Days of Play: Valentine's

Honestly, we don't really celebrate Valentine's Day.  I mean we do in that we love each other day but we don't do the forced "romance" date thing.  It's just not our thing.

But I have a mother-in-love who happens to enjoy doting on her grandchildren in the form of gifts for every holiday imaginable (and the grandchildren are totally amenable to this).  So, this year, in return for her Valentine's goodie bags filled with chocolates and stickers, we are going to make her a Valentine's keepsake.

I haven't decided which we'll do (or maybe we'll do all) but here are my Pinterest finalists!

Source: funhandprintart.blogspot.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Source: sherellechristensen.typepad.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Source: belladia.typepad.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Music Monday: AWOLNATION

AWOLNATION (yes, they spell it in all caps.) is an American electronic rock band.  I started my obsession with them in early June 2011 when I heard the song sail.  The love affair continues.


SAIL

 


 NOT YOUR FAULT


 

Date Night {IN}: Family Planning

 When you are Type A personality and you are married to a fellow who is Type A personality AND a lawyer, you tend to have your documents in order.  When Matt goes out of town, he leaves his will and end of life documents on his bedside table so I don't have to hunt for them in case of an accident.  No kidding.

My husband also happens to be getting an LLM in entrepreneurial law which means he is crazy into contracts and business plans.  I'd totally make fun of him but you should see me geek out over the survey tool maker I'm using for my Ph.D. work.

We are the Kaufmans.  We are bringing nerdy back.

I have a point which I will get to .... now.

For Christmas I gave Matt 12 Sealed Dates for the year.  January's date was called "The Business of Being a Family".  Here's what the card said inside:

The Business of Being a Family

A successful family, like a successful business, needs a mission, a vision, and goals.

This month, we will put together a family business plan.

We will:

• ·      Create a biblically based vision statement;
• ·      Create a biblically based mission statement;
• ·      Create goals on how to do faith-time as a family;
• ·      Create parenting goals;
• ·      Create rules;
• ·      Create a “plan” to keep the family marriage-centered instead of kid centered; and
• ·      Create a “bucket list” of 10 things we’d like to do as a family before our children are grown.

Before the date we each need to:

• ·      Find 3-5 guiding scriptures for our family
• ·      Write down 3 things you do well as a parent and 3 things I do well as a parent.
• ·      Write down 3 things you need to improve on as a parent.
• ·      Write down 3 things I need to improve on as a parent.

 During the date we will:

• ·   Spend time talking seriously
•      Spend time dreaming
•      Spend time praying
•      Spend time evaluating.

In the end, we will publish and post our family mission, vision, and goals.

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

Matt and I spent about three hours making brain webs and praying and dreaming.  Though this wasn't a physically intimate date, the daydreaming, the praying, the words of affirmation ... they all made this an incredibly intimate date on an emotional and spiritual level.  Though we haven't officially "published" our plan yet (because I'm still finding ideas on how to do this really officially/artistically), here is some of what we came up with.

VISION: The Kaufmans are builders.  Starting with a firm foundation in Christ, we will build disciplines of Godly people, including being fearlessly hopeful and generous.  We will build positive attitudes that reflect humility and gratitude.  We will build relationships that we passionately pursue and will be known as people who love.  We will build a legacy that reflects love and grace through our words and deeds.

MISSION: The Kaufmans will run the race with joy and will finish strong.  We will daily live a surrendered life.  We will push forward without looking back.   

RULES:

1. The Kaufmans will resolve conflict.  We will not ignore or hide from problems or conflict. We will talk openly, honestly, and respectfully.  We will seek peaceful resolutions. We will apologize.
2. The Kaufmans will treat people with respect.  We will be polite and courteous.  We will think more highly of others than ourselves.  We will acknowledge the feelings of others and how our words/actions affect those around us.
3. The Kaufmans will be purposeful with our actions.  The way we spend our time will reflect our values.  We will do what we say we are going to do.   We will be firm and consistent.  We will be honest and do work with integrity.
4. The Kaufmans will not be blind followers of society.  We will not observe customs merely for the sake of tradition.  We will live radically different lives.  The Word, not the world with its temptations and pressures, will light our path.
5. The Kaufmans will always try.  We will not say, "I can't."  We can and we will.  We will fail.  We will succeed. We will take risks. We will try.
6. The Kaufmans will be thankful at all times.  We are not entitled to anything.  We will live grateful for what we have and will work hard for what we want.  As we were given grace freely, freely we will give grace.  
7. The Kaufmans will share: our time, our talents, our dreams, our fears, our money, our possessions.  We will share.
8. The Kaufmans will not have anything they cannot live without. There will be nothing that impedes our pursuit of Christ.

BUCKET LIST (my favorite part of the date!)

1. Go to Disney World
2. Go on a family rafting trip (ideally through the Grand Canyon)
3. Do a family mission trip in a foreign country
4. Summit a mountain together (mountain must be tall enough to have a registry)
5. Do a radical service project for another family (our initial thought: buy a family a car)
6. Serve in a soup kitchen together.
7. Go one Christmas with NO presents.  Make memories instead.
8. Have the kids plan a vacation to the destination of their choosing.
9. Host a foreign exchange student.
10. Go see all of the Wonders of the World together.

