Does Any Of This Count?

  Resolutions...Does this count? ~

 1.  Play golf...Playing Wii golf.

 2.  Play tennis...Again with the Wii.

 3.  Learn to speak Spanish...My friend greeted me, "Hola, bella."  I said, "Hola!"

 4.  Make an Indian meal...Poured Jalfrezi simmer sauce by Seeds of Change onto baked tofu and vegetables. Holy curry! Delicious!

 5.  Remind everyone about the importance of hand-holding..."Elsa, Lucas...you are going to get smooshed if you don't hold my hand...it is dark and we are in a parking lot."

 6.  Kids in the kitchen!...I made pumpkin muffins while the kids were in the kitchen.

 7. Read a book by a local author...Just finished "What the Dead Know" by Laura Lippman. She is from Baltimore. So am I. Locals.

 8.   Go out with the girls...According to an urban dictionary, "the girls" can be a reference to one's breasts. If that's the case, then I am always out with the girls.

 9.  Ride a roller coaster...I get out of bed every morning. Let the ride begin!

Car-ma

Today, the kids and I drove to an indoor play area. We parked in a spot that had an actual meter - as opposed to the system where you have to walk a mile, swipe your credit card through a machine, take a ticket,  then walk another mile returning to your car to place the ticket in the window.

Clink. Nothing happened.
Of course, that wasn't enough for me to realize there was an issue with this particular parking-space monitor.
Clink. Nada.

So, we moved our car to another space. This meter appeared to be working. There were arrows...one faced the "right" spot, which was where Joy ( I have a Saab...sounds so sad...so I named her Joy) was stationed. The other arrow pointed "left." I noticed the time had expired for that vehicle. Yippee! I could fulfill another resolution.
I put money into the meter for Joy's neighbor. That's good Car-ma.

Feeding The Soul

My Nana had a wonderful sense of humor. When she would tell a funny story or joke, she'd punctuate every line with theatrical pauses or dramatic facial expressions. Then, when it was time for the punch line, she'd sing with laughter. Her face would turn red. She'd slap her hands on the table, instead of her lap, as her eyes welled with joyful tears. If her sisters ~ Katie, Virginia, or Bernice ~ happened to be in the same room, the laughter was amplified. A gaggle * of gigglers! You could hear the cackling throughout the house. It's the kind of laughter that makes other people join in, even if they haven't a clue as to what is so funny.

Whatever the gene is that steers people to view things in an amusing light and laugh uncontrollably - even at things that others might not find humorous (like ourselves) - I have it. Thank-you, God!

Over the last year or so, I've connected via facebook with family and friends from so many different times in my life...people I've known since childhood, as well as those who I met last month. And I'm blessed to count on both hands (Yes, I borrowed this line from Mr. Vedder) people who I interact with in and around my Colorado home. While everyone comes from different circumstances, the thing I've realized is that the people in my life - (maybe all people?) - are FUNNY! I'm so grateful for this! What a gift! Daily - sometimes hourly - I laugh, long and loud. And there are times when I'm able to bring the laughter forth in others. What a joy!

We are taught to love one another. And absolutely, we should.
But there is somethig else that lifts people up, heals broken hearts, bridges misunderstandings, creates peace of mind, feeds the soul...it's laughter.
So, I propose that we not only love one another, but we laugh with one another!

Here's to Nana! Cheers!


Word of the day ~
Gaggle ~ 1.  A group :
2. A flock, as in geese

I Have Lots of Patches in the Sewing Kit

Elsa came to me, favorite pair of jeans in hand. She had taken a tumble and there was a small tear in the knee.
"Mom, please fix this."
"Ok, pumpkin pie. I'll stitch it up for you." (I said this with confidence, even though sewing is not my forte. Especially, sewing denim. Ouch.)
"You can put a cute patch on it. You aren't that good at sewing (Whew...off the hook! She knows me so well.) I like the ladybug that is in the sewing box."

Done.

Once the torn area had been addressed, she couldn't stop raving about the pants. They were so special to her...even more so now than before the damaged occurred.

The way Elsa feels about her jeans is the way I feel about relationshsips that have been ripped a little...even torn apart. People create relationships. And because we err, our relationships - at one time or another  - bear the brunt of our falls.

Throwing away a perfectly good pair of jeans isn't an option to me. Neither is throwing away a person who is one of my favorites. I value the relationships in my life, just as I appreciate the comfort of an old pair of jeans.
They're soft. They fit. They've walked through all sorts of experiences with me.  Frayed edges are always welcome.

Mending takes time and patience. It's done with love in my heart. And I always look forward to the end product...seeing something that at one time was so lovely, now renewed and revitalized.

What's New?

My friend, Elizabeth, was at the gym the other day. We were walking toward each other. I could see it in her hand. The smell of it was coming out of that teensy-weensey hole in the lid. Starbuck's coffee. Temptress!

We stood and yapped for a bit. She moves her hands while she talks. The coffee cup was swirling through the air...moving this way and that. My eyes were doing the same...darting, following the cup. We decided to circle the track a few times while we chatted. The java came with us.

I confessed that I was having a tough time without my mugs of coffee in the morning. She said that she wasn't surprised I was having withdrawal..it's always difficult to give up something delicious. Plus, she pointed out, there are some really great health benefits to drinking coffee.

