Not a Morning Person

I used to loathe mornings.

Every night when I go to bed, I thank God for our comfortable bed. I don't want to ever take my warm and comfy bed for granted. I've even facebooked  (look! a verb!)  about how comfortable I think my bed is.  Weird, maybe - but I do take pleasure in relatively simple things, I think.

The worst part of my day is used to be when I wake up.  I never like to be pulled from my comfy bed and into the reality that another day is ready to take my energy away.

So, the thought of getting up early to exercise seemed ridiculous to me!  When I started my new job, I met some people who purposefully get up two hours before they HAVE to just for the purpose of working out.  Ridiculous, I say!  I said I could never do that. I said there's no way in H-E-Doublehockeysticks that I would ever get up early on purpose... just to work out.

And now I'm doing it.

Say what?

Yep. There's a few things working here:

• I'm working outside my home now so the time I have at home is much more coveted than it has been in the past.
• Time with my kids is precious to me, and I'm tired of taking time away from them to work out in the evenings before they go to bed.
• I'm working a demanding job (physically demanding, sometimes emotionally demanding, and psychologically challenging at times) so I'm SPENT at the end of the day, which means there's no room for a late workout. 

How do I do it? How did I finally teach myself to get up early to work out before starting my day?  The answer is simple. The answer seems ridiculous to most people.  The answer is this: I left it up to God.

I literally told God that there was no way in H-E-Doublehockeysticks (maybe I didn't use that expression, maybe I simply said no way on Earth) that I was going to be able to get up early on my own.  I told God that if I was going to start getting up early for a workout, that HE was going to have to get me up.

So, He did.

One night, I went to bed on time and asked God to please help me appreciate the insanity of working out in the early mornings, and the next day, I woke before my alarm clock. (Not much before... not enough time for a full workout, but enough time to feel the earlyness and to learn that early will not kill me.)

Another night, I went to bed and asked God to help me get up with enough time to work out before getting ready for work.  The next day, my kid wet her bed (unusual!) and so I had to get up to change the sheets.

Some mornings it's simply that I have to pee at the buttcrack of dawn and so there I am - UP, with plenty of time to exercise before work.

Do I enjoy it? Not so much.  Is it fun? Meh, nope!   Is it worth it?  ..... oh HECK YEAH.   My day starts earlier but I get more accomplished. My appetite is better throughout the whole day. I'm in a better mood after work.  I have the whole evening to play with my kids instead of plotting my workout.  It's way worth it. 

And that is how this non-morning person has managed to get up by 5am on recent mornings to enjoy an early workout before my usual shower and morning routines begin at 6:45.  

And - truth be told - a 3 mile run at dawn is way more enjoyable than at 5pm or 8pm or 10pm.  Mornings are beautiful! The sounds are beautiful, the sky is pretty, the calmness in the streets and in neighborhoods is beautiful.  There's beauty to early mornings. I just needed to learn to appreciate it.  Thanks, God, for showing me how to act like a morning person! :)

Easiest Salsa Recipe EVER

Inspired by my new lifestyle and also by this recipe, I decided it was time to throw together my own salsa.

I know that the fresh stuff (not canned) is MUCH healthier than this version. However, I don't happen to have the fresh produce on hand, and I happened to be in somewhat of a salsa emergency (read: Need Salsa Now).

I wanted to whip up something quick and I didn't want to have to go to the store to buy anything for it.  I must say, the finished product is quite impressive. Its' yummy!

Here's what I did:
Opened one can of Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, Lime and Cilantro
Opened one can of Dice Tomatoes with Green Chilies (original)
Poured the cans of maters in a bowl.
Added a heaping spoonful of minced garlic (from a jar - forgot to include in this pic)
Chopped and added a handful of cilantro (more stems that are in this pic - I just eyeballed an amount that looked good)
Cut a lime in half and squeezed most of it's juice over all of it.
Stirred.
Added salt.
Tasted it.
Added another squeeze of lime (can't have too much, really!).
Took this crappy picture.
Covered & refrigerated.

I plan to put this over some grilled chicken tomorrow.   ...As my dad would say, "Yumskers!"

Funny Habit

My husby works shift work and his schedule is crazy.  He's home, he's not, he works nights, no days, he works this weekend, wait no he doesn't .... if it wasn't for Google Calendar, there's no way I could tell you if he's even home right now.

