Category: Mom Life

‘Tis the Gift to be Giving

This blog was originally handwritten on 12/23/19, and it is being typed on 12/29. Christmas may have passed, but the message is still pertinent.

Lying here awake at 4 am, I find myself staring at my husband and son. There is gifts that need to be wrapped, shopping to be done, and crafts to be made, but looking at my sweet boy, I realize how much none of that matters. I don’t feel this way because he’s a baby and won’t remember; I feel this way because we’ve already established with him traditions that are more important than any present underneath the Christmas tree.

1) Angel Tree – since before we were married, Mr Kisby and I have adopted 1 or 2 kids from the Angel Tree. We are beyond blessed even at our hardest points in life, and it is important to share those blessings. This year we shopped as a family. It felt really nice to know our family was blessing others. This year Mr Kisby and I picked our angel, and soon I hope LilKsby will feel led to pick who we bless.

2) Fellowship – Christmas is full of parties like Sushimas. At these events we see some people like once a year, yet it will seem like we haven’t been apart. I hope LilKsby will one day have these kinds of friendships.

3) Baking – growing up, my Uncle David would always make candy during the holidays. He would give it to friends, family, and people in the community as a thank you for their service. I never learned to make candy, but I can bake like a champ. Every year I make a pecan pie for my dad, something chocolate for the rest of the family, and something for our doctors and vet. I think extra thank yous are important this time of year as everyone enjoys feeling appreciated.

4) Christmas Cards – I know a lot of mail is uncommon these days which might be why receiving cards is so nice. Sending them is even better to me as it is a way of sending a little piece of love to those you care about in the world.

Now it is 4:30 am, and my sweet boy is semi awake and nursing happily. I smile to myself thinking of another baby boy being nursed by his mother in a stable. That baby saved the world; I hope mine will show the world that it “tis the gift to be giving”.

And now we nap…

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Perfect Imperfection

“All your perfect imperfections…”

All of Me, John Legend

As I was putting up Christmas lights on our porch this evening, that lyric kept running through my head. Normally, Mr Kisby puts up the outdoor lights, and he makes them perfect. This year if I wanted them up, then I had to do it. So tonight – wearing a fleece onesie because that was sufficiently warm – I put the lights up on the front porch. Me who cannot draw a straight line tackles the Christmas lights! Me who has the attention span of a goldfish! It was no easy task, and at one point I left a strand of lights hanging while I went in search of candy cane yard stakes. However, though it may look haphazard, I got the lights up.

In a lot of ways this is a perfect imperfect holiday season. It’s perfect in that I’m going to get to spend a lot of time with my wonderful family (LilKsby is 7 months old today!), and I’ve finally got enough decor up to satisfy me. Although should someone volunteer to put up my nativity outside, I wouldn’t tell them no. It’s also perfect in that we are blessed with our beautiful baby boy.

Then there’s the imperfect. There’s the lay-off. There’s the fact that there are five days until Christmas, and all I have for Mr Kisby is a hug. Presents we do have are unwrapped while some are still in transit. I haven’t done any baking for others, and Christmas cards are still in the box. I feel like the list goes on and on. All of it combined is making me a little crazy because I want LilKsby’s first Christmas to be perfect!

Now here are some fundamental truths:

  • I know LilKsby won’t remember this Christmas or how perfect it was.
  • I know that all the material aspects are not the point of Christmas.
  • I know that I have to learn to let go of certain things as important now that there is a baby in the picture.

Do you know why I think I have a hard time with these truths? Change is scary. For me, not having Christmas perfectly together is not a change I was prepared to face. I also think this might be why I’ve had a difficult time getting in the Christmas spirit this year.

Now, as I sit holding my sleeping baby and looking at the tree, I hope that I can let go of the idea of all the things that have to be done for Christmas to be “perfect”. I need to relax, accept the imperfection, be glad for what I do have, and enjoy the holiday season.

