Fringies

Procrastinate Father's Day?

2014-06-14T15:15:00.002-07:00

...like I did? So, I made this subway art Father's Day thing-a-ma-jig and thought I'd share it if anyone else can use it.

Carol of the Tales and Other Nightly Noels: An Advent Anthology, Volume 2 Giveaway

2013-11-05T19:08:00.003-08:00

I love everything about Christmas. I especially love the memories that accompany each of the songs, whether they are religious in nature or otherwise. With this Advent Anthology, I am looking forward to getting into the Christmas spirit with a song and story each night in December, leading up to Christmas Day. Plus, I love that proceeds from this book will be donated toward Autism research and advocacy!

Read on to learn more about this fun new tradition--there is even a giveaway!!

Carol of the Tales and Other Nightly Noels: An Advent Anthology, Volume 2

Christmas carols capture the spirit of Christmas, and Carol of the Tales and Other Nightly Noels brings beloved carols to life like never before. Throw your cares away with the tales from sweet silver bells. Find out how Santa Claus dabbles in time travel, and feel the redemption of a dying wife's parting Christmas gift. Experience all this and more in these heartfelt, entertaining tales donated by a team of authors from across the country, working together for a good cause. The proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated toward Autism research and advocacy.

Anthology authors include: Shirley Bahlmann, C. David Belt, Rebecca Carlson, Loretta Carter, Madonna D. Christensen, Danyelle Ferguson, C. Michelle Jefferies, Theric Jepson, Ryan Larsen, Angie Lofthouse, Betsy Love, J. Lloyd Morgan, Janet Olsen, Teresa G. Osgood, Brian Ricks, Jennifer Ricks, Peg Russell, and Michael Young.

Carol of the Tales is the 2nd book in the Advent Anthology series. Both anthologies are available in paperback and Amazon Kindle formats from Amazon.com.

Purchase “Sing We Now of Christmas”: http://amzn.com/1479266248

Purchase: “Carol of the Tales”: http://amzn.com/1484145526

To kick off the release of the second anthology, a Christmas concert will be held at American Fork Junior High on December 7^th, 2013. The concert will feature the Saltaires Barbershop Chorus. All proceeds from this concert will be donated to charity as well. Purchase: Tickets for the Concert: https://tickettool.net/en/index/eventpopup/b54dab4bd0a13fa6975068f4784dfaa5

Blog Tour Giveaway!

Use the rafflecopter below to enter to win wonderful prizes, such as tickets to the concert and copies of the anthology.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Blogs on the Tour:

Www.notesfromthewritingchair.blogspot.com

Www.causeisaidso.me

www.queenoftheclan.com

www.JohnWaverly.com

http://iamareader.com

http//:lisaswinton.blogspot.com

moniquebucheger.blogspot.com

http://mariahoagland.blogspot.com/

http://www.annadelc.com/blog

http://jlloydmorgan.blogspot.com/

www.franklycreative.blogspot.com

http://www.writermike.com

http://fringies.blogspot.com

http://www.saythiswrite.blogspot.com

http://debbie-peterson.blogspot.com/

http://thmazing.blogspot.com

www.renaeswritespot.blogspot.com

http://shelliproffitthowells.com/amusings/

http://www.annadelc.com/blog

www.meritaking.com

blessedinweakness.com

lynndparsons.blogspot.com

http://lisaswinton.blogspot.com

http://stephaniereadthat.blogspot.com/

www.renaeswritespot.blogspot.com

Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge 2013

2013-11-02T10:25:00.001-07:00

We are headed into a scary time of year! No, I realize Halloween just passed--I am talking about the holiday season that is not only stocked with a lot of foods guaranteed to make your hips ginormous, but is so busy that one doesn't have time to get some fitness in their life.

Enter the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge. I participated last year and loved having a competition to help me find time to be active. Plus, we have a facebook group for HBBC and you are able to have an amazing support group of those who are participating also. Through instagram I continued to follow those women over the last year and they have been an incredible source of inspiration and motivation for me.

Come join us this year! (and tell her Fringies sent you so I can win a cool prize!) There are great prizes that will make up for the participation fee. In fact, last year I didn't win anything, but not gaining any weight during the holidays was more than worth the fee I paid. This could be your shot at finding out how fun fitness is! Or, if fitness is already fun in your eyes, you can find some fun fitness friends!

The Moral Force of Women

2013-10-20T17:25:00.001-07:00

As some of you know, this past Spring I decided that, with Buddy starting Kindergarten in August, now was the time to return to school, to finish what I started as an 18 year old ~~many, many moons ago~~ (Actually, I don't think strike through is the proper way to convey that in social media anymore. Now it should be #manymanymoonsago.)

http://cbuonline.edu

I was incredibly excited when I realized that because I was registering as an online student I could start school before the Fall. So, I immediately threw myself into school. And I loved every second of it. Okay, maybe not every second, but I loved that I was learning so much.

