Reason #42 that I should never be allowed on Pinterest.

Tis the season for homemade neighbor gifts.

The time of year, we want to give all our friends a little token of love.

Something that says, "I'm sure glad to know you."

This year I wanted to make everyone teacup candles.

For one thing, the power goes out in my community

All. The. Time.

so I love giving emergency lighting to my neighbors.

Besides they are so so so cute. 

This is what I tried to make:

What I ended up making, was a giant mess in my kitchen:

In the end my candles did turn out kind of cute.

In a "oh look at what that sweet Mormon Momma made" cute.

At this point, every surface in my kitchen is covered in wax and glitter.

I'm feeling pretty cranky and wondering why
I thought this was a good idea.

The blogs made it look so easy.

I can't help but wonder, who is it that is
posting all those cute, crafty, gift pictures online?

And how can I convince them to
come to my house and make stuff for my neighbors?

I wish...

In honor of my favorite musical being made into a movie,
I want to share with you

10 things that "Into The Wood" taught me:

1. Be careful what you wish for,
because you might actually get it.

2. If Prince Charming is handsome, 

but mean, 

you probably shouldn't marry him.

3. Don't forget that
 nice is different than good.

4. Sometimes to reach your potential, 
you have to climb out of your comfort zone.

5. Beauty does not always equal power.

6. If you want something
Go Get It.

7.  If your selfish and stupid
you might get eaten.

8. If you feel the need to go on a rampage 
to avenge your loved one,
have your eyes checked first.

9. Except your children for who they are.

10. If you must go into the woods, 

wear comfortable shoes 

and take a snack.

I can not wait to see this movie.  I think I may even bully my fam into venturing out on Christmas Day so I can see it the day it opens.

Marv's Gym

Sometimes being really nice pays off in a big way.  This month's niceness payment comes in the form of one month free at Marv's Gym.

Today I went to the gym for the first time in...well a long time...
a decade maybe...

I am so out of shape that I was really nervous to even walk into a gym. Guess what!  Everyone was really nice. Marv's is clean and convenient and has a super nice staff. I had such a good time!
I didn't know the gym could be so much fun.

So listen up, all you chubby, Mormon Mamas, that have been taking care of everyone else, for way too long.  If your interested in getting back in shape, but are nervous about facing down those first few steps into the gym.   Don't be afraid. Join that gym or the book club, or what ever it is that sparks your interest.

Rejoin the world. It's a beautiful place.    

Here's to my free month!

Espanol

I really have never had a burning desire to learn another language. I did have a heck of a lot of fun in my HS French class. But that had more to do with 2 cute boys and a funny friend, than about French.

This year Connor decided to take Spanish. Not my first choice, but here we go...I am the Mom who tries to read all the books her kids read, so they have someone to talk about the book with.  So I guess I'll be the Mom who learns a new language so her boy has someone to talk to in Spanish.

I down loaded a language system (thank you audible) and started today. So far it's been a riot.

Picture me, driving down the road, laughing thyself, while I try to say "Pardon Senorita, entiendo english?

Good times, my friends, good times.

Summer Is

Me: When was the last time you had a shower?

Connor: Like 4 days ago.

Only in summer time my friends...

I'm not entirely sure, 
but I think that the cake really is a lie.

just a thought...

What if, instead of thinking about all the amazing things I'd like to do,  I just did them?

Summer Is

finding dirt under the mouse pad on your desk.

Summer is

putting on flip flops as you run around the house gathering up supplies, because your not going to take the time to sweep your crunchy floor before your next adventure.

Summer is

knowing that if you have any plans of leaving the house for the day your going to have to do some laundry.

Look guys! I'm growing blueberries! 

You have no idea how happy this makes me.

Big Hair and Loud Music

When I found out that the BR football team's theme for the year is "TNT" I immediately thought of AC/DC. That led to introducing my 15 year old to 80's rock. Which led to YouTube.

While he was watching the video for "Sweet Child of Mine" all of a sudden he said "That guy has really long hair! Wait so does that guy! They all have BIG hair! What's up with their hair???!!!"

I forgot about that! To me, big hair in the 80's was just a part of life. But to my children, it is a strange quirk from the past.

A few years ago, we bought a VCR and have been scouring the used VHS sections in thrift stores ever since.  We are slowly but surely making our way thru all the 70's, 80's and 90's movies that Shane and I can think of. It has been so much fun to introduce my boys to the movies of my childhood and teen years.

Now we can add music to that to do list.  This is going to be so much fun!

Guns, Germs and Steel

• Why is it that some groups of people developed technology faster than others?
• When the Conquistadors and Aztecs met, why did the men with Hernán Cortés have steel swords and primitive guns, while the natives had slings and atlatls?
• And why, to this day, do the people of  Papua New Guinea still use stone tools to farm with? 

