I watched the last presidential debate last night. I must say, while it was better than the previous two, I still did way too much muttering under my breath at the screen. Why can't politicians just answer questions? Even when they say they'll straight talk, they dance and use smoke screens instead. And really, must we badmouth the current president any more? Yes, he's made some bad choices, but he's also tackled topics that generations of politicians refused to touch. He was the best man for the job at the time. His time is almost up. Why don't we leave him alone?
When President Bush's approval rating started dropping rapidly earlier this summer, I gave serious thought to writing him a letter thanking him for all the good he has done. I didn't do it. I've thought about it several times since then, but haven't done it. Last night pushed me over the edge, and I wrote that letter. I just wanted to thank him for doing what was right over what was popular. (I'm not naive. I know he'll never see it, but I still feel better having made the effort.)
Have you ever written a politician? My Hubby does this at least once a month (he even called twice over the recent bailout bill), but I'd never done it. Would you care too? You can find the contact info for the White House here:http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Try it. It felt pretty good.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Halloween fun
When my daughter was 2, her older cousin handed -me-down (is that a verb?) a set of pumpkin sweats. My girl wore them for about 18 months, and then we passed it down to my son. He just outgrew the set, and both of them have been asking for pumpkin shirts for over a month now.
A few weeks ago, we got the October issue of Family Fun, where on the cover, they made pumpkin shirts! I finally got around to buying fabric dye this morning and here's the result:
A few weeks ago, we got the October issue of Family Fun, where on the cover, they made pumpkin shirts! I finally got around to buying fabric dye this morning and here's the result:
Girly-Lou-Who showing hers off:
Then Buddy wanted in on the action:
(Shh . . .don't tell anyone. It wasn't until after I got them dyed that I realized I had grabbed a girl's shirt for my Buddy. But he'll never know the difference, right?)
Very fun to do. Here's a link for the instructions:
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12054
Tips:
I wanted to just do just one large pumpkin face in the middle, but foolishly let them pick -they picked the much more labor intensive little faces. So don't let them pick, just tell them what you're doing!
I got shirts the shirts that have the silk screened tags, and the dye didn't work very well on that part, so they have white streaks on the back where the tag is. Just FYI!
Weighty matters
So I've been overweight most of my life. It started when I was in about 4th grade, and I was convinced I was fat. (Yes, it started with some very external stimuli, but I'm not in the mood to point fingers, thank you very much) Let's get this straight - I was not fat. But I wasn't the scrawny kid I had been just the summer before. I started developing curves (we're early bloomers in my family). I had a shape, and I was led to believe that I shouldn't. So I started dieting. Yes, as a 10 year old, I started a diet. NO, this is NOT a smart idea!
Anyway, by the time I graduated from High School, I had dieted my way to 172 lbs. I tried to loose it, really I did. Ok, let's be honest, I THOUGHT I was trying to loose it. But I wasn't really trying.
2 years later, I joined Weight Watchers. It was great. I lost 25 lbs in just over a year. I look back at those pictures and realize just how great I looked, but I thought that I was still very large. And then I plateaued. Big time. For 6 months I gained and lost the exact same 5 lbs. Money got tight, and I stopped going. I moved out of home, and gained 15 back.
I was 160 when I got married. I gained 12 lbs, got pregnant, gained WAY too much, got pregnant again, moved across the country, and gained WAY too much again.
So here I was, fat, and hating it. But too full of excuses to do anything. I thought I was doing something about it, but the scale wasn't really moving (just like high school, I only thought I was doing something.) Last year I managed to loos 10 lbs, and felt much better. But it wasn't moving further.
Then 3 weeks ago, I had a breakthrough. It was a combination of several things: I had a sister loose a LOT of weight, who looked amazing. Then ANOTHER sister started loosing it too. I read a book that could have paralleled me, and she lost 40 lbs. And then I went to Church.
(some preface here: I KNOW that there is a God. I know he has a plan for us that started before this earth began, and goes on after this earth will end. We existed before this life as spirits with Him, and progressed as far as we could as spirits until we were given the chance to come here and get bodies. ok, you can totally disagree with me. It's my faith and I'm making no excuses here for it!)
At church, I made a comment. It was one of those times that you start speaking and realized as you are talking that what you are saying is really true. I basically said that little parenthetical paragraph up there, and then added that part of the point of this life is to gain control over these bodies we have been given. And until we gain control of all our impulses, appetites, desires, etc. We can't really progress to where we want to be.
It was a big light bulb moment. I had been full of excuses and reasons for why I looked like I did "My parents made me clean my plate as a kids so I don't know when to stop" "I can't afford Weight Watchers, but when I can THEN I'll loose it" or "I'm such a stress eater" but they are just excuses. Even reasons for why I got this way, but I am the reason I've stayed this way.
So, I'm stopping. I am actually doing something about it. The next day, after that Sunday, I actually ran. I thought it was 1/2 mile until I finished running (it was only 3 minutes, and I'm not that fast) I clocked it later, and it was .3 miles. But it was a start. I figured out how far 1/2 a mile was, and have been running that far when my hubby is home in the mornings, plus 1 1/2 mile walk after. On the mornings he's gone, I have a 3mile walking tape I do.
