Scientific Nature of the Whammy

Friday Fragments: Igloos, Vampires & Snowy Owls

2012-01-27T00:34:00.000-08:00

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard. Collect humorous observations, "Heard" items, and other small gems and put them together in a Friday Fragments post.

Friday Fragments are the brainchild of Mrs.4444 and you can find more at Half Past Kissin' Time.

*****

We have been in the process of having Sam formally evaluated for possible Aspergers or developmental delays. This week, though, he was acting so much more mature. My Mom pointed out that Sam has had a pattern of being about six months behind, so it may make sense that he is now moving from acting like a 4 1/2 year old to acting more like a typical 5 year old. For the first time this week he actually answered my question about what he learned at school that day! He told me that snowy owls build their nests on the ground. Female snowy owls. It is so amazing to get these glimpses into the kinds of conversations and time together we might have a year from now.

*****

Danny on the other hand has been a TOTAL pill this week. At first we thought maybe he was getting sick. Now it's been going on for days - he is tired, he whines all day long... I am starting to think maybe he's about to reach some huge milestone. Maybe to start talking? That would sure be nice!

*****

We went and saw Underworld Awakening this week. It was just as I expected, and I quite enjoyed it. I was really surprised that the girl in it was India Eisley. Why? Because I saw her on The Secret Life of the American Teenager when I watched the first season, and I totally thought she was a TERRIBLE actress. I guess that's just how her character was supposed to be on that show?? I quite enjoyed her in this movie. I enjoyed the movie as a whole, I am a huge vampire/werewolf fan and have seen all four of these in the theaters. And if they don't make a fifth, I will be SERIOUSLY surprised since the ending might as well have said "to be continued."

*****

Speaking of vampires, I'm currently listening to the audiobook of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I'm really enjoying it! Part of the reason is because there is so much history in it - I did not know much about Abraham Lincoln and now I know more. I also find that I have trouble reading historical fiction that's written in the manner of the time, but that if I can read a historical novel written in modern terms, I really, really enjoy them.

*****

This post at Absolutely Bananas cracked me up. Because, only in Seattle would you come across an igloo and find a bunch of hippies smoking weed inside of it.

*****

I was touched by this post over at Geek in Heels about her first time volunteering serving food at a local homeless shelter. A lot of times, we do forget how much we have, and how amazing the things we get to experience day to day are. Volunteering is so rewarding, and lately I have really been missing my volunteer work. I think it might be time to figure out how to go back to DVSAS, or find another place that will fit into my schedule.

*****

This made me giggle.

It Shouldn't Exist.

2012-01-26T00:34:00.000-08:00

Dreadlocks on white people.
Botox or ever injecting disease into yourself on purpose to be "attractive."
Black licorice.
Neuticals.
Anything with anise.
Truck Nuts.
Axe Body Spray.
Big Johnson T-Shirts.
Scientology.
Toddlers & Tiaras.
Calvin peeing decals.
Almost every Pit Bull song.
These song lyrics: "Shush girl, shut your lips Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips." (FAIL, 3Oh!3...)
El Caminos.
The book "Get Married This Year: 365 Days to 'I Do'"
Pants with words across the ass (especially in children's sizes).
The movie "21 Grams."
Mosquitos.
Non Alcoholic Beer.
YOU CHOOSE - What else?

Non Sequitur

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-08:00

Last time I had a day off, I sat on the bottom floor of the library building at the community college where Justin works. I had plans - I wanted to read some that day, and write a few blog posts. Instead, I went for a walk after I dropped Sam off at school. I took some pictures of details on some of the houses around the Columbia neighborhood and played with my new camera lens. I went to my Weight Watcher's meeting, then I plonked myself down at a table with my computer, and sat there for 5 hours. And I didn't write much. I DID write (as in by hand) a long (and long overdue) letter to my penpal, which took over an hour. I did get to talk to my sister on the phone for almost an hour and get all caught up. I did get caught up with all the posts in my feedreader. And I managed to post my weekly update. But I didn't write much. Part of me feels disappointed about it, even though I got a couple things done that I really wanted to do, I also wanted to write and spend part of the day reading. Sometimes, I feel like there are not enough hours to finish everything I want to finish. I get a whole day off once a week, which is absolutely amazing. Somehow at the end of that day, I'm always left feeling like there was SOMETHING I didn't get done. I guess that's just life, right? I find that with limited amounts of time, I have a hard time deciding which things I want to do, and which to push aside. There are emails in my inbox that I should have already replied to, but instead I was reading blog posts. There were phone calls I could have made, appointments to be scheduled, that I didn't even think about all day. Right now Danny is not able to take care of himself to the point where I can get much done at home. It will be nice when he's a bit older and I can do some of those things during the day while he's around. Or not. Who am I kidding anyhow, Sam is five and still wants to be with me most of the time.

*****

This Tuesday, I'm felt more relaxed. I had to take Sam to an appointment this morning, so I didn't get started on my day until about 11:30. I headed straight to my Weight Watchers meeting, which took until 1:00 once I got in and got settled. It was worth it, my weigh in was rewarding this week when I met my first short term goal of losing 5% of my weight. It's slow going, but I am feeling really optimistic about it right now. I went shopping for a couple of things, and got curtain rods to hang in the hall to create a gallery for Sam's work. I can't wait to see it done, and I'll post photos when it's finished. I haven't gotten to any of the posts in my reader, and I've only read about 20 pages today, but I'm looking forward to my date night with Justin tonight. Maybe all of this is partly a result of being trapped in my house last week for literally almost a week. From Friday to Friday, I left the house for 3 hours on Saturday with the kids, and for about 6 hours on Monday to attend a memorial service. After that, we were snowed in until Friday afternoon! It was crazy. So I appreciate my freedom today!

*****

I can't believe it's almost February. I feel like this month has flown by (despite the way last week seemed to drag on and on while it was happening). I got to go down to Seattle last Friday to visit my best friend - I'm going to do that once a month from now on. I've been missing her like crazy lately and it was really, really nice to spend time with her. We hung out, did a Golden Globe winner double feature and saw The Artist and The Descendants, and stayed up until 2 in the morning talking. It nurtured my spirit.

*****

I feel like I haven't been writing enough, and I need to find my muse again. I know that there are words in here that want to escape, I just need to find a way to lure them out.

Week 7: 5% Woo!

2012-01-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Current Weight:   235.0
+/- this week:   -4.2
+/- this round:   -14.8
+/- total:   -31.9
Short Term Goal 1:   237.8 (5%) MET!
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

I met my first goal of 5%! Yay! I also lost 4.2 pounds this week. Maybe less/more, for the past 2 weeks I lost 5.2 pounds and since I didn't have an official weigh in last week, I'm not sure how much happened each week. I'm excited to be meeting goals. It's so encouraging! I got my 5% star sticker at my meeting today. My next short term goal is my 10% - 225.8 or about 25 pounds.

I ate very poorly last week as a result of being trapped in the house all week, but I was also sick, so I didn't eat as much. I also got almost NO activity aside from a walk yesterday with my Mom, my Sister and her Fiance, but it was a good walk - 2 hours on the trail.

