Thank you isn't enough

Fear. Anger. Sadness. Frustration. Paranoid. Hopeless. Defeated.  The robbers took so much from us beyond the tangible items.  They took our sense of security.  They took our hope that things could get better; that we had survived the worst and were starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

THINGS can be replaced.  Yes they can.  The pictures on that card inside my camera are gone forever.  The quick cute videos of the kids on the iPad will never be seen by us again.  

2014 has been horrible.  We are just back to whatever a normal routine is but nothing is really normal. Five months of recovery from the medical nightmare of the summer was over and we are trying to get our life back in step to recover financially and for me, recover my career and emotionally move on from the hard year.  Its a paycheck to paycheck style of living as I am getting back to work to ensure the medical bills and house bills are covered each month as well as the kids have the things they need.  It's not a unique problem to our family I know - so many people here struggle.  I know that.  But it doesn't make me less sad or stressed about our year.  

Christmas was going to be different this year -- smaller piles for our kids and no gifts for each other. Gift bags under the tree held these gifts and the couple other items we were able to get for our family. 

When I walked into the house and saw what had happened - saw my belongings gone and what was left all over the floor, my heart broke.  The world around me was crumbling.  The police took fingerprints and went on their way, leaving us behind to clean up the mess.  It took me 4 days to get energy enough to clean my closet and master bedroom.  I still wake up in the middle of the night running through that day over and over and over in my dreams. 

A week later, there is hope. There is love.  There is help.  And help from the most unexpected places and in the most unexpected ways.  

Friends from high school.  My dance teacher and elementary school teacher.  Bill's high school classmates.  People I don't even know! They have all come to help us.  Friends with bigger problems than mine have taken time from their own families to help mine.  Even typing this post, it makes me cry.  Happy, grateful, awesome tears.  Never in my life did I ever expect this kind of help; I didn't know where to turn or what to do or how to get help.  Or even what to ask for. 

Because of this village, our Christmas is already amazing and we will be able to cover our insurance deductible and actually replace some of the tangible items taken.  And we are able to show the kids that yes, bad people are out there but there are more good people and good people always win.  

The goodness in people is amazing and I will forever be searching for ways to pay it forward; to make sure that other families experience the love I am feeling from the village out there in our life.  

My words will never be enough.  I hope that my actions will be enough someday.

The Grinch Came.

The Grinch came to visit us yesterday.  I don't think this specific Grinch was hairy and green or one that is going to steal Christmas and then bring it back.  I definitely don't see it coming back.

Our house was robbed yesterday.  In broad daylight.

iPad.  iPhones.  MacBook.  Electric guitars.  Camera.  Watches.  The list is longer but I am just so sad typing it out that I won't.  But you get the idea......this Grinch got quite a load from his visit.  And yes, in true green hairy fashion, he took the gift bags underneath the tree.

Its 24 hours later.  The fingerprint dust has been cleaned up.  New items added to the To Do List for the police and insurance.  The first floor of the house is put back together. I still need to re-organize our closet and clean up the master bedroom and do another search for missing things.  Passwords need to be changed and alerts added to accounts.

I am thankful that none of us were home.  I am glad that they didn't hurt the dog while they were here; poor dog was so upset all day and even today is still laying around sad.  They got STUFF. MY stuff.   HIS stuff.  OUR stuff.

The Grinch may have gotten my camera and all those pictures not yet downloaded but I REFUSE to allow him/them to keep my family's sense of security in our own home.  It's Christmas time - less than 10 days until Christmas morning.  I WILL find the spirit again in these next few days...one of hope and love and joy and safety.

And I know that spirit is still in this house as I look at my mantel and smile.  I see a family who in all our tough times, has stuck together and we have made it through them all. This is no different.  We will pull together and fight through the next few days of uncertainty and come out smarter about security, more grateful for what we do still have, and more determined to find peace and joy in the small things.

Real Recipes: Chicken Tortilla Soup

For the time being.....or until I figure out what is next in my "event planner life", I am home with the kids.  And I am loving it.

Being home this week has given me time to do things around the house.....like the insane amount of laundry that has piled up, actually cleaning the whole house one room at a time, but best of all, I have time to think about, plan, and cook dinner.

I posted tonight's dinner on Facebo.ok and got so many requests for the recipe -- so here it is.  Actually, its two recipes -- the chicken in the soup was leftovers from last night's Chicken Tacos.

Enjoy!!!

Easiest Chicken Tacos Ever
Prep Time:  5 minutes   Cook Time: 4-6 hours (high); 6-8 hours (low)

Chicken breasts (I used 3 large chicken breasts and it easily fed three of us with tons of leftovers)
1 jar Salsa
1 envelope Taco Seasoning
Whatever taco fixings and shells you prefer

Combine into the slow cooker and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. When done, the chicken should shred easily when stirred with a fork. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Prep Time:  5 minutes  Cook Time:  8 hours (low) 


Leftover Easy Chicken from tacos 
1 can (14.5 oz) Chicken Broth 
2 cups Water 
1 bag frozen corn 
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce 
1 can (16 oz) peeled diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz) green chile, chopped 
1 teaspoon cumin 
1 teaspoon chili powder 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Combine everything in the slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8 hours.  Serve with tortilla chips crumbled on top.  Add shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream....whatever topping you like. 

Snowed In.....Powerless

I walked in the door from work about 20 minutes before the big flakes started falling....and about 45 minutes before the first reports of serious backups on the roads were reported on the news.  I was lucky then. 

At 9PM, Wednesday night, the power went out.

Thursday morning we woke up to this outside our window.

10 inches of snow on the front yard.  Pretty but wet and heavy.  And still without power.

The morning went on. 

We helped neighbors shovel their driveways. 