And this morning I actually ran a full mile. I haven't done that since 9th grade P.E.
It's working. In the 23 days since I started, I've lost 6.5 lbs. It's not huge, but I'm in a different tens place, a digit I haven't seen for over 4 years. If I keep this rate (I lost 4 lbs the first week, and have lost 1 a week since then), by Christmas, I'll be back at my HS weight. If I slow down then, and do .5 lbs a week, by the time my 10 year HS reunion rolls around next summer I'll be back at that skinny 145.
And even if I don't make that, I still feel better than I have for years.
So that's my story. I don't know if it will help anyone. Hunger is ok (I'm learning). Running isn't as bad as I've always thought it was. And no one is keeping anyone from change except for yourself. So I say, and I'm sticking to it.
Anyway, by the time I graduated from High School, I had dieted my way to 172 lbs. I tried to loose it, really I did. Ok, let's be honest, I THOUGHT I was trying to loose it. But I wasn't really trying.
2 years later, I joined Weight Watchers. It was great. I lost 25 lbs in just over a year. I look back at those pictures and realize just how great I looked, but I thought that I was still very large. And then I plateaued. Big time. For 6 months I gained and lost the exact same 5 lbs. Money got tight, and I stopped going. I moved out of home, and gained 15 back.
I was 160 when I got married. I gained 12 lbs, got pregnant, gained WAY too much, got pregnant again, moved across the country, and gained WAY too much again.
So here I was, fat, and hating it. But too full of excuses to do anything. I thought I was doing something about it, but the scale wasn't really moving (just like high school, I only thought I was doing something.) Last year I managed to loos 10 lbs, and felt much better. But it wasn't moving further.
Then 3 weeks ago, I had a breakthrough. It was a combination of several things: I had a sister loose a LOT of weight, who looked amazing. Then ANOTHER sister started loosing it too. I read a book that could have paralleled me, and she lost 40 lbs. And then I went to Church.
(some preface here: I KNOW that there is a God. I know he has a plan for us that started before this earth began, and goes on after this earth will end. We existed before this life as spirits with Him, and progressed as far as we could as spirits until we were given the chance to come here and get bodies. ok, you can totally disagree with me. It's my faith and I'm making no excuses here for it!)
At church, I made a comment. It was one of those times that you start speaking and realized as you are talking that what you are saying is really true. I basically said that little parenthetical paragraph up there, and then added that part of the point of this life is to gain control over these bodies we have been given. And until we gain control of all our impulses, appetites, desires, etc. We can't really progress to where we want to be.
It was a big light bulb moment. I had been full of excuses and reasons for why I looked like I did "My parents made me clean my plate as a kids so I don't know when to stop" "I can't afford Weight Watchers, but when I can THEN I'll loose it" or "I'm such a stress eater" but they are just excuses. Even reasons for why I got this way, but I am the reason I've stayed this way.
So, I'm stopping. I am actually doing something about it. The next day, after that Sunday, I actually ran. I thought it was 1/2 mile until I finished running (it was only 3 minutes, and I'm not that fast) I clocked it later, and it was .3 miles. But it was a start. I figured out how far 1/2 a mile was, and have been running that far when my hubby is home in the mornings, plus 1 1/2 mile walk after. On the mornings he's gone, I have a 3mile walking tape I do.
And this morning I actually ran a full mile. I haven't done that since 9th grade P.E.
It's working. In the 23 days since I started, I've lost 6.5 lbs. It's not huge, but I'm in a different tens place, a digit I haven't seen for over 4 years. If I keep this rate (I lost 4 lbs the first week, and have lost 1 a week since then), by Christmas, I'll be back at my HS weight. If I slow down then, and do .5 lbs a week, by the time my 10 year HS reunion rolls around next summer I'll be back at that skinny 145.
And even if I don't make that, I still feel better than I have for years.
So that's my story. I don't know if it will help anyone. Hunger is ok (I'm learning). Running isn't as bad as I've always thought it was. And no one is keeping anyone from change except for yourself. So I say, and I'm sticking to it.
Monday, October 13, 2008
My name
So I've always loved my name. Laree. It's different. It's unique. People have either never heard of it, or they had a great Aunt with the same name (apparently it was pseudo popular around 1910). People either instantly remember it because they've never heard it, or they can NEVER remember it because they've never heard of it. In fact, you are probably saying it wrong in your head (if you want to know, it's La Ree to say it right)
My problem with my name - I've always wanted a cool nickname.
Ok, maybe not a "cool" one, but just a good one. Something easy, something simple. Like my friend Emily, who would go by Em, or Katie becomes Kate. But try to shorten my name - La. Oh yah. That's great (not!). Or even Ree (um, no.) And did you ever do the name game song? Try it with mine. Laree Ba dee, Fe Fi Fo Fee, Me My Mo Mee. It's like it's missing a syllable or two.