There are no big challenges this week, and I'm going to try and go for walks with Danny twice, and do a higher intensity workout twice.

Tonight is date night, so I may not get much done, but either when we get home or tomorrow, I'll be making a new meal plan and putting together a grocery list for what we'll be eating this week. I have all my cookbooks ready and I'm actually looking forward to cooking some new things.

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009):  267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011):  249.8 lbs
Starting BMI:  41.8

Weight Lost: 31.9 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI:  25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%) - Met 1/24/12
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Goal: 160 lbs
To Go: 75 lbs

Penguins Are Disgusting

2012-01-23T20:22:00.000-08:00

S: Mama. Mama. Mama. I have to tell you something.
R: Yes?
S: I love you.
R: I love you too.
S: I never stop loving you.
R: I never stop loving you either.
S: When I am angry, I never stop loving you. You are the best at Kirby's Adventures in Dreamland.

Isn't it lovely how a sweet conversation still becomes something that revolves around video games?

*****

Twice in the last two days, Sam and I have had laughing fits together. Something funny is said, then we laugh, his laughing sets me off and then my laughing sets him off, and we just laugh and laugh. In those moments, there is nothing but pure joy.

*****

S: Some things are the same, and some are different. God and Jesus are supposed to be the same.
R: Oh? Who is Jesus?
S: He is the one who decides if you are a boy or a girl. And what color your eyeballs are. That's all I can think of right now.
R: Who is God?
S: I don't know.

*****

S: Penguins are disgusting.
R: What? Why?
S: The way penguins eat is disgusting. They eat food out of other penguin's mouths. It's disgusting.
R: Well... actually, a lot of birds eat that way. But it is kind of gross.

Week 6: There snow official weigh in this week

2012-01-17T16:05:00.000-08:00

Current Weight:   239.2 - 10.6 pounds! (unofficial)
+/- this week:   -1.0
+/- total:   -27.7
Short Term Goal 1:   237.8 (5%)

I didn't go to my meeting today.

This is WASHINGTON. People freak out a bit at an inch or two of snow.

Let alone a foot.

I don't even know if the Weight Watchers office was open today. But I certainly wasn't going anywhere with my bald tires.

Also, I have a cold. And Sam is sick. So basically, it's been a pretty low key day. School will probably be closed again tomorrow, and possibly Thursday. It's snowing again right now, and we will get 0-9 more inches tonight.

So. This week, I ended up not having any real big challenges. My book club was cancelled, so that wasn't an issue. I did not get as much exercise as I would have liked. I had planned to walk some over the weekend, and that didn't happen.

For some reason, I didn't use all of my daily points any day this week. I don't know if I have passed that hump of feeling hungry all the time, or if it's because this cold was coming on. I didn't use any of my 49 weekly points either. I have a feeling I am actually down more than a pound... my scale used to match the ones at the office, but I'm not sure it does anymore. I guess we'll find out next week. I also pulled out my Just Dance Wii game and did it for 45 minutes the other day while Sam was at school. I got 8 activity points, and Danny was fairly cooperative, so I'll probably try to do that kind of thing more often.

With a foot of snow on the ground, I'm really looking forward to it getting warmer outside and being able to walk outside more. Oh well. This week and next week will probably be the main part of our winter - we usually don't get more than one or two big snows a year, and it's usually not even this much. When it does get warmer, I think I might try doing Couch 2 5K. We'll see.

Challenges I foresee this week are Bunco on Thursday night, visiting my best friend in Seattle Friday night, and going to dinner at our friend's house Saturday. I'll try to get some extra activity points, and save up my weekly extra points, as well as eating light those days until the event. It's all about portion control, and I'm finding my willpower is better than it used to be.

If you're on Weight Watchers, here's a question for you. Do you save up your extra weekly points and use them for one or two special outings/events? Or do you use them gradually throughout the week, some each day? I feel like if I save them and use them up when we go out to dinner or I have book club or whatever that I do better loss-wise than if I spread them out and use some each day. Just wondering what other people's experiences have been like!

I'll be back next week with an OFFICIAL weigh in!

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009):  267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011):  249.8 lbs
Starting BMI:  41.8

Weight Lost: 27.7 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI:  25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Goal: 160 lbs
To Go: 79.2 lbs

Friday Fragments!

2012-01-13T17:38:00.000-08:00

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard. Collect humorous observations, "Heard" items, and other small gems and put them together in a Friday Fragments post.

Friday Fragments are the brainchild of Mrs.4444 and you can find more at Half Past Kissin' Time.

*****

This week, a family in my community suffered a horrible tragedy when their 10 year old was accidentally hanged on Monday evening. I wrote yesterday about how the community has been rallying around the family. Today, I'm just finding myself upset because of something I KNEW would happen with media coverage. People are being insensitive, saying things about his parents, about how he "should" have been raised, about it being "fishy" (it's not). I did not expect Caleb's story to show up on Huffington Post or The Daily Mail. Or for a wonderful reporter from the LA Times to write an amazing, beautiful story about him. I just wish that people could see this for what it is - a terrible, terrible accident - and support Caleb's family right now. I am also really proud and amazed that the Moms in my community raised over $1000 in less than 2 days to give to the family. It makes me feel like I'm part of a great community, and it makes me feel a little safer knowing how people support each other when things happen in life.

*****

I discovered the best thing this week thanks to Mimi from Irresistible Icing. I had the Weight Watchers app on my phone already, but she recently featured the Weight Watchers Barcode Scanner in a post on her site. You scan the barcode on any food and it tells you the serving size, fat, carbs, protein, fiber & points plus value! This is going to be SO handy when I'm grocery shopping or at the store trying to pick out a snack. I LOVE it!

*****

Last weekend my best friend and I were talking about something we're going to do later this year - attend the Supernatural Con in Vancouver, B.C. I am SO excited. I'm going to start saving my money now so I can buy a couple of photo ops. Yes, I'm a geek!

*****

Justin just got home from work and I found out he got invited to go down on a sort of 'man weekend' with his boss and co-worker. Normally I would hate that... but Danny freakishly fell asleep early today (he is asleep at 5:30. I am scared about what will happen next). I guess I'm feeling generous. I called my Mom and she said she can hang out with me and maybe give me a couple of hours off Sunday, so he's getting his stuff ready to go now.

*****

Not much else to say now! I hope everyone has a good weekend, I'll be around to visit all the Friday Fragments posts, maybe even tonight!

Tragedy, Heartache & Community

2012-01-11T20:57:00.000-08:00

I spent a good part of my day today thinking about a boy I never really met. Yesterday, a 5th grade student from Sam's elementary school died after a tragic accident on Monday night. I do not know his family personally, but Caleb Kors was very well known in our community. His parents vend at the Bellingham Farmer's Market, and he was a member of the Bellingham Circus Guild and performed at the Farmer's Market and various other places and events. His family lives a mile away from us, and are members of the same community we are. I heard a lot about him because of my connection to my Sudden Valley Moms group and Sam's school.