Yet, it was really hard. Apparently, there is a big difference between staying up all night to do homework as an 18 year old and as a 36 year old. Who knew?!? I started to wonder if I had been right about returning to school. Yet, Handsome Husband and I had prayed about it before I started and, at that time, we both felt it was the right thing to do. So I kept plugging along.

Unfortunately, it didn't get any easier. In fact, it got harder. I've never been a great housekeeper, but that got worse. Not having time to exercise and trying to live without sleep was making me gain weight and feel gross. But, the biggest problem was not having time for my family. Thanks to the online option of school, I was around physically, but I wasn't "present". School was constantly on my mind as I desperately tried to keep up with assignments.

A few weeks back was the 183rd Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All of the talks given were amazing and had an impact on me. After all the sessions, Handsome Husband and I came to the conclusion that maybe, at this time, school was not where I needed to be. This was a strange idea because just a few months ago I was completely certain it was where I needed to be.

I have learned over the years that when I have questions about anything, the best thing to do is to kneel in prayer and ask Heavenly Father what I should do. As the prayer began, I immediately felt that I needed to quit school. Without a doubt, I knew that was what I needed to do. I do not know the reason I went to school for only a few months. Perhaps I will never know. But, I know I learned a lot. Cal Baptist is an excellent school. Seriously, if you are considering going back to school, I would highly recommend CBU Online.

Already I can see how this decision has positively impacted my children. They are young enough that they still desperately need my time. I know that the security of knowing that I am always here for them, no matter what, will help them to be stronger and better able to face the unknown of the world we live in.

I am not saying that because we found that this was the best choice for our family, that it is the best choice for every family. I am a firm believer in the fact that each family is unique in what is the best for them. I know that if you prayerfully read through or listen to every talk from General Conference you will also know what Heavenly Father would have you do in your life. If you are curious, the talk that had the most impact on my decision to leave school, is The Moral Force of Women by Elder D. Todd Christofferson.

I hope to now have a little bit more time to blog like I love to do. Along with the great relationships I have with friends and family, I love the connections and the friendships I have made with those of you that I have never met in real life.

Another reason I don't like unions...

2013-06-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Missy's birth day and her 11th birthday

It's that time of year again. ESY (Extended School Year) or summer school. Remember how stressed out I was last year? This summer we've got something new to stress about.

So, this past school year was awesome. I was worried about the educational interpreter she would have. Would they be willing to help her stay on task and put up with her myriad of off-topic questions? Turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Her interpreter and her teacher have been amazing. The classroom para-educators were helpful. Her classmates have been perfect with her. She has grown scholastically and socially in leaps and bounds.

The district only has one interpreter and she has been with a high school student this past school year (the same student she has been with since pre-school) so Missy's interpreter was contracted out from an agency. This high school student isn't attending ESY though so because of "seniority" the district interpreter wants to work with Missy for ESY.

Never mind the need for stability with an autistic student. Her ESY school and teacher won't be the same from the regular school year which even more of a reason to keep the same interpreter. Also, the district didn't even notify me of this change. I found out through someone else. The district wrote that off as an "oversight".

Then there is the topic of transition. When moving to a new para-educator and/or interpreter there is a required time to transition where the student has both of the aides with them. The district didn't even offer this; I had to request it. When pressed, they offered 1 day with the possibility of 2 if it was needed. Missy isn't a typical deaf student. There is more to her way of communicating than simply signing with her. Two days is simply not sufficient time. They essentially will be limiting her ability to communicate.

The goal of ESY is for students not to regress during the summer. Yet, limiting their ability to communicate seems like a fast way to regress.

I've repeatedly asked for more transition time, but with a 20-day ESY the district is adamant that their interpreter is "capable." To compound the situation, the district is looking to hire 4 more interpreters for the 2013-14 school year. So, if they actually find anyone (interpreters are hard to come by in this area), then we will have to start the process all over again. Why not at least keep her current interpreter for ESY and allow for a transition time in the fall if they hire someone?

I'm afraid we might be at a standstill. Anyone out there have experience in this type of situation?

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Gratitude Journal May 7: I love that social media allows me to stay in touch with old friends and make awesome new friends.

Life with Autism Part 1

2013-05-28T08:42:00.001-07:00

We have to be careful what Missy watches. Something that wouldn't affect a typical child can really set her off. Especially cartoon violence that others might recognize as being so over the top it's comical.

