Daybook January 2012

Outside My Window ...
Darkness. While we've had an usually warm and snow-less winter here in Wisconsin, the days are no longer than any other year. I love the peace of the darkness. I love the warm lights that come from inside homes. I love how well I sleep. And I love how much I notice and appreciate the warmth of sunlight. I miss the days of my childhood when I could spend my afternoons with my nose buried in a book while curled up in a sunbeam.
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I am listening to...
Clara yelling at her brother for dumping out a box of blocks. Words like "naughty" and "such a mess" seem to be babbling about. She is her daddy's tidy little girl. John Ross and I are more creative types for whom messes are just part of life. We like things a certain way, but it isn't typically the way other people like them.
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To Live the Liturgy…
We have all been working on forgiveness. Both the kids and the parents in this house are good at "I'm sorry", but we're all working on what it means to accept an apology and how we behave afterwards. Mama is working on not holding a grudge.
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To be Fit and Happy…
I mentioned in this same item in October that I was up against my anxiety. It really hasn't gotten much better since. Upon advisement of my RN mother, I researched and took up a regular dosage of St. John's Wort. A week and a half into the regimine I am feeling less edgy and more focused. My anxiety isn't derailing my plans nearly as often. I have high hopes that as it continues to take full effect (4-6 weeks) I will find myself a bit more joyful too. While I am not a "take a pill" kind of girl, anxiety and depression run in my family and the winter season can be rough on anyone up in this neck of the woods.

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I am thankful for ...
Our basement being finished!!! Kevin worked tirelessly this fall amidst my hectic schedule to finish our previously empty basement. We now have a beautiful space for stashing the kids toys and watching movies. It is warm, welcoming, and I am SOOOO grateful. Disappointed that I will miss the championship games down there this weekend, but cheering on the Pack in hopes that I might be able to watch them in the SuperBowl in a few weeks!
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From the kitchen ...
Christmas is over and we are in hunker down financial mode. We've re-established a budget and are focusing on simplifying. As an added challenge, my sister, a night NICU nurse, was looking for easy, afforable meals that she could count on. They had found themselves, like many of us, ordering in and eating out WAY too often. So, over the New Year we put together five weeks of meals, recipes, and shopping lists to help us all out. I'm trying to stick to them since I know exactly what they cost and the work they entail.
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I am creating ...
I have some big news coming very soon on a big endeavor we have discerned as a family, but the timing isn't quite right yet for sharing. Keep praying for us and our BIG project!
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I am reading…
"Lunch in Paris" all about a young woman living, eating and romancing in Paris. It's quick, light reading with some fun recipes to try! Nothing intense or soul satisfying, but a nice treat at the end of a busy day.
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Towards a real education ...
We're working on politeness and proper pronunciation. Coo-cans and pokamots are cute, but not going to cut it in the real world. Clara is also working on knowing her own name instead of responding, "John Ross" or "Scoopy" when she is asked.
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Bringing beauty to my home ...
I have taken Christmas down. I usually wait until the Baptism of Our Lord, but this year Christmas became cluttered and I needed to return to the simplicity of everyday life.
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I am hoping and praying…
For a postive outcome of my mother's surgery this Friday. She's been dealing with a chronic issue for the past few years and as the bouts have become more painful and frequent, she is having a procedure done that we believe will correct it. Please keep her in your prayers.
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Around the house ...
Warm weather + crazy kids = time outside! Sunshine on my shoulder makes me happy...
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One of my favorite things...
My new bras...I hate bra shopping and had two underwires snap within the week before Christmas. I dreaded replacing them, but armed myself with my sister warriors over the New Yeawr. We went to Soma and found some great after Christmas deals on just the kind of bras I need. And they're pretty too!
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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Work, work, and more work. Then rest. We are gearing up for Confirmation here and so the week is full of candidate interviews and our monthly faith formation family night. Then Clara and I are packing up for a girls weekend in Chicago with my sister. We're leaving John Ross and Daddy home.
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In Pictures...
Spent the weekend with these two lovely people!!!! My sister and brother-in-law!

October 2011 Daybook

Outside My Window ...
The parish courtyard and picnic table. My new office offers a much larger, quieter, and more picturesque view. I'm so grateful for all that God has done in our life recently, but am content with where things are now. It's a bit gray and breezy, but fall is in the air. I can smell it and it stirs my soul in a powerful way.

