One step at a time

Creating an enjoyable journey for myself and my family.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

If I Only Had a Week


I am really enjoying my new job. There does happen to be one downside, I never seem to have time for anything else. That is a bit of an exaggeration, but that's how I feel sometimes. So after two months of working 8 AM-6 PM and 6 PM-8 PM spent with the kids, the idea of having a whole blessed week off from work really inspired me. What would I do if I had a week to do whatever I wanted? It's been AWESOME and I thought I'd share what I have chosen to do with my week.

Some of the things I've done with one week off work
-Played in the snow with my daughters
-Made a batch of treats to share
-Went out to lunch with a dear friend I don't see as much as I'd like
-Cooked several delicious meals for my family
-Fed my family frozen pizza so we would have more time together
-Went out on a date with Adam and let him pick the restaurant...turns out it's my new favorite, Tuscano in Draper.
-Got a massage
-Wrote 20 goals for 2011
-Slept in a few times
-Took a nap
-Had story time in the middle of the day
-Took a gift basket to a friend who had surgery
-Cuddled with my girls and watched Alice in Wonderland
-Emailed all the kids' grandparents to let them know I love them
-Started a blog!
-Started doing Power90X with the Shum
-Read Changing Your Course by Bob and Melinda Blanchard
-Talked with my sister
-Went grocery shopping at Costco
-Doctor's appointments
-Built a fort out of blankets
-Carriage rides with the Fam at Temple Square
-Rearranged Teryn's room to be pretty and more functional


Anyway, you get the idea. I don't think I need to mention every single thing I did to make my point, which is this: Every minute of your life is precious and YOU choose what you do with those minutes. Choose things that bring you happiness. If you have no choice and terrible things happen, YOU can choose to be happy anyway. I wish you all the happiness you can handle in 2011.

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Newlywed Advice


My little sister Jennifer will be getting married this May. Yay! I'm helping Jenn's best friend plan the bridal shower. I also have a sister-in-law, Lisa, who got married yesterday. So I've been thinking about weddings a lot lately. Colors, flowers, locations, dresses...you know, all the things we woman normally think about when planning for a wedding. I bought my sister a book full of ideas, and have been scouring websites galore to create the perfect party for her. But this afternoon it occurred to me that all those things are so temporary. They create a wonderful day filled with memories, but the party doesn't last. What can I give her, and other brides, that would last a little longer? So I've decided to blog a list of the things I wish I had planned for when I was busy picking out colors and invitations before my wedding day.

1. Money, in our new marriage how will it be earned, saved, spent, and shared?
2. In-Laws, What kind of relationship would we ideally like to have with our respective families?
3. Educational Goals, what do we want to learn? Why? How much will it cost? What can we each do to make those goals realities for ourselves and for each other?
4. Children, what is plan A? If plan A doesn't work out, what is plan B?
5. Time, how much will we regularly spend together and apart?
6. Sex, what will it take to make this a mutually satisfying relationship?
7. Chores, who will do what and when?
8. Church, how important is this to us and why? What religious habits do we want to have in our family?
9. Gifts, what is your idea of a good birthday or christmas gift? (Yes, I did blow this one pretty badly, several times I'm afraid.) :)
10. Love Languages...how will we communicate our love for each other effectively?


Of course it takes a lifetime to perfect a relationship as important and complicated as a marriage, but getting started with a little planning is always a good idea. As my husband, Adam, always says, "Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance." Good luck newlyweds!

Monday, December 27, 2010

Inspiring Women


I am inspired by women. Women love and serve others so naturally; but we all have an incredibly difficult time loving ourselves. In my
quest to love myself and understand who I really am and what I want to be, I have been inspired by the examples of other women. Diet Coke has a new ad campaign rolling out in the 1st quarter of 2011 called, "Be Extraordinary." Maybe you've seen the billboards? They say things like, "Be a go-go-go-getter," and, "Be an over-over achiever." I was drawn to these messages right away. So I Googled the campaign and found the video linked below. It shares a :60 spot from the Diet Coke ad featuring commentary on success from Sonia Kashuk, a celebrity stylist. I totally agree with her sentiment. Her obvious passion is inspiring.

