Okay, so we watch lots of TV shows that will teach us things. There are very few shows that we (my husband and myself) watch that we won't let our son watch. Our son learned about death from watching mystery shows that we love.
Today, we watched a show about an "Elephant Man." It's not the first one we've seen, but it's been the most touching one. The man didn't grow fully since the tumors in his face took most of his nutrients as he was growing. He also didn't have the money or means to go to the United States to have his tumors removed. His family seemed liked they kind of cared, but they kind of said some horrible things about and in front of him.
My almost 4 year old son was asking all sorts of questions. He wanted to know where one of his eyes went, why his face was different, and what was going to happen to him. I try very hard to be as honest with my son as possible, though I don't volunteer information I don't feel he is ready for yet. But I had to have a somewhat difficult conversation with him.
I explained that the man had tumors in his body. I also had to explain that tumors are something that happens sometimes that makes people feel sick. He pretty much understood that once it was said. But he wanted to know why people got tumors and what was going to happen to the man. I told him that he'd have to ask God why he got tumors.
He said the most adorable thing I have ever heard him say. He listened to the man talk about how growing up other kids made fun of him and how he felt sad. My son's reply? He said, "My heart beats for his owies."
That will be something that I will remember for the rest of my life. I want to call all of my relatives and tell them what he said right now, but I'm pretty sure they are all asleep. The first "difficult" conversation went well. Tackling more tomorrow...
Friday, November 5, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Lots of Changes
If you have me added on Facebook (which I'm guessing you do), you'll know that my family's life has been turned upside down. The Navy decided that my husband who has gone on two deployments, been shot at while fixing Marines, has never gotten in trouble for anything, and has scored a 4.0 across the board on his last eval is no longer good enough to serve the military. The only problem with that is the fact that he didn't have time to find a job and get everything situated (he wasn't able to take terminal leave).
I don't know if all the hospitals and clinics in the area are conspiring, but my husband has turned in several applications and has talked to those who are advertising the fact that they are hiring RMA's online and they tell him that they are no longer hiring and even admit that they haven't hired anyone yet. I don't know what is going on with this town, but there is something wrong. We just have to make it here long enough for my husband to get the classes he needs to get into medical school.
Honestly, I don't view this town, the clinics, or the Navy this badly, I just love to use sarcasm and twist things to make people laugh. So don't use this against me later when I get excited that the Navy recalled my husband (they won't unless we go to war with yet another country).
I have decided that while my husband is trying to find a job that he can do without losing the remainder of his marbles, I will go and get a basic job to help out around the house until the VA help starts kicking in. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it and I'll keep working so I can get new furniture or something. I doubt it because I love my son and I don't want other people raising him.
Does anyone have any opinions? I know there are people who think that the wife shouldn't work because of the Bible, but that doesn't help. I've read the Bible and I know what it says. I know my dad is going to say to become a nurse, but I don't quite have those qualifications yet and I would not enjoy that job at all. Should I go back to McDonald's or get a job at the gas station down the street? I could even get a job at a local restaurant though I'd probably lose more money breaking plates as I tripped while waiting on tables. Options, options, options.
I'll try to come on here and post my opinions as I go along with life a little more often that I have been.
I don't know if all the hospitals and clinics in the area are conspiring, but my husband has turned in several applications and has talked to those who are advertising the fact that they are hiring RMA's online and they tell him that they are no longer hiring and even admit that they haven't hired anyone yet. I don't know what is going on with this town, but there is something wrong. We just have to make it here long enough for my husband to get the classes he needs to get into medical school.
Honestly, I don't view this town, the clinics, or the Navy this badly, I just love to use sarcasm and twist things to make people laugh. So don't use this against me later when I get excited that the Navy recalled my husband (they won't unless we go to war with yet another country).
I have decided that while my husband is trying to find a job that he can do without losing the remainder of his marbles, I will go and get a basic job to help out around the house until the VA help starts kicking in. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it and I'll keep working so I can get new furniture or something. I doubt it because I love my son and I don't want other people raising him.
Does anyone have any opinions? I know there are people who think that the wife shouldn't work because of the Bible, but that doesn't help. I've read the Bible and I know what it says. I know my dad is going to say to become a nurse, but I don't quite have those qualifications yet and I would not enjoy that job at all. Should I go back to McDonald's or get a job at the gas station down the street? I could even get a job at a local restaurant though I'd probably lose more money breaking plates as I tripped while waiting on tables. Options, options, options.
I'll try to come on here and post my opinions as I go along with life a little more often that I have been.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Maybe Moving
Life here right now is stressed out, though it's not as bad as it has been in the passed few days.
We have been given some news by a friend that might affect my husband's job, so we are quickly trying to plan a move just in case it happens. It's not so bad because if we do end up moving to our home state, we already have plans for how we are going to go about things. I even have the road trip I planned out still sitting in my "office" or "black hole" as my husband likes to call it. Albeit, the next two weeks would be insane with trying to figure out what to pack and what to donate and what to just toss. I don't want to leave here and I want to go homeward at the same time, so I'm just an emotional mess. Why can't I take everyone I care about and ship them all there as well?
As stressed as my husband and I are about the possibility of moving and money though, my son and dogs cant' really seem to tell the difference. They were as happy and crazy today as always. I tried to just enjoy the day, but I think I'm going to start going through the paperwork we keep putting off for no reason and figuring out what receipts can be tossed and which ones we really need to hold onto or something. Just to get my brain off of the move and to give it a positive if we do end up moving.
We have been given some news by a friend that might affect my husband's job, so we are quickly trying to plan a move just in case it happens. It's not so bad because if we do end up moving to our home state, we already have plans for how we are going to go about things. I even have the road trip I planned out still sitting in my "office" or "black hole" as my husband likes to call it. Albeit, the next two weeks would be insane with trying to figure out what to pack and what to donate and what to just toss. I don't want to leave here and I want to go homeward at the same time, so I'm just an emotional mess. Why can't I take everyone I care about and ship them all there as well?
As stressed as my husband and I are about the possibility of moving and money though, my son and dogs cant' really seem to tell the difference. They were as happy and crazy today as always. I tried to just enjoy the day, but I think I'm going to start going through the paperwork we keep putting off for no reason and figuring out what receipts can be tossed and which ones we really need to hold onto or something. Just to get my brain off of the move and to give it a positive if we do end up moving.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
New Pet
Honestly, I think I am the craziest person in the world. We have so many projects going on with trying to build a fence (alright, all I did was do a bunch of research online and help out one or two days), a ball coming up, my son's birthday party, and Christmas right around the corner. Not to mention things we are talking about but have to wait to see what is going on with my husband's career (he is in the Navy, but he's already passed the date he is supposed to be out).
We went to a friend's house and saw their puppies, so cute, and I agreed to take one home. Now, we weren't sure about our older dog and younger dog getting along, so we decided the older dog would go in her kennel at night like usual and the younger dog would stay in the kitchen in case he peed or something. That night did no go well. The puppy whined all night, my dog kept whining and shaking her cage, my son kept waking up and crying, and my husband was on sleep meds so he wasn't really much help. That morning, when he woke up, he sat there and almost laughed while I said we had to get rid of the puppy. He told me to go get some sleep and that we'd talk about it later when everything was more calm.
Needless to say, I was outvoted about the dog. It's okay now because they both sleep in the kennel, though the puppy does not have the dog's manners of not barking at all hours. I still get my sleep so long as the chores don't get out of hand, and the dog now has someone to play with all the time. Potty training this dog is still work, but it's not as hard as the older dog because we just take the puppy out whenever we take the dog out and there are much fewer accidents.
Now I can officially say, no more pets. Maybe fish, but they aren't pets. In my mind, fish are like plants, it's just a waiting game to make sure they don't die because your child overfed them.
