Good-bye January, Hello February!

I am not going to lie, winter is not my favorite season.  I used to think it was the cold, but now I think it revolves around lack of light.  Winter is the season of darkness!  Thankfully, I have learned to endure and even thrive.  So it is with a happy heart that I bid farewell to January!  February is here!  I am one month closer to spring.  Rejoice!

One of my favorite podcasts is The Next Right Thing Podcast with Emily P. Freeman.  She sends out a newsletter as well.  Emily has the great practice of looking back and reflecting on her past month in order to move forward into the next.  Here are her 3 questions for January and my attempt to answer them as well.  

1. What was my most life-giving yes in January?

2. What was my most life-giving no in January?

3. What's one thing I want to leave behind moving into February?

What was my most life-giving yes in January?  I think it has to be saying yes to Fly Lady again.  Installing her app and actually making a promise to myself to do the daily routines has given me life.  Last week I fell sick.  The babies had a cold, I was doomed.  Yet, my simple and life-giving routines kept me moving forward.  Last Monday, my hardest physically speaking, I literally just did one thing, checked it off and sat down until I could do the next thing.  I got through my whole routines that day and my whole world felt better.  To borrow a phrase from Gretchen Rubin, "Outer order equals inner calm."  I did not get the whole house clean last week, but I did get to what mattered most. My family even remarked at how well we ate while I was sick, thank you Instant Pot! 

What was my most life-giving no in January?  I struggle saying no.  When I know that I have to or should say no, it can even wake me up at night, especially if I really care about the person I need to say no to.  In January I had to say no to a couple future babysitting dates to a precious family member.  I knew that it was possible to do the work but I would be dreading it for weeks and then the actual dates would come and I would be overwhelmed with 3 babies, all one-year-old.  I hated to say no but after I did, I knew I had just saved my sanity!  I wish I could do it all, but I can't.  Know your limits! 

What's one thing I want to leave behind moving into February?  I felt a great deal of despair while I was sick the last 10 days.  Despair on top of wintery blues is what I want to leave behind.  I tend to catastrophize when I am sick, even with a cold.  I wonder at how people with real sicknesses manage to cope?  I start to think about changing careers, changing locations, wishing I could stop the world and hide until I was well.  See?  Ha!  And then I start to feel better and the sun shines and I am feeling like living my life again.  I know I will get sick again, that is life.  I want to move into February without all the weight of those feelings.  They are past.  February is a new start.  I am healthy again.  Time to look for ways to enjoy this season that I am in.  

And there we have January!   

~Jenn 

CURRENTLY

Long ago in the blogging world of old, the group of us would all fill in how we were doing "currently."  My friend Jane popped up with hers last week, so I am joining in the fun for old time's sake.  😀

Weather:
We saw the middle 40's today!  Tomorrow we are expecting to accumulate snow.  This has been an odd winter for us with warmer weather and no snow.  I do not mind so much.  It is cloudy so it doesn't feel as warm as a sunny day in the 40's would. 

Feeling:
I am feeling a bit stiff today.  I have increased my stationary bike milage to 50 miles a week and I am feeling it in my legs today.  Plus carrying toddlers up the stairs to naps and rebooting the laundry a couple times, my legs are telling me to take a rest tomorrow.  I love my bike though.  It helps me wake up at 5:40 AM each weekday!

Wearing:
My standard uniform for baby duty is dark yoga pants, a long-sleeved t-shirt, a zippered sweater jacket, my comfy clogs.  I have to be able to get on the floor to play, so comfort is a must.  Plus, I get noses wiped on me and little mouths chewing on me all day long. 

Watching:
The Price is Right with my husband.  Ever since the hospital, we have watched almost every day!  It is weird, I know.  It is nostalgic, I guess.  Don't judge me.  Haha. 

Listening to:
The dishwasher going for the second time today and I am so thankful. 

Doing:
Besides watching TV and writing this post, I am relaxing after a long 4 days of baby duty.  So my answer is trying not to do anything at the moment. 


Reading:
I just finished my first book of the year today, The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell.  Now I am not saying to rush out and get this book.  It is a non-fiction title written by a sarcastic, worldly bookseller.  The reason I read it was because I have a habit of reading books about books.  I am not sure why I read them.   I am usually disappointed.  This one was interesting because it explained the plight of the independent bookseller and how Amazon has wrecked their business.  That is why I kept reading. 

