tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57394010935693842122024-03-13T04:17:55.404-04:00Everyday NothingsJodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.comBlogger1242125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-16091126686175812952019-06-15T12:00:00.000-04:002019-06-15T12:00:00.137-04:00The Fog Lifted TodayToday was a good day. A happy day. The fog lifted today and I felt like myself for the first time in a long time.<br /><br />And I think I'm ready to tell you all about it.<br /><br />In <a href="http://www.everydaynothings.com/2019/04/its-been-whirlwind-of-year.html" target="_blank">my last post</a> I mentioned that something happened last fall that rocked my world, and not in a good way.<br /><br />Last October, the day after Homecoming for all my marching band friends, I began experiencing some... symptoms. Within a few days I realized I was pregnant. Unexpectedly, surprisingly, ridiculously, pregnant. I was 41 years old, with a <a href="http://www.everydaynothings.com/2013/08/infertile.html" target="_blank">history of infertility</a>, <i>on birth control</i>, and pregnant.<br />
<br />But at our first doctor's visit they told us things weren't looking good, and there was only about a 50% chance of survival for my babies. I did, in fact, miscarry 10-week-old twins, but my body did not cooperate and on November 7, 2018 I had a <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/dilation-and-curettage/about/pac-20384910" target="_blank">D&C</a>.<br />
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And I <i>grieved</i>. We were not planning on ever having more babies. If you would have asked me I would have said I didn't want any more children. But oh! My babies. How I wanted them after all! And so I grieved the loss of babies I never knew I ever wanted.<br /><br />I have lived in a fog since then. I debated whether what I was experiencing was just part of the normal grieving process, after all I don't remember being like this after my other miscarriage. Maybe I was depressed? Maybe it was anxiety?<br /><br />I don't know. Still don't. I know I haven't been myself since. Responsibilities fell to the wayside and I thought about quitting, well, just about everything.<br /><br />Last year, because we had planned on doing much more traveling this past year, we signed the girls up for online homeschool and intentionally didn't sign up for any co-ops or community groups. The travel plan fell through, but I am so glad we'd done those things. So many days just getting them to sign in and listen to someone else teach felt like more work than I could do.<br /><br />I'm still the VP of my Alumni Band, but I've scraped by this year, feeling like I'm doing the bare minimum for my office and I've debated resigning, for the good of the organization as well as myself, pretty regularly since last November.<br /><br />I'm still the Team Manager for Jena's soccer team. I've missed deadlines, and squeaked in paperwork at the last minute more than once.<br /><br />My house, always a struggle for me to keep tidy as <a href="http://www.everydaynothings.com/search/label/home" target="_blank">I've mentioned many times before</a>, reached probably the worst state it's ever been in.<br /><br />Everything, <i>everything</i>, felt overwhelming. I don't know how to explain this in words, but absolutely everything was TOO MUCH. Leaving the house was a struggle. Every. Time. My kids asking to go the park was enough for me to feel it in my chest - the stress, the overwhelm. I have to do what? They want to go where? I can't do it! It's just too much!<br /><br />Every <span style="font-size: x-small;">little </span>thing felt so <span style="font-size: large;">big</span>. Overwhelming was the only word I can think of to describe it. I didn't feel depressed. I can't even say I felt anxious. But overwhelmed. <i>Everything </i>was just TOO MUCH. The littlest thing - going to the park, or responding to an email, or sweeping the floor - anything and everything just absolutely overwhelmed me.<br /><br />Then comes the reasoning. In my mind, I knew these were all small things. I knew I'd done all these things before. I hadn't taken on anything new, and in fact with the online homeschool and no community groups this year, I actually had <i>less </i>commitments than in the past. I felt like a failure. Sure, I was managing, but I wasn't managing well. I wasn't doing <i>anything </i>well. I was squeaking by in every area of my life.<br /><br />Ugh. As I re-read what I just wrote I realize how inadequate it is to really explain what was going on inside me. I don't know how to explain it. I wish I could say it better.<br /><br />But about a month or so ago, I started to feel a little better. And with it, I cautiously started doing more, worried I was making a mistake and wouldn't be able to cope.<br /><br />I still felt completely overwhelmed and stressed out at the littlest thing, but I slowly started to purge things from our house. In the past few weeks I've given away, donated, or sold probably 20 or more boxes and bags of items. And probably thrown away at least as much. I've made a concentrated effort to work on tidying up and cleaning the house, and while we are far from where I'd like it to be (<span style="font-size: x-small;">I'm still not inviting anyone over</span>), it's the cleanest it's been in <i>months</i>. And I have to give a shout-out to my girls, especially Jena, who has joined in my efforts and helped me clean as well. Last month I went to a Symposium for college alumni bands, and this week kicked off registration for fall soccer.<br /><br />But today... today... unexpectedly, unexplainedly, without notice... <b><i>the fog lifted</i></b>.<br /><br />I <i>feel </i>like myself again. It was a good day. It was a happy day. Not because anything in particular happened, but from the moment I woke up I could feel the difference in myself.<br /><br />Now like anyone who's struggled with depression, or anxiety, or whatever-this-was, I am well aware that the fog could show up again tomorrow, or next week, or maybe it'll hold off for a year, or maybe just maybe it'll stay gone forever.<br /><br />But I've enjoyed today. I'm looking forward to many more days. I'm looking forward to getting caught up on a to-do list that desperately needs my attention, and yes, even cleaning my house. I took my girls out to a restaurant and two stores today, and you know what? None of it felt overwhelming. Or stressful. It felt good, and happy, and I enjoyed it.<br /><br />I don't really know where I'm going with this. Mostly I just wanted to tell someone. So... as always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-60508784832557772642019-04-18T12:00:00.000-04:002019-04-18T12:00:06.175-04:00It's Been a Whirlwind of a YearWell, the past almost-year has been a whirlwind, to say the least. Figured it was time I caught ya'll up, if anyone is still out there reading these, LOL.<br /><br />Last May we found out that our business wasn't doing nearly as well as our business manager had been telling us. We went from "yes, we should clear enough for Jason to quit his full time job and support your family entirely from the business in a month or so" to "the business is going under and our only option is to sell" literally overnight.<br /><br />We had been told for months that everything was going very well, the business was making lots of money, we'd be able to insure our employees, including ourselves, very soon and increase what the owners were getting paid enough that we could, finally, solely support ourselves off of the business. We trusted this person, trusted the reports and numbers he showed us.<br /><br />Thank goodness Jason never actually resigned.<br /><br />Because it was all lies. We got three days notice that we had no choice but to sell before it actually went under.<br /><br />Our business manager had known long enough that he'd already applied for, interviewed for, and accepted a position at another company. As time has gone on, we've come to realize that he probably knew for about a year the true financial position of the company, and had been leading us on for at least that long.<br /><br />And yes, we realize that that probably means that he was skimming off the top as well.<br /><br />It was devastating and life changing, to say the least.<br /><br />Not even touching on the part where someone we trusted was conning us for an extended period of time, we didn't know how we were going to support our family. You see, Jason's salary at the firehouse has never made more than about 40% of our household income.<br /><br />We immediately cut back on our expenses, and Jason immediately began exploring other ways to make money. The sale of the business was final in August, but the proceeds barely covered the business' debt.<br /><br />We considered me going back to work, and I put a few feelers out there, but in the end we decided that it would be too much upheaval for the girls for us to do it unless it was an absolute last resort. I still stay home with them, and we still homeschool, so me going back to work would absolutely turn their world upside down.<br /><br />The new owners of the business asked Jason to stay on part time, and that pay has been a God-send. Jason also started a new business, helping clients with digital marketing. He taught himself when he was growing our original business and became quite good at it, specifically GoogleAds.<br /><br />I'm still the Vice President of my university Alumni Band, and that's been amazing. Last May, the week before we got this news, I traveled to Austin, TX for a nationwide Alumni Band Symposium. What a great experience!<br /><br />I coordinated all the activities for Homecoming, which was last October, and it was a smashing success if I do say so myself.<br /><br />At the same time, I became the Team Manager for Jena's soccer team. She's become quite good, and is now playing competitively.<br /><br />There was another event that occurred last fall, but I feel it deserves it's own post, so for now let's just say it rocked my world, but not in a good way.<br /><br />And then... in January we started another company. We help new businesses get started and grow their company, specifically in the Pressure Washing and Christmas Light Installation niches.<br /><br />As part of that business we decided to host our very own Christmas Light convention. Yep, you read that right. We're hosting an entire convention.<br /><br />Our life has never been particularly... stable. It seems every year or so we have a go through a major change in our family, but this past year has been... overwhelming, to say the least.<br /><br />I've been feeling very stretched thin lately, but at the same time I don't feel like I can drop any of the balls I'm desperately trying to juggle.<br /><br />I could expound on any one of those things, or all of them, but it seems that would take nearly a year in and of itself.<br /><br />I would like to be on here more, but again, I feel stretched so thin already.<br /><br />We have started a family YouTube channel that we post to sporadically. I find videos easier to do in short spurts from my phone than blogging. Fortunately / Unfortunately. I like the videos, but I really prefer writing myself. But if you want to follow us over there, feel free.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPmDyIOw7ZmMFBjl6EqWnaA">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPmDyIOw7ZmMFBjl6EqWnaA</a><br />
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In the meantime, that's all for now. I hope you all are doing well. If there's anything you're curious about, comment and I'll try to make that my next update.<br /><br />Thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-64136365974300378192018-11-01T12:00:00.000-04:002018-11-01T12:00:00.378-04:00Recipe: Rice Krispie TurkeysI made these cute little guys for Thanksgiving last year and they were a huge hit! Even with the adults, LOL!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Rice Krispie Turkeys</b></span></div>
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
1/4 c butter<br />
8-10 oz mini marshmallows<br />
6 c Rice Krispies<br />
Oreos<br />
chocolate icing<br />
candy corn<br />
PAM cooking spray<br />
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<b><u>Directions:</u></b><br />
Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove top<br />
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Add the mini-marshmallows and stir until the melt into the butter<br />
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Mix in the Rice Krispies<br />
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Let cool (<span style="font-size: x-small;">approximately 5 min</span>)<br />
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Twist apart Oreos and scrape out the icing with a butter knife<br />
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Spray hands with PAM and begin shaping the Rice Krispie mixture into balls approximately 1 1/2" in diameter<br />
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Frost the insides of the Oreo cookie halves with the chocolate icing.<br />
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Place each ball on an iced cookie half.<br />
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Add candy corn to the remaining cookie halves like a fan. Make sure you leave enough open icing for them to stick to the Rice Krispie balls.<br /><br />Stick a cookie "tail" onto each Rice Krispie ball.<br />
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Use a butter knife to put chocolate icing on a piece of candy corn.<br />
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Stick iced candy corn to the front of each ball to be the turkey's head.<br />
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And... enjoy! Aren't they cute?<br />