We went to a friend's house and saw their puppies, so cute, and I agreed to take one home. Now, we weren't sure about our older dog and younger dog getting along, so we decided the older dog would go in her kennel at night like usual and the younger dog would stay in the kitchen in case he peed or something. That night did no go well. The puppy whined all night, my dog kept whining and shaking her cage, my son kept waking up and crying, and my husband was on sleep meds so he wasn't really much help. That morning, when he woke up, he sat there and almost laughed while I said we had to get rid of the puppy. He told me to go get some sleep and that we'd talk about it later when everything was more calm.
Needless to say, I was outvoted about the dog. It's okay now because they both sleep in the kennel, though the puppy does not have the dog's manners of not barking at all hours. I still get my sleep so long as the chores don't get out of hand, and the dog now has someone to play with all the time. Potty training this dog is still work, but it's not as hard as the older dog because we just take the puppy out whenever we take the dog out and there are much fewer accidents.
Now I can officially say, no more pets. Maybe fish, but they aren't pets. In my mind, fish are like plants, it's just a waiting game to make sure they don't die because your child overfed them.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Quick Rant About Kids Pajamas and Sewing Machines
Okay, so as of recently, I have been trying to do more projects at home because I get so bored. I've knitted an afghan, made a couple of creepy cute creatures, and even started making a sweater. Some of them are cute, some of them are definitely not. The one that I have been having the most trouble with is my sewing machine. Funnily enough, everyone has the same advice, I do it, and it solves nothing.
To make matters worse, I was making pajama bottoms for my son when I noticed that the fabric said not to be used for children's sleepwear on it. Apparently, it's very different from his sweats. He does sleep in his sweats by the way. They are comfy beyond all belief. So I googled this and found out there is a huge debate about whether or not I should have flame retardant stuff in my son's clothes and sheets. This really sucks. This doesn't really bother me at all, but I don't want there to be a fire for some reason and for him to be badly injured because I didn't prepare.
Who in the world decided it was okay to sell the most famous kids fabrics without putting flame retardant in it already so mothers could make awesome pj's without having to worry? I already know that if I make the pj's (that is if my sewing machine cooperates) that I won't buy and use stuff to make it a low flame hazard (which doesn't make it fire-proof by the way).
Also, who makes pj's tight fitting? I wear comfy loose pj's all the time, usually all day long, because it's nice and comfy. My son recently adopted this habit and refuses to wear normal shorts or jeans unless we are going somewhere. Sometimes even then he'll protest.
Thanks for letting me rant. I already know that I can take my sewing machine in to the lady who sold it to me and she'll show me what I am doing wrong. I figure that I'll go ahead and make the pj bottoms. If my husband feels worried about fires, he can buy the fabric stuff and fix it or ask me to fix it after he buys it. Next time I'll just get fabric to make my son a doctor's jacket or something.
To make matters worse, I was making pajama bottoms for my son when I noticed that the fabric said not to be used for children's sleepwear on it. Apparently, it's very different from his sweats. He does sleep in his sweats by the way. They are comfy beyond all belief. So I googled this and found out there is a huge debate about whether or not I should have flame retardant stuff in my son's clothes and sheets. This really sucks. This doesn't really bother me at all, but I don't want there to be a fire for some reason and for him to be badly injured because I didn't prepare.
Who in the world decided it was okay to sell the most famous kids fabrics without putting flame retardant in it already so mothers could make awesome pj's without having to worry? I already know that if I make the pj's (that is if my sewing machine cooperates) that I won't buy and use stuff to make it a low flame hazard (which doesn't make it fire-proof by the way).
Also, who makes pj's tight fitting? I wear comfy loose pj's all the time, usually all day long, because it's nice and comfy. My son recently adopted this habit and refuses to wear normal shorts or jeans unless we are going somewhere. Sometimes even then he'll protest.
Thanks for letting me rant. I already know that I can take my sewing machine in to the lady who sold it to me and she'll show me what I am doing wrong. I figure that I'll go ahead and make the pj bottoms. If my husband feels worried about fires, he can buy the fabric stuff and fix it or ask me to fix it after he buys it. Next time I'll just get fabric to make my son a doctor's jacket or something.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Children, Charts, and Chores
Okay, so I just read an article about setting up children for success when it comes to chores. Now, my son will throw something away if you ask him, put his dishes in the sink if you ask him, help with dinner sometimes, and may pick up some of his toys. He used to be much better about the trash and toys, but I stopped making sure they were picked up every night. Now I just start picking them up at night if there are too many all over or if his room really looks like a disaster.
After reading the first article, I read a couple more. I would quote what they put on here, but there are hundreds of articles on this subject and they are all very similar. Kids who do chores (age appropriate) are more aware of others and work harder as they grow older. You can Google it online and find all the same ones.
I just thought it was interesting. I've seen the cute charts you can buy at the store that are just way too cute, but I have only one child and it's a little crazy to buy a chart made for around four kids for just the one. I also saw a mom on Wife-Swap who gave the kids in the other house a rock (they had jars) every time they did something well and for every so many rocks they got something (their toys back). It worked pretty well.
I did something similar for potty training. I made a chart with the days of the week on the side and several boxes all along. For every time my son used the toilet, he got a sticker. For every time he had an accident, he got an "x." On the days that he got only stickers, he got a fake dollar. Then, he could trade them in for things.
Now, I am excited and want to make a chart with possible chores and fake dollars. Who knows, maybe I'll even start paying my son in spare change (he gets it all for free now) and let him spend it at the store. Honestly, I probably won't do that because we never keep cash on us anymore.
I'll try to fix my printer and get that working. If I can, then I will post pics later and my son's progress. I'm sure he'll do okay at the very least because he loves stickers and chores aren't really chores yet.
After reading the first article, I read a couple more. I would quote what they put on here, but there are hundreds of articles on this subject and they are all very similar. Kids who do chores (age appropriate) are more aware of others and work harder as they grow older. You can Google it online and find all the same ones.
I just thought it was interesting. I've seen the cute charts you can buy at the store that are just way too cute, but I have only one child and it's a little crazy to buy a chart made for around four kids for just the one. I also saw a mom on Wife-Swap who gave the kids in the other house a rock (they had jars) every time they did something well and for every so many rocks they got something (their toys back). It worked pretty well.
I did something similar for potty training. I made a chart with the days of the week on the side and several boxes all along. For every time my son used the toilet, he got a sticker. For every time he had an accident, he got an "x." On the days that he got only stickers, he got a fake dollar. Then, he could trade them in for things.
Now, I am excited and want to make a chart with possible chores and fake dollars. Who knows, maybe I'll even start paying my son in spare change (he gets it all for free now) and let him spend it at the store. Honestly, I probably won't do that because we never keep cash on us anymore.
I'll try to fix my printer and get that working. If I can, then I will post pics later and my son's progress. I'm sure he'll do okay at the very least because he loves stickers and chores aren't really chores yet.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Knights in Shining Armor
People say the knight in shining armor is too much of an expectation. They say he isn't real. They say that fairy tales don't come true.
I think they are wrong. Yes, some girls need to lower some expectations (both the knight and the prince are only humans) but others need to raise them quite a bit. I am a firm believer that there should be a day or an hour or even just fifteen minutes of "me" time in a person's life. Sometimes the lady of the house will only need one once a month (and I think she's a superhero) and other times (like me) you just have to walk into another room and shut the door for a couple of minutes to de-stress or gather your thoughts. If I had the money to go to a spa once a month and get a pedicure, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Honestly, all these people are looking at the picture the wrong way. It's like looking at the Mona Lisa and wondering why she was smiling. It doesn't matter why she was smiling, it matters that she was willing to let the world know how she was feeling.
The knights of today are the ones who put everyone else before themselves to keep civilians safe. This includes the police, the firefighters, and those who joined the military service. And it doesn't matter whether they are peeling potatoes, pushing paperwork, or fighting on the front lines. Though, I must admit, I am partial to the Grunts and the FMF Corpsman because I see them all the time.