Today the kids turned on an old episode of Power Puff Girls where one of the girl's hair is being pulled out. I wasn't paying close attention, but I think her hair was being pulled out by one of the other girls. Missy came to me in the kitchen where I was making dinner. She was obviously upset and starting pulling hard on the hair at the base of her neck. I yelled to Sissy to please change the show to something else as I tried to calm her down. I started by hugging her close to me. This doesn't comfort her in the typical way it may comfort one of her siblings, but it serves two purposes. One, it keeps her hands away from her head where she typically hits herself hard (this time it was trying to pull her own hair out), and two, sometimes compression of her joints will help calm her down. She broke free from my embrace and ran to the couch.

As Sissy turned on My Little Pony, Missy drew this picture.

She brought it to me to see what she had drawn. I tried to help her understand the feelings of the girls/ponies. That seemed to help her and she decided to watch My Little Pony.

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Gratitude Journal May 28th: I'm so grateful Missy is able to express her feelings through art. Communication is definitely not the easiest thing for her and I'm relieved when she can work through her feelings by drawing.

Silly Saturday

2013-05-11T08:39:00.000-07:00

Buddy: Why do you color your hair, Mom?

Me: So I don't look like a Grandma. I'm not a Grandma, right?

Buddy: No. (laughing) No, you're just a regular, old Mom.

Happy Mother's Day to me, I guess! But, really, Happy Mother's Day to all you ladies out there! Hope it's a super special day!

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Gratitude Journal May 11: Today I'm grateful for lazy Saturday mornings. My kids don't sleep in and I've been up since 4 a.m., but at least we have been able to eat breakfast in a relaxed fashion and watch lots of cartoons.

California Surfin' Week 22

2013-03-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Week 22 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

If you're a California blogger, we'd love to have you link up your posts this week. Come back throughout the week and add as needed. Please also check out the other blog posts listed and give some bloggy love by commenting, liking, tweeting, stumbling, etc.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

Moving It! III

2013-01-18T10:34:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays I participated in the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge that Amanda over at Run to the Finish put on. While being hit with this Flumegedden meant I didn't finish as strong as I would have liked, I still started 2013 on a better foot than I would have otherwise. She has a Spring Bootie Buster Challenge in the works right now so go follow her blog so you won't miss the announcement next month.

Have you heard of dietbet.com?

I learned about it through Jess at Run with Jess and signed up for her challenge over there. It ends in 11 days and I have 1.9# to go.

And guess what? The last time I exercised was January 1st. Yeah, I got hit with an annoying flu thing. Uncontrollable coughing and the like. Fortunately there was only a little nausea, but the coughing made for some lovely headaches and achy all over. I was really hoping that coughing could be considered an ab workout, but it turns out not so much...

I'm so ready to get into an exercise routine again. Brad's work schedule has changed so that it's really hard for me to get a run in during daylight hours. I can run at night with Lacy, our German Shepherd. But, she's more of a sprinter than a long distance runner and 3 miles is about all we can do. Our treadmill broke and our clubhouse has a 30-minute limit on the treadmills there.

So, I asked for a jogging stroller for an anniversary present (12 years this month!!!). Buddy is 4 years old and a tall 4 year old at that, so I didn't want to invest a lot of money into something that I'll probably only use for 6 months. Fortunately I found a new one on Craig's List for $50. It had been collecting dust in a woman's apartment for a few years. She honestly had never used it. It still had the tags on it, the tires hadn't been pumped up yet, and the little feathery tags (you know that's the official name!) were still on the tires. Score!!

I'd like to keep myself in half-marathon shape and will soon need to begin training for the Utah Valley Marathon in June. This time around I'm planning to make yoga a big part of my training. I hope to combat runner's knee by doing this and reach my goal of coming in under 4 hours, a PR at the very least.

Taking off 15 pounds will really help me reach that goal too. I'm not overweight, but I have some fat I'd like to lose. I've been dabbling in Paleo/Primal eating and have started Whole30 a few times. I even read It Starts with Food

(pic is affiliate link) and loved it. All the information they presented made sense to me. I know I need to try Whole30 again. I need to do an entire month and slowly introduce foods to see where my food intolerances lie. I'm sure I have a wheat intolerance, but need to know if there is more.

And I especially need to kick this sugar addiction. I hate that it has so much control over me.

So, how about you? How are your moving goals going for this month so far?

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Gratitude Journal January 18: I am grateful for modern medicine. My nephew was born yesterday and, due to difficulty in his arrival, is spending some time in the NICU. His prognosis is awesome and I'm sure he will be fine, but in another day and age, he may not have made it.

Happy New Year!!

2013-01-15T10:40:00.001-08:00

Yeah, I'm a little late to the party. Oh well.

Sissy started 1st grade this year. Her teacher has a different personality than her Kindergarten teacher so she's had to learn to deal with that. She is an excellent teacher who has helped Sissy thrive and reach high to her potential.

