Pomodoro Technique

By admin | Published: January 23, 2012

One of the biggest challenges about not having an office to go to or a boss to hold you accountable is prioritizing.  Around my house the things that go noticed are dirty dishes, refilling toilet paper rolls, piles of laundry (clean and dirty), hungry children, showered momma, non-returned phone calls/emails .  Things that go unnoticed.  Amazing rough draft, hand knit almost finished something, menu plan, budget, family meal plan, daily blog entry, Instagram (oh, how I love you), returned phone calls/emails, etc.  You get the picture.

So, here lies the dilemma, where do I spend my time?  I wake up on Monday and tell myself that I have so ordered my life that I can keep the must do balls in the air while I am working on my latest “project(s)”.  Then, I get up, go work out, return home and *BAM I am back to my hamster wheel doing laundry, picking up breakfast, retuning calls and emails….the day is over and I am exhausted and defeated.

 How does this happen EVERY WEEK???  Newish plan (well, I do this with housecleaning, because I despise cleaning my house….I know, what a great house wife I am….please refer to last week’s post).  The Pomodoro Technique.  It goes something like this…

  1. Make a list of your to-do’s
  2. Set a timer for (25 Minutes)
  3. Do a task
  4. Take a 5 Minute Break (more coffee for me)
  5. On to the next task (every 4 breaks you take a longer break)

This seems totally doable.  So the first thing I did was find an alarm on my phone that would not send me into a seizure every time it goes off…I currently have it set to church bells.  Then, I made my list and I am off.  We will see how it goes but if nothing else, I will have thoughts of Tomatoes in my head all of the time.  I love a good Sin Apple.  And who knew there is even an App for that although I kind of just want a cute Tomato Timer!  What do you do to stay focused?

Posted in I *heart* This, Inspiration, Me Monday | 3 Comments

Landlocked No More

By admin | Published: January 19, 2012

Oklahoma gets a bad wrap.  Not all the time…it deserves an eye roll every time there is a shirtless man telling about the latest tornado.  Not to mention summers are HOT with only the relief of luke warm pools and dirty holes in the ground to cool off.  Winter is usually cold  with little snow and an abundance of ice.

But, things are really looking up around here.  We now have the Thunder, our local NBA team.  Devon is erecting a huge tower in downtown that will forever change our city’s skyline.  The Myriad Gardens have become a amazing place to spend an afternoon and I cannot get enough of the amazing restaurants and multiple art districts.

Law Man and I love our date nights.  Last week was no different.  I was feeling a little under the weather and he was running late so I killed a little time on Twitter.  @LudivineOKC was serving a Seafood Stew and it sounded delicious.  Much to my surprise, when LM walked in and said we were heading to Ludivine I was THRILLED and I knew exactly what I was going to order.  The Stew was delicious and I got a crazy hair that I could recreate this little bit of heaven.

Tuesday I stopped by Whole Foods (Oklahoma even has a Whole Foods now and it is minutes from my house).  I stocked up on fresh seafood (Squid, Scallops and EVEN Mussels) and headed down the bean aisle to find some dark colored lentils.  I measured out the correct amount and checked out.  I was sure not to close off the bag mussels because they “would suffocate” I was told.  Who knew they were still alive in the store?  Probably a stupid question, but I am in the middle of the landlocked states.

It took me a good 24 hours to find the courage to combine the two recipes that I thought I could adjust to create just the meal I was going for, but I did it.  Last night I, Amy Curran, made a seafood stew from scratch….fresh fish and all.  And, it did not disappoint.  I will definitely make this stew again.  Next time I will invite over some friends because it made enough for the entire street.  So, I am officially landlocked no more.

Posted in I *heart* This, I'm a Foodie, Mi Casa es Su Casa, Oklahoma City | Leave a comment

Passions Can be Passions Without Seeking Profit….shhhh don’t tell

By admin | Published: January 17, 2012

Sometimes I just want to keep my passions a passion not a paycheck.  I have come close to biting my tongue completely off when I get comments such as

  1. “You knit, do you ever sell your work?”
  2. “What great parties you throw, have you considered becoming a party planner?”
  3. “I can hardly imagine what it is like to wake up every morning and have nothing that I just have to do for work.”
  4. “With all your talent, surely you can find someway to market it and make some money.”