These are the men and women who find out they are deploying and for months are scared out of their mind but are willing to push those fears back so their families can sleep happier. They are the ones who answer emergency calls never really knowing what to expect. They are the ones who are at major disasters first, even if they aren't in our own country. They are the ones willing to walk into fire just to pull out some one's dog. They are the ones who know they won't be able to go to reunions and see everyone they care about. They are the ones who come back only to find out some people not only don't care about what they did, but are protesting them around the United States.
It really annoys me when people say they don't like the police. They are just enforcing the law that should be followed even if police weren't around. It pushes my buttons when someone puts down a military service. Obviously, they don't know that they should be grateful in so many ways. It makes me downright angry when someone or some group decides that it's God's Will to protest funerals of the men and women who could not come home. There is no explanation for that.
The next time you try to think of a modern day knight, think of the people who join a service, any service. It doesn't matter whether they will deploy overseas or stay in their own neighborhood. It may even be the wife at home who lives in fear that her husband won't come home that day. Don't stop telling those fairy tales either, because they haven't died away yet.
I think they are wrong. Yes, some girls need to lower some expectations (both the knight and the prince are only humans) but others need to raise them quite a bit. I am a firm believer that there should be a day or an hour or even just fifteen minutes of "me" time in a person's life. Sometimes the lady of the house will only need one once a month (and I think she's a superhero) and other times (like me) you just have to walk into another room and shut the door for a couple of minutes to de-stress or gather your thoughts. If I had the money to go to a spa once a month and get a pedicure, I would do it in a heartbeat.
Honestly, all these people are looking at the picture the wrong way. It's like looking at the Mona Lisa and wondering why she was smiling. It doesn't matter why she was smiling, it matters that she was willing to let the world know how she was feeling.
The knights of today are the ones who put everyone else before themselves to keep civilians safe. This includes the police, the firefighters, and those who joined the military service. And it doesn't matter whether they are peeling potatoes, pushing paperwork, or fighting on the front lines. Though, I must admit, I am partial to the Grunts and the FMF Corpsman because I see them all the time.
These are the men and women who find out they are deploying and for months are scared out of their mind but are willing to push those fears back so their families can sleep happier. They are the ones who answer emergency calls never really knowing what to expect. They are the ones who are at major disasters first, even if they aren't in our own country. They are the ones willing to walk into fire just to pull out some one's dog. They are the ones who know they won't be able to go to reunions and see everyone they care about. They are the ones who come back only to find out some people not only don't care about what they did, but are protesting them around the United States.
It really annoys me when people say they don't like the police. They are just enforcing the law that should be followed even if police weren't around. It pushes my buttons when someone puts down a military service. Obviously, they don't know that they should be grateful in so many ways. It makes me downright angry when someone or some group decides that it's God's Will to protest funerals of the men and women who could not come home. There is no explanation for that.
The next time you try to think of a modern day knight, think of the people who join a service, any service. It doesn't matter whether they will deploy overseas or stay in their own neighborhood. It may even be the wife at home who lives in fear that her husband won't come home that day. Don't stop telling those fairy tales either, because they haven't died away yet.
Test Results
Okay, since the last time I came on here I talked about doctors and how they usually annoy me (they still do, even though my husband wants to be one), I am really glad that I have the doctor I have now.
We waited forever in the waiting room though it was a nurses fault because she didn't want to take a few extra minutes to schedule us in for an appointment and told us to just drop by for a walk-in. The nurse who was working when we got there was awesome though.
My son was on his best behavior (he wasn't all week while I was sick with a headcold and just wanted to sit and watch tv or take naps). I was extremely grateful for this because he has been horrible at other times while we try to see the doctor. I chalk it up to our prior planning on bringing several snacks, a water bottle, and his Nintendo DS for while we were in the doctor's office.
The doctor came in and told us what he thought would be extremely horrible news. My son is apparently allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts, and ham. For those who don't understand, this doesn't just mean that he has to avoid dairy products, but everything that is made with milk. This extends to breads, cookies, and even some soups.
Well, because my head cold has not gone away, I haven't really wanted to cook. While we were at the store yesterday, I asked my husband if he could check the ramen noodles to see if they had any allergens in them. He told me they did not. Yet, after I started cooking them today, I realized they had eggs in them. I'm not sure if this is because of the type of ramen we bought or if it's because of the noodles themselves.
We waited forever in the waiting room though it was a nurses fault because she didn't want to take a few extra minutes to schedule us in for an appointment and told us to just drop by for a walk-in. The nurse who was working when we got there was awesome though.
My son was on his best behavior (he wasn't all week while I was sick with a headcold and just wanted to sit and watch tv or take naps). I was extremely grateful for this because he has been horrible at other times while we try to see the doctor. I chalk it up to our prior planning on bringing several snacks, a water bottle, and his Nintendo DS for while we were in the doctor's office.
The doctor came in and told us what he thought would be extremely horrible news. My son is apparently allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts, and ham. For those who don't understand, this doesn't just mean that he has to avoid dairy products, but everything that is made with milk. This extends to breads, cookies, and even some soups.
Well, because my head cold has not gone away, I haven't really wanted to cook. While we were at the store yesterday, I asked my husband if he could check the ramen noodles to see if they had any allergens in them. He told me they did not. Yet, after I started cooking them today, I realized they had eggs in them. I'm not sure if this is because of the type of ramen we bought or if it's because of the noodles themselves.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Curing the Boredom
I have been so bored lately that I honestly haven't had anything to write about. Instead, I set about to learn new things to do to pass the time that might actually come in handy later. Knitting and crocheting weren't so bad, I just am really picky about everything. I have what my husband and dad like to call "skater-girl/punk" type of taste. I like things to be comfy but have a sort of edge and a little bit darker than others. I have also been trying to learn to sew, but it seems like that is going to be a lot harder than I thought and I thought it was going to be pretty hard.
Right now, my newest obsession is these dolls called creepy cute. There's a book you can buy to show you how to make them. So far, I have only made two of the dolls, but that is because my husband decided to be cheap and buy the cheapest yarn he could find. Unlucky for me because the cheapest yarn is a little hard to handle and comes out a lot bigger than it's supposed to.
For those of you who are wondering and aren't wanting to Google it, someone figured out how to crochet tiny beanie people without legs are arms. I was originally attracted to it because there are aliens, robots, and vampires in the book. The person even has their own blog called needle noodles if you want to check it out.
But, I figured out pretty quick if you are willing to mess with the yarn a little bit, you can create your own creepy cutes once you have the basic pattern down. I was able to make a little elephant. Albeit, the ears are lopsided, but I think that adds to the cuteness of the doll.
I've even decided to make little creepy cutes (not monsters of course) for my son's birthday coming up as part of the party favors. I figure only eight kids max will show up and I have a couple of months to master this new obsession, so by then I'll be able to make all sorts of little things.
Soon, once I plan on making little punk sweaters for my son as well. He's also into the punkish clothes and even when he picks out what would normally be "preppy" he somehow still looks like a little punk. I think it's so adorable, of course.
Right now, my newest obsession is these dolls called creepy cute. There's a book you can buy to show you how to make them. So far, I have only made two of the dolls, but that is because my husband decided to be cheap and buy the cheapest yarn he could find. Unlucky for me because the cheapest yarn is a little hard to handle and comes out a lot bigger than it's supposed to.
For those of you who are wondering and aren't wanting to Google it, someone figured out how to crochet tiny beanie people without legs are arms. I was originally attracted to it because there are aliens, robots, and vampires in the book. The person even has their own blog called needle noodles if you want to check it out.
But, I figured out pretty quick if you are willing to mess with the yarn a little bit, you can create your own creepy cutes once you have the basic pattern down. I was able to make a little elephant. Albeit, the ears are lopsided, but I think that adds to the cuteness of the doll.
