Bad Timing

I realized the other day that this whole Covid-19 pandemic couldm't have hit the United States at a worst time of year.

Spring equals pollen season.  This means that many of us will very soon be sneezing, sniffling and coughing non stop.  If we're not already.

Allergy season can be miserable enough under the best of circumstances. Now, we'll have the added stress of wondering if it's really our seasonal allergies or if we should be more concerned.

We'll probably be getting more than a few side eyes and dirty looks as we sneeze if we have to leave the house for groceries, medications, etc.  Thank goodness for delivery and curbside pickup services!

Bad timing, indeed.

Sunday Inspiration: Challenges

Thankful Thursday: March 26

I Am Thankful For:

Extra time with the Grand Kid
Learning new things
Daffodils in bloom
The feel of wind on my face
Fog in the flashlight beam
Feeling less stressed for a day
Prayer
The ability to check on family
Reading to the Grand Kid
Chocolate chip cookie
Being cautious
The puppy hopping through tall grass
Cherry blossoms
Warm, sunny days
Flower petals floating on the wind
Grocery deliver
Cinnamon rolls
Digital library
Puppy yawns

How Are You Doing ?

How are you doin? It's a mad, mad world we're living in right now.  Things are changing everyday thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of us are living a life we couldn't have imagined a month ago. Businesses closing.  Grocery store shelves are emptying as fast as stockers can fill them.  We're being told to stay home as much as possible.  Limit the number of people we gather with.  Keep a distance of at least six feet from anyone we encounter.  Suddenly we're a nation of homeschoolers - whether we want to or not. 

It's enough to give you a big ol' tension headache.  And good luck finding any Excedrin in stock at the local Walmart to help with that! 

Which brings me back to my original question.  How are you really doing? 

I thought I was handling things well, until I found myself crying one morning last week for pretty much no reason what-so-every.  That's when I had to take a deep breath and start asking myself, "What exactly is making you so anxious?"  It didn't take long to come up with a whole list of things (and y'all know how I love a list), but what it all boiled down to was that feeling of having no control over the situation.  

I can't control how long this will last, what's going to happen next, or, for the most part, whether my family gets sick or not.  I certainly can't control whether will be able to find what I need at the grocery stores, when the schools will be able to reopen, or what others are doing.  All the worrying in the world is not going to change any of that. 

With all this uncertainty,  is it any wonder we are feeling stretched to our emotional limits?

We all have to take care of ourselves right now.  Especially if we have others we need to care for and support through all of the changes and uncertainty.  That means finding ways to cope with our stress.

So, what are things we can do to help manage our anxiety levels?

Acknowledge Anxious Thoughts and Emotions  You're not the only one feeling this way.  It's only natural to be concerned and stressed during a time like this.  If you try to ignore those feelings - instead of going away, the pressure will keep building until you eventually  break.  It's better to accept them for what they are.

Set A Routine  When things feel out of control - control what you can. Setting a routine for yourself can give some familiarity and comfort to your days.  Scheduling your days, especially tasks and work assignments can be especially important if you are telecommuting during these days of quarantines and social distancing. 

Talk To Someone  As we are recommended put some distance between us, it's easy to feel isolated.  Reach out to others!  Have conversations with the other people in your home.  Call someone.  Skype or Facetime with people you can't visit in person right now.  

Talk About Something Else  We are all consumed by thoughts of the virus right now, but we don't have to be.  Find topics other than the pandemic to discuss and get your mind off it for a little while.

Turn It Off  Sure, we want to stay aware of the latest news and information.  But there's a fine line between staying informed and becoming overwhelmed.  Turn off the tv, the computer and maybe even the phone for a while to give yourself a break. 

Self Care  Make time to care for your physical, emotional and spiritual health.  Enjoy your favorite hobby.  Pray and/or meditate.  Step outside to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air

Get Some Sleep  Lack of sleep makes every little stress that much more difficult to handle.  It also contributes to anxiety and depression.  It also makes you more susceptible to illness.  Be sure to get your beauty rest!

We're all trying to find our way though this new normal.  Which doesn't feel normal at all.  

Be kind to yourself and others.  Practice patience.  Better days are coming.  

