Nix9to5

Are You Enjoying Every Minute? Really?

// January 6th, 2012 // No Comments » // Balance, Children and Babies, Family

Ever read something, and it resounds so clearly within you that you think, “Wow.  I could have written that”?  Or, in my case, “Wow.  I wish I had written that.”  Well, Glennon from Momastery has written the blog post that I wish I had written.  It rings so true for mommy’s who, in the midst of a toddler tantrum or a day of endless whining, feel guilty that they are not enjoying every moment of ever day.  I mean, let’s be honest . . . who just loves cleaning up pee dribbles off the floor for the eleventy-thousandth time?

Read the article “2011 Lesson #2:  Don’t Carpe Diem” and then come back here to “discuss” it (I shared this post on Facebook, but I’m reposting it here for my readers who don’t follow Nix9t05 on FB.)

Done?  Okay . . .

I wouldn’t trade being a mommy for anything, but there are times when it’s really, really hard.   I have never begrudged anyone who told me to “enjoy this time,” because I don’t take it as “enjoy trying to manhandle your alternately limp and completely rigid child into a carseat.”  I take it more as enjoying “time” in the Kairos sense of the word.  I take it a support that, if can just make it through trying to get an overtired and whining to stop fighting his nap and for-the-love-of-Pete-go-to-sleep-already, there is a silver lining awaiting me.  A cherished Kairos time.

However, there are times when I feel very, very guilty about not enjoying every single minute.  I know women who have lost their pregnancies, lost their babies, lost their young children, or never even had the opportunity to have children, and I think, “What she wouldn’t give to be scrubbing dried spaghetti sauce off the floor.  Again,” or “She would be more than thrilled to be reading the really poorly written dump truck book over and over and over and . . .”  And I feel so guilty.

But let’s be real.  Even these women who would give anything to have a baby, or to have their baby back, wouldn’t just love every moment.  They wouldn’t be tickled pink to see their children lying right down and throwing a slobbering fit in the shoe aisle at Target because the Cowboy Woody shoes aren’t available in the needed size, and mommy can’t just INVENT the right size, now, can she?

No.  They would give anything for the Kairos.  That beautiful, blissful time that makes all the other stuff worthwhile.

It does go fast.  Except for those moments that seem to last forever–when your patience is insufficient to meet the current demand and your child’s tantrum has exceeded your capacity for tolerating whining.  But this too shall pass.

Hang in there, mommas.  If you can make it through this meal, this fit, this mess, this embarrassment, this endless playlist of Cedarmont Kids, you’ve got a little Kairos coming your way.

It’s hard.  But it’s so worth it.

Playing the Odds

// January 6th, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Children and Babies, Life in General

I had today’s post all planned out.  I was ready to tell you about a little competition the Amazing Amanda and I have going, and I was going to invite you to join our challenge.

But I’ve been derailed by a two-year-old with a gambling problem.

That’s right.  You heard me.

I was taking a few minutes to look at Facebook, and a friend posted a beautiful video made by her sister, the mother of a beautiful little girl with the happiest smile . . . and with Down Syndrome.  Jamie made the video in honor of her daughter’s second birthday and all the accomplishments little Maddox has made in just two short years.  If you work with children with special needs . . . and especially if you don’t . . . take a minute to watch this video.

Wait–go get some tissues first.  I’ll wait.

Okay.  Now:

Wow.  Just . . . wow.  I mean, could there possibly be any more love in that room?  That right there is a mommy who is fighting for her daughter in a way that many of us will never have to.  So maybe those of us who don’t have to fight for our own children like this should help fight for Maddox and girls and boys like her.  Down Syndrome, autism, Asperger’s, Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Cystic Fibrosis, and on and on and on.  There are so many juvenile illnesses and disabilities and disorders that it’s really a miracle when our children are born healthy and remain healthy.

Let’s not hold children back . . . let’s encourage them to be their best whatever their needs or abilities.  Let’s teach them to be kind and loving and accepting.  And the best way to teach them how to be kind and loving and accepting is to show them by being kind and loving and accepting ourselves.

Happy birthday, little Maddox.  Even though it’s your birthday, you’ve given all of us a wonderful gift.

To find out more about Jamie and Maddox, to read their story, and to learn more about living with and dealing with Down Syndrome, visit The McClintic Family blog.

Happy New Year from Nix9to5

// January 2nd, 2012 // No Comments » // Life in General, Money Matters, Work at Home

Now that the whirlwind of the holidays has come to an end, I’m ready to settle back into a routine.  Well, maybe not so much “settle in” as “develop.”  I’ve been toying with some task lists and productivity apps to try to find a way to efficiently manage my time and my projects.  Surprisingly, I’ve had a very productive couple of days, even with traveling across three states for “Christmas, Part Two.”

I’ll now be able to share with you some of the gifts I made for Christmas.  I’ll have the “recipes” for a Vanilla Brown Sugar Coconut Scrub and a Brown Sugar Almond Oil Scrub that I made for the women in my family (and that launched an obsession with coconut oil).  I still have some DIY cleaning product recipes for you as well.  Oh–and a few easy craft/home decor projects I made, too.

