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My 4 Veteran Mom Moves for Dealing with Stress & OVERWHELM…

October 20, 2017 by Edie Wadsworth 3 Comments

Okay, mama, let’s talk about the elephant on your chest right now. I think I know the feeling quite well. Life is too fast, too full, too complicated, TOO MUCH sometimes. Am I right or am I right?!

To say I’m in a season of stress would be quite the understatement.

And it’s all the GOOD kind of stress.

Let’s recap this season, briefly.

—There’s my son’s wedding which is only THREE WEEKS AWAY. (cue the waterworks and the excitement and ALL THE FEELS!!!) Also? How cute are they? These two darlings have been living with me off and on for most of this year. Taylor is in his 4th year of medical school and Mary Kate just graduated from PA and started her new job at the same office where I used to work. AND? They just rented their first house so we’re moving stuff in and going to look for furniture today and it’s all just SO REAL and amazing and this mama is on the verge of tears two EVERY TWO SECONDS.

—This is has been a season of much teaching and travel for me. Stevie and I flew to Portland for a conference & to see Mal, a week later I spent 5 days in Nashville for my niece’s wedding and last week I flew to Dallas to speak at a Young Living rally.

For this homebody mama who wears an apron and cooks ALL THE FOOD everyday, it’s been a little jolting. All good, just a LOT. And it’s not over. I have a big trip coming up after the wedding, at which time, I may never ever leave my house again. EVER.

p.s. Remind me sometime to tell you some of the CRAZY stories Aunt Glenda told me on our ride to and from Nashville. Priceless, I tell you. I may just have to write another book.

—And did I mention we are remodeling a house that we plan to start renting out this winter? Oh yeah, there’s that little project. Amazing and fun, but WHEW!!!!!

BEFORE:

DURING….

We actually raised the roof on this baby and reconfigured the whole main level. We’re no Chip & Joanna, but still, it’s been a pretty amazing transformation, so far.

BEFORE:

DURING:

At which point, I would like to say that it’s now time to pick out paint colors, which in the past has been so fun, but now feels like a HUGE decision. Stress makes mountains out of mole hills.

Add to that all the other stuff that comes with family and jobs and relationships and commitments, and it can feel like overwhelm.

And I know that your list looks different but the end result may be the same.

Overwhelm. Stress. Trouble focusing. Trouble sleeping. Stress eating or other bad stress habits that creep in when we feel like life is dragging us around.

Well, I’m no expert, but I have been around the block a time or two and figured out some things that really help me stay present and engaged and able to enjoy these fleeting moments we call life.

The first thing I do is PAUSE and PRAY and readjust my mindset and then WRITE THINGS DOWN.

I get to be in charge of how I walk into my life.

I’m in charge of my reactions, of my mindset, of my energy, of my attitude. And pausing to pray helps me remember that this is all so fleeting and I don’t want to look back and have it be all a blur of stress. I want to remember wedding planning and furniture shopping and practicing for my mother son dance. (I mean, obviously, I had to choose Stand By Your Man as part of this amazing memory.)

There’s so much to be thankful for, so much to notice, so much joy to be had.

And I can get to that faster if I write everything down and stop letting the chaos just swirl around in my head. My method for doing that is my bullet journal. It’s my security blanket. It’s where ALL my creative thoughts are, all my goals and dreams, all my brainstorming sessions, my meal plans, my gratitude list, the notes I took from that podcast or audiobook. Literally EVERYTHING is in there. So I can stop carrying so much around in my heart and mind. If you don’t have a system that’s working for you, go download my video and let me teach you (in less than 10 minutes) how I double my creativity and productivity with this simple method of journaling.

2. Ask for help.

Why, tell me why, is this so hard for us? We want people to read our minds. We get angry or aloof when they don’t. We need their help but we won’t ask for it. I told my teenage girls recently about how stressful this season is for me, how emotional, how wonderful but hard. I asked for their help. I asked for their patience and forgiveness. I need them and I don’t want to alienate them or resent them during this time. I did the same thing with Stevie. “Hey, honey, I’m feeling really emotional and kind of overwhelmed so thank you for any support or help you can offer.” Your people LOVE YOU and WANT TO HELP you but you have to tell them HOW they can help.

Maybe you need to hire help. I did this recently for something for the wedding and it removed SO MUCH STRESS. I also keep the prize in mind. I keep this picture close and look at it a lot. I pray for them and pray for their special day. I don’t want the stress of it all to ruin my joy. So I’m learning to ask for help!

3. Get physical

(Cue all the Olivia Newton John right now.)

