Move it!

So I missed posting in July because I was very busy with preparations for and the aftermath of moving.  Now we are more settled for at least a month or so until my husband can find work.

Moving and I have a love/hate relationship.  Moving loves me because it kicks me out of my current comfort zone and causes me to evaluate if I am going in life where I want to be.  I am slowly beginning to stop hating moving because I hate saying farewell to local friends with the promise that we'll be back to visit--It's nearly impossible to coordinate a visit that lets us see ALL the friends we've made and for a long enough time to enjoy it.  I'm beginning to stop hating only because of social networking sites that let us all stay in touch a little easier.

I certainly am thankful that snail mail is not the only way to communicate visually long distances these days and that technology makes easier sharing parts of our lives with our friends around the world.

Matters In My Own Hands

My son loves to watch a show called Shaun the Sheep.  He asks me almost daily, "Watch sheep?"  I really would prefer he spends most of his time doing something active rather than just mindlessly sitting watching a television screen or computer monitor.  So one day when he asked if he could watch sheep I decided we would make a sheep instead.  I got on the internet and found a simple project idea, gathered the supplies I had, and I helped him make his own sheep.  And here is how it worked out:



The supplies







Finished project







It was a really easy project and my son was able to help cut out the sheep outline, then letting him put the cotton balls onto the glue was far less messy than giving him the glue to squirt.  And when the sheep was done he had a fun new sheep he had helped make rather than just sit and watch an animated sheep again and again and again.

The Plague of My Own Doing -- or putting off doing

Why is putting things off so easy to do?  When I started this blog I wanted to post at least once a week.  And here I am on the last day of May writing a post so I can keep at least one post a month--at least for the last few months.  And the dumb thing is that I'm on the computer at least once a day, I just don't take time to create a post because I carry the attitude that I can do it later, or do it tomorrow.  And then I find myself looking back at a whole month having gone by without having written here.

Sadly, blogging is not the only thing I have experienced this disappointment with.  And then when a deadline comes I find myself stressing to get that particular thing done the way I want, without the time I want.  You would think that after so many years of recognizing that I create the stress for myself (and often others who are affected by any activities I put off) by not just being consistent about doing a little each day that I would somehow find encouragement to change.

I suppose I can take a little courage that I wrote this in the morning of the last day of May rather than pushing it off to the end of the day...

A Bite About Food

I love food.  To allow that part of my mind a little air time, I will share a memory and a guilty pleasure.

When I was growing up, one of the salads we learned to make was "Belly-button Salad".  I think there are still debates about whether the name came about because Mom was trying to encourage us to eat it or whether some people in this world (outside of my family) actually call it by this name.  Here is a picture from a recent endeavor to make this salad:

As you can probably guess, most people who are familiar with this salad know it as Carrot-Raisin Salad.  It makes perfect sense to call something by the most obvious ingredients.  But, for the sake of argument, can you deny that raisins have a subtle similarity to some belly-buttons?

RECIPE:

Carrot Raisin Salad

4 CUPS grated carrot

1 CAN 20 oz. crushed pineapple

1 CUP raisins

3/4 CUP mayo

3 TEASPOON sugar (up to 1 Tbs)

1/2 TABLESPOON lemon juice

Chill all ingredients but sugar 30 minutes before salad prep.  Dissolve sugar in pineapple.  Combine and mix all ingredients adding mayo last.

Serves approx. 8

**If you think you will have leftovers, to make them less "soupy", drain pineapple juice out of can (and do not use in salad) before dissolving sugar in pineapple**

Okay, now let's discover the wonders of melted chocolate.  Not just any melted chocolate.  Around Easter many stores bring in a wonderful kind of candy called the Cadbury mini egg.  I believe it was during my college experience that I was introduced to the fine art of microwaving these gems to bring out the silky goodness of melting the chocolate inside the "crisp sugar shell".  After I was introduced to the microwave method (Depending on how many eggs you microwave at one time and the power level of the microwave, it takes about 30 seconds to one minute with the standard "high" power level.  The more eggs at once, the more time. I usually start at 30 seconds and if the shell has a noticable crack and squishes easily when picked up, it's done.  If it still feels hard, try another 15-30 seconds), I found myself having a harder time eating these eggs just plain and hard.  And now, a visual representation of what I am suggesting as a very near experience of heaven on earth:

Exhibit A: hard, just cut open

Exhibit B: after the microwave...I couldn't help eating half

Exhibit C: side-by-side comparison

Crunchy is good, but with this candy I say liquid smooth with a hint of crunch is better.