Things I Love: Growing Older

Today is Ground Hog's Day.  For most of you, that means nothing except that a ball of hair is either gonna make your day by saying Spring is coming early or make you want to fry him up for dinner by saying winter is staying longer.  For me, it means adding another year to my age.

I know some people who want to hide from their birthdays and pretend they aren't getting older.  As for me, I'm so grateful for one more year.  What a pleasure it is to look back and see how I'm not who I once was.  Each year I'm being made new--more compassionate, more patient, more disciplined, more affectionate ... more.

Sure there's more of me too.  More wrinkles on my forehead.  More cellulite on by butthigh.  More blond peach-fuzz on my upper lip.  More.

In the end, though, I'll take the the "growing older" badges of honor with pleasure because crow eyes have nothing on a lifetime of laughter and wrinkles can't diminish wisdom earned (sometimes the hard way) and fuzzy lips can't stop a smile and cellulite ... can be hidden by a good pair of Miss Me jeans.

So as I climb the hill every so slowly, one year at a time, I'm determined to do so with grace and humility--being grateful for a life well lived.  Each day. Each year.

What I Think About: Facebook

Ah Facebook.  I love hating you.  Or maybe I hate loving you.  It's so hard to tell.

Watch this.  It's important.  And it's from Easy A--a movie I big fat love!




I took a Facebook break during the season of Advent and it was amazing.  I never knew I would miss Facebook so little. On the other hand, once I joined and stalked all my friends' pages, I realized how much I missed.  What's a girl to do?

Real Simple did a whole spread on Facebook in their  January 2012 issue.  It was great to see all the reasons why people hate Facebook.  And yet, we're still logging in.  As for me, I'm still logging in because it keeps me connected to a community of people I actually talk to; I don't want to miss out on that.  But I'm also logging in less because, as luck would have it, I can talk to these people on my iPhone and e-mail without all the irritating updates.

As a point of comedic relief, here are the top 10 updates I hate seeing on Facebook (which is precisely why I log in less):

1.  The "I'm digging for you to ask me about it" bragging update.

**I just got the best present!
**Test driving a new car!

This update can also read like like: 


The "I'm digging for you to ask me about it" sympathy update.

**Could this day get any worse?
**Life sucks!

2.  The "I will shove my religion down your throat" update.
** I just finished day 12 of the How to Parent a Christian child book and I feel so bad that all the rest of your children are going to hell.  But for mine, I'm going to discipline them and support their decisions.
**Don't pray in my school and I won't think in your church.

3.  The "Clearly Facebook is my agenda book so I will write my to do list on here so every one knows how busy and important I am" update.

**Today I'm going to eat breakfast, workout, read the newspaper, drive to Denver, eat at Old Chicago's, and buy a blue shirt."

**First I'm going to work out then I'll pick up the dry cleaning, and then I'll go tanning.

4.  The "Facebook users must know what I'm eating" update

**Tonight I'm making crescent rolled hot dogs with orange jello for dinner.
**Going out to Chili's for nachos!  Boom!

This is more irritating when it's a normal meal.  If you are making Scallops Saint Jaques, brag.  Hot dogs--keep it to yourself!).  Oh, and pictures of food?  Seriously, if you aren't a food blogger WE DON'T CARE!

5.  The "If you aren't in my political party you are clearly an idiot" update.

**Michelle Bachman is a witch!
**Don't bitch to me about the President.  I voted for the American.

6.  The "I know this is painfully obvious but I'm going to say it anyway" update.

**It is so cold outside!
**The Broncos won!  The Broncos won!

Thanks for the update folks but I have windows to see the weather and sports center to check scores.  Move on.

7.  The "I'm not clever enough to come up with my own status so I'll use a status update tool or post a photo with some lame, misspelled quotation on it" update


**Reagan is poking you with a spork.

This is funny.  That does NOT make it a status update.  The end.

Source: i.imgur.com via Reagan on Pinterest

9. The habitual "Oh dear God I am so in love with this man" update. 

(NOTE: complimenting your spouse or saying "I love you" every now and then is cute.  Doing it daily is irritating.  Use walls for that--not status updates.)

**My husband is the most magnificent man in the world!  I love him with all the lovely lovey loveness that I have!  And his arse ain't bad either.
**My beautiful bride brought me powdered donuts in bed.  I am so in love with the donut deliverer!

10.  The "I don't have a journal so I'll use Facebook" update.

**I'm at my wit's end!  Seriously, the dog puked on the carpet, the kids drew on the walls with permanent markers, and my Mother-in-law just chewed me out for typing in the address bar of her computer!"
**Last night I put on my swanky black thigh highs and slutty lingerie and did things to Dale that made the neighbors call the cops!

What I think is Facebook can be fun.  And irritating.  It's a love hate relationship.  Darn it!

Share your best/worst facebook pet peeves or status updates.  Or if you need to, confess to the above and resolve to STOP doing it! Thank you to Shell at Things I Can't Say for letting me Pour My Heart Out.  It's been a long six months.

Days of Play: Hide and Go EEK!

You've played Hide and Go Seek.   Really, that's for amateurs.  When you're ready to play big time, try "hide and go EEK!"

This game was introduced to me by my friend Krista.  Her family swears by its awesomeness.  My family ... agrees!

How to play:

Same rules as hide and go seek EXCEPT you don't want to hide from the searching person, you want to scare them (and make them go EEK!)  So get behind that closet door and where your seeker turns his/her back, jump out and yell EEK!  Bonus happy points if you get them to jump!