Your stress is not just in your head. You are carrying it around all day IN YOUR ACTUAL BODY. And to get it out, you need to help your body out a little. Eat better food. Eat to nourish your body. Eat food that God made. Just make little changes that tell your body you are fighting for it.

And MOVE. Your body is made to physically work and move and most of us spend our days not doing that. I started doing Crossfit 6 months ago, after years of doing stuff on my own like running or weight training or yoga. I’m telling you that having a coach or a mentor or a partner to do this with is SO MUCH BETTER than doing it on your own. You won’t show up as much or challenge yourself as much.

And then my last physical soap box is SLEEP. Mama, you need it. SO MUCH. And I know there are seasons when it’s harder to get, but at least make an effort to make it a priority. I’ll tell you in the next section how I get AMAZING SLEEP!!!!!!

4. Oils & Supplements

It’s no secret that after 3 years of using Young Living oils and supplements, I’m a crazed maniac. I can’t even imagine my life without them. I would NOT be thriving through this season of stress without them. They make my sleep ONE HUNDRED times better (I use Lavender & Cedarwood at night), they reduce my stress like NOTHING I’ve tried. EVER. They support my immune system so much that my doctor hasn’t forgotten my name. (not really, because he used to be my partner, but still…)

Y’all. If you’ve been on the fence and are needing something to nudge you over the edge, take my word for it and do it. I practiced medicine for many years and I’ve NEVER been so amazed by something so simple as the incredible benefits of the natural oils that can be distilled from plants. It shouldn’t have surprised me so much because God is pretty awesome at making things. But it does surprise me and amaze me everyday and if you haven’t tried it, I promise, you’ll wish you had done it sooner. My favorite oils to support mood are Frankincense, Orange, Valor, Peace & Calming, Inner Child, and Lady Sclerol. Don’t EVEN get me started on Lady S. SO GOOD FOR THAT CRAZY HORMONE LIFE.

Maybe this class I taught on essential oils and emotions will convince you! It’s my FAVORITE thing about oils—how and why they so powerfully effect our emotions.

Head over here and get started with me and as soon as you get signed up I’ll add you to my private FB group where I teach you everything I’m learning.

So, those are my favorite tricks for getting through a stressful season without losing your mind. That and lots of prayer!

Mucho love to you as your navigate your tough mama seasons.

You are strong and capable and ENOUGH.

Love you!!

My Best Trick to Getting Dinner on the Table

September 26, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 51 Comments

“If we were taught to cook as we are taught to walk, encouraged first to feel for pebbles with our toes, then to wobble forward and fall, then had our hands firmly tugged on so we would try again, we would learn that being good at it relies on something deeply rooted, akin to walking, to get good at which we need only guidance, senses, and a little faith. We aren’t often taught to cook like that, so when we watch people cook naturally, in what looks like an agreement between cook and cooked, we think that they were born with an ability to simply know that an egg is done, that the fish needs flipping, and that the soup needs salt. Instinct, whether on the ground or in the kitchen, is not a destination but a path.” ~Tamar Adler

I guess I should start with a confession—we had Sonic for dinner last night. It was overall a bad decision and a bad experience, exacerbated by the fact that we waited 22 minutes for it. I know, because the particular Sonic near our house is just about as SLOW AS MOLASSES so I’ve learned to elevate my stress level by watching the clock. Last time we went through for fruity drinks I told my girls to enjoy them because we we were NEVER going back. You see how that worked out for me. When Sonic used to have skaters bring your food, you would be forgiving of the tardiness because well, someone is bringing your food to you ON SKATES. Apparently, you can either bring bad food to me fast or on skates and I won’t complain. There were no skates at this Sonic and the wait and food were equally bad. Sonic used to seem like fun to me but something about turning 40 and needing to properly digest food interfered with all that. Also, fast food should be fast.

I’m really not a food snob and we eat out some, but we often regret it, either then or sometime that night. I ADORE good food. I hoard chicken stock and other things in my pantry and I cook a lot. After 25 years or so of trying to feed myself and my people, I’ve learned a valuable secret to getting dinner on the table most nights. And when I fail to take my own advice, I end in a state of hangry (hungry+angry) at somewhere like Sonic.

And here’s the kicker—it wasn’t because I wasn’t prepared to make dinner last night. That’s the saddest part. I had my menu planned and I had ALL the ingredients sitting on the counter most of the day. But I kept putting off starting it. I procrastinated it 47 times until there were no more times left to procrastinate it.

So, here’s my secret for getting dinner on the table—DO IT EARLY IN THE DAY.

