Learning

I feel the need to share with you some of the things I'm learning.  You know as well as I do that learning happens to all of us everyday, it's whether we decide to digest the new knowledge that makes the difference.
I'm digesting a lot lately.

Maybe that's because a lot of what I'm learning about has to do with my number one favoritest thing in the whole world to digest of all time: food!
I love food.

And really, that's no secret. (Just look at me!)

But, recently, I was introduced to Quinoa.  I love the way it's spelled, hate the way it's pronounced (because it's so deceiving!) (Keen-wah).  There's just not that many Q words in the English language, and Quin-no-wah just sounds like fun.
Anyway, quinoa is a ...well you can figure out what it is - I linked to wikipedia for you....  anyway, I found out about it from an article I received from Calorie Count.  (Yes! I'm still semi-successfully counting calories, yay!)  And, when I read about all the nutritional benefits quinoa offers, I asked around (mostly on Facebook) and found a few friends who eat it and insisted that I try it.  One of my friendly neighbors even gave us her HUGE bag of it, told us to try as much as we'd like then give the rest back.  We made two cups of it as directed on the package, and I was fairly impressed!  It has a pretty good taste to it.  And, knowing it's so healthy makes it fun to eat.  Yesterday, I ventured out to Whole Foods to find my own bag of quinoa, and was disappointed in (a) how far away Whole Foods is from my house and (b) How stinking expensive it is for such a tiny bag. Oh and (c) the 'tudes of many of the folks that shop at Whole Foods are less than welcoming.
Unfortunately, unless I find that they've made this "Wonder Food" more accessible to folks like me, I don't think we'll be eating it too much.

I've also learned that, in addition to counting calories, it's a good idea to get a little exercise in once in a while.  Okay - so I didn't really LEARN this recently, but I was reintroduced to my heart rate and my perspiration glands and we've been having fun reunions everyday.  I had forgotten how good I feel, how WHOLE I am after a workout. It's as if I've hit the "reset" button on my attitude after I've had a good sweat.  I'm liking it.

I'm also learning that no amount of sweat, sore muscles, even good foods like Quinoa and Hummus (YUM!) will cure my insatiable appetite for Five Guys or Pizza Hut.  And really? I'm really okay with that. I hope we never part ways, actually.

While we're on the topic of food (I really have no intention of changing topics, to be honest), I must say that I am loving my new ice cream maker that I got for Christmas, and now I'm trying to find a healthy recipe to use it with. Do you have any ideas?

I'm also learning about cooking with a crockpot again....   while we're talking about food. I made a delicious roast last week, but was disappointed to find that it was laden with FAT.  We picked it apart and ate the yummies, but ended up throwing a huge portion of the beast away.  What cut of meat is the best for having roast?

Oh and I'm also learning about the extended vocabulary of a six year old (sorry, not to get off topic).  My sweet, charming, perfect, rule-following Julia has taken to the word HATE quite a bit lately. She's only been on this green Earth for six short years, and I'm already considering a swear-jar for the family.  I'm holding out, though.  Surely this habit is just the result of her having learned a new word.  ...Right?   I mean, she's just testing it out to see how we react to it.  I hope, anyway.   The biggest pain with the swear jar is that I have to dole out cash to get the cash for collection.  I'll come up with something creative to use besides cash, I'm sure.  Do your kids have a problem word?


I'm also learning a whole lot about myself lately.  I've reminded myself that I am forgiven and redeemed. All the guilt I have about my crazy mother or about how I mother crazy is going away as I continue to read my bible and take tips from authors like Mark Batterson, Matthew West and Robert McGee. 

This year, I've been thinking about the cycle of life a LOT too. I can't say I've "learned" a whole lot, but I think I'm about to be schooled.  Last year, my best friend passed away. Cancer claimed her life, and although we weren't exactly "best friends" when she died, she was always the closest thing I ever had to a "BFF" and she knew more about me than anybody else in the world, except for maybe Rich.  I've been reflecting on her death a lot, especially since her birthday is coming up in early Feb.  I've also been thinking about my good friend Brent (of whom the BBF is named after). He is still here, thank God, but I think of him often when I consider the cycles of life.  He's a fighter, much like Abbey was.   Both of them are quite young, quite passionate about the things in life that make them who they are (for one it's baseball and sports, the other it's children and crafts...)   Bah, I don't know where I was going with this. That's just how it happens - I get to thinking about it and then find myself way off track on one tangent or another....

Ok, so what else have I been learning?
 I've finally caught on to the truth that the very best time to go shopping for my groceries is during a big football game.  Yes, it's taken me this long to catch on to this great trick. I kind of secretly wish football season would last a little longer now.

I'm learning that I can teach my dog to give me the ball after she goes and fetches it - that it doesn't have to be a game of tug of war every single time, resulting in my arms getting scratched up while wrestling the ball away from her.  We have been seeing a private dog trainer. It's been wonderful. Molly's We are learning so much.

I'm also learning about the benefits of showing empathy to kids (okay and to adults, too).  I've always known this to be important, but until I started practicing it, I didn't realize what a powerful tool empathy is. I no longer get frustrated when the kiddos whine and cry and cry and whine and cry and cry and cry over a hangnail. Instead, I show them empathy and move on. No biggie. I can spare some "Aww, I'm sorry! That's such a bummer!"s.  Can't we all? That's really the only thing anybody wants when they complain about just about anything in the world: just a little empathy!  It's powerful, even more so when it's authentic :) heh...  hehe... When I'm unable to console a child with a stubbed toe, or a friend with a family issue, I can let them know that I'm truly sorry for them. ... and it helps.  Really, I'm admitting that this is something new that I've just learned.  What a crappy friend I must have been (until now, heh).

I'm learning about the moon. Quite literally.  Because, for my job, I get to teach kids things they might not otherwise learn about. And that's fun for me - because their little ears perk up and they listen to what I have to say and they pay attention and then ask questions and then pretend to be a part of whatever we just learned about and then they want to make stuff related to what we're learning ...and the time just flies!  And lately, it's all been about the moon.  I'm learning waxing vs waning and that  it's not called a "half moon" but it's a "quarter moon" which makes sense. (Actually, I remember learning that before - but I have forgotten it in my old age...)   It's exciting teaching kids about stuff like this. They're teaching me just as much as I'm teaching them... We've watched videos on You Tube of astronauts on the moon, we watched a shuttle launch, we've seen the moon's phases, we've explored the moon sand that is otherwise forbidden in my house (that stuffs a PAIN to clean up!).  Good times.

So there you have it - my latest lessons in a nutshell.  What have you learned about recently?