Music Monday: Hot Hot Heat

As I write this it is cold and snowy in Wyoming which is precisely why I decided it was time to blog about Hot Hot Heat.  My husband introduced me to this Canadian indie rock band.  They aren't my absolute fave but I like them.

Bandages




Talk to Me, Dance with Me (with a little cowbell!)

 


 21@12 (wait for it ... wait for it ...)

 

Fashion Friday: Fashion To Make

During the holidays I got an e-mail from a friend noting they hadn't "seen" me on Pinterest in a while.  The reason?  I was making the stuff on Pinterest.  Duh.

Glowmen.  Milk Paint.  Gingerbread nativity sets.  It was all very fun--almost as much fun as pinning.

Anyhow, I have a whole board devoted to stuff I want to make and, not surprisingly, a lot of them are fashion pieces.

Sooooooo .... here are a few of my faves.  And since my birthday is next week, go ahead and whip up one of these awesome little numbers for me and send it my way.


This shrug is made from a T-Shirt. The directions are for a little girl but I'm pretty sure it'll work for big girls to {ahem, me!}

Source: brassyapple.blogspot.com via Reagan on Pinterest

An Anthropologie scarf knock-off (because you can never have too many scarves. Neither can I. Just sayin')

Source: sewingin-nomansland.blogspot.com via Reagan on Pinterest

I must make a cute cover for my Kindle (wouldn't this be amazing in grey with a pink K?)

Source: curlybirds.typepad.com via Reagan on Pinterest

{Sigh} I need some crafty-fashion time.

Things I Love: Finding New Blogs

I don't have one of those ridiculously popular blogs and I'm okay with that.  I do like to read ridiculously popular blogs.  I also like to read little blogs that make me think.  Or laugh.  When I find a blog that really "resounds" with me, it kinda makes my day.

If that makes your day then let me make your day by suggesting a few blogs I just can't get enough of!

Spirituality:


If you like:
A Holy Experience--This blog is UBER popular and penned by the author of 1000 Gifts.  This blog is encouraging. It is convicting.  It has beautiful pictures and lots of free stuff!

You should try:

Only a Breath--A real, honest exploration into living faith.

Real Life:


If you like:

Things I Can't Say--The famous blog who I link with every Wednesday.  Shell is totally down to earth.  Funny. Sad.  Amazing.  I totally relate to her!

You should try:

Naptime Notes-The not-as-popular but just as believable journey of a mom, wife, and woman.  I love her photography and the simple way she lives life and faith.

Food:

If you like--

Kbelleicious or Our Best Bites--two quintessential food blogs (not counting Pioneer Woman)

You should try--

Frontier Kitchen (okay, this isn't a new blog BUT it is my fave food blog.  Seriously.  Look at the comments.  I try everything!)

Budget Bytes--Good cooking, on a dime.  Excellent recipe for baked pumpkin oatmeal and the world's yummiest, fluffiest, pillowyest naan!

Fashion:


If you like:


The Good Life for Less--a popular fashion blog dedicated to helping you tackle the hottest trends on the smallest budget


You should try:


GS Lillian-Baubles and Babble (and she's not afraid of color!)  Oh, and she's also not a college student!

What I Think About: Six Months Ago

Six months ago this week I wore a black dress.  I took a deep breath.  I shared these words with those who gathered to say goodbye to my mother.

What is love?  A gentle kiss on the cheek from a friend?  Words whispered in the ears of a lover?  A mother nursing her baby at breast?  Who now can comprehend love?  Define it?

I've seen love demonstrated to me a million ways yet one experience dwarfed everything I knew about love.  It challenged how I define love, how I feel about love, and how strongly I believe in the power of love.  In the end, I believe Death Cab For Cutie said it best, "love is watching someone die."

At the feet of Jesus, did that disciple, that mother, that follower understand the magnitude of love and how even in death, love frees?  Only love can fully permeate the darkness--a single beam of light in the dark.

Love is meeting a woman in hotel lobby, becoming best friends, and forming a bond so deep that no one would question why your children call that woman "Aunt."

Love is building a fence with a backdoor neighbor and spending thirty-odd years celebrating birthdays, laughter, burdens, and sorrow.

Love is lasagna prepared in the kitchen of concerned friends who want to help but don't know how.

Love is an e-mail sent at 6:30 am telling you that  you are loved and being thought of.

Love is a text at midnight from a husband who can't miss work telling you to hold your mom's hand while he prays for her--a couple hundred miles away.

Love is a Facebook message of encouragement and a promise to send strippers and tequila instead of a plant (I'm still waiting for both the tequila and the strippers but the flowers were lovely."

Love is old friends traveling far from other countries and states to say goodbye and to reminisce about how your mom stole exit signs and only drank once but was so drunk we leaned against the garage wall to keep it from falling down, rather than the other way around.

Love is hearing the tale of how your father met your mother and how, when they married two years later, they had only seen each other four times.

Love is the friend you joked with about aliens crying with you over a mom she loved, too.

Love is the in-laws who take the children so you don't have to cry in front of them or answer inquisitive questions about heaven.

Love is a care package from your mom's group stuffed with a good book, chocolate, tea, a journal, and liquor.  Of course, liquor.

Love is the people who know when to give you space and when to over-stay their welcome; the ones who know what you are really saying with each "I'm fine" or "I'm okay."

