Here's to you

 

 

If we were sitting down together right now, I would pour you a glass of orange juice, some champs, and I would lift my glass and offer a toast to you. Here is to 2013, its going to be our year.

 

There is something so magical about having a mimosa on New Year's Eve. It seems so festive, bubbly, and exciting.

 

I would tell you that my 2012 was a good-hard year. Then I would ask you how your year was.

Did you reach your goals? Did you go on an adventure? Did you do something that scared you?  Did you hold tight to your family and tell them you love them? Did you lose someone close to you? How is work going? How is the family doing?

 

Then I would look you in the eye, and tell you that I have stopped watching the news because it hurts too much. I would tell you that I am a bit nervous, kind of scared, and totally irritated with our politicians right now. I would tell you how angry I am at them, both sides, for screwing around with our future.

 

But then, I would look at you and tell you that I am not going to let some yahoo's out in Washington dictate my future.

 

I would tell you how I am going to make resolutions again this year, even thought I didn't achieve them all last year.

 

This is a new start, a new year, another chance to change, another chance to make a difference, another chance to start over.

 

I am looking forward to this clean slate.

 

 

I would put down my cup, give you a hug, and let you know that we are all going to be ok. Things are uncertain, things are confusing, things are hard, but we are all going to be ok. I am looking foward to a new year. Its going to be a good one, I can feel it.

 

What are you looking towards?

 

Happy New Year to you, my friends. 

Friday Confessions

Here are my weekly confessions

1. I have not washed my water bottle I take to the gym in at least a month.

2. I sat on several public toilets during our road trip around Texas this week.

3. Breakfast was cinnamon rolls, lunch was chocolate cake, and dinner was cookies yesterday.

4. I cut I front of about 10 women at a gas station.

5. I went thirty six hours without brushing my teeth.

 

Fess up peeps.

 

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Different Christmas

I guess I should tell you that traditions are sacred to me, especially the ones that we have been doing since my childhood. Heck, some traditions that I started last week on a whim are sacred and important to me. They give me a sense of stability and focus in a world that is ultimately out of control, that changes moment to moment, with very little to count on. P does something once, and if he never does it again, I freak and think he is bucking tradition and withdrawing his love. See, one thing you need to know about this family is, we kind of kill it at Christmas. Our traditions are great, the food is awesome, and we have been doing things exactly the same since the 80's. We eat the same food, go to the same places, the only things that change are the outfits, cars, and hairstyles. Imagine how distraught I was when I came home to find, Different Christmas.

Last year, my parents moved their Christmas tree. For more than 20 years, the tree stood in the same place year after year. Then suddenly, last year, they willy-nilly moved the tree without any respect to my feelings, my objections, or pleas to leave it where it had historically always been. That is strike 1.

This year, my 86 year old grandmother moved her tree. I walked into her home on the 23rd to visit and the first thing I asked was "Grandma, why did you move the tree?" She replied, "I told J (my cousin) to just put it up anywhere this year."  Strike 2 family.

Every year, my grandmother gives everyone money for Christmas. It always comes to us in bank envelopes with our names on it. Those envelopes are folded and put into small Christmas bags that grandma circle grandma's tree. And after we open our present, she says "Give me back those bags." I have been getting my Christmas present out of that same bag since I started talking. This year, no bags. Grandma just went to her closet and passed out envelopes to everyone. WTF I want my bag grandma.....you just earned this family strike 3.

This year, there were more people around grandmas kitchen table for Christmas Eve lunch than ever before. Did you catch the first change? More people. Cousins brought boyfriends, and sketchy man friend/maybe fiance friends. And uncle brought lady friend/promise ring/girlfriend/possibly wife number 4 to lunch. Second change, Christmas Eve lunch. Lunch I tell you. Have you ever heard of such a thing? A Christmas Eve lunch at Grandmas? Gumbo is good, but not as good when you have it at lunch rather than dinner. New people, that's strike 4 and early food, strike 5.

And we went to the afternoon service at church. We have never gone to the afternoon service at church in my entire life. We have always gone to church at midnight, each and every single year of my existence. Even in my asthma filled, croup having, nearly getting pneumonia life, have we ever skipped church at midnight. But this year, my mother flippantly told me we are going early this year. I really want to call this one strike 6, but I am positive, that if I call out my Lord and Savior, it would be me that got the strike, both literally and spiritually. So, no strike for you Jesus, but I wont forget this one.

And, the nativity scene was moved this year. No giant baby in the nativity scene on the left side of the church this year. Again, I hesitate to give a strike on this one. See above for rational.

Hold on where, are we?
WTF?

Why is everyone monkeying around with our traditions? Why is everything suddenly changing? Why is it this year we decide to unlove everything we have loved about Christmas for decades? Why do we keep calling it Christmas? We should probably change the name to Winter Solstice, lets eat a bunch of food and sit around Day.

