Making Life: December 2013

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Cal's second week of adventures

Cal is going with Ivy to visit her grandparents a week before Dad and I join her. I am hoping the magic will continue and that someone documents it for me. I want to continue to share Cal's adventures.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Motivation & Menu Plan Monday

I took a hiatus from blogging because of schedule and time adjustments (went back to work and dealing with the house purchase). Then I got sick which was nothing in itself, but it added stress. Also, there was work stress. Then a couple weeks flew by and turned into months of not really posting any content anywhere.

I got comfortable being off the grid. I was in the moment. I liked living in the present, not behind the lens or in the glow of a screen. I kept going to post, but it felt meaningless. Who wants to read my purposeless ramblings? No one, that's who. So I stayed quiet. I also lost interest. Getting back online, I hesitate.

I hesitate because it isnt important enough or helpful to the world. I hesitate because being mostly silent on the internet is a hard habit to break, though not unwelcome. I hesitate because once it is out there, it is out there forever. I hesitate because of how it might be interpreted - as a pity-seeking, attention-begging, drama-llama cry for help. I hesitate because someone somewhere else has it worse than me how-dare-I-even-mention-my-problems. I hesitate because noone wants to read that. I hesitate because that is all there is.

I would retreat from it all. Shut it all down. Never look back. Return to how things were. To The Before. But it is how I stay connected with family. It is how I stay connected with friends. It is how I stay connected to reality. And right now, I feel as though i am pulling back from reality. I can sense my Self wanting to retreat into the back corners of my mind.

I mentally took a slight nosedive. I felt worse every day. So I chatted it up with my doctor and we increased my meds. Nature of the beast, I assume. I believe I have finally adjusted. I'm certainly not feeling disinterested in something that kept me occupied. I am feeling motivated. I want to do things, start projects, get back out there. So maybe I will.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday - Seared pork loin & mashed potatoes

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - Black bean and chicken enchilada casserole (Pinterest)

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Pizza

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Unsure

Menu Plan Monday @ OrgJunkie

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Icepocalypse

Alternate title: Icemageddon

On Tuesday, I noticed the strange forecast and we decided to get groceries just in case.

Wednesday, the kids were excited about the weather. I went to Target to get some last few items including ice scrapers for our cars and some house slippers for my man.

Thursday, the weather was expected to hit in the morning but didn't show up until around noon. We should have been taking bets for the district closing. The kids were even more excited because they were hopeful school would be out the following day. Afterall, there eas an announcement that all after school activities were cancelled and the teachers were allowed to leave at the same time as the kids.

I was glad I brought my ice scraper with me because I sure did need it! The drizzle immediately froze all over my windows and the defroster took some time. On the way home, things seemed fine and clear. Students and other people took to Twitter to influence the district to cancel school because other districts were.

Fairly late into Thursday evening, we got word that school was cancelled. Ice started accumulating. Temperatures dropped. We woke up to a winter wonderland.

I certainly had my doubts on the weather and on the district too. We had even discussed that there would be a closing but just watch, the weather won't do anything. It'll be for nothing.

We all bundled up to play.

Warm breakfast, hot coffee, movies, technology gaming, venturing out into the cold, hot chocolate, and decorating for Christmas. Soup, cleaning, and much napping.

And cabin fever. We can't go anywhere.

We have had to find things to do. We started really decorating.

The weather is not expected to improve our situation on Sunday. Conditions are likely to cause black ice. Roads are shut down. People have been stuck on the highway in their cars for 24+ hours.

We are fortunate to have electricity. A lot of families are without.

What will Monday hold in store? Will we return to work as normal? Will we be delayed? Will it be cancelled again? Who knows.

This reminds me of a similar if not worse ice storm in 1996 in our hometown. I don't remember much. Just that we were cold and bored. We were entertained with our toys and board games in the dark afternoons. My mom and I delivered flashlights and candles to a lady who didn't have anything. I don't remember our meals but I do know my mom demanded a gas range because of it all.

Really, it is only a few inches of ice. But it is hard ice. We aren't used to this weather. We are not prepared or equipped for this kind pf stuff. I didn't think that we would need a snow shovel our first year living in the house! I don't know how y'all that are used to it do it!

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Elf on the Shelf Week 1

We purchased Elf on the Shelf in December of last year. We let Ivy name the elf and she decided on Cal. Like many parents, we used Cal as a reminder to behave in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Somewhere along the way, we all lost interest and just put her (Cal is a girl) wherever.

This year, things are different. Honestly, I don't really like Christmas for a lot of different reasons. But since Ivy is getting older, I want to try to enjoy the holidays for her sake. She is innocent and sweet and I want her to have fun in the moment and believe in the magic. So I decided on two things: have Cal be a fun holiday tradition and to do an Advent calendar counting the days until Christmas. I made the Advent calendar but I am not very fond of it. It is on hold for next year.

Our elf is not a spy for Santa. Our elf doesn't really posess any magic that disappears if it is touched. Ivy just finds her elf in sweet and silly situations. Of course, Pinterest has helped in coming up with ideas.

Here is Cal's first week of adventures.