meat

I didn't expect it to be so easy to wean my family off meat. Of course, we've all been sick with the stomach "flu" this week so not really wanting to eat anyway.
We usually eat meat every day. I've been trying to exclude meat once per week opting for fish or just going vegetarian altogether. This applies only to supper for now although I've been trying to omit meat from my other meals too.
I'm not sure if it'll be easier or harder in the summer. We use the barbecue whenever possible, but being so busy through the week, it's usually on weekends. So I proposed to eat meat only on the weekends... and Frank went for it!
The reasons for going meatless are partly dietary and partly environmental and partly financial. When we do eat meat, we tend to eat too much of it. It's hard to maintain portion control with a juicy steak staring at you! We know that large commercial farms are bad for the environment in many ways (the earth, the air, the hormones, etc.) Plus it's way cheaper to buy beans and tofu!
My sister has been vegetarian for a long time so you'd think I would have plenty of meal ideas ready to go. Well, I'm sure the meat habit can be broken and eventually I will have plenty of vegetarian meals up my sleeve. So far I've substituted beans for meat with pasta, served fish once per week, made chickpea curry instead of chicken or beef, and made tofu stir-fry. It's all been good, but I don't want to be too repetitive. Soups would be easy except that my family doesn't like soup as a meal :(
Anyway, it's going well and I hope that when we're all better, we can stick to it! The trick may be that Frank and I are the only ones who know the plan...heeheehee

work

I can't believe how easy it's been to go back to work! I've been dreading it for over a year now. Agonizing over what I would do and how I would find a job that doesn't take over my life. And then... a job fell into my lap. I wasn't even looking for it. In fact, I had been telling myself it would be ok to wait another 2 years until Lilly went to school to look for work.
Now I work part-time, set my own hours and it feels wonderful!
It's even more amazing that I was able to find a terrific babysitter right away! She's kind, very thoughtful and generous. She cares about my kids and has lots of patience. Plus she lives close to home!
I really didn't expect to be working yet or that it would be so easy. I am deeply thankful.