Skipping Week Five

I'm just plain tired this week and it is only Tuesday.  We had sickness here last week, looked at houses over the weekend, and I had a job interview today.  So I will wait to work on myself until next week:)  In the meantime, this soup is fantastic!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/butternut-squash-soup-recipe/index.html

Week Four: Internet Addiction

I am dreading this week's change, but given how easy last week's was, I feel like I should take it up a notch.  In this day and age, I'm sure most of us are somewhat addicted to the Internet.  The good news is I am not gambling on the Internet, watching porn, or in any other obvious way harming my family or myself.  The bad news is that I check my e-mail, 

Facebook, blogs, and now Twitter, first thing in the morning, throughout the day, and last thing at night.  I keep all of those windows open on my computer at all times and still bring the iPad with me whenever I nurse my youngest.  

I think there are two reasons for this: first, I am a naturally curious person, so I can think of things to Google search ALL day long.  I am actively looking for a job and to buy our first house, so those things alone can keep me glued to the computer for hours.   

Realistically, I know that it has also become a lifeline for me.  This week we were home every day because of a sick child.  The loneliness and time talking only to people under the age of 4 must have really gotten to me because I found myself looking for that little (1) in my e-mail and Facebook accounts constantly.  

I'd be playing with my three year old and find myself making up reasons that I needed to go in the next room, so I could walk by the computer and look for the (1).  And, oh, the disappointment I would feel when the (1) wasn't there, or worst yet, it was there, but from a non-person: Redbook, L.L. Bean, or something political.  

So I need to regulate my Internet use (she types as she is using the Internet!).  I don't even know how I am going to approach this.  Any one else have success weaning themselves off the computer, please share!  I think I will allow myself a morning, midday, and evening check of things.  This is going to be rough, but necessary.  My three-year old has already told me to "put down the iPad and play with me Mommy!"   

Here goes nothing!  Now excuse me while I shut this window.  There is a (2) in my Twitter account that I must check out;)

Week Three: Midweek Update

Not surprisingly, adding music to our daily lives has not been a hard goal to achieve.  What has surprised me is what a difference it makes in my mood.  Pandora really is an amazing thing.  Just by telling it one artist that I enjoy, it creates hours of music, some of which are familiar favorites, many of which are new to me, but quickly loved.  

I have a sick child this week, which has taken away from the exercise goal.  I hate thinking that these new habits will be replaced each week and not ongoing.  Hopefully with a little effort next week, movement will be back in our daily routine.

In the meantime, we used the free time usually spent exercising to make a buttery snack cake (see above).  Not exactly a reciprocal use of time, but oh so worth it.  I discovered this cake in my Bridal Edition Betty Crocker Cookbook as a newlywed with a sweet tooth that didn't want to go to the store.  I tend to have all of the ingredients for this recipe at home.  It calls for a frosting that consists of brown sugar, butter, milk, and coconut.  You bake the cake, put on the icing and then put the cake under the broiler.  We never have coconut around (and don't really like it), so I just mix the other ingredients.  The butter melts and browns under the broiler and saturates the whole cake.  My hubby and I have loved this ever since that first time we made it.  Yum!

Buttery Snack Cake with Broiled Coconut Frosting (Minus the Coconut for my version)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose or 1 1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter or stick margarine, softened

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

Broiled Coconut Frosting

1 cup flaked coconut (optional)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened

2 tablespoons half-and-half or milk

Heat oven to 350°. Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8 X 8 X 2 or 9 X 9 X 2 inches, or round pan, 9 X 1 1/2 inches, with shortening; lightly flour.

Beat all ingredients except Broiled Coconut Frosting with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Make Broiled Coconut Frosting.4. Set oven control to broil. Carefully spread frosting over hot cake. Broil with top of cake about 4 inches from heat about 2 minutes or until frosting is light brown. Watch carefully so frosting does not burn. Cool 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

Source: Betty Crocker's Cookbook Bridal Edition

http://store.bettycrocker.com/p-492372-4294950075-_Betty-Crocker-Cookbook-Bridal-Edition.aspx?Ns=1931&back=c-2740%2B4294950075-.aspx%3FPage%253d2%2526Ns%253d1931

Week Three: Music!

http://www.landofnod.com/elizabeth-mitchell/toys-gifts/1

I put one of Elizabeth Mitchell's children's albums on Pandora today, blew up some old birthday balloons, and something magical happened.  All of that stress about money floated up in the air with the balloons, and I was reminded of the power of music.  So this week we will start a soundtrack for our lives by constantly having background music on.  Despite the frigid weather here, the sun is shining, and as Mitchell says, "I have peace like a river in my soul." 

