Belly Acre Farm

The Zucchini Bandits . . .

2011-07-28T13:26:00.000-07:00

My husband and I went to our community's 24th of July Pioneer Day Parade. It has been YEARS since I have had that much fun at a parade. The big draw for me was getting to see the Stevens Family Band all dressed like pioneers, playing instruments and pulling handcarts. You guys ROCK!

We were very fortunate to get to stand with a bunch of friends from our neighborhood. As we watched the parade entries go by, we thought it would be fun to create an entry for next year's parade -- something where a bunch of women get together and throw zucchini to bystanders.

The idea didn't really go much further than that at the time, but this morning as I was out picking beans, I fleshed it out a bit more. See if you like it.

The Zucchini Bandits

We could each wear a green t-shirt with "Zucchini Bandits" on the front and one of the following phrases on the back:
-- Lock your doors! It's zucchini season.
-- Spreading the green without being seen.

In addition to wearing t-shirts, one of us could make green masks -- kind of like the green version of Zorro.

We could either push wheelbarrows filled with zucchini to give away, or we could operate out of the back of someone's pick-up truck. Whichever mode of transportation we opted for, we'd create banners with our identification and mottos.

You know how businesses enter local parades and pass out flyers? Well, we could recruit a few of our kids to pass out zucchini recipes! Really, really good zucchini recipes.

I can see this being a fun ward Relief Society entry. My mother even suggested that perhaps we could get our husbands to push us in wheelbarrows while the kids distribute the goods.

Becoming Zucchini Bandits would take a good deal of preparation. Those planning to participate would need to plant more zucchini than normal so that we'd have plenty to give away at the parade. They could either pull up the extra plants after the parade, or we could continue to let them grow in anticipation of a fun ward activity -- ZUCCHINI DAZE.

At Zucchini Daze everyone brings a potluck dish to share that includes zucchini as an ingredient. (It would also be a good idea to bring a copy of the recipe for someone to compile and distribute at a later date.) There would also be a fun variety of games and activities that incorporate zucchini. For instance:

The peeled zucchini toss: this is a lot like a water balloon toss only using a peeled zucchini instead
The zucchini crochet relay: teams of 4 or 5 people each are given a medium-size zucchini and a crochet mallet. The object of the game is to use the mallet to hit the zucchini down the field to the next contestant who then hits it down the field in the opposite direction until all members of the team have taken their turn. The first team to cross the finish line with a zucchini that is still in one piece is the winner.
Biggest zucchini contest: contestants bring the biggest zucchini from their garden to see who has grown the largest squash. (These will be saved to use in the next contest.)
The zucchini hurling contest: Only those who entered a zucchini in the above activity are elligible for this event. Contestants take their giant squash and get one chance to hurl them down the field of play. The one who hurls theirs the farthest (or who has pieces break off and go the farthest) wins!
Zucchini craft for kids: our scouts usually do a zucchini boat race for one of their summer pack meetings. This is a fun activity for zucchini daze if your event is near a stream or creek. If that's not the case, simply give each young child a zucchini, mini-marshmallows and toothpicks. Let their creativity take over. (A fun at-home activity would be to use your Mr./Mrs. Potato Head parts to make a Mr. or Mrs. Zucchini.)
Zucchini sculptures / creative displays: Participants need advance notice of this event so that they can create either a sculpture or some other kind of artistic endeavor using zucchini. You can give judging criteria in advance or simply give a prize for participation.

As you can see, zucchini are a very useful and fun vegetable!

If you have any ideas to add, please leave details in the comments. Enjoy your zucchini!

Don't count your chickens before . . .

2011-05-27T16:01:00.001-07:00

Today in Language Arts we did an activity where my 7th grade students completed the beginning of common sayings. I thought the following ones were worth sharing.

Don’t count your chickens before . . . (they hatch)

… they wake up.

… Thursday.

… you take a shower.

Don’t put all your eggs . . . (in one basket)

… under the car tire.

… in your mouth.

… in an omelet.

… in a blender.

… in your pants pockets.

… in the toilet.

… in the bathtub.

… in a sock.

Children should be seen and not . . . (heard)

… hurt.

… hit.

… smelled.

… commanded.

… felt.

… tasted.

… eaten.

A penny saved is . . . (a penny earned)

… not much.

… money.

… practically worthless.

… a step closer to college.

An ounce of prevention is worth . . . (a pound of cure)

… less than it used to be.

… a life.

… a lot more than you think.

… money.

Stupid is as . . . (stupid does)

… funny as it sounds.

… as dumb as you.

… as stupid was.

… stupid as can be.

Forgive and . . . (forget)

… move on.

… be nice.

… learn.

A bird in the hand . . . (is worth two in the bush)

… may poop on you.

… must be dead.

… must be tame.

… might not be smart.

… is probably really hungry.

… is gonna fly away.

… is a baby chick.

… is cute.

… is small.

… should be set free.

What goes around . . . (comes around)

… makes you sneeze.

… hits you in the face.

… makes a circle.

… gets dizzy after a while.

What goes up must . . . (come down)

… not have tasted very good.

… not have been cooked all the way.

… somehow affect gas prices.

… be able to fly.

… be a balloon.

You don’t always get . . . (what you want)

… chocolate.

… rich.

… your way.

… a rubber chicken.

… food.

… it on the first try.

… what you need.

… first place.

… lucky.

You get what . . . (what you pay for)

… I get.

… you deserve.

… I want you to have.

… is leftover.

… is coming to you.

… you ask for.

… you need.

Think outside the . . . (the box)

… gutter.

… school.

… classroom.

… brain.

… rhombus.

… pickle.

… pumpkin.

A stitch in time saves . . . (nine)

… you from bleeding to death.

… a scar in the future.

… money.

… fabric.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t . . . (make it drink)

… lead water to a horse.

… push it in.

… pick its nose.

… make water.

… make it poo.

You get what you get and . . . (you don’t throw a fit)

… be grateful for it!

… then some.

… then we take it away.

… then you die.

Every cloud has a . . . (silver lining)

… dark side.

… problem.

… tear to shed.

… soft spot.

… rainbow.

… raindrop.

… lot of water.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve . . . (said it a thousand times)

…pumped my shotgun.

… made my point.

… said it for you.

… said it enough.

… said it twice.

An apple a day . . . (keep the doctor away)

… makes you wish you had an orange.

… gets old after a while.

… is a lot of apples.

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man . . . (healthy, wealthy and wise)

… grumpy.

… boring.

… rested.

… feel wise.

Losing my class

2011-05-25T21:51:00.000-07:00

With the school year drawing to a close, I'm looking forward to the summer but also feeling a bit sad about saying goodbye to the great batch of students I've had this year.

Here are some things that I will enjoy remembering:

The first couple days of school we did chalkboard challenges to use up the extra minutes at the end of class. Two students would stand at the board with a dry-erase marker ready to turn around and write their answer. The first to write the correct answer would get a point for their team. I said, "Write the abbreviation for the day after Monday." Both students had it wrong. One even wrote,"Fri." We all had a sympathetic laugh, realizing that the pressure of a game situation can short-circuit even the best brain
I'd watched Nacho Libre at home and was telling the kids how I love how Nacho does his forward leap with his head back, chest out, and arms out and back. Some students had never seen Nacho Libre. Jackson volunteered to try to demonstrate the leap. It was right on! What talent!
Laughing to tears during a spelling test when the topic was chickens and the word was "explosive."
Watching the amazing progress of a student who was adopted into a family from Ukraine 2 months before school started. He came in speaking virtually no English and will leave being able to read and write fairly well. (He has over 2,000 reading pages from this quarter alone!) He is truly amazing. And a lively, michevious, lovable kid as well.
The way Saif's eyes crinkle and almost disappear when he smiles or laughs.
The enthuiastic way Jacob Jensen has of writing on the board in chalkboard challenges. He gets his whole body into it!
Pablo and teasing him about hair gel. He's a good sport. Especially when he and I decided to pull one on the class and pretend that I caught him cheating. You could have heard a pin drop when I ripped up his paper and told him to wait for me in the hall. Even though the door was closed, I'm pretty sure the class heard me hit a locker and say, "What were you thinking?!" Pablo and I came in after a minute. Everyone looked stricken. Pablo and I couldn't help but laugh. Boy was the class relieved!
Going to start the tape to go along with the class novel and having the radio come on. Me dancing along for a while as a nerdy adult. The kids were floored that I'd do it. And, yeah, they laughed. It was a great way to accidentally start the class.
Having Parker come up and ask me if I'd broken the wind in class the day before. I was taken aback. Was he really asking what I thought he was asking? After seeing the confusion on my face, he said, "You know -- Mr. Donohoe's yard stick?" Oh yeah. I'd forgotten that Mr. Donohoe called his yard stick "The Wind." I share a class with him, and I had actually made a tiny sliver come off the day before. (I couldn't help but tell Parker what I thought he was asking. We shared it with the rest of the class who, predictably, made "break-the-wind" jokes for weeks afterwards.)
Making the kids take a rubber chicken as the hall pass when they use the bathroom. (I disinfect it with Lysol spray at least twice a week.) Having Kjia return once with a slightly wet chicken. She claims it fell in the sink. I can only hope so.
Playing the quiz game, "Squeeze that Chicken!" The first one to squeeze their squeaky chicken and say the right answer gets a point for their team. (Who says rubber chickens can't be educational?)
Reading the students' fast fiction stories and having the class try to guess which one I wrote. I was constantly amazed at the creativity of my students. Students who were only so-so about writing came up with papers that beat my own attempt at fiction.
Sharing the ups and downs of student behavior with my husband and then noticing how I always end a rant with the words, "but I still like him/her." I've been pleasantly surprised to find that the students who have the hardest time sitting still or not talking out are every bit as lovable as the others.

Alas, I'm out of time. Can you tell I've loved my first year of teaching? I'm having a hard time believing that next years classes will be able to measure up to the joy and insights this year's students have given me.

Mother's Day -- with teenagers

2011-05-08T19:05:00.001-07:00

This year for Mother's Day I tried something new, something different, something aimed at my teenagers. On Wednesday or so I was looking through the ads that came in the newspaper in the morning. There were a number that had really nicely done Mother's Day reminders. I'm not sure what came over me, but I got out a pair of scissors.

I spent the next 15 to 20 minutes looking through all the ads -- even the ones in the recycle basket -- and cutting out cute Mother's Day reminders. When I got home from work, I taped them throughout the house. On the computer screen. On the main light switch. On the DVD player -- anywhere I thought my kids would see them.

Lou was the first to notice. "What are these," she asked. They're just little reminders I put up to annoy, and well, remind you that Mother's Day is Sunday. "Oh," she said without any enthusiasm.

Bug took a different approach. When he saw one he said, "You can thank me for putting up the Mother's Day reminders." He was so sincere that Hubby asked me a bit later if Bug really had put them up.

When Lou had a bunch of friends over on Saturday evening, they noticed too. They were curious about why I'd put them up. I told them, "If stores can advertise, moms can too!"

So now that Mother's Day is here, what were the results of my advertising? Not much. I already knew that my hubby was getting me a couple of great gifts (a notebook computer that I'm writing this post on, and a black wrought-iron bench for the front porch), and I didn't expect too much from the kids. They fulfilled my expectations. Bug did give me an oral gift -- a verbal coupon, so to speak. These are his words: "Now don't ask all the time and tell me in advance, but I'll make dinner and do the laundry one time each during the summer." Neither daughter had a gift to give, although Beans did play her viola in a large ward orchestra as the prelude to sacrament meeting today. Walking into the chapel and hearing the strings, knowing that my 12-year-old was among them put me on cloud 9! It was awesome.

Was my Mother's Day advertising a failure? Nah. I got a secret buzz watching my kids notice the reminders. It was like silent nagging. And I'm the Queen of Nag. (See previous post.) I often call myself The Nagivator -- even at school.

The way I look at it, it's occasionally a good thing for a mom to remind her kids about all the things she does for them. Especially teenagers. The results, well, that's not in my control. Enjoying the small joys of nagging -- what a treat!

Take my invention idea and run with it!

2010-11-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

What could possibly get me blogging after an absence of five months? An idea for a new invention. One that I really want created, but one that I don't have the time/talent/expertise to see through production.

Here it is . . . click-on skis for grocery carts.

Here in my neck of the woods we experienced a blizzard that the weathermen referred to as snow-mageddon. After it blew in and left about 6 inches of snow, the temperatures plummeted, leaving packed snow on roads, driveways, and in parking lots. When I went to the grocery store to stock up for Thanksgiving, it was very, very difficult to push my heavy cart back to my car through the snowy parking lot. I experienced the same problem when we lived in Idaho Falls.

Someone needs to invent plastic skis to fit onto grocery carts. I think they really only need them on the front of the cart. Maybe something that allows the bottom inch of the cart wheel to extend below the skis so that if there isn't a lot of snow, the carts can roll smoothly on the asphalt. But when there is a lot of snow, the skis would allow the cart to slide on top of the snow. Voila!

If you happen to know someone who is an entrepreneur, someone who might be interested in developing grocery cart skiis, pass this blog entry on to them. Really. I retain no intellectual rights. I only ask that they contact the grocery stores in my neck of the woods to offer this amazing new product.

Because what I really want is to be able to go grocery shopping during the winter time!

The Joys of a Summer Evening . . .

2010-06-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

a chocolate chip smudge on the wall above the cooling rack -- the only trace of the cookies that Beans and Loula Belle made.
sprinklers in a grain field catching the rays of the setting sun.
sliding the windows open to let in the fresh breeze; knowing that by morning the house will be crisply cool.
listening to the jangle of silverware and dishes as Lou unloads the dishwasher.
hearing the hum of an airplane and wondering if Brad Wursten is up in his stunt plane.

It's a bird . . . It's a Western Tanager!

2010-06-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you've noticed the small, brightly-colored birds hanging out in the valley this spring. They have a red-orange head and face, a yellow body and a black back and wings. They're actually male Western Tanagers. And they seem to be everywhere this year. Begging the question, why?

I decided to call my local newspaper, and ended up leaving a message for the editor I worked with on the hiking articles from last year. I said something like, "Hi, with all the Western Tanagers in the valley this year I thought you might want to do an article on why there are so many. A lot of people have been talking them. I don't have to write the article, but will if you want me to. Let me know."

Well, the editor called back and said, go for it. (With the deadline being the next evening.)

Long story short, I got busy and sleuthed out the answer to why there are so many Western Tanagers in Utah this year. The article printed today in the Outdoors Section. Here is the online link:
http://news.hjnews.com/features/outdoors/article_3fcc0e24-6fe4-11df-9f6f-001cc4c03286.html

The Bridgerland Audubon Society also has an article on their website written by Holly Strand of the Stokes Nature Center up Logan Canyon that explains the phenomenon as well. You can read it here:
http://www.bridgerlandaudubon.org/wildaboututah/100603westerntanager.htm

All in all I really enjoyed being in the birding element for a few days. It was nice getting updates from Utah Birdtalk about the sitings others were having across the state.

Happy birding!

Spring Break -- Nauvoo

2010-05-11T08:48:00.002-07:00

As long as you're going to be driving to Iowa and Illinois, you might as well make a detour and see Mt. Rushmore. On Easter. While over 200 drummers are performing a well-choreographed number. Very rousing.

Also, I must say the the Quality Inn in Rapid City, South Dakota had the best complimentary breakfast of any hotel we've ever stayed in.

This was the highlight of the trip for Bug -- getting to drive my brother's stick-shift. (And doing a good job of it.)

The weather and climate in Nauvoo was fabulous -- green, moist, and warmer than what we'd left at home. The daffodils were out, the magnolia trees in bloom. Unlike the cold mountain valley we live in, it really felt like Spring.

This was a fun photo that captured the temple and a bit of the restored town. Note the water tower to the left of the temple. Beans, our youngest, referred to these are upside-down onions. They're all across the midwest.

Perhaps the most moving experience for me of the whole trip was our time at the Carthage Jail. I'd heard of the experiences that took place there and of the mob that stormed the room where the Prophet Joseph Smith and other men were. But being in that place of martyrdom brought home the realities of what happened.

For example, the prophet and his companions were in the bedroom of the jailer and his wife because the ground-floor jail cell was deemed unsafe and because the upstairs jail cell had reached 120 degrees the previous day before. The jailer did all in his power to keep his prisoners safe until they could come to trial, even giving up his own private quarters. But that was not to be.

As we left I heard mourning doves cooing nearby. Altogether it was a sad and holy site.

On Spring, Bliss and Throwing Out All My Diet Books!

2010-03-19T10:47:00.002-07:00

Before I get to the part about throwing out my diet books, I'd like to focus on bliss for a moment. Bliss, according to my Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Edition, is defined as complete happiness. Which pretty much sums up what I experienced this morning -- bliss on a bike.

I dusted off my bike seat after a long winter, put the dog's harness on and went for a short ride up to my parents' house. Annie, my three-year-old Golden Retreiver/German Shorthair mix, loves going for bike rides. When she saw me put on my bike helmet and reach for her harness, I had her complete and devoted attention. Once I'd checked the tire pressure, adjusted my rear-view mirror and secured my pant leg with a band, we were read to go.

And go we did! At the start of every ride Annie has oodles of energy. I encourage her pulling efforts by ringing my bike bell like crazy. I'm sure some hapless observer would think we were nuts, but really, I've got her under control.

I've been riding my bike with Annie since she was about 7 months old. It was a lot slower and more cautious in the beginning. I also taught her some important commands. To slow down I say "whoa." My command for left is "left." (Propper mushers use haw for left and gee for right.) For right-hand turns I say, "this way," as she's following my lead.

I didn't read any articles on bike mushing like this one. I just did what came naturally. We don't use genuine musher equipment, but we both have a great time. In fact, I think that part of what makes the whole experience blissful for me is watching Annie completely enjoy herself. It's as if her enthusiasm is contagious, and I can't help but smile and whoop for joy.

Bliss on a bike -- the most fun I've had in weeks!

And now onto those old diet books. . .

About a year ago I read a book called Health at Every Size: The surprising truth about your weight, by Linda Bacon, PhD. I even wrote a couple blog entries about it such as this one and this one. At that time I was going to give up on dieting, but my anti-dieting resolution didn't last long. I've tried both low-carb and WeightWatcher's momentum plan since then. With little results.

But this time I'm serious. This time I bought the book Live a Little: Breaking the rules wont' break your health, by Susan M. Love, M.D. and Alice D. Domar, Ph.D. Once again, it confirms what my body has known all along -- everyone's body is different, and no one is completely in control of their own health or weight either. These two authors have anazlyzed the research on health, wellness and living a longer life, and they report what is and is not really going to help women live longer, healthier, happier lives. (This really is a great book!)

One of my favorite parts debunks the calories in, calories out myth. They write, "According to this theory, big people are big simply because they eat so very much more than their slender counterparts--and weight gain is inversely proportional to the amount of a person's self-control. But Sims's studies, and other like it, suggest this is not necessarily the case. It's far more likely that each of us has a genetically programmed weight range of about ten to twenty pounds. One person's natural range might be from 160 to 180 pounds, while another's might be from 115 to 130. Yet both people may eat the same amount of calories and perform roughly the same amount of exercise." (emphasis added)

There it is in black and white -- what my body has been trying to tell me for years. I am not genetically programmed to be thin. Yes, I'm bummed about that. (Literally.) But just because I carry more weight than others my height, it doesn't mean that I can't be healthy. On the contrary. After a discussion about BMI (Body Mass Index), Love and Domar state, "A study by the Centers for Disease Control found that overweight people tend to live longer than those in the obese or normal categories."

So live a little! And love the body you're in.

Instead of focusing on my weight, I'm going to do what I can to be healthy and be more appreciative of my body. It may not be January, but these are my resolutions.
--------------------

Side Note: I just went on Amazon.com to buy Health at Every Size. Apparently it's out of print. A USED paperback copy (only two available) goes for $124.00 or more. I guess it's time to issue a new edition. I'd buy one! (But not for $124.)

My Husband's New Nickname for Me . . .

2010-03-12T19:06:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week while Hubby and I were eating breakfast, he said something like, "It's alright, Rear."

I asked him, "Did you just call me Rear?"

"Yeah," he said. "But I meant to say Dear."

"Oh, so now I've gone from being dear to being a rear. That's okay. I'll just call you Bum."

