looking at things you don’t really need. For example, last week, I wanted ideas for magazine storage. I ended up finding a great “vintage” wine crate idea, which led to another vintage framed-scrapbook-art idea. Which of course led to the scrapbook tree idea… You see what I mean?

2.     Set a time limit for yourself. I am clearly the queen of wasting time & being easily distracted. In the past two weeks, I’m sure my total hours of pinning exceeded 24 hours. Sad, I know. 

3.     Be realistic with your expectations. If you’ve never made homemade cupcakes or homemade icing before, expect a learning experience…and be prepared for multiple attempts. In my learning experience this week, I was attempting to make these fabulous cupcakes I found for my school celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. The cupcakes, as in the “cake” part, turned out great. The icing, not so much. It was supposed to be bright blue and piped to look like tall, wild, Thing-One-Ish hair. Let’s just say it was a failed attempt. The icing was delicious, but it looked like blue soup. At 5:00 this morning, I was pinning again to find ways to thicken icing. All attempts to revive my icing were in vain. In the end, the kids loved the treat, but I was super-disappointed in my baking skills.

New goal: spread the projects out over several weekends rather than cramming everything into one three-day weekend. This weekend, my time pinning will be more limited as I plan to finish a book I started months ago. See my pic below for my scrapbook tree & wine bottle vase I finished last weekend. I say it's an improvement to our kitchen space.

If you need an invite to Pinterest, let me know. I’m happy to spread the mania.

Right Here at Home

Have you SEEN outside today? Gorgeous. I’m in love with this weather. If this is winter, I’ll take it.

Anyway, I wanted to write today about the realization I had this past week. In my search of kind things to blog about, I remembered all of the small things my husband has done for me lately. He will probably be mortified that I’m blogging about him, but he deserves a moment -however brief & embarrassing- in the spotlight.

He’ll love this more, too, because he continues to ensure me that keeping a blog is totally dorky (I know, hurtful) and that it is unlikely many people actually read it (gasp).

So, in this very public and highly read (hehehe) media, I would like to commend him for his unselfish kindness… at home with me, with his family, and in his daily routine at school. Living with me is not always an easy task. I’m terribly loud and very clumsy. I struggle to be a good listener. I love sleeping late, playing on my computer (or phone or iPad or other technology format), sewing until late hours of the night, hogging the remote, and filling up the DVR with Chelsea Handler. 

You get the picture- I’m slightly self-centered.

But, through it all, he is forever patient and kind. We are not typically “Valentine’s-ish” people, but I was surprised this year with a rose. For two weekends in a row, he has sneaked out of bed in the morning, taken care of our fur-babies, and let me sleep until after 10:00. Two of those days, when I finally crawled out of bed after 12+ hours of sleep, he had a biscuit waiting for me. He has sat through numerous new sit-coms that I know are not his favorite. And he continues to support me through my serious budgeting flaws (I’d love to say they’re minor math mistakes, but that’s simply not true).  

I’ve always known my husband’s a great guy, and he continues to make me proud everyday in his hard work, family support, and *youthful* sense of humor. I can only hope his kindness and level-headedness will somehow rub off on me.

My search for kindness in the world this week was quite simple and fairly short. My husband. Right here at home all along. 

Keeping Calm

I really started this year out with a bang on my blog, or at least I thought so. The past few weeks have been unbelievably hectic, especially considering Jamie isn’t even coaching this year. I thought we might have some down time, but I was mistaken. I realized that no matter how much we “give up”, we will always find a way to fill that extra time.

But, the point this week isn’t to vent about my busy life. I actually have a big celebration/actualization to discuss.

I was quite shocked a few months ago when my principal asked me if I would host a student teacher. It was one of those “Who, me? Are you sure you mean me? The girl with only a few years under my belt… still figuring this out myself…Right here… ME?” I gladly accepted, but still question my qualifications, if you will.

Best. Decision. EVER.

I have had the past four weeks to get to know an amazing young lady who happens to be extremely gifted in the classroom. She is so excited to come to school everyday… and it shows in her teaching. Her enthusiasm and fresh hope has encouraged me to take a better look at how I approach my students everyday.

