Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

What I’ve Read This Year

May 30, 2020

Not much sums it up. My problem is, I forget to write down on my log books I’ve read so it doesn’t look like much. I may have taken a book out of the library and read it but don’t remember. And of course, our library has been closed since early March so I haven’t been able to take anymore out either. But, I did the best I could to remember what I’ve read and here’s the list:

Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl – This is the prequel to “My Kitchen Year” so I was really excited to read it. The book documents Reichl’s years at Gourmet magazine and gives a little glimpse into how media works as well. It’s a fascinating and easy read so if you’ve read My Kitchen Year definitely read this one.

The Good of Giving Up by Aaron Damiani – I was thinking about reading this for Lent this year when I found it at a local thrift store – talk about Divine Intervention. :-) It’s not a Catholic book about Lenten observances, it was written for the non-Catholic and in particular pastors of those churches on how to bring Lent to their parishioners. It covers the history of Lent and the traditional practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. I didn’t agree with everything, but overall it was good with plenty of ideas to think about.

Strange Gods by Elizabeth Scalia – I had been wanting to read this for Lent for a year so I finally bought it for this Lent. I have to say I didn’t like it as much as “Little Sins Mean A Lot” and it’s a lot deeper as well. For that reason I didn’t finish it – my head just blew up in places. It does give the reader things to think about as far as what are the idols you have in your life and modern life offers many. For that I think it’s worth trying.

Holiness For Housewives – Dom Hubert Van Zeller – This book was written in 1951 by a Benedictine monk. So, you might wonder how would he know about the vocation of marriage and motherhood. Well, he does know something of it and his advice is very good. It’s not deep at all so any mom with a few minutes on her hands can gain something from reading this book. The prayers in the back are a gold mine as well and if you don’t pray regularly, they are a good starting point. A book to keep close by and turn to when in need of spiritual help.

Self-Care For Moms by Sara Robinson – This is a beautiful hardcover book that gives a mom who is in need of self-care lots of great ideas on what to do to take care of their own needs. From five minutes to a week long vacation (when the time comes that you can) there are 150 activities to choose from. In reading I found that I’m already doing a lot of the 5 and 10 minute activities and over this summer I plan to get into more of the activities that take more time so I can start working on personal development which is lacking in my life.

Empty Nest – Full Life by Jill Savage – Okay, this is a Christian book so if you don’t like that kind of thing don’t read it. However, if you are looking for help as your nest empties or if you already have an empty nest and are struggling in your relationships with your adult children, I highly recommend it. I haven’t finished it yet but what I have read is very good and she offers a lot of been there done that advice. I don’t agree with everything she believes, but I’m not tossing it all out the window because of that either. It’s the first book I’ve read on this subject that gets real about your role in the lives of your children as they grow away from you – the do’s and don’ts if you will. So, if you need a little help like I do you may want to consider this one.

Rascal by Sterling North – So, I decided that I needed to read more novels and printed off the 2020 Reading Challenge from Modern Mrs. Darcy’s website. There are only 12 categories on it so roughly you’re reading one book a month which makes it easy to do. This book filled the challenge to read a book the decade you were born (in fact it was published in 1963 – the year I was born). I had read this book while homeschooling and decided to revisit it since it covers the years 1918 and 1919 – years of the flu pandemic. It is a beautifully written story of a boy and his pet raccoon and a true story at that. And it was set at a time when nature was still mostly undisturbed and kids knew more about nature than most adults do today. If you are looking for an easy read to fill your time while staying at home, this one will lift your spirits.

168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam – I was looking for a book on time management at our last library visit in March and found this one. I finally got around to cracking it open last week. And then I closed it up again. Not for me. There’s a lot of extraneous talk about time management research and I really wanted something that got down to the nitty gritty. It kind of does but more so for working people than an old stay at home mom. The one takeaway is – make your time count for you. Time goes by quickly and we can easily waste it on screens or on activities we don’t really enjoy. So figure out how to make the most of the time you’ve got for you and the ones you are closest to.

And that’s what I’ve read so far this year. Like I said, I probably have read more or even poked around a few odd books here and there, but these are the ones I remember. I’ll write more next week on what I’m reading now and plans for June. Happy reading!!

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Summer Schedule

May 26, 2020

Wow – is it May already? Oh, wait – almost June??!! Oh well…there’s been a pandemic so I’ve got a good excuse…maaaybe.

I’ve had almost three months during this quarantine to “Get Sh*t Done” – you know – my resolution/mantra for the year? Have I got much sh*t done during this time? Kinda. Not really. Everything felt really slow in March and the future so very up in the air. I was very down and cried often. Then, in late April, there was a military jet flyover of our town to honor hospital workers and I had a mindshift. Those jets flew right over my backyard and I yelled and clapped and cried. It was a real mood booster and the best part was – it fueled enough of a “we’re going to make it” mindset that I finally got back to work. I started keeping up on the housework better and keeping myself saner as well. This month I went even further – started a reading challenge (only 12 books for the year so that is doable), got back into my 3X5 housework cards, and I started a plan for June-August to get back on a schedule again so things can get done. That’s what I’m going to talk about today – my summer plan.

I wrote down all the things causing me stress. Then I wrote down what I could do to simplify my life and cut down on those stresses. The things that will make my house a little cleaner, put meals on the table regularly, and I’ll be taken care of too. Then it hit me – I’m terrible at time management, not consistent, not committed to my schedule. So, this is where I get serious and do something to get back on track.

Skincare – A streamlined A.M. and P.M. routine (cleanse, tone, moisturize, and CC Cream for SPF during the day). All products I’ve used before and had good results with (more on that later).

Meals – I’ve got a one month meal plan I found years ago from a state extension website that I’ve used bits and pieces of from time to time. This time it will serve the whole summer. It is a daily plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (even giving ideas for snacks) for four weeks including shopping lists. All I have to do is stick to the plan and meals are guaranteed on the table. It will also help to make sure I’m eating 3 squares a day.

Water – Drink more. I found one website that says 5-7 glasses is enough. Done.

Exercise – Hey – Richard Simmons has been posting 10 minute workouts on Youtube! I can do that. Ten minutes each day to start is a start. Or I could simply count more steps each day for a higher goal than what I’ve got now. Whatever it is I need to commit to something and then do it.

Housework – Flylady – exactly as she spells it out. No excuses. In 3 months time I could get a lot done!

Sticking to A Daily Schedule – I’ve come up with a daily schedule using time blocks and plan to stick with that so I can get some consistency in my day which will help me stick to this plan better. Lately I’ve been going from one thing to another some days with no rhyme or reason to it – this will hopefully give more stability to my day.

So that’s the plan. I start June 1 and will go right through August. Hoping I learn a few things along the way about me too and believing I can do this. I’ve done some amazing things before and I can do it again. :-)

Blessings and prayers and hugs to all of you.

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» 2020 » May » Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

What I’ve Read This Year

May 30, 2020

Summer Schedule

May 26, 2020

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