All this was said in good fun and after a good laugh (on my part -- one of my life's goals is to get my hubby to laugh out loud more. I've given up on getting him to laugh until he cries, but anything audible is a step in the right direction).

As I kissed him before heading out the door to substitute teach I said, "Have a good day, Bum. I'll see you when you get home."

Even a couple days later we've used the tongue-in-cheek nicknames a time of two. And it never fails to make us smile.

Who would've thought that calling your wife Rear or your husband Bum could be a marriage enriching moment?

My Stint as a Washing Machine Repair Woman

2010-03-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

I do laundry once a week, and today is the day. Or WAS the day. I'd started a batch of dark clothes in the washing machine and came back a few minutes later to add my black exercise pants. That's when I noticed that although the machine sounded like it was working, the agitator (the white spiral thingy in the middle) wasn't moving. The clothes were basically just sitting there in the water.

Looking back, I'm pretty sure that the washing machine hasn't been working for a couple weeks now. Each time I'd take the dark clothes out of the washer a few articles from each batch still had detergent residue on them. At the time I thought that maybe I'd overfilled the machine. (Which can definitely happen when you're only doing laundry once a week.)

I was not thrilled about the prospect of having to get the washing machine fixed. Although the thought of a new machine was temporarily exciting, I remembered that we'd spent over $600 last month getting the car to pass inspection. There was no money for a new machine, and having a repairman come out for a house call costs $70.

Fortunately, I remembered my 13-year-old daughter's favorite fix for problems -- Google it. I decided to see what I could find out about the costs of fixing a washing machine agitator. And that's when I happened upon this video:

It sounded like something that would work for my problem, so I did just like the guy in this video and took my washing machine agitator apart. Presto! My parts were stripped too. I needed a set of new "Dog Agits" with grippy teeth.

A short car ride and $10 later, I was home and installing the parts. I put everything back together, and IT WORKS! I saved over $70 by watching a YouTube video and fixing my washing machine myself. And it certainly feels a whole lot better than forking over a tidy sum to the fix-it shop!

All For the Love of Jell-O

2010-02-13T13:04:00.003-07:00

Note: I just submitted this write-up for the next Chicken Soup for the Soul's Family Matters book.

Jell-O is the official snack for the state of Utah, and it’s reported that the state also holds the record for the highest per capita sales for green gelatin of any state in the U.S. But few people know the lengths that one woman went to in order to ensure that her family could continue to enjoy their favorite Jell-O dessert.

It all started back in November of 1985 when my mother went grocery shopping. On her list was blackberry Jell-O, the necessary ingredient for the popular dessert Mom enjoys bringing to family parties, church cookouts and work dinners. She had looked for it at two different grocery stores only to find empty shelves. On a return trip to one of those stores, Mom discovered they no longer even had a tag for it. Suspicions mounting, she decided to find out why her favorite flavor was disappearing.

Someone finally had to call General Foods to find the answer. They were no longer going to make blackberry Jell-O. “What? No blackberry Jell-O?” Mom went into a panic.

Much like a dedicated environmentalist determined to preserve a species for the enjoyment of future generations, Mom began her own preservation efforts. She methodically searched the shelves of every grocery store in her area for her beloved flavor. When she found it, she bought it. All of it.

Storing the boxes in several different locations made it possible to disguise the actual numbers of the growing horde. After a few months, however, Dad caught on. Mom recalls, “I really didn’t know how much I had. I didn’t start counting until Dad said, ‘Don’t you think you have enough?’ ‘No,’ I said. To which he replied, ‘Well, let’s see how much you’ve got.’ It was then that we realized I had spent a couple hundred bucks. But you know, if you’re just buying six or ten boxes at a time, you don’t realize that it’s adding up.”

Just what would motivate an otherwise sane woman to spend well over $200 on blackberry Jell-O, accumulating over 300 6-oz. boxes? I put the question to Mom. “I love it!” she said. “I wanted to make that Jell-O until I died.”

It is now 2010, 25 years since Mom’s search and rescue efforts. I asked her how many boxes remain. “Just four,” she said. “I’m saving them so that you can serve my favorite Jell-O dessert at my funeral.” (Mind you, Mom is nowhere near death’s door.) Those may be her wishes, but unless she puts it in her will, I have other plans.

You see, just the other day as I was trolling the aisles at the grocery store, I noticed a new Jell-O flavor – blackberry fusion. Now that they’ve reintroduced a blackberry-flavored Jell-O, I’ll use it in the Jell-O traditionally served at funeral dinners in Utah, and save the four vintage boxes to display near Mom’s casket. In fact, I just might slip a box of blackberry Jell-O into the casket to be buried with her. That way Mom can enjoy her favorite Jell-O recipe in heaven!

Mom’s Heavenly Jell-O
2, 6-oz. boxes blackberry Jell-O (or 4, 3-oz. boxes)*
1 large can crushed pineapple, including juice
1 can blueberries, including juice (not pie filling)
1, 8-oz. container sour cream
1, 8-oz. package cream cheese
½ c. powdered sugar
chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Boil 4 cups water. Add Jell-O and dissolve. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan, adding scant 2 cups of cold water, pineapple and blueberries (with juice). Stir carefully. Let set in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or overnight.

Once set, top by mixing together sour cream, cream cheese and powdered sugar. (We like this topping lumpy.) Sprinkle with nuts and keep cold until ready to serve.

*If they discontinue making blackberry fusion Jell-O, you can substitute one, 6-oz. box of raspberry Jell-O and one, 6-oz. box of berry blue Jell-O.

Really Important Stuff -- Slow-Closing Toilet Lids

2010-01-20T14:09:00.004-07:00

When you don't blog very often, it is important to make each blog post count. This one is a counter. For a few weeks now I've been contemplating what I could post to benefit my blog readers. I finally hit upon my topic -- slow-closing toilet lids. Are you familiar with them? If not, it's time to get acquainted.

This is the first house that we've ever had slow-closing toilet lids in. I can't remember who clued me into these, but I ought to make them a raspberry pie. We installed one on our master toilet and after a few months decided that every toilet in the house needed one. If you don't have one on the toilets in your home consider investing in one for each bathroom.

Why are they so wonderful? Mostly because they don't bang when you close them, making them the perfect choice for households with small children or careless adults. Opening these lids is the same as for other toilet lids, it's the closing part that is beautiful. All you do is just start to close the lid, and the hinges do the rest, slowly bringing the seat and cover softly and quietly into the closed position. Bliss in the bathroom for sure.

Note: While attempting to find a photo for this post (no one really wants to see a photo of my toilet) I happened upon this video. Apparently now they have toilet seats that don't even require that you touch them to close them. (Opening them is another matter.) Clearly some inventor must spend a lot of time thinking about toilets.

Me, I'm just a happy beneficiary.

New Year's in Tokyo, Japan

2010-01-13T11:26:00.004-07:00

I'll be heading down to a class on Google Tools tomorrow and Friday. As part of the class we'll be using GoogleEarth and have been asked to bring 5 photos (digital) relating to our personal histories. This is one that I'm taking.

This is me. Age 18. In Tokyo, Japan. I spent my first college Christmas break in Japan, visiting the family that hosted me in the summer of 1988. New Year's in Japan is a BIG DEAL! To celebrate, they dressed me up in this silk kimono and we toured some of the popular shopping areas in Tokyo. I received many stares, got lots of attention, and loved the experience! (Note: My big American feet wouldn't fit into traditional Japanese wooden sandals. I wore the split toe socks with flip flops. Oh well.)

My mother was an exchange student for a summer during high school. I think that's what made me want to have a similar experience. She went to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and I went to Tokyo, Japan. I soaked up all that I could and had a fabulous host family who took me to many great locales. I'm still in touch with my Japanese family. We exchange e-mails throughout the year and presents at Christmas time.

As of this writing I don't forsee that any of my children will be foreign exchange students, but they have expressed a desire to use their passports before they expire in 2012. (Kids' passports are only good for 5 years -- but cost only $10 less than adult passports.)

Well, that's it for today. And if you were wondering, YES, I loved Japanese food. (Gained almost twenty pounds in the 2 months I was there in 1988.)

Reasons (excuses) for not blogging more . . .

2009-12-10T08:16:00.003-07:00

You've probably noticed that my blogging entries have been few and far between this fall. I just figured out another reason (excuse) -- I've been taking on-line classes since the end of September. And by the time I've finished listening to the lecture, doing the assignment, and posting on the discussion board, I want to be off the internet. (Today I'm posting in the morning BEFORE doing any on-line classwork.)

Here are some other reasons:

My on-line time must occur during the hours when my kids are at school. 'Cause once they get home, they want the computer for school work and internet trawling. (When I've got something critical, I do stand up for my computer usage rights and tell the kids they can wait.)

On days that I substitue teacher, there's no time for blogging.

Now that I'm focusing on teaching and getting out to work, I don't feel the need to blog.

I'm learning new skills like crochet and hat-loom knitting. (I want to learn "real" knitting too.) They sometimes take the place of blogging.

I'm facing reality. I started blogging as a means to write. And although I still love to write, I'm realizing that if I'd have really wanted to write a book, I would have done it by now. I like writing. But more than that, I like ideas. I like coming up with titles, but writing the rest of the book . . . that eludes me.

Plus, writing is a solitary pursuit. And I need to be around people. Getting out and working, seeing people, interating in person instead of over the internet has done wonders for my mental health. I may not have had SAD each fall, so much as I had MSP (missed seeing people) when all my kids went back to school, and I stayed home. Alone.

I guess it all comes down to changing my focus. My goal is to get my teaching certificate current and then apply for 7th grade jobs in my school district. I hope to have a full-time position by the start of school next year. In a way, my sporadic posting is a sign of things to come. Maybe even the beginning of the weaning process away from blogging.

But don't hold me to that. A woman can always change her mind.

Wicked Weekend Went Well

2009-11-17T13:43:00.002-07:00

I had a great time in Denver this weekend! I went with my sisters-in-law to see the Broadway musical, Wicked. It did not disappoint! (Just FYI, I've referred to this weekend as my "Wicked Weekend," making some listeners raise their eyebrows. But never fear, no real wickedness happened.)

We flew out of SLC early Friday afternoon. We arrived in Denver, got a rental car and drove into downtown to P.F. Chang's to meet some other ladies for an early dinner. (It gets dark early in Denver too.) After dinner we drove to Lakewood, Colorado to a huge outlet mall. Thank goodness for GPS -- what an awesome tool! Oh, and shopping was fun too. Eventually we made it back to our hotel -- the Sheraton downtown. After checking in and unpacking, we pretty much hit the sack.

Saturday was more shopping, lunch at Subway and then ... drum roll ... getting to see the matinee showing of Wicked! The costuming and scenery were fabulous, but better than that was the script and music. For those of you unfamiliar with the story line, it's a look at how the Wicked Witch of the West got her name/fame. I liked how it was a mucial for all different ages. At the most basic level it's a fantastical story with magic and wonder. Teens might appreciate the romantic element in it, and there are all sorts of complexities for adults to appreciate -- my favorite being the whole look at calling good evil and evil good. (There's a bit of political symbolism too.)

The rest of Saturday was dinner and a bit more shopping followed by watcing "Julie and Julia" on the TV back in our hotel room. We packed up on Sunday and, despite initially having a cancelled flight, returned to SLC with only a half hour delay. Whew!

Well, that's all for today -- maybe for this week. Enjoy the beautiful crisp fall days!

All is Safely Gathered In . . .

2009-11-12T19:22:00.003-07:00

There's something cozy about this time of year. With Daylight Savings Time ended, it's dark outside by 6 PM. I'm enjoying how we tend to stay home in the evenings, all warm and snug in our home. When a storm blows in and it's cold outside, Hubby will make a fire in the woodburning stove. The girls and I work on Christmas projects. We turn the porch light on early, telling passersby that they're welcome to join us.

In the last week we finished up the outside projects that had to get finished before the snow descends:

Mixing and pouring concrete for the mow strip of the new fence around the garden and orchard. (Nothing tires one out quite like concrete work.)

Draining the hoses of water and storing them away until spring.

Taking the last load of the season to the green waste bin. (Including the pumpkins and cornstalks that have decorated the front porch.)

Working with our contractor as he got the footings, foundation and floor poured for our future shop.

Mowing the lawn short and bagging the clippings so that mice don't make havoc of our turf.

Breathing a sigh of relief that winter is coming.

I like to think of winter as a vacation from yard work. Yes, shoveling snow feels a little like yard work, but I try to think of it more as exercise. Plus I love how the rest of the great outdoors is covered by a bright, white blanket of cold. It's worth shoveling for.

Enjoy what remains of fall!

P.S. I'm headed to Denver to see "Wicked" -- the broadway musical -- this weekend. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Fall At It's Finest

2009-10-07T20:04:00.002-07:00

I'm loving the nip in the air, the frost on the lawn each morning, and the warm changing colors of the leaves.

This spring we planted two hills of a gourd-mix. Yowza! We've had gourds coming out our ears! I picked two full apple boxes for us to use, gave some to my mother-in-law, and Hubby posted a you-pick post on his works intranet and a couple people have picked what they wanted. Many will simply stay on the vine and end up in the green waste bin.

Our pumpkins were also robust. We have a dozen on the front porch along with cornstalks tied to the porch pillars. I must say that I love decorations that are practically free and that can decompost back into Mother Earth without needing to be stored for another year. Yeah, that's my kind of decorating!

(Sorry, not photo. I'm writing this well past dark.)

Another great thing about fall is getting to listen to LDS General Conference. I love to be doing some sort of work while listening to the Saturday sessions. This time around Hubby, kids and I stacked wood on the back porch with General Conference blaring on the radio outside. Hubby and I continued to move our "junk pile" in preparation for the footings/foundation/floor of our future shop. For some reason my brain absorbs more of the messages if my hands are busy with a menial task. Go figure.

Hope you're having a great fall too!

Bizzy as I Wanna Bee ...

2009-09-24T15:55:00.002-07:00

Those of you who know me well have probably seen my kitchen -- decorated in bees. The title of this blog would make a nice framed addition to my decor. And it's the truth. At the moment I'm as busy as I want to be.

Here's a summary:

In the last 2 weeks I'll have substituted 9 out of 10 days. Seven of those days were in a 6th grade classroom where I had just one day's worth of lesson plans (kind of) and had to forage through classroom supplies and pick the brain of the level II observer to figure out what to do for the rest of the time. It's been a lot of work, but the students have been great! (But I'll be glad to have a week off next week.)

I'll start an on-line course through UEN (Utah Educator's Network). I'll use the credit from it and two other on-line classes this fall to get my teaching certificate current. (Along with substitute teaching and past PTA volunteer work.)

Right now I'm not sure if I'll apply to teach full-time next year. The last two weeks have shown me that teaching school really is WORK. I'm bushed by the end of the day, and boy do I sleep well. (So tired!)

Well, must go. I need to pick up my youngest at ice skating lesson.

Substitute Teaching Report (very short)

2009-09-16T20:28:00.003-07:00

This week I'll be substituting 4 out of 5 days. Two were at an elementary school (5th grade classes) and the rest will be Thurs./Fri and thru most of next week in a 6th grade language arts and social studies class at a middle school.

All of this means that my blogging is suffering. And will continue to suffer.

So far subbing is good. The kids are respectful and even funny and endearing (a vocabulary word in 5th grade this week). I'm a bit tired at the end of the day, but not too tired to enjoy time at home. (I think I appreciate home more after being away most of the day.)

I like working. Which should come as no surprise. Technically I began working as a babysitter when I was 11 and picked berries during the summer when I was 14. When I was 16 I began working at a local lumber store -- even during the school year. I worked there until after my first year of college. After taking a year off from employment (but not school), I worked at a grocery store right up until I had my first baby. (If not for those jobs, I'd have very little Social Security accumulated.)

Normally fall is a rough time for my mental health, but not this year. It's got to be the job. Maybe having plenty to do (home/kids/yard/subbing) utilizes more of my brain cells and keeps me on my toes.

Whatever it is, I like it. And will keep doing it as long as it's working for me and my family. I'm thinking about getting my teaching certificate current. It will mean $10 more a day when subbing. Plus, if I like this subbing thing, I may entertain teaching for real. Who knows?

Cashew later.

-- Christie

In which I survive hiking the Wellsvilles...

2009-09-01T12:15:00.005-07:00

I did it!

This past Saturday Hubby, my friend K'leis and I left before 6 AM to conquer the Wellsville Mountains via Deep Canyon. By the time we turned up 300 North in Mendon and got to the trailhead it was barely light (6:25 AM), but we began our climb anyway.

I took it slow, taking many breaks, but finally reached the summit just before 10 AM. What a rush!

I'll save all the details for my write-up in the Herald Journal on Tuesday, September 15th. (Don't worry if you don't get the paper. I'll post it here shortly after the 15th.)

Whew! I did it. And my newspaper writing stint is all but over. Just in time for my new career as a substitute teacher.

Miscellaneous Happenings . . .

2009-08-24T13:31:00.002-07:00

Just a quick update of what we've been up to here on Belly Acre Farm.

1. We're officially sick of zucchini. Need some? It's yours!

2. Sweet corn is on and at its prime. Hubby has sold some at work, we've given some away, and most of the family (all but me) have been eating it.

3. I'm doing low-carb (South Beach) again. And it's working. In four weeks I've lost over 6 pounds. For me, that's amazing. And now I know where my near-constant water retention was coming from -- carbs. No carbs, no puffiness. Aaaah! (P.S. I've cheated a time or two, but I'm not going to quit what works.)

4. I'm reading "Build your own web site the right way using HTML and CSS." When I'm finished I'll create a website to market "Don't Let the Stuff You Leave Behind Destroy Your Family," an amazing estate booklet written by Hubby's uncle, Ken Hansen.

5. I've canned 21 pints of baby dill pickles.

6. School started. After the shortest summer on record. (Where DID the time go?!)

7. By this time next week I'll have climbed the Wellsville mountains, or I'll have died trying.

8. Lou is playing competitive soccer.

9. Beans has started ice skating lessons.

10. I've got all my paperwork ready for submitting when I go for my substituting teaching interview with Kelly Education Services on Tuesday next week.

Back to School -- Back on the golf team

2009-08-13T15:44:00.004-07:00

Just a little note about how much I've enjoyed school shopping with my kids this year. Actually, I haven't gone with my son yet. Probably because he's been consumed with making his high school golf team. Try-outs were Monday and Wednesday with the team posting listed Wednesday after 6 PM. Bug made the team! The coach also posted the eight players who would play in their first tournament TODAY. Bug made the 7th place tourney cut. He was stoked, as he was the only Sophomore to make it to the tourney.

But the big news is ... of the 32 players entered in the tourney, Bug took 5th! And his team placed first! There was only one other teammate who scored better than Bug. He hopes that means that he'll also be attending another golf tournament on Monday. (Only 5 players per team.) What a great start to the golf season.

In back-to-school shopping news, I've decided that going to multiple stores looking for shoes, capris, shirts, binders, markers, etc. is actually fun. It's a great chance to spend time with my daughters, to get to find out what their interests and tastes are. To get to reminisce about the good-old-days of my youth. (Dinosaur era.) And to catch their excitement about another year of school.

Bug and Lou successfully went through their schools' registration processes. Bug wanted me to go with him (as he was registering on the Junior's day due to golf try-outs), but Loula Belle just went with her friend from next door. After Bug and I were done and back to the car, he said, "I don't really like all the crowds and people."

"Well, I do," I replied.

"I know. I could tell," he said. "You get all chatty and hyper, talking with everyone and smiling your head off."

I guess he has me figured out. I really do get a kick being around lots of people. Plus I think that part of it is being in the school environment. It just gives me a buzz. Which means that I'll probably enjoy my foray into substitute teaching. And as of this moment, I'm planning to get my certificate current this year (maybe take a class Spring semester) and possibly apply to teach school. That's the plan, anyway.

I did a little quick calculating and figured out that we only have 3 more summers until Bug goes on a two-year mission. And in another eight years all my children will be through high school. Time doesn't march on so much as it goes at a dead sprint. I'm going to try to enjoy each little joy while I've still got my kids at home!

Letter of Recommendation . . .