I like healthy treats.

I went home and looked at my list. When I wrote it, I noted that I needed to LIMIT my consumption to one cup per day. YEAH!

So, I brewed up a dark roast and had some joe while I read the letter from my pen pal!

Life is too short to give up on delicious.

Tongue Biting Is Far Worse Than Nail Biting And...

I won't be doing either.
*
I never was a nail biter. Not even during scary movies.
I never was a tongue biter. Not even during daring moves while kissing.
*
"Bite my tongue" is on my list of resolutions.
I did it. I bit it.
*
Over the last few weeks I haven't said a peep about Robertson, Reid, Limbaugh, Brown, or Bauer,
Nor about the vile remarks of facebook fans that show up every hour.
I've been watching and reading as others post their non-sensical writ,
(Achoo! Achoo! Excuse me, I forgot...I'm allergic to bullshit).
I welcome a difference of opinion, a variety of views,
As long as they aren't simply talking points lifted from the babbling heads at Fox News.
Friends who truly love me aren't offended by what I say,
Speaking out rather than shutting up...they wouldn't have me any other way.
Please remember, friends, that I love you so my intent isn't to offend,
Rather, I believe communication is a step toward a nation on the mend.

Peace.
http://www.nationalpriorities.org/

Senior Center Field Trip

The kids and I took a trip to the Senior Center, which is attached to one of the recreation centers in town. We delivered the Valentine's (read Heart To Heart if you aren't up on the making of these gems)  and some cookies. There were a handful of folks who were reading papers, chatting, and registering for classes When they saw us arrive they fussed over Elsa and Lucas. Both parties loved the attention!

I'm going to return at the end of the week to see if they hung the hearts.

*******

Word is...Webster is taking the night off! Be back tomorrow.

What I Learned From The Denver Stock Show

There were thousands of people at the stock show today. Certainly, we didn't perceive the events...the information presented to us...in the same way.

Here's what I realized from my experience ~

*  Men in cowboy hats are smokin' hot. As are the women.
*  I will never pass up a chance to wear my kickin' Ariat boots
*  Big, fat sausages are a hit in Colorado
*  I will have a farm, sooner than later.
*  I gave up caffeinated coffee, not beer. Cheers!
*  Johnny Cash is King (sorry, Elvis)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(A)

Visiting the Denver Stock Show wasn't on my to-do list for 2010. However, I thought it would be a good way for me to connect with folks in the sheep raising and shearing circle since I need to give a shave to one (a sheep, not a person) by the end of the year.

Also, I was hoping there'd be someone to talk with about llamas, as being educated about them is on my list. Why? Well, one day, I'll have a farm. And on that farm, there was to be llamas. There wasn't any llama-learning going on, but there was the nicest couple from Daybreak Criations Alpacas - http://www.daybreakcriatios.com/ - who gave me a quick lesson on their favorite beasts. I've decided  the farm will have alpacas, not llamas. Why?

Aside from alpacas being cuter ( to me) than llamas, they are smaller both in weight and height. Thus, easier to handle. Also, alpacas produce a better fiber that can be used in weaving and felting. Upon further research about llamas, and this is the clincher, I found out that males can suffer from a disease that is brought on by being bottle-fed when young, as well as by bumping & nudging (in other words, playing llama games) with humans. It's called Berserk* Male Syndrome.
Hmmmm...crazed llamas.
Deranged male creatures. 
I think I'll pass.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I thought it would be fun to have a caption contest. Whoever comes up with the funniest, most creative caption for pictures A, B, or C wins! You'll receive something from Colorado.

(B)

(C)

I Am What I Am

According to the personality test that I took online, I am in the same company as Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes (in the fictitious category),  Mary, Mother of Jesus ( I've always had an affinity for Mary...if you've been to my house, you know this about me), and Albert Scweitzer (one of my favorite vegetarians!).

The test is Jungian-based and can be found at Humanmetrics or http://keirsey.com/.

My type is INFP ( Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving). Only 2% of the population (who have taken the test?) have been determined to be INFP Healers. Below is an explanation of the personality type. Amazing. It's so me! Or I'm so it?!

Idealist Portrait of the Healer (INFP)

Healers present a calm and serene face to the world, and can seem shy, even distant around others. But inside they're anything but serene, having a capacity for personal caring rarely found in the other types. Healers care deeply about the inner life of a few special persons, or about a favorite cause in the world at large. And their great passion is to heal the conflicts that trouble individuals, or that divide groups, and thus to bring wholeness, or health, to themselves, their loved ones, and their community.

Healers have a profound sense of idealism * that comes from a strong personal sense of right and wrong. They conceive of the world as an ethical, honorable place, full of wondrous possibilities and potential goods. In fact, to understand Healers, we must understand that their deep commitment to the positive and the good is almost boundless and selfless, inspiring them to make extraordinary sacrifices for someone or something they believe in. Set off from the rest of humanity by their privacy and scarcity (around one percent of the population), Healers can feel even more isolated in the purity of their idealism.