I recently got a new job - that I LOVE.  And with this new job, there's no more working in PJ's.  No more sweat pants, no more mis-matching.  

Well, actually - there is.  I'm doing it right now. I'm finishing the summer with the business, but when school starts it's hi-ho hi-ho back to work I go.  (I am excited!!!!)

The funny thing about husby working shift work and me having a "real job" in which I have to get up early and get ready for work and leave the house by a certain hour is that I have to plan ahead.  When I go to bed, I have to figure out whether husby is going to be here the next morning when I get up - because if he is, I need to get dressed quietly.  If he's not, it's an all- lights- on,- music -blaring,- getting -ready -with -my -Jesus -while -I -worship -in -the -shower kind of morning.

But he works shift work and it's hard for me to remember whether or not he's going to be here, so most of the time I just plan like he is so that my clothes and necessary morning-items are ready for me when I get up anyway.   And even though I'm still working with the kids this summer, I'm already starting to train myself for when school starts so that the ole get-back-to-school routine isn't a shock to my system.

 Since I have been working out, I have required a little more morning prep.  So, this week, I've taken extra care to set things out before bed.

The thing that has been cracking me up in the mornings lately is that it's summer and our bedroom is as light as noon at 7 a.m.  (Whoever thought it smart to install a skylight in the master bedroom is an idiot... just sayin.)   So while I'm sure to find socks that match my shirt and hair accessories that work well for my planned 'do, I crack up every morning at the sun.

I guess I trained myself well during those dark Spring months, when I just started my job and had to get dressed in the dark.  It was annoying going through my sock drawer with my phone as a flashlight.

Oh well, if I keep this up, I'll be well trained for this Fall/Winter when husby needs to snooze and it's dark at 7 o'clock.


Do you have any old habits that don't hurt anybody/anything that kind of make you giggle every time you do them?

Getting Hot and Bothered

Nope, this isn't another post about weight loss (but it's going GREAT, thanks for asking!!).  :)

It's also not a post about s-e-x so those of you visiting from google or some other such search engine, Welcome but ... sorry?

This one is about temper.

When I was a wee little girl, my mom used to roll her eyes at my dad for "doing the monkey."  (Hey that does sound kinda bad!)

"The Monkey" is a series of moves one makes with body language and blatantly obvious footsteps when annoyed.  For example, if you're at the grocery store looking at a birthday card for grandma, and some stranger comes in and pushes her shopping cart at you to scoot you away from those cards so that SHE can look for a birthday card for HER grandma, one might make big "monkey" moves as they scoot out of her holy high precious way.

I was able to witness "the monkey" a lot as a kid - I guess my dad got annoyed a lot.  Sometimes, the monkey moves would even come out in our own kitchen. I didn't realize as a young kid that there was only allowed one person in the kitchen at a time.

That makes my dad sound awful.  He's not.  He never has been awful.  He just appreciates his personal space and believes it to be a common courtesy for other people to recognize that. No harm, no foul.  

However, having that example in my life has caused me to re-learn a few things as an adult.

The monkey is not an attractive dance.  My husband hates it when I break out the monkey.  As it turns out, I think he's right in that someone can indeed pour himself a bowl of cereal while another person is making her oatmeal. Two people can indeed live harmoniously in the kitchen together at the very same time.
 ....I can't help but wonder if dad does the monkey at his home with his new'ish wife.  I might have to call her later on to ask her - it would buy us some easy giggles if nothing else. :)

As an adult, I decided to choose weather or not I was going to get outwardly annoyed with others.  I taught myself to remember that everybody else's "Normal" is not my normal. That I may do things that thoroughly annoy other people in public and not even know it.  And, when I started to realize this, I began to recognize the monkey moves as ... childish. (Sorry dad!)

How do you react when someone cuts you off in traffic?  Do you get hot and bothered? Do you throw your hands up and maybe even shout out loud? Do you, in your head, think "what am I? Invisible?!"

How do you handle it when someone beats you to a parking space you were obviously about to park in? Do you take it out on the poor steering wheel? The gear shift?

What do you do when you're looking at your grocery list in the store and someone asks you to move, when you're clearly not in their way anyway? Do you stuff your list away and scoot your cart to another aisle in a matter that is sure to make your point?

Maybe it's just me and my family. Maybe you don't get hot and bothered like this at all.. in public or at home.

But if you do, or if you have before - what is it that sets you off to dance the monkey?