2009-08-06T10:11:00.002-07:00

I'm applying to be a substitute teacher and as part of the application process, I need two letters of recommendation. One came from the editor who I freelance for at my local newspaper, and another came from a past co-work who also happens to be a close friend. I got such a boost from reading these letters that I decided that it would be fun to return the favor for my friend and write her one. She might be a bit embarrassed to see her fine qualities blatantly praised on this blog, so I'm going to call her Tricia Brown.
---------------

Letter of Recommendation for Tricia Brown

To Whom it May Concern:

I would like to recommend Tricia Brown to you as the ideal candidate to fill any position. She is the full package. Not only is she a gifted listener, but she’s also adept at applying her experiences and knowledge to the information she’s heard and then coming up with realistic and successful solutions. She’s a caring and compassionate problem solver. Her plans for action are always well-conceived and practical. She considers all sides of an issue and always seems to find the ideal solution.

Work should be Tricia’s middle name. As a past co-worker, I noticed that Tricia was always busy with the task at hand. No loafing. No lally-gagging. Just honest, cheerful work. Her children have even noticed her work ethic. On a Mother’s Day survey it asked what their mother’s favorite thing to do was. One of her sons wrote, “Work.” Meaning, work around the house and yard.

Tricia knows how to get along well with others. She’s a people person extraordinaire! Her background in psychology has no doubt added to her people skills, but I believe that her native qualities of friendliness and compassion play an important role as well. She is a natural leader. Because she holds herself to high standards, her example encourages those around her to do their very best. She leads with cheerful encouragement and a can-do attitude.

As a manager, Tricia runs a tight ship. This can be seen in how she fulfills her duties as the Brown Family Manager. Despite the many financial demands of raising five children on one income, she keeps the balance sheet in the black. She recognizes her children as individuals and works with their unique personalities to help them learn and achieve their potential. Tricia is proactive. If she notices something needs to be done, be it big or small, she sees that it gets done. She delegates age-appropriate duties to children to help them develop life skills that will serve them well into adulthood. She supports her husband in his ecclesiastical duties and scholarly advancement. Tricia is the glue that holds her family together.

In addition to the abilities and gifts listed above, Tricia also has a talent for making and keeping friends. Somehow the circle of her influence always seems to have room for one more friend. She has an infinite capacity for loyalty, sharing and fun. I’ve enjoyed my association with Tricia as a past co-worker and neighbor, but I’m most proud to call her my friend.

Sincerely,

Christie Hansen
Hansen Family Manager

New Zucchini Recipe . . .

2009-07-30T08:52:00.002-07:00

It's that time of year when we've got zucchini galore! My neighbor gave me a great casserole recipe that used a lot of zucchini and tastes great. (Think of it as almost a zucchini omelet.)

Note: If you leave off the buttered croutons, it's a great low-carb dish too!

Zucchini Jack Casserole

8 small zucchini (about 2 lbs. total)
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. chopped parsley (optional -- I left it out)
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large can (7 oz.) diced green chiles
4 c. (1 lb.) shredded Jack cheese
1 c. seasoned croutons or herbed stuffing mix
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch-thick rounds (should have about 7 c.); set aside.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with milk, salt, baking powder, and flour until smooth. Stir in parsley, garlic, onion, chiles, cheese, and zucchini. Spoon egg mixture into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Toss croutons in melted butter, then sprinkle over top. (For low-carb version, leave off buttered croutons.)

Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean and zucchini is tender when pierced. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes about 10 servings.

Enjoy! (P.S. I ate leftovers for breakfast this morning.)

Business Opportunity -- Free Idea

2009-07-27T21:03:00.002-07:00

If you're looking to start a business, I have a suggestion. Make and sell affordable, modest swimsuits. Make modesty the selling point.

Over a year ago I did a blog entry on modest swimwear. It contintues to be my most popular blog page. Women want modest swimwear that provides plenty of coverage.

Give women what they want, and you'll have a successful business!

Eating My Words (Calorie-Free)

2009-07-27T20:07:00.002-07:00

I'm going to be eating my words. The ones about being fine with being a traditionally built woman. The ones about how I'm not going to diet the rest of my life. Fortunately, words are calorie-free.

Here's the thing -- I just can't give up on trying to lose weight. Not because I want to be thin, but because I want to feel healthier. I've had four knees surgeries on my left knee. Weighing less would benefit my knees. Type II diabetes also runs on both sides of my family. I don't want to get it, and being overweight is one of the causes of type II diabetes. I'd also really like to avoid having to buy clothing in the Women's section again. Most of all, I'd like to keep my heart healthy. I felt guilty somehow being an overweight patient at the cardiologist's office recently. I wanted to hang a sign around my neck that said, "I exercise and try to watch what I eat. I work really hard to look like this!"

So, here's what I'm doing . . . South Beach. I've been doing the Weight Watcher program for more than a month with no significant results. So I'm going back to low-carb living. Permanently.

I have an uncle who has lost 50 pounds by cutting out all sweets, only eating at meal times and exercising for 70 minutes on a tread mill most days. Yes, he's a man, and it seems like men have an easier time of dropping weight. But the most impressive thing about his weight loss is that it's a lifestyle. He fully intends to avoid sweets/sugary foods for the rest of this life. (Once he gets to his weight goal, he plans to cut back a bit on the treadmill time.) He's already been living healthier for 2+ years.

Like my uncle, I've noticed that eating sweets begets eating more sweets or more food. Can I live the rest of my life without any refined carbs or sweets? Maybe not, but I'm sure that I can live without them for at least a few years. Right now I'm doing phase one of the South Beach Diet. I'm eating lean proteins, low-carb vegetables, low-fat dairy, nuts and healthy fats. No fruit or whole-grains just yet, but I'll add them back in after at least two weeks.

That's what I like about the South Beach plan -- it doesn't forever outlaw fruits and whole grains. And once I've reached my goal weight (which isn't "skinny" -- just healthy), I can even indulge in an occasional treat.

Right now the possibility of reaching my goal weight seems remote, if not impossible. Most of the past year has been extremely frustrating in the weight department. I've had many moments when I wanted to give up on ever losing weight. But here's the thing, the moment I give up, weight gain is an inevitability. That's not okay.

Maybe I'll lose weight, or maybe I'll just maintain. But I'm not quitting.

I'd die without air conditioning!

2009-07-23T12:58:00.005-07:00

I don't know about you, but I don't like the summer heat. I walk the dog in the morning (the earlier and cooler, the better) and then try to stay indoors the rest of the day. Most evenings, however, there is work to be done out in the yard or garden. Mostly Hubby does the outdoor stuff, but tonight I'll pick green beans for the first time this season.

Coming up in August I'll be creating a website to sell copies of Unle Ken Hansen's little book, "Don't let the stuff you leave behind destroy your family." It contains a great way to equitably divide the personal effects of an estate among siblings. Unle Ken has sold or given away over 1,000 books, and I'd like to see what the wonders of the internet can do to keep even more families happily together once their parents pass away. When I get the site up and running, I'll be sure to post an entry with a link. (BTW, does anyone in my neck of the woods have experience creating a website? The last time I created one was back in 2000. Help!)

Yesterday I took an hour or so and culled past posts from this blog for possible inclusion in a book manuscript. I told Hubby my title might be something like, "Thoughts of a Mormon Housewife." He said that he didn't think that would sell very many books. (Thanks, Honey.) So here are some alternate titles. Tell me which you think might entice someone to buy my book.

Love Handles: It's not how we look, but how we love that matters

Temporary Serenity: A Mormon Mother's Quest for Contentment

Lemonade: Making the Most of Life's Lemons

I'd Like to Die Laughing!

Actually, now that I've written those titles, I want to write each one of them. Hey, as long as I'm talking about rejected book titles, I have another one that's been shot down. I've been thinking about writing something along the lines of, "Patience Please! (Pretty please)." I have a friend, I'll call her Linda, who thinks that I should bag writing a book about patience. "No one wants to read a book on patience," she said. "They're either already patient, or they don't want to be patient." Which is probably good advice. Besides, I've yet to acquire a book's worth of patience. And who knows exactly when that will happen.

Enjoy your air-conditioning. (I will be!)

Traditionally Built Women

2009-07-17T12:47:00.003-07:00

I just finished reading Tea Time for the Traditonally Built,by Alexander McCall Smith -- the latest in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. I loved it!

These books aren't page turners, instead they are slow, mellow reads full of warm and truthful observations about human nature. The plot is simple, leaving plenty of time to focus on the cast of characters. Mma Ramotswe is my idol. She's a traditionally built woman who is comfortable in her own skin.

At one point in the book Mma Makutsi, an assistant detective in the agency, left a note for her employer in which she signed her name followed by three initials having to do with her secretarial degree. It made Mma Ramotswe wonder what initials she'd put behind her name. She settled on TBW as being the most likely. It stands for Traditionally Built Woman.

Maybe I'll start writing my name with TBW after it. I am what I am, afterall. Maybe it will help me embrace the reality of myself, instead of constantly being dissatisfied.

It's worth a try.

Sincerely,

Christie Hansen, TBW

The Heart of the Matter . . .

2009-07-16T11:39:00.004-07:00

Just thought I'd post a quickie about what's been happening lately.

I've had a couple incidents of tachycardia (rapid heart rate) lately. It's a really, really awful feeling, a crushing pressure in the chest that leaves me feeling breathless and a bit nauseous too. Once again, I'm having things checked out. So far the more in-depth echocardiogram they did this time looked good. Today I'm having a nuclear stress test done. I'm fairly confident that will be normal too. Which means that I may have a heart electrical problem. If both of the tests (echocardiogram and nuclear stress test) come back normal, the cardiologist says that chances of having a "negative outcome" from future tachycardia events are rare. Meaning, I'd have the green light to resume more intense exercising. (Like hiking, aerobics and doing cardio at the gym.)

Watching my reaction to this chain of events, I've come to the conclusion that I've been planning my life and thinking that planning is the same as controlling. Not so. I'm hoping that this latest health hiccup can help me remember to live in the moment -- really savor all that the present has to offer. Part of my planning/dreaming/scheming habit keeps me from appreciating what I've got. Where I am. Who I'm sharing my life with.

I'm going to stop wishing the present away. How does one wish away the present? By pining over the past, spending too much time reliving the glory days. (The days of wearing a size 8, not having love handles, and having loads of energy). Another way to wish away the present is to engage in "I can't wait until..." kind of thinking. A similarly fruitless phrase is, "I'll be happy when ..." I'm guilty of falling into that mode of thinking as well. Both rob the present of its pleasures. I'm going to work hard to counteract the mental ruts I've fallen into.

Instead of thinking, "I can't wait until all the yard projects are done," I'm going to think, "It's so nice to have a lawn to relax on, to play with the kids and the dog on. And we're so spoiled to have a sprinkling system." I'm not going to put off happiness until I can drop a few more pounds (which doesn't seem to happen anyway) or until there's a little more give in the family budget. I'm going to find ways to enjoy life now. Here are some things that make me happy: (Note to self -- none of them have anything to do with what I weigh)

-- helping others
-- talking with friends and family
-- walking the dog
-- riding my bike with the dog
-- watching movies
-- laughing at myself
-- writing
-- reading
-- writing letters and cards
-- being creative

I'm thinking that now might be a good time to recommit to keeping a gratitude journal.

June's Hiking Article (printed in my local paper)

2009-07-07T11:21:00.002-07:00

Let me get this out right up front . . . I only went on one hike in the last month. Two were written in ink on my calendar, but the second hike never happened.

I managed to take the first hike along the Crimson Trail on its scheduled date at the end of May, but when the day came for the second hike, it rained. And it proceeded to rain on each of the other days that I had optimistically penciled in for make-up hikes. On days that it didn’t rain (Were there any?), I had other things to do. Things like laundry, shopping, running kids to lessons and appointments – the usual mundane activities that fill the hours of most mothers.

It really irks me that I didn’t get that second hike in. I thought about how hikers in the Pacific Northwest must have to deal with sloshy, wet hikes. I even tried to convince myself that I could make friends with mud. But let’s face it, I’m a mom. I’ve spent the last fifteen years teaching my children how to avoid getting muddy, and old habits die hard. Clearly I am not a hard-core hiker. It’s strictly fair-weather hiking for me!

Even with the sun shining and my trusty canine companion by my side, the Crimson Trail was no cake walk. Before I even began my ascent up the trail, my knees and hips were already achey. I couldn’t help thinking back to the first time I climbed the Crimson Trail over sixteen years ago. Back then I was a young, energetic college student on a date with my future husband. This go-around as an overweight housewife couldn’t have been more different. When my heart raced and I became a bit breathless, this time I knew it was from the extra weight I’ve gained and not because I was simply in love.

Speaking of weight gain, last week I had a light bulb moment, an epiphany of sorts, while carrying a fifty-pound bag of rolled oats up the stairs from the basement. Carrying those fifty extra pounds up the stairs was hard work, leaving me tired and out of breath. It helped me realize that the extra weight I carry around all the time must have a similar effect on my body. How I’d love to drop my extra weight as quickly and easily as I dropped that bag of rolled oats.

Truth is, I haven’t dropped any pounds since starting my hiking adventure. I’m okay with that. A couple months ago I read, “Health at Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight.” It helped me to see that health is about more than just the number on the scale. I may never weigh what I did when I first hiked the Crimson Trail, but I still made it to the top. I went slower. I took more breathing breaks, and I learned a thing or two.

I learned that having the right equipment makes all the difference. I wore my tennis shoes, but while going down the steep switchbacks, I wished that I’d worn my hiking boots. The ankle support of a good hiking boot keeps your toes from jamming into the front of the toebox. After my first hiking article appeared back in February, I had a couple kind readers suggest that I use hiking poles to help take the pressure off my knees, especially when descending a hill. After the Crimson Trail descent, I finally took their advice. From what I’ve heard, the trip down the Wellsvilles is the toughest part of the hike. There’s no sense being a glutton for punishment.

Most importantly, I learned that the slower you hike, the more time you have to appreciate the spectacular scenery.

Finally! A little decorating . . .

2009-07-06T12:47:00.003-07:00

Those of you who know me very well know that I'm not much of a decorator. We've lived in our new house for over 5 years, and there's nothing hanging on the walls in the front room. Sigh.

But, I did finally get something for the front door entryway.

What do you think? We have a narrow entry hall so I chose a narrow table with a small wire basket. (Inside the basket are two antiqued wall hooks that I'll mount on the studs to the right of the mirror.) I picked up the old beveled mirror mirror at D.I. A neighbor up the street had a branch fall off their corkscrew willow, so I picked up a few branches to add to my umbrella canister. The silk pink apple blossoms tie in with the pink crackley finish on the mirror. Someday (don't hold your breath) I'll get a small quilted runner for the table top and put something artful in the wire basket.

I have to admit that decorating is fun. I'll have to save a bit more money and do it again soon!

Hiking Update

2009-07-01T14:25:00.003-07:00

News Flash: The date for my much-publicized hike to the top of the Wellsvilles has changed. I will be hiking the Wellsvilles on Saturday, August 29th. Those wanting to accompany me will meet at my house at 5:30 AM. The date change fits better with my newspaper deadlines.

Recent hikes have helped me to see that the Wellsville hike will be a doozy! Hubby and I hiked 9+ miles on the High Creek Trail on Saturday(photos posted below), and it took me days to fully recover. It was nowhere as steep as the Wellsville hike will be and was also nice and shady up and back. A week ago I started Weight Watcher points tracking again. I'm also going to the gym and doing weight training and cardio. It sure would be nice to drop 10 pounds before August 29th!

But if not, I'll just gut it out, go SLOW, and make the Wellsville climb come heck or high water. I'm guessing that it really is the last window of opportunity for me to climb to the ridge and look down into both Cache County and Box Elder County. I WILL DO IT!

Here are the photos from the High Creek hike. We crossed the creek five times or so. Once on a nice, sturdy bridge with guarde rails, next on a tilting foot bridge, then three times on log bridges. Even Annie, my dog, got proficient at crossing log bridges. Despite my achiness on the way back, the hike was spectacular! It was cool, damp and smelled wonderful (of pine).

Giving Golf Another Try

2009-06-26T14:34:00.005-07:00

It's official. I'm going to give golf another shot.

It's not like I've been a dedicated golfer in the past. I bet I've played less than 10 times. But each time I've played golf, I stunk. And some of the time I'd get frustrated with the game and begin thinking of all the things I had to do back at home. Things that were't getting done because I was out on the course chasing a misbehaving little white ball around.

But here's the thing. My husband, son, dad and possibly youngest daughter are all golfers. My son made his high school Freshman team last year and will be trying out again this year. Hubby and son like to watch tournaments on TV, and I'm finding that I like watching them too. But the thing that really got me back on the golf course was reading a few stories from Chicken Soup for the Golfer's Soul. (Really, it's one of the Chicken Soup titles. Who'd have thought?) Those few stories helped me see that golf is a lot like life. And I'd like to spend more time with the people in my life who golf.

So today Bug and I headed out to play 9 holes. In on-and-off rain. I still pretty much stunk, but I kept my focus on the overall experience, on enjoying the cool morning air, watching my son hit some really great shots, and trying hard to come in under double-par. (Yeah, that's a stretch for me.)

Prior to our outing, I'd also read a bit in Golf Digest and Golf magazines. I learned that white belts are in this year -- only keep the width of the belt in inverse proportion to your own waistline. (And if you're built like me, skip belts entirely.) I learned that when putting at a distance less than six feet away from the hole you don't want to have much of a backswing at all. On the course, my son also pointed out that putting is a slight shoulder rotation, like a pendulum, and not a wrist-oriented action. Reading the golfing magazines was enjoyable, but I didn't know a lot of the terms they used, and I certainly don't have enough experience to put much of their instruction into use yet. But I'm learning.

In fact, I think one those magazines should hire me as a columnist. I could write from the perspective of the know-next-to-nothing newby. "Learning Curves" would be the name of my column. (Note: Most of the articles in golfing magazines are by and for men. Most articles are also for experienced golfers. My monthly piece would round out their editorial coverage nicely.) Problem is, how long can one write from the perspective of a neophite golfer?

From what I can tell, my induction period could last for years.

P.S. I took my camera, but teenage boys are averse to having their mothers take photos while on the golf course. (And no, it would not have slowed play any. There were a group of senior citizens ahead of us whose play enouraged us to take our time.) Alas, the picture above is of the course, but not any of the holes we shot. Sigh.

Moving at the speed of summer . . .

2009-06-15T09:25:00.001-07:00

Let this serve as notice that life is moving at the speed of summer, and chances are that I won't be posting a whole lot while the kids are out of school. Yes, we're busy, but I'm also finding that the kids want to use the computer at the same times I do. And I'd rather have them busy and calm than constantly asking me when I'm going to be off the computer.

Writing the monthly hiking articles for my local newspaper seems to be filling my writing compulsion, leaving less of a drive to blog.

All of which means that blogging is taking a back seat to living. Which is all for the best.

Hope you're enjoying your summer too!

Socks (Free-write from 5.28.09)

2009-05-31T20:41:00.005-07:00

Socks have a way of sneaking up on me, hiding there under the dust ruffle of my daughter's bed. There's another pair, dirty and inside-out, beside the grass-stained shoes Loula Belle wore to mow the lawn.

I wonder if socks started the game of hide-and-seek. I can almost hear some ancient, befuddled housewife mumbling to herself, "Now where is the match to this sorry black sock?"

If I were a sock, where would I hide?

At the bottom of a sleeping bag that will soon be stuffed and stored until the next camping trip.

Wadded up at the toe of a soggy snow boot.

Tucked under the covers at the foot of the bed.

Hidden in plain sight at the back of the drawer containing clean and sorted socks.

Or, just maybe I'd start a game of Sardines and slide between the wrap-over cushion at the end of the couch. As one end fills with fellow dingy and worn siblings, some would need to hide together at the other end of the couch.

Those sardine socks stayed hidden for years. I only found them when we sold the house. Needing a better grip when moving the couch, I slid my arm into the wrap-over sanctuary. There were almost a dozen socks. Which, by the way, no longer even fit the boy who had hidden them there.

Did the invention of modern laundry methods increase the amount of missing socks? Or did socks go AWOL before the introduction of the electric dryer?

In societies and cultures that wear only sandals, what goes missing instead of socks? Are there even societies that don't wear socks? Are there mothers somewhere who have never even seen a sock?

If such a place exists, I just might consider moving there.

I'd Like Your Opinion

2009-05-26T14:14:00.009-07:00

My friend, Rebecca Taggart, is on a mission. And I'm helping out. She'd like to see if our local elementary schools can go back to a K-5 format.