I've been wondering about this for quiet a while now.  I have considered all kinds of reasons, from racial personality to divine intervention.

Turns out Jared Diamond has been asking these questions as well.  In his book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" Mr Diamond explores the idea that a society's technological advancement is dependent on its development of farming, particularity the raising of grains and large, domesticated animals.

For a quick look at his ideas, you can find his documentary on youtube.  This is interesting stuff. If you've ever wondered about this subject, Jared Diamond is a solid place for information.

The rest of the of my juice fast was a success.  I learned a lot about the way I think about food and how much food I actually need. 

I'm not sure I could recommend such extreme action for anyone else.  But for me it was a good experience.

Juice Fast Day 4

11AM:  I'm feeling cautiously optimistic.  I am so full from my breakfast juice that I haven't bothered with my snack juice.  I've been drinking water and dandelion tea instead. 

After the morning fog cleared, I am feeling well.

Day 3 of my juice fast.

Day 3 was a mixed bag. 

In the morning and afternoon, I felt fantastic.  I had lots of energy and was clear headed and calm.  About 3 PM I started to slide into a funk.  I felt foggy headed and bleary eyed. It really was down hill from there.  I spent the rest of the night watching 90210 reruns...uuummm...informative and educational documentaries  and complaining about juicing.

My poor kids.

My poor husby.

And then again, once my head hit the pillow, I started thinking Thinking THINKING about all the food I could be eating.  When I reminded myself that this is about cleansing my mind as well as my body, things got a little better.  I realized that I truly am not hungry and I am feasting on delicious fruits and veg, filling my body with awesome nutrients.

It is the morning of day 4 and I still feel a bit cranky.  I didn't sleep well last night and had a hard time starting this morning. I'm a bit worried about tonight.  The DH will be working late.  Late nights for my husby usually means depression eating for me.  I'm not sure how I'll face this challenge.

I am really really done writing about this.  I really really have nothing more to say. But that is such a sad, pathetic way to end a post that I have to think of something happy to add....mmmmm....let's see....

I know, I'll share my favorite Betty Smith quote:

“Dear God," she prayed, "let me be something every minute of every hour of my life. Let me be gay; let me be sad. Let me be cold; let me be warm. Let me be hungry...have too much to eat. Let me be ragged or well dressed. Let me be sincere - be deceitful. Let me be truthful; let me be a liar. Let me be honorable and let me sin. Only let me be something every blessed minute. And when I sleep, let me dream all the time so that not one little piece of living is ever lost.”

― Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Day 1 and 2

Day 1 was...um...interesting... 

So here's the story:

On Saturday night, Shane and I watched "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead"  As soon as the movie was over, I cajoled Shane into taking me to the store RIGHT NOW so I could stock up on fruits and veg. I HAD to start TOMORROW. I had completely forgotten that "tomorrow" was Fast Sunday.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I fast for 2 meals every first Sunday of the month.  This is a beautiful time for me, when I can grow closer to our Father in Heaven.

It was not however the smartest time to start a 10 day juice fast. 

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon. I came home from church with a cranky making, low blood sugar head ache and a chubby-girl-where's-my-food attitude. I also came home to a glass of juice, not the Mormon-meat and-potatoes-with-jello-on-the-side meal I am used to after fasting.

While the juice was physically satisfying, it was not psychologically fulfilling.

Sunday night was emotionally difficult.  Which is, I guess, the whole point of this fast.  I am trying to change my mind about food as well as cleanse and heal my digestive track.

Day 2 was better.

I didn't often feel hungry but still thought about food all day. There was a constant monolog in my head about sticking to my juicing plan. I also started detoxing on day 2, which wasn't horrible or unexpected.  A juicing side affect that I didn't anticipate is that I am very cold all the time.  

I was able to do some housework and did walk 2 miles. But for the most part, I spent the day resting.  My friend came to spend part of the day with me.  It was nice to spend time with her, but I had very little energy for conversation.

I spent a lot of time in bed, both nights, thinking about what I would eat the next day.  Now I'm wondering if this is a normal thing that I never noticed about myself. Do I really spend this much time thinking about food?

10 Day Juice Fast

I watch a lot of documentaries. I enjoy learning about new things and this is one of the ways I do that.  This weekend I finally got around to watching "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead."  In this documentary, chubby Australian, Joe Cross goes on a 60 juice fast/road trip across America. 

The benefits of said juice fast are weight loss and improved health.  Joe had some pretty nasty health issues that his weight was contributing to.

Seeing myself in Joe's shoes and feeling inspired by the success of the people in the documentary, I bullied Shane into a late night trip to Winco to pick up all the fruits and veg I'll need for my own juice fast. I'm too much of a chicken to commit to 60 or even 30 days.  I'll start with 10 and see where that leaves me.