<br />Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-27482861203520075732018-05-21T12:00:00.000-04:002018-05-21T12:00:10.755-04:00Finding Myself AgainIn my last post I talked a bit about getting lost in the middle of everything, and I promised I'd detail a few things I've done to combat those feelings.<br /><br />In fall of 2016 I decided to run for the Board of Governors for my university alumni band. I hadn't been involved in the organization at all for years, but it was something I really wanted to get involved in again, something that was <i>mine</i>. I resolved myself that I would make it work, even though I had no idea how I was going to find child care for meetings and such, and I did it.<br /><br />And I was elected to the board. As a Governor my duties were fairly light, but then six months later our Vice President unexpectedly resigned due to unplanned life changes that took him out of town. While there is no requirement to be local, all of the executive positions have duties that make working from out of town extremely difficult, and so we were left with an executive vacancy.<br /><br />You know what I did? I threw my hat in the ring. And the President appointed me to finish the term.<br /><br />I know it's <i>just </i>a volunteer position, but for me it's been a "wow" kind of whirlwind. I went from not being involved in any activities outside the home, to joining the Board of Governors, to being Vice President of a large organization in less than a year, leading a large cross-functional team and managing a major project.<br /><br />I was re-elected to the office of Vice President last fall, and am now working on my first full term in office, again leading a large team. My biggest project is to plan and carry out all activities related to Homecoming weekend: reunion dinner, rehearsals, parade performance, on-field performance, etc. It's quite a large undertaking, and it's a <i>lot </i>of work, but I have enjoyed it <i>so much</i>.<br /><br />Stepping up to volunteer, and then taking a chance and going for (<span style="font-size: x-small;">and getting!</span>) this position has given me a piece of my identity back. I'm a band nerd at heart and love this organization. The work has given me a chance to use my brain in a way I haven't had the opportunity to since leaving the corporate life. It's given me a new circle of friends, acquaintances, and even professional networking contacts. I feel a little more like me when I'm there.<br /><br />Most recently, just this past week I agreed to become the Team Administrator for Jena's soccer team. Mostly it's a lot of paperwork and organization, with a lot of communications thrown in just for fun. But I'm excited for it.<br /><br />These things: volunteering, taking on responsibilities outside the home, creating new circles of contacts... they all help keep me from getting lost, from feeling invisible.<br /><br />It's not perfect. Finding child care during my activities is still a struggle. But sometimes I bring the girls to tag along to. They've been to meetings, social activities, and even to a vendor site visit. So far there have been no issues, and I think it's good life lessons for them to sit thru these activities and see mommy "work".<br /><br />So if you, like me, are a SAHM feeling a little lost in the middle, a bit invisible to those around you, try stepping outside a bit. Volunteer, try something new, get involved in an old hobby or find a new one. Remember who you were and grasp a bit of your identity again.<br /><br />*****************************<br /><br />So what about you? What have you tried to hold on to who you are?<br />
<br />As always, thanks for checking in.Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-42086981649841768052018-05-14T12:00:00.000-04:002018-05-14T12:00:18.324-04:00Lost in the MiddleYesterday was Mother's Day, the end of a long, busy Mother's Day weekend for our family.<br />
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Friday was Homeschool Field Day for Jena, then running errands with Jillian.<br />
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Saturday we had Jillian's birthday party, then dinner with my mother-in-law to celebrate Mother's Day for her.<br />
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Sunday Jena had a soccer game, then lunch with my mom to celebrate Mother's Day for her, then back to MIL's house for dinner to spend a bit of time with Jason's brother before he heads back to California.<br />
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There was no Mother's Day for <i>me</i>.<br />
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Yes, Jena got me a popsocket for my phone, which she bought when Jason took her shopping for Jillian's birthday present, and they remembered they needed a gift for me... but only after they saw the Mother's Day signs at Target. Even though they both knew the errands I was doing included shopping for presents for my mom & MIL.<br />
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It was a busy weekend, a good weekend, but the truth is I was forgotten, lost in the middle.<br />
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Kids, kids, parents, kids, parents, kids, parents, parents. No me.<br />
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I suppose this is what middle-aged really means. You're in the middle. Doing it all on both ends, but getting lost in the meantime.<br />
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As I sit here sorting out my feelings as I write, I realize it's not so much about the holiday itself, it's the getting lost, the invisibility of it all.<br />
It's not that there wasn't time to squeeze in something for me, it's that it wasn't even thought of.<br />
It wasn't that my gift wasn't something I particularly wanted, it's that the idea of a gift was completely forgotten.<br />
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I'm a mom. I've been a mom for nine years. Not only am I a mom, it is quite literally my job. I'm a stay-at-home mom. I'm a homeschooling mom. I literally spend 24/7 being nothing more than a mom. A noble job, don't misunderstand me, but it is what I am, what I do. And yet on the one day a year set aside to celebrate that very thing, I am completely forgotten, lost in the middle of generations.<br />
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Spending half of my weekend tending to our children's activities, and the other half celebrating our own mothers, putting in the time & effort to try to make everything nice for everyone else, but at the end of it, there's nothing left for me.<br />
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It sounds a bit whiny, I suppose. No one's paying attention to me and what-not. But it's what I'm feeling at the moment, take that however you must. It just would be nice to be noticed from time-to-time, to be appreciated. But such is the life of a mom, I suppose. Taking care of everyone else so they can do their things, and the act of taking care becoming the one thing that is yours.<br />
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It's so easy to become lost in the middle, lost in motherhood. I've recently tried to stake a claim in some activities in order to retain my own identity, give me something that is mine alone to do, and I'll detail that a bit in my next post.<br />
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What about the other moms reading this? What do you do to make sure you don't get lost in the middle? What steps have you taken to hold on to yourself while you take care of others?<br />
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As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-15566597931789484312018-04-12T12:00:00.000-04:002018-04-12T12:00:00.548-04:00PossibilitiesI started this post last year in order to document the ways in which it seemed God was speaking to Jason & myself about a potential major change in our family's life.<br />
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The last week of July Jason and I were discussing how he would like to leave the fire department, for various reasons, most of which I won't go in to here. One big reason is that he can't dedicate himself to our family business as much as he would like because he's on shift every 3rd day.<br />
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We talked about what would need to happen to make it even possible for him to leave the department, and one of the biggest roadblocks is that it provides health insurance for our entire family. No job, no insurance. Our family business just isn't quite there yet to begin providing it thru that venue. We also aren't quite making enough money to be able to afford insuring a family of four on our own. So, health insurance for all four of us. If that were covered, it would make him leaving the department much more realistic and feasible.<br />
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The next day I received a text from one of my former supervisor's at my old job asking for assistance with something that used to be my responsibility. We texted back and forth for a bit, as I tried to help him via text, hundreds of miles away, with something I haven't handled in three years.<br />
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At the end of the conversation he jokingly texted (<span style="font-size: x-small;">paraphrased</span>): I'm going to have a position open soon. Just sayin'.<br />
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I replied "Everybody has a price. Just sayin'." (<span style="font-size: x-small;">winky emoji</span>)<br />
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He then sent a few texts about how they would cover relocation, how there's plenty of land available nearby, etc.<br />
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I figured he was half serious, half joking and left it like that. But the thought wouldn't leave me, so I mentioned it to Jason that night.<br />
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He basically responded something like "that would be okay".<br />
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I was surprised. I figured the idea of me going back to work, not being able to homeschool the kids, <i>relocating 300 miles away</i> would freak him out.<br />
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But it didn't. It didn't freak me out either. Which is incredibly weird.<br />
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I have been trying to move back to Ohio, closer to my family, for years now. We're an hour away from them right now. Now, suddenly, the idea of being 5 hours away doesn't bother me? Why? I have no reason. It makes no sense. I have no idea why I'm okay with it. I can't explain it.<br />
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But there it was. So the next morning I texted my former supervisor and told him if he really thought it would be a good fit for me, then to let me know when the job was posted and I'd take a look at it.<br />
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He reminded me of how things work there and that the opening was recently delayed and it could be some time before it was actually posted, but he would definitely keep me in the loop.<br />
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Basically that translates to say that the job could be coming open in a few weeks, months, year... or never.<br />
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But you see what happened there, right? If I went back to work, we'd have additional income & insurance and Jason would be able to leave the fire department. In fact, if we relocated, he'd have to. So talking and praying about it one night, and the very next day this happens. Did you see that?<br />
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But there's no telling when the job will actually be posted, if ever. So... what to do? Well...<br />
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I started looking at housing prices, educational options & expenses, child care expenses, etc. in the area. You see, I realize that if this actually comes to fruition we'll need to make a decision relatively quickly, but this is a major life decision that directly effects our entire family; a decision I can't take lightly or without considering all sides.<br />
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But I also started praying for God's direction. Specifically, I asked Him to slam shut any doors he didn't want us to walk through, and to throw wide the doors that He does. Make it obvious. Make His will unmistakable.<br />
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Fast forward to September. Try as I might to shake the idea and not obsess about it, I can't stop thinking about it. Jason & I found ourselves unexpectedly without kids, so we discussed it in depth for the first time. We had both been praying about it. As we spent the day together, we repeatedly said that we want God to show us, really obviously, what His direction is.<br />
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After dinner we started driving around, just driving and talking. Jason needed to use the restroom, so we stopped at a little mom-and-pop bar & restaurant in the middle-of-nowhere Kentucky. Seriously out in the middle of nowhere, driving thru the hills of our beautiful state, miles from civilization. We stopped and went in.<br />
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Jason walks into the single-stall bathroom, which was unlocked, and walks in on one of my former executives... peeing.<br />
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He literally walked in on the man as he relieved himself. Jason apologized, they both finished their business, we chatted with him for a bit. I had worked closely with this man for the entire 10 years I worked at my former employer. I also hadn't seen him since I left three years ago.<br />
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We stayed to listen to the band for a bit, I found Mr. Executive again before we left and said goodbye, then Jason & I got into the car and started laughing at what an incredible "coincidence" that was.<br />