To say I have been losing it mentally these past few days would be an understatement. But, I have put on a happy face and kept trucking on.

But, I guess I have to give myself some perspective, because even though those changes are upsetting, I know that the big traditions are still the same.

I know how fortunate I am to still have my grandmother. She is aging quickly, but I still get to go to her home where she has lived since 1950 and eat a Cajun feast with my family. That is the most important thing.

I am also fortunate to have my parents. They open their home to anyone all year, especially during the Christmas season, so I guess I can forgive them for moving the tree and changing church times.

I am blessed with a husband who has allowed us to spend every single Christmas since we have been dating with my family. That's a tradition that I take for granted every year. I know he does it because he loves my family, but I also know he does it because P puts me and my needs before himself everyday.

And, minus one sketchy manfriendpleasedontlookinmydirectionortalktomeorsaymynameandfortheloveofGoddontsitnexttomeguy, those new people were really nice and fun.

I guess the little changes don't matter in the grand scheme of things do they? What matters is that I get to stay up late and hang out with people I love and that love me. I get to celebrate the birth of my Savior. I get to sing, pray, and eat birthday cake for Jesus. I get to come to a home where I feel safe, loved, and be around all the people that mean the most to me in the world. I get to drive around town, and every single turn I make, I am thrust down memory lane, and smile as I drive by the street where my childhood best friend lived.

All in all, its been a good Christmas. Not the best, I mean, with all those strikes how could it be. I would give this a 9.64 on the Christmas rating scale. I was hoping to be WOWED this year and have a Christmas that was off the charts like 2 years ago, the last year when everything was the same. That year was awesome. It was like a 25 or something. Even though I didn't recognize how good I had it at the time, I should have.

Merry Christmas y'all. Go hug your families, eat good food, and don't do anything new. And if you  watch the news and find out about a girl that was struck down by a lightning bolt, that will probably be me.

What are some of your tradition? Anything new this year?

Friday confessions

1. There is a chair in our tree. It's been there for two weeks. We have yet to move it.

2.Dirty towels have been sitting our our back deck for weeks.

3. We watched the Miss Universe pageant in its entirety.

4. We made fun of all the girls in the Miss Universe pageant

5. I watched, laughed, and sent funny videos to my friends of the Miss Universe pageant.

 

Fess up.

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I just got so annoyed

Have you been getting more credit card offers in the mail lately? Me too. We have gotten at least one offer per day for the past 2 weeks. It is really annoying. P and I have not purchased anything on credit in at least 5 years. In all of that time, we have only purchased one item with borrowed money, our house. Other than that, everything we have purchased has been with cash. 

Every time I get one of those blasted offers in the mail I get even more annoyed. I know it is really petty, but I have started to take justice into my own hands.

Step 1, open the credit card offer, and remove all paper work with our names on it.

 Step 2: Rip up all the pages, and the envelope said offer came in.

 Step 3: Put all pieces into the prepaid envelope

 Step 4: Mail prepaid envelope back to the credit card company.

I know it is petty. I know it is childish. But, I figure, I am taking up a little bit of their time, I am helping to support the US postal system, and I am annoying the credit card companies. Plus, these companies charge insanely high rates to their clients. They often often unethical and have horrible business practices. 

This is my little form of protest. It is how I am sticking it to the man. 

Have you been getting more credit card offers? What do you do with offers that you don't want?

Friday confessions

1. I sleep with my legs together because I fear that if I spread them, I will pee on myself in my sleep.

2. Whenever I drink wine, I am paranoid that I will vomit in my sleep and choke on it and die like Jimmy Hendrix.

3. I ate an entire jar of Biscoff spread in two days.

4. I gave my dog people food. That is something I vowed to never do.

 

Fess up peeps!

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Christmas with Cash

I am done Christmas shopping!! Well, almost. I have maybe one or two more presents to buy, but that is it. Otherwise I am done done done done.

 This year, P and I saved money through out the year, and by October, we had saved up enough cash to pay  for our all of our gifts. It is funny that this year, I have come in under budget on each gift I purchased. I was able to use coupons, get some deals, and score some sales. Plus, it really does hurt when you fork over the cold hard cash. While I was out shopping, I debated each gift. I think because I did not swipe my debit card, it became so much more real to me.

I do have to admit one thing. This year has been a lot easier because for Christmas this year, P and I are giving each other a ski trip in February. So rather than give gifts to unwrap, we are just putting the money we would spend on each other into our vacation account.


One thing I would like to point out is the absence of our Christmas tree. We have two dogs and they are very well behaved. There is one problem, the white one, Bear, tends to urinate on plants until they die. Outside or in, he makes it his goal to kill any living thing he can.

We had a fern, and every time he went outside he urinated on it. A few weeks ago, we picked out a tree, had decorations in our basket at the store, and P looked at me and said, "We cannot put a living plant inside. Bear will have a field day." So no tree, no decorations for us this year.

How are you doing on your Christmas shopping?

