New Year's REVOLUTIONS

A few days ago, I asked Clara if she was excited about the new year.  Her reply was direct.  “Not really.  It’s like when I have a birthday and everyone says  ‘Do you feel any older’?   That’s kind of a silly thing to say, isn’t it?"

Then she asked why people get so wound up about New Year’s Eve anyway.   

Me: “Well, it’s nice to have a fresh start”. 

Clara:  “A fresh start for what?”

Me:  “It’s a time to think about how things went last year, and decide if you want to make any changes for the coming year.”

Clara:  “What kind of changes?”

Me:  “Well, I like to learn from my mistakes.  So I spend a little time remembering the good and the bad things about last year.  Sometimes that helps me figure out what I should try differently or learn to do better.  Then I make a list of what I’d like to change.  That’s called making  “New Year’s Resolutions.”

Clara:  “Why don’t you just do that all the time.  I mean, if I can’t figure out something at school, I have to keep trying until I figure it out NOW.  Because there will be a test in like, a week.”

Me:  “What I meant was that it’s a traditional time for people to make GOALS.”

Clara:  “What kind of goals?”

Me:  “The kind of goals that are like promises to myself to try harder to making healthier choices, or get organized, to learn something new, or to spend more time with friends. “

Clara: “If that what it means, I think people should make REVOLUTIONS every day”.

I think that there is something fabulous about the fact that she said REVOLUTION instead of resolution.  It makes me think of that children’s song that everyone knows.  (Forgive me in advance, because it is likely to be stuck in your head for days now.)  

Can you see the analogy?

Put your hand (or foot, head, whole body.) IN (jump in and TRY something)

Take your hand OUT (evaluate how that’s working for you)

Put your hand IN  (try again .. maybe you need more time or practice)

And shake it all about.  (or maybe you need to try a whole new approach.  shake off the old …)

Do the hokey pokey (be silly and lighthearted.  don’t worry about how you look)

And turn yourself about (make adjustments if necessary, reset yourself)

That’s what it’s all about! 

The more you think about it, it’s pretty good advice for life, huh? 

I admit, my list of resolutions has traditionally been pretty lofty, and I don't have a great track record for reaching the LONG list of goals that I have made for myself in past years.  This year, I think I’m going to make revolutions instead.  I still have a list of things I’d like to work on.  But instead of making a list as long as my arm and feeling like I’m not accomplishing anything, I’ll try to keep the ‘big picture’ in mind and do a version of the “hokey pokey” on a daily basis instead. 

Here are the things I’m resolved to spin around until I reach my goals (or get dizzy trying)

• 1)       Making healthier choices every day
• 2)       Scheduling more time to enjoy with family and friends
• 3)       Reducing clutter
• 4)       Making CREATIVITY a higher priority
• 5)       Communicating more effectively 

How about you?  What are you inspired to do differently … starting TODAY?

Road Map .. where the heck am I going, anyway?

I've been thinking a lot about the things that I would do if I didn't have any restrictions. And that is when I became aware of how many fences there are in my world. The initial list of obstacles has titles like this: Time, Finances, Anxiety, Physical Limitations, Responsibilities / Obligations, Reputation / Pride, and Lack of Knowledge. Wow .. that is a big list, huh? It was actually easier for me to list my excuses to NOT to things that it was to identify what in the world I would be doing if I had no boundaries. Friends, I must admit ... this revelation was startling and disturbing to me.

So, what to do about that? Hmm .. well .. the first thing I did was realize that I needed to quit focusing on road blocks and come up with a list of 'travel plans' first. I'm not talking about the cliche 'bucket list'. I'm thinking about MY GOALS for the present. I realized that I don't even know what I WANT! That's shocking .. really.

So far, my list of goals seems mild. I'm very aware that some of the things on this list would not seem like a big deal to most people. They are, however, goals that would have various degrees of significance to me.

1) Learn to roller skate. (without breaking any bones)
2) Ride a horse. (and enjoy it)
3) Print and display my family photos in a creative way.
4) Publish a book (I have so many ideas ...)
5) Finish my college degree (only 18 credit hours to go ...)
6) Find a 40's - 60's travel trailer and USE IT.
7) Learn to tat.
8) Learn to Swing Dance


Even the very writing of this list was difficult, because I kept finding myself tempted to add 'to-do' list things, such as "Be a better housekeeper", "Get healthier", "Be more patient" or "Finally organize all the paperwork for the office".