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So the day we're asking God for a sign about what He wants us to do, we "randomly" run into one of my former executives at a tiny establishment in rural Kentucky. He doesn't even live in Kentucky anymore. He's still with the company, relocated 300 miles away like so many others. Happened to be in town visiting family.<br />
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He happened to be in town this particular weekend, a weekend where we just happened to unexpectedly find ourselves without the girls, he just happened to be at the same tiny bar in the middle of nowhere that we come upon at just the moment when my husband desperately needs a restroom, just happens to be in that restroom, just happens to have forgotten to lock the door. Did I forget anything?<br />
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It's a little too "coincidental" for us to believe that it was truly random.<br />
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********<br />
<br />
Now, jump ahead to October. We're still praying about it, but I'm also trying to balance that with not thinking about it. I know from my experience with the company that the job could be posted any day, might not be posted for a few months, or HR could pull the opening altogether. There's no sense on dwelling. But somehow we need to balance that with being prepared for the day it opens. If it does.<br />
<br />
So one night, Jason is on shift, the girls are in bed, I'm doing the dishes. And thinking. It was a Friday night, and I had talked with my dad earlier in the day about Jena's soccer game the next morning. You see, my dad comes to every game. <i>Every </i>one. I don't think he's missed one. I've missed more than he has.<br />
<br />
My dad adores his granddaughters. My parents were my full time childcare when Jena was little, and they are especially close. Both my parents have incredibly close relationships with the girls. But especially my dad. Grandpa. He dotes on them. Loves them. Can't get enough of them. I joke that he'd keep them if I'd let him.<br />
<br />
And then I thought about it, really thought about it, for the first time since the idea of taking a new job and relocating came up. Leaving my parents. Taking my girls away from my parents. Away from my dad.<br />
<br />
And I cried. And cried. Snot-faced messy sobbing cries.<br />
<br />
What was I thinking?!? How could I leave my parents? How could I take my girls away from them? It's stupid for me to even think about moving farther away. <i>What was I thinking?!?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
But then...<br />
<br />
<i>********</i><br />
<br />
The next day I found myself at my parents. I hadn't planned it, but had an appointment about 20 min from their house, so decided to stop by with the girls for a visit before we headed home.<br />
<br />
I'm sitting on the couch, Mom & I are watching the girls play, no one's really talking about anything. Dad walks in from the kitchen and sits next to me.<br />
<br />
Out of the blue he says "I don't know why you ever left that job. I know you wanted to stay home and homeschool and everything, but that was a really good job. I don't know why you left."<br />
<br />
At this point, I'm more confused than anything. At no point during the visit have I mentioned my old job, the company name, working in general. Nothing. I never told my parents about the possibility of going back. This is completely out of the blue.<br />
<br />
He continues "Besides, it's only 5 hours away. If we really wanted to, we could still see each other every weekend. I don't know why you left."<br />
<br />
Still in disbelief, I said "You know that's a possibility. My old boss contacted me about a job."<br />
<br />
He's stunned. Can't believe it. My mom replied with "Don't give her any ideas!"<br />
<br />
We laughed, but I really had a chance to think about it on the drive home.<br />
<br />
The night before I had been freaking out about taking my girls away from their grandparents, specifically Grandpa. The very next day, on an unplanned visit, my dad unprompted, seemingly out of nowhere, reassures me that we could still each other every weekend if we really wanted, that it's not <i>that </i>far away, that he himself questions why I even left.<br />
<br />
I can't ignore the coincidence. And I haven't been bothered, <i>really </i>bothered, by the idea since.<br />
<br />
********<br />
<br />
Semi-random side note: one of the dealbreakers for me from the moment this came up is that whatever salary they offer me has to be enough for us to reasonably afford a 4+ bedroom house, so that we can have a guest room for our family to stay in comfortably when they come to visit.<br />
<br />
Ideally I'd like to have an in-law suite, but a guest bedroom is my minimum. Not having a place for them to stay when visiting is a dealbreaker for me.<br />
<br />
********<br />
<br />
But alas, nothing happens. Months pass, and there has been no opening. No more discussion (<span style="font-size: x-small;">at least that I am aware of</span>) about the job. Eventually Jason & I stop talking about it even being a possibility.<br />
<br />
Honestly, thought, it leaves me a little confused. I don't really believe in coincidences, I believe in God. Everything seemed to be pointing us toward this job and relocating our family. I did pray that God would slam shut any doors He didn't want me to walk thru, so maybe that was it. Maybe going back to work & relocating <i>wasn't </i>His plan. But then what is?<br />
<br />
Maybe this was just to get me thinking about it. Maybe it was just to open us up to the possibility of me going back to work or of relocating to a different area. Maybe it was just getting us to think & to talk about it as a couple.<br />
<br />
Or maybe there's some other plan I'm not seeing yet.<br />
<br />
********<br />
<br />
And then, this past week...<br />
<br />
I run into 3 of my former co-workers in less than a week. All of them have relocated. Two are 300 miles away. One is 900 miles away. All back in town in the same week for various reasons. It is not a holiday week, not a company shutdown week, nothing in common brought them to the area at the same time, as far as I can tell. Yet each of them crossed my path; one at church, one at Once Upon a Child, one at Kroger. I didn't run into co-workers out & about that frequently when they all lived here!<br />
<br />
Again, I'm left wondering... what are the chances of that actually happening? What a coincidence! But why?<br />
<br />
I mention it to Jason. We agree it seems like too much of a "coincidence" to ignore, but we also agree that we don't know what God is trying to tell us!<br />
<br />
We both agree that it still seems that the job & relocation might be a possibility, but we also both agree that it seems more & more that there must be another reason these things keep happening. God is trying to show us or tell us something that we just aren't getting just yet.<br />
<br />
So we will continue to pray for His direction and His Divine intervention in our lives, and just trust Him as we see what the future has in store!<br />
<br />
********<br />
<br />
Sorry there isn't some exciting announcement and conclusion to the end of this. At least not just yet. But I'll be sure to update if anything else happens!<br />
<br />
What do you think? Do you think it will come to fruition? Or is God using this to direct us elsewhere?<br />
<br />
As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-76085352975720115072018-04-05T12:00:00.000-04:002018-04-05T12:00:14.924-04:00How My 9 Year Old Found Out about the Easter Bunny (and Santa Claus)I have worked very hard to keep the magic alive for my kids for the past nine years. Very hard. This past year I thought Jena might be starting to figure out Santa, but alas, ends up I was wrong. How did I find out? Because when the truth was discovered she was absolutely devastated. So how did that happen? I'm glad you asked.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nPcU3Ngym226uHyux0Us4JMoBNfhvI0eHFCYO3RkASLfHBJ13Hx4NniIXelLEE3eXSti1s-OoHA6c8W1iaWwTez3bA6Q3jYAfV6AEUuo8LVof7rVxqOGIRBPdfxYEoDvBZBt6miAs3hI/s1600/Jena_Easter_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nPcU3Ngym226uHyux0Us4JMoBNfhvI0eHFCYO3RkASLfHBJ13Hx4NniIXelLEE3eXSti1s-OoHA6c8W1iaWwTez3bA6Q3jYAfV6AEUuo8LVof7rVxqOGIRBPdfxYEoDvBZBt6miAs3hI/s1600/Jena_Easter_2017.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jena hunting Easter eggs at my parents' house, 2017</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The day before Easter Jena blurted out "I saw the text you sent Daddy last night!"<br />
<br />
Uh oh.<br />
<br />
The night before Jason had been on shift. I had not had time alone to shop for the girls' Easter baskets, so I sent him a text around 11pm asking him to stop at the store on his way home to pick up stuff for the Easter bunny to bring.<br />
<br />
And she saw it.<br />
<br />
Here's where the added layer of parenting gets added.<br />
<br />
She saw it because she was disobeying. She has been instructed numerous times to <i>not </i>read any messages on any adult's device. Jena's iPad had died, so in the morning I had given her Jason's old iPad to play games on. At some point she apparently opened the messages and read (<span style="font-size: x-small;">at least</span>) that one.<br />
<br />
She flat out asked me, so when I had the chance I took her into her room, just the two of us, to talk it out. She was absolutely <i>crushed</i>. Then she asked if that meant Santa wasn't real either. <i>Devastated</i>.<br />
<br />
Why the devastation? In her words, because it means "magic isn't real".<br />
<br />
I tried telling her it was a different kind of magic, it was Mommy Magic, but she insisted, correctly, that it's not the same.<br />
<br />
I gave her the option in the future of either:<br />
a) pretending none of this ever happened, and both of us going thru the motions as if it were all real, just like before, or<br />
b) joining in on the magic with me and helping to make things special for her little sister<br />
<br />
I told her she could decide at any time, and she didn't even have to tell me. I would just know by her actions what she wanted to do.<br />
<br />
I also told her to be sure not to talk about it with her friends unless she knew <i>for sure</i> that they already knew. I explained that lots of parents work really hard to keep life magical for their kids, and if she told them they would feel just as bad as she did now. I also told her she would be in <span style="font-size: large;">big </span>trouble if she ever told her little sister.<br />
<br />
It was a really difficult afternoon, lots of crying over her new realization, but by that evening she was slipping me pieces of candy to put in her basket.<br />
<br />
Of course we still had to address the disobedience that got her there in the first place, but she wasn't having it. She's been in a rather rebellious & disrespectful phase lately, and insisted on telling me that it was all my fault and I ruined her Easter because I should never have sent the message in the first place.<br />
<br />
Because... of course. And because... she's nine.<br />
<br />
But that is another topic for another time.<br />
<br />
What about your kids? Have they figured it out yet? How did they find out?<br /><br />
As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-18573136902625085172018-03-16T12:00:00.000-04:002018-03-16T12:00:20.408-04:00Recipe: Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_auA1cFl-yZmG098QR-bBBGxJhSWpvP4OjUP0lF0vgxRUO6fl5csYaxIKAxhM9Dc4XV46Vck3kKYgddBnQBHT_DqKU3a1vKVva3B-wXXdE2nWEqhxOWJ8nn7NA3eiOkJxhmZBXu4gLeHl/s1600/IMG_4327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_auA1cFl-yZmG098QR-bBBGxJhSWpvP4OjUP0lF0vgxRUO6fl5csYaxIKAxhM9Dc4XV46Vck3kKYgddBnQBHT_DqKU3a1vKVva3B-wXXdE2nWEqhxOWJ8nn7NA3eiOkJxhmZBXu4gLeHl/s320/IMG_4327.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
8-10 small soft flour tortillas<br />
3T flour<br />
2 c chicken broth<br />
1 c sour cream<br />
2 1/2 c canned chicken<br />
3 c shredded cheese (<span style="font-size: x-small;">cheddar, Mexican blend, or Monterrey Jack</span>)<br />
3 T butter<br />
4 oz diced green chiles<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhL1mqEr-zdMQZwbOycGN7TQEy4b4d8gxgra2ELfwz2dLTBOdVLTeezWJ9jZEjGcIYIpEzT3ZBOUojsnzg2WfFP2Uml1SSpsUGSXe3t0YQA4GooYHJSM-8MOn-1CGPw69TUlYEBtEgxVi/s1600/IMG_4328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijhL1mqEr-zdMQZwbOycGN7TQEy4b4d8gxgra2ELfwz2dLTBOdVLTeezWJ9jZEjGcIYIpEzT3ZBOUojsnzg2WfFP2Uml1SSpsUGSXe3t0YQA4GooYHJSM-8MOn-1CGPw69TUlYEBtEgxVi/s320/IMG_4328.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Directions:</u></b><br />
Preheat oven to 350<br />
<br />
Grease 9x13 pan<br />
<br />
Drain the water from the cans of chicken and add to chicken to a large bowl.<br />
<br />
Mix chicken & 1 c of the shredded cheese<br />
<br />
Fill tortillas with mixture, roll, and place each one in pan<br />
<br />
Melt butter in sauce pan on stove top<br />
<br />
Whisk flour into the butter while on the stove<br />
<br />
Add broth and continue to whisk<br />
<br />
Cook until it begins to bubble<br />
<br />
Add sour cream & chiles to saucepan and mix together<br />
<br />
Pour mixture over enchiladas.<br />
<br />
Top with the remaining cheese.<br />
<br />
Bake for 20-25 min.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-30789223121789312542018-03-09T12:00:00.000-05:002018-03-09T12:00:11.170-05:00Recipe: Bell Pepper NachosA great low-carb, high-protein appetizer I made these for a family picnic and they were a <i>huge </i>hit. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
*********************************<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Bell Pepper Nachos</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
1 lb ground beef<br />
3 bell peppers<br />
3/4 c salsa<br />