Let's get personal

I've lost 10 lbs.  Since when ...  well, I am not sure when it started, but I can tell you that I made up my mind to lose weight and I was serious about it.  And, it wasn't some "New Years Resolution" or something - it was just a choice I made one day.

One of the things I bought with my birthday money was a scale. The last scale I ever owned got put on the curb on trash day when I was about 30 weeks pregnant with our first kiddo. I was having a bad day that day. I decided then that I would never again care about my weight - even after the baby - and that as long as I was happy, the number on the scale didn't matter one bit.

Maybe that's why I'm still a good amount of lbs over my pre-weight pregnancy and my last kiddo was born 3 and a half years ago.

Anyway, the scale and I are friends. I really love it, actually.  I'm making progress that matters to me.  It tells me good morning and good night every day. And, while weighing myself twice daily might seem obsessive to you, it actually gives me tons of motivating comfort.  It's been a shock to me to see the same(ish) number at the end of the day that I saw at the beginning of the day.  It's as if the whole day wasn't really just pretend, that I really did weigh that amount for a full working day. omgosh, so cool.

So, my goal is 40 pounds total. 10 of those are already gone. Evicted. Banished. Gone forever. Sianara, Hasta La Vista. Bye bye baby. Gone.  History. Outta here. DONE.

Yup.

and now I've just shared personal, intimate details with the whole entire blogoverse.  And how are you today?

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?

Compare this!

I've posted before about my bad habit of comparing myself to others.  It's a horrible habit that I'm happy to break. It's just that it's taking me longer to break it than I'd like...

But, I know that I'm a child of God.  God loves me and gives me life every single day because I'm someone who will better the world in His name.  Me!  Just little ole me.  Just like you, I was created on purpose, for a purpose, and I should purposefully remember that whenever I think I just don't measure up to the wonderful, talented people around me.

But it's so hard!  Much of the peer interactions I get during the regular work week happen on-line through facebook, twitter, blog-reading, and different childcare-related discussion forums.  Through these resources, I meet a lot of people who are similar to myself.  Whether it's through posts about running, childcare, parenting, budgeting, Bible studying, church going, non-profiting, etc. etc. etc., there are lots of folks out there who are just like me in one way or another!  What an awesome, resourceful network I have created with the on-line community. I'm blessed to have such folks enrich my life daily.

And still, I don't (feel like I)  measure up!

I have blog friends who have mad crafting skills.  Just this morning, when I cracked open my feed reader and enjoyed the musings of bloggers over my first cup of tea I found three new posts about the handmade gifts that were created for loved ones this year. You won't find any posts like that here, quite unfortunately.

I also have blog/FB friends who are accomplished runners.  Like, real running runners - people who actually love the exercise that running is.  I wanna be like that! (Still! The desire is still there!)

I have friends/acquaintances who are super frugal/thrifty shoppers. Who post about their awesome grocery or department store finds.  Many talk about the bang for the buck thanks to their mad couponing skills.  I want to be that person. Really, I do!  But, try as I might - couponing is just not a hobby of mine. Certainly not something that I enjoy (by any stretch of the imagination!).

I "know" people who do awesome things with their kids. They write stories and post pictures about the fun things they do with their very own kids!  Things that I can't dream up on my own - as much as I want to.  Everything I do with my kids is someone else's idea - again, I know how blessed I am to have such a fruitful network here with this on-line community at my fingertips!

I have twitter and facebook friends who point out moving, inspirational, true wonderful quotes from books or from the Bible that just bring me to a new place in my thoughts, sometimes my life, even.  Some of the relevant scripture quotes touch me in such a way that I find myself jealous that I hadn't thought of the relevancy of that before! 

I could go on and on and on and on...   but I'll stop now.
I must remember that I, too, am valuable. I'm admired and adored and looked to with inspired eyes and minds.

I'm just not sure why!

Thank you - to all of you who are at my fingertips. Without you, well - I'd be completely and totally LOST!

Writing a book

is hard.

Especially when it's a book of the personal reflection type.

Demons are surfacing - but they're the kind of adversaries that I want to meet face to face.  But, it's still hard.

I'm gonna make million on this book, y'all. Millions!  (okay, maybe like $10. but still)

Thanks for listening. :)

Counting Calories

A week or so ago, I told a friend I was 100% with her on giving up sweets until Thanksgiving.  That little dream was a reality for all of maybe 18 hours.

I'm not one to deprive myself! 

