I’ve been up in Canada all summer, away from my husband, my life and career… and Jenny, my puppy. The kids have been having a blast at camp, and my parents have been getting TONS of grandkid time, but I am longing for the return to my life.
For moms, making sacrifices is part of the job. Life isn’t just about “me” anymore, but in order to take care of myself, I need to take care of “me” too, right? It’s often difficult for moms to walk the line between selfish and selfless, especially since our culture says that the measure of a good mom is how much she sacrifices for her kids. But if I live this long-distance life much longer and put my kids before my marriage (strained), my friendships (estranged), and my personal hobbies and interests (on hold), then I’m not going to be much of a mom, am I? What pieces of your life have you sacrificed for your kids? Do you think you’ve struck a good balance between selfish and selfless? Or is it time to reclaim some of the parts of you that you’ve abandoned in the name of being a “good mom?” I’d love to read your comments, below.
I’ve been cutting back on my meat consumption this summer, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference in how I feel. But sometimes, I just need my fix, and it wouldn’t be summer at the cottage without a big pile of ribs. I have my stand-by basting sauces that I usually fall back on, but I’ve been playing with a new one this summer, and I swear, I’d eat your hand if it was covered in this stuff.
The best part about this recipe is that it doesn’t have you running back and forth to the bbq for hours… a big chunk of the work can be done DAYS ahead, and they only need 20 minutes on the grill to finish.
Warning: Sticky hands and full bellies are known side effects.
SUMMER HOISIN RIBS
Serves 6-8
1/4 c. hoisin sauce 2 tbsp. soy sauce 2 tbs. rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar 1/4 c. orange juice 1 tbsp. dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp. ginger, minced 2 racks baby back ribs (about 4 pounds)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Make the sauce: Combine first 7 ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Bake the ribs: Place ribs in shallow baking dish, add boiling water until it’s about 1/4 inch high, then cover with foil. Bake ribs for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the meat begins to shrink away from the tips of the bones. You can cool and refrigerate at this point for up to 3 days, then finish at a later date.
Grill the ribs: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill ribs for about 20 minutes, turning and basting frequently. When they have a deep mahogany glaze and it’s tough to turn them without the meat falling off the bone, you know you’re done.
The world is not set up to support your vision and goals. Life will keep piling things on your place and it’s up to you to protect your goals and stay focused. I got a fun takeaway from the “Getting Things Done” seminar I attended in Toronto: send yourself a letter!
If left unchecked, commitments can grow like produce on steroids! How have your let commitments pile up in your life? Do you know how to weed through them, and say “no” to the things that don’t energize you?
I love Carley’s wisdom. Her advice resonated with me in a deep way. I know that her suggestions are exactly what I must do to be successful and have balance. From her advice, I am looking at how to set boundaries, and be intentional and disciplined with my time for work, and time for family. She reminded me that my time is finite, so I don’t want to let my work time bleed into my family time… which I tend to do! — Melissa Taylor, Writer & Educator, Imagination Soup
I’ve been up in Canada all summer, away from my husband, my life and career… and Jenny, my puppy. The kids have been having a blast at camp, and my parents have been getting TONS of grandkid time, but I am longing for the return to my life. 
