Spiralizer Adventure

This week I found some time to use a much-loved Christmas gift. My husband has been bringing home beautiful vegetables from his co-worker’s garden. These gorgeous summer squash and cucumbers were a motivator to bring out the spiral veggie slicer and cookbook that have been sitting on a shelf for way too long, since last Christmas to be exact.

Cooking is one of those things that I am bad about making time for. Eating out and take out have been a go to for me in the past and it wreaked havoc on my weight and my wallet.   I love to bake, cooking not so much. Now that I am trying to maintain the weight I have lost and maybe lose a couple more pounds eating at home has a new appeal. I tried several of the meal home delivery services. It was fun for a while but with all the packing materials and pots and pans to wash the fun went out of it. For all their proclamations about being less expensive than eating out I am not fully convinced… It seemed expensive to me. So, I tried it, will maybe try again but not until after I’ve exhausted my cooking motivation.

Spiralized Summer Squash & Cukes

A fun gadget like my spiralizer is just the item to get me excited about doing some cooking. The fall also tends to bring out the interest in it for me. Crock pot meals are likely next on the agenda. A friend of mine introduced me to one of my all-time faves for the crock pot – salsa chicken. It could not be easier. Put chicken breasts in your crock pot, dump a big jar of salsa on top and cook all day while you are at work. The meal possibilities with this are plentiful: salad topped with salsa chicken, tacos, fajitas, nachos … all are so delish.

Last fall another friend created a Facebook group for sharing healthy but easy recipes for the work week. There were so many good ideas. A couple of the top ones that I seemed to make over and over last year were Italian Wedding Soup with turkey meatballs, Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls and Stay in Bed Beef Stew. I’ll post the recipes in the comments. If you give them a try let me know what you think. If you are a spiralizer and you have tips or great recipes, I’d love to hear those too.

The internet opens so many opportunities that you otherwise would not have when it comes to so many things, cooking lessons among them. There are endless videos with step by step recipes, pie crusts (hoping to try some over the holidays) and food blogs for days. One thing I liked about the Facebook group is that I knew it was real people and not professional chefs making these meals so I figured they would be within my cooking capabilities and would likely be edible.  Some of the stuff you find online is just not realistic for a regular person in a fun of the mill kitchen. Ingredients I’ve never heard of, cooking utensils I don’t own and hours of needed prep time I don’t have. Simple but healthy and delicious is what I’m going for.

I’ve started some regular posting on the blog: a Monday post with a quote to get your week started on a positive note and Wordless Wednesdays has been going on for a while. I am a visual person and I am loving posting a beautiful photo mid-week either of my own or from a photo sharing site like Unsplash. There are so many talented photographers sharing what they have captured with their lense.

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Miracle Morning - Do What You Love

When asked the secret or key to happiness Sandra Day O'Connor, Supreme Court Justice, answered without a moments hesitation. "Do what you love."

As the  first woman to be appointed to the Supreme Court in 1981 O'Connor was certainly a hugely accomplished person. Getting to a position like that takes hard work and passion. Words of wisdom from her are not be overlooked.

Does the concept of 'Do What You Love' seem like a pipe dream? Try switching it around a bit and figuring out, through enthusiasm and appreciation, how you can make what you are doing currently something you love. Self improvement and increased effort help with that. Balance can also help.
If you are in need of balance check out my recent post on avoiding splat, also known as crash and burn mymiddletonchronicles.blogspot.com/miracle-morning-and-splat

I visited a coffee shop yesterday and in talking with the owner it became apparent that she was doing what she loved. As she spoke of how people were starting to come from neighboring towns for her shops coffee because they loved it you could hear the pride in her voice.

At my husbands work the employees are currently involved in a steps challenge. Whoever gets the most steps is the winner and they are doing the challenge in teams. Increased energy that comes from increased physical activity can help with loving what you do. Smart employer.

What do you love? If you take notice of what activities energize you and what drains you it will help with identifying what you love.
Once you've identified it be conscious of making time for those things.

Have a great Thursday and stay tuned for more from My Middleton Chronicles.

Who Am I to Give Parenting Advice?

I have some for you, advice that is. It's about an app that parents should be aware of. But first, who am I to give advice or evaluate what kids are doing and comment on it?