I've even decided to make little creepy cutes (not monsters of course) for my son's birthday coming up as part of the party favors. I figure only eight kids max will show up and I have a couple of months to master this new obsession, so by then I'll be able to make all sorts of little things.
Soon, once I plan on making little punk sweaters for my son as well. He's also into the punkish clothes and even when he picks out what would normally be "preppy" he somehow still looks like a little punk. I think it's so adorable, of course.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Update
Don't you just love doctors? Sometimes you just have to stop and think that they paid all that money to go to school to lose their common sense.
I really don't hate doctors. My husband wants to be one. I have had some wonderful doctors who listened to what I was saying and solved issues. I've heard about some terrible doctors that I wish no one would ever have like a sister of mine who was giving birth and the doctor left the hospital while the baby was crowning without waiting for the replacement doctor.
The newest doctor my son is seeing is okay. He's sort of in between. He gets these ideas in his head and runs with them. So, for the last month, he was adamant that my son had a virus and allergies to milk. So, we have been avoiding milk to the best of our ability, first buying nothing that had milk in it at all (like flavored chips, most cookies, and even some breads) on to getting things that have dairy but no lactose as the doctor kept changing his mind as to what my son was allergic to specifically.
Last week, we finally got him in for the test. All they did was draw blood, so I was happy. I was not looking forward to possibly trying to hold my son down as they scratched him or anything. My little boy was very brave and didn't cry at all. The person drawing the blood was very good at her job and she was done very quickly.
The doctor told me that he would call me and let me know the results if they matched what he was thinking which meant that if my son was allergic to milk and/or soy I would get a call from the doctor so I wouldn't have to go back in. He said that if the tests came back negetive, we were going to have to go back in to do more tests because then there would be something seriously wrong.
The nurse calls me the other day and tells me that I need to go in for an appointment to discuss the test results. I know she's not allowed to tell me the results, but I ask her if I should be worried. She told me that she never looked at the file, so she wasn't sure. She did say that the doctor normally tells her to say not to worry to the patients that she has to call back in, but he did not tell her to say that to me.
Now I am worried. I was hoping that he wasn't allergic to milk because we love food in general and so many foods have dairy in them that makes it taste that much better. But now, after talking to the nurse, I am very worried. Now I am just hoping that he's allergic to something the doctor never thought of, but something that wouldn't be hard to get out of our house or to take out of our diet.
I really don't hate doctors. My husband wants to be one. I have had some wonderful doctors who listened to what I was saying and solved issues. I've heard about some terrible doctors that I wish no one would ever have like a sister of mine who was giving birth and the doctor left the hospital while the baby was crowning without waiting for the replacement doctor.
The newest doctor my son is seeing is okay. He's sort of in between. He gets these ideas in his head and runs with them. So, for the last month, he was adamant that my son had a virus and allergies to milk. So, we have been avoiding milk to the best of our ability, first buying nothing that had milk in it at all (like flavored chips, most cookies, and even some breads) on to getting things that have dairy but no lactose as the doctor kept changing his mind as to what my son was allergic to specifically.
Last week, we finally got him in for the test. All they did was draw blood, so I was happy. I was not looking forward to possibly trying to hold my son down as they scratched him or anything. My little boy was very brave and didn't cry at all. The person drawing the blood was very good at her job and she was done very quickly.
The doctor told me that he would call me and let me know the results if they matched what he was thinking which meant that if my son was allergic to milk and/or soy I would get a call from the doctor so I wouldn't have to go back in. He said that if the tests came back negetive, we were going to have to go back in to do more tests because then there would be something seriously wrong.
The nurse calls me the other day and tells me that I need to go in for an appointment to discuss the test results. I know she's not allowed to tell me the results, but I ask her if I should be worried. She told me that she never looked at the file, so she wasn't sure. She did say that the doctor normally tells her to say not to worry to the patients that she has to call back in, but he did not tell her to say that to me.
Now I am worried. I was hoping that he wasn't allergic to milk because we love food in general and so many foods have dairy in them that makes it taste that much better. But now, after talking to the nurse, I am very worried. Now I am just hoping that he's allergic to something the doctor never thought of, but something that wouldn't be hard to get out of our house or to take out of our diet.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Yogurt Snacks
Everyone knows that yogurt is good for you. Many people know one or two facts about yogurt. Not many people, however, know how to get plain yogurt and make delicious snacks or even meals out of it. Even more people don't know all the benefits of yogurt (especially plain) otherwise they'd start learning how to make things.
Did you know that yogurt can help prevent or even cure yeast infections? Yogurt even helps with some stomach issues because it has bacteria that kills the bad bacterias in your body. Yogurt will also help you lose weight much quicker. A study done recently has shown that men who ate yogurt 3 times a day while on a diet lost 61% of their body fat.
Not all yogurts are created equal though. Many yogurts add sugar and fruit flavorings to make their yogurts sweeter. Plain Greek yogurt is the best kind of yogurt to buy. It's thicker than American yogurt, so it has more of the benefits. With Greek yogurt, you can even buy the 2% instead of fat free because the type of fat the yogurt has is healthy for you.
It's actually really simple to make things with the plain yogurt at home. Many baking recipes call for yogurt. I've even had a recipe that called for yogurt to marinate the meat in (but it was a Greek styled recipe, so it makes sense). The best thing to do is buy lots of frozen fruits (no added sugars) and stock up your freezer. This way, whenever you have a sweet craving, it's an easy fix.
Parfaits are by far the easiest. The most common recipe calls for plain yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, granola, and a small amount of sugar. Cut up the strawberries and coat them slightly with sugar, put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. The sugar will draw out the natural juices in the strawberry. Then just start layering the yogurt, fruits, and granola in a bowl to your liking. It's a great breakfast, snack, or even dessert.
Smoothies are also really easy. You can find hundreds of recipes online. The basic theory is that once you add ice cream, it's no longer a smoothie. If you make a yogurt based smoothie and blend it until it doubles in size, it's extremely beneficial. It fills your stomach up fuller and longer, keeping you from munching on other things. If you use fresh fruits and as little natural sweeteners as possible, it will have only the healthy sugars for you. Another great thing you can do is buy a popsicle mold and make popsicles off of those smoothies for desserts or to have on a really hot day (great now that it's been a very hot summer here). Once you start playing around with making a smoothie, you can even learn how to make your own recipes.
Did you know that yogurt can help prevent or even cure yeast infections? Yogurt even helps with some stomach issues because it has bacteria that kills the bad bacterias in your body. Yogurt will also help you lose weight much quicker. A study done recently has shown that men who ate yogurt 3 times a day while on a diet lost 61% of their body fat.
Not all yogurts are created equal though. Many yogurts add sugar and fruit flavorings to make their yogurts sweeter. Plain Greek yogurt is the best kind of yogurt to buy. It's thicker than American yogurt, so it has more of the benefits. With Greek yogurt, you can even buy the 2% instead of fat free because the type of fat the yogurt has is healthy for you.
It's actually really simple to make things with the plain yogurt at home. Many baking recipes call for yogurt. I've even had a recipe that called for yogurt to marinate the meat in (but it was a Greek styled recipe, so it makes sense). The best thing to do is buy lots of frozen fruits (no added sugars) and stock up your freezer. This way, whenever you have a sweet craving, it's an easy fix.
Parfaits are by far the easiest. The most common recipe calls for plain yogurt, strawberries, blueberries, granola, and a small amount of sugar. Cut up the strawberries and coat them slightly with sugar, put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. The sugar will draw out the natural juices in the strawberry. Then just start layering the yogurt, fruits, and granola in a bowl to your liking. It's a great breakfast, snack, or even dessert.
