Happy Wife, Happy Life

This week was crappy for no apparent reason. Like, the kind of week where you're almost trying to FIND something to pinpoint those AGGGH BLACCCH EEEKFF feelings on, because heaven knows you're not going to be the girl who's just complaining for no reason at all, right? Right. I don't know what it was, the alignment of the stars, the extra half hour of sleep stolen each morning by my new furry, four-legged personal trainer, the stress of a brand-new group of 40 newbies staring eagerly at me wondering how I am magically going to make them lose weight, the fact that I still had a suitcase sitting on the bedroom floor from a vacation a week ago or WHAT. But all week long, I felt tired, I felt cranky and I felt ... undeserving of those feelings. Like, who am I to feel that way when the list of blessings definitely outweighs any for-real negatives in my life? That's so strange to feel that way - undeserving of the right to be cranky. But until I sat down to pour my heart and soul out to the internets, I didn't even realize that sentiment was underlying that craptastic funk I was in all week. I mean, why can't I have a week where I'm just feeling shitty for no good reason at all?

I can hear myself telling any of my coaching clients right now: it's not good, it's not bad, it just is. Apparently, I'm taking my role as the positivity police a little toooooo seriously if I won't even let myself have a B.B. King kind of week. But whatever, it's come and gone, and I'm feeling just fine and dandy and actually pretty darn accomplished after 3 hours of ironing. (Yes, 3 HOURS. We'll get to that.) Actually, you know what I think was the root cause of all this internal foot stomping? I don't think I've had a day where I really could iron since April 29th: closing day. We closed, we packed up, we moved, we unpacked, we unpacked some more, we hosted family, celebrated a graduation, packed up our bags, flew to the Dominican, (ok don't pity me too much here), came home, unpacked, got a dog, realized said dog had some major behavioral issues, went home to Lincolnton, went to work again, went home to Rochester, went back to work again and WOW. Ok, blogging epiphany. While the last 8 weeks have been chock full of really super duper awesome stuff....

I am le tired. And I want a nap.

So this weekend, we originally planned to go to the mountains. And while I know I would be happily hiking along a huge staircase of boulders in Julian Price right now, or maybe sipping a cold brewski out of a mason jar at The Woodlands, I am really really happy to be sitting in my bonus room with a sleeping dog at my feet, a sleeping hubby in front of the TV, a big pile of ironing done, and no where to go. Staycation, yes please.

This morning, I switched out my winter and summer clothes - a task that led to me accumulating a pile of ironing about 3 feet high. I really avoid ironing at all costs - in fact most of the time, I just take it to the dry cleaners and pay $2 to get it pressed. I'm a firm believer in outsourcing. But this was probably about 20 items, so I figured I better just tackle it. I loaded up my computer with some TV I've wanted to catch up on - 3 episodes of Cook Yourself Thin, the season finale of The Office and 3 coaching vlogs I follow. It took me 3 hours and 60 oz of distilled water to get through that pile. No joke. And once I was on a role, I decided to iron the curtains that we need to hang in our guest room and the linen napkins I haven't used since Valentine's Day because they got too wrinkly after I washed them. All in all, 23 items ironed. I guarantee that's more ironing than I have done in our entire marriage.

After I ironed, I sat down and made the first meal plan I've made in probably 2 months (formerly an Every Saturday Morning tradition) which now means I have a humongous Harris Teeter trip on my hands. Our house is clean, the laundry is done, the dog is snoring... it feels so good to have my house right again.

When my home is happy, I am happy.

Meal Plan for the Week:

Sunday: Flat Iron Steak with Pimiento Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach and Onions, and Green Salad (No recipes, just basics)
Monday: Everday Food's Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce and Lo Mein Noodles
Tuesday: Cook Yourself Thin's Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Cook Yourself Thin's Quesadillas (If I can keep my hands off the wholly guacamole until then.)
Thursday: Sushi (picked up from Fresh Market) and Cook Yourself Thin's Spring Rolls
Friday: Leftovers or Grilled Chicken Salad

If any of the recipes are worth repeating, I'll post them on megeats.