resurfacing...

I have been so consumed with nursing school that everything else has taken a back seat. It is refreshing to come up for air, however brief. I am starting my second term now and created a study playlist... maybe it will be helpful :0)

Domestically Challenged?!

So as I am a full time student without a job for the first time in my adult life spring break= actual break. I was looking forward to "spring break" for weeks, most especially last week- remarking that I just needed to stop thinking about nursing for a bit- the problem is then what will I think about?I had planned to let go, get some sun... and try not to obsess too much over the little things. After looking at the weather for the remaining days of my break I can tell you sunshine is highly unlikely! It is rainy, gloomy, and grey for the rest of the week here, and everywhere within reasonable driving distance.

The bright side: no sunburn, that's about all I got. Don't get my started on the cons.

I cannot sit still, it is not in my nature to just be.... it would likely benefit me greatly sometimes but I am always busy.... by design. So if I cannot go to school, and I cannot pseudo-relax in a bathing suit what do I do? Monday I got a burst of energy, this is my spring break I will make the most of it. I kept Riley home with my and had some quality time, although after the weekend (Jay had duty on Saturday and went to GA for a good bit of Sunday) she and I were both kinda itching to get out of the house and back to our groove.

We had a good day, Riley helped me with some of the chores... which brings me to the realization I had regarding my domestic skills. I have never been known to be exceptionally talented in the kitchen (I can bake like nobody's business... but as for dinner... how many days a week can you eat scrambled eggs or grilled cheese?!) I have been so busy between family, job, school that my house failing to look like a page out of a pottery barn catalog, and lack of culinary expertise is understandable....expected even. This is only one week but for some reason I felt like I needed to make up for of these things now!!

I am a punchline when it comes to cooking really... there are a few things I can make well (all day, complicated things with far too many ingredients), and yet the thought of planning meals for the week and cooking simple things were monumental tasks. I spent most of the day cleaning the house, doing laundry, spending time coloring, watching TV, playing Barbie and miserably missing the nap which my daughter has outgrown... me not so much.

I avoided the issue, but after washing the remote control (which somehow survived!), running to McDonald's for lunch and ending up with a bigger mess than I started with.... have now come to realize: I am domestically challenged.

 How did I get here?

I hale from a long line of women (Italian) who have no concept of a hot meal (b/c they are constantly up from the table getting things or other people). I would have sworn my mother was secretly a short order cook with the things she would prepare mid-whine from her (admittedly) spoiled, and picky children.

When I was growing up I didn't think there was anything my mother could not do, I believe this even more to this day. She could cook, clean, mend, sew, be creative with my sister and I (we wrote books, painted, made pottery you name it!), and after we were in school full time she went back to work as a contracts administrator for engineering/contracting firms-- a job which I never thought suited her, my mom thinks on her toes, hates staring at computer screens or working indoors for too long, and artistic to this day, something I thank her for every day... Not to say you cannot be these things and work in her profession, but in my limited experience in this field I felt like an outsider. I was a circle peg in a square hole around the office. I liked "pretty things", decorated my cubicle with pictures, accessories and flowers....color coded graphs and charts, I would bring doughnuts and bagels for the entire office as often as I could just to collect everyone in the break room at one time without simultaneously ignoring each other or bickering over who was next in line for the microwave... I would always prefer to go talk to my co-workers instead of dial their extension or send an email.... and had on occasion frightened my manager by the assortment of highlighters I used.

Nonetheless...

My mom= super woman. My grandmother= super woman in her late 70's!

How did I come to be so domestically challenged?

First let me outline my high, or would it be low points:

• Ironing= putting something back into the dryer-- if it's too wrinkled for this measure it's unsavagable and must be rewashed... 
• Laundry= really easy to forget about... especially in the washer for a few days.... yuk!
• Cooking= I have had my fair share of run ins with undercooked food to now believe somewhere in my subconscious that whatever it "says" the meal should be cooked until-- do it at least 10 minutes longer.... we are destined to eat hockey puck, beef jerky textured food! Unless the crock pot is involved.... Thank god. 
• Planning Meals= Holy goodness! I am in nursing school for crying out loud, time management, critical thinking, organization it's being beaten into my head here people... but somehow I cannot manage to plan out a week worth of meals without:

  a) having some internal battle on whether or not these are "good" meals to have and obsessing over the alternates.
  b) picking meals that are entirely not possible on a week night... meaning if I need 5 hours to prepare it... it's not happening M-F for the most part.
  c) forgetting vital ingredients on the list and so when the time comes to make said meal I have tacos with no cheese, lasagna with no noodles... you get the picture!