I'm posting a copy of her letter below. (I've edited out the specific names of the elementary schools for privacy/security reasons.) I also have a hard copy of the letter that I'm getting signatures on. So here's the deal . . . If you're from my neck of the woods, let me know your thoughts on this issue. If you agree with Rebecca and me, I'll drop by and get your signature. She'll be turning the signatures in to Principal Gary Thomas who will spearhead the discussion with the school district.

Here's Rebecca's letter. My own personal specific thoughts will be posted below it.
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We, the undersigned, are in favor of returning to the K-5 configuration at our local elementary schools for the following reasons:

1. Every year between 80 – 90% of a child’s classmates change. This means two or three students from a class will be together the following year. This happens year after year after year for a child’s entire grade school experience. Emotionally and socially it’s almost like moving to a new school every year! This lack of social continuity has been one of the unintended consequences of our present division of grades. If students attended all six grades in one school, there would be half the number of classrooms per grade level. This would mean more peer continuity.

2. Students move to a new school every three years. When a child moves from one school to the other, not only are classmates new (again), but also the principal, secretaries, lunch workers, custodians, librarians and other support staff. This constantly changing environment does not foster stable relationships, feelings of community, or a sense of well-being.

3. Students would spend less time on buses with the K-5 configuration. Buses would not be stopping at both schools for loading and unloading, and more students would be able to walk to school.

4. Siblings would attend the same school. This would not only be more convenient, but would also foster better partnerships between families and school personnel.

Some parents may be concerned about bullying. Well-managed schools have scheduled, supervised recess periods that accommodate different grade levels. Bullying most frequently takes place on buses. A K-5 configuration would reduce bullying by reducing busing.

A K-5 configuration would foster a more stable environment for our children by providing more continuity and reducing time spent on the bus. We would appreciate your consideration regarding this matter.
---------------

Remember when I got fed up with my daughter's elementary school making the kids stand outside in lines until 9:05 AM? (Click this sentence for a refresher.) Having our local schools on a K-5 configuration would solve her school's early bussing headaches.

My oldest daughter began second grade in a class where she didn't know any of the other students. The teacher was wonderful, the other students were friendly, and Loula Belle is my most outgoing child. But the situation gave her chronic stomach aches all year. We had her tested for lead poisoning. (We were living in an old rental home at the time.) I took her to the doctor. Nothing turned up. Looking back, I believe the problem was anxiety caused by a lack of friends in her school class.

Rebecca discovered that the K-5 format would eliminate the need for three school buses, saving time and money. I also learned that the third grade will have eight classes next year. Eight classes! The format would also simplify PTA membership (by the way, our schools are the only elementary schools in the state that have two seperate PTA boards for split schools), back-to-school nights, and Parent/Teacher conferences. I'm all for simplicity!

Sure, we'll miss meeting some of the parents and students that currently attend our elementary schools. But that won't last forever, we'll run into them when our children go to middle school. And by then our children will be more mature and ready for not only a new school, but the opportunity to make new friends.

I say lets give our kids the school configuration that is healthiest for them. In my mind that's the K-5 format.

What do you think? If you'd like to sign Rebecca's letter, write "sign me up" somewhere in your comments. And if you've got your own ideas, that's great too. Let us know how you feel.

The Toddler Diet

2009-05-22T10:57:00.000-07:00

I went to lunch with friends yesterday, and promised LaLoni that I would post this piece. It's part of the "From the Trenches" self-syndicated columns that I wrote between 1997 and 2000. Hope you like it!

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Try the Toddler Diet

Moms have it tough when it comes to staying in shape. When pregnant, we watch our bodies balloon to unimaginable proportions. Post delivery we’re left with sagging mid-sections and spreading hips. What’s a mom to do?

We count calories, fat grams and keep food diaries. TV advertisements entice us to drink shakes, eat bars and pop pills to help us lose weight. Some say cutting out carbohydrates is the key. They’ve got it all wrong.

For the answers to weight management, follow your toddler’s diet.

Day One
Breakfast – Orange juice and a bowl of corn flakes. Take two bites of cereal and drink half the glass of orange juice. Spend five minutes picking up the remaining corn flakes and squishing them between your fingers. When finished, wear your bowl like a hat.

Morning snack – Remove the couch cushions and rummage for food. Eat one button, a penny and chew on the pencil that you discover.

Lunch – Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, glass of milk and small bunch of red grapes. Before eating anything, throw a tantrum because you’re not getting macaroni and cheese. When you’re calm again, drink three sips of milk and eat a third of the sandwich. Then, open sandwich and place it face down on the table. Rotate it a few times. Choose one slice and stuff it into your milk glass. Finish by sticking a grape in your ear.

Afternoon snack – While outside, pick up a wad of gum from the sidewalk and chew on it for a while. Find the dog’s dish and eat two pieces of dog food.

Dinner – Steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes with gravy, roast beef and chocolate ice cream for dessert. Show no interest in anything on your plate. Instead, insist on having a drink of milk from Dad’s glass. Pretend to take a drink, but spill most of it down your front. For the next ten minutes, play with the food on your plate, but don’t eat any. Hold out until it’s time for dessert. Eat all of your ice cream and whine until you get more.

Day Two
Breakfast – Two slices of toast with strawberry jam and scrambled eggs. Take two bites of toast, being careful to cover face and clothes with as much jam as possible. Poke and prod your eggs, eating only a small bite. Dump what food remains on the floor.

Morning snack – Eat four dinosaur-shaped fruit snacks. Suck on five more. Spit them out and hide them under your bed. Swallow a red Lego that you find by the book case.

Lunch – Grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. Throw another tantrum over not getting macaroni and cheese. Angrily push soup away, sloshing most of it across the table. Penitently nibble at sandwich. Insist that you’re full. Once away from the table, eat the fruit snacks from under your bed.

Afternoon snack – Work for twelve minutes to get a fuzzy lifesaver from under the fridge. Eat it and the three crayon pieces that you also find.

Dinner – Linguine with tomato sauce, garlic bread and canned peaches. Drop utensils. Eat your peaches with your hands (this may take a while). Alternate between ripping your bread into small pieces and trying to get the linguine in your mouth. When the pasta and sauce cover your shirt, face, hair and the floor, you’re finished.

Continue in like manner, refusing any new foods offered, until you’ve reached your weight loss goals.

Best Father's Day Gift -- At-Home Wife

2009-05-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Today I was checking in at statcounter.com to see who was coming to this blog and from where. Someone from St. Charles, Illinois googled "healthy housewife" and found my blog. When I clicked on their search term, I discovered that I was google's #2 healthy housewife. But best of all, I discovered just how housewives have impacted the health of their husbands.

I came across this article from the Telegraph, a Brittish on-line publication. Click on the "this article" link mentioned previously for a fascinating read on why having an at-home wife provides big benefits for husbands. (You're welcome, honey!)

Hiking to Health #3: Alternate Routes

2009-05-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

This write-up ran in my local paper in April. (I'm happy to report that I'm feeling much better.) :)
--------------------

Writing about hiking to health doesn’t guarantee it’s going to happen. Life happens. An underactive thyroid gland happens. Ongoing nausea, fatigue, and a bit of the winter blues happen. Yet my calendar still shows the dates I’ve mapped out as hiking days, and the newspaper deadline must be met. Just how does one try to meet fitness goals when one’s health takes a dip?

The advertisers at Nike tell us to “just do it.” While getting out and moving can help one feel better, I object to the models that Nike uses in its commercials. It’s not surprising to see young, fit men and women out running and sweating. Real people struggling and overcoming real health issues motivate me to keep going. Instead of looking to Nike’s brand of motivational models, I’ve found a few of my own – friends and neighbors whose courage and persistence set an example that says, “If I can do it, you can too.”

I have a neighbor who suffers from degenerative bone loss that leaves her in near-constant pain, but you’d never know it from looking at her. A smile and cheery outlook are her trademarks. I also admire a mother of six children who goes swimming in the wee hours of the morning. She goes because she has found that she’s more patient with her family on the days she goes swimming. Another woman in her 90s goes swimming three times a week and has been doing so for over three years! No doubt you have similar acquaintances.

Perhaps you’re wondering if I completed the two hikes I had planned. Yes and no. I did go on two hikes, but they weren’t to the destinations on my list. During the past few months of feeling sluggish, I had to focus on climbing hills, not mountains. Mountains overwhelmed me, but hills seemed doable. I lightened up on my expectations for myself but didn't let myself quit entirely.

During the short, snow-free thaw in mid-March I hiked the Cedar Ridge jeep trail along the foothills above Hyde Park. I chose it because it was close to home, wouldn’t take too long to hike, and because it looked like it was dry as I scoped it out from my backyard. It was all I thought it would be, plus something else – steep! I was glad that I decided to go this hike alone, as no one had to know how many times I stopped to catch my breath on the climb up. Making it to the top gave me a sense of accomplishment along with breath-taking views of Cache Valley.

For my second excursion I did a little urban hiking. I tried to think of the steepest roads in Logan and then developed a walking route that would take me up or down most of them. I went down the street just north of the Logan Temple, north half a block and then up Temple Avenue. Next I went down a walking path to the south of the temple, along Canyon Road and then up the short dugway. I made my way to the bottom of Old Main Hill and climbed all 124 stairs. Once on campus I walked toward the LDS Institute building and then headed down a path that put me near the entrance to the underground parking terrace. From there I hiked down 600 North to 600 East and eventually returned to where I’d parked my car near the temple. I liked how this urban outing let me get my heart rate up during short climbs, followed by quick recovery periods while hiking downhill. It was a fun way to get a good workout.

Lao Tzu, a Chinese philosopher, said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This especially applies to anyone trying to meet fitness goals during a health downturn. Focusing on single steps has kept me moving forward on the path to health.

Today's Free-Write: Chickens in history

2009-05-20T09:49:00.003-07:00

Chickens are under-rated. Sure, we're prized for our eggs and meat, but we're much more than agricultural commodities. We have minds.

We live very balanced lives. I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who coined the phrase:

Early to bed, and early to rise
Makes a man healthy, and wealthy, and wise.

Just where do you suppose he got the inspiriation for that much-quoted dictum? That's right, from watchnig Colonial chickens. Afterall, we've long turned in for the night at the disappearance of the sun. And we start the day in the dawn's early light.

Which reminds me ... Who do you think Francis Scott Key had in mind when he wrote the opening lines of the "Star Spangled Banner?" Here's the text. Let's see if anyone comes to mind:

Oh say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

He's obviously talking with fellow early-risers, to those who proudly hailed the sight of the Stars and Stripes still visible in the twilight's last gleam. Who was it? I believe it was, again, chickens. Chickens would have been up at the dawn's early light. Chickens would have hailed their beloved flag at the twilight's last gleam just before going to roost for the night. And chickens were often kept on ships at that time to provide fresh eggs for the troops.

Are there other events in American History where chickens have played a pivotal role? Undoubtedly! Why do you think there's an entire breed of chickens named after Plymouth Rock? Those egg-laying girls were at it again!

Computer Woes

2009-05-13T08:26:00.003-07:00

In the past few weeks we've been having computer problems -- crashes, not connecting to the internet, being sent to weird pages when clicking on google search results. Weird stuff. So on Monday morning I took our tower (computer) into a repair place. I had a coupon for $39.95 for a clean-up and tune-up. Only our computer needed more than the clean-up and tune-up.

The guy said that he needed to wipe our hard drive and re-install everything. That alone was $120 or so. Plus if we wanted him to preserve our personal file, that would be another $65 or so. Long story short ... $200 later we have our computer back, but it won't run itunes for me. Doesn't have my Microsoft Publisher program installed or our Microsoft Office suite. Which pretty much means that all the files I've got on it aren't accessible. Needless to say I'm prett peeved. Oh, and the place doesn't open until 10 AM so I can't call to get more fix-it advice.

What I really need is a close friend who knows EVERYTHING about computers and wants to help me out in exchange for, oh, say . . . custom written poetry, creative business slogan ideas, or a new take on marketing angles, or (more realistically) fresh garden produce (strawberries, raspberries, lettuce, peas, sweet corn, etc).

Know anyone like that? Do tell!

Funny phrase about American Idol

2009-05-07T11:13:00.003-07:00

Our family likes to watch American Idol. Last night our youngest, Beans, tuned in a little late and asked, "Has anyone been deleted yet?"

I'm certainly glad that I'm not up for getting deleted!

By the way, I thought that Chris Allen should have gone instead of Allion. But as we're not really voters, I can't complain.

P.S. We also like to buy the albums of American Idol alums. We have Daughtery, David Cook, David Archuleta and Jordin Sparks.
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Correction (5/8/09)

It was Hubby who was late sitting down to watch American Idol. He asked Beans how things were going. She said, "No one has been deleted yet."

And that's the truth.

Changing up the chore charts again!

2009-05-04T11:50:00.005-07:00

The other night I showed Hubby the file I keep of all the past chore charts/cards that we've tried. He was impressed. Honestly, I could probably write a book.

I find that every 6 months or so I have to fiddle with the chore chart system that we're using. Now that my kids are older (10, 13 and 15), we've gone to a money-earning system.

You'll notice that there are a number of important things missing from the pay schedule below. Keeping their room clean, doing homework, helping with the dishwasher -- that's just part of living in our family. They won't get paid for that. I also wanted to reward effort. You work, you get rewarded.

Here's what we're trying:

DAILY JOBS
Bring in the mail $.05
Help make dinner $.50
Weeding, per 15 min. $.25
Write in journal $.25
Read an entire New Era $2.00
Read a Conference talk $.25

WEEKLY JOBS
Empty and re-line a garbage $.10
Bring in garbage/recycle bin $.05/ea

check off when completed

Total Toilet Treatment: $.50
Master
Boy’s
Girls’

Clean Sink and Counter: $.20
Master
Boy’s
Girls’
Laundry room

No-smudge Mirror: $.10
Master sink
Master door
Boy’s
Girls’

Clean with scrubbing bubbles $.50
Master shower
Master tub
Boy’s tub/shower
Girls’ tub/shower

Vacuum one of these areas: $.25
Down.hall & media room
Recreation room
Sewing and piano rooms
Up. TV & Master bedroom

Vacuum Stairs $.75

Super shake-a-rug (outside) $.10
Kitchen sink rug
Rug by cubbies
Front door rug
Both kids’ bathrooms
Master bathroom rug
Outside front porch rug
Rug on garage porch
Back patio rug

Wipe all upstairs windowsills $.50
Wipe all downstairs windowsills $.30
Mow the lawn $3.00
Mow the orchard (ask Dad 1st) $2.00
Super-Sweep the garage $1.00
Wash the outside of car $.75
Wash the outside of truck $.75
Wash car windows in & out $.50
Wash truck windows in & out $.30
Vacuum car interior $.75
Vacuum truck interior $.75

This past week my oldest and youngest each earned $.80. But my middle child earned a whopping $9.00! She's motivated to earn money towards girl's camp.

They pay 10% in tithing and 20% into savings. The rest they can spend.

I think it's important to teach kids how to work, but it's also important to teach them how to manage money. To help teach them about the value of a dollar, we also give them a larger quarterly amount, with the biggest payment coming in August to help cover school clothes. Then, throughout the year they're in charge of budgeting their money to pay for clothes, candy, presents, etc.

This has done wonders for my middle child. Before we tried this system, she'd ask for everything that her heart desired. But once we turned her share of the budget over to her, she began weighing the importance of name brand vs. second hand clothes. It's made her a much more value-oriented shopper.

Lest you think we're making our kids pay for everything, rest assured that we buy all their food, pay for their sports and activities, and even purchase any socks or underwear. (No teen or tween wants to spend hard-earned cash on socks or underwear!)

What works for your family? In another 6 months or so, I'll be fiddling with our system again and would love having your ideas to draw from. Please share!

Take a page out of Pollyanna's book . . .

2009-05-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

A couple nights ago as Hubby and I were in the bathroom getting ready for bed, I was bemoaning the fact that I have to wear special moisture-wicking undergarments to bed to help me sleep through night sweats. I hate night sweats! And I hate having to change my undergarments just to go to bed. (Note: The moisture-wicking unders don't always prevent me from waking up either!)

Hubby, who is so good to try to make me feel better, pointed out that it could be worse. "You could have a bowel leakage problem and have to wear Depends all the time," he said.

Yeah. That would be worse.

We then spent a few minutes coming up with a number of things that would be worse than having to deal with night sweats. Things like:

Having ALS disease.

Losing a leg to diabetes.

Having Parkinson's disease.

Having to wear a c-pap machine everynight.

Having another knee surgery and having to sleep with one leg aching and propped up.

You get the idea.

The funny thing is, after our little Pollyanna moment of finding worse things than what I currently complain about, I felt almost grateful to have recurring night sweats.

Night Sweats? No problem!

Just FYI: I don't really think they're due to an estrogen deficiency. Instead, I think that perhaps my thyroid I'm taking is a bit too much of a dose. When my thyroid levels were low, night sweats were non-existent.

The Books I've Read and Want to Read . . .

2009-04-29T10:39:00.003-07:00

I just finished reading Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury. As many of you know, I love reading. Sometimes I post a book review on this blog, but the best place to catch up on what I've been reading is at goodreads.com. My profile name is Christie Belly Acre Farm.

I just finished writing up the recent books I've read and also added a few books to my "to read" shelf.

If you're a goodreads user and I'm not your friend yet, I'd like to be. Send me a request to hook up or let me know your user name. I find that books recommended by friends are often the best.

Happy Reading!

Thoughts on Swine Flu

2009-04-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some possibilities of what you might look like after catching the swine flu . . .

Actually, I'm taking the whole swine flu outbreak pretty seriously. Earlier today I bought the remaining medical masks at a local medical equipment supplier. The man before me bought the only remaing full box of 40 masks. He said he was scheduled to take a 17 hour flight this week.

Now, before you go out scouring your neck of the woods looking for medical masks, I'll tell you what my husband, Safety Man, told me during our daily lunch time phone call today. Keep in mind that he has extensive training in blood bourne pathogens and biological hazards. (He was the go-to guy for answering questions about the dangers of Anthrax at our local university when that scare was on everyone's minds.) Basically, he said that the medical masks are more effective at keeping someone who is sick (and wearing a mask) from spreading the illness than they are for keeping healthy people (wearing a mask) well.

The fine print on the back of my box of masks says, "Intended Use: This product is intended for infection control practices in the healthcare industry. When worn properly, it will help minimize contamination caused by exhaled microorganisms and reduce the potential exposure of the wearer to blood and body fluids. Warning: This mask does not eliminate the risk of contracting disease or infection. Change immediately if contaminated with blood or body fluid. This mask is not a respirator."

Wearing a medical mask does NOT guarantee that you won't catch an air-borne illness.

So, just in case the swine flu does spread to my state, and we have to shelter at home, I thought it would be a good idea to round out our family's "year supply" of food. I bought:

150 pounds of flour (3, 50 lb. bags)

24 cans of cream of chicken soup

8 boxes of onion soup mix

enough powdered milk to make 5 gallons, reconstituted. (Which is pricey!)

If the swine flu continues to spread, I'll be asking my two children who wear contact lenses to stop wearing them until the threat of infection passes. Rubbing your eyes with germs on your fingers is perhaps the easiest way for infections to enter our body. I'll also be sending each of my kids to school with a full bottle of hand sanitizer. And I might even have them wear the masks. After all, what if someone coughed right in their face?

At the moment I'm hopeful that a pandemic isn't on the way. I'm not panicked, but should the worst happen I'm prepared.

My Hubby is 40!

2009-04-24T15:33:00.003-07:00

As I type, homemade carrot cake is baking in the oven. It's my hubby's favorite. I've tried different recipes, but keep coming back to this one:

Best Ever Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 360 degrees

1 c. oil
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
2 c. flour (or tad more)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
2 c. peeled, grated carrots
1, 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat together oil, sugar and eggs until well blended. In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Add to egg/sugar mixture and mix well.

Drain pineapple. Add carrots, pineapple and nuts to main mixture. Blend to mix well.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 360 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour -- until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. pkg reduced fat cream cheese at room temp.
1/2 c. (1 cube) butter at room temp.
1 tsp. vanilla
4 c. powdered sugar

In addition to his favorite cake, I also took Hubby a ballon bundle that included four black latex ballons and one mylar one. Attached were two of his favorite snacks: Ranch corn nuts and Flipz yogurt covered pretzels.