What a vibrant, cool kid. I realized after the first news came out of his accident that this was the boy I'd seen around the playground a couple of times walking tightrope style across the top of the swing set. He loved what he did, and loved entertaining people. I have seen a lot of comments on Facebook and our local newspaper website from people who knew him from seeing him perform. People say he had a heart of gold, that his skills were great, but his heart was even bigger. He was a charismatic kid who spent a lot of time making people smile.

I find myself in a position again where I am left feeling absolutely heartbroken for a member of our community. It's been less than two years since the death of Anna Brulotte, a little girl who was killed by a car in downtown Bellingham. Even though I didn't know her, there were people I knew who had been there, and my husband went to high school with her mother. When Caleb passed away, a part of me could not believe something like this could be happening again. Then I imagine the ache in my heart time a million and I can't stop thinking about his parents and siblings, and how terrible it is. My heart just hurts, and I wish more than anything that there was something I could do to help. No one should ever have to lose a child. It's inconceivable.

It has been a little weird because information has been flying around Facebook since he was injured, and it seems so public. Many of my mom friends around town knew what had happened and the outcome way before the local paper even did. The information that his death was an accidental hanging is brutal and it was out there before he even passed away. Since then, the information has become public with the consent of his parents, but at the time it was hard to know who knew about it and even though I wanted to know what happened, I felt a little strange knowing.

But this is another case where my faith in the goodness of people is being restored. I have watched the other mothers in my community rally around this family - there is already an online meal calendar set up to provide food for Caleb's family so they don't have to think about it. They are making prayer flags, and talking to the school, and thinking about housecleaning and what the family will need when they are home. People are already talking about fundraisers and memorials to help the family pay for medical bills and funeral expenses. Not just talking, but taking action. A Facebook page has been set up for sharing news, information, and most of all for supporting his family. There is already a paypal account set up for people who want to help monetarily. This little boy had dozens and dozens of people rooting for him, and now all of these people are praying and offering whatever they can to his family. These are not resources that would have been in place in the past, and action would not have been this quick. This family is obviously very active in the community in Bellingham, and I'm sure they would have had support. But is there really such thing as too much love, caring, or compassion in this kind of situation?

A letter came home from school today that said that they have grief counselors on hand, and also that Caleb will be helping people because he is an organ donor. I think it's amazing for a child's parents to be able to see through their grief that they can help others. It's a huge gift to others who are sick and need help.

Today I as I drove down the road, there were clear blue skies, the sun was out, and Mt. Baker was crisp and beautiful in the distance. I looked around me and I thought, the world is going on, but it's never going to be the same for Caleb's family. It is so beautiful and bright, but for them it is such a dark time. As a mother, even the imagining of losing a child is almost too much. I tried to get my head around all the people in this community who are hurting right now. Around how much his Mom and Dad and siblings are missing him right now. I don't think I can. My heart is with the Kors family tonight.

If you are the praying type, I know that any prayers or thoughts for peace and comfort for Caleb's family will reach them somehow. A paypal account has been set up to help with medical bills, funeral expenses and whatever the family needs. You can make paypal donations by donating to the email address calebflipkors@hotmail.com.

Week 5: The First Disappointment

2012-01-10T16:35:00.000-08:00

Current Weight:   240.2
+/- this week:   -0.2
+/- total:   -26.7
Short Term Goal 1:   237.8 (5%)

Well, that was disappointing.

I went to my Weight Watchers meeting today HOPING that I would hit 10 pounds lost this time around (I was at 9.4 last week), and I didn't. I guess I wasn't too hopeful, because I know that I made some less than stellar choices this week. Oh well, tomorrow starts a new week, and I WILL hit that 10 pounds next week.

One of this week's challenges (and somewhere I went a bit wrong) was book club. I ate more pieces than I needed of the chocolate slice (cake/brownie thing) than I should have, and I got fast food on my way home because I was wanting something more substantial than the snacks I'd had there. I could have just done a chicken sandwich at Wendy's, which would have been a better choice. Instead, I had a personal pan pizza from the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut. I also did not get as much activity this week as I would have liked.

I think I am getting to the point where I need to step up my intensity of activity. Going for long, slow, walks is great, but I'm going to get more out of it if I up the difficulty. So, I am going to talk to Justin tonight about planning for me to take walks on the weekends without the kids. I am also mildly considering trying to get up before my family every day and do some type of workout video or do the Wii Fit. This seems like a completely crazy idea considering that I'd have to be up at 6:15 or 6:30 AND I am the opposite of a morning person. BUT maybe I would get used to it. Maybe I would get more done, and feel better during the day. I'm not committed yet, but we'll see...

This week's challenges: date night tonight (I ate light today in preparation though), and my other book club on Monday night. My plan is portion control, and eating light Monday during the day so I'll have more points for dinner.

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009):  267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011):  249.8 lbs
Starting BMI:  41.8

Weight Lost: 26.7 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI:  25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Goal: 160 lbs
To Go: 80.2 lbs

My Goals for 2012

2012-01-09T00:34:00.000-08:00

Well, 2012 is upon us. How did this happen? I failed miserably at achieving all but one of my goals for 2011. This year, I'm going for specific & attainable.

1. Under 200 pounds by my 32nd birthday.

I've been back on Weight Watchers for a month and I've lost almost 10 pounds. To get under 200 by my birthday (11/23), I need to lose 40 pounds. That should be completely attainable. If I lose more than that, it's just the icing on the cake. And it will be better than actual cake. Except maybe Coldstone Red Velvet/Cake Batter Ice Cream cake, because that shit is delicious. ANYHOW. How am I going to do this?

Stick with Weight Watchers. Count every point - bites, tastes, snacks, meals, all of it, even if I feel regretful afterwards. No food goes unwritten.
Cooking again - continue meal planning and shopping with a grocery list every week. Try at least one new recipe each week along with old favorites.
Planning for challenges at the beginning of each week. I'll notice when I have a party, a dinner out, a book club or whatever coming up, and I'll plan for it. I can save weekly points. I can eat something filling before I go. I can control my portion sizes. I can look at menus and figure out points before I'm at the restaurant.
Be accountable by posting weekly updates here every week.

2. Exercise at least 3 times a week.

Even if it's just walking for an hour or two around the mall, get some exercise at least 3 times a week.

When it gets nicer outside, I can go on more walks outside.
I'm looking into joining a gym that has a pool because I'd like to be able to swim for exercise.
I will dig out my Wii Fit and my Just Dance game and my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD because those are perfectly good options as well.
As with food, I will plan at the beginning of each week - write down which days I plan to exercise and how I'm going to get it done.

3. Reconnect with my friends.

I realize this sounds less than specific, but that's because there are different parts to it.

Spend one night a month overnight with my friend Brooke in Seattle. I've already talked to my Mom and Justin about this, and about having her take at least one of the kids to help out. I'm going to sit down and plan out the dates ahead of time so that it can be on everyone's calendars.
Email my other friends at least once a month. There are 3 women in particular I've been friends with since high school who I don't talk to much anymore. I'm going to make a point to email or write letters/cards to them once a month to keep in touch.
Arrange to see those friends at least once this year. I'm working on it already.
Have monthly girls nights with my friends in Bellingham. I used to do this, and it's stopped happening. I'm going to make an effort to plan it even if only a few people can make it.