1 c shredded cheese (<span style="font-size: x-small;">cheddar or Mexican blend</span>)<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
chili powder<br />
<br />
<b><u>Directions:</u></b><br />
Preheat oven to 375.<br />
<br />
Slice each bell pepper into ellipse-shaped nacho "bowls". Make sure to remove seeds, core, etc. You should be able to get approximately 6 per pepper.<br />
<br />
Place peppers onto baking sheet.<br />
<br />
Brown the ground beef & drain.<br />
<br />
Mix ground beef with salsa. Add salt, pepper, and chili powder to taste.<br />
<br />
Add mixture to each pepper "bowl"<br />
<br />
Top with shredded cheese.<br />
<br />
Bake until cheese is melted (<span style="font-size: x-small;">approximately 10 min</span>)<br />
<br />
Enjoy!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-28581414598875897532018-03-02T12:00:00.000-05:002018-03-02T12:00:32.856-05:00Recipe: Deviled EggsA classic picnic or party appetizer, who doesn't love a good deviled egg?<br />
<br />
I first started making deviled eggs back when we had chickens and I need some good egg recipes.<br />
<br />
My deviled eggs quickly became a favorite at family functions, with several relatives declaring them to be "the best" they've ever had. Well, I don't know about that, and I don't think I do anything super-special, but who am I to argue?<br />
<br />
Without farther ado, here's my recipe for deviled eggs.<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Deviled Eggs</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Ingredients (<span style="font-size: x-small;">brands that I prefer listed in parentheses</span>):</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>eggs (<span style="font-size: x-small;">from my chickens</span>)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>mayonnaise (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hellman's</span>)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>mustard (<span style="font-size: x-small;">French's or Grey Poupon</span>)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>relish (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Vlasic</span>)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>salt</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>pepper</i></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- get eggs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>for the best peeling, use eggs that are 10-12 days old. If you are using fresh-from-the-chicken eggs, let them sit in the refrigerator for at least 7-10 days. If you are buying from the grocery store, they are probably already that old (or older), so no need to wait</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- boil eggs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I suggest boiling a few extras, in case you run into some peeling difficulties</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>how I boil my eggs:<br /> <span style="font-size: x-small;">* put eggs in pot<br /> * add water till water level is 3/4 of the way to the top<br /> * put on stove<br /> * turn stove (</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">ie. burner</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">) on high<br /> * wait </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(if you're better at this than I am, you will stir them occasionally during the boil - keeps them from becoming flat on one end</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">)<br /> * once a rolling boil is achieved, turn stove off<br /> * wait 20 minutes<br /> * using a slatted spoon, move eggs to a bowl of ice<br /> * place bowl of iced eggs in refrigerator for a few hours to cool completely</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- peel eggs</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFJgSnqHCUh1AIYqOK58eruHOgbu-KFNNibufgdNRRqeCaFV44G7e2zAR6t97ROx6o_mpIQUhV551Nmo57U-mQoqFrqyjJXUdLEyoItmUnQo_R3DhwCEwa0pweDAKyoxGIpA2pGYvrYCc/s1600/IMG_1602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNFJgSnqHCUh1AIYqOK58eruHOgbu-KFNNibufgdNRRqeCaFV44G7e2zAR6t97ROx6o_mpIQUhV551Nmo57U-mQoqFrqyjJXUdLEyoItmUnQo_R3DhwCEwa0pweDAKyoxGIpA2pGYvrYCc/s200/IMG_1602.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- slice eggs in half long-ways</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- dig out yolks and put in bowl</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- place whites (<span style="font-size: x-small;">minus the yolks</span>) on your serving tray</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- mix up your schtuff</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Here's how I do it. Truth be told I don't actually measure anything, but I've tried to approximate measurements here:</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> * use a fork to mush up your boiled egg yolks</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> * add in1t mayo</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> * add in 1t mustard</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> * add in 1t relish</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i> * salt & pepper to taste<br /> * stir<br /> * repeat all but the first step as necessary to achieve the desired consistency</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRFWMq4adTxPS6BCiifecW2p6cB99GJhU13GJsVNOMy4sw30aCjGe3h2Y0vfVeAvVis8Uzs-ddCxrXRq7qNwodyltiQpI0r4X3zegFm0IGbKVDbfrUvDn7kuKFJQIkX3FfI6dsQNXDFVP/s1600/IMG_1603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwRFWMq4adTxPS6BCiifecW2p6cB99GJhU13GJsVNOMy4sw30aCjGe3h2Y0vfVeAvVis8Uzs-ddCxrXRq7qNwodyltiQpI0r4X3zegFm0IGbKVDbfrUvDn7kuKFJQIkX3FfI6dsQNXDFVP/s200/IMG_1603.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- put your yolk-y schtuff into your icing gun (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Pampered Chef</span>)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>I highly recommend using the largest opening tip that you have to prevent pickle chunks from the relish from clogging the whole thing up. Not that I know from experience or anything ;-)</i><br /><br /><b>- use the icing gun to fill the yolk-holes left in your egg whites</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>- enjoy your yummy deviled eggs!</b></span><br />
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As you can see from my pics, this is also an easy recipe for kiddos to get involved with. Just not the boiling part. But you knew that, right?<br />
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Thanks for checking in!Jodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-9557665670748686682018-02-28T12:00:00.000-05:002018-02-28T12:00:12.449-05:00It's a Heart IssueSo I recently came to the realization that my oldest has a rebellious spirit. And figuring out how to parent that issue has been a struggle.<br />
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You see, it's not a very overt type of rebellion, which is why it snuck under our radar for so long. Because the truth is this has been going on and growing for a couple of years.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMJSsZODUm9hiNFXXrIh1ZTP2wQQ7i0sQBMhIcmj7lR0bZobcqlgwmwe_0VbgecY15g4ZG2D6NLGzmfWb9epIeq8HL2lxrmNfWHHVPy6ZBHPL2gKEg1zcRWz44n8liJAkn3yLDvrqRtjW/s1600/Jena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMJSsZODUm9hiNFXXrIh1ZTP2wQQ7i0sQBMhIcmj7lR0bZobcqlgwmwe_0VbgecY15g4ZG2D6NLGzmfWb9epIeq8HL2lxrmNfWHHVPy6ZBHPL2gKEg1zcRWz44n8liJAkn3yLDvrqRtjW/s320/Jena.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Oh, and she's nine. <i>Nine</i>. I really didn't think we'd have to deal with these issues for a few more years at least. But nope, here we are.<br />
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So how is it manifesting that it managed to go unnoticed for so long? Well, it basically is manifesting as her not wanting to do anything that I want her to do, participate in any activities that I suggest, etc. No matter how much she enjoys them, she will beg to quit, tell me how "stupid" it is, etc. if it's something I suggested or something she knows I like.<br />
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We only figured it out because of her reaction to starting beginning band. She knows how strongly I feel that band is a worthwhile activity. I have long said that I want my children to at least try it. So now the time comes. She dug in her heels <i>hard</i>. After much discussion I finally got out of her why she didn't want to do band. Her response? Twofold.<br />
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"I don't want anyone telling me what to do, not even the band director."<br />
"I don't want to be like you."<br />
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Ouch.<br />
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It was while discussing the issue with Jason and some mom-friends that I had an a-ha moment and realized that it really had nothing to do with band, because this is actually the next step in a pattern of behavior.<br />
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<b>Reading.</b> Jena used to love to read. As in would literally read the dictionary. Around age 6 she very suddenly started hating to read. I was so confused and I never was able to figure out why the sudden change. But guess who loves to read, has told her kids how she used to read a ton when she was a kid, and strongly encouraged Jena to read. That's right, all me.<br />
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<b>Girl Scouts.</b> I did Girl Scouts when I was younger and really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it, so obviously I wanted my girls to try it to. Jena started at age 6. I stayed for meetings when I was able, as did most of the moms. I <i>saw </i>her having a blast, having so much fun, learning neat things, making friends. I <i>know </i>she enjoyed it. But guess what? Every chance she got she asked when she could quit. I thought maybe it was just the troop, so we switched to a different leader. Same reaction. I saw her having a great time week after week, but almost every week she would tell me how much she hated it and ask when she could quit.<br />
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<b>Homeschool Community Groups</b>. We have belonged to three different homeschool community groups in the four years that we've been homeschooling. With all three she would have a blast, would learn a lot, made lots of friends, but... you guessed it, she'd declare that it was "stupid", ask if we have to keep going, etc. Oh yeah, and guess whose idea it was. You guessed it. Mine.<br />
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And now <b>Band</b>. She chose snare drum as her instrument. She says she wants to learn how to play. After her first practice she talked non-stop about what she learned and the new friends she made. If you ask her she will tell you she likes playing the drums. But she will also tell you flat out that she doesn't want anyone telling her what to do. And of course, it was my idea.<br />
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So now, for contrast, let's look at <b>Soccer</b>. Her idea. I honestly didn't think she would like it, was totally surprised that she chose it. But she did, and it was 100% her idea. And guess what? She loves it. She recently asked me if there was any way she could do soccer five days a week instead of three.<br />
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Do you see the pattern? With the first three activities, no matter how I worded it, how much I tried to pull it out of her, she could never tell me <i>why </i>she didn't like the activity. She could never explain why she didn't like something that she actually seemed to enjoy so much.<br />
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So when Jason & I were discussing the band issue, we both kinda realized that all of these things have nothing to do with the activities themselves, but they all actually have to do with her having a heart of rebellion. It's a heart issue.<br />
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It comes out in little ways as well. Fighting against doing chores that she knows she has to do. Refusing to follow directions when we are schooling and making up her own way to do things instead. Being disrespectful to me in words & actions. The list goes on & on.<br />
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So now the issue is how to parent her thru this. How to address the heart issue, lead her as her mother, and stop this rebellion before it goes from being very subtle to very overt<br />
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Suggestions welcome! LOL.<br />
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What parenting issue are you dealing with at the moment?Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-53418358869858193262018-02-02T12:00:00.000-05:002018-02-02T12:00:32.675-05:00Las VegasJason & I are in Vegas for a cleaning convention. As our family business has continued to grow, we find ourselves traveling to more & more conventions.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcQU7SqD5nL4RrjVppi1jRBL5IiypOaAFSwLs7NtVbhg3B5-1AvB40SKv5xAIIU6lvHVbuGeC0Lv_IMo5UIOlQv1PVjFhAj46R2uSbPHEiB0Wqvvm4BsunhkVE1XXf4aNxnIRq-wLdbcq/s1600/Vegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcQU7SqD5nL4RrjVppi1jRBL5IiypOaAFSwLs7NtVbhg3B5-1AvB40SKv5xAIIU6lvHVbuGeC0Lv_IMo5UIOlQv1PVjFhAj46R2uSbPHEiB0Wqvvm4BsunhkVE1XXf4aNxnIRq-wLdbcq/s320/Vegas.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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This is our second year attending the one in Vegas, and we like it, both from a professional angle, and personally. The convention, and our room, is off the strip, so we avoid the big crowds, which for us is nice. There's still plenty to do, and I find it much more relaxing.<br /><br />The flight getting here was okay. I'm battling a sinus infection, so besides my motion sickness patch, I kept myself pretty well medicated with over the counter decongestants. It wasn't as bad as I was anticipating, but not great either.<br />