Lunch (and dinner) was hot dogs on the grill.  For dinner, we mixed it up with some cheeseburgers. I tried to keep doors shut so the house would at least stay warmer than the outside air. 

And still the power was out. 

I felt bad but couldn't let Grace play in the snow.  Or throw snowballs.  Or build a snowman.  With no power inside, there was just no way to warm her up after the fun outside. 

So we all curled up in our beds at 7PM to at least stay warm.

Until, at 3:30AM this morning.....Friday....the lights came on.  The tvs started up. POWER was back up.

The first thing I did was turn on the heated mattress pad. 

The thing about no power is that there is no heat...in a snowstorm.  Cells never work at our house so there was no texting or quick calls to the outside world.  We had no way to get in touch with anyone outside of our street.  And since we are on well water, there is also no water when there is no power.  I also learned that our wall phone dies cause its on a battery backup. 

It was a long 30 hours.  It got chilly in the house but never miserable.  The milk stayed cold...thanks to the snow on the deck.  With only a few moments of tears and boredom, we survived.

And when we got home tonight from work and daycare, we played in the snow.

Nothing a Staple Gun Cant Fix!

Project complete.

And here is the final result next to the original chair.  See?!  They really needed that new fabric - the yellow paisley with plastic covering was horrible; probably very expensive and very fashionable in the early 1970's but it was time this girl claimed the chairs for 2010.

SO easy to do and all it cost me was $25 in fabric (on sale AND found a promo code online - DEAL!!!) and a missing piece of skin on my thumb from working the staple gun for 2 hours.

But damn - they look like new chairs! Love it!

Now off to figure out what the next project is around here...............

Can I Get One More Hour, Please?!

The eternal struggle - I just need one more hour each day.  I could do so much with that hour.  But then again, when I look back at my day, I realize that I wasted so many minutes that I did have that extra hour - I just didnt use it well.  I mean, really, I didnt NEED to sit and read the entire Gla.mour magazine the day it came in the mail.  Instead, I could have folded that laundry that is still in the dryer or I could have cleaned the kitchen and dining room or even sorted all the piles of papers in the home office.

But I didnt.

At work, going into conference time, I am uber-organized.  Binders, files, and lists are all over my office and perfectly color-coded and together.  The day after the big event, all goes to hell.  My office looks like a tornado blew through - granted its all from the shipment that just returned but still...it looks bad!!

It amazes me that as organized as I can be at work, I am nowhere near that at home.  Things just happen at the house -there hasnt been a real system of organization there.

I am feeling inspired.  One of the projects is to organize life.  Mine.  Hubby's.  Grace's.  All of us getting on a schedule and getting things done so that we actually have free time, not time we are spending doing fun things knowing that we should be doing something else.

Today - I am calendar-ing for the next few months.  At the office I mean.  I started a home calendar a few weeks ago and even though Hubby hasnt gotten used to checking it, I am loving it.  Except when I look at it and realize there is something for one of us on every single day between now and the first week of April. 

With all that going on and knowing that more is coming, I just want to get us all on one page.  There are a few work trips for me, doctor appointments to make for Hubby and Grace, and all of Grace's activities. 

Any great tips out there for keeping a family schedule somewhat organized?!  As Grace is getting older and has her own little social life, it just gets harder and harder.......I feel like we are pulled in 3 different directions all the time.  It would be nice to have actual time to spend as a family, NOT doing errands of some kind.

Project #1 of 28,387 Projects

This is my house.  Its been Hubby's house for over 30 years.  4 years ago, we moved in as a family and now it is our house.

Slowly we have updated things in the house.  First it was carpet and flooring (I refused to move in until that was done!) and then we decorated the bedrooms and family room.   We have grand plans for the house....just not the grand wallet that it requires.  For years, I have simply added things to my mental wish list for the house - tearing down walls, gutting the kitchen, building a new deck, hiring landscapers to redo the yard...the list could go on and on and on.

But reality is what it is.  I havent won the lottery and the house still needs fixing.

We made a project list for the summer. The list is a little intimidating - no, its a LOT intimidating.  I am going to have to find that DIY gene that is in me somewhere.  But I know that when its done, one project at a time, I will be very proud that I did it. When I look back at the work we did already - bedrooms were painted and new floors installed when we moved in, I am reminded -the hard work is worth it in the end to make it our home.

So.....first project I am undertaking is going to be a simple one.  Crossing things off the list keeps me motivated so I thought that would be a good place to start.   Project:  Recover the kitchen chairs.  And then the decision making stalls.  I went to 3 fabric stores yesterday - everything I like is crazy expensive and the things that are inexpensive look cheap.  But here are the ones I like now - I am open to opinions and suggestions.

Updating the kitchen/eating area is one of the projects on the list so the chairs will have to match the updates in that room.  Years ago, I decided on a primary colors kitchen - I have the red Kit.chenA.id things and our everyday plates for white with blue rims.  Basically going for a primary colors striped look in the drapery, etc.


Here are some chair cushion fabrics.....what do you think??

 

This is the simple, matches everything canvas fabric.   Fashion Fabrics Club has a great price on this.

 

I could use this striped fabric - love the primary colors.  The rest of the kitchen could stay basic as the chairs would be the design inspiration.  I saw this at JoAnn Fabrics.

 This is still basic in its color but adds more interest to the chairs.  The rest of the kitchen would stay basic. This is from Fabrics.com.  They have the reverse color as well.

I like all of them.....for different reasons.  If you ask me right now which I would choose, I would pick one of them but 10 minutes from now, I would change my mind.  

UPDATE:  I did it. I bought #3 for the kitchen chairs. It was my favorite and when Hubby actually agreed that he liked it, I did not hesitate.  Should arrive at the house in a few days!!!