Crutching Along

I am on crutches. There they are. Sitting up against the window in the office. My loyal dog has not left my side. Well, he walks about 5 steps away to gaze out the window, but the sweet dog has been doing his best to take care of me.

A few years ago while training for my second marathon, I developed a planters wart on the ball of my foot. I had to lanced off. It hurt like heck and I was on crutches for about 2 weeks the first time.

Well, the thing came back in the exact same spot on my foot. These past 2 months, running has been really painful because of this thing. I went to the doctor, he lanced it again, and I am on crutches, again.
It really blows, but I know it will make my running less painful.

The only good thing about being on crutches......people have been really nice to me!

The Weekend, and Snow in Texas after an 80 degree day?

P and I had a very exciting weekend.

I came home Friday from work, and P was at his company Christmas party. (No spouses allowed) I got to work cleaning the house. Yes, I know how to rage. As I was cleaning the kitchen, I turned on the dish washer I noticed water filling up in both sinks. I turned on the garbage disposal, and water started shooting up from the other side of the sink. CRAP! I called P, and could not get a hold of him, so I finally started bailing water from the sink and throwing it out in the yard. I ended up bailing a couple of gallons out of the sink over the course of an hour.

I made a video, sent it to P and he told me everything would be fine. I tried to load the video for you, but for some reason, I can't figure out how to get it up.

We tried putting Draino down the pipes and that didn't work, so finally we rented a machine and ended up doing this.

Good job P. He rented this machine to snake the pipes. There was some scary black gunk that came out of those pipes. Fortunately for us, P was able to fix the sink problems himself. We spent about 100.00 on the chemicals, a few things from Home Depot and the machine rental. When all was said and done, we saved ourselves anywhere from 300.00-600.00 by doing it ourselves. Scratch that, P saved us that money by having the know how to do it all himself while I stood by watching and asking him if we needed to get a plumber out.

The BEST news of all is that I woke up this morning to SNOW. Yesterday it was nearly 80 degrees, and a front blew in last night and we woke up to SNOW. IN TEXAS.

Yes, that is about one zillionth of an inch on the ground and it only stuck to the deck not the ground, but we woke up to SNOW. I know that some of y'all live up North you see snow all the time and hate it all. But, this is Texas. I have seen snow in this state 4 times in my entire life.

All this snow put me in a great mood this morning.

How was your weekend?

Friday confessions

1. I drove to the gym ran 1 mile and drove right back home.

2. I have run 4 miles this week.

3. Apparently throwing food on a spot in the corner of my yard is not composting like I thought.

4. Apparently my dogs have been getting extra meals by eating my "compost"

 

Fess up peeps.

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Friday confessions

1. I kicked a soccer ball while stand five feet away from P. I hit the low hanging fruit.

2. I cleared 2 packs of donuts in under five minutes.

3. I do cartwheels in the office hallway where no one can see.

 

Fess up y'all.

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Once a week I am shutting it off

You know how this is supposed to be the slow time of year, where we all stop what we are doing, we all give thanks for all that we have, then we rush around spending money we don't have on presents we don't want to buy, and going to parties with people we don't really like. Yea--it kinda blows. And it seems as if we are busier and busier. We constantly multi-task, speed eat through lunch just to get more done at work because when we were supposed to be working we are shopping for said presents, and working on our social calendars trying to fit everything in. 

I am making a stand (metaphorically) right now. I am stopping the madness, stopping the craziness, and I am going to reclaim my December. I am going to say "No" if I am invited to a gathering that I don't want to go to, and not feel bad about it. 

I am not going to try and cram in 100 activities into my day. I am not going to feel bad if my to do list is 4 pages, and I only cross of two items. 

Let's take back our holiday month, and enjoy it for once. 

Who is with me?

In an attempt to do this, I have decided that once a week, I am going to turn off the t.v. No movies on the ipad at lunch, no Hulu in bed at night. Once a week, I am going to give myself a break from media to get things done, to read a book, or just take a walk. 

Studies show that we average Americans spend at least 6 hours a day watching t.v. 6 hours! 

Do you know what we could do in 6 hours? We could cook enough meals for the week. We could clean the house, do the laundry, walk 20 miles, or finish 3 books. 

Who is with me? Who wants to give up t.v. just one day a week? 

If you are in--let me know, and let's keep each other accountable and see if by focusing our efforts we can be simplify, live better, be more rested, and enjoy this month even more. 

Black Friday Shopping--Big Savings

Like many Americans, I was super excited for Black Friday. However, unlike most Americans, I was not going to set foot near a department store, mall, or Best Buy. I was excited because my favorite drug store, CVS offers KILLER deals during Thanksgiving week. Fundamentally, I hate Black Friday and the behavior that I see my fellow countrymen and women display. People forsaking time with family and friends to camp outside a store to shop, trampling one another, pulling guns on one another over a t.v., and the obsession with stuff, and junk. 

