Career Mom Mondays...facing the guilt

So I think that all moms face guilt at some point in time, weather they are working mommas or stay at home moms it happens. I mean I know that some SAHM's feel am I doing enough for this family if I worked would we be better off? And then working moms well they wonder if the were home with their kids would they be better off. Lately it has been happening a lot more for me. But let me first start by telling you about my decision of being a working mom.

First of all being a working mom wasn't really a choice, I mean the hubs didn't say you must work but I didn't really see any other choice. Financially we needed my salary to stay a float, not just my salary but I am our insurance carrier. Which all of you know is very important. The hubs and I never really discussed me going back to work I think we both just knew that to be able to achieve the goals we had for our family I would be working. But just because I knew the reasons why doesn't mean I didn't and don't experience guilt. 

Lately Charlot has been asking me a lot more why I go to work. The first time she looked at me on a Tuesday morning as we were getting ready and said "why you go to work, I don't want you to" I found myself running to the bathroom for a good cry! I really didn't know how to answer this question. 

After talking with few other moms about how they handled this I decided to go with the "sugar coated" honest approach. By this I mean I tell her a truth that makes sense to a two year old. The next time she asked the dreaded question I just smiled and said well honey momma works so we can do fun things like go to the swim park, and the zoo and the state fair. She just smiled and said ok! I think this probably went over better than saying " well I work so we can have food and so you can go to college." 

She still asks why I have to go to work and I just throw it back to her and say why does momma go to work? She just says "Fun Things!" As she greats older I will continue to be honest with her and gradually reduce the sugar. I know the guilt will never fully be gone, there will always be days that I am at work but would much rather be home with her. I guess I am just glad that I have found a way that works for me to explain to her.

How do you handle these talks??? Or is my kid the only blunt one?

Teaching Agriculture...

Yesterday was National Teach Ag day, and today I want to honor this. I know there seems to be a trend with my blogs this week, I am most definitely a day late on everything! But back to the topic at hand. National Teach Ag day, well I think this is a day that should be celebrated everyday.

 Teaching is something that I feel takes a very very special person and to teach Agriculture Education takes an even more special person. I say this because it isn’t just teaching in the classroom you are spending 12 months out of the year ensuring these students are getting the most out of their Agriculture Education experience. From classroom teaching to visiting them at their jobs, farms, etc…, to taking them to camps and fairs. So thank you to all Ag Teachers out there, you sure are some special people. 


An Ag Teachers job is never done. And I am very lucky to have three Ag teachers in my family. My big brother spends every day teaching high school youth the importance of Agriculture at our hometown high school. He is a great teacher and I can most definitely see in his kid’s eyes their love for him. This summer the hubs had one of Zach’s students working for him and he asked him who his favorite teacher was, note this kid didn’t know the hubs was related to Zach, he said it is Mr. Crews he is the best. He cares about us and makes class fun.

The hubs sister spends her days teaching in a large Ag program in CoMo. Meridith wears the badge of Ag teacher with pride spending countless hours teaching training and helping her students. When she speaks about her job you really can tell that it is a passion for her.

Last but most defiantly not least is my dad. He is no longer teaching in the classroom but is definitely still educating people. Dad spent his 23 year career as an Ag Teacher in my hometown and has had a lasting impact. One of my favorite things is when I meet someone new and they find out where I am from and what my maiden name is many say, “Well your dad was my Ag. Teacher or I met your dad at this conference or that fair.” I am not certain of others experiences but for me my dad gave me a love and appreciation of Agriculture and I would not and could not be where I am today without his instruction. He approached teaching with a hard nose but an open heart. My dad cared deeply about his students and only wanted the best for them. He sacrificed his own time and moments to make certain that the legacy of our Ag. Program and FFA Chapter were successful. Honestly he always wanted and still wants only the best for each of his students. And if you were lucky like me to have him as your teacher I hope you someday may tell how he helped you!

So from me to you Dad. Thank you! You showed me the difference between a T-bone and a Porterhouse steak, you taught me to run a meeting with order using parliamentary procedure, and you taught me so so much more. But most of all you taught me the love of Agriculture and that is something no one can ever replace and I can only hope that I can pass that on to my child. Thanks again Dad for it all.

Wacky Brain Wednesday…yes I am aware it is Thursday

Well I wasn’t really aware that it was Thursday until I sat down to write this post and looked at my phone. Yikes where has this week gone? A definitely random one today!

