Work...Home...Career...Blah

I've been in quite the work situation lately. Mostly, trying to find that balance of when my job doesn't become my life. And you read stories and articles and the consensus is simple: Leave your job at the door when you leave for the day and pick it back up when you return. But I have found that it isn't as simple as that all the time...

I find myself going into work early, staying late and collecting overtime because work has been tough this year, going home, checking my work email, and trying to find some 'alone' time to decompress and get ready for the work day. Again. And I find that it is taking a real toll on my relationship with my kids. And work has turned into this stamina test - it's all about how long you can go at the top speed to be the most productive and get the most done in a normal work day. Even on the days that I don't work overtime and I don't check emails from home, I find myself agonizing over my work and my work load.

Perhaps most would say, time for a career change?

I do like my job. And I am lucky to have a job in these hard times. There was a point where I didn't have a job and it was the hardest time of my life. I don't like uncertainty. I can deal with up's and down's like the best of them, and I prefer not to have the same days, over and over again, that become monotonous. However, I find that my job is filled with so much uncertainty most days and I think that is what is causing my stress. I have no idea what kind of mess I will walk into tomorrow and I have no idea how I am going to get my killer workload completed in a timely fashion. I am not one of those who likes having projects sitting around, waiting to be completed. I like a project to be on my desk and I finish it and off onto the next one as soon as possible because I have a line out the frickin' door for me to finish.

Perhaps it's because I have a lot of political drama at my work...and so much of my day is wearing different hats to weave around the politics that once I get home, I am spent. I am done weaving and all I want to do is just relax and go to bed. I don't even want to go to bed - I want to lay in my bed and try to think of something, anything, that is not work related. I don't want to envision tomorrow, I don't want to think of my impossible work load or my to-do list that has dates going back way too far...I just want quiet. But then my kids, rightfully so, want some Mommy time and I just don't have the energy or patience to deal with them. And saying 'deal with them' is probably harsh and an unfair way of saying it but its true! Its how I feel and that i just horrible.

So, how do you balance career and home? I used to think I had it down pat but with my new job and the changes that have happened with it, I just don't think I have it down anymore.

My Potty Training Nightmare

That is my 3 year old (almost 4 year old) Parker. I've been trying to potty train this child for almost two years and honestly, I am at my wits end. I always heard that potty training boys is harder than girls, even though I've never found a concrete answer as to why. Kai, my 7 year old, was almost 4 by the time he was potty trained. One day, while pregnant with Parker, I got fed up. Blame it on the hormones or my Irish/German blend of impatience, but I was done. I made him go naked around the house for three days. We didn't go anywhere, canceled all plans, this was going to get done! He knew if he made on the floor, he would get a spanking to the behind. And let me tell you, it was all it took. Mind you, Kai liked being naked.

Parker, on the other hand, will just go and pee in the corner if that is what it takes to do his business. He doesn't care - and he will tell you as much. At school, he pees in the potty about 85% of the time. But when it comes to home, he acts like its my duty to clean his behind and that's the end of the story. Sigh.

I have taken a page out of my friends' book who has a child that turns three today. She is almost fully potty trained. She has a 'reward box' and when the goals get higher and she meets them, she gets a reward. I've had a reward box for almost 3 months and not one thing has been taken out of them.

As you can tell, I am at that breaking point of giving in to the idea of having a 10 year old still in pull ups.

Any advice?

Wow...It's Been Awhile

Where to even begin...well, first with an apology. When I first started this blog, it was a way to communicate with the outside world when I was stuck in Washington, D.C. in a brand new world and I didn't quite know where to go. All I had all day was a newborn and a 4 year old - I decided that that only way I was going to make the whole SAHM transition work was by creating something that would not only keep me occupied, but also enjoy. These past couple years have been long ones, that's for sure.

It's been almost a year since I did my last post. Why post now? Because I miss it, I really do. And probably for the first time in a long time, I feel like I have finally found my groove. No more 4 hours of sleep nights, no more wondering where I am going to go next in my career. Things have settled down nicely for me. Parker is 3, Kai is 7; I've been at my job for almost 2 years now and even though that has been a crazy rollercoaster (nothing like advancing 3 positions in one year), it took me this long to get my feet back on the ground. And maybe the once coupon blog will go into something a little more down-to-earth - a mother's diary of sorts. Just to help keep my feet grounded.

Sure, you say, how many of those are out there right now? Plenty, I know. And there are also plenty of coupon blogs and store blogs and blogs about art, science and health. But why does anybody start a blog these days? With thousands of blogs to choose from on any given subject, who would want to put themselves through all of that hell just to come up with only a couple of regular readers? Because it really doesn't matter. Right now, what matters to me, is getting words on paper, getting my thoughts out there, to connect with other mothers because after all this time, majority of my girlfriends are child-less. And even that can be so daunting, with no one to talk to about potty training and tight budgets. Oh, the carefree set of ladies I roam life with...

So, here's to hoping that I might gain one reader back. What is this blog going to be about now? I have no idea. And to be honest, I only have a couple years left of my twenties, so I better make them good ones :) Maybe I will post some deals, maybe I will just pointedly talk about subjects that are pressing at the moment. Like, how the heck do I get my almost 4 year old boy to potty train without wanting to stab my eyes out or throw him out a window when he thinks its oh-so cute to go and pee in the corner of the bedroom for the fifth time today?!