Also, Healers might well feel a sense of separation because of their often misunderstood childhood. Healers live a fantasy-filled childhood-they are the prince or princess of fairy tales-an attitude which, sadly, is frowned upon, or even punished, by many parents. With parents who want them to get their head out of the clouds, Healers begin to believe they are bad to be so fanciful, so dreamy, and can come to see themselves as ugly ducklings. In truth, they are quite OK just as they are, only different from most others-swans reared in a family of ducks.

At work, Healers are adaptable, welcome new ideas and new information, are patient with complicated situations, but impatient with routine details. Healers are keenly aware of people and their feelings, and relate well with most others. Because of their deep-seated reserve, however, they can work quite happily alone. When making decisions, Healers follow their heart not their head, which means they can make errors of fact, but seldom of feeling. They have a natural interest in scholarly activities and demonstrate, like the other Idealists, a remarkable facility with language. They have a gift for interpreting stories, as well as for creating them, and thus often write in lyric, poetic fashion. Frequently they hear a call to go forth into the world and help others, a call they seem ready to answer, even if they must sacrifice their own comfort.

INFPs are introspective, private, creative and highly idealistic individuals that have a constant desire to be on a meaningful path. They are driven by their values and seek peace. Empathetic and compassionate, they want to help others and humanity as a whole. INFPs are imaginitive, artistic and often have a talent for language and writing. They can also be described as easygoing, selfless, guarded, adaptable, patient and loyal.

About the INFP Expert Quotes

"To understand Healers, we must understand their idealism as almost boundless and selfless, inspiring them to make extraordinary sacrifices for someone or something they believe in. The Healer is the Prince or Princess of fairytale, the King's Champion or Defender of the Faith..."

- The Portrait of a Healer Idealist (Keirsey)

"INFPs are highly intuitive about people. They rely heavily on their intuitions to guide them, and use their discoveries to constantly search for value in life. They are on a continuous mission to find the truth and meaning underlying things. Every encounter and every piece of knowledge gained gets sifted through the INFP's value system, and is evaluated to see if it has any potential to help the INFP define or refine their own path in life."

- Portrait of an INFP (The Personality Page)

"creative, smart, idealist, loner, attracted to sad things, disorganized, avoidant, can be overwhelmed by unpleasant feelings..."

- INFP Jung Type Descriptions (similarminds.com)

"An INFP's feelings form the foundations of the individual. They are sacred and binding, in the sense that their emergence requires no further justification. An INFP's feelings are often guarded, kept safe from attack and ridicule. Only a few, close confidants are permitted entrance into this domain."

"Highly creative, artistic and spiritual, they can produce wonderful works of art, music and literature. INFPs are natural artists. They will find great satisfaction if they encourage and develop their artistic abilities. That doesn't mean that an INFP has to be a famous writer or painter in order to be content. Simply the act of "creating" will be a fulfilling source of renewal and refreshment to the INFP. An INFP should allow himself or herself some artistic outlet, because it will add enrichment and positive energy to their life."

"INFPs never seem to lose their sense of wonder. One might say they see life through rose-colored glasses. It's as though they live at the edge of a looking-glassworld where mundane objects come to life, where flora and fauna take on near-human qualities."

"Their job must be fun, although not racous, and it must be meaningful to them. They need a strong purpose in their work. They want to be recognized and valued, without undue attention given to them. They may become embarrassed when make the center of attention. As a result, they may undersell their strengths in order to avoid being singled out and made to feel conspicuous. They would rather have their worth be noticed gradually over time."

INFPs are often happy with the following jobs which tend to match well with the Dreamer/Visionary personality.

• Activist

• Architect

• Artist

• Actor

• Counselor

• Church Worker

• Employee Development Specialist

• Educational Consultant

• Editor

• Filmmaker

• Fashion Designer

• Graphic/Web Designer

• Holistic Health Practitioner

• Human Resources

• Journalist

• Librarian

• Legal Mediator

• Massage Therapist

• Missionary

• Musician

• Minister

• Psychologist/Counselor

• Photographer

• Physical Therapist

• Researcher

• Social Scientist

• Speech Pathologist

• Social Worker

• Translator/Interpreter

• Teacher/Professor

• Video Editor

• Writer


The test only takes a few minutes. If you take the time to complete the questions, let me know your results and if you feel they are in line with  how you (and others) see yourself and what you do for a living.

Word of the day...
Idealism ~ The practice of envisioning things in an ideal (perfect, wondrous, excellent) form : Pursuit of one's ideals

Baker, Baker

My Aunt Katie was an incredible baker. Before she passed on, she passed on her recipes for pound cake..all different flavors. However, according to my immediate family members, the orange cake seems to be the unanimous favorite. It takes the cake! In the photo, you can see where it crumbled a bit, only because I turned it out before it had cooled a bit (the kids were itching for a piece before bed!).

Here are the pics of the faux-fire and Crazy 8 cards. I pinky-promise that my carpet isn't as dirty looking as it appears in the picture! it's really clean!

One task that wasn't on my to-do list was to make paper airplanes. Elsa and Lucas color blank paper and then ahnd it over to be reconfigured into a flying machine. I actually did it! I got a little coaching help along the way, but that's a-o-k since asking for help was on the list!

