Spring!!

I feel like Spring is in the air this weekend & it is not even February yet!  I have a vague feeling of unease about this. As though I am being teased & a let down is just around the corner.

But I don't care. I am going to enjoy this moment of spring for as long as I can.  I have been outside a lot. I took a lot of pictures for a project I am working on. I have forced my cats out the door many, many times for fresh air.

This coming week is going to be busy & I am feeling rejuvenated and ready for it.  I have an afternoon of subbing, a dentist appt, possible house guest/s, a wine club gathering I am hosting, a lot of baking/cooking.  Yikes!  I am stoked.

I have been trying to branch out into many different levels of cooking recently.  I have learned many things about chicken in the past 2 weeks & I am loving it. And I made Chris paninis last night, with chicken. It was very very tasty. I had a pita with the same ingredients. I felt semi-healthier.  haha.

This appears to be a random posting now instead of just about the fact that Spring is in the air & it is only January. Oh well.  I have not written in a while so there are a number of things to cover.

These last 2 months have been so hard.  I think that is one reason that I have not written. I don't want to write. I don't think I want to let go of certain feelings & hurts. I think I should but I am just not ready.  Soon maybe. But not yet. In looking at the stages of grief it appears I am only at stage 2.  Granted everyone hits those stages at different times & in different orders but after 2 months I would have hoped that I would be farther. And I think I thought I was but this last week, I hit stage 2. In a major way. I am so angry. And I want to write about it & talk about it but I just can't yet. it is just too..... big. I can't handle it. So instead, I just keep going. I keep ignoring it or I cry privately for a moment or two and then keep going. I have a friend who seems to understand that I am not going to be ok yet. And probably not for a while. And she keeps checking on me. It is what I need. And one of these times I will be ready to talk about it again with her but for now I want to keep ignoring it.

OK that is all for now. I am going to go make some new & amazing food.  :)

Stolen blog

I stole this whole blog from someones blog.   Don't be hating. I just liked it that much. Mainly the part about showing & receiving love.  I wanted to put this somewhere so I could find it when I needed to read it- thus it is now on my blog.  

:)  Thank you!

 

Beauty Survey #1

Forty women were surveyed about beauty. This blog explains the reasons for the survey.

Here are the questions and a summary of their answers.

#1. “When do you feel the most beautiful? Is it something you do or something someone else does?”

Upon asking this question, I should’ve been more specific. I believe we have both outward, physical beauty as well as inward, character beauty. But for the purpose of this survey, I’m talking about the outside kind. Overall, women said that they feel the most beautiful (physically) when they are balanced, affirmed, and comfortable.

Balance is important. One woman said that she feels the most beautiful when she’s “exercising regularly, making healthy eating choices,” and is “well rested.” Most of the women would agree with her. Not one woman said that a specific hair style or article of clothing made them feel beautiful. Beauty is a state of mind.

One friend told me she feels the most beautiful when she’s naked or dancing in her underwear. Balance, in her life, involves making time for silliness. She’s also fueled by the high of a tough work-out and feeling strong and confident afterward. Not everyone gets excited about exercise. But whatever you do to feel strong, confident, capable, and passionate is part of leading a balanced life. We all want balance. When we feel balanced, we feel beautiful and whole.

Affirmation is important. Women who are dating or married added that they feel beautiful when their boyfriends or husbands tell them they are. We like hearing it. We like knowing our significant others find us attractive. However, there’s a good chance that you might not be hearing this enough. The logical solution to this problem: ask for it. You cannot expect your relationship to resemble a Hollywood movie (unless, of course, you actually do live in a Hollywood movie). The un-romantic part of day-to-day relationships is they require work. If you need something, ask for it.

Exhibit A (a true story):

Heather: “Jeremy, I need you to tell me if you find me attractive. I need to be reminded more often.”

Jeremy: “I thought I was telling you. I let you drive my truck.”

Heather: (furrowed brow, confusion) “What?”

Sometimes how one person shows their love, is different than how the other person receives it. Jeremy is proud of his truck and rarely allows other people drive it. To him, allowing me to drive his truck took trust. He felt that by letting me drive his truck he was communicating that he loved me, thus found me attractive. Obviously, there was a communication error (that we laugh about now). So now he just says, “You’re cute,” and I melt into a pile of mush on the floor.

Comfort is important. I was surprised at how many women said that the fit of their clothing makes a big difference. They feel fat when their clothes are too tight and they feel like they are bulging right out of their clothes. Feeling beautiful means feeling comfortable in what we’re wearing.

So here’s what I’ve found makes these women feel beautiful:

-Seeking balance is still a worthy cause. It may be the most elusive and slippery goal we will ever strive for, but it makes us happier, healthier, and more beautiful.

-It’s okay if hearing “You look nice” makes you giddy. Also, you can ask a significant other for what you need. It might be uncomfortable. The words might dribble out of your mouth like baby food, but they’ll get out. You’ll feel better when you’re giving and receiving love in a way that both of you can feel.

-Wear clothes that you are comfortable in. I have one rule for 95% of my clothing: I must be able to easily climb a tree or bust out a Downward-Dog. If I’m not comfy, than I feel restricted and silly. I’m just guessing, but I doubt you feel any more comfortable than I do in 4-inch high heels, underwire bras, Spanx, and skinny jeans that you spend 70% of the day yanking up from behind. Commit to only buying clothes you feel comfortable wearing. Period.

Cookies! (for Carley)

Carley Brizzown.  Here ya go!