Love is caring for a lover like a child; love is sacrificing dreams of what could have been for moments--good or bad--that simply are.

Love is standing in the kitchen telling your son-in-law that if you knew forty-two years ago how it would all end, you would still do it all over again.

Sitting in a room, surrounded by family, watching my mom die, I finally understood love.  Even in her death, my mom teaches me--about life.  About love.

Love is messy.  It is not easily quantifiable or explainable yet is so simple the wholeness of it's meaning is expressed in three little words.

Love brings great sorry and great joy.  It makes you cry as easily as it makes you laugh.

Love is both random and steady--a feeling of falling and a matter of choice.

Love lives and though the ones we love may die, love never dies.  It grows.  It breaks.  It changes.  It stays the same.

Although we may be miserably broken over love, nothing can match the hope and joy that comes with having loved.  Love defies reason yet it is a reason.  Perhaps the only reason.

All I've learned about love is love is all there is.  In life--in death--love is all there is.  In my brokenness and sorrow I can celebrate the love of my mother.  All I am, all I hope to be, I owe to her.  Surely there is not greater legacy than love.

 Thank you to Shell at Things I Can't Say for letting me Pour My Heart Out.  It's been a long six months.

Days Of Play: Milk Paint

I so found this idea on Pinterest and couldn't wait to try it.

Seriously, an art activity requiring only stuff {most} people have in their kitchens anyway?  Yes please!

Photo Source

All you need is:

• Dish soap
• milk
• food coloring
• tooth pick
• bowl (I used a foil pie tin)
• paper {optional}
• paintbrush {optional}

What to do:

1. Pour milk into the bowl/pie tin,
2. Add a few drops of food coloring a few inches apart from one another.
3. Dip toothpick in dish soap.
4. Put toothpick in milk and swirl paint.
5. Do over and over until coolness wears off.
6. Then if you want, put a piece of paper on a cookie sheet (or the table) and paint with the milk.

What's going on, scientifically speaking?  I have no idea but isn't it cool?

According to Modern Parents: Messy kids :

The reaction of the soap disrupting the surface tension of the milk causes the colors to radiate away from the toothpick. 

Um, sure.  Whatever it is, it is super fun and the kids loved it.  

Music Monday: Coconut Records

Coconut Records=Acceptable pop.  Indie pop, of course.

Light-hearted--fun--(and closely related to Rooney ... mainly because the band leaders are brothers).

Enjoy (and then head to iTunes and buy it if you like it!)


West Coast

 


Any Fun (My fave!)
 

 Nighttiming

 


Coconut Records ... you like? You hate? You tolerate?

Things I Love: Gilly

Ever talk to people about Saturday Night Live?  It's kinda funny because you always seem to hear, "it's not as funny as {insert date here}".  For example, my dad thinks the days of Chevy Chase were the best.  I happen to LOVE the Chris Farley/Adam Sandler days.  That being said, I still love SNL.

Right now my current SNL obsession is Gilly.  I'm not sure why I find Gilly to be such a hysterical character but I do.  Every now and then my husband just looks at me and says, "Gillllllyyyyyy....."  He sure can make me laugh.

Gosh, I love Gilly!  If you want a little Gilly fix, click here!

Photo Source

What I Think About: Boob Jobs

Within the realm of my schooling I take a lot of classes on human sexuality and feminism and queer studies.  Last semester, in a human sexuality class, the professor asked about genital manipulation (code: boob jobs).

Oh my goodness, the backlash! Girls were stating how breast augmentation sets the feminist movement back to the Victorian Age and how sexualized commercialization of the body is oppressive to women and makes us "think" we need bigger breasts and how women who augment their breasts are further feeding into this mindset that women need to measure up to airbrushed models ...

Being the critical person I am, I shared a profound truth with these women.  If money was no issue, I would have my breasts augmented.  There. I said it.  I would have a boob job.

Do I hear crickets?

I shared my reasoning with these gals.  I'm a reasonably healthy and fit woman.  I've never had large breasts (or really breasts at all without the help of my padded Body by Victorias).  I can't exercise my way into larger boobs (though I did my fair share of "we must, we must, we must develop our bust" exercises when I was 11).  Though I work to keep my body healthy and fit, I'm unhappy with my breasts.  This makes me self-conscious with my husband (who, by the way, thinks the girls are perfect and can't wait to get his hands on them).  This was further complicated by breast feeding two kids which somehow managed to make my barely-theres sag!  Ug.  So, if I could, I would get my breasts enlarged.

Well, this brought about conversations about how if surgery would help my self-image, then it's okay.  If surgery is for medical reasons (cancer, post breast feeing sagginess) then it's okay.  If it will help sex partners enjoy the act more then it's okay.

What I wanted them to know--what I want you to know--is that the reason shouldn't matter!

Sure, over-sized breasts on TV and magazine ads can give us a skewed vision of what bodies should be. But so can other people telling what we can and can't do with our bodies.  A woman who feels like she HAS to have boobs to be sexy is just as oppressed as the woman who feels like she HAS to defend why she'd like bigger breasts.  I shouldn't have to defend my decision.  I shouldn't be made to feel guilty for wanting larger breasts if I don't have a medical reason.

I dye my hair {pink!} and no one has issues with that or tells me I'm setting back the feminist movement or that I'm teaching young girls that they have to be blond to be beautiful.