A few days ago, I decided instead to count my calories every day until Thanksgiving.  I'd aim to lose a pound a week, but made a deal with myself not to get too bent out of shape (hehe, get it!) if I didn't lose anything.
I have to say - I like counting calories!!

• I feel full more often. I think that being conscience of how many calories are going into my body is making me feel full faster.
• This is a realistic way to lose weight.  Just like with keeping a budget: if you spend more than you make, you're gonna be in a heap of debt.  If you eat more than you burn, you're just going to be a heap (like me!)
• It is motivating me to exercise!  I've been on my dusty old treadmill twice in the lasts week. And I'm still suffering symptoms of bronchitis! The itch to get/keep moving is stronger than it ever has before. Tonight, I ran 2 miles just to burn 300 calories.  mmmm calories
• It's making me a smarter eater.  Obviously, my options are carefully weighed. Instead of gorging on breakfast, I'm being more conservative earlier in the day so I can enjoy a "normal" dinner with my family in the evenings.  I'm making smarter choices! This can't be a bad thing...
• I don't have deprive myself of anything.  I had 1/2 a serving of my Ben & Jerry's ice cream tonight. Yum. I would have eaten more than that, but HONESTLY I was just full.  (thatsneverhappenedbefore)
• It feels like there are more options in the pantry and in the fridge.  Before calorie counting, I would open my fridge and stare blankly inside wishing something yummy would pop out of it.  Now, I am finding all kinds of options!  I can't wait to have that yogurt in the morning... I decided against it this morning so that I could have my ice cream tonight. Fair trade if I may say so myself. 
• I'm convinced that the actual act of counting calories is actually burning more calories. The effort involved is insane. Good thing I only committed myself to doing this for two weeks... if I had to do this everyday for the rest of my life, I'd probably give up kinda quick... especially when it comes to restaurants and eating out!
• I'm aware of portions.  This one is a "gimme" for any self-conscious eater... but it's worth mentioning that portions are important. 2 tablespoons of hummus? You mean I'm not supposed to eat the whole thing in one sitting?

I'm looking forward to seeing progress over the next week.  Today is day 4, and thanksgiving is just over a week away.  Hopefully the counting will continue to be "fun" and eye opening for me; hopefully I'll feel like doing it after Thanksgiving day as well.

100 blessings in my life

In no particular order, 100 blessings that are in my life:

1. my children
2. my husband
3. my father and his wife
4. my relatively new relationship with my brother
5. my grandmother is still alive and well
6. my husband's entire family
7. my dog
8. living in this small town in KS
9. the Foth family
10. the Sanders family
11. the Dehn family
12. fall weather
13. beautiful house
14. full closet
15. full pantry
16. working husband
17. memories of summer vacation
18. getting off work early on a (random) friday
19. our big fish in our big fish tank
20. the van in our garage
21. the vehicle in the driveway
22. the bikes in the garage
23. my strong body that can walk, run, move
24. my laptop
25. iTunes, CDs, music in general
26. my fancy cell phone
27. allergy medicine
28. books in the house
29. the local library
30. parks in this town
31. fuzzy warm socks
32. my neighbors
33. the BBF volunteers
34. sponsors
35. businesses that contribute paper, ink, printing to the BBF
36. USD 231
37. Preschool teacher from last year
38. Kindergarten teacher from this year
39. Sunday school teachers
40. having multiple bibles in our household
41. Julia excited about having her own bible
42. warm showers
43. people at church
44. small group
45. sweet treats
46. soldiers who fight for my freedom
47. antibiotics
48. easy crafts
49. board games with friends
50. potluck lunches after church
51. my comfy bed
52. clean sheets
53. reading to my kids
54. taking the dog for walks while husby puts the kids to bed
55. the smell of my kids' shampoo after a bath
56. referrals from clients
57. handwritten letters/notes
58. child-made bookmarks
59. conversations at Chick-fil-A (among adults, while my kids are having a great time playing)
60. fish filters so I don't have to clean the tank every week
61. toilet cleaners that are flushable
62. yankee candles
63. pre-planned menus for the month (or even week!)
64. successful BBF fundraisers
65. chemo and other drugs that make people better
66. pain medicine
67. oxygen
68. water
69. in-laws that spend time with my kids
70. my neighbors who love me and look out ofr me
71. good tv shows
72. General health and well being
73. Companies like Austins, Schwans, and Chick-fil-A who believe in the BBF
74. my Pastor and his entire family
75. Other pastors in the area, and the relationship I've built with some of them
76. Matthew West, his music, and his example
77. Pictures kids draw for me while they are away (they are thinking of me when I'm not there?!)
78. weekends
79. DVD player in the van
80. family in another state (excuse to travel!)
81. family in another state (time away makes the heart grow tender sometimes)
82. 5K runs and friends that run them, thus motivating me
83. diapers, toilet paper, napkins, and other hygiene luxuries
84. Sun, Rain, Clouds, Snow, Wind - the Seasons nature creates
85. DeeJo Miller
86. Brent and Sarah Bays and their boys
87. the ACS RFL events/opportunities/experiences
88. pooper scoopers with long handles :)
89. neighbor/friends that walk my J to/from school safely every day
90. Children's church volunteers & leaders that love on my kids on Sunday mornings while I attend service
91. new pants that fit right
92. my new laptop battery that husby got for me without me even asking him to
93. official business cards that were designed/ordered/paid for/delivered by someone from church for the BBF (I didn't even ask her to do this!)
94. online sermons
95. margaritas with girlfriends
96. margaritas and movies or wii games with husby on weekends (a rare treat, but a treat indeed!)
97. chips & salsa
98. Conversations about God with my daddy
99. texts on Thursdays from my Auntie (S.H.I.T. = So Happy Its Thursday)
100. large children's movie collection