The last I blogged about Missy's education she was just beginning Summer School. I wasn't sure if a Special Needs Deaf/Hard of Hearing class was best for her. It turns out it wasn't; all the students had physical disabilities, none with neurological disabilities. It just wasn't a very good fit.

I found out the week before school starts that the school district had enrolled her in a special education program at the middle school. It was a small, unique class. Only her and 3 other students. She would have an interpreter. "Would the interpreter act as an educational aide also or would they be only an interpreter?", I asked. (Some interpreters ONLY interpret - it's a matter of their personal choice.) The district coordinator knows me really well by this point and she is wonderfully honest with me. The district subcontracts their ASL interpreters out to an outside company. Truthfully, they don't know who is going to show up until the morning of. But, if it isn't a good fit we'll try something else out. Okay, I figure I have to trust the process at some point.

This is happening so last minute that we haven't received anything in the mail from the middle school about touring the school grounds and such that all the other 6th graders have (technically Missy is still a 5th grader so she wouldn't be attending the middle school otherwise). But, my close friend whose youngest is a 6th grader suggests just heading over to the school that Friday before. No one will care if you take a look around.

So Missy and I head over there to take a look around. I want her to have an opportunity to look around and know where her classroom is. Long story short the front office has no record of her being a future student. They just want me to come back mid-morning on Monday. I try explaining that I've been working with So and So at the district and that everything is in place. Please fill out all this paperwork and prove you actually live where you say you live, they say. I'm livid and near tears. This isn't how I expected it to go.

So I do what they tell me to and make an angry call to the Special Education coordinator that I later apologize for. It wasn't her fault; information just hadn't made it out to the front office staff yet.

When I come back with the required paperwork all the staff is on the same page. Can I take her back and show her where her classroom is? Okay, they say, but let me check with the teacher first, technically they aren't in the classroom today. I try explaining it's okay, we won't go in, I just want to show her the classroom.

The teacher says fine, but the classroom isn't ready yet. No worries, I just want to ease mine and Missy's anxieties. Okay, maybe mine more than hers...

When we arrived at the classroom I wasn't planning to go in, but the teacher greeted us and invited us in. We visited for a moment, she knows some sign from a previous student, and she introduced herself to Missy, using the name sign the previous student gave her.

And come to find out, she had already read Missy's IEP. She knew her full history. I was floored. And thrilled.

Monday morning was a tad chaotic at the school as I tried to find the best place to park. I can't just drop her off in the circle like other parents. I was nervous about whether her interpreter/aide would be a good fit. I felt like her teacher was too good to be true, that must mean something else is going to be a pain, right?!?

Somehow I was wrong. The stars and planets aligned. God smiled down on us. However you want to look at it. I feel blessed, but then what does that mean for those that continue to struggle to find a good fit for their special needs kids? Like my friend Sam's son, Jack. Or countless other children.

The difference is having someone in the profession that cares. Every encounter with Missy's Teacher and Aide shows me they care.

She was having too much fun in class and wouldn't let anyone know she needed to go to the bathroom, resulting in accidents. They set up regular bathroom breaks. They recognized she loves playing with hair and coloring so as a reward when she finishes her schoolwork, she gets to color and play with doll's hair. They help her go buy her lunch every day. And when she's sad and cries, they try to help her.

I don't know if they realize what a relief this is to Brad and me. We want her to be successful and independent, but it's not something we can do on our own. While we have prepared ourselves for the possibility that she will live with us forever, and I want to protect her from all the bad in the world, we'd love to see her do things that typical children do. We want her to find her place in this world.

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Gratitude Journal January 15: I'm grateful for the kind heart Heavenly Father has blessed me with. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share it with others and spread the love and grace that He wants all to feel while in this life.

Spiritual Wellness, Gratitude Journal, and #BestFoot

2013-01-02T13:54:00.002-08:00

As a teenager I had an awesome habit of praying and reading my scriptures every morning. It was a great opportunity to reflect on where my life was and where I wanted it to be. Over time I gained new responsibilities and lost this habit.

Over the years I've tried to pick it up again only to have my determination fizzle out. We all know it's hard work being an adult - a lot of responsibilities that take up our time. But, there are more aspects to our well being than just emotional and physical. In fact there are seven of them: social, emotional, spiritual, environmental, occupational, intellectual, and physical.

I believe that it is our responsibility (yep, add another one to the list!) to become the best us while living this life. And, truth be told, I'm lacking in the spiritual department. Sure, I go to church each Sunday, but the majority of my time is spent with teaching the toddlers. While our 15 minute lesson (if we're lucky!!) is an important reminder for anyone, I feel like I'm spending most of the time desperately trying to get their attention.