Watch Sonia's comments at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC-Cmw7ntFU&feature=channel


I have been continually inspired by a female author I worked with at Cedar Fort publishing company. Carol Lynn Pearson's book, "Beginnings and Beyond" is a collection of her timeless poetry, inspired by women she has "known and been." I reread this book on a regular basis because the messages within it's pages inspire me with a deeper understanding of who I am and who I want to be. Here is one of my favorite poems from Beginnings and Beyond.

A Drama in Two Acts
By Carol Lynn Pearson

I dim
I dim
I have no doubt
If someone blew
I would go out.

I did not.
I must be brighter
Than I thought.

I believe we are all "brighter" than we thought. It's the journey of a lifetime to discover just how bright.

I am inspired by a neighbor of mine. She is a mother of 5, a grandmother, a wife of 30+ years, a daughter of an aged mother, a friend, a care-giver, and one extraordinary woman. Despite many challenges and setbacks she maintains a positive attitude and manages to lift others even on days when she could use a little lifting herself. Her faith is strong and her love knows no bounds. She is a women who embodies the mantra, "Charity Never Faileth." Here is just one example of many I could share of Joan's matchless love. I was recently struggling with my children at church while Adam was away. I was on the verge of tears as I watch other perfectly reverent children quietly enjoy the peace that permeates our church congregation. My children on the other hand, were jumping up and down on the pew, running around the chapel and shouting out ridiculous things at the top of their lungs. I thought, "What am I doing here? How can I survive just 10 more minutes?" Just when I was ready to walk out and take my kids home for time-outs Joan sat next to me. She smiled and hugged my shoulder and took my most troubling child. She didn't wait for an invitation from me, she wasn't concerned about the peace and quiet she was giving up, she just showed up when I needed her. Since then she has invited me to sit with her any time I want. Joan Sattler is extraordinary and inspires me with her love.

These women inspire me because they are passionate, insightful, strong and filled with charity. Hmmm. I think I may have a clue about who and what I want to be.

In the new Alice and Wonderland, Alice says, "I can sometimes do 6 impossible things before breakfast." That's my kind of girl!


Sunday, December 26, 2010

Bavarian Apple Torte


I own about 50 cookbooks. I've tried making just about everything under the sun. This explains why I get so excited about a good recipe...because mostly they disappoint me. What can I say? I have high expectations. I've made this recipe many times, and I LOVE it every time. It's cheap, easy to make, hard to screw up, and everyone I serve it to seems to enjoy it. So next time you have extra apple hanging around, put them to good use in this amazing dessert.

Bavarian Apple Torte

Crust
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

Filling
12 ounces of cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup slivered almonds
4 cups peeled and diced (or sliced) apples

whipped cream topping optional

Cream butter, sugar, vanilla...then add flour. Press crust into a greased 9-inch pie pan.

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, the egg, and vanilla. Pour mixture over crust.

Make apple topping by combining apples, sugar, cinnamon, and almonds. Add over filling.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for 25 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

So easy, so delicious. Give it a try and tell me how it goes! Bon Appetite!




Friday, December 24, 2010

Work


When I was growing up I had the good fortune of having parents who taught me the importance of work. They taught me to take pride in a job well done and to put in extra effort to get the job done right. Most importantly they taught me to enjoy the work. Of course they weren't always successful, like the time they made me and my older brothers weed our garden during summer vacation when we really wanted to go swim at the lake. There are always tedious tasks that we must accomplish, and I've learned that doing so is always easier if we make the task fun. That's one of the reasons that for me, work is play.

I had someone mention to me the other day that I work all the time, and that I always talk about my "work" like it's the funniest thing in the world. For me it is and I've noticed that is the exception in the world today rather than the rule. So, I thought I'd share why work is fun for me. Keep in mind that when I refer to work, I'm talking about a 9-5 job in advertising, running a household of 4, and raising 2 daughters.