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Making money is good and some day I may even find my way back into the work force.  I made a very conscious decision not to work after I had Little Guy.  I did not come to this conclusion because I wanted to be there for every possible need my children and Law Man had from then to eternity.  I made the decision that life was about relationships and experiences and that I have a finite amount of time to be a mother to these sweet (often very ornery) kids and Law Man and I were in a financial position we could manage it.

I feel privileged to have the opportunity to stay home with my boys and I know that it is not for everyone.  It took me several years to learn that I can say no just like the mom who has a 60 hours a week career.  Not only can I say no, I must say no sometimes.  I have learned, over time, that I can be in the moment when the weather is perfect and all of our obligations are met and the boys and I spend the whole day at the park with nothing on our minds but the warm sun on our faces.  I am also in the moment when I have failed to meet expectation, boys are ill and the world seems to judge me for allowing balls to fall since “all I do is stay home with the kids.”

Just like the days when I was a working mom, I take the good with the bad.  I pat myself on the back during those “I can do it all” days and give myself a bit of grace when it is clear I cannot.  I spend time with those I love.  I enjoy the company of myself.  I laugh when I make mistakes that I know my mother tried to teach me to avoid.  And, I will continue to bite my tongue when very well intentioned people try to turn my passions into profit.  I have more than I could ever want or need and when I knit or party plan or paint or create it is out of love for that person who will receive it and often it is just for me.

I was asked once after a snarky remark, if I saw myself as a pessimist or a realist.  I guess in the same vain one could ask if I am selfish or self actualized.  Perhaps it is in the eye of the beholder.  I know that those who love me see me more as the latter in both accounts.

Posted in Inspiration, Thankful | 2 Comments

….your sisters closer

By admin | Published: January 10, 2012

My sisters are some of my favorite people on this earth.  We have an unusually close relationship.  As in, we have tried to talk our husbands into all moving in together and raise our children like in a commune…..I am only sort of joking.  We look out for each other, prepare meals for each other, party together, cry together….the list goes on and on.  It is a relationship on which people frequently comment.

However, with the good comes the bad.  I am pretty sure my sister Tracy, would agree that our ploy to deliver Lucye ASAP was one of the worst.  We were somewhere between excited to meet that sweet girl and VERY nervous about Tracy’s insistance to have a VBAC.  She was forced into a c-cection when the twins had complications and ever since she has insisted that she would not do that again.  Now, I will not go into details about childbirth on this blog but let’s just say we have had some major drama in the delivery room for three of the five kiddos.  Luckily two were delivered together.

We decided that Friday, February 25th was the day that little Lulu should be born.  Friday, was the day of the week my mom and both of my sisters were born.  Again, without going into details, Tracy was clearly approaching time to deliver the baby.  The plan began on the 24th.  We all invited ourselves over to Tracy’s house to *watch* HER make US dinner.

I was sure that after working all day and then preparing a big family style meal, Lucye would make an appearance.  No such luck.

So, the next day, we had planned to all be together oohing and awing over the new baby.  Plan B.  A family game of charades with a few special rules.

  1. No mention of the words Baby/Lucye/Pregnancy….you get the picture.
  2. DO NOT ask Tracy how she is feeling
  3. In fact, just all together pretend she is not pregnate at all.

The game started off pretty slow and the new dad was really not into it.  However, the more we went on doing the silliest things possible to not be on the losing team, the more we all got into it

.

Finally, the new dad was into it as much as the rest of us.  

Tracy was up and down and even on the floor.  We were laughing so hard I thought the baby might just pop out on the floor.  Four rounds and hours later, no baby.  Finally, we gave up.  But not before Law Man had his first heart to heart with is newest niece.