I, obviously, need to take my spiritual wellness into my own hands. That's why I was excited to join this month's Best Foot challenge from Amanda of RunToTheFinish. If there is anything I've learned over the last 3 decades it's that baby steps are the way to go. I think I can handle 5 minutes each morning. It just means not immediately checking my email, facebook, instagram, and the likes.

I also like Amanda's concept of a Daily Gratitude Journal. Writing in my journal somewhat frequently was another habit from my youth that I wish I still had. In fact, I've lamented this fact on this blog more than once...

Anyway, I'd like to work on that as part of this challenge also. I have SO MUCH for which to be grateful. I need to express it more often- if only to look back on when I might be feeling less than blessed.

If you have a daily habit of meditation/scripture study already, let me be the first to say "Way to go!!", but if not, consider joining us this month.

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Gratitude Journal Jan 2: I am grateful for my husband's employment. There are many people struggling with financial and employment issues right now and I feel so blessed that he is thriving there.

Instead Softcup Review

2012-12-28T12:28:00.000-08:00

Just a heads-up: This is a potentially TMI post, depending on who you are. For example, if you're male, I doubt you're interested in a menstrual cup. Anyyyyway, you have been warned...

I first learned about menstrual cups when I was cloth-diapering Buddy. I liked the idea of less going to the landfill, but cloth-diapering him was enough of a chore that I couldn't bring myself to deal with anything extra.

I next heard about them through Tina at For the Love of the Run. Her preferred brand is Instead Softcup. I excitedly signed up to give these a try.

They recommend that you take some time to get used to them before you wear them as your only protection and I have to agree. At first I wasn't getting it up there far enough (dang t-rex arms!!) and was experiencing leaking. It's very important to read through those instructions.

I love that you can put it in and essentially forget about it. I do still wear a pantyliner at times because when my bladder gets full my muscles tend to shift the cup a bit. With a tampon I usually wore a full pad simultaneously because I had such a heavy flow it was necessary. The cup holds so much more than the tampon did.

Plus, as I've become older my cycle has become strange. Really, it has! I have a heavy flow for a few days. Then it disappears completely for a few days only to come back heavy for another few days. I hated wearing tampons during the "eye of the storm" because I felt like it totally dried me out, but I never knew when my period would start back up again and I would need protection. With the cup, I can wear it during the "eye time" and not worry about it sucking me dry.

The other totally cool thing I love about the cup is that I can have sex during my period without worrying about a menstrual mess. +1 Softcup!!

They offer disposable and reusable options. Truthfully, I will usually rinse my disposable one and use it for 24 hours. But, that's because I'm in the privacy of my own home. If that isn't an option, I love having the disposable for times it would be easier to just throw it away.

All in all, I love them!! I'll never go back to tampons or pads. EVER! In fact, when I ran out of the box they sent me to try I thought I could easily pick up another box at the WalMart down the street. Imagine my shock when they didn't carry them! I had to use a tampon and I HATED it! So I had to come home and look up where they sold them locally. The next time I need them I'm going to order them through amazon.

(That's an affiliate link.) That way I can sign up for the Subscribe and Save option and never have to worry about being caught without them.

**I was provided a box of Softcup to try for purpose of review. I also will receive compensation in the form of reimbursing a race entry fee. This in no way influenced my opinion of the product. Seriously, try the product and see for yourself. :)**

California Surfin' Week 16

2012-12-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Week 16 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

yurbuds - Inspire for Women

2012-11-05T10:50:00.002-08:00

Training and running a half or full marathon means many, MANY, hours of running. Music helps not only pass the time, but makes the run itself more enjoyable. That's why it's incredibly annoying when your earbuds have difficulty staying in and your ears hurt like crazy from ginormous earbuds being shoved in smaller ears. Is this a problem you have? Then read on!

I was very excited to not only give Inspire for Women by yurbuds a try. I loved them from the moment I put them in. Inspire for Women are ergonomically designed for our smaller ears. They are comfortable and easy to wear for long periods of time. Plus, with Twist Lock technology, they are guaranteed to never fall out.

Not only did I get to try them out, but I was able to have a running party with some friends to give them an opportunity to see how cool these earbuds are!

Down to the path at the lake we went. I was impressed how well I could hear my music and still hear sounds around me, like the stroller wheels in the dirt and talking.

And what did my friends think? They loved them too! I think the biggest selling point for all of us is how comfortable and secure they are. No more messing with earbuds as you're trying to run only to have your ears ache like crazy after a long run. Several of the women will be running the Las Vegas Ragnar Relay at the end of this week and I know they'll be taking these along with them.

So, where can you get your own pair of yurbuds Inspire for Women? Target, of course! And check out all the cool colors available! Definitely something your inner Fastinista will enjoy.

I love my blue ones! They go great with my blue train 4 autism gear! If you need some musical inspiration for your next run, check out my running playlist.