Now, stay with me, because you’re going to tell me you don’t have time to make dinner in the mornings. My gentle reply is you don’t have time not to. When I worked, I almost always got dinner started (or finished) before I left for work OR we ended up eating out. It’s so daunting to think about starting dinner at 5’oclock with hungry short people pawing at you. And the truth is? I actually find the temptation to procrastinate worse since I stay home most days. I keep thinking I can do it anytime, but if I don’t do it in the mornings, the chances are high that it won’t get done.

You also have the added benefit of getting a lot of the initial mess cleaned up and out of the way and I’m much more likely to be enthusiastic about doing dishes at 7 or 8 in the morning than at 8 at night. And do you know how much momentum it gives you for the rest of the day to know you have dinner started or even done before you leave home for the day. SO MUCH!! You’re a hero. You’re super woman. No matter what else happens throughout the day, you can whisper to yourself, well at least I have dinner figured out. I would venture to say that it doubles my productivity during the day if I get dinner going early. It’s a quick win, which usually leads to other wins. It makes you feel so responsible and grown up and capable.

Here’s how it works for me……

Slow Cooked Meats— My general plan of action is to season and brown the meat (this could be chicken breast, pork chops, beef roast, pork loin, beef stew meat, chicken thighs, etc) in oil in a dutch oven. I almost always add 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s. It’s great on all meats. When they’re brown, I sometimes add a few onions or some stock, but usually I just layer the meat and then cook it covered all day (at least 5 hours) at 250 degrees. If you’re going to cook it longer than that and it doesn’t have much fat, you’ll need to add stock to it or it will dry out. Almost any meat will be delicious by the end of the day and then you can do whatever you want with it—add it to soup or pasta or tacos OR you could serve it with potatoes or rice or veggies. We did this earlier in the week with a huge family pack of pork chops that were on sale. We ate them that night with cooked apples (which I also precooked before I left for my afternoon errands). I do this ALL THE TIME. Even if you’re not sure what you’re going to do with the meat, you’d be surprised how wonderful it is to come home to the smell of slow roasting meat.
Crock Pot Cooking—I do the same thing as I mention above and then put the meat in the crock pot. Add stock and veggies and you have dinner when you get home. Add a jar of salsa and you have tex mex. Add mushrooms and wine and you have a French-inpsired dinner. Just be creative. Dinner is not to be feared. Food is your friend.
Soups—Do you want me to launch into full abandon with my love for soups, because I can and I will. Almost EVERY soup I can think of can be made in the morning and then reheated. It’ll taste way better if you make it in the morning. I have a plethora of soups at your disposal so try them all out. Just today, I made soup from those pork chops that I slow cooked earlier this week. I chopped up the meat and added it to my Pumpkin Chipotle soup, that technically is supposed to have chicken in it. But nobody’s watching to see if you put the right meat in so use what you have!
Pizza—oh, how I love homemade pizza night!! Get the dough started early in the day and let everyone make their own supper. It’s magic! Use my no fail pizza crust recipe and there’s dinner once a week.
Weekend cooking—I like to do this same precooking thing on Fridays so we go into the weekend with goodies. And I almost never cook on Sundays because we go out after church and eat leftovers or pizza. Cooking on Friday morning is my ace in the hole. Today, I’m making this soup, pizza bianca, and Elea’s making these cookies. It’s a way to go into the weekend!

And what if you did a slow cooked meat on Monday, a crock pot recipe on Tuesday, leftovers on Wednesday, a soup of Thursday, and then pizza on Friday. There’s you easy peasy meal plan! I have a techy version of my meal plan that you might enjoy too, but sometimes I think we can overcomplicate it. Use whatever works for you but the game changer for me was when I started making supper at breakfast.

I know that not everything can be cooked ahead of time but SO MANY THINGS can. I hope this helps you get supper on the table and saves you from being hangry at Sonic.

Mwahhhhhh!

p.s. I’d love to know your favorite trick, too!

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My book is available for preorder now! Click here!

How to Set Up a Baking Center

September 10, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 26 Comments

I’ve never quite had a baking center like this but it was a priority when we rebuilt our house. I’ve had various versions of one for a long time and here’s the truth of the matter—-if your supplies are easily accessible and organized, you’ll bake more. (You might also like a full tour of the kitchen and a list of my 10 favorite kitchen tools!)

The flour and sugar that are sitting on my counter are practically begging me to bake something. AND, I never run out of stuff because I always know when I need it. So, besides chicken stock, apparently I hoard baking supplies too. But, let’s look on the bright side, there’s always flour.

So, it’s worth the effort to think through your spaces and see where you could incorporate and organize your supplies. Here’s my advice. [Read more…] about How to Set Up a Baking Center

The Well Stocked Pantry (aka I May Be Hoarding Chicken Stock)

August 28, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 79 Comments

Welcome to the well stocked pantry!