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I am listening to...
Well, I'm not listening to it at the very moment, but I am reflecting on the fact that all of the songs played on our local country station this morning seemed just perfectly suited to my state in life today. From married life, to college memories, to my favorite "Good Morning Beautiful" song I just felt like God was blessing me in the words.

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To Live the Liturgy…
I took a sabbath for myself recently. I have not been away by myself since John Ross was about 6 months old for anything other than work. I went a few hours north of home and spent the weekend resting my soul and getting right with God. On Sunday I took my coffee out into the wind and spent my morning cup with God. The gusty lake wind blew through my hair and the sun came up on my back. The sound of the waves just rushed over my battered soul and the smell of the water intoxicated me. I came home feeling clean, calm, and clear. It very much reminded me of how I feel after confession, but in a very tangible way.

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To be Fit and Happy…
I had my annual appointment a few months ago and was told that even after 6 weeks of caffeine withdrawals I could continue to feel fatigued for another 6 weeks. I'm so glad I made the choice to wean myself off all but my morning cup of coffee, but it's been rough with the transitions that have been going on in my life and in my routine.

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I am thankful for ...
My husband who has been so helpful and supportive as we've been making these transitions in our routine. Besides the HUGE basement finishing project, he hasn't complained about my working nights or my unusually quiet nature. He's been thoughtful and considerate. In fact, we have gotten up early the past two mornings for breakfast and coffee together.

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From the kitchen ...
Swedish meatballs. Fall is here and with it comes some of our favorite recipes. The hearty produce that comes at the end of the season, plus the need to keep a little warm from the inside out lends itself perfectly to an aromatic kitchen and a freezer full of soup! I often make my own meatballs, but I have found that Alton Brown's sauce recipe is a most appropriate match for store bought meatballs on a work night. Pour them over a bed of egg noodles and cut up a few local apricots and dinner is served!

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I am creating ...
I am not creating anything in particular. I am always knitting something and I am contemplating some really cute fleece robes for my sisters, but until recently I haven't had much time to consider what I am creating, I just create it. If anything, I am trying to create peace in my heart and in my household, which is quite a challenge in an of itself.

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I am reading…
I've got a couple of interesting biographies and non-fiction pieces about cultures and upbringings. I am really trying to define for myself the definition and type of "culture" I wish to raise my children in and I am finding so much joy in the beauty of traditions. I really do believe that it is important to make a specific decision about the environment in which you wish to raise your children or today's society will just sweep you away.

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Towards a real education ...
Hate this one every time...no good answer. No direction right now. The farthest I've gotten is Prairie Home Companion tonight...if anything, it is good for at least a bit of the comfort of my childhood.

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Bringing beauty to my home ...
I'm working on a wall mural for my dining room. I really want to visually play off of the scripture about the wife being a fruitful vine in her home and the children being like olive plants on the table. I am working on a large olive tree that incorporates all of our family photos. I still have to put leaves on the highest branches and add the colorful little olives, but I am quite pleased.

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I am hoping and praying…
That I can maintain my sense of calm even when the balance is off a bit. I know this fall is going to be full and busy and stressful, but I want to maintain Christ's peace. My sense of anxiety typically rises, I've found, from my belief that I am supposed to feel anxious about something instead of actually feeling that way. I'm trying to shut out some of those imposed constructs and instead focus on discernment between God and I. Not having a whole lot of luck on this one, so I ask prayers.

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Around the house ...
It is really starting to feel like our home. We've mounted our pot rack and replaced some lights. The fact that the laundry is all put away for the first time in a month and tomorrow's forecast is for rain means a warm, slow, dare I say perfect, Sunday before a really busy week. Good, but busy.

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One of my favorite things...
I have been wearing my keys on the same green Cabella's cotton lanyard for almost 4 years. With kids and a forgetful mama brain, it is really the only way to carry and keep track of keys. The lanyard recently snapped and I tied it back together. While on my sabbath weekend I found the most lovely silver chain from Brighton that is designed as a ID tag holder, but is also perfect for my keys. It was definitely more than my last lanyard because the last one came wrapped around a t-shirt and hat promotion, but if it last as long or longer than the previous one, it will be well worth it!

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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
My sister and brother-in-law are making a mid-week trip to town. We are going to trick-or-treat with the kids in our new neighborhood for the first time, take a day off mid-week to visit Lambeau, do some vintage shopping, and just enjoy their visit. I am so blessed with my very close family and always look forward to whatever time we have together.

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In Pictures...

Daybook June 2011

Outside My Window ...
A bit of a dreary day. Good for this mama since my kiddos are not begging to go outside I can get some more work done unpacking and nesting in our new home!

