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The Just Recipes Blog is going through a temporary blogging slow down. I am 2-3 weeks out from giving birth to my second child- maybe sooner. Blogging will pick up to it's regular posting pace. Thank you for your patience.
All moms know that before and after delivering a baby, our minds have a hard time focusing because they are consumed with how we are going to juggle all the necessary duties of maintaining a household. After having a baby I have learned that one must forget about cleaning the house; stop trying to put on mascara; and do not even schedule a pedicure, hair cut, etc. You as a person, a woman, and an individual are put on hold- only for a little while though.
The first two months after the baby is born is all about maintenance, keeping everyone alive, and trying to maintain some sanity in the brain. How does one prepare for the endeavor of welcoming a new family member into the home?
I have no idea. I do know that when my first was born all aspects of my life became extremely fundamental. I felt like a cave woman. Every aspect of living was stripped down to the necessities. Alright, so I did have a powered breast-pump, heat in the house, as well as TLC's "Bringing Home Baby" to help pass my days recovering from the 8 pound emergence. Tackling new projects, talking on phone, checking e-mail, even enjoying a long shower are all usually put on hold, which is OK. One thing that simply cannot be placed on hold is food. That I CAN prepare for.
Precooked frozen meals are easy and inexpensive to prepare. There are some recipes, packed with protein and easy to thaw and eat, that are perfect for recovering mom as well as keeping the rest of the family nourished and satisfied. Breakfast burritos (recipe in JUST RECIPES cook book) are easy to prepare ahead of time and freeze. Pasta dishes with meat (if vegetarian, tofu) with vegetables mixed in are also smart to have pre-made and in the freezer. Other foods like cereal, yogurt, green salad fixings, frozen hamburger patties, fruit, cheese, bread, and nuts are all essential to have in the kitchen so you and your partner can just grab and eat without fuss. Keeping sweets out of the house is smart because they do not get anyone anywhere except a fast crash and burn type of body rush. Plus, most women want to shed their baby weight. Having a well stocked kitchen is something attainable to most women these days. All it takes is some planning.
Planning a head of time for a new trip can be intimidating. Knowing what you need, how you are going to get it, getting it, and using it, are important aspects in having a peaceful journey. When it comes to recovering and thriving after giving birth, submit and be a cave woman for a while. Hoard your food and be wise in your nutritional decisions. Bask in the simplicity of being a woman. Remember the itty-bitty baby days do not last long, and tired times will soon end.
Peace,
Karen Fjeldheim
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Where ever we may land
My sister-in-law Sara has this really cool column in her local newspaper. She's a single mom who recently moved back to her home town in Montana. Her last column really got me thinking about homes. Not about buying one or anything ridiculous like that, but about what makes a home a home. I was so struck at how at peace she seemed with her location, and her deep appreciation for her home. I do not think it is the actual house she lives in, but her community, her family, her friends. I smiled as I read about her affinity and appreciation towards her home because so many people today are so dissatisfied with this or that in their living situation.
My home involves family and friends, a 2 year-old girl, and the aroma of home cooked food floating in every corner of the house. My husband and I love the idea of making a boat into our home for a summer. Home to me is good energy, warmth, love, and all those good feelings you used to get when you were a young child. Home is the smell of freshly cut grass after a rain storm, or a pile of clean laundry waiting to be folded. Home is the mold growing in our shower, the smell of coffee brewing in the morning, and the TV turned onto some annoying children's show. Home is that plant that is always on the brink of death, and suddenly it gets a little attention and then it's right back to standing tall. In the summer, we get to smell slow cooked meat on the grill thanks to that $15 charcoal grill that is falling apart, but still cooks a mean steak. Home is our resting ground, or place of play, and our little island.
I feel truly blessed and thankful we have a home we call ours. We do not have the freedom to remodel or purchase the land we live on. It is not worth the money to get rid of the wonderfully dated wall paper, or paint over the scratches in the wall. We have a gigantic garden at the side of our home where we spend many hours in the summertime weeding, eating the vegetables, and playing in the dirt. We have fruit trees all around us that bring us delicious snacks and lures in ridiculous wildlife. We get to see big horned sheep, deer, eagles, lynx, bears, and wild turkeys right out our windows. We get to look around 360 degrees and see pine and aspen covered mountains. Our home gives us sharp cool mornings and pleasant afternoons, and fresh crisp evenings.
No matter where we make our house, I am confident we can always make it home, where ever we may land.
Home is where the heart is, they say. True that.
