Chic Momas

There isn't really a pro in Procrastination

2011-03-26T11:21:00.000-07:00

Procrastination is seriously my biggest issue, as I sit here now writing a blog I consistently procrastinate writing, I am procrastinating doing several other things. I like to think I have mastered the art and well maybe it is time to master the arts of time management and self-discipline! What do those words even mean?

This is what Wiki says:

Self-discipline refers to the training that one gives oneself to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even if one would rather be doing something else. For example, denying oneself an extravagant pleasure in order to accomplish a more demanding charitable deed is a display of self-discipline. Thus, self-discipline is the assertion of willpower over more base desires, and is usually understood to be synonymous with self control. Self-discipline is to some extent a substitute for motivation, when one uses reason to determine a best course of action that opposes one's desires.

and...

Time management is the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity.... Usually time management is a necessity in any project development as it determines the project completion time and scope.

OK, now my brain is hurting just reading these definitions. But the true question is how will my lack of self-discipline and time management affect my ability to effectively parent. Ideally, I would like to show my children these practices through my own actions but obviously that is not happening at the moment. So how does one react to the 12 year old that waits till the day before her research paper is due to begin? Our parents may have said, "do as I say and not as I do," the same way their parents said, "children should be seen and not heard." It's quite apparent that we are not the same parents ours were and definitely not anything like our grandparents but at what point do we take responsibility for the negative traits our parents weren't able to weed out of us? On the other hand, is it OK if our children share our faulty traits? Is it too much pressure on us as parents and our children to strive for perfection? My daughter starts Kindergarten in the fall and it almost seems like if children can't read and write their names by day one they are doomed to remedial classes! Is creating a generation of over-achievers really beneficial? I don't know the answer and I don't totally disagree with the idea of prepping kids for school but should they have so much pressure at a young age? That, I disagree with and I also think that's a key component in procrastination, too much pressure for some will cause anxiety and a sort of "shrinking away in the shadows effect" Most of us don't procrastinate on the every day things, I make my kids meals on time, I put them to bed on time, bathe them, play with them, do laundry and clean but when it comes to making important calls or doing a demanding project I start to "shrink away" which leaves me to wonder, will my kids do the same?

Crazy As A Bettsie Bug

2011-02-07T11:49:00.000-08:00

Growing up in a home with both of my maternal grandparents I gained many experiences that I otherwise might not have. First, Bacon grease can be used to season anything, although extremely unhealthy and disgusting sounding, this is my grandfather's go-to cooking ingredient. Second, Talking loud will almost always be mistaken for screaming in the house but the television volume is generally at its max. And, my personal favorite, "old folks" say the darndest things. Jerkwater, upchuck, cellar, (of course as I'm writing this most of these hilarious and probably out-of-date words are escaping me, a sure sign that being a mother to two young children is prematurely aging me) then there is a phrase my grandmother says "crazy as a bettsie bug." She got it from Granny, her mother. Once, a few years ago I asked her what it meant. She thought for a moment and with a puzzled look replied, "I don't know, my mother used to say it." I also confronted my grandfather about the usage of the words upchuck and jerkwater, explaining that the former makes me feel nauseous and the latter just sounds plain wrong. He still uses the word upchuck, I haven't heard him use jerkwater in a while though (but maybe that's due more to my younger brother being abroad in China.) Just before I sat down to write this post, my 4 year old, Jaylah comes to me with the usual "Mommy, Mommy, look at me!" and is wearing a toy Moses basket on her head as a hat. Looking "as crazy as a bettsie bug," and clearly a sign of a much needed snack time and activity while Gabriel finishes his afternoon nap.