Cooking:
Well, I made a really good meal today, even after having the babies!  Thanks to my Instant Pot, I made chicken breasts in gravy, mashed potatoes, and a blend of vegetables.  Tomorrow I will make yogurt. I should make soup, too. 

Planning:
Not sure if I am actively planning much at the moment.  I have a graduation party to plan for in June.  I am doing a little gathering of photos at the moment and thinking about what I need to be doing to make it not so hard all at once.  I have the venue secured and the date.  I need to get a photographer for senior pictures this spring.  And I can't forget to order the cap and gown soon.  May will be here before I know it. 

Working on:
I am working on getting more consistent with the housework. Three weeks ago I started using the Fly Lady app.  I have been a follower of her for many, many years.  Lately, I had been slacking off, just doing what had to be done to keep up with appearances.  Hahaha.  I love how her system is "start where you are."  If I don't get to it this week, it will cycle back soon enough.  The advantage of her app is that I can check off things each day.  Since I have been using her app, I can say that I am getting more done and things look better.  I also have a motto that I adopted and that is, "If I see it needs to be done, do it now!"  So hard! 

Crafting:
Ha!  I am lucky to be reading books, my only hobby at the moment. 

Thinking:
I am thinking about too many things!  There is the looming graduation, adding a new baby this fall, praying I don't get the sick baby's cold, will it snow tomorrow, where will Trevor decide to go to college in the fall... am I going to lose my mind when he goes!!! 

Loving:
Like many people, I am loving Walmart pick up!!  I cannot live without it.  I do walk through another store for fresh vegetables and meat on sale but that is quick and painless now. 

Celebrating:
Jeff's feeling better and getting stronger.  It is a gift!  Life is a gift.


Grateful:
I am so grateful that my Jeff is feeling better.  I am over the moon happy and grateful that Grace is doing so well at her school, making friends, learning a lot.  We got to have her home over the recent long weekend. I am so thankful that I have meaningful work to do.  I am thankful that Trevor has gotten over a stomach bug and no one else got it. 

Instant Pot Update

Sally asked if I love my new Instant Pot?  So I thought it would be a good time for an update.  I will tell you straight out that I do love my IP but I will not tell you to run out and get one.  If your old tried and true slow cooker stops working, I would have you think long and hard about getting an IP to replace it, however.  And to tell a little secret, I actually am on my second IP!  My dear mom got me a bigger (8 quart) one with a yogurt button for Christmas and I gave her my first one.

What do I love most about my IP?  It is so versatile.  It does what it says it will do!  I kind of doubted one machine could do so much.  I was a resister, against the fad kind of a person.  Now I am on the bus!  Haha.

I have never had juicier "roasted" chicken!  Never.  It falls off the bone in just 30 minutes of cooking.  (Insert asterisk here.  When they say it is 30 minutes that doesn't count the time to reach high pressure nor the time for release.)  But still, it is more consistent and pretty easy.

I love making rice in it.  I hated to make brown rice and we can't eat white, so I would make it sporadically.  The first time I made brown rice in the IP I thought I had done something wrong because it was so fluffy.  And it is done so much faster than on the stovetop*.  No more stovetop for me!

I love yogurt.  I debated about making it.  I used to make it on the stovetop and then let it do its thing in the warm oven, then strain it in the fridge taking up valuable space.  I gave up thinking it was easier to buy it.  Well, let me tell you about my Cold Start Yogurt!  I literally dump in the milk, stir in my starter, press a button and 8 hours later I have the thickest yogurt that doesn't need strained.  I am making my 3rd batch as I write this.  Now, I do have to say I thought I knew it all and I made my first batch with regular ultrapasteurized milk.  It was soupy and some people like it that way.  Then I went back to my yogurt guru and watched her videos about why you need to use the ultrafiltered and ultrapasteurized milk.  Now it is just perfect.

Cheesecake!!!  If you had told me that I would be raving about cheesecake from a pressure cooker, I would have thought you were crazy.  But here I am raving.  I have made 2 of the best cheesecakes of my entire life.  In fact, I am making one this weekend by request for my husband's birthday cake.  And it won't take me very long! Wow.  I did buy a smaller spring-form pan for this purpose, highly worth it.