Karen Fjeldheim
My home involves family and friends, a 2 year-old girl, and the aroma of home cooked food floating in every corner of the house. My husband and I love the idea of making a boat into our home for a summer. Home to me is good energy, warmth, love, and all those good feelings you used to get when you were a young child. Home is the smell of freshly cut grass after a rain storm, or a pile of clean laundry waiting to be folded. Home is the mold growing in our shower, the smell of coffee brewing in the morning, and the TV turned onto some annoying children's show. Home is that plant that is always on the brink of death, and suddenly it gets a little attention and then it's right back to standing tall. In the summer, we get to smell slow cooked meat on the grill thanks to that $15 charcoal grill that is falling apart, but still cooks a mean steak. Home is our resting ground, or place of play, and our little island.
I feel truly blessed and thankful we have a home we call ours. We do not have the freedom to remodel or purchase the land we live on. It is not worth the money to get rid of the wonderfully dated wall paper, or paint over the scratches in the wall. We have a gigantic garden at the side of our home where we spend many hours in the summertime weeding, eating the vegetables, and playing in the dirt. We have fruit trees all around us that bring us delicious snacks and lures in ridiculous wildlife. We get to see big horned sheep, deer, eagles, lynx, bears, and wild turkeys right out our windows. We get to look around 360 degrees and see pine and aspen covered mountains. Our home gives us sharp cool mornings and pleasant afternoons, and fresh crisp evenings.
No matter where we make our house, I am confident we can always make it home, where ever we may land.
Home is where the heart is, they say. True that.
Karen Fjeldheim
Monday, March 9, 2009
Necessities
Is "Putting yourself in someones shoes" a good idea? It is certainly NOT. There's so many of these "Golden Rules", or "Everything I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten" sayings that are appropriate in life.
Others, like "Putting yourself in someones shoes", is simply not helpful when someone is going through a hard economic time.
Sure, most Americans have been through hard financial times, but they are NEVER the same as another persons'. First of all, our bank accounts are not the same at the start of these financial woes. I may have extra money in the bank to carry me though a few months, you may not. The result is drastically different. You may be forced into applying for government assistance for health care, food, etc. Or, you may have the money to pay for these necessities. The unfortunate American may be forced out of their home with no family around to help them, finding themselves and/or their immediate family living in some shelter until they use up their time and get kicked out into the streets. You may have kids, a lot of kids. I may not. You may require expensive medication, I may not. Times may be different than the last time you were in a hard spot. Things are more expensive now. A job at a fast food place will not suffice in supporting a family. The money is just not enough. You can play the bill system, but if there's not enough money, and time is up, you will eventually receive a red notice in the mail that your electricity will be shut off. Thirdly, what you may consider a "necessity" may be different than what I consider a "necessity", therefore, making yours or my situation "worse"- which is ridiculous to ponder. For example, I consider food, water, shelter, clothing, and certain medications a necessity. I also like to consider my car a necessity, although some may not. I do not think that home decorating, body decorating, owning fancy electronics, or spending money on physical appearances is a necessity. Some people do consider these things a life or death, making my perception of their problem completely different than mine. This is a bad spot for all since it brings comparison into the mix.
Comparison in life situations are rarely beneficial. Comparisons in general, are often not helpful in situations involving depth. They always involve another person, and another person is obviously not you! Another person requires different necessities than you. Another person has a different mind-process as you. Another person is not you, therefore, why would you desire what they have unless you are trying to be that person? It's the same with assumptions. No one really knows the impact a situation has on a person. Their tolerance may be higher or lower. Maybe their tolerance is just worn down because they are tired of not getting any relief that they are seeking. Judging a person's situation is useless, senseless, underproduction, and a sheer waste of time. Offering certain suggestions (like, "Have you tried this? or "Have you tried that?") is downright degrading. Again, my situation requires different necessities than you, so why would your plan solve my problems? Really, I would love to know.
Basically, when times are economically hard, I think the most helpful way a person can be is to simply lend an ear. Sharing your past stories of your woes does not make a person feel better. In fact, I think it has more damaging effects because it downplays a person's situation. You cannot be in someone's shoes unless you are that person. Being empathetic is nice, but trying so hard as to make your situation the same as the person talking to you is insulting.
As for all the people effected by this economic crisis... My positive thoughts and prayers go out to you. I wish you nothing but success and happiness and hope that things will change in your favor soon.
Karen Fjeldheim
Others, like "Putting yourself in someones shoes", is simply not helpful when someone is going through a hard economic time.
