Baby Steps, Celebrations, and Victories

Image courtesy
of [Stuart Miles]/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Introduction

Early this morning, as I finally get up after a night of sleeping and dozing, I am thankful there are some things in life that can be changed or improved.  Like this piece I published yesterday, I am unfinished.  I thought I had myself together, but I discovered I am actually a rough draft, a work in progress.  Just as I am being changed, I have edited this post. 

 The title never quite set true with me.  It felt awkward and uncomfortable.  The original title was Warnings, Celebrations, and Victories.  Perhaps, I was warning myself:  slow down, be careful, you are overdoing.  I knew that I had to rest yesterday.  My activities were quiet, things I could do with my hands with my feet up.  I think the most I did on my feet was fix two simple meals and clean up the kitchen.

Here is the cleaned up version of Warnings, Celebrations, and Victories.  In this cyber world of instant publishing, it is easy to publish something too soon before it is ready.  One can change titles and do updates.  However, the change of title doesn't show, unless you copy the old piece, paste, and republish.  Here is my cleaned up version, with a couple of changed paragraphs, deletes, and an added cookie recipe.  Also, I have a new title, which fits:  Baby Steps, Celebrations, and Victories.

This is the time of year that can drain our physical resources because of traditions we are not willing to let go.  When one has a chronic illness, there are Christmases one has to lighten up on the traditions.  And this varies from year to year.  We may have willing minds, but our bodies don't always cooperate with what we want to do, so we push ourselves to a point we have reached all physical limitations by January and often fall into an exhausted state of relapse.

Image Courtesy of [Artur84]

The important thing to remember is your reason for celebrating.  If you cannot cook all the traditional dishes or elaborately decorate your house, you can still remember the Christ Child's birth.  Or, if you are Jewish, you can remember why you celebrate Hanukkah.  Whatever tradition you celebrate, you can choose to keep the important elements of your tradition, but lighten up on some of the frills.  

One of the things I want to do this year is spend time in meditation and prayer -- quiet time, which can be refreshing to the body and soul.  Spending time with our creator and Lord is important.  It makes the celebration dearer.  

Hopefully you will be able to spend time with family and friends, but rest is an imperative.  You no longer have to be the host or the hostess  with the mostest.   Feel free to let others help you or be the preparers of the feasts.  By the way, deli trays are good too when preparation is too much.  After all, what is more important -- spending time with family or eating the traditional feast?

Please don't feel like I am admonishing you.  I have pushed myself until I was in a relapse by January more times than I want to admit, so I know how hard it is to not be influenced by what we think we have to do.  I am merely encouraging you to think about how you can have a fulfilling holiday without pushing yourself into a corner.

Here's a quick list of ideas:

1. Put up a smaller tree.
2. Don't use every decoration you own, just the ones you like the best.
3. Use bags for presents, or wrap one or two presents a day.
4. Figure out which edible treat you cannot live without and make it. Or, maybe you can buy it ready made.
5. If you have a party at your home, it could be "bring your favorite party food or snack."  I can practically guarantee  everyone will enjoy themselves.
6. Maybe you think paper plates are gauche or a waste of perfectly good  trees, but they don't have to be washed.  Your energy is precious too.

The important thing is to baby step your way through the holidays!  

Victory Report

I would love for you to share your holiday victories with us.  Large or small, they all add up.

I already have a few, which I believe are a result of what I have been working on in small steps for the last two years. Here they are.

We have had a light out in one of our rooms for two weeks.  My husband put in a new switch.  We had a knowledgeable friend that came over and tested circuits.  Today, we had a trained electrician over and he fixed it.  The thing that impressed me was for the first time in a long time, I felt ready when I had to have a repairman come into the house.  The only thing that looked messy were the counters in the kitchen;  and, I had those wiped off before he got to our door.  It felt good to not have to repress embarrassment:  instead, I felt calm and did not frazzle myself with quick pick ups.

A few days ago, I almost had a crisis about our Christmas tree, which my husband was eager to have up this year.  I started melting down, because I felt like I was right back in the middle of clutter again.  I didn't want to ask my husband to move the furniture, so I had the tree in possibly the most unbalanced position I have ever seen for one.  In fact, it looked plain old ugly where it was placed.  