It's Been A While

2011-01-19T08:12:00.000-08:00

So, it's been a while since my last post, and yes I guess maybe blogging is proving to be a bigger commitment than I had assumed, but then again most of the things I take on seem to go the same way. As I write this, I am sitting at the breakfast table amongst this mornings breakfast and some of last night's dishes (a fact very painful to admit) and I realize that today is going to be a long one. My, now 8 month old is sleeping in his pack n play in the center of the living room while my daughter affixes various stickers to her appendages, I will no doubt be stepping on those later. Stickers skieve me out to no end! If I was to take this time while Gabe sleeps to clean the dishes now, the table would be clean in time for lunch, then I could clean the lunch dishes during his afternoon nap in time to make dinner, an endless cycle in which there is never any refuge from cleaning and cooking and washing laundry. Its amazing that mothers are not simply dropping like flies everyday. Now, Gabe is awake, as a result of a ringing phone that was not answered quickly enough, standing up in the pack n play, staring at me as if to say, "Now what, Mommy? Shouldn't you be entertaining me?" This entry will be a short one.
Perhaps rambling is not the best way to re-start my blogging, but venting actually helps relieve a little stress. With a to-do-list that will no doubt run into tomorrow, I probably should have chosen another day to blog, but then again some me time was definitly in order. So to all the Mom's and anyone else for that matter, that never have a break, whose to-do-lists go on for days and weeks and more, this one's for you. Take a break for a little even a few minutes, stay hydrated and remember to breathe or we will for sure be hearing of mommies dropping like flies on the evening news!

Organic Soup tastes ..... orgasmic

2010-08-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

Well, not really, which is the entire point of this!!!!
So I am reading Bethenny Frankel's NY Times Bestsellers, simultaniously, entitled Naturally Thin: Unleash Your Skinnygirl and Free Yourself fron a Lifetime of Dieting, and The Skinnygirl Dish, Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life , in hopes of creating a better healthier me, and moma for my babies! I have to give it to her, so far the whole process makes sense, eat in smaller portions and don't feed yourself the crap you wouldn't even want to feed your kids, there are tons of other great one-liners and the "rules" are easy to follow, most importantly, Bethenny maintains that this is not a diet, but rather a healthy and natural lifestyle. In the books there are lists of foods that Bethenny eats herself and some convienent options for the times when, let's face it we don't have it in us to do bath time, clean the house, finish laundry and still have "quality" time with our man! Tonight was one of those nights, in fact it was even one of those nights where the kids ate dinner at a reasonable 6pm., were bathed in p.j.'s and tucked into bed, in my daughter's case wearing a Disney Princess Snuggie because I hadn't gotten the chance to wash her actual comforter that she soaked through last night, despite wearing pull-ups, I digress! Around 9:30, my fiance comes home from a pharmacy run for me, the kids are in bed and I realize we have yet to have dinner ourselves. Hmmm obvioulsy not going to cook anything at this hour, but denying my need for something to nosh on will inevitably lead to gorging and binging (never purging, if you have this problem please seek professional help, it is a serious health and mental issue! take care of yourself you are worth it) on anything that looks good and easy, hmmmm. Suddenly, I remember my last visit to the grocery store. I followed Bethenny's rules and got something easy and nutritious sans chemicals and crap.
"Babe, do you want split pea soup?"
"uhhhhh," looking up from Modern Warfare (which I loathe, but we can discuss later) "yeah sure!" sounding super excited at the prospect of food he didn't have to slaughter and prepare his self, it was like a whole, I-forgot-to-feed-my-puppy moment.
So I open this can of organic split pea soup, a little stoked about this healthy alternative to inhaling brownies, PLOP into the pot and its this gelatenous thing standing straight up, very phallic like on my stove top!!!! What is this, am I supposed to add water? No. JUST HEAT AND SERVE. Ok, don't knock it till you try it right? Ewe, flavorless green mush!!!!
My grandfather has this incredible knack for "Doctoring" things to make them taste better, however his version usually consists of bacon grease, salt or any other array of unhealthy options, so in the opposite direction of where I am trying to go, but living with him since I was nine has probably contributed to why I'm here, ugghhh why does unhealthy taste so darned good?
Quick thinking, split pea soup usually has ham in it, no ham, turkey bacon, score! It kind of snowballed from there, I don't know how much extra fat or calories I added to this meal but I tried to use common sense and recapture the taste of real soup!
First, seasoned the soup with salt and pepper, still not great.
Second, added a pinch of Adoboe, a little better.
Next, turkey bacon was cooked but not crisy, added a spoonful of chopped garlic and about half a cup of dry, white cooking wine with a splash of lemon.
Then, let the liquid reduce.
Finally, added liquid to soup thing mixed together and....YES! was sooo good! Fiance had no clue what just went on in the kitchen and it only took about 10 minutes to prepare, so although the organic soup wasn't so great I think I'll keep it around, along with all its accessories just in case I'm having one of those days!