Bakin' or Bacon

Angelina and her bacon.  I knew she liked it, but I had no idea she LOVED it.  We went out to dinner the other night, and they had unlimited bacon pieces, and Angelina was in Heaven! 

The very next day we went to Trader Joes and they were sampling....

Yep you guessed it BACON!

The other morning I was getting ready to bake, and was getting the ingredients ready.  I told her I needed the "Bakin' Soda."  But I said it with a twang....and this was her response

"Bacon, did you say Bacon?  I love Bacon!"

I really wish I could play a recording of her saying it.  She said it fast, ran it together, and was just too precious. 

Just a short story for you tonight!

All Or Nothing…Why?

How come it seems so many of us have the mindset of All or Nothing? That if you can’t do it all, you won’t do anything at all?

I for one has a bad case of this. In just about every aspect of my life.

- If I don’t get everyone done in the day that I wanted to, I feel like I did nothing at all.

- I manage to eat healthy for 3 days straight, I have one bad snack/meal, and I feel like the last 3 days don’t matter.

- If I don’t have time to sew 4 wallets, I don’t even bother sewing 1, (Which I do have time for)

- If I’m thinking a two mile walk is too hard, I don’t even start with the first mile.

　

This morning I knew I wanted to wake up and exercise. I decided the night before that I would pop in my Walk Away the Pounds Dvd. I had it all set in my computer so all I had to do was push play. When I first started walking I felt good, motivated, and proud that I was actually doing it. As it had been a long time since me and Leslie Sansone walked together.

I get about ½ way through the workout and was contemplating going for 2 miles. I felt the need to push myself, that the one mile was too easy. Although it was harder than I remembered it being but I was beating myself up inside by telling myself I NEED to be doing more.

The One Mile Announcement came and I was done, I reached to shut it off, and even more I pushed the stop button I was talking myself down. Feeling guilty that I didn’t push myself harder. Once again forgetting the fact that I had exercised and I went the Full Mile. Never giving myself enough credit.

I am putting a stop to this TODAY!!!

I had a long list of “stuff” I wanted to get done today. I won’t bore you with the details, but the normal cleaning house, laundry, dishes, ect. What I wanted to get done, and what I actually did get done are two different things, as I’m sure most of you understand. Yesterday I would have put myself down for not getting everything done, and feeling that in turn I didn’t do anything all day.

But TODAY, I keep reminding myself what I DID do all day. Woke up, exercised a full mile, made French toast for Me and Angelina, cleaned the kitchen up while I did that. I even made burritos to freeze for later quick meals, 20 of them! I played Just Dance on the Wii with Angelina, she did some home school work. Started a load of laundry, and am blogging now. So in the end who cares if the bathroom didn’t get cleaned today, it will be there tomorrow. J

I ask you, what is more important…

A Clean Bathroom, or a game of Pretty Pretty Princess?

I challenge you to keep the All or Nothing Mindset at bay. If your like me, its pretty easy to feel guilty…but end this with me TODAY!!!

Teaching: The Thin Line of Sharing too Much

First of all today I wanted to start out praying for the People of Japan. I have distanced myself from the news coverage on purpose, I just can’t bare to watch, but what I can do if pray for them.

Its just unbelievable!

I live near the Seattle area of Washington State. We have been expecting “The Big One” for many years now. What shook Japan, could very well and probably will shake here someday. Such an unnerving feeling, imaging preparing for something like that, not knowing when it will hit, but knowing that it will.

-So what do we do?

We don’t prepare.


Its like I’m telling myself, if we don’t talk about it, don’t make a plan, or prepare, it won’t happen. But I know this to be untrue. I feel like I might jinks it, and how awful is that?

While I was out this morning, Angelina was watching the news with Daddy. She asked me if Daddy called to tell me what happened in Japan? She said there was an explosion and lots of water crashing boats cars and buildings.
*Update: Turns out she was watching coverage at Grandma and Papa’s house yesterday.

I was forced to have a short conversation about what happened.
Earthquake under the ocean floor, shook the ground, made the water go “crazy.”

-Tried to keep it on a 5year old level.


I told her that we need to keep those people in our thoughts and prayers, lots of people are hurt and don’t have a house now.

“Why…did someone take it?”

-No, when the ground shook it made if all down, cracked the house.

“Oh that’s ok, Phineas and Ferb will drive there to fix it!”

(Which was yes the cartoon she was watching at the time of this conversation.


So at that point I ended the discussion, but I know deep down I need to talk to her more about this. Not so much as what happened and is happening in Japan, but more so what could happen here.

But this is where I’m torn. I want to share with her, but not share too much. I don’t want her to be scared about it happening here, I want her to not worry. And to keep me from worrying as well.

I think we will take the next couple of weeks and slowly dabble in the much need conversation, and most importantly fill the tub we have for our emergency earthquake kit, which embarrassingly is empty at the moment.
　
　
I know a lot of people that read this blog aren’t local to me, but if you are…are you prepared? How did you teach your child(ren) about Earthquakes and not scare them?
And if you aren’t local…how did you prepare for other disasters, ie…Hurricanes, Tornadoes, ect.?

Just Let ‘Em In

I think we can all agree that a big reason driving can be so frustrating is that people think they can just cut people off.  That they are all High and Mighty and can just “sneak in!”

I have a suggestion to end this…that is to,

 Just Let ‘Em In!