This week, I spent about $16.00, and got nearly $60.00 worth of goods, and over $25.00 in Extra Bucks! My loot below. 

This week, I shopped at CVS and Kroger to cash in on the deals. 

This was all from my first shop. If we wont eat it or use it, it went right into the donation box I keep in the closet. 

 This is a picture of my receipt that I got from my shopping at CVS. It was two times my height. It was filled with Extra Bucks for me to use on my next trip.

 This was probably my favorite deal. I bought these items at Kroger. The deodorant was on sale for 1.00 each and I had two 1.00 coupons. Next the eye shadow was 4.00 each, and when you buy four, 4.00 were automatically taken at the register. Then, I had 2 make up coupons. I went to the register with no cash in hand, just my Kroger card and coupons. The total came to -1.04. The store gave me 1.04!! I made money on this purchase! Wahoo!!!

 My last shop again at CVS. This was about 19.00, and I used all the Extra Bucks from my previous trip, and so I spent nothing out of pocket. And, I got 18.00 in Extra Bucks back.
                                   

So there you go! How did you do this week?

Friday Confessions

1. I ate 10 mini cupcakes in under 5 minutes yesterday.

2. I bent down to pet my dog and he stuck his tongue in my mouth, so I basically French kissed him.

3. A bird pooped on me while walking to the train. It got on my hand. I wiped it on the train seat.

4.i passed gas while face timing with the in laws.

 

Ok, fess up peeps.

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Books that have changed my life

The other day I was browsing in 1/2 Price Books and as I was looking at all the books, I kept searching for some oldies, but goodies. I found so many books that I have read and loved over the years, and the ones that I love the most,the ones that really changed me, challenged me, I always seek them out in book stores just to see if they are still on the shelves. Here is my list of books that have radically changed me. 

The Bible- I read this book everyday on the train. It never ceases to amaze me all the wisdom, guidance, love, rebuke, and testimony's. It is a love story to us. I pray that I will continue to love the word of God, and long for it every moment of my life.

 I read this series of books back in high school.  This book opened my eyes to the reality of spiritual warfare and the many injustices in the world. Growing up in small town America before the internet took over, I was not exposed to much, and when I read this, it really gave me a sense that not all is right and well in the world.

 P bought me this book a few years ago, and it is one that I cherish, and one that I learned so much from. Before reading it, I was pretty ignorant about Nelson Mandela and his struggle. He is an amazing man. His life is a true testament to peace, love, and forgiveness.

 Probably the most prolific book that I have ever read. Her story is one of struggle and survival. I have read this book at least 10 times over the years, and it always takes my breath away. She was the daughter of a military leader in Morocco who tried to overthrow the king. After the failed attempt, she and her family were put in jail for almost 15 years, and they had no contact with the outside world. They were able to dig a tunnel out of jail using a spoon and a sardine can lid. If you have not read this book, you must pick it up and read it today.

 Finally, this book was aggressive and powerful. It is in your face and unapologetic. I read this book back in graduate school and it opened up my eyes to the freedom I have in Christ.

There are many many more books that I love and will read over and over again, but these are the ones that I cherish, and have changed me. They have changed how I see the world and how I feel about the world.

Your turn. What books do you love? What books have changed you and impacted you?

Friday confessions

1. I bashed my cart into a woman at the grocery store. Hard.

2. My dog sits on my pillow right before bed and it does not bother me.

3. My boss got a new desk chair and I thought it was ugly. I told him 1984 called and wanted their chair back. He refuses to use it now.

4. I barge in on P while he goes to the restroom.

Fess up peeps.

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Enough

Sometimes I convince myself that I don't have enough. I lust for things, for shiny objects, things to fill my house or closet with. I always fall for that little voice in my head that tells me once I get the next item, I won't need anything else. Once I have this, I will be fine. But, that small little feeling of contentment lasts an hour, a day or two, and before I know it I start wanting more all over again.

Why do I work so hard to spend my money on things that will end up in a garage sale. Why do I fall for that over and over?

Right now, I am at a point where I feel likes have enough. I am content and satisfied. I am full. I do not need anything. I have so much more than I need, and so much more than so many others, and so often, I am ungrateful.

Today, I am praying and thanking God for my cup. I am thanking Him for all his blessings, spiritual and material. Today and everyday have more than enough. I am just taking a moment to recognize it.

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Friday Confessions

1. I was so giddy about a shopping trip with coupons this week that I had a hard time going to bed.

2. I have a ton to do at work, but I took three days off and I don't even care if I finish it all.

3. I have watched the same episodes of Modern Family on Hulu at least 5 times this week.

4. I ate an entire cauliflower pizza by myself in one night.

5. A creepy guy at the gym tried to talk to me. I pretended I didn't notice and kept walking.

 

Fess up peeps.