When I actually examine my little list though, I realized that most of these things I want to do involve LEARNING. They aren't really about what kind of person I'd like to become, or habits that I'd like to break, or things I hope to teach my children. They aren't monumental goals. In fact, they are all pretty obtainable now that I'm looking at the list.

I'm sure that the list will transform over time. And as I reach these goals, I'm sure that new ones will develop. Today, the first step in my plan is to post these things in my house .. where I will see them every day. I'm hoping that doing so will make me increasingly aware of opportunities to accomplish these tasks and skills.

So now I'm eager to hear from my friends .. what are YOUR goals? Not so much the earth shattering crazy huge bucket list kind of things. Not "to-do" kinds of chores. But some real, obtainable, concrete things that would knock down a fence or two that has grown around you. Things that would enrich your experience right now. It wasn't easy for me to identify what I want to accomplish ... but I'm hoping that this challenge to take a look will inspire and encourage you toward something wonderful and fulfilling.

cheers!

The Little Things

"Money is a little bit like a perfectly clean house ... everyone wants it, it is difficult to acquire, and it never lasts long enough."

Once upon a time, I was one of those parents who took her kids to walmart and let them throw things into the cart to take home. Cheap toys that wouldn't last long, books, junk food, silly t shirts, sillier slippers, gallons of bubbles and cases of caps for toy guns. Every time we went to town we came home with more and more 'junk' .. but the kids were happy.

These days, I'm way more frugal. First of all, I avoid Walmart like the plague. Second, we really make an effort to only purchase things 'on the list' when we go shopping, and we don't give in to' impulse buy temptation' often. (well, those darn peanut M&M's get me sometimes ....) We have a budget and we stick to it. And besides, who needs all that junky trinkety crap in the house anyway .. it just is clutter .. that will eventually be trash .. and that's so not cool!

That being said ....

My mom and I went shopping the other day. We had a mission. I've been really enjoying crocheting again, and when she came over to see my latest work, she was sitting on the couch in the living room admiring the vintage tole tray collection on my walls. They are black, with gorgeous hand-painted flowers on them. She suggested that I let those trays be my inspiration and make hats that look like that ... black background with beautiful flowers. What a FABULOUS idea! (She has those a lot!)

Shortly after she left to go back home, the phone was ringing, and Mom was calling to suggest that we zip into Broadway to get some black yarn at the Ben Franklin shop on Main Street. It's only a few miles away, and it wouldn't take long. So I left the kids at home with instructions to "Be nice to each other, stay in the house, and call if you need anything". We were only going to be a few miles from home, after all! Now, son #1 is 15, nearly old enough to drive a CAR! (Well, that's what the state of VA thinks, anyway.) Son #2 is going to be 13 in a few days. And The Little One is SIX YEARS OLD now. I figured they'd be ok for a little while.

Since our budget is tight right now, I didn't have a lot of extra cash. That's actually a doozy of an understatement. In fact, I had about $12.

I was looking at the colors and textures of the yarn at the store, and struggling with how to select the best ones. I only had a little cash in my pocket, and since I haven't SOLD anything yet, I haven't earned back the money that I already invested in yarn. I laid them out, talked to Mom, rearranged them, shuffled some more, and selected 4 skeins. I was putting the other 10 colors back when Mom said, "Oh, let's just put them all in the basket. I'm getting this for you. You really enjoy this, and your work is beautiful. Let me do this for you." (I am so lucky ... my mom is amazing!)

And then I had this thought. I was prepared to spend that whopping $12 when I left the house. It was my 'fun money". I realized that what I really wanted to do with it was to take something nice for my amazing kids. I wanted to BUY them something frivolous! Something unnecessary, unexpected, and fun!