Spaghetti!!  I am not a huge spaghetti fan, but I tell you what, my IP makes THE BEST spaghetti I have ever had and if I had it for this one reason alone, it would be worth it.  You can make it all in one pot and it is done in less time than it used to take me to heat up the big water pot for the pasta, let alone browning the meat.  The recipe I have is pretty informal and I found it searching the Facebook group that I belong to. 

Melanie Brown's IP Spaghetti

Parmesan cheese and fresh basil for toppings (optional)
Olive oil (for browning)
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1/2-1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (dried herbs)
2 cups water (divided)
1 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce (we like tomato and basil, get whatever kind you like).
10-11 oz of spaghetti

1. Put IP on SAUTÉ. Once it reads HOT, brown the beef and onion. Season lightly with salt, pepper, add the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Once browned hit CANCEL.
2. Dissolve the kosher salt into the 2 cups of warm water.
3. Add 1/4 cup of the water and deglaze the pan. Get as much of the brown stuff off the bottom (sometimes I use red wine to do this part instead of the water).
4. Pour 1/2 of what’s leftover from the water on top of the beef mixture (please don’t make me do the math, just pour what looks like 1/2 of what’s left).
5. Snap the spaghetti in half and lay across the top of the beef and water.
6. Press down a bit on the spaghetti to immerse as much as possible. Don’t stir.
7. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over the top.
8. Pour what’s left of the water into the jar and swish around. Get all the good stuff left behind, and pour that on top. Gently press down, but don’t stir and mix the pot.
9. Set the Instant Pot on PRESSURE cook (and make sure the vent is closed).
10. Set the time for 1/2 of what the spaghetti directions call for. I use thin spaghetti, so it’s 4-5 minutes for me.
11. Once the Instant Pot beeps that it’s done, do a quick release. Open up and stir around.
12. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired

Eggs!  The first thing I made in my IP was hard-boiled eggs.  Now, they didn't cook in a flash, but the best part was that the shells practically fell off.  My guys love egg salad and deviled eggs.  They are more likely to get them now.  Lots of people have their favorite method.  I did the 4-4-5 method .

And it still makes a decent slow cooker.  I have heard some criticism about its slow cooker function because the heat comes from the bottom and is not wrapped around like the Crockpot.  I have made my favorite chicken stock and chili without any differences.  It even goes to keep warm when the time is done.  I call that a win.  I did buy the slow cooker lid with the vent.  I use it for making yogurt, too.

When it comes down to it, does anyone really need an Instant Pot?  No, it is just another tool.  But if you enjoy learning something new, finding new inspiration for feeding your family, making progress and feeling successful, it might just be for you!  I do highly recommend joining an IP group on Facebook if you do get one.  That is where I have found helpful inspiration and support.  Or find a good friend who loves hers!  It can be intimidating to just turn it on that first time.

Normal Life

Oops!  I missed a week!  I think it was due to that "getting back to reality" adjustment after the holidays' thing.  Life is now back to our normal with work, school, church and the like.   I think this will be a "newsy" post since there is nothing else coming to my mind!

We got both college students back to their schools.  I only cried a little.  Is it so bad that I love being with them?  I do really like them. We had such a lovely break.  I  wish they could be here and at the same time I know I would never really want that.  I want them off making a life for themselves.  Who knows, maybe they will come back and live around here after graduation. 

Our youngest started his last semester of high school and I have, as they say, "all the feels!"  First of all, I have senioritis which started last year when our daughter was a senior.  I am tired of school.  There, I said it.  Ha.  Thankfully, he is able to do it all on his own and he doesn't share my apathy.  He is expecting another college acceptance letter any day now.  He can basically go wherever he pleases with his good SAT score and grades.  Yay! Secondly, I find myself often thinking about how life will change when he is away at school.  I will be doing a chore and think, "Who will help me do this then?"  Please tell me I will be OK.  His leaving will be hard!!!  I am at the stage where I cling to each opportunity to do anything for him as it was my last chance. 

Jeff has returned to work. He is doing so well. I am so thankful for this blessing.  I feel as if he is getting a second chance at life!! 

We are enjoying a bit of a quiet weekend with all three children gone, our youngest being at a winter retreat.  It has been a lovely day at home doing as we please.  Maybe life after kids will be more pleasant than I fear? 

