Kristen Blog

Guess who is sick again.  Me...that's who.  😭  I am taking a bit of a sabbatical.  Mentally, I've been on it for over a week.   (I just happened to have to finally HAVE to take a sick day/sabbatical today. #theflustinks  Motivation is low.  Attitude is compromised.  Positivity is forced.  It could just be January...winter blues.  Snow days.  Sick days.  Lack of sun.  I know I'm not the only one around here struggling.  Right?    🤷‍♀️ But...I feel like I need to take some time to really sit back and check the scales.  Even the balance, so to speak.  I feel like things are definitely out of balance...and have been for awhile.  And the imbalance is starting to feel like injustice.  And injustice drains me.  I am going to have to "weed the garden" for my own survival's sake.   So, for the past couple of weeks, I have been mentally reflecting on just abou...

Well...(have you ever noticed how many times I've started a post with well...?  I don't know.  It must be a thing? 🤷‍♀️...anyway) ...the Last Man Standing has finally fallen.  I made it through Christmas break and all the way through the first two weeks, and thank goodness we had a work from home snow day Friday, because I finally got knocked Down with the Sickness.  And I can make it through sit down tasks, but my energy is all wrapped up in fighting this virus, so any other requirement leaves me run down in about 1000th (fyi...I keep adding zeros to emphasize the point.  I started at 10.) the normal time span. That said.  My lovely neighbor introduced me to elderberry syrup last year, and this year I discovered the tablets.  I am completely and utterly evangelized.  These tablets worked like Sudafed, only it's a homeopathic recipe (and you KNOW that makes me happy!), so I can take one every three hours.  Initially, I balked at the "let i...

I made it through week one back from break.  I'm not saying I came away without scratches, bumps and bruises.  I am also not saying I did it all willingly.  But that just fuels a conversation starter when talking to kids about employment.  "Kids...responsibility is showing up even when you're not feeling it...like me, this morning."  😉😂  #BeGenuine. By Friday morning (when I had to get the boys ready and to school and get myself to an early class), I thought, "I have to quit.  I can NOT do this anymore."  But, after 4 classes full of really cooperative and very precious teens (and supportive teachers!), I knew I could not quit. I actually did pretty stinking phenomenally well.  I managed to serve about 25 students, get the most pressing elements of my documentation done, got bills paid and groceries picked up and got myself and my children home safe before the winter weather hit.  (Seriously though.  It was 60 degrees one day ...

Funny thing...this Winter Break started out a little rough around the edges, for multiple reasons.  I found myself wondering if maybe I should NOT stop the train that is Kristen Shanna.  Turn off this engine, and you may never get her to run again...just sayin'.   I was a little worried.  BUT...by the end of it, with all the additional tasks out of the way, and the sun up and shining again...I'm now left wondering if I really NEED to go back at all.   Why did I drop the stay-home gig again???   Oh, right.  Because the grass is always greener.  I am finding myself having to re-convince myself how much I really do love both of my jobs, and how rewarding they are.  (Less convincing required to remind myself I like this whole double-income financial freedom thing.)  'Cause I kind of dig the Kristen-can-do-whatever-Kristen-wants-to-do vibe.  😀 Of course, we all know the inherent danger that comes wi...

Motherhood…if ever I’ve been tempted…to give up, to quit, to RUN AWAY!...it is now.    No, for real.    Even Matt has said he could understand the desire to get away from THIS, and he is the stable one.   Just when you think you’ve seen all the grief and heartache life has to offer…SMACK!    Right in the gut with a baseball bat. Guess what.    I’ve never raised a rebel teen before.    Isn’t life an adventure?!!   Now, let’s all be honest.    We know I myself have BEEN a wayward teen (I mean…don’t we all still get a little wayward every now and then?    I am fortunate that Matt keeps me on track.)    But this kid has taken every little naughty thing I ever did and multiplied it by about a gazillion.    And knowing that she had her mother’s genetics, I did everything I could from the day she was born to try and help her avoid this personal crisis meltdown.    I ha...

I just had the best idea.  You should come visit my garden with me!  Isn't that a happy idea?  Let's geek out over plants and other nerdy things together.  💕

Awww...the good old days.  I found this recipe from my old blog saved on a usb drive.  💕   Since I have been harvesting grapes this weekend, I thought I would give it a new flair.  Our  concord grape production was abundant.  I had enough to make 8 jars of jelly after the first row of grapes.  So, I figured I might as well re-try my hand at making a little mama juice. I have become a bit more selective in my taste over the years.  I have even tried those fancy kits I couldn't afford back in the stay-home days.  However, it just became more work than I wanted to take on...and I am not patient enough to wait long enough for it to be good enough to make it worth my time.  (Did you actually get through that run-on?!  😂) Anyway...I did not want to scour the internet for easy wine making recipes, when I knew I had my own somewhere in cyber-land.  And sure enough I found this old gem.  Why not give it renewed acce...