by kathilipp | May 18, 2011 | Uncategorized |
I’m 13 days away from a book deadline (not that anyone is counting…) and 43 days away from another one.
It’s at about this point that showering becomes optional.
I’ve got a lot of words to write, and then put into the right order. There isn’t a lot of fun reading, chatting or other exciting stuff going on. Normally, I would sooth myself with loads of baked goods. The problem with that is that I have once again turned myself into Weight Watcher and there is a price to be paid for indulgence. Oh, and I’ve given up soda except for twice a month. Sigh…
My last refuge? Coffee.
I wish I were a black coffee kinda girl. But I’m just not. And a latte still has a bunch of calories – even with non-fat milk. But you know what doesn’t? A misto.
At least half the time I order my misto at the inside counter at a Starbucks, another customer will ask me what that drink is (and a couple of times over the past five years, I’ve explained it to a barista or two.)
A misto is half drip coffee, half steamed milk. If you order it non-fat, it is only two Weight Watchers Plus Points. I add a little sugar-free vanilla sryup and it’s a beautiful thing.
I want to have some interruptions to my day here (fun ones, that is…) so if you tell me what your favorite drink is at Starbucks, I’ll put you in a drawing for me to buy if for you with a $5 Starbucks card. Post it by Thursday 6:00 PST and I will announce the winner on Friday.
by kathilipp | May 8, 2011 | Uncategorized |
Today is a critically important day for moms everywhere. Because today, is National Comparison Day.
It’s the Monday after Mother’s Day and you will be going into work our logging onto Facebook and you will see what every other kid, every other husband, has done for every other mom on the planet.
I don’t know how your Mother’s Day went. Some year’s mine is great. Some years, not so much. (This is not a color-me-bitter post. I had a lovely day.) But no matter how your day went, tomorrow can be filled with challenges…
- If your day was not all breakfast in bed and hand-drawn cards, it could be hard to hear about the flowers that were delivered, the brunches eaten, but other moms.
- If you had a great Sunday, there could be a crash and burn when you realize that it’s another 364 days until you have a Sunday afternoon off.
So here is what I want you to do, today, in celebration of National Comparison Day: Something just for you.
I want you to take a moment today to take care of yourself. It is so important that you do not measure the job you are doing as a mom by the number of kids who posted their love on Twitter. It is critical that you do not spend Monday going over the game tapes of how your day went.
Here are just a few things that would count in taking care of yourself and celebrating you as a mom:
- Getting a latte
- Reading a chapter in a book that not about your work or your kids
- Sitting by a lake, a pool, or any other body of water
- Buying a $5 magazine that you normally wouldn’t buy (Real Simple is my magazine indulgance)
- Buying a song on iTunes (May I suggest Sara Groves, Jack Johnson, or Third Day…)
- Lighting a candle that smells amazing
Q4U: What are you going today, on National Comparison Day?
Bless you girl. You are doing good work.
by kathilipp | May 5, 2011 | Home |
Hey kiddos – Yes – it has been a long time since I’ve posted. Having two book deadlines and a whirlwind tour of Austin, Spartanburg, and Atlanta tends to make this blogger go underground.
So why am I writing you today? Well one, I miss you. I really do. We get each other and that is a beautiful thing…
And two? I am writing a book and would love your help. Well, some of your help….
My next book is THE GET YOURSELF ORGANIZED PROJECT and I am looking for people who have struggled with organization but have made some progress, or who are still struggling (hey, and I fit into both categories, but things are getting MUCH better around here!) and would like to try out some of the projects.
So why is this the Tom Sawyer approach. Well if you remember the book, Tom has to white wash a fence but wants help in doing it, so he tells his friend Ben how much fun it is, and how much he is enjoying it, until Ben BEGS Tom to let him help.
So all I have to say is that writing a book is SO MUCH FUN and I bet you wish you could help me write this book.
(Did it work?)
So if you are interested, would you be willing to drop me a note at books@kathilipp.com ? I would love to include you in this project, get your insight, and trick you into writing my next book. have you help me write my next book…
by kathilipp | Apr 26, 2011 | Uncategorized |
Don’t you love when you read something and think to yourself, “Have they been following me? How did they know this is exactly what I needed to hear today?” Let me introduce you to Kathy Howard – my happy accident of the day. Read her words below and ask yourself – what is God trying to tell me?
Yesterday, I prayed with a heartbroken friend. After years of searching for answers, doctors diagnosed her five-year-old son with mental illness and other behavioral issues. Even with a diagnosis, these reputable doctors could not offer them treatment or practical steps to meet the overwhelming challenges. So, what now? Where does she turn?