Sunday Inspiration: Brave

Thankful Thursday: March 19

I Am Thankful For:

Walks with the puppy
Surviving a day without coffee
Being able to get a yearly physical
Resting my head on the Man of the House
"Cone of Shame" pictures
A beautiful spring-like day
Perspective
Yarn shops
My gratitude journal was salvageable after Max tried to eat it
Seafood pasta
Finding toilet paper AND paper towels
Comfort food
Being part of the plan
No problems getting the groceries I needed
Wild violets

Wishing You a Shamrockin' Good Day!

Today is St Patrick's Day!  The one day each year we are all a little Irish.  So...   Wear your green.  Enjoy your corn beef and cabbage, Irish stew, or Dublin Coddle.  Heck, maybe even indulge in a green beer (or not).  

And from me to you: 

"May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks.
May your heart be as light as a song.
May each day bring you bright happy hours,
That stay with you all year long."

-Irish Blessing

Sunday Inspiration: Obstacles

Thankful Thursday: March 12

I Am Thankful For:

What sounded like a million birds singing
The puppy pouting because the cat is in his bed
Baby hate
The chance to vote in primaries
The Female Offspring picking up her new car
The Male Offspring rocking his new haircut
When it feels as if you didn't get much done - but you did
The cat and puppy playing
Jelly beans
Crocheting for fun
Clouds in the night sky
Family
A warm house
The puppy chasing leaves
Trips to Barnes and Noble
Dinner out with my guys
Waking up before the sun
Eclair cake

The Balancing Act

"Having it all"  What does that even mean?  Many of us probably picture having a fulfilling successful career, a beautiful family that you prioritize, a spotless well-run home, all while making plenty of time for yourself and your health.

But I'm here to question if that's really what balance really looks like.  My guess is - No.  I don't want to burst any one's bubble,  but I believe we'll never have that ideal image of perfect balance.

Let me clarify.  I'm not saying you'll never have any kind of balance.

It's just that balance looks a little different depending on who you are and where you are in life.  Your work/life balance may not be "perfect". But it should fit what you need according to your life from day to day.  Every season is different.  Some are busier than others.  "Balance" is going to look different at every stage.

So, how do we find our personal "perfect balance"?  There are a few things that can help, no matter the season of life or what may be going on in your life or work:

• Prioritize what matters  This is going to be different for each of us.  Figure out what your priorities are and make sure those are always top on your to-do list
• Practice self care  An empty vessel can't fill others.  You have to take care of yourself in order to efficiently take care of anything or anyone else. 
• Say "No"   Always remember that saying yes to one thing almost always means saying no to something else.
• Be thankful  Gratitude for everything you have makes you less likely to keep trying to fill your life with busyness
• Forgive yourself and others. You can't do it all.  And that's OK. 

"For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven" - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Mistakes Were Made

Mistakes.  We all make them.

Some are big.  Big enough to change a life - either yours or someone else's.  Some are small.  Barely a blip on the radar.

Some are small, but traumatic in a strictly personal kind of way.  Just... well, embarrassing.  For example - what happened to me last week.

It's the Easter season.  and Easter brings jelly beans.  I've never made any secret about the fact that I am more than a little bit obsessed with that particular candy.  You can read all about it HERE.  So, it probably comes as no surprise that, through no fault of my own - there were suddenly no less than three bags of jelly beans sitting on my kitchen counter!  OK, full disclosure - some of the fault is mine.  But I'm only taking responsibility for one of those bags.

That evening, while standing in the kitchen talking to the male offspring, I helped myself to a handful of jelly beans. Popping them, one by one, into my mouth.

This was about the time the pup decided he was ready to go outside.  I hustled him to the door and prepped to do potty duty.  We are still working on house training, so part of the routine is to take a few training treats along as rewards when he does his business outside.

While standing around waiting for Max to do his thing.  I popped another jellybean in my mouth.  immediately my mind registered the thought, "That jellybean has an odd shape".  Then, as I started to chew - the flavor struck.  That was NOT a jellybean!!!

Yes, you guessed it.  I was eating a dog treat. EW!!

As you might imagine - at that point, there was a great deal of gagging noises and spitting done by myself!  And I couldn't really get rid of the flavor until I went inside to drink a glass of water (swish and spit included) and brushed my teeth.

Lesson learned.  Do not mix Easter candy and dog training!