 

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More Coupon Bragging

I was so excited about this shopping trip I had planned this week that I had a really hard time going to bed the other night because I kept thinking about it. Yes, I am a freak.
This week I went to CVS to shop their sales and redeem some coupons and Extra Bucks (their shopping rewards) that were about to expire.
Here is my loot:

The Breakdown:
4 Dial Nutriskin Lotion--7.29 each
Colgate-4.49 each
Scope Mouthwash--2.99 each

After coupons, sales and extra bucks, I paid 7.82! I saved 40.82 today!!!

Have you had any luck at the stores recently?

I just could not help myself

A few weeks ago I wrote a guest post for Leslie over at The Dream Tree and I wrote all about how much I adore Pinterest, but how everything I have ever seen and tried from Pinterest has been an epic failure. I swore that I was not going to try anything I saw from Pinterest, I refused to partake in any crafts or cook anything that I saw.

Alas, I am a liar, I got my Pinterest all kind of on this weekend. And, to make matters worse, everything I tried turned out great. Crap.

I told P that I was getting in touch with my creative side. He responded by saying "I think you are just now developing a creative side." My type A personality that likes everything at right angles, and nothing to be messy hates this. When you do crafts, which I normally call "arts and craps," you have left over parts and pieces, and I guess you are supposed to save them and turn them into another crap, I mean craft. But, I am not going to focus on that right now, I am going to focus on the fact that I did some Pinterest activities that turned out great!

Have you tried anything that you saw on Pinterest that turned out well?

Friday confessions

1. I wore the same clothes all weekend.

2. P would not leave the house with me unless I brushed my hair...he brushed it for me.

3. I was running on the treadmill and the girl next to me kept increasing her speed when I did. By the time I was done we were both sprinting.

4. I totally passed gas on the treadmill.

 

Fess up peeps

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I voted today and I almost cried, but I didn't.

Today after work, I voted. The experience was quick and painless. If all government programs ran as efficiently as the polling place did today, I think many of us would have a different view of the government, but that it a different story for a different day.

Today, as the eldery woman pointed out the features of the monitor, I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I wanted to hug her, but again I didn't. I stood there looking at the screen, and was over come by the emotion of voting. I stood there for a brief second and I thought about all of those who came before us.

Those women who fought to give us the right to vote. The ones who were abandonded by their families because of their beliefs. I thought about the wars fought so that we could have the right to vote, to be ignorant, or be lazy. I thought about the millions of people all across the world who are fighting right now for the right to choose their next leader. I thought about all of them, and just as much as I cast my vote to hear my own voice, I cast it for them too. The ones who long for freedom, justice, and a fair shot. The ones who live in war torn countries under brutal dictators. The ones who feel powerless to change their lives.

Again, standing there looking at the screen, I wanted to cry, but I didn't. As you know, I am an emotional idiot, and anything that looks or feels like a feeling freaks me out, and I hide behind my mask. Mature I know.

And, as I held back my tears, I checked off name by name my vote for president, my vote for judges, state representatives, and local representatives. I wanted to cry, but again, I didnt.

Despite the political bickering, the constant battle that goes on between Republican and Democrat, Conservative or Liberal, I voted for us all. I voted for my guy, and the hope that he will win, and bring about peace and restoration. I don't have faith in him, or any candidate, but I can hope.

This election season, I have found myself interested, but I have kept myself at an arms length from my candidate this time around. I don't know if I am jaded, or if I am at a place where I realize that I love Jesus more, and I have finally put all of my hope into Him. I think its the latter. I think I have continued to fall more and more in love with Jesus, and I have learned that He is the answer, always, to every question. I always stumble when I take my eyes off Him. I always loose my way when I don't stare straight ahead at Him. And for His love, mercy, and hope that He gives me, I could cry, but again I didn't.

I urge you to share your voice. No matter how small we may think it is, share it. Your vote is your voice. Shout it, share it. Do it for our country, and do it for yourself. Do it because others have died trying to attain it. Do it because nothing will make you more American. Do it in hope that it will bind us together as an American people. I sign off tonight thinking and praying for this country, the best place in the world. I will be praying for peace and unity. Neither candidate can save us, heal us, or unite us, but there is One who can.

Im in a food rut

Hi friends. I feel like I have been a terrible blogger these past few weeks. Everything seems to be speeding up, and I feel further and further behind.
But, my goal for this week is to get caught up, and even get ahead. This weekend was nice, slow, and restorative for me.

These past few weeks, I have been in a major food rut, and because I don't like what I have cooked, I end up going out and spending money on food at lunch or breakfast, which I hate. These past 3 weeks, P has really stepped up and began cooking more than before, and its made a difference for me, not only in my food choices, but in time. I used to spend about 4 hours in the kitchen on Sunday afternoons getting ready for the week. I make breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks. It is so nice during the week to come in and all I have to do is steam some veggies, and heat up dinner.