Recently, many Christian women I love and admire have faced significant trials like life-threatening illness, divorce, death of a child, and financial hardship. These kinds of situations would knock many people flat. But these women are leaning on their faith in God. And He is proving Himself faithful.
I began to wonder how I would do in similar circumstances. Like most women, I juggle the everyday things of life without too much difficulty. But sometimes, even in just a small crisis, my self-sufficiency is shaken. Would I be swept away in the midst of something really difficult? I began to ask God to show me how my faith could be prepared. He pointed me to the life of the apostle Peter.
My new Bible study, Unshakeable Faith: 8 Traits for Rock-Solid Living, will help you prepare for life’s harshest storms by applying key “faith traits” found in the life of Peter. Walk with Peter as he walked with Jesus. Learn what Peter learned. Allow God to do in your life what He did in Peter’s.
Shaky times demand an unshakeable faith that stubbornly clings to God no matter the circumstances. God developed this kind of faith in Peter. God used Peter’s relationship with Jesus to transform his weak, fragile faith – that once denied Jesus – into a faith that stood firm even in the face of death. That’s the kind of faith I long to have.
Kathi here again! We have a copy of Kathy’s new Bible Study to give away. Share with me a way that God recently showed his trustworthyness in your life in the comments below and we will pick a winner on Friday.
by kathilipp | Apr 26, 2011 | Me |
As some of you know from my author page on Facebook it has been a sad week around our house. The dog that my first husband and I got together, Einstein, had an inoperable brain tumor and had to be put down on Thursday.
Einstein was almost 11 years old, and even though I have not lived with him for the past eight years, he has still been a daily gratitude in my life.
One of the things that has made this week tolerable (besides kids and counseling…) has been remembering all the gifts that Einstein has left behind in the form of lessons:
1. Love with Your Whole Body When Einstein greeted you, it was without reserve. He wrapped his whole body around you just to make sure that you didn’t miss one bit of puppy love (or Golden Retriever hair…) He would dance, hug, lick, and in the cases where he saw Roger, even pee a little.
Einstein reminds me to not hold back. I have to say that with all these grown up kids around here, it became easier to say goodbye without hugs or kisses on the head. No more. I want to love like Einstein loved – without any doubt that the person standing in front of me is the most important person in the world.
2. People are More Important than Work My son Justen works with his dad and would sometimes work from his dad’s house, where Einstein lived. On those occasions, Einstein was so glad that Justen decided to take the day to just snuggle with him and would let Justen know of this plan by laying his giant head across Justen’s lap and laptop.
Just because I can work from sun up to sun down on my laptop doesn’t mean I should. I was to spend more time with my husband and kids on the couch than my job.
3. Dorks make the best kind of people (and the best kind of Dogs) We often called Einstein a dork. He greeted people by peeing (just a little bit) once ate three dozen cookies cooling on the kitchen counter, and, well, really didn’t live up to the name Justen gave him. But we didn’t love him despite all those things, we loved him because of them.
I spent most of my time before my 35th birthday looking for the cool people to hang out with. Now I like the interesting people. Cool is way overrated. I like the slightly off, those people who are a bit broken and not afraid to show it.
Einstien never really made a name for himself in obedience school, but I don’t know of a dog who left a bigger impression on the people he loved.
by kathilipp | Apr 13, 2011 | Home, The "What's for dinner?" Project, Uncategorized |
Prep 10 Minutes
Start to Finish 10 Minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Cesar Salad Kit from the Produce Section of the Grocery Store
1 package pre-cooked chicken cut into cubes
4 pitas
Directions
1. Cut pitas in half and open up pitas. Put pita haves in the toaster. Toast the pitas and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients from the salad kit (except for the croutons) with the chicken chunks.
3. Stuff the toasted pita with chicken Cesar salad mix.
4. Garnish with whatever extra goodies (tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.)
by kathilipp | Apr 12, 2011 | Because Sometime? I'm Just All Shallow - You Know?, Home, The Get Organized Project, tips and ideas, Travel |
I have a giant purse. Huge.
I was even given the cocktail napkins at a retreat after people heard me talk about my undying devotion for oversized bags.
I remember one time telling Roger that I needed a purse with wheels to lug around all my stuff.
Roger told me, “That’s called a suitcase and you have a problem.”
I will always have a giant purse (because I love them and see the napkin above…) but I don’t need to have the back and shoulder pain that go with an overstuffed purse.
So once a week I do my three step method (I use this all over the house, but here it will apply to handbags,) to keeping my bag from overflowing.
1. CLEAR IT OUT I simple take my purse and dump it out in a grocery bag.
- Anything I want to keep (but doesn’t belong in my purse) gets put away. (This is when I go through receipts in my wallet – or the ones that have been thrown in my purse, pieces of paper, etc.)
