Walking out of her house that crisp spring evening is an experience I replay time and time again. The reality of letting go of a hand you know as well as your own, never to hold again is a truth which never dissolves. However if I could have ran back and had the moment to express to you my gratitude and endearment I don't know that I would've had the strength, but time has allowed me this gift now.
Reflection is a gift best paired with time. A deep understanding of the ones we love and their impact in our lives are always examined with more clairty as days have passed. My friend, I always admired your blessing of making everyone feel as if they were the best people with which to spend your time. To be around you was soothing, inviting, and the reason why humans of all walks of life gravitated to you. I was not born with such a natural gift, but because of witnessing your beautiful actions I have made it a priority to emulate such positivity in my interactions with others.
Positivity, even in your most daunting days, radiated from your soul. I lived in awe of this strength. You found the aspects of life that were worth hanging your hat on even though no one would have faulted you for the opposite. But this was your attitude at this point in your life because it had always been the way you lived your life. There was not a day in your time on this Earth that your gorgeous smile did not frame your face. Every conversation we had began with an incomparable, "Hi Yar." Two small words could lift me from the darkest days, and speaks volumes about your spirit. This is what I strive for now in my life, the recognition that greeting a loved one in your life could put their restless mind at ease.
As beautiful as you were physcially, it could not hold a candle to your spiritual beauty. So on this your 35th birthday I am comforted by the realiztion that this beauty is not gone but surrounds me and all of those that were so influenced by your life everyday.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Goodbye Summer-hello organized chaos
Because of my occupation summer is a time for myself and my children to slow down, but this blissful break is quickly coming to a close and the organized chaos will again begin. The word here is indeed organized, because if our lives are not then this ship sinks like the Titanic. However, it is chaos, because the unpredictability of two young children will not have it any other way. However, through years of trial and error, I have developed tips and strategies so that lunches are not hastily thrown together in the mornings, dinner is not an after thought, a family's budget is not desimated by eating out, and I can keep shedding pounds.
First, to ensure that we eat home-cooked, healthy, scrumptious meals during the week, Saturdays mornings I plan my meals for every night and write it on the chalkboard in the kitchen. This, of course, helps me to plan ahead with meats that may need defrosting, but it also lets the family plan, too. Like most cooks I enjoy making food that my family will gobble up, and so while some meals will change each week there are always a few favorites that help me keep planning simple. For example, we love tacos and so every Monday night is taco night. The added advantage to this planning is Mondays suck and this is an easy meal that makes the first day back to the work week a breeze.
After the menu is determined, next is the shopping list which is essential to a family budget. There is no quicker way to overpsend at the grocery store than to go in without a plan. Also I take inventory of my kitchen so I do not buy items that we have in surplus or more fruits and veggies that will go bad when not eaten soon enough. I am not a big couponer, although I will use a few so I make sure that I double check my list for money saving opportunities.
Eating healthy is an improtant factor in what I cook for dinner, and so to keep it healthy I buy very little frozen, precooked foods which although convenient are full of sodium and preservatives. Also, we eat fresh vegetables which I often prechop on Sundays to keep weekday evening prep short. One last tip for healthy lunch and dinners is to shop the perimeter of the grovery store. The middle aisles contain many of the afore mentioned processed foods, but the outer regions of the store hold your produce, meats, dairy and grains.
The final step to keeping sanity while feeding my family is the most crucial and that is prepping on Sundays. It may sound like a chore, using your very precious relaxation time to prep, but it is crucial to keeping my week running smooth. Prep work usually consists of dicing the veggies that keep well for the week, like onions and peppers; making salads for our lunches so I am not scrambling tired in the evenings or the mornings; and washing fruits, lettuce, and herbs. The easiest excuse to eat poorly or not at home is tiredness, but if you prep accordingly the added stress is reduced, plus your budget and behind will thank you.
So in cliff notes format:
1. Plan your menu
2. Shop with a list
3. Shop fresh
4. Prep ahead
5. Give it a few weeks because it will quickly become routine
First, to ensure that we eat home-cooked, healthy, scrumptious meals during the week, Saturdays mornings I plan my meals for every night and write it on the chalkboard in the kitchen. This, of course, helps me to plan ahead with meats that may need defrosting, but it also lets the family plan, too. Like most cooks I enjoy making food that my family will gobble up, and so while some meals will change each week there are always a few favorites that help me keep planning simple. For example, we love tacos and so every Monday night is taco night. The added advantage to this planning is Mondays suck and this is an easy meal that makes the first day back to the work week a breeze.
After the menu is determined, next is the shopping list which is essential to a family budget. There is no quicker way to overpsend at the grocery store than to go in without a plan. Also I take inventory of my kitchen so I do not buy items that we have in surplus or more fruits and veggies that will go bad when not eaten soon enough. I am not a big couponer, although I will use a few so I make sure that I double check my list for money saving opportunities.
Eating healthy is an improtant factor in what I cook for dinner, and so to keep it healthy I buy very little frozen, precooked foods which although convenient are full of sodium and preservatives. Also, we eat fresh vegetables which I often prechop on Sundays to keep weekday evening prep short. One last tip for healthy lunch and dinners is to shop the perimeter of the grovery store. The middle aisles contain many of the afore mentioned processed foods, but the outer regions of the store hold your produce, meats, dairy and grains.
The final step to keeping sanity while feeding my family is the most crucial and that is prepping on Sundays. It may sound like a chore, using your very precious relaxation time to prep, but it is crucial to keeping my week running smooth. Prep work usually consists of dicing the veggies that keep well for the week, like onions and peppers; making salads for our lunches so I am not scrambling tired in the evenings or the mornings; and washing fruits, lettuce, and herbs. The easiest excuse to eat poorly or not at home is tiredness, but if you prep accordingly the added stress is reduced, plus your budget and behind will thank you.
So in cliff notes format:
1. Plan your menu
2. Shop with a list
3. Shop fresh
4. Prep ahead
5. Give it a few weeks because it will quickly become routine
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