Thanks to yurbuds and BSM Media for the opportunity to review this product. I did receive the product to try at no cost. This in no way influenced my opinion of the product.

Time flies...

2012-10-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

...When you're having fun.

But, that doesn't mean I shouldn't be documenting it, right? Tonight we were looking at old photos from when Missy and Sissy were little. And then suddenly they stopped. Buddy wanted to know where was the picture of him the minute he was born.

Turns out once we got a digital camera, I stopped printing out photos. Fortunately back then I blogged more than I do now. So, we pulled up the year 2008 here on the ol' blog and went on a trip down memory lane. Watched a 2yo Sissy sing "Don't Stop Believin'". Saw a 6yo Missy signing up a storm. Admired Buddy's cute 1st Halloween.

Then Brad said it. "You need to do better with the blog." And he's totally right, sighhhh... I really have no excuse, what with blogger automatically uploading all my cell phone pics so I can easily blog about it.

Gee, thanks Buddy for the awesome pic of Mom!

Church this year has been at 1:30. Buddy is trying desperately to outgrow naps, but still needs one every now and then. Practicing in the Chapel for the Primary Program was just a little too much for him and he completely passed out next to me. Good thing I have my ginormous church bag for him to use as a pillow...

Sissy really wanted curly hair for school pics. I thought I'd give a pinterest idea a try. I wasn't too thrilled with the results, but Daddy and Sissy loved it so it's all good. I think next time I'll try less tight twists, sans product, and larger sections of hair.

At Missy's physical this Summer she didn't pass the eye exam. I had to get glasses when I was her age and combined with her resolved ROP (retinopathy of prematurity), we decided to take her to the optometrist. (This pic is Missy waiting for her eyes to fully dilate.) I liked the office on the most part, but the optometrist kinda rubbed me the wrong way when she told me she didn't think Missy had autism because she was too cooperative. Anyway, that's a whole 'nother post...

The optometrist didn't feel like she needed glasses right now. But, down the road, if Missy or her teacher or interpreter noticed any problems, then we'd look into it.

I've really fallen off the working out wagon this past month. Just trying to figure out a schedule that meshes with school pick ups and drop offs and Brad's new work schedule. I usually like to work out first thing in the morning, but to do that now means I would have to wake up at 4am. Which means it's past my bedtime... Night all Y'all!

Moving It! II

2012-09-13T16:17:00.000-07:00

(You probably can't tell, but there is a jump rope in my hands... and yes, I need a haircut...)

It's been nearly 4 months since my last Moving It! post, so I decided it was about time to get back on the proverbial blogging wagon with a movement post.

The last I checked in I was tapering for my 2nd marathon. The marathon did not go as planned. But, I set a PR so, all in all, I can't complain.

Then started the Summer living in Hell. No, not really, but it's been hot enough here to qualify as Hell. So, combine realizing I really need to work on strength training, having an unanticipated marathon finish, and triple-digit weather without a treadmill, and you get a Jessica that has slacked on running. And those really are all just excuses because I could go up to our Clubhouse and use the treadmill there. They just have a 30-minute limit on them and that annoys me.

In the meantime, what have I been up to? Besides caring for a husband, 3 kids, 1 dog, and 3 guinea pigs, I've been dabbling in Paleo and Primal eating. I recently started, and quit halfway through, the 30 day challenge from Whole9.

I plan to do the Whole30 again incredibly soon. 15 days into it I could see a difference. I think I am sensitive to grains. For those two weeks I wasn't as tired, wasn't as quick to lose my temper with my family (was this because I wasn't tired or does the grains affect my mood? That I don't know.), and didn't feel like I was spending a portion of my day in the bathroom. TMI? Sorry-- Seriously though, my family jokes that when they're looking for me, they always try the bathroom first.

I have also been increasing my strength training. It makes such a huge difference!! I've had friends and family ask about the program that I'm doing so I thought I'd share my routine. I use Jillian Michael's Ultimate Dumbbell 8-week program and love it! All you need are dumbbells. I highly recommend the Jillian Michael's dumbbells WalMart sells. They have a great online price and an even better in-store price. Once 8# seems easy, move on up to 10# and so on. You don't need to worry about getting "too bulky" at such small weights.

When I first started I would do each move for 30 seconds. I've since improved enough that I do each move for 1 minute. I just use the timer on my phone. I don't follow it the way she has outlined. I just do one of each exercise and then do as many rounds as I can in 20-30 minutes, depending on what my schedule looks like for the day. And that's 20-30 minutes of actual lifting. I stop my timer at the end of each set and only start it back up again when I begin the next set. Don't let the timer run as you catch your breath and rehydrate.

The JM site I reference above doesn't show you what the exact moves are though so here are the exercises for the first and second week's day 1:

Crescent Pose Row

Cross Arm Extensions in Single Leg Bridge

Prone Cobra (oh how I dislike these...)