What to do, what to do?

Today I experienced something that no parent should have to add to their memory bank for future stories to tell their children.  Yet, I'm beginning to think that most parents go through this experience at least once.

Today son A and I went shopping.  He's still small enough that I like him to be in my sight at all times, preferably within easy grabbing reach as he has a tendency to not pay attention to other people who may be around him and more than once has almost been walked over because the other person is not aware of this little person so quietly and quickly being in front of them.  So, after having been to Kohl's with him sitting in his stroller most of the time, we entered Target and he was free of my hand since I was getting a shopping cart and was going to let him walk around with me.  However, his shoelace had come untied on the walk into the store, so as I took a cart I encouraged him to come to me so I could set him in it to tie his shoe.  That's when Mr. Attitude showed up because he wanted to walk and not sit in the cart.  I said, "A, please come here so I can tie your shoe," and he quickly responded, "No sit."  And he started walking away from me.  This is where I felt like Mater in the movie Cars when he should have hooked Lightning up to Bessy, then took off the boot--I should have sat him in the basket right away, then told him I needed to tie his shoe.

Son A has a pretty quick walk when he wants to, and I watched as he walked into the women's clothing section, which was sraight in front of us.  Then he turned out of my sight behind a shelf display of pants or something.  Usually when he does that, he turns out of view and stops (I should have known better about this too as he historically finds great joy in swatting at, running his hands along, etc. clothing that hangs down.  And he enjoys peek-a-boo/hiding games).  By the time I got to where he should have been, he was gone.  And I mean GONE.

I'll spare you most of the panicky details of me trying to figure out the best approach to my messy situation (I immediately freaked out that he disappeared so close to the exit of the store, he was not responding to me calling his name, and if he really was lost and another adult found him he's still not familiar with answering "What's your name?" or "What's your mommy's name?"--and he's not really afraid of strangers.  And I doubt he would think he was lost since he ran off knowing I was initially in pursuit).  I don't know how I eventually found him, other than I got really lucky.  About the time I was asking an employee at the nearby dressing rooms if she had seen a little boy, and she was telling me no and did she need to call security, I thought I heard his voice.  So I called out, "A, come here."   And I thought I heard, "No come."  So I went in that direction and found him laying on his belly on the ground with his head under a low shelf and he was giggling  (Was he trying to crawl under there to hide???).

As soon as I had him securely in my arms, my first thought was, how do I discipline him for running off and being lost to me for what seemed like at least five minutes (I know in words that doesn't seem like a long time, but in the actual moments of time, five minutes of a lost child in a clothing section of a store is a very long time).  This isn't the "how" meaning "how could I".  No, this is the "how" meaning "what method can I use right now that will teach him the severity of the situation in my mind?!?"  And then I thought, what really can I do?  Physical punishment won't teach him anything about this.  I can talk until I'm blue in the face and he still may not understand that he was lost and that can be dangerous for a child his age.  So eventually, after repeating multiple times that he should not have run away from me and hid, he knows better than to be out of mommy's sight, I sat him in the cart.  I really just wanted to leave and go home because I was so frustrated with him and anxious of what other antics he might try while we were still shopping, but I didn't want to have to come back later or tomorrow, so we continued with me being far more controlling than I had been before he ran off.  Usually I let him sit in the seat without the strap on, but not today.  He got buckled in for the whole store; no more walking, that privilege was revoked.  And when he wanted to look at a toy or touch something, all he heard was a firm "No.  You were naughty, so No."

I'm not sure the consequences I chose were very effective in the end, but what really could I have done to discourage Mr. Attitude's behavior in the future?

Feisty Little Bugger!

