Back to the BASICS

So....today marks the 15th day that I have not worked. On December 31st, 2013 I was "laid off." I am 35 years old and have always had a job since I was 15 years old. Perhaps it was my upbringing, but I have ALWAYS loved working. But it is BACK TO THE BASICS and let me explain. I have two kids. One just turned 3 and the other is 5. I used to work 12-13 hour days between the job and commuting. Before the long commuting days, we lived in the city and I would cook a full blown meal for dinner with all of the food groups. Back then it was Bob, myself, Isabella and Bax. Isabella was a baby, so it was easy. I would just puree some home grown veggies for dinner. We moved and it became like the movie the FAST and the FURIOUS. My life was in fast forward. And I couldn't get it to slow down....but I (we) adapted. Those fancy meals turned into quick fixes. Sure, you can cook a whole weeks worth of meals on Sunday in preparation, but if you love a fresh meal by a fancy cook, you don't "pre" do anything. You ROCK it OUT in the kitchen for hours from scratch. I fell into a rut of cooking for my children. I would get home after being gone from the house at 5:30 a.m., then I would be home by 6 p.m. and I would make chicken nuggets, pasta, hot dogs or fish sticks. Then I would give them a bath and read them stories. Bed time resulted in 9 p.m. Hit repeat times infinity. (at least for 3 years) In the past several weeks, I have received several phone calls from friends wanting to know what I am doing with myself now that I am not working.....and here is my answer.... -For starters, I no longer make my kids chicken nuggets, fish sticks or pasta for dinner times repeat. I am "re=training" them to eat whatever is on the table that I cook. And good god, this is no easy task when they have been programmed for so many years....If they don't like what I cook, they go away hungry (shame on me). It has only been less than a month and I know this is going to take time. And I am prepared to deal with this..... Little by little, we will get there... -All those times that I said "Maybe another time to my kids." I have mad hours now to create crafts with them, read that extra story or love up on them even more. -Surprisingly, when you work in either Chicago or New York City...you are sucked in to cyberspace. The internet. Facebook. Pinterest. You name it, your head is constantly online. I am learning to slow down my ROLE. I am going old school. I just checked out a few books from the library and plan to read them. I can't tell you the last time I read a book..... I am not on the internet that much and LOVE IT. Maybe its the cold weather, but it is nice to have a break. Will this last forever? We shall see. But for NOW.....I am enjoying these two ladies. Trying to make an influence in their lives AND we are stopping to smell the ROSES...... I have noticed a change in their personalities now that I am closer...