A couple of years ago, I launched Nix9to5 shortly after the start of the year.  Fresh on my mind was developing a budget and sticking to smart spending strategies.  Since that time, I’ve become lax in my spending, and as such, things have become a little tight.  When I first started the site, one of my main principles in making it as a work at home mom was that what you don’t spend is as important as what you earn.  Maybe more so.  It’s time for me to go back to basics as far as budgeting and saving, and so that’s where I’m starting 2012–with a spending freeze.  For the month of January, I’m planning on spending money only on necessities like perishable grocery items.  We have enough stuff in the freezer and pantry that, for the most part, we should be able to eat without having to buy much.  Maybe an ingredient here or there, but nothing major.

I’ll be interested to see how much “extra” we have at the end of the month if I’m careful with my resources again.

My goals for this year are to be more productive with my time, to spend more quality time with my family, and to be a wise steward of our resources.  I’d like to make 2012 my “Intentional Year,” focusing on how I spend my time rather than letting time just happen and pass me by.

I hope this year brings you and your family many blessings.  What are your goals for 2012?

Christmas Morning Menu (or something)

// December 21st, 2011 // No Comments » // Children and Babies, Life in General

This morning, as Hot Husband, Bear, and I were sitting around the breakfast table, I asked HH what he thought we should serve for breakfast on Christmas morning.  I was debating between breakfast casserole (super easy), pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon syrup (yummy and “festive”), or biscuits and gravy (mmmm-mmm, y’all).  Before HH could even think about answering, Bear piped in:

“Um, celery, and noodles, and spaghetti.  And eggs.  And tortillas and crumbled up crackers.”

Deeee-lish!

The Art of Motherhood

// December 20th, 2011 // No Comments » // Balance, Family, Life in General

We recently had a discussion on the Nix9to5 Facebook page about crazy things people say to pregnant women and mothers.  It started out kind of funny, but then really got me to thinking about how much judgment we as mothers place on each other’s parenting choices:  breast/bottle, front facing/extended rear facing, spanking/time out, co-sleeping/cry-it-out . . . an on and on and on.

And then I saw this list entitled “How to Feel Miserable as an Artist.”  As you read this list, substitute “Mother” for “Artist,” and make other related substitutions–”client/customer/gallery owner/patron/investor” could be “child/grandparents/in-laws/teachers/neighbors/nosy lady at the grocery store” or whoever else is applicable in your life:

Being a good mother really is an art.  Each day we sculpt a life a little more, helping to shape a person that must eventually shape himself or herself.  It’s an important art.  It’s a wonderful art.  Let us not make ourselves miserable by bowing to the judgment of others and holding ourselves to the impossible goal of perfection.  Love and be loved and be a mom.

Tub and Shower Magic

// December 16th, 2011 // 1 Comment » // Housekeeping, Life in General, Money Matters

If you have a frosted glass shower door, you’re going to love this . . .

You all know that in an effort to save money and embrace my inner hippie, I’ve been making some of my own cleaning products.  I’ve made homemade laundry detergent, homemade dishwasher detergent, and a gallon of liquid hand soap from a single bar of soap (post to come).  I’ve been looking for some good household, kitchen, and bathroom cleaner recipes, and have come across several–some of which I’ve tried but found ineffective (Cleaning your tub with a grapefruit sprinkled with salt?  Fail.)  However, this “Tub and Shower Magic” I found on Food.com (via Pinterest, of course) really did work wonders on my shower door.

Tub and Shower Magic

• 12 ounces white vinegar
• 12 ounces Dawn dishwashing soap

Microwave the vinegar until it is hot (I did one minute), and then pour it into a spray bottle.  Add the Dawn and shake well to mix.  Spray it on your soap scum, then wipe away and rinse.  No scrubbing necessary.

Our shower door went from this (oh, this is embarrassing):

To this:

The only thing complicated about this is rinsing all the soapy Dawn off–which could probably just be taken care of by the next shower.  Next time I try this, I may use a little less Dawn to try to reduce the amount of suds, but maybe not, because it worked SO WELL.  I’m not sure I’ve every just wiped everything away so effortlessly.  Usually, that ol’ door takes a lot of scrubbing.  It also worked great on the faucet handle.  We have hard water, so it always looks dull and scummy in that shower.  I figured that no amount of scrubbing would take care of it . . . and I was right NO scrubbing did!

If you have a shower door like this, or if you have a stubborn soap scum ring in your tub, you’ll love “Tub and Shower Magic.”

What is your favorite household cleaning remedy?

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Chili

// December 15th, 2011 // No Comments » // Cooking

Yesterday, the Amazing Amanda pinned a recipe on Pinterest that she said was a “keeper.”  She also said she served it to a group of 20-25 women at her annual cookie swap and it was gone in a flash.  Now, I think the Amazing Amanda is a fantastic cook, so whenever she passes a recipe on to me with that kind of review, I’m eager to try it.

I could not find the link from which the “pin” came, so I apologize for not giving proper attribution.  The recipe also didn’t have a name, so I just made one up, and decided to call it Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Chili.  If I were following my traditional recipe titling procedure, then I would call it “World’s Easiest Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Chili,” and I think that would pretty well suffice.