Smoothies are also really easy. You can find hundreds of recipes online. The basic theory is that once you add ice cream, it's no longer a smoothie. If you make a yogurt based smoothie and blend it until it doubles in size, it's extremely beneficial. It fills your stomach up fuller and longer, keeping you from munching on other things. If you use fresh fruits and as little natural sweeteners as possible, it will have only the healthy sugars for you. Another great thing you can do is buy a popsicle mold and make popsicles off of those smoothies for desserts or to have on a really hot day (great now that it's been a very hot summer here). Once you start playing around with making a smoothie, you can even learn how to make your own recipes.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Truth About HFCS
Has anyone else noticed that there have been a lot of commercials from the Corn Refiners Association promoting high fructose corn syrup? There are many facts said in the commercial that are true, but they are ignoring a major fact in the commercial.
Sugar, if anyone has done research recently or remembers from any nutrition or science classes, is half fructose and half glucose. All sweeteners (including honey) are very similiar. For all sugars and sweeteners, one ounce contains about 5 calories. Here's why some things (like diet sodas) still retain the sweet taste without all the calories: Every sweetener has a different extent as to how sweet it is. Diet soda has calories by the way, they just have so few calories that they are not required by law to tell you how many they have.
People are advertising corn syrup as "natural," but if you pay any attention to the food world "natural" has no real meaning with the FDA. Albeit, high fructose corn syrup is not as dangerous as other sweeteners, it's not exactly natural.
The website the commercial tells you about even tells you many of the items that corn syrup is used in. I also watched a tv show that shows a scientist/food person who talks about how it's easy to find the right product to fit something. High fructose corn syrup adds the sweetness, helps things last longer, and adds a certain color to foods that people often enjoy.
But does anyone remember that pyramid that had all the food groups from school? It used to have breads on the bottom, topped with fruits and veggies, then meats and dairy, and topped with sugars and oils. Now, the basis of this triangle was to show how much food we really need (more grains less meats and cheeses). Does anyone remember the words they used for sugars and oils? It used to break my heart as a child, so I definitely remember it: "Sparse."
So, if we are to treat high fructose corn syrup like we do sugar: We would really need to read all the ingredients on our foods to see if it contains this or any other sweetener; if it does, we should avoid it. We should also avoid it in drinks (this takes away my beloved soda). We should just start assuming that it's in all foods we are going to buy and start cooking more at home to make it honestly "sparse."
There's my rant for the day. I'll have another soon. Sorry if I repeated this information, but it's been a while since I've been on here.
Sugar, if anyone has done research recently or remembers from any nutrition or science classes, is half fructose and half glucose. All sweeteners (including honey) are very similiar. For all sugars and sweeteners, one ounce contains about 5 calories. Here's why some things (like diet sodas) still retain the sweet taste without all the calories: Every sweetener has a different extent as to how sweet it is. Diet soda has calories by the way, they just have so few calories that they are not required by law to tell you how many they have.
People are advertising corn syrup as "natural," but if you pay any attention to the food world "natural" has no real meaning with the FDA. Albeit, high fructose corn syrup is not as dangerous as other sweeteners, it's not exactly natural.
The website the commercial tells you about even tells you many of the items that corn syrup is used in. I also watched a tv show that shows a scientist/food person who talks about how it's easy to find the right product to fit something. High fructose corn syrup adds the sweetness, helps things last longer, and adds a certain color to foods that people often enjoy.
But does anyone remember that pyramid that had all the food groups from school? It used to have breads on the bottom, topped with fruits and veggies, then meats and dairy, and topped with sugars and oils. Now, the basis of this triangle was to show how much food we really need (more grains less meats and cheeses). Does anyone remember the words they used for sugars and oils? It used to break my heart as a child, so I definitely remember it: "Sparse."
So, if we are to treat high fructose corn syrup like we do sugar: We would really need to read all the ingredients on our foods to see if it contains this or any other sweetener; if it does, we should avoid it. We should also avoid it in drinks (this takes away my beloved soda). We should just start assuming that it's in all foods we are going to buy and start cooking more at home to make it honestly "sparse."
There's my rant for the day. I'll have another soon. Sorry if I repeated this information, but it's been a while since I've been on here.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Raw Milk
Okay, as part of my dream, research is very important. Because of some friends, I started my research on raw milk. I do know that in a few states, raw milk is illegal, though I'm not sure to what extent. My homestate of Alaska has a law that makes selling raw milk for human consumption illegal, though they make exceptions for people who own dairy producing animals, live on a farm, have a cow share, or are selling raw milk for animal consumption.
Raw milk is basically milk that has not been pasteurized, frozen, homogenized, or altered in any other way. Most of the articles that I read also include that the cows are fed organic grass only. These writers go on to say that if the cows are fed anything that they naturally would not eat on their own (such as corn) than it makes the milk extremely dangerous. It was already proven on a documentary, which was not promoting raw milk by the way, that corn ruins cows stomachs.
The FDA website says that raw milk is extremely unhealthy. There are 800 cases where people had gotten sick from drinking raw milk since the year since 1998. I have my own issues with the FDA.
I am still on the fence as to whether or not I would drink raw milk or give it to my family. I think if I were to ever buy a cow, which is a possibility, I would get a small machine to quickly pasteurize or homogenize the milk I take home. I would definitely let the cow graze and feed it grass or similar feed in the winter. I would let others who wanted milk to decide if they wanted it raw or not.
Raw milk is basically milk that has not been pasteurized, frozen, homogenized, or altered in any other way. Most of the articles that I read also include that the cows are fed organic grass only. These writers go on to say that if the cows are fed anything that they naturally would not eat on their own (such as corn) than it makes the milk extremely dangerous. It was already proven on a documentary, which was not promoting raw milk by the way, that corn ruins cows stomachs.
The FDA website says that raw milk is extremely unhealthy. There are 800 cases where people had gotten sick from drinking raw milk since the year since 1998. I have my own issues with the FDA.
I am still on the fence as to whether or not I would drink raw milk or give it to my family. I think if I were to ever buy a cow, which is a possibility, I would get a small machine to quickly pasteurize or homogenize the milk I take home. I would definitely let the cow graze and feed it grass or similar feed in the winter. I would let others who wanted milk to decide if they wanted it raw or not.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Government and Food
I think something happens to every woman who becomes a mother, whether she gives birth or adopts. She changes her way of life. It could happen quickly or it could be a process. She gives up a bad habit or she starts eating healthier or she establishes a routine. The point is she does something to make life better for her child and that change includes everyone in the household.
For me, the process is mostly slow. I slowly learn about how to do things better for my child. I slowly learn about how to keep the house clean as my child gets faster. I slowly learn about how to show my child discipline. I slowly learn about teaching my child repercussions (whether it is a time out, a spanking, or a simple taking away something he likes).
I have one passion though, and that is food. I don't love food like many people. I enjoy eating and it's something I do often whenever I am hanging out with people. When people come over, I cook something or make sure we have tons of snacks and drinks available. When I go to someones house, I bring something. When we are having a special family time, I make something. When we are out all day, we enjoy eating together at a restaurant.
My passion for food goes in a different direction. I used to be a "box" girl. Meaning if I was going to cook food for the family, it was basically going to be me reheating the food. I'd make all sorts of Tuna Helpers or frozen lasagnas or fish sticks.
I never learned to cook and honestly did not want to learn. Now, my passion is trying to eat healthier. I am not one of those people who has decided to cook everything from scratch or buys everything organically. I can't afford it. I am married to the military. Soon, I will be married to a college student. I think that soon, I will be buying organic foods though.
There is nothing wrong with the foods that I had mentioned before, so long as you are reading the labels and doing everything in moderation. There is nothing wrong with taking your child to McDonald's so long as it is in moderation. I am just learning to cook from scratch. I am learning to integrate more veggies in our diet. I am picking the healthier options from restaurants. I am reading the labels before buying the "boxed" meals.
However, I just watched a documentary called "Food, Inc." that really opened my eyes. It opened my eyes the same way that "Eat This, Not That" had when I read it. The world today is really not what I thought it was. Now, it's pretty gross and after you watch it, you'll want to start your own farm. I still kind of do, except I'm really not good with animals and I won't eat anything that I once saw alive.