Rather than focusing so much on every little detail, I’ve been more goal-oriented. Rather than repeating myself (5,000 times everyday- at least) to the point of frustration, I’ve been challenged to find another way to achieve our objectives. Rather than losing my patience, I’ve been more focused on keeping calm.

Little things may, and they most likely will, come up everyday. But when we get creative, we can still find a way to achieve our goal.

 Keep calm, stay focused on the goal. My mantra for now.

Wal-Mart Hero

Only 18 days into the new year, and I have found my hero/inspiration for the next several months. At Wal-Mart (of all places).

If you have ever been shopping with me, or you’ve seen me shopping, or maybe you just read my blog about holiday shopping, you get the vibe that I don’t shop leisurely. It’s not fun for me.

Especially in Wal-Mart, where I swear those lights and crowds induce some kind of mild anxiety attack (quite possibly so that people like me grab as much as they can as fast as they can and race out the door). Oh, Wal-Mart… after a nine-hour work day... Throw on a side of After-Christmas-NO-MONEY-LEFT Checkbook status.

AND…  the icing on the cake… I had to “stop by” Wal-Mart twice last week after school. I sacrificed my sanity TWICE in one week to save… maybe eight bucks? Imagine my mental state.

Anyway, the man that made me recognize I was acting like Drama Queen of the Year was standing outside of the store near the red light. I’m sure if you had to make a similar shopping trip in the last week, you saw the man, too.

The first day I saw him as I was leaving, doing my deep-breathing exercises. He was holding a sign that read “HOMELESS. Will work for food.” And of course the light stopped me directly in front of him, so I read it (rather awkwardly) like 1,000 times.

Wow. Here I am, as lucky as can be—so blessed with a loving family, awesome friends, a great job, you know...a house… the list goes on. And I’m having a fit because I had to wait five minutes in line to buy dog food. Really?!?! How selfish could I be? Then the sense of guilt ran over me because I had absolutely nothing to give him (and here I am still staring at his sign). No cash, no food, no job opportunities.

Second trip to Wal-Mart, and I’m mentally preparing myself for the man standing by the red light. Sure enough, he was there. This time, though, he had company. I watched as a man, I assume was a kind stranger, carried a bag of fast food and a hot coffee to him.

Wow, again. This generous man, who is now my Wal-Mart hero, walked right through the intersection to offer him a meal.

 I’m not sure if the homeless man took the food or if they talked for long, but I know I continue to be amazed at how much love and generosity there is around us. Not every act of kindness is so bold or obvious, but each one is still important. Recognizing these acts, rather big or small, has been a blessing for me as they remind me of God’s love… and in this case, it reminded me not to sweat the small stuff.

Even in Wal-Mart.

In Stitches … Literally

One week in to the new year, and I’m keeping true to my resolutions thus far. I’ve exercised 5 of 7 days and lost a few of the holiday pounds I managed to pack on (Knowing my darling husband has lost almost 8 lbs. in a week makes me extremely jealous; men and their ability to lose weight so quickly is irritating). The honey bun cake I made for supper club wasn’t the best idea I’ve had. I scarfed down four slices in 24 hours, but I digress…

The family thing was harder to do this week. Here I go, making excuses, but the first week back to school after a break is so draining. I saw my dad several times at the gym, and Jamie and I took a nice walk yesterday in the beautiful winter sunshine. Today I’m planning to drop by to visit my grandparents for a little while. So, this is definitely a work in progress.

My acts of kindness to note this week I observed at school. I know all of my teaching buddies sympathize with the chaos of the first week back after Christmas. And with report card grades due next week, I thought last week would never end. Despite the heavy workload, I made it through with the help of some pretty awesome co-workers. From other teachers helping me with assessments to carrying library books for me to bringing me a Diet Mountain Dew (much needed by the end of the week), I realized, again, how lucky I am to work with thoughtful people everyday.

Speaking of working… I spent yesterday afternoon working on a cover for a friend’s Kindle Fire. I found several patterns online for free and one in a book, but I wasn’t crazy about any of them in their entirety. So, I decided to merge the ideas together and make my own. For a beginner sewer, I’m now thinking this wasn’t the best path to take—Next time, I’ll just follow the directions because I am either the world’s worst measurer or the fabric shrunk significantly as I sewed. Ugh. After two attempts and four hours of sewing (and probably a few choice words here and there), I finally had something that looked halfway decent. 