Lucye was not born that night.  I think the only effect was the mom to be was exhausted and a little bit sore.  We tried.  Now, we will always remember “keep your friends close and your sisters closer.”
Posted in I *heart* This, Thankful | Leave a comment

Letter to Lucye

By admin | Published: January 9, 2012

 

 The first week of 2012 has been full of reflection and resolution.  In cleaning up my computer to speed things up a bit, I came across a letter I wrote to my niece who was born last March.  I have a special place in my heart for each of my children and all of my nieces and nephews, but it is a strange thing to look at this little girl and see so much of my mother and grandmother.  Little LuLu has brought us all so much joy!

February 24, 2011 (Eleven days after I spent the day praying for sweet Jude Eli and two days after we spent all evening playing family charades trying to cajole Little LJ out….I just realized I never posted about this.  Tomorrow!!!  I promise.)

Dear Lucye,

I am sitting down to write you a letter because you and your mom are all I can think about this morning.  We are so excited about your arrival, but your mom is being stubborn and is insisting that she stay with her 5th grade class until you are “really ready” to be born.

There are several reasons I am so excited for your arrival….the pink, the bows, the shopping….although I am not a big shopper…..and our future trips to New York and Paris.  I am also excited about what your birth will represent.  The past few years have been so painful for your mom, Aunt Mary and me.  We loved our mother, your grandmother so much, but it became clear that we could not save her and she finally gave up the fight.  That was one of the biggest defeats of my life and I am sure my sisters would say the same.

Your birth feels like a new start.  Not a complete do over, just a new bud on a tree that has been dormant for awhile.  I love your brother’s name, Jesse.  Every time I hear it I am reminded of the verse in the Bible that is included to trace the genealogy of Christ.  “There shall come a shoot from the stump of Jesse…”  Isaiah 11.  You represent what is left.  Not just the memory of your grandmother, but a legacy.  A legacy that although went through a dormant phase, is still present.  It is a legacy that came from generations of love and struggle, from both you mother’s family and the family of your father.  It gives us permission to take our family story and go on to create another chapter.  This is the chapter where we can decide the ending and can heal from the past.

Your name and gender are such clear signs of this transformation, but your brothers and cousins are equally a part of the destiny of this family.  Your aunts and uncles, mom and dad, will do our best to lead you in a way that allows you to find peace and happiness, but as you get older, the hard part will be up to you.  You alone can decide what God’s plans are for your life.

Your mother is one of the strongest people I know….in fact, at times this is her weakness.  My prayer for you is that you find strength in your relationships with others and let them hold you up when you feel weak.  Your mother is also stubborn, she willed your brothers into this world and she is willing you into being as well.  I anticipate you will inherit this characteristic too.  Use it wisely, it can either lift you up or hold you down.

I know in my heart your grandma Patti is holding you right now, ready to hand you into our care; we are ready.  Kiss her for us….it is time for you to arrive.

We will love you forever!  Please let her know that it is her love and devotion that will be our family legacy.

Aunt Amy

Posted in Inspiration, Mom, Thankful, The Kiddo's | 1 Comment

Resolution Week

By admin | Published: January 5, 2012

This is the first year Big Guy has asked about resolutions. I am not sure he can completely grasp this concept, but he understands it enough to deem this week, Resolution Week. The week where apparently I, a.k.a. Mom, helps the kids by setting resolutions.

Score! I will make the most of this! :)

So, we have two resolutions that we have been painstakingly working on over the past few days.

1. Get ourselves dressed. This is a no brainer for Big Guy, but Little Guy is not super confident with the idea. I realized that I have just been throwing clothes on him each morning and evening so we are not late to take Big Guy to his next event. BAD MOM! I am trying to correct my ways….but I am paying for it now.

2. Practice Healthy Eating. We are fairly healthy eaters, but a few bad habits have snuck in while we were busy living life. So, I have introduced a two part plan that really seems to be working. (I must post about it now in case it does not survive the weekend.) Snack time has become a frequent trip to our “snack drawer” full of processed food ridden with sugar and carbs and the boys are ALWAYS hungry. So, starting yesterday, we have a “snack tray” that sits on the table from after school until dinner time. I will place 5-7 healthy but good snacks and they may munch on anything they want whenever they are hungry after school. I told them I will always have one item I know they love and every week there will be something they have never tried before.