3 kids ranging in age from 25 down to 13 give me a lot of years parenting kids at all ages and stages.
I have some claims to fame; my children have never had lice while in my care (knock on wood). I say "while in my care" because while my oldest was studying abroad she got lice on a trip to Morocco. She was over 18 and out of the country so you can't hang that one on me. The time her daycare had to shut down because the lice was so bad? She never got it!
So far (knock on wood again) all of the scrapes my kids have gotten themselves in to have been fairly minor. With 25 years under my belt and having parented both boys and girls I have gained some knowledge and some insights in to the whole parenting thing.

I now have one more claim to fame; a blog post of mine was published on Blogher, an online publication. I have a by line!
 Are your kids active online? What do you think of some of the new apps out there?

Here's the post, let me know what you think.

Screenshot from musical.ly 

 blogher.com/musically-good-bad-and-acne

Can a Planner Bring the Change You are Seeking? If it's the Right One It Can!

Isn't it pretty?

I am a lucky mom. I have been wanting a Passion Planner for a while now and just had not pulled the trigger on buying one for myself. When my thoughtful daughter asked what I wanted for Mother's Day I quickly replied that the ONLY thing I really wanted was the limited edition, teal blue, large, undated Passion Planner.
Because this planner I coveted is from a young company that got started via a Kickstarter campaign it took some time for it to arrive (just got it yesterday) and was in a hand addressed Fedex package.
I knew it was a young company but did not realize how young.  As a limited edition it is also hand numbered inside.
I got 2376 / 15000

Not your usual planner

The difference between this planner and others I have used in the past, both paper and online, is that it has built in goal setting, project planning and room for both personal and professional undertakings.  There is also space to journal. There are so many things we all want to fit in to an hour, a day, a month, a year and a lifetime and this cool little book can help you with that. It is extremely positive. There is a place next to each weeks calendar to write down "Good Things That Happened". 

Are you someone who has a hard time prioritizing? Each weeks scheduler has space for your personal to-do list and your work to-do list. It further breaks the to-do's down by Top Priority, Priority and Errands with check boxes next to each. 

I've got some big professional goals and the goal of working on a healthier me. 

What are you working on these days? Do you have tools you love? I'd love to hear about them in the comments.

All my best, Wendy

"Failing to plan is planning to fail." - Benjamin Franklin

Real Estate Professionals - What Have You Learned This Week?

Lifelong learning for your career and personal growth

There was a period of time that I was constantly searching for learning and growth opportunities. Learning by doing has always been my preference and that is not always the best method. Unless you are doing something very innovative and new learning from those who have gone before you, learning from their mistakes can save time and aggravation. My learning by doing style taught me some tough lessons.

From 1998 to 2005 I sold real estate. A lot of real estate. It was a boom time in my area and it was also a time when many companies were growing in leaps and bounds which meant they were bringing in new employees. The tech companies of the late 1990's and then the pharma companies were all planting roots in and around Boston.
My work as a real estate agent in the burbs had a sharp learning curve. Luckily I am a quick study.

18 years have passed since I had a freshly minted real estate license and since that time I have seen many agents come and go. There have also been many success stories. Mine being one of them. My first year in the business I grossed almost 100k in commissions and from year 2 on I won sales award after sales award at the big blue company where I was affiliated. My last year exclusively selling real estate I was in the top 25% of agents at that large company, which was no easy feat. Many of the other agents in the top 25% sold homes in areas that are much pricier than mine which meant I had to sell twice as much.

One lesson I learned that is still true today is that there are no shortcuts. Talking to people, showing them homes, giving them information on how you can help them get their home sold and writing contracts is what real estate agents get paid for. Lead sources come and go, stay on top of those trends but nothing will ever replace talking to people and developing relationships.

I will be very interested to watch what happens with the new company, SoloPro. The company reminds me of agents I have met (more than one) along the way who have some money to invest in starting a real estate business. Instead of talking to people those agents pay for services that they feel will bring them quick business and success. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not work. One common theme I have seen is that if the agent has not taken the time to learn the real estate business no matter how much money they throw at it it is very difficult to build a sustainable business.

It is critical to know, from talking to clients and consumers individually, what is important to them. Making assumptions about what is important to the client without seeking first to understand their unique situation is a recipe for losing clients.