My plans for today are to get a few household chores completed and then start a new sewing project. Not sure what’s next… I’m browsing for ideas. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

Another Trip Around the Sun

Happy birthday to my blog and Happy 2012 to you! I started blogging last year at New Year’s as a way to keep up with my resolutions, sort of like an accountability journal. Looking back, this was a great idea. Although my resolutions slipped out of sight, as do most, I realized how much I love to write, however simple it may be—and hopefully some of you enjoyed the postings along the way.

I know I say things like this all the time, but I honestly am flabbergasted by how fast time goes by (I’ve been told that’s a sign of getting older). After 365 days, 31 blog posts, over 1,000 pageviews (thanks guys!), and lots of laughs along the way … it’s time to rethink my resolutions and revise my writing.

My favorite thing about the past year’s blog is recognizing the kindness and caring hearts of people around me. I’ll continue writing about that because it makes my heart smile to think about the goodness in the world. Enter cheesy smile here.

As for 2012 resolutions…  My first is to make family more of a priority. I know I’ve been a little slack in making an effort to spend time with my family. Especially now that I have some amazing baby faces, thanks to my in-laws, family needs to be a definite focus. I need to be more pro-active so I can be FUN Aunt Erin for all of my nephews (the count is up to 5, in case you’re wondering) and Cousin, Niece, Granddaughter, Sister-in-Law, etc. Erin for everyone else.

Secondly, I know I’ve got to do a better job of making healthy choices. Ugh- I’m not getting any younger, and I need to take care of myself. This includes food and beverage selection and physical activity (notice, I did NOT say diet or exercise; that’d be a total cliché. Insert sly face here). *As I’m writing after a long day of family dinners and two weeks of “holiday” eating, I am not even sure if my school pants will zip tomorrow. And add a pouting face here.

And last, but not least, I am learning to sew. Yep, me- extremely impatient and uncoordinated and frequently spatially challenged. My dad bought a sewing machine for me for Christmas, and I’ve already sewn a half-apron and three fleece hats (two for my twin nephews… cute picture attached). It’s a work in progress, but I’m learning as I go.

This last trip around the sun was full of laughs and love, challenges and triumphs. As always, I’m sad to say goodbye to a year, especially a year with such amazing memories and opportunities for growth. But, with hope and faith, I am excited about the new possibilities ahead in 2012.  I hope you’ll continue to read along the journey.

Christmas Meltdown 2011

Oh, Christmas...How did you sneak up so quickly this year? The only thing I've done as of Dec. 18, one week before the big day- is decorate our house. Yep. Deep breaths here... I'm trying to avoid Christmas Meltdown 2011.

I have managed to wrap the handful of presents my dear husband has purchased for his family-- he's so ahead of me here--, but those are the only things under our tree. I am mentally preparing myself now for a whirlwind week full of high-strung kiddos on Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday- two doctors appointments, a cookie exchange, and a birthday dinner for my mother, Thursday- Christmas gathering at our house, Friday- Christmas cocktail party at our house, and Saturday and Sunday-- all full up of family.

Sheesh. I'm tired just thinking about it. My fashion style for this week will most definitely be Cozy-Chic. I will probably be in jeans, a comfy top and either tennis shoes or bejeweled flats-- frazzled hair, limited make-up, and caffeinated beverage in hand (images of Britney with her Starbucks just came to mind). Let's hope my husband called "What Not to Wear" for me for my Christmas present and they are secretly filming somewhere.

At some point I need to squeeze in all of my holiday shopping. I am actually seriously considering waiting until Christmas Eve. As long as I go really early I can still make it to our Christmas Eve lunch ... depending on what I have to cook ...

Will my entire family be offended if they all get gift cards? Thoughtful, not at all. But I think we can all agree that gift cards are in the top 5 list of most wished-for gifts AND I can purchase them all in one store in less than 20 minutes. Another pro: a basket full of gift cards is much easier to transport to the three different family functions we attend.

I keep reminding myself to do something thoughtful and to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Hopefully those two mantras will help me refrain from assaulting someone in Wal-Mart.