4. Schedule special time for Sam.

As soon as we were pregnant with Danny, Justin and I talked about making sure that Sam always got time with us alone - without his little brother. We have failed at this completely. So this year, I am going to get a calendar and schedule one night a month with Justin and one day/night a month with me for Sam time. This works out well with #3 because I think on the night I go to Seattle, my Mom will take Danny and then Justin and Sam will have a whole night of Dad/Son time together to do whatever they want. Then another day or night I'll do something with Sam while Danny stays home with Daddy.

5. Learn how to use my camera for real.

I have had my Canon Rebel for over a year now and I have not learned too much. My goal this year is to really get to know it. I read my entire manual the other day, and I plan to do that again. When spring comes I get really excited about taking photos outside - I love taking macro photos of flowers. I'm going to make a point to experiment with the manual modes and teach myself as much as I can. I would love to take a class, so I'm going to keep my eye out for one that's affordable and will fit int he time I have. I now have 3 lenses, the 18-55 kit lens, a 50mm macro lens, and a 70-300 telephoto. Any advice in this area about resources would be highly appreciated.

6. Read 50 books.

This is an ongoing yearly goal. I managed in for 2011 (yay!) for the first time in several years. I'm already well into 2 books for 2012, so I'm on the right track! Just like last year, I have the Goodreads widget tracking my progress over there in my sidebar.

7. Write at least 50 pages of my novel.

In 2011, I got the bug to start working on/finishing the novel I started 10 years ago. I didn't do much. For a little while, I was making a point to work on it each week, but I've stopped. I need to spend at least an hour each week when I have my day off working on the book. I hope that by the end of the year I'll have at least 50 pages. I realize that's not a ton, but I also want to make realistic goals for myself.

8. Improve my marriage.

This was a goal last year, and it did not happen. I don't write a lot about this here, because it's really personal and if this was an anonymous blog maybe I would, but I also realize it's not just my story to tell, it's also Justin's. So, I'll just say that it needs work.

Reinstate weekly date nights. I'm going to talk to my Mom about having a regular night for it again, and if she doesn't want to do it every week, get a babysitter to come on the weekend so we can go out.
Take a trip with Justin, and my Dad gave me 2 plane tickets for my bday (awesome) so we can use those to actually go away somewhere for a week - something we have not done in a long time, but I think that Danny and Sam can handle it.
Do at least two overnight trips with Justin to either Seattle or Vancouver.

9. Use a budget.

We have struggled a lot financially in the last 5 years. It's time to sit down and make a real budget and stick to it. Sometime in the next week I'm going to write down all of our expenses and figure out a budget, then go on the envelope system - cash only. We need to be more responsible and really think about every dollar we spend.

10. Be a better pen pal.

I got a pen pal last year, and have been absolutely crappy about writing to her in any reasonable time period. This year, I'm going for a 2 week turnaround time with the letters - this means that within 2 weeks of receiving her letters, I'll write back and get it in the mail. No more procrastination.

Whew. I think that's enough... I hope that next January when I look back at this list I'll be able to check off way more than I did this year.

What are your goals for 2012?

I did it! 50 Books in 2011 & goal for 2012

2012-01-06T00:34:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited that I reached my goal of reading 50 books in 2011! Here's what I read last year:

Rachael's read-in-2011 book montage

Rachael Heiner's favorite books »

This year, I hope to meet the goal again. I've updated my lists of books I've read since 2008 and books I want to read someday to link with my Goodreads account. One thing I love about this is that I can click over and browse the covers when I'm not sure what I want to read next, and see what catches my eye.

What are you reading in 2012? Do you have a goal this year? Do you have any recommendations? I have my Goodreads widget in the sidebar, and a short list of books I'm already planning to read this year:

Rachael's to-read-in-2012 book montage

Rachael Heiner's favorite books »

2011 - The List

2012-01-05T00:34:00.000-08:00

This list has been popping up on a lot of blogs I read, and I do love lists, so I thought I'd do it too. I really like the idea of having a list of the same questions and answering it every year around the same day. It's fun to have a little snapshot to look at and compare from year to year.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Walked my son into an elementary school classroom, flew cross country with 2 kids who could both walk (or run away from me) and survived, stayed with my 12 year old sister & my 2 boys for 2 weeks by myself, worried about a friend who has cancer, saw Les Miserables, said goodbye to a place that meant a lot to me.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Last year, I resolved to: Lose 70 pounds and run a 5K, Learn how to take great photos on purpose, Improve my marriage, Write more, Read 50 books, Write letters to everyone I love and Learn to use a budget - seriously, for real.

I achieved exactly ONE of these. I read 50 books. 2011 was not a great year, and a lot of the time I was trying to just keep going and not thinking about these extras on top of it. I have made goals for 2012 - some similar, some different. I'll post those soon.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not that I remember!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What countries did you visit?

None.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

More time to myself (probably do-able thanks to my awesome Mom), a lot more photos (especially of the kids).

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Christmas Eve.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I don't feel like I achieved much, honestly. My biggest achievement was getting through it.

9. What was your biggest failure?

How do I choose? I feel like there were a lot of failures this year. My biggest one...not being able to be there completely for my kids during the times when I was struggling.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Well, Justin bought it for me, but my Nook Color.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My little sister. She turned 13 in September, and during the two weeks I spent with her over the summer, she really impressed me. She has a good head on her shoulders and was really helpful with the boys while we were there.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Hmm...no comment.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Rent, medical bills, moving, living expenses.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Weekend trip to Seattle with Justin to see Les Miserables in August.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Sadder, fatter, maybe a bit richer, but not much. I'm working on all 3.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Made time for each of us to spend time with Sam without Danny, worked on my novel, learned more about my camera, taken more photos.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Fought, eaten, been angry, procrastinated.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

At home with my sister and her boyfriend in the morning, then just the family in the afternoon/evening. It was a very low-key year.

21. Did you fall in love with 2011?

No.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Really, just one? I can't choose. Supernatural, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Grimm

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.

24. What was the best book you read?

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Les Miserables

26. What did you want and get?

A telephoto lens, new shelves for the living room, a new house (rental), a day off each week (thanks Mom!), a new phone, a Nook Color.

27. What did you want and not get?

Peace.

28. What was your favorite film of 2011?

Hanna, Super 8, X-Men: First Class or The Muppets.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 31 in 2011. I spent a weekend in Seattle, Friday night went out to dinner and to see "Breaking Dawn" with 9 friends, then spent time alone reading & wandering around on Saturday then spent the night at my sister's house and helped decorate the tree and helped her and her boyfriend plan their trip to Hawaii. Sunday I spent some time alone then went to my best friend's daughter's birthday party.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2011?

If it fits, wear it. Wish it fit better. Add bling.