I have been trying to make sure that I use the crock pot more because its so easy. But ya'll, I need help because I am in a food rut. I am tired of the things that I am cooking because I make the same thing over and over again. I make tacos for taco salads, I make chicken in the crock pot for shredded chicken, I make eggs for breakfast every day. Predictable and boring. This week won't be so bad because P made us some grilled chicken, bison burgers, and a big pot of soup, that is amazing.

Can you guys give me any recipes? I am trying to do a low carb style diet because I went to the nutritionist and I have been diagonsed with Candida, which is a fungus. It is nothing terrible, we all have it, but I have a little bit of "over growth." I have cut out a lot of the sugar, candy, and cakes that I had a bad habit of snacking on, which is a good thing. I found that when I eat sugar, I crave more of it. I thought I just had a sweet tooth, but it turns out, the fungus loves sugar, and feeds of it, which causes you to want more...hmm. The fungus (fungi??) also are attracted to carbs, which is why its a good idea to stay way from carbs on this kind of "diet."My problem of late has become my dependence on processed foods for my caloric intake because I have not been eating like I am supposed to. I am hungry so I have been supplementing with Doritos (bad) and diet coke (soo bad).

I need help. What we have a few weeks until Thanksgiving, and I want to clean up my act, a sort of cleanse. While I am getting back to eating right, do you guys have any tried and true recipes that you can suggest? Again, I am looking for crock pot recipes, or stuff that I can make and freeze and pull out during the week?

Thanks peeps!

Friday confessions

1. I have eaten Doritos everyday this week.

2. I never stretch after I run

3. I didn't shower after my run this morning.

4. I have had a coke everyday this week.

Fess up peeps.

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Argo

Last week P and I went to see Argo. It was one of the most powerful and intense movies that I have seen in quite some time. From the first 15 minutes it pulled me in. I was on the edge of my seat, my palms were sweating, and I found myself holding my breath.

I left the movie and I could not turn off my brain. They bring up some pretty intense events from our history and they have implications today. The movie was thought provoking and I could not stop mulling everything I saw. I ended up coming home and I spent the rest of the afternoon researching Iran and I watched a documentary on You Tube about Iran.

The thing that I could not shake was, "Why do they hate us so much?" I know why they dislike America and our stance, but they really hate us and want to kill us. It scares me the hate that we see on the news every night. I know that America has made some bad decisions, that we have been on the wrong side of decisions many many times. I own that. I see that. I totally admit that. But, to protest in the street, to burn flags of other countries, to call their leaders the devil, to stab dolls with the face of American presidents in the street, that is dark. That is evil, that is hate. It is so scary.

Tonight, in this hard time for America, hold your loved ones a little tighter, thank God for the blessings He has bestowed upon us, and pray for peace.

Have you seen Argo? What are you feeling about what is going on in the middle east?

Friday Confessions

1. I ate a large container of goldfish between lunch and three p.m. I take lunch ate one.

2. I was mopping the floor and P messed with me. So I lifted the mop and squirted him in the face with mop water

3. I went into the gas station in my p.j.'s.

4. I got dinner for myself one night and P only wanted a drink. I drank 1/2 the drink before I got home.

 

Fess up y'all!

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A Follow Up to: I Don't Really Care What You Have To Say

Sunday night I wrote this post and it led to some great discussion. I think all of the comments were relevant, and they showed the frustration, confusion, and exasperation of where we all are regarding politics. One comment stood out to me because I have been thinking along those same lines as of late. Heather over at Townsend House said:

"I totally agree on the country being divided, unfortunately. I don't think I have much faith in the government anymore, because there is too much money (on both sides) to make decisions that actually benefit Americans.

Recently I have been thinking about whether it even makes a difference for me to vote if I'm red and live in a blue state, or blue and live in a red state, or if I live in any state other than Ohio, Florida and Virginia.

So what do I do? I continue trying to work harder on my own life, hope that I can gain some sort of self-reliance, learn to provide for myself and my family and live without what others find necessary. It isn't easy, but I hope that if we fall off the deep end here, my family will be ok."

 I could not have said it better myself. Wisdom, that is what she has shared with us, wisdom. 

That is what we have to do, learn to rely and provide for ourselves. But, what does that look like to you? What does that look like to me? Honestly, I don't know. Do we need to focus on becoming more agrarian society? Do we need to learn to grow our own food again? What does pure self-reliance mean? 

I have been talking about self-reliance to P for the past several weeks. Obviously, Mitt Romney has been in the news everyday, and there has been a lot of light shed on Mormonism. I am embarrassed to say that up until this point I have been pretty ignorant about Mormonism. I knew they had a temple in Utah, that BYU was a Mormon school, and that they didn't drink alcohol. That is all I knew, and it was my fault for not knowing. Did you know they are encouraged to have an entire year's worth of food in their homes? That floored me. What a great idea. 