20120105-084725.jpg
Much to my surprise, they both think this is the greatest thing ever. They ate and ate and never finished all of the snacks. They did not ask for anything all afternoon and we made it to 6:30 and had a healthy dinner with Law Man. (This almost never happens…..usually by 5ish I make them dinner to squelch the snacking that I have lost control over.) They are even asking for me to find new things to put on the tray.

Part 2….simple. They no longer are able to ask for desert after dinner…..a habit we have picked up from Law Man’s side of the family. If I notice that they have willingly participated in healthy eating throughout the day, I may offer them a suitable “desert”.

2012 is off to a Good Mom Year. It may only last a few days…..but I will take it!

Posted in Inspiration, Lifestyle Change, The Kiddo's | 1 Comment

In with the New

By admin | Published: January 4, 2012

Yesterday I told you about the project that I finished up to say good-bye to 2011.  The best thing about that is saying hello to my first project of 2012.  Of course, it is knitting.  But, it is proving to be a bit of a challenge.

I suppose there are some knitters out there who just find a project and start on it, but most of mine have a long history before the yarn is even cast on.  Like Shrek….I guess I am kind of like an onion and so goes my knitting process.

A year or more ago, a good friend took a trip to Portland for a wedding.  Unable to help myself, I said, “if you see a yarn shop, pick me up some yarn.”

As the story goes, they hunted down an little independent yarn store and asked for a little help.  I am not sure what they told the salesperson but they found the perfect gift for me!  It is this gorgeous yellow, grey, brown and white variegated cotton/wool mix.  AND to sweeten the deal and assure my devoted friendship forever, they bought me a pattern for a lace wrap and enough yarn to complete the project.  **Just in case you ever need to get my “friends forever” status buy me a pattern and the yarn to complete it.  I digress.

I have been swooning over this yarn and project ever since.  “Why then did it sit in its beautiful skeins for over a year,” you ask.

Because, I have guilt issues.  Guilt that this was too nice of a gift to utilize until I return the favor.  Guilt that the yarn is so beautiful and I might ruin it if I mess up the pattern.  Guilt that I really promised so and so that I would knit/or do such and such.  Guilt that I will have to periodically ignore Law Man when the lace pattern changes or I miss a YO.  Guilt that I really can’t knit other things when I knit lace.  **note to non-knitters…I have a one track mind and lace is just something you can’t cheat on.  Like I said, I have guilt issues….don’t even ask about my obsession with what to do with all of the left over cardboard from Christmas.  It almost ended in divorce.  But, in case you have guilt issues too, Goodwill recycles cardboard, any kind of cardboard.  :) !!!

So, I figure, what better way to start off the new year than beginning a project that is just for me, just because I can.  New Year’s Day 2012 I cast on and I have no idea when I will finish it since I have had to start over three times already.  But, I will not feel guilty I will just lust over this beautiful yarn until it becomes my beautiful wrap.

 
Oh, and see the red yarn through the piece.  That is not part of the final project it is a “lifeline”.  This is a new thing for me too.  I always say I will use one, but I never do.  So, here’s to a New Year, New Beginnings and recognizing that a little help never hurt anyone!
Posted in From the Studio, Inspiration, Knitting, WIP | 1 Comment

Out with the Old

By admin | Published: January 3, 2012

Amy at the CMP gave me this idea a few years ago.  I thought it sounded like a keeper, but at that time I had two very little boys and taking time when they were with me was not a possibility.  Now, they are 5 and 6 and things are better….a little….:)!