This list took me almost a week to complete.  About 1/3 of the way through it, I came down with bronchitis (and possibly pneumonia as well).  Still, the blessings are abundant. I could have kept going....  I'm incredibly blessed and I hope to take for granted as FEW of my blessings as possible!  I thank God for those blessings I am able to take for granted!!

Bucket List

Shamlessly stolen from one of the various blogs I creep upon while working surfing the net.  100 Things I would like to do before I kick the bucket:
 (in no particular order)

1. Publish a children's book.
2. Go to the taping of a funny sitcom in NY or CA
3. Watch the launch of a spacecraft
4. Sing karaoke in a public place without a care
5. Canoe or Kayak somewhere (anywhere?)
6. Take a hot air balloon ride
7. Ride in a helicopter
8. Snorkle in the ocean
9. Tour New York City
10. Be a missionary in an underdeveloped country
11. Go parasailing in Hawaii
12. Run a 10K
13. Walk (or run?) a marathon
14. Learn American Sign Language
15. Go on a cruise
16. Teach Kindergarten
17. Pay off the house
18. Manage a healthy weight under xxx pounds. (nonofyourbusiness)
19. Try a new fruit or veggie every day for one month.
20. Start a non-profit organization for a good cause.
21. Have/Make a friend that will sit with me on the front porch when I'm really old and senile.
22. Swim with dolphins
23. Learn to draw
24. Finish a scrapbook
25. Print pictures of the kids/events/milestones/vacations and file them chronologically
26. Help the BBF raise a million dollars (or more!) to give away
27. Own a preschool business (in a commercial building, not in my home, hehe!)
28. Ride a ferry
29. See a blimp up close
30. See Stonehedge
31. Renew marriage vows in Tahoe (maybe for 50th?)
32. Sleep by campfire without a tent/shelter (maybe on a hammock!?)
33. Place first, second or even third in a 5K
34. Memorize the books of the bible in order
35. Attend a Jewish wedding
36. Be a guest at a traditional Jewish Hannukah dinner on Passover
37. Provide respite care for a cancer patient or family member
38. Volunteer at a high school consistently
39. Design a state of the art playpark in a low income neighborhood
40. Revisit the area of San Isabel National Forest, where we got lost in the woods in August 2000.
41. Visit Bishop's Castle with my dad
42. Go sledding with the family in a secluded, perfect area
43. Make a quilt
44. Make a better quilt
45. Archive the lyrics to all the children's songs I know
46. Perform in a skit for a church/cause
47. Go to an opera
48. Go to a broadway play on Broadway
49. See the bar from Cheers on display in Los Angeles.
50. Take the kids ice skating on a lake
51. Have a garden on my property
52. Grow all my own veggies (cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, etc.)
53. Hike up Pikes Peak
54. Ride a train to (or from?) a vacation destination
55. Leave a $100+ tip at a diner/restaurant
56. Pay someone eles's mortgage for a year
57. Help build a house for habitat for humanity
58. Provide Christmas for a family in need (dinner, presents, clothes, a ride to church)
59. Teach a parenting class
60. Volunteer in a hospital (oncology if needed)
61. Have coffee/lunch with Matthew West
62. Spend 24 hours in pajamas as an adult and not care :)
63. Write an inspirational song
64. Babysit for single moms free of charge 
65. Buy groceries for the person in line behind me at the grocery store
66. Buy lunch for the person behind me in a drive thru
67. Ride along with a police officer on a night shift
68. Visit ground zero in NY
69. Collect the 50 quarters from all 50 states
70. Live a simple life with very few possessions
71. Witness a medically necessary surgery
72. Make a really good bottle of wine
73. Try a ropes course with husby
74. Drive a golf cart for golfers I know (or famous people!)
75. Write a bucket list!
76. Go white water rafting in the Rockies (again)
77. See my children grow up to be well rounded, responsible, successful adults
78. Go on a women's spiritual retreat
79. Lead a bible study
80. Do a touristy zip line in a rainforest or somewhere
81. Learn to ski
82. Get a masters degree in something unconventional (underwater basket weaving?)
83. Learn to knit a scarf for someone
84. Have a clutter free home (even before number 70 is achieved)
85. Complete a big jigsaw puzzle
86. Learn how to change the oil in my own vehicle (and become good at it)
87. Get pedicures with both my daughters
88. Give all homemade presents for Christmas one year
89. Write down something I'm thankful for every single day and then put them in a time capsule to open in 10 years.
90. Go tubing down a stream in the mountains (again - haven't done that one since early 90's!)
91. Donate my hair to Locks of Love
92. Speak Pig Latin with my kids in public 
93. Make a snow igloo in the backyard.
94. Learn to cook meals for other people (Frozen Stouffers Lasagna just isn't very ....heartwarming anymore)
95. Save Princess Peach (again) :)  - can never do that too many times!
96. Write a book filled with word plays. (I like throwing knives! I like throwing - knives.) I'madork
97. Keep a prayer journal
98. Fly a really cool/big kite with my kids at a park
99. Come up with two more things for this bucket list
100.   
101. 
     