I have my ears pierced and no one has issues with this "mutilation" or tells me I'm setting back the feminist movement or that I'm teaching young girls that they have to be pierced to be beautiful.

I wear make up and nice clothes and no one tells me I'm setting back the feminist movement or that I'm teaching young girls that they have to own fitted blazers and pencil skirts or wear MAC to be beautiful.

So what is it about breasts that necessitates I defend my choice?  Why can I be vain and dye, pluck, primp, pierce, ink, apply, curl, straighten, run, lift, diet, and dress myself without being labeled anti-feminist but the second I try to physically alter my breasts, I'm the anti-Christ of the feminist movement?

Shouldn't the fact that I'm owning my body--that I'm proactively making decisions with the help of my husband and doctors--shouldn't that be exactly what an empowered woman does?

I don't desire breasts because I think they will make me popular.  I don't desire breasts because I think they will change my outlook on life.  I don't desire breasts because I think that they'll make me look younger, make sex better, "save" my marriage, or boost my self worth.  But I do think breasts could help me be more comfortable in my own skin.  Is that so wrong?

What I think about breast augmentation is that it isn't for everyone but might be for me.  Maybe this will be the year of the boob, for me.  But whether I get boobs or not (or the reason why I get boobs or not) is really no one's damn business.

Have you had your breasts augmented?  Share!  Would you have your breasts augmented?  Share!  Would you rather lick a giraffe's tongue then have someone touch your ta-tas?  Share!


Thank you to Shell at Things I Can't Say for letting me vent my argumentative thoughts.

Days of Play: Glowing Snowmen

I've already shared that I can never take down Christmas decorations fast enough.  But here's the catch.  Snowmen are not "Christmas" stuff.  They are winter stuff.  So sometimes, the snowmen plates and towels get left out until mid-February.

Seriously, it is WINTER people and in Wyoming, you can make snowmen in the winter.  Well actually, if we are going to get technical, I could share that it's been possible to make snowmen in Wyoming in June but then I digress.

Anyhow, reindeer and Christmas crafts are out and it's too soon for Valentine's Day heart crafts soooo, make a glowing snowman today!

My kids and I did this with cleaned out milk jugs, felt, a hot glue gun, and felt.  It took us under 15 minutes to make two and now the cute little things light up our home.  Awww.

Photo Source: Stuff by Ash

For directions, go to Stuff by Ash.

As a side note, I used felt, not paper.  I used lights on white strands, not green, just so you can't see the dark "insides", and I cut a small hole at the bottom of the back, rather than a big square.  That did make putting the lights in a bit harder BUT it's easier to hide the "point of entry"!

Music Monday: CIty of Lions

It might be too early to call this band a keeper.  I mean, the band has only been a band for less than a year.  But if I was a gambling gal (I'm not but if I was), I'd put money that this band gets BIG!

Named after a dream in which the lead singer found himself in a desert, led to a colony of lions wherein he was turned into a lion, City of Lions is made up of four young men (18-20) dedicated to the craft of making some seriously awesome music with the express goal of sharing "the true meaning of love."

Though the band members are Christian and their music examines Christian themes, don't let that scare you away.  Unlike many Christian bands who beat the love of Jesus into listeners with judgmental lyrics, City of Lions lets the message of love, peace, and grace speak, subtly, for itself.   If you aren't a Jesus believer, you won't be offended by overt "turn or burn" messages.  You will be wowed by good music.

Without further ado, let me introduce CITY OF LIONS.



For more about City of Lions, read this article or check out their Facebook page.

Fashion Friday: How NOT to wear Boots

I love boots.  A girl can never have too many pairs of boots (which is why I have 8 or 9 pairs ... oops).

Boots look cozy with skinny cords:

Source: weardrobe.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Boots compliment a casual skirt:

Source: prettylittleworldfashion.blogspot.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Boots make a dressy skirt hot:

Source: polyvore.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Boots make a date night hotter:

Source: polyvore.com via Reagan on Pinterest

But there is one thing boots can't do--

Source: tumblr.com via Reagan on Pinterest

Seriously, it's either cold enough to wear Uggs or it's warm enough to wear shorts. It's not both. So recall your "weather" days in preschool, determine the temperature, and commit to either wearing Uggs OR shorts--not both.

That's all I've got to say about that.

Things I Love: Skorcher

So my dad was at an auction and picked up several of these work out machines called Skorchers.

Did you just think "never heard of it?"  My thought exactly.

Photo Source

But he gave me one and I set it up and after the New Year I started using it.  Turns out, it's pretty freaking A.Mazing.  Now in truth, it is essentially just a work out bench.  You'll still need weights, etc.  BUT it isn't JUST a workout bench. The range of motion and the number of workout possibilities on this thing are incredible!

Here are a few options:

Legs. Butt. Core. Arms.  You can work it all on this baby.

Okay, so a lot of the exercises you do on the Skorcher can be done without it.  So why do I still love it?  Because it's there.  It's set up.  I can use it right now.  I don't have to find my yoga mat.  I don't have to bribe my kids to give me back the swiss ball.  I don't have to ask Matt to hold my feet while I do Twisty Crunches.  I don't have to pull out the kitchen chair so I can do chair dips.  Even though it takes up a bit of space, I love that it is waiting to be used.