However, when I explained to my husband how the tree and the boxes of decorations were overwhelming me, he wanted to help.  He even offered to put the tree back up in the attic.  But, I finally remembered how we had the furniture last year:  note to self -- draw a picture and put with my Christmas information for future use.  He moved the furniture and it made all the difference in how I felt about that tree.  As for the decoration boxes, he started putting the emptied boxes up in the attic in the evening to get them out of the spare bedroom.  The spare bedroom was my other source of frustration, because I felt like the progress I had been making by getting out the things I was saving for the cancelled garage sale had been destroyed.    

The good news is there is progress at my house.  It was not instant, but I am reaping the fruits of my labors.  This is how I know baby steps work.  I am experiencing it.

From feeling comfortable about short notice someone is coming to my house, to having one mantel decorated, to having the tree up, to having the Manger Scene arranged, and having three wreaths up, all before the second week of December, I am experiencing success.  After my husband and I readjusted how the job was going to be done, I could breathe easier.  Moreover, it was a boon not having to clean the living room before we decorated the tree.  

I know it is going to take perseverance and many more baby steps to continue what I have started.  I hope you know that too.  May we continue to encourage one another, changing methods when what we are using doesn't work anymore.  Thinking out of our normal boxes can revitalize and make our lives better.  

Finally, if you haven't joined my Facebook Page, Chronic Fatigue and Creative Decluttering, the exchange of ideas and methods for managing our clutter and cleaning has been helpful.  Also, look for the cookie recipe  below the picture.  I think I have had this "secret" recipe for forty years.  It is one of the frills I don't want to give up this year, so I plan to make it.  And, I can sit down to decorate the cookies.

Image courtesy of [africa]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Nana's Sugar Cookies (possibly the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever tasted)

Image courtesy of [apolonia]/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cream together  1/2 cup of butter
                          1 cup of sugar

Blend in              1 large egg

Sift together and add to mixture (I use sifted unbleached flour, so I just mix the following ingredients with a wire whisk.) 
                          2 to 2-1/4 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
                          2 tsp. baking powder
                         1/2 tsp. salt
                         1/2 tsp. vanilla

Divide dough in two parts.  Chill 1 to 2 hours so it will be easy to handle.  Roll dough, one part at a time on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters that have been dipped in flour first.  Keep other part of dough chilled until ready to roll.  Transfer to ungreased cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven (375 degrees) for 8 to 10 minutes.  (Use a spatula to transfer the uncooked dough to your cookie sheet.)  

If desired, Frost with Confectioner's Sugar-Water Glaze while the cookies are still warm.  I like to make small bowls of different colors, and "paint" the cookies.  I use an inexpensive water color brush for each color (wash the brushes first).

Confectioners Sugar-Water Glaze

Blend together 1 cup sifted Confectioners sugar and 5 to 6 tsp. water.  Add food coloring, if desired.  Brush glaze over cookies while still warm.


Hugs,

Deborah

Keep It Simple Holiday Cleaning Calendar

Choose one job a day to work on your
Christmas or Holiday preparation.
Image Courtesy of  [Salvatore Vuono]/
FreeDigitalPhotos.net

KISS = keep it simple sweetie!

Morning

Make bed

Take meds and supplements

Breakfast

One load of laundry

Unload dishwasher

Rest

Afternoon

Lunch

Take meds and supplements

Load dishwasher

Rest

Chore of the Day

(If you are still in the Declutter Stage, work on this for 5 to 15 minutes or this can be your chore of the day, depending on your energy level.) 

Night

Supper

Load dishwasher

Wipe kitchen counters

Rest

Pick up for 5 minutes 

   (use a basket)

Get ready for bed

Weekly

Monday:        Dust 1 or 2 rooms

Tuesday:       Clean Toilets

Wednesday:  Mid-week Planning

                       Catch up 

Thursday:      Vacuum 1 or 2 rooms (Centers)

Friday:           Mop Floors

Saturday:      Time for family to help or 

                       Just  Family Day Fun

Sunday:         Time to Meditate and Worship  






P.S.  The way to print this is to hold your left mouse button down and slide the mouse along the 
part you want to print.  It should turn blue.  Then, you click on the blue with your right button, and you will see choices like Copy and Print.  You can right click on print to print it out, or you can copy it and save to your computer.  I am printing and framing my copy.  Then, I can use a dry erase marker or a wet erase marker to check off what I have done or write down something for the day or week.