The Funny Thing about Facebook

I'm giving up Facebook for the rest of the year. I have a bazillion reasons for doing this - if you ask me about it, I will give you the run down, but that would require a whole 'nother post.

The funny thing about giving up facebook is that I feel the need to compose status updates in my head, but then have nobody to share them with.

Last night, I texted one of my besties with, "Cleaning up puppy pee is challenging after having several margaritas." To which she appropriately replied, "lmao, are you sure it's puppy pee???"    It made me smile. Love that girl!

But, I realize also how un-funny and boring my typical status updates are. I sit here now and wonder what is my status right now .... and the best I can do is something like, "Need to pee but am walking on pins and needles so as to not wake up the family. Sleeping in a Monday is priceless."

Yes, I'm quietly tapping away at the keyboard this morning just to keep myself stationery. I don't want to make a sound!

I'm fully aware of the irony. Husby and I had a "date night" at home last night, with the kiddos.  That means we obliged in a few self-made cocktails and rocked out to a few thousand songs on Guitar Hero with the Wii. The kids happily occupied themselves with the millions of toys and activities we keep in the house.  They flittered to and from the playroom, their bedrooms, outside with colored chalk, and ultimately (finally) settled in to watch the "show" that was mom and dad.   We kept them up late with hopes of them sleeping in late.

So when the puppy, of all people, woke us up at 7am, I felt the need to sneak around. I wanted to take advantage of the quiet, still morning.  The puppy was carried, with fear that her little paws would be too much to keep the kiddos slumbering. I snuck around the hallway, careful to avoid the creaky spot of the floor. I settled in on the couch with my laptop, and even this seems too loud for this morning.

It's true - sleeping in on a Monday is priceless.

And now the family is up and I can pee. Wonder what napping on a Monday is like?

Leashing your Kid

I was recently talking with a new friend of mine about my distaste for those kid leashes that you see people using to keep hold of their children in public places. I was sharing with her how I feel that these leashes are outward symbols of poor parenting - that I believe that if a parent needs a leash to keep tabs on their child, then they need to have their kids taken away.  This new ...uh,.. friend... of mine was listening and nodding politely until I was off the soapbox.  My heart was beating just recalling the first time I saw someone in a mall walking their kid on a leash.  My face was probably flushed and there was no question about my disdain for the stupid things.  And then...