The Skorcher takes minimal adjusting (which is why I got rid of the Total Gym.  Loved the idea--hating adjusting it every exercise) and requires NOTHING else besides weights.

Sadly, Skorcher went out of business, which is why my dad was able to buy several at an auction.  Turns out this was just another work out fad.  Of course, that's the way it goes with all work out stuff. They only work if you work it.  I'm working my Skorcher and I'm lovin' it.

The end.

What I Think About: His Bold Move

I'm married to the sort of guy who likes to spoil his wife during the holidays and on her birthday.  That being said, I had a great Christmas (materialistically speaking).  I mean, the man bought me Miss Me jeans!  Seriously, most men don't even know what those are let alone where to buy them and what size to buy them in.  But my fella, well, he got me the cutest pair of Miss Me jeans.

But those jeans weren't my favorite gift.  The best gift was a book.  You see, every year Matt and I exchange books and those paper backs books are always my favorite gift.  He's always dead on with his selection, too.  Well, one year he got me a book that actually sucked but it was from one of my favorite authors and sounded good; it just happened to be horrible.  Not Matt's fault.  I still haven't forgiven Ted Dekker.

Anyhow, this year Matt got me this angsty-romance young-adult novel called If I Stay by Gayle Forman.  To say this was a bold move is a bit of an understatement.  I mean, the whole book is about a girl in a coma deciding whether to stay on Earth or go to heaven.  Giving this kind of a book to a woman whose own mother was in a coma for a week prior to her death was a gamble.

Photo Source

The first few chapters I read with that horrible "something is stuck in my throat" feeling.  I literally thought I might not be able to read the book.  The coma.  The desperate family.  The loved ones losing themselves.  It all hit too close to home, you know?

And throughout the book there are lines--simple one sentence lines that just gutted me.  Things like "That's how we manage to survive loss.  Because love, it never dies, it never goes away, it never fades so long as you hang on to it. Love can make you immortal."  The implications of that.  Oh the implications!  How I needed to hear that truth.  Love never dies.  Even when those we love die--love doesn't.

I started reading this book with apprehension but I read it anyway.  It hurt. It made me cry.  But when I was finished, I couldn't wait to read the second book (which I read in 6 hours on my Kindle).  The second book is filled with more of those heart-challenging one liners--"I can't remember.  Remembering is like losing her again." Zoiks.

Photo Source

What I think about Matt's bold book choice is that it was the right one.  He could have gotten me something light and funny.  But for a person who has a hard time sharing emotions and crying, this book was the right choice.  It answered questions.  It brought up more questions.  It brought me comfort.  It brought me peace.  It made me cry.  And though loss is still real and painful, I felt inexplicably better by the time I closed the back cover.  Now that's a good book.

P.S.  Turns out If I Stay was picked up Summit Entertainment.  Looks like another good book could be ruined by screenwriters soon.  Stay tuned ...


Thank you to Shell at Things I Can't Say for letting me vent my sometimes depressing thoughts.

Days of Play: Family Movie Night

Growing up we didn't celebrate the holidays with much family.  Mainly because my mom's family is Canadian (and if there is anywhere you don't want to be in the winter it's "Friendly Manitoba".  BRRR! And I'm from Wyoming!) and my dad's family is ... dysfunctional.  And not the fun kind of dysfunctional.  The kind of dysfunctional that means you'd prefer to spend the holidays alone.  So we did.  Just the four of us: mom, dad, two kids.  Actually, it was really nice.

What we often did on Christmas day was go to the movies.  See my parents owned a video store (VHS!) so we'd go see what movies they needed to buy (plus, this family time was tax deductible).  Anyhow, one of my best Christmas Day movie outings was going to see Beauty and the Beast.  I know I'm really hard on Disney Princesses (a little critical thinking never hurt anyone) but if I had to pick my favorite princess, it would be Belle.

Did you know that Disney is re-releasing Beauty and the Beast in 3D this month?  YAY

Anyhow, if you can't make it to the movies, plan a movie night with Beauty and the Beast.

For dinner, keep it simple. Plan a tea and finger food feast!  Give your kids "real" tea cups to drink their tea out of, make different finger sandwiches (even PBJ), have baby carrots and hummus, etc.  You get the picture.

Then watch the movie.  Eat popcorn.  Duh.

After the movie, discuss these questions:
1.  Who in the movie was selfish?  How does selfishness affect the other people in the movie?
2.  In what ways does Belle see good in those who are "ugly" and see bad in those who are "beautiful"?
3.  What makes Belle a likable person?

For more information on family movie nights, or to get some Bible verses to go with the movie, click here!

Music Monday: Bon Iver

News flash.  I love indie music.

Phew.  I feel so much better after a confession.  Wait, you already knew that?  Ah shucks.  Now what?

How about if I confess to loving indie FOLK music?  Is that okay?  Will you still check my blog and think I'm amazing?  Oh good.

Then I confess.  I love Indie Folk Music!  Confession. Good for the soul.

Recently folk has been make popular by folk rock bands like The Avett Brothers or Mumford and Sons.  Both excellent, excellent bands.

But really, my folk heart belongs to Bon Iver.

Watch.  Listen.  You'll understand.

Holocene




Calgary



Flume (my personal fave!)



Hauntingly romantic, wouldn't you agree?