What do I hope you can learn from this post? It is important to look every day for opportunities to grow and improve as a professional and as a person. Soak up everything you can from the successful agents who have gone before you and from the companies who are doing it right. Training takes time. So does trial and error. Don't get me wrong there will still be situations where you are learning as you go but by taking the time and investing in yourself by investing time in training you will cut down on the trial and error and experience real growth.

Too Much of a Good Thing

A bender. That's what I have been on. For 2 full weeks now I have done pretty much nothing but eat out. I have not even been regularly making coffee at home. Yes, it's that bad.

For some, maybe those of you who live in New York City, that may not sound like anything terrible but where I live there are not the choices and options for amazing, healthy food that exist in other places. I live in the suburbs. Delivery is Chinese food or pizza. Chain restaurants abound.

That's not to say I've been eating all awful food but there has been a lot of it. Everyone knows there is no such thing as bad pizza and we do have an amazing sushi place nearby. The sunken table that you have to take your shoes off to access has hosted me on several occasions recently. The 'Volcano' is as deadly as it sounds and is so good with seafood and some kind of sauce over sushi rolls.  I also went to a fondue establishment I have been wanting to try for YEARS. I had been hinting to my husband to take me there to no avail. I finally got there and yes it lived up to my expectations. Fondue is a blast!

My 'last supper' so to speak was the lunch out with my sister yesterday. Brazilian barbecue short ribs were my choice, rich scallops and risotto was hers. $32 scallops and risotto which brings me to my next point - I have been thoroughly enjoying my cosmopolitan cocktail, dirty martini and wine soaked eating out binge however my wallet is feeling a bit light from it. Too much of a good thing.

Time to get back on the healthy eating wagon and plan some homemade meals. I belong to a great online group 'Healthy Meals for Busy Lives'. I've got some meals planned and my resolve fortified.

It's been fun and I hate to see the fun come to an end but alas it is a must. Here's the start to my plan for getting back on track. Crockpot soups to the rescue! So far it's Italian Wedding and a Tortilla or Taco soup.

I am thinking about following one of those plans where you make 40 "dump" meals in a weekend and put them in your freezer. One of the ladies in the 'Healthy Meals' group did it recently and it worked out great. Have any of you tried it?

My 'Healthy Meals' friend says she spent about $450 and it took 2 days of cooking but her family is loving the dinners and it's saving her tons of time during hectic weekdays.

Here's a link to the plan she followed whoneedsacape.com/40+meals

So here's a questions - how do you stay on track and out of trouble during busy weeks? Would love to hear from you and learn!

All my best, Wendy

How a Monk Named Andy Helps Me Get Out of My Head

Having been in sales for the past 17 years I have spent a bit of time in classes, trainings, seminars and presentations geared toward being productive and focused.
When taking on a new project, career, class or when learning a new skill it is critically important to have the right mindset.

Today I want to focus specifically on the advice I have heard from super successful and productive people on staying the course and developing a strong resolve and mindset.

2 pieces of advice I hear over and over from successful, focused people is the importance of exercise and meditation when it comes to building strong resolve and having a positive mindset.

Apparently meditation not only reduces stress but it changes your brain, according to a study by Harvard neuroscientists. You can read about it here, very interesting! www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life
I believe it. Sometimes you just need to get out of your head, even just for 10 minutes.

Have you started a new career? Taken on a project that requires mental toughness and a 'don't give up' mindset? Trying to stick to those pesky resolutions? Give meditation a try.

This is not a commercial for this app, rather it is me sharing a great tool I was turned on to because I love it.
All you need is 10 minutes a day for 10 days. The app is called Headspace. You can see what it's all about here www.headspace.com
A kind voiced monk named Andy takes you through simple meditations that, at least for me, really do get you out of the noise and clammer that can go on in all of our heads.

If you end up giving meditation a try let me know how it goes. I love learning from all of you!

My best, Wendy

Focus for Today and Look Forward to Results - Tips For Not Letting the Post Holiday Blues Derail You

“Stick to the knitting” is from the 1982 book “In Search of Excellence” by Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr. This means focus on what you do best. Focus on what will bring you the desired result. One of the most successful people I know introduced me to the concept of sticking to the knitting. 