If, like my husband, you're getting on in years, here are a few things to do to reconnect with your inner child:

draw a picture with crayons

give it to your mother

get out the play dough and make something

play hopscotch

try to come in while two people are turning a jump rope. (Warning to women who have had more than one child -- incontinence is common when jump roping.)

buy some bubble solution and go to town filling your house/yard with bubbles! (Try not to acknowledge that you enjoyed the bubbles at the end of the Lawrence Welk Show.)

Choose a cloudless night to lie down on the grass and look up at the stars.

Next time you see really great fluffy clouds, lie down on the grass and try to identify recognizable shapes.

Sing the ABC song while washing your hands.

If it's raining, go for a walk and jump in the biggest puddles you can find!

Make mud pies.

Invite a few friends over and play school.

Climb a tree. A really sturdy tree.

Hike #6 -- The Wind Caves

2009-04-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos I took on my hike to the Wind Caves today. I'm scheduled to take a hike on Saturday, but the weather looks bad, so I went TODAY!

This is the trailhead -- submerged in spring run off.

I had to cross this drainage stream at the beginning of the hike. And, yes, I got my shoes wet. But it didn't seem to bother my feet. They stayed nice and happy the whole time.

This is, from left to right, Caitlin Campbell and Anna Sharar of the Conservation Corps. There were a number of other Conservation Corps employees also scattered along the trail constructing water bars to prevent trail erosion. Thanks for all your hard work! They deserve the credit for well maintained trails.

This is the view from a top the Wind Caves looking south. Love those mountains!

And this is an actual photo of the wind caves. True to form, it was windy as well.

Meeting fitness goals when your health takes a dip

2009-04-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

I've been working on writing up my next "Hiking to Health" article for my local paper. It starts off by exploring how to meet fitness goals when your health takes a dip. If only writing about health could make it happen. Here are some thoughts on getting through health challenges and returning to health.

The advertisers at Nike tell us to “just do it.” While getting out and moving can actually help make one feel better, I object to the models that Nike uses in its commercials. It’s not surprising to see young, fit men and women out running and sweating. Real people struggling and overcoming real health issues motivate me to keep going. Instead of looking to Nike’s brand of motivational models, I’ve found a few of my own – friends and neighbors whose courage and persistence set an example that says, “If I can do it, you can too.”

I have a neighbor who suffers from degenerative bone loss that leaves her in near-constant pain, but you’d never know it from looking at her. A smile and cheery outlook are her trademarks. The closest I’ve heard her come to complaining was when she expressed a desire to be of more service and help to others. Those who cheerfully persevere through unremitting pain and challenges can never know the extent that their examples help to lift and encourage others.

No doubt you have similar friends. I also admire a mother of six children who goes swimming in the wee hours of the morning. She goes because she has found that she’s more patient with her family on the days she goes swimming. Another woman in her 90s goes swimming three times a week and has been doing so for over three years! Pretty much I admire anyone who enjoys swimming -- anyone who will 1) put on a swimming suit and 2) get in chlorinated water. (You can see that I’ll never be known for not complaining.)

Pretty much I found that during the past few months of sluggish health I had to focus on climbing hills and not mountains. Mountains overwhelmed me, but hills seemed doable. I lightened up on my expectations for myself but didn't let myself quit entirely.

I like the quote that says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." When you're facing health challenges, focusing on single steps keeps you moving forward on your journey.

Fablehaven Fever . . .

2009-04-14T14:19:00.004-07:00

If you were to drop in at our house, you'd probably find a number of us with our noses in a book. A Fablehaven book, to be specific. It started when Beans bought the first book in the series at her school's book fair and had it autographed by the author (Brandon Mull). She loved it! And soon Hubby started reading it. Followed by Loula Belle, myself and then Bug.

When Beans was finished with the first book, she wanted to buy the second one. So I took her shopping and we got it! And the third one too. Ever since then it's been a bit hectic scheduling time with whichever book each of us is currently reading. (I'm ready to start the third one. But Beans took it to school. Probably a good thing, allowing me to actually get something done today.)

Today Loula Belle is ready for book number four. So I bought it! After redeeming my Deseret Book bonus points, I paid a grand total of $1.95. Whee!

If you've yet to read any of these, get started! Our whole family is devouring them.

No More Dieting!

2009-04-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

I'm a little more than half way through "Health at Every Size." I must say that it has been great having someone say that diets don't work. That diets, in fact, aren't healthy. To have somone say emphatically, "Don't diet!"

Since January I haven't been following any certain diet. And I haven't gained weight. But until I started reading this book, I felt like as soon as my tummy started feeling better and my thyroid levels got back to normal I'd return to some sort of diet. But not anymore! No more diets for me.

I feel liberated!

We're a biologically diverse people. We're not all meant to fit into the same cookie cutter shape that the media portrays as "healthy" or desirable. I'm me. I weigh what I way because of who I am. And I'm not going to try to be anyone but myself ever again.

I'm not going to exercise because I have to. I'm going to move and sweat because I want to. I'm going to walk, hike, dance, mow the lawn, work the wheel hoe, and garden up a storm because it makes me feel good -- makes me feel alive.

Food can't make me feel guilty. It's meant to nourish my body and to provide enjoyment. By listening to my body, eating when I'm hungry and stopping when I'm satisfied, I can stop eating for external reasons. No food is off limits. I can savor and enjoy every mouthful of what I'm eating. Chocolate. A crisp apple. A baked potato. Red licorice. You name it, I'm going to enjoy it.

Blogging is a guilty pleasure!

2009-04-07T12:00:00.002-07:00

Here are the things I should be doing:

Writing up an entry from the Friends of the North Logan Library for May's North Logan Newsletter.

Typing up the Young Women acitivies for April to post on the bulletin board.

E-mailing those activities to Sis. Robinson for the ward newsletter and Sunday bulletin.

Distributing the new food items for our 72-hour kits. (We rotate them at General Conference in the spring.)

Taking a nice long walk with the dog.

But what am I doing instead? Blogging! And it feels great!

As you've probably noticed, I haven't been a very consistent blogger lately. But I'm getting the feeling that I'm about to make a comeback.

Earlier in the week while walking the dog I saw a young cat on a porch spying on a flock of house finches twittering in a nearby bush. I wanted to write a poem about it. I WANTED TO WRITE! It's been far too long since I've wanted to write. Just for fun. To stetch my flabby neurons and get them firing again.

Because, here's the thing, I love to write. Sometimes as I'm going about my day I find that I'm thinking my thoughts as a mental composition -- rearranging words, adding a little more description. The grocery list and weekly menu is no longer enough. I need to return to blogging.

It just feels good!

I Wish Books Had a Rating System

2009-03-27T10:49:00.002-07:00

Movies have a rating system. Electronic games have a rating system. Even music has ratings. Why don't books have a rating system?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I am a modern prude who loves to read. But so many times when I pick out a promising book at the library and bring it home, I find it's filled with foul language or more sexual content than I'm comfortable with. I can avoid watching movies with questionable content by looking at the rating. But there is no rating system on books. I wish there were.

I don't advocate banning books. I'm not for censorship. I'd just like a little more information on book jackets so that I can make an informed decision.

What do you think? Should books have a rating system? What should it be modeled after? I'm most familiar with the movie industry rating system and think that something similar might work for books.

Before posting this entry I googled the term "book content rating system." It didn't turn up anything like what I'm envisioning. Does it exhist and I've missed it? Do tell.

Finding Health at Every Size . . .

2009-03-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while wandering the racks at my local library, I found a book that caught my eye: Health at Every Size: The surprising truth about your weight, by Linda Bacon, PhD. I'm starting to read it, and must say that I find it intriguing. I'm beginning to see that it could have wonderful health implications for me.

One of the things it advocates if giving up on dieting. Instead, we should listen to our hunger and fullness signals for eating cues. That's what I've been doing since the end of January. Remember how I went back to Weight Watchers in December only to find that I gained weight each week? Sure, my thyroid was out of whack. That was part of the problem. But even when I'd lost 40 pounds with Weight Watchers in 2007 I hit a plateau and then slowly started regaining the weight -- even though I was following the program and staying withing my points target. This book explains why.

For the past two months I have not been dieting. I haven't written down what I've eaten. Haven't tracked points or calories or net carbs. I've eaten sweets. I've eaten salads. Really, I've eaten whatever sounds good. And I haven't gained any weight. I weigh the same as when I quit Weight Watchers in January.

So far Health at Every Size is confirming what I've been experiencing for the past couple months. Our bodies have a set point where they feel most healthy and happy. It's not dictated by BMI charts or graphs. Mine, for the moment, is set right here. But the best thing is, I feel free. I don't obsess about food and don't feel guilt over what I eat. What a concept!

When I finish the book, I'll do a more in-depth review. I really think it's onto something.

Help! Give me feedback for my talk in church Sunday.

2009-03-23T11:33:00.002-07:00

I'm speaking in sacrament meeting this coming Sunday (the 29th). The topic is, "Be thou an example of the believers."

We all have someone we look up to as a good example. Is there someone whose example made a difference in your life? Could you tell me about it?

Also, what keeps us from being an example of the believers? My downfall is probably a quick temper. I haven't mastered patience yet -- not even close.

I'm thanking you in advance for any insights you might share. Muchas Thank You!!

Hike #5

2009-03-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

The mother in me wanted to avoid hiking in mud. But how? I briefly contemplated doing a little urban hiking -- walking up and down the steep dugway a couple times and climbing the stairs on Old Main Hill a time or two. In the end, last week I looked out my back windows at the foothills and noticed that the snow was almost gone. Upon closer examination, I noticed that the Cedar Ridge jeep trail on the mountains above Hyde Park looked dry. I decided to give it a try.

So, on Friday morning I dropped my youngest off at school and took the dog in the back of the truck up to the trailhead. The two photos to the left were taken so you could get a feeling for how steep the trail is. I was glad that I decided to go this hike alone, as no one had to know how many times I stopped to catch my breath on the climb up.

The views of Cache Valley on this hike were spectacular! (I had plenty of time to enjoy them on the many stops I took during my ascent.) In this photo I can actually see my house. It's fun to see my community from a different perspective.

When I finally made it to the top of Cedar Ridge, I felt great. What a sense of accomplishment! This is the view from the tippity top. I'm happy to report that my body held up great -- my knees felt fine, and my heart and lungs didn't feel over-taxed even though I haven't really done much cardio in the last two weeks. The nausea I've been feeling the past three weeks disappeared on Thursday. I felt like Rocky when he made it to the top of all those stairs. I even thought about putting my hands in the arm and doing some Rocky moves. Yeah!

Okay. I will admit it. I was really looking forward to getting to head DOWN the trail. It was a nice change. And again, my knees held up great. I did notice, however, that my legs where a little shakey from fatigue. After a couple weeks of little exercise, it felt good. Once I got off the ridge there was a lot more mud,but I found that I could walk on patches of unmelted snow or along the side of the trail where the vegetation kept me off the mud. Some spots were dry, and for the most part I avoided getting too much mud on my hiking boots.

The biggest disappointment of the hike was seeing the amount of junk and trash that the melting snow left uncovered. ATV tires, wooden pallets, liter from food containers. Who do people think is going to clean up after them? It's disgusting! Actually, I may make a suggestion in my newspaper write-up that some enterprising Eagle Scout looking for a project would have plenty of work to keep them busy. (Thank goodness for Eagle Scout projects!)

All in all, it was good to get out into the great outdoors and enjoy a solitary walk in the mountains. I love hiking!

It's Not Easy Feelin' Green . . .

2009-03-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

I spoke too soon. The metamucil didn't work today. I spent all morning feeling green around the gills. By mid afternoon I was doing a bit better and took the dog for a walk.

And I finally decided to make an appointment with my doctor to see if he has any ideas what is making my tummy feel topsy turvy.

Actually, I thought it couldn't hurt to make an appointment. How many times have you made an appointment with the doctor only to have your symptoms disappear completely by the time you actually go in? If only that would happen this time, I'd pay my $35 co-pay and go away happy!

Signs of Spring . . .

2009-03-18T17:50:00.003-07:00

Spring is finally arriving at Belly Acre Farm. This is one of the crocus that bloomed for the first time today out along the sidewalk to our front door.

At this very moment Hubby is out in the orchard trimming fruit trees. There are 18. It's going to take him a while.

The kids have also been out playing ball in our yard and the neighbor's. I even took our dog for an extended walk around the block. Maybe tomorrow I'll put her harness on her and take her for a bike ride. I think it would do both of us some good.

I love spring!

I'm Making a Come Back . . .

2009-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Making a come back. Aren't those great words?

You want to know the funny thing? Metamucil is part of my return to health.

Metamucil. You know, that fiber supplement you stir into a glass of water. The product that my grandparents couldn't live without. Well, apparently, I can't live very well without it either.

After the anti-depressants brought back my mental health, I was still suffering from an upset tummy (nausea) every day. Sometimes all day. Just a couple days ago I remembered what had helped me get through the last bout of IBS a few years ago -- Metamucil. So I tried it again. Sure enough, it helps. I'm not sure why, but it does.

Give me a week, and I'll be back to regular exercise and positivity once again!

The Winter Blahs . . .

2009-03-12T15:05:00.000-07:00

I've been trying really hard to be a healthy housewife, but it's been a battle. Starting in January my health took a dive. At first I thought it was mostly physical, but the longer it went on, the more I came to believe that it was both mental and physical.

In September I switched from anti-depressants to light therapy with my doctor's approval. Fall was wonderful! Then I had a heart scare in December, followed by super low thyroid levels. Somewhere along the line I think that the light therapy wasn't enough to keep the winter blues at bay.

I tried upping the time I spend under the light. I went on vitamin D supplements. I tried to get outdoors on sunny days. I tried to get good and sweaty on my Nordic Track every morning. But despite my best efforts, my health deteriorated.

A month or so ago I was flipping through channels and came across a show on PBS about mental health. The man said, "Saying someone has depression is like saying someone has back pain." His point was that everyone experiences depression differently. Everything from its causes, symptoms and treatments needs to be individualized.

For me, depression manifests itself very physically. I get incredibly tired. My stomach hurts (nausea, IBS symptoms) as well as other parts of my body (headaches, joint pain). I get frustrated when I can't accomplish all that I expect of myself. I can get moody. But this year I've experienced what I call the winter blahs -- just a tired, empty mood most of the time. (Hence, my lack of blog entries lately.)

I've tried being patient. Because a low thyroid can cause depression, I thought I'd wait until I get my throid levels tested again before doing anything. But the tummy troubles and fatigue are getting to be too much. A week ago I called my doctor and we decided that I should go back on medication at least through the end of April. Hopefully that will banish these winter blues.

Here's hoping that a healthy housewife re-emerges soon!

Spring is coming (I just know it is)

2009-03-12T14:57:00.002-07:00

Hey. You've probably noticed that I'm not writing regularly in my blogs anymore. There's a reason for that -- the winter blahs. It's been a really difficult couple of months (since mid January). With not much going on, there's not been much to write. And I've noticed that I prefer reading to writing. Here is a list of the books that I've read since January, in the order I read them:

"Ella Minnow Pea" by Mark Dunn

"I am a Mother" by Jane Clayson Johnson

"The Careful Use of Compliments" by Alexander McCall Smith

"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch

"The Right Attitude to Rain" by Alexander McCall Smith

"No Graves as Yet" by Anne Perry (1st in her WWI novel series)

"Shoulder the Sky" by Anne Perry (2nd in her WWI series)

"The Twisted Root" by Anne Perry (from her William Monk detective series)

I started "Blessings" by Anna Quindlen, but it did NOT pass the modern prude vocabulary test.

I also tried "Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver but it didn't hold my attention. (No modern prude issues as far as I got.)

"The Comforts of a Muddy Saturday" by Alexander McCall Smith

"Angels in the Gloom" by Anne Perry (3rd in her WWI series)

At the moment I'm reading, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp.

There you have it. Lots of reading reasons for why I haven't written. I can't guarantee that I'll be posting again soon. You just never know.

What's your best tool to stay healthy?

2009-03-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

I was visiting one of the blogs listed at the left a couple weeks ago. The question was asked, "What is your best fitness tool?" What's your answer?

My best fitness tool is my dog. For starters, she's always happy to see me. On Sunday I had a neighbor call to see if she had gotten out. "There's a big, black, happy dog running around my yard," he said. It sounded just like Annie, but wasn't. She was safe and sound in her kennel.

Dogs live in the moment, aren't worried about the past or the future, just enjoy being with you for whatever amount of time you can give them. They don't hold grudges. These are the reasons that my dog is good for my mental health -- her enthusiasm and zest for life rubs off on me.

On the fitness front, dogs are a good way to get more exercise. They need to be walked everyday. Mine also likes to go for bike rides when the weather permits. I like to call it "bliss on a bike."

I'll be honest, the puppy stage can be a challenge for your mental health. They chew stuff. They whee on stuff. They're high energy when they're awake, but take lots of naps. Huh. That was starting to remind me of young children. If you've got young children at home (babies, toddlers) you may want to wait to get a dog. They are a lot of work to train. My rule is, no family should get a dog until the mom wants a dog. 'Cause really, we all know that Mom is going to be doing the lion's share of caring for the dog.

On my last hike I brought Annie's harness to see if she would give me a little pull up the trail. It didn't really work. I think she's becoming too well trained for that -- she realizes that on all our other walks I don't like it when she pulls. Bummer. Last summer she "helped" me make it all the way to White Pine Lake. But there were also other hikers and another dog ahead of us. Maybe that will be the key to having her "pull" me a bit up the trail. (Note: I only do that when she's wearing her harness so that she can pull with her body/chest and not her neck.)

There you have it -- man's best friend is also this healthy housewife's best friend.

Teenagers can make you laugh . . .

2009-03-03T12:43:00.004-07:00

I came across this piece of hilarity lying on the desk this morning. This, for those of you who were wondering, is a sheet of lined school paper that's filled with the message, "I am very . . . bored."

What I've reproduced here is only one side. The flip side of the paper is also filled to capacity with the same sentiment. Oh, and the entire creation is laminated in clear packing tape.

This is teenage fine art at it's best! It was created by my daughter, Loula Belle.

When I picked up this work or art this morning it made me chuckle. Later, I asked Loula Belle where she created this fine work. She said she wrote it up at school, when she was really bored. "Why did you laminate it?" I asked her.

"I was bored again," she said.

There you have it. Teenage boredom fully illustrated.

Newspaper Write-up #1

2009-02-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Note: One of the best things about having this published in my local paper is that I've had a handful of people come up to me and express their opinion that I'm not overweight. I assure them that according to the government/insurance height and weight tables I'm plenty overweight. People are so nice!
---------------

Everyone has a claim to fame. Mine is that up until a couple months ago I was Google’s number one overweight housewife. Meaning, if you typed the terms “overweight housewife” in a Google search, my blog was the first result listed. I should be embarrassed about that, but I’m not. Something in my personality makes me perfectly willing to look bad if it will help someone else feel better.

I’m bringing my strange sense of altruism to the pages of this newspaper. This year I’m planning to go on two showshoe/hiking outings each month in training to climb the Wellsville Mountains in early September. Basically I’ve subscribed to the idea that things which don’t kill you will make you stronger. Or at the very least, they’ll help you drop a few pounds.

My journey to the top of the Wellsville Mountain range started with a little hike up Green Canyon. I chose this hike first for two reasons. One, I’m familiar with it. I’ve done it before. And two, it’s fairly easy. I didn’t want to keel over from a heart attack on my first outing.

The next hike on my list was Bunchgrass to White Pine Creek trail, but it worked out better for my hiking companions to meet at the Cherry Creek Canyon trailhead instead. Part of getting in shape means being flexible, right? Until I can literally bend over backwards, changing my hiking plans will just have to do.

The Green Canyon and Cherry Creek Canyon hikes had a lot in common. Both followed a road that’s passable by truck during non-winter months. Both took place on sunny, clear days. Both trails were packed, allowing us to ditch our snowshoes. Both hikes were fairly short, lasting less than three hours. And on both hikes we were accompanied by our dogs, who alternated between racing ahead and charging straight back at us. Every time they ran at me I’d stop for a second and brace myself for impact. Four knee surgeries are enough for me, thank you very much. I wasn’t about to let an exuberant dog disable me at the beginning of my hiking career.