                   

The Holidays Are Just Around the Corner, and That's OK!

Image Courtesy of [suphakit73]/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don't panic:  the holidays are just around the corner!  I'm a Christian, so I 
celebrate that Jesus Christ, whom I really do believe is the Savior of the World, has come, died on a cross (Easter), and arose from the dead.  He is actually my living savior, and I will see Him some day. 

I realize that some of you may not be Believers;  however, you may believe in God and you may like celebrating this time of the year, whatever your religion may be.  I do not hide my beliefs, because I believe that Jesus taught that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one can be with the Father (God), unless he or she believes in Him.

Some of the ways I like to celebrate is with bright colors, sending out cards, fixing festive food, and putting up a Christmas tree.  I use to always sing special Christmas music in church, but this year I have not had the energy to go to rehearsals.  However, I am sure I will sing carols around the house and in church services.  Different years, we have found special things to do for someone else;  as well as spending time with friends and family -- also exchanging gifts.

My early gift to you is going to be in my next post.  It's a Holiday Cleaning Calendar that you can put in a notebook, put on your refrigerator, or frame. It's free.  

Just print it out and enjoy.  

You may not do things on the same days I do, but I consider this an outline. I don't always know how I am going to feel from one day to the other, so I do what I can.  And, I do what I think is most important.  That is why I tell you to make a list.  Start with three things.

Have I mentioned that you don't have to have everything perfect or the way it used to be to enjoy your holiday?  Since I have been at the point I was most ill, I have discovered that simple is good.   

Simple is good!

May blessings abound in your lives.

Love,
                                   
Deborah

Decorating, Resting, Weight, and Shopping in One Post

Christmas Tree Decorating in Progress
Learning to Balance Life Changes

How is your energy meter?  I hope it is on, so you are able to enjoy the holidays, get something done, and rest at the same time.  We are not quite done with our tree; but then again, ornaments tend to move around as long as it's up.  There is always another angle or better place for the ornaments, especially when your labrador retriever knocks off an ornament with her tail.  Last year we didn't put up a Christmas tree, because I had surgery;  and I knew I was not going to be able to take it down after the surgery.  Furthermore, my Fibro-brain was not working well enough to think of a way to rearrange the furniture to fit in our tree.  Don't you love it when your brain is working better, so you can do the things you have been wanting to do?

Quite honestly, I am not sure where to go with today's blog post.  I am probably like most of you, trying to keep my head above water, and not get a flare-up.  Speaking of flare-ups, last week I got a cortisone shot in my right knee and it feels so much better, but I am seriously thinking of asking for one in my left knee.  Arthritis in both knees is not fun.  Actually, arthritis anywhere is not good, but such is life;  moreover, I put some serious wear and tear on my knees when I was younger.  I am thankful for the good years they gave me.

Some of you may be wondering how the green coffee extract is working for me.  So far, I do not feel any caffeine effects, which goes along with the research I did on what other people had said about GCE.  I am still keeping my food journal, also I include the time I take medicine and supplements, as well as what they are.  Now, for the good part -- I have lost four pounds!  Woohoo!  That takes me back to where I was before Thanksgiving, and I have been able to go to dinners and parties -- two of them.  However, I know of times this has been my undoing, so I am a happy lady.  By the way, moderate low-carb is keeping my blood sugar at an even keel.  That's a good thing too.

So goes the 2012 Christmas Season for me so far.  Most of the presents are ready to be wrapped, and I plan to start that soon -- one or two a day.  God bless you all at this wonderful time of year.  I pray for you to enjoy the blessings and good memories of past Christmases as well.