With all of the resolutions of the new year come work. Tasks, jobs, activities that will get us to those end goals. If you are like me the tasks are all around and weighing down. The Christmas tree is dry and needs to go. The gingerbread houses that were once adorable are starting to look a little gross. Email inboxes that got less attention over the past few weeks need clearing out and attending to. The calendar needs to be filled with appointments that will bring business. Bills need to be paid.

Anyone else feeling the after the holidays blues this week? It can be tough getting back to the regular routine after the fun that was had over the holidays. For some if the holidays did not live up to your expectations there can be that let down as well.
In addition to that this year that there were many deaths around the holidays. And anniversaries of loved ones passing. A sad reality for those in my age group. My peers parents are older and some passed on over this past holiday season.

I spent some time thinking about shaking the holiday blues and finding balance again in the new year. I found a great quote from Vincent Van Gogh - "Great Things Are Done By A Series Of Small Things Brought Together."

Doing things each day to reach your goals, whatever they may be, can be tough. Keeping your eyes on the horizon and looking forward to the results are a way to keep going strong.

"What you do every day is more important that what you do once in a while." - Gretchen Rubin

The 21 Day De-Clutter Challenge I did this past fall was great because I was able to do small things each day to reach that big goal.  End goal - a (mostly) clutter free house to entertain in for the holidays. The challenge part of it with a defined ending is what helped keep me going and stay motivated. I had my eye on the prize.
My tip - take a little time today to define what the "prize" is for you when it comes to all of the tasks and activities on your to-do list. This exercise will help you gain clarity and momentum to keep forging ahead. I know we are only in the first week of the new year but this first few days can be the toughest.

One more tip is to have small things to look forward to along the way. If you are exercising like crazy go get a new outfit or sneakers to make it more enjoyable. Eating right? Look for a new recipe to keep from getting bored with your menu. Working on your time management? Go get a fun new planner or learn one more thing about the online planner you are using to make your efforts more efficient.

Last tip - I do like a sharp pencil and piece of paper for some things. A commenter on this blog recently mentioned Trello to me, which is a similar online tool that I may give a whirl but for this week it was pencil and paper.

To do - doing - done

My system is very simple. A blank sheet of paper held the long way labeled at the top
To do, doing, done across 3 columns. I have also done this on large sheets of paper and hung it on the wall for big projects but for a few days or a weeks worth of to-do's this approach works out well for me. Nothing complicated, no learning curve just the satisfaction of seeing the little things you have accomplished. Which will lead to big things.

How are you doing in this first week of the new year? I'd love to hear from you about what challenges you are facing and your strategies for those challenges.

All my best, Wendy

What Do Those Do-Hickey's Do? Tools I Love That Save My Life

One thing I know about myself for sure is that work is a big part of who I am.
To keep all the plates spinning as a working mom employing technology is a must. On top of the typical demands of work my profession requires responsiveness 7 days a week and unplugging is only an option if there is coverage while unplugged. The flip side of that is that I do have some flexibility in my schedule, which fits my lifestyle.

Technology is helpful when it solves a problem or makes tasks more efficient.
More efficiency in your work life theoretically leaves more time for play.

Technology is not so helpful when it creates problems (too much time online mindlessly, not enough time working) or texting while driving.
Finding balance in online pursuits is key and considering how to strike that balance is proving helpful to me as I look toward the New Year.

Here's my list of my 5 favorite tools that contribute to my efficiency which as it happens helps with balance,
4 out of 5 of the tools are apps.
1 out of 5 is on good old paper.

Note that this list is in no particular order.

Evernote - This app is for just what the title states - taking notes so you have them whenever and wherever. Evernote is on my laptop, smartphone and tablet. I just referred to a note yesterday from February 2013. The info needed from that note (about clean eating) would not have been available to me had I not used Evernote when taking it all that time ago. Believe me when I say a post it note would not have lasted all this time. Some people can be very organized with planner books and notebooks but I am not one of those people.

Waze - Waze is a social GPS. The great thing about it is that the info is in real time as reported by other 'Wazers' who are on the road. Plug in a location and the app will guide you on the fastest route and will alert you to pot holes (hugely helpful in my area) and other hazards along the way. I have just started using Waze and I'm sure I have not utilized all of the tools that come along with it but have already seen the benefits. When leaving a big sporting event on New Years Eve Waze guided me out of traffic and home far more quickly than I would have been able to get home if left to my own devices or google maps. The area is one I am familiar with but I never would have thought to go the way Waze sent me. Whoever created this app is a genius.