The Well Stocked Pantry via lifeingrace

Okay, I’m not saying I’m a hoarder but what I’m saying is—I like a well stocked pantry. My sister hoards paper products so it runs in the family. At this very moment, she’s probably got 120 rolls of toilet paper. And I could be underestimating here.

But then, who am I to talk, I just bought a case of chicken stock and 14 cans of tomatoes. And more chicken stock is being added to my grocery list as we speak because as a girl heads into football season, there’s two things she can’t get enough of—her favorite SEC team (Go Vols!) and chicken stock. There’s Rocky Top chili and Italian Sub Soup to make, dear ones. I do not want to be caught with my orange and white checkered pants down.

(If you’re more interested in Game Day fashion than Game Day food, visit my friend Melanie, who has attended to all your orange attire needs.)

The Well Stocked Pantry via lifeingrace

Okay, drum roll please. I almost hate to tell you this because every time I tell someone about my chicken stock, they start hoarding it too and then I can’t get it at my grocery store. This is not a word of a lie—I drove to 3 different stores in my little town last week in order to get my chicken stock. Which is why I always buy all they have, be it a carton or a case. Because this brand is amazing. I wish they were paying me to say that, but they aren’t. It’s better than homemade stock, in my humble opinion. It’s dark and rich and full of tasty goodness. I use it ALL the time in almost everything I cook. I get very nervous when the stash gets low. If you ever wonder what to get me for Christmas, you can never go wrong with this chicken stock. Or something from Tiffany’s. Either one is fine.

Kitchen Basics stock—chicken in bulk, a couple beef (I don’t love the vegetable or seafood stock but you might!)
Tomatoes–28 oz cans of San Marzano and 14 oz cans of fire roasted, tomato sauce, tomato paste, marinara, spaghetti sauce, Rotel

Canned Beans–black, pintos,garbanzos, cannelini, white northern, chili beans

Dried Beans—navy, pintos, lentils, black
Grains–I keep jasmine rice, brown rice, wild rice, long grain, risotto, quinoa. Pasta–lasagna noodles, fusilli pasta (I use this for my lasagna soup), macaroni, orzo, spaghetti, angel hair, linguine, barley
Soups—cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of whatever’s on sale, tomato

Oils–I buy olive oil in large vats, canola, peanut, coconut, sesame, chili oil
Vinegars—red wine, balsamic, distilled, apple cider, rice wine Sauces–chili sauce, Sriracha, cholula, Sweet Baby Ray’s, Country Bob’s, local honey!!!!, maple syrup, various hot sauces, every kind of mustard this side of the Atlantic

Peppers and Olives–chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, roasted red peppers, black olives, green olives, kalamata olives
Bread Crumbs—panko, regular and eye-talian
Jellies and Jars–pepper jelly, apricot, marmalade, pesto, jalapeños, pepperoncinis, pickles, hot cherry peppers

Misc—canned artichokes, canned pumpkin
Nut Butters–I have about 5 varieties of peanut butter, almond butter, and of course, Nutella.
Nuts–Trader Joe’s has a superb selection of nuts and we keep every kind imaginable on hand.
Dried Fruits–I always keep jumbo raisins, dried cranberries and dried Tart cherries for my cherry chocolate chip cookies!

Don’t forget the onions, potatoes, garlic, and shallots.

There’s no end to the yummy goodness that can be made and shared from a well stocked pantry. Buy in bulk and watch for sales, especially buy one, get one free. I’ve always got my eye out for pantry items that are on deep discount.

With a well-stocked pantry, you eliminate the first road block to cooking. If you have things on hand, you’re much less likely to give in to the temptation of eating out. Your family will be happy and well nourished with good, home-cooked meals and you will be like super woman. Only without the corset.

Click here to print this list!

To make the labels, I just print the words I want in my favorite font (Champignon) on card stock or even regular computer paper, cut them to size and then tape them (with packing tape) onto the containers. I usually resize the font to 150 ish to get the size I need. This is a great job for an eager (younger) helper! I got my containers at Walmart and my local grocery store.

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ps. In case you didn’t know, this family doctor took the plunge into the world of natural health and essential oils and these oils are BLOWING MY MIND. If you want to feel better, sleep better, strengthen your immune system, reduce your stress, and clear some of the common toxins out of your life, I’d love to walk with you as you get started.

In the month of December (2016) I’m giving away a signed copy of my book along with a $10 product credit (to repay you for the cost of your shipping) to anyone who joins Young Living with me with a Premium Starter kit.