I’ve been tempted to use my upcoming hikes as an excuse to go shopping for things like a hydration pack, another pair of hiking boots and some stylish, breathable outdoor-oriented togs. But the truth is, I already own most hiking essentials: the 2004 edition of Jim Sinclair’s book, Cache Trails, broken-in hiking boots, a large fanny pack, water bottles that don’t leak and plenty of clothes to wear in layers. Tina Pierson, one of my hiking buddies, has embraced the wisdom of dressing in layers when hiking. On the Cherry Creek outing she said, “I have on so many layers that my pants could fall down, and I wouldn’t even know it.”

With two hikes now under my belt (not that I’ve really worn a belt in the last 10 years), I’ve made some happy discoveries. First, I’ve noticed that hiking gets me wrapped up in the moment. When I’m huffing and puffing up a hill surrounded by snow-cloaked mountain maples and glistening snow fields, I’m not thinking about the endless to-do list that awaits me at home. For a few hours I’m simply focused on putting one foot in front of the other while trying to absorb as much beauty as possible.

I’ve also noticed that after only two hikes I’m feeling stronger. Not just physically, but mentally too. I’m proving to myself one hike at a time that being an overweight housewife with a bum knee can’t stop me from living a healthy lifestyle.

My "Finding Joy as a Young Mother" talk

2009-02-28T14:05:00.005-07:00

When I first heard that I’d been asked to give a talk on finding joy as a young mother, I immediately went and bought me some Joy. (Displays a large bottle of lemon Joy dish detergent). Don’t you wish that you could really just buy joy off the shelf at the grocery store? But you can’t. Joy can’t be bought, it has to be lived.

Joy is not the same as happiness. Not the same as fun and excitement. I like to think of happiness, fun and excitement as the things that make you smile, but joy being the things that make you weep, or “happy cry” as my mother used to call it.

Bruce R. McConkie, in Mormon Doctrine, wrote this under joy:
“Men are that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25) That is, the very purpose of man’s creation is to enable him to gain joy; it is the object and end of existence…. Here in mortality men gain joy only by obedience to gospel law, the gospel itself being the “good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” (Luke 2:10) … Joy is a gift of the spirit. It comes from the Holy Ghost….

Joy has everything to do with believing and following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jesus makes joy possible. As a mother, we’ll all make mistakes, but through the teachings of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice and atonement for us, we can repent, be forgiven, and rise above our natural tendencies to experience JOY.

What can we do to live so that we can have the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives? (Possible answers given from the audience: Keep the commandments / Attend church meetings / Family Home Evening / Family & Personal Scripture study / Personal & Family Prayer)

These answers are often called the Sunday School answers, the Seminary answers, some would even call them trite answers. But I want to testify that they’re only trite answers until they become TRIED answers.

Here’s my best tip for making family home evenings a habit – focus on the treat. Little ones don’t have much of an attention span, but they do love treats. Enjoy a nice gospel-centered discussion/lesson while everyone enjoys a treat.

Family scripture study is harder because it’s every day. We started out using the gospel art kit available through Church Distribution, talking about a different picture each night. But with our oldest in kindergarten, we soon felt that we needed to be reading right from the scriptures. So, each night we’d gather in the family room, our oldest was six, and the girls were 3 and 18 months. Most nights we only got through a couple verses before we’d lost their attention. (Children’s maximum attention span is their age in minutes.) We wondered if anything was sinking in. It certainly didn’t seem to be. But then I went to a parent/teacher conference with our son’s kindergarten teacher. She told me about how they’d been reading the book, “The Rainbow Fish.” She asked the class what it meant to have pride. My son raised his hand. “It means you’re stiff necked,” he said. And that’s when I knew that our efforts weren’t wasted, that it was sinking in.

A component of joy is contentment. It’s hard to find joy if you’re not content. There’s a big reason why it’s difficult to be content. 2 Nephi 2:11 says, “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.” Which means that Satan has plots and plans to keep us from being content and finding joy. Women of our generation have been told that we can have it all, do it all, be it all. We also live in the information age where the world would have us compare ourselves to others, and the images are everywhere: magazines, television, internet.

Hence, my new motto: Dream Simple. (I shared excerpts from this blog entry.)

Even men can struggle with contentment. In Alma 29 Alma writes about his struggle. He starts off by saying, “Oh that I were an angel and could have the wish of my heart. . . .” He then goes on to describe how he would cry repentance and spread the gospel with angelic zeal. But then he comes back to reality in verses 3 and 6:
Verse3: “but behold,… I do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted me.”
Verse 6:“Why should I desire more than to perform the work to which I have been called?”

Finding contentment and joy is possible when you know and do the Lord’s will in your life. What have you been called to do? Make it a matter of fasting and prayer. A good place to start is with your own patriarchal blessing. To get the big picture, I recommend reading, “I am a Mother” by Jane Clayson Johnson. She makes a strong case for motherhood being the most important job in the world.

I’ve found that even when I’m trying to follow the teachings of Jesus, and doing the Lord’s will, I can still struggle with contentment. Keeping a gratitude journal and a dozen other journals has been one of the best ways for me to find joy. President Spencer W. Kimball, himself a keeper of journals, said:

“Those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an inventory of these blessings for our posterity.” (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982], 349.

The great thing about gratitude journals is that you can share them with your children now. They don’t need to wait to read them until you’re dead.
(I shared a few entries from my gratitude journal and the steno notebooks I’ve kept on each child.)

There are a multitude of ways to keep a journal. Do what works for you. Some examples include: blogging, scrapbooking, keeping a journal on your computer, or even just keeping a really detailed checkbook register. There’d be no writing checks or using debit cards if you didn’t receive lots of blessings!

I really like the advice given by Sister Marjorie Hinkley. She said, “As you create a home, don’t get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your family. Don’t dwell on your failures, but think about your successes. Have joy in your home. Have joy in your children. Have joy in your husband. Be grateful for the journey.”

Keep the big picture in mind. I’d like to share a quote that helps me do just that. In 1909 H.M. Bareham wrote something that was later quoted by Elder Spencer W. Kimball in April Conference of 1960. This quote has been around a long time because its truths are timeless:

“In 1809 men were following with bated breath the march of Napoleon and waiting with feverish impatience for news of the wars. And all the while in their homes babies were being born. Who could think about babies? Everyone was thinking about battles…. Yet which of the battles of 1809 mattered more than the babies of 1809? We fancy God can manage His world only with great battalions, when all the time He is doing it with beautiful babies…. When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants discovering, God sends a baby into the world to do it. While most of the thousands of precious infants born every hour will never be known outside their neighborhoods, there are great souls being born who will rise above their surroundings…. One mother gives us a Shakespeare, another a Michelangelo, and another an Abraham Lincoln…. When clouds of error need dissipating and spiritual darkness needs penetrating and heavens need opening, a little infant is born.”

I am grateful for the infants born in this world whose lives have brought me joy. I’m grateful for Jesus Christ, for Joseph Smith, for the missionaries who first brought the gospel to my ancestors in England and Denmark. Our children may not grow up to be presidents of the United States, but chances are they will be missionaries. And we are missionaries, and there’s not a more important place to share the gospel than in our homes. Doctrine and Covenants 18:15 says, “And if it so be that ye should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”

Being a mom is hard work, but it is important work, a work whose benefits and joys will extend into the eternities.

Funny Things Kids Say . . .

2009-02-25T13:20:00.002-07:00

I'm preparing to give a talk on finding joy as a young mother. As part of my preparation I'm talking about keeping a jounal and decided to share some snippets from the Steno notebooks I keep on each of my children. It's where I've recorded the funny things they've said and done. The following are the excerpts I'm planning to share in my talk. Enjoy!

from Bug's notebook

February 9, 1996 (he's just over 2 years old)
Bug woke up a couple days ago with a diaper rash. He said to Hubby, "Daddy my bottom hurts." And knowing that kisses help things feel better he added, "Daddy, kiss my bottom!"

from Loula Belle's notebook

July 8, 1998 (age 2)
I told Loula Belle that we needed to put her shoes on before going outside. "No!" she said. "I want to wear my toes."

August 28, 1998 (age 2)
Yesterday for breakfast I made "eggs in a basket." I asked Loula Belle where we get eggs from. She didn't seem to know, so Bug told her they come from chickens. Eager to show me she was smart, Lou told me that milk comes from cows. "Where does orange juice come from?" I asked, pointing to her sippy cup. "From horses," she said.

from Beans's notebook

August 29, 2002 (age 3 1/2)
Now that Bug and Loula Belle have started school, it's just Beans and me at home. This morning I was using the bathroom when the phone rang. Beans answered it. "Hello," she said. (pause) "Yes. She's going poop," she says, and then brings me the phone in the bathroom.

I was mortified! And just hung up. But they called right back. Fortunately, it was my sister-in-law, Angie. Boy did we ever have a good laugh!

December 2, 2006 (age 8)
Loula Belle was complaining about the whole-wheat pancakes we were having for breakfast, and Beans said, "I'd rather be hungry than eat these.

And they wonder why I don't like to cook.

Hike #4 -- Woodcamp/Jardine Juniper

2009-02-23T12:27:00.000-07:00

This sign marks the start of the trail to Jardine Juniper. Please note that 5.2 miles is a bit beyond my winter snowshoeing/hiking capabilities. By our estimates, my sister and I hiked approximately 2.5 miles toward Old Juniper before we turned around. Also, please note that we did that 2.5 miles in 2 hours, whereas our 1.65 miles up Bunchgrass Creek Trail a week earlier took us 1 hour and 45 minutes. We went faster and farther this time. I give the credit to a packed trail and hiking sans snowshoes. We could have gone farther, but we'd left the snowshoes in the truck, and at the end we were breaking trail through snow that was above our knees at times. I dressed in layers, but my top layer was a loose pair of jeans (my ski pants make me too hot). All the knee-deep hiking was getting me soaked! Hence, we turned back.

A beautiful, sunny morning causes squinting for photos. We could not have asked for a better day -- warm, clear, gorgeous!

We came across this sign once we started on the switchbacks, before getting to the naturally occuring springs. It made us chuckle because at the first of our hike Sherri spied a milk jug lid in the snow. She went to pick it up to throw away later and discovered a 1/3 full milk jug of . . . well . . . let's just say it looked like Mountain Dew. Gross! We had a short conversation about what would prompt a guy (had to be a guy) to wee in a jug and then leave it under a tree. Weird. And wrong on all sorts of levels! In future, let's hope that all hikers follow the sign's advice.

This is the trail before we hiked through it, breaking trail for the 7 or so other snowshoers we passed coming up the trail as we were headed down. (It felt good knowing that we'd gotten farther than any other hikers in the past three days or so.)

Look closely. This is proof that the cartoons are right. A little snow rolling down the hill does form into a big wheel-like ball. This is photographic proof.

All in all, it was a gret hike and a great workout.

Technology is like the Atonement . . .

2009-02-19T11:41:00.003-07:00

A friend e-mailed me to find out why the text on her blog isn't showing up. I offered my best advice and then confessed that I'm not a techno kind of person. I summed up by saying, "For me, technology is kind of like the Atonement. I use it, but I don't completely understand it."

That's going to be my thought for the day. Have you ever met anyone who was investigating the gospel but couldn't make a leap of faith because they had to know and understand everything? That's not faith, but it is an understandable position given the fact-filled world that we live in. We've been raised in the information age, and sometimes that upbringing can make it difficult to find faith. I see it as it relates to my health. I want to know all the whys and what-fors.

I know that Jesus's atonement makes it possible for Him to succor us in our physical afflictions. I don't know exactly how that works, but I've experienced it before. Right now seems like a good time to try using it again. I just need to remind myself that I don't have to know how spiritual healing works in order to use it. Faith means believing and then acting.

That's my goal for today, for forever.

A short personal history

2009-02-17T15:25:00.010-07:00

I was born in March of 1972 in the old Logan, Utah LDS hospital to a terrific set of parents. One of the nurses at the hospital said that I always looked like I wanted to ask a question. That sounds about right. I continue to be insatiably curious about the people and places around me.

Five short months before they brought me home to their little one-bedroom home on Center Street in Smithfield, my parents brought home another newborn baby girl, a baby they’d adopted from California. While we were babies my mom had her hands full! I imagine it was a lot like having twins, only we didn’t go through developmental stages at the same time. I was always a few steps behind my sister, trying hard to keep up. My brothers were born in 1975 and 1978 while we were living in Hyrum, Utah.

My dad taught me to love dogs and horses and the great outdoors. Dad wanted his girls to be tough. We have a photo of Sherri and me at age two, each holding a fish and bawling. Eventually we learned not to cry when he dropped something new into our outstretched hands. I consider my dad to be my first biology and science teacher. He took me for horse rides in the mountains and taught me the names of the all the birds, flowers, animals and trees.

I have always loved school. My academic career began at Lincoln Elementary in Hyrum, Utah and ended in May of 1994 when I received my bachelor degree in English from Utah State University. Somewhat naively, I thought that girls naturally became like their mothers, and so I patterned my life after my mom’s. She loves reading and writing. So do I. She enjoys talking with people and getting to know them. So do I. She was an exchange student when she was sixteen. So was I. (I went to Tokyo, Japan.) She graduated valedictorian from high school. So did I. I’m grateful that she set a great example for me and gave me a lot to achieve and accomplish.

I met my husband while attending the USU 14th ward. I’ve always kept a journal and had written a couple entries listing the criteria I’d like to have in a future husband. Once I found myself falling for Hubby, I looked back on those entries and discovered that he was a perfect fit. He has a strong testimony of Jesus Christ, knows where he’s going in life, is a hard worker and shares similar interests with me. But it was the heart-felt notes he’d leave in my racquetball bag or on the windshield of my car that made it easy to say yes when he proposed. That one decision has been the biggest blessing in my life!

Built in Accountability . . .

2009-02-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

Today's Herald Journal, my local newspaper, contains my first Hiking to Health article. (Sorry, it's not on-line.) I'm pleased with how they laid it out and their photo choices. It's nice. And binding.

There in black and white is my committment to take two snowshoe/hiking outings each month and write a monthly report of my progress. No wimping out now. I'm committed. Which was part of my plan all along.

Why is it that a promise to oneself is easy to break? But a promise made to others is more likely to be kept? I disappoint myself all the time by not doing what I know is best for myself. (As in yesterday's bowl of ice cream.) But I'll go to great lengths not to let someone else down.

Clearly on my path to better health I need to learn how to make and keep committments to myself. Anyone have experience learning how to do this? Any handy tips?

Bunchgrass Creek Snowshoe Outing

2009-02-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

This is my sister and me at the beginning of our latest snowshoe outing. On Wednesday morning we drove up Logan Canyon, parked along the highway just past the Tony Grove turn off, and hiked up the Bunchgrass Creek trail. Unlike our other hiking outings, Wednesday's weather was overcast with a few snow flurries. We also had to wear snowshoes for the entire hike. I felt like Nanook of the North trudging through the snow.

This is a young aspen with a bit of naturally occuring graffiti. P is for powder!

And this is my powder pooch! Annie loves the snow. She rolls in it, licks it up, runs like mad through it. I call her my all-terrain dog.

This trail may look moderate. Actually it is moderate, but moderate kicked my tush! My sister brought along a GPS that told us how far we'd hiked, the elevation, temperature, etc. We started up the trail at 10 AM and my goal was to hike until noon, taking little breaks along the way. Well, by 11:45 I called Uncle. My joints felt fine. I was just beat. Hot, sweaty, and tired. The GPS said we'd gone only 1.6 miles. If snowshoeing on a moderate incline for under 2 miles tuckers me out, how am I ever going to scale the mighty Wellsville Mountains? The climb up Deep Canyon to the Wellsville Ridge is 2.9 miles with an elevation gain of 2,720 feet. From there the hike along the ridge to the Wellsville Cone is 3.2 miles and an elevation gain of 1,350 feet. Add it up. That's 6.1 miles and an elevation climb of 4,070 feet! My days of missing my morning Nordic Track workouts are over. I am motivated not to die on September 12th. I'll be kicking my workouts up a notch.

This is Bunchgrass Creek. I'd like to see it again in the summertime.

Dream Simple

2009-02-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Maybe you've noticed that I enjoy coming up with monthly motivational phrases. Last month's was -- Shut your mouth and live your life! A reminder to live a fulfilled life that will help prevent mindless eating. Or something like that.

For this month my motto is -- Dream Simple.

We've all been told to dream big. But dreaming big often backfires on me. I have a very vivid imagination and really enjoy creating a fully illustrated alternate reality in my head. That's when the over-achiever side of my personality takes over and outlines a series of steps necessary to achieve said gigantic dream. Those steps then morph into expectations, and pretty soon reality kicks in, perhaps in the form of a malfunctioning thyroid or an ovarian cyst from Hades, or just in the demands of raising a family and running a household. It seems that sooner or later I realize that the gigantic dream I'd created for myself isn't going to materialize.

How do you feel when you've taken steps to reach a goal and come up short? I'll be honest. I feel crappy. Demoralized. Defeated. Depressed.

Hence my new motto -- Dream Simple.

Here's the thing, dreaming, imagining wonderful things for yourself, feels great. I don't ever want to stop dreaming. But I'd like to stop feeling like a failure. Looking at my past experiences with dream drop-out, I can see that I aimed for the stars and landed in my backyard.

But is the backyard such a bad place to be? Not really. It's where our chicken coop is, where we get three fresh eggs every day. It's where I play fetch with my dog while I'm out doing chores. Come spring it's where our lilac plants will bloom, where the strawberries will come on, where the grass will need mowing, where the kids will lay out a blanket and read in the sun. And I'm going to join them.

I can see that these alternate realities I've been creating for myself often neglect to take into account current realities: kids, chores, husband, church callings, genetic predispositions. If I'm going to stop feeling like a failure, I'm going to need to start dreaming with the backyard in mind. Dreaming simple means considering where you're starting from, thinking about who you are and what brings you joy.

Joy. That's what dreaming simple is all about. Instead of aiming at joy, I can see that my dreams have been aiming for recognition.

Old habits die hard. Our family is in the process of creating individual history pages to add to my father-in-law's personal history book. I've been asked to write a one page summary of my life up until I got married. Sunday I dug through boxes in the basement and found a scrapbook I kept from middle school through high school. It's full of straight-A report cards, awards and certificates of recognition for everything from camp certification to English Sterling Scholar and valedictorian. If it extended into my college years it would be more of the same right up until I graduated and began my career as an at-home mom.

No wonder I've been making myself miserable. I spent the first half of my life seeking and getting recognition while overlooking the joy of the jouney. There is very little recognition, awards or certificates of achievement given to mothers. But there are countless daily joys.

Dreaming simple involves recognizing dreams that have come true and acknowledging blessings and gifts. Sometimes dreaming simple means imagining your life staying the same. Wow. That's a new thought for me, but a powerful one.

I don't need to dream about having a different life or being a different person (i.e. a skinnier one). I can dream about where my current life is taking me, dream about the joys that lie ahead. But most importantly, I can be grateful for this wonderful, simple dream that I'm living.

Hiking to Health . . .

2009-02-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

Last last year I hit upon a fun way to stay motivated to get in shape. Go hiking! I also approached my local newspaper about the possibility of sharing my exploits with its readers. Well, I just heard back from the features editor. They'd like me to write a once-a-month hiking piece starting in February and going thru September. Watch out Herald Journal readers, HERE I COME!

I'll be combining the Green Canyon hike with this past Saturday's Cherry Creek hike for the first submission. Here are some shots I took on Saturday. For Tina's take on the excursion, visit her blog. (She has better photos.)

This is my sister Sherri and her friend Carl mugging for the camera before we head up the trail.

This is Tina carrying her snowshoes. We discovered that the packed trail didn't really require snowshoes. Speaking for myself, I discovered that the little wider walking stance required for snowshoeing bothered my hips. Curse these hips! Walking up the trail in hiking books was easier.

This is Carl bending down to take off his snowshoes. Notice that he's got my set strapped to his backpack. Thanks Carl! (I ditched mine sooner than everyone else.)

After we'd been hiking for over an hour, the packed trail ended at a cabin. Hmmmm. We'd long ago left our snowshoes under a tree. We trudged up the trail a bit sans snow gear, but decided to call it a hike and turn around.

All in all, I think it was a good idea to ditch the snowshoes. Not only did it save my hips, but it shortened our hike -- made it so that we didn't overdo. I came home feeling like I'd had a workout, but not left totally drained. Perfect!

Next week we'll be hiking Bunchgrass trail up Logan Canyon. E-mail me if you'd like to come along!