Iso Squat Bent Over Row

Sit Ups to Dumbbell Rotations

Stork Flies

Sumo Squat to Upright Row

All of these should be done with your abs pulled in as tight as possible. It just adds one more strength training element to each move and helps to tighten your core.

I'll follow up with the moves for Weeks 1 & 2, Day 2 tomorrow.

Don't forget to Move It!

California Surfin' Week 15

2012-08-27T09:43:00.003-07:00

Welcome to Week 15 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

California Surfin' Week 14

2012-08-24T11:22:00.004-07:00

Welcome to Week 14 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

I need chocolate...

2012-06-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

I just dropped Missy off at her first day of Summer School. Or Extended School Year (ESY), whatever you prefer calling it.

After 3 years of homeschooling, Brad and I decided it may be time for her to enter the public school system once again. We went through the Assessment process and had her IEP. We don't have a Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH) program in our district so we're going through our County program.

The school is a 20-minute drive from our home. In Pre-School and Kindergarten she rode the bus. Sometimes she was on the bus for over an hour ONE WAY so this time around I'll just drive her myself.

Boy was I anxious the whole drive over there!! I know she is ready for school. After seeing Sissy go to Kindergarten this past year, she was always asking when she could go to school.

After showering this morning, she asked for a specific head band to wear and I told her we needed to brush her hair first. She promptly went to start brushing her hair. And she did a pretty good job on her own. "She's 10, what's the big deal," you say. This is the first time she has ever brushed her hair on her own. Ever. She's started in the past, but would get frustrated and give up. Or only do the front of her hair.

When I dropped her off, I mentioned to her teacher, "She may need a reminder to go to the bathroom."

Usually she wants a personal invitation to go. So, when she's bouncing up and down I tell her to go to the bathroom. Sometimes she'll go in, stand next to the toilet, wait a minute, then come back out again. I'll think she has gone and instead I'll see her a few minutes later bouncing up and down again.

When I tell her teacher "She may need a reminder to go to the bathroom.", she says "The kids are old enough we just let them take care of that on their own." She's got a point, but Missy isn't a typical 10-year old. I ask, "Can we show her where the bathroom is, so she knows where it is if she needs it?"

The teacher leads us over to the restrooms and tells Missy, "Here are the bathrooms. If you need to go, raise your hand and say bathroom please." Missy mimics back, "Raise my hand. Bathroom please." I think "Well crap, I guess I'll be back here before the day is through because she's wet her pants."

At this point I don't even bother to tell the teacher, "While she hasn't ran away for several years, I think you should be aware she has the potential to just wander off." I was already getting the "What the hell kind of class do you think this is?" look from her with my potty comment.

Class doesn't start for another 5 minutes so we decide to go wait outside by the buses that hold her classmates and the younger D/HH class. We use the drinking fountain and I tell Missy "If you need to go potty, please sit on the potty. If you go potty in your pants, you have to go home. Do you understand?"

"Understand." she mimics back.

Then I worry that her classmates have seen our exchange from the bus window (it's pretty easy to eavesdrop with sign language) and will think less of her for it. Then I think, "Please dear God, don't let her ask one of them if they have a penis or vagina."

See, here's a little known secret about Missy. Along with wanting to know everyone's ages and their house number, she wants to know what they've got in their drawers.

It started when Buddy was born and she was like, "What's that?!?!" So I explained to her. I don't know what the sign language slang for those parts are, but after working for a pediatric office for years and hearing the wierdo alternatives parents would use when they'd call for appointments and advice, I swore I'd teach my kids to use the proper terms.

From that point on she would ask for everyone. The fact that she used sign language was a blessing because not everyone would know what she was talking about. Like asking me if the clerk at Target has a penis. He says, "Oh, what did she say?" trying to be nice and engaging her. "That's the sign for 'later'. She says she'll see you later." And I try to run out the door as quickly as possible.

In all honesty, Brad and I usually laugh about it. The alternative is crying and I'm naturally a crier (Thanks Dad for passing that on to me!) so I do that enough already. Dad also thinks it's incredibly funny and gets a good belly laugh out of it.

But, her classmates? And her teacher? Somehow I don't think they're going to find it quite amusing when she asks what color their vagina is (she's the only caucasian student that I saw today).

But, as I'm sitting her typing this, wiping away the tears of anxiety, I remember the fact that she brushed her hair for the first time today. She rose to the occasion. So, along with a graham cracker with Nutella on it, I also need to have a little faith that she will continue to rise to the occasion.

California Surfin' Week 8

2012-06-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Week 7 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

California Surfin' Week 7

2012-06-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Week 7 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

Emjoi Divine Epilator Review

2012-06-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

I consider myself somewhat of a hairy individual. Yes, I have a beautiful, thick mane of hair, but it also translates into unwanted hair in other various places... So, when I saw how much Tina of For the Love of the Run loves her epilator, I was keen on giving it a try.