I can clean at least.... but that's the least fun of all! :0/ lol
SO I have to say to all the stay-at-home moms, or just those super moms who seem to have it all together I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for you!!
I'm sure with time and a little luck and advice I'll get a knack for how to master some of the basics.
My husband is so supportive of everything, who I am, how I am... and self-sufficient... he irons.... and cooks... and talks me out of cooking a chicken casserole for 45 minutes....I am so blessed to have a wonderful family who loves me for me and with the rest of my week off I plan to finish the laundry (without any electronics hopefully), organize Ry's toys and keep it simple.... ;0)

Mommy's Girl

Inspired by fellow blogger Mrs. Muffins 's post "Like mother like daughter" who ironically enough shares bother her name and her daughters name with me and mine!! I decided to find my own look a like pictures with my mom and I, and my daughter and I. 

 

I'm on the left, my mom on the Right... I was 7 or 8 at the time, I believe my mom was a bit older but you get the idea.... 

 

Ry and I both born in July- so this is both of our third Halloweens! She may have her daddy's blond hair but I can see her momma in there too! :) 

“Making the decision to have a child - It's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”- Elizabeth Stone

Have a fabulous weekend!  

Roller Coaster

Lately life has been a roller coaster... and despite wanting to cruise along I have found myself as I often do holding on for dear life- clinging to the details, distracting from the truth, and keeping all too busy-but neglecting to see the whole picture... In 10 years from now what about the good and bad of today will really matter?
We are fortunate to have orders to someplace in the states that we can see ourselves settling in to. Our dear friends who are expecting got the wonderful news of a baby girl! Friends that we consider family, and who despite whatever obstacles have been steadfast in their devotion to each other and to the family they are adding to now :0) and Riley's eyes after glasses, patching and surgery are straight and she is able to use both! Which sounds like a small victory, but binocular vision for Riley is a gift from God, and of course Nemours (Dr. Duss <3). We are so very thankful....
The lows have been tremendous as well... a very special, brave and amazing person in my family is fighting for her life against lymphoma- her spirit and bravery make everything else seem so small.... She will beat this, she believes it, I believe it, and she has the support of an entire community. Truly inspiring.
10 years from now, whether or not we live here or there, whether I get an A in my pharmacology class... does it really matter?
No. Being as good a mother, wife, friend and person that I can... THAT is what matters.
No doubt the world is collectively grieving for those injured, killed and affected by the earthquake in Japan are pausing to put into perspective how precious life is. I watched with baited breath today for posts of a dear friend and her children who are stationed in Japan... relocating there just a few months ago. Her bravery, strength, and determination to survive amazed me.

These women, and so many other people I am so blessed to have in my life are beautiful in every way.
I have been ill- mostly forgetting I am human, I have to breathe, relax, eat, sleep... just be. Somehow I seem to forget those little vital things which I read about, study about, and preach to others about... taking your own advice is always the hardest isn't it....
Everything has been put into perspective.....  

When life is like a roller coaster.... remember who you are, and what is important at the end of the ride. 

Donate now! :)

Relief for Japan   




God Bless..

  

Stress, Silly Sandwiches and Seeing the light

What a week! The title sums it up, stress, silly sandwiches for two sweet little girls (my daughter and her best friend) and seeing light at the end of the tunnel through reaching back to an old favorite of mine: Peace is Every Step -- Thich Nhat Hanh

Lets cut to the chase... our family is awaiting orders, we have been fortunate to be here in Jacksonville for five and a half years! Almost unheard of for military families. Our life began here and so the thought of leaving (even though we always knew it was likely to happen... and even though it will not be forever) is paralyzing at times. The wait in limbo to know your family's fate is even more so.... but nothing that we didn't sign up for, nor something that we cannot perservere. <3  On to more fun things...