32. What kept you sane?

Booze. Just kidding. My Mom. Hope. Faith.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

Occupy Wall Street

34. Who did you miss?

My friends in Seattle, especially Brooke. Justin. My sisters and my stepmom.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

The women in my Bunco group & my book club's newest member, Carrie.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Anything can happen. Just because you think you know how to do something right doesn't mean you won't screw it up, and then find yourself wondering how the hell you ended up there.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"I feel just like I’m sinking,
And I claw for solid ground,
I’m pulled down by the undertow,
I never thought I could feel so low,
And oh darkness I feel like letting go.

If all the of the strength and all of the courage,
Come and lift me from this place,
I know I can love you much better than this,
Full of grace, Full of grace, My love."

- Full of Grace by Sarah McLachlan

Week 4: Menu Planning & Cooking Again

2012-01-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

Current Weight:   240.4
+/- this week:   -2.4
+/- total:   -26.5
Short Term Goal 1:   237.8 (5%)

I haven't been staying for meetings the last couple of weeks for various reasons. This week I had Danny with me and needed to get a check to the bank immediately. Last week, I had a limited amount of time to do some things. And the week before same deal. Hopefully next week I'll be able to start staying for the actual meetings, but I did make sure to make it in for my weigh ins each week.

I had weighed myself at home this week so I'd know what to expect - the 2nd week of Christmas break, and I'd used all my weekly points and only gotten 13 activity points, so my expectations were not high.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a loss of over 2 pounds at weigh in! I'm going to get my goals for 2012 up later this week, and I feel like I am on my way with my weight loss goal. For 2012, I have decided that by my birthday (Nov 23) I want to be under 200 pounds. It's been a long time since I was, and now that I've already lost almost 10 pounds I feel like it's within my reach. Any further progress toward my long term goal will just be a cherry on top.

Challenges this week - I attended a birthday party and had a piece of cake, we had date night, and I had pizza for dinner twice. I managed to do well with portions though - I only had 2 slices of pizza and some crazy bread, and when we went out to dinner I did not eat my whole meal. Probably the most important thing for me personally is being ABLE to still have a piece of cake or a cocktail, as long as I count the points and plan around it. I absolutely cannot give things up completely, it just doesn't work for me. This way, it's about learning when I can have treats, and when it's not worth it for me.

I also put up a new organizational tool this week - my new menu board!

I bought a cheap white board and put the lines, labels, and title on with Sharpie so it's easy to rearrange when I need to, and to update the board. I've found that menu planning and shopping with a shopping list of ingredients helps immensely with sticking to Weight Watchers. Since the goal of the program is about changing the way you eat, learning how to cook and judge healthy portions is key. I have a couple of Weight Watchers cookbooks, a Cooking Light cookbook, a Hungry Girl cookbook, and a three ring binder with recipes I've pulled out of magazines (including Weight Watchers Magazine) and recipes from online. I love that I can use my e-tools to plug in any recipe I find and figure out the points and sometimes reduce them with substituted ingredients.

One of my very favorite resources is Gina's Skinny Recipes, she posts tons of good recipes and tonight I made my favorite - Spaghetti with Sauteed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes. Just look at it:

source

And yes, it tastes as good as it looks. I substitute quinoa pasta because I like it better than whole wheat pasta, and it's gluten free for Justin. It makes four servings, so we have leftovers, and it's only 9 points for a portion that will fill me up completely.

This week, I'll be cooking every night (hopefully) except one that's reserved for leftovers. I love looking through my cookbooks and picking out our dinners, and I have a place on the menu board to note the location of the recipe. This week I've got 1/2 old favorites and 1/2 new recipes - I'm really looking forward to the cheddar stuffed burgers!

How was your week? Do you enjoy trying out new recipes?

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009):  267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011):  249.8 lbs
Starting BMI:  41.8

Weight Lost: 26.5 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI:  25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Goal: 107 lbs
To Go: 84.4 lbs

Writer's Workshop: 12 Peeks Back at 2011

2011-12-29T00:34:00.000-08:00

It's Thursday again, which means it's time for Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writer's Workshop! We've all got the new year on our minds, so this week it was easy to choose which prompt I'd follow. I chose #1.) This year in blog posts…choose a favorite post from each month of 2011 and share.

January - I experimented with my new Canon Rebel DSLR and shared some of my first images here.

February - I wrote about the myth of the "grown-up," and the fact that no one I know has ever experienced that moment where you finally FEEL like a grown-up.

March - I struggled with something I am still struggling with - how much I miss my friends. We are spread out now, in different cities and with different lives, and I still wish we weren't.

April - I shared my thoughts about Sam - our worries about ADD, how Dr. Google can scare us, and how sometimes being a parent is about knowing when to worry - and when not to.

May - Let's be honest. I only posted once in May. SAD! I shared some photos from Sam & Danny's birthdays.

June - So... the early summer wasn't that great for blogging. SHAME! In June, I wrote about OTHER writing that I am trying to do in my life.

July - I said goodbye to Borders Books, where I worked for 3 years and spent countless hours browsing books and making memories.

August - At a Phish concert, I watched a woman smoke weed then immediately nurse her baby. Here's how THAT made me feel.

September - On the second day of Kindergarten, Sam didn't get off the bus after school. Mommy panic ensued slightly. This month was a tie (sorry, I'm a cheater!) because I also wrote this review of The Panic Virus, a book about vaccines, autism, and the panic the media can create.

October - It's a photo post, but this Halloween was really memorable for me. A costume my son loved, made from scratch by me & my husband, my second son being old enough to trick or treat, and the awesomeness and happiness made for a wonderful holiday.

November - I shared about how much I've been struggling again with my weight and my body image.

December - Looking at photos of 2011 in review, I came across photos of protesters being treated horribly by law enforcement and I wrote about how it made me feel.

What memorable moments did you write about this year?

2011 in Photos

2011-12-28T22:08:00.000-08:00

Today I'm joining Jessica from Four Plus an Angel in a look back at 2011. The challenge was this:

Just create a post with 12 words or 12 pictures… a little year in review. Pick a word for each month of 2011 or a picture for each, or a 12 word sentence that sums up the year or a 12 picture collage, as long as it’s easy for you to put together and easy for others to read.

I chose photos - some are my favorites because I think they're great photos. Others are my favorites because of the memories - the people and places. Here is my 2011!

This is one of my favorite photos, ever. I had just gotten my Canon Rebel for Christmas, and this was the first photo that came out of my camera that absolutely wowed me.

I don't take many self portraits. I love this one.

My family.

Happy.

For Sam's 5th birthday, I took him to the Science Center to the Star Wars exhibit - no Danny, just a special day for him. We had so much fun!

The boys and I spent 18 days in New Jersey with my sister, Lianna. She is awesome. They had a lot of fun. See?

Love.

My cousin Emmy visited from Philadelphia and I love this shot of her and my sister - two of my favorite people.

He is just so happy.

Well, not the best shot of Sam's face (haha) but you can see both their costumes, and they're holding hands!

The boys on Thanksgiving.