Fashion: Resolution

Are you a Resolver?  Or Resolutioner?  Or whatever the word is that means you are a person who makes New Year's resolutions?  Well if so, stay tuned this week as I suggest 5 resolutions that I make (and keep) every year (with a twist, of course).

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I resolve to wear color.

Are you guilty of wearing one dominant color?  Is black your thing?  Maybe you are like me and you tend to lean towards "earthy tones" (which is fancy talk for "I wear a lot of browns").  Go look in your closet right now.  Is there one color that dominates (and is it really a color or, as I suspect, a neutral)?

Anyone else think it's time we break out some color? Be bold--be daring!  It's easy to do if you know some color tricks!

Look at the color wheel below.

Okay, so hopefully we all remember that the primary colors are red, blue, and yellow.  Secondary colors (which are made my mixing primary colors) are purple, green, and orange.  Color basics.  Check.

Now, how can you wear color? Here are 5 Easy Tips to wear color.

1. MONOCHROMATIC (A BIG WORD FOR "SAME")

Go with a monochromatic look.  Monochromatic means "one color."  On the color wheel above, find one color--say blue-green. There are roughly 9 levels of blue green. You can mix ANY of these levels and look good.  They go. Trust me.

Rocking a monochromatic look.  Photo Source.

2.  IT'S COMPLIMENTARY 
Wear complimentary colors.  Complementary colors are directly across the wheel from each other: Red/Green, Blue/Orange, Yellow/Purple.  Mix and match complimentary colors.  They go.  If you don't want to be too bold (like if you want to wear blue and orange but don't want to look like a Denver Broncos fan, move in on the color wheel.  Wear peach and cornmeal blue.  It works.)

So NOT a Bronco fan look!  Photo Source

3.  OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE
Wear primary colors.  These are bold and look great together.  However, make sure you wear only 1-2 of the colors dominantly and one of the colors as a highlight or else you'll look like a clown.  For example, wear blue-jean shorts with a red top and a yellow belt or bracelet or a yellow dress with navy shoes and a red bag.  Another option is to wear softer versions of these colors: blue jeans, light blue top, maroon jewelry ...

A fellow 30/30er rocking the primaries.  Photo Source

4.  ONE BOLD MOVE
If you must wear neutrals, make your neutrals pop!  Brown, gray, black and white are generally regarded as neutrals (though really gray is the "real" neutral).  You can pretty much make anything look hot with neutrals.  If you must wear a brown tank top and khaki capris, make it pop with an eggplant purple woven scarf and yellow shoes.  Add a dash of color with an accessory--it'll add some flare.  (Click this link to The Joy of Fashion for a brief tutorial on how to wear a pop of color!)

Photo Source

5.  MIXED BAG


Really mixing patterns has nothing to do with wearing color but I threw it in here because if you really want to wear neutrals, a nice way to do it is to mix patterns.  Mixing patterns within the same color family really makes an outfit stand out.  Just make sure you read "the rules" so you don't end up looking like a sad 70's sitcom neighbor.

Mixing patterns adds so much drama here you might not even notice the solid neutral color scheme.  Photo Source

Things I Love: Resolution

Are you a Resolver?  Or Resolutioner?  Or whatever the word is that means you are a person who makes New Year's resolutions?  Well if so, stay tuned this week as I suggest 5 resolutions that I make (and keep) every year (with a twist, of course).

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I resolve to read more books this year.

I love to read.  LOVE IT!  And yet, I rarely find time to do it.  Of course I'm reading constantly--newspapers, recipes, Guess How Much I Love You, e-mails, blogs, school work ... but I'm rarely reading what I WANT to read--a book of my choosing.

So this year, I resolve to read more books.  Of course this means reading only my favorite blogs.  Of course this means turning off my TV and picking up my book.  Of course this means not playing on my iPhone.  

The benefits of reading are far-reaching. I will reap the benefits this year.  My goal is to read 30 books (actual books of my choosing on top of school work and the aforementioned gunk) this year.  (I'll be documenting these books as I go so you are technically my reading accountability partner).

Tersea's Reading Corner is my go-to blog for book reviews, etc., and she has reading challenges posted. If you want a reading challenge for 2012, consider:

• Reading the 100 most famous books this year (and probably next).
• Reading 5 books that have to have specific words in the title (this year it's a celestial theme so words in titles must include star, moon, etc.).  
• Doing an audio-book challenge (if you hate to read or commute).  
• Setting a book number goal (like me) or a genre.  
• Doing a reading challenge with children's books (my children and I are going to read 300 different children's books in 2012)

Read about potential challenges here and then leave me a comment telling me what your reading resolution is this year.

What I Think About: Resolution

Are you a Resolver?  Or Resolutioner?  Or whatever the word is that means you are a person who makes New Year's resolutions?  Well if so, stay tuned this week as I suggest 5 resolutions that I make (and keep) every year (with a twist, of course).

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I resolve to date my significant other.

Matt and I have been together for twelve years.

It was just the two of us (well, and two slightly dysfunctional dogs we played "house" with) for six years.  In that time we were given to weekend trips to New York, moving to Vegas for the summer, and recklessly wasting time and resources dining out, going to the movies, and sleeping in until ten.

My how things have changed since we had children!  Most of the changes have been good but a few times I've looked at my husband and tried to remember the husband he was before he became a father.