Also, check out what I have to say on my right sidebar about one of my favorite online shopping places who I happen to be an affiliate with.  I will give you a hint -- think of strong, tall woman, who is a warrior.  And aren't we warriors too, guys and gals?  We are fighting fibromyalgia and other chronic diseases, as well as finding ways to live our lives happily and more fully.  Merry Christmas!

Easy and Make Ahead Recipes

It's time to think about recipes.  I'm going to suggest a few that can be made several days ahead of your get-together.  And if I think of any others in the days ahead, I may add a few more.

The following is easy to make and guests go back for more.  If you have any left over, they are good for a main dish.

Easy Appetizers / Hors d'oeuvres


Easy Slow Cooker Barbecued Meatballs

2 -16 ounce packages of frozen meatballs (about 60)
1  20 ounce can of pineapple chunks undrained
1  regular sized bottle barbecue sauce (1 to 1-1/2 Cups of Sauce) I think I  
                                                         used Bulls-eye BBS) 
1  sliced or diced green bell pepper

Cook for 5 - 8 hours on low.  Slow cookers can vary in temperatures, but it would be very hard to cook these too long.  Also, if you are a creative cook you could spice these up according to your taste.  However, this is one of the easiest appetizers I have ever made.

Layered Mexican Dip

Buy a large bag of Tortilla Chips to serve along side this recipe.
All you have to do is layer the listed ingredients in the order given, then
put it in the refrigerator to heat up later or put it in the oven right away, then serve.  This is a really yummy dip.  I like it much better than the cold bean layered dip.  I put this in a 9 X 13 inch glass baking dish.

1 Can of Refried Beans (Regular Size)
Brown 1 pound Ground Beef with 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
8 ounces Taco Sauce
1 1/2 or 2 Cups Shredded Cheese
Small Can Chopped Green Chilis (4 oz.)
Small Can Chopped Black Olives
1 Cup Sour Cream (a little tight spreading 1 cup, but can be done)
Optional:  Chopped green onion if desired

Bake at 350 degree f. for 25 minutes.  Serve with Tortilla Chips.

_____________________________________________________________

Make Ahead Dinners or Suppers

Menu

Ham, Roast, or Poultry  
      
Ham can be served cold after it is cooked.  
You could buy Whole Cooked Chicken from the Grocery Store Deli.
Or you could cook a Roast, Turkey Breast or Chicken in a Reynold's Oven Bag.  I have never had  dry meat when cooking in one of these bags.
See the directions in bags for oven temperature and cooking times.
Another choice would be cooking the meat in your slow cooker all day, but it
may be falling apart.  Remember, this is supposed to be easy.  Do what is easiest for you.  Oven Bags make clean up easier too.

Suggested seasonings:
Pork:  Garlic, Rosemary, Salt, and Pepper (Can cook this in a cooking bag too)
Chicken in the Bag:  Season inside and out.  Garlic Salt, Celery Salt, Pepper, 
                             Onion Salt, Paprika.  You can substitute Powdered Garlic
                              for Garlic Salt.  Shake seasonings on the whole chicken.
                              Follow directions for Cooking Bag.
Turkey or Turkey Breast:  You could put a cut onion and some cut stalks
                                    of celery in the cavity.  Don't fill it full.  Leave 
                                    room for heat to circulate.  Rub with butter.
                                    Salt and Pepper Turkey.

Bake sweet potatoes in oven with the main meat or poultry dish.  Serve with
butter, salt, and pepper.  Let guests butter, salt and pepper according to taste.

Or you could have Yellow Rice.  Note that most packaged yellow rice contains
MSG. 

Serve with chilled jellied and/or whole Cranberry Sauce.  Open both ends of cans for sauce to slide out in shape of can.

Possible Make Ahead Casserole for This Menu - this recipe tastes better if it sits in the refrigerator for a couple of days.  It is quite rich.

My Version of Spinach Madeleine (this is a tripled version which will fit in a 9 X
13 glass rectangular baking dish or a 3 quart casserole.  Bake without a cover. 