The joys of being . . .

2009-02-06T12:20:00.003-07:00

This is the view from the top of the mountain just off Marge's Triple at Beaver Mountain. I snapped this Wednesday morning. My daughter's elementary school does a P.E. unit on skiing and has the opportunity to go skiing at drastically reduced rates. In the morning the kids get lessons, and this mom skiied all her favorite runs. The sun was shining, and the weather was perfect!

Here we are with the lodge in the background and great big smiles on our faces. We left the haze of the valley behind and enjoyed warmth and sunshine skiing down the slopes.

Here's a little confession. I'm a very task-oriented person who likes to tick tasks off my daily to-do list. But this one day of skiing with my daughter left a big impression on me. It helped me remember that life is not a list of tasks to be checked off, it's about living and being. I spent most of Wednesday living in the present, being present for my daughter.

You've heard about the dangers of distracted driving. But what about distracted living? I'm afraid that I've been guilty of doing a lot of distracted living lately -- crossing off appointments on my calendar, planning for upcoming events, even blogging about what I've been doing -- but missing present moments.

I keep thinking back to the words of President Thomas S. Monson. He wisely taught:
1. Learn from the past.
2. Prepare for the future.
3. Live in the present.

I feel like I'm living in the present when I take the time to play darts with Beans, when I stop what I'm doing when Lou comes home from school and listen to her while she eats her after-school snack. Even just reading a book on the couch while the rest of the family is scattered around me feels like making the most of small moments. Remembering to ask my husband about his day at work and then listening and responding to what he says is living in the present.

Because I spend most of the day home while everyone else is gone to work or school, I sometimes get overly focused on my own agenda. When they return I have a hard time transitioning back into a multi-person focus. But hey, now that I've acknowledged what the problem is, I can work on improving.

Every little moment spent with a loved one is a moment to savor and cherish!

An expensive, ER visit issued bracelet . . .

2009-02-03T22:18:00.000-07:00

I went to the Emergency Room on Sunday evening. I thought it was a kidney stone, but it turned out to be an ovarian cyst between 5-6 centimeters long. Which, in the words of my doctor, is honking! And terribly painful. I didn't actually save the little identification bracelet that they tag you with when you go to the ER, but I figure it will end up costing $250. (There are SO MANY other things I would rather spend that money on!)

The good news is that the worst pain of my life has passed, and I'm hopeful it will never return. Also, I was able to complete hike #2 on Saturday and will post my report in the next day or two. (It was more difficult, but I felt in better shape to meet its physical demands.)

Also, I'm headed up skiing tomorrow with my daughter's elementary school class. Mostly I'll be avoiding the other little skiers and focusing on spending a day on the slopes with my little cutie. Should be fun.

This housewife is awfully gratefull to be back to feeling healthy!

My First Robert Burns Dinner . . .

2009-02-03T21:33:00.011-07:00

This is Eric, the bagpiper who was playing when we entered the door at our friends's home for our first Robert Burns Commemorative Dinner. If you'd like more information on Robert Burns, you have one of two options. Option 1: You can check out what Wikipedia has to say about him. Option 2: You can find some friends with Scottish ancestry that enjoy throwing elaborate parties and are kind enough to invite you. We went with option #2.

Meet Lez and DeSiree, our friends and ward members. After forgetting to bring my camera to their commorative dinner celebrating Saint Barbara, patron saint of miners, I made sure to get pictures this time. Lez and Des give dinners that would put the spreads you see in glossy magazines to shame. For their miner's dinner, Lez and his son constructed a simulated mine in their basement complete with timber beams, ventilation tubing, and all the fine touches. Knowing their dedication to their Scottish ancestry, I knew to expect an equally authentic environment at the Burns Dinner. I wasn't disappointed. We were treated to live music on the bagpipes. The room for the dinner was draped in swags of tartan with Scottish flags as accents. And the food was, well, Scottish. Posted below is a video of the Parade of the Haggis. And, yes, I sampled the haggis. It was fine. But I must say that I was a bit more appreciative of the other Scottish fare. Except, you've got to love an entree that has such loyal admirers. Tony gave a wonderful rendition of Burns' "Address to a Haggis" and then it was time to dine!

Thank you, Lez and Des for going above and beyond the ordinary to put on a wonderful feast!

What makes me a healthy housewife?

2009-01-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a list of reasons why I'd like to call myself a healthy housewife:

1. I've kept off 20 lbs. of weight loss for over 2 1/2 years.

2. I just recently made a commitment to only buy nutritious foods. I'm doing it for me. I'm doing it for my family.

3. My dieting and exercise efforts don't always result in weight loss. But they do improve my health. I can't control the number on the scale -- only what I put in my mouth and how I move my body.

4. I'm learning to dream simple. My family is my career. My faith is my foundation.

5. At-home moms won't get the respect they deserve until they start respecting themselves. I'm happy with who I am and what I do. If sharing myself helps other women, I'm all for it!

6. Housewife carries cool conotations of cheery, 50s era women with a family-friendly vibe. I'm working on being cheery a bit more.

7. When I'm healthy, I'm happy.

A Cold, Clear Day of Skiing

2009-01-28T13:45:00.006-07:00

Every direction I looked it was beautiful. Cold, but beautiful. Yesterday my friends Nancy, Leigh and I skied the Beav. When we pulled into the parking lot just before 10 AM Leigh's car said it was -10 degress outside. It was a little hard to belive that a landscape so glistening and picture-perfect could be so cold.

We donned all our gear and headed out for a day on the slopes. Nancy is in yellow (Big Bird), Leigh is in green (Oscar), and I'm in pink (Zoe). Right off we ran into my cousin Tiffany, in blue (Grover). Our Sesame Street gang spent the first half of the morning together before Tiffany had to check back in with the ski school -- she's an instructor with them.

Because of the cold temperatures, we'd ski down a ways, take a breather to let our faces defrost and the "ice cream" headaches wear off a bit before completeing the run. Usually when I go skiing I'm coldest on the lift going up, and skiing down the mountain warms me up, but not yesterday. Riding the lift was balmy compared to the wind factor temps we experienced while skiing down. Leigh said, "It's a good thing my kids aren't up here today. They'd be bawling, it's so cold!" On one of the afternoon runs when the wind kicked up a bit, I even tried skiing backwards to keep the wind from sending biting pieces of ice into my face. But skiing backwards involves snowplowing backwards, and parrallel skiing with legs close together actually proved warmer than skiing backwards.

Here's Leigh, Nancy, and Tiffany on Sunshine. Sunshine was a favorite run as it didn't entail going too fast and was always in the sun. (Shadowy runs were especially chilling.)

I have perfected the skill of taking self-photos! This is Big Bird, Oscar and me on Marge's Triple. This was one of the times that we provided comic relief to anyone who happened to be watching as we got off the chair lift. Nancy about turfed it, but we all managed to stay upright. On another run Leigh was in the middle and, again, we provided a laugh for a couple of watching ski patrollers. They also recognized us when they came into the lodge for lunch. When it came time to head home (a little early) we informed them that they could go home too, as the mountain was now safe with us gone.

All in all, it was an awesome day. A cold day skiing beats a cold day spent anywhere else!

I've got a new doctor . . .

2009-01-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but most of the time when I see a doctor I know that when I leave the office I'm going to be out of sight and out of mind. I'm hoping that will be a thing of the past with my new doc.

When I had that heart scare in early December the folks at the ER wanted to know who my doctor was. I gave them the name of my OB/GYN. They said he wouldn't know what to do with the results from the Holter monitor, so I gave them the name of the family physician that the rest of my family sees. He's been a friend of our family for years. In fact, he and my brother married sisters. So he's my brother's brother-in-law. Which makes him my what? Yeah. Doctor.

Yes, it will be a bit weird for yearly physicals. (Don't want to even think about that now.) But I can already tell things are going to be different. He called this morning with the results from the labs they took at my office visit on Wednesday. His nurse didn't call. He called.

When I went in to see him, I'd made yearly charts from four years of records from the medical files I have from my OB/GYN's office. I graphed my weight over time and circled each office visit in a pen color that coordinated with the key of symptoms I usually complain of. Below the graph I listed the office visit date and any medications, weight, blood pressure, lab results and/or changes in treatment. (Note: If you're a computer programmer and want to make a program to do this, my doctor said you'd become rich.) I found it interesting to note that I never seem to go to the doctor during the spring and summer. Only during the fall and winter. I'm hoping that the light therapy I've started this year makes my fall/winter visits less frequent. (Either that, or I've been telling my husband that maybe we ought to think about moving South. Somewhere nice and warm and sunny.)

Anyway, when my doctor called this morning he said that my thyroid has flip-flopped from being over-active to under-active. Way underactive. (TSH of 12 -- I've never seen my TSH results that high.) He thinks that's part of the reason why my weight hasn't dropped despite dieting and exercise.

I appreciate how my new doctor takes the time to listen to me. After Wednesday's visit I'm optimistic that he'll find the right approach to helping me feel better. Weight loss would be nice, but right now I'd just like to feel healthy, feel strong.

No News is the Best Kind of News . . .

2009-01-24T19:08:00.002-07:00

Warning, this may be a ho-hum post. 'Cause nothing big has been happening lately. But in light of last month's heart scare and holiday headaches, nothing is a good thing.

The kids are being kids. Bug is interested in yet another pair of basketball shoes. He doesn't need them. (He just bought a new pair last month.) But he's determined to buy them. If I go insane in the next few weeks, you'll know that my son's basketball show fettish finally overcame my sanity. (Note: As parents we've expressed our disappointment in his shoe plans, but he does have his own money to spend. We did say that transportation to and from the shoe store will be $5.)

Both Bug and Loula Belle are playing on local basketball teams. Both teams are undefeated after four weeks. Last week we also got a call inviting Lou to play on a girl's competitive soccer team for this spring. They needed a goalie. Lou jumped at the chance.

Beans, our mild child, is loving winter. Mostly because there aren't any grasshoppers around. She's got a serious aversion to grasshoppers and other creepy, crawly critters. Summer garden work is the ultimate in agony for our 10-year-old.

I've called the man who is over all the Especially For Youth (EFY) faculty and left a message expressing my interest in becoming an instructor. I learned from a neighbor who teaches with EFY that I'll need to have four 45-minute talks. Here's my possible title list:

1. Charity: Seeing the world through Son-glasses
2. Lessons on individuality from the occupants of Noah's Ark.
3. Working in the garden of the gospel.
4. Whose marching orders will you follow?

In the last couple of weeks the Church has initiated a hiring freeze. I'm not sure if that will apply to EFY instructors or not, but either way, I'm having fun pursuing this dream.

In publishing news, I heard from the features editor at the Herald Journal that he's been swamped and hasn't had time to read my first hiking article yet. Earlier he's said that they're experiencing budget cuts and isn't sure that they'll want to make an on-going committment to a correspondent. At least he didn't say no. Yet.

In all sorts of ways, no news really is the best kind of news.

Living, breathing, and never giving up

2009-01-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

I quit Weight Watchers because it was too devastating to follow the program, pay my money, and gain weight. But that doensn't mean that I'm throwing in the towel.

Nope. I'm still tracking WW points and focusing on core/filling foods (i.e. lowfat dairy, fruits and veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats). I'm getting my exercise and light therapy all in one. In fact, I've upped the time to 45 minutes and increased the resistance on the Nordic Track just a tad.

I made a breakthrough yesterday. In the past I've been a little discouraged by my family's desire to have carbilicious foods around. Well, yesterday I decided that I will no longer buy foods that aren't good for me. They can want them. They can even buy them. But I won't.

At family night I told them of my resolution. They weren't happy. I also explained that we'd still have a treat every Monday evening as a part of family night, but that it would be a single serving treat. Meaning we'd go to the store and have everyone select a treat of their choice, but the days of ice cream tubs and a dozen donuts are over. I told my kids that they could put their sweets/treats requests in with their dad, and he'd be the one to buy them. They weren't too optimistic that he'd be bringing their booty home either.

Taking a stand to not buy unhealthy things may seem like a little thing, but already I feel more in control of my life. More free. It's a good feeling!

Our New President . . .

2009-01-20T11:42:00.004-07:00

I have just a few things to say about our new President, Barack Obama. First, I didn't vote for him, but after I saw how overcome other African Americans were when they heard he'd been elected, I became profoundly grateful that he would be our next president.

Second, I don't agree with all of President Obama's past policy decisions, but I'm behind him 100%. Meaning, I pray for him. I believe that he'll try his utmost to make decisions that will be best for America, but he can't do it alone. America doesn't rise and fall because of the influence of just one man. It's the many that make us mighty, and I intend to take personal action that will build and strengthen our nation.

In his inaugral address President Obama said, "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility, a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task."

I know that many people are happy to see George W. Bush leaving office. I have mixed feelings. I don't believe that he alone brought our nation to where it is today. Again, I think that the individual decisions of millions of Americans will alter economic stability and our country's moral fiber more than the political decisions of the President of the United States. George W. Bush isn't the bad guy, just the fall guy. I take him at his word when he says that he did what he thought would be best for our country.

What would happen if the rest of America did what they thought would be best for our country instead of doing what they think would be best only for themselves? What if more of our politicians did this as well? Where could we be in four years? Only time will tell.

Waste Not, Want Not

2009-01-17T11:58:00.003-07:00

It's been a while since I've done a farm-themed post. So here's one. When was the last time you thought about where your food comes from? I had a little refresher just this afternoon.

We've had four leghorn hens out in our chicken coop. But I've noticed that one of them is an inconsistent layer. We named her Quasimodo because of her misshapen feet back when we weren't sure if she was male or female. It's those same feet that probably keep her from proper scratching, which likely affects her laying. Long story short, I got tired of feeding a chicken that's not producing.

We've eaten old layers in the past, and even though this one wasn't that old, we opted to donate her to a local Chinese restaurant. I called them up to see if they'd like her. (Our neighbors have donated their old layers there, which is how we found out about them.) I explained that it would be a lot easier for me to wring her neck here and bring her in freshly dead. That was fine with them, they just asked that I bring her in a box.

All went well. I have to say that it felt good knowing that she wouldn't be wasted and that someone was going to get a nice bit of tiny spicy chicken from her. But every time I have to "harvest" a chicken it makes me think a bit more about those boneless, skinless ones I buy from the store. My convenience is someone else's gore.

Overweight Housewife Hiking to Health

2009-01-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

I sent the following write-up to the features editor of my local paper. I'll let you know of they print it. (Keep your fingers crossed.)
---------------

Everyone has a claim to fame. Mine is that I’m Google’s number one overweight housewife. Meaning, if you type the terms “overweight housewife” in a Google search, my blog will be the first result listed. I should be embarrassed about that, but I’m not. Something in my personality makes me perfectly willing to look bad if it will help someone else feel better. For example, when I end up at the grocery store without my hair done or make-up on, I put a big smile on my face and tell myself that I’m making someone’s day. When other women see me, I just know they’re going to feel a whole lot better about themselves.

I’m bringing my strange sense of altruism to the pages of this newspaper. This year I’m planning to go on two showshoe/hiking outings each month in training to climb the Wellsville Mountains in early September. Basically I’ve subscribed to the idea that things which don’t kill you will make you stronger. Or at the very least, they’ll help you drop a few pounds.

My journey to the top of the Wellsville Mountain range started with a little hike up Green Canyon. I chose this hike first for two reasons. One, I’m familiar with it. I’ve done it before. And two, it’s fairly easy. I didn’t want to keel over from a heart attack on my first outing.

As I pulled into the parking lot at the mouth of Green Canyon, I could see three women just starting to snowshoe up the hillside trail. A couple cars up from my parking spot another woman seemed to be converting a bike trailer into a ski trailer. I’ve never seen anyone pull their child behind them up the canyon while they cross-country skied. Just the thought of it made me break out in a cold sweat.

While my sister and I waited for my friend Tina to arrive, I checked the contents of my fanny pack: two bottles of water, three plastic bags for collecting doggy doo, a hat, gloves, wallet and small emergency mirror to be used for flashing sunlight into the eyes of search pilots sent to rescue our party of hikers should we somehow lose our bearings and become lost. All appeared to be in order. Moments later Tina arrived, and before long our all-female group of three hikers and three dogs headed up the trail.

We left the snowshoes in the truck and trudged cheerfully up the packed, icy slope. The dogs alternated between racing ahead and charging straight back at us. Every time they ran at me I’d stop for a second and brace myself for impact. Four knee surgeries are enough for me, thank you very much. I wasn’t about to let an exuberant dog disable me at the beginning of my hiking career.

From time to time we’d stop for a breather and a little water. My dog, Annie, continued trying to get her new found friends to engage in a little dog-wrestling in the snow, but had no takers. Tina told us the story of how Senator Bob Bennett’s office came to her rescue when she kept getting the run around from the U.S. passport application people. Time flew by, and after almost an hour my knees spoke up and told us it was time to head back down the canyon. They continued to complain as we made our way back to our vehicles.

It was just one hike, but already I’m feeling stronger. Not physically, per se, but mentally. I’m proving to myself one hike at a time that being an overweight housewife with a bum knee can’t stop me from living a healthy life.

Overweight Housewife Hiking to Health

2009-01-16T14:56:00.004-07:00

Finding Joy in Raising Children

2009-01-13T10:34:00.003-07:00

For today's entry I'd like to share the informational blurb (read, disclaimer) that I turned into our Stake Relief Soceity counselor for the talk Linda and I are giving on February 28th. (Come if you can!)

Finding Joy in Raising Young Children
If you’re a mom who last found Joy looking under the sink for the liquid dish detergent, then this class is for you! With eight kids between them, these two moms have made over 35,000 meals and changed over 27,000 diapers. They’ll share their best tips for enjoying the journey that is motherhood.

To make yourself feel good today calculate how many meals you've prepared. Or how many diapers you've changed in your lifetime (I used 6/day the first year and 5/day during a child's second year. Deduct 100 for hubby helping a bit.) If you have any other ideas on what might be fun to figure, let me know!

Happy Mothering!

Workin' With What I've Got

2009-01-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

I'm moving on.

This is me on my Nordic Track getting exercise and full-spectrum light therapy all in one. (Can you see the lamp that's shining right into my face?) After my last discouraging entry I figured out that I'd been missing light therapy time in the mornings. Of the four days that Hubby and I went to the gym early, our two oldest kids slept through their alarms two mornings. Instead of getting my 40 minutes under the light I'd drive them to school and miss out on a key ingredient in keeping me happy. Situation solved.

Saturday morning was the first time for my all-in-one workout. Since then I've done it every morning for 40 minutes. (Sunday included, but more subdued.)

I get good and sweaty 'cause I use my Timex Ironman watch to do interval training. It's like an electronic personal trainer. If you look carefully, you can see the watch strapped to the grab bars of the Nordic Track. I set the timer for 40 minutes, warm up for 5 minutes and then start the interval timer. I run for 3 minutes, it beeps, and I ski at a moderate pace for 1 minute. It beeps again and I'm back to another 3 minutes. I do 8 sets of 3 min. run / 1 min. recover. I spend the last 3 minutes of the workout cooling down. Then I spend a little time doing ab crunches and stretching out on the floor. (On Mon/Wed/Fri I plan to do some light weight training afterwards.)

Music makes this workout! In fact, that's why I put my exercise tunes back on this blog. I've added "Live your life" by T.I. My son introduced it to me. It really hits home in light of my sluggish metabolism. It starts out with these lyrics:

What you need ta do is be thankful for the life you've got
Stop lookin' at what you ain't got and start bein' thankful for what you do got.

So live your life!

Note: It's supposed to appear in the playlist to the left, but it's only there off and on. Go figure. If it's not there, check it out on itunes and get it on your player.

One of my favorite motivational quotes is from the Old Farmer's Almanac. It goes like this:
"You can't lose weight by talking about it. You have to keep your mouth shut."

Well, I'm combining that quote with the lyrics from today's motivational song to create my motto for the month:

Shut your mouth and live your life!

P.S. A little dog therapy/play time is a great lift.

The Great Hiking Plan

2009-01-10T12:41:00.003-07:00

Here's the general plan for upcoming snowshoe/hiking outings. I've got dates assigned for each outing and will be happy to e-mail you the detailed plan if you'd like to join me for any/all of the hikes. My e-mail is: hansenchristie@yahoo.com.

