Balance

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I highly admire moms who have it all together: spotless home, clean & dressed up children, homemade food on the table, hair and make up done... all seems so effortless - on the internet at least. I know that most people don't have it all together. Those who act like they do have breakdowns in private, we just don't know about it. I also believe that others just have systems that work for them. That's probably why it looks effortless to me. To each its own. 
I don't have it all together. I have tons of things to be done at the house but the basics get done, thank God. 
Confession: I haven't been able to have and maintain a weekly menu so that like Martha Stewart I am able to plant, can, cook, bake everything we eat and never eat out. This week was different. We got out there, bought groceries and so far we've been eating our meals at home. Here's what we've had or will have this week:
* Shrimp stir-fry 
* Shrimp fajitas 
* Spaghetti 
* Voila (put it in the skillet and voila!)
* Pork loin, mac & cheese, broccoli and yeast rolls
Unless is Thanksgiving or Christmas, I'm like Sandra Lee, semi-homemade :) I want to do better as far as cooking but being a domestic diva is not my top priority right now. My goal is to find balance. I don't have to prove to anyone I can have my own Food Network show. If I want a marvelously baked cake, I know who to call to order that. If I want great Southern Food (not my specialty, I'm Brazilian, remember?), I know where to get it. What is really important is my family's well-being. If I have to take short-cuts in the kitchen to make sure everyone spends time together, so be it. If I get to walk around in exercise clothes often so that my son and I can play together, so be it. 
I am interested in hearing how you find balance in your life. Do you ever struggle with what others will think? What works for you? Talk to me people.
Megan said...

I struggle all the time with balance. It's hard, sista!

Right now I work with a rotating menu (almost the same weekly) ... taco Tuesday, pizza Fridays (we bake our own), church potluck Wednesday, Spagetti Sundays ..... chicken one other night. Right now, it's how we are making it work.

I'm also learning to say "no" to more..... and to get plenty of sleep. It makes everything better. Sounds goofy, but it sooo works.

Hope that helps!

Much love!

Cintia Listenbee said...

It does help, thanks Megan! I never thought about a rotating menu, what a great idea. I enjoy reading your blog, thanks for the comment!

Leticia W said...

same here!
percebi na terapia que muita da minha ansiedade vem do fato de querer fazer tudo perfeito ou então desistir completamente. não sei pq a gente se cobra assim (mulheres em geral), nem pq se comprar com outras mulheres que parecem viver uma vida de "propaganda de margarina", mas isso é tão comum, né?
gosto MUITO daquela frase do Caetano Veloso: De perto ninguem é normal" hehehe

Digital Mom said...

Balance - LOL! I am trying to make a real effort to cook more, with #3 approaching there is no way we'll be able to eat out as much both finanically and well going out to each with a little one isn't exactly a break.

One trick that has helped me is repurposing food. I cooked 2 lbs ground beef and used for 3 meals last week. Also, as much as I told myself I wouldn't do this - we now have frozen pizza night. I KNOW its not healthy! but it totally saves me a night of stressing over what to cook. In my defense I do feed fruit with the pizza :)