Ingredients
--large version for 15 to 20 people 
4 - 16 ounce bags chopped frozen spinach 
1 1/2 sticks of butter
1/4 Cup of flour plus 2 Tablespoons
1/3 finely chopped onions
1 1/3 Cups of Spinach Liquer (Juice drained from cooked Spinach)
1 - 12 ounce Can Evaporated Milk
1 Teaspoon Garlic Salt or Rounded 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Celery Salt
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
3 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 3/4 Monterey Jack Pepper Cheese, cut into small chunks
1 Cup Sharp Grated Cheddar Cheese
Cayenne pepper to taste
Butter, and Breadcrumbs made with whole wheat or white bread, for topping

--regular version for 5 to 6 people fits in a 1 1/2 quart casserole
1 1/4 bag of chopped frozen spinach or 2 - 10 ounce boxes frozen spinach
1/2 stick of butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1/2 cup spinach liquer (juice drained from cooked spinach)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces monterey jack pepper cheese
1/3 cup sharp grated cheddar cheese
cayenne pepper to taste
Butter and Breadcrumbs, for topping


Cook spinach as directed on package; drain in strainer, reserve spinach liquid.
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
Whisk in flour until smooth.
Add onion; cook until soft but not brown.  Stir while cooking.
Slowly add milk and reserved spinach liquid 1/2 to 1 1/2 Cups of liquid 
     depending on how much you are making.  Stir as you add liquids.
     until sauce is smooth and thickened.
Stir in garlic salt, celery salt, pepper, Worcestershire and cheeses;  
      continue stirring until smooth.
Add Drained Spinach to Sauce, or Combine in Large Bowl.
Pour into Casserole Dish.
Make your bread crumbs with bread by tearing into small pieces. 
      Melt some butter in a saute pan and stir your bread crumbs 
      around in butter.
Spread bread crumbs over mixture in casserole dish.

If you are chilling, cool before putting in refrigerator.  Cover and leave in refrigerator one or two days.  This also freezes well.  If you use a glass casserole dish, make sure you let it come close to room temperature before putting in oven, or it might crack.  

Bake at 350 to 375 degrees for 35 minutes to 40 minutes, until bubbly.

If you are cooking in oven right away, use the cooking time below.
Bake at 350 degrees f. until heated through and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes.  (This recipe always tastes better after it sits in the refrigerator for one or two days.) 

Salad and Rolls could be served with this meal, but our family did not find rolls necessary.

Light Dessert  such as, Sherbet, Sorbet,  or Key Lime Pie -- delicious versions
can be bought in the grocery store.

Did I Promise a Party?

Extended Family Enjoying One Another

It is a busy time of year, so I am going to make a bare bones blog post for you to read about types of parties.  I have a feeling that I am only skimming the surface, so feel free to comment and suggest ideas.  The first ideas I am choosing for the ease of getting it together.

First things first:  forget about comparing your home to someone else's.  Some of the best parties I have been to were in small, very modestly furnished trailers or apartments.  I have also been to some wonderful parties in beautifully furnished, large homes.  There were three key components that made these parties enjoyable:  fellowship, sharing the work, and creativity.  About creativity:  if you don't feel you are a creative person, borrow ideas from me, from Pinterest, or from magazines.  Above all, keep it simple so you can have enough energy to enjoy yourself.