- Anything that is garbage stays in the bag and gets thrown away.
2. PUT IT BACK Anything that belongs in the purse, stays in the purse. This includes
Wallet (I like the kind that has a place for a checkbook because I still have to write a couple of checks a month, plus, it keeps my business receipts better organized.
Make-up bag
- Lipstick and gloss
- Eye liner
- Powder
- Sunscreen stick
- Blush and brush
- Eyeglass cleaner wipes
- Hand sanitize
Sunglasses case
Cell phone
Keys
Emergency kit
- Hollywood Tape
- $20
- Needle and thread
- Nail glue
3. KEEP IT UP If I do it once a week, it really is easy to stay on top of it.
Also, have a small bag for makeup, and an emergency bag, it makes it easy to transfer the contents of the purse into my computer bag.
So tell me – do you have any fab tips for keeping your bag clean and light?
by kathilipp | Apr 6, 2011 | Home, The Get Organized Project |
Today, as I was coming downstairs I heard the words that a woman never wants to hear.
“Kim thinks the freezer stopped running.”
Ugh – that is not what I wanted to hear from Sunnie, my ministry manager. Really? Had it really stopped running?
Well, the Skinny Cows that were now Runny Cows were the first indications that a mystery kid hadn’t just left a door open for a few minutes.
But I’m the kind of girl who turns defrosted lemon juice into lemonade. I thought, “Well, at least I can clean out the freezer from expired food and get a fresh start!” Lemonade.
So I started to go through the frozen dinners I’ve made with The Frozen Gourmet, drippy chicken breasts, and frozen yogurt containers. My only consultation? At least I was clearing out all that food that was past it’s prime.
Except? There was no expired food. Not one ice cream container, not one frozen pizza, not one icy pork roast. Nothing was expired.
Nothing.
A few years ago? Half the stuff would have been older than my kids.
So, do you have an Organizational Milestone that Martha Stewart would Never Understand?
- You found your car keys without having to pay your kids to help you.
- You went to get your allergy medicine and it was right where you expected.
- You fit your car in the garage.
- You opened up a DVD case on your shelf and the right DVD was in it.
Share with me. If you do, I will choose one commenter to win a copy of THE FROZEN GOURMET. (The winner will be announced on Monday.)
by kathilipp | Apr 3, 2011 | The Get Organized Project |
I am in the midst of writing one of my next books, The Get Yourself Organized Project, and I could use your help in the area of the kitchen…
- What is your biggest organizing challenge?
- What is something you have tried, organization-wise, that has worked for you that you would love to share with the rest of the world.
Now let me be very specific. If you want to share how to color-code your spices, please pick up a Martha Stewart magazine and leave me be. However, if you are a real person and live a real life and have some real advice, I would LOVE to hear it.
I will be asking in different areas of life over the next few weeks. Can’t wait to hear your answers…
AND, if I use your question, or your great idea in the book, you will get to be a published author (and a free copy of the book.) How cool would that be?
So please, share.
And if you were looking for one spiffy idea on organizing, I will share it in tomorrow’s post.
Past winners:
The Winner of THE ME PROJECT is : Becky and the Winner of Arlene Pellicane’s fab book is:Linda Carlblom
Email sunnie at kathilipp.com with your name, address and what you won and she will get it right out to you.
by kathilipp | Mar 29, 2011 | Home, The "What's for dinner?" Project, Uncategorized |
We’ve had a sudden warm streak here in N. CA so I thought I would share one of my very favorite No-Cook recipes.
Asian Chicken Wrap Ups
Prep 20 Minutes
2 cups chopped cooked skinless chicken breast (chop up strips from pre-packaged chicken breasts)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup crispy rice noodles
Seasoned salt and pepper
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded broccoli slaw
Four to six butter lettuce leaves
1/3 cup Peanut sauce (store-bought)
1/3 cup Asian salad dressing for dipping sauce (store-bought)
Directions
In a medium glass bowl, combine chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, , green onions, and almonds. Mix well. Season to taste with seasoned salt and pepper. Cover and let set in the refrigerator for an hour.
Add small containers each of peanut sauce and Asian dipping sauce to platter.
On platter, arrange lettuce leaves. Divide up the chicken mixture and place a mound of it on each leaf. Top with crispy noodles, carrots and cabbage. Roll up the leaf and dip in one of the sauces.
Serves 4 as appetizers, 2 adults as a main course
Q4U: Do you have any no cook tips to share? I love to find shortcuts in the kitchen – any secrets you would like to divulge?
I’m 13 days away from a book deadline (not that anyone is counting…) and 43 days away from another one.
