In Response to Mush

Even though I didn't make the list  I am going to post on a related subject of how sometimes I feel like mush.  And I am going to keep this short and simple.  For me, Mush happens when I am knocked off a routine.  I have an AMAZING schedule for work in which I leave the house at 7:15am and am home everyday by 4pm.  I work 180 days out of a 365 day year and I don't have to ask for additional time off... I can take it when I need it and no one questions me about it.  This is really great especially now that I am a mother.  

But it happens at the end of every vacation I have ever had where I get antsy to go back to work.  I get tired of looking for things to clean around the house, closets to organize, fighting the urges to snack, or beating myself up for the exercising I should be doing with all of this time off.  I get to the point where I really need to go back to work and the routine of being a working mother in order to keep my sanity, confidence, and balance.  

On Friday, when Nick and I had our date, we were driving to the mall to make an exchange and I said, "I feel so icky, almost depressed... I wonder why?"  Then it dawned on me... I said out loud, "This is the first time I have left the house in 6 days!"  We had been to Walmart on the Sunday before our date and since then every grocery, bank, starbucks, formula run was done by Nick.  I have this thing when I am home with the girls that I AM HOME with them by their side playing with them, teaching them, or just watching them - because I know there is always a countdown to when I have to go back to work.  And in those moments I don't want to leave but at the end of that chunk I scream inside, "Gaaaa I have got to get out!"  

If there was a sudden windfall in our house and we could afford for me to quit my job to stay home with the babies I WOULD absolutely, hands down.  But there would still be a couple of days a week or maybe three mornings where I would have them go to Mrs. Mim's house for them to play with her kids and so that I could do some of the things that I enjoy doing that help me feel balanced.

Feeling All Grown Up

Do you ever have moments where you really feel grown up?  Besides the obvious answers like buying a house or having a baby which are really grown up things we fall into.  I'll give you an example.

Tonight I came inside from taking Ali outside and the house smelled like cornbread and home made squash casserole (leftovers from New Year's Day feast) and the scents of my childhood came rushing back to me.  I have vivid memories of waking up from naps after school and volleyball practice and hearing pots and pans clanging downstairs and smelling whatever my mom was cooking for dinner.  We had squash casserole often - a family favorite.  So anyway, tonight as I smelled it in my own house it really made me realize that I am a grown up.  I pay the bills, I feed my children and put them to bed, and I cook squash casserole.

A Date

Today, the girls are at the sitter's house and Nick and I are spending the day together, not cleaning the house, not doing laundry, not balancing our checkbook but doing Nick's favorite thing... going out.  We may start doing a little browsing at East Chase and then at noon we are seeing a movie.  The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  We were also interested in Valkyrie but I wanted to see a movie that I would not be asking a million questions throughout.  Watching Band of Brothers has me very interested in the goings on of WWII but I have at least one question per scene and I want to see something that I can just enjoy.  After the movie we will be dining on sushi at Street Cafe thanks to the gift card we received for Christmas from my stepmom.

Nick and I haven't had a date in months and have felt the tension of cabin fever lately since we have been on vacation but restricted to the home as babies with colds do not really permit going out and about so easily.  Tonight Bama plays in a Bowl Game so that will make for good entertainment as well.

So far my resolutions have been followed through with pretty well.  My overall resolution was really to stop sweating the small stuff and congratulate myself in making small, baby steps, if you will, toward wellness each day.  So, cheers!, to being with the one I love today and out time together as a couple!

New Year's Day

Today I will spend the day with Nick and Jason and the babies eating soul food:

Jason's cornbread, turnip greens, black eyed peas and my boiled corn on the cob and homemade squash casserole.  Yum!  We will be starting the complete series of Band of Brothers and hopefully finishing it today too.  

What wonderful weather to start 2009.  Sunny, cool, windy.  I am watching the Today show right now and noticing the projected fashion trends for 2009... all up and down the streets of New York are gals in their beau's blue jeans.  Katie Holmes was spotted wearing Tom's "skinny" jeans with the bottom of each leg folded up to make a big wide cuff.  If you have ever tried on your hunny's jeans you may be boosted in confidence in how easy they fall down OR, like me, you may envy your hunny's trimm(er) waist and feel just how vastly different the male and female shape is!  Just a little fun tid bit for all of you out there too sexy for your own jeans.

That is about all I have for now.  I need to go clean up the kitchen before we get in there with our sleeves rolled up.  I always picture Gordon Ramsey standing over my shoulder when I prep the kitchen and how unacceptable grease splatter marks and non-sparkling cutting boards are when aspiring to be a Top Chef (cross TV show references here).

How are you spending your New Year's Day?