Is that part of self reliance? Having enough food and water on hand so that your family can have enough to eat for a year? Why stop at a year, what about two years, or five years? When is enough enough? Again, I don't know. I do know that I have started to dedicate some of our resources to starting a food stockpile. As a couponer, I get quite a bit of items for free or cheap. Here is my stockpile. Do you notice that many of those items are health and beauty products. These items would not feed or hydrate us. I have battled with stockpiling food because most of the items we eat are perishable. But, I decided to start a stockpile. Here is what I have so far. 

I have 6 boxes of organic oats, 4 boxes of pasta, a box of rice, 4 cans of green beans, and four bottles of water. 

The last point Heather made "and live without what others find necessary." Does that statement automatically bring images of American excess to your mind too? What do we find necessary as Americans? Smart phones, cable t.v., new clothes, nice cars, big t.v.'s, boats, the list can go on and on. 

Finally, I am thankful that we have been able to have an open discussion and respectful discussion about these issues. Thank you for sharing your voice, thank you for being honest about where you are. I promise to respect you and your political stance. 

Heather, thank you so much for your comment and for inspiring a discussion.

What do you think? What does is your definition of self reliance? Do you live on less than many others? 

I don't really care what you have to say

99.9% of the things I say on this blog are positive and funny, but we need to get serious for a moment. Ya'll down with that? I have a little bit of a rant that I cannot keep in today.

This is election season, and I am following everything closely. I don't know you, and I don't know where you stand, if you are red or blue, or even green. Libertarian, Republican, Democrat, or a political atheist.

I will tell you right now where I stand. Barack Obama is not my hero, idol, or savior. Neither is Mitt Romney.  Neither of those two men are going to fix this country in four or eight years. I fear that we have become so divided, that we are ungovernable. Every morning during my quiet time, I pray for this country. I pray that we find peace, that we can find something to unite us, and that  we can somehow restore ourselves.

I do know that it is scary where we are financially  and morally. It scares me that so many of us have forgotten  what it means to be self sufficient and what it is like to put in a hard days labor. Scratch that....I should say many of us have forgotten what it means to put in a fully days work. Many of us sit at a computer, in a cube, typing away in an air conditioned building with our lunch in the fridge and filtered water in the kitchen. For many of us, and I include myself in this, we don't do back breaking labor, and we find any excuse we can to complain about our boss, job, or coworkers. Again, I am including myself in all of this, I am in no way blameless.

I worry about us as a country, that we have lost our way. I worry that we have become to comfortable. I worry that we have gotten used to sitting behind a screen and typing or twittering away every thought that comes into our minds, especially when we start criticizing the superficial aspects of the candidates.

Last week during the vice presidential debate, I found myself getting angry by the responses of everyone on twitter, especially celebrities. Just because someone was in a movie 10 years ago, and has a few hundred followers, and they spout their mouths off and it gets repeated on CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. Who gives a flying flip what Rosanne Barr has to say about politics? Is any ignorant statement someone says going to sway me, absolutely not. Because they have some small platform, these people in Hollywood say, tweet, or go on one of the 24 hour news channels and gives them a voice. It makes me so mad. Who cares, who cares, who freakin' cares, especially when they are simply repeating sound bites that they have heard. And by giving them a big voice, it legitimizes them, even if they don't deserve it.

In this very serious time, I want to ask, implore, and beg my fellow Americans to not base a decision upon things that you hear in passing. Do the homework, do the research, and dig into the issues for yourself, and make the decision for yourself. Whatever you chose, simply think for yourself, please?

High horse, I'm off. Rant has been ranted. Soap box, unsoapy?

I would really like to hear from you guys about this. What do you think? Where are you in this?

Friday confessions

1. I picked my wedgie in front of a glass wall with a crowed on the other side

2. I burped when walking down the street when I thought I was alone, but someone was right next to me.

3. I smoked screened someone in the elevator

4. There is a new guy in my office named Richard. I can't quit calling him Little Richard

 

Fess up y'all.

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Is chivalry dead?

I have been riding the train to work these past few weeks. It's been great because I have been saving on gas and wear on the car, I don't battle traffic, and I always get where I need to be on time.

 

These past few weeks I have become acutely aware of how we treat and interact with each other. The transit system is pretty packed, and most days it is standing room only. In the morning, I usually stand,but most afternoons I find a seat because I get on at an early stop. Finding a seat is not that big of a deal to me, and if I have to stand, nbd. I usually offer up my seat to anyone who is hurt, has small children, or the elderly.

Lately,the behavior of some riders has been making me so mad. For example, I get to my stop most days a few minutes before the train arrives. There is one man who gets to the station right before the train takes off and we walks to the front in front of everyone to ensure he gets a seat. It frustrates me to no end because its so rude. I also get frustrated when I see middle aged men not giving up their seat. They sit there and see all of these women standing there, and they don't get up.

I can count on one hand the amount of time a man has offered me his seat. Every time, I am so impressed.

 

Please weight in here....is chivalry dead? Should we expect chivalry?

