Challenge Wednesday #25

My future blog roommate, Tracey from Control the Chaos is here this week, so I am going to let her take it from here... 

#  #  #

A couple weeks ago, Jen asked me this question:

What did you want to be when you grew up?  Are you doing that...or did things change and take you down a different road?  

that's me, rockstar

Sometimes I like to look back on my life and trace how I got to where I am today. Sometimes the journey seems almost circular, sometimes long and hard. And yet I nearly always see the influences that shaped my decisions and led me down certain paths.


When I was younger, I wanted to be a doctor. I have always been fascinated with the inner workings of the human body: how the different systems seamlessly work together to keep us breathing and moving every single day.


And then someone told me I couldn't. Because I am a girl.


And I believed him.


Dude. Why did I believe him?


So I went to college and got myself a bachelor's in psychology and a master's in occupational therapy. That was enough for me; I still got to dissect a cadaver. But even then I had planned to go into orthopedics and hand therapy. And then we moved to Hawaii and through a long set of circumstances I ended up in pediatrics. And I've never looked back.


Now I realize it was a blessing and part of a Bigger Plan, because I couldn't imagine that kind of life now. I love having time for my family and following other passions, and I don't think I would have as much freedom if I hadn't chosen the career path I did. When my husband decided he wanted to become a pilot, I was easily able to pick up and follow him literally all over the globe and still maintain a career. Some places we only lived for 6-8 months, and even then I easily found work, because my field is always in demand, and although it is a technical degree, the area of occupational therapy is so broad that I have nearly limitless opportunities for settings where I can work. 

I sometimes consider going back to school and becoming a physician's assistant, which would allow me to do doctor-y stuff without all the school or hassle. But then I think about how I am already doing something I enjoy, and (I feel old saying this) I've been working in it long enough that I am considered an expert in my field. And time and again my crunchy self has aided my professional self, because I have a lot of knowledge about alternative diets and medicines, and that knowledge is proving useful with some of my wee clients.


The path is often not direct, but the journey usually matters more. I'm happy with my path and my journey, and I don't think I would change a thing.

The biggest question is, though, is your path taking you where you want to go? Or are you just enjoying the ride and not worrying about the destination?

Thanks, Jen, for encouraging me to write my story. I would normally give you another challenge or question for next week, but instead we are going to do something slightly different. With upcoming launch of our new website, Intend to Live, we are instead going to trade blogs and share what this new partnership means to us, how it came about, and what we hope for the future. It will be great fun.

Challenge Wednesday #24: About childhood dreams

Head over to Tracey's blog to see what I wanted to be when I grew up...


 

And then come back over here and tell me what you wanted to be when you grew up.  Are you what you wanted to be?  It's never too late, you know.

Challenge Wednesday #22: Find me...

over HERE at Tracey's blog home, Control the Chaos.  I'm talking about how we plan on taking advantage of living in Scotland over the next 18 months or so.

Challenge Wednesday #20: New Looks

Have I ever told you how much I like change?  Well, I sort of do.

First off, {and this has nothing to do with Challenge Wednesday} you might notice the blog looks a little different.  Not much to say about it, except that I was feeling something new was needed.  So I spent some of the day yesterday trying different things out, and landed with this.  Hopefully it won't take you too long to get used to!

On to the more important stuff.  Check out this sandwich...

Looks good, right?  It's a new look for my kitchen.  That's a lot of veggies.

Well, you'll have to visit Tracey's blog home over at Control the Chaos for more details.

Ha.  Happy Wednesday!  We're halfway to the weekend.

Whew.

Challenge Wednesday #19

It's Challenge Wednesday again folks!  And when I challenge Tracey...well, she doesn't take it lightly.  You'll see what I mean in a second.  


I am excited it was her Wednesday for a challenge, because today is J#4's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!  


So, I am going to spend the day celebrating her, and will report back tomorrow. 


But for now, read on!


#   #   #


Hi. I'm Tracey. I write at Control the Chaos. Jen is my friend, and on Wednesdays we take turns challenging each other in a variety of ways.


Last week, Jen posed this challenge:
"Tell me what your favorite fictional book of all time is and why.  Because that will be my next read."  


This question was much harder than I thought it would be, and still, I haven't settled on just one. I tried, I really did. But the best I can do is give you some top choices in different genres. 


I tend to read older works of fiction, but a newer series I recently read and loved is The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I could not put them down and read all three within a couple weeks, which is unusual for me, Mrs. Slow Poke Reader. Husband put it best when he said these books got him reading modern fiction again, which is something both of us had gotten away from in recent months. In the spirit of full disclosure, there are some rather adult themes in this book, and yes, it is relevant to the story because it helps define the main character.

