A New Way of Life

This past weekend was jam-packed with festivities. So jam-packed, it started out stressful. While I had the day off work, which was great(!), I was planning a road trip with my little man to Canton, MI for an adoption shower. Although it was extremely exciting to get to go, I had never taken a trip that far with my little man. Alone. And even that would not have been too worrisome had I not known that we had to drive home that night, & then turn around & leave for Indianapolis @ 5.00a the next day! Do we want to raise this little dude to be flexible, yes! But I realized what I was asking him to do for me this weekend & it was quite unpredictable... In, what I like to call, my former life- pre-Tennyson- a weekend like this was a dime a dozen. No problem. Piece of cake. A welcomed adventure tied in with some hard work- 2 of my favorite things! 

And I let my anxiety get the best of me... 1 hour out on the open road during "nap time" & all anxiety had escaped. "We got this." Only one stop to eat & the planned 4.5 hour trip turned in to 3.5. That's right, we were early! (that would have never happened in my "former life") 

We not only got to celebrate at the adoption shower but I got to SEE a picture of the little baby boy that will be welcomed into Sara & Dave's family. My heart is full for them. The joy of a new baby boy is immeasurable & I am so excited for the experiences they are about to have! So, round one was a success! Friends, family & fun!

well, mostly ; )

After the adoption shower & a WAY TO QUICK visit with college buds, Tenny & I packed up to hit the road at "bed time". 5 minutes into the drive & he was out. Cold. This got me thinking- might as well continue the adventure & drive on down to Indianapolis. It would save us 1.5 hours of driving & keep the little man cozy as he dreams. Why not?! So with nothing but a diaper bag, breast pump, & a few random extra articles of clothing- the loving husband booked a hotel & South we sailed. Tenny was about as good as he could possibly be & although my ZZZ's were lacking, we stayed quite happy.

The following morning we prepared ourselves for the largest "catering" event we have done yet.... DigIN. 

And honestly, I did not do a whole lot... supported the guys, got them beer, talked with patrons, & managed the little guy. Meanwhile, our Indianapolis crew plated 2500 plates of pork belly confit over arugula & napa cabbage , topped with Goldwood Garden micros, candied hazelnuts, & may apple jelly. And yes, they said that 2500 times!

It was amazing to get a small glimpse of what we are about to embark upon in Indianapolis. It is legit & it is coming fast! The city is bustling & we just need to have enough food to feed everyone. 

The event went until 5.00p. Tenny & I made it until about 4.30p! Which to the little dude's credit, there are only so many times you can go to a beer tent in the baby bjorn before it just gets plain boring. So, we packed up again, patted the guys on the backs, & hit the road. The trip home involved a HUGE nap (who would blame him??) & feeding himself his bottle. In the carseat. For the first time.... The kid's a genius. And I could not be more thankful for the time we had. 

Two hours later, we made it home. Home sweet home. 

What a good feeling to know that these 2 lives will intersect & all will be ok. 

The Great Debate

Well it is no secret that in the Cerulean life, Sunday is a great day. It is often mentioned with the terms 'relaxing', 'unwinding', 'leave us alone', & 'what? you called? sorry, I didn't hear my phone'. It is our day of rest... and by rest, I just mean that the restaurant is closed so unless it is on fire, we ain't going near it!

This summer our Sundays have been especially rough in terms of causing much added stress to our, normally mundane, decision making processes ... where do we spend our day? 

The Lake.....

Or the pool....

Surely, you can feel our pain...

Many mouths to feed...

Consistency... what a word, huh?! It would be very safe to say that in the *front of the house* restaurant world there is very little consistency in terms of the day to day expectations.

• Working hours- varies from day to day depending on the "needs"
• Reservations- NEVER the same from day to day
• Carryout orders- phew, exhausting unpredictability
• Customer attitudes- well, is it rainy or sunny or hot or cold or Monday or Saturday or July or November....
• Employees....sorry, don't even get me started on employees right now...

And that is how it goes. Everyday is new. Everyday is unpredictable. And everyday, no matter what was originally planned, will change exponentially. I like it that way. It keeps things interesting & fun & I never dread going in to work because everyday its like getting a surprise! So, the lack of consistency has never been a big deal....

ENTER TENNY.

Yes, this little ball of love knows what he wants & when he wants it.... And nobody better mess that up! 

So the past few months have been an arrangement of consistency for Tenny while keeping up with the rocky road of the restaurant world. To say that life feels like its moving at the speed of light may be an understatement- or an overstatement. To be frank, we are just trying to keep up. Everything is so new, so captive, so unpredictable. 

• We had 4 managers- I had to let one go
• I had a fantastic nanny- she just left to student teach
• We were sleeping through the night- then came the baby teeth
• Our schedule was finally fully staffed- then school began to start

So, the word you may be searching for is chaos & that is absolutely correct. We have been maintaining consistency amidst the chaos. 

A few things we have learned:

1. As soon as you know an employee is not going to work out, let them go. Don't belabor the inevitable even on high hopes, it doesn't help anyone. 
2. Dreaming something into existence is completely possible despite the odds. Even the smallest idea can produce the largest reward. (& yes, I am referring the Vespers concert when everyone said there is NO WAY they will come to the Garden & play... but they did) Check em out!
3. Children get more & MORE FUN every week they are alive.
4. A bulldog (or 2) will act out with fits of destruction when everyone & their mother comes over to see the baby but not them. 
5. A smile does always win... whether its with a customer or a baby.
6. Dancing around the room not only relieves restaurant stress but makes babies laugh. And in a world with little time to spare, a twofold outcome is greatly welcomed. 
7. Blogging comes low on the priority list when there are emails to return, calls to make, & a baby to play with....

However, it is a new mission to get a little more organized, a little more routine & yes, maybe a little more consistency. There are many mouths to feed & only so much time to do it sooooooo- the game is on & this chica is ready! Bring it!