Was was most interesting in this movie wasn't how the animals were treated. I was prepared for that watching "Animal Cops" on the Animal Planet. It wasn't how the employees of the large corporations were treated; though I am slightly shocked that a government agency would make a deal with a corporation like that (I'm also not sure how true that allegation was, but I'm sure someone is looking into it now).
The most shocking thing that I had heard on the movie was the veggie libel laws. Thirteen state governments have decided that the people have no freedom of speech when it comes to their own food. I understand companies suing people for slander, but the governments seem to be stepping in too far. As a citizen of the United States of America, I should be able to say that I don't like McDonald's chicken BLT. It's a statement and my personal opinion. My husband loves them, so he'll buy them and recommend them. I would recommend something else like chicken nuggets or the Big N Tasty.
Now, McDonald's has the right to sue me for that statement. It would seem ridiculous though. It would make them seem like a petty seven year old complaining about how a friend didn't like their dress. They won't lose any money. In fact, they might make a better BLT and make more money or ignore me and continue to make money.
Here's where it started (at least, according to my research): E. coli had gotten into some meat and Oprah made a comment on her show. She was sued. I think she won. But her statement supposedly made bad press for the company and made them lose money. Here's is how it makes sense in my mind. Yes, some people probably stopped shopping there for a while after Oprah said something. But on the other hand, others probably stopped eating there after it was on the news (before it reached Oprah by the way). Those companies should have known the bad press was going to happen and should have started preparing for it the moment they realized E. coli was in the meat. Things happen and both people and companies are responsible for righting their wrongs.
Anther shocker: cloning animals. I knew it was possible, but I didn't know why anyone would want to do it beyond being able to say that they could. I imagine that cloning an animal is more expensive then letting two animals do what comes naturally to them. I could be wrong. If I am, let me know. But the most shocking thing is that they are selling cloned animal meat and not labeling it. Let me repeat that for those who are still getting over the shock: the FDA has decided that it was NOT necessary to label the meat that came from cloned animals.
Now, I am not a brilliant person. I would like to think that I am, but I am too honest. I do, however, think that I am a very logical person. When I go in to buy meat, there is abundant information on the package. I know what the animal has been fed, if the bone is still in the meat, what cut of meat it is, how much it weighs, if there are any injections to help it last longer in my fridge, if the animal was raised organically, etc. But, now I am not going to be %100 percent sure if my cut of meat came from an animal that was produced naturally or in a lab?
I have no idea if the meat is bad for me or not. The FDA says that it is safe to eat as food, but they have approved things before. I would like to choose what foods to put in my child's mouth. Who are they to take that right from me? If in five years or so, everyone who has switched to the cloned meat is in the same or better health then before, I might switch over. That right is up to me as the consumer, not the producer.
Sorry that this rant is so long. I googled "Food, Inc" and found that many of the people talking about it were talking about how the animals were treated. Honestly, it's not that big of a shocker. People are always talking about going organic and their reasons for it. Animal treatment is one of the many reasons. I felt that someone had to talk about how the government is not doing things in our favor. That is what the government is supposed to be there for. I have not lost faith in our government, I am just slightly disappointed.
For me, the process is mostly slow. I slowly learn about how to do things better for my child. I slowly learn about how to keep the house clean as my child gets faster. I slowly learn about how to show my child discipline. I slowly learn about teaching my child repercussions (whether it is a time out, a spanking, or a simple taking away something he likes).
I have one passion though, and that is food. I don't love food like many people. I enjoy eating and it's something I do often whenever I am hanging out with people. When people come over, I cook something or make sure we have tons of snacks and drinks available. When I go to someones house, I bring something. When we are having a special family time, I make something. When we are out all day, we enjoy eating together at a restaurant.
My passion for food goes in a different direction. I used to be a "box" girl. Meaning if I was going to cook food for the family, it was basically going to be me reheating the food. I'd make all sorts of Tuna Helpers or frozen lasagnas or fish sticks.
I never learned to cook and honestly did not want to learn. Now, my passion is trying to eat healthier. I am not one of those people who has decided to cook everything from scratch or buys everything organically. I can't afford it. I am married to the military. Soon, I will be married to a college student. I think that soon, I will be buying organic foods though.
There is nothing wrong with the foods that I had mentioned before, so long as you are reading the labels and doing everything in moderation. There is nothing wrong with taking your child to McDonald's so long as it is in moderation. I am just learning to cook from scratch. I am learning to integrate more veggies in our diet. I am picking the healthier options from restaurants. I am reading the labels before buying the "boxed" meals.
However, I just watched a documentary called "Food, Inc." that really opened my eyes. It opened my eyes the same way that "Eat This, Not That" had when I read it. The world today is really not what I thought it was. Now, it's pretty gross and after you watch it, you'll want to start your own farm. I still kind of do, except I'm really not good with animals and I won't eat anything that I once saw alive.
Was was most interesting in this movie wasn't how the animals were treated. I was prepared for that watching "Animal Cops" on the Animal Planet. It wasn't how the employees of the large corporations were treated; though I am slightly shocked that a government agency would make a deal with a corporation like that (I'm also not sure how true that allegation was, but I'm sure someone is looking into it now).
The most shocking thing that I had heard on the movie was the veggie libel laws. Thirteen state governments have decided that the people have no freedom of speech when it comes to their own food. I understand companies suing people for slander, but the governments seem to be stepping in too far. As a citizen of the United States of America, I should be able to say that I don't like McDonald's chicken BLT. It's a statement and my personal opinion. My husband loves them, so he'll buy them and recommend them. I would recommend something else like chicken nuggets or the Big N Tasty.
Now, McDonald's has the right to sue me for that statement. It would seem ridiculous though. It would make them seem like a petty seven year old complaining about how a friend didn't like their dress. They won't lose any money. In fact, they might make a better BLT and make more money or ignore me and continue to make money.
Here's where it started (at least, according to my research): E. coli had gotten into some meat and Oprah made a comment on her show. She was sued. I think she won. But her statement supposedly made bad press for the company and made them lose money. Here's is how it makes sense in my mind. Yes, some people probably stopped shopping there for a while after Oprah said something. But on the other hand, others probably stopped eating there after it was on the news (before it reached Oprah by the way). Those companies should have known the bad press was going to happen and should have started preparing for it the moment they realized E. coli was in the meat. Things happen and both people and companies are responsible for righting their wrongs.
Anther shocker: cloning animals. I knew it was possible, but I didn't know why anyone would want to do it beyond being able to say that they could. I imagine that cloning an animal is more expensive then letting two animals do what comes naturally to them. I could be wrong. If I am, let me know. But the most shocking thing is that they are selling cloned animal meat and not labeling it. Let me repeat that for those who are still getting over the shock: the FDA has decided that it was NOT necessary to label the meat that came from cloned animals.
Now, I am not a brilliant person. I would like to think that I am, but I am too honest. I do, however, think that I am a very logical person. When I go in to buy meat, there is abundant information on the package. I know what the animal has been fed, if the bone is still in the meat, what cut of meat it is, how much it weighs, if there are any injections to help it last longer in my fridge, if the animal was raised organically, etc. But, now I am not going to be %100 percent sure if my cut of meat came from an animal that was produced naturally or in a lab?
I have no idea if the meat is bad for me or not. The FDA says that it is safe to eat as food, but they have approved things before. I would like to choose what foods to put in my child's mouth. Who are they to take that right from me? If in five years or so, everyone who has switched to the cloned meat is in the same or better health then before, I might switch over. That right is up to me as the consumer, not the producer.
