I LOVE IKEA

Today I spent 5 hours in IKEA!

Again, I have to take back what I said earlier this week about hating ALL shopping.

I like shopping at IKEA. I could spend DAYS there.
I had to leave after 5 hours because my friend and I had kids getting off the bus. (and our babies were SCREAMING by that time of day without naps!)

I seriously thought about how nice it would be to shop all day at IKEA- stay in a Hotel across the street and do it again the next day! (Without my kids of course.)

I like the possibilities IKEA has to offer.
My house could use an IKEA facelift.
Maybe this is that “Need for Change” I’m itching for around this time of year.
I will return to IKEA next week with measurements!

Dinner with a Kick!

I tried a new recipe today.
It called for 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce.
I thought that’s what I bought...it wasn’t.
I went ahead and used the 2 cans of Chipotle-something- or- other- with- adobo sauce that I had but with the first taste I knew I had it wrong!
Smoke was pouring out of my ears! WOW!
I didn’t want to waste all the chicken so I loaded my serving with chips, avocado, and sour cream to tone in down a bit.
It didn’t really work.
I was in a full sweat with tears streaming down my face as I ate.
I felt obligated to eat it so it wouldn’t be a waste, but luckily I made homemade granola after school with Jace today. The kids ate that.

I knew Sam would like the Spicy dish. He likes to eat hot stuff like that. My insides don’t like me right now.
This recipe has potential. I think I will try it again with that correct ingredient.

This evening my 6 year old boy asked me if I was going to make the “Fantastic Dinner” I made last night. “I really liked that one Mom!”...It was pasta out of the box and a jar of sauce!
Maybe I shouldn’t try so hard??

I need help in my kitchen. This isn’t the first time my dinner is uneatable. I’m pretty sure I am going to be a fantastic cook by the time the kids are out of the house.

I am happy that all the kids have had Green Smoothies everyday this week! If Abi's diapers aren't green I feel like a failure!

Dusting off the Treadmill

In honor of New Year’s and the “Resolution” that follows- I joined many Americans and stepped onto the treadmill for the first time in over a year. Hey, it wouldn’t be January if the home gym didn’t get dusted off, right?

I got on the treadmill this morning-when my body was begging me not to. I am so out of shape the thought of getting ready for my Triathlon this June hurts.
I think I have a running disorder. Some beast emerges when I run. I have this inner battle with two personalities I’m a little embarrassed to reveal. The first is positive and confident the second is mean and ugly!

When I am “in shape” I can manage these personalities- but when the workout hurts it’s WAR in my head.
I make up excuses and reasons to stop short of my goal over and over and over. Thankfully my inner strength kicks in at the right moment and I always make my goals and end triumphantly. But the battle repeats the next day. ( you can read about this battle I faced during my Triathlon last year, HERE)
I wonder if others have this disorder also? Another part of it is when I’m in the thick of the pain I get very irritated with my clothes! They feel like armor and I want them off! Underwear seems so liberating! Hummm... Perhaps another post another day.

I don’t love to exercise. In fact, I hate to run. I haven’t found my running love yet. Maybe someday it will come to me. As for now, I do it when I’ve committed to a race. And I sign up for these TRI’s to scare me into shape. (Except this logic didn’t really work last year. I showed up to a TRI without training, curious to see if I would DIE or not. I didn’t die. I almost did at the finnish line but nothing too serious that 3 footlong sandwiches couldn’t cure.)
So, this year I know just signing up for the TRI isn’t enough to “scare” me into shape. BUT having 10 other friends sign up with me sure does!
I have some competition! I MUST get into shape.
Today I ran 1 mile.
Yup, just one mile.
UNO.
It took me 12:33 to do it too.
UGH! That sucks!

Consistency?

I take back what I wrote yesterday about not being consistent in anything. I’m pretty consistent in a lot of things but I’ve labeled them as “bad” so don’t consider them as accomplishments like I would the others. I'll turn over a new leaf and proudly claim some consistency...

