My Side of the Mountain

I've been thinking about this book a lot lately. 

For people who know me well, it should be no surprise it was one of my hidden favorites as a kid. Why no one recommended Hatchet to me, I'll always wonder (I was 8 when it came out).

Girl Scouts hadn't worked out for me as a kid. The leader had moved away; so my grandpa did what a grandpa could. Took me fishing, and taught me to use woodworking tools. Long hikes/walks in the back-lot that would eventually reach the cemetery and then even more woods. He even bought me my first pup-tent so I could "camp" at their house. I'm still not a fan of tents with a pole dividing the opening.... I'm too clumsy. 

The desire to strike it out on one's own vs being with the ones you love... Is something we all are too familiar with some days; esp after weeks on end of lock-downs and quarantine thanks to the current worldwide pandemic. 

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It's been 3 years since I've posted here - and maybe it's time I archive this space. I'm at a different point in my life. Things... changed. Priorities... changed. 

I'm not against blogging - in fact it maybe preferential to the daily mental and emotional drain that social media places when trying to keep up there. Maybe that is how I escape. Like Sam, who wanted to leave the cramped crowded apartment he shared with his family in New York City - maybe forgoing Social Media is my way to escape the hustle and bussle it brings. Maybe this doesn't go away - but evolves....

Where life takes you...

Do you ever get started doing something... and next thing you know, it's 2 years later?

Yeah, that's kind of what has happened here.

So where I last left off, I was trying hard to make sure to at least post my weekly menu plan for the week.

Since that busy chaotic summer of 2015 - here's the (not so short) list of what has gone on:

The little guy has been being seen by a pediatric GI specialist for intermittent vomiting and severe abdominal pain. He started playing the trumpet, but switched to the trombone after his first concert. he made all-county chorus. He also crossed over from a Webelos in Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, and is already Second Class. He just finished his last year at elementary school and will be a middle schooler this fall.

The younger of my 2 daughters started french class, and even traveled to Quebec City in Quebec, Canada! She also changed instruments, going from clarinet to percussion and has been doing well there. She also has been "dating" the same little guy for the last 18 months (and that to her means they eat lunch at school together and occasionally hanging out with either me and/or his mom hovering near by). She just finished her last year in middle school and will be a freshman in high school in the fall.

My oldest has been dealing with chronic ankle pain/tendinitis. She likely will be having surgery sometime soon for it. She just graduated high school (WHAT?!?!) and will be attending community college in the fall. She is also dating a gentleman, and while he's a bit older, seems to be a very nice gentleman. He does have a 3 yr old son, and it's been fun getting to meet and know them.

I am nearly done with prerequisites to go on in my nursing education. I do need to re-take Microbiology, and have learned that attempting that class online was likely not a smart move for myself, as I had a lot of trouble doing the labs on my own. I and am looking at a hybrid class as an option (class online, lab in person). As well as starting to apply to RN programs. I also have been working at a local urgent care center as a LPN, as well as a hall monitor for our local high school, where i also will occasionally substitute as a nurse (field trips, out sick, etc). I've really enjoyed getting to do that, as I never thought or saw myself as a school nurse, and I've rather enjoyed getting to explore that side of nursing

For what's coming up? Loads - with my middle child starting high school, and my oldest starting college classes I'm going to focus on them and being there for them with this big transitions - this means just working and no college classes. For my son, we've considered homeschooling him given all the GI trouble he's had, but that may depend on dad, and if or where he's working in the fall.

I'm hoping to get back into the swing of posting on here now that the chaos seems to have waned a bit

Menu Planning Monday

What a truly busy and chaotic summer we have had! This is the first week since June 28th where someone (more likely more than one!) has not been away at summer camp. With just 3 weeks untill school starts, hopefully we can get some relaxation and family time in before the school year chaos begins.

Without further ado:

Monday - BLTs

Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner 

Wednesday - Pasta night (penne with olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, ad spices)

Thursday - "chicken" fajitas

Friday - Homemade "fast food" (vegetarian chicken strips and fries)

Saturday - BBQ (veggie dogs and burgers, pasta salad, corn, etc)

Sunday - Pizza night

Make sure to head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning tips and ideas!

Menu Planning Monday - June 1st

A new week and a new month! And it's a busy week, with middle school band concert, Girl Scouts, last week of bell choir till summer break, middle school chorus concert, 2 evenings of soccer practice, plus a full weekend!

We are still moving towards veganizing our meals at home, even more so this week then last. We didn't end up doing a couple of the dinners we had planned last week, so we're recycling them to this week, since we already have items on hand for them.

Bring on the menu because we need to keep fueled for all this running around this week!