Have a lovely week and do stop by again!  (Do you like my new coffee table?  The cats are not sure.)
~Jenn

Ending 2019 Intentionally

(Inspired by this post on No Sidebar, where we are encouraged to end our year intentionally with some thoughtful questions.) 

What did I worry about most in 2019?

2019 had too many worries!  My dear husband was very sick with an infection/abscess in his colon.  I worried to no end about him.  We really did not know what we were facing for a long time and then he kept getting worse.  We literally found ourselves facing a nightmare, our bread-winner was to have major surgery with no guarantees of restored health.  I would have to say my biggest fear, other than losing him, was to be without an income or deep in medical debt.  Praise God, none of those fears were realized.  Jeff's health is slowly being restored.  His employer-provided short term disability for 6 weeks!  And our insurance took care of most of the $197,000 bill.  My working paid for our share, $10,000.  God provided once again!

What's one thing that changed about me?

As a result of our trial, I had to step up and do more for myself.  Jeff literally would go to work and come home to bed for weeks on end.  I was mom and dad to our kids.  It was exhausting at times.  I really missed Jeff's companionship, too.  It is only recently that he has started to do more, thankfully!  I did see how I had become lazy, depending on him for little things I could and should do myself.  It also gave me a taste of what it must be like to be a single parent or widow.  I grew in appreciation of my husband's provision and his ability to keep going when he was even at his worst.  I learned to admire him anew. 

If you could go back to last January 1, what suggestions would you give to your past self?

This is a good question!  I am thankful that I ran to my Lord when things got so hard. I was used to praying and reading my Bible so I felt strengthed for the valley of 2019.  So I would tell myself to keep in God's word, pray and surround myself with godly friends because you do not know when you will face a difficult time.  Also, trials do not last forever.  It only feels like circumstances will never change. 

See Grace? Say Thanks, Always!

Nearly every day, I take a moment and write in my notebook something for which I am thankful.  I've been in this habit for several years now (inspired by Anne Voskamp's 1000 Gifts).  I really enjoy looking back at previous entries, too. 

Recently, our pastor gave us the assignment to write down 10 things a day for a week!  While I decided to only write down 5, it was an interesting exercise, even for someone used to the task.  He told us, "When you see grace, say thanks, always." 

I am very grateful in general, especially now that we have come through a challenging and long season of illness.  I thought this week I would record my observations of grace here along with a few pictures that I have enjoyed recently. 

12/14/19 The gift of a relaxing Saturday afternoon at home.
12/15/19 Pizza delivery after church when having visitors makes everyone happy.
12/16/19 A snowy day at home, able to avoid driving in the mess!

12/17/19 Good post-op visit for my husband with the surgeon!! This is huge.
12/18/19 The husband's bloodwork came back within normal limits!! 
12/19/19 Two sleeping babes at the same time, a little rest for me. 

 

12/20/19 Blessed with some very nice Christmas gifts from the babies' families! (They went over and beyond to express their appreciation and I am so very touched!)  

12/21/19 Having all three of my young adults home for the next few weeks.  

What Do I Do All Day?

My homeschool career is mostly over with only one student home, ready to graduate in May, doing his own thing.  Last school year I decided to find a job to do at home after thinking long and hard about working outside of the home. I even went to an interview at a local school! 

My heart has always been at home, so I started to think about what I could do from home that I am good at.  And about that time, someone from church put a notice on a Facebook group that she was looking for someone to care for her new 12-week old baby.  That was over a year ago.  I have had quite the year.  In March, I saw another notice in the same group for another baby.  Now I have a 17-month-old boy and an 11-month-old girl coming to my home four and three days a week. 

The whole idea was quite a change for me. I had to relearn all that I had forgotten about babies.  And I had forgotten a lot!  And I also fell in love!  I love those babies!  I love their families.  It is hard, honest work.  Those babies keep me busy from 8 to 5.  My own family has sacrificed and fell in love with the babies, too.  And the babies love them.  Their families trust us with their most precious children. 

A year ago we did not know that my husband would end up having major abdominal surgery this past November and we would need every extra penny I have earned for insurance deductibles.  God knew.  I am thankful for the work, the joy the babies bring, their families' friendships.  And it is wonderful to see how my children have learned to care for little ones, a valuable life skill.