A couple other modern fiction works that are rather entertaining:

• A Prayer for Owen Meany: lighthearted but not completely predictable
• A Confederacy of Dunces: laugh out loud, other people in the room will think you are crazy, funny
• The Unconsoled, Never Let Me Go, and The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro: fantastic. I think The Remains of the Day might be the most famous, but I loved them all.
• I am currently reading The Help, and it is turning out to be quite the page turner.

As far as more classic literature is concerned (read: before GenX), here are a couple of my top picks:

• All of John Steinbeck's books, although Of Mice and Men continues to be my favorite
• To Kill A Mockingbird: Harper Lee (psst, the movie is good too)

Fantasy books - I know you aren't a fan, but these books conjure warm memories of my childhood, watching my dad read and re-read his tattered copies:

• The Hobbit: JRR Tolkien
• Chronicles of Narnia: CS Lewis

And even though you asked for fiction, I'm going to throw in my two absolute all time favorite non-fiction books as well:

• Gift From The Sea: Anne Morrow Lindbergh was Charles' Lindbergh's wife, and her collection of essays is, in a word, breathtaking
• Traveling Mercies: Anne Lamott is a crazy California hippie who has been down all sorts of roads. She is without a doubt my favorite author, and I've read every one of her books to date. Her nonfiction ramblings are the best, though, and I find myself eating up every. single. word.

And that, my friend, is my list of fantastic books. And I am 100% sure I will wake up at 2AM realizing I forgot a biggie. Oh well, there's always next week.

Speaking of...for next week I want you to share what kinds of fruits and veggies you've been incorporating into your diet recently, because I happen to know you are trying to eat at least five servings a day. Sooo, what are your favorites? Got a recipe you can share? Or at least how you like to eat them? Raw? Steamed? Drizzled in butter? Dunked in dressing? Smoothie? Hmmm?


#  #  #
Well, friends, if you can't find a good book to try in that list...well, you're just hopeless.

Kidding!  Kidding, of course.

And the fun part?  I've only read one of those {The Help...loved it!}.  So I have some reading to do! 

Challenge Wednesday #18: Whatcha Readin'?

So, last week Tracey asked me the following question: What are you reading right now, how do you like it, and do you have any reading recommendations for us?


And, this week, on Tracey's blog, Control the Chaos, I am telling you all what I am reading right now, and what a few of my favorite books {that I got back to read more than once} are.    Oh, and Tracey offers a great book recommendation too! 


You better click on over and check it out! 

Challenge Wednesday #17

As usual, it's Wednesday {seems to happen every week doesn't it?}, and here is Tracey!  


#  #  #


Hello, again.  You might remember me as the girl who barges in to Jen's blog every other Wednesday.  I am Tracey, from Control the Chaos.  Jenny is my IRL and bloggy friend, and we take turns challenging each other to be better at what we do.  And maybe learn a few things along the way.


Last week, Jen left this for me:


"Alrighty...so now it's Tracey's turn again.  Hmm...I am going to go back in time a bit to the 31 days of October, when I did some writing about being a better mama.  Tracey is an awesome mama already, but I am going to challenge you, friend, to "leave each of your children a surprise sweet note this week."  "


This was a fitting challenge for me.  Maybe some of you can identify with the way minutes sometimes slip away from you.  I have three kids:  two Bigs are in school, and the little goes to a babysitter a few hours a week and spends the rest of the time with me.


The know I love them, because I squeeze them and kiss them and tell them every day.


But, between part time work and blogging and cooking and cleaning and homework checks and schedule keeper...well, maybe you see what I mean about the minutes slipping away.  Even with our intentional simple lives.  


Seriously, we allow one extracurricular per week, we cook nearly all of our meals, and we spend every Friday night doing something together as a family (and most Saturdays as well).  We eat dinner at the table together every evening, we own one car, and we pursue uncomplicated hobbies as a family.


And still, the minutes slip away.  How Do Other People Do It?


All that rambling is to say this:  No matter how many times you tell your kids you love them, they will always always always appreciate feeling special.


And so, one night after the kids were in bed, I set to work.  I made these cute hands signs for the Bigs and put them in their lunch boxes.  The Little doesn't yet read, so I put on her favorite music and we danced our crazies out.

Source: tiffkeetch.blogspot.com via Cassidy on Pinterest

The reaction?  pure joy.

Big #1 lovingly brought it home and put it in his special things place in his room.  


 Big #2 asked me to do it every day.


The Little said "I love you so much."

*SIGH*...I'm smitten.


Another challenge in the books.  

And now, Jen, for next week, here's an easy one for you: book report time! What are you reading right now, how do you like it, and do you have any reading recommendations for us?