******

So, there are a few things that I really need to work on. One is getting off of the computer and facebook! I had said I would only spend three blocks of 30 minutes a day on the computer. I'm not there yet.

The other is not eating after 7:00. Gosh, did I even note that? Ever since school started, I pick at food all day, which I've always done - I'm a grazer. But, when I get home in the evening (10:45 pm), I'm famished and make something to eat. I would think that a small snack - a banana, some almond butter on an apple, a cup of yogurt - would be ok to nosh on this late at night. However, I whip up meals! I have to stop. Where's that willpower I was talking about in another post? To date, no one has sent me any of their extra. Perhaps, if I was more determined to be in bed by 11:00, I'd be less likely to eat.

Just a reminder...I entered a contest at http://www.mixingbowl.com/. If you go there, click on contests, look for the messiest food contest link, and find my user name - bigbutt. I have two entries...Stuffed Shells and a Grilled Guacamole, Tomato, and Cheese sandwich.  Please vote for one of mine:) The contest runs until February and you are permitted to vote every day! Thanks!

Word of the day...

Unanimous ~  Sharing  the same opinion or views : In complete agreement

Hearts on Fire

Whenever Lucas returns from school, he likes to put on his fuzzy sweats, have something ooey-gooey to eat, and curl up on the sofa under a pile of blankets. Such a Taurus. And so much like me.

Today, it was chilly. After getting settled, we decided that a fire would be nice. So, I started one (yes, it was in the fireplace). While fire-starting is on my list, I don't know that I can cross it off. I used one of those logs made from recycled material...this one was primarily from coffee grounds. Thankfully, it didn't smell like coffee, as I would have had to break down and have a mug of the real deal.

Anyway, after the fire got to roaring, we got to playing cards. I learned another card game...Hearts! Oodles* of fun!

When we finished, Lucas took a nap and I hung out next to him reading my new magazine - Cloth Paper Scissors...Or maybe it's Cloth Scissors Paper...I can't tell. Regardless of the title, if you're a crafty, artsy person and don't already subscribe to this zine, you should. It's amazing! I'm inspired to start creating!

*

What are some blogs that you read that deal with art, crafts, reusing/recycling material to use in projects?


Word of the day...
Oodles ~ A great amount, a whole heck of alot

Howdy!

When we went on our hike the other afternoon, I made a point of saying "howdy!" to everyone we saw on the trail! It was so easy. Colorado is home to some of the friendliest people on the planet. Often times, they beat me to the greeting!

I decided to continue with my "hellos!" while at the gym. I attend the Paul Derda Recreation Center in Broomfield. Like many people, I tend to frequent the facility within the same timeframe whenever I go, which by the way, has been at least 5 days a week ( my dedication* is resurfacing!). So, I see alot of the same folks each time I head to my work out...there is a group of new moms and babies that circle the track for 45 minutes or so, the red t-shirt wearing senior walkers, a handful of men with great legs who stick to the free-weight area, and - my favorite - the North Metro Firefighters!

Quickly, I realized that saying hello to people at the gym only seemed like a good idea in my head. Most people had something plugging their ears...the speakers (whatever they are called) from their ipods. Or hearing aids. The exceptions were the firefighters who, because they have to be able to hear the calls from their hand-held radios, have no such insertions streaming from their heads...nor do the babies in strollers who are exercising with their mommies. Since I'm somewhat shy around super-heroes, I could only bring myself to say goo-goo-ga-ga to the babes ( the ones in stollers)!

More about the gym later...

Night!

Word of the day...
Dedication ` 1. To set aside for sepcial use.  2. To commit oneself to a course of action

You Need A Lion or an 8...

Playing cards has always been a fun pastime* for me. The only problem (for others, not necessarily for me) is that up until today, I only knew two games...Go Fish! and Rummy. Now, thanks to the kids, I've learned how to play Crazy 8's! 

It's a card game, so it gets crossed off the list! However, I promise to learn several others throughout the year!



Word of the day ~
Pastime ~ An activity that occupies one's spare time pleasantly.

Heart To Heart

Last year, I was introduced to The Jericho House, a Christ-centered addiction recovery program located in Georgia. Someone I care deeply about was struggling with substance abuse and other dependencies, so I wanted to learn all I could about what he was going through. I was reading the website for The Jericho House and shared with Elsa and Lucas some news. They had always been concerned that my friend wasn't able to see his children as often as he would have liked. They were saddened even more to hear that some of the residents of the house had no contact with their family members. Not wanting anyone to feel unhappy and lonely, the kids came up with the idea to mail decorated heart ornaments to the folks at the house.

Since they had such a good time sending their love, I thought this year making hearts for Valentine's Day would be ideal. We decided to get our neighbors involved as well. (We are so fortunate to live in a wonderful community filled with compassionate*, caring people.) With 8 kids and 4 adults participating, we were able to create enough goodness to forward to The Jericho House, and also to our local senior center. The kids and I are excited to be going to the center this week to drop off the greetings and some other goodies!

It took me so many years to figure out that it isn't the cost, brand, or location of where you purchase a gift that makes it meaningful. What makes a gift special is that the gesture of giving it be rooted in kindness and love. We hope you'll find creative ways to let others know they are loved! Don't wait! xoxo


Word of the day...
Compassionate ~ Deep awareness of the suffering of another.