It’s time to accept perfect imperfection and be blessed!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

Super Mom Secret To Success

Yesterday was a sensational Sunday! It was one of those days when I felt like Super Mom! I managed to do laundry for LilKsby, hold a Mary Kay consultation, and prep for the week. Days like this make me feel like I can conquer the world as long as I have eye cream to assist with the bags and dark circles from lack of sleep (this is where being a Mary Kay consultant comes in really handy)! Here’s my secret to feeling this way as often as possible: meal prep!

Seriously, to me there is no question more exhausting – other than one about budgeting – than, “What do you want for dinner?” In our house, this has been a conversation more than once:

“What do you want for dinner?”

“I don’t know. What do you want?”

“I don’t care. What do you want?”

This can go on for rounds, and more often than not it leads to it being an hour later with no decision made and feeling hangry.

Thus, my secret to feeling like Super Mom? Meal prep!

For me – as a working mom – breakfast and lunch prep is key. To keep from being bored, I like some variety. Some weeks my meal prep for breakfast is putting cereal in one container and to go portions of milk in another. Sometimes breakfast meal prep is buying sausage biscuits for the week. My favorite breakfast meal prep is breakfast casserole!

My Breakfast Casserole

  • Eggs (however many you feel like – yesterday there were 7 left in the carton, so 7 it was!)
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Meat (usually bacon or sausage for me)
  • Rotel (optional)
  • Scramble the eggs in a bowl, assemble casserole as desired, cook in the oven on 350 for 35-40 minutes.

My lunch prep is similarly simple. There are weeks when my lunch prep is buy 5 frozen dinners or 5 single serving soups and crackers. I do have other favorites though including chili, tuna salad, and chicken salad.

My Chili

  • Ground Beef
  • Ground Pork
  • Canned Chili – No Beans
  • Canned Diced Tomatoes
  • Canned Rotel
  • Portions are however much you want, or in my case however much can fit in my crockpot.
  • Cook meat
  • Dump everything together in crockpot
  • Mix it all up
  • Leave in crockpot for several hours

My Tuna or Chicken Salad

  • Cannes Tuna or Chicken
  • Mayo
  • Pickle Relish
    Put however much you want of everything in a bowl, and stir the daylights out of it so to speak.
    Put in fridge, serve chilled

Dinner meal prep for me is more tricky, this is where Mr Kisby is a great help. He came up with a list of several simple to cook or prep options that we rotate through. Some of our favorites include: pork tenderloin, buffalo chicken bites, low carb pizza, frozen pizza, chicken nuggets and fries, bunless burgers, grilled chicken Caesar salad, pork chops, and spaghetti (or any other pasta). Typically, we will plan a week of dinners and have them ready to easily cook or cook them in advance. This keeps the “What do you want for dinner?” issue at a minimum!

So now you know my Super Mom secret: meal prep! What are your favorite meal prep tips?

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby

My Village

It takes a village to raise a child.

For a long time I have understood this from the perspective of a teacher. As a high school teacher, I know that it takes a group of adults with various areas of expertise and personalities to connect with kids and help them become the best version of themselves they can be. For example, I may connect better with the kids who enjoy video games and theatre while someone else connects more with kids who are interested in sports.

Now I have realized that it also takes a village to be a successful working mom. During this first week back to work, I’ve had an amazing support system. First of all, there has been my personal support system. These are the co-workers – and more importantly friends – who have made breastfeeding easier. They’ve offered tips for successful pumping on the job as well as operated as location scouts for places to pump. I’ve also felt the love and support from coworkers making sure I’m okay because they know first hand how hard it is to leave your baby and get through the work day.

Secondly, I had LilKsby’s village! First and foremost there was Mr Kisby at home with our baby. They sent me updates and even FaceTimed with me during planning for my peace of mind. Our parents also helped by bringing lunch over and mowing the lawn. It was a lot easier to get through the week knowing that LikKsby’s village was there when I couldn’t be.

Thanks villages! We love you!

XOXO,

The Great Kaysby