Week Three: Conundrum

I was trying to decide which element of our daily experience to work on this week when my 9 month old put something strange in his mouth that he found on the floor.  It occurred to me that maybe cleaning the floor more should be my goal for this week, but that just isn't me.  

I started this blog because most mornings I feel stressed before 8 am.  Is that because of my coffee habit?  My lack of activity?  My 9 month old's habit to eat whatever he finds?  I think I am dodging the elephant in the room to not look at the real reason: money.  I hate to admit that because I am not someone that thinks you need a lot of money to be happy.  That said, the combination of my husband trying to stick to his convictions, and work for a non-profit, and me trying to stick to my convictions, and stay home with our boys, has left us broke.  The time has come that I need to start bringing in some money.  The question: do I find some part-time job opposite my husband's schedule that probably makes $10 or less an hour to help us get by, do I use my graduate degrees to get a full-time job?  And in the case of the latter, do we then put our kids in daycare (which would eat up most of my full-time salary) or does my husband become a stay at home dad (my full-time job would probably make more than his full-time job, though not a lot more).

So at some point today I will come up with my weekly challenge to make me feel more zen at home, but if anyone is reading...would you be interested in also following our financial journey...or is that boring and make me come across as whiny?  (Just in case I do seem whiny, let me clarify that we are raising two boys on less than $40k a year, so I am not exaggerating when I say things are tight.  Not poverty level, but not comfortably in the middle class either).  Let me know!

Week Two: Review

We didn't exercise everyday, but I am happy enough with our effort.  Did I mention I am NOT a perfectionist?  I left myself off the hook pretty easily, so I am content with the fact that we did our exercise video three times this week.  This experiment is all about trying new things and seeing how they positively change our daily life.  Exercise was a change worth adding, and we will continue to incorporate it.

Week Two: Midweek Update

I am loving adding exercise to our life this week.  Not that we didn't exercise before, but it is more intentional now.  It occurs to me that there are moments in parenting - like when I introduced my older son to television - that did not give me a warm, fuzzy feeling.  Exercising along side my son, showing him that both of us need to do this and that it is fun, makes me feel like a good parent.  And we've started a routine of making fresh fruit smoothies after our little workout.  Nourishing our bodies through exercise and good food together - it doesn't get much better.  

Week Two: Exercise

Have you seen this great video about the cure-all that is exercise?  

I am convinced.  So 30 minutes a day is the goal for me and my 3 year old (although I guess they recommend 1 hour a day for him).  

We recently tried this video together and he LOVED it.  So cold days will be spent doing this:

http://www.amazon.com/Mom-Toddler-Fitness-Tone-Strenghten/dp/B0015K1BU2

and warm ones outside.  Here goes week 2!

Week One: Review

As I sit here sipping my hot cup of coffee, I realize that week one wasn't a raging success.  I am not disappointed though.  I think I've had some good realizations about what is right and wrong with my morning routine and how that sets the tone for my mood all day.  I will definitely be exploring how I spend the first hours of the day again.  Some may think it is nuts for me to go on with these weeks of change when I didn't even make it through the first one.  I am only more inspired to continue with my plan.  These 52 weeks are an ongoing experiment, not a black and white New Year's resolution.  On to week two...

Week One: Midweek Update

This "no coffee" thing isn't going so well.  I've resigned myself to the fact that this may not happen while my kids are in the habit of getting up before 5 am.  That said, I am now only allowed 1 cup of coffee a morning.  No refills.  If I want more steaming liquid in my mug, I have to switch to tea.  I am already noticing an improvement with my jitters.  More to come...

Week One: Morning Ritual

They say it takes twenty-one days to change a habit.  I am hoping to do it in seven.  Fifty-two times.  I am a stay-at-home mom to two little boys, ages 3 and 9 months and 9 months.  I am thrilled to be home with them, but there are things about our little life together that need improving.  And so week one is going to be about my personal morning routine, which includes a daily cup of joe.  I love the first steaming cup of the coffee each morning.  Unfortunately, it doesn't love me back.  Half way through cup number two, I usually start to feel a little too awake - wound up almost.  And that isn't even mentioning what it does to my stomach.  This may be the toughest of my 52 changes, but I am trying it first because I am hoping it will set the tone for the rest of the day. Today, I make the switch from coffee to tea.  My boys are often up by 5 am, so I am not eliminating caffeine...for now.  Just how I get it.  Wish me luck!  A full report will follow on Saturday.