Another One Bites The Mud...

Sheep shearing got put on hold. We were going to head to the stock show in Denver, but decided to wait another week. Next Saturday and Sunday are dedicated to the wooly beasts! I'm hoping to find a mentor...someone who will teach me to shear so I can cross it off my list!

Instead of going to the show, we went to Mesa Trail in Eldorado Springs for a hike. A muddy hike.

The kids love this trail. From it, we can see Devil's Thumb. As of today, however, it has been renamed. I'm not permitted to say on my blog what the kiddos have decided to call it, except they determined it still belongs to the Devil. Just know that I am taking anatomy classes, which means they're inadvertently* "exposed" to various material.

Word of the day...

Inadvertently, adv.  ~ Unintentionally

Rhyming Day

This morning, I headed to south Denver for my first dance lesson at Swallow Hill. Ken is my teacher. He's been clogging since the 80's...he's 67 years old! Check out his dance group - http://www.hoofinhighcountry.clogdancing.com/

Today, it was just the two of us. I had a blast! I learned skipping, toe steps, and rocking. I have to work on the chug* (I can't believe I couldn't get something down called the chug). And my favorite step, the scuff! What a workout!

Along with the dancing, the music is awesome! I am now a fan of bluegrass and other folk music!


I had a great photo of the outside of Swallow Hill, but deleted it in error. When I go back for my next class, I'll take another picture. It's such a great building!

So, my day was spent clogging and blogging!

Clog on!

Word of the day...
CHUG  
–noun 1. a short, dull, explosive sound: the steady chug of an engine.
–verb (used without object) 2. to make this sound: The motor chugged.
3. to move while making this sound: The train chugged along.
–verb (used with object) 1. chug-a-lug.
–verb (used without object) 2. to drink something in large gulps: to chug on a bottle of beer.
–noun 3. a large gulp or swallow: He finished his beer in two chugs.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Under Cover

One of the reasons that I'm so excited about tackling this list is because the kids are learning some valuable lessons. Telling children how they should behave - give to others, be kind, look people in the eyes when you speak with them, and so on, is good. Showing them how to do those things is even better.

I picked out two books  - Eat, Pray, Love and Their Eyes Were Watching God  - to share with others. Lucas was my partner in fun! Off we went to the Paul Derda Recreation Center (this is where I train for my 5K by running around the track. BORE-RING, as the kids pronounce it). We placed the first book in a locker in the changing room. We hurried away, giggling. Then, we went to the grocery store and placed the other one inside a cart. As we walked into the bakery section, Lucas announced that he felt like a secret agent.

Speaking of secret agents, Elsa would make a good one. If it weren't for that sweet face and head of hair, we wouldn't be able to see her in this picture!

Elsa wanted me to let everyone know that she has two resolutions this year. The first is to stop sucking her thumb. She never did this when she was a baby. However, over the years her inclination* has been to insert her thumb in her mouth during sleep, when she gets nervous, or when she is watching tv.  Her second resolution is to eat more fruit and vegetables. She made it perfectly clear that eating more of these foodstuffs did not mean that she would be taking sweets off the menu. In celebration of her decision to include more fruit, I made her some white chocolate bark with cranberries, pecans, and apricots ( my friend who was over for non-coffee the other day mentioned seeing this recipe on one of the food shows and I needed a reason to try it!). Elsa LOVED it!

The treat...so easy to do. Melt some white chocolate. Pour onto a wax or parchment paper lined pan. I sprayed my paper with a little bit of cooking spray to be certain it didn't stick. Throw on the nuts and fruit - you don't need to stir it together, but if  you want to, I'm guessing that would be just fine. Put in the fridge to chill. Break into pieces. Consume.
You could absolutely change up the ingredients. I'm thinking of trying dark chocolate, coconut, cherries, and pistachios. Yum.

Since it's a long weekend for all of us, Elsa and I decided it would be a good time to learn how to tie her shoes! She has spent most of her toddler life in slip ons, so we never focused much on laces. We are hoping that the mission will be accomplished by the time she has to return to school on Tuesday.

I'm so looking forward to tomorrow! Do you remember what I have planned?

Word of the day...

Inclination ~ a tendency toward a certain action or condition; a liking or a preference

Love One Another

Like many, I am heartbroken about the devastation in Haiti. I am taking the day off from blogging to grieve, pray, and act.. Please think about what you can do to help the victims of this tragedy. Then do it.
If you'd like to make a donation, please consider contributing through the American Friends Service Committee.

Be kind to each other.
Peace!

http://www.afsc.org/

Bonding...

Usually, Lucas and I find something to do outdoors or we always seem to be going somewhere, doing something...like a Bisy Backson. Today, we chilled like shrimp on the rim of a cocktail glass.

I didn't get out of my pjs. In the morning, a friend came over for not-coffee*. Lucas was itching for some attention.  So when my friend left, Luke and I read books. Lots of them! It was fantastic! Sometimes, I feel that he didn't get as much one-on-one book reading time as Elsa did when she was growing up. She, by the way, is a stellar reader! Luke is interested in letters and words. He is finally at a place where he enjoys the story and has comments and questions (more of the former) about it. " What does this say?" was the question I heard repeated today. Loved it!