Sure, most Americans have been through hard financial times, but they are NEVER the same as another persons'. First of all, our bank accounts are not the same at the start of these financial woes. I may have extra money in the bank to carry me though a few months, you may not. The result is drastically different. You may be forced into applying for government assistance for health care, food, etc. Or, you may have the money to pay for these necessities. The unfortunate American may be forced out of their home with no family around to help them, finding themselves and/or their immediate family living in some shelter until they use up their time and get kicked out into the streets. You may have kids, a lot of kids. I may not. You may require expensive medication, I may not. Times may be different than the last time you were in a hard spot. Things are more expensive now. A job at a fast food place will not suffice in supporting a family. The money is just not enough. You can play the bill system, but if there's not enough money, and time is up, you will eventually receive a red notice in the mail that your electricity will be shut off. Thirdly, what you may consider a "necessity" may be different than what I consider a "necessity", therefore, making yours or my situation "worse"- which is ridiculous to ponder. For example, I consider food, water, shelter, clothing, and certain medications a necessity. I also like to consider my car a necessity, although some may not. I do not think that home decorating, body decorating, owning fancy electronics, or spending money on physical appearances is a necessity. Some people do consider these things a life or death, making my perception of their problem completely different than mine. This is a bad spot for all since it brings comparison into the mix.
Comparison in life situations are rarely beneficial. Comparisons in general, are often not helpful in situations involving depth. They always involve another person, and another person is obviously not you! Another person requires different necessities than you. Another person has a different mind-process as you. Another person is not you, therefore, why would you desire what they have unless you are trying to be that person? It's the same with assumptions. No one really knows the impact a situation has on a person. Their tolerance may be higher or lower. Maybe their tolerance is just worn down because they are tired of not getting any relief that they are seeking. Judging a person's situation is useless, senseless, underproduction, and a sheer waste of time. Offering certain suggestions (like, "Have you tried this? or "Have you tried that?") is downright degrading. Again, my situation requires different necessities than you, so why would your plan solve my problems? Really, I would love to know.
Basically, when times are economically hard, I think the most helpful way a person can be is to simply lend an ear. Sharing your past stories of your woes does not make a person feel better. In fact, I think it has more damaging effects because it downplays a person's situation. You cannot be in someone's shoes unless you are that person. Being empathetic is nice, but trying so hard as to make your situation the same as the person talking to you is insulting.
As for all the people effected by this economic crisis... My positive thoughts and prayers go out to you. I wish you nothing but success and happiness and hope that things will change in your favor soon.
Karen Fjeldheim
Friday, March 6, 2009
On Being Thankful
Sophia and I went in to an appointment yesterday and were asked a million health questions. "No, no, nope..." were all our answers to these bizarre conditions.
I started thinking how thankful I really need to be. Yes, I've been working on it for a while now, especially since times are really difficult, but I haven't been truly feeling it. In order to truly embrace a mind frame, I think people need to not only think it, but feel it. That way there's no room for blame because the person has taken responsibility for their own life. Now that's truly living. Or it is just being honest with yourself.
Today I shout out a big thanks!
Karen Fjeldheim
I started thinking how thankful I really need to be. Yes, I've been working on it for a while now, especially since times are really difficult, but I haven't been truly feeling it. In order to truly embrace a mind frame, I think people need to not only think it, but feel it. That way there's no room for blame because the person has taken responsibility for their own life. Now that's truly living. Or it is just being honest with yourself.
Today I shout out a big thanks!
Karen Fjeldheim
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Jump in like a LION!
It was a few years ago and I was ranting to a co-worker/friend about some woe going on in my life. Her solution has stuck with me and will, forever, GET RID OF THE TOXIC PEOPLE in your life. Seriously, just get rid of them. I did and I've been free ever since.
There's so much negativity going on in the world. In reality though, there's more positive things going on in the world, they do not get as much attention. When that toxic (whatever it may be that makes you unhappy) seeps in, it seems to completely overshadow the good. How can we overcome? If possible, avoidance. If it is not possible, make it a possibility. Life it too short, and too sunny to have these ugly clouds pouring down their dirty rain on us.
I vow to eliminate all the toxicity and ugliness in my life. There is no need. I am here on this planet to live, not to maintain. I hope you can do this too. By the end of the month you may feel more like a lamb, I hope to as well.
There's so much negativity going on in the world. In reality though, there's more positive things going on in the world, they do not get as much attention. When that toxic (whatever it may be that makes you unhappy) seeps in, it seems to completely overshadow the good. How can we overcome? If possible, avoidance. If it is not possible, make it a possibility. Life it too short, and too sunny to have these ugly clouds pouring down their dirty rain on us.
I vow to eliminate all the toxicity and ugliness in my life. There is no need. I am here on this planet to live, not to maintain. I hope you can do this too. By the end of the month you may feel more like a lamb, I hope to as well.
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