Sorry that this rant is so long. I googled "Food, Inc" and found that many of the people talking about it were talking about how the animals were treated. Honestly, it's not that big of a shocker. People are always talking about going organic and their reasons for it. Animal treatment is one of the many reasons. I felt that someone had to talk about how the government is not doing things in our favor. That is what the government is supposed to be there for. I have not lost faith in our government, I am just slightly disappointed.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
I Have A Dream
I have a dream, finally. Most people know what they want to do with their lives sometime during high school or part of the way through college. Most of the people my age have graduated college and are getting ready to go back for their masters or whatever. I, on the other hand, didn't really have that big of a dream. I had a lot of things that I liked, but not enough to really make it happen.
Now, I still want to write, take lots of pictures, and homeschool my child. But this is a goal that I will work hard towards and will help me to direct my energies so that I don't keep starting projects and leaving them unfinished. Who am I kidding, I'll probably still do that, but I won't do it as often. My new dream, and don't laugh to hard, is to become Donald Trump of Alaska.
Here's how it works in my brain: 1) Pay off all of our debt (my husband and myself) while I am learning to keep up with my responsibilities now. 2) Save up money while buying most of our things locally grown or made. 3) Learn as much as possible about the farming, baking, and cooking going on in my town. 4) Figure out what my community needs; for example, someone who can grow a crop not yet produced locally. Then, start a small business that fills that need. 5) Repeat step 4 until I am happy with the community that I live in.
See? If I do this, I'll be like the Donald Trump of my community. I'd be even more like him if those companies that I started grew to help the whole state. I love this idea and I am extremely excited. It will take a long time, but we, my husband and myself, can make this happen.
Now, I still want to write, take lots of pictures, and homeschool my child. But this is a goal that I will work hard towards and will help me to direct my energies so that I don't keep starting projects and leaving them unfinished. Who am I kidding, I'll probably still do that, but I won't do it as often. My new dream, and don't laugh to hard, is to become Donald Trump of Alaska.
Here's how it works in my brain: 1) Pay off all of our debt (my husband and myself) while I am learning to keep up with my responsibilities now. 2) Save up money while buying most of our things locally grown or made. 3) Learn as much as possible about the farming, baking, and cooking going on in my town. 4) Figure out what my community needs; for example, someone who can grow a crop not yet produced locally. Then, start a small business that fills that need. 5) Repeat step 4 until I am happy with the community that I live in.
See? If I do this, I'll be like the Donald Trump of my community. I'd be even more like him if those companies that I started grew to help the whole state. I love this idea and I am extremely excited. It will take a long time, but we, my husband and myself, can make this happen.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Childhood Friends
It's amazing to me how quickly a child will decide whether or not they like someone. My son has a girl for a best friend. He talks about her more than anyone else in the world. He will do anything to be able to go play with her somewhere. Her little brother on the other hand was not okay in his book. From the moment her little brother started walking around, my son went out of his way to bully him. Now they are friends just fine, but it took a lot of patience from their parents and a lot of scolding from us.
Today, he met another girl at their house. He liked her right away, even when she "called him a monster" cause he was wearing a Jack t-shirt. I turned and noticed that as they were chasing each other around, he and this new girl were holding hands. They held hands for about ten minutes before she finally let go.
How do kids do that? When do they lose that innocence that makes it so they can trust each other completely? When do they start to realize that everyone is not always what they seem to be, so they put a guard up?
Today, he met another girl at their house. He liked her right away, even when she "called him a monster" cause he was wearing a Jack t-shirt. I turned and noticed that as they were chasing each other around, he and this new girl were holding hands. They held hands for about ten minutes before she finally let go.
How do kids do that? When do they lose that innocence that makes it so they can trust each other completely? When do they start to realize that everyone is not always what they seem to be, so they put a guard up?
Neighborly Love
I have this really close friend here in North Carolina. She's got two kids and a great husband. Like myself, she's a housewife. She's one of those woman you don't ever want your husband to meet because the moment he walks into her house you know he's going to ask why you can't keep your house clean like hers. One husband had the gall to ask right in front of her.
We have always been there for each other. When one person needs to run to the grocery store or just wants fast food in the middle of the night and can't drive for some reason, we call the other person. When we are having big fights with our husbands, we call each other. When our children just won't behave and we want to wear them out, we call each other. When we are lonely during our husbands' deployments, we call each other.
Recently, every time I go by her house, one of her new neighbors stops by. Then, I start to hear about how "great" I am. Honestly, I am not that great. For a while I thought that she thought I was this really awesome person and wanted them to like me too. This would make sense because most people don't like me when they first meet me. Nope. The reason is because her neighbors don't seem to have the understanding of how to treat your neighbor.
While my friend and I were always there for each other, we were always there for our other neighbors too (even if we didn't like them). One of the ladies we didn't get along with fell down her stairs while she was pregnant, so I went to the hospital with her. Another person needed a sitter but couldn't afford one so my friend watched their child for several months for free. Another friend of ours was always willing to watch our kids when we had to run errands but they couldn't come along. Another neighbor was always inviting us in for dinner. The guys would all help each other too: fixing lawn mowers, mowing lawns while the husband was away, getting together and fixing a car, etc.
I guess her new neighbors are willing to accept this neighborly love, but they are not willing to return the favor. It seems to be that way in my new neighborhood as well. What happened to the "Love they neighbor as thyself" verse or even way of life here in the United States? My foster parents often lent me out to neighbors to help clear out weeds or move furniture or even prepare for garage sales. Helping someone in need (great or small) doesn't seem like such a huge deal to me and it's almost second nature. I know it's true of several other people as well. But the more people that I meet, the more it seems like that way of life is dying out.
My friend here has recently found out she has cancer. I found out she wasn't eating much let alone eating healthy for the most part. I know how eating properly is extremely important for normal people let alone people trying to fight with their own bodies. So, I resolved to myself that whenever I had plans to meet with her, I would make sure to bring food with me. Even if she doesn't eat it, then her husband and children have a meal for those days that she is too weak to cook.
I'm not doing this to get "awesome" recognition or so that people see me. I am not doing this because someday she'll repay the favor. I really do care about this person and her family and I want to help in anyway possible. I don't live right next door anymore so I can't be there every time she needs me to help wear the kids out. Part of it is selfish: I want my son to have this same attitude towards helping others that my husband and I have. The only way to teach him to show him.
We have always been there for each other. When one person needs to run to the grocery store or just wants fast food in the middle of the night and can't drive for some reason, we call the other person. When we are having big fights with our husbands, we call each other. When our children just won't behave and we want to wear them out, we call each other. When we are lonely during our husbands' deployments, we call each other.
Recently, every time I go by her house, one of her new neighbors stops by. Then, I start to hear about how "great" I am. Honestly, I am not that great. For a while I thought that she thought I was this really awesome person and wanted them to like me too. This would make sense because most people don't like me when they first meet me. Nope. The reason is because her neighbors don't seem to have the understanding of how to treat your neighbor.
While my friend and I were always there for each other, we were always there for our other neighbors too (even if we didn't like them). One of the ladies we didn't get along with fell down her stairs while she was pregnant, so I went to the hospital with her. Another person needed a sitter but couldn't afford one so my friend watched their child for several months for free. Another friend of ours was always willing to watch our kids when we had to run errands but they couldn't come along. Another neighbor was always inviting us in for dinner. The guys would all help each other too: fixing lawn mowers, mowing lawns while the husband was away, getting together and fixing a car, etc.
I guess her new neighbors are willing to accept this neighborly love, but they are not willing to return the favor. It seems to be that way in my new neighborhood as well. What happened to the "Love they neighbor as thyself" verse or even way of life here in the United States? My foster parents often lent me out to neighbors to help clear out weeds or move furniture or even prepare for garage sales. Helping someone in need (great or small) doesn't seem like such a huge deal to me and it's almost second nature. I know it's true of several other people as well. But the more people that I meet, the more it seems like that way of life is dying out.