Over the last several weeks we have needed to give son A (that's what I'll call him for now because this is an open blog for now and if you know me then you may know his name already) once-a-day breathing treatments through a nebulizer unit.  Previously, and with a different medicine we have given him with the nebulizer, I can hold the mouthpiece in front of his face and let him breathe it through his nose or open mouth.  This medicine, however, gives directions to make sure it is breathed in the mouth, and even to avoid letting the vapor get in the eyes.  I don't know at what point most people stop naturally breathing through their nose and begin to more commonly breathe through the mouth, but son A has not made that switch yet.  So, being able to hold the mouthpiece in front of his face still affords him inhaling the medicine through his nasal breathing.  With this medicine needing to be in/go in through the mouth, it is more challenging for me to get him to breathe it appropriately.  In other words, he finds great joy in being feisty and blocking the mouthpiece with his tongue, while breathing through his nose.  Doing this just pumps the vapors out the back hole of the mouthpiece, effectively wasting the medicine.  And what is the best way to encourage mouth-breathing?  Pinch his nose closed.

Generally son A tolerates the pinched nose just until he wants to breathe again, then he tries to swat my hand away.  The very first time this happened, a few weeks ago, it only took me pinching about twice before he decided HE could do the pinching.  And then it only took me a few moments to realize he would pinch for a second or two, then just have his finger and thumb rest on his nose so it looks like he's pinching....unless I am paying close enough attention to see he's not pinching.

And so the cycle goes, son A trying to avoid the nose-pinching and breathing through his mouth, while I try to get him to breathe it properly so he gets the most out of this medicine (which is actually a corticosteriod of sorts meant to help his lungs [instruction insert says: this medication is intended to help prevent and control asthma symptoms], so breathing it properly is pretty important).

This experience reminds me of when he was born and in the hospital.  A few nurses nicknamed him "scrappy" because he was calm and content except when he was bothered (like for a diaper change), and then his feisty side really showed.  And now, over 2 years later, he's still quite the same--calm and content until mom bothers him and then he gets a little feisty.

As it says in Alma 34:34, "...for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world."  Given the context of this scripture, I believe that "spirit" here is representative of "personality".  So if the same personality we have in this life has the power to continue with us into the eternal world, why can we not suppose that the same personality came with us from the premortal realm?  How else can I explain son A being born with such a temperament that still maintains a close similarity after more than 2 years and is something he was not taught after birth?

Churning

 As you will see in the pictures to follow, our home is in the process of churning--meaning stuff is moving 'round and 'round, from one room or place to another.  So, here we go on a tour of "before" and "after 12 weeks"

  





After 12-Dining



Before-Dining

















Dining: Some clutter is gone from the counter; the floor seems more cluttered temporarily

 

After 12-Walkthrough



Before-Walkthrough







Walkthrough: This has changed to the dumping grounds for things that need to leave.  What better way to remind me daily that it needs to go?

Before-Doorway



After 12-Doorway



Doorway:  The shelf top isn't a junk collection currently and jackets aren't on the floor.  This is a bad picture to see the floor collection is smaller, so continue on

Before-Living Room



After 12-Living Room



Living Room: Here's a better picture for the floor collection, and it only looks worse in the after because when I took the "after 12" picture there is a pile of rags that was there for one day while their normal bucket was being used and the diapers boxes are in transition from a bedroom while it is being organized.



Before-Bookcase



After 12-Bookcase



Bookcase: The pile in front of the bookcase is different, as things are being moved to more appropriate locations and sorted through to determine what needs to go.



Before-Couch



After 12-Couch



Couch: Well, clearly there is progress towards cleanliness  :)



Before-Bedroom entry



After 12-Bedroom entry



Bedroom: At least the laundry has been done in the "after 12" so the basket by the door is not overflowing



Before-Bedside 1



After 12-Bedside 1



Bedside 1: I've been busy with other areas more than this one



Before-Bedside 2



After 12-Bedside 2



Bedside 2: I think someone took a before picture because it was so clean and is the only area he's fully in charge of keeping how he wants it.  I took the "after 12" picture to make myself feel better that he goes through cycles of cleanliness & mess also.  But don't judge him too harshly because the "after 12" was taken shortly after he finished comprehensive exams...hence the books and papers strewn about from studying



Before-Bedroom II entry



After 12-Bedroom II entry



Bedroom II: The stack of boxes and plastic bins will be in the closet as soon as I get in there and move them





After 12-Bedroom II window



Before-Bedroom II window









Window: I should have pointed the "after 12" shot down a little more so you can see the floor is open enough to not fear tripping between the door and the bed.  Oh well, that will be more obvious with the coming "after: what I really wanted you to see"



Before-Bedroom II closet wall



After 12-Bedroom II closet wall



Closet wall: Now the stack of boxes isn't covered in loose clothing

And there it is for now.  I'm proud of myself that the clutter is getting less, even if little by little.  OH!!! I almost forgot...there are no kitchen or bathroom pictures because those are the two places currently that I keep pretty organized and clutter-free pretty regularly.  Or at least they must not be too annoying because, truth be told, the person who took the "before" pictures (not me) chose angles that showed the most constant mess at the time (except the bedside 2 photo).

