Life with a 3rd Shifter

(I told ya I promised to write more blogs!)

This blog has been on my mind and heart for a while. My husband picked up a third shift job about a year ago. This was a the same time I converted to working from home. It literally turned our schedules upside down. We were two people working 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday for many, many years. We had a routine. We had a schedule. At first, it was an incredibly hard adjustment, but after a lot of trial an error, we finally found something that works for us.

I am incredibly thankful for a husband who works full time to provide for his family. He endures crappy hours for the greater good. Beyond work, he stays determined to stick to his prior commitments outside of his family life. Even more so, I am thankful he has a job he enjoys, and an employer who treats him so well!! They are caring, genuinely interested in their workers, and flexible. You can't find all those qualities in more employers. But don't let me fool you... third shift can still be tough.

The world still goes on. I have a husband who works a 12 hour shift and gets home at 6AM. Need to run errands? Doctor visits? Pay bills? Guess what? He sacrifices sleep to get everyday tasks done. Most places are only open 9-5, so he's forced to meet their schedules. We try to schedule on his days off, but it's not always feasible.

No more family meals on work days. I usually do not get off work until 5PM or later, and with my husband leaving around 5:45PM- there's not much room for dinner together in between. (I mean- unless it's cereal). We used to eat dinner together every day. Now, it's whatever he can grab, and he's out the door.

Adapting to cooking smaller portions. When I try to cook for myself, I have to make smaller portions. I usually still cook for two, so one of us can eat leftovers. I miss cooking full meals, but I just find it silly to cook a big meal for myself.

My husband never knows what day it is. Poor Joe can't remember if it's Thursday or Friday. When you work multiple nights in a row, I would say it's hard to keep track of the days. When it's after midnight, does he say it's still today or tomorrow?!

The misery when someone calls him repeatedly at 11AM, and he's trying to sleep. Would you like someone to call you at 3AM to chat?

Even on his day off, we still operate on different schedules. I still wake up when he's headed to bed.

I believe the hardest thing of all is the amount of time we actually have to see each other throughout the week. Like I said, before we were both home around 6PMish and had the entire night to spend with one another. Now... his two days off seem almost nonexistent. In the blink of an eye, they are over, so we try to take advantage of them the best we can.

You Can't Reread a Phone Call.

When's the last time you put a stamp on something that was not a bill?

When's the last time you received a letter in the mail that wasn't a bill?

I have always been fascinated with letter writing and handwritten notes. I attribute this to my late grandmother who no matter what sent a handwritten card or letter for every holiday or occasion. She had the most ornate, beautiful handwriting.When I was younger, every letter I received I would sit and practice tracing the letters hoping my writing would be as gorgeous one day. I remember thinking about how I would never receive another handwritten card from her, and it really broke my heart.

That same year after she passed, I headed to the mail box to grab what I thought would be sales papers and mostly bills. The corner of a mauve colored envelop caught my eye, and I was excited to receive a card in the mail. While standing at the mailbox, I flipped it over to see who was the sender. That same ornate handwriting I had tried to perfect for so long was beautifully spread across the front of the envelope. I dropped to my knees an cried tears of loss but also joy. To this day, I have this card framed and in my office to admire. 

I truly believe we have lost the true value and art of letter writing. There are so few people who actually take the time to practice such an art. When did "Thnx" become more preferred than "Sincerely Yours"? I've made it a personal mission to recapture the art of letter writing and share the joy with those closest in my life. I keep a huge box of blank cards an thank you notes to send whenever needed.

But why you ask? Think about it.
Someone took the time to sit down and put a pen to paper expressing their personal thoughts to you. It's incredibly personal. It is probably one of the most inexpensive ways to brighten someone's day ($0.49!) They can be reread and kept forever.

My goal this year is to send as many handwritten cards and notes as I can! So far, I am 2 for 2 with birthdays on my calendar! Want to be added to my handwritten mail list?! Know someone who would enjoy a handwritten note? Please contact me for details!

I challenge you to take the time and send a handwritten letter to just one person. I promise the joy and return is worth the $0.49!

Strawberry and Blueberry Trifle Recipe

Invited to a cook-out? Offered to bring a dessert? Stressing because you can't think of anything that is quick and easy? 

 

 

That is me every holiday, event, or get-together. However, I have found my go-to recipe that, so far, everyone has enjoyed! All the ingredients are things you would have in your pantry at any given time. I have discovered that late spring to late summer is the best time to make this dish, as it is prime time season for beautiful strawberries and blueberries.

 

One year, I took this dish to Thanksgiving because my cousin begged and pleaded for it. He ate, no joking, half of the trifle dish he enjoyed it so much. Then thanked me endlessly because he said it is one of his favorite desserts. I am glad I went through the struggle of finding acceptable fruits and spending the time to layer it to perfection. My dear cousin who loves the Strawberry and Blueberry Trifle passed that following Christmas. This dish is near and dear to my heart. I remember the first time I made it after he passed, I cried and cried while preparing the ingredients. No lie, that time it was made with love and tears.

