Ch..ch..ch..changes....

Hello! I realize I have been gone for quite some time. I realize I have not posted my Menu Mondays (trust me there was none to post. I have been on a first name basis with the take out girls). But...I have some news!!! We are finally moving..in the process that is and boy what a process it is when you are doing it yourself, by yourself, for yourself. Can you see the sweat pouring off of me now? I mean really who moves in the middle of June with 3 digit temps? who? yeah that would be me.

So I am busy busy busy trying to hold on to some semblance of reality while I work through all the garbage literal and non literal of my life and try to make it fit into a new home.

I have been contemplating a lot..(as usual). I have plans in my head where I want my blog to go. I have plans in my head where I want my life to go. So hang on with me and please be patient as I learn to be patient with myself. What a journey I am on and how exciting it will be when the dust settles just a bit.

I read a quote I really needed to read this morning which sparked this post on. Isn't it amazing how something you read or see or hear comes at just the right moment? Its like you have to be in the right place to really HEAR what you need to be hearing. So without further ado here it is and by the way I do not have a reference for the quote it was just something said on the Oprah show (and no I don't usually watch it too busy for that lol).

"Nothing good will come into your life unless you are grateful for what you have already."

It's time for me to allow grace and thankfulness into my life. It's time for me to let go of fear, worry, and all that holds me back from grace. It's about time for me.

God has a sense of humor

I woke up this morning checking my emails with the biggest chuckle. My realtor forwarded me the most hilarious joke. It explained how eating Hershey chocolate is bad for us because it gives us "small feet". When the picture popped up it had a photo of 4 very, very obese women that made their feet look small in comparison to their bodies. ha.

Now don't hate me for laughing...I too have some weight to lose but really this was funny.

Anyways the joke was completely timely as last night I was thinking about how unhealthy my eating has become (once again). It seems like there are "signs" all over the place pointing me in the direction to get myself back on track once again. Honestly I have gotten really bad. Sonic cokes daily. Brownies. Chocolate shakes. Fries. Lets just say I have been celebrating the summer with food and swallowing my stress away.

Yuck. Ick. Gross. So this morning bound and determined to lower my sugars and carbs, as I'm fixing my tomato/spinach omelet, I read that joke. What a way to keep me on track when I want to eat that piece of chocolate or drink that sonic coke.

Menu Monday

Is it really menu monday already? Geez, time goes by way too fast. I haven't even thought of what to eat this week but here goes anyways...

Monday: leftovers from Sunday dinner ie: brisket, ribs, cole slaw, beans, potato salad (getting hungry already).

Tuesday: taco tuesday

Wednesday: crock pot meat to make soft tacos and beans with.

Thursday: homemade pizzas, salad

Friday: sammies, chips, apple slices

Saturday: ?

Sunday: Sunday dinner at my sister's house

What is that smell????

The first day of summer. I actually thought I was going to get to sleep in. 8am a telemarketer calls (they are horrible). Then I think ok I can go back to bed only to hear the doorbell ringing at 8:15am. So at that point I was up and running only to discover this smell wafing from the office door and an extra loud kitty meow. I'm thinking wth? I go to the office to find the neighborhood cat in there! (she is not our cat but somehow has adopted us and is always trying to come inside). At first glance I'm thinking maybe the kitty smelled the office up and am in a panic since the house is on the market. I put kitty outside and start "sniffing" around. I discover that in my hubbie's trashcan are food scraps including a banana peel. Thank goodness I found the smelly culprit! I threw the trash out, aired the office out, and now we are good to go...sort of.

I opened the garage door to find out that my hubbie took my van for the day and I have no extra keys for the other cars so i am so stuck at home today on the first day of summer. Oy vey. The kids are already going bonkers and there is nothing for us to do. I am seeking solace in my computer and trying to convince the kids to quit eating (I swear that is all they want to do when they are home) and go outside. I know its boring without a pool or a slip n slide but surely sidewalk chalk and bubbles work right? uh. no.

So here I am anxious about summer here with bored kids and no car to go anywhere. I can only hope for a better day tomorrow.

Distractions, distractions

Ok I adore my kids but by golly are they ever a distraction. Its funny it has gotten so bad. Poor hubbie has a new boss at work. He is terrible. Total stickler about time and wants to have "check In" meetings constantly. Well with trying to finish up our new home, hubbie is no longer able to just leave when he needs to to go talk with contractors or let them into the house. So...he calls me every 5 seconds to let contractors in to finish up over there. He is too funny. He will say, "hurry up and go over and unlock the doors because Electrician Ernie is there waiting or Painter Gabe is there waiting." Now for him, he can just pick up, get in the car, and be there in 2 minutes flat. Me? Uh. no. I have to pack up all the kids and that is where the distractions come in.

So today I have to go unlock doors at a moments notice. I tell the kids, "hurry up we have to go unlock the doors." Kids say, "I have to go potty...I can't find my shoes...I can't find my other shoe...now I have to go potty...I need to bring a toy with me in the car...I'm thirsty...I need to get buckled..." Do you see where I'm going with this? So what should only take me 5 mins to get there turns into 15 mins with the contractors very impatiently waiting on me...yep distractions. My life is officially full of them now that my kids are home for the summer.

I'm just hoping to get all the loose ends tied up at the new house so my distractions won't distract anyone but me lol!

Menu Monday

I almost forgot about Menu Monday today! I swear with it being a holiday today it will mess me up the entire week. Throw in the fact that my 2 older kids are finishing up their school year this week (Mariposa's last day was last Friday and Paloma is still home with moi) and you have a recipe for a crazy week!

OK here is what I think we will be eating...

Monday: This may sound weird but we ended up at Golden Corral today at 10:30am. They were in the process of changing over to lunch so we kinda ate breakfast and lunch together. Did that make sense? So, being that we ate so heavy, tonight we will be eating either a salad or a simple sandwich. (tonight is the premiere of Jon and Kate plus 8 and even though she drives me crazy I can't help but watch! plus Cake Boss is on and I love that show too ha!)

Tuesday: Taco Tuesday

Wednesday: King Ranch Chicken? I found the recipe, never tried it, will let you know...

Thursday: wow. the first thursday i don't have a soccer practice to go to...I can actually cook something...maybe I'll make spanish macaroni

Friday: look at someone else's menu monday and steal from theirs lol! Seriously I swear this week is messed up for me with so much going on...

Happy Eats!

Unsung Heroes

Happy Memorial Day to all our veterans, soldiers, and their families. As I sit here watching my flags blow in the breeze I am so proud to be an American. But more importantly I am so thankful for those who have fought for my freedom and for those families supporting our soldiers.

I used to be a part of a homemakers forum. It was there that I really became aware of military wives and their families. There was a section dedicated to military families and it was there that I "met" a few wives and learned what amazing, strong, courageous women they are. It was there that I realized that it is not just our soldiers going to war but the families of those soldiers as well. They hold down their homes and children. They go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning amidst the unknown. They move cross country at a moments notice. They welcome their husbands home after a 6, 9, or 12 month deployment and allow them to step back into their family lives with normalcy and routine.

These wives are truly our unsung heroes. Its sad to me that they often go unnoticed. Their courage is not acknowledged. Their dedication is not recognized.

I am writing this blog post to all you wives of soldiers and veterans. I honor your courage, dedication, and loyalty. I respect all that you do in supporting your husband during long deployments all the while caring for your children and homes.

I thank you all for what you do and for who you are. You are STRONG. You are BEAUTIFUL. You are INSPIRING.