Mickey Dees Mayhem - I Should Have Known Better!

I admit it. I bought into the madness of a free food giveaway from McDonald's! They were giving away free Southern Style Chicken Sandwiches all day until 7pm yesterday. I didn't intend to get sucked into the mayhem but due to an unexpected turn of events, I was hungry, short on cash, and my next meal was destined to be in the far future. Fearing death by starvation, I entered the parking lot and was stunned that the drive thru line had only 5 cars in it. Wow! On a free food day too...shocking! Pleased with my good fortune, I got in line and ordered my food right away. $2 for a whole meal with a large drink...cha ching! I moved about 2 feet from the ordering speaker and that's when everything came literally to a screeching halt!Only 4 cars in front of me now and we sat...and sat...and sat... mind you, I am still 2 feet from the ordering speaker and a stream of cars are now behind me leading out into the street. I guess the word spread that this branch had a short line. We are now 30 minutes from the promotion cut off and I have now been in line 2 feet from the ordering speaker for 15 minutes. I know what you are thinking...humph...get out of line it is so not worth it. Yes, my very thought except for the wonderful site planners for this particular location were thinking only of their revenue designed the drive thru to TRAP you into staying in line! AAARRRGGHH! I felt claustrophobic. My stomach was gnawing at me. I screamed to the top of my lungs "WHAT IS THE PROBLEM!" It was raining and my windows were up so my yelp fell on deaf ears. 10 more minutes roll by and one car makes it out with their food. 5 more minutes and another. Whew! Now I am up to window #1 where you pay. The visibly exhausted cashier is about to open the window and before she says a word I know what she is about to tell me... I am almost tempted to say it with her..."I'm sorry ma'am but we have run out of chicken for the free chicken sandwich promotion. Is there something else I can get you off of our menu for free?" I should have known better. This was too good to be true... the short line on a free food day...puh-lease! So this was the hold up...everybody having to re-route their taste buds to order something else and the staff having to regroup everyone's order! It was madness! I ordered something else and proceeded to window #2 where the poor guy there rattled off 3 different orders that were not mine. He finally got it and sent me on my way. I ordered a quarter pounder (no cheese or onions), small fry, and large sweet tea (hey, it's a southern thing). He handed me my bag and with my anxiousness to leave, I neglected to check my order until I was at the next traffic light. In my bag was a double quarter pounder and a large fry. (Insert Big Sigh Here). Oh well, it was only $2. I shouldn't have been eating fast food anyway... serves me right (wink).

Blog Blocked!

I guess it is a bit different than writers block...or maybe it is the same?? I just joined the Mom Bloggers Club and I am so excited to be in this group yet...heaven help me, I have nothing to write about... except about the inability to write. I know exactly what is cutting off the creativity supply to my brain. I am single-mom-ing it for two weeks while my hubby is away so balancing toddlers and working from home with very little assistance has absorbed the forefront of my brain. I know so many others do it all of the time but it always throws me a bit. I have my little routine down to a science and that wasn't an easy feat with my tendency to be a bit scatter-brained. When things get altered, I sometimes go all nutty, you know? Well not too nutty... but it definitely takes a toll on me creatively. I put all of my eggs into my mom basket and carry it around with pride until my husband's plane lands...then I happily hand it over to him and run run run to my laptop! I have 3 more days...I think my brain knows it too..because hey...I'm writing...right?

Clock Out!

I am trying to teach myself a valuable lesson...learning to "clock out". As an entrepreneur, I am so conditioned to working 24/7, I have trouble shutting off. Hence, having my computer with me at the hospital when I was giving birth to Jackson. I have to sometimes remind myself that I changed professions (from Relocation Consultant to Author/Life Coach) so that I did not have to work so much. It's hard to teach an old dog new tricks. It is so hard that sometimes when there is no work...I actually invent it...I make up some important task that needs my immediate attention! I should be using that energy elsewhere, right? I am not embracing change! One night after the kids were in bed and my body was limp with exhaustion, I still crawled in bed with my laptop, notebooks, and client files. I actually found myself getting a little miffed at the fact that my inbox was empty and I had nothing to respond to. I really had nothing I needed to be doing at that moment except, well, SLEEP! I had to tell myself, hey girl, CLOCK OUT!

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Making My Lemonade

I think I have really grown as a Coach and as a Mother over the last couple of days. I am in my own private "Mommy Hullabaloo" and I am handling it beautifully by practicing what I preach. I am sleep deprived. My whole body aches. I haven't had a decent meal since Tuesday of last week. And yet, I am very proud of myself at how I have handled things. My husband has been away for a week and I have been on my own with the kids. Normally, I go running for any available relative and hang out at their place or beg them to stay with me. Though slightly coming apart at the seams, I am holding down the fort! Why is that so surprising? Because I used to spend a lot of time telling myself that I could not do it by myself... that I always need help. Most of the time that is true but I never gave myself credit for being a good and capable mother...woman...until now. The kids are trying my patience and tag-teaming for affection and I have "lost it" a couple of times, but I have not been broken! As I coach my clients with their "lemons", I too am making my "lemonade". Well, it's 11:40pm and I need a shower but I can barely keep my eyes open... decisions...decisions...

Traditional Boundaries

We are in Holiday Hullabaloo and as you are running around like a crazy woman buying presents, decorating, and shopping for that big family dinner or holiday party… you may find yourself thinking "whose idea was this anyway"! The yearly traditions stay the same but do you? Setting boundaries can apply to many aspects of your life but specifically setting boundaries during this holiday season. Looking at what is going on in your life at this moment against the given agenda. There are bound to be things that worked for you last year that do not work for you this year. You are looking at the impending itinerary, shopping list, etc. and thinking this year I cant do X but mom or grandma or the inlaws or somebody will be angry if I don’t. This is where setting your boundaries comes in. Setting boundaries in essence is compromise but in your favor.

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Getting A Night Off

A rare occasion happened… I got a night off as a mommy! My aunt was taking a road trip from her home in Florida to her home in Indiana. Atlanta is the midway point between the two so she stopped over for a few days to visit and recharge for the next leg. She was traveling with her two puppies and they gave her a run for her money and was hoping I was available to ride with her the rest of the way to keep her company and assist with the dogs. She would fly me back to Atlanta the next day. Knowing that I was desperate for a full night's sleep, my husband was happy to let me go and welcomed the challenge of juggling our 3 year old and 4 month old on his own. I wished him the best of luck and hit the road!

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