 

 

Strawberry and Blueberry Trifle

 

This picture does not do it justice, but it was A Ha! blog post!

 

 

Ingredients:

2 Blocks of Cream Cheese: Softened

1 Tub of Whipped Topping (*I have learned through trial and error, the Great Value brand works 10x better than name brand.)

1 Cup of Sugar

1-2 Carton(s) of Blueberries (depending how blueberry-y you want it)

1-2 Carton(s) of Strawberries: Sliced (depending how strawberry-y you want it)

1 Bag or Tub of Strawberry Glaze (Sugar Free works well too)

1 Angel Food Cake (I buy pre-made to save on time)

 

Tools:

1 Large Mixing Bowl

1 Medium Mixing Bowl

Hand Mixer

Clear Deep Bowl or Trifle Dish (recommended)

 

 

Step 1: Prepare the topping.

In the large bowl, using the hand mixer, mix together cream cheese, whipped topping, and cup of sugar until fluffy and light. This step does take some time to ensure the ingredients are mixed well together and the mixture is not grainy from the sugar. Unfortunately, a hand mixer is a must! It is soooo hard to get the ingredients mixed properly without one!

 



 

Step 2: Prepare the fruit glaze/mixture.

In the medium bowl, mix together sliced strawberries, blueberries, and strawberry glaze. Make sure all fruit is coated with the glaze. *Leave some strawberry slices and blueberries to garnish*

 

Step 3: Prepare the Angel Food Cake

Tear the angel food cake into bite size pieces.

 

Step 4: Get to Layering!

In your trifle dish, place a layer of angel food cake pieces to cover the bottom of the bowl. Layer with some of the fruit mixture. And... layer with the whipped topping. Continue with this pattern until all the ingredients are gone. *Be sure that your top layer is the whipped topping!!!*

 

Cake, Fruit, Whipped Topping, Cake, Fruit, Whipped Topping..... shew! Usually this recipe will let you layer the trifle dish two complete times.

 

Step 5: Garnish and ENJOY!

Once the dish is layered, garnish with any leftover strawberries or blueberries. Eat and Enjoy!

 

This dish does need to stay refrigerated as long as possibly. This allows the glaze and whipped topping set and not be so runny while eating. This yields 8-10 medium servings and 12-14 small servings.

 

Enjoy this quick, easy recipe with your family this holiday.

 

Sending sweet love to my cousin above and lots of love until next time!





Taco Friday Trivia

Yes, we are kind of one of those cheesy families that serve dinner at the table, all sit together, and talk about our day. However, it only happens once a week, and it is near impossible to successfully make it through the entire dinner. You could only imagine having a peaceful dinner with 6 kids: 24, almost 15, 14, 13, 12, and almost 2.

It was traditional Taco Friday at my mom's house after work. My mother is not a gourmet chef, but that woman can make the best tacos. She always has a wide selection of toppings and shells. It's never here's a taco with meat, cheese, and lettuce. It's... would you like a soft/hard/fried/baked shell, taco bowl, nachos, or a combination of the above? You get your shell of choice and move down the assembly line ending at napkins and silverware at the end.

Yes, I described our dinner as an assembly line, but again imagine serving 8-10 people at one meal...

My taco choice? Soft shell, refried beans, hard shell, meat, lettuce, black olives, melt-y nacho cheese, sour cream, and mild taco sauce (specifically in that order). Try it. You'll thank me.

 My favorite, favorite part taco Friday?? Eating a really big meal and not having to worry about cleaning the kitchen!

Joking.... (seriously though, it's nice not having to clean up after a dinner.) This goes back to being the cheesy family. We go around the entire table asking these questions:

What was the best part of your day?
The worst part?
What's one thing you are thankful for?

I'm always intrigued to hear my brothers' answers. Most times, the worst part is fighting with each other. Which causes one sibling's best part being the win, and another sibling's worst part the loss. My sister (15) usually answers about school, friends, boys, social networking, or whatever these whippersnappers do these days. The youngest, of course, doesn't really answer, but we ask him anyways responding with screams and 1 of 10 words he knows.

I always answer last of the kids about my day.

The best part: being there with my family creating these memories and traditions that will hopefully transfer to their own dinner tables one day

The worst part: It's always difficult for me to answer. When I'm sitting there with those crazy kids and my wonderful mother, it's hard to think of the bad. I usually answer some petty problem, that I've not had time to find a solution to yet. My dear grandmother taught me, "It's not a problem, it's a challenge."

What I am thankful for? That I have a loving mother who cooks tacos every Friday. Siblings that enjoy spending Taco Friday together. That Friday dinner is something that we all enjoy.

Try it sometime. You'll thank me for it.

Counting down to Taco Friday and lots of love until next time!