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As far as gambling goes, I prefer the slots, just because I think it's fun. And if you win? Well, that's just bonus. Jason tends to prefer the roulette table. More power to him, right?<br /><br />We don't typically bring the girls to professional conventions, although we have in the past. It's just hard for me to try to navigate a strange city while trying to keep two little girls entertained, and still make sure we time everything perfectly so we can meet up with Daddy later. Plus that means I can't help out professionally either, because I have the girls in tow. No working the booth, no dinners with potential business prospects, etc.<br /><br />So the girls are currently with my parents, then will go to Jason's mom later this week. I miss them terribly.<br />
<br />Speaking of working the booth, I helped out with that earlier today. I do <i>not</i> enjoy it. I mean, it's not horrible, but speaking to strangers and trying to sell them on something. Well, I've never been great at sales, and the idea of talking to someone I don't know kinda terrifies me. I'm so awkward. But I go. That's what counts, right?<br /><br />I think we're going to try to go the strip sometime while we're here, just for sightseeing. Not sure when though, our schedule is pretty packed.<br />
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I think that's all for now. As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-48534901329616197022017-10-02T12:00:00.000-04:002017-10-02T12:00:10.348-04:00Neither Shall He Eat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our church is in the middle of a sermon series about seeing work thru God's eyes instead of the world's. One of the verses we've been discussing is II Thessalonians 3:10, where it says that anyone isn't willing to work, should not be fed either. It's an interesting verse, especially in today's society.</div>
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Of course, we want to make sure it's clear that this doesn't apply to those who for one reason or another are not able to work, but to those that <i>choose </i>not to work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz91Sx5neRvqQaZ6eNdtdLecBX1Tj0ORdkwJ6SQ1zdiTiGycf73mdt70IqQzkndisbLwOG0lff8EUHYu4vbpcLQKt3pnpfiYJuCYXbV_ibWWdqUnyPngS69WQoUOiZFL33gxwyL76XNR2U/s1600/neither_shall-He_eat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz91Sx5neRvqQaZ6eNdtdLecBX1Tj0ORdkwJ6SQ1zdiTiGycf73mdt70IqQzkndisbLwOG0lff8EUHYu4vbpcLQKt3pnpfiYJuCYXbV_ibWWdqUnyPngS69WQoUOiZFL33gxwyL76XNR2U/s1600/neither_shall-He_eat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz91Sx5neRvqQaZ6eNdtdLecBX1Tj0ORdkwJ6SQ1zdiTiGycf73mdt70IqQzkndisbLwOG0lff8EUHYu4vbpcLQKt3pnpfiYJuCYXbV_ibWWdqUnyPngS69WQoUOiZFL33gxwyL76XNR2U/s320/neither_shall-He_eat.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Anywho... one of my friends said that when she got frustrated with her kids not doing their chores, she posted this verse on their fridge and told them if they didn't do their chores, the wouldn't eat dinner. Period.</div>
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I like the idea, and am tucking it in my back pocket. Maybe wait until my kids get a little older. Jillian might be a little young to force this on, at 3 years old. But the idea is sound, I think. As my friend put it, it may seem harsh, but if she can drill it in their heads now that if they want to eat they need to work, then hopefully as the become adults that will still ring true in their minds and they will grow up understanding that work is part of life, work feeds, work provides.<br />
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I like it.</div>
<br />Jodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-34109719524969307012017-09-25T12:00:00.000-04:002017-09-25T12:00:15.149-04:00I Need to Miss Them SometimesWhen I worked full time outside of the home I missed Jena every day. Every day I hated dropping her off at preschool and every day I counted the hours till I picked her up. I felt guilty for not being with her, for not spending my days with her. I planned short outings to squeeze in our precious time between work & preschool and bedtime. We didn't have much time together, but I tried very hard to make it quality time. I missed her. All the time.<br />
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Now, the picture is very different. Now, I stay home with my children. I even homeschool them. We are, generally speaking, together 24/7. Even when Jena participates in activities, I am there. Watching, cheering, encouraging, parenting, waiting... I'm always there. We're together. All the time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpLgE2ibsoEG_moXhLG-XaPrJWI9cZ03tfuCy7DpGa1TpEIw0lhAjASb1zkY0aLCK4JJgIim5VJgPKY42AdFSnpSANztWlHPXvcenw2-S0zCget-N1YbffN9x_O_Hb4NiYo3CS6jt0tvx/s1600/jena_me_april_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMpLgE2ibsoEG_moXhLG-XaPrJWI9cZ03tfuCy7DpGa1TpEIw0lhAjASb1zkY0aLCK4JJgIim5VJgPKY42AdFSnpSANztWlHPXvcenw2-S0zCget-N1YbffN9x_O_Hb4NiYo3CS6jt0tvx/s640/jena_me_april_2017.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And I love being with my kids. I find it hard to imagine sending them off to school 6+ hours a day five days a week. My heart aches at the thought of not being with them for such a huge amount of time.<br />
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I love it... and I don't.<br />
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You see, I find myself needing just the smallest bit of space. It comes on me at some point almost every day. Perhaps it's because I'm an introvert, and alone time refreshes me. Perhaps it's something else in my personality. Or maybe it's just something we all need sometimes.<br />
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I find myself eager for "rest time / quiet play". Eager for bedtime. Giddy when someone actually watches them for me for a few hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HGpCwCnxKKlhLfplM-T1NPFyIessa_RgISUsQR-gQwKitbwLir7LuVGzkn1-JoaedpEbnbvhQskv2-RmGaaG5DuE74tosnZzB190-s9UFqL6szjUvKc_5wYWOHLFRlW1LuFD6cbjZCxE/s1600/me_jillian_july_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8HGpCwCnxKKlhLfplM-T1NPFyIessa_RgISUsQR-gQwKitbwLir7LuVGzkn1-JoaedpEbnbvhQskv2-RmGaaG5DuE74tosnZzB190-s9UFqL6szjUvKc_5wYWOHLFRlW1LuFD6cbjZCxE/s640/me_jillian_july_2017.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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And then, of course, I feel guilty for feeling relieved to have some time to myself, some space.<br />
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I love it... and I don't.<br />
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It used to be that if Jason & I went away by ourselves that I missed Jena terribly, I could barely stand to be without her. The truth is that now when we get rare nights to ourselves, I don't miss my kids. My heart doesn't ache. Not for a few days anyway. Oh sure, it comes eventually. But that familiar ache used to hit as we drove away. Literally just a few miles down the road. Now it takes a few days before it sets in.<br />
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I know it makes sense, to a point. But I don't know that I like it.<br />
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I need to miss them sometimes.<br />
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I need a chance to feel that ache, to want to spend time with them. <i>Really </i>want to, <i>really </i>miss it. I need an opportunity to look forward to the time with my kids, instead of it just being part of my everyday routine.<br />
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I miss missing them.<br /><br />I need to miss them sometimes.Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-56950896862665423952017-09-03T12:00:00.000-04:002017-09-03T12:00:05.161-04:00Top 10 Items We Use with an Eight Year OldWell, a while back I came to you with the <a href="http://www.everydaynothings.com/2017/07/top-10-items-we-use-with-three-year-old.html" target="_blank">Top 10 Items We Use with a Three Year Old</a>, and today I'm moving on to the <span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;"><b>Top 10 Items We Use with an 8 Year Old.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1. Baby Shampoo</b></span><br />
Yes, she's eight. She also has incredibly sensitive skin. We've tried a myriad of different brands of shampoo, including organic, all natural, etc. You name it, we've probably tried it. And every last stinkin' one of them resulted with Jena having a rash on her scalp. Everything, that is, except Johnson's Baby Shampoo. Since it works well, and my poor baby has been through enough skin conditions to last a lifetime, this is it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00WEBX65O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00WEBX65O&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=bdb7b9843bf7276fff4b226ce7e6cc66" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00WEBX65O&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Play Doh</b></span></div>
Thank goodness our 8 year old still likes Play Doh. It's one of the few activities she & her younger sister can agree on when playing together. Win-win for everyone.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00JM5GW10/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JM5GW10&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=55d5064de758172e6ba66968e886a2d3" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00JM5GW10&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Rainbow Loom & Bands</b></span><br />
Anytime Jena is playing quietly in her room by herself, I can just about bet that she's working with her loom bands. She loves these things! I love seeing her creativity come out as she makes different items: bracelets, toy animals, clothing for her dolls... she's made so many things in some pretty cool designs too!<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00DMC6KAC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00DMC6KAC&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=e8b4796f9b58c54502d45e513ea1bdf0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00DMC6KAC&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Scissors</b></span></div>
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Seriously, my child loves to cut stuff. She takes old cardboard boxes and turns them into doll houses, cuts old clothes up to make new creations. She has loved cutting since she was able to. She recently has been allowed to us my scissors instead of only using her safety scissors, and knock on wood, no accidents yet.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00DMC6KAC" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />5. Hot Glue Gun</b></span><br />
With all of her craftiness, which she does not get from me BTW, Jena has recently graduated to using a hot glue gun. She uses it to put together some of her cardboard creations, to create a hem on her clothing creations, or just to make a pretty craft.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01178RVI2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01178RVI2&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=1719ccc6d6e44b2acf9884f708c8469e" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B01178RVI2&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Gymnastics Mat</b></span></div>
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My parents got her a gymnastics mat for Christmas last year, and I have to say that she has used it nearly every day since. If you have a little one in gymnastics, or who just likes to tumble around, I highly recommend investing in one. She has definitely gotten the money's worth out of it!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7. Scooter</b></span></div>
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Also a gift, Jena's scooter has become her main riding apparatus, even more fun than her bike according to her. She loves to ride it up & down the driveway, to get the mail with me, and we even took it on our camping trip a few weeks ago. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Mr. Turtle</b></span></div>
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I would be remiss if I didn't mention Mr. Turtle. We got Mr. Turtle for Jena when she was just 6 months old, and he hasn't left her side since. He's a bit (<span style="font-size: x-small;">okay, a lot</span>) worn down, but he's still as awesome as ever.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9. School Supplies</b></span></div>
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I couldn't decide on one item that we use more than others, so I'm lumping them all in as "school supplies". If you recall, we homeschool our daughters, so this definitely makes the list of top items we use with Jena.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10. Soccer Stuff</b></span></div>
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Last, but certainly not least, is Jena's soccer gear. Again, it's hard to pinpoint one item she uses more than another. Ball, shin guards, goalie gloves, water bottle, etc... all essential to every practice and game. This year we're adding a concussion headband to her gear as well. She had a close call with a cleat- meets-face scenario last year, and the play is only going to get more aggressive the older she gets. Better safe than sorry.</div>
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Well, that about wraps up my list of Top Ten Items We Use with an Eight Year Old. What about you? Anything you'd add to this list?<br /><br />As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-47355826418428113812017-08-27T12:00:00.000-04:002017-08-27T12:00:19.696-04:00Small Business Spotlight: Let's Snap ItChanging gears a bit from our last<a href="http://www.everydaynothings.com/2017/07/small-business-spotlight-cheap-toilet.html" target="_blank"> Small Business Spotlight</a>, today we're coming to you with some really cute jewelry pieces from Jamie Wilson over at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lets-Snap-It-259847031150076/" target="_blank">Let's Snap It</a>.<br />