Why Work=Fun for Lindsey Shumway:
1. I tend to think of every work experience as part of my education. I fully admit that I don't know everything, but I'd like to. Everyday is a chance to learn something new.
2. I pace myself. For example when I feel like I need to clean the "whole house" I look at the clock, give myself 45 minutes and then let it go. Magically, what I thought would take 4 hours to accomplish can normally be done with 80% completion in about 45 minutes. Is it perfect? No, but it doesn't have to be.
3. I reward myself for successes. For example if I have 4 loads of laundry to wash, dry, fold and put away I tell myself that after two loads I get to watch one of my favorite shows on Hulu or I get a handful of M&M's.
4. I think of small victories as major victories. For example I recently put together my first "traffic" at work. The girl I replaced could have done it in 15 minutes flat and it took me an hour. When I was done I leaned back in chair, smiled and mentally pated myself on the back. For me, it was a major victory, and I know I'll get faster as I complete more.
5. I make games out of anything I can. For example, last Wednesday night I got home late and knew my husband would be home even later than me. It was trash day on Thursday and the garbage cans needed to be taken out, but we still had full trash cans all over the house. I was tired from a long day at work, but I smiled at the kids and said, "Ok girls, tonight we are going to have a trash hunt!" We each got a trash bag and stocked around the house to pounce on trash. In the end, the kids were laughing, the trash was ALL out of the house, and my husband didn't have to worry about it when he got home at 10 PM. It was way more fun than work.
6. When I think about work or share my experiences with others I accentuate the positive. Why complain? Negativity is a downer. Work is what you THINK it is...so think about the good things!
7. I make sure I have adequate sleep and food to keep me going. This may or may not involve M&M's. :)
8. I look for ways to lighten heavy chi. For example I play up-beat music, I dance in my chair as I type, I make sure to give a hug or a smile to co-workers who may need them.
9. When I need a break, I take one.
10. I cut other people some slack. No employee in any company, in any industry, on any level is perfect. We all have off days, we all have slow days, we can all be crabby from time-to-time. When the people I work with aren't perfect I shake it off and remind myself that I've been there.

I've "worked" at a concessions stand in a movie theater, as a lifeguard, as a bookstore manager, a timeshare telemarketer, a retail store manager, a director of marketing, an acquisitions editor, an author, an account manager and in many family and community roles. I love my life and I love my "jobs" and I wish you my kind of fun in completing your life's work.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Fast Food Royalty


We decided to give Burger King another chance to earn our business this weekend. They had a special promotion that caught my eye, "Buy one chicken sandwich, get one free." Sounds like a great deal, right? I was fully convinced to visit the Sandy, Utah location because of this BOGO deal and their unusually awesome children's play place. After getting the kids on their way in the plastic playland paradise, The Shum and I sat down to enjoy the food. It tasted reasonably good, until I discovered how much my husband had paid for it and I nearly gagged on my french fries. $23. No kidding, $23 buck for: 2 chicken (mystery meat) sandwiches (one of which was free!) a large fry, a large drink, a milkshake, and 2 kid's meals. Twenty-three bucks! You've got to be kidding me. Better luck next time Burger King, this Utah fast food Queen will be taking her little princesses to KFC next time she wants a good deal on a chicken sandwich.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

First Post Introduction to Chez Shumway

I am a busy, busy girl. I've purposely avoided starting a blog for years because I can't imagine adding one more task to my to-do list. The Shum (my husband Adam) and I have been married for 11 years and have two daughters, Mia (3) and Teryn (2). I work in advertising. I live in Utah but was raised for 18 years in Seattle. I have a LOT of interests. Just to give a few examples, lets start with: marketing on every level, cooking, raising daughters, health and fitness, golf, politics, literacy, reading, authors, travel, friends, French, chick flicks and fashion. I'm 31 and just beginning to understand my place in the world. I hope that my posts are interesting, but let's be honest if you hate what I have to say I won't mind. As Lorne Micheals once said, "There is always a chance for redemption." As Annie once said, "The Sun'll come out tomorrow."