Monday my daughter and I had a play day (no school for either of us!) and had her best friend with us for the day. We had a blast. Especially at lunch with our silly sandwiches :0) peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (no crust of course lol) faces, baby carrot hair, yogurt covered raisin eyes and an apple wedge mouth. The girls thought it was hilarious... and delicious in the end.

Through the stress and less sleep than I should I began to question myself more and more, and see doubt everywhere I turned. So I turned to a book given to me many years ago by a very wise coworker... it has seen me through, and helped me to remember what is truly important. 

"Breathe! You are Alive"
"Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it.... "
"We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive. Every breath we take, ever step we make, can be filled with peace, joy and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.... Peace is every step. We shall walk hand in hand" 

-- Thich Nhat Hanh

Peace is Every Step :Mindfulness Everyday

I have been frightened, humbled, challenged, and triumphant this week. Looking forward to the next :) 

Grandma's Chicken Soup

I have successfully made my grandmother's chicken soup!! (well pretty close anyway).
My grandmother Irene would make chicken noodle soup and used some surprising ingredients that are both nutritious and give the soup a wonderful flavor I always remembered as a child. Grandma would make hers in a large pot on the stove all day of course, mine is broken into two- so I could utilize the ever versatile (and my most prized cooking vessel ever) crock pot.

Miss you grandma

* 1 (3 pound) whole chicken (mine was pre-quartered which helped expedite things)

* 3/4-1 cup baby carrots (about two handfuls)

* 2 Stalks of celery- chopped
* 1/2 large onion diced
* Parsnip (1 large,peeled and chopped)
* Turnip (1-2 diced into larger chunks)
* 1/2-3/4 cup peeled and diced potatoes
* Handful of fresh parsley
* 1 package of egg noodles
* water to cover
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)

Part 1 (night before you intend to have chicken soup for supper)
Directions

1. In a large pot cover the chicken with cold water, and add some salt and pepper and the bouillon cube. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken meat falls off of the bones. * Now I am pretty sure my grandmother used the entire chicken, however I am a bit of a sissy with gizzards, so my chicken was without). This took 45 minutes- 1 hour but it was with little to no maintenance so I was able to go about the evening without giving the boiling chicken much attention.

2. Once chicken is fully cooked (and you'll know, stick a fork into the leg and come up with a shred of meat as the rest falls back into the pot and off the bone.... and you're there). Remove the chicken from the water and remove meat from the bones placing in a storage container, add a bit of the chicken stock from the pot to keep meat moist. (I would recommend after cooling- but I was impatient and burnt my fingers picking the meat from the bones while it was hot... I remember my husband hesitantly asking, can we wait till it cools, or did your grandma not do it that way- :p). You have now successfully made your own chicken stock as well! Pour the stock into a large tall container (I used an iced tea pitcher) and refrigerate, along with the chicken.

3. Now if you are chipper in the morning, or are in no hurry to get out of the house in the morning (with a 3 year old in tow) you can stop here. All of the chopping can be done in the morning. For me, I chopped all of the vegetables for the soup with exception of the potatoes and parsley and mixed them together in another storage container for the night.

Day2
1. My mornings are bleary eyed, chaotic and we are lucky to get out the door in one piece hence my prep the night before.
Add cooked chicken, stock, chopped veggies. You will need to peel and dice 2-3 potatoes and grab and rinse the parsley but otherwise you a good to dump everything in the crock pot, leaving room for approx. 1 cup of water in addition to the chicken stock.
Set crock pot to low for 6-8 hours (typical work/school day, so by the time I am home it is ready!).

2. My grandmother always cooked the egg noodles separately, and poured the soup over them, much like spaghetti, it is a tradition I too adopted as adding them earlier on would have resulted in soggy noodles and starchy soup. I cooked egg noodles separately using salt sparingly when boiling given their addition to the chicken soup. Once finished and strained I portioned out bowls of noodles (1/2 way) and ladled hot chicken soup over them. I had enough to freeze two large servings (2-3 people) and refrigerate two mini servings for my daughter/me.

Ta-da! Enjoy :0)

March of Dimes