Yeah, I guess we'll see. I just hope you will follow me along for the journey...

Photo Gift Recommendation: Shutterfly.com

I personally feel that one of the best gifts that I can give the parents and the grandparents are personalized gifts of the boys. We’ve always lived quite a distance from both sets of parents and grandparents and I want to give them something from the boys that they can enjoy all year round. I’ve done photo coffee mugs, calendars, posters, mouse pads, etc through various sites out there. I’ve tried at least 5 different printing sites and can say without a doubt that I like Shutterfly.com the best. The quality and finish of my photos and photo gifts have always consistently been amazing; with some other sites, my photos have come out distorted and uneven. I’ve never had a single problem with the ordering, shipping or quality of my photo gifts from Shutterfly.

In fact, I just ordered (2) photo calendars last night from them for my in-laws and the grandparents on my husband’s side of the family, getting the second one 50% off automatically (through December 2nd on various gifts). I received in my email a couple of different codes that might help you out:

Free shipping over $25 with code FREE25
Get $10 off your order of $30 or more with code JOLLY10

Have you used Shutterfly? What do you think of their services and do you recommend them or another service?

Recipe of the Week: White Chicken Chili

Here is a very hearty, simple one-pot wonder...

White Chicken Chili
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
1 can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1 packet White Chicken Chili seasoning

Mix all ingredients in a pot, simmer for 15-20 minutes.

*Note - I usually do not need to add any additional liquid, but if you like a less thick chili, feel free to add chicken stock or water to your liking.

25% off entire Gap purchase!

Get 25% off your entire purchase at Gap.com through November 22. Use code GIFT123 at checkout.

Menu Plan Monday

Brought to you a day late, here is this week's menu plan:

Monday - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Tuesday - White Chicken Chili, side salad
Wednesday - Steak, scalloped potato gratin, Steamed broccoli
Thursday - Braised pork chops, brown rice
Friday - Dinner out

Recipe of the Week: CrockPot Indian Butter Chicken

Have you heard about A Year of Slow Cooking? This awesome woman, Stephanie, used her Crock-Pot every day for a year and chronicled it on a blog. She now has a wonderful cookbook available. Anyway, I've just started trying out some of the recipes and I've already made this one twice. It is delicious! I did make a few changes: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts because we prefer white meat. For the cardamom, I substituted about 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg. And I did not use the garam masala at all.

Crock-Pot Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (mine were frozen solid)
1 onion, sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
4 T butter
15 cardamom pods (sewn together!)
2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 can coconut milk (I used light)
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
2 T lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt (to add at the end, I used fat free)

Use a 5 quart or larger crockpot. Carefully sew together the cardamom pods using a needle and thread. You can put them in a little cheese cloth bundle, instead, if you have that in the house. Put chicken in crockpot, and add onion, garlic, and all of the dry spices. Plop in the butter and tomato paste. Add lemon juice and coconut milk. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. The chicken should shred easily with 2 forks when fully cooked.

Stir in plain yogurt 15 minutes before serving. Discard cardamom pods. Salt to taste, serve with white or brown basmati rice.

*Recipe courtesy of A Year of Slow Cooking

Friends & Family Sale @ Crazy 8 - 25% off everything!!

If you have yet to discover the greatness that is Crazy 8, Gymboree's little (cheaper) sibling, then this weekend will be the time for you to check it out. Crazy 8's Friends and Family 25% off everything will start Thursday, November 12 and run through Sunday, the 15th. Enter code CZYEMAIL for the discount. Free shipping for orders over $75, otherwise it's a $5 flat rate charge.

Cookie Recipe Contest

Do you have an awesome cookie recipe that is your go-to staple for the holiday season? Are you in search of a great new cookie recipe to dazzle your holiday guests or to hand out to your co-workers or neighbors? Would you like to win a new cookie recipe book for your collection? Well, here's how!

This is how it's going to go down: you submit a cookie recipe (with or without a picture) to adventuresofa20somethingmother@hotmail.com by November 21st at noon. Starting Monday, November 23 through November 30, I will post the recipes one by one for all readers to review. I will then open up the voting to all of you to vote on who has the best holiday cookie recipe! The winner will get to choose one of the following cookie recipe books:

• One Dough, One Hundred Cookies by Linda Doeser
• The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes by Kris Holechek
• Cookies Year-Round: 50 Recipes for Every Season and Celebration by Rosemary Black

Have thoughts? Sound off below!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Lasagna, salad, bread
Tuesday: Crock-Pot Indian Butter Chicken, brown rice
Wednesday: Tilapia, spinach salad with gorgonzola
Thursday: Baked chicken, sweet potato fries
Friday: Pizza out

Care.com Free This Weekend!

Sabrina over at Care.com wanted me to let all my readers know that you can join for FREE this weekend! Care.com is a great tool to search for trusted caregivers in your area! You can read and post reviews for babysitters, nannies and daycares in your area, as well as post a job of your own! Sometimes, it can be scary when you are trying to find a babysitter or a daycare-you search online, but it's hard to find trusted reviews and dedicated professionals to care for your child. There are even specified services, such as Special Needs Care, Tutoring and Private Lessons listings, Pet Sitter listing, Housekeeper listings, you name!

But you have to hurry! This offer is only good through Sunday, November 8th!