Monday

Vegan mac and cheese

Tuesday

Vegan french toast (still had the bread in the freezer, but the eggs are already gone!)

Wednesday

Pasta with homemade marinara sauce

Thursday

Sandwiches, veggies, chips

Friday

"Chik'n" fajitas and taco (never got to this last week)

Saturday

Pizza (the eldest and I will be gone all day for a Venturing event)

Sunday

Fend-For-Yourself night (will be gone all day for Girl Scouts)

I also found a couple of recipes I wanted to try for snack/treats for the kids. All the videos I have linked came from The Vegan Zombie on YouTube - so I suggest watching at our own risk, especially around kids (for possible violence).

Vegan cheese stix (the eldest already tried this, but we didn't have bread crumbs, so take 2!)

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

Best vegan brownies


Be sure to check back with here next Monday to see how we are doing transitioning to a vegan household - and be sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning tips and ideas!

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama 

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

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Menu Planning Monday - May 25th

Much like the blogging, I haven't been menu planning as much, and the chaos from not having a plan is evident. It also involved my kids asking me a thousand times, in a span of a couple of minutes, what is dinner that night. *sigh*

Just recently as of this week, menu planning is getting trickier, as my youngest daughter has decided to go vegan. She's all but jumping in "cold turkey", just whatever we have left at home for milk/cheese/eggs, after that's gone, no more. She was the same when she went vegetarian 3 years ago. The oldest wants to slowly change over too (she's being more flexible then her sister in transiting, eliminating 1 specific food item/group at a time). I'm ok with it, as I've been (very slowly) leaning that way myself. Thankfully my son rarely eats meat already, and my husband will eat just about anything vegan or not, The girls do realize that even if daddy eats vegetarian/vegan at home, he may not while we are out (at family/friends, restaurants, etc). At this time, I suspect I will still be buying my son and husband regular milk and cheese.

Monday - Memorial Day - BBQing steaks, hot dogs, italian sausage, and vegetarian sausages, pasta salad

Tuesday - BLTs (with either real bacon and real mayonnaise, or vegetarian bacon and nayonase)

Wednesday - Pasta night

Thursday - French toast casserole (using the last of the eggs we have on hand, likely will not be buying anymore)

Friday - Fend-For-Yourself night

Saturday - Pizza night (homemade, using daiya cheese)

Sunday - "chik'n" fajitas


Be sure to check back with me next monday to see how we are doing transitioning to a vegan household - and be sure to check out I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu planning tips and ideas!

Oh blog, how I have been neglecting you....

If it helps any, it HAS been weighing on my mind, how I've seem to let life get away while this blog has been sitting around collecting dust, so to speak.

Before I jump back into blogging, I thought I'd post a recap:

I should have know it was going to be a crazy school year with the way things started. I started college classes less than 2 weeks after graduating from practical nursing school - before even sitting for the license exam! The kids also started school too, I posted a sweet picture of my son after his first day back. I thought it was so sweet he was all tucked out trying to get back into a school routine. Long story short - 36 hours after I took that photo we were in his doctor's office, with a suspected cause of Lyme disease. He was started on antibiotic treatment and they took blood to test, and he did come back with a positive for Lyme test result. Thankfully, we caught it very early (about 3-4 weeks from when we suspect he was bitten by a tick) so he shouldn't have any lifelong, chronic issues.

After we got over the initial Lyme hurdle, the girls came down with the stomach bug, J lost his job on Veteran's day, the car was in and out of the shop for various power issues. Lizzie developed pneumonia, Andrew got the flu (and had various illness (unexplained fevers, leg pain, stomach issues, etc) since diagnosed with Lyme). J got a new job, Alexis had tendonitis in her left wrist, and just as soon as that was healed, broke her right forearm. I've interviewed numerous times for various nursing positions, and haven't had any lucky, expect for a 1 week camp nurse position I will have at the end of June (and so looking forward to it!). I finished my spring semester of classes and trying to decide if I should start applying to RN programs now, or wait till Alexis graduates from high school so I'm not in nursing school her senior year.

I also passed the licensing exam for practical nurse

Alexis was confirmed in Church

Elizabeth took a more active role in advocating for herself (orange and blue for psoriasis awareness!)

Andrew learned how to ride a 2 wheel bike without training wheels

And we got 2 new cats, Pepper and Toothless (littermates). 

I think that's about it - though of course there is always more, that pretty much sums up the past 9-10 months for us! I'll be working to update the blog more regularly now, and will be updating the college header (it's about 2 years old!) with some fresh photos. For now, I'm more looking forward to a calmer, if still busy summer of summer camps, travel soccer, and hopefully visiting family and friends. 

{this moment}

{this moment} - inspired by SouleMama 

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. 

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