Sunday Inspiration: Shine brightly

Thankful Thursday: March 5

I Am Thankful For:

Sleeping in my own bed
Mandarin oranges
Rainy day sunsets
Getting back on track
Warm puppy belly
Walk at the park
Watching the clouds move in
Kisses
Online grocery ordering
A sprinkle of snow on the ground
Comfy clothes
When The Man of the House laughs
A bird singing her morning song
Watching the puppy enjoy his new toy
Figuring out an easy way to apply the puppy's ear drops
Waking up to a surprise snowfall
The Man of the House playing with the puppy
The Male Offspring stepping outside his comfort zone
The arrival of March
A clean car
Deer prints in the mud

What No One Told Me About Menopause: It Can Last a LONG Time

Featured snippet from the w

This post is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen, and never disregard medical advice or delay seeing help because of something you read on this website. 


Have you ever completely underestimated how long a certain activity would take?  Something we think will take a couple of days often actually takes weeks.  Or months.

That's kind of how this whole menopause journey has been for me.  

I don't know exactly what I was expecting.  I guess I thought that for several months (like, maybe a year or two) your cycles got further and further apart while your periods got lighter and you skipped one here and there until they just completely stopped.  

Imagine my surprise when I learned that perimenopause symptoms can begin years ahead of menopause.  Years!! 

The process is different for every woman depending on factors such as genetics, general health, life style, diet, and lifestyle.  The average length of perimenopause is about 4 years, but for some women it can last for as little as a few months or as much as ten years. 

I had NO idea!

Even when you reach the point when you haven't had a period for twelve consecutive months (menopause), you may continue to have symptoms for several years.  The good news is that they usually decrease in intensity and frequency.  Symptoms such as hot flashes usually disappear within five years.  However one study found that up to one third of women continue to experience hot flashes for ten years or more.

I can't tell you how long my symptoms have been occuring.  When some of them first began I wrote them off to other things.  And of course, still being in the perimenopause stage - there's no sure way of knowing when they will end.

The important thing to remember is that every woman is different.  Just because you're not experiencing what your mother, sister, or best friend experienced doesn't mean that you're not having a normal, healthy menopause. If you are concerned about any of your symptoms or if they are interferring with your quality of life, you should always discuss them with your doctor.  

Do you have questions about menopause?  Let me know in the comments and I'll try to answer them through out this series.  

Currently... March 2020

March is an unpredictable month.  Sometimes it can be warm and spring-like. Other times it can be cold and wintery.  In 1993, we had a blizzard in the middle of March that most people who experienced it will never forget!  Hopefully, that won't happen again. Probably not.  But whatever March brings, I feel ready for it!

Reading:  The Ones Who Save Us by Jenna Blum.  In the next couple of weeks, I will also be reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson and The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes by Anna McPartlin.  I was finally able to check out 168 Hours (which I finished yesterday) and The Fringe Hours (which I'll hopefully be completing this week) after having to return them for other holds.  It's nice to be able to get those done and behind me.

Working On:  Planning ahead and scheduling social media posts and promos for my Etsy shop.  I am tired of scrambling to figure out what I want to post most days, and this is helping me get ahead of the game.  The social media planning calendar my sister gave me for Christmas is a big help with this!

Loving: Going on more walks with Max.  Now that he's a little bigger and has received his vaccines, we're getting out for more walks when the weather is nice -  including walking at the park.  It's good for both of us to get a little exercise and fresh air!

Celebrating:  March brings birthdays for my mother and our son in law.   I'm also celebrating that my amazing niece was accepted into the grad program she wanted!

Wanting/Needing:  Some inspiration for healthy, WW friendly meals.  I've gotten a little bored with the same old sameness and that makes it more challenging to stick with the program.

Dreaming About:  Future road trips with the Man of the House.  We spent a weekend in Memphis earlier this month and decided that we want to start taking more long weekend trips together.

March Goals:

1. Lose 5 pounds
2. Take a long walk with Max at least 2 days per week 
3. Drink 75 ounces of water per day
4. Schedule April social media posts for Etsy Shop
5. Follow up with local bath and body shop owner re: wholesale partnership
6. Create samples to provide per #5
7. Schedule April Thankful posts
8. Create April Sunday posts

Sunday Inspiration: Start