Young Living is giving away a free bottle of Christmas Spirit (my ABSOLUTE favorite Christmas scent and SO GOOD for mood!!) with every starter kit purchase. It’s a great time to join!!

Click here to read more about it!!

The (small) Kitchen Appliance I Never Want to Be Without

August 20, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 96 Comments

I hate to even mention this to some of you who live in the northwest or midwest or northeast and have really short summers but here in the South, all we can think about is fall. It’s been summer since April here and we’re over it. AND? It’s almost football season (Glory Hallelujah!) which means GO BIG ORANGE, and boots, and soup, and did I mention FOOTBALL?

So, before we throw ourselves headlong into everything pumpkin and bonfire, I wanted to make sure you get this kitchen gadget.

I use it ALL the time. As in, almost everyday. It’s part submersion blender, part food processor. I use it for all my blended soups, of course—like my spicy tomato and the broccoli cheese—but when I bought it, I could not have predicted how much I would use the mini food processor.

OH MY WORD. I’m 100% sure that I never want to live without this chopper/blender EVER again.

Anytime I need something chopped up, as in almost everyday, I use this little handy thing.

When I make guacamole, I use it to chop up everything but the avocado. I used it the other day to make a quick pesto with fresh basil from my garden. I use it to chop up garlic and ginger whenever I’m making anything Asian or Indian. I use it chop up pickles whenever I’m making egg salad. I use it so much it’s almost ridiculous.

I’ve been meaning to tell you about it forever but then I saw it’s 50% off on Amazon today. Order it up, my friends, and we’ll make so much tasty food this fall it’ll make your head spin. Also, if you already have one and have not figured out how wonderful it is, take my word for it and pull it out of retirement.

(This is NOT a sponsored post but it is an affiliate link!)

Also? While we patiently hum Rocky Top and wait for the first kick-off, I thought you might enjoy some cute little bibs and t-shirts and flour sacks from my friends over at Collard Queens.

Around the Table

August 13, 2014 by Edie Wadsworth 48 Comments

“How to announce the return of comfort and well-being except by cooking something fragrant. That is what her mother always did. After every calamity of any significance she would fill the atmosphere of the house with the smell of cinnamon rolls or brownies, or with chicken and dumplings, and it would mean, This house has a soul that loves us all, no matter what. ” Marilynne Robinson

We’re losing one from around our table this weekend.

I’ve been a mom for 24 years and I haven’t always known how sacred a thing it is to gather with my people around the table. This place where we feed them, listen to their stories, laugh at their jokes, and occasionally sit quiet because life with its grief and anger has gotten the best of us. This place where we teach them what it means to bow in thanks for daily bread. This place that breaks our backs because how can we possibly cook one more meal? This place where we’ve never been more aware of our shortcomings, but we just keep showing up to feed them anyway.

And then the long days turn into fast years and you face that first meal without that one you love.

In my mind, I try to avoid counting down the dinners because there’s a wall of tears that doesn’t need reminding.

Just 4 more dinners. How to say what these years have meant? How to hold such weighty things in our hands and hearts?

I remember how I’ve despised this job sometimes—the planning, the shopping, the cooking, the cleaning. Why are they always hungry every. single. day?!

I never saw the day coming that they’d go and an empty chair would leave my heart heavy.

This is no small thing what we do everyday, mamas. This meal is important. This table is sacred.

Sometimes we’re feasting and sometimes we’re just getting by but the time together around this table is changing us all.

We are so blessed by those who’ve come and gone from these chairs.

I hope you’ll linger extra long around the table tonight.

And remember that the time and effort you spend here feeding these people, with food and love, is so very special.

You are meeting your neighbor’s need in the most beautiful, life-giving way.

Bless you for your labor. It is not in vain.

And bless the ones who must leave.

We love you and it has been our privilege to share this table with you.

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(I keep this quote close to me in the kitchen. It helps me remember.)

If you’re short on time for planning, let me offer this one little suggestion. Over the next month, add the meal you make for dinner to your iPhone calendar and then *repeat* it on your calendar every month. If you eat out, maybe add what you would like to have cooked for that night. (There’s no shame in your game!) A month from now, you’ll have a month’s worth of meals in your calendar and all the sudden, you’ll be a meal planning genius! I’ve got a whole meal planning series on my blog, but this little tip will get you started with almost no work!

Here’s what I’d love to know from you—what are your struggles when it comes to family dinners? Have you found any solutions that you’d share with the rest of your internet sisters?

home organization

There’s so much to be thankful for, so much to notice, so much joy to be had.

2. Ask for help.

3. Get physical

4. Oils & Supplements

Click here to read more about it!!