My friend here has recently found out she has cancer. I found out she wasn't eating much let alone eating healthy for the most part. I know how eating properly is extremely important for normal people let alone people trying to fight with their own bodies. So, I resolved to myself that whenever I had plans to meet with her, I would make sure to bring food with me. Even if she doesn't eat it, then her husband and children have a meal for those days that she is too weak to cook.
I'm not doing this to get "awesome" recognition or so that people see me. I am not doing this because someday she'll repay the favor. I really do care about this person and her family and I want to help in anyway possible. I don't live right next door anymore so I can't be there every time she needs me to help wear the kids out. Part of it is selfish: I want my son to have this same attitude towards helping others that my husband and I have. The only way to teach him to show him.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Enemy #1- Laziness
One of the hardest things to do in my house is clean. I have a relatively small house, three bedrooms, one bath, all on one floor. It's not the fact that when I clean everything my 3 year old son and 1 year old dog will figure out a way to make it messy again or the fact that my husband who complains about the clutter helps to make it multiply. Nope, the cleaning sprees in my house often die because of laziness.
Take right now for example. I know that a cup was spilt on my livingroom floor and the laundry is waiting for me to change it out. But the draw to the tv and the addiction to the internet is calling for me to stay where I am. I figure if I at least get this out there some moms (even if it's only a few) will feel the same and know they aren't alone.
But, the laziness can't keep a hold on me for too long. We are moving soon and we have to sell our house. It's not too bad, but I'm going to have to keep it spotless everyday for about two months and that is going to be hard, especially since I have the "I can do it later" attitude.
Hopefully, posting about this online will help keep me accountable, just like talking about trying to lose weight and the such like. If I keep talking about how I can keep the house clean, maybe it will help other moms as well as show me ways that work better.
Take right now for example. I know that a cup was spilt on my livingroom floor and the laundry is waiting for me to change it out. But the draw to the tv and the addiction to the internet is calling for me to stay where I am. I figure if I at least get this out there some moms (even if it's only a few) will feel the same and know they aren't alone.
But, the laziness can't keep a hold on me for too long. We are moving soon and we have to sell our house. It's not too bad, but I'm going to have to keep it spotless everyday for about two months and that is going to be hard, especially since I have the "I can do it later" attitude.
Hopefully, posting about this online will help keep me accountable, just like talking about trying to lose weight and the such like. If I keep talking about how I can keep the house clean, maybe it will help other moms as well as show me ways that work better.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Awful Exercise
What is with the idea that we need to be skinny? At least, that's a question I hear all the time, but even a nobody like me wants to be skinny. I watch actresses on tv with envy and remember that I used to be able to wear little clothes like that or do those poses without looking ridiculous. My husband says that he is getting fat because he gained four pounds (he looks anorexic most of the time).
In order to be "skinny" we need to do two things, diet and exercise. Most people consider dieting horrible, but not me. It's a lifestyle change that I was working on anyway because I don't want my son to be raised on french fries and potato chips. It's eating healthier and smarter and I've bought the books and started living those ideas. I don't ignore sweets or junk food, I just learned moderation and to find the "healthiest" sweets and junk food they sell in my price range.
Exercise on the other hand... It's supposed to help us have more energy, but who thinks about energy when their legs are hurting so badly that they cry out every time they sit down. Who thinks about energy when they are desperately trying to figure out how to pay for a message to get all the kinks out of their backs? Who is thinking about energy when they are breathing like every gasp is going to be their last and it just doesn't have enough air in it?
I'm a bit smarter than most and stupider at the same time. I decided that I looked like such a fool at the gym that I was going to buy some things to work out at home until I was ready to be stared at. I have all these videos, games, and exercise items to help me out. The great thing is I can work out when I want to in the privacy of my own home. The downfall is staying motivated and knowing if you are doing everything properly.
I started a new game "Wii Active" a couple of days ago and it seems to be going well. I set the workout level on medium and it has been kicking my butt. I have been able to go above and beyond what the ideal calories burned each day. It also has options to input the food you ate the day before and other activities the day before so you can see "patterns" or something.
My son has even gotten to the point where he will do random poses and tell me he's "esercising" followed by lots of grunts.
I am not afraid to say it. I weigh 162 pounds; well, I did last Monday. I am only 5'4" tall, so I'm in the overweight group. I will weigh myself next Monday and let you know the results (because in my brain you are that interested).
In order to be "skinny" we need to do two things, diet and exercise. Most people consider dieting horrible, but not me. It's a lifestyle change that I was working on anyway because I don't want my son to be raised on french fries and potato chips. It's eating healthier and smarter and I've bought the books and started living those ideas. I don't ignore sweets or junk food, I just learned moderation and to find the "healthiest" sweets and junk food they sell in my price range.
Exercise on the other hand... It's supposed to help us have more energy, but who thinks about energy when their legs are hurting so badly that they cry out every time they sit down. Who thinks about energy when they are desperately trying to figure out how to pay for a message to get all the kinks out of their backs? Who is thinking about energy when they are breathing like every gasp is going to be their last and it just doesn't have enough air in it?
I'm a bit smarter than most and stupider at the same time. I decided that I looked like such a fool at the gym that I was going to buy some things to work out at home until I was ready to be stared at. I have all these videos, games, and exercise items to help me out. The great thing is I can work out when I want to in the privacy of my own home. The downfall is staying motivated and knowing if you are doing everything properly.
I started a new game "Wii Active" a couple of days ago and it seems to be going well. I set the workout level on medium and it has been kicking my butt. I have been able to go above and beyond what the ideal calories burned each day. It also has options to input the food you ate the day before and other activities the day before so you can see "patterns" or something.
My son has even gotten to the point where he will do random poses and tell me he's "esercising" followed by lots of grunts.
I am not afraid to say it. I weigh 162 pounds; well, I did last Monday. I am only 5'4" tall, so I'm in the overweight group. I will weigh myself next Monday and let you know the results (because in my brain you are that interested).
First Blog!
It seems like this is all anyone does lately: tell friends, family, and even random strangers what they think, feel, and are doing at that moment on the internet. It seems like everyone in every age groups has at least one page somewhere online. I have even seen children with a page and I've thought about getting my son one of his own... But I did not fall into that trap seeing as how he can't even spell yet let alone learn not to drool on the computer.
I decided to start this blog in the hopes of helping other moms, or educating the masses, or just to express myself when it seems like no one else is listening. So, hears to hoping it works out.
I am fairly young for being a mom and housewife, or maybe it just seems that way since most moms are thitry something on television. I just turned 24 (yes, I am a Gemini). I have a beautiful, but very crazy, 3 and a half year old boy whose imagination would astound even J.J. Abrams. My husband, who just turned 23, is about to get out of the military after serving four years and continue his lifes ambitions in the medical field.
I say things exactly the way I see them. I am very sarcastic and I love to joke around a lot (I'll just put the sarcastic comments in between some asterisks or something). I love to talk a lot and I have an opinion on about 65% of the things I hear about.
That's me in a bundle. The green housewife... and it's not green because I want to leave a better carbon footprint, but because I'm still a newbie at the whole housewife thing. That's what green used to mean.
I decided to start this blog in the hopes of helping other moms, or educating the masses, or just to express myself when it seems like no one else is listening. So, hears to hoping it works out.
I am fairly young for being a mom and housewife, or maybe it just seems that way since most moms are thitry something on television. I just turned 24 (yes, I am a Gemini). I have a beautiful, but very crazy, 3 and a half year old boy whose imagination would astound even J.J. Abrams. My husband, who just turned 23, is about to get out of the military after serving four years and continue his lifes ambitions in the medical field.
I say things exactly the way I see them. I am very sarcastic and I love to joke around a lot (I'll just put the sarcastic comments in between some asterisks or something). I love to talk a lot and I have an opinion on about 65% of the things I hear about.
That's me in a bundle. The green housewife... and it's not green because I want to leave a better carbon footprint, but because I'm still a newbie at the whole housewife thing. That's what green used to mean.
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