# # #
Geesh. Tracey can read my mind.  I haven't been reading a ton lately...so this inspires me to crack a book open.  I've got many books left to read!

Challenge Wednesday #16

Hey friends!

Wednesday!  Yahoo!  Almost half way thru the week.  What's on tap for the weekend???

I'm going be gearing up for "Game On!" {there is still time to join in!}

But first, Wednesday means that it is time for a challenge, and this time Tracey challenged me.  Go on over to her blog, Control the Chaos, and check it out.

If you are new around here, Tracey is a friend of mine {whom I wouldn't have met if it weren't for living in the Netherlands}, and we have been giving each other challenges.  She does her best to live a pretty natural lifestyle, using homemade products (food and otherwise), so there is less she has to worry about when it comes to...well, life.  And I am hoping to follow in her footsteps.  





Go on now...I'll wait.

Alright, now that you did that...what are some homemade items I should make?

Talk more soon pals.

Ba-bye for now.

Challenge Wednesday #15

This week, my pal Tracey joins us from Control the Chaos to share her New Year's resolutions {I asked her to do so last week}.

Here is a secret...I thought she might not be a big "resolution" girl, and ...wait for it... I was right!

But she humored me anyways.  Ah,  such a good friend, right?  {smile}

#  #  #

Howdy.  Last week, Jen asked me to share my new year's resolutions.

Hmm.  I'm not really a resolution maker, mainly because I want to live every day, and if I'm not happy with something I tend to change it immediately.

But I have jumped on the wagon with a few goals this year.  And it just so happens that some of them are on my Bucket List.  Bonus.

Drumroll, please.

1. Read the whole Bible.  We're involving the kids with this one.  We have a children's Bible that has a reading for every day, so we're doing theirs and ours.  We are going to take the whole year, though, and give ourselves a chance to not only read it, but absorb it.

Source: google.com via Rocky on Pinterest

2. Run faster.  I really want to run 5k in 25 minutes, which is about an 8 minute mile, plus a little.  The fastest I've ever run it is about 28 minutes, so I have a long way to go.  I proved I could go the distance, so now I want to pick up the speed.

3. Pile cash to buy land and a house when we move back to the USA.  A move is in our future, in the next couple of years.  We have a decent amount set aside for a down payment on a house, thanks to becoming debt free a few years ago by following the principles taught by Dave Ramsey.  But we desire to pursue homesteading full time, so we are trying to build on our down payment and possibly buy the land with cash.  Come visit Control the Chaos tomorrow to see a small but significant step toward this goal.

Source: concurringopinions.com via Brooke on Pinterest

4. Get serious about decreasing the amount of grains/gluten in our diet.  Begin by experimenting  with ancient grains (spelt, non-grain buckwheat) in some of our favorite recipes.  We have no food allergies in our family, but huge difference we've seen with just the small changes we've made has convinced us of the benefits of a low gluten diet.

Source: homeschoolstylebytes.squarespace.com via Laura on Pinterest

Big goals, but all attainable, and all a work in progress.  I think the biggest reason why these goals are attainable and not daunting is that I have an action step to start us in the right direction.  How about you?  Do you set goals and make a plan for achieving them?  Or do you just go with the flow?

Now, to switch topics a little:  one way I stay in control of our health is to make a meal plan every week.  I find that meal planning keeps us from being caught without dinner (an consequently resorting to something quick and unhealthy).  It is also a great way to build a shopping list and avoid impulsive purchases.  And so, Jen, my question and/or challenge to you is

do you meal plan?  If so, please share a typical plan with us.  And if not, I challenge you to meal plan one week's worth of dinners using as few prepackaged items as possible.


Are you up to the challenge, Jen?  Tune in next week for the answer.

#  #  #

Oooh, this is a good one!  I AM  a meal planner, but I never share it here...and I am most definitely open to planning a week with very few prepackaged items.  Yay!

Challenge Wednesday #13

Here is Tracey with our regular Wednesday challenge...errr, well, guess it isn't really a challenge this week.  Take it away lady! 

#  #  #

Back again with another Challenge Wednesday.  Actually, Interview Wednesday.  Last week, Jen asked me this question:


"What are your top three tips for enjoying Christmas, but in a simple, natural or relaxed way?"


Well, for starters, fun is my middle name.  Hee hee.  Seriously, simple, natural, and relaxed is a sort of mantra around here.  It's the reason I Control the Chaos...so our family can enjoy each other and live life.


Despite the mantra, it is easy to get sucked into the stress of the holidays and forget the celebration part.  I hope Jen doesn't mind, but I included four tips instead of three.  Just call me Ms. Over-Achiever.  Yeah, right.