So, if you see me out shopping in the next seven days, I'm not trying to be rude. I'm not lost. I'm not homeless, despite my appearance. I'm simply trying to avoid Christmas Meltdown 2011.

Holiday Update

How quickly time passes during this time of year! Here's a quick run down of our past few weeks...

Since my last posting, we hosted Thanksgiving (which turned out quite fabulous but not without its fair share of drama). I've decorated our house for Christmas... after multiple shopping trips and close to 12 hours of labor. :) I must say I'm proud of myself for the holiday decor this year despite its blows to the budget. I even made a wreath for the front door, an all day project that was an amazing distraction from reality. Last week, I spent two amazing days changing diapers, rocking, and giving bottles to two of my handsome baby nephews.
In the last hour, I've finished addressing Christmas cards and purchased the ridiculous stamps required for square cards. My plans for this evening are to get some housework done and pack for a trip to Atlanta. I'm excited to spend some time with my husband, his sister, and her new baby, Spence. I'm actually really excited because being away from home will give me an excuse to procrastinate on Christmas chores, like shopping. I haven't bought the first Christmas present. *Sigh

My act of kindness to note today... I know there have been so many more in the past few weeks... but it's been a long day with 19 kindergartners who are already so excited about Christmas. After my two hour shopping trip for holiday stuff in Hobby Lobby two weeks ago, a nice lady offered to take my cart back in the store for me. I think she could clearly see I was dizzy and lightheaded from spending way too long in those florescent lights. Or maybe she just wanted to get the buggy for herself; either way, I didn't have to walk it back inside the store.

Enjoy the next few weeks until Christmas! I know I'm reminded everyday of how exciting this time of year is, especially for the little ones.

Charlie Brown Wisdom

The last week at school has been… trying. My emotions could be summed up through the words of Sally Brown: “Anyway, why should I give thanks on Thanksgiving? What have I got to be thankful for? All it does is make more work for us at school.”

Oh holidays! How they add excitement and inevitably more work for all. My kindergartners have worked for weeks preparing for a Thanksgiving play, and my colleagues and I have worked for weeks getting costumes made. Well, I never really made a costume, but my assistant worked for weeks— almost months—making sure these kiddos would look perfect on stage.

All of this hard work created much added stress on everyone, finally peaking Wednesday afternoon at the last rehearsal. The kids were exhausted, the assistants were exhausted, I was exhausted-- stressed, fed up, frazzled, irritated, OVER IT! I began to question my career choice at this point as the students were losing focus and restlessness settled in among us all.

At home Wednesday evening, I forced myself to think of something thoughtful for my blog. I hoped reflecting on a reason to give thanks would help adjust my attitude toward this play and the days pending before the holidays. I remembered how eager another colleague had been to help us make our students’ costumes when we couldn’t quite figure out the pattern. To be perfectly honest, I had given up on the whole costume thing and would have been happy without our Native American paper bag vests, but another kindergarten assistant reached out in kindness to make them for us. I’m pretty sure she could sense my impending stroke from high blood pressure after dealing with these things.

The program went on without any major glitches, except for my student who had to dramatically exit the stage to take a potty break in the middle of the performance. Comic relief for the audience, I suppose. And on Friday, my class celebrated with a Thanksgiving feast. Nearly thirty parents and grandparents filled our classroom to celebrate and share with us. Yes, this did cause more work for me and for my sweet assistant (and my amazingly kind husband who carved the turkey and ham at 9:00 Thursday night), but it was so worthwhile to see the smiles on everyone’s faces.

Thanksgiving is always my favorite holiday for many reasons. First, I get to entertain family and friends with tons of good food, but I don’t have to buys presents for anybody. Second, it officially kicks off the Christmas season: beautiful lights, Christmas carols, family photo cards, cocktail parties, trees, Advent candles, shopping sprees, etc. Yes, this time of year does make more work for us at school and at home. Despite the work, most of us are at our best during the weeks building up to Christmas; we are hopeful, giving, kind, smiling, singing, sharing.

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, and soon thereafter Christmas, I am reminding myself that yes, it is hard work to clean, decorate, and prepare a meal for our families. But in the end, “Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. … We should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that's what they mean by 'Thanksgiving,' Charlie Brown.”