~Sleeping in.
I ALWAYS want to sleep in. If the clock reads anything before 9am I want to go back to sleep. No matter what day it is!

~Ignoring the kitchen.
I will choose ANYTHING over doing the dishes. I consider it a GREAT accomplishment when I do dishes ONCE a day.

~NOT Getting ready for the day.
I really hope I can chalk this up to being just a phase, but I will admit I don’t spend more than 10min. looking in the mirror. My intention is just to look presentable at the bus stop but the truth is I never return to the mirror again. On the rare days when I do get “Ready” I wonder why I don’t do it more often. I takes too much time. I’d rather get “Things” done than spend my morning in the bathroom!

~Laundry.
I found a system that works great with the laundry. ALL the kids clothes are in the laundry room. I don’t store any clothes in their room!
They dress and undress in the Laundry room so the bedrooms stay clean! When I am done with a load they go straight from the dryer into the dresser or their individual clothes rack. I love this. (I also keep all the toys in the basement so NO toys or clothes= Clean Rooms!
BUT just to keep it real I always leave mine and Sam’s laundry half undone. I always have a full laundry basket in the bedroom. Some days they are dirty and other days that same basket is clean. Sam loves this guessing game!

~Shopping.
I hate shopping. Whatever kind of shopping it is...I don’t like it. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember.

~Ice Cream.
I’m very consistent in this department! I love Ice Cream. I can eat ice cream till the cows come home! Right now my favorite is Vanilla with a huge handful of chocolate Chips! Yum!

New

I love the beginning of a New Year. I like the freshness of starting over.
I am not one to be consitant. The ONLY thing I have ever done for a whole year straight is Nurse Abigail. I really had to work at it for the last few months too. I was so proud to have accomplished that.
I am so fickle at best.
I have great intentions and then my human weaknesses kick in and I fizzle.
I wish passion lasted longer within me.

2011 was a great year for me. So many good things happened. I learned a lot more about myself.
It was a spiritual growth year for me too. I feel like understanding myself Spiritually is understanding the real me.
For the first time I am beginning to feel like ME. I like who I am and what gifts God has given me. I like discovering new things. I feel interesting for once.
I have something to offer this world. I have something to offer in all my relationships...that’s a good feeling.

Hurricane Irene

Today I rushed to get my life put together- in hopes it doesn’t get ripped apart tomorrow.
I didn’t know it was possible to get ALL the laundry done in one day.
I’ve never craved to clean my basement, garage, patio, or yard like I have today.

My starving shelves are plump again and my food storage, I fear, is going to be opened over the next few weeks.

Tomorrow, with the first drops of rain, I will be collecting all things valuable to me; my Journals, photos, documents, and family.
Our hideout in the basement is ready- whether I am or not.

Won’t this be fun?

www.hobihome.info

Grow where you are planted

I’ve lived in Connecticut for 8 years. You would think that’s long enough to call this place my home.

I don’t.

I still feel like this is all temporary. I marvel at the beauty in the Summer and feel like I’m in Heaven in the Fall and year after year I feel lucky to see it again.

It’s NOT mine and I won’t be here forever. My heart is removed from this place. I don’t know why.

There isn’t any other place in the world I am dying to relocate to, so these feelings don’t make a lot of sense. I will be BOLD and say I think our time in Connecticut is nearing an end. I don’t have any reasons except my heart has been telling me change is in the air.

Sam has a job HERE and doesn’t have offers in his back pocket but I know the Lord sees the bigger picture.
Poor Sam, he’s trying to make sense of me. He suggested I re-arrange the furniture or paint a room to satisfy my gypsy blood.
I think that’s funny. I do like change.

So, I wonder if I’ll ever grow roots and feel at home. When it comes down to it- Home is where your heart is. I can be happy where ever my family is.

I have done a lot of “growing up“ while living here. I couldn’t ask for a better people to learn from.

I just think I’m about to get up-rooted.

Isn’t life exciting...