"Jessica and Divine Epilator sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G... "

Seriously though, I absolutely love this epilator! LOVE!

I first tried my legs. Yes, it hurt at first, but I eventually became accustomed to it.

Next I wanted to try my underarms. Saying I hate shaving my underarms is an understatement. The hair grows back so quickly so I shave against the hair growth. That usually ends up giving me ingrown hairs. It's just a mess. An annoying mess!

You do need to make sure the skin is tight, but usually just holding my arm up above my head seems to be tight enough. Again, yes, it hurts for a moment, but it's temporary, especially compared to the pain of ingrown hairs and having to shave EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

Next was the ever-exciting bikini line. Another area I hate shaving because it seems to grow back so quickly. I have tried waxing before, even going the Brazilian route, and love those results. Because I can tolerate waxing better than most, I figured the epilator wouldn't be a big deal. And it wasn't. That area is harder to tweeze because it does need to be taut (After having 3 kids via c-section, even losing 20+ pounds hasn't helped that area too much in that department). If I had 3 hands it would be a breeze. Yet, even with only 2, it was manageable.

Next was my upper lip. Yup, I'm pretty much a closet Sasquatch. I've tried many removal/bleach products over the years. Currently I've been using Nair Hair Removing Cream. And, I just might stick with the Nair because the epilator hurt more than I was willing to hurt. It was even harder to hold that area tight than the bikini line. I tried all sorts of methods - tightening/sucking in my lips, pulling my skin with one hand, puffing my lips out with air, etc and it still felt like it was catching my skin more often than not. Perhaps it will be like childbirth and weeks down the road when it's time to clean up the 'ol upper lip, I'll have completely forgotten what it was like and do it all over again.

This particular epilator also has interchangeable heads. One of which is an electric shaver. I love the epilator so much I don't foresee using the shaver, but I will use it for Missy. She has been a bit frightened of the disposable razor. As you can imagine, trying to shave the underarms of a wiggly, frightened tween with an ASD is potentially dangerous. While the vibration of the shaver still scared her a bit, I didn't have to be concerned about hurting one of us accidentally.

With Summer upon us, and frequent trips to the swimming pool, I am going to love having the epilator. It's super easy to use, quick (The Divine works so fast with 36 tweezers; I saw on the website that they have epilators with 72 tweezers!), and the effects are long-lasting. I love being able to head out for a run without worrying if I missed a shave recently. It is rechargeable using the removable cord and I love the cordless option.

Emjoi has a chart to help you find the best epilator for you. Head on over and check it out!

Thanks to Emjoi and For the Love of the Run for this opportunity. I received an epilator free of charge to review. I received no other compensation for my opinion. My opinion is my own and was in no way determined by this.

California Surfin' Week 6

2012-06-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Week 5 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.

Moving It! I

2012-05-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've been writing this post since Monday. I've decided to not hold myself to writing these updates only on Mondays. The image will stay the same for now; I'm lazy like that...

The taper has begun. Began? Begun. At least according to this woman. Anyway, grammar aside, I have started to decrease my miles.

Perfect timing too, because I found out that I really need to increase my strength training. Remember the Hydrostatic Body Composition Analysis I did? Well, those results we not what I was expecting. Not even close. Not even a fraction...

I did lose 5.8# which I was proud of until I saw the entire picture. I only lost 1% body fat. 2.7 of those 5.8 pounds were muscle. I lost muscle! It was very frustrating to me because I knew that I had really tried to increase my strength training and my protein consumption. In the end, I just think my running was a much higher percentage of the calories I was burning. Marathon training can do that, I imagine.

This revelation has made me realize it's time to start a food diary again. I love loseit.com and my EatSmart Kitchen Scale. I seriously don't know what I'd do without the scale. I won it in a giveaway a few years ago and I love it. Part of the reason I hate journaling my food is that I'm a bit anal and it's difficult for me to guesstimate on my homemade meals. I don't want to take the time to figure every ingredient, yet I want to be accurate. So, I need to let go a bit, letting loseit.com and the scale do most of the work for me.
"It's not where you are, it's where you're going... Everybody gets knocked down, how quick are you going to get up?"

Time to jump back up and continue on down the road!

Keep on Moving It!

California Surfin' - Week 5

2012-05-21T13:32:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Week 5 of California Surfin' hosted by California Mom Bloggers and myself. Head on over there to see what those of us in the great state of California are up to.

There are only two rules for this blog hop.

1. You must be a California blogger.

2. Please leave a genuine comment on each blog you visit. If you don't have a comment, please help out by doing one of the other options above.