Category: Words in Sentences

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Words in Sentences

The Work of Not Working @ Bedtime

by Erin2 Comments on The Work of Not Working @ Bedtime

All 5 kids are home. Lucy came back around dinner time and I heard Elle come in towards the end of the yoga class I was teaching out of my bedroom.

There is a group of about six 40+ year old women I teach to twice a month. I started praying over them at the start and end of class. We have grown into a little community. It’s a sweet, kind hobby.

I cleaned the house from top to bottom today. I think Mondays are my cleaning days now. I feel like I need to dislike Mondays just like everybody else. It just doesn’t seem fair if everybody is going to work and to school and I’m like “k gonna pack your lunch and read a book”. I want to stay relevant, you know. So I deep clean on Mondays.

Side note – Happy to report that my latest towel strategy (delivering a fresh towel on the bed, every three days) is keeping the conundrum to a minimum.

Today was grueling because I was tired but it had lots of sweet moments. I gave Kara an old black blazer from my junior career days. Ellen and Lucy never wanted it but I hung on to it bc it’s a great blazer. (I just had eventually upgraded to J Crew ya know)

Anyway – She has been wearing it since the moment I gave it to her – it looks awesome. You can tell she loves it.

Lucy got her cast off. Not sure if I ever wrote about that but she fell and broke her wrist back four weeks ago. So she got a yellow cast for Christmas :) we took care of that this morning. I put on heels and jeans bc I was leaving the house. It was interesting. :)

When Ellen got home, Maddox was all about her. Fred the elf has been visiting (and writing) every day. Karma got me for never doing elf on la shelf for Ellen and Lucy and now I have an 8 year old who has “researched elves” and is really (super) into it. Not going to lie, my elf game is pretty strong. I’ll share more sometime.

I had a meeting this afternoon with a designer, Beth – a friend of mine from church who is crazy talented. I’m doing some inquiring about getting professional help for the look and feel of my books.

The appointment was at 2:30pm. And pretty sure it was the highlight of my day.

I was tired this morning from binge watching Emily in Paris yesterday. My eyes were burning at the cast appointment. Once I got home, cleaning made me crabby bc fatigue makes me take everything personally.

After meeting with Beth, I shared what I learned with David and he said his heart felt full bc of how lit up I was about it.

Every day I allow myself to recognize myself as an artist, I become more of an artist. I grow a deeper happiness and into a more true nature.

Which is great but more importantly I need to keep David’s heart full bc I accidentally forgot to put the guard on the buzzer yesterday and legit buzzed a line at a 0 (bald) down the right side of the back of his head.

The laughter that pours out of me related to my humiliation, how extreme of a mistake I made and how kind he was about it simply makes me belly laugh. It has been my ab work out.

We did have an agreement that there may be a mistake I learn from before I embarked on cutting his hair, so that worked in my favor. I feel so bad. I’m fascinated by how bad I feel and how that feeling makes me laugh. What is that? So curious.

I just had to capture this full full day. I feel like I barely scratched the surface. Going to attempt some home made granola tomorrow and make Instagram videos of my facial reaction while I check each of the kids grades and missing assignments.

The work of not working is truly in being yourself. I have been thinking a lot lately about how many artists and writers and musicians are in 9-5 jobs for health insurance. I wonder how much better our culture would be if we had universal health care (with a private option of course) so we could have more artists creating art.

Ok – here are some pics :)

Ellen and Maddox
When I teach and they go into resting pose it just looks like I’m monitoring nest cams or something
Magic tricks in new blazer
Words in Sentences

When Trains Stop @ Train Crossing on the Hill

by ErinLeave a Comment on When Trains Stop @ Train Crossing on the Hill

I have always believed that when a train stops you, it is meant to be.

Today, as I was buzzing around delivering packages to friends’ front porches, a train crossing lowered and as I braked, I realized the train was slowing down to a stop.

A friend called as this was happening and her questions were met with a distracted, irritated tone in my voice as my frustration increased.

I remembered my belief to be present but I really wanted to get home. I have been running around a lot today, and I wanted to sit and just be still.

That’s when I realize: I am sitting still. I thought about how it’s possible that the length of time I am here will put me on new timing and coordination with what is to come this afternoon.

I notice the train car in front of me: “Canadian Pacific” and see the maple leaf… I text my husband a pic… we love the Canadian Pacific. We crave it, actually.

So I could sit here and soak. It’s been ten minutes already. But as much as I believe that when you’re stopped in your tracks, it’s a place for you to be. I also believe that little pulse in your belly tells you when it’s time.

And just as I wrap this post to turn the car around, the trains starts creeping freely back. I smile at the timing of the moment. As I write, the train is now moving (opposite its original direction, mind you) and I feel the full circle validation only patience and attention can lend you.

Forgive my typos. :)

Words in Sentences

Southerner Approved Red Beans and Rice Recipe

by ErinLeave a Comment on Southerner Approved Red Beans and Rice Recipe

One of the articles I read about teens and chores and making sure you are turning out respectable human beings into the world mentioned having “your teen make dinner for the family”. This makes a lot of sense to me. It is helpful but also practical in that there is a high likelihood of willingness and them being able to cook for themselves.

Mulling this over, my marriage to a southern boy has inherently come with a wifely mandate of semi regular red beans and rice. Red beans and rice legit never goes bad in this house. It is consumed and consumed again until it is gone and – who loves it the most? Aria.

So, Aria, who is virtual on Wednesdays – agreed to learn how to make red beans and rice. And not just any red beans and rice. I am teaching Aria how to make the red beans and rice recipe we have been iterating on. (Yes, we have agile recipe development in this house.)

This is the current version I have captured for our household red beans and rice. Try it out :)

Oh – and here’s our playlist she made from our roadtrip this summer you are welcome to enjoy while you cook up some red beans! We did.

Prep

Chop 1 yellow onion, 1 green pepper, 2 cloves of garlic and 2 celery stalks and set aside in a bowl

Chop up a package of andouille sausage and set aside in a bowl

Get out Worcesterhire sauce, 2 quarts of broth, your spices and your mustard (we use spicy brown or stone ground)

  1. Heat 2 – 3 T olive oil on medium high in a pot
  2. Add chopped veggies to pot
  3. Stir chopped veggies up so they are covered in oil
  4. Add as least two shakes of liquid smoke to the veggies – more if you want it smokier. Stir it up.
  5. Lower heat to medium and cover while you do the next step
  6. Add 1 T Worcestershire sauce and 1 T fancy mustard to the sausage and loosely mix
  7. Add sausage mix from step 6 to translucent veggies and give it a good mix
  8. Add 3 T taco seasoning, 1 tsp celery salt, 1 tsp salt and give it another good mix
  9. With the base of veggies and sausage mix all working well together, add 4 cans of drained red beans
  10. Add 2 quarts of chicken or veggie stock
  11. Taste the broth and see if you want to add a little bit of sugar. Not proud of this move, but we like it with a twist of sweet
  12. Bring to a boil, pray over it ya know and then lower to simmer for 30 – 45 minutes

Make your rice to complete the dish. Enjoy. :)

I like a little bit of shredded cheese in mine :)