January
Mouth of Green Canyon / Bunchgrass to White Pine Creek Trail

February
Blind Hollow Trail / Jardine Juniper

March
The Wind Caves / climb to the reflectors on the East mountains

April
The Crimson Trail / Preston Valley to Beirdneau trail

May
Green Canyon to Mt. Elmer trail / Willow Creek to Little Cottonwood Creek loop

June
Richards Hollow trail / High Creek trail

July
Bloomington Lake / Tony Grove to Wood Camp Hollow

August
Mt. Naomi / Cherry Creek Canyon trail

September 12th
The Wellsville Cone via Deep Canyon trail

And here's the pitch I e-mailed to the Herald Journal this morning. Think they'll go for it? (I'll let you know.)

--------------------

Dear Editor (personalized, of course)

This year I’m planning to go on two showshoe/hiking outings each month in training to climb the Wellsville Mountains in early September. I’ll be blogging about this experience but also thought that your readers might enjoy reading about the hiking exploits of a fairly average overweight homemaker.

I’m using my 2004 edition of Cache Trails as a starting point but also plan to utilize the folks at the Cache Ranger District and USGS maps.

Last year you featured the fitness stories of three men who were trying to lose weight. As a HJ reader, I found it personally motivating. Maybe my quest to conquer the Wellsvilles could serve a similar function for other readers. I’m referring to the Wellsville hike as my personal Everest, and the great thing about making them a part of a fitness goal is that I can look out my window and see them every day. Believe it or not, I’m even open to tracking my weight and fitness stats in the pages of the Herald Journal. (If Oprah can share her weight on national television, I can share mine in my local paper.)

This may be a good fit for your Health page or Thursday’s Outdoor section. I’m open to either option and would be happy to provide you with twice-a-month articles and photos. Of course I also realize that reduced frequency may be an easier fit for your editorial plans.

Let me know if you’re interested.

Frustration Central . . .

2009-01-09T12:23:00.000-07:00

I've been in tears twice this morning.

I started back to the gym a week ago today. I figured that I could go to my favorite step aerobics class on Mondays and Fridays and hit the strength training one at the same time on Wednesday mornings. My body, however, hasn't agreed to my plan.

It was great seeing all my workout friends, but after each step class I feel terrible. Honestly, this morning I didn't wake up quite as puffy as usual, but during step that changed. My hands got tight. My feet and ankles felt awful. Tight. Stiff. And when I looked at myself in the mirror as I worked out, I could see that my ankles and feet were puffy. Gross!

As the morning progressed it only got worse. After I ran the kids to school this morning, I could tell that even my eyelids were puffy -- and I hadn't even cried yet.

I've taken a dieuretic this morning, but it hasn't really helped. I've got an appointment with the doctor who has been looking at my heart test results (family physician), but I'm not very optimistic. I'm really tired of getting my hopes up that something will help only to have them dashed yet again.

I feel trapped in a body that doesn't fit me. I want to be out there doing. Soaring. Flying. Instead I'm stuck in this body that is slow and sluggish. I've wondered if it's all in my head. Thought that maybe if I just start doing and moving, I can work through it. But that's not happening. Today's step class drove home the point that my body needs TLC. As much as I enjoy flying across the aerobic room in perfect sync with my fellow steppers, it super-stresses my body. Crap!

I'm sure that eventually I'll get back to my optimistic, can-do self, but today I'm venting my frustrations. Thanks for bearing with me.

What to do with the scale . . .

2009-01-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

What I would really like to do with my scale:

Run over it with the car.

Recycle it. Let the recyclers crush it into a million pieces and turn it into something actually useful.

Drop it into the flowing lava of Mordor. (One scale to rule them all. One scale to bind them. One scale to rule their world, and with it's numbers, blind them.)

Put out in the snow and let the next hulking snow plow fling it into oblivion.

Take Allie's advice and give it to Deseret Industries. (Come to think of it, I've never seen a bathroom scale at my favorite thrift store. Is it because they sell like hotcakes or because no one ever has the nerve to give them away?)

Pack it in my carry-on the next time I go to the airport and let TSA dispose of it.

Feed it to Godzilla.

What I've decided to do with my bathroom scale:

Hide it under the bed. The plan is to weigh in once a month. On fast Sunday -- the first Sunday of the month.

The resolutions that almost made it into Chicken Soup for the Soul

2009-01-06T14:57:00.002-07:00

Up until a couple months ago I thought that the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul book would contain one of my past "From the Trenches" columns. Alas, they pulled it at the last minute. Who knows why. But I figured that this is a good spot to give it one more run. (It appeared in January 2000 -- nine years ago.)

---------------

Realistic New Year's Resolutions

Year after year I set New Year’s resolutions that go something like -- “Exercise at least four times every week. Limit sweets and eat more fruits and vegetables. Lose three pounds each month or at least 25 pounds this year.” For fun I occasionally throw in -- “Go on a date once a week with spouse.”

So far my success rate stinks. I’m beginning to think I should label my list of goals “wishful thinking.”

Instead of setting lofty goals, this year I’m trying something different. I’m going to be realistic when making my resolutions. This is the year I will succeed!

I resolve to:

Take my morning shower each day by at least bed time.

Keep the house clutter free for a minimum of 8 hours each day. While this may seem daunting, I figure that if I tidy up before going to bed, the house will be clean through the night–maybe even longer.

Allow my three-year-old to wear mis-matched clothes. Tempting as it may be to insist that she not wear her purple socks with her red and black dress, I’ll refrain and bite my tongue. (Ouch.)

Let my kindergartener wear the same shirt to school for up to a week at a time – as long as it’s still clean.

Not worry about my children’s uncombed hair until it’s time to go out in public.

Not fret if Beans stays in her sleeper until lunch.

Breathe in and out – slowly, if need be.

Drink six glasses of water each day. (And savor the resulting time alone in the bathroom.)

Exercise. . . my patience, that is.

Prepare meals that offer good nutrition and let my kids worry about how much they eat.

Resist eating what’s left on their plates. Better yet, eliminate the temptation to eat their leftovers by immediately running them under cold water.

Wear a smile with my sweats.

Pamper myself a little: paint my toenails at least once this year, buy something impractical to add to my wardrobe, go out with friends at least every other month.

Play Chutes and Ladders with my kids and let them bend the rules a bit.

Let my daughter do my hair (she typically uses 20 barrettes) and leave it in. Hold my head high as I walk down the store aisles.

Willingly sing “Jingle bells” whenever it’s requested.

Find excuses to spend more time together as a family.

Laugh more, grump less.

Wishful Thinking vs. Patience

2009-01-06T14:08:00.000-07:00

“Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.” – Doctrine and Covenants 24:8

I came across this scripture in today’s morning reading. At the time I read it I was enjoying the glow of peace that seems to envelope me when I’m immersed in reading scripture. I felt warm and capable of enduring during those minutes this morning on the couch. But now it’s almost noon, and I’m back in the land of daily doings struggling to be patient. Struggling to endure my dose of afflictions.

Specifically, I’m discouraged with my health and my lack of success in losing weight. I re-joined Weight Watchers the Monday before Christmas and have been following the program guidelines for two weeks. The result? A weight gain of 1.6 pounds.

I’ll be honest. I re-joined Weight Watchers because of the heart scare I had on December 8th. When the Holiter monitor results came back showing that my heart rate was over 100 bpm for 42% of the 48 hours that I wore the instrument, I became rattled. Having my doctor advise me to discontinue strenuous exercise until I could have a stress echocardiogram also unnerved me. The stress echo didn’t take place until December 29th, and until then I contemplated my mortality as I’ve never done before. (It made for a really crummy Christmas season.)

The heart testing all came back normal. My heart is in fine working order. But my metabolism is another matter. This fall my doctor told me that my genetics have combined to give me a body that is very good at gaining and maintaining weight. I guess my recent experience at Weight Watchers is just another confirmation of that diagnosis.

It’s possible that Weight Watchers may not be the best way for me to approach weight loss. Its methods and teachings are sound, but given my metabolically conservative body, paying money to maintain my weight contributes to my frustration and impatience. I want to get a good weight loss bang for my buck, and that’s not happening.

I’m beginning to see that I can’t chart out a nice quick timetable for weight loss. Like so many other things in life, it’s going to happen slowly, maybe even sporadically. It might stall. It might stagnate. It might even slip into reverse. A sluggish metabolism is one of my afflictions. How can I endure it patiently?

First of all, I can choose what I focus on. When I become fixated on the number on the scale, it has a tendency to rule my life. I’m happy when it’s down. Discouraged when it’s up. That’s not a good way to live. And if I learned anything during the holidays, it’s that I want to live! And I want that living to be quality living.

I may not be able to control my metabolism, but I can control what goes into my mouth. If I’m not hungry, nothing should be going in. During these two weeks at Weight Watchers I’ve been graphing my hunger. I’m amazed at how seldom I feel hungry. A small handful of almonds and a cup of herbal tea will often keep me satisfied through the morning. I’ve also noticed that eating sweets begets eating more sweets. They’re a trigger food for me, and I know that they’re low on nutrition. I can do a better job of feeding my body high quality foods when it’s hungry and finding something else to do when the hunger is all in my head. And when I slip up, I can repent and recommit to healthier eating patterns.

Moving more is a proven way to give a sluggish metabolism a boost. Here, again, I’m a bit afflicted. I’ve had four knee surgeries on my left knee and experience swelling and joint pain in my other knee, hips and ankles. But, hey, I can walk. I can ride a bike (indoor stationary bike in the winter). I can snowshoe and hike – I just have to take it easy. Go slowly. If I start to compare myself with others who are running half marathons and using double risers during step aerobics, I can make myself miserable. They’re not living in my body, I am. This is what I’ve got. Any time spent wishing I had some other body is a waste and an emotional drain as well. Now is the time for me to use the body I’ve been given to do what I can do. Hike. Walk. Dance. Laugh. Sing. Pray.

Wishful thinking is the enemy of patience. It’s my prayer that with the help of the Lord and the support of those around me I’ll be able to exercise patience and do what’s right for me and for my body. As I endure and live the life God intends for me, I pray that I’ll be better able to serve Him and bless and help those who cross my path.

Health and Wellness Report

2008-12-30T12:43:00.000-07:00

I am VERY happy to report that the echocardiogram (also called an echo stress test) I had on Monday was normal. I have the green light to exercise away!

As for what I experienced a couple weeks ago, I'm not sure. It could have been a random incident of SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) or a result of too much thyroid medication. (My doc now has me on the lowest dose possible.) Whatever it was, it galvanized my resolve to get rid of my extra weight. For good!

So the snowshoe trips are back on. My plan is to go on 2 snowshoe/hiking outings each month in training to climb the Wellsville Mountains on September 12th. Here's a nice view of them in springtime:

I'm referring to the Wellsville hike as my personal Everest. Hmmm. Maybe I'll even re-read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Or maybe not.

The cool thing about making the Wellsville Mountains a part of my fitness goal is that I can look out my front windows and see them everyday. See them when I'm running errands in my car. See them when I'm taking the dog on a walk. I've always loved them, but I'm guessing that now they'll mean even more to me!

Have a Happy New Year!

Healthy and Wellness Report . . .

2008-12-30T12:25:00.004-07:00

I am VERY happy to report that the echocardiogram (also called an echo stress test) I had on Monday was normal. I have the green light to exercise away!

As for what I experienced a couple weeks ago, I'm not sure. It could have been a random incident of SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) or a result of too much thyroid medication. (My doc now has me on the lowest dose possible.) Whatever it was, it galvanized my resolve to get rid of my extra weight. For good!

So the snowshoe trips are back on. My plan is to go on 2 snowshoe/hiking outings each month in training to climb the Wellsvilles on September 12th. Got that? September 12th. Put it on your calendar and plan to come with me!

I hope to sit down soon with my Cache Trails book and come up with a schedule of outings. When I get it all figured out, I'll post it. If any work with your schedule and you'd like to join me, I'd LOVE to have you come along. I'm referring to the Wellsville hike as my personal Everest. Hmmm. Maybe I'll even re-read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer. Or maybe not.

The cool thing about making the Wellsville Mountains a part of my fitness goal is that I can look out my front windows and see them everyday. See them when I'm running errands in my car. See them when I'm taking the dog on a walk. I've always loved them, but I'm guessing that now they'll mean even more to me!

Have a Happy New Year!

Low Carbing through Weight Watchers . . .

2008-12-27T14:35:00.000-07:00

I gave myself an early Christmas present this week. On Monday I re-joined Weight Watchers.

I originally joined Weight Watchers in February 2006 and steadily lost weight through September '06. My low weight was 164. Down 40 pounds from a joining weight of 204.

First I was trying to reach a goal weight of 150 lbs. But after a YEAR of trying, I was still stuck at 167 lbs. or so. I had my doctor write me a new weight goal of 168, but by then I weighed 170+ lbs. Still, I kept at it. But instead of losing, I was slowing gaining. Finally, after over 2 year with Weight Watchers, I quit. I was tired of paying money to gain weight.

That's not the only reason I quit. I also came to the realization that I was using WW as a crutch. It was almost as if I believed that as long as I was paying and going, I would lose weight.

So why am I back? Because I recognize that WW is an excellent tool. Not a cruch, but a tool. I need the accountability of weighing in each week. I also think that the face to face support of members at meetings is motivating for me. Plus, I've come to realize that a strict low, low carb diet just isn't for me.

But I haven't given up on low carb combletely. When I read "Low Carb Dieting for Dummies" it reminded me a lot of the Core Plan at WW. (Now WW has combined Flex and Core into the Momentum plan.) Fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, non-fat dairy and healthy fats worked for me once. I'm banking on them working again.

One thing is certain, I won't quit trying to lose weight until I'm back down under 170 lbs. It's a sensible weight for me given my P.C.O.S. and heredity.

Better is the enemy of good enough.

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-26T21:21:00.004-07:00

My Versions of Popular Christmas Carols

2008-12-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

(All I Want for Christmas Is) To Lose Some Weight
All I want for Christmas is to lose some weight, to lose some weight,
Yes, to lose some weight.
Gee, if I could only seem to lose some weight,
I'd truly have a Merry Christmas.
It seems I always have to say, "No thanks, I'll just have vegetables for dinner."
Gosh, oh gee, how happy I'd be if I were only thinner!
All I want for Christmas is to lose some weight, to lose some weight,
Yes, to lose some weight.
Gee, if I could only seem to lose some weight,
I'd truly have a Merry Christmas.

Down in my Wallet (sung to "Up on the Housetop)
Down in my wallet I look and pause -- It is worth it to play Santa Claus?
Up and down the aisles buying lot of toys -- All for the little ones' Christmas joys.
Ho, ho, ho -- Where'd the money go?
Ho, ho, ho -- Where'd the money go?
After the register goes ching, ching, ching -- Down in my wallet I don't see a thing!

Ruby the Red-faced Parent (sung to "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer)
Ruby the red-faced parent had a very loud-mouthed son.
And everywhere she took him, he offended everyone.
All of the time she'd tell him, "It's impolite to speak so loud."
But still he kept on saying things heard even above a crowd.
Then one fateful shopping trip, Junior was heard to say:
"Mom, that lady sure looks fat. How do you think she got like that?"
Then how his mother wished that she could somehow disappear.
Under her breath she told him, "You are grounded for a year!"

Down the Hall (sung to "Deck the Halls") -- a tribute to mothers
Down the hall the kids come shrieking. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
I think the baby's diaper's leaking. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
My toddler's void of all apparel. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
I guess I'll sing this Christmas carol. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.

A Few of Our Favorite Things . . .

2008-12-23T22:23:00.005-07:00

It finally came . . . the annual neighborhood gift from the Tippetts. And again, they've outdone themselves. Yes, those are a plate of plain rice cakes wrapped in cellophane. And here's the note that came with them. (Once again, a classic!)

On December 26th of last year our Family Christmas committee met and began throwing out ideas for the gift we would give in the coming year. Our committee knew that if we were to be considered like the house that gives out full size candy bars at Halloween, we couldn't waste any time. This year the committee came to the conclusion because of the financial conditions of the world we would give a versatile gift -- homemade rice cakes.

We failed to find a recipe for homemade rice cakes. Quaker apparently doesn't want anybody to find out their secret formula. We decided that each member of the committee would taste a rice cake then discern by taste the ingredients in them. We unanimously came to the conclusion on the main ingredient. They are called rice cakes, but we determined it was probably to throw you off so you couldn't make your own. We figured the main ingredient was a small rice-shaped type of Styrofoam. We tested various types of Styrofoam until we found one similar in color and which had no taste. This had to be it! With tiny stencils we carved the little rice shaped Styrofoam pieces to add to the mix. It was hard to tell if the second most dominating taste was a heavy paper or cardboard. We decided to go with paper. We took common notebook paper and shredded it and re-shredded it until it turned into a powdery substance. (We hoped the ink wouldn't create any health problems, but would enchance the color of our cakes.) After identifying the two main indredients we knew there must be a binding material to hold these items together. We cheated a little by simply asking local physicians, "What type of glue has no taste and would not be harmful if eaten in small circular amounts?" Our family formula was created over months and months of mixing and testing. We then took the perfect mix and threw batch after batch into the dryer to ensure every ounce of moisture was removed. Once all the moisture was removed, we then placed the dried, tasteless material onto a flat pan and again with stencils we cut the cakes into a perfect circle. It should go without saying that we sang during each phase of this project our favorite family song, "Whistle while you work."

Oh, how we hope that the kids haven't already devoured them. They're much more than a treat. There's been more than one family night when our activity was kick ball or baseball and we didn't have any bases. We simply grabbed four homemade cakes from the pantry and then it was "play ball!" Brush them off and then set them back in the pantry or just enjoy them after the game. Playing indoor hocky and need a puck? Tired of scratching your hardwood floors while playing shuffleboard in the hall? Can't afford clay pigeons for shooting practice? No, they won't break! Just look for the hole to see if you hit your mark then shoot at them again and again. Take an ear swab with a little soap to clean the gun powder residue from the holes to make them safe enough for the grandkids to snack on.

Short on cash for decorations for the Holidays? No problem. Take three of these cakes, put one on top of the other. Place a small hat on the top cake and, voila, you have a snowman to hang on your front door to greet all your friends and neighbors. Hurry fast so you won't be thought of as a copycat. Do you have bald spots on the Christmas tree? Take a handful of cakes, paint them with bright colors, and hang them all over the tree. Oh, what a difference! (Remember take a 30 grit sand paper to remove the paint and get them back into the pantry for future use.)

They're not justs for recreation and decoration. They're a great food storage item. They have no shelf life. Nobody can identify a good one from an expired one. They beauty is that one cake could possibly feed a family of four for up to a month. Remember one tiny piece of cake will expand up to thirty time its size with a little water.

We could go on and on about this glorious circular delight, but the point really is -- we are happy to give the gift filled with a little Styrofoam, a little paper, a little glue and a lot of love.

Love, The Tippetts Family

And now, a little something to say, "Merry Christmas" fellow bloggers:

Family Book Recommendations -- Our Gift to You!

2008-12-18T13:41:00.002-07:00

Those of you who live in our neighborhood, know that for our neighborhood Christmas gift we donated money to our local library and then supplied our friends and neighbors with bookmarks and a list of our favorite (or recently read) books. Here's what we wrote:

Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.
— Henry David Thoreau

The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”
— Mark Twain

A Few of Our Favorite Books

Hubby
The Lord’s Way, Dallin H. Oaks
All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, Neal A. Maxwell
Beekeeping for Dummies

Christie
A Redbird Christmas, Fannie Flagg
The Host, Stephenie Meyer
Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman (series), Pamela Aidan
An Assembly Such as This
Duty & Desire
These Three Remain
Life of Pi, Yann Martel
Peace Like a River, Leif Enger
The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, (2nd in series), Jeanne Birdsall
An Incomplete Revenge (most recent release in the Maisie Dobbs series), Jacqueline Winspear

All 3 Hansen Children
Peter and the Starcatchers, Dave Barry
Peter and the Shadow Thieves
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon

Bug
Stormbreaker (Alex Rider series), Anthony Horowitz
Lord of the Rings series, J.R.R. Tolkien
Johnny Miller: I call the shots
Mike Weir: Road to the Masters

Loula Belle
Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites, (series) Chris Heimerdinger
Midnight for Charlie Bone (series), Jenny Nimmo

Beans
Geronimo Stilton (series)
Books by Gordon Korman
The Sixth Grade Nickname Game
Dive
Everest

Merry Christmas!