This one is awesome because it's just how life is - the kids are distracted or wanting to go, go, go, and I'm trying to get a nice little photo. I love the look on my Mom's face, amused at both me and my 3rd attempt at the photo and at the kids.

Week 3: I defeat Christmas

2011-12-27T20:37:00.000-08:00

Current Weight:   242.8
+/- this week:   -1.2
+/- total:   -24.1
Short Term Goal 1:   237.8 (5%)

This week, I defeated Christmas. HA!

Actually, Christmas was not as hard as the day AFTER. On Christmas we had a big breakfast with delicious bacon from my sister's boyfriend's cows and his potatoes. When I added it all up, even with the crazy good cinnamon rolls she made, it wasn't that bad. The day after Christmas though? We kind of gorged on stocking candy all day. Santa brought me a giant bag of Jelly Belly beans. There's a new flavor. It tastes like cake. Mmmmmm.

In any case, I barely got any exercise this week (only 12 activity points) because Sam is off school so I didn't get to walk like normal. This week probably won't be great either, although I may get more in this week than last. We'll see. I might be able to walk on Friday - probably will have a babysitter for a bit or have my Mom take the boys for a while, then on the weekend I should be able to get out at least one day.

After Monday, I was honestly happy to see ANY loss at all, so 1.2 pounds isn't that bad. Hopefully next week it will be more like 2 or 3 again.

How did Christmas go for you guys? Was it more/less challenging than you thought it would be?

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009):  267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011):  249.8 lbs
Starting BMI:  41.8

Weight Lost: 24.1 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI:  25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Goal: 107 lbs
To Go: 86.8 lbs

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T23:24:00.000-08:00

Have a happy, joyful, wonderful Christmas weekend.

Week 2: A Pleasant Surprise

2011-12-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

Current Weight:   244.0
+/- this week:   -2.4
+/- total:   -22.9
Short Term Goal 1:   237.8 (5%)

I was pleasantly surprised to be down 2.4 more pounds at weigh-in today. I had some challenges this week in the form of Bunco and then my Book Club. It is always a challenge, but this was particularly tough since it was our holiday brunch and there was so much yummy food. I felt like I ate a a lot, but afterwards when I thought about it I realized I only filled one small plate, and I didn't go back for a second plate, just a couple of cookies. I felt like I was eating a ton, but I didn't go over my weekly points, just used up the 49.

I think one thing that "saved" me this week was that I got a TON of activity points - 29 for the week. I didn't do any strenuous exercise, but I did a LOT of low intensity walking around in the form of shopping and a visit to the aquarium in Seattle.

I'm feeling really good right now about how I've been counting all my points, even when I feel like I am slipping up, and that I've been able to stay on points. Yay! Hopefully this will continue into the new year.

The big challenge I foresee this week is that since Sam's not in school I won't be able to go walk with Danny, which is my main form of exercise. For various reasons, Sam is not really a long distance walker, and I don't have a double stroller I can push them in. I am getting a babysitter a couple of times in the next week just so I can have a break from the two kids, so I'll probably use some of that time to walk.

I haven't been on the blog much, and that probably won't change much until the new year. The holidays are just so busy! But I'll definitely post another update next week.

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009):  267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011):  249.8 lbs
Starting BMI:  41.8

Weight Lost:  22.9 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI:  25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Loss Goal: 107 lbs
To Go: 84 lbs

T13: My Grown Up Christmas List

2011-12-15T00:34:00.000-08:00

I haven't done the Thursday Thirteen for a while, but I got an idea for a list yesterday and thought, hey, what a perfect fit! This time of year I spend most of my time thinking about my kids and my friends kids. So I decided today to think about my wish list - some things that may be in my reach, and others that are just dreams. Here's what will make me smile (are you listening, Santa?).

My Grown Up Christmas List - 13 Things I Want to Find Under My Tree

Keen Coronado Sneakers

Karokeshi Kokeshi Art Dolls by BigHelmetHead

Island Leaves Cross-body bag by SeamsFineKS

The Beekeepers Quilt (hexpuffs!) by TinyOwlsMagicAttic (and someone to make it for me)

Madison Damask French Blue Camera Bag by JanineKingDesigns

Black and White Damask with Turquoise Ruffles Camera Strap by SnappyStrapsDesigns

Silver Leafy Tree Branch Pendant by ForevermoreCreations

El Naturalista Iggdrasil

Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di VC USD XLD for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

OPI Matte Lincoln Park After Dark

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7

Lane Bryant V-Neck Cable Knit Sweater

Tickets to Mamma Mia at the Paramount Theater in March

What do YOU want for Christmas this year?

For more Thursday Thirteen entries, click here!

Week 1 Redux

2011-12-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

Current Weight: 246.4
+/- this week: -3.4
+/- total: -20.6
Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)

Well, here we are again. Last week I joined Weight Watchers. Again. This is my... fourth attempt I think. The first time went well, I was on it for 8 months and lost 30 pounds before getting pregnant again. I've had a couple of false starts since then, and sadly I gained back almost 1/2 of the weight I lost. I've been waiting until things calmed down at home and it was in the budget. My birthday was in November, and my gift from my Mom was re-starting my membership and paying for the next year.

It kind of makes it a no-brainer. I don't have to worry about the money, which is worth a lot to me since we don't have much. It's been no secret around here that I've been feeling pretty shitty about my body, my diet, the way things have been going. The times I've tried to go back, or tried to start counting again were really, really hard. I was struggling. Obviously, struggling enough that I didn't stick to it at all.

This time feels different though. It feels like the first time again. I made it a whole week, I counted points for EVERYTHING I ate. No slipping, no cheating. I went out to dinner one night & had drinks. I had a piece of pie. And it was okay, because I stuck to my points anyway. I got activity four days this week. Even walking around the mall slowly is good for you if you do it for two hours.

There have been a couple of days where I wanted to give in to one temptation or another... but I didn't. And it was so much easier than it has been. I'll be posting updates once a week here, like I used to. It helps me keep track of my challenges, my successes, and my general thoughts about what's going on.

I had my first weigh in today, and there it was. I lost 3.4 pounds. I lost 3.4 pounds! And it was all worth it. I think I can do this.

Starting Weight 1 (Feb 2009): 267 lbs
Starting Weight 2 (Dec 2011): 249.8 lbs
Starting BMI: 41.8

Weight Lost: 20.6 lbs
Goal Weight: 160 lbs
Goal BMI: 25.1

Short Term Goal 1: 237.8 (5%)
Short Term Goal 2: 225.8 (10%)

Long Term Goal: 107 lbs
To Go: 86.4 lbs

Friday Fragments: Photos, Grizzlies, and Puns

2011-12-09T00:34:00.000-08:00

Sept. 11
New York
On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, America paused to remember the 2,819 lives lost that day. The May 1 killing of Osama bin Laden provided a note of resolution, but for many, like Robert Peraza, who lost his son Robert David Peraza in the attacks, the sorrow lives on. (Photo by Justin Lane)

I can't stop tears from coming to my eyes every single time I look at this photo. It is beautiful and sad and says so much. Source: The Daily Beast

*****

On Tuesday I volunteered at Sam's school for a couple of hours helping re-label books for the new literacy program. It was nice to sit around a table and chat with some other Moms. I really love the system they have set up at his school, they send out an email whenever they need volunteers, and if you can participate, you just reply to the email. It makes it so much easier for me since I don't feel like I can commit to a regular time or number of hours per week because of Danny and our changing schedule. This way, I get word when there's need, and I can go if I'm free!