Headspace - Want to try meditating for more balance and just to feel good? Time can be a major hinderance to fitting in all the things you'd like to fit in to your day. That overwhelmed feeling can actually paralize me sometimes. Headspace is a great way to clear your head and get the day started and fitting in 10 minutes is do-able. You will love Andy, the kind Monk, who leads you through 10 10 minute meditations. If you like it there are more paid meditation tracks that you can purchase but that first 10 are free.

Passion Planner - A colleague introduced me to Passion Planner last summer and I must admit I have not purchased one. (imagine a souped up Daytimer/Journal and that's Passion Planner)
The website has free downloads that I love for weekly planning. I tried Google Calendar as a way to keep a family calendar and it just did not work. This was not in any way Google Calendars fault, in fact, I love it for my own calendar. It just did not work as a family planner.
In a perfect world on Sunday nights for the last 6-7 months my husband and I sit down together and map out the week. Because it has proved to be so helpful we are pretty faithful about it. Sometimes it happens on Monday or even later in the week but I'd have to say that except for a week here or there we have made this happen regularly.  On the weekly calendar there is also space to talk about what went well in the prior week and what the focus will be for the week to come. Sometimes we add meal plans to the calendar. Yesterday I even got fancy and used a different color for each childs schedule for this coming week. That won't last long ... who knows where the colored pencils will be when I go looking for them next week.

Google Calendar - I love Google calendar for the same reason I love Evernote. Enter something in on one device and it can be found on all of your devices. One of my goals for 2015 was to be on time as often as possible, especially for work meetings. Setting alarms and notifications with Google calendar helped me improve with that dramatically. If better time management is one of your aspirations in 2016 give google calendar a try.

What are your favorite tools for creating work/life balance or just for creating more available time for fun? I'd love to hear from you in the comments.

My best, Wendy

How Run DMC and My Favorite Author Help Me #staymerry

My tweet today says it all-   #balance #HolidayAreComing #staymerry

I call it spinning plates, others call it the juggle. No matter what you call it if you are a mom whose family celebrates Christmas and it is 2 days, 12 hours and 20 seconds (as of this writing) until Christmas you are most likely doing more than one thing at a time, spinning plates, juggling, etc or you are paralyzed by all there is to do.
You may be somewhere in between but I know you get the picture.

And then the text comes in - "mom I need insert food item here & insert drink here for the insert name of  party tomorrow. they told us last minute nothing i could do about telling you earlier"

We were past this type of fire drill request for a while but now that my youngest daughter is busier with school and sports the last minute requests and emergencies are again part of the equation.

Balance

Here are a few tips to #staymerry

•  Lists are your friend. Lock your phone so prying eyes do not see said lists but make them and check them 10 times. Twice just won't do it, at least for me with my executive function on overload this time of year. 
• Don't forget to eat & stay hydrated. You are so busy planning meals and celebrations full of yummy food and drink that you may forget that you still need meals TODAY. If all else fails eat the lunch your son forgot to bring to school that is still on the counter. 
• Remember to check your calendar. It happens to me once or twice a year that I will show up somewhere at the wrong time or on the wrong day and it is all the more likely to happen around the holidays. You are out of your usual routine and the days can get mixed up when there's a holiday on a weekday.
• Ask for help. Spouses, kids, guests, they are all potential helpers. Don't be afraid to ask and don't be so controlling that you can't ask. I got over that years ago. (I think, I'll double check with my family to make sure that statement is accurate) 
• This tip came from author Gretchen Rubin - "Act the way you want to feel." Have a headache? Feeling a bit grouchy? Take some advil, watch a funny video or listen to Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis Here you go, I'll even give you a link so you can do it right now YouTubeChristmasInHollis  Then put a smile on your face. Trust me it works.
• Last but not least, get as much done as you can and by the time 3:00 PM on the 24th rolls around then let it all go and enjoy your holiday.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. Best wishes for the new year to one and all. 

Oh and if you'd like follow me on twitter @wendyenglish

2016 here we come!