We tried this for dinner tonight and it was soooo yummy.  Even Bear, who wants to eat nothing but fruit snacks and marshmallows, ate almost all of his.

Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Chili

• 2 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 can of Ro-tel
• 1 can of corn
• 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 oz. cream cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 1 envelope of Ranch dressing mix
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

*If using the ginormous frozen chicken breasts from Zaycon, please be aware that these are extremely hard and heavy when frozen, and if you just dump them in, they might do this to your crock pot:

And then, if you use your crock pot for everything, you might cry.  Hypothetically speaking.

On an unrelated note, you can also cook this recipe on the stovetop all day on low.

Hypothetically speaking.

SeenOnTV Express Fast Brite Giveaway Winner

// December 15th, 2011 // No Comments » // Life in General

Congratulations to Mary J, winner of the Fast Brite Lens Restore Kit giveaway sponsored by SeenOnTVExpress.  Mary, I’ve sent you an email to get your mailing address, and I’ll be shipping your prize in the next few days.  It should be a great stocking stuffer or perfect for getting your car ready for holiday travel!

World’s Easiest Baked Butternut Squash

// December 12th, 2011 // No Comments » // Cooking

A long time ago, when I was still trying to figure out what finger foods I could feed Bear, I posted a recipe for baked butternut squash.  It was yummy, smelled great while cooking, and had a nice, cubed texture that was great for little fingers and little hands just starting to use forks.  The only problem with this recipe is how hard it is to cut a butternut squash.  Sometimes, it just wasn’t worth the effort.

Enter the world’s easiest way to bake a butternut squash.  Inspired by Amanda’s post on how to bake a whole pumpkin, I decided to try the same thing with a squash.

Let me just tell you step-by-step so you can see how easy this is:

1. Turn on your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Put a whole butternut squash on a baking sheet.
3. Put it in the oven and set the timer for an hour.

Done.

It could take up to 90 mins. to cook, depending on the size of your squash, but an hour was perfect for mine.  You’ll know it’s done when a knife slides into it effortlessly (like buttah).

This makes cutting, peeling, and scooping out the seeds virtually effortless.  The knife just slides right through, you can scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon, and you can either peel away the peel with your hands or just use your spoon to scoop out the meat.  The squash is soft, but retains enough of its shape that you could cube it if you want, but you could easily mash it or puree it, too.  If we ever add a new little cub to the family, I’ll bake squash this way to make homemade baby food.

Today, I used my warm, just baked squash to make “Maple Brown Sugar Mashed Butternut Squash” (I just made up the recipe and its name):

1. Bake a whole butternut squash at 400 degrees for one hour.
2. Let the squash cool slightly; halve lengthwise and scoop out seeds and fibers.
3. Scoop squash out of shell and into a bowl.
4. Add a dollop of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkling of brown sugar.  I did not measure the amounts.  I just did what felt right, so make yours according to your own taste.
5. Mash with a potato masher (or even a fork–it’s that soft) and serve.

I Can See Clearly Now . . . (and a GIVEAWAY)

// December 12th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Life in General

Last night, Hot Husband hit a skunk with my car.  My car–and hence my garage–now smell like skunk.  I’m not going to fault HH for the skunk-killing, though, because my car has The Worst Headlights Ever.  Seriously.  I thought I just had poor night vision, but I realize that the big problem is not my eyes, but my ultra-dim headlights.

Fortunately for me, I happen to work for an online As Seen On TV store, so I know how to find a product that will solve any problem I’ve ever had–and even some I didn’t know I had until I saw the infomercial.  Even better, I occasionally get to try a product for free.  Sitting on my shelf, just waiting for me to actually get out and use it, is a Fast Brite Lens Restore Kit from SeenOnTVExpress.com.  The only reason I haven’t used it yet is because I’m trying to schedule a time with the owner of SeenOnTVExpress to record a video demo and review of the product (I’ll be moving from blogging to vlogging!).

I’m eager to use Fast Brite to see if its claims hold up in reality.  Fast Brite is designed to clean hazy, yellowed, oxidized headlight lenses, restoring them to showroom brightness and clarity.  I’d love to drive around at night without resulting to leaving on my brights in an effort to not kill every skunk, squirrel, possum, or other roadkill fodder in the area.  When I finally use and review Fast Brite, I’ll let you know if it lives up to my hopes and dreams.

In the meantime, thanks to the generosity of SeenOnTV Express, one lucky Nix9to5 reader will win her own full-sized Fast Brite Lens Restore Kit.

This kit includes:

• 2 oz. bottle of Fast Brite Lens Polish
• 2 oz. bottle of Fast Brite Lens Protectant
• application sponge

The Fast Brite kit would be a great stocking stuffer.

To enter this giveaway, visit the SeenOnTV Express As Seen On TV store.  Then come back here and post a comment telling me which As Seen On TV product you like best (personally, I want the InStyler and Forever Lazy).

This giveaway will close at 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday, December 14, 2011.  The winner will be randomly selected using the randomizer at Random.org.