Let me say that no man has been or will be as great of a father as Matt is (I expect you to disagree so we'll just agree to disagree).  He plays with our children, changes diapers, makes toys, plays dress-up, cooks, carries, cleans vomit ... He is not of of those men who comes home from a long day at work and is "done" for the day. He finishes his day when I finish mine, and sometimes later.

Though I love and admire the father in him, I also yearn for the Matt who wasn't a dad--fearless, reckless, spontaneous, dangerous, carefree.  Deep down he still is all those things but the daily routine grinds him down.  What I realized in December of 2009 is that he felt the same way about me. And what we learned was that the key to igniting the pre-parent passions we had for each other was within our grasp.

What follows is an excerpt from an e-mail Matt sent to me on December 1, 2009 in preparation for our anniversary.

I tell you all the time that you are beautiful, and I tell you often that you are a wonderful mother.  What I don’t tell you all the time is that you are so mysterious…and I love that about you.  Though you tell yourself and others that you like to plan, play things safe and keep control at all times, one of the mysteries of you is that those things are not entirely true.  Even though you would never admit to it, I have come to realize your secret affinity for adventure and more importantly… spontaneity.

One of the things I committed to you nearly seven years ago was that I would make you happy.  And while I know that you are happy in a general sense, it bothers me that we so easily get bogged down in the routineness of being married, of being parents and of life tasks.  Every time I have asked you in the past three months about your happiness and what about life is causing you stress, it is the daily reality that is grindingly numbing.  You are so tough.  You raise our children with excellence, you care for your family and you are a wonderful friend.  But deep down, I know that a little adventure….a little romance…..a little passion and a little spontaneity just might create an opportunity for us.

Every day from now until our anniversary, I am going to present you with at least one opportunity to do something completely spontaneous.  There is no pressure on your part to accept each opportunity.  Some will be more adventurous than others.  Some may even stretch your comfort level.  But deep down I know there is an inner Bond girl dying to escape…

Thus was born the Legacy Parkway Spy School.  For the next twenty days Matt sent me on wild goose chases taking secret photos of him, creating movies, practicing "Unagi" (we love Friends), and learning how to box. These games, these spontaneous "assignments" were nothing more than little thoughts meant to brighten my day by reminding me that before I was a mom, I was a sexy, confident woman and still could be.

When I share this with friends I always get comments like "I wish my husband would do stuff like that."  All I can say is this, DO IT FIRST! 

• Date your husband. 
• Wow him. 
• Remind him that he is a sexy and confident man.
• Remind him that before he was your children's father, he was your lover.  

If you'd like to send your husband to the "Bond Spy School for Hot Dads" click here for ideas.  For other ideas, click the "date ideas" link on the left side of this blog.  Of course, The Dating Divas website has plenty of ideas too.  There's really no excuse not to date your significant other so this year, RESOLVE to plan and date your spouse at least once a month.
Thank you to Shell at Things I Can't Say for letting me vent my sometimes depressing thoughts.

Days of Play: Resolution

Are you a Resolver?  Or Resolutioner?  Or whatever the word is that means you are a person who makes New Year's resolutions?  Well if so, stay tuned this week as I suggest 5 resolutions that I make (and keep) every year (with a twist, of course).

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I resolve to actively engage in intentional 

play with my children.

Playing can be fun.  But let's face it, playing with kids isn't always fun--not when you have to do lists to cross off, dinner to make, and volcano-sized piles of laundry to tackle before they explode and bury your family Vesuvius style. 

But your children need your time.  Yes, they need your random "let's play hide and seek seven minutes before bed time" time but they also need your QUALITY and QUANTITY time.  They need to know you planned something special for them.  They need to know you are sacrificing other "things" to spend time with them.  

So while I encourage you to find the time to play with your kids a little bit every day--coloring, making dinner together, etc., challenge yourself to plan ONE event a week with your kids that requires you to think about them and spend time with them very intentionally {kinda like how you should date your partner}.  

Consider a weekly family night, art project, science exploration, physical activity, or food-based fun. <--click those links for ideas or click "PLAYTIME" on the left side of this blog for more ideas.

Play with your children.  Intentionally.  When they are adults, they will thank you (like I thanked my parents!).

Music Monday: Resolution

Are you a Resolver?  Or Resolutioner?  Or whatever the word is that means you are a person who makes New Year's resolutions?  Well if so, stay tuned this week as I suggest 5 resolutions that I make (and keep) every year (with a twist, of course).

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I resolve to expand my musical tastes.

It should come as no surprise that I love music (mainly because I blather on about this fact weekly).  What I love most about music is how many different sound options and genres there are.  When I find a band that fits with a particular "mood," I'm ecstatic!  Since I have around 8,923 moods, there needs to be a lot of bands.  And a lot of genres.

This year, find some new bands.  Listen to Pandora to find a new sound.  Find an album you love in iTunes and scroll down to see what else listeners "bought."  Check through old issues of Monday Music to see if there's something there you didn't think you'd like but you actually love.  Or simply listen to these five songs and learn to love these five bands.

The Airborne Toxic Event (my absolute fave American Indie Rock band which is why I post about them four times a year).



In other news, did you notice how the drummer is Chester the Cheeta's doppleganger.  So awesome!

The Epilogues (a unique alt-indie sound)

Rooney (this is what I consider acceptable pop music)



Sick Puppies {Explicit} (Heavy rock with hot female bass player. Kill me now! So good live!)



Sia (Folk made fabulous {without Mumford and Sons})