Luckily, I was at the variety shop. The "We have a little bit of everything" store. The Little One is easy to shop for, she basically wants everything. Since I have been crocheting a lot lately, and she's been yammering about wanting to learn, I bought her a large hook and a skein of lavendar yarn. The Middle One loves his ocean themed bedroom, and he's working on learning some ' daily routine' skills, so I bought him a Beta fish and a tiny baggie of food. (We already had a bowl and marbles). The Oldest One is very interested in carving lately. So far, he's whittled soap, branches from the farm, scrap wood, and fingers. (yes .... fingers .. but that was an accident.) There was a block of balsa wood there in the craft "department", and my mother was convinced that he would love it. As usual, she was so right!

The total for my 'treats' was $11.87. Amazing, huh?

So, I came home with a treat for everyone, and a basket FULL of gorgeous yarn. It was so exciting! Clara has learned the concept of chain stitch and single crochet already. Ben's fish is gorgeous and relaxing .. and it's been fed every day since it came home. Adam disappeared into this room for HOURS and came out with a beautiful little fish carving. And I am making hats. LOTS of hats.

I am such a lucky woman.

Chicken Casserole

I have been looking for opportunities to help the folks in my community, but my time and resources always seem so limited. This blog has encouraged me to be creative and keep searching for ways to share what I DO have instead of focusing on what I don't have. During the past week, I had a couple of opportunities to do just that! :)

There was a request at church for people to prepare meals to take to a gentleman in the congregation who lives alone, and had just come home from knee replacement surgery. It occurred to me that that would be something I could participate in, so I signed up for Wednesday!

On Monday, I found myself a little anxious. "What does this man like to eat? What doesn't he like? How much do I send? How do I package it? Do I need to send instructions and labels?" (Geez ... the mind of a worrier is so ridiculous sometimes!)

I decided to prepare a chicken casserole that my family had enjoyed recently, and thought that I would make a large enough batch that I could serve my family too.

On Tuesday, I was up early, simmering chicken breast, cooling it, and cutting it up. I prepared the cheese sauce and cooked the pasta. I was excited, and the kitchen had that 'granny's house' smell that I love.

I ended up with SUCH a large batch of this casserole, that I had more than enough to send and to save, so I thought about who else might enjoy a meal. A friend of mine who lives in Elkton popped into mind immediately. It was a great excuse to go see him ... and we had such a WONDERFUL visit!!!!

I decided to write a little note to the man from church. It had my name and phone number, in case he had any questions. (Since Clara's bout with food allergies, I think about stuff like that.) I introduced our family, and explained that we had been visiting the church and that we're hoping that he's healing quickly from his surgery. (I didn't deliver the food to him, but someone from church took it for us, so I didn't get to meet him yet ... but am looking forward to it some day.)


Here's the recipe. It's easy, it's fast, it's not expensive, it packs and reheats well, and it's kid friendly. Sometimes I add steamed carrots, peas, or broccoli to the dish. The quantities are not accurate, or important for that matter. Feel free to alter it in any way that you like. (The amounts I listed here are for a family of 5 .. go figure. lol!)

- 3 cups of Cooked chicken cut into small, bite-sized pieces
- 3 cups of dry pasta. Cook it according to directions on box, drain, but do not rinse. (I used Garden Rotini .. it's colorful and holds the sauce well .. and if you buy the right kind, it also counts as a serving of veggies!)
- Cheese sauce (I put a few tablespoons of butter in a sauce pan and heat til melted. Then add a couple spoons of flour and stir it into the butter. Pour in 2 cups of milk, and heat over medium heat until it starts to thicken. Add (lots - at least 2 cups) of shredded cheddar cheese and stir constantly til it's all melted and gooey. (You could look up a recipe for white sauce online if you need exact measurements)
- 1/2 of a Sweet onion, minced (optional. but we love it!)

Stir everything together to make what Benny calls a "glop", then bake (350 degrees) in an oven proof dish until it's bubbly and hot all the way through.

Soon I had 3 dishes packed full. I told my mother what I was up to, and she volunteered to send containers of fresh fruit, so in addition to the chicken dish, there were pretty containers full of watermelon and grapes to deliver too!

Great LOCAL Grocery Deals

The past couple of years have encouraged (or, maybe FORCED is a more appropriate term) almost everyone I know to be more frugal in one way or another. Today, I'm going to share a list of local opportunities to do just that. Please add comments that include YOUR favorite places to get great deals too.

