Random Thoughts...

1. 135.2lbs. Meh.

2. Having a hard time getting into The Bishop's Man by Linden MacIntyre for no reason other than pure laziness and lack of focus when reading.

3. FINALLY ordered photos from M's 4 week and 1 year professional photo sessions.

4. Excited to be planning another trip to NYC in June.

5. Swimming lessons, birthday party, meal planning, grocery shopping & meeting with the lawyer are on the menu for the weekend.

So Uninspired.

I hate meal planning. Actually, I don't but lately, I really do. I have no motivation to meal plan each week and feel like I make the same things over and over and over again. I can never think of what I want to make and I'm finding all of my cookbooks less than inspiring.

Lately, I'm trying to pay attention to our grocery bill and keep it in check, which means I have no choice but to meal plan. Not necessarily for budget reasons, I've also been trying to cook more meatless meals. It has made little to NO impact on how much I spend each week.

Meal planning also makes for a few easy hours of advance preparation on a Sunday afternoon, which obviously makes the work week a bit easier. I can usually have one or two meals ready to go and waiting in the fridge or freezer. I've consistently been baking a batch of muffins each weekend as well so those make for quick snacks or breakfasts for D & I.

Regardless, I'm so bored and fed up with meal planning. Maybe I need a new cookbook or some new magazines but I really need more tasty, quick and straightforward (because I'm all about these 3 things now that I've got a toddler and am pulling in a 40+ hour week) recipes to add to the rotation.

Meh.

Curried Carrot Soup

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/quick-curried-carrot-soup.aspx

Super quick, easy & delicious. Healthy, too!

Careless Driving

Despite being told it'll take a good 8 months before hearing back from the courts, I received notice of my court date for my December 5th car accident today.

May 2nd at 10:30am. Ugh.

In my head, I was thinking 8 months for notice plus another 4-6 months for the court date. This timeline translated to more time before having to pay a lawyer, pay (hopefully reduced due to said lawyer) fines and pay completely inflated car insurance. Ugh.

Instead, I'll fax my notice to the lawyer tomorrow & pay the retainer. I'll cross my fingers and hope he works his magic and my charge is reduced (not a chance it will be dropped) and that it takes forever to make it's way to the insurance broker. Wishful thinking?!

I feel sick thinking about having to even attend court and about the money we're about to see fly out the window. I keep reminding myself that we are so lucky that nobody was hurt but some 2 months after the fact, I'm giving myself permission to be annoyed by this accident. Yes, I'm annoyed by the cost factor but also, I am going to forever second guess my driving. I was a backseat driver before and now I'm horrible. I am petrified on highways as a driver AND passenger. I keep driving (and being driven) on them because I have no other choice and I'm hoping I'll get better with time.

Honestly, I thank my lucky stars every single day that we are okay. I will never forget that day and watching (and reliving it in my head) M through the rearview mirror was the scariest moment ever but thank God, we are okay. Perhaps a bit melodramatic but I'm entitled.

Phew. Big sigh.

Should/Want

M is napping, which means I should clean but I want to catch up on my PVR'd shows, read or nap. Clean first & then nap? Watch shows while cleaning?

Option 2 sounds 'bout right.

Insane.

For so many reasons, this week has been absolutely insane -- challenging, emotional, draining, exhausting... it's also been one of those weeks that just knocks the wind out of your sails and puts so many life "things" in perspective.

BUT... I'm too tired to be deep so let's just say it's Friday! Yay!

I am determined to purge this weekend. I am so fed up with clutter. I'm also convinced that M is acting out and basically behaving like a toddler terror because he has too much stuff. He doesn't have to work for anything and goes from toy to toy to toy with reckless abandon.

I'm hoping to walk around with two garbage bags this weekend -- one for items to be donated and the other for, well, garbage.

I guess purging will be my February challenge?

PS - It's now been over 31 days (at least 35) and I haven't had a drink OR cookie. I caved and ate some fries on the 30th day. Willpower, my friends!