Hopefully this works!  Follow the recipe I sent you via e-mail.

The Cast of Characters!

If you do not have a lovely mixer I feel for you but this will still be very doable.

Add the flour (notice it is NOT packed)

Add salt & baking soda and mix slightly

Add shortening.  Pack it in by pushing a knife into it to fill in any air pockets and then scraping the excess off the top.

Dump in the shortening and mix slightly.

Brown sugar (packed) & sugar. Mix well.

Add eggs & vanilla and mix thoroughly (until it looks like the above). Add chocolate chips.

Place on cookie sheet! Eat some dough.

Do not keep in the oven too long... they should look like this!

Eat & enjoy!

On a side note... if you want you can freeze the dough and just make a few cookies at a time so you have hot cookies whenever you like!  mm mm good!

Sticking

Sticking is important to me.

Sticking to something when it gets hard.

Sticking to your convictions.

Sticking to your ideal & morals.

Sticking to your friends.

Sticking to friends.....  this one has been on my mind a lot lately.  There are people in my life that have come and gone and it is ok. Then there are people that have come and NOT gone and it might be better if they left.  Then there are the people that have come and gone and I wish they would stick.  My three best girl friends are flung about the country right now and although they have all kept in touch with me it intrigues me how they each keep in touch in a separate way.

One texts me daily, we talk occasionally, we e-mail every now and then.

One calls infrequently, chats on facebook occasionally and never texts.

The 3rd & final one calls & texts at least 5 times a week.  She e-mails when I e-mail her.

All three HAVE kept in touch though. And I love it. When things change you always wonder if your friendships will stick... so many times they do not. You both have to be willing to put in the effort.  You have to be able to push past the one word responses, unanswered texts, calls being left hanging, messages not returned, and "i forgot" or "I am just so busy" and MAKE the person listen & take the time if you want the friendship to continue.  Is it fair to say that both parties are responsible for a failed friendship or is it the fault of the one who "quit" first?  Should the 2nd have tried harder to keep the quitter from quitting?

These are the things plaguing my mind tonight as I carved pumpkins.....

At what point do you stop trying & accept that maybe things are just too different between you now?  Do you have to "break up" in order to get closure for the friendship?  Because let me tell you I feel like I need closure for a friendship!  hmmm

So this one is to all the lost friendships, lagging friendships, & troubled friendships out there.... word of advice- just push the other person.  They will either thank you for it or they will pull further away and at least it will be over quicker for you!  Which sucks.. but dragging it out is worse.  Let me tell you.

Oh the puddles!!

I love puddles

It rained today

A lot of rain

There are rivers

streams

creeks

cricks

trickles

drips

and drops

I went for a walk in it.  There were worms. So, so many worms.  They were long, squiggly, wiggly things that tended to try to crawl right into your path. 

I started out in the back alley and there were lakes to navigate. I was getting soaked to the skin but did not mind at all.

 I stopped at Christopher's to warm up for a bit and then went right back out to get soaked some more. It was a great time!

Highly recommended!

Autumn is here!!

October’s Party

by George Cooper

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came.

The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band.

The Chestnuts came in yellow,

The Oaks in crimson dressed;

The lovely Misses maple

In scarlet looked their best.

All balanced to their partners,

And gaily fluttered by;

The sight was like a rainbow

New fallen from the sky.

Then in the rustic hollow

At hide-and-seek they played;

The party closed at sundown

And everybody stayed.

Professor Wind played louder;

They flew along the ground;

And then the party ended

In jolly "hands around."

 

 

Fighting

*Buzz*


*Buzz*


It is my phone again -- but instead of a text someone is calling me! I think it is Carley so I quickly put the groceries I am holding on the counter, floor, and fridge (aka- I dropped them all over the place). I don't really care though - they are not my groceries.

Jeffrey darts over and snatches up my phone before I get to it. He looks at who is calling and ANSWERS! The booger. I let him talk a few seconds but then start asking for my phone back because he is trying to do an impression of me and it is no good.

And he refuses to give me the phone and continues tormenting the person on the other end of the phone call.

I attack.

Not a little attack.

A big one.

I am going for leg hairs here.

I am stomping on toes.


At this point I discover it is Missy on the phone and I really needed to ask her some things so I REALLY wanted the phone.


I go after the leg hairs with a vengence. This is causing some very interesting octaves to come out of Jeffrey's vocal chords. It entertains.


As he dashes outside, I let him go.


I finish with the gorceries but then go stand in the doorway and do my best glare. He ducks behind a car.


I go back inside and rearrange a few magazines.

I go stand in the doorway and do a better glare. I get my phone back.


I sit outside for a little while talking and then move inside to Chris's bed and watch him unpack some things.


As Missy is telling me a story I am suddenly attacked! Chris has tackled me and I am now sat upon! What to do? Missy is getting concerned by my muffled screeching. Chris stuffs a pillow in my face.


And then another pillow -- for good measure I suppose.


I struggle against his weight and he jumps up leaving me lying on the bed with a phone on my nose & two pillows over my face. I mumble "I am fine" to a troubled Missy. Chris laughs & mocks my "I'm fine" since I am still stuck under pillows and half hanging off the bed. But I survived.


Jeffrey bounds into the room to rescue me --- about 1 minute too late. Boys. Sheesh. He jokingly asks if I was raped and I confirm this fact. Chris informs him that since I tried to rape him (Jeff) a little bit ago he was just trying to even the score.