CHICKEN / POULTRY:
The Market Store in Timberville. Co-op Drive. (Go past Rite Aid and JJ's ice cream shop, keep driving as if you are going to the Pilgrim's Pride plant, look for a small white sign that says "Market Store". Pull into that parking lot, look to the building on your right with a grey metal door. Go in there.

This used to be an 'employees only' store, but it's been open to the public for a long time now. Anyone can go, they are easy to find, the meat is great quality, the employees are nice and the prices are amazing! Last week I bought boneless skinless chicken breast for less than $2.00 per pound. They also have something called "trim" which is the same meat, but in small pieces, and it's about $1.29 per pound!! Our other favorite thing to pick up here is a 10 pound box of breaded, pre-cooked chicken tenders for $12.00. I know, they are processed .. and we try to avoid that these days, but let me assure you that there are days when I LOVE to be able to take these things out of my oven and have a quick, yummy meal for LOTS of people in a jiffy. (They are my secret weapon for potluck dinners too .. they always disappear!!) This store has lots of items like wings, pork products, beef steaks, cheese, and some grocery items, too.

Pork:
I love pork. If I could only pick one meat, that would be it. It's versatile, it's easy to prepare, and my whole family loves it. From crispy bacon to grilled tenderloin, we're hooked! I have absolutely fallen in love with the Gore's Meats booth at the Broadway Farmer's Market. This is a locally owned meat processing company that his been around for ages. Throw a cooler in your car on Saturday morning and GO SEE THEM! The gal that sets up a booth every Saturday is adorable, and their prices at the market are SOOO amazing! They have the locally famous "Foltz's Sausage" there, their Italian link sausage is delicious grilled, their hamburger is the only kind I buy anymore, and it's all so affordable! Now, they do have steaks and 'fancier' cuts, but those are a little out of my price range right now. However, the loose and link sausage, the pork chops, and the ground beef are fantastic and fit into my budget very nicely!

Produce:
I would feel terribly guilty if I didn't mention the local farmer's market FIRST. I support the Broadway Farmer's Market by going every week ... I love the vendors, the community spirit, the Saturday morning gathering place, and the products there. You can find SERIOUSLY fresh produce, amazing Lucas Roasting Co. Coffee, Home made donuts, hand crafted baskets, gourmet canned goods, Gore's meat, beautiful jewelry, baked goods, and more! Here's a link: Broadway Farmer's Market.

That being said, if you want a LARGE quantity of FRESH, locally grown produce at VERY LOW PRICES, the best place to go is the Shenandoah Valley Produce Auction. (2839 Lumber Mill Road Dayton, VA 22821-3051 - (540) 879-2211) You buy LOTS of produce (think boxes, 50 pound feed sacks full, wooden crates, pallets, etc.). Last week, a friend bought a whole box of gorgeous romas for $3.00! I bought carving pumpkins last October for $1.00 a piece. (I bought 24 though) My mother buys acorn squash by the truck load to process and freeze. It's amazing. It is a social gathering as well as a great way to get large quantities of fresh produce! If you are feeding a crowd, or you freeze or can .. you should check it out. I suggest you go there early in the morning, get a cup of coffee and piece of home made pie, acquire a bidders number, and have a great time! They meet on Tuesdays and Fridays of each week from Spring through October. For more details, click on the purple link above.

Bread, etc.
The Flowers Bakery Thrift Store ( 60 Charles Street. Hburg 434-4439) This is THE place to go in Harrisonburg for low prices on bread, buns, and other baked goods. Now, I admit, wholesome local healthy food is not exactly their niche. That being said, if you are having a BBQ and need a lot of hot dog and hamburger buns, or you enjoy english muffins or donuts or streudels for breakfast, it's worth a stop. They DO have some whole grain breads and rolls there, but you have to look for them. And FYI, they take local checks, but not $100 bills. ;)

The Broadway Supermarket also has a little "day old" bread shelf in their store where my mother has been known to stop in and buy amazing whole grain, healthy, delicious breads and baked goods. I can't tell you which day of the week these things are delivered, but once a week a big name bread vendor fills that shelf and let me assure you, there is some good stuff on there!)