*****

Yesterday I discovered that you can listen to comedy on Pandora. AWESOME! So I made a Louis C.K. station and I LOVE it. It was funny, I was listening in the car and at one point I was laughing and Danny started laughing just because I was.

*****

I just saw this photo on my computer, and it made me giggle.

*****

This weekend, I'm hoping to reorganize the garage so I can park the car inside again. We haven't been able to since we moved our 2nd truck of stuff from the old place, and I'm coming out to frost on the windshield now. If I was smart, I'd remember to go out and warm up the car, but I often don't and then my timing for taking Sam to school is messed up.

*****

I love Top Chef. I used to write recaps sometimes, and when I look back they still make me giggle. I don't feel like I have time now - I'm usually watching Danny while I'm watching it, so can't sit and type. Is anyone else watching it? Who are you rooting for? I'm still not sure... although I know I hate Chris's hair.

*****

Yesterday I was listening to NPR and heard this commercial with Brad Pitt talking about saving Grizzly Bears. It just threw me for a loop. So weird.

*****

Did you know that there is such thing as a pun competition? I am pretty sure I could just watch the videos on YouTube all day. Here's the video of the 2011 winner of the O. Henry pun-off.

*****

Have a great weekend!

Writer's Workshop: The Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-08T00:34:00.000-08:00

It's Thursday again (where does the time go?!), which means it's time for Mama Kat's World Famous Writer's Workshop. I wasn't sure which prompt I wanted to choose, but #4 caught my eye:

Blast from the Past: What were you writing about last year at this time? Tell us what has changed (if anything) since then.

As I started reading through my posts from last December, I came across this one. I know it's going to sound lame (and I am excessively weepy), but I got a few tears in my eyes as I read it.

18 December 2010

Santa is Real. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Today I was out for several hours with Danny, and when I got home my relaxation was interrupted by him barfing a whole bunch. Because we decided to see what would happen if we tried regular (aka NOT $25 a can) formula and, well, it didn't really work out.

So, at 4:45 I found myself in the car again for a quick trip to Wal-Mart for the bank breaking formula. My baby eats $125 a month JUST IN FORMULA. Plus baby food. It's awesome. Anyhow, as I was checking out with my Wal Mart brand soda and Great Value "zip-lock" bags, the people in front of me had a huge cart full of toys. Overflowing, actually.

The checker asked them how many kids they had. One, they answered. Just one?! was her response. Then they said that that wasn't even all the toys! There were more in their other car! And at home! And she's going to be so excited!

As I watched my total build up with the cat food, the formula, the generic bags, the $1 cheap toy I'd bought as a stocking stuffer, I remarked to the cashier that my kid's not that lucky, I think I spent the amount they'd spent on their one cart on ALL of our holiday gifts for the year.

She said something about the kid not being able to appreciate things (because of being spoiled). And I thought, what if I DID have the money? Would I fill up 2 shopping carts each with gifts for my boys?

I don't think I would.

In fact, I know I wouldn't. I would spend more money on my best friend, my sister, and especially my Mom. I would buy Sam something more, but not by quantity. I'd get him the Lego Airport he wants, instead of cobbling gifts together from various sales over the last few months and from trips to Value Village and Big Lots.

I have spent the last three months scouring sale and clearance racks for gifts that are both awesome AND affordable. I feel good about the fact that I stayed under the budgeted amounts I arbitrarily made up.

In the end, it's not about the money. It's about spending time with my family. It's about watching Sam open his stocking in our living room for the first time. It's about making gingerbread houses with Grandma, and driving around looking at Christmas lights, and the wonder on his face. It's about his letter to Santa, written at school, away from the influence of TV commercials or catalogs. He asked for a 'fox that shoots an elf' (think potato gun except instead of a gun it's a fox and instead of a potato it's an elf) and a plate that is only for pizza. I don't really know what to do with that, but imagining him walking with his class, holding hands with his best buddy on the way to the post office to mail the letters? That made my day.

When he's a little older, we'll teach him what Christmas means. We'll explain who the baby is that laid in the manger. And one day, when he is old enough to ask me if Santa is real, I will tell him - absolutely yes, Santa is real.

Santa is the spirit of the Holidays. He is in all of us. He is in the thought put into that perfect gift. He is in the food delivered to the food bank. He is in the posts of bloggers who have collected gift cards for people who could not afford their own Christmas. He is in the overflowing coat drive and Toys for Tots bins. He is in the giving tree, in every person who chooses a child they don't know, and makes Christmas happen for them. He is in the hugs from family we don't see that often, in the sleepovers with Grandma, and the sleigh rides with the Aunt you adore.

Santa is real. He is knowing that this is going to be a fabulous holiday, even if I couldn't afford a cart of gifts or a $100 Lego set. He's in me.

Money or no money, I wouldn't have it any other way.

A lot has happened in the last year. We're not spending $125 a month on formula. But this December, we have hundreds of dollars in doctor bills that I'm waiting to pay when we get the check from a side job Justin did last month. We need new tires for the car (ASAP, the old ones are unsafe) and a new windshield (very soon). We owe family money that we had to borrow because things were tight. I need to replace my phone, which has had a shattered screen for the last two months.

Money is even tighter this year, and honestly? It's December 6 and I haven't even thought about Christmas presents. Or cards. I'm not feeling too festive yet. But there are things I'm looking forward to. I've talked to my Mom and our goal for winter break is to make lots of stuff! We want to put up the tree, decorate cookies, try crafts and new recipes from Pinterest, visit Stonyridge Farms, take drives to look at Christmas lights, and just have fun.

It's not always fun not having much money. Sometimes it's hard when I can't buy Sam a new backpack just yet because we can't afford it even though his is a bit messed up. But I hope that the upside will be that it reminds me to teach him and his brother about what is really important. It's not about having a lot of stuff and big expensive things. It's about family, love, and joy.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Occupy This Blog

2011-12-07T00:34:00.000-08:00

This morning, I came across a list of the 45 Most Powerful Photos of 2011 posted on Facebook by a friend of mine, and a few of them I felt I needed to share.

I was moved to tears several times looking at these images, but three that hit me really hard were these photos of the treatment of Occupy protesters in different cities. I was moved to tears and sickened by the treatment of peaceful protesters by law enforcement that these photos portray.

UC Davis

Portland

Seattle

This photo makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. But that's one reason it feels so important to me. There are a lot of people in this country right now who are fighting for their rights, fighting for the country they deserve. If you can look at this last photo, and explain to me how it was in any way justified for police to spray this 84 year old woman in the face with mace, maybe I'll listen. But I'm pretty sure that NO ONE can justify that treatment.