After reading, he wanted to make a fruit salad. So, we cut up pears and apple, added some huge red grapes, and dried apricots (his idea). When his 'hood friends came over today, he made sure to let everyone know about his creation. Then he would say, "Please, have some. Enjoy it." What a host!

*

My fabulously awesome cousin found some repeats in my list of resolutions. So, I need to add three more to make up for the doubles!

 ~Have a slumber party~

That's all I can think of right now.

Night!

Word of the day.
 According to T...
*not-coffee - noun. a liquid or dry, granulated substance bearing the same likeness in texture and smell to coffee, but lacking in caffeine.

Not in this house....

The other day, Jeff, my former husband who still lives with me, decided that Fiona - one of our cats - needed a new cat-scratch post. Lately, she's been tearing up the carpets, but we refuse to get her declawed, even though doing so would be less costly than replacing the flooring.

I was out front, chipping away ice from the sidewalk,when I saw Jeff pull up in the car from his shopping trip. He got out from the driver's side, walked to the trunk, and pulled out a huge Ta*#et bag. GASP!

"You need to put that back in the trunk. It can't come inside."

"What?!"

"Remember, one of the resolutions was not to shop there. So, you need to return it to the store."

"Where am I supposed to get a new cat post, nut ball*? You always make things so difficult! And by the way, it's not my resolution."

" You can get one at that Willow place...they have all-things animal related. You could check the thrift store...but the post would need to be unused. Or, you could just fix the one we have...maybe put some new rope around it and it will be good as new.
And some of the resolutions are house resolutions."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that if you want to live in the house, you need to abide by the resolution."

"Where's the rope?"

*

Ah, I love my former husband. He's a good man.

*

Today, we finished turning a small room in the house into a therapy space for massage, reflexology...bodywork. I'm so excited! The room was his...that's where he's been sleeping since November 2008. Don't even ask..it's too long to get into right now.

*

I'm sitting here with a buttered loaf of rye bread...tearing off pieces, then dipping the chunk into my cream of mushroom soup. That should sum up how my cleanse is going.

Today, I read an article on Yahoo! news about winter eating and resting and how you shouldn't fight the urge to do both during this time of year. It was written by a doctor. It must be true. I'm heeding his advice.
The cleanse will need to wait. Spring cleaning.

*

*According to Wiktionary
Nut ball ~

An eccentric or crazy person

...POWER!

Solar power. For the most part, I understand how solar power works...harness the energy of the sun using, among other things, panels.
Hydropower. Build a dam = Energy = POWER.
Windpower. Been around for ages. Think Holland. (I was going to say something about turbines, but since I was married to a Dutchman, went with the windmill visual.)

I get it!

I know that if I want to purchase Power Rangers (which I don't), I can find them on ebay (instead of at the "super" stores).
 If I need to acquire Power of Attorney...1-800-LAWYERS.

Got it!

Feeling lucky? On Saturday, I can buy a Powerball ticket.

What I don't get is how I can buy, find, acquire some WILLPOWER!!!

Today, I started my cleanse. And finished it.
Is that even possible? Can you cleanse in 4 hours? I don't think so, but who can say.

My intention was to complete a week-long cleanse. Day 1 was to be only herbal teas, "juiced" produce, and veggie broth. Lots of water, too! As the week progressed I was going to add in chewables - veggies and fruit - yogurt, and eventually, bean soups. I wanted to wean myself off of processed sugars, carbs...you know the drill.

Water was the first thing that touched my lips this morning. Yippee! Off to a good start.
Then it was decaf. Ok, that wasn't on the list, but at least it wasn't leaded.
Feeling guilty, I had tea as well, even though after the coffee I wasn't that thirsty.

Lucas and I went to the gym. I did my 30 minute walk plus more cardio (I like to bike) and started feeling really hungry.
We headed over to Sprouts Farmer's Market to do some grocery shopping.

On the way home, I nibbled on a few of Luke's banana chips that we had purchased at the store.
Hmmm, I don't recall fruit being an acceptable item for consumption, especailly not chipped fruit.  But, at least it was a type of fruit. I forgave myself.

By the time we got home, Luke was asking me what the noise was that as coming from the front seat.
"My tummy is grumbling!"

11:30...groceries are still in bags, I'm leaning against my ugly slate-blue counter with an organic Gala apple in one hand  (huge bite taken out of it) and in the other, a handful of dark-chocolate dipped pretzels that I, without hesitation, proceeded to inhale.

Willpower wasn't on my shopping list, so I didn't even think about throwing it in the cart!

Later, I noshed on the leftover spring rolls that I made yesterday. I justified eating them because they were stuffed with veggies. Before class, I ate a skimpy salad with some balsamic vinegar on it.

As I was driving home at 10:30 pm from school, I was telling myself that the only thing I was permitted to ingest when I got home was tea. Sleepytime tea is wonderful when you are a little wound up from the day. I made my cup. Here I sit with it, along with a bowl of honey toasted cereal in coconut milk.

If you have any willpower* to spare, please send it my way. Thank you!

Whew, this was a long post!

I'm up an hour longer than I'm supposed to be!