That's it for now. There are other 'thrifty' places that I shop regularly, and I'll write about them soon. In the mean time, enjoy visiting these places .. and don't forget to share your favorite spots in the comments section.

I'm not perfect ....

I love Laurie Berkner. She's spunky and wacky and she sings catchy kids' tunes. Plus, she has amazing red curly hair AND plays the guitar. What's not to love? Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite LB songs:

I'm not perfect
No I'm not
I'm not perfect
But I've got what I've got.

I do my very best,
I do my very best
I do my very best each day

But I'm not
perfect
and I hope you like me
that way

What a great little song. I'd encourage you to look it up and listen to it online if you don't know it already. Or call me (really!) and I'll sing it to you. :)

Last night I was reminded that I don't have to be perfect to have a perfectly good time. I invited 5 people to join me at our home for an informal meeting to discuss the concept of 'community'. Here's what the day looked like:

SCURRY and try to clean EVERYTHING, and make the boys work in the yard (even in the rain) and and get groceries and make my famous dark chocolate torte.

The downside is that:
1) water from the waterbath slopped into the torte .. guess what .. from that moment on, I knew it would not be PERFECT
2) there is no way to make my house look like 3 kids, 3 dogs and a cat live here .. there was dog hair, clothes on the floor, dirty dishes here and there ... the more i cleaned, the more messes I found.
3) I didn't have serving plates. Or enough coffee cups. (Thank GOD the forks were all clean!)
4) I ran out of toilet bowl cleaner. seriously.
5) Most of these people had never been to my house before. I wanted it to be 'just right' ... I wanted them to be comfortable ...
6) I battle with several forms of social anxiety. I was worried that it would attack me ...
7) When it was time for everyone to arrive, I realized that there was a pile of dirty dishes in the sink!

Guess what happened NEXT: My children worked so hard all day .. cheerfully (94% of the time) and helped me get SO MUCH done. My mother loaned me 8 gorgeous china dessert plates. The house was tidy ... the porch was swept, the weather wonderful, the coffee amazing (thanks to Troy for that!). Everyone arrived on time, cheerful and eager to try 'the torte'. . which was, I must say, delicious. We had a productive, civilized, amazing conversation. My husband was so impressive ... he had so many great ideas and good points to contribute .. I was really proud of him!

Items 1-7 on the list were completely irrelevant to the whole point of the gathering as soon as the first guest arrived. Everyone had a great time. And the house was NOT perfect, but that... my friends ... was PERFECTLY FINE.

I'm making a 'hug' to give away to someone I don't know.

When I was a little girl, my granny taught me how to crochet. It's something I've enjoyed doing ever since, but it hasn't been very high on the priority list for years. Every time I pick up a hook or look at the new amazing yarns available now, I think of summers at Granny's house and it makes me feel as warm and cozy inside as if I were wrapped up in one of her afghans.

I've been visiting a wonderful little church for a while now, and I had heard that they have a 'crochet class' that meets on Monday mornings. I went for the first time last week, and had a great time. I was greeted by a lovely bunch of women, I was given my very own 'crochet tote' with scissors, several patterns, a hook, and a HUGE skein of yarn. I heard a little bit about the prayer shawl ministry that they have been involved in for the past 4 years, and I was so excited to be included in that!

These ladies have made OODLES of prayer shawls. Mary Anne would know exactly how many, I should ask her. Anyway, they make them and donate them to people who are having surgery, or dealing with cancer, or several other situations when a 'hug' would comfort them. There are special tags that go onto each one when it is finished, and then they are put on the alter at church. Every month the pastor, the 'crochet gals', and the congregation pray ... not only for the people who will receive these shawls, but for people who have in the past, for the ministry and for the ladies who make them.

This is a picture of my first one. Obviously, I have a lot to go yet. My goal is to finish one per month .. though I think that some of those ladies in the group can whip them up in about a day. Every time I pick it up to work on it, I clear my mind of anything unpleasant. I relax. I take a deep breath. And then I start crocheting. I don't know where this shawl will end up, who will get it, or why they will be in a position to need it, but it is MY prayer that it will let someone out there know that a woman who doesn't even know them cares.

If anyone would like to join me, let me know.