*crickets*


Totally awkward silence.



And then I realized my mistakes.  First, I was being extremely judgemental. Who am I to say whether or not people who use kid leashes are good parents?  And also? What was I thinking being judgemental outloud with someone that I didn't know very well?   Oops


After several moments of completely awkward silence, the person I was ranting to shared with me that she had two different kinds of leashes for her kids. The monkey one apparently didn't fit quite right because it rubbed her son's armpits wrong, and the panda bear one was super cute.  

(Really? Rubbed his armpits wrong?? My dog used to get tender in her pits, too, when I pulled a lot with her harness, but whatever.)

ahem.



So, I've been pretty good about biting my lip about this issue when I'm out in public these days. I've learned to be a little less judgemental or - at the very least - I've learned to keep my opinions to myself about it.


Well, until now. This morning, I saw this picture on failblog today, and I just had to laugh and puke and cry all at once.

Things that make you go &#^$%*

In no particular order, here are the top ten things that are pissing me off right now:

1. Taking the dog to the shelter because he's way too high maintenance for this house. (Good riddance Mr. Eko - sorry it didn't work out... blah).
2. Wanting a puppy so bad, but wanting to wait it out since the last two dogs were ...uh... not a good fit here.
3. Losing a best friend to cancer. $#@& Cancer.
4. Hearing that a friend of another best friend had bad news at her routine scan. #%#@%@
5. Losing a client, and possibly a friendship with it. ARGH
6. Losing friends over stupid stuff that should have been avoided. 
7. Reading rude comments about politics on a nicely written article that had nothing political to mention in it.
8. Rich must leave the state for mandatory work-related training and he'll be gone forever! (or 10 weeks, whatever).
9. Ants (especially in the kitchen)
10. Shocking news that a friend is getting divorced. SUCK ROCKS.

And now, in no particular order here ten things that I love love love love (because who wants to end on such a sour note?)

1. My church rocks. As well as the people who go there, too... of course. And when I think of my church, I also (inadvertently) think of the Brent Bays Foundation. Both are pretty rockin'.
2. My clients rock. Make new friends, but keep the old; some are silver and the others gold. I'm loving the new family - 3 girls that fit in perfectly around here. We are so blessed!
3. Julia is excelling in Kindergarten.  (I admit, it's pretty nice having her out of the house all day, too!)  I'm so glad that she loves to go there and wishes it was all seven days a week.
4. Rebecca is one of the most mature 3 year olds that I get to be with on a daily basis. And, she's not even 3 yet. :)  I'm lucky she's my kid!
5. My family is amazing. I'm talking about my dad and step-mom, my brother and nieces, my in-laws, and of course (and especially!) my husband and children.
6. Facebook gets me through the days.  When I only talk to children all day long everyday, I crave peer interactions. I love facebook for letting me "creep" on my friends' profiles and engaging in conversation when appropriate.
7. God is pretty rockin'.  A short month ago, I was wallowing in tears trying to understand what my future had in store for me. I thought I was supposed to get a "real" job. I thought maybe I was supposed to go back to school. I thought I had it all wrong and needed to change.  Turns out, if you're patient enough, he speaks very clearly....  I just needed to re-center! Thanks, God. I'd totally link to You if I knew how.
8. Big Brother.  I admit it - I'm a BB junkie. Gosh.  But, okay really? That and LOST are the only shows I ever watch. And LOST is over forever (sad!). So, is it so bad to enjoy me some trash tv for a few hours a week?  Seriously need a reason to dust off the old boob tube anyway. (I might cry when the season is over.)
9. Fall is near!  After weeks and weeks of 100+ temps, we had a cool day yesterday. High of 80 or something like that. I loved it! I love Fall. OMGOSH just thinking about Fall makes my tummy do happy flips. Love it! I love Fall!!  WHOOO HOOOOO    okay thanks :) 
10. I'm still running. I still enjoy it. I have found peace in running for pleasure. I'm happy that I'm not a competitive person...  and I'm happy to have finally realized that!  Yesterday, I ran about 5K and enjoyed the scenery and my private conversations with God during the solo run. Priceless!

Service

Just like always, busy busy busy.
Our 5K was very successful, despite the relentless morning rain.  Funny how the sun came out and glistened off the beaded raindrops making for a BEAUTIFUL day - perfect for a nice run - just as soon as the last of the items were unloaded from our vehicles after the event was over.