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The Couponers Delima--Donations

Why is it that some things are not good enough for me, yet are good enough for the masses?

That is a question I have been thinking about the past few weeks. I am pretty discerning in the food that I eat. The majority of my food comes from whole ingredients, and about 50% of the time it is organic produce, and 100% of the time it is organic meats. That is good for me, good for the planet, and good for the animals. 

But....what about the food that I get for free or for cheap that I donate to the food pantry? Should that be a higher quality food too?

I think it comes down to a question of quality or quantity. When donating food to food banks, we tend to donate a cheaper, lower quality of food because its cheaper, and we can get more product for our money. Is this a problem?

For example, if I were able to buy a prepackaged meal that I would never consider feeding my family because it is fattening and has no nutritional value, should I donate that item to the food bank? Is it better that someone has something, anything to eat, even if it is not good for them? Will donating these types of items to the food pantry encourage diabetes and obesity? Or, is just having something to eat good enough?

This is a question that I don't have an answer to. What do you guys think? I would really like you to weight in and let me know your thoughts. 

Friday confessions

1. I went to the library and chose eight books solely based on the bright color of the cover 

 

Ok guys I have been sick all week and have hardly left the couch. I didn't really do anything this week. Please entertain me with your confessions! Laughter is the best medicine.

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Friday confessions

1. I ate cauliflower that was brown

2. I ate hot dog buns for dinner.

3. I had wine for dinner one night

4. We signed up for FPU. We went to one class and have not been back.

 

Fess up y'all!

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I thought they felt bigger

Last week I did something kinda mean.
Scratch that, I did something really mean.

I have been encouraging P to get healthy with me for a while. There has been some push back, but that is not going to deter me. I keep chipping away at it, one day at a time.

Last week P was complaining about his joints hurting. He drives a lot during the day, and sitting in the same position in the car traveling some days 100+ miles running all over town, his joints can get stiff. I suggested he take some fish oil, because it really helps me keep my joints lubricated. As much good as fish oil does my body, it also has some horrible side effect---hello fish burps. Sick.  Because of that, I take my vitamins at night. One night right before bed I was taking my vitamins and P walked by and I handed him a handful of vitamins too.

He looked at all the pills in his hands and asked me what they were. I gave him the break down: 2 fish oil, 1 echinaecea, calcium, and a multi vitamin. He looked at me after I explained what everything was and took them like a champ, one by one. I looked at him grabbed some water and took them all at once like a man.

Repeat said situation again for a few nights in a row.

Finally, a few days later, I looked at P and started laughing. When he asked me what I was laughing at, I stopped with eyes wide and stared at him. When I finally gathered myself together, I looked at him, and said "ok, I have something to confess to you."

P responded "What do you have to tell me?"

I looked at him with guilt all over my face and said, "You know how I have been giving you some vitamins before bed?"

P replied "Yea."

I said " You know the multi that I have given you?"

He looked at me perplexed "Yes."

"Well, the multi is meant for women."

He immediately grabbed his chest with both hands, looked down and said "I thought they felt bigger," and then started laughing with me.

Thank goodness he was not mad, but he has not taken any vitamins since.

I am kind of embarrassed to admit this

I mentioned it the other day on the blog, but I am actually really embarrassed to admit it.....I am totally into the Twilight books. I read the first 3 books this week, and I just picked up the fourth book. 

There, I told you and now I feel better. 

I know these are books are for teenagers, and I am far far removed from my teenage years, but o my gosh these books are like crack. I cannot put them down. I read on the train, I read at lunch, I read before bed. I read while I do my make up. I read while I do my hair. I read while I cook. Cannot stop reading. 

I was telling my mom how good they were the other day about how good they were and she was really skeptical, and told me she would just stick to reading her type of books. So frustrating. When something is this good, you want to share it. I got her hooked on the Hunger Games, but she still wont give these a try. 

Why are these books so good? Has anyone read them? What do you think of them? Are you team Jacob or team Edward?

I am totally team Jacob. 

Friday confessions

1. In a serious conversation with my boss, I told him to "dress for action like a man"

2. I gave P vitamins that we're meant for women without telling him

3. I skipped my run on Thursday

4. I drank diet soda every day this week

5. I read the first two twilight books this week and already started the third

 

Fess up y'all!

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Beauty

Last week P and I had the opportunity to go to a concert and art exhibit at the local Arboretum. I had never been to an arboretum, and honestly I am not that into plants. My mom, mother in law, boss, and all my mom's friends are totally into plants. They can look at a plant or a bush and know the name, tell me how much to water it, and its type. I look at it and think, well that is green. Before hand, to say I was not into it would kind of be an understatement.
The art exhibit was glass work by Chihuly. It was awesome!!! I have never seen something so beautiful and unique, yet at the same time, it was as if the glass was supposed to be there. His art flowed so perfectly into the gardens. To think that all of this is made from glass is just awesome!

Are you an art fan? Do you have a favorite artist?