1.  Plan ahead.  We shop for gifts all year round.  This benefits us in a couple ways:  we save money by buying something unique when we aren't under pressure, and we never feel the holiday stress of finishing our shopping at the last minute.

Source: christmas.yourway.net via Jennifer on Pinterest

2.  Protect time.  It's precious, and we all know it.  We block days even if we don't have specific plans.  They are for recovery, and it keeps us sane and our kids well rested.  It's easier to do when we are living abroad, but even when we lived in the States we made a visiting schedule and stuck to it.

Source: Uploaded by user via Haylee on Pinterest

3. Do double duty.   We home make the gifts for friends, so we use the time it takes to make them as quality family time.  We get everyone involved to some extent, turn on the Christmas music, and make some magic.  Most of our gifts are consumables (read: yummy treats), so we always make a little extra for us.  It is a great way to enjoy each other's company while still finishing up last minute gifts to take to parties.

Source: papertreyink.com via Sonya on Pinterest

4. Focus, focus, focus.  Christmas gets bogged down with gifts and visiting people and shopping and and and and and...but our family celebrates the birth of Christ.  We always participate in Operation Christmas Child, because we believe it is important for our children to understand how blessed we are.  Presents don't sit under the tree for weeks taunting the children, and we are highly involved in our church community.  This is about as simple as it gets, folks.  A birthday bash and a celebration of restoration to our Creator.

Source: seaglassrocks.com via Debara on Pinterest

I hope you and yours have a simple, natural, and relaxed Christmas this year and always.  


And now, Jen, a little birdie told me you tried your hand at a homemade gift this year.  Next week, please tell us what you made, how it went, and how much awesome fun you had giving a gift you made with your own hands.
#  #   #


Oooh, can't wait to fill you guys in on the gift  I made.  BUT, someone who reads this blog MAY be the recipient, so not a peep until after Christmas!  

Challenge Wednesday #12: I answer a fitness question?!

Eeek!

You better go check it out at Tracey's blog, because I find it to hard to believe that I could answer a fitness question.

But it's true.  Hehe.

Happy Wednesday!

Challenge Wednesday #11: Question's cont'd!

It's Wednesday.  Again.  Funny how it comes around every week, isn't it?

But, I've got it easy this week.  Here's Tracey with our Wednesday challenge, which is a question {since we decided to take it easy on the "challenges" during the holiday season}.  Smart, right?

#   #  #

Last week, Jen asked me this question:


What is the one thing about entering this blog world that has surprised you the most? 


And this week, I get to hop on over and answer it.  The answer to this question is simple, because I am still surprised and amazed by it every day.


When I first started writing Control the Chaos, I wrote it as a way to keep track of the ideas in my head and a place to put into action the life changes I wanted to make.  My family has always been on board, but I have been the driving force on this adventure.

I never once thought that people would be interested in my own story. On how I got here, to this place in my life where I am writing about simple, intentional living, and about all the things that entails.  

Fitness, family, food.  Fun.

It goes on.  Of course, I am happy that people like what I have to say about these topics, but I'm shocked that they are just as interested in my journey to get here.  I still struggle with that sometimes.  I tend to keep my blog somewhat impersonal; I have only recently begun putting up photos of my family or talking about our lives.


What I am learning is that people enjoy stories.  We always have, and likely always will.  It's how we understand those around us, and it's often how we define ourselves.  I too gravitate towards blogs that tell me a story, even as I'm searching for the best recipe to make my own deodorant or granola bars.

It's in our nature, and keeps this blog world going.

Thanks for the thought provoking question, Jen.  Next week, I'd like to know

what was the hardest part of your 5k training and how did you keep motivated to continue in spite of it?

I have a few fitness readers, and I'd love for you to share your thoughts on starting and sticking to a new fitness routine.

Tune in next week at Control the Chaos to read Jen's answer.
#   #   #

Eeek!  Guess I won't have it so easy next week!

Challenge Wednesday #10: Question time

Hey friends!  So, with the busyness of the holidays upon us, Tracey and I decided to take it "easy" on the challenges.  So, instead...we are going to use the next several Wednesday's to interview each other.  We jumped right into challenges, but thought it would be great for you all to learn more about us.  And not just the easy stuff, like our hair color {although that might be a hard question for me to answer} and favorite colors, but questions that will hopefully help you to really get to know us. 

Tracey got to start.  So, here we go... {and who knew this could even be MORE of a challenge than some of our other ones?}

Jen, what is the #1 priority for you to succeed in living an intentional life and why? 

Click on over to Tracey's blog, Control the Chaos to see my answer.

Come on.  Do it.  You know you want to.  :-)