Oh the trauma of life.
I know, I should be worried about real problems - death, taxes, and all that jazz. Don't worry, I am. But right now the whole name thing is bugging me. I can come up with silly nicknames for my kids (my girl will now be known as girly-Lou-who, my boy has to be Buddy, my hubby gets to be . . .Hubby), but I try to come up with something fun and anonymous for myself and get crickets. Try a few options, more crickets. Nothing. Creativity has fled the building (did you hear the one about creativity being like Elvis - often talked about, dreamed about, occasionally sited, but never in reality?)
So, instead of being all cool like that, you just get me. Laree. Fe fi fo fee. Let's see if you can remember that one.
My problem with my name - I've always wanted a cool nickname.
Ok, maybe not a "cool" one, but just a good one. Something easy, something simple. Like my friend Emily, who would go by Em, or Katie becomes Kate. But try to shorten my name - La. Oh yah. That's great (not!). Or even Ree (um, no.) And did you ever do the name game song? Try it with mine. Laree Ba dee, Fe Fi Fo Fee, Me My Mo Mee. It's like it's missing a syllable or two.
Oh the trauma of life.
I know, I should be worried about real problems - death, taxes, and all that jazz. Don't worry, I am. But right now the whole name thing is bugging me. I can come up with silly nicknames for my kids (my girl will now be known as girly-Lou-who, my boy has to be Buddy, my hubby gets to be . . .Hubby), but I try to come up with something fun and anonymous for myself and get crickets. Try a few options, more crickets. Nothing. Creativity has fled the building (did you hear the one about creativity being like Elvis - often talked about, dreamed about, occasionally sited, but never in reality?)
So, instead of being all cool like that, you just get me. Laree. Fe fi fo fee. Let's see if you can remember that one.
New beginings
So for a while now, I have wanted somewhere to write. I want to write fun things, things that aren't always personal, things that strangers would get a kick out of reading. I dream of being cool enough to be a "finslippy", "MommySnark" or the creme-de-la-creme, a "Momformation" mommy.
Yah, I'm not that cool yet. (and I obviously don't know french!)
On MommySnark, she talked about how BlogHer is now accepting more blogs. Perfect! I can go start a new blog, be all cool and anonymous, and save the personal sappy stuff for the family blog. So I check it out. Dang. The blogs have to be 90 old. So I guess that won't work. OR will it? After all, my account is that old, would that work? I don't know. I think I'll try. The worst that could happen is they deny my request, right? Crush all my hopes and dreams of being cool.
Anyway, even if I'm not allowed to be cool like that, I think I need this. I need a place to write my pretend coolness down. Honestly, I read the cool bloggers, and start narrating my day just like I was one of them. I think of silly nicknames to label my kids so they stay private. Weird ideas float to the surface of post I could do - I've even had dreams about different things to say. No, I'm not obsessed. At least that's my claim and I'm sticking to it!
So here we go. Here's my craziness. All in one spot. At least something in my life can be.
PS. after posting this I realized I totally should have linked to those blogs. I know, a way bad "Duh" moment, but here we go: http://www.finslippy.com/ http://www.mommysnark.blogspot.com/
and
http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/ where I like to read Besty Shaw, Patricia Burns, and pretty much everyone else too!. If I was really cool, I would have a clue how to make their names uptop links, but I have no idea how to link a word to a site, I just know how to copy/paste. Maybe someday, when I get to be cool, and other people actually start reading this, someone will comment and tell me how. Until then, I'll just keep faking it.
Yah, I'm not that cool yet. (and I obviously don't know french!)
On MommySnark, she talked about how BlogHer is now accepting more blogs. Perfect! I can go start a new blog, be all cool and anonymous, and save the personal sappy stuff for the family blog. So I check it out. Dang. The blogs have to be 90 old. So I guess that won't work. OR will it? After all, my account is that old, would that work? I don't know. I think I'll try. The worst that could happen is they deny my request, right? Crush all my hopes and dreams of being cool.
Anyway, even if I'm not allowed to be cool like that, I think I need this. I need a place to write my pretend coolness down. Honestly, I read the cool bloggers, and start narrating my day just like I was one of them. I think of silly nicknames to label my kids so they stay private. Weird ideas float to the surface of post I could do - I've even had dreams about different things to say. No, I'm not obsessed. At least that's my claim and I'm sticking to it!
So here we go. Here's my craziness. All in one spot. At least something in my life can be.
PS. after posting this I realized I totally should have linked to those blogs. I know, a way bad "Duh" moment, but here we go: http://www.finslippy.com/ http://www.mommysnark.blogspot.com/
and
http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/ where I like to read Besty Shaw, Patricia Burns, and pretty much everyone else too!. If I was really cool, I would have a clue how to make their names uptop links, but I have no idea how to link a word to a site, I just know how to copy/paste. Maybe someday, when I get to be cool, and other people actually start reading this, someone will comment and tell me how. Until then, I'll just keep faking it.