Whether or not you agree with the protesters and what they stand for, how can you not see how wrong this is? Yes, they are making things inconvenient for some people. Maybe they are blocking the sidewalk and you think they're in the way. In what world does that justify spraying people with pepper spray who are already sitting and completely under control? To me, this looks like absolute abuse of authority. Citizens of this country have the RIGHT to stand up for themselves, and to try and cause change. No one has the right to treat people this way for voicing their opinions. How are these cops any better than regimes in other countries beating people for what they believe in?

I have not been involved in protests. I do believe there is something really wrong with a country where corporations are given rights and tax breaks and allowed to do whatever they want when people are going hungry. I think that business needs to get out of the government, and stay out. And, in short, what ever happened to COMPASSION?! What happened to those who have more giving a bit more to support those who are really struggling? What happened to caring about your fellow human beings instead of hoarding for yourself? What happened to treating people (yes, even protesters) with dignity and respect? What has happened in this country that these things are okay?

The fact that people are being treated this way and are not backing down should say something to those people out there who think this is just going to go away. It's been 82 days, it's not going away, and I'm hoping for real change, powered by the people. If you're interested in learning more about the Occupy movement, here is a very simple commercial to get started.

If you search "Occupy Wall Street" on YouTube, you can find lots of videos with great information from people like Keith Olbermann, Michael Moore, and Jon Stewart.

You can also check out Occupy Wall Street, the unofficial website with information and resources about the movement. The Occupy Wall Street page at Adbusters also has information from different Occupy sites as well as links to information and ways you can get involved.

Source for photos: Buzzfeed

Sally Hansen Salon Effects: Super Awesome!

2011-12-05T00:34:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try Sally Hansen Salon Effects since I first saw them in the stores. They are sticky strips made of real nail polish that come in all sorts of colors and patterns. Recently, Fred Meyer had them buy 2 get one free, so I finally got some. Here's one of the ones I bought:

Cute! For my first try though, I decided to test out the red lace pattern called I Love Lacey for my first time around, it seemed like a fun choice for my birthday weekend.

I LOVE them. If they were more affordable, I would wear them all the time. As it stands, you'll pay $8.50 - $10 depending on where you get them, which seems pricey for a one time use. They do have sticking power though, so if you get your nails done at a salon it might be worth it to try these out.

I watched several videos on YouTube before applying them for the first time just to see what the process looked like. A few of the reviews seemed to think they were difficult, but I had no trouble at all. I found the entire process very easy. I did have to re-do one nail because I chose the wrong size and could see a gap on one side, but it was easy to peel it right off since I did it right away.

It took me about a half hour to apply these, which for me seems great. When I do my nails, it usually takes at least that long. I like to get good coverage and allow for plenty of dry time, and if I'm doing something fancy like french tips or nail art, there is often waiting time between layers.

First, sorry for the bad quality photos - they were all taken with my cell phone. They should be clear enough to see.

Here are the strips right after I put them on:

One of the great things about these is that there is no dry time! It's weird to be able to go about your business right after a manicure and not worry about smearing it or denting the polish. Sometimes nail polish can stay tender for hours and if you hit it or rub it the wrong way, it will ruin your manicure. I did put a clear polish top coat over these because I thought it would help them keep from chipping around the tips of my nails.

Here are the strips after wearing them for 6 days:

As you can see, they still look pretty great. One of my nails had gotten a slight chip at the tip, but it was barely noticeable. You CAN see grow-out happening, which is one reason it's important to get them as close to the cuticle as possible when first applying them. I found it to be slightly annoying after the fourth day or so, but I also realized it was not noticeable to anyone but me.

I did not do many dishes during the time I had them, but other than that I went about my routines as normal. I would say that these have really great staying power - I can totally see them lasting the 10 days listed on the box. Possibly longer, though the grow-out might start to be obvious at that point. I only lasted for 6 days in them because I'm a polish-a-holic and wanted to do a new color after that many days. If you want to try something fancy, but have no patience for polish or re-doing your nails every few days, these would be perfect!

Other than the price, the only downside to these is that they were a real bitch to remove. The box says the come off with regular nail polish remover, and they DO... but it took me almost 30 minutes to completely remove the polish from my nails. Part of it was that they come off weird, there were kind of... chunks? Goo balls. I'm pretty sure it was all a result of the sticky stuff that attaches them to the nails. It was stuck all over. Also, red polish is often difficult to remove from around the cuticles anyway, so that didn't help.

All in all, I still give them a thumbs up. I love being able to have a patterned nail without all the tape or strips or brushes or stamps - I'm not great at freehand. Compared to purchasing plates & stamps, these are also cheaper if you just want them for a special occasion.

Have you tried these? What did you think?

I am a small time blogger. No one paid me for this review, nor did anyone give me free nail polish (too bad!). These are just my opinions about a product I tried & loved.

Friday Fragments: Zombies, Family Pets & Sleep Deprivation

2011-12-02T00:34:00.000-08:00

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard. Collect humorous observations, "Heard" items, and other small gems and put them together in a Friday Fragments post.

Friday Fragments are the brainchild of Mrs.4444 and you can find more at Half Past Kissin' Time.

*****

On Tuesday, I dropped Sam off at school and realized that I actually like dropping him off and going into his school. I guess the main thing I actually DON'T like about it is putting Danny back into the car, because he usually is fussy that he just got out and now I'm making him get back in. I like being there, seeing him off, just having a presence in the school even if it's just for a minute or two.

*****

Okay, who else is watching The Walking Dead? The fall finale was this week, and it was FAN. TASTIC. Really, I think that the fact that it's a show about a zombie apocalypse that makes me bawl like a baby is a great testament to it's awesomeness. I can't wait for it to come back.

*****

So, my Mom told me yesterday that when my sister went off to college, they went to this parents orientation meeting the day we were all dropping her off. Apparently, there are two things that happen very frequently to college freshman that upset them. The first was called the "Turkey Drop" by the person leading the class - this is when the kid returns home for Thanksgiving break and is dumped or breaks up with their significant other. The second is that their dog dies. It makes sense if you think about it - people often get a dog for the family when a kid is around 4 or 5, and 13 or 14 years later that is one old dog. It makes total sense, but it's a weird fact to think about!

*****

I re-joined Weight Watchers yesterday. My Mom is paying for my membership for a while as my birthday present, which is very cool. I am looking forward to starting again, I am trying to let go of a lot of feelings I have about the 30 lbs I have re-gained in the last year. I'm looking forward to walks and kind of want to find a place where I can swim at least a couple of times a month.

*****

Justin was gone from Mon - Thu night this week at a training in Seattle. The nights were... restless. Bedtimes kind of sucked, and there were a lot of wake-ups in the nights. Wednesday night, Danny was just UP from 2:15 to 5:40. I am very tired, and hopefully will get to sleep in a bit tomorrow.

*****

I am only 3 books away from completing my goal of reading 50 books this year, and very excited! It looks like I'll finally make it again after a couple of years of not making it.

*****

Hope everyone has a great weekend!