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I am listening to...
Screetches! To be more exact, little girl screetches. Clara's lunch is kicking in and she is a very happy, very loud little girl! She's actually trying to stand on an end table...

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To Live the Liturgy…
I just got a new book series from 23rd Publications about Fergie the Frog. It is a series that focuses on Fergie's experiences and the leasons he learns. At the end of each book is a little connection to faith practice. We're enjoying each new story over here especially with a 2.5 year old!

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To be Fit and Happy…
Today not so much, but the new house has given us so much more space and time to spend outdoors. I don't have to worry about the kids so they can go out on bikes in the front. It is a lot easier to walk around here too and I can't wait to get my rollerblades out and start whipping this body back into shape!

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I am thankful for ...
A general sense of calm around here. We have a beautiful new home, it's summertime, and work is in planning mode. It makes for a happy mama!

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From the kitchen ...
Real meals!!! That was the hardest part of moving. Family meals are SO important to us and during the move we ate a lot of convenience food and fast food. It is so nice to smell a roast in the crockpot and spiced chocolate pecan bars in the oven!!! This is my home!!!

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I am creating ...
I am repurposing a 50-year-old vanity that I inherited. It belonged to my great-grandmother. At one point many years ago it had a beautiful beveled mirror in it, but that has long since shattered and been replaced with a flat mirror. In the old house the mirror portion of the vanity was in storage over our wings because we didn't have the vertical space for it, but I needed the vanity portion. In my new office I still needed the vanity, but now have the vertical space for the mirror portion. Yet I found myself not wanting to gaze at myself while I worked so I am padding the back and covering it with a pretty upholstery fabric and some ribbons and buttons for a french photoboard look. I hope it will be a good place to keep notes about my various ongoing projects!Pictures when I have some...

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I am reading…
I finished A Year in the Life of Food and LOVED every moment of it! Now I am working on the book Fall On Your Knees. Although I do not find that it has a great deal of depth, the plot moves and the writing style is quite unique. I am finding that the pages go by quickly.

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Towards a real education ...
I am considering taking some steps toward my masters degree. I hestitate because my children are only young once, but a slow start might be good. I am also trying to learn a lot more about produce gardening and whole foods to better feed my family.

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Bringing beauty to my home ...
While not everything is packed up and put away yet we are going to try to get some art on the walls this weekend! We need to get rid of some of the echoes and start making it seem like OUR home again.

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I am hoping and praying…
That our contractor is going to be able to help us make some prudent choices about finishing our basement. We don't know exactly what we want to do with it and we need some guidance.

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Around the house ...
It is so much easier to keep this house clean it seems! It is easier to put things away and keep it tidy, which leaves a lot more time to sit on the porch and watch the sun set.

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One of my favorite things...
My new stovetop which can boil water SO quickly! It's not convection, but compared to our old stove (40+ years) it goes so quickly! I am also in love with my full size dishwasher, which I only have to run every 2-3 days!!!! I could wash dishes for an army!

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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
A weekend with my family. Shopping, eating, recreating. Hopefully the weather will clean up it's act a bit so we can get outside and maybe have a picnic. I am also hoping to get the rest of my office and craft room unpacked and squared away.

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In pictures...
Two of my favorite features of our new home - our fireplace and our back deck!

Daybook March 2011

I'm feeling a bit of the winter blues and decided it was time for a daybook entry!
Outside My Window ...
Darkness. I love the feeling and quiet of darkness.

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I am listening to...
Chatter. All day long I hear chatter even when no one else is talking. It is hard to turn the world off!

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To Live the Liturgy…
I am yearning for a week of family meals. My work schedule has taken me away from my family table over dinner many nights in the last month and I miss that daily aspect of the liturgy.

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To be Fit and Happy….
Not enough, but when it gets to that point I fall back on drinking lots of water. It is the least I can do.

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I am thankful for ...

My supportive and active husband. Without him I couldn't do the things I am gifted to do. Without him, my dreams would remain just that.

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From the kitchen ...
Not much. We've been eating a lot of soup because it freezes and warms again easily. I'm looking forward to the culinary challenge that is our Lenten practice. Check it out here!

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I am creating ...
Homemade play food for Clara's birthday. I've got the material for pancakes, waffles, and tacos cut and the base for my chocolate chip cookies painted. I'm also working on pretty little tea biscuits and cherries to go with some wooden tea bags! At the rate I am going, I am just grateful her birthday is at the end of April!
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I am reading….
Still working on A Year in the Life of Food by Barbara Kingsolver. I get about 5 pages each week...:)

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Towards a real education ...
This week I am just allowing myself to be educated by daily life.