The idea was to finish a project and start a new one on New Year’s Eve/Day.  Knitting is my go to craft and my obsession.  Then I had to decide what to finish.  That was easy, the hat for my sweet nephew, Jude.  He was the lucky recipient of the unfinished handmade Christmas gift this year.  If you do handmade Christmas gifts, you know what I am talking about.  Two nights before Christmas Eve I was down to his hat and it was essentially finished.  Simple stockinette with a seed stitch edging.  Then that little word that makes me shy away from this type of pattern.  Kitchener.  For you non-knitters, this is basically hand sewing, which I don’t do.  Hand sewing in a way that makes the stitches look knitted.  Now, I can knit most anything, but sew.  I am terrible.  Back to two nights before Christmas Eve….I was pulling my hair out and my living room look like it had been yarn bombed.  I had reknit the hat twice just to get it “set up” properly my phone and ipad were streaming how-to videos and tutorials.  The two colors were all tangled up and I had used three different sizes of needles to help with the several attempts to salvage what I had thus far.  The children were ignored, Law Man was snapped at and dinner was neglected.  Finally, I surrendered, left the mess strewn about the sofa and rug and stomped off to bed.  The next morning, December 23, I woke up, made breakfast and sat on the couch next to my yarn.  I regained my composure and *it* came to me.  I gathered things up and stuffed them into the ottoman and went on with Christmas preparations…mind you I was hosting 12 people the next day, roasting a rack of lamb for the first time and trying to make my house look like a family Christmas celebration straight out of Norman Rockwell painting.

Fast forward 30 minutes or so, Law Man calls and anxiously asks, “How are things going.”

“Great.  I decided to finish the hat after Christmas.”

With a sigh of relief, he had the nerve to try to convince me to give my nephew the hat as is, with the promise of finishing it.  But I did have some pride left and a knotted up mess of yarn that didn’t even resemble a hat was not going to leave the depths of the ottoman until after Christmas.

So, here lies the perfect project to finish and I would learn a new technique to boot.

Voila!!!!  It turned out great!  I can’t wait to give it to him.  Happy New Year!

Posted in From the Studio, Inspiration, Knitting, Sewing | 2 Comments

Happy New Year’s Eve

By admin | Published: December 31, 2011

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Healing

By admin | Published: December 30, 2011

Things have been very quiet here on R&TM.  This, again, was unintentional.  This time it lasted longer than usual and there have been times that I wondered if I would leave things this way.  This blog has become sacred space for me.  A place where I can be me…the me that loves to create but also is in constant battle with myself about what I can do to make myself whole again after losing myself in my mothers illness.  I was sad to see it come to an end, but what has always come as a natural longing to write in a public forum seemed to be gone.

Today it hit me.  I haven’t been silent here because I had given up.  I was silent here because I have been healing.  Opportunities have arisen as catalysts to facing things and people that I was afraid to confront.  This is difficult in the midst of raising two little boys.  They have needs that only I can meet and the older and more active they become, the more demanding they can be.  Needless to say, this does not lend itself to fertile soil to confront this emotional *stuff*.  Know thy self, is a phrase that I often meditate upon.  And, knowing myself has kept me keenly aware that I do need to confront these shadows that have remained in the wake of my mother’s death.  So, I persevered and moved toward them instead of away.  The dilemma was that every step forward seemed to lead to two steps back.  The more forgiveness I felt the more I missed my mom.  The more relationships I fostered in her memory the more I just wanted her back instead.  It was in this process that the giant weight fell on me.  The last couple of years of her life I felt a constant sense that her not being here would be better than the pain she was causing.  The boulder that fell on me was that no, it is not.  I wish she were here.  Sure I wish she had found a place to be whole, but either way, I just want to hear her voice and tell her about my kids.

This is where I spent the holidays.  I wrestled with this truth and the more I wanted to tuck it away and “just enjoy the time with the family I had left” I kept it in my heart and on my mind.  Now, as the dust is settling from the season, I can see that the steps that I felt were going backward were tiny and the steps forward are leading me through this darkness and I am healing.

So, it looks like I am back.  Back to share the magic of Christmas that we experienced here with my mom’s presence and memories.  Here to remind everyone to continue creating your own beauty and make space for the simple things in life.  My word this year,

healing |ˈhēliNG| noun

the process of making or becoming sound or healthy again: the gift of healing.

Posted in Mom, Not Just A Word | 1 Comment

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