1. I am finding myself becoming more and more motherly all the time in all aspects of my life. For example I absolutely hate it when people won’t clean up after themselves. If it is trash then throw it away. If it is an item of dirty clothing put it in the basket. Ok so maybe that isn’t motherly maybe that is just grouchy, and means I am getting old.

2. Oh how I love fall combines are running, pumpkins are aplenty, I feel normal again wearing a scarf. I know that it is fashionable to wear a scarf year round but for some reason I feel strange putting an extra piece of fabric around my neck when it is a thousand degrees outside. Is that weird, am I the lone ranger in these thoughts?

3. I would really like a new wreath for my front door and have seen so many options lately. But I can’t really decide if I want to go seasonal, or collegiate GO MIZZOU, or Halloween. The possibilities are endless 

4. We are invited to a lovely rustic wedding this weekend and I got the bride and groom the most beautiful Christmas ornament. I really like giving an “Our First Christmas” ornament as a wedding gift. I know that I cherish the one I received when we got married. 

5. Speaking of us getting married our five year wedding anniversary is quickly approaching, and I am trying to come up with something special for the hubs. I really don’t have a ton of ideas, except I saw this thing on Pintrest about giving the gift of time and having preplanned dates in an envelope one for each month and pulling one out each month. I kind of liked that but I am not sure. I want it to be special. Ideas??? And is five years that big of a deal? I kind of think it is! 

I didn't exactly need that!

There are certain phrases that moms of a toddler never want to hear, ok I can't really speak for all mom's but me for sure. And tonight I heard the mother of all phrases. 

Sure I've heard the oh nos, meaning there will be Cheerios all over my living room floor. And the momma help has been shouted a many of times at me. This typically means she has fallen into her toy box or that she a trying to carry way to many things down the front steps. I have even heard the momma clean this up PLEASE!!!! Which is code for more than likely there will be milk on my kitchen floor. But tonight totally took the cake!!!

We were in her room getting ready for bed and I had just taken her clothes off when she announces to me "I need to go potty!" I said ok. Then I start to get up and she quickly informs me "I do it by myself." I stay sitting on the floor in her room knowing that she really can handle this herself. In just a few minutes  she comes running back in to her room, naked I might remind you. She kind of has a weird look on her face I say did you go potty? And here it comes... "Yes momma I did, but there's POOP on the bathroom floor!" 

Lord help me! 

Career Mom Mondays…A day late

I can use all the help I can get with this little hot mess!

I am thinking of starting a new series here on the ole blog called, Career Mom Monday’s. I am seeing this as a where place I can talk about things I do at home to help Monday’s and all the rest of my week go more smoothly. Now I have to give credit where credit is due and I asked one of my readers what she enjoys about my blog and if she had any ideas for me to try out. She suggested that I talk about some of my organizing tips thus Career Mom Monday’s was born.


Now let me put out a PSA, I am not the picture of perfection at any moment you could come to my home and find my house in a total debacle but I am really trying to do better. I just want a place to share ideas with other moms out there Career Moms and Stay at Home Mom’s alike. Because if any of you out there are like me ideas from others are like gifts of sweet nectar. Taken, embraced and used if possible!

To start this out I thought I would talk about meal preparations. Because anything that can make that go quicker is amazing!!! These are just a few things I do to help.

1. Buy Hamburger in big packages 2lbs plus. It is just as easy to brown 2-5 lbs as it is to do ½ lb. I typically buy a big package when it is on sale bring it home and brown it with an onion, salt and pepper. I drain it and allow it to cool. Then it is portioned up in plastic bags and froze. This can be used later for tacos, spaghetti , in soups, hamburger stroganoff, the possibilities are endless. I try to get it out the morning I want to use it but if I don’t I can just throw it in some spaghetti sauce and it will thaw as the spaghetti sauce warms up.



2. Same thing with chicken breasts buy a large package. On Saturday’s I throw a large package (usually 8-10 breasts) in the crock pot with salt pepper and a little stock and cook. When they are done I shred them up and freeze for later use. Think soup, pot pie, casseroles, tacos, enchiladas. Again the possibilities a plenty!



3. Cheese!!! Now I have a tendency to not like the pre-shredded cheese but I also have the tendency to not want to shred cheese anytime I want it. So a few years ago the hubs bought me a food processor for Christmas and it has this amazing shed attachment on it. This comes in handy quite often. When cheese is on sale I buy several packages of the ones we use the most and shred them up bag them and freeze them.



To me meal time should be fun and you shouldn’t spend the bulk of your evening trying to fix a ten course meal. What helps me the most is having items I use the most ready and waiting for me to use when I need.

If you have any topics you would like discussed or ideas for me please send them my way!!!