Despite the rain, we had over 60 people show up to volunteer.  There were 265 people registered for the 5K, and all but 16 of them picked up their packet (or at least a timing chip), so we can only assume that the turnout was equally as impressive.

Almost a month later, our little foundation has given away over $11,000.  Holy cow.  We did it - we really did make a positive financial impact for a few great families in our community. :)  I'm proud!

The whole "fighting cancer" theme in my life is only getting stronger. I'm excited  to be a part of the committee for our local Relay for Life, and there's only 30-something days left until the event.  I'm all about loving on the people of our community who have suffered....  for this chapter of my life, it happens to be suffering because of cancer.  I love serving other people, though - no matter the "cause."

When I was 15, I went with a friend of mine to help clean up after the Great Flood of 1993 in Des Moines, IA.  It wasn't part of a mission trip or anything like that...  My mom worked for the city government, and they were sending some people. When she came home from work and told me about it, without hesitation - I said, "I want to be a part of that, can I go?"   Being a minor, I really wasn't supposed to go - many feared that I would just be in the way. But, mom worked it out through people she knew, and before I had a chance to fully pack my bag, the plane took off and I was on it.  It was fun - seeing people (us) working together, helping strangers. I loved meeting the people we helped. We gutted countless houses - tearing down drywall and filling dumpster after dumpster with their ruined belongings.  During the last 3 days of our stay there, we gutted a bar, and I remember everyone just chilling out on the last evening drinking alcohol and talking about the trip. I, of course, was enjoying a bottled water, but I LOVED feeling included and appreciated for all the work I put forward.  Of course, the whole thing wasn't all fun and warm-fuzzy-hearts...  there was real, true saddness invloved - I'll never forget the teddy bear that floated atop some muck in one house, where the little girl had passed away during the downpour.  I wanted to bring that teddy bear home - but my cohorts advised against it, reminding me of the smell and filth that it had become.  I guess I still had some "kid" left in me, even while I was among others serving out of my home state and away from family... away from anybody that I knew, really.

Anyway!

My life of service continues. I hope that this BBF we have created turns into something great. Something monumental and important. I hope to be a part of it's growth for as long as the Lord deems it necessary for me to be a part of it - and then, I hope to move onto the next great thing.  My only goal in this life is make a TON of money so that I can give it ALL away.   Seriously.  No matter where I'm at in life, I know that someone, somewhere will ALWAYS have it worse than I do.

So there's me tootin' my own horn again. I guess just trying to explain where my love and desire for local service projects comes from.  A bit of history in there too - in case you cared.

Thanks for reading! Maybe I'll get back with the blogging world again before long.

Happy Holidays!

Ya know, when that Happy Holidays stuff really became a big deal a decade ago or so, it really got to me. At that time, I wasn't even really what I consider to be a Christ-follower, but I wanted people to say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. 

But now, it doesn't bother me anymore.

When someone says to me, "Happy Holidays!" I will likely respond with "Yup, Merry Christmas!" because the way I look at it is this -- Thanksgiving is over and Christmas is next.  Sure, Hannukah falls in there somewhere, too - but I don't observe Hanukkah.  Yeah, if they're Jewish or something, I hope they have a Happy Hannukah -- but that doesn't change my point.

If someone says "Happy Hanukah!" to me, I'll say "thanks! and Merry Christmas to you!"  Because, after all, that's the holiday I observe.  I hope I do have a Happy Hannukah - and frankly, I hope the Jewish friends of mine have a Merry Christmas - because really, when I wish that on someone I'm wishing them a happy day, and who doesn't need one of those?

In fact, when someone says "Merry Christmas!" to me, I often giggle and say "Yup! And Happy New Year!"  And sometimes I'll even say "And Happy Hanukah, and Happy Saturday, and Happy everyday!" because I'm a dork like that.

And besides, isn't it more Christ-like to accept whatever well wishes one bestows upon us? How Christ-like is it to say "wtf? Happy Holidays?? I'm Christian, you ho'bag!"  I mean, really....  can you imagine any of the disciples reacting negatively to a well wish ...especially one from a non-believer?

We are called to show God's love by living as examples.  To me, the big debacle over "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" is comparable to a driver who has road rage issues -- is it worth your effort and frustration to prove your point, to show your frustration and anger -- when really you're just making a tool of yourself and acting un-Godly?