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Bringing beauty to my home ...
We have committed as a couple to looking at the next day in a positive light instead of stressful countenances. We are working on smiles and laughter and not so many tears.

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I am hoping and praying….

That the uncertainties in life settle themselves a bit so we can have a few moments to adjust to our new normal. The warmer weather and sunshine can't hurt the process either...

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Around the house ...
We are keeping up and I am so grateful for my go-getter baby sitter who sweeps the floors and loads the dishwasher without being asked.

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One of my favorite things ...
My teacup. 10 minutes for boiling water, 3-5 minutes for steeping and 10 minutes for drinking = 25 minutes for ME!

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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
Working, working, working...even my playtime this week is working! I am going on my 3rd of three dual-purpose weekends of women's ministry and parish ministry. They are wonderful and I am so grateful, but I am looking forward to a weekend to spend with my sweet, small little family.

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In pictures...

Daybook January 2011

Outside My Window ...
Powdery white snow and slushy roads! Not so enticing for going to the office today.

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I am listening to...
Curious George trying to clean a grape-juice stain. Otherwise, silence. Clara is sleeping and John Ross is glued to George.

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To Live the Liturgy…
Arg...tough one...we're just trying to get to liturgy at this stage in the game. This past weekend we got to church early because we were visiting my mom and dad and with 9 adults, 2 little boys, and 2 baby carriers we have to save an entire ROW! While we were waiting for Mass to begin I walked John Ross around the church and we learned how to bless ourselves with holy water and we lit a candle. When I asked him what we were lighting the candle for he replied with a half-whisper, "Kera and Daad" known to the rest of the world as Clara and Dad.

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To be Fit and Happy….
I met my goal last week and exceeded it including a long trip to the skating rink. Considering it is already Tuesday and I haven't even started towards this week's goal, I'm a bit trepidatious. I am hoping that after the kids are in bed and Kevin is at a meeting that perhaps I can sneak a workout in tonight.

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I am thankful for ...
A babysitter that can flex to my crazy schedule this month. I have a lot of extra night and morning meetings and my usual sitter doesn't have the kind of flexibility I need. I am also grateful that she is willing to stay on for the semester in addition to my sister so mommy can focus on work during work time and home during home time!

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From the kitchen ...
Homemade SCONES! So yummy, but made the small to help with the fit and happy side of me!!! Almond Chocolate Chip, Blackberry Lemon, and Honey Cranberry Pecan. Here's the base recipe!

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I am creating ...
Materials for a women's event in February. My session is called "Touch Up Your Roots!

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I am reading….
"A Year in the Life of Food" by Barbara Kingsolver. I am also trying to decide on a piece of fiction. I think I need to fall in love with fiction again. Reading for pleasure and I fell out of love during college and I think I need to challenge myself to give it some grace again. I need something substantial to lose myself in. Please do not suggest pop culture fiction...I'm only considering classics. Perhaps I'll revisit the Betsy-Tacy series of my youth!

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Towards a real education ...
Challenging myself to find time for crafts and coloring WITH the kids. The kids regularly express their creativity, but I am making an effort to participate!

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Bringing beauty to my home ...
Taking down our Christmas tree (after all, the official liturgical season is now over) and making our space cozy again. I'm also trying to bring some organization to our cupboards and rooms.

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I am hoping and praying….
For inner peace and guidance as I continue to build my speaking and writing career. Keeping a balance between my family, my day job and my dream is tricky. Not knowing the exact future status of my day job doesn't help either. I am so grateful for my best friend and writing buddy who keeps me motivated and inspired and who has in many ways, paved the way mentally for my work. I couldn't do it without her solidarity and I am praying that our friendship will also provide a solid foundation for a good partnership.

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Around the house ...
I'm simplifying. The less busy work, the better.

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One of my favorite things ...
My new Vera Bradley netbook bag!!! My sister pulled my name at Christmas and I am beyond excited about it and have already given it quite the workout! It is the perfect combination for both work and home use!

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A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:
Working and catching up after an amazing weekend with my family and grandparents who had flown in from AZ. Perhaps a mommy meeting to catch up with a good friend and get some freelance work done. I'm going to try to get a leg up on my to-do list so I can enjoy next weekend, which is also the last free weekend of the next 3 months!

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