1.  Impromptu Parties
    . Invite some friends home from church for soup and dessert.
    . Have your neighbors over for coffee and dessert, or wine and cheese.
    . Call a couple of friends and say, "Do you have any plans for tonight or 
      tomorrow?  I'd like you to come over for  ___________."
2.  Cookie Exchange
     This takes a little more preparation, because you will have to have coffee
      or tea, or both.  Also, you could have punch.  Some easy protein such as 
      cheese squares, which you can buy already cut up and a deli-tray with  
      the celery, carrots, dip, etc. might be nice, because it offsets the   
      sweetness of cookies.  Also, it is a nice thing for the carbohydrate 
      sensitive folks you know.   You could even ask someone who has a 
      problem with eating sweets to bring some of these items, instead of 
      cookies.  Ask your guests to make their favorite Christmas cookie, 
      perhaps a couple of dozen if you invite 10 people.  It would be nice
      if everyone made enough cookies to take some home on a paper plate,
      in one of those pretty colored boxes that look like Chinese carryout  
      (can buy these at a craft store, like Michaels), or in a small plastic
      container from the  grocery store.  Ask each person to bring 10 copies
      of their recipe, which is part of the exchange.      
3.  Cold Cut Trays from the Deli, a Variety of Breads, a Variety of Mustards, 
     and Mayonaisse & Beverages. Good for a small crowd or a large crowd.       
4.  Soup, Salad, Bread, and Dessert
     Good for a crowd or a small dinner party.
5.  Finger Food Buffet
     Have your friends bring their favorite party food.  You provide paper 
     plates, plastic forks, napkins, cups, and beverages.  
     If you don't like to use throw aways, be prepared to wash dishes or let 
     some friends help.
6.  Pot Luck
    This is the same idea as Finger Food Buffet.  If you want a little more  
     control, you could ask your friends to bring a vegetable, dessert, 
     beverages, or bread.  You could provide the meat.
7.  In addition to the various kinds of parties you can have, you could also do 
     a white elephant exchange.  Each guest brings a funny, yummy, or unusual 
     gift.  Each person draws a number:  #1 goes first, unwraps his/her gift,
     then the next person #2 goes.  #2 has the option of picking a gift to 
     unwrap or take the gift  from #1.  If  #1 gets his gift taken away, he 
     chooses another gift and unwraps it.  Play the game until everyone has an   
     opportunity to choose a gift.  One of the funniest gifts I remember seemed 
     very uncharacteristic for the person who unwrapped it.  She unwrapped a 
     toilet seat with sixties' type flowers painted on it, then proceeded to set it  
     on the couch and sit on it.  We were all young married couples,  and we
     could hardly stop laughing.  What I remember about that party is the 
     fun and fellowship.  Also, my best Texas friend brought either winter     
     squash or sweet potatoes with apples in it.  That party was over thirty
     years ago, and I still remember. 

     
I hope this gave you some ideas.  Tomorrow, I will give you some ideas and recipes for a make ahead menu.

By the way, do not forget the power of deli-cheesecake, frozen pies, and cakes from the bakery.  Also, for those who are on a frugal budget: there are some delicious bean and hambone soups that I have never seen anyone turn down.

P.S. Did I remind you?  Let friends and family help.  And it doesn't have to be perfect, whatever that is -- maybe, imperfect Is perfect.

What's Important

Image Courtesy of [dan] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Before I go any further on the subject of entertaining, I want to talk about our focus.  If our focus is on how beautiful our home is or isn't, than our focus is skewed.  If you are a Christian the focus of the season is the birth of Jesus Christ and how blessed we are that God loves us so much, He sent His Son to save the world.  Many people do not understand, nor care about this.  They just love the festivity of the season, the thoughts of peace and good will.  The thing is that we would not have those without Jesus Christ.  

I know there are religions that celebrate at this darker time of the year to bring light into their lives, but I know of no light that is stronger or more real than the one true God, His Holy Spirit, and His Son.  This is not a politically correct statement, but I told you I would be honest.  There is no way I can leave this out of the equation, because this is why I celebrate year round, not just at Christmas. Jesus was not born in a palace, but a stable:  He comes to each one of us regardless of our station in life:  rich and poor, sick and well, young and old, aristocrat and commoner, CEO of a company and CEO of a home (homemaker), whoever you are -- He came for your salvation.

I would be remiss if I did not tell you, you can be joyful and celebrate the season without decorations and fancy feasts.  You do not have to decorations, even though they are enjoyable.  If all I have is the energy to straighten up my house and do the everyday normal, I am still going to be happy.  Can you do that?  Can you take joy in what you can do, not focus on what you can't do?  What we can do is going to be different for all of us.  For many of us, this differs from year to year.

I want a Christmas tree.  I want decorations.  However, I do not know if I will accomplish this or not.  As it draws closer to Christmas, I can see that just a touch of festive decorations may be all I can manage.  I will be joyful if I have none and joyful if I have some.  I will do what I can do, and I am going to focus on why I do it.  I do it to celebrate the birth of my Savior Jesus Christ.  Now, I will go eat my late breakfast and be glad I got this straight in my own mind and heart.  What's important for you?