12 Weeks of Weakness

Blah.  This 12-week challenge was a disaster.  Not a complete failure, but certainly a disaster.  The most progress I have made has been over this last week or two.  I have had a VERY hard time finding something to motivate me to consistency, and my recent successes have come only through a better effort toward self-discipline of staying off the computer unless there is a very good reason or unless I set a timer to keep it short.  I have a tendency to get distracted once I get on the computer because there are so many interesting things to look at, then before I know it, hours have passed and so has a significant amount of time for productivity around the apartment.  But don't worry, I will still post pictures soon.  Maybe they will just include "before", "after 12 weeks", and "after: what I really wanted you to see".

Even though I did not succeed within the 12 allotted weeks, I have not given up, nor will I until I have better organization in my home.

By Choice

Yesterday as I was reading in the scriptures, I came across something that gave me cause to pause.  In this particular verse, even though the speaker/author was talking to the people of his time, I couldn't help but feel the application for today as well.  He says

   Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.    (see reference here)

Ye look upon me as a teacher... Even though this scripture was given and written in an earlier time, as a reader I certainly am looking to him as a teacher.
As an adult, I choose to go to church even though I may sometimes think it's boring, I choose to read scripture even though I may have read it before.  I choose these things because I don't know all the answers and I turn to sources I believe will teach me what I do not already know, or may need to be reminded of.  Is that perhaps why any of us go to church or read scripture--because we are looking to be taught?

Life Lessons

Tonight's dinner reminded me of two things I have learned in my life.

1)  Store-brand boxed macaroni and cheese is just as tasty as the big-name brand.  The cook just has to know how to make it right. [Hint:  less butter than the box suggests, a little more milk, do not overcook the noodles, sometimes add a little grated cheddar cheese]

2)  Pan-fried hotdogs are MUCH tastier than boiled hotdogs any day.  I wish I'd known this when I was younger because I ate way too many boiled hotdogs and didn't know the better taste I was missing out on.

12 Weeks of Challenge

Here's one of my bigger revelations to the world:  My home is currently VERY unorganized.  We don't have very many people come to visit us, but those who do would see what I mean.  I don't want to post pictures--yet--because of a little challenge.  A pretty well-known diet & exercise lifestyle coach offers his supporters a 12-week challenge during which time they are to change their lifestyle to one of healthier eating, exercise, and weight loss.

Because this family is tired of extra clutter weight and general lack of proper motion of things in our home, I have been given a 12-week challenge to get things better organized around here.  "Before" pictures have been taken, nearly 6 weeks have passed now, and progress has been slower than I would like.  Because I've heard that sometimes better successes happen when you are accountable to someone, I decided to make myself accountable to anyone who happens to read this post.  And if March 2011 passes and I haven't updated my progress, feel free to ask me for proof (e.g. pictures).

Bubbles!!!

Who knew that bubbles could be SO much fun?!?  Watching a young child chase bubbles, then ask for "more bubbles please," when they're all popped, makes me smile.  And it makes me want to dance around popping bubbles too.  I recently read that bubbles can make anyone happy.  I think there may be some truth to that.

Welcome

Starting a blog late on a Saturday night is NOT the best idea for me. I can't tell you why, but I typically have a hard time with making decisions. Starting up this blog has taken well over half an hour to get something very basic. There are so many options, my head kind of starts to spin with trying to get it to look just right and with deciding if my choices are more for me or for someone else who reads this. When creating the visual layout of this, I was trying to be considerate of the reader (I've tried to read some blogs that, well, all I could do was try because the text was overtaken by the background and I had to get it in just the right spot in order to read it), while trying to choose something I like.

Normally I'm a fairly private person. I am the kind of person that listens during group conversations and doesn't add much of my own experience. I tend to ask a lot more questions than I am asked. And now I'm starting a blog, a public journal if you will, for other people to read. Oh, boy. Welcome, as I open my mind for you to get a glimpse of what I think.