Tomorrow, I'll try to cleanse again! And I forgot to mention that I started clearing out the area that I'm going to use for a therapy room. I'll posts pictures! (Of the room, not the clearing out of my intestines)

I have so much more I want to let you in on...a shopping trip, Valentine's Day cards, and gas day.

If you haven't checked out my other blog, please do. I love my kiddos so much and my posts there tend to cover some of the things they say and do. However, this week, with Valentine's Day around the corner, I might need to focus a bit more on the pillow talk! 

Kindest regards !

I couldn't resist...
Word of the day - WILLPOWER - The strength of will to carry out one's decisions, wishes, or plans.

Ballyhooing!*

What a terrific word...Ballyhooing. It's a word one would find mentioned in The Hundred Acre Wood by Pooh...or Owl, perhaps. Who do you think would use it in a sentence?

In any case, I am not one to ballyhoo*. Yet, I've been doing alot of self-promoting on facebook and I'm feeling a bit guilty. I see others mention their blogs, but for some reason, I have a difficult time doing that. So, while I have you here, I'll mention my other blog, http://parentingpoliticspillowtalk.blogspot.com/. One of my resolutions was to blog daily and I've been doing just that!

How have you been doing with accomplishing your resolutions? What were yours? I'd really like to know.

Today, I made spring rolls.
(That wasn't on my list. Spontaneity is important, too! I think that was a resolution.)
The rolls are so easy to make!

Other than that, I didn't do much.
Meditated in the morning. Wrote a letter to my Poppy. Blogged. Watched a few minutes of football while I ate my rolls. Napped. Practiced kid's yoga with Elsa and Lucas. Studied. Ate another roll.

Tomorrow, I start my cleanse. Move your goop over Gwyneth Paltrow.
Gwen does lots of ballyhooing!

* Ballyhoo ~ Sensational promotion or publicity: noisy uproar: exaggerated publicity

It Lowers Your Cholesterol

Oatmeal. To many, this mainstay which can be found on breaksfast menus all over the country might not sound appetizing. A meal of oats.

However, I'm betting these same folks would have had a change of heart (with lowered cholesterol) had they attended the Quaker Oatmeal Festival in Lafayettte, Colorado. The festivities were held throughout the old town area of Lafayette. The city is about 30 minutes from Denver and 15 minutes from Boulder. There was a 5K walk/run,  a health fair,  local vendors, a baking contest (had I known about this sooner, I would have entered my Oatmeal-cranberry dipped in chocolate cookies!), Bongo - the balloon guy (he's flippin amazing!), facepainting, adoptable furries from the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, and loads of oatmeal!

When you entered the building where the food was being sold, you could smell breakfast. There were oatmeal muffins that tasted like they were chock-full of heart-happy goodness, yet they were sweet enough for the kids' picky tastebuds. Pancakes made from Quaker oats had this fantastic rustic texture and appearance. But, the piece de resistance* (I apologize...I don't know how to make the accents grave and  aigu from my keyboard) of the breakfast was the oatmeal. More specifically, the toppings bar for the oatmeal.

Before us, in the cafeteria, were rows of yummies to be combined with our oatmeal. I was thrilled to see fresh fruit - blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Every nut that you can imagine was available for consumption. There were spices, sugars, and extracts ( all from McCormick's. Yeah!). Raisins, dates, dried cranberries & cherries were also present for the party. Who would have thought of putting apple butter, pumpkin butter, or flavored jams into oatmeal? The folks at Quaker, of course!
None of these things appealed to the kids. It wasn't until I saw the offerings of Nutella, peanut butter, M&M's, chocolate chips, and Gummi Bears that I knew they would finish everything in their bowls.

PS...This was a zero landfill waste event, meaning everything that was used for eating and drinking - utensils, bowls, trays, cups, and so on, are biodegradable, able to be composted, or able to be recycled.  Common in Colorado. I wanted you to see the impact this makes on the environment, so I took a picture of the cup I was using. Yes, there was coffee in it. DECAF.

*piece de resistance...The principal dish of a meal: the highlight of a meal

It's All About Food

Last night, I claimed that today's focus would be on cleaning the house! It didn't work out that way. Instead, I made food, talked about food, and wrote about food. It never fails that when winter visits, I head to one of two places - the kitchen or the bedroom. My motto during the frigid months is, "Eat. Hibernate. Repeat."

Last night, I was craving cookies, but not just any cookie. The sweet I was yearning for is a magical one...a cookie that brings back fond memories and makes me smile. I needed Berger Cookies!

Unless you've eaten these, you probably aren't going to appreciate this portion of the post - at least not yet. If you're a Baltimorean, you get it! Reading, saying, or hearing those words, "Berger Cookies,"  causes immediate salivation.

For those unfamilier with this Maryland gem, let me enlighten you. A Berger Cookie has two parts. The base - the cookie itself - reminds me, in texture and size, of a scone. It's dense, yet crumbly. Some people say it's a white cookie, but I think it's more ecru* in color. The crowning glory of this baked treat is a massive, fudge-like layer of CHOCOLATE! OMG! I need a napkin to wipe the drool from the sides of my mouth!