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Snap jewelry is a really neat way to change up your look without breaking the bank. The idea is simple: you start with a base piece (<span style="font-size: x-small;">bracelet, necklace, etc.</span>) and the decorative pieces can be switched out as often as you desire to create an entire new look from that one piece.<br />
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Jamie started her business just a couple of months ago, back in June 2017. She really liked the concept and decided to jump in and make it work for her.<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lets-Snap-It-259847031150076/" target="_blank">Let's Snap It</a> has had a slow start so far, but Jamie is using her previous sales experience to jump start this new adventure. Her main motivation? Being able to set her own hours and work from hom so she can stay home with her son. Something I can relate to all too well!<br />
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Her pieces are seriously super cute, so head on over to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Lets-Snap-It-259847031150076/" target="_blank">her Facebook page</a>, show her some love, and browse around a bit.<br /><br />As always, thanks for checking in!Jodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-61791810179414934382017-08-20T12:00:00.000-04:002017-08-20T12:00:17.693-04:00She Rises While it is Yet NightI've been thinking about this a lot lately. Not being a morning person, it doesn't sound very appealing to me. I'd much rather stay up late at night to get things done, then get up early in the morning.<br /><br />But then again, this is biblical (<span style="font-size: x-small;">Proverbs 31:15</span>). And so, I've been giving this a try. I can't say I've been totally successful at it, but I have managed to get up before the girls most days.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAj1vf6f7CI2FNAbWwPLjYkQ6Ni6Leh7hqJOWtqnzP-1YJNfFjqBtZx5Rc6y8MJThRWWR4b2N4GFF0KTKJT-0hI2_9kVS4-BbWwWqe9dp0NFD1zrmABwOxo3hyQ1J8Ps62invElVW8EaM/s1600/she_riseth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbAj1vf6f7CI2FNAbWwPLjYkQ6Ni6Leh7hqJOWtqnzP-1YJNfFjqBtZx5Rc6y8MJThRWWR4b2N4GFF0KTKJT-0hI2_9kVS4-BbWwWqe9dp0NFD1zrmABwOxo3hyQ1J8Ps62invElVW8EaM/s640/she_riseth.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br /><br />And you know what? It's kinda nice. Unless one of them gets up especially early, I usually get to have my breakfast in peace, walk the dogs, throw in a load of laundry, and mentally prepare for school that day before either of them gets up. Dare I say it? Being intentional about waking up early is actually kinda nice.<br />
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Not being a morning person, I tend to be a little grumpy when I first wake up. Both of my daughters have also inherited this trait. But you know what makes it a little easier? If I manage to get up early, take care of a few things around the house, have my breakfast, and just settle myself, center myself, well, it really helps me to be calm and handle <i>their </i>grumpiness a little bit better.<br /><br />It's also really nice to get a start on that day's to-do list. Getting even just one or two chores knocked out before my kids even wake up just mentally eases the burden for the rest of the day.<br /><br />Now, realistically I don't think I'll ever truly be a morning person. But I can see where there are benefits to the idea of getting a really early start to the day.<br />
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What about you? Do you wake up early? Sleep in? What have you found that works for you?<br /><br />As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-81499844986813391142017-08-05T12:00:00.000-04:002017-08-05T12:00:16.605-04:00I am so ready for the workday to be overIt's 5:15pm and I am so ready for the workday to be over. It's been one of those days. Stress at every turn, difficult coworkers, menial work that feels overwhelming because of the stresses of the workplace. I'm tired, frustrated, and about to go over the edge. But at least it's 5:15pm.<br />
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I am unbelievably ready to wrap up what I'm working on, walk out the door, get in the car and drive. Sure, wherever I go will have its own responsibilities with different people to deal with, but with any luck maybe those people will be in a good mood and tonight will end on a relaxing note.<br />
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But I can't walk out the door. Because I don't work outside the home anymore. I stay home and homeschool our children. So at 5:15pm, even though I've already been fully on the job for 10 hours, I have at least four more to go, and that's if the kids actually go to bed on time and stay there. More often than not with my three year old lately I'll be looking at another six hours, minimum.<br />
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No drive by myself, listening to music to help me unwind. No change of scenery. No heading out to see if the next group of people in my life will be in a better mood. Nope. This is it.<br />
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It's been a rough day. Meltdowns, tantrums, tears, yelling, frustration, blatant disobedience and disrespect. All day.<br />
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I'm not saying there weren't good moments, because there were. But interspersed throughout the day, all day, many, many times were these moments, these difficult moments. These stressful, frustrating moments. I have yelled more times than I care to admit. It was a hard day.<br />
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But I can't pack up my desk and leave, and hope things will be better at home. This is my home, and my workplace. So I have a choice to make.<br />
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I can choose to focus on the negative, be a pessimist, and let it bring me down, which will continue to spiral my daughters' adverse behavior, or I can choose to try to see the positive in the day, be an optimist, force a smile on my face, and try to pick my girls up and make their day better. I'm the leader here. It's up to me to at least try to turn things around.<br />
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So I gather the supplies for a craft, get everything set up, tell the girls we'll do a craft. They're excited. They love crafts. This will be fun.<br />
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After reminding Jena that she needs to follow instructions or the craft won't turn out right, she yells at me that I'm ruining her art by making her follow directions and breaks down in tears because I "ruined" her project.<br />
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We take a break, but eventually finish. But no ones very excited about the craft anymore. And I'm starting to wonder why I bother.<br />
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Now it's time for dinner. I decide to make a new recipe, but one that is simple and kinda fun and I'm absolutely sure both girls will like. Jena refuses to admit that it's good, instead telling me everything that's wrong with it. But she takes a second helping. And a third.<br />
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Sometimes you can't help another person's bad mood. You can try. And especially for the ones you love, and the ones you're living with, you should. But ultimately it is all up to them. They have to decide to look at the bright side for themselves.<br />
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Dinner is over. The run baths for each girl in turn. They get into their pajamas, brush their teeth, get into bed.<br />
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It is now 11:45pm. Jillian is still awake. She just called me into her room a few minutes ago. The fourth time she's been out of bed, that I know of.<br />
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When you're a mom there is no end to your work day. Even when the kids aren't directly demanding my attention, I'm tending to housework, or school planning, or cooking, or pet care, or, or, or... The list goes on and on. And it doesn't matter if you work outside the home or stay home. The only difference is when you work outside the home you get a change of scenery, a break from one set of responsibilities, even if it is quickly replaced with another set.<br />
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I've done both. I was a mom who worked outside the home for six years, and now I've been a stay at home / homschooling mom for three years. They are equally demanding, equally stressful, just in different ways. I'm not going to lie, there are days when I think back longingly on my days as a working mom. Days when I have to remind myself how many years I spent wanting this, praying for the opportunity to stay home with my family. Days when I have to remind myself of the stresses of working outside the home. Today was definitely one of those days.<br />
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The truth is I miss working outside the home more than I ever thought I would. And while I was never one of those people who thought being a SAHM was an easy job, I definitely underestimated how difficult it can be at times. And then I decided to add homeschooling to the mix, LOL. I had no idea what I was in for! Despite all that, I remain convinced that for our family, at this moment in time, me staying home and homeschooling our children is the absolute best choice for us. I have to remind myself of that at times like today, but it is the truth.<br />
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So here's to all you working moms, wherever you call your "office". Keep your focus on what's best for your family, on why you do what you do, and keep on pushing through those hard days. There's a good day right around the corner. Promise.<br />
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As always, thanks for checking in.Jodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-8141780432468170082017-07-29T12:00:00.001-04:002017-07-29T12:00:00.175-04:00Small Business Spotlight: Cheap Toilet Tank Lids<div dir="ltr" id="yiv3412875299m_-226234341019401608yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1498439850905_24164" style="-webkit-padding-start: 0px; font-family: verdana, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
Today's Small Business Spotlight features one of the most unique & interesting small businesses I have come across so far: <a href="http://cheaptoilettanklids.com/store/index.php?route=common/home" target="_blank">Cheap Toilet Tank Lids</a>.</div>
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The company is the brainchild of Tom Herbert, who has been running the company since its inception eight years ago. One question I have wondered since hearing about his company was how in the world he came up with such a unique idea.</div>
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Tom tells me:</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I was working a sales job for a company during the recession. We sold nurse call systems to assisted living facilities, and during this time everyone cut their budget and I had nothing to do, so the owner of the company put me in charge of finding a replacement toilet tank lid when someone broke one in our office. I looked online, found one for $175, and asked him for the credit card to get it ordered. He said that was a ridiculous price and directed me to a local salvage yard where he had seen a bunch of toilets from the street. I went there, found a tank lid that was close enough for $10, and thought everything was done.</span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Then I sat at my desk and realized maybe there could be an opportunity to make some extra money selling at a lower price online. I built a website, but didn't own any tank lids. All of the companies I saw online listed the item brand and part number, color, and dimensions. I just simply wrote 'Our inventory is constantly changing, so if you need a tank lid please tell us which one, and if we have it, it is yours for $50'. Someone actually contacted me and needed a Briggs 7421, which I didn't know at the time was the most common tank lid. I bought it from the salvage yard for $10, sold it for $50, and instantly had a profitable business on the first sale.</span></i></blockquote>
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Necessity, meets inventiveness, meets profit.</div>
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Tom's background provided all the knowledge he needed for this new endeavour. Everything, that is, except actual knowledge of toilets. He has a degree in engineering, previous web design experience, and recent experience in the sales industry. Now he just needed to teach himself about toilets. And so he did.</div>
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For several months Tom continued the way he began, selling tank lids one at a time as requests came in. And then... an unexpected offer. One day a plumber who was preparing to retire contacted Tom and offered him 1,000 tank lids. Tom borrowed some money from his parents, purchased all 1,000 lids and rented a storage unit. He slowly started learning about these products that he now owned. The more he sold, the more he was able to invest back into his business in the form of advertising. The more he advertised, the more people found <a href="http://cheaptoilettanklids.com/store/index.php?route=common/home" target="_blank">Cheap Toilet Tank Lids</a>, and the more he sold.</div>