I was driving around running errands alone the other day.  Not a care in the world cause lets face it I was alone!  I was in stop and go traffic on a road that surrounds a mall.  There was a white SUV in the middle turning lane waiting to get into my lane.  I watched the following unfold…

The driver inched forward, and had ever right to maneuver in front of the Black SUV which was in front of me.  The black SUV had other plans apparently, cause he wouldn’t let the White SUV in. 

This is where I sat back and wondered why?  Why not let that SUV in?  We were in traffic, barely going anywhere, everyone needed to give and take, but the Black SUV thought other wise.  (Maybe the High and Might mentality.) 

The White SUV continued to inch forward and the Black SUV did the same, not budging.  Then the inevitably happened, the White SUV was running out of space, gunned it and basically was forced cut off the Black SUV.  Of course the Black SUV got mad, revved the engine and laid on the horn.  All the while I’m sitting back shaking my head still wondering why?

I am not condoning what the White SUV did, but they were forced to do what they had to, considering they were out of road. 

So going back to my suggestion, the Black SUV should have just Let Em In…agreed?

Lets take a look at all the feelings that arose in those very few min that past.

Frustration
Anger
Aggression
Embarrassment
Guilt
Feeling Annoyed
Irritated

Many of those I’m sure both parties involved were feeling.

And who knows what those feeling led to in the next minutes.  It could have set them both up for continued frustration through out their day.  All because someone wasn’t willing to just take a turn, and Let ‘Em In.

I encourage you the next time you are driving, in traffic or not, be that nice guy, slow down, motion, wave, and Just Let ‘Em In.  And by all means SMILE while you do so!

To Smile Or Not

There seems to be a debate on just how many muscles it takes to smile, verses how many muscles it takes to frown. Some say,

-22 to Smile, 37 to Frown

-13 to Smile, 33 to Frown

-17 to Smile, 43 to Frown

-14 to Smile, 72 to Frown

Although the exact number of muscles used is unsure, I think we can conclude that smiling takes less energy than frowning.
Indeed it is important to exercise as many muscles as you can, but I for one would rather perfect the few it takes to smile instead.
　
Charles Darwin was among the first to suggest that we are capable of changing our own moods just by the simple act of smiling. Facial Feedback Hypothesis “*states that facial movements can influence emotion experience.” Now that is some exciting news!

Just imagine you are at the next staff meeting, bored as always…now imagine yourself forcing a smile. Facial Feedback suggests that you will now enjoy your meeting, you will actually contribute and share your amazing ideas, everyone will listen, and you will get a pay raise. All because you smiled! Now how easy was that?
At first glance you may think that I’m exaggerating, a Smile will not get me a pay raise…this is of course unless you have “that kind of boss.”

With a Smile you are

Happier

Which makes you more approachable
you easier to talk to

more friendly (and who doesn’t like Friendly?)

You will have more confidence,

Maybe even enough to present your ideas that you just know will work.
Which in the end may lead to a pay raise.

Who would you enjoy being around, listen and talk to, and potentially give a raise to….
Someone who Smiles or Frowns?

-I think I know which you’d choose!

　
Have you ever watched a person yawn? What usually happens next…your yawning yourself. The same is true when you see someone smiling….You Smile Yourself!!!

Lets change the world

One Smile at a Time!

　
　
The last couple of days at work I challenged myself to make sure everyone that leaving my store leaves with a Smile. There are some tough cookies out there, and even a tickle probably wouldn’t produce a smile. But I find more often than not when I share a smile, most share one back.

So my challenge for you is to go about your normal day, however that may be, but today SMILE all day long!!! I dare you to come back tomorrow and try to convince me you didn’t just have one of the BEST days ever!!!
　
I will leave you today with a favorite quote of mine,

“Your Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile”

- The movie Annie
　
　
　

*Wikipedia definition

40 Days 40 Nights

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and Angelina and I were able to attend Mass with my Mom.  We went to the Church where my sister was married in, that's already been over a year ago.  Father Brian, truly an amazing Priest. 

At the 9:00 mass, the School Children attended also and even read the readings to us.  That in itself made it extra special.  During the Homily, Father told a story geared towards the children, and in simple terms for them, shared with us that during this season of Lent...,

there are things that we need to survive,

somethings are nice to have but not necessary,

and there are things that we need to add into our lives to make us better Christians. 


It was put in such a beautiful way where the children understood, but also the adults in the room understood as well. 

I know God has a plan for me, just as he does with everyone.  And its almost like a secret, or present under the Christmas Tree, you just want to know what it is.  You want to make sure your on the right path, you just want to skip to the "best" part, you want God to just tell you already. 
But part of the journey is...

 the journey itself. 

Imagine skipping to the best part of a movie or book, without the beginning the "best" part won't seem that good after all.  I want to begin to see my journey as the best part...the best part of what?  That I'm not sure, but I want the best to be the best that is can be!  So to reach that I have to walk and take baby steps.

During this time of Lent I am going to start taking those steps.  I know we are taught that Lent is a time of fasting, giving up something.
 Most people I know will give up something unhealthy, chocolate, sweets, pop, coffee, ect. 
And all those are wonderful things, each time you want to reach for it you will remember why you are giving it up to begin with. 

That's the important part. 

 For me this during this season I want to become closer to God, and instead of "giving up" something, I'm choosing to

 Give Myself something. 

To grow as a Christian and a better Me.  I am not 100% sure how I am going to go about this, but I'm sure God will lead me in the direction that is right for me!

Angelina and Me after Mass with our Ashes