If you want to take a peek at these goodies, go to the website, www.bergercookies.com. This takes me to the next story - the Berger Cookie website - which, in turn, addresses another resolution.

Today, a friend (Hi Mark!) suggested I Google the business, contact them, and find out if they'd ship some treats to Colorado. The company was easy to find (because Google rocks). As I perused the pages that told the story about the history of the cookie and the people who created it, I couldn't help notice all the errors - grammatical and spelling. What kept going through my mind was that here is this fantastic company whose website doesn't do them - or their product - justice.

So, I took it upon myself to do some editing. Granted, I'm not a professional editor. I make misstakes when i writ and especailly wen I type. However, I'm not a multi-million dollar business* trying to sell my product to the masses. I wanted to help. Plus, one of my resolutions is to write to a company and tell them what I think about their product.

I'm hoping  the higher-ups are so impressed with my suggestions and corrections that they send me a case of cookies. I pinky swear, I'll share!

I'll keep you posted on how this turns out.

While cyber-chatting with my facebook friends, I realized that by living in Colorado not only am I missing out on almost-immediate access to Berger Cookies, but also to Tastykake butterscotch krimpets and Old Bay seasoning. So deprived!

Tonight, I decided to knock out another resolution and blend my own salsa to eat with our dinner of soft tacos. It was easy! Jarred salsa can't touch the fresh taste of homemade.

In the blender, I added a package of organic grape tomaotes, some white onion, fresh cilantro, a couple tablespoons of garlic, and a few pinches of cumin and salt. Grate. Done. Yum!

Tomorrow, I'm taking the monkeys to The Lafayette Oatmeal Festival.
Yes, more food.

*ecru - a light tan color.
* I have no idea how much money the company generates. The assumption was used for impact.

Leg work

Beginning in May, my family enjoys frequenting the Boulder Farmer's Market. It's an all-day event! We go to the park, play in the creek, and visit with vendors. One of my favorite tables to visit is the one where they sell heirloom popcorn. It's organic, made in Colorado, and comes in an array of gorgeous colors! The kids had their friends over after school and we watched, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I had to break out the remaining kernels and pop up some snacks for the kiddos. These tiny morsels have a delicately sweet flavor and they melt on your tongue. They're awesome tossed with some raisins, pretzels, and chocolate chips. One more resolution - cooking popcorn the old school way - accomplished!

I've been doing quite a bit of online research, trying to find dance classes, Hepburn movies, and John Waters' birthday ( April 22). Really, I want to start dancing, specifically clogging, so finding an instructor has been a goal. We have a fantastic music venue in Colorado called Swallow Hill - http://www.swallowhill.com/ . I had no idea they offered clogging lessons! Yippee. I start on January 16th. I'm looking forward to this kind of leg work!

I've been remiss* with my house cleaning chores. Scrubbing, dusting, and buffing is what I'll be focusing on tomorrow. Fun!

*Remiss - negligent, lax in attending to duty.

Nincompoop

Yesterday, I couldn't stop thinking about coffee. Around the world, people drink coffee and here I am in Broomfield depriving myself of the black gold. Then, it hit me. I gave up caffeine, not coffee. Nincompoop*. There is the option of DEcaffeinated! So, last evening after class, I went to the store and picked up a bag of Newman's Own Organics Special Decaf. And it's Fair Trade certified, too. A win-win for me!

This morning, as I signed on to another blog site, I got to drink coffee! As I read pages 1-6 of Anna Karenina, I got to drink coffee! And as I wrote my pen pal (see below) I got to drink coffee. Life is so grand!

When I checked my email last night, there was a message from my pen pal! She sent her address and asked who was going to write first. Yeah! I wrote her a brief letter today and included a token of my appreciation for following through with communication...a postcard of a recipe for pecan pie (she likes postcards and collects recipes!).

More good news...from the pen pal site, I got another request to correspond! Yippee!

Another resolution this year is to take care of someone who is sick. My dear friend Lisa is feeling yucky. She lives in PA, so there isn't much I can do from here. Except, send well-wishes! And a picture of the dish my Nana and Mom used to make for us when we weren't feeling up-to-speed. It's a soft-boiled egg, mixed with buttered toast. Plus, salt and LOTS of pepper! I wish there was such a thing as smell-o-screen. Or have a byte! HA! I don't even know if that's funny, as I have no idea what a byte, as it relates to a computer, is. Feel better, friend!

I entered my saucy shells in a messiest recipe contest at http://www.mixingbowl.com/. Upon reflection, I thought that maybe the shells might not be the messiest dish I could come up with. So, today, I made a grilled cheesy guacamole & tomato sandwich. It's so easy. Since I can't eat avocados (bummer, I know) my friend, Katherine (who is starting her own magazine!) came over and ate the sandwich for lunch. It was oozy and gooey. Yum! Please go to the site and vote for one of my entries...saucy shells stuffed with cheese and spinach or the grilled cheese. You'll find my entries under the username bigbutt:)

While Katherine was here, we talked about a way for her company to participate in a community fundraiser (another resolution)! Since her magazine targets women over 50...we thought of a Red Hat Society fashion show to benefit multiple non-profits. Check back later for details! It will be a blast!

*Nincompoop ~ dimwit, dork