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But who exactly is buying toilet tank lids? A large portion of Tom's customers are renters coming to the end of their lease, and needing to replace a broken toilet tank lid in order to assure the receive their security deposit back at the end of the term. They also see significant sales to restaurants, preschools, and gas stations.<br />
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But why do they choose <a href="http://we%20started%20in%20largo%2C%20fl%20in%20a%2010%27x20%27%20uncle%20bobs%20storage%20unit%2C%20then%20expanded%20to%202%20storage%20units.%20when%20someone%20sold%20me%203%2C000%20tank%20lids%20at%20once%2C%20i%20moved%20up%20to%20a%202%2C000%20square%20foot%20warehouse%20and%20it%20was%20a%20real%20business%20at%20this%20point.%20we%20operated%20there%20for%20several%20years%20until%20we%20decided%20as%20a%20company%20to%20move%20to%20north%20carolina%20and%20enjoy%20mountain%20living.%20now%20our%20warehouse%20is%20at%20my%20cousins%20house%20who%20works%20with%20me%20and%20i%20work%20from%20home%20most%20of%20the%20time%2C%20other%20than%20when%20i%20travel%20to%20buy%20more%20tank%20lids./" target="_blank">Cheap Toilet Tank Lids</a>? With literally thousands of different tank lids & color options out there, they have most of the possible options on hand, and can manufacture others, making them one of the few vendors able to supply almost every possible need their customers might have. Tom has also become quite the expert on toilets and toilet tank lids, and can usually identify the lid a customer needs just by looking at a picture they send to him. That kind of mastery and customer service sets Cheap Toilet Tank Lids apart from the competition.</div>
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Speaking of customer service, Tom wants to pass out this helpful tip for anyone living in an older home and considering a toilet replacement:<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A lot of people don't realize if their house is 20 or more years old, the plumbing wasn't designed for the new low flow toilets. A house designed for a 3.5 gallon or more per flush toilet has its pipes angled at less pitch than newer ones. If you are convinced that changing to a low flow toilet is going to save you money and save the environment, consider two things. The new toilet took a lot of resources to be manufactured and transported from Mexico or China or Venezuela to get to you. Using the low flow toilet will cost you money every year when your pipes back up. Sludge will build up in your pipes and the flow will be blocked to the street. You'll need to have a rooter company come and clear the pipes out regularly. It is much more economical and better for the environment to keep an old toilet working as long as possible than to put in a new one. </span></i></blockquote>
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The growth of his company has allowed Tom to go from just him, getting toilet tank lids from salvage yards and rummaging thru trash bins after hours to find boxes & bubble wrap for shipping, to having three additional employees, over 8,000 tank lids & 400 tanks on their shelves, and even manufacturing their own when needed to meet their customers' needs. In fact, the porcelain-looking wooden tank lids they manufacture for custom requests has given them additional ideas for growing the company even further.</div>
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Growth is often an instigator for change, and so it was with <a href="http://we%20started%20in%20largo%2C%20fl%20in%20a%2010%27x20%27%20uncle%20bobs%20storage%20unit%2C%20then%20expanded%20to%202%20storage%20units.%20when%20someone%20sold%20me%203%2C000%20tank%20lids%20at%20once%2C%20i%20moved%20up%20to%20a%202%2C000%20square%20foot%20warehouse%20and%20it%20was%20a%20real%20business%20at%20this%20point.%20we%20operated%20there%20for%20several%20years%20until%20we%20decided%20as%20a%20company%20to%20move%20to%20north%20carolina%20and%20enjoy%20mountain%20living.%20now%20our%20warehouse%20is%20at%20my%20cousins%20house%20who%20works%20with%20me%20and%20i%20work%20from%20home%20most%20of%20the%20time%2C%20other%20than%20when%20i%20travel%20to%20buy%20more%20tank%20lids./" target="_blank">Cheap Toilet Tank Lids</a>. They started with one 10'20' storage unit in Largo, FL, then expanded to two unit. An influx of 3,000 lids all at once instigated the move to a 2,000 sq ft warehouse, and then Tom really felt like it was a real businesses. They remained at the warehouse in Florida for several years before taking the plunge and moving to the mountains of North Carolina.</div>
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The move across several states also proved to be the largest challenge they've faced to date. Just for logistics alone, the move took four 53' semi-trailer loads of product, plus countless hours tearing down, packing, unpacking, and setting up their inventory.</div>
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While most entrepreneurs will tell you that the flexibility it provides is one of their favorite things about owning their own business, Tom also credits that flexibility for his success. Especially with an internet-based company like <a href="http://cheaptoilettanklids.com/store/index.php?route=common/home" target="_blank">Cheap Toilet Tank Lid</a>s, the ability to set his own schedule allows Tom to be more productive, and also gives him time to pursue his other interests, like travel, hiking, cooking, etc.</div>
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Another advantage to entrepreneurship is that running your own business creates a built-in drive to keep trying new things. Tom admits that he's had his share of failures along the way, but even those missteps keep him working toward a more successful enterprise.</div>
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His advice to other small business owners is to not fear spending money on advertising. He recommends 10-20% of revenue as a good target for advertising spend. But don't forget to keep an eye on your advertising dollars to check for areas where advertising in that area isn't driving sales. By cutting spending in those areas you free up money to try different, potentially more successful marketing efforts.</div>
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The future for <a href="http://cheaptoilettanklids.com/store/index.php?route=common/home" target="_blank">Cheap Toilet Tank Lids</a> is definitely bright. With a simple goal of increasing revenue each year, they have succeeded in doing just that every year thus far, and see themselves continuing that trajectory for years to come.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>All photos provided by Cheap Toilet Tank Lids and used with permission</i></span></div>
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Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-53515315230849932362017-07-22T12:00:00.000-04:002017-07-22T12:00:08.293-04:00Top 10 Items We Use with a Three Year OldEvery time I go on Pinterest I see all these "must have" lists for bringing home a new baby. You know what I don't see? Hardly anything about anything for older kids. So let's do something about that.<br />
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This is a list of items that are used on a regular basis by us or Jillian, our 3 year old.<br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. Pull-Ups.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No, Jillian is not potty trained yet. Yes, we are working on it. But in the meantime, pull ups it is. Definitely something we use on a daily basis. Multiple times.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B06XCFSWM9/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B06XCFSWM9&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=e79e7bebf6a8577481b5c2efb20c0035" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B06XCFSWM9&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B06XCFSWM9" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Wipes.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yep, if we're still using pull ups, we're still using wipes. I've come to love the Huggies Cucumber & Tea scented, but that's just me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00JOLT2YQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JOLT2YQ&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=92ffc8ddb1768e6cba292173ba9edbc9" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00JOLT2YQ&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00JOLT2YQ" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>3. Baby Shampoo</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yep. She's 3 years old and we still use baby shampoo. Actually, with Jena's sensitive skin (<span style="font-size: x-small;">8 years old</span>) she still uses it as well. Over the past 8 years we've definitely bought <i>plenty </i>of baby shampoo, and I don't see that stopping any time soon.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00WEBX65O/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00WEBX65O&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=c1ffd62c4acc0cd7093bb814470e5179" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00WEBX65O&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00WEBX65O" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Can she drink from a regular cup? Yes. Does she also do thinks like put food in her cup, dump it on the table on purpose, and put her hand in it just because she wants to? Yep. So we still use a sippy for most drinking throughout the day. Regular cups pretty much just for dinner time when we can try to keep a closer eye on her.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01B4ND29C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01B4ND29C&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=c179184358e4a7c7c5f0bee6a78193c3" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B01B4ND29C&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B01B4ND29C" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yeah, this one is as much for me as it is for her. She only uses it when she's tired or <i>really </i>upset, and then not usually for long. My oldest never took a paci, so this is new territory for us, and quite frankly <i>I'm</i> not ready for her to give it up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6. Play Doh</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is definitely one of our favorite play items right now. Luckily for us it's pretty cheap. We picked up a Melissa & Doug play dough play set at the homeschool convention back in April, and it's been a big hit. Keeps both the girls playing quietly just about every day of the week.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00JM5GW10/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JM5GW10&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=d8fe5c293d84e2cefe9a34b6b456a4c2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B00JM5GW10&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B00JM5GW10" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>7. Books</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Right now Jillian loves to have someone read to her. When we're done reading a book she'll usually take the same book and go "read" to one of the pets or her dolls. It's fun for her and I know we're setting her up for success in reading later. The Llama Llama books are some of our favorites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8. Band-Aids</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our little Jillian is our little monkey, which means like a lot of 3 year olds she gets lots of owies. Lately we've been going thru a box of bandaids just about every week. And that's just for legitimate owies. Her latest injury is a fingernail that fell off. She hurt the end of the same finger 4 times in a row, and unsurprisingly a couple of weeks later the nail started to fall off. I anticipate us continuing to use lots of bandaids until the new nail finishes growing in.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>9. Baby Dolls</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our little Jillian is also a little momma. She has loved dolls since she was old enough to let us know her preference. Three years later she still loves playing babies. Baby Alive dolls are one of our favorites for both of our girls.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0125KRB04/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0125KRB04&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=f24315313167320b47c76d6c602b9ab6" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B0125KRB04&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B0125KRB04" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">10. Bubbles</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One of Jillian's favorite activities is blowing bubbles. It's nice now in the summer because I can send her outside with a big bottle of bubbles and I know she'll have a great time just blowing bubbles and popping them.</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0176NJXEM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0176NJXEM&linkCode=am2&tag=everyday070-20&linkId=fb6a1b22a774a33adb0699aa312f10e1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&MarketPlace=US&ASIN=B0176NJXEM&ServiceVersion=20070822&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&Format=_SL250_&tag=everyday070-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=everyday070-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B0176NJXEM" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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Well, I think that's our Top Ten for Jillian. Anything you'd add?<br />
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Check back soon for a list of the Top Ten Items We Use with an Eight Year Old.<br />
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As always, thanks for checking in!
Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-79144112180029725022017-07-15T12:00:00.000-04:002017-07-15T12:00:18.447-04:00Dreams and Schemes and MarriageRecently one of my acquaintances was lamenting what she saw as a completely unrealistic plan her husband had for their family. She kept trying to explain to him why it wouldn't work, he kept getting mad at her for not considering it.<br />
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The discussion we had led me to think back through our relationship.<br />
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I'm reminded of some of the crazy schemes Jason & I have come up with thru the years. Some of them are pretty out there. The craziest one, in my eyes anyway, was when he told me he wanted to move to Haiti to run a farm. Seriously. Haiti. Look up the disease & crime rates on that one and think about moving there with your toddler. That was absolutely ridiculous to me. But I looked into it and thought about it, and discussed it with him anyway.<br />
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Haiti never came to fruition. In fact, 99% of our dreams & schemes don't pan out, whether they're his, mine, or ours. But you know what? Dreaming together can be <i>so </i>much fun. We've gone to look at land somewhere so many times I've lost count. We've gotten on the computer and looked at property on the other side of the country and talked about what would happen if we bought it sight unseen. I've googled the rates of disease in various foreign countries he wanted to move to. Jason & I have discussed how we would go about selling all of our worldly possessions. We've gone to open houses for homes we'd likely never buy.<br />
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We're actually in the midst of dreaming thru a crazy scheme right now. This one's been going on for months. We've both read articles & blogs, watched YouTube videos, even gone window-shopping for some things we'd need. I've done the math on our finances to see how feasible it is, did some more math to see what else we could do to increase the feasibility. It's a pretty big one. Possibly our craziest one yet. And we are both totally on board.<br />
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Not going public with our idea yet, although if it does eventually work out we will totally be inviting ya'll on our journey. But not yet. I did mention it in passing to my parents. They thought I was joking. Literally thought I was making a joke, so I let the subject pass. For now.<br />
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Jason & I have talked and dreamed together, window-shopped for our lives together, and we've had <i>so</i> much fun doing it. And I believe our marriage is stronger for it.<br />
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So the next time your spouse comes to you with an idea that seems a little "out there", give it a chance. Maybe it'll happen, maybe it won't, but I don't think you'll regret giving them the benefit of a doubt and dreaming together for a little while. Who knows? You may even come to love the idea.<br />
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As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-64176328083982315522017-07-08T12:00:00.000-04:002017-07-12T22:14:43.541-04:00Small Business Spotlight: Kentucky Olive, LLC<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Today's <a href="http://www.everydaynothings.com/search/label/small%20business" target="_blank">Small Business Spotlight</a> features a brand new business in Northern Kentucky, <a href="https://www.bluegrassolive.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky Olive, LLC</a>.</div>
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Kentucky Olive opened as part of <a href="http://www.thefriendlymkt.com/" target="_blank">The Friendly Market</a> in Florence, KY on Memorial Day weekend 2017. After having being a customer of several Friendly Market businesses for quite some time, owners of Kentucky Olive, Tom & Tonia Spille, realized there was a need for a good olive oil & balsamic provider in the same location to complement the other fresh food establishments. After many discussions with the owner of <a href="http://www.a-fish-ionados.com/" target="_blank">Afishionados</a>, a seafood shop in the Friendly Market where the Spilles had also taken cooking classes, and with additional discussions with a provider of olive oil & balsamic, the couple decided to take the plunge and begin this new adventure together.<br />
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As with starting any new business, the Spilles have overcome several challenges already. First of all, neither Tom nor Tonia had a strong background in food provision or retail sales. Finding time to launch and run a business has probably been their biggest struggle so far, as both of them work full time jobs as well. They manage this challenge by tackling tasks based on priority, and keeping their eyes on the positive: starting Kentucky Olive has been something the couple can do <i>together</i>. They chose their location at The Friendly Market for the existing customer base there, the support they get from the other businesses there, as well as their ability to support those businesses themselves. The unique atmosphere there really allows all parties the ability to feed each other (<span style="font-size: x-small;">pun intended</span>). Their customer base varies widely in age and income, but they all have one thing in common: they care about what they put into their bodies. Customers of Kentucky Olive are striving to be more health conscious, to know their food & what goes into it.</div>
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Tom & Tonia currently run the Kentucky Olive store themselves with the help of family members, but they hope to hire full time help as sales continue to grow, and grow they certainly will. The early success of this small business has been impressive. Several local food establishments have already begun using their oils when preparing their food productions, and they are in discussions with other chefs in the area to use their products as well. Their customer base is growing rapidly and they have already received orders from multiple states across the country. It's no surprise that they expect to grow their customer base substantially throughout the next year, and hope to open additional locations in the next 5-10 years.<br />
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So how do the Spilles explain their success thus far? For starters, their unique location in The Friendly Market draws a customer base looking for unique, quality food. The time & effort they put into finding a supplier of premium olive oils & balsamic vinegars has paid off as their customers have fallen in love with the quality product they find there. Yet with all the work they have put into launching their new business, Tom & Tonia truly enjoy what they do. They have a passion for quality food and sharing ideas with their customers. Working at the store feels less like work and more like relaxation and fun.</div>
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And for anyone looking to start their own business, the couple wants you to know that they see personal satisfaction as the primary advantage of being your own boss. Making your own decisions, looking back on what you did and knowing that <i>you </i>did it, the ability to see something you've created become successful - these are all things that made entrepreneurship the right path for the Spilles.<br />
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Interested in trying their products? Stop by and see Tom & Tonia to try their many flavors of extra virgin olive oil, fused & infused olive oil, black truffle oil, balsamic vinegars, specialty vinegars, whole olives, and much, much more. For more information, find them online at <a href="http://www.kentuckyolive.com/">www.KentuckyOlive.com</a> or email them at KyOliveLLC@gmail.com<br />
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<i>All photos provided by Kentucky Olive and used with permission.</i></div>
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Jodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-84416106062938076662017-07-04T12:00:00.000-04:002017-07-04T12:00:23.017-04:00Happy Independence Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Jodihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16462664480337935375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-21640801834346398872017-07-01T12:00:00.000-04:002017-07-01T12:00:12.725-04:00My ExpertiseSo recently I read something that said you should identify at least one thing that you could consider yourself an "expert" at. Honestly (<span style="font-size: x-small;">and a little sadly</span>) I was at a loss. So I asked my family.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">Jason (<span style="font-size: x-small;">husband</span>):</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">- <i>NSFW </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">Jena (<span style="font-size: x-small;">8 y</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">ears old</span>):</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i>- being a mom and</i><i> loving us</i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">Jillian (<span style="font-size: x-small;">3 years old</span>):</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="color: #4c1130;">- playing on your phone</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br /></i>
My Dad:</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="color: #4c1130;">- debating</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">My Mom:</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">- <i>researching</i></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #4c1130;">Stephanie (<span style="font-size: x-small;">one of my besties</span>):</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><i><br /></i>
<i>- engaging others in intelligent conversation without being condescending or dogmatic</i></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
I'm noticing a theme among the adults. Well, the adults I don't sleep with anyway, LOL.<br />
<br />
Debate. Research. Engaging in conversation. Maybe that degree in history did pay off, huh?<br />
<br />
So what about you? What are you an expert at?<br />
<br />
As always, thanks for checking in.Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5739401093569384212.post-57387474977799341902017-06-24T12:00:00.000-04:002017-06-24T12:00:23.596-04:00Took My Fat Butt to the Doctor...Okay, ya'll. I am feeling the need to relate an experience I had the other day at the doctors' office, that has me a little irritated. And you know, if this were the first time it had happened, I might brush it off. But it's not the first time something like this has happened.<br />
<br />
So I go to see my gynecologist for my yearly exam. He mentions my significant weight loss since last year. He mentions my metabolic disorder (<span style="font-size: x-small;">in my chart</span>). He mentions the endocrinologist who I see for my metabolic disorder, and who my gynecologist describes as "the best". He mentions my vertical sleeve gastrectomy, and asks about my progress. You know what he does then?<br />
<br />
He tells me I need to reduce my calorie intake (<span style="font-size: x-small;">without asking me anything about my diet</span>). He asks about my physical activity, then tells me I also need to exercise more to maximize my weight loss.<br />
<br />
You know... if he didn't know that I had a diagnosed metabolic disorder, was under treatment by "the best" endocrinologist in the area, that I recently had gastric sleeve, that I'm already seeing a nutritionist, and have lost 70 lbs... if he didn't know all of that and as a medical professional wanted to insert his advice about my weight because he was concerned about my obesity, then fine. But when you know your patient has taken proactive steps to combat the condition, is being seen by someone you yourself consider "the best", and has had significant weight loss, well... do you really think another lecture about how fat she is, how she needs to reduce caloric intake & increase physical activity, well, do you <i>really </i>think that's helpful? Or is it degrading? Disheartening? Insulting?<br /><br />It's not the first time this has happened. In my early 20s I experienced some breast changes that, because of my family history of breast cancer, my family doctor felt should be evaluated by a breast specialist. So I went. She never even examined me. True story. She asked me to have a seat in her office, fully clothed, and lectured me on how I needed to lose weight, and somehow this would resolve my breast issues. She literally never even looked at my breasts, let alone did an exam.<br /><br />Let that sink in for a minute. A patient is referred to you, as a specialist, because of significant changes in her breasts combined with a strong family history of breast cancer. And you, as a specialized medical professional, <i>never even examine her</i>, but instead lecture her about her weight as if that will cure all of her issues.<br /><br />Needless to say, I never went back.<br /><br />Thankfully my family doctor was as appalled as I was and ordered my first mammogram. He also said he would no longer be referring patients to that particular doctor.<br /><br />Don't misunderstand me, I know that obesity is a major health issue in our country. But it isn't everything. It's not even close. Nothing about my yearly gynecological visit necessitates comments about my weight, diet, & exercise, especially when you know I'm already being treated for those issues. Nothing about the changes in my breasts were attributed to my weight, nor would losing weight somehow miraculously prevent breast cancer from being a concern in my life.<br /><br />The sad thing is that these experiences are nothing new, not for me, and not for millions of other Americans. Our concerns, the real medical issues that need to be addressed, are dismissed; we aren't taken seriously; we endure lecture after lecture about our weight, whether we want it or not. We hear the surprise in the nurse's voice when our blood pressure is within normal limits, and the look of surprise on doctors' faces when we tell them that "No. I'm not diabetic. In fact, my sugar trends low."<br /><br />It's bad enough the things we endure from John Q. Public, but the doctor is one place we should be able to go, discuss valid concerns, and have <i>those </i>concerns addressed, without judgement. But it's not. It's just not.<br /><br />It's really sad to think that one of the benefits of me one day reaching a healthy weight is that doctors will now take me seriously. Really, really sad indeed.<br /><br />As always, thanks for checking in!Jodi Geimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18156027424615325350noreply@blogger.com0